VISIT TO St JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 33, 3 June 1892, Page 15

VISIT TO St JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL DUNEDIN.

(Contributed by a Vagrant.) Happening to be in Dunedia during the.last week or two, on the Sundays that have passed— whether from a desire to say my praj era or to kill .time it is not necessary to state, I wended my way to Sfc Joseph's Cathedral. The buildmg , Jwhicb occupies a prominent and rather central position on tha hill to the west of the city, is a very hanlsom. one, the style I believe being what is known as tbe ornamental Gothic. It is approached from the street by abroad and imposing flight of steps constructed if concrete and leading up to a gioiaed and beautifully carveJ porch of sand-3tone, into which the doors of the nave and those of the fl vnkmg towers op-_n. Oa entering the church, the beauty of the architecture — sufficiently impressive without, becomes more striking. Lofty pillars of stone supporting graceful arches of the same material divide the aisles from the nave and sustain the shafts from which the groining of the roof rises, the stone is white and the ceiling, at a great height from the floor, is stained of a delicate neutral tint. At either side of the clerestory of the nave is a row of Beven windows, filled with cathedral glass, as many windows in each aisle being filled with stained glass of exquisite dyes, in which the art of the glass-stainer has its highest exemplification. On the interstices between these windows the Stations sf the Cross, also gems of art, are placed. The sanctuary is temporary, but, though much less beautiful than it, not oat of keeping with the character of the building. Over the door of the nave and very high up, is the organ loft— at the back of which a splendid rose window gleams. The ceremonies of the church were carried out with all due solemnity — the high altar being tastefully adorred —as I understand, by the care of the Dominican nuns, whose imposing convent and schools stand on the North of the Cathedral, and who have a chapel opening upon the Epistle side of the sanctuary—from which it is divided by an iron grating and a screen. The preaching was excellent both forenoon and evening — the pithy and instructive teaching and explanations of the Most Rev Dr Moran particularly so. I was fortunate — as I have been told, with regard to the music — having happened oa a performance conducted by a priest— the Rev Dr Egan, a Benedictine Father, hailing from Auckland, who holds the degree of Musical Doctor. At Mass and vespers this good father acted as conductor, and had evidently good material to work upon. In the concerted parts the singing was crisp and harmonious, and the volume of voices remarkably fall. The lights and shades under so efficient a conductor were necessarily well defined. There was also some charming solo and duet singing, and the organist proved himself fully capable. On the whole, in St Joseph's cathedral the people of Dunedin have an institution which they may well value. It not only fills the place of a house of prayer, but must exercise a very marked effect in giving a tone of culture to the minds of those who frequent it. It is in itself a school of sacred art. The music, indeed, as I have said, I heard under exceptionally favourable circumstances. Everyone knows how valuable the Sirvices of an efficient conductor are, and the rev visitor referred to has in that capacity few to surpass him. But the manner in which his guidance waß responded to was sufficient to prove that even at ordinary time?, good work might ba expected from St Joseph's choir. Tbe je3thetic sense is satisfied by everything connected with the cathedral— and that in a way to produce high and holy effacts. Snch are the passing thoughts of a vagrant— l give them for what they are worth.