Following that disgraceful and un-American parade of armed Catholicism through the streets of Louisville that memorable Sunday afternoon, August eighteenth, a "mass meeting" of "The American Federation of Catholic Societies" was held in the huge Armory, which was attended by some five thousand people, including a choice collection of delegates to this "national convention," priests and Catholics in general. Personally I have never attended any other mass meeting of any nature in America where so many men wore their hair quite so low over their eyes or where so great a majority were afflicted with that peculiar narrowness between the eyes that speaks volumes to the student of human nature. This statement is not made in malice, but in simply a statement of fact.

On the platform that Sunday evening facing this motley throng, the arch-enemies of this Republic, were Governor McCreary, Governor of Kentucky, Mayor Head, of the city of Louisville, "Bishop" O'Donaghue, "Arch-bishops" Messmer and Blenk, and a select number of visiting "bishops" and priests. Tier upon tier behind the speakers' platform rose another series of platforms upon which was seated the chorus of five hundred voices under the direction of "Prof." Molengraft.

This mass meeting proved to be a sort of mutual admiration caucus between the Catholic church and the state of Kentucky, each speaking through its accredited mouthpieces. The first speaker of the evening

was "Bishop" O'Donaghue, who gave voice to the following significant words:

"I am not a formal man and I do not talk in formalities, so when I say I am glad to have you all with us, I mean it. We are justly proud of our splendid parade today, but let me say as the head of the Catholic church in Louisville, and I say it officially, it was not prompted by a spirit of antagonism for our Non-Catholic brethren."

(Why, of course not---not at all---what is that proverb about a "guilty conscience?")

"We did not have this parade to show how strong we are, how numerous or important, or even to display our good looks. I am proud because it was inspiring and beautiful, but above all, BECAUSE IT WAS AN AFFAIR OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE. (!)

"I admit, as loyal and devoted Catholics, WE ARE ENDEAVORING TO FURTHER THE WORK OF OUR CHURCH, we do not wish to hide this fact, but WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH OUR PURPOSES with a kindly Christian and Catholic feeling." (!)

After having been greeted by the entire audience standing and vociferously shouting and enthusiastically hand-clapping, Governor McCreary, obedient to the right tug at the string by which his curious interior mechanism is governed, automatically recited the following reading entitled, "welcome," in a grandiloquent and For-God's-Sake-Cheer-For-The-Old-Flag kind of tone:

'On behalf of the common wealth of Kentucky it gives me great pleasure to extend a hearty welcome to the 'American Federation of Catholic Societies,' representing three millions of Catholics throughout the United States.

"The hospitality of Kentucky is generous and well known, and we wish the people of every part of the

Union could visit us, see what we are and what we have and enjoy our blessings and benefits. In no state in our great Republic has the industrious man or woman a better opportunity for a comfortable, independent, peaceful and contended life than in Kentucky. No man, or woman here need be hungry long or be without a home, and all who seek employment in the proper way soon find it.

"I welcome you to a state which was the first to apply for admission to the Union after the Colonies gained their independence, and which has a most interesting and attractive history, and which is conspicuous for all that ennobles and elevates mankind, and which encourages love of country. Her sons have been famous on the bench, at the bar, in the pulpit, in the legislative halls, and, whenever needed, in time of war. Her daughters are renowned for their beauty, refinement and attractiveness, and the climate, resources, soils, mines, varied products, live stock, agriculture and manufactories are not excelled. I wish you all could remain with us long enough to become familiar with all to which we have referred.

"Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, twice president of the United States, said, that one of the greatest acts of his life was his work in preparing and passing through the legislature of Virginia in 1776 his bill for the establishment of religious freedom. He believed, and I believe, that no man should gain advantage or suffer any wrong by reason of his opinion about religion. I am informed, and I believe, that the 'American Federation of Catholic Societies' has no political aims; it has no purpose to help any political party or promote the political ambition of any man. Its plan is only to meet the religious needs and to safeguard only those constitutional rights of its members which belong to every

member of every church and creed, and all flourish best when all have the same rights and duties with 'equal rights to all and special privilege to none.'

"The Catholic churches, schools and charitable institutions flourish in many of the best places in our commonwealth. We have room here and good work here for all churches and all good citizens of every class and creed. The state needs all worthy people to develop its resources, to uphold the law, to bear the burdens and enjoy the blessings of the Republic. Christ taught us to love one another, and our forefathers toiled and fought to give us free institutions and a great country. We should all do our part to make our country prosperous and progressive and our people contented, patriotic, peaceful and free.

"Again I extend to all a hearty welcome and trust that the various meetings of the 'American Federation of Catholic Societies' will promote happiness, honor and Christian love."

In spite of that curiously cunning sop thrown to any true Americans who might be present in the form of the allusion to those distinctly un-Catholic sentiments of Jefferson in favor of religious freedom, at the pre-arranged signal at the close of his speech the doughty Governor was given a great ovation of applause by the assembled dupes of hereditary superstition. Suddenly, as per program, the cheering broke forth afresh, as Mayor Head, of the city of Louisville, was introduced. The mayor proceeded in following happy strain, with such harmless remarks as: "In the name of nature and religion I greet the 'American Federation of Catholic Societies.

"In the name of the city of Louisville I extend a very gracious welcome from her good people. With feelings of sincerity and patriotism our citizens express

their pleasure over the assembling of this distinguished body.

"The convening of a federation of this magnitude in this city is a compliment and an honor immeasurable. All of your deliberations I know will be characterized by the holiest of motives and by patriotism certain to make proud the people of the Republic.

"This gathering is by far the most notable ever held in the South under the auspices of the Catholic church. It has brought within the gates of Kentucky's metropolis some of the highest dignitaries of the church, men known on both sides of the sea; it has brought churchmen of less renown yet possessing in their hearts and minds that same affection of loyalty. It has brought the laymen by thousands to the temple of faith, the asylum of peace, concord and unity.

"Our people have devoted months of preparation for your coming. I am sure it has been a labor of love, but not a task. I congratulate them. I congratulate the "American Federation of Catholic Societies.'

"I WELCOME YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN."

After the cheering with which these ventriloquial remarks of the Romish hierarchy forced from their lips of the figurative mayor had died away, one Edward Feeney, "national president" of this "federation" delivered the annual address, saying in part:

"We are highly honored by the presence of the direct representative of the holy father in the United States, his 'excellency,' 'Archbishop' Bonzano. In this august presence our federation of three million American Catholics again pledge spiritual allegiance to Pius X, the successor of St. Peter, Vicar of Christ on earth. He had blessed the cause of federation. We give him our love and loyalty.

"Federation represents the militant Catholicity of this country. The Catholic laity recognizes the importance

of unity on public questions affecting the interests of the church or of morality.

"In forty-nine colleges in the United States there are Socialist chapters. What are the rich fathers of these weak-minded sons doing about it? Nothing.

"We say to our Non-Catholic brethren, join with us in combating the atheistic philosophy that is poisoning the minds and searing the hearts of young American collegians who have been looked up to as the hope of the nation and the prop of its Christian institutions."

"We believe in God. The men who founded this Republic believed in God. Under the Providence in whom they trusted ours has become the greatest country in the world."

This outburst of Jesuitical sophistry, being accorded due applause (somewhat wearied) was followed by an attempt on the part of Priest Messmer, of Milwaukee, to justify the existence in this nation of such an oath-bound collection of Catholic societies as those represented in this federation. Only the opening paragraph of this curious apology is worthy your notice:

"The principles of the federation are the principles of the Catholic church, unity, morality and order. There is not a spot on the globe where our church has not set her foot, where her cross-crowned churches do not testify to our faith in the living God. All the tribes and nations of the earth, with their different ideals, languages and customs are united in this one common brotherhood, of one faith, one Christ, one leader. The purpose of this meeting is to accomplish in a particular way in this country what the church everywhere is accomplishing, namely to bring all classes of mankind into closer relations."

Following this address Peter J. Muldoon, "Bishop" of Rockford, Illinois, was called upon for an

impromptu speech. From one side of the great audience the well-known Muldoon said:

"My dear friends," said the 'Bishop,' "we are here as you all have been told with only the kindliest feeling to guide us, but we are here nevertheless as the representation of militant Catholicity. We stand to defend the person of Jesus Christ against all who assail Him, whether it be infidel, professors in our universities, or members of those societies that would substitute paganism for Christianity.

"Since we stand for Jesus Christ we stand also to defend His holy church, and we are as ready to give even our lives for it as were the early Christians in the Roman catacombs. Christ is God, we declare, and as soldiers of the cross this is our battle cry. Christ has said that the kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent bear it away. This must be the motive of the modern crusader who is struggling to arrest those who would take from the hearts of mankind the grace of God dispensed through the sacraments.

"The Governor has said that there are no hungry, or homeless ones in Kentucky, but with all due respect to his excellency I do not believe that he meant this literally. There are starving and homeless people right here in your beautiful city. Mankind everywhere is down-trodden by the avarice of those who know no justice and who sell Christ's children for gold as Judas sold Him for thirty pieces of silver. Everywhere goes up the cry of the children toiling in the sweatshops, everywhere is woman degraded and debauched for money, everywhere are human lives crushed and dwarfed to enrich their unholy masters. Almighty God is a God of Justice. Almighty God placed justice before sacrifice, the church of God today is working to appease the cry that is going up, to heal, not gloss over, the wounds of mankind.

"There is only one cure for socialism that we hear so much about, and that is for Christian people to bring their Christianity into everyday life and to solve the ills of society, to champion the cause of the poor against the unjust rich, to fight for the weak against the criminal strong, to lift mankind out of the mire and place it where Creator intended His children should be.

"Man has been crushed down by the love for gold. Let us say to those who hold the money of the land, this is not yours to keep; you must give that by it we may recover those whom it has all but destroyed. Let us show the workingman, the man who is deceived by the false promises of socialism, that we, the bishops and the priests of God's church, love him as Jesus Christ loved the down-trodden of His time and that we are ready to give the best that is in us, yeah, even our lives, that we may secure the justice that is his."

This mass meeting closed by the entire audience ringing and singing "America!"

But as we descended the wide stairway that one sentence of Muldoon's kept ringing in my ears, "Everywhere is woman degraded and debauched for money!" I was thinking of that awful biography of Peter J. Muldoon that appears in Jeremiah J. Crowley's age-startling book, "Romanism, A Menace to the Nation," an unanswered arraignment that almost burns the paper it is printed upon!

This convention was very disappointing to your correspondent in its business sessions, which were weariness because of the indecision and ceaseless repetition of unimportant trifles. I have only time and space to sketch in the briefest possible manner these routine proceedings. The Government's policy in the he Philippine Islands came in for much praise; socialism was the object of bitter invective and diatribes; and

problems of so-called social service, white slavery, political reform, education, economics, together with a multitude of other subjects were discussed endlessly----all a mere matter of form.

Another mass meeting at the Armory, intended as a musicale for the visiting members of the "hierarchy" was held Monday evening, August 19k, and was principally notable for three extempore addresses. Jesuit Priest John J. Wynne, of New York City, editor of that now famous "Catholic Encyclopedia," defined the Catholic spirit as, 'a composition of courage, enthusiasm, and progressive ardor to undertake great tasks and accomplish them." "Bishop" John E. Gunn, of Natchez, Miss., pleaded that "we train our country's greatest asset, its children, to be good citizens, good Christians and good CATHOLICS!" Benedict Hanley, a "passionate monk," declared that the "greatest menace to the country today is that form of socialism which teaches that the only Heaven is the earthly pleasure of the senses and the only Hell the evils of capitalism."

The final adjournment came hard upon the heels of the exciting half hour during which the sum of ten thousand dollars was raised and put into the treasury of these "federated societies" as a fund for carrying on their particular work. The next, or twelfth, national convention of these federated Catholic societies will be held in Milwaukee, Wis.----perhaps. Or shall there ever be another national convention of militant, armed Catholicism in this American Republic of ours?

I wonder.

"TO CAESAR ONLY THAT WHICH IS CAESAR'S."

No one thought of vindicating liberty of religion for the conscience of the individual till a voice in Judea, breaking day for the greatest epoch in the life

of humanity by establishing for all mankind a pure, spiritual, and universal religion, enjoined to render to Caesar only that which is Caesar's. The rule was upheld during the infancy of this gospel for all men. No sooner was the religion of freedom adopted by the chief of the Roman empire than it as shorn of its character of universality and enthralled by an unholy connection with the unholy state; and so it continued until the new nation,---the least defiled with the barren schoffings of the eighteenth century, the most sincere believers in Christianity of any people of that age, the chief heir of the Reformation in its purest form,---when it came to establish a government for the United States, refused to treat faith as a matter to be regulated by a corporate body, or having a headship in a monarch or a state.

Vindicating the right of individuality even in religion, and in religion above all, the new nation dared to accept the example of accepting in its relation to God the principle first divinely ordained in Judea. It left the management of temporal things to the temporal power; but the American Constitution, in harmony with the people of the several states, withheld from the federal government the power to invade the home of reason, the citadel of conscience, the sanctuary of the soul; and not for indifference, but that the infinite spirit of eternal truth might move in its freedom and purity and power.

-----From Bancroft's "History of the Formation of the Constitution," Vol. V, Chap. 1.

Chapter 11