The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-02-21
cONVERSATInN LII

II have been reading" remarked Mr.
Winslow, "some articles in the Civilta
Cattolica by an American in Rome, in
tended TO enlighten the Roman court as
to matters and things in this country
our political institutions, the character
and tendency of our people, and the
prospects of their conversion afforded
by the rise and multiplication of sects,
the furthest removed possible from
Catholicity. The writer has hopeful
disposition, Is full of enthusiasm, and
seems to see everything couleur de
rose. He does not seem to be aware
that Rome is not likely to fall in love
with young America, and that one of
| the worst methods he could take to
gain her confidence would be to prove
that Catholics here have a strong ten
dency to embrace the extreme democ-
racy of the American people,
/ Rome is wise" added De Bonne-
! vile. land is not likely TO see in the
rejection of all revealed truth, in the
| falling back on pure nature and seek
ing their good in the senses alone, a
promise of speedy conversions to Cath
olicity. Rome, too, has had some ex-
perience of liberalism, and is strongly
inclined to regard it as the exponent
not of a Catholic but of an anti-Catho-.
lie spirit. An alliance of Catholicity
and modern liberalism does not strike
her as natural or desirable. Men must
be governed, and to be well governed
they must have developed in them the
spirit of loyalty
"They must" continued Mr. Winslow,
have in them the spirit of obedience
a clear, distinct recognition of author
ity and submission to it as authority.
They must act, not from the spirit of
self-sufficiency, of disobedience, but
from the spirit of obedience"
That is" interposed De Bonneville,
from true loyalty. But as far as I
have been able to observe your coun-
trymen have no such word as loyalty
in their vocabulary, no such principle
as that word stands for in their hearts.
To be 1eal-hearted.' is not, it strikes
me, an American characteristic, The
American has great self-reliance, "a
guide cofceit o himself but, barring a
certain fiunkeyism in the weather.
classes, no respect or reverence for
anything above himself. 1 was dis
cussing with an American gentleman
the other day a grave philosophical
question, when a sprightly lad some IA
years of age, who l am sure did not
understand a word we said, broke in
with L differ from you in opinion, Mr..
Your very boys hold themselves COM
petent to dispute with your graybeards. !
and claim the right to hold and act
from their own opinions without the
least regard to wisdom, learning, age,
position or experience. You reverence
and even your gallantry to-
ward the fair sex is rather prurient |
fancy than a genuine respect for the |
dignity of woman. To a stranger. a |
foreigner like myself. you seem abso- !
lutely deficient in reverence, and un- /
able to appreciate true dignity. I hear. /
at your public meetings, striplings !
speaking with surprising self conf !
dence on grave political and financial |
questions of which they absolutely |
know nothing. save a few cant phrases. !
With you nothing is venerable, not |
even the mother of God, nay, not even /
God himself, and the only indication l
can discover that your religious ma
ture is not wholly obiterated is the
fact that some of you now and then do
fear the devil, and are afraid of taking
his name in vain"
IF that" interrupted Winslow, were