Catholicism and Morality in Mexico
By Editor
THE following is a translation of an item that appeared in El Pueblo, of October 13, a paper published in Chihuahua, Mexico:— "Last Sunday a bull-fight was given by amateurs for the purpose of devoting the receipts to the interior adornment of the parish church. The assemblage were pleased and satisfied; with reason, if some persons were bruised." The Independent says that this series of performances has been kept up on Sunday afternoons. It says also:— "A few months ago in Southern Mexico a bull-ring was dedicated with religious ceremonies conducted by a priest. It is by no means an unknown thing for a Mexican priest to live openly with his mistress and his children about him in the residence near the church edifice." And this is a fair specimen of the morality of Catholic countries. Catholics are fond of pointing to the wonderful educational facilities which they provide for their people in this country, as evidence of the progressive nature of Catholicism, but that proves nothing; the only way we can properly understand what Catholicism is, and what it does for the people, is to look at it in countries where it has full swing. Mexico has been under Catholic control for more than three hundred years; if Catholicism has in it anything of an elevating nature, and is so great an educator and civilizer as is claimed, Mexico ought to be in advance of the United States. But the fact is, Catholicism in the United States is brought in contact with enlightened Protestantism, and is forced to make a show of advancement in sheer self-defense. While we speak thus disparagingly of Catholicism, we say nothing whatever of individual Catholics. There are thousands of honest men in the Roman Catholic Church, and many of them will yet renounce its errors. But Roman Catholicism, as a system of religion, can do nothing to elevate men, for it is but the "mystery of iniquity," and many men who under other circumstances would have been upright, moral men, have been ruined simply because of their connection with the system.