March Kites (verse)

...Our great asset in a compilation of the scattered archaeological and historical observations of missionaries is that we do not have to make facts fit a theory...

...I have heard regrets expressed that Catholic colleges are taking no part in these American archaeological studies, or making use for public benefit, of opportunities which must come to missionaries in the field to contribute original research to the growing fund of knowledge...

...It was a report of a Chinese scholar sent by the ernperor to interview the early Christian missionaries, a running commentary on the articles of their creed...

...none that I recall, was condemned, allowance being made for "barbarous presentation...

...Abraham's "home town" (the Atlantic Monthly, February, 1926) yields up portions of its history through the joint efforts of Leonard Woolley (of "Lawrence of Arabia" fame) and Abbe Legrain, backed by the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania—not by any means a cooperation of British experience and American capital, for the Pennsylvania University Museum was fortunate enough to draw to its side of the work this distinguished French priest, an outstanding authority in his subject...

...Through force of circumstances Catholic teaching efforts have been directed, outside of those things which are fundamental, mainly to the conquest of material prosperity...

...It comes to light when it is worth anybody's interest to look for it...

...CHRISTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY By WILLIAM FRANKLIN SANDS ONE thing that the intensive growth of American cities and of American colleges has done which may be set down as of definite and positive value to mankind, is the stimulation of a demand for archaeological collections as each new growth erects its own museum in keen competition with older establishments, and rival "boosters" supply the necessary (though hitherto but slowly flowing) stream of American dollars for exhaustive research...

...In Korea the sacrific to Heaven was performed by the emperor himself, or he might delegate an eunuch—no one else...

...The archaeologists who specialized on these ruins were greatly struck by the appearance of the faces and figures carved upon the huge columns which apparently represented a long line of rulers of the city...

...Catholic charity has been, and is, enormous and very practical...

...or as the original plan of St...

...Father Legrain's conclusions as a believing scientist, will be, one feels, of inestimable value in the reconstitution of that part of history represented by Ur of the Chaldees in its relation to biblical study, and in its relation to the development and the age of man...

...Some points were accepted as holding nothing "immoral"—some were set down as "noble...

...Is it not possible that at Quirigua the conquering warrior rulers merged, in the course of time, in a sacrificial priesthood of the same character, a high priest king...

...Nevertheless, in spite of the all absorbing demands of the task of spreading the gospel among the aborigines and of holding great numbers of pioneers to the Faith, there has been much isolated achievement in that direction both in North and South America...

...Not less interesting, the Mayan civilization at last begins to unfold its secrets within a few days' journey from our doors...

...So, in Guatemala, a manuscript record turned up (and was sent to London) of the exploration of one of Cortez's captains down through the Mayan country—through Yucatan, Quintana Roo to Lake Yzabal and up to Guatemala, well interspersed with seditious comment on Cortez...

...For instance, I was offered years ago, in Mexico, a very complete record of Inquisition trials which had turned up in some housecleaning...

...In Latin America there is a wealth of material, much of it scattered, no doubt, during the social and political revolution of the first two decades of the nineteenth century, much of it buried "in the files" of the religious bodies to which the individual missionary priests belonged...

...There is ample reason why this particular field, important as it is, has been neglected, or, at least, not developed...

...Another interesting historical document which once passed through my hands was saved from the burning Imperial library at Peking, after the entry of the allied troops in the Boxer rebellion...

...In Guatemala, too, a Hungarian mining engineer evolved the theory that the proper place to look for lost mines is in the church records of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, assuming that, since the Church received tithes, there would be some check on output...

...Observations in different parts of the world may easily be misleading as to similarities, yet, used with caution, they may also throw interpretive light on local problems...

...At one end of the avenue were powerful grim faces, gradually softening until at the other end their expression and general appearance gave rise to a tentative theory of women rulers...

...Coming fresh from Korea, it seemed to me more probable (though being totally inexpert in such matters I hesitated to insist on my views to professionals) that this change might represent a purely oriental phenomenon...

...Some essential material known to have existed and supposed to be lost, may well turn up in state archives as has recently happened, it is said, in Mexico...

...It would be very much somebody's task to collate all this material for public use, wherever one may suspect its presence...

...Certainly, nowhere outside of the Church is there any single body competent to correlate the studies of widely scattered archaeologists and observers of ancient civilizations and surviving native customs...

...Catholics who have achieved material prosperity have been generous, indeed, but along less abstract lines...

...Thus, a theory occurred to me when the public-spirited efforts of the United Fruit Company made the ruins of Quirigua easily accessible and opened them for intensive study...

...I notified an American Catholic college of the find, but there was no money available for the purchase...

...In the general collection of manuscripts which he acquired were some most interesting chronicles, comments, and observations of the native civilization at the time of the conquest...

...Mary's city is said to have turned up in the state files at Annapolis...