THE Monitor, a Roman Catholic paper published in San Francisco, has this to say about the Independent of this city:—
There is a paper in the East called the Independent. It is one of the ablest Protestant papers of its kind in the world. But it is broad-minded, generous, and truthful according to its light. While it is a thorough-going Protestant organ, yet it speaks of the pope’s encyclical in terms of deep sympathy and it pays tribute to his piety and sincerity. If all the others were like the Independent how soon the Catholics and Protestants would learn to like each other better as they knew each other more.
To get the full significance of this it is necessary to bear in mind to what the pope’s encyclical invites “the peoples of the world.” This the encyclical itself does not tell, but the article entitled “Saint Worship,” on another page of this paper reveals something of the nature of the feast which Rome has prepared for her guests. Truly, “if all the others were like the Independent how soon would the Catholics and Protestants learn to like each other better;” yea, how soon there would be no Protestants even in name, and all the world would be worshiping finger bones of the various satins, and other objects of popish superstition. [272]