The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-02
ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Sermon by the Rev. Father Lyncl-The
Rosary-The Fashionable CONGREGATION and
the Elmo Music.
At st. Stephens church yesterday morning there
was large congregation in attendance at high
mass. and. as usual, the display OF wealth and
fashion was on grand SCALE Galleries and aislcs
were full OF brilliantly dressed ladies' who while
seemingly engaged In deep DEVOTION could not have
been unconscious OF the grace and elegance OF their
toilets. Seldom, even in this church. famed for the
perfection OF its choir, has o mass been sung SO
well was that OF yesterday. The CHOIR, composed
Of leading artists, seemed as II under
SOME STRONG IMPETUS
to render Its inspiring influence to the worship and
the result was grand concert OF sacred melody
The choir Is double quartet, under the leadership
OF the organlst, Mir. H. b. Danforth. and consists OF
the following named artists:-First soprano, Miss
Emma Howson; SECOND soprano, Miss Heerwagen;
first contralto, Miss Benzigef second oontrato Miss
hohTann first tenor Carl gsrnaard second tenor
bass. Mr.. Neck. Miss Howson Is The soprano OF the
Riching's English opera; Mr.. Bernhard a leading
bass Of the italian opera. Miss Benziger besides
being an excellent singer, Is also an accomplished
artists as those named above it is UNNECESSARY to
say that the rendering OF all the parts was superb.
signor Coctu sang the ".yeni Creators before the
"Credo, and "Gloran were most brilliantly exc
cuted. The ofertory piece was Rosslni's "Tell,n
vesDers IN the afternoon the singing was also espe
cially good.
The mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father
McCready. After the first gospel the Rev. Father
Lynch assembled the pulpit and preached
HIS MAIDEN SERMON
FEAST OF the Holy Rosary.u lie saio this devotion
possessed peculiar interest, from It's historical
very inception. He related how st. Demnick hav-
Ing tried III vain all the powers OF argument and
eloquence against the sect of the Alblgenses, who
had arisen in France IN the eleventh century, had,
in his last extremity recourse TO the Blessed Virgin.
she, the legend goes on, presented HIM with
CHAPLEr OF BEADS,
instructed him In the manner OF saying them, and
promised that by assocatng others with him In the
devotion his abors would be crowned with success.
The event proved the truth of the Virgins promise
In an incredibly short space those stubborn heretcs
were numbered among the faithful children Of the
were attributed to the devout recitation OF the
Rosary. But still greater victory, and one fraught
the belief Of ali good Catholics in the eiicacy Of the
prayers o. the Queen OF the Holy Rosary" This
WV ~ battle OF LEpASro,
In the year 1871 wherein the defeat OF the Turkish
armada by comparatively small Christian Meet,
tual check given to the Moslem power in Europe,
were attributed by all pious catholics to the inter-
the members OF the ''Holy Rosary.''
The preacher then entered into an explanation OF
the devotion, meeting the objections Of those who
A "MUMMERY.'
We could hardly apply such al cpiihet 10 a form
OF prayers composed Of the "Our Father" OF the
santation Of Tie angel to the Virgin, the inspired
words OF the Mother OF the Baptist, the Apostles
creed and the Doxoogv. Yesterday was the three
hundredth anniversary OF the battle OF Lepanto and
this fact invested the subject with more than ordi
nary interest. The preacher next showed how,
from the days OF ST Domnick, this had been privi
legged devotion In the Church, pointed out the
beauty or the prayers and mcdltat0ns OF which IL Is
composed, and finally exhoIted all who wished
TO be numbered among the devout children OF the
Church to the practice OF devotion nj once 80 SIM
ple and so sublime.