The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-03-15 00:00:00

THE "UNIVERSAL JUBILEE.

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On Sunday, in all the churches of the Roman Catholic
diocese of Westminster, a formal proclamation of the " 13ni•
venal Jubilee," eujoined by Pope Leo XIII. in celebration
of the first anniversary of his accession to the Papal chair,
was made by the reading of an authorized translation of the
" Lettets Apostolic," itc., of his Holiness on the subject.
The document is prefaced by a "Note," which gives the fol-
lowing details of the origin and character of jubilees in the
Itoman Catholic Church ;

"A jubilee is a solemn plenary indulgence given
by the Sovereign Pontiff to the faithful on condition of
their performing certain works of piety, with special
power to confessors to absolve from reserved sins and
cemures and to commute certain vows for other good
works. 'lt differs from an ordinary plenary indulgence
by its solemnity and the privileges attached to it, and
also- by reason of the abundant and extraordinary
graces which God bestows. The first jubilee was cele-
brated in the year 1300, in the pontificate of Pope Both.
face VIII., who fixed every hundredth year for its
recurrence. The next was celebrated in 1350, under
Clement VI., who appointed for its recurrence every
fiftieth year; in 1389 Urban VI. reduced the period
to thirty-three years; and in 1470 it was reduced by
Paul 11. to twenty-five. Jubilees are of several
kinds :-1. The greater, or great jubilee, occurring
regularly every twenty-fifth year, and lasting a year,
which year is called the holy year; and this jubilee,
by reason of its recurrence at fixed periods, is also
called the ordinary jubilee. 2. The lesser jubilee,
usually granted by each Pope on his elevation
to the Sovereign Pontificate, and granted also
on other special occasions ; and this is called an ex-
traordinary jubilee. 3. A general, or universal jubilee,
which is granted to the whole world, as is always the
great jubilee, and sometimes also the lesser jubilee. 4.
A particular, or partial jubilee, which is granted to a
particular country, city, or place. The time for gain-
ing the indulgence of the jubilee, proclaimed by the
letters apostolic, is from the first Sunday of Lent,
March 2, till Whit-Sunday, June, 1, inclusive,"

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.
Amongst the latest American newspaper phrases
is that of " Excurted,"
.meaning thereby "made an excur-
sion."
The Cincinnati Gazette, having investigated the
tramp question, has come to the conclusion that "Superin-
duced cerebral uneasiness, without a counterbalance of
digested and assimilative knowledge, and &memory plethoric
with the busks of a vapid erudition, constitute the proper
receptacle for those halt ideas and one-sided ratiocinations
which impregnate men with the belief that they are in
advance of the age in which they live, and were bern to be
the renovators of society and the harbingers of a new dis-
pensation."
"Somebody's Coming When the Dewdrops Fall" is
said to be a very beautiful song. "Somebody's Coming
When the Note Falls Due," is not so enchanting.

Talk about your piercing eyes, did you ever sit
down upon the blunt end of a needle?
"One touch of nature," observed the inebriate, as
the ground rose and struck him.
-

No poet has ever written a poem on the charms and
graces of the barber; no sculptor has ever reproduced one
of the class, with razor in one hand, lather-steeped brush in
the other; but now we are told that this great omission ix to
he made good by the American Poet Laureate, Smith, who
has begun his first two lines, the rhymes for which are barber
and lather.
Josh Billings has latterly taken to serious reading;
valuable notes, in brackets, mark the thoughts engendered.
Here is an example of the Litest printed :—The heart of a
man is like a garden, capable of producing, under good
culture, everything beautiful (especially apples for sarce),
while, if neglected, it is choked up with every kind of rank
weeds (especially cheek weed). The hand of a virtuous
woman in adapted to the task of sewing good seeds (espe-
cially sewing boys' breeches), and rearing beautiful flowers
(especially into pudding).
An Elmira editor, speaking of the marriage of a
brother quill, says, "It's sad, this parting with old friends.
One by one they drop off. Poor quills! to drop off when so
many were ready tcl_ pluck them, and now their wives will
take care they are not plucked.
RATHER TALL 1—" Heart of flames, nerves of steel,
quivering breath surging from iron nostrils, palpitating
throat of fast-flying wheels that urge forward, in smooth
rhythm, the vessel of matchless symmetry, whose graceful
prow raises on high the sparkling water to fall with the
murmur of a whispering fountain, while from the taper-
ing hull the river, with agitated crest, divides to mark
the chosen pathway. This creation, instinct with life,
glorious in aotion, harmonious with melody, the haunt of
happiness joined with sweet content welcome as flowers In
bay, is the vivacious, bewitching belle Q 2 tte lower Ohio.*

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