Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-24
ABLE, FORCEFUL, ELOQUENT Was the Discourse of Rev. F Father
 DaIy, ofPensacola, AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH. "Catholic Church in America, the Subject of the Learned Divine Masterly Did He
 Handle the Subject

The magnificent Catholic church on Third avenue and Twenty street, was well filled last night to hear the lec- ture by Rev. Err J. Daily, of Pensacola, Fla, on the "Catholic Church in Ameri- ca.' The reverend gentleman's we'll known eloquence is a magnet that few can resist when such an opportunity as that of last night presents itself.
 The sweet voice of Miss Annie O'Neill was heard at it's best in Ave Maria" She had perfect control of her voice, and the we'll rounded notes of the sacred hymn swelled in beautiful harmony and distinctness.
 Prof. B. A Black sang "vani Creator as only he knows how to sing it. His deep voice in the beautiful hymn awoke responsive chord in every breast.
 Father Daly mounted to the magnif- cent pulpit and at once entered his sub- ject with an earnestness and eloquence that held the attention of his large au- dience for nearly two hours.
 The early history of the Catholic church in the new world, it's influences in the upbuilding of the government and its efforts for the brighter and better ed ucation of the people served the. dis tinguished divine his subject matter around which was drawn beautiful and lOuCIlIi6 WOIu-plCluItS Ol DuIilllS SlO- quence.
 The attacks on Catholicism of this day and generation were but the frothy, light and silly objections, said the orator, that have been resurrected and directed against it from the time of the reforma- tion
 Such obections and criticisms are founded, he said, on ignorance and big otry With the history of the church and it's deeds to point to- the Catholic need never to bow his head in confusion nor the blush of shame mount to his cheeks. American Catholics should be proud of their name and church. On every battlefield Catholic blood was shed for liberty, and when defenders of the nations honor were needed they never asked if you were a Catholic The first Catholic bishop journeyed to England to plead for the just and righteous cause of the colonies.
 Father Daily went on to show that now, that the country's battles had been fought and won. the old and unscrupui- ous prejudices were brought out and paraded by fanatics in search of noto- riety and political office Alleged objec- tions are brought against the church, he said, but for every one of them there is a grand and glorious answer.
 The accusation is made that the Cath olc church is an enemy to the public school system and tc the teachings of the Bible. Both of these accusations. he said I deny, for if the father of Prot estantism ever saw a Bible he saw it in the lap of Catholic priest; If he ever learned the teachings of the Bible it was at the knee of a Catholic instructor When he revolted and broke his solemn VOW to God and issued his so-calied transla ton into German, it was the al- leged translation of a Catholic Bible.
 If the Catholic church goes contrary to the teachings of the Bible. whole civil ized world looks on in wonder and amaze ment and applauds the deeds of heroism and self-sacrifiee of the priests and sis ters of the much maligned and sorely condemned church.
 The speaker then spoke of the leper colony in the state of Louisiana. where those unforturates are banished to elSe out their miserable existence. After the state had established the colony it was seen that servants were necessary to administer to their wants Did they send a S10.000 salaried man there? No. The Catholic church came to the rescue and its priests and sisters went there, know ing they could never return. The Catho- lie priest in the full enjoyment of his health, left his home and the home of his parents and friends to go to those unfortunate people in order that their souls might be directed to a higher and better world. They went there to band age up their awful sores, to administer to their every need and when the stricken mortais were called across the dark river into the awful valley of the shadow of death no hand save that of Catholic was there to close the lids over the glassy eyes and lay away the lifeless clay in the bosom of mother earth
 The sisters many of whom left bril- liant prospects in social life behind them go from house to house asking. aye. beg ging for the broken crusts of bread, the crumbs from the table. and at nightfall with their heavy laden baskets on their weary shoulders they return to their con sent and prepare the food for those peo-