American Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 22, 18 March 1892, Page 5

American Notes.

The Eev Charles W. Eliot, LL.D., President of Harvard college does not believe in an undiluted saoularism. President Eliot, moreover, is an authority whoso opinion deserves attention. la a lee 'are recently delivered by him at Boston he is reported, for example, as speaking as follows * — "I am to speak to you to-night of a subject which touches education and religion. I want to speak to you of the variety of American schools and colleges. In the first place there are the public schools and colleges supported by tna Scite; then there are tbe endowed institutions. Of the endowed institutions the first are tbe denominational, which were Protestant institutions in this country. Let me say here that a denominational school should command onr respect. It enables parents to have their children brought np and instructed in that mode of teaching which they cherish." President Bliot then referred to the semi- denominational and tbe undenominational or poly-denomioational institutions, of which Harvard was tbe neartst example of the latter class, declaring that this form of institution is a precious one in American society. He spoke strongly in favour of private schools, and declared that the privilege of parents to direct the education of their children is a most sacred one, and one of the most precious of human rights. Continuing, be said that the great variety of educational institutions in this country is of advantage, because of the wholesome competition which invariably arises among the institutions. Endowed and private institutions are frser and more flexible than the public schools. To make a cbsnge in a public school system requires the consent of a great many persons. The institutions that are leading the way at this moment in educational reform do not, as a general rale, belong to the public schools. " Tbe American public school is undergoing a new sort of trial. It has been forced, in my opinion, into an unnatural and untenable position. It has been forced into the position of secularisation. It has been made to appear as a school from which religion is exoluded. The Roman Catholic Church desires that moral and religious education go together. Ido not believe that religion can be relegated to Sunday. And you cannot separate religion from history, science, philosophy. It is everywhere in human thought and speech. Let us apply to the American schools the same policy which the American State applies to the American Church —perfect freedom in all things and the enjoyment of many privileges, including exemption from taxation. Let the American public schools do likewise, and the great source of discord will be dried up in the American people."

Daring the recent smallpox epidemic in Guatemala, the Sisters of Charity were conspicuous in their devotion to the victims of the dread disease, and five of them lost their lives. A national subscription was raised to erect a suitable monument to their memory, and the work was given to an Italian sculptor. The monument has safely arrived at Guatemala city. It is of white marble, with an aqgel supporting a cross and in the act of writing in Spanish the words, " Tirtue is its own reward." The names of the Sisters— Josefa Ohanzarmer, Teresa de Leon, Isabel Santana, Carlotta Aceituoa, and Fidelia Cabezas— are inscribed upon the stone below. It will be erected in ths Guatemala City Cemetery, where so many who died from the plague lie buried.

Tbe late Very Rst Anthony Anderledy, General of the Jesuits, was the only incumbent of that high office who ever did missionary duty in America. He was driven from Europe by the Revolution of 1848, before his studies were completed, and came to St Louis Unirersity, where he finished his course, and was ordained to the priesthood the following year by Archbishop Kenrick. He served for about two years thereafter on the mission of Wisconsin. His tenure of the office of General was brief as compared with that of his predecessor, Father Becks, who governed the Society for thirty-four years.

Another notable conversion to the Catholic Faith, Bays the Pilot, is announced — this time from San Francisco, Oal. Mr Lawreoce J. Kip, a prominent lawyer of that city, a grandson of the venerable Dr William Ingnham Eip, Protestant Bpiscopal Bishop of California, and a distant relative of Dr Cleveland Coze, Protestant Bißhop of Western New York, was received into the Church on Monday, January 25, by the Bey Joseph Fasia, B.J. The despatches give this bit of family history :— " The Kip family have been famous in the Episcopal Church. Bishop William Ingiaham Kip is the second oldest bishop in America, being ont-ranked only by Bishop Williams, of Connecticut. He is a graduate of Tale and the General Theological Seminary of New York In 1851 he was ordained missionary bishop of California. Before comitig to the coast he was married to a Miss Lawrence, of New York, sister of the famous ' Don't Give up the Bbip ' Lawrence, commander of the frigate Chesapeake, and a conaio of Beach Lawrenca, the noted jurist. Young Lawrence Kip's mother was Miss B. C. Kinney, of New Yoik, daughter of a former United

Btates Minister to Tunis, a ooosia of Bishop Coxe, of New York, and ex-President Cleveland. Her half-brother is fldmund Clarence Bteaman, the poet and critic"

The Inek of Dr A, Billhardt of Upper Sandnsky, Obio, furnishes a warning to the uncharitable. Many years ago the Doctor gave a small sum of money to a poor and delieate-lookiog man who begged of him one night in Philadelphia: Lately, upon opening a package directed to him from a mining towa in South America, he found a brilliant. Tbe following card wa< enclosed: — " Mcl more, S. A., November 6, 1891.— Dr A. Billhardt— Dear sir, — Several years ago I met yon in the s'reets of Philadelphia. I was starving and aaktd you for bread ; you gave it to me. For your kindness I return you a stone. It is of great value, but nothing, I assure yon, in comparison to the gratitude I feel for the kindness you extended, — Babon Ino Rossa." The gem weighs twenty karats, and its value is estimated at 8,000 dols.

A severe persecution of religion has been going on for some time in Mexico, where President Diaz is making fierce war on tbe clergy and religions ord9rs. Diaz is acting in the interests of Freemasonry. Tbe New York Herald? $ special correspondent, telegraphing nnder date of January 6, says :— " During the past fortnight at least 300 padres, or priests, have been incarcerated because of their incendiary utterances against the Government." The correspondent admits the Masonic associations of Diaz, which quite explain the nature of tbe utterances against the Government attributed to the priests imprisoned. It is now reported that an insurgent leader has arisen in tbe person of a man named Garzi, and that a large body of the people have given in their adherence to him. He is said also to have the support of many of the clergy.

The Third Congress of coloured Catholics of the United States has recently b?en held at Philadelphia. A very significant paragraph in one of the papers read was the following :: — '• It has been maintained that the Catholic Church i<? making great headway in the solution of the problem of evangelising th« negro, and a cry of alarm has been raised that unless the efforts of Protestants to evangelise the coloured people are speedily redoubled, the great majority of them will be eventually found in tbe broad fold of tbe Catholic Church. It has also been discovered that improvement in the political, social, and intellectual condition of the negro rather increases than diminishes the danger of being * Catholicised,' for education, it urged, is rather a help than a hindrance toward an entrance to Church. In a word, it seems to be feared toat, unless some new an vigorous departures are soon made by the Protestant Church at lar the great mass of the people of this country will indeed be absorbed by tbe Catholic Churcb." — The Convention has produced a very salutory effect on the, coloured population generally, and its first fruits are to be noted in tbe conversion of a prominent man of colour named Swan. Mr Swan is the proprietor and editor of a newspaper at Philadelphia which will henceforth bekiown as the Catholic Journal, and issued in the interests of the Church.

The Convention of Catholic Journalists, or of the Apostolato of the Press, as it was appropriately called, held recently in New York, passed off with great eclat, and succeeded in strengthening for their important work not only those who took part in it, but those als) whom they represented. The various manners in which the great organ might be most effectually brought to bear on tbe duty of supporting and advancing the interests of Catholicism in the country were amply discussed, and an enlargement of views, as well as a ivo r e clear understanding of methods was the result. Among the remarkable incidents of the Convention was the presence among the deligates of a numerous body of converts — bearing testimony to the influence of intellect and education on tbe growth of the Church — New England, especially, was thus hopefully represented.

Among the testimony borne to the admirable conduct of Minister Sgao during the Chilian imbroglio, and which bas been abu dirt, no* the least valuable or conclusive bas been that of the Ii v Mr Mclntyre, a Methodist minister who acted as chaplain on bcuirf the man-of-war, Baltimore. Addressing a meeting of his brother m ninters the other day at Ban Diego, California, be declared that Mr Egan's conduct had been worthy of all praise, calm, watchful, determined, and thoroughly American. Mr Kgan and his friends may well despise tbe accusations that have been brought against him. Their source and motive are very palpable.

Cardinal Manning and Cardinal Simeoni, who died on the simp day, were also elevated to the rank of Cardinal on the same day (in 1875).! When Cardinal Place, Archbishop of Rennes, received the Ist Sacra men '8 last month » procession was formed, not only of thee'ergy, bat of a multitude of citizeaß. A' was the practice once in Rome, a certain number of the poor followed the Viaticum into the house, filled the ball, and knelt upon the staircase and entered even into tiie room to pray with the dyiug man. The street! were lined with people on their kneee.