The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-24

organizations but he does know
Catholic men and Catholic women
and he knows of no better class of
citizens. This newspaper feels, as
does every fair-minded Protestant,
that no good can come from
stirring up religious wars and for
this reason it hopes that Mr.. Sims
will permit Bemidji residents to
take care of their own affairs and
to continue their friendly feelings
towards their neighbors, even
though the neighbor may prefer
to worship God in the Catholic
Church. -
When Sims arrived, he found
the city hall closed against him.
On the third evening he and his
followers secured possession of it
by means not in keeping with their
boosted patriotic" respect for
the law.
But this is not the only town in
which Professor" Sims is not ap-
preciated. His advance agent Sc
cured the Opera House in Winona
for a series Of five lectures begin
ming January 49, These lectures
were advertised as 'patriotic lee
lures" The first lecture was to
be given free and for the others
ten cents admission would be
charged. The promoters thought
that if any one were foolish
enough to listen to the first lee
ture, he would probably be gull
ible enough to pay an admission
fee to hear the others.
When Sims arrived in Winona
he found that permission to use
the Opera House had been with
drawn and his first lecture was
delivered in the Olive Branch
Methodist Church. An application
was made for the Philharmonic
Hall, but the directors refused to
grant the request on the ground
that it should not be leased for
"antagonistic religious meet
ings. Later on, at a public bust
ness meeting, the action of the di-
rectors was reversed and Sims
was granted the use Of the hall
for the remaining lectures on the
plea that the hall should be given
for any public purpose that came
within the bounds Of law and de-
cency."
The lectures delivered by Sims
were certainly antagonistic to the
Catholic religion. Although they
were styled "patriotic lectures, "
they consisted merely Of "criti-
cisms of the Catholic clergy and
the doctrines Of the Catholic
Church.. Catholics were invited
to attend these lectures as we'll as
Protestants because, as the adver-
tisement stated, professor Sims
will not say one word to offend
Roman Catholics, and yet will
educate them as to the principles
for which we are contending in
the interest Of their liberties as
well as ours" We can readily be-
lieve that the Catholics Of Winona
are not worrying about their Glib
critics" and they paid little atten-
ton to the invitation to hear
professor" Sims.
Some time ago an anti-Catholic
lecturer named Boles succeeded in
securing one Of the churches in
Austin for a series Of lectures, but
before the date set for his arrival |,
the agreement was cancelled. I'm
successful efforts were made to Sc
cure another church or hall, and
Boles was obliged to keep away
from Austin. This is the same
Boles who gave a series Of lectures
in Mankato which did more to
strengthen and consolidate Catho-
lie forces than anything else that
has happened in that town for a
long time.
The example set by the public
spirited citizens of Bemidji, Vino
ma and Austin should be followed
by the people of other towns
where the official lecturers of the
so-called Guardians of Liberty
and other A. P. A. organizations
seek public hearing.