The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-11-27
COUNT WM,J, 0NAHAN
ON EVILS OF OUR TINE
The Distinguished Catholic
Layman, Honored by the
Pope For His Services to
the Church, Sees a Grow
ing Indifference to Religion
and in Many Quarters a
Positive Denial of Truths of
Divine Revelation.

IOSltlVe Oenldl OF xTulnS Oh
Divine Revelation.
In recent lecture before the Cath
olic Women's League, Chicago, Count
| William ]. Onahan discussed existing
conditions Of society, the demoralizing
influence of sensational press, and
! the evils of pernicious literature. He
said:
I am not a prophet of any kind, and
I do not wish to be regarded as a
prophet of evil-all the same we can
/ not be blind to the existing conditions
and tendencies around us; and the
prospect is far from reassuring. We
see on every side, first and most om.
nous, the growing Indifference to re-
ligion, and in many quarters positive
denial Of the truth and necessity of
the Christian revelation. Religious
teaching, religious precepts, formerly
accepted and held in general rever-
ence, or at least respect. are scoffed
at and disregarded. The command
ments and the moral laws seem to be
regarded by many as obsolete-no
longer of binding force and authority.
| I scarcely need to demonstrate the
of citations, to show how far and fast
society is drifting, and has already de-
scended in the fatal downward path.
We see it constantly in the shock
ing multiplication of divorces, which.
of late years, have become appalling
in numbers and variety. It would seem
as though the marriage tie and the
sanctity Of the marriage relation no
longer had binding force or obligation
in the United States. Indeed, our
American divorce courts have become
worldwide scandal, and disgrace
to our so-called civilization and cul-
ture. See, too, the hideous conditions
and degradation Of the American stage
at the present time. / need only cite
as my authority for this bitter char
acterization the language of the fore
most, as he is also the most high
minded and accomplished of dramatic
critics-William Winter 1t is, he says,
debauched and sodden-doing the dev-
lis work for the DEVILS pay, the price
of souls! Pure and decent plays are
now almost wholly banished from the
theater, and in their stead the public
is regaled with vulgar society drama,
and unclean spectacle shows.
There is a still greater menace to
! purity in the more widespread teach
ing agency, the public press. We know
that soon the best and most influential
of our public journals, here and else
where, find it difficult to resist the ten
dency of sensationalism and vulgarity
now so universal. How often, how
constantly have not the most conserva-
tive Of our daily papers surrendered
their columns and papers to spread be-
fore the public chronicles in disgust
ing details Of the nasty, the scandal
lous and the vile7 And these papers
daily enter the homes and are spread
before the eyes of youth-of pure
maidens-before the eyes OF wife,
daughter and sister! Thus the vicious
story and scandal is made familiar "a
the pure minded and innocent in do
filing print and suggestive picture and
odical literature altogether free from
this taint-the vulgar, the unclean and
the sensational.
Who can measure the extent Of the
mischief-the evil of this demoraliz-
ing propaganda? The printed page o:
column, the suggestive picture and
cartoon exert powerful, If Involuntary
Understanding opinion and often
character. Few people nowadays d.
any thinking for themselves outside
the line of business interests and con-
cerns They do not pause to consider
the truth or falsity of the statements
put out in cold type. under the author.
ity of a public journal or magazine
and so the crudest ideas and often thu
most erroneous theories and mislead
ing opinions are put forward, gain &C
ceptance from needless and thought.
less readers.
Literature is an :elevating and prof.
table study when its effect is to ado
to our stock of useful knowledge: bu
} not all books and few of our moderr
magazines are Justly entitled to ths