4
THE AMERICAN
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER.
'AMERICA FOR AMERICANS" We hold that all men are Americans who Swear Allegiance to the United States without a menu I reservation.
PRICK FIVE CENTS
Volume VI.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FJIIDAY. SEPTEMBER, 1S9G.
NauBEK 20
KM IliS li
Preparations for the Dioce
san Synod to Be Held
Next Month in
St. Louis.
Jurisdiction of the Uerman Churches to
Be Considered -The Public School
(Question Selection of a Rec
tor for tbe Cathedral.
Archbishop Kain Is expected home
to-morrow from his summer vacation.
When he arrives, active preparations
for the diocesan synod will be com
menced at once. It is to be opened
September 8, at theKenrlck Seminary.
The priests of the diocese bare already
taken tbe preliminary steps of writing
out their selections for the board of
"consultors," which is to assist the
archbishop at the synod and to continue
as bis council of advisers in time to
como. Each priest was given a blank
ballot, on which to place nine names.
From these nine, the three having the
greatest number of votes will be se
lected, and the archbishop will choose
three others. The last of tbe ballots
was sent this week to Father May, the
secretary of the synod.
One of the "statuta proponenda," or
proposed decrees, to be submitted at
tne synod will cause considerable dis
cussion. It provides that every rector
in the diocese shall build a school in
his parish within two years; and that
parents shall be compelled to send
'their children to their own parish
school, on pain of being refused sacra
ments of the church. The last clause
is the part that will excite opposition.
A certain diocesan priest said of it yes
terday that it was "a retrogression"
and he was "very sorry to see it."
The clause Is made more impressive by
the fact that Archbishop Kain, when
bishop of Wheeling, W. Va., did re
fuse absolution to those "recalcitrant
families," as he called them, who sent
their children to other than parish
schools, o In West Virginia, too, Catho
lio schools are by no mean so well
equipped as in many other states.
When he took this action, an appeal
was made from his decision, and Rome
sustained the appeal. At the time, he
was very indignant, but it is said that
in the years since then he has grown
more liberal, and the clause may be in
serted in tbe decrees merely to see what
the sentiment is in this diocese. At a
dinner given several weeks ago at the
Christian Brothers' College he an
nounced to his priests that he had been
checked in the school question by the
pope, but he never had made "an act
of contrition" for his conduct. This
gained him considerable applause from
tbe conservative element of tbe clergy
present, but the liberals were better
pleased when he added, "I am willing
now, however, to go the full length
that Archbishop Ireland has gone in
the matter ef education." Archbishop
Ireland, as is well known, favors the
public schools.
There will be a great controversy in
tbe Synod over the German churches.
Archbishops Kenrick long ago decided
that the1 German churches were only
"succursaljchapels" that is, auxiliary
chapels, not existing by their own
right, but by a privilege. Instead of
boundaries, only "lines" were given
them, and they were included, each as
a whole, in the parish of some English
church. Thus, for instance, St. Nicho
las' German church has always been in
the parish ofiSt.Brldget's, a "succur
sal chapel,"1 from which the young
people, as they learn the English lan
guage, can go into the English church.
Archbishop Kenrick thought that in a
generation or two the Germans would
no longer need their German church,
and such chapels as St. Nicholas' could
then become independent English
churches.fi He said it would never do
for the.Cathollc church to perpetuate
a foreign' language in America, and to
bring about a .more speedy Americani
zation he refused certain privileges to
the German churches.
Rev. William Faerber, of St. Mary's
German church, sent a request to Rome
shortly after Archbishop Kenrick's
death asking that all this be changed,
and that the Germans be "placed on
the same footing as the English speak
ing churches." This would eventually
lead to the appointment of a German
Vicar General, and the German
churches would become unchangeable
institutions. There are eighteen Ger
man churches in St. Louis, a larger
number than in any other city in the
United States. Among the laity the
old people are In favor of such recog
nition. Tbe young folks, however, it
is said, are generally opposed to the
petition. Tbe old people say that If
they should leave the German churches j
for the English a'ter such division was
made their withdrawal would be made
so public by forms which would then
become neces-ary that it would injure
them in business am mg their friends
who are Germans. On the other band,
the young folks say they are not at
home in a German church after they
have become Americanized. The Eng
lish speaking priests say that such a
division would drive many of the
young people out of tbe church alto
gether, and might eventually lead to
schitra and disruption. The German
priests are, of course, In favor of it, as
under the present rule they are uncer
tain of their parishioners. 1
Archbishop Kain so far has skillfully
dodged the question. For a long time
before he came into authority it was
the custom to ha ve two retreats each
year, one for German priests at St.
Anthony's, and one for American
priests at St. Vincent's. When be
came into authority be simply wrote a
letter to every priest German and
American alike: " You will be
present at the annual retreat, day
of , at Kenrick Seminary." He
divided the priests into two companies,
for convenience, but he paid no atten
tion to nationality.
It is not known what was the answer
from Rome to Father Faerber, but the
proposed decrees of the Synod do con
tain provisions granting to the German
priests the long-restricted privileges
of administering certain sacraments,
etc. Certain English-speaking priests
are of the opinion that these provis
ions are inserted in order to have them
voted down, Archbishop Kain has
power to enact any rule without the
suffrages of his priests, but he has gen
erally shown a disposition to yield to
their wishes.
It was thought bv many persons that
the decrees would overrule the custom
favored by Archbishop Kenrick of per
forming marriage ceremonies only in
the parish of the bride. Twice in the
last vear Archbishop Kain has
overruled it. In each case the pastor
of the bride refused his consent, but
the Archbishop took the matter out of
his hands, and the ceremony was per
formed at St. Alphonsus' church. In
the decrees, however, Archbishop
Kain has returned to the opinions of
his venerable predecessor. He says:
We Btrongly wish all marriages to be
solemnized in tbe parish of the bride,
as that is sanctioned by custom and
propriety." A priest said yesterday,
The longer the old archbishop is dead
the more do we find out how wise he
was."
The question of boundaries and the
appointment of a rector for the cathed
ral, and of ten irremovable rectors,
will be the other most interesting sub
jects of the synod. It is generally be
lieved that Father McCaffrey, of St.
Patrick's, will be appointed cathedral
rector. Gossip among the priests has
it that be may not accept, because his
own parish is more desiraoie. me
Cathedral ia new, and three or four
churches are near it, to take up the
territory, so that it may be five years
before the parish is in a flourishing
condition. The archbishop also will
probably have his residence at the
Cathedral rectory, and the clergy gen
erally prefer to be at a little distance
from their ruling ecclesiastic.
The business of the synod will most
likely be all dispatched In one day, as
the details are to be practically de
cided beforehand. Globe-Democrat.
SACERDOTALISM.
It Is Declared to be Incompatible With
True Christianity.
Priestcraft is the product of every
age, the defender of every bigoted
creed, the chief foe to Christianity and
greatest curse to mankind.
The sacerdotal corporations which
tyrannize over the masses betray their
Intrinsic'lnfamy by the fact that, while
they willingly lend a mercenary sup
port to political oppression, they do
not seem to regard as a divine thing
the worshipjthey Impose, and by which
they most of all desire to aggrandize
themselves. Hence the greatest evils
have been inflicted upon humanity in
the name of religion.
The auto da fe took the place of
human sacrifices, and a new monopoly,
embracing almost every source of
knowledge and enjoyment, did for
many centuries plunge the nations in
Ignorance iand despair.
Any system that places human in
termediaries between the individual
believer and his Creator, is in direct
conflict with man's right and the law
of Christ.
After truth, emanating from the
manger and the rural simplicity of
Judea, struggled through centuries to
make the nations free, and, in the
strife with craft and power, became
but the more inthrailed, the ancient
depth of degradation was again nearly
attained, when the pope resolved to
pose as the Pontlfex Maxlmus of the
ecclesiastical fabrio which be bad
built up around htm In open opposition
to the councils and commands of tbe
dear Savior of tbe world, for whose au
thority he blasphemously substituted
bis own.
When Jesus Christ appeared on
earth, he came to destroy ecclesiastical
tyranny, by founding a kingdom purely
spiritual, one that might be admitted
into all countries without the cum
brous use of facerdotal enginery.
Whatever may be tfie modifications of
tbe civil dbpstltutiOQv and the vlcisel
tudes of climate or time, he prescribed
only two eeremonles, which have a
noble simplicity, and can be observed
wherever men reside, without priests
to mystify or turn them into a per
verted use. Every thing was loft, both
by Jesus ani the apostles, to the judg
ment and conscience of those who
might embrace the true religion, and
follow only the Word of God, as best
expounded and exemplified in the les
sons and life of the great Redeemer,
They well knew that therein nothing
is said of sacred places or stated feasts;
of pious journeys and pilgrimages, or
of oppressive ceremonies binding on
those whom the truth has made free.
The whole earth la God's temple; in
every place, man oan lift up holy
bands, every creature of God is clean
and good, and no worshiper is to have
dictated to him, by earthly authority,
the attitude and language in which he
shalll divinely adore. Jesus attacked
the pernicious traditions and presump
tion of the ancient priesthood on all oo
casions, and did It with an earnestness,
which evinced Itself by tbe most vehe
ment reDroaches. He comDared all
their merely human precepts gflb pois
onous plants, which must be entirely
rooted up; he bitterly censured the
Pharisees for taking so much pains to
make proselytes to a disfigured rellg
ion, and finally engaged to deliver the
poor oppressed people from the whole
burden of the Mosaic law, and give
them the easy yoke of a pure, spiritual
religion Instead.
Tbe priests, those promoters and
protectors of superstitions, who had
hitherto claimed for themselves the
authority of an Indispensable mediator
ship between God and man, and thus
rendered themselves of great impor
Unce, were to be deprived of tbeir in
fluonce forevor; for he who knows God
to be a condescending and affectionate
Father can apply to Him directly, and
needs not a prior introduction from
such mediators and confidants.
Centuries after the great Atonement,
after the formal Redemption of the
human race, the Romish priesthood
manufactured ceremonies and com
mands,' Invented by their craft and
cunning, by which they fastened the
most stupendous chains on the human
mind.
The enquirer after truth was drawn
away from the words and examples of
the tbe Great Teacher, and confused
by those who shouted around them
their own articles so violently that the
voice of the only Infallible Master was
nearly drowned.
And what were the substitutes for
the plain teachings of the New Testa
ment, but miserable skeletons, freez
ing abstractions, unintelligible dog
mas, as dubious to the understanding
as they are repugnant to the heart.
But the truth of Christ has at last
prevailed again, the power and the
curse which tbe Romish priesthood
exercised and fulminated against man
kind is broken.
The searcher after true light and
strength will discover the antiquated
chimeras and priestly ruses that Ro
mish priestcraft bad placed upon his
path leading to God; he will indig
nantly, with the strength of his Savior,
push them aside, and will then run re
joicingly, like an unbound giant, In
the way of holiness.
Our prayer is that this may be read
by many thinking Roman Catholics,
and that the words will sink deeply
into their hearts and cause them to ac
cept the truth for which they yearn
and which will set them free. Primi
tive Catliolic.
Daily More Apparent.
That the spirit of American patriot
ism is spreading through the land and
Increasing in intensity is daily more
apparent. The principles set forth
and maintained by the patriotic orders
are being recognized, and the more they
are understood, are being accepted as
correct. Living patriotism, actuating
every citizen and governing in all offi
cial positions and controlling the leg
islation of the nation, is admitted to be
tbe great need of the country. Politi
cal parties are taking notice of this
spirit which is pervading the masses.
The press of the country is giving at
tention to the inspiration of tbe hour,
and are admitting, and even compli
menting, the good work patriotic or
ganizations are accomplishing. Amer
ican Flag. '
141
'.Mill 1 K'l
Leo XIII. Lays Down the
Rule For Their
Action.
Claims That He Holds on tbe Earth the
Mace of (ioiI's Omnipotent, and
That True ltniianlt Munt
Oliev In Everything.
Again we quote from a leaflet sent
out by Rev. J. A. Lansing, of I5 st m:
Leo XIII., according to his biog
rapher, was separated from bis family
at eight years of age, and placed under
Jesuit care, and was educated at the
colleges of that society at Vltcrbo and
Rome. This same authority declares
that after the death of Plus IX., tbe
'cardinals, assembled in conclave, Fob.
17, 1878, as their first official act, en
tered Into an agreement to the effect
ttaat:
' "They renewed all the protests and
reservations made, by the deceased
sovereign pontiff, whether against tho
occupation of the states of tbe church,
or against the laws and decrees en
acted to the detriment of the same
church and the Apostolio See;"
"and that they were unanimously de
termined to follow the course marked
out by the deceased pontiff, whatso
ever trials may happen to befall them
through the course of events."
Elected to be pope on this platform,
and with his Jesuitical training, this
so-called "liberal pontiff ' has made In
these seventeen years a record that
bone need mistake. What he claims
as pope was never more brazenly or
blasphemously put, even in the dark
est of the middle ages, by any pontiff,
than in tbe recent encyclical calling
to Christian unity. Addressing this
missive thus, "Apostolio Letter to the
Princes and Peoples of the Universe,"
Leo XIII., after the two introductory
paragraphs, says of himself:
"Now, therefore, since we hold on
the earth the place of God Omnipotent,
J he-denies that allmen may be saved,"
etc., etc.
Has any pope ever claimed more!
Could any pope ever claim more!
In this document the duty of Roman
lets Is summed up in the following
terms:
"And above all, may they take to
themselves thlB law, to obey in every.
thing the authority of the church, not
with restrictions and reservations, but
with the whole soul, and with the
greatest willingness."
In these two propositions, the claim
to the authority of God Himself, and
the demand for unquestioning obedi
ence, you have the key to the papacy
of the nineteenth certury, equally as
of the dark ages; and the only way in
which to look upon Romanists or Ro
manism, till they break with these as
sumptions, is from this standpoint.
In his first encyclical, Leo XIII., ac
cording to his biographer, O'Reilly,
uses language like this, after drawing
a fearful picture of the condition of the
world:
"The cause of all these evils lies
principally In this: that men have de
spised and rejected the holy and august
authority of the church, which, in the
name of God, is placed over the human
race, and is the avenger and protector
of all legitimate authority If
any sensible man In our day will com
pare the a 3 in which we live, so bit
terly hostile to the religion and church
of Christ (i. e. Romanism) to those
blessed ages when the church was hon
ored as a mother of nations, he will
surely find that the society of our day
is moving straightway and rap
idly toward its ruin, while the society
of the former ages, when most docile
to the rule of the church, was
adorned with the noblest institutions,"
etc.
In order to carry the world back to
those "blessed ages" (historically
called the "dark ages") Leo XIII.
says:
"We declare that we shall never
cease to contend for tbe full obedience
to our authority, for the removal of all
obstacles put In the way of our full and
free exercise of our ministry and
power." See No. H.)
This means, as everyone knows, the
restoration of the papacy to all the
power it once had over the nations,
and this, be says, must be:
"Not only because the civil sover
eignty Is necessary for the protecting
and preserving of the full liberty of the
spiritual power, but because, moreover
a thing In Itself evident whenever
there is a question of the temporal
principality of the Holy See, then the
Interest of the public good and the
K
salvation of the whole human society
are Involved."
What then are priests and people ex
horted to do? They are to "I'nhesl
tatlngly reject all opinions, even the
most widespread, which they know to
be in opKitlon to the doctrines of tbe
church."
That there may be no blunder in de
tails, particulars are named In this ut
terance of Seventeen years ago, and
hear ye, O Ami rlcan People! on what
lines these rallies are to bo made by
united Romanism, as she obediently
follows the behests of her sacerdotal
leaders. They must obtain control of
education, and so save the children
Irom the influence of public and state
schools, for this kind of education
"cloud their intellect and corrupts
their morals;" they must make, exter
minating war upon the "impious laws"
which allow civil marriages, because
tnose thus joined in wedlock, "dofo
cratlng the holy dignity ol marriage,
have lived In legal concubinage Instead
of Christian matrimony;" and above
all, this must every faithful Romanist
do, they must "obey their superiors."
"Every Catholic should rigidly ad
here to tbe teachings of the Roman
pontiff, especially in the matter of
modern liberty, which, already under
the semblance of honesty of purpose,
leads to destruction. Wo exhort all
Catholics to devote careful attention to
public matters, and take part In all
municipal affairs and elections, and all
public aervloes, meetings, and gather
ings. All Catholics must make them
selves felt as active elements In dally
political life in countries where they
lire. All Catholics should exert their
power to cvuse tho constitutions of
states to be modelled on tbe principles
of tbe true church."
a this summary we have the state
ment in a brief form of what was more
fully elaborated In an encyclical issued
at Rome five years later, and published
In the Boston 1'ilot and the Catltolic
AWs in February, 1890, the most Im
portant document sent out by this
pontiff, so far as the American people
are concerned politically. For whether
delivered ex Cathedra or not, accord
ing to Dr. Smith and all other standard
Romanist authorities:
"Of course a Catholic is bound not
only to believe what the pops defines
ex Cathedra, but also to accept and
obey whatsoever he commands."
Now note the teaching of Leo XIII.
as to tbe duties of bis followers, In
In this extraordinary letter, and see
the need for organizing all lovers of
our civil and religious liberties in
compact bodies to offset the plain pur
pose of the papist leaders to control
legislation in this Protestant land.
For, after asserting that "the Catho
lic religion Is tbe only true religion,"
and assuming that the laws of the
church are of equal force and validity
to the teachings of the Lord Jesus
Christ, be says:
"But If tbe laws of the state are in
open contradiction with Divine law, If
they command anything prejudicial to
the church, or are hostile to tbe duties
Imposed by religion, or violate In the
person of the supreme pontiff tho au
thority of Jesus Christ, then indeed it
Is a duty to resist them and a crime to
obey them, a crime fraught with in
jury to the Btate itself."
This means In plain Anglo-Saxon
that when any law Is passed, or any
action taken by any government which
the proper Romanist authority deems
"prejudicial" to the interests of the
church, or affecting "the person of the
supreme pontiff," resistance becomes a
duty, obedience a crime. And this,
mark you, Is not the teachings of Hil
debrand and ot the middle ages, but of
Leo XIII. and the nineteenth century.
And he adds:
"Since the fate of tbe states depends
principally on the disposition of those
who are at tbe head of the govern
ment, the church cannot grant its
patronage or favor to men whom it
knows to be hostile to It, who openly
refuse to respect Its rights, who seek to
break the alliance established by the
nature of things between religious in
terests and the interests of the civil
order. On the contrary, its duty is to
favor those who, having sound ideas
as to the relations between church and
state, wish to masre them both harmon
ize for the common good. These prin
ciples contain the rule according to
which every Catholic ought to model
his public life."
Here we have a distinct call by the
highest authority known to Romanists
for the massing of the Roman Catholic
vote to carry out a policy hostile to
the genius of our American life and
the entire movement and spirit of the
age.
The relations of church and state he
affirms to be:
"That cases happen In which the
state demands one thing from the citi
zen, and religion the opposite from
Christians; and this undoubtedly for
no other reason than that the heads of
the state pay no regard to the sacred
power of the church, or desire to make
It subject to them. No one, however,
can doubt which Is to receive their
preference for it Is an impious
deed to break the laws of Joans Christ
for the purKHe of obeying the magis
trates, or to transgress the laws of tbe
Church under the pretext of observing
the civil law."
In all tbe relations of life Leo XIII.
therefore blasphemously demands:
"Perfect submission and obedience
of will to the church and tho sovereign
pontiff, as to God Himself. In fixing
limits of obot'lenco, let no one think
that it Is due to the authority of
bishops, and eseclally the Roman
pontiff, merely In in liters of dogma.
Man's duties, what he ought to be
lieve, and what ho ought to do, is by
divine right laid down by tho church
and In the church by the supreme
pontiff."
In view of thti fact that Romanists
are taught that there is but "one true
church, and that church has but one
head, "tho Roman pontiff," and that
their salvation depends upon their sub
mission In all things to his authority,
It becomes a matter of grave concern to
know what application Leo XIII.
makes of this doctrine of divine right to
politics, in a country where majorities
rule, and on this subject ho leaves
neither bis followers nor tba people of
these United States In the slightest
doubt, for bis application of this teach
ing to the duties of citizens is put in
terms like tbe following:
"Tbe civil prudence of individuals
seems wholly to consist in faithfully
executing the precepts of legitimate
authority. In effect, he (the pope) has
to order and regulate tho actions ot
Christian citizens in view of the reali
zation of tbelr eternal salvation. It
wlH tie thus seen how indlspenslble it
Is that besides the perfect concord
which ought to reign In their thoughts
and actions, the faithful should always
religiously take as the rule of their
conduct the political wisdom of the ec
clesiastical authority. Furthermore,
in politics, which are Inseparably
bound up with the laws of morality and
religious duties, men ought always and -in
tbe first place to serve as far as pos
sible, tbe Interests of Catholicism, As
soon as they are seen to bo in danger,
all differences should cease between
Catholics. Now the Roman pontiff is
the supreme ruler of the church. The
union of minds, then, requires perfect
submission of will to the church and
sovereign pontiff as to God Himself."
Silent acquiescence in the decisions
of tbe pope and his representatives Is
enjoined, and it Is taught that
"The actions of superiors ought not
to be struck at with the sword of
speech, even when they appear to
merit a censure."
When the question of education by the
state is reached, the following para
graph will be all, perhaps, we need to
cite:
"It is therefore a strict obligation
for parents to be careful and neglect
no effort to energetically repel every
outrageous injustice of the kind, and
to maintain exclusive authority over
the education of their children."
Here, then, we have the attitude of
Rome and her commands to her pre
lates and people throughout the world,
as voiced by her highest authority. Is
it any wonder that men raise the ques
tion as to whether one can bo a loyal
Roman Catholic and a loyal American
citizen at one and the same time? And
is It not tbe bounden duty of all lovers
of American Institutions to stand to
gether, and as one man, against the
power that blasphemously arrogates to
Itself what is claimed by Leo XIII. and
his obedient followers?
Rome and Freemasonry.
This dispatch shows how exceedingly
bitter tbe papal church is against the
Freemasons:
Quziiec, August 24. Archbishop
Begin, of this diocese, coadjutor to Car
dinal Taschereau, has just Issued to
his clergy a circular regarding the
anti-Masonic congress which meets
next month in T rente, in tbe Austrian
Tyrol. The archbishop expresses
hearty approval of the objects of the
conference, announces that he has
formed a committee to aid tho execu
tive committee of the conference and
asks for information regarding tho
growth of Freemasonry, which is de
nounced as an 'infernal sect' and a 'dia
bolical organization' in the various
parishes In the diocese."
This Is True.
Just so long as there is a pope sit
ting at Rome, attempting to regulate
tbe affairs of the nation, just so long
will patriotic Americans watch with
jealous eyes the movements of his se
cret police in this country. California
Standard.)