The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-09-11

WHEN. Mr.. TUMULTY GOES TO
CONFESSION.
M IN e recent issue Of Life" published
IN New York City, the following is an
example Of prejudice which exists
among men who are above the aver.
age In education, but who are bigoted
enough to attempt to create feeling
\ against the Catholic Church and are
mot disposed to even grant the mem.
n bern Of that church personal liberty.
I Il 10 . reprint of the correspondence
which passed between this bigot, who
breaches Christian charity, and the
editor Of Life:
S$ Our good friend, Protestant mis-.
sionary in South America, thinks that
some sentiments about the Roman
Catholic Church lately expressed in
Life' are hardly stiff enough. He
says in part:
About the confessional. It is very
closely united to the temporal-power
talk always. Well, why? Take case.
President Wilson says that Tumulty
10 his private secretary and it's no.
bOdy's business what his religion is.
Now, suppose that Tumulty is left
with all the care of.all of President
Wilson's correspondence, and is even
left to take care of things while Will
son is not in Washington some time
President pro TEN, as 1t were. Sup
pose Tumulty is good Catholic and
knight of Columbus who wants to
make America Catholic. Is he a
Jesuit? Well, quien sabe? If he is a
good Catholic we will suppose he con-
fesses. Suppose he believes that he
must confess everything. Suppose
that he and the priest to whom he
confesses have sworn allegiance to
Rome, and that Rome claims power
over everybody and thing on earth.
For whom will Tumulty and the priest
use what he knows?"
It is pleasure to answer this in
quiry. Tumulty will use what he
knows for Wilson, Tumulty, the Dem
ocratic party and the people of the
United States. The priest won't know
anything about the Presidents CORE
spondence. Tumulty won't tell. If
Tumulty goes to confession, he will
merely confess for Tumulty, not for
Wilson. If he should form habit of
confessing for Wilson, he would lose
his job. Our friend inquiries if Tu-
multy is a Jesuit. Presumably not.
He seems to be a layman, and Jesuits,
as we understand it, are usually
priests. Anyhow, they are celibates.
Tumulty is credited with a wife and
lively young family, which would en-
barrass Jesuit. OF course they may
be faxed for political or. religious pur-
poses, but that is not likely. AS to
the suppositions in which our mission
airy brother writes us to participate,
we can only join him in part. 1t is
supposable that Tumulty is a good
Catholic" and "confesses," but not
that he believes he must confess
everything he knows or has Sworn
allegiance to Rome" Tumulty lives
In New Jersey, doesn't he? Why,
then, should he swear allegiance to
Rome? What does Rome want of him,
or he, Jersey man, of Rome?
Our friend should make distinc-
ton between what Rome" claims and
what 1t gets. Its claims may be as he
says. We understand that, having &C.
cumulated for a thousand years or
more, they cover most of what is in
sight, but most Of them are only q
kind of stage furniture and antiques
not intended nowadays for actual use
Do you suppose, brother, that chaps
like Tumulty really want the Pope to
govern the earth, including these ever
glorious states? Go chase yourself,
dear man; nothing of the kind! The
Tumultys no more wish the Pope to
rule the world than you want the Pres
byterian Board to rule it. You don't,
do you? Isn't DIR. Wilson as much of
the Presbyterian church as you would
care to have govern this country at
this time? Isn't the present cabinet
Just as nearly Presbyterian Board
as you could bear? Surely! You may
bet your next months salary that that
u just about the way the Tumultys
feel about the Roman Catholic Church.
Don't imagine that they are over.eager
to put It uber allies. They want to
Ray their prayers the way they are
used to; but beyond that, how much?
Are they happier in countries where
there are more Catholics? Are they
better prospered in those countries?
You see, brother, the Pope to the Tu-
multys Is a habit of mind, like the
Board to you. You were raised to re-
gard the Board, they to regard the
Pope But you and Tumulty both have
other habits-allegiance to Uncle Sam,
respect for the police, obedience to
your family's true head-and just as
your Board habit has to accommodate
itself to all these other habits. SO like