The New York herald., 1869-03-01
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.

Sermon by the Rev. Father Grinls.
There was q numerous congregation at this COM
modious edince yesterday. and the services were e
usual, marked by all the solemnity Characteristic or
the Roman Catholic Church. The Rev. Dr. McSweeny
was tine of1ciating clergyman.
At the termination OF the first gospel the Rev
Father Griffin preached q sermon taxing his text
from the gospel of the day, which described the
casting out Of the spirit. The reverend gentleman
referred to the fact that the soul falling om stats
OF grace into sin became worse than before, ana on
that account 1t was important to know what would
prevent from reapsng into sin after onoe having
been freed from It. The application OF splri-
tual reading. he thought, was ons Of the
best preventives OF ncklencss or inconstancy.
because it makes us better acquainted with our.
selves, ana because, BY 1t, we know more o. God
perused the lives Of those who had ACQUIRED ceIs.
brity In the world, and accordingly devoted them
selves more asslduously 20 their tnturo business,
given to us as examples; yet the history of the
heroes OF God should be ore closely etFIt,ed thar
ne world hsS n rews n ~ supovs ns Ss nsU q
baton that came 10 him from ai quaxfers But the
man who was struggling Tor saynfion was 3 greater
ngnt against the powers of "a. The studyinS =
OF the lives Of those spiritual heroes was
ATTENDED WITH f,u the ,su., mSs ssnss s:u
time their lives would instruct % ID the path 20
heaven. Spiritual reading helped a. In our duties
towards God and towards man. Unquestionabiy
the world considered good people. Il was easy 70
give aims, to 20 to church on Sunday AMI iusfruc
the ignorant; but they found Il very difirult 10
pray. for temptations and distractions rushed In
upon them from all sources Under snch circun,-
stances the spiritual had difcut task to perforrp
Spiritual reading surfnOunfs the difculty that MANY
Christians encounter when inQ 70 hold com.
munIon with God. II made rs more thouphffnl ana
lives and strengthened our pefy Ii was only the fnlse
and ignorant man who Was rash In nla udeme et ana
condemned people without Knowing the other side
The man OF thought and real spirituality was always
which ever distinguished him from the wicked. lie
urged upon the congregation the Importance az
applying the mind 70 the study OF the Word Of Cod
by reading and medltating npon whaievcr was pro-
lead to salvation. He especially recommended the
studying OF the life Of the Lord and particularly
that portion 10 which the gospel OF the day alluded
by studying @ me passion and agony q the Lord We
life which is generated ~ mcditating upon snfYer-
ing is imbued with holy ana sympathetic fceliuRs and
by thinking on the sunernRs Of our Lord ana think
ing snat HIS ssony vas undergone Cor Us oar love
passion Is the source OF grace and salvation, ana
the more We approach " Him In Hir suncrinRn and
station ourselves near the cross by pious medita-
tion the more b0nnti1uily shal We pnrtake OF HIS
listened 70 win nevout attention, and 81 the con-
clusion OF the sermon mass was continued. The
musical portion ~ the services was ~ usual appro
PIRATE and well Ierformel. fnll choir was in at
splendid efRck In the c7edo, the solot BY Nine. De
Lussars soprnno; N. Taiuaro, tenor and Signor
CollctA, nsseo were given with much feeling anc
Gus, evibdc.mg both careful training and finish.
Ait0tethtr, the choral nrfailemeDfa under the d.
recti'h o h hefGe were c1icicnt and satfsfactory.