The Irish standard., 1919-09-27
CHURCH UPHOLDS WORKINGMEN

when Christianity appeared society
presented dark picture, covered with
fine appearances, but infected to the
heart with a mortal malady; it pre-
sented an image of the most repug-
nant corruption, yelled by brilliant
garb of ostentation and opulence. Mo-
rality was without reality, manners
without modesty, the passions without
restraint, laws without authority, and
religion without God. Ideals were at
the mercy of prejudice, or religious
fanaticism and philosophical subtle
ties. Man was a profound mystery to
himself; he did not know how to es-
innate his own dignity, for he reduced
it to the level of the brutes; and when
he attempted to estimate it's impor-
tance, he did not know how to confine
it within the limits marked out by
reason and nature; and it is we'll
worthy of observation that while
great part of the human race groaned
in the most abject servitude, heroes.
and even the most abominable mon
sers were elevated to the rank of
gods"
To social reformers OF our day. and
earnest and sincere men are not want
ing among them, would say, be not
deceived. The ideals which wrought
mans emancipation from the thraldom
and degradation which paganism had
imposed upon him, are as necessary
to the preservation of his dignity to-
day as they were to it's successful as
sertion in the first instance.
The doctrine Of tho Tho
great fundamental mystery of the
Christian religion, carries in it and
with it the only unassailable charter
of rational liberty dignity and rights
of man. The Magma Charta of the
human race was proclaimed in Bethle.
hem.
All that men have since done, all
the real advance that has been made
in social or political science-remem-
ber say real advance-may be traced
to it as to it's source. Wipe out all
that social or political reformers and
philosophers have ever written on the
subject of mans rights and dignity,
blot out every charter of human right
ever wrung from the unwilling hands
of unbridled power, and every decla-
ration of that right ever made and we
have still left in the great fundamental
truth of Christianity the seed and
source of all the real progress that
has been or shall ever be made.
If the individual is no longer re-
garded as mere atom which may be
crushed at will by colossus of so
ciety; if the lives of the weak or de-
formed or all who cannot be useful
to society may not be destroyed; If
abortion and infanticide may not be
practiced with the approval Of the
state; if the doctrine of the slavery of
races has been abolished; if human
reason by the lips of it's philosophers,
of it's Platos and Aristotles, no longer
counsels or defends such crimes, or
would make them virtues-it is be-
cause that reason has been Illuminated
by the light which flows upon it from
the Mystery of the Incarnation; the
light which is in the very truth, "the
life of men,"
Indeed, all history attests that the
so.called superior intelligence and re-
tinement of nations give no guaranty
of the triumph of justice over force,
of right over might. The story of the
abuse of superiority of intelligence or
strength, both by nations and individ-
uals, If it could be told, would form a
sad chapter in the history of the hu-
man race. Who, throughout the ages
has opposed that abuse with all the
zeal and vigor that Justice and pru-
dence would permit? History makes
answer. Christianity, and not disor-
ganized, headless, fractional or fac
tional Christianity, but organized
Christianity, the church itself, speak
ing by and with the voice of authority.
Man not only has deep-rooted and
natural desire to own property, but,
as rule, and speaking generally, If he
is to develop according to the designs