The New York herald., 1877-12-10
ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL.

THE IMMACULATE CoNcEprIoN-sERMoN By
CARDINAL M'CLosKEY.
Al St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral Car
dnal McCloskey preached the sermon. Tho SUBJ
jecs was tho Immaculate Conception. This feast
he said Is celebrated throughout an octave OF eight
days. II is ono oil the most important feasts Tho
Church delights TO celebrate during tho ecclesiastical
year, which began last Sunday, the first Sunday OF
Advent Its importance may DO estimated from tho
fact OF It's being the first great least OF that year
There are great many misapprehenslons existing
about the nature OF this doctrine OF the Immaculate
Conception Few understand II correctly. For
that reason 1t would be proper TO gve
a brief explanation OF the doctrine. He then
proceeded 10 explain that the doctrine OF tho
Church was through tho fall Of our frst parents
the stain of sin was transmitted 10 all posterty.
Every that Is born ofa woman bears on his soul
the stain OF original sln There Is but one exception
TO this law, and that ono exception Is tho mother
OF God. by OF that exception tho Church
calls the feast OF the lmm acuate Conception.
Tho blessed virgin conceived without That stain.
This doctrine is ola as the Church. IL Is iound in
blessed virgin is called tho "immacuiate Mother"
and Is described as being conceived without sin This
was found IN tho liturgy OF - James and IN that
doctrine was preached by tho earliest fathers
OF tho Church, by ST. Augustine, 81. Gregory.
ST John OF Chrysustom and great many besides,
including learned ia:hers and doctors OF the Church.
As Christianity grew IN years this doctrine Increased
and spread with the spread of Christianity. 1t
wus bclet hcId 10 everywhere aud by all the faith
full The children oil tho Cnurch could not realizc
she who to DO the mother Of the Son OF God,
IRON whom Hc was 10 takc His sacred body which
atone Tor the sins OF tho world could ever have
been tainted with the slightest stain oi SIN; that even
for instant could have becn the object Of the
cnmly OF God under the power Of the informal SER
pent. Like great river, this doctrine has flowed on
through the generations past, deepening its bed,
widening its body and increasing It's velocity down
through tho ages and, although was never defined
a dogma OF faith, yet II has ever been believed.
yEyERATIoS FOR TIE MOTHER OF CHRIST.
II is gwen to us TO see IN our day the definition or
the dogma OF tho Immaculate Conception, and tho
Pontif who enjoyed the privilege oil promugatiny
tnat do hnition tho present Holy Father, Plus TX.
rho promu lgation Of this defnition no tho Holy
Father(-tho most devoted 0 tho children OF the
blessed virgin and the most Jealous OF her defenders
deemed an honor woll because Of its truth be-
Cause the fact OF its being SO intimately connected
with tho dogma Of the incArnatioD. He delights to
honor tho maculate mother OF God bscause history
and experience navc taught us that when Mary
disnonored tho dishonor of Jesus speedily io-
misty ideas OF the dvinity OF our Blessed Lord that
due honor and veneratton are denied to HIS holy
mother. Our Saviour ever cherished u devotion tow.
ard the blessed Virgin Mary.
In ncusi0n the Cardinal SAID wo should havo re-
her ntercession In times Of pcrll and temp
taLlon confident that she Is TO the throne
OF her DIVINE Son her influence Is second only TO
HIS. And not only In pers and dangers, but also IN
either In her head members by governments
schisnatlcs 10 tho at present Let US, above
all hrst ana last never neglect 10 sancIiIy ourselves
in this devotion TO her BY Initiating those virtues most
ample here may enjoy the privilege OF the
presence Of her Divine Son forever hereafter
heaven.