The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-02-04
Chapel Services.

Catholic services were held in the
prison chapel Sunday, Rev. Father
Corcoran officiating. The hymn, Hide
Thou Me-" sung by the choir opened
services. The chaplain read chapter
from "Discipline of Experience which
was followed by the choir singing the
anthem Triumph BY and By" The
lesson for the day, the fourth Sunday
after Epiphany was taken from 1. Cor
inthians, w., GA and the gospel from
Luke XII, 30 a. After invocation and
the choir singing "Nearer My God to
Thee" Father Corcoran discohrsed on
love and it's applicability to everyday
Iife He said in part:
Love is the fulfilling of the law is
the teaching of the scriptural lesson
and in this resides the essential requi-
site of religion. There are many things
in revealed religion that appear mystic
rious, that surpass our understanding
and that seem impossible of applica-
ton to everyday life; but this simple
truth, in it's meaning and beauty of ex-
preston, is within the grasp Of every
mind. The sayings and doings of the
prophets, the subtleties of theology and
philosophy and the infinity and trinity
of the being who created US, who
watches over and cares for us, may
battle the finite mind, but the one great
religious truth enunciated by Christ,
to love God and neighbor needs no the
illogical or philosophical lore to under
stand
| 1t is mistaken notion to believe that
worldly success means happiness; that
loving the pleasures, the applause, and
the fame of this world bring content
ment and consciousness of duty faith
fully accomplished. Happiness is the
reward of right living, not the life that
exists but for the qualification of SEN
sual desires and the advancement Of
unholy motives, but that higher and
nobler life that seeks the good, the
| true and the holy: that loves God and
neighbor and that sets the spiritual
above the material. God above man.
mon. No life can be successful with
out the sentiment of love to warm the
heart and soul to God and fellOWman.
We must think of the debt of gratitude
the reverence and the duties owing our
Creator if we wish to secure His favor
and these arr expressed in the love that
fulfills the law and brings us nearer to
the divine purpose, in thought, word
and action.
The spirit of love that raises us from
the mire of sin and selfishness, to tho
better life of virtue and charity for the
faults we see in others Is developed in
the common affairs of everyday life;
in responding to calls for sympathy, in
Tightening the burdens of our neigh
bors and in refusing to say aught that
would injure or SANDER them. In this
we obey the law of God, for in minis
tering to humanity we make use of the
divine spark of love with which He has
lighted our souls. The bookish lore of
theology and the deductions of philos-
ophy, together with long prayers and
regular attendance at church, have no
value in the sight of God unless love
for Him and neighbor is ingrained in
our nature and expressed in our work,
our thoughts and our associations. The
basis of all moral ethics is love, and if
this be absent there can be no happi-
ness. no success, no hope of ultimate
salvation. Love is the active force of
all that is virtuous, pure and noble, and
the one thing that attunes the soul in
sympathy with God.
Father Corcoran closed by saying
that the true spirit of religion was in
the practicing and not in profess
ing, and that no matter what our con-
dition of life may be, the opportunity
for moral advancement was always
present.
Services closed by the congregation
singing the gospel hymn, "Shall We
Meet Beyond the River