Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-04-06


freely open to oil parties. classes. per-
sons. views and capacities. the Vir-
ginian-P Pilot Is responsible for none
OF the statements nor opinions ex-
pressed therein. nor for the style in
which they are set forth. The ignorant
and uneducated shall be heard hero
equally with the learned.
Will you please allow ME the privi-
lege to comment on an article, under
the head OF "Amusements," in this
mornings issue of your valuable paper.
The article III question refers to the lee
ture given Monday night under the
auspices of the Norfolk Lyccum. i'll
which reference is made to it as being
highly entertaining and instructive.
The writer, who happened to be among
the audience, must take exception to the
statement that the lecture was enter
tanning and instructive in the full sense
OF the meaning. The lecturer was i'll
troduced to the audience, as an educat-
ed Filiplno-a graduate of St. Johns.
College, England-a man whom his
hearers could place full confidence in to
give complete and authentic facts of
the real conditions existing in the Phil
irpines. With such Il recommendation
as this. the audience naturally felt at
ease that they were to be told the whole
truth-no Misrepresentation of an atom
custom and habits of the Filipino. the
lecturer went on to describe the relig-
lous orders OF the land, speaking of the
f'rancisans order as being detrimental
to the moral and material progress of
the inhabitants; that they should be eX-
PEELED, etc. Further on he attacked the
religious orders as being rich from rev.
enue derived from the sale of masses.
induigenccS and other things in keeping
with their calling. I am no defender of
the religious orders of the Philippines.
although 1 have indisputable evidence
from one who has not only associated
with but lived among the religious or
ders of that land which tells a tale al
together opposite from that told us by
the learned lecturer, but what excep-
ton Is taken to Is the reference made
10 the sale of masses, indulgences and
other things which the lecturer spoke
SO giddily of and which he tried to lead
his audience to believe was the
doctrine of the Catholic Church
Of the Philippines. I admit
that parts of his lecture were en-
PERTAINING and Instructive but l ask
was 1t entertaining and Instructive for
Catholic to listen to the doctrines of
his church being vilified. msrepresent-
cd and ridiculed by one. who by his
own utterances, gives evidences that
ne knows nothing of those doctrines of
which he speaks so recklessly? The
doctrines of the Catholic Church are
universal-the same In the Philippines
as IN this country or any other-and it
seems to me that the learned lecturer
the graduate of st. Johns College
should have known this fact. Intelli-
gent people know that no such thing
as sale of masses and indulgences is
tolerated In the Catholic Church of any
land; they further know that such base
charges eminate from brain that is
densely ignorant OF Catholic doctrines
or else from bigot. who is one wilfuI-
~. and whose mind is SO narrow that
he can look through a keyhole with
noth eyes at the same time. To which
class our learned lecturer belongs 7
leave to the Judgment OF the people to
trust that the next lecturer the
Lyceum secures they Will soc to a. No
forehand that he introduces nothing
especialiy misrepresentation of the
truth-to insult the feelings of tho om-
dience, be they Of whatever shade Of
religious belief. u
Very respectfully,