'98 CELEBRATION AT OPOTIKI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 24, 20 October 1898, Page 3

'98 CELEBRATION AT OPOTIKI.

(From our Auckland correspondent.)

Among the many '98 celebrations in New Zealand few will compare with that of Opotiki, in that the active participants therein were remotely removed from the Emerald Isle. It is a noted characteristic of Ireland and the Irish that they have from time immemorial taken up and absorbed the homogeneous races with whom they come in contact, and made them ' more Irish than the Irish.' The ' garrison ' of Scots, Saxons, and Welsh, together with the Norman and Dane, have furnished the native Irish with many of their leaders and martyred heroes. In Opotiki a Requim Mass was celebrated for the repose of those who died in defence of faith and fatherland one hundred long years ago. The celebrant, the Rev. Father McMillan, was a Scotchman. The congregation was very large, coming from many parts of the East Coast parish to offer contrite prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed patriots. The history of the rising was told in the evening by the Rfw. Father Holierhoek, a native of Holland, who said that in this yjfev, 189 S. it was our duty to remember with admiration the courage of the Irish people under unheard-of oppression by a powerful nation, and their patriotism in facing almost certain death in defence of their liberties. We do not celebrate a rebellion. Might is right only when it comes from God. We are not allowed to resist the law under any circumstances except where the law of man is contrary to the law of God. Christ taught us if smitten on one cheek we were to offer the other. He also taught us to pray for our enemies, but Christ himself took the whip and drove from God's temple the

buyers and sellere and money changers, because, by their iniquitous practices, the name of God was brought into contempt in the building dedicated to his adoration and worship. Now with regard to the entries almost commanded by Pitt, then Premier of England. Could any man stand by and tak^ no action in the defence of bib hearth and home ; or see bis wife or daughter denied without trying to protect them, when the H\v refused to grant that protection 1 Did not St. Lauren c apeak with holy indignation to his Emperor while he was bonn<l and broiling on the grid-iron? Did not St. Agnes speak oat wn n holy indignation when her body was attacked by the carder ol" the En, eror ? They are known as saints to this day over the wnole world. Why, then, should not the Irish of that day speak and act with holy indignation at the indiu-nities they were subjected lo ? They had no juot laws to afford them protection, but were governed by a force contrary to God"s law. Read up the history of that time. It would be impossible to recount, in one short lecture, one thousandth part of the sufferings inflicted Walpole, tht, historian, says : ' Houses were plundered and burnt, women outraged, children brutally ill-treated and murdered, men seized and imprisoned untried, sent to the hulks, flogged, picketed, and half hung to extort confessions of conci aled arms. They were hunted down and sabred like dogs, villages and whole districts were devastated, and the inhubita"ts turned out of their homes into the ditch.' Lecky, another historian, fays ' Torture was systematically employed. Prior to this Protestants and Catholics dwelt together in amity, and many of the unjust disabilities under which the Catholics suffered were being gradually removed through the influence of the Protestants of the North. The league known as United Irishmen, the greater number of which were Protestants, at first aimed orsly at seeking redrew of their wrongs in a lawful manner ; that i-<, by obtaining better representatives in the Irish Parliament. But the prospect of a United Ireland did not meet with Pitt's views. Lord Fitzwilliam, the then Lord Lieutenant, whose keen sense of justice and mercy heralded a reign of piece and contentment, was suddenly removed, and Lord Camden was installed, who soon changed the aspects of affairs, and instead of mercy and justice there were whips and scorpions.' After bringing this part of the lecture to a close, Father Hollierhock said one lesson to be adduced was that we should copy their example, mark the stand they took in defence of their hearts, their homes, and their faith, and imitate their courage and virtues.