The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-15
ST. PATaIcKs csTHECaAL.
The Spread Of Cathc,icity--sermon by Very
Rev. Father STAIRS.

The Spread OF Cathelicity--ssernaon by Very
Rev. Father STAIRS.
The services at st. Patrck's Cathedral yesterday
morning were more than usually solemn ana ill-
pressive. The spacious and beautiful building was
crowded by large and evidently interested congre-
CATION, and high mass was sung with grand and
powerful effect by the Cathedral society, numbering
thirty we'll trained voices. The mass selected for
the occasion was one In manuscript by Torente, one
OF the sweetest and most gifted composers The
choruses were thrilIingly powerful and sweled
into the deepest and most melliluous har.
mony, while the solos ana duos were
full OF tender pathos breathing the softest
whisperngs to the devout soul, and filing it
with the most eloquent religious aspirations The
mass is in minor, and opens with the Kyrie In
chorus and terzetto. Then follows the Gloria
another chorus; Lduddntus, soprano solo; Domino
Deus, dueto, tenor and basso; Qat Salts, concerted
piece; cum Sd,ctus basso solo and chorus Et IN
Cd'ndtns, soprano solo; Eth Sot,'ituA1, terzetto
Tor alto tenor and basso and the o1ertory Ecce
Iu'ts, by Belllni, solo and quartette. The principal
singers were Madame Chome, soprano; Mrs erner
alto; Mr. IL. schmitz TENOR and Mr. A. Sohst
usual ability at the organ
:, AZ the appropriate, period in the service Very
assembled the pulpit and preached an eloquent and
instructive sermon taking hts text from Matthew
XIII sEA gts ne s ana ending
dom OF heaven being like unto grain OF mustard
seed, which man takes and sows In his field, &c.
The preacher said:-We may all, beloved brethren,
readily conceive and understand how In these SINH.
tudes, our beloved Lord and Saviour spoke truly OF
things hidden from the foundation OF the world in
the remarkable parable you have just heard. He
spoke OF the kingdom q heayen, ~ which, in the
language OF Scripture, he usually designated His
Churen or His Spiritual kingdom on earth. lie
spoke OF its SIMPLE and obscure beginning, Of its
gradual development and OF its future destiny ana
because OF It's seeming inssnihcance, he lkened it
TO little grain Of mustard seed, which Is the
smallest OF all seeds. These words can be understood
by US all. There is nothing hidden ~ them. What
could be more lonely Or seemingly insignificant
than The position occupied by the twelve Apostles
or what more unpretending man among them than
the meek and lowly Jesus Yet here was the
beginning OF that Church OF which He spoke.
And, as ME grain Of mustard seed sprung up and
became tree In the branches OF which the BIRDS of
the air came and dwelt, 80 this Church likewise
sprang up and spread and extended itself so that
all the nations and the tribes OF the earth were glad
to come and repose under It's all-Dowerfu branches
Ii Is true, II was insignificant In Jerusalem at the
commencement but IL soon extended to Antioch,
and from city to city, from town TO town, from vii
lage to village, and into the country, until II ex
tended itself 10 the extremites Of the earth. And
what Is the meaning OF this spread OF the matuied
seedS These words are explained by our divine
Saviour Himself. 1T Is only by divine authority that
these things could take place me reverend gentle.
man having gone on at length TO explain the
continuity and truthfulness OF the Catho-
| lie Church. and having alluded in glowing
| terms TO lis glorious triunpns over al Oh.
staces ana prosecutions, continued to say
in later days the Church had trials to suffer from her
| own chdren-some OF her own perverse children,
Schlsms arose. hereseswere preached and sensations
| were created throughout the world, but she has
again trumphed and these very children OF her own
| ialth were glad TO come and seek reconciliation
/ Nth her before they were taken from TINS earth
Ans little grain OF mustard seed has spread W.
Hbranches throughout every part OF the world
Mherever IL ~ inhabited, and no matter what trial
Ne Church OF God has 10 endure she Will uiuin pi