The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-07
LECTURE OF AN EX.PRIEST
Rev. Joseph Slattery's First Appearance
in the City Passes Off Quietly.
Doctrinal Points That Took Him Out Of the
Priesthood-City Authorities Criti-
cised BY the Catholic Record.

Rev. Joseph Slattery addressed an aud
ence of seven or eight hundred people at
Tomlinson Hall. last night. on the subject
of Catholicism and the Priesthood"
Having been baptized a Catholic and or
dained q priest, and having left the church
on account of doctrinal differences. his
discourse attracted many from curiosity
ana othersp no doubt because of sincere SYM
pathy with his arraignmeEs of the
Catholic Church. 1t there was any
expectation of confusion or riot, 1t was
disappointed. for the audience was appre-
~ciatiye. and not the slightest sign OF re-
sentiment appeared. The presence or bali a
dozen policemen was not necessary as far
as developments showed. There were an
equal portion of ladies in the audience.
Rev. Sir. Slattery is a man OF thirty-six
years. of large. square-shouldered frame.
we'll poised head. and the face OF a priest.
lie mentioned the fact himself. and
brought out a round of applause
by SAYING that he WISHED to
priest and nun. he proclaimed. is q made-uD
lace. His address was a running account
of the reasons which caused him to leave
the church. While in charge OF a parish In
Ireland. near ParDeIPs home. he was rem
dered unfit for active duty by illness, and
was sent to take charge of an inclosed con-
vent, where the nun are forever barred
from the sight OF man, except the one priest
who administers the sacrament. The en-
vironment. with returning health. carried
him. at his own request. to q parish near
Dublin. where he had charge of q convent
where young women were educated by
nuns. lt was his duty to instruct them in
the history of the church.
While preparing his lectures on this sub
ject he encountered the doctrinRl rock on
which be split Oft from the church. IL was
the decree of the Council of Trent. holding
RI thu NJ md nm
nounciDg q curse upon those who should
not be- baptized or ordained without the
intention upon the part of the priest or
bishop that they should be saved. The
r%ightfully a prIestf And had the priest
who baptized him on the second day
of his life the intention to savei
He said he could not tell. He could not
priestly Office he was filled with doubt.
Not being capable of protesting q belief
that he did not have. and despising q
hypocrite. he said he was impelled to with
draw dr. from the church. which he did lid
to accept the Protestant faith
by the influence of a Captain
Thompson. of the British army, whoshowed
him that the true means of salvation is
found IN tho words of Paul: Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. INT thou shalt be
sayed.n
1t was not until he left the Roman
Church, he said, that he saw the church In
its true coIors. He did not. however. enter
into particulars of the treatment received.
He touched briefly upon the accusations
thrown upon his motives In leaving,
and closed with an appeal TO the American
spirit TO organize and resist the encroach-
ing power and absorptive purposes of the
Roman church. lie said that there should
be but one flag seen in this country. a sem
timenr which drew out res0undlng ap-
plause. He said that America had been
ntnat anarn in nantn ytc Ithnrtu nrA ito
resources to the nations of the earth. and
that its hospitality should not be violated
by loyalty TO a church which was the
only power IN Europe that. recognized the
war. The lecturer said he was building a
home for ex-priests and ex-nuns, who re-
nouncing their allegiance to the church
and being subject to the treatment he re-
ceived at leaving it. are left without
friends and without resources with which
TO meet the world. The money for this
purpose. he said, would all be derived
from the sale of his books. The lecturer
dismissed his audience with a benediction.
The Catholic Record, pu bllshed in the in
terest OF the Catholic Church in this
city. In it's current number criticises
the city authorities for renting Tomlinson
Hall for Mr.. Slattery's lectures. 1t SAYS:
The Board of Public Affairs in Spring
field, o., ordered the city CLERK to annul q
contract held by the Rev. Joseph Shattery,
q fallen priest, to lecture in tho City Hall
against the Catholic Church.. The action
was taken at the demand Of q body of
Catholics who waited upon the Mayor.
According to newspaper reports profession
al anti-Catholic lecturers are sometimes
unable TO secure halls, either public or pri-
vate. This Is prompted in behalf of peace
and good order. Fallen priests and ex-
nuns are so violent, vile and outrageous in
their charges against Catholics as to 0cca-
sion breaches of the peace. Some of our
Catholic contemporaries have sharply criti-
| alaad the Raw Insanh Slaffaru WhIph ahnWo
that bis u~tterances are offensive to Catho-
lies. He will hold his meetings in Tom
linson. Hall. 1t Is the common prop
erty OF the people of this city. and it seems
bad taste to hire it to an entire stranger to
fling insults at any respectable body of our
people. We think all fair-minded people
will accept this proposition as self-eyident.
| This is o courtesy which ought to be ex-
tended TO all our people, regardless of creed
and social position.
The hiring of Tomlinson Hall to the
Rev. Slattery was a very discourte0us act
renegade Catholic priests and escaped nune
are. Is known by everybody, n his pur-
pose was plain. He is travelling over the
country like other men do with circuses.
shows and exhibitions for the purpose of
making money. If he il engaged in a
decent and legitimate business. it was en-
tirely legitimate to hire him Tomlinson
Hail. But does he follow a leGiti-
Catholic religion and stirs hates and
preiudices which are a disgrace to man
kind. he advertises meetings for men or
women only. This is suspicious. We do
not know how Mr.. Slattery and wife con-
duct their meetings. but they are not
novelties. and they have been denounced
as dangerous and immoral. The only effect
of the Rev. Slattery's visit to this city will
be that he will leave it with a few moro
dollars in his pocket, and that many per-
sons had their malicious prejudices graft
fled. Mean while Catholics will rem ain
here with the consciousness that an un-
Just discrimination has been made against