The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-04-07
WRITERS AND THE
REWARD.
C1THOLIC
THEIR
Cincinnati Telegraph

| brief and touching memoir of the late DIR.
Marshall, by his friend of nearly ga guar
in the April number of the Catholic
World. Mr.. Marshall was converted TO
the Catholic faith in IS45. He was q min
lister in the Anglican Communion. He had
just married. He was thirty years of age.
His prospects ss an Anglican minister were
bited marked literary ability in his Notes
on the EpfscopaI POlity Of the Church of
England, q work for which he received
the thanks of his Archbishop, then DR..
Hawley. His reading in the preparation
of those notes led, as all such honest studies
must lead honest minds, near to the Cath
olic Church. They led him 60 near that he
| speedily entered. He threw his living to
! the winds, his prospects Of future success
after it, and with his young wife, with just
fifty pounds in bic pocket, faced the world
AN unfrccked Anglican parson.
He had brains and learning, but nothing
else, in the way of earning q livelihood for
himself and wife. And brains aud learn
ing, however grandly they may look on
paper, count for little, when unaccompan-
led By other qualities, in an essentially
hard, matter. OF. fact and practical age. A
book-keeper of average ability, an entry
clerk, any mechanic, nay, an Ingenious
bootblack, or enterprisiDg crossing sweeper
had better prospects in this world than Mr..
Marehall. "Brains are still at fearful
disconnt among Catholics in England"
says mr. Allies, and the distinguished au-
thor of Tho Formation of Christendons, is
entitled to make so eweeping and cad
statement. II that is true of the England
of 1877, in which Catholicity has made
such marked and pronounced advances.
what is one to think of the England of Is45
"At that time" !" says Mr.. Allies, "privete
pupils were entirely in the hauds Of insti-
tutions taught by priests, or of individual
priests /; and as even now tho services of a
priest, we'll educated and intellectually
gifted, are thought among Catholics in
England TO be adequately remunerated by
the salary Of one hundred pounds gear,
what chance had married convert to pick
living ous of that mode of employing his
brainsf'
We "give it up," as ia said of puzzles to
which the solution does not suggest itself.
Help, however, came to Mr. Marshall about
three years after his conversion. He was
appointed inspector of schools in the gov
ernment system of education. This office
he held from 1s4s to 1860. This Office Sc
cured to him what in England is no mean
sa!ary, 2s00 a yesr. Mr. Allies fails Co
tell Us how he became deprived of it,
though he frankly expresses his opinion
that sit was great error of Judgment on
his (Dr. Marshsll's) part which led him go
to act that it was possible to deprive him
of this office" We bad the reason of his
resignation from his owp lips, and we could
not but admire the self-sacriGcing course
ho pursued. After that resignation he de-
voted him self exclusively to the great work
of Catholic writing. In 1862 he published
his work of Christian Missions, work that
we heliaYe- never die. My ClericaL
Friends ard Protestant Journalism. follow
ed. For she rest he just managed to exc
ont O su bsistence by writing for the Lon
don Tablet, Dublin RevieW, and other
EnniIah GathOIio nurnuIa-Tha- 10
thus told by Mr. Allies:
He on whoae word, defending Catholic
doctrines, illustrating Catholic truths. excited
mul,itudes in great cities have hung, who
tions wbioh he felt himself, died in small
room over a shop in an obscure outskirt of
London, tended by an unwearIed, unoomplain-
ing affection which had been proof against
every sorrow and every trial, and was the
only earthly consolation left to him."
We'll, what are we to say We gave
our opinion on DR.. Marshall and his work
when the news of his death reached US.
1t comedies in fact with what Mr.. Allies has
get before us. To man like DR.. Mar
shall, or to q man whose mind and heart |
are set on the came purpose as the mind |
ing themselves first and always to the
cause Of Cstholicity, this world offers very
blank prospects, and we do not well see
bow it can be otherwise. Catholicity does |
not pay in worldly eense. There are, to |
be sure, few men go we'll fitted as was DIR. |
Marehall to make it pay 4; but for one Cath
olic who reads, enjoys, and appreciates |
DR.. Msrshall's writings, ninety nine will |
prefer an editorial in some daily American |
newspaper though such q paper itself |
would admit that Dr.. Marshall had more
more wit, more brilliancy of |
style, the maetery of clearer and more
tTenchant mode of expressing his ideas
than apy one of our secular journals could |
ever hope to command. such journals
would pay any price they could offer for
the services OF such man but his servi-
ces are, and must always be, unpurchas.
able for such work as they require. Conse-
quently Catholics of knowledge, and abil-
lty, and literary power, who are afflicted
With conscience, must fall back on the
financially the poorest of the poor. This
is not only the case here among ourselves,
but also in countries called Catholic, such
as France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium.
nd an IL will cOpEiDna until peneraEinaa |