The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-11-19
BEFORE A PAGAN IunGE-


The church of Kidangur, British In
ola, has the distinction of having been
built from foundation TO roof in the
course of q single night. The need of
the church was not so pressing as to
demand such desperate haste. but
could not be ignored namely. the OPP
position of the Hindoos, who were very
numerous, while the Catholics were a
mere handful. The Hindoos were
quite irritated by the presence Of the
church, and were not soothed by the
thought of how it had been raised
while they were asleep. They petit
toned the government for its removal
and searched the statutes for some
means of outwitting the Catholics, but
as their efforts were fruitless they
brought q criminal charge against
them. The facts of the case were as
follows:
A Hindoo of the Nayar caste owned
some land adjacent TO the site of the
church. During a recent survey of the
district q part of the church property
was surveyed as forming part of the
Nayars land. This was, however, un-
known to both parties; but at the time
of their Investigations TO get up
case, someone probably with access to
the governments records discovered
the point, and a criminal case was
brought forward by the Nayar. The
Indictment was that the Christians had
forcibly and by night trespassed upon
the property and had built a church
there. The accused were the Rev.
Thomas Mapiledeth, who had been de-
puted by the bishop to say the first
mass there. and seven of the neigh
boring Catholics.
The Tahsildar began the trial. After
two hearings the priest was acquitted.
but the seven parishioners were only
let out on bail. The circumstances of
the case and the nature of the trial
ere such that the Catholics had every
reason to fear the worst. Some inn
portant documents produced by the
claimant. the fury of the Brahmins
and of the various castles, the aid CIV
en- by the pleaders of the Talug, with
one exception. the remarks of the Tah-
sildar when the case was being tried.
all these seemed to point TO an I'M
favorable verdict The one hopeful
consideration was that the Tahsildar.
although of the Nyar caste. had
proved himself a just and unpreju-
diced man.
Every morning during the trial mass
was sung in the new church. and this
was followed by the recital of the
Rosary. to ask the protection of Our
Lady Help of Christians.
On the last day of the trial. when
the pleader for the accused closed his
speech, the Tahsildar made such Sc
we're reflections on the case that the
accused and their party thought there
was no hope. The seven defendants
returned IL the church and promised
seven masses in honor of the Seven
Dolores of Our Lady. 1t followed, of
course. that if they were condemned,
the church would have to be removed,
and there was little chance of estab-
fishing another in Kidangur.
On the following day. when the de-
cision was to be given, a great number
of Christians attended the mass and
rosary. and several went TO holy COM
munion. The Tahsildar appeared in
court Although the pleader for the
repeatedly urged him, he
would not proceed to give judgment in
this case. A huge crowd had gath
cred. the accused were at last called,
and excitement was intense.
In his summing up the Tahsildar
reviewed the facts of the case, while
the Hindoos looked on in exultation
like so many shylocks awaiting Anto-
MOS sentence. And in fact the end of
the case was similar TO that, for in
acquitting the seven accused the Tah-
sildar remarked that the whole accu-
sation was merely got up on account
of the Hindoo feeling against the new
church. The case was thus quietly
terminated.
The promises were kept by the ac-
cused. and the Feast of Our Lady of
Christians was celebrated with great
reioicing.-America.