Evening star., 1896-10-09
An Une1ampled Testimonial to a
Great Divine.
TOUCHING And TENDER TRIBUTES
Protestants and Roman Catholics
Unite in the Occasion.
SOME SIGNIFICANT SPEECHES

lies and Protestants. Joined last night In |
Carroll Institute Hall at the testimonial |
meeting held in honor Of Bishop Keane. In |
the audience, which filled every available |
spot in the hall and galleries, the same |
character was noticeable. |
If for no other reason the occasion would |
have been significant for this; but it was
significant in many other ways. Every
speaker was a man Of marked prominence
and each one seemed to exceed the other in |
his appreciation of the particular phase of
Bishop Keanes character which 1t had
fallen to his share to consider, until It was
puzzling to determine whether the eminent
subject Is greater as religious influence,
a philanthropist, a scientist, an educator, a
citizen as a man.
Probably the most significant address Of
the evening was that Of the Rev. DR.. James
E. Rankin, the president of Howard Uni
versity, and certainly none Of the speakers
vas listened to with more rapt attention or
greeted at the close of his remarks with
such uncontrolled evidences Of approval.
But all were received with abundant assu-
RANGES of the warm sympathy of the gath
ering, and from the gentle, touching tribute
of Father Richards, president Of George
towE University, to the thrilling peroration
of the brilliant Stafford, there was not
moment that face lost Its eagerness or
an eye was turned from the stage.
The Meeting and Its Purpose.
The gathering was public mass meeting,
spontaneously called for the purpose of
testifying to the high esteem in which the
District of Columbia holds Bishop Keane
and the deep regret 1t feels ut his retire
ment from active duty amongst it's people.
Justice Morris of the District Court of
Appeals presided and on the stage were
President Rankin of Howard University,
President Richards Of Georgetown Univer-
sity, President Whitman of Columbian Uni
versty, District Commissioner Truesdell,
Brother Fabrician of ST. Johns Institute.
Pension Commissioner Dominick l. Muir
ply. Gen. Thomas NJ. Vincent of the army.
Capt. FRANK Harrington Of the marine
corps, Mr.. Tallmadge Lambert, Mr.. William
]. Miller, President e. NJ. Gallaudet of the
Deaf and Dumb Institute, Rev. Father
Gloyd, Rev. Father McGee, Rev. Dr. Han
cell of the Georgetown University, and the
Rev. DR.. Stafford. There were a number
Of Catholic priests, representing all the
parishes in Washington. in the audience,
but there was noticeable absence Of the
professors and faculty Of the Catholic Uni
versity, owing. it is said, to the expressed
desire of Bishop Keane.
In calling the meeting to order Justice
Morris said that the gathering had assem-
bled to pay honor to the eminent virtue of
seph Keane. He had won the esteem and
affections Of Washington people. irrespec-
tive Of race or creed, and 1t was from
Washington that the light Of his virtues
and the illumination Of his achievements
| radiated over two countries. No one had
done more in the cause Of truth, none had
been SO successful in removing the rancor
of religious prejudice, and there was none
more Jealous and earnest in the advance
ment OF American patriotism than Bishop
keane. He said that the meeting had moth
Ing to do with the rumors that had recently
teen circulated in the newspapers regarding
Keane. n
him honor. ~ g.. a..
Organization was then effected by the Sc
! lection Of Mr.: Henry y; sohon as secretary,
| and Justice Morris appointed committee
| on resolutions, consisting OF Father ]. F..
| MCGEE. Gen. T. NJ. Vincent, President E. NJ
| Gallaudet Pension Commissioner Dominick
| Murphy and Msssrs. q. S. Merrill. H: Clay
| Steer and N. Terry Taylor of the Carroll
| Institute. The committee retired to draw
| up the resolutions, and Justice Morris in
| troduced President ]. Havens Richards,
who spoke Of Bishop Keane as a religious
| influence.
President Richards' Address.
| He sketched the career Of Bishop Keane
from his early days the assistant pastor
| of ST. Patrick's Church in this city, and
told how he was yet, despite his elevation
to the prelacy. simple Father" Keane to
the thousands who knew and loved and re-
| vered and venerated him. He was an hum
| BILE. self-denying, Jealous. hard-workins
priest. whose religious influence, profound
| and widespread, was ever vivifying, en-.
| couraging and leading men on to good
| works. He was absolutely unselfish and
| had complete disregard for his own tenn
| poral affairs, and it was from the spirit OF
| prayer with which he was imbued always
| and at all times that he drew the strength
| and ardor to carry his labor in he
| service of God. He grew eloquent ovel
Bishop Keanes influence over young men
and was touching in his references to Bishol
Il
charity.
Never have I known an instance" ex
claimed Father Richards, where he failei
to he a father to the poor"
DIR. Rnnkin's Contribution.
The next speaker was President James
E. Rankin of Howard University, who
spoke on Bishop Keane as a philanthropist
| Dr. Rankin's address was delivered in
| voice and with a manner plainly showing
the feeling that agitated the speaker, ant
he had net spoken many words before the
| same emotion evident in the audience
His tributes to Bishop Keane were received
with outbursts of applause, but the mos
significant accompaniment of his address
was the unbounded approval that he me
| when he approached the subject of :h
| American Catholic Church.
| He said he regarded 1t as great homo
to stand upon the platform. to be reckonet
so close q friend of Bishop Keane and t
|
| remarkable testimonial.
Here Is man." he exclaimed, who SAT-
his word well, who SO fittingly did nj
deed, that whole community rise up t
do him honor This is less Carroll Hal
than it Is Washington This uprising j
spontaneous. 1t is almost unprecedented
We come to speak of one who has SO wo
his way into our hearts that we are read
to bestow upon him expressions whia
are unusual for the living; which are NOR
frequently reserved for those to whom tn
Great Master has said, We'll done!
THE suddenness Of Bishop keane's resig
| ration, his immediate departure from IN
| city, strike the mind almost as though h
had been taken up, as Elijah was. And
.. seems almost as though it9were our dut
{ to go and look for hima as did the schoe
. | Of the prophets for their master. His In
stant loyalty to the central authority
: which said, Thou shalt be no longe
steward! his humility as to his own f1tnes
: for the enlarged enterprise which hi
genius had inaugurated. the nobleness c
his self-sacrif1ce, these all illustrate tn
unique beauty Of his character and max
it harder not to be permitted to say
him one word of farewell. II
Bishop Keane as a aphftanthropist.
philanthropist is a man who sees in h
q brother man the image of God. and VIII
q | loves him that image Phila hronis