Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1853-01-20
Is TEE CATHOLIC OPPOSED TO
LEARNlNG1

Ma. FsfToR:.-
This question may AZ
pear 10 roinc rather stale, but Tic eNis-
irnce sni great vitality oil uhnt ancient
yct eGingiy youthful institution, and
Es probable influence as an element in
our A:Lencan .ocieiy, inducc ne 10
ihinkn lew facts bearing on this matter
may rot be embarrassing TO ihe ihlnk-
Jug potion OF your readers.
Before proceeding to Il sum " EMU
mer'.iion Of the iacis intended To be giv-
ell, it may bc well 10 OBSERVE
l. That w!nite,sr power ihis rcligie
may have over lis 80 ss zoo millions Of
subj to, the seat and throne Of that
powe, Is III the mind and heart. Ii adj
dres es It's prouls it. doctrines precepts
and motives OF action To- ihe mind and
not to the bodily desires. II teaches
tha; these lalttr, that ls, the desires Of
the senses, are IT. be rep erel within
t.r luiis ot reason never allowed 10
have The mastery and powerfully slim
ul.les ils disciples to put the stcrn and
unco morlahle rein u dIscil liLe IN
these unruly and unrcasoning impul-
scs.
9. BY lis catrchisIs lis sermonr, in
struCtluns. us rounds Of I, ,stivals and
iasIs-ali bringing historic reco.lections
to mind and lnsirucling ever new zen
eratIons. II would seem that il This insti-
tu,Ion has any power al all over men,
thal power must ACT chiefly on the
minlS and tend to 81 mulate the aciisi-
lies oi our SUI lerIor nature.
). The prayers, TIE U.editaIiols The
pious coIii alernities for Ihe practice OF
these deyolons are, it would appear, 50
many rienEs Of getting the mind OF
each Individual m,p b Htu Exercise,
and ought therefore 10 tend iLwarGs
human advancement and clevatio2.-
/ h, Be are considerations The Truth OF
which Sc, MS 10 commend itself 10 the
most ordinary mind ; but the question
appears to be complicated by a common
Impression that some,hing N the reli-
gion neu,raIizcs these effects. II is 4
very common Impression that very far
from being favorable to intellectual &C
tvity tie Catholic religion is on the
contrary most opposed 10 learning
And proleslanlsm, as The diverse reli
wllllin the last 300 years may coIIec.
lively be called, brings this charge
against the old religion. II then we
can have a series OF facts anterior TO the
PERIOD OF the SO called relOrlLation,-
a series OF facts which occurred before
the charge OF hostility TO learning was
made-such series will have more
weight because they will show how this
.l.i,n &c ted towards learning when
there wac noue 10 oppose her or charge
l.er with negcc,ng 1t.
therefore propose 20 give list OF
some Of the great Universities founded
BY Popes anterior TO and during the
18th, lllh, l5lh and 10th centuries.
Universities, us every one knows, are
not s.ml y colleges, h,gh schoVls, or sem
inaIies, where particular scienccs or
classes cf subjects are ,aught,--bu,
those great institutions Of lcarnIng
where ali branches oI science and lltrI-
azure are prolessel, and which there
fore II ave the power of coni,rrng de-
srers, oace SO highIy, now SO llghlly.
esteemed by scholars. And these de-
gees which gave their possessors many
privileges, were oil The same value
wherever they chose 10 20 III Christen-
dom.
From the following list therefore II
vii DO understood that all colleges and
Summaries are omitted.
In ENGLAND.
|. Oxford Universily was founded by
catholics previous to the year 1000,
and endowed by the Pope. with
many privileges.
2. Cambridge ~ like manner.
3. Dublin III Ireland by john XXI,
IN 1920
IN BELGIUM.
4. Louvain by Marlin V, in 1925.
5. Douay 10y Plus ~, in 1859.
IS DEhMARk.
6. Copenhagen by Martin V, in l4ls,
plan hy Erc Ill foundation by
Christian l. confirmed 10y Sn-
tvs ", ll7S.
|, FRANCE.
Z. University oil Orleans by Glenn
cnt Y, 1907
s. " Bordeaux by EL-
genius ", l440.
9. . Canors 10y John
xxi, 1892