The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-10-09
POPULAR APoLoeETIcs.
Adapted from the German of Rev.
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
+: James Watcher.
xlII. ReIlgion--A Private Matter

Answer: l.. Religion is not only "a
private matter, but also public mat
ter. 1t is private matter: everyone
must serve God to the best of his
knowledge and according to the die
tates of his conscience; and after death
everyone must appear privately and all
alone before the judgment seat of
God. Violence to another's conscience
is never allowed. 1t is true, religion
is private matter and irreligion the
principal matter with Socialists.
To prove the latter assertion let US
quote a few leading Socialists. ''To
be Socialist means to be at the same
time an antichrist; the final victory
of Socialism will be only possible
through its final victory over Chris
tianity." Iosinsky in Bernstein
Social. Monatsheften. Feb, 1902)
WelLknown is the saying Of the So
cialist Bebel: In the religious sphere
we aspire to atheism" Paul Bern
stein says: Political and economical
enlightenment presupposes the eman-
cipation from religion. -. Those who
remain stuck in religious views are
hindrance to our movement. Hence
religion can not be considered pri-
vate matter" (Koeln. Volksz., March
8, 19O5.)
Be it we'll remembered that neither
Robespierre during the French revolu-
ton nor Napoleon thought is possible
to rule people without religion.
II. Religion is also a public mat
ter. Because:
:. H. According to the natural law
every man is bound, not only pri-
vately, but publicly to honor God, in
certain circumstances to confess his
religion publicly, to respect the sane
tity Of the oath, to obey authority
for conscience sake, hence for Gods
sake, to fulfill certain religious duties
publicly: e. g. a Catholic has to go to
Mass on Sundays, etc.
81 Not only every man, but human
society as whole is bound by the
natural law to serve God and conform
itself to His holy will.
81 The family, the foundation of
human sociey, must rest on matri-
mony as a religious institution: all
relations in the family between hus-
band and wife, between parents and
children must be regulated by re-
ligious principles, and not by the die
tates of the passions of corrupt human
nature, otherwise the Very foundation
of human society win fall.
A. Only religion is the solid foun-
dation of the community and the state:
Justitia est fundamentum regnorum,
justice is the foundation of kingdoms.
True justice without religion and
morality without religion is an alb
surdity.
So All manifestations and activi-
ties of public life in politics and gov
eminent, in art and science, in press
and literature, in business and indus
try, in school and education, in politi-
cal economy and the social questions
must rest on religion and must be
inspired and ruled and supported by
its spirit.
Without this religious and espe-
cially Christian spirit anarchy with its
iron barbarous fist spreads, nihilism
threatens with its bombs, socialism
shakes the very foundations of order
and national welfare. Without re-
ligion the subject revises his views Of
government and fiirts with revolution.
Without religion art sinks into the
miro Of immortality, science into the
darkness of error, human society into
the slavery and barbarism of heathen-
ism. From this we clearly see that
religion is indeed no mere private
matter.
The Church, it is true, is not of
this world, but In this world; it is a
public institution, visible and per-
feet society established by God, whose
high end and aim is to teach, lead and
sanctify mankind, and hence has the
full right from its divine Founder,
the source of all law. to use all neces-
sary means to attain it's purpose. Its
Founder expressed the end and aim of
the Church and gave it the right to
the means when He said to its first
authorized teachers: AN power is
given to me in heaven and in earth.
Going therefore, teach We all nations. :
(Matth. 2S:1S, 49,
XIV. Relioion-A Phantom.
Objection: Religion is indeed beau.
tiful ideal, a delightful phantom; but
am too much of matter of fact
character; adhere to the positive and
the real and see without envy If others
enjoy themselves with phantoms.
Answer: AS though religion were
nothing positive and real! AS though
God we're no reality and Christ no
actually and the Catholic Church a
i mere phantom! Have you never
heard or read the very positive and
convincing proofs for the existence
of God, the divinity of Christ and the
Catholic Church founded by Him?
These three truths established by
reason are the three solid piers in
the stream of time, on which rests the
solid bridge over which we pass to
the land of Faith, which is as. really
true as it is ideally beautiful To
build or rather to defend these three
piers 1.-THE so-ealled praeambula fidei,
the preamhles of faith) is the task OF
the theological science called Apollo.
getics. There is a number of fine
apologize works: e. g. Segur, An,
swers to Objection Against the Cath.
: qlic Religion Ca popular work. /:
Schanz, A Christian Apology: Deyiy.