The sun., 1903-10-19
Plus KS FIRST ENCYCLICAL.
4 Declaration Of the POpe's Pelicy 10
the BlslODs 0f Christ endOnl.

Pope Plus X. = first general Encyclcal II su-
premi ap0stolatns cnthedra," directed to the
ArchbishOpa. Bishops and other heads OF tpe
hierarchy. under date OF Oct. 4. Is truly
pastoral letter. II Is an exposition OF 'he
Pope y views on the needs OF the Church' anu
deals almost exclusively with religious mat
ters. Political subjects are touched upon
only incidentally. and little light Is shed on
the Popes attitude toward various disputed
matters. az will he seen from the extract
printed below. This reticence 10 due eV'-
IDENTIFY not to diplomacy, but to the compara-
lively slight Importance OF such incidents
Ia the broader religious plans OF Plus A.
The Encycllcal bears out the belief that IN
Plus X the Catholic world now has re-
ligious" Pope.
Beginning with the declaration OF his
own unwort Illness and the explanation OF his
unwtllingness 10 assume his high office. Plus
4 declares that the first duty Of the Church
10 70 win men back to u belief In God. lie
says that hs was terrified at the difficulties
Of the task
For who can fail to see that society ia at
the present time. more than In any past age.
nhsring from terrible and deep rooted
malady which, developing every day and
eating into its Utmost being, il dra gging IL
to destruction? You understand. venerable
brethren, what this disease is--apostasy from
God than which In truth nothing is more
allied with ruin" He expatiates on the
sceptcism Of the age. and calls on the Bishops
to help him In combating it
He next points ont the means by which
men are to be won back TO the faith. First
Of all. the Bishops must foster the seminaries
and watch over them. seeing that none but
good prests 90 out of them. Next. they
must look to proper religious instruction for
their Aocks. and here he warns them shat
no means 10 more efflcacious than charity"
and that lit is vain TO hope to attract somls
to God by bitter zeal" and he dwels on the
virtue Of charity at length. Lastly. Plus X.
sums up the ways in which the laity can help.
and here the political illusions will be found.
The extract is reprinted from the transla-
tion published In the Tablet:
For 1t is not priests alone. but all the
faithful without exception. who must con;
and souls--not. OF course, according to their
own views. but always under the direction
and orders OF the Bishops; for to no one in the
ye scEsn cSsTc p Gd
the Holy Ghost has placed you to rule. Our
predecessors have long since approved and
together in societies OF various kinds, but al
ways religious in their aim. We. too. have
no hesitation in awarding our praise to this
snd sna Ssh s In town snd Country GO ses
But we wish that all such associations aim
first and chiefly at the constant main tenanoe
Of Christian life among those who belong, to
them. For truly it Is Of little avail to dis
cuss questions with nice subtlety. or to dis
course eloquently Of rights and duties. when
all this Is unconnected with practice. Tho
times we live in demand action-but action
WHICH consists entirely In observing with
fidelity and zeal the divine laws and the
precepts Of the Church. in the frank and open
profession Of reli glon, in the exercise OF
every kind OF charitable works without
regard to self-interest or worldly advantage.
army Of soldiers OF Christ will be Of much
greater avail In moving and drawing men
It will easily come about that when human
respect has been driven out, and prejudicee
and doubling laid aside. large numbers will
be won to ,Chri't becoming II their SIrR t%rp
are the road to true and solid happiness.
Oh! when in. every city and village the law
Of the Lord is faithfully, observed when
Of Cristian life fufflled, there will certainly
be no, more need for us to labor further to
see all things restored in Christ. Nor is it
that this will be OF service-it will also, con-
tribute largely to temporal welfare and the
and weaIthy classes will learn TO be jus, and
able. to bear with tranquility and patience
the trials OF a very hard lot: the citizens will
obey not lust but law, reverence and love will
be deemed duty toward those that govern.
whose power comes from only God
And then? Then. at last, It will be clear
by Christ. must enjoy full and entire liberty
and Independence from all foreign dominion:
and we. in demanding that same liberty,
religion. but are also consulting the common
Weal and the safety Of nations.