Page:Our Neighbor-Mexico.djvu/472

460 'Liberals' and 'Conservative Romanists.' The 'Liberals' have abandoned the Roman Church. The Romanists, who have imagined from what is taught them that they can live a life of dissipation, and yet, provided they confess themselves in their dying hour, be saved, remain in the heretical sect of Rome.

"The 'Liberals' have plunged into the dark horrors of infidelity, and are the slaves of their evil inclinations; the Romanists are the slaves of the tyrant of Rome. In a word, true religion has not been the foundation of our society. The results of this want have been fratricidal wars, insecurity, avarice, poverty, and misery. Scenes of wickedness have been the schools where our Mexican children have been educated.

"Such a heart-rending picture ought to fill Christians with sorrow. They ought to ask themselves: 'Why should Mexico find itself on the border of a precipice where deepest ruin threatens?'

"The answer is a very simple one. Allow me to point it out with frankness, but without meaning to give the slightest offense, for I love you for Jesus Christ's sake. Having made this observation, I must say that all you who compose the true Church of Christ in that country neighboring to ours are partly to blame for our misfortunes. I know that you are true Christians; I know that you have imparted to Spain your generous protection; I know that you send your missionaries to remote parts of the world, such as Syria, where you generously and disinterestedly aid the Gospel work. Why, then, have you for so many years forgotten your brethren, who, by your very side, have been without the bread of the Divine word? Why do you allow them to perish, and to sink, day by day, into deeper ignorance and fanaticism? It is well and good that you should exercise your charity with those people to whom you send the light of the Gospel, however distant they may be; but this is no reason why you should leave the Mexicans by your very side in the darkness of idolatry. I am sure that you and your friends will agree with me that it is necessary to do what is possible, in order that true religion may be extended throughout this, my native land. If you think on this subject with earnest prayer to God, your consciences will call upon you to fulfill this duty as Christians. God has not in vain bestowed on your wealthy Church riches, nor in vain has He endowed you with generous hearts.