protest has passed away; but the injurious effects of its
presence will long remain. What the gray dawn is to the
night, what the chafing of the sea waves is after the storm,
such is the cold mistrust, the vague fear, the half-concealed
repugnance to Catholics and Catholicity, which has succeeded
to the bitter hatred and stern defiance of days gone by. Very
commonly the Protestant who happens to meet with some point
of Catholic controversy is either entirely ignorant of the
subject--knows absolutely nothing about it--or is misinformed
and malinformed; in fact, has his mind filled with all sorts
of ideas touching the case in point except the right and true
one....
"It follows from these remarks that what is most needed from
us is sound, clear, and honest explanation of the doctrines
taught by our Church. It is a waste of time to go on proving
that Luther and Calvin were inconsistent, and contradicted
themselves, or that they were ungodly in their conduct. No
American is a Protestant out of respect for Luther or Calvin.
He believes that Protestantism is liberty and enlightenment,
and Catholicity is despotism and superstition. Show him that
he can be a good Catholic and preserve his liberty too, and
combat ignorance and superstition as much as he pleases, and
he will listen respectfully to your voice".
Seeking thus the Kingdom of God, the Catholic priests of America will
find that through their labours God has added unto their country all
good things even in the temporal order. The Church in America is
exhibiting every day more clearly her wondrous power as the civilizer
of the nations. This is in no wise surprising to us who know her: but
it is cheering to learn from such an authority as Dr. Cummings, that
even those who are not her children are beginning to follow with
reverent looks the traces she leaves in society by her influence on
the hearts of men.
"Our honest Protestant friends, whether they are statesmen,
scholars, publicists, military commanders, and in many cases,
even ministers of the Gospel, are ready to concede, that
unless the masses of the American people are led to act under
the guidance of Catholic principles, there is little chance
of saving this country from speedy and utter destruction.
"Let us, reverend brethren, do our work patiently and
cheerfully to forward so grand a purpose as the conversion
of this whole great country to true religion, leaving the
result to God and to those who will follow us in the ministry
when our seats shall be vacant in the holy sanctuary. The
pioneer who, on the plains of our far western country, toils
patiently in removing the charred and blackened tree-stumps
scattered over the field where once rose the dark and tangled
forest, does as necessary and honourable a work as his
successor who passes scattering handfuls of seed along the
soft, brown furrows, and as useful a work as the successor of
both, who puts his sickle into the nodding grain and gathers
in its golden sheaves at the happy harvest home".
IV.
_Ireland, her Present Condition, and what it might be._ By
the Earl of Clancarty. Dublin: Herbert, 1864, pag. 39.
Even the nettle has its flower; and Lord Clancarty's pamphlet, bristling
as it is with stinging points against the Catholic religion, is not
without something to recommend it. The author says of the Catholic
Church that, "while she was the depository of learning, and especially
of the sacred writings, she neither furthered the interests of science,
nor disseminated the knowledge of God's written word", and in the same
breath he calls upon the state to countenance the Catholic University,
"for which so ardent, and it must be admitted so legitimate, a desire is
manifested by the Roman Catholic body". He raises, and satisfactorily
disposes of, all the arguments that can be brought against the grant of
a charter to the University. It is not the first time that lips opened
to utter hard things against God's people have been made to become the
vehicle of good wishes towards the same.
Transcriber's Note
Minor typographic errors have been repaired.
Inconsistencies in capitalisation, accents and ligature usage are
preserved as printed.
A table of contents has been added by the transcriber for the
convenience of the reader.
On page 198, omitted word 'to' has been added following 'go'--"5. I am
afraid to go to communion ..."
On page 199, omitted word 'the' has been added following 'except'--"...
touching the case in point except the right and true one...."