Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-07-01
SUNDAY READING.

higher classes of England discuss, and the pa
thence with which they listen to, questions Of
creed and faith than The Nineteenth Century
Its list of contributors embraces some Of the
very foremost names in England. The June
number, which is at hand, contains paper
from James Anthony Froude, a continuation
of the True Story of the Vatican Council, by
Cardinal Manning, paper entitled The Soul
and Future Life, by Frederic Harrison, and
an article on Disestablishment and Disendow
1nent, by Rev A H. Mackonochie. Now
here are four articles freely discussing rellgl-
GUS questions from the distinct and opposing
standpoints of an Oxford student (Froude)
who has severed his relations with Alma Ma
ter in order to be absolutely free to investi-
gate and criticise all religious works, acts and
teachngs-especially the New Testament; a
Cardinal of the Roman Church, whose emf
nent learning makes him an authority of the
tirst-class even at the Vatican itself; a famous
free thinker who boldly questions the exist
ence of soul and discusses from the Positive
standpoint tho assumption of a life beyond
the grave and clergyman of distinguished
position in the Established Church., all occu-
plying the pages of the same magazine. 1t is
as if each, in his turn, were heard from the
same lecture desk. We propose to make
few extracts from Mr. Froude's paper, which
is entitled 1.-The Life and Times of Thomas
Beckett ;" and if we can spare the space, to
also make some extracts from Mr.. Harrison's
paper. Mr.. Froudes article opens with the
statement that Among the earliest efforts of
the modern sacerdotal party in the Church of
England was an attempt to reestablish the
memory of the martyr of Canterbury. The
sacerdotal party, so far as their objects were
acknowledged, aspired only to iberate the
Church from bondage to the State. The
choice of Beckett as an object of alteration was
a tacit confession of their real ambition
From this he proceeds first to review the con- !
dition of the Church prior to and during
Beckett life and times, and, next, to show |
what manner of man this " object of adora-
ton was Quoting from Nigellus, monk
who was contemporary with Beckett, he tells |
us of the custom of selling benefces to the
highest bidders, (as commissions in the Eng
lish army were lately sold) Referring to the
fact, that by the terms Of these sales it often
happened that mere babies were appointed
bishops and archdeacons, he says, Quoting
from the monk), d" Infants in cradles are
made archdeacons, that out of the mouths of
babes and stockings may be perfected praise.
The child is still at the breast and he is a
priest of the church. At an age when an ap-
pie is more to him than dozen churches, he
is sent to dispense the sacraments." But this
cunning, plain spoken and sarcastic monk fur
nishes us with a most remarkable specimen
of the facile arguments and glib excuses for
doing in the name of the Church what is most ,
convenient and desirable to be done by the
parties interested in the following biting por-
trayal of the manner with which the partisans -,
of faulty churchmen palliated the faults of
their patrons. Says he:
He is John the Baptist for sanctity, a
Cato for wisdom, Tully for eloquence a ;
Moses for meekness, Princes for zeal, an /
Abraham for faith. Elect him only, and he O
is all that you can desire You ask what he !
has done to recommend him. Granted that
ne has done nothing, God can raise sons to l
Abraham out of the stones. He is boy, you v
say, and too young for such an ottice-D Daniel h
was boy when he saved Susannah from the T
elders He is of low birth-you are choosing
4 successor to a fisherman, not an heir to y
Cesar He is a dwarf eremiah was not ,
large He is illiterate-Peter and Andrew b
were not philosophers when they were called b
to be apostles. He can speak no English v
Augustine could speak no English, vet Au-
gustine converted Britain. He is married
and has wife-the apostles ordered such to ii
be promoted. He has divorced his wife W
Christ separated st. John from his bride. He II
IS immOral-so was st Boniface. He is fool -
God has chosen the foolish things of this u
world to confound the wise. He is coward II
st Joseph was a coward. He is a glutton ia
md wine bibber--so Christ was said to be- -
lie is a sluggard-St. Peter could not remain -
or an hour awake. He is a striker-Peter N
truck Machus. He is quarrelsome-Paul re
luarrelled with Barnabus. He is dsobedient de
o his superiors-Paul withstood Peter He -
$ a man of blood-Moses killed the Egyptian W
lie is blind-so was Paul before he was con- TO
erted. He is dumb-Zacharias was dumb tn
lie is all faults, and possesses not single vir- ri
will make his grace so much more 80
0 abound in him. %
Concerning Beckett himself, Froude, after IT,
Getting the fact that he was Chancellor of
highland, under Henry Platagenet Gin the -
1Ith century, furnishes to the adorers of vi
nat martyr" the following picture of him SCI