The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-06-18
ATTITUDE OF CATHOLICS
TOWARD AMERICA
New York Tilnes)

| At celebration connected with the
raising of service flag of the Cath
Ole church of the Holy Child Jesus at
bRichmond Hill yesterday afternoon,
at which Governor Whitman was
present, a presentation of the mark
ed distinction drawn by Catholics be-
tween spiritual and temporal alleg-
lance was made by the Rev. Father
Thomas a Nummey, rector of the
church. After referring to the fact
that the parish with only 600 families
had 157 stars on its service flag, and
that at least two of his parishioners
had already fallen in battle, he said:
Your excellency, through you |
address the state. We thank you for
the guarantees that your constitution
afford us of liberty, equality, justice
and the right to worship unmolested,
according to the dictates of our con-
sciences. For this cause we love the
state, and for this cause, to preserve
| it, we are prepared to sacrifice the
last drop of our Catholic blood. After
God and His holy religion nothing
can, or ever will, claim a preference
for our love and loyalty In matters
of state. no king or pope shall ever
take away our allegiance. We recog,
nize the state as divine institution.
The same God that said to Peter, TO
thee / give the keys of the Kingdom
of Heaven likewise commanded him
TO render to Caesar the things that
are Caesars
"Just as in all matters spiritual
the pope claims our allegiance, just
so in all civil matters our allegiance
belongs to the state. If properly adj
ministered, however, one authority
cannot and will not interfere with the
other Between both, therefore, a
conflict is not possible-no more than
a collision between two trains run
ming ever palcallel on two separate
and distinct tracks.
"The church needs the state, and
the state needs the church. Their mu-
tual help is Indispensable. For the
Catholic church is a great power
has been for 1000 years-a power in
eevry community, in every state, in
every country, world powerful al
ways and everywhere a power for
good.
"Correlative with your guarantee,
we teach respect for your authority
and obedience to your laws as an OBJ
legation binding in conscience before
God. Therefore, you can i'll afford to
do without still less to ignore or
even seemingly disregard an institu-
ton of such great power and infu-
ence for good that seeks not your
sceptre but your soul.
1--WE have helped to make you, and
we have helped to preserve you, and
even now the blood of our Catholic
manhood is being shed on foreign
soil to avenge your wrongs. What
our forefathers have done and our
brothers in religion are doing, so eve
ry Catholic man in America stands
prepared to do for his flag and coun-
try. We have never failed you in the
past, and you have never found a
traitor IN our ranks, and, with Gods
help, you never will. When the last
page of your history is written there.
will be found thereon, as on every
page since 1T. the names of Catho-
lie heroes cited for great deeds of
valor and still greater deeds of brav-
cry.
In times of peace we have ever
been a great factor in the achieve
ment of your prosperity and success,
whilst others anarchists and social
lists enjoyed your protection and not
excluded from your patronage, were
engaged in preaching sedition and re-
bellion on your street corners, in your
parks, and public squares from
our pulpits and in our parochial
schools, have taught oul. people re-
spect for your authority and obedi-
ence to your laws