The evening times., 1895-11-29
CHARMED BY EL0QUENCE
DR.. Stafford Spoke at Baltimore's
Flag Presentation
Compared the Stars and Stripes With
the Emblem of the
Church.

A number Of Washington Catholics went
to Baltimore with Father Stafford, assist
ant pastor of st. Pstrick's Church, yes
terday, 10 attend the impressive exercises
attendant upon the raisisy of four American
flags over as many Catholic paIochial
scho olbouses In the Monumental City.
Father Stafford was one OF the speakers on
the occasion, and his cloqnence made even
a greater Impression on the Baltimoreans
than II has been accustomed to make on
his Washington audiences.
The schools to which the flag of the coun-
try was given Were: 81. Peters, st.
Michacl's Male School, sacred Heart School
and st. Alphonsus' School. The tri-col-
ored cniblcnis OF freedom were tue gifts OF
the branch councils of the Catholic Brneyo-
lent Legion, connected with the respective
parishes.
Fully 5000 people gathered before st.
Peters Scbool building, where the principal
celebration OF the day was heii. and stood
in the street for two hours in the afternoon
while they were addressed by speakers
from the schooihousc steps
The speakers were Cardinal Gibbons.
Mayor Hooper, Rev. Dr. u. J. Stafford and
Mr.. Joseph s. Heuislcr. who is the president
OF the Maryland State Council OF the Be-
ncvolent Legion.
After Mayor Hooper had closed few
wel!-seiected remarks DR.. Stafford, who
was formerly assistant at st. Peters. was
introduced. ST. Peters Church stood across
the way will, its giid,'d cross reficciing in
golden splendor thu rays of the November
sun. As DR.. Stafford began he compared
the flag that floated above his head with
the churcli's emblem at the top of the
spiral.
Here where the cross of Christ Is
try be lifted. The one is the symbol OF our
religion the other represents all the bless
ings OF civil order and abundant liberty.
Separate IN themselves they are, but not
separate in our love. wepropose 10 defend
The Que, We propose Ia defend the other;
we shall live for the one, we shall live for
the other; we shall, If ue,d be. die for the
one. we SHALL il need ta, die for the other.
With ali the power aud intensity OF our
hearts we love them both.
when the Roman Empire fell and Eu-
rope had TO be- reoTganized church and
state hsrainc more or less mixed. and the
clergy, h.ing almost the only people with
any knowledge. were from the necessity OF
the ease forced into civil life II was never
intended that tue clergy should take charge
of the affairs OF state. TIE Divine Founder
OF Christianity made church and state sep
arate.
And when this country began we re-
turned to first principles. We decided that
the one was to he supreme In the civil order,
the other supreme in spiritual order. The
state with US has no religion, recognizes no
church. cannot recognize any church, ought
not to recognize any church, but is obliged
to recognize that religious liberty is in-
volvel in the rights of man : a citizen. and
must protect him in the exercise of it,
whoever, then. impugns this privilege
and denies the right OF any body or any
church to their faith: whoever opposes a |
man in civil or business life because OF his |
religious beliefs; whoever takes from such |
n man the means whereby he ma y earn his |
living: whoever refuses to support him po- |
liticaly or otherwise whoever does these |
things, 1 say, is not an American but for
cigner. He steals the livery of heaven to |
do the work OF the devil: he wraps himself |
In the flag OF liberty TO establish a Gespot.
ism: he prOclaims religious liberty in order
10 stab his brother because he does not be-
ieve as he does; he has introduced into our
the very worst forms OF re-
ligiOus hate ami devilish animosity rs they
were found in the Old World.
LAS Catholics ii is your duty to set your
faces distinctly against It. We began in this
on a basis of religious Iibert v and in
no portion of the community did this truth |
sink deeper than among the Catholics; none
have stood by it more calamity than they,
md none love or cherish it more today than
hey do"