The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-03-31
CARDINAL AND PATRIOT
JAMES GIBBONS DIES
DEATH COMES PEACEFULLY TO
DISTINGUISHED PRELATE
BenedictiOn From POpe-Age and
Work For Church and Country
Take Their TOll-Funeral May
Not Be Held Until Week Has
Passed.

moi be helu UhuI week Ha
Passed.
James Cardinal Gibbons, archbishop
o. Baltimore and senior prelate o.
the Catholic church in the United
States, died in Baltimore last Thurs
day at the age of 81 years.
His grave will be in niche in the
crypt under the high altar of the
cathedral A slab Of mable carved
with an inscription in Latin in the
north wall Of the crypt will mark his
resting place.
Above the vault behind whose
south wall lie the six archbishops OF
Maryland who preceded him, is the
sanctuary of the cathedral to which
Cardinal Gibbons parents brought
him as a baby to be baptized, where
he was consecrated a bishop, where
he was later consecrated an arch
bishop, and where on June 30, 1886
he was invested with the robes of the
carIinalate.
There, too, stands the throne of
the cardinal, and above the throne
will hang the cardinals hat sym
Dol Of princedom in the Catholic
hierarchy. There it will hang as
long as the cathedral stands.
At the funeral gathered the great
est company of churchmen ever as
sambled in the United States, and
included the cardinals, the arch
bishops, the bishops, the apostolic
delegate and virtually all the priests
in the diocese Of MARYLAND, which
includes the District of Columbia.
Representatives of all the
churches orders were there-the abb
hots from the monasteries in robes of
white, brown or black.
Active service of more than halt
a century in the interests of his
country as we'll as his church is
closed by the death of James, Cardi-
nal Gibbons. Cardinal Gibbons, as
senior bishop of the church welded
a strong influence outside as we'll as
within the United States. The conf
dant of three popes, he made several
important tours to Rome, the last in
August, 1914, a few days after the
opening of the war, to elect the sue
cessor to Plus X.
Upon returning to the United
States he visited President Wilson,
informed the latter of affairs in Eu-
rope and discussed means to bring
about peace. The cardinal was
strongly interested in the affairs of
the church in Mexico during the
troublous times in that country and
declared that he feared fighting
would never cease under the Car
rama regime. It was largely as a
result of his efforts that the con-
dition of the clergy and nuns of
Mexico was ameliorated.
Cardinal Gibbons was active in his
work for the allies in the war, and in
a letter written to the Catholics of
the archdiocese of New York in
1917, when the United States entered
the conflict, urged the fullest support
Of the government. A few months
previously he sent $4,000 to the
American committee in London for
the relief of the Belgians, one of the
many notable instances of his benev-
olence.
Born in Baltimore, Md, of Irish
parents, July II, 1884, James Glib
bons spent his youth in Ireland,
but when he was lad of IA years
his family returned to America, set
ting in New Orleans, whehe he acted
as "punctual grocer's boy"
II look back on those early days
of hard work with PRIDE" he said in
speaking Of his boyhood. 81 am a
firm believer in the school of hard
and honest labor"
His ambition for the priesthood be-
gan in those early days. At 81 he
began preparations for his service
in tire Roman Catholic church.
His record in the Southern states
is remarkable. He travelled among
his people from the sea to the noun
tains, eating from bare boards and
sleeping in shabby cabins. Thus, it
is said, he made the personal ac-
quaintance of every adult Roman
Catholic in North Carolina. He built
six churches, established the Sisters
of Mercy and built for them school
for negroes and whites.
The last days of Cardinal Gibbons
were spent among his friends in his
native Baltimore. He was a pic
turesque figure on the streets. Not
withstanding his high office, his emf
nence was one Of the most democratic
Of Americans. During his daily walks
about the city he received the re-
spectful salutations of persons Of all
faiths, responding with his genial and
cordial smile, whether to a policeman
or a distinguished financier.
The trend of the times and the
power Of the press as a protector Of
society greatly impressed Cardinal
Gibbons during the last years Of his
life.
His liberality can no better be ex-
pressed than in his own words: IRE
ligion teaches me that we are all
Of the same Father. We
are all brothers and sisters Of the
same Redeemer and consequently
members of the same family. IT.
Eaochas pa fha Motherhood of hr