Mr. Frederick Oakeley, Catholic priest and English gentleman, writes to
the Standard to prove that our judgment on the Chilian priests was " inordinately cruel." He, however, admits that he knows nothing about the priests of Santiago, and the only " facts " he produces are assertions based on a letter in a French newspaper, stating that of the two priests present one fainted from the smoke, that the sacristy door was not shut, and that a young laymaes
n saved the valuables. This may seem evidence to a man who is capable of believing that " there is in every Catholic church an object more precious to a priest even than his own life—I mean the most blessed Sacrament;" but we may just state the evidence on the other side. Three papers published in Chili by Chilians affirm that the door was shut after a Miss Armstrong had passed (and, indeed, the fact proves itself, for there was no rush to this door), that Ugarte gave the absolution, and that the priests saved the articles. Two of these papers give lists of the articles saved, among them bureaus which no single man could have moved, and three American accounts re-affirm the charge. Finally, a Chilian gentleman assures us, on the authority of relatives present at the scene, that Ugarte did not faint, that in the belief of the women he would have rushed into the church to save the victims, but that instead he stood at the door, as they think, held back by other priests. It is natural that Mr. Oakeley should think these things incredible, but he must recollect that though now a priest he was bred a freeman. It takes early education to make the character complete, and our belief is that if the choice lay between saving enchanted biscuits and human lives, Mr. Oakeley'a human instincts would prove too strong for his inhuman theology.
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