Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-07-07

ct. PETERS SCHOOL AND ST. PETERS ORPHAN
ASYLUM TO BE EsLARoED TEE CORNER STONE
LAiD-NTEREsTINa CEREMONIES.
The laying of the corner stone Of the St.
Peters School and Orphan Asylum, at Sixth and
West streets, yesterday afternoon, was attended
with the usual interesting ceremonies belonging
to the Roman Catholic church,
Althpugh there was not so large display OF
the societies belonging TO that religious faith
there was large turn out OF the st. Peters aud
st. Mary's Beneficial Societies. and also OF the
st. Pauls Total Abstinence Beneficial Society
The Tegalias OF the last we're of such gorgeous
and brilliant character as to elicit general re-
mark and admiration Besides these societies,
there was a general attendance OF the member
chip of the various Catholic churches, and fair
representation of members OF other religious
denominations
Bishop Becker, assisted by Fathers McGrane
and LYONS, performed the ceremonies for the
laying OF the cornerstone. during which time
there was the most marked attention aud respect
| shown by the vast audience assembled. The
stone Ia of gray granite. about IL inches square
aud IA inches thick, with a cavity cut in the top,
aud lid made to tit the same Important doc
uments connected with the institution will be
| put into the cavity and sealsd up The stone
was laid at the northwest corner OF the building,
| facing on Sixth street. The following inscrp-
| tion was cut upon the front face st Peter 8
| school and st. Peters 0rphans Asylum
After the ceremonies OF the laying OF the cor
| ner stone were over, the Bishop repaired to a
| platform which had been Temporarily erected at
/ a corner Of the foundation, aud delivered very
| impre eive and interesting address
He alluded to the laying OF the first corner
| stone of the Church by Peter, nearly 1900 years
/ ago aud even anterior 20 that time when Solo
/ mon built temple for the worship of God. He
then contracted the rise ard fall OF Pagan ctiep,
| az compared with those reared under benign
\ Christian influences and where especial care was
/ exercised for the poor Athens, though city
/ OF great power, had not single building in il
devoted to Charity-nay the poor were even des-
| pred
History tells us that those cities that existed
| without Gud and without the exercise OF the
| great Christian principle OF charity have been
| swept from the face OF the earth, and live only
upon the historians page. In contrast with this
| thtse cities which acknowledged God in theiI
| government have always taken care OF the widow
| aud the orphan, AMI have erected build
| ings devoted to deeds OF charity and benev-
olence He alluded feellngy to the noble
| work performed by the Sisters of Charity. who
| threw of the gilded pleasures Of the world, and
| engaged in the Christian work. Here the little
| waits Of society are gathered, and are not only
educated in the common ru1iments of learning,
| but here they are taught religion in its purest
| sense here they are kept from the oontamna-
ton 4 a sinful world. and are trained up to be
| good and useful members OF society. Here
| there is no divorce of education from God, but
religion is made the leading part Of tneir educa-
ton, He then referred to the large class OF the
people who have received an education without
| morals which has only made accomplished vii
ains In support of this he instanced the large
number of Congressman and others high in Off
cial position whose liberal education without re-
gion only makes them the more dangerous foet
| to Christianity, end the more accomplished
r,gues. If ever this country falls from its hgt
position, 1t will be when we forget God and ne
gect to take care of the poor, the widow Ant
the orphan
The Bishop then appealed to the audience fol
assistance in this noble enterprise. From those
Of different faith much could not be expected
and vet he was glad to say there we're some whC
had the Independence and liberality to contrib
ute to our charitable institutions, but we had Il
depend upon ourselves in the MAN, aud Civ,
that which God had only loaned 10 them for
season. At the conclusion OF the Bishops al
dress baskets wete handed around, and abou
5400 were collected.