The Irish standard., 1905-05-13
DULUTH NEWS.

Every available pew at the Cathe-
dral had it's full quota of worshippers
last Sunday morning, in spite of the
fact that the weather was such as
would ordinarily dampen the ardor of
many of the churchgoers. 1t had been
announced that the Right Rev. j. J..
keane, of Cheyenne, bishop of Wyom-
ing, who has been the guest of Bishop
McGolrick would deliver the sermon,
and evidently the people were anxious
to hear this noted Western divine.
Bishop Keane is an interesting, con-
vincing and eloquent talker. He took
THE Good Shepherd" as the subject
for his sermon. He dwelt upon the
significance of the words, Il am the
good shepherd" as spoken by Christ,
and on the beautiful thought as ex-
pressed by them. The comparison
was a good one. he said. Christ was
shepherd in all that the term i'm
plies. In the olden days the duties of
shepherd were much more arduous
than they are to-day. Not only did
he watch the flocks, keeping individ
ual members from straying away and
becoming lost, but he also guarded
them from all other dangers. Not in
frequently he was called upon to
match his strength and cunning with
that of wild beasts of the forests,
which were wont to prey upon the
helpless animals at every opportunity.
Without the shepherd, said the bishop,
the sheep had little chance in the
world, and, surrounded by many dan
gers, all of them as good as unknown
to the flock, their existence was a
hopeless one. But with the shepherd
to guard and watch over them, all was
different, and with him about they
were safe to wander about on the hill
sides in peace and quiet, getting hap
piness and contentment out of life.
Even as the shepherd of old tended
his flocks upon the hills" continued
eAAO OAouOp, CNCA do liz 6udl uCu
them from the many dangers that
beset their way so did Christ do for
his people to the uttermost, even to
the laying down of his life. All that
is good in this world, all our happi-
ness, we owe to Him. What would
our life have been, and what would
it now be, if it were not for the guild
ance and guardianship of Christ, the
good shepherd? Think of the dangers
with which we are surrounded. Like
the sheep, we cannot recognize them
all, but for those who trust in Him,
as the sheep trusted in their shep-
herd, there is safety and contentment,
joy and happiness. Had it not been
for Him our existence would be a
hopeless and joyless one. The mantle
of the Christ descended upon His
apostles and from them it has been
handed down to His priests. There
fore do you find the priests with the
people of the church in their extrem-
ity. II they risk their lives upon the
field of battle the priest is with them
to administer the last rites of the
church should they fall, and to CON-
fort and help them when comfort and
help is needed. II they lose their
worldly goods, the priest is present
to comfort them, and when they are
sick he watched by their side and his
services may be likened to those Of
the shepherd of the olden time or the
Christ, theirs even unto death. I am
the good shepherd What a beauti-
full thought those words express, and
how full they are of wonderful mean:
ing, and what a lot they mean to the
followers Of Christ to-day. and have
meant to them since they we're frst