New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-21

Ouinlan's appearance presents q certain
massi veness Of outline that is, III itself, full
of majesty, and the solemn ceremony was
made the more solemn for it. In the mass,
Bishop Quinlan was assisted by the Rev. r.
j. Finn, a most eloquent and earnest
priest, as deacon, the Rev. j. Moynihan, Jr.,
Ia nephew of the pastor OF st. Johns as
sub-deacon; the Rev. Cornelius Moynihan,
who, in his own person, challenges with his
brother, the love and devotion Of the Catho-
lie communities of our city. and the Rev: j.
H. Kennedy, the young and popular assist
ant of St Johns, acting, for the occasion.
as deacOns Of honor.
The gospel had been chaunted; the sa-
cred offices of the mass had proceeded SO
far; Father Moynihan, who, for the nonce
yielding his pr vileges, had occupied him
self with the administrative details OF the
occasion, had, for the first time, seated
himself, when
FATHER RYAN
advanced to the chancel door to deliver the
dedication sermon. This young priest Is
an exceptional man in these brazen days OF
ours. AS a poet he ills fully the measure
of the dreams of those who believe that
genuine poetry is the highest expression of
intellectual purity. and that patriotic
poetry is the highest expression OF nation
atty. AS priest he bears within his sim
gle life all those elements Of humble duty
and of wise simplicity that make the Chris
tian teacher. AS All orator he is magnetic;
he not only rules the feelings OF men
through their minds, but he throws himself
upon their hearts by marvellous inspira-
ton in thoughts, in words, in manner. As
man he is blameless in the sanctities OF
his private life. All of Father Ryan's ser
mons are studies in themselves-studies not
only of eloquence but OF vivid fancy, Of
searching analysis and Of an invincible and
adamantine belief in the faith of which he
is so supreme an exposition.
We regret that we are not able to give
more than an abstract OF
THE DEDICATION SERMON.
Father Ryan, warming with his subject,
is one of those who cannot easily be fol-
lowed. We do not Touch for the correct
ness of the language. We can certainly
vouch, however, for the correctness OF the
doctrine, as stated.
Fifth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, begin
ming at the eighteenth verse
The act of today, my brethren, is visibly an act
of the successors of the Apostles Centuries ago,
the disciples of Jesus. the humble, uhlettered men
of Galilee, were found teaching i'll the temp e
teaching in that name which they both loved and
Misunderstanding to the common multitude the
words of eternal life. They were brought before
the Council. tribunal that united the highest
learning with the most imposing disnitles OF re-
in that name p questioned they; "and behold you
have filed all Jerusalem with your dOctrlhe
But Peter then uprose and said: Yea, you did
charge us not to teach in that name, but we ought
to obey God rather than men,"
When they heard this they were cut to the heart
and sought to rid themselves of these pestilent
telOws-these troublesome teachers of new
creed. Then arose old Gamaliel, an aged doctor.
man of many experiences. one esteemed by al
men. Put these men FORTH said he, out OF the
Council Chamber" though he were afraid they
would hear what he had to say-a little fearful lest
they, should hear that he, learned Pharisee
MY brethren. if this thing be Of men, 1t will come
to naught if of God we can not overthrow it, lest
haply we be found fighting against God
And Gamalie right Rest the weight of the
world ON Gamahels propositions it will stand it.
The Catholic Church has stood against the OPP
pre- ssOn and persecution of rulers i'll high places
the caumny of schools and of cIeeds; aud behold IT
to-day, in its oneness, its purity and its strength
the when first watched over and guard Dy
the Apostles. And whyl Because it is divine not
human work. and what is OF God cannot be set al
naught by man.
Christ is not book. He is mana man that
came out of heaven for great and glorious work
The Chmc h which He established is the most Wis
IDLE proof His divinity and must represent Him.
in its divinity, in every that representative
can represent the person represented. And this is
why we look the world i'll the face to-day; that our
voices triumphant, and We seem to lose sight OF
the sweet virtue of humility. Far across historic
ages the voice ofmy church is heard. 1t was born
of Christ. 1t wrestled with the pagan world, and
came of victorious. 1t stood before the Mussul
mems creed, and to-day il srdles the earth With
girdle of power
And call YOU OH shrouded Gamaliel to come
out of your grave. Oh dead Gamaliel. you said
long ago, that if this work be of men. it would
come to naught, but, if OF God, men could not over
throw it. Come, stand before me, and see that
prophecy fulfilled. 1t is the church OF God because
it has conquered the world ana because the
world, in proudest hour, has never been able 10
conquer ii.
lou men of the nineteenth century ever given
to cavil aud to a contemptuous analysis or every
sacred thing disprove what | have said II you
can Here IS fact 1t rests on the world from the
rays of the morning to the curtains of the evening
land That fact is the Catholic church. Ioueh ~ II,
grave frly linked side by side, with those that
raised the cross for God.
they were leading Him up Calvary, that they led
Him up to coronation and victory: that the blood
which was ahont TO flow would rest upon the
world DIS the blood of benediction or that OF male
dictOn.
They have tiled TO destroy us, but my church
has gone down the ages Ii has said the De Pro-
funds at the graves OF all who have pulled down
our temples and trampled upon our shrines. II
has sung thei requiem and written their ePitaPh
Therefore, call old Time with his hoary locks
Old Time, passing so'emnly by on his appointed
courses, halt and tell us what YOU know Halt,
and tell the wondrous story of the Cathollc
Church. Who better than YOU can speak of its
lials and its tIiumphs2 You it meet the
Roman legiops i'll their pride of strength and
their arrogance of power; and you saw how that
strength was weakened and that power abated.
You saw it meet the Mahommedan hosts when,
with their cry of Death to the Christian they
rushed upon the civilized world: and you saw,
aud can tel lis too, how shamed and Inundated,
the Crescent bowed before the Cross. You saw it
meet every sOphism and crumble it in its strong
hand-Ineet literature and rdicule and infdelity
And above all waved the lily white hand of the
bride of the Lamb of God
l would not, brethren. demean myself, or stoop
to try to prove the divinity of nv church as the
true church. 1t needs no tongue but its past and
BRING the 20 Word st of God the trues of
faith. We shrink not from the test. Bring old ira
dition and historic facts-they are our friends.
Bring the swori-Our bodies strong to endure
and we not. Bring the torch. the faggot. the
tortur--we are used to them. By every test APP
piled the truth shines forth bright. clear and tri-
umphant. Divinity is power, and we are divine.
God is with us in our temples, upon our ataIs and
within hearts. Here are power. Aye,
we are power-a power stretching across the
boundaries of the spiritual world; possessing a
vaster and more extensive sway than was ever ex-
ercised by crowned and sceptred mOnarchs. And
as that power, We evoke from the world its two
greatest principles-intensest love and intensest
hate. ntensest love, in that all encircled by the
arms of the mother church and resting upon her
bosom. ready, when that mothers honor and
principles assaed, tn weld their lives glad
and willing sacrifice to eheid and sustain her. In
tensest hate, in that the proud world turns with
bitter jealousy from closed confessional and
absOlutIOn, gives sheer to our assertion that We
go back to the days of the $. of God; that Oul
birth and lineage in its royalty, outsadOws tina,
of earth'S statelieSt kings.
This temple brethren, built and completed sc
far, and that will by Gods blessing, at far dis
tant day, stand forth in finished beauty. symbol
ICES the Catholic Church. 1t contains the three
great powers-testimony conservation and abso
utlOn Its testimony in the real presence upon Its
altar, its cOnsecratlng priesthood and its power o.
dissolution. As no system of religion can appear II
be the true religion that does not enslIine within
itself the three imperial powers of testimony, con
servation and absOlutlOn, SO 10 temple can be
true one that does not emhody those pow rs Sc
hither you Will come, my brethren, at all hours
and seasons whether the heart be buoyant and thu
step firm and strong or whether with an unsee1
nay Seor YOUR MakeS S .py
lifetime, but III your dyii 6 hours, viii the Ole