The Irish standard., 1898-04-16
A MAN OF PROFOUND LEARNING
Graphic Sketch of the Bishop o
CharieStOn,S.C.
MASTERPIECES OF ELOQUENCE
His Controversial Writings and
Pulpit Utterances.

Bishop England has been called tho
light of tho American Hierarchy" His
profound learning. vieor of thought, en-
crgy OF action, irresistible eloquence, ,rclig-
ious zeal and fcrvor, his talents for nd
ministration, and enlightened enterprise,
made his influence and usefulness In &C.
closiastiral affairs very great He was also
distinguished for tho dazzling qualities
OF mind and heart that mako up tho cit
izcn and patriot.
John England was born at Cork Ire
land Sept. %, l7SG. His boyhoo% was In
tho days of his country's trial and per-
secution; and tho wrongs he saw and
suffered made u lasting impression upon
his mind and character, and Influenced
greatly the conduct Of his entire life.
Ills parents were people possessed of n
worldly competency, and belonged to tho
great mnss of the Irish Catholics who
suffered so severely at the hands of
England, in their faith, goods. liberty,
pence, and political rights
His grandfather was among those who
went to prison for his faith and his
honor; and rs tho patriot entered his
cell his wife, stripped of tho last REM
nant of land and goods and carried III
her last illness under the roof of II kind
ncighbor. died and was buried by
strangers. Their eldest son, then In his
seventeenth year. hrcumo Il parent to
his four brothers and sisters, whom he
supported by teaching school. But 1t
waI then unlawful for n "laplst" to
teach even tho neutral science Of gcom-
etry.
There was not wanting lnforncrs TO
prompt TIL" government; he was, how
ever. in consequence of his youth, al
lowed m, opportunity Of cxtricnting him
self from tho punishment. which was
transportation. by swearing that hc did
not believe in the doctrines of 'rrnnslb-
sthntintiOn. Pcnanco and tho Invocation
Of Saints. But to him death would have
been preferable. IIo succeeded In maxi
Ing hSs escape to tho mountains, and
after year ho secretly returned TO the
city.
John England was tho eldest son of
such Il father, und lnhcrilrd in Il great
degree his PARENTS faith. fidelity and
| courage. The school of persecution in
which they wcrn nurturcd directed the
hearts OF Mr.. IInEand's children to
lofty md holy aspirations. for his own
family contributed two priests and one
religiomso to the church.
In tho aIIlictcd condition of his country
ut this time. young John England had to
attend tho school OF u Protestant teach
or. 1t was II choice between this and
no school at all. Here ho WAS subjected
to persecution for his faith, for tho big
otcd teacher used to apply to him, pub
licly before tho whole school, tho In
sulting but glorious title of tho little
| PnplEt," and thus expose him to tho con-
! tempt of his associates.
Tho profession Of law WAS his first
attempt at practical business life. He
entered the Office OF an eminent barris-
ter, under whom ho pursued his legal
| studies for two years. Tho beneficial Of
fects of these studies were ever after
wards apparent in his public life But
tho designs Of Povidence, and his own
Dions incinations, soon attracted him
! to the sanctuary
In the second year after his entrance
into Carlow, he delivered caterhctical in
structions for children. but they were so
attractive that they soon were attended
by tllrongs of adults. He also devoted
MUCH of his tmo to tho instruction of
! tho Cork militia. In this he met with
opposition from some bigots, who pro-
cured y court martial to try those who
attended, which resulted In the ap-
proval Of the ministry Of this your.
apostle. So much were his talents ap-
prcciatcd at this early period, before he
WIS q liccntiatc in theology, that he de-
livcrcd lectures in the Cathedral during
Lent.
In 1908, Bishop Moylan (brother Of
Stephen Moylan, aide -de-camp Of Gen.
Washington, called tho young student
to Cork, and appointed him president Of
tho seminary. DR.. Moylan had already
obtained a dispensation permitting John
England to be raised TO the priesthood,
before obtaining the canonical age Of
25 On tho 9Th OF October, 1903, he con-
fcrrcd deaconship upon him, and on the
following day ordained him a priest.
Soon after his ordination he began his
| lectures in the Cathedral on the Old and
| New Testament, on which he matured
and perfected that brilliant and irresist-
ible pulpit oratory which instructed.