the white man; he has a like intellect, the same
blood courses in their veins; they are both equally the children
of a common Father, who is in heaven. A man shows a narrowness of
mind and becomes unworthy of his humanity by refusing any
privilege to his fellowman because he is colored. Every prejudice
entertained, every breach of justice and charity against a
fellow-citizen because of color is a stain flung upon the banner
of our liberty that floats over us. No church is a fit temple of
God where a man, because of his color, is excluded or made to
occupy a corner. Religion teaches that we cannot be pleasing to
God unless we look upon all mankind as children of our Father in
heaven. And they who order and compel a man because he is colored
to betake himself to a corner marked off for his race,
practically contradict the principles of justice and of equal
rights established by the God of Mercy, who lives on the altar.
Let Christians act out their religion, and there is no more race
problem. Equality for the colored man is coming. The colored
people are showing themselves worthy of it. Let the colored be
industrious, purchase homes, respect law and order, educate
themselves and their children, and keep insisting on their
rights. The color line must go; the line will be drawn at
personal merit."[512]

There may be cited other instances of the friendly interest of leading
prelates and Bishops of the Church in the welfare of the Negro and of
care for their spiritual interests. They have ever been anxious that
justice be done to the race. The late Pope Pius X, sometime before his
death, wrote a letter through his secretary to the Rt. Rev. Thomas S.
Byrne, Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee, saying that he "most earnestly
wishes that the work of the Apostolate to the colored people, worthy
of being encouraged and applauded beyond any other undertaking of
Christian civilization, may find numerous and generous contributors."

JOSEPH BUTSCH

ST. JOSEPH'S SEMINARY,
BALTIMORE, MD.

FOOTNOTES:

[478] Dollinger, "The Gentile and the Jew," II, p. 265.

[479] Aristotle, "Politics," I, 3-4.

[480] Plato, "The Laws," VI, p. 233.

[481] Cardinal Gibbons, "Our Christian Heritage," pp. 416-420.

[482] Cardinal Gibbons, "Our Christian Heritage," p. 432.

[483] Cardinal Gibbons, "Our Ch