The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-11-25
a NOTED CONVERT

a NOTED CONVERT
From the Roman Catholic Charpf
\ 90 the Protestant Church.
The Associated Press has receiyei
the following. Before giving it publi
catien, its authenticity has been full,
verified by cable from Rome:
,,SS5ss Rome, Oct. 80, 1904. 3.
t"Editor Of the Associated Press:
You have my full permission tC
/ print the enclosed, aud give 1T as wide
publication as possible. =,
Yours truly,
I{Signed) Marquise Des Monsters. =
Dear Elitur: 1t may interest
some OF your readers to know that the
Marquise Des Monstiers, Merlnville,
formerly Miss NJ. G. Caldwell, who, 1t
will aforementioned, founded the Ro-
man Catholic uni yersity at Washing
ten some years ago, has entirely re-
pudiated hgr former creed. In an In
terview with me the other day she
said: Yes, 1t is true that Il have
left the Roman Catholic church.
Since have been living in Europe my
eyes have been opened to what that
church really is, and to its anything
but sanctity. But the trouble goes
much further back than this. Being
naturally religious, my Imagination
was early caught by the idea Of doing
something to lift the church from the
lowly position which 1t occupied In
America, SO thought OF university
or higher school where it's clergy could
be educated, and, if possible, refined.
or course in this way 1 was greatly
!n4uerced by Bishop SpaldiDg of Peo.
ris, who repre- tG to me asone or
the greatest works of the day. When
l was 21, l turned over to them one.
third of my fortune for thatspurpbse.
But for years ] have beeuSffYing to
rid myself Of the subtle yet over.
whelming influence Of church,
which pretends, not only to the priyi-
lege Of being, the only true church, )
but Of being alone able to open the
gates cf heaven to . sor-c%tt9ii, s!!nt..!
world. At last my honest Protestant
blood has asserted itself: and I now
forever repudiate and cast of the
yoke Of Rome So saying the mar
quise politely dismissed tne.
1T will be remembered that Che
Marquise Des Monsters MeIinvllle
and her sister, the Baroness Won Zsd
wit2, are the daughters of the late
Wm. S. Caldwell and his wife, who
was a Breckenridge OF Kentucky.
Shortly before his death Mr.. Caldwell
became convert to Roman Catholi.
cism. and left his children to the care
OF Irish Roman Catholics in New
York, whom his wife had met in
church circles. The younger sister
married some is years ago German
nobleman, Lutheran, and has since
then also left the Roman Catholic
communion, The elder has been in
very bad health for some years frpm
.Os cup a rJion iore tiie
world as a prominent Roman Catholic
which was not real one, aud into
which her extreme generosity led her,
as a young and inexperienced girl
Now at last her own mind has assert
itself and she returns to the creed OF
her ancestors"
Mary GweDdolyn Caldwell is the
daughter Of VIM. Shakespeare Cald-
we'll, who after being a theatrical
manager in England settled in Rich
mond, and eventually made large
fortune in building gas houses in Chi
cago, ST. Louis, Mobile and other
cities. He married Miss Breckenridge.
famous Kentucky beauty. Miss
Caldwell and her sister, Lima, spent
the summers at Newport, where they
had magnificent house and usually
passed part OF the winter, when they
were not abroad, in New York. On
the death Of her father, Miss Caldwell
Inherited 50 100000 and October 10,
1896, she was married to the Marquis
Des Monsters Merinville, a French
noblenan, By Bishop Spaldiug Of Peo-
ria, the guardian and administrator
OF the estate OF Mis-, Caldwell.
At the time OF her marriage Miss
Caldwell was very handsome woman,
about 80 years old, and devoted Ro
man Catholic. She had previously
shown her devotion to the church by
giving $500 900 to found the divinity
college OF the Roman Catholic univer.
sity in Washington. Some seven years
previous to her marriage Miss Cald-
well was engaged to Prince Murat,
grandson OF the king OF Naples. The
engagement was broken because the
prince Insisted that half Of Miss Cald-
wells fortune should be settled upon
him. The divinity Of the Roman
Catholic university In Washington is
known as the Mary GWendolyn Cald.
well Hall Of Divinity.