The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-07-25
VALE, POPE LEO.

The death of Leo XIII, on last Monday, leaves
a void in the church which cannot be easily filed
Though dead the papacy survives, and at the
/ proper time his successor will be elected A more
remarkable and efficient successor to the prince of
apostles has not occupied thee chair of ST. Peter
! for centuries. Erudite and profound and with
broad views, his ceaseess mental activity and I'M
firing industry have left rich inheritance in prose
and verse, all of which clearly indicate that Leo
XIII. possessed great genius. His encycGcals were
all practical bearing on the living issues of the
day. They were all clear and dignifed and never
failed to command respect.
Public men in whom are invested grave re-
sponsibilities Judged by their writings, their
actions, their policy and the opinions of those
who shared their confidence or met them face to
face. The character of the late illustrious pom
| tiff, as portrayed under the above circumstances
will stand crucial test. As spiritual ruler
his jurisdiction encircled the globe Without any
temporalities, nearly three hundred million souls
acknowledged him .as their supreme ruler in all
spiritual matters who dispensed the bread of life
S2verned the church and whose authority to "feed
the lambs and sheep" originated in the commission
given by the founder of Christianity to the Prince
of Apostles. His writings show broad. compre-
henslve mind, thoroughly conversant with all cur
rent topics and living issues of the day. AS a
philosopher he always showed clear perception and
thoroughly trained and we'll balanced mind In
eXpoundlng theological and dogmatic questions he
was so animated whit charity that all his mes
sages which meant peace and happiness for hui
mainly, made a favorable impression on the
reader. He never INDUCED in heated controver-
sizes which arouse the passions, religious bigotry
and hatred. He was more of a suggestive writer
who laid down principles calculated to settle the
difficulties arising from religious controversies
His actions are all public property and no lover
of peace and order can find in them anything mi
mical to good government Civil liberation for
the church, and that she be placed on an equality
with other religious creeds, was his policy. He
could not demand less.
Those who shared in his confidence, or received
an audience from him, regardless of creed, con-
sidered him a great man. and themselves highly
privileged for seeing him and hearing him
speak, To princes and rulers he was master
Spirit who exercised beneficial effect on society.
Their solicitude for him during his illness. has
no counterpart in the history of the papacv not
even IN the ages of faith. Divorced from the
state, temporal rulers watched his parting DAYS
with sympathy and love-
From the time he was stricken down. because
of his age and infrnity, he realized that his reign
would soon end Whilst the world was lauding his
virtues and good works, he who bore the title of
servant of servants" knew his own frailties and
imperfections, and that before Infinite Justice he
stood on the same footing with the humbest child
OF the church. Hence his wish in the early stage
of his illness to prepare for the final dissolution by
going to confession to friar, receiving the last