Evening journal., 1915-05-25
URGES ALL MEN TO
SEEK Gods KINGDOM
Father Garrigan Points Out
to Columbus Knights Their
First Christian Duty
DECLARES LIES
WAY is NARROW

w "A Il ~ ANAAlNANO W
More than 500 members of Santa
Maria Council, No. 1876, Knights of
Columbus, and their friends heard
the sermon last night by the Res.
william ]. Garrigan, of Philadelphia,
on Salvation, the End and Aim" on
the occasion of the second night of the
retreat he is conducting this week at
the Cathedral. Aside from members
of the order many persons attended
the service to hear Father Garrigan,
whose sermon Sunday night attracted
so much attention. The church was
crowded to its capacity last night
Employing the text Seek Ye First
the Kingdom of Cod" Father Garri-
gan delivered an interesting discourse
on the theme of Salvation. His repu-
taticn as an orator and excellent pub
lie speaker was borne out by the
forcefulness with which he delivered
his address. He will speak again
tonight. The public, as well as the
knights, is invited to attend the night
services.
Look out upon The world, dear
men, upon that world that calls it.
self Christian, and you will find in its
wild dash for pleasure and for self
little better than the veriest pagan
ISM" said Father Garrigan to the
Knights last night Look out upon
the world round about you-the
garden of God, il should be--but in
reality what is it? Overgrown with
the rank weeds of sin and vice.
Calumnies thrive there, hatred and
envy and revenge; cursing, too and
swearing and disappearing our good
God: dishonesty, too. and unjust
dealing and unlawful gain. And
in places where justice ought to reign
and innocence find secure sanctuary
there we find crimes of blacker dye
laws perverted. innocence oppressed,
and justice sometimes sold. And then
those fouler sins of sO-called society
that deigns to overlook the crimes of
material infidelity and call them, for
soOth, romances. Surely, dear men,
the picture is a sad one Surely, as
someone has put il, the kingdom of
satan has spread over the face of the
earth, and men of all conditions of
life flock to it while the kingdom of
God looks like a desert country, de-
populated and abandoned by its in
habitants Oh. 'tis true that, here are
many good and faithful people in the
world. There are those who like Noah
of old remain untainted amid the gen.
eral corruption of mankind. And
feel that / am speaking to body OF
such men tonight. But even to them,
/ even TO you, my dear men. / must ad-
dress the terrifying words of Christ:
The path that leads to life is
narrow, and how few there are
who find it, And the reason why
/ few find il Is because few seek it. Is
not this true? It is not true that
there are very many even amongst
our Catholic men who do not seem
to be seeking the Kingdom of God
at all. much less seeking it first?
Let each OF you put the question
squarely to himself It is an import
ant question. It means for him
eternal salvation. Am l seeking first
the Kingdom Of God? But. first OF
all, let each one ask himself. and
shall answer for him, the question
Is il worth while? or as a business
man would put it. is il a paying prop
osition TO seek first the Kingdom oi
God?
"Yes, dear men. it IS worth while
Yes, it is a paving proposition. There
is no other investment that you car
ever make of your time and you
talents that will pay such tremen
dous returns. Consider for a momen
how men work and toll and slave ant
labor for an earthly gain. In factor
les, in shops, in offices. in institutions
on land and on sea. above the groun'
and under the ground. at home ant
abroad, in all parts of the world, mil
lions of free men willingly submit Z
years of labor and drudgery, whic
entails pain and weariness. patienc
and self-restraint and oft-times rea
hardship-yes millions submit (
all this for he sake of a little carthl
gain, for a money consideration. 70
: wages. They do all that they d,
and would readily do even more, wer
: il necessary, just 10 escape want an
: poverty, or to secure the means {
, present enjoyment. And they cor
, slider il a paying investment Of thei
= time and their talents.
!. Dear men, as a parting thought
, bid you when you go home tonigt
! take uD that little book that you stuC
led wears ago at your MOTHER kne
studied without understanding il
meaning: turn 10 the first chapte
:, there you will find a sermon in fe
words upon which you may refec
= reflect with profit to your souls. Yc
: will see written there a question
n Why we're you created? And II
= answer: | was created to know, lo'
= and serve God in this life in ord'
to be happy with Him in the mex
: Reflect on that: let it sink deep I'M
= your souls: il is of tremendous in
\ portance to you and you will col
clude. then, what I have striven 4
= night to impress upon your minds
that our great duty in life is to see
:, first the Kingdom Of God"