The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-07-20


possession" holds good in the case
of both parties. An effort is being
made by the Apostolic Delegate, now
in the Islands, to bring the disafTect-
ed back to the mother church: the
native priests wish to be appointed
bishops. All bishops are now Amer
leans. One Of my native teachers ex-
pressed the main idea of the common
people in this CONTROVERSY when he
said that the Independent church is
better for us because it is a Filipino
church, not controlled by foreigners"
The old independence idea you see.
Archbishop Harty, formerly of st.
Louis, is probably the best man the
Pope could have sent to reunite ana
reform the church here. He is COM
r paratiYely young, kind and gentle,yet
with tfrInness to stand by his princi-
pies.
In Pasay, near Manila, where the
writer is stationed, the Roman Cath
olics hold the stone church and con-
vent or priests house, and the indie
! pendents have built themselves a
little chapel of bamboo and nipa
leaves.
The Romans have native priest,
and a young English priest from Aus
tralia has recently been sent to assist
him. We are glad to have this young
man among US as he is very pleasant
hammered and will doubtless do much
good. 4 revolving native Catholic
priest ministers to the Independents
and perhaps one fourth of the popu-
lation adhere tC him. Protestant
services are also conducted in the
open air at intervals and there are
a few adherents but no church build
ing or resident minister.
The educational question, so far as
the Catholic church is concerned,
seems to b still unsettled. In Span
, ish times the town school with its
= two teachers, one for girls and one
for BOYS, was practically under the
direction OF the town priest and re-
ligion was the chief subject taught.
! Our public school system now is en-
, tirelg nODsectarian, though under
t the law any priest may teach or EN-.
} ploy teachers to teach religion in the
school house after the regular lessons.
: / know of none, however. who have
/ awaited themselves of this privilege.
In my town the Roman priest main
tains in his house school of one
| teacher and about sixty pupils who
/ study religion, Spanish and Tagolog
{ the native dialect; also in various
$ parts of the town there are small
similar classes taught usually by old
= women.
e English is the only language taught
S in the government schools. but it is
s not taught in the socalled ''priyate
0 schools" because the teachers" are
4 too ignorant to learn it themselves.
- These church schools in the prov
inces retard greatly the learning OF
Y English and the spread of intelligence
Y generally among the people, because
/ they are so poorly managed that the
: time of their pupils is largely wasted
/, When our schools reopen in June !
: hope to be able to arrange with the
English priests so that all children
J. who desire may attend the public
: school in the forenoon and the churcl
o schools in the afternoon if they de
:. sire.
e Ia our public schools in this towr
e we have only one session a day o
t three and one half hours in the morn
l. ing; in the afternoon the American
d supervising teacher teaches a elias
al composed of the native teachers on,