The Washington herald., 1908-02-05

iug water TO spring orr C rock. draw from our
stony hearts The tears u computation. that. ahee
tUaIy hsaai.iug our sins We may through Thy EsIc5
deserve 90 obtain paid5a for Them.
It seemed hardly necessary-If one may
say 50 without iTreverence-for as the
service proceeded and its true meaning
was borne home To the hearts of the con
gregaton, every soul was moved, and all
over the church there were weeping men
and women, frankly broken down in their
sorrow, unable 10 restrain their grief
over the memory of the friend they had
lost.
The sermon was preached by the Rev.
j. y. D'tUnnell, the personal and intimate
friend OF Father Stafford Il was with
deep emotion that he spoke OF his dead
friends fine qualities and OF the gIOries
which he strove for for the advancement
of the church whose devoted servant he
was. He said in part.
As vs q, bach q short month and see here thg
majesty cf death that replaces a1iy d life Cf lafg
aims the face Cf T1aCr that sculpture might envy
/ the hand sril strong 90 grasp Jlc symbol Of h0J
Office. we are made conscious q -He touch q the
vanished hand and The sound # Tie Ygic5 that is
still"
Never did he speak as he smoke in death. And
had stranger If a iar-5i land entered this church
on that funeral dly. be- would have seen that ul
ordinary man could have compelled s1ch attention
such reverence sorrow so maUIfc~rY deep. 4
sympathy 80 tender. that only the voice 81 tht
church could speak the Thoughts thar slread i1
every s3Ui and fer The moment made dumb the lp-
waiting a hear, too crushed 70 Command
Here q prince q che church rot hiding his 05r
slnal ECt near him the accredited representative
az the Bishop q Rome, the nations chief officers
The leaned bodies from schools and universities
and there we're the poor and the IosIs and th.
frisudicss, vlc-e friend he had been and th.
troubled of mind whose burdens Pc had GehteBcd
and che little children HifI their instructive moHl
edge rf a good man. Humanity iu ITS VARYING
phases passed By the coffin Of oae who had concern
I for every hruau need.
Indeed. when Father Stafford passed from earth q
I PRIEST d,r1 wfo was more The creator than the Ct
ample ~ tsla in sacTedOtai life demanded bl
conditions that America has evolved. To thest
+ Ter Gods greater honor was his ever present III
teutilu, and BE success only in drawing 10 him
self the highest qualities that The priesthood q
Christ could contain
offered by Catholic Mother.
A Catholic mother. ike another Msry. offered him
E IN the temple. knowing fun well what that ,ig
nifed Of future selfdeuial, separation. HON.
who're religion vas the dominant influence school,
/ where Christ was a study before the vagleness Of
assic philosophers OF the crudeness Of those who's
names stand for license, guides whose lives Of sim
Iliadty reached sUblimity, al these formed TabU
/ before his eges and He that stood trausdcire,
thereon was the high priest Of the new dispense
[ ton.
Souls less generous than that Of Denis stafoyJ
would have been moved 20 higher things bad the'
/ learned as he did The traditions that clustered
around the Land Of the Sanctuary the sanctuau
Of civil and religious justice.
The TatTiaTChal Sec Of Baltimore IIrssrious if
the life and writings CT the chief witness 90 oar
American faith Was u a wonder that Riciarl
GilmOUr. the leat Bishop Of Cleveland. recognized
I the young students wogth
He has dangerous powers said the bishop
after seminary exercise, but the task was scare
over when the young man Of dangerous power
would reach the darkened chapel in a seclude,
corner. 10 tell bis beads, or 10 humble himself IN
the Way Of the Cross Y0u OF St Patrick's vii
recall the Good Fridays when he seemed ont Of
himself IN the renewal of Cairary IS tTagedy-yU1
priests Of his house Wil not forget. an YOUR DAYS
the Tatbos and unesTthhness Of that Friday q last
Holy Week and the hour Of agony be spent with
Christ.
DO You wish to know the history Of his young
priesthood IN Ohio: Ask the poor Of Washington
60 down In your city where misery hITks Srezi
10 the child for which De found a hume Mentor
his name 90 the widow he had known in affiueuct
and found in peuwl. WHISPER To them that had
heard the thunder OF his deuuncation but
nov recall only the sweetness ef the voice that
e.
represent the spirit Of the priesthood Of the church
in him It that spirit quick 10 seize opportunity
ever alert 70 sUccor the needs Of those about.
When was he laggard where the glory of religion
was al stakes And If 81 Patricks buildings NAH,
harmony IN stone. you know the sacrifice and pm
vatcus and haus Of study that contributed To tie
result. Yes. If this church has become a shrine %
our land. II was not the brilisncy Of mind 10 Wa.
not The luaqualcd oatory that made this ehuf,l
home for al peoples; It vas his character q.
priest. priest who would leave nothing undoue "a
. enhance the service Of God. Il was that which
gave a courage that 10 the end did not fail
Inspired the fearful.
And had Dr. Stafford a thought only for him
self. there are times when he would have been
silent, vhen with others. be might have accepted
IGuse tar total defeat bat like the old prophet o
Israel. he would speak standing by the ruias units
he had inspired the vavcrng and fearful with
courage like his own.
When this Young cnurchman entered the pulpit
it was but natural. after our soWncss 60 l31se cur
selves from the shaczes Of methods impaired b,
men whose knowledge Of our speech and its power
was not generous that we gave way 70 surprise and
fear and indignation because he had Violated tbs
traditions If the ancients" Bat he spoke as one
having poWeT-as wiser than expressed it
as man that has mesa se' to the people and
/ IS determined that they shall hear IT," And after
a year az the cathedral "a Cleveland. the bishop Of
that sec no longer spoke Of the dangerous pow
tie zeal Of The Young priest whose orstory to hin
vas nothing except as 1t fUnhered Che welfare Of
souls
"A friend must have had him in mind Whcn h,
vr,te: Right words are bern # true thoughts anc
true thoughts Of noble life Great manhood alone