Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-12
WITH NON CATHOLICS
Work of the Missionaries and
Its Results.
ADDRESSES AND PAPERS
Special Tribute Paid to the Paulist
Fathers.
THIRD CONFERENCE IN SESSION
Necessity Of Cooperation Outlined
and Progress Noted-List Of the
Missionaries Present.
THIRD CONFERENCE IN SESSION

The third Catholic missionary conference
opened In Mcmahon Hall, Catholic Uni
versity, last evening under the most graft
flying circumstances. A number Of distin-
guished missionaries were present from
all over the United States, and the opening
addresses were of a particularly significant
character. Special tribute was paid to the
Paulst fathers for their work In the mis-
sionary movement. session was held
this morning from to IL o'clock, and an
other will begin at o'clock and will last
until this evening. This will be the time
of meeting each day throughout the con-
ference Three papers were read at the
sitting this morning, and this will probably
be the order of exercises.
Topics Discussed Today.
The first paper today read was "a Mis-
sionary In Parish Work." by Rev. An
tony Subenfoercher. Father Subenfoer-
cher was parish priest at Kenton, Ohio.
and during the years of his ministry he
made many converts. In speaking of
the difficulties he met he said: I'm the
course of time religion suffered from
three stubborn obstacles. Many years
ago undue national feeling menaced our
unity, but tact, prudence and time solved
this problem. The other difficulties were
ing helped more to stem the unfortunate
drink habit than the example of a total
abstinence priest. the organization of
temperance societies for young as well
as for the old. In proportion as we keep
the young from drinking habits, they
rise to higher standard in life and al
ways thank their pastor In after years.
Discussion was started as to how far
a pastor is bound in justice toward the
non-Catholics Of his parish. and 1t de-
veloped that there was a very large diff
ference of opinion among the delegates.
Father Mccarthy s. j., thought that
good pastor, like st. Paul, was debtor
to all"
The second paper of the morning was
from Father Osmund, benedictine from
northern Alabama, who has for the last
two years been giving missions In dis
tricts that are entirely non-Cathoiic. He
reports that descendants of Catholic I'M
migrants In many places have lost the faith
of their fathers. No doubt the immense
size of country SO sparsely peopled. the
small number of Catholic priests and the
want of good Catholic influence in these
districts are some of the causes of the
detection. But the presence Of a missionary
is good influence to bring many of these
'stray-aways.' Mr.. Rooney of Bologee,
who enjoys a hearty old age of 107 sum-
mers, had drifted away from the church
when fourteen years old. and yet the old
faith reviying at the visit of the missionary
he came back to where he belonged in the
old Catholic church"
AdHSlW SuItOu gave SViiiS uctau
about his work In southern Alabama.
Father Bresnahan said that Florida is a
good field, but 1t needs more workers.
While Father Waters in Virginia reported
that everywhere he found the people COM
ing in crowds, ready to listen and eager to
learn.
What was regarded as the most important
paper of the morning was one from Judge
Robinson concerning the New Highlander.
He liz himself from old New England stock,
convert of many years He said that
there are two divergent streams of re-
lig.ous thought-one toward q more highly
organized religious life and the other away
into infidelity. proper presentation of
Catholic truth would find an attentive ear
IN New England.
The session was opened with prayer last
night by Father Mcdonald of the Lazarists,
and Very Rev. A. P. Doyle, rector of the
Apostolic Mission House. delivered the adj
dress of welcome to the delegates.
He said
Gentlemen, you have come from press
ing occupation and grave responsibilities
to deliberate on topics that are Of such
importance as to consume the energies of
your life and claim the highest consecrated
efforts of your mind and heart.
This is the third time have met in
convention and each gathering has meas
ured a distinct advance in a great move
ment We look back today over decade
Of years and we marvel at the wonderful
progress that has been made. Today we
see everywhere about US signs of the
ilSSlOIidfy SpiIlt ia Tic AIHeTl-
can Church. The organized movement,
which has for It's definite purpose the
preaching of missionaries to non-Catholics,
had but small beginnings. That man
among his men, his modesty forbids me to
speak his name. nor need I, he is well
known among you, inheriting the spirit of
Father Hecker, at whose feet he sat, start
ed In the systematic way the professedly
non-Cathoiic mission. The country seemed
ripe for the movement, for no sooner had
the system been started than 1t received
popular commentator.
Necessity Of Cooperation.
"As soon as the system of missions to non-
Catholics was fairly launched we all felt
the necessity of cooperative EFFORT. This
led to the First Missionary Conference. that
assembled at Winchester, Tenn, in the
summer Of 1901. The fifteen or twenty
missionaries who were under the Hundred
Oaks at Winchester look back to that time
and count the hours spent as some Of the
sweetest of their lives The experience OF
these years has demonstrated that the pol
Icy of eliminating all controversy from
the subject matter of these missions is the
wisest one. The missionaries who have
steadily refused to allow themselves to be
allured into rancorous religious discussions
and who have confined themselves solely
to the exposition Of catholic truth are the
only ones who have met with any measure
of success. The motto Of this movement
is We come not to conquer, but to win.
THE executive committee that has this
conference In its charge has planned 1t on
the broadcast lines possible. 1t Is rs wide
as the church and the only badge that is
demanded for entrance here Is the badge
of desire to save souls through the
preaching of the gospel. For this reason
we welcome the representatives OF the re-
| ligious orders without any exception. They
are the regular army OF the church and the
| church has always depended on them for
| the choicest missionary work. 1t has been
| affirmed In the very beginning of this nom
| Catholic mission movement that the duty
| of preaching catholic truth to those not OF
| the faith belongs to no man or to any
| conservation OF men as special vocation,
| but that II is the primary duty Of every re-
/ lhious order as well as 1t is OF the diocesan
| clergy This movement has found Its most
| energetic workers among the missionaries
| of the regular as well as Of the secular
| clergy,
| Progress Noted.
'.That we have moved on with an I'M
/ mense stride since last we met Is evident
| to all, and to no one Is this moro evident
| than to the ones who are in the-yzn of this
/ movement The number 81 missionaries n
| the field today isls'eszty near double the mum
/ Der that werasln this work two years ago
| Apostolate bands have been organized
1 afroe fha last canfarence In PEORIA Du-