The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-16
Local Correspondence.
HoLLIDAYsBURG, May 12, 1873.

FRIEND Mac presume you are aware
! that for some time past an effort was being
made to secure chime of Lells for St
Mary's (Catholic) church, in this place, the
necessary funds to be raised by subscrip-
! tlOns to be paid to a committee of young
( ladies, two for Hollidaysburg, two for
| GayspOrt, and like number for CARRIERS
/ town and the Ore Banks, appointed foTtho
] purpose OF soliciting contributions to that
/ object. The chime was intended to consist
/ of three bells, in addition to the noble one
already III the tower, but when the bells
reached here it Was found that there were
/ four instead of three of them. The bless
/ ing of these bells was the next thing in
/ order, and yesterday having been appointed
| by the Right Rev. Bishop for the consum-
nation of that ceremony, it was indeed =
! great day i'll the history of St. Mary's
/ church. First dow Mass was celebrated
by Father Walsh, our beloved pastor, at
o'clock, a. m, second dow Mass by
/ Bishop DOmeneC at 6, and third (high)
/ Mass at the usual hour by Father Martin,
the Jealous and rsvered assistant pastor of
the church. At the conclusion of High
! Mass q powerful sermon was preached from
! the gospel of the day by the Fright Rev.
/ BisIlup, after which Father Walsh an
nOunced the success of the several com
mittees and named the two ladies who had
collected the largest amount of money as
had collected the second largest amount as
sponsors for the bell next i'll size. and so
on. BY this arrangement Misses Lizzie
J Hart and Lizzie Hays, the HOlidaysburg
committee, were awarded the largest bell :;
/ Miss Henrietta HartsOck and Miss Mary
/ Mitchell (Garberstown and Ore Banks) the
second largest, and Misses Annie Doran
and Annie Riley (Gaysport) the third III
size, which was very little smaller than the
one last named. This still left the fourth
bell to be provided for, wheTeupon Father
/ Walsh designated four little girls. Agnes
and Annie Quinn, Mary McGuirc and Mag
/ gle BrannOn, to act as sponsors. Follow
/ ing this was the announcement Of pro-
! gIamme for the afternoon exercises: Sun
/ day school dispensed With, Nespcrs ut 3
/ o'clock, and blessing of the bells immedi-
atcly after.
! BY o'clock in Tie afternoon the church
/ began to fill with people, and long before
! Eespcr time the ediiice was filed almost
/ beyondits capacity. Persons OF all demon
/ nations contributed to the making up of
! the large assemblage, and | am glad to say
! that our dissenting brethren were to be
seen on all sides. Ncspefs were sung by
! the Bishop, assisted by Fathers Walsh and
! Martin, of st. Nary's church, and by Faith
! er Alleman, of st. Michaefs German
! church. Very Rev. Father Tuig9, of AL
! tOona, and Father Farren, of Tyrone, ar
! rived shortly @ftcr Ncspers began, and par
! ticipated i'll tho subsequent ceremonies
! The bells had been hung on temporary
! bearings in the centre aisle during the
week, and all things being in readiness, the
/ ceremony Of blessing the bells was pro
! cccded with Immediately after the cOnclu-
sion of Ncspers. The exercises were of the
! most solemn and impressive character, but
want of ability as well as want of time pre-
vent me from giving detailed account of
/ the ceremony. Suffice it to say that the
entire formula was gone through with in a
very edifying manner, occupying about one
/ and a half hours from first to last, and at
/ it's conclusion the Right Rev. Bishop as
/ cendad the altar and delivered the most
1 eloquent discourse Oh the ceremonies and
customs of the Catholic Church i has ever
! been my good fortune TO listen to. lie
also congratulated our beloved pastor Oh
his fidelity TO the faith and his great love
for his people, and then complimented the
( congregation on tie fact that tEey have
always proven true to their Church and
their pastor, and likewise congratulated
them on beng the first EnglIsl-spe aking
congregation in Pennsylvania tl&t las pos
scssed itseifUf = chime Of bells. lie was lis
tened to throughout with marked attention
and it was evident that his discourse haC
delighted all and instructed many whc
heard il. The sermon was followed by the
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Very Rev. J. Tuigg officiating, after whicl
Father Walsh, in 7 feeling manner, thank
ed the public, without regard 10 race Ol
creed, for the liberal contributions whcl
lad been made towards the purchase o
the magnificent bells which were hence
forth to peal out in sweet symphony from
the tower of st. Nary's church. Thus
ended the exercises of the day, but l can
not leave the subject without awarding
great praise to the choir for the pleasn,
manner in which they performed their i'm
pOrtant part.
Preparations are in progress FOR frcsco
ing the church, and it is the intention t
ISakc St. Mary's, to quote the words OF the
Bishop, a shining jewel before many
months have come and gone.
BY the way, two converts, n lady auC
gentleman, were received into the Church
to-day. Yours, &c, Z. {.