120 SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION: V 



natural ([ucstion, '' Then wliy dun't you say so in 

 your pulpits? " to which inquiry I heard no 

 rei)ly. 



In fact the clergy are at present divisihle into 

 three sections: an immense body who are ig- 

 norant and speak out; a small proportion who 

 know and are silent; and a minute minority who 

 know and speak according to their knowledge. 

 By the clergy, I mean especially the Protestant 

 clergy. Our great antagonist — I speak as a man 

 of science — the Roman Catholic Church, the one 

 great spiritual organisation which is able to resist, 

 and must, as a matter of life and death, resist, the 

 progress of science and modern civilisation, man- 

 ages her aiTairs much better. 



It was my fortune some time ago to pay a visit 

 to one of the most important of the institutions 

 in which the clergy of the Roman Catholic 

 Church in these islands are trained; and it 

 seemed to me that the difference between these 

 men and the comfortable champions of Angli- 

 canism and of Dissent, was comparable to the 

 difference between our gallant Volunteers and the 

 trained veterans of Xapoleon's Old Guard. 



The Catholic priest is trained to know his 

 business, and do it effectually. The professors of 

 the college in question, learned, zealous, and 

 determined men, permitted me to speak frankly 

 with them. We talked like outjiosts of opposed 

 armies during a truce — as friendly enemies; and 



