The New York herald., 1872-10-28
ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL,
The Spirit OF IndiTerentism-Serm by
the Rev. Father McNamcc.

The Spirit or IndiTerc tism-Sermo by
tho Rev. Father McNamcc.
The Cathedral was crowded yesterday with the
regular members Of the congregation at the high
mass services. The music was very fine, in
marked contrast to that OF the Sunday previous.
The mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father
Kearney, and the sermon was preached by the
Rev. Father McNamee, who took for his text the
Gospel Of the day according to st. Matthew, in
which mention Is made Of the daughter OF "a cer-
tain ruler" who came to the Saviour ana said,
Lord my daughter is even now dead; but come,
lay Thy hand upon her and she shall live."
Taking as the basis OF his discourse this
portion OF the Gospel and that relating to
the Saviour's meeting the woman who had been
ailing for twelve years and who touched the hem
OF His garment and was healed. the reverend gen.
tleman argued to show that without faith 1t was
impossible to please God; in fact that 1t was i'm
possible to please God II we had only faith and prac
ticed not good works. The lesson given us by the
Ruler and the woman mentioned in the Gospel, he
said, ought to be taken to heart by every Christian
They mad faith in
THE POWER OF THE SAVIOUR
and 1t mad not failed them In the hour of their
tribulations. In this age OF indnerentsm in which
we live the lesson is full OF meaning Nowadays
men went about their business utterly regardless
OF anything that was not Of the world. They
was in store for them in the world to
come, and eternity for them to all appearances
per-a something which nobody ought to bother
their heads about 1t was one thing lor man to
sickle about this or that
SET OF RELIGIOUS TENETs;
quite bad enough for him to believe that one re-
ligon was just as good as another, and that SO
long as he did no positive wrong It was not In
cumbent upon him TO do good works, to work for
the good, the salvation OF others. But o man who
pretended to be Christian and yet was lukewarm
fot
Indifferent as to what God expects Of him, was
,sniod What mould be SAID Of
when the weather was fine or it suited
tnel, their own convenience, w,, and who never
was everything. II engrossed all their thoughts.
They worked and toled all day to gain its applause,
% by IN 2 ama
politics. money, profit and accumulation OF wealth
were always welcome subjects; but let anybody in
tabooed Immediately. The fact is that there was
growing indifference among nominal Christians to
r s o Sey 10 % yet
those things which In the Catholic Church are artl-
cles OF faith they would throw all their energy
into
AN UNDERTAKING OF LIFE
that promised good return In the shape OF wealth
to Serving God we Of doing their Hui duty ys faithfully
That they had they they were @ lsiess Tie and and un IN
Tner which sven sf nem n1ep IN
a way that would draw them nearer to God, they
abused, and allowed themselves at times to de-
scend to the level oil the brute creation by simply
refusing to follow the dictates OF that reason
which bade them love and honor God Almighty as
the source OF oil good. God was just IN ali things,
and between Him and man there was law OF
equity which was absolute. IL often happened that
when indfferentsm In religion once grew strong
In mans nature God allowed 1t to become his
master finally, and this deprived him Of that grace
by which alone he could
HOPE FOR SALVATION;
for, alone, man could do nothing TO gain heaven.
Once deprived OF Gods grace, he was alone bat
Ting with an enemy OF his eternal happiness that
was certain to conquer. The reverend father then
closed by exhorting his hearers TO be on their
guard against indifference in matters OF religion,
so that they might not be cut on in their sins, but