THE COMING STRUGGLE

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 30, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 18.

THE COMING STRUGGLE.

PERHAPS it ought to be called the present struggle; for it has already begun. We refer to the conflict of imperial governments with Socialism. Not all the governments of earth are imperial in name. Some of them are even called republics; some are limited monarchies; but all of them are coming to be dominated with the strongest imperial master earth has known, King Gold, who rules with iron scepter not the masses alone but the classes as well. Not a few who seem to roll in luxury are dying in the grip of gold, dying mentally, physically, spiritually, while not a few in circumstances scarcely above want are among the freest of earth.

Opposed to this imperialism of gold in the present course of its operations are the millions that are massing under the name Socialism and kindred terms. Each of these organizations has more or less definite purposes with all sorts of ideas and ways of accomplishing those purposes, from the wildest and most intense Anarchist and Nihilist, who would stop at nothing, to the Socialist who would by education and the ballot reform the nations. They are to some extent disorganized, and of course lack the coherency of success; but they are gaining, and gaining tremendously, and nowhere has this gain been more apparent than in the great imperial nation of Germany. Socialism flourishes on opposition. It feeds and thrives on oppression. And the reign of mammon, especially when united to Mars, the war-god, is ever oppressive.

The imperio-ecclesiastical Papacy opposes Socialism by opposition orders and fulminations of prelates; but Socialism does not stop. Rather, it advances, and numbers among its adherents both professed Protestants and Catholics. The world has tried in its forms of government empires, autocracies, oligarchies, aristocracies, monarchies, republics; and all have failed in the end. It will try another form, Socialism; and that too will fail utterly, as have all before it.

But the experiment is coming. The red-handed struggle of a little more than a century ago in France is not to remain an isolated spot of its kind. It seemed then to many only a miracle of mercy that it did not involve all Europe in the sanguinary strife. It is still deplored by many. It is still believed by many to be one of the mighty tho rugged steps onward in the progress of humanity; and the number who thus believe are constantly increasing, altho that step left France morally blighted.

The pope is endeavoring to undermine the Socialist movement by the organization of the “Christian Democracy” in Italy but we have not heard with how much success. In this country Archbishop Corrigan, of New York, Bishop Quigley, of Buffalo, are putting forth strenuous opposition to Socialism. Bishop Quigley has issued a manifesto, printed in the Buffalo Catholic Union and Times, in which he says:—

As a political party, Social-Democracy is a recent importation from continental Europe. Here, as there, its avowed object is the creation of a new order of things totally destructive of the existing social, political, and economical conditions under which we live. The attainment of this new order of things is to be effected by political agitation in the main, but revolutionary and violent methods are freely urged by its leading advocates as soon as the masses shall be sufficiently organized to cope with the powers of capital and class.

Everywhere this movement is characterized by unbelief, hostility to religion, and above all, uncompromising and bitter hatred and denunciation of the Catholic Church. Its official programs, the platforms of its party conventions, the public utterances of its leading advocates, its newspaper organs and periodicals, breathe hatred and threats against revealed religion, its doctrines and institutions.

Social-Democracy denies the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, eternal punishment, the right of private ownership, the rightful existence of our present social organization, and the independence of the church as a society complete in itself and founded by God. Therefore no Catholic can become a Social-Democrat. Therefore no Catholic can become a member of a Social-Democratic organization or subscribe for, or in any way contribute to, the support of a Social-Democratic newspaper organ.

The Worker, the Social-Democratic organ of New York, takes up Bishop Quigley’s challenge in an editorial entitled “Shall the Church Rule the Labor Movement?” After saying that the Social-Democratic movement does not antagonize religion or religious bodies, has no official utterance on record against any church, has within its ranks both Protestants and Catholics, asks no man his creed, but demands his faithful adherence to the working class and opposition to the forces of capitalism, the Worker continues:—

Bishop Quigley, let us advise you to reconsider your action. Your attack is an unprovoked one, for the Socialist party makes no attack upon you or your church or your beliefs. But if you persist in the attack, let us tell you that there is no organization on earth that can fight as we can. Bismark has measured strength with us, and failed. Russian czars and French dictators have tried to crush our movement, and they have failed. You will not succeed.

There is nothing more fearful than the fires of religious prejudice and antagonism. We have sought to let them slumber till they should at last die out. Beware how you stir them up. The people of America are patient and good-natured, they endure much. But at heart—Catholic and Protestant and Jew and Atheist alike—they hold dear the principle of religious liberty and the separation of Church and State. Once awake them, and it will not be well for him who attacks that principle.

The Democratic party may be afraid of you, bishop. The Republican party may be afraid of you. But the Socialist party is not afraid of you, because it is right, because it stands for all that is best in American history and in the world’s history, and because it knows that, the fiercer your attack, the greater forces will you rally to our side.

These utterances, of which there are many to-day, serve to reveal the spirit slumbering beneath. There will come the time, and that not long delayed, when under repeated disappointments the people will arise, go with the Socialist movement, and then woe be to those high in authority.

This is not idle talk, however the matter may be treated, the “sure word of prophecy” has foretold these things. Happy indeed will be those who, in the time of the sanguinary struggle, can hide in God and know that just before is the everlasting kingdom, whose King and subjects have won the pre-eminent right to reign forever.

The old feudal governments, the tribal regime, imperialism, monarchy, republics, have all been tried in the world’s proving-grounds, and have been found wanting. The world will for a very brief period try Socialism; but this will fail, and then Christ the King will come to gather His own and reign forever. Why not accept Him as King now, not in politics but in principle, not on a worldly throne, but in the heart?