Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-05-27
D0CTRINAL LECTURES
Paulist Father Will Give Series
of Five at School House
Next Week.

Next week an intellectual treat is
promised the people of Sequachee At
the School House, the Rev. Robt. An
drews Skinner, G. S. p, of Winches-
ter, Tenn, will give course of lee
lures on Catholic teaching and prac-
tice. FIR. Skinner is a member of the
Paulist Fathers of New York, Com
munity of Priests in the Catholic
Church, who have been engaged for
several years past in giving these lee
lures all over the country from Maine
to California, and from Alaska to the
Gulf In giving these lectures the
Paulist Fathers take as basis the
supposition that if there is antagonism
to the Catholic faith in the United
States today, it does not arise from i'll
will on the part of those who are out
side the Church. but from the misun-
derstanding and misconception of its
teachings; that, if there is prejudice
against the Church it is not calcula-
ted and selfwilled prejudice, but pro-
ceeds rather from the want of clear
knowledge of her claims. Animated
by this charitable spirit they do not
invite or seek controversy, but simply
explain what Catholics believe and
why they believe it,
THE QUESTION BOX.
An interesting and instructive feat
ure of these exercises will be the an
swering of questions concerning the
Catholic Church A box will be plac-
ed at a convenient place in which
these questions may be placed by the
public. Each evening the lecturer will
answer the questions before the lee
ture.
THE PAULIST FATHERS.
The history of the Paulists and their
work is interesting. The Priests of
the Mission of st. Paul the Apostle,
which title has been popularized by
the people into "Paulists, is con-
gregation of purely American origin.
1t was founded by Father Isaac Heck
er III 1858. The first members were
five converts to Catholicism. These
men were Isaac Hecker, sprung of Ger
man Lutheran stock and short time
before his submission to the Catholic
Church, a member of the Brook Farm
community of "Transcendentalists :"
Clarce Walworth and Francis Baker,
both former Episcopalian ministers
George Deshon, a classmate of General
Grant at West Point, and Augustine
Hewitt, an Episcopalian.
With an enthusiasm which has ever
since characterized their congregation,
the five priests entered upon their new
vocation under the patronage of ST..
Paul. Their twofold purpose was per-
sonal perfection and zeal for souls, es-
pecially those outside the Catholic
faith. Lovers of America and deeply
penetrated with the national spirit, il
was but natural that they should lay
stress upon the cultivation of per-
sonal initiative, spiritual liberty, a
high sense of honor and duty, and the
virtues of fortitude and fidelity. In
carrying out their chosen work, the
Paulists, though comparatively few in
number, have left clearly defined i'm
press upon the course of the Catholic
church in America. In missionary
effort the Paulists are uncompromising
in presenting the doctrines and claims
of Catholicity, while at the same time
avoiding the polemical attitude which
only arouses and exasperates religious
prejudice.
Another work in which they stand
in the foremost rank is the promotion
of temperance. Elaboration to total
abstinence is a characteristic of theil
mission and their printing house il
New York is the headquarters of the
publication bureau of the ''Catholit
Total Abstinence Society"
They have missionary houses in New
York, San Francisco, Winchester
Tenn, and Chicago, and their hous,
of studies at the Catholic University
in Washington.
LIST OF LECTURES.
Monday, Belief in Christ.
Tuesday-Reading the Bible.
Wednesday-The True Church.
Thursday-The Lords Supper.
Friday-Confession.
Exercises will begin each evening a
7:45 There will be no charge and al
are cordially invited to attend.
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