Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-22
CARDINAL SERMON
AT ST. NARY'S Church
His Eminence, Cardinal Gibbons,
Confirms Large Class of l49
Members and breaches Ser
mon On
OUR KINSHIP WITH GOD
Imposing and Impressive Services
The Cardinal Entertained at Din
ner bv the Redemptorist Fathers
1.-The Guests.


1.-The Guests.
Taking for his theme the Gospel ap-
pointed for the day. St John. xvi chap
ter. and reading as a portion of the
chapter from the 5th TO the 14th vers-
es. His Eminence, Cardinal Gibbons. OF
the Cathedral, Baltimore. preached the
sermon in ST. Mary's Church yester
day morning before the class TO be
confirmed, and one of the largest con
gregations that filled the edifce to
overflowing
The Cardinals sermon was so sim
pie in Gospel teaching that the small
list child could understand. yet is was
eloquent in its simplicity. He said the
Gospel for the day was es ecially ap-
plicable and appropriate for the oc-
casion that of confirmation He said
it is well for us here to have to strug-
gle with the vicissitudes of life: it is
well to recall the Christian dignity OF
the real Christian life Nothing is so
appropriate as the dignity Of a Christ
ian life and character necessary to
become the children of God, prospect
i've heirs to the kingdom of heaven
The Cardinal said God sent His Son
to be the Savior of men. BY His com
ing a three-fold blessing was CON
ferred upon us. Our sins are all blot
tol out and we are elevated to the
family of God to become one of His
household, heirs of God and Joint
with Jesus Christ. St John says:
Dearly beloved, we are now become
the children of Cod" for when we are
with Him we shall see Him as He is.
Our divine origin should impress us
with divine homage. "Ye are not the
children of false gods, but the chill
dren of the living God"
The Cardinal said he wouhl impress
the class to be confirmed with the
fact that God is Our Father" and
there should be some relationship be-
tween Father and children. When
tempted we should say to Satan BE
gone, Satan, the blood of Gods chill
dren is in our veins"
How much more tender said the
Cardinal, are our relations with Col,
today than were those of the God
fearing people of .olden times They
worshipped through fear, were gov
erned by fear, we through Love.
From Genesis to Macabes, the Card
inal said, we seldom see our Lord ad-
dressed as Father" He is called
King the Avenger and by many other
titles. but scarcely ever no they come
so near as to call Him Father" But
we have received the Spirit of God,
whereby we call Abba Father" So
then we are become Sons of God, and
if sons, joint heirs with Christ.
In the New Testament. the Cardinal
said. Father is mentioned about 260
times In every necessity, in every
bereavement we come to Him as Our
Father who art in heaven" If we are
children by adoption, we are become
brothers and sisters in Christ. The
Cardinal spoke of Christ's forgiveness,
His magnanimity. of how He forgave
His enemies. He thought not unkind
or revengeful thoughts of those of His
disciples who denied and betrayed Him
but when He was risen on the third
day He sent a messenger and said:
Go tell my brethren" He made no
distinction. He speaks of my God and
their Cod" There is nothing i'm the
Scriptures more beautiful than this
manifestation of Christ's forgiveness
for the many wrongs done Him
lie said, 1T is unmanly not TO resent
insult or injury. The language of society
is not the language Of Christ The high
est type of nobility. said the Cardinal.
lis that of the man who stands firm and
does not avenge wrong. Greater is he
who conquers himself than he who taketh
a city. lie took upon Himself one ma
ture that He might understand our weak
nesses; He became slave that we may en-
JOY the glorious Liberties of Christ BY
way Of illustrating what the Blessed
Lord had done for US, the Cardinal re-
lated the incident Of Edward i, Of Eng
land, in the Thirteenth Century, who,
while endeavoriBg to rescue the land from
the Saracens, was stabbed in the back.
and told how his wife Eleanor sucked the
band from being poisoned Herewith.
While. said the Cardinal, there is
no greater devotion on earth than that
of good wife to her husband yet
Christ has done more than even the wife
Eleanor did for her husband.
First, He gives MS the Gospel, the
origin of our destiny, We hear that Cos
pei every Sunday. To guide our wander
ing spirit. lie infuses it into our hearts
Is it not great glory to enjoy thi.
privilege St. Paul tells rs We might
dwell upon this We boast Of the blood
Of princes Of great ancestry but what Is
that to having been adopted as the Child
of God, as His Child, as son Of God and
heirs of Christ
IT is good for us to be here. Yor
are chosen generation; a holy nation
a purchased people, not purchased witt
gold and silver, but with the blood Of
Christ. =