The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-05

sixteen years ago in which he pays
magnificent tributes to the pow
er and integrity Of purpose Of the
Catholic Church, 1t is, likewise,
asserted that during the Wilson
regime at Princeton a rule was
adopted that Catholic boys at
tending the University were given
the same credit in their rating for
attending service in the Catholic
Church as were the other boys for
attending the regular College
chapel. And lest his readers
should fail to be impressed with
this volume Of favorable testi-
mony, Mr.. Monaghan inserts let
ter Of commentator given by the
International Catholic Truth So
ciety, and then refers the reader
to Catholic friends of Mr.. Wilson
who will be pleased to testify that
he is not ~bigot. The pamphlet
closes with an extract from an adj
dress delivered some years ago by
Governor Wilson in which he re
fers to the ''great democracy" of
the Catholic Church.
Such is the appeal sent forth in
behalf of Governor Wilson by his
friends. IL we take it at it's face
value as true presentation Of Mr..
Wilson: s attitude towards Cath
olics, it is hard to see why it
should have been issued at this
time, unless it be that his friends
thought it necessary to make a
public apology for his attitude to-
wards the Church in the past.
Let us see if there was any justifi-
cation for believing that such an
apology is necessary. ~
Mr.. Monaghan refers to Will
sons "History of the American
People, which contains, among
other things, what he calls Gov
ernor Wilson's "magnifcently
fair statement Of the noble mo-
tives which inspired the religious
tolerance Of the Colony of Mary
Hand" How far Mr.. Wilson be-
ieved in the religious tolerance
guaranteed to the Maryland col
onists is shown by his declara-
ton, in the first volume, that it
had been evident from the first
that George Calvert had meant
his colony to be, among other
things, a place of refuge, freedom
and safety, for men Of his own
faith" There is not much re-
hgious tolerance shown in the
action Of Lord Baltimore who, if
Mr.. Wilson s statement is correct,
established a colony guaranteeing
freedom and safety to "men Of
his own faith'' only. This is rather
one-sided religious tolerance. >
Scattered through the same vol
ume are to be found such ex-
pressions as "Romish priests, y
"Romanists, ''Papists,' "Papist
refuge" "Romish Church, and
"Popish." He, likewise, COM
mends "the glorious Revolution
Of 1888" whereby William of
Orange succeeded to the throne of
James III.
In speaking of the Reformation
in England, Governor Wilson de-
clares that cit had filled her, not
with intense religious feeling, but
with intense national feeling. 1t
meant that England had thrown
off all slavish political connection
with Rome, and was to be hence
forth national in her church as
well as in her politics. 1t meant
too, that she was to have less
church than formerly It is I'M
necessary to comment on this
statement or on the use Of words
which every intelligent and fair
minded non-Catholic avoids be-
cause Of the offence which they
give to Catholics.
cit will be Observed" says Mr..
Monahan in the pamphlet al
ready referred to, ''that all Of the
quotations from Governor Will
sons writings and addresses were
written Or spoken many years be-
fore he had entered the field of
politics or considered the pros
poets Of public life. I" Did his en-
trance into politics change his
views materially? His friends
say that it did and they adduee
some very favorable comments
which he has made on the Catho.
lie Church during the past few
years. 1t may not be uninterest-
ing, however, to cite a passage
from an address delivered by him
In, tho A11ditnril1na Dnnun,. Cnln.