The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-12-01
"Then why do you want Jones de
feated?" was asked.
Because want the job myself"
PATRON OF SCIENCE AND ART.
In Answer to the Absurd SANDER Of
Marie Cofelli,

A very common charge against the
church is that of regarding her as op-
posed to all development and progress
in the regions of science and art. The
latest advocate of this absurd SANDER
is Marie Corelli. In her infamous
book, 'The Master Christian" the fol-
lowing occurs in her description of
the Servants picture: "Chief among
them (the group forming the picture)
was the Sovereign Pontiff, waxen and
wan, and dark-eyed-depicted as fast
ening fettters of iron round the body
Of beautiful youth, laurel-crowned,
the leaves Of the laurel bearing faint
gold letters which spelt the word
Science" Is the church a barrier
in the way of scientific and artistic
progress? Let the facts speak for
themselves, says writer in the Liver
pool Times.
1t was the church that first under
took the education of the young and
founded the first schools. Those Of
Charlemagne owed their existence to
the church. Most Of the universities
owe their origin to the Pope. The
principal object Of such orders as the
Benedictines, Jesuits, etc., was the in
struction Of youth. 1t was the church
that rescued the great works Of an
tiquity from destruction. The monks
of the Middle Ages Transcribed the
works of the heather philosophers
and historians, thus preserving them
to posterity. 1t was the church that
in early times raised the noblest
buildings, for instance, st. Peters
Rome, ITO years in building; the cathe'
dral of Cologne, begun in 1910, fin
ished in 1880. Not to mention the
magnificent buildings like Westmin
ster, Lincoln, York, and Durham
which were wrested from her and
found by her opponents fitted for the
service of God. 1t was the church
that from earliest times gave greatest
encouragement to fine arts. We owe
plain chant to SIS. Ambrose and Greg
DRY. 1t was the Popes encouraged
such men as Palestrina. Twice in Its
history the church resisted the 1cono
clast movement in 1871 and 1868. Ar
lists like Da Vinci, Raphael, Angelo
Correggio, Canova owe their success:
to the support Of the Popes. 1t wa:
the cloister which produced some Of
the finest artists and their works 1
was the church which made Who'll,
tracts fertile and habitable. The worl
Of the Benedictines and Cistercian!
in the way of clearing and draining
and developing agriculture was espe
cially conspicuous in the German for
ests. 1t is to priests and monks tina
we owe some of the greatest discov
cries.
The Deacon Gioja discovered tn
magnet and compass in 1900; tn
, monk Veit discovered the scale, tn
rules of music and harmony; tn
: Dominican Spina the use of specta
cles; the Franciscan Schwartz gun
powder, 1900; the Jesuit Kircher ex
hibited the first burning glass, 1G46
Copernicus, a Canon Of Frauenberg
discovered his famous system; tn
: Jesuit Cavaliere the components o
white light; the Benedictine Pontiu
. Invented a method of teaching dunn
mutes, 1870; the Jesuit Lana wa
of teaching the blind to read. 1873
the Jesuit Secchi, 1878, made dis
, covery with regard to sun spots; onl
lately the Dominican Calandoni II
vented a type-setter to replace tn
, compositor.