The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-28
CORNER STONE IS LAID.
FATHER O,BRIEN, FORMERLY OF
ST. PAUL, IN CHARGE OF THE
CEREMONiEs..
BISHOP STANLEY PARG1c1pATED.
His Discourse Heard by the Many
Hundreds In Attend
ance.

an early hour this morning. every team
and vehicle in use among the farmers
Of Big Stone county might be seen
vending it's way toward the city laden
with it's human freight, even to the
young children Of each household, while
each train which drew up at the depot
made its temporary addition to the
population.
The occasion was an exceptional one,
and, to large element Of the people,
one which will be referred to with deep
interest, even after the present genera
ton has passed away. The hotels Of
the city over1owed with guests and
the streets continued until evening, to
be crowded with teams, and the side
walks with pedestrians.
The Catholic community here since
it's foundation nineteen years ago. by
Archbishop Ireland, has never mani
Tested it's greatness in numbers and
wealth so clearly as today, when young
and old alike, crowded to witness the
laying Of the corner stone Of the new
Catholic church which is in course Of
erection. Two years ago the Catholics
of this city, for a second time, witnessed
the destruction by fire, of their temple
Of divine worship. Great as have been
the hardships which have necessarily
attended the establishment of the
church in the midst. of "a wilderness
and surrounded by every danger which
can confront the outpost Of civilization,
the Catholics of Western Minnesota
70 icb, ~ VI,
destruction of their churches in their
most important city, operated only to
urge them to renewed efforts and sacri-
fees. The result was anticipated to-
day when hundreds of wealthy mer-
chants and prosperous farmers, attend
ed divine service and liStened intently
to the earnest DISCOURSE delivered by
that pioneer divine, Bishop Stanley,
of Fargo, ND. So
About 1890 p M, after last mass, an
Immense crowd gathered in the vicinity
of the parsonage, and in short time
a huge procession was formed and ad-
vanced toward the new church building
headed by drum corps. The process
sion extended almost the entire dis
tance included in its route, exclusive
of the great mass of the Catholic pop
ulation, and it was composed Of the
various religious societies, fully 500
strong. There were the members of
the Ancient Order Of Hibernians and
the Daughters Of Erin Several visiting
priests were noticed among the throng,
while the Sisters of ST. Joseph, who
have contributed so much to the sue
cess Of the occasion by their zeal and
devotion, might be almost said to have
laid aside their retirement for the mo
ment in their active exertions to ren.
der the occasion. a successful one
The weather was ideal When the
procession drew up in front of the new
church, there were, indeed but few
of the public-spirited citizens of this
city and vicinity who were not spec
tators, wholly regardless of religious
creed. After the ceremony of blessing
and laying the stone had been COM
pleted, Bishop Stanley delivered one
of his characteristic diScourSes. In
language which touched the tenderest
feelings of those present, he spoke
of the sorrows and sufferings which
had attended the planting of the cross
twenty years ago at this point, Their
on the very confines of civilization; of
the devoted men and women who had
laid down their lives In the cause, and
of the privations that had been endured
by nearly all those Of mature years
who then listened to =hin. He con-
graduated the people Of his own church
on their wonderful achievement, and
pointed out that no mere worldly con-
sideration could have urged men and
women to such sacrifices. It needed
he said. more sublime incentive; and
such occasions as the present tended,
in his mind, to establish the profound
claims Of the church to being the repre-
sentative on this earth of all that lifts
humanity to kinship with the angels.
It was a glorious occasion, he declared,
and he was proud to- be allowed to
participate in it.
The new church is being erected by
the Rev. FIR O'Brien, formerly Of ST.
Joseph's church. ST. Paul, and the
work has, during Father O'Brien's
brief incumbency, been prosecuted with
great energy The structure will mark
an epoch in Catholic architecture in
Minnesota. It has been designed by
Bassford & Donahue, Of st. Paul, and
is being built by Donaflue & Hoffman
1t is of Gothic STYLE unique in plan,
and presents marked and most COM
mendable deviation from the old plan
of four straight walls, which have III
the past distinguished pioneer church
architecture. Its floors will incline up
ward from the altar rail. This marks
the introduction into Catholic archi-