Communications
PROTESTANT CONTROVERSY New York, N. Y. TO the Editor:—I read recently in your publication a protest at the imfairness of Protestants who have never made a study of, or listened to a defense of,...
...That the adolescent Protestant frequently does make sufficient inquiry to drop out of the church is well known, but the question of the relation of Protestantism to Catholicism has no bearing upon his decision...
...Robinson's article, The Lay Reader (May 11) and Mrs...
...An undertaking of this nature would, of course, be met with the eternal problem of finance and support...
...On several occasions of late, the writer has been compelled to search through thousands of pages of irrelevant material for matter which, with the aid of a suitable general index, could have been secured at a vast saving of time and labor...
...A TRIBUTE TO MISS REPPLIER New York, N. Y. TO the Editor:—^With the conferring of the honorary degree of Litt.D., on Agnes Repplier by Columbia University, admiring Catholics must rejoice that one of their own, and convent-bred, has already received four degrees from American universities...
...to the extent of providing an old-age pension fund, while insistent that the suggestions made by Mr...
...Similarly the average Protestant has scarcely enough interest in ritual to do in an unslovenly manner the observances, simple as they are, that his own church requests...
...Why then, the creed could not be simply that, is an enigma I do not undertake to answer...
...TO the Editor:—Mr...
...The Commonweal invites its readers to send in communications expressing indixndual views on all topics that are of public interest, regardless of whether or not such topics have been previously discussed in its columns.—The Editors...
...But there is no Protestant Church...
...PROTESTANT CONTROVERSY New York, N. Y. TO the Editor:—I read recently in your publication a protest at the imfairness of Protestants who have never made a study of, or listened to a defense of, all the Catholic doctrines...
...ALICE WARREN...
...They are noW where they belong—in science, criticism, social reconstruction—where their scepticism becomes constructive...
...Finally, such a work might list the libraries and institutions where files of the reviews, particularly the older ones, are to be found...
...I would, of course, be sorry to see the Catholic Church simplify its observances or beliefs in an attempt to attract Protestants...
...This reminds one that many non-Catholic university professors —in their contributions to the recent book, Present-Day Thinkers and the New Scholasticism—likewise note and deplore this lack of cooperation...
...Collins may be universally adopted as a matter of practice and not of theory...
...The best of church workers will either slide over or give individual interpretations to one or more points that stump their credulity...
...The Protestant can hardly make the jump without some connecting link—such as attendance at a convent school, attendance at an Anglican school, or even familiarity with Catholic churches and customs from touring in Europe, or by visiting—from curiosity—^with Catholic friends who minimize the seriousness of making a mistake in following the ritual...
...Few Protestants have enough faith to meet the meager exactions of their own churches—I mean faith in the sense of actually believing all of the creed...
...And why should it...
...The differences in ritual are too marked...
...Many a weary worker would appreciate this information...
...If this article could be brought to the attention of every Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, Civic Improvement Association, and similarly interested activity, and provided, of course, they were conscientiously interested in promoting the welfare of humanity, it would create a condition in our social and economic life which would favorably react toward the local, state and national government, and the value of which can never be truly estimated...
...Collins be carried out in their entirety, as they are synonymous with the above, I believe is because of an erroneous interpretation and understanding of the situation...
...THE LAY READER Colorado Springs, Colo...
...I do not know whether this is the cause or the effect of the lack of ritual in the Protestant churches...
...After all, there is really no such thing as a Protestant, though we use the name to include a wide assortment of similar faiths...
...The Lay Thinker (June i) are at once a welcome revelation of "the beginning of a young Catholic idea" at non-Catholic institutions of higher education, and an earnest call for capable leaders in this youths' crusade for the priceless heritage of Catholic truth and beauty...
...It is as unreasonable to ask the Protestant child to make a study of Catholicism as a justification for remaining a Protestant, as it would be to ask the Catholic child to make a study of Protestantism...
...WILLIAM H. BASTION...
...THOMAS F. O'CONNOR...
...The child inherits the church from its parents...
...May their appeal find a ready and understanding response in those who are in a position to direct these hungry and fervid young minds how to feed with profit on the marrow of the itellectual giants for whom they evince such praiseworthy enthusiasm...
...Byles's communication contains this arresting sentence: "I can but wonder what the result would be if there were cooperation between the Catholic and non-Catholic colleges...
...To Catholics of missionery zeal I may say that I do not believe the Protestant is to be won by arguments on doctrine, at least at the outset, though he would need many points cleared up before his final conversion...
...The average Protestant is a pretty repressed and self-conscious individual...
...Most of our periodicals contain well-prepared annual indices, but few are listed in the general indices, such as Poole's or the Readers' Guide...
...There are Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans...
...The thought has perhaps occurred to a number of your readers that an index of Catholic periodical literature is an achievement greatly to be desired...
...Since he cannot grasp even this simplified and selected body of religious teachings, it seems useless to attempt a study of the more elaborate system from which they sprung...
...That, he explains, is what the creed means, or is the heart of it...
...One pastor, for instance, will admit anyone who believes in salvation through Christ...
...Collins practically applied to the conditions of our commercial and industrial life, it will be indicative of lack of interest in the improvement of the unemployment situation...
...MARGERY SWETT MANSFIELD...
...those that have ceased publication as well as those now flourishing...
...I have been asked, actually, by Protestants, what the word Protestant means...
...THE UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION Somerville, Mass...
...Or those who are do not turn their Protestantism toward religion...
...The difficulty, if I may use the illustration without disrespect to either faith, is that the Protestant is straining at the gnat and therefore feels it would be quite out of the question to swallow the camel...
...Mrs...
...My point is merely that rightly or wrongly the Protestant is under the impression that the teachings of the Protestant churches represent what his ancestors found they could believe in after discarding such Catholic doctrines as they could not believe in...
...At the best all that can be asked is that the child study his own faith to determine whether it satisfies him...
...INDEX OF CATHOLIC LITERATURE SyraciKe, N. Y. TO the Editor:—I lay no claim to originality in the subjoined suggestion...
...Frankly I doubt if the majority of Protestants are good Catholic material...
...If it does not satisfy him, he can look in other directions...
...The elaborate ceremony of the Catholic Church is felt, in consequence, to be almost terrifying...
...It should, moreover, include English as well as American publications...
...I may hint in passing that the true Protestants— those who naturally are sceptics, rejecting authority and thinking for themselves—are no longer in the Protestant churches...
...TO the Editor:—I was extremely interested to note in The Commonweal of June i, a letter written by William Collins which appears to cover a phase of the unemployment situation that, if actively carried to a conclusion, will provide a minimum of unemployment in every industry or mercantile establishment...
...An index such as is suggested should be prepared under the direction of a specialist in the work of indexing...
...In a most flattering editorial in the New York Sun, the editor wrote: "President Nicholas Murray Butler must have realized that he was not so much adding to her distinction, as to that of the institution of which he is head, and of which she is now a part...
...If left to become merely an expression of opinion, rather than have the matter as represented by Mr...
...That some philanthropist cannot appreciate the vital importance of the unemployment situation (however meritorious may be his other donations or gifts to art, science, etc...
...Vast deposits of valuable and scholarly material of the highest interest and importance to scholars and readers, lie for the most part buried for want of proper indexing...
...A poorly prepared index, or an incomplete one, would probably be worse than none at all...
...Its range should extend far enough into the past to include Brownson's Review...
...Often they are encouraged in this by the pastor...
...JOHN S. ZYBURA...
...One of them, for example, says that in this country "there still exists a most regrettable lack of contact and intercourse between Catholic and nonCatholic philosophers—a condition which contrasts very unfavorably with the relations existing in Europe...
...Enmity of Catholicism undoubtedly exists in places, but it arises like any other form of prejudice, either through fear, or is simply "caught" or "inherited" like a disease...
...Perhaps some of your readers might be able to offer suggestions as to how this difficulty might be met...
...So I trust that the suggestions of Mr...
...I trust there will never be any question of this...
...Doctrinal discussions are more likely to repel...
...As a person of Protestant family, who attends by preference the Catholic Church, I may be pardoned for trying to clear up a misunderstanding...
...Many of your readers can, no doubt, recall instances of a like nature...
...The Protestant churches of today are, certainly not a protest against Catholicism- The Reformation was many generations ago...
...Byles's communication...
Vol. 6 • June 1927 • No. 8
