The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-10
FRIARS OF THE PHILIPPTNES.
The Address of Chaplain DOherty-
Friars Are Not IndoIent.

rrlars Are NOT InuOlents
! The Rev. Father Doherty, chaplain In
the United States army, delivered Leo
ture on THE Friars Of the Philippines''
at the Hyperion last evening Father
Doherty is an eloquent speaker, and he
held the rapt attention of the large au-'
dience throughout. The lecture waS
given under the auspices of st. Johns
r. c. church. Father Doherty spoke I'M
part as follows:
"The condition of things upon our ar
rival in the Philippines was Significant.
All about us were destroyed buildings,
rified churches, the ground about which
had been dug up in a hunt for hidden
wealth. and desecrated tabernacies.
Aguinaldo had seized upon 700 friarss
and had taken them away from Cavite5
back into the country. Upon us chap
lains devolved the duty Of releasing
them. One day Chaplain McKiernans
and I, in company with bright news
paper man, non-Catholic but strong,
advocate Of fair play and sympathetic,
took a boat and landed at Baycua.
Arriving at the house where AguinaldO
resided, / sent in no card, as wished to-
find him at home, but walked straight
up to the door. We were ushered into
an empty room and had not waited long
when Aguinaldo himself entered, ac-
companied by his cabinet. 1t is mis-
take to underrate the capacity Of the
Filipinos. The cabinet of Aguinaldo is
composed Of some wonderfully smart
men. Our arguments We're all replied
to by Tpis Oriental autocrat with the
thot he noY11d do nnthfno- the
interview the various charges against
the friars We're reviewed. head learn
ed, even before met the archbishop Of
Manila, that just those charges would
be mode-charges at the bottom Of y
which were the Spanish officials, The
Spaniards could not brook those who
stood between them and their prey, and
1t was an easy matter to direct the SIM
pie minds of the Filipinos against the
friars.
ITO take up the charges. The friars
are not indolent. The percentage of the
uneducated in the Philippines is II per
cent Where did all the rest receive
their education from? AS to the charge
that the friars are excessively wealthy.
There is doubtless great wealth in the
islands. The natural industry Of the
islands have made the residents very
wealthy, and these have contributed to
the possessions of the friars. But when
l tell you that the University Of Santa
as old as Harvard-had
to be supported entirely by them, that
the great hospital received exactly $3.50
a year appropriation from the authori-
ties, and that the big burden of it's oper-
alton was borne entirely by the friars
along with the building of the churches,
and other things which I need not mem
ton, possibly you will see that they had
use for their money and that the charge
of excessive wealth has two sides.
1.-THE Filipinos themselves are exceed
ingly child-like and impressionable.
They told me of the altars in the
churches built of silver and richly
studded with jewels. Like Yankee, I
went behind the altars to see for my
self and found the wall to be Of white
metal and the jewels hand made. The
people themselves are pure anu IeliS-
ous. How in the name of common
sense can they be thus and their mas
.ers wicked? 1t is impossible, and
say to you all, friends, twill not be
ong, I feel it in my soul, before the
great work of these friars will be APP
parent, and future histories will place
alongside of that of their brothers in
California the work of the friars of tho