Cardinal Manning.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 19 January 1892, Page 3

Cardinal Manning.

In our last issue we recorded the death at London at the ripe age of 84 years, of His Eminence Henry Edward, Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Westminister. He was born in Herefordshire on the 15th x July 1808, educated at Harrow and where he became Fellow of Merton College. In 1840 he was Archdeacon of the English Church, in Chichester. In 1851 he joined the Roman Catholic Church. He had to live down, by years of hard work, the prejudice which existed in the English mind against every representative of the Holy See. An appreciative writer, and one who knew him well thus sums up his knowledge of him : — I have met many men of all sorts and conditions, and I have known intimately some of the foremost of our time. Among all I have never ■J> met anyone who was more tolerant of differences of opinion, more charitable in his construction of motives, and more staunch and true when you needed help of any kind that was within his power to render than Cardinal Manning. He has always been good and kind, faithful alike in reproof and encouragement, a true friend in every time of need. Unlike most Roman ecclesiastics, Cardinal Manning had the advantage of having lived in the ordinary human relations. When he spoke of the home as the sacred foundation of society, he differed from the normal priest who by the conditions of his calling is homeless and wifeless. Cardinal Manning had been married. He had a home. His love for children was with him an abiding passion.

A truer patriot never breathed English air. Whether it was the strengthening of the navy, the defeat of the Channel tunnel, the development of the volunteers, the cheapening of postage over sea, or the advocacy of Imperial Federation, the Cardinal's help could always b<? counted on. In the abolition of slavery, the suppression of the slave trade, the prevention of the sale of drink to the Native races, the Cardinal was always "to the fore. The Cardinal was in favour of the denominational schools of England being placed on the same footing as the Reformatory or Industrial schools. He won^ have had them placed under tferinspeotion and visitation of the County Councils in all matters relating to the education, the sanitary state, and well being of the children, in return for the privilege of sharing in the rates. Next to education the cause of temperance laid nearest to his heart.

The writer mentions the speculations as to the figure which the Cardinal will make in history, and he concludes :-rI prefer to think of him as the loving-hearted old man, who, when his heart is filled with ecstacy after a meditation on the life and love of our Lord, feels impelled to go forth among the crowds of children playing in the London parks, and silently blesses them in the name of Him who said " Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven."