The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-02-08
METHODISM IN
ROME SCORED
Archbishop Ireland Issues Plain
Statement Today Defending
the Vatican.
EXPLAINS FAIRBANKS INCIDENT
Says Former Vice President Did Not
Appreciate Full Meaning of His
Address to Methodist Or
aanization in Rome.

Chicago, Feb. s.-FollowinE is
statement offered the Associated Press
by Archbishop Ireland today:
People in America may easily mis-
apprehend the circumstances in Rome
which led the Vatican to refuse audi
ence with the holy father to Charles
| W. Fairbanks, after he, former vice
president of the United States. would
have made a public address before the
Methodist association of that city.
Most likely Fairbanks himself did not
fully realize the meaning which the
Roman people would attribute to his
address.
1T is not a question of Fairbanks
being Methodist or going to the
Methodist church i'm Rome for Sunday
devotion. 1t was appearing to give
the fullest approval to the work of the
Methodist association i'm Rome. Amer
lean Methodists in Rome are active
and | may readily say pernicious
proselyteri. The Methodist associa-
tion is not in Rome to serve and meet
American Methodists but to pervert
from the Catholic faith all those upon
whom they can bring an influence TO
bear
II was i'm Rome last winter and made
a particular study of the Methodist
propaganda 1t has gone so far that
Catholics have organized a society for
the preservation OF the faith to fight
against it,
"The purpose of the work. of the
Methodist association in Rome is con-
are by no means honorable. They take
every advantage of the poverty of the
poor of Rome. Books circulated and
displayed in the windows of their book
stores are ISLANDERS against the Catho-
1 lie faith, the holy pontiff at Rome and
misrepresentation of the whole Cath
1 dnt system. rhe s6rcess ofi tho move
sment is CfarI from adequate, TO the ef-
Ff6rts put forth and tho money expend-
ed. They do not make permanent
Methodists of Italian Catholics. They
may possibly detach pupils from the
Catholic church and this means from
| all Christian things for Italians.
Now public address by a former
| vice president of the u. 5. can have
no other meaning in the eyes of the
Roman public than the approval OF
America of the propaganda of the
Methodist association Had the holy
father smilingly welcomed Fairbanks
to an audience on the following day.
in what other position would he appear
to be than giving his approval to the
propaganda of the Methodist associa-
ton before which the address had been
given?
1T was simply impossible for the
holy father to do aught else than to
say politely to Fairbanks, L can't re-
ceive you and accord you the honors
| due you i'm all other circumstances as
an American and distinguished repre-
sentative of a great republic
II repeat that | am most willing to
lbelieve Fairbanks did not catch the
full meaning in the eyes of the Roman
people of the address he was To make
to the Methodist association.
| 'One arm OF ColllDdJ NlllCll Ailt htth-
odists employ i'm Rome, as / know from
personal observation, to create the inn
preston Methodism is the great faith
of the American republic, is that the
Catholic church is merely an Italian
institution.
There are in Rome Protestant Am
erican churches for the benefit OF
Americans. that put forth legitimate
, efforts. mind their own business and
make no war on the Catholic church.
What / have said of the Methodists in
Rome does not apply to other churches
there. ! have i'm mind the Protestant
Episcopal chapel on the Via Nazionale
and it's former rector, DIR. Vemins, a
man whom | am pleased to call a
friend
Il leave for New York tomorrow and
will be pleased to answer the Metho-
dists here or in the east at any time. l
cannot make it too plain that am not
attacking the entire Methodist church.
hut merely the Methodist association
in Rome. am not too old To enjoy a