The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-04-30
THE VIRGIN MOTHER
Tho Themo OF RI. Rev. Blshop
Donahuo'a First Sermon
GIVEN TST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL
10 Largo Congregation ut High
Mass Yesterday Forouoon-An Elo.
quont Sermon on tho immaculate
Concoption-h Talk to tho Hibcrn.
iaus IN tho Morning.

Yesterday was busy one for theno
Bishop Of Wheeling. At tho lrst mass
ho addressed brief discourse to tho
members OF the Ancient Order Of Iii.
bcrnians, who wore present in forco and
took communion in body. At tho
High Mass ut 1880 ho preached his
first regular sermon, aud last ovoning
at Vospers he again spoke briefly. All
OF these services were unusually well
attended, but especially that at which
he preached in tho forenoon. A desire
to hear SO distinguished Clergyman,
whose fame as pulpit orator had pre-.
coded him to his now homo, drew an
audience which crowded the large
church 10 tho doors.
Tho Bishop took for his text:
"Hail, full OF grace. Tho Lord Ia with
thee! Blessed art thou among women"
lie said: The advent time is come
and gone when the church in rapt OK.
pectGtion looked for the coming sacred
Christmastide. Tho circumcision OF our
Lord has Deem duly observed when the
church pays adoring tribute to the
first blood shed TOR our redemption. In
the glorious Epiphany we, the genties OF
the former world, stand erect in the
blaze OF tho light OF divine faith, and
re.echo the exhortation OF the church,
Arise Jerusalem, because the light is
como and the glory OF the Lord hath
arisen upon thee!"
Then came tho sad and solemn DAYS
oil Lent, days OF mourning and OF fasting,
lit up indeed by the bright constellation
OF saints like st. Thomas AQuinas, OF
the angelic intellect, the illustrious
Gregory, our own St. Patrick, beloved OF
Irish hearts, and st. Joseph, loved by
every heart in Christendom, but deep
ening into the gloom OF Passion tide,
till the darkness blackoned into the
eclipse OF Calvary. Then the light OF
the resurrection on that first happy
Easter morn, light that never since has
faded. Then tho glorifed life OF tho
forty days and the Ascension were close
upon lie.
Then the church, having swung the
circle OF all tho events making up the
life, death, resurrection and ascension
OF our Divine Lord and Master, turns
with love and generation to His Most
blessed Mother, and in the sweet month
OF May, the month OF gentle rains, soft
winds, buds, leaves and flowers
Hail, full OF crace" There are, nv
brethren, two forms OF holiness or Of
grace, ono negative, the other positive;
Zone consisting in the absence OF evil,
the other in the presence of positive
good.
How beautiful is the field OF untrod-
den snow, free from tleck or stain; but
ihow much more beautiful that came
field stacked with sheaves OF golden
wheat or waving with its wealth
OF corn. How spotlessly white the
sheet OF unwritten paper, but how
much moro beautiful when it is filled
with words OF encouragement aud OF
love from ono far away.
The oblong piece OF green paper is
good to look at before it passes through
the presses OF the bureau OF engra wing
and printing at Washington, but once
Impress upon it the seal OF the United
States government and it becomes
either the simple unit OF our currency
or ten thousand dollars, with immense
purchasing power! So, too, I never
can look into tho sweet eyes OF babe
without feeling OF awe at the spo.less
soul within, but eyes that are more
lovely still are those that are homes OF
prayer-eyes grown dim with midnight
yigils by the beside OF the sick and
dying and eyes long strained in gazing
upward towards the Mount OF Zion and
the throne OF God!
Now, the blessed Mother OF God pos
sessed absolutely this negative form OF
grace or holiness. Catholic instinct SO
held for eighteen centuries and Catholic
authority just forty years ago, defined
in the dogma that from the first mo.