The Irish standard., 1915-07-17
KEEPING UP THE PROTESTANT
TRADITION.

| \JdueS y. WalSn, MID, Ph.D., Sc.D,,
in the June Catholic Worldly
In reviewing the life of Prof. S. F. B.
Morse in the February Catholic World,
called attention to the fact that his
latest biographer has seen fit to omit
all references to Prof. Morse's connec-
ton with the very serious outburst
of bigotry against the Catholic Church,
centering around the Maria Monk ia.
bles, which occurred about 1885. It
seems scarcely worth while to revive
the memory of this disgraceful Incl
dent, save that we are again suffering
from wave of bigotry, now much less
bitter and intolerant, but still effective
in places.
1t is surprising now to look back
and see the thoroughly respectable,
supposedly intellectual, and eminently
well-meaning individuals, clergymen
and laymen, who, in our modern ex-
pressive phrase, permitted themselves
to be taken in" in this lurid tale.
The Protestant clergy were among the
most numerous victims of the design
ing young woman, though this was not
because of less knowledge, but because
their greater interest in the question
stimulated them to make public procla-
nation of their views. Among the be-
levers were lawyers, and doctors, and
editors, and prominent merchants, and
politicians, besides many of the COM
mon people. Among them was Samuel
F. B. Morse, then we'll known only
as an American portrait painter.
Maria Monk and her male compan-
ion, realizing the gullibility of the ex-
IRENE Professionals, tried their credu-
lily to the utmost, and apparently con-
WINGED them of the truth of their state
ments. They were welcomed every
where, were received into select Prot.
estant circles and homes, in spite of
the fact that they were strangers, and
that the woman in the case was MAX
ing open confession of familiarity with
awful crimes. With hands appraised
in holy horror the New York Protest
ants gathered round to hear of the
criminal actions that took place only
three hundred miles away, in Montreal.
They made no inquiry of Montreal;
they asked for no proof. They accept
ed all Maria Monks statements with
out question.
Think of sensible, educated Chris
tian men and women accepting all this
without a question. Think of its being
the topic of sermons in churches, COM
mented on at religious meetings, pub
lished broadcast in religious papers,
and think of how blind the people must
have been-not, be it recalled, igno-
rant country villagers, but some of the
best informed people in the metropo-
lis of America, barely two generations
ago-to accept such arrant nonsense;
But we must not forget what blinded
them. 1t was the Protestant tradi-
ton of calumny against the Catholic
Church. That Protestant tradition
still survives. 1t does not now, except
in country districts and where the
people are ignorant and backward,
venture to ask people to accept such
stories as those of Maria Monk, but
practically all of the Protestant oppo.
sition to the Church is founded on this
old Protestant tradition, and the ig.
norance and prejudice and misrepre.
sentation that it fostered with regard
to everything Catholic. Draper, when
he wrote his Conflict of Religion and
Science" was unconsciously following
in the Protestant tradition. Even
President White as late as 1890. when
he wrote his Warfare of Theology
with Science in Christendom," was
following in that same tradition.
These university men were so sure
that the Church was thoroughly and
benightedly wrong that it was easy for
them to create reasons for their feel
ing of opposition.
There is in the story much more
than a moral for pitiful creatures like
Maria Monk. The moral is for edu-
Gated Professionals who were so blinded
! by prejudice that they were ready to
accept this absurdly impossible story
from woman of vile character. 1
wonder If educated Protestants in the
east realize that even now this story
is being republished and scattered
broadcast among the Protestants of
the west and south who know moth
ing about Catholics, except what they
have learned from the ever-enduring
Protestant tradition. There are actually
Protestant ministers who are still en-
gagged in securing the diffusion of this
story of Maria Monk. It has been
published widely in England for years,
because there are still a large number
of Professionals who want to read this
type of book, and many Protestant
ministers, not in good faith, since
they know better.
THE NATIONS DINNER TABLE.
Whom tho 1iunor ho11 ~ roks.~