The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-08-26
miscellaneous
THANKS FOR VICTORY.
Sermon Delivered at st. Mary's
Church. CIermOnt Mills, Md,
On Sunday. August 18TH,
1898, by Rev. w. j.
KRmp

lN Sii SulSSi vi Ii 10 Sdl
dinal Gibbons issued in response to
the proclamation of President Nc
kinley, calling on the people of the
United States TO offer up prayers in
their respective churches for the sig
nal victories which have lately crown
ed our army and navy, was read at st.
Mary's r. G. Church on Sunday by
the pastor, Rev. W. J. Kane, Father
Kane made the following remarks
apropos to the reason.
In view Of the circular just read it
is but christian to act in concord with
the Cardinals request and render
thanks to God for the victories which
have lately crowned our arms and to
pray for those men who have so nobly
lost their lives in their country's cause.
We who are SO far removed from
the seat of war can form but d faint
idea of the horrors which are SURF to
attend its every lstep. Who can esti-
mate-who can say the sacrifices
made by those now at the 'front.'
father, mother, sisters, brothers, home
and comfort have all alike been offered
up on the altar OF their country's
cause. Why such sacrifices! In the
cause of humanity-to proclaim to
the civilized world that we are civil
liZed country made up of civilized peo-
pie.
Before the shrine of patriotism every
American bends his knee and educated
and uneducated alike offer up the in
cense of their admiration and rever-
euce.
When news of victory reaches us
every body rejoices and when the
gloom of death, disease and hardships
is told, everyone sorrows. Their vic
tories IRE our victories, their suffer
ings are, in some measure, our suffer
ings. Hence the debt, we, their
brothers, countrymen and compa-
triots owe them of our prayers.
This question is seldom treated from
the pulpit but there is moral and
religious aspect about it which raises
it to d dignity beftting this place
Man is essentially Il social being and
the family is a condition of his exist
ence and growth:the union of families
form the nations and these are ruled
over by one Common Father from
whom all authority comes; man is but
His agent.
Our country, a haven of rest, was
formed by refugees from tyranny and
oppression-men who fled here to en-
JOY liberty-and those who are now at
the front battling in the cause of this
same freedom, are. the descendants of
these men, our common Forefathers,
therefore we their brothers, more es-
pecially owe them the debt of our
prayers for their present and future
welfare.
Before the war we had an associa-
ton known under the misnomer of
American Protective Association who
had for their one purpose the vitiating
of the public mind against the Catho-
lies but since the beginning of the war
the very existence OF these Molochs of
religious history is almost forgotten
and their whereabouts are utterly I'M
knowb.
The first reports of the war bore
names too significant of their religion
to uphold their oft repeated assertion,
that the Catholic Church is hostile to
the war on account of the religion of
our enemies.
Certain portions of the public press
at large, especially here and in Eng
land have, since the beginning of hos
tilities, striven to engender strife and
enmity among the people. Not few
of them have boldly asserted that the
Pope is nightly absent from his home
in the Vatican soliciting the aid of the
foreign powers in behalf of Spain, but
they have absolutely no proof nor
grounds for such an assertion.
Leo XIII is and has always boen
neutral. If he has counselled peace
he did it as tile head of the Catholic
Church who teaches the gospel of
peace and charity. Her attitude and
that of her clergy is and always has
been for peace, yet when war is de-
clared whole regiments of her sons are
found at the front. The attitude of
the Catholic Church is clearly shown
by the words of the venerable Bishop
of Detroit in his address to his depart
ing Michigan regiments. As minister
of peace" said he, Il cannot counsel
war, but always remember your God,
your country and your homes"
Napoleon once gave ninetv-nine rea.
SONS for not storming town. The first
| of which was, he had no cannon, the
ninety-eight remaining were unneces-
sary. This same rule NAV be applied
to ali these misrepresentation for il
there is no foundation or reason for an
assertion, what need have We of furth.
er proofs of its absurdity.
| L refer YOU 10 history TO f6tuCe the
Misrepresentation that Catholics are
opposed to defend the honor of theil
country or to fighting against Catho
lies. How many of the leaders of the
Revolutionary war were Catholics,
Were not Lafayette, Sobiesky Antony
Wayne, Catholics? Were not these
very men and their co-religionist,
highly eulosized by the immorta
Washington for their bravery? Was
not Jack Barry, the father of our navy
II Catholic? Again was not the Mexi
can war war against Catholic
country? Were not Catholics in both
armies during our late war? Too Otter
from the same familiesl
Reports show that two thirds O
men launched into eternity Oh the i'll
fated Maine, tie remote cause of the
war and three tifths of the victims O
Santiago were Catholics. What neeG
have we of further proof? All fair
minded Professionals unite in condemn
ing such ill-founded reports. Let u.
therefore pray for those good men who
so nobly fought the good fight anC
died i'll their country's cause.