The herald., 1895-08-12

have what is known as the opposition of
Mars"-that is when it is the nearest to
us. Such times are favorable for tale
soopic examinations. Then, too, every
its greatest advantage. This is accounted
for by the different size and shape OF the
orbits of the earth and Mars, our orbit
being nearly circular. while chat OF Mars
Is greatly elongated, and as the earth
makes two revolutions around the sun to
one Of Mars, it is seen that every two
years they will be nearer together. and
also on account of the difference in time
to complete the journey around the sun
there would be q time when theyswould
be at their nearest approach to each other.
The lecturer said that strict adherence to
truth compelled him to say that much
wild speculation by sensational writer's
WHO were conspicuous by the absence of
their signatures was INDUCED in. much
to the qualification of the wonder-lovlng
world, that had no foundation in fact.
He also referred to Associated Press re-
ports, so-called, of the observations taken
in South America in 1893. They said that
a snow storm was playing havoc between
two mountain ranges near the south pole
of Mars, winch, however, melted IN two
days after it fell. The astronomers at
the Lick observatory (who. by the way,
had a thirty-six inch telescope, and the
South American observers but twelve
inch one), could see nothing whatever re-. re-
ssmbling a snow storm. No one Knows
better than l. said the lecturer the
unpopularity of my position in this mat
ter-how nice it would be to declare that
these evidences of the presence of man on
the warlike planet, trying to signal us by
electrical contrivances or playing on the
psychic waves, but ] must say that all
evidence leading to this is absolutely
wanting"
Human beings such as we could not
live if there was change in the at
moshpere of but 2 per cent. Then. con-
slider the eccentric orbit OF Mars: such
tremendous differences in seasons, being
more than 1000 degrees FaIenheit, pre-
Guiding entirely the existence OF beings
such as we. 'Oh. the insigniticance OF
the human being!" Take a book and
hold it at arms length and see period
as printed on its pages. That period
would be many times larger than our
whole earth would look if viewed from
the sun. The wEoie of il. with all the
surging. throbbing humanity that it con-
tains, could be blotted out and never be
missed What is the worth of single
individual. about one in million OF
whom is sufficiently great to be known
even to those just around him.
The Cathedral
Father McAuliffe preached yesterday at
publican, standing afar off, would not so
much as lift up his eyes toward heaven;
but struck his breast. saying %, God, bo
merciful to me,a sinner, Luke xviii.13.
This powerful sermon was, in brief, as
follows: These words are the expression
OF tue profound humility OF the publican,
as we'll as OF his confidence in the mercy
of God. If he vas animated by such sem
timents on entering the temple OF Jerusa-
lem, how on entering our church, of
which the temple of Jerusalem was but
the figure? Why is it then, that we some
times see conduct in the church. which
to say the least is unbecoming, especially
during the holy sacrifice OF the mass?
Perhaps it arises from want Of faith or
want Of knowledge, or even from a culpa-
BILE Indifference. In order to guard our
selves against the danger of such conduct
we will consider the nature of the mass,
and the infinite treasure we Catholics
possess in this most holy sacrifice. The
sacrifice of the mass and the sacrifice of
the cross are one and the same, and hence
it is the means of honoring God in the
most perfect manner and of making us
happy, both in time and eternity. The
sacrifice of the mass is one and the sam e
as the sacrifice of the cross. the victim
is one and the same, namely Jesus Christ,
who offered Himself once. only bloody
sacrifice on the altar of the cross. The
bloody and the unbloody victim is still
the same, and the oblation of the cross is
daily renewed in the eucharistic sacrifice,
in obedience to the command of Our Lord
to the apostles: do this for a commem-
Grafton of Me- The priest is also the
same, Christ, Our Lord. The ministers
who offer this sacrifice consecrate the
holy mysteries. not in their own, but in
the person of Christ. This is clear from
the words of conservation. The priest
does not say: This is the body of
Christ" But, "this My body" and
thus, invested with the character of
| Christ, ne changes the substance OF the
bread and wine into the substance of His
real body and blood. The mass then, be.
ing the same sacrifice as that of Cavalry,
is the most perfect means of honoring
God.
The destiny of all creatures is to honor
their creator. st. Paul tell us that it was
for this purpose that God created the an
gels. Even inanimate things and all
| irrational beings honor Coo, inasmuch as
they are witnesses of His power. But
this is essentially TIE principal duty of
man, though all the homage that he can
pay to God falls infinitely shot OF what
is His due, because He is infinite in be
ing and in perfection, and man S power
is limited and imperfect.
BY the sacrifc, OF the mass, then, the
highest. nay, infinite homage is paid tc
| God. because the priest, !. e., Jesus
Christ, is of infinite dignity, and the vic
tim is OF infinite value, being the same as
was offered on Cavalry, the human ma
ture united with the second person of the
blessed Trinity. Hence the mass includes
the merits of the incarnation. life, pas
sion and death of Jesus Christ. And God
accepts this sacrifice as if il were our own,
for Christ offers it for our welfare and in
or name and puts the effects of this sacri-
flee in our nands that we may present
them to His eternal Father. The mass
renders us happy here and hereafter by
helping us to preserve the grace of God in
our souls or to recover it if we lose it by
sin. 1t also obtains tor us the remission
OF the temporal punishment due to oul
sias. after they have been forgiven. 1t T:
Il most etficaclous sacrifice Of petition by