Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-26
AT THE CATHEDRAL.

AT THE CATHEDRAL.
One of the largest audiences of the
day was at the Cathedral, yesterday
morning, where the sermon was preach
ed by Rev. Father McDermott, OF Pitts
burg.
The reverend preacher quoted from
the Thirty second Psalm: Rejoice in
the Lord, o ye just: praise becometh
the upright. Blessed is the
nation whose God is the Lord, the peo-
pie whom he hath chosen for his in
heritance'
He said: The duty of praise and
Thanksgiving to God is what has as
sembled us here to-day. 1t is solemn
duty which is recommended to US at
every page Of the scriptures, not only as
individuals, but as people. The canti-
cles of the Old and of the New Tesla
ment are teeming with the expressions
of this duty.
There are many things for which, as
individuals, we have reason to be
thankful But there are also number
less things for which, as a people, We
are bound to thank and praise the
Lord. Of all these gifts and blessings,
AOWGN6I, tuGI6 Is OliS :uCGtluldDit UOOu
which is the greatest of all Gods natu-
raj gifts to peop;e-and one which no
people On this earth appears to have
been blessed with more abundantly
than the people Of these United St9tes.
1t is the priceless gift of civil liberty.
AS the freedom of the individual man
is the crowning faculty of his human
nature, so is the liberty Of people the
HI ncf no act
privilege of a society and nation.
Liberty is word that has been
abused and that is frequently misun-
derstood. Yet it is simple in its s.gni-
flcation and easy to be grasped in it's
extent 1t implies a certain exemption
from restraint 1t is opposed to the
two extremes Of slavery on the one
hand, and to license, on the other hand,
where there is no restraint-a condition,
however, which has never existed in
the absolute sense, even in the most
barbarous society. Therefore, there is
necessarily some restraint On the per-
sonal freedom of the individual, from
which restraint arises the necessity Of
government, whose end is to secure the
governed in the possession of life, honor
and property. In theory, therefore. as
WI 40 III pl uCtiNC, Vic DtSI government
is the one which combines the proper
security of these great objects with the
greatest amount of personal freedom.
But government, to be proper one,
must be in accordance with the orr
gins, character and the aims of the
people. This is why the problem of
civil liberty and government is so com
pick. 1t is a problem which even the
jc ,0f III
solve directly. But, as Christ himself,
in his doctrines and his precepts-such
- as when he said: 'You shall know the
truth and the truth shall make Won
free, expressed this divine approval
of liberty, so has religious society the
Church, in numberless and unmistaka-
BILE ways, welded a potent and favor
able influence upon the DEVELOPMENT of
free principles and the progress of civil
liberty.
Thus it is that the prince and the
beggar, the princess and the peasant
girl, the rich merchant and the lowly
laborer, the highbred mistress and the
servant girl kneel side by side in the
most stately temple, all reduced to the
same level OF humble suppliants for
mercy!
Thus Christ, in his teaching, his prac-
tice, his religion, his church, which has
carried out his intentions, which has
caught his spirit and walked in his way
In every age. Thus Christ | say, and
his religion have influenced the devel-
opment of human and civil liberty.
1t is needless to say that we. to-day
In this land of ours, enjoy to the full
est extent this great and ideal civil lib
erty. No restraint except for good.
All possible opportunity for the pursuit
of personal and social happiness. The
range Of our freedom bounded only by
the horizon OF reason, for liberty with
out reason would be Incense. 1t is to
the enjoyment of this true liberty, this
liberty of the children of God, that we
owe the growth the progress and the
development of this greatest and most
remarkable country of modern times.
10 it we may attribute its material
development unequaled in the annals
OF history. It's progress in the science
application and fruits Of good govern
ment, beginning with thirteen strug-
Cling colonies and consisting to-day of
forty-five sovereign States, each en-
lowed with all the labyrinthian mech
anlsm OF government, and. yet, all
submissive to the one central admins
tratlon and executive power. To the
same source we owe the wonderful in
crease in population from three to sew
enty millions of people-in a word the
increase in wealth and knowledge, in
peace and comforts, and in all the num-
peerless opportunities for the pursuit
OF happiness.
And midst those developments we
may Zoe permitted to add with that
feeling of thankfulness which is, for
all OF us, the inspiration of this festal
day, the growth of the church to which
we belong, and which we are here to-
cay representing, growing from the
b0.000 that she counted at the birth of
this republic to be to-day one-sixth of
the population-growing from one soli-
tary diocese to the eighty-three or
e,ghty-four which she now comprises
and growing from the six poor chapels
OF last century's 10. to the 10000
stately churches of this century's '97!
Such are, rudely sketched and sum-
married., the consequences of the
Christian liberty we enjoy-freedom to
think what is true, freedom to do what
Is right, freedom to express what we
know, and freedom to enjoy the fruits
and rewards hf what we l3fa