The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-10-21
MISSIONS
To The Free Lance:

To The Free Lance:
In one Of the numerous articles Of
late" in The Free Lance, entitled
missions, was the assertion that
nearly half of the church-going popula-
ton Of the United States was Roman
Catholic OF course, that does not
mean that the about 100000 Roman
lists constitute one-half of the popula
ton of this Protestant nation Of nearly
90, 900, 900 souls. However, the Roman
lists are growing and gaining might
ly and wonderfully, due to the influx Of
foreigners from Roman Catholic coun-
tries than to EMISSIONS. In illustra-
ton quote from The Literary Digest
for Oct. 8, 1909, as follows:
According 10 the latest United
States Census reports, the majority oil
the church-members in every State IN
New England are Roman Catholic. More
than 90 per cent. Of the church-mem-
bers in Massachusetts are Roman Cath
olic: "A per cent. in Rhode Island are
Roman Catholic. The Congregationalist
recalls the fact that in the early years
Of the Republic the west and southwest
territory, which had belonged TO Spain
and was ceded 10 France, was under
Roman-C Catholic control. In the southern
part of that territory it was contrary to
the law of the land for PrOtestants 10
hold public worship. In the 'Natchez
Country persons were arrested for
maintaining such worship. In what was
then West Florida the Roman Catholic
was declared 10 be the only religion per-
mitted, and Protestant Bibles and other
books were seized and burned. Early
settlers in st. Louis were not allowed
TO have a Protestant Westinghouse.
But it candidly observes that at that
time in New England there was hardly
any more liberation of the Roman Cath
olics than of Protestants in the South
west. The only States west of the Miss
issippi in which Roman Catholics are
now in the majority are the most thinly
settled ones: Nevada, Arizona, and
Montana. New Mexico, stilla territory,
is also in the list. The Congregationalist
says that the Roman-Catholic church
has taken possession Of New England
by invasion from Ireland and Continen-
tai Europe 1--WE add lower Canada), and
nearly all its priests and prelates are OF
foreign birth and parentage. The Ro-
man Catholics know what they believe,
are not ashamed of it, are ever ready
to defend it, are skilled in gaining ad-
vantages. and, while divided between
the two great parties, with but few ex-
ceptions are ever ready to vote for the
special interests of their church when
such are in issue at the polls. Locally,
they get what they can for their pur-
poses from each party or both. so far
as we can ascertain, or their own sta
tistics will show, in none of these States
is there any remarkable addition TO the
Roman Catholic church from the
Protestant denomination of the land, or
the unchurched people of other blood
than that of the countries where ko-
man Catholicism prevails. "
Church missions mean much IN the
world today. 1t is the course OF the
church struggling for supremacy. The
Protestant Laymen's Missionary Move
ment will assemble in great convention
in Washington in November next to
organize the Protestant churches OF
America, holding property worth one
thousand million dollars and expending
each year $500, 900, 900, into a great
federation for the purpose of eyangellz-
ing the world during this generation.
The Protestant church leaves home
then and goes out to convert the world
to Christianity. But the Roman
church is laying seige to America, par
ticularly TO the great South.
Whatever the methods of the mis-
sions they should be sane. The Roman
lists are advertising in the press for
non-C Catholics to attend their missions
and get educated from old fashioned
prejudice, the child Of ignorance and
calumny," they say by asking questions
in writing for their priests to explain
away. In thus doing they may next
expect the Protestants TO resort 70
like press advertising for Roman Cath
olics to come to their Missions for edu-
cation in the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF the
priesthood, leading to the Reformation
and Separation as we'll as the horrors
of the lnquisition. The Roman hler-
archy requires its adherents to attendits
own churches and stay away from al
others, yet inconsistently advertises ioi
nOn-C Catholics 10 attend ltS cnuIChSS'
How long before the consideration wltf
which Protestants, in great majority
have shown Romanists will be thrown
off by agressiveness? The time is com
ing. Tolerance is the child now Of the
strength Of the great Protestant ma
iority. When it is destroyed the com
plexion will change. What will theI
be the changes wrought in the South
What will be the political and social Ell
feet of the now Anglo-Saxon solo
South Romanized with negroes ane
Italians and others? Will social equal
ity be sought and attained by the blacks
with the whites? Is the fair South tc
be scourged again as in reconstruction
days? Will the people desert the re
liQion of their fathers for that. o
foreigners? Will the free institution
of their making be given up to heir
archal absolutism? These are some o
the questions for consideration.
Andrew Jordan Green.
Washington. Oct. IS, 1909.