The times., 1901-06-03
DEDICATED FOR ORPHANS.
EdGewood, the SpraSue Manor
House, Becomes "a Home for Them,

EdGewood, the Sprague Manor
House, Becomes "a Home for Them.
Several thousand people witnessed the
dedication exercises of the new building OF
St Vincent's Orphan Asylum at Edge
wood, the old Sprague Manor, yesterday
afternoon at 4:3O O'clock. Prior to the adj
dress delivered by Monsignor Thomas ].
Conaty, D. D., rector of the Catholic
University, the guests inspected the
building and grounds. Promptly at 4:3O
o'clock the altar boys, with the Rev. DR..
Stafford at their head, marched out on the
balcony of the northeast quadrangle,
where the Knights of st. John, uniform
ed organization, were drawn up in line as
an escort to Monsignor Conaty. The latter
was introduced to the assembly by DR..
Stafford.
On the balcony were Father Dolan, of
st. Patrick's, master of ceremonies;
Father Genghing, of the Catholic Univer-
sity and in charge of st. Vincents, and
the following members of the board of
trustees of the asylum: D. l. Murphy,
Secretary; John S. Larcombe, Treasurer;
Z. Francis Riggs, and William Gait.
There were also present a number of
visiting members of the Knights of
Columbus from Boston. the Ancient Order
of Hibernians, and the ladies' auxiliary
of the Knights of st. John.
Monsignor Conaty spoke in part as fol-
lows:
This building is today sacredly dedi-
Gated to the cause of charity. By the GER
emonial of the Church, it is separated
henceforth from all prcfane uses, it be-
comes a home for the little ones of Je-
sus Christ. Here consecrated daughters
of St Vincent de Paul will be mothers to
the orphans. On this spot, sacred TO many
| scenes of worldly gayety and-~political
power. the sweetest of all humanity loves
is enshrined ina building. the purpose of
which is TO shelter and protect the wan
derer and the homeless. The most sacred
| thing on earth is the unprotected child.
who. unable to protect itself, is a prey to
| danger of soul and body.
"The age boasts of its humanity, but
| it is largely a humanity without Christ
| charity. as our Saviour taught 1t, finds
! little place among the actions of the age.
| The Church holds aIoft the banner of
| Christian charity. and teaches. as all
| through the ages. the value of human life
| and the sanctIty of childhood. 1t holds
! to the gaze of a cold incredulous world
the figure of the mother with the child,
| and it bids the world see in that child
| the Redeemer of Mankind. and in the
mother. Mary, the exemplar of true wo-
| manhood 1t places before the world a
| sister of charity and in her arms the or
phan, and ii bids us recognize the express
! sion in action of true Christian love.
| "The civilization of the ancient world
knew the meaning of benevolence-it re-
| ouired the coming of Christ to teach the
depth and breadth and sweetness of true
| charity. Pagan civilization valued man
| for what he could do human life was
worth what it could bring to society, to
| the State Manhood was measured by its
! ability to produce. Christ came TO teach
us the true values of life, the true digni-
! ty of manhood. Value was in the soul,
the individual had rights from God, life
| was Gods gift to God man belonged.
! God alone had supreme dominion over
| him. Weakness, poverty, disease. deform-
! ity do not deprive man u the Irlenashlp
| and love of God, nor of his right 70 eX-
! istence Weakness becomes reason IoI
| Kindness and love on the part OF the
| strong Poverty was source or bless
| ing to the rich, who by their wealth.
might aid their suffering brethren.
| THE Christian Church laid the founda-
| tions OF the Christian charity, which for
| twenty centuries has wiped away so
| many tears scftened so much suffering,
! given hope to the morning OF lie, and
| living principle of Christian charity is TO
aid the poor, the orphan, the outcast, the
| suffering. because they are the children
| of God. Remember ever the sweet woru
| of the Saviour. What you do to these, the
| least of my brethren, you do to me: Ihat
| is true humanity. and society Will learn
the true lesson of charity, If 1t SIT at the
feet of the Christian Church.
'.In solving the great question OF hu-
| mauity many of the theorists OF today
| seem to see no further than humanity
itself They lose sight of the spiritual
| i'm man and their motive is purely hui
| man They forget to reckon among the
forces the power of Christianity, which
for so many centuries. has acted the part
of the Good Samaritan in binding the
! wounds of suffering man. They would
give us a cold, compulsory charity, which
| lacks the divine motive, the love OF God
| which is the soul of true charity.
The orphan has always been regarded
in religious traditions with a special in
terest Among the Jews, the orphans Were
considered as the brethren OF Israel Eact
family took. one and adopted it,, and q
| portion of the titheS was reserved for 1t
The Judges were ordered to render jus
tice to the orphans in preference &c
| others This was but a figure of the law
of love which Christ came to preach. Ht
taught the lesson of true brotherhood. He
loved the little children. He gathered
them about him He was the Saviour ol
all. but in a special manner he was the
friend of the poor, the orphan, the widow
and the magdalen. The early Church
taught the spirit of Christian charity, anc
the orphanage, the hospital the asylum
sDrang up 10 care for those who were
| needy and in suffering.
May, then, the spirit of Christian char
| ity increase in us our love for the poor
and the suffering. May our share in thai
work he the share of men and women who
see Christ in the least of his brethren
and who help the poor as il the help wer,
| given to Christ.
AT the conclusion of his remarks Mon
| sipnor Conaty and his escort wen
through the house and around the build
ing. sprintling the four corners with holy
water When this was over they repaired
| to tbe chapeI where the services wer,
closed with benediction. Music was fur
nished during the ceremonies by the chill
,!ren, who sang hymns and patriotic airs