The Irish standard., 1902-07-05

Lie itltef named DOOk IS III use Ill
the city training school, where fully
one-third of the pupils are Catholics,
and this is even worse, if possible,
than Mr.. Seeley's effort. Painter says:
'"The Reformation of the sixteenth
century is the greatest of any in the
modern history. Its vast influence on
human development is surpassed only
by the coming OF Christ. 1t marks the
close of long, dark night and dates
new era in human progress"
"Infidelity prevailed in the highest
ranks of the church; Christianity was
despised as a superstition, immortality
abounded in the most shameful FORMS"
'"The monasteries at this period had
sunk to a wretched condition. They
had become nests of ignorance and de-
pravity, sensual indulgences had dulled
| the intellect and broken the energies
of the body. The monks had a pleas
ant time OF it, says Luther; every
brother had two cans Ct beer and a
quart Of wine for supper. With gin
gerbread to make him take to his
liquor kindly. Thus the poor things
come to look like fiery angels
'"The protligacy, gross ignorance
coarse gulttony and blind fanaticisln
of the monks.
Ignorance and vice existed in the
monasteries. The same unnatural and
ruinous elements We're found in all
ranks OF the church 1t was Il time
of great moral AMI intellectual degen-
eracy. Learning had u.ed cut among
the clergy; superstition and ignorance
characterized the masses.
| Nothing was taught in the umiversi-
ties and converts but to become block
heads.
The remark that Pope Leo X. is
said to have made TO Cardinal Bembo
we'll accords With the prevailing spirit
of the time: All the world knows
how profitable this fable of Christ has
been to u.s.
"The fundamental principles Of Prot
estantism are Favorable to education
Professionalism is the friend of univer-
sal learning.
'The Jesuit system of education was
necessarily narrow. 1t sought snowy
results with which to dazzle the world.
\ well rounded development was
nothing; religious pride and intolerance
We're fostered while our baser feelings
We're highly stimulated. the noblcr side
CT our nature was wholly, neglected:
love of country, fidelity to friends, no
bleness of character, enthusiasm for
beautiful ideas We're insidiously sup
pressed, love of truth for it's own sake
was not merely neglected, it was sup
pressed by the Jesuit system"
There is an extract fr,m Painters
history of education. This is a sample
children taught. This is the history
OF education against which it is not
right for us to raise our V ices.
l have no intention II of affirming that
there were not in the church at this
time things which were unfortunate
and scandalous, but they We're the ex.
ception. l have no intention Of deny.
ing that there are now things in the
church which are unfortunate and
scandalous, but they are the eX
ception, and a man who pretends to
write a history and dwells en- such
exceptions as these is a scavenger.
To prove that the centuries before
the Reformation were centuries of en-
lightenment and learning l would re
fer you to some Of the following Prot
estant writer's:
Mrs jameson asserts: I'VE know
that but for the monks the light OF
liberty, literature and science had beer
eXtinguished forever
The English Protestant bishop. Tan
ner, declares that ''tile mOnasteries
were schools of learning and education
and without expense to those whc
learned"
Edmund Burke wrote: ITO the spir
it of the Catholic church and to the