Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 25 September 1913, Page 35

Notes

The Judge and Mr. Leadbeater As we go to press late Indian files bring us a statement of the exact words used by the judge in the Madras High Court case in reference to the now notorious Mr. Leadbeater. The precise words used in the judgment are that Mr. Leadbeater’s opinions are ‘ certainly immoral and such as to unfit him to be the tutor .of boys . . . and render him a highly dangerous associate for children.’ The Bombay Guardian had summarised the judgment as stating that Leadbeater was ‘an immoral person.’ The foregoing represents, presumably, the extent of the ‘ withdrawal ’ by the Press Agency which is referred to by a correspondent elsewhere in this issue. Debate on Catholic Claims The joint committee, consisting of six, representatives of the Australian Catholic Federation and six from the Victorian Scripture Campaign Council, has completed the arrangements for the public debate on the education question to which reference was made in our last week’s issue. . The Auditorium in Collins street, Melbourne, has been engaged for Monday evening, September 29. Mr. T. C. Brennan, LL.B., will represent the Fedetation, and the’ Rev. Joseph Nicholson the Scripture Campaign Council. The Auditorium will seat 2500 people, and exactly that number of tickets have been issued. Half of the supply of tickets will be given to the Federation and half to the Scripture Campaign Council, and the tickets are to be sold at 6d each. After all expenses have been paid, half of the net proceeds will be given to each organisation, to be voted to such public charity as each may determine. Mrs. Besant’s Apology Writing in our issue of September 4 on Mrs. Besant’s extraordinary apology for the immoral teaching given by C. W. Leadbeater to young boys under his chargethat he ‘ had brought the idea over with him from the celibate priesthood of the Anglican High Church and the Roman Catholic’—we expressed the opinion that in due time we would hear that the odious calumny had been straightforwardly and unreservedly withdrawn. This hope has been already at least partially realised. In reply to the ‘ Open Letter ’ addressed to her by 14 Catholic Associations of India and Burma and published in prominent Indian dailies, Mrs. Besant has written; ‘ Gentlemen, —I have never had any idea of bringing any accusation against your clergy. I referred only to the evidence that had been given in the High Court and the Police Court of Madras, and was common knowledge when I wrote. As soon as I knew that what I had said had been misunderstood (I was away in Europe) I wrote saying, “the church is in no way responsible for the advice given by the priests in question.” • These very priests I characterised “men of holy life,” honestly grappling with a terrible problem and seeking to save women from the unbridled passions of men.’ Although the word priests ’ is here used,- the rest of the letter makes it clear that it is Anglican clergy, and not members of the clergy of, the Catholic Church, who are referred to. * Writing in the August Theosophist, in reply to a letter received by her from a Catholic gentleman about the priesthood, Mrs. Besant further says ‘ I thank you for your courteous letter. I quite agree that priests gain power to remain pure through the Holy Sacra- • ment. The point I mentioned was that Mr. Leadbeater learned the advice he has given in a few cases when he was a member of an organisation of priests. “It was not for themselves,” but was an effort to save women from being ruined by the passions of uncontrolled men. I know enough of the priesthood to respect the vast majority of its members as men who lead holy lives. I am sorry that the misunderstanding of what I said

I has caused pain to any.” More than this I cannot say, for to withdraw a charge which I Lave never made would be equivalent to acknowledging that I had made it. I gladly express the regret" for having unwittingly’ caused pain but I never had any intention of attacking your priesthood. I am Irish, I know that the chastity of the Irish peasantry, unequalled in Europe, is (foe to the precedent, the example of the Irish Roman Catholic priesthood. I admire its unselfishness, its devotion, and its self-abnegation, and the innumerable attacks made on me by the Roman Catholic press have never induced me to attack the character of Roman Catholics. The Catholic alone in Western Europe has preserved the training and discipline which develops the saint. Hence, to me, it embodies the highest form of Christianity. ... I hold your church to be absolutely free from any participation in the advice given, or from any approval of it, and I am obliged to you for the opportunity of stating this again.’