Cardinal Gibbons’ Anniversary

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 15, 1911

Cardinal Gibbons’ Anniversary

ONE of the most significant events in the history of this country occurred at Baltimore, Md., June 6. The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary of the elevation of James Cardinal Gibbons, of the Roman Catholic Church, to priesthood in that church, and the twenty-fifth anniversary of his elevation to the office of cardinal, or, as it is termed, “the elevation to the rank of prince in the Roman Catholic hierarchy.” There were present on this occasion President Taft, Vice-President Sherman, former president Roosevelt, Chief Justice White of the Supreme Court, Speaker Champ Clark of the House of Representatives, Ambassador James Bryce of Great Britain, and members of both houses of Congress, besides the governor of Maryland and the mayor of Baltimore. Speeches were made by the President, the vice-president, Mr. Roosevelt, and Speaker Champ Clark. In one of the reports of this gathering there is this significant statement: “The business of the United States government, superficially at least, was at a standstill for four hours yesterday on account of the exodus of public men to attend the anniversary ceremonies in honor of Cardinal Gibbons at Baltimore. The Senate adjourned shortly after two, so that most of the members could get away early. Assistant secretaries held down the lid in most of the government departments, most of the cabinet officers going to Baltimore on the President’s special train.” It appears then that the government of the United States for a period of four hours was doing homage to a prince of the Roman Catholic Church, while its highest officials, both executive and judicial, were present to take part in these sectarian felicitations. The President himself recognized the occasion as being one very far out of the ordinary, but seems to have given a partial apology for his presence when he stated that those who were present were there as citizens and not in any official capacity. This incident marks another long step forward in the church’s program, and ought to be a striking contradiction of the statement—often made by uninformed Protestants—that the influence of Roman Catholicism is waning in the United States.