ST. JOSEPH'S CLUB. DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 18, 1 May 1902, Page 20

ST. JOSEPH'S CLUB. DUNEDIN.

THfc winle» session of St. Joseph's Club was opened in St. Joseph's Hall, Duneain, on tnday evening, with an excellent and varied programme, the principal item of which was a lecture by the president, the Rev. Father Murphy, Adm. There was a large and appreciative audience, who thoroughly enjoyed the programme, and nearly all contributing to the musical portion of it were hoaored with encores. The rev. lecturer took for his subject 'Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, whose career, he said, was of especial interest at the present time, as her cause was just now before the authorities in Rome for canonisation Father Murphy briefly sketched the state of France during tbe time of what was known as the 100 years' war. The state of France was then deplorable in the extreme. This war K7nTn?V Edward 111. of England and Philip of Valois, King of France. To add to her other troubles, wheu this war had been in progress for about ten years, France was visited by that terrible pestilence known as the biaok death. Philip died in 1350, and was succeeded by John, surnamed the Good, to which title hie life gave the he At the battle of Poitiers the French army was defeated, and John was taken prisoner and removed to England The victory of Poitiers was followed by a truce which lasted for two ?e? ca ™ ° h ? as BUCceeded by Charles V., who renewed nostilities in ldOO .and in a few years England, whose dominion extended from the Loire to the Pyrenees, was nearly stripped of all her conquests. Charles V. died in 13cN0, and he was succeeded by Charles VI lowards the close of his reign Charles VI. became hopelessly insane' and whilst m thib state the kingdom was torn by miserable factions' Henry V., who was then King of England, considered the time opportune for reviving the claim of his ancestor, Edward 111 to the throne of France. He invaded France with 30,000 men and met the French under the Duke of Orleans at Adncourt where he gained a decisive victory. Soon after King Henry entered the city of Iroyes, then the residence of the French Court, and, throu-h the instrumentality ot the Duke of Burgundy, was acknowledged heir and regent of the kingdom of France Henry died in the height of his career, and ou his death the Duke of Belford was appointed regent of France. The dc«th of the English king had been followed in a short time by that of the French monarch who was succeeded by the Dauphin, under the title of Charles VII At this period the English were masters of Paris and all the northern provinoi sof France. They weie making preparations to cross the Loire and attack the French king on his own ground. It was about this time that Joan of Arc appetred upon the scene It was on January (5, 1412, that Joan of Arc was born. Her parents had not much of the wealth of this world, but they were good Christians and devout Catholics, and they insti led into her mind those virtues which distinguished her during her career. At the age of 13 she had a vision m which she was told that she was to be the liberator of her country, and the King of France would be crowned at Rheum. Four years afterwards she had another vision of the same nature. After in:my rebuils she at length succeeded in convincing the authorities that her vision was genuine, and she procured an ii t^rview with Charles, whom she recognised in the midst of his courtiers although she had never seen him before. She piomisid to relieve Orleans, which was then closely beseiged by tbe Engl'-h, and have the king crowned at Rheimo. To convince him ot the nenuinet-es-s of her vi-ion she told him of a secret which was known to himself alone. This showed Charles that she w,.s divinely inspired. An ecclesiastical court inquired into her claim, and they recommended that she should be allowed to carry out her proposal-. Clad in armor she headed the troops, and succeeded in awakening in them an enthusiasm which nothing could resist. The siege of Oi leans was raised, after which she marched to Rheiins and assisted at the coronation of the king on July 10, 1429. At this juncture the tide had turned against the enemies of her country and her mission being fulfilled she entreated to be suffered to return to her former o' scurity. This, however, was not allowed, and at the king's request she consented to remain with the army. Early in the following year, whilst leading a sortie at the siege of Compicigne she was taken prisoner by the English and carried to Rouen, where she wa3 tried on charges of sorcery and witchcraft by a court which was presided over by the Bishop of Beauvais, and condemned to be burned at the stake. The cruel sentence, which was as great a disgrace to her own countrymen as to her cfiptors, was executed on May 30. 1431. ' O Rouen I Rouen !' she exclaimed as she arrived at the place of execution, ' ia it here I am about to die ?' She expired embracing the crucifix ; and a few years later her sentence of condemnation was solemnly reversed by the authority of the Popo. The Misses S. and N. Hall contributed a faultlessly played pianoforte selection, and ajted as accompanists during the evening Songs were given by Messrs. J. T. Hussey and D. S. Columb, which were encored. Mr. J. Hally gave a humorous reading, and Mr. Mackersey contributed a tenor horn solo tor which he was recalled. Mr. W. H. Haydon, jun., amused the audience with a clever exhibition of conjuring, the items being neatly and cleverly per-fiTß-ed. At the conclusion of the performance Mr. Haydon jun. (\icc-pre B ident), thanked the Rev. Father Murphy for his interesting lecture, the ladies and gentlemen who had contributed items, and the audience for their attendance.