'The opening last Sunday of a Catholi¢ church about eight miles east of Shanghai-was an event of no little importance to the: mission and was made the occasion of an' unusually imposing and solemn celebration. The stately dimensions of the church are: surprising for a country missionary station, and give it rank with the largest houses of-worship in China, not excluding the magnificent cathedrals of Peking and Canton.: Its exterior measurements ure 216 by 67ft. with a transept of 129ft. It is in the. Gothic style and not without architectural: slender proportions are particularly gracobeauty. The spire is not high, but ita
ful. The erection of the handsome edifice is the work of the Rev. Father Gouraud, missionary of the district, and. all. the expense is borne by his generous brother.- The ceremony of last: Sunday was performed "by Myr. Garnier, s. J., recently returned from an episcopal visitation to the northern extremity of the mission on the borders of Shantung. His Lordship was. assisted in the ceremonies by the Rev. Fathers Louail and Platel, and ten or twelve missionaries were in attendance. A large' crowd was gathered in front of the church! to receive the Bishop. He arrived late Saturday evening, in tow of a steam launch kindly placed at his disposal by Mr. Jones, of the. American Trading Ao, Sunday morning the ceremonies began with the. liturgical blessing of the church, which: lasted more than an'liour. The comparatively good weather in the rainy spell permitted of a large concourse of Christi is, who flocked into the large edifice when the doors were opened after the cere-many of the blessing. When the Mass began, at 10 o'clock, the long aisle and: spacious transept presented the appear-.. ance of a mass of human countenances:, turned intently. upon the altar. It was estimated that fully two thousand: were" resent. A Chinese: band composed of:
istians was present, and a choir missionaries rendered the solemn Te Dewmy of thanksgiving, 'The opening of such a large church' was considered no ordinary, event, and the missionaries. had arranged to have their country. France represented. M. Claudel, Consul'suppléant, represented the consulate, the. Consul-General being too indisposed to attend. Commander Texier and_fivo of his officers and four men of the Eclaireur represented France as protectress of the mission. They arrived with other gentlemen from Shanghai: in two steam launches, and they were conducted by the Rey. Fathers Rouxel and Simon.
The sermon was -preached-by -tho Revs Father Pierre, whose.sonorous. voice was. easily-heard thoughout the large edifice, and his remarks commanded-exrnest attontion. He began by briefly address: sing his felicitations to His Lordship, and. then-passed on to thank. the repre! sentatives of France, who hiad been pleased to assist on an occasion so important for the mission..He next addressed afew zealous words to his fellow missionaries and particularly to the Rev. 'Father, Gouraud,. not omitting to pay a tribute!' to the excellent family whose munificent charity the mission had experienced: in the erection of such a handsome and costly' church. Then, dropping from his mother-tongue to the language of the assembled. Christians, he congratulated them upon the spacious and. beautiful house of wars which the zeal-of their-devoted pastor' procured for them,-and exhorted them in' few brief words to respond by their: férvou and devotion—to—his- generous: efforts in this behalf.' - abie A At noon the Visitors. were entertained a! tiffin with His Lordship, andthe graceful" Isl tons of - Caudel and Commande mibmifed a -happysepint of sealed W=o% exier, with the Bishop's patriotic answars—=-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.