The New York herald., 1844-07-20

NKw CATHOLIC CHURCH AT PERTH AMBoY.A
Perth Amboy, small and dull as il is, does not want
for churches, bat the Catholics having hitherto had
no place OF worship there, have taken measures to
provide one, although there are very few resident
at that place. To the liberality of their friends
they have been a good deal indebted, particularly
those of New Brunswick, many Of whom, it is said
contributed with the greater readiness on account
of difference with their present pastor, who is
considered by the remonstrant part ol his flock as
too fond Of standing up for the rghs Of the cler-
gy," as too exact disciplinarian, in temporal as
well as spiritual.
Thursday having been the appointed day for lay
ing the foundation stone OF the new edlfce, con-
siderable number Of Irish Catholics began to as
sembe at ten o'clock, and continued to increase
slowly up to the time of the ceremony, which was to
take place at noon The Rev Bishop Hughes, as was
expected, arrived by the New York steamboat, ac-
companied by the Rev. Mr.. Maguire, Rev. Mr..
Kane and Rev. Mr.. Madrino. After a short recess
the Bishop and his assistants repaired to the site of
the proposed church, where platform, shaded by
an awning from the intensely hot rays Of the mer-
dian sun, had been erected for the convenience OF
the clergy. A good number of those belonging to
other sects attended, and seemed to listen and OBJ
serve with much attention, and with an entire ab-
sence Of that indecorous levity which the some
what picturesque ceremonals OF that religion IRE
auently exctes those who do not understand their
spiritual intent. An excellent feeling, however
prevails among the foreigners" and the "na.
tives" in that place indeed, there is no distinction
made between them in any particular; and, to the
it told, many of them came forward and presented
donations lin aid of the erection OF the Catholic
Church at Perth Amboy.
Bishop Hughes dressed in his ecclesiastical robes
and mitre, ascended the platform at noon exactly,
and commenced the service by short explanation
Of the nature and tenor Of the ceremony that was
to follow. Some, he said, might not, being unac
customed to witness il, be struck with seeing re-
lieious services conducted in an unk known tongue,
and one unintelligible TO the hearers but when
they reflected that PRAYER and devotion were di
rected to the Almighty God who knew the thoughts
although never uttered when it was recollected
that the language used was once the vernacuar
tongue of the great empire in whose metropolis the
successor Of Christ established his holy church
that it WAS not first used for the purpose of mystfy
ing religion, as was often alleged, nor was 1t re-
tanned for that purpose, but because it had, through
long usage, through the cultivation of some of the
great minds of antiquity, acquired high degree OF
perfection and definiteness; and tor that reason,
as we'll as being now solely written language
free from the mutations. the changes'in idiom anc
meaning, which were constantly operating on
modern tongues All such ceremonies as those
from that of sanctilying matter, as il bricks and
mortar or cornerstone were susceptible of sancti-
ty. They were observed because they Indicated
the purpose for which those things were intended
They were intended to Impress upon the spectators
the Importance OF sanctity in their ves and to keep
before them the holy end for which religion aimed
and for which the church was founded. The eros
was the universal emblem Of Christanity-the
shortest mode of expressing the great mysteries
promulgated by Him who suffered it. The con-
secration Of the corner stone was performed with
proper remembrance Of the truth that "unless
the Lord blesseth the work, the builder buildeth
in vain = and the use Of holy water was not for
the purpose OF sanctlfying matter, but as expires
sive Of the purity OF soul for which all should strive
These rites and ceremonies were observed by
the Catholic Church, not because they were any
part OF the essence, but because they were figura
tive of it's great truths, and the medium of c0mmu
nicating through the senses Of hearing and seeing
with the soul Bishop Hughes continued to de-
fend those Catholic ceremonials from the charge
OF mummery, answered the objects Of those appeals
to the senses, by showing that the divine author OF
Christianity did the same; that he used means
stanced the cases of healing the blind man, and
raising TO life the widows son, to show that ne
never exacted spontaneous exercise Of faith unit
testimony was given satisfactory to the senses, thai
the power OF God was In operation. The Catho-
lie religion recognized the paramount importance
Of spirituality of worship, but did not, like others,
consider il inconsistent with this to means, or
did the Holy Spirit, when with the sound Of rush
the Apostles sat
After this address the Bishop and clergy present
laid the foundation stone. The ceremony was
very simple. A few prayers and cantices in latin,
were said and chanted, holy water sprinkled, and
the whole concluded by sermon. The text was
from the l26 Psalm Except the Lord build the
house the labor is in vain of those who bnild it,"
In concluding the discourse, he forcibly enjoined
upon his hearers to show by the purity Of their life,
by their honesty, truth, integrity and industry, to
those who might have, wrong impressions Of their
religion that it was holy one, and expressed the
high satisfaction he experienced at learning that in
that neghborhood such an amcable and good un-
derstanding existed between those he then address
ed who were to worship in that Church, and those
Of other persuasons.
When the sermon was concluded the clergy re-
tired, and considerable sum was raised by dona.
tions from those present towards the erection of the
edfce, which will not be Of great extent; intended
principally to serve the private wants OF the
gregation
Literary Notices.