The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-11-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Chief is rot responsible for the
views expressed by correspondents.
Again Mr. Arceneaux.


EDITOR CHIEF:
MIR. j. F. Arceneaux attempts a re-
ply to our recent criticisms upon GER
tain views of his, publicly ex pressed,
aud derogatory to religion. He says
he is mot prejudiced towards the indi-
vidual Catholic, who honestly believes
in his creed; from which we may infer
that he is prejudiced against Catholics
collectively. With the private feelings
of Mr.. Arceneaux, however, we are
not concerned; but, when, of his own
accord, he ventilates opinions CHROME
Gus and injurious to religion, we feel
called upon to intervene.
In his last, the gentleman returns to
the charge in relation to the matter Of
the massacre of Saint Bartholomew
Day. In this connection he says: SIN
a week s time l00,O 900 Protestants were
cut to pieces in different parts of the
kingdom. Our critic will think this an
astonishing statement. And so it is. y
Yes, we do find it astonishing that
any one, pretending to be a student Of
history, should state as a fixed his
torical fact that 100000 were s'ain
during the massacre in question, and
that all the victims were Huguenots.
The American Cyclopedia (Apple,
ton's) has this to say, (vol. 2, p. 348),
on this subject: 1.-THE humber of per-
sons put to death in all France is va
riously stated at 100, 900 to 1900 Tie
former number is doubtless much too
great; the latter much too small Tie
estimate of De Thou. 10000, is prob
ably nearer. the truth. " Again thu
same authority: "But the slaughter
was not confined to them THE Hugue-
nous Many who had grudges II
aveDge, or something to gain by The
death Of others, took occasion to
CRAFTY their malice or cuptdity
We have shown in our prior. COM
municatfon that the church is not re-
sponsible for this massacre, and We
refer to it now merely TO show how re
liable Mr.. Arceneaux is, as his
torian.
The gentleman very kindly refers US
to Fox's History of Martyrdom" for
proofs of papal prosecutions. Mr.. Ar
eeneaux perhaps refers, without seem.
ingly knowing its true name, to John
Fox's "Acta ct Monumental Ecclesiae, /"
commonly known, among Protestants.
as 'Fox's Book of Martyrs If so,
this illustrates the character of the
sources from which our would be
mentor derives historical infol nation.
So palpable are the falsities of the
work just named that even the thor
oughly Anglican and persistently anti
Catholic Encyclopedia Brittauica has
so acknowledge its shortcomings, and
to claim acquittaI for the writer only
against s'the imputation of wilfuj
falsehood.'
''F'or generations, says the ency-
clopedia just named, yo. John Fox,
1.-THE popular conception of popery has
been derived from its melancholy and
bitter pages. It was vigorously at
tackled by Catholic writer's, and its
accuracy in details successfully chal
lenged, even such blunders as indicate
gross over-credality having been eS-
posed; but the honorable lives OF Fox
and his assistants place the work
above the charge of wilful falsehood.
Mr.. Arceneaux flies to the rescue of
the. Albigenses, who were in his esti
nation a blameless people, prosecuted
solely for religions sake. We cite
against his opinion that of Nugent
Robinson, History of the World, vol |
l, p. 302: "In 1900, the Albigenses
came into history. Theytwere a set OF
fanatics, who seem to have held sery
wild and mischievous doctrines. Thell |
perfect ones tortured their bodies
like Hindu fakirs, but the general
mass of the people were utterly Iicen
5ious."
We could cite other authorities
he same effect, did space permit OF
Fere the subject important enough Il
demand it. The history of the church
extends over going on two thousand
ears. She is entitled to be judged
by the g neral outcome,
md not by particular incidents, con-
erning which there are radical differ
noes of opinion. OF all the continents,
europe only. which was and is Chris
ian, has risen from barbarism; Asia,
africa, and also america, letore Co
ambus, have remained savage, or a.
est semi barbarous.
Mr.. Arceneaux gives US the following
it of historical information: In Ire
and, during the reign Of Edward ILL.,,
undreds of Lollards, followers of The {
celebrated refof mer, John de Wyck- r
ffe, were burned at the stake. " If Mr.. !
Ieeneaux will now examine into this b
after, he will fad that the Lollards,
blowers of Wyekliffe, were in Eng
md, not ireland; that Edward Ill.
ed IN 1877, leaving Wyckliffe to
lrviSe him by several years, ano
at he never bothered himself in any !
ay about Lollardy. Aid where does 4
,ur CORES pondent find authority out t
de of john Eek for the statement t
at "hundreGs Of Lollafds b
re buried al the stake. y D
!, afa.rt,,, - u, $40. sir Aroano.,,,v u