CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 8, 21 June 1873, Page 8

CORRESPON DENCE.

To the Editor of the Nb-w Zealand Tablet. Slß,— The continued series of Dr Moran's able dissertations on thff "Epistle and Gospel of the Sunday" are far too important and interesting to be allowed to pass unnoticed by the public, especially those of his own flock, who cannot enjoy the privilege of listening to his forcible arguments } and hence I wish to congratulate you and your readers generally on huving faithful correspondents to record some faint idea of his Lordship's discourses through the medium of the New Zealand Tabmst. In a quite unostentatious manner, he elucidates the most critical point* of Scripture, and simplifies all for the people. Whilst these latter are instructed and edified, the moet fastidious critics can find 110 fault with either the select beauty of his language or the solidity of his subject matter. In fact, his Lordship must appear to many of the elite in society and literature as if he were delivering lectures from a professor's chair. It might strike any one belonging to a different creed, who may occasionally attend the vespers, that he has been inaugurating an unusually liberal practice in his church by drawing so much attention to sacred Scripture This would be a greut mistake, for he is doing nothing more than folio wina the example of the greatest doctors of ancient and modern times viar Augustine, Chrysostom, Jerome, Basil, Gregory, and many other eminent philosophers and divines; delivering homilies on the parables aid other abstruse portions of the Sacred Text, for the instruction and sanctifieation of his hearers. What a pity that so many are under the delusion that Catholics are not acquainted with the Bible when they ought to know it to be the duty of every clergyman in our Church to read and etpwuia the Scriptures for their people, and encourage the frequent perusal of (he same, as Bishop Moran is wont to do. His discourses during the last few months, when I had the opportunity and the pleasure of hearing him, were most appropriate to the spirit of the age, and I have no doubt but that his previous addresses were equally meritorious and praiseworthy. The life, death, resurrection and ascension of. the Redeemer came out dogmatically in bold relief as a healthy contrast to the atheistial and infidel, tendencies of the Lterarv »od philosophical tyroes of the present day. Young men now-a-days with merely or .scarcely the rudiments of ■ common knowledge- and qpite ignorant of the essential doctrines of religion, take to read works of.Voltaire, Rouaseau, Cousin, Colenso, Darwin, &c, which they are unable to analyze or understand, and forthwith pompously rail and •neer at the simple faith of their ancestors. I would strongly advise such parties to come and listen to the able disquisitions und salutary admonitions of Dr Moran, whose lurid doctrine vill at least'eonfirm' them in the belief of revelation. Do away with the Christian code and where any longer can you find a check to immorality and licentiousness ? If man be not an accountable beinj. he has but little inducement to pursue virtue and renounce crime. Hia innate passions ! and evil examples are sure to destroy his sense oi moral rectitude, and Very Boon he becomes a. prey to- every vice. It is consoling and Mfreßhing ,ra the midst oi depraved society, to witness -ministers of the Gospel, such as Bishop Moran, clinging with tenacity to the ancient faith handed down to us from Christ and His Apostles, and proclaiming to the world its richness Bad beamy. Lon<» may he preside over this diocese to preserve his people from the bondage of ignorance and infidelity, and point out to them the rugged and narrow way that leads to Paradise. I am, &c, A Subscriber.