Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-06-06
Our New York Letter.

''Afi"N Ultima
cArnEDnAL-ToM MooRE's DIRTnDAY-DEo-
GRAFTON DAY-TALMAGE's VACATION.
The past week will be memorable one in
Catholic annals, for the opening of st. Pat
rick's Cathedral, on Fifth avenue, which has
been many years in building, and is the
grandest and most imposing church struc-
ture in America. The ceremonies, which oc-
cupied the greater part of Sunday, May 2jth,
had been long pre-arranged and pre-an-
nounced and attracted multitude so vast
that the thousands who crowded the ediice
were but handful TO the multitude that
surged about the outside of the cathedral
with such an eager pressure that $50 police
men had to form a regular fire line to pre-
vent deadly and overpowering rush. Ad-
mission was 10y tickets, which had to be pro-
cured beforehand, and in very many in
stances were roundy paid for. The cere-
monies themselves were of the most brilliant
and sumptuous character. Seldom outside
of Rome or Paris has such an ecclesiastical
pageant been witnessed as here celebrated
the dedication of this magnificent centre and
home Of the Roman hierarchy in America
The participants We're Cardinal McCloskey
and most of the American archbishops, as
sisted by innumerable priests and acoytes
the whole forming procession, whose robes
and jewels and decorations, with the dazzling
white marble and rich stained glass of the in
terror, presented to the eye Kaleidoscope
series of gorgeously colored pictures.
OF the ceremonies themselves l cannot Of
course attempt TO give an account, as n de-
scription Of them occupies a full page of fine
type in the city papers. They consisted in
general Of sprinkling the doors and other por-
tons of the building with holy water, march,
ing and countermarching by the priestly host,
the chanting of interminable prayers the
whole literally interpreted with music Of n
high order. At night when the cathedral
was lighted up for its first evening service, a
beautiful effect was produced which an eye
witness thus describes: No sooner had the
electric spark lighted up the gas jets that en-
circled the foliatod capitals of the massive
columns and had darted from pillar to pillar
81 Cddiug food Of radiance on the wide
cNpansc OF nave and aisle below bringing
the architectural details of the high altar into
bold relief and investing them with an UNI
earthly beauty-than n strange sight present
cd itself TO those who were on the streets i'm
modiately adjoining the edifce. There APP
peared in habiliments of fire, radiant features
and dazzling splendor, the saints. the mar
tyrs and the confessors Of the Catholic
Church on the stained and storied windows.
Scenes from Scripture and from the lives of
the saints shone amid the darkness Of the
night, and to lockers on was revealed an epic
traced in fire on tach window. Despite the
rain that fell with disagreeable persistency at
the time, this grand revelation Of art attract
ed the attention OF passers-by and lined the
streets with groups of interested gazers.
Within, the noble proportions of the struc-
ture were ether, allied in the blaze of thou
sand lights, and the rich mouldings and beau
tiful tracery seemed to gain additional
charms"
During the week, an auction sale was held
ut the cathedral for the purpose OF realizing
as much as possible from the natural desire
among rich parishioners for choice pews in
their chosen place of worship. First choice
was run up to -, 100, at which figure it was
obtained by Mrs. Navarro, wife of the vice
president Of the Metropolitan Elevated road
Succeeding choices were sold at constantly
dwiudling figures until some 900 had
been realized in these bonuses, which, of
course have nothing to do with the regular
rent of the pows
Another somewhat II otable event il this
general connection was the meeting held by
the ssombled prelAtes the day after the
grand dedication, to con slider under the lead
orship of the Cardinal, plans for the cancel
lation of the enormous debt of Archbishop
Purcell of Cincinnati who was on here to
attend the opening of the cathedral. The
kuotty question, which has caused so much
public aud private discussion since the arch
bishops insolvency became known, was
handled with the vigor and business capacity
which is so singularly characteristic Of Cath
Ole administration generally, and plan for
an organized subscription throughout tue
country wa, maturcd, which bids fair to
bring about satisfactory settlement of the
SANITY bankrupts affair.
Another notable event Of this week, was
thu celebration on the 2Sth Of the centenary
Of TLoma, AIoorc's birthday. In the after
noon, a colossal bronze bust Of the poet was
unveiled in Prospect Park, with appropriate
ceremonies and in the evening the Acade-
my of Music was thronged with a fine audi
ence, whose entertainment consisted in eulo-
gies Of the great minstrel, alternating with
performances by well-known voealists of his
most celebrated melodies.
Decoration Day was this year observed in
about the usual manner, or perhaps indeed
little more generally than common, on &c
count Of the exceptionally fine weather,
which allured from their occupations many
people who, as rule pay little attention to
holidays. Flngs and excursions, professions
and speeches, al literally besprinkled with
flowers, made up the order of the day.
The Reverend Talmage celebrates his ac-
quittal by taking three months vacation in
Europe. He sailed ON Wednesday last ac-
by his wife and daughter, and the
large portion Of the congreg CATION that went
down the bay in the steamer Grand Repub-
lie" to see him Oh, kept up an almost contin-
uous cheer for the Dominic" The elders
of his church, most of his church members,
Arbucklc bearing his comet, and the MAORI
ty of the Presbyters who recently voted that
DIR. Talmgge had not been guilty Of false
hood and deceit, were in the steamer They
made great time over their eccentric pastor,
who waved an adieu as long as he could be
seen, while the band played "Auld Lang
Synr, ana Arbucke gave, as a parting solo,
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow"
DR.. Ialmage will deliver a series of lectures
in England, under the management of Mr..
Pond, of late Henry Ward Beecher's lecture
agent He will return home to preach on
the first Sunday of September.
RADIX.
VERMONT UNIVERSITY. programme of
the commencement exercises of the Universe
Ly of Vermont and State Agricultural College
is AS follows: June % baccalaureate sermon