The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-28
PRIEST DISCUSSES GREAT SACRAMENT Holy Eucharist the Principal
 Sacrament WHAT CATHOLICS BELIEVE The Rev. Father kerriean Continues His Series of Lectures at St.
 Paups Church - Doctrine
 of Rel Presence.

of Rel Presence.
 At high mass at St Paurs church yes- terday the Rev. Father Kerrisan con- tinued his series of lectures on the sacra- ments. He had delivered discourses on the sacraments in general and on bap- tism and confirmation in particular. Ills theme yesterday was the Holy Eucharist, being the first of a series on this subject. He said in part
 Although her dogmas may not be quite palatable, Holy Mother Chrueh exercises a certain irresistible influence over those not of her fold. Her magnificent tenn ples, those "sermons in stone," so numer- out throughout Europe, whose sky-pierc-
 ing spires, like fingers of faith, point ever upward and whose walls are embellished with the worlds masterpieces of art; the pomp and stateliness of her ceremonial; the sublime grandeur of her music; the devout and deeorous demeanor of her con- gregations, have drawn, even from those most cold and distant in their attitude towards her, tributes eloquently testify ing to this truth.
 They wonder, as well they may, what is that principle in this church, com posed as 1t Is, mostly of people in ordi- nary eircumstances-that principle, at once inspiring in them, and prompting them to lavish upon her, the highest and best that the. art of man can attain? What occult power-nay, if you will what priest-craft, inspired the thoughts that stand crystalized in the stupendous basilica of St. Peters or the chiselled wonders of Florence Milan, Cologue and Westminster? What prompted the gem erous contributions of prince and peasant for edifces, whose completion they knew they would never live to bebold? What divine affiatus infamed the genius of 8 Michelangelo, Correggio, a Raphael and a Rubens and brought into being those priceless masterpieces that adorn their walls? Enthralled by what visions were the minds and souls of Hayden, of Mozart, of Beethoven and of Cherubini that they gave utterance to their trans ports in harmonies that seem echoes of the celestial choirs?
 Nay, coming down to our own dull, sordid, materiaistic locality and day. those who have never had the happiness of feasting their eyes and their souls on these monuments of faith may, and do, ask: Why do Catholic congregations. made up mostly of those apparently ill., able for the task, build such costly churches? What signifies all that lavish display within them so different from our own cold and severely plain meeting houses? Why that font of so-called holy water at the very entrance? Why the frescoes and pictured windows breathing the spirit of religion? Why that music that fills us with such strange sensations, that lifts us out of ourselves, that seems to unlock secret chambers of our soul, liberating hosts of emotions hauntingly familiar though long pent up? Why the rich vestments stiff with brocade and bullion, the solemn and well-ordered ceremony, the rapt and deyout attention of the people, the frequent bending of the knee? Why the altar. exquisite in It's chaste carrara, with its waxen tapers, it's beauteous flowers. it's aromatic in- cense? Why the vessels of massy gold and silver encrusted with precious gems? Why the tabernacle, ornate in it's carv- ings and lined with gold? Why that flickering light before 1t, that ever-faith- full sentinel, ceaselessly burning during the days busy hours and the nights lone ly vigils? Ay, why?
 TIC neal FTcScnCc.
 This is the secret and every true Catholic knows It. In wonder tabernacle 1t rests In that receptacle, the Catho- lie believes, wholly and without doubting, Almighty God, in the person of Jesus Christ, is really, truly and substantially present, body and blood. soul and divinity. under the appearance of bread The Catholic believes this-has always believed 1t. Therefore, If the church be right in her belief, has she done, can she do, one tithe of what is worthy to adorn the real house of God?
 The church structure proper, the out ward building, beautiful as 1t is, is but an outer tabernacle enclosing the inner shrine or receptacle containing our Blessed Lord and Saviour. Jesus Christi in the holy Eucharist. The holy Eucharist is the very sun and center of Cath ollie worship, and by this fact should all her actions be interpreted. Logically then, before one may decry the wasteful lavish ness of the Catholic church, her seeming ly superstitious mummeries and postur- ings, her empty forms for outward show, he must disprove her dogma of the holy Eucharist Until he does this, candor, at least. should compel him to respect these reasonable, nay, these inevitable accom- paniments to such belief.
 Such a belief is, grant you. tremen- dous act of faith. When Raphael wished to picture a symbolic representation of faith he painted an angel holding in her hand the chalice and the host. It is a deep mystery, perhaps the first mystery at which decadent faith staggers.
 At the rising of the popularly so-called reformation of the sixteenth century there was a great breaking away from the su- pernaturaI and the object of fiarcest at- tack was the doctrine of the real pres ence in the blessed Eucharist. Do away