The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1912-01-27
WHERE is THE RESPONSIBILITY?
By MRS. ELLA ELKrNs


n IGHT. thinking people are ready
* 20 eoneede. that parents are tho
proper and natural guardians of
their offsprlng. but bigoted Rome steps
In just here and enters an emphatic
protest. The mother may go down
10 the very brink OF death 20 give
the child lis being: together the pa
rents may toll early and late. through
summers heat and winters cold TO
house. feed and clothe tho tender
plant. lentNto their earthly keeping.
But when Il comes TO teaching. ah.
here they must hands on. says Rome.
Has not tho head OF the church con-
stituted tho priests the teaching
body7 Has not Christ lodged the res.
possibility OF tho moral and spiritual
future OF tho children with the church.
That bravo eagle-eyed mother and
that manly father. who would take
their own children as their minds un-
fold. and with a few choice words
teach them the mysteries OF their
being. are characterized by Rome as
reprobates In the sight OF high
heaven. The priests would have such
tender mysteries and moral teaching
left 20 themselves. Alone in the con-
fesslonal the timid maid and the
bashful lad must. through the prying
questions and coarse explanations OF
the bachelor priest. learn these lacred
mysteries. That such is Rome's wish
and method. wo here quote from an
editorial from the pen OF the priest
editor OF the Western Watchman. n
Catholic paper published In St Louis.
Mo. He says:
"The mother who would speak 20
her daughter. the father who would
speak TO his son on matters OF sexu-
ality is a degenerate.
"The church believes in warn
ing children against the sexual vices:
and she does n most effectually in tho
confessional. There the little boy or
girl can speak the secrets OF its na.
turo in the very sanctuary OF purity:
b can explain the spots that have ap-
peared in the light OF Gods counten-
ancc. There the priest is the person
ified conscience OF the little ones. and
he raises tho finger OF warning at the
: proper time. The child is told TO ex-
pose faults in tho confessional that it
: would die rather than explain else
where. The priest gives advice on
subjects that he would blush 20 mem
ton elsewhere. - No word Is ever
heard in a Catholic church or school
that could not be spoken in company
OF the most fastidious. But In tho
confessional the child opens its little
heart and tells OF the trials and temp
tatiuns that are encountered in a field
q | ole Itg hNr
E Tho poor blind Romanist mother ID
? truly TO be pitied as she permits. yea
forces. her unwarned daughter of ten
3 der years 10 80 to the confessional
!, and there, with no ear save Gods 20
7 hear. be taken IN hand by a big.
e coarse. burly man, perhaps fresh from
: last nights drunken bout. and listen
D 10 him give advice on subjects that
J. he would blush 20 mention elsewnere. !"
4 And the sacred child is there forced
c TO expose faults Il would die
I rather than explain elsewhere." What
a black pit Is the anficular confes.
u sional boxl When Il Is charged
: against Rome that unseemly subjects
y are spoken OF In the confessional, she
q raises the howl that her women are
o being insulted. But In the above edi
Q torial one OF her own priests gives
b Protestants an inside view OF the dia
!, bolism of the confessional.
After reading what this priest has
: 10 say about the confessional. we car
= = the more fully comprehend the re
. former Chiniquy's recital Of the de-
: moralizing effects OF his FIRST confes
. sion TO n Roman priest We say there
ought 20 be an enactment OF Law
TO safeguard helpless childhood from
such wanton insults and assaults
= FROM Rome's priests. How long
y think you. would fathers and mothers
or the public. stand quietly by vhils
Protestant preacher OF any denomi
= nation boasted that he had. while al
= alone with her. probed your llttl,
daughter ION subjects that he "a man
would blush TO mention elseWhereg' 2
y That the child had exposed TO him bel
faults that she would ''die rather thar
y explain elsewhere" even 70 her owr
father or motherI Protestants woulC
stand for no such demoralizfng pro
cedure. II Is Just as repreheneibl,
= when committed By Romanist a. b,
= Protestant
/. when win a long suffering public
W hold Romanists 10 the same STANDARD
4. OF morals that Il raises for Protest
4. ants?
d. Cassville, NO., Jan. Is, 1917,