The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-26

| Them-The Church and the Bible
Other Addresses Made.
Rt Rev. Bishop NJ. ]. Hoban, Rev
DIR. John j. Loughran and Rev. DIR
j. w. Malone We're rendered a recep'
ton last night by the Catholic Histor'
ical society in the knights of Colum
bus club house, and several hundred
of the city's most prominent Catho.
lies attended to do all of them honor
and to welcome the two last nanef
cergymen back from their studies ir
Europe.
Second Vice President John j. Muir.
ply presided and made a happy intro.
ductory speech of welcome, In which
he extended a hearty greeting to the
visitors. a brief musical programme
was rendered, including a selection by
the Schubert quartette and a soprano
solo by Miss Mary INLAND.
Rev. DR.. Loughran made a brief ad-
dress in which he endeavored to give
passing sketch of the religious side
of Rome. He mentioned it's hundreds
of churches and described some OF
seeing Pope Leo XIII a number OF
times and had several private inter-
views with him. He described the
wonderful personality of the pontiff
and told of the spiritual atmosphere
which surrounds him and which leads
even nonC Catholics who have seer
him to always ever afterwards think
of him with feelings of the deepest
reverence.
Historical Side of Rome.
Rev. DR.. Malone took up the his
torical side of Rome briefly and told
of some of the places of historical
interest which are to be seen there
He told of the recent excavation Of the
old church of St. Mary, which was
used by the Christians Of the second
century and how the paintings and
frescoes which are being uncovered in
1t prove the ancient origin of many
of the dogmas of the Catholic church
Bishop Hoban made All extended plea
for a more general knowledge Of the
history of the Catholic church by Cath
oiics. He referred to the absence OF
many important Catholic books from
y
said that these books are not there
because there is no demand on the
part of Catholics for them. He urged
the appointment of a committee to
formulate list of the Catholic books
which are to be found in the library
and to add to this list the titles of
those standard works which are not
to be found there. This list should
be placed in the hands of the members
of the society and a demand thus cre-
ated for the books which it enumer-
ated
"Only recently" said the bishop, II
discovered that there are three lives
of st. Francis of Assist in the library
and that all three are written by
Protestants. Just think of it. Not
a Catholic life of one of Catholicism
greatest saints. 1t is not possible for
any well-intentoned Protestant to un-
derstand the psychology of Catholic
saints; to appreciate intelligently thei,
spiritual side. There was no Catholic
life of ST. Francis in the library be-
cause there was no demand on the
part of Catholics for a Catholic life
That's your fault and not the fault of
the library directors. If space is given
on the shelves to a Protestant history
of the Reformation space should be
given alongside to a Catholic history
of the Reformation, but this will not
be done until Catholics demand It,"
Said It Is Duty.
The bishop declared the study OF
Catholic history to be a duty incumb-
ent upon every intelligent Catholic
that they may be prepared to success
fully resist any attack upon the church
In this connection he replied in a most
interesting manner to a recent charge
made by IL Lutheran professor who
lectured here that prior to Luthers
time the church kept the Bible from the
people.
The bishop said that intelligent Pro-
testant scholars know better than this
and do not hesitate to say so. He re-
counted at length the names Of a num-
ber of German printers, some of whom
published as many as sixteen German
editions of the Bible before Luther
was even born, and these, too, We're all
printed and distributed at the instiga-
ton of the bishops of the church, he
declared. No less than Il hundred
Latin editions of the Bible We're pub
lished before Luther's time, and a copy
of an edition published and distributed
the year the reformer was born, the
bishop said, he has in his own library.
That man stood up in q pulpit in
this city" said the bishop, "and made
these statements to an audience which
/ have no doubt swallowed down every
word, but l am glad to say that repre-
sentative Protestant scholars do not ap-
prove of such absurd notions. 1t is the
old, old story that has grown thread
bare from use, the story that the Cath
olic church has always been the enemy
of the scriptures. On the contrary, II
it had not been for the Catholic church
and her Christian monks of the middle
ages, we would have no Bible today"
Spirit of Intolerance.
The bishop expressed his gratitica-
tion at the growing spirit of tolerance
among Protestants and their growing
desire to seek after the real truth re-
garding Catholic doctrines and dogmas
He told a story of young Boston
woman of education whom he met on
the steamer when he last crossed the
ocean and who defined an indulgence
as "a permission to commit sim" He
expressed satisfaction at the fact that
this altogether erroneous idea was in
stantly corrected by a Methodist cler-
gyman before he could say a word.
The bishop announced in conclusion
that he sails the first of the year for
Egypt and will visit Rome during the
celebration of Pope Leo's twentieth
anniversary In March. He hoped To be