The Irish standard., 1903-06-06
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH


ants. They are apparently unable to
! understand why the Catholic Church
increases in membership and influence
at greater proportionate rate than
the growth Of the nation, while the
Protestant churches fall lamentably
behind. Undoubtedly the first and
greatest cause for this situation is at
tributed to the inherent teachings and
organization of the Catholic Church
The Protestant churches, as Lord
Halifax, himself Protestant, says in
the April number of Nineteenth Cen
tury," have very little power to at
tract, very helpless in those cases
where help is most needed, claiming
little authority, insisting upon no prac-
tice as Of obligation, making no ap-
peal to the imagination, owning little
connection with the past, and gener-
ally ignoring those counsels Of per-
lection and those heroic virtues which
really attract souls and convert the
world" Lord Halifax, who was dis
cussing the movement within the
Church of England toward the Catho-
lie Church, Of course, referred in the
above quoted statement to character
istics differentiating the Catholic
Church from the English Church.
But there is another difference be-
tween the Catholic Church and the
Protestant churches consisting in mat
tiers somewhat apart from mere re.
ligiOus teaching. We refer to the
many charitable works carried on by
the Church. The Catholic Church is
indeed i; help to those who need help
most. No other church reaches out
and down and lifts up those dispirited
in mind and wrecked in health as
does the Catholic Church. In every
city Of any size in the country there
are Catholic hospitals attended by
bands OF nurses who have given their
lives to the service of unfortunate
humanity. There are homes for the
aged, for the poor, for the orphans,
for unfortunate women, Industrial
schools for street arabs, and detention
hospitals for those afflicted with con,
tagious diseases. The Catholic Church
does not content itself with preaching
to those whose standing in the COM
! munity lead them to the belief that
they should attend church, but it
breaches that the actual practice of re-
ligion is a necessity. 1t does not wait
| for intellect and learning to bring
men to the practice of religion, but
| it interprets alike to the cultured and
| the ignorant, bringing home to each
| one the word of God. 1t leaves no
hesitancy, no doubt, it's message is
one Of certainty. To those who be-
lieve and submit it brings peace and
comfort of mind. 1t is easy there
fore to understand why the Catholic
Church appeals so strongly to its own
children. But it appeals strongly to
those who are not of it's members.
How does it do this? Mainly by the
results of it's good works. Every COM
munity is familiar with it's works per-
formed for suffering humanity. The
Church not only breaches and teaches
and saves, but it cares for and COM
forts the afflicted. All this is done in
Il quiet and transformations manner.
Is it strange that the Church should
| grow and become more and more in
t!uental? 1t is the most potent fac
tor to-day in this country for social
betterment and political uprightness.
| diocese, upon obedience to constituted
authority, upon the distribution of
wealth, and upon the relations Of
capital and labor. What temperance
evangelist has tenth part of the
practical accomplishment in the cause
of temperance behind him that either
Archbishop Ke;lne or Archbishop Ire
land mas? Doctor ParkhurSt and Bish-
op Potter may Cry out in the news
| papers and from their churches
against municipal corruption, but
neither of them can accomplish the
practical good silently done by Il
Spaulding.
Last week there was published in
the columns of the Irish Standard Il
description of an Industrial school for
boys at Feelanvillc. Illinois. This
school was established and is main
tanned by the archdiocese of Chicago.
1t is IL school to which boys brought
before the juvenile courts of Chicago.
charged with petty crimes. are sent.
There they receive instruction in the
common school branches and in addi-
ton learn some trade. They are
literally taken from the hands Of the
law when about to he branded as
criminals and made into useful citi-
zcnS. This week the papers bring the
story of the dedication last Sunday in
Chicago by Bishop Muldoon. of the
hospital of st. Ann. Chicagos first
sanit;rium for consumptivrs. There
the Catholic sisterhood. THE Poor
| landmarks of Jesus Christ" will car
ry on under improved conditions their
work among sufferers from tubercul
osis This institution has been cs-