Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-09-05
THAT DED1cAToRY ADDRESS.

SIR:-Your issue of this morning con-
tains the synopsis of an address delivered
BY the Rev. n. F. Dryden, . Protestant
minister Of the First ward,
yesterday afternoon, ct the dedicatory
exercises Of the Washington Dis
trict School. In that address Mr..
Dryden went out Of his way to make an
ill-naturvd ding ut Catholicity, giving IL
that ill-mannered nickname, Uitramon-
tanism, of which the meaner sort Of the
Catholic Church's opponents are % fond.
Catholics, remembering the career-so
lately closed-of that illustrious Catholic
Irish-American, 'Gallant Phil. Sheridan, /"
can well afford 10 pass over the reverend
ranted charges that Catholicity is opposed
to American freedom and American iusti-
tutions. That slandsr is beginning 10 die
of it's own inherent weakness.
But Mr.. Dryden also took occasion TO
refer TO what he is pleased to call 'the
revolution Is Boston" ''You are all fA-
milliar," he says 10 his hearers, show,
under the influence of the Jesutts, Swim
toms history was thrown from the curri-
culum of the schools and the superintend-
ent (?) Suspended from his position. But
the liberty loving people of that city, with
q spirit that animated their fathers, rose
en- mdsse and demanded that the book be
restored to the curriculum and the worthy
superintendent (p) to his position"
write this card, Mr.. Editor, simply In
the interest of the truth and iu no spirit
Of controversy. The version given yester-
day in North Wheeling, Of the Boston
school affair, is most unfair, whether in
tentionally 90 or not, l leave to those who
know how the Rev. gentleman is sccus-
toned to use facts which are not 10 his liz
ing. The facts of the case are as follows:
The Boston School Committee, the msjor-
ity of which are Protestants, not contain
ing Q single one Of those horrible
Jesuits," but including Protestant cler-
gyman, the Rev. DR.. Duryea, decided 10
throw out of the public schools Of that
city Swinton's "Outlines of the Worlds
History" because that work grossly mis-
represents the Catholic doctrine Of
indulgence; and to suspend Mr..
10. B. Travis, High School
teacher, who, in spite of the repeated pro-
tests of his Catholic pupils, insisted on
teaching that indulgences are licenses TO
commit sin. DR.. Duryea, the Protestant
clergyman referred to, voted with the
majority in this action. Judge ]. d. Fall
Ion, q member of the Board, said to .
newspaper reporter:
The teaching of Mr.. Travis In the
matter of indnlgences has been ex-
tremely improper. l have here quo
tations from several historical papers
written by the pupils which show
that totally erroneous ides Of the
doctrine has been implanted in the minds
Of the pupils. His teaching has been
worse than the book; he has gone beyond
it. As to the bare statements Of fact In
Swinton's book, they are not 80 objection
able as the manner in which they are stated
and the Interpretation which Is given Of
indulgences In the foot.note. But the
book is bad enough, and on account Of this
Objectionable feature, the Committee on
Text Books decided to throw 1t out"
Now, something about the second part Of
the citation from Mr.. DIS address that
part referring to 'the liberty loving portion
of the community" rising in body and
demanding the return Of the book and
teacher. On July 10Th an anti Catholic
demonstration was held in Faneuil Hall,
Boston, during which the crowd, not un.
like some of our bigoted Protestant friends
not thousand miles distant from the
North End, frothed at the mouth and rAnted
and grew faint at the thought of "Jesuits'
and priests" and other such horrible bug
aboos!
II we would obtain On idea of the lib
erty loving and justice loving character Of
this Fsneuil Hall assembly, We have only
TO turn TO the newspaper accounts Of the
meeting, and see how the audience re-
ceived the declaration there Of the Rev.
Mr.. Plom, that "a good Catholic might be
good citizen" and the attempt Of the
Rev. Mr.. Ma1om to apologize for DR..
Duryes, who, you will remember, voted to
eject the textbook. The sentiment that o
good Catholic might be good citizen, the
report tells US, was howled and Missed down,
though the president Of the meeting tried his
best TO obtain hearing for the speaker;
and good word for the Rev. DR.. Duryea,
known to be "a gentleman of the highest
character, of broad sympathies and true
moral courage" was received with the
significant cry Of Rate and repeated
hisses. Apparently very refined audi
ence, as we'll as justice-loving, was 1t not |?
Aud oil this revolution" of the "liberty-
loving portion of the community" was
made, why2 Simply because Boston
Catholics asked that the Boston public
schools should really be .unsectarisn
a. they were vaunted to be; because Bos-
ton Catholics demanded the removal of
the teacher who TO use Rev. DIS words Of
yesterday was mot In sympathy with
the spirit and purpose Of our institutions, {"
and who not only Taught the principles
Of his own religion 10 the youth Of these
schools in open defiance Of the law" (" but
grossly and knowingly mirepresentsd the
religion Of some Of his pupils. This II .
good opportunity for Protsetauts 10 apply
the test Of the Golden Rule--
"Do as you would be done By"
Suppose that o Catholic teacher in . public
school should misrepresent Professionalism
to his pupils. What howl of "Romish
aggression" would sweep from one end Of
our land to the other! With what fright
ened cries of ''sectarian control Of the pub
hC oSuoohS oui PSnny Pooo WVutN ~
filed! Yet here is o case where o School
Board, the msjority Of which is Protestant,
admits that the Catholics have full
cause Of complaint; bat for all that
We arc not allowed TO hold
mp our hands and call for "fair play" "
without being covered with the foalnss Of
bigoted knownotbingism. All fair-minded
Protsstants who have enough Of trus Amer
ican manliness to desire 70 do jnstios 70
Catholics, no matter how black ws are
painted, or how grossly maligned, may
learn something from the following which
comes from source neither Protestant nor
Catholic. The american Hesrer h quoted
on this very subject - follows: TO our
mind there should Be IN agitation for the
condemnation of the Boston Protsstants
who have again introduced into The arsns
of American thought the horrible night
mare of ssctsrian controversy. Waving
aside al thsir sophistriss and frothy
rhetoric, the fact remains that their In
dignstion 10 aroused, not bscsass sny
Catholics have introduced, or proposed =
Introduce, any Catholic tsachinp, bai
because the Catholics prevented the Pro.
tsstants from introducing anti -Cstholic o.
Protestant teachings. II the dis
misssd teacher felt that hs had
. call to dispense light O
II