The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-28
HIS RINGING REPORT.
SLEDGE-HAMMER BLOWS AT THE
CATHOLIC RUMSELLERS.
DISSERTATION OF THE LORDS DAY.
VIGOROUS DENUNCIATION OF THE
DEALERS IN ALCOHOL.

REV. FIR. CLEARY, OF MINNEAPOLIS,
DELIVERS A MAGNIFICENT ADDRESS
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
At the national convention of the
Catholic Total Abstinence Union Of
America held last week at Scranton
Fa., the following forcible address was
delivered by Rev. ]. NJ. Cleary as presi-
dent of the organization:
The Catholic church studies with
wonderful diligence the welfare OF the
people and the special needs of every
age of the worlds history. This divine
Institution is not of yesterday, and is
not now learning Its first lessons in
battling against evil. The Catholic
church in this country is in full con-
fcrmdty with the noble spirit that has
animated her in all ages and entertains
keen and generous interest in the
welfare of the nation. This fair and free
land, upon whose virgin soil Catholic
refugees from intolerance in other lands,
first erected the standard of religious
freedom, is the most inviting field in
the world today for the glorious work
of the church.
The timidity of individual Catholics,
the sordid selfishness of others, or stub
born adherence to social traditions that
minister to greedy appetite are some-
times accepted as rejecting the mind
and heart Of the church herself. The
church of God is living organism COM
petent and ready to express Its con-
victions and policy, responsible only for
Its own actions and utterances, not for
the opinions or the conduct of Its men,
bers who hesitate to listen TO it's voice.
individuals may be influenced by selfish
or local considerations, the church of
! God, never.
In this country the true citizen of the
republic, In common with the Catholic
church, will not measure it's prosperity
and greatness by the wealth of It's mines.
the fertility Of it's fields, the bank ac-
counts Of its milionaires, the popula-
tion of it's cities, and the strength of the
great army of labor, but by the virtue,
the happiness, the intelligence, the
thrift, the public and private morality,
the domestic peace and contentment OF
the people. These are the true sources
OF national greatness, national glory
! and pride, as they are the foundations
of national stability Whatever influence
menaces the salutary and saving power
OF these necessary national virtues,
threatens the very life of the nation.
The honest patriot as we'll as the earn
est Christian will do his part in the
defense of his country against the moral
dangers that threaten it.
In our age and country no enemy OIL
| the peoples moral health, of their ma
terial prosperity, of their domestic hap
plness and of their social advancement.
| is as the widespread evil Of excessive
drinking. Since its organization in
1872, our noble union has done heroic
work in the cause Of Catholic self-de-
NAL. Its leaders have been fearless.
The workers in the ranks have been
| tireless
Experience In this warfare convinces
us day by day that we owe no greater
! debt to the people than to exert our
best energies in saving them from the
blighting curse of drink The continue
ed presence of so much misery on ac-
| count Of excessive drinking notwith-
standing all the efforts that have been
combined against this seductive evil
Is most convincing proof of its insid-
| iols power.
| The warfare against the drink evil is
beset with difficulties; failure and dis
appointment will often confront those
who engage in it. But we should re-
member that we are not responsible for
results; results belong to him who CIV
eth the increase. We are responsible
only for doing our duty with loyal de-
votion. A marvellous and most en-
couraging improvement has taken place
among our people In relation to the
drink habit. The credit Of having af-
fected this hopeful progress belongs
to our Catholic total abstainers and
total abstinence societies. Yet how
much remains for US to do! How many
homes are saddened, even where plenty
abounds, by the brutalzing presence
of excessive drinking. Thousands Of
the homes Of the poor are made I'M
speakably wretcfed by the awful curse
Of drink. Children are robbed Of a
fathers affeclionate care, of a mothers
devoted attention, of the actual neccssi-
ties of a decent life, Christian instruc-
| tion and training, of mental and moral
culture, and initiated into hardened ex-
| perience with vice before reason daWns,
simply because appetite masters reason,
| passion dominates natural affection, and
conscience is deadened by clouding hu-
man intelligence and enslaving human