The Van Buren press., 1870-07-12
CON. !. !. From foi;s Smith Herald.
The Festival OF Corpus Christi.

The l9th June having Deeh SET apart Us Tic
| day for the celebration of the festival Of Cor
| pus Christi. some time before the hour appoin-
ted. throngs of Catholics and Protestants com
menced winding their way towards the
church. Soon the building was filled and
many were promcnading the grounds around.
When the time arrived for forming the pro-
ccssion, the Blessed Sacrament being eleyat-
ed in front of the high altar, an acolyte dress
ed in cassock and surplice, stepped forth up
holding silver cruciiiX, who, bending his
knee before the Sacrament Of his Lord, pass
ed out as leader of those who desiren to hon
or their Redcemer by celebrating this festiv-
al as his His especially. When the cross-bear-
er had passed the altar rails. the young ladies
of the convent dressed in white with wreathes
upon their broWs, and bearing aloft several
beautiful banners, filed by twos from the Sis
ter's Chapel. and genufccting, passed down
the aisle and beyond the church next came
the acolytes dressed in cassocks, surplices
and sashes, some ringing bells to herald the
approach of their Lord and Master as present
in the Host; following them were two CEN
sers, who kept up constant stream of incense
in honor Of the Lord next borne by Father
Smyth, came the Blessed Sacrament, over
which was carried, supported by Gen. W. l..
Gabell Col. b. +. Duval Col. A. f. Sumner,
and Mr.. Borough, a,white canopy, decorated
with flowers and surmounted by a cross. The
b. 5. having thus passed through the church
door. it was followed by the choir and Fort
Smith Brass Band, After leaving the yard,
the boys of the catechism classes decked with
badges of blue and scarlet ribbon followed,
next the band then came the Catholics of our
city, whilst walking alongside or promenad-
ing the grounds were many Protestants.
During the march, salutes were fired from
an impromptu cannon made by some of the
German Catholics. The procession thus form
ed, passed. with music and singing, across the
Little Rock road, and winding through the
grove, reached an altar erected by the Catho-
lie ladies of the city and vicinity. Here such
services as were appropi late for the occasion
were performed; then resumlng the line OF
march they passed through the grove and en-
tered the Convent yard, visited an altar erect
ed by the Sisters in the Convent porch; from
there they returned to the High Altar in the
church. where the Bencdiction was given.
Now, asks the Protestant why all this show
and parade? They surely, if thoroughly vers-
ed in the difference between the Catholic
creed and their own, could not ask this ques
ton through ignorance, The doctrine of
Transubstantation is one that has been too
thoroughly argued and written upon for any
one, not wlfully ignorant, to be unacquaint-
cd with the Catholic doctrine on this point.
Then if the Catholic believes that the Sacra-
ment has been changed by the miraculous
power and decree of the Almighty into the
flesh and blood of the Redeemer, it is his du-
ty to pay as much reverence to the Blessed
sacrament as if his Lord was present in hui
man shape, and if it was proper for the early
disciples to accompany our Saviour to Jerusa-
lem with "Hosannahs.' how much more
ought we, who know the cruel death that our
| Lord suffered. and of his resurrection from
death and the grave, rejoice that it is our
| bounden duty to honor and reverence him in
whatsoever form he may have been pleased
to have declared that he should be with us.
"But them asks the Protestants, "why
| these extra garments and badges?"
The Acolyte with the crucfix leads the pro-
cession, to remind all thoughtless and heed
less persons of the death their Lord suffered
| for thcu and even il Protestants, they could
not but be impressed, in measure by the re-
membrance brought to bear upon them. The
acolytes wear the red cassock beneath the
white surplce. in token that they were cleans
| ed by the bloody sacrifice from their natural
condition to purity as "white as the driven
snow; the red sash draped over their should
| ers in a direction from the altar, denoted that
though their purity might be tarnished by
the world the flesh or the devil, yet still. from
the sacrifice upon the altar, the same cleans
! ing power continually flowed, and was suil-
cient to cleanse the spots that had come upon
them, if properly sought after and received.
The young ladies were dressed in white
and crowned with wreathes, in honor of the
purity of one of their seX-the Virgin Moth
er; they carried their banners as tokens of
their sex having been the heralds in several
instances of essential points of the plan of
salvation.
The acolytes, by their dress, denote the
power of the Blessed Sacrament, and by their
| ringing OF smsll bells, announcing the near
approach of the Sacrament, so that all might
make their suppications and by faith receive
their reward.
The censers, by continual incense, proclaim
that as they waited their incense in honor of
the sacrament, so would all prayers offered in
the name of our Redeemer be waited to the
heavenly throne.
The Blessed Sacrament itself is explained
by the declaration: This is My body that
was broken for you,' and This is My blood
that was shed for you, =" Do this in remem-
brance of me-"
As for the canopy, let us ask any rejecting
Protestant, If they We're satisfied that their
Redeemer was personally present with them
in this enlightened age, would they not shell
ter him from the suns scorching rays and
from the effect of the weather.
The choir and band shout their praises in
glory of Him who redeemed them. The boys
of the catechism classes, by their badge of
blue (truth) and scarlet (blood) ribbons de-
noted that they had learned and belived in
the truth of the bloody sacrifice, and by their
attendance sought to give honor unto the sac
riiice then present. The congregation, many
of them with lighted tapers by their attend
ance followed the example OF the disciples of
old aud by prayers sought to obtain further
blessings from Him who had blessed them
before.
The large attendance of Protestants, and
their orderly behavior were sources of graft
fication to their Catholic friends, and many
prayers were offered that the services then
witnessed might lead many to investigate
both their own and the Catholic doctrines. so
as to lead them to one Lord, one church, one
faith, one baptism and one fold.