The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-28

! Too proclaimed from the pulpit ms NiS"e
on all matters pertaining to church and
state.
These views, II at times. declared I'M
orthodox by narrower minds, rang true
as they touched the target of the hearer' s
mind with the steel bright arrow Of con-
| viction.
It had been rumored at times that FIR
| darcy was not as popular as might De
with the higher powers of his cloth, ow-
| ing to the extreme liberality of his views
| and the fearless candor with which he
| gave voice 10 them.
There are certain characters that inspire
| intense feelings in all who come in contact
| with them. Owing to an indeinable some
/ thing IN their nature, one must either hate
| or love them. They permit none OF that
| mawkish middle feeling, which we so
/ generously bestow on mankind at large,
and which. during the penitential season,
actuates benevolent sewing societies to
| make chest protectors for the Zulus.
FER Arcy was one of these lucky or I'M
lucky individuals. He had bitter enemies
and stanch friends.
People always spoke enthusiastically OF
him-one way or the other.
The remaining gentlemen, who were IN
vited to Mr.. Van Doran's dinner d'au re-
voir. were all the old and intimate friends
whom he had known for years.
At o'clock on the evening appointed
the six guests assembled in the private
room at Delmonico's where dinner was
to be served. Their host was not there
20 receive them, bat, as he was going
abroad the next day, they could readily
understand that some important business
had unavoidably detained him.
The dinner table, which was a round
one, stood in the center of the room
1t presented very dazzling and inviting
appearance, with its load of silver. crys-
tai and snow-white damasK. and it was
profusely and tastefully decorated with
flowers.
Half-past eight arrived, and Mr. Van
Doran had not yet appeared. However as
all those present were we'll acquainted
and had many interests In G. nmon, none
of them seemed bored at the delay.
But when il struck certain yearning
glances toward the door proved that some
of them had suddenly begun TO discover a
void in certain parts of their anatomy.
Just then Mr.. Smythe Brown, the legal
light of the party, proposed that they
should sit down and begin on the oysters,
as 1t was evident that some unavoidable
business had detained their host, who
would probably arrive In the meantime.
This suggestion was unanimously sec
onded by the other gentlemen and very
soon the wee fish were being ioyously and
approximately discussed.
Though late in the season, the oysters
were delicate and briny, and with the aid
of the preparatory cocktail, they gave
funfui flip to the conversation, which grew
brilliant and entertaining.
The ball was witUly tossed from one
tongue tip TO the other, but finally some
thing led up to the discussion of the rela-
ton born by the different professions to
the family.
The lawyer, Mr.. Smythe Brown, whose
opinion on most matters carried great
weight, seemed TO think that the profess
sion which he represented from the fact
of the condolences which 1t necessitated,
got nearer to the family hearthstone than
any of the others AS a proof of his argu-
ment, he explained how often the hus-
band and father is compelled to reveal to
his lawyer, certain matters which he siren
uously conceas from wife and children.
Some of the gentlemen present were in
clined TO agree with the lawyer, when DR..
Bloomfield Hunter began to plead the
cause Of the medicaf profession.
He said he quite agreed with his legal
friend that the law, as a profession. was
very closely interviewer with the interests
of the family but at the same time he
thought he was justified in asserting that
a still more intimate footing in the house,
hold.
you see, gentlemen, said he, your
physician is the first person to extend TO
YOU the hand of welcome, when you kick
and scream your little person on to this
gay old earth. And all through your days,
his solicitous care helps you to fight the
ills that flesh is heir to. Many a time,
when other worlds seem perilous.y near,
when the great some thing which is the
beyond seems eager to snap that thread
called life. the doctor, sngle-hand-
ed, battles its desire, and coaxes you back
to the here" that we know, so much
more comfortable, for most of us than the
there" that we know nothing Of And
the confdencesi OF but these are conf
dences, the things we sometimes heart
If the way of the transgressor it hard,
what is ii to that of the faithless, erring
wife. who is compelled to confide to her
physician that which she scarce dares
whisper to her God?
Up TO this time FIR darcy, though he
had listened with deep interest to the
clever argument of both his friends, had
taken no part i'm the discussion
Now. raising his eyes, calm and dark,
like pools so deep that no emotion in
their depths can ever reach the surface,
he said as he looked around the table at
his fellow guests:
LAS a Catholic priest, gentlemen feel
compelled to put in a plea for my profess
sion. and the pos zion it occupies in the
family, which is the foundation of all So
| ciety."
! But first let me state that thoroughly
appreciate the clever arguments advanced
by my two friends. Between them Il is
difficult TO decide
To my mind the one vocation is as es-
sential and intimate in the particular con-
neetion which we are discussing as the
other, and both are indispensable But
| there is a calling that is nearer than either.
more intimate than BOTH and it is thar
of the Catholic priest, when, in his sacer-
dotal capacity. he enters the family. for
then he makes his entree as the represen-
tative of Christ. To the believing Catho-
lie. he holds in his hand the omnipotent
powers of a God, not the least of when
is the power to hold or retain the sins OF
his fellow-mau.
My esteemed friend, DR.. Bloomfield Hun
ter. told us just now of the solemn Sc
crets Of which the physicians ear often.
times becomes the receptacle. Pain. that
mighty leveer, wrings from its writing