The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1903-12-07

places fresh weapons in the hands of
the implous and anti-social enemies.
The faithful can only be united in the
church-the church, which cannot as
simulate itself to any party.
There have been good cmpcrors and
good kings, Churemange and st. LOUIS,
There have been bad emperors and
kings There have been monarchs, like
Napoleon. who after having rendered
church immense services, prosecuted it
terribly. Are there not also republics
where Catholics enjoy the plentitude
of their liberties and rights Cardinal
Gibbons told me with what considera
ton he had been received by President
Roosevelt, although Protestant. May
not French Catholics envy the lot
granted by Protestant England to Cath
olics and to their works, and also the
situation acquired by German Catholics
under the reign of Lutheran Emperor?
M. DIES lloux here suggested that
the generosity of William ii. to the
Roman Catholics and his attentions 20
the holy see were inspired by purely
political and ambitious interest. 70
this the pope remarked
lie is, at all events, intelligent
enough to understand the interests of
his dynasty and of his people. He Is
not led astray by sectarian fanaticism
inpaths that are opposed to the nation
al welfare. must therefore admit
with sorrow that Catholics in coutries
where they are i'll majority, where
the Catholic church is officially recog-
nized, rs, in France, Spain and Aus
tria, do not always enjoy as complete
liberty and tranquility as in countries
where they are in minority and sub
jected TO the common law. Hut, once
more, they belong to the church mill.
tant. They are therefore suffering for
the triumph of Christ. Let them not
lose sight of their divine model, and
their trials will be changed into joy
After giving the foregoing particu-
lars OF the pope's remarks, Nj. des
Houx states that Plus X, while ex-
pressing compassion for the trials Of
the French Catholics, abstained from
all allusion to the situation of the ltal-
ian Catholics, and in general to Italian
affairs. At tho very utmost his refer
euce to the disdain of Christ, whom
he takes as his exemplar, for crowns
and scepters and temporal domination
may be regarded as political allusion.
1t appears to Nj. DIES Houx that Plus
n, subordinating politics and diplo-
macy to u popular apostleship, will de-
vote more care to gathering the people
around the pulpit than to negotiations
with governments. Every Sunday he
calls together in the gardens of the
vatican some thousands of men, women
and children. He comes into their
midst alone, without u cortegc, and like
u preacher expounds to them with ten
der eloquence the gospel of the day.
This purely apostolic method will, per-
haps, have greater influence upon the
doctrines of the church and upon So
ciety than have had the combinations
of an astute diplomacy"
NJ. des Houx, in the highly interest
ing description which he gives of the
audience. dwelis upon the characters
tic simplicity which the present pope
has imposed upon his encourage in
contrast with the pomp of his predeces-
sors. 1t would seem, he says, as if the
church, under the guidance of Plus X,
were returning towards its apostolic
origin. Gradually casting off the tri-
umphal pomp of the kingdoms of this
world, she is endeavoring to restore
in the eyes of the people the image of
the Gulilean who preached upon the
mountain. Even now there is nothing
more unlike the vatican of Leo XIII.
than that OF Plus X. The pontii-
zeal palace has ceased to be exclusively
accessible to AN elite or to the digni-
taries and officials of the papal admin
istration. The crowd is allowed to en-
ter, Poor people in peasant costume,
town artisans. humble priests and old
women like those fill the churches
may be met upon its marble saircases
and in its magnificent courtyards. All
these simple folk seem 10 feel quite at
home, and when Plus X leaves his
apartments he is neither invisible nor
surrounded by an imaenetrahe escort
lie gladly welcomes the humble and
blesses with the same effusion the
coarsely clad peasant whom he meets
in his walks as the bedizened person
age admitted to the intimacy of Al
audience, Groups of village pr.
ests and young peasant women wer,
received before me. When their turn