The morning call., 1891-09-14
PLACED In POSITION.
Laying of the Cornerstone of
st. Francis de Sales.
Archbishop Riordan Conducts the Impressive
emonies-Eloquent Sermon by. Rev.
Father Montgomery.

de Sales Church at the junction of San
Pablo avenue and Grove street, Oakland,
yesterday afternoon.
The congregation Of st. Francis was or
ganized about five years ago, and it has at
tanned such large proportions since its Or
ganiZation that the present place Of worship
has been for some time inadequate for its
requirements. A few months ago S75,0 900
was given by an unknown donor toward
the erection of new church which when
completed will cost 100000.
The edifce is to be built of brick and gram
e.will be cruciform in shape and in the pure
Gothic style of architecture. Its seating
capacity will be at least 1000, and it will be
lighted by seventeen stained glass windows.
When the new church is completed the
present sanctuary will he devoted to schol-
astic purposes and the accommodation of
the parochial societies.
Yesterdays ceremonies were preceded by
parade of Catholic societies from this city
and Oakland. They assembled about 8
O'Clock at the corner of Seventh and Market
streets, and were formed in line by ID. ID.
Crowley, Grand Marshal; Henry Ofenkaup
chief aid. The line OF march was from the
point of formation 10 Eighth street, along
Eighth to Washington, to Ninth, to Broad
way, to San Pablo avenue, and along the
latter thoroughfare to the new building.
SOCIETIES IN LINE.
There were 1900 men in line, from the
following societies: Councils Nos. 40. 1O3
and l27, Y. NJ. l., of San francisco; Coun-
Council No. 125. Y. NJ. l., of Haywards;
the members of twelve unions, Y. NJ. q. u,
of San Francisco and Oakland; the students
of ST. Mays College; branches 297, 485
5O4 and $50, Catholic Knights of America,
and st. Joseph's Benevolent Society. Two
AT 4 O'Clock the procession reached the
Site of the new sanctuary. A floor had
been laid upon the foundation walls and
the different societies were assigned seats
upon this platform. Chairs had also been
reserved for the clergy and the invited
guests, among the latter being Mayor NJ.
c. CHAPMAN, Oakland, Michael Davitt, Dr.
J. f. GibboD, Captain j. f. Smith, Grand
President, and j. +. Sullivan, Past Presi-
dent. Y. ii. l., Edward Luby, President Y.
NJ. c. IT,. John p. Higgins, z. Molloy,
James Canning, James Moffitt, E. Neagle.
Thomas A. Agnew, ID. VIC. Gaskill, w.
d. English, j. j. Hannifn.
Upon the conclusion of the parade the
clergy and attendants issued from the
church and walked in procession to the
steps OF the foundation of the new structure.
First came an acolyte bearing the cross. then
forty young ladies in blue mantles and wear
ing white veils members Of the SOdality of the
Children of Mary. They were followed by
sixteen altar-bOyS, sixty members of the
Christian Brotherhood, Rev. Father Thomas
McSweeney, rector OF the parish; Rev.
Father Quill. assistant rector; Rev. Fathers
Brennan, Foley. of Oakland; Rev. Father
Phillips OF Berkeley; Rev. Fathers Doran
ard Kirby, of Alameda; Rev. NJ. Slattery,
NaDa, and Rev. Father George Montgomery,
Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Rev. Fathers
Bernard, j. J. Sullivan, Lyn h, CCyle,
ltt mt L tTht VIaY
gent. NJ. 2. Scanlon, p. Griffin. of San Fran
cisco. His Grace Archbishop p. W. Rior-
dan walked at the rear of the clerical
procession between Rev. Fathers McNally
and SaSia.
BLESSING THE CROSS.
After walking down the center of the
platform 10 the site of the altar, where a
cross had been erected, the Archbishop
blessed the cross, the congregation, which
numbered about COCO people, standing un-
covered throughout this and the subsequent
ceremonies. Returning. his Grace blessed
the cornerstone, reciting the Latin liturgy
prescribed for such services An accom-
paniment to the service was furnished by
double quartet Of male voices under the
direction of Professor Peter Sullivan of st.
Joseph's Church, Oakland. The. choir,
which comprised A. Messner, D. NJ. Jones,
?. j. oSuliivan, a. Ilssit (te1orsl, Signor
Napoleoni, NJ. Connell, +. B. Scollins and
J. A. FOgarty bassGsl, sang first "Veni
Creator" and then Haydn's 30 Guam
Dlecta."
The following articles were deposited in
the cornerstone: plan Of the proposed
interior of the church, a record of the cere-
mony of the day, copies of all San Fran
cisco aud Oakland papers, religious and
secular; a large silver medal of the Blessed
Virgin. the various coins Of the country
from $50 piece to nickel, and volume
of Oakland views.
While the Archbishop placed the stone in
position and laid on few trowelS of NOR
tar, the choir sang the Gregorian chant
"Miserere." The clerical party then made
a circuit of the founda tiOn, sprinkling the
walls with holy water. Returning, Rev.
Father Montgomery ascended the improvlsed
pulpit, which was draped with national
flags. The choir sang "Veni Creator
S9lrituS," ard then the reverend father de-
ivered an earnest and eloquent sermon,
appropriate to tie occasion.
THE SERMON.
THE laying of this cornerstone" he
said, sis matter for personal cOngratula-
ton and gratitude to God. The edifice to be
erected on this foundation will be a monu-
ment to the city of Oakland and TO the
giver of all good. The prayer of the un-
known donor to-day is. Not unto us. Lord,
but to God be the glory everm0re.' The
great significance of a ceremony like this
marks an epoch in the history of the COM
nuUlly WHeI6 ~ OCCuTS. llS tIIecLS are not
for time but for eternity. The stone may
crumble TO dust, the edifice may fall to
decay, but the results of the ceremony will
be everlasting, forming temple not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens.
I'VE live In an age when many noble and
generous souls outside of the household of
faith demand that we should preach themes
of the present life and not teach exclusively
the gospel of the world 10 come. The history
of the church and the race demonstrates
that Christian teaching is the embodiment
of that which makes life worth living, and
here, within this temple, soon to be erected,
man will be taught not simply how to die,
but how TO live.
DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS.
"The duties and obligations of the great
human family are inseparably connected
with the future life. A great historical fact
which should be engraven OH the minds OF
the youth of the land Is that the American
nation is Christian nation. has been so and
will continue to be if it answers the pur-
poses of its creation. If we have prospered
as nation, 1t is because God has blessed
us. 1t is political fact that when a nation
has risen and fallen it is because that ma
tiop has departed from the principles which
made her great Ii history chronicles the
future fall of the American nation it will
also tell of the fall OF the religion which has
made her great. The Christian religion, al
though not established is. nevertheless, a
national religion, and the national religion
is the great source OF national prosperity,
under divine providence.
The church of God does not deal in gen.
eral principles alcne She is the conserva-
tor of the eminently practical details of life
The home and the cradle are the bulwark Of
our constitutional sy stem, and blow against
the family is a blow against the republic A
serious blow at the present day is found in
the loose law on divorce. The moral stencil
arising from this law is SO great that it fire.
quently turns the nostrils of the Judge who
tries them. 1t is moral abonination which civil
law can never cure. There must be a great
national conscience as distinct as in the in-
dividual, and the national conscience is the
sum of Individual consciences. Nothing but
relig on can give us the latter about which the
former will grow. May God bless the teach
ings which will be given from that church.
May he prosper the work and complete
what lie has begun. Unless God build the
city the watchinan watches in valn." .
AT fha popplteiOD ~ COL Tho nhnir