The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-12-06

and finds that in all of them, ex-
cept two, there was no evidence
against the Hebrews. He declares
that the pronouncements Of Inno-
cent ", Gregory TX, Gregory x,
and other Popes in favor of the
Hebrews are conclusive proof
that they were not guilty of
ritual murder.
The letter Of Innocent " was
addressed, on July 3, 1917, to the
Bishops of France and of Ger
many. It was written in response
to an appeal made to the Holy
See in the thirteenth century by
the Hebrews who were accused of
shedding Christian blood in their
religious practices. Innocent Nv
commanded the Bishops to show
themselves favorable and kind to
the prosecuted Jews, and not per-
nit that they be unjustly modest
ed concerning the said and other
similar things -
These~documents show the atti-
tude Of the Catholic Church on
this question. She knew them, as
she knows today, what it was to
be prosecuted unjustly and as far
as lay in her power she strove to
protect the Jews from the I'M
founded accusations hurled
against them by their. enemies.
The Beiliss trial is not devoid
of significance at the present time.
It has a lesson for all and espe-
cia1ly for those who are prone to
jump at conclusions unwarranted
by facts. The lesson is this: We
should be slow to bring an accusa-
ton involving moral turpitude
against any individual, commun-
ity or denomination, without be-
ing thoroughly conversant with
all the facts Of the case and unless
we are convinced that our own or
our neighbours welfare demands
that we make it public. If more
caution were exercised in such
cases, and more care taken to
learn the truth, there would be
fewer accusations made on the
strength of preconceived preju-
dice and unthinking religious
bigotry. Too often the stigma of
wrong-doing placed on an indi-
vidual or a community is based
on the fimsiest array Of supposed
facts which little investigation
would have relegated to the cate
CORY of fable. A particular in
stance is often seized upon, embel-
lished and expanded to the pro-
portions of a general conclusion
and of sweeping denunciation of
a whole class. All are made to
suffer for the sins of the few. Op-
probrium is heaped upon COM
munity OR a denomination because
of the misdeeds Of one or two in
dividuals. Bigotry and prejudice
seize the citadel of common sense
and reason and proclaim a reign
of riot and anarchy.
We see this exemplifed most
strikingly in the religious world.
The voice of the bigot resounds
through the land denouncing this
denomination or that for mag
mary wrongs and unthought-of
misdemeanors. The Catholic
Church has had to endure more
than her share of persecution be-
cause Of a wilful misconception of
her doctrines and practices. The
tide of bigotry is beating against
this fortress Of divine truth today
and is being dashed into fury by
the winds of prejudice and hatred.
We know that no breach will be
made in her wall but, neverthe-
less, we wonder why men, other
wise apparently sensible, should
allow sectarian bias to rob them
of the last vestige of common
sense when there is question of
her doctrines and activities.
The celebrated trial at Kiev
bids the slanderer and calumnia-
tor pause in their assault on the
moral character and religious
practices of men and nations and
cultivate the habit Of looking
upon the actions and beliefs of
their fellow-men through the spec
tacles Of Christian charity.