The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-15
LEO's ENCYCLICAL.
Holy Father Urges Obedience to
Recognized Authority.

Holy rather Urges ODSIShcS 10
Recognized Authority.
NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-First copies Of
the recent encyclicaI letter of Pope Leo
XIII, issued the latter part of January,
have been received in this city. The doc
ument says in part:
Economical disputes in more than one
country have long been raging; peace
and concord are affected; the violence
of the disputants grows every day, in so
much that the thoughts of the wiser
part are laden with doubts and appre-
hension. These disputes arise in the nrst
instance from widespread philosophical
and moral error. The scientific resources
belonging to the age, increased facilities
of communication and appliances of ali
kinds for economizing labor, making it
more productive, have resulted in a Keen
er struggle for existence. Through the
influence Of agitators the gulf between
rich and poor has been widened, so that
frequent disturbances arise, even great
calamities seem impending, such as
would bring ruin on a country.
What social democracy means, and
what Christian ought to mean, does not
surely admit of doubt. The former, more
or less extreme as the case may be,
is by many carried to such extrava ganCe
of wickedneSS-aS to reckon human salts
faction supreme and to pursue bodily
goods and those Of the natural world,
and to make the happiness of man con-
siSt in attaining and enjoying them.
Hence they would have the supreme
power in state to be in the hands Of
common people, in such sort that all dis
tinctions of rank being abolished and
every citizen made equal to every other,
all might have equal access also. to the
good things of life The law OF lord
ship is to be abolished, private fortunes
contiscated and even socialism of tho
appliances of labor carried out.
But Christian democracy, as Chris
tan. ought to have as its foundation the
principles laid down by divine faith, hay
ing regard, indeed, to the temporal adj
vantage of the lower orders, but design
ing herewith to fit their minds for the
Z enjoyment of things eternal. According
w to Christian democracy let there be
nothing more sacred than law and right;
let it bid the right of having and holding
be kept inviolate let it maintain the d1-
yersity of ranks which properly belong
to a well ordered state; in fine, let 1t pre-
fer for human association that form and
character which it's divine author has
imposed
Clearly. therefore, social and Christian
democracy can have nothing in common;
the difference between them is no less
than that between the sectar1anlsm or
socialism and the procession oI In9
PEOPLE may and ought to abide by these
pracepts, which BID them love God above
all their neighbors as Themselves. This
has even been the morality of the church
BY it Roman pontiffs constantly dealt
with states, whatever might be their
executive government. And TINS De;nS
So the mind and action Of Catholics,
when devoted to promoting the good Of
the lower orders, cannot aim at enbrac-
ing and introducing any one form Of gov
eminent in preference for another.
God forbid that under the name Of
Christian democracy should lie the sur
reptitious aim of throwing off all obedi-
ence and turning away from those in law
full authority. This is the only attitude
worthy Of an American and a Christian,
and ought to be taken up heartily and
as a matter of duty "for conscience
sake" 1t is absolutely inconsistent with
Christian profession that any one should
refrse to submit and be obedient to those
Of superior officers in the church, es-
peciaily to bishops, whom without preju-
dice to tie authority of the Roman pontitf
ever all and each) the Holy Ghost hath
placed to rule the church of God.
1t is more important that those who
minister about sacred things should also
reflect upon them very diligently, and
not fail to teach them to others by their
words; yes, and still more by their ex-
ample.