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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
Atheist Author Is a Convert to
Christianity in Central Europe
By Dr. Frederick Funder
(N. G. W. C. News Sendee)
Vienna—The liberal literary world
of Central Europe lias been stunned
by news of tlie conversion of Egon
Friedell, one of the most powerful
and talented of the younger writers
of the atheistic school.
Marking as it does the third re
cent notable defection from the
ranks of artists who regarded it as
one of the greatest reproaches that
could be cast upon them that they
be termed “clericals,” the sudden
religious profession of this noted
litcrateur may be said to be another
indication of a mighty movement
that is leading some of the most
brilliant European minds back to
the of the cross.
Especially is this movement be
ing left in the literary world. In
Austria, Hermann Bahr, the former
managing director of the famous
state theater, led the way. Josef Au
gusta Lux, the celebrated art critic,
followed his head. Now comes
Friedell, to join men who owe their
prominence to the atheistic press
and who have renounced their for
mer philosphies to give evidence of
Christian truth..
Announcement has been made
lhat Egon Friedell is publishing a
new book under the title of “The
Jesus Problem,” in which he under
takes to prove the historical exis
tence and the divinity of Christ. It
is interesting to read the arguments
he brings forth when addressing in
tellectual. people, Christians by
name, who refuse to believe in the
historical truths of Christianity and
the divinity of the Saviour.
“The life, the sufferings and the
death of Our Saviour,’.” he writes,
“were the sense and the spiritual
substance of the last nineteen cen
turies. If these events are elimi
nated, nothing worth while remains
because everything centers around
His holy presence. He is the sun
shedding light and all are moving
in its magnetic sphere, seeking for it
or avoiding ft. All, consciously or
unconsciously, are receiving from it
light and warmth and motive power.
“All over the world people there
are who live with a special talent
for complicating all things. Every
human undertaking they come in
contact with immediately becomes
entangled in insurmountable diffi
culties. The simple man of the
street knows this type well and
fears its representatives. Behind
the simplest facts these people are
ready to discover something that is
hidden and that should be revealed
and explained. This pointing out
of the pretended ‘higher thought,’
this explaining of the ‘second mean
ing’ leaves the mind hopelessly en
tangled And that is just what a
certain school of thought wants. Its
exponents then convey the idea that
they are filled with a certain sac
red fire or special originality that
permits them to view things from
the same and normal way of view
ing them.
It is the characteristic sophistry
of the rationalist not to believe in
the existence and divinity of Christ,
says Friedell, and to proclaim the
Christian religion to be but a com
bination of old myths. But, argues
the converted writer, a transforma
tion of such gigantic and universal
proportions as Christianity cannot
be the result of old myths. Some
great supernatural personality must
needs mark the crade of Christian
ity, he avers, and with this em
phasized he gives the historical
proofs of the existence of Christ.
The confession is extremely val
uable because through it this bril
liant writer, brought up in a world
of prejudice and flattery, a modern
mocker himself, has made a new
start and stands up to defend Cath
olic faith.
Hermann Bahr’s Preface.
The preface of Egon Friedell’s
book is written by Hermamn Bahr,
former idol of the Viemnese liberal
press. His lines are in keeping with
the book. Addressing the author,
Bahr says:
“People will listen to you because
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you were clever enough to gain
for yourself the reputation of a
mocker. As a poet of the cabaret
you have won the confidence of a
shrewd public with your jokes and
your bag of tricks. You can now
make people believe in the historical
existence of Christ. And those who
really believe that Christ existed
must needs perceive the Eucharis
tic wonder.”
Friedell’s conversion therefore has
had a profound effect on the whole
liberal literary world.
Most Rev. M. J. Curley Says
Greatest Foe of Country’s
Perpetuity Will Be Lack of
Morality and Religion.
Washington, D. C. — America’s
dangers are not from without but
from within, declared the Most Rev.
Michael J. Curley, Archbishop of
Baltimore, in the course of the first
sermon delivered by him in this city
since his installation.
Archbishop Curley spoke in St.
Patrick’s Church and made an im
pressive appeal to those Catholics
living in the nation’s capital to
show by their example the power
for good which the Catholic Church
exerts in this country and the force
it is in the making of better citi
zens.
“During the war,” said the Arch
bishop, “we heard a great deal of
danger to America, and men talked
of the possibility of our national
life being destroyed by an outside
force. As an American citizen I
never dreamt of such a thing. The
perpetuity of the Republic will nev
er be interrupted by any outside
force. I dread no outside foe. But
I do see a danger to the Republic’s
life from lack of religion and the
lack of reverence in her own sons,
who, becoming neglectful of their
duties to their God, may grow neg
lectful of their duties to the state.
Lack of morality, loss of the idea
of justice towards one’s fellows,
means the destruction of the indi
vidual and may spell danger for the
state. The Catholic Church re
gards religion, and the morality
that spreads from religion, as es
sential to the national life. Wash
ington, the founder of our country
had the same idea.”
Archbishop Curley,, speaking of
the love and veneration Catholics
should have for the sacrifice of the
Mass, told of a visit he had made
on one occasion to a poor church
in an Irish village. Men, women
and children knelt in awe, their eyes
fixed on the tabernacle. Then, at
the words of consecration, when the
Saviour came down to earth, they
cried aloud the old Irish greeting:
“A hundred thousand welcomes, dear
Lord, dear Saviour—a hundred thou
sand welcomes.”
The Archbishop asked that the
Catholics of Washington re-echo
that cry in their hearts every time
they assist at the holy sacrifice of
the Mass.
The prelate was received at St.
Patrick’s by Llie Right Rev. Monsig
nor C. F. Thomas, the pastor. Three
United States senators and ambas
sadors from many foreign coun
tries were guests at p dinner serv
ed in his honor after the Mass. A
reception lasting for more than an
hour and in which hundreds of the
faithful were able to greet their new
prelate also was held.
STRIKERS REST CASE
ON CHURCH'S TEACHING
Rhode Island Textile Work
ers Quote Pope Leo XIII to
Justify Action.
(By N. C. W. C. News Service.)
Providence, R. I.—Striking tex
tile workers in Rhode Island have
rested their case against the em
ployers on “pronouncements and
statements of the great minds of
the Catholic church,’ according to
a full-page advertisement which ap
pears in “The Providence Visitor,”
the diocesan weekly.
The advertisement is a reply to
the paid advertisement appearing in
the daily papers giving the mill-op
erators’ side of the controversy in
the labor confli | which has now
lasted seven weeks, by which fif
teen thousand workers are affected,
and which led to the rioting of
Feb. 20, resulting in troops being
called upon to protect two mills.
The controversy involves a cut of 20
per cent in wages and the enforce
ment of a 54 hour week instead of a
48 hour week.
The workers have been unable,
because of lack of funds, to meet
the advertising of the employers, but
they feel that they have effective
ly turned the tables on them by
simply stating their cause in the
terms of the teaching of the church
on the labor question.
Pope Leo Quoted.
Pope Leo XIII and the social re
construction program of the admin
istrative committee of the National
Catholic War Council are quoted ex
tensively in the advertisement. The
strike leaders make no comment, ex
cept to state that “on the follow
ing pronouncements and statements
of the great minds of the Catholic
church we rest our case in the cot
ton wage controversy.” John H.
Powers of the executive council of
the United Textile Workers of Amer
ica presents the arguments.
Pope Leo’s encyclical is first quot
ed to the effect that workingmen
have recourse to strikes “because
the hours of labor are too long, or
the work too hard, or the wages in
sufficient.”
The attitude of the church on con
tracts relating to the wage question
is shown by a quotation to the wage
is shown by a quotation from Pope
Leo to the effect that, “If through
necessity, or fear of a worse evil,
the workingman accepts harder con
ditions because an employer or con
tractor affords him no better, he is
the victim of force and injustice,”
and by a quotation from the Social
Reconstruction pamphlet which says
necessary the full measure of jus
tice.”
Quote From Bishops’ Program.
The advertisement is headed in
heavy black type by a quotation
from the Bishops’ Social Reconstruc
tion program which says: “On
grounds both of justice and sound
economics we should give our hearty
support to all legitimate efforts
made by labor to resist general
wage reductions.” To this is. add
ed: “Statement made by Bishops
Muldoon, Schrembs, Hayes and Rus
sell.”
There are quotations also from “A
Living Wage,” by Rev. Dr. John A.
Ryan ,of the Social Action Depart
ment of the National Catholic Wel
fare Council, and from “Bolshevism
in Russia and America,” by Rev. R.
A. McGowan of the Social Action
Department.
The advertisement has caused con
siderable comment among Catholics
of Rhode Island, many of whom had
failed to recognize the advanced po
sition of the church on the labor
question and also to non-Catholics,
to whom the position of the church
is closed book.
On the day following that on
which the advertisement appeared
the owners of the Natick and Pon
tiac mills announced their decision
to close them indefinitely, and It
was understood that other large cot
ton textile manufacturers were plan
ning similar action.
Rhode Island is said to be the only
state in the union where Catholics
are more numerous than non-Catho
lics.
Archbishop Hayes Returns
From First Personal Visit to
Southern Islands in His
Archdiocese.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Augusta, Ga.—The annual con
vention. of the Georgia State
Council, Knights of Columbus,
will be held this year at Colum
bus, Tuesday, May 9. State
Deputy John B. McCallum will
preside. Delegates will be pres
ent from each council in the
r state. Atlanta, Savannah, Macon,
Augusta, ColumbusjNf Brunswick
and Albany,
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T. M. Donnelly Co.
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Phone 8743-3744.
970 Oglethorpe Ave,
MACON, GA.
New York.—Catholic progress in
the Bahamas—the fruits of the ap
ostolic labors of devoted priests and
sisters—was described to a represen
tative of the N. C. W. C. News
Service by the Most Rev. Patrick J.
Hayes, Archbishop of New York, on
his return from his first pastoral
visit to the Islands, which are a part
of his Arch-diocese.
“By more than anything else was
I impressed with the unique place
these priests and sisters fill in these
islands,” said His Grace. “I am
glad to be able to give your News
Service the results of my observa
tions there, because the N. C. W.
C. News Service is doing a wonder
ful work in keeping the readers of
the Catholic press in touch with
the world’s work in connection with
the Faith|
Priests Arc Arbiters.
“The priests and sisters in the
Bahamas not only are unceasing in
their religious work among the peo
ple, but they have come to occupy
a distinct place in the social and
economic life of the Islands.” His
Grace continued. “Among all the
natives, regardless of religious be
liefs, they seem to be looked upon
as arbiters in many things, and their
efforts in behalf of the social bet
terment of the people, whom they
are teaching to make a better use
of their time and to raise their
standard of living, is admirable.
• “Four of the Islands, New Provi
dence, Watling, Harbor and Andros,
have missions in charge of the Bene
dictines. The Sisters of Mt. St.
Vincent are on New Providence and
of 4,000 square miles. The popu-
Harbor Islands. The Superior is
the Very Rev. Chrysostom Scheiner,
O. S. B., who hs been there 31
years. The story of how Father
Chrysostom came to be there is a
very touching one. He was washed
into the sea in ,a shipwreck off
one of tlie islands, and was thrown
by the breakers on a coral reef.
There he remained all night and
when daybreak came and he realized
that his life had been saved, he
mad a vow to spend his life litere
as a missionary. He is regarded with
great veneration by the people of
ail creeds.
“While I was there I founded a
new mission at Harbor Island, where
I left three brave women who have
severed all their home ties to do
the work of God among these
strange people.
“The big difficulty in the propa
gation of the faith there is the wide
territory to be covered and the lack
of transportation from island to is
land, through the stormy seas that
prevail. The islands extend in a
line 780 miles long, with a total area
lation is about 60,000 of whom 3,000
are Catholics. Harbor Island lias
2.000 of these. A great percentage
of the population is made up of
Negroes.
“On the Island of New Providence
there are 15,000 persons, of whom
10.000 are Negroes. There are
about 1,000, Catholics, many of whom
are Negroes, On Harbor Island
there are about 6,000 persons, and
while I was there I gave the Sacra
ment of Confirmation to the only
two Catholics among them, both
converts.”
Henry A. Kennington
Groceries, Fresh Meats,
Purina Chows.
General Merchandise
326 Main St.
Phones 3540-3541.
MACON, GA.
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