Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-27


the only way to stem the tide of So
cialism is for priests to surpass all
other men in solicitude for the well
fare of the masses of the people and
the amelioration of their present con-
ditions.
His pontifieate was only the con-
tinuation of the duties of the priest
hood. He directed his whole atten-
ton to the internal administration Of
the church as IL 1t were only larger
parish of which he was the pastor
He reorganized the congregations or
tribunals of Rome simply to make
them more energetic and efficient in
their work for the glory of God and
the welfare of the people, He APP
pointed a commission to sift and set
tie disputed questions of Scripture.
and another to revise and restore
the genuine text of the Bible, in or
der the better to safeguard the faith
and piety of the masses of the peo-
pie entrusted to his pastoral care.
With the same end in view he ar
ranged for the simplification of the
code of canon law and rearranged
the courses of study in schools, col
leges and seminaries. II is we'll
known how he gave attention to the
minutest details of parochial work In
the parishes of Rome and forebade
any priest to reside In the Eternal
City unless that priest could prove
he was actively engaged in the work
Of teaching, sanctifying and saving
souls.
Moreover. he made use of every
means to promote peace and union
and harmony among all classes Of
both priests and people. He demand
ed unity and cooperation between
F.aOrIflo r.u PC llaf hioh.
ops and priests, tktween pastors and
people, that all might work together
in obedience to the bishops OF the
church. and these in turn in obedi-
ence to the vicar of Christ, who
feeds both the lambs and the sheep.
While exacting hard work from all
the clergy and zeal and obedience
from the laity, he did his part to pro-
tect them from tyrannical interior
ence By civil rulers. He deliberately
risked the loss of all the property Of
the church in France rather than to
barter away the freedom of the
church In her divine mission to save
and sanctify the masses Of the people
of that country. God will provide,
was his answer to the insolent poll
ticians of France, who thought to
brighten him from the path of apos-
tc1ic duty by their wicked spo1iation
and robbery of the property of
French Catholics. In like manner he
cared nothing for the threatened de-
lection from the church of a conceit-
ed faction of writer's. wolves in
sleeps clothing. who within the fold
were trying to undermine the funda-
mental truths of the Christian faith
under the pretense of advancing
modern science. AS he expected all
others to be faithful and energetic in
the performance of duty regardless
of consequences, he himself gave the
example OF fearless fidelity to his
duty, trusting firmly that God will
provide.
Methods Of Renewal.
There can be no doubt that to a
man of his character must have come
many weary hours of encouragement
when his soul was sorrowful even
unto death. as Christ was in His
agony in the garden. The spectacle
which the world presented in his day
and which 1t continues to present
now, is not one to lift up the heart
of SO sincere and devoted a disciple
of Christ as he was. In the age-long
contest between the doctrines of
Christ and the fierce passions of fall
len human nature, there have been
| ity was gradually being drawn by the
bonds of love to bow in submission
to the sweet yoke of Christ. But dur
| ing the past century human pride and
| passion succeeded in working great
| havoc among some of the professed
children of the kingdom of Christ. In
his own beloved italy, once so thor
| oughly Catholic in faith and prac-
tice, he saw many traces Of the evils
wrought by modern errors among ths
chosen people of the new dispense
ton. In his place and to the ex-
| tent OF his influence he sought &c
remedy those evils and to restore the
ancient faith and fidelity of Italy and
| from Italy as a centre, to diffuse that
renewed faith and fidelity throughout
the world.
Like his distinguished predecessor
| in the see of Peter, he had learend
| from actual contact with the masses
OF the people that new methods are
| required in these days of changed
conditions II religion is to retain or
to regain its former hold on the
masses Of the people. The church
and her doctrines are indeed un-
changeable, and in its essence human
| nature remains unchanged from age
| to age. But methods of action may
change, even IL only by return e
| fashions older than those at present
outworn. Thoroughly conservative
as Plus x. was in all that concerns
the constitution and doctrines of the
church, her rites and sacraments and
| the essentials of her discipline, he
introduced changes in methods of ad-
| ministration. in education. in the
practical workings Of the ministry in
relation to the people which merit for
him in the good sense of the word
! the title of a reformer.
True to the thought that evidently
Influenced his whole career that rs
the priests are. SO will the people be.
| he had scarcely been appointed a
bishop when he began his labors,
ending only with his life. for higher.
] more thorough and more deeply
spiritual education of the clergy. His
ideal of the priest was that of the
highest conceivable type Of man,
| whether in natural qualities or In
supernatural gifts. He turned his at
| tention to the schools, academies,
colleges and seminaries of Italy and
pointed out in words glowing with
apostolic faith and fervor that in
those institutions are to be found the
best hopes and most effective means
of accomplishing that revival or re-
l