The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-19
Death OF John Reid ReueaLed Noble Life.
Aged ReCluse of ReidviIIe Sacrificed Pleasures, Died
 Penniless, Inspired Religious Union


 The late John Reid of Rockville members of the "Union-That- Nothing Be-Lost" led the life of recluse, suffered the taunts of be. ing miser, denied himself pleas ures of life, friendshipe-for noble purpose.
 Baseball fans who once jour- neyed to Rockville and who caught glimpses of the little, old man run- ming across the lots in pursuit of his cows, may have wondered about MT Reid's hermit life or speculated at times on how much he was worth. AS matter of fact he died penniless.
 The story of the animating in- spiration of his life is published in the current issue of the official publication of the Union, which has recruited hundreds of members pledged to self-denials and which has home at Graymoor, Garrison, N. Y.
 A reader of the Lamp" in a communication asked Why is there no mention of Brother Philip any more. obtained some favors through his intercession and al- ways so quickly as almost to stun me. There, 1t grieves me to see him evidently forgotten"
 The Editor of The Lamp has by no means forgotten Brother Phil ip. Every year in the month of November, we make pilgrimage to his grave in Waterbury, Conn, and close by our editorial desk is a little nook where his picture is kept with @ votive light before it.. Moreover, we do not want our Union n-That-Nothing-B Be-Lost mem- bers to forget him.
 Origin of Society
 The "Union-That-No N Nothing Be- Lost" owes it's existence, the Editor of The Lamp believes, to an in- spiration from God. On the Feast of St Thomas the Apostle, Decem- Der 21, 1904, the Father Founder of the Society of the Atonement, upon waking found his mind pos sessed with the command of Christ to the Apostles: Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lOst," and then and there the conception of the Union That Nothing -Be-Lost" took place. But it was not destined to function as a living organism until seven years later.
 The man whom God providen- italy raised up to be the First Ac- tive Member of the Union" and the most perfect exemplifier of its principles was John Reid of Wa terbury. Conn, who received the name of Brother Philip as a Ter | tiary of the Society of the Atone ment. He died at the age of 82 on January 30, twelve years ago. It was early in December ot 1911 that we submitted copy o1 the Rule and Constitution of the Union t-Nothing- e-Lost to the late Most Rev Thomas F. Cusack, at that time auxiliary bishop of New York, and immediate superior under Cardinal Farley of the Cray moor Friars; asking that apostolic |prelate to bless and sanction it. The bishop replied that he hesitated to bless the Union, because the rule was so perfect that he feared the Friars of the Atonement would find nobody to live by it, and that con- sequently it would be of no mate rial gain to them in their good work. This answer of Bishop Cusack came as a keen disappoint- ment. The next morning while say- ing mass, as the Father Founder held the Sacred Host in his hands, he addressed to Our Eucharistic King these words: Dear Lord, if the Union- That t-Nothing- -Be-Lost is a creature of my own imagination, I beg You to dismiss it utterly from my mind; but if 1t comes as an inspiration from You, My God, please give me some practical proof of it."
 It was that day or the next, when John Reid of Waterbury, Conn, paid his third visit to the Mount of the Atonement. There was little to distinguish him from the. ordinary Brother Christopher of the more gentlemanly sort, whom we entertain at Graymoor in such large numbers. We little dreamed to find in this shabbily dressed old man the answer to our prayer at the altar during the most solemn and intimate part of the mass. It was on the second day of his visit that he asked for a private interview.
 Offered to Educate Youths, He began by saying that he had read in The Lamp of a certain convert from the Algican Church in London, MT Potter by name, who had established home for orphan boys and that he had written Mir Potter to the. effect that if he would select two pious boys and send them to America he would himself stand the entire cost of their education for the priesthood.
 To this we made answer: MT Reid, you don't have to send to England to seek out boys to edu- cate for the priesthood; that is what we want to do right here on the Mount of the Atonement,-only we must first build 8 school for the purpose"
 Swiftly came the answer: "Very well, when I return to Waterbury,