Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-04
WARNING 10 CATHOLICS
Archbishop ireland Advises Mem.
bers of Church to Refrain
from Agitation.
In a Sermon He Tells Them Of
Duties Toward the Gov.
eminent.
Church in Philippines and Other
Dependencies Has Not
Suffered.

plea to Catholics to repair from un-
warranted agitation because of church
controversies i'm recently acquired
United States territory. He said in
Part:
The apostle Paul gives this counsel,
not to be more wise than it behoove
Those to be wise, but to be wise unto
sobriety, and according as God hath
dividcd to every one the measure of
faith In the mind of the apostle
| things most excellent, if made use of in
undue measure and without proper re-
gard of circumstances, of time and
place, change into things pcrilous and
| hurtful. And this is undoubtedly what
| is happining in the case of the frey
zeal in defense of Catholic interests
which seem to be coveting an explosion
at the present time among certain
classes of American Catholic. The in
terests of the church. it is said, are
made to suffer at the hands of the gov
eminent in it's newly acquired dapen-
dincies, and the call to arms is sounded
from the rostrunls of Catholic societies,
and thru the columns of Catholic pap
ers to the perturbation of the whole
Catholic body, and, indeed, of the whole
country The moment has come to say
to Catholics, I'VE wise, be Jealous, unto
sobriety, and according as God hath
divided to every one to measure faith.
and such is the counsel take the lib
crty to give to my hearers.
4. Lott,
protest and call upon Catholics to be
up and doing? Are they those who
might claim to represent the church in
general, or even local interests? Has
the sovereign pontif spoken? Certain
ly he has not complained; rather. has
he been heard from in Very different
tones. Have the ecclesiastical author
tiles in the dependencies invoke our
aid? In no instance have they so acted;
where they have been heard from. as i'll
the case of Porto Rico and of Cuba. 1T
was TO tell us in plainest words that
they had no grievances, altho from ir-
responsible sources it had been on sew
eral pervious occasions dinned into our
ears that the church was robbed and
prosecuted in both these islands. Bish-
OPP Blenck of Porto Rico openly rejoices
that the American flag rather than the
Spanish guards his dioces; and the
hierarchy in Cuba are thanking God
that church interests there We're set
tied by the government Of Washington
before u Cuban parliament was allowed
10 sit down in Havana.
"The archbishops of the states meet
together once year in Washington
hi
archy. 1t cannot be said that they have
sounded an alarm. Whatever COM
plants have been heard come from in
dividuai Catholics or from societies of
Catholics; in neither case is there war
rant to represent others than the men
themselves, or the societies themselves
who do speak. Societies of Catholics
are organized for purposes of their own
usually with the intent to secure Spe-
cial aid or comfort TO such as are mem
bers thereof. Restricted to those pur-
poses, they are within their shere, and
are entitled to respect. To venture be-
You'd those purposes, and assume gen
eral direction of the church is quite an
ether thing. 1t must be remembered
that there are hundreds of thousands of
good and influential Catholic laymen,
members of no mutual benevolent So
ciety to speak for them. 1t must, too,
be remembered that soldiers of the
church, as soldiers of an army OF what
soever kind whether singly or whether
in companies or regiments, must await
the action of the commanders, before
they undertake toact for the whole or
ganization. BE wise according as God
hath divided to everyone the measure
of faith
There are some very important mat
tiers to be considered by Catholics be-
fore grievances are proclaimed, or ac-
ton is taken to remedy them. The ut
most care must previously be had to
make ones self sure the grievances do
exist and that they are of sufficient
magnitude to be taken hold of in
manner to awaken public attention. To
complain either when there is no rea-
son or when the reason is slight and
unimportant is to weaken ones position
in the presence of real or serious griev-
ances. if at any time such may exist.
The habit of righteousness brings in
evitably the penalty, that of being
passed over unceremonously on all oc-
casions, even when now and then the
matter complained of deserves atten-
ton. Then. too to complain needlessly,
is to be guilty of an act of injustice to-
wards men, and institutions, the iniqui-
ty of the act being the more grievous as
the men, or the institutions, that are
the objects of it. rise in dignity or inn
portance. The government of the ma
ton as for other things. call for fair
treatment and respect on the part of
the citizens; public attacks upon it,
over the suspiciousnes of its acts and
motives beget disloyalty and lower
among the people civic virtue. the life
blood of national life and security.
catholics have in the past suffered
much from caumny and distrust; and
to fail, play and to honest Judgment of
the equitable treatment which they
claim for themselves and their religious
faith from their fellow citizens and for
the country let them in their turn be
high examplars In their own dealings
With their fellow citizens and with the
country.
Nor is public agitation necessary
grievances do exist, whether such
grievances have origin, as is the more
often the case, from inadvetence, or as
ii more rarely happens from malice
aforethousht on the part of Individual
officials of the government l say adj
visedly. and 1 am prepared to stand by
what here say, there is always redress
from grievances SO far az circumstance
Is may allow, if it is sought thru quiet
and reasonable methods from the high