Year: 1869

Inauguration of the New Altar-High Mass
and Sermon by the Rev. Augustine =.
Hewitt.


vast congregation filed the splendid Roman
Catholic Church OF st. Stephens. In Twenty-eighth
street. yesterday morning. every seat being occupied
by the congregation, the aisles and the spaces
around the doors being completely 1lled 1t was
expected that the magnificent marble altar, lately
erected at an enormous cost and which was fully
described In the HERALD exclusively, would be
soemnly consecrated and dedicated to the service
OF God; but although that the original intention
Of the reverend gentleman under whose auspices the
altar was erected, it was subsequently agreed to
defer the formal dedication until the return
OF Archbishop McCloskey from the Ecumenical Coun-
GIL While, therefore, the services yesterday were or
unusual interest, the mere slght.seers were some
what disappointed. The splendid music ana the
pOmp and state OF the service OF High Mass were,
however, ample compensation to the devout congre'
The mass was Mozart's Twelfth and was ceIe-
brated BY the Right Rev. William Starr, Vicar Gene
raj Of the diocese. Tue deacon was the Rev. II. Nc
DOwell nephew OF DR.. Cummings, the founder OF
the parish, and the snb-deacon, the Rev. Father
Henry, ofthe Paullst Fathers. Rev. DR.. McGynn, the
pastor, and the courteous Father Griffin and other
cergymen assisted In the service. In the singing OF
the High Mass the usual double quartet Of the
church were assisted by thirty pieces OF instrumental
music and q chorus OF fifty voices. The solos
were sung by Madame De Lussan (soprano,
Madame Anschutz (alto), Brookhouse Bow





music OF this grand mass was well sung throughout,
and the ch0ruses were harmonious and very effect
lively rendered The solos were also finely sung.
The thick incense curling up from the censers arounu
the marble altar and spreading through the vaulted
church its pleasant odor; the SOFT. mellow autumn
light falling the pturned faces Of the rapt con-
gregation engaged IN silent prayer the solemn chant
OF the ofiicang priest, replied to by the low music
OF voice ana harp and in turn answered by the full
swell OF the chorus, rendered the occasion one OF
great soemnity Commencing at hafpast ten
O'Clock with the usual blessing OF the altar around
which white dressed acolytes fitted In the discharge
OF their sacred duties, the services did not conclude
until after twelve O'Clock.


The sermon was preached by the Rev. Father
Hewitt OF the Paust Fathers VINO took for his text
the eleventh chapter OF Hebrews, Commencing
with the proposition that the altar Is the corner
stone not only Of all religion but OF all institutions
and human society, the reverend gentleman spoke
at great length and with much force the duties Of
the congregation and their Obligations TO the Church.
He also dwet on the present state OF society, and
his remarks were understood to have political
significance. Owing to the crowded state OF the
church 1t was Impossible to get near enough 10 the
pulpit to obtain report OF the sermon.


ltwas announced from the altar that the subscrip-
ton to the New Cathedral Building Fund amounted
during the year to $4,000, somewhat less than the
subscription OF the preceding year. but arrangements
being made for another general subscription at
the close Of the present year.