The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1952-02-01
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Ineonsidsrats

After pause,-whch we hope has been re-
freshing for readers of the Catholic TineS,-this
column of chit-chat reappears. 1t is little late
for New Years greetings for the year is no longer
new. But this is our first appearance in 1852;
Salutations of sort are in order and resolutions
too Hail then the readers who have wondered
not hopefully, where the little column went. And
strong resolves to be little boring may be in
the coming eleven months.
Over in France, the educators and the literary
folk are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the
editing of their famous Encyclopedia. This work
says current review, is regarded by many French
men "the Voice of Reason" "a bright ornament
of the Enlightenment" "a major intellectual wea.
pom Of the Revolution and "the foundation stone
of the secularsm" II seems little odd, in
view of what this voice, ornament, weapon, and
foundation stone have accomplished in two cen
turtles, that there should be rejoicing and cele-
bration But, in Mr. Dooley's phrase, "The Frinch
are tumulchuse people" And to adapt Bill Nye's
remark about another nation, THE French do
things differently"
Facing such world as that of 1852, it ought to
be evident that the Voice of Reason has not uni
formly prevailed in France or elsewhere, these
past 200 years Some tricky ventriloqusts have been
at work. Not the least of these were the editors
and writers of the Encyclopedia notably their chief,
Denis Diderot, a man in whom the Voice exclaim-
ed I'VE must put theology to the sword"
II should be manifest that through two cen
turtles the Enlightenment has turned to Egyp
tan fog in which each mans hand is raised against
his brother, no one knowing where he strikes in
the darkness Nor has the great Revolution pro-
vided the golden fruits of liberty, equality, and
brotherhood, for the garnering of which it
launched. And the new SeculariSm, which is now
~
ceaselessly for destruction it has killed ideals
peace, hope and decent morals There is little
indeed of the Voice of Reason in all this Rather
and unmistakaby, there is here only the Voice
of Unreason.
Yet this is the occasion for reverent commem-
oration among the French OF 1852. The Sorbonne
has directed the preparation of six monographs on
the Encyclopedia, and the Ministry of Education
has ordered teachers to lay special stress the
study Of the work. One Of the members of that
Ministry declares that the Encyclopedia by the
spirit in which il was undertaken j.. marks the
turning point in ideas which ushered in our mod
ern times"
Well, we are not too happy in our modern times.
The ideas which burgeoned at "the turning point
have proved TO be largely mistaken ideas Diderot
and his companions Of the Encyclopedia hoped
that their work would not be done in vain; was
It, But II was certainly not done to the lasting
The Encyclopedia was meant to open the world
of all knowledge to the people II gave much
knowledge to be sure. but it gave much that is
not knowledge, and it "slanted" many of its in.
formative articles in such wise as to make them
political sociological or irrelgious harangues
Most leaders of thought and action in Europe
and America full of talk these days about
Spiritual values" and the need of return to re.
ligous allegiance. Faced by the wild destructive
ness Of Asiatic barbarsm which is professedly
aheistic, the civilization once called Christian is
aware of the inadequacy of secularism, enghten
ment that fails 10 enlighten, and the Voice oi
Reason which, Is shown by experience to be phony
Yet these leaders, with all their chatter of spiritual
values, are moving about in worlds not realized. ,
They become articulate in the favored reviews as
approving the current celebration in France, and
speaking of Diderot and the other encyclopedias
men who have served their follows well,--lib
orators of thought, enlightened teachers pioneer:
in the ways of freedom and democracy.
The plain fact is that modern men are talkinl
language they do not understand when they speak
of things spiritual and supernatural. The new
secularism has done its work very thoroughly. AnC
while II is currently the fashion to bow distantlS
TO God and to mutter words about spiritual values
there is nothing of understanding deep con
victon in these things. There is at best only
cropping after something sensed requisite, ye
ill-defined, vague, intangible. The Voice of Reason
is still but misleading echo among the rocks o
reality.
We who hear the voice of that Church to which
Gods own authority is given are privileged abov
all estimation. We hear the Voice of Reason sound
ing in competest harmony with the infallble Voie
Of Revelation. 1t is, however, not alone our priv
ilege, but our sternest duty, to awaken other ear
to the understanding of that Voice BY prayer b
deyout life, by stfling in ourselves the arid spiri
Of secularism shall clarity our own hearin
and win fellowmen and brothers to the under
standing of Him to Whom ii was said of old, Tho
hast the words of eternal hfe"