Untitled

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 45, 27 February 1885, Page 16

The Yen. Archdeacon Coleman will visit Invercargill on Sunday, March Bth., in the interests of the Dunedin Cathedral building fund. We doubt not but that the Catholics of the town in question will show themselves as generous in aiding the good cause as thoss elsewhere have been.

Db. Bajcewell received by the last mail a letter from the Very Rev. Dr. Rawes, Superior of the Oblates of St. Charles, London, to whom a sketch of the plan of his work on Lourdes had been sent with a table of contents. Dr. Rawes states that he has laid the matter before His Eminence, Cardinal Manning, who expressed an opinion that the publication of the cases as proposed would do good. We have been frequently told that spiritualism must be' a pure faith because the spirits are said to give, the best advice possible. Here, however, is a case, in which their advice was hardly very wholesome, and we understand that they not uncommonly instruct thair votaries in a somewhat similar manner.—" Chepolis, Wyoming Territory, Dec. 30.— Sunday night, William Pearson, a farmer who is a strong believer ia Spiritualism, imagined he had received orders from a higher power to kill his infant. When he had finished his wretched work he showed what he had done to his wife, who is also a Spiritualist. He then said if she would cut her throat he would do the same. Both were found yesterday half frozen with their throats cut but not yet dead. Pearson revived sufficiently to make a statement. The pair will probably die."— The only choice left to us, in this instance at least, is that between lunatic and demoniac— Both, however, might much better be adoided.

The New York Evening Post in referring to the fire at the Windsor railway station, and the horrifying discovery made afterwards of the remains of a fishing rod and a bottle of farrier'a stuff says :— " Any man, Irish or other, who would attempt to blow up the Queen with fishing tackle, charged with horse medicine, is a fiend, and the shameful apathy of American public opinion on the subject should be held up to the scorn of the world."— lt would almost appear as if our contemporary were factually "poking fun" at the affair, but American jesters are always peculiar.

On Sunday the 15th inst., His Lordship the Bishop, assisted by the Rev Father Newport, pastor of the district, celebrated Pontifical High Mass at Waikouaiti, and administered the sacrament of confirmation to 24 recipients, who also made their first communion. Vespers and Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament took place in the evening when the Bishop preached. The musis of the Mass, as well as that in the evening was excellently rendered by a number of local musicians aided by one or two members of the Dunedin choir.

The performance of the Marionettes in Dunedin continues to be much appreciated. The Pantomime has baen changed to the " Little Bed Riding Hood," and the figures go through their various parts with iastonishing correctness. An evening spent in watching their performance will be found to have been very agreeably occupied. Thk Strasburg clock still commands a crowded attendance" in Duaedin. It would be well if, in order to prevent inconvenience children could be sent to visit it during the earlier courae of the week,

A deputation sharing the martial f ury of the hour, and thirsting for the blood of the Mahdi waited on the Premier this week in Dunedin, with the demandjto be equipped forthwith, and sent off to the Soudan. What there is to save Mr. Stoat, as a man of peace, from the horrors of the position, unless ib be that as the leader of a coalition Ministry he can do with an easy conscience anything he disapproves of, as indeed we have already seen, it would be hard to say. It is evidently under certain circumstances very agreeable .to coalesce^ But, nevertheless, for the Premier to have refrained from treating 'these bellicose applicants to a chapter oa the brotherhood, of man—for is not the Mahdi also a man and a brother ? must have been a severe trial. A philosopher curbed in his philosophy is, indeed, a piteous sight. Meantime, the meatioa of our Premier naturally reminds us that although medical atten lauoe has been proviiel for the Sydney contingent nothing his been done to supply their fpiritual wanta. No chaplain seems to have been appointed to the expedition and verily if they are to face the Arabs they will probably need all the spiritual comfort that can be conferred upon them— although a short shrift must possibly satisfy them. If they are to remain a monn - ment of British glory in the Southern seas at Souakim, they will* perhaps, be able to dispense with the parson's services, but under such circumstances they might as well have stayed to pray aft home. It is. ftowever, a trial to our Premier, while the laurels of an attempt to shut out warfare—the warfare also of the future— from this hemisphere are still green and fresh upon his brows, that he should becalled upon withoutlthe power of giving a curt refusal or a philosophical lecture of denial and exhortation— to take Mars by the forelock and lead him in amongst us. Let us hope then that coalition may afford the harbour of refuge in which all will be forgiven and forgotten. " Taplby " writes as follows in the Melbourne Advocate :— By a letter dated from Paris, 31st. Dec, Mr. Davitt informs me that he has started on a Continental tour, and it is more than probable that he will visit Australia during the year. If he should do so the Criminal Influx Act would be no bar to his coming lo Victoria, as all the conditions required by the Act have been fulfilled in his case. I am sorry to learn that Mr.Davitt has been in delicate health, and this tour has been ordered by big medical adviser. If that gentleman should come to Australia I feel sure he will ba abl* to remove a large amount of prejudice now existing against the Irish cause.