The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-12-26
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ENCYCLICAL LETTER

mat lie might be the nrSL-DOrn
amongst many brethren" (Romans
viii, 29). Then-a consideration which
ought to stimulate us to fraternal love
towards even those whom our native
pride despises-He wishes that the
dignity of His person should be recog-
missed in the humblest, "As long as
you did it to one of these, My, least
brethren, you did it to Me" Matt. XIV,
400. And when about to leave this
life He earnestly prayed the Father
that all those who believed in Him
should be one by the bond of charity,
AS Thou Father in Me and in Thee"
John xvii, 2D. Finally, He hung
on the Cross and shed His blood for
us all so that fashioned and formed in
the one body, we should love one an
other with that love which one men,
Der in the same body bears towards
another.
The Spirit of Fraternity Absent.
But far otherwise do men act today.
Never perhaps was human brother
hood more spoken of than at present;
it is even pretended, though the words
of the Gospel and the work of Christ
and His Church are forgotten, that
this fraternal zeal is one of the most
precious features of modern civiliza-
ton. But the truth is that never was
human fraternity so little practiced as
it is today. Race hatred is most bit
ter. Nations are divided more by ran
cor than by natural boundaries. In
one and the same country and within
the walls of the same city different
classes of the citizens hate one an
other; and amongst individuals every
thing is governed by seltishness as by
a supreme law.
The Holy Fathers Chief Aim.
You see, venerable brethren, how nee
essary it is to make every effort so
that the charity of Christ may prevail
amongst men. This will certainly be
Our aim always as the special object
OF Our Pontificate. Let this also, We
eXhort you, be your work. We shall
not. grow weary Of urging upon men
to give effect to the teaching of the
Apostle st. John, Love one another
Il st. John iii, 23). The pious institu-
tionS which abound in our time are
certainly excellent and commendable,
but they are only really advantageous
when they tend in some way to foment
in hearts the love of God and of the
neighbor; otherwise they have no
abideth in death" q John iii, 14).
Want of Respect for Authority.
We have stated that another cause
of the general perturbation consists
i'll this, that the authority of those who
are in power is no longer respected.
From the time when all human power
sought to emancipate itself from God,
the Creator and Father of the Uni
verse, and to attribute it's origin to
mans free will, the bonds between
superiors and interiors have become
SO weak that they seem almost to
have disappeared. An immOderate
spirit of independence, combined with
pride, has spread everywhere, invad-
ing even the family, whose authority
so clearly arises from nature; and,
what is more deplorable, it does not
even stop at the steps of the sanctu.
airy. Hence the contempt for laws
the INSTRUMENTATION of the masses, the
saucy criticism of the commands OF
authority, the numerous ways discov.
cred for eluding discipline and the
frightful crimes of those who profess
anarchy and do not hesitate to destroy
the lives and properties of others.
God the Author of all Power.
In face of this criminal mode OF
thinking and acting by which the con
stitution of human society is pervert
ed We, raised up by God to guard
truth, cannot but lift Our voice and
remind the people of that doctrine
which no human decree can change
There is no power but from God and
those that are, are ordained of God
(Romans xiii, -. God therefore is
the author of all power exercised on
EARTH whether it be sovereign power
or subordinate authority. From this
st. Paul derives the duty of obeying
not indeed in any way whatsoever
but at the dictate of conscience-the
commands of those who are invested
with power, except in the case in
which opposition is offered to the Di
vine laws, Wherefore be subject OF
necessity not only for wrath but also
for conscience sake" (Romans, xiii
81. And in conformity with this pre-
cept of st. Paul, the Prince of the
Apostles also teaches, he we subject
therefore to every human creature fol
Gods sake, whether it be to the kine
as eXcelling or to Governors as sent
by him" U st. Peter, ii, 1910. From
this premiss the same Apostle of the
Gentiles infers that he who rebel.
against legitimate human power rebel:
against God and earns eternal punish
ment: Therefore he that resistetr
the power, resisteth the ordinance O
God. And they that resist, purchase
to themselves damnation" (Romans
xiii, p.
Religion and Public Life.
Let princes and rulers of the people
remember this and consider whether
it is a wise and salutary design fol
public powers and states to divorce
them from the holy religion of Chris