Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-18
Bishop COxe's Letter.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:

10 the Editor Of The Evening Star:
You have recently published in your pa
per- paper which is welcomed into evarv
household Of this city. a most remarkable
communication, alleged to have been adj
dressed to most distinguished foreign gen.
tleman, recently sent to this capital to
very properly look after the interests of the
Cathohc Church in our country, Mgr Sa-
TOLL. the papal ALLOCATE
Ihis publication has had the effect to
draw into public notice a fellow Protestant
clergyman Of this alleged chief pastor of
Buffalo, A. Cleveland Coke. who signs him
self as bishop of western New York Now
l most respectfully submit that there can
be no possible good. either to this city or to
This country, by publications of this char
acter. We live. thanks be to God too near
the cradle OF religious liberty in this coun-
try, Maryland to be affected by "commu-
nicatlons of this character which from
time to time rise to the surface of life's
stream, only to show by the very bubbles
on the surface that nothing else remains
Besides this. take it that it is not in good
taste for any man worthy of the name of
gentleman to make use of any means, es-
pecially the public press. to wound the
feelings of his fellow citizens who don't
happen to agree with him in matters of re-
H.,
breach OF Christian charity and tends to
scatter thorns and thistles in the garden
of life instead of contributing to making
the rough road OF hfe's pilgrimage brighter
ana more fragrant. 1t is 50 unlike the spir-
II of the Master that one could scarcely be-
leve that a protested follower of Him would
mink OF showing the love he bore God by
exhibiting his hatred to his fellowman
Representatives of foreign countries all
of them acquainted with the canons of
good taste. to say the least. must form a
very shocking opinion of American courtesy
at seeing such exhibitions of the exercise
of free speech and such use of a free
press Permit me to observe with the
immortal Cahill, that controversial discus
sions of this character infiict a wound on
true religion: animosities engendered,
religious rancor is nfamed. social har-
mony is disturbed. the charities of the Cos
pei are extinguished and even the ties of
long and mutual friendship are but too
often rent asunder by argumentative re-
elimination of theological combat.
Catholics. whose faith is fixed since the
beginning of the new Law. can learn moth
ing from these displays of modern religion
sts The mind and the heart seeking really
a knowledge of the truth are more aptly
fitted to receive the impressions of grace
in silent prayer and in deliberate dispas-
sionate study. than in the columns of the
secular press through controversy.
The distinguished rector of the Catholic
University, his grace Bishop Keane prob
ably had in his mind among other things.
when he spoke of Bishop Coke an "ec-
cesiastical crank" another communicat ton
or letter which this "chef pastor of Buff
falo gave to the public. when. in answer
to the sovereign pontff's invitation for all
Catholic bishops to journey to Rome for
the ecumenical council Bishop Coke ad-
dressed the holy father in these words
Venerable Brother in Christ" and then de-
cined to accept the invitation. 1t is to be
hoped that Plus TX. of happy memory, re-
covered from the disappointment he must
have felt at the absence of the chief pas
tor of Buffalo. 1t is too near Thankssiv-
ing day to quarrel: so | trust that we have
seen the last of such communications and
letters that threaten to Danish the good
Jesuit fathers from the shores of the Poto-
mac to seek a home, perhaps under the
mantle of her most gracious majesty, the
queen of the Sandwich Islands.
JOSEPH EDWARD HAYDEN.