slomSek
57
SLOTH
nik" (The Herald) is a weekly of Calumet, Michi-
gan; as are also "Edinost" (Unity), of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania; "Clevelandska Amerika", of Cleve-
land, Ohio; " Xarodni Vestnik " (People's Messenger),
of Duluth, Minnesota; and "Slovenski Narod"
(Slovenian People), of Pueblo, Colorado. There are
also two purely Socialistic weeklies in Chicago:
"Proletarec" (Proletarian) and "Gla-s Svobode"
(Voice of Freedom). A very fine work, "Amerika
in Amerikanci" (America and the Americans),
descriptive of all the United States and Slovenian
life and development here, has been publi.shed by
Father J. M. Trunk at Klagenfurt, Austria.
Balch, Our Slavic Fellow Citizens (New York, 1910); HousT, Krdtke Dejiny a Seznam Cesko-Katolick^ch Osad ve Spoj. Sldteck Americhych uSt. Louis. 1890); KoHLBECK. The Catholic Bohemians of the United States in Champlain Educator, (New York, Jan.- Mar., 1906); xxv, 36^54; Kaleff, V Amerika (Madison, 1911); Zc)Ricl5. Naii izseljenici u Sjedinj. Drzavami Americkim (Agram. 1900); Radio, Modema Kolonizacija i Slateni (Agram, 1904); Krcszka. Hislorya Polska w Ameryce (Milwaukee, 1905-09); Janik, Ludnoii Polska w Ameryce (Lemberg, 1905); Khaitser, The Poles in the United Slates of America (Philadelphia. 1907); Praroslavny Kalendar (New York. 1900-12); Amerikanski Russki Miesiatsoslov (Homestead. 1907-12); Fuhdek, Zirot Slorakor v Amerike in Tovarysstvo, III (Ruzomberok. 1S90); Seton-Watson. Racial Problems in Hungary (London, 1908); FuRDEK, Catholic Slovaks of Hungary (Wilke.s-Barre. 1906); Capek, The Slovaks of Hungary (New York, 1906); Stead, Servia by the Servians (London, 1909); Durham, Through the
Laruls of the Serb (London. 1904); Kalendar Sloga (New York.
1912); SCMAN, Die Slovenen (Vienna. 1881); ScSTEflSif, Poduk
Rojakom Slovencem (Joliet, 190.3); Trunk, Amerika in Ameri-
kanci (Klagenfurt. 1911-12); Reports of the Commissioner of
Immigration (Washington, 1900-12). ■
Andrew J. Shipman.
Slomiek, Antox Martin, Bishop of Lavant, in Maribor, Stvria, Austria, noted Slovenian educator, b. ISOO; d. 24 Sept., 1862. The dawn of the nine- teenth centurj' found the Slovenian schools in a pre- carious condition; their number was pitifully small, and the courses they offered were inadequate and un- satisfactory. This deplorable state was due to the fact that the .\ustrian officials endeavoured to sup- press the national language, and, to compass this end, introduced foreign teachers thoroughly dis- tasteful to the people, whom in turn they despised. Moreover, books, magazines, papers, and other educational influences were lacking, not because they would not h:ive been gUwUy welcomed, but because they were forbidden by the Government in its fear of Panslavisin. This situation Bishop Slomsek was com- pelled to face. A man of initiative and discernment, the changes he wTought in a short time were wonder- ful. In the Constitution of 1S4S, granting national rights long denied, he found his instrument. Follow- ing this mea,sure, though only after many futile at- tempts, he received official sanction to undertake the reform of the schools. The first fruits of his labours were a series of excellent text-books, many from his own pen, which proved powerful factors in the growth and development of religious as well as national education. The founding of the weekly, "Drob- tinice" (Crumbs), was his nex-t step. Essays and books on a great variety of subjects, embracing prac- tically everj' question on which his countrjTnen stood in need of enlightenment, were published in quick succession, and his vigorous and incisive style, well adapted to the intelligence of his readers, though not lacking scholarly refinement, made his works ex- ceedingly popular. His pastorals and seniions con- sfitutealiteraturcof lasting value. In 1841 besought to realize a dream of years — the establishment of a Bocietj' for the spread of Catholic literature. Un- fortunately, the movement w.'is branded as Pansla- vistic, and failed at the lime; but ten years later this organization was effected, and Driizba sv. Mohora began sending a few instructive IxHiks to Catholic homes. To-day, a million educational volumes have been distributed among a million and a half of people.
Although Slomsek was ardent and active in the interest s of his own race, yet he was admired and loved
by great men of other nations, and his kindness and
tact eliminated all bitterness from the controversies
in which he was forced to engage. Patriotism, the
education of his people, their temporal and spiritual
welfare, were his inspiring motives, as the non-
Catholic Makusev remarks: "Education, based on
religion and nationality, was his lofty aim". Hu-
mility and childlike simplicity marked his life. His
priests, sincerely devoted to him, frequently heard him
repeat the words: "When I was born, my mother
laid me on a bed of straw, and I desire no better
pallet when I die, asking only to be in the state of
grace and worthy of salvation".
Grafex.^xer, Hist, of Slovenian Literature (1862).
P. Cyril Zupan.
Slotanus (Schlottands, van der Slooten), John (John Geffex), polemical wTiter; b. at Geffen, Brabant; d. at Cologne, 9 July, 1.560. He joined the Dominican order at Cologne about 152.5. For many years he ably defended the Faith against the heretics by preaching and writing. Later he taught sacred letters at Cologne, and in 15.54 was made a doctor of theology. About this same time he became prior of his convent at Cologne, and as such exercised the offices of censor of the faith and papal inquisitor throughout the Archdiocese of Cologne and the Rhine countrj'. In the discharge of the.se responsible duties Slotanus came into conflict with the learned Justus Velsius, who in 15.56, on account of heretical teachings, was obhged to leave Cologne. The vehe- ment writings which Velsius afterwards published against the Cologne theologians moved Slotanus to WTite two works in which nearly all the heretical doctrines of his time are discussed with admirable skill.
Among his various works those most worthy of men- tion are: " Disputationum adversus hxreticos fiber unus" (Cologne, 1558); "De retinenda fide or- thodoxa et catholica adversus hsreses et sectas" (Cologne, 1560); "De barbaris nationibus con- vertendis ad Christum" (Cologne, 15.59). In the last-named work Slotanus witnesses to the ardent missionary zeal which fired the religious men of his time.
EcHARD. Script. Ord. Prad., II, 175; HtjKTER, Nomenclator; Meuser. Zur Geschichte der Kolner Theologcn im 16. Jahrh. in Kalh. Zeil.ichr. fUr Wissenschaft und Kunst. II (Cologne, 1845), 79 sq.; Paulus. Kolner DominicancrschriflstcUer a.d. 16. Jahrh, in Katholik 11(1897) 238 sq.
Chas. J. Callan. Slotb, one of the seven capital sins. In general it means disinclination to labour or exertion. As a capi- tal or deadly vice St. Thomas (II-II, Q. xxxv) calls it sadness in the face of some spiritual good which one has to achieve (tristitia de bono npiriliKdi). Father Rickaby aptly translates its Latin equivalent acedia (Gr. dKTjdla) by saying that it means the don't-care feeling. A man apprehends the practice of \drtue to be beset with difficulties and chafes under the re- straints impo.sed by the service of God. The narrow way stretches wearily before him and his soul grows sluggish and torpid at the thought of the painful life journey. The idea of right living in.spires not joy but disgust, because of its laboriousness. This is the notion commonly obtaining, and in this sense sloth is not a specific vice according to the teaching of St. Thomas, but rather a circumstance of all vices. (Jr- dinarily it will not have the malice of mortal sin un- less, of course, we conceive it to be so utter that be- cause of it one is wiUing to bid defiance to some serious obligation. St. Thomas completes his definition of sloth by saying that it is torpor in the presence of spiritual goo<l which is Divine good. In other words, a man is then formally distressed at the prospect of what lie must do for God to bring about or keep in- tact his friendship with God. In this .sense sloth is directly opposed to charity. It is then a mortal sin unless the act be lacking in entire advertence or full
