"FRIEND OF HUMANITY."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 10

"FRIEND OF HUMANITY."

OLD OPPONENT'S TRIBUTE.

CONTROVERSY RECALLED.

RESPECT GREW TO ADMIRATION.

(By Telegraph.'— Own Correspondent.).

WELLINGTON, this day,

Among the appreciations of tlie late Bishop Cleary one written by an old controversial opponent, Dr. Janies Gibb, is especially notable.

; "Tlie tidings that Bishop Cleary had ', passed away have," ho said, "awakened i widespread regrets, not only in his own p communion, but in the general community. Ho was widely recognised as a man. of high ability, a true friend of '" humanity and a devoted servant of God. I never met him face to fade, but I had .many years ago a good many contacts of a kind With him. Old Duliedinites Whose memories stretch back thirty years may recall a controversy Which ; raged iii 'the columns of 'the 'Evening : Star/ in which the Bishop, then Father Cleary, and myself were protagonists, That controVersy, which lasted for liiaiiy weeks, excited very general interest. Though there Was a good deal of hard hitting oil both sides the controversy ended With a very keen conviction, on . my part at least, of the dexterity and skill of my opponent. "The Catholic Church in New Zealand has never had a inore devoted defender than the late Bishop. In Duncdin ho was editor of the 'New Zealand Tablet—a very able editor.- Subsequently my respect for Father Cleary deepened into admiration of his manifold gifts of head and heart, the people Of his Own Church had more than reason t"0 admire the zeal and efficiency With Which lie discharged the duties of his episcopate, aiid in nothing did he shine more tiiah iii his handling of his jouriial, 'the Moiith, 5 Whieh he established iii 1918. lb' lias. been frequently held up* to conductors of the journals of other Churches as all that a Church paper ought to-be. When oiie remembers Ills frail body, one Wonders the more at,his remarkable productivity, his resolute will and neverfailing Courage; . He Knew Where He Stood. "Bishop ClearV was a great priest, and as such his services Were of necessity limited to the Roman Catholic Clltir-ch. How zealously he served that body we have beeu learning—if we did . not already knOw—froiii the newspapers; As a, leader he always kiieW Where life stood. That, of course, i« a characteristic of all Catholic teachers,, and, I suppose, of the. people they teach. It is often said that the Roman Catholic Church has no small respect for the Presbyterian Church, because it, too, is supposed to know where it stands. I am not sure of the accuracy of this imputation. Li any case, we do not. stand where the Roman Catholic stands, but it is no exaggeration to say .that a good many Presbyterian Ministers envy the grip the Roman Catholic Church has on its people. Is it possible we can. all some day filid ourselves back iii the bosom of the Mother Church ? I do hot think this is iii the least likely to happen, but with leaders i and teachers' like Dr. Cleary ifj is no wonder that the Roman Catholic people never 6wervc from this assurance. A .Fecelilt book, 'The Age of the "Catholic .Church—A ' Forecast,' by ■ Dr. ofie .Ofvthabest known Catholic waters iii Britain, may fee said to be keyed' tO this conviction from bdgiiiiiing to end. .->- : .... . Could 111 Be Spared. "But Bishop Cleary was more than a priest. He was a great humanitarian, and' as such he belonged to all the Church. While we grieve With our Roman Catholic friends in their loss of so able, so resolute a defender Of the Church, We limy Well grieve for Otir'selves in the loss of a great personality. Devoted to the furtherance of virtue, teniperance and charity, he was a man Who could ill be spared."