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Show THE BOERS AND CATHOLICS. (London Catholic Times.) Editor Catholic Times: Sir In vour issue of the 16th of February you kindly published a letter from under my hand entitled "Speak of a Man an You Find Him," in w hich I vindicated the character char-acter of the South African Boers in the face of the sla'nders that are being put forth against them by persons who speak' of their''status as mentally and morally little 'elevated above barbarism." barbar-ism." I have had as much, if not more, Intimate knowledge of the Boers as any Catholic priest now living, or dead. I was five years in daily, almost hourly, contact with them, and as a result of this knowledge I declared and declare that I was never scandalized by a Boer that I was often edified by their simple, sim-ple, industrious,- moral and religious demeanor; . and still more, that I received re-ceived at their - hands as a Catholic priest courtesy and hospitality that would be perfectly compatible with a high ideal of Catholic generosity. A barbarous Boer is very rarely found. The Boer in South Africa is a model of hospitality and friendliness to every comer. In the year 1867, when traveling in the district of Frasers-burg, near the Orange river, in search of scattered Catholics, I fell suddenly seriously ill. Jly illness had been induced by having slept in the open bush for fortv-two nights in succession. I had with me my dear old father, who was then nearlv 100 years of age, and my faithful servant, ser-vant, George Kearns. I had also .two horsea and two dogs. My throat 'became 'be-came ulcerated, and I feared that I was about to die out in a wild country nearly near-ly uninhabited. My voice went completely com-pletely and I nearly collapsed. We at length came to the house of a Boer, to whom my servant introduced me because be-cause I was unable to speak. The reception re-ception was the very essence of sen-tleness sen-tleness and kindness. I had the best room in the'house, and for fifteen days the wife of the Boer nursed me skillfully skill-fully until I recovered. During all this time the neighboring Boers came from distant farms with little delicacies for the sick Catholic priest. When leaving, what had I to pay for myself and. .father, and servant ser-vant and horses and dogs? i Nothinsr! So it always is in the house of. the African Af-rican Boers. The real spirit of Christian Chris-tian hospitality is one of the grandest traits in the Boer character. I have often during my long sojourn in South Africa felt tempted to depression to see such noble characters as the Boers outside out-side 'through no real fault of theirs the pale of the Catholic church, and I am sure that God, who is the rewarder of gxd actions, will have mercy upon tha Boers, whose minds and hearts re coil from aught that is barbarous and cling to the principle of doing good to all men. Yours., etc. REV. JAMES O'HAIRE. 36 Rue de Pare. Cognac, Charente, France, April 8. 1900. |