The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-07-10


you have future before you far more
dangerous than your predecessors. The
world Is not becoming better as 1t is
growing older. and l confess that as l
visit boys class often think Of the
dangers that await the boys, who are of
course entirely innocent of the trial that
is before them. The world is not grow
ing better. but growing worse day by
day. and one terrible feature OF the
world at present is that men are beginn-
ing to forget that there is higher path
than any marked for us In this world.
They are, 1t may be, so carried away by
the material spirit of the age that thew
lose sight of the hereafter, and tney de-
vote to the little time they are to pass
in this world all the energy and the
thought which should be devoted to the
far higher interests and far more i'm
portant destiny which awaits them
hereafter One thing we may be certain
OF, thank God that boys placed as YOU
are under the care Of the good Brothers
will have their holy faith to guard them
against that danger in the future. You
are trained in the principles of your holv
rellg1on as we'll as In the principles of
science. Those who are opposed to us
say that the Catholic Church and clergy
are obscurantists. There never was n
falser charge. We are no obscurantists.
We wish to develop to the utmost extent
the intellects of our young people, to
give them every opportunity of expand
ing their talents and acquiring knowl-
edge. Any one has only to look around
him here and see the beautiful schools
that have sprung up even within the
memory of people still living to see
that this charge is utterly unfounded.
'l'hat Is the best proof in the world that
the pastors Of the Catholic church are
not obscuranttsts. We think that the
young should be thoroughly trained for
the world, but we think that that train
ing should not be carried out at the ex
pense of the far higher interests. There
is no difficulty in the world in uniting
both. Some of the greatest scientists of
the present day, some of them the most
eminent discoveries in science, are also
the most eminent Christians. One of
the greatest discoveries of the day died
only short time ago in Paris, whose
scientific research has been of
incalculable service to the whole human
race. Pasteur was most exemplary
and edifying Christian. These facts
show conclusively that you can have the
highest developments of science united
to the deepest and strongest religious
faith. Hence we are all very anxious to
have our people trained in religious at
mosphere. L do not mean to say that
every hour of the day you should have
your catechisms or prayer books in
your hands, but there should be some
thing to remind the children of the pres
ence of God, even during tie time of Sec
ular instruction. l do not believe that
the half hours religious instruction that
they allow is sufficient. We do not want
to have religion, one of the most import
ant subjects to man, put in corner, hid
den away. We want to have the atmos-
phere Of the schools religious. and
though we are opposed in that wish by
persons of other denominations, really
believe that at the bottom it is their faith
as we'll as ours. and I think strong
proof of 1t that there is nobody In the
country more anxious in the matter of
having separate schools and separate
training for their children than those
very persons who are crying out for
mixed education. Wherever they can
have school exclusively their own they
are as tenacious to have it as Catholics,
and it occurs to me they want denom-
national education for themselves and
to exclude us from 1t. However, that
battle is going on, and 1t may not be
ended in time. but. trusting the provi-
dence Of God, and trusting the faith and
zeal Of the Irish people, l trust the day
Is not far distant when those education
al difficulties under which we labor will
be completely swept away. | refer, per-
haps. less to the primary
and intermediate schools at pres
ent than to the higher walks of educa-
ton. We can take our boys and give
them fairly good religious training in
our primary schools, and there Is less
restriction still in the intermediate
schools, but once the boys pass from the
intermediate school there is no career
open to them. In olden times all the
educational endowments by the govern
ment were conferred upon thoss with
whom, especially in colleges and boarding
schools, we cannot associate - without
peril to our faith They had all the edu-
cational advantages in their own hands
which We're denied to us up to the pres
ent. There seems to be a bitter feeling
springing up of late. Our grievance in
this matter seems to be acknowledged,
but though it has been clearly acknowl-
edged there has been reason to fear that
the Catholic claim will pc. the go-bye
again. But, please God, we will keen
working at 1t. Our Lord refers in the
Gospel to man who was rapping at his
neighbours door for the loaves. and who.
though he did not get them for love, he
got them because the neighbour wished
to get rid Of his annoyance. That is what