TheUpliftingoftheSlave
"BymakingFreedompossible, Christianitymadeslaveryimpossible." "ChristianDemocrat,"intheurgan publishedbytheCatoolicSocialGuild, Oxford.havingshownhowtheslavery oftheworkerswasthebasisofthe civilisationofpaganRomeandwas maintainedforcenturiesbyapitiless policyofterrorisation'continues: Christianitydidtwothings:byrats. ingthemoralcharacterofmenitmade themfitforfreedom;byeducating mentoarealisationofthetruedignityofhumanpersonalityitmade thematlastintolerantofslavery.By makingfreedompossibleChristianity madeslaveryimpossible.
whetherbondorfree,addresses proudestpatriciansknelttoreceivethemastersandtellsthemtheymust from
be
to
handstheBodyof
from threatening."knowingthattheLord Thisassertionandexemplificationof spiritualequalityintheveryfirstdaysbothofthemandyouisinHeaven; oftheChurchwasthegreatestofallandthereisnorespectofpersonswith Him." triumphsoverslavery.IttaughttheThe"ApostolicConstitutions,"adocumasterthathewasnomorethana man,andittaughttheslavethathementshowingChristianpraCticeinthe wasnoless.Ingivingtheslavethethirdorfourthcenturies,tellsusofthe consolationsofreligion,thedignityof rulethatwhenaservicewasinproachildofGod,andthehopeofHea-gresstherewastobenointerruption veil.theChurchgavehimwhatwas becauseoftheentryofanymangreat intheworld;butifapoormanora infinitelymorepreciousthaneconomictravellercameinandthsChurchwas freedomorpoliticalliberty..Andthefull,thedeaconshouldendeavourto spiritualexaltationoftheslavewasfindaseatforhim;andthedeaconess not,asatheistsfalselysayofreligionshouldattendtothewomen,whether ameansofdivertinghimfrommaterialrichorpoor.St.JohnChrysostom betterment;onthecontrary,itwasthespeaksoftherichbeingkeptintoe porchoftheChurch,whentheywere onlycatechumens.whiletheirslaves. havingreceipedbaptism,wouldbeinside."Godisnorespectorofpersons," saystheSaint."inHisChurchtherers neitherbondnorfree."
ThegranddoctrineoftheChurch thatunderminedslaverywasthedoctrinethatmenwerebrothers.Our LordhadsaidtoHisdisciples:"Godis yourmasterandyouareallbrethren.AgainHehadsaid:"Anewcommandment1giveuntoyou:thatyoulove oneanother."Thiswasthesupreme socialgospelofChristianity;itwas theChurch'sremedyforsocialevilsin thefirstdaysasitisnow.Wemay regarditastoosimpleortoodifficult, buttheChurchknowsnobetter,and whoevermaydespairofitto-daycannotdenyitsmarvellousregenerative effectsinthepast.St.Paulpreached withflamingfervourtheequalitythat followedfrombrotherhoodwhenhe wrotetotheGalatians:"ThereisneitherJewnorGreek;thereisneither bondnorfree;thereisneithermale norfemale.Foryouareallonein ChristJesus." WhenamasterbecameaChris-San, howcouldheregardhisslaves?Not likeAristotle,as"animatetools,"not liketipeeconomistVarroas"articulate capital."notlikethelawyersassimple propertynotliketheaveragepagan masterasthingstobebought,sold, pairedforbreedingorseparatedfrom familyastheowner'sinterestrequired, driventolabourunderthelashand abandonedwhenwornout.No;the Christianmasterhadtoregardhis slaveashisbrother,ashisequaland perhapshissuperiorbeforeGod.This admissionofspiritualequalitywasno mereplatonicfancywithoutrelationto conduct:itbecamethedominantfact oftheorganisedlifeoftheChurch. FromthefirstChristianitywaspreachedtoslavesandpreachedbyslaves. Slaveswereadmittedtothesacraments onthesametermsasfreemen;slaves becamepriestsandtoishops,andthey preachedtheGopeltofreemen'bappowerthatliftedhimfromhopelessnessandsethimonthehighroadto emancipation.Patienceandobediencewere,indeed, virtuesthattheChurchinculcated uponslavesasdutiesowedtoGod.It mightbeamistaketomaketoomuch ofthepoint,butitseemsfromthe wordsofSt.PeterandSt.Paulwhich instructslavesintheirdutiesthatthey donotasserttherightsofmasters,but therightsofGod.St.Petersays:Be subjecttoyourmasters,tothefroward aswellastothegentle,foritisthankworthytosufferwrongsforGod's sake."ItisquiteclearfromthesecondchapterofSt.Peter'sFirstEpistdethathecommendsmeeknessto Christianslavesinordertoavoidscandalandgiveedificationtounbelievers. TheEpistleofSt.PaultoPhilemon isamostsuggestiveexampleofthe Apostle'sdealingwithaproblemof slavery.Philemon'sslavehadcommittedatheftandthenrunaway.The fugitivewenttoSt.Paul,whoconvertedhimashehadalreadyconverted themaster.St.PaulthenwrotealettertoPhilemonbegginghimasanact ofcharitytoreceivebacktheslave andtogranthimpardonandliberty. ThoughSt.Paulmakesthisappealto thefreewillofPhilemonhetellshim thathehasthepowerasanApostleto commandPhilemontofreetheslave. St.JohnChrysostom,inthefourth centurydeclaredthatSt.Paulhadthe powerbecauseGodwishedtoshow thatlivesofthehighestvirtuecould belivedbyslavesandalsobecauseif mastershadbeendeprivedoftheir slavespaganswouldhaveblasphemed DineattheSavoyCafe. B B TheThreeB'smean BUYAT B
IntheCatacombsofRomearethe tombsofthefirstChristians.Contrary totheuniversalpaganpracticethe inscriptionsoftheChristiandeadalmostnevermentionwhetherthedepartedwasslaveorfree.Therewas noruleimposingthissilence;Itwas thespontaneousresultofthesentimentsofbrotherhoodandequalitythat inspiredtheChristiansthatmadesocial differencesofnoaccountintheworship ofGod,intheministryoftheSacraments,andinthecommemorationof thedead. Oftenwouldatombbethatofa martyrandoftenhadmartyrsbeen slaves.Thehighesthonoursofthe Churchwerepaidtothem.Inmany casesmastersandslaves,mistresses andslaves,matmartyrdomtogether, supportingeachotherbytheirmutual couragementandprayers.
wefindfreelabourabletoextend whileslaverydeclined. TheRomanEmpireitselfwasdestroyedbeforeslaverywasabolished. InthefifthcenturytheChurch'swork wasstillfarfromcomplete.Theslave systemwasnotyetdestroyed.butit wasverymuchlimitedinextentand vastlymodifiedincharacter.ThesuccessoftheChurchwasnotasgreatas wecouldwish.butwemusthonour herforhergoodfight,thoughherfinal victorywasnotyetachieved.We havetoconfesstohorroranddisgust attheevilswhichprevailedinthe fourthandfifthcenturiesevenamong professingCatholics.Wemaybe proudofthepassionatepleasforthe slave,andthescathingdenunciations ofluxuryandoppressionutteredbya St.JohnChrysostom.butweareshamedtorememberthathiswordsweredirectedagainstevil-livingChristians whodrovehimfromhisSee. AgreatnumberofthosewhoprofessedChristianitywhenitbecamethe officialreligionwerestillhalfpagan. ThefactremindsusthatweCatholic's to-dayprovideanapologeticforthe Churchonlyinsofaraswearefaithfultoherteaching.Whenwecall ourselvesCatholicsandactcontraryto ourFaith,weareascandalanda stumbling-block.Buttheworkofthe Churchgoesondespiteallobstacles andallfailures.Herworkagainst slaveryintheRomanEmpirewas magnificentthoughuncompleted.The fullfruitsofherpreachingoffreedom werenotenjoyedbylabouruntilthe newChristiancivilisationoftheMiddle Ageswasbuiltup,whenforthefirst timeinhistorytheworldsawinexistenceanindustrialsystemthatwas notbasedonslavery.
CRICKET.
GOLDFIELDSCRICKET.
Itwasafrequentactofcharity amongChristianmasters,muchcommendedbytheChurch,togiveliberty totheirslaves.Thishadalwaysbeen done.tosomeextent.bypaganmasters,generallybytestament,rarely duringlife Christianitysupplieda newmotivetoemancipation.Church collectionsweretakentopurchasethe freedomofslaves.Christianslefttheir moneyatdeathtoredeemcaptivesSt. Melania,therichestwomanofher time,andherhusband,thesenator Pinianus.gavelibertytoallherslaves whowouldacceptit.butmareswould notleave'sogoodamistress.Inone yearSt.Melanialibe-ated8,000slaves. Therewasinthefourthandfifthcenturiesawidespreadmovementofemancipationimpelledanddirected,asthe rationalistLeckysays,bytheinfluenceoftheChurch. woulddenythecreditdue toChristianityfortheimprovementin thelotoftheslaveandtherise'offree labourassertthatthechangewasdue toeconomiccauses,tothefactthat thesupplyofslavesbegantofailfrom thethirdcenturyonwardsowingto thecessationofRomanconquests.The naturalincreaseofslaveshadnever, owingtotheirbadtreatment.been sufficienttomaintaintheirnumbers. Theyhadalwaysdependedforrecruitmentuponprisonersofwar.When thesesuppliesfromexternalsources werenolongerforthcoming.themasters,intheirowninterest,tookbetter careofthelivesannhealthand strengthoftheirslaves.Thepresumedscarcityofslavesalsoledtoa greaternumberofoccupationsbeing openedtofreelabour.Thisisthe argumentofthosewhoascribeallthe changesinslaverytoeconomicfactors. Atruehistorianwouldadmitthatthe economicfactordoubtlesshadsomeinfluence,thoughthereisnodataso showthatitdidactuallyoperateinthe waysupposed.Thoughtheincreased valueofslaveswouiatendtotheir morecarefulconservatism,itwould notencouragetheiremancipation.Onthecontrary.masterswouldbelessdisposedthanevertosurrendertheir humanproperty.Butinthefourth andfifthcenturies.whenslaveswere becomingmoredifficulttoprocure, therewasthegreatmovementof emancipationofwhichIhavespoken. andwhichwasmostunmistakeably duetoChristianity.
Thegratuitousassertionismadeby someunscholarlyprofessorsofthe MaterialisticConceptionofHistory thatmastersbegantofindthatafree andwillingworkerwasmoreprofitable thanaslave.Ifthisweresowewould nothavefoundthevalueoftheslave becominghigher.Norisittrue universallythatafreemanisabetter workerthanaslave.Therearemany racesofmenwhowillneverworkexceptunderthewhip,andmenofany racecanbecomesodemoralisedasto prefersqualorandbeggarytothedisciplineofsteadywork.
ItisChristianinfluencethatwehave tothankfortheexistenceof"freeand willinglabour"whichwasproductive andprofitable.
ThegreatestPaganphilosophers, withafewlateexceptions,taughtthat labourwasnothonourablebutdespicableandinthisthephilosophersbut representedthemindofthepagan multitude.Itwasoneofthecommonestpaganobjectionsagainstthe newreligionthatitsfounderwasa carpenter.thatitsApostleswerefishermen,tent-makersandthelike.The dutyofworkwasmoststrictlylaid uponthefaithfulbytheprimitive Church.Theidle"client"oftherich "patron"wasnottoleratedinthe Christiancommunion;convertsfollowingcertaindebasedluxurytrades hadtochangetheiroccupationbefore theyweregivenBaptism.ItwasbecauseChristianitywasforcenturies implantingamongslavesandidlersthe virtuesnecessarytofreeworkersthat
NextSunday'sFixtures:Moonta Turksv.South-WestBoulder,onthe HorseshoeInnGround;B.C.Y.M.S.v, Stragglers.ontheLauncestonGround. BoulderC.Y.M.S.defeatedSouthWestBoulderlastSundayonthelatter'sgroundby52runsonthe1st.innings.South-Westcompiled166at theirsecondattempt.Thechiefscorers wereArmstrong(53,includingfive4's), Dowson(43.includingfive4's),and Lowry(12).Perrysecuredthreewicketsfor24.B.C.Y.M.S.compiled101 runsforninewicketswhentimewas called.Chiefscorersbeing:Brennan (33),Lowry(20).Croxton411),and McCarthy(12).Dowsontookthree wicketsfor17. B.C.Y.M.S.againstStragglerswillbe selectedfromBrennan(capt.),Perry (vice-captain),Rodda.Murphy,Cahill. O'Loughlin,McMartin,Laffin.McCarthy(2),Lowry.Bourke,Lennell.Croxton,Hickey,Swainandothers.
B.O.Y.M.S.SecondEleven. WemetRecreationUnitedonthe LauncestonGroundonSunday.October29th.Battingfirstwecompiled104, thosetoreachdoublefiguresbeing Lowry(28).Swaine(15),Rodda(14), Bennett(12),Donaldson(11).and Hallinan(10).Fergusonbowledwell, taking5wicketsfor34.Ouropponentsweredismissedfor100. Ferguson(50notout)playedaveryfineinnings.Matthews(31)wastheonly otherbatsmantoreachdoublefigures. ThewicketswereobtainedbyPorra (3for2),Lowry(3for21).Caldwell (3for29).andPorter(1for19).In oursecondattemptwemade100,the chiefscorerswerePorter(20),Colgan (19notout).Lowry(14),Caldwell (15).Bennetts(12),andSwaine(10). Forrestbowledwell,taking6for14. whileFergusongot3for38.Wanting 104towin.Recreationsmade146,the chiefscorersbeingMatthews(37). Piper(27),Milner(29),Scullin(20), andForrest(12).Ourfieldingwas patchy.althoughnotacatchwasdropped.Thethrowing-inwasbad.Donaldson.Swaine,Hallinan,andLowry deservementionforgoodfielding.
BASSENDEANARTUNION.
Theaboveartunionwasdrawnin theConventSchoolRoomonMonday night,October30.Thefollowingis thelastofwinningnumbers:-1st. prize.No.1148,Mrs.Corbett,
highclass concert,andonetodocredittoany parishinAustralia.
OnTuesdaynight,November14.the Kookaburrasholdagrandeuchreparty intheNorthPerthTownHall.The dearoldKookaburrasarepipinga'note ofgleefortheyareconfidentthiswill bethebesteuchreanddanceofthe wholeseason.
OnWednesdaynight,MissHolman assistedbysomeoftheleadingartists ofPerth.giveanovelandveryenjoy ableentertainmentintheSchoolHall. Marian-street,inaidoftheMt.HawthornQueen.MissD.Kelsall.The intrinsicvalueoftheentertainmentdeservesanoverflowinghouse.Don't forgetWednesdaynight,intheHall, Marian-street.justofftheOxford-street tramline. OnFridaynight,Nov.16,inthe NorthPerthTownHall,thelastofthe successfulseriesofeuchrepartiesand danceswilltakeplace.ThisIsindeed acasewherethelastshallbe'thefirst. Firstitcertainlywillbeintheorder ofexcellencethisthelasteuchreparty oftheyear. But,stayamoment,itisnotreally thelast!TheWattleStallholdsan "extra"euchrepartyonFriday.November17,intheNorthPerthTown Hall,andwon'titbeaeuchreparty! Somethingindeedworthyofthegrand finale.Makenomistake,thiswillbe positivelythelastforthisyear.Be thereearly,oryoumaymissagreat treat.Ticketswillbeonlythesame pricesasusual. OncemoreIwanttoremindreadersthattheGrandArtUnionwillbe drawnwithoutfailonNovember27, 1922.Sendyourremittancesandthe buttsasearlyasconvenient.The prizesinthisartunions-thankstogenerousfriendsofthisOurLady'sParish,willearcomparisonwiththosein anyartunioneverheldinW.A. CITYINSTITUTION. Acityisjudgedythecharacterof itsbuildings.Spsc:ousandioftyarchitectureindicatesgoaheadand broad-mindedpeopleAndvisitors noteandcommentfreelyuponthe styleandaccommodationofthehotels ofthecity.Itisfranklyadmitted byoverseetravellersthatthehotelof PerthistheSAVOY,inHay-street. Mr.JerryJ.Ryan,whoisaswell knownasthetownclock,isthemanageroftheSAVOY.whichto-dayis morethanahotel;itisaPerthinstitution,up-to-date,commodious,even luxurious.initscuisinebarsandaccommodation,andthegenialJerry canbereliedontobringeverydepartmenttoitstopform.TheSAVOY'S AmericanBaris,:econdtonothingin theCommonwealth.andintheBodega therecentbeerengineinstalmentsv,ive thethirstyoneacoolditnkthatis likethenectarofthegods.. J.LIEDAINANDSON.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
Thefollowingareacknowledgements ofsubscriptionsreceived:Mrs.Lyons,Nungarfn.22/11/22.3s 3d;MissA.M.Walker,Albany, 28/4/22,12s6d;Mr.J.J.Hogan.
QUEEN'SWOODANDCOALYARD, 534,CORNERBEAUFORTAND HAROLDSTREETS,HIGHGATE. Orderstakenanyhourdayor night. JarrahBlocksbyTruck,TonorLoad 'PhoneA2683.