The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-11-22
WHY CONVERTS COME TO US.

Editor Intermountain Catholic: AT
a mission given to the non-Catholics
in the Cathedral of Chicago by Rev.
Bertrand Coway, C. S. p, there were
over 1000 non Catholics in attendance
each evening. Most of these non-Cath-
| olics were people of more than ordinary
intelligence, with considerable refine
ment, and many of them of notable
standing in the social world. This lat
ter fact was indicated not only by
their intelligent appearance, but by
the searching character of the ques-
tions that were placed in the question
box.
That it is possible to secure an audi
ence of this character when the only
question to be treated is that of re
! ligion, and particularly of the old and
despised Catholic church, is condl-
| ton of tremendous significance. The
| facility with which the American peo-
pie run after fads is well known, so
that if the attraction were the latest
cult or enunciation of some new heresy
one might readily understand the rea-
son for the crowd. But there was no
sensationalism. 1t was the plain,
straightforward preaching of Christian
truth that the world has listened to
for nearly 1000 years. There is only
one explanation of the eager interest
to know what the Catholic church
teaches, and that is the complete
breaking down of all teaching author
ity outside the church. The people are
anxious TO know the truth. They have
been drinking from broken cisterns and
their thirst has not been allayed. They
have gone here and there in search of
some satisfying doctrines, but in every
instance they have been Disguised and
deceived, so they are coming back to
the perennial fountain of the church.
Professionalism as an organized re-
Iigion has disintegrated in most of the
large cities of the west, but there is
no place in which this has come about
so completely as in the city of Chi
cago Not long ago at one time there
were ten Protestant churches for sale.
AS another evidence of the democrat
lied condition religion had come to out
side the Catholic church, it was cred
fbly stated that a number of enterpriS-
ing money makers bought up one of
these vacant churches, hired a good
chorus of voices and ran the church
merely as money-making affair, in
the same way and with as much in
difference to right and wrong as they
would run a dime museum.
Little wonder that as the churches
ACCtA
for religious teachers Who will speak
as with authority, and for religious
church that will satisfy the deepest
aspirations of their souls. They are
being persuaded that the old Catholic
church is still stanch and safe. 1t
has borne its burden of souls through
the ages to a haven of rest, and it
still knows how to guide the present
generation safely over the rocks and
shoals of our modern life.
In the inquiry class that Father Con-
way has organized there are nearly
200 The majority of these will ulti-
mately find rest in the bosom of the
church.
After a recent mission to nonCath-
olics in a western city one of the lead
ing men of the town wrote to one Of
the missionaries to this effect: az have
always esteemed Father (mentioning
the pastors name), ''for his own per-
sonal qualities of upright manhood, but
L have attended the mission and have
learned a great deal of the beauty and
excellence of the Catholic church, and
now esteem him also for what he
represents. 1t is an invariable rule,
the better the Catholic church is known
the more she is respected and loved"
(Rev.) A. P. DOYLE.
New York, Nov. 10.