The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-11-10

ganizatton In the United States, and
the only one that has retained the
same life and polity and forms through
each succeeding age, says John Gill
mary Shea in the New York Freeman's
Journal.
Her history is interviewer in the
whole fabric Of the countrys annals.
Guiding the explorers, she left her
stamp in the names given to the ma
tural features of the land.
She announced Christ to almost
every native tribe from one ocean,
washed shore to the other, and first
to raise affairs to worship the living
God. her ministry edited in a remark
able degree by blameless lives and Of
ten by heroic deaths, alike the early
settlers, the converted Indians, and
those who refused to enter her fold.
At this day she is the moral guide
the spiritual mother Of twelve mil
lions Of the Inhabitants of the Repub-
lie. people Of all races and kindreda
all tongues and all countries, blended
in one vast brotherhood of faith.
In this she has no parallel. No 9TH
er institution in the land can trace
back an origin in all the nationali-
ties that once controlled the portions
of North America now subject to the
laws Of the Republic. All others are
recent. local, and variable. She alone
can. everywhere claim to rank as the
oldest.
The Church Is a great tact and a
great factor in the life Of the country.
Every man of thought will concede
that the study of the history of that
Church in its past growth and vicis-
situdes. and of Her present position,
is absolutely necessary in order to
solve the problems of the present and
the future Of the republic, for the IN
duence Of an organization fixed and
unwavering in doctrine, polity, and
worship. must be a potent element,
and cannot be ignored or slighted.
But while from the student and the
statesman the history Of the Church
claims serious consideration, to the
Catholic that history is a record full
of the DEEPEST interest and consola-
ton, a volume to which he can appeal
with pride.
The pages TEEN with examples of the
noblest and most heroic devotedness
in the priesthood, Of the beneicien,
action Of the Church where she was
free to do her work, Of self-secriflce in
the laity, In generous adherence to the
faith by the flock amid active perse-
cution, insidious attacks, open violence
and constant prejudice, where Catho-
lies were few amid a. population
trained in unreasoning animosity.
The Catholic Church in this coun-
try does not begin her history after
colonies were formed, and men had
looked to their temporal well-beins;
Her priests were among the explorers
of the coast, where the pioneers of the
vast interior; with Catholic settlers
came the minister of God, and Mass
was said to hallow the land and draw
down the blessing Of heaven before
the first step was taken to rear a hu-
man habitation. The altar was older
than the hearth.
The entrance Of the Catholic Church
was not the erratic work Of a few.
It was part Of her work begun at the
fiery Pentecost, carried on from age
to age with unswerving course, while
all human institutions were changing
and modifying around her. The COM
nand Of Our Lord to His apostles to
go and teach all nations. rested as an
Injunction on the bishops 'of the
Church in whom the missionary spirit
became inherent. The Church was
constantly pushing forward into new