The Irish standard., 1899-06-24
EFFECTS OF THE TERRIBLE CYCLONE
The Lessons to be Learned.fr
The Catastrophe.
sIdNIFlcA1IoN OF The RED, CROSS
Eternal Gratitude Is Due to the
Minnesota Cities.

The following dispatch from Mr. John
A. Arnold, special correspondent OF
the Minneapolis Tribune, will give some
idea OF the indcfatigable zeal displayed
by Rev. DR.. VIM. E. Degnan, the Cath
olic priest Of New Richmond in COM
forting and consoling the inhabitants OF
that cyclone-s stricken town:
One of the sensations of this first Sun
day after the cyclone in ruined New
Richmond was the unexpected turn in
the morning service at the Catholic
church. Father Degnan had intended
to hold a simple mass with short SER
mon in which no allusion would be
made to the calamity OF last Monday
evening. But when he arose before the
audience he changed his purpose and
delivered all address which will long
be remembered in connection with the
history OF the great storm.
To begin with, Father Degnan had
buried 50 OF his parishioners, among
them three OF his altar boys. He had
visited hundreds of the injured and had
worked all the week almost without
rest. In spite OF the terrible scenes he
had witnessed he thought himself
calm enough to preach simple sermon
from the gospels. But before him he
saw his church packed with his own
members and many strangers Here and
there sorrowing mother would be wip-
ing away the tears she could not repress,
and in scores OF faces could be seen the
grief which no assembling could con-
ceal
This settled it with Father Degnan.
He saw his duty was to comfort those
sorrowing people, not by sympathizing
with them in their great grief, not by
weeping with them, but by cheering
them UP, by inspiring them with new
hope and courage. Speaking entirely cx-
temporc, and with spontanicty which
no stenograplcr could follow, with an
enthusiasm which was electrical in its
influence on his hearers, the priest did
more in his short addres than he could
have accomplished in months of pastoral
visitation. Looking down into the sad
faces he began:
MANY happy faces are found wanting
in this once prosperous congregation,
and many a sad countcnance is left be-
hind to mourn the loss OF our departed
loved ones. The fearful storm that arose
i'll its might and power on last Monday
night has levcled to the ground Our once
beautiful and prosperous little city. Ma
ny home is made dcsolate and sad,
many chair is vacant, but this sadness
and affliction which has come upon us
must not bury us in desolation. While
God, in his providence, has seen fit to
send US this terrible catastrophe, yet his
mercy and goodness have supplied us
with many noble, generous and philan-
thropic friends.
"The dark clouds that gathered over
this prosperous town are not without
the bright rays of sunshine. In the sad
hour Of Our affliction we must not sit
by the wayside OF sorrow, but listen to
the encouraging words of noble and
charitable and loyal friends.
"The philanthropy of Minneapolis, St.
Dali C+;11,,,%or T1D,,J ,,,I ,u %1,o
towns of our own state will now serve
as lamps for our feet and torches for
our path to lead us on to bright and
prosperous future We should thank
God that we live in land that is char
actcrized by noble deeds and all that is
grand, cnnobling and inspiring in hu-
man nature.
"Thc banner of the Red Cross, which
now floats over our city, will teach us
our duty in these days OF darkness and
misery, and what is Our duty? 1t is what
God has commanded and it is duty, be-
cause He has commanded it. He now
commands us to be true to ourselves, to
our fellows and to Him. Duty, then,
is Gods will working in our lives. Du-
ty is the law OF life, the spring OF action,
the condition of all dignity, the end OF
man, and the measure OF reward. Duty
makes character, character makes life,
and life makes the measure OF happi-
ness, and the true end OF all life is to
know and love that life that never ends.
Duty makes the man, shapes the saint,
carves out the hero and glorifes hu-
manity
"That banner OF the Red Cross teach