Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-18
HIS FAREWELL DISCOURSE.
Archbishop Kenne's Last Sermo
Prior to Departure for Rome.

fr1Of TO Departure fOr Rome.
The farewell sermon of Archbishop
keane, previous to his departure from
Washington for Rome, was delivered yes
terday morning at St. Paurs Catholic
Church, corner of 18th and streets north
west. before an audience which filled all
the pews, and for many it was necessary
to place chairs in the aisles.
The distinguished prelate selected as his
| theme The privilege as we'll as duty of
every person to become a Christian and,
in part, said:
when l was bishop of Richmond a
gentleman called on me for the purpose
of conversing on this subject He prefaced
his remarks by saying, Bishop, L want
! to tell you that l am not Catholic, but L
want you to tell me the motive you have
Tor living Christian life.
My answer to him was, as / say to You
now,' continued the speaker, L know
that God created me through love- / know
lie has made for me pathway of love
leading to His kingdom of lo.e. 4 life of
love is at my disposal, and would be fool
ish, indeed, did l not live that sort OF a
iife.'
There are some people VINO think chat
the sole reason they ought to live Chris
tian life is to keep out of he'll Hell is not
IN GODS plan. There are some persons
who, when asked why they would wear a
wedding garment if they attended the mar
which He invites all mankind, would reply:
Because do not want to be cast OUT
me reason ought to be because God
wants us to do so. In the beginning God
WAS all alone; infinite in love beauty and
happiness"
After speaking eloquently of the various
acts in the creation, Archbishop keane
said:
The welding together of spirit matter
was consummated by the creation of man.
This Was Gods browning work, and He
thereby welded divinity to humanity.
10 the wedding feast of this marriage
OF divinity with humanity all are invite 4.
III We accept the invitation, all Will be
glorified. We can all, if we wish, share in
the blessing accruing from the marriage
OF humanity to divinity. We can love God
and be Christians if desire. but We
Shouid also remember that God neither
coerces any one to be a Christian in spite
of himself, nor does He drive any one into
Eell, in spite of him.
There are some people who seem to be
affilcted with sort of spiritual insanity
On this subject, and claim to imagine ;hat
God has made few persons for heaven
ana all the rest for damnation. God has
said just the reverse. Our blessed Savior
SAID. L have come that they might have
life and might have it more abundantiy'
There. is no limit to the kinship or TO
the call. These are our opportunities nd
responsibilities. When We realize Them
che is almost tempted to say to God WHY
did You not make me a slave to good
Tess? We must be clothed with the we'd
ding garment which, st. Paul says, ME ms
simply to put on Christ, and how foolish
are they who will not do this
After the close of the exercises Arch
bishop keane held a reception az The
priests house. adjoining the church. rhe
reception, which it was at first planned
should last but one hour, continued by
reason of the great number of persons
present for two hours, during which hun
dreds of friends not only grasped the pre-
late by the hand, but wished him a safe re-
turn to Rome, while many regrets were ex-
pressed that he felt it to be his duty to
again leave this country.
Archbishop Keane will leave the city
Friday next. Meanwhile he has a number
of engagements to fill