The Chicago Eucharistic Congress.—In continuation of our note in last issue, we are now in a position to give an account of the views expressed by some of the leading American papers—secular and religious—from summaries in an article in the “Literary Digest” (New York). As was to be expected, the Roman Catholic papers ransacked the dictionary for superlatives in their descriptions. The Eucharistic Congress was a red-letter day to the American Roman Catholic community. A Roman Catholic correspondent said that “Christ has come to Chicago, and Chicago has used every force at its command to receive Him with fitting dignity.” Another wrote:—“He came in triumph as Eucharistic King.” If Christ actually came to Chicago He would not have received the welcome accorded to the so-called princes of the Church of Rome, and her gorgeously be-
robed prelates and dignitaries. But it is more particularly the Protestant denominational press that is to be criticised for its fulsome and laudatory articles on the Eucharistic Congress. From reading some of these one would think that the Eucharistic Congress brought a great religious revival to America. False charity is one of the gods of a certain type of American religious life. It is gratifying to note that quite a number of religious journals of the sounder type wrote strongly against the Christ-dishonouring exhibition at Chicago. As for the secular press, American journalists must write something—the more sensational it is the better—and as for accuracy and accordance with the eternal principles of truth, that is only a very secondary question with too many American journalists. Rome played her part well. She staged a magnificent show, and captured the imaginations, if not the allegiance, of many unstable Protestants.
The Papacy and the United States.—”We are apt,” says the “National Review,” “to forget the power of the Papacy in the United States, which it is important for us to bear in mind, as it helps to explain not a little that is obscure in Anglo-American relations on which this factor exercises no small influence. Doubtless in accordance with the amiable, though mischievous, habit of misleading public opinion in this country concerning American actualities, there has so far been little reference to the International Eucharistic Congress held in Chicago late in June. It was an imposing affair of peculiar interest to us owing to the predominance of Irish Papists in the propaganda of the Roman Church across the Atlantic, and the political frenzy of the Hearst press, whose Anglophobe proprietor, Mr William Randolph Hearst, is, we believe, a rabid Papist, though this, like most material facts, is never mentioned by our Anglo-Americanising journals. Cardinal Bonzano, as Papal Legate, crossed the Atlantic to attend this function. According to the New York correspondent of the ‘Daily Telegraph’—who was almost alone among his confreres in notifying the event—no less than 45 cardinals, 500 bishops, 3000 priests, and 10,000 nuns have foregathered in celebration of ‘the greatest religious congress ever assembled in the United States.’ According to the latest census returns, there are nearly 19,000,000 Roman Catholics resident in U.S.A., and the estimates of the total attendance at the Chicago congress vary between 750,000 and 1,000,000. In New York and Brooklyn alone, the
Roman Catholics number over 2,000,000. The Papal Legate, Cardinal Bonzano, who had spent ten years in Washington as Nuncio, is “persona grata” in America. He was greeted with much pomp and ceremony on landing in New York, which boasts a Roman Catholic mayor, and forms part of a State with a Roman Catholic Governor, while its traffic is regulated, as the ‘Daily Telegraph’ correspondent reminds us, by Roman Catholic policemen of Irish extraction—who, we may say, in passing, are never so happy as when breaking Anglo-Saxon heads. The city demagogues are of the same persuasion. Altogether, it was a red-letter day in the history of the Papacy, with many more triumphs to follow in Chicago, though Roman Catholics will not be happy until they have placed one of their number in the presidency of the United States. Will it be Mr William Randolph Hearst?”
Czecho-Slovakia and the Papacy.—”In a recent issue,” says “the English Churchman,” “we drew attention to the enthusiastic manner in which the anniversary of John Hus [born, 6th July 1369; burned, 6th July 1415] was celebrated by the Czecho-Slovaks. President, Ministers of State and the people all joined in paying fervent tribute to the memory of their great Reformer. Now we hear that, as a result, a complete breach has taken place between the Vatican and Prague, and that the Pope will no more be represented by a nuncio at the Czecho-Slovak Court. Previously to the celebrations rumour had it that the diplomatic relations had only been suspended, and that they would in all probability be soon renewed. But now it is announced that they have been finally severed. Thus Rome has displayed its unchanging character, proving itself to be on the side of intolerance still. This is doubtless not surprising, but the action of the Italian dictator is rather remarkable and significant. It appears that he forbade the Italian Minister at Prague and the personnel of the Italian missions and institutions there to join in celebrating the martyr’s undying fame. We are told also that he took this course in order to emphasise the growth of political alliance and co-operation between the Pope and himself.”
Moslem Missionaries.—From an article which appeared some time ago in “The Moslem World,” it appears that there is considerable missionary activity among a certain sect of the Moslems. The Ahmadiya movement—so called from its founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed, who claimed to be Christ—is actively mission-
ary, and has spread to Europe. In Woking, England, a mosque has been built, and a certain measure of success has been attained, converts having been made among the titled classes. In Berlin there are two mosques, and another in Paris. But it is specially in America that the activity is greatest. New York City is a centre of this activity. In Yonkers, New York, there are 900 Moslems, some of these are converts and whites. St Louis, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other American cities are centres of this missionary Moslem zeal. Bahaism, an offshoot of Persian Islamism, is represented by some few thousands of adherents, all American converts. Efforts to spread Bahaism in Great Britain were made a number of years ago, but with what success we cannot say. However, one thing is evident, both the Beast and the False Prophet are active, and it becomes the followers of the Lord Jesus that they, too, would have their loins girt and their lamps burning.