Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1903 — SOLEMNITIES AT ST. AUOUSTINE’S CHURCH. [ARTICLE]

SOLEMNITIES AT ST. AUOUSTINE’S CHURCH.

Last Sunday the Catholic ohuroh and new school were the place of attraction for our oitizens, owing to the extraordinary ceremonies performed. A few minutes before ton o’clock a. m., a procession headed by the cross* bearer and followed by nine priests in their gorgeous vestments repaired to the sohool house to conduct the Rt. Rev. H. J. Aierding, Bishop of Ft. Wayne, to the church amid songs and the xinging of bells. A solemn high mass was celebrated by the Very Rev. Boniface Russ, Provincial of the American Provinco of the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood, assisted by Revs. Augustine Seifert, C. PP. S. as deacon, Bartholomew tßesinger, C. PP. S. as subdeacon an<i Andrew Gietl, C. PP. S. as Master of ceremonies. The Bishop occupied the throne, previously erected in the sanctuary, which was surrounded by tne Revs. C. Schuette, T. Meyer, N. Welsh, N. Creiwe and V. H. Krull. Rev. Jnstin Henkel, the renowned soloist directed the oollege choir. After mass the Rt. Rev. Bishop delivered an instructive sermon on the work of the Holy Ghost.

Thereupon followed the Sacreinent of Confirmation administered from the altar to forty-eight members of St. Augustine’s parish by the Rt. Rev. H. J. Aierding. (Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ.) The ceremonies lasted until about twelve o’clock. At three p. m., the new Catholic school was solemnly dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop. It was a very imposing ceremony and dedicated the new building to the furthering of the honor and glory of God Almighty. After the dedication and blessing of the school the Bishop ascended the stand, previously occupied by the College Baud, and delivered an excellent and eloquent oration on the necessity of education. He upraised the noble endeavors of

our country in granting the facile ties of an education to each citizen in his youth, quoting statistics he showed that a thorough education requires more than the mere training of the intellect. Religion roust be taught in our schools to give the young the necessary . moral training that leads to true virtue. He touched upon the conclusions and resolutions of the last Conference of the great educators of the United States recently held at Boston, Miss., calling attention to their agreement that non-sectarian education is 'tHfailnre, i. e. that education without religion has failed. Religion must be taught, they said, but what religion they could not say, there being so many denominations in the States that none could be adopted without creating bad-feeling among the supporters of the others. Even if it would be possible to introduce the Bible in the schools then the thirty or forty millions of atheists and agnostics would object. Non-sectarian education is theistic education and to this the Catholic church is opposed. Religion must be taught in the schools every day in the year. The half hour of religious instructions on Sundays will not create a moral nature in the child. The child sees the preponderance of the time it spends on the “rule of the three Rs” and on the training of the intellect, and will look upon its religion as a very light matter.” We must have salt in our meals every day. What would you say of a cook that would not give you any salt all week but would save it from day to day and put it all in your meals on Sundays?” This would not do, and so it is with religion, it must permeate all training of the mind, it must be the high motive of the child’s actions through life.” The Bishop spoke for nearly an hour with great eloquence, relieving the attention of bis audience by illustrative bits of wit and humor. After the Bishop’s oration, Benediction with the Blessed Sacrement was given in the church. The College band entertained the gathering with several good selections nntil dusk. At eight o’clock in the evening the St. Augustine’s Literary Society rendered an entertainment in 'honor of the Bishop in the School Hall, The hall was crowded to the utmost. -* The efforts of the players were much appreciatecLby both Bishop and audience.

The program was enlivened by some very excellent performances, both in regard to quality and to techniqne, on the piano by Prof. Charles Hemtnersbach, musical director. The audience left the hail very well satisfied with the entertainment.