The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-10-11
Bishop Kain's Lecture.


recent issue of the Wheeling lmtelH-
gsncer q lengthy comment on Bishop
Kaiu's Lecture. ss reported BY myself
for your journal. While I have no
desire to enter into any theological
controversy with tho Ia!elligencer. yet
I cannot pass over this uucalled for IL
rade in silence. The Ltsliiyenecr
frankly acknowledges that "thcro is
certainly nothing in the tone of his Che
Bishop's) remarks as above reported to
fnd fault with" And yet, after this
frank acknowledgement he raises n howl
Of complaint and continues it through
nearly ooluma.
1t seems to me that the lnteHigencer
was aware that tho Bishops lecture was
very impressive. and that he has con-
verified himself into one Of those danger.
Gus birds mentioned by our blessed Lord
in tue parable Of tho sowcr, to pick up
the seed for fear it might terminate.
Hc found no fault in the lecture, and
therefore be got mad about it. He
took it as text, loft itas soon as he bad
taken it, wrote a TRADE on Catholic
schools, gave vent in general to his
spleen on the subject, plows tho pillows
Of the Atlantic, and finally arrives in
Spain. After abusing that country to
which Europe and the whole CHRISTIAN
world arc indebted for the victory over
the Crescent at the Gulf OF LepaDio and
to whose maratine industry we are in-
debted for the discovery Of the land
which we now occupy, DO asks why
should We adopt tho parochial school
system? The Bishop said nothing
about the parochial schools ct all.
The Inteuisencer says that were he
Bishop hs would discard the ipse di1i..
which means he himself said it. A
certain class Of Greciun philosophers
had such confidence 10 their leader tina,
when asked why they believed so and
SO, would answer "ipsc di.eit," that is,
our leader himself has said SO.
II seems that were the htclligeacy
Bishop he would not place the same
confidence in the words Of our blessed
Lord as did heather philosophers in the
assertions Of their founder. This may
be consistent with the principles Of
christianity as understood BY the
Wheeling Intelli9eneer, but tho Lord
deliver mo from tho jurisdiction Of q
Bishop who would teach without IN
ipse dizit-,he LORD Himself. the
founder OF my religion, the teacher of
truth, tho infallible authority, hoe said
it.
Tho In.elligencer says the Catholic
clergy assume that the schools must be
either goddess or Protestant" The
Catholic clergy assume no such thing.
A school may be goddess" and then
neither Catholic nor Protestant ought
to send to it. Many parents. both
Catholic and Protestant, (but more es-
pecially is this sin to DO fonnd among
Protestants) seem to care but little
how their children are raised; but ter
rible will be tho retribution when before
the bar Of divine Justice their own chill
dren shall arise 10 Judgment against
them, and declare that the negligence Of
their parents caused their eternal woe.
A school may DO Protestant, and then
protestunts ought to patronize it; but
Catholics ought not. And this no
reasonable Protestant will deny. A
school may be Catholic, aud then il is tho
duty Of Catholics to educate their chill
dren therein in obedience to the com.
mand, parents, raise up your chill
dren in the nur,ure and admoui,ion Of
tho Lord" But to such school Pro.
testants would very properly object to
send their children; for not believing
Catholicity to be right, they would not
want their children 80 taught. The
LieNigeneer says that "lhey (he
Catholic clergy cannot disconnect q
school system from dogmatic religion
of some SORT" And 1 deny that q
school system can be disconnected from
infdollty or some sort Of religion: |
havo been practical teacher III the
public schools for five years, and have
observed tina. limited instruction may
begiven without much interference with
religion. Bnt l understand q school
system to be system for complete in.
struc,ion, and such instruction cannot
DO given without teaching inGd,lity or
some sort Of religion. But the MtclH-
gencer thinks this difficulty can DO OBJ.
waited by having daily precepts of
non.dogmatic religion taught, such as
the incubation OF tho Ten Command
ments and tho Sermon on the Mount"
To expaciats on the subject. Mr.. Editor,
would require whole book, so I shall
take at random q few points from tho
Sermon on the Mount. Iwould advise
the htelligenccr to examine that SCR
mon before he pronouuces it nom
dogmatic. Tho word dogma comes
from the Greek dOkeo, meaning to
think, and is defined to DO "settlcd
opinion u tenet" In the 18th yers.
Of the Sermon Il quote from the Pro.
tcstant version) our Lord says: aye
nre the salt Of the earth !; but il the sale
have lost his SAVIOR, wherewith shall it
be sailed p From this text Pope, the