CHAPTER IV
I
It was a great day for Philadelphia when the Continental Congress wentto Mass. It was Independence Day, too, but this was of lesser importancein the estimation of the people, especially of the Catholic portion ofthem. Fully a quarter before the hour, the bell began to sound and thestreets became like so many avenues of commerce with people standing indoorways, or leaning from their windows, or hurrying with feverish hastein the direction of the New Chapel of St. Mary's, the parish church ofthe city. There a number of them congregated in twos or threes to awaitthe procession of notables, who would soon approach with great solemnityand dignity from the opposite corner of the street.
The celebration came about in this manner:
It was the desire of M. Gerard, the Minister Plenipotentiary of France,to commemorate the anniversary day of the Independence of the UnitedStates in a religious manner. Arrangements already had been made to holdDivine worship earlier in the morning at Christ Church, at which theguests of honor were invited to be present. At twelve o'clock thecongregation would march to the Church of St. Mary, where a militaryMass and a solemn Te Deum would be sung. The Reverend Seraphin Bandol,chaplain to the French Embassy, would celebrate the Mass and deliver asermon appropriate to the occasion.
It had been fondly expected that the event would assume an internationaltone. Events had been moving with extraordinary rapidity towards theestablishment of the Roman Catholic religion in the graces of thegovernment, and this celebration might demonstrate the patriotic motivesof the Catholic body beyond the shadow of a doubt. That a Congress,which of late had condemned in the strongest terms the practices of theRoman Catholic religion, could change in sentiment and action in soshort a time, would be an unequivocal proof of the countenance and goodwill which the Catholic religion was beginning to acquire. At any ratethe example set by the governing body of the new republic attending Massin a Roman Catholic edifice, offering up their devout orisons in thelanguage, service and worship of Rome, would be a memorable one, anaugury of the new spirit of religious freedom which later would bebreathed into the Constitution of these same States by these same men.
Precisely at ten minutes before the hour they came, walking in pairs,headed by John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress, andHis Excellency M. Gerard, the French Ambassador. Immediately after theCongress, marched the Supreme Executive Council of Philadelphia withJoseph Reed at its head. Then came the French Embassy, resplendent inits dress of blue and gold. Prominent civilians, military officers, menof repute in city and nation, followed slowly along the crowdedthoroughfare and as slowly made their way into the small edifice.General Washington was not present, having been prevented by duty in thefield.
Within, the little church murmured with low talking. Ordinarily, thecongregation would have been absorbed in silent contemplation before thePresence of the Divine One, but the impressiveness of the occasion madethe people depart from their usual fervor. The little church was onlypartly filled when the great procession arrived and every headinstinctively turned in the direction of the entrance at the sound oftheir many footsteps. As they marched down the aisle every breath washeld; then as they began to file into the pews reserved for them, thesubdued murmur began again.
Marjorie and her father sat to the rear of the church in the company ofthe early arrivals. In fact the entire Allison family occupied the samepew, pressed, indeed, for room on account of the multitude which crowdedits way into the church and into the small aisles. Round about them onevery side sat the congregation, some of whom were already familiar tothem, the majority of whom, however, were total strangers. From theirappearance and demeanor it was not difficult to conclude, Marjoriethought, that more than one-half of them were non-Catholic.
The inside of the church was adorned in splendid array with the emblemsof France and the United States. In the sanctuary, on each side of thealtar, stood two large flags of the allied nations, while across thechoir gallery in the rear of the church, there stretched in festoons,the colors of the infant republic superimposed in the middle by a shieldbearing the likeness of Louis XVI. On the altar bloomed a variety of cutflowers, arranged in an artistic and fanciful manner on the steps of thereredos amidst a great profusion of white unlighted candles. The threehighest candlesticks on each side had been lighted, and the littletongues of living flame were leaping from them joyfully. Over thetabernacle a large crucifix raised aloft, while just before the door ofthe tabernacle rested the chalice with its white veil, arranged in theform of a truncated triangle, shielding it from view.
For several minutes after the honorable body had been seated there was aconfusion of feet and forms as the members of the congregation surgedinto the church. The pews filled quickly, and the more tardy and lessfortunate individuals sought places along the aisles and along the rear.Overhead the small organ gasped and panted the strains of a martial air,the uneven throbbing of its bellows emphasizing the fatigue andexhaustion of its faithful operator.
"Is that the French Ambassador?" whispered Marjorie to her father.
"With the brocade and lace. Yes. Next to him is Mr. Hancock, Presidentof the Congress."
She looked and saw the noble head and dignified bearing of thestatesman. He sat very erect and majestic, presenting an appearance oftaste and refinement in his suit of silken black.
"There is Mr. Adams, John Adams, with the great powdered periwig. Thetall thin man seated at his right is Thomas Jefferson, who wrote theDeclaration. He is, without doubt, the scholar of the Congress."
Marjorie followed his whispering with evident interest. Never had shebeen in the company of such notable men.
"Who is that? See! He is turning sideways."
"Livingston. Robert Livingston. Then the great Robert Morris, whosefinancial aid made possible the continuance of the war. His personalsacrifice for the cause of independence will never be computed. He isWashington's best friend."
She peered through the crowd to catch a glimpse of the famous financier.
"Do not overlook our staunch Catholic member of the Congress, CharlesCarroll. Lest he might be mistaken for any other man of the same name hemade bold to affix after his name on the Declaration of Independence,'of Carrollton.' A representative Catholic and a true patriot!"
She recalled this, having seen the name of "Charles Carroll ofCarrollton" on the printed copy of the Declaration.
Mr. Allison again nudged his daughter with his elbow to attract herattention.
"Can you see that elderly man with the sharp-pointed features overacross?" he asked.
She looked in the direction indicated but did not seem to be able tolocate him.
"The second pew, third man from the aisle."
"Yes! Yes!" she exclaimed.
"That is Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, the author of the resolution'That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free andindependent States.' That paved the way for the drawing up of theDeclaration."
The makers of history were before her, and her eyes danced at theirsober and grave demeanor. Here sat the Congress, not all of it, but agoodly portion of it, which had voted unanimously in favor of completeseparation from the mother country. Here were those very men who hadrisked their all, their fortunes, their homes, their lives for theircountry's cause. Here they now assembled, visibly burdened with thecares and the apprehensions of the past few years, still uncertain ofthe future, but steadfastly determined to endure to the bitter end,either to hang together or to rise to glorious triumphs together. Andhere they sat or knelt in the temple of God to rededicate their fortunesto Him, to accept from His hands the effects of His judgments, but atthe same time to implore Him to look with favor upon their efforts andto render possible of realization those desires which were uppermost intheir hearts. Marjorie thought that they could not, they must not fail,they, who were animated by such sincere devotion and by such sentimentsof genuine piety.
"Mr. Franklin isn't here?" she whispered.
"No," he softly answere
d. "I think he has not returned from France. Hewas there, you know, when the Alliance was concluded. Lafayette onlyjoined Washington last month. Did you know that he brought with him acommission from the French King to General Washington, appointing himLieutenant-General in the French army and Vice-Admiral of its navy?"
"No. I did not hear of it."
"I suppose Franklin is still over there. He would be here, although hehimself is an atheist. He believes in no form of religious worship. Ishould not say that he is an atheist for he does believe in One God, butthat is about all."
The murmur about the little church began to die away. Still the surgingat the door continued until it seemed as if the small building wouldburst its sides with its great burden.
The tinkle of a little bell sounding from the door leading from thesanctuary announced that the Mass was about to begin. On the instant thecongregation rose and remained standing until Father Bandol, precededby the altar boys, had reached the foot of the altar and made thegenuflection.
II
High up in the gallery the choir broke into the strains of the "Kyrie"of the Mass, while the priest in a profound bow before the altar madehis confession of sins. Marjorie took out her prayer-book and began tofollow the Mass, meditating upon the mysteries of Our Lord's life ascommemorated in the Holy Sacrifice.
Ascending the altar, the priest passed at once to the right hand sidewhere lay the Mass-Book, from which he read the Introit. He returned tothe center and chanted in soft clear tones the "Gloria in Excelsis," thehymn of praise which the angels sang for the first time on Christmasnight when Christ, the Lord, was born. This was taken up immediately bythe choir. Meanwhile the congregation were seated during the singing ofthis hymn of praise to the Most High.
The prayers of the Mass, prayers for our rulers, prayers for peace weresung by the celebrant, the people kneeling in an attitude of prayerwhile their priest interceded to God in their behalf. Having finishedthe prayers for the people a Lesson from one of St. Paul's Epistles wasread, after which the priest passed to the left side of the altar tosing a passage from the Gospel. The people now stood to profess theirbelief in the faith and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Marjorie and her father and mother recollected themselves quite duringthese solemn moments and no syllable of communication passed betweenthem, all assisting at the service with prayer-books or beads,following every movement of the priest intelligently and with devotion.
The congregation were permitted to sit while the celebrant of the Massoffered the materials for the sacrifice, unleavened bread and the purejuice of the grape, to Almighty God, to adore Him above all otherthings, to thank Him for all the graces and blessings bestowed by Him onmankind, to satisfy His justice for the sins of man and to implore Himfor whatever favors He might deign to bestow.
Soon the voice of Father Bandol resounded through the church with theopening tones of the Preface of the Mass, the responses to which weremade by the members of the choir. Slowly and solemnly he chanted thenotes of praise, ending with the "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts."A sound from the bell gave the warning that the awful moment was aboutto arrive, the moment when the ambassador of Christ would exercise thepower communicated to him from Jesus Himself through the Twelve andtheir successors, the power of changing the substance of bread and wineinto the substance of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
The people bent forward in an attitude of humble adoration. Marjorieburied her face in her hands on the top of the forward pew, pouring outher heart in praise and thanksgiving to her God and Master. In profoundreverence she remained while the priest pronounced the mystical words"Hoc est enim corpus meum" over the species and effected the mystery ofmysteries, the translation of Christ's Mystical Body to the elements ofthe earth, in the transubstantiation of the Mass. Now Her Lord waspresent before her; now the Divinity of His Person was but a few feetaway, clothed, not in flesh and blood, but under the appearances ofbread and wine; now Her Creator was with her, lying on the whitecorporal of the altar and she poured forth her soul to Him in accents ofadoration and supplication.
"O my God!" she breathed. "I adore Thee through Jesus; I beg pardonthrough Jesus; I thank Thee through Jesus; I humbly ask every blessingand grace through Jesus. May I lead a holy life and die a good death. MyJesus! mercy! My Jesus! mercy! My Jesus! mercy!"
The prayers for the dead were read and the Pater Noster was chanted. Asignal from the bell announced that the priest's communion was about totake place and that the distribution of the Sacred Body would be made toas many as desired to partake of it. It was Sunday and the majority ofthe Catholics present had been in attendance at an earlier Mass, onwhich account there were no communicants at this later one. The closingceremonies were concluded with the reading of the Gospel of St. John,when Father Bandol turned towards the congregation to begin his address.Every member present sat upright in his seat and awaited the messagewhich was about to fall from the lips of the priest.
III
"My dear brethren," he said, "we are assembled to celebrate theanniversary of that day which Providence had marked, in His eternaldecrees, to become the epoch of liberty and independence to the thirteenUnited States of America."
There was a silence throughout the church which was breathless. Everyeye was focused on the vested form before the altar.
"That Being whose almighty hand holds all existence beneath its dominionundoubtedly produces in the depths of His wisdom those great eventswhich astonish the world and of which the most presumptuous, thoughinstrumental in accomplishing them, dare not attribute to themselves themerit. But the finger of God is still more peculiarly evidenced in thathappy, that glorious revolution which calls forth this day's festivity.He hath struck the oppressors of a free people--free and peaceful, withthe spirit of delusion which renders the wicked artificers of their ownproper misfortunes.
"Permit me, my dear brethren, citizens of the United States, to addressyou on this occasion. It is that God, that all powerful God, who hathdirected your steps; who, when you were without arms fought for you thesword of justice; who, when you were in adversity, poured into yourhearts the spirit of courage, of wisdom, and fortitude, and who hath, atlength, raised up for your support a youthful sovereign whose virtuesbless and adorn a sensible, a fruitful and a generous nation."
The French Ambassador bowed his head in profound acquiescence.
"This nation hath blended her interest with your interest and hersentiments with yours. She participates in all your joys, and this dayunites her voice to yours at the foot of the altars of the eternal Godto celebrate that glorious revolution which has placed the sons ofAmerica among the free and independent nations of the earth.
"We have nothing now to apprehend but the anger of Heaven, or that themeasure of our guilt should exceed His mercy. Let us then prostrateourselves at the feet of the immortal God, who holds the fate of empiresin His hands, and raises them up at His pleasure, or breaks them down todust. Let us conjure Him to enlighten our enemies, and to dispose theirhearts to enjoy that tranquillity and happiness which the Revolution wenow celebrate has established for a great part of the human race. Let usimplore Him to conduct us by that way which His Providence has markedout for arriving at so desirable an end. Let us offer unto Him heartsimbued with sentiments of respect, consecrated by religion, humanity andpatriotism. Never is the august ministry of His altars more acceptableto His Divine Majesty than when it lays at His feet homages, offeringsand vows, so pure, so worthy the common offerings of mankind.
"God will not regret our joy, for He is the author of it; nor will Heforget our prayers, for they ask but the fulfillment of the decrees Hehas manifested. Filled with this spirit, let us, in concert with oneanother, raise our hearts to the Eternal; let us implore His infinitemercy to be pleased to inspire the rulers of both nations with thewisdom and force necessary to perfect what He hath begun. Let us, in aword, unite our voices to beseech Him to dispense His blessings upon thecounsels and the arms of the allies and that we may soon enjoy t
hesweets of a peace which will soon cement the Union and establish theprosperity of the two empires."
The same religious silence prevailed; indeed there sat many in the sameimmovable posture. But it was evident that the words were being receivedwith pleasure and satisfaction. Signs of approval appeared on everyface.
"It is with this view," the priest concluded, "that we shall cause thatcanticle to be chanted, which the custom of the Catholic Church hathconsecrated, to be at once a testimonial of public joy, a thanksgivingfor benefits received from heaven, and a prayer for the continuance ofits mercies."
IV
He had done. As he stepped to the floor of the sanctuary and took hisstand before the center of the altar a pronounced disturbance,accompanied by much coughing, made itself manifest. This was followed bya great rumble as the entire congregation rose to its feet to await theintonation of the Te Deum.
Pleasant and sweet rose Father Bandol's voice above the rustling in theopening notes of that most majestic of all hymns of praise:
"Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur."
And immediately the vast throng took up the melody and therereverberated throughout the church, escaping through the open doors andwindows, across the streets and over the roof-tops, up to the topmostregions of the heavens, to the very gates of heaven itself, the strainsof the Ambrosian hymn of thanksgiving and praise which the members ofthe American Congress sang to the God of Nations and of Battles in thelittle chapel of St. Mary's on the anniversary day of the signing of thegreatest exposition of a freeman's rights ever penned by the hand ofman.
The Loyalist Page 24