The Anti-Catholic Crusade That Filled a Seattle Hall

Against the attack of the A.P.A. on the Catholic Church, a great crowd gathered yesterday afternoon at the Masonic hall at Pike Street. The hall had been selected as the place of meeting, but it was found wholly inadequate. The reception room was thrown open, and even this did not afford enough room, as people kept coming until the parlors and pantries were filled and packed with a mass of humanity. When the people were turning away, it was decided to throw open the room on the upper floor for an overflow meeting. After this was done the throng about the stairs was thinned out, but standing room was hardly obtainable.

Before the arrangements were completed, the people in the hall were entertained by a number of patriotic songs, which prepared men, women and children for the addresses of the speakers, who spoke against the Catholic Church and grounded their expressions on the principles of religious liberty and American independence. As on previous occasions, applause was frequent. The speakers were encouraged, but the sentiments were stated in quiet, temperate and argumentative discourse, which gave a high tone to the meeting, though not clothed in bitter words.

C. B. Sutton presided, and in introducing Rev. Mallory, who made the address of the afternoon, referred to the A.P.A. as the second grand army that will go forth and drive out the little pope Satan now enthroned at Rome. The Jesuits were condemned in fiery words. 'Here they are with their vile abominations,' said the speaker. 'Wherever they touch, they blister, they burn, they damn. They have neither home, nor country, nor wife. How long shall we tolerate them upon these shores?' The A.P.A., he said, was simply the effect of the inward disgust that for years has been gathering in the breast of patriotic Americans.

Mr. Mallory said that the people should assert themselves in the spirit of self-investigation of fact. The educational point of inquiry was what was the fact. This investigation was to be made by each man for himself. 'A.P.A.'s,' he said, 'are taking notes, are writing books, are boiling it down: they're ventilating and purifying.' He delivered most of his address from a little book concerning Catholicism, and from the outset spoke from the inquiry, 'What is the church?'

The overflow meeting was presided over by S. Rockwell, and the speakers were John Russell and Dr. and Mrs. Noyes. They were listened to attentively. Dr. Noyes made an allusion to the image of Daniel, and said he believed the A.P.A. is gathering force as it rolls, finally to crush the dragon on the throne at Rome.