The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-04-01
VOLUME XXXV1I
BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO
TO CARDINAL GIBBONS.


To James Cardinal Gibbons, per-
haps the Oldest and best beloved Of
the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in the
United States, who died in Baltimore
on March oath, the Memphis Com
mercial Appeal paid the following
editorial tribute
On the eve of the day upon which
the Master sought the release Of
mankind from the thralldom of sin
and eternal suffering, the soul of
James Cardinal Gibbons, released
itself from its frail tenement of clay
and winged its flight to its eternal
abode. Crowned with hierarchical
honors, filled with the consciousness
of lofty and unselfish service and be-
loved Of nation that included many
races and many creeds, the distin-
guished churchman in the mellowness
of his years goes to the reward that
is due one who has been of great use
fulness to his fellow man both in ma
ternal and in spiritual affairs. -
Prince Of his church, the friend and
confident of the great national lead
learning and the wisdam of his
learning and the wisdo wof his
counsels, he was withal but an humble
servant of the Man of Galilee.
Schooled as he was in the treasured
up lore of the ages, his very human
qualities were the outstanding fea-
ture Of his character. He might have
dwelt in the pomp of his station far
removed from the commonplace and
the plain people but he preferred to
live with men on terms Of equality
and fraternity. He learned from men
and women their thoughts, he shared
with them their joys, consoled them
in their sorrows and to all he was a
guide and friend in both their tempor-
al and eternal affairs. He was ia
miliar figure on the streets of Bal
timore, Washington and New Orleans,
and no person was too lowly or too
humble for hi INTO extend a hearty
greeting, or offer cheering word. He
was q democrat among democrats,
and this fact in large measure con-
tributed to his immense personal pop
ularity.
But hardly less than his democracy
did Cardinal Gibbons broadminded-
ness and liberality make for him
friends and admirers among all races
and all creeds. 1t will not be for
cotton how many years ago 1t ap-
!. .p6ar1d for a. time a. IL he szuere -
leader in a protest against any sort
or Mormon participation in the
launching of the battleship Utah. But
Cardinal Gibbons quickly disabused
the public mind of such view when
he issued statement that he merely
had written letter of introduction
for the protesting committee to the
secretary of the navy. He made it
clear at that time that he was in no
way responsible for the views ex-
pressed by that committee. In his
public address as well as his private
talks he was most definite in his be-
lief that there are many paths to
salvation and unending bliss provid-
ed that those who seek any of these
roads are sincere in their professions
and determination. His liberality
can no better be expressed than in
his own words:
Religion teaches me that we
are all children of the same Faith
err. We are brothers and sisters
of the same Redeemer and conse-
puently members of the same
family. /. teaches me the broth
erhood Of humanity.
No one can contemplate the career
of Cardinal Gibbons without remark
ing also upon his intense and loyal
Americanism. Hardly less did he
serve the cause of the Master than
did he the cause of his country, be-
cause he knew that in serving one he
served the other. In the great war he
stood solidly behind the allies and the
United States, after we entered the
war, although the allies were fight
ing Catholic Austria and Catholic
Germany. He gave of his financial
means to support the common cause
and he was of invaluable aid in pre-
serving the national spirit and NOR
ale during the trying days of 1917
and 1918.
On political questions he was al
ways conservative in his thought. He
refused to deluded by the catch
phrases of political vagaries and was
not lured away by the will O. the wisp
of every new political innovation. In
some respects he may have been
trifle too conservative, but he always
had the courage of his convictions,
no matter whether they were popu-
lar or not. 1t is unquestioned that at
al times he sought the purity Of home
life as the basis of any government
and upon this he stood squarely for
loyalty and unselfishness in citizen
ship.
As an ecclasiastic he attended his
high place and influence but his po-
sition with all classes viii rest upon
his able, disinterested and true lead
ership in both men and affairs of
this world and of the next. A nation
viii mourn his passing because he
will be sadly missed.