The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-25
A REPLY TO MIR. GOODWIN SMITH,
A Roman Catholic Takes Exception to
One OF His Points,

To THE EDITOR OF The SuS-Siy: Gold
win Smith in letter to The SrS expressed
surprise that "a champion or Catholicism in
your columns can point to 800 900 900 nominal
Catholics as testfying by their mistaken
belief to the stability OF his Church" and
refers, apparently as a reason for his sur
prise. to the fact that Giordano Bruno was
burned in Rome 400 years ago.
Permit me to suggest that this method of
reasoning is OF little value in q quest for truth
and a remedy for religious doubt in 1905
What bearing has the burning OF Bruno on
the loyalty Of present day Catholics to their
Church or upon the great growth Of that
Church in the United States. where its great
est vitality ia shown II 1t is logical or just
to condemn that Catholic Church OF to day
or to treat II as a negligible quantity in a
search for some secure foundation for be-
lief in the moral government of the universe" "
because Bruno was put to death in Rome, it
would be equally reasonable to denounce
the American public school and other civil
institutions that have grown from Puritan
foundations because our forcfathers hanged
witches ninety years after Bruno's death.
The question OF religious persecution is .
two edged sword that should be left to rust
with other relics OF bygone ages. but il we
must have it brought out and brandished.
let us. in the interest OF fairness and historic
truth. remember that Harvey. the discoverer
OF the circulation of the blood. fled TO the pro-
lection OF Rome to escape the Protest ant
English mob that burned his house. that
Copernicus took refuge with Catholic priests
from Protestant persecution in Germanv
many Of them being drawn and qusrtered.
II the public squares Of ENGLAND, Have
nominal Catholicism now be il political power er
hss ia. s sRsGa t o4sby
crushed freedom of Inquiry
What, would have, happened il Protestant
DO. according to Mr. Smith himself, in Eng:
sad snd purMS mnv st.r d
Occurred from Tie history Of fire reSnd whers
ssnturi.s Of En- slsh po,iea Fpse, hon
Wy: m .tabiI,y Of Polish Catholics under
in, In a,, vest for truth today. however, the
10 ar 5rsHss al afs
Catholic. Protestant and asnostic,-in the
free use OF their reason, is the United States.
impressed by events Of dead and gone
past. permit me to quote Cardinal Gibbons
who said short time ago:
of The EhSs
fourtS ,s millions II we add 70 these hsures the
Catholc population or the philippines and Porto
Rico the Catholic population under American eov
eminent would exceed ?0,Ooo.no, Every year We
arc adding new sees In the country, and am hanpy
TO say that conversions are occurring In every di.
rectlon. "
The separation OF Church and State In Franc.
Is big question The separation OF Church and
state IN America entirely approve. because, while
there Is separation. the Government OF America
does not antagonlz" Christianity. Moreover there
thi, additional feature about 1t. that. while tie
Government OF this country IN no way interferes
with the mission of the Catholic Church to preach
the Gospel !. also holds over us the egls OF It's
protection "
= the French peopi' were situated as We are,
same state OF things to exist among them
| fear nothing for the American people NOT
from socialism nor any other organized power
because the American people arc. before ALL A
practical. people and allow every hobby 10 20 the
length OF the tether. No hobby can ever 90 further
than that.
Instead Of crushing any enterprise or any new
mode OF thought, our pconc here le, /, develon
Each one has fair play They all come and 60
and most or them pass away very rapidly
II should be horne In mind that the Catho.
lie Church in the United States has grown
to it's present proportions practically within
fifty years. and that II Ia only in this country
Of real freedom Of conscience that the work.
inss Of religious forces can be probably
RosToN luna %