The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-02
BISHOP KAlSs THIRD LECTURE.
The Belief OF the Catholic Church in Re
gard to the Mas and the saeraments.

The Lenten lectures oil bisnop halI
delivered every Sunday afternoon in th
Cathedral, are attracting large and after
tive audiences. In his two former LEI
lures the Bishop discussed the necessit
Of religious ceremonies and their advar
tages. Yesterday, according to an
nouncement, he devoted his third lee
ture TO an explanation OF the Ceremo
nies proper to the Mass and the sacra
ments. For an intelligent understand
ing OF the ceremonies, the doctrine un
derlying them must, he said, be known
He then proceeded to explain the belle
of the Catholic church, 10 which al
Oriental Christians coincided.
THE MASS.
The Mass is regarded as identical sub
stantially with the sacrifice OF the Cross
The various Jewish sacrifices typifet
the great and divine sacrifice which wsl
to be offered as a clean oblation, &C
cording TO Malachi, everywhere among
the converted Gentiles. For It's oblation
Christians have an altar, as st. Paul as.
sures us; and an altar necessarily i'm.
plies a sacrifice and a priesthood. In
other words, Christians have the divine
reality foreshsdowed under the old dis
pensation. Such Is the universal faith
Of Christians, whose doctrines and forms
of worship antedate the reformation.
Hence the very vestments worn at the
altar, whether among the Satin or East
ern Christians, direct attention to the
passion and death Of the Saviour, which,
as st. Paul tells US. are solemnly COM
memorated in the Christian mysteries.
rhese yestments have indeed a mystical
Specification also, as shown by the
PRAYERS recited by the minister who puts
them on. Thus the long white garment
known as the Alb is emblematic OF the
virtue Of confluence and purity; the
upper vestmeut covering all the others
denotes the virtue Of charity, etc.
But they ore likewise meant TO recall
the very garments in which Jesus was
attired at the time Of His cruCiixion.
Herod, for instance, clothed Him in a
white dress, that He might be jsered
and derided as q fool. The Alb reminds
US of that garment Of moCkery. At the
foot of the cross, ths soldiers drew lots
for His seamless robe, OF which the Chas.
uble is Indicative. The cruCidx placed
above the altar and tho many signs Of
the cross made during the celebration Of
mass, strikingly recall the sacrifice Of
Calvary. The appropriateness OF these
reminders all must admit. The Bishop
then passed to an explanation Of
THE CEREMONIES THEMSELVES.
He recounted these various ceromo-
nies, and translated many of the prayers
which accompany their performance.
At the foot OF the altar, the priest
snakes the public confession OF his sins
ere he ascends to offer the sacrifice. He
kisses reyeIently the altar which always
contains relics OF the Saints. The frst
prayers said at the left hand OF the altar
are selections from the Bible, or devout
supplications suited to the Sunday or
Feast. Having read from the Old Testa.
ment or the Epistles, he passes TO the
right hand to read the Holy Gospel, all
standing to show their readiness to fol.
low its sacred teachings. The sermon
over, the creed is reCited, all bending the
knee in reverence at the words: And
He was made man."
Then follows the oblation, first OF the
bread and then OF the wine, made with
fitting prayers, and all the faithful are
invited 10 unite in the sacrifice now
about to be offered. The solemn prayers
OF the Canon were given in English.
The words OF consecration having been
spoken, the body and blood OF Christ are
elevated for the alteration OF the faithful.
Continuing the reading OF the Canon
and explaining the accompanying cere-
monies Of prostrations, ETC., the Bishop
remarked that this was the most solemn
part Of the mass, and that reverence for
our Lord, present on the altar, required
all 10 remain on their knees until after
the communion Of the celebrapt. 1t is
during this portion OF the mass that the
priest breaks the silence OF his ssRcEi6cial
communings with God, by saying aloud,
or singing the Our Father.
When he has consumed the sacred
host and the precious blood, the cele.
brant puri6es the chaliCe, and going
agaIn to the lefthand side OF the altar
reads another selection from the Scrip
lures, recites one or more prayers in a
spirit Of thanksgiving, then comes to the
center Of the altar, blesses the congrega.
ton, and at the right-hand Of the altar
concludes the Mass by reciting the holy
gospel Of ST. John LA, he and all
present genuhecting at the words: "And
the word was made hssh."
BArrIsN.
In the solemn administration OF bap.
tism, the Catholic church employs many
ceremonies, the import Of which was
quite fully explained by the Bishop.
For instance, the touching Of the ears
and nostrils with spittle refers 10 q simi-
lar ceremony employed by our Lord
Himself MARX vii. 32.35). The anolnt.
ings signify the entire conservation Of
the: regenerated to the service OF God /;
the white linen cloth put on the head Ia
now substitute for the white garment
anciently worn by the newly baptissd,
&C., &c.
The Bishop also gave an explanation,
but much brleter, OF the Ceremonies OF
Confirmation and Of Extreme UnCtion-
the last named Sacrament being referred
to by st, James (chapter W. 1t ia ad.
ministered in the Catholic and Oriental
churches to those who are in danger Of
death from sickness.
The rapt attention with which all
present listened TO these explanations
clearly showed that they were full OF
instruction and interest; in fact, they
touched upon matters which, to very
many. have ALWAYS seemed more or less
mysterious.
Rev. Bishop will reply to the question :
"Are symbolical ceremonies in the wor-
ship Of God out ot harmony with the
teachings Of the New Testament"
Sermon to the q. U. O.O.F.
The colored Odd Fellows Of Martins
Ferry, Mt. Pleasant, Bridgeport and
pollSika utaHa addraRRad hY Ray I Ad,