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16 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA A BUSINESS PROPOSITION By a Georgia Layman. The season for taking inventories is at hand, and the more important the business, the more careful and detailed is this annual taking of stock. Big business and inventories have ever been allied. There is one business the success of which is our main purpose in life. You know what that business is,—the salvation of your soul. But do you know anything about that business? Do you know whether it is succeeding or failing for you? Have you any plans for its betterment? It is strange that men when they have a business to conduct that is eternally important seldom look upon it in a truly business way. Why do they not apply business methods to it, beginning with an honest inventory of their assets and liabilities? Business men pride themselves on their efficiency, and justly so; but how many are there who have ever made even one good inventory of the real business of life. It may be that for such an inventory they believe there is no system, no method of making it. But there is one. The system at the Catholic’s disposal is what is called a retreat. The commercial world is not the only world where we find liabilities. Deadly sins and neglect of them are the deadliest liabilities we can have. And these, are found in the Spiritual world. They are not seen at all times simply at a glance. Deep scrutiny, a careful examination and arrangement of the stock, scattered about in the corners of our lives, is necessary. This scrutiny is best made by means of a retreat. There are many who imagine they are not good enough to make a retreat, yet our need for a retreat depends on the extent of our badness. The worse our condition the more necessary the inventory-just as in business. Again, most of us imagine that retreats have been invented solely for the use of religious. But is not this rather a bold assumption? It seems to say that we are better, more stalwart in faith, more immune from sin, in fact more sinless than our very guides, teachers, and models. Therefore it seems that a retreat for us is certainly good and practically necessary. The practice of making retreats is not new among laymen. Our own state of Georgia has been a little backward in the matter, but other commonwealths have been very active, have procured homes in quiet places, and have enrolled thousands of men who are interested in the only thing that is ultimately worth while to them. It is the plan and hope of many Catholic men of Georgia to imitate the custom here. The opportunities are good. The Jesuits Fathers have a villa near Macon, Georgia, and they have very kindly offered the laymen of Georgia the use of this property for the purpose of holding retreats during the month of August. They have also offered the services of one of their ablest priests to conduct the retreat. The number attending will be limited by the extent of the quarters. It has been planned to hold four retreats, one each week end during the month of August. The number from each city will be limited to twelve. If you are desirous of taking this inventory of youi soul, send in your name and the week you can attend to the Retreat Dept., Catholic Laymen’s Association, Augusta, Ga. CATHOLIC NEWS OUTSIDE GEORGIA The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Gilmartin has issued another call for a truce in Ireland, in which he says: “The first function of government is to protect life and property. The present Government are deliber ately destroying life and property. If they cannot put down murder except by murder and arson, they are proved bankrupt before God and man. I appeal for a truce of God.” Rt. Rev. Joseph Schrembs, Bishop of Toledo, has been appointed Bishop of Cleveland and Very Rev. Thomas M. O’Leary, Vicar-General of the Diocese of Manchester, of N. H., has been named Bishop of Springfield, Mass., according to reports from Rome. Rev. Hugh C. Boyle succeeds Bishop Canevin of Pitts burgh, who resigned on account of ill health. Professor Maurice De Wolf of Louvain University Cardinal Mercier’s successor, has accepted appoint ment to the special chair of philosophy at Harvard University. Ground for a new chapel at Trinity College, Wash ington, D. C. was broken on the Feast of St. Joseph by Bishop Shahan, Rector of the Catholic University of America. The famous Paulist Choristers, under the direction of Father Finn, were heard in private concert by Pres ident Harding at the White House recently. The Chor isters have also appeared before the late President Roosevelt and Ex-President Wilson. Lieutenant General Sir John Stephens Cowans, late Quartermaster General of all of Great Britain’s military forces, was buried early this month from Westminister Cathedral, the announcement that the burial services were to be conducted in the Cathedral being the first public information that he had died a member of the Catholic Church. It is estimated by the Supreme Secretary of the Knights of Columbus that 80,000 former service men will this year win diplomas from the 132 K. of C. Evening Schools being conducted in 32 states. Einstein, the man who made the theory of relativity famous, has written a book he boasts only twelve men in the world understands. He should not get too chesty on that account; some of our anti-Catholic friends have published some that no one can make head or tail of.