The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-08
ELOQUENTET THE TRIBUTE.
FUNERAL SERMON FOR THE
LATE CARDINAL GIBBONS
1t Was Preached BY Archbishop
GIennon of st. Louis At
Baltimore Today
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch

Ecclestastdcus A; 1-3-4-14, in be-
ginning, Archbishop John j. Glennon,
Of st. Louis today delivered the fun
eral sermon at the bier of the late
James Cardinal Gibbons here today.
Let us now praise men of renown,
and our fathers in their generation.
Such as have borne rule In their
dominionS men Of great power, and
embued with their wisdom, showing
forth in the prophets the dignity OF
And ruling over his present people
and by the strength of wisdom, in
structing the people In most holy
words.
Their bodies are buried in peace,
and their name liveth unto genera
tion-and generation"
II knew not what thoughts to ex-
press, or words to clothe them in. on
this solemn occasion. as we group
around this mound Of SORROW. to bid
friend" said Archbishop GIennon.
Words Of protest, some may say,
since 1t Is natures way to protest
against death. to treat it as any enc
my OF our race and us, yet we who
are believers in merciful Proyi-
dence, that wisely, Justly disposeth
all things, the Master, of Life and
Death, holding the living and the
dead equally In His keeping, we who
would also be his children, can only
bow in lowliest reverence to His Su-
preme decree.
Though modest man, he knows
not why He think he was not made
to die And thou hast made him-Thou
art just"
But If we may not protest, may we
not at least voice our regrets? Ough.
we not to sorrow and speak that sor-
row so deep and widespread today,
for the prophet also is silent-for
the prince who has fallen-for the
man who is gone?
Examples Before Us
Beyond our own hearts prompt
ings we have for 1t as examples the
noblest names in history. Jacob
mourned for his son many days, the
congregation mourned for Aaron; and
Samuel for Saul; while David's
plants and tears were his daily OF
fering to the memory of his son Absa-
lon. And of the Blessed Master, too,
when they brought him\ news that
Lazarus, His Friend, was dead, st.
John records the love and the tears
of Christ-'And Jesus wept
with these examples before US. Of
friend sorrowing for friend, and If
again sorrow is to be measured by
the merits of the dead and the extent
Of loss, then difficult must be for us to
suppress our emotions as we ponder
over the life, the love, the service,
the sacrifice Of James Cardinal Glib
bons, Archbishop of Baltimore. These
are high sounding titles you will say,
meaning such OF dignity and power
but Just now our thoughts do rather
turn to the kindly gentle old man,
whose coming was joy-whose pres
ence was a benediction.
"Let those tell us what manner man
he was who daily broke bread with.
him. Let them tell us of that uniform
that marked all his dealings with
them. Let them attest his patience
in adversely, his sympathy in sorrow,
his anxiety for friends, his charity
towards all. For his life was an open
are inscribed the friendships, the
kindly deeds and far reaching CHAIR
ties Of a noble heart. Nor to them,
nor to Baltimore alone are these
known, for as he with hurrying
feet travelled from city TO city in
this broad land, everywhere the
bearer Of blessed tidings, so every
where today the fond memories re-
main Of the kindly man whose vista
siOu was W Incm lasting UeneulCI-
ion.
mo wonder, then, that when the
sad announcement Of death was
made, wave of sorrow should sweep
the land-the voiceless sorrow of a
nation In mourning. Voiceless. did
l say? No! For here on his casket
are laid the multiplied tributes of
respect and regret from the peoples,
and their representatives. senator's.
and judges; and crowning these, O
glowing tribute from the illustrious
this, or preceding 1t, this concourse
of people-the numberlessN priests OF
the church-the united heads of more
than hundred dioceses, all bowed in
sorrow. And cause have we Of the
Episcopates, most OF all, to regret his
departure. He was our leader, guide
and father. We cannot forget his un.
failing kindness-his prudent coun.
sci. We fear and feel we shall not
look on his like again. The Holy
Father Himself must have sensed
our loss, as well as his own, since
voices at once the sorrow of his
own troubled heart and the sympathy
OF the Catholic world.
Thank God For Cardinal Gibbons
Sorrow so universal deserves re-
cording; and yet / feel that more
pressing even than tears Is our duty
to express our gratitude to the AL
mighty-to thank God for Cardinal
Gibbons, and first of all we must
thank God for his length of years.
Great and small. rich and poor,
whatever else they do are certainly
fated to die. Some are called in in
fancy: others in adult years Others
In ripe old age. The Blessed Master
favored this, His servant, with many
many years to work in His vineyard.
Born in this city eighty six years ago
baptized in this venerable edifice, he
was here consecrated bishop. In the
year 1868, OF all the bishops then
consecrated not one Is left. In 1884
the then Archbishop Gibbons con-
voked and presided over the Third
Plenary Council, there were present
seventy five .prelates. Their presid.
ing officer saw them fall one by one
until of that great assemblage he
alone remained. In 1886 he was ele
waited to the Sacred College as Car
dinal Priest. Sixty MEMBERS or more
were then wearers of the sacred pur-
pie. All have preceded Cardinal Glib
bons to the grave. Surely II length
of years Is a blessing, Cardinal Gdb-
bons was specially blessed; and for
that blessing we are grateful. Es-
pecially should we praise the Giver,
that not only were the years of the
Cardinal many, but so abundantiy