The Irish standard., 1888-11-24

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jenkins Memorial Church, on Druid
Hill Park, Baltimore, we'll under way
But the University Building is his
special pride He gave us a vivid de
scription of the beginnings of the work.
which has been pushed forward with
commendable energy, and of the pre-
parations for the memorable day Of the
corner stone laying. ''All the stone work
will be Completed" he said, sand the
building ready for the roof, by Deem
Der U.s. The men will work on che in
terror of the building all winter, and
every thing will be finished up accord
ing to contract we'll inside Of the limit
of time, October 6. 1882"
Following Mr.. Brady's thoughtful
suggestion, we drove over to the high
ground about the Soldiers Home, and
looking down, had splendid view Of
the front elevation of the Divinity
Building. In its massive and simple
strength it eloqueatly symbollZes that
Rock on which the Everlasting Church
is built; and against which the wrath
of the enemy is ceaselessly spent in
vain. Here We thought, is a tower Of
defense which, safeguarding the reli
gious interests of the Catholics of
America, safeguards at the same time
moral and material interests which the
whole land, irrespective of religious
lines, holds precious, Here IS an ar
senal whittier the soldiers Of Truth
shall come for their last stern prepara-
tion for life~l long combat, and within
which they will fad ready trustiest
weapons. Here, TOO, will the secular
tind in the shadow OF the Cross, The
very highest facilities for education in
general scholarship, in the sciences and
in the professions.
But have not not some people charged
that the University will be narrowed
in it's scope, and will imply a contradic-
tion in terms by being thus hinged on
to dogmatic religious teaching.
''Is the universe narrowed exclaims
Bishop Keane, ''by having God in it ?
Or humanity by having Christ in it
Or the mind and heart of mankind by
being illumined by the light and ex-
panded ard uplifted by the love which
He sheds forth ? Or the philosophy of
the ancients by receiving into it his
answers to their puzzled questions
Or the study of the wonders or nature
by the knowledge that they are the
works of God Or is the whole eld of
human though narrow or cramped by
the conviction that there never can be
a contradiction between the words Of
God and the works CT God, or between
mans duty to creatures and his duty to
their Creator? =. 4. Is it narrowness
of mind to seek and choose the certain
truth rather than the conflicting multi
tude of uncertain opinions ? Or are
we to say that there is no certain truth,
but only uncertain opinions in regard
to the most important questions that
the human mind must ask And is it
characteristic of a true university
to profess such scepticism about those
questions Or is that to be called a
university which, protesting to embrace
the whole field of human thought in it's
scope, omits altogether this most i'm
portant of all realms Of thought ? Or
does our American federation of the
on1nions of others mean that Won are
not te hold or profess any absolutely
certain convictions of your own p
We were looking down on the beauti-
full city. T., The Capitol and Washing
tons Monument glowed in the sunset.
The Potomac ran river of molten
gold. The first century of the Catholic
Church's 8 life in free America was cpl
tomized in the dlmly- deserted towers
of GEORGETOWN College of the Jesuits
on the one hand; the second century
was prophesied in the University from
which we had turned away. More
Catholics we're gathered together on the
University grounds for the laying of
the corner stone last May than were IN
the whole country when Georgetown
was founded. What estimate of Cath.
olic strength will the chronicler of
hundred years hence be making on the
first centenary of the American Catho-
lie University