صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

6

[ocr errors]

and in a tone much altered, as if he had been reprimanded from Rome, replies, The Holy See has kindly interceded for you and desires that you be restored on condition of making an apology for the exposure of your Bishop; I shall comply with their paternal desire provided that you fulfil that condition.' To which I answered, that as a dutiful child of the Church, I shall cheerfully obey any orders or dictates, bearing the signature of the Supreme Pontiff, when I see these orders, or that signature.' 'You shall see it,' continued he, going up stairs as if to fetch the Pope's letter but returning in a few minutes, he said, that he could not find it amongst his papers, but if you sign this formula now,' added be, I will send the letter to your lodging in less than four days.' That formula, which he would have me to sign was a scrap of paper purporting to be an apology in general terms for some mis-statements in my book on usury and in my appeal to Rome. How could I sign a declaration in pursuance of the letter from Rome without seeing that letter, or declare in writing that there were mis-statements either of fact or doctrine in my book, without seeing the mis-statements or knowing in what part of said book or appeal they could be found? No doctrinal error nor perversion of fact was pointed out from that day to this by the Prelate or any other person, in that book or in that appeal.

The above is the sum and substance of our interview. If I distort or mis-state it, the two respectable priests, Messrs. Croke and Scully, who are yet enjoying the blessings of this life, will, of course, rectify the public opinion. It is, I think, conclusive that if the Pope's letter had been in favor of his sentiments on interest or of his treatment towards me, he would have readily published it, and that if he had any proof from Scripture, or from Tradition-Fathers, Popes, or Councils, that interest or the practice of lending money for gain sake was the seed originally sown in the tillage, he would have proclaimed it.

Disappointed in this manner I recrossed the Irish Channel and visited the celebrated Bishop Milner at his house in Wolverhampton, who, after a close perusal of my book and Dimissorials, said that he admired my zeal and perseverence, that he was also adverse to interest; and that he would gladly employ me on the mission had

not my case been submitted to the Holy See; but that as I had no decision from them, he should not think of harboring me without the special permission of my Bishop. He accordingly wrote to Ireland for that permission; directing me to lodge meantime in the tavern and to board with himself. Bishop Coppinger's answer, which arrived after the lapse of twelve days, was substantially the same that you will see by and by coming from him to Bishop Poynter; with this only difference that he told Doctor Milner of my distress in Rome-how I had to subsist on the daily bounty of His Holiness. As if afflictions, privations and even mendacity were not honorable when endured for justice sake. Did he not by proclaiming my sufferings for the sake of the truth, proclaim the triumph of religion? Had I obtained wealth, ease, or dignity from my opposition to usury, my conduct would be imputed to worldly motives; but when I have gained but dangers by land and by sea; shipwreck twice; anxiety in the city and in the wilderness; treason from friends, contempt from foes; distress, hunger and thirst; cold and nakedness; fear without and weakness within, my opposition to it must be imputed to other motives—to faith, by which Abraham looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God; to faith according to which the Fathers died, not having received the promise, but beholding them afar off and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth; to faith whereby the dying Joseph made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones; to faith by which Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the son of Pharaoh's daughter; to that faith whereby he left Egypt not fearing the fierceness of the king.

[ocr errors]

'My dear Bishop,' said I to my venerable host, as he has not granted our request I am still doomed to travel.' 'I am sorry for it,' replied the saintly Prelate, and slipping a sum of money into my side pocket he added, have the goodness to take with you this testimonial of my esteem.' Let the testimonial speak for it self.

"The bearer of this, namely, the Rev. Jer. O'Callaghan, a Priest of the dio. cese of Cloyne, having resided and said Mass in this town during the last fortnight, appears to me an intelligent, pious, zealous, and orthodox Clergy

tman, and is under no censure, as his letters of exeat, and other private letters from Bishop Coppinger to me, the undersigned, prove. Wolverhampton Oct. 10, 1825.

JOHN MILNER.

Bish. of Castab. Vic. Apos. Mid. Dist.

Whilst I was taking the round from London to Cork, and thence to Wolverhampton the Hon. William Cobbett, whose friendship and bounty is heretofore acknowledged, wrote after me to Ireland a most affectionate invitation to come and undertake the classical education of his sons, whom he intended for the bar; although his invitation overtook me not there, nor did I hear of it until I paid him a personal visit after my arrival from Wolverhampton. He took me in, when others threw me out; here at least, after having passed through oceans of troubles, my foot gained a resting place; if rest it could be called for a Priest where he is not permitted to offer up sacrifices, as for the people, so also for himself. The following letter closed a lengthened epistolary correspondence with the late Bishop Poynter on that subject.

"Rev. Sir,

“4, Castle Street, Holborn, Dec. 22, 1825.

"As you referred me to your own Bishop, I will give you an extract of his answer dated Cove, 6th November, 1825.

6

Extravagant as are the sentiments of Mr. O'Callaghan upon legal interest, and our oath of allegiance, he was left in the quiet possession of them as long as he kept his mind to himself; but when he would dogmatize from the altar, and suffer persons to die without the rites of the church, merely for having taken interest, and for refusing to refund the interest received, I could not with safety employ him. He demanded an exeat, he got one; he went to France, but was not permitted to say mass there; he proceeded to America, where he was equally discountenanced. He then became an author, and, in his book upon usury, he gibbets me as a merciless usurer, though I never received a shilling interest in the whole course of my life. When, in Napoleon's time, we were precluded education upon the continent, it was proposed here to build a diocesan seminary. Among the subscribers was a Rev. Daniel Burke, P. P., of Ross, who gave four hundred pounds;

but, being old and infirm, he required towards his support the interest of that sum during his life. The money was lent to a Mr. Hill, on the joint security of a Mr. Olden, in Cove. They passed their bond, and paid him, through me, the interest while he lived. At his death, the project of our seminary being relinquished, I handed this bond to Burke's successor, as an aid towards building a chapel in the parish where that money was collected, and had thenceforward no more to do with it. Compare this fact, My Dear Lord, with the calumnies of Mr. O'Callaghan's book, (page 52, &c.,) and judge whether he was not bound to publish an ample retractation. He went to Rome to complain of me; he was dis countenanced, and not allowed to say mass. Cardinal Samaglia interceded for him, assuring me of his regret for having calumniated his Bishop. I agreed to take him back, but still he persisted. He applied then to Dr. Milner, who wrote to me, and was answered as your Lordship now is.

WM. COPPINGER.'

"My duty, Sir, requires that I should have a testimonial in your favor from your own Bishop, before I allow you to say Mass in the London District. I cannot consider the letter I have received from Dr. Coppinger as such. I am sorry, therefore, that it is out of my power to accede to your request. Rev. Sir, &c.

To the Rev. Jer. O'Callaghan,

WILLIAM POYNTER, V. G.

Kensington.

Lond. Dist.

Whereas Bishop Coppinger's letter, which I have just inserted, is the clearest index of his sentiments upon interest in general, and upon my case, in particular, every man who takes any interest in the disputed question, will certainly peruse it with attention. Would that I could conceal, not expose the foibles of my spiritual father, lest scandal may arise from the exposure. But as a question of faith and morals that will interest posterity to the end of time, is at stake, It is far better to permit the scandal to arise than to relinquish the truth:' Decret. Greg. De Regulis Juris. See also B. Greg. Hom. 7 in Ezech.

6

Alas! what a melancholy instance of human frailty his letter presents. After having through inadvertence, or some other fatality drifted upon the ocean, he has now, when reminded of his error, no plank to sieze upon, no sacred rule to steer by, not one word for self-defence, no palliation for his mistake, if no compromise or apology can be exacted from my distress and difficulties. What compromise or apology could I make, whilst his own letter concedes all, and even more than I had charged upon him? First, the passage in that letter, Compare this fact, my lord, with the calumnies in page 52, of Mr. O'Callaghan's book, and judge whether he was not bound to make an ample retraction,' would lead the cursory reader to think that there is some slander in that 52nd page. But by examining the three foregoing editions, no imputation whatever, upon his character will be found in that page. Where then are the charges, to which he alludes, found? I have never preferred any other charges against him, than the three that are inserted in my Appeal to Pope Pius VII., which appeal will be seen in the sequel. Here they are.

I had charged him first, with having deprived me in 1819, because I would not minister the sacraments to a dying usurer; secondly, with tolerating the practice of usury in his diocese ; and thirdly, with lending at interest, £400 to a Mr. Olde.

Behold my charges. If they, or any of them were false, or exaggerated they could be easily refuted; particularly, as they were not levelled upon any portion of his private life, but upon his public and official conduct, where hundreds of tongues and pens would be in readiness to defend him; nor did I prefer them against him in a foreign land, or unknown to him; but at home, in his own diocese, and to his own knowledge; for my book containing the charges, was extensively circulated in the County and City of Cork; and a copy of it was handed by me even to the Prelate himself.

My first charge declares that he had caused my suspension to be read to a numerous congregation in the parish Church of Ross Carberry for no other crime than that I had refused the

« السابقةمتابعة »