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Show , More Catholic Historical Fairy Tales. Mr. Martin I. J. Griffin in the last issue of his excellent quarterly, American Ameri-can Catholic Historical Researches, handles another "Catholic historical fairy tale" in his sweeping and drastic style. The legend in question originated origin-ated in Philadelphia and had its inception in-ception in the mind of a zealous and well intentioned correspondent of a Boston paper. It runneth thus: "Philadelphia, Nov. 16, 1805. "No tourist to Philadelphia should leave it before paying a visit to the fine old colonial Church of St. Mary, in Fourth street, above Spruce street, founded in 1763 by Father Robert Harding. Har-ding. S. J., who was called the Peter the Hermit of the American Revolution. Revolu-tion. As early as 1768, long before the i King street riot in F.oston, he preached against the tyranny of the British government, gov-ernment, and In the same year presented pre-sented an address to the Hon. John Dickinson, the patriot, on behalf of the Catholics of Pennsylvania and Maryland, Mary-land, thanking him for his patriotic efforts in favor of American liberty. He was.' wrote the Rev. Jacob Duche, the Episcopal chaplain of the continental conti-nental congress, 'a priest much esteemed es-teemed by all classes in the colonies for his Christian virtues and his attachment attach-ment to American liberty." Mr. Griffin disposes of this pretty pink piece of "history" in this fashion: "Father Harding was not called "Peter "Pe-ter the Hermit of the Revolution. He never preached against the tyranny of the British government as early as 176S. or any other time. He presented no such address to Dickinson on behalf of the Catholics of Pennsylvania and Maryland. AVestcott states he signed an address to John Dickinson, author of 'The Farmer's Letters.' Duche wrote of him in 1771, but said he was much attached to English liberty just as all Americans were a that time. Father Harding died Sept. 1. 1772. Dr. Clarke and Dr. Shea number him among the patriots of the American Revolution, simply because they didn't know the date of his death. ' . "In this church, continues tne correspondent, cor-respondent, "on July 4. 1776. Mass and a 'Te Deum' were sung for the first time in any church, 'as fitting, observ-f observ-f antes of the natal day of the United States of America by the Grace of God Free and Independent.' At this service ! the members of congress and other dignitaries were present." No such Te Deum took place July 4, 1770. "The news of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis was brought to Philadelphia Philadel-phia by a courier of Washington's army, who was of St. Mary's little flock of parishioners. Therein on Nov. 4, 178i, a Mass and 'Te Deum' were sung by Abbe Bardol. chaplain of the French army, in celebration of the glorlou3 victory at Yorktown. There were present pres-ent at this service General Washington. Washing-ton. General Comte de Rochambeau, General Marquis de Lafayette, General Baron Viomenil. the Rev. John Carroll, afterward bishop, and many others whose lives were spent in proclaiming liberty throughout this land, and to all inhabitants thereof. It is recorded that on the day following this celebration the clergy of the parish and the visit-i visit-i ing chaplains heard more than 1,800 confessions from the soldiers of both armies. And be it remembered that in this dear old church the first observance, observ-ance, of the birthday of George Washington Wash-ington was held on Feb. 22. 1800, at which a eulogy of 'The Father of his Country' was delivered by the Rev. Matthew Carr, O. S. A. In the report of that eulogy in the Pennsylvania Gazette Ga-zette of that week the editor says: 'Father Carr has given General George Washington a name which will live forever. "The Father of His Country." Verily the words were prophetic." Colonel Tilghman. who brought the news to Philadelphia, was not of St. Mary's "flock." That is. he was not a Catholic. At the Te Deum not one of the great men named were present, not even Rev. John Carroll. Bandol (not Bardol) was chaplain to the French minister not of the army. There is no such record that on the day after the celebration the clergy of the parish par-ish and the chaplains of ,the army heard 1,800 confessions from the soldiers sol-diers of both armies. The armies were in Virginia, not in Philadelphia. "The first observance of Washington's birthday" was not at St. Mary's on the 22d of February. 1S00. That was the day appointed by congress for memorial me-morial services on account of his death. Father Carr was not the first to call Washington "the Father of His Country." He did not so call him. The Pennsylvania Gazette of that week did not sav, as the correspondent declares. Yet ail this lying history went the rounds of Catholic papers, often with big headlines. .It's the stuff our papers like. |