The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-08-30

undertakings. 1t attracts men to it,
uses them. rewards them; it has thou.
sandsof beautiful homes up and down
the country where quiet men may doits
work and benefit the people; it collects
vast sums in the shape Of voluntary
offerings. and with them it builds
churches prints and distributes innu-
merable bibles. books and tracts. and
maintains missionaries in all parts of
the earth. In all parts of the earth it
opposes the Catholic Church, denounces
her as anti. Christian, bribes the world
against her, obstructs her influence. In
al parts Of the world it is the religion
of gentlemen, Of scholars, of men of
substance and men of no personal faith
at all. If this be life, If 1t be life to
i'm part a tone TO the court and houses
0f Parliament, to ministers OF state. to
law and literature, to universities and
schools, and to societY-if it be life to
be principle Of order In the population,
and an organ of beneyolence and aims
giving to the Door-if it be life to make
men decent, respectable and sensible, to
embellish and reform the family circle,
to deprive vice Of its grossness and to
shed glow over avarice and ambition
If indeed, it is the life Of religion to
be the first jewel in the Queens crown,
and the highest step of her throne. then
doubtless the national church is replete;
1t overflows with life; but the question
has still to be answered, Life of what
kind?" @
Even in the most argumentative of
his writings, Cardinal Newman fire.
quently INDUCED in gentle sarcasm, a
vein Of which runs through the words
just quoted, and this playfulness is not
the least charm OF his words and works.
Ills sarcasm was always mildly temper
ed, though, and the venerable prelate
was as edulous to avoid tho infection
Of even the slightest wound on his
reader or alistener as he was to employ
any argument OF Wiaose correctness be
was not himself convinced. Had he
chosen any other than the ministerial
career he SO brilliantly adorned. it is
possible DR.. Newman would have made
wider use Of his powers of sarcasm than
he did. He never forgot. though, that
he was q peac and healer by
profession. and whenever he had occa-
sion to jest at the weakness of his
adyersaries' arguments, he did that in
so kindly a manner that no bitter mem-
ory was left behind. In one of his es
says he refers to the attitude which
Anglicanism compels it's believers to
take as one that lis 80 very awkward
that for the life OF them they cannot
continue in it long. together, where
there is neither article nor cannon to
lean against; they cannot 60 on forever
standing on one leg, or sitting without
a chair, or walking with their legs tied,
organizing like Tityrus' stage on the
air;'' and similar examples Of the play.
fulness of his humor abound in bis
earlier writings.
DR.. Newman cannot be properly
spoken of as a theological writer. in the
strict sense of the term. He wrote
many religious works, it is true. but his
sermons. his lectures and even his
books have all too great breadth Of
range. and treat Of too manv topics to
merit the name Of theological writings.
Had the late cardinal undertaken to
write theological work there is no
reason to doubt that that would. like
his other books. have been model and
become q text. book for seminarists; but
the Edgbaston recluse never posed as a
professor Of Catholic theology, and his
polemical writings aimed more. at ex-
posing the weakness Of those who
claimed that the truth was to De found
in other than the Catholic Church than
thev undertook to defend her dogmas
and faith.
The lamented cardinal unquestion.
ably possessed high poetic talent, though
he rarely exercised that of late years.
Several Of his HYMNS are to be found IN
all standard poetical authologies, and
his LEAD. Kindly Light is known
wherever the English language is
spoken Or read. His Verses on Vari-
GUS occasions aud his '.Lyra Apos-
tolica." are replete with poetic gems,
many Of which deserve to be far better
known than they are. Like his prose,
his poetry is notable for It's ciearness
and grace; there is nothing Of the In.
troverted style. 50 fashionable with
some writer's, in his poems, and no one
needs q glossary to understand his
meaning. In fiction, his novel. "Cal-
1ista !, is his best work. aud tits recOg
nlzed IS 9 standard work by the best
critics Of the day. His surroundings
naturally cramped his poetical inclina-E
tions to no little extent. and the busy
nature Of his days. interrupted as his
time was by many visitors and com.
sumed in his v0luminous correspon.
dance and clerica; duties, interfered
greatly with his literary laboys.