ADDRESS BY ARCHBISHOP IRELAND.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 9

ADDRESS BY ARCHBISHOP IRELAND.

SECULARISM OP AMERICAN STATE SCHOOLS. A mighty object lesson in Catholio federation has lately been given at Milwaukee, .where the twelfth annual convention of the American Federation of Catholio Societies has been held (says the London "Tablet" of 30). It is estimated that over. 30,000 people went to »Milwaukee for the gathering. Tho congress was opened by Cardinal Gibbons. At tho High Mass, Archbishop Keane, of Dubuque, nvho was tho preacher, thus laid down tho part to bo played by Catholics:— "The representative character of this assembly, in which are found men who hold briefs from nearly every Catholio oranisatton in the land; the high religious sanction given it by tho solemn service of this hour, and! tho presence here of the first witness of the faith in America, His Eminence of Baltimore, must excite a very general interest in the convention, which begins itß work Before this altar this morning. And though I hold 110 brief to defend its aims, I know it can have no political programme. Catholics ini this country are a cosmopolitan body, professing and, defending every form of political creed save Socialism. Earnest, practical Catholics are here convened for tho purpose of deliberating as to tho means of promoting works of religion and education, and- of opposing tho anti-reli-gious and anti-social forces of tho day." Archbishop Ireland delivered a stirring address on Catholicism and Americanism. Ho declared that tbo evil today in America is the decay of religion, and, in natural sequence, the decay or morals. Itii both instances the cause of tho decay is tho enforced secularism of tlio State schools. Other people besides Catholics, heedful observers and intelligent thinkers, admitted the evil, admitted tho cause, and gave the alarm. Lit; trusted, therefore, tliat tho awakening common sense and patriotism of tho American pooplo would discover tho remedy for the evil. ' In thus pointing to tho evil and its cause li« was fulfilling a patriotic duty. "They know us little," said tho Archbishop, "who accuse us of coveting civil power and political power that_ we may dim the splendour of tho fairest flower in tho garden of Americanism. Our combats, if combats there be, aro never against tho liberties of America, but in defence of them; never against America, but against such of its sons whoso souls never yet have thrilled in full response to its teachings and inspirations. As to tho secular schools, ho said: "Not against S'tato schools as such do I raise objections, but as to tho method in which they do their work—methods that, whatever tho theory be, do 'in fact consecrate secularism as the religion of America, and daily are thither driving America with tho floodtido of Niagara. Somehow, I claim, secular knowledge must bo imparted to the child so as not to imperil its faith in God and in Christ. Prove to mo, I say, that this contour tion does not fullv fit into tho Constitution of tho United States! that in making it I liavo not in min3 the welfare, the salvation of America —prove this before you call the contention unAmerican, if not anti-Americau."'