The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-10-11
BACK TO THE CHILD.

BACK TO THE CHILD.
We have become used to the cry
back to the farm" back to the soil'
and back to nature" and We seem
to have forgotten that in this move-
ment for back to something or other
we have really gone back on some
things-backward II you please. II
we will but give some serious consid-
GRAFTON to some things presented in the
study Of criminal statistics we will be
appalled, to know how much Grimm
atty is apparent in the action of GER
tain classes Of our youth and the very
apparent need Of religious training
during childhood days.
A study made of the diocese OF
Liverpool will indicate the Catholic
spirit of the church and the secret OF
its influence due entirely to it's school
policy.
According to the official returns OF
the diocese, the attendance of Cath
olics at divine worship on Sunday
mornings in the city of Liverpool last
year was on the average about 10000
The census put the figure at $4,000, but
this was for one mass only. In 1902
the attendance was $1,000 30 that there
has been an increase in ten years OF
20 per cent, although the population OF
the city Of Liverpool has Increased
only per cent. 8
The advance in church attendance
finds its counterpart in spiritual prog.
ress in other directions. The Catholic.
in the whole diocese have increased
in ten years from $4,000 to about
$4,000. This Increase includes nearl,
10000 converts. Infant baptisms hav.
risen by about 500. The Catholic brit
rate per 1000 Of the population in the
city of Liverpool was 4S, whereas the
birth rate Of the whole of England
does not exceed ~ per 1000 of the
population. Easter Communions
(adults) throughout the diocese have
increased from 10000 to $4,000, while
the total number Of Communions have
increased on the average by half "a
million each year during the past foul
years. Lastly. of some $4,000 children
of school age, all attend Catholic day
schools except about 1900. Ten years
ago the figures were $4,000 and $500
respectively. .-.
| While finding consolation in these
results, Archbishop Whiteside contem.
plates the decadence among non Cath.
Ollie denominations with supreme re.
gret, both for our own sakes and fol
the sake of the country to which We
belong" An increase in the number
of those who are hostile to the Chris.
tian religion may eventually prove 6
menace to ourselves, who represent
dogmatic Christianity in its most un.
compromising form. .
Might we not expect that there Ii
some feature in her (the Catholic
Churchs) method, the presence o.
which explains her success and tn,
absence of which, in other denomina.
tions, explains their comparative fail.
ure? The Catholic Church hersel
would say that, ultimately, the secre
of her success. If it be secret. is tina
she strains every nerve to have in hel
own hands the spiritual formation o
the child. and that its spiritual ant
secular education must go hand /,
hand in her own schools"
The true explanation Of the decltn,
in religious worship must be sough
in men themselves-in the decay o
what is called tho religious sense. Ig
norance Of the divine Fundamental
truths is sitting that sense in so man.
outside the Catholic Church. But
the manhood and womanhood of tn
country are to have familiar knowl
edge Of their duties to God, to thei
neishbors. and to themselves. and tn
habit Of fulfilling them. beginning
must be made In childhood. TIL
watchword OF missionaries and reform
ers Of every denomination. In ever;
century Of the worlds history, ha
been s.back to the child" And if reli
\ gious truths are to become settled con
evictions. painstaking daily. instruction