The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-03-06
THE |NQU|SNON DISCUSSED.
Rev. Father Keane's Brilliant Lec>s
ture in Duluth on the
lnquisition.
THE HOLY SEE NOT RESPONSIBLE.
The Pope Did Everything in His
Power to Prevent Spanish
Crue1tieS.

| "r1:r ~7r
Recently at the Cathedral In Duluth
Father Keene of this city delivered a
learned lecture upon the Spanish InQui-
sition, in which he asserted that he did
! act OF cruelty nor one of the atrocities
of the inquisition, but it was his tnten-
ton to illuminate 1t with side lightg
which might In measure bring it into
! clearer relief and reveal the incentives
that inspired 1t and the conditions that
| made it possible and to place the blame
for the cruelties and outrages where 1t
belongs
The lecture was well attended. Very
fine music was feature of the service.
Father Keene opened his address with
the remark that the current history Of
the Spanish inQuisition serves as proof
of the trite saying that lie may live IT,
repeated often enough and with suf1ci-::
ent boldness. He gave brief descrip-
ton Of the conditions existing in Spain
prior to and until the instituting Of the
court of the inQuisition in which he said
that the Jews had gradually ingratiated
themselves in the good graces Of the.
ruling power, until their influence had
enabled them 70 attain to the high OFF,
ces of state and later Of the church, but
that while many Of them prOfessed the
Catholic faith all were Jews at heart,
and had in view the erection upon Spa
nish soil of Jewish city that shou.A
surpass in grandeur the ancient Jerusa-
lem. The speaker asserted that at the
time of the Inquisition the Jews had be-
come a. menace not only to the Catholic
church in Spain, but the existence Of the
Spanish government itself, and that the
petition to the pope for a bull authors
zing the re-establishment Of the ancient
court of the inquisition, came not alone
from the Catholicism Of Spain, but from
the patriotism of every loyal Spanish
citizen.
T
lecture to the refutation of the charges
OF atrocities contained In the only h&sto-
ry of the Inquisition accepted as authen-
tic, saying that the history was written
by Llorente, a priest that had been dis
missed from the priest]y Office on &C.
count Of his immortality, and who was
not only filled with a hatred Of the CATH
Ole church, but was the agent OF the
French party in Spain. He cited al-
thorities to show that I4lorentes repre-
sensations were exaggerated.
The speaker sought further to show
that the same cruelties and atrocious
practices that have been condemned in
the Inquisition were a feature of the
age in all countries, and were not con-
fined to any religious sect OF creed, and
in proof of this cited the proceedings
against the witches in England and
Scotland. There We're more so-caaled
witches burned at the stake In England
and Scotland, said he, than there were
convictions of crimes Of any kind or de-
scription during all the years of the In
uuisition." Father Keene held that the
Inquisition cannot Justly be judged from
the standards of the present time. as he
considered It the common inclination to
do, but that the ideas then current re-
garding crimes and methods Of punish
ment must be taken into consideration.
Lastly, he placed the blame of the In
QUESTION and it's attendant horrors upon
the Spanish government ana strongly
asserted that the Catholic church was
not responsible for them. In support OF
this position the speaker said that while
the pope issued the bull authorizing the
re-establishment of the court of 1nGuisl-
ton. it was his intent to authorize
court in which the method OF procedure
should be upon the same principles rs In
Rome. After the cruel methods of the
court were established the pope had
written King Ferdinand urging him In
mercy to abolish the outrages. The king
prevented those tried by the court of
inQuisition from carrying their appeals
to Rome and the pope established court
of appeal in Spain. The king again cir
cumvented the object of the establish
ment of this court, and courts of appeal
were established in all the principal
places of Spain. Father Keene' argued
that the pope was forced to maintain
friendly relations with Spain on &C
count of the danger from the Turks, but
that these acts, and the prevention by
succeeding holy sees of the establish
ment of courts Of inQuisition in other
countries proved the attitude OF tns
Catholic church to have been In oppost-
ton to the atrocities of the Spanish In
QUESTION.
PROBATE NOTICE.