The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-06-10
PESEECOsT SUNDAY Al HE
CATHEDRAL,

LIE llOIlluk EtI FAGGa ~ ~. ON9N - =
Cathedral commenced at the usual hour
1890 O'Clock. Poutifcsl High Mass vas
celebrated by Bishop hsin, Father Sulii-
van being assistant priest, Father Wal
tiers deacon, Father COLLINS sub-deacoo,
and Father Reynolds. master OF ceremo.
pies. After the singing Of the gospel by
the Deacon, the Bishop read the same IN
English, from the l4Gh chapter OF 81.
John, verses 1881; also the Epistle otthe
Mass. from the End chspter OF the Acts
OF the Apostles, Ill verses. de then
proceeded to an explanation OF the Feast
OF PentlcOst, which he characterized SIS
the birthday anniversary OF the Christ
ian Church. The Holy Ghost who, on
this day, descended on the Apostles,
is the animstlng principle that I'M
parts divine life TO the Church OF
Jesus Christ, and through the church to
esch individual member Of the Savlnurs
mystical body-His hely church. The
world, after lis creation, though the
work OF 4 od, lay in chaos TIL the spirit
of God poyed over the choatic mass and
gave It form and living organization.
The body Of Adam, though fashioned by
the hand of the Almighty, was but an
insnimate lump of clay till God bresthed
into it living soul. So too with the
church. 1t WAS divine in its Institution,
for 1t was the creation of the Son OF Cod
but it was devoid of divine vitality until
it was embued with power from on high
until it was filed with the spirit OF the
living God on PentecOst Sunday. On
that day it began 10 live its divine Ii e
and to enter on its divine work OF I'M
parting uperpatural or divine life to the
soul of men. Twoiold, therefore, is the
action of the spirit OF God in the church
cr Christ; twotold His action in the indl'
vldual Christian.
FIRST. in the church. The doctrine
which teaches the ever-abiding and active
presence of the Holy Spirit in the
Church, is no mere invention Of pioas
minds; no mere theory held because OF
its sub!mlty of conception, but it ls the
clear teaching Of Holy Writ, and OF the
holiest and wisest of Christian men dur
ing every age OF the Church's existance.
For what purpose has the Church been
established by our divine Lerd except TO
teach men the knowledge OF the truths
OF salvation, and to be the medium OF
conveying to them the purifying and
yivifving grsces purchased for them by
our Divine Saviour? But these are OBJ
jpcts that require more than human in
.trumentslity, for the doctrines OF
faith are above the natural order. No
matter how wise and learned man may
be, of his own mind he cannot reach
them, for they belong to another sphere.
He must be taught them. God and HIS
nature; man himself, his origin
and destiny, the relations binding Creator
ard creatu!e-all these are truths which,
left TO himself, man has failed to comPre-
bend, or even to know. But God re-
Quires that we should know them, and
believe and accept all the truths OF reve-
latiou. Men cannot teach Us, even II the
whole system OF revealed truth were lett
TO their custody. Unaided they could
not preserve an1 transmit it intact, such
rs God wills snd requires 1t to be re-
ceiycd. Experience can testify to this.
n ow who is that competent and comPe.
tent because dIvine-TeaCher who will
lead Us into a knowledge OF all these ss-
cred truths? Who but the Spirit of God,
who, on Pentecast took up His abode IN
the church to teacn all truth and to re-
main with the church, fulfilling that office
forever 81 will ask the Father, and he
shall give You another Psrsclete, that he
may abide with you forever, the spirit OF
truth" (John xiv; 10, IL "But the
Psrsclete, the Holy Ghost whom the
Father will send 10 my name, he will
teach You all things and bring all things
to your mind whatsoever l shall have
said" ". 26.) But when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, He will teach
you all truth" John xvi; 49, To
Him, then, whom on this day the Church
salutes as L,oacn ct Lpc BsGtiSsimd, we
will pay our homage of supreme wor-
ship, and our most loving thanks for His
divine guidance. He It is who Is indeed
the Light" and the intellect of the
Church. His ever abiding presence 10
the Church is our guarantee of being
taught uneIrngIy the doctrines OF faith.
a second purpose for which lie abides in
the Church, Is 10 ssnCtfy the souls OF
mon. Whatever human instrumental
ties the Saviour has deigned 10 appoint,
receive their power TO heal or ssnctlfy
the soIl from the divine action Of this
Holy Spirit. 1t is he who gives to the
sacrament, or any exterior agency, the
interior principle OF a divine vitality. He
it is who applies the Redeemers
merits, and with them produces
or increases the divine life-the hfe OF
grsce-in the souls of men. This truth
is beautifully summed up Ia the first
verse Of tina. So ott-repested hymn OF in
vocation to the Divine Spirit, the "Venl,
Creator SpIritu'," "Come, Creator Spir.
it, &c" He is called the Creator OF
those souls which He fills with his divine
grace; because He imparts to them their
true, supernatural life as children of God
and heirs of heaven. When the mighty
Archsngel stood in lowly reverence be
fore the humble virgin of Nazareth, and
declared to her the mystery OF the linear
nation; and when 10 dread of losing her
so highly-prized gift of virginiiy, che
asked IN her perpleIity, how this mys-
Lsl sAyAAN NC Anvil pl'cASN VIZ az
gel!c messenger solved her doubt
and relieved her anxiety by this
solemn assurance: The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the pow
or OF the Most High shall over
shadow thee, and therefore also the Holy
One which shall be born OF thee shall be
called tie Son of God" Luke l., 35. But
does no! ST. John Il. John ill.,, l-2J call
US all Children-sons of God2 FOR Of
the Church We must say, rs the angel
to Mary: The spirit Of God shall come
upon thee ." and therefore
those that are born Of thee shall be called
the sons of Gcd." Through this divine
spirit we are regenersted-by baptism
born again, as our Lord teaches, OF water
and the Holy Ghost-msde shRrers in
that regeneration from God to which St.
John in his first episile 30 constantly
alluded. In all the other sacTSments
we receive an increase Of that
divine life, its highest contamination on
earth being reached by our union SO close
and Intimate with our God in the holy
communion. AS l 1--we by the Father,
SO he tha. esteth Me, the same
II