The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-06-22

A trait Of Filipino character. which
should come first in describing the peo-
pie. is the deep respect felt by the
child for the parent. writes Archbish-
op Harty in the Independent.
The Filipino grows from youth to
manhood. narries and has a family.
but he never gets away from the in
fluence of his own father and his own
mother. If he wishes to take up any
matter of moment. his first counsel
ors are his father and mother. In
travelling through the Islands ! have
frequently encountered young men
bright young men from good families
and after the usual civilities have
often said. What career do you pro-
answer has been. Il must consult my
father before I can give you a reply"
At the root of this beautiful charac-
teristic OF the Filipino race is the ten
dency to be obedlent to authority.
They recognize without question the
authority of God. Of the parent. of the
priest. and of the state.
This trait, which 7 take to be the
most important feature of the Filipino
character. is the result through all the
years Of the work of the missionaries.
those men who not only had know
edge of physics, philosophy and theol
ogy but were also architects and build
ers advance agents of civilization.
They designed the churches. built the
bridges. constructed the roads. At the
present time In the Philippines you
may see great irrigating works which
were constructed 200 years ago to ir-
rigate arid sections of the country.
The missionaries introduced the null
berry and the indigo plant. and it was
they who brought the domestic animals
to the islands.
The old men Of the religious orders.
now returned to Spain and living in
retirement. ! visited in their monas-
teries on my way to America. Many Of
them had spent from twenty to forty
years in the Philippines. and one aged
Father has been working fifty-three
years In the islands. In one religious
house In Barcelona there are thirty
seven Of these retired missionary
priests. I spent three days among
them. and the pathos of their appeals
to be taken back to the islands to re-
sumo the work which they had former
ly done moved me very deeply. But
their time for work had passed. be-
cause the average age of these mission
aries is seventy-f1ve. Their devotion
to the spiritual needs of those to whom
they had ministered was beautiful.
Their questions were. Are the people
attending the services of the Church :?
Are their children being baptized? Are
| they receiving proper instruction?
What kind of lives are they living?
Material conditions were seldom all
luded to. They forgot these in their
zeal for the souls Of the people.
I was touched by the cordiality with
which these religious in Spain receiv-
ed me. A joint letter expressing their
loyalty was sent to me. upon my ar
rival in Spain, from all the old mis-
sionaries. although I was an entire
stranger to them and had only the
claim Of the faith and of being Bsh-
op from the Philippine Islands. l had
the entree to their hearts. In my con-
versations with them, they spoke of
the United States with such kindness
as surprised me. They draw a very
strong line between Americans in gen
eral and. the politics which they hold
responsible for sending them away,
but for America and the Americans
they have great admiration.
In the diocese Of Manila I have ad-
ministered 100000 combinations in the
! three years that i have been there.
! In explanation. of this number must be