The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-12-13
Che Passing Of
Old St. Josspb's
By Anna Mcguire, Ogden.

I 6Ah11St I44CJ 0EAC4A'
Plain and simple without, sombre
and unadorned within, for over quar-
ter of a century st. Joseph's church
has stood as a modest yet noble monu-
ment to the zeal and energy of Bish-
OPP scanlans early priesthood days.
Soon this landmark of Ogdens
Catholicity will be numbered with the
things that are no more, but the good
it has wrought will ever stand as a
memorial to Bishop Seaman, through
whose heroic efforts it materialized, as
a tribute to Father Cushnahan, through
| whose increasing labors the work SO
we'll begun was so ably continued.
Is it any wonder that the Catholics
of Ogden experienced mingled feelings
of joy and sorrow as they assembled
on the feast of the Immaculate Con-
| ception to assist at mass for the last
time in old St Josephs church. How
ever devoid of architectural beauty,
however bare of ornament the old
building, yet to those who, for more
than score of years have knelt and
worshiped in the humble shrine, it is
fraught with loving association, sane
tilted with tender memories.
AS the words of the last mass died
away, some few there were who visit
fully recalled the first mass celebrated
therein, and the pride they then felt
in calling that modest house of God
their own.
In fancy they pictured the early
days of Utah's faith, then the jealous
young priest here beginning his great
life-work, here. becoming as it were
a part of their lives, and here daily
endearing himself more and more to
them by his counsel, his fervor, his
love and his sympathy.
Was it not before the Iowly taber-
nacle of that old sanctuary that he
received the inspiration to begin, and
the strength to finish, the new ST. Jo-
sephs church,
Though no burning lamp be-
spoke the dwelling of the Divine Pres
ence within these walls, yet at times
the King of Heaven held there royal
court and received the homage of his |
faithful subjects.
When on Holy Thursday the glow of |
tapers and CLEAN of flowers lent
transient beauty to this lowly spot, all |
day long devout worshipers paid the |
tribute of loving hearts to the God of /
Majesty, yelled on that lowly throne.
Nx-I of Of
then made for an unthink- |
ing world-the passions overcome, the
self conquests achieved, the comfort
and resignation then received by sor- |
row-laden souls, the strength to be
truer and better Christians,
From the altar of that loved church
the sublime truths of Christianity have
been preached with all the eloquence of
a heart filed with divine love, with all
the sincerity of soul permeated with
divine truth.
How many, dear TO us all, received
at. the old fount in St Joseph's the re-
waters of baptism; how
many at it's altar railing received for
the first time the God of Love into
heir souls; how many, too, kneeling at
is altar steps, received the sacrament
If strength! Alas, too, some dear
ones, their earthly pilgrimage ended,
nave been borne before it's humble al
ar to receive the last blessing of
Mother Church.
For all these hallowed recoIections
will old st. Josephs church be forever
sacred to the Catholics of Ogden; sa-
red, too, because it was the earthly
lwelling place OF the God of Heaven;
sacred because it was for so many
rears their spiritual home, and sacred
because it was the cradle of that mag
lificent structure whose cleaning !
ross now cleaves the sky, whose beau
y Is the marvel of every observer. and
whose very stones are eloquent SER
nons on the miracles wrought by faith /
nd confidence II
Fifty-one Years Priest.