OPENING OF THE BASILICA AT OAMARU.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 30, 23 November 1894, Page 23

OPENING OF THE BASILICA AT OAMARU.

(From our own C respondents THE weather, which had Wen be utifullv fine hero all the we. k suddenly channel to hoavy rain on Si'urlay Light last mdßr.d^v morning brok« dull and hravr, which er-r.« der.b'y ir'u rfered w.th the Bucc.B9 of .heopeni^Mt our new chu-c ). Hut as the apnointu' honr drew near the weather clenred bwpw ,at and o-r bnica'cv,^' queotly rose higher. At about 11 n „m . lhß procesq . on| de , . the crofs-bearer and aco yt.s with light d cindke, left the old chiirci and marched down to tie biMWc. Aft -r th 3 acolytes a Ruard-of-honour from the Hibernian Society nmchul ii procea.ioa • then came the clergy with his Lordship B shop („ime 9 . The Bishop wa , ' metattbefntrauca of the new clurch by the Very Rev J Mackay i When the procession entered the church tne choir immpdiately B an C ■' Webbe's "Ecce Sacerdo^." Uurin: the vea'in? and preparation for ) Maß? ' Mr Ei « er - cf san ? an •' Aye M.ria" with violin , obUtgato by Mr G Jjnas, j^nr. Pontifical H.gh Mass wa, then celebrated by V,e Uo,t Rev J. J. Grinvs, S M , D.D., Lord Bi.hop of ! Chr.stchurch, Rev J. Tubman, B. M. (rim.ru ), acting as deacon, and I the Rev T. Doran, one of the survivors of tho s g. Wairarapa bang ' snbMeacon Rev W. McMul'an (Oam.ru), w.xs assistant pnesV and the Very 1W P. Lynch (Duned.n). master of ceremonies ! while the Very R-v J. Mackay, Hey P. U,gnaul', S M. fWaimateV ' and the Rev Father H.la.y.C.P (Sydney) worepresentinthesanctuary ' The choir, under the coaductoishi,, o f M r jgj. Towscy, rendered in a h!ghly creditable manner Mczan'a Twelfth Ma 89 , the solos bein- ! takfn by Mr E.g.r ( enor) M-s, Jo.cs (sopran-) Mieses Maxwell I and A.Jones (alto) anl Mr W*yanu h (!,„.). Iho tenor solo <■ Et ! Incamatus" was beautifully rendered by Mr Eager, and was really a treat to he'en to. Ur A. Vallis of Uuae l.n preside lat the organ

| and tbe c^o,r was assisted by a very^trong~orrfie^including~^any ! of DunedinV leading amateurs. ' as hi te jj kk l Futher Hilary P^ched the dedication sermon taking I them" A w^ eSU V Urni ? g and Seelng them foll °™g Him said to Thou i H '7 T ? Wh ° Ba:d t0 Him : Rabbi where *welle.t 'h! h » S TV° 6m : ° Ome and 8ee ' The ? came and "»w where h- ?k lf 38 - 39 ' l 8 itnot raaQifeßt that occasion which gathers ns together to^yi, a great and a joyoa. one? Do we no see urn the bright faces of this vast concourse of people lit up wah thec unshlie of gladneßa ] Do weQot gee .t. t f n P^ sacr «P , ceromDmoc, B ,c ymho - i=dl Dot only of fil{al reverential cf the triumph of a great a tainment ; but above all do we not see it j n th- graaJeur, beatify, graceful Grecian symmetry and vicinal , freshnewof th,s» B j. Btis p ,,e, which, when we are dead and gon and gathered to oar fuher, an,i the long green grass is growing*™ une Ifish hearts, as well as to the courage, good taste, patient endur 1 1l 11l 1 "h? Tr ?° f 80U1 ° f yy ° Ur well " bel °ve<i pastor. Yes, joy lik. , .he light of Gods bright and glorious sua ifl all aroU nd us to day 1 fed WWILeW lL rer c TBeaST BeaS f° M " Tne Childrea ° f W1 ' the Priest |Bcd the senbes, and the re 8t ot the children of the , cap mt, k.pt the delation of the Houae of God with joy » C Esdraa ' °' "° ?l "k Yf a ' lhe dediMtlD * a hh ™ 3e of Go .No longer need , on, like those two disciples mentioned in my text, a,k to God , Rab,, where dwelkat Thou?" for Ue has said- "Gome l0 1 ! tCJ and r'^ C ° m3 ia >'<»" hund^ 8 to-day °o ol f h ° VpV ' rU!y bVely l 9 the Ta^acle of the Lord Pac f ;° v !) WhB V ; This the the dwelling p.ac <f God I \ ei , in this little town, whoso shores are washed ,y the ever resile*, waves of the vast and great Pacific Th, Almuhy, all loly, eternal God of the universe has taken no His 1 the art , -eVf BCBmP " llch ° Ur f "» lh «»ea us to tbas question be if Voii 8 G^'t^r l^ piacea cjecdof »«, a e, rtMll a s i :: c ; ; ;;:rj m r al of t r i c of a'l reh.jonr. Natural inßt .nct *eem, t-, tell ,h 3 savage as well 8 th, a^e, the EC , ei «iat as .ell as the saint, that there is! God ab 0 c all. lhe cream of scent.fie minis, such a 3 Phto, St A,ua. me, t Iminns AMA M , -„, Bw on, Lock-, K.pler, Newton. Faye lIC ' 8lcflt"8 l cflt " ' im^ on . F - a JV. Tai% as well as ths conv.ction of the waal-nn, a U, g n.V, tell v, with St Paul tint " f rom things vLblo W3 . a 7, !ed 1110 a c>ltaiD - though inad.quate, knowledge 0 the B.ui,h A.a.c,at.oa said Hcently, for a superficial knowledge to lead o r a -Bianv rom 0,1, but aolul, deep research makes us fiad H.a, aga,n nni.l, as ll^chell says. " the pro.fs of the existence of God „vcn h, t» ie P tu Jy of th.ng. v.sib-e are .. mp ' y overpowermg ' \e*, truly, fr m th, R , vis.ble we are led into the knowledge of God Ibe ma ,r.3l un.vors, has f Jnr voic« ever souniiog this truth to bo. c wuo we uld hearken with honest ears. I say with honest earfo. we can in cur peneraenesa turn a deaf ear even to the voice o God. Havmsears and hearing not." Eywanrl seeingnot." Wecan maks ourselves ] lke an owl o. a withered branch at noonday, starin* at lueino an \ ec2irf , nothing but darkness. But to those who sincerely seek t! c truth there are four voicee in the material world ever telling us there is . God, namely, existence, motion l.fe, and order. Existence we are, anl we have not come from 'nothing lOn r W w \" ««» itßoTf immovable must have a motor power to move ,r. We hve-and l,f a m.st come from life. There is no such thing as spontaneous generation, a, pa 9p a9 . e ur and Virchow have proved, and the marvellou, order anl h.rmony of the universe common sense tells us, could *ever be the effsprin? of chaotic chance' ibis existctce, life, motion, and order tell u 8 of God. Asair in thn sp.ritual worli .here are three other vo.ces proclaiming God's exia! tencp, namolr, th, iute.l.jjonce, the heir', and the will. The intelli gence-what are ,h e3c ihr p-.nciples admitted by all m.nda, if not the rajs of li^itf.om the supreme intelligence communicat ioe His

own light to the intellect He has made ? The heart with its insatiable cravings after its ideal trinity— goodness, beauty truth— but the natural seeking of the creatuie for its c?ntre-God the infinite ? Aod will, with its marvellous pocer for good or for evil. What, or rather, who is its ever present helmsman, telling it wha' is good and what is evil, begetting now rom orse, now satisfaction, if not the voic • rf the Supreme Legislator proclaiming His law in the depths of our conscience ? Ah 1 yes, men who consider themielvea modern scientists and modern thinkere, may, in their vain efforts to account fur the first cause of all things call such " the unknown something," " eternal force," conscious automata," " ua.versal mind," eic , but we know tbat truth, unclouded by prejudice or the ehaJows of ignorance, tells us it is the Almighty , " The Alphi and the Omega, the beginning and the end, who is and who was and who is to come." (Apol. 1 — 8.) Tells us that what does not exist of absolute necessity cannot exist without a proportionate cause ; tells us thpre cannot be an infinite series of effects without a first cause, tells us that as an effect must be at least virtually contained in its cause since nothing can give what it has not got ; and as all around us in our fellow beings we see effects which are immaterial, intelligent, personal, free, lit up with life and the light of reasoa. the cause of such cannot be aught but intelligent, persona', and free— the uncreatel first cause of all that is— Tbe All Holy Gcd. Yes we believe in God, and this great truth begets the natural questioa of our ca'echism, " vvh-re is God ? Just as those two disciples, s«ein^ Jesus for the first titni aid enraptured with His divine wisdom and beauty loaged to abide with Him, asked Him, saying: "Rabbi, where dwellest Thou ? " Well, our holy faith tells us tb.3 first dwelling-place of God was God Himself. From all eternity there existed one God in three divine persons —the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. These three having but one and the same divine nature made but one God. This Infinite Divine being self-sxisting, needing nothing, having all things in Himself from all eternity dwelt infinitely happy, needing nothing. Outside God was nothingness But tins God

w>s supreme goodness, and as tuch loved to diffuse Him«e f, to , communicate Himself. Summum bonum fit sui dijfusivum. So [ He did at last in time what from all eternity He intended ; to do, namely, to create. And so, out of nothing, '' when all was void and empty," by the fiat of his will came the va3t and beautiful and great crealion. Modern scientists with their poor finite intellects, may, in accounting for creation, go back ev^n to the atom 9 which foimed the nebulous mitter out of which they say the sun and stars were made. Yet, when asked how came the atoms with the marvellous force and energy which developed the vast universe, they have io admit with Lang — Ue created work of the uncreated God It may have taken millionß of years to evolve itself into what we now bero'.d, but millions of millions of ages are less than a | moment to Him who is etercal, Creation, then, gave God another dwelling p'ac\ tamely — everywhere. Ye r , let it extend millions of

hundreds of millions of miles, yet through it al 1 , in it all, with it al' is God everywhere, by His presence, His powtr, and His essence- i Travel through all creation, co where you will, you will have to cry j

out with the Psalmist: — ''Whither shall Igo from Thy Spirit? or whither shall 1 flee from Thy face? If I ascend into heaven Thou art-there ; if I decend into hell Thoa art there ; if I take my wings ea'^y in the morning and dwell in the uttermost p irts of the cea even there also shall 'fliy hand lead me (Psalm 133)." T-U3 the ma'erial universe gave God another dwelling. But in creation all was not to be material. God, who is Spirit, Love, Truth, would have what would know Him, love Him, and so He ceated angels and men. Angels, pure spirits ; men, made up of 'h? angel and the aniiial. Both angels and men made like to God, insomuch that they cou'd know— could love and be free. They were created »o drink in tbe knowledge of God for all eternity, and with this knowledge beget that love which would make them find their centre in seeing and possessing God. But tbis required a dwelling where God would show himself —

manifest His glory in all His power. Hencebeaven.thespecialdwelling place of God where He enables His finite images by the aid of the light of glory, Lumen g lor im. to know Him, love Him, possess Him, ccc Him face to race, and yet live on for ever. Ob, marvellous Home of God 1 where the ceaseless sjng of praise goeß on for ever in the i sinless, sorrowless realoosof bliss. Where (iod shows what a God j can do, where there is no need for the sun or Btars to shine in it, for " the Lamb is the lamp thereof." Tue smile of Jesua is the sunshine of Htaven. But God was to have another dwelling place — this little planet of ours 1 Oh, wonder not I I know it is bnt a grain of sand on the bjukdless shores of the starry firmament. I know what astronomers tell us of the almost icfinite vastness of epaco. I know the utter insignificance of this earth of ours compared wiih millions of worlds that stud the heavens ; but this I also know, God's love is greater becauee it is infinite ; an f l God so loved the world that for us and for our salvation He gave His only begotten Son. When God created man He gave him the God.ike gift of free wiil. The material I world gives God a necessary service. All, from the glorious sun to the petal of the tiny wild flow c r of the field, like a vast machine, neceesanly works out Gog's will. Bat from His creatures made like Himself God required a voluntary free love and service. The pcor little homeless waif who in his sordid rags kneels down, and puttiDg his hands together, says : " My God, I love Thee," gives the Creator ( more honour than all the harmony, symmetry, beauty, and vastness of the material creatioD ; because his love ia from a free heart. It ia true God saw it would bring about manifold miseries. He heard the wild wail of woe from millions of broken hearts, despairing minds, and the hopeless lost ; but Ha also saw the self-sacri-ficing, heroic, patient, enduring, courageous love of the milions ,of the faithful. He saw, tbat, from it all, taken as a whole | He would receive that for which, being the Infinitely Perfect He was bound to act, namely, His greater glory. The use man made of this gift ot freewill was to offend his God. This insult i offered to an Infinite Bein? was infiaite and entailed an infinite

insult, namely, the loss of God. God's j isttce required infinite reparation. How was this to ba accomplished / No amount of repara' ion from finite beings cvuld become infinite. God's justice must be eternally unpaid, or man must, like the fallen aige s, be infinitely punished by th« loss of God for ever. This is how the matter sfood when the infinite wisdom of God's infini'e love c?ntrived a means by which God's justice was paid, and mercy was shown to mac ; or, as the Tsalmist beautifully puts it, '' Mercy and truth have met eacb o'her, justice and peace have kissed." Tnat means was the incarnation of the Son of Gad, " Behold I come." God the Sod, equal to His Father, having the same divine nature, assumed human nature with all its weakness save sin and ignorance, and without mixture or confusion united it to His divine nature, with all i's infinite attributes, ia 3uch a way that God, without ceasing to be God, becomes man, anl roan, without ceasing to ba man | becomes God. Oh, wonderful condescension 1 Oh, infinite love ! Ob, inscrutable ways of God I Ob, myeten of mysteries. " The glory of the incorruptible God to be changed into the liksn^s of corruptible man-" (Rom !.) Thus God becoming m >r, gave Him another dwelling. " And the Word was made flesh, and dwell amongst us." (St John,) Thus God, the Mighty One, the All Holy d*elt among us ; first in the immaculate, virginal, sacred shrine of Ilia mother's womb. For cioe locg months Mary was the h^me of '• Lhe Word, and the Word was God." Then came Egypt, when tbe Eternal God had only an exile's home in a strange pagan land. Then cama Nazareth, where ia the hovel home on the slope of the hill the hidden life was lived, and Jesus, known as the carpenter's son, dwelt unknown and unnoticed, ' subject to Mary and Joseph. " Thtn came the public life — tbe three years going about seeking after the erring and the lost, healing all manner of lDfirmuie?, doing all th'n 3 's we'l. It was during this period that the fcion of God on earth was homeless. Yes, he who made the world was homeless ; could say, '• The birds of the air

have their nests, and the foxes their dens, but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay His head." Then the manifestation of "the excess of love" came when He would lay down His life for us— when He who had no home at His birth but the stable, at His death had nought but Calvary's barren reck. And thur, having done the work He came to do, it was meet Ho should atctnd to His Father's home that He might prepare a place for ns, that the paradise might come. But before doing so He would establish a permanent home with us— His dtarly bought redeemed. He would not leave U9 fiiendless, or orphans. He would be with up not merely for 33 years, but to the end of time. He would show by a palpable, manifest truth that' 1 His delights were to be with the children of men." He wonld show men that when a God loves He loves with infinite love. How was this to be accomplished ? Wel) > just as the infinite wisdom of God's infinite love contrived a means tor God the Son to become man, so did the same wisdom and love contrive a means by which He would have a permanent dwelling with ua to the end of time ; and that means was the Bieased Eucharist. The abiding presence of Jeeus in the tabernacle. In other words, instead of "the glory of the incorrupiible God to be changed into tbe likeness of corruptible man," it would be changed into the appearance of bread and wir.e. Instead of tbe helpless infant in tbe crib or the outcast criminal on the cross we have Him under the accidents of bread and wine. It was as easy for God to put Himself under the one as tbe other. God could put himself under anything. Hencp, wherever the Blessed Sacrament is there is Jesus, and Jesns is God. Where, therefore, tbe Blessed Sacrament dwells, God dwells, and as this temple is the home of the Blessed Bicrament it is ihe dwelling-place of God. No wonder at tbe beauty and vastness of this great basilica. No wonder that yonr beloved paßtor's heart bas for the last two ye us gone out in stone, and mortar, and labourers, aod designs, and money. The same reason that made Solomon, in building 'he ti mple, have 130,000 men at it for years ; 80,000 men to shape and prepare the stones ; 70,000 to provide the materials, and 3000 men to overlook and direct tbe whole. And that reason was "It is the dwelling-place of God." When that Temple wes finished' it was the most gorgeous and largest the world had ever seen — the glory of the Jew, and the astonishment and awe of tbe pagan. When Solomon, looking at it as it Bhone in a'l its beauty, asked himself this question : 'Is it then to be thought that God shoull indeed dwell upon earth. For if heaven, and the heaven of heaven?, cannot contain Thee, how much less this house which I nave bailt " (3 Kings, viii., 27). We, too, may ask the question, not in douht, but in astonishment, Ob, yes, we know He dwells here, not in a vague, myßtical manner, as He did in Sjlomou'd Temple, but really, truly, and substantially, body, eoul, and divinity. What, this the dwelling-place cf God ? Ytß. Ihis is truly the borne of Jesup, and as 19 centuries ago those that passed by the House of Nazareth asked who dwtlleth there and were told it was Jesus of Nazareth, so wheu on that vast ocean with its storms and calms so truly the emblem of our little lives &bipß sail by and passengers to distant shores, seeing from alar this stately basilica shining in the whiteness of its Oamaru s one, a*k who dwelltth there ? they can be told with truth, It is the home cf Jtsus on earth, of Him " vVho is tbe Word, and the Wcrd was God," by whom all was made, who for us and f >r our sakes caused " the glory of the incorruptible God to ba changed into tbe likeness of corruptible man"(Homan 1). If you ask me, How ceulJ God do it? 1 answer what does not imply a contradiction God can do. Just as he fed 5000 with five barley loaves ; just as He changed the substance of water into wioe ; just as be made all oat of Lothing i co does He change the suostsnee of the breai and wiae into Himself. Again, if you ask, could He love U9 so ? I answer, having made us He loved us, and when God loves he loves ts a God, and so He gave us Hia onlj-begotten son ; and when God gives a gift as a proof of His love He gives what is worthy of his infinite generosity — He giriß it totallj, He gives it peimanmtly, and He adapts the gift to tbe lectiver. Now the abiding presence of Jesus in the Blessed S crament fulfils fall these conditions perfectly. I.'* worthy of God for it is Gud bimtelf. It's totalJy ours. It's permanently *iih us and it is adapted to us since the sacramental veil eaves us from being annihilated by the dazzling glory of the majesty cf God. Tee, God would not lpave us orphans. He would to ihe end of time be our victim in the Holy Mass, our food in Holy Communion, a&d our ever abiding lover and faithful friend in the tabernacle. But some may jeay with St Thomas, I do not see Him. Yet He is there all Ihe same. He was at the sepulchre on the morning of tbe reEurrectioD, yet Mary Magdalene saw but the gardener. The Apostles on their way to Emmanus walked with Him, and all tbe time saw only an ordinary traveller. Wny 1 Their eyes, their senses were tied. So does God tie oor senses. Did we see Him as He is now in His glorified state me should be blinded, overwhelmed with the majesty, as was tbe case with St Paul on his way to Damascus and with St John in the vision mentioned in tbe Apocalypse. We could not see Him and live. The economy of faith would be destroyed, the merit of believing without, seeing lost, and the sweet familiar converse with our friend

in the tabernacle impoasible. The beautiful temple then being the dwelling-place of the Blessed Sacrament ia the home on earth of Jesus. •• Babbi, where dwellest thon 1" Come here and see. What follows? Oh, my brethren, what follows? It follows that this temple must be to you the deareßt, most sacred, most attractive spot on earth. It must be to you a safe haven for your sad, sick eoulp, tossed about on the high sets of life, to come and rest in. Another Nazareth, whero dwells hidden, aod alap, by ma^y unnoticed, the incarnate Son cf God. Anoher Pool of Beihsaida, where you need not wait for the annual moving of (he waters, for Jesus is ever present to heal. The blind, the lame, the leprous soul can have their sin wounds healei and aad washed in the precious blood. Truly, an hospital for sick souls where thj Good Physician ever abd s. Neither need you envy Mary Magdalene, for as often as you will you can come, and resting before tbe tabernacle, contemplate at tl c Master's feet. Nor St John, the beloved disciple, who restled hia weary head on the Master's bosom. Fur whut is Holy Communion ? Is it not a closer union ? Ab, yes ; this is the home of Jesus. With St John I can say lo you this morning, " Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and He will dwell with them. And they shall be Hia people ; and God Himself with tbem shall be tbeir God (Apoc xxi., &)." Here you will come for the healing of your souls, for tbe manna to give you strength, for tbe Word of God to give yen light, for the Ma 39 to pay to God your deb's, for consolation and counsel in doubtp, from the friend in the tabernacle. Herejyoa will brirg your cbfldren to be baptised, confirmed , married and consecrated. In a word, all that helps in life's battle to make it liveable you will receive here. And why ? Because it is the home of Jesus. " Babbi, wheie dwellest thou? 1 ' Oh, then, surely you will lova it, defend it, adorn it, be proud of it ; for it is yours. Surely you are not going to leave the home on earth of Jesus in debt, unpaid for, unfinished ? Were you at Nazareth 19 centuries ago, and saw the house of Nazareth incompiete, burdened with debt, and Jesus Himself asked you to help Him tj pay for His House, what would you do? I leave it to your faith to answer — to the instincts of your generous, noble hearts — would you be afraid that what you would give to Him would be a loss 'o yourselves ? Would you let vile selfishness master you an 1 force your trembling hand to clutch the money like Judas or inanhsand llaphira, and keep back what you could give to the God that made you and shed every drop of blood for you ? No, no ; lam sure you would, on the contrary, cry out : Lord 1 dear Master 1 to whom I owe everything, take all I have, and had I more it would bs thine. Well, here is another Nazareth, another home wbare Jesus dwells, aod notwithstanding your paat generosity and your pastor's zeal it is ia debt, aad unfinished. I do not ask you to finish it ; leave that to future days. But Ido ask you to get it out of debt — to pay for it. It is njt His until it is out of debt. Can you who have faith refuse? Surely what yon would keep back from a vile miserly spiiit would burn in your pockets ; would coma to no good ; wouli wither your vain prospects. Give, then, with noble, generous heirts, and God won't be outdone in generosity. Tbe wealh of the world ia His. Give, then, out uf love for Him and His dwelling, so that when death comes, looking back upon to-day's dceis, you will be able to say with David : •• I have loved, oh, Lori, the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth."

Immedifet'ly after the sermon Father Mackay took the opportunity to thank his Lordship, Bishop Giimes, the visiting priests, the members of the choir and orchestra, and all those who by their presence and contributions had helped to make the opening of tha church such a success.

At the cad of Mass the Bishop made feeling reference to our own good Bishop, who, he was sure, would have given much to be present on the occasion, and as his representative and in his name he bestowed on all present the Apostolic blessing. The offerings for the day amounted to £360.

There was a Urge attendance p reseat again at the evening services. After the Rosary Vdapers were c'nanted by the Bey P. Begnaul', a",M., Waimats. Toe Most Bsv Dr Grimes preached an eloquent and most instructive sermon, choosing as bis text " How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of ho3ta ; my soul longeth for tbe courts of tha Lord." Alter complimenting the Very Bey Pa her Muckay and tha people of Oamaru on the beautiful temple they had erected to the service of Qo<', he went on to ahuw why tbe Catholics of the world erected such beautiful churches. It was, he Baid, because they believed that Gid. who made Heaven and earth came down and took up his dwelling in those churches. He traced tha his.ory of the Church from the earliest ages to the present day, and shjwed that in spite of all t c attacks made upon her, she stood out triumphant. She stilt existed in all her pristine glory, while the many heresies which had arisen went sunk into oblivion. He concluded by exhorting all to remain seadfast in their faitb. "We should all," he said, <> be thankful to be members of that Church. One proof of our faith is in erecting ti tuples like this, I envy you this basilica, which will be a mooomenl of your faitb. Preserve it and preserve your souls, which are the temples of tbe Lord, bo that He may at the Last Day give you that reward which He

has promised to all those who love and s>rve Mim." Then followed Benediction, at which his Lordship, Bishop Grimes, wa^ c lebrant Rev P. Regnault, S M., deacon, and Rev J. Tubman, sub-deacon, Mr Eager Bang an " O Silutaris " (Schubert), and Mr Vallis again presided at the organ. On Monday morning after 11 o'clock Mas=, celebrated by the Rev P. Regnault, 8, M., Confirmation wa<? admini'-terel by 'he Most R q v Dr Grimes to 120 of the school children — 70 girls and 50 boyq His Lordship reminded the children of the great privilege that was theirs in beiug the first to receive the holy eacramen' in the new basilica, and explained to them minutely the beautiful ceremonies connected with the sacrament. After the ceremony he exhorted the children to remain steadfast in the faith, and to this <nd to be constant in prayer, to approach the sacraments frequently, and avoid the occasions of sin, Before dispersing those confirmed promised the Very Rev Father Mackay to abstain from the use of tobacco and all intoxicating liqaors until they attained the age of 21 and to go to confession and Holy Communion at least once a month. Thus ended the ceremonies in connection with the opening of our basilica, and the Very Rev Father Mackay cannot bat be pleaßed at the success which haa attended his efforts, a success which he undoubtedly deserves. The portion of the building opened on Sunday forms the principal part of a church building which may be said to be exceptional as to its style, in the Australasian colonies, The building throughout is as near as possible for modern puipcses, severely Greek, not only in its general design, bat also in its constructional features ; in fact, the only departure from the Greek rule consists of the introduction of three domes, and here and there the use of the arch ; otherwise the whole buildiDg strictly adheres to the transome and colonnade principles of the old Greek model?. The portion at present completed, is that which w'll eventually form the nave only ; there yet remain to be built the great frrnt portico and flight of Bteps, the two side domes, the centre dom°, sanctuary, sacristies, tribunes, and side-chapels. The front of the church is approached by ten stone step«, 60 feet wide, which give entrance into a portico 40 feet wide, consisting of eight flute 1 Corinthian column?, each 30 feet hign, which carry a Corinthian pedimen', surmounted by a whita marble cross, 10 feet high ; this will give a total height from the top of the cross to the foot of the steps of 60 feet. Within this portico will be three entrance?, set apart for the congregation: the ceatral or main entrance will have two large bronze-panelled doors, 11 feet by 5 feet surmointed by a moulded etone pediment carried oa pilasters ; on either side of the portico are the two flanking towers, woicta will eventual y be ft iisned with stonedomes. each carried on eight stone Corinthian columns, briogin? the whole to a height of 83 feet. Immediately behm i th ' p irtici, and in a line with th > towers U the organ-lof', finished extern illy with a p-nelle 1 st me p°.rapet an i cornice, rising 60 feet from the ground ; this ha? a flit roof of Ccci asphalt, and a fire-proof ft jot of c >n;ra f e ; it h Hpproacned by a winding iron stai"-, 11 oaeof the rUnkrig t jvvers, an 1 looks into the nave through a largj arch, 30 feet across. Immediately below tne o r gin-'uft is th 3 minor porch, which is divided from the nave by a colo made, consisting of s yen Corinthian columns, each 20 feet high, which gives access to the side-aieles ; these aisles are not intended to be seated, being only 7 feet wide in the clear, but are to be used solely for egress and ingress to the nave, from which they are each separated by 10 Coiinthian columns, 20 feet high. Each of thes3 ais'es is 22 feet high, win 13 windows in cast-iron frames, which are sub-iivided into octagonal panes. The nave has a total width of 38 feet, with a length of 76 fee'i and a clear height of 3S feet ; three sides, as previously descubed are colonnaded ; above the columns there is a complete Corinthian entablature, consisting of cornice, frieze, i»nd architrave ; above thiß is the clere-story, Bub-divided on each siie into 13 bays, with Cornthian pilasters, both internally and externally, carrying the 13 roof principals. The ceiling will be finished in deep moulded and decorated coffrea of wood, but at present only the bare beams are in evidence. The clere-Btory,is lit by 26 windows, 13 on each side, similar to those described for the aisles. The sanctuary is entered from the nave through a richly-deco-rated arch, 20 feet wide and 34 f-^et high, carried on piers finished with Corinthian pilasterp, to correspond with the columns, and haviog fheir entablatnre carried round to form the impost of the arch ; both Xae spaodriis and soffits are panelled. On either side of this arch are two smaller arches, 6 feet wide by 16 feet high, which will give access to the side chapels. The Banctaary will ba 21 feet square io front of the altar, having the walls finished in Corinthian pilaster ß 19 feet high, carrying & limilar entablature to that already described for the nave. Above this will rise on the sides two blind arches, and at the back an open arch, similar to that in front. Immediately below the two blind arcne?, and between the pilasters, will be t colonnade, forming and opening It feet by 8 feet high, which gives into the two tribunes, each of which ia 11 feet by 6 feet high, and 7 feet by 1 i feet oa tne floor. The whole of this part of the sanctuary will have its

roof finished with a 20 foit internal domp, finished with a 9 foot p nntel g ass lantern, n=>ng in the mi Idle of the col jnnade carrying the outer dom a . The altar will stand back beneath a canopy formed by an aich, wiihia the large i-o alrea iy described ; ihis will be carnei on four fluted Corinthian columns, each 18 feet high, 6urmourned by the entablature which passes round the rest of the church, Immediately behind the altar is a space 22 teet by 6 feet 6 inches, the whole height of the Barc f uiry up to the springing of the internal dome ; this is designed to give space for the Sirvice of the altar, and the blank wall at the back may be used for a large fresco painting, which would be about H feet by 24 feet.

The external dome whici surmounts the sanctuary has a total hpieht from i he ground level, of 96 feet ; the dome itself is 22 feet in diatne er, built of Oamaru *ton^, and is carried on 16 Corinthian columns, each 12 feet high ; the whole being surmounted by a lantern, orb, and cross.

On either side of the sanctuary are situated too sacristies, each 20 feet by 12 feet, above which will be two rooms of Bimilar Bize, set apart for parish libraries ; ex'eroally these attachments will be in the form of transept?, with pedimental facades, thus giving proper apparent suppoit to the main dome.

The whole building is constructed of Oamaru stone on concrete foundations and bass, the floors throughout being of concrete, which will eventually be finished— in the nave, with woodblocks, and in the aisle?, portico, porch, and sanctu iry, with marble tiles ; all upper floors are of concrete fire proof flooring.

In the construction of the outer walls, care has been taken to have them hearted with good cement concrete, ia order to prerent any possibility of damp passing throngb.

The rich carved details which so specially belong to the Corinthian order, have not as yet baen done, but the masonry has been so well executed that tha loss is not so very apparent. The building has been cirned out from the designs, ani under the supervision of Mr F. W. Petre, architect, Dunedin, the contractor being Mr D. W. Woods, for whim Messrs Fergusson and Gibbon did the masonry. The cast-iron work of the windows, and the circular stair, are the work cf Messrs Barningham and Co., Victoria Foundry, Dunedin, and the bras* work for the gas-fittings is the work of Messrs Morrison and Co, Moray Place, Dunedin.

It would bi as well to menti n that the cement used throughout this building 13 from the Milburn Cement Go's works, and has given the highest satisfaction.