The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1903-08-01
HIS ENcYcLlcALs A MONUMENT TO
HIS SUPREME WISDOM.
some OF the Able Documents born OF
Eiis Genius-His Famous Papers on
Socialism, Freemasonry and the
Abuse OF Liberty.


One OF the enduring monuments 10
the clear sighted wisdom OF Pope Leo
XIII. is his series OF encyclicals on al
most every subject Of national, social.
domestic and individual ethics. treated
in an exhaustive though simple and lu-
minous manner They bear the stamp
OF his own individuality and that at
tractive literary grace that Is revealed
in his poeticai compositions.
His FIRST encyclical issued two
months after his election. was eagerly
awaited. but II was a conservative doc
ument, teaching the laws that insure
the prosperity OF nations. This was
followed by another denouncing ra-
tionalism as the source Of socialism.
communism and nihilism. So year aft
er year hts letters and addresses were
documents filled with instruction to his
people and the nations.
Other notable documents were those
on Christian Marriage" The Nature
OF Civil Power" the famous "Huma-
mum Genus" against Freemasonry, on
slavery, divorce, denying the validity
OF Anglican orders, Christian Democ-
racy and the Eucharist" the bull on
the church in the Philippine Islands.
the constitution OF the commission for
Biblical studies, the instruction to the
French bishops on their political rela-
tons to the government OF France and
that on Christ the Redeemer," at the
ending OF the nineteenth century.
In his encyclical against socialism.
January. 1870. the pope said: I'VE now
speak OF those scots OF men who, under
different and almost barbarous names,
are called socialists communists or
nihilists, and who, scattered through
the whole world and closely bound to-
gether by an unhoiy alliance. no longer
shelter themselves In the darkness OF
secret cabals, but boldly advance In
full daylight and labor TO achieve their
purpose, long since formed, OF under
mining the foundation Of all civil So
ciety.
"Seduccd by that greed for worldly
things which 10 the root OF oil 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 D~ceasities and desires OF
man. they labor 10 take from him and
render common all that IN acquired. Ell
ther by Legitimate inheritance or by
labor of mind or body or by economy"
During the same year the pope ad-
dressed 30 all the rulers In Chrtstendom
an unusually important sncycficnl. In
which the labor question occupied
very prominent part His holiness had
long hoped that before the end OF his
pontincnte II would be hrs privilege 10
bring about better understanding be
tween capitalists and workingmen, and
In this encyclical he pointed out those
steps which. In his opinion. might well
he tnken with the object Of attaining
such n desirable result In a word. the
pope maintained that employers should
try TO understand the aims and desires
OF their workingmen and should not
leave 10 INSCRIPTIONS agitntors the
monopoly OF social reform. He also
claimed that Christianity Is the sole
bulwark OF social order and that inf
and discomfort.
In the following year he issued an.
other notable encyclical. In which he
pleaded earnestly for unity among
Christians, his words being specially
addressed 10 Protestnnts and Greek
IN In IN clio II
the lines which In his judgment should
separate the respective spheres OF the
church and state
Masonry he denounced as grave
peril, claiming that under cover OF
protecting the rights OF man and re-
forming society II nssails Christian In
stitutions." And he continues:
1T repudiates all revealed doctrines
and religious duties Sacraments II
blames as superstitious. Marriage, the
idea OF family. the education OF youth.
IL strives TO deprive of their Christian
character. aiming also AT the destruc
ton OF the popular respect for divine
and human power. The cult IT orders
is the cult OF nature. And Il holds up
the principles OF nature as the one
measure and the one rule OF truth. hon
esty and Justice"
In July. 1888, he issued his famous
encyclcal on Liberty" the chief
points OF which are:
Liberty is liable to abuse. Modern
liberties are abuses. Natural liberty
belongs TO men as rational beings. IL
is derived from the soul. II is there
fore dependent upon the intellect. True
liberty therefore follows the dictates OF
the intellect. Liberty needs 20 be helped
by n law. This law Is m eternal law.
The individual law applied TO society
becomes human law. Liberty is there
fore restrained by obedience-(a) In the
Individual. TO the natural law; (b) in
society. to the human law.
liberalism bears evil fruits. God
allows evil for greater good. Rulers
should keep this example before them.
But liberalism allows no tolerance.
Man should submit 10 God, which lib
eraliem does not allow One form OF