The Irish standard., 1913-08-16

else thereof" It was a great forward
leap on the part of the new nation
towards personal liberty and the con-
secration Of the rights of conscience.
Not 50 had it heretofore been on the
soil Of America. Save in Maryland
while reigned there the spirit Of the
Catholic Lord Baltimore, and in Penn
sylvania under the sweet-tempered
rule Of William Penn, religious free
dom was barred by law in the colonies
Protestant creeds warning one with
the other. all warning with the Cath
olic. But 1t was decreed-the new
flag must be unsullied by religious
persecution, the new nation must be,
on every score. the daughter Of free
dom, the guardian angel Of personal
rights in. each and every American.
The proclamation Of the constitution
was as the Milanese edict of the EN-
peror Constantine. Before the time Of
Constantine all things, even the things
of God, were Caesars. The state made
and unmade divinities: 1t was itself
a divinity: it's highest representative,
the emperor, claimed place among the
Olympians, and incense was burned
before his statue. as before that of
God. The personal conscience was al
lowed no recognition. The subject
must worship. as Caesar ordered. 1t
was servitude most absolute. But at
last the Conqueror of the Mllvian
Bridge spoke: liberty triumped in the
triumph of the Labarum. I'VE have
determined. with sound and upright
purpose" said Constantine, that llb-
erty is to be denied to no one
that to each one freedom is to be Civ
en- to devote his mind to that religion
which he may think adapted to him
SELF" Conscience was made free in
the Roman empire by the Milanese
edict: it was made free in America
by the federal constitution. In the one
and in the other, it is the injunction
of the Master: ITO Caesar the things
that are Caesars: to God the things
that are Gods.
BY the terms of the federal consti-
tuition, as by the teachings of the
Catholic church, no room is given in
America for discord between Catholic
ism and Americanism, between my
Catholic faith and my civic and polit-
ical allegiance.
Tho Republican Form Of Government
in tho Eyes of the Catholic Church.
America is republic: the spirit. the
form of government is democracy-the
government of the people. by the peo-
pie. for the people. Is there not here.
1t Is asked, at least touch Of con-
flict between my religious faith and
my civil and political faith? I tread
upon easy ground, 80 plain are the
teachings of the Catholic church in
favor Of the rights of the people in
matters OF civil and political govern
ment. again quote from the encycli-
cal letters Of Leo XIII. The pontift
writes: There is no power but from
God. The right of command, however,
is not in itself linked to any one form
of government. One or the other
form the commonwealth may rightful-
ly give to itself. provided such be
really promotive of the common well
fare. -" No reason Is there why
the church should prefer one form of
government to another. provided the
form that is chosen be Just in itself
and favorable to the common good.
Therefore. the rules Of justice being
duly observed, the people are free to
adopt that form Of government which
BELTS their temper. or best accords
with their traditions and customs"
America declared itself a republic: its
government is organized democracy
In America according to the teachings
OF the Catholic church. the republic is
the sole legitimate government: to the
republic Catholics are conscience
obliged to yield sincere and unswerv-
ing obedience.
God Is the source and the giver of
all power: Of themselves men have no
authority over other men. The au-
thority of the parent over the child is
from God, who created nature and so
created the family: the authority Of
the state is from God, who willed that
men should live within the fostering
embrace of social organism. In this
sense. but in none other, government
whatever the form. rules by divine
right. God gives the power; but the
people choose those that hold it, and
mark out the conditions under which
they do hold it. This is supreme dem.
ocracy: it is the dogma Of Catholicism.