atSo'clockatthe sameaddress.Thesmallsumofsixpencewillbechargedforadmissionon bothoccasions. FatherBenedict,O.S.II.,celebrated Mass,andgaveBenedictioninthe afternoonlastSunday. HolyMassto-morrowat9o'clock. Bayswaterat10o'clock;devotionsat Maylandsat4p.m.
"Benjy"
ByA.G.Stevenson.)AREVIEW. Ifthereaderislookingfanovel theoriesinsocialeconomy,orisseekingapanaceafortheillsofmodern civilisation,ormerelyanexciting,sensationalstory,hewillnotfinditin "Benjy."Thebookisprosy,itsplot, likeitssentences,islooselycon.tructed,heldtogetheranyhow.Thereisa multiplicityofcharacters,butinsufficientcharacterisation.Youmeet namesinapassage,butyoucantell onlyfromthecontextthattheyhave beenmentionedbefore.Theauthor hasthepowerofevokingsympathyfor thecharactershelikeshimself,butin morethanoneinstance.theirultimate fateisunsatisfying.WhocanhelpsympathisingwithAdelaideinher strugglewithherfatherandbelieving inherpowers?Howdisappointingis herearlyendtragicend!Washer failureanddeaththepunishmentof herrebelliousness,ordidProvidence mercifullyremoveherfromthemad whirlofalifeofpleasureandluxury thathersuccesswouldhavewonfor her?Wescarcelyhearanythingof Joafterhisgreatspiritualstruggle. True,hebecomesamonk,butthereis scarcelyanyindicationofthefruitfulnessofhisCatholiclife. Thebookmightaswellbyentitled "JohnnyAinsworth"or"Priscilla"as "Benjy."Theauthorreallygivesus thehistoryoftheAinsworthfamily, andthedominatingcharactersarethe fatherandmother.Thereisatremendousvarietyinthedelineationofthe charactersofthenumerouschildren. Onewondershowsomanydifferent typescouldbefoundinonefamily. Butthereisanatmosphereoffresh nessandpuritythroughout"Benjy" thatisuplifting.Themoraltoneis eminentlyhealthy.Itisamodern book,butthereisnoconcessionto modernvoluptuousnessordepravity. TheauthorappealstousbyhissympathywithNature.Ilelovesthe floweringhedge,andthebabbling brook,themistofthehillsandthe songsofthebirdsAndhetakesa verysaneviewoflife.JohnnyAinsworthandPriscillaarenottheideal husbandandwife.Theyaremadeof humanstuff,andaredepictedwithall theirhumanlimitations.Theyhave theirstrugglesandtheirmisunder. standings.But,thoughtheworldmay calltheirmarriageafailure,weare givenapeepintotheinnersanctuary oftheirlives,anddiscoverthattheir soulsbecomeblendedandharmonised bytheverystrugglesanddifficulties theyhavetomeetandthat"forabrief while,atleast,beforetheend,they walkedbeneaththepleachedalleysof theGardenofContentment."
TheaccountoftheconversionofJo andBenjytotheCatholicreligionis verybrief,butitssettingmakesitextremelyeffective.Itwasatmidnight MassatHighSidethatthefinalgrace cametoJo."AndtheMassitself,it seemedtoJo,carriedonandforward thesamegloriousrecollections-the Virginbirth,theIncarnation,the WordmadeFlesh.AsJolistenedto theGloriainExcelsis,the"Interr.i paxheiminibusbonaevoluntatis"of theseyeryangels,whenheheardthe unforgettableappealoftheAgnus Dei,theLambofGod-tearswelled tohiseyes."Exceptforafewpassagessuchas
marredthoughtheybeby herawfulandamusingegotism.Most ofushavelittleornodesiretoheara tenthofwhatsheinsistsontellingus aboutherselfandabouthersuccesses, butnotthelessdoweenjoyreading whatshehastosayofthemanyin. terestingpeopleamongwhomshehas lived.Katharineinherbooksisa terribleperson,butassomanyreally importantmenandwomenhavebeen herfriendsherbooksaboutherself mustbetheworstofher.IntheCatholicWorld,somemonthsago,she wroteacharacteristicsketch,over whichsheputtheheading,"EthinaCarbery."Thereaderhastobearwith theusualTynanesquegarrulousness aboutKatherine's''prettyroom,"her 'bigportraitofmyself,""theoldCrownDerbyfromwhichmyfriendswereto drinktheirtea,"andmuchmoreofthe samesortofharmlesssnobbery.Apart fromallthatKatharinecandescribe herfriendswell,andthearticlein questionisworthwhileforthepicture itgivesusofthegiftedyoungIrish poetesswhowasoneofthepioneers ofSinnFein. AnnaJohnston. EthnaCarberywasthepen-nameof AnnaJohnston,thedaughterofanold BelfastFenian,ofwhomJohnO'Leary approved.HereishowMrs.Hinkson describesavisitorwhomshefound awaitingheronedayinafriend's houseinBelfast:"ItwasAnnaJohnston.talland slender,inagreyfrockandgreyhat. whichexactlybecameher'beautiful fine-grainedskinwiththeunderlying brownnessinit,themassesofwaving brownhairwithhintsofcopperinits abundantcoils,thelargepassionate browneyes. "ShewasveryardentShecertainly hadthecapacityforfriendshipverystrongly;andshebelievedinher friendsimplicitly.Shewasoneof thosefromwhomaffectionirradiated personsandplaces. Shehadasingularlyblamelessandkindlynature.I imaginethatshewasasinnocentasa lamboradaisy.Allkindsoftender illusionsofgirlhoodhungabouther andwereveryalluring. Sheoften hadthelookoflisteningtosomeinwardvoice.Shewasverysimplyreligious,asmostofuswere, believe andhope....Shewasveryfemininein herloveofneedlework,andwhileI satwithidlehands,talkingandlistening,herhandswerebusilyemployed OHoneoranothergiftofneedlework forherfriends." Thisis,indeed,thegirlwhomwe knowfrom"TheFourWindsofEir. inn,"andfrom"ThePassionate Hearts:"thegirltowhom,fromthe abyssofabrokersheart,SeumasMacManusafterwardswrotethatineffably tenderdedicationofaneweditionof herpoems. TheRevival TwentyfiveyearsagotheGaelic LeagueawokethesoulofErin.Asin Forty-Eightthenationalrenascence wasfollowedbyapurelyIrishliterary revivalfromwhichsprangpoemsand playsandstoriesthatwereasintense andaspureastheSaxonliteratureof thesameperiodwasshallowanddecadent.Singeraftersingerawoke andtookupthestrainsofGaelicinspiration!.Yeats,A.E.,AliceMilligan, DoraSigerson,andEthnaCarbery werethefore-runnersofPadraic Pearse.PadraicColum,JamesStephen,andSeumasO'Sullivan.The language,themusic,thesportsofthe Gaelwererevived,andtheimaginationoftheyounggenerationwasfired toafervourwhichhasreacheditsclimaxinourownhour.Yeatscould singthenthatromanticIrelandw deadandgone,andinthegravewitli JohnO'Leary.Yetdidheandhis friendsperformthemiracleofraising Irelandfromthedeadandfittingher towalktheworldasaqueenonce more.Pearse,tocrowntheirwork, byagreatsacrificewashedherclean andmadeherwholewithhisnoble blood,ashefilledherheartwiththe griefandpassionwhichto-daymove humanity.Thenamesofthemthatpreparedthe wayforthetriumphofSinnFeinfall likemusicfromIrishlips,andina veryrealsensetheyformalitanyof pure,unselfish,childlikemartyrscan onisedbyreverentIrishhearts.Among thefirstofthem,andsecondtonone oftheminanysense,wasAnnaJohnston,who,togetherwithAliceMilligan,foundedalittlemagazine,calledthe"ShanVanVocht,"whichmightbe trulyregardedasthemorningstarof thewholerevivalmovement.Inthe darkdaysbeforetheGaelicLeague hadbeenborn,inthedayswhenthe West-BritonsruledIrelandandhad thingstheirownway,thosetwoyoung Ulstergirlswereactuallylayingthe foundationsofthegreatrebirthofthe Irishnation.Withwonderfuldevotion,fornearlyfouryearstheyedited theirpaperandwrotemostofit,workinghardamidallsortsofdiscourage meatsanddifficulties,andsending forthfromtheirlittlecornerofIrelandamessagethatreachedthehearts oftheGaelsallovertheworld.They hadtheirreward,whentheirwork wasdonetheGaelicLeaguewasapowerintheland,apdtherevivalhadbeguninearnest.Inafewwordsthere isEthnaCarbery'sworkforherIreland.Perhapstoknowsomuchabout herwillenableyoutoreadandre-read herpoemswithafullerunderstanding andadeepergratitude.Thepoems arehermessagetous.Alittlevolumecontainsthemall,andnoIrish. manoughttobewithoutthem. HerPoetry. FromwhatwenowknowofEthila Carbery,weshouldexpecthersongsto bevibrantwithpassionatepatriotism, softenedwithsorrow,andsufferingand love,hopeful,exultant,prophetic, spontaneousasthevoiceoftheshepherdboyonJudea'shillsinbygone ages.Herverseswerealmostalllyric, asonemightlookforthisdearIrish song-birdoftherevival.Thefreshnessofheryouthandthelovelinessof hergirlhoodpassedintoherwork, whichwasallgentleandpureandsimpleasathrush'ssong.Shelovedher land,shelovedherhusband,andshe lovedherreligion;andperhapsthis threefoldlove,withmanyvariationson thetheme,maybeassignedasthe dominantnoteofherpoetry.lie whomissedhermost,ashelovedher mostinlife,issurelyfittesttoisiment hernow.Itwasherhusbandwho wroteofher:Loneisthehouseofmylove, Thehousewiththegreendoor Thatopenedtoletmylovein, Andopenedneverbefore. Itshutbehindherthatday; Inmyfaceblewthebitterrain; Icriedaloudatherdoor. Callinghername-invain. OftIwentbackthroughthestorm. Strongtheimpulsethatboreme, Stingingthesleetinmyface, Andchillthewelcomebeforeme. Itopenedbutoncebefore, Onceitwillopenagain, Thehousewiththegreendoor, Andnoiselessboltandchain. Manymyfruitlessjourneys;Yet,sometimesthelightwillburn, Andfriendswatchlateinsmy.house, AndIshallnotreturn. havefoundmywelcome, Andawide-throwngreendoor; AndIwilltarryinmylove'shouse Shutcloseforevermore.
INTERSTATECONFERENCEOF HIBERNIANSOCIETY. Thefollowingtelegraphicmessage wastransmittedlastMondayevening totheInterstalt.,Conferenceofthe HibernianSocietyonbehalfofthelate NationalDirectoryofWesternAustralia:"PeterGaffney, "NationalSecretary, "HibernianConferenre,Brisbane. "FraternalgreetingsfromlateDirectory.Mayyourdeliberations motetheprosperityofourSociety,the advancementofAustralia.thefibera tionsfromaliensruleofouroutraged Motherlandbeyondtheseas. "JAS.S.DOWLING, "PastNationalSecretary." AtthesittingsofthetriennialconferenceoftheHibernianAustralasian CatholicBenefitSocietyinnBrisbaneon Wednesdaylast,asub-committeesubmittedareportdealingwiththemonumentwhichistobeerectedattheFederalcapitalinhonourofthelateCardinalMoran.Thereportsaidthat .thefundsinhandamountedto£524, andtheamountrequiredwas£5,000or £6,000.Itwasrecommendedthata levyof2slidbemadeoneverymember. Amotionwascarriedthat£100begivenbytheNationalDirectorytothe fundandthesub-committee'sreport, embodyingtherecommendationsfora levyonallmembers,wasadopted. AtameetingofthePerthChamber ofCommerceonTuesdayeveninglast thequestionoftheresumptionoftrade withGermanywasdiscussed.Itwas statedduringthediscussionthatAustralianswoolwasbeingsec.'.toGermany fromBradford,manufactured,andre. turned,andthenexportedtoAustralia a,British
whenhispassionsarenotstirredhis tolerationisfrequentlyallthatcould bedesired.Butwhen,undertheinfluenceoffanaticism,heattacksChristianswhoaretooweaktobeableto resisthimsuccessfully,hegivesway completelytomostsavageimpulses. Forabouthalfacenturythehistory ofhisdealingswithArmeniaisastory ofrepeatedandterriblemassacres.The Powersstipulatedforreforms,butthe Turkcultivatedtheartofwardingoff dangerbyexcitingjealousiesbetween them.SofarasEnglandwasconcerned,herpolicywaslargelydominatedbyfearofRussianaggression,and aftertheRusso-Turkishwarshehelped topreventtheimpositionofconditions whichwouldhaverestrainedtheSultanandthePortefromdirectlyencouragingatrocities. Theimmunityfrompunishment whichtheTurkenjoyeddespitehis evildeedsledhimtobelieve,afterhe hadjoinedtheCentralPowersinthe war,thathecouldsafelycarryout schemesfortheexterminationofthe Armenians,"who,naturally',sympathisedwiththeAllies.Ithasrecently beenannouncedauthoritativelythat itwasdiscoveredthatordersweresent fromConstantinopleformassacresof' whichtheArmenianswerevictimsduringthatperiod.Itisestimatedthat between1914and1918over1,000,000 Armeniansweremurderedbythe Turks.Theslaughterwasmostbrutal.Womenandchildrenaswellas themenweremercilesslyputtothe sword.Manyweredrowned.Agreat numberdiedofstarvation.Thosewho escapedhadtostrugglewithbitter wantandmisery.Fromthe"Memoirs ofNaimBey',"whichhavejustbeen published,itappearsthatinJanuary. 1916,TalaatPasha,theTurkishMinisteroftheInterior,wrotetotheGovernmentofAleppo:"WehearthatcertainorphanageswhichhavebeenopenedreceisealsothechildrenoftheArmenians.Weregardthefeedingof DuringthestormonWednesday nighttheelectriclightingservicesat St.Brigid's,WestPerth,wasinterrupted.andbutforthelightsonthealtar andtheintroductionofcandlesthe churchwouldhavebeen
Office"ispreparingforamobilisations inncaseofnecessity."TheTurk, cleverasheis,makesahugemistake if
of
rightto
not onlymen,butalsowomenandchildren. Heisquickenough'torecognisefacts, andwhenhediscoversthattheAllies willstandnononsensehewillbemeek enough.ButisisoftheutmostimportanceandMr.LloydGeorgeshould understandthatthepeopleoftheseislandswillnotbecontenttoallowthe Turktoremain
ingreatanxiety,yourresponsetothisappealfrommysick bed.Helpme,inthenameofGod; freemywillinghandsthatImaydo theworktheLittleFlowerhasdestined forherlittleones!-YoursmostdevotedlyinChrist,