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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 26, 26 October 1883, Page 1

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AT HOME AND ABROAD.

The Pope has issued a letter to the Cardinals De the pope's Luca, Pitra, and Hergenroether, and of which a letteb. translation, taken from the London Tablet, will be

found in another column. The letter, which is of v^^.mportance, deals with history, pointing out the misuse that is of it to harm religion, the Catholic Church, and the Holy See, more especially with regard to Italy. Bat the full understanding shown by the Pope of the manner in which the enemies of the Catholic religion abuse history to such an end is truly marvellous. When we consider the care of all the world that is upon the Holy Father, the enormous burden that his mind is forced to bear, and the greatness of many subjects with which he is constantly engaged, the minuteness of the knowledge of this one particular matter which he manifests is little short of overwhelming. It seems as if the whole world lay disclosed before his eyes, and that not only on the housetops and the open places his watch was directed, but that the most hidden nooks and crannies could not escape his penetration. From the time when the Centuriators of Magdeburg discovered tbat the falsification of the records of the ages was the surest way to blind mankind as to the part the Church had played, down to the present day, when every ignorant man who aspires to be a writer repeats the falsified tales he has heard, and builds upon them his own crude theories and worthless opinions, nothing is hidden from Pope Leo's piercing eye, and, in his strong, terse style, he exposes the evil thoroughly. Not only the more pretentious furniture of library shelves has come under his notice, but the columns of the daily Press and the school books put into the hands of the little children. — And what is the Pope's remedy for the evil ? Deep research and the fearless exposure of the truth. He lifts his voice and tells the world that, whatever interested or ignorant men may have proclaimed, and may still be proclaiming to the contrary, nothing is owed to the influence of the Holy See but what is good — even the temporal power, he affirms, has been the source of safety to Europe, and especially rescued Italy from barbarism and made it glorious in its civilisation— in its learning and art. He, moreover, charges the Cardinals to whom his letter is addressed, to see that the study of history is renewed and its truths made known, always without fear, and he places at their disposal for this end the resources of the Vatican Library. Her?, then, is an utterance not less important, and not less certain to produce a renewal of study, and its pursuance in a particular channel, than that which some time ago turned the attention of students to the philosophy of St. Thomas, and we may rely upon it that the effect upon religion will before very long be marked. The fearless publication of truth flowing from the fountain of truth, and bearing the impress of authority that commands attention in spite of all apathy or ill will, must produce upon the world of irreligion an influence that will effectually check its advance. — Indeed, already, the fact that the cry of ignorance, and of

wishing to promote ignorance, and living by ignorance only, ciied

out against the Church by the world^ot irreligion has been met by ed^K learned Pope Leo with the loud iiijtinction upon all who are in eJPrcdience to him, and whose function it is, to study and proclaim fearlessly the truths that study has revealed to them. This fact, alone, we say, is sufficient to put to scorn all the inventions of the dishonest scholar, and all the vapouring* of the sciolist. — Verity, the reign of Pope Leo XIII. bids fair to prove a second and a better Renaissance — that of religion as promoted by learning.

The writer of '• Stray Thoughts about Ireland," in AN ENGLISH the Gentlema/iCs Magazine for August, gives us visitor some very interesting facts as well as bis thoughts, IN ibeland. — which are themselves worth something more than the traditional penny. He lells us, ft* example, of how he was the man — an Englishman visiting Ireland for the first time — to bring to a certain village named Esnawhelna, iv Cork, the tidings that the Land Bill had passed. — " The Land Bill

had just escaped shipwreck in the House of Lords on the occasion of my visit, and I happened to be the bearer of the good news to these poor people. Their interests were keenly excited. ' Has it passed ? ' said the man to me. 'It has passed,' I replied. Jlt has passed 1 it has passed 1 ' he shouted to other labourers, working in adjoining holdings of land reclaimed from bog or swamp by their own toil ; and the cry was repeated from mouth to mouth, to all within ear ; shot, without so much as a hint of what it was of which the news fast spread that it had passed." This village of Bsnawhelna the writer had found exceedingly wretched, and the tale of the people's poverty, and the manner in which they were oppressed had been so repeated to him as to his complete belief. Nevertheless, he saw marks that testifk * to the spirit of decency which, in spite of all their misery, was still a characteristic of these people. " After leaving-the village," he says, " the condition of which, to English ideas, was more degrading and degraded than words can describe, I met, coming from the school, situate on the high road about a mile off, a troop of little girls and boys, dancing over the stones, or jumping from rock to rock, by the only rough track which led to their homes — for no two-wheeled horse vehicle had ever entered the village. Of course, again, the children were bare-legged and bare-foated and scantily clothed. But they were bright, healthy, joyous, cheery-looking little beings, a picture of neat patching and tattered cleanliness. How such comely and tidily-dressed children — and the country schoolhouses are full of them— could possibly be sent forth of a morning from the very hovels of smoke, dirt, poverty, and wretchedness which we had just visited, was a puzzle that could not be unravelled." The writer sees the hope of Ireland in these children — and omitting to mention that such an education as is now being given them has been also wrung^ frgni^a gj-udgmg Government— he speaks as follows : " Why these young^ivW— which grow old all too soon in Ireland — should be sacrificed in the future to the insatiable greed oE the landlo:d, or to the even less excusable indifference of the Sate, was a harder problem to solve. I confess to thinking that it will not be solved. The h&pe3 of Ireland are rightly centred in the youth which is now being sedulously educated by England. When the rosycheeked children of Esnawhelna become adult men and women, and parents in their turn, I believe they will not allow themselves and their children to be sacrificed after the .fashion cf their tyrannical forefathers."

Our writer goes on to describe the experiences of VABIOUS au Englishman who visits Ireland for the first time. feelings. He recognises that he is a traveller in a foreign

land, and unless he makes up his mind to lay aside English ideas, habits of thought, and prepossessions, he will fail to see Ireland as she really is. "He will succeed only in seeing the people as they are described but too often by compatriots who have deserted her, or by co-religionists whose faith in the race has failed. He will only witness their weaknesses, faults, and vice", depicted by the same ungenerous and impolitic linc3 in which they are hideously caricatured, in spite of all explanations to the contrary— in the pages of Punch" He must, again, be prepared to find an intense hatred of England. " Against Englmd's misrule for ages, to which continental countries are far more keenly alive, than our own ; against her abnormal cruelty and legalised tyranny in the past, which are written in letters and pages of blood; against, her self-satisfied indifference, if not positive antagonism, as the majority of the nation conceives, at "the present time towards Ireland— the quick tempe^r of the hot Celt instinctively rebels." None of this hatred, nevertheless, will be shown towards the individual Englishman, " No nation could treat its temporary guests with greater kindness, or with more thoughtful consideration, than tie Sister Island. In this respect the Celt, so fir as I can form an opinion of the characteristics of European nationalities, is comparable only to the Italian peasant. Both Ireland and Italy, in regard to the courtesy, and intelligence, and tendern-ss. of heart, of their people, are nations of born gentlemen, and not unnaturally so, if certain of Mr. Darwin's theories are ia any degree true. For both are the descendants of those who were far advanced in religion, civilisation, science, and arts, when our British ancestors were akin to painted savagep."

The writer then goes on to give examples of what it is that Irishmen hate, and his list includes almost' 7 all the well-known grievances of the nation. " The Irishman," he says in conclusion, " cannot forget the past : he will not forgive it. lam not sure that, as a Catholic and a patriot, he ought to do either. God was insulted by the one : the Irish nation by the other. We are not bound by claims of personal charity to forget, or to forgive, the insults and wrongs which are done not to ourselves. It would be wanting in reverence to Another, and mean-spirited to our forefathers, to accept in. payment of a national and religious debt any amount short of the uttermost farthing." The writer, however, sees some prospect of the dawn of a day in which a better state of mind may arise. — " England, at the last," he says, "it maybe allowed, is honestly striving to pay her does to Ireland. When she has thoroughly completed the twofold reparation, the respective countries may become united in the bonds of sisterly affection, by something less impotent than an. Act *of Parliament." And of the feelings to which English people who turn their thoughts to Irish matters are moved, he gives the following details :— " I have known undemonstrative, matter-of-facb English persons, with by no means the gift of tears, visibly moved over Father Burkes touching and faithful account of Irish wrongs at English hands — not to speak of the pathetic aud powerf ul description of recent Irish history in the pages of Mr. A. M. Sullivan's more widely known and most attractive work on -• New Ireland ' — and strong prayers go upward", that England might, even at the eleventh hour, become both willing and able to act rightly, and to do justly towards her step-sister Ireland." — And to these prayers we will say, Amen — as well, in all sincerity, for the sake of England heraelf, as for that of Ireland.

The writer in question has also a word or two to PEIEST and say concerning the bond that unites the Irish people. priests to their people :— " As a rule it is needless to say the Irish clergy are sprung from the body of the people. Without exception . . . they are conscious of the feelings, wishes, prejudices, fears and hopes of their people." — And for our own part we will add that in this confidence is the best pledge for the peace and happiness of the Irish people wherever they are placed — whether at home or in foreign lands. — It has been already remarked that in those dioceses where the greatest crimes in the present Irish struggle were committed the bishops were, more or lese> out if sympathy with the popular movement— and it may be very fairly questioned in certain cases where Irish Catholics abroad have got themselves into trouble as to whether the priests of the various parishes in which such disturbances took place were possessed of the full confidence of their flock. We have, on the othsr hand, knowledge of one instance that occurred several years ago in this very Colony of New Zetland. It was at a time before the Tablet was established here, and. during the Fenian excitement, and a wild project had been formed by a body of Irishmen, then in the Colony, which they believe! would produce a wholesome effect at home. It would, on the contrary, most undoubtedly have ended in failure and disgrace for themselves, but they were prepared at all risks to carry it through. Fortunately, however, the priest of the district possessed the fall confidence of his paople, and was known by them to sympathise not only with their religious feelings, but with their patriotism, aad the plan was male kuown. to him as the parties conceracd relied on his sympathy aud prudence. He opposed their project with energy, ani ]t was given up, but had there not been one among them to obtain their confidence and guide them, they would have undoubtedly become involved in a most unhappy situation. The benefits, then, to follow from the perfect sympathy that exists almost without exception between the Irish people and their priest* are very great. Ws believe that the evils which result in thoso few instances where that sympathy doerf net exibt are also great. Distrust of the priest is unnatural to the Irish Catholic aud, where he unfortunately sees a reason for it. it provokes as well as perplexes him. The writer continues. " They (the clergy) are— and never were they more thoroughly than now — at one with the people and share their inmost aspirations. Consequently, they are influential with, and trusted by the people, porhap3 to a greater extent than ever, and certainly not dreamt of by Protestant clergymen. This is true, in spite of certain symptoms and some evidence to the contrary ; for the same political end, the real and permanent good of the people is sometimes advocated by different and even by opposite political means, by different bishops and priests."

Oue contemporary the Morning Herald admits the "mobning that some form of Home Rule is necessary for Irchebald "ON land. Our csntemporary has been brought to this HOME bole, frame of mind by Mr. J. E. Redmond's lecture, and

a very good frame of mind it is.— Oar contemporary, nevertheless, is timorous, and' fears that Home Rule would involve many difficulties and some evils. — We do not know, however, that there is anything very deep, or wholly insurmountable in the

objections that he brings forward. And we are not without hope that some arguments may reach him at hngth, from some quarter or another, that will serve to re-assure him, and put to flight all his alarm. Bat let us tike aa example of our contemporary's line oE argument, so thit oar readers may judge for themsslves as to strength oE the adverse pleas advanced by him. Here is one, then, which we believe they will appreciate f ully :—" Ireland is so ciosa to England and Scotland," pleads our contemporary, " that anything done there would directly affect th? adjoining countries." The upsetting of landlordism in Ireland would mean its upsetting in England and Scotland." Why, here is flattery for the thoughtful Englishman, and for the prudent Scot I Of so " slight elements " are they, so wanting in ballast it would seem, that the bare sight of a measure's obtaining in Ireland must upset all their calculations and experiences. If landlordism is a. good thing in England and Scotland, is it not an insult to the people of those countries to declare that the sight of an evil thing's being overthrown in Ireland would make them determined to get rid oE thc : r owii good thing ? — Such a supposition, in fact, reduces the English people ani the Scotch people each to be a people of simpletono. But if landlordism be also an evil thing in England and Scotland, is it not time that tha example of Ireland, if nothing else should lead to its downfall ? — From this argument our contemporary's adverse reasons may be very fairly judged.

" Me. Stout," says our contemporary the Monum^ MR. stout's Herald, " makes a point in regard to the opposition ■ " point." to Mr. Bradlaugh shown by the Irish members,

inasmuch as such opposition amounts to the denial of liberty to others which the Irish desire for themselves. But, after all, this is a side issue, and ought not to affect the fair consideration oE Irish claims any more than the bitter denunciations of the English rule to which we have referred. We cannot expect absolute consistency from a hot-beaded people, especially when religious considerations come into play." But the Irish members had no desire in opposing Mr. Bradtaugh to deny liberty to any section of the people. They opposed Mr. Bradlaugh on personal grounds, as no doubt did also Mr. John Morley, himself a professed atheist, who opposed him as well. They opposed him again to defeat the Government, a step which was necessary to the attainment of their own particular ends, but, co far as the Affirmation Bill in itself" was concerned, the Irish members, as we believe, did not oppose it, and, as our opinion is, ought not to have opposed it, on any fixed principle. — We would give to every man perfect liberty, but not to Mr. Bradlaugh license to flout the Imperial Parliament, and to brag to the whole world of his complete want of principle and conscience. We would admit the professed atheist to Parliament in such a manner as bis conscience might approve.— Nay, although we also may claim to belong to that " hot-headed people " of religious considerations, we hold that it is an immoral thing to expose even an atheist to the temptation of lying in the face of God and man by taking an oath in which he does not believe, aud that it is, moreover, a degradation of the oath to place it in such a mouth. — But as for Mr. Stout— wherever there is any question, or any possibility of a question, of anything touching the Catholic religion, he seems to lose his head — to get a bee in hia bonnet as his fellow-countrymen say. We might, perhaps, but always without offence, compare him to those cattle that we see occasionally racing in the fields, in an attempt to free themselves from some teasiug insect —and generally racing most wildly when the sun is hottest. The ecclesiastical bee Beems to set Mr. Stout running amuck in some such manner, and let us hope he also frees himself, for the time, from his tormentors by the gallop. Still, it must be dreadfully fatiguing to him. The Church, in fact, bothers him terribly, and will continue to bother him, and will bother him at the hour of his death, unless, meantime, like a sensible man, as in many respects be is, he " givc3 her best," as the saying is, and leaves her to pursue her course uncrossed. — He will leave her, in fact, at the last, where he found her at the beginning, and not a pebble from all her walls will he ever dislodge. But, whatever may have been the point raised by Mr. Stout as to Mr. Bradlaugh, he gave his very hearty support to Mr. Redmond, and very manfully held up his hand^ in favour of the resolution passed at the end of the first meeting — £^E which all Irishmen who have the cause of their country at heart must feel grateful to him.

Bishop Moban 's address at Gordon has given our A fact OE TWO contemporary the Matanra, Ensign material for a fob the leader. Our contemporary in turn gives the Bishop " matauba all the credit he can for steadfastness and zeal, bufc ensign." is unable to wish him success in the object he

pursues, that is the attainment of justice for his people in the matter of education. — Our contemporary, moreover, thinks that the arguments in favour of Catholic education advanced by the Bishop are always the same, and he very reasonably pronounces the opinion that men who pursue one object cannot be expected to be supplied with fresh arguments often, or even occa-

Bionally, when they speak upon it. He tells us, also, in illustration of his meaning, a merry little anecdote of a certain reporter who wanted to go a-courting instead of to attend a meeting of Father Mutbew's, and who, in consequence, wrote his report the light before the speech reported was delivered, being, nevertheless, complimented by the good piiGst on the exactness of big work, and we dare say the story is likely enough. But does our editor think it quite as reasonable and quite as creditable to tho gentl« mpn of the Pics.<=, — the able editois, and correspondents, aud writers of notes and all the rest, that, numerous and varied as they are, at least where this matter of education is concerned — they also have only the same arguments to repeat, so that, in whatever style their writing may appear, it would be quite possible for any of us to tell beforehand what the substance of their remarks on the secular aide must be ? And the substance of their remarks, we may add, is very air-like, and hardly a substance at all. — The substance of their repetition is that, since Protestants have given up the religious teaching of their children to suit us, we Catholics should give up the religious teaching of our children to suit them. A statement, we say, that involves a complete -non scquitxir, and in which we see no meaning whatever. They threaten that we shall be obliged to yield in the long run, but we know that we shall never yield, and that the longer wicsupport our own schools the longer we aie likely to continue to do so, for, as the old proverb says, " habit is second nature." They tell us that secularism, being completely neutral, cannot mean hostility to religion, but they might as well tell us that to confine a man in a place where there was no food and leave him at perfect liberty within the confines would not be to make an attempt upon his life. They tell us the State is not bound to give religious teaching, but they do not perceive that it is bound not to prevent religious teaching's being given. They tell us the State cannot undertake to teach our religion particularly, but we answer that we do not ask the State to do so, and that we would not allow it to teach our religion, for such is not its province.— and this, with a few modifications, and circumstantial variations, is pretty nearly all their line of argument. But in this line of argument there is no substance, we may say, or next to none, — that we may not be uncivil,— no meaning. However, in this article we allude to, there is exception taken to one statement especially, and our editor seems a little puzzled over if. We may, therefore, and if for nothing else out of kindness for a fellow-labourer in the Press— albeit in a different branch of it — do what in us lies to lighten his bewilderment. " But when the young people," he says referring to the children's address to the Bishop, '• proceeded to speak of the schools as places 'in which the tone of thought and expression is bitterly hostile to our religion, 1 we fancy that they wondered in themselves -what part of their school experience was being referred to." Well, the writer of this note happened the other day to be going from the middle of the town to Bishop Moran's house, when the boys of a certain State school were out for recreation, and as he was about to enter the Bishop's gate three or four of these boys approached him, whom he perceived to be evidently talking about the Bishop or his house, and when they came near enough, though not very near, he heard. one of ttrm make a \ery scandalous and insulting remark about a matter held sacred by Catholics, at which the others laughed.— When, therefore, a boy of the upper classes, educated in a middle-class school, and who from i his size and appearance should belong to a higher class in school, can call out .aloud in the streets remarks insulting to Catholics and to a Catholic especially as respectable as most people even in Dunedin would probably admit Bishop Moran to be — what may we not conclude concerning the anti-Catholic atmosphere of the lower charity schools where the children of the common people are educated ? We have doubly a right to ask thi", when we know that Bishop Mcran has publicly complained tint it was impossible for him or his priests to pass a State school in Dunedin without being insulted, — and when, moreover, although His Lordship's complaint has been reported in tbcPress. not one comment las been made in even one paper conj ,|^png the conduct referred to, not one schoolmaster has offered to ■^c'ietend his school against the charge, or to apologise ; but the matter has been accepted as a matter of course, as not in the least discreditable to the schools, or the Piotestant inhabitants of the city, aud as quite, in fact, what might be reasonably expected, and ought to be. — We should think, however, that the Mataura Mixign woul.l at least allow/lbat the " tone of thought arid expression " in schools so represented was indeed, as the children he refers to say, bitterly hosiile to the Catholic religion, and even shamefVly so. Our editor, we may add, concludes his article by saving that he could write moTe of the same stuff be has filled his leading column with, but that ho refrains in order that a certain " Cyclop " may also have his say.— But what, may we ask, may be expected from a man with only one eye, and even that not in its right place, when our editor, with both his eyes -we conclude, has only been abl« to discern the same old stock arguments, — entirely devoid of sense ?