The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-24
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ANTI-CATHOLIC AGITATION.

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ANTEcATHoLIc AGITATION.
like Mr. Prescott, who sincerely be
lieve that Catholicism is destructive
of free institutions, will find difficulty
in explaining. To us the explanation
is simple. We maintain that Catholic
principles rightly understood (and
verify, how seldom they are understood
by outsiders!) are in complete accord
with the principles of freedom en-
bodied in the American Constitution
For the latter formulated by the wis
dom of the Fathers of the Republic.
are the expression of the moral law
which the former, the embodiment OF
the Divine Law, manifested in Revela-
ton and propounded by the Church OF
Christ, recognize, defend and make
perfect. Hence the American Consti.
tuition and the liberties, religious, po-
litical and personal, which it guaran.
tees to the citizen have nothing to
fear from the success of Catholicism
Liberty is the life of the Catholic
faith and liberty is the Towering and
fruition of the Catholic religion in
the influence it exerted in civiliZing
the world. Men become and remain
Catholics by free choice on sincere
conviction, and often at the sacrifice
of everything that this world holds
dear. Grown strong by the free un-
selfish devotion of her numerous chill
dren, the Catholic Church in Europe
sounded the death knell of tyranny
and by fearlessly championing the in
violable rights of personal liberty she
succeeded in abolishing slavery. And
yet is she, the condition of whose ex-
istence is personal freedom and the
imperishable monument of whose
genius and labors is human liberty,
to be charged with being a perpetual
menace to liberty in the 'land of the
free and home of the brave?
Impossible! A mere statement of
the principles of the Catholic Church
suffices to refute so foul suspicion,
and to make manifest the groundless.
ness of the accusation.
Catholic doctrine recognizes in the
Church and State two distinct socie-
ties, each Independent within her own
sphere. Within her proper sphere-the
material or political-the State is free
to work out her salvation according to
that method of government which
seems best and which her people are
free to choose. Within this province
the State is immune from interference
on the part of the Church. On the
other hand, within the sphere of the
spiritual, in matters of faith and 'mor-
ality, the Church-the Divine arbiter
of right and wrong-is supreme. But,
and here is matter which so many
are liable to forget, though essential
to the protection and preservation of
personal liberty, the powers of the
State are not absolute or unlimited.
Above the State is the moral and d.
vine law. What if the State trans
crosses it's proper limits? What if she
encroaches upon or violates the moral
law (and we must admit the posi-
bility unless the State is infallible) !?
Is there none to speak in the name
of God and cry, Halt? Yes, behold
the function of the Church, the infal-
lible custodian of Divine revelation
and interpreter and champion of the
of human liberty, the bulwark against
political tyranny and oppression, the
curb of State absolutism. By the use
of this, her God-given power, the
Church through the ages has made
many a tyrant bite the dust, and has
made to stand erect as free men the
crushed slaves and serfs of imperial
despotism.
Yet this is the power that Mr.. Pres
colt fears, should the Catholic Church
grow into too goodly proportions in
this country. But why should he fear?
Whether the Church is weak or power
full she will ever fulfill her Divine mis-
sion and cry out against the violation
of the moral law, the disregard of the
rights of God, with this difference,
however. that when weak she cries
aloud in vain, but when strong her
voice is listened to more readily, and
outraged justice will more quickly be
repaired. Is this consumma ion de-
voutly to be dreaded by Protestants
and patriots. and of a character to
necessitate the organization of IN anti
Catholic agitation?