The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-07-16
THANKS GIVING FOR VICTORY.

THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY.
In accordance with the proclamation
addressed to the people OF the United
States by President Mckinley, asking
that thanksgiving he offered to
Almighty God for the glorious victories
won by the American army and navy in
the present war, and that prayers for
speedy peace be recited in their various
places OF worship. the Tc Deum was
sung and the Ltuny ui the Saints re-
cited in all the Catholic churches Of the
archdiocese OF st. Paul last Sunday, by
order vi Archbishop Ireland
1t is meet and proper that the Amer
lean people should rejoice over the
achievements of the army and navy, but
particularly the latter. There are no
instances i'll recorded history 70 COM
pare with the grand triumph OF Dewey
and Schley in the destruction OF the
Spanish fiotillas in Manila and Santiago
harDors. Inc fact that only one Amer.
iean seaman was killed in the TWO ter
were killed on the Spanish side, makes
TAG victories appear almost miraculous.
For this providential escape the thanks
si!!nt, Of q Christian people was due TO
the Almighty, who watches over the
dcatlnies OF nations for his own wise
ends.
With the nations thanks were min
glnu ,hG nations aorrOw for the
gallant soldiers who fell around s;antia-
so, and the prayers OF Catholics as
cendod TO the throne OF grace, be,eech-
ms God that The souls oil the heroes
who Tell in battle TO ibararc the Cubans
from tho Spanish yoke may rnst in
peace. In the archdiocese Of New
York the de Profun,is" was said for
; all The soldiers and sailors on both sides
: who lost their lives in the present war;
! anu no Tc Dcilm was sung. Tho arch
bishop OF the West and the archbishop
or the East interpreted the presidents
proclamation differently when he
said: 1T is fitting that we should pause,
! and staying The feeling of exultation
That too naturally attends great deeds
wrought by our countrymen in our
country's cause, should dcvo1ltly bow
before the throne Of divine grace and
give dcvont praise to God"
The singing of the Tc Deum after a
victory is of ancient origin. When Is
rael In the days of old won triumph
over the enemy, King David gathered
the assembled hosts around the altar
and asked them to sing a song of his
own composition dedicated to that ocu
casloi of victory. The Tie Deum figures
IN French history in connection with
what Is called the st. Bartholomew mas
sacre. Much misrepresentation exists
; concerning the cause OF jubiation and
song OF triumph, by order of the Pope
Protcstants claiming that it was to
commemorate the slaughter of the Iu.
suenots, and Catholics insisting that IL
was iii gratitude to God for the pres
crNatl"n OF the life of the French NON
! arch from Colisni and his conspirators
Archbishop ireland preached on Sun
! day i'll the 81. Paul Cathedral on the
presidents proclamation after the TIE
Delm was chanted by tho choir. and
America was sung by the congrega-
ton. Having spoken in words of
! praise OF American soldiers and Amcri-
can sailors, the eloquent prelate said:
Il should be unfaithful to NV human
! affections, to my duty to all men, did I
not say that our hearts should go ont
In sympathy to the suffering ones of the
nation against whom war has had to be
waged by America. And add that
America would not be worthy of the
great ideals which God has put before
her as her mission II this sympathy
were refused to a defeated nation. I
add that it were most unworthy of the
greatness OF the American people to per-
init that their own glory should in any
way DO furnished by wrong treatment
OF the nation VIC call our enemy.
Because OF my loyalty to America.
because Of my love for her. take this
occasion to protest against those Amer
leans who fancy they can glorify all
the more their own country by villify-
ing and eliminating defeated Spain It
is not right: 1t is not American to scat
ter through the country statements of
the Spanish people that are untrue It
is not right to say that they are SUI
perstitious. They are faithful disciples
of the Catholic Church. 1t is untrue
that they are ferocious and bloodthirsty.
They are a chivalrous nation. worthy
to be met on the battlefield by the flower
of American chivalry. 1t is not true
| that even the womanhood of Spain is of
low. degraded type. There is no
purer womanhood on the surface of the
earth than the womanhood of Spain; NO
more faithful wives and honored daugh-
| tiers than the women of Spain. It is
not fair to 60 back two, three or four
hundred years, seeking out stains to be
affixed TO the present escutcheon OF
Spain. What country will bear this
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