Let Not Americans Be Deceived.
There are many American Protestants or non-religionists who feel that Roman Catholicism is changing; that it is not now what it was in medieval ages; that it is not here what it is in the Old World; and that America is really setting the standard for the Roman Catholic world, so that by America we may measure Roman Catholicism. Be not deceived. The standard of Roman Catholicism to-day is the Old World Catholicism. This is what the Rev. D. S. Phelan, the stirring editor of the St. Louis Western Watchman, one of the leading Catholic journals of the country, says in its issue of February 1: There are those who would Americanize our religious orders and communities. We have more than once expressed ourselves on this subject. When it comes to a show-down between American and French Catholicity; or between American and Spanish Catholicity; or American and Italian Catholicity; or between American and German Catholicity; give us the French, or Spanish, or Italian, or German article every time. We have in this country done many things, well; we have built churches and filled them with devout worshipers; we have defended the pope and the church against the virulent ignorance of heretics. But we have yet much to learn from the older Catholic lands. We must tarry longer at their knee, and learn obedience and reverence.