The New York herald., 1875-08-16
ST. PETERS CHURCH, JERSEY CITY.

SERMON By THE REV. DR. BRANN ON THE
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
st. Peter's church, in Jersey City, was filed al
most to suIocation yesterday owing the announce
ment that the Rev. Henry A Brann, d. d. pastor Of
st. Elzabeth's Washington Heights, would deliver
the subject Of the festival Of the Assumption
The congregation comprised large number Of members
OF other religious persuasons. solemn high mass was
celebrated in which Rev. Father Willetts, s. j., was
celebrant; Rev. Father Marechal s. j. deacon and Mr.
John McCoskey, sub-deacon.
After the first gospel Rev Dr. Brann entered the pull
pit and read the gospel of the day He then entered
upon his discourse follows" Who is she that com
eth forth as the morning rising, fair the moon
bright as the sun, terrible army set in arrsy2'
These words taken from the sixth chapter Of the Cant
Gle Of Cantcles applied b. Church to the Blessed
Virgin Mary, mother Of God. To-day is celebrated the
Assumption Of the Virgin Mary, who exempted
from the common law Of immortality and taken ont of
her grave the third day after her death BODY and
SOUL into heaven, wiere she sta at the right hand Of
THE MEANING OF TIE FESTIVAL
of the Assumption of the Bessb Virgin Fifteen hun.
dred years aio the streets OF the Oriental city OF Ephe
sus in a state Of commotion such as was never
witnessed in that city before The multitude
Rted by holy pety because man had risen in their
midst who had dared TO life up bis blasphemous hand.
and deny that Nary was the mother Of God. On this
day the bishops Of tho Church had convened 10
demn him. The crowd surrounded the concaye as tho
bishops promulgated the decree that Mary indeed
the mother OF God. This title the OF all the
other titles bestowed upon her And yet 10 Is not be-
cause she the mother Of God that she assumed
into heaven. This title did not give her right the
her
WONDERFUL Personal sAvcTrrY.
"Blessed is the womb that bore thee and the paps
that gave thee suck, said the in the Gospel;
and christ replied, Yea rather blessed they who
hear the word OF God and keep IT, Mary heard the
word OF God and kept H. AZ the marriage feast ia Gal
lice Christ sad % her "What is it me and 10 thee W
showing thereby that the fact Of her beng His mother
entitled her TO no privilege in inducing him to work
miracles Again. Christ sad. ''Those who keep the
law Of God, these are my mother my brothers and nv
sisters" He said, moreover when His mother sought
Him. sorrowing That her chims we're subordinate
Dost thou not know That muat be about nv Sathera
businessW When commanding her to the care OF St
John, He did not gay ''mother," but woman
IL was her extraordinary personal merit her fidelity
20 every virtue and especially her kumlty that made
DER
GREATEST SAINT IN HEAVEN
St. Ambrose says:--" Her humility was 80 great that
~ drew God from the skies and lifted creature up
in that beautiful hymn the Magn6oain she saws
Because He hath regarded the humility of His hand,
maid, behold from henceiorth all generations shall call
blessed" SO great beT humility that although
ghe exempt from the Jewish law Of publication she
fulfilled the law to the very letter. No natural gift Of
intellect genius wealth. power rank which you may
possess will ontitle you 70 ota Of Gods bliss in
the eyes Of God the slave is acceptable AZ the
monarch. Here then Is the lesson for us all
NTHRCEssoRY POWER.
Her power comes from merit Of hers because sho
~ but creature, but from the merits Of her divine
Bon She has power 10 help ms by her prayers be-
cause we have power 70 helD each other ON earh by our