The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-10-07
NOTED ECCLESlASTlC, FOUNDER CATHOLIC
TEMPERANCE CRUSADE, HAS Silver JUBILEE
Father Hays Completes
Leadership English Temperance Work Philanthropy
Devoted to Welfare of Children and Youth

The attainment this month by Rev.
Father Hays, Rector OF Beeston, y OF
tingham, OF his Silver Jubilee as
Founder of the Catholic Temperance
Crusade $500, and his completion
of a quarter of century's work as
leader in England of Roman Catholic
Temperance Societies, recalls a re-
markable career and some unique ex-
periences.
For twenty years he sought to pro-
mote temperance by religious means
and moral suasion and by scien-
tifc temperance teaching in schools.
He has devoted himself to conserv-
ing home life" protecting little chill
dren and safeguarding young men and
women by making them abstainers to
the age of 25.
1t was not until last year at Glas-
gov and Edinburgh he boldly con-
fessed himself in favor of worldwide
Prohibition and he was the first Ro-
man Catholic priest in the United
Kingdom to support "Pussyfoot"
Johnson and to speak at his meetings.
Born on May q, 1870, he is a noted
preacher and philanthropst.
The following is from lecture by
w. L. Bowditch, Esq, NJ. A:
He is English on his fathers side
and Irish on his mothers, being a
nephew of Liverpool's great philan-
thropist = Father Nugent Ia de-
scendant of the noble family of the
Nugents) to whom the citizens paid
the remarkable tribute of erecting
during his lifetime his statue in the
public gardens of St. Georges Hall.
Primarily intended for the law in
London, the attraction of pity for the
poor in their hardships and for the
little children of the slums in their
sufferings and privations, turned his
thoughts to a higher vocation.
"A SOnSeCrated Lille
Under the guiding influence of Car
dinal Manning, he devoted his life to
the promotion of temperance, thrift,
industry and the betterment of the
social and moral condition of the
poor, the fallen and the outcast. He
was ordained priest in 1894 and min
istered at ST Barnabas Cathedral and
St. p atric k 5, Nottingham. He
founded in 1895 the Catholic Social
Guild for the study of social problems
and for practical Christian citizenship;
also work for child welfare and
home life. Anxious to be an active
factor for good he translated his
Christian teaching into active works
of mercy. Feeding and clothing the
poor, bringing light and warmth to
many cherries home, comforting
the sick and dying, rescuing waits and
strays, became his daily task in the
great cities and towns. He adopted
as his motto the words: For God
and Humanity: to Love and to Serve
A wide and extensive experience
and such a knowledge of human ma
ture and of human life as can be
gained only by life lived in the very
midst of the dens of poverty, squalor
and degrade ton. soon convinced him
that intemperance was the root-cause
of most of the misery and sin of the
people, and an insuperable barrier to
all social and moral reform. Once
convinced, it was his duty by word
and example to try and save these
eople; he acted fearlessly. He
founded in 1896 the Catholic Temper
ance Crusade with the approval OF
the Cardinal Archbishop of West
minister and the Cardinal Primate OF
Ireland. The same year he estab-
lished the Guild of Young Crusaders
of the Cross, in which children take
the abstinence pledge until the age OF
Is years. Both these works have now
been taken up by bishops and priests
all over the British Empire, and in
many foreign countries. Through
out England, Ireland, Scotland and
Wales he founded temperance socie-
ties, and addressed, in cathedrals
chapels and halls. immense audiences
which, in point of numbers, influence
and enthusiasm, are unrivaled since
| Father Mathews time. In
His Broad and Noble Charity for
People of All Creeds
Father Hays did not conhne his la
bors to Catholics. Where he could
win back to Christ a lost prodigal
rescue a child from danger or a home
from ruin, he knew no distinction oil