The Irish standard., 1895-03-16
ISA SACRED .D.U "
TIE Bible Should Be Read Saye
Cardinal Gibbons From His
aEs Cathedral Pulpit

Cathedral Pulpit. !
ONLY BOOK WHICH CHRIST
IsKnown to Have Read or to Have
Quoted During His Entire
Sacred Ministry.
There was an immense congregation IL
the Cathedral on Sunday, says 9 Balti-
more correspondent to the Philadelphia
Times. Cardinal Gibbons preached.
His text was taken from the gospel fdr
the day, which treated Of the fast and
temptation Of Christ IN the desert TIL,
Cardinal said that "as our dear Lord Oh
that occasion made several quotations.
from the Scriptures, j deem the time and
occasion most opportune for commend
ing to my hearers the sacred duty 4f
hearing and reading devoutly the Wofd
Of God.
tits, }" he continued, remarkable
and 81 xnificant fact that the Bible is the
only book which Christ is known ever 10
have read or to have quoted IN the whole
course Of his public ministry. He never
made any allusion whatever to the classic
literature Of Greece and Rome, which
fourished in His day.
the Word Of CD Is an inexhaustihle
treasury Of heavenly science. Il is the
only GRACE that discloses to us the origin
and sublime destiny of man and the
means Of attaining it. lis the key that
interprets his relations to his Creator.
/ 1t is the foundation OF our Christian
faith and Of our glorious heritage It's
moral code is the standard Of our lives.
..If our Christian civilization is SO
manifestly superior to all actual and pre-
existing social systems, it is indebted tor
it's supremacy to the ethical teachings ef
Holy Writ.
s.sViewed as an historian cb ronicle, the
Word OF God is the most ancient, The
most authentic and the most instructive
and interesting record ever presented to
mankind. It contains the only reliable
historyof the human race before the
deluge, embracing q period Of more than
fifteen hundred years from the creation
Of Adam to the time Of Noah. We're il
not for the Hebrew annalist the antedi-
luvian age woud be q complete blank
to all succeeding generations.
''The Decalogue is 700 years older than
the Jurisprudence Of Lyourgus;. it. is
2, 600 older than that Of Justinian; it is
2,700 years older than that OF the Magma
Charta; it is $500 years older than the
code Of Napoleon, and almost as many
years older than the American Constitu-
tion and yet the Decalogue IS better
known to- day, and more universally in
culcated than any laws ever framed BY
the hand Of man. It IS an historical
monument that has remained impreg-
nable for thousands Of years and has
successfully wlthstood the violent shocks
of the most formidable assailante. /.
There is not single arch or column
or keystone in the sacred edifice that
does not show some marks Of foreign Or
domestic assault. But there it stands, az
firm as the pyramids, unshaken and un-
riven by the upheavals and revolutions
Of centuries.
1T gives as the narrative Of the most
memorable and momentous events and
OF the most eminent men that have ever
figured in the theatre of the world.
There is scarcely q notable incident 70.
corded in Scripture that may not serve
as text for some moral reflections.
Bible facts are sermons as well. Read
MassillonB discourses and You will per
ceiye the truth OF this assertion.
..n history is philosophy, teaching b
example, this definition is specially
applicable to the Word Of God, tor the
apostle says that what things aoeyer
were written, were written for our learn
mg.' There Is not 9 single virtue that is
mot embl blished BY the luminous example
lof some patriarch Or prophet Or apostle
OF king Of matron "a the Sacred Book.
s.If you look TOR an example of unshak
en faith and hope TO God, where will
you find it moro beautifully portrayed
than ID abraham? "a David you have
aconepiicuous marvel of tender piety
toward God and e M aniimity toward
"a enemy Chastity and filial affection
shonss forth il TIA Lite of the patriarch
Joseph. bias and . Job wers held up
q types off patiiencs and resi- enation Il
|adversit fartial herot.iism are striking
Nv exhibited il Gideon and the Macha-
bees md domestic 81 jacob md
Rutl. susanna il stb bline pat - d
Iconj con Il M md st Paul burning
Ieeis md apoetolic ooulifs
he1 shall "a find 3 more
snd IA rict tareI t1h,a, 1sul