"Polish priests about Pittsburg are said to boast of the
number of Bibles, distributed by Protestants, which they gather from the
people and burn." If once Protestantism gets a grip upon them, rapid
defection from ecclesiastical tyranny will follow. Dr. H. K. Carroll
figures that the Polish Catholics as distinct from Roman Catholics, have
forty-three churches and 42,859 communicants, with thirty-three
priests--this representing the extent of revolt against the Romish
Church. It must be granted that comparatively little has been done to
reach this people, and it is not strange that as yet the number of
Protestant Poles is small. It takes a larger and more imposing movement
to make a definite impression upon those accustomed to the size and
strength of the Catholic organizations.
_III. The Slovaks_
[Sidenote: A Farming People]
The Slovaks of northern Hungary number about two millions, and are
closely akin to the Bohemians and Moravians. According to Mr. Rovinanek,
editor of the Pittsburg _Slovak Daily_, they constitute the trunk of the
great Slavonic national tree, from which have branched so many of the
Slav people, at the head of whom now stands the powerful Russian empire.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176