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 "We must  obey  God  rather  than  man,"  and  died  for it. Why, in  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  alone,  may  be gathered  the  grandest  treatise  on  patriotism  ever written. Each Christian  martyr  was  a  true  patriot because he  gave  his  life  for  the  Christian  faith which was,  ultimately,  to  be  the  liberator  of  his country and  all  countries  from  the  slavery  of  paganism. And who  to-day  are  the  true  patriots? The infidel throng? No, no.  "  Give  me,"  says  a  famous general, "give  me  the  soldier  who,  when  he  kisses his  country's  flag  throws  around  it  the  halo  of  his religion;  who,  in  the  vision  of  his  beloved  country, sees  the  font  of  his  baptism,  his  home,  his  Church  and the  consecrated  graves  of  his  forefathers." In a word,  since  the  public  worship  of  God  in  Christ's  own Church is  the  highest  function  of  man  or  citizen, therefore the  better  the  Catholic  the  better  the citizen — the better  the  citizen  the  nearer  to  being  a Catholic — but  the  "  ideal  Catholic  "  and  he  alone,  can be the  ideal  citizen.

Brethren, there  is  opposition  to  our  Church  even  in free  America — some  communities  calling  themselves Christian will  oppose  a  Catholic  more  than  an  atheist or Nihilist. The State  usurps  many  of  her  rights concerning education,  marriage,  and  the  like. So-called ministers  of  the  Gospel,  lurking  cowardly behind the  State,  attack  the  State's  truest  friend  as  a foreigner  and  traitor. Pseudo-patriots concoct  dark schemes for  her  destruction. Why, you  ask,  does  not the Church  bestir  herself  and  assert  her  rights? Ask the huge  lion,  as  he  stalks  along,  why  he  does  not