THE AFRICAN MISSIONS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 52, 27 April 1894, Page 20

THE AFRICAN MISSIONS.

Among namerous letters of approbation from distinguished pralatrs is the following from his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of West minster. It is addressed to the Snperior-General of the Af.ican Mission Society, aod has reference to Fa. her O'Sallivan's m j sß i on to Australia .— " My Dear Father Soperior-General-Your great and noble work among the negroes livirg and dying in Bin aod igDoraDce m different parts of the British dominions deserves the most hearty support of all Catholics in the empire. Tbe generosity of Protestants towards their mission is extraordinary. A like generosity would be found among their Cathol'c fellow-countrymen were tbe duty brought clearly before them-tbe duty we have to the heathen. Your idea of sending some priests to the colonies to collect appears to me to be very natural. In these new countries where Catholics have had a fair start, wealth is greater than among tbe Catholics of toe Church for instance, in England. Hitherto they have done but little for the heathen missions and it would seem fair to bring your claims to

support before their eyes. I doubt not but that the Bishops of Australia who, being for the most part Irish have inherited the geDerous missionary spirit of 8t Patrick, will look favourably on your work. The sympathy between the French and the Irish which exists so strongly will commend your missioners to the Irish settlers."

The unhappy condition of the African needs few recommendations to awake a throb of sympathy in the heart of the Irish exile. Persecuted ourselves bo ruthlessly and bo long we have learned to feel for the moat persecuted race on the face of God's earth. Oa the battle-fields of America Irishmen shed their blood in streams to break the black man's chains. Under the palm-trees of Dahomey, along the Guinea Coast, and by the banks of the Niger, the converted African kneels on the graves of Irish priests and Irish nuns, who left their homes and their country a> d wore out their lives there to save him from I ell. The pens, as well as the swords, of some of the most distinguished of our rur-e have also been wielded in his favour. John Boyle O'Reilly, speaking of those beings of superior kind who despise the African because his skin happens to be black, snys :— " It is, as it ought to be in the Caiholio Chnrch that the colour of a man's skin is forgotten. All men's souls are alike and all men's hearts answer to the same keys. Prejudice of colour or country is the child of ignorance and narrowness. The glory of the Church is not confined to whites, and never was. The African Church of the future may be a 9 illuhtrions as tba* of the past."

Another distinguished Irishman, whose name for nearly half a centary has been known and honoured wherever his exiled country, men have foand a home, Sir Charles Gavan Daffy, would thus enlist their benevolence in favour of the African Missions :— " The Society of African Missions, by which France labours to win the millions of oppressed African peasants to Christianity and civilization, has one of its branches at Nice where I have become interested in its labours and I am glad to bear witness that the missionaries whom I have seen are zealous and exemplary priests fit for th« ta&k they have undertaken. Theae missionaries, who face toils and privations in

Egypt and the Cape Colony and disease and death on the Slave Coast, deserve the sympathy of all Christian people. They have training sch.ols at Cork and several Irish missionaries have joined the society. One of them, Father O'^nllivan, is sent to Aus'ralia to solicit aid for the miss oas, and I trust he will obtain a t-h»re of the benevolence of the most prosperous people in tbe worlL— G. GAVAN Dufft."

Messrs B. B. Martin and Son, Dunedin, are ready to execute all commissions entrusted to them in letting, selling, or purchasing propetty, or collecHn?, lending, or borrowing money. The firm are especially qualified for the buoiness undertaken by them, and their well-known reputation is a sufficient guarantee for those who avail themselves of their services.

Mr Stratz, the well known watchmaker of Christchurch, bees to announce through our advertising col umns that he is still selling tbe marvellous Canadian remedies which created such a sensation through New Zealand a few veirs %go. These great healers of all diseases are without a doutr the most wonderful of all cures which have ever been before the New Zealand public. Mr Stratz will be happy to forward testimonials on application to any part of the Colony. Patrons of the Tablet are reminded that Mr J. Reddington (late of Lonargan and (Jo), has commenced business on his owq account as fruit iier and confectioner at 143 Lower High Btreet Ohrmtchnreh (opp site Kempthome, Prosser and Co). Mr Bedding. on wishes to remind ibn public that be sells no'bing but the chotcest fruits in season and that be is ready to compete with any cf the other hous-s in Ctinstchurch. His advertisement appears at the bottom of interesting reading matter

Atexandre Dumas has not only the conrage of his opinions bnt also of bis nigger bloorf. <Joau>litn nts have just been exchanged b< t*een him and Mgr Perrau •, Bishop of Amun, on tbe subject of a discouiae which the latter delivered on the 7th January last in bis Cathedral of Aumn on tbe abolition of slavery. M. Alexandra Dumas writes to »be Bishop : " Monsignenr, I have read aod re-read with tbe greatest interest your discourse on tbe abolition of slavery. No one could remain deat to such an appeal, and I least of all. since* I have only to go back four generhtions in order to find negro slaves among my ancestors. Therefore it is not only for my brethren from a Christian point of view that I thank you, bat also for relatives that I may still have on negro-laden ships."