Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
OUR AGE AND COUNTRY.
DIR. Stnfford's Lecture at the New Con-
ZnSa College Hull.

DIR. StafOrd's Lecture mt the New Con-
znEa College Hull.
The audience which assembled last even
ing at the new hall of Gonzaga College to
listen to Rev. DR.. Stafford lecture on THE
Catholic Church, Our Age and Country"
was as truly representative Of the best
classes of the citizens of Washington as
could be desired by any public speaker. and
the applause which punctuated the remarks
of the lecturer was f1attering compliment
to the talented young orator and popular
priest
On the front of the gallery and facing
was large and handsomely framed crayon
of Cardinal Satolli.
Soon after 8 o'clock Dr. Stafford stepped
to the front Of the platform. He was greet
ed with hearty applause by the very large
audience, and being well known to most OF
those present he needed no Introduction.
AS soon as the demonstrations of welcome
which greeted his appearance had sub
sided Dr.. Stafford began his address. In 1t
he said
1.-THE Catholic Church accepts his age
Doubtless there Is much that is wrong, but
there is also much that is good. So. while
this age is wrong in SO many things 1t is
right in SO many more But right or
wrong we live in it. and the first thing
that the Catholic Church teaches Is to live
in it and accept it and make the age all
is great and unparalleling age. We have
overcome obstacles that seemed insur-
mountable. Given up to us are all the Sc
crets of nature. What. though, there be
some who tell US there is no difference be-
tween gratitude and gravita-ion. The
Catholic Church Is a part of the progress
that has been made. She takes the truth
of the age and seeks to develop it to the
full and rejects all that Is false.
THE developments of science prove that
God rules the world. and the time will come
that the scientific world will accept the
truth that God holds all things in the hol-
lew of His hand. There Is much that Is evil
IN the world, but the age from the moral
standpoint is not hopeless. There Is pro-
found dissatisfaction in this age. The old
Romans found life pleasure, Just as we
find sometimes, when we walk out into the
atmos phere. that 1t is a pleasure to live.
There was a time that England was
'nerrie England but 1T is proverb IN
France that England is merry no longer.
The pleasure of her people has departed
and they have settled down to the serious
duties of life.
1.-THE writer's of fiction of Egypt, Assyria
and many other countries have scared of
into the future and imagined what would
take place 1000 or 5000 years from now
because in those countries, like here and
in England there Is a profound dissatis
faction with the things of the present age.
For the first time in the history of the
use of living. It is because of the pro-
found dissatisfaction with the age that
exists almost everywhere. %; M i'',f :
who will bring men back to a realiza-
ton of their responsibilities but the
church? So the church accepts the age
and the attitude Of the church against the
things is that of reason and common sense.
AS she accepts the age so she accepts the
country and all the devotions and all our
love and duties are due to it. Every man
owes it to his country to live for it, and
if need be, to die for it,
Further on the speaker said: EVERY II an
has a right to be here. The Protestant
| and the Catholic each has his rights on
this subject. We can stand famine and
disaster, but once destroy this temple of
! liberty which God has erected on the North
| American continent by impugning the
| rights Of the citizens and who will re-
store 1t? But this will never be. The
| idea of the rights of the citizen has beer
| too we'll impressed upon the people Of this
country to ever permit the doctrine upon
| which it was founded to be swept away.
Whatever misfortune we may be called
| upon to pass through If this principle be
| maintained our liberties would be in no
danger"