The Irish standard., 1915-01-02
anarchy and do not hesitate to destroy
the lives and properties of others.
God the Author Of All Power,

God the Author Of All Power.
In the face of this criminal mode of
thinking and acting by which the con.
stitution of human society is pervert-
ed We. raised up by God to guard
truth, cannot but lift Our voice and
remind the people of that doctrine
which no human decree can change,
There is no power but from God and
those that are, are ordained Of God"
(Romans xiii, -. God therefore is
the author of all power exercised on
earth, whether 1t be sovereign power
or subordinate authority. From this
st. Paul derives the duty of obeying
not indeed in any way whatsoever.
but at the dictate of conference.-the
commands of those who are invested
with power, except in the case in
which opposition Is offered to the Di.
vine laws, Wherefore be subject OF
necessity not only for wrath but also
for conscience's sake" (Romans, xiii,
81. And in conformity with this pre-.
cept Of st. Paul, the Prince of the
Apostles also teaches, BE ye subject
therefore to every human creature for
Gods sake, whether 1t be to the King
as excelling or to Governors as sent
by him" u st. Peter, ii, 1910. From
this premiss the same Apostle of the
Gentiles infers that he who rebels
against legitimate human power rebels
against God and earns eternal punish.
ment: Therefore he that resisteth
the power, resisteth the ordinance OF
God. And they that resist, purchase
to themselves damnation" (Romans
xiii, y.
Religion and Public Life.
Let princes and rulers of the people
remember this and consider whether
1t Is wise and salutary design for
public powers and states to divorce
them from the holy religion of Christ
which Is such a sterling support OF
authority. Let them reflect well
whether 1t is wise policy to separate
the doctrine Of the Gospel and of the
Church from public instruction. Sad
experience shows that where religion
has been banished there human au.
thority Is despised. In fact there hap
pens to society what occurred to our
first father when he failed in his duty,
AS In his case scarcely had the will re-
belled against God when his passions
broke loose and disdained the author.
ity of the will; so when those who
rule over the people despise Divine
authority the people, in their turn,
mock at human authority There re.
mains no doubt the single expedient
OF having recourse to violence to put
down rebellion; but of what use is it?
The body, but not the mind, is re.
pressed by violence.
Employers and Workers.
The dual element of cohesion of
every social body, namely, the union
OF the members among themselves
by mutual charity and the union of
the members themselves with the
head by subsection to authority, being
removed or weakened, what wonder,
venerable brethren, that modern socie.
ty presents itself to us as divided into
two great armed forces that contend
against one another fiercely and siren
uously? Face to face with those to
whom either fortune or their own &C.
tivity has brought an abundance of
wealth stand the proletaires and the
workers, infamed with hatred and
jealousy because, although they share
the same nature, they are not in the
same condition. infatuated as they
are by the farlacies of agitators, to
whose guidance they are ordinarily
most docile. who could persuade them
that 1t does not follow because men
are equal by nature that all ought to
occupy the same grade in society, but
that everyone holds that position
which his qualifications, If circum.
stances permit, have procured for
him? Wherefore when the needy
struggle against those who are well
to do. as II the latter had taken DOS.
session of property that belonged to
others, they not only offend against
justice and charity, but even against
reason, because they also. If they de.
sired, could, by means of honorable
labor, succeed in improving their
condition. What consequences, not
less convenient for individuals than
for the community, this class.hatred
begets 1t is needless to say. We all
see and deplore the frequency OF
strikes. by which the course of civic
and public life is wont to be arrested
even in the most necessary functions;
also the threatening crowds and tn
mults in which, not unfrequently, re
course is had to arms and human
blood is shed.
We do not desire to repeat here
the arguments which prove to dem
onstration the errors of the Socialists
and others Of that type. Our pred
ecessor Leo XIII, treated of them
most learnedly in memorable Ency
clicals; and do you, venerable breth