The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-03-29
PURITY IN WORDS
AND THOUGHT ARE
IT'S HIGH PURPOSES
Judge Thomas A. Davis Shows
the Advance Made by the
Holy Name Society.
BROUGHT INTO LIMELIGHT
BYRECENT
Founded Hundreds of Years Ago,
but Only Now of World
wide Prominence.

+ pAN6S "a - VI Nat S0ai
of Quarter Sessions. who lives in Or.
ange, delivered an address to the mem.
bers of the Holy Name Society of st
Fatrick's Cathedral yesterday after.
noon. After a brief Introduction by the
Rev. Father Isaac p. Whelan, Judge
Davis, taking as his topic, 1.-The Mission
of the Holy Name Societies in the
World Today said:
During the past few years, at least since
the annual Holy Name demonstration has
taken It's place In the recurring yearly
a new era has been entered upon by the
Holy Name societies. We may call it a
new era because since our annual public
demonstrations began the existence of Holy
Name societies has become known TO the
non-Catholic world In so pronounced a man.
her that the Holy Name societies have beer
brought into the public limelight in a man
ner as never before.
People who never interested themselves
about the subject yearly want to know more
about our society, what are Its aims and
objects, what 1t stands for and what II
proposes to do. The future, therefore, opens
up 10 us years of great usefulness, 1t de-
pending entirely upon our Holy Name socl-
cites to determine how great a degree OF
usefulness they will attain and IN what
lines OF usefulness their activities will ex-
lend.
Devotfon 10 HIS name.
Before entering upon any discussion OF
the present-day sphere Of the society we
Will 90 wei TO go Dack and ascertain what
1t was tnat brought about the existence OF
the conIfalernity and whether the necessity
lof IL Is felt to-day as greatly as 1t was In
Inc beginning, and whether our AIMS and
uo,ects remain today the same as they we're
At our Inception. BY referring TO our little
manual. which Is In the hands of every
meluDef, We learn tnat in the third year
OF tie ponti1cate Of Pope Gregory X, apont
the year ly'4, he addressed q letter TO the
t,ev.. John Nerceil, Master-General of The
Doninicans. directing that the members of
the Dominican order should proclaim to
tpe people a greater reverence and devotion
Tor the Holy Name OF Jesus Christ, and to
nave them show this reverence by an in
clinativ1 OF Inc neau at the mention of llis
HOY name. In order That their great
WoiK snuulu be permanent, the Order Oh 81.
Domino estauiisned Il contraternity, with
rules aud regulations, its object heing not
pn,y ueyotoD to that adorable name, but
aIsU the prevention OF ali blaspnemy against
God ana the SAINTS, aud also by devout
Prayer TO avert the anger OF God, incensed
ny lhese evils, ana to satisfy DIVINE justice
Iur t1slr COMMISSION.
During the reigns of Charles ". and
Pnlnp ii M Spa.n, which was IN he SIX
teentn century, the eonfralernlty of the
lt0iys Name received It's definite organiza-
lIef. lI1eyerence and blasphemy mad so
1tuftuliy sptead by that time that 1t was
necessary 10 adopt some measures to stay
tneir progress. Chuiches had been des-
cheated, the sacred vessels had been turned
I'D pro1ane uses and statues of the Divinity
mad been trampled In the dust by the sac
iilegious followers oil so-calied leilgious re-
formers.
Battle Against B~lasphemy.
The most horr.d blasphemies were uttered
by men VINO called themselves follow srs OF
Christ. IL was then that the Spanish mon
arcns turned 10 the Holy Name confraterni-
~ ror assistance. Plus ~, the then Pope,
issued a special bull calling upon the faith-
tut TO enrol themselves in the society of The
Holy Name, ana granting special Indulgence
to all faithful performers of Inc duties OF
the confraternity. which were stated IN the
bull to be: TO keep from blasphemy and
Improper language themselves and, as far
rs ,-ey can, to prevent these vices i'll
others. Anu 80 the battle started, and 50
IL mas waged IRON that time down TO the
present, a period OF four centuries, with
the biaspneners arrayed on one side n
fhlze.s arrayed on the other side. me
holy Name men during that period have
assumed the duty 80 tersely stated In Plus
Tvs procianation: no keep from bias
phemy anu improper language themselves
and, AS far as they can, to prevent these
vices IN others.
our confraternity, which has gone on end
on during all the intervening centuries down
10 inc present time, performing the work
allotted TO 1t IN all parts of the Christian
world.
We of The Holy Name societies are SOL
diefs In the great army of Catholic men
inlOuEHDul the country, WHO, WtIDOuI OS-
tNntaiion. clamor or Disqualification, are
assuming the duty in these busy days of
curbing our tongues and our lips against
Suage, and by our conduct being living
examples and living representatives. Of these
vices anlong others. Let us not for a mo-
we are entitled to stand off and admire
any wonderful qualities of self-mortsfca-
tIon in ourselves, or that we are entitled
estal to be admired and laudsd by our
fellow-men. We are simply In the posi-
ton Of having made a choice between de,
eency and i~ndecency, between purity and
inpurity, and choosing what is decent and
pure in preference to what is indecent and
tween living in q healthy atmosphere or
living In an atmosphere laden with vile
smells or unpleasant or unwholesome odors
tate to choose the former and would not
think ourselves entitled to any credit for
making the choice; in fact, we would not
fine latter. BY living according to the pre-
cepts Of the Holy Name Society we have
sitpnly chosen to live decently; ana having
tainly would not have respect for our
selves IL we were to live otherwise.
~ Purity in Thought and Deed.
The Holy Name man in a community,
whether here or elsewhere, II be be true
purity OF thought. word md action. When
We calmly consider the countless times
that the name OF GOD Is daily dragged in
the mire, Is daily outraged In the shop,
business place and street; when we consid-
er the countless times that the homes of
unfortunates ring with ~cursing, swearing
ana b~lasphemy. when we consider the
countless times that the ears of little chill
dren, hardly knowing how to shape their
words, and knowing no difference between
the meaning of words, are taught, by re-
peatedly hearing this blasphemy uttered
n their presence; and grow up to think
repeat what they hear; when. we think
OF the countless times that scandal is given
to persons within hearing distance of the
blasphemer. we may well decide, my
friends, that the york Of the Holy Name
i = constant. amending task, to which we
with vigor and without show OF uncer-
tainty. Could we but convince the BIAS
phemer of how much sweetness is missing
in this life by his own conduct. could we
but force the rays OF light into his brain
and make him see himself as others see
his reformation, and then, indeed, would
countls~s other crimes be committed by
the biz plaemer be averted. and his soul
and body spared much shame and suffer-
As stated in the proclamation of Plus Nv.
the mission Of the Holy Name Society is
70 keep from blasphemy and improper
to prevent those vices In others. This in
junction imposes upon us the duty OF
beginning the reform with ourselves; OF
taking the beam out of our own eye be-
fore starting with our neighbors; Of max
ing clean our own lives and tongues be-
ton Of others. Well has 1t been said that
practise is more potent than precept. and