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8 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA were sprinkled, and the holy water scattered to the north, east, south and west. The blessing of the church having been com pleted, the clergy went in procession for the relics, two torch-bearers walking before the bishop and the crucifix and incense being carried. On returning to the front door of the church, the door was anointed with holy chrism in the form of a cross and the relics were carried in to the altar, while an antiphon was intoned. The sepulchre of the altar was anointed and the relics placed within it and sealed, with ce ment, previously blessed. Five crosses were marked upon the altar, which was sprinkled with holy water, and five crosses of incense in the form of grains were laid upon the places on which the five crosses had previously been traced. Over each cross of incense a thin wax taper in the form of a cross was placed and lighted. This ceremonial with the accompanying prayers concluded the service of consecration. The new altar cloths, vases and ornaments were blessed by the bishop and the church prepared for the pon tifical mass. For the consecration service Father Dan McCarthy, of Savannah, acted as deacon, and Father E. M. Walsh, of Albany, as subdeacon. The master of cere monies was Father Leo M. Keenan, of Savannah. The assistant priests were Very Rev. Joseph D. Mitchell, Savannah; Father P. A. Ryan, S. J., of Augusta, and Father Wilkinson, S. J., of Macon. Those who served as ushers at the mass were: C. A. McCarthy, M. C. McCarthy, A. J. Possar, N. T. Stafford, W. J. Bremer, R. J. Warrick, R. W. Doyle, Andrew McC. Doyle, Walter Powers, Joseph Cor coran, D. J. Sheehan, T. J. Sheehan, L. J. Wilkinson, James R. Gallagher, Lloyd Sanders and L. C. Burns. In the choir were the following: A. J. Handiboe, H. E. Worthman, T. A. Waters, John Y. Dyer, W. T. Clower, J. P. Deacy, E. J. Cronin, J. A. Spellman, J. L. McDonough, J. B. Piechocinski, Desmond O’Dris coll, W. J. McGuire, E. Prendegast, Charles Passier, F. X. Beytagh, J. B. Smith, J. A. Doyle, Jr., J. H. Heagarty, T. A. McQuade, T. L. McCarthy, Dr. Everett Bishop and the Marist Brothers. THE CONSECRATION OF THE SACRED HEART CHURCH, ATLANTA EXPLANATION OF THE SYMBOLISM OF THE ANCIENT CEREMONIES AND SACRAMENTALS OF A CONSECRATION. June 9th was a red-letter day in the annals of the Sacred Heart Church Parish, for it saw the solemn consecration of the church. A successful drive, launched by the Pastor, the Rev. P. McOscar, S. M., and generously seconded by the faithful, had pre viously wiped out the debt. The Right Reverend E. P. Allen, D. D., Bishop of Mobile, Ala., performed the impressive ceremonies of the consecration, where by the church has truly become a Catholic House of Divine worship, never to be sold or used for any other purpose. To a casual onlooker, these ceremonies may ap pear almost superfluous, but here, as in all other ceremonies, there is a deep and beautiful meaning or symbolism, full of instruction for every Catholic. This symbolism, which is manifold, may best be brought out under its different aspects by considering the several reasons for which churches are conse crated. Why Consecration? Churches are consecrated, first, to make them sacred and holy; second, to show the state of the whole Church; third, to remind us of our baptism. Whilst churches were consecrated in the very first century of the Christian Era, the present rite comes down to us from the fourth century. 1. The first reason, then, why churches are con secrated is to make them sacred, fit places for divine worship, free from all secular use and profanation. Men must be made aware by some exterior rites that such or such a place has been reserved, set aside for the worship of the Almighty. Since, then, it is dedi cated to Christ, the God Man, His standard, viz., the cross, is painted or nailed on the walls, whereby they become, as it were, stamped with His seal. And be cause it must be not a profane and common house, but sacred and the palace of the King of Kings, it is anointed with Holy Oil. For as oil was the noblest and most penetrating fluid known at the time, it is the fittest and most appropriate symbol of consecra tion. Again, since the building is destined as the place of sacrifice, prayers and the sacred functions, it is sprinkled with Holy Water, incense is burnt, can dles are lighted, the Latin and the Greek alphabets are written on the floor by the Bishop, because in those two languages only the sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God, and also because faith, the founda tion of all justice, was taught and preached by almost the entire Church in these languages at the time these ceremonies were introduced. Because men are not only taught, but also moved and stirred on to the practice of virtue and newness of life, water, ashes, salt and wine are mixed. Water represents man cold and indifferent to the service of God; ashes, penance and mortification; salt, spiritual taste and wisdom; wine, joy and fervor for the new life. Finally, as it can not be an abode for the evil spirit, God and the Saints are called upon to dwell there, the Bishop knocks three times at the door, the devil is com manded to depart, and the relics of the Saints are brought in.