The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-26
Held Yesterday Morning at St.
Mary's Cathedral.
FINE MUSICAL PROGRAMME
GIVEN UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF MISS NORA GLEASON.
An Eloquent Sermon By Bishop
Lawrence Scanlan-The Greatest
of Heavens Gifts-Self-sa Salvation
"A Word About Modern Idolatry,


ter festival, with it's multitude of ma
lures gifts, but the ivy and the holly,
those rugged plants that speak more
eloquently of Bethlehem than the lilac
does of May.
The church was thronged-it is al
ways thronged on such occasions.
People came to hear the music, and the
old hymn, "Adeste Fideles,'' that no
maestro has yet excelled. and will live
forever. Lejials mass in d was sung
by the choir, with violin accompani-
ment, under direction OF Miss Nora
Gleason. the talented organist; Master
Roy Williams, violinist. The sopranos
were: Mrs. T. B. Flood, A. Waltz,
Misses Kinsella and Harley; altos
Misses Burke and Davi; tenors, Messrs.
Hauenstein, Gavin and Foster; bassos,
AGessrs. T. c. Crawford, Leyland, Muir
ply, Waltz and Meloy; soloists, Mrs.
Flood, Misses Hurley, Kinsella, Burke,
Messrs. L. c. Crawford, Gavis and
Foster. TIE ''Adeste Fideles" was
sung by Ddiss hinsella, and the 'Veni
Creator" by Miss Davi.
Rev. Dennis Kelly officiated as priest
OF tie high mass. Bishop Seaman de-
hVsred the sermon, as follows:
BISHOP SCANLAN'S SERMON.
We are assembled once more to com
memorate the birth of MaryS little child
the most wonderful and interesting little
babe that ever appeared in this world. The
interest he created in the breasts of a few
shepherds on the hillsideS of Judea SO
MANY centuries ago has ever since con-
Inued TO grow and expand, like some r.
resistible mountain torrent, until 1t has
made itself felt in the hearts and souls OF
every people on earth. The few privileged
worshipers who on that memorable night
[ cra+I howe md 1nf-
cradle have been multiplied into hundreds
/ OF millions, and the Gloria in EXcelSiS
Dec, caught up from the lips of the an
gel-c choir. is chanted today in a thou
sand different tongues from the rising to
tie setting of the sun.
Now, what was there about this little
child that made him attractive and
/ lOVeabIe2 What influence what charm
/ had he over the human family, that so
many of all races, in all times, loved him,
adored him and even gladly died for him?
! w nat message, what joyful tldings did he
Dl1ng 10 this old selfish world that SOFT
! ened and enchanted the hearts of men,
! and which set them almost wild with joy
at each recurring anniversary of his
! birth! The message was announced by
an angel of the Lord to the world through
the shepherds OF Bethlehem on the night
| of his nativity: Behold, l bring you
glad tidings OF great joy that shall be TO
! all the people, for this day is born to you
Savior who is Christ. the Lord, in the
! city of David" The message then, that
! this little child of Mary brings to men is
/ that he is their Savior-a Savior who, as
! he afterwards CLEARLY proved, is no other
! than the eternal Son of God who. in his
| infinite love and compassion for US, as
! sumed our nature, and was on this day,
born under the form of q little human in
! FAINT, in an obscure village of the far dis
| tant Judea. What a gift from heaven TO
! earthi What cOndeScenSion and love on
the part of God, and what subject of
Joy and congratulation on the part of
man! With such an example before US OF
| our heavenly fathers charity, mercy and
/ good will towards u.s. his poor, sinful
| children, is it any wonder that we all
greet each other. on this day of glad
/ tfdingS, with expressions of good will,
and that our old hearts are softened and
go out in pity and compassion to Our
| poor, suffering and afflicted brethren? If
! God was so interested in men as TO make
/ the gift. the sacrifice of his only son, for
{ their salvation and happiness, why Should
! not We. his children, follow his example
and thus feel interested in our fellow
beings and make sacrifices to promote
their peace and happiness?
GREATEST OF HEAVENS GIFTS.
But how sad is the reflection on this joy
full morning that there are so many who
do not appreciate the glad tidings of the
gospel nor accept this greatest of heav-
en- gifts, so graciously and generously
given this day TO mankind and the world
Yea. more, that there are many who, in
the pride and conceit of their hearts, not
Oll-E IclQSC lIllS great gill; Out TeSTel
and even despise it. How often have we
not heard persons say: What need is
there OF Savior? Cannot man take care
of and save himself? Can he not know al
his relations. and maintain them. all his
duties. and discharge them? Now, pass
ING over the theological reasons for the
necessity of a Savior for mankind, let us
try to reason q little with these people BY
descending to facts and particulars Is il
true, is it fact, that man can of hfmselj
know all his duties and always properly
discharge them? What does individual
1 Selt-cOnSclouSneSS say to this? Is each
individual cognizant of possessing this
knowledge an dthis power? Is each one
consciously certain of his true relations
TO God. his neighbor, society and to the
world that surrounds2 Is he certain
whence he came. whittier he tends, ano
what his end or destiny is, and that he
possesses the true means and the rea
power TO attain it? Is each one conscious
that he always thinks. speaks and acts
as man, a rational being should; in q
word that he lives that inner as well as
outer life which his own reason and con
Sclence tell him, as man, he should live.
Who. OF those who cry out so loudly
against the necessity OF 4 Savior will hon.
eSlly declare that he has continuously led
and is leading, such a life? And if he is
not leading this life Of reason of con
science; his life which is salvation itself
then he must be leading an Irrational
dlsorderly and sinful life-a life not ir
harmony with God, the supreme reason
and, consequently. life which, instead OF
leading to God and salvation, must Ieac
him away from both.
MANS OWN EXPERIENCE.
Again, what does mans own experience
teach him on this matter of self-salva.
ton? Has his life been always in accord
with right, truth and justice? Have his
Ieet never fattened on the path of recti
tudeE In his encounters with his pas
sions. and his conflicts with temptations
has he been always victorious? Are there
no evidences of his defeat no black spots
OF ignorance. of doubt and of moral weak.
ness ana corruption on his past life? Il
not. how happen all those murders, sui
cldes and other shocking bat nameles.
crimes which are to be found chronicleC
with such regularity and certainty il
every issue of the press?
II man be so good that he can say,
hlmseif, what mean all these mora
wrecks OF himself (and we do not see :
1.-THE of them) that meet the eve at every
turn; that nil our jails penitentiaries anC
public asylums, and that are to be foun,
StreWed along the pathway. of history
back TO the beSinnillg2 If man can leaC
/ Why. on the contrary, this shame hi,
reinorse? Why those bitter regrets which
We hear every day coming from the lin,
r o 1.-THE dying2 Who, when dying would no
wish 10 live life over again in order t,
reverse 1t?
once more, what does the history O
your race tell US on this subject of self
salvation. A mere glance at il is enough
for 1t is numiliating and sinckening. TIL,
history of the human race not touched h,
Christian light and outside the circle o
the savior grace and influence, is in Thu
moral order simply q record of contradic
tlons OF the rise and fall of theories o