The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-16
ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL.

ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL.
Sermon ofthe Rev. Father Riely-sinxu-
lar Agreement OF the Lesson OF tho
Day, the Epistle, with the Great Ma
tiOnal sorrOw-A Suggestive Thought
on Charity.
The epistle read at the several masses of the
Catholic church yesterday was singuary appro.
pirate to the circumstance OF Mr.. Summers death
Alter reading the epistle which speaks OF the cast
ing out OF the goodwoman and her child, the
preacher spoke as follOws:-
This is an extract from the epistle which ST.
Paul wrote under the influence OF the spirit OF
God, to the Christians OF the Church at Gaata. 1t
is very strange passage and strangely beautiful.
The Galatians were among the first Gentle con-
verts Of st. Paul; but they were much annoyed
by the Jewish converts. who endeavored
to force them into the observance OF
certain Jewish rites and customs. These
customs were excused for q while in the
Jewish converts in order "that the synagogue"
as the apostle said, 'mght be buried with honor"
but altogether inexcusable In the Gala tians, who
were Gentl!es. Now, to persuade the Galatians
from any interference in these rites, as well to
prove that Judaism was completely abolished by
the religion OF Christ, was the twofold object Of
the apostle. Let us see how he works out the one,
how he proves the other There is figure of
Scriptures. This figure the apostle makes use of
with great effect in the present instance. An ale-
CORY is continued metaphor, a continued COM
parisOn, In which individuals are made use OF to
Illustrate certain truths which the writer wishes to
enforce. These truths, however, are the primary
objects to be enforced. The individuals are
merely the framework in which the truths are
Illustrated Now 10 our text Who are the in In.
dividuals in this casep They are Saran the vile
OF Abraham, and Agar, pondwOman III his house
| hold. "FOr these are the two teStamentS.D Be-
hold the allegory Now, there were born to
Abraham, of these women. two sons; Ismael OF
one according to the nesh" the other according
to PROMISE" Sarah was Tree, her son the heir;
| Agar, bOndwOman, her son slave; Sarah, SEN
gendering unto freedom" Agar unto bondage;
Sarah, representing the Jerusalem which is above.
One, the testament Of Sion, received through
Jesus Christ, the God Of peace; the other, the
t em of t thunder aud eetnlng The One
the tree Church OF Christ; the other the synagogue
this ds TO ns a nfe roe these c
we see, as the Galatians must have SEEM that true
Christianity is totally distinct from Judaism; that
true Christians can have no participation in Jewish
rites; that finally, Judaism ien through at the
dawn of Christianity. How Is this? Because the
bondwoman. which is the Old Testament, was cast
out from all inheritance. "Cast out this bond
woman and her son, for the son of the b0ndwOman
The old covenant, then, was dispensed WITH old
customs fOrsaken, old institutions abolished The
Gospel was substituted for the prophets; the
Church for the synagogue; the heir for the slave;
the Child of Promise for him VINO was according to
the esh the liberty OF the Church or Christ for the
up the text to show that the jealousy between Is-
mael and Isaac foreshadowed the prevarication of
continued And would that the evil had ceased
here! The Jews are not the only ones TO cause o
division In Gods militant family on earth-not the
sole dsturbers OF His household. Far worse. The
enemy Is within the very camp; and with the
name and panoply OF the Christian he is a very
antichrlst The preacher then presented an argu-
ment which he might have brought home to spe-
cial application here, how the new dispensation Of
Christ changed these relations between the chill
dren of the bondwoman and the children OF the
freewoman. The children OF the treewoman
had rejected their King and Saviour "Ae came
the children OF the bondwoman reached forth to
Him in earnest appeal for that relief which g. mad
was strong temptation to dlverge from here into
some reference to Charles Sumner, whose death
as far as human endeavor is concerned, the
apostle of the children OF the bondwoman.
But the excellent discipline Of the Catholic
of the subject and the opportunity OF
applying the test in this way was overcome. But
he used the subject to,pOlnt the following lesson OF
charty-"And yet we must pity Agar: We must
pity the poor, discarded mother. wandering with
her helpless boy through the Wilderness" Oh,
what picture is that presented by Agar, as
weeping, she knelt craving food rom heaven for
her now frlendess boy. 1t is wistful picture just
about us to-day, homeless, poor and discarded.
Many mother is craving food for fatherless ones.
! We see them on our streets, clad in unwomanly
rags, the color faded from their faces, the
and sad are ifow The hearts that once, and not
long ago. were happy and light and the voice that
was once cheerful has turned into the wall OF the
poverty-stricKen. Some disease, or mayhap some
vlce-intemperance perhaps-has snatched away
or aienated from her the husband OF her early
love- and she is now cast abroad, even as Agar,
on the mercy OF q world where Christian charity
Is but too rare q virtue. Yes, there are Agars
and Ismalls around US, to whom life Is q desert
and in whom even hope seems to have died out.
II we learn to tighten the sorrows OF such these
we have learned one lesson of humanity to-day.
Make the resolve and objects of your charity will
not be wanting. You Will find the homeless, the
husbandess and the fatherless all round you-in
the alleyways in the attics, in the dark Easements
You will learn the whereabouts Of the most ind-
gent If you apply TO the members OF the st Vincent
de Paul Society Begin, then, and may the light Of
your charity dspe the shadows OF unforgven SIM
And may God bless those who are now feeding the
hungry and giving shelter to the homelesss.