The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-04-06
IAN open LETTER TO ROMAN CATHOLICS


creed that public order may not be disturbed by any
particular form Of religious belief.
"And it is a part Of this theory that all ques-
ons that religion to be referred to private
Judgment; that everyone is to be free to follow what
religion he prefers at all If he disapprove
of all. From this the following consequences logically
flow that the judgment of each ones conscience Is IN
dependent of all law; that the most unrestraned op-
ions may be openly expressed to the practice or oms
sion of divine worship; and that every one has un-
bounded license to think whatever he chooses and to
publish abroad whatever he thinks.
"Now when the State rests on foundations like
those just named-and for the time being they are great
ly in favort readily appears into what and how un-
rightful position the church is driven"
So you see that what the pope wants is union OF
church and state 1t is part of his religion 1t part
of the preachment of the system In other words If you
are good Americans you must fight for the separation OF
church and state If you are good papists you must
fight for the union of church and state and that condition
of affairs that will compel lawmakers to declare that
the Roman Catholic is the only true religion and pre-
ferred to all the rest Who then, would destroy freedom
of worship?
On page 324 Leo commends you for your zeal but
he calls your attention to the fact that the church would
bying forth more abundant fruits if in addition to liberty
she enjoyed the favor of the laws and the patronage Of
public authority You are not so dense as to be unable
to understand what he commands in that,
On page 161 Leo tells
at is quite unlawful to demand, to defend, or tt
grant unconditional freedom of thought, of speech, Of
writing or of worship if these many rights
given by nature to man."
Just look how far he goes in opposition to con
stitution? Why he wants to restrict your freedom
of thought to say nothing of Speech writing and wor
ship. And this is the pope that has his own ideas about
how states should be and commands you to vote fol
men who believe as does he.
Now if just one pope had taught such, and worse
opposition to democracy, Leo might be passed over
silence but the whole history of popery is full of teach
ngs more autocratc than any have quoted-and you
last three popes have been very specific and emphatic
in their opposition to liberal democracy such as obtan
in this country In addition to the foregoing Leo XII
refers to the goddess education of youth, meaning ou
public school SYSTEM and another, Plus lX declared tina
education outside the Catholic church is damnabe heresy
All popes haven't been smooth as Leo but they hav
been worse in their denunciaton of things really demo
cratic We have quoted Leo because you can obtain hi
Encycica letters from Benzger Brothers and easily sat
| isfy yourself that not misquoting. You can
easily turn to Plus ks Syllabus of Errors. There yo
will find some other startling facts.
He declared it error to separate the church fror
the state and the state from the church. He affirmed
to maintain that where civil and Catholic a1
conflict the civil law should prevail He maintained tha
it would be grevous wrong for the Roman pope +
reconcile himself and to terms with progress lib
eralism, and modern civilization All this and more
be found in "Dogmatic Canon and DEGREES" published
1912 by the DevinAdar Co., and that book carries tn
| imprmatur of your Cardinal Farley.
Now don't you see that you, as a Roman Catholic
must support political system that defines what stan
it takes and calls upon you to stand sodly for it
Don't you see that the object in placing Roman Catho
politicians in power is to bring the laws of the nao
into strict conformity with the teachings set forth
your system? The result of such condition deadl
conflict between democracy and the only enemy 1t ha
namely, autocracy.
Are you subscribing to this autocratic attempt I
subvert the constitutional guarantees of this nation?
you are good Roman Catholic that term is used b
your priestly editors you aiding program desgne
to snake America Catholic" not by religious conque'
but through political activity that designed to
complish the ultimate overthrow of our Constitution
Now vast portion of American citizenship believe
every Roman Catholic is working night and day in a
effort to accomplish this very thing. Of tn
facts are that only the best informed pasts know abo,
the ultimate goal to which the system strives but a
good Catholics aid in the program as effectually
though they knew every detail of the scheme
Your cardinals proclaim your loyalty to everythin
! American and say you owe allegiance to the por
in anything except spiritual matters yet you 81
how closely the popes have allied politics to your spri
ual welfare.
Now no one is so foolish as to claim that if IL
pope should annul all these laws affecting concernir
democracy (a the pronouncemens against it) that th
would be abrdging your religious liberty Could you NJ
maintain all your beliefs to what is necessary to Il
salvation Of your soul the church would with stroll
of the pen wipe out all its opposition to democracy
democratic methods Of government? In fact aren't "
convinced that if the pope isn't willing to do this tn
you should either drop your allegiance to him decla
yourself ineligible to citizenship in single democra
on the globe?
this nation demands but of action from tho
who are sincere. Let Roman Catholics draw up mo
ster petition to the pope Let every single Roman Cat
oic who claims loyalty to America her institutions
Constitution sign it and let it be urged upon Cardn
Gibbons your dean of cardinals to transmit it throu,
proper channels to the pope Let that petition demai
that the pope rescind and annul all the antidemocrat
declarations of earlier popes and let it demand that
church council rescind and annul all the acts of form
church councils that conflict with democratic ideals
The world Graves democracy. The papacy, as VI
know, wants to be world force when the world W
is over and if the allies win your church must
thoroughly democratic it will be out of harmony wi
world thought and ideals 1t can only be in harmon
with world thought and ideals by eradicatng all oppo
ton and antagonism to democracy. It's laws and pI
nouncements of the past must be made of no effe
and this can only be done by sweeping examnati
and repeal Of the many things now in full force a
effect
Loyal Americans who are Catholics will be gl
of this opportunity to serve their church. and if 1900
900 papists, claiming citizenship in this country,
circulate or sign such petition and the pope and chur
council will act favoraby thereon putting our sugg
ton into effective operation, The MENACE will decla
a. ta a IN n