THE LONDON 'TIMES' ON LORD RIPON'S CONVERSION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 90, 16 January 1875, Page 9

THE LONDON 'TIMES' ON LORD RIPON'S CONVERSION.

Auckland. - When the news of Lord Bipon's conversion first reached this colony some months ago I took the liberty to make some remarks on it, a portion of which I notice are confirmed by an article of the London 'Times' on the same subject. Indeed, from what the 'Times' says, it seems to be felt that the event referred to is one of the most important of any affecting the fortunes of the Roman Catholic Chtirch which has occurred in England for many years. " Lord Ripon, it must be owned," says the • Times,' "is no ordinary convert. He is one of the leading noblemen of England, who has discharged high political functions, and might have been called to discharge them again. But," he adds, " a statesman who becomes a convert to Eoman Catholicism forfeits at once the confidence of the English people." Very likely for a time, but he may regain their confidence. The English people have great confidence in just and honest men, whether they be Catholics or Protestants. In the political honesty and sense of justice of the ' Times ' they have but

small confidence. "To become a Roman Catholic and remain a thorough Englishman are, it cannot be disguised," says the * Times/ " almost incompatible conditions." This is sheer clap-trap and nonsense, unworthy of the ' Times.' The ' Times ' knows that some of Ihe most eminent patriots, sovereigns, statesmen, scholars, warriors, and philosophers whom England has ever seen have been "bom and brought up in the Roman Catholic faith, and that the foundations and most solid and enduring portions of that glorious temple of liberty, •' The British Constitution," were constructed by Catholic, and not by Protestant, hands. Tali of Catholicism being " un-English," indeed ! The ' Times ' consoles, or tries to console, himself and friends with the reflection that, after all, Lord Ripon is but one — a " stray peer " — who has gone over to Rome. His conversion presents but " a melancholy spectacle " at best, and nothing more. It indicates something like an aberration of mind. If the editor of the ' Times ' had ventured on such a foolish and ill-bred remark in the House of Lords, or at any public meeting, he would* have elicited loud cries of " Oh. ! oh !" But if the Earl of Grosvenor and the Duke of Leeds have since gone over to Rome, as reported in the New Zealand Tablet of last week, what will the • Times * then say about " stray peers." I was confident, when I heard of Lord Ripon's conversion, that many other members of the English aristocracy would soon follow his example. We have, in fact, only seen the beginning of this Catholic movement in the English peerage, The ' Times ' had better give in with a good grace at once, and not talk any more stuff and nonsense about " Btray peers," Catholicism being " un-English," and conversions indicating a disease of the mind. The thunder of the Vatican is stronger than the thunder of Printing-house Square after all. What will the hunchback national jester, Mr Punch, say to all this ? The creature's venom will overflow, and he will slaver with passion and grin more broadly than ever. But these wonderful conversions are no fit subjects for jibes and taunts by Roman Catholics at the expense of their Protestant neighbors. They are the fruit of God's grace, and not of men's power. It is gratifying to Roman Catholics doubtless to see men of wealth, high rank, and commanding abilities like Lord Ripon giving in their adhesion to the Church. In spite of many obstacles ; yet we do not require to be told that the soul of the humblest of the people is of as much value, in the sight of God, as the soul of Lord Ripon or the Queen herself. The Chucrh has, of late, made signal conquests among the Anglican clergy and the English peerage. I confess I would like to see her conquer some of the eminent members of the Fourth Estate — the editor of the ' Otago Guardian,' for instance. Their turn will come next. Come it will, for they, I believe, are men of good- will, and it is quite possible that Lord Ripon at one time may have felt and spoken against the Catholic Church as strongly as ever they have done. The Catholic Church in England has long been povertystruck and crippled in her operations from want of funds ; but now she is likely to be relieved from her wants so far as money can supply them. When the Church has rich sons and daughters she will never be poor ; but riches are dangerous even to the Church. The Church in England knows that to her cost, and is likely to make a better use of her riches in our day than she did in times past. I notice Lord Ripon has just given .£5,000 as a donation to the new Catholic College at Kensington. Gocd Catholics are liberal to G-od's Church and his poor, not only in life but also in death. Lord Dunraven is a remarkable instance. His religious and charitable bequests were princely. When Queen Victoria, whom God long preserve, is called away to exchange an eait'aly for an heavenly crown, I qtiestion whether she will leave as much for pious and charitable purposes, as Lord Dunraven did. In reading the " Probates of Wills," I have often been struck at the very very small amount which the owners of all the millions of cash bequeathed in these wills have left for religious or charitable uses — a sum, -which, take a collectively, is not worth naming. Yet the pauperism of England is a national scandal, and so is the wan of the means of religious instruction for the English poor. Now that wealthy Englishmen are becoming Catholics, these scandals, it is hoped, wilLbe removed by degrees. That cannot be done of a sudden, for these scandals are the growth of three centuries — co-evil with the birth of Protestantism. In no country in the world probably, Christian or pagan, does paxiperisni appear in a more forbidding form than in England, and nowhere does it trust so much to popular demoralisation. Yet " the poor law system "is eminently Protestant and English. The Archbishop of Westminster lately mentioned that since he formally placed his diocese under the patronage of the Sacred Heart he had received for his people most liberal gifts in money. There may be, who knows, some connection between this pious act of the Archbishop and these recent gratifying conversions among the " Barons bold " of England. For myself, I nfay say that these conversions are specially gratifying to me who often repeat Cardinal Wiseman's " Litany for the Conversion of England," which I hope many others besides me in New Zealand recite and will continue to recite.

A Deadly Spring. — A writer in the Colusa" (California) 'Independent' Bays :—": — " About half a mile over a mountain from Bartlctt Springs there is what is called the Gas Spring. This is probably the greatest curiosity of the mountains. The water is ice-cold, but babbling and foaming as if boiled, and the greatest wonder is the inevitable destruction of life produced by inhaling the gas. No live thing is to /be found within a circuit of 100 yards near the spring. The very birds if they happen to fly over it drop dead. We experimented with a lizard on its destructive properties by holding it a few feet above the water ; it stretched dead in two minutes. It will kill a human being in twenty minutes. We stood over it about five minutes, when a dull, heavy, aching sensation crept over us, and our eyes began to swim. The gas which escapes here is the rankest kind of