Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-04-02
THE LECTURE.

Last Wednesday, Rev. g. A. McGurk, s.
j., delivered lecture in st. Alovsius'
church, in this village, on the Catholic Mem
cries of Maryland" There was large am
dcnce tnearly 4oo) of ladies as well as gem
tlemen, and though the lecture lasted over
an hour, 50 well was the subject handled
that none grew weary of listening. We're
greet that want Of space, &C., prevents us
from giving but the following imperfect
synopsis of the Rev. Fathers remarks.
Father McGurk said:
1t is with peculiar pleasure, ladies and
gentlemen, that have accepted the invita-
ton Of your pastor to lecture on the Catho-
lie Memories Of Maryland. My heart needs
no strained effort to cause it to speak on such
subject here, on the 25lst anniversary of
the foundation of Maryland. From this
very place we can almost touch the spot on
which the Jesuit Fathers stepped from the
Ark and the Dove. They came in company
of honorable men, weary of tho bitter
struggle for conscience sake. Government
tai intolerance of their peculiar tenets drove
the Quakers to Pennsylvania, the Episcopa-
lians to Virginia the Puritans to Plymouth
aud the Catholics to Maryland. The circle
of freedom which all but one drew around
them was only large enough to inclose them
selves. The banner of but one ship pro-
claimed universal tolerance and that was
the ship which brought the Catholics to
Maryland. To Sir George Calvert were our
Catholic ancestors indebted for this. Until
1884 be was Protestant. In that year, he
was converted and his conversion involved
great personal sacrifices He held tho high
and lucrative Office of Secretary Of State UNI
der James l. To continue TO hold office was
to share in the iniquitous laws which perse-
cuted his Catholic fellow citizens, and that,
he could not do. He determined to seek an
asylum in the New World and establish an
Ethiopia where the prosecuted Of all lands
might find freedom to worship God. His
idea was approved by the learned Jesuit to
whom he went for counsel and advice and
by other dignitaries Of the Church. He led
IN person a colony to Newfoundland, but
It's soil was too sterile. He sailed southwark
but failed in his attempt to associate with
the Episcopalians of Virginia. They wanted
freedom, but il was only freedom for them
selves. not for Catholics, and they would
have exacted an oath from him that would
have degraded him below the slaves on their
Plantations He returned to England aud
obtained liberal grant, under which his
son, Leonard, planted the colony of freeuen
IN Maryland. The gallant little ships left
England, November %, 1888. The colony
was numerically Protestant, but politically
socially and religiously Roman Catholic.
The expedition consisted Of Leonard Calvert,
as Governor. jerome Hawley and Capt.
Thos Cornwallys, assistants, with 20 gentle
men and 200 mechanics. laboring men, in
dentured servants and others. The superb |
Or of the three Jesuit priests of the party
was, Father Andrew White, the apostle Of
Maryland All denominations respect the
influence Of their ministers but Catholics |
need Of priest is founded on a deeper faith |
in his holier usefulness. He has power 10
say thy sins are forgiven thee. He leaves
a land Of stately temples, but bears authori-
ty TO offer the victim Of mercy on alters rude