The New York herald., 1876-01-31
ST. FRANCIS XAvIER's CHURCH.

81. fhANOIo AAt . OaOhOH
There a large attendance at this church yester-
day. the officiating Clergyman at last mass being the
Rev. Father Glackmeyer At the conclusion of the
first gospel the Rev. Father Prendergast preached
sermon taking his text from the gospel according to
st. Matthew-'And when he entered into ship his
disciples followed him. And behold there arose a
great tempest in the sea, insomuch that tho
covered with the waves; but He asleep. And his
disciples came to Him and awoke him. saying, Lord,
save US; VIC perish. And he saith unto them, Why
are ye fearful, o, ye of little faith? Then he
and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a
great calm" The reverend gentleman pointed out
tho great lessons taught by the epistle in lucid and
eloquent manner showing that specialization
called the three theological vrtues-aith hope and
charity In rebukng the apostles for their ncredulity
Jesus taught the necessity Of ath and also taught
hope, by rebuking them for their of confidence
Hope virtue by which we expect Gods grace as
OF obtaining eternal life The eternal life, ac-
cordug to the eplse, God Hmsolf and therefore,
as 81 Thomas said, hope was a virtue by which we
sought God for last end, and took Gods grace
tho only means of reaching that end The hope Of
the Christian was not tho hope of earthly pleasures but
heaven itself
HorE OF THE CHRISTIAN
was Gods eternal kingdom. Nor this presumption
the part of man. for he had Gods promise of grace
and eternal salvation. Man had not merely Gods
promise but His pledge and His pledge the death
of His only son. He sacrificed His only begoten son
the wicked what would be in storo for tho Just
What He had already done was greater than what He
promised 10 40. But in view of His promises there
no room for despair, and all might joyfully turn
toward the promised land. Such, then, the fact
Such was the mistaken ground Of hope
What had moved God to such bcTay 1t
mystery athomless the holy
mystery OF the Incarnation. Gods goodness
was the measure which regulated the gifts which
He bestowed upon His creatures. Gods goodness
infinite aud the only recompenso which God kept in
store for tho elect Himself This the reward
OF hope. We must prove hope by hoping in God
alone in this world We have hut to fear ourselves.
Our hope was mistaken, immaculate but we have
free will, and il we choose withdraw from the
law OF God But lot MS hope now and to the end, and
the reward for doing God Himself has clearly pointed
out
The choral arrangements, under the able direction of
DR. Berge, who presided the organ with charaoers-
tic skill and efficiency, praseworthy in the
trcmc. Tho mass selected for the occasion was that
grand composition OF Weber In fiat which few choIrs
could attempt with any degree OF success but which
Interpreted yesterday in style alike creditabc
organst and choir The solos that fell to the lot OF the
Misses Werneke, soprano and contralto. both
artistically aud mpressvey rendered. while Sgnor
Tamaro, the tenor, and Herr Verling baritone,
tributed largely to tho excellent effect which this
solemn and difficult mass produced The chorus was
unexceptonable, and the services were brought to
close by a mastery performance the organ