The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-14
Archbishop Hughes on the school Question.
Sermon mt the Cathedral-The Catholic
Church as n Teacher-The Public school
War nj an End-An American Catholic Col
Iege AT Rome, and Collection Therefor, sc.

churches Of New York for the repairing furnishing and
other expenses incident to the fitting up Of American
Catholic College al Rome The occasion of much
interest 10 the Catholic portion of the community,
as this is the first institution Of the kind which
has been established in the Eternal City
Every other country, is urged, but this has Catholic
college there, and the Pope, seems determined that
the Catholics Of the United States shall no longer want
such an institution sermon was preached on sunday
in the Cathedral by Archbishop Hughes, in which he
planned length the character and objects OF the
college and in which be also alluded 10 the question OF
the Bible in public schools After referring to the
announcement which had been made in all the Catholic
churches the sunday before regard to the collection, he
read the following from the eighteenth and nineteenth
Of the last chapter Of Saint Mathew as his text
And Jesus coming spoke to them saying: All power is
gwen 10 me n heaven and in earth
Co. therefore, teach We all nations; bap'izng them
in the OF the Father aud OF the Son, and OF the
Holy Ghost
The authority OF the church teacher said he is de-
rived from Christ teacher and in organizing the church
the commission which he gave that bis Apostles should
teach all nations. This commission applied mmedi-
aely the PRONUNCIATION OF Christianity and the
OF nations but contained within itself authority
aud obligation, referring to a subordinate teaching
whether Of Christian doctrine Of the sciences and
knowledge the secular order by which the human
mind would be enlightened and nations upled from the
darkness OF Pagansm towards into the light of perfect
civilization. This second order of the churchs teaching
would have reference particularly to maured and
somewhat cultivated minds But there is still third
der involved in the commission OF Christ and necessarily
to be deduced from il. 1t IS that teaching the obligation
of which incumbent Christian parents their
offspring Between this last teaching the first there
is an essential connection, and may be explained this
way: When the Apostles, in obedience 10 the command o.
their master preached his doctrine either the Jews
Genties, they addressed matured minds and hearers,
who Judged by their understanding of the truth Of
the doctrines proposed As learners they would be aided
by the grace Of God calling them to SALVATION and
,onal men, Of adult age, they would judge of the evi
dences which those doctrines presented whether
by their intrinsic appeal to their by the external
evidence of miracles and the power of God with which
especially the first ages Of the Church. they
panied Thus behold Christ teacher, training his
Apostles telling them that he spoke not Of himself but that
whatever things he had heard Of the Father those he made
known to them. 1t by the influence of his teachings
and his miracles that those Apostles and disciples attached
themselves him and became established the faith of
his doctrines and now he sends of the whole number
twelve Aposes-to be teachers of the human race.
Go We, therefore and teach all nations bapzing them
IN the name OF the Father, son and Holy Ghost.
After the descent of the Holy Ghost these
Apostles went forth their divine mission They
taught the doctrines OF Christ not according
scientific rule, but in the way in which
spirit of God directed them teach When those who
parents had already heard the word OF le and
the strength Of the evidence with which presented
became disciples Of the cross, know that they
diatey became the teachers OF their children, and
thus read in several instances Of persons believing
gether with all their household The. reason for this
obvious, namely that the doctrines Of Christ
which true for the parents who capable Of judy
ing equally true for the children whose minds
competent TO understand the evidence, but in whom
the law OF nature and the law Of God established the
beautiful economy by which the authority of parents be-
equal to all demonstration Thus the Apostles ira
yersed many lands propagang every the doctrines
Of their Divine Master and everywhere leaving result
that order Of secondary teaching in families which
have just referred Hence the universal practice tn
church Of God Of training up the children of Catholic pa
rents drst the knowledge OF Their Greater as the most
precious part Of education that be attained earth
The Church never recognized that dangerous principle
which permits children grow up unimbued with any
principle Of doctrine until their shall be sufficiently
developed TO form judgment for themselves This
might not be inconsistent in those in which parents
profess religion by certain in their minds
for, beng themselves uncertain, they could plead thai
their children grown TO maturity might by one way or
another discover fixed and consoling belief
than their But all this the OF the idea Of
teaching, especially religion, the Catholic Church. In
that church everything from the beginning has been fixed
determined, consistent part with another uncange
abe and universal Religion in the Catholic Church is
not specaaton-t Is permanent, universal truth
In Itself and the minds OF those whom Col has given
the light and the gin q faith a conviction and not
speculation What, therefore, be CONSISTENT with
the institution a the church teacher than this
sa order that has sprung the track q successful
missionaries. The ciciai teachers Of Christianity ant
the dispensers of the stcries % Godose who
commissioned 70 carry on his own mnlstry-are
riy the Apostles and their the apostesap
aud IN the priesthood But al the time the laty OF
that church. 81 every aud condition, a necessary
conseqPce q their faith under the teaching % the Chris
pastors be- themselves teachers in their subor
dinatc siatearst towards their children aud servants
All those dependent upon them. next a. tmc on
after by zeal Tor the establishment 81 unyers
tee, college, school. aBd by every best metnod Of I'M
pressing uion the mud " youth, both Christian educa
iou aud Know ledge 4 al that pertains 10 tie happiness
and dignity a man ~ tho order 81 human life Their
teaChAp not cuuuued q mere kuovledge a. the
CHRISTIAN doctrine Tie earl, fathers Of lie church maze
ther study or The sake 81 Christ order that they
might meet aid coni0und the Pagan philosophers 81
the agc and the country n which they lived mbued
Their minds with the slbtcy % Tie Gre intellect ana
the reasoning 81 the Greek sphists Those we're ths
great fathers n The church whose Writings abound The
evidences Of every spcCies u knowledge that attain
able their age these they who Illustrated The doc
rncs of Christianity who vn4cated horosy aud
against Pagan philosophy every tenet ~ holy fith
that from ter time t The present their have
furnished ftuta0n u every specCE ~ novelty aud OF
false rel iou that may have toe proud intellect
a. erriag When the church lad wade through
u persecution 0t three hundred years and Il became
laNfulto profess Christianity. Immediately the bishops
aud clergy gathered around them those they
taught aud by public Instruction and ~ incucalng the
o0Ngaton 90 parents ana on TIE W ~ teaching those
committed % their care especially abe arst
q Christian knowledge, dssed generally throughout The
Christian community love q eda1aaoa and yea
~ promote t. As time weft behold them avlng
the sund aions % uniyeTs toes aud colleges every
try " Europe. Tho mon0eros became great centres OF
education and ~ knowledge their inmates devoted them
selves Jay and nEhi a. the preservation al the irag
mcut u ancient learning that bal Survived the The
Roman empire These, establishment Il education were
distinct from the universities but not less important
Their WAY The dsofgaazcd STATE q society during what
called the Middle Ages constituted q great OBSTACLE
20 tie holy WORK % The church, whch best carried on
times 81 peace and 81 civil order Among toe chiefs
who against each other aud held sDsetv \ can
u strife, aud frequently war. education
became rather rcIr0sch. These proud AID fcrocol8
baOns cOntendng against each other, reverenced the
sword and desplssd the book. Yet during those same
ages behold what the church has done for