The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-07-03


recruited from the choirs Of st. Alphon-
sus and the Immaculate Conception
churches, sang the mass exceedingly
well.
At the conclusion OF the ceremony the
Bishop ascended the episcopal throne,
and was addressed as follows
ny MoNsIdNoR SULLIVAN:
RleHT REVEREND AND BELOVED BlsHoP:
I'm the name of the very reverendand
reverend clergy, of the religious COM
munlties, and OF the laity of your
diocese, /, though the least worthy, beg
leave to tender you most heartfelt com
gratulations on this Joyous occasion.
Custom has most laudably sanctioned
the joyful and festive observance OF
what is known as Jubilee year. Hence.
in society we have various kinds OF
jubilees, notably the silver jubilee, the
golden jubilee and the diamond jubi-
lee-twenty.tive, fifty and seyenty-tive
years respectively. To-day, with rs
much so!emnity us possible, We cele-
brate, Monseigneur, your silver jubilee,
twenty-five years OF sacerdotal life.
First Of all, the clergy Of your diocese
are gathered in your Cathedral by their
presence, as well as otherwise, to greet
you on this great day. They naturally
pass in review your priesthood. They
60 back in thought to those nine years
Of your sacerdotal life in the Richmond
diocese, SO quiet, SO retired; SO jealous
and SO efficient. They so back, too, to
that joyful February, 1875, when the
cable announced that Rome had ap-
pointed a successor to the illustrions
first Bishop Of Wheeling; that the
young but able pastor OF Harper's Ferry
was to assume Whelan's crosier and
mitre. Then they realized in your per-
son and in the circumstances the words
OF holy writ. You could say Though
your modesty no doubt forbade it,:
lord, Thou didst deliver to me five
talents; behold l have gained ether five
over and above" Then God said when
Rome speaks God speaks): "Well done,
good and faithful servant; because thou
hast been faithful over few things, |
will place thee over many things"
Matt. xxv. .,25-26.
The great Bishop OF Richmond, later
Archbishop of Baltimore, now Cardinal
Archbishop Of that glorious mother
church Of this land, was no doubt the
one who discovered in the compara-
lively unknown missionary OF Hnrpers
Ferry (the same field from which your
apostolic predecessor was chosen) the
man in all respects fully equipped for
the episcopate. His idea and his esti-
mate were concurred in by the metro
politan and his suflragans, and Rome,
by Plus the Ninth, ratified their judg-
ment and appointed the second Bishop
OF Wheeling in your illustrious person.
A day or SO after the glad news for
Wheelinghashed over the wires, q priest
remarked: "Though only slightly ac-
qnainted with Rev. John ]. Kain, know
him to be Of extraordinary ability.
Wheeling is in luck, and has reason to
rejoice" The event has proven that
he was right; that the diocese had rea-
son indeed to oxult. "Rome," said n
non-0 Catholic writer in brief notice of
the Bishop-elect, "seems to have shown
great partiality to Virginia from the be-
ginning by giving her great men for
Bishops-Whelan, McGill, Gibbons and
Keane." Had he written little later
he might and would have added one
more-Rt. Rev. DR.. Van de Vyver, the
worthy successor in Richmond of those
great prelates, this day with us to honor
our beloved Bishop on this his silver
jubilee.
Sixteen years ago, Monseigneur, you
took possession OF your See; sixteen
years ago in this sanctuary the pleni-
tude OF the priesthood was conferred on
you, and you became by conservation,
as you were already by appointment
and Jurisdiction, our Bishop and Father
in God, and we, clergy and laity, be-
came your spiritual children. You as
sumed, not by your own choice, but on
the call OF God, all the responsibilities
of the episcopal office We welcomed
you and vowed most cheerfully loyalty
and devotion most cordial.
Heavens record book has on its
bright pages the history of your sixteen
years as Bishop-zeal, piety, efficiency
and learning. AS to your zeal, you can
say truthfully iron your coming till
this day. "The zeal OF thy house hath
eaton me up" (Ps. xviii, 10) The mo-
tive power of that zeal has been your
charity, love of God and Of Christ our
Lord and his spouse-Holy Church.
"The charity Of Christ presseth us"
u Cor. V, a. Your efficiency is ut
tested by the onward progress Of all the
interests of our blessed religion in the
diocese under your wise and prudent
and energetic leadership. Though, hui
manly speaking, your natural gifts OF
mind and heart would have warranted
us in anticipating an efficient adminis-
tration, still faith tells us, and you, bor-
rowing the words OF Saint Paul, say 70
day, as you have no doubt said many
times to yourself, "But by the grace OF
God, / am what / am, and his grace in
me hath not been void" II Cor. xy, l09
As the herald of Gods saving truth,
you have been in the pulpit tireless and
eloquent to such degree as to attract at
tention in hierarchy so notable as
that OF these United States.
You surely have complied with st,
Paul's injunction to another Bishop: II
charge thee before God and Jesus
Christ, who shall Judge the living and
the dead by His coming and His king
dom, preach the word; be instant-in
seaSon and out Of season-reprove, en-
treat and rebuke in all patience and
doctrine" III Tim. iv 9. When the
deluded advocates of multiform heresy
assailed the faith, you have always been
the vigilant sentinel on the watch tower,
and these misguided men soon found 1t
could not be done with impunity.
When the frequent, might almost say
usual, unjust and disreputable weapon
OF Misrepresentation has been employed
against our holy religion, your trenchant