The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-19
FATHER KEILEYS LETTER.
HE DROPS a LITTLE SARCASM ON
rev. HENRY MrDONALD.

Iieve That the War Was u Special
DispensatiOn of Providence to
SDread PrOfestanism-A Refer
once to the Multiplication of sects.
victory Does Not Necessarily
Mean That Right Has Triumphed.
considerable interest has been shown in
Savannah. not only in Catholic circles, but
among Protesta as well, in the reply
made by Vicar General b. J. Kelley to the
structures of Rev. Henry Mcdonald on the
catholic Church, a partial account of
which has been given in dispatches to the
Morning News.
At a recent meeting of the Stone Noun
tain Baptist Association, it VIII be remem-
bered, Rev Mr.. Mcdonald referred to the
war with Spain as sort of special dispen-
eation of divine Providence for propaga-
ton of Protestant faith in the islands Of
the West Indies, and of the Pacific ocean,
which had been freed from subjugatlon to
Spain
If the religion they have can't do any
more for them, than it has DONE" said Mr.
Mcdonald, they need another kind. Right
thinking is not encouraged by the Catholic
Church, and its work does not elevate the
condition of the natives where it has con-
troll. We propose to send them missionaries
TO teach true religion and under the bless
ings of God it will spread"
Reference was also made to the illiteracy
said to prevail in Spain and her former
possessions.
Father Kelley wrote to Mr.. Mcdonald
asking if he had been correctly quoted. Re-
ceiving no reply he accepted the newspa-
pei reports as accurate, and in a two col
umn letter fires broadside fun of satire
which is likely to arouse considerable dis
cussion soon.
THE old story of Spanish illiteracy once
more is called into play" says he "Ad-
hitting, for arguments sake, that these
charges OF illiteracy are true, does IL fol-
low that the Catholic Church is responsible
for it? Was Christianity organized by our
blessed Lord for the purpose of teaching
the three Rs?" Is there anything in the
New Testament which would justify the
conclusion that on The day of judgment
an Hose prominent In 'readin', 'ridn' and
'rithmetic" will promptly take their place
on The right hand of the throne and the
boys who haven't studied will be duly
roasted?'
SPANS "backwardness' in failing to at
tempt to keep pace with the United States
in divorces and her horrible tagging in
the matter of suicides" are mentioned.
THeilattenton is directed to the compare
tive absence of the social evil'' in that
country.
"A Protestant gentleman says that the
total number of these unfortunate women
In all Spain is not as great as one meets
daily on Londons streets. To every
ninety-one. inhabitants in London there is
one such woman. Spurgeon preached for
years in London. Strange as it may seem
to ideas of modern progress" Father
Kelley continues 81 prefer a church
whose efforts are directed to the honesty
and purity of men and the virtue of wo-
men to "a sect which points to material
prosperity and higher education as the
great and all-sufficient result of ministra-
ton"
But Father Kelley denies that Spain is
so backward in matters of education as
has been represented. With a population
of about 17,55000O Spain has an average
attendance of children at school of 106 to
every 1000 Inhabitants, while Great Brit
ain, with 34,740,000 population, has an av-
erage Of 1913. England has four universe
ties, with S,34O students, while backward
SPAIN has ten universities with 5000
students.
Father Kelley then gives a severe dig
to the multiplication of seats among Bap-
lists as evidences of the fright thinking
Mr.. Mcdonald speaks of. 1.-THE church is
accused of not encouraging right think
ing among her children" says he. Fright
thinking about what? Is it a proof of
this charge that we think there is some
thing supremely ludicrous in the fact that
the Baptist sect in the United States is
divided into the following recognized
subdivisions: Baptists (North, Baptsts
CSouth) Six Principle Baptists, Seventh
will Orio
nal Free-will Baptists, General, Separate,
United Baptist Church of Christ Print
i've Old Two Seed in the Spirit not to
mention the various shell varieties?''
Are the Catholics of Atlanta 60 make
this practical issue, for, in faith we
are one with the Catholics of Spain Cuba
and Porto Rico behind their Baptist
neighbors in right thinking or right
AVlng? The Catholic Church teaches her
children to be honest, pure and truthful.
one insists that the commandment of Coo
winch commands US to respect the goods
Oh our neighbors has no greater binding
lOtce than the one which forbidS our
bearing false witness against him. The
Oatholic Church does not encourage
right thinking?" Who was Father
Damien? What church is the guide and
support in thinking and acting of the
ninety Sisters of Charity at .Chickamau-
ga, or the twelve who sailed the other
ten who are at Camp Thomas, KY, or the
tnrty-seven who are nursing the sick at
Montauk, of the twenty who went to
camp Alger? God help the afflicted #
me missionary efforts of the Baptist sect
IN Introducing Baptist right thinking"
ana pure religion awaited to injure the
Catholic Church!
religion, clean and undefiled, says
81 James, before God and the Father
IS this: To visit the fatherless and widows
IN their tribulation and to keep ones
ser unspotted from this world How
ooes that accord with the Catholic sis
ters?
If any man think himself to be re-
hglous, not bridling his tongue
ms mans religion is vain. How does
ms view of ST. James accord with a view
Oh Baptist preachers meetings?"
Mr. McDonald's belief that God was on
the side of the United States, and there
lore this country triumphed, leads Father
Kelley to say:
Let me ask the doctor IL he remenb hers