Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-02
MANY CHURCHES
ARE RESPLENOENT
SPECIAL SERVICES MARK NEW
YEARS DAY
Large Congregations Attend Masses
In Catholic Cathedral From Morn
ing Until Noon-Deeorations
Are Beautiful

The first day Of the new year was
observed yesterday by thousands at
tending church services in the different
Catholic and Episcopalian churches,
the only denominations which observed
the day with special services.
Large congregations attended the
masses, which we're celebrated from
early morning until nearly noon. Force
full sermons were preached on the
meaning of the new year and its duties.
The churches were resplendent In
their holiday decorations. Red and
green were the predomnating colors,
heSpoinsettia being used by many.
Our holy church enters another year
with every hope of greater success. Our
New Year wish to you today is that
you will beg of God his blessing that
men may willingly accept the coming
OF Christ as their redeemer and instruc-
tor and embrace the dogmatic teach
ings of the divine Savior. True, free
and easy life is not allowed by his
sacred teachings, nor does he approve
OF men scoffing at those who humbly
recognize his divinity. The church
that excludes mems souls from heaven
by his authority and scriptural prof
naturally suffers persecution, for light
hath no fellowship with darkness"
said Rev. Thomas L. Fahey yesterday
morning in his New Years sermon to
~ large COuSTeBdllOu stI lilG CeiluSuldl
Of st. Vibiana. Father Fahey preached
q forceful sermon on dogmatic truths
and the duties of Christians. He said
in part:
To Redeem and Instruct
There can be no honest doubt in
The minds of those who believe in holy
scripture and profess the religion of
Christ, that the mission of Christ to the
world was two-fold-to redeem and to
instruct. These are two basic funda-
mental dognatic truths taught by the
Catholic church; that men have been
redeemed by Christ and he alone, but
they must also receive his instruction
unto eternal life These two dogmas
have always been defended by the
Catholic church. All Christians believe
the first dogma, but they reserve the
right regarding the second dogma, to
choose for themselves just what truths
they may fancy. The honest, sincere
Christian will ask no liberty of choice,
but will believe all the truths revealed
by Christ to his chosen apostles.
There is a tendency to hate dog
matte truths; to despise that church
that admits no indifferentism; that
breaches the dogmatic truths of God
without fear or favor. The cry of the
scoffers of the religion of Christ is to
DO away with all dogmas, since they
declare that free will, the intellect,
choice of denomination and selection of
life are bound by the strong chains of
dogmaS.
All Men Redeemed
Their cry is to accept Christ as a
redeemer, just as you see him in the
crib today, but they want no knowledge
of his apostolic life and his institution
of church for the application of the
tr1-1a nf tbn TndpTn ion tbn in
dividua1 souls of men and the seven
sacraments must not be believed.
"The church replies to all that men
nave been redeemed by Christ, even
without their knowledge or consent but
men cannot be saved without their
own active cooperation; with their own
free will, as taught by Christ, our in
structor.
Our Savior, in teaching, was always
dogmatic' and never vague regarding
duties of love or morality. He is dog
matte in giving no man option or
choice of dogmatic teachings, for he
wants all to be saved according to his
teaching. His dogmas may be de-
veloped, but never diminished, mini
order of things must be taken by men
just as they come from the hands of
God. Our Catholic church gives no
time nor place to human inventions but
is concerned only with the ordinance Of
God.
1.-THE humble babe of Bethlehem
looking down upon us from his infant
cradle, witnessed these recent days,
many impressive scenes. The meek
and the lowly and the rich and mighty
exchanged the kiss of peace for his
sake. Fathers and mothers, with their
children by their side, knelt before the
new born king and refreshed their souls
with his precious blood. Mercy and
truth met together and Righteousness
and peace have kissed each other. but
there is one scene that we may refer
to witnessed here in this cathedral.
The Catholic church is especially dear
to all Catholics during great festival
days.
1.-THE devout Catholic at devotions
was the instrument in the hand of God
to teach the first principles of the
Christian religion to the strangers.
ITO the infant babe of Bethlehem let
us say with Peter Lord, to whom shall
we go, thou hast the words of eternal
life"
Solemn Mass at st. Agnes
New Years day at St. Agnes church