Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-20
FATHER o'DoNNELL,s LECTURE.
.swhat Catholics Have Done For SCIENCE
His Thame a#s r.

FATHER O'OONNELL'S LECTURE.
ssWhat Catholics Have Done For Science
His Theme.
"What Catholics Have Done for
Science" was the theme upon which
Rev j. II. O'Donnell delivered a most
eloquent discourse before the Young
Mems Catholic Literary association last
night.
1.-THE Catholic church," said Father
O'Donnell, "has been in every age of
her glorious history the fostering
mother of true intelligence, the encour-
ager and promoter of the intellectual ac-
tivity of her children. Mrs Jamison,
speaking of the work of education in
the church, pays the following beauti-
full tribute to the so called lazy monks
of the middle ages we know that but
for the monks, the light of liberty and
literature and science had been forever
extinguished and for six centuries
there existed for the thoughtful, the
gentle, the inquiring, the devout spirit,
no peace, no security, no home but the
cloister. There learning trimmed her
lamp; there the traditions of art pre-
served from age to age, by lonely. studi-
Gus men, kept alive in form and color, the
idea of a beauty beyond that of earth
1t has been asserted by those who ought
to know better and who, perhaps, do
know better. that the church has
always opposed the progress of the arts
and literature, and that she has, more
over, placed her ban upon scientific
researches. The statement is not only
false, the baseless fabric of dream, a
Pigment of diseased Imagination, it
bears on it's face the stamps of falsity,
to which the masterpieces of centuries
attest.
There are certain writers who having
certain pet purposes to serve, reiterate
the calumny that we, like our ancestors
in the faith, are the helpless victims of
a cruel tyranny on the part of the
church that if we dare attempt to
make explanations into the regions of
science, or seek for hidden treasures in
the domain of art, we do so at our
peril. This charge is the plaything of
demogogueS, the pet of professional
vilitiers, the well ridden hobby of un.
scrupulous agitators of both sexes. The
church does not endeavor to restrain
the laudable ambition of the true phil
osopher. The learned astronomer who
sweeps the vast expanse of the heavens
with his mighty telescope will be urged
on to noble endeavor by more than
generous patroness, his holy mother,
the church. The explorer, who leaves
behing him home and friends, who ex-
changes the cheering comfort of the
family hearthstone for the rugged and
purpose it is to add new countries to the
map of the world, to bring into eXis-
tence as it were, new races of men, not
only meets with the approval of the
church, but, that go where he may, her
priceless blessings follow him.
ITO Catholics is the world indebted
for the introduction of the inductive
} method of study, though this honor has
been falsely thrust upon Lord Bacon.
This system of study was first employed
by Pope Sylvester II, the greatest scholar
, of his age. Following him as masters
J of this method, We're Albertus Magnus
and Roger Bacon, Franciscan.
1.-The great universities of the world
t those marvellous centers of intellectual
l light, those grand and noble seats OF
= learning, are the immortal creations
5 of Catholic genius. Many of these institr.
$ ton of learning are now in the possession
of those who neither built nor paid for
them. Oxford was an ancient inStitu
ton seven centuries before Luther was
born. Two hundred and fifty years and
more before Luther nailed his thesis on
the door of the church at Wittenburg
the university of Cambridge sprang into
: being. The first university founded or
7 this continent was that of Mexico
) The second was the university OF
, Quebec, whose foundation. says Bancroft
Twas laid in 1885 just before Champlair
passed from among the living, two years
before the emigation of John Harvard
, and one year before the general court OF
Massachusetts, had made provision for J.;
college"
: The lecturer then dwelt on the bril-
liant achievements of Catholics in geog
raphy, mathematics, astronomy, chem
lstry and physiology. He showed that
the greatest names in these sciences are
: indlsputably Catholic names; men a:
a devoted to their religion as to theil
scientific studies; who in fact PLACED
, their studies and researches under the
holy protection of religion. They
humbly bowed before the same author
ity that claims our respect and rever
y ence. Welded to science they were
but they were faithful to the church
+ which encouraged and rewarded theil
= labors. They were imbued with the in
! fuences of an organization whose motto
, has ever been Excelsior" The posi-
? ton of Catholics in science is inpregna
: BILE. Their claim is a lofty one, bu
/ they can show unquestionable proof il
its support. The sceptre of science truly
/. belongs to Catholic Europe"
2 The next lecture before the associa
! ton will be delivered by Prof NJ. s
I Crosby. His subject will be: "Con
D densation of Energy and Force
l Small Change.