Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-11-27
JUSTICE AND AMEN.

L
bastic rant that would put to shame
the efforts of ten-year-old schoo
boy, "Amen" comes forward on time
armed with the weapon that defeated
Catholicism always uses as las
resort-persooal abuse. To reply II
such a choice aggregation of billings
gate would be a waste of words and
yet there are some things will simply
notice in passing.
| In spite of "Amen's" defense oi
the "Howly Pope" vast majority Of
the CITIzEN's readers are brave and
patriotic enough to love their country
and its flag better than even the
memory of the slate lamented" Leo
"Amen" complains that the Escaped
nun" (Which be concludes is the
source Of my information regarding
the evils of nunnery) is obscene.
Taking into consideration the fact
that it is a history of the INSIDE
workings of the institution, do not
wonder he forms that opinion of the
book. No doubt, he is posted on
that question fully rs well az on she
others he has discussed, and there
fore cannot reasonably expect any
thing else. l leave to him all the
consolation this view of the case is
calculated to administer. After start
ing out with a reference to q srag
picker" he next picks up the pugi-
listic "shillaIy," and delivers a few
uppercuts aud left hand swings,
passes on to poor old Dowie, thence
to "the village doctor" and winds up
his powerfully argument with quo
tation from Shakespeare Ye gods
From "rag picker" to Shakespeare
And while l think of it, the ingredi-
ents of the witches pot remind one
of the bones of saints, holy water and
other fakes that are foisted upon
credulous people by the church OF
Rome.
"Amen" says further, "There are
some men who 60 down the highway
of life and see the Shiny toad. but
never the rose" True, and if hi,
6guresare correct, there are $40, ,0OO,.
600 of them who see the "slimy
toad" of popery but never the "rose'
of joyous liberty-the glow-worm OF
Rome but never the star of sciencs
and reason. Catholicism has Away,
opposed every forward movement OF
the human race. Across the high
way of progress it has always been
building breastworks Of bulls, prayer
books, rosaries and creeds, and al
every advance the minions Of Rome
have gathered behind the heaps OF
rubbish and shot the poisoned arrowI
of malice at the soldiers of freedom
Catholicism does not and canno,
contemplate man as free. She &C.
cepts only the homage of the pros.
trate, and scorns the offerings OF
those who stand erect. Sbe canno,
tolerate the liberty of thought. Th,
wide and sunny fields belong not t.
her domain. The star-lit heights Of
genius and individuality are abov,
and beyond her appreciation and
power. Her subjects cringe at he
feet covered with the dust Of obedi
ence. They are not athletes stand
ing poised by rich life and brav
endeavor like the antique statues, bu
shriveled deformities studying will
furtiveglance the cruel faoe of power
Catholicism is wsning,. and mus
Eventually fade from the minds o
men. The foundation Of their tempt
is c,umbIing, the walls are cracked
the pillars leaning, the great dom
swaying to its fall, because scienc
has written over the high altar il
meme, mene. tskel, upAarsin, the oil,
words destined to be the epitaph o
popery. This superstition is no NOR
Exempt from the sneer of the futur
than others have-been. When Indi
was supreme Brahma sat upon th
worlds throne. When the scepte
passed to Egypt, Iais and Osiri
received the homag. Of mankind
Greece, with her fierce valor, swep
to empire, and zeus put on the pul
pie of authority. The earth trem
bled with the tread Of Rome's intrepi
sons, and Jove grasped With maile,
hands the thnnderbolts of power
Rome fell, and Catholicism, with th
red sword of war. carved out th
ruling nations of the world an,
placed the Pope upon the old throne
Then came the dark ages, when the
planted the cross of Christ in ever
land"-and the dagger of hatred an
malice into the hearts Of the brave.
and the best. The inquisition, ths
dark blot upon the fair pages q
history. was one of the fruits q
lpopery, when the "misguided zealots
followers of the papal cread--shs
the blood Of the advanced thinker
of the day, and made the horizon q
a thousand years lurid with tt
fagot's flames. And it is one {
Rome's boasts that it (the Catholi
church) never changes.