The Dawson journal., 1883-02-22
Cor. Southern Enterprise. lcp4
New YORK, FEB. 18th, 1883.

of the new Cathedral last week,
was one of the most solemn and
impressive funeral pageants ever
Witnessed in this city. When al
the conclusion of the services, the
chancel choir of nearly three hun
dred voices Numbered out Beeth-
ovens grand Misereve the effect
was absolutely thrilling One
poor servant girl was SO overcome
by it that her mind become un-
balanced. She laughed andscried
hysterically and had to be convey
d out of the church and sent
-.ome in a cab. The next day she
lost her feason entirely and was
sent to an Insane Asylum.
This solemnity recalls to mind
the celebrated religious controver-
sy the Archbishop had with Mr..
Erastus Brooks some twenty-five
years ago. Erastus and James
W. Brooks at that time owned
and conducted the Express which
lii those days had both a morning
and evening edition. James was
the active man of the concern,
The fighter, the writer of vigorous,
pungent short editorials, while
Erastus was more the scholar and
the student He was well versed
in religious matters, and for a lay
man had a remarkable knowledge
of theology. The public School
system was at that time in it's in
fancy and the discussion arose
whether the Bible should be read
to the children. Mr.. Erastus
Brooks wrote some articles on the
subject not favorable. to Catholic
ism, which attracted so much at
tention and aroused so much com
ment that the Archbishop replied
in "letter." This brought out
further remarks, and in a few
days all New York was interested
in the controversial duel between
these two brilliant men. Bishop
Hughes then proposed that the
discussion, which now had assum-
ed large proportions and wander
ed from its original limited field
to an argument as to the truth of
the Catholic religion-should be
conducted in another. paper. He
thought it would be fairer than if
MIR. Brooks would have his say in
the Express and the Archbishop
his reply in his own organ, the
freeman's journal.
About that time the only paper
which was really making money
was the Express and some of the
great dailies of the present day
had indeed hard time of it. The
Brookses advanced them all the
money, and thus were quite a
power IN the fraternity itself.
Among their heaviest debtors was
Webb's Courier Enquirer, paper
long since extinct. Despite all
assistance and all coddling the pa
per continued to retrograde, and
for awhile it looked as if the
Messrs. Brooks would never be
able to get back their money.
Then when the Archbishop pro-
posed to have the discussion in
some independent paper the
Brookses suggested the Courier
EnqUarer. Bishop Hughes was
satisfied, and then the circulation
OF the paper went up with bound
advertisements began to pour in,
and In less than no time the paper
was able to pay it's debts. The
discussion lasted for quite awhile.
AS an old New Yorker expressed
it. 1T was beautiful race, neck
and neck. Towards the end
bishop Hughes seemed to be Win
ming, but in an unfortunate mo-
ment he lost his temper and made
use of an ugly expression against
his antagonist. As one Of the con-
aitlons of the controversy was,
that it was to be conducted in pur
" argumentative manner, Brooks
stopped at once, claiming that if a
man was compelled to leave argu-
ment for vituperation he had lost
his case, and pHblicopinion award
ed him the victory. The Arch
bishop afterwards was very sorry
Tor his words, and l believe the
quarrel between the two men was
made up. He was warm heart
ed 1mpulsive man and was fire.