The New York herald., 1873-12-29
CONSIDERATION AT RICHMOND.

Dedication OF the Dioceses and vicariAte
of Virginia to the Sacred Heart Of
Jesus-SermOn by the Right Rev.
Bishop Gross, OF Savannah, Ga.
RICHMOND, Va, Dec 2S, 1873.
To-day, at St. Peters cathedral, the Dioceses OF
Virginia anf vcarlate of North Carolina were sol.
EMMY dedicated to the Sacred Heart. Solemn
pontinc1a mass was sung at halErast ten O'Clock
by the Right Rev. Bishop Gibbons, assisted by the
Rev. F. Janssens assistant priest, the Rev.
Fathers Charles and Van Vyne as deacon and sub
deacon Of the mass and Messrs. Kelly and Tiernan
deacons OF honor. The cathedral was beautifully
decorated with wreaths and evergreens, and
this ceremony taking place during Christmas week.
the decorations used that festival were still re-
naming as they were first placed. The music on
the occasion was peculiarly grand A full orchestra
was present, and Mozart's Twelfth Mass was rem
dered with care and excellence. Thus all those
beautiful accessories which the Catholic Church
calls to her service, in order more effectually to
raise the heart to the contemplation Of the God of
all, lent their aid to-day.
In the sanctuary, besides the ofrciating prelate,
the Right Rev. Bishop Gross, of Savannah, was
present, and, after the Gospel, preached an
eloquent sermon, explanatory of the devotion. In
tho 0vurseor
he said -
Our own being Is full of mysteries The union OF
our soul with the body is mystery. From the
heart flows nle blood to the extreme portions OF
the body From this little centre OF life the tide OF
blood nows through tie wonderful channels pre-.
pared for it in the body by the Almighty. This
stream pervades the other members OF the body,
gives them life, strength and health. Other mem-
bers OF the body may become diseased, and even
lost to the body and still the body Will retain its
uy1t foEn ba haort and fpofa f1v
lie in the body ceases. But we have a higher
life than the mere animal lie of our
can adorn US other than the beauties OF the
body. For what beauty OF conntenance can equal
milty and charitys or what pleasures or the sense
can equal the holy joys which fow from the love
e s oe nd
captivating part OF our being, Of nooer and higher
JOYS is the heart, The voice of all nations and all
ages has ascribed to the heart
THE FOUNTAIN HEAD
Of the tender charity, the unstaned purity and
other gifts which have adorned their possessors
's @ any Goa s"Ss SA'n "0s
ascriping the source. whence now virtues
or wees to the heart. No greater gift, no more
child will tell Its parents that they have its heart.
Great men, IN dying have bequeathed their hearts,
shrnes of eod and silver Even od in
for all the fayors and blessings lavshed by Him on
vs. asks our heart My SON give me thy neaTtn
Church points u.s. her children, to the Sacred Heart
OF Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was
TRUE GOD AND TRUE MAN.
He was God in all things equal to his Father, and
he was man having body and soul in all respects
Christ two distinct natures, the divine and the
human, but one only person-the person OF the
Word OF God. The human nature never Tor q mo-
ment existed separate from the divine, for even
when He hung stark and dead on the cross that
worshipped by myriads Of unseen angels. what
shall We say OF the heart OF JesusP 1t was the
mortal career. The heart OF Jesus was the sacred
fountain head whence lowed that adorable blood
which on Calvary was paid as the
PRICE OF OUR REDEMPTION.
Countless myrads OF blessed spirits in heaven viii
adore that blood, whose fountain head was the
Sacred Heart. What was the Sacred Hcartp The
hottest OF altars whence ascended to the Father in
Heaven acts OF alteration infinite in value. DO
you wish to know what was the Sacred Hearth Go
in spirit to the scene at the Last supper and hear
the love OF that Heart expressed In those touching
words-"With desire have desired to eat this
Passover with your Yea, this blessed Heart had
yearned for the time when lie should institute
that sacrament which the CAurch 80 truthully
to know what was the Sacred Heart2 Go
TO the cross ana behold, in the gaping
that Heart hath loved us. The Holy Church. tnere-
fore, holds up the Heart OF our Saviour, God, as the
worthy object oil our alteration and OF our tender
est love. she, moreover, holds up to her children
that blessed Heart as the model Tor us oil. Or
Heart rs our highest and most beautiful modela
Learn Of Me, for am meekand humble ol hearI"
To us all that Heart iS
PERFECT MODEL.
On all occasions t serve as model. D0eH
fortune smile upon US Does the world Halter usf
on we can learn from that Heart TO listen in
humility to It's loud hosannas. Does the
world cast humilations and onemDt Go, then,
In spjrt to Jerusalem to learn lesson OF sweet
ness and meekness from that blessed Heart when
placed on a level with a Barabbas. Are we stung
10 the heart Ut tho lngratlude OF those who per-
secuted usp Behold that Heart, which on the cross
makes it's last prayer prayer Tor its persecutors
sFatncr, forgive them, Tor they know not what
they do.r Therefore, IN dedlcating you this day
to the Sacred Heart OF Jesus, your venerable
Bishop wisbes to place you In the surest, the
sale spot-the Sacred Heart Of Jesus In dedicat-
ing you 10 that Sacred Heart your dear Bishop
! wishes TO hold up to your view that the
| highest and sweetest OF models for imitation
/ Is the Sacred Heart OF Jesus In conclusion,
the bishop said--Permlt me on this beautiful occa-
sion TO express q wish Tor this grcat state son
| on a sister state. ! hope and pray that virginia.
! Nhich has pacedtits name 30 high on the escutch-
| con Of honor, may take
HIGH PLACE
| I'm the adorable Heart OF our Lord. May the cons
| and daughters OF virginia take this noDest modcl
| OF virtue and copy it well. May this blessed
| Heart he TO y0n all OF this great state a secure
and happy place Oi abode during life, your comfort
| ana SOFA in death, and may this blessed Heart
| love you and be loved by you TO all eternity in
/ Heaven.
When the mass was over, the Bishop having
/ changed the chasubc for the cape, the blessed
4