The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-25 00:00:00

AN MISR MISSION TO ROME.

The most remarkable document which, for many
years, has issued from the pen of a Roman Catholic
bishop is in the form of a pastoral from Dr. Nulty,
Bishop of Meath, which was read at all the masses in
the chapels throughout the diocese on Saturday. The
bishop begins by saying that before the letter reaches
his flock he shall be far away on his journey to Rome.
"I think," says Dr. Nulty, "I see the strongest
reasons for anticipating from the Conference of the
Irish bishops with the authorities at Rome large and
exceptionally beneficial results for our country as well
as for our religion. The obligations and duties which
Irishmen owe to the Holy See have of late been a
little unsettled and thrown into a state of painful un-
certainty, in which they would seem apparently to
clash with the fulfilment of the duties we owe
our country. One of the leading results of these
Roman conferences will be to ascertain, to define, and
settle with clearness, precision, and certainty all that
the Holy See expects from us. The lessons taught
by the experience of several-years plainly show that,
-in the present excited and suspicious‘state of public
feeling, grave anci.dangerous complipations and mis-
understandings might at any moment crop up
between the Irish nation .and the Holy See, and no
one could calculate or. fix .a limit to the deplorable
consequences that might result from them, and
enemies would never at any time be wanting who
would labour might and main to widen the breaches
and aggravate the misunderstandings that would
then arise. In the excitement inseparable from such
controversies it would be easy to persuade a jealous
and credulous race like ours that the Pope had acted
on erroneous prejudices or one-sided information.
Considering how desperately bent the nation always
seems to be to secure all the social and political
ameliorations of its condition that are within its grasp,
a fatal misconception of this kind would be quite
enough to drive it into an attitude of dogged and
sullen disobedience. The consequence that might then
follow God only knows. It is a very awful fact that
great Catholic nations like France, England, and
Scotland have practically apostatised from the faith.
That fact is surrounded with very salutary, as
well as with very unpleasant warnings. I do not
believe that the Irish nation will ever follow
their fatal example ; but I do believe it would
be nothing short of criminal rashness to expose
it to the danger or temptation of danger. I can
find no evidence of a Divine promise made to any
nation any more than to our own guaranteeing to it
the indefencibility of its faith in all circumstances.
Neither can I see any solid grounds for believing in a
special exceptional Providence which would save
Irish multitudes any more than Irish individuals
from renouncing their allegiance to the Church in a
paroxysm of passion, either in retaliation for some
imaginable interference with their political freedom,
or to avenge an insult or an affront which they had
rashly assumed had been offered to them by the Holy
See."
In accordance - circular, all army

_ with a War Office
reserve men of the first class attached to certain regi-
ments are called out for permanent service, and intima-
tion is given that the reserves of certain other regi-
ments may be called up at an early date.
Lord Salisbury, in the course of a political speech at
ta
. -'4n1,011 Tuesdav,Thightoreviewoel the- site of our
oforAign relations, partionlatly•in ieghrd to 0 WO, Asia
.1104 iiiraPt- liemarned ,the 000ntiPAgainst aeeepting
,the,greisises of Russia, pointinfa out, the i cm in.
,xrhiejl, she had played us false. We should yam ket,-1,
is the point beyond which yo ,"
do go beyond we will spare neil
we drive you back.'

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