The Irish standard., 1919-04-05

lower grades In our Catholic schools.
would readily give this information.
We do not accord to the Saints the
worship which is due to God alone.
But Mr.. Meeklin most apodictically
states that the 'relic worship restored
in Christian form almost all the pecu.
liarities Of pagan polytheism." Is the
writer so densely ignorant or is he
penning this statement with malice
aforethOught?
Veneration of the Saints is very
dear to the Christian. It is, deeply
implanted in human nature and ele-
waited into the sublime atmosphere of
religious veneration because the hon
ored Saints excel by their high posi-
ton as servants of the Lord, by reason
of their beneficent influence during
their life time and of their powerful
intercession at the throne of God.
Their merits and their example of ex-
allied Christian virtue and their con-
tinued interest in their brethren who
are still pilgrims on earth, constitute
what was called the communion of
Saints, an article of the Apostolic
Greed.
The Field of Christian Photography.
This entire article of the Catholic
faith, as developed in the history of
the Church, presents besides underly-
ing principles, vast field of biog-
raphy, much vaster than the field of
any history of any particular nation
and any nations heroes who are the
subjects of biographical and historical
research. How vast this field is may
be gathered from cursory glance at
the Index, the 10Th volume of the Cath
Ollie Encyclopedia. No less than %
pages of columns each in small print
exhibit the general heads and mani
fold subdivisions Of this study of the
Saints. Besides there are found ref
erences to longer and thorough arti-
cles on Beatification, Canonization,
Hagiography, Relics. Bollandists, etc..
Martyrs, Martyrology. etc.
1t is evident that the professor of
the University Of Pittsburgh has dis.
dained to even reach out for this ex.
tensive source of authentic informa.
ton. Instead of this he works out
from his disordered brain picture of
"the Saint" puts up straw man and
then filings his mud of sarcasm and
fault-finding at his distorted produc.
ton and at the Roman Catholic
Church.
Saints in All Ages and Stations Of
Life.
Nothing is so familiar to the Catho-
Tic as the fact that the Saints venerat-
ed by the Church have lived in all
ages, in all chimes and in all positions
and stations of life, There are Saints
who have practiced exalted sanctity
as hermits in the deserts, as coeno-
bites in communion, as monks like
Benedictines, as mendicants like the
Dominicans and Franciscans, as men,
bers of new religious orders and con-
gregations, which since the time of
the reformation have adopted the
apostolic life and the works of charity
and education in hundred and one
forms and ways. But there are also
Saints who were our Popes, bishops,
priests, others who were emperors,
kings, expresses, or queens, men and
women who in the humble position of
farmers, workmen, widows and SER
want maids, have obtained the high
degree of sanctity on which God has
set this seal Of approval and who are
honored by the Church and her faith
full people as powerful intercessors.
All these facts ought to be familiar to
any one who attempts to write on the
Saint But Mr.. Meeklin, with SUI
preme disregard for primitive facts
and sources and with complete alb
sence of consideration demanded in
SuSAA Oil 4AApOA 4uOSIAOAS 0OI0 ny
his pet idea of Saint, and that with
an air Of infallibility which provokes
indignation and disgust.
A Maze Of Distortion.
It is disgusting and tiresome to fol-
low the writer through his maze Of
distorted history. In Offering long
string Of statements, views. interpre.
tations, garbled quotations, covering
twenty pages. the professor infiicts
upon the reader who IL patient enough
to follow him, picture Of ascettcism,
monasticism, Church policy. that is re-.
dected In very odd and ridiculous
forms on the convex or concave mir
ror Of Mr.. Meeklin's mind. Let the
following extracts suffice: He starts
with the assertion that the early Chris.
tian community was little more than q
Jewish sect dominated by two things,
L 49,.