The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-20

orilllant singing or Abcs songs cndS TWO
Of that masters best works were after
ward dedicated 10 him. Pope Plus TX.
was then alive, and he, too, had fine
voice, you know-almost the counterpart
OF Dr.. Buffers voice. DR.. Butler used
20 initiate the pope's singing until We
could almost imagine ourselves in the
vatican"
DR.. Butler had to go abroad again on
account of his eyes and did not return
until 1875. Then he was sent TO the
parish at Rockford. There ne exhibited
another side OF his character. He not
only built UP his own church, but be-
came one Of that city's most prominent
and public spirited citizens. Laymeh
OF ali denominations delighted in his
friendship. He was held In such esteem
that for years ne was at the head of
the public library board, and no public
undertaking or movement. for the gen.
eral good was ever inaugurated without
his cooperation being asked.
After ten years in Rockford DR.. But
Ter came beck to Chicago. and in 1857
ne assumed the pastorate Of ST. Johns
church, Clark and Eighteenth streets.
He might have had a weaitf1ier congre-
cation. but he did not want it. As
Father Flanagan. his old friend. says Of
him: "He was a man of remarkable
talents and Of good learning. He was,
too, a man of broad and liberal ideas.
a cosmopolitan in the truest sense OF
the word. With all that. ne was a fer
vent Catholic and the very highest type
OF hard working. conscientious, faithful
prest.''
Dr.. Butler was happy in this life OF
parish guardian. His great attainments
were not permitted to rust. though, for
want Of use. He was looked to, 1t can
be said without exaggeration, as the au-
thority OF the diocese on all questions
Of church doctrine and church law, and
for years-ever since he gave up active
teaching, n fact-he served as the Off
cial examiner OF the clergy
DR.. Butler was not an ambitious man.
n that sense of the word which implies
but he did not care forasthebsETAOIN
selishness. He liked to be helpfu.
but he did not care for tonors. During
the last decade of his life he made few
appearances in public outside of his own
pulpit. Those few occasions were
usually on March 4, when his compatri-
OTIS are wont 70 meet in Central Music
Hall and celebrate the memory Of Rob-
ert Emmett. Then he would sing "She
Is Far From the Land Where Her
Young Hero Sleeps" would come first
and by the time he had gone through
the list every Irishman in the hall would
have fought to maintain that Tom
Moore wrote the best songs ever written
and that DR.. Butler sang them better
than they were ever sung.
The election of DR.. Butler recently to
the vacant see of Concordia, Kan, was a
voluntary tribute from the church au-
thorities TO his attainments and powers.
He did not seek. II the truth were
known it is probable that he would nave
preferred TO remain as pastor OF ST.
Johns where he could gather around
him his old friends and sing to them,
FOR the exercise Of his art apparently
gave him as much pleasure as it did TO
his listeners. But he was called and
he obeyed.
DR.. Buffers successor at st. Johns
has not been named as yet. 1t IS IN
derstood that Father Mooney, now chan
cellor OF the diocese, will be promoted
to this pastorate. But the peaole of St.
Johns are not thinking now OF success
ors. They are mourning for their pas
tor that was, and they cannot forget him
Until they themselves have become only
memories. DR.. Butler was a member
Of the Illinois Commandery of the Loyal
Legion OF the United States.