The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1913-12-19

ever Almighty God tolerates and en-
deavoring to convert men by mild
persuasIon.' This letter not only
reflects the noble sentiments Of Fem
elon's heart but reveals in this par
ticular the teachings Of the Church
of which he was a conspicuous orna-
ment.
Tits true indeed, that the Church
spares no pains and leaves no stone
unturned in order to bring the light
OF the Gospel to those who are out.
aide the fold. II she acted otherI
wise she would be recreant to her
sacred trust, for she is commanded
by her Founder to teach all nations,
and in possessing the truths OF reve-
lation she feels that she holds a
treasure, compared with which she
regards all earthly goods as drOss.
And instead of hiding that treasure
in her own heart, she loves to share
it with others; especially in making
others richer she becomes none the
poorer. But she scorns TO compel
men against their will to accept
her gifts. The only argument she
would use IS the argument of reason
and persuasion. The only tribunal
to which she would summon her
hearers is the court Of conscience,
the most sacred of all tribunals,
The only weapon ste would use ia
not the material sword, but the
Sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of Cod
1.-THE Church has not only respec-
ted the conscience nf the people IN
embracing the religion of theil
choice, but she has also defended
their civil rights against the en-
croachments of temporal sovreigns
Many persons imagine that In form.
er times the Church was leaguec
with princes in depressing the peo-
pie. This is a popular error which
fuller acquaintance with history
would soon dispel, The truth is tina
, the most unrelentlng prosecutors o
the Church have been the primer
of this world and many Christian
+. princes too, They ehaffed under th'
saIutary discipline of the Church
they wished to be rid of her yOk'
that they might give freer vent t,
their passions.
GAS an American Protestant re
n viewer remarked 70 years ago, it wa
a blessing of Providence that Their
was spiritual power on earth tina
q could stand like a wall of brass
!. against the tyranny of temporal So
weighs and say to them: Thu
far you shall go and no farther an,
here you shall break your swellin
waves of lawless ambition, A pow
= er that could say to them what job
= the Baptist said to Herod; 'Thi
: thing 1s not lawful for thee'-a pow
? er that could point the finger of re
! buke to them aud say to them a
!. Nathan did to David, Thou art th
" Man She told princes that If the
q have their rights they have thei
: obligations, too, and that if the sub
. ject must render to Caesar the thing
that are Caesars Caesar himsel
must render to God the things tina
are gods.
q 1.-The great bulwark OF English lib
q ertY is the famous Magma Charta
1t is the basis not only of British
/. but also of American constitutions
n freedom. Among other blessing
a contained in this instrument it estab
3 fishes trial by jury and the right o
3 habeas corpus and provides tina
q there shall be no taxation wIthou
( representation.
"Who were the trainers of thiI
memorable charter? Archbishop
Langton, of Canterbury, and the
I Catholic barons of England. On the
plains of Runnymede in 1916 they
compelled King John to sign thai
, paper, which was the death blow to
his arbitrary powers and the corner
stone to constitutional government
Turning to our own country, it il
with no small degree of State pride
that 1 can point to the colony oil
Maryland as the cradle Of civil AND
religious liberty, and the land Of the
sanctuary -MarylAnd-was the only
colony that spread aloft the banner
Of liberty of conscience and that In
vited the oppressed of other colonies
to seek an asylum beneath iti
shadow.
In conclusion, / thank God, my
brethren, that we live In q country
where liberty of conscience Is re.
spected and where the civil Consti,
tuition holds over as the Aegis OF its
protection without intermeddlIne
with ecclesiastical affairs. Aud per,
hapS at this moment there 10 no ma,
tion on the face OF the earth where
the Church IL less tram. .sd and