Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-26
OUR LADY OF LOURDEs.
The Crib and the Chapel at St. Mary's
Catholic Church. beautiful Fea-
lures and the Christmas
Scene.

Yesterday mass was duly celebrated at
st. Mary's Catholic Church, corner Of
Third and Market streets. The altars Of
the church were dressed in flowers, ever
greens, box and ivy, and ornamented
with waIen tapers, bright candelabra,
vases, etc. The church never presented a
more beautiful appearance, the crib being
an especially attractive feature. The
scene represents the biblical account of
the birth Of the Savior, and is a study and
a conception of magnificent beauty. You
behold the lonely manger, with the ass
and the OK at the stalls in the far end,
while upon a bed Of hay in the center is
the infant Jesus. The Holy Virgin Mary
and Joseph, with the shepherds, are pres
ent, and this miniature scene is
far more impressive than one would
imagine Above the Infant of Divinity
poises an angel as if singing Gloria in
Excelsis, and there is in all this some
thing so strangely beautiful that this fea-
ture of our religion is made familiar and
yet not vulgar to our comprehension. In
addition to this you behold a meadow and
valley, through which flows stream of
natural water, forming pool and then a
fountain, the tiny spray cleaning like a
shower of fairy rubies and pearls beneath
the softened light, which seems so gentle
and soft in its rays as to make one believe
it had wandered from Paradise. A flock
of sheep is grazing in the great valley pas
ture, a number of the animals climbing up
the narrow yet uninterrupted pathway
which leads around the mountain nights
by crag and abyss to the City of Bethle-
hem upon the far away sunset. Thus it
is seen that not only is the birth of our
Savior portrayed but also features of the
different festivities of the church succeed.
ing the great occasion. But the most
beautiful, the most imposing feature Of St
Marys yet remains, "The Chapel of 0ui
Lady of Lourdes." The chapel is of tn,
true Gothic style, the sacred monogram
being ingeniously wrought in the ceiling
at the intersection of the handsomely
painted grained arch. As a work Of ar
no church in the South, and but few il
this country, can lay claim to a che
d'Guvre Of such unique beauty. This il
all the more source of prid,
when it is remembered that th,
plan of the chapel was made in accord
ance with the painting of Father Lucius
and the entire workmanship executed
by the franciscan Brothers of st. Mary's
The statue of the Virgin was made il
France by order Of the kind donor, Mrs
Kate E. Dawson, of this city, lady who's
silent charity, like that taught by Chris
and the apostles, wings its goodness to tn
hearts of the sorrowing and the humbl
homes Of the needy and the suffering. A
a work Of art the statue is one of the mos
faithful in expression, as well as in pose
that can be made. The windows of tn
chapel are Of rich merit, both in desigi
and in their execution by the artist, as ar,
also the walls and the floor of tessellateC
marble. The imitation Of the cliff, covered
with lilies and the memorable rosebush,
are perfect while from the crevices in tn
rock is seen a spring Of natural water. Il
the niche of the cliff is seen the Statue o
Our Lady of Lourdes, the head beinl
halved with the gold inscription, "Je Sui
rImaculee Conception" Above the rocl
is an exact picture Of the church who's
whose priest at first doubted tn
story of Our Lady of Lourdes
as did Metellus, when the poo
fisherman of the Thames told him 81
Peter that night had come and dedicated
st. Peters church, now Westminste
Abbey. The statue is truly triumph o
art, and even the fastidious Frenchman
accustomed to the historic beauties of tn
Chapel Of the Tuileries, st. Augustine o
the Madelaine, st. German, LAuxerroi
and St. Roch, to say nothing of the Lou
yre galleries would cause the exclamation
Oh qu' ellie est belle.