The herald., 1896-08-26
NEW ST J)SEPH'S HALL.
Formal Dedication of the
Structure
4 VERY large AUDIENCE present
An Eloquent Address by Bishop
Montgomery
EDUCATION THE THEME
The Attitude Of the Catholic Church Set
Forth at Length
The Country Must Be Set Right on This All
Important Subject
The Attitude Of the Catholic Church Set
Forth at Length
The Country Must Be Set Right on This All
Important Subject
And nust Be nade to Peel That the Hope Of
the Nation Is Pounded Upon Religion,
Upon Which This dovcrn.
ment Is Based

View St. Josephs hall, the spacious
new building situated on the corner OF
Santee and Pico streets, which has just
been completed, was formally dedicated
last night. A thoroughly good musical
program had been arranged, and this
attraction, in addition to the announce
ment that Bishop Montgomery would
speak, filled the hall to overflowing.
The program was opened by an over
ture, "Lutspiel," by A. G. Gardner's or
chestra.
The stage was handsomely decorated
with palms and flags, and was occupied
by the bishop with the following clergy:
Father Adam. Father Clementine,
Father Victor, rector of st. Joseph's
church; Father Philibert, Father Nu-
nan, Father Meyer, Father McAuliffe.
I. 3. Dockweiler acted as chairman.
and after brief remarks in welcoming
the audience and giving the purposes
for which the hall was built, and con-
graduating ST. Josephs society upon
the success of it's energy and ZEAL Bish-
CD Montgomery was introduced.
Prefacing his remarks with number
of graceful compliments to the audience
Will d WitliClsili ilON anu tiiSii, iiS S-h
planned that the hall had been erected
for the purpose of both social and po-
litical gatherings. When the building
of the hall was agitated more central
location had been suggested, but
through the energy of Father Victor
the vote had carried, 16 to l.
In his more earnest expressions the
bishop said in substance:
For the last two or three years the
relation which the Catholic church is
supposed to bear to the rest of the COM
munity has been variously discussed
and criticised in this country, sometimes
most unfairly and unjustly. whether in
tentionally so or not.
For one, believe in the fairness, hon
esty and liberality of the great bulk of
the American people, and though discus
sions of this kind may often work in
justice for time and entail hardships
upon the innocent, that innate sense of
honor with which our people are imbued
will in the end do justice to truth a..
right
One great good resulting from the I'M
happy discussion has been to simplify
the matter and make the fair minded
millions of our country actually study
it.
We have now the ear of the public as
never before, and hence there is offered
to US an opportunity of making Catholic
truth at least understood. One great
duty devoving upon us is to set the
country right on one subject that has
caused trouble because of misunder-
standing, and that subject is the ques-
tion of education-hence the theme l
have selected for this evening address.
The American people must be made to
feel that the hope of this country is
founded upon religion. We of today
ought to regard our revo'( tionary fore
fathers as fair eXponents of what our
institutions mean and upon what they
are based. l say that they proclaimed
two great principles-first, that this
government as a government is nom
sectarian, has no religion as a govern
ment; and, secondly, that, though non-
sectarian. this government is based up
on religion and cannot stand without it.
In so proclaiming it, they were but echo
ing the sentiments of the ablest thinkers
of all ages regarding the basis of all
good goVernment-and here, whilst I
beg leave to quote those sentiments
from recognized authorities, | shall not
mention one Catholic authority Mr..
Guizot, the eminent French writer and
at one time prime minister of France,
says: In order to make popular edu-
cation truly and socially useful, 1t must
be fundamentally religious. II is neces-
sary that national education be given
and received in the midst of a religious
atmosphere" Lord Derby says: Pub
lie education should be considered as
jnseperable from religion" Mr.. Glad
Gtone declares that every system which
places religious education in the back
ground is hurtful." NJ. de Raumer as
serts that Education should repose up
on the basis of Christianity, the true
support of the family, the commune
and of the state" Mr. Claiming AYERS
hat Vol Ian 4 =
will prove more of a demon than God"
Robespierre himself, as if struck by the
atrocities of the French revolution,
mounted to the pediment of a temple
and with pencil wrote the memora Bile
sentence: The French republic recog-
nizes Supreme Being, and an hour be
fore dying on the scaffold he exclaimed
to the people about him: THE republic
can be established only on the eternal
basis of morality"
Scarcely one of our revolutionary
sires ever thought of divorcing secular
from religious education. They them
selves had received a secular and re-
ligious education at the same time and
from the same tutors. and though they
pledged their property, their lives and
their sacred honor to the formation of
a non -sectarian government, they de-
clared by word and act, and by their
official documents when holding office
IN that government, that it was based
upon morality and morality upon re
ligion. In his farewell address to the
American people Mr. Washington used
the following words:
OF all the dispositions and habits that
lead to political prosperity. religion and
morality are Indispensable supports. 4
volume could not trace all their connec-
tion with private and public felicity. Let
1t simply be asked: Where is the Sc.
curity for property, for reputation. for
life, if the sense of religious obligation
desert the oaths which are the ingtru-
ments Of investigation in courts of Jus
tice? And let us with caution indulge
the supposition that morality can he
maintained without RELIGION
The Declaration of Independence af-
firms that man is endowed with the in
alienable rights Of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness The government
which was the outgroWth of that de-
claration is intended to secure to men
khe possession of these rights And Mr..
washington declares they cannot be Sc
oured unless upon the basis Of coR.