FATHER AMANDOLINI AND SOCIALISM.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 269, 2 April 1898, Page 2

FATHER AMANDOLINI AND SOCIALISM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lt is quite cvideat from what lias appeared in print, elsewhere, than in the columns of your journal, that the delicate sarcasm underlying Father Amandoliui's claim to make Saint Benedict the patron Saint of New ZealaDd, has not gone without recognition. The Socialism sought to be introduced into this colony iscleariy of that character which the Rev. Father and the heads of his church denominate " pestilent," aod from which Saint Benedict, if he deserves half the good things said of him, would tarn away in unaffected disgust. This is the Socialism of Henry George, of New - Australia Lane, and of certaiu regenerators nearer home : Possibly it was the belief of the late Mr Ballauce, but happily for all of us, that lamented politician, his colleagues and successors were restrained by some lingering remnant of common sense (or was it of humour?) from committing themselves to a policy of fatuity. I say happily, because it is quite within the bounds of belief that a policy of Socialism might, in those wild whooping days of democratic victory, have gained a partial footiug, and because success in that direction, however trivial, would have made necessary the work —always painful—of undoing. Every student of history knows that this is the invariable order of events. Society has had reason to congratulate itself when the inevitable reaction has produced simply the statin quo ante, aud not the Man on Horse* back.

Father Amandolini has adopted the just tone for dealing with the Socialistic chimera as we know it. In New Zealand at any rate we may well afford to smile good-naturedly at a little thing about which Bacon aud More permitted themselves to make fanciful speculations in moments of philosophic leisure. It is quite true that our good friends who would enforce the Golden Rule by Act of Parliament would build a constitution on the lines of Utopia. But they are perfectly harmless now, these people, even in France. Twice or thrice in that land of social experiments the amiable beings who call themselves '* advanced reformers " have obtained a free hand, and the only practical use (and a very excellent one) they have made of their opportunity has been to abolish one another, in the manner rendered immortal by the Kilkenny Cats.

The Roman Catholic Church is the steadfast opponeut of the Socialism of Poor Conrad (Dcr Arme Kunz) of Marat, Robespierre and Co , and of Henry George and Merrie England ; and though there are some conflicting issues which cannot be touched upon in the limits of this letter, the church's opposition is a righteous one. In this counection, at all events, she is on the aide of decency, honesty, aud orderly government. Whatever we may think of the monastic lie—and everything depends upon the point of view—there seems little doubt, from the instances adduced by Father Amandolini, and from a hundred others much stronger that lie refrains from bringing forward, that the communistic life is possible only with religious brotherhoods. But the application of the conventual priuciple, however ex emplary within limits, must not be pushed too far. Even the Rev. Father must admit that its merits as a colonising agent are not preeminent. The Hon. John McKenz e would see less in it than the Rev. Mr Malthus, for instance.— Yours, etc., • X. Cambridge, March 30th.

TO THE KDITOE, Sin,—l have read with the greatest pleasure the very excellent and able sermon preached at St. Mary's Church, Hamilton, by the Rev. Father Amaudolini. The sermon is written in a liberal and brotherly spirit and is worthy of the most serious thought. Socialism is a great question, anl has had a great deal to do witli our political life for the last seveu or eight years. The Rev. Father very truly says there are two kinds, the one good and the other a fraud. This being the case it is clearly the duty of all ministers of religion to encourage the one and denounce the other. I was much interested in the very able manner the Rev. Father handled his subject. Throughout his discourse his arguments were most convincing. There are two classes of people the discourse will not satisfy, some will hold that it docs not go far euough and others that it goes too far. These extremists rolled into one are only a small section of humanity. Moderate thinkers will say a good case has been made out. I beg to tender my best thauUs to the rev. gentleman for delivering such an able sermon and to you for publishing it.—l am, etc., W. Steele. P. S.—Would it not be well to the rev. gentleman's permission to publish it as a pamphlet and distribute it far and wide.