The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-16

specially appointed or certain number OF III
That is the gu eston ana will try to answer 1t II
future number OF your most loeral PaPeE: VIII
your kind permission. j. H. LAMoohhoA.
A Former Episcopal Clergyman's First
sermon as q Catholic Priest.
tn THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
On SUNDAY, the 10th OF February, Septuaguesima
Sunday. while, she body of our late beloved Vicar
General, Father Stairs, was lying in state in ST.
patrick's Cathedral Fhile the same teaching
pour ed from some pulpits ana the same wrangling
from others, and the ecclesiastical gear was enter
ing into is second (and penitenlia stage, another
event, not less significant in it's silent aston on
mems souls, took place in ST. Paul's' (Cathciic)
church, Fifty ninth street and Ninth avenue AT
the half.past ten O'Clock mass the sermon was
preached by the Rev. Father Stone lately ordained
Hardly more than thirty five years OF age Father
Stone has, nevertheless, a history well known to
many outside the Church Of which he ia
now ministering priest. An Episcopal
clergyman and Doctor OF Divinity. success
sively President OF Kenyon and Hobart Colleges,
and lastly, the author (after his conversion) OF a
book which has been widely circulated and re-
ceived even by Anglicans with more or less favor,
1.-THE Invitation Heeded"--this young priest has
had brilliant and successful past and, OF his own
accord has given up most nattcring position.
His first sermon as a Catholic priest, before host
OF learned men, his elders and his religious teach
ers, would naturally be great occasion.
"maiden speech" Is always source OF great per-
sona anXtety-a sort OF keynote 10 the future
career of q public man. 1t would not be unusual
in the world to see man placed IN this position
very much taken up with himself; TOO conscious of
the occasion to be able to go earnestly or lucidy
into his subject and altogether too evidently eager
Tor successful personal result In Father Stone,
none OF this sell-cOnsciousness appeared; and
although he seemed perfectly at his ease.
70 sy sHers was noSs that ss
tresslng straining after effect which one might
clear cut New England character which gives him
that self-possession without assumption which we
have described. or whether IL Is the mastery In
huence OF body of men each so distinguished in
some branch OF learning the Paulist Fathers,
which has absorbed the former personality OF this
the personality of Christ-certain it Is at any rate
that he seems no longer the preacher. but the
''voice" of truth. He chose his text appropriately
to the penitentlal season now Opening-"Par
takers with the su1erings OF Christ, rejoicen-
and went on to show the beauty, the dignity and
change from the "Aleluia," in the Liturgy, to the
Sans tbi Domino" the first being, according to
st. Augustine, the jubant language Of heaven,
used during half the year IN anticipation of the
glory Of our future home, and the second
gsPressnt!qs ths Language OF earth and used ,e,1
and dangers. He then went on to develop the
nature and meaning of suffering, a thing insig
nifcant in ITSELF and mere consequence of sin, and
circumstances which have given 1t a new phase
Christ chose suffering as the means of the redemp-
whereas He might, had He wished, have redeemed
the world by the first tear lie shed in the stable at
Bethlehem or the first drop or blood pOured 10rth
in the Temple at the circumcision. Again, He
chose SUFFERING this meaningless temporal conse-
quence OF sin, as tho instrument wherewith to
efface that sin ITSELF thus teaching us to
make stepplng.stones OF our very deinquences
whereon to reach heaven" Father Stone spoke
eloquently OF the value OF suffering. altogether
rt from ia q
proof OF love only. "WhO," he said, sever in the
world would value love that could not prove
Suffering T and Sacrifice This brought to his mind
a touching trait, although mere domestic occur
renee, which many might find sufficiently prosaic.
even ludicrOus; but the preacher went at once TO
the heart of the motive, and drew from 1t beauti
full lesson, easily seized by the least imaginative or
his hearers. He said that some years ago an Eng
lish statesman, the Chancellor OF the Exchequer,
was going to speak in the House OF Commons on
the budget of the year, and that on this speech
dence OF the nation and In the counsels of his
sovereign. His wife, to whom he was tenderly at
triumph. The time came, and the carriage
was at the door. Just as they were
e nd ae Wss b8
the hinge. Knowing that her husbands thoughts
were intent upon affairs OF greater Importance to
the nation even than to himself, she forbore to
disturb him and leaned back in the carriage pale
but silent. SO they drove through the long wind
ing streets, every jolt causing the crushed finger q
found her consolation in looking on the face OF her
husband and thinking of his coming success. She
left him at the door Of the House OF Commons and
went to her place IN the coselygrated ladies' gal
lery. He was not to speak for some time, but she
pain made her head swim. The speech came of at
last and was stormily applauded. The great risk
Mas oyer and great in the sra
'Well," said the enthusiastic preacher, "was
not that love worth having 2' A sympathetic
stir among his audience bore him silent answer
and showed that his simple Illustration of homey
life had told. But what shall we say of Divine
lover" he asked again, and then branched of into
glorious histories OF the saints and OF the suerings
they had cOurted for Gods dear sake. Two Of
them-the NEST impressive-will suffice here:-
room, all unattended and Unmatched, amid the
busy throng OF a great city. lie had loved God all
his life with burning, hungry love, and now he
was going to Him, to see Him face to face. He was
very happy in his heart, but torturing thirst now
and then distracted his mind from his ecstasies of
prayer. A man came in at last. seeking from the
Saint spiritual consolation, and was shocked to find
him in this state. st. Peter gently insisted on
giving him the advice and consolation he needed
service to his own dying body. But when
his visitor had brought him from the
fountain pitcher OF pure, fresh water, St. Peter,
raising himself with difficulty, looked lovingly on
the cruciiX that hung beside him, and silently lifted
the vessel to the lips of the ivory figure of our
Lord After few moments contemplation he re-
turned it to his astOnshed companion, saying, in
gentle tones "Frlend thank thee for thy charity.n
Then again the preacher cOntinued:-
Have you ever heard Of that young Japanese
girl who was martyred at the same time that many
hundred Christians suffered for the faith, and who,
being bound to the stake, was freed by the flames
themselves which burned through the cords that
confined her hands DO you think that when she
felt herself free she took the opportunity to leave
the stake and make good her escape9 Oh, no
But she stopped down and with her poor blistered
hands gathered up the live Goals at her feet, and
raising them slowly, set them like bridal cor0net
OF roses upon her brow"
Here many around me were visibly moved to
tears, and indeed the reverent charm OF such
stories is indescribabe. The coseness OF argument,
the precision Of arrangement and the fiuency OF
delivery OF the preacher were each In turn advan-
tageously conspicuous, and no doubt this gifted
young New Highlander will find as successful
career open to him in the Church of his mature
adoption as that which he left in the Anglican
Church. Still no one knows better than himself
tnat with us success Is not the goal nor the critic
ron OF spiritual life, and that behind whatever lie
he leads In public, whether 1t be long or short,
easy or labortous, agttated or even God Will look
into the hidden life OF grace In his soul as the prin
cpal test OF his wOrthness. We may hear of him
In the lecture hall yet he has talents that would
cur lin q nor rpra in IN fhot.