If life is the test of thought
rather than thought the test of life," wrote Van Dyke, "we should be
able to get light on the real worth of a man's ideals by looking at the
shape they would give to human existence if they were faithfully
applied." For, as Cromwell said, "The mind is the man."

The participation in civic, social and national activities will afford
the occasion of meeting our non-Catholic neighbours. This personal and
repeated contact, particularly with the leaders of the community, on
occasions when the best brains can concentrate together without clash
of principle, is, in our humble estimation, of the greatest value. The
participation of the Knights of Columbus in war activities and
reconstruction work is a striking illustration of this point. Nothing
has more helped the Church in the American Republic, in breaking down
the barrier of anti-Catholic prejudice, than the stand its Catholic
laity took during and after the Great War. Have we not in Western
Canada been rather remiss in our participation in public activities?
If we have not had our share in public life, it has often been, we must
confess, our own fault.

The strength of the silent propaganda lies in its _persistency_ and
_consistency_. A silent continuous and intelligent activity, and not a
mere passivity, on the part of Catholics, is what characterizes this
tremendous force. Like the tide, it creeps from pebble to pebble, from
rock to rock, submerging every thing under its conquering waters.

The logic of Catholic life lends its consistency to this silent force.
Our life is indeed the best proof of our principles. No one on the
contrary does more harm to the Church than a Catholic whose life is not
in harmony with his belief. The non-Catholic points to his life, with
a sneer, and says: "See, he is no better than others!" This reasoning,
we know is false, but for the unthinking masses, very often conclusive.

This silent drive is the necessary background of the _open propaganda_
of which we would now say a few words.

The sincerely aggressive Catholicism of the laity cannot confine its
activities to the home and narrow circle of friends, no more than that
of the clergy can find its limit in the pulpit and the confessional.
Let us go into the open. The sun of liberty is blazing bright for us
all, under the blue skies of Canada. To witness at times, our cringing
spirit, our childlike timidity, our cowardice, one would think that