The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-15
AT THE CARD1NALATE.
A Visit to the Grand Old Cardinal Few
Weeks Ago.

Visit to the Grand Old Cardinal Few
Weeks Ago.
A correspondent who was recently
granted an interview with Cardinal Mann
ing thus wrote of his call: up TO very
recently tho cardinal has been seen in
London looking about us usual. Indeed,
the writer say him in one Of the most
squalid spots Of London only short time
ago, pursuing his work among the London
poor. He WAS clad in simple clerical garb.
His figure, though thin and bent, still
arose far above those of ordinary men
whom he met. Standing erect, he would
measure nearly six feet three inches in
stature. His hair was very scant and white
as snow. But it was the clean cut face of
this old man that would attract attention.
Over it the skin was drawn like parchment.
Il was long, thin, powerful aesthetic face,
with intellectually In every line and wrin-
kle. In the contour Of the jaw and chin
| there we're those marks of decision and
strength of character that stamp the leader
of men. Now and then some passer by
would tender tie aged man a respectful
salute, and he in turn would not fail to bow
| in graceful oourteay. Again he swould
pause to pat SOME ragged dirty faced urchin
on tho head And address to the abashed
youngster some smiling remark. 5
Such was Henry Edward Cardinal Man
the Roman Catholic church in England,
and the last OF the great English cardinals
| in the Roman chutch. 1t WAS significant
of the character Of the man, that although
past 83 years of age, he is still to be seen
| in the London slums attending to church
| meath their dignity to perform.
The aged cardinal, since Newman's death,
has stood alone and unique among English
churchmen. He has outlived all his fol-
lowers. Cardinal Newman, in some re-
| spects the greatest of them, is dead. Pusey
ment, that brought both Newman and Man
ming into the Roman Catholic church. are
! dead long since. Cardinal Howard, of the
great Catholic family Of the Towards, still
| lives. But he has been at Rome these MANY
years and has been in such condition of
mind that it has been necessary to keep
him under restraint.
So Manning may be said to be the last of
| the cardinals in England, and what is more,
when he dies it is more than probable that
his place will not be filled for many years
at least.
Cardinal Manning says that the Catholic
church ia growing constantly all through
out England, and he ought to know. 1t is
Just as true, on the other hand, that it has
OF late years developed no great church
men. The ablest of them, Newman. and
Manning himself, were converts. There
| are KISub SubuUllO ACUl6luoIy llkG tuo uUkS
of Norfolk and the marquis of Butte, who
may wish tho oardinalate to be kept up, but
Leo XIII. has not yet found man big
enough to fill the vacancy caused by the
death of Newman, and to appoint a suc-
cessor to Manning will not be less difficult
when the time comes.
That is how it is that you could until re-
GENTLY meet the old prelate going about in
the worst parts of Whitechape looking
after the management of chapels and
missions, or find him in some dingy
hall in an out-of-the-wny part of the city
trying to settle the troubles Of q body
Of striking dockers or the like, or
again at some great temperance gathering,
| for the cardinal is the foremost apostle of
| total abstinence in Engiand, or 1t may be
| at some meeting in the interests of educa-
tional reform, for that is cause to which
he is also devoted. Unlike many Catholic
| prelates Cardinal Manning does not hold
nloof from the work in which other sects
ARE engaged. In any movement for social
or moral reform he has been found on tho
platform with leaders OF the established
chuich or with dissenting clsrgymen. 1t is
this that has made him so popular with the
MASSES of the common people in England.
| But the cardinal knows the common peo-
| ple of London among whom he has worked.
| ag few men do. HIS life has been spent
among them. His father WAS II London
| merchant in good circumstances, and Il
| member OF parliament, and the cardinal
was eduoated mt Harrow and Oxford. II was
| in 1880 that he graduated with high honors,
WAS chosen fellow of Merton college, and
subsequently one of the select preachers of
the university. or course he fell under the
wonderful influence of Newman, az most of
| the men Of his time did, but he did not 60
over to the Roman church when Newman
did. Ho remained with Pusey, and the two
were the leaders Of their fellows for many
yenrs. Indeed, it wns not until 1851 that
| he embraced the Catholic faith, and 1t was
| in 1853 Tint he started In to preach to the
poor of London. His success was wonder
| ful. II attracted the attention Of Pius IN.