The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-04
ST. PAUL'S R0iIM CATHOLIC CHURCH
(HARLEM).

Sermon by the Rev. Father McGMirc the
sins OF Cglunny and Detraciion-- DemOunc-
ing the Press and Earper's ''Nnsi,o the
Curicaturisi.
At ST. Paurs Roman Catholic church. 1l7th street,
near Fourth avenue, yesterday high mass was cele-
brated by the Rev. Father OKeeiie, the curate. At
The conclusion Of the first gospel the Rev. Father
MCGUIRE the pastor, assembled the altar and
preached an eloquent and soul-stirrng sermon.
He took his text the first of the eleventh
chapter OF st. Luke, in which our Saviour teaches
His disciples 10 pray, casts out q dumb devil,
cOnfutes the Pharisees and pronounces woes
against them for their hypocrisy. The reverend
gentleman began by saying the Gospel which he
had just read was unusually full OF Christian teach.
Ing. There pronunciation about 1t, but Its
application direct and fun OF meaning for all.
The great principles of Christianity are taught by
1t. We profess to believe IN God and we assure
ourselves that for Him we would lay down our lives;
ana yet we are bad as the Pharisees, because we
do not follow Him and do as we should. What is
SANDER aud detracuons 1t Is to speak ana
publish our fellow mans faults for the
purpose OF inJuring him. 1t is taking
away his character, without which he cannot
-derogating his character or injurlng him IN
any way. There Is another sin even worse. ana
that Is caumny. DetractlOn may pe true, but yet
the less greater the sin. You caumniate others
when you say OF them what Is not true. We know
that those who detract cannot enter into the King
dom OF heaven. You will ask, then, may we not
say what is rrues You may not II what you say he
the purpose OF injurlng your neighbours charaC
ter, and Ii you do it you commit mortal sim And If
love your neighbor as yourself, the Scriptures
tell us, and yet you would not Wish
eeGTs ae e s G1
is committing q sin against truth and justice, ne.
cause every man mas right 70 his property Ii
You deprive him OF that YOU sin against justice.
There Is no man who does not regard his character
as his most valuable possession lnurins man IN
40 yUa1 10 mot IN
justice. This Is SO common that IL Is hardy no.
ticed II Is like an object in the Central Park-in.
treanenty ~ has no no attraction People PIE
scaping knife and t0mahawk in taking the life OF
his enemy. The reverend Father then drew laugh
able picture OF three four Old or Young ladies on
| @ visit TO some acquaintance, and numOrously de-
scribed DacKbtlng that tnen Is carried Oh about
rally who has been guilty of some irregularities.
| There Is no trial more painful to conlessors than
| persons guilty OF those two mortal sins. Con
| tinuing he said:-But you may say you
Nawe 9Is in @ ia Which those sns
| were committed and that you could not help taking
part In them. That is no excuse. In such cases, II
| you know anything good of the person persons
| who are being detraced you should al once speak
| it, but If you do not know anything good OF him or
them you should mold your tongue, and by q severe
! cOuntenance snow those present mat you do not
encourage asperslons on others characters
SO many OF you, my friends, are addicted,
| without deemrng it OF the least consequence to
| your own future welfare, am l to pass over the
| detractons and Calumnles that are INDUCED In
| from day to day by the public press OF this city !?
| snail say nothing OF the calumnes that are heaped
upon the Catholic community OF this city, especially
by the most corrupt anu the most debased press In
the world And yet 1t boasts OF being the educator
! OF the public mind. There IS one periodical par
ilcuiarly, which, because OF its calunnles on the
Catholics OF THIS country, and the Irish people espe-
! clay. deserves public condemnation. In It's
| numbers are to be seen from time TO time
| beastly carlcatures and reading matter which
| no one possessing correct sense OF intelligence
or refinement would allow 10 come under the eyes
| OF hts fanny. The author OF those carcatureS Is q
! fellow known by the name OF 'Nast," a caricature
! himself upon humanity, worse, even, than any oil
which he mas been the author. Another letter sup
| plenenled to ms name would make "Nasty" Ol II,
| and ndecd, that would be the title he should have
| adopted instead OF the one no has, for IL would be
| the most appropriate. In TINS strain Father Nc
CURE continued for some time to denounce the edu-
cation which the KIND OF literature now IN crcula-
uon in this country was calculated to give to the
rising generation.
| Father Mcclure, in conclusion, begged his con-
gregation to be charitable toward each otner, ana 10
| avoid In the future above all, the sins OF caiumny
and detractiOn. These two sins had become so com
mon that he had come upon the altar with the III
tentlon OF treating the subject as thoroughly as ne
| knew how for the purpose OF warning them against
| them IN future, but he mad already detained them
, too long, ana he would postpone what he had fur
| Their until another day.