Gilpin observer., 1914-04-23
REV. suLMoNETrI REPLIES
TO FATHER NAUGHTON
Denver, Colo, April Is, 1914.


A good friend of mine in Denver
has handed to me a copy of your pa
per dated April End, which | have
read with much interest. including
the article by Priest Naughton. 1 as
sumo that above all else you desire
to publish facts so that your readers
may not be misinformed.
1 thought at first that should not
the Reverend Gentleman, but as am
appointed to minister unto the Ital-,
ians by our Bishop Francis ]. McCon-
nell, and since he is likely to place
work among the Italians there, l
think that some answer ought to be
made for the information of your citi
zens.
First, l assume that in free Am
erica, l have as much right to ad
dress my fellow citizens and especial
ly my own countrymen as any other
person. If this were not true, what
ton worth of free speech?
Logic can be met by logic and ar
gument by argument, but If l fail to
see either of these in the statements
aimed at me, a minister of the gos-
pei and member of one of the largest
ecclesiastical bodies in the United
States. AS minister of the gospel,
resent the tone of the article, in
fringing, as it does, my rights as an
American citizen. love with my
whole heart my glorious adopted
countryNa and l am loyal to its flag and
not to foreign potentate as the
writer of that article is.
In the article mentioned, the writ
er says that my presence lin Cen
trail City, was regarded as a personal
insult to the Italian speaking and
This statement is gratuitous, not bas-
ed upon facts, and l may add that
all the Italians, whom l visited, re-
ceived me most cordially into their
evening l was there over fifty Ital;-
ans heard me preach in the Metho-
dist Episcopal church and at the
close of the service all gave me a
vitation to come and preach the gos-
pei again, indicating that they real
ize how much they are in need of it.
The writer mentioned, goes on to
say I'VE have no apologies to offer
as free CD men and Catholics in de-
fense of our faith. History well at
tests it's worth. This man puts the
| stamp of approval on his church that
through the centuries and these are
facts which history does attest The
condition of Italy. France. Spain, Au-
stria, Central American and South
American countries is sufficient evil
dence of the blighting effect both
mentally and spiritually, of the
church which the Reverend Gentle
man represents upon its adherents
and the countries wherein his faith
flourishes.
1t is we'll known fact that a
large percentage of the Italian peo-
pie do not enter the door of a Cath
olic church, either in Italy or in Am
erica. Their mercenary treatment by
the priests of that faith in their own
country has alienated them so that
they have become socialists in poll
tical faith, atheists in belief and
therefore are strongly anti-cler;cal,
so that they have become denuncia-
tory of the priesthood and because
of ages Of i'll treatment and super
stitious delusions' many have become
blasphemous.
Protestants love Italy because it
was the home of the early Apostolic
and true Catholic church and because
of its wonderful record in science,
art and music. Protestants love the
Italians, because when emancipated,
mentally and spiritually. they are as
intelligent and as religious as they
are industrious, and they are as true
believers as any of the saints, when
the pure gospel is preached to them.
Mr.. Naughton says that was
brought to Central City "simply and
solely to proselyte the Italian speak
ing members of his congregation. In
this statement he is wrong again as
he is In so many of his conclusions,
because most of the Italians that !
visited told me that they did not be-
long to his church and did not at
tend mass
Our mission is evangelical and is
directed to the unchurched masses
and even certain archbishop of the