Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-03
United Press Dispatch by Special wires


United Press Dispatch by Special Wires
ERIE, Pa, Aug. 2.--The Right Rev.
Bishop Mullin, of this diocese, celebrated
to-day the twenty-fifth anniversary of
his elevation TO the episcopacy Of the
Catholic Church. The two functions
that will make the silver jubilee mem
orable were the first mass In the cathe-
dral and the sermon by His Eminence.
the Cardinal Archbishop of Baltimore.
Cardinal Gibbons was raised to the
episcopacy in the same month with
Bishop Mullin. They had met before
in their Catholic education. The people
here wanted to see and to hear Cardinal
Gibbons. He came and he electrified
Erie with his eulogy Of their bishop. 1t
is understood here that there will be an
increase very soon in the number of
Archbishops in the United States, and
that Bishop Mullin and Bishop Foley
of Detroit will be two of them.
Cardinal Gibbons read the gospel of
the day, portion of ST. Luke, X. ch.,
appointed by the church for the feast
day of st. Alphonsus. This was the
text of the sermon of Cardinal Gibbons,
and its close, turning to Bishop Mullin,
he said
Allow me, right reverend father, to
congratulate you, with all my heart, on
the celebration of the silver jubilee of
your episcopate and TO greet you by
anticipation, on the golden jubilee Of
your priesthood which takes place next
year. And / beg to unite with me in
this congratulation your honored metro
politan and the bishops and clergy and
people who are assembled here to-day.
venture also to include your fellow
citizens of Erie, without regard to faith,
for they have not failed to admire you
for your civic virtues and moral worth.
They regard you as the fearless expon-
ent and vindicator of domestic purity,
of social order and public tranquility.
This is not the time to dwell on your
successful career in Gods service as
priest and bishop. That task must be
reserved to your future historian after
you have gone to your reward. Let me
be content to-day with comparing the
condition OF the Church of Erie when
you took charge Of the diocese in 1868
with its present record. In 1868 the
diocese contained 35 priests, so churches,
four schools with handful Of Catholic
| school children and Catholic popula-
ton of $4,000 souls. To-day the Cath.
olic directory records "a priests, 1916
| priests, 5000 children in schools and a
Catholic population of 10000 souls. In
other words, the number of priests and
churches has more than doubled and
the Catholic population has increased
fige-fold. Who shall adequately relate
the immense labors you have accom-
plished during the last quarter of a
century, the propertyyou have acquired
and administered, the sacraments your
hand has dispensed, your assiduous care
in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ,
that gospel which gives glory to God
and peace to men, which strengthens
the weak and comforts the afflicted and
holds out to all the blessed promise of
eternal life. To you, indeed, may be
well applied the words of the prophet
lsaias; "How beautiful on the mountain
are the feet of Him that brIngeth good
tldings, that preacheth peace, peace,
that showeth forth, that preacheth sal.
walton, that saith to Zion: THY God
shall reign"
And this gorgeous cathedral, which il
opened for the first time for divine ser.
vice to-day, will be lasting monument
OF your untiring zeal, while it is fitting
crown of your labors of rs years in the
episcopate.
But while you preached with YOU
lips, you preached more eloquently still
by the force of your example. "Forms
factus gregis ex amino" Following
the injunction of your Saviour you have
let your light shine before men, tina
they might see your good works and
glorlfy your Father who is in heaven.
However, am sur9 venerable father
that you would he the last to claim fol
yourself exclusive honor for the worl
which has been accomplished. Yor
would be the first to associate with yot
your devoted clergy and faithful people
as sharers in all the merit. The secret o
the success of the diocese, under God, i.
to be traced to the fact that the clerg,
and the people were united with you
Whenever | see the laity co-operatin,
with the bishop and clergy in promot
ing works of charity and religion, an
sure that God blesses such a diocese
and that it is destined to prosperity
Continue, my brethren, the good work
, Take an active part-a personal, vita
+ interest in every work your bishol
, undertakes in the cause of God AM
! humanity. Rejoice in his prosperity an,
/ grieve at every adversely that may be
tall him, as if II were your own. An,
! are not your bishops Interests your in
: terestsl Can he not say to most you
clergy: "ln Christ Jesus have begotte
j, YOU" And is he not your adopte
! father. Love and cherish him then as
i father. Lift up his hands as the childre
of Israel lifted up the hands of Nose:
a Remember that you are all in the sam
. bark of Peter. You are all serving unde
/, the same divine Captain, you are steel
ing for the same heavenly harbor 70
y all have one Lord, one faith, one bar
tism and God and Father of all.
d God grant that the celebration of tc
f day may inspire you to be more faithru
!. than ever to God and His church. Or
out to-day with the apostle: "Wh
shall separate us from the love of Go
and our holy faith" Shall tribulatio
a or distress or nak0dness or persecutio
or the swordg No. | am persuade
ID that neither life nor death, nor ange
q nor municipalities, nor powers nor heigh
I. nor might nor depth, nor any 9th,
! creature, shall be able to separate |
,, from the love of God which is in Chri
If Jesus, our Lord.