284 ANDREW J. SHIPMAN MEMORIAL 



have within all their respective folds less than one-quar- 

 ter (24.1 per cent) of the population of these continental 

 United States. The Catholic Church has less than fif- 

 teen per cent (14.3 per cent), while the Jews, Orthodox 

 Greek and others hold but 7 per mill of the entire popula- 

 tion. All of these together make up but 39.1 per cent of 

 the population, or say, about 32,940,000 souls. This leaves, 

 out of a population of 84,250,000, as shown by that census, 

 some 51,310,000 persons who are without any church connec- 

 tions whatever, and for aught that we know have little or no 

 knowledge of their Saviour and Redeemer, or of any God 

 or any religion. There is the field — the harvest is ripe — and 

 you and I can put forth our very best efforts in that wide 

 territory of homeless souls without unnecessary friction or 

 crossing each other's paths too often. It is that wide field, 

 filled with human, eager souls, varying all the way from mild 

 indifference and ignorance to virulent animosity to Christ 

 and His faith, which the Catholic Church is most eager to 

 reach. It is a matter of the deepest, heartfelt concern to us, 

 and it ought not to fail to be of importance to you. 



In the ancient Creed, the test or description of the Church 

 founded by our Lord was, "I believe in one holy Catholic 

 and Apostolic church." That is but a duplication of St. Paul's 

 definition : "Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 

 bond of peace, one body and one spirit, as you are called in 

 one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism" 

 (Eph. iv, 3-5), and this is but an amplification of Our Lord's 

 words : "And there shall be one fold and one shepherd" 

 (John X, 16). In the whole world to-day there is but one 

 Christian body which answers to the test of unity. Search 

 throughout the world, from the uttermost bounds of the East 

 to the furtherest confines of the West, and you will find but 

 one Christian Church which is everywhere and, being every- 

 where, is united. Wherever you find the Catholic Church in 

 America, it is united in one body ; it teaches one faith ; it 

 acknowledges one baptism. If you find it in England, Ireland, 

 France, Belgium, Holland, Scandinavia, Germany, Russia, 

 Austria, Italy, Spain or Turkey, or in Asia, Africa or Oceania 

 it is the same. It everywhere teaches the same doctrine, is 

 everywhere in unity and in unison. Nowhere else in the wide 



