p. 12 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 40. (10/11/1910)

Earlier text: Tho I Should Die with Thee, Yet Will I Not Deny Thee

The Twenty-First International Eucharistic Congress of the Catholic Church

By C. M. Snow

At Montreal, Canada, September 6 to 11

By C. M. Snow, Editor of “Liberty”

A SIGN of the times indeed was the great Roman Catholic International Eucharistic Congress which convened at Montreal, Canada, September 6 to 11. No such gathering had ever before been held in the Western Hemisphere, and it is certain that in no part of the Old World had there ever been displayed a greater amount of pomp and pageantry in any of the twenty similar congresses held by the Catholic Church.

Money there was in practically unstinted amounts from all over the Dominion of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It was the evident intent of the Catholic hierarchy to make this demonstration the greatest in the history of the church. The purpose also was evident from the time that the PLACE of this congress was announced, and the purpose was a twofold one. France had but recently struck a most severe blow at the Roman hierarchy, and England last year refused to allow the “host” to be carried in the eucharistic procession through the streets of London. THERE was formed the plan to have the greatest eucharistic demonstration in the history of the church in the French city of Montreal under the flag of Great Britain, and thus to show to the governments of both England and France the power of the Roman Church in the New World in a British possession among French people.

This double-headed purpose was not left for the people to surmise, but was openly declared in the one case and openly demonstrated in the other. Said Monsignor Montez de Oca, bishop of San Luis, Mexico: “This Eucharistic Congress in Montreal will be the vindication of the London congress when intolerance made it impossible to carry the holy eucharist through the streets. It is only fair that such a vindication should take place on British soil.” That was the declaration of one half the purpose. The other half was not openly declared, but was openly demonstrated, as the following incident will show.

On the city hall are five towers, three on the front of the building and two on the rear. The middle tower on the front of the building is larger and higher than the others. From this, during the Eucharistic Congress, flew the flag of the nation. On its right flew the papal flag and on its left the green flag of Ireland. On one of the rear towers flew the flag of the United States, and on the other rear tower the flag of France. Inasmuch as the city of Montreal is predominantly French, and Ireland is not an independent nation, there were many strong protests made against the position of the flags. The question was repeatedly asked, “Why is the flag of France retired and the flag of Ireland put in front of it?” No real attempt was made to answer the question. No one was found who would admit the responsibility for the placing of the flags as they were, neither would any one in authority order them changed, and so they continued to the end of the congress. The reason for this is made more apparent by the attitude of Monsignor Touchet, archbishop of Orleans, who is reported by the Montreal press as being surprised at seeing the French flag on churches during the Eucharistic Congress, and as declaring that the tricolor, being the flag of the

Revolution, could not rightly be placed on a church. This explains the placing of the French flag behind the Irish on the city hall, and explains also Rome’s reason for desiring that this Eucharistic Congress, held in Great Britain’s French province, should be the most successful and spectacular ever held. The Mexican bishop, Monsignor Montez de Oca, who has attended every Eucharistic Congress thus far held, declared that the Montreal congress would “eclipse all the others, as the display of riches there and the cooperation of all would make it the greatest of all.”

The Elements Not Propitious

Cardinal Vannutelli, the Chief Figure at the Congress

That it might be the most successful of all, all the Catholic churches of Montreal began a “solemn triduum” on the night of September 1, the congregations joining in prayer for the complete success of the coming Eucharistic Congress.

After the enthusiastic receptions at the cities of Quebec and Three Rivers, the cardinal legate, Vincenzo Vannutelli, arrived at Montreal on Saturday afternoon, September 3, at 4:30 P.M., on the Canadian government steamer Lady Grey, which had been despatched to Quebec by the federal government to bring him. The government steamer was escorted by numerous other vessels, and was to have had an additional escort of sixty-one yachts; but the tempest raging at the time prevented this.

A special wharf seventy-five by one hundred feet had been constructed for the papal envoy to land upon, and a gorgeous throne had been erected at the wharf for him to occupy while listening to the mayor’s address of welcome and while delivering his reply. All the vessels in the harbor were decked out in their gayest bunting in honor of the occasion, and

steam sirens were screaming and guns booming their welcome from the time the Lady Grey, bearing the pope’s envoy and flying the papal flag at the masthead, hove in sight, until the landing was accomplished. But in spite of the “solemn triduum” and the prayers for propitious weather, the worst storm of the season was raging, and the special wharf became an impractical landing-place, and the gorgeous, rain-swept throne was not an inviting seat for the papal legate. He was accordingly whisked away in the mayor’s carriage to the city hall, where the reception ceremonies were carried out. The specially-invited but rain-soaked “one thousand gentlemen,” consisting of cabinet ministers, consuls, senators, members of parliament, ecclesiastical dignitaries, and prominent citizens, who were at the wharf to add impressiveness to the reception, followed as best they could.

The Legate’s Reception

At the city hall, on an improvised throne, the papal legate was seated, with the mayor on his right and Archbishop Paul Bruchesi of Montreal, the organizer of the congress, on his left. The mayor’s address of welcome was an eloquent eulogium of the Catholic faith and of the loyalty of the people to the holy see. It closed with an application to the papal legate of these words of Scripture which properly apply to our Lord Jesus Christ: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!”

The legate’s reply thanked the mayor and the population of Montreal for the magnificent reception tendered him as the pope’s envoy, congratulated the Catholic portion of the population upon the ardor of their faith, the prodigality of their devotion and generosity, and the magnificence of their religious demonstrations. He voiced the sentiment that all who had contributed toward this congress were helping to exalt “the blessed sacrament of the holy eucharist.” Many so-called Protestants who contributed of their means for this demonstration, may not enjoy the light in which the papal legate placed them; but he was perfectly justified in placing them there. One prominent citizen, a professed Protestant, had headed the list of private contributions with a donation of $5,000, and many others had followed his lead with lesser amounts.

The papal legate’s official reception occurred on the 3d, but the congress did not open until the night of the 6th. In the meantime the city was a scene of the greatest activity. Everywhere the work of decorating public buildings, churches, dwellings, and streets was in progress; and Father Bernard Vaughan of England, seemingly impatient of delay, opened up a war of words with the representatives of Protestantism. In a public address, he stigmatized Protestantism as “a soulless religion,” a “religion without sacrifice,” because of its rejection of the dogma and ritual of the mass. Many Protestant leaders accepted the gage of battle, and the Canadian papers published many columns of the controversy. This attack seemed to stiffen the back of Protestantism in the dominion for the time being, and some very pointed things were said.

Father Vaughan’s attack did not meet with universal approbation among the Catholics themselves, some of the more far-seeing of the clergy taking the position that Rome’s hopes of winning Protestantism lay not in denunciation, but in setting forth, without harsh invective, the positive principles of Catholicism. This latter mode of operation, which was strongly advocated by Rev. A. P. Doyle of Washington, D. C., was the more generally approved one, and the one which will be acted

upon wherever missions to non-Catholics are carried on.

The Meaning of It

On the afternoon of September 4, the papal legate was advertised to address a gathering of Catholic women in the church of Notre Dame. Long before the hour set for the address every seat was taken and the aisles were full. It was estimated that 20,000 women were inside the edifice two hours before the time for the address, and hundreds were unable to gain admission. To avert a panic, Bishop Bruneault ascended the pulpit and held the attention of the women until the arrival of the cardinal legate. A squad of police and firemen was also summoned to the church to be on hand in case of panic. In Bishop Bruneault’s address occur these words, referring to the procession of the eucharist which was to take place on the following Sunday:

“Jesus is preparing to leave the tabernacle in which He is held captive to rest on the throne of glory to pass through the streets of your city as a king of splendor and triumph, to receive the honors of a whole people.”

The piece of bread over which a priest had uttered the words, “Hoc est corpus meum” (this is My body) was to take the place, to them, of Jesus Christ Himself. The costly monstrance in which that piece of bread was to be borne, and which was made especially for this occasion, was the throne referred to; and the people, as it passed, were to fall down and worship that piece of bread as if it were very God Himself. It was declared over and over at this congress that the consecrated wafer did not merely represent Christ, but was Christ Himself; the real presence was there, the priest had created God so soon as he had uttered the words, “Hoc est corpus meum.”

More than that, on the badges worn by the delegates was a gold chalice, and over the chalice a circle representing the consecrated wafer, with the initials “I. H. S.” stamped upon it. These initials stand for the words “Iesus hominum Salvator,” Jesus the Saviour of men; and under the chalice are these words: “Pain celeste reconfortes moi!” which, being translated, is, “Heavenly bread, comfort me!” — a prayer to the bread — not as representing Christ, but to the bread as the real Christ Himself. That idea — the real presence of Christ in the consecrated wafer — was declared by many Catholic prelates at this congress to be THE VERY SOUL OF THE CATHOLIC SYSTEM. This is that doctrine which the English coronation oath for several centuries has declared to be idolatry; and beyond a shadow of a doubt, so it is.

The bishop concluded his address by stating to the women that in the evening there would assemble in that church an army of men — their husbands, brothers, and sons — who were “ready to shed their blood for the defense of their religion and their country.”

Seated on a Throne

At the conclusion of this address the papal legate, “from his throne on the sanctuary, addressed the vast audience and imparted the papal blessing.” It is worthy of note that wherever the cardinal legate appeared in public he was seated upon a throne, with high dignitaries of the church on either hand, occupying lower seats. How different is this from the teachings of Jesus in reference to having respect of persons. Matt. 20: 26, 27. The expression, “from his throne on the sanctuary,” instinctively brings to the mind of a Protestant those words of Scripture relating to “the man of sin,” who “sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.”

In the evening another vast assemblage, consisting of 15,000 Catholic working men, gathered in the same church to hear a sermon by Archbishop Langevin of Manitoba, and to receive the papal blessing at the hands of the cardinal legate.

(Concluded next week)

Despatches from Berlin are to the effect that the emperor’s declaration that he rules by divine right has not taken so well with the people as it might have a few years ago. The Socialists over all Germany are prophesying that the emperor’s utterances will win them fifty more seats in the next national legislature; and it is further asserted that if Chancellor Bethmann von Hollweg is with the emperor in such utterances, he will find in the next Reichstag a decided majority combined against him. The Socialists’ organ declares that “the kaiser’s idea of rule is the conception of Asiatic despotism. He has of his own authority torn up the sheet of paper Von Buelow wheedled out of him and thrown the scraps to the German nation.” So far, it is said, in not a solitary newspaper have appeared his utterances. Of course the logic of the emperor’s speech would be the abolition of constitutional government; but some of his friends say his speech is merely the enthusiasm of the emperor under the inspiration of the moment, and must not be taken seriously. It shows, however, just what effect it would have if spoken at a wrong time.

Pope Pius X, who sent special delegate and blessing to the congress

The Roosevelt and Storer quarrel has been revived by the publication of letters which review the controversy concerning the ex-President’s alleged authorization of the former ambassador to Austria-Hungary to visit the pope and ask as a personal favor to the President of the United States that Archbishop Ireland of St. Paul be made a cardinal. Roosevelt has hitherto publicly denied that Storer was ever authorized to represent him in this manner, and the Archbishop Ireland letters now published by Mrs. Storer tend to make the question of veracity more keenly felt by the contestants.

Two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $5,000 is the penalty imposed on Ernest W. Gerbracht, former superintendent of the Williamsburg refinery of the sugar trust. The charge is that of conspiring to defraud the Government by means of short weights. What would have been the penalty of a bank robber who took $5,000, say? The sugar trust has stolen millions.

Sixteen persons lost their lives in a train wreck two miles east of Clayton, Kansas, September 23, where a cloudburst washed out 1,000 feet of track, and caused the plunge of a passenger train into the raging stream.

John Webb Keith, the last of a group of pioneers who came around the Horn from Boston, landing in San Francisco in June, 1849, died in the latter city, September 21.

Homeless, and a refugee from his country, Dr. Madriz, late president of Nicaragua, fled before the conquering arms of Estrada, the revolutionist, and temporarily found refuge at Amapala, the Pacific seaport of Honduras, with his principal generals and advisers. The Honduras government permitted him to remain only two days before peremptorily ordering him and his party to depart on penalty of imprisonment. There was no steamer in port, nor any aeroplane in Amapala, and he dared not go inland. What could he do? In this dilemma Dr. Madriz learned of a steamer due to arrive the following day, and cabled a request to the captain to pick him up in a small boat a few miles at sea from Amapala. This is the last that has been heard of him; for the captain of the boat to which Dr. Madriz signaled reports that, though they have made diligent search, the little boat has not been sighted and the deposed ruler cannot be found.

To Evangelize Chicago.— Four hundred Protestant churches of Chicago are ready to unite with the Chapman-Alexander campaign plan for the evangelization of their city. 400 churches, 600 ministers, 60 groups of six to ten churches, 60 evangelistic music directors, 1,000 evangelistic singers and soloists, and 5,000 evangelistic services, are figures which indicate the magnitude of this proposed campaign to begin October 16. Dr. Chapman and his associates are looking forward to the Chicago campaign as the most important step they have ever taken.

Shark’s meat has been dyed and sold for smoked salmon in San Francisco markets. The shark meat, originally white, was ingeniously given a “smoke brown” hue by the use of anilin dyes, such as the health office has already put under the ban. The manufacture of the “salmon” has been traced to Seattle, Washington.

One of the most vigorous, progressive, clear-thinking, up-to-date men in the Congress of the United States, is Senator La Follette of Wisconsin. This is not only true of his public life mentally, but he is giving his great mental ability the best of working bases; he is a vegetarian, temperate, and clean.

A woman police officer, probably the first woman in the United States to serve in that capacity, is actively engaged in the city of Los Angeles, California. Her work is confined to public resorts, where her especial work is to look out for the welfare of girls who might come under evil influences.

A schooner arriving at Seattle, Washington, September 12, from the Kuskokwim River, is reported to be covered with ashes from Mount Shishaldin, on Unimak Island. The mountain, twenty-five miles away, could not be seen for the dense smoke and cinders.

The senate of the state of California has disapproved the report of Labor Commissioner John D. Mackenzie regarding Japanese labor in California, on the ground that he has misrepresented the wishes of the people by favoring Japanese labor in this state.

The expulsion of the Jews still goes on in Kief, Russia. In three days eighty-four were driven out after a brief period had been given for their exit, while thirty-two left voluntarily.

Four persons were killed and three seriously injured in the wreck of a special train at Delorme, West Virginia, when two coaches jumped the track and crashed into the depot.

Three post-card dealers in St. Louis, Missouri, have been arrested for selling post-cards of obscene pictures. Only three! And in one city only!

Forty-two excursionists were killed in a wreck on an interurban car line near Kingsland, Indiana, September 21.

Reports say that an immense field of bituminous coal has been discovered by prospectors near Cook’s Inlet, Alaska.

Shiloh: the Man of Sorrows

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Chapter XXXII.—The Healing of the Withered Hand

NUMBER of days have passed since occurred the dastardly murder of the prophet of the wilderness; and still the mighty works of the Man of Nazareth, whose forerunner the prophet was, have gone on and multiplied. Hundreds and thousands of lives have felt the uplifting power of His presence; thousands of grateful men and women bear witness in their own bodies to the healing power of His touch. The priests and rulers are correspondingly annoyed and angry; and, headed by Annas and Caiaphas, they dog His footsteps, and send spies to catch Him in His words.

Constantly they seek excuse to bring Him before the Roman authorities, and so put an end to that life which is at once a condemnation and a rebuke to their own corrupt lives.

The entire country is astir. Astonishing miracles are of hourly occurrence. Rabbi Shaphan of Nazareth, and Jazer the scribe of Jerusalem, have lost none of their old-time hatred for the Nazarene, and with Annas and Caiaphas and many other of the priests and rulers, have unitedly agreed to destroy Him. But they must play their craven part in quiet, when possible, using diplomacy and tact, where they once carried on their vindictive warfare in public; this because they have learned to fear the people.

The raising of young Reuben of Nain from the dead has been carefully explained away by the crafty priests; and now the healing of a blind and dumb maniac, calls for a display of fresh diplomacy and deceit, and the blasphemous cry is raised, “He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the prince of devils!”

Since the burial of the Baptist by Matthias and his fellows, Matthias has journeyed to Jericho, that he might visit the home of his one-time Master, Machbor the ruler.

As the reader may remember from past descriptions, this ruler was generous and kind of heart, holding the Man of Nazareth and His followers in deep regard. But Machbor was undeniably a man of the world. He loved the praise of men, and the highest seat in the synagog,—but most and best of all did Machbor love his possessions. In his heart this man believed Jesus of Nazareth to be the promised Messiah. The time was fulfilled, and the evidence was perfect. But this Man was not popular with the priests, the Pharisees, or the rabbis; hence the ruler was not ready to proclaim himself His disciple. With increase of wealth and multiplied possessions, comes hardness of heart. Altho a frequent visitor at the home of Lazarus and his sisters at Bethany, and well aware of the continual and astonishing miracles of this Man, still did the ruler seek to stifle conviction and to drown the voice of conscience, lest in some manner it result in the separation from him of his vast and increasing possessions.

Shocked and distressed were Machbor and his wife Zilpha, at the tale of tragedy and horror which Matthias brought them, for they had loved and honored the murdered prophet.

“Herod Antipas will never again know peace!” exclaimed Zilpha, her soft voice trembling with indignation.

“Nay,” returned Machbor, “it was the deed of a craven and a coward. His royal pathway is stained with blood—the blood of innocence—like that of his father, Herod the Great. Let us thank the Almighty, friend Matthias, that thou wast preserved in thine infancy from his bloody sword. What thinkest thou? is there not danger that even this mighty Miracle-Worker may fall before the sword of Antipas?”

“Verily, Machbor, the danger is great; but there is no less danger from the priests and the rulers. Indeed, there is rather more, I believe; for of a truth they are thirsting for His life. But the Master seemeth to care for none of these things. Sometimes He healeth a man even upon the Sabbath day; and then,” continued Matthias, “then the anger of the rulers knoweth no bounds.”

“Indeed,” rejoined Machbor, “none knoweth this better than my servant Cleopas, an old man who dwelt in Emmaus, until he but lately became my servant. Ho, Cleopas! come hither,” called Machbor, as an old man with an abba wrapped about him, came briskly up the steps of the outer court.

“Come, Cleopas!” exclaimed Machbor and Zilpha in one breath, “come, tell thou this man, Matthias our guest, how the Nazarene healed thine arm in the synagog at Capernaum; for behold, Matthias dwelleth in Capernaum.”

“Capernaum seemeth a busy city, indeed, young man,” began Cleopas; “but I have dwelt in Emmaus, lo, these thirty years and more, even since the death of my wife Abigail and my little babe. Before that time I was a merchant and dwelt in Bethlehem. Ah! there is no place so dear to my heart as Bethlehem, and yet,” continued the old man as a tear glistened on his cheek, while his voice shook with emotion, “I could not endure the sight of her streets, after that terrible night of slaughter, when of a truth I lost all that was dear to me on earth, and my right arm was cleft to the bone, by the bloody sword of the soldiers of Herod.”

“What!” exclaimed Zilpha, addressing her husband, “Why, my Machbor, we knew not this; verily we knew not in what manner the right hand of our good man Cleopas became withered; we only knew that it was healed by the mighty Nazarene. Speak, Cleopas, that we may know the truth.”

“Verily I do not often allow my lips to speak of that night of horror, but to-day—to-day—it hath been with me every moment—the memory of that night; and I must speak. After I have spoken, it may hap it will haunt me less.”

“Surely,” interrupted Matthias, breathlessly, “surely thou speakest of the night of the murder of the babes of Bethlehem; but they were not all slain, O Cleopas; for I, even I escaped.”

“Then surely hath the Almighty preserved thee, my son,” returned Cleopas; “but they entered our chamber and demanded to find the Babe. ‘Where is He that is born King of the Jews, O Cleopas?’ cried Varro. Then said Abigail my wife, ‘Behold, He is gone from hence, with His mother and His father.’ But the man of blood believed her not, and murdered my babe, even in the arms of his mother, which when she had seen, behold she died also; and when I would have pressed my wife and my poor babe to my breast, lo, mine own right arm had been cleft to the bone, and the fingers crushed and mangled. And of a truth, since then, mine hand hath been withered until—”

“Thou hast done well, O Cleopas,” interrupted Zilpha, brushing tears of sympathy from her gentle eyes, as the narrator hesitated a moment, “thou hast done well that thou hast told us this tale; for if but the hearing alone, sickeneth my heart, how must thou feel its horror in thine own soul?”

“But come, Cleopas,” demanded Matthias; “behold, thou art now healed, and I would hear of thine healing by the Nazarene. Where wast thou? and how healed He thine hand?”

“I was in the synagog at Capernaum, and it was the Sabbath day. The synagog was crowded. Many had heard of the wonderful works of the Man; but none presented themselves to be healed, because it was the Sabbath day, and they feared the priests. But, young man, I had no fear of the rulers, for I believe even as this Man teacheth, that they but bind heavy burdens, grievous to be borne, upon the people of the Lord. The teachings of the Man, on this Sabbath day, were so different from those to which I had been accustomed to listen from the lips of the rabbis, that my heart was won to Him, and I felt within my soul that He would heal me, even tho it were the Sabbath day. Thinking thus, I arose and took my position nearer the seat of the Nazarene as He taught the people. As soon as I had done this, I saw that I had attracted the attention of many of the priests and rabbis, and their scowling faces convinced me that they felt no pity for me,—a crippled, gray-haired man. But I cared not, and continued to listen eagerly to the words of the Man. Finally, I noticed that I was sitting by the side of Shaphan, of Nazareth, a rabbi, and that he, with many others, was watching me closely. My withered and deformed hand hung helpless by my side. The small, deep eyes of the rabbi from Nazareth, shifted uneasily from the calm face of the great Teacher to myself.

“Suddenly the Teacher paused in the midst of His discourse, and fixed His calm, searching eyes upon the rabbi by my side.

“Tell Me, Shaphan, thou rabbi of Nazareth, is it lawful to do good upon the Sabbath day, or to do evil,—to save life, or to kill? The face of the rabbi turned livid with rage, for he saw that the Teacher had read his thoughts. His deep-sunken eyes blazed angrily, and looking around about upon his friends, he opened his lips as if to answer, but no word escaped them.

“Meanwhile, I sat trembling, and was also silent,” continued Cleopas. “Then the Man fixed His eyes upon me. Not only had He read the thoughts of the priests and rabbis, but He had also understood my own unexpressed desire to feel the touch of healing; for of a truth, I had told no man.

“Arise, and stand forth!”

“The words were spoken with power, but the eyes which were fixed upon me beamed with a love and tenderness which it is not possible, O Matthias, for me to express.

“Stretch forth thine hand!”

“This I had never done, since the sword of Varro had shattered the bones. But the words were those of authority. Immediately I determined to obey. A power which I had never before felt possessed me, I stretched forth my hand. As I looked upon it, supposing that He would touch it, behold, it was whole, like unto the other.”

Cleopas ceased speaking, and sat with head bowed thoughtfully upon his hands, which lay the one above the other upon the top of his staff. For the moment a subdued and reverent silence fell upon the little group. Indeed, so occupied was each with his own thoughts that no one noticed the approach of a stranger, who suddenly appeared, standing by one of the columns of the court.

(To be continued)

— —

God's Thoughts and Ours

By Delwin Rees Buckner

By Delwin Rees Buckner

BEHOLD the slave-built, rock-hewn pyramid, A monument of Egypt's crowning skill, The strange caprice of some ambitious will, The most gigantic thing the Pharaoh did. And yet if we could lift the snowy lid From off some heaven-piercing Alpine hill, A thousand pyramids might enter; still There would be room for others to be hid. Compared with God's, man's triumphs count as naught.

And we ourselves, compared with Him, are less. Man's dark imaginings are filled with lust; God's thoughts are pure. O, what a price that bought Such base transgressors, full of sinfulness! I loathe myself; in ash repent, and dust.

Esmeraldas, Ecuador.

The Bible Within Its Covers

“If you can bind your Bible within its covers, you might as well bury it.”

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