The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-12-29
COULD CHRISTIANITY SURVIVE
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH.?

Nearly all Evangelical Protestants
regard Catholicity as an inviting field
for missions. Their workers invade
Catholic communities and states.
These proselytizers think Catholics
are doomed to perdition unless they
are converted to Professionalism.
l shall not question their sincerity.
But how any intelligent Christian can
afford to contest the principal claims
of Catholicism fills me with astonish-
ment.
1t simply cannot be the duty of
any followers of Christ to destroy the
faith of millions who accept Him as
their redeemer, but who happen to
be fighting the forces of evil under
the banner of Catholicity.
Ushers Quay wards.
Professionals find it difficult thing
to become Catholics, but the transit
ton is a thousand times easier than
for an intelligent Catholic to become
Protestant. While each believe
many things in common, the Catholic
must abandon the oldest Christian
Church and unite with one whose his
tory can be traced but a few years,
or at most, few centuries
1t is next to impossible for the hon
est, well-informed Catholic to reject
the root and stock of the Christian
tree and cling to any of it's branches.
SC Cof1
Missionary efforts to transform
them into Professionals, either end in
failure or result in making agnostics
or hypocrites.
On the other hand, the intelligent
Protestant who considers the claims
of Catholicity encounters far less diff
ficulty. He may find it hard to accept
the doctrine of transubstantiation or
agree to the dogma Of Papal infalli-
bility but the decision to exchange
one of the branches for the root and
stock of the Christian tree, cannot
weaken, much less destroy his faith
in Christ and His Church.
If the Anti-Catholic crusade could
be fought to final victory, instead of
3O0,00O,000 Catholics becoming devot-
ed Professionals, this vast army of
Christians would become infidels, or
agnostics.
This would uproot the very founda-
| ton of the Christian religion, leaving
| nothing but ruins to be defended by
| the warning sects of Professionalism.
In view of this fact, the movement
inspired by publications like the Men
ace, and fostered by well-meaning Pro-
testants, is a greater menace to Chris
tianity than the combined efforts of
all the infidels on earth.
If the militant enemies of the Chris
! tian religion had to deal only with the
conflicting creeds represented by the
| anti-Catholic crusade, the struggle
would soon be over. If the forces of
evil had to meet no obstacle except
the barriers raised by the enemies of
Catholicity they would sweep over the
earth like deluge.
No person who stops to think will
| deny that the Catholic Church in every
| land stands like a Gibraltar against
| the vices, sins and crimes of man
kind. Neither can he dispute the fact
| that millions of weak sin-sick, de-
spairing mortals find this Church a
| rock Of refuge and shelter in the
| storms of life
]. One must, indeed, be twisted, dis
torted, malicious or ignorant to ig-
81, Ii
| facts.
Can civilization, Professionalism, or
| the American republic afford to have
| this mighty fortress of righteousness
| discredited or destroyed?
In view Of the facts above set forth,
and in the light of truth as seen in
our chapter dealing with the charge
| concerning the pagan origin of Cath
| olicism, no person can answer this
question in the affirmative and not
brand himself as a pagan.
1 affirm without fear of successful
contradiction that Christianity would
| not survive the destruction of the
| Catholic Church. Therefore, reason
should impel every Protestant Chris
ton to repudiate every man and any
movement designated to scuttle this
mighty ship freighted with the i'm
mortal interests of 3OO,OO0,OO0 souls.
Justice demands equal CIVIL political
and religious liberty for each Ameri-
can citizen. Truth, reason and right
unite in a verdict against the anti
Catholic crusade.-C. A. Windle in
Brann's Iconoclast.
IOUR BEST APPROPRIATIONS FROM