This pamphlet was conceived in enthusiasm by men and women who are bristling with PEP to build a Beautiful Church in St. James Parish. They are impatiently waiting: they are clamoring for action. They want YOU to know what they propose doing. They hope you will be with them. Don't look for a seat in the Grand Stand -- People who do things move -- the disinterested sit and watch -- Our Parish Big Drum is beating a marching tune -- "LET'S GO."
The Boy Scout movement in the parish is advancing in a well thought out route to success. The proceedings so far have been impressive, orderly and attractive. The boys who have now passed a little distance beyond the initiation stage are in a position to form a judgment of boy scouting and they say it satisfies.
Mr. Morgan Foley, the troop master, assisted by assistant scout master Jack Webb and members of the staff including John Wack, Frank Walsh, Ray Dolan, and Clem Placke, accompanied the boys last Sunday to Fern Glen, the terminus of the Sundav hike. The weather was very beautiful and the 28 boy scouts who were present found little difficulty in lighting their fires and cooking their lunch. A boy scout, you know, is trained to get on for a day without the assistance of his mother. Some of the scouts took a great delight in roasting potatoes incased in mud, or in simmering over the fire truculent cuts of meat, suspended from a stake, which later was washed down with water taken from a crystal spring. After the meal, scout master Foley exercised the troop in out-of-door life and out-of-door lore along with practical lessons on observation, helpfulness, self-control and trail finding. These lessons were supplemented by a game of football and other troop games.
Father O'Connor paid the boys a visit and was greatly impressed by the discipline maintained by the boys and the manly confidence that existed between them and Mr. Foley, the scout master, who is gradually establishing himself among them as an adviser and a friend.
That the boy scout movement is a desirable supplement to church and school training is evident to anyone who observes the boys in action. A boy between the ages of 12 and 16 is a bundle of prodigious energy which must explode and when not directed explodes in a harmful manner. Boy scout activities are fundamentally character forming and the program entails exercises that involve all the boy's faculties. Whilst on the hike he is doing, learning, practicing, playing, and experimenting and acquiring an extraordinary toughness and resilience of nerve and muscle. He is shown how to read and interpret tracks made in the dust, how to tell the short little hoof prints left by an animal, how to build a fire in the open and whilst doing these things, he is steered towards habits of healthy living and straight thinking. He is taught to avoid bragging, roughness, cruelty, scorning of affection, neglect of duty, and is directed to be polite, helpful, self-sacrificing, and trustworthy.
The growth of boy scouting in the parish will depend upon the interest taken in the movement by the fathers and the brothers of the boys. The Pastors can do little more than initiate the movement and give it encouragement. As soon as one troop is trained, another should be in the process of formation and so on until all the boys who are over 12 in the parish are enrolled.
Next will come the organization of Cubs for boys from 8 to 12. For mothers and fathers with 9, 10, and 11 year old boys this should mean a lot and for the boys themselves the attractive possibilities are unlimited, and there is opened up to them an avenue for play and pleasure that is beyond the conception of an adult. A boy of this age just emerging from the protective shell of childhood, says Mr. Myron M. Stearns, sees keenly and his memory is a marvel but only for the things he is interested in.
He is emerging from a period of dramatic imagination, he asks surprising questions, he is a collector of myriad hobby items from stones to bugs. He is beginning to be greatly attracted by mechanical things and will remake his wagon into a curious auto that never came out of the Ark.
He is all for experimenting, handling, testing. using, and trying, rather than listening to talk.
In the Cub handbook there are directions for one group game after another: Find Your Mates, Prisoners Base, Duck 0n a Rock, and all the rest.
There are directions and suggestions for folding paper to make boxes, drinking cups, darts, hats, gliders, chairs, and magic circles. Illustrations which show a boy how to hold his hand to throw on the wall the shadow of a cat, a donkey, a goose, two geese, a flying bird, a rabbit. etc.
From this it will be seen how varied and pleasurable are the activities and training of boy scouts and cubs. Formation of troops is not an easy matter and demands self-sacrifice and leadership which is most desirable when voluntary.
The men of the parish are urgently requested to get behind this movement so propitiously and enthusiastieally established by the Pastors and a few enthusiastic adults.
The scout movement, if it is to be properly organized, requires extensive backing and community co-operation. We have blown the bugle and given the call. It is for the parishioners to do the rest. What we need is
To properly organize the scout and cub movement in the parish, men and money are necessary; though a boy scout is expected to maintain himself in his troop, there are incidental expenses such as the purchasing of banners, flags, and other paraphernalia which must be derived from a fund created by organized effort. There are also instances of boys whose parents cannot afford to defray the expense of an outing and the paraphernalia that is necessary, and poor boys will be deprived of the privileges and advantages that should be theirs unless some big sister or brother comes to their assistance.
Father O'Connor has made a temporary loan of $50 to the local organization and he is urging the directors to promote a big affair in Evergreen Hall, Manchester and Echoff Ave., on Sunday evening. February 15th, in connection with the associated efforts of St. James Branch of the Holy Name and St. James Boy Scout Troop No. l6. The fund to be divided 50-50 between the two organizations.
The officers of these societies are in a hesitating and halting mood: they are fearful of incurring expense that might lead to failure, but they are assured that they cannot fail if they go out and hustle and manifest a laudable enthusiasm because every thoughtful parent will appreciate their efforts and give them his moral and financial support. What are the difficulties? No. 1. To get men who will make a house to house canvass of the parish with the purpose of selling tickets for a show. No.2. The difflcult.y of hooking free talent for the performance.
These are not unsurmountable difficulties, they can be met if there are sufficient men and women in the parish to volunteer their services. We won't come to a decision on this matter until tomorrow night when all the parishioners are invited to be present at a meeting in the school hall at 8 p.m.
Don't blame the Pastors if the boy scout movement is not what you would like it to be: it is for you, dear parishioners, to decide whether it shall succeed or fail.
There are 837,116 boy scouts and scout leaders in the United States and the boys of St. James Parish are demanding attention.
Mrs. Maloney, 68241 Nashville Avenue, received the Last Sacraments during the past week.
6439 Nashville - 5 room modern brick bungalow; garage; large yard; $50.00.
6532a Clayton - 4 room modern flat; low rent. 6447 Dale - 4 room brick flat, bath, $25.00. 1013 Tamm - 3 room frame cottage; $18.00.
Forest Park Improvement Association would be pleased if copies of this number which contain a few notices of its work would be passed on to non-Catholic neighbors.
There is in the Catholic Church a natural language for mystic expression and this consists of vestments, lights, statuary, painting, music, and everything else that has a tendency to elevate or arouse religious emotion. The church blesses many of these things and mentions them among the Sacramentals. They are not in themselves holy, nor have they any power outside of their natural impressiveness to sanctify the soul, but they are great and useful aids to human beings to lift themselves from the material to the spiritual, and recognizing their worth in this respect, the church blesses them and gives them a place in Her religious life.
Candles made of beeswax are most frequently used in Liturgical services, and are always lighted in the Mass and whilst the sacraments are being administered. Pure wax being a symbol of the chaste body of Christ and the burning flame an expression of His Divinity.
To Catholics the language of the candle is the language of the Gospel of St. John, "In the beginning was light, and the light was the life of men, -- the true light that enlightenth all men -- the light shineth in the dark ness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
On the second of February, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, candles are blessed for the home and the altar and it is customary for devout ladies to present a sufficient supply to meet the requirements of the Sanctuary for the coming year.
On the Sunday preceding this Feast, orders for candles are taken, by ladies representing the Altar Society, in the vestibule of the church, and the ladies of the parish are reminded that they should have 2 candles for their home in anticipation of sick calls.
Dermot Slattery, Father O'Connor's nephew, arrived in St. Louis Jan. 29th from his home in County Kerry, Ireland, to continue his studies for a few years at St. Louis University. He will reside at the Rectory. He has not expressed his opinion so far of the impression made upon him by the inhabitants. It will take him a few months to adjust himself to his surroundings. The immigration laws require that he leave the country as soon as he discontinues his education.
An appeal was recently made from the Altar for donations of Vestments and the request met with immediate response.
Mr. and Mrs. Lott, 6162 Victoria Avenue, donated a set of white vestments.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. J. Lowther, 1024 Art Hill Place, a set of black vestments.
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Kletzker, 1041 Fairmount Avenue, red vestments.
Cecelia Badendieck. 1903 Knox Avenue, purple vestments.
Mrs. Mary Jones, 1034 Tamm Avenue, green vestments.
The success of this appeal encourages the, Sister Sacristan to make one for altar linens. There are required albs, 4 altar cloths, 2 sets of Sanctuary-rail cloths. Linen or labor may be donated. There are many ladies in the parish who are excellent needle workers but their pocket books do not justify that they donate linen and there are others, in. all probability, who can afford to donate these, articles and who have not time or inclination to work them. If each one who has an inclination to help, reports to the Sister sacritan, her willingness to do or give she will beassigned her proper share in the Sanctuary furnishings.
At the regular monthly meeting of Forest Park Improvement Association Jan. 15th, Mr. Eberle spoke for the school committee and reported that the fight for the high school in southwest St. Louis had been won, and moved that a letter of thanks be forwarded to Superintendent Gerling and the Board of Education, and the following resolution was also unanimously adopted; "Whereas, because of his unfailing interest in the educational facilities of the city, especially or the Southwestern section, and because of his uniform cooperation with the officers, member's and committee of this Association in all matters pertaining to educational advancement, therefore be it resolved that the members of this association endorse the candidacy for reelection to the Board of Education, of Richard Murphy and that we urge men and women of all parties to support him."
Among parishioners who have always responded to the urgent call of the Pastors of St. James Parish, there have been a few whose fidelity has given them a special claim to have their memory perpetuated and their good deeds recognized. They were voluntary parochial servants and they worked without pay. They counted no time or rendered no bill when they worked for the parish and they were frequently called at unseasonable times and they responded always quickly and often at great personal inconvenience. These calls were made on occasions when something had gone wrong with the plumbing, heating or electricity work in the parish buildings, or when some urgent need required immediate attention.
The late Pat Ludden, Thomas Duggan, Martin Moore, James McEvoy, Officer Edw. Dwyer, Wm. O'Gorman, Officer Peter Dolan, John Shaffrey were the most prominent of that self-sacrificing band of volunteers.
Breaks in the plumbing and obstruction in the sewers were the most frequent cause of the demand for volunteer service and in all probability Mr. Pat Ludden was called oftenest and worked hardest. For more than 20 years he gave, free of charge, not less than 800 hours of skilled labor to the parish and he rendered his services with such kindly good will the Pastors never hesitated to ask his assistance. The same can be said about the others whose names are here mentioned. They were one and all men of fine generous impulses and the services they rendered cannot be estimated in money because they came when no one else could be had, and delay might result in great inconvenience or much more damage. Their kindly deeds, we hope, have preceded them to Eternity, and the only recompense they can derive from this memento is the pleasure that a record of it will give to their immediate relatives.
With a debt of gratitude Father O'Connor whose memory probably goes back the farthest in the details of life around the Rectory, recalls those kindly services with lasting appreciation. He assures their dear ones that he will give a frequent memento to them in his Masses.
Mr. Pat Ludden was given many Spiritual Bouquets. In the record of Mass Intentions there has never been an individual buried from the parish for whom there were so many requests for Requiem Masses.
It is encouraging to learn that the parishioners are not lacking in appreciation for those who are faithful to the church.
To facilitate parishioners who make donations to the Parish, a carton of weekly envelopes was distributed during the past few days by the school children to all the wage earners in the Parish who might be expected to contribute frequently or when possible during the year.
In some instances this has proved an unsatisfactory method of delivering envelopes to wage earners as a school child is not always a master mind though a willing worker. Should you be omitted, don't take offense but ask a carton of the Pastors or ushers and cooperate with us as best you can to meet the parish obligations. There are a hundred pennies to every dollar you earn and God's portion is the penny you take out of your own use and give to Church support. There is no obligation to give if you are out of work or very poor, but the widow's mite had its value because she gave out of her necessities.
David Edward Coad, 6225a Victoria Avenue.
Verlia Janet Wert, 5922 Victoria Avenue.
Beverley Ann Flynn, 1020 Oakview Place.
Lawrence Edward Gorman, 6416 Oakland.
The Mothers' Club invites you to a Manufacturers' dinner which it will give in the school hall Thursday, February 12 at 6:30 p.m. The only objection you may have is the meal is not free, there will be a charge of 50c a plate but the Mothers' Club offers in justification of this objectionable condition an assurance that their poverty alone makes it necessary for them to add a charge.
The Club, in promoting the welfare of the children who attend the parochial school, have improved the lunchroom at a considerable expense and have made it an attractive rendezvous for all the parish societies as well as for the children.
The cost of the improvement amounted dose on $1,100.00 and the Mothers' Club have paid on the expense, $707.50. They hope. through the supper and the Minstrel show which will be given later, to raise sufficient funds to wipe out the whole indebtedness.
The Mothers' Club is only another name for the ladies in the parish who have time and inclination to attend to the urgent needs of the parochial school. They appreciate the fact that many of the young mothers are unable to escape the burdens of the home and family, but they are sure that they have their appreciation and approval; hence both the supper and the Minstrel Show are only nominally the interest of the society and are in fact the urgent affair of all the parishioners, but especially or those who have children in the school.
When the Mothers' Club announces anything that involves a charge, the revenue obtained in this way goes directly to the benefit of the children of the parish.
The officers of the association are sponsoring these two events. The Manufacturers' Supper on Thursday, February 12, and the Minstrel Show on St. Patrick's Night, and they will deem it a practical expression of approval of their efforts should you and your family be present on these occasions.
There are only 200 reservations and those who wish to avail themselves or the opportunity or being present, should procure a ticket at their earliest convenience. For further information call Mrs. Chas. Klasek, HIland 4858; Mrs. Geo. Kletzker, HIland 4581; and Mrs. Geo. Boerekel, HIland 4731.
Omitted from the Purgntorian Society List: Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Crotty, Mrs. Quirk, and Mrs. John O'Hare.
The ideas expressed in this document are very ancient because they are Christian, and will give little comfort to the advocates of free love, state cradles and gypsy morals.
They presume that male and female were made by God different in character and in physique with a definite purpose. They were destined to unite that they may propagate. Children are the primary end of sex and marriage, and their protection and education is a task that permits few distractions.
This group, father, mother and children, is the most sacred association of human beings and constitutes the home, and Christ approves of this union and has attached to it a blessing. Christianity assures the lovers that there is no power on earth authorized to separate them; "What God has joined together, let no man put asunder."
"Marriage," says St. Paul, "is a great Sacrament," and as such it belongs to the province of religion. The state has jurisdiction only over its civil effects.
The lovers must lose themselves in love when they become man and wife and cut all the bridges that may lead them a way from their mates. The home is protected from the viles and seductions of lust, separation is regarded as desertion and a violation of a sacred trust that has God for its author and protector.
Separation is permitted only as a last resort, and those who depart carry with them their shackles. They are regarded as deserters of the home and family and are branded as adulterers should they co-habit with other mates. "He that puts away his wife and marries another," said Christ, "commits adultery and he that marries her who is put away commits adultery."
Sex impulse has its definite end in God's eternal blue-prints. Procreation or self-production is its Divine purpose. The accompanying pleasure and romance is nature's urge to achieve its end. Unnatural interference is cheating God and opposing the primary aim of the Creator to gratify animal passion. This is Onanism, the foul perversion that brought down the wrath of God and caused Him to rain fire and brimstone on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The document is an expression of ancient ideals in a modern garb and leaves the impression that Christian civilization implies that man was not made for himself or for a material end, but for God and a Kingdom that is not of this world.
The Minstrel Show given by the Mothers' Club on frequent occasions on the Feast of St. Patrick, is one which has attracted a great deal of attention and appreciation. The difficulty incidental to making it a success arises, not from the lack of patronage, but from the impossibility of getting a local hall that is large enough to accommodate the audience. The directors are active in making a proper selection of a hall and have secured for the cast most of the best performers who took part in previous shows, amongst them may be mentioned Mrs. Adele McVey Conroy, Mrs. Sam Gittins, Mrs. Barney Quinn, Mrs. Helen Dolan Walsh, Mrs. Ben Plengemeier. Undoubtedly there are among the newer parishioners many able entertainers and some who in their own humble opinion are not so able, but would like to do their bit in participating in the show. These are earnestly requested to attend the preliminary meeting which will be held in the school hall on Monday, February 2, 1931, at 8 p.m.
Mr. Paul Columbo, 6424 W. Park Avenue, is a patient at the City Hospital where he is in a critical condition as a result of cancer in the jaw.
Mrs. Wm. Binger, 5931 Nashville Avenue, and her child, were taken to St. John's Hospital last week suffering from a grippe that threatened pneumonia. The child, after it was taken to the hospital, developed measles and had to be transferred to the City Isolation Hospital. The mother continues to be in a serious condition.
Civic pride finds its nearest and best expression in the co-operative effort of a community to promote local improvements.
The property adjacent your home, the streets that lead to it, the locality in which you reside, are in a sense, an annex to your residence, and are in many respects as much a part of your real estate as is your lawn or back yard.
A nuisance in your neighborhood reduces the value of your residence, whilst every local improvement increases its desirability as a home.
Every property owner who improves or beautifies his property, is an asset to his community, because his improvement is not only an attraction to home seekers but also a stimulus to his neighbors.
An unsightly residence bespeaks an owner who is socially undesirable. And many such residences indicate the undesirable character of a neighborhood.
The beauty spots in a locality are the public pictures in nature's art gallery, and, the private collection which you exhibit is your home and your lawn.
Spring fever is a longing for nature's loveliness. You give the hungry soul of your neighbor a taste of God's beauty when you cultivate in a public place a flower, a rosebud or a tree.
Spring never has an altar in a city or town where citizens neglect to cultivate a lawn, a tree, a shrub, or a flower bed.
Culture disowns the stench of the garbage pile and delights in the aroma of flowers and the song of the birds.
Every progressive community develops a few active enthusiasts who interest themselves in local and social betterment. These are
Other active members include Ray Dolan,
present president; Edw. P. Walsh, Charles
Lich, H.W. Daub, Henry F. May, Carl Mink,
Adolph Grabow, E.H. Hilgeman, Carl Moritz,
G.W. Sturmfels, P.W. Brennan. J.L.
Brennan, Emil Anthonis, and Mr. Springmeyer.
The Society meets the third Thursday of each month in the George Dewey School.
Through the courtesy of the St. Louis Star, Let's Go is enabled to reprint this map which shows the proposed South Border Drive in Forest Park.
The absolute need of such a drive is unquestioned. It has been urged by the South Forest Park Improvement Association for almost two decades.
At the last meeting of the Association a committee was appointed including in its personnel James P. O'Gorman, Alois Rothenheber, Clarence Eberle, Henry May, Ray Dolan, Dan Sheehan, C.V. Sturmfels, H.W. Daub, to confer with the Board of Estimate and Apportionment of the City of St. Louis, to request an appropriation of money for this Park Drive-way.
The conference was held Jan. 20th and the Mayor, Victor Miller, Walter Neun, president of the Board of Aldermen, and Louis Nolte, Comptroller, assured the committee of their desire to promote the project though the city treasury is heavily burdened with other demands for much needed Improvemants.
The Improvement Association is unanimous in its decision that local property must not be taxed for this Public Driveway.
Arrangements are under way to have Father Pathe and another Redemptorist Father give a Mission to the people of St. James in mid-Lent. Pray for the success of the Mission and do a little useful advertising. The exact date will be published in the March issue of Let's Go.
Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7:45 and also Stations of the Cross for children 3 p.m. each Friday.
. Zealous Catholics will endeavor to go to Mass each morning and to frequent Communion, abstain from meats on Wednesdays and Fridays and on the Quarter Tenses which fall on Saturday, Feb. 28th. Children also should be taught to practice acts of self-denial though there is no obligation upon them, and parents should encourage them to attend daily Mass.
This Holy Season should be made a time of prayer and spiritual reading, and everything frivolous should be avoided.
An epidemic of measles and scarlet fever is prevalent in the parish. The parochial school has received notification from the Health Department of the following cases of measles: Theresa Roach, 6406a W. Park; Helen Roach, Anita Henne, 6916 Bruno Avenue; Lawrence Dolan, 1036 Grand view: Catherine Buschart, 6434 Oakland Avenue: Rosemary Burch, 6509 Nashville Avenue: Theresa Cadawallader, 5830 Wise; John Burch, 6509 Nashville Avenue; Mary Jane Moulden, 6435 Nashville. Scarlet Fever: Ruth Pierce, 1223 Childress; Mary Ellen McVey, 1434 Tamm Avenue; Raymond Kelley, 6519 W. Park Avenue, Diphtheria: Richard Bertram, 6727 Garner.
Many of these have returned to school and there are several other homes in which the health department has its sign displayed but which have not been reported. Parents are requested to do all in their power to safeguard their own and other children from contagion especially in cases of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria. A child who has recently been infected or whose home is placarded, should not he permitted to go to school or to play with other children.
The banns of marriage between John Martin Mullahy, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Patrick Mullahy, 6830 Clayton Avenue, and Olivia Ojernan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Ojeman, Nashville and Forest Avenues have been announced. The marriage will take place in mid-February.
George Hayes, who until recently resided at 6663a Berthold Avenue, was married on January 17 at St. James Church to Mary E. Spicuzza, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Spicuzza, 6129 Clayton Avenue.
Margaret Flood, who resides with her sister, Mrs. Edw. Ready, 6159 W. Park Avenue, is convalescing at the new St. Mary's Hospital, utter all operation for gall stones.
Miss Anna Dolan, 6227 Victoria Avenue, has returned home from the DePaul Hospital, where she had been a patient for a few weeks recuperating from a strain of overwork. She gained 15 lbs. weight.
Mrs. Thos. Hastey, 6458 Lloyd Avenue, returned home last Sunday from St. John's Hospital, where she underwent an operation for cancer of the breast.
Mrs. Rehagen's little girl, 1228 Tamm Avenue, is in a critical condition at St. John's Hospital, suffering from congestion of a lung.
Mary Catherine Kelley, 6519 W. Park Avenue, fell recently when on roller skates in front of her home and suffered a slight concussion of the brain which necessitates her staying in bed 4 weeks.
Pat McGuire, 1344 Graham Avenue. has been ill for some time and is suffering from a severe attack of grippe.
On two occasions during the past month there were calls at the Rectory requesting information as to houses for sale or rent. We could not help because there were not many such homes listed in Let's Go. Whenever you see a sign For Sale or Rent inform the owner that Let's Go will be glad to give an ad. free of charge.
Miss Carreras, sister of Miss Minnie, the organist, returned home from St. Anthony's Hospital where she was a patient a few weeks. Her condition gives no hope of immediate recovery.
Mr. and Mrs. James Brady, 6441 Wade Ave., have their hands full nursing their children. Billy had an abscess in the ears which involved an operation and Robert swollen glands.
The party which the Holy Name Society is planning for Sunday evening, January 15th, at Evergreen Hall, promises to be an entertaining and enjoyable affair.
Many novel and interesting features are on the program, and parishioners are urged to attend, and bring their friends. An especial effort is being made to get the new members of the parish to attend, so that the old-timers may have an opportunity of making their acquaintance. The party is to be somewhat different than any heretofore given by a parish society.
The Boy Scout troop, recently organized in St. James parish is to receive one-half of the proceeds of the party.
Don't forget - Evergreen Hall, Echoff and Manchester Avenues - Sunday evening, February 15th. Admission, 35c for adults - 20c for children.
Mr. Pat Phelan, 6609 Wise Avenue, continues to be an invalid as a result of a paralytic stroke. He has lost the use of his speech.
Uncle Henry is contemplating the broken vase of happiness and from the fragments we hope he will fashion out of himself a more beautiful character than the one which has become the idol of Let's Go. He lost his youngest son, Edward Francis, a boy, 5 years old, who was in appearance and character a miniature of his father. The little fellow was highly sensitized and for that reason extremely susceptible to disease. He was caught in the epidemic of Scarlet Fever and later developed Diphtheria which resisted the best efforts of skilful physicians. He died on January 16 and was buried from St. James Church on the following Monday. The sorrow and anxiety of the family were increased when the mother, Mrs. Pierce, was also stricken by diphtheria and was unable to be present at the wake and funeral of her child. She is now convalescing and the sympathy of the whole community goes out to herself and Uncle Henry. Their only daughter, Ruth, a pupil of the Rosati-Kain High School, a few days after the funeral contracted Scarlet Fever but her condition has at no time been considered critical.
These events have increased the anxiety of Mr. Pierce and the wrinkles that have gathered ill his face do not fully reveal the scars on his heart. He tries to keep on smiling and his wife has shown admirable fortitude and good sense in her deep affliction. Fortunately Mrs. Cullen volunteered to nurse the family and her irrepressible humor has helped to preserve the morale. Her rascality gives a spice to her charity and she succeeded in making Mrs. Pierce smile more than once on the day of the funeral. She is a good angel in the disguise of a bad one and her fine sympathy and humor has lightened the burden of many an afflicted one.
At the funeral service Father O'Connor explained the symbolism of white vestments, flowers, and joyous bells as a part of the ritual.
The Church, he said, though it sympathizes with the grief of the parent, rejoices at a child's funeral because it beholds the Eternal Gates lifted and a child crowned with honors in the Mansions of the Blessed. The child has safely returned to its Father's home and is met by an Angelic Band who proclaim its eternal happiness. Never would it want to return to the dangerous ways of life where souls are constantly in jeopardy. It thinks of its natural parents as being away on a perilous journey and is praying and hoping that they will soon return. Tears and grief and sorrow are no more and these little ones who have consciously passed through the tortures of a last illness are glad to have shared in a little way in the sufferings of their Saviour. These innocent ones are the first fruits of His Sufferings, they are the flowers that grow beneath the Cross of Calvary and they are precious in the eyes of their Saviour.
To Uncle Henry and Mrs. Pierce, the Pastors and readers of Let's Go extend their deep sympathy. Uncle Henry is urged to carry on in his old way his sprightly comments on the passing show of local life. Sorrow chastens and lays its blue prints for deeper sympathies and nobler ideals, and carrying the Cross is God's way for procuring the Crown.
Midst Heaven's flower strewn gardens,
Planned in God's inimitable way;
A tiny lad stands aloof, pouting,
Timid, reluctant to play.
Surrounded by myriad creatures,
Each one an Angel by right;
Our Buddy, impressed by this picture,
But appalled, by the glorious sight;
Eight years thus waiting for someone,
Made to his likeness, and kind;
While God searches Heavens and planets,
An acceptable playmate to find.
When our blonde-haired baby is offered,
Buddy's smile - what change in his poise!
So God calls Eddie in Heaven,
Uniting our two baby boys.
Through Celestial Halls gaily romping,
Two brothers, in rapturous play;
Over-joyed that each finds the other,
Such like dispositions portray.
No friction to mar the relations,
Which God, in His mercy, has willed;
Everlasting peace in the Heavens,
The wishes of Buddy, fulfilled.
A just God gave us these treasures,
To enjoy for a few short years;
The will to give; the right to take, --
In spite of our pleading, and tears.
So the pathway to Heaven, we're hoping,
May be opened to us, with a smile;
Where Buddie and Eddie are waiting,
A joyful greeting-afterwhile.
Their Daddy.............................................
We recommend to our readers the L. Schuermann Jewelry and Optical Co., 1921 S. Vandeventer Ave., near the intersection of the Manchester and Market St. car lines. They have done the parish many a favor and they are delightful people to deal with. If you give them a trial you will find their house one that gives bargains and efficient service.
............................................
Wm. Volz. 6135 Victoria Ave., is a chronic invalid at his home where he is under constant medical attention.
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