The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-10
HOSTILITY TO THE CHURCH

libels, the falsehoods and calumnies
which they are printing, appealing at
the same time to the prejudice and
receiving their reward in the sub
scriptions which they fondly gather
1t matters not to them if the standard
of morals is lowered. They are will
| ing to gather the price of their be-
trayal, as Judas did of his Master.
Lastly, when we consider that the
daily newspaper in these latter years
have gradually debauched the public
mind by spreading before the people
and exploiting to the fullest measure
the indecencies and immoralities of
the abnormal and degenerate, it be-
comes all the easier for those people
to continue the Infamous work, at the
same time throwing around the in
decencfes their proclaimed purpose of
thereby defending the Protestant
creeds.
81 know that decent Protestants
have little sympathy with this move
ment, yet | am surprised to think that
they will tolerate it. 1t does not help
the cause of Professionalism as such,
for this unholy propaganda, if success
full, can result only in general de-
bauchery. And yet, unjust, unholy
and miserable as it is, few non-Cath-
olics have the courage to disavow or
rebuke it.
The Best Answer to Our Defamers.
1--WE are sometimes told to enter
suit for libel, and such might be sue
cessful, but the condition of legislation
affecting such matters is uncertain. 1t
appears that you can attack, defame
and villify whole class, and because
you vilify many, the law says, you
whole State is composed of cutthroats
and thieves, yet no citizen of that
State is thereby legally entitled to
protection. When you tell the story
of one that is dead fifty years, it may
be tissue of falsehood, but will the
one that is dead have recourse to the
law for vindication? A story may be
written of some one in Mexico, Ger
many or Italy. What recourse have
they or what protection would be
given them here in Missouri?
However, there is one thing that
remains, and perhaps in the long run
it is the best answer to our defamers.
1t is that every Catholic shall so live,
SO speak and act that no just criticism
can be pronounced against him.
Every Catholic can so inform himself
that he can make an intelligent de-
fense of his faith; he can answer lies
by telling the truth, and show in his
life to all the world that the standard
of faith and morals that he follows is
as high as Calvary and as sacred as
the Christ Who was crucified there.
If persecution comes, he knows that
it is but the continuation of that per-
secution that ragged against the
Saviour, that was focused around His
cross. And this is his consolation,
They have prosecuted Me, they will
persecute you,' says the Saviour. This
fact is not only a source of consola-
ton, but of strength also, for the very
persecution that we suffer is, in the
words of the Master, proof of the
divine origin of our faith. Not only
is it a consolation and strength, but
also a hope as well, for we know that
they are blessed who suffer persecu-
tion for Christ's sake. And we know
further that even though there be
Calvary in the way, there is a resur-
rection in the background; that
through one you will be led to the
other, and that if there be cross,
there also shall be the crown"