The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1921-04-30

somewhere III The IOOu DUOh ~ 40
recorded that the Lord loveth q
cheerful giver, and since the drive
for church funds on Sunday last
now much more He must favor the
Catholics and others of Bay St.
Louis since they gave 50 cheerfully
The drive was to realize funds for
the payment of the debt of $l1 900
plus the interest hanging over the
church of Our Lady of the Gull, and
to complete both the interior and ex-
terror of the handsome and spacious
edifce. To do this it was estimated
that a round sum of $4,000 would
be necessary. The present building
was constructed during the year
1908, to replace good Father LeDuc's
church which had originally been
built forty years previously, and was
destroyed by fire along with other
valuable property On the beach front.
Since it's construction by Father j.
M. Prendergast, then pastor, the
debt was soon reduced from SIS, 700
to $4,000, then after while it was
cut down to $11 900 by the present
pastor, Rev. Father j. A. Gmelch.
For practically ten years the debt al
most remained stationary, and how
to pay it and finish the church has
been a problem not easy to solve.
About two weeks since, Rev. Faith
er Gmelch called in number of gen.
tlemen of the parish to meet with
him during the evening hours over
at the X. C. Hall and then and there
,.en fanille" to discuss the situation,
and, if possible, to devolve ways and
means. His call was readily met, and
the good father found that not only
was he meeting. with a ready res
ponse but that there was disposition
on the part of all present not only
to pay off the debt for once and for
all but to finish the church as well.
To some it looked like big PROPOSE
ton, and it was apparently, for it
called for an outlay of cash, and
plenty of it. After due figuring and
planning sum of no less than thir-
ty thousand dollars was required.
The men present meeting with their
pastor were all business men, and
the plan as had been used In New
Orleans recently to raise million
dollars for the seminary fund appeal
ed to them and was adopted.
Big projects call for organization
and body to be known as the ex-
ecutive committee was formed and
it's membership made up from the
men present. This organization to
have charge of the drive for thirty
thousand dollars it was proposed to
put on 1t was composed of Rev.
A. J. Gmelch, chairman; Ernest u.
Leonhard, Joseph O.. Maafray, A.
r. Hart, Chas. G. Moreau, John A.
Green, Chas. A. Fricke, A. Scafide,
August Schiro, F. C. Bordages, Sr.,
A. ~Battistella. The committee or
ganized, it set to work at once, with
Joseph O. Mauffray, as secretary,
and the city or parish properly di-
tions with as many captains. Then
the gathering adjourned to meet
again few nights later with every
captain and their lieutenants present
TO discuss the plan of work. Sunday,
April oath was selected as the day
for the drive. A meeting was held
as proposed and the outlook was
bright. Every one present, some
fifty ladies and gentlemen, were
bubbling over with enthusiasm, and
having felt the public pulse, repor-
ted the outlook encouraging. Every
one felt sanguine of success, but
since the amount was an extraordi-
s.ary one, and the time of the pres
cnt financial crisis existing over the
country, and only a day in which to
raise it, there must have been lurk-
ing somewhere in some remote quar-
ter of some of the minds present
little doubt as to the success of the
drive.
Bat the results Of last Sunday has
dispelied all doubts and apprehen-
sion. The weather for the day was
not at all propitious. Low clouds
hing over the city all day tending
to depress even the most CHEEKY of
the cheerful givers" but the good
spirit of the people prevailed, and
when the round up of the days
work had been made it was found
,he goal had been reached. In other
lords the church debt paid and the
--.oaey in sight 10 do the finishing
work. 1t was great event, an oc-
casion of achievment, and the great
bells in the belfry of the church of
Our Lady of the Gulf at 7:30.