Jesuits as Scientists.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 14, 3 April 1902, Page 15

Jesuits as Scientists.

In a recent issue of the New York Frcnitu/ Po.it there appeared the following item of news from Cleve l . nd, Ohio :—: — ' A remarkable meteorological observation was made here yesterday by the Rev. Frederick Odenbach, S.J., professor of phyaics in St. Ignatius's College, who paw the great sun circle, or halo, of Hevelius, which, so far as known, has only been observed three times before. Preoeding a period of low barometric pretsure, halos are often noticed about the sun. The commonest of these is one that appears at a distance of 22 dpgree? from the «un. An outer halo, at a distance of 4G degrees, is alto occasionally noted. But the great halo of Hevelius, at a distance of '.>0 degrees, as observed by Professor Odenbach, is a great rarity, and hundred of years may pass^before it is observed again.' And here (saya the Sacred Heart Ifcrii w) is another example of the way those terrible Jesuits have of opposing all learning and all research. The Philippine Commission, composed of Messrs. Schurman, Dewey, Denby, and Worcester, in the introduction to their recently-issued report, say :—: — 'While Mr. Woroester was engaged in gathering information as to the peoples of the Philippines and the physical characteristics and resources of the various islands, members of the Jesuit Order were repeatedly requested to testify before the Commission. It was suggested by chem that such information as they were able to furnish would be of more permanent value if embodied in formal papers upon the various subjects under consideration. An arrangement to this end was accordingly entered into with them by Mr. Worcester, whereby it was agreed that they should furnish treatises on the following subjects: — Orography, hydrography, geognosy, phytography. zoography, climatology, cyclical variation of terrestrial magnetism, seismic foci, ethnography, chorography, state of culture, chronology. . . . The papers as finally received cover a wide field. In many instances the subject-matter and the method employed in treating it had been such that they could be freely translated and utilised as they stood. . . . While the papers on climatology, cyclical variation of terrestrial magnetism, and seismic foci are somewhat technical, the information contained in them is so extensive, detailed, and accurate, and much of it is of so much practical value, that it has been thought it should be published in full, and thus be made available for purposes of reference. ' The Commission wishes to express its indebtedness to the Fathers ot the Jesuit Order at Manila for the whole admirable series of treatises which have made available a large body of information, not a little of which is new, and much of which could not possibly have been gathered by us in the time at our disposal.'