The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-06
CATHOLIC SOCIETIES.
Bishop Wattsrson Discusses Hia
Famous Pastoral Letter.
TEMPERANCE A PREREQUISITE.
Tho Necessity for Abrldging the Power Of
Liquor Sellers In Church,socIeties-The
Bishop Relates an Incident That Led to
His Radical Attitude.

Bishop Relates an Incident That Led e
His Radical Attitude.
COLUMBUS, O., Aug. Gan agent of the
Associated Press saw Bishop Watterson,
who gave some interesting inside history
Of his recent enactments and the causes
which led to them. A week before Thanks
giving Day last year q member Of one Of
the Columbus societies belonging to the
Knights of st. Johns union told the
bishop that the military branch OF the di
vision, to which the informant belonged
had during the preceding year given
three entertainments, two of them under
the assumed name of the Evening Star
club, at which beer was sold and other
things done contrary TO the statutes Of
this diocese and the provincial council Of
Cincinnati and the third plenary council
OF Baltimore, and that this same branch
intended to give under the disguise Of a
prize drill a similar entertainment the
night before Thanksgiving Day, with beer
selling and beer drinking and promiscuous
dancing.
The bishop went Immediately to thu
hall where the society was then holding a
preparatory meeting, and told the mem
bers what he had heard, all of which
they acknowledged to be true. After re
proving them he received promise from
them not to hold their thanksgiving en-
tertainment in the intended manner; but
within couple of days thereafter two
delegates from this commandery waited
on him, aud as about $50 of expenses had
been incurred in preparing for the enter
tainmeut they solemnly proposed to him
To allow than n hold THAR ,,rfya drill
which would occupy about fifteen min.
utes, and then turn over the affair t.
others, who should conduct it according
to the prearranged program, the society
itself to be the beneficiary of the pro
ceeds. ...-. ...-. .-....-
He expressed his establishment at such
proposition coming from men who called
themselves Catholic Knights, and told
them he could not connive at such 4
"beating of the devil round the stump
The bishop offered to contribute gener.
ously to their expenses If they would dc
right. They, however, held the enter.
tainment as they had originally arranged
and m any of the members of the genera
division and of other societies assisted a,
It, The bishop then sent word that he
would no longer recognize them as t
Catholic organization.
In December an election was held 70,
president of the general division, and ais
for captain of the military branch. Sa
loon keepers, regardless of the bishop,
well known wishes, were chosen for boil
of these offices. Thereupon he informed
the officers of the division that il thrt
should install the newly elected president
he would deprive their whole division o.
ia rank mud rriyilana Inf bp1i,.
ciety, as he had already done in the cast
of the military branch, aud that they
must either respect his injunetions or ap
peal to higher authority.
They reported this decision TO their so
ciety, which thereupou resolved to con
suit the supreme president of their union
/ whose residence is in Cleveland, Tn,
supreme president gave the society som,
good advice, telling them it was not poll
/ tic to get into a contest with episcopa
authority, and counseling the newly elec
/ ted president to resign and thus save {
! disagreeable IMPLICATION.
Some years ago, wishing to promote tn
honor aud usefulness of societies In hi
/ diocese, Bishop Watterson decided not t.
approve of new societies or new branche
of old societies, save on condition tina
uuu NtuutTH Vi lulONlCll
ing liquors would not be admitted I
membership. He saw how men in tn
business Of Intoxicating liquors have trie
to dominate these societies, and in to
many cases succeeded in using their men
bership for their own selfish ends an
often to the injury of other members an
their families, and the dishonor of the 81
cieties themselves and religion.
! He knew the common disregard of stat
! and municipal and ecclesiastical laws b
! men in this traffic. He believed that MOI
T could be done to diminish the evils of il
temperance If the societies which enioye
4 special privileges as Catholic societi,
I would be made to conduce in some wa
to this end. lie knew that by their veI
name of Catholic they W ere bound to col
duce to the increase of religion, and n,
4 to its injury. Therefore, he resolved
! make general what, up TO this time hn
only applied to new organizations, and 1
the beginning Of March he issued his no
{ famous pastoral letter on total abstinen,
aud Catholic societies in relation to ii
manufacturers and vendors of intoX
cauts.
Bishop Wattcrson's attitude on the,
!; matters has been sustained by Mgr. S
TOLL, and must, therefore, stand as Il
law of the church.