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12 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA light of day in this glorious state, but who, never theless, have cast their fortunes with you, a great heritage is yours in the sublime history of the past; but what of the present? In this day of modern thought and methods, the heritage of the past is too frequently forgotten. Ambitious and unscrupulous men are willing to sac rifice for selfish ends the dearest traditions of hu man kind in a Christian charity for all. Instead they are too willing to foment strife and prejudice in de veloping a spirit of intolerance and bigotry, against what? Against their neighbors and friends because they exercise the right of religious freedom, the right to adore God as they see fit. Is it not a travesty on our boasted civilization that they should be a state in this great union of states wherein it would be possible to have bigotry and hatred the handmaid of political ambition? Does it not occur to you and other native sons of this great state that the Union of states is sound at the heart, and that the ideals of America must prevail, and in those ideals, hate and bigotry can have no stat us. Does it not seem meet and proper to you that if they do prevail here, our great state will be looked upon with contempt and scorn by all men who sub scribe to the ideals of religious freedom, men who earnestly and honestly believe that the National Constitution is the beacon to lead us on to more glo rious deeds, as we hold aloft the flame of education and friendship.” And what about education ? Truly, it must be the lack of it that permits men, and women too, who have grown to stature, to believe we have anything to fear from the inalienable’ right to serve God as we see fit. As a Catholic, I wish to say a word, and as a con vert to that faith it may not be charged to me my religion came as a heritage from honored parents. Never in the history of the world has the Church in stituted by Jesus Christ made such progress as it has in this land of the free, and the progress was made, not because of union of Church and State, but the reverse of that policy, and no Catholic worthy of the name would for one moment wish to change the status quo. This, however, is not the spirit of the bigot and the panderer. His it is to charge a reverse position, but 1 defy any man in Georgia, or out of it, to point to any man having the authority to speak for the Catholic Church who ever proclaimed it a policy of the Church to ally with the State. To so ally itself would retard its march of prog ress in the teaching of all men the motto of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. I congratulate you on your splendid association, and I appreciate the opportunity of appearing be fore you and I wish you Godspeed in the work you are carrying on. I urge you to continue the work you are doing. If you will only continue along the lines of moderation and charity, realizing that those outside of the Catholic Church are ignorant of her ■kruth. I know the feelings I had as a Protestant. What they are taught, what they read and get on every hand against the Church impresses them, and they are sincere. They believe they are doing God’s work in opposing the Catholic Faith. I urge you, therefore, to be most charitable and forbearing in your sneech and writings. We should wish to con vince for the sake of the cause and not merely for the sake of the argument. CATHOLICS IN GEORGIA Edward. A. Sheridan Edward A. Sheridan is one Georgian who needs no introduction in Catholic circles wherever he may move in the South. In his more than two score years of life, he has been intimately connected with Catholic affairs in Georgia, and he is one of that band of loyal laymen which is responsible for the high place the Church in Georgia holds to day. Mr. Sheridan was born near Macon December 11, 1875, his father being .one of the pioneers of Bibb County and a Confederate veteran. He was educated in the parochial school at Macon, and at St. Stanis laus, then known as Pio Nono College. He was graduated from the high school department, which was at the time under the direction of Fathers Foulkes and Sherry. His school days over, he started his business career with W. O. Doody Co. Later he became connected with one of Macon’s wholesale houses, and eventually a member of the firm. His business judgment, re spect for the convictions of others, and general abil ity, as well as his genial personality, have made him one of the most successful and popular of Southern traveling men. In 1905 Mr. Sheridan was united in marriage to Miss Alma Kennington of Macon. Six children have blessed the union, five of whom are still living. Mr. Sheridan’s activity in church affairs started when he was in his ’teens. He was for years a member of St. Joseph’s Church choir, and one of the most active members of the old St. Joseph’s Cadets. He is a charter member of the Macon Council, Knights of Columbus, and has served the order in many official capacities, for many years being treas urer of the State Council. His work was a very im portant factor in liouidating the debt of Mount ae Sales Academy in Macon, and he was one of the founders of St. Joseph’s Church in his native city. Irish affairs have always claimed Mr. Sheridan’s interest and assistance. He was one of the most active members of the Robert Emmet Club in the days when it was most flourishing, and only a few months ago he served as chairman of the Irish Relief Fund in Macon. The results of his work as chairman were most gratifying to the friends of Ireland. But it as a member and official of the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia that Mr. Sheridan has been best known to us lately. When the move ment to bring about a better feeling among Georg ians, irrespective of creed, was started, it found in him one of its most enthusiastic supporters. Indeed, it was the interest of such men as Mr. Sheridan that was responsible for the inception of the movement. He has been for years a member of the publicity committee of the Association, and last year he was its chairman, a position he re fused to accept for another term. Anything complimentary we might say about Mr. Sheridan would only do him partial justice. Some of us might well shudder at the thought of what a terrible world this would be if all the people in it were like us, but we could wish for no better world that one peopled with folks like Ed Sheridan. His unfailing good nature, his regard for the feel ings of others, his sound judgment, his courage in defending his convictions—a courage which led him to defend his faith when it was assailed at a gathering in South Georgia last spring—these and many other characteristics go to make him the kind of man of whom our Church and our State may well be proud.