The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-22 00:00:00

BISHOP GOSS AT PRESTON.

On Sunday afternoon Bishop Gosa, of Liverpool,
took the occasion of the consecration of a new bell
to address a large congregation at Preston on the
Irish Church. He said he had been careful not to
wound the susceptibilities of those who differed from
them in their faith, but he felt that something was
necessary to justify the attitude many Catholics took
upon that question. He referred to the subject at the
risk of being accused of preaching a political sermon.
because he held it necessary that all Catholics should
be instructed upon the great questions of the day,
wherever they interfered in any manner either
with the faith or the discipline of the Church.
He had clearly shown to them on previous occa-
sions by Acts of Parliament that the Church esta-
blished in this country was the creation of Parliament,
and the differences which now existed between tue
Catholic and Establi-hed Churches was the re-
sultof Imperial legislation. He was surprised that Mr.
Gladstone did not base his act upon the legislation of
Parliament, by which course he could have utterly and
entirely changed the character of the Church. What
he complained of was that Mr. Gladstone had not done
full justice to the question, for he ought to have treated
it from first to last as a question of State. If he had
acne that he could not have granted unto them the
claims and endowments before the year 1660,
for from that time all gifts and endowments
given to the Church since that period be al-
lowed them wholly and entirely; but if he haft dealt
with the question in its proper manner he would have
found the endowments given before 1660 were
distinct from the State, and it was his duty to
have handed them over to the Catholic Church. Mr.
Dladstone had not, therefore, done full justice in that
matter; but he had shown a &sire and willingness
on his part to do something for the Catholic Church.
Nevertheless, the Catholics of Ireland had been de-
frauded out of their rights, for the endowments it
possessed previous to the Reformation ought to
have been settled upon the Catholics of that country,
and also the venerable buildings which Catholic piety
erected. They moat bear in mind that those endow-
ments were not left for the support of the ministers of
Ireland, but on condition that certain masses were
said, a thing they all knew was not fulfilled at the
present day. He referred to the question because the
bill had just passed the House of Commons, and he
was anxious that there should be some record of what
many would consider an instalment of justice, but at
the came time he would be surprised if the Irish nation
were really satisfied with what had been given to them
by the present Government. There was also another
question with which they soon would have to stand
lace to face with the Government of this country,
and that was the question of education. He knew
not how it was that Governments called liberal were
generally speaking, illiberal in their way of dealing
with those who differed from them. The liberality of
this country was not real; it respected certain classea
and deprived all Catholics of their liberty of action.
Dr. Goss denounced in bitter terms the proposition to
pass a bill in favour of secular education, and spoke in
woxis of commendation with respect to denominational
teaching, for by the latter each religious body was
enabled to teach their children in the faith they pro-
fessed. If the Government should pwts a measure for
secular education he emphatically impressed upon
those present to keep their children at home, and
have them dragged to prison, and themselves also,
before they should yield to such a course and sacrifice
the rights they had inherited from God.

•hich.4