The New York herald., 1877-09-17
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.

pEAsT or THE SEVEN DoLoIs-THE DOCTRINE
OF HOMAGE TO TIE BLESSED vIRGIN-sER-
MON BY THE REV. FATHER M 'CREADY.
Al st. Stephens Church yesterday morning there
was immense congregation present. For several
months past this splendid odilce has been undergoing
repairs tho interior, and all the improvements have
now been far advanced that tho congregation are
enabled TO the work that has been pushed
Tho frescolng the ceiling and the walls has been
rctouchcd and not few OF tho original designs havo
been rcmodeed. The thrco atars have also received
q moro elaborate decoration, and the beautiful picture
of the Sacred Heart which forms the cenrepiece OF
little altar the epstle side Of tho sanctuary, has
boon iroshened in Its cooring Tho grand organ has
been thoroughly ovcrhauled and several new pedals
havo been added. Tho music at the high mass yester-
day very tine, tho new organst displaying no
little skill IN solne voluntaries
shRMoN
The mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father Nc
mon. The subject OF which was 'The seven Dolors Of
the blessed Virgin, yesterday being the feast known
by that title we mediate to-aay SAID the preacher
on the surerpgs OF the mother Of God aud offer her
our sympahes. Therc may DO natures so stolld and
insensble not to be moved To JOY at anothers hap
p,ncss but there few VINO are not moved TO sad
the sight OF 1t in othcrR 1t IL tribute which
nat urc demand Of us oven against our Will,
aud what heart hard as TO refuse tear or sigh IN
sympathy when sweet mother the object OF II.
Inc story too O the mothers sorrows is the history
of the SONS sucring's passion and death, and thus
as sympathy bogets sympathy, shall be carried by
pahy tor the mother TO lovo OF the Son, Jesus,
the adequate and end OF all our religious exercises,
the OF that love OF God which shall be
happiness tor ever In speaking OF Mary or OF
any hor prerogativcs the object OF our devotion
must not lose sight of tho ineabe relation between
aud Jesus Tor It is ony In view OF this relation
''Mary the mother OF God'' and Jesus her
sou-lhat olcr her that homage which We paw her.
While rejecting present subject 1t is especially
necessary that We bear IN mind this their intimate
union. AS Christ US God had from all eternity pro-
ceeded from the Father alone, did He IN time
take HIS human nature from Mary alone He was
literally 'lesh in her flesh and bone OF her bone" NO
other created being could claim any part IN Him.
AIDED by tho mysterious influence OF tho Holy Ghost
only Mary gave 10 Jesus human body out OF
her own pure substance, SO that she Is
called, and Is, His mother by title more
appropriate than that by which ordinary women
are called the mothers Vt tho children whom they
bear. Never before two hearts moro perfectly
united; never were two pure souls SO perfectly IN nc
cord as wero soul OF Mary and the human soul OF
her son. jesus. Bearing these facts In mind We sLal
the readily understand how the suferngs OF tho
Man God must touched corresponding chord IN
HIS mothers soul, and how intensely they must have
boon felt therein. Holy Church, much as sho roveres
the memory OF her departed and gorihed servants,
bestows her snints no empty titles she desgnates
them only by their virtues ana distinguishing cnarac-
teristcs which IN this life they had acquired just
and well founded right In addressing so .ns nyy ny
reasons similar to those ~ which shc ad-
dresses her as "Quecn OF Virgins" aud us Mary
IS by pre.emncnce the virgin the queen, tho type
and model OF ull Christians who would testify tLcir
love HIM and Tor His doctrines who Is tho author
and founder OF tEeir iaith." Mary was III the Cuest
sense martyr and one whose sunerngs equnllcd tho
sufierugs OF all tho martyrs comDincd THIS seems
lko but let us reflect on what an inu-
she has ID hardening the heart and rendering II
lnsens Uie 10 the ordinary pains oil lilo.
Tho preacher continued 70 speak OF the oolors oi
the virgin llethc presentation IN tho tompe, tho
fight into Egypt loss OF tho Chiid IN HIS twelfth
year, and the various stages Oh The Passion, until
finally the mother stood at the loot 0f the cross on
Calvary. From these tne lesson was inculcated that
.'whom God loveth He chasteneth"