NOTICE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 31, 23 November 1888, Page 6

NOTICE.

Subscribers removing from one part of the Colony to another, and wishing their paper continued, should state their former address when writing to this office, as it will prevent confusioniof names.

this state of things was far from being imaginary. They had all of them duties to perform outside of their own mrrow affairs. These duties were often sacred and urgent. When people failed to fulfil these obligations, their sense of manliness and honour must be below par. The fulfilment of on^'s >"huv to one's country was an obligation of 1 1 is kind. The man who wan incapable of miking a sacrifice for the 'and of his birth wasseldom found tobean acquisition to the land of bis adoption. There was no more noble sighi 10 angels or nun than that of the Christian hero fighting for his country's rights under the standard of his country's faith. The watch word of the old pagan Romnn, pro aris etfocis, showed clearly that at all times patriotism and religion had been bl< nded, Devotion to his native land was an inherited virtue in the Irishman. Fighting the battles of France, leading the cihorts of Spain, spilling his blood on the banks of: the Potomac, or bearing the standard of England to victory, the thought of his country was ever in his mind as it was in th it uf Sarsfiela, when he cried "Oh that this were for Ireland." When avenging Athlone nt Cremona, or Limerick at Fontenoy it was the m raory of Ireland's wrongs that nerved the arms of Ireland's sons. Of course this love of country must always be subordinate, to the lore of fai'h. But the two feelings were co-exi-<tent and could not be safely separated. In hißtory the truest pairiots hnd been the most faithful C.iristianß. Witness Don J.hn of Austria, Sobieski, and their own O'Connell. the aim of whose life it was to uni'e politics and religion in a sacred union. Patriotism is a factor which could notbj ignored in denling with Irish people in this Colony if the Catholic faith was to be perserved among them, for it might be depended upon that the fullness of an Irishman's patriotism might be generally taken as the measure of his religion. The union of the two sentiments in the Irish character was inseparable. To weaken one was to weaken the other. They were both the result of the same divine instinct. They lived or diei together. Tbe love of his Church and the love of his country were, with the Irishman, one sentiment divided between two objects, each dearer to him than life. It was not to be wondered at. this manner in which faith and country were found associated in the Irish mind. At the foot of the altar in his little country chapel the young Irishman offers his soul to God and his life to Ireland. When the spirit of that dedication was forgotten by an Irishman he became an object of pity to his friends and of contempt to his enenaiea. When an Irishman forgot his country and her sufferings he thought little and cared less for his faith. With an Irishman patriotism was an absorbing sentiment. This was why he was persuaded that in the interest of religion in this city it would be wise to encourage the national spirit among the Irish population. Wherever the cultivation of this spirit tad been Dezlected there was found a decadence of the religious instincts. While tbe children of Israel sang the songs of Bijn by the rivers of Babylon and kept alive the rnemoiy of their ancient glories, they preserved their faith ; but when they forgot the beauties of H-bron, and ceaspd to remember Jerusalem, they feasted with the pagans and b w d down before their idol*. " If I forget thee, oh Jerusalem,' said D.ivid, "let mv right hand be toi gotten Let my ton^u cleave to my jaw 3if I cca fi e to remember thee. ' The C '/ ir of Russia could discover ni means S) eff;ctunl wh»rrby to rob Poland of hit faitn as to denationalise her people. When the Catholic Pole forgot the gloiies of Ostralentia and un earned his mother tongue, his convewon to the Greek C urch would Le ace mplißhed without persecution. Whoever would undertake to re-awak.'n the spirit of nationalism among the Irish population of (his city should begin their work by inducing them to study the history of their country. (Such a stndy would materia ly help ou the woik of pushing the Iriih people up the socnl incline.|Tbe stun4ard of mediocrity, by which t o many of them were too willing to be judged, had much to do with their present poe-ition in society. The value which the world get upon people waf, to a great extent, regulated by the estimation in which people held themselves. The s'udy of Irish history would convinct the lii-h student that he was the descendant of a race which, though doubtless possessing faults, was a raca from which any man might be justly proud to have descended. Mr. Nolan then went on to deal with ihe history of Ireland unier English rule ; but, as I have said, the arrangement of the body of the lecture showed hastiness of preparation, and lacked :he pointedness and compactness of the introductory remarks. Father Cumminga made three speeches during the evening. He introduced the lecturer, proposed the vote of thankp. and rets^oaded to a similar compliment to the chair. Some disappointment was felt by a laree portion of the audience that Father Kickbam or Father Bowers, both m» mberp of the Literary Society, did not '' gpe k to the question." To have heard Fa' her Kickham upon co congenial a tliPtne would, indu 1, have be in an intellectual and a national tieat. In pursuance of Mr. Nolan's excellent suggestion re th 1 ? advisability of Irish people in this civ becoming better acquainted with the history of th ir country, it would be an admirable plan to endeavour to induce Father Kk kham to emulate th^ t sample . f Father Burke, by giving a lecture, or a si ri s of lectun r, upon Irit-h matters-. A*Mr. Callan said in Dunedin, he great m j nty (f the p> ople hav< not the time ur ihe nppnrtu ii i y 10 a qmr accurate or de ailed n.f >i - man jn upon tt elnh qm stion A' y <ny wh > possesses that accurate information, as in dxii'.ti div t\nhe> Xi kham do*'P, would cer amly bestow a lasting ULm.fi upon i.idh people by uiikiug them bharera iv it.

Ah far as the rising generation ia concerned, I am quite con■v ir ced tba' i htre will i.ow bi j adi cidcd impiovement in the matter of teaching Irish hutory to the children. Unde Brother Joseph's management I am quite sure a vigoious effort will be made to irfupe a national spirit into the b(.ya by makiDg them learn the history of their country. Apropos of Brother Joseph, a great many readers of uhe Tablkt will regret to hear thet he hss been far from well during the past week. Indeed, several of the Brothers have been ailing lately, lam afraid that the compulsory breach of the Banitary law 3 which they are obliged to commit in regard to the echool and their dwelling is responsible to some extent for their indisposition.

Father Melu having concluded his miß9ioa to the .Maoris at Kaiapoi, returned to the North last week. Father Ahem of Kaikoura is ia Caaterbury just now. Ho is, I think, the guest of Father Kickham, Father liaverty departed for ihn Coast last week. The contributions towards paying off tho parish debt have been satisfactory of latr. The same cannot be said in rejard to the payment of school fees. Preparations are being made for a big Catholic picnic in January. Father Marnane left on Tuesday for Wellington on a well-earned holiday trip. On Sunday a collection was tnken up after all the services f or th? St. Vincent de Paul S loietv. Results eatisf acto T y. Tbe Bishop preached a short sermon at 7 o'clock Mags, on the gospel of the day. He preached again at Vespers on the " True rn'e of Faith."