Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-18


the Importance of the matters to be
treated and the ability Of the lecturers
to whom the subjects are entrusted be-
ing a guarantee Of this. Desiring.
however, to make known the interest
which ne also takes in the summer
school Of Madison, and the hope he
cherishes to see it bear good fruit in
spreading religious truth, the august
pOntiff wishes that your eminence eX-
press to the Rt. Rev. Bishop Of Green
Bay and to all those who aid him his
fatherly satisfaction at the work they
are doing, beStOWing upon them also
the apostolic benediction as a pledge
Of his paternal benevolence and of
plentiful fruit. May your eminence be
pleased to communicate these feelings
Of his holiness towards the promoters
of the summer school at Madison. and
permit me to profit by this occasion to
express anew my sentiments Of pro-
found veneratiOn with which ! most
humbly kiss your hand
Your eminences most humble and
devoted servant,
M Cardinal RompOlla,
"Papal Secretary Of State"
A telegram of greeting and cOngratu-
Iation from DIR. Conaty, president Of
the PlattsburS school, was also read.
Replies to both these communications
were sent by Bishop Messmer. The
one to the pope was written in Latin
and cabled.
A notable feature was the large at
tendance Of Catholic sisters who occu-
pied a block Of seats Immediately III
front of the stage. They include mem
bers Of the dominican benedictine, sis
tiers of mercy and sisters of charity
orders. They are from Milwaukee, |
Chicago, Dubuque, Sinsinawa Mounds
and many other places.
Mondays Lectures.
The first lecture of the school was
given by Rev ?. j. panehy, Of ST |
Paul. The tile of it was the Origin
of Developments of the Canon. He
defined the bible and discussed the |
titles and order of the books If the old |
testament. He spoke of the penta- |
touch as the work Of Moses, and dis |
coursed learnedly on the Hebrew, |
Greek. Latin and English texts. If |
the bible were made by men, though |
as wise as a hundred SolOmOns it /
would contain defects and be capable |
of misunderstanding but the bible |
as handed down by the church is the |
inspired work of God and no God |
would darken understanding. Not |
only reverence but long study are |
requisite to an understanding. Father I
Danehy lent a touch of humor in a |
reference to Jerome, speaking of the |
Of translation. That saint |
sometimes got angry, when he would !
always swear; and he was a fun |
lover, even making puns on the names |
of his associates. One pope would |
have erased him from the roll Of |
saints; but he was left there, prob |
ably for the encoura cement of some of |
u.s. The original bible had neither |
division into chapters nor verses, not |
even punctuation. These are more or
less recent, for our convenience. Christ !
in speaking to the Sadducees, refers ,
them to the story of Moses ''at the |
bush'-thus by episodes. and not by /
chapters, did they consult the scrip !
lures. No one knows who collected /
the bible.
Rev. J. A. Zahm, professor of
sciences in the Notre Dame |
Ind, lectured on Some
Modern Scientific Errors. He spoke
of what he terms misrepresentation of |
fact and blunders in Technology, of
theories, of monism. Of
the teachings Of Haeckel and his
school regarding the origin of the Wis
ible universe. He also dwelt at some
length upon the evolution of plants,
animals and men and discussed mOnis-
tic philosophy.
At o'clock Rev. Eugene Magevney,
professor of rhetoric in the college at
Detroit, Mich, gave the first of his
three lectures ON the historical devel-
opment of Catholic popular education
before the seventeenth century. The
lecture dealt chiefly with education
down to about 400 A. d. He traced
the development and spread /: intel
lectual culture throughout the east:
how christian teaching was first done
secretly and then more openly about
200 during the time of the academies
at Alexandria; later under COnstan-
tine. 1t was a scholarly lecture and
treated infinitely a period of history
over which there is much controversy
students.
Sunday Services.
Perhaps for the first time in their
lives hundreds Of persons witnessed
Sunday the ceremonies of high pom
tifcal mass with which the Columbian
Catholic summer school was formally !
opened. Before 10 o'clock people be-
gan vending their way to st. Patrick's
and before the ceremonies began the
edifice was completely filed. The
tardy ones had to go away diSap-
pointed The aisles and other avail
able space were filled with chairs
which were occupied almost as soon as
placed in position. Though it was eX-
cessively warm in the church and the
Serices We're two hours in length the
audience was most patient. The altar
was beautifully garnished with pink
peas, ferns and palms. A myriad of
lighted waXen candles lent an added
charm to the effect.