The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-18
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE.

ute to Ireland.
When the coffee had been nassed and
cigars lighted, Col. Meldrim announc-
ed the toasts. He referred 10 the nine.
ty-nrst anniversary of the society
we are ninety-one years young" he
said. After few words touching unon
the society and it's history, he intro
duced Rev. DIR. John E. Gum of At
ianta to respond to the toast 1.-THE
Day We Celebrate" DR.. Gums re-
spouse was a beautiful tribute to the
memories that hallow the day of all
DAYS dear to the Irish people.
II would be hard to find an Irish
man to-day who would not feel proud
ana pappy," he said, ito have the nriv-
liege OF responding to this toast. in this
place and before so distinguished a
company. "
The day We celebrate reminds rome
OF US OF saint and of a creed. all of
us OF Ireland and of the Irish race. The
very name of Ireland is a word to
con]ure with to-day; it stirs and thrills
ana nils the heart; it wakes the light
ming in the blood it brings the nm
hidden tear of joy or sorrow TO the
eye; 1t moves the soul to action and
creates an atmosphere of love and low
ATTY, gooo Fellowship and patriotism
wherever it is heard,
The day we celebrate reminds ms of
race the most progressive and ag-
gresslve, the most fair-minded. high
minced unselfish and honorable under
tne Droau canopy of heaven; a race
tnat has hlled the world with soldiers.
scnoIaIs and heroes and has ennobIed
every profession and calling in life by
heading and leading it.
The day we celebrate reminds
US OF little land and of a great peo-
pie, of a land singularly blessed bv
heaven, and one which has played a.
part in the history OF nations and in
the life of peoples altogether out of
proportion to its size and population.
KING Providence never gave a man
a lovelier birthplace than Ireland, The
winds of heaven never bore a traveller
10 loVeller coast or a more hospitable
shore than to the motherland of the
Ceit. You will travel in vain the wide
world over to find a fairer spot than
Killarney, grander rivers than the
Shannon, the Bann and the Boyne, or
more beautiful combination of
mountain and prairie, lake and wood
land than round the homes of the
O'Nein, the O'Byrnes, the Maguires
and the O'Donnells.
But 1t is not the physical beauty of
Ireland we think of so tenderly to-day.
It's not alone the green hills crowned
with oak-Wlth sycamore and with ilol-
1y that excite our tenderest sympathy
1T is not that nature has spread over
the scene, the purest of crystals the
brightest OF green. 1t is not the soft
magic of streamlet or rill. Oh no! 1t
is something more exquisite" Still it
iC fn fr-fA
ago-friends from whom we long since
parted, memories of days never to re-
turn, these hal1ow and enshrine ireland
in our memories, and in our hearts, and
put soul and a meaning and a purpose
in the day we celebrate.
The day we celebrate binds together
Irishmen, the wide world over. We in
savannah form but a link in a chain
that encircle and lapse the earth. We
form but the echo of a voice that is
heard to-day on the holy hills of far
off Erin, in every state and city and
hamlet of this mighty union-in the
wild forests of Australia, in the far off
Observation-Disclosures an Irish heart
beats to-day-or an Irish voice is heard
to-day-the day we celebrate is hon.
ored and loved, toasted and remem-
bered.
Such a world wide celebration
showing every race and nationality
stopping to salute the green flag, and
wishing a God Save Ireland to the
Irish race, must give the decadent
and pessimist food for reflection, and
show even the blindest the universal
influence of the Irish.
This universal respect is shown the
Irish nation, for since the days of St.
Patrick it has fought the noblest OF
earth's battles, UNFOLDING both the
flags of faith and fatherland, church
and state, God and Caesar, showing
the world that not in success alone
does glory lie; but in singleness and
nobility of purpose, in purity of life,
and in answering, unfaltering loyalty
to a great cause and to a great prin-
cipal.
1.-The day we celebrate recalls a
glorious past. Reminds us of a present
duty. Tells us again the everthrilling,
love fascinating story of the uncon-
quered Celt, points to the inseparably
welded union of faith and fatherland
in every Irish heart, and testif1es to
the unperishable. undying love OF
every Irishman for the home of his
ancestors, and for that saint, and that
creed, symbolized and eternalized by
the day We celebrate, the glorious 18th
of March"
AT the close of Father Gums re-
Spouse there was a shower of ap-
plause. When it had subsidized Mr.. NJ.
A. O'Byrne sang The Harp that Once