Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-08-02
FATHER FiNNEGAN's LECTURE.
He Thinks Roman Catholicism the Hope
of Liberty.

of Liberty.
Father Finnegan delivered his lecture last
evening on THE Catholic Church the Hope OF
Republican Institutions
The Reverend Father spoke without notes,
and was evidently warmed up to, the subject
1t is not our purpose tonight to do more than
notice his points
He began by relating an anecdote Of good
woman entertaining unawares Catholic
priest, and alarmed on learning the nature of
her guest to find he had no horns. The appli-
cation of the aneedote was that people knew
but little of the Catholic Church, and through
this ignorance were led to believe many BAG
things of it. The Father said the question wa
not now, did Christ found the church. wer,
there seven sacraments or two? &C.; but ''The
Republic is in danger"
The Father then went on TO ansvre
certain imaginary charges against freshman.
One would have supposedfrom his zeal and elab-
grafton OF the point that some one had been
TS!aglng war upon lrlshmen accusing them of
dishonesty, cowardice, ignorance and general
meanness. His effort evidently was directed to
answering all these charges In reply to them
he thought that Catholics had given the world
about everything useful and valuable. Catholics
invented gunpowder, newspapers, the compass,
clocks, watches, &c. Irishmen always fought
bravely, always loved and favored freedom,
was the cradle of free governments, the Catho-
lies abolished slavery proclaimed all men equal
before God and under their protection the Re
publics Of South America hOurished. Free gov
ernments under Catholic protection fourished
long before the hyena freedom of the
Reformation, Professionals prosecuted Catholics,
and the freedom of which they boosted was that
every man must think as they do. In reply to
the charge that Catholics were opposed to re-
publican institutions, he cited how nobly Irish
and French Catholics helped us in the Ameri-
can Revolution, and how bravely Irishmen
fought both for the North and the South for
what they believed to be right On all these
points the Father was very full, very eloquent
and very satisfactory, as we know of no one
that doubts the bravery, among other good
quslltief, of very large class of our Irish cti-
Zens
Certain ignorant newspaper men, who knew
nothing of the Catholic Church. and be-
cause of their ignorance thought every
body else Ignorant, received full attention.
Their war upon CATHOLICS was. the old Know
nothing war. The Catholic Church was
charged with trying to get control of this coun
try Did any one ever see him seeking office ?
dc never took part in politics but once, and
that was when he wanted Catholic school here.
The Catholics had right to that school, and he
school money or school, If Catholics did get
office, 1t would be better for the public money,
for if a Catholic officer took five cents he would
have to confess it once year to his priest, and
when he did, the church would get the money
and refund 1t. He had often got back money
Gay street merchants. Catholics would steal no
more than is now stolen, and what they did take
the church would refund. Once every wear
the church made them all confess, and that
would protect the public money We
shall forward copy of the CHRONICLE with
this cheering news to the robbed and plundered
tax payers Of that city, for we know they will
be glad to hear Dick Connolly and Tweed and
Sweeney, &c, must disgorge to their priests.
They have been stealing for some years, but
we have never yet heard of their confessing it.
The Times is proving it on them now however,
and perhaps it may come back. Father Finne-
gan said the Catholic Church was blamed for
the riot in New York, because a few excommu-
nlcated Catholics, in violation of their church,
teachings and advice, took part in the mob.
they acted IN violation of the advice of their
priests. He quoted the Archbishop's advice to
stay away, but didn't quote the part where he
said the Orangemen had no right to parade and
they ought not to be allowed by the authorities
TO parade.
The Father touched very hastily and very
briefly the great point made against his church,
and that is that its teaching and theory is that
the Pope is the head of the church in temporal
AS we'll as spiritual affairs and that its children
being obliged to obey the church in all things,
must, IN case of a conflict, obey the Pope and
the church before the civil authorities of the
land. This IS the only question the Father had
need to answer, for it is the only charge made,
and yet he touched it but incidentally and but
a moment. He said that those who made this
charge did not understand the doctrine Of their
church. This is in substance the only answer
made. He counseled his people to "obey the
laws" it is true, but he said First listen to
your church and PrieStS''-we quote his very
words
The argument he dwelt upon almost entirely !
no one disputes save that they will not 60 so far
as he did and claim everything for the Catholic
Church. 1t has done some good and has many
good people and good citizens in its fold. No
one doubts that, but that is not the objection to
it. as we have shown. His charge that the
Protestants had not Bible of authority
and had no claims to be the true
church &c, &C., are all very old and need no
answer. The point of the Fathers lecture was
that the Catholic church has been a friend to
liberty, but what IS 1T noto with the inallibility
dogma, or what it toiH be he had nothing to say.
ARE you dyspeptic? Do you have chills and
fever? If so, use Simmons Liver Regulator;
it will cure you.