The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-16
medication, OF a New R,oman cashosie
x,ysnrc1. sn Tyachburcs
.nt,erce of che Ricamond Dispatch.l
ioo ' wy ~~cup,rs. september Is, 1879.

,,,..., rv,nt,er,ce of the Rfca,nond Dispatch.l
LyNcHBcRa, September Is, 1879.
Tho new Catholic church. hereafter to ne
,-,nwn as the Church OF the Holy Cross,
recently erected in this city, on tue corner
~ CLAW and Seventh streets, was dedicated
~ the service Of the Most High yesterday
with the mo st solemn and impressive cefe-
monies. Less than two years ago II was
decided by The, Catholics of Lynchoues ana
their p4stor, Rev. Father j. J. McGurk,
that the church (St. Francis AaF'ers} I'D
WHICH they were then woTshlpplng was not
sufficiently comuiodious iorthcif increasing
numbers. and that new and larger ouii'l-
;ru had become a necessity. The hrst Step
.n-,.-r3s carving on. the project was the
-nnr-hase Of the 10: upon winch the new
laS,,;cn now stands. and contract was NJ
o,,nn made for the erection of the chuTch.
~, tho eS,h OF April. 1873. the corner
S,nre was laid, and tue work was !aplaiS
,'rSnhod forward TO completion, and To-Day
~ ci,v ran boast Of having one OF the
s,,n.t churches in the State, and certainty
,a IVA, compares in finish ana attractive
VI" "S. most f1yor,bly with many churches OF
,.rocr and Weather congregations.
AT THE CHURCH SUNDAY.
TO avoid tie inGiscrimlhate rush t0at
-h ., jniere.linr occasion would neccsSa-
,i;c carSe Father McGurk had issued cardS
NJ admission to IN estimated NUMBER com
n,rnsura;o with the capacity Of the church'
and sheo the hour arrived Tor the ccreHic-
mics 10 begin the wisdom OF inc s'cl, Was
wade ap,arcnt. There was no rush. no
mnmanapeahlc crowd. and no confusion.
The pcople hogan to come before 8 O'Clock,
and n; 10 the church was filled in every
available space TO 4 comfortable degree.
Among the congregation there were many
Of the non-Caihol;c population OF Lynch-
kurr who were attracted by the novelty OF
thc orcasion. but more especially by the
published announcement that TWO distin-
eui>hcd prclatcS OF the Catholic Church -
Most Rev. Archbishop James Gibbons, OF
Baltimore. aud Right Rcy. Bishop keane, OF
RichmoEd-wouid participate IN
THE OBLIGATORY CEREMONIES.
At a fcw minutes past 10 O'Clock pro-
crssion composed Of acolytcS bearing light
"a candles. and priests. with Archbishop
Gibbons rohcd in cape and mitre, hted into
,be sanctuary from the SacriSty. and pro-
ror1,d down the centre aisle to the
front door. where the ceremony OF
frdir9tion began. After the first PRAYER
The procession moved around the outside
oj tbc church. the priests chanting the
Jis.rfre and the Bishop SprinklinS the
ortrr walls with holy water. and re-
ching the PRAYERS Of dedication. Upon re-
entering The building the PROCESSION re-
turned TO the fool Of The altar, where the
Ii,any .. the Saints was chan'ed; ailer
which the Archbishop proceeded aEoHnu
the interior Of the church and sprinklcd
the inner walls also with holy wafer. ihls
concluded the ceremony. and the Church
or the Ilolv Gross was dedicated 10 the
service Of the Almighty God.
TIE FInyr REGULAR SERVICES
were then begun. Bishop kcanc celebrating
roni!tc.l high mass. Rev. Father L. y.
UralY, :. j., president OF Georgetown Col
h,"c. acted as assistant priest. Rev. Thomas
Murray. OF O!d Point, was the deacon OF
the mas: Ecr I. D0nohoe, al Waircnton,
sub.dracon: and Rcv. L. }. TASTY master OF
ceremonies Rev. fa.hcr hicGurk was chap
lain 10 tn Archbishop.
After the Gosgci was read and chantcd.
Archbishop Gibbons proceeded TO deliver
the dcdicat0ry sarmnn. This DC did in his
usual mastery style. rivctng the attention
ol the large congregation for nearly an hour
with hi> delightful criiory.
Tue mss Was concluded at hali-paSt l
o'clock. the services occupying nearly three
and half hours.
THE SERVICES At NIGHT.
At $50 i. Nj. the church was again
crowded with 4 drnscr congregation than
during the morning. many persons being
unable to gam Abundance for the want OF
even standlng-roOm.
The services began with the administra-
lion Of the sacrament or confirmation by
Bishop Kcane to aboat eighty candidates.
twenty OF whom were adults. He then de-
Iiyercd most Interesting discourse, taking
fer bis subject the name OF the new church,
in the course Of which he gave 4 most IN
trrr.ing review OF the history and trumphs
Of the Cross of Christ, concluding with
rcrorat.on Astounding in the most eloquent
ana flashed oratory. The services were
concluded with the Bcnedicton OF the
blessed Sacrament.
THE MUSIC
at the morning and evening services was
rendered BY the regular choir in most
crcdi,atle manner. The principal music
in the morning WAS Miilard's popular mass
inc. La Ilactc'S Icni CrCntOr was eXqul-
>ilclv rendered before the dedicatory ser
mon hv Mrs. f. }. Doherty, Miss Mamie
f. Younger, and McsSrs. i. j. Otey and
John J.'Iounger. At the otfcrtory Mil
lard's 0 SatuiuriS (dueO was beautifully
sung by Mrs DVherty and Miss Younger
At night La Tiache's Fcni Creator was re-
heated before the sermon, and 1t the bene-
dctOn Mr.. Otcv sang in 4 most effective
manner Miilard's y .SdiutdriS Qenor solo),
which was followed by a grand IdntuaR
Erg0 hy Lamhillotte. The remaining men,
beis of The choir are Misses Halle Sherman,
who sang the beautiful OH Tolls solo in
G!Qr,d of the mass, Julih Wren. and Mag
gle Gyfoyle, and MeS>rS. d. p. Collins and
l.. J. Logon. Miss NJ. \. Morrissey pre-
sided at the organ aud performed her diff
cult task most satisfactorily.
THE CHURCH.
1t would take too much OF your valuable
space TO append such Il description OF the
church as would do justice 10 the structure.
Suffice il to say that il is work OF which
the Catholics and the people Of Lynchburg
generally have every right TO be proud, and
the reverend pastor, Father McGurk, de-
SERVES the greatest praise for bringing to IL
successful completion the project which i'll
the beginning seemed 10 lie beSet with so
many difficulties, all OF which, however,
have been Surmounicd by his indomitablc
Zeal and unliriEg energy. The church cost
So, 900. not including the lot upon which
il stands, for which $4,000 was paid. 1t
seems almost incredible that Snch an ediice
could have been erccIed by this congre@a-
ton, which numbers only about 100 per-
SonS, large and small, from their own means
Without outside aid, but such is nererthe-
los h,,,