PRO-CATHEDRAL SERVICES, DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 60, 3 May 1873, Page 10

PRO-CATHEDRAL SERVICES, DUNEDIN.

On Sunday last, at 11 a.m., Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by Bishop Moran, assisted by Rev. E. Royer, Deacon ; Rev. J. Leniban, Sub-deacon ; and Rev. J. O'Connor, Master of Ceremonies. The sermon was by the Rev. J . O'Connor. After vespers, which were at the usual hour, half-past six in the evening, the Bishop preached. He commenced by announcing the devotions ot the month of May, and then proceeded to deliver a long discourse on these devotions — their object, and the reason of them. The following in reference to this discourse, has been communicated :—: — On Sunday, the 27th inst, Dr. Moran delivered the usual evening sermon at St. Joseph's Church. The discourse on such occasions generally refers to the Gospel or Epistle, which is appointed to be read in the Mass of the day, and also intended to be read and explained for the instruction and edification of the people. It therefore contains »n exposition of the connection and meaning of the whole text, or at least of some particular part which is considered to be of special interest or importance. But on the evening mentioned the Bishop departed from the customary course. Instead of selecting for his subject the Gospel or Epistle of the day, or any portion of either, he proceeded to recommend to his hearers, and to defend against the attacks of opponents, the devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which is so much approved and cherished in the Catholic Church. The month of May is specially dedicated by Catholics to the mother of God. It is the time in which they are expected to excite and increase in their hearts those sentiments of reverence and devotion which, as his Lordship proved so well, no true Christian can fail to entertain towards her who performed such an exalted and important part in the work of man's redemption. Accordingly, after having announced to his hearers the approach of this special time, and remarked that the munth of May being in the Northern Hemisphere, where of course this devotion arose, the most favored and lieautiful month of the year, was peculiarly suitable for paying honor to one who is the most blessed and perfect of God's creatures, he went on -to state the reasons which justify Catholics, and which are sufficient to justify any reasonable man who is a believer in Christ's divinity and mission in bestowing that honor. The arguments brought forward were so numerous and so strong that it may be said in all justice, and with a mind perfectly free from prejudice, that it is hard to understand how any man could evade or resist their force. If a member of another denomination were present and happened for the first time to be listening to one who knew how to state precisely, and to maintain well Catholic teaching, there is little doubt that while he wou\d be perhaps obliged to alter some of his previous impressions, and to confess that doctrines which we do not hold are sometimes attributed to us, he would be at the same time somewhat astonished to find how successfully those that we do actually hold can be defended. If he were one of those, for instance, who are ever ready to accept any rumor they may hear about Catholic belief or practice, and who, after imputing to us doctrines that are absurd, naturally take for granted that our arguments must be worthless, the statements and reasoning of Dr. Moran would come, upon him altogether by surprise. He would not most likely bring himself to admit all at once the conclusions deduced, but it would be at least impossible for him if he were a fair minded intelligent man to imagine ever afterwards that Catholics were the blind unreasoning people v\ hich many who are too careless, or it may be too fearful, to hear and examine what they have to say, so easily believe them to be. The first argument which his Lordship advauced was one drawn from the nature of the case, and went to prove that the honor which Catholics coneider to be due to the mother of God proceeds directly from the great mystery of the Incarnation, and is therefore to be

referred to it. He pointed out the high dignity and tMr*-' many wonderful benefits Christ conferred on the human race by becoming man ; he described the love which men should therefore feel for Him and for all that belongs or is. dear to Him ; he showed the intimate relationship which exists between Him and His Blessed Mothei, and then he asked if it was natural or reasonable to believe that she who fulfilled such a hi^h office and enjoyed such a close connection with God was to be denied all share in our gratitude and love, and to be utterly excluded from our remembrance. After developing this argument at some length, and with grsat force, he pioceeded to quote the various passages of Scripture, which show that it is a lawful, and must therefore be a useful, practice to pray to the angels and saints. He referred -to the 12th chap, of Tobias, where the angel declares to Tobias that he offered his prayers to God, to the several places in which St. Paul solicits the prayers of his brethren on earth, to the 18th chap, of St. Matthew, where Christ says — " See that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of My Father who is Heaven." From the last text he argued with special effect, proving clearly that Christ nceaut to assert that these angels are ever in the presence of God, ready at any moment to uccuse and to bring down vengeance on those who should harm the little ones committed to their care. From all this the conclusion was plain and undeniable. If the angels can approach the throne of God with their complaints and petitions, why may not the saints do so likewise, for " the Saints are equal to the angels T Apoc. If our brethren on earth can help us by their prayers, who will deny that they can help us in Heaven, where they are released from the imprisonment of the body, and possess the fulness of knowledge and charity 1 And in fine, if- it is lawful and profitable to pray to the angels and saints, is it not equally lawful and much more profitable to pray to her who is so far above them all in dignity and grace ? His Lordship ended this part of his discourse by an appeal to common sense so convincing, that it seemed to render all that he had said superfluous and unnecessary. He asked if the Blessed Virgin was not at liberty to do, and if we could be wrong in asking her to do, what we do every day ourselves. We pray every day for ourselves, and who will say that the petitions we offer up on our own behalf are liot equally powerful when offered up on behalf of our friends % Is these such an essential difference between the two acts that, though one is strictly commanded as lawful and necessary, the other must be strictly forbidden as useless and wicked 1 } Neither reason nor religion recognises such a difference. On the contrary, each gives its sanction to that instinct of our nature by which we are urged to pray as fervently fox the safety and welfare of those who are dear to us as we should do for our own. In support of the inference which is here obvious, ho mentioned the marriage feast of Cana to show that the Blessed Virgin, while on earth, employed her iufluence with her Divine Son on behalf of her fellow creatures. The remainder of the discourse was taken up with proving, from the direct testimony of the Scriptures, the dignity to which the Blessed Virgin was raised and the honor she accordingly deserves. The words of Hstonishment uttered by the great archangel who was sent to her as the ambassador of heaven ; the humility and joyful surprise expressed by the aged and venerable Elizabeth when she received her visit, and cried out, in a moment of inspiration, " Whence is this .to me, that the Mother of my Lord slmuld come to me j" the I prophecy of the Blessed Virgin herself, when she declared that all nations should call her blessed ; all this was brought forward, and was made use of in a masterly and convincing way to prove the dignity of the Mother of God, the reverence that is her due, and the lawfulness of requesting her intercession. Altogether the discourse was most admirable and interesting, and was lister ed to with the attention-it deserved. Its merit may be judged when it is saiA that it was specially distinguished for that singular clearness and force which mark all Dr. Moran's discourses. This must have been recognised and will be acknowledged by all. But it must have possessed another merit in the eyes of those, if there were such present, who differed with him in creed. Though it had referenoe exclusively to a most delicate matter of dispute between Catholics and Protestants, it did not contain the least allusion to which anyone could take objection. If Dr. Moran did apt succeed in convincing every one of his audience, he can say at least that he did not utter a word to hurt the feelings or insult the opinions of the most sensitive.

Collections were made on Good Friday for our Holy Father the Pope as folW :— Dunedin £35, Taieri £6, Wellington £21, Blenheim and Picton £10, Napier £7 10s. Some smaller sums were collected in other places. We have not beer, as yet able to ascertain the amounts of the collections in all the congregations. Bedford House has been taken down, the adjoining houses on Corporation property are being removed, and soon the sole remaining port of the crown of Bell Hill will be a thing of the past. The sections that will be reclaimed wtth the material from the hill and the silt raised by the dredges, will in the keen competition for business sites without question realise enormous prices — probably such as land hem never yet brought in Dunedin. BmiDiKa SocißTrßS.— The eixth annual meeting of the Otago Standa-d Investment Society was held on the 22nd instant— Mr Thomas Dick, the President, in the chair. Mr Dick said that it was again the pleasing duty of the Directors to inform the shareholders of the prosperous and satisfactory condition of the Society. Ever since the Society was first started, the profits had been fully as much as was anticipated, and the Dir«ctors haJ always been able to declare a dividend of 10 per cent, and something more. In the report there would be seen a proposal tor the reduction of the rate of interest chargeable to borrowers, and perhaps the best way in which this question might be brought to a satisfactory adjustment would be to appoint a committee of shareholders to act in conjunction with the Directors, or a committee of shareholders alone, to;report to a special meeting to be thereafter convened for such purpose. Messrs Hislop and Bagley, the retiring direotors, and Mr A. H. Shury, the retiring auditor, were unanimously re-elected. In bringing forward the matter of the reduction of the rate of interest chargeable by the Society to borrowers, Mr Dick said he wished it to be understood that the alteration would not affect those shareholders who hud joined previously, but only those who might hereafter ioin the Society. It was his opinion, and that of the Directors, that such a change was necessary, as money had greatly decreased in value of late, nnd if such reductions were made it would greatly increase and enlarge the transactions of the Society ; but, if they meant to do anything in the matter at all, they should do it immediately, so as to reap all the advantages of being first in tbe field. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr John9tone, that a committee of four shareholders be appointed to consult with the directors and report to a future meeting ; the committee to conast of Messrs N. T. A. Wales, J. M. Brown, A. Thomson, and - — ■ Johnston. Some idea may be formed of the social importance of Mutual Investment Societies, the Wellington * Independent ' observes, when it is learned that Class No. 1, the business of which will be finally dosed in a few weeki, will have to pay something like £100.000 to the shareholders. A special artist from the ' Illustrated London News ' ig to visit New Zealand during the year. Lottie takes her flying leap at Christchurch nightly. Canon O'Heilly is appointed Bishop of Liverpool, in place of the late Right Rev. Dr Goss. Dr Bede Vaughan is selected us coadjutor, with the right of succession to the Archbishopric of Sydney. " The only one-legged trapezian in the world" is announced to be performing " his daring Niagara leap " at Christchurch. An entertainment was given at Christcburch on the evening of the 2lst instant by the members of the Gt Dramatic Society in aid of the funds of the church. We learn from the ' Press ' that the entertainment was very successful. The programme comprised|several tocul and instrumental pieces, and conoluded with the farce of Borabastes Funoso, a piece which from time immemorial has been looked upon as the exclusive property of amateurs. The characters were sustained by the members of the society very creditably. The following important commercial telegram has been received from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency of London by the Manager at Christchurch : — " London, April sth, 1873. Wool. Next sales will commence on 24th inst. Up to date 133,000 bales have arrived ; greasy, market firmer. Tallow, there is a fair trade demand; mutton, £44; beef, £42. Leather.— Since last report 27,000 sides Australian have been sold. Best sides showed a decline fd on previous sales ; others in proportion. New Zealand hemp. Market flat, and prices have fallen £4 per ton since last report. There are no candidates for the Colonial Scholarships from Otsgo this year. Significant that. Where are our highly-subsidised educational institutions ? and where our perfect system ? The Canterbury membe/s of the Assembly have had made for presentation to Lady Bowen a handsome and costly gift, consisting of a silver casket containing a diamond and sapphire cross of great beauty, in recognition of the kindly and grateful hospitality so freely accorded tp them while her ladyship presided at Government Houbo.

On the congregation assembling at St. Michael's Church, Waime» West, on Sunday, March 30th, it was found that six of the windows of the building, including a large stained glass window over the altar piece, had been smashed during the preceding night. The scoundrel who committed the outrage must have wounded htmself, as marks of blood were discovered on the broken windows. A reward of £30 is offered for the discovery of the culprit. The New Zealand Shipping Co.'s London Agent liaß commenced operations by by entering into an arrangement with the Agent-General for the conveyance of immigrants and cargo to Lyttelton. The first ship is to bo despatched in May. The * Press' congratulates the company upon iheir very promising beginning. No less than three sudden deaths occurred at Christchurch on the 21st inst. A grand concert in aid of the funds of the Hibernian Australian CalLtihc Benefit Society is to be given at the Head Quarters Drill Shed, Octagon, on the 26th iiist. There is to be a brilliant and varied programme for the occasion. Operatic and ballad concerts are being given in the Masonic Hall by Mias Carrie Emanuel and Mr Alfred Anderson, who are very highly spoken of. Mias Emauuel and Mr Anderson will be assisted by Mr M. Winter, a tenor singer, whoie efforts are also very favorably spoken of. In next week's number we hope to be able to give a critique on their concerts. 1-eucATiOK Board.— An adjourned meeting of the Education Board was held on Tuesday. The Board having considered those portions of the Inspector's report, which relate to school reading boolrß and to Bible reading and religious instruction in schools, resolve that the schoolmasters and other teachers in the public schools be enjoined to adhere strictly to the following regulations — (1.) The use of the following mentioned school books shall be discontinued in the public schools of the Province, as soon as a sufficient supply of the books mentioned in regulation No. 2 can be obtained to replace them, viz., the " Progressive Lessons," the " Advanced Reader," and the " History of the British Empire" of the " Progressive Series," published by Messrs W. Collins, Sons, and Co. ; Contie's " Word Expositor ; " and White's " History of Great Britian and Irelau-1." (2.) The following mentioned books only shall be used as English reading books in the public schools after the first day of April, 1874, viz. : — " The Royal School Primer," and numbers 1, 2, 3,4,5, and 6 of the "Royal Readers," published by Messrs T. Nelson and Sons; the illustrated editions of "My First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Books," published by Messrs W. Collins Sons, and Co. ; and Dr Collier's histories of the " British Empire ; " but a teacher desirous of intro-" ducing any reading book or books, in addition to the books above mentioned' may obtnin permission to do so on satisfying the Board that the use of such book or books in the school is desirable and proper. (3.) The teacher (or the head master, if there be more than one teacher) of every public school shall be at liberty to use in his school such of the reading books and histories specified in Regulation No. 2, and such text-book* of arithmetic, grammar, geography, and other secular subjecte as he shall think most advisable, provided that such text-books shall contain no lessons or expressions calculated to give reasonable ground of offence to the members of any religious denomination ; but, while taking care not to deprive his pupils of any of the advantages which a judicious use of suitable text-bocks is calculated to yield, the teacher shall take all possible care, consistently with the efficiency of his school, that the purchase of lesson-books do not become too burdensome to parents of moderate means. He shall also avoid as much as possible the unnecessary change of text-bookß, and especially the introduction, without good cause, of such as are not in common use in the Province. (4.) Schoolmasters and other teachers employed under the Board shall adhere strictly to the terms of the Education Ordinance, 1864, in regard to the reading of the Bible and religious instruction ; they shall take care that both parents and children bo informed that attendance at such reading or instruction is optional, and they shall avoid, in the course of the ordinary school instruction, the use of any words or expressions calculated to give reasonable ground of offence to the members of any religious denomination. (5 ) The time for the reading of the Bible shall be positively fixed to take place at the opening or the closing of the school j the time so fixed sha 1 be rigidly adhered to, and a notice of the time for such reading shall be conspicuously put up in every classToom. (6.) No religious catechism or religious formulary, which is distinctive of any particular denomination or sect, shall be taught during tho school houra in any school connected with the Board.— -It was further resolved that a copy of the foregoing resolutions be forwarded to the school committees and school teachers. Pere Ilyacinthe, according t® last accounts, has been figuring among the French Evangelicals in Paris.

The question of laying down tramways in the streets of Dunedin is now under the consideration of a -ommittee of the City Council, and will come before the Council at i«s neit meeting. No" doubt some application will be grauted, and we hope in the interests of the citizens that the work will be taken up and carried oti to a successful execution by local men of undoubted stability. Naturally such men Would feel a greater interest in our Street tramways, and work them more advantageously than non-residents would. The profits on such lines appear to be enormous »verywhere, and we hope that those investing their money will secure reasonible interest, and that the Corporation will have excellent royalties. To judge from extracts •which we have read, there can be no doubt that the street tramways •will not only pay, but pay well, and in these days when money goes a-begging for employment, the Corporation sliould see that iv a perfectly »afe investment too large a percentage be not allowed. A purchasing clause stipulating a price might be inserted in the agreements, so that the shares would not, as in the case of the Water Works Co., acquire an artificial value by the Corporation purchasing the tramways The Water Works negotiations should serve as a lesson to the Council in dealing with the tramway question* They should know what they ■would have to guard against in endeavoring to place themselves in a good position in making future negotiations for tramway purchases. The Council now administers with great economy, and why could it not borrow at 6 per cent, and build tramways itself ? Then they would be under the direct control of the citizens. That is an aspect of the question which perhaps is worthy of some consideration. The same question is now being paid attention to in Wellington and Auckland } aud, we believe, in Christchurch. Oufi i3chool3. — The number of children attending the Nuns' schools, Duuedin, is 160. The number attending the boys' school is 80. In Wellington there is, as well as the Cathedral, another church, that of the Nativity, Manners street, and commonly known as Father O'Eeilly's. The present church, which 13 about to be replaced by a new one, has been shifted, in its position, and converted into a school for boys. Owing to the indefatigable exertions of the Key. Wm. Cummins, S.M , two schools have been recently established in Te A.ro, Wellington city. They are attended by 131 children, only seven of whom had been attending a Catholic school previously. The girls' school is coud icted by the nuns, who come every morning from the convent, a distance of over a mile. The boys' school is held in the old chapel before referred to, and the master is an experienced certificated teacher of the National Board of Ireland. The number of pupils, 131, namely, 65 boys and 66 girls, is the actuil daily attendance. At the Cathedral there are two schools, one for boys and the other for girls. At the boys' school, tlie attendance is from 70 to 80. The girls' school is conducted by the nnns, as also is the Providence of St. Joseph, an institution which is principally intended for children of the Native race ; and these two have a total attendance of about 60. By the last census, the Catholic population of the city of Wellington was 800 ; it may be probably 1,000 now. The laity of Wellington, we understand, contribute-very generously to the support of these schools, which are entirely denominational, and which depend for their support wholly upon voluntary efforts, reeehing no aid from the Government, except in regard to the Native children in the Providence of St. Joseph's. In the town of N«lson, the Catholics have excellent boarding and day schools Those for girls are conducted by the nuns, and those for boys by a master and assistant master, under the superintendence of the Rev. Father Gamn, who has been, for more than 20 years, a very apostle of education in Nelson. These schools have a daily average attendance of 200. W o shall in future issues continue our notices of Catholic schools throughout the Colony. What would strike a stranger on arriving at any town of South New Zealand, especially in Dunedin, is the unprecedented activity in the building line. Cottages are springing up almost by magic in every direction, and house rent, notwithstanding, is very dear. In business places of late, Mr Wilson's wholesale store, corner of Jetty and Bond streets, may be noticed ns just complete I ; buildings for Messrs McKerras and Co. are going up adjoining .it in Bond street ; ihe Union Bank is about to erect a palatial structure next to Messrs Briscoe's, Princes street 3 the Daily Times and Witness Company is erecting a substantial newspaper office in Rattray street, near the Hailway Station ; Messrs Q-. G. Russell and Co. are commencing to put up a large building at the corner of Crawford, Bond, and Water streets; Messrs Gilchrist, Munro, and Coventry are erecting prbmises on the scene of the last Q-eorge street fire ; some fine shops have been lately erected further dowu George street ; Mr Wilson hai almost re-erected afresh the buildings on his premises, the Otago Foundry, and now Messrs Reid and Gray are erecting buildings for a new foundry in Princes street south, at which, it may be mentioned in passing, a steam hammer is to bo employed ; Mr Peterson is putting ' . ' >■ ' c ";■ - ' -Vi h n^-it in Walker street, on the s^e of tha

well-known shop of Mr 1 Blyth, lately pulled down; and Mr Scania^ has built a fine" business premises next to Mrs Mcllroy's GVidiron Hotel. Extensive improvements at Messrs Guthrie and Asher's timber yard, Princes street south —perhaps the first timber yard spanned by a roof' in the Colony— We been in progress for a long time, and if not actually completed now, afe nearly so. All the buildings enumerated are either of brick or stone, and those which are being built adjoining wooden erections cause one to make comparisons anything but flattering to the old style of wooion " edifice " in ; Dunedin. We may mention, in regard to the factory of Messrs Gibbs and Clayton, burneJ down not long ago, that it has already been rebuilt of wood and iron, the machinery has been fitted up, and work has been just recommenced; also, that the walls of the Princess Theatre, a wood and iron building, are being raised ten feet, to permit of the ceiling being rwsod correspondingly. Mr Carroll, of the Hibernian Hotel, is about to replace the present wooden building with a three-story brick etructure, which is not only to cover the present site, but also the vacant ground adjoining. Building is being pro* ceeded with extensively" at Christchurch. A Wanganui paper states that houses are still very scarce in Wellington, and considerable inconvenience is experienced by those of the inhabitants who seek a change of residence, either from inclination or on account of the receipt of that unwelcome missive— the notice to quit. £50 to £60 a year is the average rental for a six-roomed house ; aud according to the ' Independent,' Wellington "is so prosperous just now, and her population is increasing so rapidly, that the most wretched hovel can command a tenant." Special Conditions — The ' Daily Times,' in its Thursday morning's issue, for its spirited action in culling attention to a sale df valuable land with certain " special conditions," is deserving of the best thanks of the community. Noticing the fact of some very valuable sections, now being reclaimed from the harbor, being offered for sale by auction, the 'Times' says: — "It has probably occurred to many of those who noticed the advertisement that the G-overnment, being somewhat sceptical as to the curreut high prices of town lands being maintained, wore anxious to take advantage of a good market whilst it should last, and had therefore thrust these sections into the market in a hurry. We thought so too uutil wo ascertained the ' special conditions ' which are to be attached to the sale. Since we became acquainted witj. these, wo have come to the conclusion that instead of being over-anxious to catch the tide of a rising market, the Government are very desirous of sacrifising a property of great value, and which has been created at great expense, in order that certain individuals whom they desire to favor may bo gainers by the sacrifice Here is No. 5 of the Conditions of Sale : ' Each purchaser shall, within 18 months from the day of sale, ereot and place upon the land purchased by him buildings and machinery or plant for purposes of manufactures, of the value of two thousand pounds, for each and every half acre of land so purchased. He shall also, within the said period, undertake to engage five apprentices to such trade as he may follow, for each and every quarter acre of land so purcha s ed.' Wondering what scheme the Government had in the wind when they concocted this unique set of condition for the- aale of town sections, we made such inquiry as time permitted. All wo can learn is that a firm of |houfounders has expressed its desire to get premises accessible fr»m the water, and has designated a part of this reclamation as a spot which wouM be suitable if the Government would but cut a channe where hiinerto it has been piling up mud. If special industries are to be fostered at a great expense to the public, would it not be better that that should bo done openly, and above-board ? The condition of sale we have quoted will shut out a large mujority of those who would have been disposed to be purchasers to-day. It is utterly improbable that anything like the cost of reclamation and chaunel together will be offered for the sections under these conditions of sale. Although it is later than the eleventh hour, we would strongly urge the Government to postpone tiiis bale."