Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-12-12
Scores Those Who Question the
Loyalty of Catholic
Citizens.
The Foundation On Which the
Commonwealth Must
Rest.
RELIGION REQUIRES LOYALTY

| Dr. washington Gladden, the
noted Protestant churchman of
Columbus, Ohio, in his Sunday SER
mon in the Congregational church,
replying to several questions, said in
part:
But some of you are asking a
question that we often hear: Can
a Roman Catholic be loyal to his
country" 1t is a little like asking
"Can there be sky over our heads,
and earth under our feet?" Look
about you. You know a good many
Roman Catholics. Are they not, as
rule, patriotic people? Do they
not, as a rule, obey the laws like
other people, and pay their taxes as
promptly as Protestants? Are they
not ready, when their country calls,
to give their lives in her defense?
How many of them left their bones
on Southern battlefields? Can
Catholic be a loyal American? Did
you ever hear of william T. Sher-
man or Philip H. Sheridan? Oh, 1t
| is shameful to utter such sus-
picion. You can of course, by put
| ting your own construction on the
Catholic doctrine, make 1t clear to
yourself that a Catholic can not be
loyal, but the simple question is how
does the Catholic understand it?
Every intelligent Catholic declares
that his religion resuires him to be
loyal to his country; and Catholics
by the 10000 have sealed that doc
trine with their blood.
But there are a good many Prot
estants who, though they may not
consciously adopt the policy of dis
franchising Catholics, are disposed
to do all they can do discredit them.
Their minds are full of suspicion,
they are quick to credit any evil tale
that can be told about Catholics and
not slow to give it currency. 1t is
sickening to note the eagerness with
which such stories are welcomed and
retailed. l am speaking now Of
Protestants and l am saying these
things because i am a Protestant,
and because Professionalism is dis
honored and defiled by such methods
of controversy. In the name of all
that is sacred and honorable in the
religion of my fathers / protest
against these campaigns of calumny.
To make answer, as many do, that
the Catholics are equally abusive
and libelous is to descend into the
gutter. If that were true, would it
be any justification? 1t is a pretty
cheap sample of a man who does not
hate such methods, whoever resorts
to them; but ii is when they are
preached in aid of a cause that is
dear to me that they become to me
doubly execrable and Infamous;
then 1t is that with all my soul
abhor them.
So we come back to our question
and repeat the confession of our
faith that religious people can be
friends and must be friends. Prot
estants and Catholics living together
on this broad continent, working to-
gether in fields and mines and shops
and stores and Offices and factories,
partners in industrial and civil life,
have got to be friends. What other
attitude will they take toward each
other but that of friendship? Shall
they hold each other aloof, put each
other under suspicion, treat each
other as though neither trusted the
others sincerity? That will never
do. You can not build a Common
wealth on any such foundation as
that.
Oh, Christian men, what am say
ing? To whom am l speaking?
am speaking to men and women who
believe in God the Father; who are
known as the disciples of Jesus
iChrist. Let me cover my face for
shame! / am standing here, uine-
teen centuries after the angels sang
peace and good will over the plains
of Bethlehem, and trying to prove
to men who bear the name OF Jesus
that they can be and ought to be
friends.
Has 1t come to this. that such a
plea is needed? May God forgive us
all!