New-York tribune., 1882-02-20
TIE NECESSITY OF FAITH.

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Btsh0p Bccchcr 81 Pr'TickS Roman catholic Cathedral.
! MOnseigneur Quinn read the regulations for
the Observance Of the Lcnten season in the Cathedral In
Ffthave. yesterday. These the they were
in other years He also announced that Bishop Becker,
Of Wilmington, Del, would appeal to the congregation
for money 10 pay OF the debt Mount St. Marys Coll &c,
Emmttsburg After the gospel was chanted by the
deacon Bishop Becker asccndcd the pulpit and read 1t in
English The Bishop is of medium height, with broad
shoulders, round, fun face and very black hair. His
delivery is slow and distinct and he speaks in high key,
so that he De heard clearly in every part Of the
Cathedral lie makes few gestures, but when he does
make use Of them they add force his argument The
Bishon took his text from St. Luke xviii. AZ; And
Jesus said to him, Receive thy sight thy faith hath made
thee whole"
Our Lord, said the preacher, performed miracles to
show HE divine authority. In the gospel Of the day.
find Christ performing miracles on man deprived Of
sight bind mau sat by the wayside begging, and of
it his great desire that his sight sbOuld
be restored. Our Lord such occasions listens
to the prayers OF those who appeal to Him. Not that He
requires special explanations from His children, but He
wants them 20 manifest their desire TO fulfil the COM
mandment which says; ASK aud thou shalt receive,
and thou shalt find knock and it shall be opened
unto you." The lesson Of this mans blindness is
to teach those who are affected with
spiritual blindness. Unless helping hand
IS extended To blind man. he is constantly in danger OF
being lost And with the Christian who is spiritually
blind he is not guided in the proper path, he knows
not whittier he is going. It was necessary that God
should come teacher Of men and the director OF
their souls The story Of the blind teaches that
aith Ia absolutely necessaTy that must have firm
beiefin our Heavenly Father This Is what the blird
had, and ii the reason that ne cured. He
heard the multitude pass by and asked what it meant
When he WAS told that It Jesus he
bowed down before Him, and cried out, Jesus Son OF
David have mercy me-" He had heard of Jesus be-
fore and proof that he believed He the Messiah
he gave Him the title " Jesus Son Of David" It
evidence of his belief for there be question that
that the title by which The Messiah was known
One OF the lessons which tie gospel teaches is that
perseverance, viii crown efforts our Lord retains
TO Himself the place where. the time when. and the cir
cumsanccs under which. He grants our prayers. Our
Lord asked the blind man, "What wit thou that
should dor" end the responded, Lord, that may
see" Oh that all could feel the need of a
similar similar prayer How many ,rf are blind that that
shortcomings and be directed in the proper path! To
stored tne sight OF the Llad man it was to teach all
nation forever that He was omnipotent, When Christ
did not know. But when the man called him "Son
Of David" our, Lord was pleased with his
whole" And immediately the man was restored To
sight. II is jnst what the Church does. one Of
ceiyed into It's fod is what do You ask Of the Chrch
Of God - and the answer u, Faith The next question
Life everlasting" The great lesson then iu today's
gospel Is that We must have faith.
As has been announced through your pastor, am here
to-day 10 make appeal for Mount ST. Marys College,
the oldest Catlo scat of learning in the United states
This institution has than ordinary claims the
Church In the lest fifty years priests and bishops have
been sent ont from its portals to every part Of the
Try This great archdocese drawn all its archbshOps
from the college the insti utiOn established.
The immortal Archbishop Hughes. the present Cardinal
aud his coaduior, the Archbishop, were students 1T
Mount ST. MaIys II fitting that yon should be generous
70 such institution, which has become nyO ed in
financial difficulties, not OF account of any bad manage
ment 0f those IN charge but cmeiy owing 10 tHe results
Of lhc The bishops and priests all over the ccun
try have contributed generously aid the college IN it's
financial emha His rminence the Cardinal,
gcfted hat would DE good idea appeal to the people
large. VIII not take up any Of your t!mc at
present only ask you contribute largely You
can. At another time VIII speak TO you further about