The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-08-15
THE JEFFERSONIAN

show respect to the memory of the
dead, but also to show your sympa-
thy with the great work that the
Roman Catholic Church is doing for
this country; for no matter what
may be said of the faith she teaches.
this much all just men must grant
her, that she is one of the most con-
sentative elements in our land.
She stands on the side of God and
Gods laws against atheism and in
fidelity; she stands on the side of
law and order and authority against
socialism and anarchy; and her
children respect you and all legiti-
mately constituted authority not
merely because of personal qualities
you or they possess, but because
they have been taught that you and
they receive your authority from on
high. And, Mr.. President,
she still continues to rear God
fearing, law-abiding, authority-re-
speeding citizens, and l hesitate not
to say that, if the day shall ever
dawn, which may God avert, when
inf1delity, socialism, and anarchy
shall be so bold as to rise up against
the high authority of our rulers and
the law and Constitution of our
land, in that dark hour you or your
successors can call with confidence
on the Roman Catholic manhood of
this country to show their patriot
ism by observing the law in the time
OF peace; and if war must come, by
giving, as their brethren gave be-
fore them, that supreme test of pat
riotism, their own life's blood for
their country's cause.
How unbecoming, not to say
offensive, was this glOrifcation of
the Roman Catholic Church on such
an occasion! Does the stability of
this nation now rest in the hands
of Roman Catholics? and are they
the only patriots? Why this i'm
piled reflection upon Protestants
and Protestant churches?
We have no desire to indulge in
carping criticism, but in marked
contrast with these utterances of
the preacher of the day are the
views of Roman Catholic diplo-
mat which VIII be found on page
145 Of this issue. The claim that
the Roman Catholic Church is the
great conserver of peace, is not war
ranted by the facts of history, which
rather testify that there is no sacri-
fee either Of individual or national
Interests too great to be made if
there is reasonable ground to expect
that the Papacy can be strengthened
thereby
This military mass is the first,
but we are sure it Will not be the
last occasion Of this character. The
Roman Hierarchy is carrying
out an intelligent purpose to ex-
tend by every possible means the in
fluence of the Roman Catholic
Church in America. With that per-
feet organization which makes it
possible to achieve success through
the effective marshaling of all it's
forces, and with that untiring zeal
which in the past has pursued an
ideal through centuries of time and
many changes of administration,
there is good ground to expect that
the representative of the Papacy
will succeed in their purpose to mold
America under Roman Catholic in
fluence. Great strides have been
taken in this direction during the
last five years, and the apparent
readiness Of the present executive
to give his official influence to make
Roman Catholic functions impress
sive as a de facto of not a de pure
mingling of Church and State, opens
the way for further progress.