The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-02-09
TRUTH MUST PREVAIL.

The last of a series of letters on the church III
France appears in this issue. The learned writer
probes the question of the present and past history
of the church IN that unfortunate country III its
relations with the government to its fountain
source. The information gathered is from personal
experience and intimate knowledge of French his
tory. The writer has lived in France. associated
and mingled with the brightest and brainiest
churchmen. statesmen and literary men that France
produced in the last century. Much of what he
has written comes at first hand, secured through
his intimate acquaintance with French scholars
whose confidence he enjoyed during his frequent
visits and long soiourns in that country The bat
ties of the church for a hundred years and more,
and their causes he depicts wildly. The battle
ground has frequently been shifted, but it is the
same old enemy that perpetuates the strife Credit
is given TO French missionaries. and the French in
general for their excellent traits of character, for
their intelligence faith and piety but the govern
ing class though in the minority, have from away
back shown hostile spirit to the Supreme Head
of Christendom. This ant-papal French policy has
played prominent part in nearly all the conten-
tons of the church against schism and heresy since
the days of the Reformation. The means adopted
by those hostile to the Papacy in waging war
against the church were different at times and
made to suit the egigencies of the times and con-
form to French prejudices yet all had for the Ill
terror object the lessening of the POpes supreme
authority in spirituals. This was the tendency of
Gallicanism which aided Voltaire. Rousseau and
their followers in their war against Christianity
On all these points the learned writer has given out
of the best and most satisfactory explanations of
the French troubles that have yet appeared The
evil influences of French literature the press, art
and theatrical performances in disseminating inn
morality, and as necessary consequence, in caus-
ing decay in faith and morals, have been wildly,
yet painfully depicted. In answer to the question
which comes from all quarters, What will be the
final result of the present contest he simply says
in the words of the Savior 'Why are you alright
ed We of little faith?" The church in her origin,
and in her existence for twenty centuries is divine
and dvinely protected. and under the protection of
the divine arm must, in the present combat, as in
all past warfares. be victorious With the swords of
peace and charity she conquered the Pagan world
and on the ruins of the Roman empire, which fell
to pieces because of its inherent rottenness, she
erected the cross, the emblem of mans salvation.
thereby substituting Christian civilization for that
of ancient Greece and Rome.
sob We of little faith, will not be affrightedo
as to the final result in the present contest if you
only study and weigh well what this means They
(the whole Roman empire, exclusive of the chill
dren of Israeli who worshipped at the shrine of
Aphrodite. were commanded to lead singuarly pure