The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-03
AT THE CATHEDRAL.
Tie Last Lecture OF the Lenten Course
Delivered by the BIsop.

Delivered by the BIsop.
The fifth and last lecture Of Bishop
Kain's Lenten course was delivered yester.
day afternoon at the Cathedral, and like
the preceding ones, was listened to by a
large congregation. The subject was "The
Convert; Why and How Catholic" The
Bishop read tho parable Of the Supper, as
recorded in Luke XIV, interpreting the
invitations there given as illustrative Of
Gods calls to the rich banquet prepared
by Him in His holy church.
In effect his remarks were as follows
Many are the excuses by which mem seek
to Justify their refusal 10 comply with His
gracious invitations. The spirit OF wordli.
ness, so antagonistic TO the spirit Of Christ,
keeps many away from the blessings OF the
Catholic religion. The gospel, as preached
by this church, inculcates self.denial, hu.
nility, purity, etc, whilst the world ofFers, its
votaries pleasures, creature omiorts, self.
indulgence, &c. Between thedoctrine Of the
CruCitied and the doctrine OF the world,
each one must choose, for one Is irrecon.
cilAble with the other. Unfortunately too
many prefer the gospel which Is summed
up thus; "Let US eat, drink and be
merry, for tomorrow We die"-to that
which proclaims: III any man will be My
disciple let him deny himself, take up his
cross daily and follow Me-" In the DAYS
Of our Lord Himself. and His apostles, this
love Of the world and its pleasures opera.
ted 10 keep souls from embracing the
Christian Religion; and It is no less eiIica-
Cious now in producing like unhappy re-
suits. This is one very powerful cause that
binders conversion to the Catholic ChurGh,
which enjoins SO many things against
which flesh and blood rebel.
But II submission Of the will to the laws
OF God and His church be necessary,
equally necessary Is a childlike submission
Of the reason us well 'as Of the will to the
truths Of divine faith. Ifitis written: sIf
thou wilt enter into life, keep the com.
mandments," it is also written, ale
that believeth not, shall be condemned"
1t has been abundantly explained in what
this docility of mind--this obedience Of
iaith-cOnsists, and how it is to be
practised. 1t now remains with those who
have heard the doctrine to accept or reject
It. The invitation has been given to the
banquet Of faith and love and grace
in Gods holy church, and It is
for each one to decide whether
he will accept or decline it. Whilst the
prottered grace is by many Carelessly or
contemporary flung away, others, with
perhaps slender opportunities, are needing
the calls Of Gods Holy Spirit and entering
the fold Of the holy Catholic church,
They come, not singly, nor in pairs, but
by hundreds and thousands every year;
and they come from every profession and
every class Of society, influenced by no
worldly or human consideration to attach
themselves to the despiscd church of the
despised Galilean, but solely by the desire
to save their souls.
Here the Bishop pictured the progress Of
n soul on its way TO the Catholic Church;
it Tears and doubts and. uneasiness; its
growing dissatisfaction in its present state;
its first glance towards the old church OF
Rome; its discovery OF its true doctrines as
Gpntrasted with its former unjust notions
and baseless calmunies; its amazement Mt
the harmony Of all the teachings Of that
church with the Sacred Scriptures, and its
final conviction OF her divine mission and
authority. The conclusion, OF the lecture
was devoted to spirited exhortation to the
members Of the church, whether converts
or not, to reduce their faith to practice in
their daily lives and 10 be faithful in using
the means necessary to secure for them
selves the two.fold grace OF living true
Christian lives and dying happily in Christ.