Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-11-11

pOintment.
BISHOP CARBOLL's WORK.
Like Simon the High Priest be forti-
fled the moral temple and enlarged the
Uity of God, and the bishops that have
followed him have Walked in his light
and the brightness of his rising" In the
9th OF November, 1889, John Carroll WAS
appointed first Bishop OF Baltimore and
the head of the Catholic church in the
United States. Bishop Carroll by instinct
was broad and liberal i'll his views, thor
oughly American in his sentiments. He
understood how the mission of the new
government would be like the chuTch's
own mission TO combine Cstholicity with
unity. He had pereonal experiences OF
this combination in his own Priests.
His fl ct Diocesan Synod was
held in 1871, the year after
his conservation. 1t consisted of only
twenty.one priests, but they represented
seven different na,ionalities, not merely
countries Of birth, which may be Of COM
paratively little importance with people Of
the same rsce, but seven different and
somewhat sntsgonistic people, American,
Irish, Englisb, German, French Beleisn
and Holland. yst all acted in their true
character of American priests under his
leadership.
A PATRIOT AND CHRISTIAN.
Bishop Carroll was an American patriot
as we'll a. a Christian Bishop. The new
Bishop thoroughly appreciated how i'm
pOrtant for the chuTch's progress, as well
ss for the stability of the STATE, was the
diffusion of the education. One OF his first
projects was to foster the Georgetown Col
lege. or all the false charges alleged
against the Catholic Church the most
senseless and unfounded Is that 'she fears
science and is the enemy OF educa-
ton" Her opponents, almost in the same
breath, charge her with being the foe
st once and the mOnOpoizer of education.
And the last man in the world to fear
intellectual progress, whether popular or
individual, is the Catholic. He well
knows that truth is ore, that God cannot
contradict in the revelation Of Scripture
what be exhibits in tine revelation OF Sci
ence Hence msa's fearlessness OF such
a science will be in proportion to the GER
tainty Of his conviction of the truths Of
revelation"
ADVICE TO THE LAITY.
After dwelling on the life OF Bishop Car
roll and the early church 10 America,
Archbishop Rysn continued addressing the
laity. And on this great historic occa7ion
you must not be mere observers, but we
trust your representatives. will speak cut
freely and fearlessly in the Lay Congress,
which forms so interesting n feature IN
this centennial celebration. You know
how false is the charge of the enemies OF
the church that you are priestTidden. 1t
is nov the time that an active, educated |
lsity should take express interest in
the grest questions Of the day affecting
the church and society.
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
He then paid a glowing tribute TO the
work done by the lsityrl publcists and
editor5 during the century, and cOntinu
ing ssid: "By the united action OF bishops, !
priests and lsymen the results Of progress |
in the last century are truly astonishing; |
and what is particularly remarkable is the |
fact that in that section of the country |
where opposition to the church Yves most
deep and violent the progress was greatest
allude to the New E1glAnd States. |
Within the last 60 years New England had |
bat one bishop, two pTiests and two pub
lie plsc Of worship. She has now one |
archbishop, six bishops, 942 priests and |
6l9 churches with private chapels, col
leges, schools and benevolent institutions. |
Those who do not desire the progress Of
the Catholic church shonld never persecnte |
her.
THE GENERAL STATISTICS
of the church during the century are;
when Bishop Carroll was cOnsecra'ed in
1890 the entire population Of the United
States was less than 000000. The
Catholic population was estimated at about
0,000. There is now q Catholic popula-
tion of 100000, 5000 priest1, 1O,5O0
churches and chapsls, 27 seminaries, $50
colleges and academies and over 1900
Parish schools. The remarkable statistics
quoted became marvellous when we con
slider the sntsgonism of the great majority
of the people to the Catholic church. As
ia Pagan times 10 the history OF
tulS COuLtIy tne OdlnOlC CuuICues per
feet organic alton was feared as possibly
dangerous to the State, aud a great and
numerous party afraid to act in open day
entered into a secret society against q
handful of their fellow citizens. Few peo-
pie real re how much indirect benefit this
,owardly opposition was TO the Church
during the briefipgloTious existence of the
party prophe,ically named at its birth
'kno8 nothing"
Alter the sermon the "re Deum" was
lung and the audience was dismissed.
THE EVENING CELEBRATION.
This afternoon there was banquet at
which all the visiting prelates were pres
mt. TO-nigh. the cathedral was resplen-
liant from basement TO dome with
electric lights and the crush Of people
urpassld the experience of the morning
The orator OF the evening was Archoishop
Ireland, of s.. Paul. The conierring OF
he Papsl banediclon closed the celebrs-
ion 80 far as the Centenary OF the HE
.rchy is concerned. Tomorrow the de-
iberatious Of the Congress OF the Catholic
4symen begins 10 Ooncofdis Hall.