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SEPTEMBER 4, 1954.
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
FIVE
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HAWK'S SERVICE STATION
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GAS and OIL
TIRES — TUBES — ACCESSORIES
Phone 9381 Si. Simons Island. Ga.
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1910 NORWICH ST. BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
PHONE 179
Crandall Hardware Co.
Brunswick, Georgia
Edo Miller & Sons
MORTICIANS
Ambulance : Chapel
153! — Telephones — 196
BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
YOU CAN WIN CONVERTS
Our Greatest Convert Maker
GOBLD MOTOR
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COMPANY •
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1608-12 Newcastle Street
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Brunswick, Georgia o
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(By Rev. John A. O’Brien, Ph. D.
The University of Notre Dame)
Who is the greatest convert
maker in North America? That
covers a lot of territory, you re
mark. Yes, some 37 million
spread over a vast continent
The man who deserves that
title is Archbishop John F. Noll,
Bishop of Fort Wayne, the found
er of Our Sunday Visitor, The
Family Digest and The Priest. I
think you will agree with me
that he has brought the teachings
of the Catholic religion to more
people than any other man, lay
or cleric, in the United States or
Canada.
The story of his tireless efforts
to refute falsehood, answer the
calumnies against the Church
and to disseminate the truth
about Catholics and -their faith
is one of the most inspiring epics
.in the annals of the Church in
.the New World. Here we can
present but a tiny fragment of
his many-faceted convert mak
ing apostolate.
Back in the early years of the
century the country was being'
flooded by copies of The Appeal
to Reason, promoting socialism
and attacking the Church. Pub
lished at Gerard, Kansas, its
weekly circulation passed the
million mark.
It sponsored a new weekly,
The Menace, which was devoted
exclusively to attacking the
Catholic Church, slandering her
in the most vicious -fashion. In
a short time it mushroomed to
more than a million circulation.
Its sensational success spawned
other hate sheets, such as The
Peril, Watson’s Magazine and
The Yellow Jacket.
Father Noll, then pastor of St.
Mary’s at Huntington, had previ
ously launched The Catholic
Monthly and had written a wide
ly circulated pamphlet, Kind
Words from Your Pastor. He de
termined to meet this new and
growing menace to the Church’s
very existence.
In 1911 he took over a print-
E plant in Huntington to start
national weekly that would
defend the Church, expose the.
slanderers and reestablish harm
ony between people of all faiths.
Early in 1912 he had his print
er reproduce two pages of The
Menace and on their reverse
sides a proposed Catholic answer.
He mailed copies of these to
virtually every Catholic pastpr in
the United States, asking if the
pastor would patronize a Cath
olic paper of this character to be
sold to the clergy in bundle lots
distribution at the church
door. This, weekly would instruct
bis parishioners and supply a re
futation of the slanderous charg-
being circulated by profes
sional anti-Catholics.
The response to this courage
ous and dramatic appeal was
overwhelming. The first issue of
the weekly, called Our Sunday
Visitor, oh May 5, 1912, ran to
35,000. By- the end of the first,
year it had. climbed to .200,000
and in another year, skyrocket
ed to the 400,000 mark. Since
then it has climbed to its present
circulation of 800,000.
Virtually every issue has, fea
tured articles of exposition of
Catholic truth and of refutation
of error from the founder's tire
less pen. For more than forty
years he has been not only the
editor but also the most prolific
contributor to this great weekly.
Archbishop Noll has a facul
ty, similar to that of- Cardinal
Gibbons, of presenting Catholic
doctrine in a simple popular
style, which brings his thought
easily within the ken of the mas
ses. His Father Smith Instructs
Jackson has gone through num
erous editions and is doubtless
for
the most widely used book
the instruction of converts.
His Religion and Life series of
religion textbooks has carried
his skillful exposition of the
faith to thousands of high schools
students. His other books, pam
phlets and especially his thous
ands of O. S. V. articles have
made his name a household
word throughout our land.
Like the Apostle to the Gen
tiles, Archbishop Noll has been
consumed with a burning zeal to
bring Christ, His truth, His faith
and His love to the millions out
side the fold. Undoubtedly many
thousands have ben led into the
Church through his indefatigable
pen. If any on? deserves the title
of the St. Paul of America, the
greatest convert maker of the
twentieth century, it is the hum
ble self-effacing, saintly priest
and prelate — Archbishop John
Francis Noll, the father of Cath
olic journalism in America.
As this is being written, Arch
bishop Noll lies seriously ill.
Please pi’ay that God may spare
him still more years in-his in
spiring apostolate of winning
souls for Christ and for His
Church.
St. Patrick’s Altar Society, Lake
Providence, La., has established
a memorial fund to provide Mass
es for the repose of the soul of
former U. S. Senator Joseph E.
Ransdell of Louisiana, who died
recently at the age of 95. He was
a member of St. Patrick’s parish.
Sursum Corda—
(Continued from Page Four)
all in doing her utmost to influ
ence the Committee and the
American people the wrong way.
When Joe Lash, her particular'
favorite, perjured himself before
the Committee and his crime be
came known, she said “he told me
he misrepresented and he is very
sorry.” Sorry! Is the lady herself
ever sorry for the encourage
ment she has given to the most
dangerous enemies the Republic
has ever known?
If you seek surprises and are
willing to be waked up, read that
interview entire in “U. S. News
and World Report” for August
20th, and apply it to the present
situation.
Bible Study Is
Columbus Program
COLUMBUS. Ga.—The Colum
bus Branch of the Catholic Lay
men’s Association of Georgia is
conducting a study of the Holy
Bible as its meeting project for
this year.
At its last meeting, held August
23rd, the topic for discussion was
“Stock Charges against the Bible.”
Speaker at the meeting was Miss
Annette Danielly, President of the
Columbus Branch. Also address
ing the group was J. P. Meyer,
state president of the Laymen’s
Association.
Officers in addition to Miss
Danielly are F. B. Miller, vice-
president; Albert Eversman, treas
urer; Mrs. John B. Byrne, secre
tary.
Corner Mallory Street and Neptune Boulevard
Next to Georgia Power Company
FINN’S GARAGE
Phone 3051
DICK FINN
Si. Simons Island, Ga.
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FROM
PALMER’S
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA.
Telephone 91
1324 Newcastle Street
EVANS
RADIO TV SERVICE
RCA and PHILCO RADIOS and TELEVISION SETS
PHONOGRAPH RECORDS — RECORD PLAYERS
Brunswick, Georgia
A. T. Harrison, Owner
Business Phone 11
2914 Norwich Street
Residence Phone 165
HARRISON'S SERVICE
— ESTABLISHED 1925
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING
P. O. BOX 210
BRUNSWICK, GA.