THE CHURCH OF ROME.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11012, 9 July 1901, Page 2

THE CHURCH OF ROME.

THE BISHQPI* SERMON. TO THE EDITOR O» *THB TRES3 Sir,—l was much surprised this morning in reading 'in the newspapers the ■ sermon of Bishop Julius for the Orange Society. A gentleman c< his reputed learning and' ability should h*ve been the last to raise the cry of "intolerance. Hitherto, both Catholics and ' Protestant* have lived in : harmony together in tins colony; Catholics are to be found in Army, Jiavy, pablie offices, and ■ places of business. By knowing each other> better; they 'have learned te i esteem one another. Bishop Julius,, it ! sicms, is sorry for that state of things; he would have Catholics to be ostracised, and all the walls of the city and every page of the local papers to be blazoned with the old Orange motto, "No Papist need apply." But I think he will find himself mistaken, and all enlightened persons will give him the cold shoulder and loudly condemn his iincharitablenit-ss and want of tact and prudence. I do not wish, nnless compelled", to do so, to enter into controversy with his Lordship; besides, he is too shrewd to attempt it, because he knows too well that be would be worsted in the fight, and have public opinion against him. However, there is one thing I cannot let paws unnoticed. If the ieport of his discourse Wy the local papers is accurate, his Lordship is reported to have said: "Speaking plainly, he regarded the supremacy of Rome in any country as being fatal to that country's rood, and, in the long run, disastrous to true religion. Therefore* he believed that the Caurch of Rome's actrvity demanded the most strenuous and organised opposition." What! Catholics a danger to: the. State? A fundamental dogma of the Catholic Church is to respect every legitimate authority, never to join any secret society, never to take part in any revolution, and when unjustly persecuted , sever to seek redress but by lawful means and moral suasion. The Pope has repeatedly told the Cat Holies of France to accept the Republic unreservedly, although, the present Government persecutes innocent Joins, who spend their lives for the relief of the nursing the sick, and teaoliing little children; although by the civil law priests are obliged to serve in the army, and monasteries are unjustly mulcted. Are our soldiers, who are fighting in South Africa a danger to the State? yet many of them and several of their generals and officers are sincere Catholics. Was the ilarquis of Ripon, Viceroy of India; a danger to the State? Was Sir Frederick WtLd, Governor of Tasmania, a dinger to the State? Was Lord Charles Russell, Lord Chief Justice, a danger to the State? Is the Honourable Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Railways and PostmasterGeneral, a danger to the State? A large number of our police force are Catholics, are they also a danger to the State? No one, if I am not mistaken, is admitted to the Civil Service except he be duly qualified and has fulfmed all the conditions required by the State; to think the contrary would be a slur on our Miriiaters and representatives. If Bishop Julius wants the children of his p3rsuasion to be taught. religion, why do not Anglicans build and support schools of their own, out of their own pockets, as Catholics are dohrg all over th« world? Is it not, perhaps, because Catholics are thoroughly convinced of the divinity and apostohcity of their Church and mtmy Protestant* ere not? As to mixed marriages, Catholic* dislike them, discourage tbemj but, valuing their faith more than their lives, they insist on all children born of a | Catholic parent being brought up Catholics. If tba Protestant party will not consent to this, he is quite free to marry α-percon of : his own persuasion, which certainly would be the best; what tyranny is there in this?, j Cannot Protestants do the same, as Bishop Julius advises them? X it be right for Protestants to do so, how couCd it be wrong for Catholics? Those who live in,glass houses should not throw stonee.

Bishop Julius spraises the Orange Society for their loyalty to the State and to the Church. Is he aware that this, organisation of which "we should be all proud" was suppressed by Act of Parliament in the year 1826? or that Orangemen were at the bottom of the Cumberland' plot, to deprive our late lamented Queen, then Princess Victoria, of her tawful right to the Throne? Does he know that on the let of July, 1822, and th 3 14th of 'November, 1829, general orders were issued by the Oomsnainder-in-Chief of tb.3 Forces, strongly reprobating the holding of Orange Lodges in any regiment as "fraught with injury to the discipline orthe Army; that, on military grounds, the hold ing of Orange Lodges in any regiment or corps is contrary to order and the rules of the service?" Iβ his Lordship also jcquainted with the true nature of the Orange oath? Much more I could say, but this will suffice for the present.—Yours, etc., jf. LE MENANT DES CHESNAIS. S.M.,V.G. TO THE EDITOB OF THE PBSBS. Sir, —Iβ it not incredible that any edncated, charitably-disposed gentleman could, in this twentieth century of progress arid liberty, make use of the language attributed to Bishop Julius in his address to the Orange Society at his Cathedral, on Sunday last. You rightly headed your report, "The Church of Rome," as it was nothing, more nor less, than a bloated, bigoted tirade against $hat Church, before its sworn enemies and calumniators. That the preacher knew this there is no doubt, and that ha selected his opportunity to relieve himself of a long-bolstered-up imaginary grievance against the Catholics, .the Association," and the Government, is equally certain, as he dare not address himself as he did to the ordinary intelligent attendant* at the .Cathedral.

He is reported to have said that c "The presence of the Roman Catholic Church in any country demanded most strenuous end earnest opposition." Are not these the words of a demagogue, a mischief-maker and an anarchist? Is this in harmony with the teaching of a Bishop of tbe Church of Christ, which the preacher styles! himself? Surely, no. Imagine Bishop Grimes, for instance, on a St. Patrick's Day, or any other oay, addressing a congregation of Catholics, especially those hailing from the land cf "Teaw and Squabbles," in a similar strain on the Catholic side, and what would the general public say? Of course Bishop Crrunes knows better than to do this, as we are aware that he practises in the true sense the peaceful teachings of his Divine Master whose disciple he is. Evidently Bishop Julius must have been carried away by the gorgeous regalia of the brethren he was addressing, else, how can your readers ifccount for his inconsistencies when speaking of Catholics? After stigmatising the Church a» unworthy to exist, he, nevertheless, sees in themselves many good points. For instance. He applauds the organisation of tli« Catholics, in case of marriage, in seeing that the children, if any, are baptised into that Church. He positively affirms that the Catholic Church had the whole of tbe religious teaching in these colonies, and that "the Protestants (one of whom he is) were training up their children as heathens." "The Church of England (meaning his own Church, though he would have it called tbe 'Catholio Church* when it suits him) endeavoured to teach religion in the State schools, but she was being driven out from one corner to another, ,, "and if Rome should ever get the supremacy of religion in New Zealand, it would be because Protestants did not care enough for. their religion to teach it to their children." I wonder what the Wesleyaos, Methodists, Presbyterians, Freethoughtism. etc, etc., allot whom approve of tbe present secular system, think of this logic? It seems, too, that the "Ministers' Association* (in which there is not one Catholic) has been hoaxed by these wicked Romans to have proselytisKv by the Church of England parsons discontinued in the Chrjiitchurdi Hospital. Again, "tbe CathoJica worked together, and pulkd together, and their vot&s counted for something." So say* this Bishop, who prefers Jieatlteus to Catholics, and, in conclusion, he exhorts hie hearers totiy and copy their example. Need I tjUote any more of bis incoherent phrases to-prove that ha is jealous of his fellow-Catholic*' prosperity, especially in the building line, and that he himself is a disapjK>lnt«^aaa?—teutti «*., '„■'* JUSTICE.

TO THE EDITOR OT THB PASS*. Sir,—>Som« time ago a great outcry was made in New Zealand because of certain observations made in New South Wales by Dr. Redwood, concerning , the"* origin and outcome *f Protestantism. It i* not my object to defend either the accuracy or the expediency of the Archbishop's, sermon, but I should like tv knoe- in what respect he offemive character >■„ difl>reiic- from . the sermon delivered by Dr. Julius on Sunday to the Orangemen "of Christchurch. Whatever may be the vate of Orangeism to Protestantism, and its aid is very doubtful, there is no question of its active, unjust, and uncharitcble am&gonism to the Roman Catholic Church r.ad all members of that eommumon. All «u*4ligent and charitable members of the Anglkan Church must, or should, regietthe nndignified, unscholarly, and illogical tirade delivered by Dr. Julius for the purpose of gratify in g the unchristian feelings of bis Orange audience, and hurting those and injuring the worldly prospects of Christchurch Catholic citizens. However, Dr. Julius, after the. manner of an out-of-date piece of did more execution to the side whose cause he espoused than he succeeded in inflicting on his Catholic adversaries, against w&om lie discharged his episcopal thunder. Belief can 6flly be judged by actions. . If a man profess to hold certain doctrines, and his -life belie his assertions, the inference is irresistible that his belief is a sham one*?. The learned doctor admitted that Catholics do give their children a religious education. They can ill afford to do so, but they make sacrifices to give practical.proof of their sincerity. On the other hand Dr. Julius again admitted that lie and his Orange friends allowed the children under their care to be brouglit up as heathens. Inference, they do not believe what they profess. But one and all of prefer that heathenism, paganism, and immorality should be rampant in the land rather than that Protestant children should be religiously educated, lest any aid should be given to help Catholics to persevere in that course which arouses the enmity and hatred of bigots, whether of the yellow order or otherwise.—Yours, etc., CHRISTIANITY.