The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-18

d1ctor1an. The annual address to the student body was delivered by the Rt. Rev. E. P. Allen.
 Bishop Aliens Address.
 He spoke in part as follows:
 Tt affords me no little pleasure to be here today and to witness the progress which this institution has made and is making from year to year. But few years elapsed since the Bens dictine Fathers came to this neighbor- hood, and in the face of many and try this institution, which as every one sees, has advanced, and has prospects of great advancement in the future. tt brings great joy to our hearts to see the progress in an institution of this nature. The Benedictine order needs no apology nor explanation for taking up the work of higher education. The Benedictine Fathers have been engaged in this work IA centuries, and the amount of good they have accomplished no man can sum up. At the last day when we all stand before the judgment seat of God, then, and not until then will we know what the sons of St Benedict have accomplished in this world.
 "The church has no more faithful, zealous champions in the cause of civil : ization than the sons of St. Benedict. Look to the amount of the great work which they accomplished; they kept the | lamp of faith burning brightly. They faced severe barbarians and then they taught these barbarians the religion of Jesus Christ. They not only taught the young but they preserved the l, models of ancient literature. Transpos- l ing this in those days was laborious work, and we at present can be thank | full for all they did for civilization. l The sons of St. Benedict need no apology for the works of education, work in which they were eminently successful.
 1 'It is then a source of qualification | to us, that in this country they are | laboring and toiling, and they should have the cooperation of every one l Those outside of the church should have no feelings of antagonism. Our
 common enemy then is ignorance
 Where ignorance exists vice is found
 also. In doing work of education to-
 day, these Fath CTS are carrying out l the injunction of our Lord; Suffer lit- l tie children to come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven:' It l is the purpose of these Fathers to form
 and develop character and to make Christian men. Men in whom the besi | quality is development and in whom
 character is truly formed. That de- | velopment of character which means forming and bringing out the faculties 1 which God has given us. This is the | work of the Fathers here. They have
 made progress in the few years tn sy have been in the state. A joy and
 satisfaction to every Catholic and non | Catholic.
 "It is a noticeable fact that the grad
 uates of this institution develop into l Christian men and are devoted 70 Mother Church. Of course, there are
 some backsliders. We are human ani
 temptations come, and in the face ot
 temptations some will fall by the way
 side. The seed of faith is planted in | the hearts of young people and soone' I
 bellion against God. They will retur
 to penance. They will save their i'm
 mortal soul, and In this all is saved"
 The Graduates.
 The following were graduated: Cas- sical course, Frederick Joseph O'Neill | Augusta, Ky; John Buettner, Johns- l town, Pa.; John Merkle, Louisville, Ky l Commercial course, Charles Bernard l Hawkes., Chattanooga, Tenn; William | Stephen Truemper, Helena, Ark; Oscar | Joseph Neundorfer, Albany, Ga.; Ernest | Robert Cotter, Apalachicola, Fla. | Joseph Castleman Hoffman, Apalachl- | cola, Fla; George Henry Graef, Vest l bourne Ky.
 l The gold medals for good conduc. 1 were awarded to the following: Senior 1 department, Michael John Graef, West bourne, Ky; Junior department Ben . | jamine Watson Walker, Montgomery, {; Ala; minim department, Francis re. runko, Brookside, Ala.
 The following also were rewarded l with gold medals Graduating class 1 classical course, Frederick Jospeh O'Neill, --ugusta, Ky; belle-letters, John Francis Conoley, Pensacola, Fla. excellence in Christian doctrine, Ernest
 Robert Cotter Apalachicola, Fla. | graduating class, commercial course Charles Bernard Hawkes., Chattanooga | Tenn; highest average in the seconc | commercial class, Arthur William Bel.
 leau, Apalachicola Fla; highest aver age in the third commercial class
 division A." John Boggan, Birming
 ham, Ala; highest average in the thirt | commercia1 c1oSs division "Rn Ira n ci, ,