often in an arena only
semi-religious, or rather in that of natural religion. The effect was
wonderfully good, though doubtless due in great measure to the manner
in which his plan, so simply sketched in the letter above quoted, was
developed before the audience. The entire doubting body of
intelligent men was enlisted in varying degrees in favor of the
Catholic teaching of man's relation to God and to his fellow-men, and
against Protestantism. Americans could not help feeling disgust for
doctrines which were condemned by the maxims of the Declaration of
Independence.

Although there was nothing positively new in the method--something
like it had been used by Archbishop Hughes against the Presbyterian
champion, Breckenridge--yet the public was taken by surprise. The
style of controversy universally in vogue was that of setting up
texts of Scripture and bowling them down with other texts. But here
comes an American Catholic and arraigns Protestant doctrine at the
tribunal of American liberty. The thick-and-thin Protestant was
thrown into a rage, and became abusive and often incoherent in his
reply. The easy-going Protestant claimed that the doctrines assailed
were obsolete, as his church had, at least implicitly, changed them.
"Then change your church," said Father Hecker; "if you have come back
to the right doctrine, why not come back to the true Church?" As to
the average intelligent inquirer, he was uniformly influenced by
these lectures against the Reformation and its entire teaching, with
its dreadful effects of doubt and division among Christians.

Father Hecker had an intuitive perception of the peculiar
difficulties of the American people, and ever showed the utmost
readiness and skill in meeting them. He had a matchless power of
laying bare the wants of the human heart, and an equal facility of
pointing out the light and strength of Catholicity for their supply.
His immense sympathy for an aspiring and guileless soul deprived of
the truth, was most evident; he always looked it and spoke it and
acted it before his audience. To do so was no effort on his part. He
told of the promised land not as a native of it, but as a messenger
sent into it, and now returned with such tidings as should hasten the
steps of his brethren still wandering in the desert; and this
sympathetic interest embraced the civil as well as the religious side
of human nature. He claimed everything really American for the
Catholic faith, and