The Irish standard., 1906-12-22

sense of that much abused term. His
liberalism was as far removed from
laxism on the one hand as it was from
rigorism on the other. He foresaw the
glorius future awaiting the Church in
this young Republic, and the important
part which the real missionaries Of the
Countrywide Religious Orders-were
expected to play in the great religious
drama, but he knew that the best
possibilities could not be realized by
them unless through the cultivation
Of those virtues which even st. Paul
found it incumbent upon himself to
practice whilst he preached to others.
He therefore insisted on the strict ob-
servance of the essentials OF conven-
tual life in all the houses; but, with
regard to the minor details, he would
defer to our American customs and
ways of thinking. The visitation Of
Father Burke not only resulted in the
"observantiae regulars incrementum,"
but gave prestige to the Order in the
United States. 4
His subsequent career in America,
brief, though it was. forms one Of the
brightest pages in the history Of the
young American Church. But the
event which brought Father Burke
prominently before the general public
in America and crowned his fame was
his memorable controversy with tho
English historian, James Anthony
Froude. Mr.. Froude had come to this
country-it was more than suspected,
at the expense of the British Govern
ment-to counteract the rapidly in
crcasing sympathy Of America with
the Home Rule movement in Ireland
He had already attained a prominent
position in English literature. Pos
sessed of facile pen, a graceful styla,
a fertile imagination, and a Lax lit
erary conscience, he had carefully pre-
pared a. series of lectures designed to
show that Ireland is incapable of SELF
government, and that her own best
interests require continuation of TIL .
Union with England. 1t is no dispar-
agement to others TO say that there
was not, perhaps, in all America an
other man so we'll equipped for an en-
counter with the English historian,
and SO thoroughly qualified to ex-
pose his mis- statements, as was Faith
er Burke. Prominent Irtshmen, both
lay and clerical, besought him at once
to answer .Froude. At first he. de-
INJURED; but so strong was the pres
sure brought to bear upon him that
he finally consented. The following
extract from q letter written at this
time to the Prior Of st. Roses Convent
throws a little light ON the situation:
my dear -: I would have been
with you before this but for these
Froude lectures which was obliged
to undertake. shall be in Louisville
for the list of December, and at st.
Roses on the End or 3rd. I
am as anxious as you are to meet you,
but these blessed or cursed lectures
have ruined me.
Ever aff'y yours,
..-..,.-. -. CT. BURKE, o. p"
Here are two points Of interest: first
that he was "obliged' to undertake
the Froude lectures, and, secondly, that
he attached little Importance to them
apart from the inconvenience which
they caused him. But the American
public did not regard them SO lightly.
Never was an audience aroused to q
higher. pitch of enthusiasm than that
which thrilled and electrified his hear
ers on the occasions Of those memoir
able and mastery orations. The defeat
Of the British historian at the hands
of the Irish friar was simply over.
whelnling. Mr.. Froude and his Anglo.
maniac supporters were driven igno-
miniously from the field. The two
contestants had appealed to the Amer
lean public for a verdict, and the
Louisville Courier Journal. fairly rep.
resenting the American press, said, ir
all,lsion to his appeal. I'VE have read
Ireland's Case Stated by Mr.. jaime:
Anthony Froude, and We have alst
read Father Tom Burke's lecture ir
reply, and our verdict is that Mr.
F'roude had better telegraph to James
Anthony to quit and come home!'
When at he close of Father Burke's
last lecture, Father STAIRS moved =
vote of thanks to the eloquent Domin.
ican, the wild scene of approval wlaicl
greeted the Vicar Generals motor
must have inclined Father Burke tt
modify his declaration that the Froude
lectures had ruined him.
To say that Father Burke bore hi;
honors meekly is to give only an i'm.
perfect idea OF the man; he seemed
not to notice them at all. For the hon.