The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-02-20
THE POPE'S SUPREMACY.
Cardinal Gibbons breaches a Very
Interesting Sermon.
THE UNION OF OHRIsTBNDoM.

The People Of America, If United in q
Common Bond, Would Convert the
World - The Vatican the Center OF
Spiritual Authority.
BALTIMORE, Feb. 20.-Cardinal Gibbons
oil the priests attached to the cathedral,
Rev. DIR. Magnien and all the Sulpiciap
fathers and seminarians in the seminary
Of st. Mary of st. Sulpice, together with
an immense congregation, united yester-
day in the cathedral in the service of the
solemn high mass, the occasion being to
unite with the holy father himself in
Rome In the celebration of his elevation To
the episcopate fifty years ago. The semi
narians sang a portion OF the mass and
Cardinal Gibbons preached the sermon.
His theme was 1.-THE Supremacy of the
Pope" In the course of the sermon the
cardinal said;
"The name of the pope is indelibly
marked on every page of ecclesiastical
history. The sovereign pontiff ever stands
before us as commander-in-chief In the
grand army of the church. Do the bishops
of the east feel themselves aggrieyed at
home by their patriarchs or civil rulers,
they look for redress to Rome as to the
star of their hope. Are the fathers and
doctors of the early church consulted, with
one voice they all pay homage to the
bishop OF Rome as their spiritual prince.
Is an eeumenical council to be convened in
the east or west the pope is its leading
spirit. Are new nations to be converted
to the faith, there is the holy father cloth
Ing the missionaries with authority and
giving his blessing to the work Are new
errors to be condemned in any part of the
globe, all eyes turu to the oracle of Rome
TO await his anathema, and his solemn
judgment reverberates throughout the
length and breadth of the Christian world.
you might as well shut out the light
OF day and the air of Heaven from your
walk as toexclude the pope from his legiti-
mate sphere in the hierarchy of the church.
The history of the United States with the
presidents left out would be more in
tclligible than the history of the church to
the exclusion of the vicar of Christ.
The Truths of Revelation.
"This supremacy of the pope, II may be
objected, has been denied. ! grant 1t. And
% has every truth of revelation been de-
nisd, from the very existence OF God even
20 the resurrection of the flesh But, not
wishstandng these denials, the truths of
; FEYslation remain indelibly stamped on
the apostles creed and engraved on the
hearts of millions OF people, to whom they
are source OF undying consolation. The
denials of these truths can no more shake
them than fitting clouds disturb the sun
In his course
'The supremacy of the pope has been
denied by men who chafed under the sa-
lutary discipline of the church and were
unwilling to abide by the decision of the
NUo1rr 4 IA 1.
after A Absolam had sought to dethrone him
"a yearninR has gone forth from many
noble and earnest hearts for the union of
Christendom. That earnest desire has my
heartfelt sympathy, and would make any
sacrifice even of life itself, for the con-
summation of so great blessing. The
American people, with their practical
good sense and energetic dispositions,
aided by the grace OF God, ii all united in
n common bond OF faith and charity,
would convert the world.
The Center of Spiritual Authority.
"But there can be only one secure basis
for this reunion, that established by Christ
hfmself-the recognition of Peter and his
spccessors as the ccnTcr OF spiritual au-
th0rity. He who would build upon amy
other foundation builds upon sand. Any
other design but this would result in Il
Tower of Babel. May The day be hastened
when we will all worship at the same altar,
having one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and father of all
.Let us pray for the iliustrious pontiff,
Leo XIII, who is today celebrating the
golden jubilee of bis cpiscopate. Apontif
who has left the impress of his character
upon almost every nation of the civilized
world; who has his finger upon the pulse
of tbs people. and has sympathy with their
legitimate aspirations-abovea all, pontiff
WHO loves America and cherishes her civil
and political Institutions