The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-12-06
sarning Star and Catholic Messenger.
Bgxw oRLsANs. SUNDAY. DECEMBER 9. is14
Social Upheavals.
NOVEL PHASES OF THE TYNDALLIAN THEo-
RIES IN ENGLAND.

NOVEL PHASES OF THE TYNDALLIAN THEo
RIEs IN ENGLAND.
IN. D. conwayss London Letter in Cincinnati Com
You will learn that the London corpora
ton has declined to depart from its poll
Sical neutrality by formally offering the
freedom of the city" to Disraeli, bat no,
one item in any journal will inform You
that eminent ministers of many denOmin
atoms, orthodox and unorthodox, have ep-
peared on u common platform to give a
parting blessing to Hindoo, q" pagan
Brahmo preacher, q main part of whose
business in IGdia is to resist the spread of
Christianity in that country. Indeed, l
could make quite catalogue of those Gin
dications of upheaval' hich the Times
sees, but thinks best not tc report, and not
the least would be the fact that every club,
every drawing room, is turned into n con.
troversial council. Ladies lisp atheism
over their ices, as Disraeli said, and it is
IN order 10 ask your partner in the intervals
= of a waltz whether she is an animist, or
believes that we are molecular autOmata.
Nay, we have had an instance lately of q
lady in high society appearing in public as
an atisncat, of Tyndallian theories. This
lady-Mss. Anne Besant-after receiving
the best education that Germany, Paris
and London combined conld give, was
married To the gentleman whose name she
bears, but who was amazed to find that
she was II determined skeptic. Being him
self a 1.yout churchman, be desired her
at least +" conform outward. to religious
custonis that is, go 10 church and take |
tho ssc-a:nent. This the wife refused to |
do. Tho-papers of separation being sign
ed, the iady gave lecture in a public hall,
and caused considerable sensation by her |
eloquenrc Moreover, she is young and |
very pre''y-with oval face, delicate COM |
plexion and soft black eyes. The ad yanced |
Unitarian Chapel at C}erkenwell, in Lon
don, hearing that fair hereto had appeared,
invited her to give Sunday evening dis
eourse there; but they must have been
misinformed of the extent of the young
great. The minister, though reputed
Radical has, had to utter public disclaimer
OF any affinity with the philosophy of Mrs.
Besant, who now has about as good
chance to became the Joan d'Arc of our
religious conflict as any lady in England.
The taste of the gentleman who turned
Zach O lady rs this out of house and home
because of her evolutional theories has un-
dergone some severe criticism, but it shows
that some saving faith is still left in the
world. Her case is not very bad, for the
court has allowed her the control of her
little daughter. A much worse one has
recently come to light in the case of Mrs.
Louisa Lowe, who, however, when she
became hereto happened TO be the wife
OF clergyman, from whom, vof course,
more zeal was only to be expectef. She
resided with her reverend husband at
Upoterry Vicarage, near Honiton, and the ,
Vicar confused her symptoms of heresyl
with symptoms of insanity. She was sud- s
denly seized and without any preliminaries
lncarcerated in private lunatic asylum,
near Bristol, in September, 1870. 1t is
COW conceded by all parties that Mrs. Lowe
was at no time in the least insane, yet all /
her letters to her friends were suppressed,
and all her appeals to be brought before |
q jury were unheard. Certain pecuniary
at length rendered It neces-
sary that she should be looked after, and
she was discovered in the Hanwell Lunatic
Asylum-to which she was transferred in
1871, undergoing Understandable agonies. In
reply to her application for redresa at the
Home Cfice, Mrs. Lowe was advised that
she must seek her remedy at law. But as,
only her hueband could plead on
shis subject, and, as he seems perfectly sa-
tisfied that hereto is necessarily a luna ,
tic, Mrs. Lowe can only appeal to the ,
public. She has brought to light a num- |
Der of cases, that she found in the private
ssylums, of persons not at all insane,
who were held by interested parties, with
out the means of communicating with the
world, and one gentleman has been liber-
ated who was illegally detained for four
teen years. The result is that Lunacy
Law Reform Association has been formed.
Lords Roseberry, Morley, Napier, and Et-
trick, Sir Charles Dixie, and others, have
become interested, aad Mrs. Lowe will
probably have the satisfaction of seeing all
private lunatic asylums abolished as the
result Of her severe sufferings.
Mr. Charles Teller has forwarded To the