The Van Buren press., 1877-11-27
Father Ryan's Lecture.

The above lecture was not as largely
attended as would have been the case
had the night been propitious. Quite
a number, however, were present, and
all went away highly pleased.
The Fathers subject was The Cath
Ollie Church and its Abominations." The
first abomination" was the celibacy of
the priests. He said have been ask
ed why ! don't marry. Cause l don't
want to-" He said that priest could
marry, but he would have to go behind
the solemn oath he took at the altar at
his ordination. He illustrated its i'm
practically and Inconsistency with the
duties OF a priest with a very amusing
supposition.
He spoke in refutation of popular
fallacy that priests received money for
was very poor although he had heard a
great many confessions.
He referred to sacred relics, aud said
that very great error prevailed in re.
gard to the love that Catholic entertain
ed for them, and its natnre. Here,
in illustration. he referred, touchingly,
to some endoared relics of the war which
he had in his possession, which he loved
not because of any merit which the
things themselves possessed, but for
the holy scenes with which they people
the Mind and which, thereby, they rep
resent.
The hideouS deformity Of s Indulgcn.
cics" was removed by the explanation
that it was not II permission to sin, but
a relaxation of the temporal pnnish
ment due sin, after sincere sorrow and
contrition shall have removed the eter.
nal punishment.
He then touched upon the infallibili-
blity of the Pope. Denied his impec
cability. Said he was man, not God
and, as such, must sin. He was the head
of the church, and his decisions were
final and with him all authority ended.
He illustrated by reference to the Judges
of the Supreme Court of the United
States as the end, in their decisions, of
all judicial authority.
He the referred to the attitude of the
church toward public schools, and
the extreme interest manifested by her
in the education of her children. He
claimed that ignorance was the mother
of all the vices, and that education and
religion were twin-sistcrs, and could not
be separated without imperiing each.
He said that it was u grievous sin on the
part of the priest, and he was terribly
remiss in his duties, if he did not exert
all his influence, compulsorily, ifneeded,
for the education of his people. Protes
tants, he said, were willing that their
children should attend Catholic schools,
for fear of the religious tenets they may
therc imbibe, and which might oppose
them to their native faith. The case, on
the other side is only reversed, and the
Catholic Church, l,o eai,', profora, ""d I
she wM educate her children in her own
way. Then, he replied, the Church is
not opposed to education, but proposes
to teach her own children, and has her
schools for that purpose.
He then touched up the Bible ques-
ton, and denied the fact that it was de
barred the laity, but admitted that the
Church interpreted it for her children,
and that unqucstioned acceptance of
such interpretations resulted in the ex-
quisite harmony and catholicity of doc
trine and belief that has always preserv-
ed the church, while individual inter-
pctraton has transformed the Bible into
an immense violin upon which tune
may be played to suit the crowd.
He then said the church had nothing
to do with his or any other priests pol
itics. so long as the advoeation Of such
political principles did otinteriere W th
the doctrinal morality taught BY her.
The Father then closed his interest
csting lecture with a beautiful peorauon
and then after great many had shaken
hands with the beloved Southern cham
pion, all took their way home, highly
pleased with FATHER RYAN.