THE CHRISTIAN RECORD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 300, 31 January 1879, Page 13

THE CHRISTIAN RECORD.

Out of politeness we designate this periodical as it designates itself, though there are not wanting some who think it ought rather to be called the Unchristian Record. That such an opinion is not altogether unreasonable will be apparent to any one who has read our leader of the week before last, and will be at the trouble of reading the following from the Christian Record's leader of last week in answer to us, and will at the same time attend to the nature of the charges made in the article referred to against the Jesuits. Here is what the Rev. Lindsay Mackie says in reply to our leader :—: —

"In an article in the New Zealand Tablet, signed by Bishop Moran, the part of the Southern Cross article, reprinted in our issue of the 10th inst., referring to Gury's Compendium of Moral Theology, is dealt with, and under thirteen heads the views and statements attributed to Gury are repudiated. We have forwarded the Tablet to the editor of the Southern Cross. We would direct the attention

of our readers to another article in the present issue on the same subject from the same quarter." This reverend gentleman, thinks he has done his duty by sending our article to the Southern Cross. Is it possible his congregation thinks as he does, and that lie has acted the part of a Christian clergyman in grossly slandering his fellow man, and when detected in mean and injurious falsehood, cowardly endeavouring to cloak all uncharitableness under the shadow of the Southern Cross? Were the Rev. Lindsay Mackie a candid Christian gentleman anxious only for the truth, he would not have permitted a moment to be lost in endeavouring to satisfy himself whether the Southern Cross had played upon his credulity, taken advantage of his trust m its ability and honesty, and used him for vile purposes. He would not have permitted slanders to be propagated in his name and by his authority when he had it in his power to know the truth in an hour. The Rev. Mr. Maokfe had only to ask Bishop MonAK for a copy of Gury's Compendium of Moral Theology, and his request would have been complied with at once. Had this been done, as it ought to have been, the Rev. Mr. Mackie would have seen in a very short time that the Southern Cross had made most untrue and truculent statements. Instead of this, however, the Rev. Mr. Mackie omits this obvious means of arriving at the truth, and permits the slanders he deliberately published for the information of Protestant Christians here, to go uncontradicted and unrecalled till it may please the Southern Cross to recant, a proceeding not likely to take place. So far from doing what justice, common sense, and Christum feeling would suggest, the Christian Record, notwithstanding the previous falsehoods of the Southern Cross publishes from the same paper another article still more atrociously false, if possible, than the previous one in reference to Gury's Compendium. Here is what his reverence says " We have forwarded the Tablet to the editor of the Southern Cross. We would direct the attention of our readers t>> another article in the present issue on the' same subject from the same quarter." A man of common sense, not to speak of a Christian minister, if he had any decency, would have waited for the answer of the Southern Cross lo our article before publishing any more extracts from that paper. Whilst waiting for the answer of the Rev. Mr. Mackie and the Southern Cross, we may turn our attention to this article to which the editor of the Christian Record refers. We find on reading it, that it is a furious tirade, and a ridiculous onslaught on the Jesuits. It charges these gentlemen with being the cause of the last war between Prussia and Austria and also of the last war between France and Prussia. Their influence is, it seems very great, all the powers of Europe are in their hands; surely they have reason to feel flattered; surely m this supposition they are quite right in treating the cflusions of the Southern Cross, which are so charming to the Key. Mr. Mackie, with silence, and if they are capable of treating anything with contempt, with silent contempt. • Ine last sentence in this article is a species of gem in its way. Here it is, « Their great maxim < that the end justifies the means,' is here clearly set forth, and through it is vindicated, defined, and enforced by their most eminent writers, they will calculating upon the ignorance of the people, boldly deny that they act, upon it, as we intend to show " This is specific at al events, and we can, as we now do, join issue with the Southern Cross and the Rev. Mr. Mackie, in reference to tins charge. We, therefore, now call upon both, or either, to point out any one of the most eminent writers amongst the Jesuits who teaches that " the end justifies the means." And that there may be no mistake, we call upon them to state the name of the author or writer, the treatise, the page, the passage in which such a doctrine is taught.