The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08
ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

His InGdeIity-What the Church Thinks Of
Faith.
Notwithstanding the wretched state OF the
weather, yesterday morning q large congregation
attended at the high mass, though 1t was notice.
able that many pews were without their usual full
numbers The music Of the mass was excellent
MI. Danforth, the organist, being in an especially
happy mood. Miss Emma Howson, the soprano
sang with her usual good TASTE and Nine. Bowler
with an accomplished grace and purity OF voice
that were alike devotional ana artistic. SignOr
COlett, who has been absent for some weeks with
the Nilsson troupe, again In his place, and sang
superbly, as he always does.
High mass celebrated by the Rev. Father
Lynch ana after the FIRST gospel the Rev. Father
McCready preached taking his text from the twen-
tleth chapter Of st. John.
His resurrection from the dead in virtue OF His
own divine power was always appealed to by Christ
as the great test OF His mission and His divinity.
He was humbly born He suffered unheard OF priva-
TONS "He was Knocked and He reved not" for in
all He iookei forward to the glory or Easter morn
! ing. When men asked signs OF Him He referred
them to sign similar to that OF Jonas the prophet
He Is threatened with Violence and lie boldly tells
! His enemies TO destroy
| THE TEMPLE OF HIS BODY,
and in three days He Will raise 1t up again. Finally
| lie is tortured, ana dies rs the maletactOr on the
| ignominiOus tree. and while men mock and revIie
| ana call Hun sacrlleglo us one, He answers not
word, well knowing that the iOur shall yet come
! when He Will make good all that He has promised
HIS resurrection, then, was to be the convincing
proof oil Ills divinity. On that he mad all along
rested HI claim either TO be acknowledged as the
Messiah or to be rejected as a mover OF SECTIONS
Hn s ac SsS ss a
lie mad permitted the reality Of His resurrection
In order the more fully TO establish us truth The
| other disciples as well as
| THE HoLf WOMEN
who were associated with these In the Infant Church
had already gwen their adhesion to the great mar
vel OF the resurrection. Thomas, however, was II ct
TO be imposed upon by any specious appearance
lie had mind OF his own, and he was determined
to ,ne MIRACLE and CHRIST was pleased 20 give him
tue opportunity, as well out OF compassion for his
'f00'' his OWN WISE DESIGNS.
| tie ioresaw mat ~ alter times Others would wish
| OF doing so, and without the honesty, perhaps TO
express their belief IN 1t without this test, even
after other sufficient motives OF credioility were
have not seen and have believed" st. Thomas
was no DOUBT blessed too, as he gave most un.
| himself beyond doubt that It was Jesus, the
crucihed, VINO stood before hlm. lie no longer
divinity OF ms divine LORD wnen he used those lew
but sublime ana expressive words-"My Lord and
| my God" Yet his oi1ef sceptlcsm deprived him
! OF the most abundant blessing promised the humble
unquestioning believer. TINS blessing embraces ali
| The benedcton was shared by the patrarcns and
prophets. abraham rejoiced to see my day; he
IN the future, through the medium or faith or thai
same blessing we TOO are the recipients Though
we nave not touched Win our hands, nor
| SEEN WITH OUR EYES
those blessed wounds Of the man-dod, we vet be-
| nrmed iaitn all that the Apostles believed. Nor
must the blessing be restricted to benedlctlon OF
divinity through the resurrection 1t extends to all
the truths which are the object or divine faith--al
the competent authority as the revealed word OF
God. what then are we 10 do IN order, on the one
on the other, 10 become partakers Of the blessings
reserved 1T who n believe sy Without sssS az
definition OF faith, which we are there told Is a
divine virtue whereby we believe everything which
and eGSa unto US His
may be sinned against IN two ways-el!ler
~ ,.,o,, BY DEFECT OR BY EXCESS; 49,
py uelect oy detractlng from faith and Citing TOO
much To reason; by excess. by exaggeratng the
virtue, by laying greater stress upon t than IL can
wen bear, or by atrl0nlng TO 1t power which God
never intended that It should sinsy exert. Those
SIN by defect VINO affect TO dnd a repugnace or
CONTRADICTION between revelation ana reason be.
tween Gods revealed word and their own notions
OF what Is true or what Is false. OF what possible
ana what Is not possible Tney set up their intellect
as the standard and measure OF truth. Whatever
IN laltn seems TO them improbable must be re-
Tar as 10 demand that tho Cnurchwwhich is
the dlvinely appointed exp0sitor or the inIal-
which, like another Moses sne Is RECEIVING the law
from the Holy spirit. and PROSTATE herself with
| OF tnelr own unaided and ll-dirccted human
| {eason. Those who SIN by excess entertain belief
! That amounts almost TO q presumption In God 3
mercy. We have che testimony OF the Saviour say
ing, mot every one who saith to me, Lord Lord,
doetn the VIII OF my Father who Is In heavenn And
again He says "Not the hearers OF the law but the
doors slall be justine1D We are told, TOO, that |
good works are as necessary to faith the soul Is
TO the body, Tho Catholic Church by means |
denies the necessity and efficacy OF faith, but she
very far indeed rom aurlDuting TO II tnose grand
effects which
HER ENEMIES.
claim Tor II. She has neId Jnat without faith it Is |
impossible TO please Cod. She BOWS suDmisslvely to
those words OF the Saviour when lie says, He that
believes and Is bapuzed shall be saved; but he that
bclevctn not shall be condemned,n while she re-
marks at the same time that lie does not say simply
that he who believes SHAH be saved; thus showing |
that something more - required for salvation than
faith merely. The Cnurcn gives 10 iath It's due |
merit but she Will not overrae IT, She incucates l
the necessity OF laith In the matter OF salvation, and
requires n as foundation which 10 rear the spr-
itua eulnce Taking her stand on the solid basis OF