The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-29
Mgr. Benson Traces Revival Of Church
Tells in Lecture of the Decline and Recovery of Catholicism
 in England

New York. March 29-BefOre an au dience of 1,4OO persons in the grand ballroom of the Hotel Astor last nigh Mgr. Robert Hugh Benson of London son of the late primate of the Churcf of England, who renounced his fath CTS faith and entered the priesthood as a young man, delivered lecture on catholicism He confined him self to a discussion of Catholicism II England, and traced the decline o- Catholic influence from the time ol the Reformation to the beginning o the nineteenth century.
 Catholicism can best be examined in the Anglo-Saxon race," declared Father Benson, because this race above all others, has tried alternative experiments. The Catholic Church iT England has been driven into hole: and corners. Its adherents have beer made the victims of unjust pena laws, and I regret to say that in my country which I love-an vestige o1 these penal laws have not yet disap- peared''
 The speaker explained that the Catholic church was based upon three great fundamental tenets or princi. ples, which, he said, might be enum' erated as the relation of the soul tc God Or personal religion; the relation of groups of men to God, or corpor' ate religion, and the doctrine of jus tification by faith and works.
 After Catholicism had practically disappeared from England" continued Father Benson, there started de- cadence of Protestanism. Later re- vival of Protestantism. Later a re- English people back to these three great tenets, and opened the way fol a return to Catholicism
 The Methodist movement under John Eo a revival of the Catholic tenet of per- sonal religion; the Oxford movement was a renewal of corporate religion and these two forces brought about a development of Professionalism which resulted in a universal acceptance o1 the ethical teaching of justification by faith and works. Thus, the speak ed for the Catholic revival which, he said, is still going on in England to. day.
 This Catholic revival could be recog- nized by the growth of the influence of the Church, and the lecturer cited the speedy settlement expected in the great coal strike as due to Catholic ism, which had labored to bring labor and capital together. Another fac- tor working for the church was that scientific discoveries supported it's teachings, and the world of fact and the world of religion were no longer thought to be separated.
 Scientists now admit,'' he said "that under the force of religious sug- gestion marvellous changes in physical tissue take place-a fact which the Catholic church has proclaimed for nineteen centuries.''
 Catholicism was eminent because it holds the chief principles of all other religions, he said.
 "The time has been in every coun- try in Europe when it's enemies have rejoiced with the cry, Catholicism is dead at last but the story of Cal. vary has been repeated and the church has risen again triumphant from the tomb"
 Alluding to Socialism, the speaker maintained that world movement against religion required a world movement for religion as it's answer This was made possible by the fact that today there existed in the minds of men a better understanding of Catholicism.
 Ignorance is disappearing, especial ly as regards infallibility as a neces. sary adjunct to any idea of revela- tiOn.''