The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-13


(CoLoRED) )CHURoH-SsRMoN BY BISHOP LYNCH
The ceremony Of the dedication Of st. Peter
Roman Catholic Church, intended for the espe
cial accommodation Of the colored people pro
Tossing that faith, tool: place yesterday morn
ing. The edifce, which was formerly know
as the Wentworth-strest Synagogue, is sltuat
ed on the north side OF Wentworth-stree De
tween Meeting and Anson, and has been tttec
up with pews, and otherwise altered, 80 as tt
adapt it to its new Use. The sanctuary anc
altar have been constructed with much taste
and, altogether, the church is one Of which the
colored Catholics may be deservedly proud
Similar Catholic Churches for the use of the
colored population were long ago established
in New Orleans, and others, of more recent
origin, exist in New York, st. Louis, Baltimore
and Washington. The pastor appointed fol
st. Peters Church is the Rev. Aloysius Folchi,
young priest recently arrived here from
Rome, Of which place he is native.
The dedication ceremonies commenced at
half-past 8 o'clock in the morning, and were
conducted in accordance with the prescribed
forms of the Roman ritual. The procession,
consisting of the Right Rev. Bishop Lynch,
with deacon, sub-deacon and the clergy, at
tended by acolytes, was formed before the door,
where all remained standing while the proper
prayers were chanted. The procession then
moved slowly around The exterior Of the build
ing, the clergy solemrly intoning the Maserere,
and the Bishop sprinklng the walls with holy
water. Again pausin3 awhile before the door,
the procession moved up the main aisle while
the Litany was recited. Three other psalms
were chanted, during which the clergy moved
around the interior of the church, sprinklng
the walls as before. The concluding prayers
of the dedication proper were then said at the
foot Of the altar.
The celebration OF High Mass followed, the
pastor, Father Folchi, officiating as celebrant,
with the Revs. John s3chacte and D. J. Quigley
acting respectively as deacon and sub-deacon.
and the Rev. c. B. fGorthrop as master of the
ceremonies. We noticed also that the Rev. ]. F.
O'Nell and the Rev. DIR. Birmingham occupied
places within the sanctuary.
The sacred music was furnished for the oc-
casion by the combined choirs Of the Cathe-
dral Chapel and ST. Patrick's Church, and
Peters Mass was sung in excellent style.
At the close Of the service, the dedication
sermon was preached by the Right Rev. Bishop
Lynch. He opened by alluding to the satisfac-
ton that it gave him to see to-day accomplish
ed design that had been formed no less than
seventeen years ago ioy Bishop Reynolds ard
himself, but the consummatlon Of which had
been prevented till now by various circum-
stances. He then e1pounded the doctrine of
public worship as taught by the Catholic
Church. It was fitting that man who was
made Of body and soul should pay homage to
God with each. But, left to himself, be could
know nothing OF how he was to serve God ef-
fectually. Therefore, of old, the practice o:
religion had been revealed to the Patriarchs in
various ways-by angels, visions and prophets.
Last of all. God had spoken in the person of
His divine Son, who came with authority to
complete the fulneBs of revelation. He se-
lected the Apostles who, with their success
sors, were to teach man till the erd of time.
instructing him in the things which Christ
himself had taught to them. The public wor-
ship which they had established required an
altar and q clean oblation-an altar whereof
the heather should not partake, an altar
before which tho followers Of Christ
should kneel and worship as Ho has COM
manded them. The Bishop then alluded to
the church which had just been dedicated, and
which was henceforth "a holy place" belonging
to God and not 20 man. Whose entered it
should remember that he WAS in the House of
the Lord, and his demeanor should be humble
and reverent accordingly. God hears our
prayers everywhere, but with special readiness
when offered before His altar. The Bishop
exhorted his hearers to love, yenerate, and be
assiduous in fequenting their church that
they might receive graces and blessings from
God, so that, by fidelity in His service here,
they might be blessed eternaly with Him here
after.
The church was densely thronged through
out the ceremony. chiefly by colored people,
and We cannot but hope that the dedication OF
st. Peters will be the commencement Of new
era Of religious interest.