The New York herald., 1875-09-20

clock peals ten; the assembly breaks up; all retire.
the college and village of Maynooth settles the stiffness
OF the night before the National Council
lhe morning was everything 10 be desired; not too
clear AT nrst but Frightening the day wore on The
ram ram had cooled the air and refreshed everything
Grass ana howers and shrubs and trees-for all these
were there IN abundance-looked their best Even the
ivy-clad ruin OF
THE OLD DoNJoN-KEEP OF THE GERALpNEs
looked less grim IN the pearly brancy of It's dewbe-
decked vesture From an early hour, indeed, before
SIX, the place was all astir and as the morning adj
Vanced ecclesascs Of various ranks 10 be seen,
e9er slngy or in groups moving about or chatting to-
eether' new parsonage was visible this morning
tal auscre man, advanced in years of pleasing
tenahce win long, gray beard and clad in peculiar
rome OF snowy whiteness He was bareheaded save for
lttle, mack skull cap perched the back Of his
head This was Abbot Fitzpatrick Of the Trappist
Monastery OF Mount Melleray place, according TO all
accounts OF great interest in every way 1t is said that
twas Abbot Fitzpatricks solitary vote which, five and
twenty years ago turned the scale against the Queens
colleges and he is today at Maynooth, brisk and
i've ana looking quite capable of repeating, if neces-
sary, the exploit of 1850
AT hali-past nine there a general movement; but
II was not TIL past ten that the solemn strain OF the
"Veni Creator Spirtus announced that the ceremony
oil the diy had begun. The first scene
A soLEsN PROCESSION
through portion of the College buildings and the front
grounds, and including the preates and all other
members OF the Council and many clergymen
Qpcludng the Cathedral Chapter) from Dublin.
The bishops and the Abbot wore plain mtres and red
copes over the ordinary linen ecclesiastical vestments
the representatives OF the religious bodies the
solemn robes usual in their choral services the Chapter
wore variety of priesty habilimcnts, the ordinary
members OF the clergy the eassock and surplce Among
them all certainly the most striking figure the Abbot
whose nitre and lowing beard strongly brought
TO mind the memory of those Eastern preates who
used TO hgure In Papal ceremonies at St Peters in
Rome, IN days OF yore. The whole was brought up by
the Cardinal wearing scarlet cassock red cone liter
ally covered with jewels and gold embrodering; gor-
geous mtre ana bearing his crozier He surrounded
by crowd of assistant deacons and clercs AS
the procession wound its long way through the quad
ranges along the paths bordered with flowers and IN
trees. briph lv all
the while the jewels and embroidery and the silver
professional crosses, IT was beautiful and imposing
spectacle.
High mass followed, at which the Cardinal as Presi-
dent of the Council and Papal Delegate, celebrant
The music Gregorian, sung in the Ratisbon STYLE
which De Witt, Pustet and others are striving to
propagate all Germany IL is great improve
ment the old style of Gregorian; but for all that
it is nowhere compared with Mozart, Beethoven
and Haydn Immediately after the mass the old Do
mlnican Bishop Dr. Leahy, of Dromore, ascended the
pulpit He had been famous preacher in his day
thirty years ago-and now aS be loebly crossed the
chapel in his White habit, all eyes turned to him.
He took for his text the words from St. Paul's Second
Epistle to Timothy, iv, 2-"Preach the word; be in
slant in season, out of season. reprove entrea rebuke
in all patience and doctrine The preacher began by
referring to the great dignity and terrible responsibility
of the episcopacy and the priesthood Christ however
the model, in His humility, His meekness
His charity, this last virtue leading Him TO
seek the will OF His Heavenly Father in
all things and tho salvation of souls. stranger may
be pardoncd for not recognizing the traditional excel
lence of the preacher, but any would do homage
addressing his Juniors in words of piey and
perence
After the sermon the real business Of the day COM
mcnced The ''Ltanies of the Saints" were chanted
and solemn prayers rected
STRIKING EPISODE
being the Cardinal soemnly blessing the PROSTATE
assembly. All strangers then ordered to with
draw and the Council proceeded secret session 1t
is however, known that the business of this first day
was purely formal The second session was fixed for
September s. And 50 this National Council was begun
WHAT WILL 1T Do2
In his "Letters of Summons" )" issued the I'd Of
July Cardinal Cullen referred TO ecclesiastical abuses
f any had crept n and the education question chief
matters for consideration 1t is generally be-
lieved that the status of the parish priests
and of ecclesiastical property will engage very
considerably the attention of the prelates. The
O'Keefe case has revealed many difficulties connected
with both Indeed, as to Church property, several
have to light showing the looseness of the
arrangements at present existing. All the public
opinion OF the country both Protestant and Catholic
points 70 the
EDUCATION QUESTION,
a matter on which the bishops to act Now,
if this anticipation proves true, II means that para
menaty action education Is imminent and that tho
Irish members will have to act Parliament quito
apart from the home rule programme. This is likely
TO be productive of very important political result,
not for Ireland only, but also for Great Britain.