The Irish standard., 1898-04-16
electrified and subdued thousands in his
native and his adopted countries.

In 1917 he was appointed parish priest
OF Bandon, the seat Of such bitter pre-
judice and bisotry, that by an inscrip
tion over its entrance, The Turk, the
Atheist, and the low" were welcomed,
but tho Papist" was warned to keep
away His mission at Bandon was pro-
ductive of the happiest results, for we
are told that six years incesssant labor,
his benevolencc. his great powers OF
mind. his liberality and peculiarly happy
manner OF explaining the principles Of
his religion. enabled the young priest to
remove the existing prejudices. and
bring together in q social band Of
brotherhood Catholics and Professionals"
Dr.. England's name had already been
mentioned by some OF the Irish bishops
While he did not shrink from position
SO becoming to his talents and useful
ness, no declared that he would never
wear a nitro in any country that was
subject to tho British flag. The Amer-
can Union had in tho meantime been
expanding into q great and powerful re-
public, and the church in America had
more than kept pace with the country;
there many OF his countrymen had
found refuge from British oppression,
and tho British flag was never to float
over its vast cNpanse again. In the null
tiplication CT episcopal secs in the Unit
ed States. that Of Charleston was now
created. and DR.. England was nominated
and appointed its first bishop.
An aneedoto connected with his con-
secration is interesting. from the view
1t gives us OF his infeiiNhlc adherence
to principle, even in what might be con-
sidered by some mere matter of form.
1t is customary at tho conservation of
bishops who are British subjects to ad-
minister to them the oath of allegiance.
This he refused to take, observing that
as an American probate, it was his in
tention to renounce that allegiance at
the earliest opportunity. and to Invest
himself, as speedily as our laws would
permit. with tho character and obliga-
For a time it was doubtful whether the
consecratinG bishop would venture
omit that ceremony; but finding The
bishop elect intleXible and determined
to seek conservation elsewhere. he gave
up the point. Doctor England received
the episcopal character in tho parish
church OF st. I7inbars, at his native city,
on tho 2lst Of September. 1920; anl
Charleston was blessed with his arrival
there on tho last day in December of
the same year.
Tho new diocese OF Charleston en-
braced tho states of North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia. These
states had been settled by English Prot
estants, who brought with them the
prejudices OF their age and country At
the time Of the revolution there were
comparatively but few Catholics In this
section and these had an insufficient
ministry. That tho people of those
states held tho usual prejudices we know
from the tarring and feathering of two
Irish Catholics at Charleston, In 1775,
for their faith.
1t would lie difficult to imagine ard
yet too extensive a task to portray the
difficulties of DR.. England on his arrival
at his see. 1t was Bishop Englanl's duty
TO announce to proud and cultivated
community y Church moro ancient, more
venerable, more magnificent and more
powerful. 1t required such a master
spirit as Bishop England to do his whole
duty under such circumstances; and
Conciliatc all.
His success is one of the noblcst trl-
umphs OF the church in the republic lie
found on his arrival there wcro but two
states. His people were chiefly poor emil
grants from his own country. Indeed,
the Catholic body did not appear to at
tract any notice; it wac only to the eye
OF faith that The little mustard seed was
visible.
No portion OF his vast diocese escaped
his vigilance. and his visitations to its
principal cities commenced almost i'm
mediately. Churches began to rise up
around him. and tho diocese of Charles
ton began to assume Il comcly FORM 4
constitution was prepared and adopted
by him, and the diocese became in
corporated. Wherever he found n few
Catholic families in IL city or town. he
called them together. and organized
them. and encouraged them to hold to-
gether until he could send them priest.
With tho view of providing clergy of
OF his own for the diocese, several cam
didates having applied to him. he open
ed at Charleston a classical school, in
which these candidates for the holy min
1stry were made teachers, while they
pursued their OWN theological studies
under the bishop himself For some
time the school grew largo in numbers,
but soon pent-up bigotry burst forth into
storm of opposition against it. and
in general against 1.-The errors and de-
formity OF Popery."
The press and pulpit rang with the
denunciatlon Of fanaticisnl. and Protes-
tants were told that they were taxing