The times., 1901-03-24

loly, Dui they nave IN our eS Is d "ecP
meaning. They proclaim the doctrine of
unity that is clearer than the MONDAY
sun from the teachings of Jesus; they
make first stepHin the direction OF its
restoration; they keep alive the spirit OF
charity in many hearts. and they stir up
countless PRAYERS for the consummation
of an end that few believing Christians
any longer consider unnecessary. AL
ready the canker-w worms of doubt and IN
difference are gnawing at those last
foundations of the old inherited Christian
religious beliefs that still worked beneh-
Gently outside the pale of Catholic unity
but are now disappearing from the pubic
| consciousness because, too often, they are
no longer elements of private conviction.
In the realm of faith as in that of ma
ture, there is an after-glow, when the
central sun has spent its force; but in
both that glow is the herald of coldness
and darkness. To those who no longer al
low in their hearts any Christian belief,
Catholicism has strongly appealed in this
century by its teachings on the right use
of reason in matters of faith. the claims
of religion on the mind and the heart of
man, the benefits of Christianity and it's
superiority over all other forms of re-
ligion-in a word, by the constant expose
of all the motives of credibility which
could affect sane and right mind that
had divested itself of prejudice and pas
| sion.
CONVERSIONS TO CATHOLICISM.
Not the least remarkable share of the
history of Catholicism is seen in the
stream of conversions that began in the
very stress of the French Revolution and
has not ceased to flow since then. From
every land of the Old and New Worlds
hundreds of thousands have returned of
| their own volition to the ancient fold
wherein we firmly believe is kept the
sacred deposit of saving truth. They
| have come to us from the pulpits of op-
! posing religions and from the workshops
of an unbelieving science. Every condi-
tion of life, and both sexes, have sent us
| numerous souls. Very many Of these con-
versions have been unsolicited and unex-
! pected Some of them meant an acces-
| sion of wealth or social prestige or high
rank. Others brought with them the be-
! loved tribute of uncommon intelligence,
| experience Of life and men, acquired cru
| dition the highest gifts of style and ora
| tory. Very many have come from the
| middle walks of life, and signified no
more than great weariness of pursuing
shadows for the reality of divine truth,
! and the excessive goodness of the Holy
| Spirit of God which bloweth where 1t
| listeth. OF this army of converts some
/ have been drawn by the conviction that
the Bible alone, without an interpreter
and a witness divinely guaranteed, could
| nc rule Of
been moved by the incarnation in the
Church of the spirit and functions of au-
! thority without which no society can ex-
| ist. Still others have come back to the
mother of ali Churches, through a deep
/ heart-weariness at the endless dilapida-
tion of divine truth outside the Roman
Church Some have sought and found
through the study of history the open
door to the truth Others again through
the study of art and it's functions in the
! Christian Church. In whatever way they
| returned to the unity of the original
sheepfold, they are an eloquent witness
| to the innate vigor and the immortal
charm OF the Christian truth as preserved
in Catholicism. For they have come in
unconditionally Their return has worked
beneficially not only for themselves, but
for those of the Catholic faith, whom ii
| has consoled and encouraged for theiI
steadfastness, while the non-Catholic
world cannot but feel that that religion
is worthy Of respect, even of study
which can forever draw so many men and
women out of the ranks of its adver-
saries. even at the sacrifice of many
things which are usually held dear by
society.
THE RELATIONS WITH CIVIL AUTHORITY.
Being a genuine and worldwide re-
ligion, Catholicism could not but come
into contact with the powers in which
rests the social authority.
| In many cases the fundamental rela
tions of both have been settled by docu
ments of a quasi-constitutional character
known as Concordats. They are binding
on both parties. yet in more than ont
case the supreme authority of Cathol
icisrn has had reason to complain of thei
violation either in letter or in spirit.
Important points like the freedom o
, episcopal elections, the management O
ecclesiastical revenues, the freedom o
access to and communication with th
Holy See have been tampered with o
openly abolished In a general way Cath
olics are far from being content with tn
actual administration OF these quasi
treaties between the civil and the &c
clesiastical powers in the Old World ant
, in South America-yet they respect then
and desire to live up to their require
ments 1t is to be hoped that in the com
ing century there will be less suspicion
of the truly beneficent intentions of tn
Church, and less hampering of the com
mon organs of her existence and work. i
a century filed with revolutions as n
| other the Catholic Church has comporte
2 herself with dignity and equity, and man
aged to find the correct via media in thi
great tangle of opposing and mutual
destructive forms and theories of govern
2 ment.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE UNITE
STATES.
: In our own beloved country we hav
. every reason to be thankful that the lii
ertv to worship God according to tn
dictates of conscience is guaranteed b
tho Constitution, and has entered deepl
into the convictions of our fellow-cit
a zens. The Catholic Church, by her ow
t constitution, is deeply sympathetic wit
s our national life and all that it stand
e for. She has thrived in the atmospher
k of liberty. and seeks only the protectio
= of the common law, that equal justic
|, which is dealt out to all. She is the ole
v ost historical and continuous governmer
= on the earth, and it is no small indie
= ~ tho value of our institutions and the
c durability that they make provision fC