Connecticut western news., 1875-06-04
Laying the Corner stone.--The core

uGW O6tuOllC CLUTCH III AdhcNllLSs WH6 uulp observed last Thursday afternoon. On the arrival of the one o'clock train from the east, the clergy and invited guests were re- ceived by Father Lynch of Lakeville, and his temperance organization known as the St. Marys of the Lake Temperance society, the members of which, wearing their beau tiful regalia, were drawn up in line at the depot After the train passed, the clergy in carriages proceeded to the residence of Father Lynch, followed by the St. Marys society in procession, which was led by the Lakeville cornet band After refresh ments at the house the procession was re- formed and proceeded to the grounds, on which the church was being erected.
 The clergy present who participated in the exercises were az follows: The Very Rev. James Hughes, administrator (acting Bishop,) of Hartford Rev. James Lynch of Waterbury Rev. T. J. Synnott of Bridgeport; Rev. Luke Daly, New Britain; Rev. Peter Smith, Norwalk; Rev. Eugene GaffaneY, Thomaston Rev. M. P. Lawler, New London; Rev. B. O'Reiley Sheridan, Collinsville and Rev. H. J. Lynch ot Lake vile.
 On the arrival of the procession at the grounds, the nine clergymen proceeded i'm mediately to the large cross, which is placed where the altar is to be erected, and having recited prayer and blessed the cross, made that starting point and pro- cecded in a procession mound the inside of the walls, sprinkling them with holy water and blessing them, reciting Psalms appro- priats to the ceremony, after which they. made circuit of the church on the out side, blessing the walls in the same manner as on the interior. The stone which was 10 receive the box of records etc. was then blessed according to the Roman ritual, and the usual prayers for the ceremony were recited, also the ltany, or invocation of the Saints. The box was then deposited and the stone placed in its position. The box, which is made of copper, contained eccle- siastical and historical records. coins of the United States, Canada, England and France, copy each of the New York Tribune, Tunes and Herald; the various Catholic papers, the CONN. WESTERN NEWS and other papers. After the stone was fixed in its position. they again march ed around the church walls, the Vicar Gen. eral intoning the MSserere met, which was repeated by the rest of the clergy in cho- rus. When this ceremony was completed, they proceeded to the platform erected for them, and after selection by the band. the Vicar General began his sermon.
 To say that the speaker was eloquent in his remarks would express the opinion of all who heard him. He began by congrat- ulating all, not because the occasion was 8 feast of the Catholic church, but because of the noble work in which they are en- gagged, of erecting tabernacle in which to worship God. and they had commenced aright, with the blessing of God on their corner stone. Unless the Lord build your house, ye build in vain, said the speaker.
 He recognized many of his dissenting brethren" among hls hearers, and welcomed them because they "were in search of right" He defended the various features in the Roman service, by arguments and reasons that possessed power, as for in stance he said 'When Christ broke the bread and said This is my body etc., he wanted people to take Christ at His word. If man of the world makes remark, you believe him, but when Christ says plainly This is my body, you will not be- lieve HSne!" He then discoursed eloquent ly on the various proofs of the soundness of his religion, and called to his assistance the eYangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, whose teachings bore ample testi- mony of the truth of his assertions.
 As is very liable to occur with extempo- raneous speaking, the reverend gentleman at one time, fell into slight error, but so quickly discovered it and proceeded to something else, few probably noticed it. He was extolling the merits of the above mentioned evangelists, and when he came to St. John, he alluded to him as ''He who leaped in his mothers womb''-Just so faI he got when he saw where he was, and concluded the sentence by adding Tn an un. dertone-"when she was visited" Oul readers will not be slow to realize the fact he for the moment got the two Johns slightly mixed in his mind.
 Toward the close of his remarks he all ]uded in glowing terms to the enchanting scenery hereabout, saying he had never seen any so beautiful since his visit to Ge- noa in Italy. and were the lake little lar. ger, would be almost fac simile of the lovely scenery about Queenstown and Cork ID Ireland.
 He concluded his sermon by appealing to his hearers to contribute generously to aid in the construction of their new church After his reverence had done speaking, ar opportunity was offered for contributions, and the thousand dollars obtained will testify to the power of theeloquence of Vicar Gen eral Hughes in this appeal. It IS but jus
 tice to the visiting clergy to say they, each and every one of them, contributed with a generous hand, from their own substance in aid of the project.
 The Rev. Father Hughes, who has labor ed under many disadvantages in his efforts to build up this people and church edefct for them to worship in, is to be congratulated in his commendable success With oul iron mines and furnaces idle, the people art comparatively weak in purse, but are com ing nobly up to the work. Their newly established and closely adhered to temper ance principles, are saving them money fenough to build their church and if they are frequently reminded that their hart earned dollars are building them beauti- full church, in which not only will they