The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1911-12-07
THE JEFFERSONIAN

Catholic Church of unfairness, mar
rOWness and sectarianism.
In the last meeting Of the American
Federation of Catholic Societies, held
in Columbus, Ohio, August goth and
oath, 1911 with mum Der of bishops
present and under the guidance of
his EXcellency, the most Rev. Dio-
mede Falconio, then Apostolic Papal
Delegate at Washington, the Roman
Catholic Church adopted strong res
olutions to boycott the sale and pre-
vent the distribution of the Encyc1o-
pedia Britannica, the greatest product
of the best English speaking schol-
ars, the best by one of the most re-
noWned English Universities and en-
dorsed by King George of England
and Mr.. Taft, President Of the United
States. Are such attempts fair and
American? Is not this boycotting
worse than any other monopoly Or
trust? Is it not shame that Ameri-
can editors and American business
houses should be boycotted by a fed
Grafton of which the Apostolic De-
legate has to say; "the American Fed
Grafton Of Catholic Societies is work.
ing distinctly under the protection
and guidance of the American hier-
archy and with the full sanction and
the blessing of the pope and have you
no words to protest against such
dangerous Entertainments?
Finally do you know tn tremen-
dous significance Of the last decree
of Pious x 'Ne temere," concerning
marriages? Are you aware that &C
To oil
marriages are considered null and
void, if the marriage ceremony be not
performed in the presence of, and
by a Catholic priest?
Are you not informed that all Prot
estants holding a license issued by
the civil authorities and united in
the bonds Of matrimony by Protes-
tant minister, of whatever denomina-
ton, are considered by the Pope and
the Roman Catholic Church as not
married?
And is it not the height of narrow
ness and sectarianism, and even in
suit, to proclaim that neither you nor
any other Protestant husband is yet
lawfully and economically married?
Are there not laws in all the States
Of the Union condemning bigamy as a
crime liable to Imprisonment?
If such is the case, then what does
a Catholic priest, bishop or cardinal
deserve, who, knowing that some one
has been married according to the
laws of the country, proceeds to per
form a new marriage? If such &C.
clesiastical dignitaries can escape pun
ishment and avoid prosecution before
the country, why not grant the same
privilege to the Mormons? Do not
Mormons also claim that they are
following the tenets of their own
Church when they are married to
more than one wife?
If the civil marriage performed in
the presence of, and by the civil au-
thorities, or by Protestant minister
when the contracting parties hold a
license issued by the civil authori-
ties can be ignored by Catholics and
they can proceed freely to the per-
fOrmances of new marriage, then
what are the legal grounds to ascer-
tain a case of bigamy?
And if the marriage performed is
a legal and valid one, then why not
prosecute and punish both the Catho-
lie layman who marries a second wife
leaving undivorced his first, and the
priest who, well acquainted with the
facts performs the ceremony of the
second marriage?
And why do you not speak out and