The San Francisco call., 1896-08-10
FEAST OF ST. DOMINIC.
The Day Is Solemnly Commem-
Grated at the Dominican
Church.
Franciscan Fathers 0ffciate, and
Father Wyman breaches an
Eloquent Sermon.

The feast of st. Dominic, the founder OF
the Dominican order, was commemorated
in this City with solemn ceremonies in
the Church of st. Dominic on Steiner and
Bush streets. There was an unusually
large congregation at the late morning
mass; in fact, the large church was
crowded with devout worshipers, who
make it a rule to participate in the ceie-
bration of festivals in that church. The
affairs were beautifully decorated with a
profusion of flowers and evergreens and
lighted by numerous candles.
Solemn high mass was sung by Father
Macmillan, o. s. F., of st. Boniface
Church, who was assisted by Father
Augustin, o. S. F., and Father James, o.
S. f. 1t is customary among the Domlnl-
cans and Franciscans to exchange on
feast days, and that is why the franciscan
fathers offieiated yesterday at the special
services in honor of the saint.
The sermon WAS preached by the Rev.
Father Wyman, pastor of the Paulists'
church on California street. He chose for
his text the words of st. Paul to the
Romans-tenth chapter, fifteenth verse i:
How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel OF peace
of them that bring glad tidings OF good
thingsp'
nThe vocation of the preacher" said
he. according to the teaching and ex-
amples of holy scripture, is the holiest to
which anv one can be called. Sanctity,
not human eloquence, is the divine stand
ard by which fitness for it is determined.
The vocation of the preacher has been
sanctified by the public ministry of our
divine Savior, who, previous to entering
on his public life, spent thirty years in
obscurity. Great indeed is the dignity of
preaching. 1t ia the voice of God on
Mount Sinal the voice of our Savior on
Mount Zion, the divine sower scattering
seeds of truth.
"Preaching is to-day considered the
most essential thing in all the popular re-
ligions, and even among those who have
the least doctrine to teach and do not con-
slider faith as essential to salvation. Their
standard, however, is not the divine AL
though possessing great eloquence they
may be compared with those persons
whom st. Paul mentions as having many
virtues without charity. The apostles
were trained for their work III the school
of our Lord. and after receiving the HOLY
Ghost carried on the ministry of preach.
ing and this divine vocation has been
perpetuated in the church.
Zone OF the greatest lights is that OF the
great st. Dominic, preacher of Gods
word and the founder of an order NJ
preachers. In his early clerical career
Dominic did not think of becoming :
preacher. He desired hidden life of con.
temptation, and passed number of wear.
leading conventual life as the canon of 3
cathedral church"
Father Wyman then reviewed the salient
points In st. Dominic's career, how he de.
termlned to become a preacher when hs
met the Albyensis. With six companion,
he brought back these people to the
Catholic fold, and SO thoroughly was the
work done this heresy never revived. Ths
reverend speaker said that the influence
OF the Dominican order on the church anG
the world has been very wide. Dominicans
have ranked among the leading scholar:
OF history. and their theologians especially
are pre-em;nent.