Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 15 September 1921, Page 30

Commonwealth Notes

,/ . ; . '• ' NEW SOUTH WALES. • > 7 . ;; In the Sydney Morning Herald of recent date a cor- " respondent ("J.8.") writes:—''The'Rev. A. J. Waldock, a Baptist, is reported to have said 'lt must be apparent to any observant man travelling through this State that f the cause of true religion is in sorry plight, and the Churches are faced with some grave problems. It is not \ overstating the. case to say that in the life of this country the Church simply does not count. It is not hostility and antagonism that confronts .us: it is a cold and blank in- . difference. The great mass of the people are not interested enough in religion or Churches to even argue about it.' Judge Rogers, Chairman of the Education Commission held in Melbourne in 1884, was a true prophet when he said: ' The weight of the evidence taken before the Commission certainly tended to establish the probability of the following result, namely, the production in a few years of a 1 population wholly wanting in the distinctive moral and religious character which belongs to a Christian people.' Another judge, Judge Docker, addressing a jury at Orange (N.S.W.), on July 5, 1887, said: 'We have in the colony a system of what is known as secular education. Whether it be right or wrong it is not for me to say, but corruption of morals must be guarded against where such a system of education exists.' ' ' The State schools are producing criminals' is the pronouncement of Judge Forbes. Sir Julian Salomons said: ' Education without religion is like putting a sword into the hands of a savage.' Dr. Moorhouse, whilom Anglican Bishop of Melbourne, said: 'When I see the fresh young creatures swarming out of the doors of the public schools, a dull, heavy pain settles over my heant which I can hardly master. I see them launched upon the downhill road of selfishness and misery and I cannot stop them; I cannot persuade their parents that they are passing them through the fire to the Moloch of immorality.' The Catholics bishops of America say: The $ experience of every day shows more and more plainly what serious evils and great clangers are entailed upon Catholic youth by their frequentation of public schools.' - The Catholic bishops of Australia say: ' Parents shall make it their business, so far as it is possible, to have their children frequent Catholic schools, whether primary, intermediate, or university. We know by sad experience how easily the precious gift of faith, which we all carry in frail vessels, may be lost for ever.' His Holiness Pope Pius IX. said : :* The' young are exposed to the greatest perils whenever in . the schools education is not closely united with religious teaching.' .God Himself says: 'He that loveth danger shall perish in it.' The essential element of educationits pith and marrow —is . the. religious element. By excluding it from the schoolroom the State has committed a crying in-» justice to the rising generation. Catholic education supplies good children, to families and forms those who- are ".. fitted to be the heads of households. It gives protectors to religion and saints to Heaven. The public schools are robbing Catholics of millions of money. They are robbing non-Catholics of virtue and its rewards. The Catholic schools and the Catholic Church are the one hope of Australia." »

'■■:t,v VICTORIA. •, Speaking at the Gaelic League concert, held at Melbourne on August 23, his Grace the Archbishop of Wellington (the Most Rev. Dr. Redwood) said he was always at home in an Irish assembly. He deeply sympathised with Ireland's struggle for liberty and independence. It was the dream of his life to see the day when Ireland would be in a position to work out her own destiny. For the past 48 years he had spoken in favor of Ireland's aspirations, and his only regret was that during the years he, spent in Ireland he had never acquired the Irish language. He had greatly enjoyed the concert, and he desired to congratulate all- the performers. Concluding a stirring address, his Grace Archbishop Mannix paid : a pleasing' tribute to i Archbishop /Redwood: "I congratulate everybody : (he said) who has had anything to do with this entertainment. I am particularly grateful to : the Archbishop of v Wellington, not merely for giving his patronage~to the entertainment, but ; also for. the • kind and noble words he x

has spoken. He can always be. relied upon to say the right thing at an Irish meeting like this. Ireland is; weak x and needs help and sympathy from outside, and the Archbishop of Wellington, an Englishman, has always been deeply sympathetic with Ireland's aspirations. Over and over again « he has shown his ready sympathy with suffering Ireland. I desire to thank him for,, all the kindness he has shown to me during his visit here, and I hope it will not be long before he will be back with us again. In Melbourne the Archbishop of Wellington can always rely on receiving a warm welcome." (Applause.) Cheers Were given for his Grace at the conclusion of his address. At the close the gathering sang "God Save Ireland." At the opening of a new presbytery at Brighton on Sunday, August 28, his Grace Archbishop Mannix, in the course of his occasional address, said:They were grateful to the revered and venerable Archbishop of Wellington tor his presence that day. When coming over to Brighton, Dr. Redwood had said that in New Zealand they never had these functions at.the opening of presbyteries. They did the work quietly. He supposed they must have plenty of money in New Zealand. (Laughter.) They were glad to have the Archbishop of Wellington with them that day. (Applause.) He believed that he had been a Bishop longer than anyone living.. They could see what the English constitution was capable of.' (Laughter.) Dr. Redwood's English constitution and the climate of New Zealand had enabled him to outlive every bishop consecrated at the same time or before himself. They were glad he was there, not merely because he was a great Archbishop and a distinguished Churchman, but because he was an Englishman who had always shown sympathy towards the sufferings of Ireland. He was one of those honest Englishmen who was prepared to do justice to Ireland, who was prepared to see nations live and let live, and who believed that little nations have rights the same as big nations, and that little nations often have larger contributions to make to civilisation than the bloated, boastful, big nations. .Referring to the present situation in Ireland, Archbishop Mannix said the negotiations were still going on, and he was still praying for their success. He still hoped for their success, but even if they did not succeed, Ireland's future was safe. Ireland would never go back to the old conditions, and even if Ireland had nobody to sympathise with her, Irishmen would still continue to struggle. There was talk of conscription in England, to send more troops to Ireland. Even if enough troops and machine-guns were sent' over and if England apparently succeeded on the surface, would that settle the Irish question ? Would Ireland be contented? No, it would not.be long before there was another contest equally bitter and equally disgraceful. Ireland had gone through these tragedies in almost every generation. Even if force were to succeed with the same measure of success as on former occasions, the Irish question would be just where it was before. Ireland, would wait her opportunity; she would be biding her time*and gathering her strength so that when the opportunity came again Ireland would take it again. It was of no use trying to patch up peace. Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, Archbishop of Wellington, said he was very happy to assist at such an interesting ceremony that afternoon. - He was an Englishman, and he felt indignation, sorrow, and shame at England's conduct. , He felt like a good son who • saw his father in bad company and, committing some atrocious crime. He. believed that Ireland's day was coming, that the night would soon pass away. All he wanted England to do was to let Ireland alone. In that lie was a, rank - Sinn Feiner. (Applause.) If Ireland had the right of self-determination, and was free to choose the Government she wanted, he was certain that excellent conditions would prevail, and peace -and prosperity would come to both countries. (Applause.) ■■'■■*'' .'■':'"' «'•,'. ' ■