The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-12-13
Bishop Elders Lecture.

| NASAAOP A'aSsOl ? AOSssAAo'
i st. Theresa's Church was densely crowd
ed last Sunday night, on the occasion o,
Right Rev. Bishop Elders lecture upon the
life and times Of Archbishop Plunkett. The
topic naturally gave an opportunity, which
was not lost, Of depicting scenes and recall
of men, and rivet their attention. The ter
rible era Of Cromwell's persecution wa
passed rapidly in review, with it's countless
atr0cities-its ruthless murder of bishops
and archbishops, of hundreds Of priests, Of
thousands of women and children-its dis
regard of all pledges, and contempt of every
compact. We saw the sixty thousand chill
dren, boys and girls, torn from their homes
to be sold as slaves in West India markets,
and heard the walls of hopeless despair from
every portion of the devoted isle.
At the conclusion of this picture the Rt.
Rev. lecturer paused in his narration, to
meet the question which naturally presented
itself why were not the whole Irish peo-
pie exterminated They were relentlessly
pursued by the vindictive hate Of an enemy
who breathed nothing but slaughter. and
scrupulous, crafty and malignant. They
were completely in the power Of that enc
my, and at his mercy. What, then, pre-
vented their total destruction
1t was simply because God can say to the
evil passions of men, and does say to them,
Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther. :"
History and nature are full of instances,
from matters of the smallest Importance to
events of the most momentous magnitude.
where imminent danger of injury or de-
struction is averted, in manner totally un-
looked for. The Almighty permits evil
men to WELD controlling power for the chas-
tisement, not the destruction of his chosen
ones. Frequently he makes use of natural
means and motives to accomplish his end
of arresting further ruin. Thus, in this case,
the conqueror concluded to forego his pas
sion for destruction, and the qualification of
his hatred beyond a certain point, in order
that enough population might be left to cul-
tivate the soil.
The Rt. Rev. lecturer then went on to
portray the extreme poverty, the exhaust
ing hardships which the clergy, and espe-
cially the bishops, had to undergo, even
after the death of Cromwell. The whole
revenue of each bishop consisted of one
pound from each parish per annum. At
times they were obliged to fly from new
outburst of persecution, adding exposure
and famine to their list of ills.
Notwithstanding the wretched condition
to which the clergy were reduced, hiding in
mountain Businesses or inaccessible boys,
with no means of sustenance.apart from the
table of private families, yet fearful of
drawing down on them the vengeance of q
baff1ed persecution, the amount of good
they accomplished is inconceivable. Espe-
cially was the unwavering devotion of the
Church to education manifested at this try
ing time. In the very midst of slaughter,
confiscation, exile, and ruin, Bishop Plum
kett founded a college in the central waste
of an extensive bog. The treacherous ap-
proaches to this wild location, and the faith
full silence of devoted people, were the
guardians that watched over the cradle of
a new Irish school system. Meanwhile the
same men that forbade Irish education I'M
der pain of death, loudly and scornfully &C
cused the Church of encouraging ignorance.
We have not space to follow the learned
Bishop through the various and interesting
facts and reflections with which he SO sue
cessfully entertained his audience. The
circumstances Of Archbishop Plunkett's ar
rest, trial, and execution, were given with
such fidelity and clearness, as to leave the
unavoidable conviction of the foulest bru-
tality on the part of his oppressors, and of
the hottest fortitude of Christian martyrdom
ON the part of the victim.
just such lectures are of the highest util-
ity in enlightening the people upon, Aot
merely the facts of history, which are gen.
orally already familiar to them, but the true