DEATH OF CARDINAL MANNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8775, 15 January 1892, Page 5

DEATH OF CARDINAL MANNING.

Press Association.Sleotrio Telegraph.—

London, January 13. Cardinal Manning is sinking, and the sacrament has been administered to him. January 14. Cardinal Manning died at eight o'clock this morning. CARDINAL manning's life. The following interesting sketch of the life of Cardinal Manning, embodied in an interview which a New ¥ork Herald reporter had with His Eminence a short time ago, soon after tho news leaked out that the physicians of the aged prolate had ordered him to give up work, will bo read with more than ordinary interest now that news of his death has arrived :— A WELL-KNOWN FIGURE. Up to very recently tho Cardinal has been seen in London, looking about as usual. Indeed, the writer saw him in one of tho most squalid spots in London only a short time ago, pursuing his work among tho London poor. He was clad in a simple clerical garb. His figuro, though thin and bent, still arose far above those of ordinary men whom ho met. Standing erect, ho would measure nearly six feet throe inches in stature. His hair was very scant, and white as snow. But it was tho clean-cut face of this old man that would attract attention. Over it tho skin was drawn like parchment. It was a long, thin, powerful, (esthetic face, with intellectuality in every lino and wrinkle. In the contour of the jaw and chin there were those marks of decision and strength of character that stamp tho leader of men. Now and then some passer by would tonder the aged man a respectful salute, and he in turn would not fail to bow in graceful courtesy. Again he would pause to pat some ragged, dirty-faced urchin on tho head and address to tho abashed youngster some smiling remark. Such was Henry Edward Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Westminster, head of the Roman Catholic Church in England, and tho last of the great English Cardinals in the Roman Church. It was significant of the character of the man that although past eighty-three years of ago, he was still to be. seen in tho London slums attending to church work that some curates would think it beneath their dignity to perform. Tho aged Cardinal, since Newman's death, has stood alone and unique among English churchmen. He has outlivod all his followers. Cardinal Newman, in some respects the greatest of them, is dead. Pusoy and tho other leaders in the Tractarian Movement that brought both Newman and Manning into the Roman Catholic Church aro dead long since. Cardinal Howard, of the great Catholic family of tho Howards, still lives, but lie has boon at Rome these many years, and has been in such a condition of mind that, it has been necessary to keep him under restraint. I.AST OF THE CARDINALS. So Manning may bo said to bo tho last of tho Cardinals in England, and, what is moro, when ho dies it is more than probable that his place will not bo filled for many years at least. Cardinal Manning says that tho Catholic Church is growing constantly throughout all England, and he ought to know. It is just as true, on the other hand, that it has of late years developed no great churchman. Tho ablest of them, Newman and Manning himself wcro converts. Thero are great Catholic noblemen, like tho Duke of Norfolk and the Marquis of Bute, who may wish tho Cardinalato to be kept up, but Leo XIII. has not yet found a man big enough to (ill tho vacancy caused by tho death of Newman, and to appoint a successor to Manning will not be less difficult when tho tiuie comes. A VISIT TO THE PRELATE. An old family servant, who has been with the Cardinal for twenty-five years, ushered me into Ins presence. I passed through the great ballroom where the Guards used to dance, then descended some stono steps, and was in the Cardinal's presence. The first thing that struck mo when 1 glanoed about the room was the thought that he is inclined to be an untidy worker. Papers, books, pamphlets, letters, are heaped on the lioor, on chairs, everywhere in confusion. Nearly a dozen tables crowded tho room, all of them covered with letters from everywhere. AN ODDITY. Tho Cardinal docs not himself work at any of the tables. He sits in a great armchair in the middle of tho room, and when ho writes it is upon a small pad that he rests on his knee or in his hand. I was surprised by this oddity on tho last occasion when I was granted tho privilege of seeing tho Cardinal in this workshop. He noticed this and smiled. " I have written in this way for fifteen years," he said simply, "and it has become a second habit with me." , Then the old prolate, noting my glance at the litter of letters about the room, again smiled in his pleasant way. " You think my mail must be largo," ho said. " Well, so it is. 1 roceive hundreds of letters every day from almost everywhere. I open them all myself, and I assure you it takes not a little time. Some of them I answer personally and tho rest are answered by my two secretaries. It is no small part of their duties, and it koep3 them at work many hours every day." Here tho Cardinal reached a table near by and picked up a small envelope. It had on it an American post-mark. " This," ho said, " is from an American schoolgirl. It is .strange that a good many letters I receivo come from children. They write mo from the United States, from Canada, and even Australia, and I take a good deal of pleasure in those letters, too. Indeed, my greatest friends are among tho children. On July 15—that is my birthday—they never fail to send mo flowers without number. Thoy quite fill tho house." The aged man hero paused and mused for a moment. "It is a long, long time since I myself was young," ho said at length. " When one passes four score and threo years ho begins to fool old and rather feeble, just as I do." STILL WORKING HARD. I suggested that the Cardinal was still doing a good deal of work despite his advanced age. " Yes, ho replied. "I have been used to work, hard work, all my life. I love work. It is part of my life. Besides, there is so much to bo dono that I do not feel that I can bo idle. I have a long day. Beginning at six o'clock in the morning, I am frequently still at work at eleven at night. I dine early at half-past one and havo tea at half-past seven. In addition to my other work 1 read the principal newspapers, paying particular attention to foreign news." Going on, tho Cardinal said that since 1808 he had been a total abstainer from the use of liquor, and that of late years he.has been almost a vegetarian as well. It is on record that when at Harrow Cardinal Manning was a famous cricketer, and I called his attention to this and he laughed. " 1 cannot say truly that I was a wonderful player," ho said. "I was on the Barrow eleven and played against Eton and other schools. But my impression now is that we usually got beaten. I do not remember that 1 played any better or much worse than my comrades. 1 was, in those days, very fond of shooting, riding, boating, and athletic sports generally. I had soma ambition to bo a boatbuilder, and spent a good deal of time carving out rough models." THE OLD MAN AROUSED. It was when the Cardinal's attention was druwn to statements that Christianity was not holding its own against infidels, agnostics, and the like that he spoko most vigorously. "I have been in the thick of religious life for more than sixty years," said he, with a flash of his steel-blue eyes, "and I believe from my experience that faith and religion have enormously grown in England since the time of John Wesley. From tho time of Elizabeth to, say 1780, religion had steadily declined. Since tho time of Wesley, both in and out of the Established Church, it has just as steadily advanced. There is still a good deal of reason run to seed in England, a good deal of free thought and much spiritual ignorance among the overworked masses. But we are making a steady headway against that. If you could

go among London workingmen as I do you would see thie. There are more than ono million five hundred thousand Catholics in England now, and they are increasing in number. What, is more, they really practice their religion." " And tho other churches ?" "Ah, my eon," said the. Cardinal, smilingly, "lam too old to throw stones. It is no part of my duty to criticise those who are without our lines."

TOTAL ABSTINENCE. Then the question of temperance came up. " England sober," said the aged churchman, "is England happy and contented. If we could make the English workman a total abstainer we could settle the most serious of the social problems that confront us now. I have worked towards this end for very many years, and with some success. But it is a fight against odds. The drunkenness and the misery growing out of it here in London make my heart sick at times. But the Catholic Church is against tho traffic in ruin, and will continue to be, and time will tell many things. Here in London our priests are preaching total abstinence all the time and to considerable effect. lam glad to notice the strength of the same movement in America." The Cardinal takes a very hopeful view of the labour outlook, and he is peculiarly competent to speak on the matter. In his opinion workingmcn and tl>eir employers are coming closer together all the time. " When employers extend exact justice to their workmen, and vice verm, we shall be through with labour troubles in tho main," he said ; "from a basis of common justice both may arise to a better understanding, and I think such an era is approaching. Tho position of the Catholic Church is plain. Leo XIII., in his old age, is giving- his whole wind to these questions. In America, Cardinal Gibbons is doing all he can to improve tho relations between labour and capital, and here in England we are doing the same. Then you will notice everywhere a tendency to arbitrate where it is at all possible. Take it all in all, I see no reason to fear for the future." THROOGiI THE HOUSE. Very interesting is a trip through the Cardinal house. In the chapel is a glass case with an especially valuable collection of relics, among them being the white silk mitro of Thomas ii Beckefc. Then in a piece of crystal is a fragment of the column against which our Lord is said to have been scourged, and three email pieces of wood labelled : ' " Behold the wood of tho cross on which our Saviour was hung." In another room there aro many busts and works of art. There is a statue of the Virgin, made from cannon taken at Sevastopol, and a large number of testimonials given to the Cardinal from time to time, the latest being one presented by the Jews last October. The Cardinal's bedroom is en the top of the house, and is the plainest of all. A camp bed, a wardrobe, a chair and a washsfcand are the articles of furniture. Adjoining this is the Cardinal's oratory, in which is set up a small altar at which ha says mass. There ia another near by for the use of visiting bishops.