The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-08-05
On Cordial Terms of Friendship
With Protestants.
EXPRESSED NO POLITICAL OPINIONS
Great Success in the Cause. of
Total Abstinence.

AS the 2oth annual convention of the
Catholic Total Abstinence Union OF
America opens in Chicago on August 9,
and as one of its principal features will
be the celebration Of the fifticth ami
versary OF the arrival in this country of
Father Theobald Mathew, the great
apostle OF total abstinence, the following
charming sketch of that truly good man
from the pen of Justin Mccarthy will
make interesting reading at this time:
I can hardly say when my acquaint-
ance with Father Mathew began. His
noble dignifcd figure, his handsome
face, his sweet smile, his gracious, gen.
ial manners made up presence which
belongs to my early childhood l was
born and brought up in the city OF Cork,
where Father Mathews chapel, "The
Little Friary," was situated, and | was
i'll the habit OF meeting the good and
great priest and reformer almost as far
back as my recollections can go. took
the temperance pledge from him while
was mere boy-little more indeed than
a child-and l was in the habit OF meet
ing him very frequently for many years
until left my native city and settled in
Liverpool and then in London Father
Mathew had fnely-mouldcd, rather
aquilinc face, a face that somehow sug-
gcstcd high BIRTH and was certainly re-
markablc for its quiet dignity. His
smile was most winning and even capti-
vating 1t seemed to bring man, woman,
and child at once into relationship of
confidence and affection with the bcncv-
olent priest. He spoke will, strong
Waterford accent, and he never was an
orator or made the slightest pretensions
to rhetorical cloquence. But he could
carry a great meeting along with him
by the force OF charm which not even
the genius of cloqucnce can always con-
fer, the charm OF boundcss charity, OF
exquisite sympathy OF Christian meek
ness, tenderness, and love-
Everybody in Cork knew Father
Mathew, or perhaps I should rather say
Father Mathew knew everybody in
Cork. For him, in his friendly inter
course and his charitable dealings, there
we're no distinctions OF rank or class, Of
sectarian denomination, or of political
party He was the friend of the rich as
we'll as OF the poor. The title to his.
friendship was to be honest OF purpose,
to aim at living pure life, to be help
full to ones ncighbors, and perhaps.
above all things else, to be in need OF
Father Mathews help. The most de-
voted and assiduous OF Catholic priests,
he was on the most cordial terms of
friendship with the clcrgymen of the Es
tablished Church-for there then was
State Church in Ireland-with the min
listers of all the dissenting denomina-
tions, and perhaps especially with those
of the Unitarian and Quaker bodies. He
visited anyone who was in any manner
OF difficulty or distress, and, indeed, it
would hardly be an exaggeration to say
that whenever there was trouble in any
household the helpful presence of Father
Mathew brought brightness to the scene
He needed no introduction to any home
to which he believed his visit might
bring comfort or assistance OF any kind
He took but little concern in the work
ings of political life, and while l i'm
agine that his own inncrmost inclna-
tions were rather Conservative than
what we call Liberal in their nature one
could never have guessed at his political
opinions by any OF his daily sayings or
doings. l do not think l have ever
known a man who was so absolutely
above and beyond all the distinctions OF
rank and class which count for so much
even in republics and democracies.
I have seen him in many house
shake hands with the butler and heard
Him ask about the buffers wife and
children, and all this mot with courtly,
popularity-hunting air." not with the
faintest suggestion OF patronizng conde-
scension, but simply part of the nat
ural bearing OF the kindly priest to
whom all men were as brothers.
l came to know Father Mathew very
soon, because lie was always particularly
fond OF the young, and there was some
thing in his every look and word which
won the instantaneous confidence of
boys and girls. He constantly spoke OF
the wonderful work which he hoped to
do through my young teetotalers."