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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 30, 23 November 1894, Page 15

Dr C. J. SMelds has commenced the practice of his profession at Roslyn. The doctor is to be found at the bousa lately occupied by Mr Chisholm in Rosa street. His set letnent in the district should proTe abmn to th'? residents.

Mr J. F. StM z, Hi;;h street, Caris church, still m uotains his reputation as a leader among ouricolonUl watchmakers. Mr Stra z erjjoys a speciality in the matter of repairs. Clocks and watches of all kinds entrusted to him receive skilful and immediate attention.

Mr E. O'Connor, of the Catholic Book Depot, Christcburcb, has ipsned a very neat and comprehensive catalogue cf the books comprised in his etcck. They embrace works suited to all requirements and tastes. Standard secular authors are included as well as Catholio writers, and the list of prices isex'remely moderate. Now, especinlly, when the time for Chris'mas boxes and school prizes is approaching, the catalogue may be usefully consulted.

tion or on the programme of the near future. Australian contemporaries speak of the pushing to near completion of the majestic pile in Melbourne which will be a fitting cathedral for a great city. Everywhere throughout Australasia in Catholic circles there is enthusiasm, activity, and boundless generosity. Everywhere, Luu, wuiul, r is. openly expressed by non-Catholics at the marvellous progress ot the Church. And the query goes round " How do they sneered? How, with a mmmnm ot material resourc s, do these Catholics obtain the maximum of good results ?" Many solutions are advanced, but the only true answer to thoqucstion is put out of sight, " Digit us Dtic^t />/<■ ''—" The finger of God is h- re. ' The Catholic Church in New Zealand is punctuating the wondrous writing of bounteous Nature with £>ems of architectural beauty. Though only a seventh of the population, Catholics have had a very large share in the adornment by noble structures of city and town. The special blessing of the Most High is with them and those only refuse to recognise the Finger of God who even fail to sec the God of Nature in the glorious scenery of our fair land. They have eyes and see not ; they are " dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon ; " they do not see what every impartial visitor to the colonies sees — the marvellous and increasing progress of the Catholic religion and the active principle of its strong vitality. Narrow bigotry and sectarian prejudice may allow them, perforce, to wonder at local works, but shut out their gaz^e from general effects and a general cause. Possibly this has something to do with the omission, in published summaries in the colonial Press, of a passage in* the last hook of M Bi.ouet, which bears testimony to the work done by the Church in Australasia and Canada and Cape Colony. The well-known Frenchman is one of the most keen observers among modern writers of note. Those who have carefully perused his many works will have no suspicion of partiality, in the narration of fact, to any particular form of religion. He denounces hypocrisy wherever it shows its ugly head, and speaks of men as he finds them, whatever their profession. In his new book, " John Bull and Co — the Great Colonial Branches of the Firm," Max O'llell, after quoting statistics, thus writes :: — il Cne cannot but be struck, on reading this list, by the progress made and the importance acquired by the Catholic religion in the English colonies. This importance had also struck me in Canada, the United States, and the Pacific Islands. And yet there is nothing astonishing about it when one thinks how easy it must have teen for those charitable and devoted priests, who consecrate soul and body to the service of the poor and the unhappy, and to the education and placing out of their children, to win converts among the struggling colonists, hungry for sympathy and always ready to open their hearts to those who lead, like themselves, a life of privations and sacrifices. Tho life of these priests is so exemplary that Australians of all creeds speak of them with tho greatest respect, and when they indulge in criticisms or jokes on the clergy it is never at the expense of a Catholic priest." With truth do tho laity everywhere speak with Invent gratitude of the devotion, amounting even to heroism, of their unselfish priests. With truth, too, do the clergy express their pleasure and pride in leading to Goo a people whose generosity and fidelity show the great d< pth of their faith and charity. Faith and generosity have been written in large letters by heroic priests, and devoted religious, and faithful people in every corner of this joung land. Those who came from beyond the seas brought the bust traditions of the old world to help in planting the seal of the Faith in a new land. They succeeded, and now the beautiful story of colonial labour and self-sacrifie<> is added to the inspiriting story of martyred peoples. 'Ihe > atholic settlers have nobly done their part in the cause of leligion and education. Will their children remain iaithful ? Will their children's children exhibit the generosity of their fathers ? We hear *^o!" in many quarters. Croakers sit on the housetops and proclaim, in the market place, that when their generation passes away, the Church will be in sore plight. " The grand old Church will be at the mtrcy of the native-born ! God look to it 1" Yes, God will louk to it. The Church will, it is true, be in the hands, to great extent, of native-born colonists — of native-born, however, proud of the self-sacrifice of the parents who built the r fine churches and schools of native-born, proud of th" Catholic traditions of their ancestors in lands which they will still call " Uomc "" — of nativeborn, educated by noble wimun and men, whose example as well as precept will be a guiding star in life — of native-born,

who will be what their faithful, generous parents made them. We am far from pessimistic with regard to the future of the Australasian _ Church. Even when we hear the not unfrequent omplaint that the young people do not contribute as' well as the old people, we ask whose fault is this. The very | people who complain make indirect confession of their own carelessness in instructing their children. When we look at the American Church, with its countless colleges and convents, stoc-knil with nati\c-bom leligious, with its hierarchy and priesthood, occupvmg a foremost position in the march of Catholic nro.rress ; wlm n w ,, lOokl Oo k again at our societies of youii£ (iP()pl«( iP()pl« and note the expressions of loyalty and devotedncos that lull from the'u lips and proceed from their hearts, we remember that the Church i, *. Divine institution, and, with the optimism begot of past success, prophesy even greater progress in the future.

Pressure on our space obliges us to hold over to our next issuo several important con'ributions.

Archbishop Redwood (says the Wellington Post of the 13th inst) administered the Sicrarnent of Confirmation at the Upper Hutt on Sunday, an 1 preached both morning and evaning. Many nonCatholics were present, and the church was crowded on each occasion. In the aftermon the children who were confirmed wera enrolled into the societies of the Suited Heart of Jesus, and the Temperance Lsagu3 of the Cross.

The Rev Father Djran, at the inviUtion of the Most Rev Dr Grmes, has proceede 1 from Oamiru on a vinit to the diocese of Chrißichurch,

The Lev Father Hilary. C.P., is en^gol thn week in giving a writs of conferences at Oanaaru. On Monday the Rev Passioinist will pay a visit to Dunedia, and early in the week be will leave this city for Christchurci.

On Wednesday evening the 17th inst., at the meeting of tbe Confraternity of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Bfc OVhedral Dun -din. the Rev Father Daran preached. The rev preacher took for his subject davotion to the Blessed Mother of God and delivered a most earnest and impressive sermon, He prefaced his discou^- by some words of allusion to the ordeal through which he had lately passed, speaking of the scene which occurred on the Wairarapa when she struck the rocka as, in horror, beyoad all description. No pen in the worU, he aaid, could adequately describe itHe had recourse in the moment of trial to Miry, Star of the Sei and to her aid he isenbed not, only his escape from deith but the calmness and connlenci tnat ha i enabled him to eniure. On Thurs lay mining solemn oflic; for the deal an] High Mass of litquiem were off-rv! i i thy cathedral f >r ih> romsa of tae souls of Father Seraphm UP. and t ho oth-r Catholics who ha \ periahe lin the wrec 1 :. Ths He? F.ither Djrau ictjd as celebrant , the Rev Father Murphy as deic:n ; the R-v Father Howard aa sib-leacin ; and tho Very R^v Fa her Lynch, Rector, as master of ceremonies.' The music of the Mas 3 , whici wis Gregirian, was very sweetly and devotionally sung, without accompaniment, by a choir of the Dominican nun*. Th.? Dinlrm in particular was mo*t touching. The soul of Father Seraphim was specially recommends I to the prayers of the congregation. Tbe Cathedral organist (Mr VMlig) played Guillmant'a " March Fan.- i- ," Oho u'.'s " Fun^ril March," and Handel's " Dj id March." fhjre was a lirgj a'tendaice.

The remains of thelafeCzir have at ien»ta been buried. The ceremonies and trappings of tae protracted iyin* iv sta'e anifunenl were of unprecedented splendour. A'i th'grvat piwersof Europe were represented— England by the Pnace of Wales and the Duke of York, What seems to us of special interest is that Her Majesty the Queen, as we are told, held, on the day of the buml, a commemorative service of the sum kiad as that performed in tit Petersburg. Wherp, we should like to know, did the heii of the Church of England find in her rituil funeral ceremonies answering to those of the Rasso-Greeks— and whac has Kx.tjr H^ll to aay abjut it? Tbe marriage of the young Czar is to take place immediat ly, and the funeral guests are prolonging their visit to witness it — Abiit omen.

Messrs J. Lamb find Sjn, undeitakers, Lichfield street, Christ church, are prompt in attendii g to funeral oriers en runted to them Their terma will be found pa'isfp.cory and their woik well done. One of the local industries of Onristchurch rapidly gaining popularity is the soap known as thfl " Premier soap," manufactured by Messrs Maxwell and Cook? , Woulston. Thj manufacturing process ia very interesting. In two huge tanks are place i the caustic soda, which is blown through pipes into n pan cipable, of hiding 6 tons of soap, and then from tht> pin it ia pUced in a soap mixer. After this the soap in emptied into lug 3 pie^s-n, anl then cut into bars. The factory, which ia cnti of too bi>t n ,ln c >l,>ny, ia at present turning out 12 tons of soap weekly, which is a very big aterage conbideriug the amouat of keen competition in New Zealand.