The Irish standard., 1913-05-24
Fifty Millions of People in This
Country Who Never Go
to Church.
Thousands of Americans Have For
gotten the Ten Com
mandments,
If They Have Ever Learned Them,
Says Bishop McFaul of
Trenton.

Most people, especially those en-
gagged in the promotion Of religion and
morality, should be inclined to opti-
mism, for who could have the cour-
battle, year in and year out against
the evils of the individual and of So
ciety, il he did not perceive any indi-
cation Of victory, when confronted
with the food of wickedness and
wretchedness which seems TO ap-
proach and increase despite all efforts
to diminish it? l am satisfied that
the world (society and the individually
is improving along many lines, all
though it is evident that with the
growth ana the prosperity of nations
unbelief and vice have not lessened
in any marked degree, says Rt. Rev.
James A. McFaul, Bishop of Trenton,
n. j.
Is the world then improving? 1t
would be difficult task to show just
how much the world, by contrasting
epochs, has improved or deteriorated.
Statistics in matters of this kind are
dry. meaningless things. They are
very misleading when we have to deal
with flesh and blood. free WILL inher-
tied traits, mental capacities, individ-
ual responsibility and environment,
all of which vary in each human per-
sonality. and therefore present, in
nearly every instance, a more or less
different problem for solution.
1t will readily be seen that the sub
iect proposed is a very wide one and
difficult to elucidate properly. Hence
not much can be accomplished in a
brief interview and in the space al
lotted by a newspaper. However. I
shall cndeavor to outline the broad,
general features Of the past and the
present, so that a comparison may be
made between them.
Greece and Rome.
Let us refer to ancient times and
limit ourselves to the religious and
moral conditions of two Of the great
nations of antiquity: Greece and
Rome. History tcstities that these
peoples profcssed Paganism, and that
they became stecpc1 in unuttcrable
vice. 1t shows that immortality rather
than the hordes of the North con-
quereI Roman legions, devastated the
fields of the Empire and erased its
world wide provinces. The Barbar-
ians had many natural virtues which
kept them virilc, hardy, robust and
therefore, they crushed the effeminate
descendants Of Il nation which here
toforc had ruled over and gathered
tribute from the then known world.
The Great Civilizer.
In turn, all these conqucring thou
sands were captured by the Church of
Christ; they were gradually civilized
and Christianized by Catholic bishops
and priests. Then arose the days of
faith, of respect for morality; then
was established Christian chivalry
and regard for womankind.
lamentab!e Results Of Professionalism
Here I desire to emphasize the rad
ical cause of the conditions of faith
and morality at the present day. 1t
can all be traced back to the Protest
ant Rebellion of the sixteenth century
Tar seeing men, even at that time,
saw the lamentable results in the flu
ture. Professionalism began by denying
the authority of Gods Church and
placed in it's stead the authority of a
single book, the Bible. which every
one was allowed to interpret for HIM
self. There soon sprung UP countless
warning sects, every one of which
claimed Bible authority for doctrines
professed, as well as for religious
practices. Now, this same Bible has
its authority impugned even by the
preachers themselves.
Wherefore, we see glowering on the
horizon. the grim spectres of anarchy
in religion, anarchy in morality and
anarchy in civil government. They
threaten destruction to truth. menace