Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-01-14
AN APPRECIATION
OF DEAN ]. j. QUINN

An appreciation of the work and
character of Dean J. ]. Quinn, for
mer rector of St Joseph's Catholic
church, who has resigned the par
ish in order to take much needed
rest, is voiced in the following COM
munication from a member of the
| church:
In the history of Rock Island
| never was a man so beloved Daily
he walked among the people,
[ touching shoulders with the crowd,
and to all, regardless OF. race Or
creed, he gave lavishly and IN
grudingly, the riches of his keen,
fine mind and his great, unselfish
heart Today he goes out, loved,
admired, respected by all with
whom he came in contact-the man
! of wealth and influence. the bust
ness man, the labOrer, the little
children whom he loved, the sor-
rowing congregation to whom he
ministered. 1t were difficult to de-
termine Just wherein this many
sided man excelled. Gifted beyond
most with a keen intelligence and
vice was sought and valued, both
at home and afar. A gifted orator,
none greater in the diocese, yet
with the simplicity which marks
real greatness, he preached in Ian
guage that a child might under
stand. A churchman of the high
est order, his zeal and fair mind
edness drew to him friends and adj
mirers of all denominations, and
four hundred converts were added
to his fold during his administra-
ton.
THE splendid parish which he
has built up, and St. Joseph
school, the pride of his heart, stand
living monument to his unself-
ishness. Daily, hourly, he was at
the call of his people-no distance
too great, no weather too inclem-
ent. The aged, the sick, the sor-
rowing, the tempted and the fallen
were cheered, consoled and
strengthened. With no thought Of
self, it is not strange that at length
his splendid strength should fail
and he should find himself in need
of rest and recuperation.
nation was met with a storm of
grief and protest and it is just one
more proof of the magnificence of
the man that he would let nothing
alter his decision. Letters have
poured in from old friends and
parishioners and the rectory has
been filled with visiting priests,
among them the deans disting-
uished brother, Dean John Quinn,
of Ottawa, Ill. and Revs. William
and Francis Cleary and Rev. John
Shields, whom he affectionately
terms, his boys
Among all the demonstrations of
the past weeks, perhaps the most
simply and touching, and the one
nearest to Father Quinn's heart,
was the reception rendered him on
Monday afternoon by the school
children, who gathered in the audi
forum, rendered a beautiful little
program, and the tiniest tot in the
school presented him with a purse
containing one hundred and twenty
dollars in gold-the gift of his chill
dren.
80, great, strong soul, burned
white in the fires of sacrifice; o,
kind, warm heart, made lowIy by
long hours Of prayer; o, tireless
hands that toll, and toiling, point
the way to trameled souls that faint
along the way; o, feet, that tread
the straight and narrow way the
Master trod; o lips, that ever seek
to bless and cheer; thousand
hearts arise to call you blest! And
over sunlit stretches, and over arid
wastes. a thousand hearts reach out
to you today, and they pray that
the God who loves you, may bless
YOU and keep YOU ALWAYS"