The Irish standard., 1915-01-23
METHODIST MISSIONARIES CAD
MISTAKE ABOUT MEXICO.
MAKES LAUNDERING STATE.
MENTs IN REGARD TO
cHuRcH's ACTS THERE,
Answered long ago by 4 Noted Non.
Catholic Historian.

Catholic Historian.
"The Rev. DR.. John w. Butler, who
for nearly forty years has been a mis-.
sionary in Mexico" and who has been
for many years "the head Of the
Methodist Missions Board in Mexico
City and dean Of all the missionaries
in that district" has written q letter
to the New York Evening Post. which
was published in the January 9Th is
sue of that paper, answering the
charges brought against the present
Mexican government" by Theodore
Roosevelt. In the course Of which let
ter. Of course, the Rev. Doctor pro.
ceeds to attack the Spaniards who set
tied the country and the Catholic re-
ligion which they established there.
1.-THE rulers" he tells US, "the aris-
tocracy, which included military Of
f1cers. and the high clergy, who were
generally foreigners, have always
been against the best interests of the
Masses" "The priests from Europe
were. most Of them, too worldly and
partook too largely Of that lust for
gold which characterized the early
conquerors, to have much concern in
the uplift Of the Indians, and general
ly played into the hands of the aristoc-
racy." And he adds: $50 here we find
the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. who
have been in control since. at least, a
thousand years before the Christian
era and part of them representing a
civilization equal in some cases to
that forced on them by military clio.
quence, compelled to live in ignorance,
degradation, and superstition, de-
prived Of the ownership Of their own
God-given lands, and then required to
till them for masters from oversee,
given absolutely no participation in
the choice of their rulers, and then,
after 800 years of Christian civiliza-
ton (?) told that they were born to
be silent and obey" F..
All of which would serve as a seri.
GUS indictment against the Spanish
conquerors and the Church in Mexico
were the statements at all correct.
But sadly for the Rev. Doctor, they are
eminently incorrect. Quite number
Of years ago the distinguished writer,
Charles F. Lummis, the disciple of
AID. F. Bandelier, the greatest author
fty on Spanish America, in his book on
'The Awakening Of a Nation" /. re.
futed exactly the same charges as
have now been put forth by the dean
of the Methodist missions. Because. Of
the importance of the subject it would
be we'll to quote Lummis at some
length. In chapter v of his book he
says:
1T has pleased that certain class of
historians whose emotions swell will
distance and the dark to depict the
Spaniard as having destroyed some
Utopian civilization of the Aztecs and
replace it with his inferior own. To
this amiable freak of prejudice and
the armchair there is but one compe-
tent answer-go and see." We now,
he tells us, thanks to the efforts OF
Lewis Morgan and his successors,
know just what the empire of
'Montezuma' was. It is instructive to
stand here In the heart of what was
once the chief pueblo Of the Nahuatl
confederacy-of tribes banded togeth.
or for immunity in robbing their
neighbors-and look and remember.
Civilization is measured by its
fruits of hand and heart and head.
Just yonder was the reeking teocalli,
upon whose pyramid FIVE hundred cap.
tives in day had their contracting
hearts flung before Huitzilopochtli,
and their carcasses kicked down the
staircase to be ceremonially devoured
by the multitude-where stands now
the largest Christian church in Ameri-
ca, and one Of the noblest. To the left,
on the ground where dwelt the war
chief-head Of a government whose
principal politics was to massacre, en-.
slave. and rob the neighboring tribes
lis to-day the venerable Mount of
Piety, one Of the most benefieient
charities in any land. In front, among
stores rich in every product Of modern
commerce, is the hall of city govern
ment which has for centuries cared
for the needy, restrained the rich. and
spent vast sums in municipal improve
ments for health, security, comfort.
and even aesthetic training. To the
right Is the place, occupied for cen.
turtles by central government which
at its worst was far more merciful,
more intelligent, and more progressive
than any tribal organization ever
knew. Within revolver.shot are the
cradles Of printing, education, art. and
organized charity in the New World;
for all these things came a century
and half to two centuries and half
earlier in Mexico than in the United
States. Bishop Zumarraga set up here
in 1886. the first printing press in the
Western Hemisphere: one did not