The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-01-01
CONTINUED from page ID
CATHOLICISM IN WISCONSIN.

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| rhythmic admiration has no poetry in
his soul. Longfellow could not re-
frain, nor Edwin Arnold, nor Walt
Whitman Neither could we. Arnold
thought that Madison was the most
beautiful inland city in the world.
There is no question but that, as the
years roll on, Madison will become
more and more popular as summer
resort. 1t has every natural advan-
tage of hill and dale, of wood and
water.
The Church Well Established.
With this pardonaBle depression and
tribute to the Capital of the State, we
resume the main topic which is to
relate how Catholicism seems to flour
ish in every city and hamlet, how
schools and converts and churches
bear witness to the unfagging zeal and
| industry of priests and Sisters; how
clergy and laity seem to unite in all
meritorious work for the good of re-
ligion. There is rugged strength
about the architecture of the church
buildings which impresses the visitor
quite as much as the splendid physique
of the self-sacrificing men and women
who are carrying on the work of mis-
sionaries throughout this portion of
the vineyard of the Lord There is
a note of ruggedness and robustness
about the personnel of the clergy,
from the distinguished Archbishop
down to the hunblest toiler in the out
lying mission districts. We are made
conscious at once of this note born of
inyigorating struggle and wrestling
not only with the powers Of darkness,
but with sundry physical powers that
mantle the cheek with red and try
the most stalwart muscle. For Wis
trary is still a rough granite expanse,
as ii nature took a spontaneous de-
| light in upheaving hills and digging
chasms and quarrying rock, furnishing
the landscape with wild primitive
beauty. Then, too, we must remember
4 bllG DCNCl1by VI I1C AOt bASlA Ol11h6bIC
A Wisconsin winter is quite as long
and severe as the winters are said to
be in Minnesota; the drive to the mis-.
sion church is quite as strenuous il
you happen to be fasting.
A Western "MeIting Pot"
There is the same advantage enjoyed
here as elsewhere throughout the West
1.-THE advantage of what sociologists
term the Melting Pot Look over
the average Catholic congregation in
Wisconsin, and you will see the chill,
dren of Irish, German, Pole, Bohemi
an, Slav or French extraction kneel
ing side by side, the racial character
istics of each type toned down and
refined and moulded into new form
like a composite picture. Is this new
creation in the racial cosmos superior
to any and all of its ingredients? We
like to think SO, if for no other reason
/ than that it is American At any
rate the new type is fully as pious
and deyout, is fully as religious. Cath
Ollie children in Wisconsin are on the
whole as well trained in religious and
secular knowledge as any Catholic
children in the United States. And
this result comes from the superE
skill and efficiency with which affairs
are managed in Wisconsin, not only
within but without Church circles We
SHOULD like to dwell longer upon this
point but space will not permit.
Catholic Societies.
1 Perhaps the best index OF Catholic
growth and progress in Wisconsin Is
the aourishing condition OF Catholic
societies. Most of the large Catholic
organizations spread over the United
States have ramifications Throughout
the state of Wisconsin. Forty years
ago a Catholic Forester or knight oi
Columbus was unknown here; today
they are numbered by thousands with
large halls of their own for initiation
purposes, and in many places elegantly
appointed clubrooms Only last month
four hundred and fifty knights were
lenrolled at Marshfield and Milwaukee
and the Foresters and knights of st
i John were not far behind those figures
in their recent acquisition at La
Crosse, Oshkosh, Green Bay and FOND
du Lac. The Knights of Columbus arr
helping the Marquette University al
Milwaukee to secure an endowment 81
i a quarter of a million, and prominent
Jesuits with whom the writer has
spoken, say that the offer Of Mr., ]. ]
Hill will be met by the middle of mex
Il year. Mr.. Hill some time ago Offered
i twenty-five thousand dollars on condi
/ ton that the Marquette Universit,
should raise one hundred and lift,
thousand dollars A part of this sun
is already subscribed, and the Knight.
of Columbus will soon contribute (;
Il substantial amount. The Hibernian:
have long passed the thirty Thousand
mark in their enrolment and the,
rank ahead of the Knights or the For
esters in the number of their societies
and in total membership. They ar.
the second oldest Catholic organiza
ton in the state.
!. National Organizations.
Exact figures are not at land re
speeding the German, Polish or 30
hemian Catholic societies; Int eacl
nationality may boast Of stron4 0rgani
cations of this character in cities liki
Madison, Monroe. WATERFOWL. Greer
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