General News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 42, 7 February 1890, Page 15

General News.

„„ Mr ; Gladstone, in an article in the Nineteenth Century on electionletatutics says he believes that if an election were held now the tK rr t t tUrn f H0I S e Rule ma J° rity in P^iament of 109. wnrW fr. M ■ ° lrC eat ? ans pot U P & f ete for *he reception of the workmen on their return from Rome. After drinking the Pope's health one of the principal members of the society rose and said • t £ir r TK ag ° we numbered two thousand; we are now ten housand. I hope that by the time we organise another pilgrimage to Rome we shall ba a hundred thousand, and then we shall Jot hoS wax candles in our hands, but guns. I drink to the speedy organisa£JV* ft u^SS BinL8 mLr IBBpail th 9 whole a9Bembly Le ' Bhout - Stanley, the intrepid explorer, seeme more than likely soon to reappear among his myriad of admirers in this country He brings back in bis train a zealous Catholic Missionary on the Victoria Nyanza Father Schynze, who is one of those quiet men who «do good by stealth and blush to find it fame." The ereat traveller has gone through unexampled hardships, but has never lost his indomitable pluck. It is to be hoped that this, the greatest of his expedition?, wi Ibe the last. He has done enough for fame and dSSSr 1 -ith n eas 8e!""8 c !"" t0 leßt ° D ** laurels ' aQd «**

i * -S e Ghurch , ot st - Clement in Rome the feast of the saint was kept with great solemnity. It is well known that in this Ba iHca three churches have been built one abova the other. The walls in the lower church are adorned with remarkable and interesting frescoes executed in the earliest centuries of Christianity. These represent scenes in the life of our Lord and His Blessed Mother, the trans a fon of the relics of St. Clement, and the miracles performed through his intercession, and many allegorical subjects relating to the Sacraments and Catholic doctrines. During the octave of the feast the subterranean churches are splendidly illuminated and are open to the visits of the faithful. This year an unusual number of visitors in Rome have paid their devotions at the shrine. ft ED | lemaD - livin g i few miles west of Nashville, Ind., was attacked by a fierce, full-grown gray eagle recently, while on his way to Taylorsville. When first noticed the bird was at a great height in mid -air. A minute later it swooped down upon Engleman with a shrill scream, striking him with terrific force, burying its talons in nis clothing and flesh. Engleman was on horseback and therefore at a great disadvantage. Before he could dismount be was badly clawed by the bird. The farmer was without any weapons and could only defend himself with his bare hands. The fight lasted full? an hour, the eagle plunging at him from every quarter. Twice did the man attempt to run, but each time the great bird threw itself in tlZ 7 T P n ent *, d hIS , retreat - At le °g th he ca »Kbt it by its talons, and with hands and feet succeeded m slaying it. The bird measured 6 feet 4 inches from tip to tip. A great deal of talk has been made about a few words pronounced at the funeral ceremony of the King of Portugal by Cardinal Neto, the Patriarch of Lisbon. The Cardinal asked the assistants to pray for the repose of the King's soul, and for his deliverance from the flames of Purgatory Hence the indignation of certain newspapers and rumours of disturbance between the Courts of Portugal and the Vatican. It is only necessary to know a little catechism in order to be convinced that all this noise signifies just nothing. The Cardinal spoke rough but Christian words. Faith teaches us that no one can enter Heaven without a soul free of every fault and which has made expiation for sin. Flatterers may feel indignant that this truth be remembered besides the corpse of a King, but it is the duty of God's minister to speak the truth, and the whole truth. We thoroughly agree with the Lord's Day Observance Society in the piotest it has addressed to the members of the Pelican Club, an aristocratic organisation for the development of plebeian sport It was under its auspices that wretched match at fisticuffs between two so-called champions was got up before the echoes of the Sabbath belle had well died on the air. The conduct of thesa " curled darlings "of the upper ten would be a disgrace to a pack of drunken bricklayers We copy the closing sentences of the document sent to these noble Dukes, etc.—" Such things train a community to violence, brutality, and crime. They are a blot on out civilisation, a disgrace to our age, a curse to our country, and a sore dishonour to our God and Supreme King." These are strong words, but not a whit too vigorous for the occasion. *