The Irish standard., 1898-07-02
ON THE SOLEMN OCCASION OF
Conservation of Bishop Christie,
of Vancouver, B. c.
CHRIST'S MISSION TO mankind.
The Unity and Spiritual Authority
of the Church.

The following able and eloquent dis
course was delivered by Rev. J. M
Cleary, Of this city, before large con-
gregation last Wednesday in the st. Paul
cathedral on the occasion Of the conse-
Grafton of the Rt. Rev. Alexander Chris
tic as bishop of Vancouver, b. c. TAX
ing for his text the words of Isaiah
(62:6) Upon thy walls, o Jersualcm.
| have appointed watchmen all the day.
and all tho night, forever they shall not
hold their peace Fr Cleary said
This sublime declaration, inspired by
E'crhal wisdom, conveys in most eX.
prcssivo manner the careful solcitude OF
God, the Father for the kingdom Of his
Divine Son. He has not only founded
this spiritual kingdom in the world, and
supported 1t by heavenly power but I'D
also continually summons sentinels
from among the children of men to
stand guard, night and day as RESPONSE
bio watchmen over the welfare of that
kingdom.
The kingdom of Christ upon earth
guards with divine power, by divine
authority and by divine right, the relig- |;
ious faith and the morals of the children
(,f Er1 Tln,,
missloned weak men to continue the
,, work that he had begun, he fortified !
them with the power that had been
given to him "in heaven and on earth,a
AS the Father hath sent me SO also I
send you" go yc therefore forth and
teach all nations Nothing can bo
more plainly evident to the candid in
quircr thnn that Jesus Christ establish
ca Il society, fully fitted for the compre-
hcnSivc task committed to it's care. The
duty imposed upon that society was tho
most responsible and solemn ever et4
trusted to human hands The work
which that society was charged with ac-
complishng was the most far-rcachine
ever revealed to inquirlng man. AS a
supernatural work of Omnipotcncc, it
must have overwhelmed the apostolic
band with amazemcnt and awe. 1t was
work that must continue until the con-
summation of ages Its duties would
| not cease while humanity fingered here
on earth.
! No kingdom had ever been dreamed
of, by the most ambitious monarch. so
vast and extensive, as this glorious
Kingdom OF Christ among men. 1t had
never entered into the widest fancies
OF the proudest conqueror to build a
city, whose foundations should be so
| firm and whose walls so enduring as
this unrivaled city of God. For moro
than 1900 years the faithful watchmen
appointed by the God of Israel have
stood guard upon the walls of this beau
| tiful city of his eternal Son, and they
have not held their peace, when enemies
have ass'iled its bnttlcments The
doubling and unbelieving world stands
In awc of the marvellous activity and
youthful vigor of the church of Christ in
every age and in every land. There has
never been period of special energy In
| the worlds progress, when the church
of Christ has not been leader She
; has always been far in advance of tho
age in which her lot was cast. No prob
| lem can be presented, in which mankind
is interested, that does not immediately
| har OF
given the initiative to most of tho en-
| terprses that have brought blessings to
| humanity.
Within the walls of her cloisters she
protected learning. and preserved litera@
ture, while dynasties crumblcd to decay
around her. She was the mistress of
| learning, as well as of morals, in the
dreariest days Of mental darkness, and
also in the anxious ages of religious
doubt and sectariun strife. She deyel-
! oped all the arts. and fostercd all the
sciences, while clinging with an immor-
tai grasp to the greatest Of all sciences,
the science Of saving humanity from err
ror and sin. This vigorous activity,
and varied interest of the church of all
the ages, in human affairs is due, first
of ALL to the abiding of the Holy Ghost,
the spirit of truth within her, but also
to the sleepless vigilance of the appoint
ed watchmen upon the walls.
| The bishop may die, the episcopate
never. One faithful sentinel may be
called from his post of duty by the great
Commander, but the post that he guard
ed will not remain vacant, another will
be summoned to continue the sacred \