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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
15
PRIORITY OF THE CHURCH MUST BE MAINTAINED
(By Bishop Warren A. Candler, of the Methodist Episcopal Church.)
Note: We print below portions of an excellent!
article by Bishop Warren A. Candler, of the Methodist
Church. It is timely and adds force to the fact that
Catholics should not be censured when they, too, in
sist that the Church “is called to occupy a place of
priority among all orders and organizations to which
men can attach themselves:’’
Some years ago I went to Washington to a Sunday
School Convention of the World. Mr. Meyer, of
London, presided. In the afternoon a certain politi
cian had visited the convention, which nearly over
came Mr. Meyer. He didn’t know him as some of us
do. He took fifteen minutes to tell us how grateful
we ought to be for a visit from that politician. He
went on to expatiate upon this business. I had to
follow him. All I could do was to say that instead
of our thanking the politician for coming there, he
ought to thank us for letting him in. We are not the
lackeys of the state. We are not flunkies put on
corners to keep down rioters. We are absolutely in
dependent of these things, and when a man goes into
the Christian pulpit to represent the gospel of Christ
and the prophets of God, he stands upon the bones of
the mighty who have created the organic forces out
of which civilization has arisen.
The Church, by its very nature, is called to occupy
a place of priority among all the orders and organi
zations to which men can attach themselves. It min
isters to the supreme want of mankind, namely, the
salvation of the soul, and in this work it is as solitary
as Jesus is companionless among the sons of men. It
is conceivable that the lower needs of the human
race might be supplied by other agencies, although
it may be doubted that the humane societies, philan
thropic bodies and reform schemes, which are so
abundant to Christendom, would survive very long
if the Church should cease to exist. It is absolutely
certain that no other organization would, or could,
do the spiritual work of the Church.
It is quite possible that any decline in “the priority’’
of the Church has arisen because this divinely estab
lished institution has been diverted from its spiritual
mission, and set too frequently to accomplish tasks of
secularism.
Among the mandates issued to it have been the
commands to “permit smoking in the rear pews,” to
“shorten the sermons,” to “abolish the sermon,” to
“use moving pictures,” to “employ the drama,” to
establish dancing halls for the young people,”
et cetera ad infinitum and also ad nauseam.
Underneath all these peremptory suggestions to
the Church lies the false idea that it must forsake its
religious mission and become a mere entertainer, pur
veying cheap amusements for the delectation of a
querulous surfeited generation. To that field the
Church has no call, and in it the Church can have
no “priority.” In the realm of diversions it must meet
rnany competitors who can furnish to a pleasure-lov-
P ing world far more attractive shows and spectacles.
The Church is the poorest possible manager of a
theater and the sorriest sort of a dancing master.
But in its own heavenly sphere it is without a rival
or a competitor.
When the Church enters the market place a child
ish and capricious world will neither mourn when she
laments nor dance when she pipes.
The priority of the Church rests securely upon the
proclamation of the gospel which is the power of God
unto Salvation to every one that believeth. In the
realm of the spiritual the Church is supreme among,
and above, all the organizations in the earth.
DOWN IN GEORGIA.
(Editorial from The Catholic Bulletin, St. Paul,
March 6th.)
Down in Georgia the Catholic Laymen’s Associa
tion is doing yeoman service for the Church under
the guidance of that splendid old warrior, Bishop
Keiley, of Savannah. Several years ago an organiza
tion, formed of laymen and controlled by them, but
directed by Bishop Keiley, was founded with the pur
pose of dissipating religious ignorance among their
fellow citizens. The doctrines of the Catholic Church
were explained in a clear, intelligent and always kindly
spirit. Pamphlets were sent broadcast, and a per
ceptible change has come over the press of that state
owing to the activities of these men who go to the
heart of things without red tape or fear.
Now the organization has expanded and has issued
the first number of a magazine which will carry on
the same work. With practical insight the officers of
the society have appealed for help to the Catholics
of the various cities of the state. The response may
be judged from a few figures. A request for funds
to spread a knowledge of our holy faith free among
the people resulted in subscriptions in excess of
$75,000. Thus the work has been placed upon a
solid basis, and it is impossible to estimate the vast
amount of good that will accrue to Church and state
from the efforts of these zealous men.
It is rather pitiful to see the puny attempts made
here and there by similar organiztaions in larger fields
and with greater potential resources. Our laymen
generally are woefully lacking in the active works of
the faith where there is question of defending or of
spreading a knowledge of our holy religion in those
quarters seldom reached by clerical effort. When an
attack is made upon our Church from platform or
press rarely does a layman—or any body of laymen
bestir himself to refute the charge. It is left to the
clergy; whereas frequently a defense coming from lay
sources would have much more telling effect. But
our laymen are timid; very often they fear loss of
business or social standing. In a Protestant center
like Georgia, therefore, all the more praise is due the
intrepid men who fear not to come out in the open