Romanism in America and in Rome
THE history of the papacy proves conclusively that we must understand its real genius before we can correctly interpret some of the utterances made by its representatives. Some of the fair speeches and pretentious claims made in its behalf, if accepted without reservation, would make the papacy the champion of religious and civil liberty and the leader in all intellectual advancement and social reforms. It is quite the customary thing for the spokesmen for Romanism to talk in this strain here in America. And it is, of course, possible that some individual Roman Catholics are thus sincerely expressing their own private convictions, but this does not represent the real voice of the papacy. As an illustration of what we have stated, we will present two quotations from recent utterances concerning the attitude of the papacy toward some of those principles which lie at the very foundation of American life and institutions. The first is a verbatim paragraph from a sermon preached Sunday evening, December 4, in St. Stephen's Catholic church in this city, by Rev. A. P. Doyle, rector of the Apostolic Mission House at the Catholic University of America. He said:— The Catholic Church is destined to secure a marvelous expansion in this country by attracting the intellectual and spiritual life of the country to her teaching and her policies. She is perfectly at home in the free air of American liberty. She stands for all that is highest and best in our American life, and against all those degrading elements that would drag down the sweet seriousness of upright living, and make it a dangerous and blatant vulgarity. The second quotation is from an article just published in the Osservatore Romano, the official organ of the Vatican at Rome, in which is discussed the recent action of the French government in annulling the Concordat of 1801, and thus making a separation between church and state. It reads as follows:— Separation of the two perfect societies [the church and the state], constituted such by God, is a monstrosity, and to this monstrosity the church can not adjust herself in Catholic states, and has to combat it. . . . Freedom of the press is an error condemnable and condemned. It is contrary to sense in philosophy, and in theology a monstrosity, in the same manner as freedom of worship and of conscience and of thought. . . . Certainly, if you say simply: “Is freedom of the press, of worship, and of conscience admitted philosophically and theologically?” you will not find any Catholic who is at all cultivated who will reply to you, or who can reply to you, affirmatively. But if, instead, you put the question: “By hypothesis, is it possible to admit toleration of freedom of the press, of worship, and of conscience?” you will not find any cultivated Catholic who can reply to you, or who will reply to you, negatively. What are we to understand, then, by the statement of the eminent prelate that the Catholic Church “is perfectly at home in the free air of American liberty”? In the light of the official announcement from Rome, it can only mean that as long as she can not control American institutions and laws, and so prevent freedom of the press, of worship, and of conscience, she will make herself at home here, and tolerate these evils until she can correct them; but it is perfectly clear that if the day ever comes when Catholic principles can be successfully forced upon the American people, “the free air of American liberty” will be a thing of the past. A degenerate Protestantism is even now making advances toward Rome, and the time may not be far distant when Romanism as it is promulgated from Rome will hold sway in America. It becomes us to make the most of our opportunity to proclaim the message of liberty for soul, body, and spirit, while the day lasts. What Rome has done for those countries where she has had undisputed possession she would gladly do for this country if it should become possible. The third angel's message is a warning against the beast and his image.