# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_September 1913_S426
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

426 Kirchlich⸗Zeitgeschichtliches.

of voluntary celibacy for the clergy. V. Reform of worship. Worship
must be led back to its ancient simplieity and purity. The veneration of
the saints must be confined within the limits of the primitive idea, 80
that the abuses of the people in offering to them a superstitious kind of
Worship may cease. Worship is due only to God. The people nrust go
back to the primitive signift nçe and practice of tlie saeraments in order
that the magic function of thepriest may come to an end. The institu-
tion of confession also must undergo à reform. VI. The Gospel must be.
given to the people instead of the greater part of the actual books of piety
on which believers are now vainly trying to feed their souls. VII. Aboli-
tion of the Latin language in the liturgy and a radical reform of the
liturgy itself. VIII. The right of electing the pastors to be given back
to the laity, and the pastoral function to become again not aà domineering
one, but à function of service. IX. Sympathy with all great, reasonable,
and just social reforms, without enslaving oneself to any party, and never
losing sight of the Christian ideal. X. To work with aà view to bringing
about aà brotherly relationship between Protestants, Roman Catholics, and
as many others as follow Christ's example.“ — Die meisten dieser For⸗
derungen sind recht und berechtigt. Am vagsten und am meisten zu Be⸗
fürchtungen Anlaß gebend ist Nr. 1. Es fehlt durchaus eine Erklärung über
die Stellung zur Heiligen Schrift und zu Christo. Daß man äußerlich
vom Antichristen und seinen Machtsprüchen sich losmacht, ohne zu Christo
und seinem Wort sich zu kehren, damit ist nicht viel gedient. Das kann
zu offenbarem Unglauben ausarten, wie es bei den meisten von diesen
Leuten wohl der Fall ist. E. P.
Wenn es nur wahr wäre! Ein gutes Zeugnis gibt ihrer katholischen
Kirche die Veì World. Aus Anlaß der Dienstentlassung zweier katholischer
Lehrerinnen aus den öffentlichen Schulen in Charlotte, N. C., „nur weil sie
katholisch waren“, sagt die Vere World: In the matter of religious liberty
we Oatholics have nothing to reproach ourselves with in America. Our
history is one of real glory. We were the pioneers in proclaiming liberty
of conscience. NOo Catholie has ever spoken or written one word that
could be construed against the fundamental prineiples of liberty enjoyed
by every believer or unbeliever. We have been singularly free from
bigotry. Holding fast to our faith, we have attributed to our non-Catholic
fellow-eitizens the same sincerity of belief that we desire them to extend
to us. We bhave never raised the religious issue in political affairs. We
have, as Catholics, no political ambitions. As Catholie eitizens we have
rights, rights that we shall dearly defend, because given to us by the Con-
stitution under which we live. It is evident that we who are the strongest,
most cçompact body in Ameérica, bear our strength with a restraint and
a dignity that is admirable. What body numbering 15,000,000 would go
about its own business in the serene composure that we do? We are not
sleeping. We want peace with all men. When we are aroused, we have
the might and the will.“ — Zwar steht geschrieben: „Laß dich einen andern
loben und nicht deinen Mund, einen Fremden und nicht deine eigenen Lip⸗
pen“, Spr. 27, 2. Ob der „Notfall“ vielleicht eine Ausnahme macht? Der
Notfall wäre in diesem Falle der, daß man gern gelobt sein will und es
niemand anders tut. Was von den Römischen als „pioneers in proclaim-
ing liberty of conscience“ zu halten ist, hat „L. u. W.“ erst kürzlich wieder
gezeigt. C. P.