Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-05-03
CLOSING OF THE CATHOLIC COUNCIL.
Imposing Ceremony in Baltimore.
An Immense Csngresat ton in the Cathedral
Sermon Of Bishop Gibbons.
Large Number OF Visiting Clergy.


The tenth Provincial Council OF Baltimore,
tCatholic.) which assembled at the Cathedral
in Baltimore on Sunday, the 18th of April las,
the feast of St Mark, for the purpose OF deyis-
ing means to execute the DEGREES of the PlenaTy
Council recently held in that city and approved
by the Holy See, closed its session yesterday At
the Cathedral, after solemn Ponificll High
Mass, and although the weather was extremely
unpleasant the Church was densely crowded,
nearly every inch of standing room being oc-
cupied.
The Council was composed OF the following
distinguished pref 'ltes:-Most Rev. Archbishop
SpauldIns, of the diocese of Baltimore; Right
Rev. Richard V. w helan. ID. d.. senior prelate
and Bishop OF Wheeling, West Virginia; Right
Rev. John Mc(iill, ID. d.. Bishop of Il ichmond.
Va; Right Rev Z. n. Lynch, ID. d., Bishop of
Charleston, ). @; Right Rev. Jane f. Wood,
u. D.. Bishop of Philadelphia, Pa; Right Rev.
Mlc nael Domenec, ID. d., Bishop OF P.ttsburg.
Pa; Right Rev. Auguslin Nerot. ID ID, Bishop
ofSavannah, Ga; Right Rev. William O'Hara,
ID. ID. Bishop OF Scranton, Pa; Right Rev. Je-
remIah f. Snanahan. ID. d., BIsnop OF Harris
burg, Pa Right Rev. TobIas Mullen, ID. d.,
Bishop OF Erie, Pa; Right Rev. Thomas A
Becker ID. d., Bishop of Wilmington, Del;
Adramy tum in part and Vicar Apostolic OF
North Carolina; Right Rev. lgnstius Persico.
u. d., Bishop of GratanapolIs III part, Mis-
sionary; Right Rev. Abbott BonIfacius VIM
mer, Abbot OF the Order OF ST. Benedict
The officers of the Council Were as follows
Promoters-Bishop Wood of PhiIsdeipuia and
Vt. =. l..
lors-Nery Rev. DIR. Thomas Foley aud Rav
L, ;. Lee. Notaries-Rev Dr. James U'Con-
ner, 5. 7. D., Rev. Adrian Van oe braak, &. s
5. X. Rev VIM. +. Clark, 5. J: and Rev. Jno.
j. Dougherty. Secretaries-Rev. >. F.rte,
Rev. John :. Foley, Rev. p. ChapeIle. Judges
of Excuses and Complaints bishop McCiIiI,
Bishop Domenee Abbot Winner and Very
Rev. Thomas Mulvey. Master OF ofCeremoni-s-
Rev. Mr.. LequeIre auu Rev. Mr.. Kelly.
Writers of Peutions 10 The Holy See-Bi, hop
EeTot and Bishop Becker. Chanters-Rsv. ID.
Il IN l. = .
The most Reverend Archbishop Spaulding
presided, and the sessions of the Council were
held daily at the Episcopal residence, dom
ing the Cathedral. On account OF the lnclem.
ent weather the procession of prelates could
not march from the residence 20 the Church
yesterday Ps intended. The crowd began to
gather al the Cathedral long before ten clock,
tte hour Al which the services commenced,
but suitable police force was on hand to keep
the entrances and portices clear. Every seat
in the building was soon occupied, and oy ten
O'CLOCK the alsles were densely crowded by
ladies' and gentlemen unable to obtain seats
The Grand Altar was profusely decorated
with patural flowers, and lighted with many
c. udles.
Mass was commenced At ten o'clock the pro.
cessiOn entering the sanctuary from the sacristy.
First came large number of seminarians from
the various colleges in Baltimore, all attired in
black cassock and white surpIice; next came
the cross bearer and acolytes; they were fol-
lowed by the clergy, attlred in the yestments in
which mass is celebrated then followed the
officers OF the Council In full vestments and
cope; then came the Bishops in their Episcopal
robes, mitre, and croZier, each one followed bv
tram bearers. The seminarians were assigned
to seats Immediately outside of the sanctuary
raIl, the clergy to the seats in the sanctuary
the officers OF the Council Immediately in from
OF the altar, and the bishops on a dais up each
side OF the altar with the train bear at their
feet holding the crozier. The Archbishop was
the last TO enter, and occupied his eat upon the
episcopal throne TO the right OF the altar
There were seated within the sanctuary AND
immediately thereof tshh
twelve bishops, about forty priests. forty-f
seminarians, and twenty-five train be irer.
Solemn Pontifical High Mass was celebrated
IL :gbt Rev. Bishop Wood, OF Philadelphia, eel.
ebi ant; Rev. Fa,ner Bnrlando. of Eumit.s-
burg assistant priest; Eev. Il. j. MaManus of
Baltimore. dePcoD: Rev. 7. =. Lee, of the ia
thedral, sub-dCacon, and Rev Father L.
queIre, master of ceremonies. The BjsLop
was vested IN his Ponlifical robes az the foot OF
the altar. immediately after which mass COM
msDc6d.
The immense choir was composed of an or
chtst-a OF thirty pieces and forty singers the
whole under the direction of Prof. Jos. Gegaa
As The proce 7siOn OF prelates entered the sane.
tpaTy, the orchestra performed the Grand En-
tre March, composed for the occasion by Pro-.
j. Linehard. The celebrant having recit d the
COBEteor. the ceremony of incensiug altar w As
performed by the celebrant and his assls,a ,ts
Then followed Gloria IN Ecceisis Deo, reading of
the Epistie, Gospei, &c. aIter which the cele.
oraht look ms sea-, and the pulpit was dra vn
out preparatory to the sermon by Il ght Rev
Bishop q ibbonS.
Bishop Gibbons read the Gospel from the
10th chapter OF st. Mark, and deli yered a very
able sermon, of winch we give a brief synop.
sis He referred TO the opening aud closing
scenes Of the Council. and the fact that the
youthful and vigorous West was agaIn END.
ing Its greetings tc the far-on East. In honor-
ing foe two great pontiffs, st. Mark and ST.
Athanasius, upon whose festivals the Coun-
Gil mad opened and closed, they at the same
olic Church and the unchangeab!eness Of Cath
lie doctrine. The same Gospel taught by s.,
Mark was to-day profes sed oy ali Catholics,
and the same creed defined by S. \ Athanpsius
was believed by them. This great aoctor. during
his long and eventful career, had raised his
powerful voice and welded his pen in defence
OF the Church. and We're he standing before Us
To-day would defend with the same zeal the
divinity OF God S Church, because that Church
was the spouse OF Christ. and partook
OF his DIVINITY. The prayers of both
the spirit OF s.. Aibanasius might enter
into an, so they might endure anything, e zen
Ceath ITSELF III defence of their one common
faith. Unity was the child OF In fallIbllIty and
lrtallibliIIy was the neCess ary source of uuity
The Jewish church was a type and symbol as
well as The torerunner of the christian church
De mama IL the desert was the figure OF the
christian Eucharist, as the pasehal lamb was
IKE the lamb OF God, who taketh wav the sins
or the world. The Hebrew peopie We're ac-
cusiomed 10 read the Holy ScTipturcs :, even rs
we do now, but private Interpretation thereof
was unknown and unhelrd of. In all conIro-
verses OF faith and liz all disputes about morals,
tbey were ODilged 10 have recourse TO a
supreme tribunal established by Almighty
God, and which consisted OF The Jewish High
priests and the Sanhedrlm. A Council COM
posed OF y members, whose decision was final
and no man was permitted 10 deny or resist
their authority. These means wece 10
preserve unity In the old law
ard was 1t reasonable to suppose thae
Almighty God loved the Church OF Carist
lees than he did the Jewish Church of old as
all things with the Jews were typical; the High
Priest and Sanheurim were typical Of what the
prelates and Councils are TO the Christian
Chui ch. 1t was admitteA on all sides that the
beginning OF the Christian Church was infal.
liable. 1t must then have been based on the
promises made by its fourder. The scriptures
were not written until near the end Of the first
century and not gathered together until the end
OF the fourth century. BY what principle OF
Justice could 1t be denied TO the nineteenth cen.
tury what is universally admitted belonged to
the first century. Almighty God loved Us no
less than he old the people at the beginnIag OF
the Church. Our necessity was as great, for
our minds were no stronger than those of the
Apostles and Disciples W no were first commIs.
stoned to teach. Our Lord does not cease to
fulfill his promise, tor 1t was in accordance
with his promise that they fulfilled their mis-
sion, and the power which conferred tnfaili.
bility upon their teachings did not
cease with them. He never SAID to his
Apostles that The power he conferred
upon them should cease with them. Our
divine Saviour was pleased to give us moreover
the most convincing testimony that he LEFT to
his Church an infallIble tribunal, sBehold I
am with you all days even TO the consumma.
ton Of the world" Here then was a positive