Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-28


! heart in the service OF God; there must
| be no frightening obstacles. The burn
ing zeal for the glory Of God must il
| Illuminate the heart. Oh, my beloved
! brethren, it was only necessary for them
| to cOnsecrate themselves to God and to
! the immortal st. Dominic, their holy
/ founder, to show that they possessed the
! first qualities which are necessary for q
| hero in his divine mission OF saving
| souls.
1.-The speaker then diIsted on the viz
! tues of St. Dominic and the grand sue
| cess that attended his missions
Hence, then, these young men, pre-
| septing themselves before the consecrat,
| ing bishop to receive from him the vest
| ments of the cross and the chalice of his
| passion, and to have their hands
| snOinted and cOnsecrated to the service
| Of God, their whole souls and beings
! consecrsted to Him for ever, in order to
| bear the cross OF Christ, great sacri-
| flee was to be demanded Of them in
| their ministry; they came with burn
! ing zeal which has made them illustri-
| GUS, and which, trust in God, will &C.
| company them to the grave. What
else but this burning zeal could tempt
such men of such high prospects and
tives could induce them to devote and
consecrate themselves to God in min
istry that demands entire self.sacrifice
every hour and minute of their lives
without deriving any personal
advantages therefrOm? They must
be men of purity and zeal.
And oh, my dear brethren,
what a spirit of self.sacrifice was there
when in early youth they determined
that nothing should come between them
and God-nOthing in human nature to
entice them. They gave up everything
that was beautiful in the werld; they
were never again to seek natures
charms, nor the delights, pleasures and
qualifications of this world. They
were only to seek a throne above
the skies, and save their fellow-men.
The priesthood in this country is the
last resort for support-the last thing in
the world for earthly comforts. II re-
quiTes the greatest spirit of self-sacrifice
that man can have. These, then, are
the qualities the priest of God should
have at the altar when he receives his
mission from the hands Of the cOnse-
Grating bishop. Did this self-sacrificipg
spirit die out in these four Levites? Did
the spirit OF human nature find a weak
part in them? Did they ever yield in
the moment Of danger? Did they de-
mand self-indulgence? Oh, no; thank
God, those who were cOnsecrated twen-
ty-five years ago have given grand
proofs Of the spirit they were endowed
with from heaven, and that heavens |
seal was stamped upon it because they
entered the church only from divine
motives. Their works are known
throughout the country; especially they
are known to yorktown in Canada,
and in different parts of the United |
States. Their works follow them, and |
they are especially known to you. You |
remember very well few years ago the
plague visited your city. One after an
other fell at his post; one after another |
contracted the disease. Did the rest |
feel faint.hearted? Did they run away? |
All, you know they didn't. You know |
that one who celebrated to-day remain
ed here. He saw his brother priests |
falling around him; he remained at his |
post until struck down. His brothers |
at a distance cried out, "We will send |
you aid" But the spirit was too strong
within him. 1t fearlessly said, 81 do |
not want to expose my brothers; when
1 am stricken down then will demand |
aid" No one shall die without the |
i
living. This apostle received from the
lips the sacrifice Of an overburdened
heart; and when finally struck down |
himself, his brethren always had q
chapter of their order to send assistance
to Memphis. Another young and jealous
priest presented himself, one that is now
venerable in years and well-knOwn for
his charity and piety. When the last
of their order was stricken down, aid
was called for; some one had to be sent.
This venerable man stepped up aud
and said, az will go; | am the
man; / have a right OF preference
for my years. l shall be the victim,
and, if necessary, will die for the peO-
pie, in order to save my younger broth
eTs, who shall live longer than I, and be
Of more service than [ to the faithful
brethren" That hero is to day among
you, and was deacon of the mass. You
see how they fulfilled those grand senti-
ments of their ordination, and have
proven themselves worthy Of the Ian
guage of Ecclesiastes, "Let US now
praise men of renown." know am
doing violence to their humble senti-
ments; I know they feel pain to hear
this language, but as l am here, as it
were, the interpreter OF your sentiments,
L LuUSL UO NlOlSLiCo " lnSlI uuuIillNs |
You appreciate their sacrifices, their
spirit Of purity and self-devotiOn; you
appreciate their zeal. To-day, then, do
you raise your hands and hearts to thank
God for having saved such NEIL of re-
heroes Of christianity. And
now that l have given expression to
your sentiments with regard to the past,
will give vent to those OF the future.
Then, as you thank God for having be-
slowed upon you such men for the past
twenty-five years, you may celebrate
another jubilee, in order to do justice to
the spirit of zeal they have manifested,
and give them the just reward of "men
Of renOwn." Your experience to-day
has witnessed a silver jubilee; in TWEEN
ty-f five years more your sentiments shall
be that it be tipped with gold. That
shall be golden festival. [ know this
s your will. l will offer your homage |
to these reverend fathers, May God
bless them for their labors; may God
bless them for their self-sacrifices, and
crown them with bright crown of glory
Tor the grand deeds they have done on
earth. Let US, dear brethren, "praise
men of renOWn'=
The religious ceremonies were con-
GUIDED at eleven O'Clock, and the vast
congregation SCGeam6u IOftl from the
,hurch, many Of them showing traces
If tears, drawn forth by the feeling al
usiOn of the eloquent preacher to the
sad scenes which were enacted here two
years ago, during yellOw-fever times,
II which the fathers were active and
heroic participants, regardless Of every
consideration but that of their duty to
God, fulfillment of their triple vows of
purity, chastity and obedience.
BANQUET.
AS had been previously indicated, the {
invited guests were assembled in the {
1arlors Of the church building precisely {
It one O'Clock. There were ten or twelve {
priests from the various parishes in the {
;ity, and forty or more gentlemen of the
atty, present to congratulate the happy
athers on the auspiciCus accomplish
nent Of the twenty-tifth anniversary of
heir ordination, being a silver jubilee in
he sacred profession of the ministry.
Among the guests present were Colonies {
vacearO and MageVney, Messrs. Thorn
IS Cooke, Richard Lightburne, Mayor
league, James Reilly, county clerk, {
l1r. Heating and Colonel Galloway,
II the APPEAL, Captain Trask, of the I
4UalGache, Messrs. James Speed, All.
]. luther, Jos. Coll, Chief Atby, of the &
,olice, DR.. Willett, City-Treasurer Kelly, '
Thomas Fisher, Peter Tracy, Alder