The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-12-17
LETTER FROM ..IoN. -.

+ "a LETTER FROM "IoN. p
A Criticism OF .iNIsrearet Merlynn-
Father Burns and hts work-som,
Thou8hts Il elating to Religion.
| Sank RAplDs, Dec. Is, 1868.
| EDITOR Observation-Disclosures a book O,
story is announced and heralded Will
praise beforehand, generally far more i.
anticipated than realized. So, from read,
Ing tho various notices published of the
character and merit Of the story you com.
menced two weeks since in TIE JOURNAL.
was prepared to mako many grains Of al.
!oWanoe for partial friends aud jealous ID
mirers oftho writer of"Mars.ret Merlyn i"
WAS in fact disappointed. The opening
chapter is equal to the highest praise
have noticed hsralding the work. "The su-
icide" is perfect picture of sad and az
onising scene. 1t Is drawn with skill De-
culiar in this, that it is yell drawn and not
over daewn. The coolest mood of crit, ism
can hardly find fault with any line OF +: par ,r,
agraph in it. The correspondence between
Margaret and Edward is simple, heartfelt
and natural to the life, anu fixes attention.
The tone and style OF the three first chap
ters are admirable, The manner is easy
the language simple and chasto, and The
dlction pure and flowing. So l said to the
friend 1 was reading to, after it was fin
ished, 'Better than expected" aud her
reply was, at is beautlful.
1-have this week. read the '.partipg" and
the "New Home" That which is as a
whole good, will in some of its parts bear
slight criticisms without detriment to the
general impression. "Parting' and the
:"New Home ere not Is they strike no., 81
good AZ tho preceding chapters. cannot
help thinking JEANNE, With her uiniatslli.
gible interjections, had better been left out.
She. - we'll %. her ,unreadablel inteituip., !
lions, have no connection with the main
story thus: far, nor do they either. Illus.
trate or embel]ish any part Of 1T ; but, on
the contrary, interrupt the train Of thought
elected by tho main incidents. It may
not ttrike others in ths same xayy, cr,Eit al
all, to the same extent; but shall be mis-
taken 8 i + the end this Will not bs the'
judgment Of competent critics. "Marga-
ret MsFlynn! viii b looked. for with inter
est every week. and as it proceeds I pro-
pose' with your permission; to giye you
my unimportant opinion Of it.
;,Father Rune. the Catholic :Mlssien.ry
having in charge the churches at Foreet
City. RI River ana Sank, Centre. %: we'll
As at Sank Rapids, held divine service At
the church here yesterd.y. H. has . large
congregation: has built comfortable AMI
pretty church ediaos liz the lover pArt :of
town this season; and is doing much good.
Hs il ono Of the few men Who happily
unite learning With business talent and en-.
terptise. He Is unairing aadindefatieable,
.f.e! ls+ end go. earnest and is doing . york
for hia church which viii long continue to
Do fsh.' I have heard Father Burns preach
Only once before. Even to- my 2Prctestan
taste t,. his l! first sermon vas evangelical, and
in every: word the truth. n. exploded
many errors attributed 10 the Catholic
church by us Protestants, and delivered
practical truths, the which If strictly fol-
lowed : must lead the believer to eternal
life. an Protestant, and believe in the
good old faith Of my fathers, but do be-
heve We have judged too h.rshly the ten
sts Of our Roman Catholic brethren not
v'lfally Or wickedly, but from want Of
proper knowledge Of What, they really are.
We have driftea along in the current of o.
position to the Pope, the cerem.nials. and
the priesthood; and in earlier days to the
lnQuisition and prosecutions Of christians.
not discriminating between the acts of the
church itself and those Of the State. The
more I So Of the work q devoted Catholic
Missionaries,,. like the good, venerable
Father Pisrse and Father Burns, the more
feel that all old pFejudiees against that
church, should be sifted and carefully OK
amined. Any how, as religion is science
- well - feeling and belief, studious
and candid examination Of every creed,
claimed to be founded ON tho Bible, can do
no harm. "Who is Godr,. is the, great
question. Despite our opinions, now en-
ttrtalned with 50 much confidence and te-
nacity, We may. At some future time, of
hopes realized and aims accomplished, say
as Hecker did:
What once dreamt not, now is true,
More lovely sights around me rise.",
Do not understand me from this exn
ion Of what might be and yet be the truth.
as entertaining the .hope-qr. even the ex--
pectation Of ever seeing good old Martin
Luther or fiery John Knox, pushed ono
side for Saint Placidus or Saint Patrick,
Very truly yours, "
ION.
: P. s.-The ,nformsnt'in relation to that
"twenty thousand dollars" :: whose silence
thus fsr has been occasioncd BY. your bold
denial, will come along before many days.
Until prompted, he had forgotten but what
editors always tell tho truth "Ion'' will
call round in due time for his share Of the
distribution, according to your generous
rate. Meantime, he will not expect any
extravagant expenditures, in the way Of
extra suits Of clothes, new hats or presents
tor Christmas to pretty girls, on your part
before We divide. After that you can see
the "White Fawn" as often as you like {;
though as an old editor, my advice would
oe to lose mo time in sstting2 wife. and
tho ten thousand extras incident thereto,
before your part Of the twenty thousand
disappears, in far less useful manner,
Like shoxaakes in the river, s%s'.' ',>,"
one moment l:,| 'een. Then gone fore1er:""'
- -; -. -. { " :: II : ION. F: