The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-22
ST. FRANCIS XivIER,S CHURCH.

What is Hope s-SermOn by tho Rev. Father
Cussu, s.. j.
The services at the Church Of st. Francis Xavier
yesterday forenoon were, as usual, grand and I'm
prcssive. Tho musical part OF the ceremonies was
all that could be expected OF the exceedingly excel
lent choir, led by Professor Berge the accomplished
oreanis The splendid weather had the effect
bringing out the female portion OF the fashionable
congregation OF the church in all their wealth ana
splendor OF summer style; for, be It known though
summer has not come yet according TO the calendar
the ladies who keep up to the mark In the matter
the
NEWEST KIND OF BONNETS
and outfits OF satlns and silks have summarilJ
decreed that the spring is ut an end and that sum
mer attres are already en- re0e. In fact this church
divides the fashionable honors OF the Catholic com.
munity with 81. stephens, and would be certain tc
QUITO the latter but for the fact OF It's accom- moda
tons being rather limited. Everybody who thinks
himself or herself fashionable goes to either one
church or The other and If the congregations Of bot
happen TO be largely made up or people who believe
that religious fcrvor can go hand IN hand with ali
that the rules and regulations Of the most stringent
fashion exact that fact not deter the poor and
needy who have to go to service bright and early in
the morning in their rough and ready clothes. from
being goou Christians. Al least so the fash!onables
think.
The sermon yesterday was delivered by the Rev.
Father Cassa who took for his subject that very
valuable vrtue-hore He explained how there
was natural ana supernatural hope. The former
gave renewed strength to the farmer as he cast his
seed into the ground and suggested the merchant
promises, or successful speculatlons, while it sus-
tanned Ills falling courage in the hour OF liz misor-
tune. Hope beams forth smiles to the youth VINO Is
just beginning his career. and conveys before his
eyes
A LANDSCAPE OF BEAUTY
ami attraction That lures him on TO noble deeds
ana TO the attainment OF great name. Though at
times there might be nists and clouds on the norl-
Zon. the aspirations OF the really determined new er
Iail 70 break through them all Supernatural hope
parto * not OF things that OF this EARTH earthly,
which have no soiil basis. When God created man
he created him for but one purpose and one end
eternity. ii man centred his hopes on the de-
caying objects OF this life, and gave way to his In
clinatlons for the things OF the world no aid not
pied the dust under his feet, ana yet called 1t his
last end The object OF his alteration, and paid
rupcd and destroyed man who placed all MS
hope upon the things 0. this life was ike one who
Ealing into swii-running river, would again ami
again grasp for
THR PLANK or SAFETY,
and. finally missing his held OF IT, would sink, never
more TO rise. Though ne might at first cling to it
Desperately, wave after would dash against
him, until ne would finally nave to succumb. Tie
man who was welded 10 the things OF this life was
like such u man. No matter what schemes he might
devise what plans organize, they would In the long
run vanish into nothingness. lie who placed all his
hopes in the corruptible things OF the world and
was disappointed often ended his career In suicide
That was one OF the results OF misplaced hope. The
proper way Tor man 10 DO was never TO forget that
his life Is but
AN AVENUE TO ETERNfTY;
that our days here below arc certain to be num-
bered and that after that eternity begins Mans
ambition should not be circumscrioed by time or
limited by nature. The enjoyment TO God was
last end. ana this life was but an exiIe. Super
natural hope, therefore, was the expectation we
had OF attaining 10 the happiness OF heaven through
the merits OF Jesus Christ. 1t was the food Of the
Christian pilgrim, and though clouds might hover
between us aud heaven IL lifetime; though faith
should be tested by God In the taking away OF
darling child tender mother sister or o loving
wife or husband, IL ever would be the same-sO
dazzling AS To break through every mist until He who
always gave us the grace and means TO attain our
salvation was clearly revealed TO US In Gil His divine
radiance. The reverend speaker then closed Dy ex-
hurtlng the congregation SO to act In this world
that ther hope OF eternal salvation might be realized
In the world To come IN all its eternal beattude.