Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1889 — HOIST THEIR COLORS. [ARTICLE]

HOIST THEIR COLORS.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CONGRESS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS. Lay Delegates at Baltimore Adopt Resolution* Declaring the Position of the Catholic Church in Politics, Education, Capital and Labor, and Other Question*. [Baltimore telegram.] The congress of Catholic laymen in Baltimore was a very enthusiastic gathering, the net result of which was the adoption, with enthusiastic unanimity, 9f a platform embodying the following features: We rejoice at the marvelous development of eur country, and regard with just pride the part taken by Catholics in such development. In the words of the pastoral issued by the Archbishops and Bishops of the United States, assembled in the third plenary council of Baltimore, “We ilaim to be acquainted both with the laws, institutions, and spirit of the Catholic Church, and with the laws, institutions, and the spirit of our country, and we emphatically declare tnat there is no antagonism between them." We repudiate with equal earnestness the assertion that we need to lay aside any of our devotedness to our church to be true Americans ; the insinuation that we need to abate any of our love for our country’s principles and institutions to be faithful Catholics. We believe that our country’s heroes were the instruments of the God of nations in establishing this home of freedom; to both the Almighty and His instruments in the work we look with grateful reverence, and to maintain the inheritance of freedom which they have left us, should it ever—which God forbid—be imperiled, our Catholic citizens will be found to stand forward as one man, ready to pledge anew their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

We cannot, however, shut our eyes to the many dangers that threaten the destruction of that social fabric upon which depends our peace, our liberty, and our free institutions. Although our wealth has increased and prosperity abounds, our citieshave multiplied, and our States increased, we find under the shadow of this system incipient pauperism, dicontented men, women, and children without the benefits of education, without the advantages of religion, deprived of any share in that abundance or participation in the blessings which, through our free institutions, God Almighty has designed for the people of our land. Remembering the distinction between Pagan and Christian civilization as to the heed to be paid td the right of the individual, we favor those means, measures, and systems by which, these are to be .secured. We recognize next in importance to religion itseM,education as one of the chief factors in forming the character of the individual, the virtue of the citizen, and promoting the advance of a true civilization. Therefore, we are committed to a sound popular education, -which demands not only physical and intellectual, but also the moral ana religious training of our yqj\th. .« in the State schools no provision is made ■Ta» teaching religion xve must continue to sup«pbtt our own schools, colleges, and universities faifetfdy established and multiply and perfect fathers, so that the benefits of a Christian education may be brought within the reach of every Catholic child within the United States. We also recognize among the three great educational agencies, besides the church and school, the Christian home. The root of the commonwealth is in the homes of the people. Therefore we denounce the existence and development of Mormonism and the tendency to multiply causes of divorce a vinculo as plague-spots on our civilization, a discredit to our Government, a degradation of the female sex, and a standing menace to the sanctity of the marriage bond. We likewise hold that it is not sufficient for individual Catholics to shun bad or dangerous societies, but they ought to take part in good and useful ones. The importance of Catholic societies, the necessity of union and concert of action to accomplish aught, are manifest. These societies should be organized on a religious and not on a race or national basis. National societies, as such, have no place in the church in this country, but like this congress itself they should be Catholic and American. Another danger which menaces our Republic is the constant conflict between capital and labor. We therefore at all times must view with feelings of regret and alarm any antagonism existing between them, because thereby society itself is imperiled. With the church we condemn Nihlism, Socialism and Communism, and we equally condemn the heartless greed of capital. The remedy must be sought in the mediation of the church through her action on the individual conscience and thereby on society, teaching each its respective duties as well as rights, and in such civil enactments as have been rendered necessary by these altered conditions.

The amelioration and promotion of the physical and moral culture of the negro race is a subject of the utmost concern, and we pledge ourselves to assist our clergy in all ways tending to effect any improvement in their condition. We are in favor of Catholics taking greater part than they have hitherto in general philanthropic and reformatory movements. The obligation to help the needy and to instruct the ignorant is not limited to the needy and ignorant of our communion; but we are concerned, both as Catholics and as Americans, in the reformation of all the criminals and the support of all the poor in the country. There are many Christian issues in which Catholics could come together with nonCatholics and ' shape civil legislation for the public weal. In spite of rebuff and injustice, and overlooking zealotry, we should seek alliance with non-Catholics for proper Sunday observance. Without going over to the Judaic Sabbath we can bring the masses over to the moderation of the Christian Sunday. To effect this we must set our faces sternly against the. . sale of intoxicating beverages on Sunday. The corrupting influence ■of saloons in politics, the crime and pauperism resulting from excessive drinking, require legislative restriction, which we can aid in procuring by joining our influence with that of the other enemies of intemperance. Let us resolve that drunkenness shall be made odious and give practical encouragement and support to Catholic temperance societies. We favor the passage and enforcement of laws rigidly closing saloons Sunday and forbidding the sale of liquors to minors and intoxicated persons. It is our duty to support liberally good Catholic journals and books and acquaint ourselves with Catholic doctrine and opinion on the important questions constantly coming to the front and demanding right answers and just, practical solutions. There are comparatively few Catholics who cannot efford the cost of a Catholic journal or who do not spend more for a story paper or novel than the price of one. We not only recommend Catholics to subscribe more generally for Catholic periodicals, quarterly. monthly, or weekly, but look with eagerness for the establishment of daily Catholic newspapers in our large cities, and a Catholic associated press agency. We cannot-conclude without recording our solemn conviction that the absolute freedom of the Holy See is equally indispensible to the peace of the church and the welfare of mankind. We demand in the name of humanity and justice that this freedom be scrupulously respected by all secular governments. We protest against the assumption by any such government of a right to affect the interests or control the action of our Holy Father by any form of legislation or other public act to which his full approbation has not been previously given. The French Chambers met, M. Pierre Blanc, as leader of the Chamber of Deputies, occupying the President’s chair in that body. M. Blanc delivered an address, in which he congratulated the members of the cabinet on the fact that the republic for the fifth time had repelled the assault of a hostile coalition. The Senate formally met and adjourned till next week. Calvin S. Brice, who is at his home in Lima, Ohio, has formally announced his candidacy for the United States Senatorship to succeed Senator H. B. Payne. Louis Schaeferl, a well-known capitalist and philanthropist, and owner of the Canton Opera House, died at Canton, Ohio, aged 75 years.