The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-14
Mccloskey in intellectual combat

McCloSkey in intellectual Combat.
New York Times.
Years ago, while Cardinal McCloskey was yet
a parish priest, an incident happened which was
not without its influence upon the career of an
other man. Atheistic doctrines were attracting
much public attention then. Men of consequence
in the world, able to build up most specious ar
guments, and masters of all the tricks of rhet-
oric were conspicuous in their attacks upon re-
lglon. One of these men was holding forth
with much earnestness at a little social assem-
olage one evening, when old and young met
around him to question and applaud. Over
much adultation had led the gentlemen into van-
ly or the most marked character, and there was
a dlctatorial air about him that cut off all posi-
bllty of successful antagonism from any
person of less positive mind. Sarcasm came to
be one of his chief weapons; any presumptuons
~objector to his logic was showered with freezing
irony, and so generally ~effectual was this sort
OF treatment that the discursive gentleman came
almost to regard himself as quite beyond the
pale of contradiction. Plain, modest, unassum-
ing Father John McCloSkey was not yet distin-
guished; few people had heard of him outside a
certain circle of intimates in the church. 1t
was, therefore, not at all remarkable that when
the eloquent infdel heard that a young priest
was TO be present on this evening, he gave him
self over to a momentary pride in anticipation
OF the off-hand manner in which he would en-
barrass, not to say extinguish, the churchman.
Father McCloskey came. The host was an old
friend with whom he had been a school-fellow
when he was a boy over III Brooklyn, and 1t was
evident that the priest was finding much more
pleasure in reviving old-time "reminiscences than
In attending to the attractions of the converse
ton or the freethlnklngo orator, about whom the
greater part Of the guests were assembled.
Finally, however, further avoidance was I'M
possible. He found himself addressed directly
by name. He did not welcome the controversy
that was imminent; he could but consider the
pointed questions put to him as impertinent; he
had not come TO argue, but to make a social call.
But there was an offensive twang in the tone of
the remark addressed to him to which he could
not quite be blind. He offered an evasive an
swer, and sought TO turn the conversation by
pleasant comment into happier channels, but
the arrogant doctrinaire would not keep peace.
He prated much of science, philosophy and free
thought; he inveighed with almost savageness
against the church, the hinderer of all proposes,
the soul of all things dreary and wicked. A
grave look came into the countenance of the
priest. He rolsaSilence finally with words that
were calm in trfAr deliverance, but volcanoes
really in their force. He evaded nothing; he
begged no questions; he asked no quarter, and
he gave none. For almost an hour he talked
with scarce an intermission, waxing eloquent as
he warmed up to his subject. Two or three
times his opponent attempted interruptions, and
sought to ~interject some of his sarcastic rhetoric,
but the ambition profted him little. He found
in John McCloskey, who was yet to rise to the
eplscopate, and finally wear the red hat of the
cardinalate, far more than his match on that
line. His thrusts were puny as compared with
the hard knocks, square from the shoulder, that
the young priest gave him. "Science, falsely so
called" this was tho theme which Father
McCloskey treated. He seemed familiar with
every scientific writer that had won recognition;
the claims of all the philosophers seemed fully
understood by him; the doctrine of every anti
Christian teacher seemed familiar to him; his
tory was at his tongues tip, and words were
his that in the end grew from the calm spark
into a fame and blaze that fairly scorched
and cracked, Never had l heard anything to
compare with it" said afterward one of the lis
teners. HE spoke as though inspired-as
though his very life depended upon it. And
when he suddenly ended he was all of a trembie,
keenly nervous through mental excitement. He
withdrew quickly-almost abruptly. He turned
from the company, who had pressed closer and
closer upon him as he talked, and, seeking out
the host and hostess, he shook their hands cor
daily, gave to the rest of us only a formal bow,
AID was gone without a word. The exit was a
fittingly dramatic sequel to the most thrilling
scene l ever witnessed among intelle men,"
The infdel who had invited this thing sat al
most stupefed AS from point to point the argu-
ments of the future great prelate went. He was
never heard to preach his doctrines any more in
public, and within a few years he had disavowed
his atheism altogether. He is dead now, but
long before he died he became a conspicuous
member of a Protestant church. So long as he
lived he and Cardinal McCloskey were firm
friends