Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-05
THE CARDINAL on PRAYER.
Its Efficacy Upheld In Sermon at
the baltimore Cathedral.
baltimore SUM-


Cardinal Gibbons preached on Sunday
morning at the Cathedral on 1.-THE Efil-
cacy of Prayer" He took for his text
the following extract from the eighth
chapter.of st. Matthew:
And behold there arose great tenn
pest in the sea, insomuch that the ship
was covered with the waves: but lie
Christ was asleep. And His disciples
came to Him and awoke Him, sayinS'
Lord, save us. we perish.
The Cardinal said in part: This was
the cry OF the Apostles sinking on the
Lake Of Gcnesarcth. This was the cry
that went forth from the Inflated steam'
or Elhc on Wednesday last. when 5oo
souls perished I'm the North sea AFTER
few moments of warning. Before the
steamer went down the passengers, we
are told. gathered together on the deck,
fell on their knees. and begged inc l"rd
90 have mercy on them. This Is the cry
Of humanity itself in affection. IL llit'
up it's voice to the Almighty Power when
II is struggling with the waves OF adNer-
sity.
so long as we are sailing down the
current in smooth waters, so long as we
bask in the sunshine OF prosperity so long
as fortune smiles upon Us. we are tempted
10 be forgetful OF God and TO eXult in the
lust OF our own strength. But as soon
as We are immersed i'm the troubled sea
Of adversely we cry out with the Apos-
ties. Lord save us. We perish"
Il was once called in southern city 10
the bedside Of a gentleman who was sui-
fering from a protracted disease which
finally proved fatal. He had been life
long disciple Of Noltaire. and was imbuei
with the doctrines Of that able and in
sidious writer. He was a most cultivated
and polite gentleman. and would not III
tentionlly give offence or pain TO any
one. When | entered his room ! began
to set before him, as well as | could, the
teachings Of the Christian religion ana
to impress upon him the obligation Of ac-
Cepting the claims of the Catholic Church.
He listened 10 me with great patience
and attention till had exhausted all tho
arguments that suggested themselves 10
my mind.
when ! WAS done he thanked me for
my interest. but said that my words had
not at all removed the difficulties from
his mind. There was a chasm which hai
not been bridged over
while ! admired the candor and sin
certy Of the patient. / was mortified al
the failure Of my efforts 10 convert him.
determined 20 make another EFFORT 70
relieve my conscience
"'You certainly admit said !, the
existence of one supreme Being. the
Creator and Lord Of all things, visible and
Invisible That he replied. cannot be
denied. for all creation must have first
great cause You admit ! said again.
that this supreme Being is endowed with
supreme intelligence. for He must possess
in an eminent degree all the attributes
possessed by His intelligent creatures.
Reason assures me- of this he replied.
You admit | continued. that this SUI
preme Being takes an interest in His
creation. especially in His intelligent crea-
lures. that He loves us. that He pos
sesses all the affection and paternal solicit
tude which an earthly father has for his
children. in a word. that He is eminently
our Father That he replied, cannot
be denied.
"You admit. therefore. that He may
be moved by our prayers and entreaties"
Most assuredy.' he answered. Then
said |. YOU admit the utility and neces-
sity Of prayer
This. he said. necessarily followed from
what ! had said. I asked him. then. as a
special favor. to promise me 10 offer up
daily this short prayer to the Supreme
Being: 'Oh. God. give me light TO see
the truth, and grace to follow it, lie
replied most earnestly that he would com
ply with my request. ! left him, with
serious missivings about his future.
"A few days later | was called to his
bedside. and was struck with the glow
Of enthusiasm that shoue on his counte-
nance in contrast with the gloom that
sat on it before. lie made an eloquent
profession OF his faith in the Christian
religion In language at once simple and
sublime, and begged me To baptize him.
Here is a striking instance the Cardi-
nal concluded. "of the power Of prayer
and the direct agency Of God in the con-
version Of a soul without mans interposi-
ton. one ray Of Gods light did more
than human words could accomplish