Year: 1870

Tho Catholic Question and Secular Schools


Sermon by che Rev. George IL. Hep


worth.


This edince was crowded to excess last evening
with large, fashionable and attentive audience, to
listen to q discourse on the above subject by the
most popular Unitarian preacher OF the day. The
subject being one OF great Importance and
much discussed at the present time, was
suficent to account for the large gathering. The
preacher was rather late in ascending the rostrum
and the organist played two or three vounsaries to
entertain the worshippers during the interregnum,
though to all appearance this seemed wholly unneces
sary, the ladies and their male champions passed
the time in surveying their neighbors and measuring
them from TOP TO toe. A band OF men in the gal
lery three In number, passed the greater part OF
their time In selecting out lady conspicuous for
the purpose Of engaging III dlsputatlon the SUBJ
ject or her attire


The lecturer selected his text from the Episte to
the Galatians, w. Island fast. therefore, in the
liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be
not entangled again with the yoke Of bondage.' He
said that they were on the verge OF revolution,
ana Its results would be more important than any.
thing which had occurred In American history
since the Declaration of Independence. 1t
was a revolution whose opposing factions would


influence the usages OF society ana otherwise affect
the fundamental principles OF religion. The time
had come when man should stand on the one side


settled within the ten years. There was tune


when Catholicism held undisputed sway over
Europe, the stronghold being Rome; but tue
from their limbs and now stand free. Eng
land threw of its controlling influence, and as


the printing press sent It's blessed literature
among the people the rule OF Rome steadily de-
cined. 1t was now increasing on their Continent,
not only oy Immigration but by the unsettled state
OF their politics and BY the INSCRIPTIONS dema-
gOgues who were willing to sacrifice their honor
and principle for m0hey ana other base motives
What was their object In entering the present
c0nhlcJs Their declaration and motive were clear.
The rhetoric Of 1t was perfect but the logic was
bad and destructive OF everything in their native
land. Tney tine CathOtcs) asked tnat the funda for
educational purposes might be divided and applied
10 each Individual sect, with an eye to their own,
! however. One thing was true and they knew IT,


and that That II the free school system not
| done away with there would ne an end OF the
Catholic egion In time. 1t involved the future 0
their Church and they knew It.. As the institutions
or America now stand nothing but ruin and
division slare2 them In the face. The Catholics who


emgrAted TO this country chung to their errors for
short tlme but very soon began TO think tor them


selves and in many cases their children have changed
| their religion The fundamental rule OF republican


government was that the Church should have nothing


do with the secular education OF child; 1t should


be altogether unsecaran. 1t holds that teacher
! shond not be priest, but a person who would


educate them as they ought to be educated--to be.
| society. II Catholicism gained the ascendancy II


would be easy to foresee the result. They might


%s rasa sa1 % ne su naser ns Gr It
| There would be an end OF freedom Of
| speech. OF liberty OF the press aud freedom Of


conscience. The TRADE against the public schools


the first step In the march OF the foe and they
would perseyere. They had told them that they
| would begin the struggle twenty years ago ana they
had Kept their word and they would endeavor t0
keep the other also. the preacher. IN eloquent
| peroration urged on HIS hearers the necessity OF


ine Popish hierarchy the enemies o, religion and So
clal liberty and progress.