A MANLY UTTERANCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 48, 30 March 1894, Page 16

A MANLY UTTERANCE.

f: N a recent issue we referred to the change in public * opinion on the education question manifested iv vaiiou-, wajs throughout Australasia. VVe declared that, in our own experience, the jgT4, t acknowledged steadfastness of purpose shown by Catholio, in supporting their own schools, the /Jiv^ acknowledged exeellenee of the secular teacbin" lmpaited m religious sehoolb, and the acknow^ ledged b pread of iudillerenee in matters of religion among the colonial youth were telling slowly but surely in changing the trend of public opinion. A few years ago the Preebyterians of Victoria showed alarm at the " increasing paganism" of the times, and blamed "secular" education for the deplorable results. Jn other places since then the Anglicans have re-echoed their words. Wow we find a representative man, in a bold and manly way, advocating the granting of justice to Roman Catholics. It is surely significant that the president of the Victoria and Tasmania United Wesleyan Conference did not hesitate to tell his Church that the solution of the Catholic difficulty would be both " just and statesmanlike." To be sure this was received with murmurs of dissent. But plain speaking of this kind shows clearly that President Whittington has the courage of his opinions and knows that his words will not fall on totally arid soil, lie recognises, without doubt, that we have with us a large number of the liberal-minded and most enlightened Protestants. He says, as reported in the Anjus, March <i, that both Catholics and Protestants " were utterly dissatisfied because the? saw a large proportion of the children growing up in practical heathenism and without *ny adequate instruction in morality ." bo far so good. His words were applauded when he insisted on the necessity of religious training. Bigotry asserted itself when he approached a solution of the difficulty. He passed, in review, the t fleet, or rather non-e fleet, of mere Sunday-school teaching by untrained volunteers, the difficulties in the way of ministers personally instructing in the schoolroom at off hours, and

the inadequacy of tbe platform of the National hcriptiuo Education League. Then, he said— we quote the tjwlsima verba as reported in our Melbourne contemporary : •< He spoke only for himself, but he wou'd assert that the true Bolution was to be formd in conceding to the Roman Catholi-s their claims (murmurs cf dissent). He did not expect that •11 present would agree with him, but he would assert that in paying the Koman Catholics tor the results of their secular instruction would be found a solution of the question which would be both just and statesmanlike." LUJiop Aloran, •gam and again in these columns and on the public platform has declared, m the very words of the rev president of the Wesleyan Conference, that to do simple justice to the Catholic body, which pays for its own schools after paying for the free and godless education of other peoples children, would be both just and statesmanlike. ». ur gleam of hope is brightened by reading the refreshing, manly speech of Mr Whittington. If we be only true to ourselves and loyal to our natural leaders, the mist of prejudice will be soon dispelled, and long-deferred justice will reign and triumph.

Among the celebrations of St Patrick's Day, not the least wa B tbat presided over at Panmure by Slonsigoor Mac Donald. A highly, snccesiful cone rt was given tb<? previous evening, and on the festival some four or five hundred children were entertained at the glebe— wtere there were sports, a baby show, and music,— two bands and a Highland piper. At Hawera and New Plymouth alio picaics of the Catholic schools came off with great eclat. The respective pastors, the Very Rev Father Mulvibill and the Rev Fathers McKenna and Flood, contributed much by their exertions to the pleasure and success of the day,

It ii to be feared that Mr Chamberlain has ere this come to the conclusion that there are more wild beasts in the United Kingdom than those bred in Ireland. Li a speech made by him at Edinburgh the other day he referred to the National party as '• Irish tigers "—terrorising the Government. His carriage has now been stoned in the streets of Edinburgh, as we are told, by " roughs." All the worse for " Joe " if even the dregs of the people ar« disgusted ar his conduct.

Our contemporary the Wanganui Yeoman, in a leader on the ftate of Italy, quotes a passage from the letter of a tourist, which may be taken as illustrating the value of the opinions pronounced by members of the claaa in general ;-•' Italy was in a very bad state When Garibaldi helped to make her free and combiaed," writes Mr Bergean', " and since then she has made enormous progress, but they ■till want another Garibaldi, or rather a Ballance, to emancipate her from the chains <_f land monopoly and unfettered foreign computit'.un. fn other words, Italians ueed fur tour cure a hair of the do,' t-iat b.i them. What they wair. v fac, v someone to free them from tbc oppres s ion of the tricksters and lyrants into whose ban-is vJ-jnbnidi betrayed them.

MKWbbTBY Bkookk l'EfirhV al, the Agent-General for New in London (s*ys a contemporary) i Bi B not, it appears, a grandson of Spencer Perceval, the Prime Minister, who out with an untimely end, but belongs to the Irish branch of the historic family his father having been the late Westby Hawkahaw IVrceval, J Knightsbrook, in the County of Mcatb, wbo, on the gale of the last of the family estates under the Irish Encumbered Esa'es Court, purChased land in New Zealand from the Canterbury Land Association, •nd proceeded to the Britain of the South, viz,, Tasmania, in the year 1853.

A clbbical correspondent sen Is me (" Incog." of the Bombay Catholic Examiner) from the Central Provinces two quotations from Joseph de Maistre, the well-kno*D Catholic writer, which bear npon the eubject I have been recently discussing in this column. For the benefit of those readers who take an interest in the question, I give • translation of th« extracts. Speaking of "le sublime jeminin " De Maistre sayß:— " The error of certain women is, to imagine that, in order to be distinguished, they mast be so after the manner of men. Women are by no means condemned to mediocrity ; they may even aim at the soblime, but it must be the sublime fe'minin. The woman can be superior only as a woman ; as soon as she wishes to emulate man, she is only a monkey." In the next paragraph he tells us that "learning is a very dangerous thing lor women. It expoees them habitually to the danger of displeati g both men and women— men who do not wish to be equalled ; and women, who do not like to be eurpat33d. Learning, ot its own nature, likes to appear, for we are all very proud. But here prmee'y is tbe grave danger, for woman can with safety be learued ou'y wh -n she conceals— at least in great part— what Bhe know?, witu more care than the other ccx take to display their knowledge. It is earn r to rind m husband foraccquette than for a learned lady, since to marry a savant- one must be without

pride, which is rare ; whereas to marry a coquette one need only be a iojl, which is very common."

His Eminence ihe Cjrdinal-Archbishop of SyJney ("says the Freeman's Journal, of March 17) thn 8 opens the Pastoral ise'ned by him th's week : " It has seemed well in the ways cf Divine Provi. dence that 1 should be freed from the severe illness from which I was suffering for bjtic months and be restored to my former health. It now becomes my pleasing duty to return thanks, with all the outpouring of paternal affection, to the Catholic faithful of this diocese. who, in union with tbeir zealous clergy and devoted religions commuLitieß, during this period of my illness, were so persevering and so earnest in the prayers which they offered to Heaven in my behalf. Such affectionate sympathy a D d such cordial union of tbe flock with its spiritual pastor cainot but be truly pleasing to our Divine Lord, the Prince of pastors. It is a proof to the world of tbe incomparablt unity by whici vr d are all bound together in tbe Bacred bonds of Divine Faith, and it cannot fail to obtain many graces from Heaven alike for the pastor and for the whole flock. Your reward for such piety can come only from God. For my part, the only return that I can make is to devote entirely to your spiritual welfare whatever span nf life it may please Almighty God to assign me, and to be mindful daily at the Altar, when offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, of your pious intentions, that all those graces and blessing* of which you stand in need may be abundantly bestowed npon you. Toe Blessed Virgin. Help of Christians, Chief Patron of the Australian Church, and tbe other Saints, Patrons of this diocese, will I trust, unite their prayers with mine that those gifts of the Divine Mercy may be your rich inheritance."

Business (says the Wcstport Times, ot March 14) waa suspended in town this afternoon and flags were flown at half-mast on the shipping in port, as a mark of respect to the late Mr Scanlon, whose funeral took place at 2.30 pm. Tfce coffin was borne from the family residence to 8t Can ice's Church by old friends of the deceased. The cortege was one of the longest ever seen in Westport, including some fifty carriages, many horsemen, and hundreds of moorners on foot. In addition to the large number of townspeople present, residents of Reef ton, Charleston, Addison's, Brighton, Mokihinui, Denniston, Cape Fouiwind, Lyell, and other outside localities swelled the sad proceseion. The funeral service was conducted by the Very Bay Father Walehe. Mr Scanlon's death has thrown a gloom over the community, for, with hia family, be was held in affectionate eateem by a'l with whom be came in contact during his long residence on the Coast.

Ouu esteemel contemporary the Triad for the current month comes rather late to hand— as we are goiog to Press. We must, therefor- . dc r er our notice of it until next week.