The New York herald., 1869-05-17
RELIGIOUS SERVICES In THIS CITY.
ST. PATRlcK'S CATHEDRAL.
Sermon by Archbishop McCloskey.

Sermon by Archbishop McCIos3ey.
At the principal mass IN the Cathedral yesterday
the altar was neatly Ornanented in honor OF the fes
tlva OF the Pentecost and the ceremonies consisted
OF the solemn high mass, with the Episcopal bene.
dictiOn. The Very Rev. Father STAIRS acted as cee
brant aud was assisted by the Rev. DR.. McSweeny
as deacon, Rev. Father Mclean as sub-deac0n and
Rev. Father Kearney as master Of ceremonies. The
Most Reverend Archbishop occupied his throne at
the gospel side Of the sanctuary and was attended
by his chaplain, the Rev. Father McNeirny. After
the gospel In the mass had been sung his Grace the
Archbishop ascended the pulpit and proceeded to
deliver the sermon His Grace took for the text OF
his discourse the Gospel of the day-John xiv, be-
ginning with the 23d He then called atten-
tOn to the promise made by our Divine Redeemer
when about to remove His personal presence from
His Apostles to ascend to the seat Of His glory In
heaven, that He would send the Holy Ghost, the
Spirit of Truth, to teach them all things, and not
only to teach them all thin but TO abide with them
forever. Ee next drew the picture OF the Apostles
waiting the fuflment Of the promise in the private
place to. which trey had Withdrawn, and then
graphically portrayed the descent Of the Holy Ghost
the effect the Apostles and the subsequent
ast0nshment evinced by those who had known the
Apostles as poor fishermen, Inhabitants OF Gaiee
and now beheld them conversing In all languages
elOquently and earnedly OF the wonderful works OF
God. The reverend preate then alluded to the fact
that t was this miraculous gift OF the Holy Ghost
and the fuflment OF the promise OF Christ which
the Church In every part OF the world was now ceie
to the fact that the Apostles had virtually received
the SPIRIT or the Holy Ghost, before. when their D
vine Master had told them to 60 and teach all ma
tons, and that whose sins they should forgive would
be forgiven; but they had not until the descent al
plenitude OF his gifts, and In visible and sensible
manner. Although Christ had given them permis.
sion to the teachers 81 .ne World ana nad
vested them with the highest prerOgatlves, yet lie
bade them not to enter upon the work OF their mis-
sion until He should send the third person Of the
adorable Trinity to teach them all things and to
abide with them forever. When the Holy Ghost de-
scended upon the Apostles they were filled, and they
started out upon their work Immediately.
The Most Reverend Archbishop then quoted
from the writings OF tn st. oaa Ss 1s ana oaeGs
the Holy Ghost to dwell with the Church OF Christ
forever was like breathing the breath into the body
OF man. The Holy Ghost would be its quckening
and the Spirit breathed into the Church was the
spirit OF truth; that wherever the Church Is there
grace. That the Holy Ghost entered the Church as
Into temples not as transient visitor, but az per-
Church through all coming time. Heresies schisms
and dissensions OF all kinds must come; 1t would De
Of the %ore and Of
and IL the Church were not sustained by the Spirit
how could 1t be perpetuatedf From this the rev.
erend prelate argued that as the Church
now lives despite all the influences OF evil which had
been aimed against 1t was evidence that there has
been that divine light within 1t without which It
could never have survived the prosecutions TO which
its children have been subjected. His Grace then
briefly recOunted the doings OF the general councils
Of the church which have been held under the direc
tion Of Christ's Vicar on eartn, the Pope OF Rome,
and Of the manner in which the Holy Ghost had
manifested Has presence with the Church In the
conducting OF those councils and results which fol
lowed them. He stated that the Holy Ghost spoke
In this council as the voice OF Christ; that Christ
was represented by his Vicar, and that when this
Vicar spoke In the name Of the Church he
spoke under the inspiration OF the Holy Ghost
aluding to the coming Ecumenical Council his Grace
said that whatever may be done or said In that
council we know that the voice In which the Church
speaks Will be identical with that IN which 1t has
spoken in every age and IN all places. That the
Church would speak under the inspiration OF the
Holy Ghost. That, In fact the bishops were sum-
moned from every quarter OF the world TO consult
together, under the guidance OF the Holy Ghost, IN
relation to the preservation OF the truth and the
sanctiication and salvation OF the souls Of men.
The musical portion OF the services, under the di.
rection of Professor Gustav SchmItZ, consisted Of
mass by Giovanni Balta Melneri sung
for the first time. The greater part OF the
composition is arranged for chorus and
Throughout the work there are few solo arrange
ments, but they certainly would not achieve much
glory for their author. The only solo which was az
all worthy OF connecting the concerted parts was the
Ag,uts Del and the beauty oil TINS was materially en-
hanced by the that fell to the lot OF Mrs Wer-
to sing 1t. That lady gives every solo wnch she
sings with 80 much artistic taste and pathos that
even q bad composition might be made 10 appear
line. In the solos other than the Agnus Det the
singers did not appear TO be quite duJdif, and this
The chorus parts were exceedingly well rendered by
the volunteer choir, which Mr. schmtz has trained
most enectvely. If some OF the choir could be
trained little further aud taught to give their voices
rest when ordinary proprlety II not religious zeal.
would obge them To he silent, IT would add much
10 hp and To the comfort OF others.