The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-05-15
A NEW SAINT.
Mary, Q.ee. sf sesss, - BE Cs.s.i..


The statement is made by the Vienna Ner Free
Press that it is the intention of the Pope to can
Onize as a martyr Mary, Queen of Scots. There
is no qualification OF doubt expressed in connec-
ton with the announcement; our Austrian
temporary sets it forth a settled fact; and the
purpose and the propriety of the act will, sIbse
quently, become the subject of wide discussion.
Mr. Froude and his opponents will probably
plunge afresh into their intermiited controversy.
The silver casket, less famous and inischev-
GUS than the Box of Pandora, will again be
brought the carpet and elegantly wrangled
over. The theological journals will once more
buckle on their arinor, and prepare to do hattie
in an tissue than " hich none has ever curious
ly combined opposing elements of religion, clliv-
airy and politics. Grim Boutwell, and frivolous
Darnley will once more be exbumetl, and the
shame or credit newly assigned for the meInOra-
BILE abduction and the ghastly catastrophe in the
Kirk Of Field. The splendors and the crimes of
old Hollywood, the devotion of George Douglas,
the infamy, of Paris, the ambition of Murray, and
the cruelty Of Elizabeth-wifh all the other
names and associations linked with the romantic
career, which began in sunny France to end on
the, scsnad at Fotheringay, will, for the hun
dredth time, be canvassed and reviewed; and, no
doubt, with the usual result Of leaving most par
ties tn the debate in precisely the sslne mind
when they approached it.
Without pnrposing at this time to add to the
literature ofthe controversy, We may yet be per-
mitted to say that there appears To some slight
.RAs0r Of ins0axraity- in adding Mary Of Scotland
to the calendar that bears the names Of the Ma
rvs of Nazareth and If Bethany. The association.
with 81. Stephen or Polyrarp may seem more fit
ting or even that with the English proto- martyr,
St. Alban; but why she who adored Of Chas-
telard and sung of Swinburne, should swell the
feminine siae Of the aureole category, it is less
easy either to see or to tolerate. 1t is also to be
observed that Popes have commonly selected
times when they themselves were exceptionally
strong to make saints of questionable characters.
If, then. tho purpose imputed to the Holy Fa-
Their shonld be really taken it will imply esti-
mate of his present position on the part Of Pho
Mono strangely ct variance with the current If
opinion among the more intelligent portion of
mankind. Perhaps, however, the canonzaton
of the beautiful If erring, Scottish Queen is to be
taken a. the index of a new policy, designed to
pluck strength ont of weakness, and safety out
II danger 80 - We have at present no crit
icism to make OH submission to the policy thus
Swallowed forth, and NO suggestions to offer, ex-
cept indeed, that il Mary is to be made . saint,
we really think it would be no more than fair to
make one Of poor Rizzio also. He WAS certainly
good sou to the Chhrch, snd he at all eveuts did
not write letter. to the great Emperor on the
night before his death, mploring hitter vengeance
ON those whom, the next day Mt the scafod, he
sweetly blessed aud forgave.-Ner York Tines.