The Irish standard., 1912-11-02
LECTURE
AT SAN FRANCISCO
By an Eminent Paulist Who Has
Won National Fame by Gift of
Emotional Oratory.
The Catholic Church First Taught
the World Mans Equality, and is
Mother of Freedom.
Rev. Thomas F. Burke Points Out
Source of all Earthly Liberty
in Ringing Words.

AA ASAASAAASo "OAAos
The eminent Paulist, Rev. Thomas f.
Burke, c. S. P, OF New York, lectured
recently at San Francisco on "The So
cial Effects of Christianity" Father
Burke, whose eloquence has won him
national fame, was at his pest, and
his ringing utterances mat pro-
found effect. In the course lec-
ture he said:
The theme we have chosen for our
thought tonight Is old and new--old
in that 1t has often before been con-
sidered, and in that it extends over
nineteen centuries; new in the lesson
that 1t may bear to US today and in
it's relation to questions of the present
time.
1T is an admitted principle of knowl-
edge today that all truth, no matter
of what class or sphere, must har-
monize, since all comes from the same
and one source, Divine Truth itself
There was time, for example, when
some of the votaries of physical sci.
ence alleged that there was neces-
sarily deadly warfare between science
and religion. between the conclusions
of the human mind upon the laws of
nature and the revelations Of the de.
tenders Of the faith were all too ready
to find in the statements of physicists
contradictions to their cherished be-
liefs and the word Of God, rs when,
for example, a Roman congregation
, condemned, from the highest motives
indeed, but with judgment that was
wrong, the teachings of Calico, or
when Protestant Court Of Denmark
in the same day drove Tycho Brahe
to the refuge of Catholic Austria, and
the Protestant University Of Tubingen,
in Germany, proclaimed that the as
Economical discovery of John Kepler
was contrary to the Bible.
THAT day has passed. AS physical
science must harmonize with Gods
revelation since both, of necessity, are
/ true, and, far from weakening, rather
strengthen that revelation; so, too,
must the principles of sociology a
science yet in It's infancy, validate
the Church's teachings if these teach
ings are true. Out of the many in
| stances which might be profitably
cited, take one: Society, in advanc-
| ing towards culture, has learned a
curious paradox-that progress is se-
cured, not by the best man saving
himself, but by his own safety. 1t is
curious that the strong, in any sense
Of the word, or in any sphere where
his particular prowess can be exer-
| cised, can believe that the general
welfare Of man is advanced by the
sacrifice OF himself for the sake of
his weaker brother.
Uncover the stories of the past.
open the records Of time, bring to light
! those achievements which are to the
greatest glory of man, consider those
deeds that tell of mans love for his
| brother, that speak of self-sacrif1ce
and self-abasement for the good of
others, that tell Of giving up honors,
of wealth, OF position, and powers Of
glory and of life itself that the world
might learn to march steadfastly to-
wards the ideals of true charity, and
you will find that they began to be
when the Catholic Church began to
be, and were inspired through the long
lapse of centuries by her teachings
1T would be impossible to even sug-
, gest all the phases of this charity
or to enumerate all the spheres in
which it was actually exhibited; but
it shines forth principally in the new
aspect for man as man! In the great
care bestowed on children; in the
emancipation of womankind, and in
the alienation of sickness and pov.
erty. First let US glance at some of
the evidences of mans dignity"
After citing numerous instances Of
, this evidence, Father Burke contin-
, ued:
"The spirit of charity Of the Cath
olic Church carried the democracy
| of God into all the institutions and
into all the spheres of mans life,
! and where the Church could act un-
trammeled by the interests Of the