The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-04-29
ire none CT which any record is pre-

| bishop and nine bishops, including
coadjutor and an auxiliary bishop,
twenty-five hundred and thirty-slN
priests, upwards OF fourteen hundred
churches, and a Catholic population OF
about three millions. The whole re-
gion is now adorned with colleges,
academies and schools, protectorleS
asylums and hospitals, and with all th2
appliances that religion and beneVo'
| lence can devise for the alienation OF
suffering humanity New YORK Is, To
ldA, the nest important See IN the
United States, ana is second to the
| few. If indeed to any in the whole
! Catholic world.
But among the various institutions
lthat enrich this Metropolitan See, there
| is one structure which the hierarchy
and faithful contemplate with peculiar
pride and exultation; there is one ed
flee which is your JOY aud your crown
and that is the majestic Cathedral in
which we are now assembled.
In contributing to the erecti OF
this church. you have done honor to
yourselves. If it is a glory for citi
zen to raise a monument to the father
of his country, how much greater is
the privilege of erecting monument
to cur Savior and Father in Heaven.
Building House of Worship.
So great, indeed is the distinction
attached to the construction of house
of worship. that when there was ques.
ton in the old law Of building tenn
pie to God the project was conceived
| by one king, il was carried into eXecu
tion by a second, and the temple was
REPAIRED by third. King David con
ceiyed the plan; King Solomon carried
out his fathers design, and King Jo'
sias renovated the house of prayer.
And as three kings took part in
erecting Jerusalem's temple so have
three princes Cf the church united in
the construction of this noble ediiicc.
Archbishop Hughes secured the ground
and projected the ideal; Cardinal Nc.
Closkey erected the building, and ATch'
bishop Corrigan REINFORCED by his sue
cessor. brought the work to a happy
consummation.
And even in the Christian dispense
tion, frlm the days Of Constantine
down to the sixteenth century, kings
land emperors, in conjunction with the
chief pastors of the church. usually
Exercised the exclusive honor of rails
ing up in their respective dominions,
stately basilicas, some Of which exist
to this day, to attest the piety and
| munificence of their royal founders.
| The Constantines Of new Rome, the
Edwards of England. the Margarets OF
Scotland, the Louies of France, the
Henrys of Germany, the Stephens Of
Hungary, the Canutes of Denmark
made their reigns conspicuous by the
monuments of worship which they con
structed in their kingdoms.
But the times have changed; priv
ilege that had been of yore exercised
chiefly by crowned heads, is now rele
gated to the people You are the heirs
of a princely prerogative And though
you have not royal titles, nor kingly
wealth, you and your fathers have
proved by your bountiful offerings that
you possess royal hearts
The most impressive sermon ever
preached in this church, is delivered
by the Cathedral itself It is a ser
non in marble. 1t breaches in silent
but eloquent language to the immi
grant daily arriving at your harhor.
If the devout philosopher finds
tongues in threes. books in running
brooks. sermons in stones. and good in
everything" surely the Christian Pill
grim. in casting his eyes around him
in this church, will discover every
where, object lessons to quicken his
faith. to strengthen his hope, and nour.
lish his love for his God and Savior.
An Oasis to the Foreigner.
Let us imagine a foreigner com
ing today to New York, from Germany
Switzerland, or sunny Italy. As he
walks through the streets of your city
he feels that he is in a strange land, a
stranger to your country, to your insti
tutions. and even to your language
But. when his eyes fall on this Cathe
lral. with its cross-crowned spires
lpcinting to the heavens. he feels thai
he has discovered an oasis in the des
st: he has found one familiar spot IL
foreign land. And entering the
church. while tears run down his sun
burnt cheeks. he is impelled to exclain
with the Psalmist: How lovely are
thy tabernacles, o Lord of Nosts. Ny
sui longeth aud fainteth for th'
courts of the Lord. My heart and my
lesh have exulted in the living God
For the sparrow hath found for itsel
I house. and the turtle-dove a nest
Even thine altars. o Lord of Hosts, ar,
NY home. my King and my Gcd.'
He sees the paintings of the saints
land of the Lord of saints when h
} was accustomed to venerate at home
He sees the baptismal font which r.
minds him Of his regeneration in tbs
waters of Baptism. He sees the con
fessional where he knelt at the fee
# the Lords anointed and heard tbest
d saving words; Go in peace. thy sin
are forgiven thee" He sees the alta
-ailing where he parto- K Of the Holi
II HOLES. lie beholds the altar ablaz
with lights. He sees the officiatini