Untitled article by C. P. B.

Untitled article

C. P. B.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · February 2, 1893

DECEMBER 11, 1884, the Christian Statesman said editorially:—

Whenever they [Roman Catholics] are willing to co-operate in resisting the progress of political atheism, we will gladly join with them.

In the Christian at Work, of April 19,

1888, Prof. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., of Union Theological Seminary, said:—

In all matters of worship we are in essential concord with Roman Catholics, and we ought not to hesitate to make an alliance with them so far as possible to maintain the sanctity of the Sabbath [Sunday] as a day of worship.

The response to these utterances was made by the Congress of Catholic Laymen, held in Baltimore, Md., November 12, 1889, as follows:—

There are many Christian issues in which Catholics could come together with non-Catholics and shape legislation for the public weal. In spite of rebuff and injustice, and overlooking zealotry, we should seek an alliance with non-Catholics for proper Sunday observance.

This was adopted, declares Rev. W. F. Crafts, in his “Addresses on the Civil Sabbath” (page 7), “after correspondence and conference with the American Sabbath Union.”

Do we not well say that freedom of conscience has nothing to hope for in this country from the differences between Roman Catholics and so-called Protestants? And may there not be a deeper significance in the attitude of this Government toward Rome than appears on the surface? C. P. B.