Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-11-06
<a,ra.,on Of the Right Rev. James a1o-
,,,s Titular Bishop of North Carolina.

The little Catholic Church OF TINS Guy
literally cramped on last Sunday morn
inc at half-past ten O'Clock. Inc no'ioe
.lo+ Tho Mast Reverend Archbishop Spal-
4in,, Of Baltimore, attended by several
Priests would be there to introduce
Risb,n 70 .hc people, and to assist IN the
;,,r,o,ration of q ceremony that has never
baan hitherto performed in Wilmington,
was enough to light up the walls OF St.
Thomas with many strange and Catholic
faces.
Al were eager to witness the develop
roent of something new. At the first ring
Of music from the organ the door OF the
1estry to the left opened, and beVy OF
children dressed IN white, and young la
dies, with wrcathes Of white flowers the
emblem OF the purity Of the innocent
around their heads, was seen. Two by
two to the march of the music they step
ned into the aisle in becoming and grace
fuI order. Then came The cros5bearer,
holding on high the gilded representative
Of the Saviour of mankind. at each side
Of him walked an acolyte, bearing
burning tapers. Following these were
Priests, three thurifers carrying thuribles
HIlcd with burning frankinscence. Last
II, the Bishop, attended by the Priest, as
sistant Rev. Mr.. McManus, Parish Priest
Of St Johns Baltimore Rev. II. ?. Nor
throp Deacon, and Rev II. S. Gross sub
Deacon. Arriving at the Church door,
the Bishop was incensed, and certain pray
ers were read The children Ia the mean
time were being arranged around the rail
ing, aud the Archbishop had taken his seat
on the right hand or Epistle side. Reach
ing the foot of the altar, the Bishop read
IN invocation-Jenedicti0, gJ'Gtia, par CT
suac'jIaS-benedicJiOn, grace, peace and
Sanctity-was the blessing called down upon
the heads Of those present. He was then
conducted by the Most Rev. Archbishop to
his throne, a neat structure on the Gospel,
or left hand side. The ceremony OF robing
was then begun. The mitre was placed
on his head, and the crosier-the staff Of
his pastorship, the shibolet of his author
ity. pat in his hand He then walked to
the first step Of the altar, and began, first
putting by the mitre and crosier-the In
roi52 al aFare Dei-I will go up to tho
altar of my God-tho first words of the
mass.
after the reading of tho Gospel, the
Archbishop took his stand on the platform
OF the altar. almost in front Of the taber-
nacle. lie read his text from the Douay
edition Of the Holy Bib,e, the twenty
eighth chapter of St. Matthew, beginning
with the sixteenth verse :
and the eleven disciples went into GaiIee,
unto tho mountain W here Jesus had appointed
them.
"And seeing Inn they adored; but some
doubted.
And Jesus coming spoke to them, saying
All power is given to me in heaven and earth.
Going, Therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing
them in the name OF lie Father, and OF the Son.
and Of the Holy Ghost.
&" Teaching them to observe all things whatso-
ever have commanded you and behold l am
with you all days. eve to The contamination of
the verdi
He calmly surveyed the congregation.
He saw that the pews in the centre of the
Church were filed with many of the most
intelligent of the city, but not of his faith
His mild look was on every countenance
So far as our memory aids Us, We will at
tompt 4 brief synopsis of his eloquent,
soul-stirring, earnest sermon.
These, he said, laying down the Bible,
were the last words of command which the
Christ gave to his Apostles before he en-
tered into glory. The parting advice of
beloved father is the most emphatic of his
life
But the parting advice of Jesus was not
only emphatic in itself, it was in its essence
divine, and was given to his disciples as
legacy, not for that day and the next, not
to them and to their age, but to all time,
to al peoples, and tongues, and tribes, and
nations, aud to all posoerity in all ages.
Who is it that speaks? To whom does
he speak? OF what does he speak ? These
are three questions which the text en-
bodies. 1t is the son of the ever living
God that speaks. Divinity speaks, and
foreteIls the establishment of his church.
and the preaching Of the Gospel of the
-N'-oAO44 VI NAONA ~ GIAC fOICC Vi LudU
church to the end of time. He was not
armed in the plenipotentiary of this world.
He held not his commission from the
CTsacs. He was not clothed in the purple
OF Roman authority. No, the poor Naza-
rene was to the eye of the world weak and
poWerless registered subject OF an AFRO
61nt, powerful and iron empire So
thought the scoffers and those who subse-
QQently crucifed him, pierced his side,
offered him vinegar and gall to drink, spat
upon him and cast lots for his garments
what could he do What could he say ? |
What! He came clothed in armor of
Heaven. He had the counsel of the Al
mighty. He had the angelic hosts of the |
Father about him. He was God in the |
flesh. Such was the speaker. To whom |
DID he speak To Roman senators and |
Jewish high priests To learned doctors |
and eminent lawyers ? 70 the philoso-
piers of Greece or Rome? No. To eleven