Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1902 — POPE RECOGNIZES END IS NEAR. [ARTICLE]

POPE RECOGNIZES END IS NEAR.

Issues Testamentary Encyclical to the Catholic Church. The Vatican organ, L’Osservatore Romano, publishes • papal encyclical in which the Pope says the time has come when he must recognize that he approaches the term of his life on earth, so that this encyclical may therefore be regarded as his testament to the Catholic church. He says: “I would encourage Catholic bishops throughout the world to continue vigorously to resist the persecutions which now afflict the church. These persecutions will continue, but they will not prevent the spread of the light of Christ among infidels. “Never has humanity found itself in a more miserable condition than it is at present. There is disorder iu all social relations and especially iu family relations. "Excessive liberty has fostered socialism and anarchism. “Unjust wars are waged by strong nations against weak peoples and exaggerated armaments among great nations produce an effect which is even more disastrous than war, and creates a world-wide inquietude. "There are unceasing troubles and misery among the people, provoking them to anarchism, which henceforth promises to constitute a formidable party of malefactors working against all Emperors, Kings, and President—indeed, against all governments, nnd these governments must adopt decisive measures to defend genuine liberty, and must enforce the teaching of religion. In conclusion, the Pope invokes the union of all Christian churches as a leading remedy to save society from the violent attacks of atheists nnd free masonry, and adds that he maintains the necessity of the temporal rights of churches being upheld and counsels the active spread of Catholic workmen’s societies.