The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-09
Encyclicais Bore Stamp of
individuality.
GREAT RANGE OF SUBJECTS
Exhaustive Treatment of National
Social, Domestic, and In
dividual Ethics.

but rather by the series of encyclicals
on almost ever subject OF national, So
cial. domestic and individual ethics.
treated in an exhaustive though simple
and luminous manner. They bear the
stamp Of his own individuality and that
attractive literary grace that is revealed
In his poetical compositions
His first encyclical, issued two months
after his election. was eagerly awaited.
but IT was conservative document.
teaching the laws that insure the pros
perity Of nations. This was followed by
another denouncing rationalism as the
source Of socialism. communism and nj
hilism. So year after year his letters
and addresses were documents filled
with instruction to his people and the
nations.
Notable Document.
Other notable documents we're those
on Christian Marriage" 1.-The Nature
OF Civil Power" the famous "Humanun
Genus" against Freemasonry, on
slavery, divorce. denying the validity of
e Anglican orders. Christian Democracy
and the Eucharist the bull on the
church In the Philippine Islands. the con-
stitution OF the commission for Biblical
studies, the instruction to the French
bishops on their political relations to the
government OF France. and that on
Christ the Redeemer." at the ending of
the nineteenth century.
In his encyclical against socialism,
January, 1879. the Pope said: I'VE now
speak of those sects of men who, under
different and almost barbarous names,
are called socialists, communists or nj
hilists. and who. scattered through the
whole world and closely bound together
by an unholy alliance. no longer shelter
themselves In the darkness of secret
cabals. but boldly advance IN full day
light and labor to achieve their purpose.
long since formed, of undermining the
foundation of all civil society.
''Seduced by that greed for worldly
things which is the root of all evil,
which, while many have coveted, they
have erred from the faith they attack
the right of property sanctioned by
natural law, and, by an abominable
crime. while they pretend to provide for
all the necessities and desires of man.
they labor to take from him and rem
der common all that is acquired. either
by legitimate inheritance or by labor of
mind or body. or by economy"
The Labor Problem.
During the same year the Pope ad-
dressed to all the rulers in Christendom
en- unusually important encyclical. in
which the labor question occupied a very
prominent part His holiness had long
hoped that before the end OF his pontih-
cate II would be his privilege to bring
about a better understanding between
capitalists and workingmen, or. rather
between the so-called masses and
classes. and in this encyclical he
pointed out those steps which. in his
opinion. might we'll be taken with the
object of attaining such a desirable re-
suit. Among other things he says:
IA strike can be justified only as
means OF defense when an individuals
interest is attacked. Never can il be
sustifed as a collective arm of agrees
sion. The operative on strike
is passive and dominated instrument
not an intelligent and free being. While
his action lessons the capital OF the
employer, IL puts no money into his own
pocket The right Of protecting
the operative. whether in the factory or
In the field. shall be admitted, and for
this purpose the maximum of labor as
well as the minimum of salary shall be
fixed. The hours OF labor shall be ar
ranged. giving due attention to days Of
rest and abstention from labor. Laws
have been made almost universally for
the protection of women and children
laboring in factories and elsewhere. but
in how many cases have those laws been
enforced? Inspectors OF work should be
appointed everywhere whose duties
should be TO see that these laws are
not infringed."
In a word, the Pope maintained that
employers should try TO understand tho
aims and desires OF their workingmen
and should not leave TO INSCRIPTIONS
agitators the monopoly OF social reform.
He also claimed that Christianity is the
sole bulwark Of social order and that
inndeIity is the great stimulant OF an
archy and discomfort.
Unity Among Christians.
In the following year he issued an
other notable encyclical, in which he
pleaded earnestly for unity among
Christians his words being specially ad-
dressed to Protestants and Greek Catho-
lies In II. too. he clearly defined the
lines which IN his judgment should sep
arate the respective spheres OF the
church and state.
Masonry he denounced as a grave
peril, claiming that under cover OF pro-
tecting the rights OF man and reforming
society it assaiIs Christian institutions"
And he continues:
It regulates all revealed doctrines
and religious duties. Sacramento II
blames as superstitious. Marriage, the
idea OF family the education OF youth.
II strives to deprive Of their Christian
character. aiming also al the destruction
OF the popular respect for Divine and
human power. The cult Il orders is the
cult OF nature. And It's holds up the
principles OF nature as the one measure