The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-02
CAIHULlC MISSION
OPENING SERVICE HELD AT ST
 PETERS CHURCH.
Impressive Sermon Preached Fly Fa- theFs Mcdonald and Lee-Wfll
 Continue Through The

A mission opened yesterday morn- ing at St. Peters Roman Catholic Church with the Rev. Father Lee, E. NJ, as celebrant of the first mass. The opening sermon was preached by Rev. Father Mcdonald. E. M There were ternoon and in the evening.
 Both of the Fathers are priests of the Mission Community of St. Vincent de Paul. founded during the beginning of the Seventeenth Century and hav- ing for it's first home St. Lazare, at Paris. where the name of the order is The Lazarests."
 Father Mcdonald preached from the text: Tn an accepted time have heard thee and in the day of salvation nave l helped thee.' from Corintnains, VI. 2. He explained what a mission was.
 "A mission is time of thought. of prayer, of repentance. and of good res- olutions. It consists in a course of sermons on the importance of saliva tion, on sin as the obstacle to that end, on the great truths of eternity. on the vices of the world, the beauty of vfr- tue. the mercy of God, His love for souls, the work of redemption, and the duties of this life. T am not ashamed | of the Gospel for it is the power Of God unto Salvation"
 The truth of God is strong, power
  sus are life-giving, and when honestly | listened to produce a wonderful effect | on the heart.
 "A mission also consists in course 1 of instruction on the Sacramento on | the holy mass, prayer, the command | ments of God, the precepts of the church and the Catholic practices of l devotion. There are the daily relig- l ious exercises of prayer ana mass and 1 benediction. An appeal Is made to | faith and reason and enthusiasm in so l much as it impels to honest effort l and energy in the sincere use of the means of personal betterment
 All men," he said. "are liable to i grow cold, careless, and indifferent, in tne grinding, hardening world. So all need from time to time a serious and | lsaaest reflection on the value of life It. l self. and how to make the best of 1t | The cares of life press on us from ev- l cry side and will soon crowd out the real issue of the great struggle. If we did not pause to see what we were oo- ing to secure success.
 The seating capacity of the church was taxed at the evening services. Fla ther Mcdonald welcomed the congre- gation and said that he hoped that there would be more as the mission continued throughout the week.
 He said the vestry, and briefly ex- plalneQ US IH6dHlHS, SuoWiu6 what beautiful and touching form of prayer it is. Each evening some Catholic form or practice will be explained. and if the explanation is not satisfactory tc anyone, there will be a cordial well come from the Father to ask the ques. tions, when further explanation will be made.
 Father Lee preached the sermon, talk ing his text from St. Mark, vii. 36-37 What shall 1t profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss oi his own soul; or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" He preached a powerful sermon along strictly doctrinal lines.
 "We must avoid as the great obsta- cle to Salvation, sin, mortal sin; which is the thing which stands between us and God" he said.
 The hours for the services were an nounced as Morning Masses 5:30 and o'clock. Evening service at 7:3t o'clock. All are invited to bring non' Catholi friends to hear what Catholics believe; to hear what the old church teaches; to compare the words of tho preacher with history and Scriptures.