The New York herald., 1871-12-04
ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Urs SIEFHEN'S kOWAN CATuOLkC CHURCH.
EIoqaent Discourse by tho Rev. Father
McCready-vivid FOrtrniiurc OF tho Day oI
JudGment-Tho Contrast Between Christ
tie saviour and Christ the JuGse-A Ter.
riblc Sceue-Invitmiie" 10 Ecst In God.
At ST. Stephens churcn yesterday morning ow
ing doubtless. in no small degree 10 the clemency
OF the weather, the congregation was very large.
| The winter fashions were amply displayed by the
| lady worshppers who. as usual, were the majority
| OF the audience. Miss Emma Eowson was In excel.
lent voice. and sang q "vcm Creator, after the
Gospel with all tue sweetness aud fidelity OF tone
for which she Is justly noted. MIR. Danforth, tue
organisf, also displayed his usual ability.
High mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father
LoveJoy. After the first Gospel the Rev. Father
McCready assembled the pulpit. and preached an
eloquent discourse from Luke, xxi 70 33-"And
there shall be signs In the sun, the moon and the
starsn &c Such Is the piCtIre drawn bv the hand OF
the mighty artist VINO created the heavens and the
earth by His omnipotcnt word OF that day which JOB
calls day or calamity and misery, the great and
very bitter day when God shall come to Judge and
to destroy His own work On to-day,
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT,
the Church inaugurates ner ecclesiastical year. ON
last Sunday she terminated the year thar has lust
gone by with an invitation to mediate on the awful
portens and prodogies which are to precede aud to
usher in the day or eternal doom. To-day she again
presents us with the same subject for rejection.
There Is something unusual but oy no means unac-
couEtable this seeming persisency OF the Church
In placing before US on two consecutive Sundays the
same Identical subject for renccuon But In this,
ss In all things else where mans salvation is con-
cerned. the conduct OF the Church cncits adm,.
ration. In the present instance her action very
wise and very natural. She closes the Old and com
menccs the new year with a meditation on tho last
judgment. to reminl lis that this great accounting
day shall he
THE LAST OF TIME AND TIE BEGINNING OF ErER-
to teach us that oil our deeds must begin and end
in view OF that day when the most secret thoughts
OF our lives shall be revealed before the worldthat
day when, before the assembled universe. shall be
bestowed praise or cens1re reward or punisllment.
In unison with the dictates OF conscience and
souance with tho measure OF Gods holy law or ac-
cordng as they shall have been performed in orpo-
siton to those tests. She has set apart ami dcdi-
Gated TO works OF penance PRAYER and humiliation
the four weeks preceding Christmas, In order hat
her children may prepare for the anniversary OF
Lords first advent In q manner pleasing to Him and
profitable to ourselves On this first Sunday Of Ad-
vent, however, snc carries Us in Imagination be-
yOnd HIS first 10 Ills second coming This she does
in The nope hat uy rejecting on the coming OF our
Lord as
THE TERRIBLE AND JUST JUDGE.
she may arouse her children TO receive with faith
conriMon ana love .nas same COO whose s advent
helpless BaDe of Bethlehem. separated as these
two advens are ., centuries they arc withal nti-
are awakened TO sense OF the duties and Obga-
tions entaiied on US by his FIRST coming at is ap.
pointed unto mau once 10 die, aud after that the
Judgment" says the Apostle. But, besides this par
ticnlar Judgment TO be passed each individual at
the moment OF the separation OF soul and tOdy 1t Is
All article of Catn0lic faith, or which we make pro-
fession in Apostles Creed, that all mankind shall be
judged IN the Valley OF Jchosaphat. Thus the Apos
lie says 10 the Corinthians:-.We must all appear
before the judgment seat OF Christ, that every
a. he tatn done whether Il be good or ev' AS THIS
is a scene In which we must an take part let us
judge ourselves now ihat we may not @ be lungedn
OF this manifestation Of our Lord In His advent Ill
might aud power. There shall be signs says our
Lord, '.in the sun, the moon, the stars and on tile
Garth distress OF natous by reason OF the confusion
| OF the roaring OF the sea amt OF the waves; men
} whitening away through lear ana expectation OF
, what shall come upon the whole world: for the
powers OF Heaven shall be moved and they shall
power and majesty.n Iut high above ali TINS
! clamor aud confusion and dismay
! TIE MIGHTY VOICE oF TUE ARCHANGEL'5 TaUNPEr
shall 20 forth, and In tones iouder and more deep
than The OF the cataract or the sartllng peal OF
the thunder storm lie % shall proclaim Arise ye
| IN the twinkiing OF the eye-the same omnipoicnt
power, at whose nau the heavens aud the earth
| came INTO existence shall again reanmate the
bodies that have for ages lam Wondering IN the
dust At the same moment the gorgeous nausoea
umarsed tombs OF the victims OF many a
deadly strife shall give up their long
there before the judgment seat But the angels
have TO separate them. presently the heavens open
and Inc Son OF Man appears; Uut now inherent TINS
| from Hts nist coming. Then lie appeared Is the
tender infant, wrapped IN swaddling clothes, lying
on little hay IN the rude manger Now lie comes
! as the King OF Kings and Lord OF Lords, In whose
sight those who reJolced In the oil mighty
| aud powerful are as nothing. Then lie hal for at.
tendants Mary and Joseph, while
THE ok AND THE ASS SHARED HIS ROOF.
Now myriads OF angels watt upon Him. the hosts Of
heaven do Him honor and countless thousands ol
HIS redeemed and sanctined are caught up III the
clouds 10 meet Him, singing "Hosannah TO the Son
oil David; blessed u lie VINO cOmein IN the me OF
The Lord.n He was once the loving saviour; lie Ii
here the stern Judge. II Is not now The soliIary
star directing he Magi thar tells where Is 70 oe found
the long wishcd-for OF nations, but the respendenI
cross borne BY angels proclaming that crucined
Ii coming 10 avenge Himself. And the sight OF thai
cross he II nlls with Joy and happiness tie souli
OF the elect, strikes terror into tie hearts Of tnS
reprobate.
| the last judgment drawing contrast between the
POSITION OF the saved AID the damned ana en-
Ing
> sHUDDERISG PEELING
by his portrayal Of the unavaing remorsc and
| eternal wretchedness OF the doomed. lie tnen con
tinued 10 exhort his hearers constant vigilance
! aud preparation. In the eplstIe OF to-day Goo CALI
before using HIS gospel threats, TO arise shake
OF that latal lethaigy which compels HIS disples
ure. "And that knowing the time, that II Is thS
hour 20 arise from sleep; for how our salvation Il
nearer tnan wnen we believed; the night is passed
the day is al Eand; ct us therefore, cast on tht
OF hight. With the psalmst, | w0uIt
say:-"ro.day II you heariS voice harder
not your heartan And God will speak u
your heart He will whisper to you:-''Arise. shake
OF youl s!o.iI; come TO me- viii receive you witt
open arms but if you refuse will come upon yol
eh1A. Etnf tn 0FA tuvfl "A