The Irish standard., 1906-05-19
The Earnestness Of Religious Belief and Prac-
tice in America Contrasted With
That of France
Bv Abbe Felix Klein of the Catholic Insti-
tote of France in his 1Land of the
Strenuous Life"

luxurious homes. He saw II, evidence
in III" congregation of the . cse.::n ol
what might be called q poorer class.
There was in the appearance Of these
present Il uniform level of unimpe;tch-
able prosperity. He states, however,
that in the United States it is difficult
I" judge by outward signs of the So
cial grade of an individual. There is
q uniformity of self respecting de-
neanor markedly absent in European
countries. The abbe notes that the
prayers. music and reading OF Scrip
lures We're conducted with commend
able decency." and that with This ultra
aristocratic congregation "worshir"
was not lacking in sincerity.
In conversation with Father Doyle
OF the Paulists, and subsequently with
numerous prelates and priests of the
Roman Catholic Church, the abbe was
enlightened in regard to the subject
which most engaged his attention
that of the religious spirit in the
United States. He concludes that, on
the whole. Americans are religious
people. that they believe almost uni
versally in God in the Immortality of
the soul, and that on Solemn occasions
their homage to the Most High is sin
cere: that IL great number believe in
the efficacy of prayer. and that none
What confirmed the abbc in this be-
lief is that during his travels in the
United States he made it IA business
to read the secular journals of various
communities; yet in no single instance
did he encounter adverse criticism of
religion. although there We're frequent
of the burning question of church
schools. AS an example of the broad
and impartial attitude of American
journals toward the Catholic Church.
he prints in a footnote. in English, an
extract of an editorial in The Sun of
October 2S, 1903. In this praise is ac-
corded the fostering care of his Church
Of newly arrived Italian Immigrants,
which ''receives the highest commcnda-
tion from Protcstants and even rclig-
ious infidels."
From New York the able stops at
Boston en- route to Montreal. In visit
ing this famous New England town il
is plain to see that he represscs a
humorous desire to speak at length OF
the strange. weird cults which ayitatc
Boston. In some way he became i'm
pressed with the idea that that town
is centre OF French culture He is
evidently prediSposed to this belief by
| reason of the lectures delivered before
limited audiences by his confreres.
Hruncticre. D0umie, Edourd Rod and
.Anatole I.eroy-Beaulieu. While at
| Montreal he visited the neighboring
village of Caughnawaga, an import
ant IrOquOis reservation. 1t was on Il
Sunday morning. The streets of the
| hamlet We're deserted. 1t being the
hour of the mass he asked his way to
| the church. or whom and in what
| tongue? He addressed in French the
| first person he met. He was told in
English how to reach what he was
| seeking. The only vacant seat he could
| find was that between two old women.
Their clothing was that of today. but
| their faces were of the old Indian type.
Here the tieologian gives fcrvcnt
| thanks that he is permitted to be Il
Catholic: that his religion is the sole
| universal one: that it is the same in
this 1roquoiS chapel as it is in the
cathedralS of Rome Paris. Cologne. in
| England, Norway. and in Palestine,
where it had it's birth. Little does it
| concern him that the half savage con-
gregation surrounding him chants in
an unintelligible tongue so long as the
| words of alteration and love are ad-
/ dressed to the God whom he worships
/ 't'e tiCs sung III lHclF
hensible jargon the common COM
munion prayer is all the more inspiring
and ideal. On leaving the church the
abbc mingles with the congregation.
Their clothing is that of today, only
of brighter cOlors. Happily the ply
siognomies had not lost the native cast
retaining the aboriginal type Of the