The bulletin (Augusta, Ga.) 1920-1957, March 01, 1921, Image 7

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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.”