The Irish standard., 1886-06-26

join shall remain lifelong workers with
with you. + sirnply desire to cali your
attention to this phase Of the practical
workings of Total Abstinence, that yon
may discuss and adopt measures and
means il it please you. / wish to call
your attention to another point Of vital
Importance, viz, the selection ofcounty
presidents; let the delegates from each
county see to it that such men are
chosen as shall be willing 10 sacrifice
enough of their time to attend the Board
Of Government meetings. I ask your
candidate if he can and will make the
sacrifice before you present his name TO
this convention for confirmation unless
he positively pledged himself to dc SO,
name some other candidate. Let no false
modesty stop you, from doing your
duty, it is one Of the absolute require
ments for q successful campaign the
coming year. AT the present moment
it is impossible for me to give you aE
accurate statement Of the increase in
membership during the past year, but
that the statistics when completed by
your worthy secretary will show all adj
vance towards the object which we aim
at: as shall encourage you to greater
deeds for the year to come, I have not
doubt. Hundreds have taken the
pledge in different parts Of the State at
points where it has been my pleasure to
be personally i'll attendance. Our
able and eloquent Father Cotter has
touched q responsive chord wherever
he has appealed to the people, while
some Of the laymen Of the Union have
not only done yeoman service in keeping
alive the spirit and en}arging the MEM
bership Of their home societies, but
have both singly and in company with
myself and others sacrificed their busi-
ness and lahored earnestly in all parts
of the Union. Practical devotion Of
this Kind is more impressive and ef~
fectual than all the pamphlets and
tracts on temperance ever written.
The welcome given Ky pastors to visit
ing Total -Abstainers has been cordia!
at all times. They can however dc
much more for the cause in the future
than they have done in the past. They
have now the unqualified endorsement
of the chief shepherd and the hierar-
.chy of the Church, and they would be
slow and backward indeed, did they
not perceive chat in q sober, enlighten-
ed, progressive, and obedient Catholic
<Iaity rests the future welfare Of Chris
tianity. Gentlemen, to you is entrusted
with the advice and council of your ex"
cellent clergy the preparations for an
other year Of progress, let your deliber-
ations be characterized by a spirit Of
Catholicity and charity. DO not let any
feeling of contention and rivalry divert
your attention from the main issue.
Remember that you have received your
credentials for the sole purpose of diff
f,sing among the Catholic people Of
the Diocesan Union Of St. Paul the doc
trine of Total Abstinence. Ask your
selves if for our year last past you have
conscientiously done your; duty it you
are satisfied that you have not, begin
now new departure. ALI are not ora
tors, all are not writers, but each one
has an influence upon some one OF more
persons in his immediate acquaintance
which he may Oh may not use in the in
terest of Total Abs Thence. Let
there be no more of luke warmness;
stand upon our side Of the line OR upon
the other, and when you have taken
your stand upon the side Of Total Alb
stinence, give to all men convincing
proof of your convictions. Do nothing
rashly. Do ali with deliberation and
decision. Let every man go home from
Rochester resolved to do something in
the year to come which will be our earns
est of the sincerity of his pledge. /
thank you for your attention.
The convention then adjourned to
attend solemn high mass at st. Johns
church. Rev. Father Riordan deliv-
cred
THE SERMON.
BRETHREN. Be sober and watch for your
enemy. the devil, goeth about like roaring
lion seeking whom he may Gevour, whom, resist
ye showing in the faith. st. Peter, 9Th chap.
Amongst the safe and saving princi-
pies which st. Paul, the great apostle
of the Gentiles desired to embody in
the constitution of doctrine and in the
building of Christ's Church among a
yet uncemented people there was one
principle which he desired should be
the guardian and foundation Of many
things. One which enters into the
foundation OF all that is truly happy
and truly great in the foundation of
society. good government, good order,
wise law-that is the virtue of society.
So then did the apostle plant his
Church virtues divine in their origin
and without that principle these virtues
could not endure. And where did the
apostle expect to find generous res
ponse TO the appeal that he had often
made-where could the virtues OF so
hrietv find sn trno a vinovard fDr thair |