The morning call., 1891-01-12
THE SERMON
Bishop spaIding breaches on an Appro-
pirate Topic.

Bishop Spalding breaches on an Appro-
pirate Topic.
After the gospel OF the day had been
read in the mass Bishop Spalding walked to
the foot Of the altar, and kneelIng on the
white marble steps he spent few seconds
in meditation. The massive, carved. oak
pulpit was moved to the center of the altar
rail by some officers of the Young Mems
Institute, and when ready the eloquent
preacher assembled. He stood in silence
awhile, facing the immense congregation.
his signet ring of emerald and diamonds
glitterDg in the morning sunbeams. his pur-
pie robes and golden insignia of his Office
adding still more dignity to his digni6ed ap-
pearanee. de spike Of the gospel in in
PRODUCING his theme-the gospel OF the day.
Sunday after Epiphany. 1t was Luke ii,
1872:
THE GOSPEL OF THE DAY.
And when Jesus was II years old, they going
up into Jerusalem according to the custom of
lie feast. And having fulfilled The days when
they returned, the child, Jesus, remained In .Je-
rnSaIem; and his parents knew IL not. Aud
thinking that ne was In the company they came
days journey and sought him among their
kinsio!k and acquaintance. Aud not finding him
they returned TO Jerusalem, seeking him Aud
10 came 10 pass that after three days They found
him In The temple, sitting In the midst of the
doctors, bearing them aud asking them ques-
lions. And all that heard him were astonished
AZ his wisdom and his answers. And seeing
him they wondered. And bis mother said to
him, son, why hast thou done so 10 us? Be-
hOid my father and | have sought thee sorrow
ing" Aud he said to them, "How is it You
sought me? Did you not know that l must be
about Thy fathers business" And they under
stood not the word that lie spoke unto them
And lie went down 10 Nazareth and was subject
to them And ms mother kept all these words
IN her heart And Jesus advanced In wisdom
and age, aud grace with God ana men.
A FAMILIAR STORY.
Before speaking Bishop Spalding made
the sign of the cross, and the whole congre-
CATION initiated his example. The action in
Itself was most impressive.
In the gospel of the day." said he, ''the
familiar story of an event in the childhood
of our Lord is told. Jesus went to Jerusa-
lem with his mother and foster-father, and
when they returned, lie remained behind,
disputing with the doctors in the temple.
He went back to Nazareth. The gospel
says as the years went on be gained In wis
dom and in grace. Wisdom implies knowl-
edge. power and discernment; grace, lEindIi-
ness, love, purity, beauty and sweetness Of
character. Thus We find that the develop
ment of our Lord was within himself He
grew by developing within himself these
features
''In the same way our development is
preceded by the breaking of the dawn with
i'll us. We grow in faith, joy, peace imag-
ination. hope, belief, love. There is given
US the whole scope OF human life, which is
a growth within God, TO develop in each
soul the wisdom, power. love, Sympathy.
We are rooted in God. The finite implies
the infinite as the effect implies the cause
In this God we live. move and have our be-
ing. We are not conscious of ourselves
when conscious of him. This is a law of
our being. Each man knows himself only
by the impressions of what is not himself, re-
fiectibg, re-pondering and re-creating. 1t is
only by this that we ourselves come to self
consciousness.
CONSCIOUS OF ETERNITY
" The mere fact that life seems short to us
shows we are conscious of what will never
end. Men forever believe in the unseen.
The Infinite is ever overlooking the hidden,