The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-11-08
Secretary of State Delivers Eloquent
Address before X. of C. on Dis
covery of Celebration
Mammoth Crowd Unable to Gain
Entrance to Auditorium
Members of Knights of Columbus
Praised for their Principles
and Good Citizenship

The following address was delivered
by Hon. w. ]. Bryan, secretary Of
state, before the knights Of Columbus
of Philadelphia on the occasion of their
Discovery Day Celebration:
Ladies and gentlemen, I esteem 1t
an honor to be part of the program
this evening, and I acknowledge my
indebtedness to the generous friends
who have extended to me the invita-
ton whose acceptance brings me he
fore you. feel honored to participate
in this occasion for several reasons.
In the first place, am glad to share
in the commemoration Of this day and
in doing honor to one whose discovery
added continent to the world. am
glad, too, to take part because this
occasion is celebrated under the au-
spices Of great organization. The
knights of Columbus. with a member
ship of 100000 intelligent, earnest, pa.
triotic men, have accomplished much.
and have before them a larger work
even than that which they have all
ready done. No one who is interested
in the ethical things Of life, no one
who is concerned about the lifting of
the moral standards Of a nation can be
Indifferent to the work Of any such
organization founded upon such princi-
pies as those upon which this organf-
cation rests. Three hundred thousand
men cooperating together for the adj
vancement of things that are good
constitute a tremendous power in the
land, and I am so deeply interested
in all that concerns the advancement
of civilization, and especially Of this
nations part in the worlds civiliza-
ton, that I could not be Indifferent to
the organization under whose auspices
we meet tonight. And the third rea-
son why I feel honored to be invited
as guest tonight is that this organi-
cation is connected with the largest
branch Of the Christian church. AS 4
member of a Christian church, though
q different one from this, 1 am still
proud of what the Catholic church has
accomplished in this country and in
the world. When travelling through
foreign lands I have not yet found a
country which it's missionaries have not
reached, not q country In which Its
devotion to Christian ideals has not
been exemplifed.
For these reasons, then, accepted
with pleasure and come with gratificd-
tion to assist tonight in the program
that has been published, and in Sc
lecting subject, theme, thought
about which to gather what 1 have
time to say, have decided to use the
word Faith" as my subject. I know
Of no better subject; I know Of no
subject that fits better into this oc-
casion, for Columbus manifested great
faith when he set out upon the jour-
ney which resulted in the discovery
of America; and it is the faith that
underlies the Knights of Columbus or
ganization that gives Its power Cor
good, and faith is the foundation upon
which the Catholic and all other
branches of the Christian church rest
and must rest if they measure up to
the truths of Christ's religion.
~ Faith Above Reason.
The Bible says that without faith it
is impossible to please God" I make
it even stronger and say that without
faith 1t is impossible to accomplish
anything worth while. I find no con-
fict between the doctrine Of faith and
the doctrine of works., for without
faith there can be no works; faith
comes first, works afterwards. Until
q man believes that a thing can be ac-
complished he never undertakes it.
have never heard q better illustration
of faith than that which a colored
preacher gave. He said that faith was
willingness to do what God told him
to do without asking any questions.
The great things Of this world are
accomplished by those who have faith.
Those who have no faith never try,
and therefore cannot succeed. Those
who believe attempt the things that
are seemingly impossible, and by at
tempting prove what man can do.
In this age, when we have so much
Of practical materialism. even If it is
not loudly proclaimed, there are many
who would put the reason above tie
faith. In fact, think the great con-
test in the individual is the contest
between his heart and his head to see
which will control. and when the head
controls the man is apt to be led
astrav for the heart, as Paschal says,