Evening journal., 1896-09-28
BLESSED THE BELL
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES AT ST.
PETERS r. c. CHURCH.

IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES AT ST.
PETERS r. c. CHURCH.
. DIR. SHEEHAN, CELEBRATED HIS
TORIAN, OF WASHINGTON, DE
LIvERED THE ADDREss-BIsHOP
CuRTIs ASSISTED BY PROMI-
NENT CLERGY.
Nearly 1000 people gathered in and
about St. Peters Church yesterday af-
ternoOn at the impressive blessing of
the great 3,000-pound bell, presented to
! the church in memory of John +.
/ Brady by Alice and James B. Brady
! The bell, all bedecked with flowers and
! bunting, stood in the yard mounted oe
a temporary belfry of wood.
Rt Rev. Alfred A. Curtis, bishop Of
1 Wilmington; Rev. NJ. X Fallon, pas
tor of 81. PauIs Rev. ID. j. Flynn, pas
tor of ST. patrick's; Rev. J. ID. Carey
assistant pastor of st. Paul's; Rev. 70.
l.. Brady, pastor of st. Peters, New
Castle, and lit. Rev. John A. Lyons,
1 vicar-general of Wilmington, who acted
as master of ceremonies, all arrived at
the church at o'clock and began the
z indoor service.
Just prior to that two organizations
of men had arrived and occupied the
seats reserved for them along the mid
die aisle. They were st. Peters T. A.
B. Society and Division No. 8, A. 0. H.,
the latter taking up nearly one-half the
right section of the church
\ After two selections by st. Peters
choir, under the direction Of Miss Paul
inc Rogers, the preacher of the day
entered and, upon signal from the
bishop, began his address. He was
Rev. John ID. Sheehan, professor Of his
tory OF the new Catholic University in
, Washington, a handsome man and pol
ished speaker. In the course of his re-
marks he said:
"The ceremonies of the Catholl
Church are not only poetic and charm
ing but replete also with deep meaning
i Religion, indeed, is a thing of the
soul. In itself and from the point of
view of its celestial origin it is like the
daughter of the Godhead. It follows
therefore. that the public acts of re-
liglon as performed by man must be
directed to God in spirit and in truth.
The great acts of religion however
must necessarily take on public char
acter. These acts of religion must also
emphasize the forms OF religion under
which the man acknowledges his al
legiance to his God. Thus religion has
, ever been symbolic in its outward
I character.
"in the history of the Greek people
+ during the thousand years ii took tC
, reach the acme of human culture, you
see it fun of symbolism, direct anC
beautiful. Jesus Christ employed sym
bolic forms, not even in his speech, bui
Tin his actions.
| Therefore when the CathOli,
Y Church uses the symbol in her religion
/ she is not derogating from the meritl
! of Christ intercessor, atoner and Saw
/ iour, but carrying the works of Chris
Z among men. She recognizes the dua
p nature of man and cannot insist on the
- unreasonable exercise of both spiritua
e and material powers.
'See the forced confession on al
I sides that the nOn-CathOnc wOrship
b are cold and barren, do not apply {,
the immediate demands of the soul SCI
4 the eyes OF man turning toward tn
e Catholic Church before the genius O
e modern democracy. Therefore by tn
e final admission of experience, the sym
s bOlism of our religion is the work o
God Now the Catholic Church is tn
! spokesman of God before man and al
things created tend by the laws of thei
being to a nnal perfection.
e when we consiuer how many stage
j. of culture she has dealt with Il is M
n wonder that the church esteems he
h lcermonies so highly.
Y To-day we are here to participate il
4 one ci her most ancient and honorabl
h rites-the blessing of a bell From tn
r sixth century bells have been in us,
but formerly of a much smaller size. ]
/ at times they enot found in Catholi
churches it Is because they have nee
for greater necessities of the church.
., serves in the first place to call IN
faithful to mass. to catechism and {
lessons. In older countries it is ais
i the custom to ring at the solemniza
d ton of marriages In the dying hOu
II they are rung sOlemnly. that the pass
ing soul may have a prayer from man
6 hearts. They are also rung at night
4 fall--the passive bell-for a prayer fO
tho dying. Il is also rung in times {
public calamity"
u Immediately after the ceremony
b procession was formed headed by si1
j. teen acolytes All the clergy joining j
and being followed by the two organ
10 cations They formed a circle roun
IS the hell. which was then formal
blessed and dedicated, Bishop Curt
m officiating.
n BICYCLISTS REGISTER AT TIL
EVENING JOURNAL OFFICE.
10 A bicycle party, consisting of I'll
- following girls, paid a visit to Ne
= Castle on Saturday afternoon and cal