The Irish standard., 1906-03-31

places no value on a forced or on any-
thing but conscientious and willing
conversion.
The Old Protestant Spirit.
"The appeal Of the Imperial Protest.
ant Federation to the king to forbid
the marriage because Of the conversion
of the princess shows how slight is the
Protestant love Of individual liberty.
Professionalism, above all things, pro-
fesses to give play for private judg-
ment. Yet hc:e 1t is petitioning King
Edward to deny liberty OF action to his
niece because she exercises her private
Judgment in the matter of her creed.
This is quite the old spirit which
placed fine and spoilation on the Eng
lish Catholics who. in the Elizabcthan
time. refused to attend Protestant SER
vice; quite Of piece with that provi-
sion of the Irish penal laws which gave
an estate to the younger son who be-
came Protestant instead Of the heir
who adhered to the Catholic faith of
his fathers. It is the inflicting of pen-
atty ON account of conscience. 1t is
the negation of religious freedom. And
yet it is the prayer OF an official Pro-
testant organization to the head of the
Protestant church today. or course,
the king will pay no heed to it. He
can prevent the marriage. but not even
he can prevent the conversion. And
although he was found willing to NUT
ter some ob.olete profanity on his
acccssion--as {. condition precedent to
wearing the crown-he is not a bipot.
and cannot be made one"
Gods Grace to Honest Lovers.
Rev. d. S. Phelan, editor of the
Western Watchman. treats the matter
in characteristic. style.
"Protestants." he writes, "arc de-
tered from entering the Catholic
Church chiefly through dread of its
spiritual exactions. They will tell YOU
when forced to an avowal, that they
fear they cannot be good enough. 1t
Is cowardice. not want of conviction.
that keeps hundreds of thousands ont
OF the Church. Love is great forti-
Her. Love fears nothing. Rivers can-
not quench Its ardors. When q person
is in love he is very close to the line
dividing the spiritual from the tenn
poral. There is something almost
divine in human love. At the time of
marriage there is in the souls of the
contracting parties not only the cour-
age of sacrifice. but the stimulus of
example. If the Catholic party is firm
| the Protestant partner is almost sure
to yield. There is often u disposition to
suspect these ante nuptial conversions,
but II is all wrong. II there is a time
in life when people are honest. II is
When they arc in love. Some priests.
influenced by this suspicion, prefer to
delay the reception of the non Catholic
party until after the marriage. They
thing it is safer and better looking. 1t
is all wrong. If the Protestant, marry.
ing Catholic, does not enter tho
Church before his marriage. it is pretty
safe to say he will die outside the
Church. special grace is given by
God to honest lovers ut the time of
their marriage. and If 1t is neglected
1t may never return. We never question
the motives oe a man who knecls in
our confessional He may be Influenced
by human motives: by slavish fear:
by worldly ambition. 1t Is ours. as
confessors. to put n loftier motive in
his heart. Princess Ena has now
the courage to accept the strin-
gent discipline Of the Catholic
Church, and what matters 1t IL she
takes resolution at the time of her
marriage to the king Of Spain? by
that act she hopes to wear q crown;
may she by II earn heavenly one
also. God draws us by tho chord OF
Adam, and tho sweetest chords left us
after Adams fail are the silken chords
OF human lovn-nothing noblcr. grand
er. better, except the golden chords of
charity. The acceptance Of the Catfo-
lie religion by Princess Ena and her
marriage to King Alphonso have
created a great stir all over the Pro-
tcstant world; may it have the effect
OF bringing those dcluded people to in
quire into the grounds of their Protest.
antism."
Only il Jaaf