The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-02
THE DOMINICAN CHURCH.

The Inscrutable Ways OF Divine PrOvi-
observation-disclosures and Unbelievers
Feel the Effects Of What They Claim
Does Not Exist-sermOn by the Rev.
Father Meagher.
In the church OF the Dominican Fathers there
gathered yesterday morning the usual motley
concourse OF worshippers. Though OF plain exte-
rior, the Church OF St. Vincent Ferrer Outrivas
any other in the city in the gorgeousness of its
interior appointments, and yesterday at high mass
its appearance was grand. The sunlight stream
ing through the stained glass panes impaired
life to the already vivid and cheerful colOrs OF the
wall ana ceiling while the galaxy Of twinkling
tapers the altar and the incessant moving to
and fro OF the acoiytes completed a scene seldom
to be witnessed, but always to be remembered.
Mass was celebrated by Father Dunn, and Father
Meagher read the Gospel and preached
THE SERMON
the gist of which will be found in the follOwing:-
In the Gospel OF this morning we are told to say,
'Lord, am not worthy that thou shouldst enter
under my roof; say but the word ana my soul shall
be healed.n In this instruction we can see wise
forethought for God well knew that after time
men would arrogate to themselves power of mind
and OF body which did not belong to them and
which they could never hope to possess Every
day an all-wse Providence gives us indications OF
our weakness and shows us in a thousand ways
how utterly helpless and dependent we are.
We may grow strong, or rather grow strong
for fol n' short time but only Tor shorr
time. When we feel strongest we are
weakest. Many and many OF the men who were
ruined by the late and much-talked-Of panic felt
themselves Invlnclble behind their barrlcade of
dollars. They were. for the most part, men who
believed in the almighty dollar and its potency to
do any and all Things for them. They were OF
opinion, though many OF them took good occasion
not to say so, that Providence was on the side OF
ha ms 1p1OaSt Their iGOatrV
has been punished, their scepticism dspeed,
their eyes opened and their pockets emptled.
God, and that He will not brook such bold effron-
terry from human beings as to have Himself thrust
aside and a golden mummy substituted in His
place. Wicked men have sought to
CLoTHE THEIR SINS IN GOLD,
and thus defy Providence. "Mans wisdom is but
folly in His sight" and, although society be lndu.
enced by considerations OF selfprOtection in not
going beneath the glded surface, He sees and
knows all things, and will, in His own good time,
punish the offender. This has been done, and not
long since and 1t may be said with truth that their
gold has weighed them down to their proper level.
1t is not men OF money alone VINO profess a dis
belief IN Providence, for great deal Of the talent
and genius OF the present century tends that way
and act as II regardless OF Providence and quite
the thing in conversation to pooh-pooh the exist
e th .. wSrd nat a tnat Cod has e ysn man
should be turned against Him. Talents and abilities,
which come direct from God. are used as instru
ments against HIS holy Word and His holy Church.
But the ways OF God are not the ways OF men, and
no one can tell what end God is thus working out
for His own greater glory. This state OF affairs
was always in existence, but more now than ever
before. We have had blasphemers and unbelievers
ever since tie Church was founded. When
JULIAN THE APoSTATE
was invested with the Roman purple he sought
to destroy Christianity not by vulgar force or
persecution but by fneSse Of intrigue and subtle
tact. When this great Emperor lay dying on his
deathbed-the battle field-he acknowledged Gods
existence and felt the trace OF Providence in
his coming dissolution, when, catching some OF his
last ebbing he's blood he threw 1t towards heaven
with the exclamation, "Galilean, thou hast con-
Guered." That mighty military genius, NapO-
leon l., who is reported to have said that "Prov
ldence is always on the side OF the heaviest guns"
lived to see the Justification OF that now memora-
bic speech. He who had the heaviest guns went
into exile on a lonely island in the wide ocean.
The decree which Providence had passed upon him
could not be altered by the booming OF guns the
tact OF the great genius himself.
The man Of latin is always happy, for whether in
adversely or prosperity he recognizes in MS con-
ditlon the will OF God, and trustingy says to him
sell, "God does all for the best"