The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-01-31
Hxu PUBEIcArIoxs.

NEW PUBEIcATIoxs.
LTx AND Lxr1nas or r. w. FABERs Priest Of
abe oratory q 81: Philip Nsri ~ John
Edward Bowden, of the same Congregation.
ClerQyman. New York: Catholic Publication
Society. New Orleans: O. d. Elder.
This book appeared some years ago, and we
feel conRdent that many Of our readers have
already made themselves familiar with its
beautiful lessons; but, ct the same time, we
believe there is large number Of Catholics
who have never heard Of the work or enjoyed
its delightful perusal.
To such persons we would point out this
treasure of Catholic literature, as one we'll CAL
culated to edify and instruct their minds. u
is particularly interesting at this time, because
Father Faber belonged TO that intelligent body
of English Divines which has given TO the
Church, Newman, Wilberforce and Manning.
When the present Archbishop Of Westminster
was received into the True Fold, it was Father
Ysber who Instructed him in the ceremonies Of
the Mass.
For thirty one years of his life f. w. Faber
belonged to the Church Of England. and during
that time he was more than loved, he was re-
vered by his parishioners.
To sever the ties which bound him to his
lifelong friends, to relinquish the princely
patrimony which his rectory secured him, to
face poverty, Misunderstanding and even in
salt, may seem hard to poor, weak souls like
ourselves; but, when once Father Faber per
ceived that Truth was to DO found only in the
Roman Catholic Church, he snapped all obsta-
oles as though they had been ssraws.
In his Life, this passage describes the moment
nfp ~pati0 frOp, his Iaxysv AooI
"At the evening service, after few pre-
liminary words, he told his people that the
doctrines no had Thought them, though true,
were not those of the Church of England
voice, she had disavowed them, and that, con-
sequently, he could not remain in her COM
munion, but must go where truth was to be
found. Then he hastily descended the pulpit
stairs, threw OF his surplice, which he left
upon the ground, and made his way as quickly
as possible through the Festry to the rectory.,
Then follows a touching description of the
sorrow and entreaties of his congregation, and
of how, as he started early the next morning
in order to escape as he thought, ell notice, the
poor people whom lie was leaving thronged the
way, sobbing ont: God bless you, Mr.. Faber,
wherever you CO."
Writing to friend few days after this
event, he says:
IA new light seems to be shed on every
thing, and more especially on my past position
"a light SO clear as to surprise me !; and
worldly prospects considerably bewildered, yet
there IL such repose of conscience as more
than compromises for the intense and fiery
struggle through which have passed"
While still an Anglican clergyman, he visited
the continent, and his Letters are full of ex-
quisite descriptions of life and landscapes,
while the impartiality with which he criticises
all that comes under bis notice is very different
from the usual style Of non-Catholic writers.
A letter dated from Dresden contains this
passage:
'Year after year are we assured, in England,
OF the connection between Popery and what.
keeping Sunday. No person, who has not
been abroad, and heard and seen and investi-
gated for himself, would credit the extensive
system of lying pursued by English travel
writer's religious tract-compilers, and Exeter
Hall speech makers, respecting the Roman
Church abroad ; and whether the lies be those
of wilfulness or of prejudice, ignorance apd
Incidence, do not see much to distinguish ia
the guilt"
Father Faber was true poet, who saw only
the good and the beautiful in nature and in
art, and it is recorded that when the poet
Wordsworth heard of his determination to
enter the Anglican clergy, he aaid: II do no.
think Faber is wrong but England has lost
poet"
Referring to his own poetic inclinations
which came strong upon him while in the
beautiful city of Genoa, in 1s43, he writes:
az have often alluded to the struggle in NV.
self between the poet and the priest on ac-
count of the absorbing character of such q pnr-
suit as poetry, and the exclusive character of
such calling IS the priesthood"
Again he writes:
" But at last succeeded in shaking off the |
poetic 1T; and then, as the flowers had brought |
home before me, and the beauty had brought |
art and history, SO the character of the build. |
ings brought the Church to mind"
And by the Church, he meant the Established
Church Of England, for, in his mind then, there
was none other entitled to the name. And of
that Church he wrote in one of his letters:
You must remember that the Church of
England is not ProteStant, and that in one of |
her own Conversations, of the last century, she
rejected tho name, thereby
it binding on the consciencas of her
members to reject the haretical name protnnt |