| OCR Text |
Show CHRISTMAS TREE PETE FliPlS , Children Made Happy at Kearns St. Ann's Orphanage. SISTERS ARE PRAISED Former Senator Lauds the Work of Faithful Teachers Teach-ers at Institution. The children of Kearns St. Ann's orphanage or-phanage were made happy yesterday afternoon aft-ernoon and evening at a Christmas tree festival provided by former United States Senator Kearns and Mrs. Kearns. The tree itself and the gifts upon its boughs were given by Mr. and Mrs. Kearns. Other gifts were caps and sweaters for the boys and neck pieces and caps for the girls. Among the other donors and their gifts were: The Paris store, caps and toys; the Vienna bakery, a giant cake; Mrs. J. McDonald, Mc-Donald, flowers and decorations; Mrs. Charles Eammersdorf, stockings; Mrs. J. E. Cosgriff, case of honey; Mrs. C. H. Reid, toys; Mis. Arthur Sullivan, candy; Mrs. L.. B. McCornick and the Woman's shop, candy. Sister Benita of the Holy Cross hospital made the candy that went into the stockings. Tiie tree was in the school study. In the chapel was a representation of the Mother and Child in the stable at Bethlehem. Beth-lehem. Children Give Programme. The little ones themselves had charge of the programme, which was as follows: Greeting chorus, senior and junior girls. Address to Senator and Mrs. Kearns, Mlsa Mary Johnston. "Naughty Land," a fairy play, senior boys and girls. "The Angelic Song," junior girls. "Santa Claus Land," fairy play by boys and girls. A half dozen of the boys of the school were dressed In Santa Claus costumes, and they distributed tho gifts from t lie trees. In closing, the pupils sang "Silent Night." Midnight mass was celebrated In the chapel. Senator Kearns Speaks. Replying to the address of the children, Senator Kearns took occasion to discuss the affairs of the institution, expressing regret that more children were not being cared for and trained by the devoted sisters. sis-ters. He said in part: I wish to thank the good sisters and sweet children for this excellent entertainment. enter-tainment. All deserve the highest credit and I desire to compliment the sisters upon their devoted efforts and the success of their training. I am proud of the opportunity, now that another an-other Christmas has arrived, to be with you and share with you in its spirit of joy and good will. Christmas is the one great day lo inspire the Christian heart throughout through-out tho world. It is a time set apart for charity and good cheer. Its influence influ-ence is felt In every city and hamlet, in every mansion and cottage in the Christian world and . the festival is celebrated in every nation on the globe. Children Well Cared For. It has been a great delight to me to distribute these gifts which have ! made the little orphans so happy. The ; children look so well cared for, so well i trained and protected, that I have only one regret. I deeply regret now more than at any other time since the Institution In-stitution was built that there are not 1 no more children to receive the gifts, for there are many gifts left. This institution Is capable of sheltering, training and supporting from 100 to more children than at present.- It has had plenty of resources, together with some endowments of good Samaritans Sa-maritans who have left their fortunes to maintain It and assist in its splendid splen-did work. If ever there was a time in world's history for special efforts on behalf of the orphaned and helpless children, to educate and care for them and to fit them for the battles of life, that time is now. Here at home in our own community we have plenty of helpless help-less children In a land of plenty. When divorce s so prevalent and when so many worthless, so many inconsiderate inconsid-erate parents, separate and turn out their children upon the world without proper training and without any protection pro-tection to battle for a livelihood, there is particular need for just such an Institution In-stitution as this and its beneficent influence in-fluence should not be unwisely limited. Work Is a Mighty One. "We have but to think of the terrlhle slaughter beyond the seas, where rulers rul-ers and peoples have gone mad with the war spirit and greed for possessions, posses-sions, to realize how necessary is the work for the world's orphans, to realize real-ize what a mighty work It has grown to be. Thank heaven we have good Samaritans in this country who have adopted children or who have pledged their support for children they never have seen. This institution in particular should make a special effort to care for as many needy children as possible. We know that those in charge, the good and saintly sisters, are only too willing wil-ling to do this. The sisterhood is made up of refined, cultured, educated women who have given more than any philanthropist. In their voung womanhood woman-hood they bade farewell to fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters and friends and bound themselves for life to toll and struggle for the uplift of orphan children. That Is the truest religion, re-ligion, the greatest work on earth to care for, educate and lit those little ones for life's tasks, to fit them especially espe-cially to be good citizens, true to their country and to their God. Reward to Be Eternal. Sisterhoods of the church in this country have in charge close upon three-quarters of a million children under their care and protection. They receive no gold for themselves and very little reward In this world for their efforts. But they are wholly content con-tent because they are laying up treasures treas-ures in the land beyond the grave. Never should we forget the good work thpy are doing for the helpless and those placed In their charge will hold them dearer than tiny others on earth because the world has been made better bet-ter and happier by their example and their work of tireless self-sacrifice. And when they pass to that other world and stand before the great, white throne they will receive, let us believe, the highest of all rewards and the trood Saint l'eter will say to the warders at the gates: "Open wide the portals of Paradise to admit them to their reward forever." |
