DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY PREPARING FOR BATTLE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 6, 5 June 1896, Page 17

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY PREPARING FOR BATTLE.

U R attention has been directed to a report of the Dunedin Presbytery in the Evening btar of last evening — with the request that we allude to the " insolence and unqualified bad taste " of a notice of motion which has reference to the appointment and consecration of the Most Rev Dr Verdon. We are asked to point out the discourtesy contained in the presence on the presbyterial minute book of the notice of motion in question, We do not as a rule wade tbiough the painfully detailed minutes of the Presbytery, bynodal " hansardising "is a yearly infliction. We have to meet columns of speeches addressed through the secular Press to parochial constituents. The general public take but 1 ttle interest in the reports save when a " row " is chronicled, and then the remark is heard : " Why is not dirty linen washed in private." Generally, proceedings are dull at presbytery and synod. Hence the special efforts periodically made to brighten the meetings by the introduction of matters which will naturally cause lively speech. Hence, no doubt, the notice of motion given by the Rev Mr Finlayson, clerk of Presbytery, for next monthly seek runt. This gentleman has formally announced his intention of moving this resolution :— " The Presbytery, having had their attention directed to the proceedings in connection with the recent appointment of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, take this opportunity of pointing out the unscriptural and unwarrantable claims made on behalf of the Popish Hierarch. as set forth in the Bishop's oath and in Archbishop Redwood's sermon}; of warning the people of this olony regarding the anti-Christian tyranny inherent in the Papal system ; and of expressing the hope that the day is not far distant when the Roman Catholic Church will feel its bondage under this system to be intolerable, and cast off this hierarchy as a thing alien to the Church and hostile to the interests of Christ's kingdom." As far as New Zealand is concerned, " Roma delenda est " is the programme of Mr Finlaysox. To wipe out Roman Catholicism is, however, a rather large order. Even if the Dunedin Presbytery carry unanimonsly the proposed resolution, in all its absurdity, the Catholic Church will continue to advance, and, we doubt not, the fair-minded people of the Colony will still fail to see " the anti-Christian tyranny inherent in the Pa^ al system." They will rather come to the conclusion that the lea\en of bigotted exclusiveness of old Dunedin is not yet purged out, and that anti-Christian discourtesy is just now more in evidence than anti-Christian tyranny. As to the proposed attack, the first in the episcopate of Dunedin's second bishop, we know the " first attack is the fiercest." Our Presbyterian friends made mistakes in the past ; if they ride for a fall in the future, 'tis their own affair — they arc going to begin tho battle. Many of our readers will remember the assault which a ( or y pit ecus of Presbyterianism made on the doctrines of the Church some years ago, and the crushing replies of Dunedin's first oishop to the Xcv Lindsay Mackay. Our yet older readers will remember the action at the time of Father Scon's arrival in Dunedin when the faithful Presbyterians were warned by a discourteous enthusiast that a wolf in sheep's clothing was in their midst. The warning which, old identities inform us, was given on the occasion of the arrival in North-East Valley, of the pioneer M«rist priest, simply served to convey information of his presence to a scattered flock. Father Scon good-humouredly expressed gratitude for the publicity given to Ins advent, and quietly went on his way, saying Mass and preaching Catholic doctrine and administering sacraments in this Presbyterian stronghold. All the efforts of combined jealousy and bigotry have failed. Catholicism advances. Unprovoked attacks do our holy religion not the slightest harm ; they disgust sensible men, and have the good effect of giving favourable opportunity for public pronouncements on Catholic doctrine. The attack which Mr Finlayson has planned will, if Presbytery debate tho matter with warmth, lead to serious examination on the part of the unprt judiced and fair-minded of tho real doctrines of our holy Church. We look forward with gnat interest to next meeting ( f the Dunedin Presbytery. (Speeches on Catholic doctrine and our " anti-Christian tyranny " will be a change from the " Ntujai piumi-inn" — trilles of children — so often chionicled. We notice in the reports which we occasionally read that

presbyterial Fathers are fond of Latin quotations. Bt fore entering on the lengthy discussion which is sure to follow Mr Finlaybon's motion, speakers would do well to bear in mind the remark of Cicero, " Mala indisertam prudent iam guam stultitiam loquaccm "—"" — " I prefer the wisdom of the unlearned to tbe folly of the loquacious."

The following letter was addrepsed to Fa'hor Lynch, after the last meetiig cf the executive body, by Mr D, F. Tbrom n, president of the Dunedin Jewish congregation :— " Dear Father Lynch, — 1 have been requested by the members of the executive body on behalf of the entire Jewish congregation, to b'g that you will ba so good as to kindly convey to his Lordship, Bishop Verdon, the expression of their moat respectful and sincere welconn t) this city, and the hop 3 that those cordial relations as fellow-citizens waich have always existed between the members of your great Church and our s-nill community, may ever be maintained. — Balieve ma to ba, dear Father Lynch, yours very sincerely, Datid B. Theomin, presidtnt." Father Lynch haa replied as follows : " My dear Mr Thaomin,— When our late bishop, Dr Moran, di d the Jewish community paid a marked tribute of respect to his memory, The kindness of your congregation at the time of our great sorrow will not sooa be forgotten by the Catholic body. The cordial welcoma which you now tender to his successor hBS given much gratificatun to his Lordship, Dr Verdon. Ha heartily reciprocates your good wishes, and hopes that the good feeling and pleasant relations of the pist and present miy txcend far into the future. — I am, my dear Mr Tdeomin, youra very sincerely, P. Lynch."

The Most Rev Dr Grimes paid a pastoral visit to Waimate last Sunday and administered confirmation to a large number of candidates. The Rev Father Lswis came from Timaru to assist F-ither Begnault, the mnch-r«spectei paßtor of the district. Oa Monday evening his Lordship gave a lecture on " The Islands of the Pacific," and on Tuesday was driven by Father Regnault to Hakateramea. Bishop Grimes will make the visitati n of Timara next Sunday.

ANNOUNCEMENTS.— The midwinter break up of St Patrick's College will take place on Thursday, 18th inst. Tne Most Rev Dr Vtrdon, we understand, will be in Gore on the same day. His Lordship will open tbe Oamaru bazaar on Tuesday, 16 h inst.

A CHESS tournament — that is a novelty in bazaar attractions. The Very Rev Father Mackay will have a living chess tourney at the opening of tht White Stone Basilica bazaar on Tuesday 16th inst. The monster fair will be opened by the Bishop of the diocese.

Ten young ladies were received as children of Mary in S Joseph's Citheiral on last feu u day evening by his Lordship the Bishop who also sang Veep :rs. Father Lynch delivered a discourse on devotion to the Blessed Virgin. There was a large congregation. On next Sunday there will be txposi'ion of the Blessed Sacrament and procession in the evening. The Most Rev Dr Verdon will be the morning prescher.

THE Evtmng Ptst appears as an eight-pige lournal, in ' a new and enlarged form," and in a'■ n<'w ilriss of typo."' We congratulate our Wellington conttmpor iiy, which speaks truly when it says tlut "in style and linish it is smart an 1 up- to- late.

HERE is cable hotch-potch :: — •' Mr Gladstone praises the paternal attitude of ibe Pope in inquirmg into Ihe validity of certmn English Orders of the Reman Catholic Church." Reference to our " Current Topics" will give our reader an iJua of what the Press Agency attempted to convey.

We desire to sympathise with 'he sufferers by ihe Lyell fire. We notice in the list of losers two old and most respected subscribers to the NEW Zealand Tablet— Messrs J. Fennell and J. RyanWe deeply regre' the loss they an i o bers have sustaioe i .

The funeral of Professor Peart, the chimpion hi^'h diver, who met his death while in Sydney, diving into a small ta jk from tbe top of the tent in Fitzgerald's circus, was attended by an immense number ( f people. In fact, in pi int of tumlcrs, it rrutoi-kof the nature of a public funeral. The Rev Father P.irch c fficiated at tho grave. The writer of this note was told by Peart when he was in Dunedin a few months ago that ho had performed his feat over 0 )00 times. The danper of ''one dive too often" was mentioned in a. convsieation in which the decpased spoke in a most affectionate manner of the kindness with wlii^h on one occasion the late Cardinal Manning treated him after an unusually difficult and trying feat done t) help a cbarity at the Royal Aquanam in London.

The first of our socials for this season, writes a llawec* Torrespendent, took place on Wednesday, the 13th mat, in aid of the

convent fund. This one was carried out in Leap Year style, and was managed ably by the young ladies of the congregation. Needless to gay, it was a pronounced success. Misses Connor and Haughey made very efficient M.C.'s. During the evening vocal items were rendered by Misses Cowern and Shanly. Messrs Higham, Collins and Aveß, and a rcc;:- tion by Miss Connor. Miss Flynn payed tbe accompanimen s and also tha dance music, being ab'y assisted in the later by her sisters. Misses Cowern and Haughey, and Messrs King and Moulten. Befjro supper was announced a ballot was taken to decide to whom tbe pr.zes for the best f incy dresses should go. Tre winners were Miss Haughey whoss [make-up as " Granny " was jnst perfect. Mr A. Court eg " Sambo." The presentations were made by Mr Ward, M.H.R., wko honoured us by his presence, the lady's being i gold banglt and the gentleman's an opera glass, the latter kindly given by Mr McGuire, M.H.R. At the conclusion the social was declared to be one of tbe most enjoyable ever held herp, and on Sunday Very Rev Father Mulvihill expressed his entire satisfaction at the result.

The result of the drawing of St Caaice'a Art Union, West^ort, will be found on our leader folio. The first prize was won by Mr Henderson, Dennis'on.

A westpobt correspondent, referring to the death of Mr Quane, speaks in high terms of the attention paid to the deceased in the Charlestown Hospital by Dr Simpson and Mr and Mrs Fleming.

Another faithful pioneer, writs a correspondent, has passed away — one, too, who never lost an opportunity to advance Holy Church or tha cause of Catholic education by his generous aid and assistance. Mr Michael Quane died last Wednesday, the 20th May, at the Charlestown hospital where he was confined as a patient daring the past two and a half years suffering from Canies diocese, " facial bones " with ulceration. Deceased was unmarried, a native of Ballycahill, [Enockany parish, County Limerick, Ireland, age 65 years. He came out to tbe colonies early in the sixties and ultimately settled in West port where he carried on contracting. He had tbe miil contract between the Buller and Charlestown, along which route he made for himself hosts of friends by his ever kind and obliging manner. Deceased was also a subscriber to the N.Z. Tablet and possessed some shares as well. The funeral took place on Friday, 23rd inst., and was followed by a large gathering of ppople. The Very Rsv Father Walsh officiated at the grave. — May he rest in peace,

Senator Eaine's liquor bill which has come into law for the whole of the of New York, abolishes the present license system and substitutes fo* it a system of certificates, which can be obtained oy anyone and which gives full freedom to Bell liquor of all kinds in any place in the town or city in which the certificate U issued. la New York the annual tax for each ordinary saloon is to be £100; in Brooklyn. £130 ; in cities having a pipulation between 500,000 and ."0,000, £100 ; ;between 50,000 and 10,000, £70 ; between 5000 and 1000, £10, and in all other plaeee, £20. All places alikeclubs included — muet obtain these licenses, which are renewable annually, Towns have the power of saying whether or not saloons or liquor-selling shall be permitted at all in their midst. This powci is not granted to cities ; but new saloons cannot ba started anywhere iv the State within 200 feet of a dwelling-house without the wnt'en consent of two-thirds of the property owners within that dis'ance ; cor in any casu within the same distance of a chu-ch o school. The whole control of these certificates is in the bandß of the State, and the local municipal authorities are to have nothing to do with their issue or regulntion, which latter is in the hands of a highly-Bilarie<l Sta'e Excise Commissioner and his officials, including 60 confidential agents and inspectors.

Afteb an extended audience with tho Pope some months ago, Emilio Castelar, Spain's brilliant orator and statesman, did not hetitate to declare — " Our century has seen only two really great men— Napoleon Bonapaite at the beginning aad Leo XIII at tbe close. Yes— but how different !"

Here is a way ior doing without bazaars and art-unions in New Zealand. It is not original. The method was devised by a congregation in Michigan, U S.A. A new roof was required. This is the *ay priest and peop c set about r^ing the money. — Every parishioner who felt dif posed denied himself the use of butter during Leat, and the money that would otherwise go for butter went io build the roof. Other parishioners abstained from certain pleasure! to raise a fund for fresco work.

Ai'BOPoa of a court of ictei national arbitration, an ingenious writer has figured out that in 2 000 years of recorded history there have been 951 bloody battles, while 5,800,000,000 persons have been killed in c inquest. England expends even at present, at least £100 per minute upoa her debt, her uuvy, and army. Napoleon, in sixty battles, expended 1,700,000 Frenchmen,

Jebuitb at Oxford and Benedictines at Cambridge ! Another sign of the times is witnessed in the granting by the Oxford Hebdomadal Council of a license to the Rev B. F. Clarke, 8.J., to open a private hall, where it is intended to send a small number of Jesuit divines after they have gone through their novitiate at Manresa. Father Clarke, who. was formerly Fellow of St John's College, will temporarily take charge of this house. At Cambridge, the Baron von Hugel has been largely instrumental in preparing the way for inch of the Benedictine novices and clerical students from St Edmund's Ware, who desire to undertake the university course, bat np to the present no private residence, like that at Oxford, has been seenred. Catholics are thus availtng themselves of the privilege of becoming graduates at the two great universities which were founded by tbeir fathers in the faith. The presence of the " genuine article " will, no doubt, result in many conversions among nonCatholic undergraduates.