Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-12

The Life Work of the Great English
Preiate.

ionaDle SUBURB Oh Blrmlngnam, England. Inc
scene at the bedside was touching in the OK.
IRENE. During the entire afternoon the car
dinals death had been approaching, and his
acute attack Of pneumonia that was made
doubIy dangerous by his advanced age, he hav-
ing reached his ninetieth year, was increas-
ingly severe. News of his condition and the
fact that extreme JUNCTION had been admins
tered was sent through the country and called
forth kilograms of inquiry and sympathy from
every direction and from the highest to the
lowest in the land
At the moment of his death there were about
him all the fathers and clergy OF the diocese
and many OF the high dignltaries of the church,
who had come from distance summoned at
the first knowledge OF the cardinals illness.
The Duke of Norfolk was teiegraphed for. but
owing to an accident was prevented reaching
the orstory before the cardinal passed away.
The end was peaceful and almost as though it
were the approach of sleep.
The cardinal retained his grand intellectual
powers until the very last, only failing in his
physical strength and his eyesight. The few
expressions possible to have been heard since
his death are as devout as though he had been
acanonized saint. There seems to be no division
IN the mourning between the Protestants and
Catholics over the great loss.
THE LIFE OF THE GREAT PBELArE.
John Henry Newman, cardinal deacon of the
Roman Catholic Church, and one of The great
est theologians of that communion, was born
in London, February 81, 1901. He was the son
OF John Newman. Lombard street banker, by
wife of French Huguenot blood. He was
graduated at Trinity College, Oxford, 1920. and
elected fellow of oriel i'll 1922. took orders in
1924 and year later chosen vice principal
of st. Adams Hall. Oxford, Whately being his
superior. in 1928 Newman became rector of
St Marys Church, Oxford, where his preach
ing eNerted great influence on the younger
members of the university, and was one of the
principal factors i'll the rise of the English
Catholic movement, which for the general pub
hc dates from the publication of the Tracts of
the Times. IN 1898. 1T was on his way home
frome Rome, in January, 1888, that Newman
wrote the famous hymn, LEAD, Kindly
Light"
The tractarian movement, which eliminated
IN the secession of DR.. Newman from the An
Gllcan Church. began within twelve months
after the passage of the reform bill in 1892.
Liberalism, political and religious. was in the
air and the vital question" as DIR. Newman
put II ut the time. was: How arc we to keep
the church from being liberalized?" He de-
fined his meaning of liberalism opposite to
the opinion entertained by men who repre-
sented the school of anti-dogmatic theology.
As the publication of the tracts" went on,
Newman referred to the Catholic Church as
the only ark of salvation" and from the end
OF 1871" he said. Il on my death bed as
regarded membership with the Anglican
Church. though at the time | became aware of
1t only by degrees"
On the publication OF Tract 80 the Oxford
hebdomadal board drew up resolutions that
such modes OF Interpretation, evadipg rather
than explaining the sense of the thirty-nine
articles, and reconcIiing subscription to them
with the adoption of errors they were designed
to countcract. ARC inconsistent with the statutes
of the university. which require subscription
10 the articles and the instruction of the stu
dents in them" This action of the Oxford
authorities was taken on March Is, 1871. The
next day Newman admitted the authorship of
the tract and declared that his opinion re-
manned unchanged of the truth and honesty of
Its principle and the necessity of putting it
forth. On October ii, 1913. ne resigned st.
Marys. mot from disappointment, irritation
or lmpatience. but because he felt he could
not honestly be a teacher IN 1t any longer"
THE STEP TAKEN.
On October s, 1910, Newman wrote to a
friend that he was expecting Father Dominic,
the Passionist. HE does not know of my in
tentions. but | mean to ask of him admission
into the one fold of Christ. This will not go
till all is over" DIR. Niseman confirmed him
IN the chapel of Oscott College November L.
lS45. Newman took his leave OF Oxford Janu-
airy IS. 1916 Trinity" he wrote in 1864 had
never been unkind to me. On the morning of
the 23d left the university; | have never seen
Oxford since. excepting Its spires. as thew are
seen from the railway Toward the close of
1917, however, Trinity College elected him an
honorary fellow. this being the first time that
such q distinction had been conferred on a
Roman Catholic. In February, 1878, he re-
visited oxford for the first time. He also spent
a considerable time at Keble College. In the
evening he dined i'll Trinity College hail at the
high table III acadcmical dress. and the scholars
were invited TO meet him afterward.
After be was ordained priest in the Church
OF Rome DIR. Newman was appointed head of
the Oratory OF st. Philip Ncri at Birmingham.
From 1854 to 1858 he was rector of the newly
founded Catholic university at Dublin: subse-
qugntly he established a famous school for the
children of the Catholic gentry at Edgboston,
near Birmingham why're he has since resided
On May II, 1873 he received, at the hands OF
Pope Leo AllI. the highest honOrs of the church
of his adoption, being created cardinal deacon.
Since he joined the Church of Rome his infiu-
ence has been chiefly exercised on the young
and III education. 1t has long been no secret
that several years ago he was not only anxious
to found a college for Roman Catholics at Ok
ford, but was actually in treaty for suitable
plot of ground on which to erect the necessary
buildings. The negotiation was discouraged at
Rome, and collapsed
OF Cardinal Newman's numerous works the
best known are his biography, Apologize pro
villa Sua, his Grammar of Assent" The De-
veIopment of Christian Doctriue," and A
Letter to the Duke of Norfolk on lIr Glad
stone" review OF Mr.. Gladstones anti
Vatican pamphlets, which created profound
impression. This letter was published
i'll 1915, and after its publication. it is asserted
the late Plus IL offered TO make him preiate
which offer, If 1t were really made, was de-
chned. Notwithstanding his great services
to the church the ultramontane influence at
Rome always prevailed during Plus KS life
time to prevent DR.. Newman from receiving
the promotion to the cardinalate he had 80 well
earned; the insolent and aggressive faction"
he styled them during the ecumenical council
Tho famous "ApolOgIa," in which he told the
world how he came TO change his belief was
provoked by Charles KIngsleys criticism in
MacmilIan's on passage In Newman's sermon
| OF 1914 on Wisdom and Innocence" a criti-
| cism hastily and enormously made and reese nted
with successful heat by Newman.
VIEWS on PAPAL AVAILABILITY
On the subject of papal infallibity DIR. New
man held that the time was not yet ripe for the
| authoritative prUTnulgation of the dogma
/ though II was a belief he had always privately
| held. But he put on record his deliberate and
| sorrOwiul conviction of its extreme ''inopuor-
| tuEeness," and lie also deferred his acceptanoe
| of the dogma, though not for so long as some
| OF the German priests. In letter of his ad-
| dressed 10 Bishop UllathOrne, which origi-
| naily got into print without his knowledge or
| sanction, he said III 1t be Gods will that the
pope's infallibihty be defined then it is Gods
| that triumph which He has destined for His
kingdom, and / shall feel l have but to
| bow my head TO His adorable, inscrutable
Il