The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
The Church and the Clergy.

1t is proper that we should give promi-
nent consideration TO this letter, whic h
comes to us from a correspondent in
Brooklyn:
Sir: Moca has keen published 10 your neora-
parable paper On religious topics. dosaa,,c and
Otherwise. And therefore venture 10 !respass OF
your space q lt,le. 70 five s1press!no 70 views IN
TIE subject tia, opeal 70 ne strongly.
Among the many divisions o, chrlstendon l
se..:, TIE Latin Church Is the sab;ee, o. my ets-
.elsra feeling tAas there IS anT ruth In r-vesls
religion al. ocyna,ic ,seoosy. IL should be fond
Ia :hat org an!Ia ,on a being he oldes; and ry.s.
o, the Churches. Setting aside al questions Of
osl.t, doctrine, ar. let Us consider how far ,as
Church lives up to the teach ,ngs OF JKsrs cHRsr.
-olancins ,arough history We behold zIi;:erin.
procession Of Popcs. Cardinals. prslAtes aad
chs,chmes 0: h:Sh AID log degree. Iesr.aS cea!aa
them IN atmosphere rodoIen' sometimes OF sanrt,;y
bIs NOR. often the contrary. For one BoRRoA1o
We SOC ATTY RrcnRLiEcs and for one VINCENT DE-
PAUL hundred TokauIxApAs, Standing in the
pisce OF Tie meek and humble CHRIST. behold he
Supreme Ponuh. clo,hed In the panoply Of Mannou
surrounded wi,n Al the luIures that and nature
car furnish, euvtrored BY IN ooseaulous eiicueI,e.
preaching 10 the world Papai lntailoiIsy. Rsdrst.
;nz from h,n behold ,h. Cardinals. Archbtsaops
Bishops and Honsiznorf cioth ed In purple ard fine
linen. well housed and fed. wanting for noth.rg
Following re see the lower clergy. all comfortably
enseouecd IN parochiAi rssdences or monas,en hes
living in ease and comfor,
Look over the United States and See HUNDREDS
Of priests living 10 idleness SIX days OFT o: seven
making no effort 10 look AFTER their docks avance
bigotry. dsooaresy. ariness and Indifference are
largely tie CHARACTERISTICS Of the clergy to-day
They display little or no human sympathy.
See on every hand the misery and wretch .duess
In the power Of these men 70 relieve Instead. they
are engaged IL building costly temples and splendid
residences, buying expensive vestrents and church
ornaments. &c when much Of the m oney thus
lAvishly expended might have zone TO relieve the
necesshies Of the poor During the rlsgl. Of
Milan. CHARLES BokhokIo did no, hesitate to Sell
the sacred vessels OF the Church TO relieve the SUI.
ferinss OF his people. Is there another Ike him in
the Church today
This letter Is no, penned tn the spirit Of carplnz
crt,!eam. for have hoped 70 see better splr, arise
among the eervy. but as time goes this realization
seems further away. and Manmon worship. with IL,
concou.tann o. selhshness and greed. prevails
The criticisms OF this letter are directed
against the Roman Catholic Church and
its hierarchy. but il they have any justifi-
cation their oensure is applicable to all
organized Christianity.
Ii our correspondent will follow the
history Of Christianity in Europe from
the time it first gathered strength to
assert itself with physical force he will
read record Of war persecution, atrocity
and fierce human passions infamed BY
religious enthusiasm which is not ex-
ceeded il it is equalled in it's darkness in
the history OF any previous religious
propaganda of which We have the
record.
His description Of the outward luxury
surrounding potentates and priests OF
the Church applies TO all Churches and
not to one only. Behold he cries,
Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and
Monsignori clothed in purple and fine
linen, well housed and fed, wanting for
nothing Behold, he might say, clergy
OF all Churches in like circumstances OF
physical comfort; yet the great mass OF
the priests Of the Roman Catholic Church
and of the clergy Of all Churches are
poorer than even day laborers. Recently
. really heart-rending report on clerical
poverty Va presented to tho Cantar-
r, bury Convocation Of the Church OF