Waterbury Democrat., 1901-11-25
FATHER sLocuM,s DISCOURSE.
Reviewed Some Facts from History
 Among Other Things.

Among Other Things.
 At the 1O:3O o'clock mass at the Inn maculate Conception church yesterday Father Slocum read Governor Me Leans Thanksgiving day proclamation and then delivered one of the most in- tereSting discourses heard in the city in years. The day was wet and Father Slocum said he did not intend to de- tain the congregation long, but he talked at some length just the same, not too long to suit his hearers, though, for every person present was captl- vated by his masterly method of deal ing with the different subjects he touched upon. He first took up the fulfillment of Gods promises as men toned in the governors proclamation calling attention especially to the three particular promises of God to his peo7 e-salvation, grace and temporal sus- tenance. He then spoke of why maI1 does not receive the fultillment o1 these promises from his own fault or through the abuse of his opportunities. He also called attention to the fact that We are all children of a common father as the governor had mentioned. and talked upon it's application to pres ent conditions.
 Father Slocum devoted five or ten minutes to the great Thanksgiving day of nineteen hundred years ago, when the Savior was born, and Rome was in the zenith of it's power and glory, and then went on to show how soon after that time Rome commenced 10 wane and Kept on in it's downward ca- reer until it finally disappeared alto gether. He also gave the reasons, which consisted principally in the wor ship of false gods and q too exalte,f opinion of its own power. In discuss ing these subjects he referred to Eng land. one of the strongest powers i'll the world to-day. being baked in South Africa. For the past three years, he said. she has exhausted the lives of 10000 men and spent hundreds of millions of pounds. and yet fife South African war appears farther from the end than at the beginning. The moral of all this was that we i'll our greatness should not Overestimate our strength or depart from our proper sphere.
 Referring to trusts and combines, Father SlOcum said in part:
 May we not forget the Fundamental principles upon which our government iS founded. The men who first settled upon the coasts of New England came in the name of God. prOclaiming the rights of men. The first shots fired in the streets of Lexington proclaimed the birth of new nation. founded upon the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Those long months of trial and suffering in the winter camps at Valley Forge were en- dured in the name of God and human ity: and later. when millions of mon stood up in long years of war. they did 1t for the common rights of mankind In fact. everything we have in this country is founded upon God and hu- man rights. We should therefore be mindful of the past and in the future not wander from these principles. Tn dealing with questions relating to labor and capital it would be well that We should be mindful of this Fundamental principle of our government. No man or combination of men should attempt to tie the hands of the Almighty in curtailing the production of his gifts to men. When men combine for the purpose of controlling mans necessi- ties so that they can control the price of natures gifts. whether the crop is abundant or otherwise. they oppose the power of the Creator in providing for the creature: they stand ih the way of Gods providence.
 
 hundreds of thousands of people starved to death ill Ireland in '46 and H. The world said famine but the English home office proves by actual statistics that Ireland produced :n these two years food sufficient to feed its entire population five times over. Do We see the lesson? Again. let us be mindful of the fact that matters of this kind set the world afire. When men see oppression in any country :lll that is needed is the spark of revoIII- 1iOn to bring on anarchy. The people of Ireland are conservative and Cath olic. perhaps more so than any other people. yet smarting under wrongs. they were infiamed by the cry of lib- erty. fraternity and equality thar arose from the continent of Europe in 1I9S. and to the amaZement of the world the red cap. the emblem of an- archy. was carried through the streets of Catholic Dublin. Let us learn a lesson from the past of other nations. We are not too conservative or too strong in this country if We trifie with the promises of God and are unfaith- ful to the brotherhood of man.
 Father Slocum closed by exhorting his congregation to meet in the church the coming Thanksgiving day and there. in accordance with the Chris tian spirit manifested in Governor Me Leans proclamation. give thanks ta God for the favors he has bestowed upon LIS during the past years and be- seech him to guide. guard and protect Us in f1a fTtIlre