The times., 1899-09-18

I
mother tongue. No need have we Catholics
TO the faltering accents of apology
! when speaking of our country. Our breth-
! ren in the faith left homes and firesids5.
I left wives and children. left the fields ripe
for the golden harvest and went forth al
1 the call OF duty. Esteeming all things Oh
little worth in comparison with their eouh-
( try's preservation, they shared with tnsn
fellow citizens of other beliefs the dangers
and horrors of the battlehelds and laughed
in the face OF churlish death. In thsn
life blood, they have written a commentary
I upon the line of Horace, 1t is pleasant
! and glorious thing TO die for one couh-
try And well does America deserve the
love of Catholics. She has been home ana
an asylum. she has placed over US the
asgis of her protection- She mas thrown
open to US her vast domain bidding US TO
I take possession with the weapons that civ
illzation has forged ard placed in our hands.
The VaIor of Catholics.
'TThe deeds of our co-religionists in the
war for American independence. in the war
Of 1872. in the Mexican war, in the unhappy
Civil War. and in the recent Spanish war
/ Will ever be TO US a hailowed memory. Well
( may we cherish the words of the immortal
I Washington in response to the address of
| the American Catholics, presented 10 him
Dy the N61eTdltu palTiOl anu ChufChiiiah-
Bishop Carroll. Your fellow citizens, said
he. will not forget the patriotic part you
took in the accomplishment of their revo
luton and the establishment of their Gov
! eminent. or the important assistance they
received from a nation where the Roman
Catholic faith is professed.' For one or two
Il centuries before the war for independence
Catholic missionaries traversed the track
less forests carrying the gospel Of peace TO
1 savage Indians, and many of them, Fran
ciscans. Dominicans, and Jesuits, received
/ the crown Of martrydom.
The founders of this Republic built un-
consciously yeritable holy of holies. Here
| was TO be wrought out the splendid pur-
pose of giving to men wider civic oppor-
/ tunities nobler conditions of life. and TO
the nations the model of a Government
resting upon popular intelligence and made
operative by the will of the majority The
vitality of the American people and the
progressive capacity of their Constitution
are attested in the stately march across
1 the continent, leaving behind the villages
and towns and fair cities. the genius for
State building went with their sons in their
westward migration and they in turn be-
came the architects OF States. The Civil
War threatened TO rend the Republic, but
il passed over ike healing balm, leaving
il purer than before, with its Constitution
unimpaired, the glory of its flag undimmad.
and tie blot of slavery forever erased. And
If our national life is not touched with the
finer grace that seems to be flower of an
! aristocracy, il has yigor and boundless
energy that make most ample reparation II
we have not the csthedrals and the castles
and the great foundations with storied
pasts, we have history rich in memories
of heroic deeds, and future that gives
I nrOYrica of still nOfipr fhinQs
Recent experiences have shown that moi
4. only as a nation we are alive to the i'm
pulses Of philanthropy. but that we can
be magnaRimous and charitable to fallen
foe Recent experiences, tco. have also
proved that our American manhood can
still face the stern realities OF duty and
sacrifice with intelligence and heroism. On
land and on sea We have remained true TO
} the traditions that have made freedom
possible and fruitful. In the bravery OF
our soldiers. IN the daring of our sailors,
we may read the lessons CT patriotism that
every cradle in the land seems to have
: been rocked to. And the achievement Is
that have lent an undying lustre to ouI
arms were won largely by our citizen sol
diery, by calling into the rude clash oi
arms the same qualities that have created
ard made lasting our civil greatness, that
have scattered over continent our laws
and institutions, that have filled our homes
! with the arts Of peace and our cities with
! the light of learning. The same mighty
! haads that held aleft the sea prowess OF
our race and tongue have also placed upon
cur shoulders responsibilities OF vast mag
nitude We have new relations with the
outside world thrust upon US. and what
ever character they viii ultimately assume,
they cannot become OF permanent value
unless approached with sanity of mind-a
Judgment unelouded and unyexed by pas
sion or bigotry or prejudice,
-It is the aim Of the Knights CT Co
lumbus to assist in building up a Catholic
: sentiment alive to the best impulses OF the
times. Ii is its purpose not only to helI
, in the intenxifying Of Catholic life and the
| spurring on of Catholic activity, but also
> 10 raise up men strong in their love OF
country and loyal TO the institutions of the
land So long as the organization does
, this the traditions of American Catholi-
; cism will be upheld and there viii be NJ
, truer or more self-sacrifcing patriots thar
I the knights of Columbus.
? The Verge of New Century.
i Today we are standing upon the border
land of a new century. On our lips dweIli
the speech that Shakespeare wrote and il
which was penned the Magma Charta 0
| dependence The spiritual culture and tn
= discipline OF the faith are ours. Througl
{ the Church we link hands with the his
e toric figures and epochs Of the past, an
I through our country We share the price
e less blessings CT freedom
z The flag that today we have flung Z
n the breeze means hope to the oppressed
< IL is as a sword to the suffering; il is tn
b armnr Of the weak; il is the symbol of
= knighthood more honorable than ever con
n ferred by king or emperor-that OF simpl
: manhood. The American dag 1t is in
deed a sacred emblem Seventy million
e of free people love and reverence it. Unde
= its sweet inspiration men Of different be
!, liefs dwell together in peace and harmony
L recognizing the brotherhood of man and tn
It fatherhood of God. So ever may it BET S
d ever may men who differ in other thing
s yet be as one in their devotion to tha
: starry flag of the free.
y "And what precious memories il evokes
5 1t recalls the rattle of musketry at Lexing
]. ton. where
: once the ernbattled farmers stood,
D. And fired the shot heard round the world.
a Il brings TO mind the fierce struggle a
" Bunker Hill, the gloom Of Valley Forge
y the immortal glory of Yorktown. and tn
triumph OF American independence. Look
~ ing at that flag. the patriot may almos
"A hear the boom of the guns at Lundy'
j. Lane. There comes before him the seen
/ on Lake Erie when the noble Perry, in th
. midst OF a hail OF shot and shell, trans
a ferred his flag from his sinking ship, an
"A he may almost hear that thrilling message
IN We have met the enemy and he is ours
Ie That flag was borne triumphantly throug
- 4 rsa.