The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-21 00:00:00

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PIUS IX:s PONTIFICATE.

The circumstance of Pius IX. having just com-
pleted the eighteenth year of his pontifical reign is
seized by the Monde as a fitting occasion for eulo-
gising the conduct of the Sovereign-Pontiff during
that long period, and expressing unmixed exulta•
tion at the progress which the Catholic Church has
made in the world since the accession of the present
Pope. But first the writer expatiates op the vas
changes which have taken place since 1846 :
" How many kings," he exclaims, " have fallen
from their thrones like Louis Philippe ! How
many powerful sovereigns have been humbled in
their pride, like the Czar Nicholas ! How many
revolutions and how many wars have taken place !
How little does the Europe of 1864 resemble that of
1846 I The people have no longer the same insti-
tutions ; the same ideas no longer prevail ; even the
material world is transfJrmed by the railways, the
electric telegraph, and the almost total rebuilding
of the most populous cities. Never in less time have
been more overthrows and ruins accomplished !
And above those ruins, and all those astonishing
changes, still stands the man whose accession
was, as it were, the signal for so many agitations—
the man whom God had destined to preside over
that immense movement, to direct it in what it
had of good, to restrain it in its exaggerations,
and to point out, at least to those who would listen

to his warnings, which was the right path, where
lay the shoals to be avoided, and where the true
remedy was to be found for the evils and errors
which so readily increase in periods of disturbance
and of transformation. Pius IX. has been faithful
to his mission ; but the people, or rather those who

guide them, have refused to listen to his voice. He

has been accused of having returned towards the
past, after having been the initiator of the future ;
but the world would not see that he only condemned
in the present what would compromise the interest
of the future, and that he alone had the true doc-

trine of life, developing what already exists, but
never beginning by destroying, because life does
not issue out of death."

The writer then affirms that the triumphs of the
Church under Pius IX. have been moat signal

"Never was any assertion," he says, " more
exact. A glance at the 18 years' Pontificate will

prove it to be so. Liberal and revolutionary hypo.

orisy overcome, the Catholic hierarchy re-established

in England and in 1-3:olland—numercus concordats
concluded with the principal Powers—the Roman
Liturgy restored iu France—new dioceses created—

new missiors formed in heretic and pagan countriei—
the intimate union of the Bishops with tho Pope, of
the priests with the Bishops, of the faithful with the
clergy, with the episcopacy, and with the Holy See
—the explanation of the Immaculation Conception
received with the acclamations of the whole Catholic
world—of late years, the most striking manifests•
tions of devotedness to the Holy See, to that tem•
poral power which is the necessary safeguard of the
independence of our Spiritual Father—Peter's pence
—the increase of good works of all kinds—the return
of Protestants to the Church, and the testimonies
rendered to Papacy and to Catholicism by statesmen
and by the most distinguished writers. What
triumphs in the midst of so much bitterness! What

victories in spite of so many treasons ! What hopes
in the midst of so many causes of discouragement !
What moral force amidst the frightful weaknesses

of our times ! This is what has been done by the
indomitable energy of Pius IX., by his faith in the
Divine promises, his piety towards the Virgin
Mother of our Saviour Jesus Christ ; this, in a word,
is what has been effected by the possession of the
truth, and by the unflinching resolution to proclaim

and support it, and to claim its rights under all cir•

eamstances, and against all its enemies."

Asylum for Fatherless Children.

The general meeting and midsummer election of this
charity took place yesterday at the London Tavern, Alder-
man Lusk in the chair.
The Rev. T. W. Aveling (the hon. sec.) read the report
of the committee of management, which stated that the total
receipts from May,1863, to May, 1861, amounted to £10,582
Is 6d, which sum had been expended, with the exception

phas childrenspassed
d without
are
ep
o°sfe d , h tand°
of a balance of £323 6s 7d. Since the 15th May, £360 more
had been paid off the building debt, reducing it to £10,450.
from which not the most unremitting care of the officers
and house committee could possibly preserve them. An
visThietaytieoarnsnoofwscioloknseedoshatod
wnohtic
epidemic common to childhood appeared three months ago,
but through the blessing of the great Father of the family,
the instant and constant attention of their friend Dr Rose'
the senior physician to the charity, and the sleepless vigi.
lance and superintendence of all employed in the establish-
ment, it has passed without the loss of a single life. The
health of the children at the present time was very good.
Towards the close of 1863 a most generous and unexpected
offer was made to the board by one of its oldest friends, to
give the handsome sum of 1,900 guineas to the charity. This
offer was coupled with a request that the further sum of
6,000 guineas should be raised, within two years, as a spe•
cial effort, and the whole amount be applied to the reduction
of the debt. Another generous friend weo desires to be
anonymous, immediately offered 500 guineas towards the
latter sum, and pledged himself to get a similar amount in
addition, of which 100 guineas have been already obtained.
Other friends responded to the appeal which the board at
once put forth, to the amount of £1,280. Thus, since last
year, the debt had been reduced by the sum of £3,805, leav-
ing now due £lO,BOO, towards which. there are promises,
extending over certain periods, to the amount of between
£l,OOO and £l,lOO. Special contributions towards the debt
were still earnestly solicited, as well as increased annual
subscriptions and donations towards the current fund. This
latter had not quite met the ordinary expenditure, although
the annual subscriptions had increased by the sum of £100;
but the board had been encouraged, by the continued
liberality of the public, • to receive during the past year 30
instead of 20 children, the number formerly admitted. As
the debt diminishes the board trust to be able to increase
the number of
ing, capable of accommodating 300 inmates, completely
filled. The present number of children was 186.
On the motion of Mr DoNtuNoTorr, seconded by Mr
HARDEN, the report was adopted.
A vote of thanks was passed to the treasurer, Baron L,
Rothschild ; the sub -treasurer, Mr Harvey, the honorary
secretary, the Rev Mr Aveling; and to the physician and
other officers of the charity.
The CILAIRMAN said the charity was in a very satisfac-
tory condition, and everything was prosperous. The
children were in good health, and that being the case he
should ask the friends of the charity for their support in
order that the institution might be made the most prosper-
ous in the metropolis.

A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the
election of five girls, out of a list of 20 candidates, and 10
boys, out of a list of 64 candidates was proceeded with.