The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-06
RELIGION TO CURE SOCIALISM.
JUSTICE O'BRIEN PLEADS FOR
THE WAYS or THE FATHERS.

Meeting 81 Carnegie Hall IN Aid Of the
Work Of Mrs. LathrOp for the Cancer
suRerers-AItOn ID. Parker Presides
n Pays o High Tribute TO Her.
Carnegie Hall was filed last night with
an audience assembled to show It's interest
in the effort Of Mother Alphonsa Lathrop
to raise money for the hospitals for incur
able cancer with which she hes been identi-
fed for several years. The feature of the
evening was an address by Presiding j US
tice Morgan j. 0'Brien Of the Appellate
Division on Civilization of the Twentieth
Century" Alton B. Parker presided and
Archbishop Farley, in his robes Of Office,
sat beside Mr.. Parker. In presenting
Justice O'Brien Mr.. Parker said:
1T is q great relief from the nauseous ex-
hibition that has been revealed recently
in this city, involving In many instances
men in whom the people have had con-
fidenoe, to look upon a very different pic
ture, one that Is represented by the cause
for which we are assembled tonight"
Then Mr.. Parker paid a tribute to Sister
Alphonsa, and he added:
II there be anywhere in this world a
charity more deserving Of support, l have
not heard OF it. II there be any where
a body Of men or women who are following
the scriptural injunction to give all they
ave to the poor more faithfully than the
band who are working for this cause, 1
am not aware of 1t. / know they do all
this work for the love of God. They are
following the precept to love their neighbor
as themselves. 1t is to express our heart
felt appreciation Of the work and to help
along a little that we are here tonight
Justice O'Brien's address was a plea for
religion to overcome the dangers Of social-
ism with which he said the new century
was threatened. The feature of the nine
teenth century, he said, was its Waterfalls
tic growth, which resulted at it's end in the
great migration to cities. THE civiliza-
ton Of the twentieth century will be the
product Of the city, and the cities will eventu-
ally dominate the Government, State and
national" he declared.
The American city, he said was such a
heterogeneous mass that it was hard to
govern, and no fixed policy had been agreed
upon to suppress the three great social
evils of gambling, intemperance and i'm
morality but the battle between religion
and morality on one side and socialism and
m~aterialism on the other he declared
would be fought out in the cities.
On the other hand, Justice O'Brien said
some of the noblest traits were revealed
in city life. Il should not look for the
truest heroism in the forlorn hope or in the
night watch on the tented field, but in many
a garnet and workshop right around lie.
And there, where woman works face to
face with death, or patiently plods in the
weary routine, yet keeps the heart I'M
tainted; there where toll bears on it's sturdy
shoulders the burdens Of the aged and sick;
there where the course fare Is consecrated
by family affection and eaten. with STAIN
less h~ands-there do l discover the real
greatness OF our nature n rejoice to find
amidst the guilt Of the city proofs OF beauti-
full, immortal love- ~
The speaker asserted that a "fact which
stands prominently forth in our history
ia that virtue has decreased in proportion
to the destruction of the religious senti-
ment among our people. 1t requires no
prophet to tell what must be the inevitable
If some check to the rapid inroads of social
ism and materialism be not found"
Justice O'Brien called attention to the
tries OF the world and said the age was
marked by nervous unrest. THE people
of Russia have arisen and threaten to over
turn the throne Of the Czars because of
on account of their religion and Of defence
less Russians who were seeking relief from
injustice and oppression
In concluding Justice O'Brien said that
American civilization had been established
nv severe men Of religious bent and that
if we followed where they lead the twentieth
century would exhibit the highest achieve
ments of man.
IF there should he a failure to realize
this seeming destiny it will be due to social
ism, materialism, irreligion and the inordi-
nate growth of the vices and tendencies to
which we nave adverted, but which as
yet, because Of the prevalence of right
principles among our people, have had
no serious effect upon our growing civili-
cation, and which, though they are men
aces, and like the spots on the sun may at
times produce a shadow, can never, unless
they assume much larger proportions,
obscure the splendor Of our civilization,
which is the highest and best the world
has ever known"