Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-04
BEN EFT OF SCHOOL
LECTURE BY w. BOURKE COCK
RAN YESTERDAY.
Christianity and Democracy the
Theme-Progress Under American
Form of Government.

Under the auspices of the local Society of
Jesus, and for the benefit of the free
parochial school which is conducted in con-
junction with st. Aloysius Church, w.
Bourke Cochran of New York. pubiicist,
traveller, lecturer and orator, yesterday
afternoon at o'clock delivered lecture in
the Lafayette Theater to an audience that
filled the house. Mr.. Cochran spoke on
christianity and Democracy"
On the stage were score of members
of the Jesuit order. several United States
senators and other men of prominence.
The speaker was introduced to the audi
ence by Rev Father Edward Fink, who an
nounced hat the man before them needed
no introduction at his hands, but that he
felt he could not neglect the opportunity
to express his appreciation of the kindness
and consideration of the lecturer in coming
to Washington at this\ time to assist the
work of the society which he had for so
many years champiOned and the purposes
Of which he had so splendidly promulgated.
Mr., Cochran then addressed the audience
Inc substance of his remarks were to the
erect that while Christianity and democracy
went hand in hand down the ages the
tenets of the church were not for the Law
man TO discuss from the platform but
mat the dognas were open to all, and that
and democracy were not irreconcilable but
susceptible of a union of purpose for the
retirement OF all mankind
II Catholicism becomes universal" Mr.
COCHRAN said, 1T follows that democracy
must rule the world. 1t does not follow from
what L have said. that other religions have
not this power. but Catholicism must be the
strongest force, for it has spread the true
1eeling and influences of a democratic
spirit throughout every land where man
has builded habitation, and while YOU
may not all share the opinions which l
nolo' know you are all willing to examine
them ana to judge which is the better
yours or mine. l cannot conceive how men
can quarrel about their opinions I only
know OF two things that can be done with
an opin1on-express 1t or change it, l shall
express mine not change it, for 1 believe 1t
TO be good opinion or 1 would not hold If
A man does not quarrel with his neiehbor
because the neighbor has a better house
IMAM his Then why should he quarrel
Win MN because he differs in opinion?
For the differing opinion cannot he as GOOD
as the other mans, else the latter uouId
chahge his for the better one Therafora
my opliilon must be superior or would not
MAINTAIN 1t in the face of your difference
Inauguration of Democracy.
Let us start with the assumption that
Since the establishment of Christianity the
most important event in the history Of
l'ahhlhd was the inauguration of demo-
Ciduc institutions. In England and IN
I rance there has been no change since the
Jays when Caesar conquered the Gauls and
tht Britons. Men in those DAYS had de-
seioped as high civilization as that that
exists today and they had erected noonu
ments as splendid; their methods of Infr,.
motion may not have been as advanced az
those or the present day but thew trave;ad
from one place to another as fast as thev
t tsde 10; Iheir civilization had taught
ho
Ieilow men, and the spirit of democracy
hau not been thrown upon them But sirce
the estapllshment of this government the
world mas never seen such expansion. such
enterprise, such a revolution of human
aHalrs In all its history. The natural n
dltlons Which were obstacles to human adj
Vancement and human intercourse have
peeh removed and democracy stands the
paramount factor in the mighty scheme of
the great republic. Here all men are equal
ana all are the heirs of the maonifirent
heritage of personal liberty. We NAV oar-
tiaIly attribute this extraordinary change
IN III human CONDITIONS to the extraordinary
increase In human production but the an
clentS We're far more greatly adyan, ed in
arts than we of today. Their TEMPLES stood
Tor centuries without rivals in splendor.
thelf music has persisted, but It's history
mas been handed down to US of TODAY So
that we know that 1t far Surpassed anv-
thing that modern composers have written.
Ihelr poetry and their literature are the
wonders OF even this day. and no modern
chlsel has ever yet had the power tn an
proach the Incompatible excellence of those
that wrought the Venus of Milo and the
Apollo Belvidere, the wonderful art treas
uTes OF Pompe1i or the magnificent palaces
OF Babylon and Athens
But they all stand as the monuments or
mans oppression of his fellow The beauty
OF the Roman galley Is forgotten when we
recall the slave chained to his oar his ONLY
reward a stroke of the singing scourge,
~ Il
victim Of a tyranny of his felIoW-men no
winter than he, better than he but
simply stronger than he. Stand by the
wonderful Greek temples. and while you
marvel at the harmony OF outline remem-
Der that the men who built them moistened
the mortar with their tears and died in alb
Ject misery-enslaved by their brothers.
I'm, great pyramid of Ghizeh was erected
by king for his final sepulture-its solid
walls made thick that no human hand
might ever touch the sacred remains. no
human eye defame them with it's glance
stand today in the museum at Cairo, and
you may touch the grave clothes of these
vain kings-touch even their shrtveled
bodies-and every hand that touches them
every eye that rests upon them is a verifi-
cation or the divine rule that all men shall
be equal before the one King, and that the
builders of the pyramids We're equally men
in the eyes of their Maker
Emblems Of Slavery.
were the emblems of human slavery: they
were erected by a course that produced alb
ject misery to all but the builders, and no
such state of things has ever existed In the
history of the world as during that period
when enlightenment was at it's greatest
height. Today we live under a republic
whose object is the establishment of free
dom and democracy. Its possessions are
more than has ever been known since the
world began and they are increasing every
day. How did this come about? Why, 1t
came about because the men of this age
have learned that human equality stands
pre-eminent as a stmulant to human prog
ress and that such progress and democracy
are one and the same thing
Mr. Cochran In developing his topic,
that the principles upon which
this republic were founded were the only
true ones and that the Catholic Church
was the most energetic school in their pro-
mitigation and encouragement. He con-
tended that the more freedom that men had
the better the world grew, the more en-
lightened II became and the larger grew the
power of production and the consequent
wealth He attributed all the good to the
Influence of the church in cooperation with
the operation. of the laws, and held that as
long as this continued and advanced Just
that long would this republic be the envy
of the world.