The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-10

A recent writer in the public press,
DIR. J. s. Johnson, has undertaken to
enlighten us concerning the Morse in
fuences in America, and, by way of
an interesting depression, concerning
the Church's part in the Spanish treat
ment Of the Indians. If we are to be-
lieve this learned physician, the Span
ish pioneers in their inhuman treat
ment of the natives acted not without
some sanction from the Catholic
Church. They obtained in this way"
(that is, by desecrating the burial
places, and despoiling the dead), he
writes, considerable gold and jewels,
justifying the act by the edict of the
Church, that they considered the de-
ceased as pagans and infidels, who
had forfeited even the sanctuary of
the grave, by having been buried ac-
cording to the rites and ceremonies of
their idolatrous religion!' The most
learned theologians pronounced all
barbarous and infidel nations, who
shut their ears to the truths of Chris
tianity, fair objects of war, rapine,
captivity, and slavery" The ordinary
reader is allowed to carry away the
gloomy impression that the Church
and her best theologians, generally,
countenanced the violation of the
rights of peoples, of humanity, even
of the defenceless dead. A dark pic
@11Van fnI ~ @h4 Hn@hnTi0 T6IYro6
and one which shall not be allowed to
pass without searching scrutiny.
The Teaching of TheoIogians.
What are the facts in support of this
terrible indictment? What was the
real attitude of the most learned theo-
logians towards the conquest and cap
tivity of obstinate infidels? Is this
another calumny to be cast into the
capacious Limbo of exploded historical
fictions regarding Catholicity? True
it is that during the Spanish occupa-
ton of America in the sixteenth CEN
tury, the period with which we are
mainly concerned, Spanish theolo-
gian, Juan Gines de Sepulveda (149O-
1874 A. d. defended the 1awfulness
and necessity of warning on the In
dams. Deceived by highly colored ac-
counts of the alleged enormous in
iquity of the Indians, of their sup
posed cannibalism and human sacri-
fees and unnatural lusts, he main
tanned that they could be ruthlessly
Srhn 4I1o Honnnn$@nr re
old. He tried to justify the wars, and
the resulting spoliation and enslave-
ment Of the Indians not merely on the
ground of their barbarities, but also
because, as an inferior race, they
should be subjected to the superior
and cultivated Spaniards who had dis
covered the country, and were, conse-
quently supposed to have right to
the prompt allegiance of it's people
The historiographer to Charles v.
King of Spain, admired for his fine
and voluminous writing rather than
for any elevation of sentiment or no
bility of principles, called by Erasmus
the Spanish Livy and the best writer
Of his time, Sepulveda, in his own day,
had distinguished reputation as a
scholar and historian, but now he is
almost forgotten; and from this char
table oblivion it is almost cruel
mercy to rescue his memory.
Harsh Views Condemned.
John Major (147O-155O), native of
East Lothian, and distinguished pro-
fessor in France, another theologian
who, in his own day, and only then,
acquired an eminent repute, had in a
milder form somewhat similar view
to that of SepuIveda, holding that in
fidels can be coerced into the Chris
tian Faith. But Sepulveda was the
prime champion of extreme coercion
and violence. Speaking of the views
of s'the most learned theologians, DR..
]. s. Johnson makes notable omis-
sion. Though historian he omits to
tell the whole truth. He forgets that
entire falsehood. Mindful of the
maxim that discretion is the better
part of valor, he very prudently for
gets to mention that the work of Sc
pulveda defending his views, entitled,
Concerning the Just Grounds of War"
was condemned and repudiated by the
great Catholic University Of Sala-
manca and by the University OF Alcala,
the Alma Mater OF its author. When
Sepulveda could not obtain the royal
consent for the publication of this
work, he wrote a Defense Of the
Work Concerning the Just Grounds Of
the War on the Indians" and had it
surreptitiously published in Rome in
1850, but the edition was seized and
almost entirely confiscated by order of
Charles v, the King of Spain.
knights Cyclopaedia of Biography,
Art. Sepulveda; Narrative and Critical
History of America, Vol. II, 314.)
In his own day Sepulveda's views
favoring the harsh treatment of the
Indians were boldly combated In a
public disputation by the Dominican
Friar, Bartholomew Las Casas, the
noble priest, who stood for the purest
ideals and never shrank from fear
less utterance OF his advanced prin-
cfples, a true friend Of the rights OF
man. mo tribunal, or Judge I'm the
world, he says, has right to modest
these infide1s for idolatry, or any other
sins, however enormous, while still
fnfideIs and before they have volun-
tarflv received BaDtfgm. unless they