ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 440, 25 September 1877, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

[We wish it. to lio most distinctly understood tliat wo arc not ivspousiule tor the opinions oxjin-bsgil liy our i:un'es[>oMdunts.J <> TO THE EDITOR OF THE KVBNINti MAIL. Sn;, Mr. Fiill i- says I have taken up arms 'fiu'ainst him. What does lie mean? He niak s an unwarrantable att ck upon C.tholie iiati"ii-, L'atho ie faith, ami Catholics, and, e lis. quently, on n,e as one of that m-eat body, and then in-inu .tcs that I am the ag'-'! essor. It is the old trick : trike vur neighbour, mabgn I i n. and then sav he attacks \ou. It i.- rather cool. He says 1 misrepresented him. L hoy leave to say I di<l no such thing. Front a eomp'cx Kentonco of his as given i i the M.vil, I quoted a clause with its answer that referred to Spain and Portugal in most iu-ult-iijrr terms. 1 hose terms assert that these two Catholic nations are in a condition i'f debarment, roUrnnetx, and He takes it tor cvaut d that th« sen .tons are in that aliomin < 1»Ie state. He ne. cT irives the sli'.-hU'St p! oof that tlicy are so, ami now lie has the effrontery to ask nie to prove that they arc not in that w etched state. That line of argument looks li'»e the logic of a cert Lin ela s not to lie mentioned. I did not mention I urkey, for with Tu key and Turks 1 ha 1 nuthin,' to do. Piobaoly if 'l urks were herd tlx y would answer the stat-me. t made of lln-ir nation <ll a style belitting the attack, if not prevented by a sense of ;elf respect. 1 did not allude to the reason put forward to uphold th: praise of Germany and Greece, because in the conclusion drawn there it neitiler logical se |uciue nor proof of the t rms of aiiy of the propo i.ions used. '4-lie line of ari'imiciit is 11 t i*uch as a scholar would use wh n makmg grave and offensive charges. Sir. I st.ued that the terms de.buxamenl, 7'ottcn H t*. and applied to Lath die n dions are insulting to us. X thus gave an opportun ty to Mr. Fidler to bavin rep'y t-,l,at he withdrew those t rms, and regretted lrixing usi d them, find ng th..t they gave offence. He has not done so ; bur, I consider that a man of good taste and kindly feeling Wi'uld have acted otherwise. He dtltV rs trom me ; tue public wi 1 judge. The religion of Spa'ii and Porltigu is our religion— t.ieir relig otu tee.i "gs are shaed bv u->; a ;d if there be ilcbuocmeni, rotten net*, and sujterHilion in tit ir leii.ioii, religions i le is add s, these are sliiied in by n; and by Lai ho ie; thr-ug uiut the wo: Id. Isow, Mr. Fi tier savs lu ..id not then sue ik about religion at all; if he did not, as he madj t ose gi'o-s charges, 1 think he is bound io justice to himself to state in wh.ijj j wav he applied xitpei'alkioi), rotlcmicss, and . debasement to ill se C .tliolic nations. I 'J he books u ed in theGove niißiit svhooh, > until lately, were .highly iiuul.ing to Catho- . lies and to their religion. These books were

ordered to be withdrawn on account of thifcir gross attacks upon Catholicity, and the wow "superstition" is given in one of tln-sJ books as "false ueligion." If Mr. lidle the word in tine souse, sun ly I had rc.ison to complain. And the other word are generally used to imp'y religious and moral deg'adat.ion when applied to person or nations. If Mr. Fuller attached di(leren| meanings, he ought to sa v what they ara unless he wishes to admit his rashness.

He says he d.d not llu'ii speak about reli gion. 1 beg leave t>> call attention to tin end of his leetuie, as given in Tint Mail 1 *)t'i September, where he s' vb : —" Now, In the Goveinment t> give the Cathoiei aid would be to aid a people hold.ng views in consistent witli reason - 1 nic.l,ll Mich as thou 011 Tra 'snbst nitiation —and to help them t train up the.r clnldivn with views on otho subjects equally as unreasonab e'' Now sir. is there 110 th ng 011 ie igiou in that ox tract?-nothing foo.ishly insulting in tlin language? Hern is a man endeavouiing 1 hound 011 the Government, and people of tlii country against us Catholics. Why ? lieeaiiH we hold d> etnne.s linonsisient With reason Sir, are we to have again the old test oatli tint required the orthodox to hwcii that "the (lorlrhic of '/'rtinsithx/antiaUou i d.iiivinhh'. <i)n{ li/d/klmil"The Catholi Church holds 110 doctr ne inconsistent wit rcas 11. She hold* doctrine* that, are beyoii and above the eoinpi\h n.-ioii of tin; luunit intellect; but she g ves assent to the tiut of these doctriji's, relying upon the aut'U rity and unerring power i f te idling in fait and morals given to her by her Divni Founder. Such truths are that of Tranmil st intiation, the Incarnation, the Trinity, an the deaHi of the Man God. A 1 these trutl arc above reason, and bewmd it, but not ii consistent with it. 'I here is no artie'e 1 the t ; tholic f-iii li to whi h ('adioncs tin ongl out the world el ng with more devoU atta'h 1 ent ilian to I ransnbstantiation. M believe the blessed .Kneharist to lie Jem (Jh.isfc himself, trite God a id true man ; ai for the adoration of .lesus I 'h i t in the ho Eucharist we build on • churches, and spci our money, time, and lives in 11011 Hiring <ll Lord. The I les-e I S lerainent is the ll'u cent eof attraction for all Cat ml cs. For C.itlioiics make sacrifice - and eflbrts that a -übjeets of praise with all creeds and clause In (lc:'encj 01 the doe,trine of Tran -nibstanti ti ni C.itholics have sacrificed their l.vo and among other thing- tb ar to us the.])i serving of this ooetrine for C ilholie childn is a spec a! r a 011 A\'liy we make hui ; tre.nuoiis 1 -llbrti to niainlain imrown school and thus keep our children from being ilifl oticed by the v.ews of tuose not belong.ng fie 1 hurch.

11 civ, then, is Mr. Fidler lei liny uh ill v.'i' ;u'.' uure.i <onahle in t !i; most sacred of n nur ieligioiis pi iueiples. And yd li! sunn to loi'g a tli.it the «;ovoniinuiifc i< eonipellii us bv main in ee, if ncee-: ary, to contrihti a por;i >n of >lr. lidlers .alary. 'I here a mi (;u.();):i Catlii.li's in j\ew Z'alati <nd the (inve; liniciit will force out ol t hard earnings of the e mi lean a h ;in tin l.(i(U!0.) ;x'r \ c,ir for lli ■■ ] ayuieiit; o!' Ml teachers ;h .Mr Fidler, uhoca'i proeluiii ! lore In* w..iml lli n \\ <■ an- 11 fnusi->U>nb \vi reason in our doelriue, and religion, at views <lll olher .-n•» ; a, d it' ill ! (.'atliul children i'oiiki w>■ 11i11 t, or cJuleheß, fro tin: examp'e In:t' •!■'! lis. a hid t de«perii a tack is likely In lie mad'' upon their I'iii in the 8 enl is- ,-;e la of this ('olony, or Collin Ct 1' >ll \v11! i 1 lie 11. J~ir, I wuiid/i' what reward will lie fori coming for tin- linprovnke I allaek lliat h heel made uncii ii •; ? Perhaps Ijier yt;a Tlio i ■ <>\ t;i !iins-ii(. have only to give liti salaii.! , and tin n oppress I In; poor (lalholl with a share ni' ili<; Imrden. I'ay t: t aehers well, encourage tllcill lo mil ,it aeks on tin ir nnoli'enoing lcll'>w-cnl nH t> - del* them lo U: I the. (J il, liol la child IVII ill tlicy are ■hirous!.-.1--n! t nun 'itminbh' and are i heir friends and lelataius. There is religion in that. liid lliein teaell tlm oil di'i'ii th it ' "atholio ciniula i'.'s are in a com tion of th■hit.t.'mi ul. roL'riiiifs*, and unpen (!on. Tiiere is no n-1 gmi m thai, hid t children be inijiiisil ive ami gel; some of t Seoti ish >«' iie sehool-ho'i|vs f and then th will find that "siiper.-slitinn" means " fah religi in. oh, of course, there is no religion that. l.ct something like this go on—m wo have good g ound.s for supposing it—ai the eliildren w 11 be eertim to come fui from tho ordeal, neither l'rotes ant li i atholie. hut .ii lit lei or free hinUers, fw ing lie tlier i iod nor man, iinFbs under t .strong arm of i he law. .Finally, according to Mr. lidler, T lin tin; lat'. litit the tale .t, ol abti--e. value that gentleman's* sup 'l'i-ir jiulginellt much that 1 am gla I I cannot, procure a © tilicate. Ironi him ; one ol tho-e grand certi ca'e-s that are lo lelonn tip; rising genw tioiis. lit; ought to renu!inher that 1 did ii ask him lo have a | aper controversy ; I m ide the attacks on us in the papers, m now lie olije -Is. 1 ihiidc h ■ i light lo lia hesitated before lie li t came ioiward nt abused us ami our leFgion, particularly he get-* a portion ol J.i - s.lary from n wh en, 1 adm t. we pay with as milch v lingii' .ss as the titho.i were paid in Irdani wun a liatrtd <jt ihe wrong and lnmilt strong as our deep son<o of jil tiee.— 1. ill &c., WjM.IAM ('oI.KMAN.