Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-16

II
/ . spirit Of brotherly love, prepared to invite
| You into our ranks as anxiliaries. TO elevate
your aims, to give wholesome breadth to
your ambition, to unite emulations and
friendly competition, and by enlareing the
field Of your operations cultivate the spirit
Of enterprise.
Counting our operations on the broad
and enduring basis Of Catholic charity, the
rights Of the hEmblest an, in no danger Of
being invaded. It Is not our purpose to
interfere In any manner with the workings
OF local societies, leaving them to carry on
tneir operations in whatever manner
70 them seems best-the only conditions
required IL that they must be
thoroughly and practically Catholic. The
omcers OF the Union are mostly all gentle
men In private life, jealous and scrupul Gus
In the discharge Of their duties, with no as
pirations beyond an earnest and sincere de-
sire 10 advance the interests of our socie-
ties, and through them the interest Of
Holy Church ia this country.
Aside from the highest and most beauti-
ful effects TO be produced by this systemat-
ie association, Is the announcement Of
habits Of industry, thrift, cleanliness, and
respectability. While the primary object
OF each society is to do battle against the
demon intemperance, never sheless it has
become the established practice TO unite
the additional feature OF benefit In the
event OF sickness and death. Previous to
the establishment Of the general union this
feature was necessarily limited to the juris-
diction Of each society, but By broad and
comprehensive plan, harmonizing with the
activity OF the age, under the auspices OF
our Union 1t Is only circumscribed by its
jurisdiction. A judicious and well regu-
lated system Of transfers enables q men,
Der, on changing bis residence to any part
OF the country where there Is society con-
nectsd with the union, to join such society
without any additional expense and retain
bis beneficial prerogative, which, under the
old system, he would necessarily
lose, unless he kept up his con-
nection with his old society.
This in most cases was impossible, and he
had to 60 over the same course as the veri-
est tyro in the rank. While we do not rec
ommend that too much importance or
prominence be given to this beneficial fea-
ture, or in other words that through too
worldly motives it becomes primary in
stead Of secondary, nevertheless If we are
to have 1t let US have 1t with all the latest
improvements.
We feel that it is not necessary to ad-
dress yon on the subject Of temperance,
inasmuch as other hands have already &C
conplished that task, but have rather en-
deavored to lay before you in as condensed
manner as possible our objects, hopes and
aspirations. g i
To these devoted priests who from every
quarter of the land have testified by their
presence their devotion to our interests,
and SO lovingly and affectionately guided
our deliberations, we can but family ex-
press our deep obligations, but suffice it to
say that like true and faithful children of
the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic
church we pledge ourselves to be guided by
them in all matters affecting the welfare OF
our Union. B. j. O'DRIsCoLL,
JAMES D. HowLEY,
JOHN T. LEE.