Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1883-04-27
SERMON
by THE
Rev. Ewd. D. Connolly, S. J.
On the occasion ofthe first Jubilee OF he NeU
York MARYLAND Proutnce, dslipesea at
st. Thomas Manor.
APRIL 18TH, 1888.
CONCLUDED FROM LAST WEEK.
APRIL 18TH, 1888.

APRIL 18TH, 1888.
CONCLUDED FROM LAST WEEK.
There We're twenty Jesuits on the Maryland
mission at the time of the suppression. After
wards eleven more, natives Of Mary land re-
turned from abroad, making the total number
81. w thin the space of thirty years Is of these
had died. and of the Is who still survived, 10
never lost the hope of dying in the restored
society. They continued, as secular priests.
TO attend to the ministry with all the heart that
was left to them, although they felt not any more
the inspiration which had, in happier days
soldered them together in firm fellowship of
heart and hand. They had waited ten, twenty,
thirty years and more their dim eyes always
strainng towards the hope for restoration. Four
OF them by authority received from Russia re-
newed their vows i'll 1896 an act which bore wit
ness To their DEVOTION but probably did not, re-
constitute them canonically JesuitS. Set u
plant upon n shelf within doors before the win
braehes reach towards the light, it becomes
warped with its straining for the light and all of
it seems dead except what sees the light. so 1t
was with these venerable men. They were out of
place, set upon Shelf and all the life that WAS in
them turned towards the hope, and grew to-
wards the hope of the restoration.
OF those ten who had kept the hope of the
restoration, all except three had passed away be-
fore the biref of Plus VII reconstituting
John Carroll and Lenard Neale, the Archbishop
and the Coadjutor Archbishop of baltimore,
could not be permitted to- abandon their charge.
Only one was left to be the link between the old
and new. He was one of those whohad renewed
their vows in lS)6. and now, at last In lsl5 clasp
ing on either hand the outstretehed palms of the
Old society and the new. he raises his eyes to
heaven and thanks God for vouchSafing AT last
TO grant the blessing he has been asking for more
than forty years. This man was Of "A family
which has given eight of its sens of the society
Of Jesus His name was Charles Neae of Charles
county, Maryland.
NY brethren, if YOU should ever hear the
calumny repeated that the religious life in the
Catholic churches is one of wearineSs and pain
and agony of mind, or that the life of the coster
Ssa ~ taIt
Maryl land Jr>uits. Now what was IL that made
these feeble veterans. who had been scarcely
able TO totter over the thresh hold OF the present
century-waat was IL that male them care to
have the company of Jesus formed anew? The
reason of il, | think, was this: They could not
forget the old discipline in which they had been
trained, always to strive for what is best and
noblest and, in their view, the best and nohlest
thing was tn give. under vow, themselves and all
they had IN God, In that same fellowsh u WHORE
they knew from experience that their powers
1ad been multiplied for good. And they wished
this benefit not for themselves only, but Tor
Others also. They wished IL for the sake OF the
church. Their watchword had been, 'ail for the
greater glory of God. and this cry WAS still ring
ing in their ears What though their blood ran
chill, the old spirit still tngied along the courses
If their veins Ii was with them aS 10 had been
N former DAYS with those who had followed the
banners of Godfrey de Bouilion of II. Louis in
he cause Of Christendom. What though the old
Crusaders arms we've nov too feeble Ia couch
lance. he still could train younger knights. or
elevate their thoughts with talk Of Noble def>Sis
II gallant fvat> OF arms, or IL not this. he could
II least out Of love for the old cause. die in the
I'D mail. which he wore when he first went forth
Iudei the pennon OF the cross. And although
hey nearly all passed away. with u cir desire
nnfultiilel in Themselves. their constant prayers
NY have brought about the fuiiitlmsnt of IL in
ne persons of other mem But whatever may
~ the case, IL j. true. that the good name they
won. livsdAfter them. We have been told how
The SpItff<h cavaliers of old time gained victories
Ner the Menr> 10y buckling his arnnr about the
fead Cid aud setting him his charger ia their
Gmv's van. rs IL he hs.d come one, more H. Had
hrRf
She old Je~utis name, laier anal Younger men
Save found u easier To advance the caa>a Of the
.aifh.
of thcS. venerable IN Charles county had
given, II had given from the first more than
l. due proportion. The records LEFT by the esFiv
lesuiiS in Maryland are few Tor they did not care
o saw much about Themselves or theiT good deeds
However from catalogues 81 the society of Jesus
fnd nam = representing the SmaiiS"ois. Lewis.
Neais, Digs. MsttinglyS. Matthews. l-Iny'ts,
SemmeS, BoarInans, Jenkins. Plies. nnynss
Hudds EicliuS StpneStrettS .aaczlStsT tir slkrs
These historic names tell better than tablets
II peri>hablc stone ut the faith and Devotion of
VI. Thomas children. II was no wonder that ~
many generous men shpnid ~ p-usiucs-i IN a
community lmEssratively few iu numbers They
had been born am p1g high minded AMI 4 ,ys,ui
'atholeS, and here their chlihotl hal hsrn
as>ed. The nol'ene~s of their origin. the
inspiration Of their enVironn snt, would nui sui
fer them To b. less than mobile them selVsS
The IN IN of the Older tim { ralt y isns out the
cenes where Father White spent himself In his
abors tor The Indians Ino%" u later days
preathed the atmosphere ma g. fragrant by The
virtues OF tbr tssrm 'iiteS nay by. Whose lives
Il peuancs. like the leaves ~ the sweet brtar
cstter,si their oiorS over all ~" county >ii~.
They could hear the old hell Of NJ Thomas csil-
NJ, calling on them 70 come AMI pray anil psar
witness In their faith and the faith ri their
atherS. This church u them memorial
the generosity aud titp-gilty of their ~F..s ia
The cause ri the faith. the sta AZ as r>tOra-
tion viii be To your children. INV hTethCrn, "a
memorial of yours II thee old wallis II English
prick had the power OF uttnra'scs, what a tale
they could tell Of the pety Of pastors and opls
IitUssT in infancy.
irS carried by faithful bands while other faith
nj hands pound over you ih" saving Water os
baptism. Here the bishop anointesi ypa with
the chrism nj confirmation aud made YOU ~siie
II Christ. brave and Strpas. ii-fore this altar
sou knelt In receive the most precious body and
nlood Of your Resiecnher IA be the food assd life
Il your snuis. oh, the Joy %: those moments
Tou spent here In communion with our Cod I,
iither you came som sttm = in pain and s,rrpw
and here Won heard the words of comfort and
forgiveue - from the lips ri the priest Htislsr
anne the bride on her marriage morn. aud with
land clasp III in hand SHE and her c{o>s hu>hand
vowed Ia b>- faithful Ia each other until death
And hither zee more. horne again by faithful
hands as in th. beginning OF iife'> mystery. ~.
too at the cIn>el the mansion Of clay. not now to
receive sacrament for IL = deserted by is ten
ant spirit. but % be purified By a last blessing.
and made ut habitation for the returning soul
IN the day of resurrection.
I can fad 20 better image of the sd city, the
devotion the constancy. of the pastors aud
peep' e Of ST. Thomas than the lii,le lamp which
Flows before the tabernacle In praise perpe,u :
Il il keeps It's watch before the sacred Host
Il is never ending act Of filth, mn,ey rsci,ing
the creed, making profession TO God of the
belief of those who keep IL trimmed. mutely as
suring the wsyfarer or the mariner who passes
~ at night that the Catholic hearts OF the
Mary Iani coIonists still beat Sarm in the breasts
Of their sons.
The event of the Restoration of The Society Of
Jesus has brought us down t. 1915. the begin
aing of the fourth period We shall only have
time to throw passing glance at the progress
made b. the faith since then. As early As
1905 the new mission hal an organization,
though an imperfect one. By autohrity from
the Jesui,s in Russia novices h ID been received
priests ordained, and the society was conduct
ing the College n Georgetown. In 1923 the
mission was strong enough to send colony to
the Wss'. from which has since sprung the
present houris.ing province of Missouri. Ten
wears later, In 1888, the mission was made a
province. Al that time, the new province In 4
only 69 members. In 1879. the year before the
union with New York, il had increased to 29s
members, or more than four fold After the
union Tiih New York, the provisce has in
creased 10 $40 members. In 1879, the Mary
land province alone had 6 Colleges and %
Churches and Congregations Perhaps The best
idea of the progress made since 1888 NAV he
gathered from the fact that W oodstock College
in Howard county Of this State, founded in
1867, has this year 100 students made up of
the younger members Of the society. following
the seven years course of science philosophy
and theology, under a numerous staff of able
aud accomplished professors. Although most
Of the society's work is done in the colleges
parish aud missionary work is not neglected
The fruits of the parish and missionary l,bors
of the old Maryland Province for the year 1879
alnna III shall first Ui tha fc of
the work among your own congregation at ST.
Thomas', in which you will doubtless take
special interest, and afterwards shall give the
general results): Results at ST. Thomas aud
its missions for 1879:
Baptisms of adults. 80; b,ptisms Of infants,
247; marriages, 80; first communons, $50 !;
combinations, 403; last sacraments admins
tered to 80 persons; sodalities, 6 !; members Of
sodalities, 4l0; Sunday scholars, 1872; co MES
sions, 10, 100; communions, 300
General results from all the congregations:
II Z IL.