CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 263, 5 November 1872, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

« SCIENCE OF CONFESSION." ' : To the Edecob ov the Nelson Evening Mail Sib — Sometime last week, I read in your columns a letter signed ''Paterfamilias;" at first I thought the best answer would be to treat it with contempt, so I did. But, since, I have been asked by several parties, for the sake of the ignorant and credulous, to pass my remarks upon it. In order, therefore, to comply with their wishes, I will remark, first, that "Paterfamilias'Msnotsomuchto blame for writing such a letter as the Evening Mail is to publish it. In fact, what is the utility for the public here to know what a priest, 16 thousand miles far away, has done ? Wi>at has his criminal conduct to do with us, here in Nelson ? That priest has disgraced himself and the body to which he belongs; and ten years' imprisonment with hard labor, served him right. Will "Paterfamilias'- say that, because, in London, a husband murdered ' his wife and children, wives and children here in Nelson, should look put because they live in the company of their bushands? Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones to others ; to find scandals there is no need to go so far; only remember what happened here in Nelson amongst another body of Christians, two or three years ago, also in Wellington, Auckland, &c; as a confirmation of what ,1 say read the address of , the Bishop of Nelson at the Synod a few weeks ago, when lie said "they had had in the colony several :" examples of persons, both worthy and unworthy, utterly uneuited to.the requirements of New Zealand clerical work." Such examples because frequent amongst other bodjes are scarcely taken notice of, but let a single scandal take place in France amongst a clergy composed of about 40,tK)0 , priests, or Jn, Germany , where there are 60,000 of them, such a 'Scan'darisißure"!'^'''^^' taken, up and publißhed foveii" and^over,,>gaiii b%: all the : -i\ papeirs^iToimd-^tfiX^drid.' This , surely sho^s that euchrßcandalß must be of a very mo?ofecurr^^ prof ■aretel^W^^^y^'^ notice /v^buldhe ;^firt^^s;;being;a*ma!^ 'of oonrse^^ ?-i [^^^^^i^oßm^t;' whio^J : ? % ilas^!4ißpSafesj!t: o|l,ia -^prwst ~fcomniitted-::---vliVe^|ia^f i|^ha^m^re : |re^n j tbanjpioe J

supposed to have been enacted from Rome? Has the challenge I mode then, when I said, **-Idefy you" to produce the formu- , laries of-excommumcation which you have' produced,*' been ever answered? Further on, a spurious discourse of Bishop Strossmayer, purporting to be a condemnation of tbe Papal infallibility, was published in your columns, bub you had to contradict your statement by the denial of Bishop Crock, of Auckland, who assisted at. the Couucil. And now, after "Paterfamilias" has been begging the public of Nelson, even more, a ticket-bolder in "Art Union Societies," to secure him such a precious prize as that of the " Science of Confession," and has failed in bis search to find it, he must be convinced that such n work, if it exists, must be one of those forgeries and fabrications which can well rank with those of •• Marie Monk," or the "Treaty of Dens' Theology." Hence passed experience has taught us that falsehoods of a most odious character are reproduced in this hemisphere through the medium of your paper; therefore we can with safety deny them in toto. That a journalist will caution the public against real dangers and denounce delinquents when their guilt is established, is quite right; but to expose before the public accusations on mere imaginary grounds, made for tbe purpose of ioj tiring St Mary's Schools here in Nelson, is doing a great injustice *o the accused, and create unnecessary strife and party where charity should exist. I am, &c, A. M. 'Gains. Nelson, Nov. 4, 1872. P.S. As "Paterfamilias" did not succeed in finding our. the "Science. of confession" I shall be very happy to furnish him with tbe "Guide of Confessors" as a substitute, or any other Catholic standard works which I have got in my possession. A. M. G. [Father Garin considers that we were to blame in publishing the letter of " Paterfamilias." We reply that, being in possession of tbe writer's name, we had every reason to believe, and still think, that his communication was written in perfect bona Jides, and not with the mere inteotiou of casting a slur upon the Roman Catholic priesthood. We do not identify ourselves with his statements or fears any more than we do with Father Garin's strong declamations and violent language. We have allowed " Paterfamilias " to express his* fears, and to ask for information, and Father Garin to reply, and here the correspondence must cease. If Father Garin would permit us, we could point to another letter of more recent date than that of " Paterfamilias," or the reply to it published last Thursday, in which "charity should exist," but does not. — Ed N.EM.'] For continuation of 'news see p. 4 and supplement.