The Washington herald., 1909-11-08

Kew John FdnQleyt a WeAl-Al4VWl 4 S-'''-
ist missionary, preaching IN St AIMS (
Church. Tennallytown, yesterday morn /
ing, reviewed the case OF Prof Ferrer. |
who was executed in Spain last month. /
He declared II is impossible 10 bring for
ward the slightest particle Of proof that
the church had any responsibility for Fer
rer's death.
Father Handley was the guest yester-
day Of Rev Joseph Mallon, pastor Of st. /
AIMS Church. 1t was in the course Of a [
sermon he preached at the late mass that
no came TO the defense Of the church
against the imputations which have been
made against II in connection with the
death of Ferrer.
What are the facts Of the case?' said
Father Handley. 1--WE know that some
! forty years ago Francis Ferrer was born
OF good Catholic Spanish parents Of the
humber class; that he was until fourteen
/ years Of age q most devout Catholic. even
/ q mystic. so great was his devotion 70
prayer; that he was led astray into doubts
which speedily became violent atheism
/ by a bad book; that he affiliated himself
/ with organized opposition 20 the church
/ and government while still a youth; that
/ he perverted good Catholic girl who
had been iutrusted 10 him as a pupil.
married her. and on her early death inner
tied her fortune of $4,000. with which he
capitalized his system Of modern or lay
schools. which ne attempted 70 spread
over the whole OF Spain.
No God, No Christ.
Newspapers with no Catholic bias. Ike
the Paris Temps and the London Times.
have published the alleged prospectus Of
these schools IL euunciates such prln-
ciples as the following: There is no God,
no Christ. no future state In order 10
build up a new civilization we must de-
stroy everything government. the arts
tocracy. the middle classes, and, above
all the church
I'VE can only judge Of the truth OF
this report by its agreement with other
facts. which are known 90 be true. con-
corning this comparatively obscure man,
for his followers deny the commences Of
the prospectus. Similar Judgment Is 10
be entertained concerning "a revolutionary
programme for aboushing government
rooms iu typewriung. and annotated,
according 20 experts. In his own hand
writing discriminating correspondence
with notorious European anarchists was
also adduced as found among his e.
fects
Last summer, when the campaign
against the RIMS in Morocco had drawn
practically all the garrisons from the
vicinity. riots broke out In Barcelona.
.Fcrrcr was I'm Barcelona shortly before
the outbreak Immediately after troops
entered the city and established law and
order he was arrested on a country road
attempting 10 make his escape from the
town Fifteen witnesses swore he had
made efforts 10 stir mp men in the sub
Iurbs 20 i0in the rioters, and that ne had
instigated the burning Of the converts.
Three testified that they had seen him
leading groups OF rioters. During the
twenrv-eieht DAYS allowed by the military
code for presenting testimony IN favor OF
[. the accused. nobody offered him any
/ help"
Having reviewed the hostile outbreaks
, throughout Europe against the Spanish
government and the church. following
Ferrers execution. the speaker said,
The Church Attacked.
Spain and the church in this country
there have been many public meetings
and many perfervid utterances. one OF
c these was held in Pythian Temple IL
washington. last Monday night II seems
\ from the newspaper reports that th'
p most enthusiastic feature Of this large
gathering consisted in denunciauons OF
. the church At every such reference the
IS audience cheerel the speaker 10 the echo
= AT times the applause was SO prolonged
\ he was prevented from making himself
/, heard Enemies Of the church attacked 4
violently in Barcelona, accused th'
C church OF the inevitable consequences o.
their own misdeeds. and now are seekins
7, 70 punish the church cor IL Throughout
C the civilized world.
&c 1T is impossible to bring forward th'
i slightest particle Of proof that the churci
= had any responsibility for Ferrer's eXecu
- ton because nothing OF the kind exists
y ! While Ferrer's life hung IN the balance
a Cardinal CasanaS. Of Barcelona, wrote q
=. the King begging that his life be spared
3. AT the hour Of execution the Cathoh
Brothers Of Peace and Charity, piou
organization. attended him and did VIVA
\. they could 20 prepare him for the end
4 But he contemptuously rejected all Ties
Offices Of Christian love.
n Asks the Reason.
The London Times asks what has Sc
8; all these ant-Catholic and anti-Spanis
demonstrations in motion together? 'Thes
people it says. have not Spontaneously
10 descended into the street to demand ven
seance for the punishment OF an IN
known stranger. When the revolutonar