The Irish standard., 1915-08-07

State Secretary John O'Dea of Penn
sylvania has published in a circular
letter recently issued, a series of rea-
sons at once eloquent and forceful, re.
minding young men of Irish ancestry
of their duty in regard to the interest
they should take in affairs connected
with their Faith and Race. In doing
this Mr.. O'Dea brings to their atten.
ton in terse. logical and eloquent
manner the aims, ideals and tradi-
lions of the Ancient Order of Hiberni-
ans.
In setting forth the reasons why
Irish-American Catholic young men
should join the order Mr.. O'Dea writes
as follows:
THE Ancient Order of Hibernians
is the most ancient of organizations
now existing in the world, tracing its
history to the ancient orders of pagan
Ireland; receiving the cross as it's
badge from the early Christian mis-
sionaries; defending the faith in bat
tie and dying for it on the scaffold;
fighting for country and suffering in
the cause of freedom, not only in the
old land, but in the new; standing for
equality Of opportunity; determined
to conquer prejudice and to win for
Irish-American Catholics that respect
to which their manhood is entitled.
"The Ancient Order of Hibernians
holds fast to the old Irish ideals of the
home. protecting the weak and accord
ing to woman the chivalry due to vir-
tue and the defense needed against
the evil influences which menace her
position as the noble mother of the
generations destined to guard religion
and civilization.
1.-The Ancient Order of Hibernians is
fraternal benefit organization-fra-
ternal in every sense of true brother.
hood, but not narrow in its limitations
of beneficence. 1t pays sick and death
benefits from the smallest assessment
collected from the members of any
benefit society now in successful oper
alton.
1.-THE Ancient Order of Hibernians
is an organization of Industrious, hon
est and patriotic men, animated by Its
motto of Friendship, Unity and Chris
tian Charity devoted to its duty OF
l odncotipo tho vorno RI comm, nm tl,o
work of faith and motherland when
the task falls from our hands-the
work which has passed to us through
generations Of warriors, scholars and
statesmen, and work that we cannot
abandon without surrendering all that
is dear to us and must be dear to our
children.
1.-THE Ancient Order of Hibernians
is managed with economy, its officers
performing their duties without salary
or with salary pared to the mini
mum-and the full strength of the or
ganization, the intellect of its leaders
and the energy Of its machinery, is
engaged in the alienation of human
suffering, the promotion of human
happiness and the advancement of the
Irish race.
"The Ancient Order of Hibernians
exists not merely for the assistance Of
it's own membership. Its charity IL
broad enough to cover the whole range
of suffering, and its beneficence has
been extended over almost the whole
world. To the Italian earthquake suf
ferers it contributed thousands of dol
lars, and to the unfortunate people
made homeless by the San francisco
and Charleston earthquakes it gave
over forty thousand dollars, as well al
large sums to the sufferers from the
Johnstown, Kansas, Galveston ant
Ohio floods, and in every Division
County and State Board meeting, al
we'll as in every State and Nationa
Convention, there are appeals granted
to some worthy cause.
: THE Ancient Order of Hibernianl
is true to the traditions of history, ant
promotes education in these days, JUS
as in the days Of the Penal Laws i
protected the hedge schoolmaster whit
taught the children in the shadow o
a rock or by the hawthorn bushes
In the meetings of our Divisions tn,
story of Ireland and the deeds by Ire
lands sons and daughters are beinl
told. These meetings also are educa
tional in a parliamentary sense, TO
who shall number the lawyers an,
public leaders who received thei
: training in the debates and discus
sions which make Division meeting
! SO interesting and Instructive? Gu
: devotion to education has been illus
: trated in substantial manner by GU
numberless gifts of volumes of Irisl
: history to schools and colleges; by on
medals and prizes in money offere
!. throughout the United States an
, Canada for excellence in the compos
j ton of essays on Irish history; by GU
, endowment Of the Hibernian Chair Q
: Celtic Literature In the Catholic I'm
vetsity at Washington, at a cost q