Evening journal., 1903-10-05
CARDINAL GIBBONS
breaches ON POPE
Speaks of Conclave and Gen
eral Conditions Prevail
ing at the Vatican
DESCRIBES THE NEW PONTIFF

Baltimore, Oct Especial services
were held at the Baltimore cathedral
in honor Of the election of Plus X.
Cardinal Gibbons preached the sermon
at high mass and was attentively lis
tened to by a congregation that filled
the edifice. SO dense was the throng
which filled every inch Of the cathedral
that the procession Of clergy, semina-
rians and acolytes following the mass
was delayed until hundreds Of persons
cleared the aisles of the church. In
addition to being the first sermon de-
livered at the cathedral by Cardinal
Gibbons for three months it had been
announced that he would speak OF the
conclave which elevated the new
pontiff and speak of general conditions
at the vatican. At the conclusion OF
the pontifcal mass the pope's prayer
was chanted by the choir Of St. Mary's
seminary of 30 voices.
His eminence spoke in part as fol-
lows:
"You naturally expect me to make
some observations in reference to the
recent.eonclave and to the new pontiff
who has been happily chosen. to pre-
side over the church Of God.
"The conclave which has just taken
place marks a new and important era
in the annals of the American Catholic
Church. This is the first time in the
history of the Christian religion that
the United States or any part OF this
western hemisphere was ever associ-
ated with the other nations of Chris
tendon In selecting a successor to the
chair of Peter.
Il would not at all be surprised If in
the next conclave the Catholic Church
of the United States will be represented
by several members of the sacred col
lege, so that the number of cardinals
from our country may be commensu-
rate with the population, the grandeur
and the commanding influence of the
nation and may be in keeping also with
the numerical strength Of our hier-
archy and laity and the splendor and
progress Of our religious and charita-
BILE institutions"
Speaking of the election of a pope
and the strict secrecy attending it, the
cardinal said:
"The cardinals are not angels, but
men, subject to the usual infirmities
and ambitions of flesh and blood And
because they are not exempt from the
frailities incident to mankind and be-
cause Of the peerless dignity of the
supreme pontifcate, as well as of the
tremendous responsibility it involves,
every precaution that human ingenuity
and experience could suggest has been
availed of in this, as in preceding con-
claves, so that no cloud should rest
over the election Of the successful can
didate.
"Pius X is in his 69th year He is Of
he same age that Leo XIII had at
tanned when he ascended the papa
chair. He has had a large and varied
experience in the sacred ministry He
consecutively filled the Offices Of as
sistant priest, of pastor, Of chancellor
and vicar general. He was elected af-
terward to the see of Mantua, the home
Of the illustrious Virgil. He was sub
sequently promoted to the patriarchia
] ktt VI ' tnAAts
1.-The virtues of humility, sincerity
candor and benevolence are stamped
on his features I can characterize hin
in one sentence by saying that he is {
man of God and a man of the people.
His name is idolized in Venice and
along the Adriatic on account of hi!
charities towards the poor.
, "The papacy is the most ancient oi
! all existing dynasties. It had flour.
ished for centuries when the oldes
empire now existing was established
A pontiff sat in the chair Of Peter wher
England was a Roman colony and hei
Inhabitants were a rude. uncultivatet
T people, unacquainted with the arts anC
rennements of civilized life. Plus x /.
the 264th pope who, under Christ hai
been called to rule the church of God
Pope Leo has lifted up the Catholi'
Church to a higher plane of dignit,
and strength than it mad attained sine,
the days Of Leo Y. He has infused
new life into the missionary world. NJ
has quickened with renewed yea
every bishop. priest and layman tha
fell within the scope Of his influence
He has left to his successor the pre-
cious heritage Of a blomeless life an,
an apostolic charaotar %