The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-09
CATHOLIC CHURCH FIRST RE-
PUELlC. N

To understand the long life, the
mower that has lasted through centur-
les. the purpose that continues I'M
changed as men come and go within
the great Catholic Church, it is neces-
sarv to realize that that Church was
the first great republic of our era,
and that it is a great republic now.
In the days of savage kings and des-
potic rulers, in the later days OF re-
fined monarchs and governments
slightly less brutal, the Catholic
Church, an organization of spiritual
as we'll as temporal government, had
an immense advantage over every gov
eminent on earth.
Kings and emperors came, died and
each successor was matter of acct
dent. The child that happened to be
born first inherited the crown. Be-
cause of the weakness due to acct
dent Of birth, dynasties and kingdoms
and empires changed, melted and dis
appeared.
But the Catholic Church went for
ward through the centuries, steadily
gaining power, because from the first
the government Of the Church was a
republican form of government.
No accident Of birth determines any
important fact in the government of
the Church.
The Cardinals a body Of learned
and powerful men, themselves select
ed because of special ability and re-
CARELESS of birth or rank, elect in
their turn the Pope to rule the
Church-just as the U. S. electoral
college was established by the found
ers of the Government to elect Pres
ident.
When some feeble king was sue
ceeding to the throne and the power
of France, when some weakling
through the accident of birth was
made ruler of Spain, or of England,
the ablest man within the Church was
chosen to rule.
A boy, that had been the humblest
and poorest of children, tending ami
mails in the field, sleeping on hard
bed or no bed, while the boy emperor
was in his palace, lived to see him.
self upon the throne of st. Peter and
to see the emperor grown to man
hood humbly submissive without the
gate.
That was the result of republican
government within the Catholic
Church. The ablest man was chosen
for the highest honors and resp0n-
sibilities. And many q royal and i'm
perial accident of birth throughout
the centuries knew what it was to
bow his head to the chosen ruler OF
the Church, chosen because Of his
ability, knowledge, devotion, and
chosen on the basis of true republican
government.
Cardinal Farley illustrates in our
day the republican methods OF the
Catholic Church-methods that date
far back before the day when the
proud German emperor stood for hours
in the snow, penitent and submissive,
outside the Pope's door at Canossa.
Cardinal Farley began life humbly
He was studious and earnest from
his childhood, but he was poor boy +;
his father had no fortune to give him
except intelligence and character.
Today Cardinal Farley stands with
the princes of the Church, one Of q
governing body, intensely interesting
dramatic and marvellous in its long
history.
1t is we'll for those that read about
him in this country to know that the
Church which has made him a Cardi
nal has been for many centuries as
truly republican III government as
the system that puts a President in
the White House at Washington.
It is encouraging to all those that
believe in republican government an6
who want to believe that a nation
properly managed can endure, to re
alize that the greatest, Oldest, most
powerful organization in the world il
the great Catholic Church, basei
spiritually upon the rock, ST. Peter
materially upon republican form OF