Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-05
INTERESTING EXERCISES.
Address and Presentation to Bishop
Fcchan.


On Tuesday night last a number of gen
temen, representatives of st. Mary's Or
phan Association, the ST. Vincent de Paul
Society, and St. Joseph's Total Abstinence
Society, assembled iu the basement of the
Cathedral for the purpose of presenting an
address to the Right Rev. p A. Fee
han, Bishop of Nashville, accompanied
with a check for thirteen hundred dollars,
as small testimonial of the esteem in
which he is held by his people.
At o'clock the meeting was called to
order, and Philip Olwill called to the Chair,
Mr.. E. f. Jones acting as Secretary. BY
general desire Mr.. Jones consented to de-
liver the address, when all repaired to the
Bishops parlors, filling both to over
flowing.
All being seated, Mr.. Jones commenced
his remarks by alluding to the parting
scene with Very Reverend ]. A. Kelly,
formerly administrator of this Diocese and
the founder of ST. Mary's Orphan Asylum.
He said he missed from the present assem-
blage many who had been called to render
an account of their stewardship; and others
who were scattered over the country in
every direction Yet there were present
others as noble as their predecessors, as
charitable and as good; and doubtless at
| the next aSsemblage for similar purpose
many of those now present would bemissed
| by their associates, and their places filled
by Younger and more vigorous men,. He
then commenced the address, as follows:
| RIGHT REV. AND DEAR Bishop; In ODE
dience to the command of our Holy Father
| the Pope, YOU are about to leave us for q
time, and we are assembled here tonight
to receive your parting blessing, and to
wish you God-speed.
No language which can command can
convey to your lordship an idea of the
love and reverence we entertain for you;
and hence l will not attempt it. You have
been with us but little more than foul
years, yet the monuments of piety an6
learning you have already erected in oul
midst will speak your praises to future
generations Scarce four days had YOU
spent with us, when your love for the poo
caused you to learn their then deplorablt
condition, and to devise means for theil
relief. Within four weeks thereafter you
charitable soul rejoiced at the organization
of a conference of the society of st. Vim
cent de Paul, whose members assembled a
your invitation; you delighted to visit tn,
poor, the sick and the atfiicted-to reliev,
their material wants, and to procure TO
them spiritual consolation.
With an eye single to the glory of Go,
and the salvation of the souls COMMITTEES
to your care, you next procured for us tn
services of the Sisters of Our Lady Q
Mercy, the fruits of whose labors are en-
graved on every heart.
Holding so lofty position, your humih
ty causes us to feel our own nOthingness
and, as it were, c0mpels us to love you, an
to constantly look to you for counsel an
advice. Under such circumstances, 1t i
but natural that we should feel regret a
your expected long absence, notWithstand
ing we entertain pardonable pride in tn
consciousness that we shall have in Rom
a worthy representative of our Diocese
who will, with the help of God, return t
us in due time, bringing with him the bles:
ings of the Holy Father, the Vicar of on
Lord Jesus Christ.
That our anticipations may be realized
and that your lorship may receive ever
. blessing spiritual and temporal, We wi
continually and fervently pray. And W
feel assured that your lorship will not ia
/ to remember in your prayers your devote
children in Christ whom you leave behind
) The Bishop responded in a brief, bU
very affecting manner, remarking that th
address called to his mind what he ougl
to be, rather than what he really was. II
said he had come, as it were, to a strang
place, among strange people-sent to theI
by the same authority which now calle
him to Rome; he was happy to find his ne
flock composed of noble and generous pee
pie, to whose patience and generosity, b
the help of God, he attributed all the goo
he had accomplished since he had bee
Bishop of Nashville His remarks abou
parting were very affecting, and drew teal
to every eye.
At the conclusion of his address, a
knelt to receive his blessings, after whic
more than an hour was spent in social CONVEX
sation, whenan babe good bye, praying Go
to grant the Bishop pleasant journey an
a speedy return. The Bishop will leave o
Friday morning for New York, and wi
| sail thence for FuroDa