The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-09 00:00:00

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE of GREAT
BRITAIN.
SPECIAL MBEDNG.
A special meeting of the Catholic Institute of Great Britain
was held yesterday at the Great Room, Freemasons' Hall,
Ferment, is public advertisement, ter the purpose of making
certain amendments and alterations in the rules, "at the
suggestions of the Vicars Apostolic of England, in a commu-
' 'neat ion made by them to 'the Committee on 29th August,
1844, and tinder the sanction of their Lordships assembled in
London at the present time ; also, to extend and increase
the efficacy of the Catholic Institute, and to add to their
other oljects that of•embracigg the furtherance of charitable
education."
`The meeting was very numerously and most respectably
attended, and a great number of ladies wcupied the seats
immediately in flout of the platform and the chair.
Amongst the distinguished advocates of the institute
present were the Right Hon. the Earl. of Shrewsbury
Right Rev. Dr. Griffiths, Vicar Apeieolic °Menden, the Hon.
Edward Petre, Phillip Howard, Esq., M.P., Right Rev. Dr.
Brown, Bishop Apostolic of Wales ; Right Hon. Lord
Senator' ; Hon. Charles Langdale; Right Rev. 1)r. Griffiths,
Vicar Apostolic of London; Right Rev. De Briggs, Vicar
Apostolic of Yorkshire ; Right Rev. Dr. Wareing, Vicar
Apostolic of the Eastern District of England ; Right Rev.
Dr. Beggs, Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of Eno
land; Right Rev. Dr. George Brown, Vicar Apostolic of
Lancashire ; Riglet Rev. Dr. Sharpies, Coadjutor Vicar
Apostolic of Lancashire; Right Rev. Dr. Wiseman, Geadjutor
V R igicar Apostolic of the Central District of England; ht
Rev. Dr. Collier, Vicar Apostolic of the Mauritius; Hon.
Charles Thomas Cliffiml; Win. Jones, EN , of Clytha; Ed-
wee( Doughty, Esq , of Upton lieuse; I'. H. Howard, Esq.,
M.P.; Nee Messrs. Lythgoe, Sisk, O'Connor,O'Neal, Hearne,
T. M. Maedenell,
Shortly after one o'clock the Right Hon, the Earl of
Shrewsbury took the •chair, and the Secretary read the re-
pert ofthe'Cominittee, in which regret was expressed t's at
the institution was in a rapidly declining state, and that
tie rerun, it was feared it must be dissolved, the subscriptions
having very much taller oil' ; but it' any suggestionscould be
made for its resuscitation and eili.ctive continuation, the Com-
mittee would be happy to use their best efforts to carry it out.
The report recommended that the Hon. C. Langdale should
be appointed Chairman, and the Hon. E. Petre as Vice-
Chairman of the Institute, if it should be continued ; that
a Committee should be appointed, consisting of seven cler-
gymen, and that the Secretary should also be a clergyman.
When the Secretary had concluded reading the report,
The Noble CHAIRMAN arose, and was received with loud
cheering. His Lordship►
esaid that the objects for which they
weremet were so well understood that it would be unneces-
sary for him to make any -obeervations, and therefore he
would propose that they proceed immediately with the
business of the day.
The Hon. C. leteereite, M.P., proposed the first resolu'
time lie expressed the satisfaction it afforded him to see so
large an assembly of their lordships, the vicars•apostolic,
present ; and he hoped to have the pleasure of congratulating
the meeting_ upon healing their lordships state that the
' proposed alteration of the rules of the institute had 1110, with
their approbation. The Honourable Gentleman then read
the proposed alterations, and proceeded to say that
he would not delay the meeting by any lengthened observa-
tions, as there were several others present who would wish to
address it. But there was one point which he felt bound to
say a few words upon, namely, the promotion of charitable
education.—(Cheers.) Ile hoped it would not be supposed
that he meant to give any offence to any sect or party, for
such was not. his intention. But he would ask what was the
state of the poor Rom: n Catholics of Great Britain in respect
to education ?—(llear, hear.) It was a deplorable fact
that tile Catholic poor chibireu were, in very many instances,
brought up in such awful ignorance of their religion as was
terrible to think of. Ile conceived that great and blameable
indeed was the amount of responsibility incurred by those
upon whom devolved the duty of rescuing these poor chil-
dren from this fearful ignorance, and he by no means meant
to say that he himself was free from it.—(Hear, hear.)
When he looked around, and beheld the noble temples
erected in this country by Catholic munificence to honour
the great Creator, he could not but reflect that
those who could afford to contribute towards the
erection of such magnificent temples—not more meg•
nificent than they should be could also afford to
lend their aid in rescuing from a lite of vice and
sin, and spiritual destitution, the poor catholic children of
this country.—( Hear, hear.) He had commenced by saying
he would not trespass long on the meeting, and, therefore, he
would now conclude by expressing his most earnest hope that
this subject would be taken up with an interest that it de-
served, and in a manner becoming the rank, station, wealth,
and respectability of the Catholics of England.—(Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. Sisx seconded the resolution. He had
heard it said that there was apathy on the part of the
wealthy Catholics iu this cause, but he could not bring him- •
self to believe .it—(Cheers)—and be was borne out in be-
lieving the contrary when he beheld such a meeting as the
present; and he had no doubt that the result of this day's
proceeding would prove that he did not estimate too highly •
the zeal of the Catholics of England for the maintenance of
their holy religion.—( Loud cheers.) What stronger proof
could he have of the interest taken in this institute than the
presence of their noble and munificent Chairman-.-(Cheers)
t—smannocl r.), o,fatltic gn l.loaitepllelrsro. Lnaaingindcaolie4ewitnl
home his
to
i attend
the
here.—(Cheers.) It was a melancholy fact that, out of
44,000 Catholic children in London, only 6.0(X) received edu-
claedtole himself,
cation, and that fact would of itself be sufficient, he felt as-
sured, to arouse the most apathetic.—(Cheers.)
Tlie Rev. DreGmertens. Bishop of Olena and Vicar Apos-
tolic of London, said he had the pleasure to inform the
meeting that the proposed alt.( rations had met with the en-
tire approbation of the Vicars Apostolic.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
The lion. P. How:title M.P. proposed the next resolution',
" That the llote Messrs. Langdale and Petre be appointed
Chairman 31111 Vice-Chairman of the Institute," and in doing
so spoke of the merits of those gentlemen as advocates of
Catholicity, and stated that the latter gentleman had re-
ceived a marked personal compliment at the hands of the
Sovereign Politill'.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Jones, of Clytliti (Wales), seconded the resolution,-
which was 'carried by acclimation. it contained-aloe
names .f those who are to form the Committee.
The Right Rev. Dr. BRIGGS, Vicar Apostolic of the
Western District, proposed the third resolution, calling for
renewed support and re-organisation of the Catholic Insti-
tute. Ile said he knew no object which should be so dear
to Catholics, or one that should be taken up with
deeper interest than the education of the poor.—
(Lend cheers.) • lle hoped much from beholding such
a meeting as this, attended as it was by their Noble Chair-
man, the great number of prelates, and members of the
noble Catholic families' of this country.—(Cheers.) The
presence of such men carried him back to a contemplation of
the limes when the Catholic aristocracy of England looked
upon their religion as their best and most valuable inherit-
ance.—(Cheers.) Amongst those to whom the Catholics,
and particularly the Catholic clergy, owed much, was the
Hon. Mr. Langdale, who, in his capacity of Member of Par-
liament, had never flinched front the advocacy of the Ca-
tholic cause.—(Loud cheers.) Ile (Dr. Briggs) felt
deeply the awful responsibility that' devolved on him as a
Catholic Bishop, when he reflected upon the want of educa-
tion amongst the poor Catholic children of this country.—
(Hear, hear.) Nothing could be more fearful to contem-
plate than a )111111311 being reared up from infancy in this
state—(llear, hear)—while, at the same time, nothing
could be more easy than to impress upon a youth the value
of religious education, Mr youth was like wax, and very sus-
ceptible of any impressions sought to be made. upon it.—
(near, hear ) Why, then, was it, that while the mother
carefully guarded her tender offspring, that child was
abandoned by its spiritual mother atter it had been
spiritually born in baptism?—(Hear.) Let this state 'of
things no longer be a cause of shame to those who could re-
move it, but, like the old man in the Scriptures, let them
" sow their seed in the morning, and water it and tend it all
day."

Mr. BAGSUAWE, editor of the Dublin Review.' seconded the
resolution. He was happy to see every Catholic district of
London represented here, and he, himself, represented
the very poorest of their districts.—(Hear, hear.),
He took shame to himself that this institution had
been suffered to decline ; but he saw by this meeting that it
would not only be revived, but kept up with an intent and
deterMination worthy of so great a cause.—(Cheers.) Now
was the time for all-to co-operate in this beneficent work,
rich as well as poor. for all could be of use to some extent,
no matter how humble.—(Bear, hear.) But all, efforts
would be of little use indeed if they had not the sinews of
war, and therefore let those who could do it now build up
the edifice of which they laid the foundation, and he would
lend all the aid in his humble power.—(Cheers.)
The Right Rev. Dr. Bitowx proposed the next resolution.
He said he felt proud of the honour of addressing such a
meeting as this, while at the same time he felt great humi-
lity at the circumstances under which the meeting had been
called. He differed from the Rev. Gentleman who said
there was no apathy on the part of the Catholics, for, if
there were not, this institute would never have de-
clined.—(Hear, hear.) lle did not allude to individuals,-
but to the great body of the Catholics of Great Bri-
ftaachtLt—h a(tir Catholics hear.) 'Phis stateapt
t for-
getful that, without good works, such as feeding the hungry,
o tof apathyle
l,
on wtahsei orwrianigth to the
clothing the naked, and giving shelter to the destitute, their
faith would be of no avad.—(llear, hear.) He had heard k
said that tract. need no longer be issued to the same extent
as had been; but he, as representing a most miserable dis-
trict, should say he totally dissented from such a proposition.
—(Hear, hear.) lie contended that those tracts were most
useful; but he deplored the want of schools in the principality
or Wales, in some parts of which he was aware of a few poor
children assembling for instruction in a one-horse stable
into which light and air were admitted only through the
door.—(" Oh, oh.") But he looked forward now with hope,
for a happy future, and this day, he had no doubt, would be
the great and good beginning of that bright future.—SCheers.)
The Ilon. Mr. Prrite seconded the resolution. He would
not presume to delay the meeting by making a
speech, after the very eloquent addresses they had heard
e could
from those who had preceded him. But h
not refrain from reminding those he now saw around him of' the many times he had addressed them from that place, and
endeavoured to impress upon them the
necessity of making
exertions to save the poor Catholics from the continued
allbrts of their enemies at prosleytism —(Hear
,hear.) Their
enemies had insulted them by taunts to the effect that their
clergymen meant to keep them in
Catholics, by their apathy,
corroiraotreangLelettatuionttst.he
(Loud cheers.) Let them also remember the debt of grati-
tude they owed the Catholic soldier, and discharge that
debt by ensuring to him the means of salvation when he
should full in the defence of his country.—(Cheers.) • He
felt pleasure in bearing testimony to the munificent contri-
bution of their chairman, Mr. Langdale, and others.—
(Cheers.) But let not persons unblessed by the possession of
great wealth say, they should do nothing because they could
not contribute as large sums as Lord Shrewsbury, or Lord
Stourton, or others—(theers)—for the 1/., or the smallest
contributions of the poor man, would be as thankfully received
as the 1001. of the rich.—(Cheers.) He hoped also that per-
sons would not become apathetic from the belief that
Government would aid them, for he could assure them that
no such aid would Le given.—( Hear.)
The lion. CllAßlES.Quynnti) proposed the fifth resolution.
Ile congratulated the meeting and the Catholic cause in
seeing so many of the Vicars Apostolic present, for their pre-
sence augured well for the prosperity of. this institution.—
(Hear.) He regretted to have to annnounce that her Ma-
jesty had lately deemed it expedient that he should retire
front an office he held in the county in which he resided, for
he was the only Catholic landed proprietor in that county ;
but that tact should not lessen his desire for the advance-
ment of his religion, which only needed the co-operation of
the people with the clergy to crown their efforts with
success.—(Cheers.)
The Rey. Mr. LYTIIGOE seconded the resolution, which
was a vote of thanks to the prelates for their attendance.
lie said that nearly 2,000 poor children received education
in Preston from the clergy and the sisters of charity, but the
funds were supplied from the pennies of the poor.—:(Cheers.)
After a few words from the Rev. Mr. M•Donnell the reso-
lution was carried amidst loud cheers.
The usual votes of thanks were then passed, and the meet-
ing separated.

Lord and Lady Francis Egerton and family have akired . -
iu Belgrave:square for the season. We regret to hear that
his Lordship is at present eutilring from a severe attack of
gout.