The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-24

rows bitterest occasion; still there are
| laurels interviewer with the cypress,
| for faith teaches that the tired war
rior, the true soldier has sought and
! found felicities that are eternal His
| epitaph, like the Masters, needs but
! few words: He went around doing
good" o, priest of priests, white robed
dweller of the tabernacle, say thou
kindly things to our poor, frightened
souls when they appear before thee
for judgment.
| He went around doing good" Thus
| the pen of the evangelist summarizes
| the career of the Goldman, Christ
| Jesus. He preached he taught, he gath
cred around him the neglected poor
| opened the eyes of the blind, the ears
| of the deaf, performing prodigies, be-
| cause he had compassion on the null
| titude."
| A mother moaned over her son at the
gates of Main, where Jesus stood weary
and travel-stained. 10! the immense
pity of the sacred heart! Weep not
young man, l say to thee, arise. "
"And he that was dead arose and he
gave him to his mother" He ban
quets at the home Of the leper, and a
woman who had been a sinner in the
city, comes unbidden. Again the bound
less tenderness of the son of God, his
words the psaltery of hope during all
the ages: Many sins are forgiven her
because she hath loved much"
! Look at him as the father of the
lprodigal, the seeker after the lost sheep
or writing in the dust Of the temple S
iportico the pardon of the aduterous
woman, and know, brethren, that he
went around doing good. Peer into
that upper room, on the night that pre-
ceded his doleful passion and death,
and marvel at his adorable prodigality.
Around him are his loved ones, his
own, and infinite tenderness makes that
banquet hall, with its stupendous mys-
terry commensurate with the earth.
His body and blood are henceforth to
be the nourishment of a starving world
Truly, The went around doing good
and well might say to friend and foe
alike:
| Which of you can convince me of
SIM" The priest is another Christ,
with Christ's power, Christs mission,
lChrists cross and crown! To him he
has especially said. Behold, I have
given you an example. Learn of me-
The nearer he approaches the divine
model, the greater his glory. He must
NIL hungry souls with the food of the
word, seek and reclaim the prodigal
and never turn a deaf ear to the bleat-
ings of the lost sheep. He is to be the
/ beacon on the mountain side to which
the pilgrim ever turns his steps: he is
to be the salt that saves humanity
from putrefaction. He, is to live in the
world, yet apart from it, ever striving.
yearning for the salvation of souls.
He may be reviled, misinterpreted. but
| as the servant is not better than the
master, he kisses the cross, raises his
IRWPE IN hla oil
He has no country, no family, no
abiding habitation. He belongs to God.
and to God alone can he look for an
adequate recompense. In the pulnit in
the confessional and on the altar he
exercises divine prerogatives. with
Christ ever before him as a model. The
sun or old stood still at the command
OF Josue; fire descended from heaven
at the prayer of Eliseus But. prodigy
OF prodigies! infinite love nestles daily
In the hands of his priests, or, reclining
on their breasts, passes to couches Of
pain through the streets of our cities
Happy the priest who, at life's close
merits the epitaph of the divine model.
He went around doing good" "He
hath done all things well. He hath
made the deaf to hear and the dumb
| to speak"
And thou vert true priest. o voice
less shepherd of ST. Anne's. and well
may one mourn over thee as over a
first born! Our dead friend. loved of
many changing years. duty demands
many sacrifices, but seldom one as
| hard as this, that l should sorrow over
thy bier and lay little immortelle on
the altar of thy memory! But love has
rev words, SO bear with me, brethren
for vet a brief space.
| Who, brethren; who among Won all
can convince this great souled man of
sin? Who, whether friend or foe can
truthtully aver that he ever faltered
In we'll doing, that he was not regal in
any and all departments Of priestly en-
deaYor? Some of you remember him
a boy upon his native hills, light of foot
Keen OF eye, clean of heart: others re-
call the young exile in college and semi
nary, but most of you remember him
mlnistering as assistant and pastor
among the people of st. Anne's.
You saw him in his pulpit, the Sun,
uay school, the catechism class. Hi,
We're no tricks of eloquence. He spoll,
the word of God with unsullied lips
ana with simple dignity that won il,
way to all hearts. Kindness here a,
everywhere was his dominant trait. anf
momentary severity caused the lips t,
| culver and the eyes to rain their flood,
OF tears-harshness had no part in hi,
composition-guile no place in his heart
His confessional was a place q
weepers," a realm where sorrow an(
gladness struggled for the mastery. ThC
faltering prodigal might go there AND
expect divine pity; the Magdalene, who
had erred and wandered, knew thai
mere again was the house of fine lenar
with its record of sympathy and bar.
aoh. what an army must have greeted
him. on the shores of the great beyond
., cead eXemplar of tenderness and
charity! The multitudes won during XII
most 30 years of faithful service in he
pulpit, in the confessional and on tbe
altar, were there to welcome theii. guide
and friend and father!
But his best monument As NOT tbis
queenly edif1ee, towering high, as If
does, like the guardian spirit of this fair
city. His real monument is in the hearts
OF the widow and the orphan, the paIn.
wrung, the afflicted. These have LOST q
TREND and may well mourn him who
VIII come no more. The poor were his
special love, his special predilectiou
silver and gold have none" he could
often say with the apostle, when, like
martin Of Tours, the coat from his
PACK, the shoes from his feet, were
gwen to some shivering member Of
Jesus Christ.
worcester may we'll today pulsate
with agony. 'Tis the passing OF the
KING, and. kingly too, are his obseouies
though he died "a ha fi,taa .tas. 49, ~