The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-24

about to be commenced against
the religion of the Roman Catho-
lies of the United States? And it
such campaign is 'on' or in
prospect, who and what has caused
it," The editor then states that
he has no quarrel with any man s
religion, that "The New Age"
has never said anything savoring
of bigotry or bitterness towards
the Roman Catholics or their re
ligion, but has often expressed ap-
probation Of the good points OF
that Church and it's members.
We quote the salient points of
his reply:
"But the Editor is a Freemason,
charged with the duty, among
others, Of informing his brethren
of the Order about the enemies
which are within it and without.
The Roman Catholic Hierarchy
the Clericals-have been the pro-
nounced and bitter enemies of
Freemasonry since the first Bull
of Pope Clement was issued
against the Society in 1873. So
far as we are aware the Society
has never done anything which
merits the heavy condemnation
put upon it by the Priestly Power.
We have in our library many
books which are full Of lies and
ISLANDERS against the Society of
Freemasons written by Roman
Catholic Prelates. No protest
from us seems to be Of any avail.
If it is proven to them that we
have nothing in our books or
rituals except that which make for
virtue and righteousness we are
told that we are not in the secret
and that there are certain Black
Degrees which are Of the Devil
eve admit the existence of the
Menace with it's 100000 circula-
ton and the existence (for many
years. Of the American Citizen
and Of the Liberator, and while
their methods are not those we
have pursued in discussing the
Clerical attitude in this country,
we believe that the big
otry' Of which Mr.. Muench COM
plains has it's origin in the poll
teal activity of the Roman Catho-
lie clergy, the secret and other
Roman Catholic Church societies,
and that the force and strength
Of the movement among the people
of this country is due to the strong
belief:
81. That no practical, con-
sistent, Roman Catholic can be
true and loyal citizen Of this
Republic in case of a conflict be-
tween the Power Of our Govern
ment and that Of the Pope Of
Rome.
"2. That the system of Govern
ment of the Church Of Rome is in
direct conflict with the principles
on which our State Governments
and the Government of the United
States are based.
"3. The present Pope Of Rome
has denounced the separation Of
Church and State as a 'pernici-
GUS error thus denouncing one
of the fundamental principles on
which our Government is based.
"But we verify believe that it is
the Roman Catholic Church, it's
priests, it's secret societies, and it's
agencies, which has provoked this
attack, has caused these newspa-
pers to spring into existence and
to attack that Church. We are
informed of a case where a Mason
of high degree who has served &C
ceptably for several years as an
officer Of the United States and
whose retention the men of both
parties favor and yet it is con-
mon talk that 'the Knights of
Columbus will get him., i. e., re-
move him from office. There is no
religion in such movements, but it
is politics.
C. But we know what people
think and say, and we know that
thousands Of our people do utterly
distrust the Roman Catholic in
politics because they believe that
his first allegiance is to a foreign
Power, a foreign Potentate, who
claims the power to send its sub
iects to hell or to heaven as it
desires.
cit is not 'bigotry' on the part
Of any Freemason or Masonic pa
per to resist the aggression of the
Roman Catholic priests on his Or
der. 1t is merely exercising the
instinct Of self-preservation. The