The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-03

cese-such its priesthood. Bishops inspire
and direct; priests painfully chisel and
put In place the stone and spread over
1t the cement; theirs must ever be the
chief part in the glory of the structure.
YEOMANRY OF LAITY.
And then, in the building up of the do
cese Of st. Paul, from the first day TO
the present, there was yeomau service
by the faithful Catholic laity. Who
put the latty gave WherewIth 20 equip
our militant forces and maintain them
IN the field? Who but the laity provided
the means to cover the land with
churches, schools and institutions OF
charltyE The generosity of the Catholic
Ialty In Mime sofa is a marvel. The
sums of money laid by them on the all
tars OF religion and Of charity is beyond
calculation, and those sums came chiefly
from the poor and the humble toiler.
When reading Is made of our religious
statistics, let the blush of honest and
honorable pride mantle the cheek OF our
laymen; let them say, as truth CONF
mands, the works are ours. Nor was
the giving OF money their only part.
They were the Vanguards of the priest
hood; they prepared the way and drew
after them the priesthood. and before
the priesthood came they did, as far as
they were allowed, the work Of tho
priesthood, instructing childhood in tho
faith and holding among themselves pub
lie prayers on Sundays
The traditions of early settlements
passing down the names of laymen IA
millarly titled as priests or bishops In
their districts, give the proof of this
lay apostolate. Nor was the zeal OF tho
laity confined to earlier days; while put
ting on new forms to suit ncwuess OF
circumstances, it but burst forth into
more ferVent action, as religion was he.
ing more firmly established, and the
range of its needs was wideucd. How
often the suggestion Of further work has
come from the laity How readily work,
which fell with appropriateness 10 their
own hands, was willingly seized upon
by them! How much aid has been given
to religion by the many charitable and
benevolent associations that have been
formed by laymen! And how quick has
ever been their response to just and well
warranted appeals Of their clergy for en-
cOuragement and cooperation The
church will never prosper I'm any land,
however admirable the priesthood, unless
the laity deeply realizes that it's interests
are theirs, and that the labor in further
anco of those interests must also be
theirs. The strength OF the church I'm tho
Northwest has been, and is, that tho
laity work with it and for Il.
NON-CATHOLIC FELLOW CITIZENS.
Nor shall I, on this solemn occasion.
omit a tribute Of justice to our nom
Catholic fellow citizens. They have aid
ed us In building up the church In the
NorthWest-and for this be they praised,
by they thanked. No obstacles whatever
did they put in our way. Even In free
America, there are few places where re-
ligious freedom has so reigucd az In
Minnesota and its two Western ncighbor-
ing states. No inimical legislation has
there ever been; no religious bias has
ever been allowed to mar political rela-
lions, or disturb social peace. Catholics
and non-Catholics had ever the good
sense | shall say the rare intelligence,
to understand that, however much one
must deem his own conscience sacred and
intangible, he must respect the con-
sciences Of his neishbors, and must ro-
spect them precisely because he respects
his own, and asks that his own be re-
spected that. however much we may
differ in religious belief we are brothers.
all the children OF one OmnipOtent
Father, all the servants Of one great
humanity, and there are outside tho
sphere Of our own religious creed, how
ever solemnlY we ourselves be sworn to
IT, hundred general interests to which
all are bound, which cannot prosper un-
less all befriend them In peace and har-
mony.
Our non-Catholic fellow citizens have
done us the justice to believe that tbs
sole arms with which the Catholic church
could wish TO widen It's territory arc
those Of truth, Of virtue and Of charity;
that one Of It's cardinal principles Is 10
render honor and obedience to country
and to country's laws; that II would not
wish to live If by living II were not .
helping to make souls purer, 10 lesBen I
In the world sin and misery TO raise I
society to higher spiritual stages, 70 ,
bring down upon earth the Kingdom of I
the Father. Who IS In Heaven. All this /,
our non-Catholic fellow citizens hRvg
been willing TO believe; 80 believing they ,
have allowed us fun freedom of action. z
and put us on our mcttle 30 STOW our
selves worthy OF our professions. Not
seldom even have they been liberal con.
tributors to our charities and works Of
with our non-Catholic citizens be mover
brokenl =.