The herald., 1894-04-23
BISHOP MONTGOMERY breaches
To a Very Large Congregation
at the Cathedral.
Something About Bishop MOra's
New COadjutOr.
Rev. j. W. Chichester Prsaches Elo-
quentiy at Emmanuel Presbytsrian
Ohurch-Rev. II. M. webster's
Interesting Sermon.

The cathedral was thronged yesterday
morning when Mgr. Montgomery, the
recently appointed coadjutor to his lord
ship, the bishop of the diocese OF Los
Angeles and Monterey, delivered his
first sermon in this city. Both Bishop
Montgomery and Bishop Mora occupied
seats in the chancel, the latter on the
Episcopal seat and the former on the
gospel. Members OF the cathedral clergy
also occupied seats in the chsncel. Sol
emn mass was observed, with the Rev.
William Louis Dye as celebrant.
1t was shortly after IL o'clock when
Bishop Montgomery assembled the pull
pit to address the congregation. He is
man about middle aged and has an at
tractive personality. His voice is well
modulated, and there is no atraining
after effect either with it or by gestures.
He is positive and talks convincingly.
His sermon yesterday treated the sub
ject in q general way, there being no
severe reasoning attempted. He talked
plainly, yet clothing his thoughts IN ei-
fective words.
He first made several announcements
and then read q part OF the epistle OF St.
James. The text was from the 10th
chapter of the gospel of st. John.
"When the spirit OF truth shall come
He will accuse the world OF ain and OF
justice and of Judgment OF sin because
they did not believe in me-"
In these last words the Divine Lord
has stated two truths, that the spirit of
God ehall come and that He will accuse
the world OF sin because it did not be-
lieve in Him. In6delity is a sin, and
not to believe in Jesus Christ is ain.
The church is not dogmatic tribunal
to pass on us. 1t teaches merely the
principle and leaves God to judge. II
mems lives correspond to that teaching,
they go to heaven; but the Judgment is
always left to God. The church simply
lays down the law as made by the
Father.
These words OF the gospel are
characteristic of all the Saviour said.
When we reflect ON the shortness Of His
life and the brevity OF His doctrine, and
compare this to it's glories and what it
promises, il ought to INSPIRE us with ad-
miration il not with belief.
Commentators on this word, either for
or against, make up one-half of the lit
erature of the world. That gospel OF
His has been loved and hated as no
other thing in tho world. The words of
the Holy Father should not only fill US
with admiration but alteration.
Whist does He mean when He says the
spirit of God will come after Him7 The
Holy Ghost could not convince the world
of sin, but that Christ had given testi-
mony to prove that there was
sin. Consequently, when He says
that it ia a sin not to believe
in Him He must have given proof
that He told the truth.
There are those who endeavor to
dictate to God-to tell Him the time
and this. occasion. While we may aek
some things, wv must never question
the truth Of the gospel. The words OF
the Savior bring forth two facts, the GER
tainty OF faith and the ain of unbelief.
Why is faith certain? Because the
witness to 1t is one that We can be-
lieve.
We act reasonably about everything
but faith, When we reason regarding
things we bring them down to a certain
practical plane. But not so with faith
It's supernatural and comes from God.
Ii we want to reaeon about faith we
must take supernatural means to do it.
When it comes to faith there are those
who act unreasonably, and would sub
ject the supernatural to q natural point
OF view. This is the main cause of
difference between belief and unbelief.
The testimony of what Christ did
is no less for us than for those who
rise from the tomb. The speaker de.
clared that Christ always chose natural
agents to do His works. The apostles
did not arrogate to themselves anything
but the humility of men, and perform ed
the miracles and witnessed them, tor
God gave them for our testimony also.
After discussing the unreaaonableness
OF the soldiers when they called to Christ
to come down from the cross and they
would believe, and were afterwards un-
affected by the name of Jesue, believing
only that the power was from His di-
vine spirit. The faith of a Catholic
does not depend upon any man, whether
pope or priest. except whenever God in
His infinite wisdom has chosen poor,
weak humans to do His work. The
Catholic knows that his faith will live,
and he who practices it will never have
any doubt, although he may have diff
cultles. 1t is the man who does not
practice his faith who is in doubt.
There is no place in the Christian
church for one who wishes to compre-
bend works of the Infinite and to ques-
tion faith. Such an individual arro-
gates to himself the pride OF the fallen
angel who desired to be god himself.
After short discussion on faith he