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16 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC THE EARLY CATHOLIC DAYS IN ATLANTA [Continued from page 5] liest services as acolyte for a visiting priest in At lanta was as attendant in the administration of the last rites to the venerable father of Mrs. Dougherty, a Mr. Connolly. On occasion of my last visit to At lanta, Mr. Connolly’s great-great-granddaughter helped to furnish music at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the old convent adjoining the Church of the Immaculate Conception. So memory carries me back along that line for five generations. The Mal ones and the Connors were also devout, faithful mem bers of the congregation. The first visit of Savannah’s first Bishop, Rt. Rev. F. X. Gartland, was a note-worthy event in Catholic circles in Atlanta, and occurred in the spring of ’51 or ’52. For days his coming, an event eagerly looked for, particularly in our own home, where he was to lodge as a guest, furnished a general topic of conversation previous to his arrival as well as occasion for no little preparation in Atlanta’s solitary place of Catholic worship. Arriving an hour or two after midnight, very probably the resident pas tor had assumed that the Bishop would not rise at an early hour for the celebration of Holy Mass, and therefore made no preparation for his escort to the Church. The writer, early in the morning at play on the side-walk before our home, saw descending the stairway towards the street an ecclesiastic, a stranger to his eyes, of very gracious and imposing presence. Approaching the boy, who immediately concluded that this must be the bishop, the stranger asked him if he could serve Mass and knew the way to the Church. Both questions answered in the affirmative, the Bishop and the child, not a little elated at the importance thus suddenly thrust up on him, started together for the Church on the cor ner of Lloyd and Hunter Streets. Knowing that in view of the approaching episcopal visit, preparations under the care of ladies of the congregation directed by the pastor had been in process of execution for days, the prospective acolyte was anxiously cherish ing the hope that the new Bishop would find every thing entirely to his taste and in strict accord with rubrical requirements. No slight jar was given these same hopes when at our entrance into the Church the first object to catch the eye was an article of altar linen laying upon the floor at our feet, and evidently dropped accidently by some busy worker the night before. Stooping to pick it up, I made the best apologetic explanation that my dis turbed feelings would permit. Needless to say the incident was not referred to by either the Bishop or his acolyte, when at the breakfast table an hour or two later both met the pastor and the lady di rector of the Sanctuary Society. ADMIRAL BENSON HONORED Admiral W. S. Benson came back to Georgia last month. He was presented with a sword by the Daughters of the Confederacy at Waycross. He was honored by the people of his native Macon. He made Georgia prouder than ever that he was born within its borders. The sword, which was purchased with funds raised by popular subscription and tendered in recognition of the Admiral’s services during the World War, was r Ted at the First Methodist Church at Waycross. LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA From Waycross, Admiral Benson went to Macon, where he visited Mercer University, Wesleyan Col lege, Lanier High School, Mount de Sales Academy and Vineville School. President Rufus Weaver of Mercer introduced him as an outstanding figure of the world, and, next to Ex-President Wilson and President Harding, the best known living American. At Wesleyan, Admiral Ben son referred to the fact that his mother was the fi r stgraduate of the college, finishing in 1840. Admiral Benson was greeted by representatives ol various religious denominations, the Mayor and City Council, and representatives of the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Spanish-American War Veterans, Chamber of Commerce, Lions, Civitans, W. C. T U., Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Parent- ieachers Association. The Admiral also reviewed a National Guard parade held in his honor. While in Macon, Admiral Benson was the guest of his brother, F. C. Benson. He was the guest of hon or at a dinner given by Mr. and Mr. Dan C. Horgan. He went direct to Washington from Macon. MARSHAL FOCH’S VISIT Marshal Ferdinand Foch, commander-in-chief of the allied armies, is the guest of America, and Amer ica is showing, as only she knows how to show, the great regard she has for the heroic warrior who turned threatened defeat into victory during the dark days of the war. . New York has not witnessed scenes since Armis tice Day such as greeted him when he arrived if we are to trust the accounts of secular newspapers, Washington was no less cordial in her welcome. President Harding and his official family showered honors on him, only to be outdone by the public in the warmth of its welcome. At Kansas City, the Marshal was again among soldiers, his “buddies”, the men who constitute the membership of the American Legion. Chicago hon ored itself in the honors it showed the Allied leader. Other cities he visited were no less cordial. Marshal Foch may come to Georgia. Col. Paul B. Malone, U. S. A., delegated to extend an invita- tion to Marshal Foch to come here brought back hopeful news to the State. “The war was won by us through the grace of God,” Marshal Foch told an interviewer. His re- ligious fervoil has made a deep impression on those with whom he has come in contact. His visit to America proved that his fervent Catholicity, of which we heard so much during the war, has not been exaggerated. Church and State in Prussia is now an accomplish ed fact. Up to the first of this month, the ruler of the state was the head of the Protestant religion. Prussia befor the war was 63 per cent Protestant and thirty-five per cent Catholic. Father Fidelis of the Passionist Order, formerly Rev. Dr. John Stone, episcopal rector and Harvard graduate, died in Chicago at the home of his daugh ter. He became a Catholic in 1869, some time after the death of his wife.