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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
7
WHAT OTHERS
Cartersville, Ga.—**I will be glad to have you send
me the Doctrines of the Catholic Church. I have
had much information from the pamphlets you have
sent me on the teaching of your Church; you will
send me from time to time such literature as you
have, for I do not want to say anything about any
Church that I do not know about its teaching. I
have decided that the best way to get information on
the teachings of any Church is to get the informa
tion direct from that Church.”
Anderson, S. C.—‘‘Replying to the within inquiry,
I beg first of all to acknowledge my indebtedness to
your office for much that has been edifying to me in
the literature sent me.
‘‘I should be pleased to have from time to time
any matter bearing
on the great cause
of freedom for which
you are fighting.
‘‘The Faith of Our
Fathers” by Cardinal
Gibbons would be
most acceptable and
would be appreci
ated. However, I
should not be under
stood as seeking to
learn more with a
view to adopting the
Catholic faith, but
rather to be ready
armed to defend it
against every injus
tice. I have seen so
much that has im
pressed me as unfair
to the last degree. 1
have had occasion
many times, as those
of the faith here who
know me would tes
tify, to defend
against unjust attack.
I am a Presbyterian
through a long an
cestral line, but hope
never to entertain
any of the fears and
suspicions that so
many Protestants
have.
‘‘I heard two weeks
ago Bishop Russell,
of this Diocese, and
whom I had the pleasure of meeting and knowing
quite pleasantly. What he had to say about Church
and State I sincerely wished at the time every Protes
tant minister in America could have heard. It was
as sound as the gospel.
“I should be pleased to have an occasional leaflet
from your presses.”
Washington, Ga. ‘‘I am satisfied the Catholics are
good folks. I have several friends whom I value
much that are of that faith. I was raised a Metho
dist, but do not belong to any creed. Go to Church
occasionally. Love them all.”
Newnan, Ga.—‘‘As I am not a professor of any
creed and have heard so much talk against the Cath
olic doctrines I was prompted to write for your lit
erature in order to learn the truth of the same, and
after careful reading of it, I have found out that all
the abuse heaped on the ‘Catholic Doctrine’ is the
outcome of prejudice and ignorance.
‘‘I am a great advocate of every one following the
dictates of their own conscience, in their manner
THINK OF US
and form of worship, and I do not find anything to
the contrary from reading your literature.
Macon, Ga. ‘‘You may kindly send me Cardinal
Gibbons’ ‘The Faith of Our Fathers.’
“The literature sent me recently has been read
with interest. I am a young theological student, and
am interested in all sides of the subject.
Royston, Ga. “I will just here state that the rea
son I wrote you for the faith of your Church, I saw
so much written in some of the anti-Catholic papers
that 1 wanted to see what the Catholics would say.
about the Church’s faith. You sent it to me. I read t
it carefully. I saw nothing objectionable in what
you wrote me about the Catholic faith and doctrine.
Notice the criticism I read about Catholic practice
was not in harmony
with their faith and
doctrine.
“Now I am 80
years old in this
month, and so far as
I am concerned about
religion I don’t hold
to any written creed.
My religion is to do
as I wish others to
do to me, and 1 be
lieve in honesty,
truth and justice to
all people. I prac
tice the foregone
statement.
“Solomon said to
fear God and keep
His commandments
is the whole duty of
man.”
Decatur, Ga.—‘‘I
would be glad to see
‘The Faith of Our
Fathers.’ I am an of
ficer in the Presbyte
rian Church.”
Cartersville, Ga.—
“I would like for you
to know before send
ing me any more of
your literature that I
am whole-heartedly
against the position
your Church takes
in all its practices. I
believe it is one of
the great barriers
the human race has to put out of the way before it
can free itself of the heathenism of the past, that is,
much of it. If you desire to send me the Faith of
Our Fathers’ in the face of this feeling on my part,
all right; otherwise, all right.”
Bishop, Ga. ‘‘Sir, you may keep all your Cath
olic literature at Augusta, Ga., for I don t care for
same.”
Kibbee, Ga.—‘‘I thank you people for your splen
did literature which was sent me recently, and your
letter on the opposite of this sheet.
“Regarding any questions I would like to ask there
is not any at present. However, if I have any in
the future I would appreciate having the liberty of
consulting you people.
“I would surely appreciate having a copy of the
work described, “The Faith of Our Fathers, by Car
dinal Gibbons.
“Again thanking you people for your literature
and for some of the work of the Great Cardinal, I am,
“Respectfully yours.”
PAPAL APPROVAL OF OUR WORK.
Extract from a Letter Received by the Bishop of
Savannah from His Eminence Cardinal Gasparri,
Secretarv of State to the Holy Father, Pope Bene
dict XV:
“The Holy Father has received with liveliest pleas
ure and consolation the letter which you sent Him
by Monsignor Ceretti, Secretary for Extraordinary
Ecclesiastical Affairs, concerning the scope and ac
tivities of the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Geor
gia, which for the past three years as was well known
to the Holy Father has with full dependence on the
Ecclesiastical authorities, undertaken the generous
task of defending the truth, and has rendered such
important service to our cause.
“Our Holy Father desires to make use of this letter
to express His gratification and approval to you and
this most worthy Association of Catholic Laymen, for
the splendid example given to all of great zeal in
defending and guarding that most precious of all
heritages, our Holy Faith; and He trusts that this
letter may be a yet further encouragement to them,
and a stimulus to others to unite for the supreme
interests of the Catholic Religion around the August
Chair of the Vicar of Christ.
“The Holy Father sends to you, the Clergy of your
diocese, and to the President and all the members
of the Catholic Laymen’s Association the Apostolic
Benediction.
“Faithfully yours,
(Signed) “PETER CARDINAL GASPARRI,
“Secretary of State to His Holiness.”