Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-17
FILlpINOS AND THE FRIARS.


The Rev. J.. P. McQuaid of San
Franc $50, who is returning to his home
from the Philippines, preached at the
Church Of st. Paul the Apostle, Column
bus avenue and Sixtieth street, last
Sunday night week. Father Mc(9uaid's
subject was 1.-THE Catholic Church in
the Philippines" and he took occasion
to reply sharply to the criticisms OF
Bishop Potter, of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, and Dean G. Worcester,
who was one of President McKinley's
commissioners to the islands. Father
McQuaid declared the Catholic re-
ligion prevailed today among 30 per
cent Of the entire population of the
Philippine archipelago, and that the
practice of Christian virtues is as
clearly evidenced and is of as high
standard on the islands OF Panay,
Cebu and Negroes as on Luzon OF in
and about Manila.
AT the time of discovery" the
priest said, "the population OF the
archipelago was placed at 300, 600. To-
day it is supposed to be 5000, 600.
Such an increase in the face of the
complete change which religion effected
in the habits of the people is almost
unparalleled in the history of mis-
sicnary experiences. The Philippine
| friars were the advance agents of
| Christianity and civilization. They
arrived with the Spanish mariner. By
their moral influence they did the
work of Spanish soldiery. Indeed,
they were the outposts of small gar
risons, so to speak,. They went from a
most highly civilized country. They
were men of fine breeding and of
| SPLENDID education. They voluntarily
exifed themselves to work among
sayages.
.it is easy enough for oarping
critics, who sit at home in easy chairs
and blinded sometimes by bigotry or
woefully ignorant of the pages of mis-
sionary experiences, to pick flaws in
the work OF the Philippine friars. 1t
is the height OF audacity for such as
Worcester, whose tripping to and from
the Philippines is more of the nature
of pleasure jaunt, enhanced by the
fat salary and incidentals of a COM
missioner, and Bishop Potter, who
accustomed to New York velvet, en-
dured the heat of Manila just four
days, under the watchful eye Of his
friend, companion, keeper and guardian
aspersions on the friars. For what dc
they know of sacrifices, of exile self
imposed, of lives spent unselhshly IN
the cause of Christ?
"And speaking Of Bishop Potter, let
it be added that il he is correctly ie
MOI ted as saying that concubinage is
/, widespread in the Philippines, he says
what is not true. And if he says thai
this condition of things is the result o.
, exorbitant fees charged at the marriage
rites he says again what il not true
, My six or seven months experience i:
worth as much as his four days. The
friars owned certain properties. ant
, their title to the same is tiawless. i
/ was only whom, under economi,
) management, the possessions of thu
, ftiars, originally worth little, becam'
, valuable that the maleontents saw ;
: difference in a community and an in
t dividual having u right to own. 4
: good part of the revenues from thes
possessions went toward furthering tn
missions in the ORIENT, toward build
: ing monastei les, churchF, asylums ant
! hospitals. Some public agitators
especially those OF the 'katip1nai
Triangle managed SO to manipulat
things that the friars were thought b.
$ some to be the chief cause of grievance
9 But Aeuina;do's two letters to a profes
SOr III 81. luoHiaS Ohfolsity oto oui
. ficiont to show that the agitation of th
g natives was directed against Spain
n corrupt representative officials.
J. "The FiliEinos are o civilized, re
IS ligious, honest and grave people. Il
IS treating with them we can well affor
i to be magnanimous. The spirit of tn
K Declaration which fired the courage {
i the men of '76 should guido US yet
o for lust AS soon as we mart from it wi
IS come the Republics ruin and decay.