The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-09-26
Geo. w. Mcdaniel in Baptist Stand

President Taft lunches freuuentIv
with Cardinal Gibbons, goes to mass
with him, and consuIts him upon
matters of church and State. The
democratic convention was opened
with prayer by a Catholic. The AS
sociate Press favors Roman Catho-
lies and scarcely popular daily in
the land will antagonize their wishes.
Ihelr religious proceedings are fea-
tured by the press and more space
is given to a bishops address than
to a world convention of evangeli-,
Gals. Romanist politics play in every
large city Of America and aspire to
control the national government.
The most dangerous influence in
America today is that which ema-
mates from Rome I say this in no
spirit Of animosity. There are many
individuals who are better than the
church and it's doctrines and practi-
ces. [ cherish the friendship of some
and hope to meet them in heaven.
But, on the whole, the Roman Catho-,
lie church in America is a subtle
force, an insidious foe, and nothing
short Of a vast political religious ma
chine. Not yet strong enough to
dominate, it has adapted itself to the
circumstances and pursued a course
characterized by greater adroitness
than anywhere else in the world. If
America knew the motives of the
Greeks in this wooaen horse she
would, Laocion-like, smite it's old
sides with the might of her intelli-
gent opinion. If American Catholics
knew the character, reputation and
practices of it's church in it's home,
they would r6nOunce it tomorrow.
MY purpose is to set down without
malice some things [ have seen and
learned about Romanism in Italy
The first consideration is the fact
that a majority Of the people of
Italy are out of sym pathy with the
papary. A gentleman from there
told me he witnessed an anti-church
parade st Prya a few years ago and
heard the multitudes crying, Down
with the church! Away with the
priests!" The church at Spezia was
set on fire by the indignant popu-
lace.
Pope Leo XIII. died in 1903 and
his sepulcher is prepared in the
church Of st. John Lateran SO in
tense is the feeling in Rome against
che paD8ry that his body is kept in
st. Peters, awaiting q more friendly
sentiment before conveying it to it's
final resting place. An attempt was
made to throw the body of Pious TX.
into the river as it was borne in the
funeral procession. These state
ments reveal a condition SO alarm
ing that comment is unnecessary.
The present pope has the Swiss
Guard and retinue of soldiers in
the Vatican to protect him. They
eat, sleep and live there. Where else
can you find a religious leader who
needs the constant protection Of the
sword for his personal safety?
A second significant fact is that
the Italian government does not &C.
credit the work Of the church. Dip
Tomas from Catholic schools are not
accepted as qualifying applicants to
teact in the public schools. King
Victor Emmanuel III. has Protestant
nurses for his children. The Pan
theon is the Westminster Abbey of
Italy. The king, in attending the
Catholic services there never bowed,
and the papers always make men
tion of the fact that "the king
stood" The royal palace is the for
mer summer home of the Popes.
Since 1870 that magnificent struc-
ture, with it's handsome tapestries,
rugs, paintings, furniture and sculp-
ture, has been devoted to the exclu-
u