The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-09-20
First Days Session.

the various Catholic Societies assembled at
Cathedral Hall, and escorted the delegates
az the Irish Catholic Benevolent Union to
st. Peters cathedral, where mass was eel
ebrated by Rev. Father White, OF Raleigh,
n. G.. assisted by Reys. Father FitZslm-
mons, OF Stanton, Va, and Father +. NC
Keever. of Blairsville, Fa.
TIE NrsIC.
The music by the choir was OF blgh or,
der. They rendered Haydn's celebrated
Second Mass with great care, artistic pre-
cision, and, above ali, perfectly in keeping
with the tempo as indicated by the great
composer. The "Veni Sancte Spirtus )"
before the sermon, and the 80 Salufarls,"
taken from Mercadant's trio mass, sung at
the offertory, were both well rendered.
The choir was very materially assisted by
Mr.. T. E. Harkius, who is president OF the
Philadelphia Musical Association, an organ
ization consisting OF some eight hundred
and embracing almost all the pro-
fessional musicians Of Philadelphia. The
rendition OF the bass solo "Qui 1olis," in
the "Gloria," 6y Mr.. IIarkins, was very
fine, his full, rich tones being admirably
suited to the maj iestic measure OF the pro-
duction.
After the first Gospel, Bishop Gibbons
preached one OF his fine sermons, taking
his text from st. Paul's cpistlc to the Ephe-
slams, on the subject OF charity.
Bishop Gibbons's Address.
Bishop Gibbons SAID: Dearly-Beloved
Delegates, In the name OF the citizens OF
Richmond, in the name OF the Cathollc
community, and in my own name, tender
you Il warm welcome. Your beautiful or
canization maniiests itself before me as q
fitting type OF the unity and catholicity OF
the faith which you all profess. You are
type of its unity; for you are "careful TO
keep the unity of the spirit in the bona OF
peace, one body and one spirit, as you are
called in the one hope OF your vocation, one
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God ana
Father OF all, who is above all and through
all in us ALL" A type OF its cathoicltY; for
l see you assembled before me from va
rious and remote sections OF our common
country. You are come from the North,
and from the South. and from the East,
and from the far West, blending in one
common cause your varied talents and in
dustries.
But though you have come from afar l
greet YOU not as strangers and foreigners,
but az fellow-citiZens OF the same republic,
as children OF the same mother, as brothers
OF the same association.
I welcome you rs citizens in the name OF
the citizens OF Richmond. Nearly the last
decade of years l have spent i'll Virginia
and North Carolina. During that time l
have daily commingled and conversed with
its people without distinction OF creed.
And, unless I have very much mistaken the
character and disposition OF these people,
l can say to you with confidence that you will
here seek in vain for social ostracism or re-
liglous animosity. Prejudices, indeed, there
may be and are among Us, but they are rele-
gated to the private family and to the
churches. You will find in the public
walks of life broad religious federation
and social iraternal spirit. And the
friendly smile you will see before you on
face will reflect the warm and
generous feelings Of Richmond's heart.
RICHMOND AND VIRGINIA.
And if can commend the citizens OF
Richmond to you, l can certainly commend
YOU to the citizens OF Richmond. Other
societies may surpass yours In the number,
and wealth, and learning OF its members !;
but for loyalty TO your country, for gen.
crous and ardent attachment to her cher
ishcd institutions, I can place none before
YOU. Your devotion to this great republic
is too deep-rooted and intense to be wasted
away in idle profession Of loyalty. You
would rather prove your devotion to her
by actions than by words. And venture
TO saw that OF all the sister States in the
Union there is none for which you have 4
more hearty and enthusiastic admiration
than for Virginia, the mother OF statesmen
and DresidentS-a State which has done
more than any other to perpetuate the con-
secrated traditions Of our country.
CAUTION.
Remember, beloved delegates, that you
-" are spectacle to the world, to angels, and
to men," Remember that your proceedings
will be daily spread throughout the country !;
that they will be read and criticized by a
discerning public, who will Judge Of them
not with the partial eye of friend, but in
the cold light OF reason. Remember that
your personal bearing will be observed
BY our iellow-citizens, and that you repre-
sent not only the voice, but also the charac-
ter OF your absent brethren. The honor
and dignity Of the society are in your
hands. Any act of impropriety OF which
any one member would be guilty would not
only tsrnish his own soul, but reflect upon
the society he represents. You appear in a
double rsIe-as individuals and as delegates.
am persuaded, indeed, that you will tar
nish not the bright escutcheon OF the Irish
Catholic Benevolent Union; that your pro-
ceedings will be free from all bitterness and
nersonality; that they will be marked by
wisdom and discretion that you will leave
behind YOU the sweet odor OF your virtues,
and that your conduct as citizens will be
such as to command public admiration.
"Letvour light so shine before men that they
NAV see your good works, and glorify your
Father who is in Heaven"
oATH-BoUND SOCIETIES.
| welcome you as children OF the same
mother. When you paraded this morning
the streets of our city you felt that you
were in a strange place. The houses you
passed and the faces you met were unla-
miliar to you. But when you beheld the
cathedral, with the cross surmounting 1t,
your hearts rejoiced within you. You felt
that YOU discovered one familiar spot IN
strange city; that you were going to the
home OF your childhood-nay, to your
mothers b0use-and as you entered the pre-
cincts OF the temple you could excalm with
the royal prophet, Chow lovely are thy Ia
bernacles, @ Lord OF hosts My soul long
eth and fainteth for the courts OF the LORD.
NV heart and my flesh hath exulted in the
living God; for the sparrow hath found
herself a home and the turtle-dove nest.
Tby affairs are my home, my King, and my
God" You see around you the paintings
of familiar saints, whom you were accus-
toned to yenerate from your youth. You
see the baptismal font, where the regenera-
ting waters were poured on your infant
heads: YOU behold the confessionals, where
YOUR sins were washed away; you see the
episcopal seat and the altar-rails, where you
often partook Of the bread which cometh
down from Heaven; you see the priest