Evening star., 1903-07-27
Solemn Service in Memory of
Pope Leo.
DIR. .STAFFORD'S TRIBUTE
MORAL POWER He EXERCISED
DURING HIS REIGN.
Distinguished Clergymen Present
Papal Delegate Presides-Church
Elaborately Decorated.

The church was elaborately decorated FOR
the occasion On all Of the supporting col
umns, the organ loft and about the sane
tuary there was heavy draping, the black
crepe being held with roSettes of yellow and
white crepe with streamers Of the same col
Above the altar there was suspended the
papal colors in the form Of a flag of yellow
and white. the white ground being deco
rated with the emblematic keys of st.
Peter.
In front of the altar and in the middle of
the central aisle Of the edfice stood a cata-
falque. upon which rested casket covered
with black cloth. Above this casket was a
beautifully formed miter of flowers Of white
and yellow-the papal colors.
Distinguished Clergymen Present.
Right Rev. Frederick T. Rocker. bishop
OF Jaro. P. L.. was the celehrant Of the
mass: Rev. Father Marr. pastor of the I'M
maculate Conception Church, deacon. and
Rev. Father Bart pastor Of St. Teresa's
church. subdeacon. Mgr. Marchetti of the
apostolic delegation. was assistant priest to
the celebrant. The Most Rev. Diomede F'al-
COMO, the apostolic delegate, presided at
the service. assisting at the mass in cope
and inter. Rev. FIR. Fink, s. j.. was the
assistant priest to the delegate Rev James
Mackin, pastor of St Pauls, the deacon OF
..
subdeacon OF honor. The masters of cere-
monies were the Rev. George Dougherty OF
st. Augustine's, Rev. William Carroll OF
st: Patricks. and Master VIM. shreve.
Most Rev. Mgr Falconio Mgr. Marchettl,
Rev. Jerome Dougherty, 8. j., president of
Georgetown College; Rev. FIR. Kent. O. p.
or st. Dominic's Church, and Rev. FIR.
FINK, s. j., of St Aloysius Church. The
procession left the rectory at minutes Of
10 o clock, and entered the main door of the
church.
The men of the congregation formed a
guard OF honor to the clergy, wearing crepe
on their coat sleeves as emblems of mourn
Ing. The priests and altar boys wore SINH
lar badges of mourning
The music was especially fine for the oc-
casion. The sooist and soprano was Miss
Annie Grant Fugitt the alto being Miss
Elizabeth Tyler, tenor. Mr.. Melville Hen
sey. and basso. Mr.. Charles Goodchild. The
organist and director was Mr.. Armand
Gumprecht.
DR.. Stafford's Sermon.
Rev. Father Stafford. rector of the
church. preached the sermon. which was
magnificent Grafton on the history of the
Catholic Church and the important part
that has been taken by Leo XIII In the de-
velopment of the great institution Of which
he was the head for a quarter OF a CEN
tury.
DR.. Stafford reviewed the history Of the
Catholic Church. saying that after three
centuries of persecution the church had
emerged in Its strength and with practical
ly the same form of government 1t has to-
day. From Chrst's designation Of ST. Peter
as the head Of His church on earth the
speaker traced the descent OF that power
conferred by Christ through all the line Of
popes to the present time.
1t was no fault of the church, he said II
the barbarIans did overrun Europe and
aff ho hirI
tury. The church finally triumphed and
the pope was appealed to to re-establish
his church in countries from which it had
been driven.
Speaking of Leo XIII he said that for
twenty-five years he had reigned on the
throne of st. Peter potent power for good.
The Age Of Physical Force
Let US consider he said, some of the
characteristics Of the reign of this great
pontif. This may be called the age Of
physical force. 1t Is an age Of scientific
brutality. There never was a time when
physical force was SO much wOrshiped as
today. Why do the nations OF Europe re-
spect Germany? Because she has a good
army and navy. Why does Germany re-
spect France? Because France is dis
ciplined to the first degree. Why do the
| nations respect England? Because her
navy is in all the waters of the world
Why do the nations respect the United
States? Because they know it would be
dangerous to arouse this sleeping giant.
What Is 1t all except physical force?
THE greatest scientific minds in the world
are today studying what? Means for max
Ing the people more happy? Not at all.
Means to assist the progress of the nations :?
Not at all. The greatest minds are study
Ing physical forces to discover how an army
or a navy may destroy another army or
navy In ten minutes. and the nation max
ing the greatest progress in destructive
methods Will command the future.
Pope Leo's Power.
Yet here was a man who did not have a
soldier at his command. Here was an old
man who had no navy and no army-noth-
ing but his sublime personality and he Is
the greatest power IN all the world He is
acknowledged today to be the greatest
power in the world not by Catholics alone
but by the governments of Europe, by the
non-Catholcs as we'll as by the Catholic
by the infidel as well as by the believer
Leo XIII was the' greatest moral power in
the world. If that is not lesson for this
modern age Of ours. If that is not the power
of the Son of Man. which even his enemies
acknowledge. what Is It?
His power has been felt by every ma
ton. He won concessions from Russia for
Catholics. He broke a lance with the chan
cellor OF Germany and came OF victor. He
gained concessions for the Catholics Of
England. He has exerted a beneficial in
iuence upon the institutions OF our coun-
try, which he loved. He loved liberty and
the constitution of freedom. He never lost
an opportunity to speak in words OF praise
OF the American people and of the Ameri-
can government, and one OF his last say
ings was that he loved the Americans
"He also followed the conditions Of at
fairs in France, and worked for the good
Of that country. and for the future of that
country. though not understood by even his
own followers"
Bitter Against Frances Treatment.
DR.. Stafford spoke with great bitterness
OF the manner In which the religious orders
had been treated in France. Granted"
he said. that there may have been some
reason to proceed against some OF the or
ders in France. to make a pretext of that