The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-06-10
MAC ERL AIN HOME.
Corner Stone Of New San i
tarium Laid With I'm
pressive Services
Yesterday.
PRAISE FOR DEVOTED PRIEST
Father Shsshan Lauded Him
and Told Of His Ex-
cellent Work.
PRAISE FOR DEVOTED PRIEST

More than five hundred people wit
messed the laying of the corner stone of
| the MacErladn Sanitarium at jackson and
Bidwell avenues yesterday afternoon. It
was expected that the stone would be
put in place by Bishop-elect j. j. 9OsCon-
nor but at the last moment Bishop
O'Connor sent his regrets, stating that
ne was unable to attend owing to other
duties. The stone was laid by the Rev
Father o'Neil, Chancellor of the Newark
diocese and the address was delivered by
the Rev ]. ]. Sheehan, formerly curate of
st. Fatrick's Church, this city and now
rector of the new Cathedral of the Sacred
. Heart of Newark Father Sheehan need
ed no Introduction to his audience, most
of whom belonged in ST. Patricks parish.
His address was interspersed with his
usual witty remarks, which elected loud
applause. He said in part
The Right Rev. Bishop-elect was to
have laid this cornerstone today. He ac-
cepted the invitation and made his plans
accordingly, but he had forgotten that on
this Sunday of June it is customary for
hin. to receive from the children of mis-
own parish their renewal of baptismal
vows, and as this is likely to be the last
occasion of his meeting them as distinct
ly his own, his kindly heart bade him
remain with them and send his re-
grets to us. He has delegated the Chan
cellor, the closest member of his official
family, to act in his name, and thus he
shows his approval of the work repre-
sented by today's ceremonies. The Catho-
lie Church puts the seal of her encour-
agement on every project that is direct
ed to the benefit OF sinful or suffering
humanity. Her abundant and beautiful
ritual contains blessings for the begin
ming of churches, where her children are
TO assemble for sacrifice and prayer; her
schools are blessed from foundation to
turret, because from them are to emerge
the well equipped recruits who in an
other generation will uphold her author
ity and nonor. She blesses with solemn
prayers the orphanages, refugees for mag
dalens, the hospitals, that the special
work of each may be approved of God ard
be brought to happy fruition
Her benedictions are not wanting on
this occasion. She appreciates to the ut
most the value of every soul who within
these walls may be led to higher things.
She follows her Founder in her estimation
of a single brand plucked from the burn
ing, a single stray sheep brought back
to the safety and security of the fold.
''And she invokes the name of God to-
day over this building and over the work
that shall be done therein to His honor
Unless the Lord build the house, in vain
do they labor who build it
"Your presence here today in such
goodly numbers is an encouragement to
a brave man and the upholding of
righteous cause. Every man who departs
from the beaten track of action, follow
ing the logical result of his principles,
must be brave man, for he is very often
a martyr
"Father MacErlain deserves the title
of brave because, single handed and
alone, he has begun this work Opposi-
ton from most unexpected quarters has
not daunted him The open discourage
ment of those who would receive the
greatest benefits from his labors has not
turned him from his fixed purpose, for it
is purpose ingrained into his nature
and nothing now can check his onward
march.
HE expected some opposition and all
the courage of his stubborn nature-stub-
born for the right-was concentrated to
meet it when it came. Every change for
the better, whether in the mechanical.
physical or moral world, as soon as it
is broached, is opposed.
1.-The physician who first used ether as
an anodyne and began to apply it in his
daily practice was obliged to run the
gauntlet of the criticism and sneers of
his medical brethren In the present in
stance nobody on this side of the ocean
has better right to speak of Father
MacErlain and his principles than he who
has the honor of addressing you. Under
the guiding spirit of the great and good
Father Hennessey we We're fellow curates
for three years, living together and
working together in that close intimacy
thatis the natural result of the Catholic
priests mode of life.
Friends, call it an experiment if you
will; philosophize and say that no medi-
cine concocted or distilled or brayed in
a mortar can ever make a man do that
which his own sense of moral obligation
does not insist upon; point to the failures
that have been made in their treatment
and others like it on account of mans
perverse will, which even the infinite
may not coerce; say all this and we will
reply, If it be an experiment to strength
en- the will power of a poor weakling,
conscious of his own feebleness and striv-
ing vainly to break the shackles that
bind him-the union in Father MacEr-
lain's plan of religion and medicine, so
to speak, is the practical application of
the same idea which sends a Catholic
to his priest to have the pledge admin
istered."