THE CARDINAL AND THE CONSULS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 19, 31 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CARDINAL AND THE CONSULS.

His Eminence tbe (Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, was the chief guest to meet the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at a banquet given by the Association of Foreign Consuls in London at the Hotel Metropole, on Tuesday, July 3rd. In returning thanks for the toast of the representatives of the churcbei of the world, his Eminence said : "We are all brothers, God grant that your countries may never be decimated, but that tbe vigorous root of that Christianity which you preserve, may remain and bear fruit, and may never wither. I cannot return thanks without remembering that we are — as I may, without affectation or assumption, say — we are met together in the imperial commercial city of the world. I believe that none who hear me, no representative of any foreign country, will hesitate for a moment to say that this great overgrown London is the centre of the commerce of the world. Even the Consul of New York will not think I am assuming too ranch when I say that London bas an antiquity, if not an expansion in its commerce which even New York cannot equal. With that remembrance, I know that on my left sits one who was the chief magistrate of this city some years ago (Sir 3. Whittaker Ellis, M.P."), and on my right is one who holds that greatest municipal office in our British Empire at this moment. I regret I was not able to be here last year, and it is with great thankfulness lam here to-nigbt. I claim the greater part of this distinguished assembly as my flock, and there are those who would not acknowledge me perhaps ss their paator, nevertheless, I may claim them in charity as belonging also to me. The moral powers that once bound the nations of the world together in the form of diplomacy, parchment, and protocols, have ceased to bind them closely now, and the sovereigns of the old world are making an experiment of binding nations together by the most enormous military powers the world has ever seen. I disbeleive in these bonds, and 1 do profoundly believe in Christian and commercial brotherhood ia the arts of peace. In the interweaving of nations one with another, in tbe mutual interests of our humanity — tie wantb on tbe one side, and the fruits of nature and toil on tbe other, I believe that these are much more constraining much more durable, much more just, much more peaceful, and fuU of all the prosperities that can bless mankind. I will not claim for myself an expression happily used by the distinguised lady who sits on my right (the Lady Mayoress). She said : < This is is an assembly ef the ambassadors of commerce,' and no expression could more precisely and succinctly put before you the great importance of assembling year by year, as I hope the consuls of London will, and, thereby, uniting more and more together that common interest of our brotborhood, which binds us more powerfully than any bonds of iron or of war. In the providence of God, our English speech is at present tbe most widespread,l believe since the Latin tongue covered the face of tbe earth, and I hope the massage which will be wafted to and fro, which will be beard in other lands, will be a message of peace and goodwill to all the nations of the world.