Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-06-01
MEMORIAL SERMON
A MASTERPIECE

The members of Goodrich Post, No
/ %, G.. A X together with the Sons
of We erans of Danville in all nearly
one hundred strong, Sunday morning
marched IN body to st. Hubert,
| Catholic church where they listened
to one of the most eloquent and pa.
/ triotic sermons ever delivered in Dan
willie St Hubert's church, recently
! enlarged, was comfortably filled on the
of the central aisle being occupied by
members of the two organizations The
weather WAS delightful and the breeze
of early summer straying in through
the raised windows over the.conRrega-
tion kept the crowded auditorium cool
and comfortable. The music on the
occasion was delightful feature and
! together with the fine address and the
solemn rites of the church made the
event one which Will linger for long
while in the memory of the veterans
and the Sons of Veterans.
Mass was celebrated by the Rev
Father Feeser, of the Holy Family
Convent, after which Father Jules O.
Foin, rector of st. Hubert's, delivered
the memorial sermon. The address was
most felicitous effort. intensely pa
triotic. broad in liberality. and warm
i'll It's sympathy. After the services
many. indeed, were the complimentary
remarks INDUCED in by the veterans
and others, showing that what the
speaker said had sunken deep into their
hearts
Father Foin taxes the view that the
veterans have heard their deeds, per-
formed on the battle fields. recounted
so often that, especially as they are
approaching a time when they must lay
down tine burdens of the world a dis
course relating to the future life would
be more appropriate, one relating to
their duty to themselves and their
duty to their Creator The remarks.
therefore, partook more of a sermon
suited to the occasion than a patriotic
discourse. The address was founded
on the following motto: "Perfidem
Libertas," which translated means:
g Liberty Through Faith" Summariz-
ed the sermon ran as follows:
Ii L
Friends: 1t is with sincere pleasure
that | welcome you to our Holy Temple
on this day when we offer the Unspot-
ted Lamb of God on our Altar as the
sacrifice of the New Law, which was
typified by the High Priest Melchise-
dech. who offered bread aud wine, as
we read in the Old Law. This Holy
Sacrifice, or as it is commonly called,
Holy Mass is our chief or greatest act
OF worship. The prophet Mslachias
foretold that it would be offered from
the rising to the setting of the sun.
Religion, which is the tie or bond,
which has united man with God since
the days OF our first parents, consists
in Offering sacrifice; thus
we read how Cain and Abel offered
sacrifice. Abraham and the Patriarchs
offered sacrifice. Now as the Old Law
was but a type of the new we under
the Law of Christ offer the sacrifice
most acceptable to God which is moth
ing more or less than the body and
blood. soul and divinity of Our Lord
aud Savior Jesus Christ under the ap-
pearanoe of bread and wine. The end
and object is to honor and worship
God in the most acceptable manner
Also to obtain strength or grace to fight
the battle of life, which like good sol
diers we must wage against sin and
hell. This battle goes on as long as
life lasts and the battle field is our
hearts. Here, as Napolean said in ad-
dressing his soldiers" Here we must
or die. The battle is against |
the powers of darkness against self |
love. against error and superstition, |
against injustice and immortality,
against all that which is opposed to
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
How must we contend against all |
these enemies of our soul? Or what |
wearons or means mnst we use to re- |
pei the onslaught of our foes? Surely, |
those weapons which Christ our Lead |
er, has given US in His holy teachings |
and sscraments. You who SO valient-
y fought for the liberty of your coun-
Try have also to fight the great spiritu.
Al battle for tho salvation of your own |
souls so that when you hear the call |
OF the Master you can say like St. |
Paul, have fought the Good fight and |
have kept the faith; SO, too, | will |
gain an immortal crown.
ln order that you may indeed, gain |
the blessed happiness it is necessary to |
be faithful to the commandments of |
God, to keep a constant guard and |
watch over yourselves, and never TO |
nor surrender 10 your toes. |
The example of Abraham Lincoln /
should be an inspiration to all Ameri- |
cans to be loyal and patriotic. The |
great battle field of Gettysburg-the
so called high water mark of the Re
bellion, is place to visit and study |
the cost-the terrible price paid to pre-
serve the Union one and inseparable.
Let Us not be deluded that patriotism
IT love OF country Is antagonistic or
contrary TO love Of God or religion
No braver soldiers ever fought than
hose who loved Il cir faith and obey
ID the preCepts Of their church. The
ross aud the flag Of stars and stripes
ire the standards under which We live
md hope TO die.
Republican Primaries.
The Republican DFimgrips Will be