Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/77

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  • tution that are responsible for its retention, and

for forcing its acceptance upon the Sovereign. The gravamen, therefore, lies against the State, not against the person of the King."

Quite true; and it is therefore against the State that the Vatican powers must, and possibly may, in time, be directed.

"And," went on the Cardinal, "do not devout clergymen swear every day in good faith to teach the Thirty-nine Articles, and find every day that conscience and good faith compel them to break their engagement by submitting to the Catholic Church? When a man fully realizes that by a promise or an oath he has pledged himself to something that is unjust, immoral, untrue, the engagement ceases to bind."

Ergo, the English Church, the particular "Faith" which our King undertakes to DEFEND, is "unjust, immoral and untrue."

And, "Could Englishmen see themselves as others see them, they would be more chary than they are of provoking hatred by such wanton contempt for the feelings of other nations."

Well, Englishmen have every chance of seeing themselves as others see them, when they have to chronicle a "Christian" Cardinal's indictment accusing them of "wanton contempt for the feelings of other nations." To whom do other nations turn in want or distress but England? From whom do the famine and fever-stricken in all corners of the world obtain relief? England! Where is there any Roman Catholic country that has poured out such limitless charity and pity to all in sorrow as England? And why should the "conversion