Chapter III: Front Matter (3)

"The great problem is that of combining religions with secular
education. This was no problem sixty or seventy years ago, for
then our people were homogeneous. Now, the population is
heterogeneous. Religious teaching can best be combined with
secular teaching and followed in countries of heterogeneous
population, like Germany, Austria, France and Belgium, where
the government pays for the instruction, and the religious
teachers belonging to different denominations are admitted to
the public schools at fixed times. That is the only way out of
the difficulty.... I see, growing up on every side, parochial
schools--that is, Catholic schools--which take large numbers of
children out of the public schools of the city. That is a great
misfortune, and the remedy is to admit religious instructors to
teach these children in the public schools. This is what is
done in Europe. And all those who are strongly interested in
the successful maintenance of our public school system will
urge the adoption of the method I have described for religious
education."

These are strong words, and coming from such a source cannot fail to have their legitimate result. The fearlessness and sincerity of President Eliot in thus stating his position on this most important subject merits the appreciation of every American, Catholic or Protestant.

We add in connection with the above, the remarks of the _Christian Advocate_, a Protestant paper published at San Francisco, Cal.:--

"The course which the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, in this
country, are taking in regard to the education of children is,
from their standpoint, worthy of praise. They see that in order
to keep their children under the rule of the Church, they must
keep them from the public schools, where they think Protestant
influence predominates. Therefore they are providing for them
in their parochial schools and academies at an extra expense
that does credit to their zeal and devotion. Their plans are
broad, deep and far-reaching, and they are a unit in the
prosecution of them. They are loyal to their convictions,
making everything subservient to the interests of their
religion. Understanding, as they do, the importance of moulding
character in the formative period, they look diligently after
the religious culture of their children. In all this they are
deserving of commendation, and Protestants may receive valuable
hints from them of tenacity of grip and self-denying devotion
to their faith."

An Affecting Incident at Sea.

Seldom have passengers by our great Atlantic steamers witnessed so solemn and impressive a scene as that at which it fell to the lot of the passengers in the outward voyage of the Inman liner, "City of Chester," to assist. It appears that one of the passengers was a Mr. John Enright, a native of Kerry, who, having amassed a fortune in America, had gone to Ireland to take out with him to his home in St. Louis three young nieces who had recently become orphans. During the passage Mr. Enright died from an affection of the heart; and the three little orphans were left once more without a protector. Fortunately there were amongst the passengers the Rev. Father Tobin, of the Cathedral, St. Louis; the Rev. Father Henry, of the Church of St. Laurence O'Toole, St. Louis; and the Rev. Father Clarkson, of New York. Father Henry was the Celebrant of the Mass of Requiem; and Colonel Mapleson and his London Opera Company, who were also on board, volunteered their services for the choir. They chanted, with devotional effect, the _De Profundis_ and the _Miserere_; and Madame Marie Roze sang, "Oh, rest in the Lord," from "Elijah." The bell of the ship was then tolled; and a procession was formed, headed by Captain Condron, of the "City of Chester." The coffin, which was enveloped in the American flag, was borne to the side of the ship, from which it was gently lowered into the sea. The passengers paid every attention to the orphans during the remainder of the voyage, at the termination of which they were forwarded to the residence of their late uncle in St. Louis.

Sing, Sing for Christmas.

Sing, sing for Christmas! Welcome happy day!
For Christ is born our Saviour, to take our sins away;
Sing, sing a joyful song, loud and clear to-day,
To praise our Lord and Saviour, who in the manger lay.

Sing, sing for Christmas! Echo, earth! and cry
Of worship, honor, glory, and praise to God on high;
Sing, sing the joyful song; let it never cease;
Of glory in the highest, on earth good-will to man.

Dead Man's Island.

THE STORY OF AN IRISH COUNTRY TOWN.

T. P. O'CONNOR, M. P.