The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-09-20
Dedicated tOGOd thSOleml Rites
st. Mary's Church, at CIermont Mills,
IL COnsecratcd by Car.
6inaI Gibbons.

DcTcu ny tile VI 1iIls.
At an early hour vast crowds commenced to
congregatc at the new Catholic Church,
which was to be dedicated with solemn rites
by the Cardinal. At 10 30, the hour set for
the commencement of the exercises, it was
estimated that over two thousand and tive
hundred people were in attendance. OF
course, it was impossible for this vast throng
to gain admission to the editce, and only
those with cards were able to participate In
the services inside. Rev. Father BOyland adj
dressed the overflow from the steps of the
church. The ushers, Messrs. Thomas $. H "
ward, George STREET., A. l.. Bradley and
George Macatee. did their utmost to seat as
many as possible
Solemn dedicatory services were held by
Cardinal Gibbons, after which the sacrament
of confirmation was held. His address to
those confirmed was full of excellent advice,
and condensed report is given below.
lie said
'When we have received precious jewel
we must be very careful it is not lost or stolen
from us. Such gift You have just received
The best way to preserve it is by daily
prayer. Begin the day always by dedicating
it to Almighty God, and never fail to return
thanks at night for mercIes. Pray in public
on Sunday, thereby making open profession
of the faith that is in you. Do not absent
yourselves from church without wcighty
cause. People go to the theater in Baltimore
city in all sorts of weather, and we should be
willing TO do much for Almighty God.
You have beautiful church aud good and
| faithful priest. Sustain and aid him in his
work"
Solemn high mass was celebrated, with Rev.
0. B. Corrigan, of st. Gregory's, as celebrant;
Rev. John D. Boyland, of st. Vincents, as
deacon, and Rev. T. j. Broyderick, of st.
Martins, as sub deacon. Steinwald's Orches-
ira furnished the music, and Haydn's Third
Mass was rendered. The sopranos were Mrs.
John McGinnis, Misses Minnie Bryne, Anna
Dunnigan; altos, Mrs. Mary Kelly, Sadie
Bryue, Agnes Dunnigan; tenors, John Win
tiers, Frank Baughmann; bassos, Harry Furst,
Joseph Werring, J. NJ. Henson. Frederick
Schmoll was director of the choir.
The dedicatory sermon was delivered by
Rev. Father Breydrick. He said:
"Christ during his public ministry i'm
parted number of truths to men. These
| truths revealed by Christ, together with those
contained in the Old Testament, constitute
divine revelation. Since this revelation h as
been given to us, there must he some way to
| definitely understand it.
ITO say that we have in the Holy Bible
truths, without an authority to declare their
| Interpretation, is not only denial OF the
| wisdom of God but denial of revelation
| altogether. Take a civil law which admits of
several different interpretations, and it is not
| law of binding force until Supreme Court
l defines its true meaning. holy Scripture,
| according to confession of all Christians,
| admits of various interpretations. On many
II 1a hynl
| have different meaning from those
pressed on the same subject in other parts of
the Scriptures, and hence the multiplicity of
| creeds. Now, if there be a supreme au hority
| to define the meaning of these obscure texts,
| all is simple but if Holy Scripture admits OF
| contradiction of meaning, it ceases, on tn at
l subject, to furnish revelation hence the neces
| sity of teaching authority. In the Catholic
| Church we have this infallible teaching
| authority which is necessary for unity in
| faith. Christ prayed especially for this unity
and st. Paul warned the early Christians to
preserve it, eXcaiming One faith and one
| baptism!' Without this attribute the religion
| of Christ could not have preserved its one
| ness, and the multiplicity of creeds outside
! the pale of the church proves the wisdom of
| Christ endowing His church with infalli-
bility."
| After the sermon Cardinal Gibbons made a
| few remarks, he said:
| 81 feel it great pleasure to be with you
this morning and to add few words to what
the priest of st. Martins has said. | was
pleased with Father Broyderick's sermon but
| must take exception to one thing he said.
| He spoke OF your handsome little church
Father Broyderick is from the city and is used
to large buildings, and is not SO familiar with
the churches of the country districts as | am
| | wish to congratulate you upon the erection
1 of our beautiful and sufficiently large church,
1t is certainly one of the finest in the county
| the most beautiful and, perhaps, the largest.
You have built it by your own means. Church
es used to be built by kings and emperors, land
| crowned heads have considered it high pri
1 vilege to erect temples to the glory of God.
/ When in Europe during the past summer
/ visited many of those magnificent baslicas
| erected hundreds of years ago-monuments
| to the zeal and plety of those times. Among
| them was the Cathedral at Cologne which was
| commenced GOO years ago and only finished
l about 10 years ago. Some of the statues
l which adorned the exterior have been melted
| away in that time by the destructive force of
| the clements, but the faith which prompted
its erection remains the same. 1t is an honor
| to erect church; it is privilege to contri-
l butte. 1t is an honor to erect such structures
to the memory of great men as Washington's
monument, but this Is an honor far greater.
You have not the eXchequers of kings but you
| have loyal hearts. Continue your good work.
Five years ago the corner stone of this build
L ing was ldlu anu WOTh WAS DeSuH uuUeT TIE
direction of Father Nyssen, whom l have been
compelled, by reason of his failing health to
| transfer to a lighter field of labor. You have
now young and energetic pastor. In him
you have a father, friend and devoted
/ servant. You are always in his prayers, and
when he offers up the sacrifice he remembers
you. hope you will prove worthy of the
gift and will cooperate with him in three
ways: First, by praying for him. We need
your prayers and the higher we get in the
hierarchy of the church the more we need
them. Again, help your pastor by your pro-
fession Of faith. You should be proud of your
church. If there is anything to be proud of it
is to belong to the Holy Catholic Church. In
ancient days the proudest boast of a Roman
was Girls ROmGHtS San'-'l am Roman citi-
Zen.' The Catholic Church comes to US with
an existence of nearly 1000 years, with
glorious record of saints and martyrs. What
an honor to belong to it Therefore, be al
ways ready and willing to openly confess by
word and example, and particularly by ex-
ample, the faith that is in you. The church
is not held by any oath-bound ties and has no
secrets. Above all, help your pastor in sub
stantial way. There is yet remaining on your
church debt of S4,400-a rather large sum
for this congregation, and it will require
united effort to clearit. Ipray Almighty God
to bless you and may this congregation in