FATHER BERNARD VAUGHAN IN TOKIO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1746, 10 May 1913, Page 9

FATHER BERNARD VAUGHAN IN TOKIO.

A DISTINGUISHED GATHERING.

A correspondent, writing to "Tho Tablet (London) froln Tolrio, says: "To the readers of "Tho Tablet" it will bo of interest to hear something about the lectures given by Father Bernard Vaughan to the University students of Tokio and at the Peers' Club. Tho lectures will long be remembered as a splendid success of the distinguished English orator m the capital of lie Far Eastern ally to England, ft was for the first timo nllowcd to a representative of tho Catholic Church to address tho students in tho halls of their universities. But above all it may be called attention to the fact that never before tho Catholic- Church had been represented in Japan before sncli a distinguished gathering of Japanese nobilitv as that united in the Peers' Club. It was his Highness Prince Tokugawa, President of tho House of Peers, who exerted himself to give to the gathering a great splendour. Prince Tokugawa, as you know, is the heir' of that great family of regents who governed the Japan Empire until 18G7, whilst the Emperor was kept in a golden custody. It was this very family that had persecuted, from 1013 on, tho Catholic Church, and put to death so many Fathers. And now it was the direct heir and representative of this princely house who thanked the, brother of thoss who once had been persecuted, for the excellent speech he had delivered to Japanese nobility.' If this does honour to the orator, it. does much honour to the distinguished President o' the Peers' Club, who invited the Father to lecture. Tho action, on the part of the President may truly be called a triumph of Japanese chivalry. Old Japan has beep,buried, and with old Japan the lawsionce-piachig under capital'punishment the profession of Catholic faith. A new Japan has arisen—tho empire of the rising sun of liberty. Prince Tokugawa thanking the Father for his spe»eh is the most noble illustration, of this resurrection of Japan as tho empire of the rising sun of liberty and pro.?ro« Although I am writing a very poor Enelisb, I could not refrain from calling tho editor's attention to those lectures, that do honour both to the English orator and to the representatives of the Catholic Church."