The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-11-14
BEAR NOT FALSE WITNESS.


First Baptist church in this city. has
added his name to the list of those
who seek to injure the Catholic
Church through calumny. He has
written Il book in which he publishes
Il letter alleged to have been written
by Archbishop Ireland. This alleged
letter is Il curse said to have been
pronounced by the archbishop against
Il man who dropped his studies for
the Catholic priesthood to embrace
Professionalism. The language attribut-
cd to the archbishop is so incorporate
that ii is impossible that any one of
any intelligence would believe that il,
Ireland. Mr.. Riley's book was evil
IDENTIFY published to supply Il craving.
which exists in certain quarters. There
are two classes of nnti-CathOlics,
against whom all honest people should
he constantly on their guard. The one
class consists of alleged eN-prieStS
posters who are in the business for
what there is in it. They are irrcS-
pOnSible libelerS and defHmerS who
manufacture and supply their goods
to all who are willing to pay there
for. They are conscious and drliber-
ate liars who earn their living through
and by their tlrpitude. The second
class is Il much larger one. consisting
of those intolernntS who are ever
ready to- believe amy calullny against
the Catholic Church or it's priesthood
This latter class is the more danger
GUS. because much larger and more
ignorant and less conscious of their
evil Influence than the first. With this
class Mr.. Riley must he placed. Over
his own hand through the newspapers
lir convicts himself as being one of
that class who is ready to believe any
evil charge uttered against the Church
or it's ministers. without investigation
and without vcriticatOn. Father Gull
len of the immaculate Conception
church was authorized to deny the
authenticity Of the letter attributed to
the archbishop. and did so in an open
letter. Mr.. Riley then comes to his
own defense in the following Ian
g,lnge:
''!'he article from the pen of Rev.
Thomas Il. Cullen. published in your
columns October 3Oth. has reached me
here. He correctly quotes from my
volume 'Nagaries and Verities.
Evangelist IIouser wrote with his own
hand the letter published in that vol
umr. and said it WAS an exact copy of
what bishop Ireland sent him when
lie decided to give up the priesthood
for which he was preparing and enter
the Protestant ministry.
Il have in my possession this letter
Per three reasons never doubted
its authenticity. First. lccause lIOus-
or is highly esteemed Ivy good men
With whom he has held meetings as IL
man of God. and minister of the Cos
pei. II seems incredible that he would
forge and distribute such Il libel. Sec
ment impressed me. 1t sounded so
like other ;lnithemnS that have pro-
ceedc,l from this intolcrablc inStitu-
ton. Third it is in accord with the
articles of faith which are adopted by
RomnnistS."
1t will he noted that Mr.. Riley in
the first place admits that he never
SAW the original letter hut only
copy thereof. No better example of
the crululouS intoler,nt could he
given. No court of law would receive
Il copy of letter in evidence. unless
it were first made to appear that the
original was lost or could not he pro-
duced. But. further than this. Mr.
Riley does not know that what he re-
ceivcu from Mr.. HOuSer was Il copy
of anything. He says Mr.. uouser
said ii WAS Il copy. SO that the first
sentence of Mr.. Riley's defense con-
talnS two hcnrsay statements. 1t does
therefore not appear that there was
any original letter. or that the paper
which Mr.. Riley received was copy
of anything. AS his first reason for
believing the letter to be authentic.
because Houser is highly esteemed
by good men with whom he has held
meetings as a man of God and a min-F
lister of the gospel" it will be noted