The Irish standard., 1914-04-25

THE IRISH
some other people to start similar
papers. The sole aim and ambition
of these questionable sheets is to stir
up religious prejudices, with mali
cious assaults against the Catholic
chuchr and the Catholic religion. In
the publication Of such papers truth
and fairness counts for nothing; they
resort to every known means to ma
lign the Catholic church and particu-
larly the priests and sisters. These
papers resort to the most shameful
and wilful lying, and in many in
stances have melted mobs to do vio-
lence. Not long ego an orphan asy-
lum, conducted by Catholics, was de-
stroyed by a mob. To the credit Of
the decent people of that commun-
ity, the violators were punished.
There is a great temptation to the
INSCRIPTIONS to sow discord for
money consideration. That in itself
might not be calamity, but where
is this all going to end? Will the
thinking people of the country come
to realization of the situation and
frown down the venal sheets that, for
a small pittance. would bring discord
and unrest to all the people.
The Duluth News Tribune gives
account of Sunday Sermon by Rev.
George r. Gebauer, as follows:
Catholicism, its effect on the lives
Of its adherents and some of the err
roneous beliefs that have grown cur
rent in regard to it. were discussed
yesterday by the Rev. George R. &C.
bauer. pastor Of the First Unitarian
church. who talked on 1.-THE Roman
Catholic Church-Is 1t a Menace?"
Mr.. Gebauer said, in part:
without doubt. an all-dominant
Roman Catholic church might be
menace. as also might be menace a
Calvinistic church with a Billy Sun
day at the head of it. For myself
should prefer Catholic rule and 1
should rather have lived in the Rome
of Clement VII than in the Geneva
Of Calvin.
But. after all. the Catholic church
is not the Catholic people and even
an absolute and infallible church is
Influenced in its decisions by the tenn
per and spirit Of its constituency.
Even II Rome desired the domination
of our social and political affairs,
something quite absurd. it is quite
certain that such an attempt would
be resisted within the church itself.
I'VE Protestants are apt to have a
rather exaggerated notion of the
power of the priesthood outside the
walls Of the church. I believe that
no intelligent Catholic would permit
any priestly dictation, in matters of
strictly secular life. Yes. and in the
Roman Catholic church in America
itself would arise bishops in protest
in case his holiness in Rome were to
NEEDLE with American political life.
Indeed. it is preposterous to fear
the domination of the Catholic
church in our land imbued with
ideals of freedom. when the same
church finds itself hard pressed and
shorn of its power in Strictly Cath
Ollie lands. am, of course, thinking
here of Italy and France and the re-
publics of South America. Even
Spain today is trying to take the pow
er out of the hands of Rome.
"There is, therefore, no good rea-
son to believe that Rome will gradu-
ally become the capital de facto of
the United States, as some fearful
souls seem to believe. Even If in
time to come Catholics were to out
number the remainder of the popula-
ton, this would by no means mean
church domination.
No Fear of Domination.
But there is little fear that Cath
olicism will at any time outnumber
the remainder Of the population. 1t.
indeed. increases rapidly in this
country by immigration. but the
church does not report the many who
have lost all interest in their Inherit
ed faith, nor those who have fallen
away entirely or Joined other church
es. p...
'But whatever may be the future
of Catholicism in our land, no matter
if it increase tenfold, it behooves the
rational man to meet the issue in a
rational, calm and Christian way.
Certainly, there is no more foolish
way than trying to fight the progress
of tho church by lying and vitupera-
ton.
mo greater helper to the Catholic
church in the long run is there than
the orator who INDUCES in gross mis-
representation. He may tickle the
ears of certain foolish people, but he
will disgust the thinking men and