The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-25 00:00:00

nom.iN C.ITHOLIe MISSIONS.

On Friday night a large meeting was held in St.
James's Hal!, " in behalf of the Propagation of the
Faith and Foreign Missionary College." The Arch-
bishop of Westminster presided, supported by the
13ishops of Newport, Salford, Southwark, Plymouth,
Clifton, Beverley, Ilexham, Northampton, Lord
Herrie, Lord Stafford, Hon. F. M. Maxwell, Sir
C. Clifford, Sir J. M'Kenna, Mr. Monsen, MX.,
&c., &c. Letters of apology for being unable to
be present had been received from several Catholic
noblemen. 1)r. Manning, on rising, was received
with great applause, which lasted several minutes.
He said that, knowing as he did how ample were the
resolutions which would be proposed, and how fully
the speakers would do justice to them, he
would occupy their time but for a few moments.
On a former occasion he had said that this meeting
in this hall was not a meeting of the Catholics of
England, but of the diocese of Westminster. To-
night the meeting was in fact a meeting of the Ca-
tholics of England. Not only did they assemble with
the special apostolical benediction of their Holy
Father Pius IX., but with the express sanction of
the Catholic hierarchy of England. Ho said this
not only because the bishops of England had given
their strongest and warmest approbation to the
work on which they were met, but because they
had the happiness of being supported by the united
assistance of the bishops of England, of whom
eight were personally present, and other four
were morally present, being compelled to return to
their dioceses by the necessities of duty. (Cheers.)
Never had the Catholic hierarchy of England in
any one meeting assembled as it met to-night.
And for what purpose was it called together ? Not
to enter into any political contention, nor to make
the atmosphere more thick by more weapons and
inissiles of controversy; not even for the interests
)f Ireland, but for the more unworldly, remote, and
Christian purpose of sending the faith to the
heathen. (Cheers.) He wished them expressly to
understand that the purpose of the meeting was not
to support that institution which the generosity
of France had founded—the Association for
the Propagation of the Faith. They met for the
purpose of founding a fund, distinct and special,
for sending missionaries to heathen lands. After.
stating that there was a college at Mill Hill, where
there was a little baud of three professors and
twelve students, Dr. Manning said that he would
anticipate two objections which would be made to
their work. It would be said it was very tardy in
the Catholics, who professed to be the apostles of
the world, to begin now to found a college for
the propagation of the faith. The answer
was, that it was only recently that the
Catholic Church in England had been freed
from the keen and rending harrow of penal law
[t could not be expected that, suffering under pens'
laws, the Catholic Church should undertake mis-
sionary work, although to a certain extent it had
done so. Another objection was that by with-
drawing money and men for foreign work was to
meaken agencies at home. The truth was,
however, that if they would multiply their means,
they must not limit the expansion of their
charity, nor paralyse the zeal of self-denial.
lie Bishop of Northampton moved the first
resolution—" That this meeting rejoices at the
,pportunity of expressing its sympathy ill
the great work of evangelising heathen nations, and
recognises the obligation under which we specially
ie to extend to the utmost of our power the know-
ledge of salvation throughout the world." The
resolution was seconded by Mr. C. Weld, and
carried unanimously. Lord Herries moved—" That
his meeting recognises in the foundation of
'oreign missionary college the first step towards
fulfilling the great Catholic duty of preaching the
,;ospel to the heathen." The resolution was se-
conded by Sir J. M'Kenna, M.P., and was carried
unanimously. Sir C. Clifford moved : " That this
meeting considers it a duty incumbent on the Ca'
tholics of this country to promote the establishment
of such a college by their alms and their prayeis °
the utmost of their power." The resolution wns
zeconded by Father Lambert, and unanimously
adopted. The Bishop of Clifton moved the fourth
resolution, expressive of admiration of the mission-
ary spirit of the French clergy. This resolution was
unanimously adopted, and a vote of thanks to the
chairman closed the proceedings.