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28 THE CATHOLIC CONGRESS.
and interests; but a congress composed of laymen of every class,
section, and nationality, meeting to consider the general interests of
the whole Catholic population of the Union, is now held for the
first time.
We pretend not to be superior to others in wisdom or prudence,
or better able to apply Catholic principles to social questions. But
living, as we do, in the only land on earth where the state declares
itself incompetent in spirituals, and leaves to every individual com-
plete religious, as well as civil, freedom, we have not to inquire, as
in other countries, what the government will permit us to do, or
what will be the effect of our action on our political or civil stand-
ing —complex questions, indeed, and leading to divergency of
opinion and weakness of action— but have simply to understand
the questions, and the principles which should govern their solu-
tion, and to make the necessary application. We have only to ask,
What is right? What is best? This greater freedom which we
enjoy will naturally lead to bolder and more straight-forward dis-
cussion, and to more vigorous action.
Congresses of this character have not been convoked in the
past ages of the church, for the simple reason that there was no
work that required their assembling. ‘They are necessary now, in
consequence of the introduction of popular government, that they
may give a correct tone to public opinion; they are necessary
because individuals now count for little, except as the units consti-
tuting corporations, associations, trusts, and syndicates; they are
necessary because the enemies of Christianity are banded together
ina league against us, and can be resisted only by united action;
they are, in fine, necessary here and now because the Catholic body
in the United States is made up of various nationalities, with a
diversity of customs, traditions, and interests, which tend to sepa-
rate them one from another, and it is consequently necessary to
draw closer the bonds which unite us all as members of the one
body of Christ, children of the same mother church, and heirs of
the same eternal home in heaven.
We do not meet to discuss questions of faith, or principles of
morals, or to reform the discipline of thechurch. We leave all that
to the pastors commissioned to teach and to govern. But we are
assembled to express our Catholic loyalty, and our sympathy with
our persectited head, to protect our rights, to throw such light as we
can on social problems; and to do all that lies in our power to
instruct and aid those less fortunate than ourselves.
The laity are bound by the precepts of charity as well as are the
clergy, and have in all ages endeavored to cooperate with the clergy
in the work of saving souls, and alleviating human misery.
In the first ages of Christianity the part taken by the laity in
the action of the church was so much more prominent than in later
times, that many have maintained that the distinction of clergy and
laity was unknown in the apostolic age. Such is not the fact. But
it is nevertheless true, that after the conquest of Rome by the bar-
barians, a change in this respect was induced by the altered condi-
tions of society. The laity sat in the first general synod, presided
over by St. Peter, though, doubtless, they left the judgment to the
acostles and ancients. Later the emperors sat in their place.
The laity elected the first deacons, and they participated in the
choice of a successor to Judas Iscariot. They had a voice in the
election of popes and bishops as late as the latter half of the eleventh
century, after which time the cathedral chapters elected bishops ;
though there are instances in the twelfth century of such election by
people and clergy.
Laymen preached and expounded sacred Scripture in church,
from the earliest period. When Origen, at the request of the bishops
of Palestine, began to preach at Czesarea, the metropolitan of Alex-
andria, Demetrius, desired his return to Egypt, and expressed aston-
ishment at his preaching in church and before bishops. St. Alexan-
der, metropolitan of Jerusalem, and Theoctistus, bishop of Czesarea,
replied that they could not see how Demetrius could say it was an
unheard-of thing for laymen to preach in church in the presence of
bishops; for it was customary for bishops to request such laymen as
had the ability, to explain the Scriptures in their churches. They
cite three other instances within their own knowledge, and cannot
tell how many other such instances there might be. The objection
of Demetrius merely proves that the custom was falling into disuse
in the third century, and was no longer as general as it had been in
the second century or in the apostolic age.
The laity aided greatly in the conversion of the Roman empire
and the overthrow of paganism. By their apologies, their discourses
in the senate, their social, political, and religious influence generally,
they had given such a tone of Christianity to the empire that,
whether Constantine was sincere or not in throwing his influence on
the side of Christianity, he would have been wanting in statesman-
ship if he had continued to uphold the failing cause.
From Hermas, whose ‘‘Shepherd’’ was read in church as in-
spired Scripture, there was a succession of great laymen, whose writ-
ings in defense of the church against Jews, gentiles, and heretics
contributed to the triumph of Christianity in the fourth century.
The author of the epistle to Diognetes, St. Aristides, St. Agrippa
Castor, St. Aristo of Pella, St. Hegesippus, St. Athenagoras,
Apollonius, Hermias, Miltiades, Candidus, Apion, Rhodon, Am-
monius, Minucius Felix, Lactantius, and Armobius illustrated the
early ages of Christianity by their writings, whilst Roman senators
like St. Apollonius, in the reign of Commodus, boldly spoke in its’
defense in the senate of Rome. ,
In the first ages, the Catholic laity, mingling with those outside
of the church, were, in a sense, missionaries. Their influence was
felt in every class and occupation of society, in which they gathered
catechumens for the bishops.
After the conversion of the barbarians, the action of the laity
was in many respects different from what it had been under the em-
pire. The whole population having become Catholic, their action
was now directed within the church, except so far as they were en-
gaged in military movements against the infidels for the defense of
the country or to recover the lost portions. .
During these centuries they rivalled the popes and bishops and
lower order of the clergy in their labors for the establishment of
religious, eleemosynary, and educational institutions.
_ As the middle ages passed away, absolutism, which had tri-
umphed in the lower empire, and caused the Greek schism, acquired
supremacy in Europe. Its main defenders in former ages, the French
and German tyrants, had been opposed and excommunicated by the
popes. A more powerful enemy to religion than even heresy, it
strengthened Protestantism, and was strengthened by it in turn.
Catholic nations were the last to accept it; and in their conservative
spirit, are the last to abandon it. Deposed from the thrones, it still
lingers in the habits of thought and modes of action of those who
reject indiscriminately everything that savors of modern civilization.
But, as the church accepted the Roman and the medizeval civiliza- *
tions, encouraging what was good in them, and endeavoring to elimi-
nate the evil, so now our Holy Father, in- his allocutions and
encyclicals, has distinctly pointed out the different elements of our
present civilization. If we would weigh well his words, we should
see that it is our duty to accept all that is good in this civilization,
instead of vainly attempting to resist the march of events, and to
bring back again the dead past. ,
When catholieity had become a part of the municipal law it was
he policy of both church and state to cut off all communication
etween Catholics and heretics, and for fear of heretical utterances
on the part of the laity to repress all expression on their part in con-
nection with religion. Imprimaturs were introduced and ecclesias-
fea revision before publication when books began to be multiplied
y new invention. It was hoped that the faith could be preserved
by wee enRPression of unsound doctrine. .
1€ conditions of things are now changed. Nowhere are the
People all Catholics, and even in the few countries where they are
t Naee. at it is impossible to prevent them from hearing false doc-
free speech pretend ‘0 keep them from error by the restriction of |
Those within the She ays is as idle as to blow against the wind.
of religion eam nu ure who are likely to say anything to the injury
than those without th Only men wh ee ceestastical Sie ws be
. . e only men whose utterances can thus be .
checked are the loyal and obedient s f th h
there 7 no danger to be apprehended. Be OF the church, from whors
. € canons of the chur ‘tri i
this regard. ‘They subject the ner “A fe anit See oe
whatever € ecclesiastical censure for
errors he may fall into; but I think th i
not fallen into desuetude, if it ever exi that onohihits bios from
speaking on matters if it ever existed, that prohibits him from
ecclesiastical autho, connected with religion without the license of
Without previous Stporvins : obtained. If he speaks or writes
must submit to the penalty if he pees ashe So at his risk, and
Almi Fp Poe y-
liberty of target a his infinite wisdom, allowed man the
sively that liberty would be chee nites 8S he did, how exten-
y would be abused. Undoubtedly, he has forbidden
with a glory that all th i
; h
ning have failed to diminish ns .
It is better that men s)
nd blasphemies from the begin-
—nay, have only made the brighter.
hould sometimes fall into- involuntary