The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1888-06-30 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ALBAN'S CHURCH.  LISCARD.  CATHOLICITY AND CIVILISATION.  The Rev. Father Cuthbert Wolsoley, 0.P., preached twice on Sunday at St. Alban's Catholic Church, Liscard. The object of the sermons was to raise funds for the reduction of the debt existing on the church. The Very Rev. Canon Marsden, pastor of the mission, was the celebrant of the Mass Au augmented choir rendered '• Weber's Mass "in a very effective manner; and as an offertory piece Zingarelli.a" Laude.te." The text of Father Wolseley's sermon was, " Truly the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not ' (Genesis). In his evening discourse, the r,v. preacher delivered s lucid and eloquent exposition of the action of the Catholic Church, in maintaining a 1210 standard of morality and civilnation. The text was taken from Isaias "Arise, arise, put on strength, 0 thou arm of the Lord; arise as in the days of old, in the ancient generations. Haat thou not struck the proud one and wounded the dragon? Dealing with the charge so often heard from the mouths of those outside the Catholic Church, that Roman Catholics are priest-ridden, Father Wolseley showed how necessary it is that men should keep before themselves and be guided by a standard of spiritual life so that they may be prevented from falling back into the corruption which flesh is heir to. As a proof of this tendency of unaided nature, the preacher pointed to the horrible excesses preceding the Deluge, and the terrible state of society at the birth of Jesus Christ. Great minds there were in Greece and Rome, but intellectual ability did not suffice to save men from the most terrible disorders. Being devoid of grace and the light of faith, the people gave way to the most shameful passions. St. Paul told as that God delivered them up to a reprobate sense to do those things which are not convenient, "being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers, detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, hatightY, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parentr, foolish, dissolute, without ail ection, without fidelity, without mercy." So greatly opposed was the spirit of the Catholic Church to the spirit of Roman society that the first Christians were compelled to hide themselves in the Catacombs, and from the Colisseum the blood of those who were martyred cried to Heaven for vengeance. The Vandals and the Hans burst in upon the Roman Empire ; Rome was reduced to a heap of ruins, and the Catholic Church came forth from concealment and proceeded with its work. The parity of family life was protected by the marriage bond which could not be broken, and parents were taught to bring up their children as faithful! Christians and good members of society. Soon the monks from the cloisters diffused the blessings of religion and education; schools were built and universities sprang up through• out Evrope, and gradually there arose that civilisation of which we are the heirs. The Church sanctified the heart and impressed upon man his duty to society and the State. At the same time it checked the despotism. 91 absolute monarchs, punishing rulers like Philip Augustus of France and Henry VIII of England for yielding to their passions. Today England was separated from the Catholic Church; but if its greatness was to last it must rest 90 a nobler foundation than the basis of material wealth. The teaching and influence of the , Catholic Church formed the only tree guarantee of national progress and perpetuity. In concluding, the reverend preacher appealed to the congregation to do whatever they could to assist their pastor (Canon hfarulen) snd relieve him from all pecuniary difficulties. The choir then sang Winter's "0 Pasta Bons," after which the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by the Rev. Father Wolseley. There was a large cow gregation both morning and evening.  CHARGE 07 PSIMITTING DRUNKENNEbB.—At the Borough Police Comt yesterday, before Mr. Preston, Win. Henry Fairs, of the Grand Trunk Hotel, Duke street, was chsxged With permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises. It was stated by Inspector McClelland that on Saturday night last he found a man named Bennett in the vaults in a drunken sleep. On being wakened he drank a glue of beer which was on the counter. Mr. Thompson for the defence called evidence to show that the beer belonged to another man who had gone out. It was farther stated that the man Bennett had been up two nights fishing, and was consequently liable to go to sleep. It was however admitted that Bennett had drunk one glass of beer on the premises. Mr. Preston thought the case would be met by the defendant paying the costs, 45.