Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-11-29

thies and of broad vision. He was
born on June 2, 1910, and was
highly trained in American colleges
and European universities. His first
serious work was to build and ad-
minister a church in Louisville for
Catholic negroes. His uncle, when a
priest, had given much time to the
care OF the negroes of his parish in
Bardstown. The sympathies of high
minded men OF their type are broad
enough to enable them to be Just
and generous to all nationallties and
to all races. His nrst book, a de-
lightful and instructive book, was
the Life of Archbishop Spalding,"
who died on February 6, 1879. In
1877 our friend was made the first
Bishop of Peoria. To the great
ability and jealous labors here OF
his brother, the Rev. Benedict J..
Spalding, was due, am told, the
successful building of your Cathe-
dral.
while priest and Bishop, with
heavy cares upon him, he has found
time to deliver many instructive, elo-
quent sermons and orations to large
audiences in all parts of our country,
and has published many widely-read,
wholesome, strong books on religion,
education and sociology. He has
even found time to crafty the crav-
ings of his spiritual and poetic
nature by writing poems of his own,
and by translating skilfully into our
own language, in poetic dress, some
of the masterpieces of song in other
especially from the Ger
man. His studies, his teaching and
preaching, and the activities of his
whole life have been those of the
ideal priest, as he is strongly and
beautifully portrayed in that splen-
did book of Cardinal Gibbons, "The
of Christ" He has been
not only the good priest, but also the
diligent scholar, the refined gentle
man, the unselfish and bold cham
pion of the toiler in the field and
shop, the scourge of the mere money
seeker and notoriety-seeker. With II
all, he has been always the intelli-
gent, patriotic American citizen.
When President Roosevelt was
selecting three men to investigate,
in 1902, the condition of the miners
in the anthracite region of Pennsyl-
vania, he wisely chose this humane,
cultured, high-minded man, who un-
derstood the poor, who could SYM
pathize with them, and who at the
same time could be just to all con-
cerned.
There never was a time in the
history of our country when there
was greater need than now of spir-
ltual and political and social leaders
with high mental endowments, with
accurate and broad knowledge of the
history of man and nations and gov
ernments, with broad vision, with
broad sympathies and with dauntless
moral courage. Every man of keen
can see evil tendencies
around US, but few men know how
10 correct them or have the coura .se
70 try. Some of our ablest men are
wholly absorbed by the ambition to
become rich or popular or famous.
Not many have the constructive abil-
lty necessary to stop those evil
Most leaders are not
boldly trying to cure the diseases.
but are only trying to hide or to
diminish the symptoms. Some such
leaders, whose boldness and whose
prolific suggestions are due to want
Of knowledge of what has happened
in other times or other nations, are
offering all kinds of innovations in
family life, religion and
government. The patriotic man, who
IS sometimes almost in despair. will
ind much light and hope in the wise
words and inspiring sentiments in
the books and orations and in the
life of John Lancaster Spalding. He
has never despaired. His heart has
never lost its courage. America is
still to him the best land, not only
Tor us, but for all men who love lib
srty and religion and humanity"