Barquilla De Ia Santa Maria BULLETIN of the Catholic Record Society Diocese of Columbus
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Barquilla de Ia Santa Maria BULLETIN of the Catholic Record Society Diocese of Columbus Vol. XXVII, No. 6 June 22: Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More June, A.D. 2002 A GLIMPSE OF THE OHIO VALLEY by Rev. John Martin Henni Translated for the Society by the late Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Hakel Copyright 2000, Catholic Record Society -- Diocese of Columbus Letter 12 - The Sects (Part I of3) while riding his slowly ambling horse, he sketched out the sermon to be given at his next The vast stretches of primeval forest in North stop. America are a magnificent sight, with their vaulted leafy arches, their unparalleled lofty I am not at all surprised by the intense feelings of height, and their varied beauty changing with animal enthusiasm that gripped the first settlers, every season of the year. They extend in quiet especially after the war cry of secretly skulking majesty over hills and valleys, along the gentle Indians had ceased and Indian corn and tobacco curve oflarge rivers or shaded creeks. A strange were planted around their cabins. It was a feeling and indelible impression is engraved on the that manifested itself spontaneously in a beholder's mind by the humble, neat cabins of the disorderly and brutally rough manner, and led to white settlers, who generally build near a the excesses of sectarian religious assemblies bubbling spring or cleared land amid half dead that endure even today. Naturally, hearts tree stumps along the slopes of newly cultivated vacillating in subjective belief (volatile and hill country. Memorable are the birds of this area changeable as leaves on trees) were unable to with their blue or bright red plumage, so different grasp anything higher, mightier, and more solid. from the green and yellow of the birds of our They could not accept something certain like our southern climate. Memorable is their shrill sure and enduring Catholic belief. "The early chirping• during the day and of the screeching of settlers' places of worship were tents, as they numerous owls at night, like harbingers of death. were called; their pews were logs; their As soon as the traveler leaves a town or village he wanders all alone again in the deserted forest, so communion tables were rough slabs of hewn like the intertwined arches of a gothic cathedral. timber, and over the heads ofthe worshippers the 112 In the dim light of the forest he seems to hear a only roof was the leaves of the forest trees. voice inviting him to turn his mind to serious Such places of worship and the people assembled thoughts with these unspoken words, in them with their finger on the biblical text, "Wanderer, are you looking for eternity here?" which the preacher explained with gestures from his tree stump pulpit, are the most widely In this vast stillness Father Fenwick had the habit scattered sights in the general picture of that of praying his Breviary, or the Rosary, when he colorful panorama of American Protestant was accompanied by other priests. Frequently religion. 237 Even if I were to enumerate the most prominent criticism and danger of intolerance (even in the of these sects in this sketch of religions and most liberal countries) by various explanations in would try to outline their goals and character print, confessions, consistories, managements, only briefly without delving deeply into the acts of uniformity, Fundamental Articles, 39 particular shadings of their teachings which articles, agenda and threats, oaths of allegiance, change like a kaleidoscope, you would hardly and excommunications. Thus they try to find anything entirely new in my presentation preserve the vanishing existence ofall orthodoxy even though our Yankees3 are reputed to be very by all means possible, even by illegal means. But original and inventive. Sectarianism is and it is all in vain as long as this gross contradiction basically can be only a renewal of the most varied between principle and experience is not kinds of fanaticism, the sum total of all nonsense established. But I would be doubly unjust to of the centuries. In a word, it is simply a renewed Protestantism in North America if I did not outbreak of the same old errors, only now with a acknowledge first that it does not reject its different local development in a different, less European origin and secondly that it expresses disturbed hemisphere. itself more logically and correctly. However, here, just as in Europe, there is no end to attempts Instead of dwelling at length on unnecessary at perfecting the teaching of Christ. This alleged philosophical notions ofpositive and negative, of improvement necessarily and generally produces realism and idealism, of rationalism and fanaticism or materialism in which the limits supernaturalism, I would rather touch upon the imposed by worldly powers overpower and underlying background that permeates the spirit hamper religious teaching, be it by the force of of the last three centuries. The confusion of revolution as happened in Holland and England religions and the resulting hostility have inflicted before, and under Cromwell's Protectorate, or incurable wounds on Christendom and mankind. because of greater freedom of all religions as in They have taken love out offamily life and peace North America. Ever since Christians broke out of civil society. They have delivered our away from Christ and His Bride, the Church, and youth over to unbridled licentiousness and from unerring truth, there has been an increase in nations over to bloody anarchy. This is simply the the number of sects in England as well as in result of the overall principle that subjects the Germany and Switzerland. But religious authority of the Church to the self-will madness must surely be more rampant in the free (autonomy) of the individual. And so this United States of North America than in all other infection spreads and nourishes continual countries, not to mention the wigwams and destruction with deadly results. Sad to say, all quabanos4 of the Indians whom the Bible accounts of recent and contemporary history Societies have failed to convert. 5 prove this and describe in unmistakable outlines the connection of basic cause and the evolution While the Catholic Church spread without of epochs following each other like days and schism in Canada north of the English colonies nights. It is a generally acknowledged truth that and south of them in Mexico, constant jealousy Catholics and Protestants of all countries lament, and strife abounded among the Protestants in the and often point the finger at that tendency to Atlantic colonies on purely religious grounds. highly subjective principles that raise a barrier The high Church of England in Virginia between the Church and the world. persecuted the Dissenters in New England and along the Delaware and Hudson rivers, and the It is remarkable that such a trend is praised in Dutch colonists who had lived there since 1614. theory but limited in practice by the harshest The Puritans of New England dealt even more 238 harshly not only with the Dissenters but also with banner of independence. As soon as this was Brownites, Independents, and even peaceful won and peace restored, the earlier centrifugal Quakers, the minute any of them dared to enter forces of individual religious fads and personal their territory. Who does not know about that vanity reappeared but with this difference -- that theocratic, republican, biblical commonwealth of in the new Constitution all former weapons of the so-called Pilgrims of Plymouth, or about the persecution were taken away from them except Blue Laws of Connecticut? With puritanical for the weapons ofintellect and the press. rigor these Pilgrims strove to set up their own religious political commonwealth and base it on Puritanism retained its old spirit of inherited the Word of God after they had migrated from bitterness but it appeared in new forms and England to Holland, but could not find their organizations such as the Scottish Church, or expected freedom among less pure brethren. So one ofthe Calvinist splinter groups. The ministry they finally looked for it in the northern forests of of the presbytery which had almost disappeared America. The Books of Moses and the among the Quakers and others, now reappeared. wanderings of the Israelites in the desert served Under the presbyters or elders, new endless them as a basis for their criminal legislation. By fights arose between the old and the new school. virtue of these capital laws, death was the For the Confession ofFaith, which was drawn up penalty, not only for any kind of deliberate in a synodal assembly in Philadelphia in June, murder or treason against the republic, but also 1821 , and promulgated with utmost acclaim and for idolatry (of which they accused Catholics) accepted by almost all Presbyterians, had already and for familiarity with evil spirits (fortune outlived its day. While the adherents of this telling and witchcraft) and for direct blasphemy Confession in Pennsylvania under the leadership against God or the Trinity (unbelief), and for of Dr. Ellis outshone their opponents the bestiality, sodomy, adultery and abduction. nonconformists, the ante-doctrinaires made False oaths against another's life, obstinacy, and great progress in eastern New York and in New mistreatment of parents by their children also fell England where they joined with the under the punishment ofdeath .6 restorationists and half-Unitarians or Pelagians and others who deviated from the old orthodox The severity ofthese laws resulted in one benefit, strictness. Thus we have the teachings' of namely, the greater expansion of the colonies. Hopkins and Beecher, who propounded their Dissenters were exiled from their midst and as a own doctrines ofjustification and predestination, result sought their salvation in other regions, as as also, for some years now, the first, second, for instance the no less fanatical William third, fourth and fifth Presbyterian Churches in Rodgers, the patriarch ofa new political religious the United States.