MISSION AT ST MARY'S

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 9 March 1914, Page 5

MISSION AT ST MARY'S

Yesterday was a red letter day in the history of St. Mary's Church. At 8 o'clock Mass there was a General Communion, the communicants numbering .480. This is easily a record for St. Mary's for any one service. The church was crowded, fully one hundred had to be content with standing room. Fifty little children, the boys wearing white sashes, and the girls dressed in white with wreaths and veils, received ' their first Communion. After the Mass, the first ccimmunicants were treated to a sumptuous breakfast by the ladies of the parish. At the 10 o'clock Mass the church was full, though not crowded. The childrens' mission was brought to a close at 3.30. About 200 took part in this impressive ceremony. They all renewed their baptismal vows and sang appropriate hymns. Father Tuohey imparted the- Papal ' Benediction at the close.

A large congregation was expected at night, but before the hour of commencing every seat was occupied. Seats were' then placed along the passages and in the gallery. Father Creagh then began his instruction to what was perhaps, the largest adult congregation ever seen at St. Mary's. He took for his t-ext the words "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a .stumblingblock, and unto tho Gentiles foolishness," (1.-Cor. i. 23). He stated that his object was to declare the faith of Catholics and the reason of their faith. Speaking of the Existence of God and His infinite attributes, he said even reason itself, properly directed, must admit the existence of a First Cause, and that Cause must- be an intelligent personal Cause, who is called God. From this he deduced logically the nature of God s attributes and • the necessity cf revelation. The authenticity and divine inspiration was the next po'irit. This he handled in a masterly manner. He then stated his case for the, Divinity of Christ appealing to the authenticated historical •Scriptural accounts contained in the New - Testament. Having proved the Divinity of Christ, he then declared that Christ founded and established a church for all men and for all time, that/ He made that church man's infallible guide. He spoke of the primacy of Peter, whom, he said, Christ appointed as visible head of the church, and endowed him with infallibility in all matters of faith and morals. He instanced several texts of Scripture in defence of this thesis, and appealed to the history of the Chritsian world as a proof in fact that, Peter and his successors were always credited with that attribute, when teaching the world, officially, in' the - name of Christ. The, human personal weakness of Peter and a few of his successors, strengthened "rather than weakened, that chain. The Bible was the inspired Word of God. It> co'uld contain but one ■ doctrine, one message from God. How could that deep, divine Book be interpreted " with certainty ?_ Only by inspiration. Not individual inspiration could meet the case, on account, of the different opinions, each -claiming personal inspiration. The only inspiration was the authoritative infallible guidance of Christ's teaching body—the Church. , "He who heareth you, heaveth Me," and again "As the Father hath sent Me so do°l send -you." The Bible was not found until after three centuries. The various; churches only possessed portions of the Scripture. It- was not till three centuries had passed that the present Canon of the Scripture was formed. Then, till printing became general, the Bible was not accessible to the vast majority of Christians. He gave these instances to show that the personal reading and private interpretation of the Scriptures con Id never be the means of finding the Christian faith. The truthof God, he said, flowed down in two parallel streams—Scripture and Tradi 7 tion,. under the guidance o'f the infallible Church of God. Catholics believe their Church to "be that established by God, they believe, on the authority of the Holy Scriptures and divine tradition that that Church is their unerring guide, hence, he said, as the 'Church' is the mouthpiece of Christ, her teaching is the direct- teaching of Christ. He brought in tho science of criteriology to show that the -human intellect must of necessity bo'w down to authority when that authority is duly credited. This does not cramp the intellect, but ennobles ' and glorifies it. Thus it is, the preacher said, that Catholics have no religious doubts: thus it 'is, that Catholics all, from the -highest to the lowest, drink from the same crystal stream of truth flowing on through the centuries froir. God. He went on to say that men were not free to believe what- they wished, but that they were bound to accept divine revelation bv command of God, "He who will not- hear the Church, let him "be to thee as the heathen and the publican." And again, "He who believeth not. shall be condemned. rso man was free to choose error in preference to truth. To admit such, would be blasphemy. He further said that lie would not for a moment interfere with any man's conscience, still a man- in doubt, was obliged to pray and search that his doubt may be dispelled. Father Creagh then made a stirring appeal to his Catholic hearers. He condemned the loose living and careless indifference of <SO "many of his brethren. He warned then that God would judge them ay their knowledge, that they must render an account of the sacramental moans of placed at their disposal. The lite of a Catholic should be in accordance with his profession cf faith. The ?a-d scandalous lives of so many Catholics, crave the world at large a wrong, though fllo<rical idea, of the Church as she re-al-lv is He appealed to his congregation to be'steadfast in the faith to be an ornament to the ■Church, to frequently avail themselves of t-lie Sacraments. and so render themselves worthy of the o-reat trust imposed upon them Father breach preached for upwards of an hour' an<3 was followed with the closest attention. The larjre congregation then ro=e and #ang with enthusiasm the hymn, "Faith of our Fathers." We are asked to mention that the mission will continue all through this week. Peopl- 0 of any or to denomination will be welcome, and all seats are free.