The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-12-14
THIRD EDITION.
The American Soldier.

Father Bermlngham's lecture on
s'Ths Nalor of the American Soldier"
Of the Academy OF Music before Grant
Post, g. A. r., Sunday p. m, was at
tended by u crowded house. All the
Catholic choirs united under the lead
ership OF l.. b. Preston, and VII. NJ $.
Brown organlst. II was a graud Ucca.
sion.
Easy flowing and finished rhetoric
and eloquent oratoTy characterized the
priest. His summary OF historic valor
was exceptionally we'll done. its excel
lence being especially apparent in
maintaining the spirit OF bravery.
The body OF the lecture was on the
American soldiers courage and
achievement In the late civil war. 1t
was mastery summary. Its con
cludinK paragraph was:
The blood stains have all been wash
ed away by the dews AMI rains OF
Heaven and from the baptism Of lire
and blood liberty was resurtected.
She rose holding the olive branch OF
peace over blood ,cemented Union.
The North and South had learned to
respect each other, aud to respect tho
common rights OF humanltyin testing
the valor of the American solul.r. I'M
I'll that had leen done-uutil tho foul
blot Of slavery had been washed out
In blood-llberty was only partially
realized, true union OF states was i'm
possible. These then are the results
OF the valor OF American soldiers.
''By their fruits shall We know them"
ON CATHOLIC soLDIEEs.
And now ms Catholic priest and MS
an American citizen may be permit
ted to say tnat am pleased to have
the opportunity which the invitation
TO address you afIorded for there is
no truer friend to America than the
Catholic Church. She is the mother of
liberty. Iappeal to the lag OF the re-
public to vindicate her from the churge
OF being menace to American liberty.
lappeal to it by the names Of her leuil-
ers from Bishop Carroll of colonial
days to that OF Bishop Hughes of the
civil war. 1t has been said without Il
blush that we Catholics are not loyal
Americans. That cannot be true when
the mothers who taught us to rever-
ence and worship God also taught us
to love freedom, and while we are
true TO the one we shall love the
other. Ignorance has said that Catho.
lies II directed by the Pope to the over
throw of the American Union,
are bound to obey. BE charitable to
ignorance.
Tell it that the Constitution of the
United States is not repugnant to tie
law oil God II Is the law which the
people of America had IA right to es,
tablish, and therefore the Pope Eeynr
had, has not now, and never will have
right to command its uverthrow.
Tell IL also, that II any power WAS 10
cross the sea with the Intention OF dis
turbing one star in that flag. or ui
substituting for the llHg any sign oI
standard of CatholiCity,tat Amer
tcans, sword in hand, would meet il
OIL the shore and conquer it or die 81
and so dying would die in the bosom
OF the Catholic Church.
Oh! My country, how young thou
ant. and yet how great! How boun
teous in territory, how glorious In
history! In the love of thy people how
strong! lie who does not love thee
is baso-who would not dia for thee Is
craven-wno would iniuIe thee Lot
him perish. Thy HEROES were Giod's
chosen instruments to establish this
homo of freedom.
This is our country; we have NJ
other; its glory is ours-ours its LID
erty. These benign Institutions arr
ours to possess, to enjoy and tu trans
init. This great republic Is God's
greatest blessing to man In the civi
order. Considering these things on
hearts fill with love and overflow witt
gratitude. q, Lord God, bless, pro
teet and perpetuate American liberty
God save the republic.