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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
THE BULLETIN
The Official Organ of the Catholic Laymen’s Association
of Georgia.
Louis Pasteur.
In a Georgia city recently a man was pointed out
to us as one who had left the Catholic Church “because
Dixie Musings
The Dixie Press
RICHARD REID, Editor.
Published Semi-Monthly by the Publicity Department
1109 Lamar Bldg. Augusta, Georgia.
Subscription Price, $2.00 Per Year.
ASSOCIATION OFFICERS FOR 1921-1922.
P. II. Rice, K. S. G., Augusta President
Col. P. H. Callahan, K.S.G., Louisville, Ky...Hon. Vice-Pres.
*1. J. Haverty, Atlanta First Vice-President
J. B. McCallum, Atlanta Secretary
Thomas S. Gray, Augusta Treasurer
R’chard Reid, Augusta Publicity Director
Miss Cecile C. Ferry, Augusta ...Assistant Publicity Director
VOL. III. DECEMBER 30, 1922. NO. 23
Entered as second class matter June 16. 1921, at the Post
Oifice at Augusta, Ga., under Act of March, 1879. . Accepted
for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section
1103. Act of October 3, 1917,* authorized September 1, 1921.
“The Failure of Christianity”
When pain too great for the strength of the suffer
er racks his frame, nature sends merciful unconscious
ness to rob the cutting pangs of their power to torture
the tossing, throbbing body. And when insult after
insult and falsehood after falsehood distress the mind
and lead Catholics to wonder what the end will be, our
sense of humor, nature’s antidote, comes to our assist
ance, the ridiculousness of the wild vaporings amuse
us; they lose their power to irritate us, and we are
again blessed with peace of mind.
The Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia in the
years since its organization had occasion frequently
to answer the charge that the Church is opposed to
education. When we consider that it is because of
tiie Church that there was education during the Mid
dle Ages; when we recall what the Church has done
for education in this country, where she opened the
first school, not only in the country, but in the states
cf California, Colorado, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Mis
souri, Iowa, Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois,
Ohio, Maine, Maryland, Kentucky, Alabama, Missis
sippi and Louisiana as well, we are inclined to be irri
tated and aggrieved. But when the very men who
accuse Catholics of being opposed to education launch
a bitter fight against them because they have, with
almost unbelievable sacrifice, erected schools to ad
vance education, our appreciation of the ridiculous
saves us. Don Quixote himself could not conceive any
thing more absurd.
It is but a step from opposition to Catholics to op
position to Christianity, one easily taken. Critics of
Christianity adopt methods similar to those of anti-
Catholics. Christianity has failed, they say, for it
failed to prevent the world war. In other words,
they refused to follow Christian principles and then
blamed Christianity for the result. Gilbert K. Ches
terton, the English publicist who recently entered the
Church, has turned his attention to this charge against
Christianity, and here is his comment:
“That many may still be saying this is but another
evidence of how few of them ever think of thinking
what they are saying. To begin with, of course, no
authoritative Christians ever dreamed of saying that
wars would now cease, and the wilder sort of Chris
tians were always saying that wars would now be mul
tiplied, being among the apocalyptic portents of the
last days. As a matter of fact, the people who really
did prophesy that wars would now cease were not the
Christians but the anti-Christians. The people who
really did say that war was a thing of the past were
generally the people who also, said^ that Christianity
was a thing of the past. It was agnostics and anti
clericals of the type of Carnegie who said in so many
words that there would be no more wars. It is they
who were false prophets, if any people were false
prophets. It was the Marxian materialists who were
always telling us that a general strike, among the pro
letarians in all nations, would prevent any conflict be
tween those nations. It is they who failed, if any
body failed, to prevent the Great War. It was they
who claimed to he able to do it, and they who showed
that they could not do it. Nobody had ever claimed
that a combination of Bishops and curates all over
the world could do it. And those who boasted, aud
failed, then had the impudence to turn round and at
tribute the failure to those who had never made the
boast.
“But the impudence involved here is even more sim
ple and startling. In any case it seems brazenly irra
tional that because people have failed to be Chris-
tions they should say that Christianity has failed. It
might be mildly suggested to them that they need
not look quite so far afield for the failure. My mother
tells me not to climb a certain apple tree to steal
apples, and I do it in spite of her. A bough breaks,
a bulldog pins me by the throat, a policeman takes ine
to prison, whence I eventually return to shake my head
reproachfully at my mother, and say in a sad and me
ditative manner: ‘I had hoped better things of you.’
Alas, there is something pathetic about this failure of
motherhood to influence the modern mind; I fear we
must all admit that maternity as an institution is bar
ren and must he abandoned altogether.”
he has studied too much”. Now, as is so often the
case, he is not a member of any church.
A few days later the world was celebrating the cen
tenary of the man France has voted as its greatest
citizen in its long list of notable man, Louis Pasteur.
Pasteur was one of Europe’s leading figures when ma
terialism swept the contenent. When asked if his
great work in science did not make him lean toward
the cult he declared that if his mind could fathom
twice as much science, lie would still have the faith
of the Breton peasant, and if he were capable of mas
tering yet more science, he would have the faith of the
Breton peasant’s wife. Thus the distinction between
real learning and a smathering, for a little learning is
still a dangerous thing.
One hundred years ago Louis Pasteur was born
in France, the son of a tanner, yet before he died he
was destined to revolutionize the practice of medicine
and surgery. On December 27 the centenary of his
birth was celebrated throughout the world. In Phila
delphia messages of appreciation of his great humani
tarian work were read from President Harding, Wood-
row Wilson, Chief Justice Taft and many others.
“The wonderful advances of medicine and surgery
are the direct results of Pasteur’s life and work,” said
President Harding’s message. “Already many infec
tious diseases have been conquered and as a result the
length of human life has increased. America has been
among the first nations to apply Pasteur’s work to
practical use. The building of the Panama Canal,
was made possible by knowledge of the germs of
yellow fever.”
After expressing regret that he could not be present,
former President Wilson’s message said, in part:
“I can see that it is his (Pasteur’s) immortal dis
tinction that he not only broadened the thought and
enlightened the practice of the great medical profes
sion in the treatment of certain diseases, but also
erected barriers against all disease.”
A perusal of the various essays and descriptive tri
butes to Pasteur which have adorned the pages of
many magazines this month convey some idea of the
inadequacy of human language to express appreciation
for his marvelous discoveries. His many researches,
have been responsible for the elimination of untold
suffering and disease.
He discovered the germ theory of sickness and death.
Putrefuction was supposed to be the result of spontan
eous action. Pasteur discovered that this theory was
false and that decay and material corruption were
engineered by_ minute living organism which we now
recognize under the plain title of germ life. One dis
covery quickly led to another until he finally learned
that a contraceptive for many diseases could be made
from the very germs of the disease in question. To
Pasteur, then, belongs the glory of discovering or lay
ing the foundation for the future discoveries of all
vaccinations and innoculations against disease. The
prevention today of such malignant diseases as small
pox, typhoid, cholera, anthrax, hydrophobia, and kin
dred, ailments is attributable to this keen scientist who
labored so zealously for the benefit of mankind. His
discoveries supplied the impetus for antiseptic surgery
and a table of statistics for the past fifty years which
reveals the ratio of deaths from poisoning after opera
tions plainly shows the gigantic strides the profession
has made under the tutelage of Pasteur discoveries.
Lister, a young surgeon of Glasgow, who was the
leader of his day in this important branch of the
medical science, wrote to Pasteur in 1874 and said:
“Allow me to thank you for demonstrating the truth
of the germ theory of putrefaction, thus giving me
the only principle upon which I could build success
fully the antiseptic system in surgery.”
The world does well to honor Louis Pasteur and
accord him the gratitude which millions of people
owe this man who has done more than any human mor
tal to benefit the world in a material way.
Spending his winters in Georgia is not the only
wise thing President Nicholas Murray Butler of Colum
bia -University does. He recently termed the Ku Klux
un-American and unpatriotic at the unveiling of a mon
ument to world war heroes in Harlem, New York City.
Sacrifice and Our Schools.
Catholics are proud of their parish schools, and
they have every right to their pride. They make
great sacrifices to support them, giving until it hurts
that their children may receive a Catholic education.
We should not forget, however, that great as these
sacrifices are, it is the sacrifices of the Good Sisters
and Brothers who have made our parochial schools
possible.
There are few parishes in the United States which
could support parochial schools such as they now have
if they were obliged to pay the salaries lay teachers
must of necessity receive. The members of the
teaching orders of the Church consecrate their lives
to this service, and receive in return a mere pittance.
Primarily it is the spirit <Sf sacrifice that animates
these devoted teachers which has made possible the
Catholic school system, and this fact should not be
forgotten in our pride in our schools.
First, of all, we wish you a holy,
happy and prosperous New Year.
The nomination of Pierce Butler
as Associate Justice of the United
States Supreme Court, one of the
most exalted positions to which an
American can aspire, has been con
firmed. “In the enemies he has made
Pierce Butler's qualification for As
sociate Justice of the Supreme Court
appears to be proved,’ ’says the Pitts
burgh Gazette-Times. Opposed to
Justice Butler’s nomination were the
ultra-radical element and the Ku
Klux Klan. This combination could
muster only eight votes, which, in
the opinion of the Macon Telegraph,
“speaks well for the Senate.” Some
Senators stated they felt it their
duty to oppose the nomination be
cause the place should go to a South
ern man. Again the Macon Tcle-
raph says: “We hope that all the
Senators who opposed such a splen
did appointment gave their real
reasons.”
The Ku Klux Klan is fighting llie
radicals with one hundred and twen
ty point type in its semi-official
organ. One method it seems to have
adopted in its campaign against the
radicals is to line up with them
against the Catholic Church and
everything Catholic every chance it
gets.
The ranks of the Confederate Vet
erans is steadily thinning. Among
those called home recently was
George W. Mock, of Albany, a mem
bers of St. Teresa’s parish. Mr.
Mock came to Albany in 1844, a year
after his birth in Germany, and
spent his life there. He was a mem
ber of Cobb's Legion, aud served
as Stonewall Jackson’s personal
courier, being on duty the night the
famous general was killed.
Alr| Mock turned his attention to
fanning aud was very successful. He
retired some years ago. In his
death Dougherty County, which was
Baker County when he fist came
to it, mourned one of its best citi
zens.
William Campbell, editor of The
Southern Messenger, the leading
Catholic newspaper of the South
west, died recently at the age of
seventy-two years. Thus Catholic
journalism in a few weeks lost three
of its outstanding figures, Mr. Camp ;
bell, Father Stocker, editor of The
Guardian of Little Rock, Arkansas,
and Nicholas Gonner, editor of The
Daily American Tribune ,the first
aud only Catholic daily in America.
They were pioneers in Catholic jour
nalism, especially Mr. Gonner, who
labored against almost overwhelm
ingly odds to establish the Catholic
daily. His death drew hundreds of
beautiful encomiums on his character
and his w'ork. Had they been trans
lated into action while he was alive
he would have been able, with such
assistance, to establish a string of
Aiatholic dailies instead of constantly
peing forced to fight to keep one
alive ,
A recent Methodist conference in
Atlanta passed a resolution placing
the Methodist paper, the Wesleyan
Christian Herald, on church bud
gets. A subscription for every mem
ber of the church is to be a part of
the church’s running expenses for
the year. The Methodists expect to
place their official organ in every
Methodist home in the South in this
maner. Gainesville, Ga., has already
acted on the resolution, and 300
Methodist homes in that city will be
supplied regularly with the publica
tion. There is a world of thought
for Catholics in this action. Per
haps some day there will he a Catho
lic paper in every Catholic home in
the South.
There must be a Catholic daily
and weekly in nearly every home in
St, Thomas Acquinas parish in Mil
waukee. Recently the Holy Name
Society under the direction of the
pastor, Very Rev. Father Blackwell,
staged a drive for subscriptions.
It secured 650 new ones. That is
what is meant by promoting the
Catholic press.
It is generally understood that the
membership of the Klan is secret.
No one knows who the members are.
Indeed, the secrecy is so great that
some of the “Klansmen” do not
know themselves that they are mem
bers. The Klcagle of the Washing
ton Klavern some time ago whisper
ed to newspapermen that General
Pershing, Attorney General Daugh
erty, and Senators Overman and Sim
mons of North Carolina w'ere mem
bers. They all deny they arc con
nected with the Klan in any way.
That is the acme of secrecy. No one
knows of their membership but the
Kleagle himself.
x-.Lii H.R.
JASPER, GA., PROGRESS.
A Ku Klux lecturer speaking at
Cleveland, Ga, the other day among
others things said:
“The Klan stands for law enforce
ment through the election of de
pendable officials; by assisting in
the production of evidence to the
prevent attorneys from going to ex
tremes in their endevors to relieve
their client from past sentences or
cleared of indictment to the guilty;
to mete out puishment to the guil
ty when the courts are unable to
establish guilt upon the guilty”.
The speaker placed emphasis upon
the Iilau’s endeavor to protect the
chastity of woman.
In other words when a man can
not be proved guilty and is there
fore to be regarded as innocent
by the courts, they are going to
take him up and punish him any
way. How they are going to de
termine his guilt when the courts
fail they do not say; but evidently
the punishment will be based upon
gossip aud rumor.
Again, who is to determine tho
“extremes” to which a lawyer can
go in interest of his client?
Dangerous doctrine, gentlemen.
ATHENS, GA. NEWS.
The report from Santo Domingo
that on the occasion of visits from
prominent persons, the casket of
Christopher Columbus has several
times been opened, comes with little
shock to those Americans who
honor the memory of the intrepid
discoverer.
William E. Pulliam, receiver gen
eral of Santo Domingo customs,
minces no words about the matter.
He is for stopping the impious prac
tice, and he is seeking to interest
all the American nations in provid
ing a proper international memorial
and resting place for Columbus.
True, when the remains were
taken from Spain to Santo Domingo
in 1540, the cathedral was no mean
place in which to deposit them, and
in fact it is today a remarkable
piece of architecture.
But it is felt that some place a
little more accessible t<» citizens of
both American continents should be
chosen, and undoubtedly great pres
sure is about to be brought to bear
on the Santo Domingans to release
their historic treasure. How popu
lar such a move would he may be
seen in the fact that during July
this year 34,112 persons visited the
Washington monument in Washing
ton, D. C, and 5.250,000 have visited
it since it was opened in 1888.
A fitting memorial to Columbus
would have even a greater interna
tional appeal. Whatever may bo
said about Norsemen or Mongols, it
is Columbus to whom the glory of
the discovery of American always
will be given.
AMERICUS, GA, TIMES-RECORDER
At a meeting of the Atlanta Ma
sonic club, Dr. William Torrence
Stuchcll, pastor of the Central Con
gregational Church, and president of
the Masonic club, denounced strong
ly men “who run for office on plat
forms embracing religious and sec
tional prejudice.” He said, “Any man
who runs for office on a platform
that denounces any religious sect is
unworthy of any office in the gift of
the American people, and any one
who for political reasons attempts to
stir old prejudices and array the
South against the North is guilty of
treason against the United States of
America.
“Sectarianism, sectionalism, nar
rowness and ignorance arc enemies
of liberty, the ideal of America. Too
many men arc so busy making a liv
ing that they lose a life. Position
and the pursuit of pleasure devital
ize life.”
MADISON, GA, MADISONIAN
Editor Rich, who spreads his ed
itorials all over the front page of
his Colquitt Sun, has turned out to
be a Ku Klux—knows they are right
because the Catholics are fighting
them. He also contends that a man
has a perfect right to wear a mask
if he sees fit—that some men look
better with masks on. As to the
statement about Catholics, he is
either fooling himself or he is let
ting somebody fool him. As to the
latter statement, we agree with him.
If a man can get his own consent
to hide his face, it seems to us it
ought to suit other folks. But
when that same man takes his door-
face and shimmy as occasion of au
thority for prowling around under
cover of darknes disturbing other
men, giving them orders as to what
they must or must not do—why,
of course, that would bring on more
talk—-it would in Madison, Ga. We
don’t need any Ku Klux, and we-
don’t believe our men would sUad
for them.