Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-27
than in 1871. but larger than in 1861. The
decline in the Catholic population is be-
lieved by the census commissioners to be
due entirely to emigration.

Our esteemed religious contemporary,
the Christian Advocate, condemns the gen.
eral custom Of many pious souls who take
occasion to sternly rebuke their children
and to groan over their remarks as evil
dence of total depravity, when the young
folks indulge in criticism Of the action of
church members. The Adrocate shows
that there is frequently just cause for such
criticism and makes the point that, if
children cannot tell the difftreEce between
a consistent and inconsistent life, they are
not in condition to be impressed by re-
ligious appeals. They cannot learn or be
taught grammar without seeing or remark
ing errors in the use Of language. Our
contemporary idea is that the greatest
possible good to the greatest possible num-
Der of our young people is to be obtained
by representing the church as society Of
converted persons banded together to live
consistent and earnest Christian lives
Those member who do not so live are to
be considered by them to be unworthy and
criticised as such.
IT is an ambitious venture that the
French composer Gouuod has made in his
effort to reproduce in music the complete
story thai constitutes the basis of the
Christian religion. That is the design and
scope of his sacred trilogy of The Re.
demption," which had its first rendition
iu Philadelphia last night by the Cecilian
society of that city aided by Theodore
Thomas orchestra. The purpose of the
composition is to portray in a connected
narrative the three great facts upon which
depends the existence of the church they
are the passion and death of the Saviour 4;
His glorious life on ca til from His resus-
rectiou to HIS ascension the spread OF
hristianity in the world through the
mission of the apostles. The sublime
themes are distinctly treated as q unity
aud the work is not inaptly designated as
three oratorios i'll one, each complete III
its own design and structure, but all mu-
tually bearing upon each other and
worked out in harmonious completeness.
II Gounod has not succeeded ia spanning
the tremendous motive that inspired his
pen when he gave birth to the composition
th..a is now setting musical critics by
the ears, lie has at all events pro
duced work of beauty and Importance,
and one in which his ihvincibie facility
for grand Instrumentation has been per-
mitted to SO completely overshadow the
opportunity for vocal effects that I" The
Redemption " might with greater pro,
priety b, denominated symphony with
vocal accompaniment. Just in what
manner this will affect the popular recep,
| tion of the Frep n composers latest work
| may be readilj fni ,sLadowed, aud it is
| not hazarding IN III to venture the opia-
ion that NJ. G,nnoj's trilogy will never
rank with the e.ri.or productions of Bact
and Handel, if indeed it secures {; perma
nent place in sacred music. OF the Cecil
i'm society's execution Of the work
naught is to be said except in praise
Their rendition of the choral effects was
marked by precision, diguity and keen
sense of the nature OF their duty that left
nothing to be desired. The society is
credit to the city and to musical training
in its higher sphere Of development.