The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-07-22

| "AiOliS 'AiONA 49,
pie, the street expert was brought to Chicago
to report the municpalization the rail-
ways Some were from New Zealand, but the majority
were Americans They the most part people
going on pleasure trips returning therefrom. The
absence of travelling commercial noticeable.
but suppose they frequent the that sail
from New York.
"one of the benefits of a trip like this is that it
gets out of rut. The priest especially is so
cut off by his calling, his associations his habits that
he lives in world of his own and knows not how the
| great world of men is moving on him. Some
times imagine our parish houses like diving bells.
The rails of the sanctuary are an ever-risng ever
thckening Chinese wall.
This brought home very forciby during the
last few days. Every subject under the is dis
cussed in the smoking room but as all roads lead to
Rome, somehow or other every subject to lead
up to religion Man is naturally religious animal
and his thoughts, matter how wide they may cir
Gle, come back again and again this center And
fate, whenever the subject of religion is
brought up, the Catholic Church in by hook
by crook In the crowd of fifteen twenty who
foregathered in certain corner not to my
knowledge, single Catholic. They professional
men, business men, college men, KEEN earnest gentle
manly, of all denominations of none but, mat
ter whether they began with Mrs Eddy the Book
of Genesis, the thread through the Church of
Rome.
Here is what set thinking about exclusive
ness 1hese men knew the Church as a great institu
ton They were from the cities where cathedrals
pitas, colleges. stared them every day in the face
They respected the Church. as every modern man will
for her material success The bishops and priests
good business They pay their debts there
no haggng and bargaining with vestries and trustees
Nhen you are dealing with the Catholic Church you
know who you dealing with, and a contract is a
contract. But here is the rub OF the interior the
Church. of her purpese, her life, her doctrines they
know more than if there were not single Catholic
from Maine to California
81 cannot bring myself to believe that this ships
company is exceptional They not from the back
woods. They come from such centers of culture and
business as Boston, Chicago, Memphis On any other
SUBJECT would take them to be representative Ameri
cans, and therefore / am compelled to believe that
they also represent the Catholic American mind
in its relations to the Church
Some question came up about a point of belief
l don't remember now what it was, but I gave the
ordinary explanation. 1t was not exactly catechism
question, but one that involved little history and
Philosophy The queStoner seemed to be satisfied
he added: Your ordinary lay Catholic would not give
that explanation; he would not know it." Precisely
said; 1T is your business to expect it from
hn III you want an opinion legal difficulty, you
don stop the man on the street. you consult lawyer
Now just as it is the lawyers business answer legal
questions, so 1t is my business to know and answer
religious questions is part of my training Six
teen centuries ago very distinguished said that
Whe 1t was necessary for the baker and the cobber
to have served apprenticeship their trades be-
lore any one would give them work to do every man
thinks himself competent decide all matters of re-
lgion, and the more so the less he knows about re-
ligion."
But, WINE that answer is satisfactory enough a
retort one can't help nquiring, Why can't the
Catholic laitysknow more and do more than thew are
dolngL was never so astonshed never so edited by
the anxiety to know about the Church. and the patti
ence TO listen to often long explanations have been
sitting night after night in corner with my back To
the wall while they fired question after question nm
I'll the steward in despair fired us questions and all
at midnight There was absolutely dsrespect none
OF the old style contentious argument but consuming
desire to know and readiness accept the reason
Ugh
receive the grounds which we based our argumen-
tation"
Of late, readers of Montana daily newspapers
are astonished at the mild editorial reproof taking
the place of the vitriolic condemnation which.
since the days the late Marcus DAILY locked horns
with Senator Clark, has been the strong asset of
Journalism IN that state. 1t is a hopeful and sane
sign OF rapprochement of factions of the same
political party, gratifying to all but the political
CRATER and his ally, the walking delegate. As the
newspapers of Montana have been the subsidized
uphoiders OF strife IN the past the suddenness of
THIS change might cause suspicion of sincerity and
doubt of longevity. Opposed to such suggestion
Is the unanlmity of spirit to promote the business
interests of the people reflected by the leading pa
pers of Butte and Helena This is visible in the
NAiOoul aSeHleHI given 10 the Chlcago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul to enter the state and compete with
the Great Northern and Northern Pacific. and tn
allow Jim Hill do his own fighting. "Toot your
horn even if you don't sell clam" applies to Mon
tana well as Utah
Father Yorke thinks there should be some wav
of reaching people of this class He believes the
clergy can never do the work, for the reason that
they are too specialized and must remain special
lied Tor the domestic needs of the Church. II is
the work for the laity and they can be easily fitted
for 1t, he says. How? If in the first place thew
knew more than the mere catechism, and if. in the
second place, they had zeal and interest
This brings us back to the Catholic Educa-
uonal association and the plans they may have
considered for higher education" If the educa-
ton impaired is insufficient to confront the in
curry OF such persons described aboard shin. #
1alls to accomplish the end for which religion s
nstltuted-the salvation of souls through knowI-
edge of the true faith