Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-02
FATHER HARRIS SERMON

FATHER HARRIS SERMON
On. Loyalty" Preached to the
Knights OF Columbus In the Steu-
benyille Catholic Church.
The Steubenville Herald contains the
following account of the services fol
the Knights of Columbus, to whom the
Rev. Father Harris, of McMechen, de-
livered the sermon:
Solemn vesper services were held al
st. Peters church last night, the
Knights of Columbus attending in a
body and being treated to a magnin-
cent address deli|ered by Rev. Father
Harris, chaplain OF Wheeling Council
The knights, seventy-six in the ranks
marched from their hall to the church
and as they moved up the center aisle
Beuche's full orchestra, augmented by
several musicians of the council, played
an initiation ode, the music being on a
grand order and an inspiration to
knightly tread.
The three affairs were profuse with
flowers and ablaze with lights, the i'm
preSSive vesper service, with Father
Harris, celebrant; Father Dacey, dea-
son, and Father Smith, of East Liver
pool, Sub-deacon, being most solemn
and beautiful.
Rev. Father Harris delivered the dis
course, and after citing the satisfac-
ton and happiness that is felt in being
a knight, he mentioned the enemies
that the church must be upheld against
and admonished the knights to band
themselves together and solidify their
ranks, to be prepared for all attacks
upon the church, which he said had a
right to their help, and is only asking
what it gave. Continuing, he said:
Every order or society you enter
you must make some sacrifices. In the
front rows of this beautiful church you
see a little band of sisters, far away
from mother, father, sister, brother
and home, strangers in a strange land
They enlisted in a aus that demands
sacrifice and they gave up all to follow
Jesus, the captain and commander un-
der whom they enrolled themselves
But the night will come when the hand
of death will lay upon them. Each
body will be taken to a little grave be-
meath the green sod, % to the home
given up to work for their commander,
and where perhaps father, mother, sis
tiers and brothers are still alive, but
beneath the sod under the convent
chapel where they toiled tirelessly for
their captain. They are faithful to
Jesus, under whom they serve, and the
sacrifice you make is not one-tenth OF
what they undergo. You are asked to
live Christian lives. such that those
whom you pass on the street will rec
ognize you as Catholic gentlemen; to
lift up your fellow man, help your
brother and live upright, honorable and
Christian lives. Be ever faithful to
your mother church, a many a knight
who began with motives as good as
Knights of Columbus became ship
wrecked on the sands of time because
they did not lead Christian lives. They
were taught rebellion against the Cath
Ollie church, to which faith they at one
time adhered. So it will be with you
if you proceed in the same way. God
forbid that you knights day should
raise your hand against your mother
church. AS long as you are a good
knight of Columbus, so you must be a
good loyal Catholic, as the two are
synonymous. Your motto is charity
charity that extends the hand of good
fellowship with a feeling which comes
direct from the heart. There is no
society on earth that is more congenial
and sociable or whose members are
more true to each other, than the
Knights of Columbus, but after all you
are banded together with one object
to save your souls, the aim of every
Catholic society. All things in the
world, even what is dear to you, father,
mother, sister and brother, and some
day yourself, will pass away, and the
night will come when another priest
will come to this church and address
pews full of knights other than your
selves. You will be gone away to live
with the eternal God in Heaven or in
the depths of the world below. There
is only n thing to live for and one
thing to care for-that is God. When
through witn earthly conflicts may we
go forth like good Christians, manly
knights, to meet our Commander whom
we have faithfully and manfully served
during this life"
During the service Miss Maggie
Herbst sang the Ave Maria and WI
Coburn sang 20 Salutarios," the SER
vice ending with the singing of the "Te
Deum" by the knights and choir, ac-
companied by the organ and orchestra,
the effect being most inspiring.