, 1868-06-16

the ceremony of laying the Stone in due
form, he delivered the following explana-
tory address:
MY DEAR FR1ENDs,-In rising TO ad-
dress you, | crave your indulgence on ac-
count of the late hour, at the same time
I beg to assure you that I do not intend
to detain you a long time here. But
the ceremony itself, which is quite an ex-
traordinary event in the Town of ST.
Thomas, compels me to explain 10 you
in a few words the meaning of it. Well
then, what is a church, and the erection
Of n church IF we consult The primor-
dial traditions and historical records of
all nations we find that everywhere from
the beginning of the world, from the altar
of the just Abel down to the temple of
Solomon, not to mention the altered ira
ditions of the pagans, there were, | say
selected places, consecrated TO the wor-
ship of God, wherein men implored the
protection and grace ofthe Deity. So that
a church in itself is like one of the ex-
tremities of the chain which unites Earth
10 Heaven, time to eternity, man to God.
And consequently LIST, the erection Of a new
church is an act of acknowledgement Of
LtkC ouDICiIC uOUIlUlOu VI OOuS dIu dClS
of faith in His paternal providence tow
ards the wants of his creatures. Men you
know, erect monuments 10 testify their
esteem and gratitude towards their bene-
factors, they build splendid palaces and
residences for their Kings and Governors.
How much more they ought to erect
temples to testify their feelings of faith,
love and confidence in that Omnipotent
Power, Creator, Gubernator, and Conser-
vator of the human race. end, the erec-
ton of temples is not only a duty of "a
society towards God because an exterior
worship is dae him, but this erection IS
of a paramount advantage to the society
itself; that is TO all aggIomeration of
men living under the same laws. The
erection of q new church is a sign of pro-
gress and civilization, and | must say the
institution best calculated to promote
aud secure the same. A colony is cstab-
Iished by the planting on shore of the
national flag: it is afterwards secured
with the foundation of a church. Round
the church. a town or village is built.
AS long as this common centre of friend
Iy intercourse, Of weekly meeting under
the eyes of sour father who is in heaven
are maintained, the ties of family and So
ciety are preserved. But all these adj
vantages will disappear as soon as church
es disappear or cease to be frequented-
this is an historical fact, of which you
have a melancholy evidence, if you only
cast a glance over several colonies of the
West Indies. What has become of civili-
%zation, of good order, moral improvement
and peace ia Mexico, Haiti, Santo Do
mingo, and several republics of the Span
ish Main7 I need not enter into details
all of which you know full we'll that the
former prosperity, the polite manners,
the renowned hospitality, happy conse-
quences of peace and industry in these
beautiful countries, are now changed into
a state of unceasing disturbance, d%lstrust,
selfish ambition, barbarian like manners
and perpetual revolutions. All has fall
en-, fallen forever perhaps with the
churches wherein pious priests taught
the people how to fulfil their duties tow