The Knox Club.—At the inauguration of this Club, it was stated that its aim would be to set Protestantism before Politics. Such would be a very useful line to take at present, but what has the Knox Club been doing? We cannot tell, but one thing is matter of common knowledge, that its Secretary, Mr. F. J. Robertson was very actively engaged in supporting the candidature of Mr. Munro, for the Northern Burghs. Mr. Munro is an out and out Home Ruler, and to the most of us, the Protestantism that can be actively engaged in supporting Home Rule is not worthy of the name. Every one is quite entitled to hold any political opinions he pleases, but we protest against Protestantism and Home Rule being run together.
Catholic Truth Society.—Archbishop Bourne presided last evening at the Half-Yearly Meeting of the Catholic Truth Society, held at Cathedral House, Westminster. A report read by Mr. James Britten, Hon. Secretary, urged very strongly the inadequacy of the support given to the Society, and the want of interest in its work, particularly among wealthy Catholics; while the harmful publications of the rationalist and Protestant Press were disseminated with great activity. Archbishop Bourne said, never was the Catholic Truth Society more necessary than at the present time. They were lulled every now and then into a certain sense of security. They came to imagine that the public press of the country had at last made up its mind to give fair play to the
Catholic Church, and then a moment came, as it came a month ago, when not only the halfpenny press and the catchpenny papers, but the staid and serious Times itself was prepared to use any amount of fables. They therefore wanted the Catholic Truth Society to be ready to stand up in defence of the Catholic Church, and to show that those statements made about it were fables, and nothing else.—Times, 4th November.
The Bishop of London and Archbishop Bourne.—I have only just seen, says Mr. Walsh in the Protestant Times, the Telegraph and Guardian, of 28th September, published at Kingston, Jamaica. It contains a verbatim report of a speech by the Bishop of London, addressed to the Convention of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, in Montreal, on 15th September. Some of the Bishop’s statements are calculated to surprise many of his English followers. Here is one of them:—”At the same time, I ask God to bless all the other denominations with whom we work hand in hand in London. God bless the Roman Catholics. I am indeed glad that they had such success here, but of course they are a mere handful over the water. I invite them to share with me in my work, and I must acknowledge that their Archbishop Bourne is a personal friend of mine, with whom I work hand in hand in London.” Would the Bishop of London say publicly, “God bless the Protestant Societies of London?” I am sure he would not. Yet he is not ashamed to say, not merely, “God bless the Roman Catholics,” but also, “I am glad they have success here”—i.e., in Montreal, where they rule everything. Bishops who love Ritualism generally have a feeling of brotherly sympathy with Roman Catholics.