A Typical Letter From A Roman Catholic
We sometimes wonder just what our nation would be like if we had no freedom of worship as our Constitution guarantees us. If Pope Leo XIII had his way, and his followers were in the majority, then the following principle would be enforced:
" . . . It is quite unlawful to demand, to defend, or to grant unconditional freedom of thought, of speech, of writing, or of worship, as if these were so many rights given by nature to man . . ." (Taken from Leo XII's Encyclical on Human Liberty.)
The above quotation substantiates exactly and completely the charge that the Roman Church is just as dangerous and detrimental to our nation's freedoms as is the Communist movement. The above statement calls for (1) Thought control (2) Oral Censorship (3) Written Censorship and (4) Spiritual Regimentation!
The writer of an approved Catholic Dictionary stated: "The inalienable right of all men to worship GOD according to the teaching of the Catholic church." Definition of Catholic 'Freedom of Worship').
That's quite similar to a Russian election in a satellite country . . . free balloting, the right to vote ... but only one candidate's name on the ticket.
Letter From A Stranger
Today, we received a letter from a gentleman who has read some of our articles on the subject of Roman Catholicism. We have never met him, but his letter was of a far higher type than many we have received from Roman Catholics. However, even this more refined epistle was quite descriptive. We copy below, some of the phrases used in describing the religious paper in which our articles appear:
(1) ". . . conglomeration of falsehood .. ."
(2) " . . . slanderous material malicious purveyors of prevarication."
(3) ". . . journalistic trash based on ignorance or prejudice . . ."
(4) ". . . put the hate sheet where it belongs — in the garbage can!"
Those are some samples of expressions contained in an average 'refined' letter on the subject. Of course, those that come to my desk that are less refined, I would not or could not quote for publication.
A Rat-Poison Episode
Some of my associates have known of this occurrence, but several years ago, while presenting daily gospel broadcasts on the local radio station, an enthusiastic Catholic listener sent me a note along with a brand new package of rat-poison. The note asked that I take the poison; "take all of it, for we won't miss you one little bit." Well, I didn't even take the note very seriously.... let alone take the poison. But it still points up the thought . . . what would our nation be like IF we did not enjoy the right, privilege and freedom to worship as we each conceive to be right?
We have been asked: "Did you turn over the rat poison and note to the Postal Authorities or the F. B. I.?" Our reasoning has always been that the person who actually signs his name to a letter or package will do you no harm, while the one so cowardly as to be afraid to sign his name, would be afraid to do any harm . . . therefore, no report was ever made to the authorities.
However, the problems and privations that gospel preachers face today in the United States are nothing compared to those found in Catholic dominated lands. And the problems of preaching the truth in Catholic dominated nations is slight compared to the dangers and tortures faced by the Apostles and teachers of New Testament days.
Those of us who teach the truth simply need to press the truth home all the more. We need to do as Jude wrote . . . "CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS . . ." (Jude 3.)