The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-06-23
BISHOP MFAUl
ELAB0RATES TALK
ON UNIVERSITIES.
Points Out Groundwork on
Which He Built Critical
Address.
SAYS PRESS REPORTS
WERE CORRECT IN MAIN
Declares That Religion and
Morality Are Giving Away
Before Modernism.

DekOIe mOueTniSm. :
When a STAR reporter questioned
Bishop James Al. McFaul regarding his
reported remarks made at the fifty
ninth annual commencement of the
College of st. Francis Xavier, New
York, and inquired whether he had
made the address attributed to him by
the press, he replied hat the report
was substantially correct~ with some
color of sensationalism.
His subject was ''The Apostolate of
the Laity," and he urged the young
graduates to leaven the mass of So
ciety, especially Catholics. so that they
might take a more active interest in
civil, social and religious affairs. He
maintained that 1t was only by the
hierarchy and the laity working TN
unity and with energy that the pros
perity and perpetuity Of church and
state could be maintained with such
authority and influence upon society as
to produce the best results.
What he said regarding the American
universities was somewhat exaggerated
by the press; nevertheless, he holds that
it cannot be denied that some Of them
are worthy Of the greatest censure by
reason of their positive and negative
teachings which tend to undermine
Christianity and morality.
Analysis of Ethics.
The bishop said that his arguments
were based upon an article published
in the May Cosmopolitan, and entitled
blasting at the Rock Of Ages" by
Harold Bolce. Mr.. Bolce refers to such
institutions as Harvard, Yale, Prince
ton, the University of Pennsylvania, the
George Washington University, William
and Mary College, the University of
Chicago, Columbia University, Syracuse
University and the University of Cali
forpia, and he says that his Information
regarding the teachings of the unfver-
sites has been obtained from attend
ing lectures, from interviews with mem-
bers of the faculties and from consult
ing. the typewritten or printed records
of what is taught In those institutions.
He adds that he heard all The multi
pick issues of morality. as well as the
important problems Of political econ
omy-marriage, divorce, the home, re-
ligion and democracy-aIl subjected to
a merciless analysis, as if they were
mere fossils, g~astropods, ~vertebrates.
equations, chemical elements o. chi-
meras.
Quotes from magazine. )
The editor Of the Cosmopolitan, in a
note, sums up the entire article Of Mr..
Bolce as follows; 'This Is the first Of
a series of articles by Mr.. Bolce, who
has now completed a study of Amer
lean colleges extending over two years.
What Mr.. Bolce sets down here is Of
the most astounding character. Out Of
dynamic movement is ~upheaving an
Client foundations, and promising a way
for revolutionary thought and life.
Those who are not in close touch with
the great colleges of the country will be
astonished to learn the creeds being
fostered by the faculties of u great
universities In hundreds of class
rooms it is being taught there daily
that the decalogue Is no more sacred
than q syllabus: that the home as an
t--4.kf~~ e l1Nx.o1. +1o< khoro -
no absolute evils; that immortality Is
simply an act of contravention of So
c1ety's accepted standards: that de-
mocracy is a failure. and h Declara-
ton of Independence only spectacular
rhetoric; that the change from n re-
ligion to another is like getting a new
hat; that moral precepts are passing
shibboleths; that conceptions Of right
and wrong are as unstable as styles Of
dress; that wide stairways are open be-
tween social levels. but that to the
climber children are membranes;
that the sole effect of proligacy is to
fill tiny graves; and that there can be
and are holier alliances without the
marriage bond than within it. These
are some of the revolutionary and sem
sational teachings submitted with
academic warrant to the minds of hun
dreds of thousands of students in the
United States. 1t is time that the pub
lie realized what is being taught to the
youth of this country. The social
question of today said DisraelL IS
only a zephyr which rustles the leaves,
but will soon become a hurricane 1t
is a dull ear that cannot hear the NUT
terings of the coming storm"