BISHOP COWIE, AND TRACT DISTRIBUTING.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 37, 10 January 1874, Page 9

BISHOP COWIE, AND TRACT DISTRIBUTING.

IHG CATHOLIC AND PfIOTESTANT PfIESS When Catholic principles or practices are publicly misrepresented as they often are, by obscure, vulgar, or illiterate persons, we have 'not much reason to complain ; but it is different when this is done by persons of education, and who from their office or social position are hkely to possess considerable influence on the public mind In this behalf I beg to submit for publication the following statements ■— Some months ago an anglican clergyman, the Rev. Mr Ashwell Taupin, Waikato, lelt at , my residence a certain -tract," written by a clergyman, the Rev. M. Taylor, M. D., in which it was stated in the most positive and unqualified terras that the Church of Rome nrohibited the laity from reading the Bible or Word of God As a lav Catholic I was annojed at seeing a statement so grossly at variance with the truth circulated in my neighborhood, and I wrote a note to Mr Ashwell, pointing out the inaccuracy of such an ass«,(ion, and the injury such a misrepresentation was likely to do to his Catholic nei«»li. bors. Ho had thus wronged us publicly, and it was to be nersumed uudosignedly. He was thereforo bound as a m<tn of honor to make reparation ; but he had not even the common politeness to notion or reply to my note. I therefore brought the matter to the notice of ins

superior Bishop Cowie. The Bishop wrote me a very courteous note. He oould not be responsible for Mr Ashwell's '« opinions." In reply I took the liberty to say that I did not presume to question the correctness of any of Mr Ashwell's "opinions"; what I complained of was that he had circulated a« matter of fact what was diametrically opposed to fact. I wished to know if Mr Ashwell was doing this with the knowledge and consent of Bishop Cowie, his e.-clesiustical superior. I received no reply to this note ; there the matter dropped. I must sjy I expected better things of Bishop Cowie ; of Mr Ashwelt I did not expect much and I was not greatly disappointed. I need not inform your Catholic "readers, though it may be necessary for the information of Protestants, that the Holy Bible— Douai version—is publicly sold for Catholic use, in the Catholic booksellers" shops, throughout the United Kingdom and America, as well as elsewhere; nay even in Auckland itself, in Protestant shops, with permission of the authorities of the Catholic Church ; that under the same authority English Bibles are supplied officially to Catholic soldiers m H.M. army whenever they may wish to have the book; a lact of which Bishop Cowie as an ex a-my chaplain could not well be ignorant. Moreover, in a certain manual of devotion in general use among English speaking lay Catholics, there is nn express exhortation to read » portion of the Bible daily. If Mr Ashwell and Bishop Cowie did not know of this they might have known and ought to have known it. 1 heir ignorance Beems culpable. On the other hand, if they were acquainted with it how are we to explain their publishing what I complained of, or refusing to retract or make reparation for the public wrong done I shall send a copy of this number of your paper to Mr Ashwelj and Bishop Cowie, so that they may have an opportunity of explaining themselves, if they see fit, through jour paper, or otherwise. I shall, moreover send a copy tD some Protestant friends of mine, neighbors of Mr Ashwell, and who kuow of the correspondence referred to, and were at a loss how to account for Mr Ashwell and Bishop Cowie s line of conduct on the occasion. The 'Daily Southern Cross/ and Waikato Times,' for reasons best known to themselves, declined to publish the particulars. Mr Ashwell, Bishop Cowie, and the newspapers named, are, or ought to be, the best judges of their owu conduct and best acquainted with their own motives. I censure them not; but leave the whole matter to the judgment of " thoge whom it may concern " among the public. I should have said also, that in the English version of the Douai aible, is prebxed a missive from one of the popes, not only permitting, but actually urging Catholics to read the Bible. This may be news to Bishop Cowie, Mr Ashwell and others, member* of" the Bible bociety. Iv common fairness they should announce the fact on the } I itform at the next general meeting of the Bible Society in Auckland, and thr Ous h their "tracts" circulated in the district. lhe above incident furnishes one of the many proofs of the necessity of our having a Catholic press here, as elsewhere. Protestants in Jingland and the British colonies, up to the present date, have had all tbe power of the press in their own hands. They have used it mo-t unsparingly, often most unjustly and craftily, as in the present case, to injure the credit of the Catholics. This state of tilings is drawing to a close. But as it is we must yet suffer much at the hands of the Protestant press. Our Protestant neighbors have at present wealth and numbers on their side, aud thousands or millions who now sco me labored— often wilful— calumnies and misrepresentations of the frotestant press against us will never see the replies in the Catholic press. We may say the Catholic press as at, instrument of power and tor training purposes among English speaking Catholics is, iv our day yet m its infancy It is advaucing, however, to a giant's estate, ani rapidly too, and will ore long use a giant's strength. The press, we know, is by birth a Catholic institution ; and the present Pope is a great patron of sound Catholic newspapers. " Circulate correct Catholic information, is hi* constant advice to the newspaper pres<, an adv.ee which the great London bully of the press, in Printing-house square, might condescend to follow with advantage to his own credifor veracity.— Correspondent.