The San Francisco call., 1897-03-01
TOOK A NEW VOW
OF TEMPERANCE
Annual Ceremony of the
League of the Cross
at st. Mary's.
The Cathedral Filled to the
Doors With Young
-. Soldiers.
A Beautiful Csremeny That Was
: Beautifully and Impressiveiy
Observed. ::


.. To the rattle of drums, with flags. wav-
ing, between a mass of humanity on the
right and left. leaving a wide avenue for
them, an army of young men marched
with soldierly precision up the broad
steps of st. Mary's Cathedral, through the
portals and were lost to the view of the
throng outside. For none but wearers of
the badge of the League of the Cross
might enter.'''.s 81 "
For almost an hour they filed in, keep
ing step to the throb of the drums. lower
ing the flags as they passed through the
high archways and being then marshaled
down the aisles TO the right ard the left,
and then down the broad central aisle,
.the Older members. in their neatunlforms---
the cadets-being. grouped in. places of
honor, the still older mem bers wearing
their badges, also grouped. by themselves,
and the Juniors. the little fellows wit h
|. their high but impressionab.e spirits.
+ being also marshaled separately.
The body of the church being COM
pletsly filed. the infiowing tide of young
men was turned at the outer doors into
the galleries until they were filed. There
1t was then an immense cathedral filled,
eEaFy seat in it, with.young men ready. to
take the oath of temperance. 1t was an
+ impressive spectacle in soma ber colors, for
there was not a woman within the walls.
Every entrance to the Cathedral was be-
sieged by friends of the league, hoping for
an'opportunify to enter and witness the
beautiiu iul ceremony, but so completely did
the league itself occupy the space that the
doors had to be kept relentlessly closed
against them.
As the army of youths enter the male
choir is chanting a hymn and the sonor-
Gus tones of the organ subdue the rumble
and throb of drums outside.
In the center OF the chancel and in front
OF the altar, which is already ablaze with
! lights, the pulpit has been drawn aud
/ Father Organ. spiritual director OF the
league, ascends. The church is now ii lied,
the last recruit has been allotted his place
/ in the throng and the music of the hymn
and the organ dies down. =.
AT sign from the priest the great au-
| dience falls upon its knees and out of the
silence that follows the rush of noise
which the slight movement created it
repeats the simple apostrophe, following
! upon its utterance by the priest.
Then the audience rises and, standing,
! joins as an immer rse chorus IN the singing
of the beautiful hymn, ''Veni Creator"
They kneel again while the priest reads
! the famous "prayer for the church and
civil authorities" which has been handed
down from Washington's friend. Arch
bishop Carroll IL
The prayer being completed the audi
ence again rises to join In a short hymn.
During the singing Father O'Ryan leaves
the pulpit, and as the last notes are sung
Arch bishop Riordan ascends to his place
and standing awaits the silence that falls
in the churcn instantly upon the audience
being seated. The shops address to the
boys of the league is short but impressive,
| spoken as fatEer to his children.
! .'My young friends" he said, ito see
you here in such number and for such
| purpose-to renew the vows you have
taken in years past-is indeed spectacle
that must gladden. the hearts of all who
may be- fortunate enough to witness it.
That SO many stand ready to pledge them
seves against that license TO the appeti
7 that is so ailuring, but that invites and
| leads only toward ruin, is sight that is
very good to see.
II need not, my dear boys. tell you of
! the principles of this organization. You
are mem bcrs OF it and you know what is
expected of you. You will teach with the
| eloQuence of your example that tenn
.perance is itself a redeemer from vice.
need not tell you, for you hear it monthly
at your meeting, that intemperance is
among the most terrible of vices. We're it
done away with lit would Danish nine
! tehths of the evil of the world.
sit claims its victims from every walk
of life, from high and low and from
1 among the most brilliant minds of the
world, dragging them down to the lowest
level, Not that there is any great danger
ofsyouth in giving way TO this vice, but
you must know that we are all creatures
of habit, and once vice takes hold upon
US its hold IS terrible.
Suppose give you a piece of thread
and ask you to break it. You do.it with
out trouble. [ tell you take another with
1t. You find it more difficult. And W hen
l add one TO another until you have ten
or twelve you find that its strength is
greater than yours. So it is with FAB t.
! You give way to temptation once, and
then again, and again, until it has hold
upon you that is stronger than Is your
| power TO resist.
. But with the yonug a great deal can
be done to meet and head off the monster.
BY association With others who are fol-
lowing the path of virtue they are
strengthened; they emulate each other.
| our association is protest against the
vice OF lntemperance. Of course, the
church preacnes constantly the necessity
OF temperance and calls upon iis followers
| TO walk In soberness, tina. this treme ndous
evil may be uprooted Your public
denomination is enough to get men to
| thinking that where SO much is dole
against special evil it is something 10 be
avoided. So, while you may individually
do little In the great work, YOU form
mighty power when collected together.
81: l we're to suspend from the roof of
this cathedral mass of iron and ask YOU
to move it by throwing pellet of paper
you might smile, but il you attacked il in q
body with a great number Of pellets it
would, after while, begin to trem Bile and
move. So, united in your stand against
this tremendous evil of intemperance YOU
cause it to tremble and shake from it,
foundations.
Now, my dear children, it is easy to
take pledge once in while. The trouble
is to keep it. Wee IS constantly in your
path with its temptations, and 1t is we'll
for us to gather together and renew the
! pledge in this public manner once year.
You know what banner is. 1t. is the
emblem OF our country. 1t is placed in
the hands of soldiers, who 60 forth to bat
tie for their homes and country. So
would have you look upon your flag in
| the spirit of soldier-love and fidelity If
you maintain yourselves steadfast you
! will look back in your age with pleasure
10 these meetings and will thank God that
he has preserved you from the evil Of in
| tenn perance, and when. you come to die it
| will be as one of whom his country and his
church will be proud"
| The sermon being finished the Young
!, soldiers of the League fell upon their
knees again and the Bishop began the
Prayer of Consecration''-"C O
| Hofv Ghost fill tho baarteoo fhv fai, h F,,I