Evening journal., 1896-10-26
MISSION AT ST MARY'S
CONDUCTED BY THE DOMINICAN
FATHERS-ELOQUENT SERMON
LAST EVENING 10 MEN.

fAl ftIilo-llllOt{L II EN- NElMON +
LAST EVENING TO MEN.
One Of the most successful missions
ever held at St. Marys Church, Sixth
and Pine streets, is now being con-
Quoted by the fathers OF the Order of st. /
Dominick McKenna, Spender and
Hench. The order Of exercises is some /
what out Of the usual course, one week
during the evening being entirely for
women and the second and closing
week for men.
Five o'clock mass begins the day fol-
lowed by other masses and instruc-
tiOns until O'Clock, when an intermis-
sion takes place until the afternoon.
when confessions are heard In the
evening there are instructions, recita-
tions of the rosary, sermon and bene-
dictiOn, with the blessed sacrament.
OF all the exercises that OF the rosary
Is given the most prominence. 1t is the
one prayer that the Dominicans urge
continually upon the people. The ca
dence of the measured tone stealing
softly through the sacred edifice, now
full, now low, but always suppliant.
has q charm of its own and when given
by a large congregation the effect is
almost indescribable.
It was by the rosary that st. Domi-
nick, IN the thirteenth century. COM
batted successfully the Albigensian
heresy in the south OF France, when
missions and all else failed, and It IS
by the recitation Of this prayer Of the
church primitive, that the learned
fathers of this order rely chiefly to
make their efforts successful among
the good the bad and the Indifferent
Last evening, after the instruction.
Rev. Father McKenna preached the SER
mon calling the attention of the con-
gregation to the enormity of sin and
the case with which man is capable Of
infinite evil without the corresponding
power of correcting 1t with that which
is good. AS the reverend father pro-
ceeded he elOquentiy, and with rare
mastery of speech, depicted the power
Of God. The uplifted hand that controls
IN all it's immensity the vast solar sys-
/ tenn above us, the forces of nature, the
restless beat of the ocean, the sweep Of
/ the tornado, the binding lightning
/ flashes, a power vast, incomprehensible,
absolute and inscrutable Against the
majestic grandeur of God, man alone of
all beings, d0res to rise in rebellion and
to daily. hourly, insult his Creator. No
one would dare blaspheme the name OF
! Washington. yet how common it is to
/ emphasize the existence Of God by TAX
/ ing His name in vain.
"How many mock the tremendous
power of the Deity by the impurity OF
/ their lives" continued Father Nc
Kenna. Their indifference to all moral
or religious restraints is terrible. What
bad thoughts and worse desires course
through the brain unchecked. What oil
the bad company kept, the fear of re-
proach the unwillingness to hear the
sneer and jibes of evil companions unit
the soul. blackened and hardened by
! sin, becomes likened to the dog return
! ing to his vOmit, situation disgusting
beyond measure, and yet you willingl.
and with pleasure quit the narrow pati
tis1,t r.lor,sr hooon - 49,. ~ -
4. starred momentary pleasures, take IN
( broad roads that lead surely to eterna
ruin Think of it.
Gather together all that you hol
dear. and what is it to relinquish. con
trasted with the lOwly birth of th
Saviour at Bethlehem, the uprising G
the great central figure Of Christianity
solitary and alone, that confronts tn
shrewdness and intellect of the learne
doctors of the Mosaic law, taught b
self-abnegation the splendor and pow6
of humility? Then the blood sweat {
/ Cethsemane. the apprehension and dc
: livery to PLATE. the fearful lashing {
the pillar, the streaming blood that tt
thorns drew from an uncrOwned heai
e the heavy weight of the cross and the
= horror of the crucifxion. On one sic
- this, on the other, the perpetuation
u it by your sins. and your willingne
: to remain in them
q The eloquent divine held the clo
l. attention of the packed audience unt
1t the close, after which the benedicti'
< took place.
Ie Tho music during the day was e
n cellent. Miss Elizabeth Schawb SAL
rs the 20 Salutaris" with fine effect, al
y "Tantum Ergo" was rendered by {
Id choir chorus. "Protectus," by Mi
Df Caroline Burlli. soprano: NJ J. Conwa
.h tenor, and NJ Roach, bassO, was Civ
superbly, with Miss Agnes Curley
ei accompanist.