The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-07-24


work done, but instead the finger of God.
See these lay delegates present to-day
that they may be witnesses of Gods |
great work. He loved him before the |
foundation of the world that he might |
be unspotted through life.' The flowers
of God have bloomed in this country. |
Everywhere one sees the fruits and flow
ers of God. There are the churches, the |
houses of piety, the institutions of learn |
ing; and everywhere are the increasing |
people until a great army of the children |
of God stand blessing the day that |
brought our venerable brother into our
midst,
''Here, to-day, you are invited to a
thanksgiving, witness to another Samuel
in his old age, to the blessings which |
have followed his life. We are here as
witnesses to bear testimony of what God
has been able to produce in the garden.
My text was well chosen. Il remember
the days of old; l mediate on all thy
works. and all you assembled to-day,
give praise to God for this day. Our
brother would tell you that your
prayers are to follow him so
that these days gone before,
wherein he has 1abored so faithfully,
may be followed by days that will at
last bring him a crown before God. and
may you all witness his joy eternal"
At the close of the mass the Bishop
addressed the congregation, thanking
them for the interest taken in the cele-
bration. 81 have no need to tell you
that am happy to-day. l am thankful
to those who have prayed for me and beg
them to continue so to do. The son of
God shed his blood on the cross; here to-
day we all knelt down to adore our God"
Bishop de Goesbriand asked the vast
audience to kneel while Archbishop Will
liams of Boston gave his blessing. A
cablegram from the Vatican at Rome re-
ceived yesterday read ''The Pope's
blessing on the Jubilee"
After the services at the Cathedral the
bishop and clergy were entertained at q
sumptuous spread served in st. Mary hall
by A. j. Clark, the noted caterer. After
ample Justice had been done the bill of
fare, Very Rev. Thos. Lynch, V. G., de-
livered an address and presented on be-
half of the clergy of Vermont large
purse of money. At2 o'clock the lay
delegates were escorted to the Hotel
Burlington where they partook of a
feast.
At $3.50 the delegates assembled in the
church, where presentation and ad-
dresses were made by the lay delegates.
Prof. j. II. FitzsimmOns, on behalf of
the members of st. Mary's congregation
of this city, delivered the following ad-
dress, an engrossed copy of which was
afterwards presented to the Bishop.
Rt. Rev. Bishop: On this great day of
your priestly jubilee, the members of
the Cathedral congregation beg leave to
pay you the tribute of their congratula-
} tions, allegiance and love. When II
, years ago we beheld your brow encircled
, with the serene halo of your Episcopal
: silver Jubilee, we rejoice at the singular
favor conferred upon us by your loving
pastorate. But to-day, the radiant sun
, of your sacerdotal Golden Jubilee clothes
, you with its splendor and gladdens the
/ hearts of your children with triumph
l ant joy which they long to voice in
} words of thanksgiving and love. Yes,
/ as children, grateful for the blessings be-
slowed upon their father, we thank
5 God for having crowned you with
length of days and enriched you with
treasures of merit We thank Him for
9 having rewarded you here below for your
t years of self-denial, patient, humble toll
+ and burning charity. We thank Him for
S the glory that our Holy Religion wins
S from your triumph to-day, and for the
: comfort and cheer it affords all true fol
e lowers of our meek and mortified Savior.
{ But above all we thank Him for the hon
e or that is shed by your triumph on the
t Catholic priesthood. In an age in which
= flippant irreverence and shallow unbe-
4 lief flaunt their brazen impudence, we
n loudly affirm that the most precious gift
e bestowed by heaven upon earth is the
g Catholic priesthood. We believe that
9 only through its ministrations and its
d guidance can men have true knowledge
y and true morality the family and the
S state, true safeguards for their purity
/ and permanance Therefore, we love the
!. Catholic priesthood, and we are resolved
It to adhere to it with ever increasing
n strength and docility. We love it espe
g cially in your own august person, crowd
: ed as it is to-day with the rich harvest OF
n half century's labors in the Lord,
# vineyard, endowed as it has been by
= Episcopal consacratiOn with the plenti
h tude Of the priesthood and uniting yor
with him whom we acknowledge to bI
II the shepherd of the lambs and the sheep
u the vicegerent of God on earth, our Holy
y Father, the Pope. And to you, and Il
% him through yon, we renew our allegi
h ance to-day as children of the tru,
o church of Christ. We profess an abso
d lutte adherence to all the teachings o.
& that church through her POntiffs and he
Il councils and in bowling to her infalhbl,
" authority, we know that far from be
Is traying the least of our temporal right
i we ennoble them with new and SACRED
7. claims to our love and protection. Such
IT Rt. Rev. Bishop, are the sentiments tina
d spring to our lips to-day from heart
4. wherein they have never ceased TO dwell
e since first you came to share our Yer
mont home. We humbly trust that ou
Is gratitude, docility and love may sweetel
Is the many remaining years we beg HEAVIER
k to grant you, Weknow you require n
N test of our sincerity; but as slight toll;
10 en- of our filial devotedness we beg yol
d to accept this offering from the member
81 of st. Mary's congregation, who kneel a
d your feet and crave your blessing.
Ie This evening, from to s the Bishop
* residence ON Cherry street was thronge
,p with visitors who had gone thither t
t, congratulate the venerable prelate. TIL
at Bishop received in the large parlor, huT
m dreds of his devout followers bendin
n the knee and kissing the large ring
wore. Many prominent citizens an
70 clergymen of all denominations weI
ed among those TO call.
Id At S:15 to night the torchlight proce
I'd sion, numbering several hundred, heade