The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-23
FATHER SHERMANS DENIAL.
REPLIES TO ARTICLE BY BISHOP
wHIPPLE on PUERTO RICO.
Says He Never Met the Bishop SO
Far as He Knows, and Could Not
Have Told Him the Things Al
Legged and which Are Untrue.

ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE, CHICAGO,
May 2l-In a recent article on Puerto
Rico. signed by H; B. Whipple. the Prot Of
estant Episcopal bishop OF Minnesota, the
following paragraph occurs: ,-s
"Of the moral condition of the island
l need not speak at length. Father Sher
the immortality of the priesthood and peo-
pie. The marriage fees eXacted by the
Roman Catholic priests have preyentea
multitudes from contracting CHRISTIAN
marriage. and this has led to much of the
awful Generalization which exists on the
island M, -
remark that as l have never met the
right reverend gentleman, as tar as
remember. 1t is to say the least, mlsleao-
ing to state that | have told m him a,o any
of Puerto Rico, not a few OF them are
so enthusiastic and so jealous, such dear
friends of mine, that | hasten to repuaii-
Father Berries, of Arecibo; Father Ter
bia, OF Utuado Father Passalagua, or
Coamo. may be mentioned among model
pastors and men of blameless integrity
All of the fathers of the congregation
of st. Vincent OF Paul, all the Aescula-
plan priests. and the canons of the catne.
drai, are men of holy. life and fervent
zeal, to say nothing of others scattered
about the island. If / criticised some OF
the Spanish clergy who have departed, II
was because l thought religion ana pom
tics were too closely connected in thelr
minds and because / felt that they lett
their posts of duty when their presence
was most needed This makes the con.
duct of those who remained in spite or
the loss of their salaries, the pollticai
revolution, the war and othor difficulties.
douby credtable and honorable; These
are the men who now constitute the cler-
gy of Puerto Rico. and of whom ! have
never spoken except in praise. In this
connection. l repudiate part OF news
paper interview published on my return
to the United States, from which the con-
trary might be inferred. The reporter
told me afterwards he wished to rouse
the minister and use scare lines; ne was
not aiming - ell what had SAID 10
him AS FOR the charge that the mar
riage fees exacted by priests have pre-
vented marriages. | know this to be
Whipple could voice so false a charge.
| am convinced that he must have been
misled as he would not Intentionally
make a statement capable of sucn easy
refutation. The poor are marriei ireo
everywhere, In Puerto RICO, as IN inc
rest of the Catholic world.
The want of religious fervor In Puerto
Rico Is quite sufficiently explained by Gil,
matte and racial conditions fully discussed
by the bishop in his article.
It is, of course, possible that nave
met the bishop and forgotten the fact, but
the paragraph is none the less misleading
and is substantially incorrect.
The clergy of Puerto Rico of 1900, ana
Bishop Whipple writes from San Juan IN
1900 are a Jealous. pious. estimable Dody
with the utmost devotion by their people,
and I am sure they are well able to with
stand the attacks of the sects and main
tain the cause of truth among all who are
willing to hear and heed, Protestant mis-
sionaries In Puerto Rico will waste their
time and money.
THOMAS EWING SHERMAN. 8. J.