Modern Paridels

New Zealand Tablet, 20 December 1906, Page 9

Modern Paridels

Pope in his, '.Dunciad.'. his, J pity_.upoii.th&. > .. easyj-goi'iig, inactive Paridel, who wore away the days of his useless life ' r' , >• ' ' Stretched on the rack of a too easy chair,'* vV < and suffering tJ , . „.;_ . -" ' The paiiis ".and '"penalties- of idleness.',.- ' "X*\< An indignant- lay writer in our. esteemed contemporary, the ' Outlook^ seems to regard the non-Catholic clergy \\x thi'spColdny/ as modern Paridels. But he pours neithejc , -b^iiiscjnu nor pity upon their nodding heads, t ' '-They.,' bemqai£', .says he, ' the fact that", the Churches \ have, np'fr-'bes jarred themselves '■ (in- the matter of im- . par ting : religious- instruction in the schools.) ; ' and, lest \ the_; Chufcheslsho.uld awake ami- ,ask theijninisters to do * tlie ' "work Joi^wMdi they specially exist," 'they lull them10. sleep , the t 'sounder. Our Torres Vedras ! I think ' 'the event Jii%nglish history which it most resembles is Byng's" affair *at Minorca. .. . Do the. ministers of Church in New .Zealand think that they" are . fulfilling Christ's last command with" reference to ."the> children^ at their own doors? --Why do- they '-not take^iip thiss work— a work, g really far more important than Sunday. , t schools and leinio"n"s ?' If other things must go- inor-^ der that thß young W taught, let them go". """"All other things .are^ small compared with;- this. I read that Paul tali g-h^f, daily in. the school of; one Tyrannus, and the result's of that teaching affect the world to the present day.' ' ' ' v - - . Marsh-weed's grow -best' in stagnant pools. ' Aivcl_dis^ orders '"grow fast 'arid rank where zeal for the little ones has become stagnant and sluggardisedr We Catholics realise better- than " -others the tremendous perils* 'and- 4 : the hdgh possiWlities -of' child-life. WeJ: know— and act ' ■upon the knowledge— that work among*. Christ's little . ones is even ' more important than Sunday schools and sermons'. \|e 'try as , best .we may •to- imitate jt'he 1 example. . given-. -.by- Sfr. Paul-Mn. the school of "Tyrannus.t And we leave, the rest to> God, hoping , that with His blessing the results, of that teaching ' will ' affect th|^ world '-, botlj. to-day and to-morrow and -in all the days to c,o-me. .^Ve.'.^toil on,-. hopeful- that our long and loyal and patriotic-; labors-tor ; the highest interest s- ■• of I'M&'s State will jrcceive due - recognition at its handsaw hen; the presentt»fad of s-ecularist-'piiblic instruction,' our^in- v> s heritance frQm.-the B'rencli s Revolution, has run its e\tl course. But whatever time and circumstance -may- sendj*our duty to -Christ's little ones will be carried ; on wit'li ' unflagging zeal.-;. , „ -^ - : ! -'"it mayi riot be -our J lot to wield ,__.. - iit -■ -.y. y ■ -..The -sickle in. the- ripened field'; " ■ -' ~> 7 ours to hear, iv summer eves, The reaper's song among the , sheaves,^, <&s!*?*&&■ _;,.;< - , .Yet wtier'e our duty's tasft 4s wrought In unison with Gqd'.s great/ thought,, ,„., , «-,..-.- v- , .., -—^-- -The" near' and' future blend in. one, ' I And whatsoe'er is is- done. .1 3.^ ; ** -It 1 is but a -smalt- claim — to-'-liave toiled -in farth"\ and -.hppe for the 'cadserof : Ood. Mf even one of tK^largfer '-"- Ghristian- Churches in" Zealand rose from .jits ignoble : easy chair^and-. did* the one-foalf of what b their " poorer Catholic ffelloW-Cjblonists liave done Yor the cause "of-, religious education, the school question" in ' New Zea"'land would be solved within three years. \ ' ;.