The Washington herald., 1908-01-13
DRAMA LIFE LESSON
Rev. Van Schaick Delivers
an Interesting Sermon.
RECALLS PRIESTS FUNERALS
OutpOuring OF People of All Creeds
at Obsequies of Rev. Father staf-
fOrds Illustration of the Things
that Are Uniting Christian World.

At the morning service in the Church
of our Father yesterday the pastor. Rev.
John Van Schaick, delivered a sermon
on ''The things that smite us" He said,
in part:
Tn the past week ! have attended the
funerals OF two devoted priests One was
a man OF tremendous power and infiu-
ence. The other was known in a much
more limited way. The first was an
orator of national reputation To the
second there was given more simple and
homely speech. But both were Catholics;
both We're faithful 70 their church. and
both were sincerely mourned. not only
by their respective congregations. and
not only by Catholics, but by thousands
Of Protestants as we'll
The Spirit of Unity.
Il have been deeply impressed by the
spirit Of unity, sympathy. and good will
which has pervaded the entire COM
munity
In St Patrick's Church on Tuesday I
was stirred not only by the wonderful
music. the great company OF priests, the
tender words of the cardinal the sorrow
ing congregation, but also by the pres
ence and the sorrow OF men Of every
creed.
There were the followers of John
Knox; there were the spiritual descend
ants of Martin Luther. there were the
Jewish rabbi and the bishop Of the Prot
estant Episcopal Church: Presbyterian
elders sat with Catholic laymen; Prot
estant business men walked side by side
with followers Of ST. Vincent de Paul
In the smaller church. far out in the
eastern part OF the city. on Friday. the
same unity was seen. Catholics, with
their own hearts bowed In sorrow. stood
that Protestant friends of the dead priest
might have seats. The community can
never be again as it was before. No
step backward can be taken Intolerance
on both sides we shall see in the future
as we have in the past. but the boun-
daries OF intolerance are narrowed for
ever by the SORROW that has made US all
stand side by side.
Admired His Courage.
'I did not know the famous priest in
timately, although I had the honor Of
his acquaintance. I admired his courage
and honesty, his breadth and tolerance,
his patriotism, and his eloquence. 1 did
know the humber priest better I have
spent many hours in his study. ] have
found many sermons in his talk. ] have
gathered strength and resolution from his
patient loving, courageous life.
NO night was ever so black. no storm
even so great, as 10 deter him when a
soul was in need.
If he had been born in Maine instead
Of Maryland, If he had been surrounded
by UniveTsalists instead of Catholics, he
might have been a minister instead of A
priest. I do not know that it would have
been better. l do not know that he
would have lived a more useful life /
do not know that his great, loving heart
could have been changed by any church.
But whatI do know is that the things
which make a great Catholic make a
great Protestant. The things which
make a great Protestant make a great
Catholic
Things Which Unite Us.
in other words, the things which unite
us are more than those which divide us.
and that is my subject to-day In the
first place. it is the thought of God. In
the second place, It is service of human
ity- In the third place. it is the touch OF
sorrow which makes the whole world
kin-the ills of life and the faith we all
have in a better life beyond the grave.
I'm the churches the things which di-
vide us are on the surface. The things
which unite us are deep in the heart. The
Catholic prays to Mary The Protestant
prays to Jesus. We pray only to God
But that statement is not enough.
In the Catholic Church the prayer to
Mary or to the saints in reality is
prayer TO God. In the Protestant church
the prayer to Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
or the Trinity. in reality is a prayer to
God.
Father Stafford once said: All men
in ali the churches are the children of
God, and / want them for my friends. II
is not God who makes Prote5tants de-
nounce Catholics as Papists. 1t is not
God who makes Catholics sneer at Prot
estants as heretics. It is not God who
makes us hate or persecute the Jew. In
the presence of the Infinite there Is not
hatred but love which binds us all to-
gether