The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-02

Ded,catioa OF So. Ann's Roman Catholic
Church.

Slordeen, and several priests, arrived ut the
church, and proceeded 10 walk from the altar down
she nNsie aisle and outside the church, chanting
iRc6ehaa tenedicton. They walked in procession.
hSssxd.h ~ two boys dressed in white surpliee
sySSse SCARLET gown, each bearing lighted taper.
The Archbishop wore his mitre, and a superb gold
cVDassstsnentle, richly ornamcntod with roses and
various tasteful devices; under this was scarlet
Esmmed at the feet with fine lace. he is
d&ecl man. Of highly intellectual and benign cast
OF eountenanee. mas well shaped, partially bald
Assf considerable apparent intellectual caio1e,
cScepfion of the nitro, nearly similarly attired
fne PRIESTS black gown, over which was
t&l0~nsh lawn surplice. Altogether there
Yer also twelve boys, who acted us pages in the
tsais. dressed the two just mentioned. The
saan,SAances of the whole body presented most
solemn and dignifed aspect, having all their whis-
Hsss (which, in most eases, had tho appearance of
bMHhg been remarkably fine black ones-shaved Off
ppoTther return TO the church, the Archbishop
HkQpssled to the altar, and, accompanied on each
Vae'by, the bishops and priests, and attended by
she twelvc boys attired in their white and scarlet
aNPhpfs, commenced the performance of high Pom
t1csArM Mass, the ceremony for the occasion. The
r.sented very imposing appearance, which
was heightened by tn solemn manner in which the
tdtt3h Services were chaunted.
srFS altar piece constructed of magnificent
piece of marble, and surmountcd by fine painting
lse,snstructon from herin the Scriptures, On each
AASwere bronze statues OF two of the prophets.
IhgAtar was brilliantly lighted up with tapcrs, and
f Entire edifce crowded, principally by ladies.
We peculiar and characteristic ply siognomy of the
Absynian race was the leading feature in almost
Very countenance, and We therefore drew
SlyslQns accordingly.
= Ma er the performance Of high Pontifcal Mass,
SA~ttremony used on the OCCASION which was at
tended with great formality, sautation, and labor,
S-IWehop CoNNoR preached the dedication sermon.
- dc all Enn mas prf,a H., hal hnx.,
kGhy intellectual east of counenance, and bene-
Toleht mein, and under tho middle age, He has a
good voice. and would appear to possess the command
III, took for his text Matthew xii 49, He Observed
that an occasion like the present was always inter
sAtfhg to the Christian soul. 1t in it evidence
thhS the name of God was about being honored in
Rids sphere---a new centre about to be established,
tN9p which the principle of celestial glory and new
LODI were to be provided, in which they could re-
TSye that Joy which heaven alone could give. This
worship offered to God was essentially pure because
II was Independent OF any human agency, and con-
H1ped in itself the very of life and charity
On this occasion. they assisted ut the dedication of
a new temple under circumstances of peculiar inter-
'EI 4 temple was dedica ted to the worship of the
NCathoc Church which had been long used for other
&Qpmunities and its author stood Il priest. whom
God had called from maze of error, and who had
veeomo united to the church OF truth He had been
called by God to east away religion which did
ksst come from heaven, and to embrace the
Deans Of salvation. Another feature in the church
Stry the truth TO those who never heard of Christ
DOT only to administer to the spiritual wants OF
Them, but also to afford knowledge Of truth to
those who walked in error, and by melting those
,svbo were mot the people of God, to become so,
sd8hat they might become one family united in the
of Jesus Christ. 1t naturally occurred to them
70 inquire when God gave any sign respecting the
tnth of revelation. In answer to that inquiry.
khey saw that God had provided sign-not, in
deed, such q one as our wisdom might demand.
neaven did not answer our entrcates in the lam
tEdage which could wish il to speak II selected
'nsown language; and il was not for wicked and
adulterous generation to inquire into the sign Of
Jonas the Prophet The great miracle Of the
ton was. above all others, intended sign
10Y which the Son of Man should be known. It was
-tsso sign by which man was entitled to his
-Asmption. When Almighty God performed these
smjracles, he proved their trGth by signs calculated
10 convince all men of the truth of revelation II
Xas not merely the truth Of Christianity in general
was not merely abstract notions Of Christianity
sthat were thus et.ested, bat the whoc fitness OF
,eia'h was the object OF the Catholic church. as at
tested by God himself All those WHO differed from
Catholics. and retained Christianity only name,
admitted hat God had given ample evidence Of the
truth of Christani;y-a1 least in general. He had
spoken in divers ways. and Christ hSi given many
proofs that he was sent by his Heavenly Father for
.thc performance of his high and wondrous mission;
and there resulted that great mirace-thc relurrcc
.fon The sign cfJonas the Prophet was intended by
God as great sign TO the world Of the truth Of the
Religion which he had establishes il was intended to
.Ahow that what he taught was true, and lie had
afforded to senses sufficient inoaus Of know
ledge. for all ordinary wants, which might be sup
yplied by the ordinary exercise of human reason; but
-1hat for the perception of elevated objects, he
>had supplied with faculties more noble, com
-bned with proper knowledge, and which were des-
itined to attain the ends intended by God In super
natural law, God had nc. lef. rs without the means
cof acquiring certain krowloG, Every Christian
-would tell US, that respecting these more exalted
-smatters, ne had more true anu certain knowledge
than Of those things Which came under the cogni-
IS tha oaFas IN a. ANIc -
truths OF revelation were 50 strong that We were
sbcund to believe them. They were the principles
e which pointed our he : What mus: % 70 be
sayedl' We certainly had u stronger knowledge of
.f,.se truths than Of what we saw. heard or felt.
Ha asked. was ai..his evidence which God had pro-
= ,;deJ far his revelations confined merely to gene
rslities, without defining wei what wes meant
Did God mean &c s,'eak IN .ae most unaistakeape
: manners Must we learn Christianity only in It's
general truths, or leave it TO ourselves to our rea-
son ard our efforts 10 ascertain in what Christianity
: consisted Most assuredly not. The system at
tested by God was system perfect, clear and dat-
} eurlose for which it was intended by heaven The
sound Of a mighty wind heard on the day Of Penti-
, cost not intended merely 70 draw CROWD TO-
: cethcr-not merely TO make known to men there
asse bled the truth of God TO greater extent than
: when they were called together-to leave them
withou. an answer, or, wbat was the same thing,
TO provide no answer but Earring and contradic-
tory one When excited by these wonders they asked
''What should they do TO be saved! Every one would
remark that could sec in n moment that the at
testation given by G cd 10 the Apostles not
merely an attestaton Of the truth Of Christianity in
general but the attestaton given 70 the whole sys-
TEN Of which he the centre, and applied without
exception to the whole Of its parts Let them sup
pose for example, that on the day Of Pentcost
nan had been struck by The attestation which God
had given II the truth of the system announced by
the Apostles, one came forward and SAID lie al
united that they were the fundamental principles
which these men announced, and he agreed with
them perfectly, but there points upon
which he could not agree; that he had read the whole
of the Scriptures and his construction Of them
dieredn some matter from that Of the APOSTLES; that
he would admit the truth of what general; that
he admitted the truth OF the system-how then could
il be said that the wh1le came from God Yet this
was the teaching of their opponents; and was II not
evidently opposed TO God and his teachingst Was
there q distinction between Christianity and any
If its particular formsl X manifest that the
disiroion tba, was applicable to part was equal