, 1879-03-23

ers! Cannot the same be said OF every town
and parish in the country? We admit that a
number Ut our cities have large Catholic popu.
letion, aud II the mere prepondcrapce in number
WAS sufficient, better Catholic than Protestant
schools could be maintained; but We doubt very
much alle fa2t OF our controlling more capital III
Milwaukee or Baltimore THAI 10 our Protestant
brethren. as it is wcll-kuown fact that most OF
our persuasion arc poor, possibly excepting Il
few descendants Ut the Caivcrts> Hence, If yuu
would ameliorate their present condition, dif-
1ercnt means must be resorted to than those at
present had in contemplation, nnd which YOU
would forthwith put into execution.
As ali required to attain L state OF goodness
appears to be humility of soul, dread and aI-
stinence 81 sin, and firm belief in the existence
opuon OF suPrspe Ssq bsc4 Bse cbr,,ns am Of tns
to be found previous to thc universal
diffusion Of knowledge and general rca.Iiny Of
the oerlltures, us Is clearly shown by the pres
cut number Of ''scientitic stulcnts,'' 1t brcy-
ess in nature first simply "vegctarians " and
then the disciples OF Rousseau: Voltairc, Paine,
Darwin. or "Popc Bot, :'-lgnora1nuses who
pick thousand and one meanings from a sin
gle paragraph in liking James Elition,'' and
narrow-mindcd fools believing la Deccl,er in a
" hell on earth.''
But now, Father, q different state Of affairs
exists An education is matter Of necessity.
There are ',000,000 Of our faith in this country.
Would you have us attend poor, il,-furnished,
and ill-governcd schools, and remain forever in
Terror to those not SO scrupulous in the manner
OF acquiring all education! Would you have
us belong to lower order. remain less intellt-
gent! Were this the case, all political aspira-
tlons mustneed bc laid aside, or, If not, defeat
dire uctcat-would assuredly be the fate OF IN
unintelligent .a,l,I uneducated candidate anu
any measures advocated by bis party, be they
ever SO worthy and needful.
You are anxious to bring our citizens around
to your belief. How can this be done By the
eraduates OF schools governed by teachers
The mission OF the Church-Lhat grand old
) nphoder and defcnder; of liberty, thut liberal
old patroness Of art, that just Discrimination be-
. tween right and wrong (what they say to the
contrary notwithstallding)-s to convert as
manr as possible, and retain within ner bosom
after having made her acquisitions. She does
not believe in protracted meetings nor in the
means rcsorted TO ut reyivuls atd camp-mcct-
ings, but trusts that all applicants have given
the matter careful attention nnd deemed the
subject one worthy OF serious anu sober rcfec-
tion,-a resolution not formed until having q
perfect understanding and thorough knowledge
OF all her doctrines. How are those converts to
be m0dcs Can uneducated men he successful
in that line or field. You claim that in private
schools pupils are not SO apt to form bad asso-
ciatious; that our public-scnool outhouses are
simply galleries containing obscene literature
and devilish designs. Why is this! Why more
30 than in our Catholic schools! Can VIZ dare
we, ins!nuate that the lady and gentlemen
devoid OF principle and destitute Of virtue! Do
you not suppose that they can and do exercise
the same authority and command the same re-
spcct as others! Does it stand to reason that
one commanding salary OF $1,000 per
annum will prove less competent than
one whose salary amounts to but S3O0s
Father, you are aware of that feeling Of dis
trust,-that suspicion entertained by great
many OF our "fricuds Of the other side,'' OF the
future day when Catholics may be iu the as
tendency, AMI i'll the face Of this do you deem
it prudeut-are you justified in keeping up our
differences -in thrustng our individual opin-
ions forward, and by So doing keep no cou-
tinued strife, urd increase instead Of allaying
said distrust2 Would it not be better TO sue
cumb to the inevitable and earnestly support
cur present system, and by so doing We need not
necessarily depart in tile least from the teach
ings and belief Ut our beloved Church2
In conclusion, Father, ! hold that the true
way to disseminate our doctrines, and tu bring
up our children in the true faith, is to send out
able, learned, and eloquent pastors,-Inen lib
cra1 in their views and willing to mlngie in So
ciety and associate with Protcstants as we'll as
Catnollcs,-mcn who do not deem it necessary
for the preservation Of the Church to appear in
public with an austerc expression Of counte-
nancr,-mcn OF this description, and they can,
in connection with their pastoral duties, look to
the interests of children, who mar, perhaps,
move in an atmosphere Of darkness, but who
are, nevertheless, on level With their contem-
porar!es III educational requirements, nnd bid
as tair as they do to perform duties in the
future other than thuse of ditching or carrying
q bod.
Although differing slightly, believe me,
Father, when assuring you that remain sim
that none would more gladly await the oppor-
tunity Of ''sccing through ano her glass;" were
he convinced Of error, than would your humble
servant, THOMAS F. O'tlAKA.