The New York herald., 1879-08-11
Duty of Prelate. Priests
Il. and People.
CONSECRATING A BISHOP.
A Strange Instance of
Double Apostacy.
GOSPEL MESSAGES FROM LOCAL PULPIYc'
PoNTIF1cAL CONSIDERATION.


CEsE OF HARrFoRD-AN INDUSTRIOUS cERE-
MoNIAL-THE DUTIES OF PRELATE PRIESTS
AND PEOPLE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HEnALD.l
Hartford. Conn. August TO- 1879.
The Very Rev. Lawrence stephen Mcmahon. late
Vicar General of Providence to-day consecrated
% the NTH bishop of the Hartford diocese. The
services held at the Cathedral in this city and
were OF the usual imposing character. Fully three
thousand persons witnessed them. the Cathedral
being filed to repletion and hundreds gathering out
side at the windows. which commanded view Of
the ceremonial. Special trains the four roads
eonverging here came crowded with visitors from all
parts of the diocese the weather being cool and
favorable.
BISHOP MMAHoN's PREVIOUS WORK.
Bishop Mcmahon succeeds the late Bishop Gal
berry. who died while on visit to New York in Oc-
tober last. He is native Of New Brunswick and
was born in 1895. When four years Of age his pa
rents removed to the United States and for some
time he attended, the public schools in Boston. De-
Gliding upon future in the priesthood he snbse-
quently entered the Holy Cross College at Worcester
and remained there until it was burned in 1851. He
passed his rhetoric year in Montreal his
in Baltimore. His studies con-
tinued at the College of AK. in France. and he
studies in Rome and ordained to the priesthood
in 1860 by the Cardinal Vicar OF the late Plus TX.
Returning to America he first attached to the
Cathedral at Boston, and in 1868 became chaplain Of
the Twenty-eighth regiment of Massachusetts vol
unteers. After service he returned to Mas
sachusetts. and after short stay in
charge OF . parish at Bridgewater. removed
to New Bedford. In this field he diligently
labored and three churches grew from his earnest
work in st. Lawrence parish On the creation of the
diocese Of Providence 1872 he became its first vicar
general and held the Office until the Apostolic Com
mission of May last elevated him to bishopric.
THE DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
Bishop Mcmahon is finished scholar. and six
years ago received from Rome the degree Of Doctor
OF Divinity. He speaks Latin and French fuently.
and is Of great energy. such
IL wanted to take mp the great works
begun by the late Bishop Mcfarland just
prior to his death. and prosecuted successfully
by Bishop Galbcrry until he. too. passed away. 1t
is fact remarkable as it is alnentable that OF the
four prelates preceding Bishop Mcmahon the dio
enjoyed the lives and labors of three of them
but few years EACH Bishop Tyler. the first Bishop,
brsced both Rhode Island aud Connecticut died after
Ave years Of service Bishop O'Reilly was conse-
III lated steamer T Paciic six years afterward
Bishop Mcfarland had an extended term. from
ls5sto 1874. holding the office near half the period
of the existence OF the diocese: but his successor
Bishop Galberry, consecrated after a delay of the
appointment for nearly two years. served but two
years and half. The diocese of Hartford has
nearly hundred churches. nearly as many
chapels and stations, twelve academies, seven
mating i75 600. Hartford the episcopa residence.
has cathedral and four churches. The former is
not completed and is occupied only in the lower
hoor. 10 the finishing of this grand edifce much
OF the labor OF the new prelate must be devoted for
'14fr THE ATTENDING CLERGY
Attending the conservation the Most Rev.
srend J. j. Williams. ID. D., Archbishop of Boston
Bishops Loughiin, OF Brooklyn; OReilly. OF Spring
burg; Hendricken, of Providence, and Chatard, Of
vincennes. The cergymen numbered over one
tions being from this diocese and the dio
cese of Providence. Among those present were
Goekleyn. ofsFordham; Rev. Father o Hare of Roci-
ester; Rev. Father Ryan. of New York; Rev. Father
Kennedy. OF Brooklyn; Rev. Father Duggan, of Bal.
timore Rev. Father Troie, of Montreal, and several
OF the Order of St Francis including
Fathers Leo. O'Connor and Joachim. OF llleghany.
N. Y, and Coer and Daniel of the Franciscan Inst-
tuition ut winsted. Conn.
IMPOSING CEREMONIAL.
The ceremonies OF consecration were performed
in accordance with the usual Latin rites The music
was Haydns second mas, rendered by the full Cath
edral cnoir. assisted by an orchestra of fourteen
soprano, of New Haven; Mr.. Fairly. tenor. OF the
Church of the Immaculate Conception. Boston. and
,leraymen Of These the cOpsecrasion ceremones Wers
~ folows:-Celebrant the Most Rev. Archbishop
Williams. Of Boston; assistants Bishops Loughin. OF
Brooklyn. and ORelly. OF Springfield; deocon OF the
macs, the Rev. NJ. Moran. Boston; sub-deacon. tue
Rev. William DAILY. OF Boston; deacons of honor the
Rev. NJ. McCabe. of Woonsocket. Il. L. and the Rev.
Philip Grace OF Newport; assistant priest Vicar Gen.
sral walsh. Meriden, Conn; masters OF ceremonies.
ford; notary, Very Rev. James Hughes, Hartford.
NATURE OF pHE PRELAcy.
The conservation sermon was preached by tho
Right Rev. Bishop Healy. OF Portland. Me-. whose
text is found in Hebrews ". 10 and IL: =
Called by God high priest according the order of
Of whom We have much to say and hard to
Bishop Healy. in opening his remarks, referred to
the recognized Importance of the ceremony OF con-
seorsting bishop its greatness ITS dignity. its
portance aud its mystery. The life of the sim
pie Christian In the aity described. For
him there are the angels and the saints
to guard and to pray; for him his lite Is divine,
he IL made participant OF the divine nature. But
there are superiors to the simple Christian who
cleansed from sin. and the priests OF to-day repre-
senatves of Christ those superiors and work this
miracle Christ ted thousands bodily the clergy iced
thousands with celestial food. They order earth
and their authority rs obeyed, although there may
De temporary Persecution; as now IN some lands
occupying middle place between God and man. and
his life must therefore, be worthy of the unspeak
able dignity OF the Office.
A PRIEST ANOTHER CHRIST
II Is well said that priest IL another Christ. yet
there higher dignity conferred than theirs. that
dignity the comforting of which has to-day been
witnessed. IL is u dignity surrounded with most
elaborate ceremonies The speaker briefly rehcarsed
tion the robing, the anointing tho giving OF the
nitro and other symbols OF rank and author
tty. hut the real essential feature rs
the imposition OF hands. the consecrating
Pont aud the assistants placing their consectrated
hands upon his head. What is the meaning of tns2
The simple Christian may conduct another only to
the threshold OF Heaven and even the priest cannot
confer any powers upon others like unto their
own. There In, therefore. higher place,
that OF the Bishop, who alone posse ses the gift
OF virginia. fecundity. producing Others of grade
equal to himself. He is the representative OF tho
Ce a
consecraton the Church endeavors 10 make this
feature prominent This imposition OF hands is not
a ceremonial OF earthly origin. but comes from
Christ Himself. and from the prelate will flow
fresh graces and powers to the advantage of the holy
Church.
DUTY LAIIY.
Addressing himself to the people direct Bishop
Healy invoked them to do their part to uphold aud
aid the hands which have assumed new burden.
One prelate after another has been ovcrburdcned by
his work IN this diocese and has passed away. Let
the labors Of their successor be ghtened. that his
daYa aud usefulnrss may LIE long With %