The Irish standard., 1914-09-19
of faithful living which makes con-
tinuing history possible.


Ollie Church for what she is.
II regard it as one of the most I'M
fortunate things about our life today
that we so little understand each
other, we Protestants and Romanists
who are all brethren in Christ. 1t is
proverbial, I suppose, that no feud is
so sore unhealing as a family feud.
The very love which should bind,
when turned to hate, becomes the
most complete of all barriers. y y *
And everything tends to keep us
apart; if only we could get together
and get acquainted we should find
out how much we have in common.
Whenever we do come to know Ro-
man Catholic Christian we are very
apt to find joy and humility. We do
not know what beautiful Christians
there are among the Catholics, be-
cause we do not know them, and they
do not know how sincerely Protest
ants are trying to be followers of the
same Christ whom they serve. Il i y
"But some will say, is it not true
that the Roman Catholic Church has
priests who are worldly-minded and
corrupt? I fear it is true, as know
es have ministers who are worldly
it is true that the Protestant church.
minded and corrupt; but believe the
proportion will not be greater with
them than with us, and no cause de-
serves to be Judged by it's worst prod
ucts, but by it's best, and the best
priests of the Church reveal devo-
ton and purity of life that are be-
yond praise.
"But is it not true that in some
lands the Roman Church keeps it's
people ignorant and confirms them in
their superstitions? Is it not, in re-
spect to knowledge, backward, and
does it not seem to remain so?
"It is easy to say these things, and
the very fact that it is so easy should
make us the more careful. When we
have weighed the whole matter, we
shall probably have more charitable
judgment than we have off hand. The
Roman Church deals with great
masses of humanity; it must adapt
it's methods as wisely as it can to
the capacity of the people with
whom it deals. Could Protestants do
any better with these same people? I
doubt it.
"The Roman priest knows his peo-
pie better than we know them. Few
of us anywhere do as we'll as we
ideally might. I think the priest
would be as quick to acknowledge his
sense of insufficient wisdom and his
sorrow for it as any of us Protest
ants. But we must remember the
task is colossal, and we must pray for
them rather than rail at them; we
must wish them Godspeed, and when
we truly do we may discover that
they are making more progress than
now-without any prayer for them
we are likely to see.
A Foul and Hateful Calumny.
But is it not true that the Ro-
man Catholic Church is un-American
and is seeking to overthrow our gov
eminent and all that? I hesitate not
to say that I believe it is a foul and
hateful calumny. The people who
say these things have not one solid
fact upon which to base their mon
strous indictment. 1t is an utterly
unworthy frame of mind for brethren
in Christi to have towards each other.
1t is true, of course, that many Cath
olics are officeholders and many
more are officeseekers. But why
shouldn't they be?
"This is government of the peo-
pie and it is a credit, not reproach
to citizen when he has political am
billions. If these people had less am
bition, did not seek offices, did not
reveal political astuteness, we should
say what stupid folks they are. But
when they beat us at the political
game we cowardly say: oh! they
are intriguing against the govern
ment.'
But every time the test comes,
when there is a call for men to go
to the front and die for their coun-
try, the Catholic bears his full share
of the load which patriotism then as
signs and triumphantly and concrete
ly vindicates his loyalty.
1--WE must get this miserable SLAM
der out of our minds. BY every test
which can be fairly applied, the
Catholic citizen stands on a par with
his protestant brother.
II do not say that all Catholic poll
ticians are saints. I should not like
to be compelled to defend the saint
hood of all Protestant politicians.
But man for man, will trust the ulti-
mate patriotism of my Catholic as of
my Protestant neighbor.
II hesitate not to affirm my faith
in and my affection for the Catholic