The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1909-02-20
LIE TIERS FROM THE Peep b.
The Chief is rot responsible for the
views expressed By CORES pondents.
Mr. afIolH .SaIcIetY. =

Mr. afioly Society.
There may be a few religious fans tics
who cannot or will not understand
my true position in this prolonged
controversy. The Catholic church de-
serves credit ia as far as it teaches
gospel religion, but when it dis
eourages research and binds its sub.
jscts with the cords Of mental and
spiritual avery-whieh IS Of all
slavery the most degrading has
then paralized its noble purpose. The
Catholic church has lifted continental
Europe above the level Of barbarism.
From the dawn of English civilization
to the reign of Edward VII, England
is indebted to the Catholic religion for
defveranee from spaganism and slav-
cry; but it was not until despotism had
given way to the spirit of reform. that
England really advanced in the scales
of intellectual freedom.
What mental progress can people
make when by law the human mind is
dwarfed into one channel Of thought?
What good has ever resulted from a
code through which the priest teaches
obedience to the king and the ring
commands the people to support the
priest2 King Henry ". kindles the
fires of Smithfe1d and sends reformers
to the stake. On the other hand ames
I. drives Protestants and Catholics
from the land.
Concerning the motive of the re-
ligious massacres such as that of
August q, 1872, II matters not what
critics may say it is a well known
fact that during this warfare the Cath
Ollie church held full sway in France.
The reader will bear in mind that it
was not until Henry ". in 1898 issued
his Ediet of Nantes that the French
Protestants were given religious free.
dom. Then is ii astonishing that the
French Huguenots grew exultant when
the imperative mandate of the land
was die or be Catholics
With the administration of Henry
the Great a change had come. FL
nanees were restored, public edifees
erected, manufacture encouraged.
schools and libraries endowed and
thus France was placed on the road to
Intellectual greatness.
My opponent is insistent in his
charge that am making attacks upon
religion in general. This charge II
reEeat is atrociously false. From the
beginning of this controversy the
reader will see that the trend of my
argument has been to call attention to
the ealamities that have befallen other
nations for not pursuing the proper
course and that unless this govern
ment heeds thesyea.aeaole &se-saiae re-
sesas IS Inevitable. Let it be remem-
bered that I am not attempting to
raise an insnrrection against religion;
but I abhor the monster which upon
European soil has slain his tens OF
thousands and which today stares our
government in the face, the union of
church and state. You need not CO.
cree readers into believing at I am
an infdel or atheist. Let. us bear il
mind the difference besween religion
and the intrigaes and eonspiracies OF
human mortals. Let us remember The
difference between religion and church |
ganization. Lot it be. bornein mind |
that enc may combat the evils that
grow out of church org anizatiens and |
vet net dare TO blaspheme the pure
and simple religion proclaimed and
demonstrated by Jesus Christ. Re
ligion is one thing, church organiza
tion and church government IS ar.
other. I believe the above clearly
shows my position. And would 1t not
be equally proper fer Mr.. Society
TO tell US what infa1lible mortal has
assumed to himself the sanctimonious
title OF Society of the Holy SpIrit''2
You claim, Mr.. asoeiety," that
there are many true hearted Catholics
II this country who love their church
as mother. True, but do you mean
TO say that these American Catholics
should obey any orders issued by the
Vatican or by an American Catholic
prelate2 Cardinal Gibbons, a Jesuit