The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-02-21
PASTORAL LETTER
Continued from page 50

CatnOnClty truly ldChS iSSoohi'ion'
especially in fashionable circles, owing
TO its rigid code of morality in face
of impiety. debauchery, refined immor
ality. the crime of race-suicide, graft,
swindling, and dishonesty. a joke or
simple sarcasm will even cause luke
warm and would-be Catholics to blush
for Christ and the memorable prac'
ices of Holy Church. in contradiction
to the conviction of their hearts. The
more advanced in waywardness Will
smile or silently approve the Tldlcuie
Of holy things by goddess and depraved
society. Overindulgent,s iIna view or
the reputation of broad mindedness and
Hberality, they would even compro-
mise the Church. Failing in honest
manhood, they will apologize. for the
precepts and dogmas of the eallTch OF
their forefathers, because they place
too great restraint on human liberty.
The arrogant, the profligate, the THIEF,
the oppressor of the poor, the WIDOWS
and the orphans, denounce religion be-
cause religion condemns in the strong
est terms the evil of pride, the lndul-
gence of sexual appetite, injustice, So
cial corruption, and enforces the ao-
solute necessity of restitution. Rellg-
ion in word. demands that truth
and truth alone should reign in all its
pristine beauty.
Not a few men of thought, contem-
plating the prevailing state OF rehglous
anarchy among the numerous, lncreas-
ing. cOntradicting and ridiculous sects,
recoil on blank infidelity. Wanting to
know the truth, as reasonable beings,
and not finding it among the sects they
abandon all religion in utter disgust.
Bigotry. the quality of preJudlclal
mind, prevents them from seeking
truth from the true source, the Cath
Ole Church. But these poor mortals
should understand that the INFINITE
God and not finite man can found a re-
ligion. Truth means unity and error
begets discord. "One faith, one Lord,
one BAPTISM says the Bible. False
religion cannot furnish motives OF
credibility. Sham, corrupt and sensa-
tional religion, under the gUise OF
Christianity, preached by nOn-divinely
commissioned men to fiatter the au
diences,- and selling the gospel OF
Christ for a livelihood, behold the ter
rible curse of the epoch. Enlightened
minds perceive this notorious fact and
consequently laugh all religion tc
scOrn.
CO. Christianity Not a Failure.
Over nineteen centuries has Chris
tiarity worked on humanity only tc
evince its incapacity for the reforma
zion and betterment of mankind
wrong triumphs over right; the mas
ters smonopolize all things and the
minority suffers from intolerance anC
oppression; tyrants glory in human
butchery: money and pleasure are the
gods of the hour; millions and millions
despise all religion; Christianity is
only thought of for business and so
Ciety'S sake: vices of all sorts shame
fully, though triumphantly, parade il
private and public life: professet
Christians practice Selfishness, cruelty
dishonesty, and deceit as much as
nOn-Christians; between labor and
capital all bond of sympathy is broken
capital having the lions share; the
working man is less thought of thar
the animals of the proprietor; wealth
IS in the hands of the few, and poverty
is the portion of the large majority
while luxurious living is increasing
the modern world is in deplorable
troubles and fearful unrest. Christian
ity. therefore, has miSerably failed il
its long and continued attempts tt
ameliorate humanity; such are the
loud boasts of atheists, free thinker!
and rationalists.
In the face OF these groundles!
charges, Christianity repudiates al
the false religious systems that mas
duerade under its noble and dignifiet
the revolt of the pretended Reforma
ton of the sixteenth century, agains
the legitimate authority of Christ
true Church, has spread about tn
darkness of error and the deplorabl
reign of rebellion with all it's dire re
suits. The new theories of home
school, and society without God, tn
picturesque imaginings of the littera
teur, the visionary reasonings of tn
economist, the defective logic of tn
infidel philosopher, the vain promise
of the politician, the destructive ray
ings of the socialist and the revolt
tionary methods of the anarchist stan
evidently powerless to remedy tn
present evils. The mere foundation G
universities and libraries, the enforce
ment of the army, the multiplicatio
of human safeguards, and the lates
fad of stopping the stream of huma
life cannot effectively assist the need,
console the distressed, reclaim tn
wicked and cure the many socia
sores. The question of peace, of wa
of liberty, of education, of cauitai an
labor, the social and the political que
tion cannot be solved by the Worl
without the principles of the Catholi
Church, which ARE the everlastin
laws of the eternal God. a9
That human beings are hard-hearte
in their actions, unprncipled in The
dealings, selfish towards their felloy
men, depraVed in their moralse@..avar
f. L ~