The San Francisco call., 1897-11-30

this wonderful church hes little to fear.
1t seems to prove that these attacks bring
forth the virtues of the church. 1t has
lived in sunshine and storm through all
the centuries, almost nineteen in number.
1t has grown strong among despouc king
and among expanding democracies
among the weak nations of the south as
well as among the ruddy ones of the
north; 1t has nothing TO fear from the
ravages Sf time.
There are many common errors when
this new society can refute-the tooilsh
idea that the church opposes education,
that indulgences are for sale and that the
reading of the Scriptures in the vernacu-
lar is forbidden. OF course, am not now
going to speak of the men who went into
the sewers in their attacks upon US and
whose presence in the battle added to the
offensiveness of the matter they dealt
with. | am dealing with the largely cir
culated erIo worthy OF notice.
"As the first president of the society,
let me venture to say what thing you
ought to do under the obligation you
have taken. You ought to provide liter
ature for the hospitals, where many lie
in their last illness, or where they are
temporarily confined. The sick bed is q
wonderful place for meditation. The
mind, the heart, are open for conviction
there, for the weakness of all human
things is plainly seen, and the pilgrim on
his wav from time to eternity turns his
thoughts TO God and the great hereafter.
And here let me say that this city ought
TO be ashamed of its hospital. 1t is dis
grace that would not be tolerated IN the
land of the Hottentots. l hope to live
long enough 10 see Board OF Super
visors build a decent hospital APP
plause.
Then you must get up some literature
for prisoners. Most of those who languish
in iails will enter society again, and they
must be taught how to enter IL IN proper
way. They ought to be made to feel that
their conduct should be good, not as
matter OF fear of future arrest but as a
matter of conscience. 1t Is astonishing
how many of those who go to penltentl-
aries and like places return there year
alter year. 1t ought TO be possible for
such society as that We are organizing
10 prevent such growth OF crime.
Another great field OF work Is among
the seamen. 1t is pitiful 10 see the evils
that surround sailors. They meet the
dangers of the sea, and when they come
on the land they are met by Yultures VINO
prey upon them there. There seem TO be
but two places Tor those who return from
the seattle ship, of which they have
seen too much, and the saloon, where
they are led to ruin.
These ships all have some children OF
our great church aboard them, and there
should be g seamen's home for them. /
am glad to say that with the beginning oil
the new year there will be something
done in this line of work. l have had the
promise OF those who are now taking
charge of St. Mary's Church that the
work on the water front will 60 forward
without delay. There is a great field fol
the new society here.
I'VE must provide something for cur
young men to do. They thirst for the op-
portunitv. l recall with pleasure how
they responded to our Invi atiOn 10 carry
on the League OF the Cross work, and they
will do the same in other fields Ii they
have an opportunity. We want good
strong men in this work-not men who
are good mere y because OF their inability
to be bad, but men of strength.
There are many errors about the
church which the society can readily cor
rect. There are some reasons why the
church has suffered in the past. The
English language has been against It, be
cause II was formed in its beauty anC
strength about the time OF the Reforma
lion. The histories. the poems, the laws,
were against Us for long time. We find
these narrow prejudices in Blackstone, IT
HalIam, in Addison. In many of the
novels of the times all priests were held
10 be spies.
Even Today there are many foolish
outcries about the Jesuiis 10 the effect
that they are about TO rum the land. Il
is wonderful what they conjure up about
Jesuits. They portray them as male and
female, as old and young, as omniscieEt
and as omnipresent. 1t Is so amusing a.
to be pathetic. l never go down the stree
without laughing as l meet old Father
Prelato, and wonder when he is going c
tear down the constitution OF the United
States. Laughter and applause. 1t is
marvellous what fears are conjured up by
the votaries OF error over a few old Jesuit
fathers.
cit is a strange fact that persecution
always increases religious fervor. If my
good Father Yorke had let the A. P. A.
Society alone awhile longer they would
have so united Catholics that | would have
been able to endow and MAINTAIN my new
seminary" (Laughter.)
In conclusion the speaker dweIt on the
fact that there Is something suDlimelv
touching in the tenacity OF the church.
He said it was ancient, ever strong full
of vigor and ready to come out fresh from
every battle. This is because it is founded
or the eternal veritles; because it is the
church of truth, filing the world with the
beauty OF Christian diSpensatlou."