The New York herald., 1876-12-04
ST. FRANCIS XAvIER'S.

THE MYSTERY OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
BY THE REV. FATHER MERRrcK. S. J.
ST. Francis Xavcrs church was crowded yesterday.
and IL anything could add to tho solcmnity OF the
services it the grand and Impressive rendering OF
tho musical selections performed The officiating clergy
man at the last the Rev. Father Cunningham
and tho conclusion ofthc nrst gospel the Rev. Father
Mcrrick preached. The reverend gentleman took
his from ST. John, xvii, 3-"Now, this is eternal
lite. That they may know thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent" The reverend
preacher IN aIiuding TO the commencement OF tho
season Of Advent referred the solemn mystery OF
the incarnation, the Church then commencing her
new ecclesiastical year. Tho Church called par
tcuar attention 10 this mystery OF tho first coming OF
our Lord upon carth adding that Hc nrst camo in
obscurliy. but that He would come again to judge all
MANKIND. Jesus sent BY God the Father earth
tor the redemption of men, and aiicrward the third
person. in angus, porson Of the Holy Ghost,
was sent by the Father ana the Son. from whom 10
Tor the OF the OF mcn
Christ came, and the Holy Ghost operated thd groat
mystery ol the iIcarnation the Angel Gabriel havinl
previously informed the Blessed Virgin Mary. This
was cmncntiy work Q! mercy. The redemption Of
mankind. Then afterwarG tue son OF Man asccndcd
iu:o heaven aud sitting at the right hand ol the Father
seul the Holy Ghost II mscl!, accomplish another
WORK similar 10 the one ina, had pccu accom- p she'd
IL beautiful ILLUSTRATOR Gvu's mercy toward
The love OF God for man IN tho ncaruation
apparent lie elevated one inun Oh an equality
With nimc, and th.n through Him, all w:v were will
ing might be saved God has operated all tinss for hs
glory. ond lie has done every tng Tor our savaion
aud sioritcaliou. and that Is ne Nory OF God His
glory our sanctiicutiou and HIS glory Is more cm
ncn,iy our sava.iorL The mystery OF the tDcarna-
ion little nearer than the mystery 81 The
Tunny. Wc began 10 understand til. possibility or
this mystery O. the man IL God and the God IN man.
In many there were twu natures, the body ana the
soul; ne bo.y winch Was like every otLer material
bSf c--s
The soul was somcthsng We never saw, but wc know
that soul dentlncd with US, that there IS that
IN which hates and ioves The body OF tho dead
man passes into corruption, aud when We speak of the
mans soul we truss that u has gone rest, that
recognize tho two natures IN Que person. When
OR Lord died aud HIS body rested in the sepuchrc
HIS soul had gone 10 limbo, aud u was HIS divlniiy
that omitted botn together again The reverend gentle
man alluded 10 The many bcresics that had been set
forth relation 10 tho divinity OF Christ stating tuat
they had done good since tue proof o ,hcr absurdy
had become more appaI In Jesus Christ there is
only one person, ln nis incarnation he took hunan
body and human soul with all their Isiinct powers.
From the unon OF these elements there did not cnanate
hunan being, IN the OF all other creatures but
at the moment OF His D,vi0c conception the Wordthc
person of the rruity substituted His own
Divine person for the human, that although there
human body formed from the most pure blood
OF the Virgin Mother ana human SOU created by the
breath OF God, yet the irut OF Marys womb was not
human but divine person. She was truly tho Mother
o God, because The person who was born of her was
DIVINE. ln our blessed saviour then wc found all that
God and all that - united ~ one person Aud
thus as God and man united Will lie come 70 Judge The
world, and thus would HI reign In heaven tor all
eternity. The reverend gentleman, after an exhaustive
discourse, during which he alluded to tho
immaculate conception OF the Virgin Mary,
concluded by calling upon the congregation 70
express their gratitude God Tor HIS manifold gifts by
noblo humility and perfect purity. As already init
mated the choral arrangements, under the direction
OF the distinguished oryanist, DIR. Bcrge, are worthy
ol the highest praise. The mass selected was by la
Hachc, OF New OrcAns and MS u - known AS tho
'xissa pro Pace. not appropriately Introduced
at this season. The sooiss Miss Teresa wehckc
sopranos Mss Nary wcrnckc. conrato S,guor Tauiaro.