The Irish standard., 1900-04-21
EASTER SUNDAY IN DULUTH,
A Sermon BY Bishop McGolrick at the
Cathedral.

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Cathedral.
The services at the Duluth Cathedral
on Easter Sunday are always OF very
imposing nature, and the music more
than ordinarily fine. Last Sunday the
choir sang Gounod's "Messe Solon-
nelle," and Flaaten's orchestra aided the
organ on the Instrumentation. There
were number of solos, duets, ETC., in
the mass, and Mrs. James McAuliffe
sang at the offertory the beautiful "Sal-
We Regina" by Dana. Solemn higl,
mass was celebrated.
Bishop McGolrick delivered the SER
mon, and he preached of the resurrec-
ton and the effect which the dawn OF
Christianity had upon the world. The
condition OF the Christian church at the
time Of the death of Christ was despe-
rate. He who had said that he would
destroy the temple in three days, who
claimed to be the Son OF God, had been
crucified upon the cross between two
thieves, an ignominy which, according
to the custom of the time, made him no
better than they. The founder of Chris
tianity had died despised and humiliat-
ed, and small wonder that his followers
were fearful and overcome, and knew
not which way to turn. But the resur-
rection brought to them new light and
new faith, and brought back their
confidence.
The bishop pictured what the COM
ing OF Christianity meant, discussing
the law of old and the Christian motive
of to-day. Before the coming Of Christ
the law of might ruled In war the
conquering nation killed all of its enc
mics, and it was 'woe to the con-
quered." In battle there were no doc
tors, no nurses, no sympathy for the
wounded or dying. The wounded were
put to death, and the captives were
dragged through the streets OF the con-
querors in chains. Under the old law,
too, it was "woe to the poor" as we'll
as woe to the conquered" The poets
sang OF the kings and mobiles, and the
poor were despised. The father was
the head of the house, doing with his
wife and children as he pleased, even
to putting the wife away and taking
another. Polygamy Aourished, just as
it has and does now with every people
that do not believe in Christianity. In
religion the difference IT Christian law
was even more marked. The Jews
looked upon themselves as the chosen
people OF God, and they had the ten
commandments handed down to them
by Moses. The pagans had a most beau
tiful form OF worship, building large
temples and adjoining them with great
wealth in honor OF their gods. No
warrior went to battle without first Of
lering to the gods, and when he re-
turned victorious he went first to the
temple and offered up his thanks to his
gods. The qualification OF the passions
was taught by their religion. Every
thing was beautiful, worldly, and within
the reason and comprehension Of man.
The tremendous upleaval that Chris
tianity was to effect can be imagined
from this picture The reasonable re-
llgion OF the Jew and pagan, satisfac-
tory to the body and mind, was to be
supplanted by religion mysterious and
beyond the reason of man, calling for
great faith upon his part, religion that
was to upset all former traditions, to
completely change national, moral and
civil law and conduct. This was tile
immense work that Christianity had be-
fore it, and on that day when Christ
babe his disciples go forth and teach
all nations, there we're only twelve poor
fishermen to give that religion to the
world.
The bishop told of the gradual con-
version of the world, of the prosecutions
that were heaped upon Christianity, un-
til, in the third century, it was believed
to be entirely blotted out. He declared
that there has never been brought up
against the church in the past, or at the
present time, vile charges or ISLANDERS
that cannot be found in the writings OF
the pagan philosophers and writer's who
opposed Christianity in the third and
fourth centuries. To-day that Christian
ity, whose beginning was so humble, is
the governing force of the world. The
tendency of the world is downward, and
the qualification of the passions is al
ways debasing to man. Christianity is
the uplifting force that keeps him from
the evil effects of the world, the flesh
and the devil. The bishop closed by
picturing the reward of the man who
follows the teachings of Christ, not an
earthly reward, but the enjoyment oil
the union of his soul and body in the
presence OF his divine Creator.
Catholic Summer School.
Thu e. H.