The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-10-29

as Tar sunth as the rkansae, Anlt re-
turning - thesfan, scended ~ way of
the illinois 70 the Indian village 81 Kas.-
kaskriia ii this state, whence they passed
across the. country to Lake Michigan and
.by: It TO Green Bay. Every where Father
Marquette was sowing the seed that I
others might reap. Tell me that 9 reli
gion which produces such men and in
spires such courage is OF yesterday, the
work of man, and will die tomorrow!
eBy their fruits ye shall know them,
saith the Lord: After Marquette came
LaSalle, and with him Father Hennepin.
In 1879, La Sale built fort near Peo-
ria, Illinois, now the episcopal city Of
the most eloquent member OF the hier
archy 10 the United States. need not
say I refer to our honored friend, Bishop
John Lancaster Spald1ng. He came
originally from Kentucky and he cannot
help being eloquent.
In 1851, LaSalle and Hennepin fol-
lowed the Illinois to it's mouth, LaSalle
exploring the Mississippi along its en-
tire course to the gulf, while Father
Hennepin went north as far as the Falls
of st. Anthony, to which he gave it's
name. Though prisoner in the hands
Of the Sioux--the fighting man of the
plain-the fearless priest sang the psalms
of the ancient faith to the music of that
mighty water. And the song which he
sang is re-echoed to-day on that very spot,
with Minneapolis and St. Paul as cen
ter by at least one hundred thousand
Catholics. And they are led by one of
the best, brayest, brainiest, busiest
Bishops in the land, Archbishop Ireland.
The Catholic pioneer has passed by
with all his picturesque environments,
with all his matchless faith and courage.
Other men and other times are about u.s.
Great steamers plow these waters where
| once the bark canoe noiselessly glided.
Cities, towns and villages dot the land.
Railroads girdle the continent-the
mountain barriers have been leveled and
the great ways Of commerce made smooth.
| Where the mission cross stood and the
painted warrior came to wonder and Of
ten stopped to worship, the busy, rest
less town has risen;but the cross crowned
spire at every hand tells the presence Of
the SUCCESSORS OF the mission-builder and
tells also more eloquently than words the
success Of the mission builders work.
The Catholic pioneers of the West lit
tie dreamed when they planted the cross
and gathered about it handful of white
men and great tribes of red men, that
these were the footprints Of an empire
mightier than Rome in the. height of her
glory, freer than Romein her proudest day.
In this land, traced out by these pathfnd-
ers centuries ago, over sixty million
freemen have found security. OF these,
ten million Catholics kneel before that
same Holy Cross which then went like a.
blazing sign all over the land. We thank
God that the Catholic pioneer lived. We
thank Him for the land that pioneer
spied out. We thank Him for the won
drous heritage of freedom which in this
land is our right in common with all our
fellow citizens. But we thank Him more
than all for the ancient faith, because
the temporal passes away. Republic Of
the West, thy cradle was rocked by Cath
Ole hands, thy soil watered by the best
blood of the Mother Church. Thou hast
nobly repaid the service and sacrifice by
becoming the shelter Of these teeming
millions of her children. From grand
cathedral as the incense rises and the
organs peal from humble chapels- from
countless Catholic homes homes in the
wild wood-homes on the frontier lines
homes in the mountain side-homes on
the prairies homes in the crowded CT
ties-happy homes because blessed by
religion and freedom, purity and peace
homes made doubly secure by the
Holy Cross and the hammered star-the
benediction Of brave, loyal, living and
grateful people follow thee forever. Let
little men lie about US as they may.
Flag of my country, why should we not
love the blending beauty Of thy stars
and stripes? Thy lily bands are whittier
for the purity, the piety and devotion Of
thy Catholic daughters, many Of whom
to serve thee have braved death upon
the field of battle, and amid the ravage
Agan L (. Zoe r. I'M y