The San Francisco call., 1895-12-03
Says Its Acceptance Will Prove
Him Neither Truthful Nor
False.
FATHER YORKE'S REJOINDER
Spirited Reply to the Charges Against
His Church-ReferS to the Last
Campaign.

both able exponents of their particular
religious beliefs, is attractin ng widespread
attention. Below will be found Father
Yorkes rejoinder to the reverend gentle
mans last letter:
SAN FRANCISCO, December /, 1895.
To the Editor Of the EGdminer-SIR: In letter
which read this morning in your columns,
the Rev Donald NJ. Ross replies over his sigma
ture to Il challenge which you were kind
enough to print after the Chronicle had re-
fused it insertion.
The challenge was, in substance, that four
propositions which occurred in report OF the
Rev. Donald NJ. Ross lecture are not to be
found in any Roman Catholic publication. If
it should be proved that these four PROPOSE
lions are found in any Roman Catholic publi-
cation as statements of Catholic doctrine, l
agreed TO pay 800 in gold coin OF the United
States to any charitable institution which Mr..
Ross might designate. If it could not be
shown that these propositions occurred in any
Roman Catholic publication as statements OF
Catholic doctrine, Mr.. Ross was asked TO agree
to pay 800 in gold coin of the United States
TO any charity which / might name.
The Rev. Donald NJ. Ross has developed an
uncomfortable aversion to the monetary as
pect OF my offer He does not, indeed, char
acterize that offer as sinful, but he declares 1t
to be "undignifed" and vulgar and from
the lofty peaks of his piety his delicate nos
trilS sniff the odor of the horse show. Let me
say right here that my offer is no gambling
proposition. The money Is put up as test
of sincerity. Nomatter how the decision goes,
neither of US viii be richer by single cent.
The poor alone win reap the benefit. Surely
the Rev. Donald NJ. Ross has no objection to
assist the poor i'll peeuniary manner. Surely
he does not wish to confirm the idea so lately
expressed by the ungodly that certain minis
tiers who speak much ana eloquently on char
ity and reform are averse to contributing to
the cause anything more substantial than wind.
That money 'savors of the language OF the
turf and the ring OF that sit smells horsey
is matter on which a legitimate difference of
opinion may exist. No doubt the turf ana
the ring by-words in the mouth OF the
''unco guild and all that seyors of them is q
stencil in the nostrils OF the holy still if before
the great tribunal o: justice TO which we all
must come ] given choice, would have
more hope OF mercy standing among the "un-
dignffed" and vulgar" patrons OF the turf
and the ring" than If I took my stand with
the SNUG and sancuhed ministers OF the gospel
who scruple not 'to condemn the guiltless."
The Rev Donald N. Ross puts on record his
amazement that l should state in my letter
OF November 80 chat the Rev. Donald NJ
Ross declines 10 accept the test" II the Rev
Donald NJ. Ross viii kindly peruse my original
letter his amazement may be mlugated:
an fairly acquainted with the English lam
guage, but know OF no other words by which
10 characterize his reply 10 that letter than
"thnt he declines 10 accept the test" did not
challenge the Rev. Donald NJ. Ross TO argue on
four propositions, or on forty-four. challenged
him on question OF TACT. The Chronicle re-
port made him read certain clippings from
Roman Catholic publications. l asserted that
these clippings could not be found in Roman
Catholic publications. This is plain simple
question OF fact. Ii these propositions are con-
tar in Roman Catholic publications. then l
am ready 10 give 500 TO charity. II they are
not contained in Roman Catholic publications,
bus are forgeFies and misrepresentation, then
is the Rev. Donald NJ. Ross an utterer of forgery
and a circuiatOr of calumny.
This, then, is the test. The Rev. Donald NJ
Ross does not accept it by offering TO engage
in debate on the propositions will not &C.
cuse the Rev. Donald N. Ross OF being OBJ
tnse as not to perceive that the truth or falsity
OF these propositions is one thing; the fact that
they are taken from Roman Catholic publica-
tions or not another. / have challenged Mr..
Ross on the latter question; he answers by
Offering TO debate on the former. ! have al
ready said that 1 believe in finishing one
thing before take up "a second. The PROPOSE
tions as they stand are not statements of Cath
Olic teaching, but that is not the issue now.
AS they read they are ''as false as hell" but
that is not the question before the house.
When the Rev. Donald NJ. Ross has undergone
the test proposed as to the question of fact, /
am ready to receive overtures for discussion
OIL the question of theory.
Let me once more put my challenge fairly
and squarely before Mr.. Ross, and let me ask
him for a fair and square answer. The Rev.
Donald NJ. Ross quoted four propositions in his
speech in Metropolitan Temple. He said that
Catholic publications. This assertion is con-
tanned in the report of the speech which ap-
peared in the Chronicle. 1t is also contained
in the report OF the speech which appeared in
the American Patriot. Even if, as his letter OF
November 80 seems to imply, Mr.. Ross
wishes to state that he did not these quo
them. He has put himself forward in that
same letter as representative of the organi-
cation which has distributed these quotations
broadcast as excerpts from Roman Catholic
publications. If Mr.. Ross wishes for specific
instance refer him to document distributed
by his associates during the campaign OF last
year, entitled, Candidates Nominated for
State and Congressional Offices: Their Nation
ality and Faith, as Ascertained." On the back
of this document he will find the four PROPOSE
tions, which are there attributed to Pope
Leo Kill
Now deny, as I have already denied, that
these propositions are contained in any Roman
Catholic publication; or, in other words,
hold that they are forgeries falsely ascribed to
Roman Catholic authors, and that in circulat-
ing them the Rev Donald NJ. Ross or his Or
ganization is guilty of circulating forgery,
This is my challenge. Does the Rev. Donald
M. Ross accept 1t OF does he not? am sorry 10
observe that H. w. Bowman displays certain
unChristian envy that Mr.. Ross has cut him
out. He says he has challenged all comers
as far back as the 1st of November. l am
under the impression that if he refreshes his
memory he will find that the exact date was
the 1st OF April. For the Information of your
readers, might add that have pocketful of
challenges from persons of various degrees of
obscurity TO debate on almost every conceiv
able subject from "Rome's Red Hand" to the
Moon Is Made of Green Cheese. For the
particular benefit of Mr.. Bowman l might re-
mark that there is 500 awaiting him in the
town of Suisun for proof OF the correctness of
quotation made by him from the Catholic
World of July, 1870. l would humbly suggest
that he set himself right with the people of
tnat town before he proceeds to drag his coat
tails in the mud of Market street. For the
benefit of all my other challengers permit me
to remark that life is too short to be spent in
controversies about things in general. pre-
fer to deal with questions of fact which offer
some hope of solution. This is the reason |
insist on the terms of my challenge to the Rev.
Donald NJ. Ross. The question whether these
propositions occur in Roman Catholic publica-
tions or not, is not matter which like ques
tions of religion or politics, depends on opin-
ion. 1t is capable of clear and satisfactory
solution, and 1t is to obtain clear and salts
factory solution l am laboring now. Either
these propositions are contained in Roman
Catholic publications or they are not If they
are, why does Mr.. Ross attempt to dodge the
issue and refuse TO accept 800, which in these
hard times VIII be very acceptable to the poor?
This brings me back 10 what is apparently
the fly in Mr.. Ross ointment-the question OF
money. Permit me to state that consider the
deposit of cash necessary. Ny reason is simple
and should be satisfactory to the Rev. Donald
NJ. Ross. In his lecture at the Metropolitan
Temple he stated that priests tfpuId not be be-
lieved. He stated in particusar-I use the
American Patriot as my authority that
would lie If the church ordered me to do so.
If Mr.. Ross believes his own statements, my
words and my assertions are utterly unworthy
of credence. In this hypothesis, Mr.. Editor
there is only one course open to me. and that
course is to back my words with money
TO all ] may urge in support OF my claims
m he