National Republican., 1883-05-21
CONTRIBUTIONS.


ELOQUENT SERMON AT ST. PETERS CHURCH
by ARCHBISHOP GIBBoEs-CoNFIRMATIoN
CEREMONIES.
st. Peters Roman Catholic church was
crowded yesterday morning to listen TO a
sermon by Archbishop Gibbons, of Baltimore.
The archbishop tork his text from the
twenty eighth chapter of st. Matthew and
eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth verses:
And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying,
"All power Is given unto Me in Heaven and IN
earth. Go ye therefore and teach oil nations, hap
tisiug them in the name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Chest; teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever | have commanded you
and 10 am with you always, even unto the end
of the world"
The archbishop said He delegates to His
apostles the great privilege of preaching His
gospel to all nations of the earth. Our blessed
Lord makes this declar alton, ~ am with you
even unto the consummation of the world, to
the end of all days" This declaration is the
source of the strength we possess, and the
groundwork or foundation of our faith it
constitutes the churchs stability. The
church is from God, by God, and with Him
from the first to the last. Her strength lies
in her one Jesus-her unity and her
Christ says, 81 pray, Father, that all who
may believe in Ne may be one, as Thou, the
Father, and are one"
We must acknowledge one God one Saviour,
and one faith, for Jesus says, "On this rock
/ build My church." which goes to prove that
it was His intention to establish but one
church, and not u large number Of widely
differing and conflicting denominations. He
shall rule over His kingdom, and there will
be no end.
Gods church was then compared to
sleeps fold; the faithful representing the
flock, who listen to the voice of the shepherd,
and walk in the same path and fe''d in the
| l.. gln ,hoe
all, whose commands and teachings are obeyed
and sought after.
The doctrine of Christ as given from the
sermon Of the Mount is preached by all his
ministers in tho Catholic church the world
over, without any addition or subtraction at
the present day. The archbishop drew
beautiful picture when describing how
the true Catholic adhered to his early
teachings, and with what pleasure he hailed
the sight of Goods tabernacles" when and
wherever they were seen, and now my dear
people, he said in conclusion, rejoice and be
exceedingly glad that you are the children of
God. Call on him to give you strength to
obey His laws and to practice His virtues.
| Prove yourselves wOrthy of fellowship with
His church, and cooperate with us, your
shepherds, to promote the glory of God. Be
| loyal to God and His church and allow moth
ing in this life to separate you from God or
His church.
| In the afternoon, Mt $3.50 o'clock, the church
was packed to suffocation, the majority ofthe
congregation consisting of children, TO wit
ness the confirmation of 265 children and 80
adults by the archbishop, who addressed the
candidates, giving them wholesome advice
and placing before them truthful lessons for
their future guidance. Rev. Father Dunn
celebrated the high mass at the morning SER
vice, The reverend fathers O'Sullivan, Dunn,
Birch. Brouvile, and Hughes assisted the
archbishop during the confirmation exercises
Morning service-Mozart's twelfth mass
"Veni Creator" Himmel, by George Orth
at the ofiertory, "Sit Nomen Domini," quar-
tette. Afternoon service" Veni Sancta
La Hasch, quartetto; "Magnifcat," Millard
"Tantum Ergo" Yobe; I" o Salutaris," Hal
lersly. The parts were all ably sustained by
the following members of the choir Sopranos
Miss Mollie Kelly, Miss Ollie Dwyer, and Mrs
Mehlor; altos, Mrs Joyce and Miss Emms
Little; bass, Prof Orth and IL. Mehlor; ten
ors, A. Netf and J. Frank Mcguire, and or
ganist, Mrs. Bright. @