The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-07-30
AN OGDEN CRITIC ANSWERED.

Having disposed of Chaplain Axton to the sat
isfaction of an outraged Catholic constituency, and
the approval Of broad-mindcd Protestant citizens
who love truth and detest fasehood, it was the in
tenton of the writer to drop the matter for the
sake of charity and peace Nothing is gained by ac-
rimonious discussion religious topics. An angry
tongue, vicious pen, never revealed a ray of the
! light of reason; never produced atom of Chris
tan charity. 1t is love rather than wrath that
brings sinners 10 the foot of the Gross.
However, the Ogden Standard of Tuesday sends
out challenge which we cannot pass by.
1t takes exceptions to The Intermountains
criticism provoked by Axtons nasty attack
upon the Filipino padres. 1t charges this pa
per with unfairness And it is unfair, it says be-
cause The Intcrmountain assumes that Chaplain
Axton meant the immoral priests pFaeticed their
immoralities under the rule Iof American Catholic
priests. Exactly. That's what he did mean, if
there be anything left in grammar to distinguish
the present from the past tense in the construction
of rhetoric. Throughout his lecture on the Phil
ippines, as we find it printed in the Tribdne and
Deseret News, Chaplain Axton spoke in the present
tense. Thus "The padres ARE immoral, but this
is so little thought of that women ARE proud to
have children by them" The Standard, therefore,
argues without rhyme or reason when it puts
contrary meaning in the mind and upon the tongue
of Chaplain John Axton. Following out the logi-
cal sequence of the quoted utterance we challenged
John Axton to stand by it with an affidavit, pledg-
ing the owner of this paper to spend a thousand
dollars to investigate the truth falsehood of the
statement. So far from being unfair to Axton, the
opportunity was presented him to verify the truth
of his charges and get the owner of this paper in
hole. Why didn't he do it?
The editor of the Standard assumes to speak
for the Catholic priests and laity of Utah, who
were, he says, nsulted through the columns of The
lntermountain Catholic 'by attempting to place
them on level: no higher than the average Fill
pinO" The audacity of the Standard usually ere
ates more amusement than resentment. One word
however, before the editor takes the perch and at
tempts the role of st. Augustine Cor, perhaps the
role of General Funston) It is best to know some
truths that ST Augusta" taught as Peter the Apos
tie taught before him. The word catholic compre-
hends universally, oneness of faith and the com
mpnion of saints. In the sight of God who created
man and all things in heaven and upon GARTH the
soul of the negro is as precious as the soul of the
Filipino; the soul of the Filipino as precious as the
soul OF the Caucasian. Christ babe his apostles
go forth and preach his word to all nations and
peoples. Responding to this command, we find the
Faith established in the Philippine islands Per-
haps not SO fervent strong as we find it among
more intelligent people. Likely more fervent and
strong than in American communities democrat
lied by pharasaical hypocrisy and atheism-with
their attendant evils The Real Presence, God him
SELF rests III the Filipino tabernacle as 1t rests in
the Catholic altar at Ogden. The sacrament that
made priest of Bishop Seaman and priest of
Father Cushnahan is the same that raised an hum
bic Filipino to the dignity of holy orders A lie
told of Filipino priest is lie told of the Church
Universal The injury of one is the concern of all
Does the Standard see the point? VIII it see
the point?
The other questions raised by the Standard are
extraneous, Vertable tommyrot. Vale Standard
Vale Axton.