The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-30
SOLEMN SERVICES IN
OBSERVANCE.
Bishop Montgomery Cele-
brateS PontifiCal High Mass
in the Old Church.
OLD THEOLOGY APPLIED
TO NEW CONDITIONS.
Address Of HIS Grace In the
Evening Upon the Church
and the People.

SAN MIGUEL, CAL, Sept. 29.-Ihis
being the feast day Of Sain; Miguel, after
whom the San Miguel Mission was named,
and the day on which the ceremonies Of
the laying of the cornerstone took place
100 years ago, it has served to call forth
the populace from a radius of many
miles. Never since the early times has
the historic edi1ice been filed with so
large an audience as at the services this
forenoon. Many were unable to gam aG-
mission and were compelled to content
themselves with what could be seen and
heard from exterior vantage points.
The day commenced with the sunrise
salute from the cannon, and at O'Clock
poptifical high mass began in the mission
church. Within the sacred confines of
the same altar where to-day high priests
officiated the memories Of those present
went back 100 years to the day when the
building was first dedicated 10 the Supreme
Father Through many universities the
sacred building has been preserved, and
the good fathers are able as of old 10 lift
up their voices in praise and thanksgiv-
ing.
The Right Reverend George Montgom-
cry, B shop of the diocese OF Los Angeles
and Monterey counties, was celebrant OF
the pontlicaI high mass, Father Riordan
deacon, Father Liebana sub-deacon,
Father killian assistant priest, Fathers
Aguillera and Firrar deacons OF honor
and Fathers Marion and O'ReiIIy masters
of cerem onies. The bishop and priests
were robed in beautiful vestments. The
mass was a grand and imposing spectacle;
the choir melodies, especially prepared
for the occasion, were most exceIiently
rendered.
Prominent among the decorations was
an exquisite banner Of purple silk, let
tered IN gold with the inscription: 1877
1897. San Miguel Mission Centennial.
Gloria IN excelsls Dec. On the reverse
side of the banner, which was faced with
white silk, were the words, "ln EXceisis
Deo." Alter the Impressive ceremonies
OF the nigh mass Father Marion Of Wat
sOnville spoke IN substance as follows:
The kingdom Of heaven is like mustard
seed which a man sowed in his field. One
hundred years ago today such small seed was
cast by Gods husbendmen in this field where
we are now Assem- bled hen the golden fin
ger of Aurora drew back the bolts OF the ORR
entail gates these TWO Franciscan frIars-
rather LenleuZ ana talher 81. JOUQ-ln 1Or-
eigu garb and speaking q fore On language,
founded this mission OF san Miguel All
glory to the Franciscan fathers who came o
this arid plain among the savage and bar ba 7
Gus iuha bItau Is to preach the word OF God; TO
tell the poor Indian about the Savior; to tell
his sufferings, his love Tor them and TO build
home for them
The fathers lived with them and taught
them the use OF he plow and husbandry in all
It's branches These grand and patriotic
priests who nodded he adobe bricks and built
es.r17 ia uFrsan
house and care Ior he poor Indian. and lead
Them TO the way OF our glorious God. singing
gloria in eXcelslS Dec. These Franciscan
fathers built tWenty-oue missions and con-
verted 10000 Indians and led them IN the
pathway OF Christ. They taught the Indian
maldens how 10 make their clothes, the use OF
the needle and household duties.
He spoke at length on the Indian in
habitants, their habits and customs since
the landing OF these Spanish friars
Christ led the vast throng in the church
from The blessed cradle TO the crucifxion
and the holy men who followed in his
footsteps hundreds of years afterward;
men who crossed the wide seas
TO unknown lands to preach his
blessed word, which has reaped its re-
ward for Christianity and civilization.
He abjCred Catholics in general to remain
patriotic to their church and under the
stars and stripes in this grandest and
most glorious republic.
Father Liebana, a speaker or more than
ordinary ability and eloquence and OF q
very commanding presence, vas next in
froduced and delivered d sermon in Span
ish, OF which the following is a sum-
mary:
All reforms come from the people They
work from the foundation up 10 the head and
not from the head 10 the foundation. Nothing
grows in that way. This brings me to the
consideration OF these moral agencies or the
II IN no mis- dor
stood eJ me say that l speak TO you This
afternoon not III the capacity OF
fellow-citizens. with the Catholic faith as
his guide in his moral life, but declare thatI
believe at the same time that every other de-
nomination OF religion is q moral force As
such I should consider it as not onIv the right
but the duty OF every man who has a re-
lgious faith TO speak OF his faith
or his church just as | speak of mine.
We sometimes near the question asked
III relationto churches, How can we reach The
people? l answer, The question cannot
concern the Catholic church. She does
not reach them. In fact IL some quarter
1t IS made objection 10 her that she
comes too close TO them, just as ii was made
an objection TO Christ that he conYersed with
SINNERS and ate with them. The father said
man may be poor. but not thereby necessarily
ignorant. He may wear poor Clothes speak
ungrammatcally, know not how to enter
room nor get out OF 1t cultured people
would, and yet not be thereby necessarily
ignorant. The Catholic church reaches the
people. she Is for all men. From the day
when the people of God went out from the
land OF the Pharoahs she has been the church
OF the people, and has stood as a pillar OF cloud
and pillar OF FIRE between the classes-the very
person OF Christ.
At u and half-past 1 o'clock a grand
concert was rendered by the cornet band.
The literary exercises took place at .
o'clock at the grand stand, and were lis
tened to by fully 1000 people DR.. L. D.
Murphy, the president of the day, opened
with few Introductory remarks, and in
troduced Bishop Montgomery, who then
delivered the invocatory prayer. A selec-
ton was given by the band, followed by
brief sketch of the mission By D.. II. B.
Stanley, the historian of the centennial
anniversary.
The church was crowded in the evening
by great audience TO listen TO the elo-
quent lecture by Bishop Montgomery
from the theme of 'Old Theology APP
DlleI tn NaW Conditions III Cb,,-ok