The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-10-30
The Catholics and the schools,

the medium OF your COluHlhS lev
observations on the letter OF the Bishop
of Olba in last Fridays Bulletin. do
this. not in a controversial or contenti-
ousspirit, but with an honest desire to aid
in shedding light on a matter which has
been a subject OF warm, and even acrimo-
nious controversy in other places, and
which is likely, at no very distant day, to
assume considerable importance in this
country. Although the Bishops letter
occupies nearly two columns in the Bull
letin, and is written, not only with
ability, but with evident care, it. con-
tains In reality nothing new. The posi-
tons taken and the arguments used are
all perfectly familiar, at least to those OF
us who have had experience OF the dis
cussions upon thesame subject in other
countries.
With his criticisms on the letter OF DR..
HYDE, | propose to concern myself very
little. am not at all sure that the posi-
ton of the latter gentleman is quite
fairly stated. My impression, speaking
from memory, is that it is not. But, as
the Doctors article is not at present be-
fore me l will not attempt to dogmatize.
DR.. HYDE should be fully competent to
carry on his own controversies. Ii he is
not, he should keep out of them. Ii the
Bishop does not in any way misinterpret
or misrepresent the letter he undertakes
to criticise, he certainly scores one or
two good points There are number of
more or less irrelevant and eXtraneOus
matters In the Bishops letter, and some
of them offer rather tempting field for
controversy. Were disposed to be I'M
charitable, l could almost suspect that
some of these matters were introduced
for the purpose OF confusing the ques-
ton, and drawing his opponents of into
the discussion of side issues. Ii there be
any such covert invitation in the Bishops
letter, do not propose to accept it.
The position of the Bishop, as | under
stand it, and of the authorities of his
church generally, is this: that the edu-
cation of the young during the school age
ought to include instruction in religious
doctrine and duty, and that no schools
can be satisfactory to Christian and
Catholic parents, or, to use his own
words, can answer their just demands,
in which this important element is want
ing. l trust l shall not be accused Of
misrepresenting the Reverend gentle
mans views when | state further that
the only religious instruction which
would be accepted by him as answering
the Just demands of Catholic parents is
instruction in the destructive doctrines
of the Roman Catholic church, and in
the duties which that church, and that
church only, holds to be incumbent on
its members. instruction in those fun
damental doctrines which are held in
general by all Christians, both Catholic
and Protestant, would not be accepted
as satisfactory. If 1 am wrong in my
understanding OF this matter l am more
than ready, nay even anxious, to be cor
rected. 1t would afford me unfeigned
satisfaction to find that l was mistaken,
for, however Catholics and Protes ants
NAV differ, when We come down from
questions of authority and discipline, OF
ecclesiastical organization and Papal su-
premacy to the essentials of either theo-
logical doctrine or the practical duties OF
life, the points OF agreement will be
found to be much more numerous and
important than those of difference.
Let me particularize little. We all,
that is. Catholics, Presbyterians, Metho-
dists and the Protestant world generally,
accept the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments as the Word of God, super
naturally inspired, and possessed of Di-
vine authority in matters of religious
faith and practice. Even the disputes
about our respective Bibles resolve them
selves, when examined, into questions
of the merits of particular TRANSACTIONS
and versions, rather than of the author
ity of the original text. The Codex Vati-
canus is as precious to Protestant theolo-
CLANS and scholars as to Catholics. We
all accept the ancient formula of doctrine
commonly known as the Apostles Creed.
We believe in one God, the Creator of all
things. the Divine Father of US all, who
is perfect in all His attributes, whose
plans and purposes extend to all events,
and who exercises righteous moral gov
eminent over all His intelligent creatures.
However we may differ in our under
standing of the first few chapters of Gen
esis. and whatever our philosophy Of the
matter may be, we all accept as TACT
the universal sinfulness of man, the ne
cessity of repentance and reformation,
and the need of Divine grace to success
fully attain that end. We believe in
Jesus Christ as the Son oil God, as the
Redeemer of men, as our Divine elder
brother and our example in all
Things, IN the power U. IllS uedlH anu
resurrection, and in His presence at the
right hand of God the Father as our in
tercessor and advocate. We also profess
our belief in the person and Office OF the
Holy Spirit, as the. sanctifier, comforter
and guide OF Christian people. We hold
common belief in state of future re-
ward and punishment, and in day OF
final judgment We accept and practise
the great sacraments of baptism and the
Lords Supper as of Divine institution
and command. We believe in the for
.giveness of sins, the resurrection of the
body and the life everlasting. All this,
and much more which | will not stop to
particularize, Catholics and the great
preponderance OF Protestants hold in
common. Furthermore, there is sub
stantial agreement regarding what has
been happily summarized as the conduct
of life. All churches and organizations
protesting and calling themselves Chris
tan are united in intoxicating temper
ance, charity, industry and integrity
as Christian duties. The voice of the
Church Universal in all ages is heard
calling upon her children to love mercy,
deal Justly and walk humbly before God.
In view of these and other facts of
1 - cfr-i 10