1 10 99 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/98f9ed01b3fc21219cf259f66d922d01.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=B5gV3RrOd3-p9FklMBvHYuWjmJZy2ONk0zCyN6dc-UafNHGqgVshTQeaIlrXCIXfvh8vNtr5ncEsoXqsJ-tY%7E85V9cctWxn2D5fKX5q9aFGMXiuLR4P%7EMuhZqfpQL61gPAlxTeRhGSQ6yPLUnSngfgqKNkkPHGr9kmgeAOOqisUGb2J%7E0guZGeEqOXYVq%7EWCY4AoDOjjFfCpaM1Pg4MIlQWuBvOf560BnAhsOq%7E8HIHFEjCLe6imUF5ve3DYk6Ya3j6rjz5RKiAPzOavl-AMxQklxRUWvK5OdceCAsc1kxs4d3f0V4LaqP3sW7ZfVD%7EBU7YfhxxLYjM8-VZHrCGZbg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 7fee72c9f161f6740e09db7019517c78 PDF Text Text A. l\1. D. G. THE vVOODSTOCK LETTERS A RECORD OF CURRENT EVENTS AND HISTORICAL NOTES CONNECTED WITH THE COLLEGES AND MISSIONS OF THE SO..::IETY OF JESUS. VOL. I. WOODSTOCK COLLEGE, 1872. Pn'nted for private circulation on!;•. ��CONTENTS. - :0:PAGE An Historical Sketch of Father Andrew ·white, S. J., the Apo tle of .Maryland Father White's Relation 1 12, 71, 145 Letter from Father Du Ranqnct to Very Rev. Father Bapst -Thunder Bay Station 25 Extract of a Letter from Father Ferard-l!anitouline, Lake H~~llita~ H Extracts of a Letter from l!r. Drummond-St. Mary's College, }!ontreal 28 Special Protection of our College and Parish during the "Chicago Fire" 30 Letter from Florissant. 38 Buffalo Mission-Letter from }[r. Gnldner 45 Letter from St. Louis 52 Letter from Father Prnchcnsky-Emigrants' Refuge Hospital, Ward's Island, N. Y. ~d 57 Letter from Central America-Corinth, Nicaragua 63 An Account of a Miraculous Cure effected at Boston, 1\fassaehusetts, by the use of the · ~ ¥Vater of Lourdes" 08 The Condition of the Province of Mexico in June, 1707 0 Fort Hill and Environs-Villa of the New York and Canada :1\Iission 87 Extract from a Letter of Father F. X. Kuppens, S. J. -Grand River, Dakota Territory 106 Letter from Father Ponziglione to Very Rev. Father O'Neil -Osage lllisslon, Neosho Co., Kansas . 111 Father J. U. Hnnipaux 122 Mission at St. Ignatius', Mountain, Adams Co., Pa. ... 127 �ii CONTENTS. PAGE Lenten Mission! by the Fathers of th e Nontiate, Frederick, Md. l~ L etter from Florissant 136 St. Joseph hears the Prayer of the Poor.-Lett er from Cincinnati 138 Extracts of Letters from Abroad.-Negaputmu, Nmuur 141 Georgetown College 156 Foundation of the College of Belen at Ha>una 163 Letter from St. Louis Father W eniuger on tlte Pacific Coast 174 181 Au Incident in the Life of Father .f eter Kenny 188 A Fa>or of our Blessed Lady 1!)1 Father ~Ialdonado 1!)4 Father Olivaiut :tnd his Companions 203 -· �WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VoL. 1, No. 1.- JANUARY, 1872. AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF FATHER ANDREW WHITE, S. ]., THE APOSTLE OF MARYLAND. Non recedet memoritL rjus, et 110men ej-us requiretur a generatione ·in gene· rationem. Eccl. ·39. 1a. I l! I I· Merry England in the days of Charles I. was not a pleasant home for Catholics who feared God more than men, and who loved their faith better than station, wealth and quiet lives. True, the old fires about the stake no longer lit up with bal eful glare the fair fields around; rarely did the rough hurdle with its load of victims wake harsh echoes as it trundled up Tyburn Hill : but cruel penal laws were vigorously enforced and the religion of Ethdred and Edward the Confessor was prescribed in the land. To understand the exact condition of Catholicity in England at this period is not an easy task, so many are the apparent contradictions found in the historical records of the time. That Catholics should feel themselves forced to go into exile, there to enjoy the rights of conscience which were denied them at home-for such was undoubtedly the impelling motive of the Maryland settlement,-and on the other hand that their influence at Court was powerful enough to secme a charter with provisions so liberal, are facts not readily reconcilable. So far as historical relics en- �2 All Historical Sketc/z of Fath~r AndrrdJ l Vlzite. able us to judge, th ei r position seems to have been somewhat the foll owing . Persecutions were so much less violent under Charles I. that his reign came to be designated "a period of mildness." This expression was applicable, however, relat ive ly only t o the harsh times o f Elizabeth and her im mediate successor, as a few extracts from contemporaneous accounts show. "From the year 16 28," says Dr. Challoner, "till 1641, I find no more blood shed for religious matters, though as to other penalties they were fre quently inflicted upon priests and other Catholi cs : in one year alone there were twe nty-six priests .seized and committed to that one prison called the Clink, to speak nothing of those that were confined elsewhere." The statutes in force, imposed a fi ne of £20 on popish rccusants fo r every month they abse nted themselves from the Protestant church . . No public office was open to them; retaining arms in thei r homes was fo rbidden; they were debarred from instituting lawsuits and no Catholic could travel five miles from home without a speci al lice nse under pain of forfeitin g all his goods. Most _ h uman of all was the law fo rbid ding a Pain pist to educate his child in his own religion, under fine of £ 10 a month if the instruction were gi\·en at horne, or of £ 100, and the incapacitation of the child from inheriting, pu rchasing or enj oyin g any lands, goods, profits a nd so forth, if the education. were conduCted abroad. On the other side, we find that wealthy Catholics gained a show of toleration by compromisi ng in the paym ent of large sums of mo ney to the kin g, who , harasse<.i ·by th ose financial di fficulties the final iss ue of which brought his head to the block, " reckoned of greater worth than their blood the money of the Papists." Under circumstances of this nature , we may concl ude that the Catholi cs of E ngla nd fou ntl little to attach th em to their native land, and unuer the tlireClion of the pi01is Sir George Calvert whose services to the crown had procu red h im exceptional favor with the reigning. monarch they cast about for an asy lum in some othe r land, where �Atz H istorical Sketch of Father Andrew White. 3 proscription for conscience mi ght cease, and the praClice of their faith be possible in peace and ·security. The beautiful country around the waters of the Chesapeake, cheering accounts of which had been brought by odd journeyers to the Vi rginia colony, invited their efforts. Sir George Calvert applied to Charles I. for a patent to establish a colony on unappropriated lands lying contiguous to the Chesapeake, a nd the king, remembering that nobleman's services to his father, and moved, perhaps, by the intercession of his pious queen Henrietta Maria, issued the desired letters, June 1632, and assigned to the land therein ceded to Lord Baltimore, th e name of Ma ryland, in honor of his queen. Sir George Calvert having died before the execution of these letters pat~nt, his son Cecil, who succeeded to his father's title and ri ghts, applied to Father-Blount, the first provincial of the English Province and to the general, Mutius Vitelleschi, for some members of the Society "to attend the Catholic planters and settle rs and to convert the native Indians." For this double objeCt so consonant with the spirit of the Society, Fr. Andrew White was direCled to accompany the Maryland pilgrims, and to him was assigned as a companion Fr. J ohn Altham. Th e wisdom of the choice which placed at the head of the mission the future Apostle of Mary land, subsequent events admirably vindicated. Fr. Andrew \Nhite was born in London about the year 1579. Of his early life, no in fo rmation has come down to us. Forced abroad by the inhuman enactments against the education of Catholic youth, he entered the celebrated college at D ouay, founded by Cardinal Allen for the instruction of priests desti ned to missionary labors in England. That his success in studies must have been remarkable, we gather from the important positions afterwards held by him in the seminaries of the Society. On his ordination, somewhat about the year 1004, he repaired to England, there to assume the perilous duties of �4 An Historical Sketch of Fatlzer Andrew Wlzite. a missionary priest. vVith zeal native to the great soul he bore, he labored for a year or two, cheered rather than deterred by the prospect of martyrdom never far removed, since by English law it was high treason in an English subject to return as a priest from beyond the seas and not conform within three days to the established church. His stay in England was not prolonged, for in 16o6 his name occurs in a" list of forty-seven priests who were from different prisons sent into perpetual exile." God denied him this happiness to which he aspired, of laying down his life in testimony of England's old faith; but while thus refusing him the honor of martyrdom, He held in reserve for his faithful servant the no less glorious labors of a singularly fruitful Apostleship. Foiled in his object of working on the English mission, Fr. White, at the age of 28, applied for admission into the Society of Jesus, and began his noviceship at Louvain on the 1st of February, 1607. Two years later, he pronounced the simple vows. " Possessed of transcendant talent," says Oliver, he was admirably fitted for the duties of a university lecturer, and he was appointed by his superiors to that office. St. Alban's Seminary at Valladolid and St. Hermenegild's at Seville had been established for the purpose of fitting out subjects for the English Province, and-in these two institutions Fr. White discharged at different periods the offices of Prefect of Studies and of lecturer in Scholastic Theology, Scripture, and Hebrew. Whether these duties just enumerated filled up the whole period of time between the close of Fr:·· White's noviceship in 1609 and the year 1619 when he was admitted to the profession of the four vows, we have no means of ascertaining. So at variance are the meagre biographies of the good father, that in one we are told that his first appearance on the English mission was after his entrance into the Society in 1607. This assertion is not admissible, for the list of banished priests, above cited, establishes the faCl: of his presence in England in the year 1606, before his entrance into the Society. �An Historical Sketc!t of Fat!ter Andrew W!tite. 5 On his return from Spain, Fr. White taught divinity first at Liege, and then at Louvain ; and in both places he won the admiration of all by the proofs he gave of rare talents and deep learning. After this we can find no traces of him in any biographical records, until he was called to attend Lord Baltimore's expedition ; and it is impossible to discover whether the order of his Provincial found him in England or on the Continent. This we know, that he joyfully obeyed the command, and in the words of the Collctlanca, S. :J., " like a giant he exulted to run his course." "On Nov. 22d, 1633, it being St. Cecilia's day, the 'Ark' and the ' Dove ' weighed anchor at Cowes in the Isle of Wight." Their hearts firm set with confidence in the proteCtion of heaven and bravely resolved to endure what perils soever awaited them, in order that they and their children might worship God in justice and in truth, the Pilgrims of Maryland began their long voyage. As the Relatio Itineris left by Fr. White informs us, many were the dangers encountered and safely passed through before the voyagers came in sight of their promised land. For a considerable time, the 'Dove,' a smaller and less sea-worthy vessel than the 'Ark' was parted from its consort and given over as lost. To the mutual joy of both crews, the pinnace rejoined the 'Ark,' before reaching land, and together the little vessels sailed up the broad waters of the noble bay and majestic river on whose banks lay the home of their adoption. " Along the Potomac, the exiles found mighty forests stretching as far as the eye could reach ; a soil, rich and fertile ;-the air balmy, although it was now in the month of March ; and they returned thanks to God for the beautiful land which he had given them, for this was Maryland." March 25, r634, Lady-day, a landing was made on an island, which the settlers called St. Clement's, most probably that now known as St. George's. " On the day of �6 An Historical Sketc!t of Fatltcr Andrew Wlzite. the Annunciation," says Fr. White, in his 'Relation' "we first offered the sacrifice of the Mass, never before done in this region of the world.* After which having raised on our shoulders an immense cross fashioned from a tree, and going in procession to the designated spot, assisted by the Governor, Commissary, and other Catholics, we ereaed the trophy of Christ, the Saviour, and humbly bent the knee in reverence during the devout recitation of the litany of the Holy Cross." Thus in humble, grateful prayer under the symbol of the Cross, on whose wood Christ died to purchase back a world given over to sin and the devil, did these pious settlers reclaim of the Son of Man's dearly bought inheritance, this portion, destined to become the cradle of a vigorous church, the whole extent of whose fruitful mission has not even yet been revealed to man. As on the voyage, so during the wearisome months of their early labors, Fr. \Vhite and his comrade Fr. John Altham encouraged the hopes 'of the colonists, kept alive their confidence in God and dispensed to them those spiritual aids which, above all else, gave them strength to sustain the hardships incident to their new position. The missionaries did not forget the second duty assigned to them by the pious Lord Baltimore, and, from the first day, they set about their apostolic labors among the Indian tribes that * Fr. 'Vhite was ignorant of the fact, little known even in our own time, that the soil of Maryland had been previously blessed by the presence of priests and rendered fruitful unto Christ by tfie shedding of their blood. In 1570, Fr. Segura, the Vice-Provincial of the Spanish Jesuits in Florida in company with seven of his subjects landed on the shore of the Chesapeake. His object was the conversion of the Indians, one of whom having been carried to Florida by Spanish merchants and having professed Christianity, had volunteered to guide the missionaries. These latter followed the traitor a journey of several months into the interior, and were at length abandoned by him in the wild forests to endure all the horrors of famine. After a time he re: turned at the head of an armed party, and ruthlessly butchered his benefactors before the rustic altar, on which they had daily offered the Holy Sacrifice for his people. �All Historical Sketch of Fatlur Audrcw ~V!tite. 7- encompassed the Colony of St. Mary's. T hanks to the spirit of cha rity and justice which pervaded Lord Baltimore's enterprise, at the very outset the I ndians we re rendered kindly disposed towards the new-comers. An exceptional case in the early settlements on the Continent, the tribes of Maryland were not driven fro m thei r lands by violence, nor we re they cheated o ut of them by fraudul ent barter. I n his earliest missions among the Indians, Fr. White depended for means of intercourse o n interprete rs from Virginia, but hi s a rdent zeal aiding hi s natura l aptitude for acquiring languages, he \\as enabled in a <>hort time to master sufficiently the diale& of the country, although these were singularly numerous and varied. So familiar did Fr. Wh ite become with the Indian langu age, that he composed during his stay in Maryland, a g ra mmar, a diCtio nary, and a catechism in the native tongue. He found time also to write a Relation of the Voyage from · Eugla11d, and a small history of the Maryland Colony. One of the earliest exc ursions undertaken by him was to the Patuxents, ·a very powerful nation, whose ch ief exercised remarkable influence over the neighboring tribes. The king of the Patuxents at first showed himself disposed to ad mit the instruCtio n of th e missionary, wh o remained for a considerable time in hi s country and bapti zed a few of his people. Unaccountably these good dispositions -underwent a change, the kind feelings at firs t entertained by the cacique gave place to hostile sentiments, and Gov. Calvert fearing dange r to Fr. White required him to return to St. Mary's. A few years later, howeve r, a reconciliati on was effected, and in 1639 we find Fr. Brock alias Morgan residing among the Patuxents on land ceded by thei r king Macaquomen. More successfu l was a si milar expedition made by Fr. \Vhite to the Pi. cataway , on whose hunting-grounds now stands the city of Washington. He was received with �8 An Historical Sketclz of Father Andrew White. much cordiality by the king, who shared with him the l10spitality of his own lodge. During this visit, the king fell ill and, after having been given over to death by over forty Medicine-men of his nation, was restored to health through means of some remedies which the good father administered. Chilomacan, on his recovery, desired baptism for himself, his wife and children. The ceremony was delayed to allow time for his thorough instruB:ion, and in the meanwhile he paid a visit to the Governor at St. Mary's. On his return to his nation the king ereB:ed a rude temple in which the ceremony of his baptism was performed with all the display possibh· under the circumstances. The bright hopes based on this auspicious event were frustrated by the death of the pious chieftain in the following year. To follow here Fr. \Vhite in the all-trying labors undertaken in the service of God, would extend too far the limits of this sketch. Numerous tribes lying along the Potomac and the waters of the Chesapeake were brought over to the faith-and aided by Fr. John Altham, who finally succumbed under his labors, Nov. 5th, 1640, by Frs. Brock, Fisher, Rigby, "and others," says Oliver in his Colleflions "whose names are written in the book of Eternal Life," Fr. White had the ~joy of seeing the true faith accepted by hundreds of the natives, and of receiving into the fold of Christ nearly all the Protestants who had accompanied the expedition, besides some from the neighboring C?lony of Virginia. The piety of the missionaries, their p'ure lives and their perfeCt self-devotion filled the minds of the Indians ·and whites alike with respeCt and wonder. They pointed out the way of salvation and walked the steep and thorny path themselves. They practised the virtues which they taught, and fully exemplified by their own lives the truth, the beauty, and the sanctity of the Gospel which they preached. Arduous in the extreme were their journeys by land and water in discharge of their missionary labors. Usually three together, the priest, an interpreter �An Historical Sketclt of Father Andrew Wlzite. 9 and a servant, in an open boat they went from station to station; in a calm or under adverse winds, two rowed and the third steered. In a little basket were provisions of bread, cheese, dried ,roasting-ears of corn and such homely fare; in one chest the articles necessary for the celebration of . the Divine Mysteries; in another, .various objeB:s intended as presents for the Indians. When nightfall overtook them on th~ir journey, as was often the case, they landed on some sheltered beach, and while the priest moored the boat, gathered fire-wood, and spread the frail matting, their only shelter from the bleakest weather, his companions beat up the adjoining woods in quest of game. Thus for ten years, under the fierce rays of the summer sun and in the biting wind and freezing sleet of the winter months, did the zealous Apostle of Maryland wear out his life in the service of the people to whose charge he had been assigned. But harder trials still were in store for him before his "nunc dimittis" would be heard. In r645, the rule of the Proprietary in Maryland was overthrown by the Protestant rebellion, under Claiborne, a Virginia adventurer; whereupon the Governor, Sir Leonard Calvert, was forced for refuge into Virginia, and Fr. White, with two of his companions, was seized, put in irons and transported to England for trial. Once more the prospeB: of martyrdom brightened before his eyes, but God had ordained that he should win his crown not in the one brief, intense hour of pain that brings release, but in the long years of wearisome pining in dungeons, and of exhausting, perilous works that fell to the lot of England's missionary in those dark days. A sad sight, most truly, to behold this venerable man, whose best years and most generous efforts had been spent in the service of his fellow-men, whose tender interest for their temporal wants, scarcely less than his apostolic zeal for their eternal welfare, was limited not even by the aetual strength that he possessed, cast into a dungeon by the very men for whose love he was prepared to die. Banished a second time from England, after a confinement �' :. ;i 10 A1t- Historical Sketc!t of Father Andrew White. ~i ·! whose duration is unknown, he sought permission to return to Maryland, but his request was not heard. Oliver says : "thirsting for the salvation of his dear Marylanders, he sought every opportunity of returning to that mission; but all his attempts proving ineffeCtual, he was conte~t to devote his remaining energies to the advantage of his. native land." Indeed a few months 'found him secretly returned to England; and disregarding the penalty of death incurred by every priest who appeared in the country after banishment, he labored in the duties of his vocation for a period generally reckoned about ten years. The necessity he had of concealing his indentity under an assumed name, has rendered it impossible to ascertain with any degree of surety the scene of his toiling. The hardships, privations and sickness that had filled up the years of his residence in Maryl~nd, told on his constitution towards the end of his life, and for a long time before his death, that event was daily looked for by his friends. To himself, some foreknowledge of the appointed time would seem to have been disclosed, as is gathered from circumstances mentioned by Tanner and Nadasi. On the morning of 27th Dec. 1656, the feast of St. John the Evangelist, during his customary hour of prayer, Fr. White felt that his warning was come, and though no worse than usual, he received the last sacraments: at sunset in the city of London, on the festival of the great dis. ciple of love, his worthy imitator, the Apostle of Maryland passed to his reward. With gratitude and humility may .his brethren of the So~·-­ ciety, who live to reap in these full harvest days the yield from the seed sown amid toil and suffering by Fr. White and his companions, cherish his memory ami his name. Too little indeed is known of this great man to whom Providence gave the founding of a now spiritual empire. That his talents were of the highest order, that his acquirements in many branches of learning were most extensive, and that his eloquence fitted him to fill with credit chairs of doCt:rine in the !j 'll I l' l l l l j 1 I l I I �An Historical Sketch of Fatlur Andrew Whit~. I I greatest universities, the splendid praise gained by him in Spain and Flanders sufficiently proves. But better than a scholar, Fr. White was a saint. Of the charity, humility, and zeal that possessed him, his apostolic work in Maryland and his generous devotedness to his native country stands as monuments.. In his old a~e, even to the end, he continued his custom of fasting on bread· and water twice a week. Not even in prison did he relax his austerities, and to the remonstrance of his jailer, that he should husband his strength for his appearance at Tyburn, he replied : 11 mihi vero ipsum jejunium abunde virium subministrat ad quidtibet Christi Domini mei causa perferendum." In the Bibliotluca Scnptonmz, S. 7. of Fr. Nathaniel Southwell, is found appended to the announcement of Fr. White's death, the following eulogium, with which may be fittingly closed this scanty memoir of the founder of the Maryland Mission : 11 Vir fuit non minus sanB:itate vitae, quam doB:rina conspicuus, magna eluxit abstinentia solo pane et .aqua saepe viB:itans, nee his nisi sub vesperam se reficiebat. Tam profunda humilitate fuit, ut abjiciendi sese occasiones ultro quaereret. Incommodorum corporis adeo patiens, ut quamvis longa ac permolesta laboraret infirmitate, nunquam tamen auditus sit queri, sed quoad licebat, pro sano se gerebat, hac una in re simulatol' egregius. Denique quaecumque agebat sanB:imoniam quamdam spirare videbantur, ut non defucrint viri graves qui asseruerint, si quemquam vidissent in hac vita sanctum, eum procul dubio fuisse Patrem Andream Vitum." �A RELATION OF THE CoLONY OF THE LoRD BARON oF BALTIMORE, IN MARYLAND, NEAR VIRGINIA; A NARRATIVE OF THE VoYAGE TO MARYLAND, BY FATHER ANDREW WHITE; WITH SUNDRY REPORTS FROM FATHERS ANDREW vVHITE, JOHN ALTHAI\I, JoHN BROCK, AND OTHER JESUIT FATHERS OF THE CoLONY, To THE SuPERIOR GENERAL AT RoME.* ·A REPORT Of tlu Colony of tlte Lord Baron of Baltimore, in Maryland, ncar Virginia, in whic!z t!ze quality, nature aml condition of t!zc region and its manifold advantages and ric!zes are described. The province is near the" English colony in Virginia, which, in honor of his wife Maria, his most serene majesty of England wished to be called Maryland, or the Land of Maria. This province, his most serene majesty, in his munificence, lately, in the month of June, I632, gave to the Lord Baron of Baltimore and his heirs forever; which donation he secured, and has confirmed by the public seal of the DECLARATJO Colonii1J Domini Baroni< ile Brdtimore in terra Maril1! prope Virginiam, qua ingenium, natura et conditio regioni8 et multiplices ejus utilitates ae dimtil1! descrilmntur. Provincia est prope Coloniam Anglicanam in Virginia, quam honoris causa a Maria conjuge sua, Serenissi~us Rex Angliae terram Mariae vel 1\Iarylandiae voluit appellari. Hanc nuper prodnciam idem Serenissilnus rex pro sua magnificentia mense ,Junio 1632 Domino Baroni de Baltimore et haeredibus suis in perpetuum donavit, quam donationem publico totius regni sigillo munivit ac ratum habuit. ldcirco illustrissimus Baro jam statuit in earn regionem Coloniam ducere, primo ~---~----------------- * The original Latin Ms., as copied by Fr. Wm. :McSherry from the Archives of the Society of Jesus in Rome, is here printed for the first time; the translation is revised from Force's Historical Tracts. �Father White's Relation. whole realm. Therefore the most illustrious Baron has resolved immediately to lead a colony into that region; first, and especially, that into the same and the neighboring places he may carry the light of the Gospel and of truth where it has been found out that hitherto no knowledge of the true God has shone; then, furthermore, with the design, that all the companions of his voyage and labors may be admitted to a participation of the profits and honor, and that the empire of the realm may be more widely extended. For this enterprise, with all haste and diligence, he seeks companions of his voyage-as well those who have pledged themselves to share his fortunes as others also. For the whole affair being carefully considered, and the counsel of men eminent for experience and prudence being called in, he has now weighed carefully and studiously all the advantages and disadvantages which hitherto advanced or impeded other colonies, and found nothing which does not greatly approve his design and promise the most happy success. For both the writings which his most noble father left behind him, an eye-witness a gentleman of means, and most worthy of credit, the uniform account of those who daily come and go to us from thence, or not far from thence, as well as the things which Captain Smith, who first diset praecipue ut in eandem ac loca finitima lucem Evangelii ac veritatis invehat, quo nullam hactenus veri Dei notitiam affulsisse compertum est; tum eo etiam consilio ut Socii omnes itinenun ac laborum in partem quaestus et honoris vocentur, Regisquc imperiumlatius propagetur. Emu in rem navigationis comites cum eos qui fortunae aleam secum sint tentatnri, tum alios omni festinatione ac diligentia conquil'it. Quippe re tota accurate considerata, et virorum usu ac prudentia praestantium consilio adhibito, omnia tum commoda tum incommoda, quae alias hactenus colonias vel promoverunt vel impelliverunt, sedulo jam studioseqne perpendit, reperitque nihil, quod consilium suum non nmgnopere probaret ac successum sponderet felicissimum. Nam et scripta quae post se reliquit nobilissimus Pater testis oculatus ac locuples ac fide dignissimus, quaeque constanter referunt, qui all nos inde vel haud procul inde comeant quotidie, tum quae verissime scripsit ac in lucem edidit Capitaneus Smithaeus, qui primus eam terram a per- �14 Father White's Relation. covered that country, most veritably wrote and published, contain statements truly wonderful and almost unheard of, in relation to the fertility and excellence of the soil. There is added to this also, the common consent and testimony of innumerable men who are here at London, and who are about to return to those parts from which they sometimes since have come, who with one accord verify and ·confirm what Smith has commited to writing. Wherefore the most noble Baron, about to make sail, God helping, unto those parts; and to those whom he shall obtain as companions and supporters in an undertaking so illustrious, he makes the most ample and liberal promises, of which this is first and especial, (to omit the titles of honor and rank which are granted to fidelity, virtue, bravery and illustriou~ ~ervices,) that such gentlemen as shall pay down one hundred pounds English to .. convey five men (which sum shall be sufficient for arms and implements, for clothes and other necessary articles) whether it shall please them to join our company themselves, or otherwise accredit their men and money, to those who shall be charged with this duty or to any person whom they may commission to look after them and receive their division of lands,-to them and to their heirs forever, shall be ;.,signed a possession of two thousand acres of good land. Besides these emoluit, mira sane et prope inaudita de soli illius fertilitate excellentiaque commemorat. Accedit etiam innumerabilium hominum, qui hie Londini versantur, quique in eas oras unde aliquando venerant reversuri sunt, communis consensus ac testimonium qui quae literis mandavit Smithaeus, uno ore comprobant atque confirmant. Qua propter nobilis-. shuns Baro circa medium Septembrem proxime insequentem in ea loca, Deo adjuvante, vela factums est, iisque quos sibi in tam praeclaro increpto Socios ac adjutores nactus fuerit cumulatissime multa ac largissime pollicetur. Quorum id primum ac praecipuum est (ut omittam honoris ac loci dignitates, quae honori, virtuti fortitudini, rebusque gestis liberaliter ac honorificentissime tribuuntur) ut quicumque 100 libras Anglicanas ad quinque viros transportandos (quod sa tis erit tum ad anna tum ad instrumenta, tum ad vestes et alias res necessarias) numerabit, sive ipsis visum fuerit se nobis adjungere; seu virus pecuniarnque �Father White's R elation. IS uments, if they offer themselves as companions in the first expedition, furtherin g our projeEt, they shall obtain their share by no means small, in a profitable trade, (of which more hereafter,) with other privileges;- concerning all which things, when they come to the foresaid Baron, they shall be made acquainted. But what has been before said of the one hundred pounds Eng lish, this may be also understood of a smaller or greater sum of money in proportion, whether from one person separately, or colleEted together and contributed by many. The first and chief objeEt of the illustrious Baron (which also ought to be the objeEt of others who may be in the same ship) is, that in a land so fruitful shall be sown not so much the seeds of grain and fruit trees as of religion an~ piety; a design truly worthy of Chri stians, worthy of angels, worthy of Ang les, th an which En gland, renowned for so many ancient vicrories, has undertaken nothing more noble or more glorious. Behold the regions are white unto the harvest, prepared to receive into their fruitful bosom the seed of the Gospel. From thence they are sending, on all sides, messengers to seek for suitable men who may instruCt the inhabitants in the doEtrine of salva ti on and regen· erate them in the sacred font. There are present at this very time in the city , those iis, quilms hoc munus impositum fuerit, sivc alteri cui vis commiscrit ut eorum curam gerat, et uivi ionem agrorum recipiat, his omnibus suisque haereuibns in perpetuum pogsessio agri boui 2000 jugerum assignahitnr. Ad haec !<i in prima .expeditione socios se praestiterint opcramq uc navaverint partcm quoque suam )mud e xiguam in fructnosa mercatura, de qua postea, aliisque privilegiis, ohtinebunt; de quibus cum ad praetlictum Barouem vcnerint, accuratius ficnt ccrtiorcs. Quod autcm nntca dictum e t tle 100 libris Anglicaui!<, hoc cti:un de minore seu majore summa pecuniac pro rata portione ah uno !<eparatim aut a pluribus simul collata atqnc praestita intclligatur. Uonsilium primum ~lC summum Ill ustrissimi Baron is est, quo<l aliorum ctiam qui in eadem navi fucrint esse uebet, ut in terra tam frugifera, non tam frugum atque arhorum quam religion is ac pi eta tis semi· ua spargantur. Consilium enimvero dignum Christian is, lliguum Angelis, dignum Anglis, quo n oi.Jilius nulluru aut gloriosius, tot antiquis �Father White's Rdatz'on. who state that they have seen at Jamestown, in Virginia, messengers sent from their chiefs for this purpose, and infants carried to New England, that they might be washed in the waters of salvation. Who then can have a doubt, but that by this one work so glorious, many thousand souls. may be led to Christ? I call the rescue and salvation of souls a glorious work, for that was the work of Christ the King of Glory. But since there are not to all the same ardor of mind and elevation of soul, so as to regard nothing but divine things, esteem nothing but heavenly things-inasmuch as most men regard rather pleasures, honors and wealth, as if in love with them-it has happened by some unseen power, or rather by the manifest remarkable wisdom of the Deity, that this one undertaking should embrace all inducements that effect men-emoluments of every kind. It is admitted that the natural position of the country is the best and the most advantageous; for it extends towards the north to the thirty-eighth or fortieth deg~ee of latitude, in the same position of place as Seville, Sicily and Jerusalem, and not unlike the best portions and climate of AraAnglia victoriis nobilitata suscepit. Ecce regiones sunt albae ad messem, panitae ad Evangelii semen gremio fructifero recipiendum. Inde, ipsi mittunt undique nuntios ad conquirendos idoneos homines qui incolas doctrina salutaria instruant ac sacro fonte regen erent. Adsunt etiam hoc ipso tempore in urbe qui se vidisse testantur legatos a suis regibus bane ob causam urbcm Jancli in Virginia missos, infantesque in Novam Angliamtlclatos, ut aquis salutaribus abluerentur. Cui ergo dubiurn esse poterit, quin hoc uno tam glorioso opere mul~a animarum millia ad Christum traducantur. Opus appello gloriosum animarum auxilium ac salutem, opus enim erat Cllristi regis gloriae. Cretcrum cum omnibus idem anlor animi ac mentis alitudo non sit, ut nihil nisi divina spectent; nihil nisi caclestum intueantur, quin plurimi potius voluptates, honores, opes quasi adamantes, occulta quadam vi, sen aperta magis singulari numinis prudentia factum est ut hoc unum opus omnia llominum incitamenta, omnia generis emolumenta complecteretur. In confesso est situm regionis optimum esse ac commodissimum, quippe quae ad 38 vel 40 gradum in aquilonem porrigitur, situ loci Hispalis, Siciliae, Jerusalem, et optimis Arabiae felicis plagis et climati �Fatlzer Wlzite' s Relation. 17 bia Felix. The air is serene and mild, neither exposed to . the burning heat of Florida or ancient Virginia, nor withered by the cold of New England, but has a medium temperature between the two-enjoys the advantages of each, and is free from their inconveniences. On the east it· is washed by the ocean: on the west it adjoins an almost boundless continent, which extends to the China sea. There are two large arms of the sea, one on each sidebays most abundant in fish. The one whose name is Chesapeake, is twelve miles broad, and flowing between two regions, rolls from south to north one hundred and sixty miles, is able to contain great navies, and is marked by various large islands fit for grazing, where they fish actively for shad. They call the other the Delaware, where, the entire year, there is fishing for codfish, but not so profitable, except during the cold months, as those which are rather warm prevent their being cured with salt, and indeed this great plenty of fishing arises from this:. the wind which sets continually from the Canaries, between the north and the east, rolls the earth and the fish with it to the Gulf of Mexico, where since it can neither return again to the east nor the south, it is driven violently towards the north and sweeps in its tide, along the coast of Florida, Virginia, haud absimilis. Aer serenus ac mitis, nee ardoribus Floridae vel antiquae Virginiae infest us, nee Novae Angliae frigoribus exustus, ~ed mediam quamdam inter utramque temperiem obtinet, utriusque fmitur bo· nis, ac mala nescit. Ab oriente Oceano alluitur, ab occidente infinito prope Continenti adjacet, qui in mare Chinense protenditur. Duo aestuaria sane magna utrinque, sinus piscium foocundissimi. Alterum cui nomen Chespeack 12,000 passum latum binisque interfusum regio- · nibus, ab austro centum et sexaginta millia passuum in aquilonem volvitur; magnarum capax uavium discretum variis amp lis ac pascuosis insulis in quibus piscium quos lagoes vocant copiosa piscatio, Alterum appellant Delaware ubi integro anno asellorum piscatio est, sed non adeo commoda, nisi mensibus tan tum frigidioribus, nam calidiores sale condiri vetant. Ac haec quidem tanta piscandi copia hie fit, quod ventus qui a Canariis inter aquilonem et orientem constanter spirat, volvit oceanum simulque pisces in aestuarium mexicanum, ubi cum 2 �18 Father TV/lite's Relation. Maryland and New England, a g reat multitude of fish which, as they avoid the cetacea, fly to the shoal places where they are more easily taken by the fishermen. There are various and noble rivers, the chief of which they call Patowmack, suitable for navigation, flowing one hundred and forty miles towards the east, where a trade ·with the Indians is so profitable, that a certain merchant, the last year, shipped beaver skins at a price, of forty thousand pieces of gold, and the labor of traffic is compensated by thirty-fold profit. In the level and champagne country, there is a great abundance of grass; but the region is for the most part shaded with forests; oaks and walnut trees are the most common, and the oaks are so straight and tall that beams can be made from them, sixty feet lpng, and two feet and a half thick. Cypress trees will shoot up eighty feet before they send forth branches, and three men with extended am1s, scarcely encompassed them. The mulberry that feed the silk worms, are very common. There is also found an Indian grain which the Portuguese call l' ove de t lticrva. Alders, ash trees and chestnuts, not inferior to those which Spain, Italy and Gaul produce-cedars equal to those which Lenee in oricutcm nee :\UStrum cvolvi dctur, magno impctu in aquiloncm pellitur, pcrquc oms Florhlac, Vir~i nia c, l\Iarylandiac, Novae Ai1gliae, mab'llam sccum multitutlincm piscitm1 c\·crrit, qui llum cctos fngiunt, ad loca vqdosa confngiunt ubi facilius a piscatoribus C.'lpiuntur. Flnmina suut varia atquc inclyta, quorum praccipuum Attowmack appellant navigationi opportunum 140 millia passunm iuf!ucns in orientem ubi cornmcrcium cum Indis tam qnacstnosum ilahctnr ut mercator quidam 40,000 aurcorum prctio pclle C.'lStorum ultimo an no con vcxcrit ac mercaturac labor trigcsimo frenorc compcnsctur. In planitie ac apcrtis cam pis copia gram in is magna, sed rcgio majori ex parte ncmoribus opaca; querens, juglanll es frequcntbsimae, ac quercus quid em ita rcctac ac proccrnc ut trabcs intlc fieri po~~i nt altac 60 pedum latac 2 et dimitlium. Cypressi ctimn antcquam ramos cmittant ad 0 pclles eriguntur, truucum vix trcs viri cxtcutis l1rachiis mctiuntur. J\lori frcqucntissimi a csca m hombycum. Invcuitur ctiam gramen scricum quod Lusitani l' 011/l cle l' ltierva voc:mt. A lui, fraxini, castancnc baud imparcs iis, quas Hispauia, Italia, Gallia fcruut, ccdrique acquales iis qui- �Father I¥/tite's Relat£on. 19 banon boasts. What shall I say of the pine, laurel, fir, sassafras and others, with various trees also which yield balsam and odoriferous gum,-trees for all the most useful purposes -for architeCture, for nautical uses for planks, for resin, pitch and terebinth, for mustard, for perfumes, and for making cataplasms? But the woods _ passable, not rough with are an undergrowth of thorns and shrubs, but formed by nature to afford food to beasts, and pleasure to men. There are grapes in abundance, from which wine can be pressed; some resemble cherries and have a thick and unB:uous juice. The inhabitants call them chesamines. There are cherries equal to Damascus plums, and gages very much like ours. There are three kinds of plums. Mulberries, chesnuts and walnuts are so abundant that they are used in various ways for food . Strawberries and esculent blackberries you will in like manner, find . Of fishes, the foll owing are already familiar: sturgeon, herrings, porpoises, -craw-fish, torpedoes, trout, mullets of three kinds, urchins, roach, white salmon , periwinkles and others of that kind, of innumerable names, and unknown species. But so great is the abundance of swine and deer that they are rather troublesome than profitable. Cows, also, are innumerable and oxen suitable for bearing burdens bus Libanus gloriatur. Quid d lcam de pinu, Iauro, abiete, saxofrasso et reliquis cum variis etiam a rl>oriiJus quae balsama et gulllllli odorifera reddunt. Arbores ad omnia ntilissima, ad architecturam, ad rem nauticam, opus tabnlatum, ad picem rc ~ inam, liqnidam picem, terebinthum, sinapi, odoromata, kaptaplasmata conficiemla. Sylvam autem perviam, non horridam spinis aut arbutis sed ad p:"tstum bestiis, bominibus ad volnptatem a natura factam . ·Adsnnt vites uiJertate ex quibus vinum exprimi pote t, quaedam ccrasis pare quarum humor crassus et unguinosus. Incolae Chcsaminc vocant: ccrasa prunis Damascenis aequalia, grossnlaria nostris simillima; tria sunt genera prunorum. .Mora, Castanea,juglaudcs ita abundant ut varias ad escas adhibeantur. Fruges et rubos idaeos ibidem invenias: De piscibus qui sequuntur, etiamnum in rtotitiam venerunt. Sturiones, baleces, pboeaenae, astaci, squillae, torpedines, truttae mulli trium gene rum, ericii, rubelliones, albi salmones, choncae, cochleae, et alii id genus innumeri nominum et generum ignoti. Ceterum tanta porconun et ce rvorum cop it\ est, ut molestiae �20 Fat!ter TV!zite's Relation. or for· food; besides five other kinds of large beasts unknown to us, which our neighbors use for the table. Sheep will have to be taken from the Canaries: asses, also, and mules. The neighboring forests are full of wild horses, bulls and cows, of which five or six hundred thousand are annually carried to Seville from that part of the country which lies towards New Mexico. As many goats as you wish can be obtained from the neighboring people. Add to this, muskrats, squirrels, beavers, ferrets and weasels, not however, destructive as with us to eggs and hens. Of the birds, the eagle is the most ravenous. Of hawks, there are various kinds which live in a great measure on fish. There are partridges, not larger than our quails, but almost infinite in number. Innumerable wild turkeys, which are double the size of our tame and domestic ones. There are also blackbirds, thrushes and a great many little birds of which there are various kinds, some red, some blue etc. The winter is plenteous in swans, geese, cranes, herons, ducks, creepers, green parrots, and many other birds unknown to our part of the world. Lemons and quinces of the best quality grow there. Appotius quam commodo sint, vaccae etiam innumerabiles ac bubali ad on era et escas idonei, praeter alia quinque genera magnarum bestiarum nobis ignota, quae finitimi ad mensam adhibent. Oves vel hine vel a canariis petendae, asini item et muli. Equis, tauris vaccisque sylvestribus plena sunt proxima nemora ex quorum parte, ea quae occidentem spectat in Novam Mexico, quotannis 600,000 vel 800,000 deportantur Hispalim. Caprarum quantum visum fuerit peti poterit a finitimis· •· Adde hue murcs odoratos, sciuros, castores fibros, mustelas, curculio- .. nes non tamen ut nostri ovis et gallinis infestos. Inter volucres, aquila voracissima, accipitrum varia genera qui piseibus magna ex parte vi· ctitant. Perdices coturnieibus haud majores sed multitudine prope infinitae. Innumerabiles etiam Afrae aves agrestes quae nostras circures et domestieas duplo magnitudinis exsuperent. Sunt etiam merulae et turili, minutaeque aviculae multae, variaeque quorum aliae rubrae, caeruleae aliae, etc. Hyems abundat cycnis, anseribus, gruibus ardeis anatibus, certheis, glaucis psittacis, aliisque compluribus nostro orbi ignotis. Mala limonia et mala contonea fert optima. Armeniae, item tanta sunt ubertate, ut vir honestus ac fide dignus constanter affimaverit se ultimo anno centum modios porcis projecisse. De lupinis �Father White's Relation. 21 ricots are so abundant that an honest gentleman, and worthy of credit, positively affirmed he had cast, last year, an hundred bushels of them to the hogs. What shall I say of the 1upines, beans, garden roots etc., most excellent in quality, when even the peas, in these places, grow in ten days, to a height of fourteen inches ? The country is so fruitful in corn that, in the most barren places, it returns the seed twice an hundred fold; but in other places and generally, one grain yields five or six hundred grains. In the more produCtive years, there is a yield of from fifteen hundred to sixteen hundred fold, and this indeed during one harvesting, whereas the fertility of the soil affords three harvests. That I may presently draw to a close, it is very likely that the soil is adapted to all the fruits of Italy-figs, pomegranates, golden olives, etc. Nor are there wanting things that may be of use to fullers and apothecaries; there is plenty, also, of tin, iron, hemp and flax. There is hope, too, of finding gold ; for the neighboring people wear bracelets of unwrought gold and long strings of pearls. Other advantages, both numerous and lucrative may be expeCted, which sagacious industry and long acquaintance will discover. praestantissimis, fabis, radicibus, aliisque ejusmodi quid dicam? Cum etiam pisa illis in locis decem dicbus ad quatuordecim digitos excrescunt. Rcgio frumenti adeo ferax est ut in maxima sterilitate bis centuplo semen reddat, alias et plerumque pro uno granulo 500 aut 600; melioribus annis 1500 vel 1600 et hoc quidem una messis, cum ternas per annum fertilitas soli suppeditat. Verisimile est omnibus Ita!iae fructibus solum idoneum fore, ficubus, pomis granatis, aureis o!ivis, etc., ut brevi perstringam. Non desunt quae pul!onibus ct. apothecariis usui esse possunt ; nee stanni, ferri, canabis, lini copia desideratur. Spes etiam auri inveniendi, nam finitimi ex auro sed nondum facto armillas gestant, ac margaritarumlongas catenas. l\iulta etiam commoda atque divitiae sperari poterunt, quae sagax hominum industria et longus usus inveniet. �NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE TO MARYLAND. On the 22nd of November 1633, on St. Cecilia's day, the east wind blowing gently, we weighed anchor from Cowes, situated in the Isle of Wight. When we had first placed the principia! parts of the ship under the proteCtion of God, His most Holy Mother, St. Ignatius, and all the Guardian Angels of Maryland, being carried a short distance between the two headlands, for want of wind we came to anchor off Castle Yarmouth, which is a port on the west of the same island. Here we were saluted by the festive thunder of cannon. \Ve were not free from alarm, however. For the sailors began to murmur among themselves declaring that they expeCl:ed a messenger from London with letters, and so appeared to frame causes of delay. But God interrupted their wicked ~esigns; for the same night, during the prevalence of a favorable but strong wind, a French barque which had lain in the same port with us, being compelled to weigh anchor, nearly drove against our pinnace. She, to prevent being run down, after cutting loose an anchor hastened to make sail as quick as possibl e, and since it is dangerous to be tossed by the waves in that place she put out RELATIO ITlNERIS IN 1\IARYLANDIA?t!. Vigesimo secundo mcnsis Novcmbris anni 1633, die Snctac Caeciliae sacro, leniter aspirante Euro sol vim us a Con is qui posit us est in insula Vecta. Cumquc praecipnas partes navis constituisscmns in tutela·Dei in primis, et Santissimae cjus llfatris, Sancti Ignatii ct omnium .t\.ngelo. rum 1\farylandiae, paulnlum inter dnas terms provccti, dcficiente vento, resedimus e regione Castri Ya rmouth, quod est ad occasum aestivum ejusdem insulae. Hie festis tormentorum tonitruis acccpti sumus neque tamcn metus aberat. Nautae enim inter se mussitabant expectare se Londino nuntium et literas, atque ideo moras etiam nee· tre videb::mtur. Sed D eus consilia diversa abrupit. Eadem quippe nocte prospero sed valido flante vento !em bus Gallicus (qui eodem hortu nobiscum constiterat) solvere coact us, propc abfuit in nostram celocem ut impingeret. Ilia igitur ne opprimeretur, una praecisa ac deperdita anchora, vela dare quamprimum: ct quoniam co loci fluctuare pericu- �Fatlur lV!tite's Relatioll. 2.3 to sea. Therefore, not to lose sight of our pinnace, we determined to follow; so that whatever designs the sailors contemplated against us, were frustrated. This happened on the 23rd of November, St. Clement's day, on which he being bou nd to an anchor and cast into the sea, obtained a crown of martyrdom, and afforded to his people a way to land, as the miracles of God declare. So, on the same day, at ten o'clock in the morning, being honored again by a salute from the Castle of Hurst, we were carried beyond the breakers at the extremity of the Isle of Wight, which, from their form, they called the Needles. Now these are a terror to sailors on account of the double tide of the sea ; on this side hurrying and dashing the ships upon the rock, and on the· other side against the neighborin g shore. To say nothing of the other imminent danger which we escaped at Castle Yarmouth, here the wind and tide raging while we remained, the anchor not yet being weighed and secured, the ship would certainly have been dashed on shore had we not on a sudden, being violently driven forward and shipping a sea, escaped the danger by the favor of God, who vouchsafed to us this pledge of his future proteCl:ion, through the merits of St. Clement. }osum crat, in marc porro se dcmittcre !cstinat. Itaque nc celocis nostrac conspcctum pcnlcremus, scqui dcceruimus, ita quae nautae in nos agitarunt consilia snnt dissipata. Accid it iu vigesimo tertio Novembris, die Sancto Clcmcnto sacro qui anchora alli•ratus, ct in marc demersus coronam martyrii adcptus est, et ilt:r pracbuit populo terrae, ut enarrant mirabilia Dei. E.o igitur die, iterum circa decimmn matutinam, fcstivis explosionibus salutati a Castro Hurst, practervccti sum us frcqucntes scopulosad ext~e­ mum insulae V cctae, quo a fonn a a ens voca.nt. unt au tern na vigantibus terrori propter duplicem ae tum mari , hinc in saxa, illinc in vicinum litus abri picntem, et allidentem naves, ut alterum interim discrimen taccam,flUO defuncti sum us ad Castrum Yarmouth. Nam vento ct acstu urgente, cum non dum rcccpta anchom llaercremus, propc erat, ut navis· ad tcrram allidcretur, nisi subdito vi magna aversi, earn mari immergentes, periculum Deo propritio elusissemus, qui hoc etiam pignore protectionis suae nos dignatus est per merita Sancti Clementi. �Father White's Relation. On that day, which fell on Saturday, and on the succeeding night, we enjoyed winds so favorable, that the following day, about nine o'clock in the morning, we left behind us the western promontory of England and the Scilly isles ; in a gentle course turned rather towards the West, coasting along the British ocean, nor running as fast as we could, lest, leaving the pinnace too far behind, it might fall a prey to the Turks and pirates for the most part infesting that sea. Hence it came to pass that a fine merchant ship of six hundred tons burden, by the name of the Dragon, which having sailed from London was going to Angola, overtook us about three in the afternoon. And since, our dangers being passed, we could afford to take a little enjoyment, it was delightful to behold the two ships contending together in the course, while trumpets resounded, and sky and wind were propitious. And our ship would have had the advantage in the race, even without the use of a''topsail, had we not to tarry for our pinnace which was rather slow. We, therefore, parted from the merchantman, which, before evening, was out of sight. Die illo in Sabbatum incidit, et nocte insequente ventis usi sum us ita secundis, ut postero die mane circa horam nonam reliquerimus a tergo promontorium Angliae occiduum et insulas Sylinas placido cursu magis in occasum versi, legentes oceanum Brittanicum, neque quantum potuissemus accelerantes, ne celocem plus nimio praecurrentes, illa Turcis et piratis, mare illud plerumque infestantibus, praeda fieret. Hinc factum est, ut oneraria insignis vasorum sexcentorum, cui nomen a Dracone datum est, cum Londino profecta Angolam peteret, nos circa tertiam pomeridianam assequeretur. Et quoniam periculo perfunctis voluptatis jam a liquid admittere vacabat, jucundum erat spectare eas duas naves inter se cursu, et tubarum clangore per horam integram contendentes, coelo et ventis arridentibus. Et superasset nostra, quamvis siparo non uteremur, nisi sistendum f11isset propter celocem, quae tardior erat; itaque cessimus onerariae; ilia autem ante vesperam praetervecta, conspectui nostro se subduxit. (To be continued.) �Canada-Indian Missions. CANADA.-INDIAN MISSIONS. LETTER FROM FATHER Du·R.ANQUET TO VERY REV. FATHER BAPST. THUNDER BAY STATION, Sept. 24, 1871. REVEREND FATHER, P.C. Since I last wrote you from Grand Portage in June, I have been away nearly all the time travelling or on sick calls. A type of measles, called by our doctor "malignant measles," has swept off fifteen of our poor people in less than a month, and threatens to make still further ravages. Truly a terrible scourge for our poor mission! We have had the consolation of seeing the greater part of the victims prepare themselves for death as true Christians. Others have been called away so suddenly that I have hardly had time to give them extreme unction. Very few whites have been attacked ; but it would seem as if no Indian or halfbreed were to be permitted to escape. Fr. Chone, here at the mission where the greater number of deaths has occurred, is extremely fatigued. Fifty Indians have died of the same disease at Rainy Lake. I have had no news from Lake Nissigon, or the stations north of Lake Superior since my visit to them. I am very anxious about them; this terrible plague seems to ferret out the poor Indians in every corner; whereas the whites, as I was saying, have almost all escaped. I wish I were able to go and examine for myself the state of things at all points of the mission, but I would not venture to leave Fr. Chone here alone in his already exhausted condition. If the sickness lasts another fortnight, our Autumn fishing will be lost, and those whom the disease will have spared, will fall victims to the famine. The foremost offi- �Canada-Indian Missions. cials in charge of the public works have already given some relief to our unfortunate people, and hold out hopes of still further assistance. I have not yet attempted to make a collection, but the compassion for our poor Indians which their great distress excited, should move people to be generous towards them. The Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have nearly all their children sick. They also devoted themselves, as far as in their power, to the assistance of the other sufferers. The visit to our Christians at Michipicoten, Pic, etc., without offering any very remarkable results, has yielded its ordinary share of consolation. At Red Rock, at the mouth of the Nissigon river, seven men, five of whom were Christians, in the employ of the engineers of the Pacific Railroad, \Vere overtaken by the fire which had broken out everywhere through the woods, and were suffocated by the smoke. This accident and the sickness have left many orphans on our hands. The sisters have taken charge of the little girls. I have received very pressing letters from Mr. G. Keller of Duluth, requesting me, in the name of the Bishops of St. Paul and La Crosse, to pay a visit before the close of navigation to the Indians and half-breeds of Superior, Duluth and Fond du Lac. I have not yet answered him, indeed I am rather at a loss what to say. The new missionaries at these places do not know the language, and Mr. Keller says the people are crying out for priests who can understand them. He tells me, also, that Fr. Sherlock has given a mission to the Polish emigrants in that neighborhood. Ra!. Va!. in Xto. Servus, D. Du RANQUET, S. J. �Montreal. 27 EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM FR. FERARD, SUPERIOR AT MANITOULINE, LAKE HURON, ONTARIO. There died, last winter, a young boy about 12 years of age, who knew enough of his little prayers to remind him of God, but who had not had a chance to see the priest for the past two years, and had consequently been unable to receive his first communion. His sister had died a very happy death, some days before he himself had been attacked; and when he too felt the touch of death in his breast, he called his father and mother to his side and said to them: "Father and mother, I am dying,-I can't live long,-my sister is calling me from above,-she tells me to come and meet her, for we shall be so happy together,I am very \Villing to go; but, father and mother, I am, perhaps, not good enough to enter at once into heaven ; I therefore beg of you a favor ." "What is it, Son?" said the astonished parents. " I would lik.e you to whip me well before I die," continued the young penitent, "and help me to do penance for my sins." At once the parents, to whom the will of a dying person is always sacred, with great composure, but with tears in their eyes, took up a strap of raw hide that lay near by, and proceeded to strike their little son smartly, for a length of time, on his outstretched hands. The dying lad did not shrink, did not shed a tear; and when h e had undergone his voluntary penance, he lay back on his pillow, and gently gave up his soul to God. His parents told me that his countenance wore a sweet and almost superhuman appear- · ance, after he had breathed his last; and though, like all Indians, they are apt to be superstitious, I am much inclined to believe them this time. Oh ! that I may die such a death! �Montreal. ' I ~ EXTRACTS OF A LETTER FROM MR. DRUMMOND. ST. MARY's CoLLEGE,_ MoNTREAL, oa. 3. 1871. On Sunday last, with the permission of the Bishop, Fr. Vasseur appeared in the pulpit of our church in Chinese costume. Over a sky-blue, nearly violet, soutanne, he wore a little black cloak with short loose sleeves lined with red, and a surplice over all. His head gear consisted of what he calls his "bonnet du sacrifice," a large four-sided structure with the monogram of the Society worked on each face. It was so lightly fastened that it shook at the least movement of the wearer's head. You know whether he is given to movements of the head. This wonderful "bonnet '• had two broad pendants behind, like a mitre. I was agreeably surprised at the effeCt of it. I had expeCted something ridiculous, but found it quite the reverse, very rich and imposing. Let me tell you a little bit of apostleship in the world which I have just heard of at first hand. My informant is a clerk in the office of a gr~in broker, a Protestant. The other day he received an order for a quanity of flour, which was immediately forwarded. The consignees refused to receive the flour, on the ground that it was not according to sample. The matter was too urgent for the tortuous for- ..-· malities of the courts, so it was agreed to refer it to arbitration. Upon this the broker went to Mr. C--, who has two brothers at our college, and who, whilst enjoying the reputation of being the most upright merchant in Montreal, is a thoroughly praCtical Catholic, and a regular frequenter of the Sacraments. " See here, C--, I want you to be arbitrator in this matter." "Oh ! do let me alone; I'm bothered with these arbitrations; everybody comes to me." �Montreal. But the other insisted, and he at last gave way, but on one condition. "Well, I'll do it, provided you promise to come to the English sermon at the Gesu on Sunday eight." " Oh ! all right!" And the matter was arranged. Upon returning to his office, the Protestant broker threw himself into his chair and laughed heartily : "Just to think of it! I have to go to church on Sunday night." He laughs well who laughs last. Just one other little item of edification which I came upon quite accidentally the other day. Upon going into the treasurer's office my attention was attraaed by a very fine photograph of the Holy Patriarch St. Joseph, as patron of the faithful, under which was placed an inscription pretty much to this effea: "I, John Bapst etc., confide St. Mary's College to the care of St. Joseph ...... and appoint Fr. Loyzance first assistant Procurator and Joseph Koerner second assistant Procurator, under the express condition that they will undertake nothing of any importance without previously consulting the Holy Patriarch. In testimony hereof I affix my seal and sign manual, etc." The consequence is that we have already I 52 boarders, and more are expeaed, whilst last year which was the most prosperous in a pecuniary point of view which the college has yet seen, we never had 140 at a time: and remember that we attained our maximum only about Easter. �The Clzi'cago Fire. SPECIAL PROTECTION OF OUR COLLEGE AND PARISH DURING THE "CHICAGO FIRE." EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER DATED NOV. 12, 1871. " In mediis ignis non sum <estuatus " exclaims the sacred writer, when he wishes to give us an idea of God's tender mercies. We may say almost as much for ourselves. For kind Heaven has deigned to show us a similar favor. Chicago is proud Chicago no longer.~ The fire-king has robbed her, not only of her pride and wealth, her pomp and luxury; but also of many of her sanCtuaries and shrines, of her monuments of Christian charity and devotion. The cathedral and the Episcopal residences, churches, and chapels, schools and academies, monasteries and convents, orphanages and asylums of innocence or penitence, have been buried in one promiscuous grave. But, by the favor of God, our house and parish still stand on the very borders .of the smouldering waste, as a monument of His unspeakable mercy towards us. If they have escaped from the general conflagration, it certainly is not because they were beyond the reach of danger. For a long time the fiery element seemed to be disporting around· . us, as if in mockery of our tears. Had not some kind angel, such as fanned the youths in the Babylonian furnace, checked its wild, capricious gambols, we had most probably shared the common fate. · On the 6th of OCtober, three blocks had been reduced to cinders, at no great distance away from us ; and the remembrance was still fresh, when we were suddenly startled by the presence of danger near home. It was about 9 o'clock, on the night of the 7th, that we were attraCted to the windows hy an ominous glare on the surrounding �Tlu Chicago Fire. houses. Seeing the northern front of the Holy Family School-house brilliantly lit up, Father V. A--and Brother O'N--, with some other members of the community, hurried off in great anxiety to the scene. But, finding that there was no immediate danger for the school, they turned their attention to the safety of the parish. Here, too, they found a watchfu"I Providence on guard. The flames -were sweeping, like a torrent, along the boundary line, without ever daring for an instant to cross, or to trespass on what looked like consecrated ground. On they kept gathering strength and fury as they went, until they reached the district burned out on the previous night. Then there came a turn. Had it been towards the West, nothing could have saved us. Fortunately for us, it was toward the East: The fate that had been hovering around our flock was averted for the present, and our active little party began to breathe more freely. They did not however, remain idle spectators and soon found in other quarters abundant exercise for their charity. They were joined later on by fresh recruits from the college, who staid out with them all night, helping the poor victims of this dreadful visitation to save themselves and their chattels from the unpitying flames. Many little children, too helpless or terrified to make their escape, were rescued by them from injury or death and conducted to a place of safety. Two of the lay-brothers, bent upon this work of love and keeping pace with the devouring element, had reached St. Paul's church, when they learned that the Paster was absent from home. The f.'ttal spark had been seen to alight on the belfry only ten minutes before, and already the steeple, from the roof upwards, was a pyramid of flames. Their first thought was about the Blessed Sacrament; but a policeman warned them from the front door, through fear that the bells might fall at any moment. They hurried to the sides and rear of the church; but every door was locked, there was no trace of the sacristan, and no person could tell where �32 The Chicago Fire. the keys were kept. After many useless endeavors to force an entrance, two of the neighbors at last succeeded in breaking through a small window in the sacristy. It was too late. They had almost reached the tabernacle, when they were driven back by the smoke and flames ; and one of them, in trying to escape by a window of the church, fell to the ground in a swoon. It was a relief, especially to those who had exerted themselves so much, to learn on the following day that the Sacred Species had not been consumed after all. The Pastor had taken the precaution to remove them before setting out. Morning dawned sadly upon the doomed and distraCted city. A few boys came to school at the regular hour, but we dismissed them at once. Every one's mind was in a fever of excitement; to fix our. thoughts upon anything besides the dreadful calamity was altogether out of the question. Our own position soon began to occupy our attention and to fill us with the greatest alarm. We saw ourselves, surrounded for miles in every direCtion, by .a vast tinder-box of wooden houses, which had been ripening for a spark during the last two or three long months of drought. The wind had now increased to a fearful gale, and the fire was still raging. Had.it veered around or a new one accidentally sprung up in the West, we must have fared like all the rest; for the water-works had already been burned, and there was not a drop of water in the city nearer than the lake or river. Then, who could have dared hope that the average number of fires would not occur, till the· " works " had been restored? We had recourse to the only, though happily not the least effeCtive means of proteCtion, still left us ;-we assembled at noon in the sanCtuary of the church, and in .common recited the Litany of the Saints and other prayers, to invoke the continued favor of heaven, upon which we felt ourselves to be so utterly dependent. It was likewise agreed to summon the people to the church as if for even- �Tlze Clzicago Fire. 33 ing service-and to begin a public novena to the Sacred Heart for the protection of the remaining portion of the city, and of our own parish in particular. But dark coming on we had to abandon this idea altogether. The whole neighborhood was in a state of the wild.est consternation, bordering on a panic; for rumors of would-be incendiaries had got abroad. It was reported on all hands that the place was full of them and that the West-side was to be burned down that night. Every one had some horrid instance of lynch-law to tell of; though no one seemed to have seen it himself. At all events it was quite certain that a great number of arrests had been made of real or pretended incendiaries. Two ill-looking fellows had been surprised in the act of trying to fire a barn a little to the windward of our premises. They now hurried past the College in the midst of an angry crowd-one of them in the hands of a policeman, the other in the g rip of four or five citizens, who drove him before them and meanwhile kept skaking and threatening him in a way that must have furnished material for more than a few " lamp-post " stories. Shortly after, a woman came to warn us that a couple of men had been overheard to swear that they would burn down the church and college of the Jesuits, if they had to swing for it. About the same time a respectable lady living hard by, told the porter that a suspicious lookin g character, who had been skulking about her yard and driven away, had been observed to enter our church and to remain behind, when all had been ordered out and the place locked up. Search was instantly made; and, when after some time it was about to be given up, the fellow was discovered crouching down near one of the confessionals. Most likely it was these two incidents that gave rise to the monstrous newspaper accounts of several men having been hanged or crucified for throwing kerosene on the Jesuits' church. Very few thought of sleeping that ni ght. A committee from the police head-quarters had come up to swear in some 3 �34 The Chicago Fire. of our domestics for special duty, and caution us to watch our premises closeiy. We, accordingly, gathered together fourteen men and keptthem patrolling the block till morning. Nothing of importance happened on that or any of the following eight or ten nights, during which we kept up our vigilance. Several times they frightened off individuals, who had been lurking in the neighboring alleys; occasionally, too, they succeeded in capturing them, and, when they could give no good account of themselves, handed them over to the first squad of soldiers, or of regular police which they met. In the mean time, the destitution and suffering of so many homeless beings, strongly appealed to our sympathy. The college was one of the first places offered to the Relief Committees for the storage and distribution of supplies, which poured in at once. from all parts of the country. They began to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, and for the remainder of that week continued coming in much more rapidly than we could possibly dole them out. From the variety and quanity of the articles stored away on the ground-floor, and the number of trucks unloading at the side-walks, a stranger passing by would have thought that the building had been suddenly turned into a vast Commission Warehouse. The Benedictines, who had rescued nothing from their burning monastery; save the clothes which they wore upon their persons, had already taken shelter in our house. ~he orphans, too, arrived on the second c!ity, in the company _of their kind guardians-the Sisters of St. Joseph. We suspended our classes indefinitely and opened the first and sec~ ond floors of the college proper for the accommodation of the little sufferers. As soon as the Sisters found thcn1selves and their charge so comfortably lodged, they gave a share of their attention to the relief of those who were less fortunate, by helping us to distribute the provisions to the thousands of hungry ones ~ : ' !j il ~ �Tlte Clzicago Fire. 35 that began to flock around our doors. Their presence seemed to be all that was needed to complete the most motley collection that could well be broug ht together. They stood somewhat aside from the gene ral bustle, assorting and dealing out the food and clothing, whilst the older of their little orphans squeezed their way in and out among the crowd on various errands. The fathers, scholastics and lay-brothers were also conspicuous moving about through the corridors, partly superintending and partly helping the students and dray-men to roll in and pile up the barrels and boxes as they arrived. The BenediEl:ine lay-brothers, of course, could not remain idle in sight of so busy a bee-hive as that, and mingled among the workers as lustily as any. But this is not an end to the varieties. Near the front door, at a table, sat a' se1_ninaria n, who had been stopping with us for a time, and who had now laid aside his theology for a week to listen to the stories of the unfortunate, and make out written orders for them according to their wants; farth er on were the police, keeping the mass of applicants in order with their batons ; in some unoccupied spaces close by, soldiers passed slowly up and down, with gun and bayonet, to overawe the disorderly; here and there you could recognize, by their white badges, the committee men, who had stepped in to see that all was right; and, now and then, charitable ladies and gentlemen pressed in among the coll!mon throng to visit the orphans an'd slip into the hands of each some little donation. These were some. of the most striki ng fi g ures. The g reat bulk that thron ged the passages we re composed of the help' less sufferers. There they stood all day long swaying to and fro, jostling one another about, and clamoring for the loaf that was to save them from starving. It was a very strange scene indeed, and the sights and sounds of that eventful week will not be soon forgotten. . By Sunday we were so much worn out by the unusual labor and excitement, that we made a rrangements with the �f ! The Chicago Fire. members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to replace us during the following week. But after a few days the city government had secured a more convenient location for the depot, and delivered the whole charge of it and of all the others throughout the city into the hands of the " Chicago Relief and Aid Society." Our two parish-schools for girls were likewise open for the assistance of the destitute-St. Aloysius', on Maxwell St., as a supply depot, and the one on Taylor St., as a house for the Sisters of the Good Shepherd and their community. Our two other schools of the Holy Family and St. Stalli'slaus were not interfered with; but the small branch school-house on Jefferson St. served for two weeks, as a place of shelter for the homeless of every description. It was then fitted up and given to the orphans for t!_J.e winter, or as long as they may wish to occupy it. Eighty' of the boys had been previously sent to the orphan asylum of Cincinnati in charge of two of our students. 'vVe trust the remainder will enjoy some degree of comfort in the temporary abode, with which we have tried to furnish them. The morning on which they were settled in their new home, we resumed our classes at the college, after a fortnight's interruption. All our students, who lived on the North-Side-and they formed the most respeEtable, and intelligent portion-had been burned out. On the first day after the fire many of them were wandering about homeless and almost beggars. Oh! it was so sad to talk to the po,or fellows, when they came to the college .to seek for some consolation from their professors. Quite a number of them had lost everything but their lives. Yet they were anxious to get back to their books, and with three or four exceptions, all of them returned almost without delay. Our numbers have been increasing ever since, and our prospeEts are now brighter than ever. In addition to this, we enjoy the satisfaEtion of giving hospitality .to our venerable Bishop ' who has permanently taken up his abode with us. He has �Tlu Clzicago Fire. 37 a suite of those rooms adjoining the parlor, goes to meals with the community, and sometimes attends our recreation. He is exceedingly cordial and "easy" with Ours-altogether like an old member of the family. We are happy in the consciousness of having done something to alleviate the wants of Christ's suffering members, and so relieved ourselves to some extent of that immense debt of gratitude which is daily accumulating. The " Holy Family" have proved themselves the best of guardians. They have watched faithfully over the House of God entrusted to their keeping, and over all those that offer their devotion therein. Only a few years ago the Western quarter of the city was a "howling" waste. Our church was raised amid the poor and lonely whom the efforts of our Fathers had induced to settle down there, and confirmed in habits of industry and virtue. But the scene is changed now. Nestling peacefully beneath the shadow of their church, their humble frame cottages have been yearly multiplying; and now they have been screened, by a special favor, from the ravages of the flames. Many of them, too, are already giving place to more stately mansions, and happiness and comfort wait upon them everywhere. Here, if any where, we may say that the blessing of God has rested upon our labors; but we never before felt more sensibly than we do now, that the mercies of the Lord are without number. �Florissant. LETTER FROM THE NOVITIATE., FLORISSANT. FLORISSANT, Nov. 24, '71. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, It was suggested that one of the Juniors should furnish your periodical with a sketch of our Missouri Novitiate. I trust it will not seem impertinent if I do so. To render my account more intelligible, we will suppose (sometimes suppositions become realities) that during the next vacation, in company with Mr. M--, who has been under your paternal care for the last three years, your Rev. takes a trip to the \Vest and p,ays a visit to our community. You will probably take the cars from St. Louis about 8 ~ A. lll. and passing by College View, the site of our future college, proceed ten miles on the N. M. RR. to Ferguson. At that point you will find one of the old-fashioned stages, which will convey you over a tolerably good road to the little French village of Florissant. This is a pretty old settlement. They say that there was a time when our great Western metropolis was described as" St. Louis near Florissant," but that must have been before the present generation was born. Now Florissant is but an unimportant inland town, since railroad communication with it at the expense of a few miles of track was not deemed desirable and an attempt to run street cars to the adjacent station has so far proved unsuccessful. You may naturally inquire what place Florissant occupies on the map. To tell the truth it occupies no place on most map~. but that does not prevent your knmving its locality. • If you draw a line North West from St. Louis to the Missouri you have a perfect Delta formed by this line and the two great rivers of the continent. This comprises Florissant Valley, a country fully as fertile as any in the state. �Florissant. 39 The valley is about eight miles in extent. Encircled by a range of hills, it presents the appearance of a vast amphitheatre. The land is gently undulating, rich and well-watered, affording the eye a most pleasing prospect of fair fields of ripening corn, bright meadows stretching forth on-every side, and golden wheat drooping its luxuriant head. As you are hurried along in the stage to the tune of "g'up" or "haw T om"; at a sudden curve in the road about two miles from Florissant you see looming up in the distance on a commanding little eminence about four miles away, a white stately building surmounted by a cupola. If you ask one of your neighbors to whom it belongs, ten to one you will be told that it is the " Priest's Farm ,~' for under that name the neighbors recognize St. Stanislaus'. Entering the south eastern side of the valley, you behold it spreading before you in all its magnificence towards the western ridge on which the Novitiate is situated. From the road you have an excellent view of the village itself, of which the most prominent edifice is the German church dedicated to the Sacred Heart, and under the care of one of our Fathers. As you pass down the main street (for you· may call it a street if you have not a scrupulous conscience) there is ample opportunity to judge the enterprise of the citizens. The stage stops in the centre of the town at a grocery which happens also to be the Post-Office, where the driver with an air of importance tosses out a somewhat dilapidated canvass bag, and with an official tone cries out : "United States Mail." Crack! goes the whip, and the next place you stop is in an open square in front of St. Ferdinand's. church, in the west end of the village. This church made of brick and built some 55 years ago, though of respeCtable size, is. not very imposing exteriorly; but one is agreeably disappointed on entering, for everything wears a neat and orderly appearance, and the whole interior breathes an air of devotion . On one side of the church the Sisters of �I II 'l 40 Florissant. Loretto have a convent and boarding school, on the other is the residence of Fr. Van Assche. But I suppose that before you have completed your survey of the premises. the good natured pastor has appeared at the door to receive his ever-welcome brethren. Fr. Van Assche, whose very countenance betokens benignity and goodness, is a stout, hale old man of seventy-one with silvery locks and white flowing beard which give him quite a patriarchal appearance. He is one of the pioneers of the Province having celebrated his fiftieth year in the Society last OCl:ober. It would be an offence to refuse to accept his hospitality, and indeed it would be hard to do so, for he makes every one feel at home in an instant. His equal is seldom met. He seems to have gone through the world without ever having carried a cross, always cheerful,,always kind, he carries farther than perfeCl:ion the famdus description of the pastor in Goldsmith's " Deserted Village." Though you are at Florissant, you are still two miles from St. Stanislaus', and you must make haste to be in time for our dinner hour ( 12 o'cl~ck). There is no stage running in our direCl:ion, so that you will be obliged to walk, unless you have taken the precaution to send word of your intended visit. But the walk is not altogether uninviting, for independent of a good road, two thirds of which divides or skirts our farm, you behold- some lovely scenery ;-rich fields teeming with abundance; the sheep in the neighboring pastures indulging in their sportive gambols; birds of varied plumage tripping from branch to branch or sweeping a<:foss the path before you as if displeased with all intrusion: the stream meandering through the fields and emptying into the Missouri four miles distant: skirts of woodland diversifying the face of the valley; the hills in the distance girded with lofty trees and dotted here and there with modest dwellings, the evident abodes of happiness and competence. As your turn off from the road, you enter through a large open gateway, an avenue of 40 young elms which your com- u I ~ ~ �Florissant. 41 panion will recognize as a change, for in his time a row of Lombardy poplars led to the House. Right and left lie extensive orchards. From the avenue there is an excellent view of the building which faces to the South-East. It is of hammered stone, has three front projeCtions; the centre surmounted by a triangular pediment, the two others in imitation of wings; it contains two stories and an attic besides a basement, and is covered with a roof of colored slate. A portico supported by Tuscan columns, embell ished with mouldings and our motto A. M. D. G. leads to the entrance; whilst from the second story a large ornamental glass door shielded by a lattice opens out upon the portico. The windows guarded by flesh-colored shutters, present but plain caps and sills. The cupola, in which the bell hangs, is surrounded by an oCtagonal entablature, and supported by Tuscan pilasters. . The building is simple, but imposing; and though it covers an area of only 100 by 44 ft., its parts are so commanding and well porportioned that it appears much larger. Luxuriant grape vines creeping along the rough stones, and conveying their fruit into the very windows, formerly mantled the walls: but they have been removed from all save the south-west side. By the time you have completed your observations you have reached the end of the avenue, and encounter a white picket fence with a raised triple gateway. To the right you will read the admonition : " Ring the bell here," but after you have complied with it you need make no scruple of pushing the wicket open and proceding to the house. You reach it by a pavement of flags 1 5 ft. broad, which extends all around the house, though with diminished breadth. Br. W--will usher you into the parlor with his most winning smile, and leave you there whilst he goes to summon Fr. Rector. In the meanwhile you will have time to notice that the parlor though extremely neat is very plain and perfeCtly in keeping with the spirit of poverty. The mantel is adorned with some little trinkets and the walls with some �42 • Florissant. simple paintings. On one side is a large frame enclosing poetry written by the Juniors, pieces being changed from time to time. At present there are several acrostics, among others one double Greek acrostic to Pius the Ninth, and another in Latin to St. Stanislaus, displaying in five direCtions. It is made the custom of the house for our brethren from abroad to test our home-pressed wine before going any farther, it being supposed that a two mile travel has made it acceptable: besides it is as innocent as becomes a novitiate. Of course you will next pay a visit to the domestic chapel which is in the first story on the south side of the house. Our altar is, in our opinion, quite handsome, being embellished with mouldings, carvings and modillions. The latticed windows with their lace hangings and the marbled walls and ceilings given an air of solemnity to the sacred preci nets. All around you is still";-- it is the time of the Examen. That bell you hear sounding from the cupola is the sign for dinner. As we have" Deu Gratias" in your honor, there will be ample opportunity to become acquainted with the whole community, which consists of Rev. Father Boudreaux, ReCl:or; Father Converse, Minister; Father Coppens, Professor of the Juniors; with eleven Juniors, seventeen Scholastic Novices and twenty-four Brothers. In the course of the afternoon you take a survey of the premises. On the right and a little to the rear of the stone edifice is a frame building 52 by 20, rich in historical memories. At present its tlppcr story is used as a chapel for the neighbors; the lower, owing to the scarcity of ro9111 and the large number of our community, as a Dormitory for the Juniors. Our outhouses are so numerous that they present the appearance of a little village. But let us proceed ! Right of the house and back of it are orchards; left, or south-west, is the garden laid off with some taste, and by way of " miscendi utile dulci," enclosing patches of vegetables, borders of flower beds, and evergreens. Fruit trees of different kinds are scattered in the midst of this gay ~1, j 1··'· .. . �Florissant. 43 profusion. Besides several arbors near the house, and a quantity of Catawba and Isabella vines planted elsewhere, a magnificent grape arbor 400 or 500 ft. long, supported on trellis-work twelve feet high, runs through the garden. Several bowers, conveniently situated, a row of tall locusts, and some venerable old pear trees afford shade and refreshing coolness. On the north side is a hot-house, and near by, a handsome flower bed under the care of the Juniors. In the lower part of the garden is a modest little oratory in the Gothic style, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Though at all seasons of the year it is a favorite resort of the Novices and others ; the fragrant honeysuckles clambering up the wall without, and the blooming flowers placed before Our Lady's statue within, make it find favor even with nonCatholic visitors. The walks of. the garden are bordered with pinks, violets and privet. The whole garden is surrounded by an Osag~ orange hedge of remarkable beauty and closeness. A person lately attempted to cross it, but though favored by a friendly fence, met with very indifferent succdss, as was evident from the sundry pieces of cloth left behind. On the west side of the garden between flower beds on one side and orchards on the three other sides is the resting place of our dead. The cemetery comprises an area of 90 ft. square, enclosed by a simple white paling. Within the enclosure a quadrangular mound, partly artificial, partly natural, rises gradually from a height of 2 ft. at the border to I 2 ft. at its central elevation. Two broad paths set with flowers and interse8:inj:! each other at right angles, divide the mound into four equal se8:ions, two of which contain the remains of twenty-five Fathers, the third, of nine scholastics, the fourth, of eighteen brothers. A hedge of lilacs formerly encircled each se8:ion, but they have given place to box-wood, roses, lilies, bleeding hearts etc. Weeping willows, thorny locusts and huge catalpas throw a sombre shade over the sacred spot; whilst a stone cross twelve feet �Florissant. 44 high raised on a pedestal in the centre of the elevation speaks the faith and hope of the departed. One tomb close to the cross bears this inscription : REV. PATER LUDOVICUS SEBASTIANUS MEURIN, SOC. JESU SAC. PROF., NATIONE GALLUS OBIIT IN PAGO PRAIRIE DU ROCHER 23 FEBR. IJJ7, ET IBIDEM SEPULTUS FUIT IN ECCLESIA STI. JOSEPHII, INDE HUC T.RANSLATUS 23 AUG. I849, ET DENUO HUIIIATUS 3 SEPT. I 849. R. I. P. It is a precious link between the old and the new society. I have confined myself, Rev. Father, to a description of what may be properly called our premises-all within the osage orange hedge. Behind this is a country road, happily not much frequented, but this I must not cross without permission-it is out of bounds. Besides, I suppose you are wearied enough, so we will leave the farm buildings, tlie saw and grist mill and the church still in the course ~f erection, alone for the present. I will only mention that the large brick house beyond the road is inhabited by our former slaves, the same families that came with our first Fathers and Novices from Maryland fifty years ago. One of them, old Protus, died a few years since some 1 ro years· of age ; he gloried to have been of our Society for fifty years. �Buffalo. 45 You must have noticed that the outhouses are in a good state of repair, many perfeCl:ly new; and you may wish to know whence this prosperity comes. Seculars say that it is all the work of our Procurator who is a native of Vermont, and who praCtised law before he joined our Holy Religion ; but they do not know that we have another source of wealth besides, viz : for several years past the custom has existed in this community of offering up a Mass every Wednesday and each member in his turn a communion in honor of St. Joseph, who has not despised the simple devotion, but has frequently given bountiful assistance both spiritual and temporal at the time most needed. JUNIOR. BUFFALO MISSION. Letter from ll.fr. Guld11tr. BuFFALO, Nov. 20th 1871. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. St. Michael's church is, and l suppose will continue to be, the centre of the Mission. It is accordingly the residence of the Rev. Fr. Superior. The natural field of the Apostolic labors of the German Fathers is the West, as it is to the West that the tide of German immig ration is uninterruptedly flowing. Already they feel their inability to satisfy the demand for missions in that direCtion. Up to the present hour they have, besides the two houses in Buffalo, only one more residence, in Toledo, where are the �Buffalo. head-quarters of a band of four missionaries. One of the Fathers has accomplished an excellent work by reconciling a German parish in Erie to their Bishop; another has, by accepting a professorship in the Cleveland Diocesan Seminary, relieved the Administrator of that Diocese from the painful necessity of closing the Seminary. A college was offered in Prairie du Chien, Wis., but the Fathers did not deem it acceptable. Another band of missionaries is stationed here in Buffalo. They, too, have their hands full of work. "Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci." It is the old complaint. The good these Fathers are doing, and are called to do, among the German population, is incalculable. However, though they spare no pains in the missionary work, it is neither the only, nor even the chief objeB: of their attention. The greatest care and solicitude, they bestow upon the education of youth. They were not long in this country before they found out that the curse of this fair land, especially of the Catholic population, are the public schools. They therefore shrink from no sacrifice to procure good schpols and good teachers for the children entrusted to their pastoral vigilance. Every class is visited at least twice a week by one of the Fathers, for the purpose of teaching catechism. Besides this weekly catechism, there is, regularly, every Sunday before Vespers, catechism in the church for the wliole congregation, where the children are interrogated in presence of their parents. When they leave school they are received into the Sodality. These Sodalities have been canonically ereB:ed for the differ~nt classes of persons, viz., boys, young men, married meh, young ladies, matrons. I may mention by the way, that the Fathers have great experience in the sodality work, as it is one of their chief occupations in Germany, where they are excluded from the education of youth. Some of the Sodalities meet every week ; others every second week. They have general communion once a month. Yesterday morning I assisted at the Mass of communion. for the men. �Buffalo. 47 I never witnessed anything more edifying. The earnest but simple piety which th~se sturdy men showed forth, as they said their prayers in common, responded to the leading prefeCt:, and sang their canticles was really touching. But it seems to be of regular recurrence: with them it is a matter of course to attend to their duties. Much good is prevented by the unreasonable division of the parishes. In whatever parish church a person has rented a seat, to that parish he belongs. It is a source of disorder .and difficulties without end. Besides the two large parishes of St. Michael's and St. Ann's within the city, the Fathers have also the care of the German-French of Eleysville and North-bush, and of the German-Irish parish of St. Vincent's. One of the Fathers spends some hours daily at the hospital of the Sisters of Charity. Every day he has some touchi ng incident to reiate, tending to prove that the hospital is for many a poor · soul the gate of heaven. Only to-day in recreation he recounted the followin g: The other day, when I was going throu gh the wards, the sister came to me saying, "Father, there is a negro just dyi.ng in another room, could you do something for the poor fellow?" " I will see" replied the Fa~her, followin g the sister to the room where the dyin g man. lay. H e was brought to the negro by a little boy of twelve or fourteen years of age who said to the sick man, '' Sam, here comes the Priest, he is going to baptize you. Do you believe i!l God, in Jesus Christ ?" and he was going to put the man through a regular examination, when the Father interrupted him, and havi ng satisfied himself as to the dispositi.o ns of the poor man, he called for water and baptized him. Half an hour afterwards he was a corpse. Many edifying conversions, wrought in the hospital and during the missions, might be recounted, but I must not tire you. I will only mention two fa&, circumstantially related to me by one of the missionary Fathers, and illustrative of the extraordinary aCtion of grace on such occa- �48 Buffalo. sions. Two brothers had been deadly enemies for years ; f after the sermon, which was on reconciliation, they embraced ' each other at the church door, to the great joy and edification of the by-standers. In another parish, where a mission was preached, a scandalous law-suit was pending, in which many persons were concerned, and which caused great disturbance in the whole parish. It seemed as if this sad affair were going to thwart all the missionary's efforts in trying to produce a radical change in the hearts of the people. By dint of prayer and great efforts he finally succeeded in causing the whole suit to be dropped and private arrangements to be agreed to. The mission now went on splendidly and was attended by the wished-for success. Now a few words about our incipient college. We have already over sixty students, in spite of difficulties of every kind that beset us, in. spite of. the ill-will of persons, who ought rather to favor than hinder the work. It will doubtless, at no distant period, become a flourishing college; at present its outward appearance is rather insignificant : the speedy erection of at least part of the future college is an urgent necessity. We have now the two lowest classes of the Latin course, and also two commercial classes. German and English are, as much as possible, kept on an equal J footing. The Fathers are just no\v anxiously a\vaiting sue- ; cor from Europe. I suppose when the" Old-Catholics" i. e. New-Protestants, with the help of their friends, the freemasons, will have done away with their eye-sore, the Jesuits, we shall get plenty of help. How we will welcome tht;_rh to this our free and hospitable America! If you can command your patience a little while longer I will speak to you about one, who being no more among the living, cannot forbid me to say something in his praise. I mean our good brother Pappert. He died on All Saints day, at 5~ o'clock, A. !If. Brother Francis Pappert was born in Fulda, in the year I 8 I 5· He entered the Society in Switzerland, when twenty years old. He lived at Freiburg �Buffalo. 49 and other Swiss colleges till the year I 848, when the revolution dispersed that province of the Society. Shortly after he was sent to America, and, if I am not mistaken, continued to live at Fordham, till he was recalled to his own province, which happened in the fall of I 870. He was stationed at St. Michael's church, where he discharged the office of sacristan to the great satisfaction of the Fathers and edification of the faithful. People used to call him, the good brother sacristan. During his illness his besetting thought was that he gave, as he believed, so much trouble to the Fathers, among whom he had not labored. All this, 1 need hardly tell you, was but the effect of his delicate, susceptible mind. As to his usefulness, all those who knew him here, did not make a secret of the esteem in which they held him. The Fathers considered him as the very pattern of a coadjutor brother. On a holyday the Fathers and Brothers of St. Michael's church went to dine at St. Ann's. When after dinner, the Fathers, coming from the visit, proceeded to recreation, Father Superior, pointing to the kitchen where Br. Pappert was already diligently washing the dishes, although he had not been asked to do so, being a guest, exclaimed: "Brother Pappert is a model of a coadjutor brother." It was on the 25th of June, the day of the first communion of the children of the parish, after having perhaps overfatigued himself in the sacristy and church, that he felt the first attack of apoplexy. When Fr. Mmister accompanied him to his room, trying to dispel his uneasiness by saying: " It is only fatigue, brother, you worked too much to-day, take a rest and to-morrow you will be all right again," the brother shook his head and said calmly : "No, Fath~:r, it is an attack of apoplexy, I know it~" All his right side became paralyzed : a few more attacks deprived him of speech, and rendered his right arm and hand useless. He dragged himself along very painfully ; for his right leg soon became as helpless as his arm. As he was 4 �so Buffalo. convinced that all was over with him, he at once commenced to prepare himself for death. He walked along and worked as long as he could stir a foot, for the idea of being useless or a burden to others, was a torment to him, whereas the fathers deemed it a blessing, and not a burden ; to have a sick brother, and such a brother under their roof. : Had he not been obliged by holy obedience, he would · never have consented to take a glass of wine at table ; and · had not one of his brothers happened to perceive how ex· tremely difficult and well nigh impossible it was for him to dress and undress, good Br. Pappert would never have said a word about it. At last obedience obliged him to . keep his bed. Here he lay, the poor sick man, for months, more helpless and mute than a baby. The use of his left hand only was left to him ; his only language was that of his eyes, and oh! how eloquent it was at times. Fr. Superior was accustomed to give him his blessing every night after litany, but was once prevented from doing so. The next day the sick brother was uneasy, and calm only returned when in the evening he had received the blessing. I did not assist him very often. One day, I en- ' tered the infirmary, and, after speaking a few words, pre- , pared to retire, when he grasped my hand and pressed it, •. and looked at me so candidly and so earnestly, that I, overpowered, had to leave the room at once It seemed to me there was a world of meaning in that look and pressure i of my hand. I witnessed a similar scene when Fr. Super- ;! .j ior starting for a journey, gave him his parting blessing. !i Hjs beads were his great consolation; it was by their ~ means that he established an uninterrupted communication fj and sweet conversation with heaven : he would never consent to part with them, even for a few minutes. On Sunday, Oct. zgth, he received the Viaticum for the ~· last time. The Infirmarian, after communion, said some prayers for him. He seemed full of consolation, and to give vent to his gratitude, he took the Infirmarian's hand and . would have kissed it, if the former had allowed him. j i �Buffaio. 51 On the feast of Blessed Alphonsus, he seemed to be dy~ ing and we all thought that our Blessed Coadjutor Brother would obtain for him the grace of a saintly death on his own festival ; but the next morning he was better. During his long and noble struggle, lasting from Sunday till Wednesday, he never let go either beads or crucifix, and when a brother pointing to the beads, said: "the Blessed Virgin will assist you in your last moments," a smile of happiness illumined his face. Father Superior himself attended him in his last moments. He and all those in the house are unanimous in saying that Br. Pappert died a good exemplary religious. · Many persons of the parish had given marks of deep sympathy during his illness, often inquired about his state, sent little presents for him ; and when he was dead, the throng to the parlor was so great that the Fathers decided to depart somewhat from the · custom of the Society. Accordingly Rev. Fr. Superior, in hi~ sermon on All Saints' day, mentioned his death, asked the prayers of the faithful for the repose of his soul, and announced that the body would be exposed in the chapel. Many persons, among them not a few men, were seen shedding tears while the father said a few words about the edifying life and death of our dear brother. After Vespers the .body was laid in the chapel, which is left open to the public, and until dark a crowd of people were without interruption going processionally around the bier and saying their beads. Mothers lifted up th eir children to see the face of the dead brother, and they seemed to look at it with pleasure; for the features were not at all contraaed or any way repulsive, b!Jt he seemed to be peacefull y sleeping. His funeral service was held on All Souls' day, and he was buried in the German Cemetery.-May lze rest in peace. · �St. 52 LETTER Louis. FROM ST. LOUIS. ST. LoUis UNIVERSITY, Oct. 19th I87J. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. Within the last few days an event has occurred that shall .forever be memorable in the annals of the house, and stand forth as one of its brightest pages. The great joy that pervaded all hearts, and the gala-day that was created for the entire University, professors as well as students, were occasioned by the rare and unprecedented spectacle of two of our Fathers celebrating their golden Jubilee. These were the. FF. Van Assche and .Verreydt; the only two surviving founders and pioneers of the province. As Rev. F. Provincial intended to make the festival a general one, he thought he could devise no better method of doing so, than to invite the heads of the different houses, as well as those who had formerly filled the office of Rector. The kind invitation was almost universally responded to, for on the eve and morning of the festive day arrivals from every quarter of the Province filled the college. It was, indeed, a happy gathering and reunion ; -long separated brethren in religion met again ; . they recalled old scenes and places, and reverting to .the histories and memories of the past, recalled to their minds things which time had almost effaced. At length, the 1oth of October, the feast of St. Fra~cis Borgia, and the day appointed for the )ubilee, had come. It W<;\5 a bright genial day, not a speck of cloud interrupted the. continuous .blue, while the sun dispensed sufficient warmth to remind one of .Indian Summer. The previous Sunday,the parish had been informed of the approaching eelebration, and or. the morning many a devout soul hastened to St. Xavier's to witness the venerable sight and the affecting ceremonies. Precisely at 9 o'clock the clergy filed into the Sanctuary. The venerable Father Judocus L. Van , ~ I. L :. !; ' J !i !{ ~ �St. Louis. 53 Assche officiated as celebrant, assisted by Father Helias of Cole Co. as deacon, and Father Busschots from the villa, as subdeacon. Owing to the dignified appearance of the celebrant and his assistants, the richly decked altar, and the distinguished services rendered by Mr Gilson's choir, the Mass was as solemn and inpressive as any we ever attended. In truth, nothing more venerable and awe-inspiring can be imagined that the aspect of Father J. L. Van Assche. With beard of silver descending to his breast and a countenance lit up by an ever ready smile, this veteran of many years still walks with step so light and firm, that few would credit the fact that seventy-one years have left no greater marks upon his person ; Fathers Helias and Busschots, too, wear their years weii, and still give many signs of unabated activity and ardor,-traits so characteristic of their nation. About twenty Fathers assisted in surplice; and as many acolytes, among whom may be reckoned several aspirants to the sacerdotal dignity, aCted as torch-bearers, and enhanced the solemnity of the occasion. If his Grace, Bishop· Miege had honored us with his presence, we should have enjoyed the spectacle of a pontifical high Mass, in which the pioneer Fathers would have figured as deacon and subdeacon respectively. But as his Grace failed to appear, Father Felix L. Verreydt offered up his Mass ofthanksgiving early in the morning, while Father J. Van Assche sang the solemn Mass. The church was crowded, and many a fervent prayer ascended on high for the blessings and length of years bestowed on the two venerable servants, while, perhaps, not a few of the Fathers assembled cherished the fond hope of one day seeing their own golden Jubilee. Slowly and solemnly the Holy Sacrifice neared its completion, and when the Celebrant's hand had descended in benediction on the prostrate crowd, all rose consoled by the rare and edifying aCl:ion which they had witnessed. At noon a bountiful repast ·was served.· The greatest harmony and charity prevailed. Interesting scenes were �54 St. Louis. depiaed in the most striking colors; and the many dangers, trials, and arduous occupations of the past were gratefully recounted. Especially did the older members dwell on the faa, when, fifty years ago, the youthful province emigrated from its parent stock, Maryland, to the wilds of Missouri, and in spite of a thousand obstacles laid the foundation. Time and again they lauded the unflinching spirit and iron will of the noble Fathers Van Quickenborn and De Theux, to whose unsparing exertions they owed their united fruitful labors. Amid these recolleaions the afternoon had passed, and the evening, the time set apart for the formal and explicit congratulations of the" veterans" had come. ~By 6 o'clock the community and invited guests, whose number had hourly increased, repaired to the spacious library hall. Here a richly covered table laden with creature comforts and refreshmen"ts ran threw its entire length, while four magnificent chandeliers shed a flood of light over the well-stocked panels, and the portraits of the nine Presidents of the University. At the head of the table sat Rev. Father Provincial with Fathers Van Assche and Verreydt on either side, while ranged on the right and left were the many groups assembled to welcome the pioneers. The formal opening of congratulation was made by the Rector Rev. J. G. Zealand, who in a short pithy address welcomed them in the name of all present, and represented what grateful sentiments were entertained for them by the inmates of the house. After a short interval, a communication from Rev. J. E. Keller, Provincial of Maryland, }Vas read. This missive couched in terms at once most ch~ste and chiselled found a ready response in the hearts of all. It dilated in growing terms on the golden fruits, which the tree planted by them so plentifully bore, styling them " the pillars of the noble edifice which now graced the land." Next came the kind greeting of the Sc~olastics resident at Wod~dstock, who though busy "hiving wisdom with each stu to us year" did not forget to contribute their mite t~~ ! 1 ! 1 1 ~1 1: 1! �St. Louis. 55 the family festivity. One by one did they loom up before us, laying individually tokens of love and reverence at the feet of the pioneers. Their address, as tasteful in style, as simple in language, and encircled by a garland of distichs that set forth their several kind feelings and good wishes, was passed from group to group and greatly admired. · But the older members, too, were not to be outstripped by the younger ones: they came forward and recited pieces breathing youthful ardor and inspiration. Among others, Father Busschots proved syllogistically the happiness of a well-spent religious life, and Father Helias, in five different languages, gave expression to his joy. H is Latin hexameters ·and pe ntameters addressed to Father Felix Verreydt may not be out of place here. The following is a -copy of the original : R EVERENDO FELICI V ERREYDT JUBIL..EUM CELEBRANTI Sic Te divus amor patria procul ire relicts Arcuit, Hesperiae visere regna domus ? Carbasaque ignotis audacia pandere ventis, Phrebus ubi fessos condit anhelus equos. Usus amicitire nee Te,lachrymreque tuorum Flectere, sollicitre nee valuere preces? Non pater apsentis poscens solatia nati, Non genitrix passas imbre rigante comas? Turbaque tot fratrum, quorum suspiria nullus Finiit, a portu Te properante, dies P Non albos scopulos, et mille pericula ponti Impedit? A.troces trux habet unda vias, Aspers montano riguerunt pectora ferro, Votaque cum nullo pondere cuncta cadunt. Ibis, et o nunquam rediturus I Te procul requor Ereptum ex oculis in vaga regna tulit. Nee tamen Americes spectator inutilis urbes Visere, nee merces classe referre parat, Est aliud, quo vota pius cursusque ratemque Impulit, instabiles spernere doctus opes, Eminus albentes metitur messibus agros, Qureque suas poscunt Indica rura manus. �St. Louis. Hie Fidei radiis pressas caligine mentes Imbuit, et sacris crimina tinxit aquis Crelestesque animos patrio transcripsit Olympo Deque triumphato prremia Dite tulit. Et certe hoc melius, quam si Te cura parentum Indecorem patria contumulasset humo. Sic mihi facta via est, et me tulit requor euntem : Sic mihi nunc comitem me Tibi junxit amor, Nee me terruerunt pharetrre, nee lethifer arcus. Nectqure Indi sreva bella bipenne gerunt: Dummodo Romanre rubidus primordia legis Sacra feram, J esum mundus uterque colat, Scilicet ut Belgas videat domus utraque solis Sacraque Christiadum mundus uterque notet. Contributions by the professors of St. Louis University. and St. Xavier College were next recited, and the twelve " Juniors " at St. Stanislaus, were ably represented by Fr. C. Coppens, who read their happy produaions. Chicago college found its exponent in Fr': De Blieck and Milwaukee had a spokesman in Fr. Lalumiere; the former improvised a short Spanish address presenting his compliments, while the latter regretted that he had not been able to forward two canes cut on the grave of Fr. Marquette, which were to serve them as a support in their declining years. Father Kamp, of the nascent Buffalo Province, delivered a short address in German, while of two Italian Fathers returning from China, an~ homeward bound for Brazil, Fr. Rondina with a talent peculiar to his nation, like a true " improvisatore, " threw off on the spur of the moment most exquisite Portuguese and Italian verses. . The time consumed in this various readings had ad-: vanced the night considerably, and Rev. Father Provincial, to close the exercises, requested the two" Honored Guests" to make a short reply. Cheerfully did they second his wishes by stating how grateful they felt to God for crowning their old age with such distinguished honor, and lavishing upon them so many sympathies at the hands of their brethren. With his usual wit and good humor, Fr. J. Vanf\.ssche excused his brief speech by the promise of a longer . ' �Ward's Island. 57 one at his centennial celebration. Father Felix Verreydt on the other hand, overcome with emotion, tendered his thanks to all present in the most humble manner, and recommended tn a few appropriate words the fifty years spent in reli gion, and then with trembling hand blessed the kneeling crowd. Thus ended the festivities. But time shall not soon obliterate the salutary impression made-nay, in after years its sweet remembrance shall, like the reflex of past joys and glories, speed us back to the day, which we shall ever cherish as one of the happiest of our lives. LETTER FROM FR. PRACHENSKY. EMIGRANTs' REFUGE AND HosPITAL, WARD's IsLAND, N. Y, Nov, 27, 1871. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. In complying with the request of my brethren to open a correspondence with you, I think I may say, that owing to my peculiar position on this island, an account of the missionary work carried on here may not be without interest. When the tide of emigration from Europe began to flow to this country, New York became the chief port of entry, and continued to grow in extent and importance with the numbers which arrived every day in its harbor to seek in this new country a new home. Many of these arrived des. titute, and others who brought their little savings with them, became but too soon the prey of thieves and sharpers, �Ward's Island. who infested this port, and robbed them unawares of what little property they had, turning them out penniless into the streets, where not seldom they were seized by the police, 1 and as vagrant::. and paupers sent to the prison or work- 1 house. To remedy these evils a number of prominent ! Irishmen formed themselves into an Irish Emigrant Society ! for the protection and assistance of Irish emigrants. The 1 Germans soon followed their example, until both societies , with the aid of the state authorities obtained a charter from . the Legislature of New York as the Commissioners of Emigratimz of tlze State of New York, with the right of levying · a tax on the captain of every vessel carrying emigrants to the port of New York. By means of this tax, or headmoney which at present is $1.50 for every emigrant, the Commissioners were enabled to perfect accommodations in Castle Garden, where all emigrants have to land ; and to purchase land and erect suitable buildings for the sick and destitute, of no matter what nationality. Thus every emigrant arriving at the port of New York or Brooklyn during the first five years he is in this country, has a right to hospitality and care if sick or destitute, in the Emigrants' Refuge and Hospital of Ward's Island. How many arrive here, having been sent for by their relatives, without means to continue their journey! They are transferred to Ward's Island;_ their relatives are written to, and they themselves remain in safe keeping without any expense until they are sent for or the necessary funds are obtained. The Hospitals contain every sort of patients ab infante us· que ad hominem senem, every disease that man is heir..·to, with the exception of small-pox cases; which are transferred to the Hospital on Blackwell's Island at the expense of the Commission. There is an average of from 6oo to 800 patients in the Hospitals and from 1200 to 2500 inmates on the island. Last winter they reached the number of 2600; 14,000 persons obtained hospitality in this Institution dur- · ing the course of last year. The greater part of these are �Ward's Island. 59 German and Irish; a considerable number of English and . Scotch ; Poles and Bohemians and a sprinkling of other nationalities. T~ at there is a large number of Catholics among them is evident. A priest from Y orkville, and a Protestant minister from Harlem were appointed chaplains, but neither of them were allowed to reside on the Island. When three years. ago his Grace, the Archbishop, entrusted this place to the care of the Society which had al ready all the other charitable institutions of the island in charge, and your humble servant was appointed to the chaplaincy of the emigration on Ward's Island, I saw at once that a residence on the island was absolutely necessary; so with.out asking leave officially, I took it for granted, and sought and found board and lodging with a family in the place. Once established there, none of the Commissioners had the courage to send me away : and when I remarked that they connived at my stay, I made a step farther, and asked for a lodging nearer to the Catholic chapel, which, after some difficulties and explanations, was granted. I then tnmed my attention to the furnishing and embellishing of the chapel, so that it became a point of attraCtion to the inmates and visitors ; and the commissioners themselves remarked, not without pride : " That is the way the priest spends his money ! " The year after, I applied for an increase of salary to the commissioners, and made a promise to buy a statue of St. Patrick and St. Bridget, if my petition were granted. I obtained it, and the two statues adorn an altar in the chapel. This chapel is in the upper story of a large fram e building used as a nursery, unfortunately difficult of access for infirm, old and crippled people, exceedingly hot in summer and not large enough for all the people in wi nter. For besides the Emigrants' Refuge and Hospital, which belongs to the state, there is on this island also an Inebriate Asylum and a Soldiers' retreat belonging to the city; moreover at the beginning of next year there will be opened here a large lunatic asylum for 800 patients, to be �6o Ward's Island. i transferred from Blackwell's Island. Now as the majority in all these institutions is Catholic, my congregation wili be ! increased considerably. I say two Masses every Sunday, preach in English after the second, and during winter in ~ German at Benediction ; still the chapel, seating about 500, cannot accommodate all. Therefore I made up my mind, under the protection of St. Joseph, to whom the chapel is dedicated, to apply to the commissioners ( 13 in number and only three of them Catholics) for the building of a new Catholic church in terra .firma. Although I was laughed at by Ours and strangers, who thought that I was building castles in the air, and at my first application to the Board of Commissioners had suffered a defeat, the votes standing five against five; I had the matter reconsidered last week, and thanks to the intercession of St. Joseph, carried my , point by a vote of seven against three, with an appropriation of $35,000 and the resolution to commence the work • at once. I hope that by the time this reaches you, the 1 foundations of the new Catholic church will be dug, and that 1 it will be closed in when you come to New York in vacation. I have not asked yet for the building of a new residence for the pastor; but that will come, when the church is built. Qucerite primum regnum Dez: et hcec omnia ac{;ii:i'entur vobis: i. e. first build th"e church, and the residence of the ! pastor will follow. But do not think that our Protestant I Commissioners who show themselves so liberal towards I Catholics, forgot their own. When I was allowed a t:esidence on the Island, application was made for the residence of a Protestant minister also, but I succeeded in getting him ,,,i assigned a lodging far enough away, to make him prefer to stay home than to walk about among the inmates : one of j the Commissioners was not a little amused, when I applied for an increase of salary, at my answer to his objection that the Protestant chaplain would ask for the same. ''By all means, let him have it, if you think he deserves it; I am I ! L �Ward's Island. 61 afraid that if the poor fellow Jo:::s not ..:njoy .some! comfort in this life he will find little in the next. Moreover that man is doing more for his people than I would do for mine. " "How so, Father ? " "I am afraid, he is damning himself to please his people: a thing that I would not do for mine : they ought to pay him well at least in this world." The Protestants have a chapel on this island of about half the size of ours, but it is never filled. The greatest part of the German Protestants are infidels, who laugh at their ministers. There is not much chance of making converts for fear of provoking reaction. Nevertheless instances have not been wanting, every year, in which I have been called to receive into the Church, Protestants, who called for the Catholic priest, on their death bed, moved by the mercy of God alone. Among these I always will remember an English lady of good education, who had been sick of consumption for several months. I saw her mostly every day while making my rounds through the wards of the hospital, but beyond an ordinary salutation and question about her physical condition, I never exchanged ·a word with her on religious subjects, as she seemed to be very bigoted anp attached 10 her own sect. . One afternoon I had been on a visit to Blackwell's Island, when a messenger waited for me on the shore, with a very urgent sick-call. I had seen all the patients before leaving the island, and could not guess who required my assistance. Judge of my surprise when I was conducted to the bed-side of the lady just mentioned who, in the passage of death, said she could not die without receiving the rites of holy Mother Church. She knew sufficiently well, what she was about to receive, and scarcely had I annointed her and after a few prayers turned my steps to the door, when she expired. I learned here better than anywhere, how good it is to explain the teachings of our Holy Religion to all who give us the chance, though they seem not to heed what we say at the time. �Ward's Island. Yet another conversion I will relate and thus cut short my epistle, which has grown to longer dimensions than I expeaed. It is the conversion of a Chinese boy, 14 years of age. This boy was reduced to slavery by tl_le Chinese rebels, after his father and mother had been massacred before his eyes. At the age of 10 he was instrumental in saving the life of an American navy officer, who took him on board of his own frigate and brought him to his family on Long Island. Johnny Chow learned the English language, and as the family of the officer were all Methodists, he was trained up in that sea. After three years he was af!Haed with an abscess on the spine, which made his presence in the house of his benefaaors insupportable : so they sent him to the Emigrants' Hospital on Ward's Island, but never failed to recommend him to th_e special care of the Protes·tant chaplain who was to see him daily and to bring him jellies, crackers and candies, and whatever could be of any comfort to poor Johnny in this world. I, of course, waited on Johnny too, learned his history and his religious training, and when I found that he was not even baptized, and that the Protestant minister never spoke to him about Baptism, I explained to him its necessity, and arranged it so with the Orderly in charge of the ward, that he instruaed him in his catechism. Johnny himself declared repeatedly, that he liked the man that baptized much better than the man that read over him; and thus when his end approached, and he was asked which of the two clergyman he wished .to have, he called with a loud voice: "I no want the man that reads, I want the man that baptises,-he tell the truth." And so Johnny was ba"ptized and saved his soul without the aid of jelly and crackers. You may imagine what were the feelings of the minister when he was informed about it, and could not make any complaint since he had negleaed to baptize him. Besides, the boy was not a Protestant but an infidel, whom an infinitely merciful God brought all the way from China to Ward's Island to make a Christian of him and to take him to heaven. �Central America. This, Rev. Father, may do as a beginning of our correspondence; and I hope that you will favor me also with the news, with which you propose to gladden our dear Society. I must confess our Lord helped me a little in getting time to write this letter, by sending me a severe cold, which keeps me in my room for a day or two. But then I will not wait for another cold before I write to you again. Wishing you the very best success in your new enterprise, I will write, without being called upon, whenever I am in possession of facts that will suit your laudable purpose, A. M. D. G. LETTER FROM FATHER VINCENT GARICA TO FATHER IGNATIUS SANTOS, RECTOR OF THE SEMINARY AT PORTO RICO. REV. AND DEAR FATHER RECTOR, P. C. Your reverence will be surprised to receive a letter from me, dated from this city; but such are the ways of Divine Providence, who direCl:ing all things for the best, has decreed that his children should be wanderer~ on the face of the earth. On the 4th of last Sept. we were driven from Guatemala; we took refuge in this Central American Republic. Of this faCl: you have been doubtless apprised. I shall confine my narrative therefore to some few of the painful scenes through which we have been made to pass. One the 29th of June the revolution achieved a decisive triumph ; but its aCl:ion was so awkward and its success so contrary to every probability, as to make it manifest that the result was the work of the Lord, who sent it as a chas- �Central America. tisement rather than the doing of the four giddy heads who were pledged to it. On the 30th the liberating(?)army entered the city, and honors of course were paid to it; but as the whole city, had taken part with the opposite side during the struggle, it had to submit to be pillaged. Still the conquerers conducted themselves with moderation. They gave safe-conducts even to the old ministers- of state: they were willing moreover to retain in the service the same officers whom the former administration had employed, and they protested so loudly their unwillingness to imbrue their hands, or stain their victory with blood, that many of the simple people gave them credit for good intentions. On the 13th of Aug. the feast of B. John Berchmans, hostilities were opened on the college of Quezaltenango. At 8 o'clock at night GeneraJ.Barrios, previously of the Li· berating army, but now Commandant of that department, convoked the municipal officers of the place, and made all sign a decree for our expulsion. " If you refuse" said he" I will shoot every one of you." The document was signed. He then without delay informed the Jesuits that the people were in a tumult against the Society, and that the municipality, to avoid being knocked down and trampled upon, had made arrangements for Ours to depart at 3 o'clock in the morning. There was no remedy for it, they had to go. Such was the leniency shown them that even one of the fathers who was suffering from pains in the stomach was pulled or rather dragged along, and then thrown upo"n a mule to expedite the departure. They then with all the honors of war, i. e. escorted by a numerous body-guard began the march. They had gone a distance of two leagues, when a couple of the fathers, who had little by little got ahead of the guards, slipped away. Their object was to reach Guatemala before the enemy, and prevent the Superior in that city from being taken by surprise. They succeeded, arrived in the city four days in advance of the es- ~ '1 l j 1: I [. !: ~; \i P ;J ,. ii ;. ;; !, li l !,·_1 : 1 [j U fj b il !! n 1• [l 1! f 1! 'j ) i! " �Centr.al America. cort and escorted, and the plans of. the Government were frustrated. T.he news quickly spread; and the people wer:e aroused.to such astate of exasperation that the provisional President was obliged to praB:i~e dissimulation and .to. impute the affair to the arbitrary aB: of a subaltern.. But his pla~ in reality had been to have us all removed two daY,s later, to join us on the road and conduB: US: to the port where lay the. nearest steamer. On the 18th the Fathers from Quezaltenango arrived at Guatemala, and were received in triumph. The Bishop, the Clergy of the Cathedral and more than 200 persons went out to welcome them. It was 10 o'clock at night, but the multitude made the air resound with their vivas to the Evangelical laborers and to religion. Whilst this was going on, some evil-minded persons called together a patriotic junta, discoursed an amount of nonsense, and gathered.signatures to a petition drawn up against us. The well-disposed held a meeting also, spoke their mind and framed a petition in our favor. The provisional President being able to discern a middle course, willed that every department should sign the decree for our expulsion. He signified the same. Hereupon, the party in our favor came to the conclusion that resistance was a necessary measure. The department of St. Rose took the initiative. At the moment when. the message arrived, it announced its opposition. Two other departments joined it, and the united forces of the three were organized into a body called the Christian army. The President, at this junB:ure, saw himself between the sword and the wall. For the Secret Societies of Costa Rica having assisted him to attain his authority, now threatened him with the poniard, unless he kept the oath he had taken to banish us. He therefore called together our principal friends and declared to them that he would banish us though it should cost him the presidential chair. He immediately put the city in a state of siege, etc. etc. 5 �66 Central America. It is not possible to relate here all that occurred at this time, or the efforts of the good people in our defence : the manifestoes, protests and placards ; the procession of 300 or 400 ladies to the house of the President in order to dissuade him from carrying out his resolution; or the guard- [ ing of our premises night after night by these same ladies, I' armed with knives to prevent an attack upon us. 1 At length on Sept. 4th at 5 A. M. we "were hurried off I I· amid a troop of armed soldiers, leaving the city in conster- i nation and tears. We departed like true ministers of God, \ each with his crucifix suspended from his neck, and his little pack in his hand. On the road we gathered tears and sighs; for the people wherever we passed, threw themselves on their knees, and in the emotions of grief called themselves unfortunate. At the port of St. Joseph, a· place extremely unhealthy, we were delayed eight days, at the end of which time a steamer arrived. Now began the 'second part in the drama , of our troubles. The fathers were allowed a part of the cabin ; but the rest of us were stowed away in the hold of ; the vessel, a delightful locality, where in the abundance of ' our wants we had to be satisfied with an abundance of cold; and in the absence of convenience, to put up with every inconvenience, and to mak~ the best of it. The government had bargained for our passage to Pana- i rna; and so· we were forbidden to get out and shake our- : selves at the ports of the neighboring republics, San Salvador and Honduras ; but three days after, we reached Corinth, Nicaragua, where we were welcomed with open arms. Two of the fathers went immediately to inform the Lord Bishop of our arrival. His Lordship instantly put his pal-. ace at our disposal. On Monday Sep. 18th we made our entrance into the city, where the Lord Bishop, the clergy and the entire population dressed in their holiday attire gave us the honors of a triumphal reception. A band of music led the procession and the heavens blazed with rockets. �Central America. All were full of the liveliest joy, and the welcome was warm and affeCl:ing. We went to the Cathedral, whence after the Tt Deum was sung, we repaired to our lodgings. Never in my life did I see streets so tightly packed with people; if there wa" one person there, there were 16,000 crowded upon them. We are now resting, and recovering from the fevers which had seized upon us. The people are very kind, and are providing us with all the necessaries of life; but they are very poor, and it is only now after a month's stay that some of us have procured a bed to sleep upon. They are well disposed to receive the assistance of our ministry. The men and women come to confession to us, and they wish us to open a mission among them. The clergy are enthusiastic in our praise. They have asked us to take charge of the schools, and the government, which is an excellent one, is in favor of it; but the country is too poor to inspire confidence. Our stay at this point is only temporary therefore; we shall depart when we have recuperated and received further orders. By that time the affairs of Guatemala may be settled; for the entire state is again in arms, the government is again in jeopardy, and those who raised the present administration to power are now the most ardent reaCl:ionists. Unless therefore the Lord decrees to prolong the days of our trial, there is strong reason to hope for an early return. But the mail is about to start. Give our best respeCts to the fathers and brothers. �68 A Miracle of Lourdes. AN ACCOUNT OF A MIRACULOUS CURE EFFECTED AT BOSTON, MASS. BY THE USE OF THE "WATER OF LOURDES." The following account was written by Miss O'Donnell the person cured by the use of the" Water of Lourdes." We insert as.a preface, an extract of a letter dated Dec. 28th I8JI, from one of our Fathers who has been the young woman's spiritual director for several years. . I have asked Miss O'Donnell herself to write out a little account of the miracle, which I. enclose. This I think will . be more satisfactory, and of course more exact than anything I could write. The cure, you will observe, was much more sudden than I gave you to suppose. About Yz after 6 A. M. on the I 8th of August last, her mother rubbed her with the " water." (This was the first time it 'had been applied to her spine and hip, and only the second time that she had used it in any way.) At 7{ to 7, the same morning, I took her Communion, and about 9 the same morning, she threw aside her crutches. The cure took place on the third day of the novena, St. Helen's day, as we afterwards observed, though it was only from accident we selected that day for Communion. It was she herself who brought me the account this morning. Miss HELEN O'DoNNELL's AccouNT. I have suffered from scrofula since my infancy, but the disease never appeared externally. When about one year old, my eyes became affected and I was blind nearly all the time from that age until my fifth year. I remember having: I f I r } 1 [ I I ! ! I [ t �A Miracle ·of Lourdes. had the back-ache when a little child, but during the'winter of 1859 it troubled me mote than before and I grew quite sick. At that time Dr. Mason Warren examined my back and decided that I had the spine disease which was incurable. All that could be done was to try to keep up my strength. I grew very much out of shape and could not stand ereCt. In a few weeks my left hip became diseased, the limb was so drawn up that my foot did n:ot touch the ground. I was able, however, to walk with crutches until the spring of 1864, when I grew so much worse that for fifteen months I was confined to my bed. A swelling appeared on my right side which grew to be larger than an egg. In reply to my enquiries as to its charaCter, the doCtor told me that it came from an·inward swelling, that it was not a tumor, that I would not die of tumbr, but very likely of cancer. I did not go out of the house after the spring of 1864 more than four times and then I had to ride. I was able at times to go about the house on my crutches, but generally was obliged to keep my bed for several weeks together, and could never sit up a whole day. I was never out of pain for five minutes at a time. My right arm also became useless. I first heard of the "Water of Lourdes" in the fall of 1 8~. I then said I would get well as sobn as I used it, but I did not know any 'one who had the miraculous liquid, or who would get it for me. Indeed I had no hope of ever getting it. In January 1871, I became very sick. I 'had every day several fainting fits which lasted from a quarter to a half an hour. I grew weaker every day. I could not read any longer. I did not. care to see any person, or to hear any one speak-! felt that I was dying. At this time I called a physician (Dr. Storer) to see me, for I had not had one previous to this time for four years, nor had I taken any medicine. I did not even take what was ordered in: January last, because I knew it would not help me. The doB:or while prescribing it said �A llfiracle of Lourdes. he thought it would not help me much, but that it would do me no harm. He thought I could not live long and that if I did not grow worse quickly, we ought to be very thankful. I felt sure the "Water of Lourdes" would cure me, and the more I thought of it the more certain I grew. In the last week of July 1871, Sister Superior of the Sisters of Notre Dame at Lowell sent me a small vial of the "water." Upon measuring it, I found I had just five teaspoonfuls. After obtaining the "water" I was afraid to use it, for what reason I know not. I yet felt I would be perfeB:ly well as soon as I used it. I would not have been disappointed however, if I had not been cured. On August 13th a swelling came on the left side of my neck. I felt as if I were choking. I took half a teaspoonful of the "water" and rubbed my neck with it. I than drank a few drops of it when all the pain and swelling instantly left me. On August 18th I was rubbed all over with the "water" in the morning, and after receiving Holy Communion swallowed a few drops of it and afterwards took my breakfast. After this I thought I would try to walk and so started without my crutches. I found I could really walk. Both my feet touched the floor. My back was perfeB:ly straight, the swellings all gone and I had no pain. I got safely across the room, and went down one flight of stairs and up again without any difficulty~ Since then I have been perfeB:ly well and can walk as well as any person. I have had no return of pain or disease. The " water " appears like oil when one uses it. .. D. 0. M. �\VOODSTOCI( LETTERS. VOL. I., No. 2. FATHER WHITE'S RELATION. [ (.(mtinucd.] On Sunday the 24th and Monday the 25th of November, we enjoyed prosperous sailing. At that time, the wind veering- towards the north, there arose so great a storm that the London merchantship of which I spoke, retracing its course, steered for England, and a port r:elebrated among the Paumonians, Our pinnace, too, for it was only offorty tons burden, began to be distrustful of its strength, and heaving to, cautioned us, that in case it feared shipwreck, it would signal us by lights shown from the masthead. For ourselves, we were carried in the meantime, in a strong ship of four hundred tons burden, as good as could be framed of wood and iron. vVe had a most skilful CapDie igitur Dominica, 24ta, et die Lunae, 25ta, Novembris, usque ad vespcr:un prospem usi sumus navigatione. Tum vero ventis in Aquiloncm obversis, tanta cxorta est tempestas ut oneraria quam dixi Londinensis, retroacto cursu, Angliam et portum apucl Paumonios celebrem repetierit. Celox etiam nostra vasorum tantum 40 cum esset, viribus coepit diffiLlerc et adnavigans monuit sc si naufragium rnetueret id Ju. minibus· e carchesio ostcnsis significaturam. Vehcbamur interim nos Valida IJavi vasorum quadrigcntorum, nequc aptior ex ligno et ferroconstrui potcrat. Navarcho utelmmur pcritissimo; data est illi itaque optio �-.., 1- Father H'ltitc's Relation. tain. He had the choice either of retuming to England or of struggling with that sea, which, should it prove victorious, would dash us upon the Irish coast, hard by,-notorious for its breakers and very frequent shipwrecks. The daring spirit of the Captain, and a wish to test the strength of the new vessel, on its maiden voyage, gained the day. He concluded, then, to try the sea, which he admitted was the more dangerous, owing to its narrowness. The danger, indeed, was not far distant; for, about midnight, during the prevalence of high winds and very rough seas, we descried the pinnace in the distance, with two lights hanging out from her masthead. Then, indeed, we thought there was an end of the pinnace, and that she had gone down in the deep whirlpools, for in a moment more she had escaped our sight, and not until six or seven weeks afterwards did we get any sign of her. So, we were all persuaded that the pinnace had perished. However, God had provided better things for us; for, perceiving herself unequal to the waves, and avoiding in time the Virginia ocean by which we were nqw tossed, she returned to England and the Scilly isles. Sailing thence on her return voyage, along with the Dragon, whose company she had as far as the rPdenndi si vellet in .Anglinm, vel cum Y!'ntif' porro colluctandi, quibu~ ~i eederet expectabat nos e proximo litus llibernicum caecb seopuli~, et freqnenti~simis naufragiis infame. Vicit tanwn navarchi audax animus ct desiderinm probandi quae vires esscnt novae, quam tum primum tmctabat, mwi. Scdit animo cxperiri marc quod eo fatcbatur esse lWri!'ulo~ius quo angnstius. N eque pericnlumlonge alwrat; vent is l'nim turgt·ntihus, et mari· exnsperato circa mPdiam noetem vidl'rc crat celocPm prot~ul duo lumina a carchcsio protenrlcntem. Tum scilicet actum de ilia es~e. et altis haustam vortiribns existimnbamus, momPnto enim conspl'etum ell"ugerat, neque nisi pm<t sex septimana>< (:jus indicium aliqnotl ad no>< cmanavit. I tuque 1wriisse celocem cunctis emt persnaf'nm: nwliom tamen providerat Deus; nam se 1\uctibus imparem sentiens mntnre (keanum Virginium cum quo jam nos luctahamus dev1tan~. in Anglimnnd insulas Sillinus revert it, unde postliminia Dracone co mite ad Sim~m )lagmnn, nos ad Insulas Antillas, ut dicemus, est asspcnta, DPo <'ni mil~i­ mormn cum est, cxiguae naviculae deduce et custode pru~pieienle. �Fatlzcr lf'lzitc's Relation. 73 Great Bay, she came up with us, as we will tell, at the Antilles, God who has care of the smallest things, providing a guide and guardian for our little boat. · Meanwhile, the ship's crew, ignorant of what had befallen her, fell a prey to the keenest alarm and dread, which the frequent terrors of a dismal night served to augment. At dawn of day, although we had the southwest wind against us, still, since it was comparatively light, we were enabled to make some headway by frequent tacking. In like manner during Tuesday, \Vednesday, and Thursday, the winds being variable, we made little progress. On Friday, under the influence of an easterly gale, which drove the gray clouds together in threatening masses, such a storm of wind burst upon us, towards dusk, as threatened at every moment, to engulf us in the waves. Nor did the following morning, which was the festival of St. Andrew, the Apostle, promise any abatement. The clouds, massing together from every quarter in a frightful manner, before they were rent asunder by the lightnings, were a terror to those that beheld them; and the opinion prevailed that all the spirits of storrt1s and all the malignant and evil genii of Maryland had come forth in battle array against us. As the day declined, the Captain perceived a sunfish making in the direction opposite the sun's course, which' is the most At vero nos evcntus ignaros dolor ct mctus premebat, quem tetra nox fi·cqucntibus tocta terronhus augebat. lllueescente die, cum AfHcum haberemus contrarium, quia tamen languidior erat, per multas ambagcs lente provchebamur. Ita ~Im·tis, ~Icrcurii ct J ovis dies variantibus ventis exiguo profectu abiere. Die Veneris ohtincntc Euro ct glaucas cogenie nubl's vento gravidas, tantus circa vespenun se turbo etfudit ut 111omentis singulis involvcndi tluctibus vidercmur. Neque mitiora promittebat lux inscquens Andreae Apostolo sacm. Nubes terrificum in 1110rem undique excresoentes tcrrori crant intuentibus antequam discinllcrcntur; et opinionem facicbant prodiisse adversum nos in acicm omncs spiritus tcmpestatum maleficos ct malos genios onmes Marylandiac. Inelinantc die vidit navnrchus piscem solis cursui solari obnitcntem, quod horriuae tcmpestatis ecrtissimum indicium. Neq ue fides abfuit augurio : �74 Fat!tcr H7titc's Relation. certain indication of d. horrid storm. The pre~age proved not untrue; for about ten o'clock at night, a black cloud rained down upon us in fearful wise. This was accompanied by a gale so dreadful, that it was necessary to take in sail with all speed; nor could that be done with sufficient expedition, before the mainsail, under which alone we were running, was rent in twain from top to bottom. One part of it was carried into the sea, and afterwards recovered with difficulty. In this juncture, the courage of the bravest, whether passengers or sailors, began to flag ; for they confessed that they had seen the best ships go down in a lighter storm. But the tempest enkindled the prayers and vows of the Catholics in honor of the most Blessed Virgin Mother, and her Immaculate Conception, of St. Ignatius, the patron of :\Iaryland, St. l\lichael, and all the tutelar angels of the place. And each one strove, by holy confession, to purge his soul : for after having lost the guidance of our helm, the ship was tossed about at the mercy of winds and waves, till such time (a thing you may learn out at sea) as God should open a way of safety. In the beginning, I cqnfess, fear for the loss of the ship and of my own life had taken hold of nau1 circa decimam nocturnam -caeca nubes atrocem clepluit imhr£>m. Ilunc tam immanis turbo suscepit ut n£>c£'ssc fucrit quantocius ad vela contrahenda accurrere; nequc id fieri tam expedite potuit, quam a£'atium sen velum majus, quo solo navigabamus, medium a summo dcorsum finderetur. Ejus pars una in marc delata aegre rec£>pta est. Hie fortissimi cnjusque sivc vectoris, sive nautae est consternatus ani'mus; fatebantur enim vidi~se se celsas naves minori procella prnecipitatas. Accendit vero is turbo Catholicorum preccs et vota in honorcm Beatae Virginis Matris et Immaculatae ejusdem Coneeptionis, Sancti Ignatii, Patroni Marylandiac, Sancti Michaelis et tutelarium ibidem Angelorum. Et quisque animum suum sacra exomologesi expiarc conlcndebat. Nam clavi moderaminc amisso, navigium jam umlis ct vcntis derelictum ftuctuabat, ut in aqua discnt, dum Deus ~a! uti viam aperirct. Initio, fateor, occupavernt me mctus nmittendne navis ct vitae; postea vero qunm tempus aliquod orationi, minus pro more mco quotidiano �F atlzcr TV/zitc' s Relation. 75 m~. but after I had sp~nt some time in prayer, less after my daily lukewarm manner, and had declared to Christ, our Lord, the most Blessed Virgin, St. Ignatius, and the Angels of .Maryland, the purpose of this voyage, to wit, to honor the blood. of the Redeemer· in the salvation of barbarians, to the same Saviour to build a kingdom, if he would deign to prosper my humble endeavors, and to consecrate a new dower to the Immaculate Virgin Mother, and many other like purposes, there gladdened my soul within no small degree of comfort, and' so happy an assurance did I feel that we would weather not only this, but any future storm that no shade of doubt was left in my mind. 'When the sea was raging most violently, I had given myself to prayer, and, let it n dound to the glory of God alone! while as yet I had scarcely ended, I perceived the tempest to be abating. That circumstance in truth, girded my soul with new strength and, at the same time filled me with joy and wonder, since in it I recognized with greater clearness the exceeding benevolence of God towards the people of Maryland, to whom your Reverence has sent us. lllessed forever be the most sweet goodness of our Redeemer! When the sea was become calm again, the rest of the voyage, whiclt lasted for the space of three months, was most tepidc, impcndisscm, ntque Christo Domino, Bcntne Yirgini, St. Ignntio et Angelis ~[nrvlnndiac cxposuissem propositum hujus itineris esse san· guincm Hedcmptoris nostri in salute Barbnrorum honorarc, eitlcm Servatori regnum (si conatus lcnucs sccundarc dignctur) crigcre, dotem alteram Immaculatac Virgini Matri consccrarc, ct similia multa, affulsit intus in animo consolatio non mediocris, ct simul }Jcrsuasio tam certa nos non ab hac procella tantum, sed' ab omni alia itinere isto libcrandos, ut nullus apud me esse possct dubitandi locus. Dedcrmn me orationi cum mare saeviret, maximc (et quod ad Dei unius gloriam ccdat) vix dum eatn finiermn, cum scdbse animadvertcbam tempcstatem. Id scilicet novo qnodam me induit habitn :mimi, perfuditque simul gaudio ingenti et admiratione cum impcnsam Dei in ~Iarylandiae populos voluntatem (ad quos Ra. Va. nos misit) hand paulo amplius persentirem. Dulcissima Redemptoris nostri bonitas in acternum luudctur! Cum ita dcfcrbuissct jam mare, reliqua trium mensium navigatio pia- �;6 Fatfzcr H7titc's Rdatiorr, prosperous, so that the Captain and his men declared that they had never seen one more tranquil; nor, for a single hour, did we suff:.:r any inconvenience. \\'hen I say three _months. however, I do not mean that we were at sea so long a time, but I take into the account tbe whole voyage and our delay at the Antilles; for the voyage itself lasted onlv seven weeks and two davs, which is considered expediti~us. After that time, while' we were coasting along the shores of Spain, \Ve had a wind neither adverse, nor ye~ l:·worable; we were in dread of Turkish corsairs, but we fell in with ·none. Perhaps they had gone to celebrate their annual fast, which they call Ramadan, for it occurred at that time of the year. After passing the pillars of Hercules and the l\Iadciras, we were scudding, under full sail, before the winds (which are not variable here, but set constantly towards the south and southwest, which was our course,) when there appeared three vessels, one of which was larger in bulk than ours. They ·seemed to be about three leagues distant to the west, and to be endeavoring to come up with us, as also to be sending messages backward and forward, in close conference. As we susp~cted them to be cidissima fuit, ut navarchu01 cum ~ui~jucumliort>m ~~· vidis~t· numqunm, nul. quiPiiorem n~,:everaverit; nl"que- enim uniuB horae pa"si ~umu,; incommodum. Cum vero Ires menst•s nomino; non llico no~ tnmdiu mare in"t•dissc, Red iter integrum el moras qnas in Antillis insulis traximus adlllllllero. Navigat io enim ipsa seplt-m hehdom.adns et duos t.nntummodo dies tl•nuit, itl<ttJe ePnsetur expPditum. ,\.h eo igit ur tempore quantn lit us Hispaninc ll'gehamu~. nrqnt• adver~<;, JH'que n•nto atlmodum pro~pPrn usi sum us: verchamur Turcas, nullo;; tanwn hab1timns ohvios; reeep<·rant Be forta~~e ad solemne jejunium, quod Hammlan vocant, celdmmdum, in ill:tm cnim nnni tempebt:ttem ineidchat. Pral'tt>rvectis antem frt'tmn IIercnlenm et ::\laderas, et venti~ pnppi vela implentil.Jns (qui non jam vagi, ~ed ad Anstrnm et Africnm qui noster ernt cnrsus, con~tanter ~C"dent) app:trnernnt tres naves, quanun una nostrnm mole superahnt; dist:trc aull'm videhnntur ad Ires circill'r lcncm< versus oceidentem, ct nobis obviam conari, interdum etiam ad mvicem ultro eitroquc mitt ere ct. percontmi. Cum su~picnremur esse Tnr- �Fatltcr JF!zitc's Rdation. 77 Turklsl1 pirates, we made ready for action. Some of our men even went so far as imprudently to urge the Captain to give chase, and close with tl1em. But as he himself was responsible to my Lord Baron, he doubted whether in such a case he could have had a probable reason to assign for l1is conduct. And, indeed, I judge the engagement would have been a hazardous one, though perhaps, they were as much afraid of us as we were of them, and were, as I conjecture, merchantmen, bound for the Canaries, not f.'1r d:stant, and either could not overtake us or were unwilling to do so. After this, having arrived at the Canaries, we glided intD a spacious bay, where \Ve had nothing to fear except from calms, by reason of which (since they continue fifteen days, and sometimes even three weeks) the ship's provisions give out. But that happens rarely, scarcely once or twic..: in a life-time. Nevertheless, delays are frequently protracted for want of wind, which, as it blows ever in the same direction, chanced to be propitious to our voyage. In this bay we completed a run of over three thousand Italian miles, cutting the milk-white sea with full sails, the calm never de<·.arum Pyraticns, cxpetlieh:unns qmwcnnHJlle ad pngnmn crant neeessuria. ::'I'Pqne deerant ex nostl"i~ qui nu,·nrchum imprudentius stimularent ut ("t~ nitro u~greden·t.ur ac lac<·~'eret.. SPd dominnm habehat, cui cum n•tldetHla et·at ratio, prohahilem se po:;se pugnae cnusam ali'<•tTe dubitahat. Et quitlcm cnntlictnm diflicilem habiturum fnisse Pxistimo; quamquam forta~~e quantum all illis nos, tantum nos illi mC'htehant, et erant, Itt eonjcctura ass<·quor, mpn·atores qui ad F'ortunntns non procul di:.;~i· I.a.:< tendeh:mt, et vl'l non poteran·t nos asspqui vel nolPb:mt. Hinc ad lnsulas Fortunatns delnti, sinu tnn;.(no ~usCPpti fitimus, in quo Hlllius metus nisi ex malaeiis, qunP cum quill(lecim dil'lms et tnhus nli'Ptamlo septimnni>~ perdm'('nt, deficit navigantC's conunpatus. hl VC'ro raro, et vix >~neculo uno semel aut iternm accidit. FrP<pH•ntissimae nihilominus trnhendae sunt morae, defici!'nte vento, qni emu spirat, unus N idem semper est, hnic nostrae navigntioni propilius. In hoc sinu <·on·ti•dmus millinrium Italicorum tria millia, plenis vl'ii~ mare s<'<·nntt'H hu~ h•um, nusqnam impediPnte malacia nisi qu:uuloque eirea meriuiem una hont. ' �;s \ Father TV!zite's Rc!atio1t. laying us except for an hour about noontide. I do not readily perceive the reason of so constant a wind, un:ess. perchance, one may say it arises from the proximity of the sun running between the tropics, and attracting from the sea two kinds of exhalations, one dry, from the sea-salt; the other moist, from the water. The first of these phenomena is the cause of wind, the second, of rain. Thus, the twofold attraction of the sun would aptly show why these natural agencies keep the sun's oblique track, and follow in its wake. This reason may explain also, why we experienced between the two tropics at the same time, and within regular intervals, at morning, noon, and nightfall. both great heat and copiom: rain·s ; or at least may account for the ,high winds that prevailed during these hours. From the same source we may draw the reason of the absence of calms in the gulf during this se·ason ; for the sun being in the tropic of Capricorn, beyond the equiHoctial line, and declining towards its extreme southern limit, (as was the case while we were between the I 3th and I 7th degree, when the heats are as fierce there in our winter months as they are in the summer months in Europe) it attracts the wind and rain in an oblique direction towards the line, and in Hand fucilem invenio rntionem tam const:mtis venti, nisi forte id oriri quis dixerit ex vicinin Solis inter duos Tropicos int• rcurrentis, et vi sua attrnhentis ex mari duo genera meteorum, siccum unum ex mm·in salsedinc, alterum humidum ratione aquae; ex priori fit ventus, ex posteriori generantur pluviac. Sol itaquc utrumquc ad sc cvehens causa est, cur eumdem cum Sole obliquum semper cm·sum servent, Solemque pcrpetup sequuntur. Atquc eadem potuit esse ratio cur inter duos Tropieos cxpcrti sum us ingcntem simul calorem ct copiosnm pluvimn, idquc constantcr mane, meridic, vespere, vel saltem ventos iis horis vehementiorcs. Hinc ctiam deduci ratio })()lest cur hoc tempore sinus a malnciis Iiber fuerit. Nnm Sol in Tropico Cnpricorni existcns, ultra linenm reqninoctiaJem, et ad ejusdem lineae extremum pnrtem meridionalem declinans (ut nobis nccidit inter 13m. et 17m. grndum .iEquntoris positis, quando mcnsibus nostris hibcrnis calores sunt ihi, qnaqti nestivis mensibns in Europa) attrahit oblique ventum ct pluvinm ad lincnm nequinoctiulcm, atquc in- �ratkcr White's Rdatzon. 79 <:onsequence, during these months, the winds are more steady, in this gulf especially, and towards the tropiC; or Cancer. In the summer season, on the other hand, \vhen the sun is crossing the equator towards us, and attracts the salt and aqueous vapors, not obliquely, but almost, perpendicularly, then, calms are of more frequent occurrence. Here I cannot refrain from extolling the divine goodness which causes all things to work together for good unto them that love God. For, had we been permitted to weigh anchor without delay on the 2oth of August, the day we had determined upon, as the sun at that time struck the vertical on this side of the equator, the very intense heat would not only have caused the loss of our provisions, but brought disease and death to almost all of us. The delay eventuated in our safety; for, embarking in winter, we were free from inconveniences ·of this kind, and·; if you except the usual sea-sickness, no one was attacked with any disease up to the festival of the Nativity of our Lord. That this day might be more joyfully celebrated, the wine flowed freely, and some who drank immoderately, aboi.it thirty in number, were seized with a fever the next day, and twelve of their et .t'le iis mensibus venti sunt certiores, et in hoc sinu praesertim, versus TropJCum Cancri. Frequentiores autcm sunt malaciae cum aestivo ~mpore Sol ..<Equatorem transit ad nos, attrahitque meteors salsa et tquea non oblique, sed fere perpendiculariter. . , · .. Hie autem non possum non extollere divinam bonitatem, quae diligentibus Deum facit ut omnia cooperentur in bonum. Si enirn, nulla inject& mora, licuisset eo tempore solvere quo constitueramus, mensis •scilicet A.ugusti vigesimo, Solem cis JEquatorem verticem feriente, intensissimi calorcs non solum annonae !ahem; sed plerisque ·omnibus morbo11, mortemque attulissent. Mora N~luti fuit, nam hieme conscendentes hujusmolli incommodis caruimus; et si consuetas navigantibus nauseaa excipias, nemo morl.Jo aliquo tentatus est usque ad festum· Nativitatis Domlni. Is dies ut celebrior esset pwpinatu,u l·st vinum, quo qui usi sunt, intemperantius febri correpti sunt p.oxima luce numero triginta; et ex lla non ita multo post mortui sunt circiter duodecim, inter quos duo �So ratfzer lVhitfs Rebtitllf. number not long after, died. Am::mg these were two Catholics, Nicholas Fairt:'lx and James Barefoot, \';ho were much regretted by us ali. C.1tho!ici m'l~:mm sni ap'd o:n'les d'c3ilbrin.n reliq:tenmt ~icolaus Far:bxius et Jacouus Bmefote. [To be continued.] THE CONDITION OF THE PROVINCE OF I'fiEXICO AT ITS EXPULSION·: JUNE 25, 1767. The .Rev. Father Andrew Artola, Provincial o' the Society in Mexico, has lately published a_ complete Catalogue of the mem!Jers that constituted, at the time of their expul~ion, the Province of the Society in . 1\lexico, or, as it was then called, New Spain. It gives in detail the number of individuals, their age, place of nativity, grade and occupations, as well as the colleges, houses, residences and missions, through which they ~vere distributed. \Ve believe it will be of no little interest to our readers to glance rapidly at what the Society was scarcely a century ago in re-. ! ions of Am::ric:t where now, unfortunately, she is hardly I nown. In 157 I ,'Philip IT., K!ng of Sp:1in, requested St. Fnnc;is J orgia, then general of the Society, to appoint so:ne t:<ther.>to come over to New Sp:1in, where they might ex-::rcise the ministry oftheir vocation as they had done Ill Peru, Florida' rnd other p~rts of Spanish America. The saintly general ~cceclcd to the.i-equest, and in the tnmirig year there arri\eda: San Juan de Ulua fifteen members having for Supe- ~. �Pnruincc of llfexi'co i11 17q7. 8t rror, E Pedro Sanchez, of the Province of Castile, a distinguished doctor of Salamanca, and at the time of his nomination to the new mission, professor of theology at the college of the Society in that city. During the space of two centuries the Society labored with abundant fruit in the Mexican country, until in 1767, by a decree of Charles III., all the Jesuits then in the Span- , ish realms were condemned to banishment and conducted to Italy. Father Raphael de Zelis, who was a native of Vera Cruz, but:at the date of the expulsion was studying rhetori-c in the college and novitiate of Tepotzotlan, took care to preserve the memory of his companions in exile by writing in I 786 the greater part of the catalogue now before us. After the demise of F. Zelis, which took place at Bologna, July 25th, I795. the list of the departed members was continued by F. Pedro Marquez, whom the decree of banishment reached at the opening of his first year of theology in the Collegium Maximum of the city of Mexico. From this catalogue we learn that on the 25th of June, 1767, the day on which the royal decree was made know!\ to the Jesuits in every house of the province, the Society in: Mexico, or New Spain, counted 678 members. Of these, 280 were professed of four vows, 2 of tlu e ~ vows, I 8 w .:re spir. coadjutors, 78 were formed te.nporal co:1djutors, 34 were temporal coadjutors not yet formed. There were besides, I I 2 scholastics, and I 18 fathers who were still studying, or who, lEwing finish!'!d their studies, had not attained their grade; 65 of these made the profession of four vows, and 4 of three vows, when in banishment. There were 25 scholastic novices, and 1 I novice brothers. It may surprise some that in a province so numerous the proportion of scholastics was so small. But we must bear in mind that in those times the Society could, and usually did, require of its candidates the completion of their philosophical studies before entering the novitiate. This fact explatn.> also why there were but fifteen students of philosophy to forty-seven of theology. �Prvv-ilzc(: of iff.:xico in r ;6g. of Of the 6;8 subjects in the province, 464 w.:re nativt."S .America, 153 of Sfnin, and 61 of various other parts of Europe. They were distributed among 37 colleges, 5 n.:sidences and 6 missionary districts or departments. The subjoined table will show their position and numbers. -------------- -----~----- "HOUSES OF THE SOCIETY.---Prie>ts.fsd:;l-~Bros. I IN THE CITY OF }lEXICO. l The professed house, in whkh resided \he Pro. vinCial, . ·. . . 22 ,The Collegium )laximum, Rt · The College of St. Andrew, 1 14 The Vollege of St. Gregory, . r 10 ' 'l'he College of St lldelonsus, . ' 5' . -. IN THE CITY OF LA PUEBLA. - . .- .- . \ 1~ 1(; H 1~ 2 3, 15- 3 1 , I 1 . ~. 11, 4!)' 7 17 2 IN GUADALAJAUA. I A Seminary ~nd a College, ~.~. i7 •7 -~ A Seminary for the Ind'n~s, ,and a College atlathed to ~he_.i\ovitiate, . . . ' . '!'. 14 I - Tlui house o~ t !H:• Tcrtians and the College of the; ~ . Holy Spmt, . . . . · . · . - The College of St. lldefonsus, · . . . · . The College of St Francis Xavier, . · . . . Two diocesan Seminaries-St. Jerome and St. Ignatius. -The former was a higher; the latter a preparatory seminary, with grammar scho~>ls for the Indians. . . . . 1 -t }N :rnE TOWN OF TEPOTZOTLAN. I . IN GUATEMALA. 1 A Sem'nary _and a ~oll!'ge, 11 IN QUERETARO. ,. A Seminary and a ColJe,.e .. ··- 2' l) 1 13 li II ~ IN ZACATECAS. A Seminary and a College, IN DURANGO. - A Seminary a~d a Coll~o-e , 0 I 7 �Province of ilfexico tn IIOU3E3 OF THE SOCIETY. A Seminary and a College, I767. Priests. I Schols. Bros. -- - - -6 '1 1 2 1 1 :1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 IN :\IERIDA. A. Seminarv and a College, IN VALL.\IJouo.-A College, hi II.WA!>A.-A College, . I~ 0.\.JACA.-A College, . IN L~;os.-A College, . IN GuANAJUATo.-A College, . .. . IN SA!> Lms DE PoTosr.-.\. College, bi Vr.nA Cnuz.-A College, . . . 1N ZELAYA.-A College, . . . . bi CIUD.\D REAI., ort CmAPAs.-A College, hi S.nr Lurs In: LA PAz.-A College, . IN PuEnro DEr. PmscrPE.:-A Residence, IN CIIIGUAGUA.-A Rl•sidencc, 1N PAIUUL.-A He~L\ence, IN C.UIPECITE.-A Residence, IN CrsALO.\,-A College, 7 '13 13 8 5 8 6 9 7 5 7 4 1 3· 2 2 Unknown. The missionary districts, or departments-six in number -comprised 99 missions, established in various towns and villages, attended by I04 fathers arid one coadjutor bmther. Their distribution is here given. The district of Cinaloa, attended by 2 I fathers, was divided into 20 missions. They were:-The missions of Viribis, Caamoa, Mocorito, Nio, Guazave, Chicorato, ·Mochicave, ·vacca, Toro, Torin, Bachun, Rahun, Santa Cruz, Batacosa, Conicari, Nabojoa, Tehueco, Belen, Ocoroni, and Bacubinito. The district of California, attended by I 2 fathers aud · 1 brother, comprised I4 missions. They were :-La Pasion, S. Xavier, Guadalupe, S. Luis, Santa Rosa, Santiago; S. Jose, La Purisima, Sta. Rosalia, San Ignacio, Sta. Gertrudis, San Borja, Sta. Maria and Loreto. The district of Chinipas had I 2 fathers for its I 2 missions : viz.-de Guasarapes, Sta. Ana, Secora, Moris, Babaroco, Sta. Ines; Serocagui, Tubares, Satebo, Baburigame, Nabogame, and S. Andres. �Pnruincc of llfcxico in 1767. The district of Nazareth included 7 missions attended by 6 fathers: viz.-Sta. Rita, Sta. Teresa, Iscatan, Jesus l\Iaria, La Trinidad, Guainamota, and Rosario. The district of Sonora included 28 missions in which 30 fathers labored: viz.-de Guazavas, Aconche, l\Iatape, Oposura, l\lovas, S. Ignacio, Arip:!, Aribechi, Batuco, Onavas, Cucurupe, Cumuripa, Saguaripa, Sta. l\Iaria Soanca, Tubutama, Odope, S. Xavier del Bac, Saric, Tecoripa, Ures, Caborca, Sta. l\laria Basaraca, Babispe, Baca de Guachi, Cuquiarachi, Guebabi, Onapa, and Banamicl1i. The district of Taraumara contained I 6 missions with I 9 fathers to attend them. They were :-d::: l\Iatachio, Temotzachic, S. Tomas,· Papigochic, Tutuaca, Tomachi, SisoguiChi, Kakichi, San Borja, Coyeachic, Temeaichi, Norogachi, Nonoava, Chinarras, Gueguechic, Nararachi. The administration of these extensive missions was conducted as follows :-All the missionaries were under a Visitor General. This officer was at the time of the expulsion, F. Emanuel Aguirre, residing in Baca de Guachi, of the district of Sonora. The members of each district were, moreover, under an immediate Superior who held the title and authority of Rector. These were:· In the district of Cinaloa, F. Joseph Garfias, of the c~l­ le_;e of Cinaloa. In Chit1ipas, F. Manuel Clever, of the mission of St. Anne. In Nazareth, F. Anthony Polo of the mission of St. Rita. In Sonora, F. John Nentvig, of the mission of Guazavas. In Taraumara, F. Bartholom~w Braun, of the miss:cn of Ttn otLzchic. In tl~e di:.tri(t of Califi1rnia, on account of its broad extent, there were two, -F. Lambert Hostel, of the mission of the Passion, and F. Francis Escalante, of the mission of St. "Rosalia. But as the missionaries were isolated from each other, and resided in localities m.1ny leagues apart, there was in each district, a special officer whose duty it was to visit constantly the various missions. They were the following;- �Pro·ilincc of J.lLrico in I 767. 8; In C.llifornia, F. B !Utn Ducrue, of the mission of GuadllU?~In C:1!nip1.;, F. Jo!lll Cub~du, of the mission of St. Agnes. In NlZ'lr~th, F. Bartholomew \Volff, of the mission of St. Th~r-:sa. In Sonora, F. Emanuel Aguirre, of the mission of B tc 1 d ~ Gtn.chi. In Taraumara, F. Philip Ruo'lnova, of the mission of Matachio Finally, at the college of St Andrew in the city of Mexico, a father procurator :for California, and another for the rcm1inin;; missiotu, r~.;id.!d with the procurator general. The di'stribution of labor among the members was as follows: There were 4 I 8 priests, I 3l scholastics, I 33 coadjutor broth~rs. Ofthe priests, 53 w~re superiors, 104 were missionaries among the Indians, 187 labored in the ministry in the loc::tlities to which they were appointed. Of these last, I 2 were chaplains of prisons, I 6 prefects of Christian doctrine, and 1 I went from place to place giving missions to the people. There were, moreover, 3 professors of sacred scripture, I9 of scholastic theology, 10 of moral, 3 of canon law, I 5 of philosophy, 3 of physics, 8 of humanities, 7 of l\Iexican languages ; 6 were incapacitated by reason of age or infirmities. Of the scholastics, 47 were students of theology, I 5 of philosophy, 27 of rhetoric' I9 were professors of the humanities, 2 5 were novices, 4 invalids. Such was the condition of the Mexican province on the day when the decree of banishment was promulgated, The execution of the decree was conducted in the following order; From the 26th of July until the 29th of Nov., 5 I 5 Jesuits were shipped in 15 vessels from the port of Vera Cruz and sent to Italy, thus: On the 26th of July, 55 were sent ;-on the 25th of Oct., ther~ W.!re sent in various ve;;sels respectively so. 50, 40, 35, 30, 30, 10 ; -on the 8th of Nov., 30 ;-I 9tl~ of Nov., �86 Provi11ce of Mexico in 1767. 40, 15, 20 ;-29th ditto, 6o, 50;- I 2 scholastic novices and 6 novice coadjutors followed the fathers into exile. In consequence of the evils arising from close crowding, from the failure of resources and the insalubrity of the climate, 35 died in the port of Vera Cruz whilst awaiting transportation ; 5 died at Havana where the vessels touched port ; 2 during the voyage, and 13 at Cadiz. In the course of the same months, F. Joseph Elvillar, tl1e oldest of the province, as also two members, who, owing to age or infirmities were left in the city of Mexico, and one left in Queretaro, passed to a better world. In exile the members of the Mexican province took up their abode in the legations of Bologna and Ferrara; and even after the suppression of the Society in 1773, the greater part of the Mexican Jesuits remained in the same cities, where this last blow overtook them, and there ~ne by one paid the last debt of pur nature. �FORT HILL AND ENVIRONS. About three hundred years ago, when all the nations of Europe were fitting out expeditions in quest of a new pa·ssage to the East Indies, and not unfrequently discovering new continents in their search, the Indian tribe of flfatinekocks* was enjoying the peaceful possession of a considerable tract of land on the island, called by them lVIeittr.vax; but later, named Nassau Island by the English colonists, and Long Island by the Dutch. Among their picturesque plases of resort was a small peninsula, jutting out into Long Island Sound, and known among them as Caumsett. There was nothing perhaps in the little spot to distinguish it from numberless similar places around it; but still its native beauties, no limning of language can adequately portray. Here were the same sombre forests with their melancholy grandeur; the same giant productions of a fertile soil, rising like huge monsters from the rich earth, while luxuriant vines which had clambered up to the highest tops, and thence sprung from tree to tree, hung down in verdant garlands of waving drapery. Here, as elsewhere, reigned the deep silence of nature, broken only by the gentle sighings of the .trees as they swayed to and fro over the bank to catch a glimpse of their leafy beauties in the unruffled sea beneath them, "where Neptune held a mirror to their charms ; " or by the immense flocks of water-fowl, *Some historians spell the name of this tribe Jfatinecock1, but we hnvo ado!Jtcd the other spelling, as, we think, more consi8tent with the Indi· an idiom. -~fartinnelwuck was the name of one of their villages. N.Y. CoLON. ~loS. YoL. 1. �88 Fort Hzl! am! Eizviiwzs. as they returned to their secluded retreats and settled down with a noisy splash in the adjacent bay. Occasionally also, a small canoe would dart from under cover of the bank. and speed across the sound, dimpling the surface of the blue waters; or a noble deer, pursued by the swift-footed Indian, would spring boldly from the height, and be seen for a time with its branching antlers raised above the deep; while the pursuer, checking himself suddenly on the very verge of the beetling cliff, would gaze in astonishment on the prey that had eluded his grasp. \Ve can picture to ourselves one of these powerful inhabitants of his native forests, as stately and as wild as they, standing b.:dizened with gaudy plumage on the eminence of Caumsctt, some hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea, and looking about him on the noble landscape, where nature so f:<ir had spread her features wild. Towards the setting sun, he perceives the bay commonly called by the /ndyaus by J'C name if Nadwquatuck,* and by the English, Cold Spring, which enters inland, almost at right an" gles to the Sound. Straight across this bay, another opening presents itself; it is Syosset or Oyster Bay, which after winding about, as a river, loth to forsake shores so enchanting, returns on its course, making what was once an island, but what is now connectea with the mainland by a narrow strip of alluvial formation. In the direction of the Sound itself, the dim outlines and blue hills of. Connecticut add the beauty of a distant perspective to the scene. Could his piercing glance have penetrated the gloom of the wooded heights that lay to the east of Caumsdt, he would have beheld the shaggy groves and headlands of Huntington, mirrored in the spacious harbor of the same name; and, were he ignorant of the narrow neck, uniting the laud on which ""Patent of Gov. Nicqlls. IIIsT. OF Lmw IsL.\~D, VoL. I. TIIO\IP~o~. �Fort Hill and Environs. he stood with the main, he would have im:tgined himself o:t an island. Such was the small In,'ian hamlet of Caumsctt, our future villa; one of those countless little Edens that gemmed our shores, at a time when the trembling carpet of light and ,;;hade that nature had spread over the trackless forest was printed by scarce a single human footstep; when the midnight arch with " golden worlds inlaid" that spanned our continent from sea to sea, rested on a land, where all God's creatures were in their glory, save man alone; and where the voice of nature hymned its song of praise to the great Creator unheard by mortal ears. But it was not always to be so. Early ·in the I7th century, the Dutch took possession of the island of Manhattan, which Hendrick Hudson had fallen upon in his search for a north-west passage to China and India; and having erected New Amsterdam, they spread gradually throughout the surrounding country, and crossed the East River to Long Island. · Here they purchased land from Pt!llmvit::, the then great Sachem, and built several forts. The English . too had settled, about the same time, in New England, and their relations with their Dutch neighbors were not always of a \'ery friendly nature. They were much tempted to cross over from Connecticut, a distance of no more than ten miles, to the attractive shores of Long Island, which as we read in the remonstrances of the Deputies of the New Netherland>, "they hankered after greatly."* These propensities of their neighbors embittered the days of all the Dutch directors of New Amsterdam. \Vhile the kingdoms of Europe W ~re passing from sovereign to sovereign, and empires being "Hemonstr:mcc of New Netherlands to the High and 1\lightv Lords States General of the United Netherlnmls, by the people of New Netherland, .Jnly 28, 164~. CoL. Doc. o~· N.Y. ST~n;., VoL. I. HoLLAND Doc. IV. �\ Fort Hi!! aud Enviro1ts. bought in a d::ty, the Dutch fought with characteristic stubbornness for every foot of land usurped by the· English. Proclamations succeeded each other in quick succession. Time and again were the loyal Dutch burgomasters forced r· to behold the arms of their High ?vlightinesses, which had been set up in numerous places, as a sign of possession, torn down, "and a fool's £<ce carved in the place thereof, to the gross disparagement of their High l\1ightinesses". * The details we have been able to cull of these harrowing scenes, during the reign of \Valter Van Twiller, the first director ' commissioned by the High and Mighty Lords States General of the United Netherlands, though fraught with deep ·interest, are not connected with our present subject, and must, therefore, be banished without appeal. But no sooner had \Villiam Kieft, known in History as the Testy, assumed the reins of government than the English singled out the very bay, adjoining Caumsett, to which we alluded under the title of "Oyster", as the scene of a great invasion. Director Kieft, says the historian of N. Y., had determined to raise the sinking finances of the New Netherlands by making the seawant or wampum, which served as a kind of money among the Indians, and consisted of colored beads manufactured from the Qualwug, a kind of shell-fish.t the current: money of the~ nation. Now, Long Island, proceeds the historian, was the Ophir of this· modern Solomon and abounded in shell-fish. The English hearing of this intended stroke of policy, unparalleled even among mod~rn fin:mciers, determined on the bold policy of establishing a gigantic mint at Syosset or Oyster Bay, where, after disposing of the oyster so agreeably, they could lay out the shell too, to such advantage. But Kieft was roused; he had tried entreaty, and that *Doc. OF Cor•. HisT. OF N. Y. STATE, II. t New York Historical Society, llEc. OF 165!). �Fort Hill and E1wirons. had £1.iled ; he had tried proc!am:ttions, and they had failed ; he had changed the language of his mandates, and published protests in latin.* and they had completely failed. He had done all that the most exact moralist could require, before resorting to open violence, and now felt himself justified in hurling on his enemies the direful thunderbolts of war. He entrusted these weapons of destruction to the valiant Stoff.::! Brinckerhoff, who lost no time in girding on his armor, and with a handful of sturdy retainers, reached the scene of action by forced marches, completely routed the invaders, drove them from Oyster Bay and seized on quantities of falsely coined oyster-shells.t This severe lesson was not enough for the English; their short occupation of the tempting prize only increased their eagerness to call it their own, and under the following director, the famous Peter Stuyvesant, known in history as "the headstrong," they again maintained that Oyster Bay belonged of right to them, as the boundary of their possessions on Long Island. The war of the boundaries continued to agitate the two colonies for years, and it was only in 1656 that their High J\Iightinesses settled ihe question by drawing an imaginary line from the western portion of Oyster Bay to the sea, and deciding that all lands, lying to the \Vest should be Dutch, and those to the East, English. How it was that ·the New Netherlands had been induced to give up so many pretensions, is not very evident from history. All we know is that the English invited the headstron;{ Pet~r to a convention at Hartford in 1650; and that they tciok care to receive him with all possible marks of respect. \Ve find, among the Holland documents, a mem- * N. Y. CoL. 1\ISS. IloJ,J,A:SD Doc. IV. t Vcrto:>gil van Nivc-Ncllcr-Vtu~l 'Vcghcus 14; CoL. Doc. I. IliST. de Ghcleghcntheydtxyz. N.Y. KNICKJ,;HBOCKER, VoL. I. �Fort Hill and Environs. oir* in which the writer complains bitterly that all the arbitrators, on this occasion, were English or friends of the English, and that, in this affair, they pulled the wool over the director's eyes. Certain it is, that Peter in thi~ instance departed from that manner of acting which has won him his _title in history, by so far yielding as to present to their High l\Iightinesses for ratification the treaty respec~ing the boundaries, drawn up at this convention. l\Ieanwhile, however, pending the ratification of the treaty, the Governor of New Haven in 1653 made bold to purchase from the Matinekocks, and others, about six square miles of the territory adjoining S_yossct. This included in fact the whole of Caumsctt, but the Indians denied their having had any intention of thus including their lit~le peninsula, and accordingly, in 1654. they bart~red it definitively to a party of Englishmen from Sandwich, who took advantage of the troubles which distracted the country to seize so attractive a spot. \Vith all the usual formalities, the peninsula was handed over by Ratiocan, Sagamore of Cow Harbor (now called North Port) to Samuel l\byo, Daniel \Vhitehead, afterwards representative for Queens Co., and Peter \Vright. Real estate in tho'>e days was far from being at so high a premium, as it is now; and the price paid for this neck of over 2849 acres was 3 coats, 3 shirts, 3 cuttoes, 3 h 1tchets, -3 hoes, 2 fathoms of wampum, 6 knives, 2 pairs of stockings and 2 pairs of shoes. Here, however, the modern historian is bewildered by one of tho_.;e difficulties which frequently beset his path, viz. : the discrepancy of contemporary writers; for while the author of the History of Long Island affirms the price to have been, as we have stated above, the historian of New Netherland maintains that the consideration * :Memoir on the Boum'.nries of New N etlH•rlaml, hy Allrincn vnn ller Donck, trnnslntcd from a notnrial copy in the Hoyal Archives at the Hague, HoLLAND Doc. VI. �Fort Hill and Emtirons. 93 paid for this tract, was 6 coats, 6 kettles, 6 f.."lthoms of wampum, 6 hoes, 6 hatchets, 3 pairs of stockings, 30 awl-blades, 20 kn:ves, 3 shirts, and as much pc. lg:te as will amount to ' .£4 :;terling. This, too, he claims to have gathered from the General Records of the Court of New Haven. vVhilst the second edition of the History of Long Island mentions quite a new catalogue of domestic implements, putting the price, bc~s ides6 coats, at 6 bottles, 6 hatchets, 6 shovels, 10 knives, 6 fathoms of wampum, 30 muxes (eel-spears), and 30 needles. ·Amid such conflicting testimony. and at this late date, it is hardly possible to arrive at any degree of certainty respecting the point at issue. All we can .s ay is that some coats and some wampum, for in this all agree, form :!d part of the price ; but the rest, all our distinctions of conjunctively. or disjunctively, or distributively have failed to reconcile. But the bargain was not settled yet. The Grand Sachem of Long Island, l.flyandach, by name, envying, no doubt th e coats, bottles, ne::!dles, etc., received . by a subordinate chief, d.:!nied the right of the Jlfatiuekorks to dispose of this piece of land, and in 1658, the original buyers, fearing perhaps the validity of their tenure, sold out to one Samuel Andrews ; and this time, the Grand Sachem, whom a few trinkets had probably soothed, confirmed the sale on the 14th of 1\'lay of the same year. There is another item, however, which we mu st not pass over in speaking of the sale of Caumsctt, that is the loss of its old Indian name. The ancient astron0mers, we know, leading a pastoral life, as they discovered new wonders in the heavens and appropriated to themselves, so to speak, these starry meadows, very naturally adopted the names of the familiar objects around them to designate their new acquisitions; so that in the words of Chateaubriand: ·• In the skies were discovered ear.; of corn, im;:>lements of agriculture, virgins, lambs, nay, even the shepherd's dog" : in a word they "wrote the an- �94 Fort Hill and Em,irons. nals of their flocks among the constellations of the zodiac."* So it was with the pastoral colonists and early pioneers of the New \Vorl d. Cmrmsctt was far too barbarous an appellation for these simple, matter of fact Englishmen, and as, on accouqt of the fine pastures in which the peninsula abounded, droves of horses were daily led from Huntington to prance and revel amid its luxuries, it came in a short time to be known as Horse Neck, and took its place as such, among the rural districts of Cow Neck, Cow Harbor, Hog Island, Bull Run, &c. 1 The new name in this case, though it might have been more elegant, was certainly appropriate; for besides the circumstance alluded to above, whence, strictly >-peaking, this favored spot derived its name, it would not require a very strong effort of in~ag­ ination to discover in the very shape of the peninsula, a resemblance to a horse's head and neck. Thus it was that Caumsctt disappeared from the geographical charts of those days, and as it had fallen into Christian hands, received also a Christian name. But it was not destined to retain this happy appellation . very long. The neck, after passing through several hands from 16oo to 1678, came on Oct. 17, I6Jg, into the possession of l\lr. James Lloyd of Boston, who being entitled by his wife to a part of this tract of land, purchased the rest from the executors of one of the former owners, and thus became its s?le proprietor. Real estate within the short space of twenty-four years, had risen with gigantic strides, and Mr. Lloyd was obliged to count out in hard cash some £200 sterling. Naturally enough, the name of the owner, after a time, became connected with the estate. Horse Neck was heard of less and less frequently, till it graduallt died away entirely, and Lloyd's Neck arose in its stead. *GENIUS OF CnmSTIANITY, PAUT I. n. IV. c. 3. ,. �, -Fort Hill and Environs. 9~ . Meanwhile, the rule of their High Mightinesses had passed away before the grant of King Charles· II. to the Duke of York, and the cannon of Governor Nicolls, who · compelled the chivalrous Stuyvesant to surrender New Amsterdam and its environs. In evacuating the country, the defeated but not subdued Dutch, went not alone ; ·~he very names they had given, many of therri at least, were 'forced to follow them into their exile. As Andromache had bestowed, on a scanty rivulet of Epirus, where fortun~ had cast her, the name of Simois, the noble nver of her own dear Troy, and had built "Pnrvnm Trojam, ct simulata magnis Pcrgun1a.--"* so our good old Dutch ancestors had lavished on their pos~ sessions in the New \Vorld, though so far below the mighty originals, the names of their own loved Fatherland, thereby to deaden the pains of voluntary exile, and lull themselves into the sweet deception that they were still among the scenes of their childhood. But they were gone! gone, despite so long a tenure of the soil, and, as is so often the case with office-holders, on the entrance of a new party into power, their places were filled by young pretenders of foreign extraction. Thus New Amsterdam had yielded to NewYork; New Netherlands became an echo of the past; Long Island was called Yorkshire by Governor Nicolls, "it being the true and undoubted inheritance of His Majesty," t and even our little peninsula received a new name, when in I68s; it was, during the administration of Governor Dongan, an Irish Catholic, erected into an independent manor, the only o~e in the county, and honored by the truly English title of Queen's Village. t * -<ENEID, RIlL t N. Y. CoL. . 1\ISS. III LoNDON Doc. I~ · i It is worthy of note that this EoanJC Governor Dongan was nccuscd of being under the influmce of foreign Jesuits, and of acting, in accordance with their crafty insinuations. LoN. Doc. VI. 'Ve are not surprised at .• �Fort Hill and Emnrons. The independence it thus acquired, by a stroke of the Governor's peri, was not of long duration. Lloyd's Neck, • or Queen's Village, lay on the very borders of two rising towns, Oyster Bay, and Huntington, and of two ambitious counties, Queens, and Suffolk. a tempting prize for both. In i 6g 1, the die was cast. Fore go it must its freedom, ~nd henceforth consider .itself as belonging to Oyster Bay. Though the privation ~f its independence was a severe blow, it .was compensated, we think, by the fact that it now formed part of Queens Co., so famous for generosity and patriotism. It was only some days ago, that in searching among dusty records and in hu6e folios for d;!tails of the history of Lloyd's Neck, that we: cam~ across some of the newspapers, published during the old French war, in 'which the praises of Queens Cix are recorded. The following is a specimen: "Jamaica, Sept. 5· 1755. This day, iOI 5 sheep, collected in three days in this county were delivered at New York Ferry, to be sent to Albany by water, which were cheerfully given for the use of the army, now at or near Crown Point. \Vhile their husbands at Great Neck were employed in getting sheep, the good mothers in that neighborhood, in a few hours, collected nearly 70 good large cheeses and sent them to New York to be forwarded witli the sheep to the ar~y." That the sheep and accompanying cheeses were not the refuse of the farm or dairy, but were s~lected with truly patriotic feei:ngs, is a~tested by the acknowledgement dated Oct. 1o : " Your sheer( it says, "were seasonable and highly benef.c:al to the army • ' t.his, for, since be had raised into an imh·prndent n;anor, an estate, u ~c-art of which was, some two hundred years later, to Le o~;cupictl by the llc· ecendants of these very Jesuit~, is it strange that he should !Je accu~cd of collusion with the mcmuers of the Society? . There arc ·muny churgts found in wme histories called 1 eha!Jlc, :md lu<ctl on much t>ligl.ttr gwta.ds ~han these. �Fort Hill and Environs. 97· in generaL Your cheeses were highly acceptable and· re.. viving, for, unless amongst some of the officers, it was food scarcely known among us. This generous humanity of Queens Co. is unanimously and gratefully applauded by all here. \Ve pray that your benevolence may be returned to you by the Great Shepherd of human kind, a hundred fold, and may those amiable housewifes to whose skill.we owe the refreshing cheeses, long continue to shine in their use~ ful and endearing stations, Your most obd't & obliged Serv't.," \Vm. Johnson. Queen's Village, then, might hencef0rth claim a share in these praises; but Huntington, the rival o( Oyster Bay, had not yet given up all thoughts of this flourishing little neck; it hoped still to call it its own, and continued to encroach on its territory until 1734, when the line of demarcation was finally and definitively traced Though the winds that rustled so sweetly among the no~ ble trees of Queen's village, were loaded with no evil fore~ bodings of war, and the clouds "In thousand liveries dight," that attended the setting sun, seemed still to speak but of peace and· repose, still the storm was fast approaching ; those placid waters were to be ploughed up by armed vessels; those peaceful echoes which had heretofore learnt to repeat nought but the sweet notes of the many~kinded warblers of these solitudes, or, at most, the dull surging of the waves on the idle pebbles of'the beach below, were to be for<:ed to shout back, from rock to rock, the loud booming of cannon and the groans of the dying and wounded. At the breaking out of the revolution, many ·loyalists who found Connecticut and the neighboring colonies too warm for them, had crossed t'te Sound, landed at Lloyd's Nee\ and there built an earthen fort, about 10) feet square, to protect themselves against surprise. Our spo~ had to �Fort Hill aud Emrzi-.:ms. p·ay 'dearly for this cl;ange of masters, and the noble"trees, that grew so luxuriantly on its banks, ceased to cast their shadows on the quiet waters, by being ruthlessly hewn down and sent as fuel to the English army, around Ne\v York. In 178o, the French fleet, under the command of Count de Barras, arrived to infuse new vigor· into the American troops, and anchored near Newport. ' Having received no orders to- enter upon the more important field of action, the Count deter!llincd to occupy his squadron, by dislodging f:om Lloyd's Neck the nest of loyalists, \vho committed many depredations on the surrounding country. According~e despatched, for this service, three frigates with 250 land troops, the whole, under command of Baron d'Angely. The detachment sailed on the 10th of July, and was joined in the Sound by several boats of American volunteers and pilots from Fairfield. They entered Huntington Harbor and effected a landing on the Neck, on the morning of the 12th. We searched high and low, among the numerous histo-_ ries of those times, for a full account of this engagement,_ but it seemed to have been totally disregarded by cnntemporary historians ... \Vashington simply alludes to the f..1.ct, in a)etter to Count de Barras, dated Head Quarters, Dobb's Ferry, 21 July, IJ8I, in these words: "Although the detach. ments from your fleet, under the command of the Baron d'Angely did not succeed at Huntington, we are not the less obliged to your Excellency for directing the attempt to be made. If that post is maintained, I think an opportunity-of striking itto advant:lge may still be found, and J. doubt not but you will readily embrace it. I have the honor to be etc." · vVe were on the point of abandoning all hope of obtaining a more detailed account of the affray, when we were fa-· vored, by the kindness of the Superintendents of Astor· pbrary, with a sort of scrap-book, presented by one Onderdonck; an aged inhabitant of Long Island, and in which· ly, �Fort Hill and En<Jirons. 99 were ca~efully arranged cuttings from the newspapers of olden times. Here, to our great· pleasure and surprise, we found the mo'>t circumstantial description of the battle of Lloyd's Neck, acco:np::tnied by an accurate diagram. We give the extr..tct almost in full, though it rep~ats something of what we have already said, hoping thus to rescue from oblivion so important and interesting a document of coloilial times. "During the Revolutionary war, the British took possession of Lloyd's N:::ck, and erected a small fort there, for the prot~ction of wood-cutkrs, who were mostly refugees from New En~land. Th~ Neck, at that time, was covered with the finest and largest growth of timber imaginable, some tr~~> growin6 to th~ h~ight of 4'J or 50 feet, before putting forth a single branch. Th~ refugees gained a livelihood for themselves and their l>milies by cutting d'Jwn these noble trees for firewood, and sending them to New Y ark, where fuel was in great demand for the use of the King's Army, cantoned there during the idle hours of winter. "The Americans had made sundry predatorial attacks on this peninsula by night, and e1rried off some property and • prisoners, but on the arrival of the French fleet at Newport, it w:1s concluded to fit out a more formidable expedition, in hop:::s of exterminating this troublesome nest of refugees. "The expedition failed as to its main ,object, from an ignorance of the real strength of the post, and of the localities, hut it resulted in alarming the enemy so much that they soon after abandoned the place. "This aff.1ir, on account of its failure, is not described in any history of the revolution, and is barely alluded to in a· letter of\Vashington. Such must be my apology for giving a sketch of it from memory, as it was detailed to me by an eye-witnesc;, William Ludlam of Hog Island, who lately died at a very advanced age. "Mr. Ludlam was not a Whig, but owing to his quiet dis- I �IOO Fort Hill and Ellv!rons. position, continued-a loyalist during the Revolut:on. His. goodness of heart, however, would not allow him to harm. any human being, friend or foe. He was just grown up, at the time of the American defeat at Brooklyn, Aug. 30, I 776, and out of mere curiosity walked down to the battle-field, saw its dead, lying as yet unburied, and the ground itself co\"ered with the scorched paper of the cartridges. "But I am digressing from my story. One fine summer day, in I 845 I crossed in a boat from the pleasant village of Oyster Bay to the residence of the venerable man. He was somewhat dull and car;::less at the first few questions I put to him, but when I spoke of olden times and of the Revolution, the tears came into his mild and somewhat bedimmed eyes; his voice faltered; I had struck a tender chord, had reminded him of the days of his youth-of troublesome times. In a few moments he recovered himself, and as the recollection of times long past came to his mind, his conversation took a cheerful and spirited ton<'. He related anecdotes and adventures of all kinds. 'Come,' said he, taking his cane and his broad-brimmed hat, ' let us go to the Hill, and I will describe to you the attack by land and water, which the French and Americans made on Lloyd's Neck. I saw it with my own eyes as I was binding wheat sheaves in my harvest field, just sixty-four years ago.' "vVhen we had reached the top of the hill, 'Here', said he, pointing with his cane across the bay to the heights just opposite, • here was the fort, built to protect the wood-cutters, and used also as a depot for hay and straw, which was collected from the adjacent country and shipped to New York. The French fleet landed a party of 250 men, on the side of th:! neck that fronts on Huntington Harbor ; these were to attack the post in the rear, but they got bewildered coming up, and when at last they reached the fort, they found it better defended thai! their spies had led them to expect. In �Fort Hill and l!iwzrous. 101 fact the guns had been mounted, only the day before ! So unexpectedly did the refugees disc'1arge their grape shot, that the French, who had neglected to bring any artillery, at once retreated, leaving behind them some surgeon's instruments, lint, bandages, port-fire etc., and the ground, besmeared with blood. "At the same time with the attad;: on the rear of the fort, and to draw off the attention of the British refugees, a French sloop of war hove to in front, in Cold Spring Bay, but could bring only one gun to bear on the point of attack " • Meanwhile the main body of the French fleet, a t !r landing the men near the entrance of Huntington Harbor, had sailed further in, and attacked some English vessels that had run' for shelter into thO! small cre:!k which forms the peninsula. A portion of the crews on board the English ships had already landed, and mounted a few guns in batt~ry on a slight risinJ g·roun:J no~ £1r fro:n th:! shore, by which they hoped to keep off th.! French shipping. In this they succeeded; for as soon as the French Admiral was apprised of the failure of the attack, on the land side of the for~. he, al once, abandoned the attempt, sailed to a preconcerted spot, took on board his defeated marines, and returned to Newport, saying very little about the expedition. Paragraphs were of course put forth in Rivington's Royal Gazette, as a terror to the rebels, and an encouragement to the king's loyal subjects.'" Thus, we see, that Lloyd's Neck was not after all so unimportant a place 01.s the Historian of the New Netherlands seemed to insinuate, when he remarked that "Oyster Bay Wa'i not worth fighting about." In fact one of the officers stationed ther-:: shortly after this engagement was Prince William Henry,* son of G-::org.:: II(, then in the Royal Navy, and afterwards King William IV. *Pr nee \Villiam Henry was the first of those royal personages who, either through necessity, when treading the paths ot' exil~, as the royal fam- �102 ' Fort Hill and Euvziwzs. Thompson, in his history of Long Island, tells us of an, other revolutionary episode, connected with Lloyd's Neck: how, in the earlier years of the Revolutionary \Var, Sir Henry Clinton directed a small party of refugees to start from Lloyd's Neck, cross the Sound, and, if possible, make a prisoner of l\lajor General Silliman, who had just been appointed by the Governor and Council of Connecticut, superIntendent of the coast of Fairfield. They set out accordingly, nine in number; one was left in the boat, eight went to the house. About midnight, the inmates were awakened by a yio:ent assault on the door. The General sprang from his bed-attempted to fire upon the assailants, but his musket only flashed. No time was lost; in a few moments, the daring boatmen were once more crossing the Sound, the illustrious prisoner by their side. As may be supposed, Colonel Simcoe, the commanding officer at the Neck, received them with· great joy. Such personal thefts wcr~ not uncommon, during the war. And soon after this exploit on the part of the British, the Americans crossed over from the Connecticut shore, in one of those stout whaleboats which formed the entire navy of which the Americans lly of Portugal, or from cl:oicc. :•s Louis Napokon, tlc Prince of Wale~, and lntely, the Grand Dt.kc Alexb. !:an· visited our Amrrican shores. The n:ception the young prince mtt with nt our hands in 1'iE2 was not indrcd so flattering, as that tcndPred to our lnl't roynl guest: the truth is, that a very uncivil plan for capturing him wa~ formed hy Capt. Ogden of the 1st New Jcrsty Regiment, and approved of by "'ashington. Hnppily for him, the plan, though wry ncar being succ·cfsful, did not ef· feet wLat wns intended: hut I Lt- Royal Midshipman," the Eailor King," as he was ropularly called, on a('(ornt of his curly predilection for the naval profnsion, !mew full well, that the· failure of a first attempt would not dam]l the ardor of the dal·ing Continentals, and hence, after u Etay,at New Yoi·k, of only a few montl:s, he ~tarted for the ''"est Indies. In 1789 he was created Duke of Clarence, Enrl of Mun!'tc·r; nnd, at tbe death of George IV. ascended the tl:rone, as the Fourth 'Villimn. He died in iS37, :iml was succeeded by his niece, Victoria. �Fort Hill and Environs. 103 could then boast, and purloined a certain Hon. Thomas Jones, fi·om his home near by, in order to be able to exchange him for Silliman. During all this time, the proprietorship of Lloyd's Neck had passed from father to son in the Lloyd family. The grandson of the original purchaser lost his share of the little peninsula, by confiscation, as he espoused the cause of the King during the war. This part, ho .vever, was repurchased by his nephew, John Lloyd, <n J thus kept in the family. \Vhen the storm of war had passed over and peace again smiled on the now independent colonists, John Lloyd returned to his home, on the Nee'{. But this pleasing spot· had, as is generally the case, suffered much by becoming famous. As time wore on, however, the stately trees once more sprang up; the moss began to creep over the footworn rocks; the tender blades of grass, little by little, succeeded in blotting out the remaining vestiges of the soldiers' tramp around the Fort; the green ivy, mantle of eternity, began to weave its glossy leaves over the shattered or f:<llen trees ; and even the echoes learnt to forget the jarring sounds of strife, and once more found pi ~asure in telling of the bleating of sheep and the deep lowing of cattle. One feature, however, was gone: the noble Indian no longer figured among the grand objects around ; and even his f1ail canoe was seldom seen on those waters, where thousands of "winged sea-girt citadels" usurped the peaceful domain of the deep. Thus Lloyd's Neck remained for years, till in 1S71 apart of it, comprising some. 44 acres, and known as the "Fort Hill property" again changed hands, we trust for the last time, and became our present Villa. The fort is exactly in front of our house, and, at this late date, reminds one rather of a peaceful orchard, a quiet retreat for birds, than of a battle-field for contend:ng armies, �Fort Hill a11d Etwiimts. as numbers of fruit-trees have grown up, within the enclosure. \Ve have, hcwever, begun to restore it to its former war-l.ike appearance, and all that is wanting now are a few . cannon to mount on the parapets. It may not be long before we come across these relics of the revolution, as some excavations we have made, have brought to light old cannon balls, and thus led us to believe that the canno11 themselves and other treasures too, may con.e next. But be this as it ·may, one treasure, at ·least, we have found in our country hou~e. and that is health and repose, after the year's labors. " Hither," in the words of our late lamented and humorous Father Monroe, "may the mathe~ matical and classical teachers, weary of extracting and dissecting square ro"ots, Greek roots and others still more old fashioned, come and find relaxation, in digging parsnips, turnips, and, if it comes to the worst, potatoes. Hither, may the pastors and assistants, after conducting their flocks into healthy pasturage, come and themselves browse on greens and salads. H1ther, may the missionary, tired of throwing his net for men, come, ana, like St. Peter, returning to his old trade, fish for perch and soles. Hither. in fine, may the Superiors come, and leaving all care behind them, find leisure and relaxation, to prepare for the labors of the ensuing year."· All these visitors, will not, alas ! find that variety of rural pastintes, ih which the first occupants of our soil were able to indulge. The whales, which used to be taken in numbers, off the Island, in days of yore, abandoned the coast as early as 1717, or have 'dwindled down in these d:!generate · days, to tumbling porpoises, which enter our secluded bay. l y thousands.* The beavers, whose furs formed ~o valua~ * TJ:c ckprturc of the \Yhnlcs is officially nnnounc('d, in a letter from Governor Hunter to the Lords of Trade, dated, New York, July, 17,1718, in which l:e con:plains, thnt the pcrqm~ites, arising limn his p1tcnt, .. UJ- �For' Hill and Ellvir.ms. 10) ble an artic~e of trad:!, beclme few:!r and few:::r, as years ro'led on, and mo'it probably migrated, in larg.'! numbers, with their t'l"llilie~ to the m,lr.'! cong.!nial climes of Can:tda. Had our forefathers been more scrupulou,; in following the prescriptions enjoined by the act, passed in I 726, by the assembly at New York, "for th~ more effectual preservation and increase of Deer on the Island of Nassau," we should have such game too, to offer to the aim of the marksman; and perhaps even bears, which paid an occasional visit to Long Island, as late as I 7 59·* At present, however, the largest wild animal is the spright~. ly squirrel, or the ta?acious rabbit. But we are far from complaining : nature has left us enough to satisfy the most exacting; and could we but rec.1ll to their once secluded haunts the former denizens of these forests, it would not be that w~ might destroy them, but solely, that we might be:. hold, in th.! wild grand.!ur of bygon~ days, th~ charms and beauties of Fort Hill. · P. gnoscendi de Piscibus Rcgalibus, Sturgconibus, Dalen is, Cretis, etc., are so inconsiderable, that .... I would not have \Hillen one single Jetter about it, .... these fish having, iu a manner, left the coast." N &W YonK CoL. l\lSS. VoL. V. LoNDON Doc. XXL * The Jagt one, of which we fouml :my mention, in these parts, is thus spoken ot; in theN. Y. Gazette of Nov. 26th 1759: "On Sunday week, last past, a large he:tr passed the hou,c of l\lr. t:l--, on Long Island, and took to the water, at Red Hook, attempting to swim across the hay; but he was shot by one or the inhabitants." Scrap Boo:;:, Astor Library. ---~-~ �EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF FATHER F. X. KUPPENS, S. J. GRAND RIVER, DAKOTA TERRITORY, JuNE IS, 1871. Last l\Ionday, I arrived at the house of two Frenchmen, MM. Louis and Adrian Egat, brothers, who have been some thirty years in this country, are married to Indian women, _and speak the Indian tongue with great facility. I was received with all possible marks of respect. On the next day Mr. Louis volunteered to accompany me to the camp of a Great Yancton chief called "Two Bears," where I miglit stop a few days, to become more familiar with the language ,and explore the field of fu~ure labors. \Vhen we approached the camp, we were met by " Two Bears" himself, and two minor chief'> of his tribe. Permission to stay a while with his people to learn the language was politely but cold_ly granted me, and I was introduced into the lodge of my host. _This mansion I saw gaudily decorated with paintings of bears, eagles, buft:'lloes, tomahawks, pipes, houses, men, etc. After smoking a pipe which ·passed from mouth to mouth according to the rules of Indian etiquette, :he chief deigned to explain to us that all his people had gone forth from the camp to prepare for a solemn dance in honor of the Sun; that there was not a single squaw left to unsaddle my horse: so he proposed that we should all remount and ride together to the scene of the celebration. As the Indian nations are fast disappearing- from the land, and in a few years, or at most, a few generations, this peculiar people with its strange �Indian llfissions. IOJ manners and observanses will be found only in the history of the past, I think I am rendering a service to students of history by observing and recording whatever strange customs fall within the spho:re of my observation. The scene I was about to witness was one of the strangest] have ever beheld. True it does not contribute much to edification, unless perhaps it should rouse within us fresh sentiments of gratitude to our good Lord, who, by his painful life and death has freed us from the disgusting superstitions, of which these poor savages are still the slaves After rid:ng about three miles, single file in the woods, all abreast on the. prairie, we arrived at the place of the meeting. There we beheld a most motley crowd 0f gaudily dressed men and women old and young, the decrepit and the sturdy wurior; mothers with babes at their breasts, and on their backs; all adorned with beads, ribbons, strings and feathers. Many were engaged in twisting leaves and branches in their hair, crowning with verdant wreaths, their brows, necks, arms, brf'asts, waists and legs ; others were ornamenting their horses' manes, necks and tails with the tr ost extravagant profusi.on of green. Medicine men and warriors were meam\·hile haranguing in loud tones, but no more than a dozen hearers paid any attention to them. At length an outburst of universal applause announced , the great news that the tree around which the dance was to be performed, had been discovered by certain superstitious signs. It was a crooked tree some thirty feet high, with trunk some six inches in diameter. But soon there appeared a general feeling of embarrassment. ] twas found d:fficult to comply with the ceremonies required. For such is the respect which even the savage has preserved for the virtue of virginity, that, for some sacred rites, none but those who have preserved it intact are admitted. Such were to stand by the tree while it was cut down by the warriors. But such is the degradation of these people, who· �IdS . Indian llfissimzs. ·have never been strengthened by the Sacraments that no y( ung men presented themselves who could claim the honor and the profits attached to it. This condition had to be dispensed with in the case of the young mm; the two maidens, however, who were required for the same purpose hat! been better prot~cted by the modesty, characteristic of their sex even among barbarians. A speech from a medicine man summoned four braves, one from each of the four winds, to stand with the youths at the >'ide of the tree, each on that side c.n which he had slam mo~t enemies. Then followed a series of minute details of ceremonies, so scrupulously perfo"rmed, as to make one ask himself, " Do I practise such exactness in all the sacred rites of our holy religion?" v. g. the medicine ·man takes the hatchet, raises it to the sun and prays aloud. He gives it to the first maiden, she hands it to the first young man, he to tl~e first warrior, wh(J raises it to the Sun, proclaims his own bravery and invokes new bles.;ings. He raises the hatchet to strike the tree-strikes,-awful crying accompanies the action on the part of the women; but the hatchet is stopped within half an inch of the bark; a second and a third simiiar ~troke are feigned; similar, only more doleful and deafening wailing accompanies each. These ceremonies ar:.! repeated at each of the four sides of the tree. Finally the maidens cut it down, the braves carry it to a. chosen spot-no others can touch .it under pain of deathit is planted in the centre of the camp, a shade is formed around it with green branches. The dance is performed by such warriors as have vowed on previous occasions to go through this extremely painful ordeal. It is offered up in hon~r of the Sun, but not as if the Sun were the supreme deity ; even in the dance the great spirit is invoked before the Sun. From the latter they believe they receive life, health, etc., but how far it is distinct from the Spirit, and how far inferior, I have not been able to learn even from the interpreter. f �Indian 11/issions. IOJ. The dancers now emerge from a blue tent, ten abn:ast, all attired alike-a curiosity in Indian life. They are dressed in buckskin from their waists down, with the gayest eagle feathers about their heads, beads and tin trinkets about their necks, smeared all over with a kind of blue paint, their cheeks painted red, with a circle of white spots around their eyes. I will not stop to tell you of the various movements and halts made before the tree is reached. At length the dance begins. Some thirty men armed with drum-. sticks gather round the drum, and all beat together. Sometimes I thought the drum would split, but it held out to the end. The drumming is accom;>anied with wild singing;. Each song l.lsts about five minutes, during which the dancers keep jumping as if they felt themselves bound to shake every bone in their body: ankles, wrists, waists and necks undergo all sorts of contortions, while the feet keep time to the tones of a bone flute, which each of them holds grasped between his teeth. After each song there is an interval of about three minutes, during whi<;h they can sit down and have two or three puffs at the pipe ; then up and dancing again. At the time of our visit, this lasted the remainder of the day and through the whole of the following night. What a pitiful spectacle met my eyes in the morning ! There were those poor victims of superstition dancing yet like maniacs, though their legs scarcely supported them through tatigue and exhaustion. From the moment the tree had been found, they had tasted neither food nor drink. Still onward, dance they must for many hours more. Whenever one comes near a prop, he cannot help for a moment hanging his head against it. Still there is no thought of giving up. Now that the sun is risen, they are obliged to come frequently from unde.r the shade, and stand with faces turned to the sun. Heat increases the fatigue, their breasts heave painfully, and their lips are parched. At half �I 10 Indi{m llfissio1ts. past eleven, one at length falters; he can stand it no longer but must have a drink. This is brought him, but he is to pay a packhorse for it. Another, a while later, pays three horses for a drink, a morsel of food, and leave to retire. At length, when noon has come, the most painful operation begins. \Vhile the dancers are so exhausted that they seem momentarily on the point of falling down, the chid medicine-man steps forth and with a knife cuts two gashes on the back ·of each one's shoulder blade, then thrusts his finger into the gashes and passes a ~tring through the flesh, to which he fastens a dried buffalo head, which dangles from the shoulders of the nine remaining dancers. Now they are to dance again till the "·eight of the heads has caused the strings to cut through the ·bleeding flesh from which they are suspended. \Vhat relief I felt, when at last _ the heads one after another had fallen to the ground! But all was not over yet. They.are now cut on the upper arm and with a rope ten feet lcng fastmcd similarly to the tree. At about 2 o'clock P. M. they had danced themselves loose and the ceremony was concluded. Alas r that all this suffering is not undergone to gain an eternal crown ! If converted, these men would not shrink back at t hearing these words, "Regnum ccelorum vim patitur et violenti rapiunt illud." l l. �LETTER FROM FR. PONZIGLIONE TO VERY .REV. FR. O'NEIL. OsAGE 1\'IIssroN, NEosHo Co., KANSAS, DECE~IBER 31, 1871. VERY REV. FATHER PROVINCIAL, P. C. According to custom I must send you an abridgment of my missionary excursions during the last six months; not that I have anything very interesting to record, but merely because, as the old poet has said, " forsan et h;ec olim meminisse juvabit." The 4th of July is wont to be a day of g~neral jollity, especially in these far\Vestern districts, and very frequently it is accompanied by the excesses of intemperance. To prevent these evils we make use of whatever expedients we can devise. Thus; for instance, this year we looked upon the day as a holy one, and announc.cd that we would have mass at one of our missionary stations, 8 miles East of this mission, at the head of a small stream called Hickory, where a little chapel was built one year ago. This chapel, which goes by the name of St. Aloysius, was put up for the convenience of a few French families, who settled around that stream a little over one year ago. The building of this small chapel, in a very short time, drew together a strong Catholic settlement. The chapel was raised on a high ground in the centre of a very extensive prairie, and could be seen for two or three months flowering, as it were, by itself alone, showing to all the cross that stands on its front gable. But very soon a house was built here, and another there, and in a short time, in less than a year, the whole district was taken up by Catholic families, each· claim hav- �112 Indian 1l1issio1ls. ing an actual occupant: so that the L uilding, which for. a few months was very ample for the congregation, is now too small and hardly sufficient for a school-house. Here we kept the 4th as a holiday. I had a large number of C:)nfessions and holy communions. Several good old Frenchmen sang at the High Mass in pure Gregorian style, so nicely, that for a moment I imagined myself back m some parish church of my native Alps. Some Americans who were roving around, noticing so many people surrounding our Church thought, that no doubt, there must be good dancing going on, and came in with the intention of joining in the feast. You may imagine what was their surprise, when they saw all the people kneeling down and praying most· fervently. Just at noon the Mass was over, and half of the day was passed without mischief; the balance of it went on quietly and soberly. Our Rt. Rev. Bishop, John B. 1\Iiege, having at last two new priests at his disposal, sent them to us, that we might station them in some of our missions. So one of them was placed by Father Philip Colleton at Baxter Springs, and charged with the care of Labette, Cherokee and Crawford counties, besides a small part of the adjacent Indian Territory. The other was placed by me at Cottonwood Falls, from ~vhich place he will attend all the stations established on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail road, from Emporia in Lyon County to Wichita· in Sedgewick County. This arrangement was made during this summer, and gives us more time to attend to the great many people still entrusted to our care in the western part of this large state of Kansas. On the· I 8th of September, I left for one of my missionary excursions north-west of this place. And first I directed my course to the Verdigris River, visiting all the Catholic settlements I have formed from Greenwood City up to the very sources of this river. Acc9rding to my custom, having �l11dian Missions. 113 sto?;:>ed at one of the stations to have Ma<>s the next morning, I went around inviting all the neighbors to come and assist at it. Among those I visited there was one, who had b~cn, for over a year, on v.::ry bad terms with the owner of the" house in which I was going to celebrate the divine Sacrifice. I felt quite sure that this man, in all probability, would not comply with my invitation; yet I spoke to him in general, as if I knew nothing about hi~ circumstances, and insisted on the necessity of complying with our Christian duties, and pa,;sing over the defects of others. Imagine what a joyful surprise it was for me, to see this very man come with his wife on the next morning, to see him approach Confession and Communion-a thing which he had neglected to do for a good while-to see him stand as God-father for the child of the very one to whom, the day before he would not have spoken! From the sources of the Verdigris, I passed to those of Eagle Creek, to visit a Catholic settlement not far from Elmondlro in Lyon County. This settlement is composed of Germans. They gave me a cordial reception, and on the next morning all came to their duties. As they are only 15 miles from Emporia, where hereafter there will be a Mass celebrated once in the month, I told them that this was my last visit, and that in future they must depend on the other priest for spiritual attendance. I now turned my way towards Eureka, the county seat of . Greenwood County. I had to travel some 40 long miles, and night overtook me on a very large and high prairie, dividing the waters of the Verdigris and Fall Rivers, and as the nearest house was 6 miles distant, I had to put out on the green grass, which was plentiful and offered exce!1ent food for my horse. The moon was most brilliant, and the stars seemed to be invested with new brightness: no tree, no bush, no rock was in sight, or could be found in the neighborhood of at least 4 miles. Fortunately I had an �I I4 lndiall Jlfissiolls. iron pin and a long lariat with me; this enabled me to secure my horse for the night. All was silence around me, and I sat down to eat my supper, which consisted of some dry bread and fruits. I found both very good, and by _no means heavy on my stomach; my mind felt very light and free. Had I been a poet, that would have been a good moment for inspiration. As I was rather fatigued, I lay down wrapped in my blanket, and passed as comfortable a night, as if I had been lying on a feather bed. At the dawn of day I was up, aud seeing that all was right about my horse, I thanked God for it, and having taken my breakfast, which was as frugal as the preceding supper, I was again on the way about sunrise, travelling along through those interminable prairies. Towards noon, I reached Eureka. This is a beautiful little town at the confluence of Spring Creek and Fall River, numbering perhaps I 500 inhabitants: of these only some twenty are Catholics. As it was Saturday, I lost no time, but went around visiting the people and inviting them to Mass for the next morning fthe 24th of this month and the xvu. Sunday after Pentecost). I had the pleasure of offering the first Mass that was ever celebrated in Eureka, and commenced a missionary station in this town also. Hearing that some 7 miles west, there was a girl who was very sick, I went that very day to her house; and next morning, after reading Mass in her room, I administered to her the last sacraments. The poor girl was so badly off that she could hardly move or speak. Her sickness, however, had not been her greatest trouble. \Vhat had caused her most uneasiness was the thought that she was likely to die without receiving the last sacraments ; and she had daily prayed to God not to let her leave this world without the consolations of Religion. God granted her what she had desired. She could not get a messenger to call on me, but God himself sent me to her. Her faith was so great, �Indimz llfissions. 115 th:tt with the grac! of the sacrament>, she also received the hetlth of the body. She recovered and in a few day~ was able to start for the state of \Visconsin, where she is at present. From her house I took the way that leads to Eldorado in Butler County and stopped on Bird Creek, 3 miles east of ·that town to say Mass for the few Catholics of that locality. This settlement is v :ry small and poor, but the faith of the people forming it is great. All answered to my call, and went to their duties, including an old woman. who, for a long time had bee.n ashamed of professing herself a Ca~ho:ic. She, at last, came and brought with her a child to be baptized. She acknowledged to me that she never neglected to say some few prayers to our Blessed Lady, and it was to her she attributed the grace received of overcoming herself on this occasion. Nothing is more consoling for the poor missionary, in these wild countries, than to meet with some of these stray sheep coming back to the fold of the Lord. From Bird Creek I passed without further delay to Eldorado. Here I found some tiew Catholics, but very few, so I did not stop long, but proceeded to the junction of Walnut and Turkey Creeks~ On the 27th I said Mass at the usual station, and from thence descended to the confluence of the Walnut and the \Vhitewaters, where a small but interesting town, called Augusta, is springing up. No regular station has yet been established here; but I hope that I shall have one next spring; for several Catholic families came of late to settle around this town. Previous appointments did not allow me to see them at this time. Leaving Augusta, I took an old Indian trail going directly east, and after nearly two days of a fatiguing and lonesome journey, through a hilly and rocky prairie, I returned at last to Fall River the last day of this month, and on the next, which was Sunday, I had the pleasure of celebrating the feast of the Rosary in St. Francis Regis' chapel, between New Albany and Coyville. �II6 htdimz 1lfzssions. Some business requiring me to go as far as Burlington, in Coffey County, I directed my rolll!:e thither; then pressing along the Neosho in a homeward course, I stopped to pass the second Sunday of October at the sources of a small stream called Pecan, where we have a Scotch settlementall very fervent Catholics. They felt exceedingly rejoiced at having an opportunity of hearing Mass. That very day I returned to this mission. On the 6th of November, I again got on the western trail and came to New Chicago, a town in the northwest corner of this county. As I had been repeatedly invited by some Catholics of this place to come and pay the·m a visit, I could· not but be well received by all. My visit came quite unexpectedly and at a rather. unfavorable time; for it was the evening before the annual state elections, an occasion of general excitement. Yet the next morning, I had a good attendance at Mass. It was the first Mass ever offered in this town, in which we now established a new missionary station. Though a very heavy rain continued £<!ling almost the lvhole of that day, I travelled so::ne 20 miles through an irr.mense prairie, which divides the waters of the Neosho from those of the Verdigris ; .and the next day I reached F ridonia, where, having visited the Catholics scattered here and there, I read Mass for them, and left for New Boston in Howard County. Here, however, I cannot help noticing a most remarkable fact which took place in the Catholic settlement around Fridonia, because it shows how great is the efficacy of prayer and especially of the most holy Sacrifice. The Catholic settlers of these extensive prairies being few. are not seldom abused by their Protestant neighbors. Now it happened that one of our Catholics, having taken a claim whereon to live in peace with his family, his Protestant neighbors determined to rob him of it, and of course to save appearances, they tried to carry their point by intrigue and treachery. For this reason two of the conspirators went to �lmltmz ]~,fissions 117 the land office in Humbolt, to enter the claim of the Satholic- who by the way is a very pious Alsatian. F ortunately he discovered their trick, and started also the same day for the same pla•:e, to see whether he could succeed in saving his claim. Both came to camp in the woods near H umbo It that same night, without knowing that one was not very far distant from the other. l\'lorning having come the good Alsatian, hearing the bell of St. Joseph's Church calling for Mass, thought that he never would have good luck that day, unless he first went to Church. So he came to St. Joseph's, and Mass being over went to the land office to see about his claim. Just imagitie his surprise, when asking whether anybody had been there that day from Fridonia, he learned that the two men in question had been in early that morning, and h~id entered and paid for a piece of land. The poor Catholic hearing this, resigned himself to his fate, and concluded that it was useless to talk any longer about the matter. Yet the thought struck him that, perhaps, sorre arror might have happened in the reco~ding; and so he kindly requested the Receiver to let him see the description of the land entered. Upon inquiry it was found that the two conspirators, who wanted to enter the claim of. the Alsatian, had made· a great mistake and had entered and paid for the land of another man, who was their partner in iniquity! In consequence of this, the claim of our friend was saved. He gave thanks to God in his heart, and without losing time, he entered his own claim, paid for it, and secured it for good! It is u ;eless for me to tell you how happy the man felt on returning to his family. 0 how glad he was for having followed that inspiration of grace which called him to Church that day! On the 11th of November, J reached the small town of New Boston, situated in the centre of Howard County. This town which commands a most beautiful position wa!' started last May by a Catholic colony of young men from this mission, and since then has been gradually improving; a small Catholic Church will soon tower over it. �11.8 Indian .Jfissions. As it was SatudJ.y, I sent word all around to the Catholic l)ettlers to come to l\lass the n.o:xt morning, the 12th instant. Though the •lay was a very bad one, on account of the rain that came streaming down from heaven, still we had a tolerably good attt::ndance. About noon on the 13th the rain having stoppt>d, I took up my course on the east bank of the Canis. 1 he wind was very chilling and I suffered a good deal on that account. At last, after two days travelling, 1 reached the Osage Reservation in the Indian Territory, south of Kansas. The country now occupied by the Osages on Canis, (or little Verdigris) is a very nice one. For this reason the . white settlers begin t0 crowd around it, and a great many claims have alre:1dy been taken on this land, in spite of :he protests made by the Indian Agents. The squatters on Indian lands have long since got used to such protests; and they know well that they amount to nothing. As the Osages were now all after Buffaloes on the far west, I gave all my attention to the half breed~. I remained with 'them some 7 days. Though ·the weather was very bad by reason of the continual rain, and the creeks all very high, I nevertheless went <~round the best way I c.:ould through the settlements formed between the junction of the two Canies and the Agency, a distance of about 20 miles. I said Mass in different places to give all an opportunity of approaching the Sacraments. Some, I am happy to.· say, did comply with their Christian duties, but the majority did not. This made me feel quite bad, for these people almost all have been educated at our mission, and used to be good and practical Christians as Icng as they lived i~ our neighborhood. . But since they fell under the care of Protestants, they seem to have forgotten all our go,od advices. Still, as they continue to acknowledge themselves Catholics, and refuse by all means to join the Protestants who govern them, I hope that the good seed which we have sown in their hearts will yet begin to grow and some day produce its fru:t. �lmlzan llfissions. Since my last visit to this settlement during last summer, several have died, all wishing very much to hav.! a Priest to assist them; but in vain! both on account of the great distance from one settlement to another, and on account of our many engagements in this boundless country, so much settled by Catholics. In the death of one of them God has given a lesson w , ich I hope will produce some good. N. N. had, nearly two months since, been married to a young girl, an Osage half-breed, who had been educated at the Sisters' Convent near this mission. They were married in this town, but not in the church; I do not know for what reason they acted in this way. Now, when last May I went to visit them on the Canis, I told the young man, that he had do.te wrong, and I wished to settle the matter -between him and his wife; for I knew his conscience could not be satisfied. So I advised him to come and ·have his marriage blessed and put an end to the scandal he was giving to his neighbors. He replied that I certainly was right, but he was not theu prepared to follow my advice, but that he would be so when I would return to visit them in the fall. I merely answered that the future was not in our hands ; and seeing that I was losing my time with him, I left the place. The poor young man died almost suddenly on the 20th September, without giving any sign of repentance.· Had he followed IllY advice ! The grace denied to this one was, it seems, reserved for another, who according to all appearances, was doomed to die without any assistance of the Church, and who nevertheless, had all that one can wish for in this respect. Peter Chouteau, one of our best Osage half-breeds, had, since the beginning of November, been very sick at-his residence on the Verdigris, near Morgan City, Montgomery Co., and feeling that he was getting worse, he sent a messenger to this mission, requesting our Superior, Father John Shoenmaker to come to assist him. But the good Father was �120 f11dimt .1/issious. not only left alone here at the time, burthened with the care of a large congregation, but was moreover in very bad health, :and quite unable to travel so far. So the messenger returned to the Verdigris, telling the sick man that there was no chance of getting a priest. Peter felt very sorry on hearing this; "yet" said he, "give me my prayer-' beads, I will hold them till I die!" and after awhile he added, "still I hope that the Mother of God will not let me die, without having the consolation of receiving the last Sacraments!" This happened on the 19th of November; and just two days after, late at night, I came to his house. Nobody had called on .me; all I knew was that he was very sick and had sent for a Priest; and could only conclude that either Father]. Schoenmakers, or Father Philip Colleton had come to see him. So I did not hurry on the way, neither could I have been able to do so, had I wished; for the creeks around me were all unfordable on account of the great.rains we had had of late. It was only on the 21st that I could leave the settlement on the Canis. Peter's • mind had now become very weak; he was raving frequently, always asking whether the Priest was coming. I came at iast, and when I approached his bed he was in full possession of his mind and recognized me. Think for a moment· how happy he felt! He pressed my hand and said, smiling, ''I knnv I would have the consolation! 0 the Mother 11f God .has always been good to me!" I told him to have courage, and that next morning I would say Mass for him and administer to him the last Sacraments. To this hereplied; "0 Father, this is all I want." Next morning very early, I hastened to say Mass, at the end of which I gave him the holy Vi<>.ticum, and all being over, I anointed him. It was really edifying to see with what devotion he prayed, and answered to the prayers we recited around his bed. The satisfaction he felt at having receiV<d tl:e J~~t ~aCJa­ ments.. seemed to help him considerably, and he looked ,_.~ . �Indian Missions. 121 better. As I had no time to delay, I started as soon as I could for this mission; but the cold was so severe, that after.having travelled some 34 miles I had to stop, and so did not reach home till the next day about noon. On the 24th (only two days afteq P<!ter Chouteau died the death of the just. H;: h:~.d alw.1y.> been a go6d practical Christian, and God did not fors,1ke him in his last hour. May he rest. in peace! This was my last missionary excursion of this year, and it was a very hard one, on account of the bad \'{eather, which accompanied me through the whole· of it. During this last month we were delighted with the fervor and devotion shown by the good Catholics who surround this mission, both on the feast of the Immacu.late Conct:ption, a~d on that of Christmas. · Our school is prospering more than ever' 'it did before. The boarders number so and the day-scholars over 180. The Sisters of Loretto have also a large number of girls: attending their schools. We have indeed a flattering prospect before us. \Ve are only 3 priests· and are attending over 5000 Catholics, scattered in this far West, over a terri~ tory of more than 200 by 100 miles in extent. Inrleed we have reason to say, "messis· quidem muita, operarii autem pauci." · Your humble servant in Christ, PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, s: J. �FATHER J. U. HA:\Il'AUX. Joseph Urban Hanipaux was born in the p·arish of St. George de Dougueux, in the diocese ofLangres, on the 3rd of May, 18o5, the feast uf the Invention of the Holy Cross. and was baptized the same day. His truly christian parents brought him up in the love of piety_ and the practice of virtue. At an early ag~ and whilst engaged in his studies, he felt himself called to the ecclesiastical state. Obeying the divine 'call, he entered the seminary, and at the close of his theological studies, was raised to the priesthood on the 22nd of April, 1829. During seven years Fr. Hanipa~x zealously applied himself to the discharge of the varioi.1s duties entrusted to him by his bi~h~p; and · irt their fulfilment deserved and obtained the esteem and confidence .of those who were brought in contact \vith him. But his aspirations had been to a more apostolic life-to a closer imitation of the divine Model. Again obeying the call of grace, he asked and obtained admission into the SoCiety of Jesus, entering the novitiate on the 2oth of Feb-ruary, 1837. In this school of virtue he had for l\Iaster the Rev. A. Rubillon, and under the guidance of so enlightened a director he inured himself by the practice of obedience and humility, to walk manfully in his vocation .. At the same time that he edified his fellow novices by his virtues, his zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls was developed and perfected. Immediately after taking his first vows, Fr. Hanipaux was sent to Nantes, where he was applied to the work of giving missions. Here as elsewhere, his labors were productive of the most consoling results. Though not possessed of brilliant oratorical powers, Fr. �Fr. Hampaux. 123 Hanipaux, by his earnest piety and burning zeal fo\lnd his· way to the hearts and overcame the obstinacy of the most hardened sinners. But he longed to be sent on the foreign missions, and in 1842 made an application to Rev. Fr. General·for that purpose. He was ultimately successful in his request, though thwarted in his first plans. For he was on the point of starting, in the company of Fathers Luiset, Martin, Duranquet and Grimot, for Yiad1gascar, wh~n an unforeseen acc.:ident or rather the hand of Providence interposed and led this little band of Missionaries to another and not less fertile field. Fr. Hanipaux and his companions were sent to found a new mission of the Society in Canada. In pursuance of this plan, the first residence was established in Montreal. Fr. Hanipaux now gave himself up to the impulses of his zeal; and when, after two years, he was sent on the Indian mission, his departure was deeply regretted in those parishes which had been the scene of his labors. About this time Dr. Power, the first Bishop of Toronto, desiring to revive the missions established by Fathers Lallemant and de Brebceuf, but long since abandoned, applied for members of the Society of Jesus to carry out this plan. Fr. Hanipaux was one of those selected for the purpose. Passing through Sandwich in Upper Canada where a residence had just been opened, he proceeded to Great Manitouline Island. In company with Fr. Chone, he established his headquarters at the Mission of Holy Cross, known also by the Indian name of \Vilwemikong, a village of the Ottawas, already partly evangelized by the zealous missionary l\h. J. B. Proulx. . Without knowing a word of the language, which resembles no other, but placing his whole confidence in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in prayer, Fr. Hanipaux, who in two years had been unable to pick up a few words of English, could in a short time instruct, and hear the confessions of the Indians in their own language. �124 Fr. Hauipau:r. Fr. Hanipaux had now attained the object of his eager longings. His zeal knew no obstacle. · In fact, at times, it s::emed to border on rashness. But knowing that he was in the hands of the Almighty, he faced every danger, in pursuance of the one ohject he had in view, the Glory of God and the salvation of souls. Nothing could deter him when there was ques~ion of gaining souls to God. Neither the inclemency of the season, nor the difficulties of the way, could impede him in the pursuit of this object so dear to his heart. vVhether to penetrate the trackless wilderness, or to navigate lakes and rivers made dangerous by hidden rocks or headlong rapids, or to traverse the same when covered by no less treacherous ice-or to climb rugged mountains, or to pa'>s swollen torrents-his zeal was unabated; he recoiled before no difficulty, but placing his trust on high, sped on his way rejoicing.· At times forced to sleep on the snow, being at other times on the point of famishing from want of food, he felt amply repaid, when after a journey of extreme hardships, he was able to announce the glad tidings of the truth to some poor neglected Indians. Then heedless of repose, he applied himself to alleviate the wants of these poor creatures-his time was spent in consoling, baptizing, preparing them for death. Having attended to the spiritual wants of the inhabitants of one village, he hastened off to ano~h~r to recommence the same labors,. or returned to his mission of Holy Cross to take charge of his little congregation and his schools. His return was..frequently hastened by the necessity of opposing by his presence and influence the efforts made to destroy the good that God had wrought among these poor Indians. For he had to maintain a continual struggle with those who strove to pervert his neophytes. and to draw them away from the path of duty. His presence and advice strengthened the wavering and consoled the more steadfast. He inspired children with the love of piety; youth with modesty, and the more aged with fidelity to their duties. It was from �Fr. Hanipaux. 125 the Sacred Heart of Jesus that he drew his strength- it was do:votion to this Sacred Heart that enabled him to accomplish so much for the good of souls. He was beloved both by his Superiors and inferiors. The Socialists of Holy Cross wrote to him after his departure from among them, testifying their gratitude and filial love. One of his fellow-laborers writing about him, says that Fr. Hanip:wx was alone worth two missionaries; another relates the grief and lamentations of his poor Indians and their longings to see him once more among them. But this affection can astonish no one-as he loved them all with the tenderness of a father. But Fr. Hanipaux was forced to leave his spiritual children, never more to se..! them on earth. Twenty-seven years of endurance and toil had told on his vigorous frame,· and undermined his health. To enable him to enjoy some needful rest, his Superiors called him to the residence of Quebec. He arrived at Montreal last autumn and at Quebec on the 30th of December. The best physicians of these two cities were forced to acknowledge that his sickness admitted of no cure-and their charitable efforts were henceforth employed to lengthen out his life. For the six months preceding his death there was no decided improvement in his health-nothing but a succession of days of more or less suffering. He gradually lost the last remnants of his once vigorous constitution, until he seemed to be sustained only by his energetic will. He desired to labor up to the last, and for this purpose he at times concealed his sufferings, till it became impossible to do so any longer. Despite his habitual weakness and suffering, he asket!, on his arrival at Quebec, to have a confessional assigned him, and there he remained as long as the good of souls required, and his failing strength allowed him. He rose, as a general thing, with the community, made his meditation and said Mass. During the last week of his life he was so feeble that it seemed almost impossible for him �126 Fr. Hanipaux. to finish Mass. But his indomitable energy and strength from above bore him through. His devotion prompted him to choose to say Mass in preference at the altars of the Sacred Heart and of St. Joseph. He might be seen several times every day kneeling in presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Being no longer able to work for the good of souls in any other way, he poured out continued and fervent prayers for their conversion. His great zeal became manifest ·whenever he heard of the good accomplished by others. \Vhen told of what was being done for the glory of the Sacred Heart and in honor ~of St. Joseph by the Ar•:hbishop (Taschereau), and the pastors of Notre Dame, St. Roch's and St. John's, of the continual development of the Apostles/tip of Prayer, and of the Association of our Lady .of the • Sacred Heart, his heart was gladdened and seemed to acquire new vigor. But alas! his ever decreasing bodily strength did not equal the ardor of his zeal-perhaps even thi~ interior fire helped to consume his mortal frame. But the month of St. Joseph had now come. Three novenas to this great Patriarch and Patron ofthe Church were begun at the same time; one for Fr. Hanipaux, one for the Society of Jesus and one for the t:<ithful. The good Father united himself to all these intentions-offering up to God through the hands of his holy Patron, the sacrifice of his life. On the 12th of March he desired to receive the Viaticum during the night. His sufferings were intense up to 7 o'clock P. M., when the prostration of his bodily strength was complete. He told a Father who was by him at the time: "I shall die at midnight." At a quarter to eight, he requested that the prayers for the agonizing should be said, in which the good Father himself joined, making the responses with great piety. An hour later, with his brethren . who surrounded his bed, he recited the customary prayers, and finally, those of the novena. �St. !g;utius', Adams Co., Pa. 127 At midnight, March I 2th, 1872, Fr. Hanipaux expired without agony-and retaining complete possession of his f<tculties up to the last. He seemed to have been spared· long enough to enjoy the consolation of dying during the month and novena of St. Joseph, his holy Patronand on a \Vednesday, a day consecrated to this great Saint- and as he had ardently desired, in the midst of his brethren. Two weeks before his death, when the good Sisters of Charity offered him a room in the hospital, that he might be better taken care of. he answered: ··i-Io. · I desire to die in the midst of my brethren." The mortal remains of Fr. Hanipaux repose in the vault of the Cathedral, near the new chapel of St. Joseph and not far from the tombs of two of his brethren in religion, Fr. Nicholas Point, and Fr. Jno. Bapt. Mcnet. MISSION AT ST. IGNATIUS', MOUNTAIN. ADAMS CO., PA. None who are familiar with the history of the "Book of the Exercises," need the convincing proof of its present miraculous effects to be persuaded, that rather to the direct inspiration of the Holy Ghost than to the unlettered soldier of Pampeluna does it owe its origin. To the unction diffused by the Spirit of God through every page, must be ·ascribed th;: numberless conquests made by this "golden hook" from the time when Christ's ministers first wielded ·so potent an arm in the rescue of souls, down to the days 'in which we live. Nor has our own land of America, em(n;;:ntly a missionary region, been the last to feel its benefi- �128 cia! influence ... The temL:ncy to materialism. more strongly developed he~t; than elsewhere, th;:: \Lt:lt of d surncient Ill.Hl1· ber of priests to break the bread of life for Christ's little ones; the scarcity of churches, especially in rural districts; the distance of Catholic families from those who can adnlinister the Sacraments; the \lllchristian and infidel surroundings, as .well as the immoral tendf"ncy of literature, have all served to weaken Catholics in their faith, to ,i.·ean them from the practice of their duties, and, in not a few cases, have ' even led to an entire renunciation of religion; But wh~n a mission is announced, grace seems to invade the souls of many of these wanderers. Great efforts are made to be present, and daily experience shows that this c~rrespond­ ence to grace, joined with a faithful attendance, ha~~ ,re·sulted in a return to the path of salvation, so long neglected. The following details concerning one of these missions given by a Father of the Novitiate, Frederick, ~Id, at the little church of St. Ignatius, half way between Chambersburg and Gettysburg, Pa., although they cannot engage the a~tention by reason of any miraculous events, will, at least, pro:v.e .the all-fostering care of that Heavenly Father, who loves his "little ones'' as the ".apple of his eye." The church was built in r8r7, by Fr. :Marshall, who, shortly after its completion, died on the Atlantic, during a voyage undertaken for the recovery of his health.· The site of the church, perched as it is on the top oftbe Blue R,idge, seemed one but ·little. f.worable for the success of any mission- which might be viven there. The. rough mol!ntain roads, which ·lead to it, in themselves sufficiently wea~ying, are ri::i1dered doubly fatiguing on account of the con?tant ascent, an· ascent which has to be conqu~red, by paris!iioners who live at a distance of from one to ten miles. These diffi-culties hm\cever did not prevent the ,little ~dific~ ft;<ttn being: ~Lied eVery morning by a crowd which ren1ai~eq the .. whole d<ty, ,the exercises closing at 5 o'clock in tlw. <1fter- ,, noon, At about 6 A. l\1., you might have s-een from ·t\~·~lve to fifteen mothers with their little ones, gathered around • . . . ! • ; . ~ �St. Ignatius', Adams Co., Pa. 129 the stove in a little room adjoining the church, having set a praiseworthy example to the stronger residents of the place, by walking three or four miles before sunrise (for the mission takes place about the middle of October!) in order to be in due time to commence the exercise. On the very day the mission was opened, several young men presented themselves to the Father who was to give the ret-reat in order to ask his advice. ''If ,.;.e come to the' mission," said they, "we'll lose our employment, a~d. if we go· to our work, we won't be able to attend the retreat !" The Father recited the rosary with them to obtain light from hea\·en in regard to their course of action. Enlightened and strength~n~d by their prayer, the young men unanimously agreed that no temporal interest should prevent them from attending to what had so important a bearing on the more important one of eternity. They resolve, for that week,: to discontinue their ordi11ary employments, in order to engage in the exercises of the retreat. I ought to remark in this place, that the feliing, sawing and transportation of timber furnishes the laborers of this vicinity with their principal· means of employment. The Father having learnt that work was not pressing at the time, since the saw-mills had been obliged to suspend operations on account of the dearth of water, no rain having f.1.llen for four months, told the young ~nen to promise their employers, that they would "pray for 1'lllll. This they did, and although. on informing those for ~dwm they worked of their determination of attending the mission, they were allowed to withdraw, their promise to "'pray for rm'n" was received with not a few incredulous smiles. God, however, who is so ready to reward any act of simple f.1.ith or self-sacrifice on the part of his creature, was not deaf to the petition of those who had shown so generous a compliance to his own interior call. On the 4th day the rain-clouds discharged their wished-for contents i11 abundance! Nor should one circumstance connected with this answer to their prayer be passed over in silence. The shower did not commence until all were in the church, and �130 St. lgnatud, Admns Co., J'a. the rain continued until 4 o'clock, P. :\L, when the sun breaking forth with ail his wonted warmth and splendor, enabled those in attendance at the church to reach their respective homes without any great inconvenience. On the evening of the 2nd day, it was the parish priest who expressed his fears to the father that the mission would have to be interrupted by some. "To-morrow is electionday," said he, "and the men are anxious to cast their votes, although they do not like having to lose the instructions. But they cannot help doing so, since the poiis are eight miles from here." Matters, however, were soon arranged. The men were enabled to fulfil their duty as citizens, without neglecting their more important one of Christians. Instructions for that day were anticipated by nearly an hour and a hal( At about 10 o'clock A. l\1., one hundred men march in procession from the church to the poiis; cast the momentous vote; dispose of the light meal they had brought with them; and once more formed into rank, marr:h back to the mountain church, and assist at the remaining duties of the day-beads, a sermon and benediction. There are some things certainly remarkable in this little mission, which proved so perfect a success. Not a single individual belonging to the church of St. Ignatius failed to present him or herself at the tribunal of penance, and afterwards to receive the holy Sacrament o"f the Eucharist. In the beginning of the exercises great doubts were entertained of some seven or eight who had not passed the threshold of the Church for years, and who were generally regarded as hav1 ing outlived their time of conversion. The f..<ther, having been apprised of the deplorable condition of these hardened sinners, recited the beads twice a day with the congregation, that the blood of Jesus Ch~ist might obtain for these tmfortunates the grace of awakening to a sense of their dangerous condition. At tlu: end of tlze tlzird day, not a soul was wantiug. All repaired their past misdemeanors by a contrite confession, and received the pledge of salvation at the Holy Table. During the course of the mission, all who had made their �St. Ignatius', Adams Co., Pa. 131 first communion were placed under the immediate care of our Blessed Lady by being invested with the Scapular ofMt. Carmel. At the close of the retreat, a mission cross of solid oak, 20 feet in height, was erected in front of the Church. After the ropes and pullies, which wen! to raise it to its station, had been adjusted, the father would not allow any man to take part in this performance, but, by his orders, the boys of the congregation, seizing the ropes, hoisted the cross into its proper place. Thus in after years they can direct the attention of their own children to the "Cross of the Mission", which they themselves had raised as boys. Perhaps I have, already, taken more of your space than I can justly claim for these simple facts, and I will not add to them some others regarding the mission, which can serve to swell the contents of another No. of the "vVoodstock Letters." Certainly, it can not be unprofitable for those who are yet young in the Society to learn to look at the labors of those already bearing "the heat of the da:y" ; and to see with what blessings God crowns their efforts for his Glory; whilst those who are girded to toil of a· kindred nature in other portions of the Lord's vineyard, cannot view without interest the exertions of their brothers in Xt., who are animated with the same spirit as themselves. ].B. �LENTEN 1\IISSIONS. BY THE FATHERS OF THE NOVITIATE, FREDERICK, :'liD. NonTIATE, FREDERICK CITY, l\In. 7, I8jz. APRIL, REV. ASD DEAR FATHER, P. C. Our missionaries have at length returned "portantes manipulos suos" and your request is· to be complied with. But first let it be said in extenuation of the somewhat meagre account that ours are not accustomed to notice many things, which would be noticed by others, either because they are the natural accompaniments \of a mission, or because, looking to the main purpose, that is, the confession and communion, they regard all other things of mi·nor importance and hence lose sight of them altogether. Again, the usual result of all missions, which is the triumph of God's grace in the conversion of the sinner and the return of many who had, Prodigal-like been long away from their Father's house, is so much the same that when one mission is recorded, the others may be easily known; the only difference being in the number of the congregation to which it is given. This premised will give you some c"onsolation in your possible disappointment. , The first mission was in our Church here. There was much apprehension that this would prove a £-lilure, as not a long time had elapsed since the last mission and our Fathers thought there would be somewhat of apathy, especially as the court was being held at the same tirr.e and a most important case was to come up for trial, in which the sympathies of almost the whole County was enlisted. The inclement weather also threatened to keep many away. B.ut this our good God turned aside until the close, and it �Lcntm Jfissions of 1872. 133 was noticed as strange for the season that so many comparatively good days succeeded one another. There were about 450 communions with a little over 100 confessions of children who had not yet made their communion, but were instructed daily by one of the Fathers, who had chosen that as his special part of the mission. :\lany miracles of grace were among this number, and even after all was over it continued to act: "my word shall not return to me empty." One instance of divine Providence must not however be omitted. It was of a cold Catholic, immersed in temporal business, who did not think he had time even to go once a day to the instruction. He had been many years away from his duty, and had in consequence of his affairs no inclination for the ordinary duties even of a Catholic. It was however so ordained by God that his business took him one night just by the church, and hearing the preacher, he felt induced to go in for a few moments. The subject was the return of the prodigal. So apposite to his own condition was the parable; that the application, aided by grace, changed him entirely, and he immediately hastened to go to his £'lther and recover the stole of innocence he had lost.' Since then he makes up for the wasted time by a faithful and constant attendance. Only two of the missions dependent on Frederick were evangelized this lent and nothing specially worthy of note happened. As usual a number of prodigals returned and the good were confirmed in the way of salvation. They arc particularly noted for their regularity. In one however where no mission was given we have to record the conversion, baptism and first communion of two estimable protestant ladies, who married to Catholics and attending Church, whenever it was given, had for many years kept back from professing the £'lith of their hu"bands. Touched at last by grace they abjured in the hands of the venerable Fr. Mc.Elroy their errors and made their first communion on Easter Sunday. Two missionaries were sent to the neighboring missions of \Vinchester and Harper's Ferry in Virginia. The grace , �134 Lenten 1lfissions of 1872. awakened many Catholics from their torpor and the good pastor was gratified far beyond his expectations, as he found he had more souls under his care than he was aware. In \Vinchester over I 50 and in Harper's Ferry over 250 went to communion. Two circumstances in these places deserve to be noted. ·The first was that all, but especially the children were invited to pray every day in common for those who through long resistance to grace had rendered themselves unworthy of favor. The result of this, we may justly ascribe, was the great number of those who had been for years away from the Sacraments now returning. Many indeed were riot known to be Catholics even by their most intimate acquaintances. The second was the holy pride which seemed to animate them with respect to tlt-.:ir religion. For among the crowd gathered to hear the word of God, there were many protestants and even ministers of various denominations, to whom by their attention and eagerness to avail themselves of the benefits offered, the Catholics seemed to show how much superior in everything was their religion. Indeed such was their fear of losing anything that was said, that they did not notice the cold that was streaming through the open doors of the Church, and the pastor had frequently to advise them to close the doors for the benefit of all. , The crowds came from ten and twenty miles around ; although there was snow and frost sometim~s so deep and bitter that it was a real work to get to the Church. It was a great consolation to the Fathers in their labors to see the eagerness of those who wished to be reconciled to God. The same consolation awaited the three Fathers who \vere s.ent to Martinsburg, where the number of Catholics was much greater. The eagerness of the people to hear continued unabated the whole week ;~.nd the consequence was that over 900 confessions were heard and more than 8oo approached holy communion. Although no controversial sermons were preached, there were 8 converts, of whom two were baptized and the remainder left for instruc- ��C I.R C U L .Li R: !ro the Pa,trons of the "JVootlstock Letters": J.lEVEREND FATIIER: P. C. Tlte favorable reception which the first ll!Uilber of' our clomestic publication has nwt with, is to ns an encottraye1nent which we hardly expected, but for whiclt we are most sincerely grateful. Our 1JOUII[J printers will therefore clwerj'ully continue to devote a portion of tltd r leisltre uw1nents to a task which ltns now becunw doubly a. Jllf:;tMttre; ancl wltile they hope that interm;ti ny mat•~1'ials will be se11t then~ to enrich tlte payes of' tlw "Letters," they will cudeat•m• to pe1t'orm. their sharr! of tlw wm•k in sudt n 1uaun•~r as to merit the colttiluwd apJH'obation of' our PafJ•on.o.~. But w; the uwchauical e:cecufion of' thi.o.~ task t•equirn.; souw outlay f'•w the JHtrrhase of t!Jllc, JmJU~1' and otlwr materials, -it .;..; hoped that the lln·ert~lul Superiors of tlw Collerfe.o.~ and I louse.~ to which tlw "Ldters" are .~r~ut. will kiudly a.~sist us to liH'et the (';rpt!11St'.~. JVe.cm;fidcntlJJ leare tlw df'frwmiuation of the anwuut of' tlwi1• contribution to tlwit• own wf'll-lnwum lilwrality, raul will nwrely add that tire rntl co.~t of tlw publif'frtion, as it is ow• iufeution to i ...su.e it, willlutrrll !J lu< ltw.o.r than $2.00 a year (!'or J'oreign countries, 1().-;, or 1 .'tJ'r.) JJostaye i1n·ludnl. TJIE EDI'l'Oll. JVootlstocl.; Collt~ye, I£owat•fl Co., .~lid., .1liay, 187'2, �Lmtm Jllissions of 1872. 135 tion to be baptized in the beginning of May. The number of those who returned after long years to their Mother, was very great, and in some there was a generosity that bordered on h !rui~ n. Some scand:1ls of long standing were repaired, and some who had seemed to lose all faith, were recalled again to a new life. One of the Fathers who had preached strenuously and whose voice was weakened and throat ulcerated had to b:gin another mission imm:diately. Fearful of the consequences he promised a novena for the souls in purgatory, if he should be able to go successfully through the second mission, and his prayer was granted; for his throat seemed to be in suspense until he had finished, when the soreness again returned and gave him an opportunity to confirm in himself the good ad\·ice he had given to others. Two others, all we had to sp1re, were sent to St. Paul's Church, \Vorcester, Mass., the result of whose labors after ten days was 3805 confessions, which were no doubt increased to 4000 and more before the close of the week. The same eager desire to avail themselves of the mission was manifested here, and a great many were brought to confession, who had been away for a long time. \Vhat perhaps made this superior to the others was that the winter was at its height still while the mission was going on and yet there was not the slightest diminution of attendance. Unfortunately the Fathers were too busily occupied in reconciling the adults to find time to do any thing particular for the young. All they could do was to represent to the parents the necessity of fulfilling their obligations and to impress upon all the duty of working well for their salvation .. This includes only the missions given during lent. There were other missions to congregations, students in colleges and academics, monasteries and priests, during the year, in which much good was done. Our good Fr. McElroy, old as he is, is not idle in this good work, having given ten retreats to religi')US houses, besides preaching single sermons to congregations, wherever he chanced to be. �LETTER FROl\I FLORISSANT. NoviTIATE oF ST. STAXISLAs,· l\'Io. FEB. 19th, 1872. NEAR FLORISSANT, REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. In the first number of the \N oodstock Letters reference is made to a church in course of erection on our premises. It is completed now, and furnishes a few items which may prove interesting. For thirty years back and more, this neighborhood has been inhabited by a class of old Canadian settlers or Creoles, harmless indeed ;-for violence and theft, and even drunkenness, are almost unknown among them, and no police is ever required ; -but they are rarely seen in any Church, except on occasion of a funeral, a baptism, a marriage or the yearly first communit,n of the children. These are what some call the four sacraments of the Creoles. This however is scarcely fair; for they have a lively f.1.ith in the last sacraments too ; and come galloping in the middle of the night, just in time to get a priest before the patient expires, except when they happen to come too late. The chapel to which we used to invite them, had few attractions, it being the second story of an old frame build· ing, while the village church of Florissant was between three and six miles distant from most of their dwellings, rather far for their slumbering piety. Such was the population, for which some of our most zealous Fathers had labored assiduously for many years, whether as novices, as tertians, or in other capacities. It would have been quite appropriate to ask, "Can any good come from Stringtown?" for this was the euphonious name of the locality. �Lt!t<r from Florissant. 137 Meanwhile the :\Tessenger of the S. Heart used to come month after month to tell us of the constant stream of graces flowing from that loving Heart, especially when ca~es seemed desperate before. Our confidence was awakened, and many a month this neighborhood was recommended in the pages of that esteemed publication. Then there occurred an unexpected change for the better. Kind Providence sent us one of our Fathers, who succeeded in gathering an unusually large audience at the devotions of the Month of May, A. D. r86g. F ..:rvor was enkindled. To perpetuate it, a Society of the Rosary was established, which more than doubled the number of monthly communions. The next year the Apostleship of Prayer was added, bringing down a new shower of graces. Soon a desire was felt to build a little church. But where was the money to come from? The neighbors were mo:.;tly poor, and spoiled in this particular; for they had never been called upon to contribute for religious purposes. It was not supposed that $500 could be collected from the f.<ithful. However, during the last months of l\'Iay and Juue, prayers were asked in the chapel, and the subject was recommended among the intentions of the Messenger, that our good Lord and His holy Mother might provide the funds. \Ve were immediately and abundantly heard. In June a subscription list was opened, a somewhat larger circle than the immediate neighborhood being taken in, and, in a few months, a very neat country church has been built, furnished and paid for, costing over three thousand dollars. Protestants and Catholics have shown equal good will on the occasion. Every one is both surprised and delighted. The church was dedicated to Our Lady of tl_Je Rosary. The next point was to fill it with worshippers. This blessing, too, its Holy Patroness has obtained. A mission, though preached under disadvantages, has made th"e people f.<miliar with their house of prayer: its forty-six pews are all rented, and attendance on Sundays is very satisf;tctory. Some fathers of families, who, it was generally known, had �not frequented the holy sacra·n~nts for m:my years, lnve done so now, and have become edifying Christians. In fact, the enthusiasm at the concluding ceremony of the mission was so great, that the unedifying name of " Stringtown" was, in honor of the church's patroness, Our Lady of the Rosary, changed to that of " Rosarytown," which is now the received appellation of this locality. As soon as· a post-office will be established here, it will be Rosary P. 0. I am, Rev. and Dear Father, Yours in the Sacred Hearts, C. CoPPE:-;s, S. J. ST. JOSEPH HEARS THE PRAYER OF THE POOR. CI:-;CJXXATI, MARCH I ::?th, I 872. F . \T!IER, In times of scarcity <l.nd dearth, the Little Sisters of the Poor are often among the first to feel the effects of want. And, when. these generous givers are themselves needy and empty-handed, what must become of theaged beings who depend upon them, unless they be furnished with food and raiment by the same kind providence that feeds the birds of the air and-clothes the lilies of the field? But.God delights to extend the mantle of His solicitude over His little. ones and to reward their child-like confidence in Him. The following is one instance among many, that He has made them His special charge. Though but indirectly connected with the labors of the Society, this little REV. AND DEAR �St. :.Joscplz lzmrs t!te Pra;'cr of t!tc Poor. I 39 incident may, perhaps, find a suitable place in the "Woodstock Letters." For the favor was dispensed by the hands of St. Joseph and cannot fail to increase our devotion to him. Coal has been very scarce here this winter. Owing to the low water in the Ohio River, the supplies from Pittsburgh were cut off for a time; moreover, several barges, after arriving safely at the levee, snapped their moorings and were sunk or dashed down the stream by the floating mass of ice. This soon came home to the hearths of many a family. For fuel became very dear, and the cold meanwhile was uncommonly severe. The poor might be seen along the newly-raised roads and highways picking up the stray cinders scattered here and there upon the ground. Towards the end of February the "Little Sisters" had also exhausted their supply of coal ; and having no earthly. resource, they addressed themselves to St. Joseph, the Treasurer and chief Procurator of the poor. On the 26th of Feb. they began to offer up prayers, prefaced with the intention "To St. Joseph for some coal." The Father who attended them, had listened to this petition which was read out aloud every day at Mass ; and, not hearing it the succeeding week he inquired of the Mother Superior: "\Vhy have you discontinued your prayers for coal? have you lost courage?" He was answered by the recital of the following facts : On the previous Thursday (Feb. 29th), after praying so fervently to St. Joseph for four days, they were reduced to extreme distress. There was only a mere coating of slack and broken coals on the floor of the cellar, and the fires could not be kept up sufficiently to warm the shivering limbs of age. The Superioress, finding herself forced to seek instant relief for her little community, summoned all its members together to recite the Rosary in common. They did so with great piety. And; when afterwards the Sisters conversed with the aged inmates, it was edifying to witness the good spirits manifested in the countenances and good-· �140 St. :Joscplt !tears tlzc Prayt·r of tlzc Poor. humored jests of all. "Maybe", said one, ''St. Joseph knows that it is the 29th of February, and he don't wish to help us on a leap year day." "That's very true," chimed in an old woman, ''and to-morrow is the first day of the month of St. Joseph: let us have patience till to-morrow at all events." "Sure and we will; nobody would refuse to humor St. Joseph that much," added an old Irishman in a shrill-toned voice; "but," said he, "if he don't help us to-morrow, he deserves to be lodged in the cellar himsel('' This outburst of geniality satisfied all, and they separated quite contented. But Friday passed away; and in spite of their fervent Novena the coal-cellar remained as empty as before. But they were determined to overcome St. Joseph at all hazards, and in their simplicity they carried out the suggestion made the day before. They took the statue nf St. Joseph to the cellar and left it there as a pledge, insisting that the saint would surely redeem it. And so the statue spent Fridaynight in the coal-cellar. Yet St. Joseph did not mind that either; fur Saturday morning came, but no coal. It was the 2nd of March, and the Superioress took a surer· means of prevailing on the Saint. One of the inmates is an old blind woman, who is very pious and constantly engaged in prayer. This good creature was told to go to the Chapel and pray for the Community all day, with the injunction that, if she did not obtain some coal from St. Joseph, she would have to keep him company in the cellar on Monday. She did as she was ordered: she prayed hard and overcame St. Joseph, who appeared, up to this time, to have been deaf to all appeals. \Vhen called for dinner to report on the prospects of success, she replied: " 'Tis all right ;-we'll get coal." · That same evening a boy came with the message; ''Mr. Spencer will bring you a /zundrcd buslzcls of coal; he wants you to make ready to receive it". The trap-door of the cellar was opened, and from above the coal-cobs poured down on the floor in abundance, while from the door opposite the old folk bore off the statue of .· �Extracts if Letters from Abroad. St. Joseph in triumph to the Chapel. No doubt they must have consoled their Protector for his imprisonment, by lighting a lamp in his honor and offering him the tribute of their innocent hearts. EXTRACTS OF LETTERS FROM ABROAD. vVe are indebted to Rev. Father Healy, S. J., of Georgetown Coliege, D. C., for the following interesting and edifying details extracted from private letters kindly placed by him at our disposal : NEGAPATAM, DEc. 4th, 1871. received your letter two days ago. How many old memories it stirred up! * * * Our dear noble-hea,rted Du Coudray! \Vhat frightful things-what pages for history! And still the tragedy has not drawn to a close yet; but it may perhaps be ended before these lines reach you. But our hopes are with the Church and with God. And you of the New \Vorld, do you always go on with gigantic strides? * * * Here in India, Protestants were loudly proclaiming the down£1ll of the Church, especially after the humiliation of France. But, in fact, we are making steady, not perhaps very rapid progress, and practically Protestantism itself finds out every day more and more that Catholicity is advancing. This is shown by new foundations springing up everywhere, by the more prominent position of our VicarsApostolic, and by a growing liberality and respect on the part of Government. At Calcutta our Belgian Fathers have a college which can successfully cope with the most flourishing of their schools. At Bombay they are fast getting the upperhand. * * * We, though somewhat out of the way, are tlze Catholic Institution of the Presidency ; _and **I �Ertracts of Letters finn Abroad. yet we have nothing but natives and have to contend with many difficuities. * * * * In the latter part of October we had a visit from the Governor of Madras, Lord Napier, a Puritan, as ·he remarked with a smile, who has been treating us as even a Catholic .would have done. * * * On that occasion we gave him an evening entertainment; the comedy and music especially were good. To see the natives act their parts in the play, and sing European music as they did, took all by surprise ; and the whole affair was a real triumph for the college. * * * * * But let me tell you something worthy of note which happened here lately. As I was walking through one ofthe streets my attention was attracted by a crowd which had gathered around a large man holding in his arms a little girl under ten years of age. The poor little creature had just been bitten by a cobra; from her mouth a long gluey drivel was oozing which hung in strings or meshes down to the very ground-it was evident that she had but a few moments to live. I asked them if they wished me to do anything. Yes, they said, to cure her. I told them that I had no other remedy at hand than to bless her; should I do so? Yes,.by all means. The snake, they said, had bitten her hand; they wished me to bless the hand. I called for fresh water. A Turk ran -into his house near by and brought a basin of water. I took the child's hand, washed it thrice in the form of a cross, pronouncing meanwhile the prescribed formula !-Quid de Baptismo ?-Unfortunately, perhaps, the child recovered soon after, and the people attributed it to the blessing. I must nO\v see to her being brought up a Catholic. N.UIUR, MARCH, 16, I8J2. * * * I must now tell you of an event which has given us much consolation here, and which ought to be made known for the honor of our Blessed Lady. One of our young students, about fifteen years of age, had been suffering from a putrid sore throat; the gangrene had gradually poisoned all the blood in his system, and the physicians pronounced �Et·tmcts of lttto·s from Abroad. 143 the case hopeless. In' f.<ct the poor boy was at the point of death ; all remedies were powerless and no hope was entertained of preserving life until even the close of the day. At about two o'clock we brought him some water of our Lady of Lourdes, which he drank. Almost immediately a copious discharge of gangrened matter found vent through the nostrils. A marked improvenicnt in the patient's condition resulted ; he grew better rapidly and in a short time completely recm·ercd. \Ve had offered fervent vows, and all the students had prayed earnestly for this f.wor; their gratitude was expressed by a general and fervent communion on the following Sunday. D. 0. M. ��vVOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. 1., No. 3· FATHER WHITE'S RELATION. [Continued.] During the voyage many singular things happened. In the first place, we met withjl_J'ing-jislt, which at one time cut the sea with th-:ir wings, and again the high air. They are of the size of flounders, or the larger ray, which also they greatly resemble in taste. They poise themselves in the air, in flocks of a hundred, '~hen they are trying to escape from the dolphins that ptirsue them. Some of these, when their w:ng,.; failed them, dropped into our ship; fcir, at one effort, they do not fly over a space of more than two or three acres ; then they dip in the wa"ter their wings that have been dried by the air and again commit themselves to the sky. Inter navigandum multa occurrebnnt cm·io~n. In primis pisces rulan- te.'<, qui modo aequor modo acm sublime pcnnis secahant, passerum mng- nitudine vel mnjorum sparulorum quos valde ctiam gust\1 prnegrnto rcferunt. Cimteni gregatim se in nere librant delphinos cum fugiunt in~equentes. Eorum ali qui deficicnte pennnrum remigio in nostrum navim (lcciderunt ; nam uno impetu non amplius quam duorum vel trium jugernm spatium pervolant; tunc pinnas aere exsiccatas aquis rursus immcrgunt, et se iterum coelo committunt. �q6 F,atltcr Tr 7zitc's Rdatioll. \Vhen \Ve were distant twenty-one degrees and ~orne minutes from the equator, where the tropic commen:cs, w.: ,\·ere permitted to see floating in the air the birds which from their locality they call tropic birds. It i~ uncertain whether these birds, which equal the falcon in size, and are conspicuous for two very long white feathers in 1h~ tail, arc continually in the air; or rest themselves at times on the water. Other things I omit which are learned from the letters of others. \Vhen we had passed the Fortunate Islands, Lord Leonard Calvert, the commander of the fleet, began to consult with what merchandise to load the ship when about to return and where to obtain it, so that he might lighten the expenses of his brother, the Baron of Baltimore; for the entire burden fell upon him as the chief one of the whole expedition. In Virginia, no advantage was expected from our countrymen, for they are hostile to this new plantation. Therefore, we were steering for the island of St. Christopher, when, after consultation, fearing lest at that late season of tpe year, others might have anticipated us, we turned our prow towards the south, that we might reach Bonavista, which island is opposite Angola, on the coast of Africa, fourteen degrees from the equator. It is a station of Cum ab Aequatore uno et viginti gradilms et aliquot minutis ahesse· mus, ubi Tropicvs incipit, videre emt aves, quas a loco tmpica.• vocant, in aere pendulas; illae cum falconem mole adaequent, dualms praelongis ct albentibus plumis in cauda' conspicuae, incertum est an aeri pcrpetuo insideant, an quandoque aquis se sustentent. Cnetera ut aliorum litcris nota omitto. Cum Insulas Fortunatas essemus praetervecti Dominus Leonard us Cal· vert, Prucfectus Classis, agitarc coepit quas merces et uncle compararc pos· set navi reduci onerandae quo fratris sui Baronis de Baltimore sumptibus caveret. Illi enim ut totius navigationis Principi onus integrum incumbebat. In Virginia a nostratibus nihil commodi sperabatur, sunt enim huic novae plantationi infensi. Itaque ad insulam Sti. Christophori tendebamus, cum, consilio adhibito, vcrentes ne ea anni sera tempestate alii nos praevenissent, proras obvertimus ad Austrum ut Bonaevistae potiremur; quae insula, Angolae opposita in littore Africano, gradibus 14 ab Aequatore, statio est Hollandorum salem conquirentium quem deinde vel �Fatltcr I V!tit/s Rdation. 147 the Hollandc:-s for obtaining salt, which they take thence either to their own country or to Greenland to cure fish. The abundance of salt, also of the wild goats with which the island is well supplied, invited us ti1ither; for it is used by no one as a habitation. Only a few· Portuguese, exiled from their country on account of their crimes, drag ot.t their lives as best they can. Scarcely had we gone two hundred miles, when our counsel being changed, at the ~ uggestion of some, lest provisions ·might £1il us in so great a compass, we turned our course toward:> Barbadoes. It is the remotest of the Caribbee or Antilles Islands, thirteen degrees distant from the equator, and the storehouse of the other islands, which after the shape ofa bow, are extended in a long tract even to the Gulf of Mexjco. \Vhen we arrived at this Island, on the 3d of January, we were in hope of receiving many articles of trade from the English inhabitants and Governor of the same blood ; but a conspiracy being made, they determined not to sell us a bushel of wheat, the price of which in the Island w~s half a Belgic florin, except at five times its market value, for two florins and a half. For a shote they dem.anded fifty florins ; for a turkey, twenty-five florins; for other smaller fatted fowls of this kind, three florins. Beef domun{ Yl'lnd piscem in Groenl:uulia condiemlmu confernnt. Copia sa lis atque etiam cnprarum, qua rum insula femx est, eo nos invitnbnt; nam alio(LUi habitatore nullo utitur. Pnuci tnntum Lu~it:mi exilio propter ~celera pulsi, vitmn ut pos~unt trnhunt. Vix ducenta millinria conleceramus cum mutatis iterum quorumdnm suggestione consiliis ne commea· tus in tnnto circuitu nos deficcret, deftectinms nd Barbados. Est ea Carebum sen Antillarum Insularum infima ab Aequatore 13 gradibus distans, caeterarumque quae in modum arcus ad usque sinum Uexicanum Iongo tractu protenduntur granarium. Ad hanc ut appulimus tertio ,Jnnuarii in spem venimus multarum commoditatum ab incolis Anglis et consanguineo Gullernatorc; sed conspiratione facta, modium tritici, qui in Insula medio ftorcno Belgioo veniebat, nobis nonnisi quintupla proportione duohus ftorenis cum dimidio vend ere decreverunt. N e. frendem unum quinquaginta ftorenis licital>ant: pullum indicum vigintiquinque, caetera ejus generis altilia minora tribus florenis. Bovinam �q8 Fat!tcr ll"!titc's Rdatioll. or mutton they had none; for they li\·e daily on corn-bread and potatoes, which kind of root grows in such abund,mce,, that you may take away whole wagon loads without charge. Reflection upon ·the Divine Providence mitigated th~ cruel treatment of men ; for we understood that a Spani~h fleet was lying at the isle of Bonavista for the purpose of prohibiting all foreigners from trading in salt. Moreover, if we had proceeded on our voyage, we should ha\·e fallen into the snare and become a prey to them. In the meantime we were rescued from a greater danger at Barbadoes ; for the slaves through the , whole Island conspired for the slaughter of their masters, and \vhen they could assert their liberty successfully, resolved to seize the first ship which should arrive and put out to sea. ,The conspiracy having been disclosed by one whom the atrocity of the deed deterred, the execution of one of the leaders served for the security of the Island and for our safety; for our ship, as it 'was the first which reached the shore, had been destined for their prey; and on the very day on which we landed we found eight hundred men under arms in order to prevent this most imminent crime. The length of the Island of Barbadoes is thirty miles, its breadth fifteen miles; it is thirteen degrees from the equator, sen vervecinmn nullam habebant; vivunt enim pane imlico et patati~. quod radicum genus tanta nffluentia provenit, ut plnustm integrn gratis auferre liceat. , Hominum acerbam severitntem Divinae Providentiae consid('rnt1o mi- ~· •· tigavit. Intelleximus enim ad Insulam Bonaevistae stare cla~sem hispnnicam quae cxteros omnes salis commercio prohiberet; illo si porro contendissemus itinere constituto in cusses praeda fi!Cti decidissenms. :Mnjori interim periculo ad Barbados erepti. Famuli per totam Insulam in necem dominorum conspirarunt, tum scilicet in libertatem asserti navi quae prima appelleret potiri statuerunt et tentare maria. Conjuratione patefacta per quemdam quem facti atrocitas deterrebat, supplicium unius ex praecipuis, et Insulae securitati et nobis salut\ fuit. Nostra enim navis, ut quae prima littori applicuit, praedae destinata fuerat, et eo ipso die quo uppulimus octingentos in armis reperimus, quo recentissimo sceleri obviarent. Insulae Barbadorum 30 milliaria continet longitudo, latitudo 15, gradibus 13 ab Aequatore, calore tanto ut hibemis mensibus incolae I i• ; �149 of so excessi\·e a temperature, that in the winter months the inhabitants are clothed in linen, and often bathe themselves in the streams. At the time we arri\·ed it was har· Yest. Unless the constant winds tempered the heat it would be impossible to live there. Their beds are coverlets wo\·en artfully together out .of cotton. \Vhen it is time to rest, they sleep in these, stretched by ropes to a couple of posts Dn each side. In day .time again, they pltt them wherever they please. Their principal merchandise is corn and cot· ton. It is pleasant to see the manner in \vhich the cotton hangs from the stalk and the abundance of it. . The shrub from which it grows is not larger than the prit,:kly Bear's foot, which the vulgar call barberiu though more like a tret;! than a thorn. It bears a pod of the size of a walnut, but of a sharper form,which cleft into four parts gives forth the cotton, rolled tog~ther in the form of a nut, whiter than snow and softer than down. .There are six small seeds, the size of a ''etch in the cotton, which, gathered at its time, and freed by a kind of wheel from the seed, they place in sacks and put away. There is a wonderful kind of cabbage, which has a stalk that grows to the height of one hundred and eighty feet; it is eaten either raw or boiled; the stalk itself of the length lincis wstiantur, ct nq\li's sc !<ncphrs innucrgant. J\[essis tum crat cum appulinms. Nisi frequentes venti aestum temperarent impossibilis esset · habitatio.. Lccti sunt stragula n>Stis ex gossipio atfabre texta; in hoc · cum est quiescendi tempus, funibus nppenso ad duos hinc inde palos dor. miunt, de die iterum quocumque libet nuferunt. )[erccs praecipuae sunt frumentum et gossipium. .Jucundum est videre modum et copiam pen\lentis ex arbore gossipii. Arbor ex qua nascitur major non est oxyacantho (quam vulgus Berberia vocnt) quamqualu arbori quam spinae si· milior; haec nodum fert magnitudine juglandis, furma acutiori, qui in quatuor partes dissectus, gossipium nive candidius et pluma mollius, in · speciem nucis convolutum fundit .. Gvssipio sex parva semina insident, viciae aequalia, quod tempore suo collectum et rota quadam a semine expeditum condunt in saccos et asservant. BraBSicae genus ndmirandum est, quae cum caulem habeat in centum et octoginta pedum altitudinem excrescent em vel cruda cditur, vel elixa: caulis ipse ad unius ulnae mensuram, sub fructu habetur in deliciis; ern- �Flttk:·r 1V!tit.·'s R.latiolf. of an ell below the fruit, is consid.:r.?d a gre:tt cL::llc:~.cy. \Vhen raw, a little pepper being mixed with it, in taste it far surpasses the Spanish artichoke; and the huge stalk, morelike a peeled walnut, and well equalling the trunk of a. great tree, though not a tree however, but a vegetable. bears but a single cabbage. There you may see a very tall tree which they c:tll the so:1p tree. The grains orthe soap tree do not exceed in size a filbert nut. The fatty coverin~ of these cleanses and scours after the manner of soap, although they say that it is injurious to the finer sort of linen. Many of these grains brought by me to :Maryland I have planted-the hope of future trees. Among the trees, they also number the Palma Clzrisii. Although it has a trunk porous and like a bean, it bears a large cluste1· of berries somewhat of an ashy color; it is covered with thorns and speckled with black spots. From these berries an excellent oil is pressed. Lemons of a golden color, citrons, pomegranates, nuts which the Spaniards call CoC0as, and other fruits of the warm regions, grow here in abundance. There is a fruit which they call gnaccar, of a gold color, and of th$! form of a lirr.e; in taste, however, it resembles a quince. The pupais, in color and form, is not unlike it, but, as it is very sweet, it is used in preserves. <Ius admixto piper.! s:tporc cartlum higpanicmn 8UJWrat-; et juglandi nullatac propior, ingcns caulis arbori8 bene magnne truncum adaequnn"' _. ncque tamen arbor sPd Iegumen, bm~sicam fert no_11 am~ilius unam. Ibidem videre est nrborem ~ntis proceram quam xilpvnem Yoennt. Grnna ~aponi nucem :IYellanam non excedunt. magnitudine; horum pinguis tunic!!, snponis ins!nr, purgat et deterget, qunmquam, ut aiunt,linu tenuiori inimica. Ex iis granis multa mecum ahlata in )Inrylandiam mnndnvi terrne futurnrum arborum semina. Inter arboreR etiam numernnt Palmam ChrU.ti. Quamquam, truncum ilia habent porosum et Iegumini similem racemum fert irtgentem Reminum coloris snbcinericei, spinis nrmatum et nigris mnculis inspersum. Ex hiR praestnns oleum cxprimitur. 1\Iala aurea, citrina, granatn, nuces et.iam quas Hispani CtJCos vocnnt, caeterique ealidnrum regionum fructus nbertim proveniunt. Est fructus qui gnaccar dicitur, coloris aurei, forma citri minoris, gustu La men ref(~rcns cydoninm. Pupais colore est ct forma non absimilis, sed praednlcis cum sit, condiendis tan tum cibis adhibetur. �Fatltcr H7titc's Rdation. But the pine-apple excels all other fruits in the world which I have tasted; it is of a golden color, and very pleasant when mixed with wine-in size it is equal to two 'Or three European nuts of the same name, of form not unlike them, but in construction not marked with so many Jittle divisions and protuberances, which, when put to the fire, yield their nucleus, but soft and tender, enveloped in a little membrane. It is very agreeable to the taste, not having a bitter kernel, but throughout equally pleasant to the palate. Nor is the crown wanting which it deserves, for without doubt it may be called ti1e queen of fruits. It has a spicy taste, and, as fur as I can judge, resembling strawber· ries. mixed with wine and sugar. It contributes much to the preservation of h~alth, agreeing so weB with the constitution of the body, that although it C'Orrodes iron, it is beyond aught else nourishing to man; nor do you pluck it from a high tree, but there is one for each root, standing out from the root- like Spanish card. I was desirous of putting one of them with these Ietters into the hands of Your Re\'erence, for nothing but the frui.t itself can give an idea of it. On the 24th of January, at night, having weighed anchor, and about noon of the following day, having passed the Is· Praecellit nutem cn<'teros, quos alibi tennrum gustavi fructus JYux Pt~ EHt ca coloris nurei, vinoque mixtn gratissima, tres vel quntuor (~usdcm nominis nuces curopens mole ndacquat, figura non admodum di~simili, sed operiosiore, non tot distincta Joculamentis et modulis, qui, adhihiti ad ignem, nucleum reddant, sed mollis et tenella involutn memhranula, gustui jucundissima, nullo aspera acino, sed a summo deorsum :1equa!iter palato arridens: neque deest quam merctur corona, hand dubio enim regina fructuum appellari pot est. Gustum habet aromaticum, et quantum conjectura assequor, fraga, vino saccharoque mixta refcrentem. Sanitati conservandae plurimum confert, corporum constitutioni tam a pte consentiens, ut ·Iicet ferrum exedat, hominem tamen, si qu!l res alia, quam mnxime corroborat: neque praece!sa hanc quaeras in arhore, sed unam una ex radice, quasi cardui Hispanici promineutem. Optabamme nucen1 unam Paternitati Vestrae cum hiscc literis tradere potuisse in manus, nihil enim illam praeter ipsam pro dignitate potest describere. Vigesimoquarto Januarii de nocte subductis anchoris, et circa meridiem llect. . �Father White's Rdatio1f, land of St. Lucia on o1.1r left, by evening we reached Mat;tlina. ·At this place two boats of naked men, who wen; afrilid o( the bulk of our ship, l1eld up to our sight from a.. distance, pumpkins, cucumbers, fruit of the plane tree, anu parrots for traffic. They are a wild race, corpulent, and daubed with purp,le •paint, ignorant of a God, greedy of human flesh; having a little while before eaten up someEnglish interpreters. The country which they inhabit is very fertile, but altogether a forest, without any open plains~ A white flag being hoisted in token of peace, wt.: invited those who were keeping aloof in the distance to come and trade ; but disregarding the indication, they set up their own usual signals. After showing them and le,arning who we were, they took courage and approached nearer. But only a few bells and knives being exchanged, not trusting too much to so powerful a ship, they went to the pinnace, promising to bring better articles of trade the next day, if we should determine to remain:· I hope some one's heart will be touched with commiseration for this abandoned race. A rumor set afloat by some shipwrecked Frenchmen excited interest among the sailors, that an animal is found in this island, on whose forehead there is a stone of UI}Common splendor, like a fire-coal or burning fcqumtis diei relicta nd laevam insula S. Ludae, n:lJ n~rermn tenuimus Jfatalmmu. Hie duo lintre~ nudormu hominum molem nostruc navil' nriti, pPpom·s, <:ueurlJitas, fructus platani rt Jl~iltnco8 de Ionge ostc ntabant commut:mdos. Gens ctleru, obe:s1, Jligmen\i:qmrpurcis nit ens,' ignara Numinis, carnium lmmanarum avida, ct quae Anglorum interprc·. tcs aliquot pridem absumpscrnt, .J·pgiom·m colit illlJlrimis frrtilcm, sed f[lUlC iota Iucus sit, nulla pltmitie pervia. AjJlu~tro aliJo in signum pad" proposito, cos qui se a Ionge ostentab:mt, invitavimus ntl commercia, sell indicium avermti, insignia consueta propo:,uerunt. Cum, his ostcnsi~ , 1ninam e:<~cmus intellexissent, animis assumptis, nccessere propius, sed paucis tantum tintinnallulis, et cultellis acccptis pruepotenti navi non nimium fidentes, celo<·em adeunt, promittcntes se, si consist ere deceJnerenms, scquenti die meliores merccs allaturos. Capiat olim, aliquem uti spero. derelicti hujus populi miseratio. Apud nautas increbuit rumor (ortu·s u quibusdam Gallis naufrngis) reperiri in l1nc insula animal cujus fronti lapis inusitati splendoris insidl:t, prnnae vel candelae ardenti simili~. �l53 ~rrnd. To th:s c-n:mal they have given the name of the .carbl.ndc. Let the authors of the report beiieve their own story. At the dawn of the day following, we reached another of the Caribbee Islands \dtich they have named after Guadaloupe, because of a certain likeness between their mountains: and I trust it is no less under the protection of the most holy Virgin l\Iother of Guadaloupe. From that we z·eached Montserrat about noon, where we understood from a French galley that we \\"ere not yet safe from the Spanish fleet. Montserrat i:; inhabited by Irishmen who have been expelled by the English of Virginia, on account of their Catholic faith. Having spent a day we set sail for St. Christopher's, where we stopped for ten days, being invited to do so in a friendly way by the English Governor and two Catholic Captains. The Governor of the French colony. in the same island, treated me with the most marked kindness. v\'hatever rare things are seen in Barbadoes I found here and in addition to them, a volcanic mountain, and, what you will wonder at still more, tltc <·zi-gin plant; so called, beca~sc on the slightest touch of the finger it immediately withers and falls, though reviving after a little while, it rises H1de animali carbuncae nomen indiderunt. Rei fid!'s sit p!'nes auctorem. Die proximo illncescente nlteram Carelnnn Insularum attigimus, quam nsperormn montium similitudo hispnniee Guadalupac f<>cit cognonwn, (•stque uti confido sub tut<>la t.;jusdem SS:\P. Yirg-inis :llatris. Indc )Ion· serratem t<>nuilims circa fneridiem, uhi ex lemho gallico intelleximus nondmn ab Hispanormn" cln~~e tuto~ <''"e. Hah;t Monserrate in co· las Hibemos pulso.s nb Anglis Yirgin'a<> oh lit lei C'atho!icac profcssioncm. Tunc a•I :IIoevimu pestilenti aen• et Jeln·ihu~ inf:unem Uno die nbsumpto vela fecimus ad snncti Cltristuphori. uhi decem dies suhstitimus, u Guhernntore Anglo et Capitaneis duohus Cntltolicis amice invitati. :Me in primis benignc accepit Coloniae Gallicae in eadem Insula Prnefectus. Quaccumque npud Barbados rara visuntur, hie etiam reperi et praeteren non proculn Praefecti sede montem sulplmreurn. Et quod ndmireris mngis, Plantam Vir!Jz"nem, sic dictam quod minimo digiti contnctu confestimmarescat et concidat, quam quam data morn rcvivisc<>ns iterum assurgat. Placuit mihi inprimis locusta arbor, quam suspicio est praebuisse ;ws �I 54 Father H'7zitc's R.-!atimr. again. The locust tree especially pleased us, which, tradi..: tion says, afforded sustenance to St. John the Baptist. It equals the elm in size, and is so grateful to the bees, that they are most ready to make their hive in it. The honey. if you take away the name of "wild" neither in color nor in taste differs from the purest honey I have tasted. The fruit, also retaining the name of locust, consists of six beans within a hard shell, in taste resembling flour mixed with honey. It bears for seed four or five nuts somewhat larger. I have brought som.: of them to plant in the earth. At length, sailing from this we reached what they call Point Comfort in Virginia, on the 27th of February, full of fear lest the English inhabitants, to whom our plantation is very objectionable, should plot some evil against us. Letters, however, which we brought from the King and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Governor of these regions served to conciliate their minds, anti to obtain those things which were useful to us. For the Governor of Virginia hoped, by this kindness to us to recover the more easily from the royal treasury a great amount of money due to him. They announced only a vague rumor, that six ships were approaching, which would reduce all thing~ under the power of the Spanish. For this reason all the invictum S. Joanni Baptistne; nlmnm adaequat nltitndine, npibus tam grata ut libentissime illi favos snos iu.plicent: mel si nomen sylvestris demas, neque colore, neque sapore a purissimo quod gustavi melle differt. Fructus etiam, locnstac nomen retinens, in duriori cortice sex fabarum siliquis pari, mednllam continet moll em, sed tenacem, gnsln fllrinae similem mellemixtae; semina fert grandiuscula.quatnor vel quinque coloris castanei. Horum aliqua terrae inseremla asportavi. Ac tandem hinc solventes, caput quod vocant Consolationis in Virginia tcnuimus 27 Februarii pleni metu ne quid mali nobis machinarentur Angli incolae, quibus nostra plantatio ingrata admodum erat. Literae tamen quas a Rege et a summo Angliae Quacstore ml earum regionum Praefectum ferebamus, valuere ad placando3 animos, et ea quae nobis porro usui futura erant impetranda: sperabat enim Praefectus Virginiae hac benevolentia erga nos facilius a fisco Regio magnam vim pecuniae sibi debitae recuperaturum. Sparsum tan tum rumorem nunciabant adventure sex naves quae omnia sub Hispanorum potestatem redigerent: indigenas I �Father TV7titc's Rdati.;n. ISS l1abitants were under arms. The thing afterwards proved to be in a measure true. After a kind entertainment for eight or nine days, making sail on the 3d of March, and carried into Chesapeake bay, we bent our course to the north, that we might reach the Potomac ri\•er. The Chesapeake, ten leagues broad, and four, five, six,and even seven fathoms deep, flows gently between its shores; it abounds in fish wh~n the season of the year is favorable. A more beautiful expanse of water you can hardly find It is inferior, however, to the Potomac, to which we gave the name of St. Gregory. oea propter umn('s in armis es._"C, quod verutu post('a experti sumus. Humor tntilCn ve1·eor ab Anglis ortum habuit. Post octo vel novem diermu !Jenignam tr:tclationem tertiu ::llartii vela fhcieutes, et in sinum Caesopeach mn'cli cursum ad Aquilunem defte· JCimus, ut ftuvio. P<do•,.eadt Jhltiremur. . Sinus Caesopeach latus decem leucas placide inter littorn labitur, profundus quatuor, quinque, sex et :septem orygis, piscilms cum fa vet ann us scatens; jucundiorem aquae lapsum vix iuvenies. Cffiit tamen ftuvio Pntomeach, cui nomen a S. Gregorio indidimus. [To be colliillued.J �GEORGETOWN COLLEGE. Gr:oRGE·row,; CoLLEGE, D. C. APRIL qth, 1872. An intimation reaches us here that a communication from this eldest of American Catholic colleges would b; welcome to your pages. Far be it from us to d~cline acceptance of the courtesy proffered. Our venerableness docs not make us shrink from contact with those younger sisters of ours who will claim to be represented side by side with us in your journal. · The ni1mber of our students has not varied much from year to year since the recent war. .At the breaking out of that war, the return of many northern students to their homes, and the departure of almost every southern student who was old enough to bear arms, reduced the numbers in attendance to a very low ebb. The subsequent occupation of a large portion of the buildings by the govenment as a military hospital, and of the grounds by its soldiers, necessarily kept our numbers within the same narrow limits, and made us, moreover, unpleasantly f..<miliar with the exigencies of military routine, since we could neither go out nor in anywhere without the password of the day. \Vith the restoration of our normal condition, ca~e an increase in the number of our students, and since the close of the war, the average attendance, including a few day-scholars, has been about 160. The catalogue contains usually a list of over 200 names, but this includes all who have attended for any portion of the year. Before the war, we accommodated 300. \Vhenever the condition of the Southern people (for the North is amply provided with Catholic Colleges) shall' have improved, we may expect a return tp our former numbers. ~· �Gtorgdown Co/leg.·. 157 Those who arc ignorant of the facts, might suppose that our College-since I speak of Catholic Colleges-was re~orted to by Catholics alone, but it is a fact that many Protestant parents prefer to have their children educated in Catholic institutions, partly for the greater security of their morals, partly en account of the more thorough, or at least better grounded l o Jrse of instruction they impart. Hence, we have all sects represented among our students, not excluding Jews, of whom we have four. Probably one fourth of our students of the present year are non-Catholics. One of our graduates l f last year was the son of a Lutheran minister: another of a few years previous is a devout l\Iethodist preacher and has erected a meeting house to officiate in at the Little falls of the Potomac, close by. None of the Catholic students hesitates in the least, from motives of human respect, to resort to the confessional in the presence of all the others, or to present himself at the communion rail in the morning. About one fourth of all who have made their first communion go weekly. On festivals, of course, the number is larger. l\Iany go to confession weekly as a matter of self discipline. Among the Protestants who have sojourned with us for a reasonable period, none can leave us to swell the ranks of the enemies of the church, which might have been the case had they gathered no knowledge of Catholicism other than that afforded them at home. A few, probably two a year, apply for Baptism._ In some years, this number has been exceeded. In the time of the annual retreat to the students, the Protestants are exempted from attendance (though a few request the privilege to be present), but good-humoredly bear the .. ? of "Black Sheep" and fraternize as cordially with the Catholics in recreation as if there were no division of any kind between them. Of five members of Congress who send their sons or wards here, only one is a Catholic. All these particulars are so well known that I hesitate to repeat them; but you may have readers to whom the in- �ISS Gcorgcto'Wil Co!!cgt.·. formation is novel, either because they reside ;~broad and do not know the country, or, because living in this country, they have never visited this portion of it. To these, statements of this kind are not without interest. The retreat was preached in l\Iarch last by F. \Vm. Francis Clarke, one of our graduates of forty years ago, and by F. \Vm. B. Cleary, and was in every respect a success. Not a single Catholic failed to comply with his duty. There are every year among the ,younger. students, and occasionally among the more advanced, some who have not made their first communion. All, except the very youngest, receive suitable instructions, and make their first communion before the close of the year. The two sodalities, one for the younger, the other for the older students, are flourishing, and· embrace, it is believed, all the Catholic students who have made thc:ir first communion. Each has its grand reception of n ~w members annually, to which all the solemnity possible is given. That of the older students has already been held: that of the younger is shortly to take place; the rec~ption being deferred longer in this case, on account of the necessity of giving the young Postulants a prudently long probation. The conduct of our boys is in general exell!plary. Gross immorality, or such a violatio-n of the more important rules of the College as involves expulsion, is extremely rare. We seldom hear any but favorable accounts of our students of past years, and our graduates, especially, fill places : of honor and usefulness. We send one' or two subjects a ~ · year to the Novitiate. In conclusion, of the religious statistics appertaining to our establishment, it might be added that the weekly Catechetical lecture is in the hands of the Professor of Rhetoric, and that four other Fathers take turns in preaching the short Sunday sermon to the students. There is a laudable emulation in the classes, and the "roll of honor" every month embraces a number who receive �Georgetown Co/leg<'. 1 59 two and thre~ "tickets" as heads of their respective classes. On the other hand, the number of those who fall below the po:nt of toleration in the monthly marks, as read out, rarely exceeds three. As this is a risk equally incurred in the Classical, l\Iathemati•:al, French, and, perhaps, other classes, this number may be considered infinitesimally small. The Philosophers now occupy the rooms formerly appropriated to Scholastic students. They have changed the name of the locality to Mt. Aquin. Our religious family is composed of twelve Fathers, five Scholastics and nineteen Brothers. Of the former, besides Fr. Rector and Fr. fllinister (who is also Prefect of Studies), one teaches Theology to the three who are here engaged in that study, and is Spiritual Father; the students in Philosophy and Rhetoric absorb three more; Chemistry and Physics, another: our ex-Professor in these branches, (and, as ev.::ry body who has been to the College within the last thirty-five years knows, this means Father Curley,) is still as devoted as ever to his green-house, so that green-house and Fr. Curley are correlative terms. Two other Fathers are head prefects, one on the large, the other on the small boys' side: another conducts the financial and agricultural &c:partments (our grounds, including the Villa, embracing about two hundred acres), and is Pastor of St. Anne's Church, Tenalley town : the twelfth delves in the library, and is amanuensis for odd occasions. Two Scholastics are Prefects and students of Theology ; two others, Prefects and teachers; the fifth (whilom with you) takes care of his health and of his progress in Theology. A Scholastic novice also assists in the Prefectship and in the infirmary. \Ve have besides three secular teachers and a music teacher who reside within the College grounds, and a teacher of drawing and another of Spanish, who come from without. French and Mathematics are impartially distributed among the Fathers and teachers mentioned above. German is taught by one of the Scholastics. A large number of hired �160 G<orgctorun College. men and boys, a:nong the former of who:n are some who ha\·e grown old in the sen·ice of the house, are in regular employ for in-door and out-door needs. The se\·erity of the past winter occasioned an unusual . amount of sickness among our students, and the persistent inclemency of the weather so greatly restricted out-door sports, except skating and snow-balling, that doubtless pure Clllllli lent its aggravating force to the existing cause of indisposition. But when the first symptoms of spring . appeared, a general exodus from the infirmary took place and the brother infirmarian is enabled to di:vote himself anew to the cultivation of the little garden which the ordinary prevalence of good health left him time to develop in the grounds fronting on the infirmary: and this little spot is now radiant with blooming bulbs arid in its setting of polished shells (of the T~·nus J!t:rcmaria and Ostrca Virginiana). Those who have not visited the College within a few years past will remember that this space was occupied wi~h high ground, all of which has since been removed to a level with the small boys' grounds beyond. The latter have been enlarged and improved at the expense of many thousands of dollars. All the grounds forming our Southern boundary, a portion of which was recently a series of grassy hillocks interspersed with rocks and dwarf cedars, are now terraced and under cultivation, and one looks down upon the broad Potomac just below, and the busy canal beside it which transports the coal from the mountains of \Vestern Maryland to this little fleet of vessels to the left, or carries it over the great aqueduct which bestrides the river, winds on past the heights of Arlington and terminates at Alexandria, dimly visible in the distance,-one looks down on all this, and eastward, over the roofs of \Vashington to the vast pile of the Capitol beyond, from amidst the varied and luxuriant planti, vegetables and flowers of our garden. �Gcorgclo<OJZ College. The celebration of St. Cecilia's d_ly by the stud;!n~s. was, ;as to its music, a creditable exhibition of the proficiency of our young instrumental and vocal performers. The ad<lresses on the occasion were exclusively by the Rhetori-cians, and were of far more than ordinary merit. The celebration of\Vashington's birth-day (Feb. 22nd) was, as usual, :in the hands of the Philodemic Society, who did ample justice to the occasion and won many praises from the ju<licious audience. Our young vocalists supply our ch0ir with fair success. Our instrumentalists are not only able to furnish festive music, but have expanded into a band, ·which wakes the echoes of Georgetown. Their diligence in practice is abo\·e all praise. Th:! cadets have lately reorganized, drill frequently, and will probably go upon a target excursion. The hope is entertained that base ball will not monopolize this year as it has done for two or three years, all the muscular ener· gy of our boys, but that a place will be found for military exercises as well. The Law Department will hold its commencement in June. For a new institution, in its first year, it is doing extremely well. From the high character of its Professors, one of whom is a Judge of the Supreme Court, the result is not unexpected. The address on the occasion will be delivered by U. S. Attorney General Williams. The Medical Department has closed its course for the preYent year, with the graduation of 23. This institution continues to hold its high position. The great. numbers who attend the commencement exercises make it necessary always to select the largest audience room in Washington. I have thus run over hastily (though not perhaps as succinctly as I ought) the prominent points of interest in connexion with the college, leaving perhaps much unsaid that ought to find a place, and inserting some things that will probably entertain nobody but myself, and I must now close with a short reference to some recent distinguished visitors of ours:-Yes, close without having said a word about our �beautiful ... \Valks", the surprise of all who visit them, ancf. the delight of those who frequent them habitually. But your faithful recolle~tion will supply this ()mission, and to all others, it is. easier to say "come and see" than it is to describe. The visitors I allude to, were Iw:tkura, the chief of the· Japanese embassy and six of his attendants. They 1\·ere accompanied by Minister De Long, l\1r. Rice, interpreter. and by ?~Irs. Admiral Dahlgren and Mrs. De Long, both Catholic ladies. The first visit was to the library, where many Japanese and Chinese books, or works bearing upon the history of Japan were exhibited. Among the latter. Charlevoix's History attracted especial attention, and the title was duly noted, that a copy might be procured. After quite a stay here, they visited the museum, which was carefully inspected. The only one of the Japanese who spoke English recognized and called by name the ?I'Iastodon, the great bone of which you will remember. Hence they proceeded to the C1binet, and here, as els~­ where, were greatly interested and asked many questions. They seem not to have seen an Electrical Machine before. and I wakura and all the rest, with the greatest good nature formed a ring to receive shocks from this as well as from the hand battery. An exhibition of the Solar :\licroscope was also given. After being conducted over other portions of the house, and admiring the magnificent view from the upper windows, the whole party were invited to a collation. As they were proceeding to tht;ir carriages, after a stay of about two hours, the cadets drew up in line before them, presented arms, and requested one of the students to address the visitors, which was done by J. E. Washington in complimentary terms, and Iwakura replied courteously. The address of the boys, of course, concluded with the request that the Japanese prince would procure them a holiday for the remainder of the day, which F. Early kindly assented to, and the visitors drove away, followed by enthusiastic cheers. They next called at the Visitation Academy I �'Coll(r;c of Bclm. wl1ere tl1ey made as long a visit as they had made with us -<<nd seemed equally delighted. The Japanese were dressed :in American style. lwakura presents the appearance of a man of firmness and dignity. Mr. De Long states that the persecution of Christians attributed to I wakura did not take place as described, or was political in character. FOUNDATION OF THE COLLEGE OF BELEN AT HAVANA. The Royal College of Belen (Bctlt!clzcm) in the city of , Havana traces back its origin to beginnings which, though unpr~tending in th..:msehres, were, nevertheless, not unattended by such difficulties as are wont to embarrass undertakings of some moment. As the Spanish Government was · anxious to lay firm and solid foundations for the education of youth in its possessions beyond the seas, and as for a long time back it had been contemplating the erection of a central college in the Island of Cuba, under the title of Royal College of Havana, after mature deliberation it resolved to carry out so praiseworthy a design, and to confide the Institvtion to the charge of the Society, which had been banished from the kingdom since 1835. In furtherance of this plan, P. Domingo Olascoaga, who was afterwards appointed Provincial, set out from Belgium for Spain in I 8 5 I, and thanks to his zeal and activity, it came to pass after a short time, that the Government of Her Majesty threw open the gates of the Peninsula to the Society, founded at Loyola a mission-house and novitiate, and �charged itself with the support of thirty novic~s who· \\·ou~cl furnish subjects for the houses to be founded in the colonies. At that time the ~Io;t Excellen~ Sr. D. Fran:isco Fleix y Solans was Bishop of Havan:t, and at his solic:tations, th:.:.first three subjects whom th~ Socie:y sent to Cuba. embarked for that Island. The_.;e were F. B.:trtoio:ne l\I unar. Superior, F. Cipriano Sevillano, and lk. l\!anuel Rubia. On their arrival at the port of Havana, April 29, 1 ~53. they were welcomed with every mark of esteem by the civil and military authorities, as \\'ell as by the principal inhabitants, but especially by the Rt. Rev. Bishop, in whom they ever found a most tender father and gen~rous protector. ~Tany were those who claimed the honor, as they called it, of showing hospitality to the Fathers; but they yielded to the entreaties .of D. Bonif<tcio Quintin de Vilbescusa, Re,:tor of the Collegiate Seminary of San Carlos, who had prepared accommodations for them. Several reasons impelled the Fathers to prefer this dwelling-place; but the chief one was that this very Seminary had been a house, founded by the old Society, and possessed by it for more than fifty years, under the title of St. Ignatius' College. Thus by a special and loving disposition of Divine Providence, it was brought about that after nearly a century of interruption, the Fathers of tl~e Society commenced their apostolic labors in the same church and residence, which had witnessed the glorious toils of our forefathers in religion. After a few days had gone by, as it did not seen prudent ... to detain the Fathers in Havana, exposed to the dangers of yellow fever during the sultry heats of summer, they were sent by the Bishop to the beautiful country seat of San Antonio de los Banos, twenty-three miles distant from the Capital, and one of the most healthy and picturesque spots on the Island. Here they remained for five months, during which time they devoted themselves to preaching, hearing confessions, preparing the children for first confession and communion; and then terminated their stay at the villa �w:th a nin = days mission, an exercise then almost forgotten in tho;e r~gions, and from which they gathered most abundant fruits. l'{~anwh.le, excavations were being made for the erection of the new college at Havana, in the field called Penalvar. The F.tth~rs having received timely notice from His Excliency, the Captain General, Don Valentin Canedo, pre~;ented themseh·es anew in the city, on the roth of October, of the same year, 1853· This was the day appointed for bying the first stone ; the solemnity took place in presence of the authorities, and of the most prominent inhabitants: there was besides a vast assemblage of people, and all were filled with joy ~:m beholding the reestablishment of the Society in their midst. The work then went on with great speed, so that at the end of a few days, three or. four feet of solid masonry arose above the deep foundations ; but it was not carried on with equal earnestness after this, and when a few months had gone by, the work was entirely suspended, under the pretext that it would' cost too much to carry out the original plan. As the hot season was now over, the Fathers established themselves permanently in Havana. They occupied in the Calle de las Virtudes a modest dwelling house, rented and furnished at the expense of the Government. They applied themselves to the labors of the ministry and to the spiritual direction of the students in the Episcopal Seminary, and patiently awaited the decision of the authorities in regard to the College. Deterred by the obstacles encountered in the prosecution of the work which had been undertaken, the Government renewed a proposition which had previously been made, to open the classes in the old Convent of Mercy: but the Fathers, who already understood the wants and the desires of the Cuban people, firmly declined to accept the offer. And it was not without good reasons. For, in the first place, this building was in so ruinous a state, and the rooms were sci few, narrow, low and damp, that it was use- �166 Co/1,-g,· of Bdm. less to think of lodging there the staff that would be required for a College. In the second place, the house was tenanted by some venerable old men, sun·ivors of the ancient community of the Order of Mercy, who had no <jesin; for any thing else in this world, except to end their days, and to be buried in the peace of the just, beneath the shadows of the sanctuary which had witnessed their birth in the religious life; ami it is clear, that it was neither just nor becoming to deprive them of this last and natural consolation, by wresting away from them this cherished home. Finally,· the people of Havana, who justly valued the merits of these holy religious, and who as yet did not know the Fath~r5 uf the Society, would have become ill-affected towards the College, were it established in the. l\Iercy Convent, to the prejudice of the ancient and lawfu'J.-occupants. These and other weighty reasons the Fathers laid before H :!r :\hjesty's Government, which deemed it proper to take thc:m into consideration. But in spite of the favorable attitude of the Government at :Madrid, it is very probable that matters would ha\·e remained at a stand-still, had not the reply of the Cortes coincided with the appointment of a new Captain General, the Marquis de Ia Pezuela. This nobleman reached Havana towards the end of tl1e same year, 1853, and on his arrival, the aspect of things changed on all sides. He. forthwith set enquiries on foot so as to find out which of the public buildings could be most conveniently trans-~: formed into a good college; and as the Fathers showed a preference for the Convent of Our Lady of Bethlehem, in which Gen. Segundo Cabo with a battalion of troop~ was then quartered, he issued a command for the immediate cession of a portion of the building to the Fathers, promising to place the whole of it at their disposal, as soon as accommodations could be provided elsewhere for the soldiers who were then. stationed at Belen. In this manner every obstacle was overcome, and thus the Society entered �Colk!Jt' if Belm. into po,;;session of the spacious, beautiful and solid building of .V11cstm Smom de Bdm, at present a Royal College for Secondary Instruction. The year 18 54 began under these favorable auspices. On the 17th of January, FF . .:\lunar and Sevillano, and Br. Rubia removed to th.:: unoccupied portion of the building, along with FF. Jose Cotanilla and Nicasio Eguilioz lately arrived from Guatemala. Hereupon, so· urgent were the requests of many parents, that it was necessary to open several classes without delay, and to admit some pupils as day-scholars, until such time as they and other students could be transferred to the class of boarders, after such alterations had been effected as were required for carrying out the plan of studies. As the intention was to found in the Convent of Belen a complete system of secondary instruction, both in the elementary and higher branches, and to raise the standard of studies step by step up to the grade of those systems which prevail in the European schools of highest repute, and to establish a College that would reflect honor on the Island of Cuba, and which might vie with any houses of instruction whether at home or abroad, it was indispensable to enlarge the capacity of the building to the utmost of its powers, ana to introduce all the improvements of which it happened to be susceptible. Various changes had to be made in its internal arrangements ; rooms had to be widened; vigilance, good order and discipline had to be facilitated by giving more openness to some of the yards and passages, and by constructing commodious and spacious dormitories. All these improvements were brought in as scion as the Convent was evacuated by the military troop which had been holding it. The Fathers took possession of the whole edifice on the 10th of August, 1854· Before this time, at the end of May of the same year, they had been put in charge of the Church of the Convent, which· till then had been under the direction of an ex-cloistered �168 College (Jf Bdm. religious congregation, to who:n anoth.::r Ch~rch and r~si­ dence not far from Belen were now as.;igncd. At this point, we cannot refrain from off.::r:ng a te.,timony of our most affectionate gratitude to the nvble {llarqui,; d.:: la Pezuela, from whom the Society received such great marks of esteem, and who, in so prov:d~nti;t\ a m;uu.::r, ::tssumed the Government of the Island of Cuba, at a time ,,·hen his full support and protection were esscn~i,tl for the College of Belen. The Society of Jesus and the who!..: Island will be forever grateful to this worthy gentkman and gallant soldier, who, after ovacoming innumerable obstacles, brought it to pass dur:ng his short term of uffic::, that so magnificent an education.1! establishment, should be thrown open to the Cuban youth. It also seems opportune here, an hi.~tor:cal r..:me:ubrance and as a testimony of love for our brethren, to gi,·e some brief account of what the Convent of Belen was, of its foundation and of the Religious of Bethlehem who bequeathed to us so splendid a residence. This edifice so firmly built, so vast in its proportions, was erected towards the end of the seventeenth century by that renowned benefactor of mankind, D. Juan Francisco de Carvallo, who died Jan. 16th, 1718. It was meant to be a hospital for convalescents,-under the patronage and protection of Our Lady of Bethlehem and of St. James. The East wing of the building, which is entirely of cut ston<>, is divided off into immense, vaulted halls; it has besides sev-... eral inner court-yards surrounded by galleries and arches, an eleg·ant cloister, and three stairways of great artistic merit. That all might admire, and that the intelligent might understand, the structure and disposition of these staircases, and of a plain stone arch which is above the porch, the Corps of Royal Engineers gave orders that the plaster which covered them should be removed, and forbade that they should ever in future be covered up. This is attested by a marble tablet let into one of the arches. The Church which fronts eastward terminates the structure on the north- as �Colleg-e of.lJckn. em side. It is Greco-Romanesque in style, with a single nave in the form of a Latin cross, and although not very 1arge, still it is finely finished with heavy pointed arches, and has a majestic and elegant cupola,-the whole being made of very good stone. Its construction dates from 1687, :and is due to tl1e illustrious bishup of Cuba, Dr. D. Diego Evelino de .Cumpostella, who -dedicated it to St. James of Alcala, as is testified by two statues of this Saint, one of stone on the second story of the front, and another finely <:arved in wood, whid1 is venerated at tbe high altar. The date of erection and the founder's name are marked by the following inscriptio~ above the sacristy door:HANC . BASILICAI\I IN . EXTREMO . CIVITATIS . POSITAM A . FUNDAMENTIS . EREXIT DIDACUS . EVELINUS . DE . COMFOSTELLA ANNO. DNI . l\l:I)CLXXXVIi Beneath the large cl1apel or presbyterium is the Pantheon around the sides of which are ranged tl1e last resting places ()f the Bethlehemite Brethren, and in the middle fronting the altar rises a modest but neatly carved sarcophagus in which repose the remains of the chief patron of the house, D. Juan Francisco de Carvallo. For our own Society this beautiful church is not wanting in sweet memories which make it still more worthy of our love and veneration. Here rest the ashes of nine of our ancient brothers in religion, who in their passage through Havana, as they were proceeding to Europe from different provinces of America, on the general expulsion from all the dominions of Spain in the time of King Charles III., were received and ministered to in the Hospital of Ntra. Sra. de Belen and of San Diego, and thence passed to a better life: Their names are written on a tablet, which in �Co!!cge of Bdcrr. fj(] remembrance of Our Brethren and for our example u;as Inserted in one of the walls of the temple. .-f. (.\P.} !L CINERIBUS NOVE~I A~TO~II. . E . SOCIETATE . JESU. SODALIUJI CEPED.-\. FRANCISCI. IGUARRATEGlJI JOSEPH!. ::\Il.J~OS. l\1ARTINI. ALCOCER ~IICHAELIS. BENJU::\IEA. FRA~CISCI. L\RRET A SACERDOTUi\I JOSEPH! . BARROTE . FRA}i:CISCI . VILLAR A.NTO.NII.ORREZ SACERDOTJI. EXPERTU::\1 QUI. EXEUNTE. AN. ?dDCCLXVII EX . DIVERSIS . AMERICA£ . l'LAGIS CUM . SOCIIS . EXULANTES ~'lATURIOREl\1. ~T. FELICIOREl\1 AERUMNOSAE. PEREGRINATIONIS. EXITUM INVIDENDA . l\IORTE . OBIERUNT ET . HEIC . A . BETHLEMITICI . ORDINIS FRATRIBUS HONORIFIC£ . CONDIT! . SUNT SOCIETAS. JESU POST. LXXXVI. ANNOS IN. SODALIUM. BENE. MERITORUM SEPULCHRUM . SUCCEDENS AD. POSTERITATIS. MEMORIAM PONENDUM . CURA VIT �Collq;c of Edm. 171 ""N o't less wortl1y of special mention is the Venerable Vather, Manuel del Rincon, Superior of the Oratory of St. "Philip Neri at Havana, who was a man remarkable alike for virtue and learning, enriched during life witl1 wondrous gifts of God, and after death renowned for prodigies; our 'Church has the honor of possessing his body, which is buried at the foot of St. Anthony's altar. This venerable :servant of God did not belong to the Betl1lehemite community, but being persecuted and calumniated by envious men wl1en there was question of elevating him to 'the episcopal see of Santiago de Cuba, he was by royal orders sent as a prisoner to the Convent of Belen. There, after endur~ ing many sore afflictions with heroic patience and magnanimity, after giving striking proofs of virtue and sanctity, he was overtaken by death, whilst waiting for the decision in the suit which his enemies had preferred against him before the Supreme Council of Castile. The case was decided in favor of Father Rincon, but it was then too late. In atonement for whatever obloquy might chance to rest upon J1is memory on account of the imprisonment, the Council mdered that his funeral obsequies should be celebrated with the most imposing display, and at the public expense, that all the Government officials should honor them by their presence, and that a monument should be erected to his memory in the church of Belen. Directing now our attention to the Bethlehemite Religious for whom the building which the Society now possesses was originally erected, we know that they remained in it until 1845, constantly devoted to the care of the sick and the gratuitous instruction of youth. In the abovementioned year, their number having become greatly reduced, the Community was dissolved, and the few remainin~ members were thenceforward pensioned by the State. There is now but one survivor of those who formerly belonged to this Com·ent; five have died since 1853, and the funeral ceremonies of all these took place in our Church, . in accordance with a resolution of the Fathers who took �possession of the Colle;;e. Ot rs always took gn:at rains to visit them frequently and help them in sickness; they on their part always came with pleasure to the College, being delighted that it had been granted to the Society, instead of being converted to profane uses, or perhaps destroyed. The Founder of the :\lendicant Order of the Bethlehemites was the Venerable Pedro de Bethencourt, who was born :\Iay 21st, 1626, at Villaflor, a town of the Island of Teneriffe, and he established his first house in the ancient city of Guatemala, to which place he came in 1650. In 1655, having assumed the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis, he hired a small house in a retired quarter of the city, and dedicated himself to the teaching of children, instructing them chiefly in the Christi<>n Doctrine. Shortly afterwards, the owner of the house having m'lde liim a gift of it, he converted it into a hospital for the poor, and built alongside of it an infirmary of boards, thatched with straw, so that he might be able to receive a greater number of the destitute and needy. He himself waited on them in their sickness, and allowed them to want for nothing, as he collected plentiful alms to supply all their necessities. As the reputation of Bethencourt gradually ~pread, the civil and ecclesiastical authorities looked favorably upon his enterprise, charitable pe;sons aided him with their means, and enabled him to erect a large hospital, at the building of which he labored with his own hands along with the workmen. A stately edifice quickly arose, with ..• 'vards, cloister and oratory, and after it was completed, • Pedro admitted some compani9ns who had offered themselves, and formed with them the B~thlehemite Congregation, so called from the name of the hospital which was dedicated to Our Lady of Bethlehem. The care of the sick did not make Pedro forget the instruction of children, for he founded a school for them in the hospital. After his death, which happened in 1667, the constitutions drawn up by the founder were adopted by the congregation, some slight modifications being introduced by his immediate sue- �Col!tg: of Bdm. 173 cessor. Houses of the same' institute for female religious w-:re afterwards established in order to take care of sick wo:nen. These Hospitallers of Bethlehem subsequently spread through Mexico and Peru, and in conformity with L1 ~ founder's instructions, a school for boys was established in every hospital. The Institute received the confirmation of King Charles II., and was approved by Pope Innocent XI., in a Bull dated March 26, r687, which placed it under the rule of St. Augustine. Clement XI., in r 707, granted to it all the privileges of the Mendicant Orders. These religious added to the three essential vows a fourth, by which they bound themselves to the care of the sick, and also to the instruction of children in catechism, reading, writing and arithmetic. There is a large oil painting which fills the entire front ,,·all of the choir in our church of Belen, in which are depicted these duties of the Bethlehemites; namely to teach youth, to wait upon the sick, to transport them on their shoulders to the Convent Hospital, and the religious women are seen fulfilling the same duties towards girls and the sick of their own sex. Although in the beginning, they employed the services of secular priests, they afterwards obtained faculties to have two priests of religious orders attached to each convent, and three priests as chaplains for each of the mother-houses at Guatemala, Mexico, Havana and Buenos Ayres. In these four houses the novices were formed, the principal house always being that of Guatemala, as it ranked first of the Order in time of foundation. In the kingdom of Mexico, or New Spain, they had ten houses, and seventeen in Peru; and, although attempts were made to plant the order at Madrid and at Rome, still the institute never passed beyond · the limits of America. ------~-~-------- �LETTER FRO.M ST. LOUIS. ST. Lours, Mo., Ju:-;-E 8th, r8;2. REV. FATHER IX CHRIST; The enclosed letter was written by the late Dr. l\I. L. Linton, a few days before his death, with a view to lea\·e on record his estimate of the Society. The Doctor was a convert to our faith, and was one of the most prominent Catholic laymen of our city. fie had been for twentyeight years attending physician of tl1e St. Louis University, and during that period he had become intimately acquainted with nearly all the members of the ::\Iissouri Province. He died in the peace of the Lord on the first day of June. The foilowing extracts from the editorial notices of some of our leading journals, show how much he was esteemed by his fellow citizens : "By a very large circle of friends and acquaintances the announcement of the death SJf Dr. M. L. Linton will be read with surprise and sincere regret. For thirty years a resident of our city, he was thoroughly identified with its interests, its growth and its prosperity. A prominent physician in active practice, a medical professor, and at times~-·. taking an active part in political matters, Dr. Linton was constantly thrown in contact with great multitudes of people, and there were but few men in the city more extensively known than was the subject of this sketch." * * * * * * * * * * "This eminent mat;t was the son of a Methodist preacher. His father died a few years since in Kentucky. Having to be the artificer of his own fortune, he left home, and went to Springfield, Kentucky. There after some time he be- �Letter frum St. Louis. 175 ome a teacher, and got acquainted with an Irish gentleman, Dr. Poling. Receiving instructions from him he became a good classical scholar, and got also his first inclin 1tions to Catholicity. The Doctor perceiving that young Linton was a youth of talent and capacity, enabled him to prosecute his studies in medicine, so that he got after a time, a Diploma from Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky. After a few years practice, aided by his father-in-law -the Hon. Judge Booker, Springfield-Doctor Linton went to Paris, and there made himself an adept in his profession. "About this time he became a Catholic, which provoked a preacher in Springfield, the Rev. Robert Grundy to come out in a pamphlet against him. Linton replied with much ability, wh;ch called forth, a second pamphlet; and this led to a rejo;nder which satisfied the public that Grundy had met more than his match in learning and ability. \Ve may add, that the Doctor signalized himself subsequently on several occasions in the same line. "In I 842, induced by the late Doctor Prather, he removed to St. Louis and became Medical Professor to the St. Louis University. For nearly thirty years Dr. Linton was visiting Physician at the University, and was in the best practice in the city whilst health remained. "Though the Doctor knew what it was to want money in his youth, yet the nobility of his soul was such, that to the I rich he was moderate in his charges, and the working man he treated gratuitously. \Ve lately heard of a patient of his who had been treated successfully, and though an economist, yet thought that his Doctor being eminent would have a heavy charge against him, and therefore took a good round sum to meet it. He asked the Doctor's demand. The latter, looking at him, inquired whether he was not a working man. The patient said he was. "Very well," said the Doctor, "when I want the money I shall send to you for it," asking however neither his name nor. address \Vho can wonder, then, that crowds attended his obse- �Letter from St. Louis. quies at St. Francis Xavier's, to offer up pray~rs for his eternal rest, and that "troops of friends" folio\\ ed the rema:ns to the grave." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "During his residence in St. Louis, Dr. Linton was also engaged in the active practice of his profession, in which he had marked success. As a teacher he was distinguished for faithfulness and ability, and as a practitioner for consci. entiousness and great professional skill. "He was a man of decided opinions and strong com·ictions, and ever maintained them \\·ith boldness and firmness, but always with courtesy. He wrote largely on professional and other subjects, and was no mean poet when he chose to unbend himself in that· way. He published a work on pathology, which is remarked for its accuracy and originality. "\Vhile Dr. Linton was master of the learning of his own profession, he still had time to devote to the study of general literature, politics and religion, in all of which he had matured views and opinions. He avoided any public participation in affairs of politics or State, except in great emergencies ; but on one or two extraordinary occasions when forced into the public service, the State profited greatly by his ability and large-hearted patriotism. At the time of his decease, he was in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He leaves a widow and six sons and daughters to mourn his loss." "A great and good man has fallen. Our friend of a quarter of a century is dead. It has been the writer's pride that he had such a friend ; a friend with a great head and a great heart, a noble Christian friend, a generous, selfsacrificing, devoted friend. \Vho does not know Dr. Linton in this great city? His name has been heard throughout the valley; the productions of his pen have been read and . praised across the ocean. He was a philosopher and a poet. �l.,. .. I I Dr. Linton ,,·as an invalid for forty years; his body mO\·ed slowly and frequently required a long rest; his mind \\·as restless, resistless, quick, vigorous and brilliant; l1is \\·it was sharp and his repartee unrivalled. Dr. Linton's limited early advantages were only known to the associates of his youth. l1ad by the force of intellect and untiring mental industry become a polished sc1wlar, learned in the ancient and modern languages. It is unnecessary to :refa to his distinction as a physician and professor; thousands of the rising and estab1ished medical men of the coun· try are daily sounding his praises, and his name must pass beyond the present generation." He REsOLUTIOXs oF THE ST. Loms l\IEDICAL SociETY: "The members of the St. Louis l\Iedical Society, and of the medical profession of the city, having been called to· gether to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of their late distinguished and honored fellow-member, Dr. l\1. L. · Linton, whose death is justly regarded as a public, not less than a professional loss:-Therefore be it resolved: I. That in Dr. l\f. L. Linton \Ve acknowledge a man of high intellectual and moral endowments. That in the greatness of his intellect he was ever enabled to discern the path of truth, and in his firmness of purpose to avoid the devious ways which lead to error. 2. That over his life there shone the truly Christian spirit, which humbled all pretensions and pervaded him with the highest of all the virtues, charity. 3· That we will ever hold his memory dear and exalt his image to the esteem and affection of the profession. 4· That we tender our sincere sympathies to the £>mily of the deceased in this their great bereavement, and as a mark of our respect will attend his funeral in a body. s. That a copy of these resolutions be enclosed to the £.1mily, and also that they be spread on the records of the �Letter jl-om .St. Lo::is. St. Louis ~Iedical Society, and be published m the daify papers and medical journa.ls of this city." The following is the letter above referred to: ~T. Lm.as, :\Io. :.L.-..v qth, 187::!. DEAR FATHER O'NEIL: I wish to say a few things to the Jesuit Fathers of St. Louis. Since I entered their hosjJitable doors thirty years ago up to the present hour, 1 have been the recipient of. their kindness and benefactions. I cannot express my gratitude and therefore shall not attempt it ; I wish merely to record it. If Almighty God has an heroic and faithful vanguard in the church militant, it is most surely constituted by the Society of Jesus. The"more I think about this organization, the more I am convinced that there is something miraculous about it. Contemplate the life of St. Francis Xavier whose canonized relics are religiously guarded at Goa, who wrought more miracles than the adored manGod Hirr.self and all His Apostles.* This assertion was made by one of l\Ir. Seward's party in their recent visit to the shrine of the Saint, and it is the general belief in that part of India of those of all creeds. This Order checked. hurled back and forever crippled the confident and advancing hordes of Protestantism. A. l\1. D. G. \\'ho invented this motto, I should like to know?- The grandest four words, the greatest thought that mortal language. affords. They embrace Heaven and Earth, they apply equally to the most august Hierarchs in the presence of God, and the humblest denizen of our globe,-they include what is sublimest in eloquence and song, they indicate what is holiest, worthiest and best in eternity as well as in * '\Ve suppose, the writer meant this as an expression of the traditionary belief, to which he refers in the next sentence. It is in this sense that we accept the statement. EDITOR w. L. �. Lclter from St. Louis. 1/9 time. Please do not call this raz•ing; for if it be, then I ha\·e been a lunatic without lucid intervals for several years. I am very thankful to God for my long acquaintance-! may say my intimate association with the Jesuit Fathers. T-.Iost of them wlwm I first knew, have pr~ceded me to the gra\·e-tho' much younger than I am now. How often do I recall and gaze upon their familiar faces, and ask my~ .self why such men should die so soon. I believe in the Catholic Church-every article of her creed from the divini~ ty of Christ to the infallibility of the Pope. I want a firm fitith now as the time for my going hence approaches ; I beg of all the Jesuit Fathers, and the Brothers too, an occasional prayer. If I live, I shall go to my country residence this week; and I never expect to leave It, until I am removed to another residence, which I have provided for myself and family near the foot of the cross in Calvary. And now, my dear Fathers and friends, with a heart full of gratitude, yea, <leep and abiding love for you all, I bid you adieu. M. L. LINTON. The fol!ti'Zl'ing lines were written b)' !tim on another occasion: THE .JESUITS. DEDICATED TO FATHER DE S)IET. In e\·ery clime beneath the sun, Toil their heroic bandsThey brave alike the stormy seas And wild barbarian lands; Their tents are spread 'mid arctic snows, And burning tropic sands. They mingle with the savage throng; They build the halls of lore ; Their temples to the Living God Are seen on every shore ; They teach and guide the kings of men, They teach and guide the poor. �r8o Lcttcrfhmz St. Lo:tiJ·; All truth, all scimce is thl'ir tliem~:-­ 'IVhatever man can know. Tht•y ~can the Ftarry l:.ean•ns a hove· Ami enorything l1elow. To bring to God a lilllen race Earth's pleasures they for<';;n. They H'ek no honors fi·om the worhlEnough that their rccm-tl Is tillt'tl with brood works done for m:m: They look for their rrward, Only as tirek~s champion" of The glory of the Lord. Talk of your hertws of nn hour, Your men of science namcy our Sages, Poets, Orat~!·s :May human homage claimBut only God's true ~ervants rise To everlasting Fame. LINTO~. �FATHER \\'ENINGER ON THE PACIFI~ COAST. REV . .\:\D VERY DE.\R FATHER: P. C. Having devoted myself, in a particular manner, to the spiritual interests of the Germans all over the United States, I had long cherished a wish to extend the sphere of my labors to the western shores. But I was obliged to defer the execution of this project from year to year, because the harvest was not yet ripe for the reaper's sickle. I did not wish to descend into the burrows and caverns of the goldseeker, where but little notice would have been taken of the missionary and his work. The image of the Crucified would h:we seemed strangely out of place in those underground temples of mammon. I concluded, therefore, to wait until the gold fever would abate somewhat, and congregations would be formed, to which I might give a mission in forma. The auspicious moment arrived at last. Hardly had the Pacific Railway been opened, when I was beset with invitations from all sides to come at once to California. The request of the Most Rev. Archbishop Alemany, in particular, was very pressing. But just then new obstacles of another kind arose. It was the year r869. The Vatican Council was about to open its first memorable sessions, already so fruitful in mighty results. I had anticipated the movement in favor of Papal Infallibility, and was intensely busy preparing three batteries for the ensuing campaign. I had been making ready to publish a work on that question in three different languages in America, Switzerland and France. \Vishing to spread it broadcast over the globe, I had made a �I 82 Fr. TTI:llillgcr Oll tltc Plll"ijic Co.zst. present of a copy to each one of the Anglican Bisho(JS, and I was just then holding a correspondence, by the Atlantic cable, with the Abbe Bcllet, to make arrangements for th•: French edition. Under such circumstances, it seen:ed adYisable not to embark in new enterprises far away and to separate myself still more from Europe, by withdrawing to the farthest extremity of the American continent. l was not a little perplexed what course to take. I-Iapp:Iy I was a religious; what reasoning could not do, the word of my superior did at once. Father Provincial, to whom I referred the matter, cut the Gordian knot. "Go to California"" was his advice. il..nd go I did\.. without any detriment to my activity in Germany and France. Thanks to the electric \\·ires and to the magic po\\·er of steam, which have annihilated time and space, I did my share of fighting for th<.~ cause of Christ and of His Vicar even on the other side of the ocean, and kept up a constant fire, until the battle was won and the foe lay gnashing his teeth in harmless fury. But how was I to go ?-by sea or by land? Such alarming accounts were afloat concerning the pretended perils of the ne\\' inland route, that it looked at least akin to rashness to risk one's life upon it. It was asserted that even engineers had refused their services at a salary of $500. o::> a month, and that the road was already covered with all sorts of fragments. Moreover, if an accident should occur, whence was relief to come in those homeleso regions far beyond the Ultima Thule of \Vestern civilization? For a thousand miles the road is laid over untenanted plains, in the arid sands of the desert or through the endless passes of the Rocky Mountains. Again I applied to Father Provincial, to learn what way I was to go. His answer was: "By Rail". There was a mysterious charm in these words that smoothed every difficulty away. I had to go to San Francisco, without delay and by Rail. . I started from Cincinnati early in July; but I did not travel through the whole length of the road at once. I halted to say l\Iass every day until we reached Omaha. Tor- I l �Fr. ll·ming:r o;z tile Pacific Cl)(lsf. I 83 rents of rain \\·ere meam\·hile falling; the trains were behind, and the rumor prevailed that the Railroad track had been greatly damaged and partly washed away. Eve11 the priests at the Cathedral advised me not to expose my life, but to wait for better weather. I replied, that I was expected in .San Francisco, that nobody could tell \\·hen the rain would cc:ase, and that, if others could run a little risk for the sake of temporal gain, 1 could afford to do as much for higher motiv-::s. F;nally, I add.::d je;tingly that, after all, I had rather go to heaven by steam, than take a canal boat and gee there too late. I have not regretted the step I then took. For some hundred miles we travelled slowly and almost fdt our way ; but farther west the weather and the road gradually became better-much better than I had anticipated. After we had passed the damaged places, the journey was really delightful. I had not, indeed, credited all the exaggerated reports of dangers, evidently fabricated by party spirit, jealousy and hatred; yet I certainly could never have believed that the new road would be as smooth as if it had been used for years. For six hundred miles west of Omaha you are sped along over the smoothest prairies, boundless as the waters of the ocean. Nothing but the green sward below, and the blue sky above, ever meets your gaze; it is like travelling on a sea of grass. At the same time the ground is slowly rising, until the cars have reached an elevation of well nigh eight thousand feet above the level of the sea. Then, in the dim, hazy d:st:mce, the Rocky :\fountains rise into view, and, like so many little sand-hills, serve to diversify the monotony of the interminable table-lands. As you advance, they unfold their giant forms before you in their full proportion, and even in July shroud their snow-capped summits in the clouds. It was the first time I had seen snow-peaks since I left the Tyrol, twenty-three years ago. I like the sight of mountains; they are such a beautiful emblem of firmness, grandeur and contemplative quiet. �The farther we rolled on, the better I understood ho,,; the Pacific Rail road could ha,·c be~n built in so short a time. All the ground from Omaha to the Sierra l\ e\·ada seems to have been laid out by the hand of nature itself for the purpose. There is scarcely a creek or run to· crossall i,-, smooth and level as a threshing-floor. \\"here the mountain ranges begin to traverse the prairies, ra,·ines always open at the proper places to allow the road to pass. E\·en the great \\'estern Desert presents no barrier to the enterprise of thrifty man. This blighted spot of earth extends mainly from Salt Lake for many hundred miles tu the west\\·ard. The soil is alkaline, and the pro:;pcct sad and cheerless in the extreme. The sterile monotony is interrupted only for a \\·hile as you pass Utah, where the l\Iormons have changed the face of the earth, and forced chary nature to pay an um\·illing tribute to their industry. Like the children of the earth generally, they enjoy here below the blessings of Esau-the £.tt of the Iand-in \\·hich they must soon be buried with all their gro,·elling desires and sensual gratifications. Poo:-, blinded, fanatical men! How the Catholic heart feels and bleeds for them! 1\evertheless, I had the consolation of receiving some ~I ormons, who reside in California, into the pale of Holy Church. On the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada there are some highly picturesque scenes, and an "observation-car" is attached to the train, for the convenience of such as love to study nature in all its weird, fantastic grandeur. They certainly have an occasion to gratify this passion to the full. Here solid ledges of stone-nature's own matchless architecture-tower aloft in massive strength, like columns that support the bhie canopy above; there a solitary and apparently detached rock stands beetling in chill:ng sublimity above the rest, and seems ready at every instant to topple down from its untenable position and crush the p:1s,;in;; cars below. But, until now, no such accident has been so much as heard o( Many other interesting objects arrest the trav- �Fr. TVi:ning,.,. on tltc P,1cijic Coast. r8j eller's attention as he d:1rts along heedless of time and d:stance. At one time, he learns that he is crossing the mer· idian which di\·ides the western continent in.twain, and that he is midway between the Atlantic and the Pacific; at an· other time, he is shown an enormous tree with the inscrip· tion-" rooo miles from Omaha." I have already mentioned that, even wherethe mountains cross the plains, passes always open, through which the tracks are laid. The only exception east of California is at the so-called "Devil's Gate", where bridges had to be sus· pended on high, closely lined by mountain-cliffs.. But, when once you reach the land of gold, nature seems to say to man "So far, and no farther, shalt thou go." Yet man, conscious of his genius and his strength, when first he heard these defiant accents, only smiled and by his actions replied: "I shall, I will, I must go through." He addressed himself resolutely to his task, and already has he accomplished it. I like this untiring energy, this indomitable courage, which stops short of no labor, which is appalled by no difficulty. It is a refreshing thought that, even in this effeminate age of ours, men can be found to start and carry out an enterprise so arduous and heroic as the laying of the Atlantic Cable or the crossing of the Sierra Nevada by cars. It is a powerful sermon to me; for it proves what man <::an do, if he is only in earnest. vVhat wonders we might ourselves achieve, if we did half as much for God, as worldlings do for pleasur~. money and renown ! In this respect we may learn many a useful lesson from the children of men, and say to ourselves when we consider their deeds, as St. Augustin did when he meditated on the lives of the Saints: "Potuerunt hi et h;e; cur non ego?" They could do it for e·arth, and why should not I for heaven? They could do it for evil, and why should not I for good? They could do it for the devil, and why should not I for God? For the last three or four hundred miles of the journey, the cars continually dash along precipices at times a thousand feet deep, or roll over trembling trestle,vork more than �Je6 Fr. TVI:ning-,·r mt th< Rzcific Coast. a hundred feet high. In several different places they pass for many miles under snow-sheds ; but experience has already proved, that even these are not always able to keep the ro:td sufficiently clear for use in winter. Tho: route lies through the gold region, to which the first adventurers came to dig in search of the glittering treasure at the surface of the earth. It is really disgusting to see with what 'greed they have stirred up the country all around, forgetful of the words of the Holy Ghost: ··Beatus vir qui post aurum non abiit." Strange to say, even the most fortunate of those first gold-hunters, who now remain in California, are poor and -only live to verify another saying of the Holy Ghost: "Pro mensura peccati erit et plagarum modus." Though the journey from Omaha to Sacramento City lasts four days and nights, it is anything but fatiguing. One day's ride on an eastern road is often more annoying. The cause of this may be, that the cars are furnished with all the latest improvements and with all appliances that can minister to the comfort of this over-delicate body of ours Besides, the Pacific is the only road that keeps time exactly. On inquiring in Omaha, when the cars would arrive at Sacramento, I was told "on such a day at 2 o'clock in the afternoon." At 2 o'clock P.M. on that very day, the conductor entered the cars with the cry "Sacramento !" The reason of this exactness is very plain: there are no crossings; and so the cars keep on at full speed all the way, without that endless loss of time caused by the hundred and one connections that you must inevitably make on every other line. At Sacramento I changed the cars for a steamer, and arrived that same evening in San Francisco, where I put up at our college of St. Ignatius on Market Street. Our Fathers there are doing a good work. Though they have no Parish Church, their sphere of usefulness is none the less extensive. In fact, I do not recollect having been in any other church of ours in this country, where I have seen a �Fr. TVcningcr on tltc Pacijic Coast. ,, r I I 127 greater throng of worshippers than in this. The building" is about 180 or 200 feet long by 6o or 70 feet wide, with spacious galleries all around. From 5 o'clock on Sunday morning until IO o'clock, when the High Mass begins, one mass follows another in quick succession, and at every one the church is filled to its utmost capacity. Our church in Chicago must have presented a similar scene after the late disastrous conflagration. The whole property, including the church and the college building, is now valued at about half a million. Yet the Fathers are desirous to sell the place and buy a cheaper plot of ground in another quarter of the city. This would enable them to start both church and college on a grander scale, and at the same time clear them of the debt with which they are still encumbered. But circumstances, over which they have no control, prevent them from carrying out this plan at present. The city of San Francisco itself far surpassed all my expectations. I had pictured to myself a motley collection of houses, loosely spread out over a sandy bottom, with a sparse population like that of Chicago along lake Michigan some years ago. But this is by no means the case. The old quarter of the city is built on very uneven ground; indeed some portions of it climb over such enormous hills, that it is a simple impossibility for heavily-laden wagons to scale the streets. The streets are well paved, and cars are constantly running in every direction. Indeed they are more systematically connected in San Francisco than anywhere else except in Philadelphia. Elegant buildings are springing up on all sides, and every thoroughfare is thronged with a restless crowd rushing wildly to and fro on business. Do what you will, you must submit to be borne along by the current. Unless you are very firm of limb, you are in momentary danger of losing your foothold and of being landed rather unpleasantly upon the uncushioned sidewalk. The very appearance of the people struck me �.Fr. Peter Kolll)'. ~as singular. In other cities of the Union the looks of men tell of their love of money. but in San Francisco every trace of the countenance seems to cry: "gold l gold l gold l honestly or dishonestly ; for, gold must I havt:, though the demon of gold himself should presently take me in clnrge and check my baggage for his own country." In my next, I purpose gi\·ing a sketch of my missionary movements in this quarter of the globe. Respectfully &c. F. x: \VEX!XGER, S. J. AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE 0 F FATHER · PETER KENNY. The memory of Father Peter Kenny, whose rare virtue the incident given below so touchingly portrays, is fondly cherished by the Jesuits of Ireland and Maryland.-\Vhen the Brief of Suppression reached Ireland, it found the Society in that persecuted land poor in earthly goods, but rich in zeal for souls and charity to their neighbor. To use the words of Cretineau-Joly, "making common capital of their poverty, the members of the suppressed order generously worked the field committed to their zeal and awaited better days." Father Richard Callaghan, an old missionary in the Philippines, whose hands and tongue bore the scars of torture undergone for the faith, directed the secularized Jesuits. Later on, about the year 1807, these holy men began to make efforts for the restoration of the Society in Ireland, .but the subjects received were, for want of opportunities at home, sent abroad to make the necessary studies. �I Fr. Pdcr f(olllJ'. The death of Father Callaghan in I807 and that of Father Thomas Betagh in I 8 l,l broke the last link that bound the new subjects to the old Society. Father Kenny, who succeeded Father Betagh in November r 81 I, took up the traditions of the venerable men who had gone to their reward, and became in fact the founder of the restored 111ission in Ireland. Under his auspices, a college was opened, in I 814, at Clongowes \Vood in the county of Kildare, and, later on, a Seminary at Tullabeg in King's County. Twice, once in rSrg and again in I8zg, Father Kenny came as Visitor to the Maryland Province. After his return to Irdand, he went to Rome in I 833 as Procurator for his province, aud died in the Eternal City that same year. The venerable Father Me Elroy, to whose interest in our periodical we are indebted for the subjoined incident, endorses it in the following terms: "The following was written many years ago, at my request, by a Sister of Charity at Mt. St. Vincent's Convent, near Yonkers, N. Y. This Sister (Cecilia), remembers to have seen Fr. Kenny in Dublin, when she was quite young, but the incident subjoined she learned from her mother. "One morning, many years ago, a large concourse of people had assembled in and around the Jesuits' Church, Gardiner St., Dublin. The most devout were occupied with their prayers, while all were in expectation of a fine sermon from the well-known and eloquent Dr. Kenny. His name had been pretty freely passed from mouth to mouth outside the church door, and his merits pretty freely discussed; but no one ever dreamed of the display of virtue, great as it is rare, which they were to witness in Dr. Kenny. A! length the Holy Sacrifice was begun, and curiosity was for a while forgotten in devotion, when the preacher made his appearance and commenced as follows : "\Vho is this great Dr. Kenny? A moment's attention, my beloved brethren, and I shall inform you. He was simply a poor �Fr. Peter Kom_v. barefooted Irish boy, the only son of a poor widow who lived in a cellar on 1\Iichael's hill, and sold turf. The poor old widow sent her boy to school, but often found him during study hours in the street playing ball or marbles with boys of his own age. Sometimes the poor woman would follow him all the way to school :-but this she couid not do every day, so that he was much of his time in the street. On one occasion his play was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of his mother with a rod in her ha.ad, ready to make him feel the effects of it: of course the boy ran with all possible· speed, and the poor woman would soon have lost sight ~f him had he not been arrested by venerable Father Betagh, who held him till the poor woman reached the spot. Then Father Betagh accosted her: "My good woman, what has the boy done?" "Your reverence" replied ·she, "he has my heart nearly broke. I am trying to pay two pence a week out of my hard earnings to keep him to school, and here he is, day after day, idling in the streets" · "Don't touch the boy", said the good old priest. Here the poor. woman wept, exclaiming: "He'll break my heart!" "Not so," replied Father Betagh, ''not so! Bring him to me to-morrow at I I o'clock and I shall see what can be done with him". The next day at the appointed hour he was received with more than fatherly affection into the house of Father Betagh. Here he was sent every day to the free school at Sts. Michael and John's, and after school, was employed in cleaning the knives and blacking boots. After a time he was sent to a Latin school by the same kind Father Betagh, was educated for the church, and is to-day a priest here in this pulpit. And this is the great Dr. Kenny". �A FAVOR OF OUR BLESSED LADY. I I By not a few, it was thought a good presage for the future of our periodical, that the first and second issues !';hould each coutain a notice of miraculous effects wrought by the use of the \Vater of Lourdes. The remarkable favors conferred on two members of our own community of \Voodstock would lead us to entertain the consoling belief, that Our Lady of Lourdes has received with benignant love the poor efforts which we have made to increase the honor of her new shrine. It is not for ,us to chancterize the two occurrences given below as miracles,; but so far removed are they from the ordinary course of nature, that we prefer to sin rather on the side of credulity, than by timid silence to fail in manifesting the gratitude which thrilled the whole community at the time these favors were bestowed. On May 23rd, one of the coadjutor brothers, who had been working all morning in the kitchen, left it about 12M. to prepare for Examen and Dinner. He did not make his appearance at table however, and after the visit to the Blessed Sacrament, he was found lying in a speechless and unconscious condition on the floor of the Brothers' Ascetory. The Infirmarian was called and, as soon as possible, medical aid ·from the village was in attendance. The Physician could not determine the nature of the attack, but thought prudent to treat the sufferer for apoplexy, although many of the usual symptoms were wanting. Bleeding was first resorted to, and quite a quantity of blood was taken from the patient without effecting any apparent change in his condition. Numerous applications of strong mustard plasters followed, but failed to relieve the unconscious sufferer. More violent remedies were then tried. A strong �A fa<'or of Our B!cssd Lad)'. electric current from a powerful battery was induct:::l in the body of the patient with no better results. As the last means, a slight quantity of croton oil was administered, with a view of producing a change in the internal system, and at the same time a powerful fly-blister was appl:cd behind the ear. No desired change resulted fro:n thee efforts of the Physician and he was obliged to acknowledge his inability to do any thing more for the patient. From about halfpast twelve o'clock, when the stroke must have fallen upon him, until nearly nine P. l\I., the brother remained SP._eechless and unconscious. \Vhen all means used to restore I1im had failed, a few attendants watched bes:de him for the first gleam of consciousness, that he might prepare for death, which seemed inevitable. But two days previou~ly, some new Professors for the Scholasticate had arrived, bringing with them, at the request of our Rev. F. Rector, some water from the Grotto of Lourdes. Strangely enough, during the many hours of our brother's illness, the presence of this miraculous water had_ escaped the remembrance of every one. About supper time the thought of making an application of this farfamed water occurred to one of the community. During the evening recreation the original package containing it was opened, and R. F. Rector took .a small portion .to the bed-side of the unconscious man. Kneeling, he recited with the attendants a short prayer to Our Lady, and then forced into the mouth of the brother a few drops of the water. lnstant~y the sick man recovered sense and speech. The Rector asked him how he felt, and he answered that he felt quite well ; at the same time he sat up in the bed and seemed ready to rise and walk about as usual. By the direction of the Superior he composed hi!J1self to sleep for the night, and, excepting the natural weakness consequent on the loss of blood and the violence of the other remedies used, _he suffered no further from his severe attack As we premised, it is not our province to pronounce authoritatively the supernatural character of this happy �A faz·or cJ Oz. r Ric.< sal La1~J1. d1ange; but the in~tantaneous re:>toration of one who had lain unconscious for hours, under the most severe remedies, cannot fail to excite languid faith and awaken gratitude to the 1\Iother of God, who seems to have drawn so near us. Such at least was the effect produced in our community. After l\Iass on the following morning, R. F. Rector announced to the community the circumsta11ces of the singular f..wor which had been accorded to our brother, and all united in reciting in thanksgiving the Litany of the B. V. Mary. Three weeks later, the same brother was again stricken with a slight attack of like nature, and the attendants taught by the experience of the previous case. made another application of the \Vater of Lourdes, and relief instantly followed. \Vith a few lines respecting still another favor attributable, "·e are convinced, to the use of this same miraculous water, we close this feeble tribute of gratitude to the l\Tother of God for the merciful interposition wherewith she has blessed our com·nunity, trusting tlnt devotion and love towards Our dear Lady may be renewed in all hearts. One night during the early part of June, one of the scholastics was seized with violent pains in the groin and about the kidneys. The infirmarian was called and applied some remedies which f..<iled to give any relie£ The pain continued unabated for three hours, when some \Vater of Lourdes was applied and the ce.-;sation of the suffering was instantaneous. It returned no more;· and in the course of the day the scholastic w.1s en::tbled to resume his ordinary duties. �THE LATE FATHER MALDONADO. A SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER. The amiable and devoted life of Father .Maldonado, whose last days were spent in \Voodstnck College, is so closely· connected with the interests and the destinies of the Society in otlfer places, that we should be wanting in charity towards our brethren at a distance, did we not give such expression to our sympathy with them, as our own feelings will allow, while· the roses that we have scattered on his grave are not yet withered. France and Italy, England and America have shared with his native Spain the pleasure of his presence; he still remains embalmed in the hearts of his friends, and his memory only grows sweeter with time. \Ve feel called upon to give an account of the charge which we have held in trust these three years, to touch in passing upon the principal events of his humble yet instructive career, and in particular to chronicle the circumstances of his happy departure, for our mutual comfort and edification. Father Charles 1\I. Maldonado was born at Quintanar de Ia Orden, a village of La Mancha, in Spain, on the 2 I st of September, I 8 I 6. A few days after his birth, his pious parents took him to Valencia, their usual place of residen.ce, where they implanted in his infant heart the first germs of virtue, destined soon to produce abundant fruits. Yielding to the attractions of grace, which called him to the Society, he fi)rsook his f.<ther's house at the early age of fifteen, and set out for Madrid, where he was admitted into the Noyitiate on the 27th of October, I831. �Fatltcr MaldoNado. 195. In the very cradle of his religious life he was rudely rocked by the hand of persecution, and made to taste the bitter cup of exile for the love of justice. In I 834, he escaped the fate of some of the Jesuits, who were killed by the mob in our College of St. Isidore, Madrid, during one of the many revolutionary movements subsequent to the death of Ferdinand VII. And when, after eighteen months ' of incessant troubles and vexations, the Jesuits were finally expelled from the kingdom, young Maldonado, then a student of Rhetoric, was sent by his superiors to Naples. After studying Philosophy there for two years and teaching the Mathematics for four, he commenced his course of Theology. In September, 1845, he was raised to the holy priesthood, and a year later he passed his examination ad gradum. Just then the Rt. Rev. Archbishop Hughes, of New York, had erected the Ecclesiastical Seminary of St. J oseph's, at Fordham, and placed it under the direction of the Society. The Jesuits applied to Europe for Professors; and, on the 14th of December, 1846, Father Maldonado arrived in answer to their request to fill the chair of Dogmatic Theology. In November, 1850, he went to Mexico in the interest of the mission of New York and Canada, and after his return, January 6th, 1852, he entered upon his third year of probation at. Frederick, Maryland. But he remained there only till the following August, when he resumed his duties of Professor at Fordham. In June, 1853, the Society was allowed to reenter the land of Ignatius, and, in October, ~'ather Maldonado, who had been called home, left this country to teach Theology in the College of Loyola. In the course of a single year, the Society in Spain had largely recruited its decimated ranks by new enlistments; and, as the government would allow no other house but that of Loyola in the whole kingdom, the Scholastics were sent to the Seminary of Laval, in France. Father Maldonado accompanied them in his capacity of Professor, and by his genial manners beguiled �Fat!tcr Afa!dol!atfo. tht! hours of their exile. During the last vacation which he spent in France, he was appointed superior at the Yilla, placed at the di!'po~al of the Society by Madame Ducoudray, \\ho~e n:artped 'en \\as thtn hirr.~elf a ~cholastic, and acted as minister. As usual, Father l\laldonado endeared himself to all hearts, and received the thanks of his youthful community in the form of a neatly-conceived little French poem. In 1857, at the request of Bishop La Puente (afterwards Cardinal Archbishop of Burgos), the Jes\Jits took charge of the Centra! Seminary in Salamanca, whither Father l\Ialdonado now-temo\·ed with his Spanish Scholastics, and where he filled, for eleven years, the same chair of Theology once so famous for the learning of Suarez and other lights of the old Society. At the end of the first three years, he was also made Rector of the Seminary, and, besides continuing ·to teach his class, assumed the government of a very large community. In the fall of I 868, he went to Rome as Procurator of tl~e Spanish Jesuits-never more to return to the land of his birth. The revolutionists, who were again up in arms, seized the reins of government; and the Jesuits, always the first victims of rebellion, were outlawed on the soil of Spain. Father l\Ialdonado, once more an exile, sojourned a few months in France and England, in the hope of being assigned to some quiet and secluded place, where he might continue teaching or studying, and prepare his copious theological writings for the press. Providence had already prepared this place for him. \Voodstock College was about to open its classes, and judged itself only too happy in securing the services of such a theologian. Accordingly Father Maldonado landed a second time on our shores, and spent three happy years in our midst-f..1r removed from the storms and uphcavings of the old world, and w~ited upon by the affection of all who knew him. He was devotedly attached to his new home, and it was �.Fatlzcr Jl,faldonado. 1 197 only at the repeated instances of his superiors, that he consented, in the beginning of last July, to make a short trip to New York. He was received by his former friends there with such cordiality, that he seemed actually to have forgotten the settled habits of a life-time. At home, he left his room but seldom, and was exceedingly careful not to expose himself to the summer sun or become overheated. In New York, he often spent' a great portion of the day in the sun, and by his presence encouraged the innocent diversions of the Scholastics. He returned to \Voodstock on Friday, the 19th of July, apparently in better health and spirits than ever ; but on Saturday night, he was taken with a slight bilious attack, which continued over Sunday and Monday withqut any alarming symptoms. The attending physician of the house visited him, and some of the Scholastics waited on him day and night, more from affection than from necessity. On l\Ionday night, however, the features of the disease began suddenly to change. Inflammation and mortification of the bowels set in, and an icy coldness came over his extremities. Early on Tuesday morning, two messengers were despatched to Baltimore for a second physician, who arrived towards evening, and agreed with the other that, unless the sick man rallied during the night, there was no hope.-The bell that roused us from our slumbers next morning, also tolled the "De profundis" for his repose. The strongest stimulants had f:<iled to produce any effect, and towards midnight it had become painfully evident that nature must soon give way. Rev. Father Rector was at his side, and with difficulty succeeded in persuading him that his dissolution was so near at hand. He felt the same strength and vigor of mind as ever, and could not believe that this was death. He wished to \~ait till the following day to prepare himself the better for the last visit of his Lord. \Vhen that was refused, he asked for at least one hour to make ready for confession. But, as his last �198 Fat!tcr ·liia!donado. moments were fast approaching, it was not deemed advisable to grant even so much. He acquiesced, made his preparation immediately, and after confessing with the greatest edification to Father Rector himself, requested that, when he would have died, his writings might be burned. · He became, at once, unusually gay and cheerful, and even indulged .in some of his accustomed, innocent pleasantry with the assistants who were arranging his room for the administration of the last sacraments. At one o'clock, A.M., he received the Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction. He answered distinctly to all the prayers of the Church, and tried, though unsuccessfully, to make the sign of the cross. . After this he spoke but little more to men. Heappeared to be absorbed in sweet communion with God andresigned to the divine will. At five minutes of four, he desired to be raised up in bed ; but a film covered his eyes immediately, and he lost his sight. His assistants, who hCtd been supporting him, replaced his head. upon the pillow, and one of them remarked: "You are going, Father, and happily too-during the Novena to St. Ignatius." "That is true," replied he, smiling, and fell calmly to rest. There was no agony, no struggle. The same placid look as always upon his countenance; but before the recommendation of the departing was finished, his soul had returned to its maker,-and Father Maldonado was no more. "Obdormivit in domino." It was four o'clock, A. M., and one of the Father,;, who was just preparing to say mass for his recovery, changed his vestments to black, and offered the Holy Sacrifice for the repose of his soul. Could he have chosen his own death, it had been such as this. He had always shuddered at the thought of death; and it came so gently that he hardly felt its touch. He was afraid of ever incommoding his brethren in anything; and he passed away frcm among them so noiselessly and stealthily, that they were scarcely aware of it. He was away from home: yet some of his own country- �Fatlzcr llfaldonado. 199 men were present to solace him in his last moments ; and a Father, in whom above all others he confided, and whom a life-long acquaintance had linked to him in holy friendship, was near to administer the last consolations of religion. Very Rev. Father Provincial arrived towards evening, and himself performed the last rites after mass on the following day, which was the feast of St. James, the Apostle and patron of Spain. The Fathers and Scholastics accompanied the venerated remains in surplices, and laid them to rest in the shade of our silent groves, with feelings which only they can share or fully appreciate who knew Father Maldonado intimately during life. "Hidden with Christ in God," his life was for us all a schuol of those virtues which are often the most difficult to learn. He was, in many respects, the counterpart of Venerable Bede. The same studious industry, the same untiring devotedness as a guide throughout a laborious and bewildering task, the same strong, unconquerable faith, the same humility united to a vast erudition, the same unruffled serenity and generous fervor, the same harmonious blending of religious virtues with an intense, unquenchable thirst for knowledge, were distinguishing characteristics of the Jesuit Theologian in the nineteenth century, as well as of the Benedictine monk in the seventh. Father Maldonado plunged into Theology with a holy, intelligent ardor. Study had grown into a sort ofpassion with him. He pursued it almost as much from pleasure as from duty, and made it his daily food and drink. He loved to hold a long, familiar converse with the greatest minds of the past. In the beginning of vacation, he would surround himself with the learned tomes of such authors as had written best on the matter of the next year's treatise; and, closeted in his room, he would draw from them streams of knowledge, in order to impart to us from his own fulness during the ensuing session. Suarez was his favorite author. He was wont to call him "eximius," · or "egregius noster,:· and never departed from him without great diffidence or �200 Fat!zer 1lfa!donado. without a short apology. Though he had taught theology for a quarter of a century, and had every lecture written out with the greatest care, he would, year after y .!ar, go over the same ground again, revising and correcting, adding and improving with the fervor of a beginner. During the eight years that he was Rector at Salamanca, where every one was at liberty to trespass on his leisure moments, and even on his night's rest, he had set· apart a full hour just before class, for the immediate preparation of his lecture; and, during that time only, there was no access to his room. He had analyzed and sifted, divided and subdivided every subject, perhaps with almost too great minuteness. He loved to multiply his arguments and to pile them on one another, until from their number alone they became truly overwhelming. He had a magic power of riveting the attention of his hearers; when he spoke, interest rarely flagged. He knew how to clothe even the staidest reasoning in the gayest and most attractive robes of style. His pupils were charmed, even when they found it difficult to follow him in his flights. His eyes, his hands, his whole person spoke. If the abstruseness of the matter were calculated to cause discouragement, a look at him was sufficient to quicken the drooping spirit. At times he would set aside the logical severity of formal argpment, and allow his mind and heart to overflow with those thoughts and emotions, which the subject matter naturally called forth. On such occasions, he was more than ever admirable. It was not merely a theological lecture that he was giving us ; it was more, it was an exhortation too, and it taught us practically what he insisted on very often-how to turn to account the teachings of dogmatic Theology in moral sermons to the people. It was his faith that spoke to us; and his faith was really sublime.· It showed itself in all his theological views. He never gave quarter to an opinion that was ever so little suspected or hazardous. He had a singular veneration for the teach- �Fatltcr Maldonado. 20I ings of the Fat hers, and would seldom, if ever, allow that any of them had differed, in a single point, from the received opinions of the schools. E\·en arguments from reason were generally backed by the authority of some ancient ecclesiastical writer, and so were informed with an element of · tradition and faith. No one was more cautious than he to keep reason within its own sphere. He respected it, but only as the handmaid ,of revelation, who must guard against extolling herself above her mistress. He felt how liable the human intellect is to go astray, and drew from his studies and acquirements perpetual lessons of humility. He \\·as commonly reputed one of the most learned theologians of Spain ; he was held in the highest esteem by some of the dignitaries of his own country. and the many prelates and other eminent men who had attended his lectures ; he was reccommended to the special consideration of the superiors in this country by Father General himself, and had been offered, a little before his death, to choose any place of residence he might wish, in order to prepare his theological works for immediate publication. Yet he alone seemed to be ignorant of his own merits ; he loved to bury himself in obscurity and to be forgotten. He had a holy horror for superiorships ; and one of the reasons for which he tried to escape to the shades of \Voodstock, was the fear which he had of being made Provincial, had he remained in Europe after finishing his mission as Procurator of the Province of Castile. He found his delight in the company of the young, and, with charming simplicity, descended to their level. He was the very type of gentleness and .charity. No harsh word or unkind remark was ever heard to cross his lips. He never dealt severely, even with an antagonist in the arena of Philosophy and Theology, unless the theories advanced were found to conflict with the utterances of faith or the plainest principles of reason. He inculcated nothing so earnestly and repeatedly on us as moderation of views, and taught us to hesitate before pronouncing dogmatically �202 Father 1lfa!donado. upon a question still open in the schools, or hastily condemning the opinions of others as pernicious and unsound. Yet it certainly was not indecision or \~·ant of firmness that made him so extremely tolerant and forbearing; for nothing was more marked and defined in him than his Spanish strength of character. It was his exquisite sensibility which taught him to respect the feelings and condescend to the weaknesses of others. It was his high-minded gentility of manner which accommodated itself to their inclinations and way of thinking. It was his child-like simplicity and guileless h.~art which made him a universal favorite. . \Ve have witnessed the happy close of his career-the soft, cloudless sunset of a glorious day. He still retained the light, elastic step, the innocent playfulness and the bouyant spirit of youth, chastened and mellowed by years. He had the key to the heart; he could enter it at pleasure and hold it captive to his influence. All looked upon him as a father and consoler, to whom they would not appeal in vain for advice and comfort; and, when he exchanged this world for a better one, they grieved at his loss with an affection which was, perhaps, too nat~1ral, and, therefore, all the harder to control. More than one have burst into tears at the thought of him-have stood looking into his vacant room-have knocked through abstraction at his door, as though he were still within-or gazed up at the open window, from which he used to smile approval on those laboring in the flower-garden below. His disappearance from among us seems like a dream ; and it will be long before we have fully waked up to the reality. He is no longer in our midst: but his memory will always remain fresh among us and serve to remind us of what is expected from the Jesuit. For Father Maldonado was eminently the child of the Society. \Vhat he knew of science, of the world and of men, he had learned from· her. He judged everything by her standard, viewed everything in her light. He personally felt her reverses, rejoiced at her successes, and, forgetful of self, labored in- �f ! Fatlter 0/h,aint and !tis Companions. 203 det:>tigably and quietly in her cause. She can never forget him, becmse a mother cannot forget the child of her bosom. It shall be our aim to solace her in her affliction, as best we may, by following at least from afar in the footprints which he has left, and reproducing in ourselves some of the many noble qu.alities which we have long since learned to admire in him. "In memoria aeterna erit justus." FATHER OLIVAINT AND HIS COMPANIONS .. EXTRACTS FHOJ\1 A LErl'EH OF REV. FATHER PEULTIER. Lm•al, :June Stlt, I 872. I was. prevented by a press of duties from writing to you when our Italian fathers were leaving for America; but I suppose you received the promise which I now fulfil and the souvenirs which I entrusted to one of them for you-I mean the photograph and relic of l'ere Olivaint. I hope you will appreciate them ; they are very pre!=ious, and late occurrences have made them doubly so. Of course you understand me to refer to the miracles * which have been wrought through the intercession of our five martyred brethren, and particularly of Pere Olivaint. They are very remarkable-so remarkable indeed that two or three of them seemed to absorb the entire attention of the Paris press, and were the occasion of many a wordy conflict between the Catholic and free-thinking journals. I think I have told you of the first of them; the instantaneous cure *We wish to apply the word miracle under the restrictions placed upon the use of this term by Pope Urban VIII. �204 rather O!h·aint and !tis Compmzions. of a young persol'l whom the physicians declared to be bc.yond hope of recovery. \Vhile the coffins of the martyrs were being transferred from the burial-place to our Church in the Rue de St:vres, she asked her friends to carry her to that of Pere Olivaint. · They accec,ied to her request, and when in the court in front of the Church she was laid upon the coffin, and immediately rose from it in perfect health t · This cure was witnessed by a large number of persons who assisted at the transfer; it caused a profound sensation throughout Paris, and has made the Mortuary Chapel a constant resort of pious pilgrims. A few ~days ago, on the 28th of May I think, another miracle occurred to bother the heads of M. Renan and his brethren. The subject this time was a boy of ten, afflicted with a nervous affection which made him unable to walk or even to stand, and· deprived him of sight and hearing. Medical and surgical aid was unavailing, and his life was despaired o£ In this extremity, the thought of imploring the intercession of our fathers occurred to some one, and a N oyena of prayers and masses was begun accordi!).gly. On Sunday, May 28th, little Andrew expressed a desire to assist at the Mass to be said for his recovery. In vain his ,friends objected that he was tempting God, that at least he should \vait for the last day of the Novena, etc.; they could not resist his pleadings, and carried him to our Church where he was laid on two chairs before the altar and propped up with cushions. His brother; two years older than himself, served the Mass, at which the whole family assisted and which was celebrated by a priest who was either a relative or a friend of the family. When the priest ascended the altar after the Confiteor, kissed the altar stone and said the words, Oramus te, Domine, per merita sanctorum tuorum quorum rc!iquiae /zic suut, etc., he felt a strange commotion within himself and knew that a miracle was being wrought. The bpy too felt that an unusual change had taken place in him, and that his legs were perfectly freed and cured. Still doubting and hesitating he waited a few minutes longer, 0 �Fat!tcr Olh•aint and !tis Companions. 205 but at the Gospel he summoned courage to throw off the covering from his limbs and stood upright. You may imagine the astonishment and emotion of his parents. They' extended their arms to support him, but he smilingly refused their assistance and told them that he was cured. Throughout the remainder of the Mass he followed the movements of the Congregation, prostrating at the Elevation, standing up, kneeling, etc. Every trace of his disease had disappeared. He heard a mass of thanksgiving, and at its conclusion, disengaging himself from the arms of his parents who wer..: still doubting and wished to support him, he ran out to the street and absolutely refused to return home in any conveyance. He walked home, spent the rest of the day in frolicking and running about in the house and gardens, and when the members of his family or friends, who had been attracted by the report of the cure, reproached him with imprudence, he answered them; "Take ~are, if you do not believe, Pere Olivaint may send my. sickness 'back . agam. " Here is another interesting fact connected with the same child. The little fellow was not content with being the recipient of supernatural favors himself, he must obtain them for others; and so he prevailed upon some friends of the family who reside at Carpentras and who doubted the efficacy of our father's intercession, to select from among the patients of a hospital one whose case should be pronounced hopeless by the doctors. "Make a Novena with him," said he, "and you will see."-They accordingly visited the sick · man together with a number of physicians from the faculty of Montpellier, and without telling them the reason why, obtained from them a written attestation of the impossibility of the man's recovery. Then they began the Novena, and on the ninth day the patient was cured ! Still another miracle for the glory of the martyrs. A religious of Abbeville in the diocese of Amiens, was told by her medical attendant to prepare for death, and her dissolution was expected daily. But one morning, so she relates, I l �2o6 Fat!ter Oli••aint and Ius Companions. Pere Olivaint appeared to her together with another father whose brow was encircled by a halo and who carried in his ·hand the martyr's palm. Pere Olivaint said to her, " l\Iy daughter, make a Novena and at four o'clock on the afternoon of the last day you shall be cured." His miracles were not known to the Community, and, as you may suppose, her account was not credited, and the apparition was attributed to the diseased imagination of the poor religious. Nevertheless they began the Novena, though without any great hopes of success. On the' seventh day the doctor declared that she was failing rapidly and on the ninth she received the ..Iast sacraments. At three o'clock in the afternoon she called for her habit, rose from her bed, and went with the Community to return thanksgiving to God and Pere Olivaint! Since I am speaking of Pcre Olivaint I may tell you that it is rumored that Father Boero, Postulator for the Saints · and· Blessed of the Society, will soon corr.e to Paris to inquire into the matter. \Vho knows but we may one day celebrate the feast of Blessed Peter and !tis Companions. D. 0. M. �I ., �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 1 (1872) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals.</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1872 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-001 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 214 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/34bde5d5cf0abafb998dfe55a38d1576.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=mH4TLosKWg0Z-qn2qer6TPv7GhPkV3cjpLphtck7XXbSnZNLiBxdVtty8rMRmJuZH-27AmCYoc5uMOg2Sj8A5aCzAHkRRFLuTGGo0%7EnUS0YJcO6dgiFlPhP6aybcfU4LlSJvbleQqjsYfOeNODDW9jblbZIA-MXUWXRUxdq5ICChxD1yxrQ%7EssfAc-A8MAuZSK2NhN7%7Eke5U8rDpd-ruFCQXgF7lLFRHGjh7HQe4--FrFXsV%7EuvcH7ltSglU82APXqk2oUUkY65C4H1RPc1MOviaDgTtrvPL-vqYKPGydw3tfSKo%7EO7xKIKd3RSimdsqwN7Cd9Gj5sJq%7EM%7EpgyOBeA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 019ae27ede1a6935afd9bf9dfddf4268 PDF Text Text A. M. D. G. WOODSTOCK LETTERS, I' A RECORD Of Cu.J•rent Events and ITistorical "-Yotes connected with the College.~ aml ~llissiow~ of' tile Soc. of Jesw~ in North and South America, ·;.·· VOL. II. WOODSTOCK COLLEGE, 1873. Prill ted for priz,ate circu!ati;~t- oJt/y. �,. ,•' �CONTENTS. PAGE Father \Yhite'H Helation.-Scttlement in )Iarylaml 1 Annals of St ..Joseph's Church, Philadelphia 14,' t'.'i, 172 Fr. \Yeningcr on the Pacific Coast H1, 218 \Yomlstock.--Its Surroundings and AsHO<"iations 41 Coeur d'Alene )fission, I<lnho.-Letter frnm Fr. Catal:lo n7 Fr. )[ichael O'Connor .'i!l \Yard's Island, N. Y.-Lcttcr from Fr. J. Prnchcn~ky 70 St. Francis Xavier's Church, Cincinnati, Ohio 7G Death of )Ir ..J. )loynihnn 80 New York and Canada )Iission.-Historical Sketch I 09, 18!1 The Apostleship of Prayer 121i )lissioilary Life 128 BraziL-Letter of Fr. Cybeo 133 Chinamen iu America.-Extmct from a Letter of Fr. Weninger 142 Missions in Pennsylvania and Delaware 14G New Catholic Stations in Kansas.-From Letters of Father Ponziglione 14!J A Visit to the Kootenais.-Extract of a letter of Father U. Grassi to Father Valente . 157 China.-Nankin )lission.-Fr. Pfister to Fr. Valente 161 De Statu Causarum Servorum Dei, Soc. Jesu 1GS Current Items 166 )Iiraculous Picture of St. Francis Xavier A Visit to Chicago 169 20.5 BraziL-Mission of Fortaleza-From a Letter of Fr. Onorati 212 Feast of the S. Heart of Jesus· at Woodstock 231 -. Churchville, Berks Co., Pa.-Baptism of a Protestant Minister 242 Obituary 24.'3 �' �.WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. II., No. r. FATHER WHITE'S RELATION. SETTLEMENT IN MARYLAND. Having now arrived at the wished-for country, we appointed names as occasion served. And, indeed, the point which is at the south we consecrated under the title of St. Gregory ; designating the northern point, we consecrated it to St. Michael, in honor of all the angels. A larger or more beautiful river I have never seen. The Thames, compared with it, can scarcely be considered a rivulet. It is not rendered impure by marshes, but on each bank of solid earth rise beautiful groves of trees, not choked up with. an undergrowth of brambles and bushes, but as if laid out by the Jam optata potiti regione, nomina pro re nata distribuebamus. Et quidem promontorium quod est ad austrum titulo S. Gregorii consecravimus, aquilonare S. l'\Iichaeli in honorem omnium angelorum indigitantes. l'\fajus jucundiusve tlumen aspexi nunquam. Thamesis illi comparatus vix rivulus videri potest. Nullis inficitur paludibus, sed solida utrinque terra assurgunt decentes arborum silvae, non clausae vepretis, vel subnascentibus surculis, sed quasi manu laxa consitae ut libcre quadrigam �2 Father ~Vhite's Rdatiott. hand, in a manner so open, that you might freely drive a four horse chariot in the midst of the trees. At the very mouth of the river we beheld the natives armed. That night fires were kindled through the whole region, and since so large· a ship had never been seen by them, messengers were sent every where to announce, "that a canoe as large as an island had brought as many men as there were trees in the forests.'' vVe proceeded, however, to the Heron Islands, so called from the immense flocks, of birds of this kind. The first which presented itself, we called St. Clement's; the second, St. Catharine's; the third, St. Cecilia-,s. vVe landed first at St. Clement's, to which there is no access except by fording, because of the shelving nature of the shore. Here the young women, who had landed for the purpose of washing, were nearly drowned by the upsetting of the boat-a great portion of my linen being lost-no trifling misfortune in these parts. This island abounds in cedar, sassafras, and the herbs and flowers for making salads of every kind, with the nut of a wild tree, which bears a very hard nut, in a thick shell, with a kernel very small but remarkably pleasant. However, since it was only four hundred acres in extent, it did inter medias arbores agitare possis. In ipso ostio fluminis armatos indigenas conspeximus. Ea nocte ignes tot a regione arserunt, et quoniam nunquam illis tam magna navis conspecta fuit, nuntii hinc inde missi narrabant Oarwam insulae similem adventasse tot homines quot in sylvis arbores. Processimus tamen ad Insulas Ardearum, sic dictas ab inauditis examinibus hujusmodi volucrum. Primam quae occcurrit Sancti Clementis nomine appellavimus, secundam S. Catharinae, tertiam S. Ceciliae. Descmdimus primum ad S. Clementis, ad quam nisi vado ·non patet accessus propter declive littus. Hie ancillae quae ad lavandum excenderant, inverso lintre pene submersae sunt, magna parte meorum etiam linteorum drperdita, jactura in his partibus non mediocri. Abundat haec insula cedro, saxifragio, herbis et floribus ad omnis generis acetaria componenda, nuce etiam sylvestri, quae juglandem fert praeduram, spisso putamine, nucleo parvo, sed mire grato. Cum tamen quadringentorum tan tum jugerum latitudine visa est non ampla satis fu- �rather vVhite's Rdatio1l. 3 not appe.u to be a sufficiently large location for a new settlement. Nevertheless, a place was sought for building a fort to prohibit foreigners from the trade of the river, and to protect our boundaries, for that is the narrowest crossin~ of the river. On the festival of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the year 1634, we offered in this island, for the first time, the sacrifice of the mass ; in this region of the world it had never been celebrated before. The sacrifice being ended, having taken up on our shoulders the great cross which we had hewn from a tree, and going in procession to· the place that had been designated, the Governor, Commissioners and other Catholics participating in the ceremony, we erected it as a trophy to Christ the Saviour, while the Litany of the Holy Cross was chaunted humbly on our bended knees, with great emotion of soul. But \\hen the Governor had understood that many sachems are subject to the chieftain of Piscataway, he resolved to visit him, that the cause of our coming being explained, and this one's good will being conciliated, a more easy access might be gained to the minds of the others. Therefore, having added to our pinnace another which he had bought in Virginia, and having left the ship anchored at St. Clemtura sedes novae plantationis. Quaesitus est tamen locus castro aedificando ad prohibendos exteros fluvii commercio, finesque tutandos, is enim erat angustissimus fluminis trajectus. Die Annuntiationis S. Virginis l'tlariae anno 1634 primum in hac insula litavimus; in hac coeli regione nunquam antea id factum. Sacrificio peracto sublata in humeros ingenti cruce quam ex arbore dedolaveramus, ad locum designatum ordine procedentes, Praefecto et Commissariis, caeterisque Catholicis adjuvantibus, trophaeum Christo Servatori ereximus, Litaniis Sanctae Crucis humiliter flexis genibus, magna animorum commotione recitatis. Cum autern intellexisset Praefectus Imperatori Pascatawaye complures parere regulos, ilium adire statuit ut explioata itineris nostri causa, et ejus unius conciliata voluntate, facilior ad caeterorum animos pateret ingressus. Haque juncta celoci nostrae altera, quam in Virginia conduxerat, et navi in anchoris relicta ad Sanctum Clementem, cursu circumac- �4 Fatltcr TV!tit/s Relation. ent's, retracing his course, he landed at the south side of the river. And when he had found out that the savages had fled into the interior, he proceeded to a village which is also called Potomac, a name derived from the river. Here was the young king's" guardian, named Archihu; he was his uncle and administered the government in place of the youth-a grave rr.an and prudent. To Father John Altham, who had come as companion of the Governor, {for he left me with the baggage,j he willingly gave ear while explaining, through an interpreter, certain things concerning the errors qf the heathens and now and then acknowledged his own ; and when informed that we had not come thither for the purpose of war, but for the sake of benevolence, that we might imbue a rude race with the precepts of civilization, and open the way to heaven, as well as impart to them the comforts of distant regions, he signified that we had come acceptably. The interpreter was one of the Protestants of Virginia. Therefore, when the father could not discuss matters further for want of time, he promised that he would return before long "This is agreeable to my mind," said Archihu, ''we will use one table ; my attendants shall go hunt for you, and all things shall be common between us." to ad australem part em fluminis excendit. Cumque barbaros ad interiora fugisse comperisset, progressus est ad civitatem quae a flumine desumpto nomine Potomeach etiam dicitur. Hie Regi puero tutor enit patruus nomine Archihu puerique vices in regno habebat vir gravis et prudens. Is P. Altham (Joannis) qui comes additus erat Praefecto (me etenim etiamnum detinebat ad Sarcinas) quaedam per intepretem de gentilium erroribus explicanti, Jibenter aures dabat, suos identidem agnoscens; atque edoctus nos non belli causa, sed benevolentiae gratia eo appulisse, ut gentem rudem civilibus praecepti~ imbueremus et viam ad coelum apedremus, simul regionum longinquarum commoda iis impertituros, gratos advenisse monstravit. Interpres erat ex protestantibus Virginiae. Itaque cum plura pro tempore disserere non posset Pater, promisit se non ila multo post reversurum. Id mihi ex animo accidit, inquit Archihu, una mensa utemur, mei quoque asseclae pro te vena tum ibunt, eruntque inter nos oninia communia. �.Fatlzer lV/zitc's Relation, 5 From this we went to Piscataway, at which place all flew to arms ... About five hundred men, equipped with bows, stood on the shore with their. chieftain. Signs of peace being given them, the chief laying aside his apprehensions, came on board the pinnace, and when he heard that our intentions were friendly, he gave us permission to settle in whatever part of his country we might wish. In the meantime, while the Governor was on his visit to the chieftain, the savages at St. Clement's having grown more bold, mingh,:d familiarly with our guards, for we kept guard day and night, to protect our wood-cutters from sudden attacks, as well as the brigantine brought by us and which we were constructing of planks and beams. It was amusing to hear them admiring every thing. Above all, where in the world did so large a tree grow, from which so immense a mass of a ship could be hewn? for they thought that it was hollowed from the trunk of a single tree, after the manner of an Indian dug-out. Our cannon struck them all with consternation, as they were much more resonant than their twanging bows, and loud as thunder. The Governor in his visit to the chieftain had taken as companion, Captain Henry Fleet, a resident of Virginia, a Hinc itum ad Pascatawaye, ubi omnes ad arma convolarunt. Quingenti cireiter arcubus instructi in littore cum Imperatore constiterant. Signis pacis datis, Imperator metu posito celocem conscendit et audito nostroruni benevolo erga eas gentes animo, flteultatem dedit qua imperii · ejus parte vellemus habitandi. Interim dum Praefectus apud Imperatorem in itinere est, barbari ad S. C!ementem audentiores facti, se vigilibus nostris familiarius admiscebant. Excubias enim interdiu, noctuque agebamus, tum ut lignatores nostros, tum ut aphractum, quem tabulis, costisque solutis allatum aedificabamus, ab repentibus insultibus tutaremur. -Voluptati ent audire admirantes singula. In primis ubinam terrarum ianta arbor excrevisset, ex qua tam immensa moles navis dedolaretur, excisam enim arbitr:tbantur quemadmodum indicae canoae ex uno aliquo arboris trunco. Tormenta majora attonit~s omnes tenebant, haud paulo quippe vocaliora erant stridulis ipsorum arcubus, et tonitrui paria. Praefectus socium itineris adhibuerat ad Imperatorem Henricum Fleet Capitaneum ex iis qui in Virginia commorantur, hominem barbaris in �6 Fatlzcr l1'7zitc's Relation. man very much beloved by the savages, and acqua~nted with their language and settlements. At the first he was very friendly to us; afterwards, seduced by the evil counsels of a certain Claiborne, he became most hostile and stirred up the minds of the natives against us with· all the art of which he was master. In the meantime, however, while he remained as a friend among us, he pointed out to the Governor a place for a settlement, such that Europe cannot show a better for agreeableness of situation. From St. Clement's, having proceeded about nine leagues towards the north, we entered the mouth of a river, to which we gave·the name of St. George. This river, in a course from south to north, runs about twenty miles before it is freed from its salt taste-not unlike the Thames. Two bays appeared at its mouth, capable of containing three hundred ships of the largest class. One of the bays we consecrated to St. George; the other bay, more inland, to the ·Blessed Virgin Mary. The left bank of the river was the residence of King Yoacomico. \Ve landed on the right, and having advanced about a thousand paces from the shore, we gave the-name of St. Mary's to the intended city; and that we might avoid all appearance of injury and of hostility, having paid in exchange axes, hatchets, hoes, and some yards of primis gratum, et linguae locorumque peri tum. Hie initio nobis perfami. liaris, deinde Claborni cujusdam sinistris seductus consiliis, infensissimus effectus, indigenarum animos qua arte potest adversus nos accendit. Interim tamen dum inter nos amicus ageret, sedem Praefecto monstravit qualem vix Europa meliorem loci benignitate ostendere potest. A Sancto Clemente circiter leucas novem progressi ad Aquilonem fluminis ostio illapsi sumus cui a S. Georgia nomen indidimus. Id flumen ab Austro ad Aquilonem ad viginti circiter milliaria procurrit antequam salsedine marina exuatur, Thamesi non dissimile. In ejus ostio duo visuntur sinus 300 navium immensae molis capaces. Sinum unum Sancto Georgio consecravimus, alterum interius B. Virgini l\Iariae. Laeva pars fluminis sedes erat Regis Yoacomico ; nos ad dexteram excendimus et ad mille passus a littore avulsi, civitati designatae nomen a S. }!aria posuimus; utque omnem speciem injuriae, inimicitiarumque occasionem praeverteremus, appensis in commutationem securibus, asciis, rastris et �Fatlzer H7zite's Rdation. 7 cloth, we bought from the King thirty miles of his territory, which part goes by the name of Augusta Carolina. The Susquehannoes, a tribe accustomed to wars, and particularly troublesome _to King Yoacomico, in frequent incursions devastate all his lands, and compel the inhabitants, through fear of danger, to seek other habitations. This is the reason why so readily we obtained a part of his kingdom; by these_ means, God is opening the way for his law and for light eternal, since every day some of them move away and leave to us their houses, lands and fallow-fields. Truly this is like a miracle, that savage men, a few days before arrayed in arms against us, so readily trust themselves like lambs to us, and surrender to us themselves and their property. The finger of God is in this ; and God designs some great good to this people. Some few have granted to them the privilege of remaining with us till the next year. But then the ground is to be given up to us, unencumbered. The natives are of tall and comely stature, of a skin by nature somewhat tawny, which they make more hideous by daubing, for the most part, with red paint mixed with oil, to keep away the mosquitos; in this, more intent on their _ co:nfort than their beauty. They smear their faces also ! r I 1 f I' ' I I L ~ mensuris aliquot panni, emi:nus a Rege triginta terrae illius milliaria, cui regioni Augusta Carolina jam nomen est. Sasquehanoes, gens bellis assueta, Regi Yoacomico praeceteris infesta, frequentibus incursibus omnem depopulatur agrum, et incolas ad alias q'uaerendas sedes, periculi metu adigit. Hoc causa est cur tam prompte partem ejus regni impetravimus. Deo viam legi suae et lumini aeterno his adminiculis aperiente, migrant alii atque alii quotidie nobisque relinquunt domos, agros, novalia. Id profecto miraculo simile est, homines barbaros paucis ante diebus in armis adversum nos paratos, tam facile se nobis velut agnos permittere, nobis se suaque tradere. Digitus· Dei est hie, et magnum aliquod emolumentum huic nationi meditatur Deus. Pancis tamen quibusdam permittitur sua inter nos habitatio in annum proxlmum. Tunc vero liber nobis relinquendus est ager. Indigenae statura sunt procera et decenti, cute a natura subfusca, quam colore plerumque rubeo mixto oleo inficientes, ut culices arceant, tetriorem reddunt, commodo suo magis intenti quam decori. Vultum aliis �8 Father lVhitc's Rdati01r. with other colors; from the nose upwards. seagreen; downwards, reddish, or the contrary, in a manner truly disgusting and terrific. And since they are without beard almost ·to the end of life, they make the representCJtion of beard with paint, lines of various colors being drawn from the tip of the lips to the ears. They encourage the growth of the hair, which is generally black, and bind it with a fillet when brought round in a knot to the left ear, something which is held in estimation by them being added by way of ornament. Some bear upon their forehead the representation of a fish in copper. They encircle their necks with glass beads -strung upon a thread, after the manner of chains ; these beads, however, begin to be more common with them, and less useful for traffic. They are generally dressed in deerskin, or like kind of covering, which flows behind after the manner of a cloak, and are girded about the middle with an apron; in other respects they are naked. Young boys and girls run about without any covering whatever. The soles of their feet being as hard as horn, they tread upon thorns· and thistles without injury. Their weapons are bows, and arrows two cubits long, pointed with buck-horn or a piece of white, sharpened flintstone; they direct these with so much skill etiam coloribus deturpant, a na8o sursum coerulei, deorsum rubicundi vel e contra variis et sane faedis, terrificisque modis. Et quoniam barba in ultimam prope aetatem carent, pigmentis barbam simulant lineis varii co loris ab extimis labiis ad aures productis. Caesariem quam plerumque nigram nutriunt, in nodum ad sinistram aurem circumductam vitta astringunt, addito ali~uo quod apud ipsos in pretio sit monili. Quidam in fronte praeferunt piscis figuram cupream. Colla muniunt vitreis globulis filo insertis more torquimn, quamquam hi globu).i viliores apud ipsos esse incipiunt et commercio minus utiles. Vestiuntur ut plurimum pelle cervina vel simi!is generis velo, quod a tergo fluit in modum pal!ii, cincti ad umbilicum perizomatis, caetera nudi. Impubes pueri puellaeque nulla re tecti vagantur. Plan tis pedum velut cornu duris spinas, tribulosque calcant illaesi. Arma sunt arcus et sagittae duos cubitos longae; cornu cervino, vel albo praeacutoque si!ice armatae: has tanta arte librant, ut passerem eminus medium configant.. �Fatlter TV!titc's Relation 9 that from a distance they cdn shoot a sparrow through the middle. And in order to practise themselves for skill, they throw up a thong on high, and transfix it with an arrow impelled from a bowstring, before it falls to the ground. As they do not use a well-strung bow, they cannot hit a distant mark. By means of these arms they live, and daily through the fields and woods, they hunt squirrels, partridges, turkeys, and wild beasts. For of all these there is great plenty, though we, ourselves, do not venture as yet to provide food by hunting, through fear of falling into an ambuscade. · They live in huts of ari oblong, oval form, built nine or ten feet high. Into these huts light is admitted from above, by a window, a cubit in extent; it serves also for removing the smoke; for they kindle a fire in the middle of the floor and sleep around the fire. The kings, however,_ and principal men have, as it were, their private apartments and bed, four posts being driven into the ground, and poles placed upon them to receive the bed. .One of these huts has been allotted to me and my companions, in which we are accommodated sufficiently well ,for the time being, until more commodious dwellings shall be built. This house might be called the first chapel of Maryland, although not Utque se ad peritian\ exerceant, lorum in sublime jaciunt, tum impulsam nervo sagittam infigunt antequam decidat. Arcu quoniam non admodum contento utuntur, metmn Ionge positam ferire non possunt. His armis vivunt et quotidi~ per agros et sylvas sciuros, perdices, pullos indicos, ferasque venantur. Horum enim omnium ingens est copia, quamquam nondum nobis ipsi expedire alimenta venatu audeamus metu insidiarum. Domos ha,bitant ovali forma oblongs constructas novem vel decem pedes altas. In has lumen a tecto admittitur fenestra cubitali: illa fumo etiam auferendo inservit; nam ignem medio in pavimento accendunt et circa ignem dormiunt. Reges tamen et principes viri sua habent velut conclavia, et lectum quatuor fulcris in terram adactis, et asseribus superposit is in stratum. Mihi et sociis ex his casulis una obtigit, in qua sat pro tempore commode habemur, donee aedificia parentur laxiora. lliam primmn Marylandiae sacellmn dixeris, quamquam hand paulo decentius �IO Fatlzer TV!tite's Relati(m. much better finished than when it was occupied by the Indians. The next voyage, if God prosper our undertaking, we shall not be destitute of the things which are found necessary in other houses. The tribe has an ingenuous and cheerful disposition, and can understand a matter fairly when it is explained. In acuteness of taste and smell they excel Europeans, and they surpass them also in sharpness of sight. They live mostly on a pap which they call pone or lzominy. Each of these is made of corn, and they sometimes add a fish or a beast or bird which they have taken in hunting. They keep themselves as much as possible from wine and warm drinks, nor are they easily induced to taste them, except those whom the English have infected with their vices. So far as pertains to chastity, I confess that I have not yet observed in man or woman any action which might savor even. of levity, notwithstanding they are with us and among us daily, and are glad to enjoy our society. Thty come of their own accord, with a cheerful countenance, and offer whatever they have taken in nunting or fishing: they bring victuals also at times, and oysters boiled or roasted. having been invited to do this by the few words of their vernacular tongue which we have hitherto learned by signs as well instructum quam cum ab Indis habitabaiur. Pro:tima navigatione si Deus coeptis annuat, non deerunt Nostris, quae ceteris in domibus srrnt usni necessaria. Genti indoles ingenua est et laeta et qure rem probe capiat cum proponitrrr: gustu excellunt, et odoratu; visu etiam Europaeos superant. Victitant plerrrmque prrlte, qul'm Pone et Omini appellant; utraque ex tritico conficitur, addrrntque interdum piscem, vel quod venatu aucupioque assecuti srrnt. Cavent sibi qu 1m maxime a vino, et potionilms culidis, neque adducuntur facile ut eas degustent nisi quos Angli suis vitiis infecerint. Quod ad castitatem attinet, fateor me nondum advertisse in viro vel femina actionem rrllam qure vel levitatem saperet, quotidie tamen nobiscum et apud nos srrnt et nostro gaudent uti consortia. Accurrrrnt sponte, vultu ad hilaritatem composito, et offerunt qure venati vel piscati fuerint, cibos etiam aliquando et ostrea cocta vel arsa, idque paucis invitati linguae ipsis vernacrrlae verbis, qure per signa hactenus utcumque didicimus. �Fatlt<·r lVIzite's Rdatio1Z. II as we could. Notwithstanding they keep many wives, they preserve conjugal faith inviolate. The countenances of the women are grave and modest. Upon the whole, they cultivate generous minds; whatever kindness you may confer, they repay. They determine nothing rashly, or when actuated by a sudden impulse of mind, but with reflection, so that when any thing of moment, is at any time, proposed, they are for a time silent in a thoughtful manner; then they answer briefly, Yes or No, and are very firm of their purpose. If these people be once imbued with christian principles, (and I see nothing to hinder it, except a want of acquaintance with the language spoken in these regions,) they will assuredly become worthy promoters of virtue and humanity. They are possessed with a wonderful desire of civilization and of the dress of Europeans, and they would have long since used their clothing had not the avarice of the traders prevented it, who do not exchange cloth except for beaver. But every one cannot hunt the beaver. Far from us be their avarice, that we should imitate it. Ignorance of their language renders it still doubtful for me to state what views they entertain concerning religion; for we have not much confidence in protestant interpreters. These few things we have hurriedly learned. They recog- I •l I t P!ures ducunt uxores, integram tamen servant fidem conjugalem. ::llulicrum aspectus gravis est et modestus. In universum liberales nutriunt animos, quidquid beneflcii contuleris rependunt. Nihil teme. re decemunt, aut subito arrepti motu animi, sed ratione; ideo cum quidquam momenti aliquando proponitur silent aliquando cogitabundi, tunc aiunt breviter, aut negant et propositi sunt tenacissimi. Hi profecto si semel praeceptis christiania imbuantur, (et quidem nihil obstare videtur praeter linguae his regionibus usitatae defectum) virtu tis humanitatisque cultores egregii evadent. :Miro tenentur desiderio civilis conversationis Europaeorumque indumentorum, jamque pridem vestibus fuissent usi, ni avaritia mercatorum obstitisset qui pannos nisi castore non comn:iutant. Castorem vero unusquisque venari non potest. Absit ut horum avaritia nos imitemur. Idiomatis ignoratio facit, ut quid porro de religione sentiant, nondum constet. Interpretibus enim Protestantibus minus fldimus: haec pauca raptim didicimus. Unum Deum coeli agnoscunt: quem Deum nostrum �12 nize one God of heaven, whom they call "Our God''; nevertheless, they pay him no external worship, but by every means in their power, they endeavor to appease a certain evil spirit which they call Gehrt, that he may not hurt them. They worship corn and fire. as I am informed, as gods wonderfully beneficent to the human race. Some of our men relate that they have seen the following ceremony in a temple at Barcluxem. On an appointed day there assembled from many parts of the country around a great fire, all the men and women of all ages. ·,Next to the fire stood the younger people; behind them.those more advanced in life. A piece of deer's fat being then thrown into the fire, and hands and voices being uplifted to heaven, they cried out "Taho! Taho!" A space being cleared, some one produces a very large bag; in the bag is a pipe and some powder which they call potu. The pipe is such as our countrymen use for smoking tobacco, but much larger. Then the bag is carried around the fire, the boys and girls following, and in a pretty agreeable voice singing alternately, Taho ! Taho ! The circle being completed, the pipe is taken from the pouch with the powder. The potu is distributed to each of the bystanders ; and every one smoking this when it is lit vocnnt, nnllum tam en cxternnm houorem illi exhibcnt; omni vero ratione placere conantur fimaticnm qncndam spiritnm, quem Ocltre nomin:mt, nt ne noccat; frumentum, ut audio, et ignem colunt ut Deos humano generi mire bcneficos. Hanc ceremoniam quidam e nostris in templo Barcluxem vidisse se narrant. Die constitnto a pluribus pagis convenere circa ingentem ignem omnes omnium actatum viri, feminaeque. Proxime ad ignem stabant juniores, pone illos provectiores. Tum adipe cervina in ignem conjecta, et sublatis in coelum manibus et vocibus, clamabant Talw! Talto! Intervallo fhcto, profert unus aliquis bene magnam peram; in pera est tubus et pulvis, quem Potu nominant: tubus est quali nostrates utuntur ad exsugendum fumum Tabacci, sed multo majori. Igitur pera circa ignem fertur sequentibus pueris et puellis, et voce satis grata alternantibus Talto! Talt6! Circulo peracto, eximitur tubus a pera et pulvis. Potu in singulos astantes distribuitur, cujus in tubo accensi I �.Fat/ur W!titc's Relation. 13 in the pipe, puffs the smoke over all his limbs and consecrates them. I have not been able to learn more, except that they appear to have ~orne knowledge of a flood by which the world perished, because of the sins of mankind. 'vVe have been here only one month, and so other things must be reserved for the next sail. This I can say, that the soil appears particularly fertile, and strawberries, vines, sassafras, hickory nuts, and walnuts, we tread upon everywhere, in the thickest woods. The soi1 is dark and soft, a foot in thickness, and rests upon a rich, reddish clay. Everywhere there are very high trees, except where the ground is tilled by a scanty population. An abundance of springs affords water. No animals are seen except the deer, the beaver, and squirrels which are as large as the hares of Europe. There is an infinite number of birds of different colors, as eagles, herons, swans, geese, partridges, and ducks. From which you may infer, that there is not wanting .to this land, whatever may contribute to the comfort and pleasure of its inhabitants. fumum quisque exsugens, membra corporis sui singula perfiat consecratque. Plura non licuit discere, nisi quod videantur notitiam aliquam habuisse diluvii quo mundus periit propter scelera hominum. Uno tim tum mense hie fuimus, itaque oetera proximae navigationi servanda sunt. Illud assero, solum videri in primis fertile, fragra, vites, saxifragium, glandes, juglandes passim densissimis in sylvis calcamus. Nigra et mollis terra unius pedis crassitudine insternitur pingui et rubenti argillae. Praecelsae ubique arbores, nisi ubi a paucis cultus ager. Copia fontium potum subministrat. Animalia nulla apparent praeter cervos, castorem et sciuros, quilepores europaeos adaequant. Infinita vis avium est versicolorum ut aquilarum, ardearum, cycnorum, anserum, perdicum, anatum. Ex quibus conjectura est non deesse regioni, quae vel commodis vel voluptati habitantium subserviant. �ANNALS OF ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. PART FIRST. "The Little Church down the Alley", one hundred and forty years .. since dedicated to the worship of Almighty God, under the patronage of the glorious Spouse of our Immaculate Mother, is invested with a peculiar interest to the American Jesuit, as not only one of the oldest churches in the United States, but the oldest Catholic Church in that part of America, formerly under the British rule.* The City of Philadelphia was founded in 1682 and as early as 1686 the Holy Sacrifice was offered up in the "Quaker City", probably by one of the Fathers from St. Inigoes in Maryland. The first forty years of Philadelphia's history art veiled in darkness as to the Catholic Church. Although Penn's Friends fled from England on accou11t of religious persecution, they have always evinced an active, if quiet, hostility to the religion of Penn's father: and, in the early years of the Colony, this hostility was augmented by the fear of offending the "hot-Church-party" in the Mother Country; if they should show any favor to the Papists. 'What is known of the Church during the first half-century of Philadelphia's existence is rather surmise than fact. It is true some fifty years ago, there were many traditions, but these were scarcely reliable enough to constitute them de fide. The early settlers, as is well known, were Quakers. It was over thirteen years, before there could be found suf- * DE I I I I ' CoURCY-The Catholic Church in the U. S., 200. !' �St. Yoscplz's Clwrclt, Plziladclplzia. 15 ficient members of the Established Church to form a very small congregation.* During the first twenty-five years there could have been little to wean the Catholic settlers from their preference to Mary's-land. The few who did come to Penn's City were chiefly Irish, with a very small number of Germans and English. Vague and unreliable rumor points out three places as the site of the first Catholic Church. ·we know mass was celebrated in 1686, and Penn, in a letter to Governor Logan, dated 7 month, 29 day, 1708, complains of the frequent public celebration of the mass.t Watson, in his "Annals of Philadelphia" n~entions the N. W. Corner of Front alid Walnut Streets. But here serious difficulties arise. Penn's own mansion, the "Old-Slate-Roof House", was situated in Second above Walriut Street, while its grounds sloped down to "Dock Creek," now "Dock Street," which brings Front and ·walnut Streets in the very heart of Penn's park; and is it likely that so timorous and intolerant a Quaker as William Penn would suffer the "scandal of a mass"t to be offered up on his own grounds, almost in sight of his house? Somewhat later, when the streets were laid out, the lot on theN. \V. Corner of Front and Walnut Streets, was by patent deeded by Wm. Penn to Griffith Jones, a member of the Society of Friends, and remained in the possession of "Friends" until 18 50, most of the ·time as a dwelling-house for the owners,!! and though they might possibly have, at times allowed an .apartment in their house to be used for Catholic worship, they could scarcely have been expected to give it as a "Romish Chapel." Watson also mentions, on the authority of an old lady "who had heard it said," that the house at the S. E. Corner *Philadelphia and Its Environs.-Relics of the Past, 7. t Here is a complaint against your government that you suffer publick mass in a scandalous manner. Pray send the matter of fact, for ill use is made of it against us here. · t Penn's letter to a friend. II "A. History of Philadelphia," by Thompson Westcott. Ch. CXV. ,I I �16 St. :Joseph's ,Church, Plti!addphia. of Second and Chestnut Streets had been built for a pap:tl chapel. The dimensions of this building, however, were great, far too great, for the requirements of the Catholics at that time. Nearly fifty years after the building of this socalled church, Father Harding, S. J., numbered but one hundred and twenty, men, women, and children, in his congregation. It is generally supposed in Philadelphia, that a Roman Catholic chapd was built near the City on the Road between Nicetown and Germantown. It is said, Miss Elizabeth M'Gawley, an Irish lady, brought over a number of her tenantry, and that they settled near Nicetown, and that she erected a chapel near her residence. At a short distance from the plac~ designated is still extant a stone enclosure, containing a large marble tomb inscribed with a cross and the name "John Michael Brown. ob. 15th December, A. D. 1750. R. I. P." _From the earliest settlement of the Colony the "Records of Deeds, &c" have been kept with Quaker-like precision, yet no one has been able to find the record of a deed or grant to the said Elizabeth M 'Gawley, or any registry .of her will. John Michael Brown was said to be the priest of this chapel, but as on the zd. of May, 1747, Dr. John Michael Brown and Sarah his wife sold Father Greaton, S. J., for the sum o( £gz. fifteen and on~ half acres of ground fronting on \Vingohocking creek ; and as the first effort to introduce Greek orthodoxy into Philadelphia was made by the infamous Hogan in 1822, I naturally conclude that Dr. John Michael Brown was not a D. D. but an M. D. \Ve canhave little doubt of Dr. Brown's Catholicity, since in his will he bequeaths £10. for masses for the repose of his soul. He likewise devised to his sister, Mrs. Anastasia Dillon, "a suit of priestly vestments and a silver chalice," (probably not very handsome, as they were valued at fifteen shillings,) while he left to Rev. Theodore Schneider, S. J., th~ sum of £zo. Catholic undoubtedly he was, but, as among his chattels are found "a sword, pistols · I I j fi �St. :Joseph's C/wrc/z, P/ziladclplzia. and a large quantity of female apparel," we would scarcely · judge him to have been a priest. The executors of his last will and testament were Robert Meade, great-grand-father to Major General George A. Meade, U. S. A., Rev. Theodore Schneider, Pastor of St. Joseph's Chapel, and Rqbert Luther of "Mont Serat." Dr. Brown resided for some time in the \Vest Indies where he had acquired a large fortune, and as he was living at a considerable distance from the built-up portion of the City, surrounded by the Meades, Crumps, and Masons, it is not improbable that he had a chapel in his house where Fathers Greaton and Schneider occasionally said mass for his household and the neighboring Catholics. "The Chapel near Nicetown," said to have been built in 1729-I judge to have been a myth. The greatest proof of its existence rests on the assertion of Deborah Logan, who "remembered having seen its ruins." This Deborah was the wife. of James Logan, an Irish Quaker, who came over with Penn, and in 1729 must have been fifty years of age, and as the wife of on~ of the leading men of the Colony and an ex-governor, would have been likely to remember something more definite of this Chapel, than having seen its ruins. If ever there existed a chapel near Nicetown it must hav~ been on the ground purchased by Father Greaton, and must have been built after 1747, more than fourteen years after St. Joseph's was erected. Some thirty-odd years ago, when a lad of ten or eleven years, it was my happiness to be acquainted with ~ Mrs. Baker, (most probably the grand-mother of Mr. Drexel, the Senior member of the celebrated firm of "Drexel, Harjes & Co. Bankers. 3 Rue Scribe, Paris,) an old lady of mixed English and German descent, then more than four-score years and ten, who was born where. St. Joseph's College now stands-a healthy, wholesome, brisk, chatty old-soul, full of anecdote, with a mind clear as crystal and a most retentive memory. During the first twenty years of her life she lived in the house of her birth, which was one of �18 S!. Yoseph's Church, Philadelphia. those torn down to make way for St. Joseph's College. Always finding an attentive listener in the boy of ten, she delighted to tell, how one Sunday morning, her father, mother, sisters, and two elder brothers with herself were gat~ered, according to custom, in the "best room" while the father read the prayers for mass, when a friend, stopping at the window, said : "\Vhy don't you go to hear mass?" "Father and Mother both replied; 0, if we only could!" The tears would run down the dear old lady's cheeks, as she told how mass was said for years in the very next house, ''and we knew nothing of it." This old lady told me that her mother''had often been present at mass and instructions, in an old frame house that stood at the S. \V. Corner of Front and Spruce Streets, and whenever she passed that house, she would make a profound courtesy, for she said it was holy ground. From this I have concluded, and I think most will agree with me, that in Philadelphia the first Chapel built was old St. Joseph's, the "Mother of Churches"; and that previous to 1732, our Fathers who occasionally visited the City, said mass at different houses of the faithful, which will satisfactorily account for the various places assigned for the first mass. In 1730, some say 1732, Father Ja'seph Greaton, S. J., a native of Lynton, North Devon, England, who had previously made frequent missionary visits to Philadelphia, was stationed there permanently; Thomas Westcott, in his History of Philadelphia, says the number of his congregation at that time consisted of eleven persons. The statements of Mr. Westcott are deserving of great confidence; his History of Philadelphia is prepared under very favorab1e circumstances ; he has labored hard to secure accuracy, and he is a gentleman of diligence and erudition : but I think, in this instance, he has been mistaken. The late dearly loved Father Barbelin, S. J., during the many years he was stationed at St. Joseph's, collected from all �St. 7:Jscph's C'lmrclt, Philadelphia relidble sources, memoranda and valuable data, with regard to the history of the Church. At the time of his death these papers were nearly all scattered-! rescued but one or two from the dust-bin. \Vhen our late Father Provincial, Very Rev. Angelo Paresce, was preparing to leave for Rome, as Procurator of the Province of Maryland, I compiled, at the command of Father Joseph Felix Barbelin, Rector of St. Joseph's College, from these data, a "History of St. Joseph "s Church," which Father Paresce carried to Rome, and I distinctly remember that a paper, I think one of the earliest numbers of the "Catholic Herald," stated that Father Greaton's first congregation was made up of eleven families, in all about forty persons. The descendants of some of these families are still living in Philadelphia, Alas! not all in the communion of the Church. Father Greaton, on his way to Philadelphia, stopped at the house of Mrs. Doyle a Catholic lady, who gave him a letter of introduction, it is said, to a wealthy Catholic gentleman residing at \Valnut and Front Streets. The name of this gentleman has nevef been learned, nor can the house be pointed out. I have heard it said, I know not if on reliable authority, that this gentleman was a Mr. Corcoran, residing in Walnut above Third, in a house which stood west of the present North entrance to the Church. Father Greaton had before visited Lancaster and formed the nucleus of the congregation of St. Mary's Church, afterwards evangelized by Father Geisler, S. J., and over which the venerable Very Rev. Bernard Keenan, Vicar-General, and at one time Administrator, of the Diocese of Harrisburg, has so long presided. Rev. Mr. Keenan was ordained in 1821, being the first priest ordained in Philadelphia. So little of that freedom of conscience, for the enjoyment of which Penn and his companions had left the English coasts, was allowed in Philadelphia at that time, that Father Greaton was accustomed to assume the garb of a Quaker, whenever he visited the City. Father Greaton's 'finances �20 St. 7oscplt's Clmrc!t, P!ti!adclp!tia. must have been in a flourishing condition, for the residence which he commenced in 1732, and completed in 1733, was a large, substantially-built mansion; it is stiii standing and forms a part of the College of St. Joseph. It was a tenroomed house, two stories high, three rooms on each floor, with four garrets. Father Greaton received about this time, from England, some valuable paintings, three of which are now extant. One of our Holy Founder, St. Ignatius, is in room No 9, commonly called the Provincial's Room; it is inserted in the wood-work forming the mantle. Another, a master-piece representing St. Francis of Assisium is in the principal parlor. The third, an Ecce Homo dark with age, is in the loft, keeping company with a fine painting of Saint Theresa, being pierced with the dart of divine love, a present of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. The countenance of the Saint in this painting is truly angelic-the principal objection, however, is that the clothing of the Angel is not suited to the rigors of our winters. In the principal parlor are other valuable paintings; one is by Pennsylvania's great painter, Benjamin West. It was executed in Rome and sent to Father Farmer, S. J., as a token of gratitude for the letters of introduction given by him to various artists in the Eternal City. This picture is supposed by some to represent the flight of Agar, but an infant of four. and five can scarcely be supposed to represent a healthy lad of sixteen and seventeen. My opinion is that West intended it for the return of the Holy Family from Egypt. Our Blessed Mother sits upon the grass-grown mound, giving to.Her Son and Lord a refreshing drink, Gabriel stands ready to supply should more be needed, while our Holy Father stands in the distance, with joy contemplating his miraculous Spouse and Her still more miraculous Son, n:inistered to by a prince of Heaven. In this same parlor is another large painting, representing the Adoration of the Shepherds-it is a picture that requires study to appreciate its beauties. Little St. Joseph's is rich in paintings. In No 6., generally named �St. :JJs.:plz's Clmrclz, Plziladelplzia. 21 the "Willing's Alley Parlor"-is a fine painting brought from Ro:ne by Father Ryder representing the Angel trumpeting to Saint Jerome the Judgment. This painting has been copied by artists from the North, and South, and \Vest. In this same parlor is a portrait of St. Francis de Sales, taken during life, and kept as an heir-loom in the "Hayes Family," connections of the Bishop of Geneva, and presented by them to Father Barbelin. In the Church are many old and valuable paintings; not to speak of the Crucifixion and others by Don Pedro Martinez, of which I will have to speak hereafter, ther~ are two very large ones, the first representing the death of St. Joseph, hung before the choir and another in the South gallery representing Queen Esther before King Assuerus and his courtiers, one of whom is gazing at the Queen through a modern eye-glass. In the galleries is a collection of paintings, valuable, if not for their artistic merits of which they are not deficient, at least for their age. There are in the body of the Church, a Madonna and a Crucifixion, brought from Rome, by Father Ryder, both greatly admired, as well as a splendid "St. Aloysius Gonzaga," which hangs over the East Confessional. The original Church was a room eighteen feet by twentytwo, which had very much the appearance of an out-kitchen, and so it was considered by the family of Mrs. Baker of whom I have spoken before. Although adorned with a chimney instead of a cross, it did not long escape the notice of the vigilant Quakers. Indeed it could not well do so, as it was almost contiguous to what must have been one of the largest buildings of the times, the old "Quakers' AlmsHouse." This ancient edifice was some years ago torn down to make room for improvements. To an out-building, standing in the large garden, were added four small dwellings, the number of inmates at the time being five. The ground cannot be sold while any of the five live. They have all died but one maiden lady named Nancy Brewer, who lives in the old out-building covered with its green ivy and bright �22 St. Yoscp!t's C!turc!t, P!ti!addp!tia. trumpet flowers, and whose roses, pinks, sweet-williams, bird-eyes, ring-fingers, wandering-sailor, and our more flaunting tulips with modest lilies-of-the-valley often ~rake fragrant our Mother's altar at St. Joseph's. Nearly three years since I met the ancient dame now much over her allotted three score years and ten, erect, active, having never used eye-glasses or a walking stick. I envied her, her memory. Nancy had come out into \Villing's Alley to view the excavations for the gigantic offices of the "Pennsylvania Rail-Road Company." I was on my way to a not-verypressing sick-call. Mrs L ... s, our estimable next-door neighbour., who was doing the honors ~f the occasion, said: "Nancy, here is Father ...... , Susan Evan's son." "Her youngest," replied Nancy, "born after Patrick's death." She could tell me, in regular order, the names of my elder brothers and sisters, their ages, the color of their eyes, and seemed to have a pretty· good idea of their disposition. · It would give me great pleasure to pay this venerable Friend-friend in ~wo senses-an occasional visit, as I think I could glean from her conversation many interesting facts concerning the Church during the years preceding its restoration to the Society, but she is not a little superstitious, and as I have the fortune, good or bad, to be a posthumous, I am invested in her eyes with a supernatural power of curing diseases. · When a little boy, I was often sent to Nancy to buy dried herbs for cooking purposes. Nancy made much of me, I was her "white haired boy".-I am now one in real~ ity. First, I was asked for one of my "coal-black locks", not "to keep away rats", but as an amulet to avert an impending attack of typhus. Next, the old simpleton regretted she had no tow (an easy conscience prevented any fear of hanging), "but wouldn't I return to twist some for her when she got it ?" She intended to wear it on her right arm to cure the erysipelas in her left knee. The life of this venerable virgin is now of some importance to us, and I �Sf. :hsr:plt's Clt~trclt, Pltiladelpltia. 23 often pray that she may be spared to sell her "eye-water" and "dried yarbs" to the old families of Philadelphia, for at least eighteen month!' lom~'er. For; I am told. the "Old Quaker Alms-house ground" has been sold to the Pacific Rail Road Company, on condition that they obtain posse'>sion of it within three years;' the posses,ion depends on Nancy's death. Already twenty months have passed. If this company obtain possession within the specified time, it is their intention to raise another Rail Road Palace, which will bury old St. Joseph's, as in a tomb. Many join me in praying, that my venerable friend, Nancy Brewer: may live to do justice to a good New Year's dinner (the old lady likes good things) on the Ist of January, 1874. The erection of a Romish Chapel did not long escape Quaker intolerance. As early as July 25th, 1734 II quote from \Vestcott\ the matter was brought to the notice of the Pro'vincial Council. At a meeting of this august body, held on this date, over which Lieutenant Governor Patrick Gordon presided, and at which Thomas Penn, one of the proprietors was present, we find the following minutes: "The Governor then informed the Board that he was under no small concern to hear thai a house lately built in Walnut Street, in this City, had been set apart for the exercise of the Roman Catholic religion, and is commonly called tlie Romislt Ollappel, where several persons, he understands, resort on Sundays to hear mass openly celebrated by a Popish priest: that he conceives the tolerating of the publick exercise of that religion to be contrary to the laws of England, some of which (particularly the eleventh and twelfth of King William the Third) are extended to all his majesty's dominions. But those of that persuasion here, imagining they have a right to it from some general expressions in the charter Qf privileges granted to the inhabitants of this government by our late honorable Proprietor, he was desirous to know the sentiments of the Board on the subject It was observed hereupon, that if any part of the said charter, was inconsistent with the laws of England, it could be of no force, it being contrary to the express terms of the royal charter to the Proprietary. But the council having sat long, the consideration thereof was adjourned to the next meeting, and the said laws and chartex:s were then ordered to be laid before the Board." �24 St. 7oseplz"s Clwrclz, Plu!addp!ti,l. So the matter rested for a month, a month, no doubt, of great anxiety to Father Greaton and l11s iorty d1scip1<::s. At the next meeting of the Counc1l, hdd July 31st-the matter was again considered: "The minutes of the preceding council being read and approved, ~he consideration of what the Governor then laid before the board touching the Popish chappell was resumed, and the charter of privileges, with the laws of the Province concerning liberty, being read, and likewise ihe statute of the eleventh and twelfth of King William the Third, chapter 4; it was questioned whether the said statute, notwithstanding the general words in it, "all others his majesty's dominions," did extend to the plan~ tations in America, and, admitting it did, whethPr any prosecution could be carr.ed on .here by virtue thereof while the aforesaid law of this province, passed so long since as the fourth year of her late Majesty, Queen Anne, which is five years posterior to the said statute, stands unrepealed. And under this difficulty of concluding upon anything certain in the present case, it is left to the Governor, if he thinks fit, to represent the matter to our superiors at home, for their advice and directions in it." From this it would seem that our early "City Father;;" acted in a very deliberate and temporizing manner. But although Westcott says: "It is certain that thl:re was no further attempt made to meddle with St. Joseph's Church, which went on slowly increasing in numbers without molestation;"* tradition tells that three times did the British soldiery level it \vith the ground, and that, bn the fourth occasion, father Henry Neale, S.]., .used a little of the "pru: dence of the serpent," vulgarly called "Jesuit cunning," and by filling the stomachs of the Britishers saved the Church: Kalni, a S\vedish traveler, shortly after this, in I 748- I 7 50, speaking of the Chapel, says : "the Roman Catholics have in the southwest part of the town a great lwuse; which is well adorned within, and has an organ."t He speaks of the house of which the Chapel was an appendage. No account, I have met with, mentions the house as having been attacked, our early Church destroyers, unlike their itnitatoi:s of 1844, respected private property. *"History of Philadelphia," Ch. CXV. tidem. �St. :hsrplz's Clmrclt, Pltiladelplzia. In our times, it is nften asked, why was St. Joseph's built in so obscure, secluded a situation? Its very seclusion is to m<ny_ its peculiar charm. How pleasant for its congregation, always noted for its union and friendly fellowship, to meet before and after each service, in its shady quadrangle and talk of Church and family matters. It is Sunday: as they crowd out after the early masses, how many an anxious enquiry, how many a word of sympathy and consolation is spoken? Then comes the children's mass at 8.30, happy urchins! they love St. Joseph's, they love it because they are happy there--the joyous shout that seems almost irreverent, springs irrepressibly from joyous hearts. So merry and so happy are they, they cannot help forgetting the Fourth commandment and being wanting in proper respect for the aged members of the "old-gentlemen's Sodality", who are now assembling as chatty as "maidens of sixteen," and who will soon make the venerable 'walls of that loved Church resound with notes, not a~quired in the conservatories of Naples or of Paris, but notes which reecho through Heavenly courts, and which angels accompany on well-tuned harps. How many a saint, now a member of St. Cecilia's choir, joyously smiles as he thinks of his "ora pro nobis" in the North aisle of lowly St. Joseph's. Now they are assembling for the late mass: here is a group of the "Fathers in Israel" ; of what are they debating? the rise in Erie ? the awards of Geneva ? no ! "Has that old woman in Gatzmer Street been visited?" "Why, t\lat man, you know, with the. club-foot, hah three you~g children, two girls and one boy, we must do flomething for hit:n: Let us, at least, send the girls to the Sisters' school." There is a party of laughing, romping lads, what are they dis~uss~ ing ? the last "Base Ball Match ?" "the innings of the P,...thl~.ti.cs, or the foui~ of the Red-Stocking~?" no! "It's ~y turn to serve to-day." "l'fo, it isn't, we go up, w~ do~·.i: go down. John L. ~ . and Michael ri .... served l~st Sunday, it's our tur!l tp~day." "Do y~~ know your piece ·f.o~ this afternoq~? • ' -' •• • ... • '. , .• _l.jl • ' ,· • • • ' •••• �St. Yosep!t's C/wrc!z, P!zi!adc!p!z:a. Father ... will be jolly mad if you break down in Sunday School.". "I don't care, he only gave me n·y part on Friday-! wouldn't have got it if G.:rald h::tdn't been sick" Do you see that red, cheerful, smiling face, m'lking all smile who look upon it, crowned with a halo of golden r-ed hair? That face belongs to a true son of Ignatius. Not. to the sainted founder of St. Joseph's, Joseph Greaton, but to the Apostle of Philadelphia, the loved Joseph Felix Barbelin. Listen to him as he comes limping down the steps, a decade of boys surround him; "Have you settled that difficulty with l\1r.·N .... ?" "Father, it wasn't my fault." "Better get the -Iines,-if you don't deserve them this time, you have on many other occasions." "I didn't see you at communion. on last Sunday! "Humph! humph! humph!"· "How is your sister? will she be at Sunday School, this afternoon? Humph!". :.As steel is drawn by the magnet, in the meanwhile, the veterans have been drawn nearer. "Humph ! Y e-.:s-the tickets-:-all ready? "-"don't forget the advertisement in th~ Ledger, humph! humph!" ''What's the matter with Mr. F .... ? he hasn't been to the Sodality for two Sun· days,-humph ! " An old "apple-/ad}'," who has been following his limping steps, with ill-shod feet, and lifted hands, and open mouth, and happy smili~g face, now catches his eye and drops a profound courtesy-"Yes, Norah, next Friday will be the first Sunday in the month,-don't forget the Devotion to the ·Sacred Heart." Passing is a lady dressed in the height of the fashion-"Humph! Miss-eh! don't forget Sunday School to-day." A smile and a bow is his answer. Look at that old man with a cane, why does he hasten so? mass will not be begun for ten minutes yet. He wants to hear: "Good music to-day, Martin; Haydn's No 4; Father .... preaches." So a word. to most, a word like good seed, J?lessed by God, and a smile for all. .. T~e late mass is over-see him again at his post, a word, a smile, a shake of the hand, the old and the young, the �St. · 7oscpks Clwrclz, Pltiladclplzia. I ' 27 rich and the poor, the saint and the sinner-:-the Irishman with his rich brogue, the German with his golden locks, the French Madame with her flowers and bows, the Italian \vith his swarthy complexion, the Spaniard or Mexican with his stately carriage-the American with his nonchalant air, yes-the humble African, carrying his cap in his hand, none Cdn pass without raising the eye to see if he can gain an answering glance, to gladden his heart on his way home and form the staple of the dinner-table chat; -while many stop to speak of a sad bereavement or to tell a sorrow and hear a word of consolation and encouragement-to whisper a coming joyful surprise and receive a word of sympathy. Happy quadrangle, blessed by such steps! Dinner is over. Listen to those laughs, hear those shouts, look at those wrestling boys, can this be Sunday in the Quaker City? Yes, it is the children, the happy children of St. Joseph's, . waiting for the opening of the Sunday School, waiting for Father Barbelin (Alas! no longer waitin,; for him, for he is gone. whither he was so desirous to take them, to Heaven.) He is gone, but they are there, and he is there in the "tablet in the Southern wall." One of St. Joseph's Sunday School's daughters, the talented, sweet-singing Eleanor C. Donnelly, thus writes: "Once in his life he said-( God rest his soul 1) : When I am dead I would be glad to lie Near the old Church, where friends might see my grave, And breathe a prayer for me as they passed by. 0 rare humility 1 0 saint-like fear 1 'Vhich after years of zealous ministry, Rested with such a simple child-like faith, Upon the prayers of sinners such as we. God's blessing on the earnest heart that held The words safe treasured :*-and God's blessing fall * The Compiler of this account, who feels most grateful for the blessing. �28 S:. :Joscplz's Clmrclz, Plzif,ldclplzi,l. Like clearest sunshine, on the lives of those ··who set this tablet in the Southern wall.* It was the one thing needed then and there : Not that his memory could grow dim and die, But it was good to see his pleasant face, And feel him, as a guar~ian angel, nigh. The footsteps of the children come and go, Like sounds of summer leaves in pattering rain, And from the wall their Father's face looks down .-\.nd seems to smile upon them once again. Organ may peal, and consecrated chime Summon the faithful to the holy Mass, But surest u:agnet of them all-behold! The fdce that seems to brighten as they pass. The sinner ling' ring at the gate, Afraid to enter and confess his sin, Hears from the marble lips : 'Come, come, dear child!' And mao!ered by old memories-goes in.t Blest are the dead who in the Lord repose, For their works follow them,-yea, holy priest ! -The very meekness of the sculptured face · Wins s0uls to Heaven, though thy life has ceased. 0 Christ! who wept when gentle Lazarus diedSend quiet rains upon this Tablet white; And let thy sunshine gild his brow by day, Thy moonbeams softly silver it hy night. Silent, he seems to list~n to th~ hum Of chil1ish voices in the sunny yard, Within-the sweet Lord holds His court: withoutDear FS\ther Barbelin keepeth watch and ward." June 8th, 1870. * The Fr. Barbelin }Iemorial Association. t This predictio!J. has mor~ than once been verified . . ··' ... · '"' .. ' . . ' ,.: . �St. Yoseplt's Clmrclz, Philadelplzia. At l~:ngth he appears, panting and short-breathed, hilt s niling still the while. Is the noise stilled? it but grows the louder, those infant hearts cannot but speaK their happin~ss in joyous shouts: The Sunday School is over-the Sodalists have sung the office of their Heavenly Motheragain the quadrangle is alive with cheerful voices, not those of childrt:n now, but those of youths, the young gentlemen and young lady Sodalists who have finished their devotions and are waiting the beginning of Vespers. At length the organ sounds and the quadrangle is nearly deserted. A joyful "Te Deum" and a solemn "Laudate Dominum" ani heard and crowds again stream out into the shady enclo.:. sure. Now it will soon be quiet for the day. Oh, no! the Rosary is to be recited-the library will soon be openedthe Conference of St. Vincent de Paul cannot disperse without their usual meeting, what would the poor do? Father This and Father That are to be told, that So and So are veiy ill, or to be ask~:d: "couldn't you bring Holy Communion some day this week to Mother?" or to be informed: ''Father, my brother hasn't been to his duties for years, and is now dying of the Consumption, he can't last many day~-we don't live in this parish, we live way down,inSt.-·-·-·sparish: But, Father, he won't have any body but you. Please, Father, do come and speak with him and get hirn to gci to confession, and I'll get Father-·-to anoint him." Out of one door go four or five parties each carrying a little angel, that a short time before had coine in a little d-1. In the other enters another party whose flowers and perfume announce a bridal. The supper bell rings; surely now the quadrangle will be like a ''banquet hall deserted!" Yes, for a while, except that some of the guests remain loth to depart. There is a last request to St. Joseph-a last i•Hail Mary" to be said at our Mother's Altar- "that she will not let my mother die, that Charley may come to confession"-a last visit to Jesus in His Tabernacle of Love-to beg for this favor, to pray that �30 St. JOS<'}ks Cit: rdt, P/zi!adclp/tia. that temptation may not overpower-" I cannot. tear myself away," says an old lady! "it seems so much like Heaven." The State House Bell-noble bell, even if you are cracked and useless-glorious old State House Bell-that pealed the birth-hymn of civil liberty-there is no necessity for me to sound your paean, soon your praises will be read in every paper throughout this vast republic. The present State House Bell strikes seven. vVhat! are the duties of the day to begin again? No: 1Jut, perhaps, there's a meeting of the colored people, in the basement: perhaps, the particular Conference of St. Vincent de Paul meets at St. Joseph's,·this evening: perhaps, the Sodality is to rehearse for the approaching celebration; perhaps,-but never mind! there they are, men and women, girls and boys, blackamoor and Celt, and there he is in the midst of them, listening to all, conversing with a score at a time, but working out his own plans the meanwhile. Dear Father, you seem as simple as the dove, but, I know, the cunning of the serpent is not wanting in you. At half-past nine the iron gate is closed, and then at last, after sixteen and a half hours, that quadrangle of St. Joseph's is, for a short while, empty and still. Blessed quadrangle ! Could Father Greaton when he selected the secluded spot, beneath the spreading Walnut trees, have ever imagined such a s_cene? But then he had not the happiness of knowing Father Barbelin. [To be rontinued.] �FATHER WENINGER ON THE PACIFIC COAST. SECOND LETTER. REV. AND VERY DEAR FATHER: P. C. The main reason, which led the Most Rev. Archbishop Alemany to desire my presence in San Francisco, was the hostile attitude of the German Catholics in that city. Their church, which was situated near the harbor amidst the din and bustle of business, had become unsuitable as a house of God. They were, therefore, thinking of selecting a more convenient site in the centre of the city, when serious diffi· culties broke out between the Archbishop and some self· willed, headstrong members of the Congregation. The matter was taken to the secular courts, and an open rupture ensued between the chief shepherd and this discontented, wayward flock. Meanwhile the old church, which was all of iron, had fallen into utter decay and become actually unsafe. The innocent, as well as the guilty, thus found themselves without a temple of their own and were obliged to offer their adorations in our old College church, which the Fathers at St. Ignatius had kindly placed at their disposal until they would be provided with more suitable accommodations. Such was the state of the congregation on my arrival. I was expected to bring back these refractory spirits to a , sense of duty, to harmonize these discordant elements, to adjust existing differences and to remove the scandal. I soon perceived that I had entered upon a new and unexplored field of experience. I felt that the people of California were widely different in character from any that I had �32 Fr. lVminger 011 tfze Pacific Coast. hitherto dealt with. They seemed to form a race apart, almost as unlike their Texan neighbors as they are unlike the New Englanders. But a mission moves on victoriously, even amid the most untoward circumstances. It is an irresistable steam-engine of grace, which can grind a heart of quartz to dust. I opened it at once and continued it for a fortnight with unequivocal signs of Heaven's approval. Strengthened in their faith and renewed in spirit, the Germans resolved to be Catholics in deed as \Yell as in name. They wished to buy another lot immediately, and without further delay to build a church and school-house of their o\vn. But there were still great obstacles to remove. Up to that time, the Archbishop had refused giving his ,consent, until the law-suit would have been decided. Besides this, the authors of the trouble had spread the rumor that, even should they gain the case, his Grace would never allow the Germans to build a church for their own exclusive use. I undertook to represent the case to the Archbishop during the course of the mission. I insisted that, if he wished it .to be successful, he must accede to the present wishes of the Congregation, and that he must himself lay on the altar, in the presence of the people, the document entitling the Germans to erect a ne~v church destined exclusively for their use. I even went so far as to dictate to him the words in which he was to address them, in order to allay their suspicions. The prelate agreed to my every proposal with edifying humility, and his lenient, conciliatory conduct produced the happiest results. A new lot was purchased for about thirty thousand dollars in a very eligible part of San Francisco, and a large building was erected containing under one roof a temporary church and school-house. Immediately after this mission, I was invited to give one in English in the church of St. Francis of Assisi, which is under the direction of the Dominican Fathers. I answered �Fr. TVmi11ger 011 tlzc Pacific Coast. 33 the call with the greatest pleasure, because the journey to San Francisco, for the sole purpose of giving one mission to a single German parish, really seemed too long.. Having come so far, I wished to do as much good as possible along the Pacific Coast. I cannot give the reader a better idea of the success which attended my efforts and of the consolatipns which I enjoyed, than by quoting an extract from an article, which appeared on that occasion in the San Fran cisco llfonitor. "One of the most successful Missions ever given in California, closed on Monday evening last, at the Church of St. Francis in this city. The well established fame of the Missionary, his towering zeal for the reclamation of sinners, his forcible eloquence, his celebrity as an author of many important works of a devotional character, all naturally attracted great numbers to see and hear him. No one was disappointed. "From the first day of the mission the confessionals were crowded. Certain days of the week were set apart for the special instructions of married men, married women, young men and young women, and the numbers which filled the beautiful church on all occasions bear testimony to the intense interest manifested by all classes. Ten Confessors were almost constantly in attendance.-Sunday morning last at half past five the Church was filled with men of all ages; women being excluded. Every member of that vast Congregation approached the altar; old, young, and middle a~ed-presenting a more edifying spectacle, than was ever Witnessed within a Church in San Francisco. "At last Mass, the renewal of the baptismal vows took place. At the close of the sermon the Sanctuary was ~rowded with boys and girls, a number of the latter dressed m white, with flowing veils and wearing wreaths of roses. In the centre of the platform, elevated above the children, who surrounded the altar dais, stood the Missionary. In a voice clear and distinct, he ordered the Congregation to stand up, and to every question, one loud and solemn reply attested the sublimity of that strong christian faith, which enables the sincere Catholic to hold himself in readiness, to _die for his religion. The fervor of their responses, the VOices of the children ringing in a clear treble above the �34 Fr. IVminger 011 the Pacific Co.ut. deeper tones of the Congregation, and again the solemn exhortations of Father \Veninger, beseeching them to keep faith forever pure in their souls, sent an electric thrill through the people, which found vent in tears of ineffable joy. "Monday evening the Blessing of the Mission Cross took place and the Papal Benediction was administered. For this o~casion the Altar and Sanctuary were decorated with flowers and evergreens in extraordinary profusion. H l!ndreds of lights dazzled around and upon the Altar, and numerous little girls arrayed in white were ranged along the rails of the Sanctuary. A splendid instrumental band and an increased choir also lent additional interest to the ceremonies. The effect was grand and replete with those soulelevating-~ensations, which the ceremonies of the Church of God can alone impart. Tuesday was set apart for the enrollment of hundreds of children in the Confraternity of the Holy Infants. The offering amounted to $I 16 in gold. By this act the spiritual exercises in the parish of St. Francis were brought to a close,-a work which can never be effaced from the memory of any one who attended them. "The splendid Mission Cross, some twelve feet in length, was placed in a niche over St. Joseph's Altar, and the magnificent inscription in gold letters across the arms, "He that shall persevere to the end, shall be saved," will always serve, to remind those, who attended the Mission of I 869, that their promises of amendment will avail them nothing, unless they keep them unsullied and unbroken, to the end. "How consoling to the 1\'Iissionary's heart must be the pleasure of this his first fruit among.the English speaking Catholics of the Pacific Coast t In common with others we rejoiced, that in the midst of the tirades of an Anti-Catholic Press the Church moves forward with gigantic strides drawing still closer around her devoted children, and adding many a stray sheep, which is not yet of the flock, to the one fold and the one shepherd. Several professions of faith took place, and others are being instructed previous to their reception into the Church." From San Francisco I passed on to Maiysville and gave a Retreat to the clergy in the diocese of Grass Valley. It is presided over by Bishop 0: Connel, who had wished me since p1any years back to give the spiritual exercises to his flock. Thanks be to Heaven, the first effects were most �I Fr. ~Vmingt'r Oil tile Pacific Coast. 35 consoling to his heart and to mine. Indeed, according to my experience,' no mission is accompanied with such copious showers of grace as one given to priests. As our Fathers are frequently called upon to give Retreats to the Clergy, they will not consider it out of place here to record what personal experience has taught concerning this particular kind of mission. In the first place, I regard an absolute silence as an indispensable condition for complete success. To ensure this point, a Retreat to all the priests in common should never exceed three or four days. A full Triduum, with an introduction on the eve of the first day and a concluding meditation on the morning of the fourth, is quite s~fficient. Priests, as a general rule, are very willing to close their lips for three or four days, but no longer. If it is not possible, for want of sufficient accommodation, to furnish them all with private rooms, the large halls in which they are lodged, should be partitioned off with curtains, and each one be provided with separate compartment to which he may retire to avoid the temptation of speaking. Each of these little cells or rooms should be supplied with paper, pen and ink, but especially with some ascetical work or the life of a Saint. During these three days, I am in the habit of giving eleven Meditations and three Conferences. I do not content myself with merely explaining the points to them, and then leaving them to meditate by themselves. As a general rule, they are not accustomed to meditate, and if abandoned to themselves are apt to spend the time in an idle, listless way with but little profit to their souls. It is much better to stay with them the whole hour and go through the Meditations with them, suggesting such pious affections and resolutions as the subject naturally calls forth. After this, they may withdraw to their own apartments and spend a quarter of an hour in pondering over what they have heard. This exercise, which our Holy Father calls the a �36 Fr. 1Vming-cr on t!tc R1cijic Coast. "Regustatio Spiritus," often contributes more than the l\Ieditation itself to inspire them with salutary resolutions. I also make the particular examen with them at noon and at night. This enables me to rekindle their fervor, to dwell upon the importance of silence and retirement and to move them to still greater fidelity during the following half day. At night, after the points have been explained, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed upon the altar, the "l\Iiserere" is sung by all, the Benediction given and night prayers recited in common. A Retreat conducted in this manner cannot fail, it seems to me, to ·be crowned with success. If, after eleven Med1 itations and three Conferences, a p riest is not renewed in spirit, if he is not resolved to make a good confession and to lead a life worthy of his high calling, no good need be expected from him by protracting the exercises of the Retreat. He will only grow more and more weary of his present condition, because he is out of the common routine of daily life to which 'he has become accustomed, and probably deprivc.d of many little creature comforts which he enjoys at home. If he has not been cured by the terrorstriking considerations of the first three days, he is apt to nauseate less fearful subjects altogether, to turn the most wholesome spiritual food into dea~ly poison and only add to the weight of his accountability-before God. At the very least, you must expect that he will throw off the irksome restraint put upon him and show but little regard for silence and recollection. I sometimes say, in connection· with this subject: St. Paul had made a Retreat of but·three days, when the scales fell from his eyes. If they do not fall from the eyes of a sinful priest after the same length of time, they will not fall off at all ; on the contrary, there is danger of their hardening and becoming still more difficult to remove. A' French Bishop has justly remarked; "Un pretre, qui n'est pas converti a Ia troisieme journee, est tue par Ia quatrieme ;-a priest, who is not converted on the third day, is killed by the fourth." �Fr. IVcningcr on t!te Pacific Coast. 37 Besides, if the Retreat begins on Monday or Tuesday evening and finishes on Friday or Saturday morning, a goodly nu<nber of priests can attend without depriving their congregations for a single Sunday of divine worship. The priests themselves will be less reluctant to repeat such a Retreat, as often as an occasion offers ; and the Father who gives it, will save time "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam." \Vhile I was thus engaged, I received a letter from his Grace, Archbishop Blanchet of Oregon, inviting me to give missions in all his dioceses. He urged me to ".:;eize time by the forelock" and be ahead of the cold season which would soon b<: upon u ~. The Bishop of Marysville, on the other hand, advised me to defer the missions in his diocese on ac<:ount of the intense heat. Accordingly, I ~esolved to consult the wishes of both of these prelates as well as the comfort of the people, and to start immediately for Oregon. Before asking my readers to accompany me thither in spirit, I trust they will allow me to detain them a little on what has been to me a subject of heartfelt consolation. In Marysville, which I was just going to quit for a season, I fell in with some distinguished American converts, who had been brought to the fc<ith by reading my little volume on "Protestantism and Infidelity;" and elsewhere I discovered to my great surprise that, through that book, I was almost better known among Americans on'the Pacific Coast than in the Atlantic Cities. The San Francisco Monitor almost reproduced the work in its columns; and in the Railway car~, as well as on the boats, converts addressed me who had perused its pages and who expressed the most cordial joy on seeing its author. Among the unknown friends, whose acquaintance I thus unexpectedly made, was a man from the great "Indian Reservation" on the Pacific Coast, who once sent me a letter to Buffalo to announce an extraordinary conversion. Two stray copies of"Protestantism and Infidelity" had found their way to the "Reservation," and one of these had been put �38 Fr. TVmingcr o1z tlte Pacific Coast. into the hands of an American, who had been committed to prison for murder. He read it, recognized the claims of our holy Faith and was received into the bosom of the Church. \Vhile standing upon the gallows, previous to his execution, he addressed the crowd ; and confessing his crime, he thanked God who out of so enormous an evil, had been pleased to draw so great a good for his soul. He expressed the firm confidence that being now a member of the true and only saving Church of Christ, he would appear cleansed from his sins in the presence of a merciful Judge, and despite his past iniquities would be admitted to the joys of hei!-ven. As was expected his words made a deep . impression on the people; and when I heard of the occurrence, I immediately sent fifty more copies for distribution among the protestants in that part of the country. I have taken the liberty to state these particulars, notas I[.hope-from any selfish satisfaction, but from a desire to confirm by fresh, living examples and personal experience what every member of the Society already knows from our annals and family traditions-that good books are one of the most powerful weapons, which we can wield as soldiers of the cross. Yet, often, perhaps, we practically underrate their importance and feel tempted to abandon the labor of composition altogether, for the more exciting and possibly more attractive duties of the.imlpit. Had I come to this country dumb, I would never regret having crossed the ocean, so long as I would have been allowed to use my pen, and spread my works abroad. Up to the present I have been enabled by my own exertions to circulate books to the amount of some two hundred thousand dollars ; and I engage all my brethren to use their individual as well as their united efforts in a similar undertaking. Their eloquence can' attract but a limited number of hearers, and at best must cease with their lives; their writings may be read .and reread by millions and continuethe ,good begun, when the authors themselves have �Fr. IVmiugcr on tit<· Pacific Coast. 39 gone to their reward. I should only feel too happy. if a'~ord of recommendation from me would induce many to walk in the footprints left by_ a Possevin and other distin~ guished writers of the Society, even at a time when the press was not yet that powerful engine of good or evil which it has become in our days, and when the Church did not yet urge her educated and sworn defenders so repeatedly and so earnestly as our own Pius has done, to counteract the pernicious influence of the infidel books, slanderous pamphlets and immoral squibs, which stock the literary market and which are bought up and devoured with such dangerous greed, owing to a want of more wholesome nourishment. It is for us-who are particularly called upon to break to the hungry the bread of holy doctrine-to supply this urgent demand, to diminish this dearth of sound intellectual food and prevent the children of the h~usehold from famishing, or begging for a poisoned crumb at the door of a stranger. Great, beyond measure, was the encouragement I received, when the Holy Father. himself wrote to me; that by my work on the "Infallible Authority of the Pope," I had done more good than by all the missions which I had given throughout the States. Certain it is that, should God require me to renounce either the meritS gained by my sermons or those gained by my books, 1 should exclaim without hesitation: "Leave me those of my books, l renounce those of my sermons;" Such considerations as these were almost enough to attach my heart to Marysville. I embarked, however, for Oregon in the beginning of September, and felt happy in the thought that I· was traveling on the same ocean, on which St. Francis Xavier had traveled in his missionary expeditions of old. It is called the Pacific; but along the shores of California up towards· Oregon and· Washington Territory, this appellation is seemingly a lucus a ?ton lu~ cendo. The tide nearly always runs high; and chafing· with' �40 Fr. 1Vminger ott the Pacific Coast. reckless fury bears you along on a crest of foam. I particularly recollect the terror of a New Englander one stormy day, as he looked in horror out upon the seething mountains of water, and ever and anon repeated the significant exclamation "awful ! awful ! " However as I had the first cabin on board, I was able to say Mass every day. I never sacrificed to Neptune on sea, and to my comfort I discovered, that though the Pacific was rough, its waves were quite different from those of the Atlantic. On the latter, particularly about the Gulf of Mexico, they are sharp and broken; on the former-possibly because ~9f the difference in the temperature-they rise gradually like extensive hills, an.d consequently in stormy weather the motions of the steamer are not so violent. As our route lay along the shore, we enjoyed the grand and truly picturesque scenery presented by the mountain chains, and particularly by the towering heights of Mt. Shasta. The deep too added its share to the romance of the trip. The many whales that perform their awkward gambols, apparently for the diversion of the traveler, and the seals or sea-lions that cover the passing rocks-all entertain him on his way and relieve that e?mm: which is seen to come over the majority of men, when for days in succession they see nothing but the same monotonous expanse of sea and sky. The oceari ·itself was often to me an object of intense wonder and delight, when in the evening, at a certain angle of the setting sun, all its massive waves seemed to be changed into so much liquid silver and cast a brilliant sheen around us. After a pleasant voyage,we approached at last the dreaded "Columbia Bar"-one of the most difficult places to pass, on account of the masses of sand gathered at the mouth of that mighty river. It is lined on both sides by fortifications -the one called Fort Stevens, the other l<ort Disappointment. The name of the latter may have originated in the disappointment of those who had expected to come into port �4I TVoodstock. there, but who sometimes had to wait for eight or ten days before they could cross the bar. Fortunately we experienced no difficulty, but went smoothly over to Astoria, and from thence to Portland, the "Empire City" of Oregon. And here I must halt awhile, leaving my readers to muse 'over its real or imaginary grandeurs. More in my next. With many regards Yours affectionately in Dno. F. X. WENINGER. WOODSTOCK, JT.S SURROUNDINGS AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS. I I i I Our first modest attempts to emulate the example of the European Scholasticates, by publishing periodical letters and notices, has, in the remoter parts of our North American provinces and missions, excited a pardonable curiosity to know more about Woodstock. Anxious as not a few have shown themselves to glean, be it even from a stray letter, or from an occasional wayfarer, whatever information they can concerning this young Scholasticate, we must confess we are not a whit less so to gratify their desire, and fondly to dwell on what the Society has with no niggard hand provided for the formation and well-being of her children. It is for the present the only means of testifying our gratitude, though at best it is but a poor return for so much goodness and foresight. �42 Woodstock. Under the above heading we purpose to crowd into a few pages the merest tithe of what may be said on, for us at least, so interesting a subject. Much will be left for those who follow in our wake to descant upon in more becoming phrase, and for this reason at the very outset we bespeak all possible indulgence. Into the upper waters of the Che~apeake, that bay of many beauties, one hundred and fifty miles from the Ocean, the Patapsco discharges the tributes it has received from torrent, fount and stream among the uplands of what is here termed the. \Vestern Shore. Even ten miles from its mouth, the Patapsco is a broad expanse, for which bay or in!rt would be no misnomer. At this point, on a site of more than ordinary beauty, rise on hill-side and terrace the familiar domes and spires of the Monumental City. It bears, as we all know, the name of the elder Calvert; but with it is as~ociated also the memory of those wholesouled men, who, without the savage bigotry of the puritan, dared like dangers, displayed equal fortitude, shook off the same religious intolerance and \vould have gained the same, if not greater applause from men, had they worshipped at any other altar save that of Truth. It was befitting that under the shadow of the Metropolitan Church the general America~· Scholasticate should spring into life. May Providence vouchsafe to it a greater longevity than that enjoyed a decade of years ago by the first American Scholasticate, planted by some strange coincidence within two score miles of Plymouth rock. But while wishing it a more protracted term of usefulness, we could scarcely augur for it one of more unmingled happiness than that which fell to the lot of Boston College so long as it endured. There were we gathered together under the kindest of fathers, around whose brow beamed a something less in keeping with earth than mere human benevolence, a something suggestive of the halo of the �•• �-~~--=- w �REFERENCES TO THE MAP. 1. Florence Copper Mine. 2. Springfield " 3. Chrome Ore Mines and Crushing Mills. 4. U. S. Arsenal. 5. Bare Hill Copper Mine. 6. New Mount Hope Insane Asylum (Sistpr~ of Charity). 7. Powder Mills. 8. Soap Stone Quarry. 9~ Woodstock Scholasticate. 10. Asbestos Quarry. 11. St. Charles' College (St. Sulpice). 12. Carroll Manor·(Hon. Charles Carroll of Carrollton). 13. Patapsco Female Institute. 14. House of Study (Rcdemptorist~). 15. Academy of Mount de Sales (Sister~ of tlw \"isitntion). 16. Sulphur Springs. 17. Baltimore Alms House. 18. Fort :McHenry. 19. Rock Hill College (Chri~titm Brothers) ;!; Church or Meeting Hous<·. o l\Iill or Factory. 0 Mine. s. School. st. Country Storl'. b. Blacksmith or ·whe!'lwright. ��Tvoodstock. 43 martyr, a so:nething akin to the seal the servants of God are to bear before this wicked world is stricken. Those who were fortunate enough to live under that mild sway, amidst brothers of many nations, of many minds, but of one heart, will easily conceive that iw greater praise can be lavished on \Voodstock than to say, it justly claims as its birthright and its inheritance the same public virtues: a similar kindness in the rulers and an equally close bond of fraternal charity amongst the ruled. This antonomastically is the virtue of the American Scholastic, and the Great Apostle or the Beloved Disciple were they to visit in body this religious community made up of so many nationalities could scarcely do else than marvel at what the world would call cosmopolitan good-fellowship; but which ennobled by a higher motive, hallowed by membership with Christ, can be termed naught else than universal Charity. To dwell on the personnel of the house, 9r the professional staff, would be presumptuous. The Catholic countries of the Old \Vorld have been laid under contribution. vVe have but to thank our Mother the Society for her discernment. \Ve repeat for the hundredth time it is true, but it will be a more emphatic declaration in these pages, that all are enraptured with their kindness, their devotedness and . . . . reparabi!is adsonat ec!to. Blest therefore by Providence, as is this house, with the best available talent of our European provinces, it is not the less favored by nature, when. we consider the advantages of its position. As to what may have been the object of the founders of the Society in expressing the wish that its scholastic youth be trained in the great centres of the Old World, we shall not stop to enquire; but as things since then have undergone a radical change, and since the great catholic universities have all but ceased to exist, there are few drawbacks and many unquestionable advantages in solitude. It favours study and a religious spirit which should go hand in hand with learning ; there are charms, as we were told in �44 ~Voodstock. youth in poetic strain, which sages have seen in the £<ce of Solitude : to these charms 'vVoodstock can lay claim, for \Voodstock before all is a solitude. Some fifteen miles in a direct line from the city, it is fully five and twenty by rail, owing to the windings of the Patapsco which the Baltimore and Ohio railroad follows in its route. This great thoroughfare of western traffic on leaving Baltimore deviates, as may be seen by consulting the accompanying map, first to the southwest until it reaches the Relay House, where it effects a junction with the Washington line. Here it abruptly turns to the northwest, enters at Illchester th~ gorge hewn out of the solid rock during the lapse of ages by the falls of the Patapsco, traverses Ellicott's City, and crossing and re-crossing the river at Elysville, after many windings, finally passes the village of 'vVoodstock on its way to the Cumberland coal region and the far West. The hills on either side of the river are abrupt and in many places precipitous, crowned with cedar groves, or woods of oak, maple, hickory, the tulip poplar, the gum, the fragrant" sassafras and the more humble dogwood, whose profuse white flowers in the full bloom of spring are in striking contrast with the crimson blossoms of the Judas-tree, and whose blood red berries in the glow of an Indian summer show even brighter than the brilliant hues of our American forests in autumn. The rocky sides of the river-slopes are studded with mountain laurel, and so thoroughly are its branches interwoven, that it forms all but an impenetrable thicket, affording safe covert for rabbit, fox and quail, while the glades and snatches of neglected cle~rings or fallow lands are fairly resplendent with the beautiful azalea. A hundred feet or more above the river bed stretches out a table land of more or less rolling country, broken more and more the nearer you approach the course of the numerous i<u·ger streams, which from north-west to south-east traverse the countries bordering on the Chesapeake. • I ���Bloodstock. 45 It is on the brow of one of these eminences of more gradual <'.scent that we first catch a glimpse of the Scholas· ticate. Its appearance is about that portrayed in the accompanying sketch, which was taken from a point scarcely thirty feet below the level of the front garden. The main portion of the hill does not enter into the picture. There is an object almost at the outskirts of the sparse woods fringing the crest of the hill which arrests our attention as we advance. It is a nondescript edifice as yet without roof, and bears, as it now stands, a striking resemblance to those platforms which adorn the gartm of the Teuton. From this position the scene is indeed one to be despised by no lover of nature. The serpentine course of the Pa~ tapsco, so far down beneath us that the noise of its waters as they dash over the rocks at the ford is toned down to a gentle murmur: the vista between the hills, whose rough contour is softened by the woodlands on their slopes: the strip.offertile meadow at the margin of the stream: the island with its rank growth of reeds and willows, the stream itself silvered by distance and the play of light: the pearly mist hanging veil-like midway down the valley, and the haze at the borizon, which, with more than artist's skill, heightens the atmospheric perspective: the stark piers of the broken bridge suggestive of scenes of violence amidst one of peace and beauty; such in a few hurried strokes is the rough outline of a charming picture, simple in itself, without grandeur in complex or detail, but one on which the eye reposes with pleasure, as in it, as in all else in nature, it finds the beauty of proportion and of color, it discovers the handiwork of Him who reared alike the ponderous peaks of the Matterhorn and unfolded the smiling plains of Andalusia or Touraine. To this add the music of those many minstrels, which travelers could not have heard when they wrote down our forests as silent, those minstrels of gaudy plumage from the robin and mocking-bird of more sombre hue to the ori- I �11 oodstock. ole, the cardinal, the humming-bird, the mottled thrush and of a thousand others, all peculiar to our American shores, and these charms will be appreciated not by the foreigner alone. The unpretending hamlet of vVoodstock, consisting of scarcely a dozen houses, nestles snugly in a fold of the hills halfway up the southern slope, seemingly unconscious that it lies within a score of miles of one of the, great centres of American civilization. ' We have delayed you long, perhaps too long, ad !imina Sclwlasticonmz. One pause more ere we reach the entrance. The garden'with its grass plots and many colored platbands is of but t\\ro summers' growth. It is the result of patient . toil on the part of the scholastics during their leisure hours. Those who wish to inspect the interior of the house we refer to a back number of the Letters a1td Notices, (March I 870.) Those on the contrary who still delight to breathe the open air, we shall lead anon through the shady paths which have already been so often trodden, and which for many a coming year will be trodden still more frequently by the votaries of Philosophy and Theology. Ana here it would be well to remark that a negative process in describing the site and vicinity of our house would perhaps afford more satisfaction to those who have sojourned at one or other of the scholasticates .of France or England. \Voodstock, it is needless to say, is neither Laval, St. Achceul, Vals, Fourviere, nor St. Beuno's. At Laval, St. Michael's overlooks an antiquated city, with crooked streets and quaint old buildings. Here, on the contrary, you could easily imagine yourself in a country but recently settled. The click-clack of the hand-loom, which greets the ear of the scholastic as he saunters along the peacefully flowing Mayenne, has on the wild banks of thePatapsco at this point no corresponding sounds of industry save at times the measured stroke of the woodman's axe. Neither has the Woodstock student the advantage �FVoodstock. 47 during th.: midsummer vacation of being welcomed to a new home* by the mother of a rr.artyr and a saint. . St. Acha!ul possesses attraCtions of its own. Its shady alleys of linden, which with matchless symmetry, all but meet over head so as effectually to exclude the sun's rays and to catch at the same time 'the faintest breath of the breeze if stirring; its incomparable garden laid out by a Le Notre, would scarcely remind an inmate of our house of the umbrageous by roads and meandering paths through woodlands planted by nature's hand alone, and left untutored in their wild and exuberant growth. The snug retreat ofCagny whence philosophy and the classics are banished for the nonce ; where, we might say without fear of being contradicted by those who have ever passed a fortnight of a summer's month amidst its bowers, the morning excitator assumes the agreeable form of a score or so of nightingales warbling with persistent energy at your window, and where the same welcome sound lulls you to repose at night: B~ves with its ruins and the low turf fields of Longeau, so lately crimsoned with the noblest blood of France ; Wailly, Prousul, once the home of the hero of Castelfidardo, Picquigny and the abbatial ruins of Corbie have no place in our map-And oh t the grand old aisles of Amiens Cathedralever within an easy stage, when the scholastic's only trouble is to decide whither to bend his steps, we find no term of comparison for them on this side of the Atlantic, much less in our immediate vicinity. Fourviere, fostering in her bosom a sacred shrine, resort of pious pilgrims, looks down unconcerned upon the bustling streets of the second city of the Gauls. There at her feet the Rhone and Saone mingle their waters, bearing on their united floods silken fabrics to the ports of the Mediterranean, and far off in the east one can just catch a * Villa of Grenousse-Country seat of 1\Ide. Dueoudray. �1Voodstock. glimpse of the eternal snows, which mant!t..: the summit of l\lount Blanc. \ Vho of us has not heard of Vals even on this side of the Atlantic? \Vhat few points of resemblance between that time-honored abode of learning, commanding from its terraced garden a view of Notre Dame de France and l\Iont Corneille, and our \Voodstock, on whose walls the mortar is barely dry, round whose name clings as yet scarcely a memory of the pa<>t. Vals, region of incomparable walks, village of picturesque surroundings, did ever scholastic under your roof despair of finding a new object of interest to visit on the ever ,~;elcome Thurs.day or on any other auspicious day on that goodly list of extra 'i 1acats, which graced, better than vignette of gold, your venerable diarium? Extinct craters, mountains of basalt and trap, les Orgues d'Espally, le Gerbier, Polignac, Ceysac and a thousand other equally interesting spots, each claims a day for itself. l\Ions, of all villas the most agreeabl~, from whose keep the less inclined to physical exertion can scan a horizon of mountains and inhale .the bracing air which sweeps up from the ravine of the Loire, we would welcome you bodily to our shores were il among the order of things possible. Where in all V elay, region built up by Titans, can be found~ scene of such wild, rugged and sublime beauty as that which the philosopher or theologian commands when looking down upon Les Horreurs de Ia Loire? Throned on pinnacle of trap, or basaltic column, your eyes repose on the sombre forest of mountain-pine lying at your feet. Beyond they wander over luxuriant villages and vineclad slopes; then they take in the Loire with its all but impossible windings; still further on across the ever impetuous but pellucid torrent, mountain on mountain piled, with craggy sides dotted here and there \Vith sunlit hamlets, or the white towers of feudal strongholds perched on unapproachable sites ; then at the horizon high aboye the jagged outline of the Cevennes tower the snow-tapped peaks of the Mezin, perhaps, if in a mild May, faintly wreathed in the vapors of its melting snow. �Woodstock. 49 \Ye must also confess that in the vicinity of \V~odstock few of those spectacles of tender piety, peculiar to Catholic countries, but exotic in this heretical land, rejoice the religious heart, as they invariably do in the immediate neighborhood of Vals. No gatherings at their thresholds of indefatigable Ponottes, industriously occupied at their bobbin-work, weaving lace and singing motets in their own peculiar patois, not the less harmoniou? for ·not being understood. • Your sister scholasticate does not forget that you are yet sorrowing, but in a religious spirit, for the loss of him whom all loved more tenderly than a second father. The name of your late amiable Rector* is en graven on more than one heart in the far-off land and even under this hospitable roof; and as he will not be forgotten in our thoughts he will live also in our prayers ready in turn to bless and assist us should he already have reached the term of all his hopes and aspirations. The Scholasticate of Woodstock can well sympathize with you in your sorrow, for young.as it is it has already to lament the long severance, until the day of final greeting, of eternal fellowship, from the kindest of teachers, the gentlest of hearts, the most beloved where all are held so dear.t The loss is wholly ours, and we mean not to repine, since he has already met with his reward for the many years he has toiled in the vineyard of his Master; and as we bend over the new-made grave in that little grove which crowns the hill, those sweet lines of Callanan break spontaneously from our lips: Oh ! 'tis a placid rest; Who should deplore it ! Trance ot the pure and blest, Angels watch o'er it I Sleep of his mortal night., Sorrow can't break it; Heaven's own morning light Alone shall awake it. *Father J. B. Rouquayrol. t Father Charles 1'!1. Maldonado, �50 Woods toek. Nobly thy course is run; Splendor is round it! Bravely thy fight is.won; Freedom hach crowned it! In the high warfare Of heaven grown hoary, Thou'rt gone like the summer sun Shrouded in glory. St. Beuno's, last in our enumeration but not so on the roll of honor, we regret that we are not more familiar with your surroundings l \Ve have heard of your superb walk in that land .next to the Highlands of mountain and of glen ; the fame of your noble oak has reached our ears ; we have wandered in fancy to the beetling cliff.., of Barmouth, or stood on its long jetty; we have all but bathed in the surf which breaks on the shingled beach. The little we can glean from what has been whispered acwss the waste of waters serves but to whet our curiosity and we stand ready to be enlightened when convenience or leisure may allow. Such then are the physical features of the several Scholastica-tes enumerated. Different in many points, we all know that they are one in spirit, one in the mode of training, one in their object. All have been chosen with an eye to our comfort and convenience. Jhe skilful gardener, when he sets out the young slip in tl1e nursery grounds, chooses the richest soil, the best irrigated slope, the sunniest spot, the most sheltered from the northern blast. The nursery grounds of the Society are chosen with like discernment. We are in a word the spoilt children of the Society. Much as this is exemplified elsewhere it is not the less so here. We insist not on what is expended on our mental and spiritual culture, for in this each separate scholasticate is but the counterpart of the others; but with what has been done for our physical well-being we might fill pages. And in this particular we make bold to say that there is no scholasticate which enjoys so many advantages as Woodstock. �rvoodstock. sr \Vere we even confined to our two hundred and fifty acres, we should certainly be more fortunate than others are in most houses of study. The grounds, though as yet but little improved by landscape gardening, are broken and hilly; a~reeably diversified with knoll and dell, clad in their own wild beauty; here and there, though of rare occurrence we meet with a level stretch of meadow. The numerous streams with rocky beds and diminutive cascades are one of the features of the demesne. Springs abound, and send forth their little rilh to refresh you at every turn ; some are chalybeate, though their medicinal properties have not been thoroughly tested. The roads and paths which intersect the woods in every direction and wind along the Patapsco, seeing what little labour has been expended on them, are already the admiration of visitors, and when properly graded and protected from the wear of the rain will be incomparable. If we extend our walks beyond the College limits and beyond the range of the accompanying plot, towards the North and the North-East, we can follow for hours the forest roads without once emerging into the full glare of the summer sun. Our little river fuwishes us in summer with many an hour of invigorating exercise. Our fleet at one time numbered seven galleys; and in the twilight hours of the vacatio major bore many a light-hearted crew gallantly up the Patapsco to the favourite rendezvous near the grotto. On more solemn occasions the little craft are decked out gaily with pennon and oriflamb. The shores resound with song and chorus and the merry laugh of a hundred hard worked mortals, who in these wilds, where their noisy outpourings are never heeded unless perhaps by the echoes of the hills, are bent on exercising their lungs and making the most of a few weeks of relaxation after the tugging and straining of a twelvemonth. We said that our fleet once numbered seven, and advisedly, for the treacherous little stream which with so innocent a murmur steals past our shores,swollen �52 1Voodstock. by last September's rain, swept three from their moorings. A stray plank or painted gunwale riding the foaming, seeth· ing torrent was all that was ever s~en of them after they passed the dams at Ellicott's l\Iills. This was but one of the freaks of the Patapsco, for the tale of many a disaster can be read along its shores. Those who have visited the bend and the forks at the outlet of the North Branch will well remember the acres of debris of all kinds borne thither and there deposited by the stream· Bridge-girders, trestle-work, shafts and mill-wheels, stanchions of dams, giant trunks, all heaped up promiscuously, after leaving the marks of their passage along the banks ; where trees are uprooted or bent to the ground with their tops imbedded in sand. In time they put forth new limbs while in this anomalous position, thus perpetuating the memory of the watery inroads. Railroad sleepers and odds and ends of all kinds are lodged high .up in the clefts of trees; in one instance,-and many will recollect the curiosity as it remained in position a couple of years,-a wheelbarrow was entangled in the branches of a sapling and remained suspended at least twenty feet above the ground. Similar sights are familiar in the neighbourhood ; but further down the stream at Ellicott's Mills, or above on Piney Run, which was at one time dotted )vith mills, ruins of what was once the most solid masonry fully attest the resistless fury of angry waters. Huge rocks and ponderous bowlders have been borne down with all else and left high and dry in new sites when the waters abated. It was during one of these floods, a little better than three years ago, that the Woodstock bridge yielded and in its downward trip swept with it to destruction a second bridge about a mile below the village, and Woodstock College was thus cut off from its base of supplies. Near the extreme western angle of the property, high up qt} the baqk there are furth~r tr<tces of violence:;; but this 1va~ thi: work of the winds and not of the flood. The Col- ��_ _A_ COLLCGE l\.oa.d.•--= it•!.'l• - - - "'it-;e~\ -----~-­ "rnmwo.)- ~~::~nt!~ t'no..\ns. 10. 1~ ~"\ 1 �Woodstork. 53 lege at the time of the occurrence was scarcely roofed in. A few of the laborers and the director of the works were then the sole inmates. It was during the dark hours of the night. The hurricane, for it can be called naught else, swept down the Patapsco and striking as we have said the extreme western corner of the property, spread ruin everywhere in its track. The sturdiest trunks were snapped asunder, the largest oaks and poplars were laid low and tossed together in the wildest confusion. The course of the whirlwind was eastward, up the stt.ep bank, across the little stream to the west of the building and passing a short distance behind the house, whilst those within expected every minute to be buried beneath the walls, expended its force in the little valley at the foot of the garden. In a few brief minutes the most beautiful grove of the entire property, but a stone's throw to the rear of the College, became an unsightly mass of splintered trunks or a heap of uprooted trees. He who has set a limit to the billows and holds also the winds in check, that night extended a protecting hand over a house which was in days not distant to send forth many a sturdy warrior to do battle in His service. The founder of this edifice arrived the next day and saw to his dismay how mudi the storm had disfigured the surroundings of the scholasticate. He has since drawn good from evil. The greater part of the fallen timber has been corded and burned ; but what still remains, at his suggestion, is hacked at unremittingly by our more delicately constituted brethren who swing an axe for an hour or so daily in quest of a more robust health. During the cooler autumn months, the scholastic abandons the shore of the Patapsco and finds all the exercise he needs at the ball or bowling alleys. Both the Philosophers and the Theologians have at no little expense been provided with one of each. These alleys can, after close scrutiny, be descried on the map to the east and west of the house, distant a hundred yards or more. ,, ,, �54 TVoodstock. \Vhen December and January have frozen the river over, the scholastic, fully alive to the fact that of all kinds of exercise skating is by far the mo-.;t invigorating, burnishes up his somewhat rusted blades, the scholasticate once more pours out its little population, and the banks of the Patapsco again become a scene of exhilarating life. \Vith the return of spring come the long walks. The points of interest on such occasions, when something more than a mere picnic is determined on, are, St. Charles' College, Carrolll\Ianor, New l\Iount Hope, and the Redemptorists' House of Study at Illchester. Or if the excursionists have a turn~ for blending the useful with the agreeable, the Sykesville copper and loadstone mines, the asbestos and soapstone quarries, or the chrome ore mines and crushing mills, are all within reach. The region is rich in almost every variety of minerals though it is not always easy to secure the best specimens. The entomologist could have no better field in which to prosecute his favorite study. The choicest specimens of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, etc., abound. Our collections are not yet sufficiently complete to make any offer of exchanges on a large scale ; but we are willing to do our best to please correspondents and to receive with gratitude any foreign or rare specimens. There is no reason why the musfOu·ms of all our colleges should not be complete since we have facilities so much greater than other scientific bodies. After this rambling and rather gossiping communication on Woodstock, we can scarcely draw our remarks to a close without apologizing to our readers for having omitted many things of interest which might have been said, inserted others which might have been much better said, and touched upon not a few, perhaps, which might with advantage have been left out altogether. Whatever be the front of our offending, our intention, like that of many other weak but good-natured people, was the best. We were bent on' offering something to those· who have so often expressed a wish to know what sort of a place Woodstock is- �Woodstock. 55 The subject indeed is one well deserving of further notice; for upon this spot is centred the keenest interest not of one Province alone or of one country, but of an entire continent, whilst the Society in Europe cannot look with indifference on the prosperity of this house. The old Catholic nations, hitherto so staunch in their faith, are convulsed. Persecution is again in vogue, and in spite of the reiterated boast of liberal civilizers that its days · were run, that it might stain a page of past history but could never crimson the spotless future; in spite of the confident assurance that hereafter enlightenment alone 'vas to dispel the superstitions of religion, or that at least against such shadowy forms no more efficient weapon need be resorted to ; in spite of much self-glorification and empty jargon, we find ourselves once more fairly stranded in the midst of those scenes of violence, in which forever revel religious revolutionists and reformers. It has been found by the enemies of Holy Church, and be it to their confusion, that she prospers in the same ratio as education is extended to the masses and her liberty guaranteed. The consequence is that a different method must hereafter be followed if they would arrest her onward progress. Her teachers must be proscribed, and the intelligent youth of every country must be wrested from her sway. Driven from the cradle lands of the Society our persecuted brethren must, if things run on in this groove much longer, finally look to America for a home. Their houses of study are either closed in most European co~ntries or still endure by the merest sufferance of political rulers, who themselves are toyed with by the sects. Already our walls shelter the studying youth of many different nation~lities, and not to mention countries severed from us by an Ocean, the Spanish islands, the missions bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, as well as those washed by the Pacific, the New England States, the vast inland territories lying along the �s6 Woodstock. Mississippi and the Missouri, the British maritime provinces and the Canadas are all represented in this house. Still will \Ve welcome with outstretched arms all those whom ungrateful Europe will force to shake off her dust and to seek a home in the land of the stranger. \Vhat God reserves in his mercy for this great continent the future alone can disclose. Could we but tear aside the veil which shuts out the morrow from our gaze, we might then speak with some assurance on the part this scholasticate is called upon to play. But judging by the vast strides our holy religion has already made, judging by the increasing nUmbers of the faithful, and the immense, nay, almost inconceivable extent of territory which still lies fallow in the \Vest, though bound already together by all the modes of modern rapid travel, we may form some faint surmise of its future usefulness. Those, whom it already fosters in its bosom, will in a few years be scattered over the face of this land. They will penetrate the fastnesses of the great table lands of the \Ve~t, scour its boundless prairies in quest of souls, scale the rocky barrier which severs the Atlantic from the Pacific slope, witness in all probability the final extinction of the savage tribes, and lay their last warriors to rest shriven and fortified by the rites of Holy Ch~rch. They will bear the only truly freedom-imparting words to the manumitted race of the South, labour in the fields of the Divine H usbandman along the shores of the St. Lawrence and in the extreme North, ptoclaim in the heart of the great centres of population the principles of true civilization and of progress, or wear away their lives in training up new children to the Church and to society; in a word they will be the thews and sinews of a Catholic people, their labours will extend over an area of six million five hundred and ninety five thousand square miles, a world in itself, rescue from the t~roes of infidelity a nascent empire, and exercise perhaps an unseen but not less real influence on the immense �Indian 1lfissions. 57 and restless energies of this rising nation, forming it to good or turning it from evil in the same proportion that their work is blessed by Heaven. God grant that this blessing may be abundant. INDIAN MISSIONS. CmuR D'ALENE MissiON, IDAHO TERRITORY, APRIL 2, I 872. REV. FR. DESMET, s. J. P. C. REV. AND DEAR FATHER: I do not know how to thank your Rev. for the many and great favors we have received from you. Even the Indians, slow as they are in matters of this kind, acknowledge with gratitude the many benefits you have conferred on them. In fact, this present letter is more theirs than my own. On Easter Sunday all the Chiefs assembled at the mission, held a meeting, and decided on sending an ltaiminc1t (a letter) to your Rev., their first Father Black-gown ; after which they deputed one of their number to request me to write the ltaiminm to Black-gown De Smet, in their name, and thank him for his favors and kindness in their regard, with an ardent wish that he might visit them once more. I answered that I would willingly comply with their desire, but that I thought the request for a visit was rather bold, as Black· gown De Smet was now advanced in years, and no longer able to travel so great a distance on horseback. They coincided with me on this point, and added : "Should he not be able to come and see us, he will, at all events, be glad to �ss ludiau Jl[i'ssio1ts. hear that the Creur d'Alenes still retain a grateful remembrance of him." So I promised to write for them. I can assure you, Rev. Father, that you have truly great motives to rejoice in being the founder of this mission ; for these "poor Indians," as they are often styled, manifest a spirit of piety and morality which those who have never dwelt among them would hardly credit. Yesterday before returning to their several camps to work their little farms, they signified their intention of coming back to the mission towards the end of the month, in order to be present at the devotions ofthe Month of Mary. I am confident they will keep their word as they did last year. The day before yesterday, all the Indians, without a single exception, approached the Holy Sacram~nts. I think there is hardly another people or tribe on earth of which the same can be said. ~iatrimonial affairs (which are in so disorderly a state among the different tribes that surround the Creur d'Alenes, and worse perhaps amongst the whites in this new country) are in so edifying a condition among our dear neophytes, that they excite the admiration of all who come in contact with these Indians. The Chiefs of the several bands express the greatest satisfaction on this subject, and have only one lamentable exception to deplore..-· . Seltis and Vincent, the Chiefs, wish· to be remembered in a special manner in the prayers of your Rev., and Vincent asks your prayers for the soul of his greatly beloved and only son, Ernest, who died some time ago. Please accept the thanks and the respects of Rev. FF. Joset and Gazzoli, and let me recommend myself and the mission to your Reverence's holy sacrifices. I remain, Your Brother in Christ, J. M. CATALDO, s. J. ----~~~:==----- �FATHER MICHAEL O'CONNOR. Father Michael O'Connor was born in the city of Cork, April 27, 1810, and \Vas probably baptized two days later, on the Feast of the great Archangel whose name he there""fore received. He obtained his primary classical education in the Grammar School of Mr. O'Dowd in Queenstown. In 1824, at the age of fourteen he was sent to the Propaganda by the Bishop of Cloyne and Ross, being transferred to that diocese only on the morning of his departure from Cork for Rome. Whilst waiting for a compani_on he remained for a few months at a college in France. At the Propaganda he completed his classical studies ap.d went through the whole course of Philosophy and Theology. Besides distinguishing himself in the usual philosophical studies, he carried off the gold medal for being first in Mathematics. So great was his proficiency in this branch of science that his professor said of him that if he had devoted himself to it he would have become one of the greatest mathematicians in Europe. He had for companions in his class the present Cardinal Archbishop of Dublin, and Mgr. Hassoun, the Armenian Patriarch. It is a curious fact that all his fellow-students of the same year became bishops. Francis Patrick Kenrick was his senior by a few years*; Martin John Spalding, his junior by one year. Dr. Grant, the present Rector of the Scotch College in Rome, was a student of Propaganda at the same time. He always looked on young O'Connor as destined to become one of the great men of the church. Long and thorough as it was Michael O'Connor finished his course of Theology before reaching the canonical age for ordination. * Abp. Kenrick and his work-A lecture by lL O'Connor, S. J. p. 4. �6o Fat!tcr iiHcltacl 0' Connor. On July 27, I833, he won his Doctor's cap and ring by a Public Act. His thesis comprehended all theology and Scripture. Prior Vaughan* tells us what a severe test such a public defence was when St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure were made Doctors by the University of Paris. Cardinal \Visemanf says enough to show that the trial is as hard now as in the I 3th century. His Eminence acknowledges that he has done his best to try the metal of the young combatants in such encounters, but that when he had Michael O'Connor to attack he "had no occasion to repent having well tempered hi~- \veapons and weighted his blows." Through this terrible ordeal the young Propagan<;}ist passed, as his diploma says (dated March 3 I, I 8 34) dcclara11do, crumdo, comprobalzdo, di'stingumdo, pro et contra arguendo, proponmdo, di'ssobmdo, rcspondendo, etc., to the satisfaction of all the learned in Rome. A correspondent of the B~ook­ lyn Catlzolic Review adds the following incident : \Vhen M. O'Connor came as usual to receive the Pope's blessing, Gregory XVI playfully twined his handkerchief around the brow of the young doctor saying : "If it were a crown of gold, you would deserve it." After his ordination, Dr. O'Connor acted for a short time as Vice Rector of the Irish College, and attended to the business of the Bishops of Ireland with the H. See. This brought him frequently to the presence of Gregory XVI, of whom he was a per, sonal friend. About this time he received an invitation from Dr. F. P. Kenrick, then Bishop Coadjutor and Administrator of Philadelphia, . to accept the charge of President of his newly founded Seminary of S. Charles Borromeo, to which he intimated a favorable reply. In I834, after a ten years residence in Rome, and only twenty-four years of age, Dr. O'Connor returned to Ireland. * Life and labors of St. Tbomas of Aquin, Vol. II. chap. 1. t Recollections of the last four Popes, pp. 271-3. �Fa titer .Miclzael 0' Connor. 61 He was just in time to assist at the dying bed of his mother, who had with great sacrifice of her own feelings concealed her illness from him in order not to disturb the pleasure or shorten the time of his homeward journey. Only three days after his return, she died. · Her death gave him the charge of his younger brothers and sister, and made him relinquish for a while the thought of the American mission. He accepted the position of curate in Fermoy, and afterwards that of chaplain to the Presentation Convent in Doneraile. · In the labours of these duties some three years passed. He was preparing himself for a concursus for a Theological chair. in Maynooth, when Dr. P. R. Kenrick, now Archbishop of St. Louis, on his way home from Rome, paid him a visit. He had been commissioned by his brother, the Bishop of Philadelphia, to repeat to Dr. O'Connor the offer of the office of President of the Seminary, and urge him to accept it. Dr. O'Connor at once closed his book and prepared to .start, leaving the theological chair to be gained by Dr. O'Reilly (who afterwards entered the Society of Jesus and became Provincial). In 1838 he arrived in Philadelphia with his younger brother James Oate President of the Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo), then just beginning his classical studies, and was at once installed by Dr. Kenrick in his new office. Besides his duties in the Seminary he had charge of the missions of Norristown and West Chester. He also accompanied Dr. Kenrick in some of his journeys through his large diocese. Some difficulties in Church matters having arisen in Pittsburg, he was sent there as Vicar General in 1841, and succeeded in arranging everything satisfactorily. In 1843, Dr. O'Connor had good reason to suspect that the Bishops of the United States had determined to recommend him to the Holy See as Bishop of Pittsburg. This was an additional motive to induce him to put into action a �62 Fat/zer .ftfic/zael 0 'Connor. long cherished desire of entering the Society of Jesus, and thus to place the barrier of religious vows between him and the dreaded mitre. On his way to Rome he called on the Papal Nuncio in Paris, Mgr. Fornari, afterwards Cardinal, who had been his Professor at Propaganda. 'Without telling his motive he prevailed on the Nuncio to write to the Prefect of Propaganda to ask a dispensation from his oath. Afterwards, however, being informed of the reasons Dr. O'Connor had for this step, he wrote again to Rome, retracting his former letter, and strongly urging the appointment of his former pupil to the newly created see. Meanwhile the letters of the American Bishops had also reached Rome: Gregory XVI delayed giving an audience to his old friend until these letters could be duly considered, and other necessary proofs and information obtained. At last Dr. O'Connor, with his heart already in the quiet of the Jesuit Novitiate, kneels at the feet of the Sovereign Pontiff. In reply to his humble petition Gregory XVI 9aid: "You will be Bishop first and Jesuit..aftenvards. I will not let you rise from your knees until you promise to accept the Diocese of Pittsburg." Thus the heavy honors of the Church were accepted through obedience, and instead of washing dis~es at S. Andrea, the would-be novice is crowned with a mitre in S. Agatha. His consecration took place in the church of the Irish College, Aug. 15, 1843; Cardinal Fransoni being the consecrating Bishop. The close of the same year saw the new Bishop already at work in his Cathedral city, and with seven Sisters of Mercy from Carlow, the first of the Order in the United States. It is hard at this time to form any idea of the difficulties which met the first Bishop of Pittsburg thirty years ago on his arrival at his See, with no resources save those of his own head and heart. In those days his work could almost be called a creation, a real productio rei ex 1ziltilo, since he had no money to build a church and no architect to design one. �Father Michael 0' Connor. The meditative theologian must now put forth the energies of a pioneer. The obedient student transformed into a commanding General, begins the battle which was to last for seventeen years. He came to some four or five thousand Catholics in his city, out of a population of 20,000 souls. He found the Redemptorists already at work at S. Philomena's. Besides this church there was St. Patrick's by the old canal bridge, and the Cathedral of S. Paul (dedicated in 1 834), left almost high and dry. by the grading of Grant St. There were but fifteen Priests in the 'whole Diocese. In ten years he had increased the number to eighty.* The present complete organization of the Diocese is owing to the constructive genius of its first Bishop, who was one eminently secundum mmtcm Tridmtini. The "Glenwood Hotel" becomes S.Michael's Diocesan Seminary. A farmhouse in Westmoreland County grows into the Benedictine Abbey of S. Vincent, with a Mitred Abbot. A half-ruined coal shed is the beginning of Mercy Hospital. The bleak steep side of Birmingham hill, honeycombed with deserted coal pits, declined by the Jesuits, is accepted by the Passionists as the site for their Monastery. Such institutions as the Catholic Orphan Asylum, the House of Industry, the College of the Franciscan Brothers, and the Convent of Mercy owe their existence to the restless zeal and ingenuity of Bishop O'Connor. Of the Convent of Mercy the present Mother Superior writes: "This House was built by him. Every room and corridor now reminds me how he measured it himself, and what care and labor he took to make everything comfortable for us." In addition to this minute and searching attention to the affairs of his Diocese his mind was constantly employed in examining all the great questions of the day whether political, scientific, moral, or religious. Yet such was his humility that he never wrote anything except when duty required. Activity *The Catholic Church in the United States-De Courcy, p. 306. �Fatlter .LV!ichad 0 'Connor. was as much the element of the Bishop, as study had been that of the theologian. He was the primum mavens but not immobile. As Fr. Clarke -very happily said in his sermon at the solemn Requiem in Baltimore : "Like the mainspring of a watch he was always in motion and kept others moving. He was an almost constant traveller and yet a perpetual labourer." He was present in Rome at the Definition of the Immaculate' Conception irt I 8 54· His name may be seen on the marble tablets erected in S. Peter's to commemorate that event, and also in S. Paul's, outside of the walls, in memory of the consecration of·the new Basilica. It was remarked by Archbishop Kenrick of Baltimore that among the two hundred bishops, the Corona Purpuratorum Patrum et Antistitum, there present, none attracted more at~ tention than Bishop Malou of Bruges and Bishop O'Connor of Pittsburg. In 1853, at his own request, his diocese was divided and he himself transferred to Erie. But the Holy See, moved by the representations of both Bishops and people, restored him"to Pittsburg in the following year. The cathedral of St. Paul which escaped the great fire in Pittsburg in 1846, was burnt in 185 I. The present cathedral, built by the exertions of the Bishop, was dedicated in 1855· In 186o Bishop O'Conno/accomplished the great desire of his life, which was to enter the So<:iety of Jesus: The burden of the episcopate, angelicis lmmcrisformidandum~ became heavier to his growing years and failing health: His idea of the responsibility of a BishoP. he afterwards ex-, pressed as follows: "It was the fear of failing to correspond to those high requirements of their state that made even the saints tremble when called to the episcopal office."* He was glad to obtain permission to resign that which he had * Th~ nature and duties of the Episcopal office-A sennon, etc. by M. O'Connor, S. J. �Fatlter Micltad 0' Collnor. 6s accepted with fear. He made a preparatory retreat at the Novitiate in Frederick City before sailing for Europe, and entered th.! Novitiate at Gorheim, Sigmaringen, Dec. 22, 1860. Of his perfect and humble obedience as a novice, one who was with him bears ample testimony. No one but the Rector knew what he had been. until one day at mass he let a Pax 7•obis slip out instead of Dominus vobiscum. The model Bishop became the model novice. Deus maximus in minimis : so of his servants. The young novices were often astonished at the thoughtfulness and care with which his strong will observed the rules and customs of the Novitiate. His two years being completed, by a special dispensation of the Father General, Fr. O'Connor made his solemn profession of the four vows in Boston, Dec. 23, 1862, in the hands of Fr. Sopranis, the Visitor. , For a short time he taught theology in Boston College, then the scholasticate of the Society : afterwards he was appointed Socius to the Provincial of Maryland, which office he held until his death. With Loyola College for his head quarters, he was sent to preach, lecture and give retreats, especially to the clergy in all parts of the country. Notwithstanding his increasing infirmities, in 1870 he preached the Advent in Philadelphia and the following Lent in New Orleans. On his return from Havana he was preparing to start for Nova Scotia to give a Retreat to the Clergy when Superiors determined to send him to London for medical advice. He returned in December in company with Dr. Vaughan, (now Bishop 'of Salford) and the Missionaries of S. Joseph's College. He assisted for the last time in any public function in the Sanctuary of S. Francis Xavier's Ghurch for the colored people, in Calvert St., Baltimore, when the missionaries received their pastoral charge. This Church had been purchased and its congregation organized some years before by the efforts of Fr. 0' Connor. He had even asked permission to devote himself to the slaves in Cuba. �66 Fatltcr Jl!idtad 0 'Connor. Early in the Spring of this year (1872) Fr. O'Connor came to Woodstock. He knew it was to die. In May he thus wrote ·to one of our fathers : " I am now staying at Woodstock, and will probably remain here till the end. I am just well enough to live without pain, but gradually sinking-getting weaker from day to day. I wish I could withdraw my thoughts from everything that does not regard the welfare of my soul, as I ought to do. I consider it a great grace from God that he enables me to see the importance of _doing this." On another occasion he asked a venerablefather of the Society, who had come to see him, what exerd'se he thought was the best preparation for death. To many other friends he either wrote or dictated his last words of affection and charity. The summer he spent with us as one of ourselves. \Ve can still see him slowly walking with his cane up and down the corridors, starting beforehand so as to be in time for .some community duty, sitting on the Philosophers' benches under the trees, or silently enjoying the evening recreation with the Scholastics on their porch, always the same, with his cheerful, humble manner, asking for nothing, complaining of nothing, waiting for his turn like the rest, asking pardon of a lay brother for giving any little trouble, or keeping quiet at night so as not to disturb the rest of others. To one who asked him if he had much pain, "No, sir," he replied, "I have not the lzonour of suffering anything." Once after speaking of some of the trials of his Episcopate, he added : " As far as I can see, it would have been better for me if I could have entered the Society when I first wanted to, but God knows best. Anyhow, it is a great blessing to be able.to die in peace." He said his last mass on the feast of his patron, Saint Michael. On Saturday afternoon, October I 2, he received the last sacraments. Before this, he had asked Fr. Rector to allo\v .him to be taken to the refectory to say his culpa. and perform some public penance for all the " scandal" he had given to the community. �Fat/zer Jlficltael 0 'Connor. \Vhen the preparations were being made for administering the last sacraments, he said to Father Rector with the deepest emo1ion : "It would be impossible to thank you for your unspeakable kindness to me at all times ; and indeed that is what I always received from every one, no matter where I was. I can only ask your pardon for all the bad example I have given in the Society." Then turning to one from his old Diocese he continued : "Tell the people of Pittsburg that I remember them all to the last with the greatest affec. tion, and how sorry I am that I could not have done more for them whilst I was with them : and even the little I did do was very imperfect." "Tell them all," he repeated, "the Bishop, the Clergy, the Religious and the Sisters that I pray for them and will remember them all to the end." When Father Minister entered the room with the Blessed Sacrament, the dying man, with great difficulty, slipped from his chair to his knees and, in profound adoration, received the Holy Viaticum. Afterwards, with his deep solemn voice, he joined in the responses when the Sacrament of Extreme Unction was administered. He lingered for a few days in great suffering, borne with the most perfect resignation. When asked whether he was in great pain or if he wanted anything, he would only reply by shaking his head to say no. When he· managed to speak it was only to ask some of his attendants to recite the Litany of the Holy Name or other prayers. At last, on the morning of Friday, Oct. 18, the Feast of St. Luke, sitting in his arm-chair, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit into the hands of the Master whom he had served so long and so well. The De Profimdis bell tolled just at the end of the community Mass, and as all knew what had happened we united in prayers for the repose of the soul of our departed Father. It is difficult to take in at a glance such a many-sided character, so eminent in head, will and heart; so great a power and under such perfect control. His mental and �Fatlter .Mzi:lwcl 0 'Connor. 68 . moral solidity was aptly epitomized by Fr. Clarke in the words : Ni!til tetigit quod non solidavit. The Correspondent above referred to, says : "He had the power of grouping ideas, and condensing difficult matters within a very small compass; and when he spoke on any subject,-thtre was little worth saying that he would leave unsaid." His great learning never was a burden to him but was always under the guidance of sound common sense, which would seize the substance of things in their last analysis and adapt it to times, places or persons, stript of all unnecessary accidents. To this r~re combination of masterful intellect, extensive learning, inflexible will, practical sense and solid virtue he added a most affectionate heart, full of thoughtful tenderness. He never forgot his old friends and they never forgot him. How many such exprt:">sions as these have reached us from Pittsburg and other places : " \Ve have lost our best friend and father ; such another we can never expect to find." An old friend who knew him well in the early days, writes: "After my own father, there is no one to whom I owe more than to Bishop O'Connor." The Sisters of Mercy say they now regard him as their "Cardinal Protector in Heaven." The esteem and affection in which his memory is held was well shown by the numbers tiL Bishops, priests and people who were present at the Solemn Requiem in Baltimore, and at the "month's mind" held in the cathedral of Pittsburg. But for us inter pan"ctts the most wonderful thing about him was his humility. And of this he was perfectly unconscious. It seemed to be part of his nature, so much so that one might be with him a long time without noticing it. The definition of sibi ipsi vilcsccrc i\'ould not hold good in his case, as he seemed to have no self at all to have any opinion about. Like the great Angelical who after his vision of Heavenly Truth, thought' his Summa only "rubbish," so, in his measure, aid F. O'Connor think of his �Father 1Vficlzael 0 'Connor works and knowledge in the light of God. This appeared in his whole manner of action and conversation, whether he sp0ke of himself or any one else. His sermons showed the fruit of it. He was always ready and willing to take any one's place in preaching. The saying was true in his case : In domo pima cito paratur cama. All he wanted was five or ten minutes walk up and down the corridor. When · he spoke to the people his power was one of thought not of language. He never seemed conscious that he was saying anything; he was only thinking and loving aloud for God and His people. Semper sui simi/is whether in preachin.;. in talking, or in keeping silence, he was always the herald of the Great King, who had his message to deliver in the way it was given, whether men were pleased or not There was too much sturdy vigour and robust earnestness about him to allow him to stop for fine phrases or cadencing periods. Great strong tltouglzts in plain words might serve to describe his preaching. The smzcta et virilis simplicitas which was the mark of the man was likewise the note of his speech. A boyhood of piety, a youth of study, ten years a Roman student, ten more a secular priest, professor and missionary, seventeen years a Bishop, and twelve years a Jesuit, make up the well-spent life of Fr. O'Connor. He has left the record of his clear full mind in the Councils of Baltimore, the works of his intrepid energy. in the Diocese of Pittsburg, the remembrance of his fatherly affection in the hearts of his spiritual children, and in the Society of Jesus, the example of religious simplicity, regular observance and marvellous humility. He rests 111 our little hill-side cemetery, by the side of Fr. Maldonado, one,taken in the glorious summer, the other sleeping under the autumn leaves. Simplicitas concurrms veritati in ipsa !mmilitate sublimis.-S. Ambrose. �WARD'S ISLAND, N.Y. EMIGRANTs' REFUGE AND HosPITAL, WARD's IsLAND, N. Y., JuLY, 1872. REV. FATHER: P. C. ~ ' I wrote to you last November informing you of my success in obtaining, under the patronage of St. Joseph, a grant of $35,000 from the Commissioners of Education towards the building of a new Catholic Church. At the time I had no idea of the amount of opposition which the spirit of darkness would excite, as soon as the fact became known among the Protestants. The first battle I had to fight was about the selection of a site for the Church. I had chosen the most central position on the Island and they wanted to crowd me out to the extremities of the place, near the gasworks. In this effort I defeated them, however, and they have now that beautiful place left to ~hemselves, if they ever wish to build a new prayer-shop. They next began to delay the work, hoping, if they gained time, something might turn up to baffle all my expectations. The surveying was not done until the 23rd of Jan., the feast of the Espousals of the B. V. Mary and St. Joseph. On that day we received a visit from the Imperial ambassador of Germany, Baron Von Bunsen, on his return from Chili, and I prevailed upon him, though a Protestant, to break the first sod for the new building. The first lo~d of stones arrived in a schooner on St. Joseph's day, but the maso~s could not commence their work until the beginning of May. In the meanwhile another cloud of trouble, by far more seri- �TVard's Island. N. Y. 71 ous, rose upon our new building and the whole Institution. The Protestant Children's-Aid Societies had been long ago anxious to get hold of the administration of this place in order to kidnap many Catholic children, to send them in squads Out \Vest to be bound out to staunch Protestant families, as they do in other institutions. \Vith the aid of a Jewish pervert to Protestantism, who now combines the hatred ~.fa Jew again~t Christians with the hatred of a bigoted Protestant against Catholicity, they sent a bill to the Legislature in Albany, whose object was to upset the present Board of Commissioners of Emigration altogether and replace them by a new one composed of the most bigoted men among them with the Protestant Jew as "the only honest member of the old Board"-and only one Catholic, the president of the Irish Emigrant Society, who is a member of the board ex officio. Every body could see what would be the result if that bill became a law. I had recourse to St. Joseph and got the orphans of the Sisters of Charity to pray. In the meanwhile I went to lobbying, myself. I wrote to members of the Legislature who were Catholics or favorable to Catholics, and it was amusing to read in the papers how this bill passed ~rom one house to the other and back again with modifications, one of which was the striking out of the name of the Protestant Jew, the chief agitator, himself. On the last day of the session, it passed both houses and went into the hands of the Governor, where, thanks to the protection of S. Joseph, it rests still. It never became a law. But even here the danger was not over. The indefatigable Protestant Jew, still a member of the old Board of Commissioners, showed fight in the meetings of the Board. He moved that the new church-building now in course of erection on Ward's Island should be a simultaneous church for' all denominations. I was called upon to answer in writing -What reasons the Catholics on Ward's Island had to ask for a new church-edifice ? What objections there were to making it a simultaneous church for all denominations ?- �72 Ward's Island, N. 1": And what was the number of attendants in the Catholic and Protestant chapels? I give here my answer. To THE Hox. RICHARD O'GoR:uAx, PRESIDEXT oF THE Co:u~usswxEns OF E:uiGRATIOX OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. lion. and Dear Sir: Ever since I have been ofliei:dng as Catholic Chaplain" on this bland. I have found it necessary to anti! myself of the privilege granted to the Priests of this country to oll"er up the holy Sacrifice of the )lass i1tfce in the morning of every Sunday ami festival of obligation in the year, :1>' without such an arrangement, a great part of our Catholic people wouhl be depriv..!d of the opportunity of fulfilling their obligations. The present Chapel in the garret of the Nursery seats a boat 300 pcrsonsconvcn· iently, and ~"'as nearly filled at both )[asses during the summer season. But during '\'inter it became so crowded, that many had to go back, hecause there was no room for them even to stand in the aisles. (iVhat will it be when the emigration from Bohemia and Poland, whose popu· !at ion is nearly all Catholic, increases as it bids fhir to do?) .Moreover, I find that many cripples, consumptive, astlnnatie, eonvalescent and aged persons, who are well able to move on plain and even ,~;round, have to give up all idea of climbing up so many stairs, and are deprived, the whole year around, of the eomfort of attending divine strvice, o!" spending an hour of the dreary day in the house of God. Besides, lhc building itself is not safe when the Chapel is crowded with people. It has been remarked that the floor then rises considerably in tile !niddle and is lowering on the sides. Add to this the miasma and intolerably toul air, which fills the chapel in winter when doors and windows are closed, and the plaee crammed with human beings, and even the candles on the altar giving but a dim light. I am eonfident that tlti>' faet alone, if it were known t·) the Health Commissioners, might induce them to shut up that place altogether. In.ihe hot season, even with doorH and windows open, after 10 o'clock, A. )I. a st~y in the chapel, even when empty, is intolerable. I will not ~llude to the fttct that this is the only pl:tcc on the island, where divine worship aceording to the rites of the Catholic Church i~ regularly celebrated on Sundays, and that Catholic inmates and officials of the other Institutions in charge of the Conuni;;sionel's of Charity and Correction avail themselves of this opportunity to satisfy their spiritual w;mts, giving thereby good example to our own people; also that many non-catholic emigrants, who do not attend the service of the Lutheran Clergyman appointed as Protestant Chaplain on the Island, and who avail themselves of the Amcric>.n principle of liberty of conscienee, adn considerably to the number that arc to be accommodated in our chapel. It would be inhuman and unchristian to exclude them. They would go neither to the one nor to the other plaee of worship and at best give up religion altogether. �1Vard's Island, 1V. Y. 73 Tho~e. Honorable and Dear Sir, are the principal rea~ons why we Catholics are a~king your Honorable Board for a larger and more convenient place of divine worship. "\.s to the question: Is it expedient that Catholics and Protestants "hou!~l wor;;!tip in the same Church-edifice? I may be permitted to nn,:wer entirely in the w·rpttire; for in the 1st place, the Protestants might well cnll it their Ulwrdt, but we Catholics would rwt have what 1re eal!· a Chureh. It never con hi be bles5ed ami dedicated to God. 'Ve might worship there, as in missionary places Catholics worship "ometimes in public halls, in school-hou~es, in private houses; but what, ~trictly speaking, we ealla Church, we could 1wt have. Let the building be ever so stylish and costly, we nPver could have the same feelings of reverence, respect and love for it, which we have for the House of God. 'Vhoever visited this island ever since Catholics and Protestants had their separate places of worship, was pleased with the arrangement, an•! gave credit to the wisdom and generous liberality of the Commissioners. The emigrant, who at home never heard of a Church common. to both Catholics and Protestants, on arriving here felt himself at home in his mrn church, am! many a one on entering the Chapel, shed tears of joy and forgot more easily the h:u dships of separation from h.mne, became he saw that in his newly-adopted home every thing was the same in the Church as it had !Jeen at home. Shut up the Catholic altar behind folding doors am! drive away the crowds of worshippers who would like to ~pend another hour in thanksgiving after )lass or holy communion, and tell them that they must go out now, for there is to come another people in this place who believe nothing in those things, and how will the poor emigrant feel? 'Yhat will he think of his new land of adoption and of the Commissioners, who would not allow him to pray half an hour longer heforc the altar which contains all he loves and is living for? . Will the Catholic Priest !Jc permitted to adorn the Church according to the different festivals of the year, without interference of the Protestant minister? And if ltc pul up any statues or pictures of Catholic Saints, will they he looked upon favorably and respected by those, who :1re taught as a part of their creed, that Catholics are idolaters and that these pictures and statues arc idols? Or if the Protestant minister puts up a Christmas-tree in the middle of the church, as he did last year in his chapel, will it n·main in peacl'ful possession of all its contents, until the-Prote~t:mt congregation arrives to worship around it? I do not only foresee an emlle~s ~eries of quarrels and contentions, but I seriously apprehend that it will come to riots and bloodshed, as there are enough, among our people, who, for their lives, will not be able to see quietly the sectarian preacher ministering within the same sanctuary, where the Priest, a while bcfbre, stood to dispense to the people the Holy of Holies. If the example of the Institutions on Blackwell's Island is quoted, where .Catholics and Protestants have to worship in the same places, �74 TVants Island, N: Y I answer: In hoc non laudo! Such an arran.~c·nent is not the best feature of those Institutions. 'V c do not live under the imperial sway of til(' King of Prussia, where the system of common churches has beC'n invented and kept up by force, in towns where the Protestantg wen• not numerous enough, or not willing, to build places of ":orship !()J· themselves. This may succeed well enough in penal Institutions-but wt· live in a free country, where everyone is permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience; and the separation of thi• two religious professions is more congenial to the American spirit of liberty. Experience teachrs that religion anti piety flourish much better under the wings of untranunelled fi·eedom than in the straight-jackets of imperialism. · As to the number of worshippers attending the Catholic Chapel, I can safely say that, at present, during summer, it averages from 400 to i500 persons, at bQth ~lasses, and in winter, from 600 to 700. If the new Church is finished, I do not doubt that it will increase by from 100 to 200 more ; whereas the number of attendants in the Protestant Chapel is scarcely one tenth of our present number.-! had appointed a trust-worthy person to count them·this morning (Sunday .June 9). The followin!\' is the result : 10 o'clock service (English): :Men 19, 'Vomen 10, Boys 12, .. 41 15 Remained in Church for the 2nd service, 30 11 o'clock service (German): )len 17, Women 13, 15 Infimts and children, 101 30 Deducting the 15 who remained at both sen·ices, The grand total is 71 It must be observed that from the time when the movement of makin~ the new Church-building a common Churcl1 began, the Protestant :1\Iinister exerted himself during the whole wee_k, to stir up his people to come to Church, that he might be able to show large numbers of attendants to the Commissioners. If by such extraordinary exertions and under such inducements he could ,:gather no more than 44 adults for thr two services together, I have more reason to believt>, 'vhat I was assured more than once, that on many Sundays he had no more than 5 or 6 persons to hear him in his Chapel! The whole movement to obtain common possession of the new Church did not arise with the mass of Protestants on the island, nut with one particular individual, who, although he h:udly ever goes to any Church himself, is jealous enough to see the Catholics about to have a large building for a Church; and cannot be satisfied with the present Protestant Chapel though newly painted and large enough to accommodate fiw time~ as many worshippers as it actually has.-If the Commissioners of your I-~onorable Board think it proper to concede to his wishes, I have �n··ard's Island. N. Y. 75 not the slightest objection. Let them build a Protestant church of marlJ!e, and a parsonage as large as the Astor House for its Minister; I will he satisfied with n1y room under the garret of the vestry, if I have only the satisfaction of having a Church large enough and convenient enough for my people, so that the lame ami tlte Uind and the feelile be not excluded; und where we can worship our God according to the dictates of our consciences, in peace. If the Commission will do for the Catholics only what it would do for the Protestants, were they as numerous and similarly sitmlted: we will be satisfied. As lo the expenses of furnishing what is peculiar to our mode of worship, we shall be no burden to their' treasury: we only wish for the liberty of worship in our o1m Ohurdl.; and grant it willingly to others. Most Hespectfully Yours, ,J. PRACIIENSKY, Oatlwlk Chaplain, Ward's Islarul. \Vhether this document was ever presented before the Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting or communicated to the parties whom it concerned, privately, I had no means of ascertaining. Certain it is, that ever since the Protestant faction has held its peace, and the building of the church is going on steadily in the most approved Catholic style. I hope it will be finished in November and then I will write to you more about it. Rev;e. V estr.I!, Servus in Xto. P. JosEPH PRACHENSKY. �ST. FRANCIS XAVIER'S CHURCH, CINCINNATI, OHIO. _, .• ST. F. CINCINNATI, XAVIER's CoLLEGE, } Omo, Nov. 7, 1872. REV. AND DEAR FATHER : P. C. On departing from vVoodstock four months ago, that band of Western travellers, who were the first regular return made by Woodstock to the West, felt, if I may judge of all by one, a somewhat stray feeling, and looked a somewhat vacant look, on their Alma Mater subsiding out of view, and sinking down at the other end of that Baltimore and. Ohio line. If it wer~ not Cincinnati that stood here to reassure us, or if there 'Y.ere not .St. Xavier's College to chafe our numbed feelings .as with a new life, or if there were not a villa to administ~r the fresh country air to our overheated brows, we might have alighted from the Baltimore cars into a home-sickness, from which we had not recovered up to the present hour. For time· is the only cure in such sickness, and four months are as no time. o The farm, which tops a Kentucky bluff on the Ohio, was famous for its pears-an attraction somewhat material, though good enough in its way. Yet it is a low way, after all ; and that became quite clear to me, on our moving into the city. For here I found a new kind of farming, much more rich in its ·produce than Kentucky in its pears, and yielding that sort of fruit, to which the words are applied : "My Beloved will come and eat the fruit of His apple-trees." I refer, in general, to the state of St. Xavier's congregation; and in particular to the Sodalities. �St. f?l·.wcis Xa·uier's Clutrdz, Cincinnati, -OJzio: 77, Day after day, l lJaVe seen Conm1unions at--'otdinary l\Iasses, the daily fruit of devotion. Sunday after . Sunday, 6oo. On the first Friday and first Sunday, \Ve may infer the number on principal feasts. _ I have likewise heard on successive Sundays read outfrom the altar the public acts of this Sodality and that one, in the way of meetings, communions, prayers to be poured· forth for the dead ; and a comparison occurred to my mind, between these centres of manifold life which radi;~tes in spiritual activity from the Sodalities, as they congregate thus, round the altar, and those centres of musical sound, which rolls so often and so loudly from the bells in the Church tower above. Indeed, the repeated tolling up there from early morning till noon, led one of your Woodstock students, who spent a single Sunday here, to think again of his own catholic Germany, all alive in his parts with the spirit of warm devotim1. I came to desire afterwards, that he had likewise heard, besides the ringing of those churchbells above, the music of edification from these bells of the sanctuary- below. Here are, as I count them, seventeen societies: fourteenofthem being Sodalities, not indeed different in kind, but· multiplied into sections, under different titles of the Blessed Virgin, and different diplomas. To enumerate first the Sodalities: MEN.-The Holy Family; number of members, 250. YouNG MEN.- The Immaculate Conception, 300. Boys: the older ones in the College, 69 ; the younger ones, 44 : those of the parish school,- 225; of the city shoe-blacks, 6o: and young men of the same- civil denomination, but a new Sodality title, viz., "St. FranCis Xavier's Association for the Conversion of Sinners," 69. WoMEN ...:...CThe Holy Family, from I,IOO to 1,200. The Holy Maternity, of married ladies, IOO and upwards. Young· ladies, whose convent education has thrown them together, 6o; three other sections, 400 all together. The Children of Mary, 400 to 500. Soo. �78 St. Francis Xavier's Churclt, Cincinnati, .Ohio. These figures give a grand total for the Sodalities offrom 3o68 to 3268. Moreover there are the following Societies : the ArchConfraternity of the Sacred Heart; the Altar Society of the Immaculate Conception, to honor the Blessed Virgin's feasts by approaching the Holy Table; and an Orphan Society. As to the inner working of them, I have not inquired into more than a few, nor do I think it would serve the purpose of light and pleasant edification to go through the tedium of minutes and meetings. But a couple will serve as a sample of all.-·· There is close by the College, a Convent of Notre Dame. It enjoys an ancient glory and a new one. Its ancient glory is that of being mother to-all the houses in this country; and its new one that of covering with its buildings nearly a whole square, of the large Cincinnati size. Like other things evangelical, it came forth from a little seed and has grown mighty. I_had the honor of being introduced to an apartment which I found to be a library, the property and appurtenance of the female Holy Family Sodality. Fr. Roelof was the founder of this Sodality, in November, 1857· He instituted it "to extirpate cursing, blasphemy and intemperance;"' and the high praise became its due of being the entrance to newness of life for many a mother, and so for many a family. Entrance into this Sodality was embarking on the flood, which, taken in place of the ebbing tide of drunkenness led many to fortune. High and apostolic praise! Nevertheless, while it smiled fortune on those who entered it, the Sodality had not that aspect, which would attract the beams of fortune on itself, precisely because of its professed object. Accordingly, a rearrangement was made of its rules, whereby its original end was thrown considerably into the shade ; and t~!e consequence was that while the primary object of extirpating drunkenness continued to be silently effected, �St. Francis Xavier's Church, Cincinnati, Ohio. 79 another more specious, inasmuch as more ordinary, aspect was put on the Sodality, and it throve from that day. It counts, as I have said above, from I 100 to I200 members. It has a council of 25 ; and I 2 Visitors of the sick. It enrolls the names of dead members on a list, and mass is said for the deceased every week. Its title is the Immaculate Conception ; its principal feasts the Immaculate Conception, St. Joseph, Christmas and the Assumption. A year ago, it presented a piano and harmonium to the Children of Mary whose library is directly over that of the Holy Family. Though of not more than two years' standing, this collection of books belonging to the Enfants de Marie is about equal in number to that of their benefactors below-stairs. The Sodality itself numbers from 400 to 500. Its patron feast is that of the Immaculate Conception; its other principal ones, St. Aloysius and St. Joseph. Its meetings are on every alternate Sunday, in the Church after Vespers; while those of the Holy Family, (which is under the same director,) are on the intermediate Sundays at the same hour. And while the Holy Family communicates in the Church on the first Sunday of the month, the other, along with the three sections of young ladies, communicates on the fourth Sunday of the month. These three sections with the Children of Mary make a total of from Soo to 900 approaching the Holy Table. "My Beloved will come and eat the fruit of His apple-trees." With one word more, I will take leave of Your Reverence. Woodstock is an orchard, and the first yield of fruit which it made to the West was composed of four Scholastics. Ten days ago we were four, and I knew not but we should always be four, hand in hand. Now .we are three. R. I. P. The Beloved has come suddenly, In whom I remain, Yours humbly, T. H. �DEATH OF MR. JOHN MOYNIHAN, S. J. The allusion contained in the closing lines of the foregoing letter is to the sudden death of one of our Scholastics, Mr. John Moynihan, who died at St. Louis University, on the Igth of October last. We do not hope to add to the affectionate regard in which Mr. Moynihan was held by all who knew him. vVe mean simply to lay our own humble tribute upon our brother's grave, for the years which he spent with us are so lately gone, and the memory of them is so fresh and green, that it is a pleasant and a beautiful task to weave the offering. A short time ago he bade us farewell with high hope and holy resolution, and we felt sure that he was going forth only to enter upon a career in which virtue and talent would win for him the crown of success. A few weeks later, and we ;eceived the news that he was on the point of death ; but galloping consumption bore him away so rapidly that · the grave had closed over him before his brethren at \Voodstock had thus learned that he was.~ven ill. He was confined to his room only three days; and the calm, holy, and beautiful death which he died, was but a reflex of his lifetime. One of his companions writes to us: "I was with him the evening before he died, when he made me read the points of meditation for him, and asked me to come again in the morning. When I went to him on the following day, I found· him exceedingly low, yet hoping to recover. Still he then talked to me of the good chance he had of dying in the Society. I visited him frequently during the day, and found him at all times very fervent, eager to suffer and pray. He remained this way till about an hour before his death, an:d breathed his last, sitting in his chair with his habit ... �Deatlt of Mr. llloyn£/zan, S. :1. 81 on, whik his brethren were reciting the prayers for his departing souL" \Vhat a beautiful close to his innocent, peaceful life! What a mild, sweet twilight after the day of sunshine! Mr. Moynihan had taught four years before commencirg the study of philosophy, and after finishing the first course of this ::.cience in \Voodstock, had just returned to his province for college duty again, when he was called away to the better life. During the three years which he spent with us he was remarkable for his religious observance and for his close application to study. His course of philosophy was successful in the extreme. He found in it full play for the natural bent of his mind, and the pleasure which he took in it, together with the encouragement which marked success must necessarily bring about, served to strengthen the more his prime and principal motive for diligence-sense of duty. Nor did the efforts which he made after the acquisition of learning fail him in the end. His brilliant examination "De Universa" was the admiration of the Faculty·: and the praises heaped upon it, though an unsought, wel"e yet a merited reward. But if our brother was persevering in the pursuit of knowledge, he was equally so in the observance of our religious duties. Nature had given him a simple, unobtrusive manner, and his good, warm heart was full of affection. Sensitive and timid himself, he could not easily fail in due regard for the feelings of his companions. He would not hear them blamed even .in jest, and if the accused happened to be of his own delicate sensitiveness, and most of all, if he made no retort, the sympathy of mutual feeling was imm~­ diately awakened, and Mr. Moynihan ready. to take his part. This was so noticeable in him that his companion~, in their. various games, sought opportunities of censure, simply to admire his readiness to shield the imaginary vic:tim. Moreover he was so humble and so ready to yield tQ others. the better part. Only ,a short time be.fore he left U:s, ��WOODSTOCI( LETTERS. VOL. II., No. 2. ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. PART FIRST. [Continued.] Father Greaton:s choice is not so much to be wondered at. The intolerance of the colonists necessitated a retired situation. His prudent foresight foresaw it would soon be a most eligible position. In fact, for nearly a century after, it was in the very heart of W est-end-dom, with its upper ten thousand. To the North and East were the commodious residences of the wealthy Friends, who knew the true value of an Irish Catholic servant; while to the South and \Vest stood, in the early days of the Republic, the mansions of the foreign ambassadors, whose numerous domestics were the Fathers' frequent penitents. Within a quarter of a mile was the First President's House, and he who consid- �86 St. Yoscph' s Clmrch, Philadelphia. ered it no idolatry to have a full length painting of Mary Immaculate hanging at the head of his bed, saying to a future Archbishop of Baltimore, the Most Rev. Ambrose Man~chal, D. D., "I cannot love the Son without honoring the Mother,"* no doubt often directed his steps to " the little church down the alley." I\Iy venerable friend, Mrs. Baker, had spoken to me of this picture as well as of one, a life sized Good Shepherd, full twenty years before an aged brother in religion related to me the anecdote of the Archbishop. She also told how she had received many a courtly bow from the " Father of his Country" as he came from the "chapel" or the Priest's house. It was the proper position for a church, far enough from the Blue Anchor Tavern to escape the bustle of commerce and trade, and yet within easy access of the few families which formed its first congregation. As in 1844 the valuable property which surrounded it saved it from the incendiary's torch, so, no doubt, in 1744, its contiguity to the Quakers' Alms-House was its gre~t protection. Father Joseph Greaton, according to the most reliable data, was, as has been stated above, a native of Devonshire, England, though some, who give his name Josiah Creaton, claim him as a native of Connaugh!· in Ireland.t He was born in the year 168o, studied on the continent, and entered the Society of Jesus, as a priest, July 5th, 1708. His vows as a professed Father, were pronounced on the feast of St Dominic, August 4th, 1719. He had more than once visited different parts of Pennsylvania and the Colony of Philadelphia, previous to his being stationed in the rectangular City. He appears to have been a man of great energy of character, laboring faithfully throughout the three states ----- -- ------ --'------ *Archbishop Marechal's acoount to the Fathers at Georgetown. t Amo:1g the memoranda collected by Fr. Barbelin was a letter from a lady friend, in Boston, to Father Joseph Greaton, in which she speaks of his father's beautiful place at Ilfracombe, near the magnificent hea{}lands that skirt the Bristol Channel. �St. Yoscplt's Clwrdt, P!uladdpltia. of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. About the time of his profession, he came into his patrimony, and contrary to the custom prevailing in our ·Society, he was granted permission to use his money for missionary purposes. It was \\'ith this money he purchased the grounds on the Nicetown Road, in other places in the City and State, and it was with Father Greaton's money that Father Harding, at a later period, procured a large lot of ground in Fourth Street above Spruce extending back to Fifth Street, and built the original St. Mary's Church, no appeal having been made to the faithful, and no grant having been obtained from the Proprietor. In 1750, he was recalled to Maryland, and on the 19th of September, 1753, died. at our Residence at Bohemia Landing. Father Greaton during his eighteen years' pastorship, always claimed to be a citizen of Philadelphia, and in his will called himself 'of Philadelphia.' This will bears date September 2nd, 1749. He devised all his worldly goods to his friend Robert Harding, of Philadelphia, gentleman : . in the case of the death of Robert Harding before himself, to Robert Digges, of Prince George County; Maryland: the executor to be Mr. Harding or Mr. Digges. The witnesses to the will were Rev. Theodore Schneider, John Dixon and Patrick Carrol. This "last will and testament o~Joseph Greaton" was proved in August of 1753. Ten years before his removal Father Greaton's labors became so heavy as to call for an assistant, and the Rev. Henry Neale, S. J ., who had come to this country from England in 1740, as a missionary, was on the 21st of April, 1741, appointed to St. Joseph's as colaborer with Father Greaton. He found the people living in a more luxurious manner than he had supposed; and having nothing but the allowance made him in England, in a letter to his superior written four. days after his arrival in Philadelphia, April 25th, he says; "I find things otherwise than represented in ·England, I mean as regards a competent maintenance of l ' .I �88 St. Yosep!t's C!wrc!t, Pluladdp!tia. one m my station, for an annuity of £20, only, will not suffice." Father Henry Neale was an Englishman by birth, though related to the l\Iaryland family of that name. He was born in 1702, entered the Society in 1724, and was professed in 1743. In 1747, Father Henry Neale bought from the Proprietors of Pennsylvania, for the sum of £25, one hundred and twenty-one acres of land, at Goshenhoppen, now called "Churchville, Colebrookdale," Berks Co. This was increased in 1748, by three hundred and seventy three acres purchased by Father Greaton for the sum of £5 I. It was about this time that he, Father Greaton, bought "Pigeon hills," Adams Co., afterwards the site of the Little Seminary of the Sulpicians. Father Henry Neale's duties were onerous, and he died in Pennsylvaqia, on May 5th, 1748, leaving Father Greaton again alone in his charge of St. Joseph's, being occasionally assisted by Father Robert Harding, and Father Theodore Schneider, until his recall to Maryland. Father Robert Harding, a native of England, who had arrived in this country in 1732, and liad labored in l\·Iaryland and occasionally in Pennsylvania, was, upon the recall of Father Greaton, in 1750, appointe.d his successor at St. Joseph's. Father Theodore Schneider who was born in Bavaria in 1703, entering the Society in his eighteenth year, 1721, had, in 1741, founded the mission of Goshenhoppe·n. and in 1748 built the first chapel of the "Most Blessed Sacrament" on "the Goshenhoppen Farm." Father Schneider , was a man of erudition, having professed Philosophy at Liege, and been Rector Magnificus at Heidelberg. For a short while, in his early labors at Goshenhoppen, he was assisted by Father William \Vapeler, a native of \Vestphalia, born in 17 I I. He entered the Society in 1728, and in 1741 founded the mission at Conewago, Adams Co., Penna. Father.· Schneider visited Philadelphia, monthly, to assist Father Harding, and confess the Germans. �St. J'oscplt's Ozurdz, Pltiladclp/zia. Sg About this time, 1757, the original Chapel of St. Joseph's was lawfully and peacefully razed to the ground, to make room for an enlarged structure sixty by forty feet 'running East and \Vest, the incre?.se in the congregation rendering this enlargement necessary. In April of this year, Father Harding gave to the Provincial authorities an account of the members of his congregation. Of those over twelve years, who had made thei; first communion, there were seventyeight females and seventy-two males, mostly Irish. The congregation of Father Schneider, consisted of one hundred and seven males and one-hundred and twenty-one females, all Germans. In the early part of 1759, Father Ferdinand Steinmeyer, assumed name Farmer, born in Swabia, Germany, Oct. 13, 1720, and who had entered the Society of Jesus at Landespergen, Sept. 26, 1743, was sent to St. Joseph's. Besides assisting Father Harding in the care of his congregation, Father Farmer journeyed throughout Pennsylvania, and New Jersey and New York (then called New c~sarea), instructing, confessing, baptizing, anointing and celebrating the Dread Sacrifice. Every month, on horse-back, he visited New York, and so great were his labors there that he gained the grateful veneration of all the Catholics and was by them viewed as the real Apostle of the Faith in that city. \Vhen Father Carroll, afterwards the first Bishop, became superior of the American missions, he appointed Father Farmer, Vicar of New York, which he governed from St. Joseph's. It was just previous to one of his monthly visits to New York, that he was attacked by his last sickness, still he made, on horse-back, that journey of nearly a hundred miles, and returned on May the 7th, 1785, to linger until August, 1786, when he died. In our congregation are two maiden ladies of advanced age,* whose mother was one of Father Farmer's converts, and who treasure, among * The :i\Iisses Ann and Eliza Corcoran. �90 St. Yosep!t's Clwrclt, P/zilade!p!tia. their most prized possessions, a little table presented by the holy Jesuit. Iri the meanwhile, Father Harding was not idle at old St. Joseph's. He instructed the faithful and buried his beloved dead in the little "God's Acre" west of the Church, whose humble mounds were shaded by two gigantic \Valnut trees. It was rather the increasing demand for resting places for those who "sleep in the Lord," than the increased number of those "fighting the combat" that induced Father Harding, in 1763, to employ the money of Father Greaton in purchasing "St. l\Iary's Burying Ground" and building that Church, which in 1810 was enlarged to its present noble dimensions. Father Harding also assisted Father Farmer in his missionary duties and so arduous were his labors that he died at St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, on the Ist of September, 1771, beloved by all and keenly,bitterly and affectionately remembered. Father Harding's successor in the pastorate of Saints Joseph's and Mary's was Rev. John Lewis, S. J., a native of Engl~nd, who was soon recalled to l\Iaryland, where he aftenvards became Superior, and in 1783 presided at two meetings of the Missionaries of America. The early Pastors of St. Joseph's :vere most careful in presenring the records of their baptisms and marriages. Those of Fathers Greaton, Henry Neale, and those of Father Harding, excepting such as are entered in the Registry of Father Farmer are lost. They were lent to some one seeking data for an Ecclesiastical work and never returned. This is a great pity, as they, no doubt, would throw much light on the earliest years of St. Joseph's. Father Farmer's registries, however, are complete and in good preservation. They date from the 27th of August, 1758, and come down to within a fortnight of his death. They are written in a clear, legible hand, remarkable for their ne~tness-short, concise, in small books that have been carried thousands of miles, in the very heart of a hostile �St. 7oseplz's Clwrclt, Pltiladclpltia. army, during the darkest hours of our Country's strife. These records furnish matter for much interesting study. The Baptism registry begins without any heading with this entry. "I 75 8. Philadelphia. I 7 September: :Jacobus natus I4 Aug. huj. anni ex Josepha Kaufman Cath. & Anna Cathar. Prot. legitimis Conjugibus, Patrinis Joane Gatringer & Catharina Spenglerin, Cath'cis." and ends with "1786, Philadelphia. ] uli 30. 7oau. Nicolaus natus 13 April h. a. ex Caspar Albert & Ana. P. Nicolao Steiner & Margaretha Hedinga Cis." It was not long after his arrival that Father Farmer started out on his missionary excursions. As early a~ the beginning of November, we find him in Delaware County at Concord, or more properly speaking, at Ivy Mills-: "in Concord d. 5 Nov. ,liaria nata I 3, Maji, a. I 7 s6, ex David Lewis Pr. & Ida I. c. ut suppono. Patrinis Jacobo Willcox & Elizabetha ·willcox Cath'cis." This baptism took place in the chapel attached to the mansion of Mr. James \Villcox, where mass has been offered as early as 1758, and where mass has continued to be offered up, from time to time until the building of the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle at Ivy Mills. Contiguous to this residence is a grave-yard containing many an ancient grave. The present head of this eminently Catholic family is Mark \Villcox, Esqr., Proprietor of the "Catholic Standard," official organ of the Rt. Rev. Bishop of the Diocese. De Courcy, in his work, "The Catholic Church in the United States," is very inaccurate in his dates, as I think I will later have occasion to show, and, I fear he is sometimes ill-informed as to his f.1cts. Speaking of Fr. Farmer, he says: "The Revolution, which. made New Jersey the battle-field between the contending armies, interrupted his visits."* *De Courcy-p. 406. I �St. :Joscplt's Clmrclt, Plu"ladclp!tia. On August 30th, IJ76, the American Army retreated from Long Island: from that time until June the I 8th, I 778, New Jersey was occupied either by the Royal or Provincial troops. In Father Farmer's Registry we find this entry: "I776 in N. Caesar. Oct. I6 Cat!tarina, nata 27. Sept. h. a. ex Joanne Ells & Anna Eliz, I. c. c. P. Conrad Philipps c. pro Jno. \Villhelmo Schaffer c." October I 7th, he was at Change \Vater, Oct. 20th at Mount Hope, Oct. 22nd at Charlottenburg, 26th at Long-Pond. At all these places, he offered up the ever-adorable "God of Peace," gave instructions on tru~ 'patriotism, and baptized from one to ten infants or youths. The retreatiqg Provincials, at this time, occupied all these places. On the I 2th of December, he was back in Philadelphia, and we may imagine the feeling 'of this staunch lover of civil liberty, when Congress was obliged to retire from the City where the Declarati~n of Independence had been signed and proclaimed. On the 26th of September, I777. General Howe occupied Philadelphia, but Father Farmer who could penetrate the American Army ~vhile besieging New York, was not afraid, and, while the hostile armies were exchanging leaden compliments, within hearing, at Chew's, ncar Germantown, the fearless Priest was quietly engaged at St. J oseph:s making Christians ofthree little girls and one little boy, b~bies. As long as the British occupied Philadelphia, Father Farmer's labors were restricted to Philadelphia and its immediate neighborhood but when they evacuated the City, followed by \Vashington and his brave followers, among whom was the "Irish Brigade" raised, in great measure, by the persuasive words of a Molyneux and a Farmer, we find that by August 25th, he is already in Goshen, Orange Co., N. Y., and back again by the beginning of September to Salem and Gloucester in New Jersey, and then without rest, that he return<> before the end of the month to Mount Hope, to Charlottenburg, to Long Po!Jd, to H unterdon-surely he should belong to the 'Light Artillery'! And so on to the end. The warlike �St. :Joseplt's Clmrclt, Plti/adelpltia. 93 throes of a great Nation's birth did not prevent immortal souls from making their entrance into this world and im-· mortal souls from taking their exit, and where there was joy and \vhere there was grief, Father Farmer felt that there he should be. Father Farmer's Marriage Registries are also deserving of notice. The headings, each announced the standing of the priest. The first, begun in 1758, at his first arrival in Philadelphia, reads: "Sequentes, ego Ferdinandus Farmer Soc. Jesu Missionarius, interrogavi, eorumque mutuo consensu habito, solemniter per verba de praesenti Matrimonio conjunxt. The second, begun in 1769, has this heading: "Sequentes, ego Ferdinandus Farmer Soc. Jesu (usque ad dissolutionem ejusdem) Presbyter & Missionarius, interrogavi, eorumque mutuo consensu habito, solemniter per verba de praesenti Matrimonio conjunxi." The words in brackets were inserted after the suppression of our Society. How happy would this good Jesuit have been if he could have died again, the subject in tltc Society of his esteemed friend Father Molyneux. His third registry shows his position to be what the world would consider more exalted, but which, I am sure, he valued not near as much, as that of the humble Jesuit priest. It begins: "Sequentes, ego Ferdinandus Farmer Sacerdos & Missionarius Apost., in~erro­ gavi, eorumque mutuo consensu habito, per verba de praesenti solemniter Matrimonio conjunxi." From these registries may be formed some slight idea of the stupendous amount of labor performed by this saintly missionary, though we cannot form any accurate notion of the baptisms and marriages performed by him, as all are not inscribed in the registry in our possession ; many having been written in a registry kept in New York, as appears from a memorandum in his Baptismal registry.* The Bishop of Newark, the Right Reverend James Roosevelt Bayley, * Baptismal Registry p. 11 �94 St. Yosep!t's C!turc!t, P!tz!ade!phia. (at present, 1873, Archbishop of Baltimore) in his "Brief Sketch", speaks of his having visited l\Iacoupin twice a year; I can find but one record of a baptism at l\1acoupin. The Bishop speaks of Geiger's being near l\iacoupin. I am inclined to think that it was in Geiger's house that the monthly mass was offered up in New York City. \Ve are told that he visited that City every month ; almost every month we find marriages and baptisms recorded as performed at Geiger's, and these marriages are generally preceded by the 'thr:ee denunciations', as Father Farmer naively styles what we mor:~ politely call 'proclamations'. In a memorandum, immediately after a record at Geiger's, he speaks of "walking to \Vall Street." The record of the first baptism performed at Geiger's reads : "1 7 59· In domo Matt Geiger, I 5 Mart., Anna .Man·a nata 20 December I 7 58 ex Martino Holder et Margaretha 1. c. c., Pc.trinis Philippo Jacobi et Susanna Geigerin, Cath'cis." In the sama. year we find the first recorded baptism of a catholic slave. "Philad. d. 25 Jul. Thomas, niger Jeremiae Savage. Patrina, Bridget Savage. ceremoniae sup.plendae usque ad Chrism." In May, 1761, he commenced the m1sswns at "Glasshouse" north of New York City. "Glass-house: N. Y. d. 14 Maji J'oamzes Adam, natus 27 -April h. a. ex Jo. Wilhelmo Wentzel, Cath. et Anna Maria Pr. L. C. Patrinis, Joafie Adamo Geiger, Cath. et Afia Aberhin, Pr." This baptism presents the novelty of a Protestant Godmother. In this same year we find him marrying ten couples, poor exiles from Acadia. In 1762, he begins in the house of Thomas M'Guire, the mission of Chester, which can now boast its St. Michael's Church, with two pastors. In 1765, he founds the missions of Pikesland, Ringwood and Haycock, Bucks Co., and Mary Fagan was the first christian baptized in the congregation of St. John the Baptist. In 1766. "Bascanridge": in 1767, "Gothland"; in 1768, "Charlottenburg" and "Reading-Furnace," are visited and congre- �St. :Joscp!t's Clmrclz, Plziladelp!tia. 95 gations formed. This year he baptized one hundred and ten. In 1771, Pilesgrove miSSil n is begun; in 1772, Long· Pond; in the latter part of the same year Cohanzey, in cen· tral New York; in 1774, New Hope, and also one in Sussex Co., in north western New Jersey, and Challosberg, in Essex Co. Father Farmer, like his co-laborer Father Molyneux, was a staunch republican. He was present.at Philadelphia on the glorious 4th of July, 1776, and although elated as only the tru~ friends of the up-rising colonies could be elated, he did not neglect hi> priestly functions. In his marriage registry we read: "1776. Philadelphia, Julii 4 (cum Lie. Praes.) Yacobum ~Vds!t, viduum, et Honoram llfullarkey, puellam, ambos Cath. ex hac missione. Praes. T. Dionysio Dougherty et Edwardo Cavenaugh, (q.)" Frequently had Father Farmer visited Burlington, New Jersey, many a time had he confessed the Irish who, from time to time, had resided there; but our "Friends" had kept away the "scandal of a Baptism" until the middle of 1776. "In Com. Burlington. Jun. I8 :Joamzes natus I9. Aug. I775 ex \Vilhelmo Egan et Eleonora L. c. c. P. Patricio Kearns et Margaretha Scot Cath'cis." Having gained an entrance into the fortress of Jersey Quakerdom, Pennsylvania's citadel was soon surmounted : "Prope Bristol, Aug. 22. llfaria :Jessop, juncta Thomae Martin c. P. Susanna Shaw. c. id. cod. Aug .. 22. Riclzardus, natus Dec. I no, Anna nata I 8 Aug. 1773. Laurmtius, natus 10 Nov. I7J5, omnes tres ex Thoma Martinet Maria L. c. c. P. Daniele Shaw. Joanne Magonigel et Jacobo Robinson Cath'cis." The first time the famous municipality of Kensington appears in these records is "I776, Kensington. loamzes, natus 28 Dec. 1775,ex Joafie Rittisheime et Catharina L. c. c. P. Laurentia Connor C. q. Anna Catlzarina nata 7 Mart. h. a. ex iisdem. M. Juliana Abteri C." Neither Father Farmer in I775, nor Rev. Terence Donahue, when in I833, h{, �g6 St. Yosep!t's Clwrclt, P!ti!addp!tia. from St. Joseph's, built St. Michael's Church, dreamed that this portion of the city would, in 1872, contain eight churches, namely, St. Michael's, St. Peter's, St. Ann's, St. Bonifacius', the Church of the Immaculate Conception, St. Dominic's, St. Joachim's and St. Veronica's. The same year he opened a mission at \Vhiteland, west of New York City. In 1778, he began at Goshen, Orange Co., New York, the congregation that now_ worships in St. John's Church; at Salem, in lower New Jersey, the congregation of'.St. Mary's, and in Gloucester, N. ]., anoth<:r St. Mary's> In 1781, he founds the missions of Deerfield. ·woodstown and Greenwich in New York State-visits Fishkill, Dutchess Co., the site of the present Church of "Our Lady of the Rosary," where in four.days he baptizes fourteen and gives conditional baptism to six. In 1785, we find him in the neighborhood of Newark, the episcopal city of the diocese of Newark. "1785. Prope Newark. Oct. 3· Sara nata 1780, ex Henrico Foy c. et Sara L. c. P. Jacobo \Veisenburger." The next day he founds the mission at \Vest Hob~ken and West Highland. In 1786, the last year of his eventful life, he founded the congregation of St. Stephen's, Warwick, Orange Co., New York, where he bap~ tized seven. ..· \Vithin three weeks of his death, this holy laborious missionary, who was accustomed to travel on horseback many thousands of miles each year, gathering into the fold the scattered sheep of the Shepherd, was, through weakness, no longer able to leave the house, but he could baptize and, within a few days of his departure to his eternal home, he crept down stairs to unite in the irrepealable bonds of holy matrimony two of his spiritual children,· who had come more than a hundred miles to gain his blessing. At the end of the third Marriage Registry of Father Farmer we read, in the hand-writing of Father Molyneux, these sorrowful, yet glorious, words: Hoc anno obiit pix memori;e R. Pater Ferdinandus Farmer, alias Steinmeyer, �St. Yvscplt's Clmrclz, Plziladelplzia. 97 17 die Augusti. Requiescat in pace. Amen.* Father Farmer was tall and upright, of a ruddy, pleasi-ng countenance, graceful in manner and fluent in conversation, A frequent and welcome full of bonlzomie and anecdotes. guest at the table of catholics and protestant~, partaking moderately of the good things placed before him, not un~ frequently called from the hospitable board of some wealthy citizen to anoint the dying or advise the doubting, and always leaving a void behind him. In his disposition he was gentle, like his Model, but showing by the bright flash of his light grey eye, that he could feel for his Master's honor and defend His cause. He was a philosopher and astronomer, intimate with the literati of his day, and, in 1779, one of the trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, soon to be Philadelphia's pride.t Father Lewis, having been recalled to Maryland, was succeeded by Father Robert Molyneux (English not French pronunciation). Father Molyneux, like all his predecessors, was an Englishman by birth, having been born in Lancashire, June 24, 1738, and happily admitted into the Society of Jesus, in 1757. His was an eventful life, his it was to instruct the first Archbishop of Baltimore in Philosophy, his it was, while at St. Joseph's, to receive a copy of Bishop Challoner's letter informing the Fathers in England of the suppression of the Society of Jesus: his it was to direct St. Joseph's congregation when it no longer made a tnan a pariah to be a Catholic, but even a Quaker thought catholic influence of sufficient importance to be courted,in the early days of the Revolutionary struggle. Father Molyneux was pastor, with Father Farmer as assistant, during the whole Revolutionary War, and in 1781, when a solemn service of Thanksgiving was offerred to Almighty God for the assistance rendered by France to the * Third Registry. p. 125. t The description given by Mrs. Corcoran, for many years his penitent. �g8 St. 7osep!t's Omrclt, Pltiladelp!tia. struggling Colonies. I have seen it stated, that \Vashington was present on that occasion, but I can find no authority for the statement, but tradition. Abbe Bandol, Chaplain to the French Minister, preached on the occasion. In Father Farmer's Registry there is recorded a marriage blessed by this distinguished French clergyman. "I 782 Philadelphia, Novembris vigesimo quarto, Nic/wlaum Ferree, oriundum de Grandville in Normandia, solutum, & Amtam Butler, filiam Thomae Butler & Bridgitae Bennis, conjugum, oriundam de Limerico in Hibernia. Praesentibus testibus..notis qui subscripserunt L'Abbe Bandol, aumonier de son N p , E xce 11 ence 1e l\" · · · erree. ~tmstre d e F ranee, { Joseph Marino, Charles Carre. Ann Butler."* In a slip of old paper, I accidentally found in an Atlas, the title and date of said paper being unknown, it was stated that on Thursday, the Ist. of March, 1781-the day of the final ratification of the alliance and perpetual union of the States, "the Romish Church of St. Joseph's, back of Walnut Street was splendidly illuminated, in the afternoon; a solemn 'Tt' Deum being chanted : the venerable Ferdinand Farmer being the celebrant, assisted by Rev. Robert Molyneux. M. de Luzerne, Minister of· the King of France, with his suite was present." ..· · ' · T emoms The 25th. of August of same year-the birth day of the King of France, Louis XVI. was celebrated at St. Joseph's with much pomp. The French Minister was present at mass, his musicians accompanying the organ, and some of the gentlemen of his household singing. L' Abbe Bandol was celebrant and Father Molyneux, the Orator of the day. Shortly after the death of Father Farmer, at the beginning of the year 1787, Father Molyneux began a new Marriage Registry. It is written with much care. Its titlepage reads: *Second l\Iarriage Registry-1782. �St. :foseplz's Clmrclt, P!tiladelpltia. 99 LIBER MATRIMONIORUM, AB ANNO 1787 AD ANNUM 1799, INCLUSIVE. Quod Deus <:onjunxit, homo non separet. Matth: 196. \Vhat God hath joined together let not man put asunder. Qui bene eruditi sunt in fide catholica, noverunt quod Deus fecerit nuptias: et sicut conjunctio a Deo, ita divortium a diabolo sit. The instructed Catholic knows God to be the author of Marriage : and as the knot is tied by God, so it is loosed only by the devil. St. Aug. Tr. 9· in Yomt. Then follow twenty-five pages of the index, after which we have a second title-page. Father Molyneux was exceedingly stout, which caused him to remain much at home. Father Farmer could have hardly found time to ornament the books that accompanied him on so many thousand miles of hard riding. Aftert his index Father M. begins again thus: AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM. ---=~~==================== SEQUENTES Intcrrogati, eorumquc mutuo conscusu !tabito, per verba de pra:senti so/cmnitcr matrimonio conjzmcti sunt a Missionarits CATHOLICIS PHILADELPHL£ Philad~!phi~Jan. ro.---A-Rev. Rob. Molyneux, tribus i pr<emissis promulgationibus, Hugo M'Kinley C. et Catharina Quick Pr. -Pr<esentibus testibus Gul. M'Dermott, Sam. Harrison. Father Molyneux remained at St. Joseph's only one year after so elaborately commencing this Registry. He was withdrawn by his former pupil, Father John Carroll, at the end of February, 1788. �100 St. 7oscplz's Clmrclt, Plti/addp!tia. During his pastorship he was by no means idle in the work of his Master, though it was while he was pastor of St. Joseph's, that began the scattering of the land and property bought by Fathers Greaton, Neale and Harding, most of which, during the interregnum of 1800-1834 passed into other hands. In Father Molyneux' private registry we find this memorandum: "Robertus Molyneux 1775-1. Maii. Mem. To speak to Mr. Cauffman, to sign over a warrant for the land in Pigeon Hills to Mr. Lewis." Almost immediatelyafter the suppression of the Society, the purchases of I:ather Greaton began to pass to others. The cessition of hostilities between the United States and Great Britain was proclaimed by General \Vashington, on April 19, 1783. Before this, Father Molyneux, remembering the importance of educating the young for heaven, while their minds are being prepared for the duties of life, had his Parochial School erected. Then, as now, our schools had to be supported by the offerings of the faithful. In the early part of I783, we find this account: -~Rec'd. by Robt. Molyneux, for the School:" £. s. d. ----------------------------------------from Subs' d. Alex. Rogers, pd. Felix McKernan, pd. Owen Garrigan, on Dr. .K~nnedy's place, pd. Lent him a catechism. Ditto. 0 0 I IS I 0 10 0 IS 0 o o I 0 I John Comely, pd. [ 3 Daniel Fitzpatrick, pd. o Jeremiah Sullivan, pd. 9 IS Capt. John Walsh, pd. 1 3 Patrick Crogan, pd. Monsr. Rendon, Spanish Agent, pd. I I 10 Capt. Baxter's wife, pd. Felix McKernan, pd.* 5 John Tracy, pd. 3 1 , 3 g. Charles De Costes, pd· 7 6 o o o o o o S o o o 2 6 o o o o $S Honor Lee, pd.t 0 0 3 o o 1 . *Probably by bdividual oollections. tLoose sheets Fr. l'ti's Reg. Pag. 7. �St. :Joseph's Clwrdt, Plti!adclpltia. 101 During the suppression of the Society, this school-house, afterwards the first Ecclesiastical Seminary of the Diocese of Philadelphia, passed into the hands of trustees, when St. :\Iary's Church was incorporated by the Legislature, and trustees appointed, in 1788. The opening of a Catholic school (it cannot properly be styled a Parochial School, as there was but one parish in the city and county at the time), soon necessitated the administration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. The children and adults having been prepared by Fathers l\Iolyneux and Farmer, the Sacrament was administered, for the first time in this country, in 1784, by Rev. Father John Carroll, Ecclesiastical Superior of the l\Iissions. It is not improbable that Bishop Carroll not unfrequently visited Philadelphia; though I find but one record of his. "1794, Oct 23. Matrimonio junxi Jfauritium Xcag!c et Susmmam Taylor utrumque Catholicum. J oannes Epis. Ibltrsis. Testes fuere \Vm. M'Cormick, Patrick Whelan, l\Iary O'Donnell.'' In 1788, Father Robert Molyneux was recalled to Maryland, where in 1806, with Rev. Charles Neale, Rev. Cl1a:-les Sewell and Rev. Sylvester Boarman, former missionaries of the Society of Jesus, he petitioned Pius VII. for permission to form anew the Society in America. Bishop Carroll had already in 1803 written to Father Gruber, the Superior in Russia, begging him to readmit the Fathers living in the United States. The Holy Father having referred the petition to Father Gruber, he gave the necessary authority, and the Fathers mentioned above renewed their vows to Father l\Iolyneux, who had been appointed Superior. Father Molyneux was twice President of Georgetown College, time and again refused the offer of the Coadjutorship of Baltimore, and died, Dec. 9, I 8o8. His remains, if I mistake not, were the first laid in "the lowly ,·alley of the dead" at Georgetown College. �102 St. Yoscp!t's C!turc!t, P!ti!addp!tia. \Vith the depa~ture of Father :1\Iolyneux, St. Joseph's passed from the care of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, although until the removal of Father Leonard Neale, towards the end of I 799, at least one of the Fathers of the old Society was to be found at this venerable Church. Upon the death of Father Farmer, Rev. Francis Beeston was sent as assistant to Father Molyneux. He filled the office until I790, about which time, in I789, the Church of Holy Trinity, at the N. \V. Corner of Spruce & 6th Sts, was built. Father Beeston contin'ued the Missionary journeys of Fat!~er Farmer through the States of New York and New Jersey-or as it was styled at the time, "the Mission of New Caesarea." In the Registries of St. Joseph's, the Records of Rev. Francis Beeston and those of this mission, in a great measme, cease at this time, and it is probable both were transferred to Holy Trinity Church. But as Father Beeston continued to reside at the "Priests' House" -at St. Joseph's, we occasionally find him assisting his clerical brethren, by performing a marriage or a baptism. -In 1787, Rev. Mr. \Vm. O'Brien and Peter Helborn were for a short while assistants at St. Joseph's. In the beginning of 1\Iarch, 1788, Rev. Lawrence Graessl became pastor of the Churches of St .. Joseph and St. Mary, with a supervision of the mission of. New Caesarea. He was born at Rumansfeldem, in Bavaria, August 18, 1753. During the six years he spent in Philadelphia, he was distinguished for piety and mildness. Bishop Carroll proposed him to Rome, as his Coadjutor, and but for his too early death, doubtless, he would have been appointed. He died, at St. Joseph's, October, 1793. Rev. Mr. Graessl's first record, written in a legible, scholarly hand reads thus: I 788.-Philad. l\Iaji: a Rev. Laur. Graessl, tribus praemissis promulgationibus, Adc.m Fox, et J11mgarita Nil!, c. c. �St. Yvscplz's Clmrclt, Plziladclpltia. 103 Antonius Seibert. Testes adfuere { Andreas \ Valdrink. * The last marriage blest by him was at Charlottensburg, September 19th, 1793-t About this time he was succeeded by Father Leonard Xeale, afterwards the second Archbishop of Baltimore. The assistants, from 1789, were Rev. Christopher V. Keating and Father Francis Anthony Fleming, a powerful wntroversialist, author of "The Calurhnies of Verus: or, Catholics ,·indicated from certain old slanders lately revived; in a series of letters, published in difterent gazettes at Philadelphia, collected and revised by Verax, with the addition of a preface and a few notes. Philadelphia: Johnson & Justice, 1792."'! He and Rev. Lawrence Louis Graessl died during the yellow fever epidemic in I 793, martyrs to their duty.~ • Among his Marriage Records we read: 1790 I Feb. I Ab eodem Jl[att!Lms Carq Juvenis ct Hr:·Ibid. I 24. I gida Fla!tarcu, ambo Catholici. Laur. Graessl . Testes adfuere Christopher V. Keating.H This Matthew Carey was a very distinguished citizen of Philadelphia, during the first quarter of this century, and senior member of the firm of Carey, Stewart & Co, who, in I 790, printed at Philadelphia, the first edition of the Catholic Bible; the second edition of the Bible that had appeared in America. \ Ve also read : Ab eodem Joseph \\'igmore Juv. et Han1 793 April nah Coty, Puella, ambo Catholici. Ibid. Testes J Hugo Green 4· adfuere let Jacobus Gallagher.~ . J l •:· Mnrringe Hegistry of St. .JosPph's Church, p. 12. ,, " p. 5i. t De Courcy-p. 221. ~ " p. 221. !I Marriage Registry, p. 3ii. ~; p. 53. t �104 St. :lostpft's Clmrc!t, Plu!addphl~l. Joseph \Vigmore b::!c:tm..! quite a celebrated character about St. Joseph's. For nearly half a century he and his wife lived in a small house on the East side of the \Valnut Street entrance. In 1795, he became sexton of the Church and remained the Clergyman's right-hand man, until the destruction of the old Church. In 1794, a large number of immigrants, white and black, arrived from San Domingo with the Rev. R. Boudet, as Pastor; The. Marriage Records of this gentleman are a study, seldom taking less than a page of the registry, containit;g a l:iiography of the contracting parties, and written in almost Chinese hieroglyphics. In this same year we find, in the Registry, a number of Baptisms recorded in an almost unintelligible scrawl, by "L'arroque V. Pref. de sa mission de Dominicains en Guadaloupe." Also a few by a Rev. l\Ir. Elling, who probably accompanied the Vicar.Prefect. Before this time, the holy sacrifice was offered up, during the week, at St. Joseph's, and, on Sundays, Divine service ·was "held at St. Mary's, the smaller Church remaining closed. But now, every Sunday morning and afternoon, it was filled with a most devout congregation of colored peopl~, whose piety drew tears from ~any an eye, and whose singing, simple and stirring, filled rliahy a heart with longing after the sweeter strains of Sion. Some of these immigrants lived to a very advanced age. One of them died a short time since at the venerable age of 107, and her weary bones were laid in Trinity Church graveyard. Alas! most of their descendants have, through neglect, been seduced by the charms of a Methodist shout, and have been lost to the Catholic Church. A very small number are among the frequent communicants of St. Joseph's. De Courcy, page 223 of "The Catholic Church in the United, States", says: "At the outset of this century, the Pennsylvania missions received a precious reinforcement in the person of Rev. Adolphus Louis de Barth, who was ap- �St. :Joscplt's Clwrdt, P/ti!addpltia. 105 pointed to the mission of L::mcaster, and there displayed the most admirable zeal". Rev. Mr. de Barth's real name was Adolph Louis de Barth \Valback. He was brother to G::!neral \Vallhck, U. S. A., who was buried, some years since, at Baltimore. He was born at :Munster in 1774, studied at Bellay, and entered the Seminary at Strasbourg. His first baptismal record at St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, was made October the 9th, 1795, in his twenty-second year. ··Nil de mortuis nisi bonum" is an excellent adage. Still, the beauty of charitable truth is never marred by the recorded presence of some light error of judgment or feeling, in a whole lifetime, which was in other respects perfectly conformable to the christian model. In this connection, since I have had most excellent opportunities of learning his disposition, and manner of acting, during the most critical period of the existence of the Church in this City, one little phase of his character I have found, that appears somewhat strange, no doubt because it is not perfectly understood. Learned, accomplished, refined with child-like piety, laborious and filled with zeal, his many good qualities \vere said to have been accompanied by a rather cold feeling towards the Irish. This seemed to evince it~elf on various occasions during his life. It led, as I will have occasion to show in the second part of these annals, to mistakes of judgment, whose consequences were not so fruitful of general good, as his otherwise whole-souled devotion to the interests of religion. In June, 1795, Rev. Michael Ennis was added to the corps of assistants at St. Joseph's. In 1795, Rev. Matthew Carr; 0. S. A., D. D., arrived in America and, in 1796, was sent to St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, as pastor of St. Mary's, which about this time began to be a separate congregation. He immediately set about building St. Augustine's Church in North Fourth Street, which was dedicated in I 799· In 1798, a marriage took place at St. Mary's which must have caused much exc:itement among the fashionablcs of �106 St. :Joseph's Church, Pltiladdp!tia. the Capital and which shows that, at that time, Father Carr 0. S. A., was Pastor of St. Mary's but not of St. Joseph's, as has been stated in an account printed in the "Catholic Universe" in 1866. Aprilis die lOrna 1798. Infrascriptus Pastor Ecclesiae Catholicae apud Sanctam l\Iariam Philadelphiae Matrimonio junxi Nobilissimum et Illustrissimum Domin urn Carol urn l\Iartinez de Y rujo, filium legitimum l\Ianuelis Martinez de Y rujo et Dominae Narcisae Tacon et Cardenas de Regno Murciae in Hispania, Equitem Ordinis Regalis et insignis Caroli Tertii, Legatum Extraordinarium et l\Iinistrum Plenipotentiarium Catholicae suae Majestatis apud Status Unitos Faederatae Americae, et nobilem puellam Mariam Teresam Sara l\I'Kean, filiam legitimam Amplissimi Thomae M'Kean Supremi Judicis Status Pennsyh·aniae in America, et Sarae Armitage ex altera parte coram testibus infrascriptis Tho. l\I'Keari. Le Chevalier d'Yrujo. Le Chev. de Freire. l\Iaria Teresa Sarah. -Joseph Ignat. Drave. Fr. Mattheus Carr (qui supra). In I 797, the yellow fever again raged in Philadelphia with fearful severity. The priests were overpowered by their labors with the sick. At last, Rev. Michael Ennis and Re\·. R. Boudet were both laid lo~ with it. Father Neale and the other priests were all away on Missionary duties. The Rev. Gentlemen thought they were both to die, and were desirous of receiving the consolations of Religion. They were lying in different rooms in the attic of the house built sixty-five years before by Father Greaton. The housekeeper, a strong, buxom, young Irish maid was called, who carried Rev. Mr. Ennis into the room of Rev. Mr. Boudet. They confessed each to the other. Now the difficulty was to get the Blessed Sacrament, the clear Viaticum for the last dread journey. Honora again was summoned and ordered to take a clean towel and, going to the Church, to kneel and pray awhile, then to open the tabernacle and �St. Yoscflt's Ou.rclt, Pltiladclfliia. • 107 bring the Ciborium to the room. At first she objected;good pious soul, her reverence for the sacred species was too great ;-but obedience gained the victory. They gave holy communion to each other and had the Ciborium, that little palace of palaces, placed where their dying gaze might rest upon it. Next morning Rev. Mr. Ennis carried it to the Church and Rev. R. Boudet, instead of dying, rose in a few days to bury the dead. Honora, the good housekeeper, afterwards became a lay sister among the ca"rmelites of ?\fa. ryland. In March, 1799, Father Leonard Neale was removeu from St. Joseph's Church to become Rector of Georgetown College, D. C., and on the 7th of December, I Soo, he was consecrated Bishop of Gortyna in partibus and Coadjutor to the Archbishop of Baltimore. He took with him from Saint Joseph's three pious ladies, the venerable .-\.lice Lalor, l\Iary Neale and Maria l\I'Dermott,-they were afterwards joined by a widow lady of some wealth, Mrs. Sharp,-from St. Joseph's congregation. These ladies, who had gained his esteem and affection by their true humility and sincere piety, he placed in a house in Georgetown, near the College ground.'>, where they lived in community; and this Community was the cradle of. the great and good Order ofthe Visitation in the United States. A venerable priest* related an amusing anecdote connected with their early history. After some time wishing to aggregate themselves to the order in Europe, they wrote to France for some of the sisters and a copy of the rules. An answer was received to the effect, that owing to the disturbed state of France, it 'vould not be possible for any of the sisters to leave at that time. They, however, sent them a copy of the rules and by the next ship would send them a doll dressed as a nun of the order, from which they could copy and form their own garb. The good sisters were not busi*Father John )lcEiroy, S. J. �108 St. J'oscp!t's C/wrc!t, P!ti!addpltia. ness women, so that when the ship arrived at New York, there was no invoice and the box had to be opened at the Custom House. The officers, as ignorant and prejudiced as some of their successors in our time, named it "one of the Gods the Papists worship" and kept it some time on exhibition as a proof of Romish idolatry. Upon the departure of Father Leonard Neale, Father 1\Iatthew Carr, 0. S. A., D. D. ,became pastor of St. Joseph's, as well as ~t. Mary's and St. Augustine's, and "Vicar General of the Arch-diocese of Baltimore, for the mission of Philadelpbi~," with Father John Rossiter, 0. S. A., and Rev. John Bourke as assistants. After the suppression of our Society, in 1773, some one of the former Fathers of the Society was always stationed at St. Joseph's Church, but with the departure of Rev. Leonard Neale, this state of things ceased. For thirty-four years the Church was under the care of the Augustinian, Franciscan and Dominican Fathers and the secular clergy. \Vith the end of the eighteenth Century, we will close the firslpart of this gossiping account of St. Joseph's Church. When Father Joseph Greaton built the little out-building, its congregation was forty; when Father Leonard Neale departed for other fields of labor, tl~e number of Catholics under the .charge of the Priests, re~iding at St. Joseph's, was between eight and nine thousand. ( T(} be continued.) ' �AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF NEW YORK AND CANADA. About fourteen years after the happy day on which Piu~ VII. reestablished our least Society of Jesus, the Right Re\·. Benedict Joseph Flaget, Bishop of Bardstown, ever on the watch for new means of promoting God's glory in his vast diocese, solicited from Very Rev. Fr. Godinot, then Provincial of France, some missionaries to gather in the rich harvest of souls that lay, a!ready ripe for the sickle. amid the green prairies of Kentucky. As an earnest of his eagemess to welcome the fathers, he offered his own college of St. Joseph, in Bardstown, to be placed at their disposal. But at th~tt time our apostolic laborers were unable to meet all the demands upon their charity even in their own country; so that, although it must have gladdened the heart of our Very Rev. Father Provincial to behold a new vista unfolding itself before the reestablished Society, in that land to which the old Society, in virtue of its martyred sons, had acquired so just a right; still, not a single harvester could be sparc"d for these distant fields of America. The bursting crops could but bow their heads in humble submission to the Master's will, and abide the predestined moment of its due accomplishment. It came sooner than could have been expected. The Almighty who, in His providence, transfers the gift of Faith from a nation that has become unworthy of the precious deposit, to one more deserving, had already turned his benignant countenance towards that portion of America, hitherto less favored than many other parts of our continent; had heard its suppliant "Rorate Creli desuper," and �I 10 1Vtw York aud Dmadcl ilfissio11. destined for these fields of the New \Vorld, many of the Apostles whom the Old \Vorld was on the point of proscribing. The Revolutionists of 1830 were not slow in their work of proscription ; and the Omnipotent made use of their very impiety to further his own merciful designs. The storm that swept over France served to waft the richly-laden vessels of benediction that rode at anchor in its but lately peaceful waters, towards other ports, and other lands. America received its share of the blessings. The ne:y Provincial of France, Very Rev. Fr. Druilhct, not unmindful of the application for missionaries made by Bishop Flaget, two years previous, and supposing 'that circumstances had remained unaltered in Bardstown, deemed it advisable, in the present _state of affairs, to comply with the prelate's request. Fathers Chazelle, Ladaviere and Petit, with the devoted brother Corne, were selected for this new mission; and-having been kindly furnished with the means of defraying their expenses by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, they bade farewell to their friends, and their country, and sailed from Pauillac, near Bordeaux, Nov. 19th, 1830. On the 5th of Jan., the eve of the Epiphany, the island of Guadaloupe hove in sight. Here the ship cast anchor and our fathers once more gladly trod the earth, having been almost two months at sea. The following day, Rev. Fr. Chazelle had the happiness of opening his new career by preaching, at the request of the parish priest, on Christ's manifestation to the .Gentiles. But the regions to which he and his little band were to bring the good tidings of the gospel were still far distant; so they reembarked without delay. Fifteen days more on the waves brougl1t them to New Orleans, the terminus of their journey by sea. There still r~mained upwards of x6oo miles of overland travel, before they could reach Kentucky; but as the season was far advanced, and the rivers closed to naviga- �1Vcw York m1d Canada Jfission. I I I tion for the season, they were forced to tarry two months in New Orleans. This delay they turned to the greater glory of God : Rev. Fr. Chazelle flew to the prison cells of some slaves condemned to death, accompanied them with words of hope and consolation to the place of execution, and then devoted himself to the work of teaching catechism to the little children. The other Fathers were likewise employed in spiritual works of mercy. Meantime Rev. Fr. Chazelle had written to acquaint Bishop Flaget with their arrival. The letter fell as a thunderbolt on His Lordship, as well as on the priests of his diocese: for when, in 1828, the saintly prelate had found it impossible to obtain any members of the Society, for the management of his college, he had handed it over to the secular clergy. His astonishment then, at seeing the Fathers present themselves to enter upon the discharge of their anticipated duties, was equalled only by .the amazement of the Fathers themselves, when they learned that these duties were already fulfilled by others who looked on them almost as intruders. The Bishop scarcely knew what answer to give to Rev. Father Chazelle's letter; still he expressed a hope of finding some work in his diocese for the missionaries; and encouraged by the prelate's reply, Fr. Chazelle set out with Fr. Petit, leaving the rest of the little colony still at New Orleans. Had naught been consulted but the good Bishop's love for the Society, there would not have· been a moment's hesitation or delay; but as matters actually stood, the saintly prelate was at a loss how to act. To send back the Fathers after they had been so ardently longed for; when, after so many dangers, they were actually on the field, and on all >ides the rich harvest was waving in the breeze, as if beckoning to them not to pass by: this he could not bring him~ self to do, and yet it was impossible to give them now ·what be had before intended. �I l2 1Vcw Vt1rk and Cmuula Jfission. The bishop was too truly a man of God, (insignis pietatis, says the l\IS.) to doubt, after the first moments of surprise were over, whither he should look for light in his perplexity. The wings of prayer bore him aloft to the throne of the ~Iighty Counsellor; into \Vhose Paternal Bosom his doubts, and his troubles and hio;; fears were poured with a filial confidence. The more surely to obtain what he sought, he enlisted St. Ignatius in his cause, by beginning in concert with Rev. Fr. Chazelle a novena preparatory to the feast of our Holy Founder:.' It would indeed have been surprising, had tlu.: loving Father of all mankind turned a deaf ear to the prayers of these devoted pastors of souls, offered as they \\·ere by the hands of the soul-enamoured Ignatius. And in fact, the novena was not yet concluded, when the bishop received an unexpected and extraordinary letter from a priest of his dioce~e, the Rev. \Villiam Byrne, a man, for a long time, by no means friendly to.the Society, and especially of late, greatly opposed to the entrance of our Fathers into Kentucky. It would not be very difficult for us to imagine what the purport of the letter might have been, but God Almighty alone could have made it what it r,eally was. Suffice it to say that the Rev. lVIr. Byrne offer.ed to the Fathers the College of St. Mary's which, on ground givendiim by the bishop, he had built, and for twelve years had been improving and beautifying. It was situated about ten miles from Bardstown, and had attached to it a farm of nearly 300 acres. No price was stipulated; no condition or restriction whatever laid upon the grant, save that Father Byrne should continue to preside over the institution in the name of our Fathers, until they would be in a condition to undertake its full management themselves .. Father Byrne's kind offer was immediately referred to Rom~, but as delays were unavoidable, it was only on the 7th of July of the following year, 1832, that letters from �"Vcw Yorio? and Canada Jfissiou. 113 :\lost Rev. Fr. Roothan announced his definitive approval of the acceptance of St. :Mary's. The little family, less numerous than that of St. Ignatius and his first companions, seemed hardly able to meet all the wants of a college; but, as in the still smaller family of Nazareth, Jesus was one of the number: with Him, all things were possible. The Fathers accordingly entered on the discharge of their new functions with all their energy. A kind providence was watching over them, and, one by one, new laborers joined them in the vineyard they were cultivating. The first was Fr. Fouche, born in Paris, May 9th, 1789, and, at the time of which we speak, director of the Seminary of Bardstown. The second was Fr. Evremond Harissart, born in the same city, May 19th, 1792, and likewise superior. of a Seminary. They had both gone through a spiritual retreat, under Rev. Fr. Chazelle, the preceding year; and the result was but a repetition of the first victory of the Exercises, three hundred years ago. It was the same inspired book of the Exercises that was doing its work over again. As our nascent mission could not then boast of a house of probation, the Province of Maryland, our elder sister, kindly placed at our disposal its Novitiate at \Vhitemarsh. Fr. Evremond was accordingly received within its friendly enclosure and began his noviceship at once. Fr. Fouche could not succeed in resigning his post in the Bardstown Seminary before September of the following year ; and as our Most Rev. Fr. General had, by that time, decided that a Novitiate should be opened in Kentucky itself, under Rev. Fr. Chazelle as Master of Novices, Fr. Evremond bade adieu to \Vhitemarsh, and with many fond recollections of his first home lingering in his heart, joined Fr. Fouche at St. Mary's. Thus it was that the first two novices of our mission exchanged their lofty stations for the humble life of the Novitiate. �114 . ..:Vl·zu York aud Cauada 1J!zssioll. The 22nd of December, I 832, though astronomically one of those days on which the rays of the sun are most chary of their gladdening visits to our earth, was more than usually blithesome and sun-bright for our little family at St. Mary's; announcing, as it did, the arrival of three more Fathers from Europe. France had already sent her missionaries to the forests of Kentucky, and, this time, Spain, Italy and Switzerland furnished their quota. Not that the newcomers were natives of these parts of the globe, for Fr. l\laguire was born in Ireland, and Fathers Gilles and Legouais in France, but they were actually laboring in these several countries, and these countries it was that made the sacrifice for the good of America. \Vith what heartfelt emotions Rev. Fr. Chazelle must have pressed to his bosom these brothers from the Old \Vorld, those alone who have left country, and family and home for Christ's sake can imagine. A day or two was allotted to repose after the fatigues of the journey, and then the five co-laborers entered on the regular life of the Society '~ith all the punctuality and exactness observed in the oldest house in Europe. The first need that made itself felt was a knowledge of the English tongue; and accordingly, all who were deficient in this respect, gave themselv.e~ up to the study of the language of the country, with incredible ardor: FF. Fouche and Evremond acting as professors of English literature to Fathers Gilles snd Legouais. So really heroic w:as their desire to advance in their studies, that, as we find recorded in the MS. diary of those days, it was strictly forbidden to say a single word in French; and this generous sacrifice of what is so dear to everyone, the sweet music of his native tongue, was offered, as a pleasing holocaust to Mary, during her lovely month of May. Hitherto some of the members of our mission had never met, but on the 13th of May, 1833, those Fathers who had re.mained, as we have seen, at New Orleans, aiding �JI/C'w York and Canada Jlission. 115 the good Bishop of that diocese, joined their companions in Kentucky. Thus, for the first time, "sine quidem humano", says the MS., "non autem absque divino consilio", all the FF. of the French Province, then in America, with the exception of Father de Grivel, who filled the office of Master of .Novices in the Province of Maryland, met together, in their common home, to the number of eight: "cum ingenti sane omnium gaudio, et mutua gratulatione." \Ve are fain to believe that, if the edict expelling the French language from the community had not yet been repealed, the exile . was recalled from his banishment, at least for a few hours; hours so swift-footed on such an occasion.* \Ve have dwelt thus at length on the infancy of our mission, for the reason that there is always something sw:::etly attractive in tracing out the first beginnings of even the least of God's works; and because the halo of sanctity invariably encircles all pioneers on a new field of God's glory. \Ve have even overstepped a little the actual date, at which our sketch has now arrived, in order to display at * The aged Fathers of our mission divide its history into three distinct periods: the Heroic, or Ji'abulous, the Pre-Historic, and the /It:;. toric proper. Thus far we have been treating of the Fabulous times, ~lightly encroaching, however, on the era that begins to be dimly histmieal. The appellation given to the first period could not be more appropriate, ftJr, the MS. diary bears testimony to facts which, in our days, ~eem fabulous indeed. How the students, not a hundred in numbrr, eonld be boarded and taught at the annual rate of $60 each: -How turkeys were one of the cheapest articles of ·rood to·be found: twenty-fin, 1·ents being sufficient to procure from any neighboring cabin a beautiful ~pecimen already dressed, cooked and fit for the table :-How the receipts for tuition were seldom deposited in the hands of the treasurer, but driven by the fhrmer, into the barn-yard, in the shape of well-fed porker~, or else poured into the n,ilk ca:ts of the dairy. The peculiar sort of book-keeping requisite in such circumstances, was J•erhaps, more complicated than ordinary Double Entry; and the disposal of the live-stock was not unfrequently the great event of the day Thus, the only item of information we find recorded for Nov. 30th, 1833, is the terse, but fearfully significant scr.tcnce! "porcis plurimis dies fatalis ;" and this fatal day, wns probably of no rare occurrence in the domcstie l'conomy of St. Mm·y's. �I 16 .Nczu Yoli: and Canada Jl!ission. once all the beauties of this picture of religious peace and happiness, lest the coming storm-clouds should prevent our noticing some of its less salient, but no less charming traits. Though, in very deed, the storm-clouds themselves form the most natural feature in every picture of the Society; and a scene in which no such signs of the continued prayers of Ignatius would be visible, either actually over the landscape, or already disappearing in the distance, or but just merging from the horizon, would be but a chilling prospect to every tnie son of our sainted Father: the finger of God would not be there. And of the three, perhaps the scene in which the storm is just appearing, is the most consoling; for, the peaceful traits are still undisturbed, but, at the same time. the rising clouds are an earnest that our peace is not the false tr;J.nquillity of the world; that it is a peace, not enervating, but strong and holy; and one that by no means clashes with the sword Christ brought on earth. How much soever the great ones of the earth may at time2 seem to favor us, it will never cease to be true, that the birthplace of the Society was the mount of l\Iartyrs; and that not one of its many colonies has belied our first home : · not a single new province or mission has been founded, but has been blessed with its share of ~tosses, and consequent crowns. The first token of the comii1g storm was the advent of that messenger from above, that true scourge of God, the cholera. This fearful epide'mic had, the preceding year, (1832) visited the shores of North America and harvested its victims by thousands, filling the land with mourning and desolation; but its work was not completed, and now it was once more on our shores, to glean what had escaped it before. Its approach was sudden : the first notice of its entrance into the immediate vicinity of our Fathers, was the cry for spiritual help from a woman attacked by the terribl~ plague, Monday, June znd, 1833. This was the moment, fo.r devoted soldiers to fly to the post of danger; a moment, which might prove the recompense of years of toil 4 �iYn:,, J'{wk and Canada 11lission. 117 and privation, which might be the stepping stone to a martyr's crown. Yet (with the exception of one unacquainted with the language) not a priest was in the house, save Father Byrne; all our Fathers who were wont to betake themselves every Sunday, for the exercise of their ministry, to the neighboring villages, were still at their posts. But the zealous Father Byrne, though, in his feeble state of health, he might justly have feared to be, in the present case, the victim rather than the saviour, hesitated not an instant-he was beginning on earth a triduum of charity which he was to close in heaven. He visited the dying woman assiduously on the 3rd and 4th inst., but on the 5th, the eve of Corpus Christi, he read the smile of approval on his l\Iaster's countenanc~; he g.lZ~d for the last time on the Yelled body of his Sa\·iour, and ~vas then admitted to behold It face to face, to celebrate t!te Feast of that adorable Body in the abode of bliss. Nine hours had not elapsed between the first .-;truggle and the crown. The Master had come suddenly, but he found his servant watching, the lamp of faith burning brightly in his hands ; the garment of charity c.Jo~~ly girt around him The spot for his tomb was, by permission of the Bishop, chosen on the ground of the deceased that amid the very fields on which he had toiled so long and with so much energy, and which he had, with noble disinterestedness, dedicated to God's glory, he might at last rest in peace. Father Byrne was by no means an 0ld man, but he had lived for God, and "Virtue, not rolling suns, the mind matures : That life is ](Jng which answers life's great end." Rc\'. Fr. Chazelle had to enter immediately on the full administration of the College. His first concern was to provide for the safety of the students, but they themselves soon rendered all further measures of precaution impossible. A panic seized numbers of them, who, the very moment Fr. Byrne's obsequies were concluded, without a thought of asking leave, forsook the college precincts. Of the refugees �I 18 ..Vcit' York and Canada Jlfissiou. some passed the night in the n:::ighboring farm-house.;; others, less £·wored, after lo.;ing th:.:ir way, w..:re forced to lie down on the hard ground, with no shelter abm•e them sa\·e the wide-spreading oak of the forest. Meanwhile the Father.; devoted themselves to th·.::ir ministry un:iringly. night and day. The calls upon the;r charity. \\·hether by the plague-stricken, or those who only feared the apj)roach of the epidemic, were so numerous, that the few laborers· could scarcely respond to them all. Still, almost countless was the number of souls which this merciful visitation of the Almighty, \Vho loveth even while He chastiseth, gathered into th-e" heavenly garners, and which, otherwise, would one day have been cast with the unprofitable cockle into eternal flames. But God still demanded as a holocaust from our own number, one of the most useful of the little band-the price of Calvary's blessing on our ftiture labors; at a moment, too, when every laborer was extending so strenuously the kingdom of God in the hearts of men: so little necessary for GQd's work, are even the most devoted. The terrible devastator after carrying off two of. the students who had remained, and one servant, came finally to Fr. Maguire. This zealous missionary felt that he had not long to live; he heard within him the call of death, and, piously avaricious, dreading the loss of the least particle of so precious a time, begged the assistants not to allow him to be overcome by lethargy, but to rouse him by frequent aspirations. Their task was a light one indeed-no external monitor was necessary to inflame the dying servant of God: his heart allowed no thoughts but those of heaven to enter; his lips gave passage to no words save those of eternity. Before his senses £>iled him, he earnestly begged that his crucifix, his rosary and his book of rules should repose upon his bosom ; that as they had been the objects 9f his love in life, they might be his solace in death; and it was his special request that all care should be �"Vcw York and Canada J{ission. I 19 taken, lest the Scapular of the Blessed Virgin which he had worn from infancy should by any chance be removed. An agony of excruciating intensity served to purify more and more the wedding garment of the departing soul; and as the holy religious had led a life of perfect obedience, so his last moments were the fulfilment to the letter of the recommendation of the Constitutions, (Pars VI. Cap. 4.) In morte unusquisque de societate eniti et curare debet ut in ipso Deus ac Dominus noster Jesus Christus glorificetur et proximi a:dificentur. Fr. Maguire was only 33 years of age, and had been 8 years in the Society. From the death bed of Fr. Maguire the holy viaticum was carried to the couch of Fr. L ...... whose recovery no one expected; whilst about the same time, Fr. Fouche, busy with the dying at the neighboring \'illage of Lor.::tto, was su.ddenly pro;;trated by the disease. It seemed indeed as though our little bark would never be able to weather the storm : one of the stalwart rowers had already been swept away; two mo:·e seemed about to share the same fate-and still the Divine l\Iaster slumbered. But the sh'adow that hung so . darkly over us, was only that of the cross; the clouds that had gathered so fearfully and so threateningly around us, were of no deeper hue than those of Calvaryand Calvary had its Easter. Calvary saw the rising of its God -that God \ Vho is e\'Cr able to inspire hope against hope. At that very hotu· consolation was at hand, and though it seemed only a stray beam that had found its way between the dark masses of clouds, silvering for an instant all it met on its path to be followed next moment by a yet thicker darkness, still a long series of brighter days was not far off. Fr. Fouche recovered after a week's illness; Fr. L .... , though sustaining an attack of more than I 2 days, was not so soon to be called to his rest ; but was to be reserved for a long life of useful toil, becoming the spiritual Father of •:hildren unto the third and fourth generation. I I '''I '' '! �120 "Vcc:t• }{wk and Canada Jlission. The Cholera had disappeared, bu1 God's chastening rod was still upraised. The 30th of December, 1833, was a memorable day in the early history of our mission. Father Chazelle had set out on horseback that afternoon to tran,.;act some business, inknding to return before nig:1tfall ; but, as frequently happened to travellers in those days. when roads were a luxury rarely met with, and when more depended on the instinct of the beast of burden than the intelligence of the rider, he lost his way in the forest, and night coming ,on, was forced to seek shelter in a stranger's cabin. Thus~ says the pious ~IS., did Divine Providence spare the guardian of the house, the sight of the fearful disaster that was about. to £<11 upon it: sweet sleep, after a day spent in fatigue for God's service, soon closing his heavy eyelids, while his flock was suffering so keenly for want of its shepherd. But the kind Master for whom he had toiled, took the place of the care-worn servant; the Great Shepherd kept watch over the fold, and no harm was to come to it but what He, in His providence, permitted. The- students had just finished their night prayers in the chapel, and were crossing the yard on their way to the dormitory, situated in an adjoining building, when, on a sudden, a huge column of flame burst forth from the very building which they were approachin-g: There was a moment's stand-still in utter amazement and awe. Fire! fire! were the first words that rang out from the mouth of every student, on the clear, cold air of that winter's night; and then followed the usual rushing of persons madly to and fro, according as each one thought of some cherished object that might still be snatched from the flames, or imagined some new means of stemming the burning torrent. But, no water was to be had-not even a ladder could be procured-and, especially, there was no one to direct the willing hands that were wasting their strength in efforts, unavailing ·because not united. And, all this time, poor Fr. Chazelle was quietly reposing, a few miles away, utterly unconscious of the dread visitor of his little home. �.Vc7'' 1"'iwk aud Cmada Jlission. 121 Some of the students' beds, and a number of books was all that was rescued from the flames: the entire building, save the four outside walls that still stood amid the wreck, had become a heap of ruins. The work of destruction was completed in half an hour; but the pang it caused was of far longer duration, and was the more deeply felt as the authors of the conflagration were, some time afterwards, discovered to be two or three unruly students, who through a motive of fiendish revenge, had coolly plotted this terrible crime. The Fathers, however, did not murmur at this new visitation from on high; on the contrary they found matter for sincere thanksgiving in the fact that amid such confusion and danger, not a single person had been injured; and it \\•as a sweetly consoling thought in their personal distress, that though they had lost one of their own dwellings, the h?use of their loving Saviour, the temple of God had been spared. In fact, when the conflagration was at its height, and it seemed evident that not a single one of the buildings coulu escape, the wind had suddenly veered around in another direction. During the whole time of the fire the students had given ·proofs ?f great de,•otedness and bravery, and though beds had been prepared for them in an adjoining building, but few cared to retire to rest. The greater number passed a wakeful night beside the still smoking ruins, and as they stood there, peering into the dying embers, their shadows cast darkly on the crisp ground behind them, manifold were their expressions of sincere condolence with their beloved instructors. But, at the same time, they could hardly have been able entirely to curb an undercurrent of less saddening reflections concerning themselves personally; and although they would probably have been better pleased had a few more beds been spared, even at the price of all the rescued books ; they must have found a boyish consolation in the thought that many a hard puzzling lesson was �!22 JVcw York alld Ca11ada JVfissilllt. deeper down in the heaps of smouldering- ashes before them, than it had ever been able to penetrate into their les~ pervious skulls, and many a dog-eared volume was now paying in the flames the penalty of having so often racked young, innocent brains. It was a fearful blow for poor Fr. Chazelle when the next morning at day break, he was found and informed of the dire catastrophe. He was not, however, disheartened: the man who has placed his trust in heaven, earth's shocks can not overcome~ .. "Though tempest frowns, Though nature shnkes, how soft to lenn 011 !Ieav'n ; To lean on Him on ·whom .An:hnugels lean ! His first act was to have recourse to the Giver of all life and strength. This done, he held a consultation, and, at its close·, informed the students that the first session was at an end; that studies would be resumed towards the middle of the coming month. That evening, the last of the old year, the community a~ customary in the Society, entoned the Te Deum with grateful hearts, for the blessings of the past twelvemonth; and, after litanies, presented with filial love, to the head of the house their best wishes for the coming year. .Rev. Fr. Chazelle in his turn, thanked them with an overflowing heart, and with paternal kindness, exhorted all not to be depressed by their present misfortunes, but to labor strenuously and with union of wills to endow their institution, already proved hy so many trials, with all possible stability, according to the measure of God's grace. It was the same vein of thought as that in which, a few days later, he wrote to Very Rev. Fr. Provincial. "Trials," said he in his letter, "must be accounted as graces, especially in the Society. As long as God will be pleased to affiict us, we are t1r from being unhappy, provided His crosses find us true sons of oi1r Father, St. Ignatius." �I", -.) The indom;table spirit that animated ,the head, actuated, all the me:nb~rs; and the work of repair was undertaken with aruor. l\lany of the students and neighbors imitated the example of the Fathers, who might be seen here collecting the scattered bricks, there hewing massive pieces of timber; or, when the building was roofed, nailing laths to the joists, and, owing, no doubt, to the inferior quality of the iron, breaking vast quantities of nails, during this thei~ first apprenticeship in the carpenter's trade. \Vhere none were idle, the work must needs have rapidly progressed; and indeed, despite the asperity of the season, the very depth of winter, on the 23rd of January, the building was sufficiently repaired once more to receive the students. ' Nothing of note, now disturbed the pleasant monotony of college life, previous to the 26th of Ju.ly, 1834, the First .-\.nnual Commencement Day of St. Mary'~ College, since its full management had devolved on the Fathers. The exercises took place on ·a rustic stage erected under the shady trees that surrrounded the house, and comprised, among other literary productions, a tragedy, composed by Rev. Fr. Chazelle, who, says his MS. biography, was convinced that to promote the glory of God in America, and in Kentucky, he must first become a r .:al American, and a Kentuckian. The play was entitled "Redhawk," and was designed to illustrate the ancient customs of the Indians, and the labors of the early American settlers: all turning to praise of Christianity. The bright costumes of the natives, in which the actors were arrayed, contributed not a little to the success of the drama. Perhaps it was owing to these and other sincere tokens of love for America, exhibited by the Fathers, that a deeprooted affection towards them gradually took the place, in the hearts of the people, of that feeling of suspicion and distrust with which they had first looked upon the members of the Society. But whatever may have given it rise, likewis~. �124 iVc;u York aud Canada JllLutil!l. ' unequivocal proof that this affection really existed, \\·a,; shown by a deputation from the citizens of the neighboring villa~e of Lebanon, who waited on Rev. Fr. Chazelle, and offered to open a subscription for rebuilding the college on a much grander scale. The Father recei\·ed them most aff:1.bly and thanked them sincerely, regretting that he was unable to give them, at once, a definitive answer. The question was immediately referred to Rome, and after it had been agitated for a considerable time, and recourse to earnest prayer had been had on the part of all, it was finally brought ·tQ a close in I 836. when the foundations of the new wing were laid. During the years in which the building was in process of erection, the devout annalist inform,:. us that God, in His fatherly providence so tempered the bitter with the swe~t, that although new trials came to prc\·ent our fathers from being too much elated by pro-;p~rity, new joys succeeded lest they should be too much cast down by adversity; and this, in so loving and merciful a way, that the dark and troublous days were always outnumbered by those of sunshine and peace. [To be continued.] .... ..: XOTE-It will, no doubt, interP~t many I'Patll·r~ of the "Ll'ltt·r,-·· to peruse a pnge from the earliest Catnlogtll' ofFranee we han· heL·n able to procure, that make& mention of "Colll·p:ium KeutudwiPnsP atl S ~Iari:nn t>t eonvictus,'' ineunte )IDCCCXXXYI. R. P. Petrus Clwzelle, Y. Rector. P. Thomas Legouais, )linister, 1Iagister NoYitiorum, Pro[ )lath .. etc. P. Gulielmus Murphy, Professor, ete. P. Xicolnu~ Petit, Prinm~ pra>fectu~ monun, !'!e. P. Nicolnus Point, Pr~efectu~ ~tmliorum, etc. P. Simon Fouche, Prof. :Mnth.; prrefectus morttlll. t·tc. P. Xaverius (Evremond) Ileiissart, Prof. ling-ure Grrecne, ek P. Vitaiis Gilles, Prrefectus Spiritunli~: Profe~sor lingnnl' Gnllica(·. ('(('. Philippus Corne, Ad omnin. Philippus Ledore, Coquus. �THE APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER. The Rev. Director of the Apostleship for the U. S., residing at \Voodstock, is constantly receiving numerous letters from all sections of the country, bringing with them the glad tidings of graces obtained from the bountiful Heart of Jesus in answer to the prayers of the Associates. From among the many instances which have thus been brought under his notice he has allowed us to select the following, which we present to our readers. not so much because they are in themselves very extraordinary manifestations of tf1e divine power and goodness, as because we wish to do honor in these pages to the Heart which it is our glory and our pride to serve, and to offer a feeble tribute of gratitude for the compassionate tenderness with which It has responded to our petitions. Might we not also say, or would it be thought presumption in us to suppose that the recital of such favors may, perhaps, be a source of encouragement for those whose duty it is to labor for the interests of this Adorable Heart ? The progress of the Apostleship, since its humble beginning as a private devotion in 1844, has been successful in the extreme, for to-day its records show a total of more than six millions of members. The Communities and Congregations throughout the U. S., which have been affiliated to it, may be found in. the "Messenger" for January of the present year. It is a goodly list and well calculated to afford consolation to all who are truly zealous for the honor of the Sacred Heart. It shows a widely extended organization in this quarter of the New World, and, judging of other countries by wh~t we thus know of our own, we have every �Tltc Apostles/tip of Prayer. reason to hope for the speedy and perfect realization of the wishes of our divine Lord in regard to the diffusion of the spirit of prayer in these days. It is a sad thing to behold some of the most accomplished and educated men bowing down before the material world, over which God gave them dominion, and receding farther and far:her from the Creator in proportion as multiplied evidences of his goodness rise up anew before them in their progress along the unexplored paths of knowledge. \Vhat is still more deplorable is their wonderful activity in spreading their doctrines. At this very ni:oment there exists a powerful league of scientific men for the dissemination, by means of cleverly written articles, re\·iews, popular lectures etc., of Pantheism and Nature-\Vorship among all classes. Very lately the Christian world was shocked by a blasplH::mous attack upon the efficacy of prayer, and there cannot be a dot\bt that this very occurrence gave a new impulse to the exertions of thost: whom Jesus Christ has associated with Him self as colabore~s for the interests of his Sacred Heart. Let us pray for these wandering minds and implore that the light of infinite \\'isdom, shadowed forth in faintest glimmerings in events such as we subjoin below, may fall at length upon them and bring them to the knowle~ge of something better and nobler than the matter which engrosses them. Above all let us constantly labor and pray for a more universal establishment of that fountain of grace, the holy league of the Apostleship. But our readers must be anxious for the extracts we have promised. We will give them verbatim as they were received, for they need no word of comment. A Lady writes to her brother: "I have just received, n letter from a friend with an account of the heautifiil death of her conBin Louis M ..... who was brought back to the practice of his Faith through the powerful intercession of the Apostleship of Prayer. After having returned to hi~ duties as a Catholic, he prayed that, if it were Gotl'R holy will, he m(qht not recooor from his long sickne~s, lest he should again wander from thl' right path. His prayer has been heard. He lingered for months, edil)"ing his family and friends by his patience, piety and happiness in suffering for tile love of his blessed Saviour, and died at last a pure and holy death, �77tc .-4post/cs!tip of Pn~rcr. 127 full of angelie resignation to God's will. His death was so consoling that. although tlw only surviving son of the mo~t devoted parents and llll' hn>'hand of a most admirable wife, it is almost a cause of rejoicing to them.-I have told you already of the remarkable conversion, through the A1'o~tleship, of his aged father, who is now saint-like in his piety." A clergvman writes from ~ew-York: "In my last letter I recommend· ed to yotir prayers a Protestant gentleman; a person of intelligence :nul wealth. I[(' was a Fre('·~Iason and unbaptized, and, at the time of my writing, was on tlH' point of (leath This week he ('Xpressecl a wil· lingncs~ to see a priest, was baptized this morning, and will receive Communion to-morrow.'' A letter from Philadelphia contains the following: "Heartfelt thanks are r('tnrn~:d to th(' Sacred Heart for the ltappy death of the father of l>unily wlws(' reformation has been prayed for since last ~larch. Rather more than a momh ago he was prostrated on a bed of illness, and died last week liJrtilkrl hv all the rites of the Church. The answer to the prayer lor him has bC.cn marked and wonderlhl, as his case seemed altogether hopeil's:;. It shouhl im:pire every one in sorrow or difficulty with t·encwed confitlenC'e." From 'Yin~tcd, Conn., Ullll('' an account of the conversion of an aged man who had lh·ed lin· more than forty years in entire neglect of his religion~ tluties. He was recommended to the prayers of the Associates, :mel a short time pre\·ious to his death, willingly saw a priest and received all the Sacraments with sentiments of great fervor . . Finally, a c,numunieation from ~Iilw:i-ukce, \\ris., narrates the reception mto the Church of a gentlrman wlw~e son recommended him to the mercy of the Sacred lleart some three years ago. He was a nominal Protestant. but nltogether regardless of religion, and lor twenty-two years had been n victim to intempernncc. But a slow and weakening ~ickness camP upon him; his thoughts were gradually directed to the salvation of his soul, ami at length he asked for a priest, mnde a firm profession of 1;1ith, and received the sacramen'.:; ·or the Church with a fervor and piety most edifying to hehohl." \Ve have here given a few facts selected almost at random from among hundreds of a similar nature, which show the efficacy of the Apostleship and which ought to stimulate our zeal as well as excite our hopes. If the l\Iessenger of the Sacred Heart, which contains in each of its numbers not only a list of recommendations for prayers, but also a catalogue of wonderful answers to the supplications of the members of the Apostleship, were extensively circulated, no doubt, the recital of these wonders would inspire thousands with new hope for themselves and they would be the means of multiplying indefinitely the graces obtained from the Sacred Heart and thus furthering good work of every kind, converting heretics and sinners, and filling heaven with the glad fruits of prayer. �MISSIONARY LIFE. I have often regretted that we do not know more about the nature of the popular missions given by the Fathers of the Old Society, in·town and country. Undoubtedly they would be su.J;>stantially the same for the members of the Society, in all times and places, namely, the Exercises of our Holy Founder; but it would be highly instructive and very interesting to be able to see how these have been varied in their application to the masses, comprising men of every age and condition. One great difference would exist in the missions as given in a Catholic country or in one like ours, comprising every shade of belief, in the presence or absence of a controversial element. It is even now a disputed point with some whether we should, on such occasions, take account of the attendance of non-Catholics. Other differences undoubtedly could be found in the ceremonies,· the displays of every nature addressed to the feelings and senses, many of which li.ighly useful in other times would be now out of taste, as out of date. It is from such considerations that I have thought proper in complying with your desire to write some papers on the missions, to commence with a detailed description of a mission as carried on by the members . of the Province of Missouri. Your Journal may thus become indirectly the means of procuring an interchange of views on this powerful weapon for the conquest of souls. We commence the missionary year in September and end in June, allowing an interval of one week between the several places, for repose and travel. Christmas and Eastertide are spent by us at home in the interchange of brotherly �JlfissioJWY)' L~fc. 129 offices, and in the assistance of the large parish to which the missionary liouse is at present attached. There are six* f.tthers at present engaged in the work who unite for a large mission, and separate to cultivate simultaneously other and smaller portions of the vineyard. Towards the end of August the fathers who have been employing the interval in giving retreats to religious houses, in making their own spiritual exercises, or in necessary relaxation, find themselves once more assembled at Chicago. From the various applications made during the preceding year, a list is prepared bf the separate and common missions to be given by the two or three bands into which the whole body may be divided, trunks are packed, farewells exchanged and the campaign opens. Let us follow one of the bands to a small mission. The two missionaries have commenced the journey by the recitation of the Litanies of the B. Virgin; they arrive at their destination on Saturday. An examination of the locality, and an enquiry into the nature of the population, their spiritual wants and necessities, are the occupations of the afternoon. Trunks are to be opened. confessionals to be erected or ordered, for, singularly enough; this most important adjunct to the mission is the very thing most generally overlooked: and finally the programme to be written or printed, and then posted at the Church door. Generally it is as follows. At 5 A. M. begins the first mass followed by sermon which does not last longer than 6 o'clock, when the second missionary celebrates the divine sacrifice. This mass and sermon are for those whose avocations prevent them from being present later in the day. I have known the church full at that hour though the weather was inclement and many had to come from long distances. In no * I do not include in this number Fr. Weninger who gives missions to the Germans and Fr. Schulak who devotes himself to the Poles and Bohemians of whom there are great numbers in our Western States. �• mJsston as yet have we failed to persuade the people to make this daily sacrifice of their morning rest. In one of our last missinns, "·ith the thermometer at 20° below zero, the tramping of their feet on the frozen sidewalks would arouse us a half an hour before the time to which we had set our alarm clocks. .-\t 8.30 .-\. :\I. the pa~tor celebrates mass, and in~mediately aften\·ards the second sermon is delivered, the attendance being about equal; sometimes a little inferior to that of the 5 o'clock mass. In the afternoon the pas,tor and congregation make t0gether the way of the cross... In the evening at 7-30, the pastor recites the bead~ of the B. Virgin with the congregation. and then follows the principal sermon of the day succeeded by benediction of the B. Sacrament. During this sermon: in accordance with an invitation extended for weeks together before the mission, and enforced by an announcement at e\·ery one of the exercises, the assistant missionary receives in the school-room, the p:1rlor of the pa·>toral residence, or some other suitable place, those persons over sixteen years of age who have never made their first communion. I regard this as one of the greatest fruits of the mission, and decidedly the most difficult and trying of all the exercises. The average of such cases is perhaps greater than you would suppvse. In one mission where there were 1 100 communicants, and where the pastor was noted for his zealous care for his flock, knowing almost every one by name, and where, too, there was little or no floating population, we unearthed about 20 such cases. l should think that the general average would prove to be about 40 to every thousand communicants. The topics treated in the morning lectures are the integrity and sincerity of confession, and instructions on the proper way of making use of that sacrament, together with catechetical and h"lmiliar explanations of the commandments. In the evening discourses we intersperse doctrinal sermons with the matter treated in the first week of the exercises. At �JlissummJ' Life. the high mass of the first Sunday we speak of the advantages and objects. of the mission and the spirit with which the people should enter on it, trying to move the hearts of the people by appeals to the memory of their deceased parents, their mm early childhood, their possibly near end. In the afternoon at Yespers the same subject is continued with a more direct treatment of the necessity of attending to their salvation. In the evening we dwell upon the creation of man, and the use of creatures. On Monday evening we kctun.: on the doctrine and use of penance in the Catholic Church, treating the subject catechetically and controver;-;ially. On Tuesday evening the subject is the nature and enormity of mortal sin. On \Vednesday we treat of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. On Thursday we speak on personal sins making, as it were, a general. confession of a sinful life. On Friday the sermon is on Judgment or on Hell, or on both combined. Here also we introduce the different kind of sin, especially those more enormous crimes of the age which arc beginning to corrupt even the Catholic body and to which on less solemn occasions we scarcely dare more than· allude. On Saturday we have no evening sermon. On the Second Sunday we treat at high mass of .devotion to the B. Virgin as taught and practised by the Church ; in the afternoon on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in the evening upon the one, true, visible and infallible Church of Christ. Monday evening sees the close of the mission in a sermon on perseverance and the ordinary means for attaining that final grace, the avoidance of occasion of sin, prayers, weekly mass, monthly or quarterly confession. Then come the Papal Benediction, and Benediction of the B. Sacrament. Vve sometimes have little children prepared, nicely dressed in white, one of whom reads in the name of the congregation an act of consecration to the Mother of God. We celebrate a mass of requiem for deceased friends and relatives on Tuesday morning, at which we speak on dev?tion to the blessed souls in �132 Jlissionary Life. Purgatory, and in the evening give a public Lecture on some of the current Catholic topics of the day, on some doctrinal matter or point of controversy. Every day from 2 to 3 P. M. or after the evening sermons non-Catholics are invited to come and propose their doubts. On Tuesday we commence the confessions by the children who have made their first communion and are under sixteen years of age. On \Vednesday and the other days that we remain in the place we are ready from 5 A. M. to 10.30 P. l\1. to hear confessions. __ The only intermissions are for meals, a half hour after l;lreakfast, an hour after dinner, and another hour, including sU'pper, before the evening service. \Vhen the situation of the confessionals allows it, we continue to receive penitents during the sermons, taking a recess, however, of a quarter of an hour after two hours work, according to rule. By hard and constant work we find that two missionaries, in a week such as I have described, can, unaided, prepare one thousand for communion. For any number exceeding this they have to appeal to neighboring clergymen. The pastor has always enough to do in superintending everything and in running after delinquent sheep. The Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday arc spent in resting or travelling to the next mission. Hard work you will say, and yet I have known men who were· worn out in College life regain their health and strength in this treadmill of the missiOns. The only exhausting part of the labor is the time spent in the confessional. Let not your readers waste their pity on the missionary. He sees the good he does, he receives praise and benediction from every mouth, he is 'the holy commissioner', the 'saintly father'. Pray God that in preaching to others he become not himself a castaway. In the mean time the real martyr, but, at the same time the privileged soul in spiritual things, is the poor professor in the ·college, whom few know, and fewer still appreciate. In the next paper, if you desire another, I shall try to give some incidents of the mission life, some glimpses at its hardships, trials and consolations. �Brazil. 133 I will close with a summary of the \york of two of our band, in the course of the last four months, from September to December inclusively. I do not include however one grand mission in which all six reunited to work together in a large Eastern city. Six missions were given. There were 7,o;o communions, ::!75 adult first communicants, about 26 or rather more marriages revalidated, and 97 non-Catholics received into the Church besides many others who were not yet sufficiently prepared and were left under instruction ; we travelled about ::!,6oo miles without a single accident, thanks be to God and His Holy Angels. G. 13RAZIL.-FR. CYBEO TO THE SCHOLASTICS OF LAVAL (F~A?\CE). LAGUNA, JULY 3 I. t8j2.' Let me first gi\'e you a general idea of a Brazilian mission. The parishes here arc for the most part very large, the parishioners being scattered over a considerable tract of country, some living in the midst of the forests or upon the hill-sides, others in the vast prairies. To reach the church, the people are often obliged to travel 10, r 5 or even 20 leagues. It happens that quite a number of persons die without the Sacraments; but this will not surprise you much, if you bear in mind that, for the lack of priests, ohe is often charged with the care of two or three parishes ; he visits them rarely and then only to say Mass and attend to. . I �134 Bm=if. the Baptisms and 1\larriages. Poor abandoned flocks ! yet they would be so docile to the \'Oice of a pastor !-For many of these christians, the confession made during the mission is· the first of their li\'es, and advantage must be taken of the same occasion to prepare them for their first communion, which often has to follow immediately. Remember too that it is often necessary to commence by teaching them the sign of the r:ross and the principal mysteries, a work not done without great difficulty, especially when we have to deal with the poor blacks whose intelligence is g~nerally so limited. Add to these duties the Baptisms and l\Iarriages and you will have an idea of the work devolving on two m1ssionaries. Every mission lasts 15 days, 3 weeks or even a month ; that time alas! is often too short and many of our Chris. tians, after waiting in v;1in several days, are obliged to return to their homes without going to confession or receiving Nesso-Peii (Our Father), for by this name they designate the Holy Eucharist. Is it surprising when a single parish often· numbers 6ooo or Sooo souls and e\'en more? If all were here at the commencement of the mission it would not be so bad; but no! the poor and those living :Jt a distance do not come before the last few days and then we see them huddled together by thousands, in their wagons, under their tents or wholly exposed to the inclemency of the season. It may not be uninteresting to give you some idea of the respect, not to say veneration, with which these good people regard the missionaries. The title usually given them is that of Padre Santo (Holy F:ather); but there are variations, such as My Lord Bishop, Your Charity, Your Paternity, Your Holiness, Your Majesty. These appellations appear strong enough, but you must reserve a part of your admiration for the title bestowed on my companion : at every hour of the day people come to ask in all simplicity and devotion for "My Creator." From this you can easily comprehend the demonstrations of which �Hra:::il. 135 we are the objects. On our arrival there are re;otcings and fireworks; each one wishes to salute the missionaries and offer them his little present; often they go so far as to kiss our feet. \Vhen the moment of departure comes they accompany us as far as possible, taking leave of us only with tears, which might at times be more properly called cries of despair. Still it is unhappily too true that these poor Christians after some days of grace and happiness will fall back· into a sad and almost complete forgetfulness and neglect. But now let us say a few words about the distribution of time on the mission. Rising at a very early hour we begin by performing the duties of sacristan, sound theAngelus and open the Church door ; a large crowd invariably stands waiting, sometimes in the rain. \Ve begin at once to hear confessions, charitably dividing the work, so that one hears the men, the other, the women. Towards 6 o'clock we have the first Mass after which confessions continue till the mission Mass which is celebrated at 9 o'clock. During the latter, we recite the Rosary of Our Lady of the Seven Dolors-a devotion highly esteemed in Brazil. After Mass comes the sermon, the subject of which for seven consecutive days is one of the Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin. The sermon is ordinarily followed by the blessing of scapulars, medals and similar objects of devotion. Apropos of this I must give you a sample of native simplicity. It is quite common to hear these good Christians assimilate the blessing of images and statues to a baptism; they come often with charming na·ivete to say: "my saint is still a pagan; won't you please baptise him?" If by accident they break a statue so baptised they are in consternation and with scrupulous care collect the fragments to preserve them or bury them in the cemetery. But to return to the exercises of the mission ; after mass we take our frugal breakfast which it is necessary to despatch with haste and often in the Sacristy. Until 1 or 2 o'clock in the �Brazil. afternoon we remain in the confessional, leaving it only from time to time for the purpose of giving Holy C0mmun~ ion: After dinner, say about 3 o'clock, the children are instructed for First Communion ; it is needless to remark that a great number of them have long since reached the required age. If you wish to win the favor of all your pupils you must not fai~ to ·form them into a procession headed by cross and bells; and the sound of their joyous hymns as they pass through the streets awakens the silent echos of the neighborhood. Catechism finished, we resume confessions which are continued till the evening exercise. This begins with the Rosary, followed by hymns, an instruction on the Sacrament of Penance, hymns again, a meditation and finally Benediction of the most Blessed Sacrament. The women then withdraw, but the men remain for confession till midnight at which hour the missionaries retire to take a rest of 4 or 5 hours at most. E\•ery day of the mission·is similar, and at its close without respite or repose they go to open another. Since February we have given seven missions in succession, still under this hard regime the health is so far from suffering that it seems daily to improve. ·This is an evident proof of our Good Lord's protectiorr of the poor workmen who labor for His glory, and is, be~i"des, a powerful encouragement to throw ourselves entirely on His paternal Providence. So far I have only spok~n of the ordinary exercises of the mission; a word now about our solemnities and first of all that of the First Communion. This ceremony which is so touching and makes such a salutary, not to say indelible impression, is unhappily little known in Brazil; and it has been our endeavor by every possible means to raise it in the esteem of the people. By the help of God we have so £·u· succeeded well enough, and more than once on seeing the childreh with recollected mien enter the church, taper in hand, the little girls wearing their white dresses and beauti- �Brazil. 137 ful blue sashes on which is traced in golden letters the monogram of :Mary, the happy missionary would almost persuade himself that all was an illusion and that he was in reality assisting at the imposing ceremonies of Europe. The children ar ~ promptly on hand for the afternoon procession; a sodality is at the head, after which come the little ones with their banners and a considerable number of oriflambs; there is vocal and instrumental music, nor are the fireworks spared. After the procession the consecration to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph takes place. The ceremonies conclude with a distribution of Fir~t Communion souvenirs which consist of beads, medals, statues and pictures. The joyous transports of our dear little children this moment are indescribable. A second solemnity is called the penitential procession. It generally takes place at night and all those engaged are expected as far as possible to provide themselves with a taper. The men come first, preceded by a statue representing our Lord falling under the weight of the cross, the women next, having in advance a statue of our Lady of the Seven Dolors. The procession stops not far from the entrance of the Church, at the place designed for the erection of the mission cross. All the preparations have been made beforehand, a raised pedestal awaits the cross which lies at some distance. The Sermon begins and at the words "Let the cross then be raised amongst us" it is elevated and fixed in the pedestal. Immediately the bells are rung, the sky-rockets with a thousand detonations send forth their luminous balls of flame into the darkness of the night; the bystanders weep and send up to heaven their shouts of joy, repeating without end "Glory to the cross." At this moment a Father bearing the remonstrance accompanied by the Confraternity of the Most Blessed Sacrament comes out of the Church and mounting the pedestal gives benediction to the crowd who sing with transports "En vos adoro a cada momento." Thus the ceremony is termi- �Rra:::il. nated, but before retiring to rest every one feels bound fo come and kiss the cross. \Ve have a commemoration of the dead which also produces a good effect, at least if we can judge by the tears that are shed. \Ve try also to consecrate one day of the mission to the Holy Guardian Angels, a Wednesday to St. Joseph, a Friday, particularly the rst of the month, to the Sacred .Heart, explaining and recommending these devotions which are so well. calculated to preserve and insure the fruits of the mission. \Ve reach finally the last day; it is a solemn feast, devoted to general Communion. All, even those who have communicated during the course of the exerci5es, are invited to approach once again ''Our Father," and the Communion is offered to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in atonement for the outrages committed against Him especially in that parish. The people are arranged in order in the Church, only enough space being left for the Fathers who distribute Holy Conlmunion to pass through the kneeling ranks. How beautiful and consoling it is to see so many persons, especially men, approach the Holy Table, in a country where the Sacrament of Love is almost entirely unknown ! This first ceremony finishes with an act of reparation to the Sacred Heart. At I I o'clock Solemn Mass takes place followed by Papal benediction. A magnificent procession of religious confraternities, at which all possible pomp and solemnity are displayed, comes off in the afternoon. The Societies in uniform with the banners of their patrons, next the children dressed as on the day of their first Communion, precede the Blessed Sacrament, which is carried along under a canopy and followed by all the people. The procession returns towards nightfall and is terminated with a solemn Te Deum and Benediction. There is yet ~nother very touching ceremony which is usually postponed till the next day; it is called "Beija-mao �Bra:::i!. 139 de Nossa Senhora" (the farewell to Our Lady). Upon an altar, adorned with flowers and brilliantly lighted, is raised the statue of our Lady of the Seven Dolors. A sermon suitable to the occasion is followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; after which the celebrant advances towards the statue, incen,;es it and finishes by kissing its hand. The whole congregation follows in turn, respectfully kissing the hand of the statue, happy thus to offer their homage to Mary and give her a last pledge of their love and fidelity. :\lay this Go.od Mother ever keep fresh in their hearts the remembrance of this ceremony and aid her children to remain faithful to their engagements. Such are the details I can give you nf our Brazilian missions. I have done little more than narrate briefly the labors and method ofF r. Schembri for twenty years a missionary, whose disciple and unworthy colleague I have the happiness to be. But to give some particular details:JiissiOI~ (!f Laguna-Laguna is a rich commercial town of 10,000 inhabitants served by a single cure without an assistant. The mission, for some reason, had not been announced beforehand, so that our arrival was not marked with the usual welcome. Many greeted us from the doors and windows, but none came to meet us. At last a gentleman came up and announced himself as the cure, for in Brazil it is unhappily the established custom for priests to dress as laymen. The cure conducted us to his house, offering, with great civility, to quit it so as to leave it entirely at our disposition. To this we absolutely refused to agree, so he established himself on a sofa in his dining room, wishing us by all means to make use of his own apartment. As to the mission, he said we might open it at once and continue it for nine days; but, as will appear, a mission of nine weeks would not have been too much for Laguna. Before starting to work we resolved to study the nature of the soil. The very next day happened to be Holy Thurs- • �140 Bra:::i!. day, a most happy opportunity for our observations; because in Brazil, all who are practical Catholics approach the Holy Table on this day. But., can you guess how many attended the services at Laguna that day? Just seven-two men and five women. Holy Thursday and Good Friday. a sullen silence reigns in the town and not a person is at Church. \Vhat is to be done? \Ve must be content, said Fr. Schembri, to catechise the children and prepare them for first Communion. But this is Good Friday; would it not be well_ to place the mission under the protection of our Lady _of the Seven Dolors? How would it do to try "Ia desolata:" the exercise in vogue in Italy on Good Friday nigh~? \Ve set to work at once, assisting by word and example in the preparation of Mount Calvary, arranging a cross, and statue of the Blessed Virgin thereon. . It is soon noised about the city that the missionaries intend to inaugurate a new exercise. Music had not been forgotten so that the four little sermons were to be interspersed by some stanzas of the Stabat Jlfatcr. Night comes at last and all is ready; but, strange to say, not a person presents himsel( A half hour of painful suspense slowly drags along when all at once people, both men and women, pour into the Church, which is soon filled. Fr. S!=hembri ascended the pulpit and preached four sermons ·With his own touching and persuasive eloquence .. For an hour and a half he was' listened to attentively-the city was won and our Lady had the victory. The mission succeeded marvellously, and instead of nine days it lasted eighteen; the accustomed celebrations and processions were attended with much devotion. Picture to yourself a people famishing for the truths of religion and the Sacraments! The church, a very spacious one, was too small, especially for the evening exercises. All came to confession, workmen, employers, merchants, sailors ; young and olq sometimes remained fasting till 2 o'clock in the afternoon, in order to receive Holy Communion. Our �Bra:::il. confessionals were of the most simple description imaginable : a grating raised on the railing in the very centre of the church and no curtains. One might imagine that the grand ladies of the upper class with their black silk dresses would not approach ; but they all came, nevertheless, just as the others. The catechism is explained every morning to the boys and in the evening to the girls. At the same time with these, the College of Marines proceed to the church, making themselves remarkable by their piety and admirable bearing. The first Communion was splendid and touching, likewise the penitential procession. For the latter solemnity the Marines carried the cross, which, by a peculiar movement, they elevated in the air with incredible swiftness. The day of the religious Societies' procession, though a Monday, was observed as a holiday by the whole city. It was marked by a magnific~nt general Communion of men, interruption of business, closing of warehouses and general abandonment of all the vessels at port. The image of our Lady of the Seven Dolors had put off its mourning to appear vested in all the splendor of an embroidered Yelvet mantle, valued at about I 500 francs, exclusive of the diamoJlds which adorned it. Mary had opened and specially protected the mission; it was but just that she herself should terminate it amidst the grateful honors due to Her. finish with some news about Brazil ; our colleges of Pernambuco, ltu and St. Leopold (German) are in a prosperous condition, especially that of Itu. The Brazilian Bishops are much harassed and attacked, more especially by the free-masons, who are recognized here as a public institution: they make no attempt to conceal their temples and lodges, and their emblematic devices. are exposed in open day. Still the Episcopacy is united and defends itself with energy.-Laval Letters. �CHINAMEN IN AMERICA.-FRO~I A LETTER OF FATHER WENINGER. The "Coolies" have not the faintest conception of what is essentially called religion. They are absolutely ignorant of God, the true Creator and sovereign Ruler of the universe. Instead of this, they acknowledge with a kind of superstitious, diabolical worship, certain spirits or genii, whom they suppose to preside over the elements of nature, such as fire, water, earth and air- and over the several departments of social -life, such as commerce, war &c .. They believe these spirits to be of a malignant nature, and try to propitiate them by a string of unmeaning prayers and foolish sacrifices. ¥et the New-York papers had spoken, in boastful terms of the grand and imposing religious ceremonial of these same Chinamen, and of their gorgeous temples, whose walls were reported to be incrusted with gold. There, it was said, the rich and the poor were on an ~qual footing and might worship unmolested, t~the reproach· and confusion of some Christian churches, in which an invidious distinction is too often made. My curiosity to see these magnificent Pagodas ran high. "To make assurance doubly sure," I asked our friend, the Catechist, to lead me to the very finest in San Francisco; and he agreed to do so. But oh ! what a disappointment! We entered a narrow, murky street; and there, fronting on that street, stood the grandest Chinese temple- a small shabby-looking three story brick building, with but one room· to each story, and painted on the outside only by the soot ~nd smoke. After crossing the threshold of the lowest l �(./u'namm in America. 143 floor, we found ourselves in a shrine sacred to the memory of departed relatives. It was a dismal, dingy cell, so dark that the eye could not discern anything lying on the floor. The air was charged with the stench of burning little oil lamps, and of lavender sticks which they fancy to be par· ticularly wholesome and grateful to the departed. Not being able to see in the dark, and not attempting it either, because I had not apprehended the need of it, I suddenly found myself, to my great surprise and to the still greater surprise of my victim, stepping on something rather softer than the common floor. It was a poor Chinese worshipper who had fallen asleep through devotion. \Ve now proceeded to the next story. If the first apartment was suitable for a sleepy worshipper, the second was no less so for a /mug1:y one. A number of Chinamen were seated on the flo-or and addressed themselves with great gusto to their favorite rice. It was forsooth with the inten· tion of honoring some spirit, that they swallowed it with so much greed! We ascended at last to the third story, which was the temple properly so called. Here then I expected to see those walls, covered -as the New York papers would have it- with heavily gilt arabesques. \Vhat a delusion! They were only plastered over with common gold-paper. The altar, too, showed no very great signs of architectural skill; to be plain, it was simply a sort of decorated tent not unlike a wood-shed, with a table in it. On the table stood three horribly-painted idols with red £.'lees and immensely long blac~ beards. They looked for all the world like three drunken sailors. Before them were a number of little oil lamps, which- as I learned to my great mortificationare kept burning before the devil, whilst in but too many churches it is found impossible to keep alive the flame of a single lamp before the Holy of Holies. Close to these lamps were urns with different kinds of sortilegcs or divining lots, used for the purpose of finding �C!tiuamot iu Amcrzi:a. out the future through the ~1edium of the spirits. The Chinese also offer various sacrifices for the same end, and for the purpose of reconciling the offended spirits or of obtaining their special favors. One of these sacrifices is. at the very best, a little singular. They write the sum of money which they intend to offer to the spirit, upon a piece of gold-paper, which they burn before the idol, in the belief that, as the curling smoke ascends on high, the spirit will become possessed of the promised amount. l\'Iethought our Procurators would not be overmuch pleased, if a person offering them assistance for Colleges and Churches, should content himself with jotting down enormous figures upon paper and then burn the note as incense in their presence. The "Coolies" also make offerings of roasted pigs, but they return after a while to see whether the idol has eaten them or not. If any body has seen fit to appropriate them during their absence-and this is no difficult matter, because often the Pagoda is not visited the whole day long-they never claim them again. But if the offering remains untouched, they take it home and feast on it with their families. They do not divide the month into weeks as other nations do. Instead of Sunday, they observe the first and fifteen tit of the lunar month; and unless they have some special reasons, they visit the temple only on these two days. Even then they do not stay in the Pagoda to pray, but turn it into a place of religious rendez-vous. ' In their social intercourse with the whites, the Chinese act like civilized people. Their gait is more steady and polished than that of the lower classes among other nations. They scarcely move their arms while walking, and dress very neatly. But at home they live buried in filth, and besides being given to other disgusting practices, they feed upon rats. By the bye, some of those who have been in the country for a while, are beginning to adopt the American costume. They ~lso tie up their sacred "pig-tail" or �C!tinamcn in America. 145 cue of braided hair, because John Chinaman soon learned to his cost that when allowed to float it was not secure against profanation. It too often happened that knavish boys and grown-up roughs clipped it as he walked unsus~ pectingly through the streets. The appearance of all is so very similar, that they seem to have been cast in the same mould. The features of different individuals are even less distinctive than among the blacks; and, what is worse than all, very few have beards and look so much like females, that they cannot be distinguished from them except by the size; for the women are of exceedingly diminutive stature, and owing to the absurd practice-not without its counterpart among civilized nations-of keeping their feet, from childhood up, in iron shoes in order to prevent them from growing, they walk with great difficulty; in fact, they can do little more than hobble along. It is very remarkable, how cordially the Indians of the Pacific Coast ha1 e the Chinese. The red man looks to the "pale-faces" from Europe as to his masters and the favored children of "the great spirit." The Chinese, on the contrary, he regards as his rivals, or rather as leeches clinging to the American soil and sucking the fat of the country in order to carry it off with them to Asia. Hence the "Coolies" are greatly afraid to meet an Indian in a solitary place-and not without reason ; for the Indian would not be likely to show them much mercy, but would dispatch them without ceremony to the "spirit-land". ·when the Chinese have made as much money as they wish, they usually return to their own country, carrying with them the remains of their deceased kinsmen. The ships crossing the Pacific from San Francisco to China are. often laden with human skeletons. This devotion to their dead is a sign that they have at least a faint idea of a future life, and that a vestige of the primitive revelation concerning the resurrection is still preserved among them. Poor people! It is a pity, that so little is done to gain them over �I46 Jlfissions in Pmnsy!z,mua and Delaware. to our holy £<ith. Missionaries are sent to China, at enor~ mous expenses at the risk of precious lives ; and yet but very feeble efforts-if indeed they can be called efforts at all-are made to enlighten them whilst they are in our midst and surrounded by professed christians. One single room, which serves both for saying Mass and for instructing some children, is all that can be spared for them on the whole Pacific Coast of America. And meanwhile the fumes of ·the oil-lamps and smoke of lavender go on ascending in adoration of hideous idols, and prayer temples make mock.. of the Christian churches hard by.· Yet, who will say what incalculable good might be done to this heathen population, which we are encouraging to come to our shores. ·-· . ----------~ MISSIONS IN NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA, AND IN WILMINGTON, DEL. FREDERICK, NovE~IBER 7th, 1872. REV. AND DEAR FR. PROVINCIAL : The four missions in Susquehanna Co., Pa. gave the highest satisfaction to the people, the resident priests and myself. In the first two, many persons made their appearance, who were not known to be Catholics even to their . nearest neighbours. Scores of them, though from 20 to 40 years of age, made their first confession. In the first mission, the priest was completely deceived in his calculation. "If all come," he said to me, "you will have from 700 to 8oo." At the close of the mission about 1100 had received Holy Communion. Here we had also 74 I �JHssions in Pmnsyh,ania a1td Delaware. 147 children for first Communion ; not however during the mission, but 12 days later after the close of the second exercises; as nearly one half of them had to learn a part of the catechism. On the day fixed, all were at hand. I myself examined every one of them and their concise answers were the best proof that parents had taken the matter in hand and showed great interest. It was a glorious day for Friendsville, the solemn administration of first Communion never having been witnessed in this Church; for Catholics are scattered over a radius of 12 miles. and children are not easily brought together. Here also about 500 persons were invested with the scapular of Mount Carmel. These country miss1ons are, in my judgment, preferable to those in cities, chiefly if the weather is favorable. Nearly all are present about 8 o'clock in the morning and they are under the missionary's eyes till 6, P. M., whilst in cities the attendance during the day amounts to a few pious females. The impression made is also generally deeper and the fruit of the mission more lasting. At the close of our second little mission the people were exhorted to secure the services of a resident priest, by contributing towards the erection of a house for his dwelling, and in less than an hour over $2000 were obtained. Here many persons walked a distance of 16 miles to attend the exercises, and we made a clean sweep of the district. The third and fourth missions were equally successful. \Ve heard about 28oo confessions, of which number at least 1500 were of persons who had been absent from the Sacrament of Penance for long periods. From Susquehanna Co. we started for vVilmington, Del. Strange to say, three missions opened here on the same day. The Paulists commenced at the Cathedral, the Redemptorists at St. Mary's, the church of the V. General, and we at St. James'. On my arrival, I paid my respects to Bp. Becker, who receiveq me with extraordinary kind- �148 111issioJZs ill Pcmzsyhmnia alld Delaware. ness; and on the day of our departure, his kindness was, if possible, even on the increase. The mission itself was as much of a success as those in Northern Pennsylvania, perhaps even more so. Here we had all with three or four exceptions. Though the whole congregation does not amount to 500 members, all of the poorer class who work in the factories, still every morning at 5 o'clock we had over 200 at first Mass and instruction, and about roo more at 8 o'clock; but in the evening at 7, every body was present and the Church was crowded during the entire week. On Sunday afternoop the congregation was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. F. Denny preached on the love of God, and the whole congregation was in tears. \Vhether the three missions at one time were by chance or were premeditated, I know not, but the arrangement was the work of Providence. If ours had been the only one. we would not have effected the good which resulted from our labors. The confessionals would have been crowded all day long with devout females, and no chance would have offered itself to the men. · As it was, we devoted all o.ur time to those for whom the mission was intended. From the number of confessions heard, it was evident that we had some from other parishes, as the}:·amounted to nearly 6oo. .. I shall give more particulars when your Reverence will be with us next week. Your devoted servant in Christ. J. B. Emig, S. J. I �NEW CATHOLIC STATIONS IN KANSAS. FROM TWO LETTERS OF FR. PON ZIGLIONE .. OsAGE l\Ixsswx, NEosHo Co., KANSAS, }ULY 1St, 1872. On the last day of the past year, I started on a sick call to . Independence, in Montgomery County. It was bitter cold. The prairie was covered with snow, and a strong Northeaster \\·as blowing its best. I had never been to the place ; and to the inconvenience of the having to travel a rough and unknown road for more than fifty mile:;, was added that of a darkness almost extreme. However, by divine mercy, and despite the darkness and the long. rough way, I reached u"1y journey's end without any very great trouble, and at 8 o'clock, P. l\1. found myself at Independence. The one who had sent for me was a poor young man who, while working in a coal mine, was buried alive by the caving in of the embankment. Fortunately for him, a large rock in falling lodged just above him, thus saving him from being crushed to death : and assistance coming in time, he was found alive, though so bruised that from his waist to his feet his bcidy was beyond all feeling of pain. Imagine how happy the ·poor sufferer was at seeing me with the consolations of religion which I brought! Next morning I said Mass in his room, gave him the Holy Viaticum, and administered Extreme Unction. These last sacraments filled his heart with consolation. "Oh !" he exclaimed, "truly the Mother of God has obtained this grace for me!" This poor fellow had been well educated in his young days, and though for a time he went astray, as foolish boys will do, yet the good principles which he had imbibed in his youth were �1 50 .New Cat!w!ii: Statious in Kausas. not without their influence, and, corresponding to God's grace, he sincerely repented. He has since passed away, and we hope, to a better life. Having called upon the Catholics of Elk City and New Boston, I paid my first visit to Cedar Vale, a little town in the southwest corner of Howard Co. Some few Catholic families have settled here, but as most of them were absent when I called, I hastened on to another ne\v Catholic settlement, only ten miles distant and situate in the southeast corner_ of the adjoining county of Cowley. As this little settlement owes its origin to a lot of lively Limerick lads, no one will wonder that it rejoices in the name of Garryowen. I met with much welcome and determined to give these good people an opportunity of complying with their Christian duties. On hearing this, word was immediately sent inviting all in the neighborhood to attend l\Iass on the following day-the Feast of the Epiphany. The eve of this Feast was a stormy one 'indeed. A high wind had set in upon us, which grew keener every moment,· until night came on and brought with it a heavy fall of snow. There \vas no question of remaining out of doors, and yet the question was how to get in doors. \Ve had to huddle together in an underground excavation used as a cellar, which had, it is true, the framework··of a house above it, but unfortunately the so-called room had no ceiling, and the windows had not even sashes, much less panes. It was perfectly fearful. The wind and snow poured in upon us most generously, and in fact, we might just as well have been out in the open air, for we had no fireplace, and the whole of our comfort consisted in a little cooking stove I 8 inches by 6, and a few pieces of bark to burn. There was no thought of passing the night with the neighbors, for the house which we were in was considered the best in the whole settlement; and w~ could not go to the woods, for we were on a nigh prairie and four miles from timber land. God only knows how much we suffered! But He mercifully 4 �New Catlzo!ic Stations in Kansas. I 5I spared us; for, humanly speaking, all chances were against us, and we seemed to be doomed to freeze to death. Of course the night seemed ever so long; and though the morning- came at last, it did not drive the storm away. The few who attended l\lass did so at the risk of their life, but the fire of holy love which glowed in their hearts burned all the brighter, and more than counteracted the killing ·cold from without. I was surprised at the fervor with which they approached Holy Communion. Though the altar was erected clo~e by the side of our little stove which was kept aglow during the time of Mass; yet I had to warm the Chalice several times in order that I might be able to consume the sacred species. It was only towards night that the storm subsided. \Ve went through this second night, thank God, without much suffering. The following day was Sunday. Afler Mass I started for \Vinfield, a little town just building on a beautiful prairi<~ which lies along the left bank of the \Valnut River, twelve miles above its confluence with the Arkansas. It is surrounded by fertile farming lands, and is at present the County Seat of Cowley. The Catholics here are few in number, but the·y seem to be of very good will, and almost all approached Holy Communion with much devotion. From the 9th of this month, the day on which I first celebrated Mass here, will date th~ foundation of a missionary Stat.ion at this place. As soon as Mass was over I left \Vinficld for Douglas, which lies on the same bank of the \Valnut, some fifteen miles northward. Long before sun-down I arrived at the house of a Catholic family about four miles south-east of the last named town, and having baptized the mother's darling in presence of quite a number of Protestants, who were anxious to see the novel spectacle, I retired to rest only to be awakened at midnight, myself to see a spectacle far more novel to me. �152 1Vcw Cat!to!ic Statio11s iu Kallsas. About I I o'clock the sound of rolling wheels was heard, and in a few moments up drove three wagons filled with young men and women shouting and yelling and cursing at the top of their voices. Immediately we arose, and immediately, too, they swarmed into the house. \Vhat a sight! Doubtless you wonder who they are. \Vel!, they are a set of ruffians who call themselves a dancing club, and they are gathering together parties for a big dance which is going on at a house some distance off. \Vithout the least ceremony the leader of the motley band gives his orders, and" as a refusal to comply with them would most likely lead to a difficulty, all hasten to do his bidding. I, being a stranger, am fortunately excused, and in a quarter of an hour I am alone with a· little boy, keeping house for them while they dance. Just think of it! Though this bacchanalian club was some distance away, yet in the stillness of the night I could hear their stamping and yelling and furious hooting. In their excitement they were singing: " Let us eat, drink and be merry, for to-morrow we die!"~ \Vhile I was at this house I learned with sorrow that, since my last visit, a young man, l\Iichae! N., had been cruelly killed by a mob, or self-style~_.Vigilance Committee. :\iichael and nine others were taken ·and without a trial hanged to a tree on mere suspicion. The poor fellow protested, assuring them that he was innocent, but it \vas of no avail. Finally, seeing, that all hope was gone he begged them to let him send me word in order that I might come to assist him in his last hour, but meeting with only laughter and mockery, he threw himself on his· knees at the foot of the tree from which he was to be hanged, and in a loud voice recited all his prayers. \Vhen he had finished he stood up, and calling on a lady that was present (the same one in whose house I passed the night) he besought her to let his mother and myself know that he was innocent, that he was killed without having given any �Ni·w Cat!to/ic Stations in Kansas. 15 3 offence whatsoever. Then turning to the executioner he said: "I am ready, do with me what you please." In a few moments he was a corpse. Cases of this kind are of frequent occurrence in these remote parts where municipalities are only forming, where nothing, as yet, is well organized, and where the people, on the whole, pay very little regard to law and authority. From Douglas I started for Augusta, a little town situated at the meeting of the \Vhite \Vaters and the \Valnut. The country around is rich and well settled, and the U. S. Land Office which is established there draws to it the commerce of several of the adjoining counties. I passed the night on Turkey Creek, where I celebrated Mass the next morning, and then left for Eldorado, the county seat of Butler. On the following day, the 12th of Jan., I offered the Holy Sacrifice for the first time in this town, after which I started on. my way homeward, taking a course due east through the counties of Greenwood, \Voodson, Allen, and Neosho. I arrived at the Mission on the 18th. In the beginning of Feb., I again set out on my \Vestern tour, and began by calling to Mass the Catholics of St. Francis Regis in Wilson Co. It was a beautiful Sunday morning, in <:onsequence of which we had quite a large attendance; but I could not remain long with them, for I had to visit Fredonia to baptize some little children, and to give the adults an opportunity of complying with their duties; and besides, the new Catholic settlements of Neodisha and Thyre, as well ·as those of Chitopa and Dry Creek, stood in need of my services for the same purpose. I visited them all. During the night which I spent in Fredonia, the little town was almost destroyed by fire. The business part of it was entirely consumed, but fortunately the house in which we 'were to have Mass was not in the business part, so despite the fire, the Holy Sacrifice was celebrated at the appointed time. On the 12th of Feb. I returned to the Mission. �I 54 N£<u Catholic Stations iu Kansas. From February till April we were busy enough at home. The spring season was very sickly here, consequently we were kept going on sick calls nearly all the time ; and as our good people are scattered far and wide around us it is no small matter to attend them. You may judge of the truth of this from the fact that I had, this Spring, a call to a bed-side one l~undred and thirty miles away on the Canadian River. I was fortunate in finding the patient alive, for generally in calls of this kind we come too late. How can it be heJped! Our RighfRev. Bishop Coadjutor having again entrusted Marion and Sedgwick Counties to our care, I left the Mission on the 9th of April to visit them, and following the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad I arrived at Newton, one hundred and eighty five miles west of Atchison. Newton may be called the "City of the Desert." It is situated on an extensive sandy prairie six miles from any woodland whatever, and anything like fuel must come from a distance of more than one hundred miles. \Vater is not always to be had, for· in some seasons the whole country is perfectly dry, and the only way to obviate the inconvenience is by digging cisterns of immense capacity. However, despite all this, the town is daily inc~~asing, and business is very brisk; for a line of railway from this place to Ouichita, at the confluence of the Little and Great Arkansas brings in a great deal of trade. Many Catholics are settling in this neighborhood, and I hope, ere long, to establish here a good missionary Station:• After visiting a German Settlement in Montgomery Co., where I celebrated Mass and baptized some children, I went down to Parker, in the same County. The citizens of this place have built a nice frame church, 30 by 50, with money collected almost exclusively from Protestants, almost all of whom are very favorable to Catholics. This good disposition on their part is quite common, for experience has taught them that wherever Catholics settle and build a �1V<w Cat/wlic Statio1ts in Kansas. ISS church, no matter how poor a shanty it may be, business will flourish. On the Sth, of May I dedicated this little church to the most Holy Name of Jesus, and on the following day returned home in order to give Father Colleton a chance to visit his missions on the railroad. DEc. 31st, 1872. I passed the warmest day"s of last summer, \Vest of the g6th meridian, about ISO miles distant from this mission. That country is no longer a desert; for except in some localities, you everywhere meet with the industrious and patient settler trying to make himself a home. I visited different station,; on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe R. Road, seeing to the building of two small churches-one in Marion Centre, Marion Co., the other in Ouichita, Sedgwick Co. I also established two missionary Station:>-::me in Sedgwick City, the other in Hutchinson, Reno Co. The settlers everywhere received me kindly, and I found them all eager to attend to their Christian duties. Generally speaking, these people are pious and well disposed. Many are very poor, and most of them live in shanties or barracks, while some, unable to find either planks or logs, dig for themselves habitations in the ground, and cover them over with sods. A child of an Arapahoe half-breed woman was dying this summer in Ouichita. The mother, a most devout Catholic, was perfectly resigned to make a sacrifice of her little b9y, yet she was very much distressed because he had for many hours been in a state of unconsciousness, and seemed to be doomed to die without giving her the look of love and the smile of tenderness for which her maternal heart longed. Full of faith, however, she prayed for awhile, then, taking some holy water, she sprinkled it upon the child's face, whereupon the little fellow opened his eyes, and recognizing his mother, caressed her for the last time. This little circumstance was �Nc<i/ Catlto!ic Stations in Kansas. noticed by some Protestants who were present and it made them acknowledge that the prayers of Catholics avail much. Such facts as this are consoling, and give courage to the l\Iissionary. But this is only one side of the picture, and as every picture has its shades, so ours have theirs, and very dark ones too. Though some of our Catholics are very fervent, still, others are deplorably negligent; and. the spirit of indifferentism, so widely spread over this country, is heart-rending. Unfortunately, morality is frequently a desideratum in, many of our new towns, and no wonder, for the full meas~re of iniquity seems to pour in upon us from the oldest and most substantial cities of this great continent. To gi,·e you an idea of this, I shall simply state what I was told while in Newton last summer, that of the thirty-six persons buried in that place, only one had died a natural death. Such is the field which we are working. On the 8th of Sept., I said Mass for the first time in the beautiful little town of Augusta, in Butler Co. As it was a novelty for them, there was a good attendance both of Catholics and Protestants. I placed this station under the patronage of the Immaculate Virgin '''hose Nativity we that day celebrated, and then started for Howard City, passing through Douglas, \Vinfield and New Boston. I stopped for a short time ar-"the source of Silver Creek in order to give some Catholic families an opportunity of approaching the sacraments. After promising the Catholics of Howard City, some of whom were strangers to me, that I would return as soon as practicable, I started . on the 17th of Sept. for home. I soon left again for the far \Vest. On this occasion I visited the Counties of Montgomery, Howard, Cowley, Sedgwick, Butler, and Greenwood, and as the people had been notified beforehand, I found them all ready to come to their duties. �A VISIT TO THE KOOTENAIS. EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER OF FR. U. GRASSI TO FR. VALENTE. Co., \VAsH. TER. DEc. 14th, 1872. Towards the end of October a clerk of the Hudson Bay Company told me he was going to the Middle Kootenais. I offered to keep him company; he gladly accepted, and we started without further ado. On arriving at Michel's Camp I found but a few lodges, for I had visited them in August, and they were not expecting from me a second visit that year. I remained with them three days, then the clerk was ready to return. The morning of the fourth day I gathered them for prayer and told them how much I yearned to see the other farther tribe, that had I found amongst: them, last August, more readiness in furnishing me with what help I needed, I would have gone over to them ; but as it was I had to put it off, , and mean time who would ans\ver for those of them that would die without baptism. I said that I was ready to play the part of the good Samaritan with them, but I could not. I spoke at some length in this strain; they listened to me with astonishment and confusion; there was a dead silence the whole time. Having said the conclusion prayer, I was going to leave the lodge, when one took me by the hem of my cassock saying in a low voice: ''please wait a while." I sat down and he began : "We never thought we had been in your way hindering you from going to visit the other tribe and now we are ready to make up for it if we did hinder you last August." "But now," I answered, "it is too late in the season." Half a foot of snow had fallen the AlTANAM, }AKIMA �A visit to t!te Kootmms. previous night for the first time. "Don't fear this snow,'' interposed a second, "it will go away again." "I will give you a horse," said a third, "and as to provisions, there will be no difficulty." I saw that they were in earnest, and their earnestness almost troubled me, for I did not kriow how far I would have to go, how long it would take me, and consequently I was calculating my chances of getting back before winter.;_chances, which appeared to me rather slim. I made a last objection, "Butnow" I said, "they do not know I am cbming to them, consequently I will not find them, for they are scattered for their winter hunt." ·'If you hurry up," answered the first speaker, "you may find them gathered together, for they wait for the Hudson Bay Company train which passes by them previous to their scattering for the winter hunt." I thought to myself: there is no evading the trip: so I mustered up courage and told them that I was ready for the journey. I left the lodge to tell the clerk of the Bay Company that I would have to go further. ~ He remonstrated against it as an imprudence, but my mir..d was made up, and I returned to my Indians. I found not one but two A::arias ready for a long march : a goodly package of provisions was behind the saddle of each horse for my Indian guides :·and my own s~ddle ;.vas already girded on a splendid roadster. I mounted· with an ardent heart h.nd started. On the third day I met the Hudson Bay train; and the apprehension of not finding the Indians (for we had still to travel a day and a h.alf), somewhat troubled me. \Ve hastened on, and arrived. Froin the summit of the hill we saw the place where the Indians had been, but they were no more. One 'Single family remained, and they were about to start ; the children already on horseback, and man and wife finishing what little more packing up there was to be done. . Oh, how glad I was to have arrived just in time! My Indians hallooed, and one ran ahead to stop them. When I arrived they had already unpacked and put up a \ �A Visit to t!tc Kootmais. 159 lodge, where I entered. Directly the man went in search of his hunting companions. \Ve had reached the place in the afternoon, and by evening some twelve lodges had come back; in the night they kept arriving, and I awoke in the morning to see the whole camp gathered together, with the exception of one lodge that had started first, and which now could not be found. Dear Father, what a joy I felt that morning on seeing the overflow of joy depicted on the f.<ces of those poor Indians ! The children up to the age of 20 years had never seen a Black-gown. Rev. Fr. De Smet had gone that way more than 20 years previous to my visit, but they told me that since that time no Black-gown l~ad ever visited their settlement. I fancied I should have to show them how to make the sign of the cross when lwould see them first; but I was mistaken. \Vhen I said the prayers they followed me in such a manner that I could well understand that their tongue was by no means inexperienced in. those words. They knew besides the principal points of our holy faith, so that after three days I had the happiness of baptizing about 26o adults, and blessing 40 marriages. But my stay was to be short, and though they earnestly entreated me to remain a little longer, I could not. After pointing out a place where they should build a chapel, and promising that if God spared me I would visit them next year, I started. I kept my word, and next year I went to visit them. They had built the chapel-a nice log chapel-where we could more conveniently go through our religious exercises. On my return all Michel's camp had rallied, and they were anxiously waiting for me in order that they might approach the sacraments. I heard confessions in the chapel. After all had come, I saw a man approaching with slow and feeble steps. He had four or five days before fired on a bear and only wounded him. Being unable to escape, he abandoned himself a despondent prey to the brute. His face was all disfigured-his nose and cheeks completely eaten �I6o A Visit to tltc Kootmais. away and his scalp so torn from his skull as to leave great gashes. His body, too, had been stripped of much of its flesh, and he was left all bloody and mangled. \Vhen other Indians came up to him, they thought he was dead ; but on seeing their mistake, they carried him to his lodge and bandaged him all over: four or five days after, having heard of my return, he had himself dragged to the camp, and after a short rest came in for confession. On the same occasion, I witnessed another instance of the astonishing toug!tness of Indian flesh. It was of a young man ·who on the Buffalo hunt had been surprised by the Black-feet, scalped and left for dead. After some time he got up and managed to go towards his people, who wer~ camped not f<~.r away: within a few days he got entirely well. Instead of a scalp, he put on his head a piece of white cotton cloth, and so he goes fishing and hunting as well as ever. But it is not the toughness of the flesh, which they have in common with all other Indians, that astonished me in these. What struck me most i<> their virtuous feature. Ofteil I had not in adults matter for absolution. And if their morality endears them to God and his missionaries, the whites too have good reason to praise them highly, for their honesty has become prover\;iial. \Vhen I arrived amongst them the first time, I f~und an Indian in the Hudson Bay store, in the absence of the clerk, and on my showing surprise at it afterwards, the clerk answered me that they are perfectly trusty. Americans told me that they left here and there handkerchiefs, pieces of tobacco, a pocket-knife, or such other trifle to have an experimental knowlege of their honesty, and never had anything been missed. Once three youths found a purse of gold dust at a place where Americans had camped the previous night, and brought it to Michel, the Chief, who immediately sent them after the Americans. On overtaking them, after proper questioning they instantly handed the purse to its owner, and on the Americans wishing to compensate them, �Clzina-Nmzkin J1fission. 161 they declined to accept anything, for Michel had enjoined them to receive no reward. Many whites may find in them, you see, instances of virtue worthy of imitation. After a week's residence among them, I started, promising that either myself or another missionary would henceforward visit them yearly. Yours truly, U. Grassi, S. J. --~-~-------- CHINA-NANKIN MISSION. FR. PFISTER TO FR. VALENTE. CHANG-HAl, JUNE AND SEPT., 1872. I have completed a catalogue of all of "Our's" wh9 have come to China from the time of St. Francis Xavier until the Suppression, giving, besides the name, a short notice of each one, or a list of works which he has written. I am also working on a set of geographical charts of the Province of Kiang- Nan; there will be twenty-six of them, one for each prefecture. At present we are left undisturbed here in China. This does not exempt us from local difficulties and vexations, which, hqwever, do not retard our work, so that, thanks be to God, we are making progress. Our works are beginning to assume an appearance of solidity. The Carmelite Convent is established on a firm footing. The first Chinese postulants have been received into the novitiate-all, however, for the white veil, as the nuns deem it proper to make some delay before receiving postulants for the choir. The "Religieuses Auxiliatrices" are succeeding admirably in .. r �Cltina-Naukin llfission. forming young females, called here "good virgins," for teaching schools, administering baptism, and giving instructions to females, etc. The progress on all sides is evident, our schools are becoming more deyeloped-our old Christians are better instructed and hence practise their religious duties more exactly. The liberty that we enjoy has encouraged us to build a number of new churches, and to restore several that were built by Fathers of the old Society. On the summit of a little hill, some seven or eight leagues from this place, we have finisl1~d a spacious and beautiful church which is dedicated to "Our Lady of Good Help," in order to thank our dear l\Io~her for her unceasing protection over us. It is already quite a pilgrimage, and the numerous miraculous cures and other favors obtained seem to indicate that our Lady is pleased with the homage paid to her in this new shrine. \Ve have good hopes that it will become much frequented, and bring down from heaven abundant benedictions on this arid and thorny waste of paganism. \Ve have 6pened a school for the daughters of Europeans residing in Chang-Hai; and Father De Prevoisin never allows a month to pass by without leading back, at least one of the Protestant pupils to the. good old faith of ber ancestors. ·· So much for Chang-Hai and its environs. I say nothing of the Scholasticate except that it has been removed to Zi-ka-wei on account of a severe sickness which had broken out among the scholastics at Tong-ka-tou. At some distance from us Fathers Pouplard and Royer are laboring in the midst of consolations. The former has baptized during the present year no fewer than 6oo adults and 2000 children-all pagans. Yet there are many difficulties with which they have to struggle. They are in a district where catechumens are numerous, but where, at the same time quarrels are very frequent. There is a petty war continually going on, now for one reason, and now for �Cltina-1Vankin ~lfission. another. Father Pouplard has a special gift for treating such cases, and obtaining justice for the wronged party; his stately carriage, his large expressive eyes, his long beard, his ready and ardent speech contribute not a little, after the grace of God, to his success. Father Royer is the very man for the catechumens; he is everywhere establishing new institutions, and yet he is continually bewailing his poverty. If you have five thousand dollars to give him he can find immediate use for them in fifteen or twenty new centres which are in want of everything. In Nankin, Fr. Couvreur is engaged in opening a preparatory seminary (inchoatum). Father Colombe! is charged with the meteorologic and magnetic observations, at which he has relieved me. Father Heude continues attached to the famous and flourishing Academy of the natural sciences in Kiang-nan. Father Ravary, abandoning himself to his zeal, travels backward and forward through the whole of Ning-koue-fou, where a remarkable movement towards the Catholic religion has been going on during the last eight months. Father Ravary conjectures that there are between 5o.ooo and So.ooo persons engaged in this movement. vVe have received deputations composed respectively of 10, 20, 50 and 70 heads of families, who came to invite our Fathers to reside among them, and one of these deputations, which assembled at Sia-Hen (the centre of one section), on the last fea~t of the Assumption, numbered no fewer than 400 or 500 persons. In return for the Fathers they offer land for the building of churches and schools. Notwithstanding this favorable aspect of things there is· some room for disquiet. We know by experience that in China such movements are always actuated by motives of policy or even by other motives still less admissible ; so that we find it necessary to take the most minute precautions and to act with the strictest reserve lest we ourselves or our holy religion should be in any way compromised. The number of catechumens in Father Ravary's district at present is �C!tina-Na11kin Jlfission. very great. In the month of June they numbered 3500; today it would be impossible to enumerate them. The majority of them are steadfast and determined, and have fewer difficulties to overcome than they would have to encounter elsewhere; for there the "Men of Letters" throw no obstacles in the way, as indeed there are none left to do so. The population is composed of immigrants from other provinces, brought thither by the Mandarins to repeople the land formerly devastated by the rebels. The destruction caused by them is almost incredible; there are entire villages in which ~there is not a single house standing, not a single inhabitant surviving. All the pagodas, and with them of course the bonzes, have disappeared; thus freeing us from another source of opposition ; and besides, though the land is extremely fertile, the people are very poor as yet, which fact makes their conversion all the more easy. ·At Ngan-kin, Father Seckinger has to fight his way step by step. He is, however, well established there. He devotes himself especially to the suburbs. In his district, religious movements have been going on likewise, but unfortunately they are actuated by the same human motives as in Ning-koue-fou. Father Seckinger was forced to send away one half of his catechumens.who had disgraced the name of religion by the acts o( robbery, extortion and plunder which they perpetrated against their pagan neighbors ; and his conduct in doing so has contributed not a little towards repairing the honor of the Faith and· restoring the authority of the missionaries. At Kien-se, the theatre of the persecution of two years ago, he has established several new centres of Christianity. The new French Minister to Pekin has arrived. vVe hope that the present revision of the treaties will bring about some solid guarantee for the safety of strangers in China, and will ensure freedom of religious profession. China is at present hedged in by difficulties on every sid'e, so that it must, in spite of itself, submit to European influ- �De Statu Cailsarum StT'L 0ntm Dei, Soc. 7csu. 1 165 ence. "Et habitabit Japhet in tabernaculis Sem." It is our duty to turn to our profit all possible means for the salvation of souls; assist us I beseech you with ·your prayers. I remain your de\·oted brother in the SS. HH. of Jesus and Mary, A. Pfister, S. J. DE STATU CAUSARUM SERYORI..Dl DEI, SOC. JESG. 1. Proxime nd Cnnonizntionemsnnt Can~ne B.ll. Petri Claver, .Joannis llerclunans, et Alfonsi Rodriguez. Jam confecti sunt Proce~sus Apostolici super nov is mirnculi~ in Belgio, in Hispania et in America Septentrionnli. ldcoque statim nc probata fuerint eorumdem miraeuln, procedi poterit ad Cnnonizntionem. 2. Ad Bentificntionem prne eeteris proximior e~t Causn Y. Rodulphi Aquavi vue et nliorum quatuorl\Il\1.-Decst enim ur.a tan tum Congregatio, qua declaretur, proecdi posse ad Bentificationem cum iis signis, seu mirnculis, quae proposita sunt. a. Post hnne venit immediate Causa V. Bernr.rdini Healini.-Desunt tantnm dune Congregationes pro approbatione mirnculomm. 4. Circa virtutes in grmlu heroico pendet Causa V. Antonii Baldinucei. Deest ultima Congregatio, proxime habenda, super iisdem virtutibus. 5. Paritcr una tantum Congrcgatio desideratur ad absolvendum ac dirimcndum dubium de virtutihns in Causa V. Roberti Bellarn1ini Card. et Episc. 6. Agitantur praetcrea in S. R. C., Causae sequcntcs: VY. ~DI. Cnssoviensium, ~larci Crisini CniJonici Strigoniensis, et PP. 1\[elchioris Grodzecii, et P. Pongratz S. ,J.-Agcndum est in trihus Congregationibus de l\[artyrio et de signi,;. V. P. Juliani ~[aunoir.-Agcmlum est de introductionc ('nnsne. V. P. Emanuclis Padiai.-Agemlum cRt de virtutibus in grndn heroico. 7. Die 16 mensis Octohris 1872, hora 10. mntutina, coram Illnstrissimo Archiep. Parisicnsi inchoatus est Processus super Martyrio quinque Patrnm S. J. ab impiis in odium Religionis nceatorum. Atque· hac stmt Causae, quae in praesenti ngnntur. �CURRENT ITEMS . .Ale.rarulria, Ya.- 'Vhen f'liling health obliged the late Father Kroes to relinquish, a few weeks before his death, the care of the congregation of St. :Mary's Church in this citv, Father O'Kane was appointed to succeed him. The new pastor has laid a good foundation for his future work in the ministry. by securing to his flock the blessing of a Spiritual Retreat. The exercises\vere conducted by Father Glackmeyer of New York, md the result left nothing wanting to satisfy the desires of the new pastor. We hear with gmtifieation that the members of St. )lary's congreg:~tion intend erecting in the Church grounds a suitable monu111ent to the zealous pastor who served them so faithfully nnd so long. This monument to Father Kroes will stand as companion piece ofthe beautiful memorial to Father Blox erected by this same grateful people, to whom that g·ood Father d('votPd many y('nr;; of hi;; fruitful life. Pldladelphia.-Thc interior of St. .Joseph's Church in this city has been- thoroughly renovated, nnd with its newly frescoed walls and rich paintings, p!'cscnts the appearance of a new church. Commerce has encronchPd greatly on the territory of the pari~h, and many former members of the congregation have been forced to seek homes in distant portions of the city. Nevertheless the work in the confessional is in no way diminished, am\ as shown in the extract.from a private l('tter which we subjoin, the fruits and consolations of their holy ministry ar(' a hnndantly granted the Fathers of the old Chureh. ""\Ve have much consolation in the gre:\t numl.Jer of conversions fi·mn Protestantism, and in the very extrnonlinay returns to God after years of neglect; seven, ten, fifteen, yes forty, fifty years without confession, anti back they come, thanks be to God. To-morrow, if al.Jle, I have to ~el' three perHons, two women and a man, l.Jorn of Catholic parents, made their First Communion, l.Jegan to associate with Protrstunts, left the Church, and now in their !,1st sickness a"fter twenty, forty and forty-six year;; neglect wish to rome back to the ::\IothPr they desci1ed.-I perform the funeral services to-morrow over n young man, whom I baptized last .Monday evening. He could not reeol\ect that his lilt her or mother ever told him there was a God; IH<lno remmnhranee of having bePn inside a church; was n printer by trade, and hmlnwt with the prayer, J[other of God Jll'liY (o1• a ,,iimer, which he frequently rrpeated during the last t<'n years of his life. In Cunningham'H window had seen my portrait with �Currmt Items. my name underneath. 'Vhen he was dying, the doctor asked him if he would have a parson; he answered: "Yes, parson J ......" I hurried round, instructed him as much as the circumstances would allow, and baptized him. I attribute this and similar conversions to the consecration of our congregations to the Sacred Heart of our divine Lord.'' Of the mission that closed In St. Joseph's Church on Palm Sunday, one of the fathers who conducted it writes: "God blessed our labors in a most wonderful manner. The crowds from early morning till late at night were immense. Not only the Church, through the pews, aisles and galleries, was one living mass of human beings, but the sacristy and all avenues leading to the Church were crowded. There was no abatement of fervor tlu·oughout the week. The confessional kept all busy until a late hour every night, and amongst the people a real enthusiasm prevailed." ' D. 0. M. ��WOODSTOCI( LETT.ERS. VOL. II., No. 3· MIRACULOUS PICTURE OFST. FRANCIS XAVIER. In the chapel of the College· of St. Ildefonso, one' of the four which tli.e Society had in the City of Mexico until its expulsion, June, 1767, hangs a half-length picture of St. Francis Xavier, a true work of art and most devotional in expression. It was quite usual at one time for devout persons to come to the ~hapel at night to pray and discipline themselves before this image. On the night of the 6th of March, in the year 1670, two of the Collegians, D. Pedro Vidarte and D. Maximiliano Pro, who had come to the chapel .for the pious purpose just mentioned, were astonished at seeing the countenance ·of the Holy Apostle shooting forth bright flames, as if on fire. They drew nearer to ascertain the cause of the strange appearance, when the bright inflamed color of the face quickly changed to a deadly paleness. The young men hastened to commu- �170 .iliiraculous Pictme· of St. Jtnmcis Xavier. nicate the wonderful occurrence to the Rector of the CoiFather Jose Vidal, who at once hastened to the chapel. with all the students, to verify the statement. One of the party, Father Prudencio de 1\lesa, Professor of Philosophy in ~the Colegio 1l1aximo, testified on oath that for several days before he had noticed, while ~aying l\Iass at the Saint's altar, that the face of the picture seemed to sweat profusely, but mistrusting the avouchment of his own senses in so strange and important a matter he had abstained from mentioning the fact until it was now brought to notice by·the testimony of so many eye-witnesses. He now put on ! surplice and approaching the picture wiped off the perspiration, which, notwithstanding, continued to flow freely for several days. The Rector instituted a careful examination to ascertain whether the strange occurrence might not be due to some dampness in the walls ; but they were perfectly dry, and moreover the other pictures which hung around that of the Saint were in no way affected; the pallor which had overspread the Saint's countenance remained, though the hands retained their former color. There was no doubt then, in the minds of all, that the event was clearly miraeulous; and though, at the time, there was nothing that could thro!V any light upon the causes that might lead to so wond~iful a manifestation, it was afterwards generally believed to portend the martyrdom of the venerable and apostolic Father Diego Luis de Sanvitores, which occurred one year later in the Mariana Islands. This belief was founded on the very intimate relations which had existed between the holy martyr and Father Vidal, who was at that time Procurator of the Mariana Mission. The Rector, desirous to foster and increase the devotion towards the holy Apostle to which this remarkable occurrence had given a new impetus, sent for a very skilful artist to prepare and to decorate a special chapel for the reception of the miraculous image ; but, impatient of the delay which ~ege, �.l'rfimmlo~:s Picture of St. Francis Xavier. I 7I attended the execution of his orders, he had the picture removed to the s'pendid altar of St. Francis in the chapel cf the Colegio Jlfa.ximo, where it remained several years. Many copies of it were made to satisfy the devotion of those who had witnessed the miracle or who wished to testify their devotion to this new Thaumaturgus of the Church. Later, the College of St. Ildefonso asserted its right to the possession of the precious work of art, which was accordingly transferred to the new and magnificent chapel of the college and set up in a costly silver frame at the expense cf Dr. Manuel Rojo, Canon of the Metropolitan church and a distinguished alumnus of the college. ' Many signal favors were bestowed upon the college in return for the honors paid to the Saint. One, taken at random from the many recorded, may suffice to show how efficacious was the aid of him whom the college had taken as the protector, especially of the general health of the house. In the year 1725. a violent epidemic fever of a very malignant type was raging in the city, most of the cases proving fatal. Sixty of the students were attacked besides the Minister, Father Antonio de Figueroa. The miraculous picture was borne in procession to the rooms of the patients, but whether through forgetfulness, or inadvertence, or perhaps, by some special disposition of divine Providence, the picture was not brought to Father de Figueroa: moreover, in confirmation of the latter supposition, an old father of the Colegio Maximo, on discovering this omission, went on three different occasions to the College of St. Ildefonso for the express purpose of taking the picture to Father Figueroa, but at each visit his mind was completely diverted from the principal object of his coming, by a number of incidental occurrences or occupations. Not one of the students died: Father de Figueroa was the only victim of the disease in the· College, though he left behind him a strong conviction, founded on his religious virtue and his fervently pious preparation for death, that he had but passed from temporal to eternal life. �ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHIL~DELPHIA. PART SECOND. The year I8oo opened in Philadelphia with four churches, St. Joseph's.. and her eldest daughters, St. Mary's, Holy Trinity and St. Augustine's, which last had been lately dedicated. The daughters were all considerably larger and handsomer than the. mother, with pretensions to architectural beauty. Two of them are still standing but the third, ere she had reachd the mature age of forty-five, perished, not through decay, but by the hands of rioters. The first and second were gifts ·to the Philadelphians ; · the third and fourth were erected from their offerings with some a!!sistance.from Europe. Especially was this the case with regard to St. Augustine's; for Very Rev. Father Carr, when coming to America, brought with him in the form of £. s. d. solid . marks of the confidence of his Order.. After the suppression of our Soci~ty in 1773, the material help received from the English Province ceased and the . ever to be lamented system of trusteeism was introduced into Philadelphia. This evil became, as it were, ingrafted . into the spirit of Church government ;when in 1788, St. Mary's Church was chartered by the legislature of the State of Pennsylvania. During the first third of this century it was the evil of the diocese, hanging over its fair fields of budding promise, like an unsightly mist obscuring the beauty of the scene, and debarring the warmth and light that the rising sun of our religion had begun so propitiou'sly to shed on the region it had destined to be so fruitful in the future. In 1797. its first pernicious germ showed itself in Trinity Church, and for sixty years it made �- St. :Joseph's Clmrclz, Plzi!adelplzia. I 73 that congregation a continual cause of anxiety to tlze rulers of tlze lzouse of tlze Lord, until the saintly Bishop Neumann, by a masterly piece of policy obtained for this Church a new charter, dispensing with trustees and placing the government of its temporalities in its pastors, appointed by the Bishop. There are now, I think, in the Diocese of Philadelphia, but two churches with trustees, St. Mary's and St. Michael's; those of the latter have never given any trouble, and those of the former, a few years since, entered into an arrangement by which the pastor is virtually the board of trustees. At this time all the priests of Philadelphia, with the exception of those interdicted at Holy Trinity, resided at St. Joseph's. From the Baptismal and Marriage Registries we find thirteen officiating there at times during the year; viz.-Very Rev. Mathew Carr, 0. S. A., D. D., V. G., Pastor of Sts. Joseph's, Mary's and Augustine's, Rev. John Rossiter, 0. S. A., Fr. A. T. R. Fm De Kersauson de Kerjean, ptre Cath. Rom., Rev. George Staunton, 0. S. A., Rev. John Bourke, Rev. Bartholomew Augustine M'Mahon, 0. S. A., Rev. Peter Helborn, Rev. Nicholas Brennan, Rev. Francis Beeston, Rev. D. Boury, Rev. Philip Stafford, 0. S A., Rev William O'Brien and Rev. Michael Lacy. Of these the first three seem to have been the regular pastors of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's, the others officiating at St. Augustine's and on the missions. During the previous year, the mission at Trenton had been commenced by Rev. D. Boury. The first baptism in that City, which now counts its thousands of Catholics, with three fine churches, schools, a hospital, and an asylum, is thus recorded in St. Joseph's Registry:* Die 4a Oct. 1799 a Revdo. D._ Boury, Trenton New Jersey, Joannes \Varren, natus de Joanne et Anna Mount c. c. l. c. Susceptoribus Francisco de Mouzeuil et Margarita Charlotta D'Auquin Reynard. * Bapt. Registry pag. 334. �174 St. Yosep!t's Clmrclt, Plziladclplzia. The first Philadelphian made a Christi<>n in the nineteenth century seems to have been a negro ~lave:* "1 Sao. Januarii Die Ia a Rev. M. Carr:_Caesar, natus 13a Sept. 1799 de Josephina Ducombe. Pafrino Emanuele Torres." In I790most of the German families, who had worshipped at St. Joseph's from the time of Father Schneider, S. J. left and took pews in the German Church of Holy Trinity. But the troubles between the Trustees and the Ecclesiasti~ ·cal Authorities caused many ofthem in 1801 to return, and their names are again found in the Registries. In the~ 'Baptismal Registry for 1802 we find this record: "1802. Oct. 17a a Rev. M. Carr. Isaac Augustinus Hayes natusdie 21a Aug. h. a. de Patricio, Cath. et Elizabeth Keen, Acath. Susceptor fuit Joannes Barry."t The God-father was the celebrated Commodore John Barry Father of the American Navy. And the father of the Child, Patrick Hayes, was on the mother's side connected with the family of St. Francis de Sales. He it was who presented to Father Ba_!"belin, S. J. a portrait, taken from life, of this great saint. In the following month Father Rossiter received into the church a distinguished convert: Nov. 28a a. R. I. Rossiter, Cornelius Tiers natus in statu New York a' viginti circiter duobis annis, cooptatus fuit in ..ecclesiam; patrinus fuit Timotheus Collins t. Mr. Tiers bec'ame a firm and leading Catholic. ' His descendants to the third generation are still respected in the diocese. For many years he was the coadjutor of Father Hurley, 0. S. A., in providing for the orphans of St. Joseph's Asylum, which Father Leonard Neale, of St. Joseph's Church, had established in 1797, but which in the early years of this century had a hard struggle to maintain its existence. Sometime during this year, Very Rev. Father Carr removed from St. Joseph's to the pastoral Residence of St. Aug~stine's, a house in N. Fourth Street, immediately south ---------*Baptismal Registry, p. 337. t Do. p. 148. t Do. �St. :Joseph's C/mrclz, Pltiladclpltia. I 75 of the Church. He left Rev. Raphael Fitzpatrick, as pastor of St. Joseph's, with Father Rossiter, 0. S. A., and Rev. Michael Lacy as his assistants. He, however, continued Vicar General, and to a certain extent, Administrator of Philadelphia and the missions. Father Carr was a man of untiring zeal, much loved by those who .knew him, but too dignified to please the vulgus profammz. He was in all respects a man of learning and virtue, but Father Rossiter it was who gained the hearts of the people. It has been my happiness to comfort the last hours of some of the venerable Catholics of Philadelphia, who having known me almost from infancy, and my father and mother before me, found great pleasure in talking with me of the early days of St Joseph's Church. My delight in listening was no less than theirs in narrating. Father Carr, Father John Bourke, Father Nick Brennan and Father Stafford are all familiar names, but Fr. Rossiter's is the name that lingers most fondly on the lip and often draws tears from the eye. One octogenary who died lately, Sept. 9th, 1872, and of whom, I think, I will have occasion to speak hereafter, forgetting the passage of time, would imagine me Fr. Rossiter, and throwing his arms around my neck, try to call to my recollection the times when his saintly mother and mine roved, hand-in-hand, the verdant fields of Connaught. The old man himself was my mother's senior by twelve years, and I do not think she was ever out of the Middle·States -She may have been in Maryland. 1803 finds the priests of St. Joseph's and St. Augustine's two distinct families, but most agreeable neighbors: And so, thank God, they have ever continued, members of two great orders, laboring for the same great object, and indulg' ing no petty jealousies. · In the early part of this year, Rev. Michael Egan, 0. S. F., arrived in Philadelphia. He came to supersede Very Rev. Dr. Carr, 0. S. A., in the Vicar-general-ship, but at Father Carr's desire and, I think, at his request. He spent �176 St. :Joseplz's Clmrclt, P/ziladelplzia. some days at St. Augustine's Residence, and preached on Sunday in the Church, wearing the habit and cord of St. Francis. On this occasion, I have been told, Fr. Carr for the first time, assumed the dress of the Augustinians, and was present in the Sanctuary: Father Paul Stafford, 0. S. A. sang the mass. Neither Father Carr nor the loved Father Hurley, his successor in the superiorship of the Augustinians, wore the habit of their order as their ordinary drelis, but only on occasions appeared in it. The first official act of Vicar General Michael Egan, 0. S. F., was a baptism whose record will be interesting, as being the first performed by him, who was afterwards Philadelphia's first Bishop. 1803 1 Ia Aprilis, a Rev. M. Egan, Hanna Mullins nata 3a Aprilis 1803 Phila. de Jacobo Mullins et Barbara Murray c. c. L. c. Susceptores fuere Dionisius M'Makin et Catharina Murray.* I have heard an old lady, whose name I have forgotten, speak of Father Egan's appearance. Her recollections of him, I cannot say how much to be depended on, present him ~as tall, spare, but very straight, nearly six feet high, of sallow complexion, with very black curly hair, mild, pleasing countenance, with eyes modestly cast down. His "memory" certainly "is with praises", in the Church of Philadelphia. Even when a boy, I feitan interest in the first Bishop of my native city, my friends had not seen him, but had heard much of him. A current story of the time was his having been seen in a rapture or an ecstacy, before the picture of St. Francis, then and now, in the room called "the front parlor" of St. Joseph's. In boyhood, I often heard the account of this ecstacy, from old friends, and my venerable friend of Connaught-rambles-reminiscences, twice referred to it. The general recollection seemed to be . that Bishop Egan was mild in appearance as he was saintly in character. * Baptismal Registry, p. 284. �St. Yoseph's Clzurclz, Philadelplzia. ijj For a short while, Rev. Mr. Egan had the assistance of Rev. Ambrose Marshal; twin-brother of our Brother Joseph Marshal; but he soon sent him to the missions in the interior of the state where he did much good. The baptisms of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's this year numbered 284. On the 25th of April, 1804, we find a baptism by Rev. Michael Hurley, 0. S. A.,* only remarkable as showing that then, as ever since have existed good feelings between the pastors of St. Augustine's arid St. Joseph's, and as the first performed by that holy man in St. Joseph's Church. I wish the bounds I have placed to my religious gossip would but allow me to relate some of the accounts of this remarkable priest; who, in very difficult times; was the evangelizer of Philadelphia. In the latter part of 18o8 the distinguished Dominican Father, William Vincent Harold, 0. S.D., arrived to assist Fathers Egan, 0. S. F., and Rossiter, 0. S. A. The first n.otice of his presence at St. Joseph's is a nuptial blessing given to John Ward and Rebeca Ward on the 25th of Nov.t These three Reverend gentlemen, members of three diferent orders, each as peculiar in his personal appearance as in his natural disposition, and each holy in his own manner, lived together, for three .years in the most perfect harmony; "Having gifts differing according to the grace which is given them," but each being "zealous for the better gifts." The saintly and scholarly Franciscan, gentle a~ a Sister of Mercy, but timorous, fearful of giving offense, remaining much at home, but equal1y accessible to poor and rich. The beloved and bustling Augustinian, abroad much of the time, but working "the works of Gcid," visiting more in the hovels of Shippen and German Streets; than in the stately mansions of East Fourth Street.· And the doquent and elegant Dominican, who whilst "the *Baptismal Registry, p. 230. t !1arriage Registry, p. 76. �178 St. :Joseph's Church, P!ti!adelp!tia. father of the orphans and the judge of the widows," was frequently_ found in the drawing room, or asit was then called the parlor, and at the social board of those whom Providence had blessed with an abundance of this world's goods. For nearly forty years the Catholics of the South-eastern part of the City had, on S~ndays, attended divine service at St. Mary's Church, but the gentleness of Father Egan and the eloquence of Father Harold had attracted such numl:!ers, that in 1809 it was resolvedto enlarge the church. ~This enlargement was begun in the Spring and finished in the Autumn of r8ro, giving St. Mary's Church its present noble dimensions. On the 20th of October of this year, Fathers Egan and Harold went to Baltimore, leaving Rev. Patrick Kenny with the care of St. Mary's, while Father Rossiter still watched over St. Joseph's. On the 28th of this month, Rev. Michael Egan, 0. S. F. was consecrated, in Baltimore the first Bishop of Philadelphia, by Bishop John Carroll, assisted by Rt. Rev. Leonard Neale, former pastor of St. Joseph's. Father Wm. Vincent Harold, 0. S.D., preached the consecration sermon, and this he did at the particular request of the new prelate, who was accustomed to style him, "the brother of my heart." ..- · They returned to this city in the latter part of November. Father Egan's first record, in his new character as Bishop, is: "Dec. ra a Revsimo Michl Egan, James Bertrand Gardette natus Philadel. die 19a Dec. 1807 de James Gardette et Mary L. Carisse c. c. L. c. sus. fuerunt Bertrand Cuillavet et Fanny Louise Gardette." t The entries of Bishop Egan in the different registries of St. Joseph's are remarkable for the peculiarity of the writing. They are perfectly neat and legible, but if gazed at for any length of time, they give one a sensation, as if reading with the book upside down. t Baptismal Registry, p. 42. �St. :Joseph's, Clmrclz, Plzi!adelplzia. 179 One of the first acts of the new Bishop was to appoint Father Wm. Vincent Harold, 0. S. D., his Vicar-general. In the month of April 181 I, Rev. James Harold, 0. S.D., uncle to the Vicar-general, arrived from Ireland and was stationed at St. Joseph's :-his first record being on April r8th.* · De Courcy says: "In r810, it became necessary to enlarge the edifice (St. Mary's), and these new erections gave rise to conflicts of authority with the Bishop, at the same time that the trustees set up claims to be consulted in the choice of their pastors, and unfortunately, Father Harold and his uncle arrayed themselves in a measure against the Bishop. This was the more, to be regretted, as the youn,ger Harold; though a man of eminent qualities and striking defects, was full of real eloquence and virtue, but marred his transcendent merit by the asperity of his temper."t This statement, which has been copied by the estimable author of the "Lives of the Deceased Bishops," is incorrect in many particulars. The enlargement of St. Mary's was begun and ended, without any opposition from the trustees, before the consecration of Father Egan. At the · time of the consecration the kindest feeling existed between the two priests, as evinced by Father Egan's requesting Father Harold to preach .the consecration sermon and his afterwards appointing him as his Vicar-general, when very many thought Very Rev. Michael Hurley 0. S. A., should have received ~hat appointment. The elder Harold did not arrive in Philadelphia until nearly eighteen months after the enlargement was mz fait accompli. "The right of appointing a pastor" was a difficulty brought upon the tapis in 1820 during the Hogan trouble. And as to the "anonymous printed appeals,t the first heard of them was during *Baptismal Registry, p. 74. tThe Catholic Church in the United States, p. 225. :1: Vol. L J?· 191. �180 St. :Joseph's Clzurclz, Philadelphia. the correspondence bet.v~en Father Harold, as Secretary to the second Bishop of Philadelphia, and the infamous Wm. 1fogan. Father Harold denied from the pulpit of St. Jo~eph\ not qnly having been the author of such pam~ phlets, put ~hat any such had been circulated, and called upon his accusers to produce one of them.* Until ~800, the Catholics of Philadelphia, with the exception of a few fa!Uilies, the Hayes, Careys, Eslings, Meades, ~arrys, Fitzsimmons, lYloylans, O'Bryans, Powels and Keefes, were not :only. poor, but exceedingly humble as to their social standing. During the first decade of the century, many of them had been very successful in commerce and ii1 mercantile pursuits, and, with the acquisition of wealth, put on the airs of the paryenu. One of the greatest objects of their all!bition was to associate with the aristocratic members of the late ·~State Church." To be known by the 1nembers of St. Peter'~ was the ultima thule of their ambition. , §t. Mary's, though exceedingly plain, the walls peing painted a dull blue and the ceiling a more vivid shade of ~e same color, studded at regular intervals of twelve inches with very sleepy stars, was not devoid of architectural b~auty, its arch is to the present ..day an object of envy to some of the architect~ of the counti-y. These ne\y 111ade gentlemen and ladies, who thought our Divine Saviour was not up to the age when He said, HNo ser"V~nt can serve two mast!'!rs" and intended to show the (:;burch and ~od that they could ·~serve God and mammon/' ~~ the s~1ne time, thought a fine church called for a fine pre<lcher. ~ow, F<1ther Harold was a fine preacher: ''Yes, sir,'' said l\'lr. A, ... "Father Haro!d is a fin~ preacher, he, ~ir, ~~ a11 orator., sir.." Two Latin sermons preserved in the · Library of St. Joseph's attest his eloquence in the tongue of ~icero, as well as that of Ha~er~t:: H~ £~'.:!!~ not *Mr. Eugene Murphy, a Hoganite, and at one time employ~ by the trustees of St. Mary's to correct Mr. Hogan's literary efforts. · �St. Yosep!t's Clzurclz, P/ziladelpllia. 18 f however be in truth styled a very fluent speaker, as three weeks were required for the preparation and production of each sermon, every word of it having to be written ;md conned as by a_$chool-boy. He w~s, at the.time, the only polished speaker among the Catholic ~lergy. Mr. John R. G. Hassard, in his life of Archbishop Hughes, speaks of Father Harold and Dr. Hurley being both eloquent preach~ ers. There are many in Philadelphia with whpm Father Hurley is one whose :~memory is in benediction," and who will descant by the hour Oil his virtues, but I have never met one who called him an orator.-He instructed by pis words·and preached most eloquently by his actions. Wishing to monopolize to themselves Father Wm. Vincent Harold, the trustees determined to erect a pastoral residence near St. Mary's, and had already selected a lot at the S. \V. corner of 4th and Prune streets, and entered into negotiations for the purchase of it. Fat4er Wm. Vincent was pleased with the idefi; Father Jallles Harold warmly urged it-but Bishop Egan very wisely disapproved of it. First, as he saw no necessity for a separate residepj;e; and, secondly, and principally, because the movement had been taken, not only without his approval as President of the Board of Trustees, but even without pis being cqnsulted. ·This was the first flCt of insubordination of the Trustees of St. Mary's to their Bishop, and the one in which they were encouraged by Fathers liarold. father Wm. Vincent was inclined to yield, but his uncle, Father James, influenced him to place himself in opposition to his fqrmer friend and present :Pishop. This sad state of affairs lasted but for a slto:t while, when, in 1813, the pephew and uncle returned to !::eland. The Suqday before their departure, Bishop Egan preacheq at St. Mary's, and stated that there had never been an unkind word between him and the "brother of his heart," and tl1at he considered "Father James" the cause qf ali the trouble.* ,-I • '' *Mr. John O'Keefe. •;. �182 St. Yoscplz's Clmrch, Philadelphia. . This occurred nearly a score of years before my appearance upon the stage of action, but at that time and for years afterwards my father was teacher of St. Joseph's Parochial School, living, with his young family, in a house almost adjoining the North East end of the Church, and was on the· most intimate terms with all the clergymen, and had every opportunity of knowing the true state of the case. The financial system on which this school was conducted I· would recommend to economical pastors. The teacher was.'permitted to· rent a house (it being required that he should be a married man) and school; pay the rent, and teach a stipulated number of pupils, male and iemale, for the /zo11or of being teacher of ''St. Joseph's School,"the pay he received from the other pupils to be his compensation. The vacancy, caused by the departure of the Fathers Harold, was filled by Rev. Wm. O'Brien* and Patrick Kenny.t · In August of this year, 1813; we find a·member of a fourth Religious order domiciled in the house· of the Jesuit Greaton. "Die 29a Aug., a Rev. Patre Vincent de Paul, Trappista, Jane Haviland nata Philadelphiae, 24 huj. mens. de John Haviland et de Grace Glacken c. c. L. c. sus. fr. James McClosky et Anne Havilan~;·t This, I have been told, w'as a nephew of the Right Rev: Bishop. In September, the sacerdotal corps was increased by the arrival of the Rev. Charles Winters, who was soon sent· to the missions. The good Rev. Terence M'Girr arrived in the middle of October.§ During my noviceship, it was said that our improvement· in writing kept pace with our improvement in spirituality. I cannot imagine what must have been Rev. Mr. M'Girr's style, when he first began the spiritual life if such frightful hieroglyphics indicate his well-known, exalted virtue. *Baptismal Registry, p. 104. Do. Do. p. 151. e t Do. p. 128.. :f: Do. p. 138 �St. Yoseplz's Clmrclz, Plziladelplzia. 183 In 1814, at the request of the Right Rev. Bishop, Rev. John Grassi S. J. visited St. Joseph's, and for a short time performed parochial duties.* It was not his intention to remain, but Bishop Egan had known him in Rome .and, having a premonition of his death, requested a visit from him that he might assist him in his preparations for the final struggle. In Father Barb!!lin's collection was the letter of Father Grassi, dated at Georgetown College, accepting the invitation, a letter full of encouragement and breathing the spirit of an Apostle. He was accompanied by a Rev. Clement Garcia, whether a Jesuit I know not, ;~.nd who appears to have administered the sacraments for but a short time.t · Bishop Egan until almost the very day nf his death lamented the departure of Father \Vm. Vincent Harold. In his last sickness he still called him, "the brother of my heart." And from his many affectionate remarks concern-. ing him, I feel confident that if he had had the satisfaction of nominating his successor, Wm. Vincent Harold, 0. S. D., would have stood upon the list "dignissimus." The Right Rev. Michael Egan, 0. S. F., First Bishop of Philadelphia died at St. Joseph's, on the 22nd of July, 1814, in Room No. J., stretched in the form of a cross upon the floor before the picture of his loved patron, St. Francis of Assisium. He was universally regarded as a saint. His funeral took place at St. Mary's; Father Hurley, 0. S. A., was his panegyrist, and, if I mistake not, Father Grassi, S. J., sang the Mass. The sisters of Charity from Emmitsburg, whom he had introduced into the diocese, with the orphans from St. Joseph's Asylum, which had been established by Father Leonard Neale, in 1797, and the matrons with the orphans from St. Vincent's Asylum were present on the sad occasion. Immediately upon the death of Bishop Egan, Archbishop Neale appointed Rev. Lewis· de Barth, or as he almost invariably signs himself Ludovicus Barth, then in charge of *Baptismal Registry, p. 152. t Do. p.153. �I 84 St. Yoscplz's Church, Plziladelplzia. our church and missions at Conewago, administrator of the diocese. The appointment was not a fortunate one. I question not the piety, the learning, the zeal of the Rev. gentleman, but there are Fathers still living in this province who knew him before his retirement to Georgetown College, where he died, and I do not think one of them will say he was well suited for that office. Father de Barth upon his appointment did not retire from the care of the mission of Conewago but travelled backwards and fonvards; almost monthly, between that place and Philadelphia, his-first visit being on August 24th.* From that time until the arrival of Bishop Conwell, he was a frequent and honoredguestatthe house of my parents, and the only source of communication between my mother and grandmother and their Quaker relatives in Adams County. Not unfrequently wouid he visit the school-house before the parsonage, and old Mrs. Evans kne\v well what to give "the old man" for supper. It was the only house in the city at which he felt at home, and many a time would he unburden his mind of pasto;al cares which he would not mention to his confreres at the other side of the Church, and about 8 o'clock. P. M. he would glide around through the graveyard, go to his room, say his prayers, and next ~oming after an early Mass, mount his horse for Conewagd. My poor mother thought there was no one like Father de Barth, she would have considered it an unfortunate day, if one of her children had pronounced him not perfect-she little thought her own anecdotes were somewhat prejudicing one of those children against him. At this time riiany of the Catholics of Philadelphia held a very high position in what is called society, and as this, for some of them; was a new thing, they were very nervous lest their priests should do anything that might shame their gentility. Father Hurley, 0. S. A., the leading priest of the city, a holy and amiable man, laughed at and ridiculed *Baptismal Registry, p. 159. �St. Yoseplz's Clmrclt, Plti!adelpltia. I 85 their airs, and took delight in violating their rules of etiquette, and in generally shocking their ;;ensibilities. I will here relate an amusing anecdote of this saintly man. In St. Augustine's Church, they had adopted the European custom of having a Swiss guard to preserve order. Our Swiss was born in the Emerald Isle, one Thomas O'Shaughnessy by name. One of his principal duties was to remove the hats of those who kept covered in the presence of the EverAdorable, and for this purpose our Swiss was furnished with a long rod hooked at the end, \vith which Mr; O'Shaughnessy caused many an amusing gyration to be performed on different occasions. One Sunday afternoon at the monthly Vespers, Father Hurley noticed Robert Wharton, a leading Friend and one of Philadelphia's wealthiest citizens stalk up the middle aisle. head covered with an ash~ colored broad-brim. The Swiss, for once, was awed by the respectable position of the offender. The uppertendom of Philadelphia Catholicity trembled lest they might see that respectable beaver, circling. in the air for a foot or two and then rolling gracefully up the aisle. But no ! Thomas was intently watching some little tow-headed boys under the gallery stairs. Little escaped the keen eye of Rev. Michael Hurley, 0. S. A. Here was the opportunity long desired, of shocking their delicate sense of the deference due to wealth. Father Hurley did not usually speak with a brogue, but when he ascended the platform of the Altar, to give the instruction, while every eye was fixed upon him, and many a heart beat quickly, he quietly surveyed the congregation for a moment, and then in a loud rough voice he cried: "Tom, mon, I say, mon, oaf with auld \Vharton's hat." Mr. O'Shaughnessy did not wait for a second bidding, but gravely marching up the aisle, insttad of sending the hat whirling in the air, he gracefully raised it on his hook and slowly retracing his steps to the door of 'the Church, he pitched it into Fourth Street. And as my informant* *.My God-mother, ~Iiss ~Iary Tierney. �I 86 St. joseph's Churclz, Philadelphia. hastened, handkerchief to mouth out of Church, Tom quietly remarked : "tut, tut, guirl, ain't you ashamed to laugh·at the praste ?" This good Augustinian did not confine himselftoshocking the sensibilities of the elite. \Vherever there was a scandal to be corrected in either of the two parishes of St. Joseph's or St. Augustine's, there the zealous Father Hurley was to be found. He did not believe in wearing kid gloves when scouring the sink, his speech on these occasions was loud and caustic; Once, one whom he had been severely reprimanding, ~raised his arm to strike this "anointed of the Lord;" although he lived more than fifteen years afterwards, he never lowered it. I, myself, have more than once seen this person. He sincerely repented his sin. Father Hurley prayed God to pardon him, and at his, Father Hurley's request, Father Dubuisson, S. J., interceded with our Holy Founder, but heaven was dea£ The body with the arm raised was laid in St. Mary's Cemetery. Father Hurley left many warm friends among the Protestants, as well as devoted children among the Catholics. Some of his Protestant friends delight to this day to recount his arduous apostolic labors. At a dinner, at which the Rev. Rector of Woodstock College, the~·Provincial of the Province of Maryland, was present, Mr. B ........ , of the Pennsylvania Rail Road Company, related the following incident: "I called late in the evening, just after supper, to see Father Hurley on important business. It was a fearful night. Outside was one of those old-fashioned storms that we used to have some twenty years ago. After transacting business, Father Hurley insisted upon my spending the night with him. He brought out the poteen, and I can tell you he kept a good article in that line." "Oh, yes,!' interrupted Rev. J. C. D .... , "I can bear testimony to that." "He brewed a good strong punch for each. He then read his priestiy service, while I balanced some accounts. About ten \Ve retired for the night, he occupying his own room, �St. :Josep!t's C/mrclt, P!tiladelpltia. 187 the second story front, and I a small room over the passage. I had just fallen into a doze, when I was wakened by Father Hurley, who, having finished his prayers, was getting into bed. It was not long before I could hear him snoring the snore of the-of the-Augustinians. I tell you what, it was pleasant lying there, snugly wrapped up in blankets, listening to the howling storm without. I had just fallen into my first sleep, when I was suddenly roused by a terrific knocking at the front door. Immediately I heard Father Hurley bounce out of bed, the mercury must have gotten so far below zero that it had serious doubts if it would ever get up again. Up went the sash. '\Vho's there?' 'Your Reverence, it's I.' 'Is it indeed? and who may I be?' 'Your Reverence, there's a man dying in Schuylkillfirst Street above Gallushill.' Schuylkill first and Callowhill Street, at that time, was far beyond the limits of the built-up part of the City, and the reputation of that part of the municipality was not the best. 'What's the matter with him?' 'Your Reverence, he's bad intirely, he's taken with a colic, saving your Reverence's presence, in the belly. He's dying your Reverence.' 'Have you had a doctor?' 'Yes, your Reverence, Mick, my brother, has gone for his honor. 0 come, your Reverence, for it's a taring cold night for a man to be out.' 'Where did you say he lives ?' 'In Schuylkill first Street above Gallushill, you can't mistake the house, seeing it's the only one there within a square. Come at once, your Reverence, for I know he'll be dead before you get there.' 'You two men go home and tell them that the priest, Father Hurley, is coming. I'll get the oils and the holy sacrament and follow you as soon as I can.' I jumped out of my warm bed, knocked at the old gentleman's door, and offered to accompany him. 'Get back to your bed, you - - what could a heretic do when a christian is dying?' The old man dressed quickly, came into my .room with a half-pint of poteen, lest I should take cold, fumbled for some time about his room, went to the Church, �I 88 St. :Joseplt' s Clwrch, Phi!adelphza~ and soon slammed the door as only Father Hurley could slain doors. It was a fearful night- cold! we don't know now-a-days what such cold is, the wind was blowing like a hurricane, the hail and sleet driving against the windows, like-like-I can't think, just now, like what, unless likeexcuse me, gentlemen-like h-11, and, to cap all, it had been snowing continuously the two days previous. It was now near one o'clock; I lay in bed, picturing to myself the old man, out at such an hour, in such a neighborhood, and in the midst of such a storm. In those days, in some places, the·· streets were not paved above 8th or 10th street, and I knew the sno\v must be nearly breast" ·high. Father Hurley, though strong as a lion, was pretty well advanced in years. About 3 o'clock, he returned, puffing like a porpoise. He came into my room. '\Vell, Father Hurley, how's the sick man?' 'He won't die, didn't see him.' 'What! was there no person sick?' •y es-oh, but this is terrible weather,' said the old gentleman, blowing his finger-tips, 'when I got to Scl?-uylkill 7th and Callow hill, I met two men coming back to tell me not to come. 'Your Reverence,' they said, 'the sick man's well.' '\Vell? you scoundrels,' said I. 'Yes, your Reverence, he took a little, just a leetle, too much of the crat_ure, and we thought we had better have a priest.' Father Hurley was up and said · Church before 7 o'clock." It must not be supposed that Father Hurley was the only priest of whom the old people delight to relate anecdotes: as I have mentioned before, his brother Augustinian at St. Joseph's, Father John Rossiter, wound himself into the affections and· around the hearts of the faithful, while Fathers Kenny and M'Girr had a large circle of warm admirers. (To be continued.) �AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF NEW YORK AND CANADA. ( Contiiwcd.) Up to the period our sketch has now reached, St. Mary's enjoyed, only by privilege, the title of College; but in 1836, after a sharp contest, in the Legislature, between ourfriends and our enemies, it received its charter as .a University· This victory was, in great measure, due to the influence of Fr. Murphy, who had lately arrived in Kentucky, and who devoted himself unsparingly to promote the good of the College. But it was not only by thus perfecting what our Fathers had already undertaken, that He for whom alone they toiled, gave His blessing to their unassuming labors: in His providence He destined for the little colony of St. Mary's a still wider, and far distant field of action. For it He reserved the honor of sending the first pioneers of the new Society to a land which had been crimsoned with some of the noblest blood of the old, to inherit the mantle which had fallen from a Brebeuf and a Lalemant, as they rose into Heaven amid the whirlwind of savage persecution, and to revive their spirit in the hearts of thosewho guarded so jealously the precious deposit of their glorious bodies. Mgr. Bourget, the zealous and devoted Bishop of Montreal, ardently wishing to see the Society once more at work in its heavenly-appointed vineyard, invited Rev. Fr. Chazelle, in the year 1839, to conduct the annual ecclesiastical retreat for the priests of the diocese. �Ig<J New York and Canada 111ission. His presence awoke, throughout the whole of Canada, fond and saintly memories which long had slumbered. , Forthwith, the brothers. of those heroes that had died in blessing the land, and blessed the land in dying, were eagerly pressed to re-enter the country; and no later than 1842 this new branch of our mission was founded. So desirous to see the Fathers at once established in his diocese was Mgr. Bourget, whose attachment to the Society has ever displayed itself in an unceasing solicitude for the welfare of its memb<:_rs, that he could not wait till a suitable building should be ·erected, but kindly interested in their behalf the pious Mr. Rodier, then a distinguished member of the Bar, but some years later the still more distinguished Mayor of Montreal. . This worthy representative of genuine catholic charity declared to the Fathers that he would consider it a personal favor if they would accept half of his own house, to be their home as long as they wished. What was offered with such noble disinterestedness was received with heartfelt.gratitude. As the spacious mansion had already been partitioned off into two, the Fathers soon after took possession of their quarters, and, on Sept. 9th, 1843, gave the habit of the Society to our first Canadian novice. This favored subject, in less than a month, gave, in his turn., the warm embrace of the Society to a fellow-novice, and both together, began the ascent of the rugged road of perfec~ion, helped by each other's example.* Of course, our ordinary means of subsistence were not, as yet, secured, but "He, who stills the raven's clam'rous nest, And decks the lily fair in flow'ry pride," provided, no less bountifully, for the well-being of his servants. The alms of the faithful were abundant, and if want *Respect for the feelings of the living banished from the text the names of these first-fruits of the new Society in Canada;. but here in the foot-notes the desire to be useful to future annalists, allows us to mention, the names of Fr. Regnier, now "operarius" in Troy; and of R. Fr. H. Hudon our kind Rector at St. Francis Xavier's. �New York and Canada MissioJZ. 191 were occasionally felt, it served only to give zest to succeeding plenty. Such being the case it is hard to understand how it became noised abroad, through the city, that the. fathers were dying of hunger. The rumor came to the ears of our best of friends, his Lordship, the Bishop, and grieved him to the heart. He started without delay for our residence, and calling for Fr. Luiset, the Master of novices, asked him, in a voice in which loving tenderness struggled with paternal severity, how he could have had so little confidence in him, as not to inform him of the straits to which the community was reduced. Fr. Luiset was at a loss for a reply :-a few moments howt;ver, cleared up the mystery ; the fears of the good Bishop were dispelled, and had he sat down with the community at the next meal, he would have been convinced, beyond the shadow of a doubt, of the want of foundation of the rumor, and seen, to·his great satisfaction, that, owing to the charity of their friends, they were far from starving. Many more must have been the trials of paternal solicitude on the part of Monseigneur, and many too the pleasing incidents that occurred, during the year, when the quiet occupation of the Jesuit novices ran side by side with the already busy life of the future magistrate-church and state in such close and harmonious relations ;-but, owing to our distance from the source of information, we are forced to leave the record of these facts, as well as· the lzcroic days of our college of St. Mary's, in Montreal, to some of our more favored brothers of the North.* We, ourselves, however, still love to remember --------------- ----· ---· *A little anecdote has been related to us, the artless simplicity of which is too charming to be lost. "Shortly after breakfast every day during the summer months," says one of the novices of those times, now a venerable Father, "the bell was rung for ·~Ianualia,' and at once we three novices repaired to our little garden, to dig potatoes for the community dinner. The task was almost Herculean, for the good brother charged with planting the potatoes had a favorite theory, based on what principle of horticulture he never told us, that the deeper they were sunk into the ground, the more plentiful would be the crop. Accordingly he had procured a stout pole, about six feet long, and, applying it somewhat �New .Fori mzd Canada 111ission. with what fatherly affection the venerable Mr. Rodie.r wel-· corned to his bountiful table, only a few years ago, all the novices from the Sault-au-Recollet; with what pleasure he spoke of the days when his house was our only novitiate, and assured us, with tears in his eyes, that they were the happiest of his life. May the eternal Father repay his charity a hundred fold: The stranger and the poor by God are sent And what to these we give, to God is lent.* That hejl:ts so loving and devoted as those of our generous friends really were, should crowd around the cradle of the Canada Mission, when, without them, it could not after the manner of a modern pile-dliver, had succeeded in burying the forlorn seedling as far out of sight as possible; trusting perhaps that their proximity to the central fires of the earth would keep them from freezing, should Spring, as was sometimes the cnse in those regions, prove rather backward; and the ice in the ot. Lawrence refuse to forsake its adopted home till Summer was on its heels. "The good brother took great delight in superintending the labors of the poor novices, and pointing out the. exact spot in which his novel implement of husbandry had descended; and when any of us, having dug a ditch some three feet in depth and two in width without even the sign of a potato, would turn to him in despair, and, pointing to the small mounlain beside us, monument of our labor, ask imploringly, 'how much farther down?' he would deliberately gauge, 'with his eye, the heap of clay at his feet, and then, in his mpst soothing voice reply, that we must be near them now; they could not be more than two feet deeper. "Under such circumstances, you may imagine how great. was our delight to see, on the other side of the low rail fence that divided the garden, good l\Ir. Rodier coming into his orchard. We were not disappointed: the first thing our kind neighbor \\ould do, would be to shake down some of the largest and ripest apples that hung on his trees; then, leaning for a few seconds on our fence, he would exclaim: 'Pauvres freres, pam-res freres!. Here, my children, you mu~t be tired by this time; you have dug enough for this morning;' and with these words he would toss us the rosy-cheeked fruits. Oh ! how pretty they looked, in comparison *Homer says: lip?,:; rrl.p JCt):; dtr" ff.rra~n:; So:i~IH ... rrrwzo{ re. Odys. VI. 208. ., �. New York and Canada llfission. have long survived its birth, was owing, no doubt, in great measure, to the prayers of the saintly men who, at this time, successively filled the office of Master of Novices. The line began with F?-ther Luiset, already mentioned, who, in fact, may be said to have taken actual possession of Canada in the name of the Society. In 1843, on the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, the very day after his arrival at l\Iontreal with some other Fathers from France, he preached, at the invitation of Monseigneur Bourget, in the grand cathedral, since destroyed by fire. He chose for his text the words of St. Paul; "In nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur, coelestium, terrestrium, et infernorum" (Phil. 2. 10.), and, by the strain after strain of fervid eloquence which he poured forth on the glories of the Redeemer, completely won the hearts of his vast audience. The knowledge of Christ, and Him crucified, which the zealous missionary had unfolded to his hearers in the pop· ulous city, he aftenvards diffused through the. villages and hamlets for miles around, with so much unction and vigor as to electrify those who came within reach of his burning words, and to cause all, priests and laity, actually to clamor for the entrance of the Fathers into their parishes. From his apostolic journeys, in which he had scattered broadcast over an extensive portion of the Lord's vineyard, the fertile seed of the Divine Word. he returned to the secluded garden where bloomed the Almighty's flowers of predilection ; to the care of these, few though they were, ·he devoted his unwearied attention. To his novices, Father with the spectral potatoes that had been haunting our minds so long. Fr. l'tlaster allowed us 'Deo Gratias,' and had given general permission to eat whatever Mr. Rodier might think proper to offer. The good brother was the only one that seemed crest-fallen at our leaving off when bushels of potatoes were so near. To console him, we would otfer, with generous magnanimity, to the author of our woes, a share in our good fortunes; asking, in return, only one thing, that next Spring, when about to plant his potatoes, he would use a somewhat shorter pole for a spade.'' �New York and Canada Jlfissio!!. Luiset displayed the same image of the Redeemer, that ne had exhibited in the cities and the villages, and, as they were called to the perfect imitation of the divine l\'lodel, he descended into every detail, and showed by his solid conferences, and by the example of his daily life, how the spirit of the cross was to actuate their every thought, word and deed. But nothing, perhaps, proved more conclusively that what he had so long preached was really from the abundance of th~ heart, and that the cross had struck deep roots therein, !:ha~·his edifying conduct under the terrible affiiction which, during the third year of his office as Master of Novices, God was pleased to send him. An operation performed by a celebrated oculist for the cure of some slight ailment of his eyes, resulted in total blindness for the rest of his life. This severe trial, far from wringing from him the least complaint, only caused him to ·exclaim with ,patient Job: "If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil?" (job. 2. 10.) He did not even yield to the subtile temptation that he would thenceforth be less able to work for God's glory, but assured that "God doth not ne&l-· Either man's works, or His own gifts; who best Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best,"* he reposed with such perfect resignation on the divine will, that, though frequently pressed to make a novena for the recovery of his sight, he constantly refused, saying: "It is· God's holy will I should be blind, and God's will is mine." The truth was, he scarcely looked upon his affiiction as an evil at all, and, charmed at being no longer disturbed by the sight of created things, he centred his gaze more stead-· ily than ever on the Creator, and drank in with' fewer distractions the vision of his God. *Milton. Ode on his blindness. �Nr.v York and Canada llfission. 195 But if the bodies of men had vanished, with the whole visible world, forever from his sight, their souls still appeared to him of priceless value, and such was his zeal t<? rescue these from Satan's power, that he easily overcame all the obstacles his blindness placed in his way. At the conclusion of his three years as Master of Novices, he was sent to Quebec, where he preached with his wonted fire. Such was his conviction of the responsibility of this apostolic duty, that he delivered no sermons but such as he had carefully written out before, and which he still remembered, or had read to him before ascending the pulpit. The clear sequence of ideas that runs through these sermons, some of which are still extant, the striking reflections they embody, and the beautiful language in which they are expressed, prove the thoughtful care and labor expended on their composition ; while the glow of divine love that animates the whole, shows the man of prayer clothed with the learning of the scholar and the eloquence of the orator. However, to do good to souls then, he no longer needed such preparation ; for he had already preached most forcibly even before uttering one word of his prepared sermon, and all hearts were deeply moved by beholding the zealous old man still so vigorous, but obliged to be led by the hand to the foot of the pulpit, then slowly groping his way up the steps, and finally turning his sightless eyes on his audience, hushed in the deepest attention: no more efficacious exhortation could be given-to rejoice in the midst of affliction, and to kiss the hand that chastiseth. After a year spent in Quebec he returned to the novitiate, in the capacity of Socius of the Master of Novices, anu prevented from ascending the pulpit, as his superiors judged it better for him not to preach any more by word of mouth, his zeal sought an outlet in his assiduous attendance in the confessional. His exactness to follow in this, as in all other respects, the least prescription of our holy rules, nay what he considered to be their spirit, even when the letter was �rg6 ~: NeuJ York and Canada 11fissi(m. silent amounted almost to scruple, and gave nse to the following amusing incident: It was Fr. Luiset's custom to be at his post especially about 6 o'clock in the evening to receive men on their return from \Vork. In summer, of course, it was light at that hour, but as winter came on, knowing it must then be getting dark he called one of the novices and bade him place a candle near the confessional, saying it was not becoming for one of ours to hear anyone's confession, in his room, after nightfall without a light. The young religious not quite yet as blind in his obedience, as the good father in his sight, was at a loss how to apply this to the case of the exact servant of God, and fearing some accident from fire, ran off in haste, as a true novice, to unbosom himself in his perplexity to Father Master. His spiritucrl Father smiling told him he might get the candle, take 'it unlit to the father's room and retire. The good novice did as directed and was leaving the room, when to his surprise, Fr. Luiset solemnly said: "Bring hither the candle and put it beside me." Prompt obedience this time on the part of the novice, but still with a vague fear for the consequences. And well he might fear; for the precise old man, taking hold of the candlestick, deliberately _ran his hand along the ·candle towards the wick. Fain wo~ld the trembling novice have lighted the taper, even at the eleventh hour ; but the eleventh hour unfortunately was a very short one :-it was already over; Fr. Luiset had reached the top, and feeling no heat, turned sharply around on this remorse-stricken culprit and exclaimed with all his animation: "What! brother, is it possible you wish to deceive me! Have you no more respect for our holy rules?" The speechless novice suddenly felt as if he would just then like to unbosom himself again to Father Master and, with all possible haste, flung out of. the room. Fr. Luiset's unbounded respect for even the least rule, naturally led . him to observe with extraordinary precision �New York and Canada Mzssi{m. that continual mortification in all things, and that application to spiritual pursuits on which St. Ignatius so repeatedly insists. That this mortification extended itself to his refreshment of the body, and that even at his meals his spirit was far away from the earthly objects around him, the same novice had daily occasion to witness. Instead of going through some of the usual "experimenta" of our novitiates (which circumstances then rendered impossible) he was appointed to bring the blind father his breakfast, and help him to what he might need. Whether the novice still felt a little chafed on the subject of the father's scrupulous exactitude, and was anxious to overcome a too natural impulse by a generous revenge, or whether, in reading the life of St. Ignatius, he had been more struck by that part which narrates the guileless tricks of Fr. Ribadineira on our Holy Founder, than by some other portions of the same life, we dare not decide; but certain it is that he observed with surprise how Fr. Luiset had prescribed to himself a very limited amount of daily food, and that this limit he never overstepped. The abstemious religious would cut the small slice of dry bread handed to him, into five or six still smaller squares, and then, seated at some distance from the table, would alternately, with one hand slowly raise to his mouth a spoonful of coffee, and with the other one of the morsels of bread : while, at each mouthful, he would turn his countenance towards heaven, whence every good gift descends. the charitable attendant thought with dismay on the sorry plight to which his own young fibres and ardent spirits would soon be reduced if allowed only so scanty a supply of "nitrogenous aliments ;" and, convinced that such lenten diet was utterly insufficient to repair the daily waste of bone and sinew in the blind but vehement old man, he s~ far presumed on his charge's infirmity as, the moment one mouthful of bread disappeared; quietly to replace it by another, and as the coffee gradually diminished in the cup, noiselessly to pour in some more. �198 i.- J.Vc-& York and Canada fi,fission. The unsuspecting Father, who was always very exact in eating whatever he had cut for himself, and sipping his coffee, spoonful after spoonful, till all was gone, kept on at his meal, as usual, wholly occupied with other thoughts. Perhaps even then he was reflecting on the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes; but if so, his mind was so intent on the goodness of God in this miracle as to take no notice of the present multiplication of bread and coffee, by which he was, so unwittingly, being benefitted. At last, however, through sheer fatigue at raising the spoon to his lips· ~o much oftener than usual, he turned quietly to his kind-hearted attendant, and remarked : "Cette tasse est bien grande, mon frere." The novice did not attempt to deny the fact, but was warned by this how far he could go in his charitable fraud without awakening suspicion : and so frequently did he ever after (with permission of the Master of Novices) regulate his perpetual miracle, that he had time to see the poor blind Father actually thriving under his treatment. Father Luiset continued to edify the Novices by his exact observance of the rules, and his spirit of mortification till his death in 1855, at the age of 67. The second equally saintly man to whose prayers and holy life the early days of the Cai-Iada Mission owed so many heavenly blessings was Father George Schneider, who had succeeded Fr. Luiset as Master of Novices, in 1848. Unable, for want of space, to dwell at ·any length on the life of this fervent religious, we give, in a word, its correct epitome when we say that it was one continued act of devotion to St. Joseph, and of unbounded confidence in this holy Patriarch, repaid by countless favors of all kinds. \Vere we deficient in example to prove that St.Joseph is the same as in the past to those that fly to him, the example of .this devout Father alone would be sufficient. . He first entrusted to this holy Patriarch the care of the whole house, even down to the pantry itself; and from the �l'lcw York and Canada .3lission. 199 manner in which the faithful steward discharged this last part of his commission we may judge how he fulfilled the rest. Occasionally indeed instead of the expected sound of the breakfast-bell the silvery voice of Fr. Schneider would greet the ears of the novices, as he stepped into their room, and told them, with a smile, that although they had not yet taken a vow of poverty, the Almighty was pleased to try them a little on the score of that virtue even then ; that they would have to wait a while for breakfast, as there was not a mouthful to eat in the house: but that it would not be long ; St. Joseph had never failed them yet. On such occasions, the good novices were only too glad to suffer something in view of their future vow, and with perhaps a short invocation to St. Joseph that he would not tary too long, cheerfully resumed their mental repast, while awaiting that which was to refresh the body. Fr. Schneider had spoken truly: they had not to wait long; for never, no, not once, during all the years he was Master of Novices, did an hour pass ere in came from some one, often they knew not from whom, a supply of provision sufficient for the community. Having thus secured, forever, food for his novices, the next step was to procure novices. Fr. Schneider had seen with deep concern how few vocations had as yet developed, since the arrival of the Fathers in Montreal, and looking with anxiety to the future, he referred the matter to his heavenly counsellor. The result was a recommendation to the novices to unite with Fr. Master, during the nine days preceding the feast of St. Joseph, in a fervent novena for the obtaining of new members. The effect of this appeal to the holy Patriarch was almost miraculous; for whereas, previously, only two or three scholastic novices had been received each year, after the novena four or five begged admittance into the Society before the month was over, 'and during the following month the numbe~ ran up to eight. Ever since then the novitiate has received a very fair yearly �200 ;I New York a11d Ca11ada Jlfission. increase, and of late years, after a general novena to· the same heavenly Procurator, made by order of Rev. Father Bapst, in all the houses of the mission, a most extraordinary supply of new members. Fr. Schneider knowing that he was far from having exhausted St. Joseph's liberality, was, on his part, far from desisting in his petitions. He had obtained food and subjects; there was still wanting a novitiate. To build this he had not a single dollar, and, moreover, knew not where to find one;··; but his generous Treasurer knew where they could be~had in abundance. Permission to begin the building had been refused until enough money had been collected to cover all expenses. Fr. Schneider starts for Quebec, on a mission of some weeks' duration; returns at the end of that time with the required amount. The year 1853 saw the completion of the large Novitiate at Sault-au-Recollet, about eight miles from Montreal; and Father Schneider, through gratitude towards its heavenly Founder, and to se~ure its future prosperity, placed it under his invocation. The novices had about a year before left the home where they had been so charitably sheltered for so many years, and, calling down many blessings upon their benefactors, taken up their abode in St. Mary's College, which had been in successful operation since Sept. 20th, i848. Now that their own home was ready to receive them, they repaired with joy from the crowded city to their peaceful retreat amid the fields. These favors, great though they were, were far from being all that Fr. Schneider owed to his glorious Patron. The devout religious saw with deep grief the seminary of some Protestant sect just in front of our first novitiate, and remarked that it was a pity to have the work of Satan in such close proximity to the work of God. He complained of it to St. Joseph, during the month of March, the period of the year when all his special requests were made; the month was hardly over, when the building was sold, at a great �1Vcw York and Canada iliission. 201 bargain to the Catholics, and became St. Patrick's Hospital. In later years, he set his heart on obtaining a certain piece of ground, near our College in Montreal, to build thereon a church in honor of the Sacred Heart. He prayed to St. Joseph, and that very piece of ground was presented to him by one of our kind benefactors. He often had obdurate sinners to convert: he entrusted their conversion to St. Joseph, and such was his certainty of success that, on one occasion, speaking of one of them, he exclaimed with sudden animation: "He is mine to-night." . This short account of. Fr. Schneider's deve>tion to St. Joseph and of a few of the favors with which it was rewarded, forestalls all necessity of adding a word about his sanctity. St Theresa tells us in her autobiography, that she never knew anyone \Vho had a true devotion to St. Joseph, who was not advanced by it in virtue. Now if such be the case, ;.s it most undoubtedly is, we may easily imagine what a height of perfection Father Schneider attained, when his whole life was impregnated with so constant and so filial a devotion to the foster father of Sanctity itself. · St. Joseph who had been his consoler in life, smoothed_ likewise his passage to eternity: and Fr. Schneider's death· in r868 was, like that of the Faithful Servant himself, the bright dawn of eternal day. Not to sever the cord of triple strand, of charity on the one side, and of zeal and gratitude on the other, that linked the early days of the Canada Mission one with the other, and bound them all to Rev. Father Chazelle, we have considerably outrun our dates. When most of these results just described were actually realized, this indefatigable laborer had already been called to his rest. He had returned to Kentucky, in October, 1839, and was, the following year, succeeded in his double office of Superior and President of St. Mary's by Rev. Fr. vV. Murphy. Soon afterwards he departed on matters of business for Rome, and returned again to the country of his adoption as Superior of the �New York and Canada 11/isszim. little band of· missionaries, including Fathers Tellier. F. Martin, D. Duranquet, Luiset and three lay brothers, which. at the request of 1\Igr. Bourget left Europe in 1842 for the Canada branch of our mission, and was occupied, prior to the erection of St. Mary's College, in our residence of the Assumption at Sandwich, and of St. Francis Xavier, at La Prairie. As Rev. Father Chazelle Iiow ceases to figure in our sketch, we .cannot dismiss his name without a few words on the death of this saintly religious, the father of our mission. In the Summer of 1845, Very Rev. Fr. Boulanger, and his companion, Rev. Fr. Hus, extended the:r visit to the Indian Missions of Upper Canada. The good missionaries in these regions, deprived in great measure of the community-life o_f the Society, and almost perfect strangers to those family joys it knows so well how to foster, had looked forward with unbounded delight to this visit, as to the dawn of a new era for their apostolic labors. A letter written some mont~s later by Fr. P. Point, says that when they actually saw among them these representatives of the head of the Society, they gave themselves up unreservedly to the j<;>ys of the present and hopes of the future. But it adds: "Will not, perhaps these last prove an illusion? For we are not wont, we children of St. Ignatius, long to bask in the sunshine." The good Father was right in his apprehensions, and this very letter was to bring to V. R. F. Boulanger the first news of the sickness and death of him on whom most of their hopes for the future were based. At the conclusion of the visit it was determined to push the labors of the Society more to the North-West, and revive if possible the old settlements of our first Fathers in the vic_inity of Sault Ste. Marie. Fr. Chazelle was deputed to visit that part of the country, and to decide on the possibility of founding a residence there to be the nucleus of future missionary labors through the surrounding country. �New York and Cauada llfission. 203 On the 8th of August, full of joy at the prospect of opening a new field for God's glory, Fr. Chazelle started for Detroit, where he was to take the steamboat for Mackinaw, and there find another which would carry him to the Sault. Having arrived at Mackinaw, he found no vessel ready to start, so he travelled on as far as Green Bay, to see if it might not be possible to start a permanent residence among the t~ibes bordering on the Riviere du Loup-a river along which, almost two hundred years before, Fr. Marquette had travelled in the voyage which led to the discovery of the Mississippi. The very day after his arrival at Green Bay, Fr. Chazelle had a slight attackof fever, which increased to such an extent that, shortly after, he was forced to take to his bed. ·while in this state of suffering, he heard that a steamboat was on the point of starting for Mackinaw. At this news it was impossible to keep him back :-sick as he was, he literally leaped from his bed into the saddle, and hastened towards the wharf. But God, for whose glory he sought these new fatigues, was satisfied with his good will; and the same loving Master who, years before, in Kentucky, had sent him forth on an errand of charity that he might not be an eye-witness of the calamity that was to befall his flock, this time, with like fatherly providence, prevented his setting out; lest, as his end wa,; approaching, he who had been an angel of consolation at so many death-beds, should himself die where he must needs be deprived of the last consolations of his religion. Despite all his haste, Father Chazelle learned to his sorrow, that he was too late; the boat had already started, and he had no alternative but to retrace his steps. Once more at the house, he again sank under his illness, now, owing, perhaps, to the excitement his late effort had caused, more violent than before. In the midst of his acute pains, as if to gain strength from the example of his suffering mother, he often reverted to the Society and its recent trials in Europe. It was in the same spirit in which, about a �204 ,· 1Vczu York and Canada Jfission. · month before, hearing of new persecutions excited against us by the English Government, he had cried out with sudden enthusiasm: \Vicked men that they are; they wish to kill my mother! . The missionary priest of Green Bay attended him in his sickness, and despairing of his recovery, administered to him the last sacraments. Almost immediately the holy religious fell into a protracted agony which ended only with his life, four days later,.Sept. 4th, I 845. He was fifty-six years old, and had been twenty-three years in the Society. The Indians, for whom he was planning works fraught with so much good, carried his remains to an humble resting place in the quiet cemetery near "The Fathers' Rapids." This place belonged of old to the missionaries of the Society in these. regions ; and it was a strange contrast to the "long, long views" of poor devising man, that he who hoped to revive these once flourishing missions, and instil new life into these neglected works, should expose himself to numberless dangers and fatigues, and arrive on the spot, only to be received, he too, as they had been, into the arms of all-absorbing death. It is indeed the same contrast as is exhibited in man's very nature: "An heir to glory: a frail chilli of dust." But Father Chazelle had now ceased t~ be the frail chitd of dust, and had entered on his inheritance of glory. \Vorthy brother of St. Francis Xavier, \Vhose burning zeal seemed, in him, to live again, he died, as his holy predecessor, far away from his brethren, with none but strangers to receive his last sigh, and with his eyes turned yearningly towards the fields he had already in spirit conquered for Christ. These indeed were kindred spirits, "one in willing and in not willing the same ;" and the voice that called away the pure soul of Father Chazelle, was that of the loving Master of both, about to give to beings such as they, o'ne in spirit, one abode. (To be continued.) �. A VISIT TO CHICAGO. FLORISSANT, MARCH 28th, I 87J. REv. DEAR FAT HER : P. C. On Tuesday, the I8th inst., I reached Chicago, by the Illinois Central · R. R., whose depot is on the lake, in the heart of the lately burned district. I was rather surprised not to see around me that bleak charred plain, of which so much was said and written after last year's terrible conflagration. As I walked up to State street, and rode in the street cars along State and Madison streets, I saw, it is true, some empty spots and remnants of fires; but nearly all the houses had been rebuilt for miles around, and that on a grander scale and in a more elegant style than before. I had heard much of the enterprise of the Chicago people, but of such work, as I saw had been done here, I never had had any conception. · It is not my purpose to give a sketch of the wordly, but of the spiritual life of this great city. Still I may say that such buildings as are rare beauties in rival \Vestern cities, stand here in long rows along entire squares, all the rapid growth of the last twelve months, and still substantial five and six story edifices, with richly wrought and handsomely adorned fronts. No wonder the inhabitants are said to be getting prouder of their city than ever. I arrived at our Church in the Western part of the city, about 8 Yz, A. M., and from that moment have not ceased to wonder and rejoice at the rich harvest, which is here being gathered in for the granaries of our dear Lord. Our Fathers and Brethren of Chicago will, I hope, excuse me �zo6 ,, ' ,, A Visit to C!ticago. if I reveal some glimpse of the spiritual treasures which they are so laboriously hoarding up, and which their modesty or want of leisure, or both, keep from the knowledge of others. It must be remembered that, sixteen years ago, Chicago did not yet figure in the catalogue of our province, Soon after a residence was founded, and thus all that is the the subject of edification here is the work of a few years. vVhen I reached our Church on 12th street, near Blue Island Avenue, the last l\Iass was just over: though a common week day, a large congregation was pouring from the capacious-basement, where minor services are held in winter. The Church itself is a noble structure, the finest I have seen in America. It is 214 ft. long by 73 with a transept of 120, interior height 100 ft. Some twelve years ago, one of our most esteemed Fathers remarked of it: "A magnificent Church, but standing in the wilderness-Vox clamantis in deserto"; and such it was. It had been built in the prairie, some miles away from what was then Chicago. But its pastor and builder had rightly understood the place ana its prospects ; Catholics soon flocked around the new Church, purchased small and cheap lots, and built modest dwellings. Many of these settlers owe their sober habits, as well as their temporal prosperity, entirely to the exertions of their zealous pastors. Froni the beginning, schools were established, the families frequently visited, and various societies organized. Soon the ladies of the Sacred Heart were induced to build a convent in the parish, and, besides their Academy for boarders and day scholars, to open a school for the parish children. About ten years ago a fire consumed the boys' school next to the Church. It was a master-stroke of Providence. Advantage was taken of this by the energetic pastor to build a splendid school, which the city common schools should look up to with envy. Meanwhile the parish spread rapidly. When I visited Chicago four years ago, the Church, seen from the top of the Court House; looked to me like a huge elephant standing �A Visit to C!ticago. 207 ' in the midst of a countless herd of sheep. T\VO stations had been opened for schools, and one for Sunday service, in remote parts of the parish. A second sisterhood had been called in to aid in the education of the girls. Having seen all this formerly, I was prepared to be much edified at what I was going once more to behold. But I was not prepared to witness the progress since made. The very first scene delighted me. There stood before me not only that huge Church, but, next to it, a College newly built, by the side of which the Church looked like a dwarf. The photographed pictures of the College are far from doing justice to the magnificence of its front. The cordial reception, which greeted me at the threshold, made me feel once again, what I had often experienced before, that for one home left in the world, we have gained many in religion. I hastened to offer up the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, when a new surprise delighted me. Though the morning was advanced, and all the services were over, I found a respectable congregation at once gathered before the altar, such as I could not help reflecting I could not meet on many a winter $unday, at the two Masses of the little country Church, in which I exercised the ministry. Most justly it is said, "Amat magnas Ignatius urbes." On the next day, the feast of St. Joseph, holy communions were plentiful, but as I did not intend then to write this account, I did not take the trouble of inquiring how many. That night at 7 ~,there was a congregation of probably some fourteen hundred people to hear the praises of St. Joseph and receive the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. On Friday night a much larger congregation still assisted at the Way of the Cross. These are nearly all working people, who, after the fatigue of a busy day, (such as business is in Chicago, where every vehicle and every pedestrian hurries along as if the city were still on fire) can be gathered at any time, and to any number for devotional services in their beloved Church. In fact, every day had its own edifying sights. �208 ~ f 1\ v A Visit t.J Chicago. It would make this sketch unreasonably long were I to attempt a description of this Church's interior decorations. In fact, though I spent a long time in it, I did not see all ; it would take several hours to explore all its beauties. Its high altar is magnificent, in its ornaments, and in symmetry with the entire edifice. Every stained window with its varied figures and designs, every confessional with its appropriately carved emblems and statues, the new stations of the "via crucis," the pulpit, nay every carved panel of !:he communion railing with its suggestive devices, might furnish stibjects for separate comment. Large as the buildding was at first, it has had to be extended already by the addition of 40 feet to the front. Above the entrance is a gallery as capacious as many a city church, and above this is the organ-loft with that superb organ, the largest church organ in the United States, which it had been the noble ambition of our much-lamented Fr. Smarius, and the object of his zealous exertions during the last years of his life to ~rect to the honor of God ;-that, when his own eloquent voice should no longer send its thunders through the arches of the vast building, and charm the ears of a delighted audience, the organ might take up and prolong the strain of praise unto distant generations,_: He did not live to hear ther:ch music issue from its wilderness of pipes; but the first time they sent forth the tones of requiem, was at a funeral Mass for the repose of his departed spirit. I had taken the leisure time of one afternoon to examine the Church; that of another afternoon was devoted to see the College. Its interior division of rooms and halls does not appear to be so happy and appropriate as it is liberal and grand. But other objects of observation were most gratifying and surprising. Though less than three years has elapsed since the College was built and opened, it counts already over 170 pupils and bids fair to count four or fi~e hundred in a few years more. About one third of these boys come from the parochial school, which serves �A Visit to Clzicago. the purpose of a preparatory course to the College; all but a dozen are Catholics, and that not in name only, but in spirit also. The institution is already provided with a very large and select library and a very valuable collection of minerals, the finest I have ever seen in any of our Colleges. As good Father Smarius procured the organ, so .another of the zealous missionaries, who is passionately fond of natural history, never retur~s from his excursions without bringing along some trunks full of the choicest specimens.-But it was on Sunday my enthusiasm of joy .and admiration reached its height. I will not speak of numerous congregations crowding the Church every hour of the morning, as in many other Catholic churches; but only mention what is peculiar and that briefly. At 7 o'clock, A. M., the drum and fife were heard, and a band of young musicians was seen marching from the school-house to the Church, at the head of a procession of some three hundred boys. The drums were deposited near the side altar, and .all the boys received holy communion. We were three priests distributing holy communion at that mass, and I was tired when it was over. The Church was crowded and at the same time another congregation was hearing Mass in the basement. Every Sunday has some sodality or other at communion. That of the married men counts five hun-: dred members, that of the women three hundred; there is one of young men lately started, and counting already about one hundred and fifty, another of young ladies, I believe, three hundred. On the Sunday of my visit some twelve hundred sacred hosts were distributed though there had been many communions on St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's days, during the. foregoing week. At 9 o'clock I saw about eight hundred girls at Mass in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity, who have one of the parish schools. The pupils booked this year amount to over a thousandabout seven hundred and fifty in daily attendance. There are seven hundred and eighty at the parish school of the �2IO ,. r l ,.' 1 ' ,. I· • . .. r ,.· j• t A Visit to Chicago: Ladies of the Sacred Heart, besides seventy boarders and fifty day scholars of their Academy. The boys amount to twenty-one hundred, besides the College students, daily attendance being between sixteen and eighteen hundred. I saw some thirteen hundred of them at Mass, and listened to the instruction given them. It was an explanation of the catechism well adapted to their youthful minds.ln the afternoon there were the various Sunday schools. To attract pupils to these, there are three different paper:; published~ by the Sunday School B0ard, viz., two monthlies and cine bi-monthly, so that every Sunday a paper is given gratis to all who come in time ; where more than one child belongs to the same family, pictures are given to the younger ones. That day about .twenty-six hundred papers were thus given out. The usual number distributed each month is deven thousand. During the week twenty secular teachers are employed in the boys' school alone, five men and fifteen women. \Vhence comes the money to pay all these, and to support the sisterhood, and furnish the publications ? Every school is self-supporting : there are no poor schools, and still all the poor children are received, and treated exactly like the other~. This is one of the chief sources of success. The -sc,hools are thus made respectable; in fact they are far ahead of the common schools· of the neighborhood, whose class rooms are partly . vacant. Another source of success is the incomparable tact and indefatigable industry of the one Father and one Brother who manage all these schools and edit the three periodicals mentioned. Their industry is admirably imitated by the Sisters, who educate the female portion. If the boys march in the procession with military bands and uniforms, the varied scarf<> and endless lines of the girls delight parents and strangers, and an enthusiasm for the schools, which seems to be peculiar to the Chicago people, has thus been produced and supported for years and years; it must be witnessed to be fully appreciated. What �A Visit to C!ticago. 211 the two just mentioned are doing for the parish schools, others of our members are accomplishing for the new College, others for the sodalities of the parish, and others on the missions. Every one has a wide field for his zeal ; five Fathers would at once find more work than they could attend to; in fact, the calls for laborers would be indefinite. But I find, dear Father, that if I were to describe all that consoled me at Chicago, my letter too would run to an indefinite length. It is too long already, and still I have not yet described the branch schools for boys and· for girls established in two remote parts of the parish, nor the Church of St. Stanislaus, similarly situated and till lately used for Sunday service alone. But now two Fathers have taken up their residence there. By taking in galleries and school rooms, this Church has been made capable of· receiving many hundreds, and yet it is so crowded on Sundays, passages and stairs-cases and school yard included, that, as one of the sisters quaintly remarked to me, there is no use for a lady to faint, she cannot be taken out anyhow. This Summer a large Church is to be built there, with a basement fourteen feet high, a"ud extending the whole length of the edifice so as to furnish two Churches at once. As I am only relating a visit I need not speak of the missionaries whose base of operations is at Chicago. A letter, which arrived while I was there, announced to Father Rector the happy conclusion of a mission at Scranton with twelve thousand communi'Ons, nineteen converts, two hundred adult first communicants, etc., but I found it was scarcely minded, such items being commonplace there. All these gratifying works of salvation are of course performed by many hands. But there is one man, who has been constantly the soul and heart of this vigorous body of laborers, whose name is written in the hearts, not only of all his thousands of parishioners, but of �2IZ Brazil. many more. thousands of the faithful scattered over this wide country. I need not add that it is likewise written in the hearts of his loving brethren. I remain, Rev. Dear Father, Respectfully yours in the S. Heart. C. C., S. J. BRAZIL-MISSION OF FORTALEZA. EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER OF FR. ONORATL FoRTALEZA, JuNE 3rd, 1872. After conferertces at Fortaleza during the whole month of Apri~ I was requested by the Bishop to conduct the exercises of May. I soon learned that the devotions of that month were very popular here, for not only do they take place in the Churches, but also with much fervor even in' families. Nevertheless they seldom.."amount to more than a sermon, some hymns, and the customary fireworks. I was told, however, that for three years past the Bishop had forbidden the usual devotion at the Cathedral, on account of scandal arising from the conduct of some young libertines, who choose this occasion for the profanation of the holy place. This news rather cooled my ardor, the more so as the Bishop's previous kindness led me to think that he had concealed the difficulties out of pure condescension .. I had almost concluded to quit Fortaleza, and, seeing how matters stood, I deemed it advisable to cancel the engagement I ?ad made to remain for the month of Mary ; but the Vicar General insisted that the people relied upon me �Brazil. 213 to preach, that the singers were ready, that our fears were exaggerated and that it would be a pity to disappoint the congregation. My doubts were renewed: still all this parley brought us to the month of May, and, as I was forced to await the arrival of a steamer, I began the instructions. From the- very first day the Church was crowded, the majority of the congregation being men, and this, too, while similar exercises were going on in the other Churches, colleges and religious institutions. At the Cathedral all went on well. During the first week, indeed, I heard some complaints, but, upon inquiring into the matter myself, I was happy to find that the faults committed were not grievous, and, better still, that they were not nun:terous. As I conducted the exercises according to Fr. Muzzarelli's method, I waited till the meditation on scandals ; then I inveighed against the profanation of Churches with all the vehemence of which I was capable, saying whatever zealous indignation suggested. It would not have been surprising had they stoned me after the sermon; but nothing of the kind happened. I obtained what I desired, and, without any falling off in the number of hearers, greater decorum was observed. I was desirous of preaching to the free-masons during this month, so as to lead them to confession ; but no one at all came to confession the first week, not even the women. Then to obtain the· desired effect, I thought of disposing the meditations more in accordance with the exercises of St. Ignatius. What admirable graces are attached to the exercises! the meditations upon Confession and Hell roused even many freemasons from their torpor; and from that time forward I was so incessantly occupied in the confessional, that, till the end of the month, I had scarcely a moment of repose night or day. I must not omit to mention the consolation I experienced in the spirit and conduct of my penitents. The month of Mary produced great fruit among the free-masons. I have �214 Bra:::il. heard the confessions of many, some of whom were of a high grade, as was clear from the diplomas !hey handed me. One of the newspapers, a most impious sheet, contained long articles ridiculing those who had been caught in the Jesuit nets. I must not pass over an edifying fact in this connection. The first of these advanced free-masons gave me his diploma, which I conveyed under secret, as was my duty, to the Bishop. A few days after I read in the abovementioned journal that the certificate in question had found its way into the hands of the Bishop's Secretary. I was very mucl;··troubled, fearing that some of the Bishop's household had let out the secret; and as the convert attended all the May devotions regularly, I sought him immediately and explained all the precautions I had taken in the matter, as well as my astonishment at seeing the fact made public. He grasped my hand and told me not to mind it, because he took pleasure in being thus taunted. Another free-mason, of a still higher grade, was if possible turned into still greater ridicule by the Cmrcnsc. He had formerly been an apostle of free-masonry, now he dissuades others from joining by explaining to them the antiChristian machinations of the order, secrets with which he was well acquainted, having once be~n proposed as Secretary of the Grand-Orimt. This man had not missed a single one of my conferences and had proposed all his doubts, out of confession, before solemnly renouncing the sect. Next to the free-masons, those who gave me most consolation were the pupils of the Lyceum and the Caixciros (warehouse clerks). The. influence of this class in Brazil is well known. The Bishop was more surprised. at the success than anyone else, because they had gone so far as to insult his Lordship in the public streets. They came in crowds to me,:so that confessions of students and clerks became proverbial in the whole city. These young people encouraged one another to approach the Holy Tribunal. They �Brasil. 215 confessed and communicated separately and returned for Corpus Christi. These are now our most intimate friends and that for more than one reason, as you will soon see. As the Blessed Virgin recompensed my labor and fatigue with so much liberality, I proposed to have on the feast of Corpus Christi something unknown in this country-a general communion. Hearing too that no procession had taken place for some years, owing to want of funds, I proposed from the pulpit to renew this act of religion. I succeeded in both undertakings beyond my expectations. More than one thousand of the faithful received communion from the hands of the Bishop, and, for greater convenience, about five hundred others communicated in other Churches. Altogether nearly three thousand received Holy Communion. A well-informed person told me to-day that there were not so many Communions in the whole city during the last ten years as in the Cathedral alone on Corpus Christi. Nearly all the recentlyconverted free-masons, many men of every rank, young people and children, not excepting ·those who had but lately made their first communion, and in fine a great number of ladies took part in this general communion. I distributed as souvenirs of the month of Mary the prayer of Fr. Zucchi to the Blessed Virgin, the prayer of St. Aloysius, and the hymns of the month, in a Portuguese translation. I had read them several days in succession, and the people relished them so much, that many, to avoid forgetting them, wrote whilst I was saying them, and others came to ask me for tbem. As to the procession of Corpus Christi, the President of the Province was the first to lend his assistance and contributed two thousand francs. This man came often to the conferences and gave me much encouragement. He ordered two battalions to accompany the procession, and he himself with all the high functionaries joined in the celebration with much display. But what proves how well �216 Brazil. my words were attended to is, that having mentioned the European custom of strewing flowers on the streets and decorating the houses (a thing never done here), nearly all the private houses were adorned with hangings and the streets strewed with flowers. On our return to the Church I said a few words about the Holy Sacrament and retired; I had not entered the Sacristy when I was informed that the people were waiting for the exercises of the month of May; and that if I did not intend to have the accustomed devotions jt would be well to announce it from the pulpit. The Church, nave and tribune, was filled with people; I _judged at once that it would not be advisable to omit the ordinary sermon. I hastened to the Bishop's house to get my book, and on my return I had to wait half an hour for the musicians. During the interval the happy thought occurred to me of putting off the closing exercise until the following Sunday. Besides I felt urged to recommend in the last discourse devotion to the Blessed Virgin and St. Aloysius, to obtain for the people the virtue of purity, so difficult in this country. I made the announcement, telling them that I would for two days discourse on the Blessed Virgin, the Patron of Chastity, and finish on the.following Sunday with an act of consecration to our Holy .-Mother. My words excited so much devotion towards St. Aloysius, that as we had neither statue nor painting of this Saint, the Bishop suggested that we might obtain from Messeggiana a statue given by the old Society. I encouraged all the young men to form in procession on the day assigned, recommending likewise the whole population to give an honorable reception to their Patron ; and went myself for the statue, Messeggiana being two leagues from Fortaleza. I have today informed the President of my plans, that he may take all the precautions necessary for maintaining order. I hope that St. Louis of Gonzaga will do much for the youth of this city. The Bishop, whose name is Louis, had commenced a church in honor of his Patron, but, as it was too �Brazil. 217 small, all the work so far done was thrown down and a larger edifice begun. The President told me that the Architect had finished the new plan and that the Government would contribute 50,000 francs towards the erection of the new building. To-day (4th of June) I went to Messeggiana, where the Society formerly had a residence, to teach catechism to the Indians. The Church alone remains, the house having been razed to the ground with a Vandalism of which none but the partisans of Pombal could be guilty. I have seen the statue of St. Louis of Gonzaga: but in point of fact it is but the representation of St. Ignatius with the head of a child. Imagine a Saint clothed in the habit of the Society pointing with his right hand to an open book which he holds in his left, and judge if that is intended for a statue of St. Louis Gonzaga. Still the people honor it all the same, and this statue will certainly be liked by the young folks. Another fruit of this month of Mary was the establishment of a society for Catholic instruction, proposed and in part planned by mysel£ Its object is to advance in knowledge its own members as well as others ; and connected with it will be a newspaper, a printing office and a private library; a sermon and Benediction will be given for it in the Cathedral every·Sunday. The Bishop is theDirector of this association which was founded on the Feast of Corpus Christi. (Another letter from Pernambuco completes the details given in the preceding.) PERNAMBuco, JuNE 22nd, 1872. Fr. Onorati writes to tell us how he succeeded in conveying the statue of St. Aloysius from Messeggiana to Fortaleza. The inhabitants of the former city were at first unwilling to let him have the statue and difficulty was anticipated. Fr. Onorati remained with them for some days, �2!8 Fr. TVozingcr Oil tlzc Pacific Coast. and so far won their good-will as to prevail on them to lmd their statue to the people of Fortaleza. The contract for the loan (I do not know for how long a time) was drawn up with great solemnity in the Church, in the presence of a notary. l\len and women, great and small, young and old, insisted on accompanying the statue by the almost impassable route. Fr. Onorati alone, with surplice and stole, went on horseback. \Vhen the procession arrived at some distance from Fortaleza, the whole city poured out to meet it, making the welkin ring with their joyous acclamations. Fr: Onorati says he never in his life saw so consoling a spectacle; he estimated the number present at about 25,000. At the city gates the military band joined them, and the statue of St. Aloysius was borne into the city with solemn ceremonies. ~ FATHER WENINGER ON THE PACIFIC COAST. FOURTH LETTER . --- .. REV. AND VERY DEAR FATHER: P. C. \Vhen last I took leave of my readers, I left them to muse over the beauties of Portland, the Archiepiscopal See of Oregon. It is the most important city of the State with a population of fifteen thousand inhabitants, and is comfortably located on the banks of the Willamette river, some twenty miles above its confluence with the Columbia. It is . connected by rail, and partly also by water, with the interior o( the country and with Salem, the capital of the State. From the convent and Academy conducted by the Sisters of the "Names of :Jesus_ and lVIary," and situated in an �Fr. TVmingcr on tltc Pacific Coast. 219 elevated part 0f the city, a truly ravishing panorama is spread out before the gaze of the beholder. Everything there tells of nature's exhaustless resources and inimitable grandeur. But what chiefly lends sublimity to the picture, are the glaciers and snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Mountains. There are Mt. Hellen, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, l\'It. Jefferson and the Two Sisters-every one of them with an elevation of about twelve thousand feet; but far above them all towers aloft the giant form of Mt. Hood to a height of fourteen thousand feet-an eternal monument of Almighty power, compared to which the Titanic efforts of ambitious mortals are less than a grain of dust in the bahmce. The Catholic population of Portland is almost exclusively Irish. I found only some forty German Catholic families, and a very slight sprinkling of French. In fact, along the whole Pacific Coast the Catholic element is represented by the ubiquitous sons of the Emerald Isle. Germans, French and Spaniards form but an insignificant minority. At the commencement of my missionary campaign in 1869, the Germans had not a single church of their own, until in San Francisco they secured the provisionary one mentioned in a former communication. I also succeeded, after great efforts, in obtaining another for them at Marysville, dedicated to Saint Theresa. In all other places they were obliged to go to the English or French Churches. · I had heard much of the influx of German Catholics to this part of the world, but a little personal experience soon corrected any misconceptions on this point. There is in reality no German Catholic Emigration worthy of the name to the Pacific. Even in San Francisco I found scarcely one fifth of the number accredited to that city. Instead of twenty thousand, as report would have it, I do not think that there are more than three or four thousand in all, practical and non-practical. In other localities, in which ·.-ast numbt>rs were said to have congregated, I came across �220 Fr. TVtmiug.·r Oil t!tc Pacific Coast. only ·a few scattered families. ·I succeeded at last in tracing these exaggerated statements to their source. The priests, who are mostly Irish, French or l.Iexican:;, took for granted that the Germans whom they knew, were nearly all Catholics, though not practical. You may imagine the surprise of these good pastors, when most of these supposed Catholics turned out to be either Protestants or Jews. The reasons, which have so far kept the tide of German Catholic Emigration from flowing in this direction, are simple .enough. California and the Pacific slope were first settled oy adventurers, goaded on by an insatiate greed of gold and willing to do without any settled domicile or habitation. Such a life may suit the beggared cltt"i.'alicr de fortuue, restless as the "\Vandering Jew"-or the reckless VOJ'agmr, equally ready to pitch his tent upon the barren plain to-day and, like the roving Arabs, to fold it and plunge into deeper, lonelier solitude to-morrow. But your honest Catholic German, whose domestic virtues are proverbial, is none of these. He loves to linger. about his homestead however humble, and to gather his children around the family hearth. It must go very hard with him before he can make up his min<;! to sunder the dearest, holiest ties that nature knows-=those of kindred and of home. Another reason was the difficulty of reaching the Pacific Coast in former times. To cross the never-ending plains with a team of oxen, which crept along at a snail's pace, was feasible for a Yankee or a Missouri farmer, but not for a German. To go by water and tempt the deep again, after the first experiment in the steerage of a leaky sailing vessel, was perhaps tolerable for an exile of Erin, accustomed from childhood up to see the threatening breakers dash against his native island, but it was not very inviting for an immigrant from the continent of Europe. But more than all, the inland states had peculiar charms of their own. The region watered by the Mississippi and its �Fr. TVmingcr on t!tc Pacific Coast. 221 many tributaries was the "El Dorado" of the German. There he saw fertile fields, that were a more unfailing source of honest wealth than boasted mines of gold. Thither, too; many of his countrymen had already preceded him, and this fact alone was magic to his soul ; for of the Germans in particular it is true, that "birds of a feather flock together." Hence it is, that throughout Ohio, Indiana; vVisconson, Iowa and Minnesota, they form the larger and wealthier. Congregations, while in the Pacific as well as in the Atlantic States they are but slimly represented. This obliged me to preach almost exclusively in English, and to content the Germans by hearing their confessions and giving them the leading points of the meditation or instruction in their own tongue. The French, as far as I am aware, have four congregations on the Pacific Coast; and I gave missions to them also in their own churchtiS. · \Vhere they had no separate parishes, but lived mixed up with the English speaking population, I did with them as I did with the Germans. \Vhat a blessing it would be, if every missionary in the United States had the Apostolic gift granted to St. Francis Xavier! Then all his hearers might say of him as the Jews did on Pentecost day: "We have. heard him in our own tongues speaking the wonderful works of God." I have learned by sad experience to realize the difficulty of addressing congregations composed of different nationalities. It generally doubles the number of sermons and instructions to be given ; and, as a mission usually lasts from eight to ten days, it becomes necessary to address the people in each language from thirty to forty times. In such cases the sermons and instructions are, of course, shortened; still they take up a considerable time and are much more fatiguing for the preacher than when he has to speak only in one language. Even when one nationality is very slimly represented, and only the leading points of the meditations or instructions �222 Fr. IVmingcr on t!tc Pacific Coast. are given, the work is not without its own peculiar inconveniences. Under the pressure of such circumstances I sometimes say jestingly to the pastors, that I would like to suggest, as an addition to the Litanies: "From mixed Congregations, deliver us, 0 Lord!" Even the Pastors themselves find it impossible to satisfy all the various nationalities that frequently make up the same congregation. Nor is this at all surprising since even the Apostles experienced this difficulty in their own day. For we read in Holy \\Trit: "Et factus est murmur inter Graecos et Hebraeos." \Vherever it is possible, it is desirable for each nationality to have its own church; the peace and harmony thus secured are enough to outweigh any other considerations. The first mission in Oregon took place in the Cathedral of Portland. It had been already announced, and began immediately upon my arrival there. Supposing that the reader would rather see an account by one who witnessed it than by the one who gave it, I send you an article from the pen of a certain Mr. l\lc Cormick, one of the most respectable members of the Congregation. Each one will know how to make allowance for the enthusiasm of first impressions, in a region of the earth where the labors of a priest are apt to excite a degre\'! of astonishment which they would not excite any where else; so, he will gu-ard against ascribing to the missionary more than he would dare to claim for himself in the secrets of his own heart. Oregon, Oct. 5th, 1869. "The Catholics of Portland have recently enjoyed the rare blessing of a glorious mission conducted by the zealous missionary, Father F. X. Weninger, 8. J., through whose perseverance and pious admonitions fi most happy result has been accomplished. Our situation prior to the labors of the good missionary may well be compared to a garden which had been suffered to remain uncultivated for many years, where noxious weeds had supplanted'the beautiful flowers which had hitherto blossomed within its boundaries. But Fr. 'Veninger came, and like a skilful gardener he Up:t"ooted the weeds of sin, and made the garden of our holy faith a blooming sanctuary of saved souls. His plain language makes a lasting impression on the heart; but neither language nor eloquence can express the zeal which he infuses �Fr. TVcningcr o1z t!tc Pacific Coast. 223 into the hearts of his hearers, and the enthusiasm with which they enroll themselves under the standard of the Cross. 'With the blessing of God, all the good Father requires is that a tiny spark of Catholic faith should smoulder in the hearts of those who listen to him; and if they are true to themselves, and listen to his practical admonitions, he will not only fan that spark into a flame, but he will enkindle the fire of divine love in the hearts of all the faithful. To say that his mission was a success, gives but a faint idea of the work achieved. The amount of good accomplished was almost miraculous. )!any a poor soul who had wandered about for years, never knowing the consolations of our holy creed, and never tasting of the fruit of the tree of eternal life, has been recovered to purity and peace of conscience. God strengthen the good Father in his great work. )lay he live many years, so that he may be enabled to give renewals of the missions to every parish where he has erected a mission cross; and thus have the inexpressible joy of beholding visibly the fruit of his. labors." From the Capital of Oregon, I started to give a mission to a Canadian Congregation at a station called St. Louis. It was a relief to find that nearly all were French and acquainted with "Ia belle langue." Among those, who go by the name of French in the United States, and especially in Oregon, but few are natives of France; many are Canadians. who have exchanged their own country for the States in order to improve their temporal condition. Quite a number of them pour into the North-\Vestern portion of our Republic to trade and live with the Indians. · They frequently intermarry with the wild men of the forests, and their children are called .ftfctives or half-breeds. Indeed it is a remarkable fact that the French, who are the representatives of social refinement, are drawn, as it were, by a sort of fascination to amalgamate with these savages. Even Frenchmen of wealth and standing are found here, who prefer to link their fortunes to those of an Indian squaw rather than to a lady of their own race. It is a startling confirmation of the well-known proverb: "extrema tangunt,-extremes meet." The JV!ctives or offspring of such marriages are a mixture of French and Indian in character as well as in blood; and it is interesting to note in them the vivacity of �224 Fr. Tficningcr on tlzc Pacific Coast. one parent combined with the meditative seriousness of the other. On leaving the church after a sermon, these 1lli:ti•xs may be often seen solitary and pensive, leaning on a fence and musing over what they have heard. l\Iany of them speak, or at least understand, French enough to profit by a sermon. If they are unable to confess in French they do it by an interpreter. And here I cannot but remark in passing, that the efficacy and power of a mission seem to be pretty much the same for all nation~lities. The enlightening, touching and strengthening power of divine grace is equally great, no matter . who are the hearers of God's holy \Vord. Though it has been my duty and my consolation for these twenty-five years to give missions in all the States from New York to Vancouver's Island, I have always found new reasons to admire the wonderful changes produced by the exercises of our Holy Founder, in all hearts and under all sorts of circumstances. \Vhat is especially remarkable is the unmistakable fact that these results are by no means due to the exertions of the Missionary, but purely to the mercy of Him, who says: "Miserebor cujus misereor, et misericordiam praestabo cujus misereor." It wquld really seem that the missionary, who sees these results. for which he knows himself to be utterly insufficient, ought to be exempt from any failings of self-complacency and feel like exclaiming: "Digitus Dei est hie." All nationalities evince the same zeal to profit by the affluence of graces, which generally attends the Spiritual Exercises and which at the very dawn of the Society made. a Xavier, a Borgia and a Faber. The delicate, the sluggish and the indifferent, nay those who openly scoff at religion and profess a practicaf infidelity, feel the magic influence of ~he mission and brave heat and cold, snow and ice. One instance just now occurs to my mind. Last Winter, on one of the coldest days, a weak and infirm Irish lady came for a distance of thirteen miles, on foot and fasting, to �Fr. IVeningt'l· on t!tc Pacific Coast. .225 receive Communion and to assist at the mission. She was obliged to leave home shortly after two o'clock A. M. It was a bitter cold night, on the shores of La.ke Michigan; and she was all alone. But faith can surmount all obstacles. The zeal of the Germans was known to me of old in their own country. In the Tyrol, they would cross the Alps every day in winter, a~ an elevation of three or four thousand feet in order to attend a mission. They would form into caravans, all wearing snow-shoes; and joining hands they would form a long line across the mountains with the stoutest men at the head, and the weakest boys, girls and aged people making up the rear. Sometimes, as early as four o'clock in the morning, they would stand all covered with snow at the doors of the church. Still these sturdy mountaineers did not show more zeal to assist at a mission than do their countrymen in their adopted country on this side of the Atlantic. I shall refer to but one instance among many. I was giving a mission in Iowa. It was the day set apart for the special instruction of the married men and fathers of families. At the very moment when the ceremony was to have begun the alarm was given that a pr~irie fire was raging in the neighborhood. \Ve all proceeded to the door of the Church. The flames were advancing just in the direction of the barns, fences and houses of my audience. Instead of running at once to save their homesteads and crops, they called on me, ready to stay or go, as I should decide; for they were determined to stay and hear the sermon out, even at the risk of seeing their houses laid in ashes. I could not help exclaiming: "That's glorious !-I thank you for this example of zeal which you have given to hear the word of God. But hasten home now and save your worldly possessions; this is the will of God to-day." They did as I had bid them, and left me to admire their heroic determination to profit by the grace of the mission. �Fr. 1Vmillgcr olt t!tc Ptrcifi( Coast. The same eagerness is found in the French. I should rather say that they distinguish the:ns~lves at a mission by more manifest.signs of enthusiasm. At a mission given in a French country congrcga~ion, where even at }~ster there had not been more than nine co:11nnmicants, a hundred and nine young men stood before the confessional on the day set apart for them. I had to spend the whole night to hear them and to admit them to the Holy Table on the following day. In another French congregation the trustees of the Church advanced towards me on their knees to thank me in the ~<fme of the congregation for the mission I had given. Such edifying incidents might be multiplied ad indcfinitum; but I must return to my movements on the Pacific Coast. Dtiring the mission at St. Louis a letter arrived from the Rev. Fr. Rector of St. Igm.tim College, San Francisco, with a request to open a mission in the College Church on _the Sunday before Ad\•ent and to continue it until the feast of the Immaculate Conception, on which day the CEcumenical Council at the Vatican was to be opened.-1 had therefore, to return immediately to San· Francisco. Immediately after the close of the mission I took the stage from St. Louis to Portland. · ~\Yhat a dreadful journey! It suggested another addition to the Litanies: "From a stage ride in Oregon and \Vashington Territory, deliver us, 0 Lord!" One day's travelling on such a vehicle and. on. such a road shakes one's bones a hundred times more than the thousands of miles from Cincinnati to San Francisco. I often thank heaven for the application of steam to travelling purposes, while I recall the humorous remark ascribed to the great St. Philip Neri "All is vanity except a carriage on a muddy road." Steam and Electricity make us almost ubiquitous, and give us advantages for the promotion .of God's greater glory, never possessed by our zealous fore-fathers. vVhat precious auxiliaries they are to a Jesuit whose first rule says: "Nostrae vocationis est �.Fr. IVeningo· OJt tltc P<~cijic Coast. 227 diversa loca peragrarc." If it were only as easy to observe all our Rules as this, I should not have much reason to envy Blessed Berchmans and feel ashamed of mysel( On arriving at Columbia Bar, we found the Pacific in a fearful state of commotion. One steamer had lain for eight days beyond the bar unable to cross it; our. position was worse, for we had the storm and the Pacific Ocean full against u,;. It was already \Vinter; and in \Vinter the South wind almost continually lashes the Pacific Ocean into a fury and dashes its maddened waves against the Bar; whilst in Summer the North wind predominates, driving the \\'a\·es of the Ocean back from the Bar and aiding the course of navigation. On the first day we tried twice to cross the Bar, bqt the steamer was only tossed to and fro and exposed to constant danger of being lost. All was useless. \Ve had to give it up and draw back-During the day I frequently heard the exclamation: "Some Jonas aboard." Such is the superstition of a certain class of seamen, resting on the Scripture story about the disobedient prophet, that they look upon the presence of a priest as a presage of storm and disaster. But observing a change in the air and trusting to a coming northern breeze, I too exclaimed in a loud voice: "Yes, some Jonas aboard; but to-morrow you'll be glad of it, because we shall pass over the Bar." In fact during the .night, a strong northern gale arose. \Ve crossed the Bar and moved rapidly onward. The effect was that even Jews, who had laughed when they heard Jonas mentioned, now said publicly: "'Tis a good thing, after all, to have a missionary aboard." There is a large number of Jews on the Pacific Coast; but most of tliem belong to the so-called Reformed Israelites, who are, compared to the legal, old Asiatic or Polish Jews, what Protestants are to Catholics. They make light of the Old Law and believe what they please. Very often they are simply Deists, believing in the existence of a God �Fr. lf1i·ningcr on tltc Pacijic Coast. and nothing else. There is also a number of orthodox Jews on the coast, who have their own synagogues apart from the others. These, as might be expected, are scandalized by the lawless behavior of their Reformed brethren; and they became quite exasperated at table, when they heard the Reformed Jews calling with a loud voice for "ham!! ham!!" I was particularly amused by the presence of a man who belonged to the so-called sect of the l\Iillenarians. These fanatics thi_nk that the elect will celebrate the millenium or revel of a tfiousand years on earth, and that the time for it is at hand. They have a kind of meeting-house in San Francisco, and pretend that Adam and Eve are already back on Earth, waiting for the commencement of this fabled era. \Vho would believe that well-educated persons would be so blind as to throw themselves into the arms of this absurd denomination. Yet such is actually the fact. The man I refer to, indulged in scribbling poems during our voyage, and certainly possessed some ability and training. I asked him where Adam and Eve might be found. He answered with a solemn countenance and in dead earnest : "They live in the Blue Mountains of Oregon; I have just visited them, and brought them a collection from the members of our denomination in San Francisco." Poor Adam and Eve, who have to subsist on a collection taken up for them in San Francisco!! They certainly deserve our pity .. They must feel rather uncomfortable in their Paradise among the Blue Mountains of Oregon. This gentleman also told me, that the members of his denomination will try to spread over the globe and make proselytes. "I guess you are a missionary?" said he to me; "so ain 1." I asked him if he meant to make me also a memher of his sect. "Certainly," replied he, and looked at me with an' expression <;haracteristic of methodist preachers. "If so," said I, "let me have a little talk with you ;-do you believe that the Holy Scripture is the word of God and contains the truth?" "Yes, we do."-"How then do you �Fr. TVmingtr on tlze Pacific Coast. expect a millenium now, before the resurrection?"- He denied a future resurrection, and said that his sect admits only a kind of transmigration of souls. I then urged the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Seeing that he could not escape, he became so excited that he broke up the interview, exclaiming: "I don't care anyhow what St. Paul says. He was a proud man, and a proud man cannot be trusted." I smiled, and he gave up the hope of my converswn. After a very prosperous voyage, we reached San Francisco on the fourth day, in good time to begin the mission at St. Ignatius'. This mis~;ion lasted twelve (1::~) days and was a source of great consolation to me. As our congregation in San Francisco is very numerous and the occasion \vas a very solemn one, the concourse of people was immense.· At the instruction for. the girls alone over two thousand were present, and there were about ten thousand communions in all. At the renewal of the baptismal vows, the younger members of our sodalities, who had just made the first communion, surrounded the baptismal font in the sanctuary. They were decorated with their badges, and behaved in so edifying a manner, and were so earnest in their responses, that the whole congregation which packed the Church lifted up their hands to heaven, and made the arches of the large edifice resound with the words: "A .Catholic I am, a Catholic I will remain, a Catholic I will live, a Catholic I will die. Amen, amen." Never will those present at the time forget this impressive scene. On the last day, after the blessing of the mission cross, I usually allow the mothers to come with all their children, including their babes, in order to bless them, and to start the Society of the Holy Infancy. This time at St. Ignatius' the children offered 2 so dollars in gold. I had still to give a mission to the French before the close of the year. They have a Church of their own in San Francisco; but only some females used to frequent it. Indeed, it was said that, with very few exceptions, French- �230 Fr. TVcnilwcr b 011 !Itt . Paci-hc Coast. 'J'' men were no longer seen at .Church in San Francisco. An occasion soon offered itself to convince me of their sad condition. Happening to meet a French workman in the yard of the priest's house, whilst giving the mission at St. Francis, I asked him, "Are you a Frenchman?" "Oui, mon pere." "Then I suppose you are a Catholic?" "Oui, je suis un Catholique, Romain, Apostolique." "Do you understand English?" "Oui, mon pere." "Do you come to the mission?" "Non, mon pere." "\Vhy not?" '·Il faut travailler.~'' "But in the evening?" "Je suis htigue." ·'{llais le dimandie ?" "II faut se promener." "\Vhen did you go to confession last?" ''Oh! c'est long temps passe." "Why do you not go to confession?" "Je n'aime p:1s Ia confession." "And you say that you are a Catholic?" "Oui, je vous l'ai deja dit, je suis un Catholique Romain, Apostolique." There is a great difference between the Frenchman and German. The Frenchman, though he does not practice his religion, so long as he does not become a positive infidel, always retains in his heart some esteem for our holy h'lith. In this, as in oth::r poihts, he resembles his Irish brother. However disheartening this state of things might be, I determined to make the best of it .. I began the mission, trusting in nothing but the infinite_. mercy of God, and I was not disappointed.-There were even more men than women at tht> sermons and confessions: and the most consoling thing of all was that the fruit of the mission proved lasting. The pastor told me that during the following Eastertide more than seven hundred persons approached the sacred table, while before the mission there had been but few Easter confessions. I celebrated Christmastide with the German congregation-preached on the evening of the last day of the year, and together with them chanted the "Tc Dmm," thanking God especially for the graces bestowe.d on me and my labors during the missions on the Pacific Coast. Yours truly, F. X. WENINGER, s. J. �FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS I AT WOODSTOCK. • CoLLEGIU.\1 SACRATissnii CoRDIS ]EsU . \VOODSTOCK, JUNE 20th, 1873· The scholastic year, just passed away with its fleetness of ceaseless action, has left on \Voodstock the impress of many a beautiful change. Not only has the shaggy back of the hill which looked bleak into the house, given way to the practical skill of some and the devoted self-sacrifice of others; not only have we smoothed with green the lawn that takes its pbce, circled it with pines, and set its centre with o:·namental vases; not only have we girded the beauty of the garden and lawn with a walk that winds in the shadow of the trees which crown the hill: but over the beJs of our flowering garden, over the valley, its river, and · the wooded hills beyond, we have set the crown of all, the image of the Eternal son of God with His Sacred Heart, as the remembrancer of a great and memorable event, as the seal of the solemn and perpetual consecration of \Voodstock College to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. \Vhy this house has been specially consecrated to the Heart of Jesus, may be gathered from the introduction of Very Rev. Fr. Provincial's Exhortation, given to the community on the eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, and which we desire to preface with a brief account of the consecration, aml of the dedication of its memorial. Hoth took place on the evening of the Feast. At the solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, 6 o'clock, P. M., and immediately before the Ta1tt11m Ergo, Very Rev. Fr. Provincial solemnly read the act of consecration of the Coliege to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. �232 Feast of tltc Sacr,·d Heart at TVoodstock. Immediately after the Ben:=diction, we left the chapel and went in procession to the front of the house. All bore burning tapers and in the way chanted the Litan)r of the Blessed Virgin. Arrived at the monument, ~he ranks filed off into the garden walks, while Very Rev. Fr. Provincial, assisted by Rev. Fr. Rector and Fr. Sestini, remained in front of the statue, in order to perform the blessing. There was no unveiling of the statue to gratify the vanity of an artist, or to fill with admiration the first gaze of a. multitudejt1 suspense. To our thoughts the inrage unveiled the figure "of the unseen God, the beautiful form of the Lord pointing to His Sacred Heart. Nor was there a festi\·e oration to awaken the great thoughts that slumber in the souls of men, for such a one we had heard the evening before, and the eloquent voice of Him, "like whom none e·;er spoke," sounded in secret through the hearts of many • and filled them with thoughts no less than divine. But there was the solemn chant of the choir, there was the holy presence of a religious community, and, at last, the blessing of the monument according to the short but sacred rite of the Church. \ Vhen Very Rev. Fr. Provincial !lad finished this ceremony, we returned in procession to_ the house, singing as we went the "Laudamus Domimwz"-our so'ng of praise and thanksgiving to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the blessings with which It had crowned Its own Feast in this Its own College, and among us, the students of the College of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A few words now about the monument. It is situated in the centre of our little flower garden, about one hundred feet from the house, and opposite the main entrance. Upon six feet of mason-work, which rises three feet above the levd of the garden and is covered with a green mound, there ."rests a pedestal of granite, massive and simple, with marble tablets in its four sides. This base is seven feet eight inches high. Upon it stands the statue which is made �Ftast of the ~<.,acrcd Hcmt at Woodstock. 233 of zinc, is painted white, and at some distance looks like n1arble. The monument faces the South, and the marble tablet on this side bears the following inscription in the lapidary style: CORDI IESV · SERVATORIS SANCTISSIMO IN· CVIVS • FIDE COLLEGil · AEDES SVNT AEREVM • SIGNVM SO DALES Al\'lORIS ET • GRATI • ANIMI CAVSSA PP • below which the date is engraven on polished granite. X . KAL · IVL • AN . M · DCCC · LXXIII The following inscriptions are on the tablets facing East, \Vest and North, respectively: 0 · CAELI TERRAEQVE·POTENS CLIENTVM • PRECIBVS FAVETO ELEMENTORVM • IRAS AB · AEDIBVS TARTARE! · HOSTIS INSIDIAS ET ·,VISOS INVISOSQVE · MORBOS AB · INCOLIS DEFEND ITO �234 Feast of t!te Sacred Heart at fVoodstock. TIBI HAEC · ARVA · RIDENT ATQVE AGGERE · COMPLANATO HAE · FLORIBVS NITENT · AREOLAE ET PVBES · VNDIQVE · ACCITA VIRTVTIBVS SCIENTIIS · QVE ADOLESCIT. QVAS CIRCVl\I CERNIS CHRISTO VRNAE FLORIBVS · HALANT NE CARPE INCESTO POLLICI•: QVISQVE FVAS Looking at the monument as it stands, there is nothing that might be called strikingly grand. But it nevertheless embodies the truest conception of. the Man-God. The broad, solid, and endurable base of granite reminds one of the unshaken and immovable throne of God. On it stands the white statue, calm and majestic, imaging the Lord as He appeared to Blessed Margaret Mary. The calm countenance bends down upon you with heavenly serenity, the left hand points to the Heart of Love, while the right holds the fold of the sacred robe. Lower, perhaps, and nearer the earth than some would have it, the image stands before you with the ·attractive majesty of our Leader, and the divine humility of the Man-God. Such is the memorial of the solemn consecration of this College to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, such the divine seal that has been stamped upon this irrevocable act. May it re- �Feast of tlze Sacred Heart at lVoodstock. 235 mind us and those who come after us of the deep nieaning of this solemn consecration in thoughts, if not so beautiful, still ever as salutary, as those which, on the eve of the Feast, Very Rev. Fr. Provincial proposed for our consideration. CONSECRATION OF WOODSTOCK COLLEGE TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS ON THE FEAST OF THE S. HEART, 20 June, 1873· "I luwe sanctified tlzis house to put my name tlzcrc forez•cr: and my qts aud 11l)' lzcart shall be tlzcre alwa,ys." (iii. Kings 9.) Reverend Fathers and dearly beloved Brethren in the Sacred Heart of Jesus: At the close of the last visitation of this house, the following words were recorded in the book of the memorials: , "At a meeting of the Fathers called during the official visit to this house, on the 24th of April, 1873, it was proposed and unanimously resolved that Woodstock College should be specially consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and that its title in the Catalogue of the Province should be 'Collegium Sacratissimi Cordis J~su ;'* and that the Sacred Heart of Jesus should be considered as the principal Patron, and its Feast the Titular Feast of the College." We have reason to thank God for this pious inspiration which He sent, and for the happy resolution which it prompted and which we fulfil on this ever-memorable day. We may look upon it as an evidence of God's special love; since He designs to apply to this house, with a peculiar significance those wonderful and consoling words : "I have sanctified this house to put my name there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there always." Henceforth this house shall be a holy house ; a temple sacred to the * The legal title remains as fixed in the Charter: "Woodstock· College ;"-and the Post-office address continues as before. �,, 236 Feast of t!te Sacn·d Heart at fVoodstock. I I Divine Heart, which is to reign in it forever as its King, to dwell in it as its Father. And we, who dwell here with this Divine Heart, and all those who shall follow us, will be the servants of this glorious Master, the children of the tenderest of Fathers. On us His eyes will ever rest with pleasure; on us His Heart will ever shed Its best love, Its choicest graces. The Spirit of God, which fills the whole earth, and which is the aniniating principle of the Church, has, in all ages. suggested· and inspired the means best adapted to ward off the dangers that threatened the faithful at various times, and has produced in the Church a sort of divine instinct, secret but .irresistible, unconscious but infallible, which urged the faithful now to one, now to another precaution, caused now this devotion-to predominate, now that pious practice to be adopted ; pointed to-day to one danger as it arose, to-morrow to another which succeeded. And thus forewarned and forearmed, the Church has baffled the bestlaid-plans for her destruction and triumphed over the hidden, as well as over the open assaults of her enemies. In our days, if there is one feeling in the great heart of the Church more intense, if there is OJ!~ impulse of that divine instinct more powerful than another, who can doubt that it is the feeling which inspires confidence in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the impulse which presses the faithful to fly to it, as to a city of refuge, to dwell in it, as in a secure asylum? A spirit has gone forth upon the Church in all lands ; it has breathed upon all peoples. · The captive Pontiff has felt it on his throne. The Princes of the Church have been moved by its power. Cities and Dioceses, Kingdoms and nations have owned its influence; and down to the humblest of the children of the Church, the gentle whispering of that spirit has been heard. It is the spirit of consecration, of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This spirit has taken possession of the entire body of the Church; it has permeated all its members; and to the eye �Feast of tile Sacrtd Heart at Woodstock. 237 of faith, the Church presents to-day a spectacle similar to that which was witnessed in the days that preceded the deluge ;-a long, earnest, fearful, yet hopeful procession from every land under heaven, of those who are not to perish, crowding towards the Ark of Salvation, taking refuge in the Heart of Jesus. A mysterious voice seems to have spoken to the heart of the Church, and told of evil days that are at hand, of dark storms lurking behind the horizon; but at the same time, suggested the refuge in which her children would be secure. And therefore we have heard of cities and dioceses consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; of kingdoms and nations, of entire Religious Orders, of associations, of congregations, compmnities, civil and military as well as religious, devoting themselves by public and solemn acts of consecration to the same Divine Heart. Our Society was specially favored by being among the first to feel this holy and salutary inspiration, and we still remember with joy and gratitude, the consolation, the courage, the hope which our solemn consecration to the Sacred l-Ieart diffused throughout all the provinces and houses of the Society. And as we had reason then to praise the goodness of our . Lord for drawing the Society to a more intimate union with His Sacred Heart, so we may thank Him again to-day for deigning to unite us and this house to It in the still closer bonds of a special consecration. There is indeed a deep significance in the grace vouchsafed to us on this day. It is a warning ; it is a protection ; it is a promise of a glorious victory. 1. It is a warning. For, this divine impulse which bids us devote ourselves entirely to the Sacred Heart, signifies to us that there are special dangers to be met, more subtle, or more violent attacks to be sustained, against which our only defence will be the power, the love, the compassion of that Heart, in which power, love and compassion are infinite. It is a warning which tells us, in a manner which ex- �238 Feast of tlte Sacred Heart at Woodstock. eludes all doubt or hesitation, that unless we shelter ourselves in this Heart, we shall find no other asylum equally secure against the coming dangers. It is a warning, because it bids us understand what is meant by being consecrated entirely and unreservedly to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.· For, our consecration must not be a mere passing ceremony, splendid and consoling while it lasts, but soon to be forgotten and leaving no trace after it. If we are truly consecrated to the Sacred Heart, our lives must give evidence of it.i our minds, our hearts, our time, our labor, our energies must be sacrificed on the Altar of the Sacred Heart, and our entire being must be devoted to Its glory. To be consecrated to the Sacred Heart, is to be totally vowed to' Its interests, to the increase of love towards It, to the diffusion of Its graces over the hearts of men. It is to be the faithful and zealous servants of that Divine Heart, ever watchful, ever laboriously promoting Its glory; ever lovingly devising new proofs of attachment. It is, to be the valiant soldier of the Sacred Heart, never sleeping at his post, never deserting his standard, never shrinking from hardship in Its service, ever eager to defend Its honor, to extend Its conquests, to lead the. hearts of men captive to Its love. ..- -· Such is the warning we receive to-day ; and such should be our life-long interpretation of its meaning. 2. And if we thus understand the warning, then our consecration to the Sacred Heart will be real, sincere and lasting; and therefore, it will also be a defence and a protection, as well as a promise of victory. Now, since our vocation is, to sanctify our own'soul and to labor successfully for the salvation of others, that which most effectually secures this twofold object, will be at once our safety against a fall, our help to advance in perfection, and a· fruitful benediction on our labors for others. But what can be a more abundant source of grace for our own advancement in virtue than that Heart in which all virtue �' Feast of t!te Sacred Heart at ~Voodstock. 239 is centred, from which alone all virtue proceeds? what means can be more efficacious for our own sanctification than that devotion to which our Lord Himself has promised the most boundless effusion of every grace? To be a perfect Religious, a worthy companion of Jesus, is to be truly. humble, obedient, poor, chaste, mortified, patient, charitable, meek and uncomplaining. 0 look at that Divine Heart, and tell me where you will find those virtues in equal perfection and with equal eagerness to well up from their deep fountains and to pour themselves out in copious streams, to flood your hearts with their heavenly wealth of beauty, of joy and of merit? If you desire to find Religion a Paradise of delights, an Eden of endless fertility and of unbroken peace, let it be the Paradise of the Sacred Heart, with Its warm sunshine to illumine and Its rich streams to give birth to the flowers and the fruits. Live in this Heart, feast upon Its manna, grow into.Its likeness, imbibe Its spirit, imitate Its virtues: in a word, be devout to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and not only shall you be secure against all danger of being overcome by the deceits of your enemies, but you will find the practice of religious virtue a delight, you will advance in perfection, as it were, without effort, as if you were borne along by a power not your own ; you will be the ornaments of your holy mother, the Society of Jesus, the true children of St. Ignatius. 3· And if your hearts are then filled with the spirit and the virtues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; if you go forth from this house armed with this devotion and animated with the zeal \Vhich it will produce within you, can you doubt that you have a promise of victory; can you doubt that your labors will be blessed with abundant fruit; that you will repulse with triumphant energy every assault of the devil and the world upon the citadel entrusted to your valor? ... the Sacred Heart itself i~ your warrant of success. It has promised victory to its followers and has told �240 '· Feast of tlze Sacred Heart at TVoodstock. them that no power should resist them. The hardest hearts shall melt at their word ; the most obstinate sinners shall· be conquered by their zeal; the most inveterate abuses shall yield to their gentle but mysteriously invincible power. . And all these promises both of grace for ourselves and of power over the souls of others, are peculiarly our own. It is to us, in a special manner, that this treasure is confided to enrich our own hearts and to adorn the hearts of our neighbors. The Divine Heart of Jesus draws us to itself with special predile<=:tion and looks to us for the extension of its love, the spread of its devotion. And to-day, it receives us into the ranks of its most devoted followers, into the number of its Apostles. This house becomes a sanctuary of the Sacred Heart; a sacred school in which we shall learn from It how we must combat, how we may triumph. Here, in this happy abode, our hearts will be filled with the choicest graces, with the zeal, the prudence, the charity,-the ardent love for God, the heroic fortitude, the div~ne and all-subduing power, which we shall need in future years on the battle-fields of the world. This house becomes a centre of apostolic fervor, a brightly burning furnace of devotion to the Sacred Heart, and from this centre that apostolic fervor will carry this d~yotion in rays of purest light to the ends of the earth, everywhere dissipating the darkness of error, ending the long night of sin and shedding life and beauty, grace and strength upon the hearts of men. May this house then be ever worthy of the glorious title which this day bestows upon it: "THE COLLEGE OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS." College, because it is a house in which many are assembled for a common purpose; College,_ because its members are devoted to the study of science : but College of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because they are assembled in that Name and cultivate science for the glory of that Heart: College �Feast of tltc Sacred Heart at lVoodstock. 241 of the Sacred Heart, because they that dwell in it are the servants, the clients, the children, the disciples of that Heart; because their only. study is to learn the lessons which thc.t Heart teaches and because all other study is directed to this end, animated and elevated by this intention, sanctified by the ardent desire to enlighten the hearts o( others with this heavenly wisdom; College of the Sacred Heart, because that Divine Heart presides over it as its chief and only true Superior and Father; and all its inmates obey its voice, love its commands, fulfil its precepts and strive in all things to merit its approval: because that Heart is the Master whose lessons are heard and esteemed above all other lessons ; whose wisdom guides all other study, and in whose truly divine science alone all other sciences find their origin and first principles, their truth, the solution of their difficulties and the beauty of their final perfection. In a word, College of the Sacred Heart, because it educates the Apostles of devotion to it. This is to be the chief glory of this house, the brightest ornament in its crown, as well as the chief and sole end of its existence and its labors. Its aim henceforward is, to train up men filled with the spirit of the Sacred Heart and send them forth to pour out this spirit; which alone can renew the face of the earth; its joy shall be to witness this glorious renewal effected by its Apostles; its crown-truly a crown of joy and a diadem of exultation, such as no mortal monarch ever bound around his brow,-hearts, once blackened with crimes, once wounded and bleeding, now healed, purified, made beautiful in their resemblance to the Sacred Heart of, Jesus; hearts won by these Apostles of the Sacred Heart and brought back as a tribute and as trophies to this source of their happiness and their salvation. �CHURCHVILLE, BERKS CO., PA. From a letter to Revd. Fr. Provincial, from Fr. Bally, S. J., Pastor of the Catholic Church in Churchville, Berks Co., Pa., \Ve quote the following : "On last Sunday, (July 6th) our Church was the scene of a most consoling and edifying ceremony. The Revd. Edward Forney, Pastor of the German Reformed Church in Norristown, made a formal abjuration of heresy, according to the formula adopt:::d by the last Council of Baltimon", and was received into the Catholic Church. l\lr. George Wolff, Editor of the Philadelphia Catholic Standard, and Professor Budd, also of Philadelphia, both converts, were present at the ceremony, the former acting as sponsor. Fr. Schleuter and Revd. Fr. :\IcDermott, of St. John's Church,.Philadelphia, assisted in the administration of the SacramenL Everything was done in Latin, with which all those present were familiar. l\lr. Forney made a tr}.duum preparatory to his reception into the Church, to the· devotions of which he was strongly attached even before the time of hi:; abjuration; indeed it has even been his habit for the last two years to recite daily the Rosary of the B. V. Mary. Though but twenty-two years old, Mr. Forney has graduated in two Colleges and is an excellent English and Classical scholar. Being unmarried, he will be free to follow, without difficulty, his natural inclination, to enter the ecclesiastical state, though he will take a month to reflect and decide upon the course he will now adopt. Before his abjuration he took leave of his former congregation in an affectionate lette'r, stating that though reason and conscience forced him to embrace the Catholic faith, still he would always continue to think kindly of them and pray for them as before. He is not without great hope that some of his former flock will follow his example." �OBITUARY. Since our last issue, two members of our community have been called to their rest; on June the 19th, the eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Father Dominic Franchini departed this life, and about a month later, July 15th, Father Felix Cicaterri. In making this announcement, we do not propose to give any account of their holy and laborious lives, but, leaving the meritorious record to our Lord, who knows and will reward it, we beg for our dear departed the prayers of all our brethren whom this news will reach. Father Franchini had been in America but one year, and this he spent in Woodstock, as Professor of Moral Theology. Before he came, the very delicate state of his health was well known to superiors, but not a little hope of staying the progress of his decline was based on his residence in a new climate. \Vith the exception of very few days, he taught his class regularly, and resigned it only when entering on the four weeks' sickness which closed his holy life. His gentle, cheerful and saintly disposition received fresh development during his last illness; resigned to die, or rather joyous in the anticipation of his early release, he had but one source of anxiety, the dread of being an annoyance to others, and to the last the most trifling service rendered never failed to win from him a word, or at least a smile, of grateful recognition. His ardent devotion to our Lord's Heart in the Blessed Sacrament, his tender, filial trust in Mary's help, and his truly singular purity of soul, met their re\vard in his last hour. Calmly, and with very little struggle, he breathed his last a few minutes before 10, P. M., on the Eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Not for his �,, . 244 Obituary . learning or labors, though eminent in the one and prodigal in the other, was he most precious whilst here, or is he now deplored: the virtues of his soul, native and unadorned, and those new ones that grace and cooperation gained for him, were his greatest treasure and. our greatest loss; a loss however that we bear not with sorrow, but with sweet joy for the gain it has brought to our dear Father. About 2, P. l\1., on July the I 5th, the feast of B. Azevedo and his martyred companions, the venerable Fr. Cicaterri entered into rest. In January last, he came to \Voodstock to assume- .the post of Spiritual Father, and in the service of our community he bravely spent the last months of an eventful life. For many years a complication of diseases made him a terrible sufferer, but his indomitable will and wonderful force of character seemed to render him superior to physical weakness. His condition grew alarming about the beginning of June, and it was evident that no human means would avail to save his life. Just at that time workmen were laying the foundations of the monument to the Sacrt!d Heart, the erection of which is noticed in these pages, and, receiving a new impulse from the happy occasion that was drawing near, the whole community confidently turned to our Lord, and sought from Him the lives of our two sick Fathers. God willed otherwise; on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Father Franchini was, we hope, among the Sacred Heart's adorers in heaven. Father Cicaterri gathered strength to drag himself to the window of his room, whence he witnessed the ceremony of blessing the statue, but he never afterwards left his room. The closing scenes of his life were in example a worthy complement of the exhortations with which for so many years he had urged on his brethren in the path of virtue. The remarkable spirit of prayer, which had characterized his life from the noviceship up, failed him not at its close. He prayed· always and with great unction. Even when his weakness was such that he was forced to keep his bed �Obituary. 245 throughout the day, he would make an heroic effort and struggle to the Altar to offer the Holy Sacrifice. Superiors remonstrated with him for so severely taxing his waning strength, but he answered: "Do not, I beg of you, deprive me of a single Mass; they are all precious to me now. The time is coming soon when I would give anything to offer the Holy Sacrifice, and I shall not be able." The last weeks of his life greatly intensified his sufferings, but his patience and courage grew in proportion. vVhen the hour of death came, it found him composed and hopefully waiting for the command to go forth. Surrounded by the members of the community, not a few of whom had been his novices, while the prayers of the Church were being recited, his purified soul passed out of this life. "Lactcntur OlllJtes qui spcrant in te: in actermtm exultabzmt d lwbitabis in cis. [Ps. v. D. 0. M. �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 2 (1873) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals.</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1873 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-002 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 256 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1873 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/a11535f8a5b9867e367ea1727ecf7a8b.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=JOh51qEMm3p6Iv-KJezy8Yy0f-nqewH9D5HuCqVnuVZplHR1M8GkdhfSjKjaZqCNF4w8XNThhVdl2Bj17%7EbVt73L0maX%7EjIU%7EPdQkLa44yXH20qScsqXnqAAx7pMngOUMiQ8Rq6OHh-DSuxzdrPquuGI1w%7EAEM6Za9ouGxUMe3iiuLLUhZzcKcJ9xcsz%7EIIrznqXGYy1%7EVKcWIGho8XfbZMgDCrRcreTJ3fMyDKTaQ3Jz0sEam0yVI19UbCs%7Elfuy7wvkJ6dswkJw2E3rpLaedsO8EnOl67nIbYVoKgnZJf0QP7OPksurXrDnHr9l6T7O8vo-m94q7W1KAuGdBwLoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM a5fe131c0c42915ee67364821862741e PDF Text Text A. M. D. G. vVOODSTOCIC LETTERS, A RECORD Of Curre111 Et·en.ts a ·n d .Ilistorical Notes ctJuu ectn l witll tll r Colleae.-. aml 1 llissions of' th e Soc. of' .T(~-.u.o; in ~Yort11. aull South .Lbn erica. VOL. III. WOODSTOCK COLLEGE, 1874· Printed for private circulation only. ��A. M. D. G. vVOODSTOCIC LETTERS, A RECORD Of Cm•re11l Et·euts and HistOJ•ical Notes t'OIIIIectell with tile Colle(Jes antl .Missions of tile Soc. of in Nortl1 antl South ..timerico. ,ff'liUS VOL. III. WOODSTOCK COLLEGE, 1874· Pri11ted for private circulation only. �'. i. �CONTENTS. PAGE St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia New York and Canada Mission Fiftieth Anniversary of the :Missouri Province . Earliest Ministrations of the Society in Baltimore Father De Smet San Antonio, Texas 1, 94, 182 27, 135, 172 43 52, 83 59 G5, 133 Indian 1\Iissions-The Sinpesquensi G8 Letter from Cincinnati . 73 Last days at the Gcsu Father \Veninger on the Pacific Coast 79 112, 200 Osage Mission 12G Devotion towards St. Josepil at Georgetown College 150 Sixth Centennial Feast of St. Thomas at \Vootlstock 154 Mission at Susquehanna, Pa. 158 Foreign News Items 1GO The Natchez Indians in 1730 1G:3 Indian Missions-Lake Huron 208 Relations of "Medicine-men" with the Evil Spirit 213 Death of l\Ir. Thomas J. Dixon, S. J. 217 Transfer of the relics of St. J ohu Francis Regis 22:3 ��:VVO.O D S T 0 CI( 1 ETTERS. VOL. III., No. 1. ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. (Continued.) The chief difficulty during the administration of Very Rev. Ludovicus Barth was the ·question of precedence at the meetings of the trustees of St. Mary's Church, which since 1810·had been the Cathedral of the diocese. By the charter granted by the Legislature, there were three clerical and eight lay trustees. The first pastor of St. Mary's was, ex officio, President of· the Board. During the life of Bishop Egan, he, of course, filled the chair. At his death t!te question arose as to who was the first pastor. All the priests of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's resided at the St. Joseph's Residence, and did so until after 1830, although Hazzard, in his life of Archbishop Hughes, speaks of the clergy returning from St. Mary's to St. Joseph's. They formed but one parish and the priests perfo!_'med priestly �2 St. :Joseph's C!turc!t, P!tiladdp!tia. duties in both churches. The resident priests were Re\". John Rossiter 0. S. A., and Reverend Terrence Me Girr. with occasional assistance from Rev. Patrick.Kenny, and in 1819 from Rev. Enoch Fenwick,* and a short while towards the end of the year from Rev. Doctor Gallagher. t During the five years that intervened since the death of Bishop Egan, Very Rev. Ludovicus Barth, who visited the City almost every month, when present, presided at the meeting of the trustees of St. Mary's, and in his absence, Rev. Father Rossiter; though many of the trustee~ would have preferred Father .Hurley, although not stationed at St. Joseph's. The churches of St. Joseph, St. l\lary and St. Augustine, until this time had given the Archbishop and the Administrator of the diocese very little trouble. It is true the fashionable Catholics of East Fourth Street, Matthew Carey, Richard W. Meade, John Ashley, et /zoe gmus vmne complained most bitterly of the want of eloquence among the clergy, and as far as this want of eloquence was to be lamented they had cause to complain. Father Hurley was brusque and unpolished, Father O'Donnell 0. S. A., was ·prolific and dry, and Father Rossiter said : "say .your prayers, tdl no lies, don't steal, mind your own business, let's go on with the Mass." t Father Me Girr·was equal to a soothing syrup and Father Kenny acted as· a··counter-irritant. Unfortunately in the first week of May 1820, a young so mew hat clerical-looking gentleman of the name of Wm. Hogan entered the Residence at St. Joseph's and informed Rev. Patrick Kenny that he had come to be one of the pastors of St. Joseph's. When asked who had sent him, he answered in the slang of to-day, "all right." "When questioned as to his credentials, he replied that they were on their way from Ireland. Contra1y to his usual custom, Very Rev. Ludovicus Barth did not visit St. Joseph's, until the beginning of July.§ In *Baptismal Registry, p. 288. t Bap. Reg. p. t Mrs. O'Donnell's Account. ~ 305. Bap. Reg. p. 323. �St. :Joseph's Church, Philadelplzia. 3 the meanwhile Mr. Hogan had not been idle. A few days after his arrival we find him baptizing. * Being of pleasing address he gained much favor with the so-called "first families." A few Sundays after his arrival he occupied the pulpit of St. Mary's, and though a very illiterate. man, he was an effective speaker. Slight and dapper in appearance, he paid due respect to all the requirements of dress. An old Quaker relative of mine used to remark: "the price of pomatum must have risen s"ince \Villiam's arrival." He soon became a favorite, unhappily too much of a favorite, with ·the ladies. His manner of acting with them soon went beyond all the bounds of propriety. For four or five years a spirit of independence, or more properly speaking insubordination, was springing up among thepurse-proud Catholics of the City of Brotherly Love. They soon discovered that they had a ready tool for their unholy purposes, in the superficial, shallow Wm. Hogan, while their worldly minded and not over prudent daughters were b4t too ready to second their efforts. "Look at dear Father Hogan. Dear Mrs. J..... , said Miss L. .... , isn't he sweet? Old l\Ic Girr is a perfect scare-crow beside darling Mr. Hogan." Their admiration was not confined to words; night after night, the parlors .of East Fourth and West Third Streets were brilliantly illuminated, and the Rev. Wm. would be seen stepping it out on the light fantastic toe, while the "rosy" flowed freely, until long after midnight, and later in th~ same day, the same guests would be found sitting in the pews of St. Mary's, whilst Mr. Hogan offered the Spotless Lamb. In the meanwhile the conscientious Catholics were anxiously waiting the arrival of the Very Rev. Administrator, and Fathers Kenny and Me Girr were not silent in private intercourse, and Father Hurley made the walls of St. Augustine's resound with denunciations of "the fop who had made himself a priest." *Baptismal Registry, p. 318. I �4 St. Yoseplt's c;;urclt, Plti!adclpltia. At this time there was living at a fashionable Boardingschool, in \Valnut Street above 3rd, as confidential servant, Honora Me Glinchy (I am not sure as to the family name). She was very remarkable for her piety and for her honesty. Being c~ptivated by Father Hogan's preaching, Honora became one of his warmest admirers and could not be brought to believe the reports to his discredit. An indiscreet acquaintance to convince her took her to the residence of a wealthy Catholic where she saw her hero ,\·altzing with the eldest daughter of the house. Her conductor receiyed a blow in the face for his thanks, and the next morning. the early pedestrians in the neighbourhood of Third and Walnut Streets, began to think that if it was not raining pitchforks, there seemed to be a shower of bricks and other missiles. Honora was on the roof crazy as a March hare. For sometime she was a raving maniac, but afterwards became more quiet, and for more than the t~ird of a century she was one of Philadelphia's celebrities. Poor "Crazy Norah!" many a time I have seen her in her high top-boots and broad Quaker hat, and many a message, quite startling, if not very intelligible, has she delivered to me fi·om my Grandmother or from the HolyGhost. \Vhen she became less dangerous and was allowed to wander about the streets, she conceived a strong dislike to him whom the Fourth Commandment bids me honor that my days may be long. He, being a leading Bishopite, was, of course, an object of displeasure for Norah. Whenever she met him he got what is called "a good tongue-lashing"-he used to denominate it a complete blackguarding, so that the sight of Norah became for him the signal of inglorious retreat. One morning he was standing in Walnut Street, conversing with some gentlemen, when raising his eyes, whom does he see coming towards him but the dreaded Amazon ; his first impulse was to try the fleetness of his legs, but time did not permit, there was the enemy face to face. "Patrick," said she, "Patrick, you are right and �St. Yosep!z's Clmrclt, Plziladelplzia. 5 I am wrong. God bless us both ! " She passed on to his great relief, and never again annoyed him. For some time she lived on the benevolence of the people, but afterwards she earned a comfortable livelihood, as a collector of bad debts. Her plan was a novel one. After presenting the bill, if it were not honored, she placed herself upon the sidewalk, where she soon gathered a crowd,-no Philadelphian ever conceived that Norah was amenable to the pollee-then after delivering a message from his Grandmother to each passer-by, she would inform him of the nature of the duty she was performing. She seldom remained in any one place more than an hour. One or two would-be-wags undertook to play a trick upon her by giving her false commissions,' they did not attempt it a second time, and very willingly paid double commission to escape the caustic messages from their Grandmothers and the cloven-footed gentleman who was supposed to have them in keeping. She attended Mass faithfully on Sundays and holidays and sometimes when it was a work of supererogation. Her favorite place was in the box and seat of our much belo_ved Father Edward Sourin S. J.; if anyone, by mistake, entered the penitent's cell he was informed that she was a schismatic bishop who had no faculties in this diocese, since the departure of John England, but that she would be happy to carry his kind wishes up to his Grandmother in the North-garret. If not annoyed she was perfectly harmless, and she was seldom annoyed, for the boys of Philadelphia had heard from tradition of the accuracy of her aim and the strength · with which she would send a brick flying, repo~t said, "for two squares." She never recovered her reason, but I think had the presence of a priest in her last moments. Another of our village's celebrities, though her fame was principally among the Catholics, was dear "old Mary Johnson." She too was an admirer of "curley-headed-Hogan," and adhered to him "a poor persecuted martyr," after his suspension by Bishop Conwell. ·when he could no longer �6 if ![ :t ,, I I f f i! :r ,I St. :Joseplt's Clmrclt, Plti!adelpltia. remain with the other priests in Father Greaton's house, but took up his residence in the small two-story dwelling to which I have referred in Part Ist, of this narrative, as the residence of Mrs. Baker's parents, and which now belonged to St. Mary's Church, Mary Johnson became his housekeeper. I wish I could describe Mary to you as many of our fathers have seen her. She was scarce more than four feet high, lean in proportion, and until old age, active upon her feet, she never walked, she always trotted. If Mr. Swiveler h'!d seen her, he would have declared her a close connec'iion of the Marchioness. I must give you a description of this historical house.' It was a two-storied house with attics. From a step on a level with the sidewalk, you entered a box-entry, about four feet by three, which led into Mrs. Baker's "best room." A window on the North side opposite the door of entrance gave you a view of a narrow four foot yard and of the St. Joseph's Resi~ dence. To the right of this window was a door leading to the kitchen, or as it was generally called "the living room.'' As soon as you passed this door, stepping to the right, you might ascend the stairs to the second floor, landing upon a small square entry, between the two rpoms and having another flight leading to the attic as it is .now styled, then, to the garret. In this entry there was a window from which an easy view might be obtained of all who entered the Bishop's house. It was a favorite occupation of "the Gentleman from Limerick" to sit in this entry pretending to · read, but in reality watching the incomings and outgoings at the ho1,1se of his adversary. One afternoon when engaged in this pastime, a committee of three of the trustees of St. Mary's-John Leamy, Richard W. Meade, and John Ashley, waited upon Mr. Hogan, to obtain his signature to a letter they had prepared as from him in reply to the Bishop's' Secretary, Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold, 0. S. D. Their knock at the door brought Mary from her classic apartment to answer it. It was necessary that she should �5;!. Yoscplz's Clmrclt, P!ti!adelp/zia. 7 pass the Reverend gentleman, who, not knowing who was about to visit him, thought he might take a liberty with his little "Dame Durden," he had often taken with the proud damsels of Penn's City.-Noble Mary Johnson! She had clung to Mr. Hogan through good report and ill, for she thought he was a true priest of God ; she had heard the current stories, but, to her, these were the inventions of enemies; she knew he was censured by his Bishop, but she had been led to believe. the Bishop "an obstinate, ill-informed tyrannical, old dotard." * It is true he had kept very late hours, but Mary was an industrious, cleanly body, and after a day's hard labor, when she ascended to her garret and had said her prayers, she reeked but little of sublunary af·fairs. Mr. Hogan did not attend the sick, so she had no dread of night calls hovering O\"er her innocent slumbers. But, Mr. Hogan, this time, had made a mistake-the blood of purity suffused her face, the light of insulted virtue fl.~shed from her eye, and with the strength of an Agnes or a Lucy, she gave the chair a push, which sent it and its sqcrilegious occupant heels over head down the stairs. Crash went the door, and there lay William and the chair, and "who could say which was which ?" The gentlemen in waiting hearing the noise, entered, and what was their amazement to behold their chosen pastor, lying upon the floor of the kitchen, his· well greased locks disheveled, and bruised more severely than he chose to acknowledge, and the little Heroine of Willing's Alley standing dishcloth in hand ready to defend herself and honor. "That woman's crazy," said Mr. H. rising, "without the least provocation, she threw me do.wn stairs, she's an emissary of Cooper's." "She's little in size," said John Ashley with a peculiar smile, but she's big in strength." From that day poor Mary Johnson was never perfectly "right in mind." Her self-imposed mission was to drive all dogs out of Church. Mass or *Philadelphia Aurora. 2 �8 " ' ~- ,. St. :Joseph's C!tzadt, P!ti!addp!tia. Vespers, or Lenten Service, there was Mary with her stool, which she placed in the middle of the aisle. Infatuated animal of the canine species, you made a mistake in entering St. Joseph's Church, if you thought you would there find a haven of repose for your weary members.-1\Iary Johnson is there; think not because she is so quiet, telling her beads, or gazing at the Holy Tabernacle, you can enter unperceived; you have not crossed the threshold, no one else may have perceived you, ·when up jumps 1\Iary. Now, doggy, doggy, you had better go out-take the word of a friend and-go at once. You need not think to frighten her by your "bark;" why, Lion, she's not afraid of your "bite." Rover,. none of your tricks, skip and jump, yes, flourish your interesting nan'ati·pe, you cannot blarney Mary; that's · as trite as a twice-told tale to her. Juno, poor pet, suppose not that your mistress' skirts shall prove a "Fairy-Godmother's cloak," to render you invisible. Doggies, Mary has said that you shall leave the Church, and Mary's fiat is irrevocable. Come, nice fellows, come now, come, go out. Is there any rule without an exception ? This exterminating statute had one solitary reservation. Every day before first Mass; a tan-colored quadruped walked serenely and stately up the middle aisle, until ht:;)lrrived at the ten-plate piece of furniture so useful for imparting warmth to man and brute, and there he laid him down and slept till service was over, when he rejoined his master at the door. Many .wondered why this privilege. No reliable data can be found to show when and how or what he did to propitiate the lady of the stool. For many years, Mary made her home, as a kind of domestic and a kind of protege, with the family of Mr. Philip Smith. She died a few years since, when an inmate of St. Ann's Widow's Asylum. It is sad to state that Norah and Mary were not the only persons whose reason was affected by Mr. Hogan's misconduct-happy it would be if the faith of none had been �St. :Joseph's Clwrclz, Philadclplzio. 9 d,trk::ned. All who favored him came to an unfortunate end. It used to be a common remark: "So and so is dead -wasn't it a fearful death? "No wonder'' wo~ld be the response, "they were Hoganites." I know of but two remaining, a very aged lady and her son; and I must confess I wait with not a little curiosity to hear. of their death. ~he ancient dame I have not seen for }'ears; the son is a penitent of one of Ours, and daily \'isits the Church and devoutly prays before Him, \Vho has never been petitioned in vain for pardon;· and if humble prayer can avert the temporal punishment due to certain sins, I hope his death will be a proof of it. It is also sad to notice that the son of one of the leaders of that unholy schism-whose memory his Country will cherish for ages, if she lasts so long, as her savior-died yesterday, Nov. 6th, 1872, outside of the pale of th:: Church, and his funeral services are to· take place at St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal Church_:_Truly the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children to many generations. · Upon the arrival of Very Rev. Ludovicus Barth in July, the general expectation of clerks and laity was that Mr. Hogan would be dismissed from St. Joseph's, but in this they were sadly mistaken. The very day of his arrival visiting the School-house, one very dear to me rel<~ted to him the reports concerning ''the new priest," for the truth of some of which she could vouch, having seen them. "Susan," said the Very Reverend Administrator, "he's Irish and the new Bishop is Irish, let the Irish settle it among themselves." On returning to Conewago, towards the end of the month, he appointed Mr. Hogan, an unknown young man, with no papers to show that he had ever been ordained, to preside at the meeting of the trustees of St. Mary's, over the Rev. Patrick Kenny and Terence Me Girr, who had for years officiated at St. Joseph's. They, together with Rev. Michael Hurley 0. S. A., immediately sent a protest to most Rev. Ambrose Marechal, D. D., Archbishop • �10 • •' · St. :Josepk's Clmrc!z, P!ti!adclp!tia. of Baltimore. This act of Very Rev. Ludovicus Barth was the proximate beginning of the troubles that distracted the Church of Philadelphia for over twelve years. At the latter part of August, and again towards the close of September, Rev. Ludovicus Barth was at St. Joseph's, and again and again the misconduct of Mr. Hogan was reported to him, and his invariable answer was "the new Bishop will soon be here." Rev. Fathers Me Girr and Kenny having to live in the same house with the person, could say but little, but Father Hurley, who made the "Limerick-'boy," the staple of each Sunday's discourse, remarking upon this answer of the Very Rev. Administrator said : "St. Michael may be here to-morrow and St. Michael may be here the next day, but Lucifer is here today."_ In the Baptismal Registry, at this time, we find these records:. ''1820, Sept. 27 a Rev. D. Josepho Correa de Sorra. Legato extraordinario et plenipotentiario Regis fidelissimi etc. ~tc. Maria Anna nata 21 Junii 1817 in Camden N.J. de Thoma Cooper et Elizabeth Cooper L c. Sponsor Edwardus Joseph Correa. Ab Eod. Helena nata Pphiae die 15 Januarii 1820 de Thoma Cooper et Elizabeth Cooper L. c. Sponsor fuit Edward us Cooper." * ~-·. At the beginning of December, Right Rev. Henry Conwell, D. D., second Bishop of Philadelphia, arri·.-ed at St. Joseph's, and immediately began his pastoral duties. His first record reads : "die 5 robris } Cornelius Steel, filius Jac. et Elizae. a. R. R. H. Conwell, natus Philadae. Septembris die 20. Epo. Phae. Susceptus fuit a Sara Bowles Sola. t Poor Bishop Conwell ! his was an eventful life. When he was appointed Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Armagh, he thought his ambition satisfied, but when offered the Bi~hopric of Philadelphia, though at an age when most * Baptismal Registry, p. 330. t Bap. Reg. p, 332. �St. :Joseph's Cll!lrclt, Pltiladelpltia. I I men are thinking to retire and prepare for death, he was re.1dy to say: "Lo, here I am; send me." One of his first acts, upon receiving the announcement of his appointment, was to write to his eldest niece to accompany him to America, saying that she had been servant long enough to her brothers and sisters, now she should be mistress in the palace of her uncle, the· Lord Bishop. One of· Bishop Conwell's greatest mistakes was the surrounding himself with so many nieces and nephews. But the estimable lady of whom I have written above, * was destined, as I shall probably be called upon to explain in Part Third, with her saintly husband to become a martyr to justice for the sake. of St. Joseph's. She is still living, at a vecy advanced age. She may cry out with the Royal Singer of Israel : "W o is me, that my sojourning is prolonged. I have dwelt. with the inhabitants of Cedar. With them that hated peace, I was peaceable: when I spake to them, they fought against me without cause." Surely "old age is a crown of dignity when it is found in the ways of justice," and every day is but keeping her from "that crown of life which God has promised to those that fear him." Bishop Conwell was a man of no mean ability; his latinity was classical, and especially his ecclesiastical Latin was much admired. He was a Greek scholar, spoke French fluently and Spanish and Italian with but little difficulty. His knowledge of theology, moral and dogmatic, was solid, and he had not neglected the study of Canon Law. Unfortunately he was not a fluent preacher in his native language; -but it must not be supposed that he was an ungrammatical or inelegant speaker. Those pamphlets that were so numerous some years ago, purporting to be reports of his sermons at St. Mary's, were the productions of his enemies, -of John T. Sullivan and John Ashley, or it was supposed so at the time. The Bishop's personal appearance was not * l\Irs. Nicholas Donnelly. �12 St. Yoscp!t"s Clmrc!t, P,'ti!addj/tia. unpleasing. \Vhen he arrived he was over se\'enty, tall, straight, muscular, and, when occasion required, not deficient in dignity. Though of uncertain temper, he was kindhearted, forgiving, and a bountiful giver. Had he possessed the eloquence, or even the polished manner of \Vm. Vincent Harold, the misstep of Very Rev. Ludovicu-.; Barth would not ha\·e been so prolific in evil. · Upon his arrival, he found domiciled in his own family a young man, of whose misconduct he had heard reports in Irdand ; ~n'd a few days after his arrival he received a letter from Bishop Connelly of New York, stating in full his disobedience to him. \Vhen questioned as to his exeat, his answer was the same given some months before to Father Kenny, that his papers would soon arrive. Being a stranger in the country and not wishing to disapprove of the acts of the Very Rev. Father Administrator, Bishop Conwell wrote for advice to his superior, Most Rev. Ambrose Marechal, D. D., and on the zoth of December, publicly withdrew from \Vm. Hogan, all faculties he might seem to have derived from the quasi approval of Very Rev. Ludovicus Barth. This was the signal for revolt, and a sad, sad revolt it proved. The be~inning of I 821 finds Bishop' .Conwell officiating at St. Mary's, without any trouble from Mr. Hogan or the trustees; his Assistant being Rev. George Sheufelter, * and Rev. James Cummiskey, t whom the Bishop afterwards surnamed the "Reverend Pedler," from the fact of his employing agents, and himself travelling at times, to sell Catholic books, especially "Christian Perfection" by Fr. Rodriguez, S. J. He was an elde.r brother of Eugene Cummiskey, for many years the Catholic bookseller of Philadelphia. Another very embarrassing circumstance in the early history o.f the Church in this Diocese was the visit of the * Bap. Reg. p. 339. tDo. p. 340. �St. Yosep!t's Clwrclt, Pltiladdpltia. 13 Right Reverend John England, D. D., first Bishop o"f Charleston, to the City of Philadelphia. Before this time, the trustees knew they were insubordinate, but when they gathered froi:n the Bishop that they were on an equality with their diocesan and ought to, not migltt or could, appeal to Rome, offering himself, to be appointed their agent,* the:r conduct became insupportable. The Bishop, i. e. the Bishop of Philadelphia, remained at home at St. Joseph's, which Church he now made his Cathedral, and the faithful Catholics flo~ked around him. Shortly after he enlargecl the Church to almost its present dimensions, that it might accommodate the crowds. In June he added to the number of his assistants, Rev. Samuel Cooper, of happy memory, and in the latter part of the month ordained Rev. Thomas Heyden. Of Rev. Samuel Cooper many traditions were curret1t some years since. He was an accomplished convert, of noble appearance, and at the time of his conversion was the Captain of a Merchantman. Hearing a young lady admire his beautiful teeth, it is related, he returned to his ship, drove a large spike into the mast and against it dashed out his teeth, declaring that nothing about him should be occasion of sin to another. He was frequently tempted against faith iri the Sacrament of Sacraments: one .day when saying Mass, he prayed God to give him some sign by which he would be freed forever after from doubts ; as he pronounced the omnipotent words, the host was changed into a lump of bleeding flesh. l\Iy informant, the father' of two of Ours, said that he and many in the Church witnessed the miracle. He was unquestionably a· man of more than ordinary virtue, and had the honor of enjoying vVm. Hogan's particular enmity, which· I consider a very high panegyric. The year 1822, in Phil~delphia, is ever memorable with an unhappy remembrance. The early part.of the year was *Vide Bishop Englund's Works. Vol. 5. p. 109 to 213. �St. :Joseph's Clwrclz, Plzi!adclplzia. employed by the trustees in building new pews and renting them to their partisans to influen<:e the vote at the comingelections. The trustees took possession of the Church and lest any bishopite should enter,-a great maxim at the time was "possession is nine-tenths of the law"-it was kept barricaded with a watchman constantly on guard. My father with other hot-headed young Irishmen determined that get possession of the Church before the day of election, they <.uou!d, if they had to sacrifice a limb, yea, life for it. Good Father Cooper was taken into confidence but he disapproved of the plot.~ .. "No matter," said they, "that was because he was not an Irishman and only half a Catholic." Such of our family as were living at that time resided in Marshall's Court, now called Landis Street. The windows of the house overlooking St. Mary's graveyard, it was a very fworable spot for observing the enemy's manreuvres, but there was a difficulty in the way, my mother, like Father Cooper, was not an Irishman and only half a Catholic. The house where, I think, Bishop Wood was born, but however that n1ay be, the house where Bishop Kenrick afterwards took up his residence and began his Seminary, was chosen as a "point d'appui," whilst the tomb-stones made many a convenient cachette for watching the ;novements of the besieged. Many a mysterious bundle~ \Vas seen carried by strong men into the house of the God of peace, the Church built with Father Greaton's money, but try as they would the watchman could never be caught napping. I hope our good bishopites never suffered from rheumatism from the many hours they spent on the damp ground of early Spring, behind the eulogistic monuments of the dead. The Mon:. day of Holy Week came, time was growing short. It was well nigh noon, the daughter of the vigilant watchman is seen approaching, forty of the forty-six days of abstinence are passed,-what's that which smells so savory? never mind, John M ..... , hidden behind the tomb of Bishop Egan, you have tasted nothing for eighteen hours save �St. :Joseph's Clwrclt, Plti!addpltia. IS water and a drop, just a little drop, of American wine, what does it concern you what a Hoganite has for' dinner? Hark! was that a whistle? no it cannot be, it sounded as but an echo. \Vhat's the matter? From the poiJtt d appui creeps like a serpent a man of forty-from a second-story window leap.; like a hare a stalwart youth of twenty. 'What! are they going to burst as burglars into the holy Church ! No, they intend to enter through the principal exit, if not entrance. For once the hungry watchman has been caught off his guard. The nicely-browned catties with fragrant mocha, a1id hot biscuits were too much for hUiigry Barney B .... , he forgot to bolt and bar the door. The citadel is tak~n and R1rney B .... , almost before he had done away with one I uscious catty, is a prisoner, elbow bound to elbow. The schoolmaster writes a hasty note to my Lord, the Bishop, announcing the capture. The "female daughter" of the captive was deputed to carry the important document to \Villing's Alley. In the meanwhile the victors scoured the field of victory; the galleries were found lined with bricks and stones, and when Father Me Girr came, the unwilling bearer of a brief but explicit despatch from the Commander-in-General, he found more than one pistol in the holy tabernacle. . The despatch read thus: "Go home and mind your own business. ffi Henry Conwell, Epius. Philaae". Just think of this hapless triumvirate, for nearly a month they and others had risked so many dangers to obtain for their Bishop his own Church, and now when success was theirs, their thanks were, "Go home and mind your own business." Father Me Girr released Barney B .... , and John, Pat and .... with spoiled appetites, hastened home to their catfish, coffee and biscuits. On Tuesday of Easter week, the annual election of trustees of St. Mary's Church took place. The Bishopites might as well have let it pass unnoticed, it was already determined that the Leamy, Meade party should be the elected. But no, if they did not get the election they should, at least, 3 �.I 16 St. Yostph's Clzurch, Philadelphia. have the fight. Sunrise saw young men and buxom maids, who had no vote, trudging in from Germantown, Manayunk. and Chester, and Darby, aud even from over the waters, to do and die, for Bishop and for Church. It was on this day of days, that an aged gentleman uttered the memorable threat: "if they do not treat the Bishop better I'll go over till Jarsey and niver come back till Americay agin." But this is no joking matter, it was no comedy, it was in more respects than one a tragedy. Persons at this day can tell you,how brick:s were thrown from the windows of the Church upon the head of the hapless Bishopites whilst striving to vote,* how young men would stand in Indian file and the backmost would ascend a cellar door, so as to give greater impetus, whilst the head of the foremost made a most convenient battering-ram to butt between the kidneys of some thoughtless i-Ioganite, who was laughing at the funny sight of some Bishopite rendered lwrs de rombat and hastening home with bloody head or crippled limb. Both parties can tell you how the iron rail swayed backwards and forwards, like a reed ·shaken by the wind, and at last fell with a crash, that caused a piercing shriek of anguish from many a wife and mother, kneeling in the corner of her room, with her little ones, praying for the dea·r ones. "0 God, save the father of my children," was the cry of one most dear to me, as she heard the crash. "Susan," was the stoical remark of her Quaker ancestress "thou seest now what these Catholics are." That carping Quakeress, some years after, became a Catholic, and her bones repose beneath the altar of St. Mary's Church, Lebanon. Yes! that iron railing fell with a crash, and many a heart that beat loyally for Catholicity, for a time, was stilled in anguish, and the casket of many a whole-souled Catholic was mangled and *Henry Smith ~I. D., son-in-law of Dr. Horner who sometime afterwards became a Catholic. The house of Dr. Smith's father, was directly opposite to St. ~Iary's. The Doctor was at that time a lad of fifteen, but his description of events is very graphic. �St. :Joseph's Clwrclz, Plziladclplzia. 17 disfigured for life. And some of those, who then left the Church of their Baptism, might tell you how while Rt. Rev. Henry Conwell, D. D, and Rev. Samuel Cooper, and Rev. Terence Me Girr and Rev. Patrick Kenny, yea, and Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold, 0. S. D., stood at the N. E. Corner of 4th street and ·willing's Alley, oil-stock in hand and pixis near the trembling heart, to follow the bleeding forms of the wounded into the house of Charles Johnson, Sr., and other good Samaritans, Mr. \Vm. Hogan, in concert with the delicate, lady-like daughters of rebel Catholics raised shouts of laughter that could be heard above the shrieks of the wounded ;-which unnatural cachinnations, thanks be to a God, who can draw good out of evil ! has brought more than one Protestant who heard it, into the happy fold of Christ's Church. lt was truly a fearful day, still with all the odds against them, Joseph Synder, . John Carrell Sr., Cornelius Tiers, Dennis Me Cready, Nicholas Stafford, William Myers, Nicholas Esling, and James Enen, Sr., were elected trustees of St. Mary's Church r;::ceiving 437 votes, although J. Cadwalader, Esq. decided that John Leamy, John Ashley and their party received 497· It may be 'true that they did, but the excess came from the votes of the occupants of those pews which had been erected after the withdrawal of the Bishop, whose consent was necessary, as President, according to the charter. Unhappy day! The difficulty still remained. Shortly before this fracas,· Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold had returned to Philadelphia, af the request of Bishop Conwell. Between the time of the invitation and his arrival, slanderous tongues had been at work, and the sleeping jealousy of "my Lord" had been awakened, so'that when Father Harold arrived he was coldly received, which to him was a new style of reception, an·d which his natural pride never forgot, but, I hop.::, forgave. In the meanwhile the interposition of the civil authorities had been invoked, and Mayor Waterman standing upon the tomb of Bishop �18 St. 7oseplt's C!mrc!t, P!tiladdp!tia. Egan proclaimed Right Reverend Henry Conwell, Second Roman Catholic Bishop of Philadelphia, the legal pastor of St. Mary's Church. For a short while there was peace, and Rev. \Vm. Vincent Harold acted as pastor, but the truce was of short du-_ ration and the sacrilegious Hogan again officiated at the altar of St. Mary's. In the early part of 1823, Rev. John ·walsh was stationed at St. Joseph's,* and a little later a French priest who signed himself L'atheley. t In October, Rev. John Ryan, another un;re of Rev. \Vm. Vincent Harold, appears upon the stage. Poor Father Harold ! as Bishop Conwell had too many nephews and nieces, so he had too, too many uncles. In 1825, Rev. C. Ferry becomes, for a short while, one of the canons or prebendaries of St. Joseph's Cathedral. t On the gth of January of the following year, we find this record; "A Rev. G. Hogan Josephus Thompson Desmond in statu N. Jersey, natus die 16 Oct. 1822 de Jacobo O'Desmond et Clementina Lloyd Thompson. Sponsores fuerunt Archibaldus Randall et Agnes Barcley." § This record shows that even after the appointment of Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold as pastor of St. Mary's,:t!Je infamous Hogan still enjoyed a quasi recognition by the Bishop, and from the fact of Judge Randall's being God-father, that he still had a standing in respectable society. In the year 1827, ex-Father Baxter was stationed at St. Joseph's where he died, so~ewhat unexpectedly on May 23rd, 1827. Rev. John Hughes, who ;had been ordained October I 5th, 1826, writing of this death to his great confidant, Rev. Thomas Heyden, indulges in some very forcible, if extremely trite, remarks. He writes : "What does it now matter for him that he was persecuted or applauded, if he has merjted the rec~ption which the good and faithful ser- * Bap. Reg. p. 390. tDo. p. 2. t Do. p. 81. · ~Do. p. 86. �St. J'osep!t's C/mrclt, Plziladdplzia. vant, shall receive from his Lord ! The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to that eternal' weight of glory that shall be revealed hereafter."* In the beginning of 1827, Rev. James Smith was, for a very short while, stationed at St. Joseph's. As early as February, trouble had been made between Father Harold and the Bishop. Father Harold, influenced as his friends supposed, by his uncle Fr. John Ryan 0. P., had imbibed some of the lax ideas of the trustee sys· tern. He had rendered good service to the venerable Bishop during the Hogan and T. J. O'Mealley scandals; some of his replies to the effusions, which Leamy, Ashley, and the Heaven-stricken Fagan made in behalf of Mr. Hogan, further displayed his clear logic and scholarly knowledge of the English language, and his answers to Hon. Joseph Ingersoll show that he had a considerable knowledge of law. Still he was high tempered and my Lord of Philadelphia was not a little arbitrary, and when two hard bodies strike · with sufficient force, there are generally some sparks to be seen. This disagreement between the Bishop and his Secretary became so serious that on the 3rd of April, 1827 •. Bishop Conwell suspended the Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold, who however continued to reside in his house and sit at his table. Three weeks after, the trustees of St. Mary's protested against this suspension, stating that they had "known the Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold for a period approaching twenty years, and that he had been always esteemed not only by the congregation, but by the citizens of Philadelphia, of every religious persuasion, as a clergyman of irreproachable mor<~ls, eminent zeal in the .discharge of his pastoral duties, and of talents which have reflected singular honor o~ the Church." Whilst I do not acknowledge the right of laics to protest in cases of suspension, still the fact that such ·names as Jerome Keating, Edward Barry, *Hazzard's Life of Archbishop. Hughes, p. 75. �20 St. Yoseplz's C/wrclt, P!ti!addplzia. John Keating, John Carrell, Dennis Me Cready, Cornelius . Tiers, John Diamond, Joseph Donath, Lewis Ryan, Charles Johnson, Patrick Hayes, Joseph Nancrede, l\L D., and Timothy Desmond were signed to the protest, shows that Father Harold was held in high esteem by very worthy Catholics. On October 17th, of the same year, Rt. Reverend Henry Conwell writes a note to Archibald Randall; Esq., Secretary of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary's Church, appointing the Rev. vVm. Vincent Harold and the Rev. John-,Ryan to the pastoral charge of St. Mary's Church. ~till the Bishop and the Pastors of St. Mary's never afterwards lived amicably together; and early in 1827, the two Dominicans took up their residence in the house formerly occupied by the amorous Hogan, where they continued to reside until after their puerile and scandalous appeal to the government for protection from their religious superiors. Dear Father Wm. Vincent Harold l · what an example art thou of the dangers of brilliant talents when not guarded by the spirit of humility! Louis Clapier could write of thee to a friend, "he is /wmo factus ad zmguem ;"-that friend could write to his wife: "if Father Hars>ld does not abstain more from the company of some of our acquaintances, I fear he will. become u1z sot a triple etage." Poor Father Harold! he ~erred most egregiously, but thanks to Him, the Father of all good gifts, he sincerely repented and shortly before his death, when Superior of the Dominicans of Ireland, he wrote to a lady friend: "If I only could cancel those unfortunate days, or make proper reparation ! how my heart bleeds and my cheek crimsons when I think of them !" In the beginning of this year, Rev. Terence Donaghue was stationed at St. Joseph's, where he remained until he built St. Michael's Church, in Kensington, and went to reside there, on the return of our Fathers to St. Joseph's. This Reverend gentleman, "whose memory is still with praise," was a man of erudition ; it is said by those who had an opportunity of �St. :Joseph's Church, Plziladelplzia. 21 knowing, that he furnished to the Rev. John Hughes most. of his matter in his famous controversy with the bitter bigoted Breckenridge. How that may have been I cannot say, but this I remember of him, that he was a hard-working mortified priest. For some time after he had built St. Michael's Church, whose present congregation is one of the most numerous, wealthy and liberal of the diocese, he resided in the basement of that Church, and many a weary ·Friday, have I, ·a child of five winters and summers, trudged over two miles, to carry him his dinner; because he happened to express approval of my sister's potatocakes; while Saturday's holiday wa~ passed in collecting the weekly "fip-penny-bit" contributions, which another sister had promised to attend to, but had left to "bub." Among the contributors were the Mother and Aunt of Commodore Me Donough of Lake-Champlain-glory, who never allowed the infant collector to depart without receiv.ing viaticum, in the form of sugar-crackers and a bunch of raisins. In the middle of February of this year, Rev. John· Hughes, who since his ordination had been chiefly occupied in preaching and instructing converts, began other pastoral duties at St. Joseph's; his first baptism was on the 14th of this month.* In May, Rev. John Reilley filled one of the places at his Lordship's table, left vacant by the seceding Dominicans. He remained but a short while. The year 1828, a year truly suited i11ja1tdum rmovare dolorem, was the year of the lamentable misstep of Father Harolct, referred to above, but as he had at that time segregated himself from St. Joseph's, an account of that deplorable insubordination does not properly belong to "What I know about St. Joseph's." t *Bap. Reg. p. 14. tOn the the 30th day of the year, as it appears from the Marriage Registry, p. :z.6z, the Right Rev. Ordinary of the Diocese witnessed and blessed a matrimonial contract, the form of which, for brevity sake, I would recommend to missionaries: "Anno Domini millesimo octingentesimo vigesimo octavo, Die 30 Januarii, Conjuncti sunt in Matrimonio, Dispensatione Concessa in tribus Bannis ... Andreas Maria Ignatius Caravadossy ~ �22 St. :Joseph's Church, Philadelphia. I have already stated that upon the appointment of Rev: Henry Conwell, as Bishop of Philadelphia, he wrote for his eldest niece to accompany him to his new diocese-his was a numerous family, and as long as he lived he had plenty, perhaps too many, nephews and nieces disporting themselves about the Episcopal mansion. This young lady, however, soon changed her name and residence, becoming Mrs. Nicholas Donnelly. She had married a teacher of the classics, _one who had the honor of teaching Latin and Greek to Illany who afterwards became priests, and to some who afterwa.'rds by the imposition of hands conferred on others the same high dignity of the priesthood. This saintly gentleman, I use the word after reflection, was willing, yes desirous, to pass his Classical Academy, numbering over two hundred pupils, to the Society. And he did this not from a desire of worldly lucre. He was a man who could act from holy motives, a man who was not only ,\·illing.to, but actually did "suffer persecution for justice sake.:: "Hands were laid upon him, he was persecuted and delivered up to prisons," because, as the husband of the chief heiress of the Rt. Rev. Henry Conwell, he would not claim as personal property "the p!ace of many graves." de Thoet Eques Auratus ordinis Regalis et Militaris SS. Mauritii et Lazari d ordini! quoque de Soroce, etc., etc. Major Equitum et Consul Generalis Regis Sar~in1ae pro Faederatis Americae Provindis Nicaea oriundus, Filius legitimus Baronis Victoris Andreae: Caravadossy de Thoet E 1uitis Aurati ordinis Regalis et Militaris S. S. l\lauritii et Lazari •••. et ,.1ariae Genovesae Grimaldi de Sauze defunctae, qui fuerunt ambo Nicaea oriundi •••• Et Maria Antonietta Herzilia ·D'Aurainville Filia legitima Ludovici Nicholai D' Aurainville Equitis ordinis Sti. Ludovici et joannac: Clarae Elizabethae Lecurieux Chalon, apud lnsulam Martinique oriundae. '"Testes adfuerunt Joachim Barraza Pereira Equitis ordinis Christi Consul Generalis Regis Portugalliae pro Faederatis Americae Provinciis et Severin us Loritz. Consui Generalis'kegis Sueviae, etc., etc., etc, Item H. D' Aurainville, N. Garibaldi vice Consul ct Cancellarius Sardiniae. ""CHALON KLOSSER, j. H. ROBERJOT, ANTONIUS TESSEIRE. ''Qui omnes mecum subsignarunt apud Ecclesiam Sti. josephi Philadelphia Die et Anno qui bus supra. jOACHIM BARROZA PEREIRA, SEVERJNUS LORITZ, J. H. ROBERJOT, A. TESSEIRE, HENRY VtLOISE CARAVADOSSY DE THOET, H. J)'AURAI~VILLE, CHALON KLOSSER, H. D'AURAINVILLE, J. D'AURAINVILLE, A. D'AtrRAINVILLE, N. GARIBALDI, Vice Consul et Chancelier de sardaigne. In cujus rei fidem subscripsi. HENRJCUS CONWELL, EPISCOPUS PHILADELPHIAE. ffi �St. J'oscp!t's Clwrclt, Plti!addpltia. 23 He gave with a willing and liberal hand of his means to the poor, he gave from a well-regulated mind and heart to young men about to consecrate themselves to the service of God "the good counsels of a friend-sweet to the soul," and the Lord blessed him, ''his heart, like that of Asa, was perfect with the Lord all his days," and when standing by his deathbed, the cry went silently up from my heart of hearts: "Let my soul die the death of the just and my last end be like to his." . The body of the second Bishop of Philadelphia has been removed to the noble Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, and the bones of Nicholas Donnelly lie in the former tomb of his Episcopal uncle-in-law, in the principal tomb of that cemetery, which his fortitude and sense of justice secured to its proper owners, the pastors of St. Joseph's. "\Vhen I am dead, bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried: lay my bones beside his bones." It was at his house in Lombard street, above Third, that some lady members of St. Joseph's congregation, of whom the chief spirit was Miss Catharine Whelan, met in the beginning of October, 1829, and formed a societyfor the support of Catholic orphans. The number of orphans was small, only four, but this meeting was the germ of St. John's Orphan Asylum, which now feeds, clothes and educates over three hundred and fifty lads. The children were placed under the care of the Sisters of Charity, who already had a school at No. 4I2 Locust street, numbering over one hundred pupils. And among the good daughters of Charity were Sisters Aloysius (Lilly of Frederick), Olympia and Fidelis, the very mention of whose names, causes the tear of fond remembrance to start in the eye of many a middleaged Catholic of to-day. This f!leeting was held at the suggestion of Rev. John Hughes, who was so much interested in it, that he drew up a constitution and a set of rules for the go·.-ernment of its managers. As long as he remained in .Philadelphia he was its chief patron, and in after _ 4 �24 St. :Joseph's Omrch, Philadelphia. years, when Archbishop of the great metropolis, having the care of Churches, Colleges, Hospitals, and Asylums upon his shoulders, he still felt interest in the Asylum of St. John's. In the month of April of this year, we find * the record of two baptisms by Father Cooper at Manayunk. This is the first mention of this suburb, whiCh now has its two Churches, its female Academy, and its parochial schools. For sometime, during. the absence of Bishop Conwell in Rome, where -he had been .called to explain his conduct, with regard to his unfortunate compromise with the Trustees of St. Mary's, DeCourcy t informs us that the Very Rev. vVm. Matthews, of Washington, D. C., was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Philadelphia. His care seems to have been confined to the clergy; he does not seem to have performed any pastoral duties, as I do not find his name either in the Baptismal or Marriage Registries. I have never heard him mentioned by the old Catholics, and those I have lately questioned, have no remembran.ce of him, and one of them, then a young gentleman member of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's, says the first knowledge he had of Father Matthew's having had anything to do with the Church of Philadelphia, was read-ing it in De Courcy. The summer of 1830 brings to us Right Rev. Francis Patrick Kenrick, D .. D., Bishop of Aratlz in partibus, and Coadjutor and Administrator of Philadelphia. Well may Rev. Mr. Hughes, shortly after his arrival, write to Rev. Thos. Heyden, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo," though the "et in tcnn pax hominibus" did not come as soon as he thought it would. If "the neck of the bad principle was broken," it continued to wriggle more or less vigorously, until the arrival of "the little French Father who tells stories," t thereby gaining the hearts of the children and, through them, the consciences 'of the parents. * Bap. Reg., p. 160. t Catholic Church in America, p. 233. t Rev. Joseph Felix Barbelin, S. J. �St. :Joseph's C!turclz, Plziladdpltia. 25 Bishop Conwell had been striving to prepare himself for this blow, and a broken spirit together with the infirmities of old age and incipient blindness made him, most of the time, reconciled to the orders of Rome,-but at times, the old-man would assert itself, and on such occasions he would express himself more forcibly than elegantly. This happened upon the arrival of his Coadjutor. Being informed that Bishop Kenrick was down stairs and wished to pay his l"espects to him. "Tell the boy," said the venerable Bishop, "Tell t~e boy to go at once to Aratlz. The Bishop of Philadelphia is old enough to mind his own business." Bishop Kenrick, finding that he could not dwell peace-fully in the Episcopal mansion, and not wishing to make his home in the house where Hogan had lived, took up his residence in South Fifth street, but pontificated at St. Joseph's, one of whose pastors, Rev. John Hughes, he made his Secretary. vVe find his first record in the Baptismal Registry. "1830 Julii die 27, baptizavi Margaritam filiam Jacobi Brason et Bridgittae Quinn, uxoris ejus, nafam die I o J ulii, Patrino Bernardo Collins, Matrina Margarita Me Gitton. ffi Fl{ANC1SCUS PATR1CIUS, Epus. Arathensis et Coadj. Phil. * Although immediately upon his arrival he began to baptize, and attended as faithfully to that priestly function as any of hi~ assistants, Rev. Mr. Hughes was the favorite the ladies chose to bless their marriage. The first union that the new Bishop witnessed and sanctioned was in the second month of the next year. "1831 Februarii 7a die celebravi Nuptias inter Patricium Brady et Emiliam Darkey, praesentibus testibus.Me Auley et Georgiana Cary. ffi FRANC1SCUS PATR1CIUS, Epus. Arath. et .Coadjutor Phil.t * Bap. Reg. p. 168. t Mar. Reg. p. 280. �I St. Yoseplz's Clwrclz, Plziladelplzia. On the first of April, 1832, Rev. Mr. Hughes preached his farewell sermon at St. Joseph's and became pastor at St. John's Church, which he had built. His place was shortly afterwards filled by Rev. \Vm. ·whelan,* whoremained at St. Joseph's until the removal of the secular priests. Very Rev. Francis Dzierozynski, S. J., Vice-Provincial of the Province of Maryland, in the early part of this year, wrote to Bishop Kenrick, requesting the restoration of the Church of St. Joseph to the Society. St. Mary's bei.ng the Cathedral, tfie incorporation of 1788, and the disturbed state of its congregation, probably, deterred the saintly man from asking its restoration, although it belonged to us as much as St. Joseph's. The Rt. Rev. Bishop answered, expressing his willingness to restore St. Joseph's to the Society, but requesting, that, as he had just appointed Rev. Terence J. Donaghue, Pastor of St. Joseph's, for the year, and as Father Donaghue's new Church of St. Michael's would be finished about that time, o-ur Fathers would defer their return, until the next year. This they did, returning in April, 1833. This letter was couched in the kindest terms and preserved among the arcana of Father Barbelin, S. J. Thus for nearly a third of a cent{iry, Father Greaton's glorious little Church has been as "a stranger in a land not her own," but ·brother Augustinians, Franciscan~ Dominicans, Trappists and Seculars, and even Bishops have watched over her and cherished her, "even as a nurse cherisheth her children." During·this time, the faith of her children had been put to a severe test, and unfortunately some of them, "being weighed in the balance, have been found wanting." But God has said to her "return, my daughter," to thy first love-and this return will bring not only happiness to St. Joseph's children, but peace, union and prosperity to the Diocese of Philadelphia. (To be continued.) * Bap. Reg. p. 229. �AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF NEW· YORK AND CANADA. (Continued.) The Canada branch of our mission was not to absorb all the aqvantages arising from our first Fr. Superior's visit to the North ; for, as he was the father of both branches, so in God's bountiful providence, both were to profit by it. That of Canada was indebted to him for its very existence ; that of Kentucky for a member who was greatly to contribute to its prosperity, and to reflect great lustre on the Society in America: we refer to the Rev. John Larkin, a priest of St. Sulpice, whom Rev. Father Chazelle during his stay in Canada received into the Society, and who the following year, 1840, began his novitiate in Kentucky. The life of this remarkable man demands more than a passing allusion. Father Larkin was born in 1800, in the county of Durham, England, and after pursuing his classical studies at Ushaw under the celebrated Dr. Lingard, in the same class• with the late Cardinal \Viseman, undertook a journey to Hindostan; and on his return studied theology at Paris, in the Seminary of St. Sulpice. About the year 1830, being then a priest of the order, he was sent to occupy the chair of philosophy in the Sulpitian college at Montreal. · His very presence gave a new impetus to the studies, especially to that of the dead languages. For himself, in expounding his theses to the class, he preferred the language of Aristotle, and so nobly did his pupils emulate his example,and so well did they succeed under his careful training that they were soon able to copy their master, and were �28 l'lcw l'ork and Canada llfissiou. only allowed the choice between the idiom of the Philosopher anrl the language of Cicero. Fr. Larkin continued in his professorial chair till his entrance into the Society. He was accompanied to Kentucky by a young Prussian, who in I 841 likewise assumed the Jesuit habit, and whose mhzistry was, in after time, to be connected with the earliest days of that last great work of the Society in America,-that most precious boon of a zealous father to the Society's children in the ne\v \Vorld\Voodstock College: an institution round which, though still young,"'S.O many loving memories already cluster, thick as the running ivy that fringes its own mountain slopes ; a mansion that "\Visdom has bililt for herself," where the full training of the Society is extended by devoted Fathers to deeply grateful sons,-that training, offspring of a saint's mind o'ershadowed by the Holy Ghost, which of itself alone if only unimpeded in its slow but all-efficient course permits our persecuted Mother confidently to count on heroes where she numbers men ;-a home of brotherly love which-is daily linking our provinces closer and closer together in the network of charity,-light as the filmy thread that scarce sustains its pearl of morning dew, but for those it twines around "indissolubly strong,''~an abode of sanctity that encloses with in its walls more' than one chosen friend of God, and can already point to the hallowed grove"Where sleep its sainted dead." And finally, a sanctuary of the Sacred Heart, to which Jesus has left His name and His Heart forever; where numbers of the future body-guard of the Church are to be rendered invulnerable by being steeped in the living waters that gush from the Source of flll strength, and where the Fathers who are so untiring in their labors, have even now received" a pledge of the crown that awaits them and their children, in the aureole of glory just fallen on the whole institution; amid the effulgence of which, Woodstock Col- �New York and Canada 1Jfission. 29 lege, with its closets for study, its halls for disputation, its green lawns and shady walks for recreation, seems to disappear, while the Sacred Heart rises in its place, open wider than ever, to be hen<:eforth shrine and study, class-room and bower for all the inmates. But fond memory, disporting in the dreamy "light of other days," forgets that it is not now called on to weave a tribute of gratitude, but a simple historical narrative; we beg pardon and resume our theme. · Fr. Larkin's noviceship was scarcely ended when he was appointed prefect of studies, and, some months later, president of the day-college· lately opened in Louisville. The people of that city were not slow in discovering that in the new president they possessed no ordinary man : and so completely did he captivate the hearts of all, Catholics as well as Protestants, that he was invited to deliver the customary oration on our great national holiday, the 4th of July. Some years previous he had been solicited by a literary society of the city to lecture before them, instead of the celebrated John Quincy Adams, who had been prevented by sudden illness from delivering a discourse already announced, but this time the invitation was tendered to him by the military themselves. Besides those who had already heard of Fr. Larkin, crowds of strangers had assembled even from distant parts of the state to behold the pageantry of the day in the capital, and listen to the discourse for the occasion; but what was their ~urprise on seeing ascend the rostrum in the open square, not a military officer, nor a civil magistrate, but a Catholic priest in cassock, surplice and stole. Now, if ever, had the orator need of all his power of insinuation; and never perhaps did speaker wield his exordium with more success. He had been invited, Fr. Larkin said, to address the assembly by the military of the city :-he too was a soldier,-but under the· standard of the cross. They stood before him arrayed in their warlike costume, uniform, belt and sword ;-would not �30 .New 1'ork and Canada Jlfission. · Ius appearence be out of harmony with theirs had he ad- dressed them in any other garb than his own uniform, the insignia of his sacred calling? The eyes of 20,000 men, riveted from that moment on the glowing countenance of the minister of the God of armies, vividly spoke ·his triumph. His subject was : True Liberty: the liberty that Christ came to set up among men ; and for nearly two hours, his rich voice, and still richer thoughts, filled the ears and mind> of that vast multitude, w.ho forgot all else as they listened. Fr. Larkin's eloquence was clear, fervid and heart-felt: the weapon of the word, in him, was moulded in his broad, . solid intellect; but before passing to his hearers, it was plunged into his deep, loving heart: here it received its temper, keen as the sword's. Perhaps we should describe it most to the life by applying to it wha:t our English Homer says of the energetic valor of the younger Atrides, in the he'at of the conflict : "He sent l!is soul with e>ery l:mce h!l threw."* Fr. Larkin aimed his weapon to his hearer's reason, but it rested not till it had forced its passage to the heart. It was, in a word, heart speaking to heart, O)a_n to man. No wonder then that the crowds listened spell-bound, breathless ; and, as men who have been drinking in for a length of time a delightful melody, even when he has ceased"Listening still they seemed to hear." A few days later, a journal of the city referred to the profound erudition and the polished style of. this celebrated Jesuit, as having invested the trite subject of National Independence with a light and beauty till then unknown to his audience. Seen from a distance, in his rural Sanctuary, it continued, his commanding form towering above the plat-~------·---------------------- * P_ope's Iliad, Bk. xvii. 1. 647. The original has simply: rlxr)YnO"oo iJol.)p( <pa<:l><p. l. 57 4. �lVcw York and Cauada fi!ission. form until it almost reached the branches of the trees .above; his sacerdotal vestments contrasting with the brilliant uniforms around; his animated figure and commanding gesture, fixing the attention of the steady soldier and the respectful citizen-Father Larkin reminded us of scenes in the Middle Ages, when an humble minister of the Roman Church \\'OUld review the Christian legions, which, bristling with steel, marched to the rescue of the Holy .Sepulchre. * But more serious matters than lecturing now daimed Father Larkin's attention. The College that had been entrusted to his care was far from being prosperousit was only·a private resi.dence fitted up for class rooms, and had· never yet numbered a hundred students. Fr. Larkin conceived the plan of erecting a grand edifice, to be in · e\·ery way worthy of the name he intended it should bear, Loyola College. His plan approved, he went to work at once, and "'Vhat he greatly thought, he nobly dared." A fine piece of land was purchased at some distance from the City, and before long, the massive granite walls had risen some fifteen feet above the ground, when an event occurred, already alluded to in our account of Father Chazelle's death, which completely changed the destinies of our mission, and transported our toils and labors to an entirely new field of action. During the thirteen years ot its existence it had risen from the original four members, till, in 1844, it numbered, including those in Canada, thirty-nine, of whom nineteen '~'ere priests, three scholastics, ten coadjutor brothers, and seven novices; but it had never as yet been favored by any gladdening visit from the centre of unity in the Society. In 1845, the joyful news came that Rev. Fr. Boulanger had been deputed to visit the French missions in America. *Louisville Advertiser: apud Daurignac's Hist. of the Soc. of Jesus Yo!. 2. p. 314. · 5 �.J "Vcw York and Callada .ilfissiiJJt. .; For some years- back there had been question, at different epochs, of a visit from this Father, then our Provincial, but obstacles had always prevented the projected journey, until the present year, when, being relieved of his duties as. Provincial by Rev. Fr. Rubillon, he was named Visitor by l\lost Rev. Fr. Roothaan; and Fr. J. B. Hus assigned him as his companion. The two Fathers reached St. Mary's, Kentucky, on the 14th of June. Rev. Fr. Boulanger was a man of nerve and discernment: he requir~d no very considerable time to decide upon any matter once he had grasped it in all its bearings. Such a man was needed, for-several vital questions had been pending for years, and were, in fact, definitely settled during his stay among us. The first was the absolute refusal to receive the College of Bardstown, which had, ever since our Fathers' arrival, been repeatedly pressed on their acceptance. The second was of still greater moment. From the very first entrance of the Society into Kentucky, opinions had been divided as to the final success of the undertaking. There were indeed human considerations enough to cast a deep gloom over the still uncertain future: we were actually in the wild woods, not even an ordi~_ary country road being visible for miles around; Catholics were few, and poor at that, Protestants surrounded us on all sides ; and moreover 'the brothrely intercourse essential to union could hardly be kept up between the colony of the Society lately planted in Canada and that of Kentucky, when so great a distance separated the two branches of the same family stock. To crown all, the number of novices was so small as to leave f\O hope of replacing the already silvered veterans, whom old age and ceaseless toil would soon be sending to their rest. Whilst our Very Rev. Fr. Visitor was weighing these items of dissatisfaction with the advantage of a prolonged stay in Kentucky, and seems::d to doubt for a time, to which �l'lcw York and Canada .llfission. 33 ::;ide! the scales inclined, a letter arrived from the newly-appointed Bishop of New York, the Rt. Rev. John Hughes, which at once stopped the oscillation of the balance. The L~tter contained a request that Rev. Fr. Boulanger would .accept the Bishop's new College of St John, situated at .Fordham, about ten miles from New York; and concluded by asking an immediate interview, as his Lordship was ~oon to set out for Europe. Indecision formed no part of Bishop Hughes' character, and when he had to deal with a man of like disposition, neither time nor words were lost. It was agreed to transfer to St. John's all the members of the Society then in Kentucky. \Vhen it became noised abroad that the Jesuits were going to leave Kentucky, both Catholics and Protestants, who saw themselves about to be deprived of the honor of having a College in their midst, eagerly strove to alter their determination; they went so far as to present a petition to the Fathers, begging them to remain ; and, atthe same time, made liberal offers of aid and money. Even the daily newspapers of Louisville ignorant of the new field opened to their zeal in Fordham, and suspecting that they were forced to leave against their will, broke out into loud in-. vectives against the ecclesiastical superiors. Bishop Flaget was deeply grieved at the thought of losing the Fathers whom he esteemed so highly, but finding it impossible to alter their determination, called in the priests of the Holy Cross; who took possession of the College of St. Mary's. The uncompleted edifice at Louisville was sold back to the original owners of the property. As the minds of some were not a little excited on the subject of our entering St. John's, and even the students seemed to entertain a dread of having Jesuit teachers, itwas not deemed advisable that all should start at once. Accordingly, towards the close of April, 1846, two Fathers were despatched to Fordham and incorporated with the then existing Collegiate staff. , �34 New York alltl Cmrat{a JT!issiou. The device succeeded to perfection: the hearts of the students were soon won by the kindness of the Fathers ; and the parents, were, in a short time, happy to have their children receive the food of instruction from the hands of the Jesuits. Though the College had been opened in I84I, on the 24th of June,* feast of its Patron, St. John the Baptist, it was only on July I 5th, I ~46, a few months after the arrival of the two Fathers who had been sent to prepare the way for the rest, that it celebrated its first annual commencen:.ent since the reception of its charter. At the conclusion of the exercises on that occasion, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Hughes, but lately returned from Europe, after praising in the most cordial terms the members and labors of the Society, unfolded his whole design to the audience. The I:'athers had no longer anything to fe;:~.r; by the end of August the entire transfer had been effected, and Rev. Fr. A. Thebaud entered on his duties as President of the College. Fr. Thebaud was the fourth who sat in the presidential chair-. The present Archbishop of New York, a man universally esteemed for his talents and amiability, had been taken from his pastoral duties at St. Joseph's Church, N.Y., .to be the first President, as well as ;Professor of Rhetoric and Belles-Lettres. He was succeeded in I842 bythe Rev. Ambrose Manahan, D. D., who was in tum replaced by the Rev. John Harley. On the first staff of the College, we find, as Professor of Latin, the name of Mr. John J. Conroy,t now Bishop of Albany, whilst the present Archbishop of Baltimore, J. Roosevelt Bayley, was acting president under Fr. Harley, who accompanied Bishop Hughes to Europe in hope of finding health. The College was not the only institution on the estate, for in 1840, the Bishop had transferred thither from Lafargeville, and had placed under the invocation of. St. Joseph, his . 1 *De Courcy, Cath. Church in U. 8. c. xxv. p. 240. t Hassard, Life of Archbishop Hughes, c. xiv, p. 252. �1Vcw York and Canada ivlission. 35 diocesan Seminary. The seminarians at first ·occupied a small stone building North-west of the College, but in 1845, were laid the foundations of the beautiful fortress-like building which they afterwards occupied. The same year, the indefatigable Bishop began the erection of the Church adjoining the Seminary; and he has left us a convincing proof of his zeal for the house of God, as well as his good taste and love of the fine arts in the stained glass windows which he had made to order at St. Omers, France, express._ ly to beautify the temple he was raising to his Maker. The Apostles St. Peter and St Paul and the four Evangelists are depicted in the six windows, three on each side. The figures are executed in the best style of modern stained-glass; they stand on floriated Gothic pedestals of gold, surmounted by a rich canopy of the same, while at the foot of the pedestal is a golden escutcheon containing the name of the· Saint.* St. Joseph's Seminary was not sold with the College, but remained under the control of the Bishop for a number of years, though our Fathers were employed in it as Professors of Theology. As the number of the Fathers was too small to suffice for all the branches of instruction taught both in the College and Seminary, aid was asked from the Society in Europe. Among the Fathers that responded to the call was our late Reverend Fr. Charles Maldonado, whose devoted labors in our mission for a number of years, later gave us a right to wreathe at least a few flowers into the garlands that already twine around his tomb-and this right we dearly prize. We look upon it, in fact, as a real blessing to have had among us so perfect a type of the true Jesuit; for, as says his Obituary in a back number of the LETTERS, "he was eminently," and we would add, emphatically, "the c/zild of the Society; t and to say this is, we think, to strike the key-note of his character. ------------------ * R. Bolturi, Jr. t History of the County of,Vestchester, vol. ii, p. 331. Vol. i, N 0. 3, p. 202. WOODSTOCK LETTERS, �NeuJ York and Canaaa Jlfission. It has ever been impossible for us to associate the idea of advanced age with the pleasing image of Fr. Maldonado, which our memory loves to trace. Even his depth of learning could not make one forget his "innocent playfulness;" nay, it was this latter quality that first struck the beholder, and to discover the former, one had to pierce this ·exterior surface and sink down into the well-stored mind. Yet we would not intimate that he stro<•c to hide his learning, that would imply a strain at variance with his· open guileless character; he merely seemed to ignore its existence, a~d "Unconscious as the mountain of its ore, Or rock of its inestimable gem." without any effort concealed what cost him such persevering efforts to acquire. That simplicity so charming should be found united with eruditiQn so va~t might seem, at first, a matter of surprise; and yet these qualities far from being opposed, may be almost~ said to form but one, or at least to be as closely linked together as cause to effect. For surely, stainless must be the soul that produced so spotless a flower; and the purest of hearts the only possible sanctuary where such dove-like innocence could nestle ...-~ow it is the special privilege of the pure of heart to see God; to contemplate the very source of all wisdom and knowledge. To say that with so attractive a disposition, Fr. Maldonado endeared himself to all the inmates of St. John's, both young and old, students and Professors, would be simply to note the application to the moral order of those facts of nature our meads and prairies daily exhibit: that the sweet-brier and honey-suckle are sought alike by our sober-suited songsters, and sportive humming-birds. Fr. Maldonado returned with interest the affection of which .he was the object; and Fordham and its associations so interlaced themselves around his heart that it was ever after his delight to revisit the scenes of his first home in America. �New York and Canada A1i'ssion. 37 It is no doubt to these lingering memories that we scho-. lastics are indebted for the happy hours we spent in his company, only a few days before death snatched him from us. After suffering himself to be enticed from his quiet retreat of study and prayer at Woodstock, to spend a few days in our Mission, he consented to join us at Fort Hill; and during his short sojourn in our midst, his innocent simplicity of character seemed to reveal itself by traits .more charming than ever, as he was approaching the time when this very quality was to be his passport to the arms ·of the Saviour who has said: "Unless you become as little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." It was indeed a sight we shall never forget to behold the learned divine, successor of Suarez in the chair of Theology at Salamanca, seated on the boards of our piazza, and looking with an all-absorbed gaze on the sprightly gambols of a little pet squirrel in his wire cage. With what delight he would eye the "little fellow," as he called him, and every now and then as the little prisoner exhibited some new antic, some bold feat of agility, break out with: "Nonne Mirandum !" It was the man of prayer finding matter for wonder and amazement in the smallest of God's creatures. So much of the spirit of St. Francis of Assisium did we see in our beloved guest that we would hardly have been surprised, if while he strolled along with us through our shady woods, the birds that twittered and circled round him had ceased their warbling, and alighting on his shoulders and hands remained motionless and attentive to his words, till, as St. Francis,* he had dismissed them with the sign of the cross. Why should it not be so? when on innocent man "all things smiled :" and when around Adam and Eve *Life of St. Thomas Aquinas, by R. B. V ::mghan. Vol. I. c. 5, St. Francis and St. Dominic. �New York aud Canada Jlfissi01i. "as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damasked with flowers, frisking played All beasts of th'earth, since wild, and of all chase In wood or wilderness, forest or den.':* Buf it was of little moment to him that the birds of our forests should cluster around him, when he was so soon to be surrounded by beings of far fairer wing, of far sweeter 1 note than any this poor world can boast of; when the very angels of God were so soon to welcome him into the Divine Presence. Truly of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. But to return to St. John's. Rose Hill, as the estate was called on which the College stood, and which for a time gave its name to the. institution * was a lo\·ely spot, that would have charmed even a far less genial converser with Nature than our dear Fr. l\Ialdo.nado. In front of the stone building that capped a gentle eminence, stretched, with easy descent, a beautiful lawn some twenty acres in extent, and up and down this verdant slope the playful breezes seemed never to tire of chasing each other in mazy pursuit. Nor has time made them less sportive, for, now, as well as. then, from the College porch, especially of a morning in early Spring, when the soft green texture of each velvet blade is just fresh from Nature's loom, and the whole lawn glistens with its myriad drops of sun-lit de\;; at a moment when led by the breeze, The vivid verdure runs, one is easily charmed into the belief that Nature has suddenly reversed before his eyes Nero's astounding pageant, the solid earth seeming to have suddenly disappeared, and himself to be actually gazing on the wavy ripplings of the sea. Along the edge of this mimic ocean, like so many giant cliffs, forest-crowned, merging from the waves, rose tall and *Paradise Lost. Bk. IV. and Bk. VIII. tIt was for some time known as Rose Hill College. Bayley Cath. Church inN. Y. p. 106, Note. · .. , · �.New York and Ccmada .Mission. 39 majestic some mag·nificent elms, the grafts of wl~ich,-so the proprietors were fond of telling-had been brought in Dlden times from Holyrood Palace, the once noble residence .(,f the Scottish Sovereigns, and witness to the many woes, as well as hallowed by the sublime virtues of the saintly 1\Iary Queen of Scots. Nearer the College a clump of the same towering trees, ca~t its refreshing shade, like a wooded Island bosomed in the ocean; and just in front of the marble steps leading to the entrance, an aged weeping-\~ill~w gnarled and grote~que, drooped to the very earth-beautiful image of old age repentant. In the rear of the edifice lay a large and productjve ·f;u·m reaching to the verge of aq extensive wood, through which, as liquid boundary of the property, glided the peaceful Bronx, "now fretting o'er a rock, Now scarcely moving through a reedy pool, Now ~tarting to a sudden stream, and now Gently diffused into a limpid plain." * Besides these rural beauties with which Nature had adorned the environs of St. John's, the part of Westchester county in ·which it lay was classic ground-the scene of many a march and counter-march of the Continental forces in r 776. "There was hardly a little stream for miles around, hardly :a grass-grown lane," says the biographer of Archbishop Hughes, "which had not been the scene of conflict; hardly an old house with which some thrilling incident of the war .was not associated; hardly a commanding hill upon which the antiquary might not still trace the marks of an ancient camp, or the lines of a ruined fortification." t Fordham Heights especially, a ridge of hills little more than a stone's throw in front of the College grounds, were celebrated as being the position occupied by Gen. Wash~·Thomson's Seasons-Summer, li. 481. t Address delivered before the Historical Association of St. John's College, Dec. 3rd, 1863, by J. R. G. Hassard. 6 �40 1Vew York and Cimada JTfissiou. ington previous to the battle which took place at White Plains, about thirteen miles farther north,.on October 28th. 1776. It was probably at this time, while th.e Commanderin-chief was directing in person some of the movements o'f the Americans, that he, according to a popular tradition. passed the night in the old wooden farm-house to the left of the College. The sister tradition, however, which points to the parlor of the same cottage as the place in which \Vashingtonsigned the death-warrant of Major Andre, a legend to "Y,hich the students clung with patriotic tenacity, is, accordin~i' to the same writer just mentioned, "most certainly untrue; as Fordham at the time of Andre's execution, was within the British lines." In fact, after the battle of White Plains, Gen. Howe, the English commander, took p0ssession of the fortifications along the Heights, which the Americans had abandoned.· and kept them till the end of the war. · There exists still another traditionary legend, on which most .probably the same verdict of "unfounded" must be passed: it is that \Vashington once fastened his charger to the old willow above described. And well, perhaps, it is for the aged tree not to have this new. title to renown, else. instead of exciting the admiration of all pass.ers-by on account of its strongly-developed and characteristic bumps, . with life enough in it to put forth its pendant verdure for years to come, it might have met the £1.te of the Royal Oak. whose thick foliage sheltered for a whole day the Cavalier King, saved him from the Roundheads in hot pursuit, and was, as history relates, afterwards destroyed to satisfy the veneration of the Cavaliers.*· Still even this tradition may be true, for that an engagement, in which \Vashington himself, perhaps, was present, must have taken place much nearer to Rose Hill than that of White Plains, nay, most probably on the estate itself, is evident from the large gr~ssy mound covering the remains of a number of soldiers, * Lingard. Hist. of Engl., Vol. x, p. 336. �JVcw York and Canada "lfission. 41 which formed a very conspicuous object on the North side of the lawn, and ~m which the people even now look with ~reat reverence. The quiet Bronx itself had its warlike associations, having been once the ouly barrier that separated the contending .umies; f<;>r in those days, before mills and dams had encroached upon its copious waters, it was cousidered a sufficient obstacle to stay a hostile force. Besides, when it l1ad passed the Coliege property, it had already travelled fi.)r miles through the valley it f~rtilizes, to which it gives its name, and many a time must it have hushed its watert' into deeper stillness as it met in its course some hallowed spot, where heroes fought and bled. Many an act of noble . daring must it have seen in those by-gone days, when, too, it was the only witness of the de.ed, and the ·rocks on its. banks the only herald, by their echo, of the valorous shout or encouraging cheer of man to man. Many a purple rill of patriot blood must have trickled through the valley and fouud its way to the peaceful bed of the river, dyeing its crystal waters; and many a wounded soldier must have dragged himsdf to its edge to cool his fevered lips, and whisper, perhaps, a faint farewell to its gently gliding waves, in the frenzied hope that they might bear it along on their rippling crests to the loved ones far away. Even after the jarring sounds of war were hushed by the . peace of 1783, Rose Hill was still connected with those who had fought our battles, being the residence of Colonel John ·watts, who had married the celebrated Lady Mary .Alexander, daughter of Major-General Lord Stirling, whose claims to the peerage, however, were not acknowledged by the House of Lords. Such then was the new field of labor on which our Fathers entered in 1846, and though they had encountered many difficulties in the realization of their plan, they were soon greatly consoled by the piety of thc students entrusted to their care. Among the hundred and fifty students on �42 Ne-w York and Canada Jfissio!t. the College roll, were, as we learn from the Annual Letters of those days many really devout children, and very loving clients of the Blessed Virgin. Animated with a zeal uncommon at their age, they had formed a. Society for the conversion of sinners, and recommended to each other's prayers, one a father who had neglected his religious duties, another a mother still outside the true Church, etc. The prayers of these innocent souls were very efficacious, and in, a short time five Protestants, for whom they had been petitioning the Almighty, entered the one Fold of Christ; and two hardened sinners returned to a better life. Far from being an obstacle to their studies, their piety only took another form when there was question of preparation for class, and showed itself in serious application to their books. · The next annual commencement, which took place "under the elms," in July, 1847, the first since the Coilege had been entrusted to our .Fathers, gave abundant evidence of the students' progress. The programme comprise2 five dis•:ourses, two of which, at least, seem to have beeri really extraordinary. One, which, says the annalist, surpassed all expectation, was in Latin, and entitled: "De Latinae Linguae Laudibus," "ipsa laude dignissima," adds the MS. The other was in Englis4..'and was graced with the novel heading: "Nothing Originai:" yet so very origi. nal did it prove to be-saving the paradox-that two Protestant papers deemed it worthy of a verbatim transcription the following day. An orchestra from the city added its charms to the other attractions of the occasion, and the two thousand spectators, including a large number of the clergy, were loath to leave the spot, where the productions of science and art to which they had listened, were only outdone by the beauties of Nature which greeted their eyes wherever they turned. Thus were inaugurated those annual festivities now so well known in the vicinity of New York, ~nd al~ays so welcome to the many friends and alumni of St. John's. (To be continued.) �"FIFTIETH ANNIV'Y OF THE MISSOURI PROV. CELEBRATION AT THE NOVITIATE. The Feast of our Holy Founder was a day of unparalleled solemnity and rejoicing for the quiet commu~ity at St. Stanislaus. From far and near, the old and the young, Fathers as well as Scholastics, had gathered ~owards the parent roof, beneath which the"y had been born to the religious life and grown into maturity, until they had gone forth- with a mother's benediction upon them-strong in generous resolves and fired with pious aspirations.. For days in advance, the Novices had looked forward to this meeting, and prepareq a family festival for their elder brothers returned to them, for a few brief hours, from the harvest field of souls. Almost the first thing that greeted the stranger, as he approached the hous.e by the stonepaved walk, were two long rows of tables, arranged in the form of an Egyptian cross, beneath the shade of a few straggling locust-trees, and completely surrounded by a sort of dais or raised platform of boards. Close by, suspended from the interlacing boughs, waved a white banner-unsuggestive, perhaps, to the Casual visitor, but full of significaqce for the invited guests. For it bore on one side, in letters of green, the sacred monogram "I. H. S.," and on the other the words, "Prov. Mo., 1823-1873," marking an interval of fifty years. It was the "Golden Jubilee" of the Missouri Province, or the jijtietlz anniversary of its foundation. The ceremony began by a solemn High Mass, with deacon anq subdeacon. Every available inch of the devotional �44 Fiftictlt .Amth•crsary of tltc Jft~·souri PnrvillCt'. . . little chapel, as well as a part of the corridor leading to it, was occupied, and presented a scene that will not easily f:1.de from the memory. Those prostrate forms, from the white-haired veteran to the youngest recruit-sending aloft their united prayers in response to the solemn notes of the celebrant and in soft accompaniment to the louder strain,; of the choir-all spoke a language of their own, which words cannot translate but which the religious soul in,.;tantly recognises as its mother tongue. When Mass wa~ finished, the visitors-still under tli.e elevating in.f:1uence of these sacred ceremonies-withdrew to the forepart of the house to converse upon the theme that was then uppermost in every mind. The younger portion grouped almost instinctively around some older member to hear from his lips the history of earlier days-of their trials and dangers, of their labors and fruits, of their struggles and triumphs. Meanwhile, busy young hands were spreading the festive board under the trees, until a drenching rain ;md threatening sky warned them t.o transfer their prepararations to more protected quarters. They did so, with as much expedition and religious good grace, as if they had actually succeeqed in hiding their disappointment even from themselves. It was not long before ·the sound of the bell summoned the guests to the familiai'~ld refectory, in which a plenteous repast had been served up for them. The whole apartment was filled to overflowing; and the waiters, with all their dexterity and daily experience, could scarcely succeed in squeezing their way in betwe!n the almost contiguous rows. All practically felt the necessity of providing more ample accommodations for the growing numbers of the community. This want is about to be supplied, and the visitors had the consolation of taking a part in the initiatory step. For during the course of the afternoon, they all proceeded in rank an,d file, amid sacred canticles and prayers, towards the rear of the house, to attend what is commonly termed "the laying of a corner-stone." �r}(tietlz Amziz•ersar;' of tlte J~fissouri Province. 45 The new building, which was already finished up to the table-;:;tone of the foundation, is meant to serve as an addition to the present substantial, but not very capacious. structure. Very Rev. Father Provincial himself performed the ceremony of blessing the stone, and fitted into the neatly-chiselled cavity a tin casket, which containedbesides smaller articles usually enclosed on similar occasions-a parchment with the following inscription : "0. A. !I. D. G." "Anno salutis millesimo octingentesimo septuagesimo tertio, regnante summo Pontifice Pio Nono, vigesimo octavo gloriosi sui Pontificatu~ anno, Adm. Rev. P. Petro Beckx Praeposito Generali Societatis J esu, Archiepiscopo Ludovicensi Petro Richardo, Plur. Rev. P. Thoma O'Neil Praeposito Provinciae Missourianae, Rev. P. Isidoro Boudreaux Rectore domus probationis ad Stm. Stanislaum et !Iagistro Novitiorum, Praeside Statuum Foederatorum Ulysse Grant, Gubernatore Status !Iissouri Sila L. 'Voodson, Architecto Adolpho Druiding; tempore, quo summus Pontifex omnibus bonis spoliatus, a cunctis guberniis derelictus vel impugnatus quasi captivus anno jam tertio in domo Vaticana detinebatnr; tempore quo (legibus iniquissimis, tum in Italia, tum in Germania et alibi, contra jura Sanctae Ecclesiae latis et religiosis ordinibus praecipue Societate Jesu expulsis), inferni potestates et impiorum machinationes Sanctam Christi Religionem destruere et Societatem Jesu eradicare totis viribus conabantur: lapis angularis hujns aedificii ad majorem Dei gloriam ct ad novos socios J esu strenuosque milites pro defensione Religionis et fidei propagatione efformandos solemniter positus est, die trigesimo primo Julii, fcsto Sti. Ignatii, cum anniversarium quinquagesimum a fnndatione Novitiatns et Provinciae !lissonrianae principio, magno jubilo celebrarctnr, praesentibus:" Then followed a long list of signatures, from Very Rev. Father Provincial's down to that of the last admitted Novice, who still found his long black gown quite as cumbersome as young David found the royal armor. After the stone had been scaled, an aged Father, who celebrated the "Golden Jubilee" of his ordination a few days later-yielding to solicitations, so repeatedly and so gracefully renewed that it was sweeter to surrender than to triumph-briskly mounted the walls of the rising edifice and said a few pithy words of exhortation and advice in Latin. �46 .Fiftict!t Annh,crsar;• of t!tc Jfissouri Provine.·. The speaker's patriarchal age of 76, his fifty years of priesthood and the very simplicity of his language surrounded him with the halo of other days, and threw a sort of charm upon the many pious sentiments that he suggested. Here are a few, culled from among others of the same kind: "Vos rogastis me, Reverendi Patres Fratresque Chnrissimi, ut dicercm \·obb aliquid pro vtstra aedificatione. Ego, qui mmimus smn intPr vo~. tlebuissem potius rogan>, ut vos dignemini me instruere et udjuvare \'estris exhortationibus, ut diligentior evadam in servitio Dei, et ut sic; me praeparem "ad pie moriendum. Cum tamen, teste Scriptum Sacm. heatius sit magis dare quam accipere, ego lubentissime acquievi pet.itionibus vestris. Ista animo volventi occurit caput tertium Act. Apostolorum, ubi S. Lucas narrat de quodam viro qui erat 'claudus ex utero matris suae ... Petrus aut em dixit: Argentum et aurum non est milti. quod autem habeo, hoc tibi do ... .' "Narro to tam seriem istius miraculi, ut in de qua edam verba depromam quae mihi et vobis applico, 'Argentum,' nempe, 'et ".urum non est mihi.' Y erb:t haec, in sensu literali, verissima sunt; quid, enim, possidet qui ligatus est voto paupertatis? Et, in sensu figurato, sunt aeque vera. Qui>: \lllt!Ua.!_n credidit,aut credere potuit, mihi esse argentum et aurum Sapient iae nempe, ·quo vos doceam et instruam? Absit a me ut tale quid prae~umam. Vos potius magistri mei estis, paratus ego omni tempore discipnlus vester fieri, et ex m'e vestro andire verba eonsolationis et salutis. ::-<i nutPm dicerem me omnino nihil habere, quo vobis utilis esse possum, veritatem utique non loquerer. Duo eten}ui mihi sunt propria, quae ,-obis omnibus sunt communia, lingua scilicet et cor; lingua qua vos nlloquor, et cor quo vos amo ct diligo. "Et primo quoad linguam, non ignobile utique membrum, vobis He·rcrendis Patribus et Fratribns dilectissimis iterum iterumque dico, ut nostris calamitosis temporibus sitis semper et ubique sal terrae et lux mundi, ut per vestros labores, per vestras virtutes, per vestrum sancte vivendi- modum, glorificetur Pater noster qui in coelis est. Jam proh dolor! cum veritate fateri de bemus, quod tot us mundus in maligno positus est, ita ut nostris temporibus ordinaria non amp!ius sufficiat virtus, ut onmes latentes inimici insidias plene vincamus.... "ltaque tamquam veri filii Societatis simus parati ad proelium, nemini dantcs ullam offensam; sed in omnibus exhibeamus nosmetipsos tamquam Dei ministros, in multa patientia, in trilmlationibus si fbrte, D~o pcrmittente, nobis obveniant. Ut multa paucis complectar, ~hnus omnes, adjuvante Dei gratia, :mgelice casti et sincere humiles. llumiliamini sub potenti manu Dei ut vos exaltet in tempore tribulationis. "Dixi me nihil habere nisi linguam et cor, qui bus vobis utilis esse possum. Primum probavi vos exhortando ad virtutem; secundum proba- �re debeo vos amawlo et diligendo. }[oduui no~ docet dilectu~ ChriHtl di~cipulus, Sanetus .Joannes. 'Filioli mei.' sic scribit. 'non diligamu, n•rbo, neque lingua. sed opere et veritate.' .... Diligamus igitur invicem vero c0nstantiqn" fraternituti~ umore. et vivamus saneta pace uniti, <let nee intremus regnum ll(.'terni umori:l. Amen." These words found an echo in every 'heart and were treasured up as the legacy of a bygone age.* But there was one present there, in whose memory the ,,·hole scene must have awakened the personal reminis:;ccnces of half a century-one of that courageous band of young Flemmings, six in number, who forsook their homes <tnd their country to evangelize the wilds of America, eluded :the vigilance of their kinsfolk and of a hostile anti-Catho~ · lie government, landed upon our shores, poor and lonely ·wayfarers, with nothing but their zeal and the word of a pious priest to introduce them-enrolled themselves in the ranks of the resuscitated Society and began their probation at vVhitemarsh, Maryland ;-then (with their heroic Novicemaster, Father Van Quikenborne, and another Belgian Father by the name of Timmermans as their leaders, and two Belgian lay-brothers as their companions) sought for a new lwme in the unexplored regions of the \Vest-journeyed \or hundreds of miles on foo·t, over rugged mountains and uncultivated plains-:-descended rapid rivers on treacherous flatboats-crossed the "Father of Waters" to· enter upon fields of missionary labor, trodden some fifty years before by their brethren of the old Society ;-and, finally, after perils and hardships, never perhaps to be recorded, settled upon a farm presented to them by Bishop Dubourg, to lay the first foundation of what is now the Missouri Province. "The speaker's name is Father James Busschotts, a Flemming, born .June 22d, 1796, and therefore 77 years of age. He entered the Society, a;; a I'CCUlur priest, in 1R.'l3, and celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his onlination on the iith of August, thi~ yetir. 'Ye are indebted for th!' above extracts to tlw venerable Fatll!'r himself, who kindly wrote them <>ut and placed thew at our disposal. 7 �48- Pifiietft Anni<Jcrsar;• of tlie ~if'lissouri Pro-m-1tce: For him the events commemorated on that auspiciou .... day had- a personal significance, which they could not havet,i)r others;. for he might have said of ali of them: ."quorum f'ars magna jiti:· .~s be stood there, like cr man come tlown fi·om another generation, with all the venerableness of age, but without its feebleness, with eye u-ndimmed, with strength unbrok.en, with the actions of a long life crowding Into one singfe point of time, that had neither past nor· future, he might have seemed, for a brief moment, like a faint image.,<;>fHim, who remains unchanged though everything around has changed, and with one comprehensive· glance, beholds all the instants of reYofving ages.* He stood almost upon the very site where, fifty years' before, he had 'helped to Iay the foundation of another building, without these imposing ceremonies, or this crowd nf heirs to perpetuate his labors and his successes. Not long ago, the first humble cabin raised by Jesuit hands, was :;till pointed out on the premises at the North-east corner of the new edifice. It was nearly surrounded, during the summer months, by a rank growth of weeds, with here and there a stunted peach tree, a neglected flower, or a. gaily-blooming turnip, to feed the .bees in an adjoining hive. .There it stood-its two small brick-paved roomshalf buried in the earth and rubbish, accumulated by succeeding yea i-s-a relic too sacred to feel the touch of relentJess progress-a monument, that told the thoughtful Novice of the work accomplished by his hardy forefather:s. There "'The Father here alluded to is .Judocu~ V:m A:-~chc, lJorn in lklgium ~Ia_\· :!8th, 1800, and now o-.er seventy-three year~ of age. He lm~ heen blessetl by nature with an iron constitution, that ~eem~ unsusceptihiP of the wenr of declining years, and is still as hardy and supple of limb a~ the youngetit. He hounds on his horse with the greatest ease and agility, nnd attend>< alone a pretty extensiYe country parish, composed of the Freneh and English speaking inhabitants of St. Ferdinand (alias Flori"'ant) and the environs. �F_zjtietlt Anniversary of tlu J!issou;-i Pnmzntt. 49 was the birthplace of the Missouri PrO\·ince and of t1lc :-Jovitiate- there had been cast that grain of mustard seed, ·now grown into a tree, beneath whose branches he too l1aii ·taken shelter from the world. There the first Novice-mas· ter, at the head of his six spiritual children, had divided the day between prayer and the hardest manual htbor-had taught some roaming Indian youth tl1e catechism, and the next hour, perhaps, had plied the axe and mallet to fell of rive a gnarly oak-had performed the last ministrations of Teligion. over sm;ne dying French trapper, then borne upon his shoulders the timber for another dwelling. And now, after only fifty years, how changed the ,;ccnc ~ Not merely towns, but cities numbering th.ree or four hundred thousand souls, have sprung UfJ around us) and in many of them we have temples to the living God, one of which is only second to the Gesu at Rome in the number of its communions.* Missionary bands traverse the country from one extremity to the other, to lead back the straying' sheep and gather new ones into the fold. Three College" -besides one or two academies.--educate two or three hundred youths each, in the higher branches of study; and, within the last year or two, they have given us some thirty or more Novices, most of whom have completed the if course as far as Philosophy (exclusively) under our own eyes. Looking at this youthful family. now so flourishing, those first fathers might exclaim, if they still lived : "These are the children which God hath given us." But they have gone to their reward, with the exception of one lay-brother and the two oldest Novices of the band, who r.emain to tell of the virtues and toils of their departed companions. *This statement is made on the authority ofu Father, long connected with the Holy PiJ,JIIiiJJ ('!Jur<"il, Chi<"ago. of which tlwrt· is question here., ln 1871, the number of IIostR distrihnted ~whieh nre always counted by the sacristan b('fore being put into the Ciborium) wa~ between 80,000 :md !JO,OOO. It must )Jc larger now; hut we have not at hand the neces:mry documents to verify, and compare· especially with our Churches in France. �)0' Fifiietli Amzizrcrsary of t!ic "Tfissouri Prom"nce: There was not one among them all, whose memory i,.c not held in benediction, They lived and they died faith-ful sons of Loyola; and all have laid them down at la,;L to re:-,t at the loot of the cross in the Novitiate, tbe home t)f their early exploits, now the place of their repo,;c. Then.~ they sleep, upon that hallowed little mound-prct:ious spot of earth-among the catalpas and weeping-willows, in whose shade the Novices often g•) to tell thei1· clnpkt and muse upon the devotedness of their Fathers .. There they sleep-their Master of Novices, Father Van lJuickcnborrle, still at the head, first in life and first in tleath. and all the others grouped around him, to be separated ne\•ermore. Some of them were distinguished men, in the strictest ~enst.: of the word: and all of them have left us much toadmire, and still more to imitate. Fathers Peter Joseph Verhaegen and John Anthony Elet both filled the office of Provincial-the latter in Missouri-the former, at different times._ both in Maryland a!ld in Missouri; Father John Baptist Smedts was Master. of Novices and afterwards spiritual Father; and Father Peter John DeSmet, who has latel)· g-one to join them, has finished a career, which the world itself agrees in styling remarkable.* ..: Their first religious years were a school of perpetual abnegation and humility -a ·life of heroic sacrifice, which supplied them with the most effectual antidote against any rising thought of selfcongratulation and complacency at the success of their efforts. A different, and in many respects, a more dangerous sphere of action is open to us. They des.cended, with unconscious magnanimity, from the manners of the refined and learned among whom they had been brought up, to the customs of the savage and of *Om' of the lay-brothers, who nceompanied these Fnthers in their expeditioi1, also lies buried in the Cemetery at the Novitiate. He wu~ called Henry Reiselman, and acted as infirmarian at the time of hi~ decease, in June, 1857. The other lay-brother, and two :Fathers (Novicet> at the time of tl;eir arrival in ~Iissouri) nre ~till alive. One of these Fn- �J.ljtietlz .-lmzh•crsmy if tlzc .'J;Jissouri Pro'l,inu. )r the untutored settler. Now it is much, if we can raise ourselves to the level of a society, wh-ich, though but of yesterday, is perhaps affectedly vain of its polish and education-if we can maintain our ancestral reputation for learning in the almost daily contact with non-Catholic minds, keen to gauge intellectual attainments and slow to approve anything in us but genuine merit-if we can satisfy the demands of a catholic community, which holds. perhaps, a relatively higher social position here than in any other part of the Union, and which is therefore beginning to be daily more and more fastidious, not- only about the food that we present, but also about the manner in which we serve it up. If, however, we know how to read the signs of the times as well as our laborious forefathers, if we prove ourselves as well qualified for the new exigencies of things <md combine an equal amount of modest worth and indomitable, untiring energy-it is impossible to overestimate the results ; for even the bright.est fancy-pictures must fall far short of the reality. If we are true to ourselves and to our early traditions, the Novice of 1873 may live to witness changes more astonishing than any hitherto effected, and tell of a contrast far more striking at the centenary celebration in NINETEEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE. ---~~---------------------- thers is Judocus Van Assche, of whom mention has been already made; the other~Felix Verreydt, born in 1798, and therefore 75 years old-is Htationed at Cincinnati. The lay-brother is also at Cincinnati. He is called Pete1· De :Meyer, and was born in 1793, being at present over c ighty years of age. �SKETCH OF THE EARLIEST ~IIKISTRATIOX S OF THE SOCIETY I~. BALTil\IORE. Bancroft, speaking of the Jesuit missionarics in North .'\merica, sa)~S that "the history of their labors is connected with the o;i"gin of every celebrated town in French America.'' The same cannot be said of the towns "in the United States, "at least in a material point of view,-nor perhap=of Maryland's .Metropolis among the rest. But certainly the history of the Society is connected with the origin of Catholic Baltimore; since, as will be seen, the firsl regular ministrations performed there were by Our Fathers ; the first established resident priest there was one of Ours; the firsttwo Hishgps of the See, which \yas the first erected in the United States and is still the primatial one, had been members of the Society at the time of its suppression,. and never lost their affection for it. Our subject then is certainly an interesting one ; and we regret that we ha? not at hand materials sufficient to enable us to treat it as it deserved. i\o do~1bt many old documents relating to it lie covered with dust, in different houses,-to say nothin,; of oral information which may yet be obtained; and we hope they will. be brought into sen·ice by some one else, to complete thi~ imperfect sketch. All that we have done in it was merely to give a few facts, taken principally from the few old boob bearing on the subject, which the resources of \Voodstock allowed us to consult. \Ve have been indebted most of all to sketches of the Catholic Church in Maryland, written many years ago by B. U. Campbell, Esq., of Baltimore, in the "Religious Cabinet," and "Catholic Magazine," periodicals long since defunct. �Earliest . Ministrations of tlze Society in Baltimore. 53 Passing over the trifling details of its previous history, it is ,.;ufficicnt to st~te at the outset that in 17 52 the present ~~reat city of Baltimore consisted of only twenty-five houses and two hundred inhabitants,-which would make it not very much larger than our own neighboring insignificant hamlet of\Voodstock. In I 7 s6 it was reinforced by a colony of the exiled. Acadians, whose pathetic history is bet· ter known. to the English-speaking world from Longfel~ low's beautiful poem founded on it, than perhaps from any other source. These forlorn exiles were hospitably re· ceived by the Baltimorians, and with their arrival Catholic· ity begins in Baltimore; as it seems that before them very few if any Catholics were to be fo~nd there. These good people, as is well known, had a very simple and warm faith, a~d an unswen;ing attachment to the religion of their forefathers; and these qualities, heightened by the heart-rending sufferings inflicted on them in their expul· sion from their happy homes in Acadie, made them most suitable for laying the religious foundations of the future Catholic :Yietropolis of the United States. Some of them settled on a part of what is now S. Charles St. ; and that portion of the city, for that reason, was for a long time known as "French town." Others of them took refuge in nn unfinished house situated near the site of the pre$ent. Battle l\Ionument,-at the centre of all the bu~iness and activity of the city of to-day,-known as Fotterall's building; of which some account must be given, as in it probably the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was first offered in Baltimore. Griffith, in his "Annals of Baltimore," says of it: "It was erected about 1740 by Mr. Edward Fotterall, a gentleman from Ireland, who imported the materials and erected the first brick house with freestone corners ; the first which was two stories without a hip-roof, in town."* *It may be well to state that the hip-roof was an old form of the present :Mansard roof, so much cried down after the Boston fire; and as hip-roofs appear to have prevailed in Baltimore at that time, we thus see that in house-building, as in other matters, fashions repeat themselves. �54 Earliest Jlimstrations of the _<.,~ocicf)' in h'a!timor<. It may be seen in an old picture of ''Baltimore as it was in 1752," a copy of which hangs in the Fr. :Minister's room at Georgetown College, and which has lately been reproduced for a new book on the history and present condition and resources of Baltimore. This house was not designed or built for a church or chapel ; but the proprietor returning to Ireland, where he died, left it in an unfinished state; and ,;orne of the Acadians above-mentioned, finding it abandoned, lodged themselves in such of its rooms as were habitable. -J.n one of these, and sometimes also in a house on S. Charles St., Mass was said when a priest was among them. One account says that they enjoyed the presence of one for some time, tht; Rev. l\lr. Leclerc ; but who he was, where he came from, whether he came along with them and was perhaps identical with Longfellow's Fathet· Felician, docs not appear. l\lr. Campbell makes no mention of. him. \\'e hear of him only from the Abbe Robin. \vho published in 1782 an account of his travels in America while attached to the army of the Count de Rochambeau as chaplain ; and De Courcy who cites him, yet ,;peaks unfavorably· of his book ; while at the same time we have found some of the statements in it about Mr. Leclerc to be contradictory to Campbell's, on which there seems to be reason to rely. If Mr. Leclerc was in Baltimore, he probably did not remain long, and after his departure the Catholics there had to depend on the visits of Our Fathers from the residence at vVhitemarsh, who were therefore their first regularly attending clergymen. Such being the case, \Vhitemarsh naturally deserves more than a passing mention in our sketch. And first a few facts of ~laryland colonial history will not perhaps be out of place. Lord Baltimore. as is well known, established religious toleration as the corner-stone of his settlement in the Ne\\. World: the settlers being prip.cipally Catholics who had fled from the persecutions to which their Religion was subject in the Old. . The other· colonies stood in need of so �Earliest }Jifinistratio!ls of tltc Socie~y ill Haltimore. --- '' salutary an example, since in all of them religious bigotry . and proscription prevailed to a greater or less extent The most bitter preju,dices against Catholics existed even in the adjoining colony of Virginia, afterward the home of \Vashington and Jefferson and l\Iarshall, and in our time the State on whose soil Know-nothingism received its death-blow. The benign concessions of Lord Baltimore's government, however, were at length abused by those whom they benefited most. The Protestants, having increased in numbers, upset the religious toleration to which they owed their entrance intD the CD!ony; in 1692 the Church of England was made the established church of i\Iaryland, and afterward the most oppressive laws were enacted against Catholics. These laws wc::re more or less in force until the approach of the American Revolution, when <til religious differences were forgotten in the desire for na· tiona! independence. They forbade, among other things, public Catholic Churches; and when old St. Peter's Church in Baltimore, of. which we must soon speak, was built in 1771, there was nDt, it is believed, a public Catholic Church in the state. An exception, however, to the general prohibition of Catholic worship, allowed it to be practised in private houses or on private estates. Availing themselves of this privilege, Our Fathers, who, at the time of which we are writing, were the only priests in Maryland, had on each of the several farms which they had acquired, a private chapel connected with the residence, to which the Catholics of the neighborhood came, to hear Mass and receive the sacraments. Such was the case at Whitemarsh, where the Society had a farm, which still re· mains in its P?Ssession, and where there is at present a residence and Church. It is situated about twenty miles from Washington and about the same distance from Baltimore, and was never accessible by railway until the construction lately of the Balto. and Potomac Railroad, which passes quite near. 8 �56 Earliest 111imstrations of tlie Society· in Ba!iiinorl':. \Vhitemarsh is a historic place in more respects then one:. lt was the seat of the· first Novitiate in the United State~· after the Restoration of the Society ;.and from its hallowed: precincts started fifty years ago the small band who were· to found the Province of 1\Iissouri.~It is in the same county, and not many miles distant from the birthplace of the first Archbishop of Baltimore; to whose future See it was supplying its first regularly attending priests while he was undergoing in Europe the long course of preparatory training in tl1e SBciety. It seems to have been a forerunner of Baltimore in ecclesiastical importance,-a sort of Catholic capital of the United States in the first days 0f their independe nee. There, after the Rc\·olution, several meetings were held of the clergy of Maryland and Pennsylvania, all late members of the Society, and comprising by far the greater part of the priests in the Thirteen Colonies, for the purpose of consulting about the constitution of the Church in the new Republic, and of taking steps to communicate their sentiments to Rome; the result of these meetings having been the appointment by the Pope of Father John Carroll as ecclesiastical superior,-a prelude to his subsequent appointment as first bishop of the newly created'·See of Baltimore. \Vhitemarsh, however, has lost all its ancient importa nee, and offers now one of the many instances of the vicissitudes of human things. More than forty years ago the Novitiate was removed from its bos01i1 to Frederick ; Baltimore, which, while a mere village, depended on it in spirituals, has grown into a great city, of a hundred thousand Catholic population ; and \Vhitemarsh is now as unimportant a mission as Baltimore was in .the days of its infancy. At what time precisely the Fathers from Whitemarsh began'their visits to the Town of Baltimore, we could not ascertain. It seems probable that they began them shortly afte: the year I 7 56, and continued them until 1784, when �,Earliest 1llinzstrations of t7te Society in 13a?timore. ~ 57 resident priest was appointed, as we shall see. It does .not appear either what Fathers attended during all that _period, nor at what intervals of time. Mr. Campbell gives ,;orne -information which he obtained from speaking with .a gentleman who had been, in 1768, a member of the -congregation in Fotteraii's building, above-mentioned; of which it may be interesting to remark, as it :was probably the scene of the first l\Iass in Baltimore, that it was situa~ ted but a very short distance from the spot where Loyola College was opened in 1852, on Holiday St., before the -erection of the present College and Church on Calvert St. The visiting priest fmm \Vhitemarsh at that date was Rev. John Ashton, S. J., and his visits were monthly, reminding .us at \Voodstock of the monthly visits of our Fr. · \Iinister to the mission of Sykesville, eight miles from here. On those occasions Fr. Ashton brought with him the vestments and sacred vessels used in the celebration of \'lass. A room in the lower story of the neglected building was arranged for the purpose,-care having been .taken first of all to drive ·out the hogs, which habitually made their home there. A temporary altar of the rudest description was erected each time. The congregation, con-;isting principally of the Acadians and some few Irish Catholics, sometimes amounted to no more than twenty and seldom exceeded forty persons.-To state the few facts that we know about Fr. Ashton ; he was born in Ireland in 1742, according to Oliver's collection, was admitted into the Society in 1759, and was first on the mission in Yorkshire. He must have been a man of business Ltlent; as, at the assembly of the clergymen of Maryland -and Pennsylvania, late members of the suppressed Society, <.:onvcned at \Vhitemarsh in 1784, he was unanimously dwsen procurator-general, whose duty it was to preside over the maHagement of the various estates of the clergy: subsequently, too, he was appointed to superintend the building of Georgetown College in 1788. He died in Maryland in 1814 or 1815. �58· E;1rliest ilfinistrations of t!tc Society in Ba!tiinore: It will be of special interest to those at Woodstock to• know that the \Vhitemarsh missionaries, in their pastoral visits to Baltimore, did not go there directly, but by a roundabout course, taking Doughoregan Manor on the way, where they said Mass in the private chapel attached to the house; this having been one of the· various stations existing at the time in Maryfand for the Catholics who· lived at a distance from the residences of the priests. Doughoi-egan Manor, or "the Manor," as we call it at \Voodstock, is the old residence of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and ''is oniy three or four miles distant from here~ It is the original Carrollton, whose lkl.me the illustrious Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence appended to his signature, to distinguish him from all other Charles Carrolls, when he staked all his vast fortune on the cause of the Colonies. It is still occupied by a descendant ofhis, Hon. John Lee Carroll, and kept by him in excellent condition. All newcomers at Woodstock propose sooner or later to pay it a visit; and it is certainly an object of attraction, with its beautiful avenues, shaded by tn~es,-the fine lawn in front of the house,-the old manorial mansion itself, sumptuous in its conveniences but I}Ot modern in appearance,-and the pretty little church:a_ttached, which has a regular congregation, ministered to by a priest residing at the Sulpitian Petit .)eminairc of St. Charles, near by. This chapel contains the remains of the venerable Signer; and the historic interest of his name is the greatest of the attractions of the Manor which was his home. But it, as weli as the places around, ought to have additional interest for us in our holiday walks, on account of their associations with the journeys of Our Fathers a hundred years ago and more, to supply the spirituai wants of the future Catholic Metropolis of the United States. Perhaps, even, it is n~t an improbable conjecture that they sometimes passed by Woodstock; it may be, to attend some Catholics who chanced to be in this direction,-or to vary their �.Father De Smtt. 59 route to Baltimore, especially as it was only about half the distance from the Manor that they had travelled already from \Vhitemarsh. If that be true, after the suppre,;sion of the Society, which took place during the period of the \Vhitemarsh attendance on Baltimore, we may imagine the Jesuit missionary riding along here, thinking gloomily of the sad event ; and we can think how easily he might have been consoled if he could have foreseen the future a. hundred years thence of that hill rising abruptly from the river,then covered with impenetrable undergmwth,-now cleared and levelled and ornamettted, and bearing on its summit a prosperous Schola,;~icate of the re~tored Society. (To be continued.) FATHER DE SMET.-HIS SERVICES TO THE SOCIETY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE. Another of Missouri's pioneer Jesuits has gone to his reward, another of its early light:; has disappeared forever from the horizon, another of its best known champions has finished the struggles of his eventful life.- Father De Smet has entered upon his last long journey to return no more. • The news of his demise has been borne on the wings of the lightning across two distant continents; and many nonCatholic as well as Catholic periodicals have deemed it their duty to extol the departed as a benefactor of human- . ity, and to give an extended record of his deeds. He un- �6o Fat!tcr De Smct. doubtedly rendered signal services to society at large during· the last thirty-five years of his life; and the world has been candid enough to acknowledge its indebtedness. He led a public life; and the ordinary reader has long been familiar with its history. Its princip1l incidentshis birth in 1801, his studies in the episcopal semin:uy at Mechlin, his flight from his native country, his twenty-one \·oyages across the Atlantic, his frequent expeditions to the Indians, the missions of peace and conciliation with which he was entrusted by our government, the lingering and cruel illnes-:rthat finally bore him to the tomb on the 23rd of l\Iay I 873-all these, besides many interesting details published by himself, have become a sort of public property and passed into the domain of gt>neral history. It is not our province to repeat them or to dwell upon what every one knows. But Father De Smet rendered special services to his religious brethren, which it was not easy to appreciate at their _full value so long as we enjoyed his presence, yet which it is only meet to record with becoming gratitude, now that he has passed from among us. He led a religious life, whose truly edifying traits were not fully known even to those who approached him mo:;t' familiarly, yet which should not. be allowed to disappear in .our admiration of his public virtues. These services to his brethern were mainly due to his· own peculiar influence and relations with the outer world. It is true that, in common with his companions, he lent his robust frame and giant strength to lay the foundations of the Society in the \Vest. But he built up his Province much n~ore eij'iciently by the resources and the members that he procured for it on the other side of the waters. When he pleaded in his native Flanders, on behalf of the Indian missions or of the gro\ving Church in the new world. he was ce;tain to meet with a favorable hearing ... The wealthy opened their purst;s to contribute from their. abundance; �~at!tcr De Smd. 6! and the fervid youths in the Colleges and Semitlarieslistencd with burning cheek and throbbing heart, until they had resolved to follow him and to spend themselve,.; in the service of the Church among the Indians or among the equally destitute \'lhites beyond the sea. It was thus that, in the beginning, we received so large an influx of those sturdy Flemings, whose panegyric St. Francis Xavier himself has left written. Strong and muscular in body, frank and open in character, ready to accommodate themselves to the customs of their adopted country, remarkable for their practical good sense and gifted with more than ordirury facility for acquiring a knowledge of English, tbey formed in those early days the thews and • sinews, the bone and marrow of the Missouri Province. Father De Smet.exercised the same ascendency over the greatest minds and most prominent characters in our own country, and his credit with them was always used in the interest of the Church and of the Society. What political prejudice or religious bigotry would have refused as an act of strictest justice to the whole body, policy or a sense of innate gratitude readily conceded to his individual representations. How· many embarrassments we have thus been spared, only they can understand who have followed the history of the various political parties and factions of the Republic, often friendly but just as often hostile to the Church and to the religious qrders. We owe him an eternal debt of gratitude for his many and well-timed remonstrances. Father De Smet rendered no less important services to his Province and to the whole Society in this country, by bringing it prominently and favorably before the public. For though his qualifications were rather of a personal character than the result of the regular training. given in the Society, they nevertheless reflected immense credit upon the body to which he belonged, and made it known where but for him it would have scarcely been heard of. His merits �were ,unquestionably of a superior order, and everywhere inspired admiration and respect-as well among Americans as among Europeans. \Vith the prestige of a great name-with a presence that was imposing in his prime and venerable in his declining years.....:....with an artless simplicity united to a native dignity of bearing, which always maintained the respect due to the priestly character-with winsome manners and great conversational powers-he was at home in every circle ... \Vhen he wished he soon commanded the interest ang ·attention of the company, and became the centre of att'raction. His hearers were won by the charm that he could throw around the simplest aner:dotes of his missionary tours, and listened for hours at a time, not from mere deference for his person, but from genuine apprecia- • tion of his recital. Yet it was chiefly his extensive correspondence and other written papers that showed his rare talent for narration and description. Though most of them seem to have been intended for private communication, and written on the spur of the moment, they are deservedly admired by all judicious critics; and form no inconsiderable addition to the literature of the day. His publi!?hed writings treat of the missions and their wants, the <?hurch and its actual standing, the zealous lives and edifying deaths of many of our members; and a great variety· of other subjects bearing upon the interests of religion. Among his manuscripts are literary Albums, highly appreciated by those who have ever glanced at them; as well as biographical sketches of our departed Fathers and Brothers; creditable alike to the virtue of the deceased and to the assiduous devotedness of the compiler, who spent his leisure moments in collecting materials for the edification of future generations. All his writings are remarkable for an ease and nai·l'c!t, highly keeping with his own character. Many of them display an uncommon amount of information, that could scarcely have been acqtiired except by personal observa- in �rlrtlur De Smet. <ion; ·and reveaL to the unbiassed reader the secret activity and energy of his mind. Much as he himself travelled, his writings::have travelled still more, and kindled in many ,t generous soul the, love of a religious life. Even boys are b-;c:nated by th::: romance of his Indian tales, and feel a sor: of unaccountable attraction· for the exploits of a missionary life, not very unlike that usually awakened in them by books of_adventure. These literary labors, .added to his own reputation, obtained for him an immense and influential circle of acquaintance.-;. The learned and the we;J.lthy, the politician and the statesman, courted his friendship and bowed be-· fore him as before a superior. Not <!" few among our non-Catholic friends looked ·up to him as the great representative of religion in the \Nest, or even in the United :-:>tates; and, in one noted instance, a public official of .,tanding, is said to have applied to him, as though he could control the united forces of the church in the country. . Yet he did not gain this popularity by the sacrifice of any of the important duties of the religious life. On the contrary, it was by his staunch adherence to the essential ubservances of his holy state, that his influence was ac<[uired and pre~ervcd. V cry few, even of those who knew him best, were aware of his scrupulous exactness in everything that h;1d any reference to the vows. But those, who:;e position enabled them to see what others passed by unnoticed, often admired it. In this particular, it is sai-d, he would never allow himself even those exemptions to which his duties and occupations might have seemed to entitle him. With him, poverty did not consist in an empty profes>ion ; he loved to see it appear in the exterior. Those who have dealt with. him know, that he was never more animated than in his invectives against what he regarded as affectation ·or extravagant elegance in the apparel of 9 �Fatlu·r De Smct. priests or religious, which lessens the confidence of the Jdithful and ·offends them fully as much as slovenlines!' repels. He was strictly careful about everything entrusted to his keeping ; and, though for many years he managed the finances of the Province, he would never dispose of the smailest amount for his own use, without previously obtaining leave. His obedience was equally solid and childlike. Owing to his position, he was sometime5 obliged to meet seculars on visits <;?(ceremony or at tea. He had a general permission to make such calls; but he would not avail himself of it. He referred each particular case to higher authority. and \Vith great simplicity abode by the dec1ison that came to him invested with the sanction of heaven. As to his love of that other virtue, for which the Society has always challenged the admiration of mankind, as well a,; for its ready obedierrce, the highest encomium that could be pronounced upon him, is the opinion universally entertained of him. hi his hands the \veil-earned reputation of the Society was not only safe but re~eived an additional lustre. To those who know how suspicious and censorious the world is in this particular, it· must seem not a little remarkable that in all his dealing·~ with every class and condition of society, it found nothing to carp at, but everything to applaud. He was most prudent and reserved. No one would ever have dared to take unbecomii}g liberties . in his presence, or to forget even for a moment the sacred . character that he bore. Indeed so well established was his reputation for ·integrity and purity of life, that the bitterest enemies of the Church and of the Society could only exclaim "utinam ex nostris esses," and wonder that a man so completely exempt from the frailties, to which they felt themselves to be subject, could have any connection with a religious order which they abhorred so much. It is no exaggeration to say that very few ecclesiastics in any age of the Church'.s history have enjoyed !>O wide~spread and so fair a fame as Father DeSmet. �Salt Antonio, Texas. In brief, his life was a most remarkable one, and has done great credit to the Church, and in particular to the Society. The world which had a thousand eyes continually fixed upon him for about half a century, and which is usually so reserved in its praise of the priest, and especially of the religious, did not even rise to the level of his merits, when it called him "the renowned Jesuit missionary, FATHER DE SMET. LETTER FROM A SCHOLASTIC IN TEXAS. $AN ANTONIO, TEXAS, Ocr. 16th, 1873· MY DEAR BROTHER IN CHRIST, I hardly know whether you have heard anything about QUr journey hither-at any rate, I will give a sketch which you may fill up with adventures, etc., ad lib. Our voyage out (from New York to Galveston, via Key West) was very favorable until we neared port, when a 'fierce 'nor' wester' came out to meet us, keeping us off the bar, tossing and rolling for two long, dreary days. Then, on the twelfth day of our voyage, we came safely to land. In Galveston we met with farther delay ~n account of the intense yellow fever excitement up country, which had laid under strict quarantine all lines of communication with the coast. After remaining several days at the Cathedral (the Bishop is absent in Europe), we succeeded in reachin~ Houston where we were again stopped by a re- �66 i I I t. I I San Antonio,. Texas. newal of the panic. The next day, however, the Governor of the State, Dav,is, took us through in a private car tc. the capital, Austin, already far in the interior; and from there we came on hither, an objective point for the timt· being, by stage (eighty miles and nineteen hours), fording the rivers and jolting for dear life over the prairies of \Vestern Texas. · San Antonio is a quaint, old tO\~'n, founded over two hundred years ago by the early Franciscan missionaries. Here, at i~.tervals along the river, they built their mission-houses and large beautiful churches, the ruins of which still remain to tell of their success in bringing the poor savage~ into the fold of Clirist. The l\Iexican Revolution came te> drive them far away, in the name of liberty, and their little flocks, long neglected, became what we know. Their welltilled lands fell back into the barren loneliness of other days; and sometimes. while looking at the remains of aqueducts of stone and other immense works, showing the high state of material civilizatio~ during the century of the friars, I wonder whether the present desolation fitly represents our nineteenth century progress. Of late years, men of every tongue and tribe and nation have flocked hither, until this straggling town of 15 ,ooo souls or so, has become the most unique and cosmopolitan of American cities. The Cathedral (the new Bishop is to have his See here,) is the parish church of the Mexicans. ·who still form the large substratum of the population. There is an English Church, the pastor of which is Father Johnston, formerly a lawyer in Washington, D. C. Then: are also German and Polish churt:hes, and a small French congregatio~, which makes use of the convent chapel of the Ursulines. There is also a hospital, tended by Sisters, and aCollege alongside of my window, by the way, under the direction of the Brothers of Mary. Among outsiders are the Jews, who have a synagogue and hold a good part of the commerce in their hands; infidels. and communists. �San .dntonio, Texas. 6; cscap:.:d from former revolutions of France and Germany; and, finally, a certain nurpber of "native Americans" _(Knownothing is ~he ordinary term), "hailing," for the most part. from Vir~inia or New England! and keeping tenaciously to all the shades and differences of sect: Then there is the "sable and sensual Sambo ;'' so that, at least, there is no lack of "variety, the spice of life." The city is built in a manner, as complex as its origin and the character of ib i~habitants. It sprang up aroun'd the old mission C~urch of San Fernando, on the site of which stands the new Cathedral, at a short distance fr'om the western bank of the nver. Here, on either side of the mission, was formed a pla::;a, after the Mexican fashion, a large square, bounded on every side by the houses of the inhabitants, and still used for a most motley kind of marketing and as a haltingplace for the long trains of white-covered wagons, constantly arriving here from the ftr-off trading-posts of the frontier. Since then, a long, irregular street has pushed out along the river and finally, crossing over, reaches the second of the old missions, no less a one than the Alamo, so notorious in the Texan Re\·olution. Here is another fine p!aia, domineered over by the old church and friary, ~till in repair, but used, alas! for storage purposes by the army (which, by the way, is another important clement in social life here). From these beginnings, narrow sidestreets branch off in every direction and at every angle, cros::.ing and recrossing the river by picturesque bridges and charming footways, now over to the rambling suburb of Chihuahua, with its low Mexican houses of solid stone, well adapted. to this broiling sun, or off in the other dire<;tion through Villita with its carefully tended German farms on to the ·other missions to' the East. And so San Antonio is a little world in itself, with much to interest a "lone, wayfaring man ;" but, alas I it is quite as well adapted to give food for reflection to a philosopher who would moralize on human joys and_ sorrows. Its elevation above the sea-level �6R Indian Aiissions- T/ze Sinpesqucnsi. seems only to have thrust it up nearer the sun, and no wonder it is called the "frying-p.an" of Texas. ''Marry, good air:" but along with it come clouds of dust from the . parched, mesquit-covered. prairies. And so you have the -;unny side and shady, in a letter, longer than I have written-dear knows when ! I rely on you to send around the "pax" in the usual \Voodstock way. \Vrite me all the news of the house, and J will imagine myself in community life again. Meanwhile I m~_ke my baskets in the desert and beg your prayers. In union with the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, In Xto. Servus, Ralph S. D., S. J. INDIAN MISSIONS-THE SINPESQUENSI. WASHINGTON TERRITORY, Yo KAMA Co., OCT. 4th, I 873. R:Ev. AND DEAREST FATHER IN XT. P. C. On my return from Oregon, your dear favor of Sept. !6th '73 was handed to me. I thank you very much for it, .md especially for the relics which you sent me. Encour.1ged by your repeated assurance that my letters are read with pleasure, I give you herein a short account of a trip I made,.just before the one among the Whites, to an Indian tribe called the Sinpesquensi. The Sinpesquensi live some 100 miles north of our Yokama residence, almost buried in mountains ; their valley �Indian ilfissions-Tlzc Sinpcsquensi. is such a narrow strip of land that it might more properly . be called a cafion than a valley. It is a small tribe of a'Jout 3'J:J souls, but it is of som:! importance by reason of the influence it exercises on three smaller neighboring tribes. In years gone by, the Sinpesquensi used to be visited by one or other of the Oblate Fathers, and afterwards by a secular priest who lived at the Y okama mission before we took it, Last summer my turn came to pay them my first visit. Having been informed that the tribe would meet at the Salmon Fishe1y, near the falls of the Winachee riv~r. thither I direct~d my steps. On arriving I was quik disappointed to find only a few families and these mostly belonging to another tribe. I inquired of these Indians whether the Sinpesquensi would come to the fisheries and when they would be likely to arrive; I asked also whether they were desirous of receiving the missionary. I was told that they would assemble at the fisheries, but the time of their coming was uncertain. At the same time I was put in possession of some interesting facts concerning the tribe I was in search of. Patoi, their chief and pnest, possesses the entire confidence of his people; he makes them keep holy not only the Sunday but the Saturday also; he has banished all sorts of sins from his camp, and makes his people assemble frequently for common prayer. · Learning that Patoi himself would not come to the fisheries, I determined to go to see this great lawgiver. I therefore started. on the morning of the next day, which was Saturday, and arrived just about noon at Patoi's camp. The Indians were at prayer, and I had to wait till their devotions. were finished. The prayer over, Patoi drew out his people into two lines, facing inwards for the purpose of going through the ceremony of shaking hands with the Black-gown and receiving him honorably. Patoi then made a speech, expressing his joy and that of his nation at my visit to them ; I replied and stated the object for which I had come. When the reception was over, all withdrew �jO to their lodges or tents, and seeing an empty hut I entered it to take some rest. After an hour's time I went to Patoi's hut, full of confidence and cheered by the most pleasant anticipations. I told him that I had heard o( all the good he had done hi,; tribe and of his desire to see a Black-gown, and th:1t in re,;ponse to this desire I was there to teach him the Catholic prayer. l-Ie told me to wait, and then rang a little bell. In answer to this summons the Indians rushed in crowds to the immen_:;e lodge of the chief, filling it entirely, while those who 'could not find room inside remain.:d within hearing distance on the outside. Patoi then desired me to ,;tate again before his people the purpose of my coming. In a more formal speech I informed them of the mission given by our Lord to the Apostles, bow this mission had been carried to their nation by the Oblate Fathers \Vho had baptized many amongst them, and that I had come to continue the work thus begun, for which object I \\·ished to be made. acquainted with those among them who were christians, in "order that I might instruct them while using my endeavors to convert those not yet baptized. Patoi dryly' answered, that it was true that some of the nation had received baptism, but he...·;?ded th:1t the Blackgowns by abandoning the tribe had renounced their rights over. them, and be refused to point out the christians to me. This answer I felt the more deeply, as it wa.s so unexpected and was so humiliating in the eyes of the whole tribt: there assembled. What could I do? I prayed God and offered Him the humiliation, asking in recompense a happy issue of my mission. This prayer strengthened n_1e, and in this disposition of mind I left Patoi's hut and entt:red my own. Soon some of the tribe came in to visit me, and I said to them that I pitied them since they prayed in vain after h~ving rejected the Blackrobe's prayer: that it was not enough for them to be good, allowing that they were such, since they could not enter heaven unles,; they received the prayer that I, had come to teach them. �IndiaN "vh\·sions-T!tc SinpesqHensi. 71 E\·ening came and Patoi rang for prayer: it was edifying to see the promptness and eagerness with which they hurried to the place. Afterwards I began prayer but none of the tribe joined, my companion and a small Catholic family, who had guided me to Patoi's camp, f(mning my congregation. After prayers that night and all day Sunday, I tried to impress on all the Sinpesquensi who talked with me the necessity of learning the prayer I had come to teach them. i\Iy immediate object was not only to give them the truth, but to force a formal talk with Patoi himsel( I was not disappointed. Towards evening came the Indian lawgiver, accompanied by a sub-chief: arriving at my hut he rang a bell which he held in his hand, and in a few moments the entire tribe was around the hut. This was, I might say, open on four sides; for it was so made of rushes that all could see us and hear everything that was said. \Vhen all were assembled, the front ranks sat down, the middle ones knelt and those farthest off stood up to enjoy the conversation that was about to take place. Silence having been secured, Patoi spoke as follows: "Blackgown, I have something bad to tell you." I answered, "speak out all that you have in your heart." He continued; "yesterday I did you honor, I received you ·and welcomed you, I gave you the hand and had all the tribe give you the hand, and you have paid me- back with ingratitude; for since the time we parted yesterday until now, you have never ceased speaking bad against my prayer and telling everybody, that with my prayer never will people go to heaven. Now I must tell you that my tribe was once as bad as any other tribe; they were gamblers, they were thieves, etc. Through my efforts I made them pray as they do now, and during the four months that they have prayed as I taught them, we have quitted all sorts of sins and my tribe is a model to all our neighbors. If God did not like our prayer, how could we have 10 �indian Jlissions- Tlte Slnpcsqucnsi. become so good as we are, for I do not think that we. have become good of oursel\·es. 1'\ow you come here, speak against our prayer, and will bring us back to the state of lawlessness in which we were before I made my people pray." This was the substance of Patoi"s speech. \Vhen it was finished, I replied to the following effect; that I had been much affected on seeing the good behavior of his people, the promptness with which they went to prayer, but that his speed!_ had touched me most of all, for it showed me that he was not an impostor but a sincere man who really wished the good of his people: I told him that if at first I admired all the good he had wrought, I liked him even more for his sincerity. I said that my impression was that God had been satisfied with his prayer, since he had done all that he knew to please Him, in reward whereof \vas the presence of a Black-gown among them to teach them the whole of the prayer which pleases God. \Vhile I was speaking a squaw was suddenly seized with convulsions. Patoi had her brought and all began to pray for the poor creature. Here was a spectacle of fervor such as I never .witnessed in any novitiate : old and young seemed to be in a trance of devotio"n, some with their eves closed, others with their look fixed on heaven, some \vith clasped hands, others with arms crossed on their breast. :?atoi prayed aloud and the people repeated the prayer after him; he sang a hymn in which they joined, he prayed again, and finally began to preach, the tribe meanwhile listening to his words as if God were speaking to them. Here the sick woman recovered. I commended their fervor, and said that, if with the little they knew they were so good, their lives would riv~l that of the first christians were they to accept the entire prayer which I had come to teach them: In a more friendly tone Patoi said; "Black-gown, I have two things in my heart, one of which I will tell you now. Four months ago when we felt the earthquake, one - . �Letter from Cin<innati. 73 night while my people slept I watched and prayed. During my prayer there appeared to me three persons clad in white robes. One of them did not speak; the second spoke and told me· many things and among them, that if I prayed well the third person would protect me." I answered that there was nothing bad in what he had seen, and that to secure them the protection of this third person I had come to teach them the good prayer. This pleased Patoi, he offered me his hand, appointed the evening for a second conference which resulted in his acceptance of my mission, provided I could spend the winter with his tribe; he introduced to me those of his tribe who were already baptized, and I left these singular people promising to \·isit them again if I could so arrange with my Superiors. · After a friendly parting I returned home by way of the Fisheries, where I instructed the Indians who were there assembled. Should I return to the Sinpesquensi this winter I shall let you have the result of my campaign. In union with your holy prayers, I remain yours truly, u. GRASSI, S. J. ·---~~~~·~~-- LETTER FROM CINCINNATI. ST. XAVIER's CoLLEGE, OcT. 1873· REv. AND DEAR FATHER, Several items of interest have transpired among us during the year 1873· Allow me to record them briefly. The one which regarded spiritual concerns most directly was the men's retreat, two weeks before Easter. It was altogether exclusive: no woman in the Church after seven �"74 Lt'ttcr fr:Jlll o·nciwwti. o'clock. In a couple of days it was seen to be taking so well, that. to find more room, notice was given of a Boy< Retreat for the next week: so that such as were only sixteen years of age, or under, had better wait. Six hundred or thereabouts were in constant attendance during that next week, at our small Church of St. Thomas. which was assigned to them ; but the throng of attendance at St. Xavier's during the men's week was not sensibly lessened. Each night.of the eight days. the crowds poured in, till by half-past ~~yen the nave and aisle,; were full, even to the double row of supply-benches that went lengthwise down the centre of the nave. The altar steps offered seats for some, and the two wings of the choir for others. Devotions began at 'half-past seven with the singing of · the "~fiscrcrc by a choir of scholastics and fathers. After a quarter of an hour the Director of the Retreat recited beads which all answered. Then he gave his instruction. This consisted, first, of the manner of using the time of retreat, and, second, of a meditation. The meditation lasted nearly an hour, and it was followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Confessions were heard as early as \Vednesday and Thursday, the fourth and fifth da)'S. They continued in numbers on Friday; and went on till late Saturday night. Fifteen confessors were engaged the last evening, eleven in the church, four in the College Chapel, which latter had not been much used the previous evenings. .On Sunday morning, the eight o'clock Mass was exclusively for the men: four priests distributed the Holy Communion beginning at the Offertory. The number of communicants at that Mass was abotJt a thousand. The number of men in the Church each night approached, if it was not fully, two thousand. -Some of them, through want of good clothes (as the:;y explained beforehand), others because they lived in other parishes. attended other Masses on the Sunday morning. In the evening there was solemn Benediction, Papal Bless- �Letter from Cincinnati. 75 ing, and Gregorian music by a choir of male voices, as the Director had said the evening before (on which, by the way, the devotions were much curtailed for the sake of the confessions) :-"To-morrow we shall have an extraordinary choir; and there will be no woman in it"~or the like. There seemed to be a thorough renovation ; and, owing to the exclusive nature of the retreat,-the geniai circumstance, "for men and men only,''-more work was done in the confessional, with more care and smoothness, than if the poor hard-working laboring men had been squeezed into corners by women and children. Accounts crowded in, as time wore on after the Retreat, of wonderful effects produced. However, as this is a mere sketch of things in general during the year, it would be out of place to de-scend more into the particulars. Suffice it to add that in the month_ of 1\Iay following, on every night of which the same father preached, the church was f"Jll, and many a reference was made by him to the Retreat and its results. At the suggestion of some pious person, he started the project of a fine suspended lamp for the sanctuary. The suggestion was acted upon, the lamp has been suspended, the church has been painted: and so, St. Xavier's is at prc.ient in a worthy condition, both materially and morally. St. Joseph's account comes I) ext:-The children of the parish have not had heretofore room sufficient for school purposes. Their old school house, and the basement of St. Thomas' church were too small. The public school house opposite St. Thomas' was not to the satisfaction of the City School Board, who looked around for a suitable lot to build upon. There wa;; only one such lot: it was ours. An offer of exchange was rn~de,-their school house for our lot, and with the school house a certain sum in cash to be added on their side ; because the lot on our side was worth more than their school house and ground. The lot had seemed a year ago incapable of any pur~ chase. · We had desired it for the same purpose which the �;6 Letter from Cincinnati. School Board has now in view. To be sure, fifty thousand dollars would have to be spent. in building; but necessity knew no law. Thanks to the management or advice of l\Ir. Pugh, the deficient· title-deeds were made good, as far as deficiencies in times past and gone can be made good : and about six months before this movement of the School Board, the lot was ours. The motion passed the School Board, but had to pass two more Boards, that of the City Council, and that of Aldermen. The newspapers became quite agit;~ted about the matter and called upon the public not to let tlie Jesuits have so good a bargain. But the Jesuits called upon St. Joseph, and put a lighted lamp before his statue, and somehow or other the motion was carried-barely carried ;-and after the beginning of 1\ovember, I 873, the School Board will begin to pay three hundred dollars per month till they vacate. Tht; "Gazette" got into an awful flutter about the affair, but its wrath has subsided, and it feels better now. There has been a house belonging to the College for many years back ; it was called Purcell Mansion, after the Archbishop. It has been rented out; but now it was desirable to sell it. A novena was maqe to St. Joseph for a propitious sale ; and that depended nmch on the weather. The day was fine : the house and ground were to go by lots, and they went flying: eighty-nine thousand dollars were the proceeds. This promises well for building the rest of our College ; and in fact instructs us well how to go about it. "Go to Joseph" first, and about the building after. It calls to mind a recent signal instance of his solicitude for the welfare of his clients. The instance concerns the Little Sisters of the Poor. About ten days ago, a couple of Sisters went forth to seek funds for some large und~rtak­ ing. Jhey .called on the principal Catholics : yet, though they could hardly be said to meet with a direct refusal, they met with what sent them home without a cent in • �Lctttr from Cincinnati. 77 their purse. The Superioress was distressed;· and she wondered. A thought struck her :-had they St. Joseph with them? She looked in the account book, and no sign of a picture or medal there. Next day, she put "St. Joseph" under the cover, and sent them forth. They had n0t the same rich field of charity to-day as yesterday, having visited the principal Catholic" then. Yet, strange to say, but so it wa,;, everywhere they were received with generosity, by Protestants as wdl; and they returne,d mm cxu/tationc. \\'e opened our new year with 243 boys, a number rather below that of last year. Of these, I 55 entered the classical course. This current month of October has witnessed many scenes. No sooner was the Church clear of scaffolding, etc., which had been erected for the painting, than the triduum in honor of Blessed Peter Faber. was solemnly celebrated. On the first day, the Archbishop was to officiate. It had been announced, and everything was ready-but not the Archbishop. .-\n address had been prepared on the part of the students, who availed themselves of the occasion to commemorate .his fortieth anniversary of Episcopal Consecration,- and secure a holiday, by the way. Several efforts were made that same Friday morning to secure his presence, at least for the address. Vainly. But he learnt what had taken place, explained that his engagement to officiate had quite slipped his memory, and made up by coming on the following \Vednesday. It was worth while being present during those few moment~; that he spoke, most genially and conversationally, in answer to the address. Forty years ago he had received the commission of spiritual guidance of this diocese and city: he has seen it grow from what it was then : has _labored earnestly and constantly, even to the present day, hearing confessions and mini·stering to the sick: and now-to-day-enjoys the consolation of seeing thirty-four Catholic Societies marching �Letter from Cincimtati. i. i· I' I in procession to honor the blessing- of a Church.-! shall explain in a moment.-He gave us holiday, and the boys lo\·ed him twofold. The following week witnessed another celebration. Fr. Driscoll has been pastor of St. Xavier's Church for twentyth-e years. To signalize the anniversary, a committee of gentlemen, belonging to the parish, started a subscription list for the building of the steeple. On the day of the J ubilee, Fr. Driscoll celebrated Mass, his brother being deacon. In the' afternoon, the aforesaid gentlemen took their seats in th~ 'sanctuary: the Church was crowded in every nook and corner with men, women and children. The girls of the parish read an addre~s and presented bouquets, etc. The boys came forward in the same manner. Then the committee, through ~Ir. Poland, addressed him, and presented the subscription Ji,t. Fr. Driscoll answered, and he was eloquent: the sight made him so. I suppose the steeple will be up within a year. Th_e week following brings us to this day, on which has been blessed the Church of St. Ann, for colored people. More than eight years ago, Fr. \Veninger started a Peter Claver Society, to benefit the negroes. A number of clergymen and secular gentlemen joined together under a chairman, etc., and each subscribing 'a dollar a month, the King of Bohemia contributing largely, procured a Church and School. The position of the Church was unsatisf.<ctory, and a new one has just been purchased close to St. Xavier's. On occasion of its being blessed, Fr. \Vcninger has come to Cincinnati, and he preached after t\1e procession of 34 Societies had reached St. Xavier's. In the mean titne, the Archbishop was performing .the ceremonies at St. Ann's, and on their conclusion came to give Bellediction here. He made a short address, suited to the occasion; and "G.tosser Gott" was sung at the end. "Like the sound of many waters" vias the grand chorus from the throats of such a tUultitude of men. They were there in spite of the �Last ·Days at tlz<" Gem. 79 rain, that had begun drizzling in the morning, had increased in the afternoon and was pouring down in torrents at the end of Benediction. Perhaps, by taking away much of the show in behalf of the colored people, the rain helped us to conceive more of the reality underlying the whole proceeding; and follow the tenor of the Archbishop's words, that if the negroes were worse off when they came into Bl. Peter Claver's hands, yet they have their needs and their rights still, when they come into ours. We engage in a couple of public plays next month; one on the I 2th of November, of the "Young Men's St. Francis Xavier's Association," for the benefit of St. Xavier's Vincent de Paul Society ; the other by College boys for the Little Sisters of the Poor, on the 26th. T. H. LAST DAYS AT THE GESU. EXTRACT FRG:\I A LETTER OF Nov. 2nd, 1873, TO REV. FATHER PROVI~CIAL. On :\1onday, .2oth of Oct., the representatives of the Giunta took formal possession of the house, putting a seal on the library, and giving notice that all the fathers were to be out by Nov. Ist. They allowed them to take their personal effects and the furniture of their rooms, which, as the house is to be used fo~ military offices, will not be of use to themselves. This has been a sad ten days, the house full of confusion, packing up books,,moving furniture, etc. Father General left the Gesu on Monday 27th, It>>!< �So Last Days at t!tc Gcsti. fn hopes. he said, that when he was gone, they would trouble themselves less about those who remained.· In fact the "Capitale," which is the worst paper in Rome, and an enemy of everything Catholic, the next day announced with exultation, that the "great enemy of Rome, of Italy, and indeed of the human race had left Italy." Shortly before leaving the house he assembled the Fathers, gave us a short exhortation to courage, reminding us that he is a blessed man that suffers persecution for justice sa!:-c, invited us to constancy in pursuit of perfection, and prudence so as to give no just cause for offence, that it may be evident that they have calumniated us, "mentientes propter nomen meum." He then gave us all his blessing and let us kiss his hand. He then went and prayed for the last time at the tomb of our Holy Father, kissed the ground, and shortly after left the house accompanied by only one Brother. He was very much affected whilst he was speaking to us, and so were we also as you will easily imagine. The Fathers are scattered in different lodgings where the kindness of various communities has offered them shelter. Yesterday was the last day at .. t\le Gesu; there was a very large attendance at l\Ias~. and the confessionals were attended as in· the last v.reek of Easter.· \Ve were about ten or less at dinner at the Gesu, and after recreation we embraced one another a11d separated. The Roman College sustained the same £•te as the Gesu at the same time. The Convent of Ara Cedi, and a considerable number of smaller Convents are also occupied or to be so before the 7th .of this month. There is a hitch about the Roman Observatory., F. Secchi has protested that the instruments are partly the property of the Pope, and partly of private i_ndividuals who furnished the ineans, and that the Observatory itsel_f being built on the top of the Church is secured by the Guarantees. This has been �Last Days at tlte Gesu. 8! a check, and they acknowledge that it alters the state of the question. They are now actually building partitions, etc., to give access to the Observatory without passing through the College. The South American College at our old Novitiate, still remains firm, but they have been notified that the property belongs to the Giunta, and that they will be glad when they are ready to give it up. The German College still holds on, and the lectures for the foreign Colleges will be given there ; but with Bismark in Prussia, there is no benevolence to be looked for. Great feeling is shown for the break up of the Gesu, and much grief felt. The priest who has been appointed by the Vicar is a very good man, a friend of the Society, but he will not replace the ,Fathers. I must not conclude without telling you that on the day after my arrival here, F. General took me to. the Holy Father, who gave us a very solemn benediction for us all. "Benedico Praesidem et subditos, ut habeant fortitudinem et patientiam," etc. D. 0. �-· �WOODSTOCI( LETTERS. VOL. III., No. :2. SKETCH OF THE EARLIEST MINISTRATIONS OF THE SOCIETY IN BALTIMORE. [ Condudl'd.] The number of Catholics in Baltimore having 111 course of time increased, they at length determined to build a church; and having_ secured a lot on Saratoga Street near Charles, they commenced the building on the site of the present academy of the Christian Brothers, known as Calvert Hall, in 1770 or 1771. It was a very plain brick structure of the modest dimensions of about twenty-five by thirty feet, not half the size of our community chapel at Woodstock. This was old St. Peter's, truly in its day the most venerable Church in the United States; an account of which cannot be omitted in a sketch of the early labors of the Society in Baltimore. The builder was a certain Mr. John Me Nabb. It is probable that the Fathers from Whitemarsh shifted the scene of their periodical ;ninistra- VOL. III-No. 2. 11 �X4 h.arliest Jfim'strations of tlu Society in Baltimore. tions from Fotterall's building to it while it. was yet in an unfinished condition. Before its completion, however, Mr. :\lc Nabb £1.iled in business, on account of a debt of two • hundred pounds in Maryland currency of that day, contracted on account of the building. In consequence, the principal creditor seized the Church, locked it up·, and kept the key in his possession until 177 4 or 177 5· Griffith's "Annals of Baltimore" alludes to this suit in the following amusing words: "By a ludicrous suit against Gang-and!i, Pope of R01'1u·, for \~·ant of other defendant, to recover the advances of Mr. Me Nabb, who became a bankrupt, the Church was sometime closed at the commencement of the . Revolution; and the congregation assembled in a private house on S. Charles St. until possession was recovered.'' Thus Mr. Griffith, in identifying the cause of a little Church in that remote spot of the Catholic world with the Pope, gives an instance of the conviction of Catholic unity found in those outside of the Church. Furthermore, as Our Fathers ~were the pastors of that little Church, of which common cause is made with the Pope,-and as that Pope was the same who at that very time suppressed the Society, l\1r. Griffith's remark suggests to us the pl_easing reflection, how free from bitter feeling the Society is to\vard the Pontiff who treated it with. such severity.-The extract just given from the "Annals" informs us that, after the ~losing of St. Peter's, the Catholics assembled for Divine Service in a house on S. Charles St.; from which it is inferred that by this time Fotterall's building had been left by them, for some reason. Any further particulars about that house on S. Charles St. we have not obtained. The manner in which St. Peter's was reopened at length, was somewhat novel and partook of the spirit of the times. A volunteer company, probably in 1775, which was part of a military force organized to repel the apprehended attacks of Lord Dunmore. Governor of Virginia, was in Baltimore, under the; command of one Captain Galbraith. On Sunday �• har/icst llfimstwtio;is of tlte Society in Raltimore. 85 morning some of the soldiers asked permission of the Captain to go to Church. A majority of them desired to go to the Roman Catholic Church; and on learning that it was closed and ascertaining who held the key, they marched in a body, with the Captain at their head, to the residence of Mr. Me Nabb's creditor above-mentioned. It so happened that this gentleman had fallen under suspicion of being unfavorable to the cause of American independence; and, on seeing a body of soldiers halted in front of his house, he thought they were about to make him prisoner; but on learning their ,real object, he readily delivered the key· to Captain Galbraith. The company then moved off, opened the Church and satisfied their devotion,.-:whether with the aid of a priest, we are not told. They then delivered tlw key to the Catholics, who retained possession of the Church until the close of the Revolutionary war. After this period the sum of two hundred pounds was raised by subscription, in order to pay the debt which had embarrassed the Church ; and the creditor who had been so peremptorily relieved of. the key by the soldiers, relinquished all claim upon it. Although we have not found it so stated explicitly, we suppose the visiting Fathers from \Vhitemarsh were the ordinary pastors of St. Peter's until 1784, since we can find no mention of any others, and we are told in general that Baltiinore had to depend on them, before we hear of a resident priest. Sometimes clergymen happened to be passing through the town or remaining there temporarily, and they officiated in the little Church. In the year r 782 Count Rochambeau, returning with his army from Y arktown, halted in Baltin1ore, where some of his troops remain.ed until the close of the war. A portion of them encamped on the ground where the Cathedral now stands, which, as well ;ts that around St. Peter's, was then covered with forest trees. Those soldiers of Catholic France naturally had chaplains; and these frequently celebrated Mass in St. Peter's. On one occasion a grand Mass was cele- �86 l!arliest .Afimstratious of tlte Societ;' in Baltimore. brated with great military pomp by one of them. The bands of the French Regiments accompanied the sacred service with solemn music; the officers and soldiers attended in full uniform, and a large concourse of the people of the town were present; so that not only was the small Church crowded, but the spacious yard in front was also filled. In I 784, according to l\Ir. Campbell, the first resident priest was stationed in Baltimore, at St. Peter's, and this was Rev. Charles Sewall : his name therefore is an important one iri •, the Catholic history of the City. He was not a member of the Society ill St'IISl/ compos ito of his labors. there, as our dialecticians would say: but he had been a Jesuit at the time of the suppression, and he was one of the four, of revered memory, who in I 8o6 reentered the Society upon its restoration in Maryland. An account of him then is demanded in our Sketch; though the information we have obtained about him is slight. Curiously enough the only record of his personal qualities . which we find, is that, although a faithful and zealous clergyman, he possessed but moderate abilities as an orator. He was born in St. Mary's County, Md., in 1744. His father's estate was at Mattapany, on the Patuxent River, near the Church of St. Nicholas,);till attended by Our Fathers, who reside at St. Inigo's, hvelve or fifteen miles distant. · This estate had been the favorite residence of Charles Calvert, Lord Baltimore, for many years in the latter part of the seventeenth century; and there it was that the deputies of his government took refuge under the protection of a garrison, in the Protestant Revolution of l\Iaryland in I68g,-their forced surrender a few months afterward being followed by the triumph of the Protestant cause in the colony. The estate later came into the possession of the Sewalls. Charles was sent to the college of the Society at St. Orner's, for his studies, in I 758. Whether he had· previously been at the Bohemia school, does not appear; though it is probable that he had been. For, as �Earliest Ministrations of tlze Society in Baltimore. 87 "far back as the early part of the last century, Our Fathers had a boarding-school at the place then and still known as Bohemia Manor, in Cecil County, on the Eastern shore of Maryland,-a colonial Catholic Eton or Rugby, where boys were prepared for the higher colleges of Europe. In this the Fathers had to elude the intolerant laws of the colony, which forbade Catholics to be school-masters; and hence probably they selected that remote and secluded location. And here it occurs to us to remark that, if reminiscences of the old Bohemia school could be collected, they would supply some pages of very interesting and edifying reading in the \VooosTOCK LETTERS. l\Ir. Campbell calls it the Tusculum of the Society of Jesus in the early period of the American Church. At one time it had as many as forty students,a large number for those days ; and among illustrious men, we know that Archbishop Carroll and Charles Carroll of ·carrollton, his cousin, had studied there together before they \Vent to St. Orner's. Archbishop Man~chal is said to have often spoken in raptures of the choice and valuable library established there by Father Farmer, S. J., that excellent man, of whom the annalist of St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, has given us so much interesting information in our \Voodstock Periodical. Father Sewall entered the Society in Europe, in 1764, .and soon after-the suppression returned to his native State, where he was stationed for some time at St. Thomas' Manor, in Charles County. Father Charles w·as the older brother of Father Ni~holas Sewall, who, being a member of the Society in Europe at the time of the suppression, did not return to his native land : he was made Rector of Stonyhurst in I 808, and subsequently Master of novices; and on the. death of the eminent Father Charles Plowden, in 1821, he succeeded him in the office of Provincial of England. He left behind him, at his death, the reputation of a holy religious and a prudent Superior. From across the sea, Fr. Nicholas watched with interest the progress of �88 Earliest 111imstrations of tlu Society in Baltimore. religion in his native land, and was very much rejoiced to see, before his death, the Metropolis of his native State erected into an Archiepiscopal See, with eleven suffragans, -and to know that it was in possession of its new Cathedral and several other Churches,-while, as he had been heard to say, he remembered the time when the Catholics had not even a private room in Baltimore, in which they · were suffered to meet for Divine Service. Returning to Fr. Charles from· this, we hope, not uninteresting digression to his brother : he was stationed alone at St. Peter~s·until he was joined there in 1786 by Fr. Carroll, the future Archbishop; in conjunction with whom he performed the laborious duties of the ministry there for several years. He li\·ed just long enough to reenter the Society, dying in 1806, the year of its restoration in Maryland, above alluded to. And now we come, in the natural course of our narrative, to the Patriarch of the Church in the United States, Archbishop Carroll,-to whom Oliver, in his collection, applies the- words of Ecclesiasticus: "Sacerdos magnus, qui in vita sua suffulsit domum, et in diebus suis corroboravit templum. Templi etiam altitudo ab ipso fundata est."- In 1784 he was appointed by Rome Ecclesias!=_ical Superior of the new Republic, with power to administer Confirmation, bless oils, etc. In I 786, as stated, he fixed his residence at St. Peter's, in Baltimore; and, as is well known, was consecrated Bishop in 1790 at Lulworth Castle in England, a place associated with the Society for so many reasons. But it would be entirely out of place here to enter into any lengthy account of his life, as it would be likewise to dwell long upon that of Leonard Neale, first his coadjutor Bishop for many years, and then his successor in the Archiepjscopal See of Baltimore,-the founder of the Order of St. Francis of Sales in America, and whose countenance indeed, in the pictures of him we have seen, reminds one 0f the mild sanctity of the Geneva Saint. Archbishops Carroll and Neale are �Earliest .J1inistrations of tlze Socie~y in Baltimore. 89 both prominent figures in the general Catholic history of. the United States, and their lives have more than once been given to the public and are well known,-recently too from :\1r.Clarke's excellent book. \Ve shall only say a few words about their relations with the Society. Both were members of it at the time of the suppression, Fr. Carroll having . been made a Professed Father in 1771, while Fr. Neale was considerably younger in religion as in age. \Ve have at hand letters and other writings of the ·former which contain evidences of his love for the Society. In a letter written in 1773 he says: "The enemies of the Society, and above all the unrelenting perseverance of the Spanish and Portuguese Ministries, with the passiveness of the Court of Vienna, have at length attained their ends; and our so long persecuted and, I must add, holy Society is no more. God's holy will be done, and may His Name be blessed forever and ever. I am not and perhaps never shall be recovered from the shock of this dreadful inteliigence."-In a letter, in 1783, he writes: "God grant that the little beginning in \Vhite Russia may prove a foundation for erecting the Society upon once again : but I cannot help wishing that the protectress of it were a more respectable character than she has been often represented." Again in 1784 he writes: "Your intelligence, though not quite new to me, is truly comfortable. What a wonderful display of the power of Divine Providence over the wily politics of wicked and oppressive tyranny of powerful men, would a general restoration of the Society exhibit !''-And in his address published the same year, in reply to the anti-Catholic publication of Mr. Wharton, who, after having been a priest of the Society at the time of the suppression, subsequently apostatized from the Faith, becarne a Protestant clergyman, and, it inay be well to add, a husband, --yet who, remarkably enough, never, in his fallen state, spoke of the Society but in words of praise or even of affection-in his reply to him, Fr. Carroll places a note containing the fol- �90 Earliest llfim"strations of t!te Socic~v in Baltimore. lowing affectionate allusion to the Society: "l will take this occasion to thank my former friend for the justice he has done to the body of men to which, in our happier days, we both belonged ; and whom the world will regret, when the want of their services will recall the memory of them, and the voice of envy, of obloquy, of misrepresentation, will be heard no more." Father Carroll was the founder of Georg-etown College ; and Father Leonard Neale * was its President when appointed ~?adjutor Bishop. Shea's De Courcy's history says of them: "The two ex-Jesuits, become bishops, would, it may be imagined, care little about the fate of their Society, extinguished thirty years before; but the sons of the Society of Jesus never forget their Mother." vVe have an additional testimony of this in their joint letter, in r8o3, to Fr. Gruber, Superior in Russia, petitioning for the restoration of the Society in the United States; in which they state, among other things, that the property of the Society wa~ preserved here almost intact. They died within two years of each other, respecti\·ely in 1815 and 1817. *Bishop Neale remained President of the College and resided there for some years after his episcopal consecration. Our venerable Father l\Ic Elroy, who is now in his ninety-second )'ear, and has been a member of the Society since 1806,-the oldest living Jesuit, we believe, both ii1 age and yocation,-knew him as far back as 1804, and received through him his first knowledge <Jf the Society. We have fi·om his lips the following facts, which will prove both interesting and edifying:The Bishop resided at that time in the old south building of Georgetown College, in the room opposite the small chapel of the community, and next to the "Ascetory." There Fr. :uc Elroy, then of course quite a young man, having his home in Georgetown, was accustomed to visit him, in order to enjoy the advantage of his spiritual direction. The room was at the same time the library .of the College. The Bishop's bed was folded up into the form of a cupboard during the day, and every evening on the approach of bed-time was spread out by the colored man who attended to the refectory.-Bishop Neale was an admirable director of consciences and possessed, said Fr. l\Ic Elroy, more than any one else he ever knew, the power of winning hearts to himself and to God. His life, even then in his old age and feeble health, anct with his dignity of bishop, was as regular as a novice's. He rose every morning at four o'clock, made a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and then returned to his room for his hour of meditation, befrlre saying 1\Iass. Fr. ~Ic Elroy was subsequently, l\Iay 31st, 1817, ordained priest by him a few weeks before his death. �h.arlicst Minis!lations of the Society in Baltimore. ~ After the ordination of Fr. Enoch Fenwick, S. J., in r8o8, Archbishop Carroll applied for and obtained this Father for the post of Rector of St. Peter's in Baltimore; which post he occupied until the first part of Archbishop :\larcchal's administration; and it was through his zealous cooperation, in a great measure, that this same Archbishop was enabled to complete the new Cathedral of Baltimore, begun so many years before by Archbishop Carroll. Fr. Enoch was afterward Rector of Georgetown College, in whose beautiful little cemetery he rests, participating in the shade of the giant willows which so appropriately overhang the uniform rows of marble slabs and of box-wood squares, enclosing the lilies and rose-bushes which alternately bloom and droop above the ashes of the dead. After Fr. Fenwick's departure from Baltimore, Ours had no residence there for more than twenty-five years. Now a few words about St. Peter's, before we close; which, by the by, should not be confounded with the St. Peter's of to-day, on Poppleton St ... which is a considerable distan~e from the site of the old Church, and was not built until the latter had been thrown down. After the Revolutionary War the little Church was enlarged by an addition larger than the original dimensions. Thus improved, it was the Cathedral of Archbishops Carroll and Neale, the scene of the first episcopal consecration in the United States, that of Bishop Neale in r8oo ; in 1810 it witnessed the consecra' tion of Dr. Egan, first Bishop of Philadelphia, and of Dr. Cheverus, first Bishop of Boston; and indeed all the hallowed memories which clung to its old walls, would be too numerous to mention. Hence it is not to be wondered at that it was dear to the Catholics of Baltimore, and that it was still allowed to stand twenty years after the new Cathedral at its side had been completed and dedicated, with which it could bear no comparison in material appearance. During that period it was for many years used only on . week days, for the Masses of the clergy of the Cathedral ; VOL III-No. 2. 12 �W Earliest Ministrations o/ the Socie~l' zn Baltimore. but afterward Divine Service was held in it on Sundays also. At length the need of ground on which to build a school for boys. compelled its tearing down in 1841 or 1842. It was said above that for many years none of Our Fathers resided in Baltimore ; but St. Peter's remained in their place,-and may we not say that it continued their labors, sanctified as it was by the sacred ministrations, and still echoing the teachings and exhortations, of the \Vhitemarsh Fathers, and of a Sewall, a Carroll, a Neale and a Fenwick? ·· Indeed after its demolition, but a few years elapsed until Ours were again stationed in the City-St. Joseph's Church having been placed under the pastoral charge of Fr. Wm. F. Clarke in 1849. This church was given up again about twelve years. ago. But in the meantime Loyola College had been opened, with the late Fr. Early as Rector, in 1852; which is now conducted in the large and imposing building on Calvert St. ; and connected with it is an exquisitely beautiful Church, notwithstanding the disproportion between its length and width, around whose altars the warmest affections of many fervent Catholics of Baltimore have twined themselves.-ln conclusion, we hope that much more good, even, than has been done in the past, is destined yet to be accomplished by Ours in the future, in the "Monumental City." •" �NOTE. 'Ve have a very old English Bible in our Woodstock library, on one of the fly-leaves of which is pasted an old and torn slip of paper bearing the following inscription: RESIDENTiiE BALTI!ItORENSI. rs. J.) Ex Do~to Rm. P. Jos: GREATON ANNO DNI '752 REsiDENTIJE Sn. JosEPH! IN BALTIMORE The last two lines are in a different handwriting, and apparently more recent. The initials in pilrenthesis also, (S. J.), seem to have been added hi'ter. This inscription at first puzzled us a good deal, as we could not find from any other source the faintest evidence to show that there was a residence of the Society in Baltimore as early as 1752 : indeed more than one of the facts given in the preceding Sketch, as the reader may easily see, are entirely against such a supposition. It seems to us, howevu, that the inscription can be explained otherwise. The book may have belonged to Fr. Greaton's house, in some other part of ~Iaryiand or in Pennsylvania, in 1752, and have become the property of the Residentia Balti•,,orensis at a much later date. The last two lines were probably added after 1849, the year when Our Fathers took charge of tit. Joseph's Church, as mentioned in the text. Our theory is that the book belonged to the old residence at St. Peter's (Baltimore), during the suppression of the Society; and an additional reason is that the letters (S. J.), as already stated, seem to be of a much later date than the lines immediately to the left. But having given the inscription as we found it, we will let those of. our readers who may take interest in it, explain it as they think best. l• I �ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. PART THIRD. ,. The fie!ds around the quiet City of Philadelphia wear not the hues that erewhile made them bright, when Summer's late repentant smile died among its golden days. The ruddy light of lingering flowers glance no more along its plains. But the level sward lies cold and gray, and chill and drear, the fitful wind makes lonely moaning in the trees and dull the Delaware flows by, with no smile upon his face, while the naked branches with here and there an empty nest lie shadowed on his breast. It is a dreary s<::ene. But ~deep within the inner heart of nature, beats on a pul;e of glorious life, waking germs rife with beauty, and buds of richest, rarest growth are folded, leaf by leaf in gloom. that on the Mays to come shall fli~g their fragrance and their bloom. We should not call the world all dark though every smile it wore be faded; the light of God's eternal love is round it evermore. The radiant bloom of life-love's Summer glow, are His immortal gifts to man, and oftentimes all we mourn as lost and gone, but waits us in the days to be. The April of 1833, I have seen it stated, was one of more than ordinary fickleness, ~nd the Catholics of Philadelphia had begun to fear the experience of their Church was to be one continuous April-day. But when Very Rev. Father Visitor Kenny, accompanied by Father Ste~ phen .Qubuisson arrived, about the middle of the month, at St. Joseph's, the May-day of Catholicity dawned at once upon the Quaker City. �St. :Joseph's Clzurclz, Plziladelp!tia. 95 Rev. Terence Donaghoe had already left and taken up his abode in the basement of St. Michael's Church, where for many months he dwelt to the great edification of the Catholics, not only of Kensington, but of the whole City. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Conwell, with his nephew Henry Me Keon, and an indefinite number of nieces remained at St. Joseph's. Our Fathers, who in October were joined by Father James Ryder, were allowed to have a stove placed in the kitchen, where their cook and maid-of-ail-work prepared their meals; they had the use also of one of the ground floor rooms, as parlor, dining room, and confessional, of the sacristy and three attics; the rest of the house was occupied by" my Lord and his numerous relatives. The good Bishop, from their very arrival, treated Our Fathers in a kindly manner, but his relatives regarded them in the light of intruders ; and with a view to the purse, generally had some one posted near the door, so that when a baptism or a marriage 'arrived, the party might be conducted to uncle's room, where the Sacrament was administered in the most expeditious manner. About this time the Bishop's sight began to greatly fail. The entries he still made in the registries present an amusmg appearance. Though seldom able to offer the great Sacrifice, it was his invariable custom to be present at the late Mass. Seated upon his throne at the Gospel side of the Sanctuary, he generally enjoyed a pleasant nap during the sermon, finishing with a stentorian "Deo gratias," at the end, to the not infrequent annoyance of the eloquent Father Ryder, who, having his rhetorical pauses so often marred by the Bishop's neither opportune nor dulcet tones, sometimes remarked that ' Deo Gratias' was a beautiful prayer, but it was not always a word in season. The elegant author of Ahsahgunushk Numanahtahseng, speaking of the early Jesuits of America, says: "Admirable �g6 St. Yosep!t's Clmrclz, Plziladelplzia. indeed were the exertions, the virtues, and the sufferings of many, very many of these great and good men. Here they were the civilizers, the discoverers, the colonists, the fertilizers of the boundless waste-the friends, the teachers, the Christianizers, and, alas ! but too often the martyrs of the stern and savage Red men. ·"The falls of the farthest western rivers, from Niagara to the head waters of the Mississippi and the foaming rapids of the S~ult St. Marie, the forest and the prairie, yea! and the ice-~?und pinnacles of the Rocky Mountains were familiar to their wandering footsteps ; and before commerce or agriculture had begun to hold dominion along the shores of the Atlantic, they were felling the trees of the wilderness far to the Northward of the great lakes, choosing their· stations with rare sagacity-for there be' now but few of them which are not the sites of great and prosperous cities -and sowing in the breasts of their Indian neophytes that good seed of faith, which should lead by grace of the Most High- unto eternal life:- They were navigators, hunters, agriculturists, fishers, antiquarians, naturalists; they were _the tamers of the forest, no less than the teachers of the Indian."* Immediately upon their arrival, Our .Fathers, as true sons of Ignatius, began their pastoral duties, and at once Father Dubuisson won the hearts of his parishioners by his amiable conduct and saintly life. It is over forty years since his arrival, and to this day, there are those who talk of him as a saint. One of our Fathers,t then a youth, relates that suddenly entering the Sacristy, one Sunday afternoon, during Vespers, he found him elevated in the air in rapt meditation. His first baptisms and marriage were on the 21st of April,! while Father Kenny seems not to have administered t~ese Sacraments until the end of July. *Henry William Herbert's-The Reed Shaken by the Wind, Chap. II. tRev. Patrick Duddy, S. J. tBap. Reg. p. 351, and Mar. Reg. p. 318. �St. :Joseph's Church, Philadelphia. 97 Soon after his arrival, Father Dubuisson began to make _ converts, and was most successful among the Quakers, or as Philadelphians prefer to call them, the Friends.* In the early part of 1834, Father Edward Me Carthy was sent as an assistant to Father Dubuisson. His first baptism was that of a female infant, at the present day, a zealous member of St. Joseph's, and not long since Prefect of the Young Ladies' Branch of the Sodality of our Holy 1\:fother.t My earliest impressions of Father Me Carthy, who was, I think, the first Jesuit I ever saw, were not of a very pleasing nature. In the Autumn of this year, one bright Sunday morning, I had been dressed to accompany a sister to late Mass. Becoming impatient at the delay occasioned by the young lady's putting the finishing touches to her dressing, with the independence of "Young America," I started by myself-to her no small fright when she missed me. Passing up the quadrangle, I saw at one of the windows a jovial red face. ·.With infantile impertinence I stood to stare at the vision of manly beauty. " Do you come to Sunday School?" said a deep voice. "No, sir;" a~swered I, in a penny-trumpet squeal. · "Then run home, we don't have young shavers around here that don't come to Sunday School," responded he, deeply gruff. Like the youthful patriot who broke the pane of glass and then ran home to get the money to pay for it, I turned my face towards the maternal residence, whither I was betaking myself as speedily as my diminutive legs would permit, when I found my frightened sister coming in hasty quest of the· wanderer. She persuaded me to return, and when a short time after I saw the dignified priest and heard his melodious Preface and Pater Noster, I thought it could not be the same man. After Mass I was taken to shake hands with the holy missioner, wh~n a hearty laugh and a slice of gingerbread removed all unfavorable impressions. * Bap. Reg. p. 256. tDo. p. 263. �St. Yoseplz's Clmrclz, P/uladelplzia. In August of this year, Father James Curley, the venerable professor of Astronomy at Georgetown College, for a short time, performed parochial duties at St. Joseph's.* In 1835 Father Dubuisson did not confine his zealous labors to the congregation of St. Joseph's. But in the early part of January we find him amid the· ice, and snow, and whistling winds of Susquehanna County, at Silver-Lake, Friendsville; in Carbondale, Luzerne County; Honesdale, \Vayne Com1ty; and other places in the same neighborhood.t Father Richard Harvey was sent in 1836 to assist Fathers Dubuisson and Me Carthy, but as his name docs not appear either in the Baptismal or Marriage Registry, I can form no idea how long he remained. Towards the end of this year, Bishop Conwell became so feeble that he desisted from baptizing and blessing marriages .. His last marriage record was on November 2oth,t and his last baptismal record on April r8th, 1837.§ During theseyears our Fathers had charge of Trenton, Pleasant Mills, and other places in New Jersey. . The year 1838 is one not lightly to be passed over in the Annals of St. Joseph's. On the feast of St. Francis de Sales, the 29th of January, a meetirig of the Catholics of the City was held in the church, the most Blessed Sacrament having been removed. Charles Johnson, Sr., presided. Joseph Dugan, Esq., and Cavalier Keating, father of Sr. Mary Joseph of the Order of the Visitation and Grandfather of Dr. \Vm. Keating of this City were the speakers. At this meeting it was resolved to replace the old church erected, as his cathedral, by Bishop Conwell, in 1820, with a larger and more modern structure, to meet the wants of the large and respectable congregation worshipping at St. Joseph'~· * Bap. Reg. p. 285. t Do. pp. 293, 294, 295. Ular. Reg. p. 231. ~ Bap. Reg. p. 302. �St. J'oseplz's C!tmrh, Plziladelp!tia. 99 On Monday, May 7th, service was held for the last time in the dear and venerated chapel, as it was then called, and as it is called to the present day. Service was held, yes, a peculiarly Catholic service was held-the service of services -the Holy :\lass was offered by Fathers Ryder and Barbelin, for all living and dead, who had ever worshipped within its walls. The United States Gazette, then the leading paper of Philadelphia, on June the 5th, published the following notice: ST. JOSEPH'S. ·"On l\londay afternoon the corner-stone of St. Joseph's Church was laid in the lot between Willing's Alley and \Valnut Street. The ceremonies were interesting and to many entirely new. At an early hour the place was thronged with persons, anxious to witness the services; and about half past three o'clock a procession of clerg}'men and attendants came to the staging prepared for the ceremonies ; when the Rev. Mr. Ryder announced that in consequence of the rain, the address would be given in St. .Mary's Church. Thither some of the company repaired, enough to fill that large edifice; and the priests preceding Bishop Conwell, all in their clerical dresses, and accompanied by the customary youthful attendants of the altar, went in procession to St. Mary's. "Mr. Ryder then, in a truly eloquent discourse, explained the ceremonies of the occasion, pointed out the causes for gratitude which Catholics had to God for their liberties in this country, and their duty and willingness to pray for and defend that liberty. · ''After the address, the priests chanted the litany of the Saints, and then all returned to the site of the proposed edifice. ·• The priests then intonated one of the psalms, and the corner-stone was laid by the Ret--. James Ryder, Senior VOL. III-No. 2. 13 �1 oo St. :Joseph's Omrclz, Phzfade!plzia. Pastor of St. Joseph's, in the presence of the Right Rev'd Bishop Conwell. A procession was then made round the site of the building, w_hile a psalm was chanted. "In the corner-stone were placed, coins, pamphlets, papers of the day, small notes, and other articles of the present times, with a scroll upon which was inscribed, in most exquisite chirography, the following: QUOD FELIX FAUSTU.M FORTUNATmiQUE SIT _ DEIQUE IN GLOB.IA:.\I BENE VEB.TAT. IN THE PONTIFICATE OF GHEGOHY SIXTEENTH. THIS COHNEH STONE OF THE NEW ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH. IS LAID, THE FOUHTII DAY OF JUNE; BEING WHITSUN l\IONDAY, IN THE YEAH OF OUH LORD. ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT. SJF THE INDEPENDENCE OF.THESE UNITED STATES THE SIXTY SECOND; lN THE AHMINISTH.ATION OF :.\IAHTIN VAN BUHEN. EIGHTH PHESIDENT OF TIH~ UNITED STATES: .TOSE~H HITNEH. GO.JERNOH OF l'ENNSYLVANfA; .JoHN Swn·T, MAYOR OF THE CITY o~· PniLADgLPHIA, . HWHT REV. HENHY CmnVEI,L, BISHOP o~· TIU: DIOCESE; HIGHT HEV FRANCIS PATRICK KENIUCK, CO.\DJUTOH: REv. TrrmrAs F. :MuLLEDY, PnoviNCIAL oF THE SOCIETY 01<' JESUS IN TilE PROVINCE OF l\IAHYJ,AND; Jb;v. JAMEH RYDER AND FELIX JosEPH BAHBEJ.IN OF TilE !'AMI<;' SoCIETY OF .JEsus, PASTORS o~· ST .•TosEPII'H Cnuncn. "John Maguire, Joseph Donath, John Maitland, Martin J\1 uq)hy and John Darragh co-operating with the pastors as a building committee, in the name of the Catholics of the City and County of. Philadelphia, by whose generous �St. Yoseplz's Clzurclz, Plulade!plzia. IOI contributions, despite the unparalleled pecuniary difficulties of the country, the church is to be erected, under the superintendence of John Darragh, Architect, who emp_l0ys }lichael Gahcgan to dig the cellar, David Ryan as stonemason, Ed\\'ard Carr and George Johnson as bricklayers, James Carroll, marble mason, and Thomas Ryan, carpenter, on the site of the old St.· Joseph's, endeared to the Catholic community by the hallowed recollections of more than a century, as the cradle of their faith in this City, and · the resting place of the mortal remains of their parents, kindred, and friends; consecrated by the labors of those venerable pioneers of religion, a Snyder, a de Ritter, a Farmer, a Molyneux and their associates, of the Society of Jesus; illustrious, notwithstanding its humble state, as the nursery of many distinguished ecclesiastics of the secular cleq.,')', and ever memorable as the first temple in which the hpnn of thanksgiving was chanted to the God of armies, in the presence of 'vVashington and his staff, and the representatives of France and the United States, for the blessings bestowed upon the infant Republic in her struggle for right and liberty." In digging the foundations it became necessary to remove the remains of the early Catholics buried around the chapel. Some were removed by their relatives and reinterred in St. iVIary's, Holy Trinity, and St. Augustine's cemetet·ies. The bones of the laity who remained ·were placed in strong boxes and buried beneath the furnace. Those of the clergymen, all of whom were fou~d, were placed under the altar. It was remarkable with regard to the remains of Fr. Farmer that the stole remained intact, while the other vestments as well as the flesh had disappeared. Among these are the bones of Fr. Lawrence Louis Graessl of the old Society. He was the first appointed to the Bishopric of Philadelphia, but died before the arrival of the bulls. · Sometime later the venerable Father John Me Elroy, !vho had just built the fine church of St. John in Frederick �102 St. :Joseplt's Cluaclt, Philadelphia. City, was substituted for Father Ryder in the building of St. Joseph's. He brought Mr. John Tehan from Frederick to act as Architect and somewhat altered the plans of 1\Ir. John Darragh. For the better? Adhuc sub judice lis est. Father Barbelin, truly styled the children's friend, foreseeing the great good to be done in coming years through the instrumentality of the Sunday-schooi, was very desirous of having a lofty class-room; l ha\'e . been told, the holy man went on his knees, in his earnestness for the salvation of ~~mls yet unborn, but he was unsuccessful. It was not until years after that he succeeded in having the arches and vaults removed to obtain the mi~erable ba~c­ ment so dear to the hearts of Philadelphia Catholics. Poor basement! you are not without your laurels. The late saintly Bishop Neuman once remarked to the writer of these Annals: "St. Joseph's basement has done the work of many churches." To supply for the supports removed, Father Barbelin had a large beam erected, composed of wood, stone, and . cement, which is now the only support of the beautiful main altar, an altar weighing many tons. May we not hope that the spirit of the holy Father .Barbelin will watch over this loved basement and the sacred altar where he officiated for so many years and preserve them from any serious accident. This basement, dark and dreary as it is, is dearly loved, and every effort is being made to beautify it as much as possible. During the last year, three handsome altars h~ve been erected-in the middle, one dedicated to the Sacred Heart of our dear Redeemer-on the Gospel side, one in honor of St. Aloysius, the Patron of youth. while on the Epistle side stands the altar of the Saving Passion, with its massive Crucifix. Shrines to our Immaculate Mother, our loved Patron, St. Joseph and the holy Angel Guardians,-a portrait of the venerated Barbelin, a large oil-painting of the present director of the Sundayschool, and statues, and vases, and flowers arranged in every �St. Yoseplt's C/zurclt, Pluladelpltia. 103 available place, serve to render it more cheerful looking, and on a Sunday afternoon when the altars and shrines are lighted and the smiles of a thousand happy innocent faces serve to illumine it, it presents a sight pleasing not only to Angels bnt also to men. The destruction of the old church called into exercise the pens of many of her children. On June the 9th, the Public Ledger published the following poetical effusion, which I insert not for its poetic excellence, but as a specimen of the Catholic .literature of the day. ST.•JOSEPH'S CHURCH. Beneath its roof-and Persecution's rod, Some pious friends of yore conceived it meet To join in prayer, at times, unto their God, And chant His praises there in accents sweet. 'Twas there at eve, beset by bigot crew, Those holy men its sacred walls upraised, And oft as they their labors would renew, As oft again the work the-bigots razed. 'Twas then FRIEND PENN whose just and peaceful sway Conserved alike the subjects of the State, Proclaimed anew that they should sing and pray As their own conscience to them should dictate. 0 happy hour ! so rife with great events For those in aftertimes who've trod life's stage, When Truth o'erpowered sectarian discontents, And press'd them close to smother in their rage. And now relieved from fell oppression's yoke, And ~:minted FAR~IER at his altar stood, With hands uplifted, tllerc did God invoke To shower His blessings on our brave a.nd good. And by his side in humble posture knelt The Father of our land-Virginia's Son, To thank his God, for he in earnest felt 'Twns He alone, for him, each battle won. So now this "lowly shed" where deeds so grand Transpired so oft to sanctify its name, Has fled-its wings but only to expand, And raise its ~rest proporti!:>ned to its fame. LmER. �104 St. J'osep!t's Clzurclt, Plti!addplzia. About the same time a gentleman who, in his youth had been a member of St. Joseph's, published a letter from which I make the following extract : " It occupied all the ground enclosed in the modern structure. It was an oblong building, runniDg East and \Vest, with the ceiling arched in the centre, probably not more than twenty-five feet high, from the floor ; the sides al_ong the North and South walls, having flat roofs, about twelve feet high. It had no gallery, but there was a small organ-loft at·the \Vest end, under the arch. The roof had its main supports from a series of posts resting in the pews of the North and South aisles. The chtirch was badly lighted and worse ventilated. The few windows in the ~orth and South walls merely afforded what is termed 'a· dim religious light.' Transgressors who sought religious grace, found in that little chapel nought to distract their minds or their eyes in the way of ornamental art or gaudy show. It was built for, and appropriated solely to, the wol·ship of the only Sup~rior recognized by an intelligent and consistent Catholic. ·• The walls exteriorly were rough-cast and pebble-dashed, thus throwing difficulty in the way of. young America inscribing his name for the edification a'nd benefit of anxious inquirers or unborn millions. " It was an entirely plain building, about one hundred feet long, with a flat roof on each side about fourteen feet in width, exte.nding the whole length. There were probably eight windows in the North front, of medium size, with old fashioned 8 by 10 window glass in them. The entrance to the church was through a small doorway at the end of each front, and this fact seemed to create a law for those who lived up town to use the \Valnut Street passage way, and for those who lived in the Southerly direction to usc the Willing's Alley route. "The only efforts attempted for many years in the way of internal improvement consisted simply in whitewashing �St. Yoseplt's Clwrclz, Philadelplzia. · 105 the walls. The chancel enclosed about three fifths of the width of the building, thus leaving room for several pews in the Northc;,"t and Southeast corners, the latter of which were occupied by, a race of colored Christians, who, I am afraid, have. all been called away. They were of French and \Vest Indian birth, and were bound devotedly together by good words ~nd for good works. They met frequently. by a law of their own, in that old church, and there prayed aloud in their native French, while they counted their beads, treasured as heir-looms. I have often listened to them with real pleasure, and endeavored to learn and repeat the prayers which escaped from their lips. Citizens who pedestrianized this City when its population was estimated ;>t I so.ooo persons, looked kindly, if not wishfully at some of those identical old colored ladies, as they sat at the most frequented corners with their heads ·enveloped in gay bandanna turbans, and holding in their laps a tray well supplied with groundnut cakes and cocoanut balls! Bless their old souls ! But they have all passed away. ." St Joseph's then contained in the parsonage adjoining, on the South, quite a numerous family of worthies. There was the liberal and amiable old Bishop Henry Conwell. He had with him his nephew, Dr. Christopher Columbus Conwell, one of the most brilliant writers of his day, and a niece, still living here. The Rev. Wm. Vincent Harold and Rev. Mr. Ryan of the Order of Dominican Friars, and· Rev. James Cummiskey, were the regular officiating clergymen there. Then we had the Rev. John Hughes, ordained there, and who rose rapidly in favor with the citizens generally, who built for him the Church on Thirteenth Street, known as St. John's, which soon after became the· Cathedral. Perhaps no man ever occupied a more exalted position in religious, literary, and political circles, than this same John Hughes, when he afterwards became bishop of New York. H~ lk1d risen from the position of a common laborer on the public roads of Pennsylvania from which he i I I I �106 St. Yosepll' s Clturclz, Plzi!adt:lpllia. was transferred to Mount St. :\Iary's College at Emmitsburg, :\Iaryland ; where he was made kitchen-gardener and received instructions in the different branches of the College course, after working hours. Officers of that institution have informed me that no graduate ever better deserved its honors than John Hughes. St. Joseph's had at that time the Rev. Terence Donaghoe, who also be.came prominent in church affairs. St. Michael's Church, in Kensington, was built for him, and he continued in charge of it during his life." - .. · The gentleman is mistaken with regard to Rev. Terence Donaghoe-upon the death of his great friend, Bishop Conwell, he migrated to the great \Vest, where he died a few years since. He happened to be in the City at the time of the riots, in 1844, and had the melanr:holy satisfaction of witnessing from the belfry of St. Augustine's the conflagration of the church and convefl't he had built with so much labor, and on the same evening of witnessing fronl the N. E. corner of \Villing's Alley the burning of St. Augustine's. On the 11th of February 1839. the new church was consecrated, being, I think, the second ·church in the United States consecrated to the Living·· God. I extract the following beautiful verses from "The Spirit of the Times:" LINES ON THE CONSECUATION OF ST. JOSEPH's, IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, 11TH FEll., 1839. I. Oh Thou of Heaven's high throneAlmighty and aloneWhose will can circle countless worlds unknown ; least understood , Father of life to thee We bend the worship-knee.~ The only Lord-the only great-the universal good. �St. 7oscplt's Clmrclt, Plti/pddplzia. 107 II. Within thP~<e sacred wnlls, Where every spell recalls, Freedom beneath the bann~cr in patriot battle won ; "\Vhere valor, virtue, met, And glory's stamp was set On him the pure commissioned chief-Columbia's WAsiiiNGTON. III. Look down in mercy here, ·withdraw the hand severe Thy justice could have lifted against Thy erring flock; And let Thy mercy bless, As in the wilderness "\Vhen ~loses fountl and !;;rae! drank Thy waters from the rock. IV. Oh! more than mortal heart Can picture what Thou art, Shoultl be his spirits heaven-lit fire of gratitude to Thee, That he thus lifts the signThe banner-cross divine To Thy pure worship in a land-so sacred and so free. v. • Here s~ints and patriots kne~t Who kindred feelings felt, [sWord! Who rais'd the flag and brav'd tllo fight a::1d wav'd the victor's Not fbr terrestrial power, That too debasing dower, But for Thy name ·'least understood," yet boundlessly ador'd. VI. Let but Thy pleasure now Illume Thy smiling brow, And we who've here assembled, can lift our hope afar; That this deep anthem song \Vith ileaven's sweet hopes so strong Shall countless generati.u~ llnng to Thy consoling star I VII. Holy I h•>ly! holyTriune-Godhead solelyThis ground is wet with sinner's tean, a tribute toT hy love; Oh grant that we rejoice With th'Arc11angelic voice From grassy grave and ocean-lead us to ThM above. JonN AuuUJTU8 SIIEA. Philadelphia, Feb. 11th, 183). VOL. Ill-No. 2. 14 �108 . St. :Joscp!z's Clwrdz, Plziladelplzia. Sunday the 27th of Septen1ber 1840, being the three hundredth anniversary of the Confirmation of the Society of Jesus, was a day of much more than ordinary devotion at St. Joseph's. The services were of the most imposing character. From half past five in the morning, Mass followed Jt1ass, at each of which hundreds received 'the food that maketh strong.' Although an admission fee of $I.OO was charged at the late service, the church was crowded. 'Haydn's Imperial 1\lass' was sung for the first time in America, tbe wife of the French Consul and Miss Susan de la Roche being the chief singers. The side pews in the galleries were removed to' make room for an orchestra ofover eighty pieces. The exercist;s of the day concluded with the solemn benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the singing of Haydn's magnificent 'Te Deum.' On October 24th. th~ee large paintings by Don Pedro Martinez were placed behind the altars. That of the Crucifixion-a copy of Rubens, is considered to be one of the best in the country. Although somewhat darkened by age, it is impossible to gaze upon the agonyof Jesus' face, the resigned anguish of Mary Mother's countenance, the wondering and yearning look of St. John and the almost hopeless despair of Mary ·Magdalene ·-\vithout acutely feeling the acursed weight of sin. I have seen even callous Quakers weep when gazing upon this picture. A Holy Family after Murillo and a Sacred Heart placed at this time behind the side altars have been removed to make room, one for a marble statue of our Immaculate Queen, the other for a painting on the same theme by a Protestant artist-smaller in size, and some think in artistic merit. Before the old one how many tears of repentance have been shed by sincere sinners l The calm benevolence of the countenance seemed to say: • Son, there is a place for you in this heart' -while the face of one of the Angels, gazing into the eyes of his Lord with a look of adoring wonder too great even for angelic intelligence, is in itselfan eloquent sermon on the love of God. �St. J'osep!t's C/mrdt, Pluladdp!tia. 109 In 1841 we find Fr. Havermans as Superior with Fr. Barbelin as assistant, and Brother Edmund Quinlan. teacher of the Boys' school. In the early part of this year, Father Barbclin began the Sodalities for young men and ladies, and on the 15th of August, a third branch for married men. This was the first Sodality of the Blessed Mother established in this country outside of Colleges and Academies. It was soon followed by a Sodality established in St. Mary's Church by Father· Edward Sourin, and in a short while these Sodalities were spread over tht.:; length and breadth of the land and have been found to be a most powerful instrumentality in keeping the young faithful in the discharge of their religious duties and of gaining souls to God. 1842, Father Ignatius Combs is Superior with Father Virgil Barber as second assistant, while Father Barbelin had charge of the schools, there being a day-school for girls taught by a Miss Shannon. During this year he introduced the pious devotion of the Bona Mars. Father Combs soon became endear~d to the people of the congregation by his simplicity of manners. On the 13th of February, Father Me Carthy died at \Vhitemarsh, Md. It is now over thirty years, and still people speak of his labors at Pottsville as well as at St. Joseph's, and of his beautiful singing. For some years the Sunday School had met in a large school room in znd Street opposite German. This being fully a mile from the Church, we may imagine the inconve·• nience caused good Father Barbelin, who many a time must have longed for the gift of ubiquity. During this year it entered upon its present quarters. _ In the early part of 1843. Bishop Conwell began to perceptibly fail. During the latter part of his life he was deprived of his sight and had a novel way ,of impressing upon his memory the features of ·his visitor:;. When one knelt to receive his episcopal benediction he would rub his �1 10 St. J'osepll's Church, P/uladelphza. hand over every part of the head and countenance, and manipulate the cranium of his unfortunate visitor as the artist does the clay he intends for his model, His sight had failed but his other faculties remained bright until within a short time of his death. He made his last will and testament, leaving St. Joseph's Cemetery, whiCh was deeded in his name, to the Fathers of St. Joseph's and placed this will in the hands of his executor, Rev. Terence Donaghoe, but, ·about a week before his death, he asked for it, pro.r.nising to return it in a day or two. After hi~ death this will could not be found. His nieces and nephews, as his heirs, laid claim to this home of the dead, with the honorable exception of his eldest niece and her estimable husband, to whose suffering for justice I have already paid tribute in Part 2nd. Our Fathers applied to the Courts. At first it was decided in favor of the relatives, who were so elated that they began to survey the ground in order to l<iy it out in-building lots. An appeal was made to the Court in Equity who made a final decision in favor of the congregation. Most of the relatives soon recognized the justice of this decision and became edifying members of the co~gregation. The children of some of them are among my regular monthly penitents. One found it more difficult to forgive and forget. Sometime after, wishing to injure Father Barbelin in the estimation of Bishop Kenrick, he sent a letter making the foulest accusations against Fr. B's honesty and morality. He feared his writing might be recognized and adopted the ingenio1.1s, if tedious, method of cutting the words from newspapers and pasting them in order. His Lordship imn1ediately sent this epistle to St. Joseph's. Mr. James Smith, a shrewd business man, was in Father Barbelin's room at the time of its reception ; and upon its having been shown to him, remarked:." I'll find out before sundown who sent that contemptible bundle." Without asking • �St. Yoscp!t's Clmrclt, P!tiladelplzia. II 1 permission he carried the document with him, and went to a stand for second·hand books. Acting on the principle that might makes right, he opened the closets of this stanp and there he found the very papers from which the \Vor.ds had been cut. "I'll make you suffer for this," .said he," they have comfortable quarters in Moyamensing palace -I'll use all my influence to have Father Barbelin sue you for libel." The man was horribly frightened; but as the meek Jesuit took the Christian's revenge, he became one of his warmest admirers. At this time, this grave-yard, the cause of so much litigation, is a· source of expense rather than of revenue; but it is still the last resting place of many of Philadelphia's poor. On the zoth of April, Father Barbelin anointed Bishop Conwell. He' died on the 22nd, having leq an eventful and troubled life; a man of more mistakes than faults; a proof that varied acquirements and even good intentions do not always fit one for a respon.sible position. In I843 the interior of the church, which up to this time had been dressed in white, was much improved by Signor Monachesi's frescoes. The ceiling was a master-piece, its simplicity of design being its unique charm. The groundwork was a silver dove color-the centre was the Jesuits' monogram-the I. H. S. in the midst of a massive, richlygilt glory. In each corner was a medallion of dual angels bearing instruments of the Suffering. These, together with the simple scroll-work, presented an exquisitely chaste appearance, to many, much more pleasing than that combination. of bright green, yellow, pink, blue, brown, magenta, etc., to be found in almost every village church throughout the country. In 1853 the walls were again painted, in what, from its resemblance to a useful article of the t.oilet, the witty Fr. John Me Guigan designated the Castelian style of architecture; but the ceiling was not touched until I8J2, when its dingy, almost leprous appearance necessitated its renovation. (To be continued.) �"FATHER WENINGER ON THE PACIFIC COAST. FIFTH LETTER. ------RE\". MW DEAR FATHER: P. C. The year 1870 began like its predecessors, with my own Retreat ; and St. Ignatius' College this time became my Manresa. I like to make the Exercises at the opening of the new year ; it is at least a feeble mark of respect and veneration for their author, and for the Society to which we have been called. For it was while performing these Exercises, that St Ignatius first received the inspiration to found a new order, which was to copy whatever was holiest irrthe older religious Communities, and yet differ from them in many important particulars. The idea was suggested to him during the Meditation on the "Two Standards." He had been a soldier, he had fought. under the standard of his sovereign for the f.<ding laurels'"of time; he was to be a soldier still, and wear the crown of immortality. The whole plan of "The Company of Jesus," so martial in its conception, was at once unfolded before .his imagination. Hereafter this was the dream of his life, the grand aim of his ambitious soul. The Exercises are, therefore, the natural element of the Jesuit. He finds in them the nourishment that will repair his failing strength and quicken him into new and vigorous life. If he has imbibed the spirit of our holy Founder, he cannot but feel a spiritual attraction for them, and have recourse to them at his earliest convenience. Besides, the Exercises have been sealed with the special sanction of the Church. During the lifetime of Ignatius, �Fat!ter TVeninger on t/ze Pacific Coast. I I 3 in the year 1548, on the 31st of July-now sacred to the memory of the Saint-Paul III wrote these memorable words, which should remain forever engraven on our hearts: "Exercitia praedicta, ac omnia et singula in eis contenta, ex certa scientia nostra approbamus, collaudamus et praesentis scripti patrocinis communimus." The Popes, it is true, have often commended other writings, as good and profitable to souls. But where is the book, co:nposed by uninspired m<tn, all of whose contents they have sanctioned and approved in such a manner? It is quite natur<tl then, that in the Jesuit's mind the book of the Exercises should rank next to the Bible, and that, if left to himself, he should enrich himself with its treasures at the very beginning of the year. This season following upon the Christmas solemnities, generally leaves the missionary more at leisure to attend to study of his own perfection, and apply to himself the saving truths which he must teach to others during the rest of the year. If he seizes the opportunity, he will always be sure of not dying without having made his annual Re.treat, and this thought alone is no slight consolation. But I find that I have insensibly strayed away from"the Missions on the Pacific Coast to a somewhat different theme. However, as these letters are meant to encourage a kindly exchange of feeling among brethren, and as those of our Fathers devoted to the missions may not find it uninteresting to know how one similarly engaged divides his yt;ar, my other readers will kindly overlook this and other short digressions. The first mi,sion after my retreat took place in our Church at San Jose. It is hardly necessary to allude to the usual manifestations of divine grace during the course of the Exercises : they attend every mission more or less. I shall only mention a remark dropped by a Frenchman, who accidentally came across my path in that part of the �1 14 Father Weninger o1t tlze Pacific Coast. globe. He was one of those unhappy individuals who seem. to have been born to no purpose, and who are disgusted with themselves and all the sons of Adam-an infidel and a misanthrope in the strictest sense of the word. He candidly acknowledged that he could not believe in the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore his remark struck me all the more because it was unexpected from such a quarter. As I was speaking, he suddenly interrupted -me ! "would you be so kind, and tell me what catholics m,t;an when they proclaim the Pop~ infallible ?" I informed him, that the Infallibility of the Pope does not mean a personal exemption from error, making a man incapable of a mistake, as far as he is a man ; but the official Infallibility of the Vicar of Christ, when he addresses ~he whole Church upon matters of faith and morals. He appeared quite satisfied with this explanation and exclaimed: ·• Seulement dans ce sens ? Mais sans doute en matiere de foi le Pape doit etre lnfaillible ; cela va sans dire"-Only in that sense? Why, to be sure, in matters of faith the Pope IIllis! be infallible; that's understood.- He had denied the divinity ?f Ch~ist a little before, and now he admitted as self-evident, that His Vicar must be infallible in matters of faiti1. This was a striking proof, tliat every logical mind starting from the principle of In£'1llibility in the church, must of necessity come to the-conclusion that its head can not err in matters of faith. After the mission at San Jose I went to Los Angeies, to give another there in the Cathedral. The day on which I started, San Francisco was visited by an earthquake. Shocks of this kind are very frequent in California ; they occurred at four different times during my stay there. A tradition, current among the people, says that at some future day San Francisco will disappear in one of these convulsions of the earth. is based upon an incident in the life of a Venerable Father of the Order of St. Francis, who lived in the monastery of Santa Clara. While praying in It �Fa titer l¥eninger on tlze Pacific Coast. 1 15 the church before a crucifix, still honored with great devotion, he was rapt into an extasy and raised into the air. Just as he awoke from his ravishment, some one entered the church. The servant of God asked him if he had seen anything ext;aordinary. The man replied in the affirmative. ··\Veil then," said he," I will tell you what God has just revealed to me: San Francisc~ will one day disappear in an earthquake." From that time till the present, the· saying of the holy man has been repeated and is believed by many. The city is built in part upon alluvial soil, and it would not take a very violent shock to verify the prophecy. May'God avert so great a punishment and desolation! South of San Francisco, in the direction of Los Angeles, the scenery along the coast is by turns grand and picturesque, charming and sublime. I enjoyed it to the full and arrived at Los Angeles in the beginning of February. What a delightful climate! It is already Summer-oranges are blooming and bearing fruit at the same time, and nature, -still buried in the snows of winter in other regions, is here decked in all its charms. I often wonder, how a rich and independent man who looks for the comforts of l,ife, can ever make up his mind to return to the Eastern or Middle States after spending a winter in California. I remained in this terrestrial paradise until March. The beauty of the scenery was always increasing; and yet, at that very time, the Newspapers contained sw:h startling announcements as these: "Minnesota! violent snow storms! people frozen to death!" Nevertheless the tide of emigration is flowing chiefly towards Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The only reason is, that others went there first! Men wish to join their kinsfolk and to settle among those who have a family feeling with them. They buy themselves a farm, and when they begin to regret the step, they find that i~ is not so easy to dispose of it. And so they find themselves obliged to dwell, for several long winter months, amid perpetual snows and frosts. VOL. III-No. 2. 15 �I 16 Fatlzer J;Vminger on t!te Pacific Coast. Th~ life at Los Angeles is stamped with a decidedly Spanish, or rather Mexican character. The people have a wonderful attachment to the Catholic religion. Their faith is as strong as that of the Irish, but their morals are anything but conformable to their belief. s·ome of them, it is true, lead the lives of veritable saints; I saw a pious widow in the Cathedral of Los Angeles, who, like the prophetess Anne, alm~st never left the precincts of the church. But the great m;~jority are as weak in practice as they are s~rong in theory. Man and wife often live together unmarried or without the requisite dispensation in case of a matrimonial impediment. Here too, as elswhere, the Mexican character shows a singular combination of Indian ferocity and Spanish grandeza. The inhabitants are extremely improvident, they live like Adam and Eve, from day to day and let divine Providence take care of the unce[tain future. However, they might rise superior ~o all these weaknes,es and make as good a Catholic nation as any in the world, if Freemasonry had not obtained such a footing among them and perverted many of the most influential n:en. The worst of it is, that often they see no harm in belonging to the sect. They are beguiled by the fact that Freemasons help one another like brethren and insist on external propriety and decorum. I met with a member of the lodge at Annaheim, a settlement south of Los Angeles, in the direction of San Diego. He was a very good-hearted man, who with rare generosity, had made the Catholics there a present of all the pews necessary to fill their church. I said to him: "As you are so kind to the Catholics, why do you not join the Church ano become a Catholic yourself?"-"! would have done it long ago," replied he, "but your church will not receive me." I answered at once: "I know the reason-You are a Freemason.':_ "I am, Father, and that is precisely the reason, why you should receive me; for Freemasons and the Catholic church have the same end in view; and therefore I feel so �Father Weninger on the Pacific Coast. I I7 much inclined to become a Catholic. Does not the Catholic. church wish all men to help one another, love one another, and do right? This is likewise the aim of Freemasonry. Father, you refuse to receive me into your church, because I am a Freemason; and you yourself are one." I smiled and said: "How can you suppose, that I, a Priest, am a Freemason? Are you not aware that Pius IX. like so many of his predecessors, has again and again pronounced the sentence of excommunication against the members of all secret Societies and especially against the Freemasons : How, then, could (have joined them?"-"0!" said he, "'Pius IX. himself is a Freemason, and the greatest of them all ; for I really believe, that there is not on earth a man, who more sincerely wishes to see all persons honest and happy." These words showed me, how great was the blindness of the poor fellow, and how useless it would have been to make an effort to enlighten his mind. I thought it b.::st to leave him in the hands of Providence, until he would be better disposed to open his eyes to the rays of truth. The little village of Annaheim, where I fell in with him, embraces an area of about six miles in circumference. It is surrounded. by a hedge of thorny shrubs and is entered by something like a gate. The houses are built at some distance from each other and surrounded by vineyards and orchards. There is a reservoir of water supplied from a stream above the village; and in case of drought, so common in those parts, the water is conducted by means of canals through the town to places where irrigation is needed. Every Saturday such persons as are in want of water meet at the office of the reservoir and leave their orders. The place was originally laid out for Germans, but it is now open to all nationalities. Mexicans in particular have found their way thither. Still the great majority are Germans, most of them Protestants, and the Catholics are generally intermarried with them. �I I 8 Fat/zer Weninger on tlze Pacific Coast. An amusing incident occurred at this settlement during the course of the mission. A Catholic woman came to confession and told me that her husband, who was a Protestant, was willing to have his children brought up Catholics and baptized, but that he wished the ceremony to be performed at his own house. I went there. Seeing quite a number of children, some smaller and others larger, I inquired whether none of them had ever been baptized. The husband answered : "Yes, Father, this boy here, I baptized my,;;el(" I asked him whether he had done everything rightly and followed the prescribed formula. "0 to be sure I did! and in order to make the baptism all the stronger and more efficacious, instead of using water, I took the best wine that I had in my cellar. Was not this baptism stronger than one given only with water?" Starting from Annaheim for the North, I first gave a Retreat to the boarders in the academy of the Sisters of Notre Dame at San Jose. A large number of the pupils in this Institution were Protestants. But they all joined in the retreat with the Catholics, and during it some of them were received into the church. And now May was fast approaching. It was time to return to Oregon, where I had not been able to finish the preceding year. 'After another Mission, therefore, in the Cathedral at Marysville, I set out and once more passed the dreaded Columbia Bar. The first mission in Oregon this season was 'given to the soldiers of the garrison at Fort Stephens, situated at the very entrance of the Bay, before Astoria. I was glad to begin my missionary campaign with a military expedition. For, somehow, soldiers are a class of men for whom the priest feels a sort of natural attraction, and whom he is inclined to aid as much as he can in their spiritual wants. Soldiers, on the other hand, are wont to reciprocate his feelings. So far from insulting the minister of Christ, they generally manifest a special regard for his person. The secret cause for this sympathy may perhaps be found in �Fatlzcr Wminger on tlze Pacific Coast. I I 9 the singular resemblance of their vocations. Both the soldier and the priest are called to fight-the one on the battlefield of his country, the other on that of the Church militant. In the Society, in particular, whose Founder was at one time a soldier and wished his followers to be a COII?pany of volunteers ready to fly, at the first signal, to any part of the world where danger is more imminent, this sort of fellowship is all the more natural. Indeed St. Ignatius would seem to encourage it. For, while he forbids us to receive as candidates those who have already belonged to some other religious association, he makes an exception in favor of the Military Orders. The Commander of Fort Stephens, though not a Catholic himself, was marrie.d "to a Spanish Catholic. He gave me full liberty to do what I wished, and even permitted those who were in prison to attend the Retreat and approach the Sacraments. In a word, I found him kind and obliging throughout, and after concluding the exercises, I started with picasant recollections for Oregon City. A mission was greatly need<7d there just then, on account of the scandal given by an Apostate Catholic priest, formerly a Benedictine monk. He had not only renounced his religious profession, but openly lived there with a woman whom•he had married before the secular judge. Thanks be to God, the mission healed many wounds. From Oregon City I went to a congregation in the ' country. The good people there had built a stone church on the top of a lonely hilL-Not a house was to be seen for miles around, and the priest only visited the place at intervals. Duririg night I lodged at a house about three miles distant; durihg the day I was obliged to remain in Church the whole time without taking any nourishment till evening. The work was wearisome and fatiguing; but many extraordinary conversions refreshed the spirit and sweetened the labor. The ways of divine Providence were especially remarkable in leading one erring sheep into the �1 20 • ,, I' f'atlter WeniJZger o1z tlze Pacific Coast. fold. Apparently, it was doomed to stray still farther into the by paths of error. But the Shepherd had watched its wanderings and followed it, even into the remotest wilds. The triumph of the Sacred Heart was so unmistakable that I. must relate it briefly. After leavirig the steamer in which we had embarked at Oregon City, I hact to make the balance of my journey in a wagon. On I passed through the newly settled country by many a weary turn, until I reached a tavern. Just then an unknown man stepped out of the hot~se, with a bundle of clothes in his hand. He approached "and asked the driver, if he might ride with us. I took him for a half-drunken vagabond, and felt no little Jisrelish for such a companion. Nevertheless I consented to his taking a seat by me on the already overloaded wagon. He soon made himself known as a New Englander. Notwithstanding his neglected and uninviting appearance, he proved to be a well educa~ed man-an engineer by profes~IOn. Up to that day he had never come so close to a prie:>t and never yet spoken to one. As might have been expecte{ under such circumstances, he plied me very soon ~\·ith a host of questions about religious matters and was ,;urprised at the answers he received .. \Vhen we drew near to the place where I was to stay oVer night, I invited him to avail himself of the mission, which would open on the following day, to get more information upon the subjects that we had been discussing. I promised, at the same time to give him a book which would instruct him thoroughly concerning the claims of the Church, by comparing Catholicity with Protestantism and Infidelity. And so we parted. I was quite surprised next day, when I perceived that he was really present in the church and listened with intense interest. After a day or two I was told that this newly arrived stranger had publicly expressed his amazement at the effect produced on him by the mission sermons. "Do you know what?" said he. ''That priest actually made me cry to-day at church. I never shed such tears in my life �Fat/zer Wmingcr otz tlze Pacific Cuast, 121 before." When the mission was drawing to a close, I asked him how he felt. He confessed that the scales had fallen from his eyes, and that he would consider himself under the greatest obligation to me, if I received him into the Church. I complied with his request. His looks, indeed, were against him, and most priests would probably have distrusted him. But, then, it is far easier to render a.n account to our Lord for having been rather indulgent towards sinners, especially towards those who are not yet members of the fold, than for having been too austere and exacting. This case itself furnished me with an additional proof and became to me a source of unspeakable consolation. Not long after, a well-dressed gentleman called on me in Portland. It was the same person. He had come to pay me a visit and to thank me for what I had done for his salvation. He wished to go again to confession; and in a short time he became, I may say, a leading member of the congregation. Being an able man he had soon found a good employment, and hence this change in his appearance. He was desirous to be more and more instructed in our holy religion, and he even sent books to his family in Massachusetts, to enlighten them and, if possible, to make them partakers in his happiness. How very different the result would probably have been, had I dismissed him with the advice to receive further instruction, as best lte might! Most probably he would have remained and died a protestant. Worse still, had I refused him a seat on the wagon, as I certainly felt disposed to do at first sight. For everything about him was calculated to create an unfavorable impression. The very atmosphere that surrounded him, was impregnated with an ominous smell of .strong drink. YeL all these signs proved deceptive. Under that repulsive exterior was hidden an accomplished gentleman, and what is . more, a chosen friend of God. I have dwelt upon this subject, to answer an objection, often heard from zealous persons, whose good sense is �1 22 Father T¥minger on the Pacific Coast. rarely at fault upon other matters, but whose experience in this particular is ne'cessarily limited. They complain that missionaries often receive neophytes into the church with. out sufficient preparation, and that as a consequence, their conversions are not lasting .. Let me assure them, in order to allay their fears, that it is far more advisable to finish the work of conversion during the mission, than to defer it and to subject the mind that is well disposed to a protracted preparation at other hands. Of course~ when the resident pastor himself has~ the candidate under instruction, it is very desirable to give him a more thorough preparation than the missionary could be expected to do. The reason is plain. The mission is a time of grace, and it is at !_east doubtful whether the soul invited by the interior call of grace, would be likely _to hearken to it. when the echoes of the missionary's voice have died away. Even converts received at other times should not be put off to long without at least receiving Baptism, and condition-al absolution, in case the Baptl;;m itself has been administered under condition. I take for granted, meanwhile, that the neophyte is fully aware of the meaning of the step he is about to take, and that he knows explicitly and distinctly the principal articles of our faith. He must be instructed·in the mystery of the Unity and Trinity of God and of His relations to us as Creator and Ruler of the Universe. He must be taught the doctrine of the fall of man in Paradise, and of his redemption by the Son of God made flesh. He must see the necessity of belonging to the Catholic Church, the only ·true and saving Church founded by Christ Himself. He must be told of the seven Sacraments and their effects. Finally, he must understand the value and efficacy of prayer, the most ordinary means of obtaining the graces of God. It is useless for the missionary to insist on the convert's memorizing a great number of definitions from the Catechism. His chief aim should be to make them, from the very beginning, really practical Catholics. If they are thor- �Fat!tcr 1Venini[er Oft tlze Pacific Coast. 1 23 • oughly catholic at heart and understand the essential articles well, they will be anxious of themselves to become instructed in their Christian duties and will readily embrace every opportunity that offers itself. To secure this end all the better, it would be advisable for the convert to have a zealous, practical Catholic, as a witness who will go with him to the Parish priest for further instruction and by his example lead him to the frequentation of the Sacraments, the daily practice of prayer and the regular attendance at l\Iass on Sundays and Holidays of obligation. Such a friend and witness is much more useful for the new convert, than any purely doctrinal instruction, which after all can be gradually acquired from books. Hence the rule and custom, observed in the church from the very beginning, of having Sponsors at Baptism. This office which might seem to be a mere formality at present, was in olden times . considered to imply a most serious engagement. Indeed it might still be productive of the happiest results if performed in the proper spirit. For the influence of a layman is often more direct and constant than any that the pastor could exert. The latter is often busied with the care of so large a flock that he finds it difficult to extend his special solicitude to all those who might seem to need it. It is good, however, to recommend the converts to him. He need not, and in fact _should not. molest them with many dogmatical explanations, .but he should . often give them practical exhortations on the manner of living like real Catholics, and especially on the regular practice of prayer, the hearing of Mass and the use of the Sacraments. The all-important point is Confession, which is apt to have its own peculiar difficulties for grown persons who are as yet unaccustomed to lay open all the secret folds of their conscience. They should be repeatedly t"old by the priest how to conduct themselves iri the confessional, according as they have committed new sins or not They should be shown, in their prayerbooks those prayers which are usually enjoined VOL. Ill-No. 2. 16 �I 24 ,, Fat/zer ~Veninger on tlze Pacific Coast. for a penance. In this manner, they will gradually become • familiar with confession, and find it a source of peace and consolation. Generally speaking, when converts are deemed sufficiently instructed to make a good confession, they should likewise be admitted to the Holy Table. To delay the reception of the Blessed Eucharist, under these circumstances, is a bad practice. Very likely it will lead them to neglect the use of this life-giving Sacrament for many years, under the pretext of unworthiness. Simply to baptize them, with the advice to apply for further instruction to the Parish priest, is at best a very uncertain method and exposes their souls to a great risk. For, the devil, who is afraid of losing his prey. will certainly do his best to destroy the work of God. I have been, perhaps, rather diffuse on this subject. But, as it is one of no little difficulty to missionaries, these hints thrown out by one who has drawn them from the personal experience of years, will it is hoped be of some service and be received in the same spirit by the reader in which they were penned down by the writer. In this hope I continue the history of the mission, which gave occasion to them. At the close of this mission I had.a remarkable interview. perhaps I should say, controversy;\vith a Protestant Minister. He came to the church on the last day, which was the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, just as I was erecting the mission Cross. He approached and asked me, if I would not allow him to address the people that day, which meant of course to preach to them. I replied: "Sir, before I can give you the desired permission, I must first know who sent you hither to preach. You know very well, if you have read the Acts of the Apostles, as I presume you have. that. when assembled in Council at Jerusalem, they warned the faithful not to listen to those not sent by them. They told their disciples that such preachers, not having been commissioned by the legitimate ecclesiastical authority, were intruders, and that therefore their sermons were only �Father Weni1lger on the Pacific Coast. I25 the word of man and not that of God. Now, I am here sent by Pius IX., the successor of St. Peter, who presided over that Council at Jerusalem and whose feast we celebrate today. Plus IX. is at this very time presiding, in the same manner, over a General Council composed of the lawful successors of the Apostles. Among these is the Archbishop of Oregon, who desired me to come and preach' to the portion of Christ's flock entrusted to him by the chief Bishop, Pius IX., the Pope of Rome. It is in obedience to his call that I am here. I wish, therefore, to know who sent you." "Father," said he, "would you explain to me the meaning of the word Christian? I think, I heard that it is a Greek word." I answered: "so it is, sir. As a preacher, you should ha·.-e learned Greek, at least so far as to know that it means an anointed." "Precisely so, and therefore I wish to preach, because I feel myself anointed by the Holy Spirit, in whose unction I wish to address your congregation." "Sir," replied I, "it is not my part to investigate what spirit it is, whose unction you feel. But this much is quite sure, that, if you cannot prove yourself sent by those whom the Holy Spirit has appointed to govern the church, it is not His unction you feel. And, therefore, I cannot consent to your preaching in the temple wherein He dwelleth. However, if you are desirous to serve God in truth, I can present you with a book addressed to all candid Americans, who wish to find out the way of salvation. For the present, I invite you into the church to hear the true word of God. I will give you a seat in the very first pew." He accepted the invitation and entered. I spoke on the indestructibility of the Catholic Church, as a mark of her divine origin. At the conclusion of the sermon, the renewal of the Baptismal Vows t.ook place. Seeing himself surrounded by so many uplifted hands and hearing the strong, jubilant voices of the multitudes when they swore to live ·and die as Catholics, and if need be, to. shed the last drop of their blood for the faith, the poor �0J"age Jiissioll. preacher was quite bewildered. He seemed to be a really good-hearted but deluded man. like so many others even among the Protestant ministers. He remained to see the cross erected and blessea on that rocky hill, by the side of the church, and paid the greatest attention to everything that I said and did. Meanwhile tlie Papal Benediction was given and the 7£· Dno1t reechoed for miles through the surrounding valleys. After this I entered the church again, where I found my friend, the preacher, al_l, bathed in tears. Pressing my hands, he said only these few but expressive words: "Father! pray for me." I once more recommended to him to study the book I had given him, and to examine into the truth of the Catholic faith. I trust that God will have mercy on his soul, that the seeds of final conversion have been sown in his heart and that, having joined the true Church, built by Christ upon a rock, he himself will pray. \Vith many regards, Yours in Dno. F. X. \VENINGEI<. OSAGE MISSION. ---------OsAGE MISSION, NEosHo CoUNTY, KANSAS, DECEMBER ·31st, 1873. REV. FATliER: In compliance with your kind request I send you a few items about our Western Missions, nor to boast that we are performing wonders, but merely to show that we keep up . the great work begun by our forefathers, Van Q~ickenborne ~nd Timmermans. I call these our forefathers because the �Osagt' Jlfission. 127 glorious work which they began in 1823, when, leaving the Novitiate at vVhitemarsh, in Maryland, they took, as we say here, the" ·western trail," has not yet been given up, but with the help of God it is carried on by us with daily increase and success. Father Charles Van Quickenborne was the real founder of this Mission, though he did not commence the Institution now existing here. He was the first priest that ever entered the beautiful Neosho Valley, which was at that time the grazing ground of bears and buffaloes, and the hunting resort of aboriginal tribes. We find in the records of the Mission that he was here as early as the year 1827, visiting the Osages, several of whom he had educated and baptized when they were living near Florissant, in Missouri. The Osages gave him an enthusiastic reception and wished him to remain with them ; but not being able to do so, the Father passed only a few days with them, consecrated this soil to God, by the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass ; then returned to St. Stanislaus, in the vicinity of Florissant. If, while the venerable Father, tired and broken down by long travel, was riding on through this immense desert, as it then was, one of his companions had told him that in less than fifty years it would be teeming with thousands of industrious settlers, towns, cities, schools and universities ; that over a hundred churches would be open to large and fervent congregations, and that the valley of the Neosho, then unknown to the world, would become the richest emporium of a flourishing State; I am sure that the venerable Father would have laughed with all his heart, and nodding his head would likely have replied : "I see, dear friend, that you are born to be a poet, for the power of your imagination is great indeed." Time has proved that such words would by no meall'S have been an exaggeration. But enough for the past, let us come to the present. Our Catholic settlements having considerably increased during the past year, the different chapels built here and �128 I i l 1 f I ! I r ! Osage Jlfission. there for the accommodation of the same, begin to be too "mall, and we shall have to raise funds to enlarge them. In fact, we have done so already for that of St. Anne's, on \Valnut creek; and we have moved it the distance of three miles, to render it more convenient to the catholic families living around a new town, ten miles Northeast of this :\lisston. Arkansas City also has increased her catholic contingent. This place, which is situated at the confluence of the Great \Valnut and the Arkansas rivers, is a nicely built town, on a .high sandy hill, very near the Southern line of the State, and one hundred miles from our city. The Indian trade keeps it lively. The catholic population around, is a cosmopolitan one; for, of the thirty families, or there:tbouts, that compose it, some are Irish, others French. others German, Italian and Swiss. Having heard that new catholic settlements were forming f;1r west of the Arkansas, in Somer's County, I concluded that I should visit them. I was approaching \Vellington, the' 'County seat, thinking that here I was a stranger, but I was mistaken ; for hardly had I got into town when some of my old acquaintances came to meet me and requested me to spend the night with them, that on the next morning they might have the happiness ofhearing Mass. Their request was so just that I was bound to comply with it, and the following day, August I zth, I said the first Mass that ever was celebrated in the town of Wellington ; baptized two children, and began in that place a new Missionary station. I cannot go farther without noticing an incident which took place in Eldorado. It was not only remarkable, but it also caused a great deal of talk among the Protestants. A lady whose husband professed to have no religion of any kind, a few days after having come fo this town, fell. very sick, So that she became quite helpless. The doctors gave her up, and the poor woman was very much distressed at not having either a priest or a ca~holic friend to assist her �Osage iV!ission. 129 at her last hour. Fortunately for her, there happened to be another catholic lady living not far off, who, hearing of her critical condition, took about a cupful of holy water, and coming to her, first knelt at her bed side and recited several prayers, then rising, she told the sick woman to drink all the water she had brought, and to trust in the Mother of God. She did as she was told, and the result was, that she began to feel better, and the next day was up and quite well, and no longer in need of doctors. From this County I passed to that of Howard, to visit the catholic families scattered along the banks of its beautiful streams. Here I was informed that not far from Longton there were some children to be baptized. I hastened to the place and found the f:'lmilies. They were Germans; and as I do not understand German, I found myself in an awkward position. I came in, but they did not notice my coming. They seemed strange to me; hence, coming forward, I announce myself as the Pastor, and I told them that I had come to baptize their children. They stood still for a while, till at last a woman asked me whether I was the Katolik Pastor. I replied in tile affirmative, but she was not satisfied. Her husband then came in, and again I introduced myself as the Pastor. The man looked at me very d.ttentively for a while, and then with great emphasis asked me whether I was the Katolik Pastor. I answered that I was ; and not knowing. any longer what to say about it, l took out my beads .. This settled the whole matter; for no sooner did they see the beads than their countenances beamed with joy, and the woman who would not believe me, came forward to look at the beads, saying; "me too, have one like that." There was no need of delaying any longer. My credentials were good ; so the children were brought in, and I baptized them. But after the children were baptized, there was something else to be settled. Another woman now brought out a long roll of paper, saying that she had a nice picture to show �130 Osage 1lfission. me ; and she began to unroll it, looking at me with a kind of distrust. It was a Protestant representation of the Immaculate Conception. The artist had surrounded the image with a multitude of little angels (without wings), had placed the crescent in a very crooked way under the feet of the Virgin, and. either purposely or through neglect, I cannot tell which, had forgotten to put the serpent under her feet. These apparently small omissions had struck the eyes of these devout people, and they could not persuade themselve;; that such a picture represented the Mother of God. I h~d to explain to them very particularly, the meaning of the little angels, of the crescent, etc. ; and I was successful I think in making them look upon it as a holy image; at their request I blessed it. "Now," said the . woman. "I ari1 well pleased with it-I will hang this picture oti the wall, and \ve will say our daily prayers before it." From this settlement I passed to Fridonia in \Vilson Co., to have mass at a small chapel which was built some years since, in honor of St. Francis Regis. Here, my coming brought peace and settled a difficulty which was going to become serious. A man of a very troublesome character, or, in other words, a desperado, got into a passion of anger with one of his catholic neighbors, .and shot one of his cows. No occasion having been given for such an offem.:e, the catholic swore vengeance against the fellow. He soon found a companion ready to help him, ·and both having indulged in liquor rather freely, declared to me that before night they would put a bullet in the man who had shot the cow. Fortunately, when I met them the liquor had not yet gotten the better of them ; and by reasoning upon the subject, and appealing to religious principles, I succeeded iti persuading them to put the whole matter aside ; and thanks be to God, the trouble was over. On the 5th of October I was proposing to leave for a n'tissiortary excursion in the Southwest but some unexpected occurrence compelled me to delay my departure. This �Os~ge 1vlission. appeared to be accidental, but in truth it was providential; for towards evening a telegraphic despatch came to inform me, that an old triend of mine was at the point of death in Burlington (some eighty miles North of this Mission), and that he wanted me to come up to assist him. I left that very night, and the next morning I was by his bed side. This man was about sixty-three years oid, and had passed nearly all his life trading with the Indians ; and though generally, he had not much opportunity of practising his religious duties, yet he was a just and honest man, very charitable to the poor, and to me he had been not only a friend, but also a benehctor. These good qualities, I have no doubt, procured him the grace of dying the death of a christian. May his soul rest in peace. About the end of November, having come to the settlement of an old Iroquois Indian, who some years since came to li\•e in these western countries, I sent word to his children and relatives close by, to come to Mass on the next mo.rning, and take this opportunity for approaching the holy Sacraments. Almost all of them followed my advice, and I could not but be edified at their piety and devotion. These Indians are the remnants of a once powerful nation; they now live like white people, and have done away with nearly all their Indian customs. I say nearly all-for the good old patriarch still keeps one, though he has greatly improved on it. Any one travelling among wild Indians, and passing a night in their camp, cannot but feel surprised, if not terrified, when quite early in the morning, at the first appearance of the morning stat:, they break out into a loud and solemn song. The Chief himself gives the tune, and he is soon followed by all his men together-a tremendous chorus. This song lasts about five minutes. Once the men h~ve' done, the women repeat the same; and their cries and screams are most heart-rending. In a few minutes, all has subsided, and they remain silent till daylight. VOL. III-No. 2. 17 �132 Osage Mission. Now, I have stopped several times at the house of this good old man, and every morning, long before the dawn of day, I heard him singing the Laudate Dominum omues gentes, and just as nicely as you would hear it in a well established congregation. Having got through the short psalm. he lies down again to sleep till daybreak. Our ancient missionaries seem to have possessed a special gift for turning to advantage, even the most insignificant Indian customs. The Indians think much of this practice, which they call their morn.\ng prayer; but in reality, it is nothing eise than an imprecation against their enemies, and with their cries they pray the Great Spirit to exterminate them to the last.. Our missionaries turned their imprecations into the praises of Him from whom all good things proceed. I just came home in time to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, which was as usual, well attended, though this year, the weather was very unfavorable. On the follo..ying Sunday, we consecrated to the Heart of Jesus this congregatiOn and all our Missionary stations. To prepare the people for this great act we, for the first time, had in our Church the devotion of the Forty Hours. The members of our Religious Community, the Sisters of Loretto, the boys of our Institution, as well as the girls attending the Convent schools, the members of the mens', as well as of the ladies' Sodality ; all by turns during the three days, passed half an hour in adoration before the Bl. Sacrament. The effect of this was grand and very edifying, especially in the eyes of our Protestant neighbors, who were wondering at seeing so many people coming to church the whole day long. On the evening of the third day the solemn act of Consecration was offered to the Heart of Jesus. and we hope that this will bring down upon us the many blessings of which we stand in need. Yours in Christ. PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, s. J. �LETTER FROM A SCHOLASTIC IN TEXAS. - SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, jAN. 28th, 1874. REv. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. I very willingly comply with your request to give some account of the foundation of this new mission of the Society by the dispersed Province of Mexico. ·The banishment, during the past year, of the foreign Jesuits residing in the City of Mexico has long since been recounted by the newspapers, not always, perhaps, with scriptural exactness. The members of the Society were already partially dispersed, since the Reform laws have for several years denied even the rigli.t of existence to religious communities ; but real good was done by. teaching in the Seminary, by the ministry of the confessional, and by preaching. The President persecutor, by the way, is the nephe\~ of the well-remembered Fr. Lerdo of the Society, former Assistant of Spain ; and among those chosen for exile, is an aged brother, companion of the uncle for many years in Rome and Mexico. The border-land of Texas with its numerous Mexican population along the frontier, and its scarcity of priests, naturally offered itself as a place of shelter and as a new field of labor as well. Accordingly, Rev. Fr. Artola, Visitor of the Province, came hither" in September of last year to prepare the way for others, to follow after. The 2 rst of November, feast of the Presentation of Our Lady, arrived the first band of exiles, ten in ~umber. A house in the outskirts of the city had been rented for them, and the regular life of community at once began. Since then two �San Antonio, Texas. 134 !. other bands have come after, in December and January respectively ; and we now form a community of twenty-two, very f.1ir for Texas. There are nine priests, seven schola.«tics, three novices and three brothers ; and our not over large house has f.1irly emulated that marvel of Providence, the catalpa-bean, where the greatest possible quantity is stowed into the least possible space. There is also a Chapel of the Sacred Heart, abiding place of Our Lord and King. His Lo~dship, the Bishop of Galveston, returned from Europe a!_ld came hither in the beginning of December, to welcome his immense diocese, larger than all France, the new laborers; and on the feast of St. Francis X<tvier made over to the Society in perpetuity the old mission Church and lands of San Jose. Some day I will write you more at length on· these remains of the early missionary labors of the Franciscans; at present enough to say that a Father with all the energy of a Catalan, is devoting himself to the parish work, all undone since the departure of the friars. Another mission has been opened on the 'ranch' of an Irish Catholic, some twenty-five miles from the city on the Rio San Geronimo (for here everything except the wild frontiersman, is hallowed by a patron saint). May God bring good out of the evil, so rampant in these days of darkness, and bless, even in far away Texas, these endeavors to give Him glory. Another item of news, rather foreign to my purpose, but which I am sure will interest, is the approaching publication of the letters of our Father St .. Ignatius in Madrid. A letter from Europe to Rev. Father Visitor announces that two hundred pages are already through the press. It will form a work' of five or six volumes. I recommend myself to your holy Sacrifices and prayers. In. X TO. SERvus, RALPH E. S. DEWEY, S. J. to ! I: I �AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF NEW YORK AND CANADA. -----[Continued.] For some months after the arrival of the Fathers at Fordham, they confined their works of zeal mostly to the neighborhood of St. John's ; but in the year of the Jubilee, 1847. several of them were, after the hours of literary and scholastic labor, called to New York, for the exercise of the various duties of the ministry. This Jubilee, besides producing innumerable salutary effects in the souls of the faithful, had the advantage of teaching Catholics their own strength and numbers. The Fathers, themselves, seeing the great good that might be done by their continual presence in the midst of so flourishing a Catholic population, ·were anxious to have a permanent residence and College within the city limits, and accordingly laid their . plan before the Archbishop. His Grace approved of it most heartily, a similar project having been already maturing in his own mind, and· offered at once the Church of St. Andrew, in Duane Street. This edifice, however, was loaded with a heavy debt, and owing to its situation in a very unfavorable part of the city, was not such as the Fathers desired. Meanwhile Fr. Larkin had been appointed Superior of the residence in contemplation, and, in the summer of the same year, left St. John's in the true apostolic spirit, without gold or silver in his purse. As he said himself, in a sermon preached some years later, he started from Fordham with fifty cents in his pocket to purchase a church and a house in the city. Twenty~five cents he paid for his fan; �New York and Canada lrfission. in the cars, twenty cents more for the carriage of his trunk from the station to the residence of a friend, and had thus five cents left to found his new house and church. But confidence in God stood him instead of riches; and Divine Providence did not disappoint him. \Vhile awaiting the moment when Divine Providence would manifest its will more in detail regarding the new undertaking, Fr. Larkin accepted the kindly proffered hospitality of Fr. Lafont, Pastor of the French Church ; where, together with Fr. Petit, who had been given him as Socius, he reltl.ained occupied in earnest prayer for the success of his plans. They had not to wait long. It happened just at this time, that the congregation of the Protestant church, situated in Walker St., near Elizabeth, split into two violent factions: the occasion being the advent of a young curate, with whose new views, exposed with captivating eloquence, the younger members immediately sided, in opposition to the more sedate portion of the congregation, who still stood by the old vicar. A stormy session followed, and at its conclusion the young party was invited to find a meeting house somewhere else-which they accordingly did. But the old party had not calculated the strength of the schismatics, who provGp so numerous, that on their withdrawal, it became a matter of necessity to sell the church in order to meet the interest. Fr. Larkin heard of the affair, and at once sought to turn the wranglings of these sects within a sect to the furtherance of God's Church. The trustees were willing to strike the bargain for $ 18,000, provided $5,000 were paid at once, and the rest by regular instalments. Fr. Larkin asked time to decide. But how was he to find $5,000? How indeed, but by fervent recourse to heaven ? "Now" said he to Fr. Petit, with all the earnestness of his soul, "now is the time for prayer; we must both offer the Holy Sacrifice to-morrow for this intention." Fr. Petit had· just finished Mass the next day, when he was called to the parlor by a gentleman with several members �New York and Canada Mission. 137 of his family. The stranger informed the Father that, with his family, he had just arrived from France and had assisted at his Reverence's Mass in thanksgiving for their safe journey. "I have come," continued the visitor, "to find work in this country, and have with me about 20,000 francs which I would like.to place in safe keeping. Hearing that the banks are not always secure I have come to ask you if you can tell me where I can best dispose of my money." This indeed was a God-send ! Fr. Petit replied that if he would call again in the evening, he thought he could offer him the required security. Fr. Larkin, hearing of this was deeply affected at so striking an interposition of Divine Pr:ovidence; he received with gratitude the $;,oo~ and gave in return a mortgage on the property. But the pious Frenchman's act of devotion was not only beneficial to the Fathers ; that Mass of thanksgiving was to prove · the occasion of all his own future success. He was, in fact, an artist in fresco painting. He came, he said to Fr. Larkin, to seek his fortune by means of his art, as yet little known in this country. ~·Sir," replied the Father, ''your fortune is made ; and I myself will give you to start with, $5,000 for the decoration of the church." Fr. Larkin's predictions were verified; for, as many people, both Protestants and Catholics, visited the place while the Frenchman and his son-in-law were at work, the artists soon became well known, and were engaged to fresco many banks and public buildings. At the touch of the devout painter the four bare walls of the cold Protestant meeting house began rapidly to assume the living catholic glow ; and even before all was completed, the church was by a solemn benediction, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. Fr. Larkin having thus his church already built, next rented a house in Elizabeth St., the garden of which adjoined the square in front of the church door. Here, in view of starting his college, he collected his community of four fathers, three scholastics, and one brother. �New York and Canada iVfission. I' As we may imagine from the condition of the founder's purse, poverty was a constant guest in the new residence. Still, amid many privations, the work of God went on progressing. During the months of August and September the basement of the Church was fitted up for class rooms, and the school of the Holy Name of Jesus opened 111 October, with I 20 students from New York, Brooklyn or Jersey City. This was not the first educational establishment of the Society in New York: as far back as I685, Col. Dongan, Catholic Governor of the City, had sent to Europe for some English Jesuits to convert the Iroquois to Christianity, as he was opposed, ~n national grounds, to using the zealous French missionaries for that purpose. Three Fathers are mentioned in the Roman Catalogue as residing in New York about this time; they arc probably those who responded to the Governor's call, viz: Fathers Thomas · Harvey, Henry Harrison and Charles Gage. Being unacquaiiited with the Iroquois dialects, they proceeded no farther than New York; but profited by their stay in the City to open a college. The Catholic element, however, was too weak to support it, as we may judge by the following letter, written to the Governof".of Mass. by Leisler, a fc1natical merchant who had become the head of the Protestant party for refusing to pay duties to a Catholic collector; and on the fall of James II., had usurped the office of · Lieut. Governor of New York. His letter is dated August I 3th, I689, and after expressing true Protestant apprehensions on the score of "some six or seven french families all or most rank french papists that have their relationes at Canada & I suppose settled there (at a place called Sclzoraclttage) for some bad designe,'' adds : "I have formerly urged to inform your Honr that Coli : dongan in his time did erect a Jesuite College upon cullour to larne latine to the Judges west Mr Graham Judge palmer & John Tudor did contribute their sones for some time, but no �illew York and Canada 1liission. 139 baddy imitating them the collidge vanished I recommended your Honr againe to spare us for thcit· majesties usc some great gunes and ''att pouder your Honr can''.:. etc.* In ttct, so fatal to the spread of Catholicity seems to have been the rule of Leisler, that in 1696, :Vlayor l\Ierritt in compliance with an order from Gov. Fletcher for the names of "all the Roman Catholicks or such as are reputed Papists within the city of New Yorke" returns a list of only ten names.t The "Brief Sketch of the History of the Cath. Church on the Island of New York," mentions only nine names: the error arising most probably from the close resemblance of two out of the ten given in the document itself, viz.: Peter Cavileir and John Caveleir. Under such circumstances the College of the Society could hardly be expe•:ted to prosper. A little more than a century later, in 1809, and, at the request of Archbishop Carroll, Father Antho~y Kohlman was sent 'from Georgetown, to attend, as Vicar General, the diocese of New York, till the expected arrival of its first Bishop, the Right Rev. Dr. Luke Concanen.! This father was accompanied by Father Benedict Fenwick, a native of 1\Iaryland, lately *E. B. O'Callaghan-Documentary History of N. Y. State, Yol. 11., p. 14. We copy tlw letter exactly as it is found iu the original, p11nctuation and all. No donbt Leisler's untiring etl'orts to bring to naught the" bad designeB" of the "rank french papists'' HO absorbed all his mental energies-which were not extruordinary, admits a friendly hiographer-a~ to preclude the possibility of attention to any minor subject, that could not atl'eet the "preservation of the Protestant religion." Unfortunately for the poor Lieut. Governor, his zeal for th<' preservation of his religion seems to have made him neglect the pre~er­ Yatiou of his own head, which his Protestant friends, rather ungrate· flllly, placed beyond the possibility of any further application to tht' thwarting of "papist desigues,'' by putting a halter around his neck two Y('ars after his assumption of sovereignty. The charges were murder and treason. t E. B. O'Callaghan -Documents relative to the Colonial History of N. Y. State. London Documents, X., p. 166. !Bishop Concanenncver reached New York, as he died at Naples on the eve of his intended departure. VOL. III-No. 2. �I I ~' : l' 140 New Yiwk and Cmwda hfissiou. ordained, and one of the first subjects to enter the Schoat Georgetown, after the restoration of the Society in lie UniL:d St<te~. St. Peter's, then the only Catholic Church in the city, was placed under their charge; and although the functions of the parochial ministry must have filled up the days of these zealc>us missionaries, they did not lose sight of one great object of their coming-the f:.n-orite work of the Society itself-the education of youth. They had brought with them four young Scholastics, :VI ichael \Vhite,. James Redmond, Adam Mat·shall and James \Vallace; and soon after arriving, purchased some lots fronting those on which F. Kohlman had just laid the corner-stone of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and situated between the Broadway and the Bowery road. Here they opL·ned their school, the nucleus of a future College.*· Concerning the school, Father Kohlman thus wrote in the following July.: "It no\v consisb of about thirty-five of the most r.::spectablc children of the city, Catholic as well as Protestant. Four are boarding at our house, and in all probability we shall have seven or eight boarders next August." This school was transferred to Broadway in :-;cptember; but in the following year it was removed far out into the country, to a spacioii~- building- near what i!"· now known as the intersection of Fiti:h Avenue and Fiftieth Streett la~ticate I• f, I :· 1: .; r. ' f. I' I: r: i' ... I ~ ri *De Courcy-Cath. Ch. in the U. S., c. xxiii, p. 367. t Archbighop Baylcy-Brief Sketch, etc., c. iii, p. 67-A strange substitution of 15th Street for 50th occurs in Shea's translation of De Conrey's work, c. xxiii, p. 367; attributable, Mr. Shea informs us, to thl' emnpositor's transposing 51, the number of the Street named in the original. Since the time when his Grace, Archbishop Bayley, wrote his interesting and valuable little Sketch of the }>rogr<~s~ of Catholicity on the Island of New York, the old frame house occupied by the New York Literary institution has experienced the changeableness of humnn things, as it now no longer stands on its old site, but has been rollPd hodih· back about 300 feet, so as to front on Madison A venue instead of Fifth·. Some of the details illustrative of the checkered history of this aneil~nt building, a~ we gathered them a few days ago trom the lips of �.New Yl1rk and Canada 1lhuion. 141 The rising- College assumed the name of the Ne<J York Literary Institution, and was the means of doing immense good. A biographer of Bishop Fenwick, speaking of its usefulnes,;, remarks: "The New York Literary Institution it~ present oceupant, the paBtor of St John the E·.-angelist'~ Church, ~ft' well worth recording. Our kind informant assured us that it is one of the oldest edifiees on the Island, dating back, most probably, l[il) or 200 years. The woodwork in the interior was all of solid oak, and had, no doubt, first shad"d the spot as wide-spreading trf'es, before being felled_for girders and joist~. But solid oak though it was, the long lapse of years had told on it, and the half decayed rafters and beams had to he completely renewed at the time of the transportation. It is not, howev~:;r, only from its time-worn condition that we may calculate its age-its very build is old-f.tshione•l: the •louble flight of woodeu Bteps leading to the doorway, and the mn>.sive angular projections rach side, like huge bay windows, remind UH of one of those way-side inns of former •lays, or hospitable old farm houses, half inn, half homestead, with .. whitewashed walls and nieely sanded tloor," ~' \Yherc nut-brown draughts inspireJ, \Vhere gray-beard mirth and smilmg toil retired; There village statesmen talked with looks profoun.:f, And news much older than their ale went round." But the day was not \'cry far distant when the spot it occupi<'d Wtl~ to be graced by a far nobler pile, destined to cast its Gothic sharlows o'er yet unbroken fields, and Bend its chaste spires to the very skir.~. After the ehrmge of possessors, already described in the text, alHI another mentioned a little farther on, the old building was •·ntrust•·d by Archbislwp Hughes to the Lazarists, a year or so previous to th•• pu;chase of St. John's, FoH1ham, to be used as hls Seminary. In it wa~ held the diocesan synod in which his Gmce, with characteristic fi>rl'sight and rare hrmdth of view, laid before his priests hi~ project of builrlin~ ou that very spot a new Cathedral worthy of his metropolitan See. Rut even his energetic eloquence almost failed to secure approbation t(n· a Cathedral "in the country;" for at. that time ( 1850), there were but three houses between l\Indison Square (26th Street) and 50th Street. To begiu at once to draw the Catholics around the neighborhood, he appropriated part of the hou,;c tor a parish church, until time allowed him to rai~e a small tem!Jorary chapel in honor of his patron, St .•John the EvangcliHL Finally, to make ro,,m for his Cathedral, the tormer wayside inn wa~ transfen ed to its present position, and now stands directly in the rtmr of the grand edifice that is little by little nearin~ its completion-noble tribute of a no hie soul to t!tc majesty of God. �_\'i·a• J'{wk and Cauada .Jfissio11~ under his guidance reached an eminence scarcely surpassed by any at the present day. In 1813 it contained seventyfour boarders, and such was its reputation even among Protestants, that Gov. Tompkins, aftenvards Vice President of the United States, thought none more eligible for the education of his own children; and ever afterwards professed towards its President the highest esteem.* The professors were talented men, and 1\Ir. \Vallace, who was an excellent mathematician, \'>Tote a full treatise of nvcr five h~ndred pages on astronomy and the use of the globes : one of the first contributions of the Society· in A mcrica to the exact sciences. t But it was impossible through dearth of men to carry on the College without sacrificing other varied and important duties. Accordingly in the Summer of 1813, Our Fathers rdired from its direction, and entrusted it to the Trappists. who had recently entered the diocese, and were passing the years of their exile from France on the hospitable shores of America. The school of the Holy Name of Jesus, opened by Fr. Larkin in the basement of his church, was thus the third ;tttempt at an educational institution of the Society in New York ; and this last was in God's pro.~idence, destined to ;t longer life than had been granted to its predecessors. Its beginnings however seemed to augur anything but a pro-. tracted existence, as the entire church which, the beautiful decorations were rendering daily less unworthy of the Adorable Victim offered up therein, was •to become, in a short time, itself a victim, on an altar of flame; and the blooming fi·escos were to prove, s9 to speak, but the garlands twined round it before the sacrifice. The cross of ·:~Clarke's Lives of Deceased Bishops, VoL I, p. iJ7S. ~. Y. c. xxiii, p. :3!38. The title page of the hook' ran thus: A New treatise on the Usc of the Globes and Practical Astronomy, by .J. ·wallace, member of the New York Literary Institution. ~ ew York: Smith and Forman, 1812. t n,.·conrcy, Cat h. Church in �NL'w York aud Canada Jl{ission. 143 fire that had blessed our outset in Kentucky was also to cast its chastening rays on our first undertaking in Ne\\" York. It would seem almost as if Fr, Larkin had peered into the uncertain future, when, in one of his grand exhortations to the community, the eve of the Holy Name of Jesus, their patronal feast, he counselled all to prepare for crosses; they were prospering, he said, too rapidly, not to expect at the hands of the Almighty the granting of the famous prayer of our Holy Founder: that the Society might never stray £<r from Calvary. Saturday evening, the 28th of January, I 848, just one week after Fr. Larkin's prophetic warning had been given, all the fathers were occupied confessing the throngs of penitents that filled the church. At 7 o'clock they left the confessional to snatch a hasty cup of tea, and as the number of people in the church seemed in no ways diminishing, unanimously agreed to devote the whole night to the sublime work of reconciling man to his creator. The fathers had been at their posts an hour or so, when they perceived an extraordinary heat throughout the church. At a loss to account for this, they descended to the cellar, and great was their dismay at finding that, owing to some defect in the new furnaces, completed but a few weeks before, the fire had comqmnicated to the joists of the basement flooring, then sped along to the lathing, and rushing up, as through a chimney, between the lathing and the walls, had burst forth from the very steeple before they were aware of the accident in the church below. The alarm was immcd.iately given, and numbers of Catholics rushed to the spot with concealed weapons, suspecting that enemies had attacked and set fire to the church ; though • the truth was that the Protestants of the neighborhood vied with the Catholics in endeavoring to save what they could. But it was already too late: barely was there time to remove the Blessed Sacrament, as the ceilings and walls �144 1Vew York and Canada iVfission. of the class rooms in the basement were blazing, and above, the steeple was a pillar of fire, where the flames raged in all their fury, far out of reach of the engines. The roof fell in and gave hope of preventing any £1.1-ther spread of the flames. 1\Ieanwhile, amid the din and confusion that surrountLd him, Fr. Larkin maintained perfect self-possession, aiding and encouraging his afflicted community by word and example. \Vhen he saw that no more could be done, he assembled them together, as well as circumstances permitted, and gaVe the sad permission to disperse as numbers of kind families had already earnestly solicited the favor of harboring some of the harborless. But we cannot do better than quote the very words of the kind Father, then a scholastic, to whom we are indebted for these details. Covered with a fireman's coat, which had been forced on him by one of that devoted class, he had sought shelter at a friend's house, there to pass t)?e night. "The next morning I arose.,~" he says in his diary, "and repaired to the scene of the disaster-found the walls still standing, as likewise the steeple; but all else, as well as the two adjoining houses, a heap of ruins. \Vhile contemplating with a heavy heart the ravages the fire had made in so sl1_ort a time, in the just finished church and school, and reflecting that our little community had been so scattered. that I knew not where to find a single member, I heard by my side a most agonizing scream which soon brought me to my senses. Turning round I beheld motionless on the ground, the pious and charitable Mrs. S .... , who with ha two daughters and her grandson had come as usual to the half past five o'clock Mass. She had learned nothing of the accident until she had reached the very spot, and, unable to bear the shock, had fainted on the ruins of her loved church !-Again I am alone, I walk around towards our house-find the door open ;nd enter. All within is bare and desolate. ~ ot a chair or table in the house l the floors and walls streaming �1Vew York and Canada fifission. 145 with water. 1 descend to the kitchen, aud there find our de\·oted Broth~r D .... , busy drying up the place and preparing to make a little coffee for the community, which he hoped would assemble in the course of th<.: morning : he had ramained in the house all night. I went to the French church to l\lass, and then returned to keep house and let the Brother go. After a second tour amid the ruins, I again entered the house, and found all the community assembled, taking their coffee, each having his adventure of the night to relat<.:. Rev. Fr. Boulanger who had been Superior of the Mission since I 846, having seen in the morning's ffcm!d, an account of the accident, had come in all haste from Fordham to the City, and was only soothed in his grief by the cheerful resignation he found in the sufferers. The countenance of Fr. Larkin especially appeared as fresh and as cheerful as ever : the storm, if storm there was. raged all within. So too we often find in i1ature, many a peaceful and smiling landscape actually covering confused and disjointed masses of rock, which to th<.: piercing eye of science reveal the terrible upheavals and convulsions that must have preceded that scene of rural beauty and repose, on which the eye loves to dwell. If sorrow had, the e\'cning before, deepened the lines on his open countenance, saintly resignation had smoothed away all trace of sorrow's visit ; if a tear for the sufferings of others had escaped him in this visitation from on High, "It was a tear so limpid and so meek, It would not stain an angel's cheek."- Erc morning dawned he had already carefully matured his plans for the future; and on Rev. Fr. Boulanger's announcing that all were to gn to Fordham with him, he quietly asked : "and what shall we do for professors and confessors if you take all away ? " Rev. F. Superior opened his eyes in blank astonishment, and exclaimed : "You have neither church nor school, scarcely a hot'lse to spend the night in, what can you do with professors ? " Fr. Larkin to every �q6 New York a1td Canada Jl{ission. one's surprise, coolly remarked; "The professors shall teach their classes to-morrow, and the Fathers attend to ,their confessionals as usual." A dead silence followed this announcement Had the blow, fatigue and excitement clouded his reason ? Such was the dread thought uppermost in the minds of all. But it vanished as he added.. Yes, I shall make arrangements with Fr. Smith, Pastor of St. James' in James Street, to open without delay our classes in the basement of his church, till we find better accommodations ; and our parishioners we can attend to in the Frencl1 church." "His plan was followed; Fr. Smith kindly made all the necessary preparation, and two days later, to the great joy of our students, who had thronged the house daily, to condole with their afflicted professors, the classes were resumed. Fr. Larkin's next thought was for his church, "·hich all urged him to rebuild at once. He determined, -yielded to their wishes, and in a week's time had already collected $6,ooo, brought to the house by the zealous and charitable members of the congregation." He had many anecdotes to relate, in his own pleasing way, respecting those who offered him their little mites towards the erection of the new -church. One day at dinner, he drew from his pocket two large, rosy apples, saying: "These apples certainly deserve a 'Deo Gratias l' I ,\·as passing through the Bowery to-day, he continued, when I was accosted by an apple woman, who began her salutation with a 'well Fr. Larkin, your church is burnt; the Lord be praised!' 'The Lord be praised l' I repeated, arc you then glad of it? · Oh l God forbid,' she replied, 'but then we must give God glory for everythirig.' I acknowledged in my heart the truth of her remark, and resolved to profit by the lesson she gave me. 'Ah l Father,' she continued, 'if I had some money to give you l but I am a poor widow with five children, that I must support by my apples. Something I can give, and I hope it will �New York and Canada Mission. '47 ha~e all the blessings of a widow's mite. You must take the two finest apples in my basket.' She then offered me these two apples, which I was forced to take; but she absolutely refused to tell me her name." Each member of the community received his share of the fruit, rendered dol}bly sweet by the christian charity that prompted the giver. On another occasion, a poor woman called at the door and· offered ,$25 towards the erection of the church. Fr. Larkin, j1,1dging from her appearance that she could not well afford to give that sum, asked her if she was rich enough to give so much. "\Vhat I give you," she replied, "is all I have been able to save after many years of labor. I have not another cent." '' Oh ! then, I cannot accept it," replied Fr. Larkin. "0 Father!" replied the good woman, "yop cannot refuse it. GQd, to whom I give it, will not permit me to die of hunger." She, too, would not give her name. Despite the generosity of the faithful and the eagerness of all to see the church rebuilt, new difficulties arose, which produced another new phase in the affairs of our Mission. His Grace, the Archbishop, with his characteristic firmness, positively refused to consent to the erection of the new church, unless Our Fathers would accept all the responsibilities of parish priests. This Fr. Larkin was unwilling to do ; and as the neighborhood was unsuitable for the erection of a college alone, it was determined to sell the property, pay off all the debts, and seck a more eligible portion of the city for a new college. Meantime the classes were continued, amid a thousand difficulties, in the basement of St. James' Church. We again q uotc from the diary before referred to : "The students suffered still more than ourselves, but we mutually consoled each other with the hope that we should soon have a fine college. We continued to reside as before, near the old church, now in ashes,:..._took our breakfast at half past six, and then started with the first students that VOL. III-No. 2. 19 �New York mul {{;nada JIIissiou. passed our house for St. James' Church. Here we .remained teaching till 3, P. M., when we dismissed the boys for the day, and returned home for our dinner at 4· Only God and those who have experienced it, know how hard a life that was! How often in going to the school rooms in the. morning, were we drenched with rain, and had to. remai-n all day in our wet clothes. Yet neither ourselves, nor any of our pupils, thanks to God, ever fell sick during the whole winter. The students afforded us great consolation, and it was th.~ir delight to accompany us on our way home after the classes were over. "But it was impossible to keep the school any longer in its inconvenient situation ; and, as much time would necessarily be consumed in the purchase of lots and the ouilding of the new college, it remained only to hire for a time some more appropriate building. This was no easy task, as no one wished to rent his house for a Jesuit school. Father Larkin, who was animated with a great devotion towards the Holy Angels, requested all the community to enter on a novena to thes~ heavenly spirits. On the first or second day after the novena had been begun, two ladies, who had indeed for a long time been .ministering angels to our community, came to inform us tnat No. 77, 3rd Avenue, near 1 Ith St., was a dwelling house that would suit. Accordingly, on the 1st of May, 1848, the community removed to their new abode. Owing, however, to the increased distance, the students from Jersey City and Brooklyn, by degrees left us, and our number was reduced to 6o." Whiie Fr. Larkin was still busily engaged in his search after a fitting site for his new college, he was astound~d one day, by the receipt of a letter from the Archbishop of Quebec, congratulating him on his promotion to the episcopacy, and stating that his Grace had just received orders from Rome to consecrate him for the See of Toronto;. moreover, that Fr. Larkin himself would, in a few days, �New York and Canada Mission. 149 receive from His Holiness the necessary documents and commands. A copy of the Brief accompanied the letter. In the spirit of those humble men against whom a council of the early Church thought it necessary to issue a special canon forbidding any one falsely to accuse himself in order to escape episcopal ordination,* Fr. Larkin returned the Brief unopened, and, in haste, flew to his Superior for permission to cross the ocean immediately, before positive orders could arrive, and, by a personal interview, induce the Sovereign Pontiff not to insist on his acceptance of any ecclesiastical dignity. The Superior of the mission yielded at once to his earnest entreaties, and Fr. Larkin started without delay. It was none too soon, for, on his passage he crossed the wake of the ship bearing the positive orders of Pius IX., which he was so anxious to escape. Arrived in France, he visited the papal nuncio in the hope of inducing him to urge his suit, but was sadiy disappointed when. the prelate, struck with his lofty bearing and noble presence, sportively replied to all his arguments : "Why, you are the very kind of man we want to wear the mitre ; and I warn you, if you wish to escape it, not to let his Holiness see you ; if you do, you are. surely undone." Happily, for the distressed Father, in his flight from honors, very Rev. Fr. Provincial had not to consult so immediately the good of the Church at large, and could fully enter into his state of mind. Though on embracing Fr. Larkin, he had expressed great surprise at seeing him so far away from his diocese, and smilingly rallied him for so flagrant a breach of the canons; he at once wrote to our most Rev. Fr. Roothaan, begging him to intercede with his Holiness, in behalf of the humble child of the Society. ' Still, the warning of the nuncio kept ringing in Fr. Larkin's ears, and, fearing to proceed on his journey, he begged to be sent at once to Laon, for his third year of probation. *Darras-Hist. of Cath. Church.. Vol. I, p. 509. �150 Devotion towards St. :fosep!z at Georgetown College. His Superiors once more granted his request; and, in the mean time, an account of the whole matter was forwarded to the Sovereign Pontiffwho could find no words of blame for the detached religious, and kindly consented to insist no longer. (To be contiuued.} THE DEVOTION TOWARDS ST. JOSEPH AT GEORGETOWN COLLEGE. EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF A STUDENT OF THE COLLEGE. GEORGETOWN, MARCH * * * * * * * 6th, I874· * * I must not omit to tell you something about the remarkable increase of fervor which has attended the devotion to St. Joseph in the College, withi~ the last few years. We are not without hope that others _may be led to love and honor St. Joseph more when they know what he has done for us. Though we have not, we trust, at any time neglected our holy Patron, yet there was wanting something to make the devotion visible to all in a striking way. and the occasion of supplying this want was offered, shortly after St. Joseph had been chosen as Patron of the whole Church, by the pious generosi.ty of some of the humble members of our community. Mr. O'Gorman, whose name will fall familiarly on the ears of all who have dwelt in Georgetown College for years back, offered to give fifty dollars towards the erection of a statue of St Joseph, on the College grounds. This proposition was readily accepted, and the fund doubled, by the late Fr. Early who was then �Devotion towards St. :Joseplt at Georgetozc 1l College. 15 1 Rector of the College; further additions were made by contributions from l\'Ir. Robbins, another of our College worthies. and from other sources within _the College, and the sum, in a very few days, reached two hundred dollars. A fine zinc statue, six feet high, was purchased and much discussion followed as to the most appropriate position for its erection. All other claims were set aside when the centre-plot of the neat Infirmary garden was mentioned. The position is certainly beautiful, on the brow of the hill which slopes down to the Potomac, overlooking towards the east, the cities of Georgetown and \Vashington, and, southward, Arlington heights, with the splendid, sweeping bend of the river between ; and then, the Infirmary had always been in a somewhat special manner under the protection of St. Joseph. These considerations, backed by the petition of the inmates of the Infirmary, carried the day. On the rhorning of the 10th of J unc the statue was placed upon the ped.estal erected for it in the centre of the Infirmary garden. The ceremony of the blessing was performed in the evening by the venerable Father Me Elroy, in the presence of the Community, the students, and a few invited friends. After the usual ceremonial prescribed for such occasions, Fr. McElroy made a short but impressive address and concluded by a touching prayer, placing the College, and particularly the Infirmary, under the especial patronage and protection of St. Joseph. His prayer was heard. For since that day, blessings have been many-mishaps few. Shortly after this the College Physician, a Protestant, presented two large iron flower-vases. The following day the junior students offered their assistance for the cultivation of the garden. And during winter and summer, contrary to the expectations of many, they have persevered in their gen~rous undertaking. Judging by the appearance of the grounds around the statue, one would think they had been under the care of experienced hands.-St. Joseph has shown his love for us, �1 I I 52 Devotion towards St. 7oseplz at Georgetown College. even in a more signal way.-In the fall of '72, the measles were raging throughout the District-they entered the College once, but disappeared as soon as our Patron was invoked. The year passed away with no real illness. This seemed so surprising to our Physician, that he exclaimed: "Be it St. Joseph or not, it is wonderful how little sickness there has been here of late." The inmates of the Infirmary to express their gratitude for such marked protection burnt a light at his shrine during the following month of l\1arch. Again, ln·April '73, the measles appeared in the District, and notwithstanding the frequent intercourse of the students with the citizens, there were only two or three slight cases at the College. \Vhen it was learned how kind St. Joseph had been, the students, eager to testify their thankfulness, resolved to keep the light burning before St. Joseph's statue the whole year. Besides this, they gave two terra cotta lambs, with vases, fancy shells and flo\vers to ornament the grounds, and new tools wherewith the young gardeners might pursue their labors. I may also add that not long ago, a finely finished marble vase was presented by a friend of the College. This vase is placed upon a marble slab in fn?.Iit of the statue. The slab of which I speak, was erected in memory of a deceased companion, by the junior students. He is lost to sight but to their memories is dear; for often he visits them as they love to believe, by some little favor. They I:Jave had his name "Ralston" inscribed on the slab.-lt is not necessary to say that the friends of St. Joseph are increasing, but of late the devotion has taken a new form. A society has been organized. The rules which I here affix will explain all. At a meeting of the Phih;ophy class, Feb. 9th, '74, it was resolved :-That we, the Philosophers of Georgetown College, assume the task of establishing firmly among the students, the devotion to St. Joseph. �Devotioll touoards St. :Joseplt at Geotgetown College. I 53 In view thereof, that we unite and form a Society, principally to show our love for St. Joseph, ~nd secondly, our respect to the memory of our late beloved Rector, Fr. Early, whose dying wish was that this devotion should be perpetuated. In compliance with the abo·;e the following rules were adopted.Rules. I.- That one of our members shall be appointed to act as chief Director; whose duty it shall be to see that these ruies are carried into effect, and at the end of the scholastic year, to transmit this cl1arge to the succeeding Philosophy class. 11.-That another member of our class shall be appointed to act as Treasurer, who shall receive the subscriptions from the collectors appointed. III.-That it shall be the duty of the Director to appoint one member of each class or division, to call upon each of his Catholic classmates, and explain the object and motive I as above, and receive his subscription. IV.-That the subscription from each one shall not exceed the sum of five cents which shall be placed in the common fund, for obtaining oil to burn in the lamp, for this year. from March Ist, '74, to March Ist, '75. V.-That the meeting for this purpose should take place each year, on some convenient occasion, in or before the last week of February. VI.-That the Treasurer, having received all the subscriptions, shall obtain the oil himself, or give the necessary sum to one of the Brothers, to procure it for the Society. Any sum over and above, will be devoted to St. Joseph's honor as seems best. VII.-That the duty of the above named Brother will be, to see that the lamp is always supplied with oil and kept burning from sundown to sunrise. VIII.-That the lamp shall be kept burning by day as �I 54 Sixtlz Centennial Feast of St. Tlzomas at vVoodstock. well as by night during the two examinations, as also during the prevalence of any disease among the students, to obtain St. Joseph's blessing and protection. This association with its officers elected from among the members of the class of Philosophy, aided by assistance from each of the other classes, was formed immediately and has since been in active and successful operation. \Ve trust that our humble efforts to honor the great Saint whom God favored so highly, may be fruitful of those blessings * * * * we seek thr.?ugh his intercession. SIXTH CENTENNIAL FEAST OF ST. THOMAS AT WOODSTOCK. ------~------ In a house of studies like ours it would have ill bc;;eemed the sons of the Society to let the six.th centennial Feast of St. Thomas of Aquin pass by without striving, as far as in us lay, to celebrate it with befitting pomp. Accordingly, we regarded it in the light of a plain duty, but a very pleasing one, that the members of our Scholasticate, which is yet in early infancy, should seize on so f.<ir a chance of showing that, in deep and tender love for the Angel of the Schools, we are nowise unlike our Brothers in houses which are old in years and bright with the glory of the past. And, indeed, it is no matter of wonder that we should have felt such eagerness. For, having no long past of our own to point to as token and proof of the success that we have reached, we have at least a present so rich in promise that, it is a fair pledge and guaranty of the bright future that Woodstock may hope for. Within our walls are gathered �Sixth Centmllial Feast of St. T!tomas at Woodstock. 15 5 Scholastics from the Provinces and Missions of N. America; which is only another way of saying that the honor of the Society, over this wide \Vestern Continent, has been, in a great· measure, entrusted to our keeping. A high trust, no doubt, and a heavy responsibility! How can we best fulfil it? How shall we mould and fashion the young soldiers so that they be worthy to take their place in the great battle for God's glory which their elder brothers have been fighting for so long a time and so briskly? \Vhat weapons must be chosen- how are they to be wielded? These are the great questions for us; not new ones, we are aware, nor needing an answer that is not old. Still, as the questions are ever pressing, an old answer, if so be that it is the right one, is better than a new one. Let this be our plea for repeating it. We say, then, that since the kind of weapon to be selected ought to be determined by the kind of warfare in which it is to be used, we need but cast a hasty glance upon the tactics of our enemies to learn from them what choice we ought to make. They have entrenched themselves, in boasted security, behind what they think to be the strong ramparts of philosophical knowledge. Great is their fame among the children of this world! High up they dwell in the haughty towers which, by fair words and unscientific assumptions, they have built for themselves upon the shifting sands of error! They claim the proud honor of being sole guardians of all that is truest, and heralds of all that is best; and their claim, viewed in the light of the Gospel, is plain proof enough that their wi~dom has been turned into foolishness. . Still, we cannot deny that their place is high in this world nor that the passing glory with which they shine enchants many an unwary gazerthat, in a word, they lure to earth and falsehood souls which were made ·for heaven and truth. How can we dislodge them, how batter down their ramparts? If attacked with weapons of a different kind from· those they have chosen, they can dodge our weightiest blows and baffle all our VOL. III-No. 2. 20 �I 56 Sixth Centennial Feast of St. T!tomas at 1Foodstock. skill; so that if we would fight, as valiant soldiers of the Lord, unto victory, we must equip us for the contest suchwise that our blows may be felt. In other words, we must become men of great philosophical knowledge. And, surely, we have not f..1.r to go in quest of such armor; for have we not the works of St. Thomas from which we may draw forth weapons of keenest edge and of finest temper. Is he not-to use the strong words of Pope Clement the Sixth-"the mighty spiritual sword with which men of strong arm can slash to pieces all the errors of the world?" Is not his the Angel's voice ringing down through all the ages with no trembling of uncertainty in its toneswas not his the "single eye that seemed to see all truths in their eternal unity"-the glance keen enough and the logic subtle enough to recognize the faintest thread of truth and to disentangle it from the network of sophistry in which it may be interwoven? Has he not, in a manner, forecast the years and solved by anticipation the same errors that stalk with proudest gait to-day? In fine, is it not our privilege to be the sons of Fathers who did great things for God's glory by the zealous care with which they guarded and the nob!e works by which they illustrated the .teachings of the Angelical; so that a love of them has'·come down to us as a precious heirloom. From them, warranted as they have been, so often and by such high authorities, we may, freely and securely, draw forth what is so much needed; and thus we may stand forward fully armed for the fray. But all that is not yet enough. It is good, indeed, for the soldier to be well armed, but is of greater nmment that he should be thoroughly disciplined. It is good for the soldier of Christ to have science, but it is es!'ential that he have the discipline of sanctity to use it with profit; since knowledge, after all, is only the arm, sanctity the muscle and sinews that give power to its stroke. Now, in both, the Angel of the Schools, Doctor at once and Saint, is a shining model for us to copy ; and, though we may scarcely �SLrtlt Centennial Feast of St. Tltomas at Woodstock. 157 hope to reach so high a degree of excellence in either as he did, we may, at least, keep him in our view a_nd shape our course by his example; believing that the nearer we come to him, in knowledge and holiness, the better able we shall be to be<tt: back the enemies of religion, to raise the fallen from the dust and help them on the way to heaven. On the other hand, if it were possible that all the knowledge of St. Thomas should be ours, without any of his holiness, it would serve to little purpose beyond that of puffing us up with vain conceit. It was the union of both that made him so great a champion in the cause of truth; and, since we, in however humble a way, aim at becoming his helpmates . in so noble a work, we love to honor one who, in so sublime a degree, shone with the qualities we are most eager to acquire. Space does not allow us to give an account, in detail, of the way in wh=ch we celebrated the centennial Feast at Woodstock. \Ve may, however, mention the headings of the literary exercises in which we strove to do honor to the .-\ngelical Doctor. We had an English Essay on "St. Thomas and modern science"-a Latin Ode, ''His Genius" --:-a Greek Ode, "His Doctrine'conducive to sanctity"French Poetry, "His Doctrine's influence on Society"-a Spanish Cancion, "His Doctrine common in the Schools" -English Poem, "His· Doctrine cherished by our Society" -Italian Terza-rima, "His Doctrine on Creation"-German Poetry, "His Doctrine on the soul"-Latin Verses, "His Doctrine on the Trinity"-Hebrew Verses, "His Doctrine on the Incarnation," and an English Poem, "His Doctrine on the Eucharist." During the interludes our Choir sang, in a very exquisite manner, the two hymns of St. Thomas-,-"Adoro Te" and "Lauda Sion ;" and, finally, as a memorial of the day, each member of our Scholasticate received a neatly-printed sheet containing eulogies pronounced upon St. Thomas by Sovereign Pontiffs and by General Congregations and Superiors of our Society. �MISSION AT SUSQUEHANNA, PA. FROM A LETTER OF F. EMIG TO VERY REV. F. PROVINCIAL. ------~------ FREDERICK, MARCH 26th, I874· * ~ ;) i.. ' ,. .. q l' I i• 1:~ ! iji: :_t * * * * * * * * * * The mission at the Church of St. John Nepomucene,. Susquehanna, Pa. came to a close on Sunday evening last. During the two weeks of the Exercises the weather was unpropitious, a violent snow-storm raging for ten successive days. _This was followed by rain ; and on the last two days, we had bright and beautiful weather, with the thermometer at r6° below freezing point. The attendance, however, at the exercises was numerous and the success most glorious. Though the Church has no bell to summon the people to Divine service, still the~e were always over one hundred persons at Mass each morning at half past 5 ; and at· the second Mass, at g, we had a congregation of from five to seven hundred. In the evening the Church was filled to overflowing. At half past 2 P. M. the children preparing for first communion, who numbered I07, received an instrur:tion each day. The total number of communions was I6I4; of these, I435 came to me to confession; and if the remaining 200 had had a chance, they too would have come to the "Ho{v Commissioner."· The good pastor assured .me that scarce a dozen persons were left who had not approached holy communion. About 400, nearly all of whom were men, were invested with the Scapular-the �Mission at Susquehanna, Pa. 1 59 women had been invested on former occasions. About six barrels of water were blessed in honor of St. Ignatius, and ther.e was such a rush for it the first day that, for the sake of order, some men had to be appointed to distribute it to all. On the last day of the mission a Sodality for young girls was established, counting about 6o menbers. It is to be under the title of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, having for special patron St. Aloysius. * * * * * * * * * * * �FOREIGN NEWS ITE~IS. Rome.-All our Houses in Rome have been seized, excepting the German anct the- South .\mericun Colleges. By a special exception the Government-officials refused to allow any one of Ours to remain in dmrge of our ChurchPs, I> privilege granted to the other Hcligious Orders, or to officiate in them. It was only after the new Hectors, who nre secular Priests, had made a special request to that etfect, that permission was given to the sacristans to remain, on condition that they should appear only in secular dress. The Gesu hns been made the Head quarters of the Engineer Corps and of the Commis;;ary Department; S. Eusebio is now a militnry ho~pitnl; it i~ the intention of our rulers to m:tke of the Homan College a national Bomding College for the Department of Home, and the work of preparation hns already begun there. A very small portion of the Novitiate t_~ant~Amlrea) has been occupied by the Government, bemtusc the larger anti better part of the house is held by the South American College, which has hall pos~ession for the last seven or eight years. ·Fr. Secchi, with a few Fathers and Brothers, remains in charge of the Observatory of the Homan College. An entrance has been opened f.)r him, under the Chapel of the Camvita, into. the kitchen corridor; so that he has now that part of the house which used to be occupied by the Provincial, the Infirmary corritbr leading into the shoe-shop, nnd the one which le1ds into the tribunes and the Observatory-in 11 word, all that part of the fir:;t, second, and third stories under the quarters once occupied by the Philosophers. They have nlso left him all that pnrt of the College belonging to the Observatory, with a few rooms on the l\Iasters' Corridor, and the little oratories of St. Aloysius, from whi~h :tncw passa:;e has bcPll opened to tl.c Observatory. The two Sodality Chapels-the Prima Primaria and the Scaletta- have also been saved, and for these also a new entrance was made through the little doors near the altar of St. Aloysius. The l\Iuseum, tho Cabinet, the Apothecary shop and the Library arc in the hands of the Government. The students of the foreign Colleges arc now obliged to go to the American College for the lectures in Philosophy, and tu the German College for Theology. �Forei'gn News Items. Germrtny.-Thc Germnn Scholastics have taken refuge pnrtly in Hollnml, partly in England nnd at Laval. One or two Fathers still rt>main in the German Empire; all thG other members of the province to the number of 755 have be'en driven into exile. They ha>e however left behind them precious remembrances in the esteem and love of the Bishops the Clergy, Catholics in general and all right-minded Protestants. The exiles have ]lrotite,] of their banishment to establish a mission in Denmark ami another in Sweden. Prorince of Lyon8.-0ur fathers of Lyons have founded two new stations in Africa in the Great Kabyles. The college of Oran having been snppressetl, they have opened a day-school at Algier. In Syria the former residence at Damascus has been reopened ami is rapidly regaining its ancient importance; attached to it arc five numerous congregations. Jfadagascar.-Our fathers write that they are overwhelmed with work; over oiiC hundred stations are served by them and many villages are asking to be prepared for baptism. C!zina.-Our fi1thers on the Chinese missions continue to enjoy tranquillity. Pilgrimages to our Lady's shrine at Zo-ce are as numerous as ever: on the feast of the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin there were 1800 communicants. F. Bichon with a delegation of the principal Christians recently visited Zo-ce to otrer in the name of his flock a heart of gold to Our La<l~'· }Ian,ellous cures and miraculous conversions are of frequent occurrence. F. della Corte writes that a Lady in his mission, whose life the phy~icians had nearly despaired of, vowed a pilgrimage to Zo-ce, began a novena to Our Lady of Lourdes, and on the ninth day received a prefect cure. Our go<Hl Bishop, Languillat, recently made his visitation of NingKouo-fou, an<l received everywhere the greatest consolation: his joumey through the province was quite a triumph: Among the wheat, cockle will a! ways he found, but of the 20,000 cntechumens enrolled by our fathers in the Province,· of Nan kin, 1here are many sincere and pious souls. Schools are established as speedily as possible to secnre the proper formation of our converts and to prepare them for baptism. Tlw Bishop and our own Superior find everything to console them in the work already accomplished. F. Colombcl's Observatory at Zi-Ka-Wei (near Chang-Hai) is becoming well known, and is constantly attracting crowds of distingubhed and intelligent visitors, who arc loud in their praise of his labors. Among recent g'Llcsts were the Russian .Minister, the English, American and Dntch Consuls, the Govcrn"r of Macao, the Admirals of the station, etc. New\instrumcnts have just been received; the machine of F. Secchi is expected. For seven or eight months past, F. Heude has been making explorations in the northern portions of the province. Our printing press is issuing Chinese works, and soon we shall begin the publishing of books in the European languages. �Foreign News Items. On Dec. 8th, 1873, the corner-stone of a new Carmelite Convent was blessed and placed in -position. The Auxiliatrices are succeeding well, and four native Chinese have already taken vows amongst them. INDIA, Negapatam.-The College which was 're-opened on the 15th of August, has an attendance of 400 scholars, an increase of forty over the preceding year. On the 25th of November, the Governor of ~Iadras, who was passing through Negapatam, paid a visit to the College and expre~sed his great satisfaction at all he beheld. This mark of respect from the ruler of thirty-five millions of people is the more valuable as His Excellency rarely visits Negapatam. The following note was lately received from an Englishman, connected with one of the chief colleges in ~Iadras. "Lwould like to enter my son at St. Joseph's College and have him rem~!n there as a boarder until he takes his Bachelor's degree. I was present yesterday at a meeting of the Senate of the University, of which I have the honor to he a member, and the favorable comments passed on your institution made me anxious to give my son the advantages ofthe education which you impart." The meagre resources of the College render it necessary to refuse all such applications looking towards the establishment of a boarding school for Europeans. Various Items.- F. Lluch, Visitor of the Philippine Ish.nds, has been appointed Superior-General of those missions. The College of JHanilla is flourishing, having increased both in the number of pupils in attendance and in the personnel of the faculty.-The missions of Mindanao have been c_gnfidcd to our fathers under F. Bertran as Superior.-In Japan the exiles have returned to their posts, but they enjoy no more liberty than formerly: they are consttmtly under espionage and cannot leave their houses without being followed by officers of the government.-The first process for the beatification of our martyrs of Paris has been completed and forwarded to Rome.-The caus~·oJ the V. F. Baldinucci is far ad vanccd. D. 0. M. , �W 0 0 D S T 0 CIC L E T T E R S. VOL. III., No. 3· THE NATCHEZ INDIANS IN 1730. Letter from Rev. Fr. Pttit, S. :J., to Rev. Fr. Davaugour, S.:J., Procurator-General of tlte 111issions in J.Vortlt America. NEw ORLEANS, JuLY 1 zth, 1730. REV. DEAR FATHER: P. C. Your Reverence has, no 9oubt, been already made acquainted with the news of the sad destruction of the new French colony, lying on the right hand shore of the Mississippi and one hundred and twenty hours travel distant from its mouth. The Natchez, a savage tribe of this region, at a time when we least expected and without provocation, suddenly and treacherously murdered all the French settlers together with our two Fathers and laid waste the whole mtsswn. Before I describe to your Rev. the horror of this devastation, it will be necessary to give you a hurried sketch of this wild people,-tell you of their idolatry, manners, customs, laws and unbounded superstition, in order that VoL. m-No. 3· 21 �Tlze JVatcht'::: Indians in I7JO. you may the better understand the picture, which I am about to draw for you, of the horrid waste to which they subjected our flourishing colony. The Natchez possess one of the most charming and fertile lands on the face of the globe ; among no other tribe of North American Indians is there to be found such a well-organized worship or such a complete code of common laws. Their idolatry, in some respects, resembles that of the ancient Romans. A temple well stocked with idols, which represent not only mortal men, but also domestic and wild animals, stands in the centre of their villages. To all appearance, this religious structure is like unto a huge oven; in circumference it is about one hundred. and in width over thirty feet. The doorways are four feet in height and three broad. By these alone can light enter, as there are no windows to the temple. There is an opening, it is true, in the vault, but this again is enclosed by a triple covering of pumice-stone to prevent rain or snow from falling into the interior. Above this, three eagles are placed, cut out of wood; one is painted yellow, the other white and the third is of a reddish color. Just. __\Vithout the temple door is a vestibule, containing a single room, inhabited by the guardian of the temple. In front of this there is a narrow, confined space, surrounded by sharp-pointed stakes, upon which are hung the scalps taken in war. As you enter the temple the first thing that strikes the eye is .a great number of tables ranged one above the other. Upon these stand baskets exquisitely woven out of osier, which contain the bones of their deceased princes together with the bones of their servants,-who as soon as the death of the prince is announced willingly allow themselves to be strangled, in order that they may accompany their master into eternity. Besides t1te tables, there are rows of shelves, upon which are placed painted baskets in which are kept the images or statues of their gods and goddesses ; the idols are partly �Tlte .Natcltez Indians in IJJO. made of earthen-ware, partly of stone. Interspersed among these are seen the heads of adders, tails of serpents, stuffed owls, jaw-bones of huge fishes and transparent ·pieces o( crystal. A. D., 1699, flasks and bowls of glass were found in the temple. An eternal fire is kept burning day and night. This fire is never permitted to rise into a flame, but only glimmers, for fear of burning the temple.-Dried walnut and oak wood are the materials out of which it is kindled, and the elders of the nation are obliged to cut them up into logs and throw them into the narrow, confined space before the temple. The guardian,-there are many,- one from each tribe of the nation,---keeps watch, like a sentinel, in the vestibule and takes particular care not to allow the fire to be extinguished. From time to time he throws two or three logs on the fire; he is in duty bound so to place them that the ends first catch fire and they rest not on each other; for they do this _to prevent the fire from rising into a flame. No woman is permitted to enter the sacred precincts of the temple; an exception, however, is made in favor of the sisters of the prince. Entrance likewise is denied, without difference of sex, at the time when any one wishes to carry the meals to the nearest relatives,-whose bones are preserved in the temple. The guardian places the meats near the basket containing the bones of the relatives to be feasted. This superstitious prohibition lasts from new to full moon. The meats are then thrown into the narrow, ~onfined space before the temple and left to be devoured by wild beasts. ' The Natchez hold the Sun in highest veneration; he is their principal god and this, because say they: as there is nothing more glorious and magnificent for eyes to behold than the Sun, so is he most deserving of worship. For the same reason do they call their prince the brother of the Sun ; for on earth he has no superior. The sup.erstitious �r66 The 1Vatclze::: IndiaJZs i11 I?JO. credulity of the lower classes endow him therefore with limitless power; he is an absolute monarch. His palace is built on the same plan as that of their temple, out of clay or turf; it is raised on a high mound. The door-way of the palace faces the East. Early every morning the prince salutes his first-born brother, the Sun, with oftrepeated howls or yells, as soon as the luminary appears on the horizon. He then takes a huge tobacco-pipe and offers to him the first three puffs ; hereupon he strikes his hands together over his head and swings them from East to \Vest, in order to show his brother what path he is on that day to follow. To the left, as one enters the palace, there are several beds ; to the right is the couch of the prince made of dried reeds, straw and osier, adorned with variegated, grotesque figures. In lieu of pillow he rests his royal head on a block of wood. In the centre of the room stands a small chest, around which every oqe who enters has to walk three times. At his entrance, the visito~, instead of giving him a becoming salute howls like a wolf; thereupon he walks thrice around the chest, till he reaches the end of the room and then only is he permitted to cast his eyes on his majesty. Gazing on the prince, he strikes both his hands together over his head aqd gives thrice a most dreadful yelL If the prince is willing to give audience to the visitor he answers him with a gentle sigh and bids him be seated. The visitor in thanks, howls again most wofully. As often as the prince puts a question he must howl once, before he is allowed to answer. When the audience is over he must yell and howl until he has left the presence of his august lordship. When the prince dies his palace is torn down. A fresh mound is thrown up and on this a new palace erected for his successor,-the brother of the Sun. He is forbidden to inhabit the same royal dwelling as his predecessor. Qf the various tribes certain elders are appointed, whose �Tlze Natclzez Indians in I?JO. 167 duty it is to instruct the people in the practices of religion and in the customs and code of the land One of the chief laws is to pay the prince, as firstborn brother of the Sun, almost divine veneration. The Natchez believe in the immortality of the soul. ·when man, say they, leaves this world, he enters into another, where he is rewarded or punished according to the merits gained in this life. Eternal beatitude with them consists in good eating and drinking and in all manner of sensual pleasures. The damned do not enjoy any of these delights. They imagine that the strict observer of the customs and laws of the country is carried to a ,;pirit land, abounding in every kind of enjoyment. There the blessed are fed on most luscious meats; they drink the most exquisite liquors; every conceivable joy falls to their lot. The violator of the laws, on the contrary, goes to a land cursed with drought and famine, covered with swamps and healthdestroying morasses. There, say the Natchez, their naked bodies are constantly bruised by thorns and brambles ; festering sores eat away their wounded limbs ; they ar~ forced to wage continual war with their neighbors. Never do they taste delicate meat or drink. Crocodile flesh or reeking clam fish or snails are their only food; neither wheat, beans nor melons nor any other pala~able fruit makes up their daily repasts. In this valley of tears they endure everlasting anguish. This strange, superstitious people obey their prince blindly and without reserve. He has full power over their property, as also over their very lives. No one would dare refuse to die even without cause or trial, provided the prince desired it. They are not permitted to receive pay for labor or services done the prince. When the French settlers desire to have excellent hunters or boatmen, they ask them from the brother of the Sun, who gladly gives them on receipt of a stipulated sum of money. This the prince keeps in his own purse, bestowing not even a penny on the �!68 The Natclte::: Indians w IJJO. poor hireling. \Voe to him, who should complain of this flagrant injustice. One of the first laws, and perhaps the most cruel,.is the obligation which binds the attendants of the prince to honor his funeral obsequies by giving up their own lives, in order that he may have, in the spirit land, his former servants. They submit to this law with the greatest joy, because they think, that in the next world they too will be sharers of the same joys, the same pleasures and delights as the prince. For the clearer understanding of the reason of this tragedy, Your Reverence must know, that as soon as the Sister of the prince has brought forth an heir to the throne, every mother who, at that time, is nursing a male child must present it to the new-born heir. From the number of these boys are chosen certain ones, who are destined to be servants and attendants of the future prince. After presentation, they are returned to their mothers to be taken care of until they have reached the proper age for service, when they are removed to the court for such duties as are fitted to their individual accomplishments. Some become the prince's fishermen or hunters; others till for him his fields; some attend to houshold affairs; oth~_rs are the companions of his play. When death takes off the prince, they are bound, without refusal, to accompany him to the spirit land. On an appointed' day they deck themselves in their gaudiest and costliest attire and betake themselves to the public square, near the temple, where the whole nation awaits them in breathless suspense. After enjoying the festivities of the occasion, they themselves place around their necks a rope made of the hide of an ox; the appointed executioners then step forward, take hold of the rope, exhort them to fulfil their duties to the prince faithfully in the next world, viz. : to cause their royal master every imaginable pleasure and share with him his delights. They are then strangled and these poor victims of superstition and demon worship surrender their precious lives with unbounded joy. �Tlze Natc!tez Indians in I7JO. Their legs are severed from the body ; the hip, shin, arm, and shoulder bones are cut out and buried in the earth for two months. They are then taken up, cleansed, laid in baskets and placed on arranged tables in the temple beside the august relics of the prince. This last honor, however, is only shown to the most deserving; the rest who were not deemed worthy of this honor are taken by their relatives and buried just as they had been left after strangulation. The same cruel custom is followed at the death of the brother or sister of the prince. An exception, however, is made in favor of the female servants who are nursing a child. This favor is frequently refused by them and they eithe~ supply the child with a nurse or put it to death in order that they may be made partakers of the eternal" blessedness of their mistresses. Such is the superstition of this deluded people! The throne is hereditary among the Natchez; right of succession always remains in the same family. But the son of the prince is not the successor to his father's sceptre. The son of the eldest sister of the prince is heir, and should she be barren the son of the princess next in age. The reason for this proceeding the Natchez allege to be the wellknown faithlessness of the wives of the prince. We are not certain, they say, that the son of the wives of the prince is of royal blood. Besides, as the prince frequently marries the daughters of low parentage, we are not sure that royal blood courses in the veins of their offspring, but we feel confident, on the contrary, that this is the case with the children of the princesses of the royal family. These princesses select their husbands from among the lower classes and are allowed by law to have only one husband, but• they are permitted, at the same time, on any occasion, as sentiment may prompt, to reject him and marry another, provided their choice fall on a Natchez. Should it happen that her husband prove faithless to the marriage vow, she has a right to have his head crushed with a mallet. �170 Tlze Natclze::: Indians in I7JO. Should she be found guilty of adultery, she is not held bound to the same penalty. She may associate with as many as she pleases and the husband is not allowed to show the least displeasure. Their doctrine in this respect seems to favor polyandry. The husband appears before his wife with great reserve; he never dines with her and salutes her, as he does all the servants of the household, with howls and yells. His liberty consists in being exempt from socage~duty and carrying out her slightest wish. In times- gone by the Natchez were a powerful people, counting some sixty tribes and living in large towns. Eight hundred brothers of the Sun ruled over them. At present they possess seven small villages. In every village there is a temple, in which the eternal fire is never permitted to die out, and each tribe is governed by a prince and a subaltern governor. This latter is altogethe~ subject to the prince, who alone has the right of appointing the officers of the realm, viz. : two chiefs, who lead the warriors to battle; two, ,;ho are ministers of religious worship-one is guardian of the temple, the other presides over the ceremonies paid to the idols ;-two judges, who likewise receive all embassies from neighboring tribes; four s~~\vards, who whenever the prince invites people to a public reast prepare for the festivities. \Vhoever dares disobey these officials is amenable to the same penalties as he who renders himself offensive to the prince. The people assemble every year, I, at seed-time, when they sow Indian wheat, pulse, pumpkins and' melons in a field; 2, at harvest time, when the crop is garnered in and kept for public use in an immense granary; 3, about the middle of summer for the national feast. Each one is a contributor to the feast according to his means. Their greatest pleasure consists in uninterrupted dancing. The prince and his sister sit under a green arbor and look with complacency on the enjoyment of their subjects. The subalterns and officers of the court have their assigned posts of honor �Tlte Natclte:; Indians in IJJO. IJI near the prince·. The honor to sit beside the prince is most eagerly coveted. Said prince and his sister are carried by eight of the most stalwart men of the tribe in a litter to the scene of public rejoicing. In his hand he holds a huge sceptre adorned with many colored feathers. The people leap and sing around him in token of the universal joy.• This feast lasts for three days and three nights. On the last day the people are all assembled under the arbor, where the prince is seated, to listen to the harangue of their sovereign. He exhorts them, in the first place, to the strict observance of all that appertains to religious worship and to the fulfilment of every law; he admonishes them in an especial manner to show the deepest reverence to the spirits who haunt the temple and to instruct with all diligence their children to do the same. If any one, during the past year, has displayed more than usual fervor in this respect, the prince, in presence of the entire assembly, offers him his congratulations and praise. \Vhen, A. D. 1702, the temple was destroyed by fire and seven or eight mothers had thrown their infants into the flames to appease the gods, the prince, at the end of the feast, li.ad these heroines brought before him, praised in a set oration their devotion to the gods, their heroic sacrifice of what was dearest to the mother's heart and exhorted the mothers of the nation, on like occasions, to follow their glorious example. Every husbandman offers the first. fruits of the field, '(which he has sown and cared for on his own grounds) to the gods in the temple. Thither too are carried all presents, . which the Natchez receive from neighboring peoples. These gifts are taken to the entrance of the temple; the guardian then places them before the idols and offers them to the gods. After they have remained for a short time in the temple, he takes them to the prince, who distributes them as his good pleasure may dictate, and no one is allowed to complain of the portion which he may have received. VoL. m-No. 3·. ' 22 �172 1\'cw York and Canada Jl!ission. The seed to be sown must likewise be blessed in the temple by certain superstitious ceremonies. All \vho come to the temple must lift up their hands and howl thrice ; thereupon they strike their hands on the ground, rub them in the dust and howl again. This is repeated three times. If any one passes by the temple he must do so with dO\vncast eyes, outstretched arms and a yell or howl. Should a mother observe her child neglect this token ,of respect to the dwelling-place of the gods, she punishes it severely. (To be continued.) AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF ~ NEW YORK AND CANADA. (Continued.) ·- The departure of Fr. Larkin rendered necessary the appointment of a new Rector; and Fr. Ryan was accordingly named. He agreed to accept the conditions regarding the parish Church, which Fr. Larkin had judged proper to refuse, and soon found what he considered a suitable situation in 9th Street ; but the title of the deed of property was discovered to be unsafe; and it was only some time after, that he succeeded in purchasing the place we now occupy on I sth Street, between sth and 6th Avenues. To enable Fr. Ryan to cover the necessary outlay for the new institution, our late lamented Fr. Maldonado kindly consented to accompany one qf the Fathers of our Mission �New York and Canada lvlission. 173 ' in a tour through Mexico, for the purpose of appealing to the charity of the Catholics of that country. The two Fathers started in November, IS 50, provided with letters of introdu<::tion to the first Mexican gentlemen, botlt clerical and secular; and during the fourteen months of Fr. Maldonado's sojourn there, by his polished manners and engaging disposition, he succeeded in completely gaining the hearts of all: so that both clergy and laity responded with true catholic liberality to his appeal in favor of a distant work of charity. The other Father remained some months longer, and may be literally said to have travelled over the whole of 1\Iexico. About SI S,ooo was collected, besides paintings, vestments, and sacred vessels; and for this timely aid our Fathers owe a lasting debt of gratitudy to the Mexicans, as without it, Rev. Fr. Ryan would. never have been able to build the College. About two years were employed in its erection, and .on the zsth of Nov., I850, the former students of the School of the Holy Name of Jesus, entered their new and commodious abode. In making the transition, however, both School and Church lost their old names, and, at the request of his Grace the Archbishop, were placed under the patronage of St. Francis Xavier:. the College and the Church of St. Francis Xavier thus germinating, as it were, from the Holy Name of Jesus. The College opened with about two hundred and fifty students. These works, however, were far from engrossing all the attention of the Fathers in New York, for the city afforded opportunities for numerous other ministries of zeal. As the rootlets of the plant naturally seek those portions of the soil, where moisture is more abundant; so the various offshoots of the Society, by the very nature of the holy sap flowing through them, have ever sought out the abodes of misery where suffering is to be relieved and crime prevented. Now, New York, in its various Public Institutions of Charity and Correction, offered the Fathers a very har- �174 ve~t New York and Canada Jlfission. of miseries, which a Xavier himself might have envied. In the words used by Fr. Du Ranquet, the present chaplain, when soliciting Archbishop Hughes for the care of these Institutions : " In other apostolic works, the missionary resembles the ordinary hunter, who needs must exert all his strength and skill to succeed in securing, one by one, a few game; but here is a royal hunting ground, with numbers of, men solely employed to start the game, and drive them. before the huntsman: .the men thus employed are the police." As early as 1852, the Fathers, with the hearty approval of his Grace, began the work of mercy by visiting the Tombs, or city prison, where the criminals are detained prior to their sentence,-and once or twice a month brought the consolations of religion to the inmates of the state prison at Sing-Sing, whither those condemned to hard labor are mostly sent. But it was only in I 861, that sectarian -prejudice and bigotry so far yielded, or were forced to yield, to the instances of his Grace as to admit the members of the Society into that wider field of labor for which they yearned. The Public Institutions of Charity and Correction of the City of New York are mostly built on a number of small islands, situated in the East Riv'er, as the channel is called which, some fifteen miles in length, connects Long Island Sound with the Harbor. These islands are known as Blackwell's, Ward's, Randall's and Hart's. To begin with that nearest the city: Blackwell's Island, contains five public institutions: I, A vast hospital; with a smaller one, somewhat apart, for contagious diseases, especially the small-pox; these· buildings are situated at the extreme southern end of the island. 2, The Penitentiary, viz. : a prison.'for criminals condemned to detention for less than two years. 3, An asylum for the poor, called the AlmsHouse. 4, Another prison called the \Vork-House, where those are confined who are punished by only a few day's �New York and Canada J11ission. 175 detention, as for vagrancy, drunkenness, etc. 5, An Insane Asylum. On the next island, Ward's, is an Asylum where destitute emigrants, not having as yet had time toacquire the privileges of citizens, are offered a home for any length of time during the five years following their arrival, provided that, either th_rough sickness or dearth of work, they are really in want of the necessaries of life. On this island also are two large edifices recently erected, to make good the insuffiCiency of those of Blackwell's Island for city convicts. On the third island, Randall's, are the establishments for the children of destitute parents, or for orphans, or those taken up as vagrants. Hart's Island, twenty miles to the East, has, of late years, been appropriated by the city to receive the excess of inmates of the others. During epidemics or contagious diseases, the persons attacked by these maladies are transported thither. In connection with a school-ship, a school has been established on the island, to receive the young unfortunates of Randall's Island, when they become old enough to be a~le to work, and manifest an inclination to become sailors. All these establishments are divided into two departments, one for males, the other for females; and it is not an exaggerated estimate to set down at 6,ooo, the number of persons in the various institutions, counting in the officers and employees. Blackwell's Island was the first to admit one o£. the Fathers, but even he was not permitted to pass the night there. Fr. Jaffre, a former missionary of Upper Canada, started daily from the College, visited in turn each of the institutions, and after displaying a zeal which, in presence of so much misery, nothing could moderate, returned home at night completely exhausted, only to begin his work again; the day following. In one month's time he was in his grave, a victim of the typhoid fever.- The pioneer in the good work, had fallen, but there were hundreds anxious to take his place, and within the three following years, �176 J.Vew York and Canada 11fission. three more Fathers-Chopin, Laufhuber, and Pavarellisank at the same post, under the same disease. It would be surprising, indeed, if the heavenly spirit, which vivifies the Society, \\·ere less fruitful than the sap which Nature infuses into even her lowliest trees and shrubs ; and do we not there behold ever cluste~ing around the buds on which their growth depends, a number of accessory or latent germs, awaiting only the moment, when the principal bud by some accident is destroyed, to burst forth into a vigorous life, and carr); on the plant or tree to its full development, lest Nature's work should be frustrated? The devotedness of the Fathers, heroic though it was, was not greater than was required to enable them to cope with the difficulties attending their work-"difficulties," says Fr. Du Ranquet, "which now appear incredible." As long as the Fathers came daily from the city, and returned at night, matters came to no crisis; but when, seeing. the drawbacks of such a position, they strove to ga_in a permanent residence on the Island; then indeed the storm burst in all its fury, and subjected them and the Catholic patients to every kind of annoyance. Father l\larechal, chaplain at this ti~e, determined, with his accustomed energy, to say Mass every morning in the Poor House Chapel, which was used by Protestants as well as by Catholics. Breakfast hour being six o'clock, he announces Mass for half past five; but the director of the establishment is' on the alert: unfortunately, Mass is not over at six-so much the worse for those who have assisted at it-no breakfast for them that day. At the Hospital, bigotry showed itself in a still more persecuting spirit. Fr. Marechal had just installed his assistant colaborer, when the young physicians, alarmed at this new clerical _invasion, and animated no doubt with the spirit of the Constitution of the United States, w!ticlt allows CZIClJ' man to worsltip God according to t!te dictate~ af Ius own conscience, took the affair in their own hands, and hit upon �New York and Canada llfission. IJ7 a remarkable way of illustrating their idea of freedom of conscience,-a plan, which, they were convinced, would soon cool the ardor of both priest and people.-The very first day l\Iass was said, on making the rounds of the sick room, they took care to ask of each of the Catholic invalid:::: "Have you been at Mass to-day?" vVas the answer"Yes"-they at once rejoined: "Since y~u are well enough to go to l\Iass, you are well enough to go home;" and they actually had the cruelty to dismiss thus a crowd of poor Catholics, with one foot already in the grave. The physici~ms were young men ; probably had never before had to deal with Irish Catholics in matters of religion, and sadly inc;leed were they disappointed if they hoped by persecution to root out their faith and their love for their religion.-At present, the poor Irish Catholic may be said to have almost won the day-for three Fathers remain constantly on the islands, and two others go there during the day, now to one place, now to another. Even a greater number might be employed, for, to mention only one item, on Blackwell's alone, the annual number of deaths amounts to 2,000, which gives an average of about six a day. Chapels are now to be found in the principal edifices, and not only do the faithful receive the sacraments and other succors of religion, but a great many children are baptized, and numbers of adults, especially at the moment of death and in time of pestilence, abjure their errors, and are received into the bosom of the Church. His Grace, the Archbishop, has alrec.dy several times visited the islands for the purpose of administering the Sacrament of Confirmation. But let us hear Fr. Du Ranquet himself describe the good that is at present being done among the wretched inii,lates of these islands.*-" That which has struck me most forcibly," he says, " in this ministry, is the desire expressed by so many Protestants to become Catholics, when they see death *Letter published in the "Etudes religieuses," etc., 4th Series, 2. vol. p. 131. �New York mtd Cmtada 1lfissiou. approaching. Many of our invalids have n~urished for years this thought of final conversion; others are n1oved by the confidence of the dying Catholics, and some begin by saying: ' Father, let me kiss your crucifix.' I remember especially one Protestant woman, who had probably been struck by seeing her neighbors kiss the cross so reverently, and who told me she had seen in her sleep a majestic personage holding a large key in his hand. This key, he informed her, opened and shut the kingdom of Heaven, and unless sfie kissed the crucifix, he would never unlock the gate of ~iss for her. She was converted, and became a devout Catholic. " Occasionally, on my rounds I come in contact w.ith Protestant ladies and ministers busy distributing tracts and books; but if I wish to escape their society, I have only to enter the ward reserved for typhoid or small-pox; here there is no danger of interference from them. The proportion of_ Protestants and Catholics in the various institutions, is worthy of note. About four-fifths of the inmates of the hospital are Catholics, but in the penitentiary, only twothirds. Thus, though all these establishments are filled generally from the lower classes, and .~hese classes are in a great measure composed of Catholics_:the prisons contain far fewer of the latter than the other institutions. During the day, those that are well labor outside or in the shops, -but, at night, they are locked up separately in very small cells, and here it is I catch them. I devote about three hours every evening to visits to the different cells, where I try to gain the prisoner's confidence by kind words through the iron grating.· At Mass, I sometimes have forty or fifty• communicants, of whom perhaps eight or ten, receive for the first time.-I was surprised one day by a visit from an individual arriving from Oregon, wher!9 he had been fighting in th.e wars against the unfortunate Indians. He came ' to fulfil a promise made to a dying comrade on the battle field beyond the Rocky Mountains; where, unable to find �iVcw York and Canada ilfission. 179 a priest, he had tried as well as he could to supply the place of one,-and had asked the wounded soldier if he died content. ' I'll tell you,' answered the dying man, ' how wicked I have been. You know what the New York Boys are,-well, I was among the worst of them: but one day, about two or three years ago, when I was in prison at the Tombs, I went to confession for the first time; since that day, I have behaved myself pretty well, and now I die happy.' ' Oh!' replied the other, 'I know the Father at the Tombs, and as soon as I arrive in New York, I will tell him all.'-" No fact,'' adds Fr. Du Ranquet, ''ever encouraged me in my work at. the prison as much as this." \Vhile the Fathers employed in these holy labors were opening Heaven to numbers of souls and earning for themselves eternal crowns, one of the most distinguished members of our mission, was suddenly stopped in his saintly cueer, and when but half the race seemed run, was called to his reward. \Ve left Fr. Larkin in Europe relieved of the responsibility of the episcopacy-in I S49· After remaining some time in England, he entered upon his third year of probation in France, and when that was over, reviewed his theological studies at Laval. In July, 1851, he was appointed Rector of St. John's, Fordh\lm, and, at the expiration of his term of office, once more crossed the ocean and devoted . himself with his accustomed zeal to the work of the ministry in England. Here he received a letter from our present very Rev. Father General investing him with the high and responsible duties of Visitor of the Vice-Province of Ireland. Having accomplished to the satisfaction of all the task imposed on him, he returned to New York in 1856, and for about two years was employed in the parish. On the 1 rth of Dec., 1858, he had been hearing Confessions as usual, and when the supper bell rang, obeyed its summons to take a hasty cup of tea. While seated at table he felt a sudden stroke of apoplexy, and had only time to stretch VoL. m-No. 323 l �180 · New York mtd Canada 1lfission. out his hand to the Father next him, saying: " It is all over now! "-when he sank heavily to the ground. Medical aid was at once sent for,-but the call was from above, and no human power could "bribe the poor possession of a day," or "lend_a morrow." As it was impossible for the dying servant of God to get to his room, he remained in the arms of the Fathers, who did all they could to relieve him, while the other members of the community hastened to the chapel, to beg, if it were God's will, a few years more of life for so us~ful a laborer. The blow had been struck in mercy as Fr. Larkin had ever desired a sudden death:- his heart having flown to heaven long before the knell that called his body to the grave,-while he himself had ever looked on the present but as · "A narrow isthmus 'twixt two boundless seasThe past, the future, two eternities." The w_orld to come was all he thought of-all he cared for; no pang of sorrow, then, no vain regret disturbed the tranquil passage of his soul, which, three hours after his first attack, peacefully went to its Creator. Fr. Larkin had nearly completed his 58th year, having been born in 1801 on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.* It was not only the parish, in which Fr. Larkin had been principally employed, that felt his loss ; even the students of the College, many of whom had had the happiness of at-· tending at least one of his retreats, grieved for him as for ~ father. No doubt he continued in heaven to pray for the children he left behind on earth, and for the success of the · work of the education of youth, in which he took so deep an interest. Certain it is that the state of the College was very prosperous. It was only a few years since it had been buiit, an_d already it was found to be far too small for the *On a foregoing page the year of his birth is, by some mistake, put down as 1800. �New York and Canada llfission. r8r ever increasing number of students. A new building 6oft by 120, was accordingly begun, and in June, rS6r, six months after the date of the charter, part of it was fit for use; so that, in the following September, the College of St. Francis Xavier recei,·ed its ;oo students in an edifice m keeping with the dignity of its sainted Patron. \Ve have now sketched, however imperfectly, some of the principal facts in the history of our l\Iission; we say, some, for besides the large gaps in our account of the rise of our Colleges at Fordham and New York we have, through want of the requisite information, but barely alluded to that of St. Mary's, Montreal, and have not written a single \Vord about our residences in Guelph, Chatham and Quebec; in Troy, Yorkville and Jersey City. Should a future day find us conversant with the details of these foundations, it would afford us great pleasure to record them. For to relate to those unacquainted therewith the onward march of the Society, however unpretending, in any part of, the world, is the least we can do to show our appreciation of our high calling, together with our filial love for her who brought us forth in religion; and to hand down to those who come after us, the ·memory of the labors· and combats of our fathers, to whose saintliness of life joined with heroism amid whole hosts of obstacles, and persevering energy under difficulties almost insurmountable, many of us are indebted for our acquaintance with the ·society, and, after God, for the priceless grace of our entrance therein, is, we think, the smallest tribute of gratitude we can offer. It· is nature i.tself, and nature in one of its holiest instincts that prompts the child to trace, with whatever materials it may happen to have at hand, the features of that countenance which is all in all to him; his unskilled hand will err, no doubt, and produce perhaps only a homely caricature where the fairest of images was intended, but the rough draught, such as it is, has had its effect: the memory has once more conjured up the true. picture, and impressed l �182 St. :Joseplt's Clwrclt, P!tiladelp!tia. it still more indelibly in the soul, and then, the loving heart at once supplies all the deficiencies of the erring hand. A few details concerning our Indian J1(issions in Canada, o1t w!ticlt z;;e c!tauccd too late for insertion in t!teir proper place, are reserzHd for an appmdLr. (To be continued.) ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. [Continued.] 844 was in some respects a sad year for Philadelphia. For some years there had.been in existence a society named the "American Protestant Association.:' This society, still vigorous, with thousands of members scattered over the Continent, and a reserved fund of millions of dollars, has been changed to that of "The United American Mechanics," but its spirit is the s~me. For some year.:> the truly eloquent pastor of a contiguous parish had been accustomed in his "Sunday-night Lectures" to deal with this association in a style far more vigoroos than genteel. I have never. heard of a convert made by his tirades; and the effect of his injudicious attacks was a hidden but intense' feeling of hatred to Catholicity and Catholics, which waited the lightest provocation to burst out with tremendous force. This provocation was given in the early part of May, by the indiscreet zeal of some hot-headed Catholics in attacking, I �St. :Joseplt's Clwrclz, Plzi!adelplzia. 183 with stones and other missiles, a meeting of this American Protestant Association, held in the very midst of a densely inhabited Irish Catholic neighborhood, with the avowed design of provoking an attack. Then began the dark days of Philadelphian Catholicity. Then began a 'period of terrorism, the very mention of which will, to this clay, suffuse the face of a Philadelphian with the blush of shame. One bright afternoon in 1\Iay, the mob assembled, and after some severe fighting in which the loss of life seemed to be almost entirely on the part of the aggressors, the so-called Nativists, St. Michael's Church and the Sisters' Orphanage in Second Street were fired and burnt to the ground. Rev. Terence Donaghoe, being in the city on a visit, sat in the cupola of St. Augustine's Church, and with tears streaming down his face, witnessed the burning of these edifices which had been erected through his painful exertions. I remember, as if it were but yesterday, how the hot blood of boyhood boiled, as a young Quaker companion, now one of Philadelphia's solid men, descending from the roof of the lofty establishment where we were employed, forgot the propriety of a Friend, and danced, not very gracefully, up to me with the intelli- · gence that the Popish Church in Kensington was in flames. He was soon called to order by one of the elders. But I .had at that time a good opportunity of judging the sincerity of the philanthropy and benevolence of our Orthodox and Hicksite Friends. At that time I was employed as a learner in the largest wholesale commission dry-goods store in Philadelphia, and members of this highly respectable firm were the leading men of the two branches of Quakerism. As I was the only one of "the world's people" in the establishment, and a mere puny boy, I was little restraint upon them, and they surely might be considered as trustworthy interpreters of the feelings of this Sect. Before the • merchants and others of the city, they were loud and energetic in their denunciation of persecution for religion's sake, �184 St. :Joscplt's Clmrclt, Plti!adclpltia. and of the fearful disgrace brought upon the " City of Penn;" but, when we were by ourselves, the most common remark was: "The Papists deserve all this and much more," and "it \vere well if every Popish church in the world were levelled with the ground." I was one day a witness of an incident that caused me, even in the harassed state of my feelings, much amusement. The eldest member of the firm, a dignified, portly man of· n~~rly eighty, whose white locks fell like strung snow-flakes" around his ruddy face, was not a little of a wag. Our head drayman was a German of prodigious strength, and of natural shrewdness corresponding with his strength. One morning Friend ·william engaged Rodolf in conversation about the gloomy state of affairs. Rodolf, rightly judging that the " Native American" organization was not in reality opposed to foreigners, but to Catholics, particularly Irish Catholics, was no niggard in his praise of late events. \Villiam. H .... drew him QUt as much as possible and then quietly remarked: "but, Rodolf, the Nativists do not intend to stop with the Irish; as soon as they have exterminated them, they intend to drive away the .Dutch." "Is that so, \Villiam ?" says Rodolf; then raising his brawny arm, he brought down his Herculean fist upon one of the cases, with a force that split the wood, and with a fearful oath, he invited all Native Americans to migrate to a warmer climate, and for ten or fifteen minutes the tune of his canticle was set to another key. \Villiam enjoyed some hearty laughs, and walking away remarked to me " It seems, ..... what is sauce for the herring is not sauce for the pickerel." The evening of this day will be forgotten by me only when the name of motlzcr loses its music. The iconoclasts, after doing their Vandal work in Kensington, by common conse!)t, marched to St. Augustine's. The neighbors, during the afternoon, had removed most of their household goods, although it was hoped that being within the limits of the city proper it would be protected by the civic autho- • �St. :Joseplt's Clzurclt, P!ti!adelpltia. 185 rities. If space allowed, I might relate some very amusing incidents of this sorrowful exodus. Mr. \Villiam Newland, for many years organist of St. Jo.seph's, occupied the house next the church, one of the two belonging to the Augustinian Fathers. The question of the hour was how to obtain furniture-wagons to remove the pcnatesfami!iarcsque. 1\Irs. N., in an emergency the better man of the two, impressed every wagon she could into her service, whether it were hired by her "good man" or by the neighbors. Members of the American Protestant Association had been circulating around during the afternoon making inquiries as to the ownership of the property, and, whenever they addressed our lady friend, receiving answers more sharp than sweet. As the shades of evening began to close and the little gormand birds were taking their post-supper meal previous to tucking their pretty little heads under their cosy wings, a big, burly-looking individual drove up in a splendid new furniture-wagon, and jumping out, he addressed the busy dame thus: "I say, missus, who does this house belong to?" "I cannot say," answered Madam, "my husband always pays the rent. I say, vVilliam," calling to her spouse, "give this gentleman all the information you can." Smooth-spoken Mr. Newland was much surprised at the agreeable change in his good helpmate, but he was accustomed to obey orders, so he entertained our Native American with long answers giving the least possiQle amount of information, and I can confidently assert that he was one well able to do so. In the meanwhile the thrifty housewife employed herself in placing her furniture in the wagon, and as our Nativist from the " South of France" was remarking in a tone not at all remarkable for its dulcidity, "I say, Mister, I have asked you a dozen times, does this house belong to the - - - priests ? " he was startled by the crack of a whip, and turning, beheld Mrs. Newland occupying his vacated seat, and driving down Fourth Street at a rate of speed that pretty well winded him by the time �I 86 St. :Joscp!t's Clwrclt, Pltiladclpltia. he overtook her. "\Ve can't stand on ceremony at this time," said she, smiling. Tired as he was, the joke was so good he assisted her in placing the last of her chattel~ in a place of safety. The news of the burning of St. l\Iichael's, which occurred about three in the afternoon, soon spread through the city and municipalities. In the large factories and shops the men refused to work, and the employers themselves desired to ~each their homes where they knew anxious wives and daughters awaited their arrival. So about half past four all the manufacturing establishments suspended operations. This in itself was unfortunate. Before six o'clock, their usual hour for stopping work, the most troublesome class of our citizens had already had their supper and were ready for any work of mischief. Before dusk, crowds began to assemble at Fourth and New Streets. These were not the men who had burned St. Michael's: they, although they had cried-"to St. Augustine's"-"to St. Joseph's"-"to St.l\Iary's,"-had gone home to get their supper,-to have their wounds dressed,-to rest from their (thank God!) unusual labors. These were, at first, principally men and boys, h~bble-de-hoys, drawn tog~ther by curiosity. A more pitiable, cowardly set it would be hard to find. "Look out, I see an Irishman's head," in the shrill voice of a ragged urchin, would send them to Third, to Race, to Vine Street, to return again to be again startled and started by an old woman from the bonny braes, crying out: "O'ch! Jemmy, I'm blest, if I didn't see a big mon wid a muskit looking a' out that windy in the cupoly." There was no window in the cupola. Three policemen, as to-day organized, six constables, as they were then called, could at any time before 7 o'c., have dispersed the wl}ole mob, and saved the church. But it was the birth day of the Mayor's second daughter and she entertained that night. By degrees the number so increased that even the cry �. St. Yoscplz's Clmrclt, Pluladclplzia. I 87 "there are six popes at the North window," was followed only by a slight swaying of the mass, and a quivering sensation in the throats of the less daring. After 8 o'clock, his honor the l\Iayor of the City of Philadelphia arrived, in a hansom, hired, if not chz,rtered, for the occasion. American mobs are sometimes very orderly; due way was made for his honor's cab. Mayor S .... was a brave man even though he did possess a quality proverbially in contradiction with bra\·ery. He spoke to this effect : " Fellow Citizens, men of Philadelphia, please retire. This church •is under the protection of the city. I have the keys in my pocket." If I mistake not, there was but one key for the chu'rch, the front doors being f..'lstened by bars, and the key of the back door was in the possession of a company of volunteer firemen who were endeavoring to save' some of the valuable paintings in the pastor's house. " I have the keys in my pocket ! " Pleasant news to our brave rioters-" the l\Iayor has the keys,-no Paddies in the church-go in Southwark,-hurrah for Kensington!" resounded on every side, and in a shorter time than it takes to write it, when once it '':as known there was no one within to protect the holy of holies, a sash was thrust in, and a boy cut the gas-pipe, applied the match, and the church built by Dr. Matthew Carr, was one ma~s of flames. \Vhat a spectacle! The night was calm, warm, and dark. New Street, directly opposite the church, was open to the river; for miles around the sky was a sheet of flames, the river with its gliding bateaux. containing men and women looked a stream of molten gold ;-yes, it seemed a fairy scene. I stood with streaming locks, hat forgotten, in the midst of one of the hundreds of groups, at a distance, gazing at the entrancing sight. "Brother," said a pious sister, whose hand rested on my shoulder, "this reminds us of the days of Nero, ofthe days of the Goths and Vandals. We know not where this may end,-we may even be called upon to die for our religion,-God grant us strength ! " On VoL. m-No. 3· 24 �I St. :Joseplz's Clwrclz, Pluladelpfzia. 88 my right stood a group of Italians, Tuscanese. A witheredlooking, wrinkled old hag (I mean no disrespect), with face like a gargoyle, her deformed daughter almost as ugly as the mother, a crowd of trembling bambini, the children of Mrs. C ... i, then the mother of eighteen, herself looking as if scarce eighteen summers had passed over her head, and the imperial Signora Tr ..... . Signora Maria Fortunata Tr ..... was in my boyish estimation a- person of far more than ordinary merits. \Vith a person and carriage that suggested a Judith, she possessed that almost universal genius seldom found but • among the Italians. She spoke fluently, I thought el~gantly, many modern languages,-a voice of almost fabulous compass was cultivated to a state of almost perfection,-her power with the needle excelled every thing I have ever seen ; a small piece of velvet, a scrap of satin or silk, a few strands of gold thread, a bead or two, and, presto ! an article for a fancy fair that brings five, six or even ten dollars,-a common print, a box of water colors, and lo ! an article to grace lady's boudoir,- nor was she at home only in fancy work, for when she assumed the part of Martha many an Easter cake and savory fricata has tickled my boyish palate. Near my Italian friends was a bevy of maiden ladies of very unmaiden age, whose peculiar accent proclaimed the North of Ireland. "Oh! how beautiful!" exclaimed Miss B ... y. "It is exquisite," responded the chaste Susanna. "It is perfectly heavenly," guggled the youthful Anna Maria. The hot blood of Fortunata could bear it no longer. Farewell, smooth round accents of Tuscany! "Ya-as it is a very-er beautiful-er sight, but-er you-er will-er see-er inore-er exquisite-er sight-er when you-er get-er to 'Ell J" It began pianissimo con crescmdo, but when it ended, hell was a yell. And Fortunata with eyes sparkling daggers, I mean stilettoes, entered her brother's house, from which, during the small hours of the morning; first, a fierce strain from the harp, then some sharp chords from the piano, or a �St. :Josep!t's C!turclz-;. Plzi!adelplzia. I 89 crisp notes from the guitar, told that her fiery spirit was,not yet soothed. Friend of my childhood, I had been accustomed to wonder at you, a being so gifted, but from that night scarce a day has passed that I have not prayed for you as a sister in religion ! Nor were the feelings of Catholics only excited; I remember one of the younger members of the firm referred to above, who still called himself a Friend, although he had been turned out of meeting for marrying among the " world's people," rushing up to me in a state of great agitation: " Do you Catholics intend to allow this to go on forever? \Vhy do you not protect yourselves? If a stop is not put to this, every Catholic church in the city and county will this night be in ashes. Tell me where I can get a gun, and I, Q~aker as I am, will help to protect you." A short time later I saw him in an apothecary shop coolly drinking a glass of soda water. I afterwards learne.d he was, at the time, a liberal contributor to the· American Protestant Association. It was a terrible night. One of the assistants at St. Mary's, now a revered Father of our Province, seemed to be completely overcome Three times, as I have been told, was he led back from the scene of the conflagration, and yet again he was found sitting upon a curb, almost immediately opposite the burning church, weeping like a child. It was but a few minutes after the matc.h had been applied, when the whole edifice was a mass of flames, the fire, bur~ting from the many wi.ndows, licked the walls and mounted to the cupola. High above the billows of the fiery sea shone the glittering emblem of salvation ; for minutes it swayed in the torrid atmosphere, then with a farsounding crash fell into its translucent grave. A yell as of twice twenty thousand savages greeted the fall of the Cross, while a witnessing Israelite, with biting sarcasm, remarked: "I did not know there were so many Jews in Philadelphia." Before IO o'clock the fire, having consumed itself, gradually �190 St. J'oscp!t's /Ciwrclt, P!ti!addpltia. died out and by 12 o'clock the skies so brilliantly decked wore the sable shroud of an early summer's midnight. On the next day, nothing remained of the noble edifice but the \Vest wall and portions of the side \\'alls. Yes! there stood the \Vest wall, and when on the morrow, the curious gathered to gaze upon the work of Protestant ignorance and fanaticism, on ·that scorched, charred wall, just above where the Gop of Peace so long had dwelt, they were affrighted to r.e.~d in letters of gold, these awful words: "The eye of the Lord seeth." Yes, the eye of the Lord in truth did see, and there these words remained for months, until Philadelphia hung her head in shame, when the rains of Summer gently washed them away. In this fire the valuable library of the Augustinian fathers was destroyed as well as many costly works of art, both in painting and statuary. The fathers at St. Joseph's were very fearful, though in truth, at this time, they were in but little danger. Friends, both male and female, began to assemble. Fortunately, yet not intentionally, the ciboriums were empty. The sacred vessels and precious ornaments were consigned to trust-worthy persons who quietly car(ied them away to places of security. And in the early:hours of morning I was wakened from my broken slumbers by the sound of passing footsteps. Some of the young gentlemen of St. Joseph's were carrying the beautiful painting of the Crucifixion, which had b€en removed from its frame, to the house of one of our neighbors, to the house of a plucky little Dublin lady, who quietly remarked as it was borne into her house " I will protect that picture as I would my daughter's honor." She never had occasion to protect either, but I would not have liked to see her, if it had been. necessary. The gr~atest annoyance, at this critical period came from our nearest neighbor. At both corners of \Villing's Alley lived leading members of the Episcopal church, but very different was their conduct towards our fathers. It is a pleasure to say that the Hon. J os. R. Ingersoll, until the �St. :Joscplt's Clwrclt, P!tiladdpltia. 191 time of his death, was a true gentleman, desirous of giving us no trouble, but, on the contrary, anxious to oblige. And wh~n we celebrated the joyful proclamation of our l\Iother's Immaculate Conception, it was the heavy silk curtains of l\Ir. Jos. R. Ingersoll which made the rich golden background, and then as on many another occasion his plants and flowers adorned our altars. On the contrary our nearer neighbor, rllrs. A ... ne was a continual thorn in our side. In every little spiteful contrivance she and hers excelled. Their kitchen was almost contiguous to the gate of entrance to the church yard. It had a discharge spout about three or four inches above the pavement. After service, or when a funeral procession was waiting on the side walk, it was the amusement of the domestics of this amiable lady to let off the accumulated greasy water, so as to injure the dresses of the ignorant Papists. On this eventful .May night, our neighbors A .. nes were determined nothing should be done at St. Joseph's without their knowledge,-great was their devotion to curiosity! Inclination wooed them to view the glorious sight up Fourth Street, but stern duty said, these crafty Jesuits must be watched. So regular sentries were set. First was l\Iadam " with eyes of Mars to threaten and command," her orange ribbons mingling with her gray curls ; next a brawny maiden of the "Church by law established," in the old country; then my son, the vestryman of the old St. Peter's Church-in fact, the poor creatures were not relieved from their double task of watching a burning Popish church and the preparations for saving some of the valuables of a threatened Jesuit chapel, until a Catholic wag suggested the efficacious idea of lighting a fire near the wall so often crowned with heads and sprinkling it with odoriferous assafcetida. From that time the Dame considered it much more agreeable to review her fellow American Protestants returning from the field where they "had clone," or, at least, yelled "well." • �192 St. J'oseplz's Clzurclz, Plziladelplzia. For some weeks we endured the calm that bodes a. storm. The congregation of St. Michael's determined to spend not one Sunday without enjoying the happiness of being present at the dread Sacrifice. Men, women, and children turned out in large numbers, and worked day and night. \Vomen and delicate maidens assisted in cleaning the old bricks and in carrying the mortar. From the debris they erected a chapel large enough to seat a thousand or more and had it finished bef<{re Saturday midnight. St. Augustine's people followed the good example and soon had the Chapel of our " Lady of Consolation " (beautiful name!) built, where l\Iass was said until a much larger and more orna~e edifice sprang like a phcenix from the ashes of Dr. Carr's church. It also served for various ecclesiastical purposes until, a few years since, it was torn down to make way for a fine parochial school-house. Instead of longing for the glorious 4th of July we dreaded its approach-many feared a renewal of the fearful scenes of violence May had brought us. \Vhat, then, was our surprise when early on the morrow we learned that the pastor of the adjoining parish of St. Philip'~, whose church was situated in the most bigoted part of Sou.thwark, surrounded with the most ignorant and reckless sort of Nativists, had, the day before, openly, in broad day light, had arms and ammunition carried into the church, and that a company of volunteers, called the "Hibernia Greens," were in possession of the sacred edifice. It was a day of fearful, yea, truly awful, anxiety. During the evening, rumor, busy jade, caused many a heart to beat in dread, and many a head to bow in prayer. On the Festival of the Most Precious Blood, my sisters and I offered our holy communion that God might protect our chun::hes and our hoines. During this season of terror 'our first thoughts were always not for ourselves or homes but for our churches. Judging of others by ourselves, there were few Catholics who would not have gratefully looked �St. 7oseplz's C!mrcft, P!ziladelplzia. 193 on the ashes of their homes, if the House of God were only .spared. After the eight and a half o'clock Mass we walked down· to the fortified temple. The excited crowd of the previous night was all dispersed, and, except by ourselves and a few other of the curious descendants of an unhappily 'curious mother, the street was deserted. Had the authorities of the municipality of Southwark, whose office was " round the corner," posted a dozen constables in the neighborhood, no mob had assembled on the 6th of July 1844. Our apprehensions having been allayed by the peaceful surroundings of the church, we took our usual seats in St. Mary's for the late Mass. Our pew, being on the South side of the altar, commanded a view of the greater part of the congregation. Every thing proceeded sccuJldum rcgulam et etiam consuetudines, until the Elevation, when the startling clamor of an approaching mob was heard. l\1any a rosy countenance assumed the hue of the lily. I can imagine the feelings of a father when he hears the approach of the wretches who come to slay him, the wife of his bosom, and her offspring, but how describe the sensation of a Catholic, when an insatiate rabble comes to insult the God by whom he moves and lives. Heavenly Father, I have experi'enced it once; my sensations then were too awful to be even now dwelt upon, much more to be recounted to others: Oh! if it be Thy holy will, may I never again endure such a trial ! I noticed that most of the men who occupied places within the pews at once arose, quietly and respectfully, and placed themselves next the door. Nearer and nearer come the cries,-a member of the city Council, who, on the evening before, when the commander of the military had given the order to fire upon the mob, had stepped before the cannon's mouth and countermanded that order, and who had then been taken prisoner and incarcerated in the House of the God of peace, had been released from confinement, and was b7ing carried in triumph by the mob to his dwelling near �194 St. J'oscp!t's C!wrclt, Plti!addpltia. St. l\Iary's Church. Nearer and nearer came the shouts, but the celebrant, if he felt any fear, showed none, as the. God of battles lay before him. Nearer and nearer yet came the yells, and as they passed behind the church the solemn miscrcrc nobis was over, and the soothing dona uohs paum of Di l\Ionti in D floated melodiously upon our anxious ears. Further and further receded the tumult and ,,·hen the ltc mi'ssa est was chanted all was still. After our.. frugal dinner, we returned for " the office, " repeating in our hearts the words of David; "for he hath hidden me in His tabernacles; in the days of evil He hath protected me in the se.cret places of His tabernacles." "Be Thou my helper: forsake me not : do not Thou abandon me, 0 God, my Sa\'iour. For my father and my mother ha\·e forsaken me: but the Lord hath taken me up. vVait on the Lord, act manfully; and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord." But we found the gates closed and at that moment the bell of the State-House tolled; the city was under martial law. Fearful words, "under martial law ! " \Vith sadly foreboding hearts we retraced our steps, unaware that the gilt crosses on our manuals, which we made no effort to conceal, '\fere attracting unusual attention. Nor were we aware that by the time we reached our homes we were followed by a number of persons. Turning upon the steps, we recognized old acquaintances, our friendly salutations receiving no friendly response,then we awoke to the tact that \Ye were pariahs in our nati\'e city,-in the City of Brotherly love,-in a city where our ancestors had shed their blood for the country's liberty. Yes, next door neighbors, with whom our intercourse for years bad been of the friendliest, now looked at us with eyes averted,-friends, who had come to us in joy and sorrow, no'w saw us not when we saluted, a neighborhood where we had been born and reared now knew us not, we had become strangers to our brethren, "aliens to the sons of our mother; "-our mother's only sister and that sister's �St. 7osep!t's Clwrclz, P/uladelpltia. 195 sons and daughters disowned all connection with us. Still the bell tolled on, proclaiming with iron tongue that the city of Philadelphia was under martial law. All this while the neighborhood of St. Philip's Church was in a ferment of excitement. Queen Street and all the streets leading to it were filled with a disorderly mass of people, so that it was deemed advisable to make some concessions to the mob. A parley was beat and it was agreed that the Company of Hibernia Greens, occupying the Church, should march out with arms unloaded and reversed. All of them did not comply with the agreement. Unfortunately when they reached Second and Catharine Streets, provoked at the cruel taunts of the rabble, they turned and fired into the crowd, and believing that " he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day," they, plied their heels and scattered ingloriously in every direc. tion. Some did not stop running until they reached Germantown and Manayunk, and Norristown, and other suburban localities more agreeable for their security than for odors; it has been said that two of them continued their weary pedestrianism until they reached New York City. Some of the yelping mob pursued the swift warriors. One poor fellow named Gallagher was chased to Sixth and Small Streets, about half a mile from the scene of bold and daring deeds, when running panting into a house, the good house-mother hid him between two feather beds. At first the hounds were baffled in the search, and having lost the scent they were about retiring as well bred curs, when the glitter of his regimentals caught the sight of one whose snarl soon recalled the others. A rope was "soon around his neck and down the stairs was he dragged and along the streets for fully three quarters of a mile to Christian and Fourth Streets where a culvert was building, when the inhuman wretches amused themselves in heaving large -cobble stones upon him, varied at intervals by six or eight heavy men jumping upon him; twice they hanged him to a VoL. m-No. 3· 25 �196 St. :Joseph's Clmrclt, P/u!addpltia. lamp-post, till after two hours of torture indescribable he was rescued and carried to the Pennsylvania Hospital. On the next Sunday I saw him apparently unscarred and unscathed. It had been remarked that in both these riots it was impossible to kill an Irishman. A few years after, he rented a stable belonging to us, situated where the east end of the present College building stands, and one hot afternoon in July he ate some blushing raspberries smothered in cream, and in two hours he was where "the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest." Old Brother McGirr used to say, with one of his peculiar laughs: "poor Gallagher, all the Nativists in Philadelphia could not kill him, and a saucer of berries did it." The firing of the brave " lads in Green " was the signal for the attack upon the Church. In ten minutes the interior was gutted. Lewis C. Levin, whose wife, daughter, and step-daughter have since been received into the Church by one o(our fathers, mounting the sacred table in front of the tabernacle, delivered a harangue, which for blasphemy and ribaldry would have befitted the days of the French Revolution. General Cadwalader, who command~d the military, had established his head-quarters at the old Girard Bank in Third Street opposite Dock. Finding it necessary to be there, he with two of his officers, in citizen-dress and unarmed, entered a close carriage at the Church, and had succeeded in passing through the mob, when they were recognized by an old woman, the wife of a Catholic who had not sense enough to hold his silence. At once the cry and hue was raised of "Old Cadwalader! Bloody Cadwalader! Irish Cadwalader!" and four or five hundred furious men started in pursuit. The driver drove for life. When turning Secqnd Street into Pine, a stalwart American citizen of Scotch birth caught the near horse by the bit, and the carriage was brought.to a halt. My eldest brother, whose dormant Catholicity had been roused by the persecution, �St. Yosep!t's Clmrclt, Plti!adelpltia. . 197 and whom my good mother imagined she had safely locked up in the second story back room, but who had climbed the pipe and was in the midst of the excitement, taking in the situation with a glance of the eye, although a slender, weak young man, seized the gentleman from Glasgow by the throat and dashed him to the ground, while the noble brutes dashed wildly on. Henry, Henry, why were you so reckless? As it was generally believed that my brother was anti-Catholic, acquaintances surrounded him and his bad reputation saved him from the fury .of the mob, who would willingly have made him a victim to their baffled rage. The majority of the mob pursued the fleeing commanderin-chief until they reached Third and Spruce Streets. Third Street between Spruce and \Valnut was at that time paved with wooden blocks. The horses on reaching this smooth pavement made such speed that the mob, having a salutary fear of the loaded cannons that guarded the entrance to the bank, gave over the pursuit. They halted and consulted as to their further proceedings. A part proposed to attack the Jesuit Church in Willing's Alley, but it was too near head-quarters; some suggested St. Mary's, but the majority wished to return to the field'of their preceding efforts; and the majority, as in all well regulated mobs, carried the day. My mother, sisters, and worthy self, were standing, in a state of palpitating excitement, upon the door-steps, anxious to see, hear, and know all that was going on, when a constable ran up and began to push us into the house, saying; "for God's sake go in l bar the door l " and to me, "my son, dose the shutters as soon as you can." It was timely advice, a large portion of the mob, in returning to St. Philip's, passed down Spruce Street, and being informed by an officious neighbor, to whom much kindness had been shown by my brother at a time when kindness was sorely needed, that this was the house of the young man who had rescued the General, made an effort to enter, and, not sue- �198 St. :Joscplz's Clwrclt, Pltiladdplzia. ceeding, stoned the house. Happily they were in a hurry to return to the scene of nobler exploits, for if they had gone up the alley, there was not a shutter to any of the back windows, and there were only five frightened women and a delicate lad of fourteen to oppose them. This incident made us aware that my brother was not up stairs sleeping soundly, as we thought; and anxiety for his safety was added to the other terrors of that fearful 6th of July. The departure of the mob found us again doing duty upon the post of observation. The weather was extremely hot, the solemn sound of the tolling bell had a most melancholy effect, and the marching, to the scene of disturbance, of the soldiery from the interior of the state, sent by the Governor, gave rise to many terrifying reports and surmtses. Indeed it was a day hard to banish from the memory. In the meanwhile the rioters were not idle. They had gone to all the stores for squares, and made requisitions, collecting all the powder, shot, nails, chains, in fact every thing that could be used in loading the cannon they had obtained. Then they waited for the n_ight. H was a night of more than ordinary darkness. The moon was ashamed to look upon such doings and the stars kept her company. At the usual hour the gas was lighted, but was soon extinguished by the rioters in their neighborhood. At this time the military were in the Church and guards were posted on all sides to meet the mob if it should attempt to regain possession. Poor soldiers! they were in a most trying position. On the roofs of all the surrounding buildings were men, and women, and boys, with muskets, and rifle:;, and pistols, and stones, and hot water to fire or pour down upon them. They stood out boldly in the light. Whilst the rabble at Queen and Front Streets could take easy aim, themselves being in the dark, the only thing the soldiers had to direct their aim was the flash of the cannon, which the rioters would load in Front Street, then suddenly �St. :Joseplz's Clturch, Plziladelplzia. 199 wheel round into Queen Street, take deliberate aim, fire, and the man who applied the match was back in Front Street almost before the soldiers had seen the flash . . Every thing seemed to be against the volunteers, and according to every human calculation they should have suffered severely; but, in fact, God was against the ri'oters. If my memory does not fail me, not one soldier was killed and but one or two were injured; on the other hand, the rioters acknowledged a heavy loss of life, and some carry their inglorious scars to this day. It was a well known fact, although great efforts were made to keep it secret, that scores of killed Nativists were carried to the different wharfs, and even far down "the Neck," and with heavy weights attached were thrown into the river. For months and even years after, when bodies in various degrees of decomposition, with great stones attached, were discovered in the Delaware, they were quietly buried, with the connivance of the municipal authorities and the press. It is now not an uncommon thing, when instructing some convert from the south-eastern portion of the city to hear: " Rev. sir, my father (or my uncle, or my brother), was killed at the time of the riots at St .. Philip's. They just carried him down and threw him into the river." "The bowels of the wicked are cruel." In the small wee hours of July 7th, the weary mob, seeing that victory was not theirs, gradually dispersed, and by 4 o'clock, the soldiers were sleeping upon the pavements of Queen, Second and Third Streets, or talking together and partaking of refreshments furnished by the neighbors, unconscious of the castor-oil, salts, and other drugs introduced for their especial delectation. For weeks a heavy gloom hung over Philadelphia. The city was still under martial law, and the streets leading to the Catholic churches being guarded by soldiers, not a little inconvenience was caused to pedestrians, and as then we had few omnibuses and no street-cars, most people had to pedestrianize. �200 Father IVeniuger on the Pacific Coast. During this reign of terror St. Joseph's was guarded with more than ordinary care from the espionage of the A ... ne household. The dread Sacrifice was daily offered up in the dear old basement, but the dear old altar, with its antependium of the Passion instruments, was removed last year to make room for the present beautiful altar of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The excesses of 1\Iay and July caused a very salutary reaction in public sentiment. The eloquent but sarcastic preachers of St. Augustine's and St. Philip's received from the Bishop kind permission to take a trip to Europe, from which they did not return until after his translation to the archdiocese of Baltimore. And when, shortly after, the Academy of the Fine Arts was destroyed by the torch of the incendiary, the halcyon days of Catholicity began in the city of Penn. The city proper willingly and liberally paid for the destruction of St. Agustine's, <J.nd, if it could only have wiped out the disgrace, would willingly and liberally have paid for that of St. Michael's, and for the injury done to St. Philip's, although both were situated in distinct municipalities. (To be coutinucdS · FATHER WENINGER ON THE PACIFIC COAST. SIXTH LETTER. I clos~d my labors in the solitary St. Patrick's church, and returned to Portland. Here I gave a retreat to the assembled clergy of the dioceses of Portland and Nesqualy. To ensure the wonted success of the Spiritual Exercises I �Fatlzer T"Vminger. on tlze ·Pacific Coast. 201 enjoined absolute silence, and, though want of room and proper accommodations frequently, perhaps, tempted to an infraction, I was convinced again, that a strict observance of this rule, together with a close adherence to a method of giving retreats alluded to in my second letter, produces the happiest results. After completing the clerical retreat, I complied with two other requests of giving the exercises. A congregation of Sisters founded by a Canadian bishop under the title of "Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary," was the first to claim my services. Like so many kindred institutions, which during the current century sprang up in France and elsewhere, their main object is the instruction of Christian youth, especially, the education of girls. The site of their convent is judiciously chosen; it commands a full view of very picturesque environs. From this point Mt. Hood, though thi~ty miles distant, is distinctly visible towering into the sky. My next sojourn was at Fort Vancouver, the residence of the Bishop of Nesqualy, ·washington Territory. There I conducted the Sisters of St. Anne through the Spiritual Exercises. Though I consider it out of the missionary's province to give retreats to Sisters, since upon him devolves the sterner duty of reclaiming the lost and wandering sheep, while others care for those within the fold, still, as Priests were so few and the Spiritual wants so many, I judged it expedient to lend my aid in that direction, and perfect the work of the diocese. And now the time had come to set out for the extreme end of the Western continent. Often when studying the map of the U. S., I had said to myself: Would that I might even reach that point and find, at least some Indians there to baptize and console; but how agreeably was I surprised, when the Bishop of Victoria, the capital of Vancouver's Island, invited me to open a mission in his cathedral. I embarked immediately, and as the projected road from Port- �202 Father ~Vmillger on .tlze Pacific Coast. land to Puget Sound was not even begun, I had to make the entire distance by sea. \Ve re-crossed the dreaded Columbia Bar in safety, but soon another danger stared us in the face. The woods sloping down to the coast and girding the island caught fire. Dense clouds of smoke drifted athwart our path and a heavy fog darkened the whole atmosphere. This combination of untoward circumstances greatly imperilled our voyage; we were fortunate, however, t~' escape every accident, and hove in sight of Victoria. The steamer, in order to avoid paying wharfage and duties twice, neither entered the harbor, nor delivered her cargo, but stood off at a distance of three miles. In consequence, all passengers bound for the city were obliged to have recourse to boats and barges for transference. I declined to engage a boat and waited for a schooner that came .up, but, to my great regret, I learned that it was destined exclusively for the transport of the Chinamen and baggage aboard. Anxious to be in the city before night, I was perplexed how to acccomplish my purpose. In this plight, I descried a skiff skimming the waves and rapidly advancing towards us. Soon it lay along side of our steamer. When the oarsman of the little craf!. a mere shell, offered to carry two persons ashore, all the passengers urged me to accept of his services and make one of the party. Besides, the seaman promised to row his best and outstrip the schooner in reaching the city. Darkness was setting in and there was no time to be lost. I accepted the terms, and consigning my trunk to the transport I ventured to step into the tiny boat. Victoria, which is an important sea-port, ranks third on the island, and is magnificently .situated. For the charms of its surrounding scenery it stands unrivalled. Endless perspe<;tives of rural beauty and wild ocean and mountain grandeur lengthen out before you. Puget Sound, just opposite, is dotted with a countless number of charming little islands, and the shores when viewed from the Mountain �Fat!ter TVeninger 011 t!te Pacific Coast. 203 Range or the Cascade line, where glaciers tower and glide, gives a correct idea of the truly sublime in nature. My labors opened here with a Retreat to the Sisters of St. Anne, after which I entered upon the severer task of a mission at the cathedral. To know in what language to address my hearers, I inquired first, what nationalities were represented in the congregation. The answer was: "\Ve have here English, Irish, Germans, French, Italians, Spaniards, Indians." My resolution was easily taken. Learning, however, that, with the exception of the Indians, all the rest understood English, I determined to use that, language in 1'ny sermons, reserving the others for use in the Confessional. The Mission was a great success; and I was especially glad that it was given in a city called "Victoria," and iu a cathedral dedicated to St. Andrew, the Apostle of the Cross. I said to myself: " You may now be thankful to God, Christians of Victoria, that in my missionary journeyings I have reached this end of the continent and erected the emblem of salvation among you." One of the local papers gave a most favorable account of the rviission and its results. . After my Mission at Victoria I went to visit two congregations on the shores of Puget Sound. These congregations must, of necessity, increase very rapidly, since the \Vestern terminus of the Northern Pacific R. R. will be in their neighborhood; and a city is in prospect which, they say, will far surpass San Francisco. To go back to Portland and the Southern part of Oregon, I had to pass over what is called the Olympia stage-road, and I may remark that staging in that part of the country is a most tiresome and o(ten, too, a most dangerous mode of travelling. But that road over which I had to travel is perhaps the very worst among the bad. It was in a most wretched condition, with a great depth of mud on it and innumerable· deep holes over which we had to jolt at an awful rate. I determined that I would never be so severe VoL. rn-No. 3· 26 �204 Fatltcr TVmingcr on tltc Pacific Coast. I as to give to any sinner whatever such a hard penance as that of travelling over this road by stage. I myself was far more wearied by six hours of it than by the whole journey from N. York to San Francisco. The worst feature of it all was that in the very ugliest part of the road, where it was all covered with slush or water we heard the stern command of the driver: " Gentlemen, walk !" I remonstrated, stating that I had only light shoes on me. " Can't help you, Sir, this'is our rule." Soon we came to an elevation so steep th;t it was with the greatest difficulty the poor .horses could pull the stage after them, and it was distressing to hear their loud a.nd violent breathing. One of the passengers exclaimed; "Goodness· me, I'm afraid those horses will explode !" A very interesting view, on that road through \Vashington Territory, is the height of the fir-trees reaching often over 300 feet. This timber is used for ship-masts and sent even to China and St. Petersburg. A man who had approached the Territory from the seaside seeing something outtopping the clouds was curious enough to ask what it could be. The answer he received was: "trees." " \Vhat, said he, "trees above the clouds!" H~)hought it was but a joke until he had.come ashore and seen with his own eyes the immense height of those trees. The bases of some of them were as much as twelve feet in diameter, and so difficult a thing is it to fell such monsters and clear the ground after their fall that few persons could think of settling there, until the railroads brought activity and enterprise with them. The climate is very agreeable and the temperature much milder than that of the Eastern States in the same latitude. ·After a stay of some days at Portland, I took the stage to Jacksonville, a city on the Southern borders of Oregon. An incipent that occurred there will serve to show with what zeal the people entered upon the Mission. A theatrical troupe arrived there on Friday and announced that they would play a comedy on the next day. It is wonder- �Fat!ter ~Veninger on tlte Pacific Coast. 205 ful what excitement such an announcement causes in such a place. Yet, though the drums were beating and the band playing, inviting people to come to the show, only seven persons attended it. They preferred to go to the Church and hear the sermon, so the play was deferred until the mission should have ended. From Jacksonville I proceeded to Roseburg, where I gave a mission, and had the pleasure of receiving into the Church some Americans of note, among whom were relatives of the ex-Governor of Oregon. My next mission I was obliged to preach in the courthouse of the town, as there was no church fit for the purpose. Thence I proceeded to Corvallis. All these towns are situate in the fertile, thickly settled and well cultivated \Vil!amette valley, of about three hundred miles in extent, and containing Salem the capital of the territory. At this latter place I lectured on the Infalibility, while the Legislature was in session, some of whose members came to listen and seemed to appreciate the bearing of the arguments. During my stay in Salem an amusing little incident happened to me in 'connection with a Jew who was a tailor in that city. ·Having visited him in order to secure tne services of his craft, I was quite surprised to hear him launch forth into most cordial eulogies on the advantages of my mission, begging me not to forget to come from time to time, in order that they might oftener have the opportunity of profiting by so great a blessing. Not knowing what motives he could have for such enthusia~tic admiration, I asked him why he seemed so much pleased with the mission as even to desire a repetition of the same. "It was owing to your mission" he said "that restitution was made to me for stolen property. A very fine thing that mission! I hope, Rev., Sir, to see you again." Noticing· his good disposition, I asked him if he sincerely believed all that the prophets had foretold respecting the coming of the Messiah. " Certainly I believe" he replied. \Veil then, I continued, I shall simply refer to the �206 Fatlzcr 1Ymingcr on t!tc P..zrijic Coast. prophecy of Aggeus. This prophet tells us that the Jews, at the command of God, erected a temple in honor of the :Most High, but, seeing that "it was as not/zing in comparison to the one" built by Solomon, they wept and refused to be comforted. The prophet, to console them, affirmed that this second temple, nevertheless, would become more glorious than the first, because "saitlz tlzc Lord of Hosts, tlzc desired of all uations slzall come, and I will fill tlzis !tOltSt' witlz glory."_ Now, I argued, this second temple is no longer in exi~tence, and consequently, the Messiah must have come when it did exist, or else the prophet has deceived you. "This prophet you speak of," he replied, "is not mentioned in our Hebrew Bible." "Yes he is," I answered, and requesting him to bring me his bible I pointed out the desired passage. Having read the prophecy and convinced himself of the truth of my assertion, he seemed quite perplexed and stood for some moments in mute astonishment. At length, suddenly casting the book into a corner of the room, he exclaimed; "No matter, let the prophet say what he pleases ; sooner than become a Christian I will perish with Jerusalem!". Not heeding this outburst of passion I calmly remarked; ''How unreasonable! prove to me that the :\Tessiah has not yet come and I, Catholic priest that I am, will turn Jew. But He has come as the prophet foretold. Please take this," I continued, handing him a volume in defence of our holy Religion, "and learn for yourself the claim which Catholicity possesses in calling herself the true Church of the Messiah." After leaving the capital of Oregon it was my good fortune once again. to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Columbia River. Nowhere have I seen the wild grandeur of creation more lavishly displayed than along the banks of this noble stream. So varied are the scenes and so multifarious the views, that the ·tourist must needs be ever on the alert, if he would not fail to take in the entire extent of their beauty and sublimity. The eye one moment viewing towering cliffs, interspersed with dashing cascades, �Fatlur lVcninger on tlze Pacific Coast. 207 the next, resting on numerous islands teeming with luxuriant vegetation, prompts one to speak of the Creator as "!udms in orbc tcnmmn," playing in the world while creating it. The current of the river, in some places, is so strong, that steamers are frequently, repulsed, and are often obliged to exert their utmost force if they would make the least headway. The next mission I gave was at \Valla Walla, when I preached before one English and two French congregations. Here I had the happiness of meeting with three of our Fathers residing among the Coeur d'Alene Indians, and saw with ineffable consolation the incalculable amount of good, which the good Fathers accomplished among these poor children of the forest. \Vhat joy it gave me to witness this rude people assemble regularly morning and evening to repeat in unison their humble petitions and benedictions to the Giver of all blessings! Happy Indians ! who live with your holy priests safe from the danger of a corrupt civilization, pure in your baptismal innocence, and rivalling by the fervor and simplicity of your lives the heroic lessons left us by the first followers of the Apostles. It is painful to think how soon corruption, following in the train of advancing civilization, may invade your happy solitude, to poison the pure joys which a simple Faith secures to you. Concluding my missions at Walla Walla and neighborhood, I ·was obliged to undertake the tedious voyage back again to Portland. Winter was now fast approaching, but before I could return to San Francisco I was engaged to give a series of sermons to a French Congregation at Cowlitz in the diocese of Nesqualy. Thence I returned by canoe to Portland, where I took the steamer for San Francisco. I was accompanied by Mr Holliday, the superintendent of the line, his son-in-law, and the ex-governor of Oregon who were very attentive to me. I predicted a safe and pleasant trip, and the event so justified my prediction that the Captain said a voyage even in midsummer could not have been more favorable. �INDIAN MISSIONS-LAKE HURON. KILLARNEY, l\IANITOULINE ISLAND, MAY 6th, 1874· F ATHEK, P. C. You no doubt accuse me of neglect' and ingratitude; but ad impossibi!e 1zcmo tmctur. How could I write with paddle in hand, or in the midst of a snow-shoe tramp? I suppose you have heard of Father Ferard's quitting our mission for Sault Ste. Marie, and leaving me alone \vith Father Blettner, whose age and infirmities confine him to the village of \Vikwemikong.* This throws the heavy burthen of our vast ri1ission upon my poor shoulders; and thus, farewell to the few snat<:hes of leisure I used to get before. \Valk-ing is no more enough, as it was formerly; I must be alw·ays on the run, in the fond hope- of doing work that would suffice for three zealous mission-~ries. Now, honestly, can you accuse me of negligence? DEAR REVEREr\0 *Killarney is the Post Office address of our mission of the Holy Cross, lVikv:emikong the name of the Indian village where the missionaries reside. For the better understanding of our correspondent's winter labors, it may not be amiss to remember the main outlines of his field of operations. Lake Huron is divided into two unequal· portions by a long peninsula trending to the North 'Vest, called Cabot's Head, and the Manitouline chain of islands. In the largest of the chain, the Great Manitoulin or Sncred Isle, is the 1\Iission of the Holy Cross. The Northern and Eastern parts of the Lake are called :Manitou (i. e. Great Spirit) Bay or Lake, or the N ortlt Channel, and Georgian Bay., Lake Nipissing lies to the North East of Lake Huron, nearly midway between it and the Ottawa River. It covers an area of some 1700 square miles, and connects with Georgian Bay by French River, the navigation of which is impeded by numerous rapids.-ED. W. L. �Indian Jlfissions-L.ake Huron. Take a map of Lake Huron, measure the length and breadth of the Georgian Bay, plus Lake Nipissing and its surroundings: you will have the exact extent of oar mission, of the field I have to range over at least twice a year-more than three hundred miles from one end to the other. I have to visit at least forty different stations scattered within those limits. Nor are the means of locomotion remarkably easy: in summer a steamboat helps me part of the way, but the rest has to be done in barges or bark canoes, and in winter most of the journey is hard snow-shoe walking. I at first hesitated to. give you a sketch of my tramps this last winter, for fear of discouraging the young recruits who are preparing to join us and our dear Indians. But sober second thoug~ts told me this fear was an insult to their courage. The only effect of fatigues and dangers upon the true soldier is to spur him on to renewed devotedness ; and is not the missionary the truest of soldiers, he who battles for a Crucified God? If I may be allowed to give evidence for myself, I must say I have never regretted having asked for these Indian Missions; I hope, \Vith God's grace, to remain at my post till the end, and I should be only too happy to die in harness. Immediately after my annual Retreat (the only re-victualling time my poor soul has), began my winter excursions. This was in the early part of December. Two villages, the one ten miles, the other nineteen or twenty miles from our head-quarters, were the first to be visited. After spending a week in each, I came back to vVikwemikong, crossing fields and forests, through water and mud, often knee-deep. The day after my return, some people from Jiboanoning, a village fifteen miles off, came to get me for the holy days of Christmas and New Year's, intending to bring me back on the ice.* I went with them, and remained there as late as *Though the Great Lakes do not freeze over completely, still, just as happens in the St. Lawrence for the last 200 miles of its course, where its width increases from ten to fifty miles, the immediate coast-line, together �210 Indian illissions-Lakt· Huron. the Epiphany, waiting in vain to return by the icc-bridg<'. But the bays and gulfs would not take; so, at last, I lost all patience, and, knowing that I 'vas expected in other villages by persons in danger of death, I resolved to make an effort. I managed to get a small barge dragged over the frozen shore-fringe and launched amid the floating cakes of ice that met us on every side. ·with the help of two men whojoined me in this rather dangerous attempt, I reached our Holy Cross Mission at night-fall, safe and sound, thank God, but sorely jaded and all covered with icicles. . Ori the morrow of the next day,. I started off again, on snow-shoes this time and alone, for Mitchiwigatinong, thirty or forty miles from \Vikwemikong, and for my other missions on the Grand Manitouline Island. On my way to the second station, Shishigwoning, at least sixty miles from Mitchiwigatinong, I suffered more than I can telL In the midst ·of a terrific snow-storm, with the thermometer awfully low, worn out more by hunger than fatigue, I fell prostrate on the ice, at a short distance from the village I was going to, unable to drag myself any farther. Thus, had not Divine Providence willed otherwise, ~ should ha,·e ended my days like Father de Noue, of the:Qld Society, who, as you may remember, was found on his knees in the snow, frozen to death. I was quite resigned to my fate, and was even thanking Our Good God for so soon granting me the grace I longed for, that of dying on the battle-field. I felt but one pang of regret, and .that was for my poor forsaken Indians. This it was which made me pray for life. God was not slow to answer my unworthy prayer. .Presently both wind and snow ceased, and you may imagine with the bays and inlets, becomes ice· bound, thus affording a means of and travel, cheaper, easier, and more expeditious than anything short of steam communication. When the ice connects two promontories 01 the opposite banks of a river, the ice·bn.dge is said to be formed and the bay or river taken. Any protracted delay in this yearly rom1ation is a eource of great inconvenience to travellers.-ED. W. L. transport~tion �Indian J1fissions-Lakc Huron. 211 my delight when I saw coming to my rescue several Redskins, who had spied me from their village. In a moment they were by me, in another, they had taken off my snowshoes, laid me on a light sledge, and carried me off full tilt to their huts, where a little food and a couple of hours in a comfortable seat near a good fire, set me all right again. That very evening, I said the night prayers with them, and, all together, we sang a hymn of thanksgiving for my deliverance. Next day, I began my usu<J.l ministrations, as if I had not been at death's door on the eve. Nine days were spent in this village, preaching, catechizing, etc. Afterwards, I went to a large saw-mill built at the mout_h of the Spanish River, which falls into Lake Huron nearly opposite to the centre of the north shore of Great Manitou:.. lin. This station is thirty or forty miles from the preceding one. I spent some days here, and then followed the river up some fifty miles, calling at the "shanties," (gatherings of timber workmen), which supply the saw-mill. Thence I moved on to Burch Lake, a _few miles from the last shanty; there I remained some days with a band of Indians, part Christian, part infidel, instructing some catechumens whom I baptized before leaving. On the home stretch down Spanish River, I visited a few families, settled here and there, as well as some other stations, which it would be too long to enumerate. Finally, after spending a few days more at Mitchiwigatinong, the first station visited, I returned to \Vikwemikong, stopping, on the way, at two stations which had been passed by on the outward journey. I had hoped for a short respite, after so long a tramp, and well nigh two month's absence; but circumstances, or rather God, forbade it. Even before my arrival at headquarters, a sick call had come from Kabekanong, seventy odd miles away; and the dying had to be patient till my return. Immediately therefore, and in great haste, I was off again. A moment only did I halt by the way, to visit another sick man who had been long waiting for me to die VoL. m-No. 3· • 27 �212 flldian Jfissions-Lakc Huron. in peace. I reached Kabekanong in the middle of the night, and, without delay, went to see a poor suffering woman, whose illness ought to have killed her some months before, but who would not consent to die, and would not die, she said, before seeing the priest. \Vhether she had had a revelation about it, or not, I cannot say; but, sure enough, every thing turned out just as she had wished and foretold it. She was lying on her bed when I came in. As soon as she recognized my voice, she showed her gratitude by pressing my hand,-and blessed herself, asking me at the same time to hear her confession, which she made with great faith and. earnestness. \Vith a word of consolation, and a promise to return with Holy Communion early on the morrow, I betook myself to a neighboring house. Soon, however, she sent for me again, saying she felt much weaker. I accordingly gave her Extreme Unction and the plenary indulgence in artim!o mortis; and scarcely an hour after, she was yielding up to God her beautiful soul, with all the marks of faith, love, and especially gratitude for the longwished-for gift. Truly, God has his chosen ones every where, even among savages, and in the fastnesses of the forest. Twenty miles more brought me Kitchikitigoning, where I found another sick call. The Indians of this village, with whom I spent two days, did not cease to thank me and to show how grateful they were, because, said they, I was the first of the Fathers who had thought of visiting them during winter, and who had dared to come so far, etc. Returning, I evangelized the saw-mils and shanties of Byng Inlet, and Collins Inlet,-and, lastly, came to Killarney,.where I spent the last four days of Holy \Veek, and Easter Sunday. I returned, afterwards, to \Vikwemikong, but could not remain long at head-quarters, as I have since called at Michael's Bay, some thirty miles from \Vikwemikong, where I found our Indians making their sugar provision from the maple trees on the shores of·'' Manitou to· �Relations of "llifcdicinc-mnz'' witlt t!te Euil Spirit. 2I3 Lake." At present I have been here (at Killarney) eight days, waiting for the steamboat to take me to my southerly missions. As you see, dear Reverend Father, I have precious little time to spare: however, thanks be to God, my strength seems to increase with my work. You may pass this ktter to the scholastics. God grant this feeble sketch of the labors of their fellow-novice may foster, in the hearts of many, a vocation to these Indian Missions, where true laurels are never wanting ! And let them come soon, lest we should be completely crushed by our overwhelming burthen. Commending myself to your Holy Sacrifices and prayers, I remain, R;e. V;e. servulus in Christo, PAUL NADEAU, s. ]. RELATIONS OF "MEDICINE-MEN" WITH THE EVIL SPIRIT. - In an interesting letter that Fr. Grassi sent us a few months ago, he had occasion to speak of an epidemic that had broken out among the Sinpesquensi Indians whilst he was staying at their camp. "During this epidemic," he writes, "no less than five Indian doctors were continually busy about the sick and dying; and it was only after they had tried all their incantations that I could have access to the poor sufferers. In vain did I endeavor to dissuade them from their foolish or devilish practices. I was speaking to �214 Relations of "i}fcdicillc-JJZ<'Jz'' witlz tlzc Euil ~pirit. the winds. Sorcery is practised by them to so great an extent that most of the men have some satanic spell or other about them. This is the way they manage to procure it: One will go rambling alone in the woods, abstaining from food and drink for ten, fifteen or even twenty days. until at last from sheer exhaustion, he falls into a state of senselessness. Then, whether in trance or waking he. does not know, the gt'lzius loci appears to him and asks him if he wishes to be·lucky in something or other, such as fishing, hunting, trapping, or the curing of diseases. On the man's answering in the affirmative he becomes the bondsman of his visitor, from whom he receives a badge. It may be a feather, or a claw, or a ring of the rattlesnake. This badge, which they call someslz, they preserve with religious care and, to doctors especially, who are supposed to have the most powerful spell, it is a very rich source of revenue." Naturally enough, such a piece of information coming to us ·from such a source, aroused a lively interest and moved us to inquire more fully into the matter. To these inquiries Fr. Grassi replies by the following letter to Fr. Valente: \VASHIXGTO~· TERRITORY, ArrANAM, MAY 26, '74· REV. DEAR FATHER, In my last trip I did not fail to ascertain, as you wished me to do, the true story about the talisman which the medicine-men are saiq to receive from the evil one. I offer you now the result of my investigations. A famous medicine-man, whom I had baptized some months ago, came lately to confession, and after he had finished I asked him to sit down and began at once to question him as to the way in which he had obtained his someslz. This was his answer: \Vhen I was a boy about twelve years of age I began to ramble alone on the mountains in search of a somcslz. One day-it was the fifth that I had passed without having eaten or drunk anything- �Relations of "illcdicine-lltm" witlt t!te Evil Spirit. 2 I5 whilst walking on the side of. a mountain, I heard a great noise as if a mountain had fallen on the one where I was. I stopped in dismay, when I heard a human voice calling on me to approach. Immediately I hastened towards the place whence the voice had come, when, upon raising my eyes, I saw, at a distance of about fifteen steps, a very beautiful young man covered with white feathers. He was, indeed, a splendid sight to look upon and whilst I was gazing, in mute wonder, at him, without approaching any nearer to him, he told me not to fear, that he was a dweller in another world far away from this, but that he had leave to go and come at pleasure. He held in his hand a bow and arrow which he showed to me saying that he meant to give them to me, as he wished me to become valiant in hunting. Having said this, he threw the bow and arrow on the ground ; other things, too, he told me, which I have now quite forgotten. At last he said: "vVell I am going away now, but I shall see you again;" and he disappeared from my sight. Then I went up to the spot where he had thrown his bow and arrow, but there was nothing to be seen. I looked all around among the trees, trying to catch another glimpse of him, but in vain. I understood, however, what he meant. So I went·home and made myself a bow and plenty of arrows ; and from that day my aim has been unerring. About one year after, whilst I was again travelling in search of a someslt, I heard the voice of a man calling on me and, upon looking up, I saw a bear. I was very much frightened and began to look around for the man that had called me. Then the bear, with precisely the same human voice, spoke to me and said : " Approach and be not afraid. I am a bear, a brute which you can kill with your arrow. You will, in fact, kill me, flay me and eat my flesh. Now I wish to teach you how to cure certain diseases-he mentioned what they were-You will apply your hands as I do. Look-there was a stick there and, whilst he spoke, he put �216 Relations of "ivfediciuc-mm" wit!t tlte Evil Spirit. his paws upon it-Now, continued he, shoot me." Immediately I shot him dead, flayed him, ate a part of his flesh, took his paw for a somes!t and went my way rejoicing. Some two years later I was walking on the mountains and heard the pici-a bird very common in these parts-I looked to see him, but saw instead a very beautiful boy, white and feathered and like in every respect, save his size, to the one whom I h.'ad seen before. Near him was a rattlesnake and the boy-tbld me how to cure the bite of the reptile. "Kill that snake," said he, "and take his tooth for a somes!t." I was <tfraid to stir, when, suddenly, the boy disappeared and the pici pounced upon the_ rattlesnake and killed him. Then I saw nothing more but the dead snake. I cautiously approached and, finding him really dead, I took out his poisonous tooth and went off. The evil one shows himself very frequently to our medi- cine-m~n and speaks to them through wild geese and caiotes. Usually he teaches them a song which they take good care to sing during their incantations. By the application of the hands I believe that magnetism is taught them; and that they have worked cures thereby, not" only upon Indian patients but upon white ones also, who -had been given up by other doctors, are incontestible facts. Hoping that I have fully satisfied your query, I remain in the SS. Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Yours truly, U. Grassi, S. J. �DEATH OF MR. THOMAS J. DIXON, S. J. In recording the death of the young Religious whose name appears at the head of this notice, we feel that we are discharging a duty, not only of affection to our youthful brother who has gone before us to his eternal rest, but equally of gratitude to God who surrounded the last days of that young life with so many striking manifestations of a singular love and mercy. Those who witnessed this truly beautiful death, which has left upon them all an impression not likely soon to fail, understood the truth and the full meaning of those words of Father Faber, that a death precious in the sight of God " is a work of divine art, accomplished by supernatmal skill and flushed with the glow of eternal beauty." Such was his death-so peaceful, so resigned, so full of faith and joyous hope. ' Our departed brother had come to us at the opening of the last scholastic year, after a Juniorate which warranted the brightest hopes of a brilliant course of Philosophy, and full of ardor for his new work. But in the mysterious Providence of God it was decreed that those bright hopes should not be made good, according to our human views. His Father's love had something far brighter and more precious in store for him than brilliant success in human science; he was to "fulfil a long time, being made perfect in a short space." He had not fairly begun his studies here when he was suddenly compelled to lay them aside. An unexpected hemorrhage, apparently the result of a cold which had not seemed to be serious, obliged him to keep his room, with rare and short intervals, from the beginning of the Autumn until the 5th of May, the day of his death. �218 Dcatlt of Jllr. Thomas J. Dixon, S. J". During all this long and tedious confinen1,ent, which must have been peculiarly irksome to such a nature as his, young, ardent, ·and active, we had many occasions daily to observe the gentle but strongly efficacious working of divine grace overcoming nature. Of a naturally quick and impetuous disposition, he never once complained of this chafing restriction and unwelcome inaction ; of a· remarkably sensitive temperament, keenly alive to the least physical pain, no murmur ever escaped his lips ; though each week brought new complications to his already painful disease, hardly a suppressed sigh of suffering was ever allowed to distress those who attended him with affectionate solicitude. He was the youngest member of the community, snatched away just as he was about to cross the threshold of manhood; but in patient self-restraint and unfailing submission to the divine will he was truly a teacher to all. As we watched the fluctuations of his illness, the hope was often rekindled that he might yet recover and realize the future of great usefulness which had seemed to be prepared for him ; prayers and novenas were offered for that life of so much promise, and at each successive relapse he would smile and say: "\Veil, God.-·lsnows best what is good for me. If He does not give me health of body, He will grant to your charity what is much better for my soul." At last it became evident that there was rio hope of his recovery; and on the morning of Good Friday Rev. Fr. Rector took occasion to tell him that in all human probability the end was very near. But the warning was not needed. He received the tidings without any surprise, only replying that he had felt already that he could not hope to recover and that he had cheerfully made the offering of his life in union with the offering which our Lord had made for us on.· that day. And yet, though weak and wasted by his long and trying sickness, his strong will and a generous desire to inconvenience others as little as possible, enabled him to appear stronger than he really was, and it was not �Dcatlz of JJ:fr. Tlzomas 7. Dixpn, S. J. 219 until the last day of April that he ceased to sit up during the day. It seemed to give him great consolation that not till within three or four days before his death were any of his brethren obliged to watch by him during the night. This generous spirit of self-forgetfulness and of thoughtfulness for others, even in those moments when his sufferings were most acute, was one of those beautiful traits of character which shone most strikingly throughout his \Vhole illness and won him so much affectionate sympathy and sincere admiration. Another was the rapt devotion with which he used to receive the Blessed Eucharist, a privilege which he enjoyed often during the last month or two of his life. We have heard some of his companions, who accompanied the B. Sacrament to the sick room on these occasions, telling how he seemed to be unconscious of any presence save that of the Divine Physician, whom he received with a faith and joyful love that shone most strikingly in his countenance and whole bearing. The effects of these blessed visits were visible far in the day to those who were in the habit of attending to him daily, and seemed actually to give him new physical endurance as they certainly did renew the life and strength of the spirit. On the Saturday before his death, it was thought proper to administer to him the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, which he received with a deep, fervent, and cheerful piety that lit up his face while the prayers of the Church were recited. Many, who had stayed to take leave of him, came from the room with tears of emotion, an emotion which seems to linger still when they speak of the beautiful scene they witnessed then. He alone seemed to rejoice while others wept, and he gently chid one of the Fathers who stood by his bed-side and who had been his warm friend at college, because he seemed to grieve. On Monday, May 4th, early in the morning, a sudden change came which seemed the immediate forerunner of death ; the prayers for the dying were said and the last VoL. m:........No. 3· 28 �220 Deatlz of .lvlr. Tlzomas :J. DLron, S. :J. absolution given. But he rallied again, though his state was so doubtful during the remaining twenty-four. hours of life that the Fathers, relieving each other at intervals, remained by him continually until the moment of his death. On the following morning he began to show those signs of restlessness which betoken approaching death; he expressed a desire to sit up but as·soon as he saw that those about him seemed un_easy, for he was too weak to bear any movement at all, his habit of self-denying submission overcame this natural i~;pulse: "Certainly," he said, "it is better so ; I am quite satisfied." One of his companions, who was sitting up with him at the time, brought him his crucifix which he kissed devoutly, then laying it upon his breast he folded his arms over it and kept it pressed to his heart for about half an hour with a most touching expression of deep love and quiet joy. All the restlessness disappeared; he seemed to have. found real comfort and relief in that silent communion with his Crucified Lord. At a little after half past five o'clock Rev. Fr. Rector asked him if he would like to receive the Viaticum again; joyfully he asked to enjoy that favor once more, and at al;>aut six o'clock his wish was gratified. After some moments spent in silent thanksgiving, there came· a visible change and a quick sinking. He continued to make ejaculatory prayers, com•mending himself to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, until strength and utterance failed; his breathing which was quiet and apparently painless, failed gradually until it became so weak that when, at twenty-five minutes past seven o'clock, it had ceased entirely, no one of those who were watching him narrowly to catch his last breath, could say at what precise moment he had passed away. He had kept his consciousness until within a very few moments before the end and was perfectly aware of all that was going on about him. Cheered and strengthened by all the sacred helps which the Church and the Society can offer to the most favored of their children, he died in the midst of his brethren �Deatlt of Mr. Tltomas J. Dixon, S. J. 22 I whilst they were reciting the Church's prayers for his departing soul. How many, many beautiful incidents and traits of character we could recall of him, which are fixed in the memory of those who had the melancholy satisfaction of ministering to him during his long illness! 'vVe have recorded a few facts which speak more eloquently than any panegyric, for they are beautiful with the beauty of grace and holiness. There are, however, two incidents connected with his early life which we cannot refraip. from mentioning, because they seem to reveal to us the action of that same loving Providence which since so strikingly marked him as a favored child. He loved to tell how, in his early infancy, his nurse, happening to enter with him one day into the cathedral of his native city, Dublin, found that a number of little children were just then being consecrated by the Archbishop to the Blessed Virgin. The nurse immediately brought forward her own little charge who was consecrated with the others to the Mother of God. He never wavered in his love and devotion to the Mother who seemed to have thus specially adopted him as her own ; and in spite of all the calculations of physicians and of the weakness and decay which threatened a much earlier end, his entrance into a better life was reserved for the opening days of .Mary's own month of grace and blessings. As soon as he was old enough to serve at the altar, he became a regular attendant in the sanctuary of the Jesuit Church in Upper Gardiner St., Dublin, where, besides serving Mass, he took great deiight in helping to decorate the altar, especially for the devotion to the Sacred Heart on the first Friday of the month. The lamented Father O'Callaghan, of holy memory, had occasion to say Mass in this church when returning to America from the continent, about a year before his death. He had offered the Mass for the intention of obtaining one or more recruits for the Maryland Novitiate, of which he was then Rector. On �- 222 --~- - ~~~~~~~~~~~--- Dcat/z of 1Ur. Tlwmas :1. DLron, S. :1. going into the sacristy, after his thanksgiving, he was met by the bright, intelligent lqoking lad who had served his Mass, and who, without any formal introduction or preface, and with no further knowledge of the Father than that he was a priest from the United States, asked eagerly to go with him to America to become a priest. Under other circumstances, the tender age of the youthful aspirant then only thirteen years old, and the fact of his being an only child, might have offered some difficulty. But the application looked so much like a direct answer to the petition made in the Holy Sacrifice, and the ·generous faith of truly ·Catholic parents, who had no higher ambition than to see their son dediCated to the service of the altar, removed all difficulty concerning them, and accordingly the petition of the young acolyte was granted. His career as a student in Georgetown College, it does not belong to us to detail here; what· his life was, as a Novice and afterwards as a student in the Society, may be gathered from the manner of his death, for which his life had been a continual preparation. We cannot but grieve that this life of brilliant promise was cut off before it had fairly passeq· its prime, but we know that He who so visibly surrou~ded its close with benedictions of sweetness and who ever '' doeth all things well," will make what is a loss to us an everlasting gain for our departed brother. May his soul rest in peace, and may our last end be like to his ! .. -----~· ~------ �/ ' I \ TRANSFER OF THE RELICS OF ST. JOHN FRANCIS REGIS FROM THEIR FORMER RECEPTACLE TO THE NEW SHRINE. ExTRACT FROM A LETTER OF FR. PRAT, JuLY, 1873. * * * * * \Vhen we make our pilgrimages to La Louvesc, we find it hard to content ourselves with a short stay of twenty-four hours there. Happily for me, I had a particular reason this time for remaining there at least eight days, first to share the great privilege enjoyed by the Fathers of that residence, and then to thank God and His illustrious servant for the favor. I must say a few words about what took place there on Saturday and Sunday, the 19th and 2oth of July, 1S73. In 1792, four brothers, sons of Mr. Buisson, then mayor of the place, risked their lives to save the relics of St. John Francis Regis. Having taken from the shrine the urn in which the sacred relics reposed; they left instead some other bones which they had gathered near the cemetery, and hid their treasure in their father's house, about twenty minutes walk from La Louvesc: -there it was kept concealed, with equal care and veneration, until the end of the persecution. In 1802, Mgr. de Chabot, bishop of the diocese, visited the dwelling of the Buissons to verify this precious deposit. The details of this examination and authentication, carefully drawn up in writing, were placed in the urn with the relics. Since that time, seventy"one years ago, the receptacle had never been opened, and it is probable that it would have remained closed much longer, but for a providential circum- �J I I 224 Transfer of t!te Relics of St. Yolm Fra1tcis Regis: stance which led the ecclesiastical authorities to institute a new examination of -the relics of our holy missionary. You are aware that a me~orial Church is being built on the site of the old sanctuary. The choir is quite finished, the porch nearly so; and in the course of next year they will be joined. In the middle of the choir, which is encircled by a marble railing, which is also the communion-rail, rises a splendid-'marble altar; and though richly adorned with medallions and statues of angels and saints in gilt bronze, it is still remarkable for a simplicity which enhances its majestic beauty. The white marble tabernacle is crowned by a socle, on which will rest the shrine containing the relics. This new shrine, a real mastt:r-piece of bronzegilt, is not large enough to receive the case in which the relics have been kept till now; a new case has accordingly been made to fit in the new shrine, and the whole is in keeping with the style and proportions of the altar. It was necessary, then, to transfer the relics from their. former receptacle to the new one. The bishop was informed of this necessity _by Fr. Nicod, and delegated his Secretary, M. !'abbe Boyron, to perform the ceremony in his .~l:ead. M. Boyron, following the prescriptions of the Congregation of Rites, performed the ceremony quite privately, no· one being present but the members of our community and those of the Buisson family, the children and grandchildren of the generous christians who had saved to the Church the remains of the great and holy missionary. At the appointed hour we all proceeded to the Sacristy. My dear Father, I cannot tell you what we felt at that moment! We were about to behold the sacred treasure on which no human eye had looked for seventy-one years, and which no man now living, perhaps, will have the happiness of seeing! · The priests put on their surplices, and the few who were present took their appointed places. Before us was a large table on which was spread a fine linen cloth between six lighted tapers. Close by stood the old case �'I :I •I ,. Transfer of t/ze Relics of St. :folzn Francis Regis. 225 sealed in 1802 by Mgr. de Chabot. After a short prayer before the relics, the vespers of the saint were sung; then the bishop's delegate stated the subject and motives of his mission, and proceeded to verify the seals. At length the case was opened and the sacred relics were removed, piece by piece, and placed upon the linen cloth prepared for them. I verily believe that we could not have been more deeply moved than we were, had St. John Francis Regis been brought back to life there before us. Tears flowed from every eye, and our emotion was at its height when the bishop's delegate placed the skull of the Saint upon the table; it was in a state of perfect preserv~tion, except the lower jaw, which was wanting; the other relics were in a similarly good condition, but only about two thirds of the bones remain which go to make up the human frame. While the bishop's representative was 9rawing up his report, Dr. Buisson, a grandson of one of the four brothers already mentioned, and nephew of our Father Buisson, examined the several bones and drew up a statement of their condition, attaching to each one a label with the name of the part thus designated; this inventory had been neglected in the first authentication. The official part of the proceeding being finished, we venerated the sacred remains, recited some psalms and the prayer of the Saint; then, after the delegate and the Rev. Superior, we had the happiness of touching with our lips the head of St. John Francis; I may add that we bathed it with our tears, for no one present could master his emotion. The report drawn up by M. l'abbe Boyron was then read aloud and signed by all; meanwhile two priests had been busy applying to the head of the Saint a great number of medals, rosaries, crucifixes and other pious objects. Finally the relics were placed in the new case of cedar wood, which is covered with green silk. The case was then sealed in .eight places with the bishop's seal, and placed in the shrine, the key of which is in the keeping of the bishop's delegate. ., ,,~ i '• i li I �-----------1!"-= ~· 226 Transfer of the Relics of St. :Joh11 Francis Regis. On the following day, July 20th, the shrine was exposed in the choir to the veneration of the faithful, who came in crowds to visit the church. At three o'clock the Fathers, in surplice, took their places in the choir, around the shrine, and chanted vespers, at the close of which Father J oyard made a short and touching discourse on the saint, dwelling particularly on the veneration still paid to his memory and on 'the ceremony of the day before. The sermon was followed by Benediction, after which the shrine was set in the place prepared for it above and a little back of the tabernacle. The bishop's delegate, who had presided throughout, closed the two days' proceedings by intoning the Te Deum. The throng then withdrew slowly, as if loth to leave the sacred spot, and we returned to the sacristy where M. Boyron expressed to us his gratification at having been chosen to act for the bishop in so touching a ceremony. He took away with him the sincere expression of our gratitude ; but we will, I trust, bear away with us to heaven the sweet and holy impressions of this true family feast; for which we have to bless the Lord forever. (FroinJiz_e Lm,al Letters.) D. 0. M. f I �I I I � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 3 (1874) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals.</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1874 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-003 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 233 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1874 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/a0e8a090e89be65efdc7fcd558094eb1.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=XMEtWqTi%7EOrakwu2vj5SM0veFgdYp0JEGdRSWYJVVWUc%7Ej3tTG3xWQ-zSh8YLnG9QjA7Dw4uR4LTwJkM%7ETDUjxWaJQOIyrnwUqE6vCkNxU0D5LTVPheoKXh6DCBtUvfMVn%7EmQHuFEyB0mgOEQkE5kFGY8Txf1One5H14cx1zboSdjpZBTKEXMB4EBloJBh4f%7ELpaOgN79hfoD%7ErBaYrEXr2ZSO9A%7EBNpohn8xlK3N1IQ-0Ch3lo42n3-WNlWLhg2moJCtuJ0qI8XrefH%7EuJv0PXGPaMyGAc5vl0Q6MYOib6EBMXD05JVZu%7ETL%7E3x9c5ZHNs6FDGGcVoeJbDe-q5rKw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 5e87c3877f789a1919a565be5e96ddad PDF Text Text A. M. D. G. WOODSTOCIC LETTERS, 174. A RECORD Of Curl'eut Et·ents mul Llistm·ical Notes connected 1vitlt the Colleyes a1ul J.1Iissions of the Soc. of Jesus in North and South America. VOL. IV. " WOODSTOCK COLLEGE, Marquette JESUIT ARCHIVES University Printed for pn·vate circutati{Jll only. �Pf R, BX 2o 7vJ IV/ (,5"X I .n fl �4, vVOODSTOCIC LETTERS. VOL. 'IV., No. 1. "' . AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF NEW YORK AND CANADA. (Continued.) APPENDIX.* Tlte Ilzdian Missions. When, as stated in the body of the Sketch, Fr. Chazelle with his little band of Missionaries returned in 1842, to Canada, there was no residence in Montreal as yet ready for his reception. To avoid inaction he gladly accepted the parish of La Prairie, a charming village just opposite Montreal, on the St. Lawrence and formerly one of the "Seigneuries des Jesuites." Here in fact, the Fathers had in 1668 planted a small French colony, and laid the foundations of their first permanent mission am~ng the Iroquois, which afterwards became so celebrated under the name of Sault St. Louis. * The following details are mostly taken from an account forwarded by a former Superior of our 1\Iission, to t~e Society for the Propagation of the Faith. �4 JVew York mzd Canada JIIissioJZ. The year following Fr. Chazelle's return, the Bishop of Toronto offered the Society the charge of the Indian Missions of his diocese, together with a residence in Sandwich, a town opposite Detroit, on lake St. Clair. This place had formerly been the centre of the missions of the Society among the Hurons and Algonquins, and about it were now collected a great part of the French Canadians who had founded Detroit. For at the time when that city and all the lands on the \Vest bank of the River St. Clair were ceded to the United States, they crossed to the Canadian side, and there preserved their language and their faith. To meet this new offer, two other Fathers left France for Canada, and accompanied by one from Montreal, and two brothers began their apostolic work. In 1844, this mission round which the labors of our In1::Iian missionaries now principally extend, was separated from that of Montreal and under the title of "Mission of Upper Canada" entrusted to Rev. Fr. Chazelle; while that of Lower Canada welcomed Rev. Fr. Martin as its Superior. At the time of the reinstalment of our Fathers at Sandwich, the Indians who, in olden times, had lived in great numbers ar01.i"nd lake St. Clair, had either been almost entirely· destroyed or compelled by the whites to transport their wigwams towards the North, and the \Vest. Not more than 1500 of them still remained about the lake, and on the island of Walpole, which lies close to its Eastern shore. Deprived of Catholic missionaries for more than half a century, these poor people had greatly fallen off from their former simplicity and purity of manners. Protestant missions, established, at great expense, by the Bible Societies of England, and powerfully supported by the government, had succeeded in partly estranging them from the Catholic Faith, and had left them plunged in every vice. Drunkenness especially, encouraged by the merciless cupidity of the whites, made fearful ravages among them. It was under these unfavorable circumstances that Fr. D. �New York a11d Canada llfissioll. 5 Du Ranquet was directed by R ev. Fr. Chazelle to leave Sandwich, and endeavor to establish himself in the midst of the Indians of \Valpole island. With no other help than that of the Brother who accompanied him he built on a corner of th e Island a rough chapel, and alongside a hut for a dwelling-place. This done, in a light canoe he went in search of the Indians through that marshy country, inte rsected as it is in all directions with natural canals ; and for six years amid extreme privations and fatigues, he labored in the place with but little apparent fru it. On the one hand, the attachment of the people to their vices, and on the other, the abundant temporal assistance, which they received from the Protestant ministers, prevented their profiting by the exertions of our missionaries. It was not only indifference that thwarted Fr. Du Ranquet's plans for their salvation, positive hatred also rankled in their hearts. On a Sunday, when he had crossed the river to offer the H oly Sacrifice for a congregation of whites, whom he visited from time to time, some of the Indians maliciously set fire to his chapel, which with a portion of his dwelling was soon redu ced to ashes. However, the good Father, nothing daunted, at once set about repairing the disaster. A certain number of the natives, who till then had remained unmoved at his trials and suffering, seemed really affected by his recent misfortune and lent him their assistance ; only asking in return that he wou1d remain among them, as long as he could. No doubt, their requ est would have been cheerfully granted, had not Fr. Du Ranquet that very year, 1849, unexpectedly received an order to leave ·w alpole for the island of Manitouli ne. This new fi eld opened to his zeal, is the largest of the almost countless islands that dot the great lakes of North America, and lies in the northern portion of Lake Huron, running East and ·west for a distance of nearly So mil es. The greater portion of it is studded with more th an 30 small lakes, while the rest, at the tim e of which we speak, �6 Ne-& York and Canada Jlfission. was covered with immense forests. Near the Eastern extremity of the island, on the shores of \Vikewemikong or Castor Bay, a devoted Canadian priest, Rev. Father Proulx, had some years previous planted a large cross, and around it had succeeded in gathering a number of Indian families. The village thus formed he called "Holy Cross," and in it he. protected his flock against the pernicious influence of their Protestant neighbors so plentifully assisted by the Government. F. Proulx, however, soon perceived that in spite of all his efforts he would be unable to carry out, single-handed, the work he had undertaken, and that a religious Order would be more likely to succeed in it. He accordingly offer~d our Fathers the charge of his little flock at Holy Cross : and in the fall of 1843 Fr. P. Chone was sent with one Brother to relieve the devoted priest. The importance of this Residence of Holy Cross on 1Ianitouline Island, soon determined the Superiors to despatch some more Fathers to the aid of Fr. Chone. Fr. Joseph Hanipaux* was accordingly sent thither in 1845 ; and about the same time, Fr. D. Du Ranquet, as already mentioned,_ received word to leave \Val pole for this more important centre of action. Still later, Fr. Nicholas Point joined the little community on l\Ianitouline and erected a church there for the poor Indians. Important though this station was, a single residence did not suffice to enable the Missionaries to visit all the Indians, scattered as they were over the country, especially in the neighborhood of Lake Superior : and it was the desire of remedying this that induced Fr. Chazelle to undertake the journey during which he died. After his de<tth Fr. l\Ienet, at the earnest solicitation of l\Igr. Baraga, Bishop of the new diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, was sent to assist his Lordship in his noble labors for the conversion of the Indians. *This devoted Father died not long ago at Quebec, after 27 years of labor in our Indian 1\Iis;ions. See "Woodstock Letters," voL i, p. 122. �JV~dl York aud Canada llfission. 7 It was at this time the policy of the English Government, to portion off the Indians everywhere into "Reserves" at a distance from the sites which it wished to occupy. Thus, on the Canadian side of the River of Sault Ste. Marie they were forced to leave the shores of the Sault and occupy a Reserve I 2 miles further down, near a river which they, through longing regret for their old haunts, called the River of the Desert, but which the whites, as if in derision, named Garden River. Amongst these exiled tribes Fr. Kohler* took up his residence._ Finally in 1852, Fr. Du Ranquet once more changed his residence, and set out for the purpose of founding _ new !louse at Fort \Villiam, near a the northern extremity of Lake Superior. An agency of the Hudson Ray Company established on this spot makes it one of the most important points in that part of the Canadian territory. • These three Residences comprise all our Indian Missions in Upper Canada, or Ontario : each one being a centre for long excursions radiating in all directions whether in Canada itself or in the United States, wherever a few natives happen to be collected. The various tribes scattered about these parts are all of the great Algonquin family ; but it is difficult to estimate their exact number, which probably does not exceed 10,000. Of these only one-third are Catholics, a thousand perhaps, call themselves or allow themselves to be called Protestants ; the rest are infidels. The question has often been asked what results can be shown to have repaid the devotedness of the missionaries ; but to arrive at a just appreciation of these results, regard must be had both to the character of the Indians and their actual circumstances. As to their character it is almost proverbial ; and modern civilization seems to have stopped short of their wigwams. *This Father perished about 2 years ago in a shipwreck on Lake Huron. �8 JVew York and Canada llfissimz. Owing to their inferiority of intellect and inconstancy of disposition, this poor race seems capable but of a very limited degree of cultivation ; and hence, they have no prospect of success among the whites, unless the latter, with compassionate charity, take care of them as they would of children. This is what the Catholics of Canada have been doing for a long time back. But where can this spirit of faith and charity be found in the governments of our day ? True, they take· some precautionary measures to avoid still greater evils, but the glaring fact still stares them in the face, that wherever the Indians come into habitual contact with the whites, ,their moral corruption, and, as a necessary consequence, thei~ gradual extinction, is the inevitable result. Before passing judgment then on the labors of our missionaries, it will be much to the purpose to glance at the results achieved by the English government working under the most favorable conditions possible, and with unlimited resources. To insure the success of its undertaking it began to build for the Indians the village of Manitounang, a few miles west of Holy Cross ; and was overjoyed .to find them all eager to avail themselves of the advantages thus offered them. A church and a school were erected ; and their necessary appendages, a minister and a schoolmaster were, no doubt for a s!igltt compensation, prevailed on to forego the luxuries of civilized society and devote their lives to the moral and mental enlightenment of the benighted natives. A number of master-craftsmen, and of ordinary laborers in iron and wood were also secured to erect houses for all who wished to abandon their wandering mode of life for more sedentary occupations. Such was the foresight of the Protestant government, that, to provide wit!t more t!zmz ordinmy pressure against any sudden retum of the old love for the woods and prairies, each homestead was to be surrounded by a charming little plot of ground enclosed with palings. Here the Indian could once more don his hunting gear and �JVew York a11d Canada Missio1l. • 9 give chase, at least for the space of a few yards, to some unsuspecting squirrel ; or daubed with his war-paint could recline in his rustic arm-chair, under a transplanted tree of the forest, and shoot his poisoned arrows against the painted stakes of his fence . The excess of pressure thus innocently removed, he could pick up his arrows, return in a twinkling to the bosom of civilization ; and having washed off all the war-paint and slept off any remnant of the old forest-feeling-could, the following day, hoe his potatoes as usual with the rest of the warriors. Yes, /we his potatoes, for, to leave no stone unturned for the happy issue of its enterprise, the government had provided abundant implements of husbandry ; and these, together with various kinds of seeds and g rains, fine cattle and young fruit trees, were at the disposal of the Indians, while skilful workmen were hired to instruct the uninitiated. The only conditions for the enjoyment of these advantages were docility in submitting to the regulations, assistance at the meeting-house once a week, sedate behavior during the minister's sermon and the sending of the children to the school. As long as the presents lasted and the distribution of provisions, clothing, &c. continued-all was well ; but after a while the government deemed the Indians fullv settled down, and sufficiently instructed in the manner of pro~iding for their wants by their own labor, so that it gradually diminished the great expenses thus far incurred in their behalf. Surely it was not exacting too much to ask them to h~w their own fire-wood in the adjoining forest ; especially when the means of transpC?rt were furnished gratuitously. The government accordingly represented to them the propriety of their so doing. But civilized life had so far sharpened Indian natural shrewdness that the object of all this solicitude hit on a much simpler plan for procuring fu el ; and judging it labor lost to fell trees and cart wood when there was just at hand such an abundance of spienVoL. 1v- No. 1. 2 �10 1Vcw York and Canada Jlfissioll. did palings, perfectly dry and all ready for the fire, they showed their predilections by daily multiplying the breaches in their neat little fences. The destruction of the palings was at once followed by a series of representations on the part of government, of reproaches, and of menaces ; it even forced itself into the minister's Sunday sermons ; but to no purpose : it was necessary to treat the Indians as spoiled children, and "pass their imperfections by." ·when the palings had disappeared and thus reduced the trim gardens to their original prairie-like appearance, the beams inside the houses were attacked, then the flooring, doors and lastly the outside porches. All the dwellings were treated in the same way, and when all vestiges of timber had vanished from them, the agricultural implements were next seized and broken to bits, to secure the wood work. The domestic animals could not long be kept from the voracity of the Indians, and what with the houses for fuel and the oxen for food, the natives were indebted to the Government for many a hearty meal. A few years later, tired of so many useless efforts, it ceased its frequent distributions and at once the Indians dispersed, quitting the famous village, now composed only of the school, the meeting house, and a few of the government buildings. About this group of dwellings, portions of the chimneys of the former houses of the Indians still stand : an ironical protest against the powerless efforts of all civilization of which the Church is not the author, and the motive power, religion. Meanwhile, what was passing, a few miles off, at the village of Holy Cross ? The principal resources .of the Catholic Mis"sionaries there, wer~ the alms received from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith ; but the grace of God enabled the devoted Fathers, even with such limited means, to succeed in overcoming the natural indolence and carelessness of the Indians. On plans drawn up by the Missionaries, and without the aid of the whites, if we �Ne-..v York and Canada 1liission. I I except two or three coadjutor Brothers of the Society, the Indians built a large stone church, and a house for the Fathers, also of sto ne ; moreover a school for their children, and finally frame houses for themselves along r~gu lar streets traced out for them beforehand. All these labors presupposed a great number of others, all which they performed themselves. Thus they had to fell the trees, and hew the timbers for the frame-work, quarry the stones, dig out the lime and prepare the mortar. All that was bought for them were planks for flooring, which it would have been more costly to cut in the woods. The secret of this success lay in the fatherly encouragement given to the Indians, a nd the judicious payment for their services. Large quantities of warm clothing, and provisions, such as flour and especially salt meat were purchased, and all the work was paid for in these articles. During all the time these labors lasted, the Indians lived contented, happy and quiet ; and acquired, as far as their nature admits, a habit of working which they have ever since preserved. To encourage t~em still more, and reward them for their perseverance, the Fathers built them a small water-mill to grind their grain ; but as the island could boast of no river near the village, they could only succeed in forming a very small reservoir. It was however sufficient to grind the produce of each year. In spite of all of these favorable prospects the Missionaries had still their share of anxiety, owing to the total want of foresight on the part of the Indians which seems to be an incorrigible defect of their character. These simple natives had to be continually urged and entreated not to let the time for planting or sowing pass by ; but once the seed began to appear above the ground, the contrary excess had to be guarded against, and no little eloquence was necessary to prevent their reaping before the crops were ripe, or setting off on a hunting or fishing excursion just at harvest time. It was necessary, besides, to conceal the grain to be used as seed the following year, as it is almost impossible �12 1Vcw York and Cauada lllissioJz. for the Indians to resist the temptation of devouring everything within their reach. All these cares, and many others besides, required no doubt on the part of the missionaries great patience and watchfulness ; in a word, great charity with all the qualities enumerated by St. Paul. But in the end, they obtained what seemed impossible, arid what really is so, even with unlimited resources for a government unaided by the charity of Jesus Christ. In fact this village of Holy Cross in 1872 contained about 500 souls, twice as many as can be found in any other settlement throughout the whole country, except similar Reserves attended by the Sulpician and Oblate Fathers near Montreal. Moreover the Indians live there peaceably, no police being necessary to maintain order ; they assist orderly at the religious offices, regularly approach the Sacraments, many very frequently ; while the children assiduously frequent the schools. Pious sodalities have been organized for allmen,women, boys and girls-and to enable each to assemble its members apart, a little chapel has been erected by the Indians:themselves without any help from the Missionaries. The Indian Administration could not see without chagrin the very different results of its own efforts and of the labors of the Fathers ; and to do away with the standing condemnation of its method, resolved with more or less compensation made to the natives, and a more or less forced consent extorted from them to appropriate the whole of the island. But many of the Indians especially those of Holy Cross were opposed to all cession. The same means however that procures majorities in more civilized assemblies were employed, not without effect, in the forest council of Manitouline, and the Government triumphed. To appear condescending in its victory, and throw around its proceedings an air of justice, it left to the Indians of Holy Cross the eastern extremity of the Isl~nd, in which the village lies. This. small portion then about the twelfth part of the entire island, still remains to them-though they cannot be �JVt'w York and Canada Mission. 13 said to possess it, but only to have the use of it, and a very restricted use at that Under the pretence of preventing the destruction of the forest, they are forbidden to sell to the whites the timber that grows in the neighborhood ; they can only deliver it up to the Indian administration at a fixed price far les? than they could obtain elsewhere. Providence however seems to have wished to punish the cruel rapacity of the administration, as two large conflagrations have, within a few years of each other, all but entirely consumed the forests that still remained in the Reserve ; and even burned in great measure the very soil which is now almost entirely unfit for cultivation. The state of poverty to which the village is thus reduced. encourages the hope that the government will make no more efforts to deprive the Indians of what remains of their once lordly possessio ns. Though deprived of the riches once . spread over their land, the water still furnished an abundant means of support in the rich fisheries near the Island. But the government hankered after these too ; and having purchased the right of possessing the Island, concluded, according to the immemorial law of the lion 's share, that the fisheries had been surrendered with the land. A number of speculators of Upper Canada had for a long time coveted these sources of wealth, aud accordingly bought them of the administration. Great was the indignation of the Indians, when they learned this new invasion of their rights, of which there had not been the slightest question in the pretended contract for the cession of their Island. They therefore resolved to oppose this usurpation, and, in fact, when the whites came to fi sh at these ancient fisheries, the natives drove them away, and for the time being, had the advantage by reason of their number. This incident, which the administration, accustomed to the usual in ert docility of the Indians, did not expect, was nevertheless heard of with pleasure. There was at length lega l matter to justify the application of force and to put down, �New York a1td Canada i1fission. by a great stroke of authority, all further resistance to the dui!i:::ing ~fforts of the Government. An act of rebellion had been consummated, and the Missionaries, whom the entire village obeyed, had no doubt been the instigators of the revolt. A warrant of arrest was at once issued against the Indians accused of the act of violence, and against the Superior of the Missionaries ; while the person to whom the fisheries had been sold was himself endowed with the necessary authority, and, accompanied by a sufficient number of men, embarked for the village of Holy Cross. On landing he went straight to the home of the Missionaries, and summoned the· Father, whose name was on his warrant, to .follow him on board his boat. Now the accusation had so little foundation, and the warrant had been so hurriedly issued, that the Father accused by name was actually absent from the Island ; having left for a tour throughout the Mission, before the breaking out of the troubles in question. The man with the warrant was not prepared for this, and feigned at first to disbelieve the absence of the Father; but as it was a fact too easily proved, he bethought himself of a way out of his difficulties. "No matter about the name,'' said he to Fr. Chone who received him, "if it was you who were in the Island during the rebellion, it is you who are its author, you must follow me." As there was no order of arrest against !tim, Fr. Chone postively refused to obey. \Vhile these things were taking place, the Indians of the village, suspecting what was toward, had surrounded the house and penetrated into the room where the scene was passing. The discussion was growing warm : the m<J.n. of the warrant fearing to fail in his attempt, if he did not bring it to an end at once, produced irons to fetter the Father's hands, when a sho~ of indignation burst from all parts of the room. The man drew a revolver, and threatened to kill whoever should attempt to oppose the execution of his orders. An Indian thrust himself before the pistol, and baring his bosom : "Kill me if you wish," said he, "but woe �1Vcw York and Ca!lada Mission. IS to you if you dare." It was a critical moment : the Father wishing to prevent, at any price, th e sheddi ng of blood, ordered the Indians to withdraw and said to the man, that, thou gh protesting against the injustice and illegality of the proceeding, still he would follow him. The India ns obeyed the Father, and the latter departed at once with the man and his followers, who steered straight for Sault Ste. l\Iarie, where the court was sitting which was to try the authors of the rebellion. Sault Ste. Marie is about ISO mil es from the village of Holy Cross ; and was reached only the next day, when the Father and his accusers appeared before the court. The arrest b eing so evidently illegal, and so complete the absence of proof regarding any offence on the part of the Father, he was immediately acquitted, and the man of the warrant reprimanded by the court, for having exceeded his powers. Covered with .con fusion and full of rage, he reembarked, and, the following night, when the boat was in the middle of the lake, disappeared. He had been seen on deck "the evening before, silently pacing to and fro with a gloomy air that bespoke some dark intention. Every one understood that despair had caused him to throw himse lf into the lake. Some weeks later, after f\luch sea rch, the remains of his dead body were found. Such was the end of this appeal to t!te law ; the punishment of the guilty one being so striki ng, no further measures were taken to punish the rebellion of the Fathers. Force however was used to prevent the Indians from troubling for th~ future the whites in th e working of the fisheries ; and after the first excitement was over, the Indians with their natural apathy a nd the consc iousness of their inferiority, resigned themselves to endure what they could not pt"event; thus the village was ·quiet again for a time. Somewhat later an attempt was made by the Indians of Holy Cross to avai l themselves of the right secured to them by an early treaty with the E nglish to govern themselves, at least in the interior of the Rese rve ; but the only �Ne-<» York and Canada fifissioll. reply of the Government was the throwing into prison of the foremost among the agitators. Fr. Chone himself, with the ancient treaty in his hand, went to plead the cause of his poor Indians before the Government in Canada, but he was not even listened to; some independent journals published his appeal, but no more attention was paid to it, and the entire spoliation of the Indians was an accomplished f:'lct . .Manitouline, the Island of the Great Spirit, has thus lost the character it once had as the last stronghold of Indian nationality ; but the village of Holy Cross still possesses in the eyes of the Indians a great prestige as centre of the Religion of the Gr~at Spirit. At Corpus Christi, the procession in the village, and the ceremonies performed with all possible solemnity, attract the Indians from great distances, so that an unusual number of boats and canoes, for several days together, cover the bay with life. The concourse, however, is less now than formerly, owing to the greater poverty of the Indians, and the disappearance, through the want of products for barter, of the fair that used to be held on occasion of this feast. If all the Catholic Indians were able and willing to assemble at Holy Cross, their religious instruction would be more easy and complete ; but deriving their principal means of subsistence from hunting and fishing, from maple sugar and wild fruits, they are unable to live together in great numbers ; especially now when the resources are as rapidly diminishing as the whites are advancing. The great number collected at Holy Cross is therefore an exception ; and besides the Catholics of this village, about an equal number are scattered throughout that part of the Mission intrusted to the Fathers of Holy Cross. For this reason, while one of the Fathers stays at the village, the other, or the others, if there are several, are obliged to scour the country, summer and winter, across forests and lakes, in search of their flock. In summer, the Missionary sets out �Nt·w York and Canada J l!issimt. 17 . in a little bark canoe, light enough to be carried from one river to another, or to be taken from the water where rapids prevent navigation. nut in winter, he has to travel o n Jar,ge snow-shoes , and to dra w after him his baggage on a little sleig h. At all seaso ns, he is obliged to pass the nig ht in the open air, and for this reason, usually carries a buffalo robe to shdtcr himself again t the storms in summer or the cold in winter. Besides this, he needs also a little chapel to say 1\Iass, vestments and books, etc. For th e transportation of these objects, one or two Indians usually accompany the Father on his journeys. Arrived at a station of Indians, our Missionary at once sets to work. He begins by rec iting, and making them repeat the principal articles o f the Christia n doctrine ; he th en administers the Sacraments, according to their needs, and sees that all fulfil their duty of yearly communion. This done, he sets out fo r the next statio n, distant generally several days' journey ; and thus a tour is made, lasting one, two or even three months. During the fine season, which Ia ts three, or, at most, four months, some Protestant ministers, mostly Methodists, traverse the country, collecting about them some of the Indians, and not being ex acting as to the conditions necessary for the admission of neophytes, usuall} publish, on their return to the cities of Canada, an account of the astonishing fruits of salvation they have produced ; of the thousands of India ns who have escaped the toils of the Arch Enemy, and the thousands of others, who ask only to hear the good tidings in order to .throw themselves on the Lord. A few years of such extensive conversions, would , one would think, leave no more work for the Bible Societies, and yet, stra nge to say, year after year, new thousands are converted in the official reports and still a few thousands always remain to throw themselves on the Lord the following year -for th ese, of course, generous contributions are of absolute necessity. Besides these fin e U.Jcatlter missionaries, there VoL. Iv-No. 1. 3 �18 JVe::; York and Canada 1l£ission. are at the Island of 1\I:mitouline, at Bruce 1\Iines, and at Garden River, near Sault Ste. 1\Iarie, stationary Protestant ministers, who have a certain number of Indians settled around them; but the nu:nber of Protestant Indians is very limited ; as the n;ttives that have no fixed abode but wander over the country, are all either Catholics or infidels. \Ve have spoken almost entirely of the Residence of Holy Cross at :1Ianitouline, because it is the most important of the three ; but the same account may be substantially applied to the other two, except that circumsta_nces in these latter are less favorable for the preservation of the Faith and of purity of morals among the Indians, owing to more frequent intercourse with the whites than exists at Holy Cross. In the part of the 1\Iission, north of Lake Superior, visited by the Fathers residing at Fort ·william, there has been for many years past not even the shadow of a Protestant preacher, the country being too wild, and the journey thither too painful. As the Indians are occupied almost entirely in hunting for furs, to be sold to the agents of the Hudson Ba3-:: Company, they are almost constantly dispersed in the forests, and can thus be but rarely visited by the Missionary. This is a great drawback, as deprived of the religious instruction, and the immediate society of the 1\Iissionary, it is with great difficulty they can preserve themselves from evil. Such being the actual condition of our Missions of Upper Canada, it may be asked : what is to become of them ? and should we still continue the labors <\nd sacrifices necessary for their existence ? To the first question, it may be answered that, in all probability, the Indians will remain for quite a while longer, in their present condition, as the greatest portion of their country is unfit for cultivation ; and it will only be in case r"ich metal mines are discovered, that a large population of whites will resort thither. The advent of the whites would �New York aud Canada Jrfission. be sure to drive the Indians further northward ; but even then, the positions occupied by the Catholic Missionaries would be very useful for them to act upon the whites themselves ; and besides, it would be necessary to follow the Indians into their exile; a fact which would require a still greater number of Missionaries. As to th~ second question, it must be confessed, it is not unusual to met with very good people who own themselves wearied at seeing the Indians profit so little by all the efforts made for their improvement. Is it not time at length for these extraordinary cares to cease ? Now that the whites have penetrated so far in every direction, if the Indians have good will, what prevents them from profiting by the advantages of civilization within their reach ? And if they do not wish to do so, have they any right to expect these extraordinary succors ? "In reply to these queries, I can but repeat," says the Superior of our Mission, referred to in the beginning, "the answer I received from one of these Indians on this very subject. At a visit, I had occasion to make, some years ago, to Holy Cross, Manitouline, the chiefs were assembled at the house of the Missionaries to bid me good-bye. I addressed them a few words, to move them to gratitude towards the Fathers, who were, amid so many sacrifices, devoting themselves to their welfare ; and at the same time, to urge them to greater efforts t() place themselves on a level with the whites, in order at length to get on by themselves. They listened with deep attention to my address, which one of the ·Fathers interpreted for them, sentence by smtence ; and when I had finished, one of the chiefs, rising with the approbation of the others, replied in their name : he declared how much he and his companions were convinced of what I had said, and of the advantage they would derive from their emulation of the industry and arts of the whites. 'But, Father,' said he, in conclusion-'there is one thing you have forgotten to take into consideration : that we may be capable of the improvement �20 New York and Canada llfission. which you recommend ~o us, you must find a means to cfiange our Indian skin into the skin of the whites ; for as long as we remain with the skin in which we were born, we will not be able to acquir(; more talents and intelligence than the great Spirit has thought proper to allow us. Should you not, then, have compassion on our weakness, and continue to supply us, as your own children, with that aid, without which we will never be able to succeed !' "Such was the really wise conclusion of this Indian, and I had nothing to reply, but that we would continue our assistance as long as possible. In fact, if it be true, as Our Lord telb us, that.no one, with all his efforts, can add one inch to the height of his body, it is not less true that our intelligence also has its limits, different, not only in each individual, but also in each race, as the history of all ages clearly proves ; limits which God has with infinite wisdom and goodness fixed in the designs of His Providence, for the greater good of each one. And if we consider what use civilized nations, above all, those of our day, make, for the glory of God and the salvation of their souls, of that elevated degree of intelligence, with which they have been enriched by Divine Providence, we will easily perceive that they have no right to reproach the Indians with their negligence in this respect, and that they should rather apply to themsefves the words of our Divine Saviour·: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." �THE NATCHEZ I N DI ANS I N 1730. Ldtt·r from R ev. 1-r. Pttit, S. 7, to Rev. Fr. D avaugour, S. 7, Promrator- Gmtral of t!tc Tfissions in \ ortll America. (Continued. ) - So far I have g iven y ou a general description of the religious worship of the Natchez. Marriages are co ntracted among them without much ceremony. The young man who wishes to marry, goes to the bride's father, or in case of his decease, to her eldest brother, a nd at once treats with hi m about her dower, which usually consists in hides, articles of furniture and the like. It matters little whether the bride has led a chaste life or not, provided there is hope of a change for the better in ma rried life. As high or low birth is of no consideration , the only requisite is that she be pleasing to the bridegroom. H er parents inqui re whether he is a good husbandma n, fisherman, or hunter, and accordi ng to his excellence in one · of these avocations, dimini sh th e dowe r in proportion. As soon as these prelimi naries have been settl ed, the bridegroom and his companions go on a hunt, until they have game, or fish, in sufficient quantity to feast the friends of the engaged part ies. At the marriage feast, which is held in th e h ouse of the bride's parents, the newly married couple are first served, and they eat, in token of affection, from the same dish. After the meal the husband presents his you ng wife with a pipe of tobacco, the sign of friendship , and afterwards does the same honor to the g uests. When they have fi nished smoking, the guests take leave of �22 The Jllatc/te:; Indians in I?JO. the married couple for the night. Early on the next day the husband takes his wife to her father's house,' where she remains in a separate room, until Friendship, as they say, has built her a new hut to live. Whilst it is building, the husband endeavors to procure by the chase good meals for the builders. The law allows the Natchez to have as many wives as they please. It is customary, however, among the lower classes to take only one or two, while the prince and his subalterns, whose subjects are obliged to till their fields, take many more, as they are able to support them. The marriage feas!s of the princes cost very little. The prince calls the father of the intended bride, informs him that he ranks her among his wives, and concludt:s the contract with a few presents to the parents. Although the prince has many wives, he only keeps one or two with him in the palace ; the rest stay with their parents, where at times he visits them. On certain days of the month no man is permitted to live with his wife. So far from being jealous, husbands frequently lend th_eir wives to good friends without demanding pay. This liberal custom arises from the fact, that as long as a wife has had no children, she ·can be divorced, but, once with child, the marriage tie can never be severed. \Vhen the Natchez have mustered their forces to wage war with an enemy, the commander-in-chief orders them to plant in the ground two birch trees, which are painted red and adorned with gaudy feathers, arrows, war clubs, etc. The trees are not perfectly erect, but lean toward the hostile country. After the men have armed, and painted their bodies with varied colors and grotesque figures, they present themselves before the chief, who assigns each his particular station and proclaims his readiness to live and die with them. They in turn promise to obey all his orders and to endure with pleasure the toils of war. They rehearse his heroic .exploits, and rejoice that they have such �T!tc 1Vatclu:: lndimzs in I7JO. 23 a leader to head them on the field of battle. Finally, they ask to be placed in the first rank facing the enemy, in order to have the first chance to strike off the head of their opponent. Although the Natchez cut off the heads of their vi~tims in the onset and first fury of the battle, it is to be remarked, . that, when the struggle begins to subside, they only cut off the scalps, which are borne home in triumph and hung on the stakes which enclose the narrow court before the temple. The skulls are taken to the cabins. The commander-in-chief answers the warriors with a few words, and invites them to come on an appointed day to the "taking of war-medicine." This is ,a strange ceremony. The warriors seat themselves in a circle around a huge caldron, in which certain roots are boiled in water. Two pints of this liquid are portioned out to each warrior, who vomits it forth again, with such yells as can be heard at a great distance. After this performance the chief appoints the day and hour for setting out. The warriors assemble, in the interval, every morning and evening on the public square, where, amidst the dance, they celebrate their exploits in former wars and chant the funeral song. He who would see them marching off with all imaginable pomp, would suppose that they were conquerors returning from a glorious victory, or that they were marching to battle so certain of victory, that not even the prospect of a terrible death could cool their ardor for heroic deeds. Yet a trifle is enough to make them lose courage. If only one of them made public a dream that they had been defeated, they would immediately return home. They are great cowards. It is a well known fact that on one occasion the howling of a dog so terrified them that they fled in a panic and ran from the imagined scene of danger, like hares before the hunter's hounds. They do not march in file, but in straggling bands. Four �24 Tlte Natcltc::; Indians in I7JO. or five men precede the main body as scouts, whose business it is to examine the line of march and inform the chief -who follows the troops instead of leading them-of the least sign of danger. About an hour before sunset they pitch their tents for the night, and kindle a large fire in the middle of the camp. Everyone sleeps with gun in hand. Twenty men or more. are sent out in all directions as sentinels, to be on the alert against a sudden attack of the enemy. There are no guards near or in the camp. The chief exhorts the warriors before retiring, not to indulge in too sound slumber, and to have their guns in readiness. He points out a place where all should gather in case. the enemy should attack them in the dark Then all the fires are put out, and everyone rests for the night. The commander suspends the idols, which are brought along in a bag, from <l red staff which is inclined towards the land of the enemy. The warriors dance around them before retiring to sleep, swinging the while their war-clubs in the direction of the enemy. \Vhen the-enemy is not far off, the Natchez, if numerous, advance upon him in five or six columns. If they find that their scouts have been discovered and that the enemy is ready for an attack, they generally return home. Before starting, however, they scour the neighboring woods in sear~h for some solitary hunter, whom they either take alive, or kill, in order to bear home his scalp or skull. They enter their villages singing their late deeds and telling how many scalps they have taken. The prisoners are forced to dance and sing some days before the temple, after which they are handed over to the near relatives of those who fell in battle. These relatives, who yell and weep bitterly whilst the captives are dancing, and dry their tears with the hair of the captured scalps, collect a sum of money for those who brought the prisoners, and finally burn these poor creatures alive. �Tht• i\'atcltc:; Indians in I7JO. 25 Names are given to the Natchez warriors by the elders of the nation, which are more or less honorable according to the number of scalps or skulls taken in war. Such is the custom among- all the savage tribes of Louisiana. The title of a great murderer, for instance, is earned by capturing ten enemies and twenty scalps. Hence it happens that the exploits of a warrior are known by his name. If a warrior return s from his first battle with only one prisoner or one scalp, he is not permitted to sleep with his wife or eat flesh-meat, but must be contented with fish and gruel. Should he violate this fa t and continence, which last six months, he is made to believe that the spirit of his victim will kill him by magic, and that he can gain no victory in future, but must certainly die by the slightest wound. The ch iefs and officers take special care of the prince, when he accompanies the troops to battle : for sho uld he be captured or killed, they would most certainly be strangled by the people. The medicine-men of the Natchez are, for the most part, o)d men, who without any knowledge of medicine, without the use of herbs or roots, pretend to heal diseases by magic. They sing and dance around the patient day and night, all the time swallowing the smoke of. a large pipe of tobacco. They abstain from all food during the performance, and, on account of the ceaseless contortions of thei r naked bodies, foam at the mouth. The medicine-man constantly carries with him a small basket in which he keeps the spirits of health , sucb as roots of various kinds, little bags tipped with the hair of wild beasts, teeth of animals, polished pebbles, and the like. He calls upon them, without ceasing, to cure the patient. Some of the medicine-men carry about with them a safety-root, which renders harmless the bite of the most venomous serpents, and, when they have rubbed their hands and body with it, they can lay hold of the most deadly vipers without danger of being bitten. Others cut open VoL 1v-No. 1. 4 �Tltc JVatchc::: Indians in I?JO. the affected part of the patient's body with a piece of flint, and, applying the mouth to the wound, suck out all the blood, which they spit out along with a little cake of leather, wood, or straw, that had been concealed under the tongue, and cry out to the bystanders : "See, here is the true cause of the malady." If the sick man recovers, the medicineman keeps the large sum of money which was paid before hand, and receives unbounded praise. Should the patient die, the impostor is beaten to death with clubs by the friends of the deceased, without any interference on the part of relatives ; such being the custom of the land. There are likewise among the Natchez old sluggards, who give out thah:hey can cause fair or rainy weather at pleasure. They shrink from the labor which agriculture, fishing and the chase require, and, consequently, take to cozenage in order to support their families. In springtime, the inhabitants of each settlement gather in public meeting and raise money to buy from a deceiver good weather for the year. A year of plenty makes the man's fortune: but, if there be a scarcity, his head is broken. The busine~s costs him lit~le labor. He begins with a strict fast. Then he dances to the shrill notes of a fife filled with water, which he pipes against the clouds wh~re they are thickest. This done, he takes in one hand the Sissi Kuai, which resembles a child's rattle, and in the other his idols, and, stretching them toward heaven conjures the clouds to pour themselves out upon the fields. \Vhen fair weather is desired, the fife is not used, but the cheat, having climbed the roof of his hut, with menacing gestures bids the clouds begone, and whistles with the mouth so vigorously, as if he meant to blow them away. Should the clouds break and be dispersed, he goes down into the hut, and, ·singing songs of praise, dances around his idols. He fasts, smokes tobacco, and offers his pipes to heaven if it should wish to use them. Notwithstanding the merciless butchery of the cozener when his threat~ are not fulfilled, many willingly stake their �The JVatcht::: Indians in I7.JO. 27 lives in the hazardous business, because the reward for success is very great. Besides, as no fair-weather-maker is allowed to be a rain-maker, the number of such cozeners is increased. Different kinds of weather, they say, have different gods who do not interfere with each other, and, consequently, rain-spirits cannot clear the sky, nor can fair-weather spirits irrigate the fields, their respective powers being limited. · \Vhen a Natchez dies, his relatives assemble and weep his death for a whole day. Then they paint his face, dye his hair and adorn it with feathers, and carry him so to the grave, where a gun, a kettle and victuals are put at his side, in order to prevent his suffering from want on the war to the spirit land. From that time the mourners go to the grave every morning and evening, and for half an hour lament over the dead with such cries of grief, as suit their degree of relationship. So when a father dies, the \vidow shrieks: "oh dear husband !" the children cry: "dearest £<ther !" and others : "oh my father-in-law ! oh brotheriii-law!" and so on. All who are related to the deceased in the first degree, continue this mourning for three months, during which time they wear the hair ~hort, do not paint their bodies, and absent themselves from all feasf'> of joy. \Vhen another people honor the Natchez with a·n embassy, a messenger is sent out to meet the envoys and determine with them the day and hour of their entrance. The prince orders his stewards to make all necessary preparations. They at once appoint the persons who must furnish meals for the guests, as the prince never takes this trouble on himself, but makes it the duty of his subjects. The streets are repaired, and the houses, in which the ambassadors are to be lodged, are cleaned and furnished . Benches are placed under a broad roof on the high mound where the prince's hut stands; and the throne, which is an ornamented chair, is set upon mats. On the day of the arrival, all the Natchez come from �28 lltc iVatc/tc::; Indians in I7JO. the seven villages to the mound. The chiefs, judges, and old men, seat themselves on the benches next to the prince, in such order as each one's dignity and the regulations of the stewards require. The envoys halt at the distance of five hundred paces from the prince's throne and sing a song of peace. An embassy generally consists of thirty men and six women. The six men who surpass the others in handsomeness and clearness of voice, march at the head of their companions, and intone stanza after stanza of the song. The rest of the men follow in ranks of six, repeating each stanza in a bass vo.ice, to which the women, who come last, sing soprano. All of them beat time with little rattles. After the song· the prince bids them approach. Those \vho carry the calumets, or tobacco pipes, at once step forward and begin to sing anew. They advance, dancing now in a thick· crowd and the next moment in a sweeping circle, when they fall into line and face the prince. During the dance they contort, swing and twist their limbs in such strange and unnatural ways, that it would not be a wonder if the bones were to fly out of joint. ·when they reach the mound they dance around the prince's throne, and stroke his body with the pipes from below upwards. This done, they dance back to their companions, and there fill a pipe with tobacco. Then all the envoys leap and dance toward the prince, to whom the noblest among them presents the pipe, while another offers fire. The prince lights the pipe, and blows the first mouthful of smoke toward heaven, the next to the earth, and the rest in the air around. The envoys give pipes to the other princes and chiefs also, so that all may smoke together. vVhen all have done smoking, the envoys step up to the prince and, as a sign of union between the two people, rub his stomach with their hands, and with them stroke their bodies. The pipes are fastened to little forks at the feet of the prince, and the noblest envoy sets forth in a well-conceived speech, �Tlte Natclte:: Indians i11 I?JO. \\ hich lasts a full hour, the reasons of the embassy. \Vhen he has done, the ambassadors, at a given sign, sit down on the benches which stand in readiness behind the throne. The prince ·gives a neat answer which lasts as long as the address, and the state judge lights the great peace-pipe, from which each envoy takes a pull and swallows the smoke. The ambassadors are asked by the prince whether they are well, and all the chiefs and elders go one by one and put them the same question, and then lead them to the lodgings, where they are treated to a magnificent banquet. At sunset the envoys betake themselves to singing and bearing pipes in their hands, to the feet of the prince, and carry him on their shoulders to their lodging. There they quickly spread a hide upon the ground and seat him upon it. One of them steps behind and shakes him by the shoulders, while the rest sit around and sing their warlike deeds. After this ceremony, which is repeated morning and evening for four days, the prince goes home. His last visit has this peculiarity. The ambassadors drive a large stake in the ground on an open field beside their dwelling, and sit down around it. The Natchez warriors dance in gaudy war-dress before them, celebrate their exploits, and beat time by striking the stake with their clubs. At the end of the dance they honor the envoys with presents, such as kettles, pans, axes, guns, powder and bullets. On the following, the fifth day, the guests are allowed to go about the village, a privilege not granted before. Every . evening a festive play is given in their honor on the great meeting place, where men and women in their richest dress dance till late in the night. Before their departure the state judge supplies the ambassadors with all necessaries for the Journey. Hitherto I have described to your Reverence the government, superstition, and manners of the Natchez. I will now lay before you an account of the bold insurrection of this treacherous people against the French. �ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. [Continued.] In August, 1844, Father Barbelin was made Superior of the mission of St. Joseph's, which position he held for a quarter of a century, glorious twenty-five years. At this time Brother Ow~n Me Girr was sent to St. Joseph's. Dear old Brother Me Girr! How I loved him, and admired him, and feared him. His position in the Society was humble, his usefulness great; and happy would it be for many a member filling a more exalted station, did he possess his virtue, or even his natural ability. For many years he performed the duties of his responsible office with fidelity, and his influence for good was second only to that of some Fathers. The friend of the quiet, well-behaved lads, but the terror of the mischief-loving urchins ; his bodily strength awed the beggar-impostor, whilst the sharpness of his wit taught the learned professor, who could number his reverend pupils by the hundreds, that logic can be acquired even outside the schools. Simple as a child, his nasal tones have soothed the sorrowing heart of many a poor mother; and ex-Provincials loved to joke with him as a brother. Dear old Brother M c Girr, these eyes will. be darkened by the shades of death when they do not brighten at the mention of your name. In 1845 the assistants of Father Barbelin were Fathers Anthony Rey, Francis Vespre and John Blox. Fr. Rey was at that time Socius and Admonitor of the Very Rev. Father Provincial. He was afterwards one of the Chaplains of the United States army during the war in Mexico, and on the 19th of January was murdered by the brigands. �St. Yoseplz's Clmrdt, Pltiladelpllia. 31 Father Lucas, one of the most remarkable fathers of the . Province, a man of deep learning, pure piety, and great natural wit, though nomina lly stationed at Goshenhoppen, spent most of his time in Philadelphia, where he was much esteemed. The Spiritual Exercises were g iven this year by Fathers Rey and Samuel Barber. The eloquence of the latter was such as has seldom been heard, even in St. Joseph's. In the concluding discourse, on Palm Sunday morning, the congregation was so carried away by his pathetic eloquence, . that, spontaneously, they fell upon their knees, while every eye shed tears of penitence and joy. In 1846, Fathers Augustine Me Mullin and Samuel Mulledy assisted Father Barbelin. These were holy years: Father Barbelin full of zeal and his assistants cooperating with him. Down in the Sunday School, ta lking with teachers and scholars; up in the Church, exhorting the·Sodalists, who then filled the whole body of the Church, and whose singing has never been equalled in Philadelphia; then back again in the Sunday School, to g ive the parting advice; he was fresh and ready for the vespers with his "few words of edification." Nor was the week spent in idleness. His Temperance Beneficial Society, established in 1840, was to be superintended. His Saint Rose Society composed of ladies of means, whose duty it was to visit the sick ; not the poor only, but those of position ; carrying some little delicacy a nd speaking words of consolation and advice, was to be directed. His D orcas Society, for supplying the poor with clothing, was to be encouraged. His reading room and library, for men and youths, were to be visited. His night school , for apprentice boys, was to be examined. Ladies were stimulated to compose new hymns and adapt new tunes. Children were to be prepared for the sacraments. Novenas were to be performed and practices of piety taught: and whil e most faithful in the sacred box, and most assi duous in pastoral visits, wisely thinking that �32 St. Yosep!t's Clmrdz, P!tzladelpltia. the pastor should know his flock, no Father administered more Baptisms, blessed more marriages, or attended more sick calls. In 1847, the Church was enriched with a splendid marble statue of our holy father, St. Joseph. Although younger than the conceptions of many of the 'Foster Father,' beautiful is his face as well as that of the Divine Infant. This large, life-size statue, together with the staft~ was chiselled from one piece of pure white marble, and cost $450,00 ; its present value would be $rooo,oo. On the 21st of February, a collection was taken up for the sufferers by the fearful famine in Ireland, and $850,00 were raised. \Vhen we take into consideration, that St. Joseph's is the smallest parish in the diocese, that it is the one where the ships carrying immigrants arrive, who, instead of bringing funds to the coffers of the Church, remain only until' they can obtain a home elsewhere, and very frequently require assistance while they remain and when they go, this collection was surprisingly large. On November 1st, the "St. Joseph's Catholic Total Abstinence Beneficial Society" held a meeting in the basement, at which, a'lnid great excitement, delegates were appointed to meet Father Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance. In 1848 Father Barbelin, with some of the leading Catholic gentlemen, organized a Society for the relief of the distressed immigrants whom the awful sufferings of the famine in Ireland drove to our city; most of whom arrived in our parish. Having served its day of usefulness, crowned with the blessing of the widow and the orphan, and the poor man of family, this Society found itself with a balance in its treasury. From this unusual fact sprang St. Joseph's Hospital. Its inception began in the parlor of St. Joseph's Residence. For a long time, until, after many years of able management by the good sisters of St. Joseph, it was placed in the charge of the Daughters of St. Vincent de Paul; the .Board of Corporators and Directors met at �·. St. Yoseplt's Clwrclt, Pltiladelplzia. 33 St. Joseph's. It is now a noble institution, one of the boasts of Phi ladel phia Cathol ics. In 1849, Fathers Barbel in, Balfe and Thomas M ulledy form ed the corps at St. Joseph's , but in midsummer, Father J ohn Lynch ; belo nging to the Province of Ireland, replaced Father Balfe. About this time Father Visitor Ignatius Brocard began to agitate the question of building St. Joseph 's College. At first Father Barbelin objected; he had bought ·sufficient ground, and had paid off most of the debt of the Church and he was des irous of completely liquidating this debt, and of laying by some fun ds before commencing so costly an undertaking. But Father Brocard urged and promised assistance from the Province. This assistance Father llarbelin understood as a gift, but it eventually proved a loan. The work was placed in charge of Father John Lynch, who pushed it on with vigor, so that by July, 18 51, the building was ready for occupancy. Even at that early season it was foreseen that the proper position for a college would be farther west; still, it was substantially bu ilt and was large and airy. Being near the Merchants' Exchange, where all th e omnibuses started, it was a very excellent location for the tim e. A lthough ourselves erectin g a large structure, in the first two weeks of March, collections were taken up for the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul and over $2000,00 were realized. In the month of May, a young scholastic, thoug ht to be nea r his death, was sent to Philadelphia, that he might have the consolation of dying in his native city. He did not die , but immediately his health began to improve. It was then determined to open the College at once, with him as one of the teachers. Father Burchard Villiger, afterwards Provincial, then lately ordained, was appointed Prefect of Studies. Two scholastics, one lay brother, and one secular gentleman formed the corps of professors. It was ordered by the Very Rev. Provincial, VoL. 1v-No. 1. 5 �34 St. :foseplt's C!zurdz, Philadelphia. that during the first year, there should be no class higher than the Rudiments, adding a class each year. The College opened on the 7th of September, the festival of our l\Iother's Nativity, with nearly one hundred scholars, some of them young men older than their teachers. Under the able management of Father Villiger, discipline was well kept up and the students studied, and had the spirit then instilled been preserved, St. Joseph's College, in the City of Philadelphia, would now number hundreds of classical students. At the time the College was commenced the poorer boys of the pari~!l were not neglected. The parochial school fo·r boys was re-opened, at first, in the basement, aftenvards in a building erected north of the Church, and placed under the care of two lay brothers. It has had varied success ; at times, there has been a large school of promising lads, and again the attendance has been small. Some of our most efficient young Catholic gentlemen have been pupils of this school. At present, the number attending is small. and mostly young boys, but it is not deficient in usefulness. During this year Father John Lynch rented the large house at the southwest corner of Union and Front streets, as a home for young servant girls out of employment. He placed it in the charge of a matron, intending soon to introduce the Sisters of Mercy to preside over it. For its support, on tht~ 28th of September, he established a Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. This institution was ephemeric ; but the Conference of St. Vincent was the nucleus of the now powerful and ably managed Particular Conference of Philadelphia. During this year, Father James Ryder was stationed at St. Joseph's, and began on the second Sunday in September a series of sermons on the Blessed Mother, which he continued until the second Sunday in December,-a series of sermons unsurpassed for their eloquence and learning. �St. :Joseph's Clwrclt, P/tiladdpltia. 35 Each di8course seemed to exhaust the matter, only to be equalled if not excelled by the next. The Church was crowded to excess, and the sashes being raised, men filled the quadrangle and the yard on the north side of the Church, listening in rapt attention to the chaste words of the eloquent divine. In l\Iarch, 1852, a meeting of Italian Catholics was held in the basement. This meeting gave rise to a movement which eventuated in the building of the Church of St. Mary .Magdalene de Pazzi for the Italians. At present there is a fine Church; the new school house and pastor's residence having been burned by the match of the incendiary. Still a large ~umber of the faithful children of sunny Italy prefer to attend the early mass at St. Joseph's. Father Barbelin thought it now high time. to open a school for female children, there not being a single school for Catholic girls in the city proper. For that purpose he called ;i. meeting of the pew-holders, in the basement, on Sunday afternoon, April 4th. He presided, and Wm. L. Hirst, Esq., was Secretary. At this meeting it was resolved to increase the pew rents 33 J!3 per cent, and with the fund thus raised to support a free school for girls. I paid a visit with Fr. Barbelin to St. John's Orphan Asylum, the head house in the diocese, of the Sisters of St. Joseph ; where he went to make necessary arrangements to obtain sisters as teachers. In the beginning of September, a school was opened in a house in Fourth Street above Willing's Alley, which had been bought for the purpose, with Sisters Veronica and De Sales, and Miss Susan McCaffery for teachers. Now St. Joseph's Academy in Locust Street employs six sisters and has over three hundred pupils, who receive a good English education, and arc taught vocal and instrumental music, plain and fancy needle work. This was the fir~t school of the Sisters of St Joseph's, who now have a splendid Convent and Academy at Mount Saint Joseph, Chestnut Hill; conduct eight select and eleven parochial �St. :Joseph's Church, Philadelphia. · schools, besides attending to other institutions of the diocese. The movement at St. Joseph's Church soon excited the emulation of other congregations, and in the latter part of the year a large meeting was held in St. John's basement of delegates from different churches, to consult on the proper steps to be taken in the matter. The delegates from St. Joseph's were \Vm. L. Hirst, John C. Kirkpatrick, James l\I. Smith, Denis Murphy and Joseph Dimond. On Sunday, the first of May, the students of St. Joseph's College had their first procession in honor of Immaculate Mary, their chosen Queen of May. Heretofore almost all the public devoti~iis, as May processions, Christmas entertainments, &c., had been confined to the young misses, but now a great change was made; the boys took their proper position -the lead in all such matters. The devotion of May processions was carried to a very high degree of perfection ; months were spent in the preparation of the speaking and singing, and large sums of money expended on the adornments and floral decorations. These processions ~ontinued for years, when the Scholastic who had charge of them, seeing that the rivalries engendered between the children and the Sodalities were growing into sinful feelings, gave them over; and now the May processions, as in former years, are left to the young ladies. During this year Father Villiger was succeeded in the Prefecture of Schools, first by Father John Blox and then by Father John McGuigan. The corps of professors consi~ted of four Fathers, two Scholastics and one lay brother. The attendance was large, the discipline good, 'and the reputation of the school high even among Protestants, though no Protestant boys were received as pupils. In August, 1853, as the number of Scholastics was increased to five, a young Father was sent to St. Joseph's, as Minister, Superior of the Scholastics and Prefect of schools. Unhappily disc~pline relaxed, and on the removal of the �St. :Joseph's Clmrclt, Plu'!adelpllia. 37 College to Filbert and Juniper Streets, the number of pupils became small. The promulgation of the glorious dogma of Mary's Immaculate Conception was celebrated with the greatest pomp at St. Joseph's. "All things obey money," and money was not spared. Priests and laity vied with each other in doing their best to honor the occasion ; even some Protestants were happy to lend their richest ornaments to grace the celebration. Back of the Altar was hung the rich golden drapery of Mr. Joseph Ingersoll; upon a high pedestal of crimson velvet, glittering with precious jewels, stood a pure white marble statue of the Immaculate Queen ; bouquets innumerable of choicest hot-house flowers and candelabra uncountable made everything fragrant and bright. _It has been sai d, when the altars were lighted, hundreds and hundreds of happy tapers glimmered as stars at Mary's feet. The columns and galleries \Vere twined with bright flowers and green foliage, through which twinkled the bright flames of miniature chandeliers, lent us for the occasionthe tout mscmble was fairy-like in beauty. So great was the number in attendance, that the crowd extended down \Valnut Street to Third and even to the Merchant's Ex change. Th e 29th of August was a day not soon to be forgotten in thi s country. Ueing confined to my room by a severe head-ache, three scholastics ·s pent an hour around my bed. They were on their way to the College of the Holy Cross, as teachers. At 1 1, A. M., I sent them down to the refectory to a substantial lunch; and th en -sayi ng a short prayer in honor of the thorn-crowned head, I walked my floor for hours iri intense pain . About 4, P. M., being relieved, I went out to pay a visit to my mother's. Afte r staying there a short time, I started for home, and on the way met a young lady acquaintance, with face the color of ashes of roses. " Oh! 0! Mr. ... , have you heard the news? the noon train to New York is �St. :Joseph's Clmrch, Philadelplua. smashed up, and oh! oh! oh! the young-the scholastics . are all killed." I waited not to thank her for her kindness: and indeed, Miss Kate Egan has a heart brimming full of kindness for everyone who can lay claim to the title of Jesuit, but started at double quick for Willing's Alley, where I found that the scholastics were not "all killed," for there was Mr. \Voolts under the care of good Dr. :\lc Neil. One was dead, one was severely injured, and one was greatly, oh! greatly scared. Poor l\Ir. Hugh Rush, a few more weeks and you would have called yourself a man, but suddenly that warm heart ceased to beat. J:.hose who knew you well tell me it was indeed a warm heart''that ceased to beat on that memorable 29th of August. You had just finished your retreat, l\Iary's beads were in your hands, Mary's name was on your lips; you were going to instil the love of .i\Iary and of Mary's Son ; but Mary's Father and your God willed otherwise : as good Brother John Dowling says: "Thanks be to God." One Brother dead in Burlington, and another Brother there dying, if not dead ! Father .... , armed with sacred unction, anclhumble servant, started for \Valnut St. \Vharf, to take the boat, to take the train, which, it was announced, would, at 6 o'clock, take the relatives and friends of the dead and wounded to Burlington. Six o'clock is passed, 7 o'clock is striking. "Say, sir, is there not a train to take us to Burlington?" asked I of a clerk, who looked as if ever there had been any blood in his bee, it had taken lodgings elsewhere. " Yes, sir, we will be ready in a very short time." Eight o'clock has been counted by the steel tongue of the State House bell. " Mr. E ..... s," said I to an employee of the Road whom I recogniz'ed as a Catholic," it was announced that at 6 o'clock, there would be a train to take us up to Burlington. Is there one to go to-night?" "0 Mr. .... ! I hope none of our-of your,I hope none of our Fathers was on that train ? " " Yes, there was one .'of ours, there were three of ours. Is there �St. Yoseplz's Clwrclt , Pluladelpltia. 39 any hope of our getting there to-night ?" "Oh ! do come with Father . . .. over to our house and Mrs. E . . .'s will g ive you a cup of tea. \Ve cannot get the train started before 10 o'cl ock, bu t th en you 'll go right straig ht thro ugh, without · any stopping: you'll get there in ten o r fifteen minutes." At I 2 o'clock we sta rted from Camden. Perhaps arrangements had been made, or at feast o rders given that there should be no stoppages, but this I know that wh en the engine was w" ithin twelve i~ches of Rancocas Creek, there was a whistle to put down brakes: a whistle that would have wakened the seven sleepers, and a jerk that did waken th e seventy-seven sleepers in th ose fou r. ·. cars, but that it took seventy times seven whistles to waken the one sleeper, whose duty it was to lower the draw, and whose carelessness had nearly sent one hundred and twenty painfull y anxio us Phil adelphians to spend St. R ose's day, 1855 , with the sportive fis hes of the smooth flowing Delaware. \Ve arrived in Burlington after I o'clock. Leaving Father .... to look for the dead, I went in search of a man, - in search of my brother. From room to room went I ; but whilst many men I saw, my man I could not see. r\t length I came to a long room, where at least twelve were lying in anguish and pain. J have a natural aversion to gazing on suffe ring, when I am powerless to relieve, but toni g ht, I, poor myope, la id as ide all delicacy. In the 1:-uthest corner I saw a poor negro, whose d usky ski n p rocla imed him one of Congo's noble princes. " He must be among the dead, " solil oq uized I, as disappointed I turned away. " Mr . ..... ," whispers my Ethiopian hero. " What! can that be D enni s?" Yes , it was Dennis. A h! F ather O' Ka ~e , the mother that nursed you would not have recognized you <>S her son; and your Christjan answer: "Yes I'm alive, but go rescue first those who are suffering more than I," did h onor to yo u and to the Society which ed ucated us. " Go rescue first those who are sufferi ng more than I," Brother, �St. J'osep!t's Church, Philaddphia. there were few among the living who were sufiering more than you, or as much as you, but they were not reciting the beads of the Salus lnjimzomm when that terrible crash came, they had not the Virgo Potens strengthening them. Do you remember, brother, how, after a few words of comfort, I went in search of Father .... , and how, while you made your confession to him, interrupted by the ribald jokes of the gentleman from the South ·who occupied the next mattress, I went off and recognized the body of l\Ir. Rush, by his red hair ; ~nd how his body with that of a black bondswoman, the property of Dr. Whelan, of \Vashington, was senL ~p to the Church ; albeit she, poor creature, had no claims upon us but that of a common Faith ? I remember how, together with Father .... , I went in search of the priest, who after making some desultory enquiries from strangers, as to whether any one needed his assistance; if any Catholics were on the train ; did one say he wanted a priest : had gone home and was then sleeping peacefully unconscious of the suffering around him. I remember the Mass at 5 o'clock in the church,-two living, a Jesuit priest and a Jesuit Scholastic, and two dead, a Jesuit Scholastic and a slave negress, lying side by side; no distinction before the Altar of the God of the black and the white, the free and the bond. Do you remember how, when you had been carried into a private room, while they changed your clothes, you tried, in Latin, to supplement the confession of the early morn, and how one of the surgeons told you what you were doing, and how you found out that he was a former student of Georgetown College, and how for weeks he used kindly to visit you and many a pleasant chat you had together? I remember how I attended the coroner's inquest and took my first oath, swearing "this is the body of Henry Rush" when it was in reality the body of Hugh Rush. I remember how the people crowded round to view the corpse, and how it was not necessary for the coroner to say : "Stand back, my friends; �St. :Jostp!t's Omrdt, Pltiladc!p!tia. 41 and allow the Reverend gentleman to identify the remains." Identify the remains? Not one day had passed since the immortal spirit had fled its casket a nd who could recog nize a feature? Corruption had been busy in that one day. " Get it into the ea rth, sir, as soon as you can," was the officer's kind remark, as he handed me the permit to take possessio n of th e body. •· Yo u arc deficient in Combativeness and Destructiveness, and are not adapted to a work of purely exec utive character,' ' once wrote John L. Capen, the Phrenologist, concerning me. I wish he had seen me on the 30th of August, 1855, between the hours of nine and twelve. The Jerseymen of Burlington did not think I was wanting in combativeness. I remember how I took possession of a wagon, and ordered that coffin to be carried down to the depot at once, as if I owned J ersey and even America. I remember how I hastened to the office and sent a telegram which arrived as I was taking my dinner at St Joseph's. I remember how, when the train from New York came puffing and snorting up to the depot, my combative faculties were called into exercise. .At first, the conductor refused to receive the body, the train was too heavily laden. "That coffin goes by this tra in," said I. " Well, then, it will have to go in the car next the engine and you'll have to stand and watch it." "No, sir, that coffin goes in the baggage car, and handl e it carefully. I go in a passenger car." · Mr. Capen, there was some executive abil ity in me ; it only required to be called out. . That coffin went safely to Camden, but here I was met with a difficulty. The hearse I had telegraphed for had not arrived, as they had not received my teleg ram . Mr. Simon Gartland was there with a wagon for the remains of young Ingersoll, who, although apparently uninjured by the accident, had died in the cars between Burlington and Bordentown. Mr. Gartland asked permission of the Hon. Joseph to carry the body of Mr. Rush with that of h is nephew. By the death VoL. rv- No. 1. · 6 · �Pottmvattomy Indimts. of this young man within a few days of his majority nearly a million dollars passed from the Ingersoll family. \:Vhether soured by this fact or not, the permission was refused. Here was a difficulty indeed : a dead body under my care and no vehicle to carry it to the graveyard. All truly executive minds rise to the emergency. " Deny," says I to an Irishman, looking with eyes and a mouth that could hide away a pretty good sized praty, and whose name might be Patrick, or Barney, or even Mick, for all I knew. "Deny, you just please take the body Mr. Gartland has in his charge up to its destination. Mr. Gartland pays you. Now, Simon, put this body in your wagon, get a hack and follow us up to the Church." It was an act of cool impertinence, but agreeable considering the hot weather. \Vhen the body arrived at the Church, Fathers Barbelin, . Ryder and Tuffer followed it to St. Joseph's Cemetery and while two men dug the grave, they gave the final absolution. As the body reached the bottom of the grave, the coffin burst, and the remains of Hugh Rush mingled with holy earth. " Dust returned unto the earth, from whence it was, ana the spirit returned to God who gave it." (To be continued.) POTTOWATTOMY. INDIANS. THEIR MIGRATIONS ;-THE MISSIONARIES WHO LIVED AMONGST TIIE~f. The full history of the Pottowattomy tribe of Indi<tns would be an interesting chapter upon the subject of the aboriginal population that once held undisputed sway over this entire continent. It would throw light upon all this singular race, and the sad doom that seems to await them. The �Potttnt.Jatiomy l11dians. 43 following very general and somewhat desultory sketch may help towards calling to this subject the attention of scholars who have better resources than are within the writer's reach to treat it thoroughly. Some facts pertaining to the history of the Pottowattomies are it is believed, herein for the first time committed to print. This tribe is frequently mentioned in the letters and narratives of the first missi01iaries to the regions abo ut Lake Huron, Lake .Michigan and Lake Superior. In 1674, or the year after, Father Marquette discovered the upper llfississippi, a name which in the Algonquin language means great river, and not "father of waters," as erroneously rendered by some writers ; several Pottowatomies accompanied the illustrious mi ssionary from Green Bay on his way to the Kaskaskias of the upper Illinois river; but he was icebound and was detained sick all the winter near the Chicago nver. The Pottowattomies are usually included in the Otchepowe or Algonquin group of Aborigines. Their language is free from harsh sounds, is quite musical, and is found by the missionaries to be capable of easy cultivation , and to possess much beauty. This tribe seems to have dwelt mainly in the region between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, and as far South as the St. Joseph river, in northern Indiana, where early in the present century they had above fifty villages. A division of the tribe known then as the " Prairie Indians " dwelt in • the regions still further west ; they were nomadic, and wilder in their habits than those that inhabited the villages. The names of FF. Marquette, Lamarina, Le Franc, Dujaunais, and others, were still known, when the missionaries visited them in 1822, by the very children, through tradition of their parents, their grand and great grand sires as they roved the forests or fished upon the lakes. · ( Catlzo!ic Miscella1l}', :January 7tlt, r824.) Father Dujaunais dwelt in Mackinaw from July 12th, 1742, to July 3d, 1765, when he was recalled to Quebec. �44 Pottmi/tlf/omy Indians. Up to this departure of the missionary from :\Iackinaw in I765 the Christian Pottowattomies and their neighbors, the Otto was, were visited regularly by the Fathers. But owing to the troubles between the English and French governments, and the suppression of the Jesuit Society in I 773, these Indian missions were rarely visited by priests, till I 82 I . In I804, the fierce Shawnee Chiet: Tecumseh, started on his round among the Indian tribes upon both banks of the }Iississippi, and along the lake shores, from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, in order to get up a combined movement for utterly exterminating the white population throughout the \Vest. He \~ilS assisted by his twin brother, commonly called the "Prophet," whose incantations and jugglei}' added authority to Tecumseh's wild eloquence, and they succeeded in firing the red men of all the Northwest. The Pottowattomies caught the warlike spirit, and a portion of their braves took part in the battle of Tippecanoe on the banks of the \Vabash river, in I 8 I I, where a number of them were left dead on the field. (.'~·a Dmuson's Lifi· t~( Harrison.) In I807,-General Hull signed a treaty by which the Pottowattomies were permanently located in Lower l\Iichigan and Northern Indiana, and all the region about the St. Joseph river was assigned to them. They signed another treaty with Govcrner Cass at Chicago, in I 82 I, in which they stipulated that the United States government should send them a Catholic priest. Father Richard was among the tribes of Michigan about this time, and visited the spot where Marquette died, and planted a cross upon it, carving on it with a penknife this inscription, "Fr. J. H. Marquette died here on the 9th of lVIay, 1675." He lived in that vicinity, owing to head winds, for ten days, and sang High Mass over Fr. Marquette's supposed grave. Fr. Marquette's . remains, as is now well known, were taken up two years after his death, were incased in a coffin of birch bark and removed to St. Ignace at Mackinaw, where they were buried under the church. �Pottowattomy Indians. 45 It was perhaps the ·treaty of Chicago that led to Fr. Badin, the great Missionary of Kentucky, being sent to the Pottowattomies in 1822. Father Richard was elected a delegate to Congress from Michigan in 18 23, and through him thirty chiefs presented a peti tion to Congress for a Jes uit .Missionary. The following extract from the Catholic Jfiscd!aJZy of 1824, gives the text of that petition, along with some interesting particulars conn ected with it. A letter from Father Baxter, of Georgetown College, D. C., to a friend in England, premises the petition : G EORGETOW:-< COLLEGE, Dec. 12th, 1823. Rc1•. and Dc,u· Fricud: I have procured for you r inspection a copy of a petition presented to Congress this session, from the Indians who live in the Michigan Territory. In order to g ive you some idea of the following petition, I mu st observe that Michigan, which is not yet a State, but only a T erritory of the United States, has chosen the Rev. l\Ir. Richard, a French clergyman, of excellent character, both in a religious and literary point of view, to represent th em in this XVI II. Congress. This fact will sound curi ously to English ears. Mr. R . had labored long among the Indians bordering upon the Lakes, and they have given him th ei r implicit confidence. \ Vhen they knew he was to be the representative of the Michigan territory, they assembled, drew up the following petition, requested him to present it to Congress, and signed it in thei r Indian manner. You know that they cannot write, a nd that they have very few christian names. They generally take the name of some beast, bird or fish, a nd the designation on paper of these animals, constitutes their signature. The following peti tior:t these Indian chiefs have signed, by making a rude resemblance of the animal by which they chose to be desig nated . Mr. Richard has lent me th e original petition. I have it now before me, and I have procured the assistance �Pottowattomy Indians. of one of our best engravers to copy with a pen the respecti\·e signatures, and to transcribe the petition for me .... Your most devoted friend, R. RAXTER. COP¥ OF THE PETITION : "vVe, the undersigned chiefs, heads of families, and others, of the tribe of the Ottowas, residing at \Vaganakisi (the Arbre Croche, i. e. the crooked tree), on the lower eastern shore of Lake Michigan, take this mode to communicate our wants and wishes to our most respected father, the President of the United States. \Ve return our best thanks to our father and to Congress for his and their exertions to bring us, your very affectionate children, to civilization, and to the knowledge of Jesus, the Redeemer of the red skins as well as of the white people. Trusting on your paternal affection, we come forward, and claiming the liberty of conscience, we most earnestly pray, that you may be pleased to let us have a teacher, or Minister of the Gospel belonging to the same denomination of Christians to which did belong the members of the Catholic Missionary Society of St. Ignatius, established at Michilimackinac, or at the Arbre Croche by Fr. Marquette and others, of the Order of the Jesuits. During a great many years they resided amongst us, occupied and cultivated a field on our own ground, and instructed our fathers in the first principles of Christianity and agriculture. Such teachers we have long since wished, and continue to wish, to have. Such teache'rs appointed by your paternal affection, we invite to come and settle on the same spot, formerly occupied,· until the year r 766, by Father Duganny (Dujaunais), that is to say, on the shore of Lake Michigan, near the lower end of our village at the Arbre Croche. For so doing and granting to us, your devoted children, this their humble petition, we will forever feel very grateful, and pray the Great Spirit to bless you and your white children. In witness whereof we have made our tautious (marks) on this day, the rzth of August, A. D.· 1823." (Here follow thirty signatures as described in Fr. Baxter's letter.) �Pottozvattomy Indians. 47 In I 822, Fr. Badin established a congregation among the Pottowattomies, on the St. Joseph river; and from this time forth they were never again entirely without spiritual aid. In I833, Fr. Deseilles having already devoted his large patrimony in Belgium to this mission, came himself to live and die among these wild men' of the Michigan forests. He greatly improved the Indians, both temporally and spiritually, teaching them to cultivate the fields, to build commodious houses, and to observe the rules and practices of Christian life. At the death of this worthy priest his place was taken by Rev. Father Petit, from the diocese of Vincennes. In I837, Michigan was admitted into the Union as a State ; and in pursuance of policy already acted upon in the admission of other States, the Indians were removed from their reservations in the new State to territorial domains under the immediate jurisdiction of the general government. The Pottowattomies were reluctant to depart from their comfortable homes in Michigan and Northern Indiana for an inhospitable wilderness beyond the western border of l\Iissouri. But for the influence of Rev. Mr. Petit over their minds, nothing but force could have induced them to obey the order for their removal, to the Indian Territory, which included the present State of Kansas. The great body of the tribe started to their new home in I 838, accompanied by their chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Petit. The spot chosen for their settlement was about fifteen miles west of the Missouri boundary, on Sugar Creek, a small tributary of the north fork of the Osage river, about two hundred and forty miles west of St. Louis. Rev. Mr. Petit having conducted his simple flock to this place was there but a short while before perceiving that exposure to the weather, and privation,;, were seriously affecting his health. He resolved on returning to Vincennes, and the Jesuit Fathers of St. Louis were requested to take charge of the Indians on Sugar Creek, and of the Ottawas, �Pott&wattolllj' Indians. Miamis and other translated tribes dispersed over the circumjacent prames. He got as far as St. Louis where he died at the St. Louis University early in 1839. This request to the Jesuit fathers was made opportunely; for the Kickapoo mission, where now stands Fort Leavenworth, had just been abandoned, and thus there were several fa.thers who could be spared for new undertakings. A young Kickapoo chief, who would not brook the restraints which religion imposes on passion, published himself among his people to be a seer. He ultimately succeeded by craft and specious lies in destroying the influence of the devoted fathers throughout the tribe, and thus alienating the savages from all practice of virtue or religion. The ascendancy which this arch-rogue acquired over the whole Kickapoo settlement was so great that he induced them in 1838 to move off to distant hunting grounds, and escape from their troublesome monitors. The fathers, finding that all their labors and sacrifices were lost on this band of incorrigible vagabonds, did not follow them in their wanderings, but shook the dust from their feet, and departed in quest of -;nore inviting fields for their evangelical zeal. This mission among the Kickapoos was established in 1836 by Father Charles Van Quickenborn, who died the following year at Portage des Sioux. FF. C. Hoecken, F. V erreydt and A. Eysvogels, all labored am~ng the Kickapoos. Father C. Hoecken succeeded the Rev. Mr. Petit in charge of the Pottowattomies at Sugar Creek, early in the year 1839. In the following April Father Aelen went to his assistance. At the time of its transfer from Michigan the Pottowattomy tribe numbered about two thousand souls, according to the contemporaneous government reports of their census ; and of this number about one-third were Christians. Late in 1839 two hundred and fifty Christians, who had lingered in Michigan,-joined their brethren on Sugar Creek. �Pottme•attomy Indians. 49 They ali regarded themselves as in banishment from their home, and they sighed and wept, and talked much of the more pleasant days they spent in the land where they left the bones of their fathers : it was saddening to listen to their lamentations. Immediately after the arrival of the exiles they began •the erection of a church, which was a rude structure of unhewn logs, but large enough for.all to assemble in it at Divine Service. A lodge was erected for the chaplain, but it was without window or chimney, and the floor was of riven timbers, roughly adjusted, and uneven, necessitating both variety and precision of step in walking across· the room. This cabin was the missionary's only house for two years. Change of climate, unaccustomed habits, and the privations of a new settlement, caused much sickness and many deaths among the Indians during the first few months after their arrival at Sugar Creek. Father C. Hoecken was soon prostrated with disease, and was compelled to leave the rude hovel in which he was languishing, for St. Louis. After his return to the St. Louis University, which took place as early as May, 1839, all the duties of this difficult and far off post devolved on Fr. Aelen alone. The church put up at their first arrival on Sugar Creek was a rude and insecure structure of logs, the work of only four weeks labor, in which, however, the men, women and children took part. In the beginning of 1840 it was determined to begin the erection of a more suitable church that would be commodious, safe, and of ample dimensions. They choose for its site a spot elevated one hundred feet above the plane of the glen through which the little stream flowed. The mea:ns for building were furnished by the United States government in accordance with a promise made when the Indians were required to move from Michigan.. The church was dedicated with becoming display on Christmas day, 1840, beginning at midnight with the firing of guns, the ringing of bells, and a. showy illumination. VoL. IV-No. 1. 7 �so Pottmvattonzv Indimts. A necessary appendix to a church is a school, and accordingly in 1841 the missionary gave his attention to the arrangements necessary for educating the children: Father V erhaegen, who was then Vice Provincial, applied to the Ladies of the Sacred ·Heart Society to delegate some of their members for this work, promising them as inducements, much hardship and little human comfort. These were decisive motives for the zealous ladies, and in July, 1841, four of them, with 1\'Iadame Lucille Mathenvon as Superior, went to the Pottowattomy mission on Sugar Creek. \Vhen ·the Indians first beheld them, they were much struck at-the dress and appearance of the ladies, and regarded them as beings come down from the skies. Their arrival was a triumph, all the population assembling to gaze at them, and to welcome them according to Indian style. Their first lessons to the Pottowattomy girls were listened to by all the nation ; and their first class room was the shade of the wide spreading oaks. Instead of teaching courtly manners to the children of the great, as they could have. done had they preferred it, these self-sacrificing religious women were now training sulky and indocile young savages in the first elements of human thought. The Indians all united to provide, as soon as possible, becoming lodgings for these devoted teachers of their daughters, and within the space of two.nionths a two story house of six rooms but rudely constructed was completed for them. In July, ISs I, Fr. Eysvogels was stationed at Sugar Creek, and Fr. Aelen was recalled to St. Louis, though he did not actually leave the mission till June, 1842. In 1841 a dwelling for the fathers, and a school-house for the boys, were begun, but they were not ready for occupancy till the following year. FF. Verreydt and C. Hoecken were sent to the mission in ·september, 184i, and in 1843, Fr. A. Hoecken, Verheydan and Soderini went as additional reinforcements. They were now able to establish missionary �Pol/o·wal/omy lndiai1s. 5I stations among the Ottawas, Osages, Chippewas and Miamis ; and such of the children of these tribes as were intrusted to their care were provided with schooling at the Pottowattomy Institutions, the government of the United States allowing seventy-five dollars per year for each child in the school ·. There were adult bapti ms every Sunday, and the number of catechumens was rarely less than thirty. In the beginning of 1843 there were twelve hundred Christians at the .Sugar Creek mission ;* adding to this number one hundred and fifty christian Pottqwattomies, the last still remaining at Pokegan, in Cass County, Michigan, the descendants and connexions of the noble chief Pokegan; and we have a number exceeding half the entire tribe who were then christians. Pokegan was both a pious christian and a brave warrior. He was the first of the Pottowattomies who, early in this century, invited the missionary to his wigwam. This last remnant of the tribe in Michigan occupied a tract of land granted and confirmed to Pokegan by the United States Government. The pagan Pottowattomies still in 1\Iichigan at this date were subsequently united to the main body of the tribe, their removal being accomplished under the guidance of Fr. Christian Hoecken, in 1852, after the tribe had gone to the new resen·ation on the Kaw river, known as St. Mary's Mission, made to them by the government in 1846. The christian Indians of Michigan, in 1852, who were civilized, had church and schools and comfortable lodges, wisely refused to accompany the five hundred pagans who then emigrate~ to the Kaw · river. The cholera attacked the emigrants whilst on their war from the Missouri river to St. Mary's Mission. Bishop Miege hastened to their camp accompanied by a physician, and they rendered them such spiritual and bodily aid as *In thi!l estimate the Christi3ns of the neighhoring trihes 5eem to hn~e Uc(•n includ(•d in the reports given. �PottowattomJ' lndia1ts. their condition demanded. They were much frightened, and were practising their pagan superstitions. The history of the Pottowattomy tribe from 1846 to the present time \\ill form an interesting narrative which Fr. Gailland alone can relate with minuteness and accuracy. He has kindly consented to undertake this task. This tribe is now losing its autonomy; its beautiful language is likely soon to perish. The venerable Fr. l\Iaurice Gailland, who has resided in the midst of this tribe, now for nearly thirty years, gives in a letter to the writer of this article, an interesting sketch of their. language, both as to its history, and as to some outlines of its structure : "The Pottowattomy language is a dialect of the Otchepowe. It has great affinity to the Ottawa, Sack, Kickapoo, Miami, Illinois, Shawnee et.nd Menominee dialects. All these tribes originally constituted but one family or nation, the wide spread Otchepowe or Algonquin family, which in the course of time was subdivided into these different smaller tribes. They inhabited Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and a part of Canada. "All the ;ounds in the Pottowattomy dialect are broad. It has all the letters of the English alphabet, except F, L, R, V. It has, besides, a letter which is unknown to English speaking people. It is a half aspirate, half guttural; and in order to pronounce it you must shut your "throat and reopen it, which is gracefully done by the Indians. The vowels have the sounds which are usually given to them in the Latin language as pronounced on the continent of Europe, except the I, which has the sound which is given to it in English, v. g., in mine. "In the Pottowattomy language there is no gender; buf instead of gender its substantives or nouns are distinguished as auimatc or inanimate, and all substantives are included under these classes: v. g. spirits, men, animals are all animate ; but among the plants, some are animate, and some �Pottowattomy Indians. 53 are inanimate ; for instance the pea is inanimate, also the melon ; but the bean and the potato are animate ; tobacco is animate. Simple elements are inanimate; silk and lightning are animate. Animate nouns, in the plural number, all terminate in k; the inanimate nouns of the plural number terminate in n. ''There are the following cases of the nouns: the nominative, the genitive or possessive, locative, vocative, and dcpmdent case:>. The dative and accusative cases are always like the nominative. The 'i)Ocatiz,e sometimes differs from the nominative, and is sometimes of the same form with it; for example, they say, nenne man, voc. nenne plural, nennewok men, voc. nennituk; nigwes, my son, voc. nigwese. "The !ocati-uc case expresses the place where a thing is, or also a similarity ; thus, pokwe, ashes ; pokwig, in the ashes ; pokwig ishe nakwet, it is like ashes. The genitive or possessive case is formed by prefixing the possessive personal pronoun; okuma, the chief; nitokumam, my chief; miseniukin a book ; nimisiniiikin, my book. Sometimes the substantive in the possessive case is quite different from that substantive in its primary form : nekitoshkisha, yikwam, horse ; "do you see that horse?" kiwapimane o nekitoshkisha "Do you see my horse?" Kiwapimane nidiyikwam? "The dcpendmt case is an animate noun depending in the construction of the sentence on a third person or a third animate noun. "Did you see my horse?" kikiwapimane nitiyikyam ? "did you see his horse?" kikiwapimane otiyikwam ? A cow is pishuke the dependent is, pishukowim; " I made the dog drive away the cow ;" nigikikatona onemosh ewi yatinashkowat pishukowin: "cow" here depends in the construction on dog, a sort of third pers.on. "As to adjectives, there are, properly speaking, none in the Pottowattomy language. Wliat we call "adjective" is either a particle affixed to the substantive, as mino, mitche, . etc. ; for example, nichinabe, is a man, minonickinabe is a �54 Pottowattomy l11di'ans. good man ; mitchenichinabe, a bad man ; or, the adjective meaning is expressed by changing a substantive into a verb. Nor are there in this language any auxiliary verbs; what the auxiliary expresses in other tongues, is all contained in the verb itsel( "The Pottowattomy has this other nice peculiarity ; it has two first persons, as well as having the second and third persons in common with other languages. It has a first first person and a second first person ; the first first excludes all except the speaker: the second first person includes the persons spoken to. These two persons are expressed by different prefixes or affixes." The following letter from Father Gailland gives some additional details in reference to the language of the tribe which will interest those readers who are fond of comparative philology : ST. MARY, May 21st, 1874· Rez.•'d. and Dear .fatltcr Hi!!: P.X. I continue my observations on the Potto\vattomie language : First, tqere is this peculiarity in our language, that the personal pronoun is joined as a prefix to the verb, whilst in Hebrew it is joined to the .same as an affix. The personal pronouns are ni, ki', o, Ni' or ki, ki, o: for instance, they say, ui'wapima, I see him; kiwapima, thou seest him ; owapiman, he see~ him ; plural, Ni'wapimamin, we, not you to whom I speak, see him ; kiwapimamin, we, I and you, see him ; ki'wapimawa, you see him ; owapimawan, they see him. In the neutral verbs the pronoun representing the third person is omitted : uiyakinoka, I am sick ; yakinoke, he is sick. The Pottowattomie has four moods : the indicative, the imperative, the subjunctive, the infinitive. It has a great many voices, which are indicated by a little inflection of the same word. �Pottowattomy Iudiaus. 55 1 . The nctz., e oice animate or inanimate; with the object in the singular or plural number; niwapima, I see him -niwapimak, I see them-niwapitan, I see it-niwapitanin, I see them, namely, objects inanimate. 2. The pnssh•t' voice: niwapimeko-niwapimekon with an object inanimate. 3· The rdatir c voice, that is, the verb in reference to different pronouns: niwapimuk, he sees me; kiwapim, thou seest me; niwapimukonanek, they see us. This is the hardest part of the language, on account of the multiplied relations of the different personal pronouns. 4· Vmtml voice: niwapitim, I am conscious that I see ; niwapitcheke, I see ; niwapitchekas, I am seen. 5. The n:flc.rive voice: niwapites, I see myself. 6. The rcciprocc.l voice : wapitig, they see each other. 7· The dubitath c: niwapimatuk, I think I see him, but I am not sur-!. 8. The simulati'i,,· voice : niwapitamokas, I pretend to see, but in reality I do not see; niyakinoka, I am sick ; ni- · yakinokekas, I pretend to be sick, but I am not. 9· The lumriliative voice : niwepineke, I confess my sins; niwepinekech, I wretched, miserable old sinner, make my confession. It is a nice \\ay of showing self-contempt, which is shown during the whole course of conversation. 10. The frt'qucJt/nlivc voice: it expresses the frequent repetition of the action signified by the verb, niwapima, I see him ; niwawapima, I see him over and over again ; kumowin, it rains ; kumokumowin, it rains often. If the owe! of the first syllable is long, the frequentative is formed by the reduplication of the first syllable; if it is short, then the frequentative is formed by reduplicating the first two syllables of the verb. 1 1. The depmdmt voice : \ hen the subject of the verb is in the dependent case, the verb undergoes a special infl ection-his children came, onitchanisin piym instead of piyek. �Pottowattonq Indians. I 2. The absolute voice: they say kctom instead of ketiwog, they see ; wapitam, instead of wapitamog ; wapima, they see him. I 3· The lustorica! voice: \Vhen a man relates facts of which neither he, nor those to whom he speaks, have been eye witnesses, the perfect and pluperfect tenses undergo a special modification : kiketo, he said ; jesos kiketik6kipin. I4. The negatiz•c voice : \Vhen the verb is accompanied with a negation it undergoes a change in the indicative mood-niwapima, I see him ; tcho niwapimasi, I do not see him; kiwapimin, I see thee; tcho kiwapimesinon, I do not see thee. IS. Inanimate voice: piya miket, it comes; nitchiwenimo, he or she rejoices ; nitchiwenimomiket, it rejoices. The Indians, although rude and uneducated, respect the rules of euphony in their speeches, so, for instance, instead of saying, niyakinoka, I am sick, they say, nidakinoka; instead of kiyakinoka, they say, kitakinoka, for euphony's sake. For the same reason, in certain cases, in order not to offend the ears with harsh sounds, they commute consonants into corresponding ones. Thus b is changed into p, g into kt·, d into t, s into :;. Euphony requires also sometimes a change of vowels: so i long is changed into a long, e short into e broad, as the French e, o long is changed into oa, a into ;•a. Next week I will try to answer your other questions. Yours in Xst, M. GAILLAND, s. J. P. S.-In Pottowattomie .YOU can express distinctly whether the object in question consist in action or word, or thought; for instance kijeminito signifies the Great Spirit. Now if I say niGijeminittoa, I say I treat him as God; if I say niGijeminitoma, I simply say that I confess him to be God. If I say, ni Gejeminitowenima, I say, that truly I believe him to be God. �JOHN BAXTER, S. J, ---- To the religious, a recital of the virtues that arc practised in the shade of the hidden life is always refreshing and edifying. It is with thi~ view that we have undertaken to sketch the life of our brother, John Baxter, who died but a short time ago at the Novitiate in Frederick, and have attempted to weave a modest garland, before they fade, of the fond memories that cluster round his name in our hearts. \Vould that they could catch a little of the sweet fragrance of virtue which exhaled from his every action, and which still lingers, as we love to believe, round the calm and peaceful scenes that witnessed his life. John Baxter (Van Boxstael in his native Flemish) was born April 27th, 1854, in the town of Alost, Flanders. His mother, as he himself described her to the novices of Frederick, was a "woman of the country," full of that strong, simple faith and earnest piety which form the glory and the safeguard of Catholic Belgium. What wonder Belgian sons are brave, generous and self-sacrificing, when Belgian mothers arc so pious, so Catholic, and so devoted ! As he advanced in years, John was sent to a boarding college to receive his education, but was soon recalled by his father's death to become, at the age of eighteen, the head of the family, consisting of his mother and two sisters. At the time of his father's death, his parents kept a small store in Alost, which with John's faithful assistance, his widowed mother still continued to carry on. At the same time he attended the classes of our college in the same town, where he made excellent progress in his studies, always holding a good position in his class and showing a special aptitude for languages. VoL. rv-No. r. 8 �:Jolm Bax!t'r, S. J. All this time he gave proofs of the most sincere and solid piety. Every morning during his childhood, according to the beautiful Flemish custom, he knelt down and asked his mother's blessing. \Ve have his own word that he always tried to perform his studies in the presence of God. Early each morning, while yet the dew was on the grass, after attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he would hurry away to some retired piece of woods and there practise his French declamation, et.c., unnoticed and undisturbed. But the most prominent characteristic of his devotion and that which seemed gradually to increase and grow within him until it penetrated his whole being and absorbed his whole life, was 'the desire to become a missionary. John was for a long time undecided as to the particular sphere of missionary labor in which God called him to exercise his zeal. Should he join . the Society in Belgium, and afterwards ask to be sent to the foreign missions ? But his request might not be granted. Should he become a member of some other Order or Congregation devoted especially to the conversion of the heathen ? What did God require of h_im ? These were anxious questions which he put to himself and to the solution of which, besides frequent consultations with his director, he devoted two retreats, made in successive years, at our Novitiate of Tronchiennes. He was now making his rhetoric.. On the feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, March 19, 1873, at the end of a novena he had made with this intention, he. received a response from the Saint in the shape of a letter from a near relative, who had joined the Society in the U. S., and who wrote that if he wished to enter the Society in this country there was no necessity for further delay. Overjoyed by this solution of his difficulty, having made, by the advice of his director, another novena to the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph, which only served to strengthen and inflame his resolution still more, and after some trouble caused by the law of conscr\ption in Belgium, he set sail f~om the port of �Yohll Baxter, S. Y . 59 Ostend, and landed at New York, June 23, I873· On the 25th of the same month, he entered our Novitiate at Fredcrick, the peaceful retreat which was to shelter his remain ing days ; days so few in number, so hid?en from the eyes of the world, but full of merits and graced in the sight of • God with numberless victories, more glorious and more unfading than any that mail-clad Wd.rrior or laurelled conqueror ever achieved. Brother Baxter, as he was henceforth called, entered upon his novitiate in the dispositions with which it may be said that most novi ces leave it. Thanks to his· simple, docile, yet manly and earnest character, and to th e pure Catholic influence and pious training to which he had been constantly subjected, both at home and at college, he . had no bad habits to eradicate, no repugnance to overcome, no waverings of the will to disturb him. He embraced this higher, purer spiritual life which was opening before his delighted gaze, with his whole heart and soul, "exulting as a giant to run his course." Nothing could daunt him. No menial office, however rep ulsive to nature, could disgust him ; no command, however unreasonable in .appearance, could shake his good will; no humiliation, however bitter it might be, could disturb his serenity. He soon s urpassed most of his companions, even those who were in their second year of novitiate. Nor was this first fervor soon to grow cold and die away, as is so often the case : on the contrary, it went on increasing in intensity, even to his death. So he spent the first months of his novitiate, winning all hearts by his amiability and light-heartedness ; edifying all by his minute observance of every, even the least, rule or custom, and by his intense, fervent piety; pleasing and charming by his sprightly, yet almost exclusively spiritual conversation ; aiding, encouraging and assisting by his example, his words, his -prayers. On Ash Wednesday, March 23, the novices commenced their long retreat. It is needless to say that, after such a ·' �6o :John Baxter, S. · J. preparation, the Exercises were made by Brother Baxter in the best possible manner and that they produced their full effect. \Ve do not pretend to decide whether, among the communications he received from God during this thirty days of silence and prayer, there was any presentiment of his approaching end, but it is certain that his note book of this • retreat is full of reflections on death, and in recalling to mind his conversation, the same subject occupies the most prominent position. God was about to pluck this flower in all its dewy freshness and early beauty, leaving behind only the sweet perfume of his virtues to tell that it had bloomed amongst us. On E_;_tster Sunday the summons came. That evening he felt unwell and did not go to recreation in the •. garden with the other novices, but spent the evening with Father De vVolf, a fellow-countryman of his own, who was at that time sick in the infirmary. Next morning, his desk, at which he never failed to be present at the signal for any duty, was empty. He had been taken down by a sudden attack of pneumonia on both lungs, accompanied with fever. Tuesday evening the news of his great danger fell among us like a thunderbolt. Still more profound was the impression the following morning, when Fr. Rector, before the usual exhortation, begged our prayers for Bro. Baxter, who, according to the doctor's opinion was on his way to eternity. Shortly after this he received his ·vows, and at about 10 A. l\L the last sacraments were administered to him in the presence of all the novices of the second year, the junior scholastics and several fathers of the community. From this time, the novices took turns in watching at his bedside. His fever was violent, the pain in his chest continual, his breathing hoarse and labored, and he himself expected, though without reason, to die whenever the cough attacked him ; yet he bore his great sufferings with the utmost patience and fortitude, never once complaining. and only turning his eyes towards Heaven, after any unusually violent paroxysm. �:Jolm Baxter, S. :J. 6t Still he lingered on, endeavoring through obedience to catch a little sleep, yet constantly praying; now invoking the Sacred Heart of our dear Lord, the Blessed Virgin, and messed Margaret Mary, and now murmuring broken ejaculations, sometimes in English, sometimes in French. 'When anyone entered his room he greeted him with a nod and a smile that was bright, indeed, but oh ! so different from his form er self. To hi s fellow novices who visited him he spoke earn estly, exhorting th em to cherish tender devotion to the Sacred Heart of our divine Lord, to the Blessed Virgin and St. Jo ·eph, and promising to pray for them when he should be in Heaven. He said that it was a great consolation to him that he had never once wilfully violated the least rule or custom of the Novitiate. As he was speaking in this manner, with considerable effort, to one of the novices who was alone with him at the time, the brother infirmarian entered and requested the novice not to require him to talk, as the doctor had given orders that he should try to sleep. The infirmarian going out, the novice asked Bro. Baxter if he could speak to him. " Brother," he answered, "do not allow me to go before my God with the slightest imperfection : let me only obey with blind obedience-1 took my vows to-day." Then after remaining silent for a few minutes, he said, "If you have anything particular to say, go and ask permission, and I will speak to you." The novice went out, but not finding anyone, returned and sat quietly near the bed. Bro. Baxter closed his eyes and remained silent, faithful to his rule even to the last. So the weary hours dragged on, all \Vednesday afternoon, through the night a nd until late Thursday morning. When hope was expressed that our Lord would spare him, he said, •· As He wills." When the clock struck in the corridor, startling him from a half ·doze, he exclaimed; "I thought it was time !" During the night he was frequently delirious. In the morning he recovered the full use of his senses but began to sink rapidly, and it was evident to all �62 :1o1m Baxter, S. 7. that the end was nigh. A glass of wine was ordered by the doctor, to support his strength. He drank a little and positively refused to take the rest,/saying it would go to his head ; but it needed only the word " Obedience," from Fr. Rector's lips to make him swallow it all to the last drop. It was feared from his strong frame and rob_ust constitution and from the violence of the disease which was hurrying him away, that his agony would be long and severe; but it was not so. At about IO. r 5 A. M. he again lost the use of his senses and within half an· hour at 10.40 he calmly and peacefully yielded up his pure soul into the hands of its Creator. A smile full.of peace and joy lit up his features as the icy hand of death f~il upon them, seeming to tell of the eternal gates opening before the eyes of his departing soul, and of angelic choirs descending to meet him. A moment after the solemn tolling of the De Profimdis bell sounded through the house and all were on their knees; but it was rather with the desire of asking his prayers, than of offering petitions for him, so confident were all that his spirit had flown straight to the loving bosom of his Father and his God. Bro. Baxter may be considered one more of those numerous examples of youthful sanctity and early perfection which adorn the Society of Jesus. His vir~ue was of no ordinary kind ; or rather, though common in the matter on which it was exercised, it was extraordinary in degree. In many things, he was the counterpart of his fellow-countryman, Blessed John Berchmans, whom he strove faithfully to imitate. Like him the purity of his soul was preserved to the highest degree. \Ve think there were few intimately acquainted with him who would not willingly affirm their belief that his innocence never suffered the stain of a mortal sin. Like him he seemed to live in another world, to breathe a higher, purer atmosphere than other men, and never to yield, even in the slightest degree, to the dictates of poor human nature. His self-mortification was constant, ingenious and unflinching. His life was wholly supernatu- �:Joltu Baxter, S. 7. ral and he seemed to be absorbed in continual prayer, even while performing hi:; exterior duties with the utmost attention and exactness. This spirit of prayer seemed to increase and absorb him more and more, as the time of his death approached. \Ve saw it, but we could not tell that it was the last deepening flush of the sun about to set ; we could not see that it was the swifter, broader sweep of the stream about to empty itself into the· Eternal Ocean whence it came. But when the demands of charity or obedience came to interrupt this interior union with God, by obliging him to communicate with others, it was easy to see from his considerate kindness, his frank gaiety, his sprightly, yet never trifling or useless conversation, that this was but another effect of the same spirit of God which animated his prayer. He showed the same love for his vocation, the same ardent zeal, the same unwearying charity as his blessed model ; like him, he was grave and serious, yet always serene ; and if, in time of silence, his gravity seemed to be somewhat too rigidly maintained when some incident occurred which might seem to call for a smile, this was amply compens<Jted by his constant cheerfulness at other times. But his greatest point of resemblance to B. Berchmans, was the extr~ordinary perfection with which he performed the smallest actions. He seemed to. have adopted the motto that it is not in uncommon things that perfection consists, but in doing common things in an uncommon manner. Did he recite a little prayer before beginning one of his ordinary duties: it was with a fervor and recollection that was little less than angelic and that seemed to surround his f.1ce with a seraphic radiance. Did he take holy water on entering or leaving the room ; it was with the same. attention and devotion that another might have shown in receiving Holy Communion. Every one of his duties, spiritual or corporal, was performed with the greatest care, attention and purity of intention that he could �Osage Mission. possibly attain. This it was that made his days full days ; that heaped up the measure of his merits so quickly. God grant that his example. may find many imitators, and that, as in life his justice flourished like the lily, so in death it may be as the odor of the balsam, drawing many to the ways of virtue and of peace. Smzcti tui, Domine, jlorcbunt sicut !ilium ; et szcut odor balsami enmt ante te. ---------.------- OSAGE MISSION. OsAGE MrssroN, NEosHo CouNTY, KANsAs, }ULY Ist, 1874. DEAR FATHER: To give you an idea of the way in \vhich our western missions hav~ been established, increased, and kept up till this day, I will write down an abridged account of the method which we adopted from the very beginning, a method which proved to be successful, and has been a means in the hands of God of propagating.~ur holy Religion through these vast regions of Southern Kansas, which we have always considered our missionary distrir::t, leaving the northern part of the State to our Fathers of St. Mary's Mission among the Pottowattomies, up on Kansas river. Having myself resided at this mission now over twenty-three years, I have been, not only an eye-witness, but also an actor in most of what I shall relate, and thus will give you light to understand the map which I made to show you the field of our operations. When this mission was first established, Kansas was but a wild country,_ an Indian territory, where, with the excep- �Osage JJ!Iission. tion of some few tr.ading posts, you could not find a white man's house. Various tribes of Aborigines were then living in this Territory ; the Osages were the most important nation, numbering at that time some seven thousand souls. They claimed the best part of Southern Kansas, namely, all the land lying south of what I have called the 5th parallel, which runs nearly half way between the 38th and 37th degrees of north latitude, forming a reservation some fifty-five miles north and south, and some three hundred and fifty miles east and west. As early as 1827, the Osages; having left the State of Missouri, formed settlements on the banks of the Neosho River. Of these, the principal was at the confluence of a small stream which, being at a distance of four miles from this mission, is called Four Mile Creek. Here Father Charles Van Quickenborn visited them, and though he exercised his holy ministry in the midst of them, yet he did not select any special location for a mission. The Osages having succeeded in obtaining. a Catholic mission from· the United States Government, Father Felix Verreydt, S. ]., was sent by our Superior to look up a suitable place for buildings, and his choice fell on this very spot which we now occupy. Then the U. S. Indian Agent, for the Osag-es, built two very poor log houses for the accommodation of the missionaries. These houses were hardly finished, when Father Xavier de Coen, S. J., was sent here to inspect them. He approved what had been done, and officially received them. All that was now left to do was to occupy them, and Father John Schoenmakers, S. J., was appointed Superior of the mission, which was placed in a special manner under the patronage of St. Francis de Hieronymo. Father John B. Bax, S. ].. was given Father J. Schoenmakers as a companion, and he was also allowed three coadjutor brothers to take care of the house and farm. They reached this place on the 29th of April, I 847, and on the lOth of May, under the auspic·es of the Immaculate VoL. Iv-No. I. 9 �66 Osage fifission. Virgin Mother of God, this manual labor school for the education of Osage children was inaugurated with a small number of Indian boys in attendance as boarders. The Osages now visit our mission every day, and show themselves well pleased with the progress of their children. These in fact were doing very well, and promised a good deal, but it was useless for us to expect the education of a few boys would work any permanent improvement in the I Osage youth, unless some provisions were also made for the education of girls. For this reason Father ]. Schoenmakers, during the spring, went to Kentucky to pay visit to the Rt. Rev. Bishgp of Louisville ; and having succeeded in obtaining from him the assistance of some few Sisters of Loretto, who were willing to consecrate themselves to the tedious and laborious .task of educating Indian girls, he returned here to prepare them a house. In a short time all was ready, and on the 5th of October of that very year, 1847, the Sisters of Loretto opened their Convent near this mission, and on the same day began their school with twenty-five Osage girls as boarders. Now everything being set in good running order, it became our duty to visit the Osages in their different towns, scattered all along the Neosho as w,ell as the Verdigris rivers. But how could we visit them and neglect their friends and connections : I mean the Kansas, Quapaws, and Cherokee Indians, who are their kindred tribes ? How could we pass over and neglect the Miamis, Peorias, Weasand Piankeshaws, amongst whom a mission had just been established by our Fathers, but unfortunately, after a few months, had been abandoned ? And, in fact, our missionary cares did gradually extend to these tribes, and we began to visit them occasionaily. But here again, who does not know that wherever there are Indian reservations, there are also to be found laborers and mechanics, white people of different nationalities, amongst whom you frequently meet with Catholics ? This a �Osagt' i}fission. being the case here, it followed that while we were taking care of the Indians, we were also bound to assist these few Catholic mechanics, and, as in many instances, these people had their families and connexions living in the western country of Missouri, bordering on Kansas, so we also could not refuse to go and visit them sometimes in the year to baptize their children, bless their marriages, and offer to all an opportunity of complying with their christian duties. This was so just and reasonable that the Most Rev. Arch-. bishop of St. Louis not only approved of it, but gave us all faculties we needed in the discharge of our missionary duties. So, it came to pass that whenever we had any time to spare, especially when the whole body of our Osages were far away in the west, hunting buffalos, we would visit now one, then another of the western counties of Missouri, and do all we could to help the Catholics living there. One visit calling for another, by degrees we began to visit them with some order, till at last we formed amongst them regular missionary stations. Since the opening of Kansas, in 1854, many Catholics having come to settle in our eastern counties, it became our duty to visit them occasionally ; and so new missionary stations were opened upon our border counties, till every county had its own. Finally, at the close of the late war, the Osages ceded to the U.S. Government all their reservations west of the Verdigris river, and so a new and very extensive territory was opened to immigration, and at the same time a new field for our missionary labors. As soon as our missionary stations began to be rich enough to put up a new church, we went to work and built it. Here new congregations were started, and these by degrees, one after another, were transferred to our Rt. Rev. Bishop, who placed them under the care of Secular Priests. So, through our missions, the Catholic religion has been established in twenty-seven counties, as you can see by the �68 Osage Mission. map I send you. Ours has been the work of pioneers, a hard and rough work, but we hope not the less meritorious before God. For nearly twenty-five years we have never had more than three priests residing at this mission ; and so only one of us could attend the stations abroad. Some two years since, thanks be to God, one other Father was sent to assist us, and so we are now able to attend to our missionary stations with more regularity. However, we are by no ·means equal to the need, for here in truth we can say: " messis quidcm llllflta, opcran"i autcm pauci." As for the Indians, formerly living on their reservations within the boundaries of this State, they are all gone, and nothing is left of them in Kansas but their names, perpetuated by here and there either a county or a city, a river or a creek. The Indians have all now moved into the Indian Territory south of us, and though that country, is under the jurisdiction of the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Little Rock, Arkansas, yet he kindly allows us to execute our missionary duties amongst them. \Vhen the Osages left our mission they were thought by many to kQow nothing about the value of Christian education, and the practice of religion. Protestants are taking care of them now since 1869, and though they have tried by all imaginable means to destroy the love and esteem they have for the Roman Catholic Church.; though they have tried by presents, promises and threats to induce them to embrace Protestantism, they have so far met with nothing but failure ; and two only, both notorious scoundrels, are supposed to have given up the Catholic faith in which they had been raised. An Osage woman was, last winter, afflicted by a very severe sickness. When she was given up, and expected to die in a few hours, one of these apostates came to visit her, and after talking a good deal of nonsense, wished the dying woman to join him in his new belie( People thought that the poor woman had already lost the use of her mind, but �Osage l'rfission. it was not so ; she listened to the wretched man for a while, but losing all patience, at last, with an effort, almost supernatural, she sat up, and said to him : "Go away from me, you old rascal ; I know you well ! 'What have you to do with me? Do you think that I will give up my faith to please you ? Never! never! I learned my holy religion from Father Schoenmakers, and I hope I shall keep it till I die. Now I want to have nothing to do with you; go away from here quickly, and let me alone!" The wicked man was forced to leave the room. It was then towards evening, and the sick woman raising her voice as loud as she could, recited again and again all the prayers she knew, especially the Hail Mary, to the great astonishment of all those that were present, especially Protestants, who wondered how such a poor woman could have such a strong faith. Her faith saved her; she recover.::d. All kind of allurements, and even seductions, have been offered to the Osages to induce them to attend Protestant \":orship on Sunday, but the half-breeds as well as the fullblooded refuse to attend. The Agent, seeing that he cannot allure them, has even tried to punish them for not complying with his wishes, but to no purpose. Some time ago he threatened several that, if they would not attend Protestant worship on Sundays, he would withdraw from them their wages by putting them out of employment. But these men, though ignorant Indians, simply replied that they would rather lose their wages than act against their conscience. Their answer was a noble one ; but the result was that they were thrown out of employment. This is turning into real persecution; £<r, however, from doing any harm to the Catholic portion of the Osages, it has rather done them good, for since they begin to be abused on account of their religion, they seem to appreciate it more and more. This spring I visited them twice, and I felt really happy in seeing the majority of them comply with their Easter duty. Indeed, they edified me very much �70 Osage 3fission. by their piety and devotion. And here I must relate something quite wonderful which took place on this occasion. Having got through visiting the Osage settlements around the Agency, which is on Bird Creek, at a place called Deep Ford, I came to pass the night in a large halfbreed settlement on Cony, and sent word all around inviting the people to come to me on the.next morning at a certain house where I would say Mass to give them an opportunity of making their Easter. They all came on the next morning, and nearly all received the Holy Eucharist. Among these there was a young woman who had been, for over two weeks, suffering~ good deal from some ulcers on her tongue, in consequence of''which s.he could not eat, and the pain of hunger was worse than the disease. Now when she heard that I was going to say Mass, she determined to come and receive her Easter Communion. So she did, and wonderful to say, at the very moment the Sacred Host touched her tongue she felt she was perfectly cured. After Mass she was invited to breakfast, and she eat as hearty as if she had never had any soreness in her mouth. She herself declared the fact to me before two witnesses. As regards the new Reservation on which the Osages are at present, it is indeed a most beautiful piece of land, nearly fifty miles square. The land is well timbered, and irrigated by many fine streams, and is excellent for farming. Several families, following the example of the half breeds, devote themselves to agriculture, and this year made good improvements. But the majority of this nation still depend on the buffalos which they hunt on the far western plains. This last winter they had a very good hunt, killing over ten thousand buffalos; so that altogether their condition is not bad. Indeed their condition would be a very good one were it not for the annoyances to which they are subjected by the bigotry of those officers and missionaries, who should try to assist them. The worst 9f the grievances now endured by the Osages �Osage Miss£on. 71 is that. of being deprived qf a Catholic mission and school for their children ; and this in spite of all the promises made to them by the President of the United States and by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. This last gentleman, in order to induce them to send their children to a new school built last summer at their agency, and placed under the control of Quaker missionaries, promised the Osages that their children should never be interfered with in matters of religion, and the teachers he had given them should never have anyreligious form of worship for them. The Osages believed the words of the Commissioner, and during last fall brought forty-five of their children to that school. For a few weeks all went well enough, and no opposition was offered to the religion of the children. But after a little while these good teachers forgot all their promises, and on a certain Sunday called all the children to their religious ·meeting, and have since forced them to attend such meetings on every Sunday. This proceeding excited good deal of dissatisfaction among the Osages, who did not expect such bad faith in persons they considered respectable. One other great objection the Osages have to their Quaker school, is that in it their children, boys as well as girls, are raised all together, and left together nearly the whole day to do just what they please, without anybody watching them. Some may think that Indians are not very particular about the morality of their children ; but they mistake in so judging, for amongst Indians in general, there is more morality and self-respect than in many of the white settlements. In consequence of all this some thirty children have left the school during this spring, and the few remaining are not likely to stay there much longer. I could wish to write more on this subject now, but enough for the present. Yours in Christ, PAUL MARY PoNZIGLIONE, S. J. �-- -------- -~---------------------- LETTER FROM CINCINNATI. ST. XAVIER CoLLEGE, Cr:-ociNNATI, OCTOBER, 0. !874· REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. The even run ·f!.f our College life here has not been marked, during the last eight months, by events of any great importance. One of the first weeks in Lent was taken up with a general Mission in our Church. Father \Veninger was the solitary missioner; and without limiting himself to the men alone, as Fr. \Valsh had done in the memorable retreat of the previous year, he managed to get through all his work in nine days. The confessions of the four different classes, married women, young women, married men, young men, were heard at different times during the mission ; so that, on about the third day all the married women made their general Communion ; about the fifth, the young women ; then the married men ; finally, the young men. These general Communions· ·were very impressive, The communicants were led in lines from the pews by a couple of Acolytes, with lighted torches ; and when they had communicated were led back in the same way, between two new lines of other communicants, that were just approaching. That one idea of two Acolytes, each with a lighted torch, heading a procession, whether approaching or receding from the Communion rail, was quite a feature. I have heard that in some parts of Europe they are called " the Angels." The moment for distributing the Holy Communion was always a great.'one with the missioner. He addressed them �Letter frmiz Cinci1lJZati. 73 in the warmest language, and then kneeling down before the ciborium, open in the Priest's hand, he addressed our Lord in his own most fervent way. Thereupon the Priests began to distribute the Holy Communion, while Fr. \Veninger went down the Church to superintend. He did not allow them to approach the Holy Eucharist at all, except at his own stated times .. The mission began on Sunday, the second in Lent. On the following \Vednesday, the day for the married women, there were fourteen hundred Com. munions. How many of these were over and above the number of that class alone, is not apparent; and so on the other days. Thursday, the day for young women, had nine hundred Communions; Friday, for none in particular, six hundred ; Sunday for the married men, thirteen hundred ; Monday, for the young men, fifteen hundred. The mission closed with the erection of a Mission-Cross. The Church was thronged to suffocation. A couple of women had to be carried out. Our Church, meanwhile, is receiving an architectural ad~ clition, which will make it remarkable. It has, thus far, been without a steeple. Last year its, interior underwent a thorough renovation, in the way of painting and general decoration ; now the plan for a steeple has been submitted and accepted. In height it will be 307 feet; and the spire alone, from the top of the square tower, will be about onehalf of that height. The whole is to be of stone, and the spire will receive a special beauty from the ornamented openings which are in its whole length. However, the bids which the stone contractors made were rather high-like the steeple. So a division was necessary in the work : for the present the square tower only will be constructed. Its height is 56 feet above the present front of the Church, and terminates in several pinnacles. Besides, stone steps will be provided for the church entrance. These two works· in the one contract come to $22,000. The College year has opened again with nearly the same VoL. 1v-No. 1. 10 �74 . Letter from Cittci1lnati. number of boys as last year. This, considering the hard times, and the competition we meet with here, is rather favorable. The number is two hundred and thirty-six. Rev. Fr. N. has had for a long time back, among his penitents, one who was so deaf, that the Confessor recognized him by receiving no answer to his first questidn: "How long is it sin<::e your last confession ?" Thereupon, the Father would take the boy to the sacristy, and, talking to him in the loudest tone of voice, would so finish the confession. Last vacation the boy's father intended to begin the youth's education at a public school. This neither mother nor boy··nor Fr. N. approved of. They desired rather that he should come to the College ; though, to say the truth, he could learn nothing anywhere, he was so deaf. The Confessor recommended an application to Our Lady of Lourdes. They began a novena, the boy using the water and praying for such a faculty of hearing as would mab!e !tim to go to school,-nothing more. On the first day of the novena, he was better; second day, better still; last day, just so well as to come to school ; and here he is now in the lowest class. The parochial school is fairly. begun in the old district school-house : and the district school has opened its new house on our old lot. The parish never had such a school as now. It has despoiled Egypt-albeit "not without a fair exchange; only that what we gave was first-class ground, and what we got was a first-class house. ----~~+------- �NEW MEXICO. Letter of Fr. d' Aponte to Very Rev. Fr. D. Palomba, Provincial of tile Neapolitan Province. LAs VEGAS, April, 1874. For more than two months I have been giving missions. I began with that of S. Miguel on the first Sunday of Lent, with Fr. Gasparri and Fr. Carrozzini. In spite of the unfavorable weather, snowing nearly all the first week, we had a large concourse; and it was truly edifying to see poor people, without shoes, having their feet hardly covered by two leather straps, coming from afar to listen to the word of God. There were conversions of persons who had notreceived the sacraments for twenty, thirty, or even fifty years. Not one was left in the whole plaza who had not made his confession The second week was particularly devoted to La Cuesta and two other small villages belonging to the parish of S. Miguel. Three miles from La Cuesta, we met some fifty men on horseback who had come to welcome us, and they accompanied us, shooting off pistols. On entering the village, they separated into two lines, and our wagon passed between them, amidst the repeated firing of their pistols, and a merry pealing of the bells. Without losing time, we at once went to t.he church, where Fr. Gasparri addressed the people and opened the mission. The plaza was in a most deplorable state. Lust and theft prevailed; and as the practice of confession was almost abandoned, the sorrowful pastor of S. Miguel was not a little anxious about the success of the mission. Yet, three only excepted, all went to confession: restitutions were made, marriages legit- �;6 1Vew 1l1e:dco. imated, husbands and wives, long ago divorced, were recon.: ciled. Even those who seemed the hardest, after having been visited by us, yielded. We spent four days at La Cuesta, then we visited las pla:;as of fueblo and S. Jose ; and on Saturday we went back to S. Miguel, where we had all appointed for the close of the. mission. Until midnight the pastor and we heard confessions ; on the following day we had a general communion, and the church was crowded. In the afternoon, the final sermon was preached, after which we perf~ni1ed the ceremonies of the blessing of a MissionCross, and more than two thousand people marched in procession, singing tl}e rosary of the Blessed Virgin. The procession on its return halted in a large square before the church, the crpss was erected, a joyous salute was fired, and Fr. Gasparri made an address, which moved all to tears and impressed them so much that they cried out that they would die a thousand times rather than offend God again. On the fourth Sunday of Lent began the mission of Las Veg«s. We attended first to the first communion of the children, which took place on St. Joseph's day, and then .the rest of the time till Passion Sunday we devoted to grown persons. On that day we closed the mission with a very impressive celebration in honor of the Immaculate Mary and Pius IX. The church, a very large building, was tastefully decorated inside and outside, with banners white, blue ;>.nd yellow ; and on both sides of the altar two trophies of like banners supported beautiful escutcheons, with the monogram of the Virgin Mary and the arms of the Sovereign Pontiff. The general communion surpassed all our hopes. In the afternoon we sang the Rosary, a sermon was preached and the Papal Bene;Jiction being given, and the Mission-Cross blessed, the procession was quickly ·formed, and started. It opened with some sixty men on horseback, each one of them waving a flag of the colors of Mary and Pius IX. Then followed the cross between two acolytes, then all the ladies,.bearing banners of the colors of the Immacu- �New JWexico. 77 late Mary. On five triumphal cars, singers accompanied by music alternated hymns of the Mission, and next to them the whole body of men marched with flags of the Pontifical colors. Lastly appeared the Mission-Cross, carried by some twenty persons, amidst a squadron of nearly a hundred horsemen. The order of the procession was perfect, and the sight truly .admirable. Protestants who witnessed it, although irritated by the success of the mission, had to· confess that such an imposing ceremony had never taken place in New Mexico. When the procession halted before the church to witness the erecting of the cross, a short sermon was delivered, after which, in unanimous bursts of devotion, all repeated acclamations to God, to Mary, to our holy Religion, and to Pius IX. Not less than four thousand persons were then present. They entered the church, a solemn Tc Deum was sung, and all ended with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. We have been consoled by many signal conversions. Persons went to their duties after a neglect which varied from one year to seventy. On the following day', Fr. Gasparri set out for Albuquerque, and myself with Fr. Carrozzini for Manton de Alamos, where we had to give a short mission. We gathered abundant fruit also among these good people, who, for the first time, had the chance of attending the ceremonies of Holy Week. After Easter I took a few days of rest. Then I went to Los Bacas. There a man of fifty, who had_ not yet made his first communion, felt the sweetness of ;'Divine grace; some ma!as vidas were aban<.loned, and some marriages were made valid. From thence I passed over to visit Los Valles de S. Geronimo. It is a large p!a::a, and the mission lasted till the Feast of St. Joseph's Patronage. I had to hear confessions from early morning till I I or even I 2 at night. I went back to Las Vegas much fatigued, but immensely �78 Nc--..v Mexico. rejoiced in thinking that so many who had abandoned the sacraments of the Church for years, had now returned to God with evident signs of true contrition. To-day and tomorrow I rest ; next \Vednesday I shall start for Recolote ; and, si uilzzl obstat, for Los Vigiles and Las Gallinas. JoHN D'APONTE, D. 0. l\1. S. ]. ���WOODSTOCI{ LETTERS. VOL. IV., No. 2. EARLY MISSIONS OF OUR SOCIETY IN ST. CHARLES CO., MO. PORTAGE DES SIOUX-A REPUTATION OF FRAGMENT FATHER OF HISTORY, MARQUETTE OR THE DEFENDED. Immediately after the arrival of Father Van Quickenborn and party at St. Louis, on Corpus Christi, or May 29, 1823, and before they took up their residence at the Novitiate of St. Stanislaus, Florissant, Father Timmermans, one of the party from Maryland, was appointed to assume charge of "Portage des Sioux." This place is a small hamlet on the right bank. of the Mississippi river, about fourteen miles above its junction with the Missouri, and some nine miles above Alton in Illinois. Portage des Sioux derives its name from the fact that the Sioux Indians here crossed the river from the Illinois shore, and passed to St. Charles on the Missouri river, about twelve miles distant, where they made a fierce attack upon the Sacks and Osages, gaining a victory which proved disastrous to their enemy. This seems to have happened a little before the French, from Fort Chartres, forty-five miles below St. Louis, on the �So Early Missions of Our Society in St. Cltar!es Co., Mo. left or east bank of the Mississippi, settled this region in 1762. Portage seems neither to have declined nor to have advanced within the last sixty years, though a mixture of Americans, Irish and Germans has replaced, to a large extent, the simple Creole population that once owned the soil. Colonel Brackenridge, in th~ journal of his travels through this region in I8I I, describes the delta between the two rivers, as seen from the two adjacent mounts near St. Charles, named by the fanciful Creoles, "Les Mammelles." "Fifty thousand acres," he says, "of the finest land, the whole e?'tent perfectly level, covered with long waving grass, are. .':nder the eye at once, and yet on all this space, there is but one little cultivated spot to be seen," and this, doubtless, was the land immediately around Portage. When Henry Schoolcraft passed up the Mississippi by this spot, August 4, 182 I, he found a large number of Fox Indians here temporarily encamped along the shore: Schoolcraft was on his way to Chicago where all the Indian chiefs of the Ottawa and Pottowattomy tribes were to meet Governor Cass, for the purpose of making a treaty, in I 82 I. The first~baptism administered by Fr. Timmermans at Portage was signed June 13, 1823, and was that of Fran<sois Rive; and on the same. day he recorded the marriage of John C. Evans and Theresa Saucier. In. 1825, Fr. Van Quickenborn began a stone church in St:·· Charles, and in i827 he purchased a frame dwelling in that town, near the, river bank. In this sarile year Fathers Smedts and Ver~. reydt were ordained priests by Bishop Rosati, in the semi-· nary chapel at the Barrens in Perry county. They went to. reside at St. Charles, having in charge Portage des Sioux, Dardenne or St. Peter's, Femme Osage and other stations. Opposite Portage des Sioux, or on the Illinois shore~ are high rocky cliffs extending downwards to Alton nine. miles below, and upwards to the Illinois river. It was high up on one of these perpendicular rocks that Fr. Marquette saw two paint'ed figures, monste:s as large as calves, having �Early Missions of Our Society in St. Clzar/es Co., Mo. 81 human faces, their bodies covered with scales, and having tails which twice coiled around their bodies and then ended in fish tails. These figures were well painted, so well, he affirmed, that even a Frenchman could not have painted them better. The colors employed were red, green and blackish. Fr. Marquette must have passed this spot about the last day of June in 1673, allowing him to have averaged the same rate of canoe travel that Fr. De Smet did under similar circumstances, which was about thirty-five miles per day. Fr. Marquette was the first European who ever saw the Upper Mississippi, the Pekitanoui, or Muddy River, now called the Missouri, and the mouth of the Ohio. La Salle and party did not see this region until eight or nine years later, and they then had Marquette's published narrative to guide them, as far, at least, as the mouth of the Arkansas river. An effort was made by Fr. Donay, who was of La Salle's party, and by others, to deprive Fr. Marquette of his honor as first discoverer ; and they tried to show that his descriptions of scenery and striking objects were all made from mere hearsay among the Indians about the Lakes. Father Anastasius Donay, Recollect, saw paintings on a rock at what is now known as "Grand Tower," below St. Genevieve, where the river passes through a sort of gate in the original bluffs. This painting was not of monsters, he alledges, but was a horse with other well-known animals near him ; and besides, this painting was so near the water that he could reach it from his canoe. In impugning the veracity of Father Marquette's narrative, he laid much stress on this circumstance of the paintings; and indeed, Fr. Marquette's good name was not fully cleared till Mr. Shea published his diary in 1852. Mr. Jared Sparks said early in 1861 that this publication of Marquette's diary had made it necessary for him to remodel several of his biographies. Marquette in his diary describes these paintings, as seen by him, to have been above the mouth ofthe Miss- �82 Early Missions of Our Socieiy ill St. Charles Co., JJ,fo. ouri, and says he and his companions were still talking of them when they heard the roar of rushing waters, and then floated into the current of the Missouri river, rolling out its forest of drift wood, and whole islands of mud and sand: and this he said in order to intimate that the two scenes were not far apart. The older inhabitants of Portage des Sioux often saw this famous painting, and they still relate the Indian traditions about it, as do also the old boatmen of the upper river who are sure to learn and remember all that is marvelous in respect to striking spots along the streams which they often naviga!e. The following narrative in regard to this spot is in a pamphlet published in Philadelphia, in 1840, and written by Fr. DeSmet when he was among the "Prairie Indians" or wild Pottowattomies at Council Bluffs, in 1838: "I learned from the Chief of this nation a singular tradition prevailing among the various tribes of the Illinois throughout the southwest. In ascending the Mississippi, between Alton and the mouth of the Illinois river, the traveler observes, between two large hills, a narrow valley down which a little stream flows into the great river. This stream is called in the language of the natives, Piasa or tlze bird tltat devours man. At this spot there is visible, on a perpendicular rock, the Indians alledge, the figure of a huge bird carved in the rock, and with its wings extended. The bird which this figure represents, and which gave its name to the stream, is called by them piasa. Many thousand moons before the arrival of the white men, when the great mammoth that was slain by Nanabush still roamed over the wide, grassy prairies, there existed a great bird that could seize and carry off a stag in his talons with as much ease as a hawk could take up a wren. It once pounced on an Indian, bore him off to a great cavern, and devoured him. From that time forth it would feed on none but human flesh. In its<voracity it depopulated whole villages of the �Early Missions of Our Society ill St. Clzarles Co., Mo. 83 Illinois, nor could hundreds of brave warriors destroy it. At lengt~ a bold chief named Outaga, whose fame extended beyond the great lakes, was commanded by the Great Manitou, who appeared to him in a dream, to single out twenty warriors armed with bows and poisoned arrows, and by means of them the hungry piasa should be slain. They found the great bird perched on the high rock that still bears his name and figure. All let fly their arrows at once, arid the fearful winged monster transfixed with twenty arrows fell dead at the feet of the brave chief Outaga. And to this day in the caverns around the piasa rock are heaped the bones of many thousand Indians whose flesh was food for the insatiable maw of this monstrous bird." An island just opposite this high butting rock, which is still named on the maps, the "Paysa," was in former days covered with dense, tall timber. This wild spot was also a favorite haunt of the blood-thirsty fowl. Even the whitefaced boatman, in early days of western travel, ventured past this awful woodland by night with timid caution ; and it was rumored that the ruthless destroyer's form had been seen in the moonlight by some of their own number, flapping its wings on the tree tops, and that its scream had been heard echoing at black midnight through the dark forest and far over the waters ; a story which gained willing credence from these men of the pristine raft and flatboat. For the matter of positive fact, the painting described by Fr. Marquette, as to one at least of its figures, remained visible, with its colors distinct and lively, till the year r866, when a thrifty stone mason from St. Louis, more solicitous for money than curious about relics of aboriginal history, quarried the rock for a lime-kiln! Having made some enquiries in writing of Mr. Henry Le Sieur, a deserving and intelligent gentleman, who resides at Portage des Sioux, and whose father settled there a while before the end of the last century, he sent the letter to Mr. J. W. Wise, a worthy gentleman of Alton, who thus �84 Early fifi'ssions of Our Society t"n St. C!tarles Co., Mo. replies to the proposed questions: "The figure represented what-seemed to be half animal and half bird, or perhaps I should say, a dragon, having wings and a long tail such as usually attributed to the dragon. There was but one figure; it was painted at the distance of about fifteen or twenty feet below the top of the cliff, about sixty feet above the base, and the Lase was some twenty feet above ordinary high water. This mass of rock was just above the upper part of Alton and was eight miles from Portage. It was quarried in r866 and r867 by Sheehan and Bro., of St. Louis." I append what Mr:-Le Sieur* adds to these statements of Mr. Wise, he being also an eye witness. I give his letter entire, since it is a complete defense of Fr. Marquette's veracity, by one who had no aim but to state the facts which he knew ; and besides, there is historic force in presenting this testimony concretely, with names and dates annexed: "My impression was that the figure represented a griffin, or a dragon. From persons here who had seen it, and whom I consulted, I could get no eclaircissemcnt, as some pronounced it a bird, while others said it was a quadruped. Mr. Wise~says there was but one figure, although some say that there was a small figure in front of the large one. I will add to his description that it was a pale red. From the foot of the rock, where I examined it, the outlines of the figure appeared to have been indented into the rock; not with a chisel, but with a scraping and round pointed instrument forming a groove, and then painted in the groove. It was exposed to the storms coming from the south and the west, which must have gradually washed off the paint. Besides, the face of the rock was much marked with bullets. I have heard my father, who often passed it in company with fleets of Indian canoes, say that the Indians invariably discharged all their guns at it when they passed. That was in the latter part of the last century. None of . *He writes under date of Dec. 13, 1873. �Early Mtssi'ons of Our Society itt St. Clzarles Co., Mo. 85 them, at that time, had any knowledge as to when it had been made. They said it was a manitou, and they seemed to have a dread of it. "Respectfully yours, "HENRY LE SIEUR." These statements leave no ground for rational doubt concerning the identity of this painting with the one described in Fr. Marquette's narrative. What was said by Fr. Donay, and others, of a painting seen by them at Grand Tower, below St. Genevieve, at the most, merely shows that there were paintings made by the Indians in more places than one. No vestige of any painting at Grand Tower seems ever to have been mentioned by any subsequent travelers, or to have beeq observed by the white population living in that vicinity, in latter times. The recent removal of Bishop Van de Velde's remains from Natchez, Miss., where he died of yellow fever Nov.13, rSss. to the beautiful little mound at St. Stanislaus' Novitiate near Florissant, where they were reinterred on Nov. 20. 1874, prompts one to wish that those of Fr. Marquette were translated to the same spot, there to rest until the final day along with those of Frs. Van Quickenborn, Verhaegen, De Smet; also with those of Fr. Meurin, which were removed in I 849 from Prairie du Rocher in Illinois, where he died in Feb. 1778. Father Marquette's remains were exhumed by christian Ottawas two years after his death, and removed from the banks of the rivulet that bears his name, and which empties into Lake Michigan about the middle point of its eastern border, and were taken to point St. Ignace or Mackinaw, where they were buried beneath the Church on the mainland. The resident priest at Mackinaw stated in a letter of April 3, I 87 3, that the site of the missionary Church which was burned down in 1706, could be found and certainly identified; for doubtless the traditions of the neighbourhood preserve the memory of the exact locality. �86 Early Missions of Our Socit'ty itt St. Charles Co., Mo. This digression, so loquacious and narrative, quite defies the laws of legitimate epic. Now to assume the theme first proposed, which was the early missions of our Society in St. Charles County, and particularly to declare the glories of Portage des Sioux: in regard to all of which, further talk, for the present, must be limited to mere general outline. Father Verreydt built the brick Church at Portage after Fr. De Theux became Superior of the Missouri mission in 1831. Fr. Van Quickenborn returned from the Kickapoo mission, which he founded at Fort Leavenworth in 1836, to Portage des Sioux, with his health much impaired. He did .. not grow better, and he died at Portage August 17, 1837. About that time Fr. Aegidius DeBruyn took charge of Portage, but he died the following year, or Sept. 19, 1838. He was succeeded then by Fr. Paillasson who was, during the same year, sent to Grand Coteau. His place was taken at Portage by Fr. Van Assche, who remained till compelled by his physician to leave, in 1840, when he returned to his former home at Florissant. After the return of Fr. Van Assche to Florissant the congregation~at Portage des Sioux was made a dependency of the Residence at St. Charles, and from that time to the present it has been attended from that place. From the Novitiate near Florissant, the bold scenery stretching from Alton far up the Mississippi, is visible. In the early days of the Missouri Province, from the Novitiate to Portage was a favorite walk of the Novices. The distance from St. Stanislaus' was but little more than eight miles. It was reached in the winter oftentimes by crossing the Missouri at the Charbonniere, * on the ice, and in warmer weather * The Charbonnicre is a little mount near the river, and it is so called because a scam of stove coal underlies it. The coal is of inferior quality, but it may become valuable when timber grows more scarce. The mound or bluff rises to the height of three hundred feet, and the table land at its top gradually undulates back to the Novitiate, which is distant a little more than a tuile from the river. Fr. De Smet, shortly after his niTival at the Novitiate in 1823, excavated some small mounds on the Charbonniere and found the remains of Indian warriors there. He took up a skeleton and kept it for 11 time, but was compelled by his compan· ions to bury it, as its stench was peculiarly offensive. �Early Mz'ssions of Our Society in St. Cltarles Co., Mo. 87 by way of a ferry just below, and passing over the vast natural meadow outspread between the two rivers. Some of the Novices frequently went thither to r~lieve the burden of the pastor on Sundays, giving the pious Creoles pretty specimens of fervid youthful eloquence:. On one occasion, nearly forty years ago, when nine or ten Novices had crossed ovt>r the frozen waters and gone to the hospitable house of Father Van Assche at Portage, a south breeze set in, the ice in the river parted, floating away, no ferry boat could make its way through the fields of moving ice, and they were compelled to spend the night at Portage. On their return to the Novitiate the following day, they blamed the river for their disaster, but the anxious novice master, Fr. De Vos, preferred, with wider views of what was lost, to blame them ; and, after a paternal reproof, he imposed three days of penance on them, which sentence, however, in consideration of their meekness, he on the same day commuted into the milder penalty of an extra feast in thanksgiving to the good Angels and to God because his precious clzarissimi had been preserved from graves in the quicksands of the Missouri river. No wonder that one of the first facts of cotemporaneous history learned by the fresh Novice thirty years ago, was, "Portage des Sioux is a great place !" After passing in review the events of their simple history, we can but make the reflexlon: what sufferings and privations were endured by these hardy pioneers of our Society in the West! what a complete oblation of self, and what living embodiments of our rule these men were! "Quam pulchri super montes pedes annuntiantis et pra!dicantis pacem; annuntiantis bonum, pra!dicantis salutem, dicentis Sion: regnabit Deus tuus." Isaias Iii, 7· W. H. H. ST. Loms UNIVERSITY, JANUARY, VoL. 1v-No. 2. 1875· 12 �EXPULSION OF THE JESUITS FROM LOUISIANA IN 1763. The following account if not written by the exiles themselves, was at least compiled from their notes. It was not intended for publication but for the usc of the members of the Society and their friends. As our readers may have a laudable curiosity to know its authority, we may say that it is taken from our archin·s in Rome, and has been published in the "Document.< ini>dits concernant la Compagnie de Jesus, publiis par le P. Auguste Oarayon, d<J la meme Compagnie, n. xiv. Poitiers, 1865." You tell me that you are surprised to learn of the arrival in Paris of the Jesuits expelled from Louisiana in accordance with a decree issued against them in that Colony. You would like to know the motives of this sentence and the consequences of its execution. I am perfectly acquainted with the matter which so much interests you and with everything relating to it. I have lived nearly thirty years in Louisiana and I left it only at the beginning of the present year. Being persuaded that your curiosity has no other motive than your love for religion and truth, in the account which I am about to give I shall be careful to say nothing which departs in the least from either. In the month of June, 1765, the Jesuits ·or- New Orleans, the capital of Louisiana, were still fluctuating between hope and fear as to their future fate. The preceding year they had seen their enemies, with an air of triumph circulating manuscript copies of the Bill passed by the Parliament at Paris, Aug. 6, 1761. But some influential persons had reassured them. They expected much from the representations made in their favor and especially placed reliance on the prayer which the French Bishops addressed to the King. On the arrival of the vessel which brought the news of peace, they became aware at last of what they had to expect, for 'it carried orders for their destruction. �Expulsion of the :Jesuits from Louisiana in z763. 89 M. D'Albadie, Commissary General of the Navy and Commander of Louisiana, and M. De Ia Freniere, Attorney General of the Supreme Assembly of this colony, both lately appointed to their positions, came over on the vessel. The Commissioner was not slow to inform the Superior of the Jesuits of the preparations made against them. "I believe," he said, "that the Attorney General is charged with some order which relates to you." His words were plain enough, but, notwithstanding the example of so many Parliaments ,the Jesuits were persuaded that nothing would be done against them in Louisiana; and at so critical a moment they did not take ,the least precaution to secure their property. Proceedings commenced. It was ordered that the Institute of the Jesuits should be brought before the Council for examination: quite a task for this tribunal. By right all the judges who composed it should have studied at least theology, civil and ecclesiastical law: above all they should have understood the language in which the Institute was written. But this was not the kind of knowledge required of Judges in the colonies. In appointing them they did not seek graduates of the up.iversities; but they chose those of the inhabitants who showed some capacity for business : and accordingly in these councils were found ex-merchants, Doctors and army officers. Those trained in the navy de· partment are usually the best educated; so that such have hitherto been most frequently appointed, at least in Louisiana, to the Presidency of the Council, a dignity attached to the office of Commissioner or Commander.-These facts fully justify us in saying that the Council of New Orleans undertook a considerable task in assuming to decide on the Institute of the Jesuits. To tell the truth, it is but just to suppose that M. de Ia Freniere, familiar with the latin language from his youth, had also studied civil law during his long stay in France; �go Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisiana in I763. but his capacity could not be communicated to the judges who were to decide the matter. A great number of them were utterly unacquainted with the language of the documents on which they were going to pass judgment. The matter under consideration was spiritual, if any ever was, and yet the judges were all mere laymen. And after the decision of the Council of Trent upon the Institute of the Society of .Jesus, if another examination was necessary, to whom else did it belong but to the universal Church? None of these considerations influenced the Council of Louisiana ; for, a powerful motive encouraged them to enter on the matter a!· once. Many volumes of petitions and reports on this suoject in the different Parliaments of France, and the Bills passed in consequence had arrived. · For these gentlemen it was sufficient to believe themselves competent; there was no danger of going astray under such guides. The petition was presented by the Attorney-general : the sentence which I shall give shortly will make known the nature of his action. As to the opinions given, it is not clear that the ordinary Counsellor.? were entirely unanimous : outside of them it is certain that there was one man favorable to the Jesuits; and this was M. de Chatillon, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Angoumois regiment, who in his official capacity was entitled to be present at the Council and to g!ve his opinion. This honorable old gentleman did not shrink from defending those who had so few protectors left. The sentence was pronounced on the gth of July. It was declared that the Institute of the Society was an encroachment on the royal authority and the rights of the Bishops; as well as dang(!rous to the public peace ; and that the vows made in conformity with it were null and void. Persons heretofore styling themselves Jesuits were forbidden henceforth to go by that name or to wear their ordinary habit; and :in plac~ of it were to employ that of the secular clergy. With the exception of their books and a few �Expulsion of tlte :Jesuits from Louisiana in z763. 91 articles of furniture, every thing belonging to them, whether personal property or real estate, was ordered to be seized and sold at public auction. All the church ornaments and sacred vessels of the New Orleans Jesuits were to be handed over to the Rev. Capuchin Fathers; whilst those of the Jesuits living in the Illinois country should be surrendered to the King's representative in those parts. After this the Churches were to be razed to the ground and the so-called Jesuits were to be shipped to France by the first vessel ready to sail: in the meantime they were not allowed to live together. A sum of six hundred livres was allowed to pay each one's passage and an additional fifteen hundred francs for their maintenance during six months. At the end of that time they were commanded to present themselves to M. Le due de Choiseul, Secretary of State for the Navy Department, and ask for the pensions which should be assigned them out of the money realized from the sale of their property. I have alre<~dy stated the general motives for the condemnation of the Jesuits in Louisiana; motives which were modeled on the decrees of the French Parliament; but in giving its decision, the Council of New Orleans was anxious to add some new and specific charges. It declared that the Jesuits in the colony !tad mtitely neglected their missions; that they tltoug!zt o1t!y of increasing the value of their houses, and tltat t!tey !tad usurped the m"car-gmeralsh£p qf New Orlealls. If there had been question only of their own interest, the Jesuits of Louisiana, in addition to the loss of their property, could have also suffered in silence the injury done to their reputation by this sentence. But there are times when silence is equal to an avowal of guilt; and it is not allowable to acknowledge a crime laid to our charge when scandal will result therefrom. Now what greater scandal than that missionaries sent to America for the instruction of th~ French and the savages, missionaries living on the favors of �l 92 Expulsion of the :Jesuits from Louisiana in IJ6J. the King, should be condemned by the voice of their conscience even tacitly to admit that they had neglected their missions, that they had taken care only of their dwellings, and moreover were self-confessed usurpers of the vicar-generalship of a diocese? No! conscience will not oblige the Jesuits of Louisiana to admit their guilt. On the contrary it obliges them to speak; and in justifying themselves they have no fear of contradiction, or of this much, at least, they are certain, that what may be said against them has neither truth nor solidity. There are few provinces in France at this day where there is not to be f~und some person of consideration who has lived in Louis'iana. Of these ,there is none who has not known the Jesuits; the most of them have even been enabled to examine them closely. The Jesuits appeal with confidence to the testimony which these persons can give in their favor, concerning the charges in question. Nay more, they dare advance as witnesses of their conduct three governors of Louisiana and a vicar-general of the diocese of Quebec for this same colony, all of whom were still living in june of this year, 1764. Their approbation was neither asked nor anticipated. The first witness, then, shall be M. de Bienville, commander of the King's fleet, for the last twenty years living at Paris. He may justly be regarded as· ~he founder of the colony of Louisiana. He it was who in 1698 accompanied his brother M. d'Herville when that illustrious navy officer discovered the mouth of the Mississippi, after the famous adventurer La Salle had failed. M. de Bienville was then left on the banks of this river to commence a settlement. He governed this colony for forty-four years with the exception of a few short intervals. It was he who put it almost in the condition in which we see it at present, by building New Orleans and the post of Mobile and by establishing the other posts in Louisiana. During his long official career he always paid marked attention to all that �Erpulsion of the :Jesuits from Louisiana in q63. 93 was going on in that vast province; he knew the merit of all who were employed there; and no person the country could have forgotten the remarkable good will he always manifested towards the Jesuits there. Would he have acted thus towards missionaries who, failing in the care of their mission, would have failed in their most essential duty? The second witness is the Marquis de Vaudreuil, last governor of New France. He succeeded M. de Bienville in the government of Louisiana. The Jesuits found in him a protector and a declared friend. It would be difficult to add anything to the marks of favor he constantly showed them. What could have attracted such kind attentions? Surely nothing but the idea he conceived of their fidelity to their most important duties. The integrity of M. de Vaudreuil would not have permitted him to treat with such honor missionaries who by neglect of their duty would have deserved from him only reproaches and contempt. The third witness for the Louisiana Jesuits is M. de Ker· levee, post commander and last governor of this colony. A single proof will suffice to show his opinion of them; it is a letter which he wrote a short time before their destruction, in which he recalled to them these words of our Lord to His disciples: Beati eritzs cum vos oderint homines, d persemti vos fuerint, ct dLt:erint omtze malum adversum vos mentientcs, propter me: gaudete et exultate! Can we believe that he would have applied this text to missionaries who had taken no care of their missions? Finally, a fourth witness shall be M. L'abbe de l'lsleDieu. For more than thirty years he was at Paris, vicargeneral of the Quebec Diocese and especially charged with managing its affairs in connection with Louisiana. Yet his opinion of the Jesuits in Louisiana may be gathered from a letter he wrote to them after the sentence of Aug. 6, 1762, in which he says that they perislzed, to tlze regret of t/ze wltole epzscopal body and of all good mm. Writing in in �l 94 Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisiana in I 763. this fashion, it is rather improbable that he judged them to hav.:: failed in the care of their missions. But it will be asked, could the Jesuits, then, defend themselves only by the testimony of others? Should they not have put forward their practices in the missions, their works and the fruits of their zeal to speak in their behalf? The good actions of every person of character ought to be recounted to his praise in presence of his judges: Laud.-nt cam in portis opera e;its. The Jesuits fear not to submit to the examination here proposed; and to show what they did, I am going to speak of their missions separately. First, of the oldest, nam\';ly, those in the Illinois country, then of the New Orleans mission, together with that of the Chactas and Alibamons. Among the Illinois the Jesuits had four established missions. The first was for the instruction of the savages called Cascaskias ; and the following were the exercises practised there : At sunrise the signal was given for prayers and Mass. The savages recited the prayers in their own language and, during Mass, sang according to the Roman form, hymns and canticles translated into their own language with suitable petitions. At the end of Mass the missionary taught Catechism to the children; on his return to his dwelling he was engaged in teaching the adult Neophytes and Catechumens either in preparation for Baptism or Penance, Holy Communion or Marriage. \Vhen he was free he went through the village exciting the faithful to fervor and exhorting the unbelievers to embrace Christianity. The rest of the day was none too much to recite the divine office, to study the language of the savages and prepare instructions for Sundays and feast days. Certainly,care, and much care, was necessary for so many varied and continual duties. At least the savages were persuaded that the Jesuits took care of them, since at the first news of the sentence pronounced against the missionaries, they wished to go in search of the officer c~mmanding in those �Expulsion of the 7esuits from Louisiana in I763. 95 parts, to beg that he would at least save them Father Meurin who was in charge of their mission. And what other idea could they form of the Jesuits? A single example will suffice as a representative of a body of men entirely devoted to the instruction of the savages; it is Father de Guyenne, who died in 1752. After having spent thirty-six years in the Louisiana Missions he had labored in the Alibamon, the Arkansas and the Miami missicns. He had been .cure of the Fort de Chartres and everywhere he was respected as a man of rare virtue, singular prudence and inviolable attachment to his missionary duties . . Since 1736 he had devoted himself to the Illinois mission. Called to more honorable and agreeable employments, he preferred to remain with his savages, and by his constancy . had not only preserved religion, very much weakened in that nation, but had even considerably reanimated fervor by his indefatigable application to all his duties. At -last, four years before his death, though afflicted with partial paralysis which rendered him incapable of motion, and though suffering from great weakness of the chest, an old malady which hardly left him strength to make himself heard, he ceased not to receive at all hours the dear Neophytes, who · came from a great distance to receive instruction from him. He taught them catechism, exhorted them to virtue, heard their confessions, and by virtue of his power as Superior relieved them in their temporal necessities. Does not the example of a man so faithful to his ministry to the last day of his life, give us reason to assert that among the Jesuits established with the Illinois there remained some zeal and care for the missions? At a league and a quarter from the village of the Illinois savages was a French village also called Cascaskias, where for forty-four years there has been a parish, always tinder the care of the Jesuits. Of those who have been charged with this office we dare to repeat what we have said of their brethren in general, that there are few French provinces not VoL. tv-No. 2. 13 �96 Er:pulsi01i of tlze Ycsuits from Louisi{ma in r;63; still possessing witnesses of their. zeal in the ministry, their fidelity in visiting the sick and relieving the poor, their assiduity in the tribunal of penance and almost daily instruction of the children. To this must be added the instruction of the negroes and the savages who were slaves of the French, to dispose them for baptism and the reception of the other sacraments. Moreover public prayers were said every evening in the Church in conjunction with the reading of some pious book; and on Sundays and festivals two catechetical instructions were given, one to the French children, another to the negro slaves and the savages, to say nothing of the solemn Masses and vespers accurately sung, with the accompanying benediction. · But there is an example of still greater solicitude. Since the year 1753 there had been at the French village of the Cascaskias a newly built parish Church one hundred and forty-four feet in length and forty-four feet front, which would never have ueen finished had not the cost of building been paid out of the Church revenues and the contributions of the parishioners. Fathers Tartarin, vVatrin and Aubert, Jesuits, ~successively charged with the care of this parish, devoted to this work the greater part of the chance offerings of the faithful and the alms received for Masses. When they had the erection and adornment of their Church so much at heart, it is not likely that they were wanting in their other duties. Is another proof needed of the Jesuits' solicitude in the care of this parish? For fifteen years past a new village called St. Genevieve has been established on the opposite bank of the Mississippi, at a league's distance from the old village. It became necessary then for the cure of the Cas· caskias to visit this place for the administration of the Sacraments at least to the sick. When the population inincreased they asked for the erection of a Church. This request being granted, the missionaries believed it their • duty to encourage the good will and to minister to the �Erpulsion of tlte :Jesuits from Louisiana £n I76J. 97 needs of their new parishioners by more frequent visits. Neverthdess to reach this new Church it was necessary to cross the Missi ss ippi which at that place is about a mile and a quarter wide. At times you had to trust yourself to a slave who guided the canoe alone: and your life was exposed to imminent danger if a viol ent storm happened to break upon you whilst on the way over. None of these difficulties prevented th e cure of the Cascaskias frum going over to St. Genevieve on a mission of charity, a task which he continued to discharge until a few years ago when a. resident cure was stationed there after the inhabitants had built a house for him. These two villages of the Cascaskias and St. Genevieve were the second and third Jesuit settlements in the Illinois country ; and it is clear to every one that care, courage and constancy were needed to fulfil even a part of the duties devolving on the missionaries. At a distance of So leagues from the Illinois was Vincennes or Saint Ange, a post so called from the name of the officers commanding there. . This settlement was on the banks of the Ouabache (now \Vabash) which flows into th e Ohio and, with it, enters the Mississipi,about seventy leagues below. In the last mentioned place there were at least sixty French families, to say nothing of the Miami savages who lived close by. Here also there was ample field for Jesuit enterprise and zeal, and they were never found wanting. This may easily be believed, if we consider that this settlement was daily growing larger a nd that the new inhabitants, for a long time given to a roving life, were little accustomed to practise their christian duties. Instructions and exhortations, public as well as private, were required to establish amo~gst them even the semblance of a good life. That the Jesuits acquitted themselves of their ch ange is proved by the complaints of their parishioners, who pretended that their cures went beyond the limits of their duty and took too great a care of them. This is diametrically opposite to the accusation of the Louisiana Council. �98 Expulsion of t!te :Jesuits from Louisiana in z763. But what were the Jesuits doing among the Alibamons and Chactas? The French had settled near the Alibamon savages, the missionary discharging the office of cure. In this capacity Fr. Leroi had made them publicly promise to sell no more whiskey to the savages. It is true that a resolution so useful and necessary for the religion as well as for the temporal advantage of both Savages and French did not last long; the ancient custom was soon reestablished and the hope of sordid gain prevailed over reason and justice; yet prudent men have not forgotten the services done by the missionaries. ·what did they dQ for the savages? They lived with them ever ready to teach them the Christian faith when it pleased God to open their hearts. Meanwhile they endeavoured to keep them in close relations of alliance and friendship with the French, and they succeeded because. these people saw well enough by their conduct that they had not come among them in quest of a fortune. This disinterestedness gained them so much credit that they became useful, even indispensable to the colony. But it was especially in the Chactas nation that the missionaries rendered this essential service; and those who know Louisiana can tell how important it was to maintain friendly relations with this nation. If alienated from us, they could rise up and in a single day put an end to the colony, by destroying New Orleans, which had no defences whatever. It was to prevent such an attack that the mis-· sionaries led a weary life among a people as barbarous as the Chactas, making them comprehend the advantage of being at peace with the French and the value qf the presents given them regularly every year. If these subsidies failed, as happened during the war, it became the missionary's task to conciliate their good will by promising indemnity for those losses. What services did not the Jesuits render when they accompanied the Governors every year to the fort of Mobile, where the Chactas assembled to receive �MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Erpulsion if tltc :Jesuits from Loui'si'cma in I76J. 99 their allowance? To make a useful as well as· a judicious 'distribution of presents, ~he Governor should have been acquainted with the chiefs of the nation and known the most devoted and influential. Who could furnish him this information except the missionary who lived with them, was in close connection with the most trustworthy, and regularly visited the thirty villages of the Chactas to see what was going on there. If there had only been question of visiting the village! But during these many years that the Chactas were divided among themselves into parties favorable or hostile to the French, even to the extent of killing one another, to what dangers was not the missionary exposed even in the solitude of his cabin? How often had he not n~ason to fear that his life would be taken by those who wished to have revenge upon the French for the death of the Chactas killed by their partisans? Such were the missionary's invaluable services: and for twenty years this was done by Fr. Baudoin, who now as Superior at New Orleans, has been condemned by the sentence which accuses the Jesuits of carelessness in the discharge of their duties. Nevertheless it is hard to believe that there were not some apparent motives for reproach. This might perhaps have been the occasion: in I 763 there were no longer any Jesuits with the Arkansas, where the Jesuits were obliged to leave one, according to their grant. For many years Fr. Carette had quitted this post: his brethren were of opinion that he should have done so sooner. Though he had but little hope of bringing these savages to Christianity, the Father studied their language for a long time and tried in vain to reform the morals of the French. He followed them to the different settlements which the overflow of the Mississippi obliged them to establish. Notwithstanding so much difficulty, the missionary would not allow his efforts to be rendered useless by the conduct of those who should have assisted him: he accordingly continued in patience till the occurrence of the event we are about to describe. �100 St. :Joseph's Church, Philadelphia. In the fort of the Arkansas there was no longer a chapel,_ not even an apartment where Mass could be said except the hall where the commandant took his meals. Such a place was ill suited to the purpose, not only because it was a dining-hall, but still more because of the bad conduct and licentious discourse of those who frequented it Every living creature in the fort, not excepting the fowls from the poultry yard, came there; a hen flying upon the altar upset the chalice which remained there at the close of the Mass. The spectators were not at all moved; one who should have been most ~oncerned, crying out : See there I the traps of tlte good God.q,re dmem. These sentiments were not more impious than their lives. Fr. Carette judged proper to leave the place until either a chapel was built or the people of the fort were disposed to respect religion. Else,;;here he could be employed with better hope of success. (To be continued.) ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. [ Co11tinued.] In the latter part of 1855 arrangements were made by which some of our Fathers took charge of St. John's Church and Congregation, Very Rev. Edward Sourin, the pastor and former administrator of the diocese, entering the Novitiate on the eve of St. Stanislaus' day. In January 1856, Fathers Ryder, Pacciarini and John Me Guigan with one brother were stationed at StJohn's and Father - - · with four Scholastics took possession of a �St. Yoscp!t's Clmrclt, Pltiladelplzia. 101 building erected as a parochial school for St. John's parish, but which was now converted into a College. The second story or, as sometimes called, the first floor, being richly furnished, was fitted up as a Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, which sometime served the fashion;,lble congregation of Philadelphia. Fathers Barbelin, Vespre and Tuffer, with one Scholastic and four Brothers remained at St. Joseph's: so that from the beginning of 1856 there were three Communities of Ours in the straight~laced City of Philadelphia. The Scholastic who remained at St. Joseph's, assisted by a young secular gentleman, opened St. Joseph's Select School, which soon had the names of a hundred boys on its list. On the Festival of the Epiphany, Bishop James Frederick Wood made his first visit to St. Joseph's. In his eloquent sermon, he remarked : "The spirit which laid the first corner stone of its foundation is still as fresh, as vigorous, as warm, as it was then, and the recollection of the services which this Church has given to religion is embalmed in the hearts of all." On the I sth of August, the Festival of our Mother's glorious Assumption, Father James vVard became Vice Rector of the College at Filbert and Juniper, and Superior of the Mission at St. John's. During this year, Fr. Thomas Lilly began at St. Joseph's a congregation of colored persons. They met at different times on Sunday and once during the week. Their services on Sunday evening were attended by many white persons. He also established a school and placed it under the superintendence of a worthy colored dame, Mrs. Wood. The school was afterwards placed under the care of the colored Oblates of Mary. I86o, a year of deaths. On the sth of January the saintly Bishop Neumann, after dinner, before going to the sinner's box, which he attended most faithfully, went out for some business connected with the temporalities of the �102 St. :Josep!t's Clmrclt, Plu"'adelphia. Diocese. He died sitting upon a curbstone. Fr. Ryder, who was paying some visits, heard the report and was greatly shocked. He went to the house of one of my brothers, Mr. Patrick Ward, and there became quite sick. They codled him, and about dusk he came home much excited about the rumored death. After supper he went to the confessional, retired to his room at nine o'clock, and went to bed never to rise again. On the morning of the 12th, I was rehearsing the boys for the Christmas play, when I was told "the Reverend Father has departed." That was an afternoon of excitement for Philadelphia. A polished gentleman, a distinguished Jesuit, and a man of God was dead, and Philadelphia felt it. Fr. Barbelin determined that no expense should be spared when showing respect to the memory of "the pride of the Maryland Province." The most expert upholsterers were employed and never before nor since has the Church been so beautifully draped in mourning. Rev. Wm. O'Hara D. D., now the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Scranton, a former pupil of Father Ryder, and the leading secular priest of the Philadelphia diocese, was engaged to preach the funeral discourse. The only fear was that the crowd attending would be beyond all precedent. Although the day before the funeral was as genial as a Spring morning, before the time the sun should have risen the next day, . it was snowing and hailing. The streets were almost impassable, and it was determined that no females should be in the funeral procession; yet de:spite the storm and despite the prohibition, they formed on the opposite sidewalk, and were the first at the tomb. The following obituary appeared in the "Public Ledger" of January 13, 186o. "Rev. James Ryder D·. D., lately officiating at St. Joseph's Church, Willing's Alley, died yesterday morning at the parsonage attached to the Church, from inflammation of the bowels; after a short illness. His remains, we under- �Brotltcr ]olm De Bruyn. I I I Florissant. Together with Brother John 'Sheehan, Br. Thomas Coghlan, and Father John Bax he accompanied Father John Schoenmakers, our Superior, to this Mission, which they reached April 29th I847· To establish a Mission in a wild country, was certainly not an easy task; and if the two Fathers had to encounter much hard labor, the three . Brothers, perhaps, fared still worse, on account of their continual contact with the savages. The care of the farm having been intrusted to Br. John Sheehan, Br. Thomas Coghlan was charged with that of the house, while Br. John De Bruyn was made cook, dispenser, refectorian, gardener, sacristan; in a word, he was ad omnia, ever ready for all kinds of work : the hardest and most disagreeable being invariably his own choice. The zeal he displayed at the very beginning of his labors in this portion of the vineyard of our Lord, he preserved unabated to the end of his life. He labored in this Mission for over eighteen years. In the latter part of October I865, he was attacked by a most violent inflammation of the bowels, and was obliged to surrender himself to the care of the Infirmarian. A 11 that could be done to relieve him was tried, but to no purpose. While lingering between life and death, a circumstance happened which greatly moved him. We had at that time in our service an excellent young man by the name of Joseph Reams who was then just nineteen years of age. He came to us in order to be instructed in our holy Religion and in one month had succeeded in learning his prayers, and committing to memory a portion of the catechism. The good catechumen was to be baptized in few days, when, on the morning of the 30th of October, he was found dead in his bed! Br. John De Bruyn had a great affection for the young man, they frequently worked together, and both seemed to be happy when they could spend some time in each other's company. Fearing that the news of Joseph's sudden death might prove VoL. Iv-No. 2. 15 �II2 Brotlzer :Jolm De Bru;m. fatal to our dear Brother, we determined to conceal from him what had happened. But he very soon found it out, and the sorrow it occasioned him was truly great. He prayed most fervently for a while, and afterwards looking at those who were standing by, he said: "0, I am sure, that God has been merciful to the poor boy ! 0 yes I know he was very good, and wished only to be baptized! Now it is done with him, you had better prepare to bury me also.'" On the 2nd of November, all hope of his recovery being dismissed it was thought proper to strengthen him with the Sacraments of the Church. I myself administered them to him while the whole Community knelt in prayer around his bed. The piety and devotion with which he received the Viaticum and Extreme Unction were remarkable, and showed most evidently, that he not only did not fear death, but on the contrary deemed it the prelude to endless joy. vVhen this duty was performed they all returned to their different avocations, and I remained alone with him. He looked around to see whether any one else was in the room, and finding that we were left alone he said to me in great confidence: roo Father, I must acknowledge that I have been a miserable sinner all the days of my life, but at this last moment I cannot conceal from you that I have also received many and great favors from God. Yes, Father, years ago, in the Novitiate near Florissant, I was one day very much troubled in mind, because I had been commanded to do something to which I felt a great repugnance. I went to walk in the garden, and lo! I beheld a crown of thorns lying across my path. I wondered at the sight, and could not understand how that crown could be found in such a place; but what especially caused me surprise was the fact that it resembled the crown which is wont to be represented amongst the instruments of the Passion of our · Lord. While I was gazing upon it in surprise it suddenly disappeared, and I never saw it again. But the image of that crown never departed from my mind, and the thought �Brot!ter :Jo!tn De Bmyn. 113 of it ever afterwards in all my troubles helped me to be resigned to the will of God. "On another occasion as I was praying in the old Chapel of the Novitiate I saw what appeared to me the ceiling opening and the Immaculate Mother of God standing sensibly in the air before me, and looking upon me with great affection. Though this beautiful apparition lasted only a few minutes, yet most powerful was the assistance which it gave me to overcome the many difficulties I was meeting with in the way of religious perfection. "Finally, some ten years ago in this very hou:;e, as I was one morning sweeping your room, I directed my eyes to the picture of our Lady, which hung upon the wall, and I saw the Mother of God standing before me. How she came in I cannot tell, but of this I am positive, that I saw her as clearly as I now see you. Full of confusion at the sight, I threw myself on my knees and endeavored to speak to her, but was unable to articulate a word, so great was the excitement under which I labored. Then the Virgin looking upon me most sweetly, smiled, and disappeared. I never again saw her. The memory of this delightful vision rendered very easy all the hardships I have since endured." Now, were I to be asked if I myself really give credence to these visions of Br. John De Bruyn; in reply I would say that I sincerely do, and this not only on account of the intimate knowledge I had of Br. John's heart and soul, but also because I believe they verified, even in our days, what St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians (I. Cor. i. 27.), "qua! stulta sunt mundi elegit Deus ut confundat sapientes." Br. John De Bruyn revealed to me these facts about twenty minutes after he had received the last Sacraments. Having been always very humble, he certainly did not relate them in order to elicit praise. I was his spiritual director for upwards of fourteen years, and in conversing with me he several times intimated, without however coming to any particulars, that he had been the recipient of some �114 Brotlzer Yolm De Bruy11. extraordinary graces. Moreover, when I consider the solemnity of the moment in which he spoke to me, and when I recall to mind how truthful and circumspect he was wont to be in his expressions, I am forced to believe that the last statements he made to me were true. He felt that his hour had now come, and taking in his hand the crucifix and an image of the Immaculate Virgin he kissed them, and pressed them for a moment to his bosom. Then turning to Br. Frederick Wenstrup, who was in attendance upon him, he requested to be raised upright. \Vith our assistance he stood for a moment on his feet, then fell upon his ..knees beside his bed, and bowing his head over his clasped hands, calmly expired. He was fifty years of age, of which he had passed twenty-three in our Society. 'What the cause was that prompted him to stand up, and then suddenly to fall upon his knees, as it were in an act of adoration, we cannot tell ; but it made the impression upon us that some heavenly f:<vor was, at that last hour, granted to him. 'vVe laid him on his pallet, and kneeling by his side prayed God to give eternal rest to his soul. Looking at him you would have thought he was sleeping; his countenence wore the expression of a just man, who having spent many years in the service of God, had departed to receive the reward of his labors. Indeed his death was precious in the sight of the Lord. May his soul rest in peace. Yours in Christ, PAuL MARY PoNZIGLIONE, S. J. �VOYAGE OF VERY REV. FR. JOHN ANTHONY GRASSI, S. J. FROM RUSSIA TO AMERICA. JAN. 1Sos-ocT. 1S10. The Emperor of Russia, Paul I, was dissatisfied with the professors of the University of Vilna and took the resolution in 1799 to put that institution again under the charge of the Society of Jesus, some of whose members had been retained by his mother, Catharine II., in White Russia. These Religious having represented to the Emperor, that, without express permission from the Sovereign Pontiff, they could not establi.sh a community in places where the brief of suppression had been promulgated; accordingly, the Emperor took all the measures necessary to obtain this authorization from the Holy See; and Pius VII, in a brief dated March 7, r So 1, granted to Father Kareu, then Superior general of the Jesuit Fathers, the faculty full and entire of establishing the Society throughout Russia, but no farther: "Intra limitcs Rossiaci t'mpcrii tmztum." The news of this grant of the Pope reached Pekin, where an ex-Jesuit of France, Father Louis Poirot, was staying at the Court of the Emperor in quality of musician, and this Father took courage at the prospect of having some Jesuits to succeed him in the important mission of China. Profiting by the return to Italy of a Lazarist missionary, he sent letters to Pope Pius VII., and to the General of the Society, entreating them to ·favor the realization of this hope. Fr. Gabriel Gruber had already succeeded to the office and cares of Father Kareu. In each of these letters he pleaded that, whilst his advanced age (he was over So) and multiplied infirmities warned him daily of his approaching end, �116 Voyage of Very Rev. i'r. J'o/m Ant/tony Grassi there was only one thing he cared to live for, and this he desired most ardently: it was to see a member of the Society of Jesus come to China to succeed him. In closing, he most earnestly solicited the privilege of renewing his religious profession, that he might have the consolation of dying a true son of the Society of Jesus. The Pope despatched the petition to Father Gruber; and he, having already received the letter intended for him, did not take long to decide in accordance with the generosity of his heart. He was encouraged in this step by a most favorable turn of circumstances. The Russian Government, which had long-before projected a Jesuit mission in China with a fixed residence, such as the French Jesuits had Legun under the protection of Louis XIV., was again, in 1804, discussing the feasibility of this project. A solemn embassy was then on the eve of departing for China. Count Golowkin, the ambassador who had been appointed to treat with the Chinese Emperor and to be the bearer of magnificent presents to the Chinese Court, had many learned men in his suite and had set his heart on being accompanied by some Jesuits. The proposal was made to Father Gruber, who accepted it-remonstrating only that he could send no more than two or three Religious for the time being, just to tak~ possession of the mission. He remarked moreover, that, as the embassy was to enter China on the north by the land route, while missionaries had invariably entered by sea at Canton or Macao, it might prove an obstacle to their mission were they to journey with the embassy. In consideration of this, the Court allowed the missionaries to go by sea. It was agreed that they should repair to Gottenburg by land, and thence pass over to London, where they would find every convenience for taking ship directly to Canton. Father G~neral promised to write without delay to Rev. William Strickland, a Father of the old Society in England who was then living in London, to engage passages �From Russia to America. I 17 on board a vessel to be' ready for the missionaries as soon as they would arrive in that City. Arrangements being thus made for the voyage, towards the middle of December, Fr. General wrote from his residence at St. Petersburg to the Provim;ial of Polocz, Fr. Anthony Lustyg, with orders to prepare for this mission the Fathers, Norbert Korsack and John Anthony Grassi, with the lay brother John Siirmer, a German, and once a sculptor by profession; and to send them off at the earliest opportunity. Father Korsack, who had been teaching Philosophy and who was a native of White Russia, was appointed the Superior. Fr. Grassi, formerly of Bergamo in Italy, was at that time Rector of the College of Nobles attached to the College of Polocz ; he had been destined for the mission of Astrakhan on the borders of the Caspian Sea, and had been applying to the study of Armenian. Fr. Jos. Pignatelli had been his Novice-Master at Colorno-the first Novitiate of the Society opened in Italy since 1799. This letter from the General enjoined the three Religious to come provided with books on Mathematics, on Physics and on Astronomy ; but it made no mention of their destination. They set out from the College of Polocz, Jan. 14, I 8os; and travelling day and night they arrived safely at St. Petersburg, Jan. 19. There they were received kindly by the Rector of the College who, after embracing them recommended them to answer questions about their voyage saying that they were going to Stockholm-words which sounded to all very mysterious. Several days passed before they were acquainted with the mission for which they had been called. At length Father General sent for Father Korsack and let him know, that he and his companions were destined for the mission of Pekin, and that the beginning of February Was to be the time of their departure; meanwhile they were to make necessary preparations. As to the General himself he displayed wonderful activity and a truly paternal affection. �118 Voyage of Very Rev. Fr. Yolm Ant/tom' Grassi He provided each of the Fathers with full sets of vestments, chalices etc., in a chest containing whatever may be needed' for celebrating Mass and administering the Sacraments. He purchased for them mathematical instruments and a scientifical laboratory with .all the apparatus for physics and astronomy ; and he supplied them also with medicines, and with a stock of images, pictures and other little objects for presents. He made them take along some good suits of secular clothes with Russian furs. Finally he put in their hands a document conferring on them all the privileges customary for Jesuits on the Indian missions, he procured them several letters of recommendation, and gave them as much money as he judged sufficient to defray their expenses on the voyage. Having got all things in readiness, the General fixed their departure for the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin. On that morning, he took the missionaries into his chamber : there, after praying some moments on his knees before a statue of St. Ignatius, he arose, blessed and embraced them ; and presented each of them with some object of-devotion as a token of his affection. They were in secular dress, but they had taken along with them the habit of the Society. Then they departed in three sledges, one for the Fathers, another for the Brother and a Swede who was to be their interpreter, and the third carried their trunks and valises. For two days the missionaries met with no accident; but after that they felt the necessity of halting. They were disabled, Fr. Korsack by an enormous swelling in the throat, Br. Surmer from constipation in the bowels, and Fr. Grassi who had from the beginning been barely convalescent, now felt such acute pain in his side that he was compelled to lie down. And so they spent some of the Saturday and the whole of Sunday on mattresses spread en the floor of a spare room in the post-master's cabin, fortunate enough that they had found any shelter at all in that desert place. �From Russia to America. Their ills grew worse from day to day : and there was no doctor within call, no medicines that would cure these ailments. Nevertheless they took heart and were persuaded by their interpreter to travel in spite of sickness. They arrived at a little town, where a garrison is kept on the frontiers of Russia and Sweden and where they found an inn. Besides, there was a doctor attending the soldiers, under whose care they improved so steadily that in ten days they were able to continue their journey. Then the little band took the direction of Abo the capital of Finland. Beyond that city our travellers crossed over the frozen sea post haste, changing horses at every island till they came to the island Aland. Here they were obliged to remain many days for a change of weather to make the Gulf of Bothnia passable either for sleds or ships. At length on March 20, they crossed the gulf in a mail-boat and landed on the shore of Sweden in safety. From this out, they found the Swedish sleighs more convenient, being narrower and longer than the Russian sledges, and so more suited to the roads of Sweden, especially at that season. In this kind of conveyance they arrived, March 22, at Stockholm. Immediately, they made enquiries for the Abbe Moretti, the Superior of the Swedish missions, who had several times written to implore Fr. General to undertake these missions. They learned to their sorrow that he had died. But they found at the capital Mr. Fontana from Leghorn, who had recently been nominated Russian consul to Gottenbiirg, and who had been informed at St. Petersburg of the mission undertaken by these three Jesuits. He easily recognised them from the ample privileges expressed in the Imperial passports, and he lost no time before he presented them to Mr. Alopeus, the Russian minister at Stockholm. They were received very graciously by His Excellency, who however showed his disapproval of their policy in seeking to embark from London: "The English, VoL. 1v-No. 2. 16 �120 Voyage of VCJy Rev. Fr. :Jolm Anthony Grassi said he, "from a spirit of jealousy, will not admit you on one of their ships ; and even if they should, in consideration of our Emperor as an ally to their Government, grant you passage, you run the risk of being landed without ceremony on some desert island. Now I am informed that a vessel bound for Canton is soon to set sail from Copenhagen ; so you will do well to direct your way to Copenhagen without delay, and to profit by the opportunity. I will take care to write to St. Petersburg about it, and I can furnish you with a note to Mr. Lisakiawicz, our minister ·at the court of Denmark." The ministel"~ reasons approved themselves to all, especially to the mind of Mr. Fontana, who thought the new plan excellent. Accordingly the three Jesuits advised the very Rev. Fr. Vicar-general of their change of mind, traded off their furs and sledges for two carriages, and left Stockholm for Copenhagen, March 19. They passed the Sound between Helsingborg and Elsinore on March 24; there they left their luggage at the custom house, and thus disencumbered they took a mail coach to Copenhagen, where they arrived that evening. The following day was the feast of the Annunciation; and after celebrating Mass on their portable altar, they presented themselves to Mr. Lisakiawicz, with the note from Mr. Alopeus. His Excellency read the note, and ordered enquiries to be made in haste when the ship was to set sail for China. The next day Mr. Von Brin, his secretary, came to acquaint the Fathers that there was a ship bound for Canton, but that it had already raised anchor, and it was outside the harbor awaiting a favorable wind to hoist sail. He added that he had sought an interview with the Director-in-chief of the Danish Line of Indian vessels, to entreat his favor in their behalf; but that this gentleman declared that the ship could not possibly take any passengers, as she had no convenience for them. The secretary urged, that the Fa- �From Russia to America. 121 thers would be glad to have any kind of accommodation : and as he insisted, the Director answered that it was absolutely impracticable-there was a Dutch convoy however, which might take them on board. Mr. Von Brin went to get information about this vessel, but with no better success. The Fathers were at a loss and returned to advise with his Excellency, the Russian minister, whether it were not best to follow the route first intended and proceed to London, where Father General had already requested a friend to engage a ship for their passage to Canton. The minister assented, and they set out in quest of a vessel to take them to England. They found one, but had to wait long before it should go out of port. This interval they spent at the Catholic Church of Copenhagen, where they were the guests of Rev. Holzfurster and Bractesende, two Benedictine Fathers from Germany, who treated them very kindly. It was during their stay here, that Fr. Korsack read in a newspaper, that Father General had died and had appointed Fr. Anthony Lustyg to manage, as Vicar-general, the affairs of the Society for the time being. At last, on the 21st of April, the missionaries departed from Copenhagen. But at Elsinore they put in to reclaim their luggage, and after that the weather did not allow them to continue the voyage till the 25th inst. From this they made slow progress, till in the Skager Rack a violent tempest attacked them by night on the 8th of May. The ship was being driven out of the channel, the captain was forced to veer round to the Norwegian coast, and the passengers were in constant alarms, till the storm began to abate towards May I I th. On the 12th of May, they entered a deep bay called Swenhur which, ensconced between headlands and protected by mountains, affords to distressed vessels an excellent shelter from the rough seas, and there they were detained by bad weather till the 17th. On the 22nd of May, they arrived in the roadstead of Gravesend; and after showing their passports they were permitted to proceed up the Thames to London. �122 Voyage of Very Rev.. :John Anthony Grassi Fr. On May 25, they set foot in London. Fr. Strickland, having sent to meet them, Fr. Anthony Kohlman-who from the Paccanari Congregation had already been received into the Society-gave them a most hearty welcome on their arrival, lodged them comfortably, and lavished on them every attention with a cordiality truly fraternal. However their hope of embarking for China was destined again to be disappointed. In spite of repeated enquiries and untiring searches made by himself and by many friends, Fr. Strickland assured them that all efforts had been in vain -their passage to China could not be bought by love or money. Only o.11e means remained untried: it was to interest Lord l\lacartney in their case. For Fr. Strickland knew, that this gentleman, when ambassador at Pekin, had been on friendly terms with the last Jesuit Missionaries FF. Amiot and Poirot, at whose invitation the Fathers were going out to China; and he hoped that as ex-Viceroy of India, Lord Macartney would have some influence with the East India Company. vVherefore he set out with them to the Lord's residence, and introduced them to him. Lord Macartney received them very kindly, telling them that he was much indebted to the Jesuit Fathers at Pekin for the services they had been able to render him, thanks to their practical knowledge of the country. The noble Lord frankly avowed that it was much to the· interest of the India Company, if they could only be persuaded of it, to promote these missions rather than to oppose them. He promised to speak with the Directors of the Company on this point, and on parting he assured them of the happiness it would give him to help them to accomplish the end of their desires. On their return, they learned that the Russian minister, Count vVoronzoff, had left his card, requesting an interview. He had a letter for Fr. Poirot, which they were desired to take instead of that of Fr. Gruber addressed to the same Father, which they had formerly received at St. Petersburg, as �From Russia to America. 123 there were some expressions which might perhaps give offence to the Chinese. This was all : he dared not meddle in the affair of their voyage, having received no instructions to that effect from St. Petersburg. June 2 5, Fr. Strickland and the missionaries pa'id a second visit to Lord l\Iacartney. He showed himself much interested in them, asked a multitude of questions about the Society, spoke much of the Fathers Poi rot and Amiot (of the latter of whom he had a portrait hanging in his boudoir), and he assured them anew of his readiness to help them. Yet in spite of all these professions of good will, they gained nothing. For a fews days later, when Fr. Strickland pressed the main business, he was told that all Lord Macartney's efforts had been in vain. He had spoken in person with the Directors of the Company; but these had put him off with polite phrases and fair promises always evading a direct answer. Other persons of standing, who had essayed to intercede for them with the ;Directors, met with as· little satisfaction. Thrown upon their own plans again, they dete.rmined to follow the advice of Fr. Lustyg, their new Superior: he had written to them, that in case they could not embark at London they should repair to Lisbon and try to pass to Macao in a Portuguese vessel. So after fresh troubles and expensive delays at the custom houses, they got their luggage off on board a Portuguese brig that was to sail for Lisbon on July 29. The captain of this brig, contrary to the expectation of the pa!jsengers, turned off the course and steered into Cork, Ireland, where he stopped to take in cargo and more passengers. \Vith contrary winds they put in at Cork only on Aug. 15, and they were delayed there by unfavorable weather till Sept. 20. Their stay in Ireland proved to them what they had heard of the hospitality of that warm -hearted people; and nowhere did they meet a kinder reception than from Dr. Mayland, the Bishop of Cork. �124 Voyage of Very Rev. Fr. Yo!m Anthony Grassi The passage from Cork to Lisbon was more happy, the only draw-back being sea-sickness which gave the good Fathers a long exercise of patience. This yielded to other feelings when they came in sight of the fortress St. Julian, as there loomed up in the distance the walls of those gloomy dungeons, in which Pombal had shut up so many Priests and Religious for the sole crime of being Jesuits. They landed at Lisbon, Sept. 28. The next day, they put themselves in communication with Mr. Edward Stack, an excellent Irish merchant to whom they had been recommended by· his friend, Fr. Jas. Jourdan, a Jesuit Father residing iri Russif!,. This good gentleman befriended them in many ways during their subsequent residence in Portugal, not the least of which was his advice to be cautious in their dealings in a place so hostile to their Order. The Rector of the Irish College (an institution which had been under the direction of the Old Society) was also constant in his attentions during their sojourn at Lisbon. Through the kind offices of a Portuguese, their fellow passenger, they took lodging at the monastery of the Fathers of Penance, known in Rome by the name of Scalzetti. Three cells were placed at their disposal, and in lieu of beds a straw mattress was prepared for each. The Jesuits next procured clerical habits, very like the cassocks worn by secular Priests in England; and in this costume they paid their respects to the Apostolic N uncia, l\ionsignore Caleppi from Bergamo. The prelate did not conceal his delight at seeing the Jesuits; for he was sincerely attached to their Order, which he once tried to enter, and which he had made a vow to help to restore: he would, he said, have gained admission, were it not for his parents who were frightened on seeing the fate of the Spanish Jesuits. Then the Nuncio promised to say a good word to the Superior whose hospitality they were sharing at the monastery, and recommended them to be very wary in their conduct: for the persecuting laws of Pombal against the �From Russia to America. I 1- 125 Jesuits were yet in vigor, so much so, that recently a French Father of the Paccanari Congregation, the Abbe Rabazac, had been under the necessity of quitting Portuguese territory, simply because the police had set their suspicions on him as a Jesuit,-and that in spite of the protection of the Spanish minister, the Marquis del Campo. In parting, he reminded them that the vessels bound for Macao were very few, and that they sailed but once a year and that at Easter or thereabouts ; and he invited them to come and dine with him-a courtesy which they politely accepted and of which they availed themselves more than once during their trying delay at Lisbon. The Russian minister, Mr. Vasilavicz, and his secretary Mr. Kraft, to whom they paid a complimentary visit, appeared favorably disposed to their enterprise. But they had become less sanguine now in their expectations ·from ministers, and they awaited their opportunity seeking to perfect themselves meanwhile in the studies of mathematics and astronomy. For this purpose they spent much time in the public libraries and museums. Having heard of an Oratorian Father who went by the name of "the Father Astronomer," they begged him of his charity to give them some lessons in practical astronomy, to this Father's infinite amusement; who assured them that all his science consisted in correcting the other European Calendars according to the meridian of Lisbon. In these occupations two months had run by, when one day Mr. Edward Stack made his appearance, with the tidings of a ship that was soon to sail for Macao, with her owner Mr. Nunez who was also going to make the voyage. Rejoiced at this glad news, the missionaries hastened to the Nuncio's residence to bid him farewell, little expecting that their hopes would be thus soon overcast. The Nuncio argued with them long and seriously, suggesting that without the Pope's approbation, which they did not seem to have expressly, they could hardly appear in the charac- �126 Voyage of Very Rep. Fr. :1o1m Allfltony Grassi ter of Jesuits on the missions, in a country where the decree suppressing the Society of Jesus had been put into execution; that moreover no Portuguese vessel would take them on board unless they were presented in the name of the Pope; and, finally, that the Portuguese government was very jealous of foreigners landing on their colonial possessions. The Fathers replied to this, that they felt satisfied that they had the consent of the Pope, since their Superior General was in correspondence with Rome, where he had an agent residing, Fr. Gaetano Angiolini; but that as they had no brief to produce in certification of this consent, they relied on th<::.ir letters of recommendation to Mr. Vasilavicz, who, they were sure, could set his Excellency at rest on this head. The prelate was pleased with this explanation ; nevertheless, he told them, that it was necessary to write without delay to Rome and to Russia, on a point of such paramount importance. The fathers, accordingly, hastened to comply with these directions. In the letter to Russia, they added (a necessary matter) that their funds were run out and they saw no means of renewing them. Owing to the long delays incurred, especially at Lisbon, their goodly purse was nearly empty, and would have been entirely exhausted but for the kindness of Father James Jourdan, who had procured some money for them from his parents at Lisbon. Yet they had incurred no unnecessary expenses, limiting themselves even in diet to one meal a day, and that consisting only of soup and one course of meat, an economy to which the strictest interpretation of religious poverty would not have bound them. Letters travelled slowly in those days from Lisbon to St. Petersburg. So they devoted the intervening time to science. After many enquiries they found a man who could teach them some practical astronomy. The "Ephemerides nautiques" of Portugal were directed by a French emigre, Count Damoiseau de Montfort. To this man they applied. And he took pleasure in teaching them the use �From Russia to Amen'ca. 127 of the astronomical tables and the method of calculating the results for the Naval Observations and for the almanacs. The missionaries worked out the' operations for themselves, applying the formulas step by step, in all the calculations which the Count made for his "Ephemerides" and then, if an error had escaped them, they were aLle to detect it by comparing results. Thus were they preparing themselves to be eminently useful at Pekin in editing the Calendar; for the Chinese were inferior to Europeans in this science, being unable to attempt such high calculations-a fact which served providentially to the propagation of Christianity among that people. When at length a letter returned from Russia addressed to Fr. Korsack, it conveyed merely an order from Very Rev. Thaddeus Brzozowski, then General of the Society of Jesus, to make his solemn profession of the four vows in the hands of the Apostolic Nuncio. His Grace was pleased to receive it before many witnesses in his own palace, March 2, 1806, giving him a written attestation of the fact; and he continued to treat them with as much kindness as ever, and so much the more that the Russian minister had recommended them to his favor. About this time the Fathers were notified of two ships that were to leave Lisbon, one for Canton, the other for Macao; but they offered but a precarious chance and such . conditions as would have hampered the missionaries and could not be accepted by them. In the month of February, a French priest, called Francis Hanalt, was passing through Lisbon on his way from Rome to the mission of Malabar, in his capacity of missionary priest of the Propaganda, to take the place of Fr. Manenti, a Sicilian ex-Jesuit, who was exhausted and unable to continue any longer his missionary labors. This excellent priest being friendly to the Jesuits, called in to see the Fathers, and let them know, that their project had created much excitement at the Propaganda at Rome and had met with opposition from that quarter-a VoL. Iv-No. 2. 17 �I 28 Voyage of Ve1y Rev. Fr. :John Autlzony Grassi piece of information that was confirmed soon aftenvards by Fr. Gaetano Angiolini in a letter dated from Sicily, Feb. 28, I 8o6. Now was a darker horizon revealed to them than ever before : they realized that there was none but a distant prospect of attaining the post assigned them by holy obedience. So they settled themselves down to a solid year of study, and with this intent they thought of going to Coimbra, where there was a University and an Observatory in full operation. The Abbe Jose Monteiro da Rocha, an ex-Jesuit, had begun the Observatory, and to him they had intended to· apply; but were dissuaded by Father Sala, a member ~of the Society, who told them that that Abbe was very hostile to the Society. In fact, he had delivered a Latin discourse at the University of Coimbra in praise of Pombal, extolling him to the skies for having annihilated the Society. Fr. Sala read to them some passages from that discourse, where Pombal is lauded for having accomplished "an extraordinary and difficult enterprise-a superhuman undertaking, more worthy of fame than all the victories of generals and the heroic achievements of history." The Nuncio approved of their design of going to Coimbra, and gave them a letter of introduction addressed to Antonio Joze Sariva de Amaral, one of the Professors of that University. . \Vith this recommendation the two Fathers set out on April 12, leaving the brother behind at Lisbon. They obtained full access to the Observatory attached to the University, and on every occasion they found the officials very obliging arid very ready to explain to them '~hatever they desired to know. After two months practice in taking observations, they made up their minds to return to Lisbon, since they had learnt all that would be of use to them, and they could find no one sufficiently versed in science to teach them higher astronomy. On the way back to the Capital, they saw the body of Pombal lying at Pombal exposed without sepulture. · �From Russia to Amen'ca. 129 Arriving at Lisbon, they found a letter awaiting them from Fr. Strickland, of the date of June 4· This contained extracts from recent letters written by Fr. Gle, which instructed them to continue to fit themselves more and more for their mission, while abiding quietly at Lisbon the turn of events at Rome ; for measures were being taken, to obtain the Pope's full sanction for them to enter Pekin in quality of Jesuits, and there were fair hopes of success. Besides it held out to them a probability of pecuniary assistance from the Emperor Alexander. And this came true the next day, when His Excellency the minister sent for them, and communicated to them the orders he had received to keep them in funds; which he did liberally, whenever the Fathers applied for them. The newspapers about this time reported, that the embassy to China had not succeeded, owing to a point of etiquette whic\1 was proudly insisted on by the Chinese Court, and as proudly refused by Count Golowkin, whose Russian dignity could not brook such insolence offered to the representative of the Emperor of the Russias. Bad news from another quarter came to the Nuncio in a letter from the Abbe Marchini, the Procurator General of the Propaganda at Macao. He recounted, how a missionary had enclosed a map of China in a letter destined for Europe, how the Christian entrusted with the letter had been arrested on his way to Macao and searched, how the letter with the map had been found on his person, and how the matter had been reported to the Emperor. This was more than enough to arouse the suspicions of the jealous Chinese. The Emperor forthwith fulminated an order for the arrest of that missionary, who was immediately cast into prison; and he thundered forth vengeance against missionaries in general and all Christians. There was every reason to fear, added the dispatch, that all the missionaries would be driven out of Pekin. The Chinese were contemplating entrusting their Calendar to the Russians. Four French �130 Voyage of Very Rev..Fr. :Jolm A11thony Grassi missionaries had been waiting at Canton four long years, expecting an imperial decree to allow them to penetrate as far as Pekin; and having finally received permission they were preparing to set out, when the order was countermanded, and they were even bid to depart from Canton at the earliest opportunity-this, it was said, in consequence of a letter from the King of England to the Emperor of China, in which the French \Vere much abused. Such untoward events the Nuncio judged wholly inauspicious for the enterprise of the missionaries. Having a translation in Italian of the Chinese edict, he allowed them to take two copie~ of it, one to be addressed to the General of the Society, and the other, at the request of the Russian Minister to be forwarded to St. Petersburg. But soon after another very important and consoling letter arrived, Dec. 2, I 8o6. It was Cardinal Casoni, Secretary of State, notifying the Nuncio that the Pope granted full sanction to the mission of the Jesuits, and instructing his Excellency to help them in their enterprise with all his influence. This Mgr. Caleppi communicated to the missionaries, insisting, nevertheless, on the prudence of waiting patiently while so many obstacles were presented on the part of the Portuguese. The latest news from the East, he added, reported the outbreak of persecution-already had two of the most promin~nt Christians beeri driven into exile for their constancy in the faith, and the Portuguese settlers at Macao intended to take advantage of the hostility of the Chinese, to rid their colony of the missionaries altogether. The governor of Macao had recently received two missionaries with this ominous remark: "If the King of Portugal wants to lose this colony," he said, "he does well to send us these Chinese missionaries: it is clear, that His Majesty is not cognizant of the state of feeling in his colonies." Perhaps it looks suspicious, that the Pope's sanction had been obtained so readily in spite of the opposition of the Propaganda-'to the Jesuit missionaries. But a glance at �From Russia to Amenca. 131 the relations then existing between Rome and St. Petersburg will clear up the mystery. A papal Nuncio had been accustomed to reside at St. Petersburg, as at the other capitals of the Catholic nations of Europe, until an unfortunate accident broke off these friendly relations. For an official in the service of Russia, a French emigre, had been arrested at Rome by the French Revolutionists, without any interference from the Government at Rome. Though the Pontifical Court alleged their ignorance of the fact, the Czar took umbrage that the Pope had allowed the offense to go unpunished, and he dismissed the Papal Nuncio, Mgr. Arezzo. Since that, the Pope had been solicitous to conciliate the powerful Court of St. Petersburg, seizing upon every occasion and trying many expedients, but in vain, to renew an alliance which he deemed potent in its influence for religion and for the good of the Papal States; and this petition from the General of the Jesuits - whom the Czar was proud to acknowledge as his protege-seemed to be a favorable opportunity. Neither had Very Rev. Father Brzozowski at St. Petersburg been blind' to the occasion, in his interview with the Czar's mm1ster. In acquainting him with the embarrassing cir' cumstances of the Jesuit missionaries at Lisbon, he hinted that the approbation of the Pope was what was needed to remove the obstacles to their embarkation, and that this would be granted readily, if asked in the name of the Czar. The minister authorized him, to submit the petition to His Holiness as a favor gratifying to His Majesty the Emperor. And thus was facilitated the grant of the sanction, so much desired by the Jesuit Fathers, and so necessary for the success of their mission-conferring upon them, besides the permission to go to Pekin in the capacity of Jesuit missionaries, all the powers and privileges, which the Society before its suppression had enjoyed on those missions, exempt from t!te ;itrisdzction of tlze Vicars Apostolic. But this grant from the Pope did not hasten their ·depar- �I 32 Vo;'age of Very Rev. Fr. Yolm Anthony Grass£ ' ture. Notwithstanding the letter and instructions from the Cardinal Secretary of State, they found the Nuncio at their next visit in a very bad humor, which he took no pains to conceal. " I have heard" he said, "that your Superiors suspect the sincerity of my dealings with you. Well, if your General wishes you to rush into destruction, I can take no part in measures that will ensure your ruin." To add weight to his words, he produced a letter from Cardinal Di Pietro forbidding the departure for China of a certain Franciscan, Fr. Antonio da Cajazzo, because persecution was raging throughout the country. Even Macao was not safe ; for Abbe Marchini, the Procurator of the Propaganda, had been obliged to retire from that city to the Philippine Islands. This speech of Mgr. Caleppi afflicted the good Fathers, who had alw<tys found the Nuncio very kind. They expressed their regret at the injustice done to His Excellency, assuring him that they could not account for such a report, as in their letters they had had nothing to say of him that was not good and gracious. This seemed to pacify the prelate considerably. He treated them as hospitably and as familiarly as ever. And after a few months, a letter arrived from the General of the Society expressly ' denying the imputation of these rumors, which must have been spread by designing men. The Fathers did not devote all their time to the study of science : other occupations also engaged their attention. Thus, Fr. Korsack, who spoke German, had a German Protestant under instruction. This convert made his profession of faith before the Bishop of Meliapore, then residing at the Tavora palace. The Fathers, on that occasion, were introduced to the Marchioness of Tavora, the only one remaining of the House of Tavora, a mercy which she owed to the special favor of the KingDom Joseph, when Pombal was bent on exterminating the Tavoras and Aveiros. Fr. Grassi, on his part, was occupied in giving lessons in �From Russia to Ameni:a. 133 Mathematics to the eldest son of Count Arcos. This grandmother had known the Jesuits at court. A year had thus gone by, when on Sept. 5, 1807, the Nuncio summoned the missionaries to his palace. He had received letters patent from the Propaganda, signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State to His Holiness, which declared that permission was given to the Father Norbert Korsack and to the Father Anthony Grassi, Religious of the Society of Jesus, to go to Pekin in quality of missionaries, "provided only tltat tlzey be subject to tlze ;iwisdzi:tion of t/ze Vzi:ars Apostolic, like all t/ze ot/zer missionan'es of tlze Propaganda." The Nuncio himself could not withhold his astonishment after reading this document: it was so inconsistent, that these letters should be sent on the authority of Cardinal Casoni! and disagree with the tenor of the Cardinal's own letter. The fathers felt as if a bombshell had fallen in their midst, so completely were they taken aback at this coup d'etat: they had nothing to say. They wrote immediately to acquaint Father General, who, no doubt, had meanwhile received the information through his correspondent in Rome. In consequence, the 23rd of September brought them an answer, that His Paternity judged it useless for them to remain any longer in Portugal, especially in view of the threatened invasion by the French. They were therefore to return to England, at once, and to repair to Stonyhurst College, where they could await further instructions. The Fathers accordingly sold their optical instruments and other apparatus, as quickly as they could, reserving some instruments however to present to Count de Montfort, in token of gratitude for his instructions and kindness in aiding them to calculate for the correction of the Calendar. Other articles they left with the Marquis Castel-Melhor, whose family was very friendly to the Society-and these were at a later period sent on to England. The Nuncio, too, was anxious to leave Portugal before the gentle~an's �I 34 Voyage of Very Rev. Fr. Yolm Ant!tony Grassi invasion, and he was preparing with all his court to pass over to Brazil. He strongly approved of the missionaries' return to England to await times more favorable to their project, and he graciously made out for them a written declaration in praise of their conduct during the two years of their sojourn at Lisbon. This was afterwards fonvarded to Russia. At length, Oct. I6, I805, the three Jesuits embarked for England on the British vessel Anna, which formed one of a flotilla of sixty eight merchantmen. These vessels bore the English residents in Portugal, with their families and effects. A ~royal frigate convoyed the flotilla as a protection against French cruisers. In these circumstances a young French Priest made their acquaintance, who was desirous of entering the Society: his name was Montardier, and he was chaplain to the Weld family of Lulworth Castle, England. The captain of the vessel Amta was an enthusiastic Free-Mason. The voyage, usually from ten to fifteen days, continued for forty days ; for a circuit was made to the west of about I 80 leagues, to avoid the French m-en-of-war. And after that, a succession of heavy gales set in, in which one vessel went down just beside the Anna, another was dismasted, and two more ran ashore by night and suffered grievous damages. · But misfortunes seldom come singly. Owing to the protracted voyage, their supply of biscuit and wine ran out on the Amza, and even drinking water was failing. The frigate helped them with four barrels of biscuits ; and heaven supplied them with drink by a hail-storm so copious ·as to cover the deck two feet in depth. This the captain ordered to be gathered in casks ; but when it melted, it had such a smell of tar, that the passengers felt it necessary to hold their nostrils while drinking. I add to this, that the poor Fathers were stretched out on the bare planks, through want of mattresses, that the sea-sickness hardly left them during the whole voyage, that they barely touched food, suffered bitterly from the �From Russia to America. 135 cold, and were cramped for room-and you can imagine how glad they were to sight Liverpool at last. They disembarked on the Liverpool landing stage on the 16th of November, 1807. Thus they had the happiness of saying Mass on the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, after which they accepted the hospitable invitation of Fr. Sewall, an American Jesuit, who took them to his mission at Portico ; and there they soon forgot the ills of travelling in the warmth of lavish charity. This excellent Priest had two other Jesuits-invalids-in his house : they were seven in all at table; and it was remarkable that they represented seven nationalities-American, English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Belgian. After getting their trunks once more through the customhouse, they set out for Stonyhurst and arrived at the College on Dec. 2 I, I 807. It need not be added that they shared the. princely hospitality for which that community is known. There they soon made themselves at home : after they had recovered from their fatigue, Fr. Korsack, was appointed to the Chair of Moral Theology, and Fr. Gra~si was put to give lessons in Italian to the secular students and to teach Latin to the young postulant, Montardier. The lay-brother, who was a sculptor, found plenty of work to his taste . .Meanwhile the two Fathers took lessons in the higher MathematiCs from Fr. Simpson, a Frenchman. The whole year 1808 passed away silently as to Pekin and' their mission. In November of that year, after the opening of classes, Fr. Korsack was entrusted with the cabinet of physics to which were attached the professorships of mechanics, optics, and astrononiy ; besides this he taught metaphysics to the course of 'philosophy of the second year. Towards the close of that scholastic year, he gave an exhibition in the natural sciences, according to the custom then prevailing in the Colleges of the Society. All this time, the General had not lost sight of their original destination. He insisted strongly on their studies in calculus and astronomy; he urged them to perfect themVaL 1v-No. 2. 18 �136 Voyage of Very Rev. Fr. :Jo!m Ant!zouy Grassi, selves _in taking observations and in chemical experiments. The. better to fulfil his desires, it was decided that they should both repair to London ; and they did so in the beginning of January, 18 1o. There they applied at the office of "The Nautical Almanac," which is the most reliable scientific paper in the English marine service ; and one of the writers agreed to give them lessons, in consideration of a guinea a visit_ The Fathers accepted his condition; but to avoid such expensive visits as far as possible, they practised a: great deal in private, and had recourse to their professor only when there were difficulties to be explained. On April 10, thanarne year, a letter carne from the General bidding them pack up and return to Russia, in the hope that a passage to China would be feasible, over land, through Independent Tartary. But another despatch arrived, a few days afterwards, desiring them not to leave England yet, as it was proposed to send them to America. They departed from London, however, having no longer any object in staying at that capital ; for Fr. Korsack had become expert in chemistry, and Fr. Grassi sufficiently so in astronomy for all that would be required on the mission. So they found themselves again under the towers of Stonyhurst, July 25, whither the tidings of their final des· tination had preceded them. The English Provincial, Fr. Stone, had written to the General to leave· the· Fathers in England; and in the expectation of a favorable answer he had intended Fr. Korsack to teach theology, and Fr. Gtassi physics, at Stonyhurst. \Vel!; "man proposes, and God disposes." By the letter of Father General, the two were at last to part c<;>mpany. Fr. Korsack remained at Stony· hurst; while Fr. Grassi \vas sent to America-to the College of Georgetown, near \Vashington, in the United States. He sailed from Liverpool, August 27, 181()--,-and on. Oct; 20, he landed in Baltimore; a:nd from that city was soon conducted to the post assigned him by obedience. The Chin~se Mission remained a forbidden field for the zeal of Jesuits until 1841. �UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF FR. ANTHONY KOHLMANN, S. J., WITH A SHORT ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE. .• We are happy to publish in our domestic periodical some letters of Rev. Fr. Anthony Kohlmann, S. J., lately copied from the original found in the Archives of the English Province. Father Kohlmann is to be ranked among the lights of the new Society, and its most celebrated members in America, where he spent seventeen years of his laborious and saintly life. Born at Kaysersberg near Colmar, Ju1y 13, 1771, he was, at an early age, compelled by the French Revolution to seek in Switzerland, an asylum for his studies and piety. Having completed his theological course in Fribourg at the famous College created by Blessed Peter Canisius, he received there holy orders, and soon after, in 1796, he joined the congregation of the Fathers of the Sacred Heart. ·With an indefatigable and truly apostolic zeal, he labored in Austria and Italy. Hut;tdreds ·of times he exposed his life during the dreadful plague which at the close of the last century made so many victims among the inhabitants of Hagenbrunn. And it is difficult to forni even a faint idea of the hardships Fr. Kohlmann underwent in the mifitary hospitals of Padua, and Pavia, where the victims of war were crowding in unceasingly. At one time there were in the three hospitals of the latter town three thousand sick, and but two priests to attend to them. Moreover, they were all from different quarters of Europe, different in tongue as well as in religion, heaped together, in the most needy and pitiful state as for their body, and much more as for their souls. During about two years which Fr. Kohlmann �I 38 Sketclt of tlze Life of Fr. Anthou;• Kolt!mamz. passed among them, he had to practise daily heroic acts of· mortification, charity and zeal :-but God in his mercy granted him the only reward he wished for. He had almost all who were Catholics admitted to the reception of the Sacraments of the"Church, and many hundreds of Protestants converted to the true faith. From Italy he was sent by his Superiors, in those stormy and ever changing times, first to Dillingen in Bavaria, as director of the Ecclesiastical Seminary, then to Berlin, ahd lastly to Amsterdam to preside over the College establish~cl by the Fathers ofthe Faith of Jesus, to whom the Fathers of the Sacred Ht;.art were united since the I 8th of April, 1799· But the moment had arrived for Fr. Kohlmann to see realized the longing desire of his life. Pope Pius VII. had acknowledged and approved the Society of Jesus existing in Russia; and the Jesuits were allowed to have a Novitiate at Dunebourg. There, on the 21st of June, 1803, Fr. Kohlmann was admitted. He was already far advanced in perfection, but this new life gave a fresh impulse to his fervor, so that being considered by all as a model, and having in a short time become a true son of St. Ignatius, he was sent to the United States during the second year of his Noviceship. From Georgtown where he was Socius to Fr. Neale, Master of Novices, he went to give missions· to several German congregations qf Pennsylvania, to the German Church in Baltimore, and attended the Congregation at Alexandria, V a. In October, I8o8, we find him in New York as Vicar General and Rector of the very large and neglected congregation there existing.-He, with his worthy coadjutor Fr. B. Fenwick, began at once to stir up the piety of the faithful, and to spread among the Protestants, with the teaching of Catholic faith, the sweet fragrance of religious virtues. The increased number of Catholics in New York called loudly for the erection of a new church, and Fr. Kohlmann having purchased a large plot of ground in what was then the unoc<;u{lied space between Broadway and �Sketc!t of tlze Life of Pr. Antlzony Kolzlmmm. 139 the Bowery road laid the corner stone of St. Patrick's Cathedral on the 8th of June, 1809.-A College also was then established under the na.me of the New York Literary Institution, which did the greatest credit to our religion, and warranted the brightest hopes for its future interests. It was during his ministry in the city of New York that Fr. Kohlmann by his firmness in resisting the orders of a tribunal, which called upon him to reveal the secrets of the confessional, rendered an important service to religion. The case produced a great sensation throughout the Union, and the unflinching conduct of the Catholic priest was the occasion of an act of the Legislature of New York by which any renewal of the attempt in future was prevented. Fr. Kohlmann published the whole proceeding, followed by a full exposition of the Catholic faith on the Sacrament of Penance, under the title of "Catholic Question in America." Some years after, he published in Washington another controversial and very learned work "Unitarianism, Theologically and Philosophically considered" in refutation of Mr. Jared Sparks and other Unitarian Ministers.-Anxious to supply all wants, he introduced in New York the Ur~uline Sisters, whom he received through Fr. Betagh, S. J.,* from the celebrated Blackrock convent at Cork, in Ireland. After the arrival of the Right Rev. John Connolly, second Bishop of New York, Fr. Kohlmann was recalled to Maryland, and was named successively Master of Novices at Georgetown, Superior General of. the whole Mission, on the departure of Fr. Grassi, 1817, and profes~ sor at the Washington Seminary. But the time had come for him to be called to a much more responsible duty. Pope' Leo XII. in 1824, had *Very Rev. Fr. Thomas Betagh, S. J., died at Dublin on the 16th of February, 1811. How much esteemed and loved he was, the following inscription will tell. It was engraved on a monument erected to his mem?ryin the Chapel of SS. Michael and John, Lower Exchan~e Street\ �140 Sketclt of tlte Life of Fr. Antlzony Ko!tlman. restored the Roman College to the Society, and professors were summoned from different Provinces to correspond to the wishes of the generous Pontiff and to continue the glorious traditions of that celebrated Institution. From America, Fr. Kohlmann was called to Rome for the opening of the classes, and he was appointed to the chair of theology, which he filled for five years with so much distinction, as to win the particular esteem and love of the Pope :-it was even said that the Sovereign Pontiff intended to confer on him the dignity of the Cardinalship. At that time, his Eminence, Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin, was a student o( .~he Propaganda, and defended in a public - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----------Dublin, on the Epistle Side of the Altar. ··Glory to God, most good, most great." "This :Marble, Christian Brother, presents to your view, the likeness of The Very Rev. Thomas Betagh, 8. J. (Vicar General of the .Arch-Diocess of Dublin), And during more than twenty years The excellent and most vigilant pastor of this parish, Who glowing with charity towards God and his neighbour, _ Was eYer indefatigable in his miniBtry, Teaching, preaching, and exerting all his powers To confirm the true christian in 'the faith once deli>ered to the Saints,' .And to bring back the straying into the ways of Sal>ation. His chief delight and happiness it was To instruct the young, especially the· needy and the orphan, In Religion, Piety and Learning; .And to forward and cherish them with affection truly paternal. His zeal for the Salyation of souls Continued to burn with undiminished ardour, Until the last moment of his life, 'When worn down by lingering illness, and incessant labours, This good and faithful servant delivered up his soul to God In the year of his age, 73, and of our Redemption, 1811. May he rest in peace. To this most deserving man, the ornament of his Priesthood :md his Country, The Clergy and people of Dublin who attended his funeral, With most mournful solemnity and unexampled concourse, Have llrecte~. this monument as a lasting memorial of their love and Gratitude. " �Sketch of tltt: Life of Fr. Anthony Kolzlmamz. 141 act of theology. Among all the professors who had to object against and test the deep knowledge and quick fenci.ng of the young theologian, Fr. Kohlmann was particularly noticed, and the Sovereign Pontiff, who was present, deigned to express to him his delight and satisfaction. On another occasion having been charged by the Pope to examine the acts of a Council held in Transylvania, he merited the highest praise as well for his profound learning and vast erudition, as- fQr his promptness in the accomplishment of his task. Gregory XVI. did not differ from his predecessor with regard to Fr. Kohlmann. Being already member of the Congregations of Ecclesiastical Affairs, and of Bishops and Regulars, and Consultor of the Roman Inquisition, he was promoted by this glorious Pontiff to the office of Qualificator of the same tribunal of the Inquisition. The last part of his life, Fr. Kohlmann spent at the Gesu, in the constant practice of every virtue, and of an ever-working and untiring zeal for the salvation of souls. He devoted himself to the ministry of reconciliation in the holy tribunal of penance with such assiduous care that he wished to go to the Church to hear confessions till within three days of his death. And God blessed his labors with abundant fruits of sanctification, and numbers of striking conversions. Among others, it was Fr. Kohlmann who reconciled tb God, Augustine Theiner after many years of doubts, errors and wanderings. May the recollection of this venerable Father by whom he was admitte~ to the participation of the Sacran~ents on the Wednesday in Holy Week, April 3d, 1833, and of whom with a grateful remembrance, he published a feeling notice after his death, have been present to his mind and cheered his last moments when lately he was himself about to die in Civita Vecchia! Surrounded by the esteem of all who ever knew him, enjoying the affectionate benevolence of the most illustrious persons, Fr. Kohlmann had always through h~mility a low �142 Unpublis!ted Letters of Fr. Antlzony Koltlmamz. opinion of himself, and particularly showed his kind affection towards our lay-Brothers, who in return loved and respected him as a father. A holy death closed a life so full of works and merits:· In 1836, during Lent and Easter time, he overtasked himself as he felt that his labors were at an end. On the 8th of April he was attacked by an inflammation of the lungs, which within three days brought him to the grave: his ardent faith shone forth with an exceptional brightness when he received the holy Viaticum, and shortly after he calmly slept in the Lord. Many pious pe'rsons after his demise solicited as a great favor some particle of anything he had made use of during life; and his memory has remained among all in benediction. In bonitatc ct alacritate anima: sua: placuit Dco. Eccli. xlv. 29. I. To THE MosT REv. MR. STRICKLAND,* PoLAND ST. LONDON. - Nr..v York in Nortlz America, 7 Nov., I8o8. REV. FATHER AND DEAR SIR, P. C. · Your favor of the 6th Sept. was delivered to me at the beginning of October in the City of New York, where our *Father William Strickland, Son of Thomas Strickland, Esq., was born at Sizergh, near Kendal, on the 28th of Oct. 1731. Having renounced his title to the family estate in favor of his brother Charles, he entered the Novitiate of the Society of Jesus, at 'Vatten, about two leagues from St. Orner, on the 7th of Sept., 1748 He was ordained priest at Liege, June 13th, 1756, and afler teaching Philosophy for some time, was sent to the A.lnwick :Mission, where his moderation, urbanity and talents won the esteem of all. He was admitted to the profession of the Four Vows, on the 2nd of February, 1766. At the suppression of the Society, he was chiefly instrumental in keeping up the Academy nt Liege, and, in 1783, became its second President, on the death of Fr. ,John Howard. His success in this new office may be inferred, from the fol· lowing tribute paid to him, at that time, by Fr.•John Thorpe: "l\[r. �Unpublis/zed Letters of Fr. Antlzony Kolt!inamz. 143 Rt. Rev. Bishop Carroll has thought proper to send me in the capacity of Rector of this immense Congregation and Vicar General of this Diocess till the arrival of the Rt. Rev. Richard Luca Concanen, Bishop of New York. The Congregation chiefly consists of Irish, some hundreds of French, and as many Germans, in all according to the common estimation of 14,000 souls. Rev. Mr. Fenwick, a young Father of our Society distinguished for his learning and piety, has been sent along with me. I was no sooner arrived in this City, and, behold, the Trustees though before our arrival they had not spent a cent for the reparation and furniture of their Clergyman's house, laid out for the said purpose above ,S8oo.-All seem to revive at the very name of the Society though yet little known in this part of the country. The scandals given in this Congregation, as almost everywhere else, by the clergymen have brought it very near its ruin. Our immediate predecessors, though respectable in every regard, could not prevent its speedy decay. Almighty God seems to have permitted Strickland will merit a statue on earth, besides the rjlward he may expect in heaven, if he can raise up the ruins and disjointed fragments into a solid structure. Liege is happy in having him to succeed ~Ir. Howard." This difficult work he did accomplish, and then having installed the Rev. :Marmaduke Stone, as his successor, he fixed his residence in London, where he acted as Procurator for his brethren. He had also the consolation of seeing the flourishing establishment at Stonyhurst become one of the first houses of education in Europe. After a long life of most useful labours, Fr. Strickland died at No. 11 Poland St., London, April 23rd, • 1819, and was buried at St. Pancras, where his assistant and friend, Rev. Edward Scott, thus inscribed a stone to his memory: Hie Jacet Gulielmus Strickland De Sizergh, S. J. Sacerdos: Familia Nobilis Doctrina praestans, morum sanctitate Ac vitae simplicitnte admirabilis. Vixit annos 88 et placida morte Obdormivit in Domino die 23 Aprilis 1819 R. L P. VoL. rv-No. 2. 19 �144 Unpublisltcd Letters of Fr.' Ant/tony Koltlmamt. this, to furnish the Society with an opportunity of diffusing the good odor of it, and of disposing the minds to favor its establishment. 1\Iay we be so happy as to produce these , desirable effects upon the public mind! I have brought along with me four young masters of our Society to erect a College in this City, and with the divine asistance I hope we shall succeed. \Ve live all together in the same house observing our religious discipline as much as it is consistent with our present situation. There is the finest prospect for establishing a College in Philadelphia. A certain 1\Ir. W ellers, who by his unremitting exertions has·carried on very important works for the good of Religion, has promised to build a College in one year, provided the Society furnish him with some masters. Four or five suffice, at least in the beginning, for a College in this Country, because if the pupils desire to go beyond the inferiora, they may be sent to the College of Georgetown. At this critical moment of the appointment of five new Bishops, the great point for the Society is to take possession of Boston, New York and Philadelphia, for fear we be prevented by others. The establishing of Colleges in the said cities: is too the only means of increasing and propagating the Society. I hope therefore your Reverence will back, with a few lines, my petition to o~r Rt. Rev. Fr.· General for a new supply of Fathers of the Society for this country, seeing that nowhere they can be better employed than here. I perfectly coincide with your Reverence in thinking that this country wants but the solid establishment • of the Society to become in a short time for the most part Catholic. On the 10th of August the Lord was pleased to call Mr. Joseph Kelly, a pattern of religious perfection, blind obedience and holy simplicity, to his triumphant Society in heaven, after having foretold the day of his death, etc. I thank your Reverence for the agreeable account of the prosperous state of Stonyhurst College. Our loving God �Uupublislted Letta~s of Fr. Ant/tony Kohlmann. 145 gives us manifest proofs of His approving of our undertaking, that we cannot, it seems, be too much confiding in His All Powerful protection. It gave me no small pleasure to read that so well circumstanced prophecy of St. Theresa. I was always extremely delighted in reading in V. F. Lancicius, the remarkable prediction8 respecting our little Society. According to them, to die in it and be a predestinate are synonymous. What a felicity! As to the finding out of the name of a merchant, who _ may unload at the mouth of the Cltesabee, the packet being ready for sail, it is impossible for the present to find out any. It will be always a great deal of pleasure to receive from time to time a few lines from your Reverence. Not to miss the packet I will conclude by recommending me to your Holy Sacrifices. I am respectfully, Reverend Father and dear sir, . Your most obedient and humble brother in Xt., ANTHONY KoHLMANN, S. J. There are a few secular priests, whom your Reverence would not guess at, who doubt the legal existence of the Society in this country. Our Most Rev. Archbishop seems to be of the same opinion on account of our not being furnished with an Apostolic Brief, though he favors the Soci · ety in every respect. Without the Pontifical Rescript we will meet with some difficulties in reclaiming our estates in Maryland, though, by and by, I hope we shall get them back. n: TO THE SAME. New York, I4tlt Sept., I8Io. REv. AND DEAR FATHER. Your letter of the 4th of May was duly delivered to me yesterday, and inspired ~e with a new courage to pursue �146 Unpublislzed Letters of Fr. Autlzony Kolzlmmm. the work the Lord has begun in His infinite goodness, and which continues to bless above all my conception. And indeed it is but two years that we are arrived in this city, without having a cent in our pocket, not even our passage money, which the Trustees paid for Fr. Fenwick and me, and to my other brothers now residing in the College, I for~ warded ·it from this place ; and to see things so far advanced as to see not only the Catholic religion highly respected by the first characters of the city, but even a Catholic College established, the house well furnished both in town and in the College; improvements made in the College for four or five hundred dollars, without any other debt but that of the property, of which we have paid already fifteen hundred dollars, with a well founded prospect to pay off the whole in the space of three or four years at length, is a thing which I am at a loss to conceive and which I cannot ascribe but to the infinite liberality of the Lord, to \Vhom alone, therefore, be all glory and honor. The C"ollege is in the centre not of Long Island. but of the Island of New York, the most delightful and most healthy spot of the whole Island, at a distance of four .small miles from the city, and of half a mile from the East and North rivers, both of which are seen from the house; situated besides between two roads, which are very much frequented, opposite to the botanic gardens, which belong to the State. It has adjacent to it a beautiful lawn, garden, orchard, etc. About a month ago we gave a public exami~ nation, advertised in the papers, on which occasion premi~ urns were distributed, speeches delivercc:d, all which gave great satisfaction to the respectable audience of ladies and gentlemen who attended on the occasion. Everyone thinks . that if the reputation of the house be kept up, it will in a short time rivalize any College in this country. I expect we shall have thirty boarders for the beginning of next month. This city 'will always be the firs't city in America, on ac~ �Unpublis!ted Letters of Fr, Ant/tony Koltlmann. 147 count of its advantageous situation for commerce. From the West Indies parents will send their children to this port in preference to any other. The professors of the State's or Columbia College have sent us,- these two years past, a kind invitation to accompany, at what they call the annual commencement, the procession of the students from the College to some or other Church, where speeches are delivered and degrees conferred: they had never paid that <J,ttention to the Catholic clergy before. The College is on the following footing: Rev. Fr. Benedict Fenwick, an excellent scholar, has resided in it these two months; but I find by experience that to attend about fourteen thousand souls is too heavy a work for one man, and so he will probably live again in the city, and visit the College once a week. I generally come out on Saturday to hear confessions, etc., etc. There lives also in the College a Spanish priest, who speaks also Italian, but little English, a man of good morals and much beloved by the pupils. Brother Wallace, a Scholastic of the Society, is our master of mathematics, one of the ablest in the United States. Brother White, Scholastic also of the Society, is professor of the English, Latin and Greek tongues, with which he is well acquainted. The teacher of the French language is a native of France, much esteemed in town for his knowledge, but does not reside in the house. Rev. Mr. Green, now at Kensingto)l, would be of infinite service here at the head of this College. Nothing should be wanting to him; food, diet, climate and people are as good as in any country in the world, besides an ample field for doing good, etc. If then, your Reverence would succeed in persuading h.im to come over to New York, you would promote the cause of the Society in a very material manner; for I am under the necessity of calling Fr. Fenwick, who till now presided in the College, to the city to assist me. * * * * Rev. Mr. Flaget, nominated Bishop of Kentucky, a Sulpician, arrived from France a fortnight ago with a deacon, postulant �148 Unpub!islicd L etters of Fr. Ant/tony Kolllmmm. of the Society, who is now in the noviceship. According to his accounts our Holy Father has been dragged from the prison of Savona to the Castle of Turin, where he . is strictly guarded. * * * * Be pleased to let me know what a good electrifying machine, a macltina pncumatica or air pump, a good telescope and a machine for surveying, and the most essential instruments for navigation would come to. Such a like apparatus would strike the American people more than anything else. \Ve have the finest set of globes in America, which cost us $I6o. ~ I recommend myself to your Reverence's Holy Sacrifices, and remain, with the deepest veneration, Reverend and dear Father, Your most humble and obedient servant in Xt, ANTH. KOHLMANN, s. J. III. TO THE SAME. New York, 28th Ntrv., I8Io. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P . .C. Rev. Fr. Grassi, to my inexpressible joy, arrived about a month ago in Baltimore, and resides at present in Georgetown College. I do not as yet know what will be his employment, but it is probable that he will ·succeed Rev. Fr. Enoch Fenwick in the vice presidentship of the said College, who (Fr. Fenwick) has been long since applied for by our Most Rev. Archbishop to live with him in Baltimore and to attend to the congregation which, by the death of the Rev. Mr. Beeston, became vacant. I wish this worthy Father had landed in our port; I might then have acquainted him with the right situation of our affairs, which information, at the advice of our Most Rev. Archbishop, he ardently wishes for, but which I cannot commit to paper. �Unpublislzed Letters of Fr. Ant!tony Ko!tlmmm. 149 By this same packet I write to Rev. Mr. Muth, chaplain of the German Chapel erected last year in London. He was for two years my novice in the Pacanan{m Congregation, and was with me in Italy before he was priest. He is an excellent young man. well informed, and had always an intention to become a Jesuit. I exhort him to join us, and to apply to your Reverence in case he should make up his mind.* Since Rev. Mr~ Fenwick. my worthy companion, resides at our College, I stand in an absolute need of an assistant priest, and I wish that no clergymen but such as are members of the Society should come into this State, and that this State should be properly a settlement of the Society. * * * * To make this city a central place of the Society and a nursery of Jesuit laborers through the Northern States of America, is the more easy, that Divine Providence has disposed things in such a manner as to leave this diocese under my immediate jurisdiction, scde 'lmcmztc, conformably to a Bull of Benedict XIV. I was always of opinion, that, to cause religion to flourish in this country, three things are essentially necessary: Ist, a Catholic College for the education of the male youth ; 2dly, a nunnery for the education of young ladies; and 3dly, an orphan house conducted by nuns. The first of these objects is partly accomplished in this State by the establishment of our College, which, thanks to God, is in a very prosperous way. In the space of about eight months we received thirty-six pupils, that is as many as the house can possibly admit, among whom are the son of the late Governor Livingstone and the son of the present Governor Tompkins, who are both very willing to support with all their credit, the petition of a lottery we are about presenting to the Legislature. For the second object I have written to Dublin, to Rev. Fr. Betagh, to get some Ursulines *He was reputed quite a Saint in London, and died at Pre~ton (St; Ignatius'), 5tlt i\Iay, 1841. . . �T!te Natc!tez I11dia11s in I7JO. towards next spring. !'hope the Lord will bless this second undertaking as well as the first, being _no iess conducive to his glory than the former. After this, if the Almighty grants, 've shall think of establishing an orphan house and getting some nuns of the Order of the Presentation, flourishing at present in Ireland. I just now received a letter from bUt Rt. Rev. Fathet' General, dated August 22d, in which he promises to send two other Fathers to America, expresses his joy at the establishment of our College, and warmly recommends to introduce everywhere-the salutary and amiable devotion of the Sacred Hearts of.. Jesus and Mary. In unio~ with the Sacred Heatts, I remain most respectfully, Rev. and dear Father, Your most humble and obedient brother, ANTH. KoHLMANN, S. J. THE NATCHEZ INDIANS IN 1730. Letter from Rev. Fr. Petit, S, J., to Rev. Fr,:IJ.avaugour, S. J., Procurator-General of tlze Missions in Nortlz America. ( Co11tinued.) - In December, 1729, we received at New Orleans the sad news, that the Natchez had attacked and murdered nearly all the French settlers in their territories. The first account of the disaster was brought by a Frenchman who had narrowly escaped the fury of the murderers by a wearisome flight. His. statement was confirmed by numbers of fugi· �Tlte Natclze:; Indians in I730. tives that succeeded in outwitting the vigilance of the savages, and to reach their last asylum in safety; these and the Frenchwomen, who had been rescued from a cruel captivity among the Natchez, have given us a detailed view of the course of the insurrection. The first rumors of the dreadful calamity filled all New Orleans with the greatest grief: so much so, that, though it had occurred many miles off, the consternation was as great, as if it had happened under our very eyes. Everybody had something to weep for: one his relatives, another a dear friend, another his goods. As it was with reason feared that all the Indians. had conspired against the French, nobody here thought himself safe. The war of extermination began on Monday, November 28, at nine o'clock A. M. The Natchez thought they had good reasons to complain of the Commandant ; and as several richly laden vessels had just arrived with provisions for the garrison and the settlers, they determined to wait no longer, but to seize the favorable opportunity of not only destroying their enemies but also of making themselves masters of the inviting booty that awaited them. Accordingly they at once took up arms, and accomplished their design long before the other savage nations had expected it or had come to an understanding for joint action : their preparations had been made with the greatest cunning. Under the pretext of a great hunt, the villains stationed in the fort, in the village, and in the two new settlements as many Natchez as there were Frenchmen; and began to exchange their goods for guns, powder, and bullets. The unsuspecting French, overjoyed at finding their Indian customers extremely liberal, willingly agreed to receive for their fire-arms a great number of chickens and a large quantity of Indian corn. · The few that entertained suspicion of these proceedings were mocked at and ridiculed as trembling Quakers, and their salutary warning was rejected. When God intends to punish a nation, he VoL. Iv-No. 2. 20 �The Natclte::; Indians ill I7JO. deprives it of reason, and allows its rulers to be deluded; Strange to say, on this occasion the Tchactas were treated with distrust, while the Natchez with all their warlike pre-' parations continued to enjoy the confidence of the settlers. 'When therefore the· Natchez had dexterously distributed themselves in the French dwellings, they seized the fire-arms and every Indian shot his man so promptly, that in less than two hours two hundred Frenchmen were killed; among the noblest of the victims were : M. de Chepar, the Commandant; M. de Codere, the Commandant of the Jassus; 1\L des Ursins; M. de Kolly with his son; Messieurs de Longray~, des Noyers, Bailly, and others. At the same time when the Natchez were enacting this fearful drama, Father du Poisson was returning from the funeral of his companion, Brother Cruey, who had met with a sudden death by sunstroke. The next object of his journey was to consult with M. Perrier, as to how the I Arkansas might be brought to settle further down the Mississippi, for the greater security of those that navigated up and down the stream. The Father arrived among the· Natchez two days before the massacre. On the 27 of Nov. the first Sunday of Advent, he said Mass and preached in the parish Church, in place ofthe missionary, whom affairs of importance kept away from his station. Contrary to his, plan to return to the Arkansas in the aftenioon, Father du Poisson was detained among the Natchez, in order to admin-· ister to some of their sick the consolations of religion. The hour for commenciqg the butchery was fast approaching. On his return from one of the sick persons to whom: he had taken the viaticum after Mass on Monday, Nov. 28,' the zealous apostle was attacked by a ringleader of the.: Natchez, thrown to the ground, and in a few seconds a woodaxe had severed his head from the body. Whilst: falling, the Father repeated the words: "0 my God, 0 my: God!" M. de Codere had indeed drawn his sword to save the victim; but he too was instantly laid low by the well: �Tltc Natc!te:: Indians in I7JO. 153 aimed ball from the rifle of a Natchez, of whose presence he had not been aware. All were butchered, except a sailor and a carpenter from whose trades the savages intended to draw profit, and the negro slaves that submitted of their own accord. The savages cut open all the women that were with child; and unwilling to listen to the cries of the children that were still suckled, they strangled almost all the wretched mothers with their babes. The remaining women were spared; still they were not at liberty, but were reduced for two or three months to the most abject slavery. Those that could render service as seamstresses enjoyed a better fate; while the others experienced the full misery of their condition by being obliged to fell large forest-trees, to haul fuel to the village, and to grind Indian corn. One thing that especially embittered the lot of these unfortunate women was the fact, that they were forced to serve the very murderers of their husbands, and that they understood from the boasting Natchez how the remaining French settlers had been dealt with in the same manner, and how all the Indian territories were cleared of the hated intruders. Whilst the carnage was raging, the Natchez chief was seated on a slight eminence, under the cover of a roof of tobacco leaves. At his feet were placed the heads of the Commandant and the most distinguished among the French victims, while the bodies were left exposed on the roads to be devoured by dogs and birds of prey. As soon as the Indians had completed their bloody work, they sacked the dwellings of the slain, the warehouse of the West IndiaCompany, and the richly freighted vessels which had lately arrived. The warriors then proceeded to divide the spoils, though the powder, for greater security, was deposited in one of the houses. The great quantity of whiskey which they discovered among the spoils proved the fruitful occasion of savage revels, which they continued day after day, heaping male- �154 Thl' Natc!te::: Indians in I7JO. dictions on the memory of the murdered French, and wreaking their delirious vengeance on their mangled re· mains. Nothing could surpass the insolence of the Natchez, leagued as they were in dose union and friendliness with the neighboring tribes ; but their overweening hardihood almost proved fatal. One of the captive females, widow of l\1. de Noyers, had conceived the bold idea of avenging the death of her husband and his companions. The state of utter intoxication in which the greater number of the Natchez were nightly buried, was favorable to the execution of th~ plot; but one of the negro slaves, eager to conciliate the favor of his new masters, betrayed the confidence which Madame de Noyers had reposed in him, and by his treachery surrendered her to the blind fury of the savages. Of the French that escaped the great massacre, one, unable to endure any longer the pangs of hunger and the inclemencies of the season, ventured to leave his asylum in the depths of the forest, and to seek food and shelter in one of the deserted dwellings. On approaching the house, he found it occupied by Indians ; preferring however to die at their hands rather than meet a slow but certain death in his retreat, he boldly threw himself among them. To his utter astonishment, he was received with the greatest kindness, had all his wants liberally supplied, and was· provided with a large canoe to enable him to regain his--·ftiends at New Orleans. These tender-hearted men were Jassus on their return home from an embassy to the tribes of Uma. The chief of the savages sent word to M. de Perrier, the Com· mandant of the garrison at New Orleans, assuring him of: the loyalty of his tribe, and promising to put the French vessels on their guard against the lurking Natchez. The sequel will show with what distrust and caution we are obliged to receive the assurances of this treacherous• people, even when their fair promises are accompanied by acts of liberality and seeming kindness. While the inhabi·· tants of New. 'Orleans were loud in extolling the sincere: �Tltc Natchc:: Indians in I7JO. ISS attachment of the Jassus, and were far from foreboding the cruel disenchantment that awaited them, a great change had taken place: the presents of the Natchez had withdrawn the Jassus from their allegiance to the French, and had persuaded them to join the Indian league for continuing the war of extermination again:;t the unwelcome strangers. To, strike a more decisive blow, it was determined to murder, on the same day, all the French in the territories of the Jassus and the Corroys. The missionary, Father Souel, was the first to fall a victim to the hatred of the Indians. On the 1 Ith of December, 1729, Father Souel, ever solicitous to conciliate the favor of the influential in behalf of religion, had paid a complimentary visit to the chief of the village, in order to render more lasting the friendship between the Aborigines and the French missionaries. While the harmless old man, as he proceeded homeward, was revolving in his mind the flourishing congregations which zeal and perseverance might plant in these parts, he met, in the martyr's crown, the just reward of his past labors and of the generous plans which he had formed for the future. A number of Indians with loaded muskets awaited him: as he approached his humble dwelling, three bullets stretched him lifeless on the ground. His death was the signal for pillaging the mission house; nothing escaped the lynx eyes of the greedy robbers; and as a negro, the servant of the murdered missionary, showed signs of resistance, he too Was instantly cut down. When their fury had subsided, ~hey were horror-stricken at the foul deed which they had perpetrated. But their momentary repentance yielded to their thirst for blood; with this horrible draught they would deaden the reproach of conscience. "Since the most venerable of the French has fallen," said they, "no one deserves mercy; courage, no one shall escape." Meanwhile M. des Roches, the temporary Commandant of the French soldiers among the Jassus, was ignorant of the tragic events that had been transpiring in the territories �The Natcltcz IJZdialls in I7JO. of the Natchez and even in his immediate neigborhood. \Vhen therefore on the following day a large number of Jassus were seen approaching the fort, the garrison, confident that the Indian braves had come to smoke the pipe of peace with their lord, received them \vith civility. But their confidence was short-lived ; the soldiers, seventeen in number, were butchered on the spot ; the women and children were reduced to slavery. Elated with their easy triumph, the Jassus sent messengers to inform the Natchez of the extermination of the French. Learning from Father Doutreleau himself of the danger he had been exposeq.to in this bloody persecution, we ourselves at New Orleans no longer doubted the truth of the direful news that poured in upon us from all sides. I will take this opportunity to give Father Doutreleau's adventures more in detail. At the time when the savages of his district retired to their winter quarters in the forests, the venerable apostle intended to pay a visit to his brethren at New Orleans, and at the same time to attend to some imp<;>rtant affairs relating to his mission. He left his village early in the morning on the. first of January, 1730, and expected to arrive in time at the church of Father Souel to say Mass; seeing however that he was mistaken in his calculations, he resolved to stop near the mouth of the Jassu river, and to celebrate in the hut of a poor husbandman who had hastened to offer food and shelter to the beloved missionary and his companions. Whilst the Father was erecting the portable altar of which he made frequent use on his missionary excursions, the Frenchmen that formed his escort amused themselves with shooting at a flock of wild geese that was passing the house, but neglected to reload the few rifles that were to serve for their defence in case of necessity: they soon found occasion· to regret their indiscretion. The altar was ready, Father Doutreleau was performing some devotions before commencing the august sacrifice. At that moment a number· �Tlte Natclzez Indians i1l IJJO. · 157 of savages approached the shore ; this caused the travellers some uneasiness. But their fears were soon dispelled, when the Indians presented them with provisions for the journey, and declared themselves to be of the tribe of the Jassus whose faithful adherence to the French could not be doubted. The better to carry out their base design, the savages, although heathens, placed themselves behind the unsuspecting travellers, as if in respect for the sublime services of religion which were about to take place. At the Kyn'c Eleisoll, the signal for the attack was given: Fr. Doutreleau had his right arm pierced by a bullet, one of his fellow travellers lay stretched lifeless on the ground; the others tried to save themselves by flight. Deeming fruitless all attempts to escape and thus to prolong a life of such importance to his neophytes, the Father recommended his soul to his Maker, and knelt down to receive, as he thought, the martyr's crown. But he was destined for greater labors: the bullets of the murderers missed their aim; and the missionary, recognizing in this the visible interposition of Providence, succeeded in making his escape from the hands of the blood-thirsty savages. Thanks to his dexterity in swimming, he reached a boat in which two Frenchmen had saved themselves. They had heard the report of the rifles, and could not conceive how their beloved Father had remained unharmed by the mortal weapons. The Indians, however, had not been inactive : in a moment their largest canoe was manned, and then ensued a spirited pursuit which kept the wretched fugitives in imminent danger. Yet, in spite of the unceasing firing of the Indians, the missionary and his friends were enabled to screen themselves from the deadly missiles. They were fast floating down the Jassu river, and were within a short distance of the Mississippi, when at length worn out with fatigue and paralyzed with terror at the scene they had just witnessed, the Frenchmen deemed further efforts useless, and resolved to surrender to the pursuing enemy. But Father Doutre- · �Tlze Natclze:: Indians i1z I1JO. ieau's activity and presence of mind inspired them with new courage; he himself took hold of the helm ; his companions plied the oars; and in half an hour of unremitting labor they had lost sight of their terrible pursuers. As soon as the fugitives saw themselves secure from the Jassus, they dressed their wounds as well as the scanty means at their disposal would permit. But all danger was not yet past: New Orleans was many miles off, their boat offered them little shelter, and the immense river itself did not favor their journey at that time of the year. To lighten their little vessel, they determined to throw overboard whatever wasnot needed for satisfying their most pressing wants; and then, recommending themselves to the protection of God, they cheerfully toiled on towards the territories of the Natchez where Father du Poisson would receive them with open arms. Their sanguine hopes were doomed to meet with a sad disappointment. On approaching the shores so friendly to them on former occasions, there was .no one to welcome them : the French village lay desolate, and a single glance informed them of the fearful disaster that had befallen their friends ; instead of the warm reception which they had anticipated from Father du Poisson, his murderers saluted them with a volley of missiles. They now were · convinced that a great conspiracy against the French was on foot, and that they must treat with distrust all the Indian tribes along the shores of the Mississippi. Their minds were made up: only at New Orleans perfect security was to be hoped for; should that place also be in the. power of the savages, they were resolved to follow the river to the gulf of Mexico where they would be .received on board a French man-of-war. A voiding therefore the hostile shores of the Natchez, they continued their journey, their breasts filled with grief. While passing the country of the Tonicas, they carefully kept along the opposite shore in order to avoid new vexations; notwithstanding their precautions however they were �Tlte Natclzez Indians in I7JO. 159 discovered, and a canoe, which had been sent to reconnoitre, rapidly approached: the desperate condition of the fugitives lent them almost superhuman strength; they did not relax their gigantic efforts, until they distinguished among their supposed pursuers the language that recalled to their memories the sweets of home, and emboldened them once more to hope for protection and relie£ Their expectations were realized: upon landing they were joyfully received by the French garrison, had their wounds dressed by the surgeon of the camp, and the brotherly love shown them made them forget for a while their late sufferings. On the following day they continued their journey in a comfortable boat, and reached New Orleans in safety. Your Reverence can easily judge with what surprise I saw Father Doutreleau in so pitiful a plight: but my astonishment exceeded all bounds as I listened to the recital of his adventures. I gave him immediately in charge of Br. Parise!, whose assiduous care was crowned with prompt .Success. Scarcely had the good Father sufficiently recovered from his wounds, when, according to a previous prom• ise he had made to the officers of the little army, he acted as field chaplain in an expedition against the _Natchez, bore all the fatigues of the common soldiers cheerfully, and gave new proofs of his indomitable courage, his indefatigable zeal, and a prudence which was never at a loss in the occasionally intricate manceuvres of .an Indian campaign. But neither the occupations which were needful to quench his thirst after labors and sufferings, nor the com• pany of his brethren in religion could make him forget his mission : the season of spring had begun, the Indians were teturning from their winter quarters and expected the missionary ; he could not brook the thought of depriving his young congregation of their only support. Owing to the risks attending journeys on the Mississippi during the rebellion of the savages, the Commandant had forbidden his subjects to travel to the neighboring settlements except in VoL. Iv-No. 2. 21 �Osage j}fission. 16o considerable bodies; _thus Father Doutreleau was constrained to await the departure of a large convoy to the Illinois. Amply provided with all the necessaries for his fatiguing voyage, he set out for his mission on the 16th of April. I since learned that he and all his companions safely reached their destination. ____ OSAGE MISSION. ___ , OsAGE MISSION, NEosHo CouNTY, KANSAS, DECEMBER Ist, 1874· DEAR FATHER: ·when this Neosho County was opened for settlement one of our neighbors at the instigation of bad advisers claimed I6o acres of land belonging to this Institution. Our Superior, Father John Schoenmakers immediately protested against the intruder, in consequence of which this man got very much excited against us; and brought the case to law, compelling our Superior·to appear before the courts. The trial lasted for a good while, and the opposing lawyers seemed to take delight in using the most offensive language against our Superior. Spite of all proposals for compromise, the man would not agree. But finding out at last that we had a better title to the land than he expected, he gave up the suit and the whole matter was settled between us peaceably. Two years after the occurrence of these events this man left Neosho and moved to Howard County, taking up his residence in the vicinity of a town called Peru, some 75 miles So~th-west of this Mission. Having been in very �Osage Jrfission. r6r poor health for nearly a year, last Summer he became quite helpless, and perceiving that he was fast approaching the end of his days, he sent a message requesting me to come and assist him. I was by his bedside as soon as my engagements permitted, and happily I was in time! The poor man publicly apologized for the scandal given by his unreasonable prosecution of our Superior, received the last Sacraments with great devotion, and two days after died most piously. He lived in a district exclusively Protestant, but made up of good and simple farmers who took care of him with great love and attention during the whole .of his very long sickness. They were puzzled however to know why this man was so anxious to see me. When I heard that the poor man was very sick, I would have come to him directly, but my different appointments prevented me from doing so. In consequence of this, the sick man began to fear that perhaps I would not come at all : he began to be very uneasy, and now and then would ask his friends whether they had heard any thing about me, and would frequently repeat "Oh, could I but see the Priest for a few moments, how happy would I die!" These words made· a great impression on his attendants, and I became in their estimation an object of great curiosit:y. So when at last I came they watched me very closely. Having found out that I was going to pass the night at the house of a certain gentleman whose wife is a Catholic, they sent word round to their friends requesting them all to come and see me that very evening. The invitation was accepted, and just about, one hour after sunset quite a number of people came to the place where I was, and wished me to give them a lecture. In truth they took me by surprise, but as I could not get any better opportunity of giving them some light on our holy Religion, I concluded that I would try to satisfy them to the best of my power. The house being a large. one, accomodation was soon made for seating all those who �Osage ilfissioll. could get in, the balance remained out doors sitting on the ground by the light of a most brilliant July moon. I ad~ dressed them for an hour, and was really edified at their good behavior and attention. May the Lord grant that the good seed cast into their hearts that night may be productive of abundant fruit. During these last six months we have noticed in our Con. gregation not only a larger attendance than usual, but what is more consoling, an increase of fervor and devotion. It seems that the trials and afflictions with which God visited our people contributed to this happy change. The majority of the settlers her,t; being new-comers in these western countries, their pecuniary means are necessarily scanty, and all their dependence is on the work of their hands, and the productions of the soil. Now as very few public improvements were going on this year, so mechanics had nothing tp do. As to the productions of the soil, we had indeed a most flattering prospect at the opening of Spring, but all at once our expectation proved to be but an illusion! First of all came the chinch bug, next followed legions of flies and creeping things of every description : finally came the locusts without number; and, just as if all this had been nothing, whatever had been spared by these devouring insects was parched by tpe driest season we have seen here during the 27 years that this Mission has been established. These indeed have been discouraging circumstanct!s for our poor settlers, yet spite of them they always carne before as cheerful and satisfied, and whenever we asked them how they were getting along in the midst of so many trials, we gen • erally heard them repeating "the Lord be blessed, and his will be done for ever." In the afternoon of one of the warmest days of August, I was coming by the house of some of our friends, and being fatigued and tired I stepped in to cool and rest for a little while. The landlady received me kindly, and call~ ing in her children requested me to bless them, and after- �Osage .Mission. wards pointing out the larger of them, a little girl ten years old, she saic1; "Father, this child of mine the other day eaused me to blush," ''How is that?" said I, "I will tel\ you," she replied; and having sent her children to the next room to play, she continued: "I was returning from town itbout this time, when getting near to the premises I saw a p1an walking out of my house. I asked the children who that man was, and my little daughter replied, that he was a !)tranger to whom she had given dinner. I felt displeased on hearing this, and said to her, why did you take into the hou~e a person whom you did not knO\v? 'Well, mother,' she answered, 'I let him in because he said he was hungry.' Then I replied, my daughter, you well know that we are short of provisions, and you ought rather have ~ent that man to some other place." Here the good lady looked at me very intently, saying; "Do you know what my little daughter answered me?" "What?" said I. "She answered; •Mother, on the day of judgment, Christ, our Lord, will say to me: l was hungry and you gave Me to eat,'" Since last July I visited the Indian Territory four times, and as usual was well treated by the Osages, who· always ask me the Sq!lle question: "When will good Fr. Schoenm~kers come and stay with us? Since we left him we have seen but hard times!" In the month of August I found the Osages very much excited. They were mourning over four of their braves, who had just been treacherously killed by a party of white men calling themselves State militia. The Indian who related the news to me said: "Father, God was looking at the boys when they were killed;" signifying by this, that they had behaved themselves right, and gave no provocation to the white JUen, consequently God was pleased with them and looked upon them with pleasure. The Chiefs used all their influence to keep their warriors from going to revenge their murdered . brethren, and the U. S. Agent having promised thl).t the Government Would giv:e them satisfaction, they did not retaliate on the white people as they were determined to do. �Osar:e J.1fission. \Vhether the Osages will ever get the promised satisfaction is a matter of doubt; for those white men who killed the four Indians were consummate villains; and having stained their hands in innocent blood, they wrote down an account of their barbarous deed, and sent it to some newspapers of Topeka to be published under the very eyes of the Governor of this State. In this account they say, that they had a great battle with the Osages, and how they defeated them at last. Such stories as these have been the border gossip long since, and every year are more or less repeated. There has been no fighting of any kind between the Osages and the·U. S. troops, but all the war news that came in the newspapers was manufactured on the border line of this State by some parties who, by this means, succeeded in getting authorized to raise a company of militia, made up of desperados, who went around for a while plundering the poor settlers and charging the blame of it on the Osages. This year I visited nearly all the different settlements formed by the Osages in their beautiful new Reservation which rests on the many tributaries of the river Cana, or Cany as it is sometimes called. I gave them an opportunity of complying with their Christian duties, and thanks b~~ to God, I had the pleasure of seeing the n1ajority of them approach the Sacraments. I baptized a number of their children, blessed some few marriages, and prepared some for death. These visits of mine to the Osages could not be very long, as I was allowed to stop with them only a few days, but this is all we can do for them at present. These western countries are daily filling up with poor Catholic immigrants, and we are almost the only priests to whom they can apply in their spiritual needs. I cannot finish this letter without mentioning the conversion to our holy faith of one of my benefactors. About a year ago I got acquainted with a Canadian Catholic living quite near to· the City of Independence, in Mo.ntgomery �Osage JJ![ission. County, where I said Mass once every month. As the Church of this town has no residence for the Pastor, I could not get any more convenient place for stopping than this gentleman's house. Having, therefore, called on him for hospitality, he told me that I was welcome, and he wished me to make his house my home whenever I would pass by. Next he introduced me to his wife. She received me very kindly, and told me that I should never pass by without calling in, but, said she, "do not entertain the idea of making me a Roman Catholic, for I do believe that a Protestant is as good as a Catholic." So time went on, and almost every month I visited them. Some time during last Summer the good lady got quite sick. I came to her, and found out that she was not only sick, but also very much troubled in mind, so that she appeared to be melancholy and disheartened. I did not know what to do to relieve her, when a good thought struck me, and I said to her; "Madam, I have with me a wonderful book, and if you would follow my advice and direction in reading it, you would certainly feel better, and perhaps recover sooner than you expect." To this she replied, "0 for God's sake give me that book for I feel very bad." I gave her a copy of the Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis, and told her, that whenever she felt troubled in mind she should first say sincerely "0 Lord, have mercy on me," and next open the book at random, and she would most surely find the advice she needed. The sick women laughed on hearing this, and looking at me ·quite inquisitively she said, "What, is this book a fortune teller?" '·No," said I, "but something better yet; believe me and try it." She did as I told her, and she found to her great satisfaction that I had told her the truth. Two months afterwards she requested me to baptize her. I felt very happy to hear this ; however, I thought better to delay complying with her wishes for one month, that she might be better prepared. She is now baptized, and the melancholy and troubles by which she was afflicted have �I 66 Deatlt of Mr. P. life Demzott, S. Y. disappeared, she is quite happy and contented. May the Lord grant her perseverance in her good resolutions. Yours in Christ. PAuL MARY PoNZIGLIONE, S. ]. DEATH OF MR. P. McDERMOTT, S. J. ·Twelve years ago a young man of twenty was graduated from St. Xavier College; Cincinnati. Bright hopes and cheerful prospects for the future were held out to him, for he was of a cheerful, even a gay disposition, frank, generous, warm-hearted and true. He was loved by his companions who even yet remember him for his genial ways, his win~ ning manners, his unaffected cordiality. He was quick and active in mind no less than body, and could hold his own in the field of debate as well as athletic sports, in the class room no less than in circles where wit and social qualities were called for. This was Mr. Me Dermott twelve years ago. But he chose to forsake brighter prospects than had ailured many an other, sacrificing to God what he possessed and what he had every reason to hope for, by entering the Society, 17th Oct., r862, at Florissant, Mo. In leaving the world he needed but to turn into another channel the qualities which endeared him to his friends and direct them to a holier purpose and a nobler end. Ambi~ tion was ot become a holy desire to excel in virtue and draw souls to God; activity was to be supernaturalized in being made subservient to the interests of God ; his �Deatlz of llfr. P. McDermott, S. :J. 167 spirited nature was henceforth to be occupied in doing and preparing to do great things for God; his cheerfulness was to keep alive in himself and others that buoyant, sprightly. attractive virtue which makes a good life so· charming and draws instead of repelling those who are to be benefited by the ministry of the priest or the good offices of the re~ ligious. His dispositions and his tastes were modified, not transformed or crushed by the religious training; his good qualities were only chastened and their lurking imperfections worn away. Not an iota less genial or more forbid~ ding after so many years of religious life, those who knew him when with a light heart and a warm grasp of the hand he bade them good bye to enter the militia of Christ, recognized him still in the Jesuit Scholastic of twelve years' . standing. His novitiate lasted the customary two years, after which he repeated his Poetry and Rhetoric during two years more. Then came a year of teaching at St. Louis Univer· sity and subsequently the study of Philosophy for three years in the same institution. Now he was ready to labor for the glory of God, and he was not the man to shrink from it. The remaining four years of regency were passed in St. Louis University, and St. Xavier College, Cincinnati, as Professor of Poetry and afterwards of Rhetoric, in which capacity, as everywhere else, he won the love and esteem of all. The young men under his care learned to see in him what had attracted the admiring notice of his religious brethren, and to prize the interest he took in their welfare and the uniform kindness, offspring of true charity, that he always exhibited. He rebuked them if need were, but they saw that he did so because it was his duty, for the moment after he would address his scholar as kindly as if he never had reason to be displeased. Finally, after twelve years-a period interminably long to those who do not understand the scope of the Society, or those who refuse to acknowledge the value of the proVaL. rv-No. 2. 22 �168 Death of .Mr. P. McDermott, S. :J. longed studies not less than the unequivocal proofs of virtue which she exacts from her children-he was sent to the Scholasticate at Woodstock, Md., to begin his course of Theology. But a few months after his arrival the disease which carried him off and the seeds of which had been sown during his years of teaching, displayed itself by degrees until it seized upon him with such vigor that even his strong constitution could not elude its grasp. Early in December he caught a cold, but as he was never given to being overcareful of himself, he paid little attention to it, never thinking of applying a remedy for such a trifle. Yet his summons had .. come, and towards the middle of the month it became evident to all that Mr. McDermott was suffering from a disease more dangerous than had been imagined. Pneumonia confined him to his room, but with his usual cheerfulness he thought that he would be well in a couple of days and able to resume his studies. He continued to grow worse, but apprehended no danger. At last his Superior informed him that his case was so extremely critical that he could not prudently delay longer to make his confession and put his affairs in order, while he enjoyed the full use of his faculties. And here, properly speaking, begin the most admirable traits of his character and conduct. His life had been the ordinary life of the Jesuit, his virtues were" such as a relig- ious sees practised around him every day, but his death showed that there was beneath his ordinary actions a current of thought and pure intentions that had borne him calmly along and fully prepared him for the terrors of death. If it be true that sickness does not change a man but shows · what he is, that the virtues practised then are but a reflex of his life, that then the true sentiments and dispositions are revealed in all their native lustre, then his was a life rich in many a virtue and strong with the strength which many an act of self-sacrifice had given. The virtues' of the religious life are not the work of a �Dcatlz of Mr. P. McDermott, S. J'. 169 day ; still they are not, thank God, so new to us that a departed brother must needs seem blooming with the loveliness of sanctity, because his last moments yield pleasing fragrance, or that his brief obituary notice should teem with the scent of "the wood that grows precious in burning." Yet, since they can only be accurately judged by those who have consecrated themselves to God, and since they are the principal ones that can adorn the death of a religious, it will not be amiss to mention a few, that by their silent eloquence they may warm the breast and invigorate the souls of others whose duty it is still to reduce them to daily practice. His obedience was so exact that it required but the mention of that word or the Superior's order to calm him even in the moments of delirium consequent on his sickness. His cheerfulness never forsook him, even to the last moments of his life; and when he received news that the physicians called to consult on his case had given up hope, in ten minutes he had resigned himself fully to the will of God and regained his wonted composure. There was a dear friend of his who knew him well, and had lived with liim almost constantly since they both entered the Society, who asked him a short time bebefore his death whether he was afraid or sorry to die. Quickly came the cheerful answer: "Not at all." His only regret was, that his parents, now nearing their seventieth year, would not have the inestimable consolation of being rewarded for their sacrifice by seeing him a priest and receiving his priestly blessing before closing their eyes in death. But their hopes were not to be realized; they had made a holocaust of their son, God was pleased to take their offering at its full and, hard though it was, to receive his death as the crowning jewel of their sacrifice and thus, we trust, make their aged but generous hearts ripe for a more lasting reward. His religious brethren were unremitting in their attentions; they prayed for his life and were loath to abandon hope �1 ;o Deatll of Jlfr. P. .McDermott, S. 7. even when physicians despaired. They practised untold kindness in their care of him, but he deserved it ; and if they needed ought to spur them on, the example of his silent, unmurmuring goodness and the sight of the virtue he exhibited on his death-bed were sufficient to animate· them to do still more. They loved him, as did every one who came in contact with him. But neither their assiduous care nor fervent prayers availed, for God had judged otherwise. We cannot help thinking that so many Masses and prayers offered for his ·recovery were but to be turned into another channel and the offerings made so cheerfully, instead of winning back a life already ebbing, were but instrumental in making a death already certain, peaceful and happy. The sweet thought which ever gave consolation to the dying man was, that he had heard the word of the Lord and kept it ; that he had entered the Society of Jesus and shared the precious boon of dying in its bosom. Those who were with him in his dying moments say that they were amply repaid for all that they had done for him whilst sick, in being permitted to witness such a death, and asked no further grace from God than to die as he died. On the last day but one 't>f the year '74, at half-past three in the morning, Mr. McDermott calmly breathed his last-a peaceful and happy death. ·· �MISSIONS AT ARLINGTON AND LEXINGTON ; RETREAT AT BOSTON COLLEGE, MASS., 1875· (Letter from Fr. StroJZg.) ---------------We arrived at Arlington, Mass., on the 12th of February, two days previous to the first Sunday in Lent, the time appointed for the opening of the Mission. Arlington, as you are aware, one of the suburban towns surrounding Boston, is situated about seven miles from that city. It is a small town, composed of private residences occupied by persons doing business in Boston. The congregation consists of a small number of respectable trades people, the great majority are of the working classes, farm hands and domestics. It is entirely Irish. To meet the wants of the congregation, Arlington has two priests, Rev. Jos. M. Finotti, and his assistant, Rev. John Galvin, who began his primary studies at Boston College, completed them at the College of Holy Cross, Worcester, and was lately ordained priest at the Theological Seminary at Troy. The church is a Gothic structure, capable of seating eight hundred people. It contains also a basement chapel about the same size as the upper church. Our hopes of success were by no means promising. The congregation had but a year previous enjoyed the benefits 'Of a Mission conducted by the Paulist Fathers. Hence the field had already been gleaned and the present Mission proved no novelty. Instead of thousands, as we had been led to suppose his 1:ongregation consisted, we found it estimated at eight hundred adults. Then, the weather was unpropitious ; the cold was intense; ice six inches thick covered the ground, and the �172 Missions at Ar!ingtoll and Lexington ; earth was frozen to the depth of five feet. The oldest inhabitants pronounced this spell of weather to be the coldest experienced in New England for the last thirty years. Before the opening of the Mission, to increase the drawbacks, snow fell to the depth of three feet, rendering it almost impossible for many who lived at a distance of three or four miles to approach the church. It was, therefore, with no sanguine hope of success that we began our labors; but the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Whom we confided the Mission, blessed our humble endeavors far beyond our expectations. On the first Sunday of Lent the Mission commenced. It was impossible to have a ~Iissa Ca11tata, so a low Mass was said. After the Gospel, the pastor announced to his congregation that a retreat would now begin. He said he committed to our hands the care of his congregation over which we should have all jurisdiction excepting parochial. As a sign of his resignation he presented to each of us a stole, and then exhorted his parishioners to take advantage of the present retreat to advance in virtue. Rev. Fr. Me Atee then preached the first sermon of the retreat. At night, notwithstanding the drifting snow, the attendance was sufficient to fill the church. The Exercises of the Mission consisted· of two Masses with meditations, at five o'clock in the morning; one in the lower chapel for young men and women, the other in the church for the married portion of the congregation. Another Mass with instruction at half past eight o'clock. This Mass was numerously attended, the number increasing, until near the close of the Mission, over five hundred persons were always present. At half past four in the afternoon an instruction was given to the children and young people in the lower chapel. We found about five hun.dred boys and girls, fifty of whom had made their first communion. At the same hour in the church, instructions were given on different days to fathers, mothers, young men and �Retreat at Boston College, Mass., I875· 173 women, upon the duties of their respective states. At half past seven in the evening, beads, sermon and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Night services were always well attended. The audience was composed entirely of Catholics. A broad line of distinction between Catholics and Protestants existing in this section of the country, prevented the latter from attending the exercises. So clearly is this line defined that the terms Yankee and Protestant, Catholic and Irish, are considered as synonyms. The children considered it a sin to associate with Yankee children. Whilst explaining the Creed to the children, I asked the meaning of the words Catholic Church. Several hands were instantly raised to signify their readiness to answer. One said, it meant the "true church;" another "the Church where the Pope was ;" a third said "it was that Church out of which, if one died, he went to hell." Finding their answers not entirely satisfactory, the hands were lowered. But a bright little chap exclaimed, "please, Mr. I think 1 know." "Well, my child, what does it mean?" "The Catholic Church means the Irish Church, not the Yankee." The smiling approval of the older ones who were present seemed to say that the little fellow had solved the difficulty. It is not too much to say that the Mission was a successful one, and the more so because there was in the manner in which it was conducted a total absence of any striving after excitement or sensational effect. The solid spirituality and practical common sense of St. Ignatius were discernible throughout. The number of confessions heard, not counting duplicates, was one thousand and sixty. Among these, many were general confessions. Some approached the tribunal of penance who had been absent for many years. The Scapular of our Lady of Mount Carmel was given to four hundred and thirty-six. Two Sodalities were formed in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus : that of the unmarried women numbered one' hundred and sixty; and the other for unmarried men counted seventy-two. �174 Missions at Arlington and Lexington; On the last night of the Mission the church was crowded; the members to be received into the Sodalities marched in procession from the lower chapel into the church where seats for their accommodation had been placed in front of the Sanctuary and in the aisles. After the intoning of the Vmi Sancte, a short address was delivered ; then followed the recitation of the Act of Consecration and the presenting to each member the badge of the association. Great fervor was manifested by the recipients, and many among the congregation were moved to tears. Rev. Fr. Me A tee delivered· a discourse upon the necessity of perseverance. Then our Mission of two weeks at Arlington, closed with the Papal Benediction followed by that of the Most Blessed Sacrament. There were but few in the congregation who did not take· advantage of the Mission to approach the Sacraments. \Ve must return thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. for having blessed our labors and rendering the Mission a success, notwithstanding the many difficulties encountered. \Ve started the next morning, March 1st, for the town of Lexingt'On, which is situated about twelve miles from Boston and is noted for being the place where the first hostilities began between the British and Americans in 1775. The congregation was supposed to consist ,~f four hundred souls. The Paulists in their mission in 1874: had five hundred communions. This congregation is attended from Arlington. The Catholics formerly possessed a neat little chapel with a pastoral residence. This property was sold about a year since and a site purchased for a new church. They use for service for the present time a very old frame building, formerly a hotel which has been adapted for church purposes. This new purchase involved them in a debt of eight thousand dollars, which they think it is impossible for them to liquidate and at the same time to erect a new church. Notwithstanding the snow which was over three feet in • �Retreat at Boston College, Mass., z875. 175 depth, the e.."Xercises were numerously attended. We heard seven hundred and sixteen confessions, not counting duplicates, which number embraced as we are told every Catholic within the parish, with the exception of two. Some of the confessions dated back as far as thirty years. The scapular was given to four hundred and thirty-two. The Temperance Society was in a languishing state. Rev. Fr. Me A tee endeavored to restore it to its primitive fervor, preached on temperance and had the consolation of seeing all the pld members who had left the association return, and thirty new ones admitted. Dressed in their regalia they went to Holy Communion in a body, and on the last night of the retreat, they publicly renewed their pledge. The people became much attached to us, and on our leaving at the end of the week, they gathered round the sleigh, shedding tears and wishing us God speed. On the next morning, March 8th, we began the retreat at Boston College. We found one hundred and fifty-seven students ranging in age from fifteen to twenty-four years. Yciuths deserving of all praise-attached to the institution, -animated with the desire of study, devoted to their professors, and especially to the President of the institution. We delivered three discourses every day and though they followed closely on one another, yet the students were always attentive. This was the more remarkable as during the time of instruction they were not under the vigilance of a prefect. They all approached the Holy Table on the last morning of the retreat VoL. Iv-No. 2. �. MISSION AT GEORGETOWN, D. C., 1875 . - The Reverend pastor of Trinity church, thinking that he could not do better at the beginning of his labors for the congregation entrusted to his care a month or t\v.o ago, than to give his p~ople the blessings of a Mission, applied to Fr. Provincial fo"r the purpose and obtained the appointment of Fr. Emig and Fr. Coppens. The Mission was intended not only for the conversion of such as might need it, but also as a convenient opportunity for all to gain the Indulgence of the Jubilee. The exercises were opened on the fourth Sunday in Lent and concluded on Palm Sunday. "Throughout the fifteen days," writes Fr. Emig, "the church was _filled all day. In few places have I seen better attendance. Even at times when there was neither Mass nor instruction, hundreds of persons could be seen making their visits for gaining the Jubilee. In a word, there was a constant procession from early dawn till 10 ·P. M. \Ve had four Masses daily, and at each from two hu~dred to three hundred persons assisted; but the Mass at nine o'clock, counted daily about six hundred. During the evening exercises the church was crowded from the first day even to the last. We had two thousand and three hundred confessions and over one !housand and five hundred Communions -a result equal to that of the Mission given in the same church two years ago. I may add that fifty were reconciled to the Church after an estrangement of from two to sixty years." 176 �THREE LITTLE MISSIONS. (From a Letter of Fr. Emig.) FREDERICK, April 24th, 1875· The three little Missions given during April, happily dosed on Wednesday morning. The fruit of the first and second was in a special manner very great. Commencing at Gloucester, N. ]., though the Exercises passed under the name of the Forty Hours' Devotion, we had to continue them for nearly five days, as a constant throng surrounded the confessionals and were anxious to approach the Holy · Sacraments. Hence, of eleven hundred communicants, we had over nine hundred, and had not other engagements prevented me,· the eritire congregation would have presented itself before the close of the week. My second battle field was in Berks Co., Pa., ten miles northeast from Churchville. There through the efforts of Fr. Schleuter, a shanty was built in the shape of a church on Mt. Sion, for some two hundred Irishmen. who dig a tunnel through the· same hill. At least one hundred and sixty of them needed a Mission. All came to a man. The affair was a clean sweep. · It does not often fall to the lot of a mortal to see so much zeal and genuine happiness under so many filthy rags. God be praised for His mercies! The third Mission was to a mixture of Irish and Germans, a thing always disagreeable and scarcely ever successful, as both elements keep a jealous eye on the "Holy Commissioner." The Irish were all on hand; and only five or six of the Teutonic party were absent. On my return home, I find plenty of work cut out for me and my new companion, which. will keep us busy till the middle of June. 177 �WASHINGTON TERRITORY. (Letter of Fr. P. G. Guidi to Fr. A. Romano, S . .T.) CoLVILLE, W. T., jANUARY zznd, 1875. REV. DEAR FATHER: P. C. Your kind little letter came to hand two weeks ago. Think of the pleasure of getting news about so many friends of whom I had long had no chance to hear any thing at all ! Deo gratias ! In return, to show my gratitude, I will tell you how we celebrated here the last Christmas holidays. Before the middle of December, a good number of Indians had already gathered around our Church, coming from a distance of ten, twenty, or even eighty miles ; and, as a remote preparation for the solemnity, from the 12th to the zoth of the month, the chiefs were busy with those who did not behave as they should. A complete !>uccess answered their care : some who for many years had· been wild and independent, submitted to the rule, and not a few went spontaneously to the chiefs to ask a penance as an atonement for the past. Three days before Christmas eve, for the first time we inaugurated the Forty Hours Devotion. An order issued by the chiefs forbade all kinds of amusements and put aside unnecessary transactions. All were then totally occupied with.the practice of that devotion, and ·truly it was edifying to see bands of Indians going in turn to the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with the greatest modesty and :recollection. During those days the priests were engaged in hearing confessions. �Was!tington . Tem"tory. 179 When happy Christmas day came, at the first signal for midnight Mass, our Indians lit a big fire on the top of the hill opposite to the church ; at the second, they fired a salute, and all the people entered the church singing a beautiful and very appropriate song. High Mass began, the Indians forming the choir. I preached a short English sermon for many whites. who were present, and we had four hundred and fifty communions. At the pressing request of our good people, an Indian went around, after the Credo, taking a collection for the church, and he got from the Indians twenty-eight dollars, which in the following days were increased to seventy dollars-indeed a considerable sum for this poor flock. In order to keep them a longer time near the church, and thereby to give them some more religious instructions, we promised them another beautiful feast for New Year's day, but we said nothing of the manner in which we would celebrate it. Well nigh all waited for it, and we had again on that day a general communion at Mass. In the afternoon they were ordered to meet in the church, whence they should mo\'e in a procession to the Sisters' house, situated at a distance of a quarter of a mile. Shortly before the appointed time, a violent snow storm fell upon our place; but we did not lose courage, and in spite of the raging tempest, the procession began to be formed in the church. On the very point of starting, lo! the fury of the elements gave way, and the wind subsided so much as to allow burning tapers to be carried in the open air the whole time of the ceremony. We went on reciting the Rosary, and when we reached the Sisters; residence, a large frame with a devout image of our Blessed Lady was uncovered to the multitude. This unexpected and consoling sight made all fall on their knees, and shed tears of joy. Then a salute was fired, a song chanted in honor of the Queen of Heaven, and the procession went back to the church, where the image being exposed �I The J'ubilcc of the Sacred Heart. 8o to the public veneration, Fr. Josi addressed the people in a touching sermon. It was a matter of consolation for us to look at those Indians, who by the expression of their countenance, were telling, without mistake, the true sentiments of their happy hearts. Experience teaches that the devotion towards the Blessed Virgin takes well and strikes de~p roots among these savages, whom it keeps straight to follow in the right path. Yours in Xt. P. G. GuiDI, S. J. -------.~------- TH~ .. JUBILEE OF THE SACRED HEART. ------- ----------- REVEREND DEAR FATHER, P. C. _In compliance with your Reverence's request, I will briefly sketch what I heard or witnessed _of the consoling celebration of the feast of the Sacred ;Heart this year, and of the solemn consecration of the Church to the same Divine Heart, recommended to all the Faithful by our Holy Father, Pius IX. It was to be expected that more than usual solemnity would be thrown around the feast of the Sacred Heart this year, which is the second centennial of the devotion, and there was a universal anticipation that the prayers and petitions of Bishops and people addressed to the Holy See to obtain the consecration of the whole Church to the Sacred Heart would at least be heard with favor, and that this year would crown the devotion with this final triumph. �T!te :Jubilee of tlze Sacred Heart. 181 At the approach of the feast, a circular was sent to all the missions and houses of the Province, inviting all to unite in a most fervent and solemn observance of the coming festival and prescribing certain exercises to be performed in public and in private during the novena or triduum and on the great day itself. The faithful committed to our care in our various parishes and missions, responded to the invitation in a manner which astonished their pastors. I witnessed at Conewago and at Goshenhoppen a fervor and a devotion which showed how deeply the hearts of those people were stirred and how fully they had entered into the spirit of the celebration. It was a busy season with them; their fields called for all the time and care which \Vere possible, and the church. was for most of them no small distance. Yet twice every day the church, though very spacious, was well attended, not only by the devout female sex, but by men, young and old, from forest and field. In the morning they assisted at solemn Mass : in the evening they came again to prayers, sermon and Benediction. You can easily conclude from this what a number of Communions there must have been on this blessed day of the Sacred Heart. I was at Goshenhoppen on the feast-a quiet, out-of-theway little mission in Pennsylvania-made up of a patri- ' archal race .of innocent, simple people. You would have thought it was Christmas or Easter, at the sight of the crowd in the church, around the Holy Table and at the Masses. Letters from Whitemarsh and St. Thomas, in Maryland, speak of the same fervor, the same eagerness to share in the graces of the feast. The pastors of the former place could not explain to themselves the wonderful spirit manifested by their people. The entire region seemed to be stirred to its centre. The services in the church were the same as at Conewago, and in all these· places the Blessed Sacrament was exposed all day on the feast. Whilst the �I 82 Tlte :Jubilee of tlze Sacred Hearl. pastors were delighted at the piety of the many visitors who came to spend an hour or more in adoration, one of them in his ingenuous humility declared that he had never known till then what this devotion was. But now he knows it: he has seen it at work. At St. Thomas, many of the people eagerly secured pictures of the Sacred Heart of which the pastor had made a provtswn. They had heard of the promise made by our Lord to the Blessed Margaret Mary : that He would bless those houses in which the picture of His Heart would be exposed and honored. I have no deh.ils in regard to the celebration of this glorious festival in many of our churches but let the celebration at our church in Baltimore serve as a specimen; for I have reason to believe that most of others did not remain far behind it. My information is derived from one of the pastors, who might have added to his description of the grand solemnities: Quamm pars mag11a fui. The immediate preparation for the feast consisted of a triduum pr~ached by the Rev. Alfred Curtis, of the Cathedral. The Altar was magnificently adorned, a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart, lately imported from Munich, was the prominent feature on the main altar. It was surrounded by an arch of gas jets designed.'by Fr. Jones of New York, and giving in letters of light the ~vords : Fili pra:be cor tuum milzi. The church was densely crowded every evening, every available space being occupied. Fr. <::;urtis proved himself a finished speaker, but that is saying nothing. He was the orator of the Sacred Heart, and the hearts of all that heard him were spell-bound-won irresistibly to the Heart of our Lord. His subjects were: 1st, The Devotion to the Sacred Heart as a particular devotion based upon Theology and Love ; 2nd, The Devotion as a necessary offshoot of the Catholic doctrine of the Incarnation; 3d, The object of devotion considered as Reparation, proved from Nature, Reason and Faith. My correspondent �Tlzc :Jubilee of tlze Sacred Heart. 18 3 writes : "Fr. C. took us all by storm. His manner is unstudied, a perfect outpouring of ideas. He forgets himself in his subject. Earnestness is natural to him," etc. On the Sunday within the octave, according to the prescription of the circular, there was a Solemn High Mass. The sermon was on the Sacred Heart considered as the Heart of the Good Shepherd ; and though my informant is too modest to say another word about it, yet I am sure that he did ample justice to a subject which is perhaps the richest, tenderest, noblest in the whole range of Catholic oratory. In the evening of the same day, at the Solemn Benediction, one of our Fathers from Washington preached another sermon on the Sacred Heart, which is called a complete treatise on the subject, and gave the grounds, end, aim and fruits of the devotion. An immense congregation was assembled, and one could feel that their hearts were moved with intense devotion. It was during this ceremony that the solemn consecration of our Province to the Sacred Heart was renewed in all our churches. But I have no doubt that Baltimore stood high in favor with the Sacred Heart on that day and that the congregation of St. Ignatius church, as well as the inmates of Loyola College, will receive precious treasures in return for the deep and true fervor manifested during those happy days. But I must say the same of the churches in Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Frederick, etc. And now one might suppose that after such a celebration of the novena, triduum and feast, the devotion of the people required a respite for a season. But just after the circular had been sent which stirred all the above manifestations, came the glad news that, the Holy Father had at last granted the petitions addressed to him and had appointed the 16th of June as the day of the consecration of the Church to the Sacred Heart. Deo gratias! so this year was to be in very deed the Jubilee year, the year of triumph for the Sacred Heart; and the very day of the second centenary of the sweet revelation to VoL. 1v-No. 2. 24 �184 Tlze :Jubilee of tile Sacred Heart. the B. Margaret Mary, was to put the last seal to her work. Here was news to stir up devotion once more to a tenfold intensity, and yet we seemed to have done all that could be done only the week previous to this new solemnity. But the piety of the faithful was equ;:~l to the task-their devotion had only been brightened and strengthened by the previous exercise-and when they were told that they would be able to join their voices to that of Pius IX., their solemn consecration to his, and that they would use his words, with his sanction, and with the gift of a plenary Indulgence for using them to bind themselves forever to the Sacred Heart; when they saw him, the father and leader of God's people standing like the Patriarch of old, at the gate in the side of this last ark of salvation offered to our race, and heard him exhort them to enter into it and be secure against the deluge of God's anger, is it a wonder that they rushed in with eager haste ? is it a wonder that all that had been done · during the novena and on the feasts was outdone on the 16th? The dear Messenger of the Sacred Heart deserves the credit of making this good news known to us and of fur· nishing us with the text of the prescribed formula, many thousands of which were immediately printed and spread over the country. I happened to be in rhiladelphia for that occasion, and though in the absence of·the Bishop no official notice had been given to the diocese, yet the day, though not a feast day, could be compared only to some of the greatest festivals of the year. The confessionals were besieged all the day previous till late into the night and again on the morning of the 16th. Many were disappointed and could not perform their devotions. But the number of communions was altogether marvellous. This is true of both our churches in Philadelphia and of the other parish churches of the city. At Baltimore our church was again the scene of extra• ordinary fervor. The sermon was a history of the devotion �The :Jubilee of tlte Sacred Heart. I 85 to the Sacred Heart, comprising the life of B. Margaret Mary and the connection of the Society with the devotion, a subject both interesting in itself and one which had not been touched by the previous orators, so that the crowded audience listened with almost breathless attention. The act of consecration was recited during the Benediction. In some of the churches it was read at all the Masses as well as at Benediction. What more is to be done to honor the Sacred Heart of our Lord after this, it is not easy to say. · Its triumph seems now complete. But the ever active spirit of devotion will yet invent new ways-and the increased fervor of thousands of hearts will only ~erve to suggest other means of honoring it. God grant that we of the Society may be true to our trust, and prove ourselves the earnest, zealous, laborious apostles of the S. Heart which has been pleased to place its interests in our hands. Happy we who have lived to see the day for which our fathers sighed and prayed for two hundred years ! but happier if we imitate thdr zeal, emulate their ardor, both in practising the devotion ourselves, and in spreading over the whole world by word and writing and example that .holy fire which the Sacred Heart desires to enkindle in all hearts. I. remain in the Sacred Hearts of J. and M., Your Reverence's servant in Xt., P.M. �· THE 16th OF JUNE IN CHICAGO. (From a letter of Rev. Fr. Ferd. Coosemans, S. J. to Fr. Sestini, S. Y.) ST. IGNATIUs CoLLEGE, JuNE 17th, 1875· REV. DEAR FATHER, P. C. Yesterday was a grand solemn day in Chicago. In our church alone over four thousand and four hundred communions were distributed. The novena preparatory to the solemnity had been followed with extraordinary fervor. Nearly one thousand and four hundred acts of consecration have been distributed. After the High Mass, we had yesterday a procession within the church, and then exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for the whole day. At night grand service and eloquent sermon on the Sacred Heart by Fr. Lawlor to a jammed congregation. After the sermon, Fr. Damen read the act of consecration to the;! Sacred Heart of Jesus, which had also been read after each Mass in the morning, and finally benediction was given with the Blessed s'acrament. When the serV'ice was over, one hundred and seventy-five new members gave in their names for the Apostleship of Prayer.-Soli Deo honor et gloria. 186 �WHITEMARSH, MD. (Extracts from a Letter of Fr. Wiget, S. Y., to Very Rc1.•. Fr. Provincial.) ---~---- WHITEMARSH, June 17th, 1875· REV. AND DEAR FATHER PROVINCIAL, P.C. We had here our Corpus Christi procession-it was simple and quiet, but I and others thought very lovely and full of devotion-then the nine days devotion to the Sacred Heart. On the feast itself, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed from early morning until late in the evening. Yesterday we had High Mass with the Blessed Sacrament exposed and Benediction in the evening, when the Act of Consecration was read. In all these exercises an unusual fervor was shown :-this wonderful devotion to the most amiable and loving Heart of our Divine Saviour seems to give life· and blessing to all. We have quite a string of petitions every month to send to Woodstock, and many singular graces received, and, oh, many others to be received! and I am sure we will get them all, if A. M. D. G. The whole mission is aroused in an extraordinary manner; and, no doubt, this Jubilee year will, with God's grace, bring many into the Church. You know we had already thirty-six converts confirmed lately, and they were not all. I am asked for chapels in three new places. �DESTRUCTION OF OUR COLLEGE AT BUENOS AYRES, FEBRUARY 28, 1875. SANTA F:E DE PARANA, 1\larch 14, 1875. You are probably aware by this time of what has happened at Buenos _Ayres, and as you must also be anxious to hear a trustworthy report of the affair, I shall endeavor to give you a detailed acccount of the whole occurrence, as I was in the midst of the trouble, and an eye-witness of almost everything that took place. The Most Rev. Archbishop had formed the intention of confiding to our charge the church of San Ignacio, which belonged to the Society in former times. In furtherance of this· design, he communicated with the National Government, which readily granted tile desired permission. But it was also necessary to obtain the sanction of the Provincial Authorities, and wl1ile this was being carried out, some private parties busied themselves in obtaining signatures to a counter-petition, so that. t4e Government of the Province might give a negative answer to the Archbishop's request. The press of Buenos Ayres begun to.discuss the question and declaimed in unmeasured and shameful terms against the Prelate and the Jesuits. A meeting was calledfor the 21st of February, but it was forbidden by the authorities, because the country was still in a state of siege; this condition of affairs was to end by the 25th, and so the meeting was deferred until the 28th. On that day, the last of. our short vacations, we were quietly preparing to receive our pupils on the morrow, and.to begin the ordinary routine of duties. I\leanwhile, a caucus was being held at the Van"eties 188 �Destmction of Our College at Bumos Ayres, 189 Theatre, at which the University, C!emmt XIV., Carbonari,' and other clubs were represented. The Italians from La Boca had thronged together in such numbers as to fill two whole squares of the street, or a space three hundred yards long by fourteen wide. They carried the portrait of Bibadavia (the founder of masonry in Buenos Ayres), and the Italian flag. Castro Boedo, an apostate priest of the city, who claims to be bishop of the Argentine U1tiversal Clmrclt, Romero Gomez, an apostate Spanish canon, and others of the same character made such inflammatory harangues to the crowd, that at length the shout was raised, "To the Archbishop's palace!" Thither they betook themselves with the Argentine, Spanish, Italian and other flags ; and entering the house without any opposition, they smashed every thing in their way. Lucidly, the Archbishop chanced to be just then with Fathers Del Val and Dalman at San Jose de Flores, a village about four leagues distant from Buenos Ayres. From the Archbishop's, the savages went to the convents of St. Francis and St. Dominic, where they were satisfied with breaking the window panes with showers of stones. After that, they moved on to the church of San Ignacio, which had been the apple of discord, or, to speak more properly, the pretext for stirring up the riot. They got inside of the enclosure, but finding the church doors closed, they did no further damage than to destroy some tables and benches which were in the yard. Whilst they were standing here some one cried out, "To the College del Salvador!" and quick as lightning, their numbers swelled by new recruits from the streets through which they passed, they came to the Calle del Callao on which the main entrance of the College faces. It was then about three o'clock in the after-, noon. We were quietly in our rooms, but on hearing the disorderly yells of the mob, we went to the porch of the fourth division's dormitory, to find out why the crowd had halted. Thereupon, one of those madmen, with the Ar- �190 Destntctio!l of Our College at Bumos Ayres. gentine flag in his hand, scaled the college wall which is about five yards high. Many others quickly followed him, and all of them with stones, crowbars and axes, set to work breaking down the door of the public chapel. Father Rector was inside the chapel, having gone thither to ask for light and grace from our dear Lord; fearing that the door was about to give away, he rose up and went to the visitors' room, where we were surrounding the Vice-Consul of .Brazil, who accompanied by his wife, had come a few moments before, to enter his son at the college. Little by little, the rabble had penetrated into the passages, class-rooms, study-halls, dormitories and other departments of the building. Those who had forced their way into the chapel, after profaning the sanctuary and stealing the sacred vessels, broke everything to pieces ; then they tore down an iron door, which gave them free ingress to the Fathers' rooms, where they held high carnival, wrecking each and every one of our chambers. When Fr. Rector saw this, he made a vow to St. Joseph, and promised to consecrate the college to him. But the attack was waxing hotter, and we could not remain much longer in our state of indecision.: Just then Fr. Albi suggested that we should make for the garden, and we all hurried there through the infirmary and the kitchen. On seeing us come out of th~ visitors' room, the crowd wanted to pursue us, but the Brazilian Vice-Consul stood on the stairways, and during the few moments that he took to make himself known, we had time to get away. In the corridors, staircases, infirmary and kitchen, we came across several of the plunderers, but as they were among the first who had broken into the house, they were more intent on spoil than on doing us persenal harm. We reached the garden, and Fathers Rector and Albi tried to get through the gate, but the key was nowhere to be found. Some of us climbed the wall :-Fathers Jordan, Soler, Estanislao, Walter and myself, along with the Brothers, Martirell, Balaguer and Bode. Whilst on the top of the �Destruction of Our College at Buenos Ayres. 191 wall, before jumping down into the street, all of us instinctively scanned the countenances of those who from the thoroughfare or the balconies of the neighboring houses were witnessing what was taking place. Such was the fright and uncertainty prevailing for the time being, that no one spoke to us, nobody offered the protection of his house. But at last, an Englishman, a Protestant too, as we afterwards found out, taking pity on our condition, offered us timely shelter. We accepted his offer, and whilst he was shutting and strongly barring the door, his wife hid us in a cellar, covering the entrance with a piece of matting. Some parties threatened an attack upon the house, but the Englishman showed such pluck and determination, that the rabble thought it safer to turn its whole attention to the destruction of the college. After a quarter of an hour, we heard the cellar door opening; a pious lady had come to remove us from this dungeon, and inform us that we were now out of. danger. Here I interrupt the narration of what happened to us, in order to return to Fr. Rector. As he, in company with FF. Martovell and Albi, was still searching for the key of the garden gate, the plunderers were making repeated assaults upon it from the outside, and at length it was flung wide open. The Fathers finding themselves suddenly brought face to face with the multitude, asked them what they wanted, and why they were thus destroying the property of the College. Several of those who were in advance of the mob, and who entered first, among whom were two soldiers, cried out: "Order! Halt! they have surrendered!" Then making the Fathers prisoners, they brought them to an inner court-yard, from which they could witness the pillage of their own rooms. Suddenly, some one in the crowd exclaimed:-"Fellowcitizens, a citizen has been assassinated !" At this announcement, other cries quickly follow: "Out with your revolvers!" Death to the murderers!" etc. etc. Fr. Albi protested, saying that if in the whole house any other arms VoL. 1v-No. 2. 25 �192 Destmctio1Z of Our College at Buenos Ayres. were found except those in possession of the crowd, then they might kill him on the spot. One of the soldiers took him by the arm, and together they passed through the rabble to see the murdered man. In fact, at the door of the Cabinet of Physics, a blood-stained corpse was lying, and close by they came across the murderer still brandishing his dagger. In bursting through the door of the cabinet, the first one who caught sight of the instruments and machines shouted out that the treasure was found; and thereupon the one who came behind him gave him several stabs. When they had Fr. Albi along side the corpse, they began to beat him·with sticks, and in this manner they led him to the door where they had made a great fire with chairs, benches, tables, pictures, etc. They tried to fling the Father on the burning pile, but he clung so tightly to those who were dragging him, that they were obliged to give up the attempt. Meantime, some of our friends making their way through the crowd got the Father under their protection, took him to an apothecary shop close by, and guarded the place while his wounds \vere being dressed. Father Rector in company with Fr. Martorell had remained in the garden, waiting the return of Fr. Albi; but taking advantage of the confusion produced by the announcement that a citizen had been killed, they both tried to escape. Fr. Rector succeeded in doing so, but not without receiving a cut on the forehead while crossing the street. Two men took hold of Fr. Martorell, and were dragging him towards the fire, when some ont.> in the crowd struck him on the head with a hatchet. The Father raised his hand to the wound, when a second stroke split his hand and felled him senseless to the ground. It would now have been very easy to do with Fr. Martorell that which they had been unable to accomplish in the case of Fr. Albi, but our friends were gathering around now fully aroused, knocked down those who were dragging the Father along; and carried him to a neighboring house. �Destntction of Our College at Bumos Ayres. 193 The raging multitude followed them, and threatened to set the place on fire; but they replied that they would sweep the street with a volley of shot, if it should be necessary, in order to defend the house. The garden gate had been abandoned by the mob after the capture of FF. Rector, Albi and Martosell ; and so several Fathers and Brothers escaped through it, without encountering anyone to insult or injure them. FF. Vilardell, Cabeza and Torres had betaken themselves to the porch, as soon as the house was invaded; Fr. Torres thinking that he could get out by the new church, had climbed over the roof and through several windows, until he reached the cornice of the first story; but the church was already overrun by the mob, and as soon as they caught sight of the Father, they began to pelt him with stones and bricks, and even to shoot at him, so that he was compelled to make his way back again to the porch. There he found Fr. Cabeza stretched on the ground, streaming with blood, and Fr. V elardell who had been pounded with cudgels. · The ruffians who had inflicted the brutal treatment, fell upon Fr. Torres with their fists and sticks, and kicked him down stairs. Providentially, he reached the foot of the stairs without any serious injury, although they discharged two pistol shots at him so close as to singe his clothing. Then they began to haul him towards the fire; but on reaching the street, some one saved him from their hands, and took him to the apothecary shop, where Fr. Albi's wounds were being dressed. Fr. Cabeza, who had received two terrible wounds, was carried to the house of Dona Carmen Guerra. Fr. Vilardell was saved by a good Biscayan, named Erausquin, who also rescued Br. Binimelis, wounded by a hatchet in the arm. Br. Antonio Pinon, an old man of seventy years, was found in an angle of the great marble stairway, kneeling down "and crying bitterly. Erausquin saved him also. Fr. Mazarrasa, who was grievously sick, had shut himself up in his room at the first symptoms of disturbance, �194 Destmction of Our College at Buenos Ayres. and had bolted the door inside; but seeing that they were bent upon bursting through the door, he got up to open it. At the sight of this corpse, for the appearance of the good Father was deathlike, the assailants were frightened, and withdrew without entering the room. A few minutes afterwards some persons set him in a chair, and placed him in safety, without anyone venturing to do him harm. In this way, all of us who were in the college managed to get away; and certainly, it was a special dispensation of Providence, in the midst of such confusion, and taking into account the fury of the populace, that no one of the Fathers or Brothers was killed. \Vhilst some were pursuing and maltreating the inmates of the house, others had busied themselves in destroying whatever they came across. They broke down the doors of the rooms and study halls, pried into our private papers, and searched the desks of our pupils ; and, finally, set fire to the college on every side. All this happened at three ·o'clock in the afternoon, on Sunday, and in sight of the whole city of Buenos Ayres. Chalices, ~crucifixes, soutanes, church ornaments of every kind were grossly outraged. Some dressed themselves in soutanes, others put on chasubles and albs, and all made sport and mockery of religion. . Doctor Palacios succeeded in saving the ·bodies of the martyrs which were in the chapel. A pious lady picked up from the ground several Hosts which had been scattered from the ciborium, and brought them to Fr. Walter; and all this at the imminent risk of her life. About four o'clock, General Veaia, who had just arrived from El Chaco, came upon the scene. He tried to disperse the mob by himself, but they turned upon him, and he barely escaped with his life. At about half after five, the flames seized on the ~hole college, and the floors began tumbling down one upon another, with such a crashing as to make us who saw it from the neighboring dwellings, �Destntctz(m of Our College at Buenos Ayres. 195 tremble with grie£ At six, the whole building was one immense furnace, and in the midst of the flame and smoke, nothing could be distinguished, except the cross surmounting the cupola, and we were all awaiting with anxious fears for the moment when it would topple over. At last, when there was no longer any use for them, a squad of soldiers marched up. They fired upon the rioters, and blocked up all the approaches to the college. We then began to receive the attentions and visits of our friends, above all of the ladies, who hurried from house to house where we were, and gave us the news about our companions. But as these accounts were yet incomplete, we were filled with the greatest apprehension as to the fate of some whose whereabouts we were ignorant of, and whom we naturally supposed to have been burned or murdered. At seven in the evening, a chief of police came to the house where FF. Jordan, Soler and I were staying, and he said that we must go with him to another house. Father Jordan, suspecting some treachery, replied that we were well enough off and perfectly safe in our present quarters; but the inspector answered that it could not be helped ; we must concentrate ourselves in some one house, because the force at his disposal was small, and if we obliged him to . divide it, he could not answer for our lives. We were obliged then to leave that house, and go between files of soldiers and armed men, to another, where some fifteen of of Ours were gathered together. Great was the consolation with which we saw and embraced those whom we had already given up for dead; but our joy was mingled with sorrow, on seeing some with their hands and arms wounded, others with their heads all gashed, and almost every one of them bruised with clubs. There were several gentlemen present, resolved to defend them at all hazards. Soon afterwards, Dr. Ayerza arrived, and he declared that it would be absolutely necessary for us to be divided around among different houses, if we did not wish to perish to a man �196 Destntctio1l of Our College at Buenos Ayres. where we were. We assured him that we had no apprehensions, and that there was a troop in the street for our protection. "\Vhat troop?" said he. "Suppose that they have all gone away, leaving only a few policemen." Such was really the case, and on seeing this state of affairs, each of the gentlemen present took as many as he could of Ours. Dr. Castillo brought FF. Torres and Francoli to his residence. Fr. Torrens was sent to the house of Dona Carmen Guerra, to assist P. Caluza in case of need, as he was staying there in a very low condition from his injuries. \Vith a brother of the same Dr. Castillo went Fr. Serrat and two Brothers. Senot'·Fresco, Dr. Ayerza, Dr. Zabala and Senor Allende, took charge of two or three each. Thus we were again parted at about nine o'clock P. M., and in order that the distribution might be made with more convenience and less danger, carriages were brought to conduct us by unfrequented streets, to our several places of refuge. Passing close by the college in the rear, we saw the servants' quarters burning. The enclosure was completely ruined, as well as the galleries of the first and second divisions. The cupola alone remained apparently untouched, but the glare of light through the windows showed that the fire within was still alive. Of the whole building there remained only a wing of the portion which faces on the s:alle del Callao, and the refectory of the students ; and this latter portion was set on fire the following night by some unknown hand. Thus perished one of the finest structures in South America. Fr. Rector, who was in the house of Dr. Palacios, received that same night, information of our abiding places, and when all things were compared, it was found out that Fr. Walter and Br. Schorro were missing. One of the police officers said that he believed some persons were in the scaffolding of the cupola; he had called to them, but they did not want to come down. Then Dr. Palacios himself climbed up the cupola with a lantern about midnight, and closely examined every spot ; but he found nobody there. �DestructioJZ of Our College at Bumos Ayres. 197 The consequence was easily drawn; they had perished. This was strengthened by the statement of an idle vagrant, who testified that he had seen some one with a habit on, dead in the middle of the flames. .·All these signs showed that Br. Schorro was the victim ; but, thanks be to God, Fr. Walter made his appearance on . Monday and the Brother on Tuesday. You .have here a circumstantial narration of what happened on the 28th of February. You have doubtless observed that I mention even trivial details, and sometimes repeat the same things, but the desire which I know you have of learning accurately the whole course of events, has forced me to descend to all these particulars. Besides, if the narrative is carelessly written, you can easily excuse that, knowing that my head is not in its normal state, and that the desire of quieting your apprehensions in our regard, has been my sole motive for taking pen in hand. But, to continue. On the next day, March Ist, everybody deplored the occurrence. The newspapers were loud in condemnation of it. Shame on them! they had enkindled the flame, and were the prime cause of the whole trouble. Those of Ours who were at the Seminary received timely warning of what was taking place at the college, and all of them, five Fathers and four Brothers, were enabled to take refuge in private houses. Who could have conjectured a few hours before the catastrophe, that in place of receiving the scholars in our college on the first of March, we should be forced to seek an asylum in their homes. This. day was one of continual going to and fro on the part of the pupils and their families; they all came to visit us; they busied themselves in giving news about us one to another ; every family wished us to make its house our home, and none of those whose hospitality we were sharing, was willing to let us go. Fr. Rector settled that Fr. Soler and myself, together �198 Destntction of Our College at Bumos Ayres. with Brother Martorell, dressed as seculars, should set out for Santa Fe, on Tuesday, March ·2nd, by the steamer Lujan, in order to inform R. P. Superior of all that had happened. Fr. Rector ·had given us a letter and some money to pay for our passage and the necessary outfit, but Senor Allende, at whose house we were staying, made us return the money to Fr. Rector, and at his own expense defrayed our passage and supplied each of us with a full suit of clothing. Thanks to his charity, nothing was wanting to us. The kind hearted Allende spent in all some five hundred pesos.' May God reward him for his generosity. I relate these little circumstances that you may aid us in recommending to God these good people, who deserve so much in our regard. All that evening, until eleven o'clock, we were constantly engaged in receiving the visits of our pupils and their relatives, who came to bid us good-bye. All felt our departure very keenly, because, said they, if we once went away it would be difficult for us to return again and open a college at Buenos Ayres. Truth to tell, it gave us much pain to think what would become of so many young persons abandoned in the midst of this corrupt society. But God so ordained it, and we had to submit to His will. Very early next day we went to take le~y'e of Fr. Rector, whom we found much improved as far as the wound of his forehead was concerned, although he was still troubled with pains in the shoulders from the clubbing he had received. At half past nine, we proceeded to the river Tigre, to take the steamboat. On arriving at the station, in spite of our disguise, and although we gave each other no signs of recognition, some one whispered ; "there goes a specimen of monkery." On board the steamer they demanded o~r passports, because, said they, on account of the troubles of the past few days, the whole Province of Buenos Ayres had been declared under martial law, and we could not travel without a passport. It was, therefore, necessary to �Destntction of Ozw College at Bumos Ayres. 199 return to the city for this document. The passport being obtained, we were at last admitted to the cars; but we had not completed half the distance, when we came across a freight train which had been thrown off the track, and then we had to wait until another train from the opposite direction should pass us ; but, when this other train arrived, the conductor declared that he could not move on, as the boiler was out of order ; and so we were once more obliged to return to Buenos Ayres by the same train on which we had started. Everything seemed to be conspiring against us. On the following day, we got off for good; some passengers who recognized us were seriously debating about throwing us into the river; but the captain threatened to do the same to them, and he took the further precaution that we should dine with himself in his private cabin. Then some other passengers, finding out who we were, took our part, and paid the greatest attention to us; and so all our • fears vanished. At Parana, some boys who were coming to the college of Santa Fe, got aboard the Steamer, and so soon as they recognized me, they came up to offer their salutations. Fr. Superior and Br. Calvo6 received us at the wharf; which they had scarcely ever left during the last two days, waiting for an arrival, in order to hear the first news from Buenos Ayres. Their delight on embraceing us was indescribable, for they had already commenced the suffrages for us, and now they saw us alive and well. What a consolation it was for us and for the whole of this Community! At nightfall, on the very Sunday of the catastrophe, the Governor of Santa Fe was apprised of the doings at the capital. It was rumored about here that we had all been murdered or devoured by the flames. The telegraphic despatches, as fast as they were received, were transmitted to the Superior. The College and the whole town were filled with consternation. The Fathers, as you may well believe, did not sleep a wink that whole night, and our house seemed to be VoL. rv-No. 2. 26 �200 Destntction of Our College at Buenos Ayres. a public resort for all classes of people; who were coming and going all night long; at last, the Governor, fearing some disturbance, surrounded the building with a company of soldiers. To cap the misery, the telegraph ceased to work after a few hours, and nothing more could be learned. But the following day, more consoling accounts came from various parties in Buenos Ayres, and finally, by our arrival, on Wednesday, they found out that we were all safe. Several Fathers and Brothers came by the next boat FF. Dalman and Jordan are in the colony of Jesus-Maria, a district of ~~ Rosario, at the re~idence of Mr. Cullen. This gentleman, tfie owner of the steamboat Pn"mer Argentino which runs between Santa Fe and El Tigre, was no sooner informed of the state of affairs, than he started for Buenos Ayres, with the intention of taking us all on board of his boat; but seeing that he could be of more service in the city, he remained there, and gave a free passage to all of Ours. He was the first to set on foot a subscription to rebuild the college. It seems that forty or, as some say, fifty thousand pesos have already been subscribed. Rev. Fr. Superior is now at Buenos Ayres to see what is best to be done. The day after the riot, Fr. Rector of Buenos Ayres received more than a thousand calls from th·~ chief citizens of the place. The President of the Republic sent his aidde-camp, and the Vice-President came in person to visit him. It seems that the Government, b~th National and Provincial, is firmly reSolved to see justice done in this matter. The Province has been placed under martial law, very many arrests have been made, and a searching enquiry is to be set on foot. Dr. Navarro Viola, President of the Senate. has presented a bill, asking that body to take upon itself the charge of punishing the guilty parties . . Besides this, as during several days after the disaster, it was impossible for a priest to pass .through the streets without being insulted, the Government has issued very strict �Destntction of Our College at Bumos Ayres. 201 orders, especially against the police, who neglect to arrest those who commit any outrage of this kind. This is enough for the present. After some time I may write again. I do not know whither I shall be sent; the others are in the same uncertainty as regards their destination. Deus providcbit. Yours in Jesus and Mary, MIGUEL CODOMIN, D.O.M. s. J. • �• �CONTENTS. PAGE New York and Canada Mission, 3 The Nat chez Indians in 1730, 21, 150 St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia, 30, 100 Pottowattomy Indians, 42" John Baxter, S. J., 57 Osage Mission, . 64, 160 Letter from Cincinnati, 72 New Mexico, 75 Early Missions in St. Charles Co., Mo., 79 Expulsion of the Jesuits from Louisiana in 1763, 88 Brother John DeBruyn, . 110 Voyage of Very Rev. Fr. Grassi from Russia to America. 115 Unpublished Letters of Fr. Anthony Kohlmann, 137 Death of 1'\Ir. P. :McDermott, S. J., . 166 1\Iissions in 1\lassachusetts-Retreat at Boston College, 171 :Mission at Georgetown, D. C., 176 Three Little Missions, 177 ·washington Territory, 178 The Jubilee of the Sacred !kart, 180 The 16th of .June in Chicago, 186 Whitemarsh, 1\[d., 187 Destruction of our College at Buenos Ayreo, 188 �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 4 (1875) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals.</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1875 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-004 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 198 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1875 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/22453b18a97ae10021ef9caf7b3dda44.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=C0MlqT6xuOU2%7ED4zhU3rwdIRpAC6V3Wk7iH%7ETLJBQhUxU0K30OMEWmnqih6aJpavAE3R9rUnHZErwLocyS-g43mVLmbYThVqnQCjmWxSXWC3xo6ANnma7%7EX10fs5N5UdDYE0qnf8V0G4Vhzgn2-yCGZXZQ1072kOJ6lRm%7EG4RO6p4RjkMMIhlG7ubvdr-nognG60QKPoc7wnP16vUXaGz%7E6eV5cCbIWCS8FLs9L0X7MH-rI4cpBQSBBSwtSgjpztB5GkPWFZ02qh62ScGStn05C1Mj2Y85GDwi3OTZHZ%7EFHzBFZtRQBo8zLPL5rOSMByFe12UKRY2dhkFiNggUy9mQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 00a83ee9aff2c8b121bc3166d393f124 PDF Text Text . vVOODSTOCI( LETTERS. VOL. V., No. 1. THE NATCHEZ INDIANS IN 1730. Letter from Rev. Fr. Petit, S. 7., to Rev. Fr. Davaugour, S. Y., Procurator-Gmeral of the Missions in Nort/z America. (Concluded.) The pleasure, however, which I experienced in the company of Fr. Doutreleau after his almost miraculous escape, was sadly disturbed by the thought of the loss sustained in the death of the two missionaries who had fallen victims to the fury of the savages. You know the merits of these noble champions as well as I. To an amiable character they joined the qualities and accomplishments that make the apostle : they were in the vigor of manhood ; their proficiency in the language of the Indians, the courage with which they entered upon their arduous task, the affec3 �4 T!tc iVatclzc:; Indians in I7JO. tion which they bore the savages, the rare success that attended their first labors-everything led us to cherish the fondest hopes for their future usefulness. So much indeed does the unlooked for fate of these worthy men affect me, that I seem to forget the considerable losses we have suffered in material resources, although even the privation of these helps must necessarily, for a time at least, prove disastrous to a newly founded mission. Notwithstanding, however, the tragic end of our much esteemed brethren, we cannot give way to our tears without at the same time being filled with the sweetest consolation, when we remember that they had consecrated themselves willingly and entirely to the conversion of the savages in these regions: certainly their lot is enviable; and the Lord, vVhose service they had at heart while on earth, will undoubtedly have received them with a fondness which would never fall to the share of simple martyrs to the French name. Knowing moreover the spirit of sacrifice which animates our brethren in Europe, and the zeal which prompts Superiors to accede to the pious entreaties of such as are desirous to devote themselves to the missions, I doubt not -but that our thinned ranks will be speedily filled up by men worthy to follow in the footsteps of Frs. Du Poisson and Souel. Under the critical circumstances in wi:_ich the treachery of the Indians had placed us, the Conmiandant showed himself master of the situation, and, by his energetic measures, succeeded in avenging the French blood which had been spilt, and in ~ecuring to the sorely harassed colony the blessings of a lasting peace. The melancholy news of the recent massacre had been long in reaching New Orleans-our worthy Commandant was more prompt in bringing relie( Without delay he had full information conveyed to all the military posts from the Gulf of Mexico to the territories of the Illinois ; he invited our allies th~ Tchactas to take vengeance on the perfidious �Tlte Natc/u::; Indians in I7JO. 5 • Natchez: he provided all the houses of the colony with arms and ammunition; he equipped two vessels, the Due de Bourbon and the Akxandre, to sail up the river to the country of the Tunicas; he surrounded the city with intrenchments ; he formed several companies of militia ; and, aware of the greater danger that threatened smaller settlements, his untiring 'labor did not cease until solid forts had been erected at Clwpitoulas, Canm's-Brult:cs, Les Allemands, Bayou Goula, and the Pointe-Coupt:c. The indomitable courage which animated the devoted soldier prompted him to take command in person of the troops that were to go in quest of the murderers. But the security of New Orleans demanded his presence there. Danger was apprehended, on the one hand, from their fickle allies who were not likely to let an opportunity escape of falling on the city; on the other, from the numerous negro slaves that might, under the favorable circumstances, make a successful attempt to regain their freedom. The command of the little army of Frenchmen devolved therefore on the Chevalier de Lubois whose bravery and experience in Indian warfare were calculated fully to dispel the anxious fears of the Commandant. While the French were preparing for battle in the village of the Tunicas, seven hundred Tchactas under the command of M. Lesueur invaded the territories of the Natchez. Ever since their revolt, on the 28th of November, 1729, the Natchez had neglected all precaution and spent the nights in celebrating their late triumphs. Little were they prepared therefore to meet the forces of the Tchactas who fell upon them at daybreak of the 27th of January, 1730. In less than three hours fifty French women and children, the sailor and the carpenter, and one hundred and six negroes with their children were rescued; eighteen Natchez were reduced to slavery, sixty were scalped; the loss of the T chactas amounted to only two dead and seven or eight Wounded. The victory would have been complete, had the �6 Tlze Natclze::: Indians i11 I7JO. Tchactas, in accordance with the previous agreement, awaited the arrival of the French army which was expected with numerous auxiliaries from the Tunicas and the neighboring tribes. Three days before this action, M. Mesplex with five other Frenchmen had gone to the camp of the Natchez to reconnoitre, under pretext of bringing about a treaty of peace: their mission was doomed to a fatal issue. As they left their boat, they were saluted by savage yells, and in an instant saw themselves surrounded by a horde of their bloodthirsty enemies; another instant and three of the Frenchmen were-, massacred; . the remaining three were forced to accom~any their murderers to the next Indian village. Blinded by their former successes, the Natchez put no bounds to their insolence. They sent one of the prisoners to M. de Lubois requesting the Commander to send M. de Broutin and the chief of the Tunicas as hostages; as ransom however for the women, the children and the negro slaves, the following articles were arrogantly demanded: two hundred barrels of gunpowder, two hundred barr~ls of balls, two thousand flints, two hundred axes, two hundred mattocks, eighty quarts of brandy, twenty barrels of wine, twenty barrels of vermilion, two hundred shirts, twenty boxes of Limburg cheese, twenty bales of cloth, twenty suits laced on the s.t;:ams, twenty hats with plumes, and a hundred ordinary suits. It was their intention to slay the Frenchmen who were to deliver the ransom; on the same day, M. Mesplex and his remaining companion were burnt to death. When however, a few days afterwards, the Natchez saw themselves assailed by the Tchactas, their defeat seemed unavoidable : abandoning themselves to the gloomy forebodings of despair, they retired into their forts, and spent the greater part of the night dancing their dance of death ; their fury vented itself in horrible imprecations on the Tchactas fo~·supporting the hated strangers, whose destruction they had vowed. �Tlze Natclte::: Indians in I730.- 7 On the 8th of February, the French with the warriors of the Tunicas and some other tribes near the mouth of the Mississippi entered the Territories of the Natchez, took possession of their principal sanctuary, the temple dedicated to the sun, and laid siege to one of their most redoubtable strongholds. "If the Tchactas had then acted in concert with the veterans of M. de Lubois and their Inrlian allies, -a lasting peace might have been secured to the colony, and the missionaries would have been consoled by the brightest prospects to our holy religion among the aborigines in these parts. But a number of circumstances favorable to the Natchez combined to frustrate the sanguine expectations of the French Commander and of my brethren in religion. The impatience and obstinacy of the T chactas who, like all the Indians, will make a coup de main, but in a whim of humor relinquish all the success gained; the scanty numbers of the French soldiery; the scarcity of supplies and ammunition, occasioned by the carelessness and dishonesty of the Indians; the spirited resistance of the Natchez, who began to recover from their sudden panic, regained their former courage, and were resolved to fight for life and death-such were the obstacles with which M. de Lubois had to contend, and which after seven days of a fruitless siege, determined him to listen to proposals of peace, and thus to save the remaining French captives, whom the Natchez threatened to burn in case their overtures of peace should be neglected. The conditions of peace were accepted and fulfilled by both parties. The French army retired into a small fort, that had been erected near the river, in order to keep the wily Natchez in check, and to secure to travellers a passage free from danger. The command was entrusted to M. Dartaguette as a reward for the gallantry with which he had, during the late siege, undergone every fatigue and braved every danger. Here I should like to say a few words more about the �8 Tlze Natclze::: Indians in I7JO. general character and disposition of the Tchactas. Before the warriors of this nation had determined to make common cause with the French in the last war, they had gone to the Natchez to smoke the pipe of peace. On that occasion the Natchez presented themselves decked out in chasubles and altar-cloths, some paraded patens, others offered their guests brandy in chalices and ciboriums: when the Tchactas had vanquished the Natchez and plundered their villages, they renewed this scene of profanation before our eyes .. , Their avarice is without bounds: not content with the li.~eral allowances granted them by l\I. de Lubois, they frequently appropriated by main force the supplies of the French army; they retained great quantities of ammunition for their hunting expedition; for the most trifling services they demanded exorbitant pay; and after the first battle against the Natchez, most of their chiefs made their appearance in New Orleans in order to receive from the Commandant a remuneration for the scalps which they had taken and for the captives whom they had delivered. -Nothing indeed but their superior numbers could have induced M. Perrier to call them to our assistance: their insolence, barbarity, loathsomeness, and avidity are calculated to avert from their society I:tot only Europeans, but even the nobler Indian tribes. ~- • During this war I met Paatlaco, one of the chiefs, and a number of other Tchactas whose acquaintance I had made on my first missionary tour in their territories. They favored me with many interesting visits and repeated to me the same compliment which they had paid me on a former occasion. "Our hearts," they said, "and the hearts of our children are weeping ever since we have missed thy presence ; thou hadst commenced to have the same sentiments as ourselves ; thou didst understand us, and we understood thee ; thou lovest us, and we love thee ; why hast thou left us? Why do.st thou delay thy return? Come, come with us." Your Reverence is a ware that I could not grant their �Tlte Natcltc::: Indians in I?JO. 9 petitiOn. I simply told them, therefore, that I would join them as soon as possible; that, after all: I was in New Orleans only in body; that my heart remained always with them. "But thy heart," answered one of the savages, "says nothing to us ; it gives us nothing." Such is the love and attachment of the Tchactas, as lasting as the presents which we may have to offer! Paatlaco did certainly show great courage in the war against the Natchez. To console him for his wounds, he was received with greater attention and cared for with more solicitude than the others. These slight marks of affection turned his head : scarcely had he arrived in the village when he told Fr. Baudouin that the entire city of New Orleans had been in consternation on account of his wounds, and that M. Perrier had informed the king of his bravery and the great services which he had rendered France in the last expedition against the Natchez. Here you have the ruling spirit of this tribe : presumption and pride. No one could restrain his tears on witnessing the return of the French women: the miseries which it had been their lot to sustain during their captivity among the Natchez were engraved on their countenances. Most of the little ones, that after the war were left fatherless and motherless, were adopted by their kindhearted countrymen; the remainder were added to the number of orphans under the care of the Ursuline Si~ters, of whose admirable devotedness I made mention on a former occasion. Indeed it is a sweet consolation for each member of that holy community, to behold the cheering results of their labors and sacrifices : from them the orphans receive a father's care and a mother's affection ; under their judicious training, hundreds of young girls are preserved in innocence, and obtain an education at once christian and polite. As the accommodations of the Sisters are inadequate to the wants of the various establishments under their charge, the inhabitants have resolved to offer them a spacious VoL. v-No. I. 2 �10 T!tc ~vatdzc:: lndzims in I7JO. house with divisions for an orphanage, schools, a hospital, and women of suspected v"irtue. In France and other European countries such multiplied occupations would be distributed among several communities, or even among different religious congregations. Among us the heroic zeal of seven Ursulines, supplies their great deficiency in numbers; still it is to be feared that, unless speedy reinforcements arrive to lighten their burden, these martyrs of charity will soon succumb under the weight of their incessant labors. All are unanimous in their praise : and those who at the time of their arrival were loud in deClaiming against their large number and the expediency of their institutions, are now numbered among their warmest advocates and their sincerest friends. The Tchicachas, a brave but treacherous nation, have been trying to corrupt the nation of the Illinois, in order to win them over more easily to the confederacy against the French. But the Illinois nobly replied that most of them were of the Prayer (i. e. Christians), and that the ties of fri~ndship which bound them to the French could never be severed~ -"We shall never hesitate," said they, "to march against the enemies of our brothers, the French; he who would injure the French must first pass over our corpses.'' Their deeds did not belie their words. ~f the first news of · the insurrection of the Natchez and the Jassus, the Illinois came to New Orleans to lament the loss of the Blackgowns and the Frenchmen who had been murdered, and to offer the services of their nation in order to take vengeance on the rebels. I was with M. Perrier when they arrived: Chicagou, whom you saw in Paris, headed the embassy of the Michigamias, and Mamantouensa that of the Cascacias. Chicagou was the first to speak. He spread a carpet on the floor and placed on it his two calumets ; then handing his presents to M. Perrier he said, pointing to the two calumets: "\Ve bring thee two words, one of religion, the other of pe~ce or war according to thy desire. We listen �T!tc JVatdte~ Indians in IJJO. I I respectfully to the Commandants, because they bring us the word of the king, our father; more yet do we esteem the Black-gowns, because they announce to us the word of God Himself, vVho is the King of kings. We have come from afar to join thee in thy lamentations over the death of the Frenchmen, and to send our warriors against the nations which thou mayst point out to us : thou hast only to speak. \Vhen I was in France, the king promised me his protection if I should remain faithful to the Prayer; I shall never forget his words. At present we beg thee to protect us and our Black-gowns." Mamantouensa spoke next ; his address was laconic and somewhat different in style from what I had expected. "Here," said he, turning to l\1. Perrier, "are two young slaves, some furs and other trifles; my present is insignificant. I do not ask thee for a better one. All I ask of thee is thy heart and thy protection ; I am more jealous of these two things than of all the goods of the world ; and I ask them only because I am of the Prayer. My sentiments with regard to war are the same as Chicagou ; I need not repeat what thou hast heard from his lips." Finally, another old chief of venerable appearance rose, proclaiming that he was desirous to die as he had lived, in the Prayer. "The last word of our parents," said he, "was . a recommendation, always to remain faithfully attached to the Prayer ; they never ceased inculcating this truth on the minds of their children, that the Prayer is the only means to be happy in this life and in the other life after death." Mr. Perrier, whose devotedness to his office is equalled only by his fervor as a christian, listened with sensible pleasure to the characteristic harangues of his visitors: far from having recourse to dissimulation, he abandoned himself to the movements of his heart, and was so happy in the replies which he made to their several addresses, that he could not have failed fully to satisfy the upright savages. �12 Tltc 1Vatcltc:; Indians in I7JO. During the three weeks of their sojourn among us, the Illinois lived in our house, and gave us every opportunity to observe and to admire their edifying life. Every evening they recited the Beads of the Bi'essed Virgin in common, two choirs alternating with each other. They were present at my Mass each morning, singing hymns in keeping with the feast of the day : the Sisters sang the first verse in Latin, to the melody of the Gregorian chant; and the Illinois continued the hymn in the same tone in their own language. So novel a spectacle attracted large numbers to our church, and filled every soul with tender devotion ; indeed·; even a casual observer would have perceived that these simple savages showed more taste and pleasure in singing holy canticles, than the dregs of the French populace show in frivolous and indecent songs. Your Reverence will be astonished on learning how well our neophytes are instructed: they are acquainted with almost all the historical events of the Oid and the New Testaments; they are familiar with excellent methods of hearing Mass and of receiving the Sacraments ; their catechism, of \vhich they have a full knowledge, is perfect, and deserves to be recommended to such of our Fathers as are about to commence new missions ; in short these savages are ignorant of none of our holy mysteries, nor of their religious duties. Persons that knew the5~- tribes in their former savage state, are loud in extolling the heroic devotedness which the conversion of such barbarians must have cost ; but the missionaries find their labors abundantly recompensed, even in this life, by the blessings which the Lord showers down upon their work. The Illinois manifest great respect for the religious women. On seeing one of them surrounded by a troop of little girls, Mamantouensa said to her : "l see well that you are none of those religious without work." He meant that the Sisters are not simply intent on their own perfection. "You· are" he added, "like our Fathers, the Black- �Tltc Natcltc::; Indians in I7JO. gowns : you labor for others. Ah, would that we had two or three of you with us ; our wives and daughters would learn many useful things and become better christians." "\Veil," said the Superioress, "choose some from among the Sisters, and take them with you." "It is not for me to choose," replied Mamantouensa, "but for you who know them; the choice should fall upon such as are most closely unitedto God and most devoted to their charge." What labors will be required to implant. in the hearts of the Tchactas sentiments at once so reasonable and so christian! it can only be His work, who when He wills, changes stones into children of Abraham. · Chicagou preserves with the utmost care, in a purse made especially for the purpose, the magnificent snuff-box with which the late Duchess of Orleans presented him at Versailles. Although considerable amounts in money or valuables have been offered him for the article in question, he could never be persuaded to part with an object which reminded him of a personage, whose position in French society demanded his respect and veneration; a remarkable attention in a savage whose characteristic it is to throw away in a moment that which he had been passionately desiring. On his returq from Europe, Chicagou brought such accounts of France and its inhabitants as could not but seem exaggerated to the simple minds of the Illinois. "The French have paid thee," said they, "in order to make us believe all these enticing fictions." "\Ve are wiliing to believe thee," said his parents and nearest relations, "but thy eyes were charmed, and not~1ing but visions passed before thee ; for it is impossible that France should be as thou .dost describe her." In vain did he assure his friends that in France there are five wigwams, one upon the other, as high as the largest trees; that in Paris, people in the streets are as numerous as the blades of grass ot'l the prairie, or the mosquitoes in the woods; that the French travel �Tile Natdtc::; Indians in I730. in movable wigwams of leather ; that in the cities, the sick are in large wigwams, under the care of experienced physicians: nothing seemed credible to the honest savages. :\Iamantouensa could not understand, how the large vessels which were built could be set afloat ; or how the immense anchors could be lowered or raised; "certainly, thousands of hands must be employed there," said he. Everything was explained to him, and the savage chief could not sufficiently admire the inventive genius of the Europeans. The mes~engers of the Illinois left on the last day of June: probably -the warriors of this vigorous tribe will join the Arkansas in their expeditions against the Jassus and the Carroys. \Vhen the latter barbarians were returning after the scene of bloodshed which they had been enacting, they were attacked first by the Tchactas who took eighteen scalps, and liberated the French women and children; then by the Arkansas who took four scalps and made several prisoners. As the victorious Arkansas approached their home, they met two boats with soldiers. The sight of the French uniform brought more vividly before their minds. the-remembrance of the ttllen victims, but especially that of Fr. du Poisson, their venerated missionary : they swore that while an Arkansas was among the living, the Natchez and the Jassus should not be \\:ithout an enemy. After the death of Fr. Souel, the missiot;;r)' of the Jassus, the faithful Arkansas had intended to bring the sacred vestments and vessels, also the furniture of the mission house to a place of safety, in order to make over everything to the new Black-gown: a bell and a few books were all that the murderers had left behind them. For some time it could not be ascertained what had become of the corpse of Fr. Souel; only of late I succeeded in obtaining the desired information. One of the French women set free by the Tchactas had, after many entreaties, obtained the body of the martyr from the Jassus, and interred it in secret spot. a �The ;Vatcltt"::: Indians in I7JO. IS Although we have to deplore the death of only two missionaries, yet some other Fathers are even more exposed than the fallen victims. Thus, Fr. Baudouin is in the midst of the powerful nation of the Tchactas, without any other human protection than the respect which his venerable age and his unbounded charity should inspire. As I indicated above, the T~hac!as are becoming more dangerous as our allies than the Natchez as our enemies: their insolence knows no limits; and it is feared that the majority of our soldiers will have to be employed in checking them, and in ensuring the safety of the French settlements within their boundaries. Fr. de Guyenne, the missionary of the Carolinas, is in circumstances not less precarious. His two mission houses have been burnt; and he finds himself constrained to limit his zeal to the French fort among the Alibamons, or to seek for a richer harvest on the banks of the Mississippi. Nothing now remains but to inform your Reverence of the present condition of our enemies. They have collected their forces near the river Ouachita-the Natchez to the number of about five hundred warriors, the Jassus and Corroys less than one hundred. To avenge the loss of some of their warriors in a late affray with our friends, the Oumas and Bayagoulas, they have begun to make their appearance and to annoy our frontier settlements. Last week they fell upon a small French fort, and massacred nine soldiers and eighteen negroes; only three persons escaped the fury of the ruthless murderers. New outrages are feared every day. It is plain that such a war will sadly retard the firm establishment of the French colony and render the spread of Christianity among many of the Indian nations almost impossible. On the other hand, the late disasters may determine the .French government to take energetic measures, and to send without delay the forces necessary to tranquillize the settlements, and to make them and our missions flourish anew. As far as our missionaries are con- �I6 St. Clzarles' College, Graud Coteau, La. cerned, the losses which they have sustained and the imminent dangers to which they see themselves exposed, only serve to increase their zeal and to make them rely with greater confidence on Him \Vhose assistance is at hand even when all human resources are failing. I recommend myself, our Fathers and Brothers, and our labors to your Reverence's Sacrifices and prayers. ST. CHARLES' COLLEGE, GRAND COTEAU, LA. Letter of Fr. Jlfaitmgues, S. :1. NoviTIATE, FREDERICK, Mn., Feast of St. Fr. Xa,uier, I875· VERY REV. FR. PROVINCIAL, P. C. But lately, your Reverence expressed the desire to have a brief outline of the history of St. Charleg College, Grand Coteau. Not being very familiar with the English language and not having any document to guide me, the following attempt must needs be very imperfect; though, I trust, it will not f.<il to prove my eagerness to comply with your wishes. J. MAITRUGUES, S. J. �St. C/zarles' College, Grand Coteau, La. 17 ST. CHARLEs' CoLLEGE, GRAND CoTEAU, LA. I PART. [rs3s-rsss.] Grand Coteau is situated in the Parish of St. Landry, La., west of New Orleans, at a distance, in an air-line, of about one hundred and sixty miles. Should any one have the curiosity to visit that secluded spot, which, not unlike Brieg, l\Iontrouge, Vals or vVoodstock, is perhaps destined to rise into fame, he might be pleased to know that from New Orleans it may be reached by two different ways: Brashear city, Bayou Teche and Newtown (New Iberia, as this last is now called); or Mississippi and Red rivers, the Atchafalaya and Bayou Courtableau. The first route is the most expeditious, and excepting on Sundays, offers daily accommodation; it is objectionable on account of the necessary change and transfer from railroad to steamboat, and from steamboat to stage coach. The wild, beautiful scenery all along the way renders the other more attractive; yet, during the summer, it is not advisable on account ,of the low water. Grand Coteau, as the name indicates, is somewhat more elevated than the adjacent tracts of land. It forms to the eye a rough circle of about four or five miles in diameter, bounded by different creeks or bayous, with the usual amount of oaks, cypress and hickory trees, from whose branches the ornamental "Spanish beard" hangs to the ground. The locality is generally considered free from contagious or infectious diseases and may be pronounced healthy, with the exception, perhaps, of the months of August and September, when malaria is apt to exert a deleterious influence. Although on account of the richness of the land, almost VoL. v-No. I. 3 �r8 St. Cltar!es' College, Grand Coteau, La. _every kind of produce may be cultivated, a greater attention is given to sugar, cotton and corn. Grand Coteau forms the border line of the region where orange trees thrive, and even there require special care; not so much on account of the extreme cold as of the sudden changes of the weather. vVhen a frosty night is succeeded by a serene day, then, under the influence of the sun's rays, the bark splits and the tree is considered lost. But lately the number of people coming within the jurisdiction of the parish priest was estimated at eight thousand. The greater part is of French origin and is called the old population. About half a century ago, a certain number of families came from Maryland : the Smiths, the Hardys, the 1\Iillards, etc. The rest are chiefly late immigrants. This variety of origin does not prevent among them a great unity of purpose and good mutual understanding; which may be accounted for by the fact that nearly all are Catholics, many educated by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart or in our own College. And, since the occasion offers it, I may here relate a word I heard from Mr. Anderson, who is a Senator in Louisiana : "Your Grand Coteau population hardly ever brings up a case of crime at the courts. 'Tis wonderful !" This may serve as a preliminary for th_e better understanding of this little notice concerning .. the parish and College of St. Charles, Grand Coteau. And, not to appear too egotistic, I must add that, except for the fertility of the soil and for the merit of its inhabitants, the place would be sad and dreary, being flat, generally bordered with swamps, subject to excessive rains and droughts and offering little attraction to an amatmr de Ia belle uature: In 1835, or thereabouts, Archbishop Blanc of New Orleans, desired our Fathers to take charge of a college at Iberville, La. For some cause or other, after having visited the place they, did not consider it favorable. They were then encouraged to look for a more advantageous site. �St. Clzarles' College, Graud Coteau, La. 19 Several attempts were made under apparently good auspices, but notwithstanding the best intentions of all parties, at the moment for final arrangements, something unforeseen would occur and put a stop to further proceedings. ·what took place at Donaldsonville may be told here, as showing more clearly the designs of Providenue in favor of Grand Coteau. Our Fathers were very eager to establish themselves at Donaldsonville, which was, at that time, a very thriving place. Besides its being easy. of access from all parts of Louisiana and of the adjacent States, it is a very healthy and also a very agreeable site, affording a commanding view of the king of waters. Rev. Fr. Point, who was then Superior, went to work in earnest and soon all obstacles were removed; so that it was already considered as arranged; the more so, as the understanding was likely to prove advantageous to all parties. But, when the time for final adjustment had come-the document being written and needing only a few signatures (or its validity-some of the inhabitants made an opposition so uncalled for, that Fr. Point withdrew at once, declining further proceedings; and as the Reverend Father had urgent business of a spiritual nature calling him to Grand Cote~u, he took a speedy departure from Donaldsonville. During his stay at Grand Coteau, Fr. l'oint, guided by Providence, we may say, for mere human wisdom and prudence did not seem to advise that course, made final arrangements for a College in those parts. Meanwhile some of the more fervent Catholics were endeavoring to set matters right at Donaldsonville. The subject was reconsidered and it was decided that the Father should be given satisfaction on all subjects. But great was their disappointment when they heard that another place had been chosen, and that things were so far advanced that there was no possibility of return. From that time, Fr. Point was to feel at what cost he was to deserve the title of Founder of St. Charles' College, Grand Coteau. �20 St. Charles' College, Grand Coteau, La. It is said that the prince of this world leaves no spot unvisited; that he sends his emissaries everywhere-and that consequently that 'out of the way' place was soon to be the seat of a terrible conflict. Fr. Point had nothing to begin with but a wooden church, one small wooden house (which still serves as an infirmary), and a kind of log house. He chose this last for his residence and that of his companions, and the other for the intended College. It is said that, at that period, had it not been for the charity of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart, it is not known how, our Fathers could have withstood the trials they had to~endure. The College notwithstanding was at once declared open. This announcement was received with outcry by the outside world, not so much in Grand Coteau, as in the neighboring towns. We were held up to the public as objects of hatred, unworthy to breathe the air of Louisiana, in short we were "bound to leave the place." Timely warnings were received in the shape of anonymous letters, containg among other compliments the following: That if after fifteen days we had not cleared the place, we should see ourselves stripped, whipped and driven out. That these were.' not mere words, idle threats, became apparent; for real organizations were being set on foot in Lafayette, the next parish to ours, with the~avowed purpose of expelling us. Meanwhile, in Opelousas, the newspaper was trying to excite a popular movement against us. It was owing to the devotedness of the members of Grand Coteau parish, that things did not take a worse turn; for they too rose in arms and for many days made regular daily and nightly rounds for the security of the Fathers. When this became known, it spread terror in the enemy's camp and they held their peace. The newspaper gossip was stopped in the following way. A gentleman of Opelousas, otherwise not known to be devoted to us, happened to enquire how the Fathers \vould �St. C!tarles' College, Grand Coteau, La. 2I meet the different charges brought against them, and hearing that they would bear all patiently, he became indignant , and went at once to the editor, reproved him for the meanness of attacking unoffending priests; and in fine, assured him .that, should these abuses be .repeated, he would call again for redress. He was heard.* Meanwhile amidst all this stirring up of the passions, the College of St. Charles was progressing. Over sixty boys had answered the first appeal and were located in the house which at present is considered too poor and too small as an infirmary. There, in that small place, the students studied, ate and slept. During the day, the beds were removed and tables for class and study were placed instead. \Ve are told that those were "the gay times," that the students were fond of the Fathers, and made rapid strides in the acquisition of knowledge. .Soon there was to be a public exhibition; and though it consisted mainly of recitations, it created great enthusiasm. The College was duly cheered, and toasts were offered for its prosperity. The necessity of enlarging the college became apparent. A tasteful building arose, as if by enchantment, and when it was completed,· Fr. Point could not help exclaiming : "Aft! le 1JOZ!£1 mjit~, le college St. C!tarles, enfant/: dans !a douleur !" And he could say so truly, for it is difficult to imagine the amount of vexation it had given rise to. It was a common saying that Fr. Point could not have a brick moved, but there was some one to find fault with it. Towards the end, as if to perfect his crown, he had a great deal of troublesome business and had to go to law with the contractors. But the work of God was going on meanwhile, and from year to year St. Charles' College was sending to their homes a number of youths that know our Lord a little better. Likewise the convent of the Sacred Heart was at work pre~---~----------------------- * Dr. Millard's testimony. --~ -----~---------· �22 St. Cltarlcs' College, Grand Coteau, La. paring the best sort of catechists, that is, good and christian mothers. And though much still remained to be done, infidelity, heresy and secret societies received severe checks; many a prejudice was removed, many a mind enlightened, many a wound healed, as the present fervor proves. For if in all that country, which extends from Brashear city to Alexandria, the Catholic churches are better attended than heretofore, it may, in part, be ascribed to the two causes referred to. This would be the place to enter into highly interesting details, were it not that the events and facts are of too recent qccurrence. Suffice it to say that there were at one tim~ one hundred and thirty pupils at St. Charles; that many have since distinguished themselves and reflected credit on their alma mater, and that all have kept a good souvenir of their college days, as the little anecdote I am about to relate plainly brings out. It was during the late secession war that Fr. Abbadie, who is the personification of St. Charles (having been employed there from the first and in all the various offices), whilst on one of his spiritual missions, had to pass over the Confederate lines.- Called upon to exhibit his permit, the good Father acknowledged that he had never thought of such a thing, and was accordingly marched to J1eadquarters. The unfortunate sentry had no idea of the bright capture he had made, but was soon to be enlightened. He· had not gone far with his prize, before Fr. Abbadie was recognized by some of his former pupils, and the news that he was a prisoner spread like wildfire through the camp. At once numerous groups were seen emerging from under every tent to see their dear Fr. Abbadie and hear his "God bless you" once more. I will not attempt to describe the astonishment of the officer in charge when he saw this triumphal march, nor the poor sentry's embarassment the while. The whole resulted in a flourish of three grand, general hurrahs! and Fr. Abbadie could not grasp the numberless hands stretched out to meet his. �St. Cllarles' College, Grand Coteau, La. 23 There are such sweet moments for apostolic men, but how far apart ! II PART. About the year r 858, as St. Charles' College was still advancing, another brick building, equal in size to the first, was erected. These were "the glorious times" throughout the United States. vVealth and general prosperity were to be seen on all sides. But Grand Coteau was a christian institution and had to be fashioned according to the divine model. It was during this truce with the outside world that internal trials took place. Our Mission at the time had but few laborers, and many were in consequence prevented from receiving complete formation. Besides, there were several objections to this establishment. It was difficult of access and otherwise unpromising, or at least it appeared, compared with other houses, to be of inferior importance. And as it was evident that some place must be abandoned, why not Grand Coteau? Serious fears were already entertained by the friends of the College for its further continuance. But just then the cry of secession and war was heard and put an end to this matter for the time. He would have been wise indeed, who, in such a crisis, would have judged what was the most advisable course. ·Meanwhile, during three or four calamitous years, of which I refrain from saying anything, our house at Grand Coteau continued its mission and never failed one day to attend to the parish and the convent, the camp and the school. Alternately visited by friends and foes, it received from both due honor and protection. We have to thank divine Providence that, besides the privations consequent on the blockade and �24 St. Cltarles' College, Grand Coteau, La. the mental agony of seeing so much desolation in the land, we had no misfortune to bewail in that general catastrophe. Soon after the war, two of Ours generously offered up their lives for charity's sake. One caught the infectious disease in \Vashington, La., whilst attending a dying priest, and then gave it to the other who had come to assist his brother in his agony. At a later date their remains were brought to the College cemetery, and for safer transportation in coffins nailed together. \Vith all its roughness this was so expressive and touching that we let it be: both went down together. "One in life, e\'en in death they were not divided." Their~names are Fr. Chaignon and Fr. Nachon. \Vhilst mourning these and other losses, Grand Coteau struggled to hold on, if not to gain, her former splendor. But the question of its suppression returned with new urgency, till towards the end of the year r868, by an order of our Very Rev. Fr. General, Grand Coteau was no more. a College. Those were "the gloomy times." This measure did not proceed from a hasty deliberation, but was to be definitive and in some way irrevocable. Accordingly measures were taken to dispose of all that belonged properly to the College, furniture, goods, etc. Nothing was to remain but the parish with its stations and missions. \Vhat may have been th.~· regret of some who had spent their lives at an ungrateful task, I cannot say. \Vhat I know is that not a murmur was heard, and that some only expressed their resignation and their intimate persuasion that the present trials would, like many others, last only for a time. It is current among our people that a certain religious of the convent, on her deathbed. had foretold that St. Charles' College would have many a hard trial to u'ndergo, but would come out triumphant at the end. A few months later, there was in Grand Coteau more life, bustle and activity than ever before ; for it afforded a welcome and a· timely asylum to the whole community of �St. C!tarles' College, Grand Coteau, La. 25 Spring Hill College, professors, students and all! So whilst the latter received shelter and hospitality, they at the same time resuscitated their sister- house.* \Vhen our Very Rev. Fr. General heard of all these things, he sanctioned what had been done, and expressed a wish that St. Charles' College should be suppressed no more and be allowed to work out its own destiny. This glad intelligence was at once communicated to the inhabitants who partook of our joy. The number of students soon reached one hundred and fifteen. They brought back life and animation, were seen or heard through the fields and over the creeks, and soon there was hardly left a rabbit unchased. The writer bears witness that more than once he counted over thirty after a single hunt. They had been caught without any other stratagem than the throwing of a stick and sometimes a direct run. This sort of recreation the students had not enjoyed at Spring Hill to the same extent or with equal success, so they. highly appreciated it. Later on came the summer excursions, the bird-chase, etc., but all this together with the other luxuries to be had at St. Charles', that land of milk and honey, though sufficient to give content, did not extinguish the students' longing after "old Spring Hill" as it continued to be called, though it was now entirely new ; and so, when Grand Coteau saw the end of that year approach, it could not but feel a vague apprehension with regard to the future. Then it was that the noblest example of devotedness was given us. By looking over the catalogue of I 870, one can easily satisfy himself that the care of the College, church and the other usual employments of Grand Coteau, such as attendance at the convent, visiting the stations and missions, devolved upon eight Fathers, the youngest of whom was over fifty years ; it was also remarked that each one had exercised superiority in the Society. These members divid- "* Spring Hill CGllegc was burned to the ground in 18(i!l. VoL. v-No. 1. 4 �26 St. C!tarlcs' College, Grallli Coteau, La. ed their time for class and prefectship among themselves, and as their health was but indifferent, they at times made common cause and set all their ability to work; so much so, that the saintly Rector, Fr. Benausse, whom God called to his reward the following year, could say smilingly, as was his wont, that he was "contributing to the advance of civiiization by daily teaching Rosa, rosa:." To leave nothing untold, a young Scholastic was sent to their aid ; but it pleased Almighty God to leave us this example in all its brightness, and he became useless during the course of the year. Those were "the times of mercy." Our Rev. Fr. ~Superior seeing that the expected help from the Province did not arrive, concluded that some scheme had to be devised to give stability to our works and to fill up the vacancies ; for many had completed their sacrifice or were on the point of doing so. He resolved to go to Very Rev. Fr. General and represent the situation. It was in the beginning of the year 1870. It \yas also the first year of his administration and the affairs of our Mission were in a sad state. New Orleans still felt the consequences of a disastrous war; Spring Hill College was just being rebuilt and Grand Coteau, as we have seen, was struggling for existence. It is said that our Father General was very much moved when he heard of our works and that he p~aised the Mission and the zeal and patience of its members. He gave hopes that help would come in due time and measures were taken accordingly. Meanwhile prayers were offered up for the success of this undertaking, throughout our Mission. It would not be rash to say that the results far surpassed Fr. Superior's expectations. He had indeed spared no trouble and had made application to divers provinces ; and he had not done so altogether in vain. Besides, provision had been made for the education, of a goodly number of promising youths. The return of· some members fresh from their studies was �St. Charles' Colltge, Grand Coteau, La. 27 eagerly anticipated. The prospect was, without doubt, much improved; but, as far as known, the organization of a novitiate, though the want was felt by every one, had not yet entered any one's mind as feasible. The hour had come notwithstanding. A year had not elapsed, since Fr. Superior's return, when he was called to the parlor by twelve young strangers. Great must have been his astonishment, and not less his satisfaction, when he learned that they had come all the way from Switzerland to ask admission into the Society of Jesus. ,They then related how, while at the college in Brieg, they had heard from Fr. Divine* of our Mission and of its wants, and how by common accord they had resolved to come and offer themselves. Though no immediate provision for their reception could be had in any of our houses, they were, as a Godsend, directed to Grand Coteau, in the hope that He Who had sent them would also provide for them. Not unlike what is related of almost all of our Novitiates and particularly that of St. Andrea, in Rome, of Lons-le-Saulnier, in France, and also that of Frederick, the novitiate of Grand Coteau was, from its cradle, adorned with all the insignia of the Kingdom of Christ. Poverty was there foremost with her sisters, Suffering and Humiliation in the background. There was a large room on the fourth story, once used as a sleeping room but since much neglected. It was put in requisition for the use of the novices. The little cortege of privations arose from various causes, some of which can be ascribed to the want of due accommodations. Next, but not least, the installation of our heroic postulants had taken place in midsummer and at the same time the full strictness of the novices' regulations had been applied. As they were anxious to wear the habit, they were at once satisfied, but as * Rev. Fr. Divine belongs to the German Province and has for a long time resided at Brieg, where he is ehaplain of the Urs~line Convent. He is nearly eighty years old. �28 St. C/zarles' College, Grand Coteau, La. everything in that as well as in the rest, had to be improvised for the occasion, a great variety ensued. It took our college students a long while to realize the object of the strangers and to become accustomed to see them go through the different exercises and experiments. They were not admitted as novices at once in globo. Each one had to be tried and examined according to our custom. Only six came safe through the first scrutiny and constituted the Novitiate. The others received a special order of the day, in which study had the chief part, and they constituted our Seminary or, as it has sometimes been named, though improperly, the Apostolic School. In fact, it is not connected with the apostolic schools established in many of our European colleges by Fr. de Foresta. The latter subsist altogether upon alms, and leave the youth an entire liberty to join any religious Order or Congregation as he may feel inclined. In Grand Coteau the Mission itself bears the burden of such as cannot defray their expenses and acquires certain claims on them. \Vhat a noble charity it would be if our American Catholics were to emulate their European brethren and have the satisfaction to prepare young Levites for the sacred ministry! At present there are eight such students in Grand Coteau. The novices range between fifteen and t~venty, I believe, representing many nationalities. Twenty br thereabouts, having come out of the probation victorious, are going through their Junior course. During the last four years many little improvements have been made, '~hich render the sojourn at Grand Coteau more agreeable. The farm offers to all suitable diversion on holidays, and as the seasons revolve, each brings its own tribute to our enjoyments. The sugar grinding which t-tkes place in November and December is hardly co,, i'- _ted. when spring is hailed, which in its turn covers the oaks with green and prepares cool shaded alleys for the summer. In fine, it i~ not out of place to mention here, that, among �~">!. :John's Clmrclt and Residmcc, Fredcnck, ~~fd. . 29 the blessings of God upon our Novitiate, not the least is its having been preserved from dangerous diseases. Grand Coteau is also much indebted to Dr. Millard, a student and graduate of Georgetown, who, for the past forty years, has been the attending physician at our house and as such deserves the title of benef~ctor and friend. The f9llowing are his own words: "It seems to me that I can have no rest till I know that everything is right at the College." Such words need no comment. And now, nothing remains but to express the confidence we feel with regard to the future of Grand Coteau. It is daily striking root deeper, and further trials may only render it more stable and more fruitful. Of course it will always be the same lonely spot, still be poor and humble ; but who can deny that it is day after day working out a noble task and fulfilling a bright destiny? ST. JOHN'S CHURCH AND RESIDENCE, FREDERICK, MD. To write fully the history of St. John's Church and Residence is to give the history of Catholicity in Frederick county. All the churches in the county have been more or less connected with St. John's; St. Joseph's on the Manor, the churches of Petersville, Liberty and Middletown are its offshoots. St. John's is also associated with the churches of Mt. S. Mary's and Emmettsburg as having had for a number of years the same pastor, the Rev. John �30 St. Yolm's Clwrclt and Residence, Frederick, kid. Dubois, afterwards Bishop of New York. In this paper, however, no attempt will be made to speak at length of these outlying missions; a· short account will be given of them when the time comes to speak of their foundation. By the middle of the last century a number of Catholics had settled in Frederick valley. They were principally of English origin, having emigrated immediately from England, or from the lower counties of the State. These settlers were attracted thither by the fertility of the soil, or by the inducements held out to them by l\Ir. Carroll, the father of Charles Carroll of,Carrollton. About the year 1750, Mr. Carroll, then living at Annapolis, went to Frederick county on a hunting expedition. He was much taken with the scenery, the pleasing variety of mountain and valley lands, watered by the Potomac and the Monocacy. He determined to purchase a large tract, now called the Manor, and though his wife said she "could see no use in throwing away money for a forest," he was fixed in his resolution and bought from the State, for the small sum of two hundred pounds, twelve thousand acres of land. This tract, a considerable portion of which still belongs to. one of his descendants, was divided into small farms by Mr. Carroll and rented to persons whom he had engaged to go thither from the lower part of the State .. These t~pants formed the nucleus of St. Joseph's parish, now attencfed by Fathers from the Novitiate. It may be inferred that the first settlers on the l\Ianor were Catholics, because Mr. Carroll, was no doubt, anxious for his religion to get a foothold in the Frederick valley; and that mm:t of them were from the lower part of the State, since the names frequently occurring on the old baptismal and marriage records are the Catholic names from St. Mary's, Charles and Prince George's counties. Other Catholics were drawn to Frederick county, in order to escape the rigors of the penal laws, which were in full force in the original colony, owing to the bigotry and tyranny of �St. 7o!tn's Clmrclt a11tl Rcsidmcc, Frederick, jl!Jd. 31 the Protestants. Be this as it may, there can be no doubt that the Darnalls, the Boones, Abells, Paynes, the Brookses, the Jamisons, the Jarboes, whose names are found on the records, are from the old Catholic settlement. But whilst enumerating the Catholic population of Frederick valley a hundred years ago, the Germans have to be reckoned ; they went either directly from Germany or from ·Pennsylvania, about the middle of the last century. Some Hessians settled in Frederick Town at the end of the revolutionary war; but of these very few were Catholics. There were also quite likely a few Irish Catholics scattered through the county. Judging from the name, John Cary, signed to a deed for a lot, on which the original Chapel was built, an Irishman was the first benefactor of the Society in Frederick. The deed is in favor of Fr. George Hunter and bears date of the znd of October, 1765. In the document it is stated that for and in consideration of the payment of five shillings., current money, a title is given to the lot above mentioned; this same lot had some years previously cost the seller forty or fifty times that amount. Mr. Cary was a merchant, as appears from the deed. The spiritual needs of this population were looked to, as well as circumstances allowed, by the Fathers from St. Thomas' mission near Port Tobacco, then and for a long time afterwards, the residence of the Superior. The Fathers of this mission had stations, churches, or residences through Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and a part of New York. Most likely Frederick valley was for sometime attended directly from St. Thomas'. The Father who was appointed for the work used, no doubt, to make long excursions, which would take in the Catholics of what is now the District of Columbia, of Montgomery and Frederick counties along the line of the Potomac river. After the mission was begun at Conewago, some German Father would, perhaps, go to Frederick Town, a distance of forty miles, to administer the Sacraments to the faithful of his nationality. �32 St. :foltn's Clturclt and Residence, Fredcr'ck, liid. In the course of time, the number of Catholics increased, especially in Frederick Town, and it became ·necessary to build a residence and chapel for the spiritual wants of the faithful. This residence and chapel were accordingly built in 1763. by Fr. John Williams, an English Jesuit.* Very little is known about this Father; from papers in the possession of Rev. Fr. Rector of the Novitiate, it seems that he came to the mission of Maryland, on June gth, 1758, in company with Fathers James Framback and James Pellentz, the founders of the congregation at Conewago. How long Fr. \Villiams-remained at Frederick, and who was his immediate successor, is uncertain. He returned most probably to England, as his name is not mentioned among the nineteen ex-Jesuitst in Maryland in 1774. whose names are given by B. U. Campbell.! There is reason to believe that Fr. George Hunter was the successor of Fr. \Villiams, from the fact that his name occurs in the deed already mentioned. It may be answered that Fr. Hunter was the Superior at that time, 1765, and the deed was consequently made out in his name. These reasons are not conclusive; for it is doubtful whether Fr. Hunter was Superior in 1765.§ * Fr. )!cElroy's )ISS. t The members of the Society, who happened to be in Maryland and Pennsylvania nt the time of the suppre~sion, formelf soon after nn nsso· cintion and thus preserved most of the property: 1.'hey appointed a Superior, who was also recognized ns Vicar-General by the Vicar Apostolic of London. Fr. George Hunter was the Superior until his death in 1779, and was succeeded by Fr. James Lewis. On the appointment of Rev. John Carroll by Rome as Arch-Priest in 1784, Fr. Lewis was superseded, and this state of things remained until 1805. On May lOth, of that year, Bishop Carroll, having previously obtained from Fr. Gruber permission for the members of the late Society in the United States to be united to those of the (never suppressed) Society in Hussia, called the ex-Jesuits, six in number, to Baltimore, and admitted them into the Society. Shortly after this date, he appointed Fr. Hobert )Iolyneux Superior. t )!emoirs of the Life aml Times of Archbishop CarrolL 2 Fr. Hunter came from England to this mission in 1760, and a second time in 176!!. 'ne was Superior until his death in 1779. He labored �St. '.1o1m's Clmrclz and Rcsidmcc, Fredcn"ck, 111d. 33 It is known that he was the Superior and Vicar-General in 1774, but this was after his return to Maryland. The other reason based on the deed is equally unconclusive; for deeds were not always made out in the names of the Superiors as will be seen further on in this history. In Campbell's list of ex-Jesuits, alluded to before, Fr. James Framback is set down as the pastor of Frederick Town in the year 177 3· The mission entrusted to Fr. Framback was no easy one; Western Maryland and the upper part of Virginia formed his parish, entailing upon him long and perilous journeys to visit the Catholics scattered through his extensive territory. Sick calls over mountains and rivers for fifty and sixty miles must have come hard on one who had already been on the laborious Maryland mission nearly twenty years. Not unfrequently he had to exercise the greatest caution to avoid detection and captivity at the hands of the Protestants. "He slept generally on the saddle beside his horse, in order to be prepared for a sudden flight; and on one occasion he barely escaped with his life, when on a visit to a Catholic family at Aquia Creek in Virginia, by the fleetness of his horse in carrying him through the waters of the Potomac, while he was fired upon by his pursuers before he reached the Maryland side of the river."* Father Framback was a German and came to the mission in 1758; he died at St. Inigoes, Aug. 26, 1795, in the seventy-third year of his age. Fr. James Walton succeeded Fr. Framback. This statement is made on the authority of a deed for a part of the Novitiate property. This deed was written in 1779; the following extract will, perhaps, be interesting as giving an long and well and died in the odor of sanctity at St. Thomas' in the 61st year of his age. He built the fine residence at St. Thomas', which used to be admired so much. The traditions of the Province place a halo of sanctity about the name of this Father. It is to he lamented that more is not known about him. * Clarke's Lives of Deceased Bishops. VoL. v-No. 1. 5 ~:<?' �34 \ J St. :John's Clmrclz and Residence, Frederick, Jfd. example of the wordiness of legal documents in the last century: "This indenture made this seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Nine, Between Benjamin Ogle, Junior, of Frederick County in the State of Maryland, Merchant, of the one part, and James \Valton ·of St. Mary's County in the State aforesaid, Gentleman, of the other part, \Vitnesseth that the same Benjamin Ogle for and in consideration of the sum o~ Five Hundred Pounds Current Money to him in hand paid by the said James' Walton at and before the ensealing and delivery of thes;··presents, the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, Hath given, granted, bargained, sold, aliened, released, enfeoffed, and confirmed, and by these presents . Doth give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, release, enfeoff, and confirm unto him the said James Walton, his heirs, assigns, all that Lott or portion of Ground, situate and lying in Frederick Town, known and distinguished by the Number Ninety-Six, containing sixty foot in breadth and three Hundred and Ninety-three foot in length, lying and adjacent to, and on the South part of the Chapel or place of worship used by the Roman Catholicks." May it not be inferred from this indenture that Fr. Walton was in Frederick Town as pastor J~ 1779? He is spoken of as from St. Mary's county for the reason, probably, that at the time of the purchase he had not been long enough in Frederick county to acquire citizenship. Fr. \Valton was an Englishman and came to Maryland in the year 1776, and died at St. Inigoes in 18o3, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. The first residence erected, as was already stated, by Fr. vVilliams, and which now forms part of the Novitiate, was a two-story brick building ; it included on the first floor three rooms and a passage, thus giving a front of about fifty feet, and corresponding to what now are the bed-room, the sitting-room of Fr. Rector, the passage in �St. Yo!tn's Clmrclt and Residence, Frederick, Md. 35 the rear of the bed-room and the adjoining apartment now appropriated to the pastor of the church; the second floor was used as a chapel and has since been divided into the library of the tertian Fathers, the chapel of the Blessed Virgin, and the Fathers' recreation room. It is well to mention that the entrance to the residence was by the passage in the rear of Fr. Rector's bed-room; this passage was on a level with the street. Many years afterwards a basement was added to the building by the grading of the street. This was the work of Fr. McElroy. The small chapel of Fr. Williams was for nearly forty years the only place of worship for the Catholics of Frederick county. The Fathers remained in Frederick Town during the suppression or, at least, went thither now and then. Fr. \Valton, the last Father of whom we have any record as having been there, died in 1803; but sometime before his death the chapel was attended by the Rev. John Dubois. This change became necessary, as the Fathers of the old Society were yearly becoming fewer and the number of Catholics was continually increasing. Many of the more distant churches were given up to secular priests. St. John's fell into good hands. The Rev. John Dubois is too conspicuous in the history of the Church in the United States, to need any notice here. He began to minister to the spiritual wants of the faithful in Frederick Town about the year 1792; he had also undtT his care the Catholics about EIT!mettsburg, of Montgomery county, Martinsburg, Western Maryland and Virginia, and was in fact for a long time the only priest between Baltimore and St. Louis. "Some of his congregation came to Frederick to attend Mass and receive the Sacraments from distances of twenty, forty and sixty mi1es; and when any of them were ill or dying the indefatigable pastor journeyed these distances on horseback and sometimes on foot, to carry the consolations of religion to them. His missionary labors were extraordinary; he spared no pains, labors, or fatigues �36 St. :Jolzn's Clwrclz and Residmcc, Frederick, .lfild. in the discharge of the sublime duties which heaven assigned him ; after the exhausting fatigues of his ministry in town, he scoured the country in quest of souls, entering into the minute details of instructing and catechising the children and servants, etc." This extract is from the work . of Mr. Clarke, and is given in order to show the difficulties the predecessors of Rev. Mr. Dubois had to contend against. One of the first undertakings of the new pastor was to build a church in the place of the small upper room in the residence. The work was begun in the year I 800. The people thought him mad and even Mr. Taney, afterwards Chief Justice, \Vho was an eminent lawyer at Frederick and a member of his congregation, said: "\Ve all thought that the means could not be raised to pay for such a building; that the church would never be completed, and, if completed, it would never be filled with Catholics." The church was a brick building, eighty-two feet in length and forty-five in breadth, and having been torn down in part in 1859 and rebuilt and transformed, has since been used for tlie Juniors and as an infirmary. Much difficulty was met with by Rev. Mr. Dubois in paying for the church. The usual means were resorted to ; and in I 804 a lottery even, authorized by the State was resorted:to, but with little success. Venerable Fr. McElroy, th'en· in business in Georgetown, took a ticket in the lottery, but the money was returned owing to the failure of the enterprise. The Rev. Mr. Dubois remained in Frederick until r8o6, when he removed to Emmettsburg and from this place most probably went to Frederick once or twice a month. Things continued in this state until the time of Fr. Francis Maleve of the Society, who took charge of the congregation in the year 18 I 1. Of this Father and his labors something will be said in the next paper. (To be continued.) �THE YOUNG MEN'S CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION OF BOSTON COLLEGE. As this enterprise is novel in our Province, and gives expectation of fair results in the cause of religion, we trust it will attract the notice and awaken the interest of Ours. \Vith this in view, and in order to record a noteworthy event we subjoin the particulars of the organization, condition and prospects of the new association. \Vhilst the Catholic young men of other cities have been supplied for years with satisfactory means of spending their leisure evenings in an agreeable and profitable manner, their brothers of Boston liave not hitherto· enjoyed a similar privilege. There were, indeed, divers literary and dramatic clubs, but most of them were poorly attended or lasted but a short time. In contrast with these ephemeral bodies, the Catholic Lyceum Association gave promise of vigorous and expansive growth. A zealous clergyman was its Moderator and distinguished laymen yielded their moral support. Soon, however, from various causes, among which the principal was that the reverend director was charged with the burden of a parish, the canker of declining interest set in, and after the lapse of half a decade the society fell into irreparable decay. In the evening, then, our young men were suffered to roam where inclination might lead them, without the influence of a Catholic society to withdraw them from dangerous paths. In consequence, whilst the well disposed, avoiding the peril abroad, at home fell into the snares of mental inactivity and settled down in ennui, worse befell the youth who might bear Horace's character of cereus iu m'tium Jlectz: Already, the Young 37 �38 The Young ~Wett's Catholic Assoc'tz of Boskw College. Men's Christian Association was beginning to inscribe upon its roll of 2,2 I 5 members, some of our faith who were allured solely by the excellence of its gymnasium. It was time to put a stop to this evil. In the beginning of the present year, when the Rector of Boston College found himself in possession of an enlarged and spacious building, it occurred to him that these roomy precincts, besides serving the purposes of the daily student, might, in the evening, accommodate the Catholic young men of the city. This idea speedily assumed the shape of the proposal set fo~th in the following communication: BosToN CoLLEGE, Oct. s. r875· To tltc Editor of the Pilot. DEAR SIR: In the improvements lately made in this building, I had it in view to prepare a place where the Catholic young men of the vicinity might enjoy a harmless recreation. I can now offer them a gymnasrum, a reading room, a music room, a large hall, and a smaller hall for debating societies. To carry out my plan, I wish to form a Young Me"n's Catholic Association. My efforts will be fruitless, unless I obtain the cooperation of those who are convinced of the existence of the need I wish to supply. All such persons I invite to a prelimin~ry meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 7 Yz, p. m., in theN College lecture room, entrance by the north door on James street. Yours truly, ROBERT FULTON. Here, then is the final and practical solution of the difficulties that had heretofore rendered futile any attempt to make a permanent provision for the me.ntal culture, physical development and proper relaxation of our young Catholics. As was to be expected, for your Bostonian is not proverbially slow at seeing his opportunity and seizing it. the response to the invitation was general and enthusiastic. The evening 'of Nov. 3d, witnessed a large concourse of �Tlze Young Men's Catltolic Assoc'n of Boston College. 39 young men, evidently keen in exploring the new movement, earnest too, in joining it, if found satisfactory. The lectu,re hall, though capable of holding a goodly number, soon overflowed with the multitude and was abandoned for the ample basement of the church, where an assembly estimated at eight hundred was convened. Men of prominence in Catholic circles had been invited to this inaugural meeting. and gave it the benefit of their presence and counsel. The Rev. President of the College arose and after a cordial reception proceeded to state the object of the meeting. He renewed his offer of rooms and conveniences for culture and recreation to the Catholic young men. He invited them to join the association which was now organizing for the purpose of securing the right use of these facili~ies, and concluded by asking them to exert their good sense and manly virtue in embracing their new advantages. The Chancellor of the Archdiocese, urged the necessity and unfolded the benefits of the project, which meets with the hearty approval of the Archbishop. Frequent applause greeted his remarks which were evidently inspired by his sympathy for young men of whose character and nobler aspirations, for the good and true, he formed no mean estimate. The business of organization was then taken up and a committee appointed to draft the constitution and by-laws of the society. After several speeches that added force to the preceding addresses and heightened the e.nthusiasm of all present, this preliminary meeting adjourned. A fortnight later, under omens equally favorable, our young Catholics, now fully in the current of the new movement, reassembled. A constitution, the result of deliberations in which some of the wisest heads and wannest hearts of our Boston Catholics had a share, was read and unanimously accepted. We extract those clauses that are peculiar to the association or of special significance. 1. This society shall be styled the Young Men's Catholic Association of Boston College. �40 T!te Young Men's Catlzolic Assoc'1l of Boston College. 2. Its object shall be to promote the physical, mental and moral improvement of its members, and to provide them with innocent recreation. 3· All male Catholics over eighteen years of age, of good moral character, are eligible to membership. 5· For active membership will be required the payment of the initiation fee of one dollar, and of twenty-five cents thereafter, quarterly in advance; or of twenty dollars in full for life. 6. To honorar~ membership the Board of Directors are empowered to elecf eminent Catholic gentlemen, and especially the patrons df the Association. 7· The Board of Directors shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian and ten Directors. 8. The President of Boston College shall be ipso facto President of the Association, and shall appoint the Treasurer and five Directors. The other officers shall be elected. 9· The President shall have power to veto any action of the Asso_ciation, or of any part of it, and to depute to another the exercise of any of his rights. 14· Every year at some time appointed by the President, the members shall perform during three or more days the exercises of a mission or a retreat, to' _which all the Catholic young men of Boston shall be invited, and at the termination receive Holy Communion in a body; and should any one fail to comply with his obligation, the Secretary shall drop his name from the roll, unless his excuse be deemed sufficient by the President. If the framers of these by-laws have won our admiration by the discernment which marks the statutes regarding membership and goverri'ment, the expression of Catholic sentiment that appears in the last mentioned clause deserves our heartfelt thanks. This we hope to see observed in the letter and in tbe spirit. 'vVe hope to see reproduced in our Church of the Immaculate Conception, the scene that the �Tlte Young J1fen's Cat!tolic Assoc'n of Boston College. 41 Cathedral of Paris witnessed in the days of F. de Ravignan when "on the Easter morning, three thousand men-among them the 1:/ite of the upper classes and of the schoolswith humility in their hearts and a holy confidence on their brows, came forward, in order, to the sanctuary where the chief pastor of the diocese and the orator of Notre Dame, shared the joy of distributing to them the Bread of Angels." This would surely prove an occasion of genuine happiness to the members, of triumph to the patrons and projectors of the Association and of comfort and edification to the entire Catholic community. The rest of the business transacted at this second meeting consisted in enrolling the names of the candidates of_ whom a splendid file marched up to the desk, and in announcing the resolution of the Catholic Lyceum Association which constituted the Boston College Society, the heir of its funds and library. In subsequent conventions of the associates and sittings of the Board of Directors, the details of organization were settled and the care of arranging and starting the mechanism of the various ·sections confided to responsible committees. The opening of the reading room and gymnasium was fixed for the first Tuesday in December; the halls for music and billiards chose to reserve their attractions until the new year. At this point we imagine that a sketch of the apartments ceded to the club for occupation, will interest some of Ours and display to all the material resources at hand from the very start: a visit to the members is a matter of courtesy and will prove a pleasure, and an exhibition of the advantages they possess is necessary to form a correct idea of the present condition of the Association. First and chief is the College Hall. This elegant place of assembly, beautiful in its decorations and ample in its capacity, is destined to be the scene of many a public display, redounding, we trust, to the credit of the associates. On this rostrum, some will essay their oratory and from a friendly audience receive VoL. v-No. r. 6 �42 Tlte Young J;fm's CatltOiic Assoc'n· of Boston College. the first plaudits; under the management of others a purified drama will diffuse mirth or awaken noble sympathy, from this stage. How admirably the hall is suited to the literary and social ceremonies of a public reception extended to men of position or distinction, was lately shown on the occasion of our Cardinal's visit; and it is desirable that the members should make frequent use of it for such purpose. \Ve are not too sanguine when we hope that from its services in the cause of religion, this College Hall will ere long grow as dear and sacred to Boston Catholics, as is Fanueil Hall to the citizens of Boston in the cause of freedom. In the building connecting the residence and school, there is a lofty, large and neatly arranged room which will comfortably seat two hundred and fifty. Here are held the regular meetings of the Association and here its debating club will have weekly sessions. This is the room of all others that elicits c~mment. In the meetings, the society exercises its vital functions, grows in strength and limb and adopts measures for its preservation and development. Here it m,!lst sincerely be the wish of every reflecting Catholic, that ability and wisdom may never resign the chair, and concord and moderation rule in the council, so that the many schemes for good, both particular to the Association and general to Holy Church, which youth and enthusiasm are apt to devise, may reach maturity and ·be applied with effect. For a literary club better quarters could not have been contrived. The size and circumstance of the place call for just the medium of vocal exertion desirable in reading and declaiming for practice; whilst the debaters may thunder over the opposition in tones most satisfactory to themselves. The debating club should meet with the best countenance of the whole Association. Its work, the prelude, we hope. of the real and arduous labor which the Catholics and people of this ~ommonwealth may, later on, have reason ta admire, must reflect honorably on the entire body. If our �T!te Young Jlfen's Catlzo/ic Assoc'n of Boston College. 43 knights grow active and expert in these jousts, we may look for valiant fighting in our ranks, that now cry in vain for such champions. In this connection, we would congratulate the members on the chances afforded them, of always obtaining correct views on subjects of moment in religion and ethics ; in effect, they have the best security that they need never leave the College walls without settled convictions on questions of this nature. Passing out of the lecture hall and going down a flight, we enter the library and reading-room. Once devoted exclusively to the purposes of the College Debating Society, this apartment was the favorite on which three successive Presidents of that body, lavished all the resources of their fertile invention and refined taste. The books, mostly of a severe classic tone, were disposed in mahogany cases; a table of the same material extended the length of the room ; chandeliers and pictures and all that might add dignity and elegance were procured. This rich furniture remains, whilst the number of volumes is increased by the incorporation of the Catholic Lyceum Library, and will, in due time, receive substantial accessions in the branches of science, history and lighter literature. A glance at the files reveals the presence of the best British and American papers and we hear it is the intention of the committee to make a judicious selection of magazines and reviews. The impression made on the visitor as he advances a few paces into the room, is exceedingly agreeable. He finds himself in company decidedly respectable, and must recognize the appearance of the associates to be such as might be expected of g~ntlemen embarked in the professions. Above, he has encountered our young men absorbed in the vigorous exercise of their intellects, engaged in the gymnastics of the brain; here, he notices some, review or paper in hand, moderately tasking the understanding or indulging the fancy, whilst others have relieved the mind of all but the facile calculations of back-gammon and chess. If he is a moralist he �44 Tlze Young JJ1m's Catltofic .-Jssoc'n of .Roston College. will find consolation in the sight of so much intelligent and promising manhood escaping the vortex of corruption into which such masses are drawn, and spending the otherwise perilous evening in society so safe, cheerful and improving. It is gratifying to learn that the number of those regularly. admitted to enjoy these benefits, has reached two hundred and eight; and that those of the better class who have come to inspect, have, without exception, applied for admission. Taking a few steps in an opposite direction, the gymnasium and the forms of the athletes meet our eye. \Ne have beheld the conveniences set apart for the culture of the intellectual life; ·before us are the contrivances that tend to pn;serve and fortify the physical. In this room, which is the deepened basement of the old College building, are set up the various inventions that compose a gymnastic apparatus : parallel bars and trapeze, ladders horizontal and v~rtical, rings that sustain the bat-like flight of the men around half the room, unromantic machines that will leave you after fifteen minutes of hard rowing in precisely the same spot of dry land, weights to lift and weights to pull, ·dumb-bells- and Indian clubs: in fine, every expedient to strengthen the muscles, expand the chest and impart to the person power combined with grace. We notice that our friends are quite active in developing a soufld body, assured that it is not the worst condition for a sou'~d mind. To the Rev. Chairinan of the Committee we would hint that he has opportunities for working in the good cause. If the Germans make their Turnvereinc a powerful lever in politics, and the Young Men's Christian Association opens its gymnasiums to encourage morality, why should we not use ours to advance the manifold interests of Holy Church? Arrived at the end of our circuit, we must compliment our friends on the abundance of the means that invite them to pass their vacant evening in a resort so serene and elegant. Improvements, mainly in a material respect, are, of course, still possible, "and will keep pace with the rising condition of the finances. �Tlze Young ilim's Catholic Assoc'n of Boston College. 45 This review of the facilities and present state of the Association cannot fail to excite a feeling of intense gratification; does a glance into the future inspire a different sentiment? Are there bright prospects of a permanent, vigorous, influential existence? \Vill it survive when the enthusiasm of the first moments is smouldering low ; survive, not with thinned ranks and flagging strength, but marshalled in full column and animated by an energetic and progressive spirit? It is usual to encourage young enterprises by flattering promises of success and immunity from decay; without cqnforming to this custom, we have reason to predict a prosperous future for the Young Men's Catholic Association. The fund of attractions as we have witnessed, is inexhaustible and adapted to the diversities of temperament and taste. The members, besides readily yielding to the impulse of their Catholic zeal \Vhich incites them to support an institution so favorable to religion, are of a class to appreciate means and measures that will evidently result in their improvement. Ardor is infused by efficient committees whose duty and honor it is to raise their several departments to a high degree of excellence. Shall we sound the praises of the Board of Directors ? Not to indulge in the panegyric of individual merit, we must declare that as a body, they form the strongest guarantee for the preservation of the union and the promotion of its interests. Our surest ground, however, of anticipating no early disaster for the craft launched so auspiciously, is not in its construction or general seaworthiness, but in the provision which secures its management to superior officers whom vocation renders alike skilful and experienced. _ Suffice it to say, that the government of the Association is in the hands of those, whose ancestors have met with eminent success in the direction of young men for three centuries, in the course of which to use the language of Cretineau-Joly, "Tasso and Benedict XIV, St. Francis de Sales and Fenelon, St. Alphonsus Liguori and Bossuet, �46 The Young l}fen's Catholic Assoc'n of Boston College. Ferdinand of Austria and Maximilian of Bavaria, the Prince de Conti and Turenne, piety and genius, the majesty of the throne and the glory of the army, were united at meetings of the Sodality over which a Jesuit presided." A mere allusion to the flourishing state of the unions in London and New York that are similarly conducted, will enforce and close our reasons for believing, that even when the echoes of the first complimentary "Esto perpetua" shall have died away, our Association will live and prosper, and that on this basis of permanency will be raised a structure stately and beautiful. Nor is this the sum of our expectations. It is no g'reat flight of fancy to foresee that the society will very soon outgrow the space which a kind but necessarily limited generosity has allotted, and establish itself in a building commensurate with its enlarged proportions. Colonies will spread the spirit and multiply the benefits of the mother association in remote sections of the city and vicinity. The results of its harmonious and effective action will lead to the formation of like bodies in the larger proyincial towns of New England, whilst its wise system will serve them as a model. And, finally, should the commanding appeal ever go forth to unite under one grand system all similar associations that are subject to the vicissitudes of a separate career, what a gforious link will ours form in the golden chain of this Cath~lic Fraternity t �NOTES ON RETREATS AND MISSIONS GIVEN BY THE FATHERS OF MARYLAND DURING THE SUMMER AND FALL OF 1875· REV. DEAR FATHER, P. C. It may be of some interest to your readers to set before .them a short sketch of the missionary work which we have been able to perform during the past few months. It will show that our vacation is not all vacation, and that whilst we give ourselves the repose which is necessary after a year of close confinement and hard labor in the class-room, we can still find time to keep up our practice in the use of the spiritual weapons placed in our hands by our holy Father-The Spiritual Exercises. During the vacation of 1875, our Fathers gave fifty Retreats to various communities who had applied for their services. Of these eight were to the clergy of as many Dioceses, some in Canada, some in the States ; one retreat was for Seminarians, the rest to communities of Religious men and women, scattered about the country from Wheeling, \Vest Va., to Halifax, N. S., and as far South as Columbia, S. C., from Hamilton to London· in Ontario. But this is not a new thing among us. The vacation has been thus spent for years back a~ far as any of us can remember. But it seems the number of retreats is continually increasingas new communities are established ever year, each of which is eager to enjoy the blessings of a retreat; whilst the .old communities which have had the retreat in past years, continue their regular annual supplication for the same blessing. Your young friends around you, who are preparing 47 �48 Retreats a11d Jlfissious b;• tltc Fatllfrs of 1lfary!and, themselves for the great battle-field on which they are eager to appear, need not fear that when they come out, there will not be work enough fol them to do. Let them only come forth well-armed, well-disciplined and full of courage. Deus promdebit for the rest. For those who are willing to labor, there will always be found more than they can do. But the great event of the year and one which it was hard to expect in our present condition, is the setting apart of six Fathers for the Missions to the people during the whole year. Jhese Fathers have been divided into two bands, three of thein being destined for missions in New England and its neighborhood, the other three for missions in the southern portion of the Province and adjoining States. Our missionaries went to work in a quiet, modest way, beginning in small country parishes; but doing great good everywhere. The northern band was to commence its labors in Mar at Leominster, So. Lawrence and Andover. Our Church at Boston, St. Mary's, gave them a larger field, 7500 being the number of communions at the end of the mission. At Leominster there were 1000. A mission at Southington besides giving good results in the usual waY. of confessions and communions, brought to light a vocation_ to the Society which is now being cultivated at the novitiate. July and August interrupted the missions for the sake of retreats to Priests and ~eligious-but early in September the usual round of labors was resumed in New Brunswick. The Cathedral parish of St. John's numbering twelve thousand was first on the list. Nine thousand communions were the result of two week's preaching. Frederickton and St. Stephens in the same Diocese were evangelized in the same month. A few days' rest was then taken by the Fathers, who were no doubt in need of it, and then came a mission at Brighton near Boston, which was pronounced very successful. Next was a long and laborious mission �dzm"ng tlzc Summer and Fall of £875· 49 at St. Joseph's Church, Boston. In this parish the mission was divided between men and women. The latter had the first part, and more than five thousand communions were given. An equal number of communions rewarded the second part of the mission which was exclusively for men. Yet it had been told the missionaries that the whole population was not over six thousand. Indeed it was remarked at all the missions that the pastors were astonished to find that there were so many more Catholics within their jurisdiction than they had ever supposed. They came pouring out of alleys, lanes, bye-ways, garrets and cellars, where no priest had ever hunted them up. This was foilowed by a mission at Canton, Mass., the fruit of which was very consoling; but as the parish is small sixteen hundred communions was considered a splendid result. There may have been some more small expeditions by the northern band, which have escaped my notice, but what I do know is that they have already work enough promised them for a year in advance ; and I hope your readers will have some account of their success in· future numbers of the LETTERS. Jubilee missions \vere given by other Fathers during the vacation at various places, viz. : Carroll Manor and Clarksville, Howard county, Md., Rockville and Tenallytown, near Georgetown, D. C., as also in some of our churches in the lower counties of Md. These were attended to by the Fathers from the Colleges. The three regular southern missionaries opened their campaign at St. Joseph's, Phila., late in September. One week had been allotted to this congregation, but it was necessary to prolong the time. But here let the missionary speak for himself: "The mission at St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, was continued a week beyond the stipulated time. It was a happy conception; the real fruit of our labors began only then to be apparent. There was not that crowd of obdurate sinners, VoL. v-No. 1. 7 �50 Retreats mzd 1l'lissious b_y tltc Fat!ters of Jfm]'faud, which formerly flocked to St. Joseph's during a mission, when the number of Churches in the city was comparatively small; still the amount of good done was not trifling. Not a few cases of many years' standing presented themselves at the tribunal. Some 2,500 souls drew nigh to the holy table. ".Holmesburg, however, surpassed all our expectations. The parish is small, numbering at most four hundred communicants. The news of the mission stirred up the neighborhood of the rural district. People came from a distance of over ten miles:', The little Church was well filled from early morn until-9 P. :11. Not a few who had to walk from three to four miles, were present at l\Iass at half-past five. But their great fervor and zeal became patent during the evening exercises at half-past seven. Upwards of a hundred had a journey to travel of from five to ten miles when service was over, and among them not a few females. The confessional claimed our presence all day without intermis-. sion. \Vhales of immense size came into the net by scores, and it did not break. At the conclusion, more than double of the original number of the parish had made peace with their Maker. We had about 840 communions. The good pastor's heart was brimful of joy and gladness at the rich harvest. "Our next mission was at Richmond:· Va., where our labors were blessed beyond all expectation. Persons who had neglected their religious duties for many years, even as far as thirty, came by hundreds. At the conclusion, the fruit gathered in amounted to over 2400 confessions and 2109 communions, an excess of Soo over the mission given here two years ago. Bishop and priests and people were overjoyed. After my closing exhortation on Sunday evening, the Bishop arose and addressed the congregation in one continued strain of happiness. He called his people to witness to our untiring efforts and to the glorious fruit reaped from' our labors. We left Richmond in triumph, �during tlze Summer and Fall of I875· 5I all the priests and seminarians accompanying us to the depot." From Richmond the three missionaries went to 'vVheeling, \Vest Va., but no account of the fruit has as yet reached us. \Ve hope to hear of this and other missions and would even beg the Fathers to give us some edifying details, which will not only be interesting to the readers, but also be the means of increasing onr zeal in preparing ourselves for a work which gives so much consolation to the workmen, so much glory to God. P.M. Nov. 23d, I87S· P. S.-Since writing the above, we have received the following very interesting letter in regard to the mission at Wheeling, which at first seemed not to promise very brilliant success : "FREDERICK, Nov. 24, I87S· "REV. AND DEAR FATHER PROVINCIAL. ''You were prophetic in your last to me, forwarded to Wheeling. The ice did break and only by almost more than human efforts did we stem the current and become masters of the element. At the close of the first week about nine hundred only had approached the Holy Table. The parish numbered some t\venty-seven hundred communicants. A frightful indifference had seized upon the people. The female portion, who in all missions take the lead, were alarmingly slow at Wheeling. Their example was wanting for the good fight. It was patent, that the war could not be carried on with success, if our batteries were not changed. So we .commenced to apostrophize those that slept in the Cathedral graveyard. We summoned the parents, friends and relatives of our auditors to relate their sufferings in purgatory and call for help in pitiful strains. Handkerchiefs were soon in demand, and this was the signal of our victory. "On Tuesday following, over five hundred females received their Lord, and light came out of darkness. During �52 Retreats and 1lfissions by t!tc Fat!zcrs of Jlfaryland, the rest of the week the Church was crowded at every service, the confessionals were thronged at the close, and on Saturday we were busy all day till midnight, hearing about eight hundred men, who approached the railing in a body on Sunday morning. The sight was magnificent and touching. In the evening, squaring our accounts, we reached the astonishing number of thirty-two hundred that had come to confession, of whom twenty-eight hundred had approached the Holy Table. This was an evident proof that the status of the parish was not known to the priests, who told us froll} 'the outset, that, should success crown our labors, we should""have from twenty-two to twenty-four hundred for Holy Communion. God be blessed for all His mercies! On Sunday evening more than five hundred were invested with the holy scapular, and about the same number had received it at various times during the mission." From \Vheeling the Fathers went to Philadelphia, where a regular mission was to be held in the Church of St. Cecilia, and a jubilee MiEsion at St. John's. Both were abundantly blessed with the usual good results. The latter was especially important on account of the circumstances that the two great Methodist revivalists were holding forth just across the street from St. John's Church . . \Vhen the mission was about to open, the leader of the band was far from feeling confident of success. His throat was sore from previous overwork, his voice husky and harsh, and yet the opening sermon was to be given. Trusting in God, he mounted the pulpit and spoke in a clear, ringing, well-modulated voice, such as he had been a stranger to for years; and for sixteen sermons given by him during the mission, this almost miraculous voice held out. Of course, the opposition over the way was not broken down, but it did no injury to the mission. Indeed it is asserted that this jubilee was the most successful effort of the whole campaign. In the me;:intime our northern band was not idle. At St. Paul's Church, Worcester, Mass., a very large congregation �during tlte Summc1; mid Fall of I 875· 53 was thoroughly stirred up for two weeks. This Church is one of the largest and most beautiful in the State, and had just been completed. Its inauguration by a mission drew immense crowds to the services. Another two weeks' mission was given in our Church of the Immaculate Conception at Boston, the result of which was six thousand communions, without counting several thousand more received in other churches by those who had followed the exercises and had conft:ssed to our missioners and their assistants from the College. This truly magnificent Church is the creation of our venerable Fr. McElroy the dean of the whole Society, both in years of life and in years of religion, and it may be said to have been the first church in New England, certainly the first in Boston, which, by its architecture, size and splendor of adornment and of services, attracted notice and admiration even from Protestants and gave the example, happily followed since, of building churches that reflect credit on our Holy Religion. It was solemnly consecrated last August, and this mission was intended as a crown to that glorious ceremony, so as to sanctify and consecrate the congregation who frequents the church. Some smaller missions given by either band we pass over in silence, but enough has been said to show that there is great work to be done and that we must prepare ourselves diligently for successful reaping in the field before us. �OSAGE 1\IISSION. ST. FRANCIS' INSTITUTION, OsAGE 1\IIssiO.'I, NEOSHO DEAR FATHER, Co., KANSAS, July 13, 1875. - The first day "of this year was a day of joy and holy pride for my congregation of St. Stanislaus Kostka at Independence, Montgomery county, in this State of Kansas. We had been trying for a time to organize a Catholic Temperance Society, and on that day this great work was accomplished. As the men who were going to form the society were known to be very prone. to indulge in intoxicating liquors, so the news that on this day they were going to take the pledge, drew quite a number of people to the church to see how the matter would be conducted. I had Mass at ten o'clock, and during this explained to the people what was the spirit of Cath9lic Temperance Societies, their difference from societies of _the same name among Protestants, etc. At the end of the Mass all the members approached Holy Communion, and Mass being over, all returned to the foot of the altar and took the pledge. It was indeed a most beautiful sight to see men with white hairs, heretofore notorious for their dissipation, come now to gain such a victory over themselves ! It \vas indeed a great lesson to the growing portion of my congregation. Of those who had come to witness this ceremony, some were strong unbelievers, and that day meeting me would laugh at me and joke about my Temperance Society, saying, "Father, do you think those old saloon customers will keep 54 �Osage Jvlission. 55 the pledge? Wait a few days, and the police officers will tell you whether they kept it or not. \Ve know those fellows better than you do!" In reply I could but answer that I did not know what they might do in after time; however I was fully confident that, with the help of God, they could keep their pledge. Six months have just elapsed, and I feel happy in stating that not one of them has yet broken his pledge. Long experience has proved to me most evidently, that people who generally attend to their christian duties, are never deprived of the happiness of receiving the last Sacraments at the hour of their death. I can prove this with many instances that have happened to me during these last twenty-five years of my missionary life in these western countries. I will limit myself to mention three of these which took place of late. Sometime during last winter, travelling on Fall River, in Greemvood county, to attend the congregation of St. Francis Regis in the vicinity of New Albany, I was told that one of my best friends was on the point of death, that he had sent for me, but they could not find me, and could get no other priest to attend him. I hastened immediately to his house. No sooner did the poor sick man see me stepping in, than his countenance seemed to be animated with a new life. "Thanks be to God," he exclaimed, "0 Father dear, you have come at last!" then looking to his wife, he said, "Now it is all right, I am ready to die." It took him about one hour to get over the excitement caused in his system by my arrival. \Vhen I saw that his mind was quiet and settled, I advised him to make his confession. So he did. Aft~r this I told him that early next morning I would give him the last Sacraments. He felt very m.uca satisfied, and rested well for awhile. During the night he had a good deal of trouble from a violent cough, which seemed to choke him to death. At last he felt again a little easier, and without losing any time at daybreak, I read Mass for him �Osage Jfission. in his room. At the end of it I administered to him the ~oly Viaticum and anointed him. He was at all times conscious, and edified us all with his devotion. The tranquillity and calmness which he showed after having received the last Sacraments, was such that all his friends thought he would recover. Hardly four hours had passed, when he most quietly expired, just like a man who falls asleep. People wondered at the way this man came to his end. Some, specially Protestants, were saying that he could not die unless he had first seen the priest. The same was said by the doctors, who had given him up several times in that sickness; and he-himself always said that he could not die before seeing me. He was a very good man in all respects, and God granted him the wish of his heart. May his soul rest in peace. The same, with but very little difference, happened in the case of two other most pious persons, who, considering the circumstances by which they were surrounded, were almost in the impossibility of sending others for me or any other priest, and were bound to die deprived of the last consola-_ tions the Church can give us. But divine Providence brought me to the place where they were, just in time to assist them to die a christian death. During these last six months I did not f?rget to visit the Indian Territory, south of the State of :K'atisas, and I am forced to say that the Osages always received me with great respect and affection; but at the same time I am also bound to acknowledge that, more or less, I always received great annoyance from the Quakers, under whose care they now are. Both Agent and missionaries seem to be bound to oppose whatever might any way seem agreeab1e to the Catholic portion of the nation: I mean to the half-breeds, who number some sixty families, and not only are good and pious, but also very intelligent and industrious. They have almost all been raised at this Mission school, now called St. Francis' Institution, and naturally can but feel thankful to �Osage Jlission. 57 us for what they know, and wish to have their children raised in the same way as they were. And this exactly is their great crime before their present Agent as well as missionaries, who seem to burn with jealousy and passion whenever they hear them saying that they wish to have a Catholic school for their children. And because the halfbreeds as well as the full-blooded Osages signed several petitions which they sent to the President of the United States, requesting him to give them Catholic missionaries, for this reason the Agent refused to give them rations, took from them all lucrative employment, and refused to pay them for the work they had done! This is the way the poor Indian is treated. The Agent does not like my visits to the Osages, and much less to their children who are at the school of the agency; for, he says, my visits always bring disturbance in the camps of the Indians, as well as in the school. "vVhen the mission priest comes here," says he, "all are after him, some want to be married, others want him to baptize their children, all want to go to confession and to hear Mass. They even bring him to the graveyard and want him to pray on the graves. Now this is too bad, and breaks all our regulations. It must be stopped." The school superintendent, an old-fashioned Quaker about six feet high, whom all call Uncle Ben, and his evangelical wife, a small women, whom people call Aunt Annie, seem to be moved by a good deal of zeal, especially when I go to visit the children, and more than once, calling me aside, requested me, with great politeness, not to tell the children that one must be baptized, and that out of the Catholic Church there is no salvation: these words, say they, create great disturbance, and when we try to teach them Christianity they do not want to listen to us l You may imagine what answer I could give to the entreaties of people who claim to teach Christianity and at the same time deny the necessity of Baptism. VoL. v-No. I. 8 �Osage Jfissio11. On the fourth Sunday of May, having been invited to preach at the school-house in the afternoon, I did so, and )ectured there for one hour. Not only the children were present, but the Agent, teachers and other people, a good·· number not being Catholics. They did not interrupt me this time, as they had done on a previous occasion, but once I got through, the Agent stood up, and, in the presence of all, said, in a very rough way, that I was interfering with the order of the school and the directidn of the children. To this I replied th~t I never did any sue~ thing, "but the school managers," said I, "did this day act very unjustly towards the children and their parents. You acted unjustly towards the children this morning by not allowing some of them to come to hear Mass, and you acted unjustly towards their parents, for all those who are here present well know that their parents want them to be raised in the Roman Catholic faith." The Agent did not reply to my remarks, but abruptly said, "I want you to answer me some questions just here." Seeing that he wanted in this way to start a quarrel an~ get the advantage over me, I replied to him that now I would not answer a single one of his questions, that he well knew in what house I was staying, and if he would come and see me there, he would be welcome, and then I would give him full satisfaction. Having said this, I took my hat and left the ·room. This of course did not please the Agent ; so, after I had left, he spoke a good deal against me, and his words were confirmed by two of his friends, who most certainly had combined with him, and intended to give me trouble, if I had answered the questions of the Agent. The people kept very quiet all the time, till at last a little half-breed school girl, some thirteen years old, stepped on the platform from which I had given the lecture, and, pointing her finger at the Agent and his two friends, said with a clear yoice, "You, you, want to pervert us, you want to make us Quakers by force .... The Father never did try �Indian Jlfissions-Lake Superior. 59 to pervert us, or to make us join his Church by force ..... \Ve are Roman Catholics, and will not give up our faith to please you." This unexpected piece of eloquence broke up ·the whole meeting, and with the exception of a few partisans of the Agent, the balance sided with me and approved my way of acting. Not long since, the Kansas Indians, who used to live one hundred miles north of this Mission, having been moved to the Indian Territory west of the Osage Reservation, I went to visit them about the end of last June. As I was not a stranger among them, for, several years ago, I attended them, they received me most kindly and requested me not to give them up. I could not stop with them longer than one night. I promised them that we would not abandon them, but, as soon as practicable, I would return to visit them and give them an opportunity of complying with their christian duties. pAUL MARY l'ONZIGLIONE, S. J. INDIAN MISSIONS___..:.LAKE SUPERIOR. FoRT WILLIAM, LAKE SuPERIOR. October 24th, 1875· * * * * * Leaving New York on the I5t~ ult., I reached Toronto at five o'clock the next evening. I went immediately to the Archbishop's residence, where I made the acquaintance of the good, genial old Dean, Mr. Proulx, a French Canadian priest. The few hours I spent with him were quite a relie£ The 17th, Friday, at noon, I took the train for Collingwood on the railway which connects Lake �6o Indian Jfissions-Lakc Superior. Ontario with Nottawasaga Bay, a continuation of the Geor· gian Bay, and, therefore, of Lake Huron. On the steamer from Collingwood I found Fr. Vary who was coming back from Montreal. \Ve got on board at five in the evening; till eleven that night we met with a pretty heavy swell in the Georgian Bay; but Saturday and Sunday morning turned out fine. As we steamed past the Great Manitoulin Island, we had a view of Killarney, a splendid harbor. This being the port of the Holy Cross Mission, I said to myself: now for the land of hardships! (Bonjour, misi:rc /} We hoped to see Fr. Hebert, who attends to the Catholics of this place, but we were disappointed. He hears confessions in Indian. Brother Koehmstedt, schoolmaster at vVikwemikung, seems to have been very successful in mastering this language. Fr. Nadeau is just cut out for his work. On Sunday, Fr. Vary said Mass at Sault Ste. l\Iarie, whence we started about midday. Here we are far out in Lake Superior. Towards sundown the squalls begin. They last all ni~_ht. The whole crew was up ; I did not sleep a wink, and I felt that, whether the danger were real or magnified by my inexperience, there could be nothing wiser than to draw near to God. At one hundred and eighty miles from-~ault Ste. Marie we sight Silver Islet, where the mines are worked by an American company. They are picking out silver five hundred feet beneath the lake's bed, the miners, however, living above ground. None but Americans could succeed there. A Canadian company had tried it and given it up as a hopeless job. Captain T., who superintends these works, allows Fr. Baxter to come first in the religious services of Silver Islet, though he himself is a Protestant. The reason he gives is that the priest needs no breakfast before his service. He also defrayed most. of the expenses for the chapel, and made a present of a bell to our church at the Landing. Besides this mission, Fr. Baxter visits lie Royale and La Pointe a Miron. �Indiau Missions-Lake Superior. . 61 At length we got to Thunder Bay, a beautiful inlet on the North Shore of the lake, twenty miles from Silver Islet. The place at which the boat stops is called Prince Arthur Landing. Out of a population of six hundred, two or three hundred are Catholics. Fr. Vary goes there every Sunday to say Mass. Happy we who have always lived amid the splendors of Catholic worship! Those poor people have JVIass, and sermon in French and English-there are no Indians there-once a week, on Sunday, and nothing else, except catechism for the children. Low Mass, without servers : for there, the priest is his own server, his own sacristan, ad omuia. Then he breaks his fast with those who are willing to invite him. Fr. Vary will try to have some singing, vespers and benediction, a server, etc.; but all is yet to be done. Our Mission is seven miles from Thunder Bay, up the river Kamini~tiquia. For sick calls from the Bay, the messenger has to paddle all the way, often in the dark: true, there is a carriage road, but not on our bank of the river, though one can generally find some means of crossing. Often enough, too, Father Baxter is to be found at the Bay during the week, but not always, as he has other missions to attend to. After spending the night of Monday the zoth, at our Fathers' house near their church at the Landing, we set out, in a steam-tug for our destination, the Indian Reserve. The Indians are not numerous. They are fond of a roving life. At present, they are fishing or hunting, with a view to winter provisions. \Vhat shall I say of the country? Would it be too much to call it a wolfish country (zm pays de loups) owing to its climate, and a land of adventurers? Indians, half-breeds, whites toiling in the gold, silver and copper mines. Among the whites are all sorts of nationalities: English-speaking, German, French Canadian, etc. Well, I have come to the conclusion that it is very hard to say which climates are �Indian .Missions-Lake Superior. the best, the least demoralizing ; hot or cold ? a problem I will not undertake to solve. [The writer spent a year in the West Indies.] In these icy regions, the devil, getting no assistance from atmospheric heat, makes great use of internal fires kindled by whiskey. The consequences are self. evident. Happily, the scourge has not succeeded in gaining a foothold on the Indian Reserve, thanks to the zeal of our Fathers. A digression. To-day, the 27th of October, the ground is covered with snow. 'vVe had a heavy snow-storm the night before last: it mu~t have been terrible out on the lake. I hope we shall have a thaw : else it would be winter beginning three weeks too soon. The ice here generally takes about the middle of November and remains till the middle of May. Last year it held out till early in June. As we have but two mails a week, :Mondays and Saturdays, my letter will leave under care of Blessed Alphonsus, and St. Stanislaus will deliver it to you. A few minutes ago Fr. Du Ranquet handed me a book of notes on our labors here; he h!ls no objection to my making a few extracts for you. I intend sending you a sample sometime in '76. The good Father, accustomed to life in the woods, thinks himself in carnival here, and yet our ordinary fare .... Alas! yes, 111011 clter, I take my meals, and now-' !his is, in very truth, an act of pure reason. No doubt it is some compensation to be spared the trouble of examining what part of the meal may be sacrificed. There is no describing the details: tasting is believing (on J' goz'ite et l'on comprcnd.) I have heard of a doctor who, on the threshold of eternity. left, as a legacy to suffering humanity, three prescriptions: diet, water and exercise. Truly, those three may be met with even and especially at Fort William. Fr. Vary has just started for the Bay. He is going to place a tabernacle in his church, and thus, at least once a week, those r.oor people will enjoy the Real Presence. "Years go quickly by," was a remark lately made to me �lndimz Missions-Lake Supcn"or. by Fr. Du Ranquet, who has been here twenty-three years, and who had already labored ten years among the Indians of Walpole Island on Lake St. Clair and in the neighborhood of Detroit, as well as around Lake Hut~· and·among the Montagnais. In all, thirty-three years of Indian missionary life ! Is it not the strangest of paradoxes to say that time does not hang heavily on the hands of men, who lead a life of privations amounting to downright want? They suffer, God only knows how much; moreover-and it is the work of God's right hand (et Dieu fait encore 1111 coup de sa droite) -they make no account of their sufferings, they live, without perceiving it, in a state of utter destitution. Fr. Du Ranquet's life is less painful now than it used to be. He meets oftener with white men. What, then, must have been the heroism of Fathers Jogues, Lallemant, De Bd:breuf and the other early missionaries! The Indians, whom Fr. Du Ranquet visits, are scattered over some five hundred miles: this is about the distance he travelled last year. He visits at least a thousand of them, but of these, two or three hundred only are christians, the rest pagan. He never finds more than four or five families in one place. On his excursions he starts by the steamboat, taking along with him his bark canoe, which is to be his only vehicle for a couple of hundred miles. When he goes to Lake Nipigon, which lies towards the west in the direction of the Lake of the Woods, the journey is one of eight days. Although he generally meets with some wayfarers, he told me he once made a trip of a hundred miles alone in his canoe, keeping always four or five miles out from the lake shore. The Grand Portage is a break in the navigation nine miles long. There he steps out of his canoe, lifts it up on the bank, ties to it his bag of provisions together with his portable chapel, and hoists the unwieldy bundle on his shoulders, holding it in its place by means of a broad leather band resting on his forehead.* Thus freighted, he * This way of carrying burdens is the one commonly adopted in the backwoods of Canada. It is generally known by its French name, porter collier. The muscles of the neck and head do all the work, leaving <lu �Indian 111issions-Lakc Superior. toils through his three leagues till he can take to the water again. In winter, he is always on snow-shoes, sleeping alone in the "bush." Need I add anything about his humility and charity, or say that he lives only for his poor Indians? Fr. Blettner teaches me theology, Dogma in the morning, :\fora! in the afternoon. One copy of Gury and one of Schouppe for teacher and pupil. However this is no drawback for the teacher, seeing that he has been teaching these things twenty-three years. \Ve hope soon to receive another Gury. As for Schouppe, I believe we are expecting a new edition. In these parts, we are easily brought to wonder at nothing. Let me tell you the only material advantages we enjoy here: First, the steps from the wharf to the house are a very gentle slope; secondly, the house is all on one flat; no fatiguing staircases-that's all. My professor of theology also teaches me Indian. I must say I do not find this language very attractive, though some think it remarkably rich and bt~autiful: it is a matter of tastes. School is not yet opened; it will be at All- Hallows ; at present, eclipse of children, I don't know where they are. You must know that English is very useful here: it is the or?inary language of the whites around us; I trust I shall not forget it. Fr. Blettner is sixty-nine; he began his missionary life at fifty. Fr. Du Ranquet is sixty-two. Fr. Vary, who consulted a doctor when last he was in iVlontreal, will not be able to go on the mission, owing to disease of the heart. The doctor told him he had not long to live, and he speaks of this with the greatest pleasure: it is evident he does not cling to life. God grant that all these holy examples mar not be lost upon me. Adieu, molt clter fn;re, Yours unreservedly in Cordc :Jesu, E. R., s. J. ----·------· ---------------------- ---------·-- the arms and hands free to ply the hatchet in cutting through the mulcr· wood, and to grasp the branches of trees in a steep ascent. Some shanty· men are said to have carried, in this manner, loads weighing between six and seven hundred pounds for a distance of two or three miles.-[En. WooDSTOCK LETTERs.] �INDIAN MISSIONS-WASHINGTON TERRITORY. From a letter of Fr. P. G. Gwdi, S. 7. CoLVILLE, W. T., Aug. 17th, 1875· I an1 happy to be able to satisfy your desire of hearing something about our missions. You will, I am sure, be pleased to hear of the celebration of Corpus Christi among the Indians. For a week before the Feast, the various tribes, some from a great distance, began to gather around the mission church, in great numbers. On the Saturday before, we heard of the approach of two large tribes that had come together on the way, and were coming in a body. The Indians who had already arrived, received orders from their chief~ to assemble in front of the church, which stands on the slope of a beautiful hill. There they waited with the banner of the Sodality and their military , standard displayed. Soon the new comers appeared, two and two, on horseback, in very good order, and carrying their guns over their shoulders. They halted a moment, when they came in sight, and saluted us with a discharge of their firearms, to which our Indians replied in like manner and then marched down to greet the approaching tribes. Another double salvo, then the strangers dismounted, all shook hands, and returned together to the church. On the Sunday following we opened the exercises of the Jubilee. A very devout procession was made in the evening, and throughout, the conduct of the Indians was most edifying. Their chiefs had forbidden any unnecessary or distracting occupations in the camp during that time. Three Fathers were busy, for three days before the Feast, hearing confessions. * * * * VoL. v-No. 1. 9 �66 Indian llfissions- fVas!tington Tem"tory. On the Feast itself, two low :Masses and one Solemn High Mass were celebrated; the attendance was very large and there were many communions. Before the Solemn Mass, the Great Chief made an address to the whites who were present, expressing his gratification at their presence, and urging them to strive, by their modesty and devotion, to give no scandal to the Indians. After Mass there was a long and orderly procession, in honor of the Blessed Sacra. ment, in \vhich all joined with most edifying piety, singing hymns and canticlt;:s as they went. Among the whites were six soldiers and~non-commissioned officers, belonging to the United States 'troops stationed near here. The celebration of this Feast was attended with many blessings. Many who had strayed away were brought back into the right path ; three infidels were converted, and many received signal blessings in many ways. I accompanied one of the tribes on its homeward march, three weeks after the Feast, and was much edified by the piety and regularity which reigned among them. Every morning and evening they gathered around my tent to say the regular prayers and to hear an instruction. On Sundays all came to hear Mass, and many received Communion. Those who lived near enough to my camp, came every morning to Mass, and every evening to prayers and catechism. I baptized there three adults, and five others on my way home. I might tell you many very touching incidents connected with our missionary labors here, all tending to show that if this field is one of hard work, it is not, by any means, without rich blessings and most abundant consolations. �' I THE TEXAN CYCLONE. Letter from Fr. lJ.fancz: CuERO, DE vVITT Co., TEXAS. November 30th, I87S· REV. FATHER IN CHRIST, P. C. To comply with your Reverence's request, I will give you some account of the disaster which laid waste the town of Indianola two months ago. I should have done so before, had not my many occupations and journeyings to and fro thwarted my good intentions. The delay has no doubt made my too vivid impressions of the scene settle into becoming serenity; my imagination is not now so painfully sensitive as it was just after the event, when I wrote to Rev. Fr. Artola with the clothes on my back still soaked in sea water, and my poor brain crowded with the recollections of that dreadful night. But, on the other hand, some important circumstances may, in the meantime, have slipped my memory. However, I trust your Reverence will kindly accept my best efforts to relate things just as they occur to my mind. The I sth of September was truly a dismal day for Indianola. It began with one of the largest funerals ever seen in this town-a foreshadowing of the catastrophe which was to follow in a few hours. On seeing the great concourse of people, I felt moved to say a word or two to them on the vanities of the world and on the certainty of death's uncertain hour: for Martin Mahon, whom we were mourning, had been taken away from amongst us quite suddenly. 6; �68 The Texan C_yc!ollc. After the funeral, towards noon, the sky darkened all at once, and a silent fear crept into the hearts of all. I myself was on the point of remaining in Indianola, had I notalready promised to go to Cuero where I had some children to baptize, and some confessions to hear, and where I generally used to go once a month. · As I stepped into the railway cars, it began to rain and to blow as if to usher in the hurricane of which all had a presentiment, but whose ravages none could foresee. I reached Cuero at half-past five in the evening, baptized, heard confession~; and, next morning, the 16th, started, in the midst of a pouring rain and a violent gale, for Indianola, as I had promised to return that morning. When we got within ten or fifteen miles of this town, at about 10 A. M. we began to slacken speed, the track being covered with water, and to sound as we went slowly along, for we ran the risk of running into the current beneath us. At 1 1 A.M. we were half a mile from Indianola station, when a man came running up to us and telling us to stop, because the railroad had been washed away about seven o'clock that morning. So we came to a stand-still. Your Reverence cannot imagine how intensely painful it was for me to hear the conductor say that the train could not adv,ance, and that it was impossible to reach the town on foot;-"on horseback, or · by swimming. It fairly knocked the breath out of me. Was I then to be cut off from my flock in this awful extremity? In my distress, I tried the Church's exorcism on the tempest; but heaven seemed to have sworn to chastise Indianola, and the storm raged with ever-increasing fury. The waters went on rising two or three feet every hour. The violence of the wind was so terrible, that, when I chanced to put my head out of the door, my spectacles were whipped off and blown away as if they had been a shred of straw. About noon we saw a family making signs to us for help. Some of us immediatelv ran to their rescue and succeeded in saving two little b~ys with their father, mother and �T!te Texan Cyclone. grandmother. This act of charity snatched from us our own chances of escape in the rear on the road to Victoria and Cuero; because, meanwhile, the storm .had destroyed the track behind us. ·However, as the sequel will show, God was not going to allow Himself to be outdone in generosity. Here we were, then, in the midst of a surging sea, exposed to an unceasing blast, whose fearful impetuosity may be gathered from the fact that it was, without a moment's interruption, driving before it, to a height of some sixty feet and to the distance of forty-eight miles, the waters of the Mexican Gulf. None but an eye-witness could have a~y adequate idea of the violence of this hurricane. l\Iany people imagine that it was somewhat like an inundation. But the inundation was nothing to the way in which it was produced and to the wind which hurled the waves about. It wrenched up whole houses, whirled away the roofs, and flung down persons who were trying in vain to keep their feet. I attempted to go out on the platform, but I had to draw back immediately, for my breath was gone, and I was running the risk of being blown off like a leaf. The' sensation I experienced was as if a machine of several horse-power had thrown a bucket of water into my face. 'vVe thus remained spectators of the storm till seven in the evening, when we began to feel its effects ourselves. The passenger-car, in which we were eighteen, was no more safe: the rails began to slide from beneath the wheels, and soon the car itself was overturned, hurried away by the waves, and broken up into several pieces. 'vVe had taken refuge in the baggage-car next to us ; but when we saw the passenger-car, which was much heavier than our present shelter, up~et and smashed, we argued a fortiori that we were in imminent danger. Accordingly, all the men on the train, except the father of the two little boys whom we had saved that morning, huddled together on the locomo- �70 Tlzc Texan (yclouc. tive for greater safety. I stayed in the baggage-car, hoping to be able to baptize five children with their mothers and the grandmother, and thus go to heaven in their company. Never did death seem so near at hand as on that night of the 16th of September. Its approach could be read on the faces of my adult companions, whilst the five little boys, lying on cushions here and there, had begun that sleep which, to all appearances, was to end in the next world. For about six hours we were in agony, helplessly stemming the fury of the wind and waves. Often and often was our car borne up on l!igh and almost overset. But still it stood, and withstood the· rushing flood. An invisiule hand-it was, I believe, St. Joseph's, to whom I made a vow-held it up. At a time when I had lost all hope of escape, with the liberty of a priest of God, I spoke to one of the mothers on the necessity under which she lay of preparing herself and her children for the dread Judgment-seat whose shadow was already upon us. "Neither you nor your sons," said I, "are baptized. vVhat hope, then, can you have? I know not what will become of those little ones, but I do know . they can never see God; and you, you--." ''No, no," she answered with a foolhardy fearlessness of death, "neither myself nor my three children shall ever ·be baptized." I tried to persuade her, but in vain. So I passed on to the other mother. She had been, with her two sons, baptized by a "holy" Protestant minister. "But," I replied, "what if the baptism was not properly administered?" To this she answered: "At all events, baptism by a Catholic minister can do no harm. Baptize me, then." Alas ! at this juncture, some evil genius stirred up the old grandmother, who began to rave at me and load me with insults for destroying he work of a "holy" Protestant minister. My remonstrances were quite lost on the poor stubborn old woman, so that even the well-meaning mother took back the permission just granted. �· Tlie Texan Cyclone. 71 Meanwhile the danger was becoming vastly greater, and, as the emergency withdrew these children from the dominion of their parents, and gave me a right to act upon my own responsibility, I determined to baptize the children as best I could. The darkness favored my determination. Taking some water in the hollow of my hand, and groping for the little heads, I baptized four of the children, and one, in particular, in the very arms of his father. Somewhat satisfied with this partial success, I withdrew into a corner to prepare for death, reciting the Rosary, and making acts of contrition. During this time the grace of God was at work in some hearts. Three of the passengers, who had sought shelter in the locomotive, came to me, asking me if we were really in danger of death. On my answer that we were, and that they had better make a good confession, they got down on their knees, one by one, in the presence of the other passengers, and confessed their sins. One of them I invested with the Scapular: eight or ten days ago he was crushed to death under the wheels of a railway car. Others, who were not Catholics, made good resolves for the future. I saw one, a Freemason, who, a short time before, had politely informed me that he belonged to no religion, bless himself with unmistakable devotion. Last night he told me he intended to have himself and his little daughter baptized at Christmas. I heard him saying to his companions that henceforth he would cease to be a man without religion. It was now midnight. Hitherto the storm and flood had been constantly on the increase. But now the wind which had been blowing from the north-east-a murderous wind for Indianola, as it sweeps the Gulf of Mexico into the town-veered to the north, and immediately the water began to subside, falling seven feet in five hours. \Vith the veering of the wind our danger ceased, as the car was placed directly north and south. Not so for Indian- �72 Tlu Texan Cycloue. ola. The north-east wind in its mad bout of twenty-four hours, together with the mass of heaving water, had already laid bare the foundations of the buildings: the north wind did the rest. It overthrew more than two hundred and fifty houses, tilted almost all the rest, and tumbled about in the chopping waves from two hundred and fifty to three hundred victims-about one-sixth of the population of Indianola. Of these three hundred victims about two hundred and thirty were recovered, but sixty of the bodies were disfigured and bruised beyond recognition. Nearly all perished after mid~ight, just at a time when my good angel put it into my head to absolve sub ccwditione those who were then struggling with death. They were morally present to me, and only a few steps off, though I could not see them; but I felt that many were passing to their ac.count. I lost about twenty-five Catholics in Indianola, and many others between Saluria, Matagorda and Peninsula, places within my jurisdiction. Daylight revealed the ruins of Indianola. I attempted to wade up to-them through the water, but I could not do so till half-past one in the afternoon. \Vhat a sad outlook towards the town! A few hours since a charming seaport, known for its health-restoring breeze; and .now a heap of ruins, exhaling an indescribable stench, 0\Ving to the dead bodies and the carcasses of animals to be met with at every step. The sky was still threatening. \Ve might have another hurricane. In fact, about one o'clock, while I was waiting in the cars, a young man ran up to our train, shouting to us that we had better look out for another storm, · as the wind had veered from the north to the north-west and then to the south, and would most probably be back to the north-east before nightfall, so that he thought we ought to turn opr backs on the town, and seek shelter in one of the nearest stations. This warning settled my mind: I determined to try fording once more and die, if God so willed it, in Indian- �T!te Texan (vcloue. 73 ola, helping my flock. Leaning on the arm of one of the the three who had confessed to me the previous night, I reached the town, drenched from head to foot. I began immediately to search the ruins of the church for the Blessed Sacrament. To my surprise I found the Tabernacle intact and still unopened. Reverently lifting it up, I went to hide it in the priest's house, in a small room, of which but the least part had escaped the universal ruin. I did not force open the Tabernacle-door, because I hoped to find the key, though, to tell the truth, there was precious little reason for this hope, seeing that the press in which I had put it was broken into splinters, and its contents buried in five feet of sand. However, I appealed to St. Antony of Padua, and next day a little girl brought me a small key : it was the key of the Tabernacle. I opened the Holy Ciborium, and did not find, either in it or on the veil which covered it, the least trace of water. I was also fortunate enough to come upon one of the church pictures, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was in a perfect state of preservation, glass, frame and all, without the least stain ; though another picture, which matched it, was fearfully cut up. Many other pieces of altar furniture were found, a fine large monstrance, five candlesticks, five chasubles, corporals, albs, etc., the bell, and the organ almost uninjured. Having put by all these and the like valuables in the same place, I went to see the Sisters of Mercy, whom a good Protestant, their neighbor, had taken into his house. It appears that hunger and thirty hours of anxiety had made me look like a walking corpse : for they scarcely knew me. I might have eaten in the cars, for, thanks to a kind Providence, we had eggs, butter, bread, spirits, rice, water, apd fire withal for cooking; but I did not see the use of material food on the brink of eternity. I provided the Sisters with a more suitable residence in the house of a Catholic, who had offered them his home, and I went to lodge with VoL. v-No. 1. ro �74 Tlzc Texan C)'c/onc. 1\Ir. R. T. Evans, an excellent Catholic and President of the Indianola and Cuero Railroad. I should have remained in the little room where I had hid the Blessed Sacrament, had it not been full of the altar furniture, and, besides, damp and encumbered with rubbish. It was now six o'clock in the evening. After taking a mouthful, I went to console the Sisters of Mercy and three Catholic families gathered in the same house, under the hospitable roof of Mr. Regan, one of the most influential Catholics of the town. Sic transit glon·a. mzmdi was my first reflection on seeing the young ladies ·\vho, the day before, had been flaunting their fashionable finery, now wearing poor old clothes, and quite penitential in their looks and words. No one ever prayed better than in that terrible night. Never, since Indianola was founded, had so many solemn promises gone up from it to God's throne. And not a few of these promises were kept. A woman had for many years past, been ·living with a man that was not her husband. Hitherto, my repeated exhortations to a legitimate union had proved ineffectual. -After the storm, however, a mere hint from me was enough : she married immediately. Others promised and gave alms to the parish priest and the Sisters. .Some came to confession; some, again, began..:to be practical · Catholics. The first victim I buried was a little girl named Blanche Madden, who was found drowned with her tiny arms clasping the neck of a cow. Of course there were many simila·r touching incidents. A poor mother, wishing to cross over in a boat with her two children to another part of the town, had to leave one of them on the bank until she could retUI;n for him. She came back just in time to see the child swept away by the rising water. One horse was the salvation of four persons, two of whom got on his back, while the two others clung to his tail; and in this fashion they reached a house some two hundred yards off. A whole family escaped on their roof, which floated away undamaged �The Texan Cyclone. 75 to a great distance, though the,house beneath was completely demolished, A gentleman, seeing his wife and children in danger, made them climb up to the top of his ho_use ; but the buildi,ng was giving way; he clasped his wife and then his two. children iri his ~f~ls, and the flood' r~shed upon him and them. 'I;k suc~e~ded in cat~qing hol_d of a plank, and· held it. a~ long-. as· he. co~ld w!th his hands, till, his arms ' fail~ng hi,m, he ~lutche_d it v.zith._ his teeth, . . The wife and . children were dt:.?WH~d; he alol)~ sur_v~ed. Many, whQ.. had. b.een:-.mourqed. K>r. ~ dead, turned up ., after three or four 'd~ys, h~\"ing..,be~n carri'ed by the cyclone eight, ten- or eleven ?niles-tro~">th~ town. I myself witnessed the mes::ting of a sister with_a brother whom neither '"' • ,~h!i! ·nor her r~s ever expected to see alive. They fell on each other's neck and wept in the middle of the street. After the disaster, all were brothers. They shared the little that remained. A kitchen stood in stead of two or three houses, one house sufficed for several families, and one room for many persons. For a month there were two or three sleeping in the same room as mysel( The day following my return to Indianola, the 18th, I made a chapel out of a hall on the ground floor of Mr. · Evans's house, whither I brought the Tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament, our only consolation in these straits. On Sunday, the I9th, I said Mass for the Sisters in Mr. Regan's house, and another pro populo in the new chapel. To this latter came a great crowd. In place of an explanation of the Gospel, I dwelt on the intentions for which I was about to offer the Holy Sacrifice : First, for the repose of the souls of those who, three days before, had been present with us at the Requiem Mass and were now no more.· Several of these were Catholics in deed. One, a mother who perished with her three children, was actually making a novena to be freed from great distress, if it were for God's greater glory. Another mother, �Tlzc Texan C)'donc. also drowned with her three little children, had come a few days ago to seek advice from me in her hardships. But some there were who had neglected the Sacraments for many years past. Again, among those who were dead and gone, was a young lady whom I had caught, the previous day at the church door, flirting with a young man. Secondly, in thanksgiving for so great a mercy. Here I reminded them of their feelings during the hurricane and of their good resolves. Did we not then feel keenly our own nothingness and the power of Him 'Who is mirabilis in a/tis Dominus? Did~ we not feel that we had above us and against us a Being immeasurably superior and exceedingly terrible to the poor wretches who, but a few hours ago, looked so brave as they scoffed at God and at His religion?* vVoe to us if we do not keep our word with God! He may have other scourges in store. These and other things I said, though, assuredly, no words were needed. The very thought of our Sacramental King staying by us amid the ruins of His house, there interceding for us with His mighty voice, and now coming, with unusual sweetness, into the hearts of those of us who that morning had approached His Holy Table- this thought alone was reason enough for ol!f tears and sobs. What a contrast between this Sunday an'd the previous \Vednesday, when we had all the splendors of Catholic worship in the beautiful church of Indianola! Instead of Vespers, which no one had the heart to sing, we told our beads in honor of the Mother of Sorrows, and closed with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Gardet, the parish priest of Victoria, had come down the day before to invite the Sisters and myself to Victoria, but we preferred remaining where we were, to afford what help we could to people that were· beside themselves with -------~-----------, _________ ______.:___ ~- *Two housell which had been used for public bulls and other worldly amusements, sheltered from the storm about three hundred persons, thus becoming the resorts of prayer and compunction. �Tlte Tcxa n y'clonc. 77 grief and distress. Quite a number of them could hardly recover composure of mind ; and, on the other hand, an extraordinary panic seized hold of many. In two or three days no less than two hundred left the town, some on foot or in carts, others by steamboat for Galveston, Corpus (hristi and New Orleans, as some seven miles of rail had been torn up and could not be replaced before a fortnight. Those who remained, though abundantly supplied through the liberality of the generous town of Victoria, of Galveston, New Orleans, San Antonio, Boston, etc., still continued to suffer from want of fresh water, and of lodgings, from the hideous, desolate aspect of Indianola, and from the threatening weather which every now and then looked as if it were hatching new horrors. More than once did I rise during the night to recommend our endangered and helpless Indianola to our Blessed Lord who was now dwelling under the same roof with me. For I knew that the slightest storm would make havoc of a town already ploughed up in at least seven places, through which the sea ebbed and flowed as through so many convenient canals. I cannot realize how a cyclone could in a few hours work such destruction. In several parts of the town it cut channels from seven to ten feet deep and two hundred or more feet in width. It swept away even brick houses and huge masses of iron to the distance of seven or eight miles, as happened to a railway car and to the iron turn-table or revolving platform for turning cars and locomotives. Had I remained in Indianola, I should doubtless have perished, as my bed room was destroyed, the roof of the house having been torn off by the wind, and the church, whither I should certainly have hurried to save the Blessed Sacrament, fell into ruins. Nor could I have been of use to any one: for the driving wind and water made it impossible to see a house twenty yards off. Those only could help each other who were standing in the same spot; otherwise each one had to look out for himsel( So sudden was the �T!tc Texa1Z Cyclone. rush of water, that Mr. Evans, having left his house at 9 o'clock in the morning to run to the help of the Sisters, could scarcely reach the convent, though it was not far distant. Still less could he return to his anxious family: he had to stay where he was that whole day at the peril of his life. • And here I cannot omit to mention something that happened in the home of this eminently conscientious and right-minded Catholic. On the evening of the hurricane, the inmates saw, with dismay, a house bearing down directly upon their- ..own. A shock would have been fatal. Mrs. Buel, Mrs. Evans's mother, a venerable matron of oldtime faith and angelic ways, at the sight of the coming danger, took a crucifix and placed it in the hands of one of her granddaughters, saying. to the child: "Hold up this holy crucifix to that house which is floating towards us: Jesus will hear the prayer of your innocent lips." The little girl of seven years did as her grandmamma told her, and raising the sacred sign, she cried out: "Jesus, our Saviour, save us!" At that very moment the house stopped, standing near by as a monument of what faith could do. The people who lived opposite say that it looked as if an invisible hand had steadied it there and then. This was truly a triumph of the Sacred Heart":· for the whole Evans family (except the father who, as I have already said was absent against his will) made a vow to the Heart of Jesus, while the child was lifting up the crucifix. Thus, in ' no ordinary way, did Jesus and Mary, and Joseph the patron of our church of Indianola, save and protect me and most of my parishioners. I thought I saw a pious type of this preservation of the principal part of my flock, when we found uninjured the head of a plaster statue of St. Joseph. Indianola had Mass every day for a month after the storm, till Holy Obedience called me to Cuero, where I arn founding a parish. Indianola's promises were very fair. �Tlte Texan Cyclone. 79 Our Lord had blessed in a special manner my poor efforts. Several infidels, heretics, and Catholics that had been living for years without human or divine law, were moved by the grace of God. I have turned a part of the priest's house into a chapel capable of holding about a hundred persons. ~ext week Fr. Mac Kiniry, S.]., will give us there a little miSSion. The past week he concluded one here at Cuero, and now he is "missionizing" the Irish of St. Patrick's. Cuero already contains twenty-nine Catholic families, and many more Protestant. The latter listened with the greatest attention and tractableness to two eloquent and outspoken sermons from our Bishop, Mgr. Pellicer, who, last Sunday, dedicated our church in honor of St. Michael. Your Reverence will, I trust, entreat our Lord to give me. · the physical and moral strength I need for my seven missions. I am tilling a field which, two years ago, was cultivated by four priests niuch stronger than myself. One of these missions is German, another Polish, the others contain Irishmen, Americans, Englishmen, Italians, Spaniards, Frenchmen, Mexicans, etc. I am, in union with your Reverence's Holy Sacrifices and prayers, Your humble servant in Christ, V. L. MANCI, S. J. L. D. S. �..- �vVOODSTOCIC LETTERS. VOL. V., No. 2. ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. [Concluded.] Fr. Barbelin's early studies were pursued amid the feverish excitement of the then troubled state of France. From boyhood he was desirous of devoti~ himself to the missions of the New World under the auspices of the Society of Jesus; and with the consent of his Director, another · uncle or cousin, he made a vow to that. effect. The only obstacle to the accomplishment of his ardent wishes was the opposition of a mother, who, holy as she was, could not reconcile herself to the thought of parting with the son who had been the sunshine of her heart. Here was a dilemma for the pious youth. God, through the silent voice of the Spirit that breatheth where He willeth and the living voice of his spiritual guide, calls him to the New World, there to labor for the greater glory of God, and, at VoL. v-No. 2. II 8I �82 St. 7oseplt"s Clwrdt, Pluladclphia. the same time, the voice of God's \Vord and the voice of Christian instruction tell him": "Hearken to thy father who begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old:" "Children, obey in the Lord your parents: for this is just." 'He was indeed perplexed; but he had recourse to his usual refuge and comfort, holy prayer. Every morning, when at home, he would hie away to the parish church and there, before a beautiful painting of the Jlater Sah·atoris, beg her assistance, saying: "Mother of my dear God and Saviour, inspire my loved mother to give her son to thy Son." Could Mary refuse such ,a prayer? It was well the young levite should be tried, .<~;p.d tried he was for years. At length on the last day of a novena made in honor of our Mother's Immaculate Conception to obtain the wish of his heart, his mother sent for him, and gave him her consent and blessing. "Dearest son," said she, "the only sorrow you have ever caused me is the desire of leaving me and going away thousands of miles, where my dying eyes will not rest upon your loved features. I had hoped to see you a holy priest, like your uncles and cousins, laboring for the good of your countrymen. But I know, son, 'he who !oveth father and mother better than Me, is not worthy of Me, and he who loveth son and daughter more than Me", is not worthy of Me. And he who doth not take up his cross and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me.' God has willed that you should sojourn in a strange country; go, my son." No second permission was required. A short visit of thanksgiving to his God and to the Mediatrix, and then a few hours sufficed for his hasty preparations; and before night he was on his way to Paris ;-not that he was in haste to leave the dear ones he loved and who loved him, but he feared lest his mother's courage should f:1il and she should withdraw her permission. A few months later he landed in Norfolk, Va., where he met the Rev. Alexander Hitzelberger, afterwards his brother in R~ligion. On January 7th, I 83 I, he entered the �St. :Josep!t's Clwrdt, Plziladdpltia. Novitiate at Whitemarsh, under the kind and judicious guidance of Fr. Fidelis Grivel. Only three of his fellow novices are living, Fr. Augustine Bally, Superior of the. Mission at Goshenhoppen, Mr. Charles Lancaster, Procm·ator of the Province of Maryland, and Rev .. Peter Havermans, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Troy, N. Y. He \Vas raised to the priesthood on the Festival of the Seven Dolors, September 22, 1835. and stationed at Georgetown College, as teacher of French and assistant prefect. It was about this time that the great rebellion took place among the students, and so great was the respect, even of the rebels, for the little French Prefect, that he could move among them freely, though it was dangerous for the others. In 1836 he was made assistant to Fr. Lucas at Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown. I have many times heard him laugh about the first marriage he blessed-that of two paupers at the District alms house. I have often wondered what gave Fr. Barbelin so great an influence over children and won for him their affection. Love, we are told, begets love. Fr. Barbelin had no spontaneous love for little ones. \Vith a few exceptions, he took no delight in the presence of children : it was rather irksome to him. But he had read the words of Jesus: "Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come unto Me : for the kingdom of heaven is for such." And he not only suffered, but endeavored to induce them to come. And this was the secret of Fr. Barbelin's great labors for the young, that he might entice them to the way of the Lord, knowing that if, unfortunately, in mature life, they might wander from the straight path, there were greater· hopes of their return to the narrow way than if they had never walked in it. His sacerdotal experience had shown him that not unfrequently the chord that has lain unstrung for years, has been struck to tuneful vibration by the sight of a child with its hands joined in simple earnest prayer: that the lips that had forgotten the saving name of Jesus, save to �St. :Joseplt's Clwrclt, Plzi!adclphia. blaspheme, had been lured to canticles of praise by the sweet accents of a favorite daughter singing her "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart:" that many a cursing father has been made a man of prayer by the dying look of a cherished son, and many a prayerless mother has been led to the house of God by the hand of a Sunday School child. TeJI me not that there is no benefit in Sunday Schools save to keep children from attending those of our misled brethren. I tell you, with Fr. Barbelin, that the influence there brought to bear upon them wiJI bring forth effects when you and they and I have long been forgotten. "Make the Sunday School attractive," was his motto. For this purpose he employed every allurement, held out every enticement, pictures and medals, processions, sodalities and hymns. "Let the young praise the name of the Lord," he would say. "Be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord," may we imagine him to have often repeated to his own heart. Before his coming, the recitation of the Catechism was the ordinary routine of the Sunday School. One of his first improvements was his opening and closing hymns, and these together with his interesting pious histories soon collected around him those whose children _now crowd our benches. No one could tell a legend as h;. 'It was not that his language was eloquent, it was broken-it was not that his gestures were graceful, we were not aware that we noticed them-but when he spoke, the whole man spoke -face, hands, arms, feet, every golden hair seemed to have a tongue of its own, and while he watched every shade upon the hundred little innocents' faces upturned to his -he seemed to forget self and to be the hero or the heroine he portrayed so exquisitely. He began a history on one Sunday, and when we hung breathlessly upon his words: ".Well, I see the time is up-I will tell you how young Pancratius won some of those very naughty �St. 7oseplz's Owrclt, P!ziladelp!zia. ss boys away from Paganism and made them Christians, next Sunday," broke the spell, and we returned to ourselves with a sigh of relief, if with an expression of disappointment. "I wish it was always this Sunday and never next Sunday," once said a little boy of nine. So would he continue his serials, for two, three, and even five or six Sundays, generally beginning a new one on the day he concluded an old one: and it seldom happened that a child that heard one commenced failed to hear it concluded. Do you wonder he drew the children around him? Why do bees gather around flowers? So did we crowd around the little French priest who told the stories-because he furnished to us the food our better natures craved for. Fr. Barbelin was not naturally a prayerful man, but the written guide of man told him, "all things whatever ye shall ask in prayer with faith, ye shall receive." His good parents had taught him from childhood, that "the continual prayer of a just man availeth much;" and from boyhood he had been accustomed to betake himself to "prayer and supplication, praying always in spirit, and watching in it with all earnestness and entreaty," and in manhood prayer became a second nature to him. He fell to sleep with the beads in his hand and Mary's name on his lips, and he awakened with 'the "Laudetur 7esus C!zn"stus in sa:cula sa:culorum," as the natural tribute of his tongue. No enterprise was undertaken without being sanctified by prayer, and every doubt was laid before God in its hours,-it commenced recreation and it finished labor. One moment he spoke with men upon the affairs of the world as they affected their salvation, the next he was speaking to God about the things of Heaven as they affected his own safety and that of those entrusted to his care. Yes, he was a man of prayer, it was his support under bodily ills, his consolation in mental trials. Crosses and contradictions came, but with the Psalmist did he say: "Instead of making me a return of love, they oppose me: but I will give myself to prayer.'.' �86 St. J'oseplz's Clmrclz, Philadelphia. Nor was Fr. Barbelin naturally meek and forgiving . . From his father he in~erited a temper not the coolest, and like his mother, his will was to be bent only by spiritual motives. But in his pious readings he found: "The patient man is better than the valiant : and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh cities." For him it was not easy to forgive an insult; sensitive almost to excess, an injustice rankled in his mind for years-jealous of his authority, he saw disrespect where none was thought of; still when the old man would rise within him, he knelt before his crucifix and pondered the threat of Him who was meek and humble of heart: "If ye wilt· not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences." And though it was difficult to forget, he did forgive and exhibited no signs of resentment. Prudence seemed his strong point : "wisdom and prudence abounded in him." \Veil he knew that in this sublunar sphere we are "as sheep in the midst of wolves;" and he remembered the admonition of Jesus: "Be ye therefore wary as serpents and guileless as doves." His religious and ecclesiastical superiors placed the greatest confidence in his judgment; they and others frequently sought his advice. In an especial manner was this prudence shown in the Sacred Tribunal. He may not have l!ad an abundant flow of scholastic terms, but when consulted about a case of conscience, his solution would not be found to disagree with St. Liguori, or Voit, or Gury, or his favorite Busenbaum. Clergyman had access to him at all times. He had no particular time for any particular class of penitents, but at the appointed time great must be his sickness if he were not one of the first to enter the "healing box" and one of the last to leave it. Many a time has he been carried down two flights of stairs to take his place for hours to listen to the sins, and sorrows, and trials, and efforts, and successes of his fellow pilgrims, and when, at ten o'clock, he was carried up again: his sighs could be heard throughout all the �St. :Joseplz's C/mrc/z, Philadelphia. 87 house. In so great estimation was he held as a prudent director of souls, that when Bishop Kenrick received the despatch, transferring him to the Archiepiscopal See of Baltimore, in his hasty preparation for departure, he took time to write notes to some of his penitents advising them to choose Fr. Barbelin as the director of their consciences. "The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and he that is sweet in words shall attain to great things." "Let your modesty be known to all men," is the advice of the great Apostle to the Philippians. If in one quality Father Rarbelin stood preeminently conspicuous, it was in that virtue which numbers us among the hundred and fortyfour thousand, who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,-the first fruits to God. Never was an action seen, never a word heard from him which was not adorned with the charm of innocence. He delighted in a joke, and could relate one with humor, although he sometimes failed, as when, with all solemnity he proposed the conundrum : "what little black berry is that which is red when it is green?" But his anecdotes were always of the nature that give pleasure to a refined mind, and if any other were related in his presence, he not only did not appreciate it, but he did not seem to understand it. In the Confessional he could direct with delicacy, prudence and success, the most leprous conscience ; but once outside of it he was as ignorant as an infant of all the misery of the world. Nor is this surprising in one who, in the midst of the distractions of daily life, frequently raised his heart with the aspiration : "Virgo Virgim11n, ora pro nobis!" and while discussing some engrossing topic, would turn his head aside to whisper the prayer: "111ater Pun'ssima, sucurre mi/zi!" When asked the most powerful means of driving away the dangerous assaults of the enemy, his answer was : avoid the occasions, pray, invoke and imitate the "Virgin without spot." �88 St. Yosep!t's Clmrclt, Plziladelpltia. His devotion to our holy Mother the Society, and to his Religious brethren was unbounded. He would not willingly have resigned his title of member of the Society of Jesus for all the dignity of the purple. It was enough for one to be a member of our loved Society, to find a place in the heart of Fr. Barbelin, and to receive from him a warm welcome to all he had to give. He considered that men should be enticed, not driven, to virtue. So he endeavored to make "all her ways beautiful and all her paths peaceable." Hence his sodalities, his excursions, his sociable gatherings, his processions, his little altars ; so that th~ year was one beautiful rosary of novenas : and that he did thereby gain souls for God, none who knew him will deny. Father Barbelin was not a saint by nature; he had his temptations and his faults. For men he had his likings and his strong dislikes. The regularity of the Religious life was never agreeable to him. In the last year of his life he said: "I have been nearly forty years in the Society, and rising at five is as difficult to me now as the day I entered." ·But when the busy enemy gave him no peace even in his latter days, he consoled himself with the words of St. James: "Blessed is the man who suffereth trial; for when he hath been proved he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to those who lc:i~e Him." With all his little imperfections he was the "beloved of God and men;" and when he c:almly expired on the evening of June 8th, 1869, the loud lamentations, yea, the cries of agonizing bereavement that rose in St. Joseph's Church, as the muffled bell tolled his requiem, proclaimed that his name was held in benediction. It was about 10 o'clock P.M. that his agony commenced; there knelt around his bed, as the prayers for the dying were being recited, our good Father Provincial, with the Fathers and Brothers of the Residence. At the same time the boys in the room below, and the pupils in. the female �St. J'osep!t' s Clmrclz, P/ziladelplzia. Sg Academy, in their rooms, were reciting the Rosary of the ConsolatrLr A.fllictorum, for their beloved father. He continued in his agony until 7·55. when he expired. The news of his death spread rapidly through the city, and even in the sub.urbs people were heard loudly weeping; and when interrogated as to the cause, they answered: "Father Barbelin is dead, we have lost our father! Father Barbelin is dead!" So great was the number who hastened at once to kiss his venerated remains, that it was necessary to place a guard at the door. Among the first to visit him was Rev. George Strobel, Pastor of St. Mary's Church, whom Fr. Barbelin had received into our holy Church. He knelt at his feet and wept like a child. The next morning at 8.30, a Mass of Requiem was sung; some of the principal singers of the city formed the choir, and the number of communions was great indeed. Again on the morning of the 10th, another Mass was sung, the body being present, though not exposed ; and again the sacred table was crowded. Towards noon the remains were exposed on a raised platform, in the sanctuary, and before the pulpit he had adorned with such exquisite taste, and from which he had distributed the food of wholesome doctrine for so many years. Placid and smiling, there lay the guide of our boyhood and our youth ; ' the friend of our early and of our later manhood: and while the sweet music of his accents still lingered in our ears, we imagined we could hear him say : "and now we will finish with some prayers to the Blessed Virgin-remember poor sinners and the suffering souls." Yes, there he lay, where so oft he had knelt-before those little temporary shrines he loved to have erected in honor of the saints. Do you wonder that Protestants, mingling with God's people, did as they did? knelt and kissed his feet, while many a heart felt as never before, the appropriateness of the words of the fire-touched tongue> VoL. v-No. 2. 12 �St. Yoseph's Church, Philadelp!tia. " How beautiful the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: of him that showeth forth good, that preacheth salvation." The crowds that visited the Church during that gloriously sad day, were simply innumerable. They resembled the ocean billows, one gave way but to be followed by another. Still, owing to the admirable arrangements of the gentlemen of the Sodalities, Sunday School, and Conference of St. Vincent de Paul, there was no disorder. It has been stated that, in that one day, over one hundred thousand persons were in a church which will not hold a thousand: and yetrnot an incident occurred to distract the most dev0ut. During the afternoon, various Sodalities and Confraternities visited the Church and sang their solemn strains. But the little ones seemed to think that, by right, belonged to them that sadly pleasing duty ; and if we had permitted it, they would have been but too happy to spend the afternoon there, raising their sweet little voices in "Oh pray for the dead," and "0 turn to Jesus, )!other, turn, And call Him by His sweetest names ; Pray for the holy souls that burn This hour amid the cleansing flames."* At 5 o'clock on the morning of the I I th the Propitiatory Sacrifice was again offered for the sou! -<.lf the departed. For more than an hour before, a large crowd had been waiting at the entrance of the church, and during the many Masses that followed at the three altars, there was no lack of weeping. The Age of Saturday, June 12, I 869, says: "OBSEQUIES OF REv. FATHER BARBELl N-An Immense Funeral- Impressive Ceremonies at the Cathedral.- The great e'steem in which the late Felix J. Barbelin, S. J., Pastor of St. Joseph's Church, was held by the people of this city, was fully manifested in the concourse of adults and - ____ _____;___·-------~---------·------------·----- . ----------~ *Fr. Faber. �St. J'oseplz's Clwrclt, Pltiladdpltia. children that assembled about Third and Fourth streets and Willing's Alley, at an early hour yesterday morning, to assist in the last Christian ceremony and tribute of respect to their departed pastor and friend. At 5 o'clock, Requiem Mass was celebrated at S. Joseph's, at the conclusion of which preparations were commenced for the funeral. It required considerable time to arrange the numerous schools and societies in order, but by quarter past 8 o'clock the work was accomplished, and at that time the funeral moved into Walnut street by Fourth street, out \Valnlit to Eighteenth street, and thence to the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. The solemn procession extended for many squares and attracted the attention of thousands of persons as it marched slowly to the Cathedral. Along the streets through which it passed the windows of many houses were bowed as a mark of respect to the deceased. The funeral moved in the following order: Society of the Christian Doctrine. 1\lale children of St. Joseph's Sunday and Parish Schools, undc;r the direction of their· teachers. Pupils of St. Joseph's Academy with the Sisters of the Institution. Girls of St. Joseph's Sunday and Parish Schools in charge of their teachers; attired in white dresses with black ribl!on at the waist. Ladies' Branch of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin, of St. Joseph's. Young Men's Branch of St. Joseph's Sodality of the Blessed Virgin. Men's Branch of the Same Society. Students of St. Joseph's College. Philopatrian Literary Institute of Philadelphia. St. Joseph's Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. Congregation of St. Joseph's Parish. • Delegations from St. Vincent de Paul's Society, as follows: Cathedral Conference; St. Paul's; St. Augustine's; St. Philip's; St. Theresa's; St. James'; St. l\lalachi's; St. Michael's; St. Patrick's; St. Agnes' of West Chester; and St. Francis'. Then followed representations from the numerous Catholic congregations throughout the city. �92 St. :Joseph's Clwrc!t, Plli!adclpltia. The remains were exposed to view as the funeral passed along and the solemnity of the occasion was thereby greatly increased. A guard of honor, consisting of prominent members of the Young Men's Sodality of St. Joseph's surrounded the funeral car. Following the hearse, were carriages containing the assistant priests of the late pastor, and the clergy of this city. The right of the funeral column reached the Cathedral about quarter past nine o'clock, and entered by the main doon\'ay, the seats in the nave of the great edifice having been reserved for those who formed the procession. After all the soCieties had entered, the body was taken from the hearse, carried up the main aisle and placed upon a magnificent catafalque, which was surrounded by pedestals of marble, rich vases containing natural flowers, beautiful candelabra and rows of lighted tapers. At the head of the coffin stood an ivory crucifix. Long before the funeral had started from St. Joseph's, that portion of the Cathedral, unreserved, was filled with people, and many were required to remain upon the street for several hours, the mighty structfire being incapable of containing all who wished to enter it. After the doors of the Cathedral were closed, the clerical vestments were laid upon the deceased priest, and a golden chalice with paten was placed in· his hands. Rt. Rev. Bishop Wood then entered the San~tu'ary, followed by the clergy and the seminarians of the diocese. The solemn office of the dead was recited, the Rt. Rev. Bishop presiding. Near I I o'clock, A. l\1. solemn Pontifical Mass of requiem was commenced, during which Rev. Michael O'Connor, of St. Ignatius' Church, Baltimore, preached the· funeral s~rmon ; taking for his text : 'The patient man is better than the valiant, and he who ruleth his own spirit better than he who taketh cities.'-Prov., xvi. He began by saying that pomp and honors would seem to be nowhere so much out of place as in the presence of death; because in death is sbown the vanity of all things. The proudest �Si. J'oseplz's Clwrclz, Plziladelp/zia. 93 of men and all things earthly, pass away as bubbles before it; and yt:t, the feeling which induces us to honor the virtues of the dead must have its legitimate effect. It is the great virtues of the departed one which have caused the deep feeJing of regret at his death which pervades this enlightened city, which has brought this vast multitude around his remains, and calls forth this homage. While I feel entirely inadequate to explain the character of Fr. Barbelin; I feel that some reference thereto is requisite on this occasion. 'Whatever is said in hi~ praise at this time, I know will be but the expression of all here assembled. Among the • thousands and tens of thousands who knew the departed, there is not one who can remember him otherwise than with the deepest affection and respect. There are none who knew him, but who believe that every word and act of his was prompted by the strictest virtue. After a rapid sketch of Fr. Barbelin's early life, the speaker continued: How he entered upon every duty belonging to his sacred office, and continually extended his good works, you who knew him can all bear testimony. Seeking God only, and for the sake of God, he labored diligently for the welfare of all men. It would be doing injustice to allow this sad occasion to pass without making some mention of the great works of our departed friend. The foremost of his labors was devotion to the children, by his zeal and gentleness leading them to virtue. In that little church of St. Joseph's, his zealous efforts brought around him each Sunday, from 1,500 to z,ooo boys and girls to chant the praises of God. He labored for them because he loved thembecause he saw in them that holy innocence which he labored to keep untarnished. There is nothing that can take the place of love; and where christian love exists it is a lever which effects wonderful works. It was this love which so closely bound together Father Barbelin and the children of his church. I recollect having seen him in a distant parish, where children were being prepared for �94 St. :Josep!t's Clmrclt, Pluladdp!tia. confirmation. At first, the children were struck with awe by the presence of the strange priest ; but as the gentle voice and manners of Fr. Barbelin were unfolded, the faces of the children brightened, and they warmed up to genuine affection for the stranger. An instance of the love existing between Fr. Barbelin and the children who knew him, was shown in the case of a lost child, which occurred a few years ago. The wandering little boy could tell nothing of his name, parents or home, and after repeated efforts to learn something that might lead to his return to his parents, a lady chanced to ask him whether he did not remember the name of any body. In a moment he replied: " I know Fr. Barbelin/' and that reply led to the finding of the lost child's home. It was Fr. Barbelin who founded those Sodalities, which now unite the young of both sexes in devotional exercises ; · and that good work, commenced in St. Joseph's, has extended throughout this diocese, and become general throughout the Church. As in his love for children, so in many other good works, Fr. Barbelih took a leading part. The Hospital of St. Joseph's may solely be considered the result of his labors. Years ago, when the dread pestilence, the ship-fever, was striking down the people of the lower part_of this city, Fr. Barbelin labored zealously to relieve the"il< and then it was that the idea of the present Hospital originated with him. He labored for God, and for God only, and was esteemed by the high and the humble. He accomplished great works by the power of his well known virtues. He was not what might be termed brilliant in the performance of his labors ; and it was only the power of virtues, simply expressed, which gave him a place in the hearts of the people. It is by such that the virtuous man is greater than the valiant. I say to you, then, imitate him by loving all with whom you come in contact-imitate his virtues. To the Reverend clergy, I would on this occasion suggest �St. 7oseplt's C/wrclt, P!tiladelp!tia. 95 the value of renewing our love for God, and through love for God, renew our love for our people. Though we may all be engaged in various pursuits, let us remember that virtue survives the shock of death. May that day which ends our earthly labors, bring us all to God to receive the reward of virtue and good works. Through that bond of union which God has ordained in our Church, let us perform such devotional works as may benefit the departed, and be of service to ourselves. " After the Pontifical Mass, the absolution followed, and at 2, P. M., the funeral train left the Cathedral and passed to St. Joseph's Cemetery, where the body was interred in the presence of many thousand people. In so great respect was he held even by Protestants, that on the day of his funeral work was suspended on the great Masonic Temple to allow the artisans and laborers to be present at the obsequies. After the funeral ceremonies, the Bishop of the diocese, well pleased with the respect shown to the Apostle of Philadelphia, remarked : "If this Cathedral had been built for this occasion alone, the money would have been well expended." On the next day I met one of the leading parsons of the Episcopal church. He stopped, and in the course of conversation, remarked: •· Father, there was no need of any sermon in the Cathedral yesterday, the sight of those children was eulogy enough for one man." On the evening of the 25th of July, the Particular Conference of St. Vincent de Paul met in the basement of the Church, when the Hon. Joseph R. Chandler delivered a most eloquent discourse upon Fr. Barbelin as "The sincere man," concluding with these words: Oh! how all the life of Fr. Barbelin illustrated the character of a christian gentleman. How his death, peaceful, confiding, submissive, illustrates the power of christian faith. " He taught us how to live, and oh, too high The price of knowledge, taught us how to die." �St. J'oseplt's Clmrclt, P!tiladdpltia. \Ve mourn our loss, but we fail to comprehend his infinite gain. \Ve, my brethren, "are of the earth, earthy," and in this life we walk by faith, whose light is dimmed by the impurity on which it rests ; but Fr. Barbelin is of Heaven, Heavenly, and with affections and views all purified, all sanctified, -"He walks with God, High in salvation and the climes of bliss." Immediately after his death, there was a movement made to raise a suitable monument in the quadrangle near the Church, and to beautify the Cemetery where his remains repose. S).;lnday after Sunday, even during the inclement winter, the children and teachers, some on each Sunday, and others on the Sunday following the 8th of every month, visited his grave and strewed it with the flowers he loved so much. On Pentecost Sunday, the sth of June, I 870, the memorial in the Southern wall, erected during the preceding week, was unveiled. Hundreds of the old and the young, approached the table of the Lord. Solemn High Mass was sung. -John Duross O'Bryan, Esq., a former pupil of St. J<?seph's, delivered a most eloquent discourse on the life and labors of our late Pastor. There amid the soulstirring strains of martial music without, accompanied by the swelling organ, the pealing trumpet, and the rolling drum within the Church, the curtain was withdrawn, and many gazed upon the chiseled features of one who from Heaven gazed and smiled on them. In the afternoon, the children of the Sunday School with their teachers, went in joyful procession to strew with flowers the lowly mound where the remains of their friend and father slept. The idea· was the children's, but the Sodalities joined ; and then the Conferences, and the Beneficial Societies, and then the congregation. Arrived at the Cemetery, ranged 'round the grassy mound, infant and childish voices, the voice of lad and maiden, of man and �St. 'Joscp!t's Clmrdt, P!tiladdpltia. 97 woman, joined in familiar hymns to Saints Joseph, Felix, Ignatius, to the Queen of Saints, and to the loved Name of Jesus-then a few short prayers were recited, and the immense concourse separated, passing around the hallowed spot and depositing their floral offerings-many to return to the Church to receive the Benediction of the Lord of the quick and dead. This touching ceremony was repeated in 1871 ; and on \V ednesday the 8th of June, an Anniversary service was held. How more appropriately bring to a close these somewhat tedious pages, than with an affecting tribute, sent from the green plains of distant Minnesota, by one who had known him well and had felt the power of his virtues : IN MEMORIAM REV. FELIX JOSEPH BARBELIN. I. Father and friend, shepherd of many lambs! Is it too late for this one to druw near, And drop from out her prayer-enfolded palms The flowers of saddest song upon thy bier? Out of the distant 'Vest in spirit come, To kneel beside thee tremulous and dumb! II. That crowded church,-how well my fancy paints Its sombre drapery, its solemn light! And in the midst a visage like a saint's Shining from out the shadows pure and white; The dear old hands, like lilies laid at rest Beneat.h the crucifix upon his breast. III. That meek, good face,-' mid children still a child's The smile upon it was forever young; And well they loved his accents soft and mild, The broken music of his foreign tongue; The serpent's guile, the innocence of dove, Mingling forever in its zealous love. VoL. v-No. 2. 13 �St. Yosep!t's Clwrdt, P!tiladdplzia. IV. His heart was with them: from the baptiz<>d babe, Up to the stripling and the maiden fair; His mission Jay among the little ones Whom Christ committed to His Spouse's care; And how he did his work-how long and well He labored-let St. Joseph's children tell. v. Early and late, through sunshine and through storm, In the Tribunal, at the altar rail, For thirty years his dear familiar form, His pleasant face with suffering often pale, ,.,. ent to and fro in guise of common things, Doing an angel's work on tireless wings. VI. Who that-has heard his }lass-who that has knelt In the Confessional and heard his voice, Pleading God's cause so sweetly-but has felt A secret thrill which made his heart rejoice! And going forth, has breathed a summer air, As though our Lord Himself had spoken there. VII. All ! how we'll miss him, who was ever found Ready to sympathize, and strong to guide ; Ah ! how we'll miss him as the years roll round, And life grows stern and griefs are multiplied! How often yearn, 'mid vexing cares, to be, Children, to tell our story at his knee. VIII . •\.dvent and Christmas we shall, thronging, meet To seek our friend 'mid Bethlehem's delights; }..nd throagh the Lent, the crowdetl, close Hetreat : 'Ve'll miss his reading of the prayers o' nights ; And when the words of final blessing-spund, Full many a secret tear will dew the ground. IX. :\lay-time will come, and twinkling lights will shine And flower and incense fill the air with balm; But one dear visage at the blessed shrine, 'Villlook no more upon us, meek and C<llm, And other hands than his wiil then dispense The Fin;t Communion to the innocents. X. Lo! in the octave of the SACRED IIEART, He sought his refuge in that school of peaceTake him, 0 Lord! all-JoYing as Thou art, Clad in the raiment of his fr<>sh release ; · Take him and fold him there in deathless bliss. may our latter end be like to his ! 1\ncl �ST. JOHN'S CHURCH AND RESIDENCE, FREDERICK, MD. (Continued.) The first entry made by Fr. Maleve in the baptismal record of St. John's is dated the 3rd day of February, I8I I. Hence it might be inferred that he began his labors in Frederick about the beginning of that year; though it would appear from the archives of the Province that his arrival was two years earlier. · The state of Catholicity was somewhat improved; the number of the faithful had increased, especially in the more distant stations; so that it became necessary a few years later to build small churches in several parts of the County. The German element had become more numerous in Frederick ; still the English and Irish names were in the majority. At Petersville, Liberty, and on the Manor there always has been a preponderance of English and Irish Catholics. During the years that had passed since the Revolution, a great many slaves had been brought into the County; and as a great. proportion of them were Catholics, their instruction in religious matters entailed no trifling burden on the pastor. The Church of St. John's was still unfinished, and was even unsafe. The interior was not plastered, and the roof had been so poorly made, that it had begun to sink , Supports from within became a matter of necessity, as the side walls, yielding to the weight, were pressed out. Fr. l\Ialeve had the Church plastered in 1812. The building was made safe when the roof had been rendered secure by means of wooden columns. There was certainly, a wide field of labor for one man in Frederick Fr. Makve was not discouraged, but gave himself up wholly to the work. 99 �roo St. :John's Clwrclt and Residence, Frederick, Jv!d. This zealous missionary was born Dec. rst, 1770. His naturalization papers speak of him as a native of Russia, and a subject of the Emperor of that country. In early life he entered the Order of St. Francis of Assisi ; but on account of the troubles at the end of the last century, he was forced, after the dispersion of his. Order, to live in the world as a secular. In 1804, with the permission of the Holy See, he entered the Society in Russia. \Vhilst yet a novice, he was sent to the United States; and was indeed 'the first Jesuit that came to us from \Vhite Russia. At Georgetown he spent some months in the study of English. His progress in~this undertaking was not over flattering. A man of great energy, of large frame, over six feet in height, with a voice of stentorian strength, he was anxious to exercise his indefatigable zeal for the good of souls. He was allowed to preach occasionally to the students of the College, as they were, no doubt, thought to be less severe upon the blunders he was wont to make, as when he said several times in one of his sermons that the Blessed Virgin Mary had been assumptcd into Heaven. Many other amusing anecdotes are handed down concerning his attempts at sermons, before he became more of a master in English. In r8o6, as the members of the Society in the United States had been permitted to renew th~ir vows and to receive novices, a Novitiate was opened at Georgetow·n. On the I rth of October, the little Community was formed; it consisted of ten persons-a Father, seven Scholastic and two lay Brother novices. The Father novice, the Rev. Francis Neale, acted also as master of the probation. The thirty days' retreat was begun immediately,* and lasted until the feast of St. Stanislaus. On that day, it was thought to be a good thing to have the solen1n opening of the Novitiate before the public. Besides this, one of the Fathers of the Old Society t was to make his Profession into the * :uanresa, as the Novitiate was called, is a small house on First Street, for a long time the residence of the pastor. t Father Charles Neale. �St. :Jo!tn's Clmrdt and Rcsidmcc, Frederick, J11d. IOI hands of Archbishop Carroll ; an event quite novel at that time, and perhaps the first Religious Profession ever made in the United States. Old Trinity Church was chosen for the purpose. A congregation had assembled, and the novices and many Fathers from the College were seated in the sanctuary. Fr. Maleve, in his enthusiasm for the Society, asked permission to say a few words. His zeal was greater than his knowledge; unable to express himself in English, he was forced to use the Latin tongue, to the great wonderment of the faithful and the Archbishop.* Father Maleve was at no time more than a,tolerable scholar in English. He seemed to have great difficulty with English and Irish names: Me Mollin (Me Mullin), Ryda (Ryder), Me Cherry and Tomptson, etc. (Me Sherry and Thompson, etc.), are frequent mistakes in his writings. Once in Frederick, Fr. l\Ialeve gave himself wholly to the spiritual advancement of his flock. No labor was too excessive for his zeal; no fatigue superior to his untiring energy. The two churches in the northern part of the County, at Emmettsburg and Mt. St. Mary's, lessened considerably the number of his parishioners. The work, however, that remained for him was very hard. The sick calls were sometimes at great distances, even as far as Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg; that is, to places twenty and forty miles away. Yet he was always cheerful and enthusiastic in the midst of his hardships. Glancing over the records, one is struck with his style of writing; it is an index of his enthusiastic nature. His penmanship is not that of neat, pent-up Utica, but bold, expansive and rugged. The people loved him, though his nature was on occasions rather brusque. It is told of him that once he went to see a ------------------------------------- *The Archbishop said to one of the novices: "\Vhat is he talking about? There ought to be a sermon in English." One of the Fathers, thinking it better to read a good sermon than to extemporize a poor one, offered to read a discourse from AucnER for the people. This was done. A member of the choir remarked that the sermon was very good, but the reading spoiled it. �102 St. 7o!tn's Clmrc!t and Rcsidmce, Frederick, J1ld. mechanic about some work in the Church. He was observed coming, and the workman enjoined his wife to say that he was not at home. She did as she was told. "That's not true; I know it from the way you say it. Your husband is at home. Come down; I see you up there behind the chimney." Notwithstanding such plain-spoken langwige, no one was offended. Fr. l\Ialeve was allowed to take his last vows on the 29th. of June, r8r5. He prepared himself for this religious act with great fervor. He looked on it as the realization of long che;ished hopes. On his return to Frederick he continued the work-he had been doing so well. The next undertaking worthy of notice was the building of St. Joseph's Church, on the l\Ianor. about seven miles from Frederick. The work was finished in rSzo. The lot of ground for the church and graveyard, with a portion of the funds, no doubt, for the building itself, was a gift to the Father from Charles Carroll of Carrollton. There is, perhaps, not a piece of land in Frederick County that has, for its size, more great names connected with it, than the St. Joseph's property. First, the gift already mentioned ; then another by the Pattersons, another by the Harpers and Me Tavishes: and, finally, in r8;3. Mary Ann, Marchioness of \Vellesley, makes an offering. Tl1e document by which the ~Iarchioness conveys the prop;rty has an international character, as it had to pass the office of the American consul in London, the Hon.l\Ir. Ingersol.* St. Joseph's congregation has always been under the charge of our Fathers, who have attended it from the Residence in Frederick, or from the Novitiate. In r8zr, Mr. Coale, a prominent Catholic of Liberty, a town about I 2 miles from Frederick, offered a lot of ground *St. Joseph's Church has not been forgotten by the members of the Carroll family. Only a few years ago, the old building was torn down and a new :mel much larger one erected in its stead, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. Of this sum, five thousand dollars were given by u great grand-daughter of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. �St. :1o1m's Clwrclt and Rcsidmcc, Fredcn"ck, J.vid. 103 for a church. Fr. :\Taleve, with the approbation of the Superiors, accepted it, and a building was begun; the work, however, went on slowly; and was not completed until after his death. This Church has, with the exception of two or three years, been always attended by the F.athers of Frederick. About three years ago the old building was torn down, and a new one erected, at a cost of fifteen thou'sand dollars. General Coale, the son of the donor of the land, bore all the expenses of the new church. The state of religion in Frederick County in 1822 was encouraging. ·with the congregation of St. John's mur.h increased, and a necessity for churches in other parts of the County, the prospect was indeed cheering, and, no doubt, made the Pastor look forward to a rich harvest. Now he could begin to see the effect of thirteen years' incessant toil ; but he was not permitted by the Master whom he served so well, to continue the work. Towards the end of September, he began to suffer from an attack of bilious fever, which, in those days, used to be prevalent in autumn about Frederick. At first, trusting to his strong constitution, he may have looked on the attack as trifling .. He grew no better, and soon serious apprehensions were entertained about his recovery. The Superior of the Mission, Fr. Charles Neale, having been informed of his illness, sent one of Ours to give him all the assistance necessary' in his dying moments. Fr. John Me Elroy was chosen for this sad duty. On his arrival in Frederick, he found his much esteemed brother in Religion very ill. He administered the last Sacraments, and waited in hope for some favorable turn in the disease; but God willed otherwise. Fr.. Malevc died on the 3rd of October, 1822. His death was a great affliction to the flock. After the Mass and funeral service by Fr. Me Elroy, the remains of the beloved Pastor were placed in the little graveyard behind the Church. In the meanwhile, the Superior had been informed of the death. A successor to the deceased F. Maleve was expect- �104 St. :John's Clmrclt and Rcsidma, Frederick, 11ld. • ed to arrive from Georgetown. Several gentlemen in the congregation, amongst whom 'was Mr. Taney, addressed a letter to the Fr. Superior, asking to retain Fr. l\Ic Elroy. The request was granted; and thus was begun a career of usefulness which, if we consider the resources at hand, has • been scarcely equalled in any city in the country. \Vhatever Catholicity has in Frederick, that it may point to with pride, is owing to Fr. Me Elroy. He found the congrega- · · tion small, the church sadly in need of repair, the residence old and weather-beaten; after twenty-three years, when he was called away, he left the congregation large and flourishing, whilst·the old church had given place to one of the finest churches in the States, and the old two story residence had been greatly enlarged, and was doing service as a Novitiate of the Society. The new residence, on Church Street, the buildings for St. John's Literary Institution, and the .school and Orphanage of the Sisters of Charity, gave proof also of the energy and skill of the Pastor of St. J olm's. It is an easy matter to show financial tact in large cities with liberal congregations; but it was quite a task to build schools and~churches in Frederick fifty years ago, as money · was scarce, and the little that could be had, was to be used 'vith consummate ability, in order to accomplish anything. These works will be spoken of more in detail, and in the order of time. ~Fr. Me Elroy was expected to carry on the work of his predecessor without any assistant. The rest of the year (I 822 ), passed away without any event of special importance. In 1823, the new Pastor's loneliness was cheered by the arrival of Fr. Van Quickenborne, with a colony of Ours, CJt route for Missouri. They remained a few days, and then set out on the long journey to their destined home beyond the Mississippi, where so much good has been done for the people of the \Vest and the increase of the Society. Towards the end of 182 3, negotiations were begun with the Superior 'of the Sisters of Charity, for the establish· �St. :John's Clwrclt and Residmce, Frederick, llfd. 105 ment of a community in Frederick. The help the Sisters could render to the pastor for school purposes was much needed. Early in 1824, five Sisters arrived from Emmettsburg and were domiciled in a wretched log cabin, built in the days of the revolution on what is now the Convent property. This had but two rooms on the ground floor and overhead a miserable attic. The school was opened, however. A notice had been previously inserted in the papers to this effect: "St. John's Female Benevolent and Frederick Free School will be opened on the 3d of January, 1824. Reading, writing and needle-work, etc., will be taught. All denominations admitted." The ministers were greatly offended that the benighted Catholics should have a free school and that Protestants should attend it in great numbers. The text in every pulpit was sharpened, so as to wound the harmless Sisters. Bells were rung; public meetings held to denounce the Papist aggressions. Vile epithets were vomited forth against priests and nuns and, above all, the Sisters of Charity. A Free School Association was formed, by which each church was to have its own school, and the attacks of Rome to be warded off. A petition was sent to the Legislature for pecuniary help for the "free schools" of Frederick. Of course, the Catholic school was ignored. Fr. l\IcElroy got wind of the movement, and, through the exertions of Mr. Frank Thomas, afterwards Governor of the State, Col. William Schley, Mr. Harper, a Catholic, and several other Catholic members from the lower counties, obtained a part of the money donated by the Legislature. In the meanwhile, the ministers were not idle. In their visits from house to house and by means of the newspapers, every effort was made to draw away the children, from the Sisters' influence. "Beware of the she-wolves," said they, breaking the figure : "beware of the she-wolves that want to kidnap your children." These clamors of the press and VoL. v-No. 2. 14 �ro6 St. :Jo!tn's Clzurclz and Residence, Frederick,llfd. the parsons were unheeded, and the good work went on. The Protestants would not withdraw their children, though urged to do so by their preachers, especially by a certain Rev. Mr. Schaeffer, who was looked. up to as the leader of the anti-Catholic movement. The true-blue orthodoxy of this man was undoubted, though it would seem that he was acting more in his official capacity than from private malice. The following announcement clipped from a paper of 1837 will show what kind of gospel he expounded: "The Rev. Mr. Schaeffer will deliver the Sacrament in the Baptist Church to-morrow, in the German and English languages, at 10-<?.'clock in the forenoon."* The Sisters' school soon had two hundred pupils. The Protestant children were much attached to them and used to learn the catechism, Catholic prayers and hymns, the "Angelus," etc. It was a common thing with them in their homes, to the no little astonishment of the parents, to sing the hymns and recite the prayers they had been taught by the Sisters; and when the "Angelus" bell was rung, they were wont to fall on their knees to say the beautiful proyer to the Mother of God. Opposition had only perfected the work. It would seem natural to expect many conversions among the children. Unfortunately, this was not the case; for though prejudices were removed, yet very few embraced the faith, owing to the oath which then,~and even now, is exacted from the candidates, for what is called Confirmation, of never abandoning their belie( This custom is found in the Luthera1,1 and Dutch Reformed churches, which are numerous in Frederick County. In 1825, it became necessary to build a large establishment for the Sisters, to serve for a school and an orphan *Not VPfY unlike the spirit of this notice, taken from a Copenhagen paper: "Noving & Co. have constantly on band a Protestant minister who will, on the shortest notice and on the most reasonable terms, administer all the Sacraments; namely, Baptism, Confirmation, Matrimony, Divorce aud Funerals."- London Register. �St. 7o!tn's Clmrdt and Reszdcnce, Frederick, iV!d. 107 asylum. How do such a thing with the means in hand? In New York, or some of the large cities such a work could be easily done, but how do it here ? The work was done and paid for; the orphans, too, were well supported by the alms of the people and especially by the farmers of the Manor. When then the building was finished, a sign was put over the door with the words: St. 7o!tn's Female Benevolent and .First Frcdenck Free Scltool. These words had given great offence already, but the sign with the addition of the epithet first, was not at all pleasing. l\Ir. Taney said it was right to have the fact put before the eyes of the bigots, that the Catholics had the first free school in the city. Not so, thought a certain doctor of medicine who undertook to prove in the public prints that the fact was not true. His attacks, as well as those of so many others, since the opening of the school, were not noticed ; a style of defence that might be oftener adopted. Many of the Protestants who were educated by the Sisters always kept up kindly sentiments towards them. Even now one may sometimes meet with Catholic books in the houses of Protestants; these books were given as prizes by the Sisters. During this year (1825), Fr. Me Elroy had as his assistant Fr. P. \V. \Valsh.* One was much needed, as the congregation in Frederick was enough for a priest. The help of another Father became more imperative next year, when a church was built at Petersville. The land for this church was given by Mr. \Vest, a Protestant gentleman. Our Fathers yet attend this congregation. A few years ago the old log building was enlarged. The colored people form the larger portion of the congregation, and, what may seem * Fr. :McElroy had at different times, from 1825 to 1845, the following assistants: Fathers ·walsh, Grace, Peeters, a martyr of charity for the fever-stricken workmen on the canal, Dubuisson, Pise, a secular priest, V. II. Barber, Flautt, a secular priest, Kroes, McGerry, a secular priest, McCarthy, Ryder, Moore, Aloysius Young, Steinbacher, Powers, Dietz, Logan, Enders, Tuffer, and George Villiger. �108 St. :1o1m's Clmrclt and Residmcc, Frederick, llfd. strange to those who look on this class of people as dull and uninstructed, have the choir to themselves and sing very fair music at Mass on Sundays. Of late years a great deal has been done for the religious education of the colored children by the heroic self-devotion of a young lady who, though wealthy and admired by the world, has given herself entirely to this good work. It had long been evident to all that some provision should be made for the education of the male youth of St. John's congregation. The girls were excellently cared for by the Sisters; something had to be done for the boys also, who were much in want of religious and literary knowledge. The usual difficulty presented itsel£ How raise the money? How support the school? On August 7th, 1828, the octave of the feast of our holy Founder, the corner-stone of St. John's Literary Institute was laid. In I 829, the classes were begun, and soon St. John's College, for by this name it was more commonly known throughout the State, became the rival of Georgetown and remained so until 1853, when it received a check by the expulsion of a large number of students at one time. It has never recovered ; and, in truth, no effort has been made to restore it to its former glory, as the system was justly thought to be attended with g(eat dangers for the morals of the young men. The stude~ts used to board in private families and were subject to the domiciliary visits of the prefects. This regulation, though succeeding well at first, was not sufficient afterwards to keep out abuses. The college was in a measure a free school, as many students were educated gratuitously. St. John's has given many vocations to the Society, and to the legal and medical professions some of the most distinguished names in this city and State. The school is still kept for the youth of Frederick. A charter was obtained from the legislature in I 829, together with ·an annual donation of three hundred dollars. This sum is still faithfolly paid by the Comptroller of the State. �St. :John's 'Cimrclt and Residence, Frederick, J.l1d. 109 The pastor had done a great deal toward finishing and beautifying the old Church ; but on account ofthe increase in the congregation, it was thought advisable to extend the front of the Church fifteen or twenty feet and to erect galleries. This plan was proposed to the people in 1830; all readily agreed to contribute to the work. Several builders were consulted about the contemplated addition; they were unanimous that it would be a waste of money, and advised rather the pulling down of the old Church and the erecting of a new one. The project was abandoned for some· time for want of money. In 1832, the new plan was put before the congregation; this time four thousand dollars were subscribed. \Vith this amount and a legacy of another thousand dollars, a beginning was considered to be warranted. Very Rev. Fr. Peter Kenny, Superior and Visitor, was consulted and, after an interchange of opinions, it was finally resolved in January, 1833, that the work should be undertaken and the site changed from that on which the old Church stood to the lot on the opposite side of the street. Books of architecture were obtained from Georgetown; with the aid of these, Fr. Me Elroy an~ l\Ir. Tehan, a well known builder of those days, fixed upon a plan for the new edifice. The form was to be that of a Latin cross ; the nave to be a hundred and thirty-six feet in length and forty-nine in width; the transept, forty-nine feet in width and ninety-four in length; length of nave to transept, sixtythree feet; height from floor to ceiling, forty feet. The Society's Church in Gardiner St., Dublin, was used as a model for the ground plan, though St. John's is considerably larger. The corner-stone was laid in the north east angle of the nave on St. Joseph's day, 1833. Amid the greatest difficulties the work went on. Money came somehow. Subscriptions, loans, legacies, contributions from the employees of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, enabled the pastor to finish the building �I 10 St. 7o!m's Clwrc!t and Residence, Freden"ck, ilid. by April 1837. Among the presents recorded for the altar were a dozen candlesticks and two crucifixes ; these articles cost twelve hm)dred francs, and were sent by Very Rev. John Roothan, General of the Society.* On the 26th of April, St. John's was consecrated to the service of God, and was perhaps the first church thus solemnly dedicated in this part of the United States. The Rev. John Hughes who had been ·chosen to preach the sermon of the day was forced to decline, owing to the death of his father a short time before. This distinguished ecclesiastic published in the Herald and Visitor, of Philadelphia, an account of the consecration. From it a few items are taken :-t "MR. EDITOR : Knowing that the readers of your widely circulating and useful Herald will be edified by the record of whatever marks the progress of the one Faith, I take the liberty of forwarding some account of the consecration of St. John's Church, in Frederick, which took place the 26th ult. (April). "The consecration was performed according to the solemn rite of the Roman Pontifical. There were present the ]\lost Rev. Samuel Eccleston, Archbishop of Baltimore, and eight Suffragan Bishops, viz: Rt. Rev: John England, Bishop of Charleston; Rt. Rev. Benedict ~Fenwick, Bishop of Boston; Rt. Rev. Joseph Rosati, Bishop of St. Louis; Rt. Rev. John B. Purcell, Bishop of Cincinnati; Rt. Rev. Guy Ignatius Chabrat, Bishop of Bolina and Coadjutor of Bardstown; Rt. Rev. Simon Gabriel Brute, Bishop of Vincennes ; Rt. Rev. William Clancy, Bishop of Orio and Coadjutor of Charleston ; Rt. Rev. Anthony Blanc, Bishop of New Orleans. Besides these, there were present a large concourse of clergymen from almost every section of the ------------------------- * The Church cost $ 3G,064.!)G: it could not be built now for much less than $100,000. : t Herald and Visitor, ~lay 4, 1837. �St. Yo!tn's Clwrclt and Residence, Frederick, 111d. I I I United States, about seventy in all. Among them I may mention Very Rev. Louis Deluol, D. D., Superior of the Sulpicians, Baltimore; Very Rev. William McSherry, Provincial of the Society of Jesus in Maryland; Very Rev. P. Verhaegen, Superior of the same Society in Missouri and President of the College of St. Louis; Rev. Thomas Mulledy, S. J., President of Georgetown College; Rev. Thomas Butler, President of Mt. St. Mary's College, near Emmetts~ burg; Rev. John Hickey, Superior of the Sisters of Charity; Very Rev. Felix Varella, of New York; Very Rev. John Hughes, of Philadelphia; Rev. Ignatius A. Reynolds, of Louisville, Kentucky; Rev. Stephen Theodore Badin, the pioneer of religion in the West and among the Indians, the first ordained priest of the country, and, as he was appropriately designated, "The eldest Son of the American Church." There was a great number also of clergymen from the neighboring Missions, as well as the ecclesiastics belonging to the Seminary of Emmettsburg, the Novitiate of the Society of Jesus, under the direction of the learned and venerable Fr. Francis Dzierozynski. They were dressed in surplices; the priests in chasubles of the richest kind, and the bishops in copes and mitres. ''The day was calm and bright, as if to harmonize with the scene and with the feelings which it was calculated to awaken in every good breast. The ceremony of consecration, which was performed by the Most Rev. Archbishop, commenced about six o'clock, A. M., and terminated about eleven. The solemn procession for removing the relics from the old church was one of the most imposing spectacles which it was possible to conceive. * * * "After the consecration of the Church, there was Solemn Pontifical Mass by the Most Rev. Archbishop, Very Rev. Dr. Deluol, Assistant Priest, Rev. George Fenwick of Georgetown, and Rev. Thomas Butler, of Emmettsburg, Deacon and Subdeacon. As soon as the Gospel was sung by the Deacon, Rt. Rev. Dr. England ascended the pulpit, �1I2 St. :Jo!tn's C!turclt and Residmce, Frederick, JJid. , and the vVord of God was proclaimed for the first time in the temple which had been reared and just consecrated to His greater honor and glory. The sermon was a mild and dignified vindication of the principles of the Catholic faith, in connection with the rites, sacerdotal vesture, language and ceremonies, which are employed in the public worship of God. "The variety of topics on which it was necessary for him to touch, in a sermon of this kind, would seem unfavorable to what has been regarded as a peculiarity of his mind more than of any.,other living orator: that is, a power of unfolding a princip,le and extracting from its development evidences of truth, which sometimes even those who are familiar with the principle, do not suspect it capable of containing, or cannot exhibit with that clearness and perspicuity, which carry at once light and conviction to the minds of audiences. vVhen you hear the Bishop of Charleston on a subject of this description, you are borne along on a tide, which may at first seem barely able to sustain you, but which is continuous and cumulative in its progress, until it acquires a force that overwhelms everything which cannot spring to its surface. On such an occasion, he and the advocate of the error he is confuting, seem at the commencement of his discourse to be nearly on an equality, but as he advances, you mark the growing--strength on the one side and the progressive weakness on the other. He defeats his adversary by the very unfolding of the principles involved in the contest; but when he gathers up his evidences in a concentrated form and shows them in their collected might, you see that the opponent is not only defeated, but absolutely crushed to the earth, until your sense of pity becomes oppressive, and you would almost interpose for his rescue. You are so interested in the condition of him who is stricken by the thunderbolts of the Bishop's unerring logic, that at l~st you become almost insensible to the flashes of eloquence in the midst of which he launches them forth. �St. Yo!tn's C!mrclt and Residence, Freden'ck, 1Vd. 1I 3 "The sermon on thi.s occasion was not, owing- to the variety of topics to be treated, of the description now given. I have listenea to him, and always with rapture, and yet I never listened to him with more admiration than in hearing his consecration sermon of the Church of St. John in Frederick. The sermon was one hour and a half long and was listened to with profound attention by the large congregation, who must have been deeply instructed and edified. "In the afternoon, there were solemn Vespers and the benediction of the Holy Sacrament. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati preached. The subject was the duty .of Christian charity, in connexion with the obligation of asserting the truth as it is in Christ. He denounced that, as but the mockery of charity, which would sacrifice truth, in order to conciliate the opinions of men. But whilst we are to profess our faith, and to proclaim the necessity of what our Divine Saviour taught, our kindness, our affection, our best offices are equally due to those who are estranged from us in religious belie( His discourse was brief and eloquent, not the result of special preparation, but springing from the impulse of the occasion and his disposition to accede to the request of the respected Pastor. "The next day the Sacrifice of Mass was offered with solemn rite by the venerable Bishop of St. Louis. After the Gospel, an instruction was addressed to the people by the Rev. Mr. Hughes of Philadelphia. The object of his discourse was to establish the identity of religious truth from the beginning, to point out the manner in which God communicated the truth to mankind, and the means by which He has chosen to have it preserved. "It was a singular coincidence that the Pastor of the Church, and the three preachers who were the first to occupy the pulpit in succession, should all happen to be called the same name as the glorious Apostle, under whose spe- VoL v-No. 2. 15 �114 St. :.John's Clmrch and Residence, Fredcn"ck, Jl1d. cia! invocation the temple had been dedicated and consecrated to the service of Almighty God. * * * * * "If any one would learn from ocular evidence what wonders can be accomplished by the unchanging purpose, the patient but sleepless energies of a single mind, under the guidance of that immortal index which ever points to the "Greater Glory of God," let such a person visit the monuments which have been erected by the zeal and piety of Fr. l\Ic Elroy. Let him visit not only the splendid Church of St. John, but also the splendid Orphan Asylum on the right, as the equally noble Academy on the left of the Church. * * -* * * " The steeple of St. John's was completed in 1854, by, Fr. Burchard Villiger. Two years ago the interior of the Church was restored and beautified, a tribute to the good taste of the designer of the improvement. l\Iany ask why it is that this Church, architecturally viewed, ranks so high. \Ve have larger churches: we have surely churches that cost more money; but when we come back to St. John's, we find the old charm revived. Why is this? St. John's Church does not offend against · any of the common laws of architecture; it is not merely a chaotic pile of stone with a roof, with windows at convenient distances in the side-walls, whilst the interior, abounding in glaring patches from all the old".orders, is made rather grotesque by gothic arches and stained glass; it is not a long and high building with rows of columns, which, more than amply sufficient to support the roof, act also as a screen for the altars and the pulpit-Good taste is the charm of St. John's. (To be continued.) �THE JESUITS. IN CINCINNATI. Though it is our mam object in this paper to give our readers a sketch of St. Xavier College and Church and a brief account of the labors of our Fathers in Cincinnati, still, the birth of Catholicity in this vicinity is so intimately connected with their early history, that we may be pardoned for referring to the first Cafholic mis=:ions in this section of the country. Rev. Edward Fenwick, a Dominican, who established St. Rose's Church, near Springfield, Ky., in r8o6, appears to have been the first priest that did much service here. Though stationed so far away, he traversed the dreary forests of Ohio every now and then in his missionary excursions, from I8Io to I8zz, when he was made first Bishop of Cincinnati. His small congregation here numbered in I 8 I 8, about one hundred members. By an intolerant city ordinance the Catholics were prohibited from building a church within the city li~its or the so called "out lots," and were obliged to put up their small frame building in the "Northern Liberties" (corner of Vine and Liberty). How far out of the way this Church lay can be conceived from the fact that according to the original survey of Cincinnati village, its limits were Eastern Row, now Broadway, Western Row, called Central Avenue within the last fourteen or fifteen years, 7th Street on which our College now stands, and on the south, "La belle riviere." The streets were laid out through a dense forest, their corners being marked upon the trees. In I8zo the number of inhabitants was 9602. What a change in fifty years ! Our Church has about as many parishioners as Cincinnati had inhabitants at 115 �II6 Tlze :Jesuits in Cincinnati. that time. 250,000 would be considered a moderate esti. mate of our whole population now. The majority of the Catholics being Germans, the Bishop in 1844 obtained from Pope Leo XIL the assistance of Fr. Frederick Reese or Rese, whom he made his Vicar General. The ordinance above mentioned had by this time been annulled, through the exertions of the Catholics; and in 1823 the frame church, north of the city, was removed to Sycamore Street, and occupied the ground on which St. Xavier Church now stands. Such was our first Cathedral: nor is it difficult to believe that the "Episcopal palace" often suffered sore distress when his "Lordship" thought himself fortunate in obtaining from a Catholic layman the loan of 500 francs wit/zout interest. The frame building was soon after taken down and replaced by a larger and more permanent structure of brick built in the gothic style, and capable of holding about Soo persons. The latter edifice, with its tower and handsome spire, formed at that early day one of the most ornamental buildings in the city. It remained standing till about 186o. \Ve shall see-in course oftime what a sad story was weaved about its fall. Beside the church a school soon sprang up. Judiciously organized and efficiently manageq, almost a.;.· once without intermediate stages it grew into the proportions of an advanced literary Institute, affording the youth in this section of the country an opportunity of acquiring a higher education. This institution was called Tlzc Atltma:um. Thirtyfive years ago it was considered a marvel of architectural beauty and seemed to embody the laudable pride of its founders as it towered above its less pretentious neighbors. But the times have gone on and humbled the pride of the old Athen;eum. It stands even now, it is true; but with all our efforts to make it put on a modern appearance and holiday attire, its bright garment of sheeny paint cannot hide its decrepit features or persuade the observer that it is �T/zc :Jesuits in Cincinnati. anything else but a relic of the past. The wonder of the passer-by has given place to indifference, and another generation sports through the time-honored corridors and but for the watchful eye of the master would disfigure the \~ails with as little consideration as they smile at the quaint square brick on which they tread and stop to joke at the solidity of the occasional fantastic framework which their fathers considered admirable. To understand the object of its erection and the scope of its studies we need but read the inscription carved on the front of the building : ATHEN.tEUM It must have puzzled the brain of more than one simple inhabitant of our young city as he stood with gaping eyes to make out the mystic meaning of that motto. The beginning of the Athena;um was very auspicious, but it did not continue in its original flourishing condition. At length, after varied fortunes and a season of doubtful success which answered but poorly the expectations of its friends and patrons, it was establised on a new basis in 1840, being given by Most Rev. Archbishop J. B. Purcell, D. D., to the Fathers .of the Society of Jesus, who have conducted it ever since. From that date it began to be known as St. Xavier College; and then, properly speaking begins the history of the College as it exists to-day. Though established in October, 1831, by the Right Rev. E. D. Fenwick, not until 1842 was it incorporated by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, under the name which it now bears, with all the privileges usually granted to universities. Boarders as well as day scholars were re- �II8 Tlze :Jesuits in Cincimwti. ceived for instruction. The advantages held out to students from abroad who desired to board at the College were: an institution easily accessible from all parts of the Union ; a location peculiarly conducive to mental improvement and bodily comfort; an opportunity of attending many interesting lectures on the arts and sciences, delivered at the various institutions in the city; regular and well supplied markets, and, in case of sickness, the best medical attendance. Taking into consideration the frugal spirit of the times, which was more manly and vigorous as well as less prone to luxury than the present, the buildings were spacious, well ventilated and well adapted to school purposes. As a consequence, students flocked from the Southern and Western States, Mexico and Cuba. To give some idea how our College was regarded by non-Catholics we may be allowed to quote a passage from a book entitled "The Schools of Cincinnati and its Vicinity," by John P. Foote, whose work shows that he is evidently a Protestant, speaking of St. Xavier's College, he says : " * * * A good school was organized, with a sufficient number of teachers to attend closely to all the pupils, both during their hours of study and recreation. This feature, in which most of our prominent seminaries are defective, gave the school a reputation which induc<;_d a number of Protestants to prefer it to any of our other scbools for the education of their sons. It had then become (as it has since continued in the \Vest) an established rule, that teachers should not be allowed to punish pupils for any fault. The consequence was that such a degree of lawlessness prevailed in our schools as to deprive them of much of their usefulness. The arrangement of subordinate teachers in numbers sufficient to keep every pupil constantly in view, served as a substitute for the old fashioned system of discipline by the rod and ferule, and caused the Athenceum to become a popular and flourishing school. The institution continued but a short time, however, in its original flourishing state, �Tlze :Jesuits in Cincinnati. I 19 and although the denomination increased so rapidly that it now [that was more than twenty years ago] possesses thirteen very large churches, with a splendid Cathedral-one of the best specimens of Grecian architecture in the cityall of which are crowded with worshippers on Sunday, yet the College did not seem to partake of their progress, and it was a few years since transferred to the Order of the Jesuits." No State aid was ever given to St. Xavier's. The effort made about 1850 to secure a division of the school fund for denominational schools, however manifestly just from the Catholic standpoint, failed; and it would have been worse than hopeless for the College to expect State assistance. Every one knows that repeated attempts since then, have resulted in repeated failure; and that agitation, instead of benefiting our fortune, seems to have removed us farther away from the accomplishment of our purpose. Both Catholics and Protestants in this part of the country start out with the grand major proposition that the common schools should be administered for the common good and should not be sectarian : therefore, the schools should be continued on the present basis, argues the Protestant. Catholics, however, have modestly requested the courts of justice to hear their little atqui before deciding and see if an opposite conclusion could not be reached by the ordinary rules of sound logic. But it must be confessed that Justice has been asleep whilst Bigotry was up and doing, until, now, the most that we are granted is expressed in that un-American word, toleration. Toleration! in a land where the first European blood that moistened the soil of these ·western States was that of the Church's noblest sons . . During the decade from 1842-52, the terms for board and tuition were $I 30 per session of ten months, exclusive of personal expenses, and for day scholars $40. A couple of years after that the College ceased to receive boarders, but continued to accept other pupils at the same rate of tuition, �120 The :Jesuits in Cincimwti. till 1863, when the high price of every commodity and the depreciated value of money necessitated an advance of the terms to $6o. The tuition fee remains the same still. Almost coeval with the existence of the College was the establishment of several 8ocieties for improvement in literature, music and the various branches which form a portion of a finished education. One of these, the Philopcedian Society, still exists, bearing after thirty-four years no marks of age to mar the lustre of success. It still fosters literature and eloquence, and meets once a week to exercise its members in debate, invites the attendance of honorary as well as of regular memberi, and from time to time gives a public entertainment or lecture. So remarkable was the change effected in the people in a very short space of time by the Fathers in attendance upon the Church, that in I 846, amongst other edifying items, the following tribute was contained in a leading editorial in one of the city Catholic papers : "It is extremely gratifying to \vitness the great increase of piety in that quarter of the city where the Church of St. Francis Xavier is situated. Two years ago there was only a small chapel in that part of town, and now the spacious accommodations .of the Church of the Jesuit Fathers, is scarce sufficient for the numerous congregation that attends it. The rapid increase of this congregati~n is a subject of frequent remark by our people, and its character is no' less gratifying than its numbers. The instructions given at this church on Sundays at Vespers attract a great many Protestants, who listen with marked attention to the familiar, yet impressive exposition of the Catholic faith and morals, which is usually delivered by the President of the University. * * * * The good done is witnessed, not only 'in the number of conversions that have taken, and are taking place in our city, but also in the great improvement in the general tone of piety, in the striking reformation that has occurred in many families and individuals, and especially �.T!te :Jesuits in Cillcinnati. 121 in the epifying beh-avior of the male portion of the congregation." Let us pass on to the year 1847· Fr. Elet, of happy memory, had been Rector of the College since it passed into the hands of Ours; but h,aving been named Procurator of the Province, he went to Rome in August, Fr. Blox taking his place in the mean time. Under his administration a peaceable secession was effected, the long wished-for separation of the large and small boys took place. The juniors had an opportunity of enjoying country life at the Purcell mansion on \Valnut Hills, under the Presidency of Rev. George Carrell, afterwards Bishop of Covington, Ky., the College proper continuing to receive large boys as usual. At this period the Institution enjoyed unexampled prosperity, and the number of its pupils was greater than at any previous time. This, however, lasted but a short time. It is difficult, at this date, to assign the cause or causes of the great change which took place. \Ve find that at the end of the scholastic year I 848-9, the number of boys in attendance had dwindled down to 140. It is not improbable that either political or local causes were at work to produce this fluctuation ; for no change had taken place in the management of the College to justify this capricious variation. A note in one of the old catalogues may throw some light on the matter. It is of 1848-9 and reads as follows: "On account of the prevalence of the cholera at the present time, the greater part of the exercises (i. e. commencement exercises) have been postponed till the opening of next session." \Vhat sad pictures of sorrow and distress this reference recalls to the minds of those who witnessed the harrowing scenes of those eventful years ! About this. time our parochial schools were established, with a hundred children in attendance after the first few days. The seed was cast in good soil. At present our parish schools contain nearly two thousand children, including the girls, who are taught exclusively by the Sisters of VoL. v-No. 2. 16 �122 The Ycsuits in Cincinnati. Notre Dame. Independent of these, our College, and a pay school conducted by the Sisters of Notre Dame, swell the number of those educated in our parish about four hundred more: This is a pleasing picture to look back upon. The reality far exceeds the ]1ighest hopes of those who projected the scheme. The good done by those years of silent labor is incalculable. During the cholera season one of our Fathers died a victim of charity in the service of the sick. It was Fr. Angelus l\laesseele, a Belgian. He used to visit the pest house where he contracted the disease, and before he was completely cured, his- zeal urged him out to assist those who were attacked with cholera. The fatal malady laid hold on him in June, I 849, and he died gloriously, after spending twelve years in the Society. Fr. Genelli, the author of the life of St. Ignatius, died here of cholera also, in I 8 50, but under different circumstances. A Prussian by birth, he entered the Society in 1842, when over forty years of age. He came to America in 1848 and spent two years in Missouri, suffering greatly from the climate. On this account he was recilled to Europe. On his way back he stopped at St. Xavier's, the day after he fell sick with what subsequently proved· to be the cholera, and died of that disease in a day or two. ~- . In the next yeaif~ill another victim of the 'cholera! This time it was a Scho~if:, Mr. J. D. Johnston, a Virginian by birth and a Protesta;1tt'by education, whose name is held in benediction by those who knew him best. More than one aged eye will be dimmed with affectionate tears should it chance to follow the page I devote to his memory. How often I have heard his name when a boy. From his tenderest years all of Mr. Johnston's associations were Protestant, and his advance to that blessedness for which he yearned clogged by unbelieving friends and the allurements of the world. , But hearkening to divine grace, he was at · last converted' in St. Louis. Though a lawyer and bur- �Tltc :Jesuits in Cincinnati. I23 dened with the care of a family, he led such a pious life in the world that he is believed to have been gifted even then with a lofty spirit of prayer and love of God. Finally, the death of his wife releasing him from every difficulty and doubt, after providing for his two young daughters, he entered the Society on the feast of the Assumption, I 844. It is by no means wonderful to see him the pattern of every virtue, after having overcome so many obstacles. In prayer and the mortification of his flesh he was so remarkable, that he spent a great part of the night in these holy exercises, and gave to sleep only the time absolutely necessary for preserving his strength-even that, he took lying on a bare board. Amid the most acute sufferings of cholera he en· joyed a most delightful peace, and in persevering prayer passed to a better life in June I 8 5 I. He it was who wrote that devout translation of the little office of the Immaculate Conception, now so generally used and so highly esteemed for boys' manuals of devotion. Pursuant to our purpose of speeding past the names of the living, we omit some facts which, though of interest, would still too evidently redound to the praise of the Rector of that day. The next incumbent was Father (afterwards Bishop) Carrell, during whose term of office the Sodality of the Immaculate Conception for young men was established by F/ Francis Acmal (Van Agtmael) in the free school. It began with a hundred members, and ever since its foundation has continued to be a source of great good in the parish and in the rest of the city ; and has bound together a large body of young men whom temptation no less than want of instruction or example would otherwise lead astray. It is still known among the people as the Young Mens' Sodality, though the heads of many of its members are whitened with the snows of more than fifty or sixty winters. They are very likely young men, indeed! The elements are so heterogeneous because, since many continued belonging to it after they were married, and there was then �124 Tlte :Jesuits lit Cincinnati. no longer any distinctive character given to membership, some were permitted to join the body, though advanced in years. This Sodality has quite an extensive library in active and useful operation; a well supplied reading-room; a hall devoted to billiards and other games, opened nightly; in fact all possible inducements to withdraw young men from vicious company. Debating societies have also been formed in it from time to time. \Vhilst speaking of their debating societies it may not be qut of the way to Il?ention a system which proved eminently successful in eradic;;ating false notions and keeping up interest. A suggestion may give an idea or two, which can be practically of great service. Each speaker was subject to be called upon at the close of his remarks by any one for proofs of his assertions. The director especially exercised this power, and even whilst engaged in speaking, when a member touched upon a question where false impressions might be made, he would sometimes interrupt him for proo(<;. The interruption was never taken amiss. Notably in one case,-that of education, which was debated in several successive meetings, some openly acknowledged themselves convinced and adopted the right opinion, to which they had before been sincerely opposed. . •' Another side play, as it were, which could be of great utility in a young city, and easily initiated, was of absorbing interest to many young men intellectually serious. It was to collect from the old inhabitants facts in connection with the early history of Catholicity in the city ; for example: who was the first priest; who. said the first Mass; the number of Catholic inhabitants at stated periods ; various incidents in connection with the growth of Catholicity; the building of churches and similar topics, which a few years hence could not possibly ue obtained. Those engaged in the work would visit persons from whom they were likely to obtain information, collate the facts, narrate in the next �Tlzc :Jesuits in Cincinnati. 125 meeting their adventures, success or ill success, read a paper on the subject, if they had prepared one, or at all events, keep the notes gathered. \Vhat we have said will give our readers an idea of subsidiary education imparted without the appearance of instruction, and the laudable efforts made by our Fathers for the mental improvement of young men beyond the age for didactic direction. Our parish is composed mainly of the poor, devoted children of the green Isle of saints. They are very liberal according to their means, but the greater part of them can hardly give more than the widow's mite for the support of the Church. Nevertheless, by the favor of Heaven, the self-sacrifice and priestly abnegation of the pastors have earned them such an enviable reputation that the people never allowed the Church to want means for magnificent decorations, ceremonial, and all the needful improvements for making it one of the most attractive and devotional of Catholic Churches in the city. \Vorshippers come from other parishes, some even have pews in St. Xavier's as well as in their own churches. For confessions and communions the "Jesuits' Church" is always besieged- both the facilities for approaching these Sacraments as well as the reputation of the Fathers and the affectionate veneration of all classes contributing to this effect. (To be coutinued.) ------+~+------ �THE COLLEGE DEL SALVADOR, BUENOS AYRES. \Ve had the sad task last year of announcing and describing the destruction of one of our Colleges at Buenos Ayres. \Ve have the pleasure on the present occasion of narrating an event which forms an agreeable contrast with that calamity. M~sures are being taken to restore the College; and at the distribution of premiums to the students, Dec. 2oth last, Dr. Emilio Lamarca delivered a speech which is calculated to bring consolation to our hearts. To recal briefly the circumstances of the conflagration, a meeting was held by an excited mob, at the theatre Variedades / the cry was raised, "Down with the Jesuits;" a rush was made to the College; and the incendiaries inflicted a loss of five millions of pesos (S4.65o,ooo). The College was an establishment of the first order. The building had been raised at the cost of great sacrifice and labor by our Fathers, not without the assistance of some public offerings; and one of the results had ·been no small accession of importance to that whole porii~n of the city, which became frequented by more than two hundred and fifty students. On entering the College del Salvador, you passed through numerous halls, each bearing its inscription of the use to which it was put :-philosophy, physics, chemistry, natural history, mathematics, arithmetic, cosmography, national and general literature, ~sthetics, history, religious lectures, Latin, Greek, Spanish, French, English, German, geography, calligraphy, school of design, vocal and instrumental music-a complete preparatory course of science. There was a ·magnificent library, a cabinet full of precious 126 �T!te College del Salvador. 127 specimens, a laboratory, and a valuable collection of minerals. There was a botanical collection, large-sized globes for the study of geography and cosmography, besides a number of maps. All this, with all the furniture, became a prey to the mad fury of Feb. 28th, 1875! The very walls of the building fell in ruins; all except one, that was the fa«ade. It stood there when all the rest had fallen as if to shut from view the marks of the horrible crime, which miscreants had committed against religion and society, against the priesthood and science, against the Church and their country. Our Fathers were dispersed as a matter of course. They found shelter where they could; and the most respectable citizens received them with honor and sympathy, and soon there was a manifestation of public opinion throughout the city, and it called for an immediate reparation. Such a crime should not leave its blot upon a civilized and cultured people. Our professors were urged to return to their post and renew their labors. This Ours were only too glad to do; and though they had barely escaped with their lives, they were ready to risk them again. Meanwhile, a Commissioner was nominated and charged with the reconstruction of the College del Salvador. It opened a subscription list, and, though the times were hard, the citizens were not backward. In nine months they had subscribed six hundred thousand pesos (SssS,ooo), four hundred and fifty thousand of which were in ready money. However, to repair the whole loss, without counting the scientific cabinets, nothing less than a million of pesos ~re needed. At all events, a large portion of the building has been reconstructed; and on Dec. 20th, 1875. the distribution of premiums took place. Dr. Emilio Lamarca, Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic, read, on this occasion, a report of the Commissioner charged with the reconstruction of the College. At the �128 The College del Salvador. same time he delivered a fine speech, which was published, and which we subjoin below. \Ve call attention particularly to the duty which, in the course of his speech, the orator imposed upon Sig. Edw. Calvari~ Consul of the Republic at Geneva. It was to bear to His Holiness, Pope Pius IX, the consoling information, that if the mad fury of assassins undertook to renew in Buenos Ayres the awful scenes of the Commune in Paris, at least the faith, the generosity and patriotism of the Argentine citizens knew how to make a prompt reparation. SPEECH OF DR. LAMARCA. You will certainly excuse me, gentlemen, if, obeying the impulse of my heart, I give expression to a few thoughts which will create an echo in your hearts; for my words are the expression of a noble desire. I feel encouraged to believe that in addressing this select circle of our best society in the State, I take the most powerful means of making emphatic and energetic the protest of our republic against the mad and 'Criminal attempt of Feb. 28. I do not mean to speak of the Jesuits, towards whom I entertain profound gratitude and respect: for I recognize in the Jesuit the beloved master and guide of nn~ earlier years. Nor will' I speak of those sons of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who shed their blood in the Indies for the Catholic faith, and confront the enemies of souls and of nations. I think it useless to recall how much America owes to them, in the way of faith and civilization; and how once, in this very State, they thought it preferable to leave it and sacrifice all, rather than sanction tyranny. I will not follow this line of thought, because I should be open to suspicion ; lest that very love which I profess towards my masters should make me speak, from an over heated zeal, in extravagant terms of affection. It is from motives of a different kind that I speak of the �T!te College del Salvador. · 129 necessity which is upon us of completing the reconstruction of this College. They are motives of national honor and dignity; for as long as a brick remains out of its place, as long as a single wall of this house bears traces of that infamous piece of incendiarism, so long are we under the weight and und.er the disgrace of that condemnation which the European press pronounced on Buenos Ayres, when it beheld a band of assassins strong enough to upset the public order, to despise the public authority, and reproduce a chapter from the pages of barbaric history. I have seen the information which our Minister at foreign courts despatched to' our government, relative to the views taken by foreign journalists about Feb. 28. They condemned the crime loudly. Even Bismarck's official journal condemned it. And reasonably enough. The Chancellor of the German Empire could not understand how a people could fight with itself and burn down its own monuments. Notwithstanding his own crusade against Cathor licism, he could never admit as weapons of warfare the mad attempts of popular frenzy. The very journals which had inflamed the passions of the mob, were struck with fear at the excesses perpetrated, and entered their protest against them with the rest: These protests came rather late, and the evil is already done; and they do not build up walls that are in ruins, nor repair outrages upon the state of public morals. I beg of the members of the diplomatic corps, who honor us with their presepce, that if they have in their correspondence made mention of the unhappy calamity, they will now state likewise that a commission formed of citizens and assisted by citizens has invited them to attend and witness this solemn act of reparation, and that upon the ruins made by a mob of madmen, the Argentine people, condemning the mob, turns to rebuild a great College. I beg of Sig. Calvari, our Consul in Italy, who honors us to-day with his presence, that, since he was not able to pro- VaL. v-No. 2. 17 �The College dd Salvador. nounce those telegrams false which bore to Rome the news of the conflagration, he will now announce to His Holiness that the Argentine republic is removing every trace of the crime; for it would not have that blot attach to the body of a people which boasts of being christian. If this bring consolation to the Father of the Faithful, ask of him, Signor, his blessing on this work, and his prayers, whereby the Almighty may be moved to establish the College del Salvador as a lasting glory of our city, a trophy of our faith and of the aspirations of a free people. It remains now ··for our own press to make known and publish to the world at large, that the Argentine people does itself the honor of erecting again at its own expense the walls laid low by a frenzied mob. This will prove that such a spirit of hatred is not a product of our soil, and will never find support among a people \vho react at once, powerfully and resolutely, against every assault upon their lib~rties. Let us blot out then from our memories and remove from before our £1.ces the disgrace of that unhappy day. On that day, February 28th, 1875, we had a view of the horrors of Paris, a reflection of the Commune. On February 28th it seemed that our Constitution was a sarcasm-a sarcasm, I say, gentlemen, because all the liberties which it guarantees were trampled under foot, and_·all the rights which it sanctions were spurned. There {vas spurned the right of property, when they consigned to the flames a public institution; there was spurned the right of free education, \vhen they pursued and disp}':rsed public professors, and endeavored to frighten the best families of Buenos Ayres from choosing for their sons the teachers they liked best. The very right to existence was trampled under the feet of assassins, when they set on peaceful citizens and attempted to take their lives; for, gentlemen, even the priest is a citizen. They spurned and contemned the right of liberty of conscience, religious freedom, when they profaned with sacrilegious enmity objects the most sacred, and �Assassination o.f Don Garcia Mormo. 13 r belonging to that very worship which is proclaimed by our social compact. Excuse me, gentlemen, if I have uttered my thoughts with undue vehemence: it has more than a sufficient reason in the enormity of the crime perpetrated. In fact, I think as a Catholic and feel as an Argentine citizen: I think and feel like yourselves, gentlemen. And now, in the name of your faith, of liberty, of the most sacred duties of patriotism, I call upon you to lend your support that the ruins of the College del Salvador remain no longer in their present state, to raise a blush of shame for the honor of our country and of civilization. BuENOS AYRES, December 20, 1875· - - - - - - - +. . + - - - - - - - ASSASSINATION OF DON GARCIA MORENO, PRES. OF THE REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR. Letter o.f Fatlzer Brugier, * Professor o.f JJfatltematics in t!tc Po~vtcdmic Sc!too! o.f Quito, to t!tc Sc!to!astics o.f Aix. On the 6th of August, 1875, the first Friday of the month and consecrated to the Sat red Heart of Jesus, !Jon G~rcia Moreno, according to his usual practice, had approached the Sacraments. Returning to his home he put the finishing strokes to his address for the opening session of Congress, which was to be held on the roth. Scarcely had he completed his task wht'n he received notice, in the first instance from the police, but shortly after from a private * Fr. Brugier writes : "I send you this account just as I received it from the lips of the Governor and of two eye-witnesses." �13 2 Assassination o.f Don Garcia iliorcno. source, that his life was threatened. To these ominous communications, the President made no other reply than the single word, "Cobardia !"(cowardice). In spite, however, of the slight importance which he himself appeared to attach to this double warning, it is hard to see how the police can be excused for their want of vigilance whilst entertaining suspicions so strong. One o'clock had just struck when Garcia Moreno left his residence to proceed to the Palacio del Gubicnzo, as the building is called which contains the government offices. As usual, his only companion was a decano or adjutant, in citizen's dress and-unarmed; for, full of confidence in God, he had always refused the armed escort which his friends, alarmed by the rumors that were afloat of plots laid against his life, had entreated him to accept. His ordinary attendant was Don Martinez, a man of small stature, but vigorous and resolute, and hence held in salutary fear. On the present occasion, however, it happened to be the turn of the second adjutant, who, unfortunately, was not possessed of all the good qualities of his superior. The Pala;io is separated from the Cathedral only by the width of the street. The President entered the church, where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and remained a few moments in deep prayer. Before long',. an emissary approached and begged him to hasten to th~ Palacio, because, as he said, important despatches had just been received from Guayaquil. The President then rose and left the church, followed by the adjutant at a distance of twenty or thirty paces. In front of the Palacio is a Doric colonnade, about thirteen feet in height. Here, between the second and third columns were posted three murderers: Roberto Andrade, a law student, Manuel Cornejo, also a student, and Moncajo, a former pupil of the Jesuits, but expelled from the college. Beside these stood two other wretches : Rayo, a captain degraded from his rank, the chief of this band of assassins, and Campuzano, a fellow �Assassination of Don Garcia Mormo. 133 who had already been once condemned to capital punishment. The presence of these men in such a place was in itself nothing unusual or surprising. The traitors even saluted the President very respectfully as he passed, and then followed him up the steps. He was about to enter the building when Rayo, crying out: "Robber! brigand!" struck him on the shoulder with a mac/tete (a kind of long and broad knife). Don Garcia Moreno turned upon his assailants; but as he did so he received a severe cut on the left side of the head, and as he attempted to draw his revolver, another blow from the mac/tete and a fourfold discharge from the weapons of his adversaries prevented him. \Vounded to death, he tried to support himself against a column, but was again struck and fell to the ground. Then Rayo, seizing him with satanic rage, hurled him from the top of the stairs to the pavement below. The four others, as cruel as they were cowardly, again discharged their revolvers upon the dying man. The monster Rayo hastened down the stairs and began to hack with his knife the grey and venerable head of his victim. Meanwhile, the President's attendant had taken to flight with but a slight scratch to prove his fidelity to his chief. During all this scene of horror, Garcia Moreno uttered not a single word, until he saw Rayo approaching to inflict new wounds; then he said to him, in a half broken voice, "God does not die!" It was only at this point that four soldiers came up, detached from the guard on duty. The commandant of the post, hearing the noise from a distance, had sent them, though with no very clear idea of what was going on. The soldiers threw themselves furiously upon Rayo, who fled with only a slight bayonet wound, ~ut a second and more vigorous thrust from one of his pursuers brought him to the ground. He rose again, but was immediately seized by the soldiers. By this time the commanding officer had come up, and to his exclamation of horror, Rayo replied: "Yes; I have killed the tyrant." At these �I 34 , Assassination of Don Garcia llformo. words, one of the soldiers, a negro, stepping back a few paces, cried to the murderer: "Basta, no mas!" (Enough, no more), and shot him dead on the spot. His corpse, an object of horror to all the soldiers, was thrown by them into a sewer. The rest of the murderers had fled on horses which their accomplices held ready. Meantime the poor President, horribly disfigured, and bleeding from seventeen wounds, was borne into a side chapel of the Cathedral. He still gave signs of life. Physicians were immediately summoned, and hastened to the spot, but there was no longer any hope. The priest was still able to addres.S" some questions to the dying man, who answered him by feeble signs : when the minister of God asked him whether he forgave his murderers, he energetically inclined his head. Then he received absolution and Extreme Unction, and at three o'clock the tolling of the bells announced to Quito that the Republic had lost its father. If Garcia Moreno's enemies had ever entertained the hope of finding partisans and approvers among the people, they were doomed to complete disappointment. Had any doubt existed as to the sincere love and attachment of the people for the illustrious dead, it must have been dispelled by the heartfelt sorrow for his loss manifeste2.'by all classes, as well as by their horror for the atrocity of the deed and their apprehensions for the future. Men, women and children of all ranks, wept and sobbed in the open street. The whole city was in mourning, and for three days the houses remained draped with funeral colors. The people thronged in crowds to the Cathedral, ~vhere the body lay in state. The funeral ceremonies were solemn and touching in the extreme. On the monument of the noble victim were inscribed the words: To THE REGENERATOR OF EcuADOR AND THE ARDENT DEFENDER OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH, BY HIS EVER-GRATEFUL COUNTRY. The officers ·of the various army corps, the citizens of �AssassiuatiOJt of Don Garcia JWormo. I 35 Quito, and especially our own good students, spontaneously addressed to the government assurances that the existing order of things should be, on their part, faithfully preserved. Like addresses, no less forcible than touching, were forwarded by the Provinces; nowhere was public order or security disturbed; nowhere was there shown the least defection or even hesitation among the troops : the members of the government. on their part, showed a praiseworthy activity, free from all party spirit. Such facts must astonish anyone who is acquainted with South American manners and customs. Still more surprising was the conduct of the public journals: whatever their peculiar shades of opinion, all loudly condemned the assassination and filled their columns almost entirely with communications on the subject from the different classes of society. The first care of the government was to institute a search for the murderers and proceed with the inquest. Campuzano, Rayo's most active accomplice, was arrested on the very day of the murder, and was shot the \Vednesday following, on the spot where the deed was committed. A few days later, a third of the band, Cornejo, was seized. From an intercepted letter, which he had written to his mother, it was learned that he was lying hid in the neighboring mountain chain of the Cordilleras, on the Pasuchoa, a peak very difficult of access. On the same mountain are situated four little hamlets. When the villagers heard that the criminal was on the peak above, they turned out in a body, cut off on one side, the approach to the heights, and on the other set fire to the long Paramo grass; so that Cornejo, in order to escape the flames, was obliged to fly in the direction where they were awaiting him. In this manner he was taken, and a small body of cavalry then conducted him to Quito, where he was brought before the court. He showed great repentance and detestation for his crime, and himself asked for the death penalty, in order, he said, to make some reparation to his country and his family. On the way to the • �r 36 • Assassi1tation of Don Garcia Jlformo. principal Plaza, where he was executed, he several times asked pardon of those whom he met; indeed, he died in the best dispositions. In consideration of this fact, his body, an hour after the execution, was delivered to his family, that they might obtain for it christian burial. The two remaining murderers have not yet been taken, and there seems to be little hope of laying hands upon . them; for, to all appearances, they have passed beyond the territory of the Republic. Some other persons were also arrested ; and the sad inquest brought to light the names of about two hundred Liberals, who, either in the city or from a distance, had taken part in the conspiracy. It was not, moreover, the murder alone that the band of assassins had in view. Garcia Moreno once out of the way, they intended to force an entrance into the college of the Jesuits, massacre all whom they might meet, and then, breaking through a thin partition wall on the upper floor, pass into the arsenal adjoining the college, and seize the arms. But the wretches who held themselves in readiness for this part of the enterprise, deprived of their leader by the death of Rayo, and disconcerted by the firm attitude of the people and the army, took to flight without daring to strike a blow. They did not, however, give up their design, but proposed to take the arsenal by surprise during the funeral services, whicli took place on Monday, the 9th. Their plan was to effect this while the body of the President was being carried in procession from the Cathedral to the church of Blessed Maria Anna de Paredes, the church of the Jesuits. As the soldiers had to form part of the procession, it would have been easy for the conspirators to make an unresisted entrance into the sacristy of the church and thence into the college: another band was to have fallen, at the same moment, upon the illguarded posts. The authorities, however, informed of this new plot, dispensed with the transportation of the body, and took mea~ures so effectual as to remove from even the boldest all desire of attempting an outbreak. �Assassination of Don Garcia fiforeno. I 37 During the blessing of the corpse, two emissaries presented themselves at the house of the deceased President's mother-in-law, bearing a message, as they had the effrontery to assert, from the· Jesuits: "the Fathers begged her, they said, to use her influence to obtain that the original intention of removing the body might be carried out. The lady, with great prudence, sent for more certain information, and thus the falsehood and the snare concealed under it were discovered. Another treacherous attack made, on the evening of the 10th of August, upon the person of Don Garcia Moreno's nephew, shows in a still clearer light, if possible, of what baseness the President's enemies are capable. This young man, a student of medicine, was suddenly called, at nine o'clock in the evening, to the bedside of a sick person. He fell into the trap, and, at the corner of the cathedral, was treacherously assaulted; but, happily, the two sabre strokes which he received, one upon the head and the other on the side, inflicted no wound. He cried for help, the patrol came up, and the villains took to flight. It seems almost incredible, but even the President's little son, a child only five or six years old, had been devoted to the dagger; for it was well known that the President was in the habit of taking the boy with him to the Palacio. On the 6th of August, it happened providentially that he did not take him as usual, and thus the child escaped the dreadful fate that was awaiting him. ·Later on, however, the conspiratbrs endeavored, on two several occasions, to get him into their hands. One evening, about eight o'clock, a stranger came to the child's mother, pretending to have been sent by the Jesuit Father N., in order to conduct her son to the College, where he would be in much greater safety. Of course the message was false and the lady judged it prudent not to trust her son to so suspicious an ambassador. On another occasion, a like proposition was made to the mother, purporting to come from the French nuns: the offer was, happily, declined. VoL. v-No. z. r8 �I 3S Assassination of Don Garcia Mormo. It may naturally be aske? by whom all these villainies were planned and carried out. By the Freemasons. Mgr. Vannutelli, formerly Nuncio of the Holy See at Quito, and now at Brussels, learned, before his departure, from the President's own lips, that the latter was expecting the blow. He had received, he said, on good authority, the assurance that his assassination had been resolved upon at a meeting of a lodge held at Lima; and Garcia Moreno even named the very day. This assertion, that the Freemasons directed the whole affair, is fully confirmed, as well by the judicial enquiry, as by a passage from a letter written by the immortal President to. the Holy Father. vVe copy this extract as it was given by the Osstrl'atore Romano: ''I beg that your Holiness would deign to give me again your Apostolic benediction; for I have just been reelected, for six years, President of the Catholic Republic of Ecuador. This new term of my presidency begins on the 30th of August, the day on which I am to take the oath of fidelity to the constitution of the Republic, and when it will become my duty to notify your Holiness officially of my reelection. Nevertheless, I send you the news to-day and beg your Holiness to pray to God for me that I may show myself a devoted son of our Lord and a submissive servant of His infallible Vicar. Already, at the instigation of Prussia, the neighboring powers are pouring fo"rth against me the grossest insults and calumnies, and are even preparing in secret to assassinate me. I stand more than ever in need of God's help, to live and die a defender of our holy reli· gion, and of this Republic, to the government of which God has call-ed me. Nevertheless, I esteem myself happy in being hated and calumniated because of the love I bear my divine Saviour. It would be my greatest joy if your Holiness' blessing were to obtain for me the grace of shedding my blood for Him Who, God though He is, willingly poured forth His for us, and immolated Himself upon the tree of the cross for o'ur salvation." �Assassination of Don Garcia fiformo. I 39 'What aspect will affairs now assume? \Vhat will be the future course of events in this republic? God alone knows. 'Without doubt, the men of the trowel and apron, the party ' that calls itself liberal, and boasts itself the standard-bearer of civilization, will not remain idle. Will it gain its endthat is to say, the overthrow of the new constitution? vVill the new government follow in the footsteps of Garcia Moreno? All these are mere conjectures. The official proclamation which followed the death of the President seems to offer some guarantees for the maintenance of the present order of things, but only the success of the new presidential election can completely assure the future of the Republic. The proclamation first expresses the deep sorrow which affiicts all the citizens for the death of "Garcia Moreno, that innocent victim, struck down by the blows of infamous assassins ; of that good citizen, torn from his country by ' the most execrable of crimes." The proclamation then continues in these terms: "Our country shall not perish; and we will die a thousand deaths rather than proclaim the reign of crime and parricide which Free-masonry has dared to inaugurate over the corpse of Garcia Moreno. People of Ecuador! imitate the virtue and the constancy of the hero whom we have but now lost; copy the model of his profound piety; remain unshaken, after his example, in maintaining the sacred rights of religion and justice. Alas! Garcia Moreno is no more! Guiltless and generous victim, he has taken his flight to Heaven, where without doubt, he already enjoys the reward of his admirable virtues, while all good men mourn for him and will forever call down blessings on his name. QurTo, Aug. r6th 1875.'' The government has remained faithful to these principles. It is still composed of the same elements as before the death of the President: the Minister of the Interior, according to the constitution of the Republic, has become Vice- President, and his former office has been given to the father-in-law of Garcia Moreno. This venerable man is so �140 Assassination of Don Garcia Jlformo. far advanced in years that he can scarcely even walk without support; yet by his rare energy and prudence he is the very soul of the Republic. The condition of the army is excellent; and of this all the honor is -due to Garcia Moreno. He alone, first as Commander-in-chief, afterwards as President, transformed a band of brigands, as it might not unjustly have been called before he took command, into a well-disciplined army, inured to labor and fatigue. He calmed the revolutionary fever that pervaded the staff, and inspired many of its members with true love of country. Still, though there are some true patriots in Ecuador, their number is very small: we see on all sides only petty intrigues, private interest of families, and pa~ty spirit, which hamper all good, and, by unhappy divisions, threaten us anew with some great calamity. A proof of this is the very manner in which the canvass is being carried on for the election of a new President on the 17th of next October. One fraction of the Conservatives puts forward as their candidate Don Salazar, a high functionary in the Supreme Court of Justice. He is a prudent man, well versed in affairs of government, and of undoubted integrity; but as one of his brothers is Minister of War, and another, General in active service, and as, moreover, the family already enjoys great influence, many Conservatives !Yere of opinion that such a choice would be too favorable to family interests, and hence unpopular. A second portion lean towards Saenz, an excellent General, under whom we should have every assurance of a prosperous future. But other Conservatives, finding this division in the party of right and order full of danger, nominated, on condition that the two former aspirants should retire, a third candidate, Don Carbajal, an important official in the judiciary, and a former Minister. If anyone is able to save the country, it is certainly this old companion in arms and inseparable friend of Don Garcia Mo~eno, who, besides his other good qualities, possesses the n'ecessary energy to keep the state officials to �, .. / Assassination of Don Garcia 111ormo. - 141 their duty. Moreover, in his case, no family intrigues are possible, for almost all of his relatives have preceded him to the grave. But unfortunately, neither of the other two candidates has retired from the lists: in fact, Don Carbajal himself has thought it his duty, under the circumstances, to withdraw, and has really announced, with a noble unselfishness, all claims to the presidency. Nevertheless, he will still receive some votes, and thus the division of the Conservative party has only been increased by his nomination. The Liberal party, on the contrary, has from the very first, centred its support upon a single candidate, Borrero, a lawyer of great ·popularity. The adherents of this party, although nearly all extreme radicals, have prudently contented themselves with Borrero, who is a sincere, practical and zealous Catholic, but withal slightly imbued with Liberalism. Thus they hope to secure a heavy ballot f~r their candidate, especially as many even of the Conservatives will certainly cast their votes for him. This is the state of affairs at present in the Republic of Ecuador. It seems that events are about to be unfolded according to the plan of the secret societies in Europe. "First let Garcia Moreno be put out of,the way: that alone is quite enough," was their watchword. Once let a Liberal, even the most moderate, sit in the presidential chair, and this is all that could be desired for a first year: the Radicals will know how to dispose of him when it suits their purpose. NoTE.-On the body of the President, after his_ death, was found the second part of the discourse which he was to pronounce at the opening of Congress. The following are the closing words of the peroration: "If I have committed any faults, I ask pardon for them again and again; yes, I ask pardon from all my fellow-citizens, with tears that are sincere, and with the consciousness that those faults were at least involuntary. If, on the contrary, you think that I have done any good, oh! attribute it above all to.· �. 14~ T!te J1fissions in Clzar!es Co.,· llfd. God and to our Immaculate Lady, who dispenses the inexhaustible riches of His mercy; attribute it to the people, to the army, and to all those who by their services in the different branches of the administration, have sustained me in the discharge of my arduous duties."-[From the Lcttres des Sclzo!astiques d 'Az~r]. , THE MISSIONS IN CHARLES. CO., MD. ST. THOMAS, Dec. 31, 1875· REV. AND DEAR FATHER: * * * I cannot complain about chills and fevers any more: they, God be blessed, are gone. What a change from my previous life! Here I have made, since my arrival August 29, ~on horseback or in the buggy, nearly a thou· sand miles: to this,day, nine hundred and sixty-two miles, and ten more this P. M., and no frolicking about it, I assure you. For instance take Christmas season .._: Thursday, the 23, off on the way to Cobb Neck; Friday, 1\iass at a station. At such stations, the neighbors come together for confessions, etc. N. B.-Strictioris observantize and fast in the country. The 25th, first Mass at five o'dock at lgn. Lancaster's ; a nice little congregation; fifteen confessions. Off by daylight to the Church; second Mass, confessions ; High Mass, sermon, Benediction, etc. ; ten o'clock a hurried breakfast in the crowded little sacristy. Plenty of invitations to Xmas dinners, but the afternoon was spent in the church waiting for a marriage till 6 o'clock P. M. Then drove through ·the dark, damp woods (and oh, what roads!) to the night quarters, almost sick, I must confess this time, �T/ze Missions m C/zarles Co., Md. I43 with fatigue; but the cheerful, kind reception of my hosts and a good night's rest fixed all right again for Sunday's work, which ran as usual. Crowds of confessions; High Mass, sermon, Benediction; hurried breakfast, and then off for Newport district, where, at- a station, I held service on Monday morning the 27th, and was home at St. Thomas after one o'clock P. M. The Superior was away on a sick call or station work ; the Brother was sick in bed; the cook nowhere to be found, but the solitary drumstick of a Christmas turkey, found in an unprotected pantry, with the inevitable pork, strengthened the weary missionary. A note left by the Superior informed me of a sick call to the (to me) unexplored Indian territory of the Chickamoxen .. So, Tuesday morning, according as the note directed, I left for. Chickamoxen, the rain pouring down. Away down the hills and up the hills, through swamps and woods, through mud, water and rain, Chickamoxen lies between Cornwallis Neck and Nanjemoy, along the Potomac, a lonesome and spiritually a very forsaken district, with few Catholics. But an old colored man, born in I So I, wanted to die a Catholic. So I instructed him as well as I could, baptized that seventy-four year old child, heard his confession, and next day brought him Holy Communion. I stayed all night, about a mile from the old man's cabin, with a poor Catholic family, and said Mass there on vVednesday morning. The holy simplicity of the old man and his consolation to see the priest, as also the consolation of this poor family, with eleven children, of whom the eldest is only eighteen years old, paid me well for this Christmas frolic of the excursion to the Chickamoxen. I got home vVednesday night. I praise God and sincerely thank Him, that he has given me and continues to give excellent health and strength, and, I trust and pray, also a perfect will to do something for His glory. The wandering life I lead-1 had in these four months twenty-five different night quarters-reminds me that we have no permanent dwelling place in. this world; �Osage 144 ~Vissiou. and every sick call I attend, and every confession I hear, and every communion I give, gives me some more little hope that our Lord will be merciful to me in life and death. B. F. \VIGET, S. ]. ccreo OSAGE MISSION. RESIDENCE OF ST. FRA:\CIS OF H IERONYI\10, OsAGE MissiON, NEosHo Co., KANSAS, January Ist, 1876. DEAR FATHER: The year just gone has been for us one of trials and also one of wonders. The common in1pression at the beginning ' of last year was that we had to look for nothing less than a dreadful fami·ne. The crops of 1874 having proved almost a total failure, all our hope was in the wheat sowed during the fall of that year, but the severe winter and dry spring that followed began to diminish our expectations, and when at the opening of last March we saw our fiel~s and gardens covered with legions of locusts we indeed gave it up. People who had any means began to lay in provisions to last them for one year, those who were not able to do it left the country. April, May and June passed and nothing green could be seen, with the exception of some wheat and oats on the high prairies, and the grass, so much needed in this country where so many herds of cattle are depending upon it for their existence, was not yet coming out. Horses as well as cattle could be seen roaming about in a starving condition, feeding on brushwood and the lower limbs of the trees �Osage .Mission. 145 which they were stripping as far as they could reach. This state of affairs was really discouraging, and was made still worse by different reports, daily coming in, of several deaths occasioned by want of food. And though in some instances there was exaggeration in such reports, yet it is certain that during last winter and spring several died of starvation in this part of Kansas. There was no time to lose; the depressed spirit of our people was to be aroused, and the best way to succeed in this, was that of applying to prayer. vVe therefore an-. nounced to our congregation that we would make some solemn processions, to move God to be merciful to us. Our plan was favorably received, and people came in good numbers to attend the processions. Vve had the first on St. Patrick's day, and on each of the Rogation days we again marched out, singing the. Litanies of the Saints and blessing the fields. Some of our Protestant and infidel neighbors were very much surprised at this public demonstration of faith, but we did not mind them and on we went. At the end of June, though the locusts had diminished, yet large numbers of them could be seen, especially along the Neosho river. There was not a blade of grass in the woods, nor a vegetable in the gardens, and the corn though planted and re-planted many times, would not show itself; for as soon as it sprouted out it was devoured by the invading insects. The trees indeed were covered with new leaves, but the ground was as bare as in winter time. Such was the condition of this country till the beginning of July, when at last a change took place for the better. With the opening of this month heavy clouds began to appear in the sky, and rain fell in abundance, so that in a few days the whole country was flooded. With this the locust invasion was over. Vegetation which had been generally interrupted now takes a new start: plants grow luxuriantly, and the much needed grass began at last to sp'i}Jut upon these interminable western plains, which now VoL. v-No. 2., 19 �146 Osage ~llission. seem covered with a beautiful emerald carpet strewn over with a ·variety of flowers. The farmers feel encouraged, and losing no time, they go to work re-planting their corn and vegetables. God blesses their .labor in a way that no one ever expected ; and after all the fear that we should have a dreadful famine, we on the contrary gathered an abundance, not only unexpected, but I might say unprecedented, of all kinds of cereals. In consequence of this, our people are cheered up, they appear very contented, and acknowledge that God indeed heard their prayers.' \Ve could not get a better opportunity to call on them to··come and comply with the conditions necessary for gaining the great indulgence of the Jubilee. \Ve therefore invited them to come during eight days to assist at some spiritual exercises. They came most willingly, and the attendance was always large. Every day we marched in procession, reciting the beads, to an oratory of the Immaculate Virgin, which some years since we erected in our garden. Our Protestant neighbors who have noticed the result of our last processions, seem now to have more respect for this exhibition of christian faith. The Jubilee here was a real success, and brought to their religious duties persons, who for .many years had neglected to comply with them. : About the middle of July, our Superi~r; Father John Schoen makers left with Br. Thomas O'Donnell for the Indian Territory, to visit the Osages and give them an opportunity of making their Jubilee. But unforeseen circumstances did not allow him to carry his plan into execution. Just about that time a committee of United States officers having been sent from Washington to investigate the conduct of J. T. Gibson, U. S. Agent for the Osages, a great excitement was created among these Indians, who well knew that this committee would do them no justice. While this was going on Fr. Schoenmakers fell sick at the Osage Agency on Bird river, which at that place is ca~led �Osage llfission. 147 Deep Ford. In a few days his sickness became almost fatal, and might have proved such but for the great care with \Vhich he was attended by the half-breeds, and especially by the Doctor of the Agency, who though neither a Catholic nor a friend of Ours, yet did the best he could. All this kept our Superior absent from this Mission for two months; at last on the 25th of September he returned to us. During ihese last seven years the Osages repeatedly sent petitions to the President of the United States, asking him to restore to them our Mission, but to no purpose ; for the only answer they received from the Indian Department was, that they had a very good school at the Agency (a Quaker school) and that was sufficient. But as this answer could not satisfy them, at last the Indian Department allowed them to send some of their children to our Institution. On the 29th of October, forty-three Osage boys and eleven half-breed girls came here to be educated. The boys remained with us, and the girls were sent to the Sisters of Loretto, not far distant from our house. About the end of November I visited the Osages on their Reservation, and they as usual received me most kindly. But their Agent treated me rather roughly. He would not allow the very few Catholic Osage children, who are yet at the Agency's school, to come to hear Mass on the Sunday I was there. I remonstrated that they had a right to come to Mass, and to receive instruction in their religion, and that moreover such was the wish of their parents; but all to no purpose: From the Agency on Deep Ford I came to visit the halfbreeds and 'invited them to make their Jubilee. They came in good number at the appointed places to hear Mass and to approach the Sacraments. I was really edified at their devotion. These Osage half-breeds are not very many, but are quite industrious, and this year they have good crops, spite of the opposition carried on against them by their Agent, who far from assisting them, as it is his duty, tries �lndiau Jllissions-Lake Hurou. rather to break them down, because they are Catholics, and stick to their faith most firmly. They submit with christian fortitude and resignation to this persecution, and seldom would you hear them complaining about it. Their principal settlement is along the river Cana, and the lands they cultivate are most fertile. They apply themselves exclusively to agriculture ; God has blessed them so far, and they are prospering. PAuL MARY PoNziGLIONE, S. ]. INDIAN MISSIONS-LAKE HURON. Letter from Fr. Cltone to t!te Councillors of tlte Propagatiort of .flte Faitlt. WrKWEMIKONG, MANITOULINE IsLAND, November 22d, r875· GENTLEMEN : ~- The Manitouline Mission numbers about 2532 Catholic Indians and 555 whites, also Catholics. There are besides, some 790 Indian Methodists and 342 heathens. This population is scattered through thirty-two stations, of which the principal on Manitouline Island are \Vikwemikong or Holy Cross, the residence of the missionaries, Mitchikiwatinong, \Vikwemikonsing, Atchitawniganing and Chichigwaning. The village of Wikwemikong alone contains more than seven hundred souls, and goes on increasing, not by · immigration, but by its own natural growth. Last year's returns (1874) are a good example of their material civilization. They' harvested between fifteen and sixteen hun- �Indian J1fissions-Lake Hurou. dred bushels of wheat, besides Indian corn and other cereals, and potatoes in abundance. Formerly the village lots were scarcely ever tilled, but now every house has its garden and the f~nces may, in general, be called elegant. From year to year the houses are becoming more numerous and are improving in appearance, both within and without. The live stock census of 1874 gives 104 horses, 219 head of horned cattle, 226 sheep, besides pigs and poultry; but, by the way, the number of dogs-the inseparable friends and servants of the Indian-has diminished by one-half, and we do not regret it._ As to farming implements, the supply is in proportion with the foregoing figures. The other villages are imitating Wikwemikong. The girls' school, under the direction of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary (Fzlles du S. C. de llfarie), has no small share in civilizing our Indians. It is a real school of arts and manufactures for the young squaws. The establishment is provided with weaving looms, cards and spinning wheels: moreover, there are already a great many of these in the Indian dwellings, as each family is anxious to increase the number of sheep and thus produce more wool. The same year (I 87 4), his Grace the Archbishop of Toronto, on his way to Sault Ste. Marie with our Vicar Apostolic, Mgr. Jamot, wished to visit Wikwemikong. His astonishment at what he saw reminded one of the Queen of Saba at the court of Solomon. Three times a year, on the two festivals of the Holy Cross (the Invention and the Exaltation), and on All Souls' Day we have a grand procession to the cemetery, where the graves are adorned with , the Ihdians' most precious treasures, shawls, pieces of calico, etc. ; on witnessing this ceremony, the Archbishop was visibly sensitive of the atmosphere of faith in which we were moving. He requested that everybody should go and kneel. on the graves of their relatives. Immediately the procession broke up and the cemetery was straightway covered with the Indian faithful praying with their Pastor �Indian jlfissious-Lake Hurou. for the repose of the suffering souls. "See," he exclaimed, "how well these good Indians know the last resting place of their dead, and how earnestly they are praying !" At a meeting of the leading men of the village, his Grace congratulated them on their faith, seeing that they had not received the word of God in vain, and on their progress in the path of civilization. He went on to promise that he would see about setting up an industrial school in their village for the benefit of the whole mission. Our good Indians were not slow to appreciate this promise, and they are looking forward .to its fulfilment. 1\Tgr. Jamot left .. the Archbishop at Holy Cross and started off in true missionary style, in a small skiff, with a tent for the night, a piece of salt pork and some bread in his wallet, to visit, in another part of the island, the village which ranks next in importance after Holy Cross. \Vhen he got there, he was delighted with this little Indian Reduction: a neat, pretty church, houses in good trim, fields well tilled and covered with plentiful crops. He was especially struck with the respect which these new Christians, commonly spoken of as savages, show their priests. As he had taken only a hurried look at \Vikwemikong, he resolved to return the following year and then see some of the other villages. He had sent us word that he wished to be here for All-Hallow-tide; but the unusually severe storms which made many wrecks on our lakes, stopped the steamboats that would have brought him to Killarney, a port and little half-breed village about five leagues by water from Holy Cross. It was the 3d of November, and half-past seven l'h the evening, before he came to us, shivering with cold and very hungry. The ringing of the bell warned the Indians that their long looked for Bishop was in their midst. Next morning, at six o'clock, the first bell, rung in three full peals, made the faithful crowd into the church. His Lordship, after his Mass, said a few words of affectionate and �Indian llfissions-Lake Huron. joyful greeting, and announced that he would give Confirmation on the following day, the first Friday of the month, a day on which we always have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament morning and evening, in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the morning of Saturday, the chiefs sent their messenger to ask if Mgr. Jamot would receive a deputation. His Lordship was well pleased with their request; so they came at the appointed time. The Bishop spoke to them with genuine fatherly kindness, and renewed the Archbishop's promise, adding that, though he could do nothing as yet during the ensuing year, he would certainly attend to the matter the year after next. One of his Grace's intentions in founding this establishment is the forming of good catechists and schoolmasters - a great want at present, owing to those vultures, especially of the Methodist kind, who come with what is called civilization and swoop down upon our little colonies so long peaceful, not to carry captive heathen souls, but to rend asunder the Catholic flock. When is Lordship had done speaking, the first chief rose, and after reviewing in a remarkably apt and happy manner the many advantages for which he and his fellows felt themselves beholden to the Bishops who sent them missionaries-the knowledge of God and of their duties, the blessing of instruction for their children, the girls' industrial school, the fruits of this institution which are constantly increasing under the watchful care of the Anamil:ik<vhzak (nuns), their own progress in farming, etc.-he thanked his Lordship, saying (with that unceremonious tlzceing and tlzouing-tutoiemcnt-for which there is. no Eng· !ish equivalent): "I who speak to thee, do not speak alone. All those whom thou seest here with me, as well as all our brethren whom we represent, speak to thee down in their hearts in the same way. vVe see in thy words and in thy presence here at this season, the love which thou bearest to us and the interest which thou dost take in thy childrens' �Indian i1fissions-Lakc Huron. welfare. Enjoy in thy heart the blessings which thou makest us enjoy, and speak to God that we may use them well, in order that we may be happy in the abode of light." His Lordship then gave each of the chiefs a little cross, and medals to the others. Not being able to visit, as he at first intended, at least one of the neighboring villages, he took his leave of us on the Saturday afternoon, escorted by two boats manned by twenty men. From the boat in which he was, he solemnly gave his episcopal blessing to the kneeling crowd, which had followed him to the shore in grand procession, with the cross at their head, with altarboys and a long line. of little girls dressed in white. This year, his Lordship having obtained from the Department of Indian Affairs subsidies (which have not yet come), we have opened schools in the four other villages on the Island. Many other places stand in great need of schoolmasters, thanks to the above-mentioned vultures, who allure our neophytes with the prospect of an English education, a bait which easily turns the head of our poor Indians. \Ve have also added to the residence of the Sisters (Fillcs du S. C. de JTTan"c) two stories at a cost of two thousand dollars which we had asked the Indian Department for this purpose; but the Bishop could get only one thousand. More than fifteen hundred are needed to £!lake the first story at least habitable; thus the deficit is alCon our shoulders. 'vVe even deem ourselves fortunate· in having been able to make room, little though it be, for the twelve orphan girls in the house and for those whom Providence will enable us to receive. Throughout the whole mission there are very many of these motherless girls, Catholic, Protestant and heathen, :vho might all be admitted into this house; but funds are wanting, and so we are obliged to keep within bounds. I have the honor to be with respect and gratitude, gentlemen, your most humble and obedient servant, P. CHONE,S.J. �Indian Jlissions-Lakc Huron. I 53 Letter of }/·. Yadmu to Vo:)' Rev. Fr. T. Cltarmtx. \VrKwmuKo:s-G, November, ::!9, 1875· REV. FATHER, P. C.: There has been a long gap since my last ietter, but I was so overwhelmed with work that it was unavoidable. Even breviary has to lie over till night time, when, too, the most pressing letters have to be answered. Very often have ( tried to write to you; but just as often had to give it up, when fairly under way. Duties·take up every minute of my time, and even my good old father and mother are fortunate if they hear from me once or twice a year. However, I hope that by. next spring, when Fr. Hebert is stronger in health and on the score of Indian phraseology, my burden will be somewhat lighter. Meantime I am on the run from morning till night, and from one year's end to the other. Not that I complain, for, while God gives me strength, it shall be spent in His service and for His greater glory ; but you will understand how I can hardly be much of a letter writer. Since your Reverence was here last, I have been continually on the mdrch. Just as I got back to Killarney, from my missions in the dioceses of Torontp and Hamilton, news came that the bishop was to arrive by the next boat. I accordingly remained over, and brought him with me up to Wikwemikong. His Lordship spent two whole days there, ~nd was never weary of telling me how delighted he was with his visit, with the faith of the Indians, and the profound respect they showed him. After confirming about thirty children, he set out on his return. \Vhen his departure was announced, all the Indians of the village came trooping in ; and when the bishop finally bade them goodVaL. v-No. 2. 20 �154 Indian Jlfissions-Lakc 1-furon. bye, they formed in procession and escorted him down to the shore. His Lordship once more gave them his blessing and we started for Killarney. . \Ve now had another chance to admire the earnest faith • of the Indians. There were many .of them encamped all along the shore and on the islands of the lake, and as soon as they saw our boat in the distance, men, women and children would invariably hurry down to the water's edge and throw themselves on their knees for the bishop's blessing. His Lordship did not stint them, but scattered benedictions right and left incessantly. He was continually exclaiming: "What faith in th~,?e poor Indians! What faith!" We reached Killarney Saturday night; next morning he administered Confirmation to some children, and in the afternoon the steamboat arrived which was to take him to Toronto. Next spring he will return to \Vikwemikong for the feast · of Corpus Christi, and will then visit Manitoulin and the neighboring missions. I did not go back straight to \Vikwemikong, but went to look after some Indians scattered here and there through the country.- I had time only for my annual retreat which I begin to-night; and I am sorely in need of it to gain strength for the battles of every description I have to fight here, especially against a pack of Methodist.preachers who keep pestering us in every conceivable way':'- ··True, I have only to show myself to put them to flight; but as soon as I am gone they appear again and succeed only too often in· corrupting the hearts of our poor Indians. The very devil seems to keep them supplied with agents and money ! and the Indians not being sufficiently instructed to detect their artifices are actually being bought over body and soul by these wretches. A tribe of teachers generally follow in the track of the ministers, and by means of a good salary with promise of more and a prospect of becoming preachers themselves, as _soon as they get a few unfortunate people together, are kept continually on the alert. It is easy to �Indian "lfissions-Lake Huron. 155 understand how our missions are exposed, unless we can contrive to have catechists here and there, to support the weak and instruct and convert those who are not yet baptized. The easy l\Iethodist doctrine which insists on nothing . but baptism and the addition of a name to its lists, while it leaves the convert in his former ignorance and superstition, with his vanity excited and his gross passions very often ministered to, are but too likely to be attractive to the lazy nature of the Indian. How then can I rest? vVhen so many foes are to be faced, every instant is precious. It is useless to say, "Take care; do not kill yourself before the time." · It would be like advising a general to spare himself when his troops are imperilled, or a shepherd when wolves are devouring his sheep, or a father whose children are in danger of perishing. Inaction then would be treason. Such, reverend father, has been my situation these three years past. How can I rest when there is question of immortal souls whom God has redeemed and given me to take care of! I am still able to fight and, if need be, to die on the battle field, and if my body is some of these days found under the snow or floating down the river, will it not be all the better? I have already looked death in the face pretty closely, many times, but God vVho saved me then, almo'3t miraculously, can do it again, if He wants me to work any longer for His service and glory. Besides, even if I did wish to rest, I could scarcely well do it, as the bishop keeps finding new missions \vhich are hard to get at or much exposed to these Methodist attacks, and hands them over to me ; and as he has been so kind to us all along, I don't feel it in my heart to refuse, especially, as many of them lie on my route. · Do not. think, reverend father, I write all this to complain. Far from it ; but it is to let you know the critical condition of our missions and the extreme need we have of another father among us, who can prepare himself for this �:J. Alfred Gouglt, .LVo<'., S. :J. sort of life before dear old Fr. Chone goes to the grave, and that may happen at any moment. True, Fr. Hebert will soon be ready, but suppose Fr. Chone or your humble servant were to die, what would become of our work here? What is Fr. B. doing? Has he given up all idea of his Indian missions, in spite of his knowlege of the language which he acquired so soon? Is it true that Fr. C. is only waiting for a word from you to come and share our labors ? Send us, I beg you, reverend father, another recruit soon, before the burden grows too heavy for me, or some of the missions have to be. given up. ·when my retreat is over, with the help of God, I shall ,_strap on my snow shoes for the winter's tramp. By the time my letter reaches you, I shall already be a good distance off. Give my respects to Fr. Me Donell, and do not forget, in your Holy Sacrifices and other prayers, the poor Indian missionary, who is your Reverence's Most obedient servant in Christ, P. NADEAU, S. J. J. ALFRED GOUGH, NOVICf:~ ·s. J. Novices are always of especial interest to the whole Society. \Vhether the hard working missionary snatch a few moments from his busy day to read this account, or the weary professor soothe his tired mind with happy recollections which this may suggest, or the patient student look back to the happiness he but a short while ago left, all will see a picture of a good novice, which must recall happy remembrances.' �:J. Alfred Gouglt, Nov., S. :J. I 57 Br. Alfred Gough is a name that now shines with peculiar brightness in the annals of our Novitiate. Around it cluster those delicate virtues, so charming to the hearts of religious; early blossoms, which diffuse sweet perfume in the paradise of God. A youth of such genuine sweetness, -in whose heart was the innocence of childhood, on whose brow the modesty of religion, in whose whole bearing a model son of St. Ignatius-is an example sent for the comfort and edification of all. Such was Br. Alfred Gough, the angel of our Novitiate, whose happy career was so short that we can hope to draw but an imperfect outline of his beautiful character. Alfred was born I 5 July, I 8 59, of an old Catholic family of Maryland, which we can trace back to the landing of Fr. ·white, and the first settlement of St. Mary's, which was the birth place of our Brother. The happy days of childhood were passed amid the pleasant scenes of his native place. He attended one of the little day-schools of the district and left home for the first time to study at Conewago, before entering the Novitiate. \Ve know little more of his early life, than what is said in the Gospel of the childhood of Jesus. In a letter from his mother, at the news of her son's death, we have a beautiful testimony to his innocence : "His whole life, from childhood, has been one of innocence and goodness for which, I hope, he is now reaping his reward in Heaven." During two years study at Conewago, he was the same innocent, openhearted lad, that so beautified those natural virtues, by a short career of religious life. Next, we see him as a novice; and surely, there could not have shone from the countenance of the saints, a more beautiful innocence and candor of soul. In the beginning, his ardent nature felt it somewhat hard, to bear the continual restraint of religious training; but no sooner did he comprehend the spirit of the novitiate, than he embraced it with all his soul. In his holy simplicity, he looked upon the minutest customs of the novices, as inva- �Y. Alfred Gouglt, Nov., S. Y. riably sacred, and with a manly spirit, he did not flinch from observing them under any circumstances. It was his duty, as sacristan, to supply the rooms of the house with holy water. \Vhen any of the in~ates thought to commend him for his carefulness in this office, or exchange a few words with him, his only answer was a smile or a modest bow of the head. This exactness, which was noticed by all, he extended to all the minutia: of novice life. Novices, who so easily perceive the least fault, looked upon him as an example of fidelity in all things ; which is • certainly no slight praise. From his gait, gesture, words, looks and his whole..bearing, beamed the beautiful virtue of modesty. In him \vas verified the saying, "Mens sana in corpore sano; " for, we might here add, his appearance was mpst pleasing. He was slenderly built, but well proportioned, light in his carriage and sprightly, but modest withal. His actions were unaffected, still, something seemed to enhance all he did, whether it was !'!xactness, modesty, charity or innocence, certainly, there was virtue revealed that pervaded his whole being. It is especially in unguarded conversation, that the hidden sentiments of hearts are revealed. From his language, it was evident what thoughts were uppermost in his mind. There was one that was most congenial to h}s nature, and that shows forth better than anything else the. tendency of his innocent affections. It was devotion to the Infant Jesus. This was his favorite topic of conversation, this was his favorite subject of meditation, and as we know from himself, it was as an Infant he loved to look upon our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and wait upon Him in his office of sacristan. So lived Br. Gough amongst us, the general favorite of the house, on account of his goodness. Great were the hopes of Superiors and bright the expectations of all for his future career. Shall we say they were all blasted by .'conquering death, or all soon crowned by a happy death ? �J. Alfred Gouglt, Nov:, S. :f. 159 On the Epiphany, the novices began the long retreat. Some time before this, Br. Gough asked them all to pray for him, as he did not expect to live long. He remarked the same to Fr. Minister; his excellent health and happy spirits, only gained for him incredulous smiles. But he told some not to be surprised, if they heard the " De Profundis" bell ring for him before the end of their retreat. His earnestness was noticed by all the novices, but little did any of them think that this good-bye was to be his last. He made his general confession at the beginning of this retreat, and if we could judge of his feelings, from the tone and manner in which he said the "culpa," for his past disedification, they must have been akin to the repentance of the innocent Aloysius. About the last week of the long retreat (Jan. 28), he was confined to his bed by a serious attack of erysipelas. His illness grew rapidly more dangerous, so that in a few days, the last Sacraments were administered. There was sadness in the ,house, for he gradually grew fainter and fainter, until, to all appearances, he was dying; still, he recovered from his agony. Immediately arose the spirits of the whole Community, prayers were redoubled, hopes entertained by all. It was the eve of the last day of the retreat. All had assembled for the points ofthe morrow's meditation. Hardly had the patrons been announced, when the first peal of the Community bell sent a thrill of fear into every heart. There was a momentary silence ;-again the shrill sound is heard -a sound of mourning for us, of exultation for him, whose pure soul had taken its flight. (Feb. 3, 9.20 P. 111.) It was with difficulty the exercise could be continued, on account of the emotions of grief expressed by all. Such was the impression made by the death of Br. Gough. The many little touching scenes of piety, that surround the dying hours of holy souls, were not wanting here. In taking his medicine and nourishment, in speaking, praying and the many other circumstances of illness, his obedience �r6o J. Alfred Goug!t, 1\ 0<'., S. J. 7 was a picture of the spirit of the Society : "perinde ac cadaver." So long as he retained the use of his senses, he was always fearful, lest he should miss the time of meditation mexamen. He spoke much of the Infant Jesus. Once, taking the crucifix in his hands, he told those in the room to kneel down, while he prayed for them to the Holy Infant. He then broke forth into tender aspirations, asked for patience in his trial and pardon for any impatience he might have shown in his illness; all in such an humble and fervent tone, that those presenf were much moved. And it was truly wonderful, that one so young and of such an ardent temperament, shoufd· have had so much power over himself, during so painful a trial as his must have been. Beautiful· and edifying as \vas his life, so, calm and holy was his death. \Ve subjoin the sentiments of his fellow . novices :-\Ve miss him very much, but we feel sure he now looks down upon us from his heavenly home. He took such interest in our joys and sorrows, when amongst us, now, certainly, in Heaven, his love for us must be greater. He was our example in the Novitiate, now we have him for a patron.- The~e, too, are the sentiments of all that knew him, for we all loved him, we all miss the innocent novice. L. D. S. �WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL V., No. 3· EXPULSION OF THE JESUITS FROM · LOUISIANA IN 1763. ( ContiJZued.) Hitherto we have confined ourselves to the occupations of the Jesuits in the different parts of Louisiana, it is but right to say what they did at New Orleans. A royal hospital had been erected in this town, the title of chaplain had been given to Fr. d'Outreleau in 1737 and since then had been always reserved to the Jesuits. It was an employment requiring the whole attention of a missionary. In the same town there was also an Ursuline convent, the religious of which were according to the terms of their foundation devoted to the education of thirty orphan girls cared for at the expense of the king. They always had many besides these under their charge, for their institute required them to instruct day scholars and their house served as a boarding school for quite a number of young ladies. For thirty years the Superior of the Jesuits had the direction of this house, and so much had to be done that the services of one of his brethren was indispensable. VoL. v-No. 3· 21 161 �162 Erpulsioll of the Yesuits from Louisia1ta ill z763. Finally' the Jesuits kept on their land a hundred and twenty or a hundred and thirty slaves, whose instruction and management might justly claim the care of some of the missionaries, since fourteen familes sufficed for the establishment of a parish. If it be asked what fruit the Jesuits of Louisiana have reaped from their missions, the reply is that the missionary's duty is only to labor, but it belongs to God to give the fruit when He pleases; that the most laborious missions have often appeared the most ungrateful, as for instance Canada, where the missionaries engaged in the instruction of the Outouas, the .Pontouatamis, the Sauteurs, the Outagamis or Foxes and the Miamis have produced hardly any sensible fruit and have nevertheless been revered as truly apostolic laborers. Such was the opinion the brilliant Mgr. de Ponbriand, Bishop of Quebec, entertained of one of the missionaries, Fr. Chardon, during the many years which he spent in the forests with the Outagamis and other savages. This Father had apparently no success in his labors ; yet on his return to Quebec at an advanced age, the Prelate deigned to honor him with a visit when on the _point of death iJ.nd asked his blessing. The humble missionary threw himself at the feet of his bishop to ask his, and having obtained it he was obliged to .accede to the wishes of Mgr. de Ponbriand. .. • Still the missionaries of Louisiana have not labored absolutely without fruit; for the most precious fruits are the virtues practised on the missions, especial1y charity when . it reaches heroism, when it moves a minister of Jesus Christ to sacrifice his life for his brother as happened to many a Je~llit in Louisiana, who expired in the actual exercise of his ministry. Thus in 1729, Fr. du Poisson, living with the Arkansas, happening to be at the fort of the Natchez on the very day fixed for the slaughter of the French, fell in the general massacre. This conspiracy can well bear comparison witli the Sicilian· Vespers. The French in charge �Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisiana ill I76J. 163 of this post treated with the utmost insolence the Natchez · nation, a people most useful to the colony and most devoted. They determined to have revenge. Fr. du Poisson being requested to remain a day to perform some ministe- . rial duty in the absence of the cure, consented, thus becoming a victim to his devotedness and charity. A month later the Yasous another savage nation entered into a similar conspiracy and killed all the French in the neighbor· hood, not even sparing their missionary Fr. Soue!. He was so much beloved by his negro slave that the latter met death in attempting to defend his master. About the same time Fr. d'Outreleau, coming down from the Illinois country on business connected with the mission, stopped on the banks of the Mississippi to say Mass. A band of the same Yasous who had killed Fr. Souel arriving at the place with some savage allies, watched the movements of the French, and especially of the Father who was engaged in the Holy Sacrifice, and then fired, killing some of the French and wounding others. Fr. d'Outreleau was wounded in the arm and received some large shot in the mouth, his escape with such slight injuries being regarded as a mark of Divine protection. Far from being disconcerted by this_ attack, he reassured his companions by his firmness and courage, thereby enabling them to escape from the savages and return to New Orleans. Shortly after, when an expedition was organized for the punishment of the Indians engaged in these butcheries, especially the Natchez, Fr. d'Outreleau was made chaplain and ever codtinued to display the same resolution. In 1736 Fr. Senat, then a nusswnary with the Illinois, was appointed to accompany M. d'Artaguiette in an attack upon the Chicachas. The enterprise failed; the French were on the point of being hemmed in by the savages when the missionary was told that there was still time for escape and a horse was offered to him. Mindful of his divine mission and of the need the French prisoners would soon �164 Erpulsimz of the Ycsuits from Lomsia1la ill I76J. have for his assistance, he refused to fly, was captured with the rest and. like them led to execution. One of the squaws entirely ignorant of the christian religion, having witnessed their death, sometime afterwards nar~ated how the French taken by the Chicachas were thrown on a funeral pile erected in a large cabin and there burnt, after lzavi1lg sung that they miglzt go to God; for she understood from their appearance and gestures thaf the prayers at that solemn moment were intended to open the way to heaven. Four years previously, that is to say in 1732, Fr. Auneau had accompanied M. de la Verenderie, the younger, who commanded an expedition in search of the Western Sea. This young officer had joined a party of Christineaux, who were on the war path against the Sioux, a very barbarous people. These latter savages recognized the French mingled with their enemies, and resolving to have their revenge upon them, they shortly afterwards planned an ambuscade against some other French voyageurs, and killed twenty-two of them. Among the slain was Fr. Au· neau. The fort at Niagara was vigorously besieged by the English army in July, 1759, and twelve hundred French troops were sent to the relief of that post, so necessary for the preservation of Canada. Fr. Virot was appointed chaplain of the French army, but as it was com.pl~tely routed, the missionary fell into the hands of the Iroquois, and was cut to pieces. Finally, in the month of july, 1763, when the savages of Canada revolted against the English, the Indians (Sautcurs) of Michilimackinac fell upon the English garrison of that post. They had already destroyed a great portion of it, · when Fr. du Jaunay threw open his house as an asylum for the surviving soldiers and English traders, thus endangering his own life in order to save theirs. The young braves, enraged at seeing half of their prey snatched from their grasp, were fully bent on indemnifying themselves at the �Expulsion of the :Jesuits from Louisiana in I763. 165 expense of Fr. du Jaunay, and the chiefs of the tribe had great difficulty in restraining them. . · Such are the trials to which the Jesuit missionaries of Canada and Louisiana have been constantly exposed, and we have here some of the precious fruits of their labors ; this is what must be expected by all those who take up their abode in the midst of savages, above all when they are obliged to travel on the Mississippi. After the revolt of the Natchez in 1729, there was no longer any safety in ascending that stream ; almost every year chronicled the death of some Frenchmen; and all the precautions that could be employed during the three months voyage required to reach the Illinois, were never able to ward off all danger. Now, at least twenty-six or twenty-seven voyages were made by the Jesuits on the Mississippi after the sad affair of 1729. We have joined the missions of Louisiana and Canada in one account, partly because they were formerly united, and partly because, even at the present day, the manner of living in both is the same, and the same risks are to be incurred. But should anyone persist in demanding of the Jesuits in Louisiana those practical results which are expected from missions, the following statement will show that they were not wanting. In the three French parishes of the Illinois territory, a pretty fair number of true christians could be reckoned ; some there were who resisted the evil example and the false maxims which had commenced to spread , through Louisiana from the . neighboring colonies ; and amongst the Illinois at least the missionaries had checked the progress of the evil, for there were many persons there who were models of sobriety despite the numerous drunkards who led the savages astray by the firewater which they supplied to them. Many others preferred to be in want of the most necessary provisions, rather than engage in this destructive traffic. It is true that there were some men who neglected the care of their children and slaves, but �166 Expulsion of the :Jesuits from Louisiaua in I76J. there were many others, who either personally taught them, or procured the necessary instruction for them, and managed to hold them to their duty. There were some christians who seemed to have forgotten ~he precepts of abstinence and fasting, of confession and communion, and even of hearing Mass, but others were very faithful to these obligations, and were zealous frequenters of the sacraments. How many pastors are there in France, whose labors are considered satisfactory, if they can produce fruits equal to these? As regards the mission to the Illinois savages, the \Vord of God has not been-announced to them in vain. Despite the fickleness of this people, the religion established among them a long time ago holds its ground even to the present day; the superstitions of the medicine-men were almost entirely rooted out; even the infidels were eager to have their children baptized; many neophytes judged worthy of communion did not by their subsequent behavior belie the opinion that had been formed of them; many triumphed over the passion for strong drink, which is so violent among these people, --and kept themselves within the bounds of temperance, even when they could gratiiy this appetite without any expense to themselves. \Vhat grand results might have been produced in this mission if a.serious effort had been made to check the sale of whiskey;· \Vhich in this country is the bane of religion. It is true this trade was prohibited by the regulations of the Church and by royal statute, but many of those. whose duty it was to publish these prohibitions and to attend to their execution were among the foremost in spreading the forbidden poison. The first charge against the Jesuits, in the decree of the Council of Louisiana which condemns them, is :-Because they have taken no care of their missions. From all that has just been said, it can be seen whether this imputation is groundless or not. The second cause of complaint is thus worded : Because �Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisiana in I763. 167 the Jesuits of this colony have cared for nothing else excep_t to extend their possessions. But does not the answer to the first charge meet this second one also? For if the Jesuits, as has been shown, did take care of their missions, they have by that very fact cared for other things besides their own possessions. Btit perhaps the intention was to assert that it is not fitting for missionaries to hold extensive establishments, because it distracts them from their spiritual ministry; granting all that, in order to avoid this embarrassment, it would. have been required to provide by other means for their support, for traveling expenses, for the construction and current expenditures of their houses and chapels. Now, by the terms of their foundation, each Jesuit received a pension of eight hundred livres (though the . writer _is not quite sure of that), and to build and support six houses and chapels they had received fifteen thousand livres, which amount was paid down once for all ; and although the engagement was not without risk, still they were not free to give it up. Where then could they have found the means for these outlays, or even for their food and clothing, when under the pressing difficulties of the government, the treasurers of the colony could not have met the obligations of the most privileged debts? When a yard of cloth or of very common linen cost fifty crowns at New Orleans, an ordinary handkerchief one hundred francs, when a keg of wine sold for two thousand five hundred francs, and could not be forwarded to the Illinois under a cost of five or six hundred livres; when such was the scale of prices, was it not of paramount necessity to be careful in regard to the means of subsistence? How then could the Council of New Orleans make this a crime and a cause of condemnation in their decree? A third charge remains to be disposed of:-it is the usurpation of the Vicar-Generalship of Quebec. So far as New Orleans is concerned, the judges of that city cast this imputation upon the Jesuits, but they can scarcely persuade �168 Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisia11a in IJ6J. themselves that every body has forgotten the fact that they themselves a few years before had given a contrary decision. The case stands as follows: About eighteen or twenty years ago, Mgr. de Ponbriand, Bishop of Quebec, wrote to Fr. Vitry, Superior of the Jesuits in New Orleans, constituting him his Vicar-General. These letters were placed on , file by the Superior Council; on the death of Fr. Vitry in 1750, Fr. Baudoin received the same appointment, and he exercised the duties of this office for some time without let or hindrance. But troubles arose afterwards ; for the Capuchin Fathers believed that the appointment of a Jesuit was an infringement upon their rights. As the name and office of Vicar-General had been given to their Superior by the Bishop of Quebec, at the same time as the ~ndian Company had appointed him pastor of New Orleans, they were of the opinion that these two positions should henceforth be inseparable, and should consequently belong to their body. Mgr. de Ponbriand was fully aware of these pretensions ; and the Jesuits themselves (many persons will scarcely credit it, but the fact is not thereby less certain) used every effort to get rid of an employment, which was only a source of annoyance and opposition to them ; but the prelate firmly insisted that they should retain the office. Notwithstanding his expressed wish the Capuchins ,_refused to acknowledge Fr. Baudoin. The matter was fin~lly brought · before the Council, and after many examinations that body formally decided that the Jesuits were in legitimate possession of the office: the records of the Council prove this, the Jesuits continued to exercise the functions of the office, New Orleans and the entire colony testify to the fact. Fr. Baudoin, despite the past reclamations and some occasional opposition, had the name of Vicar General and exercised the jurisdiction belonging to the office, until the day on which the decree of destruction ·was passed. Will it be believed that a· Council established to dispense justice dared to contradict itself by a solemn decree,-by a decree �Expulsion of t!tc :Jesuits from Louisimza in z763. 169 which expressly belies another decision given a short time before on the same matter, and that matter of too much importance to be easily forgotten, since for several years it had occupied the attention of New Orleans ? Will it be believed that those who had been declared the rightful pos- ' sessors, should, a short time afterw·ards, without the slightest change in the case, be condemned as usurpers? Reflecting upon this decree, passed without examination, without legal formality, without a hearing given to those interested, is it not very natural to conclude that the Council of New Orleans looked upon the Jesuits as men against whom any charges could be made, any outrages perpetrated, with im.: punity? We have thus disposed, one by one, of the motives assigned for the condemnation of the Jesuits; we must now speak of the manner in which the decree was carried into execution. It had to be done without delay at New Orleans, and afterwards in the Illinois territory, which is four or five hundred leagues away. There was in that country, as we have already mentioned, a mission of the Jesuits, which comprised four different stations. These were not overlooked; and a messenger was despatched to them with the decree of condemnation. Meantime the provisions of the decree were promptly carried out at New Orleans. Their establishment was quite near the city, and was calculated to support twelve·missionaries; it had a number of slaves for plantation work and for various handicrafts, as is the custom in the colonies ; all these, together with the different buildings, the live stock, the workshops, in a word, everything they possessed, was seized, an inventory made out, and the goods exposed at auction sale. It required a long time to bring the business to a close, and those who had charge of it took their meals in the house. They were the best qualified officers of justice together with their subordinates ; the former behaved with propriety but the others did not think themselves obliged to disguise their real VoL. v-No. 3· 22 �170 Expulsio1t of the :Jesuits from Loui'sialla in IJ6J. character: they saw that they were in clover, and being sure of good pay, they did not try to conceal their feelings. The Superior of the Jesuits was forced to be present at the grand feasts which were given in his house whilst the plundering went on, and he was witness of the hilarity which reigned at them. After the sale of the real estate and personal property, there remained only the chapel with its ornaments and sacred vessels ; it was set forth in the decree that these effects should be handed over to the Capuchins. This was accordingly done; and it was the least bad use that could be made of them.~ .:rhe chapel was then demolished, and the last resting place of those who had lain buried here and in the neighboring graveyard for the past thirty years, was exposed to profanation. The Jesuits who returned from Louisiana have frequently been asked the reasons for such proceedings; people have testified to them the astonish: ment and horror that they felt over such an occurrence ; they have been told that such treatment could have been expected only from the declared enemies of the Catholic faith :-the Jesuits could answer only by their silence. Nothing was now wanting to the full execution of the decree except to send back to France those who had been condemned; such Fathers as happened to J:?e at New Orleans did not wait for a formal order to depiit~ Fr. Carette took ship for San Domingo; Fr. Roy withdrew to Pensacola, at the very time that the English were entering that port to take possession of it, and the Spaniards were evacuating the place, according to treaty stipulations ; he embarked on the vessel which was to transport the Governor of the town to Vera Cruz. He was most charitably welcomed by the Spanish Fathers of the College there, and shortly afterwards he was admitted into the Mexican Province by Fr. Francis Zeballos, the Superior. His letter written on this ,subject expressed the most generous and christian sentiments, and all the Jesuits banished from the �Expulsion of t!te :Jesuits from Louisiana in IJ6J. 171 French dominions were cordially invited to the same place 9f refuge. Fr. Le Predour was among the Alabamas, at a distance of about t\vo hundred leagues; considerable time was required to serve a copy of the decree upon him, and after he had received it he was obliged to wait his opportunity to reach the fort at Mobile, and afterwards to come to New Orleans. We have lately learned that he has gone back to France. Fr. Baudoin, Superior of all the Missions, now alone remained ; but he was seventy-two years of age and very feeble, as can be easily believed of a man who had spent thirty· five years in Louisiana; and of these years some twenty had been spent in the forests among the Choctaws. As he had neither relatives nor acquaintance in , France, being a Canadian by birth, they allowed him to remain. They gave him a pension of nine hundred livres, which would be worth about four hundred francs in France. M. Bore, an old settler of the country, offered him an asylum on his plantation, and thus gave proof of the sincerity of the friendship which he had always shown towards the Society. The courier, who had been sent to carry the decree to the Illinois country, arrived on Sept. 23 at fort Chartres, which is six miles distant from the residence of the Jesuits. He presented to the royal commissioner the order charging him with the execution of the decree, and on the following day that official came to the Jesuits at eight or nine o'clock in the morning; he was accompanied by the notary and the constable of the district. Some days subsequently this functionary took credit to himself for the moderation he had displayed in not coming during the night time as, he said, his orders warranted ; to this extent. no fault can be found with his exact observance of orders. He read the decree to Fr. Watrin, the Superior, and made him immediately withdraw from his room, to which he affixed the seals; the same was done to the other missionaries who hap-, pened to be at home. One large chamber remained in �172 Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits frozn Louisi{ma in I76J. which they could have roomed together, though with great , inconvenience, but this favor was refused them, because the keepers in charge of the property were opposed to it; they were not willing that the Jesuits should be able from so close a neighborhood to throw light upon their behavior. The royal officer was afraid of giving offence to these guards, and he was unwilling even to allow the Jesuits to take up their abode with one of their brethren, cure of the place, who had a private residence close to the parochial church ; this house had been left untouched, because there was nothing of any value in it. The missionaries thus driven from their dwelling ,place, lodged as best they could. The Superior, who was sixty-seven years of age, set out on foot for the residence of a fellow-missionary, who lived at a good league's distance, among the savages, and the French who met him on the way were filled with grief at seeing that he was the first victim of the persecution. As soon as the savages were apprised of his arrival among them, they came to show to him and to Fr. Meurin, that they shared in the affliction of their Fathers; the news of their condemnation had already caused many tears to flow in the village. They inquired why such treatment had been meted out to them, especially in a country where so many disorders had for a long time been tolerated .. _.The aged missionary, after oft-repeated interrogations, at length replied: -"because we find too much fault with folly." They understood the meaning of this answer, knowing, as they did, that in whatsoever place the Jesuits have a foothold, they deem themselves obliged by their profession to make war upon vice, and that by their opposition to iniquity, they raise up enemies against themselves. The Christian Indians then proposed to depute their Chiefs, in order to petition the local authorities to allow, at least Fr. Meurin, their missionary, to be retained at his post; but the Jesuits told them to do nothing of the kind, because' such a proceeding would be open to the suspicion of hav- �Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisia1ta in I763. 173 ing been suggested to them, and would consequently be of no avail, and would be rejected with contempt. They wished then to ask for the preservation of the chapel and residence, so that those among them who were best instructed might be able to call the children together to repeat their prayers, and that on Sundays and festivals, the prayi1lg, i. e. the Christian Indians, might assemble at the sound of the bell to fulfil the duties of religion as far as was in their power; they made this petition, and their prayer was granted. Meantime the royal officer relaxed a little from his severity; about the same time he received four letters in a single day from M. Bobe, the Commissioner, who begged him to temper his zeal, and he finally consented to allo\v the Jesuits to join their brethren who had been in charge of the French settlements. They were here very much crowded, as the house was intended to accommodate but one person ; their former rooms had been thrown open to allow each one to get his mattress and bed-clothes, which they spread upon the floor in the house of the cure. This style of sleeping, which lasted well nigh a· month, was a good preparation for the voyage which they were shortly to take on the Mississippi ; for this is the only way of camping out on the banks of that river. They were allowed to take away their clothing and books, which were exempted from seizure. ·Finally, provision was made for the support of the Fathers, till such time as they should be obliged to go down to New Orleans. The greater portion of the provisions in their house was made over to them, and this sufficed for the rest of their stay among the Illinois. �ST. JOHN'S CHURCH AND RESIDENCE, FREDERICK, MD. ( Co1tcluded.) Our history has reached the year 1837. During the time that the n~w church was building an important event in the affairs of the Pro:vince took place. This was the transferring ofthe Novitiate from White Marsh to the residence in Frederick The change was proposed almost jokingly by Fr. McElroy to Very Rev. Fr. Kenny in 1832; the latter took it in earnest and was determined to carry out the idea, and would have done so but for his recall to Ireland. Very Rev. Fr. McSherry, the successor of Fr. Kenny, had tpe same views and, in 1833, a large addition was made to the residence. Fr. McElroy, with the others engaged in the college and church, moved into the new residence on Church Street.* From time to time the establishment of the Sisters had been enlarged to meet the wants of the orP.hans and the school. A large addition was made about ·the year 1827 and this last effort of Fr. McElroy for the education of the young was extremely beneficial.t Many remarkable conversions were the fruit of the long * The addition consisted of a story to the old building and the exten· sion of the west end from what is now Father Rector's sitting-room to the passage leading to the refectory. The wing now used by the novices, , together with the chapel, was added by Fr. Samuel Barber. The east ex· tension, from the pastor's room to the alley, was made by the Very Rev. Fr. Brocard. The infirmary wing, as was said already, was the improve· ment made by Fr. Paresce in 1859. t The school building was burnt down in 1845; but was soon replaced by another. , · 174 �St. :John's Clmrclt and Residmce,· Frederick, JWd. 175 labors of Fr. McElroy in Frederick. He regrets in his diary that he did not keep a record of them. The following account which is given in his diary for Sept. 2, 1839, is, no doubt, worth preserving : "Sent for, to perform the funeral service of Cynthia Summers, who was born blind. Her parents were members of the Church of England, and she was instructed in the principles of that sect. When at mature age, the Methodists made a great noise by their preaching and frequent meetings, she together with a blind sister and brother, resolved to join them, and did so, contrary to the wish of their father. The deceased was among the most zealous of her sect, and was sent for, from time to time, to make exhortations, prayers etc., in the neighborhood. Her sister died in the same belief, and her brother was licensed as a Methodist preacher and continued to act as such. He was not present at his sister's decease or interment. "In the year 1827, a schism took place in the Methodist sect, and the conflicting parties carried on a fierce war of words, in writing and otherwise. This staggered our Cynthia, and gave her serious doubts as to the divinity of her faith. She saw· the house divided against itself, a want of that unity by which the true Church was to be known, and she concluded to withdraw from them. As Providence would have it, about this time her sister, who had always read for her, took up a Catholic prayer book which happened to be in the house, and read from the beginning of the book the Creed of Pius the Fourth. This she did not relish at first. The prayers for Mass, Confession, Communion, etc., were read, and they pleased her very much and she found com· fort in them. Another Catholic book was in the house, "Temporal and Eternal." This she read also, and it pleased her very much. A Catholic family of her acquaintance procured from me, at her request, a Catechism. She learned the whole of it. She committed to memory the prayers for morning and night, the Mass, prayers before and after �176 St. :Jo!tn's Clmrclt aud Residmce, Frederick, ll1d. Confession and Commuion, a little office for every day in the week, the Penitential Psalms, Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, with all the prayers and meditations. "After two years spent in this manner, she accompanied a member of the Catholic family to our church, unknown to her father, for the first time. She came on Sunday morning a distance of fifteen miles, fasting, although of delicate health. The young lady, her companion, told me that such a person wished to confess; that she was fasting and expected to receive Holy Communion. I replied that she could not without more instruction. She presented herself, however, and made-her confession as one who had always be,en.a Catholic. I interrogated her on the whole of the small catechism: she answered perfectly well. I could not, therefore, withold for a moment imparting to her the blessings that awaited her. In fine she was baptized and received Holy Communion before leaving the church. She requested the loan of books, which I gave her from time to time: Lives of the Saints, Rodriguez, etc. She profited so much by them, that she retained nearly all she had heard read, and, still more, reduced it to practice. Her attachment to our holy religion was manifested in every way. She defended its tenets with success against all who opposed them : so much so, that sectarians were afraid to treat' with her on these matters ; even her own brother avoided'!iisputation of this kind. "To show her delicacy, if I may say so, in her adherence to her faith, the following circumstance may be adduced. Her good sister, to whom, under God, she was indebted for all she knew, had to read also for her brother, the preacher. This gave her pain and doubts, inasmuch as she had to listen to the reading of a Protestant Bible and heretical books. She solicited advice in this particular and followed it. Her mortification and self-denial were great. She never ate meat after her conversion, and in Lent she observed a rigid fast throughout· the penitential time. A slight meal of �St. 7olm's Clmrclt and Residence, Frederick, .Jfd. 177 bread and milk, without butter, eggs or anything else, was her food during this time. She continually suffered from pains in the stomach. She was afflicted also with a pulmo-nary affection, but she never complained. She bore with patience for many years the opposition made by her family to her religion. In silence and peace she offered all to our Lord. "Her piety was of the most edifying kind, and that peculiar character which placed it beyond suspicion was attached to it, viz. uniform perseverance: All hours of the day were regulated: prayers, manual work, the necessary refreshment of the body, etc. She rose early, made her morning oblation, her hour's meditation, her spiritual Mass; at noon the Angelus, "particular examen ;" through the day, the "Little Office" proper for each day, the third part of the Rosary, and some other practices of devotion. In all these she was scrupulously exact, and by means of them she advanced ' daily in the ways of interior life and union with God. "One of her greatest privations was the impossibility of frequent communion. The great distance from the Church, and the great difficulty of coming, prevented her receiving more than four or five times a year; but she supplied for this by spiritual communions, which she learned to make from Rodriguez and other books. These. virtues, practised by her in perfection, were well calculated to merit the respect and admiration of all. And such, indeed, was the case. All the neighbors looked upon her as a saint. The negroes were prompt in their obedience to her, though not so to other members of the family, as her father informed me : ~o irresistible is the example of solid virtue. Her edification in her last sickness was such as might be expected from such a life. Although in a continual state of suffering, no complaint escaped her, no murmur, no impatience. Her own words were: "I am always che-erful, always happy. What I suffer· is little compared to the sufferings of my Saviour." Her ejaculations were almost continual. When she requested to VoL; v-No. 3· 23 �178 St. :fohn's Clmrclt and Residence, Frederick, Md. see me for the last time, I went promptly, as she desired to receive from my hands the Holy Communion, having received from the same hands her First Communion. I spent the night there and was much consoled. The family were very kind and attentive to me. I left her with the promise that I would attend her funeral, and was sent for last night for that purpose. I left home this morning at nine o'clock and went to her father's residence, a distance of fifteen miles. The neighbors had assembled there in large nu(nbers. I addressed them for an hour on the doctrine of Purgatory, as supported by the authority of the Catholic Church. On this I dwelt chiefly ·as the unerring authority, capable of settling all disputes on religious matters. I spoke of the want of this authority in all the sects, which I reviewed in their present divided state in this country. I said that it was owing to this that the deceased discovered she was in error and sought for the centre of unity, etc. All were attentive and respectful. I then performed the funeral service, walked to the burial ground, a private one, in my cassock, surplice and stole. There I blessed the grave and concluded the service. The old gentleman seemed much pleased and expressed his gratitude for my kindness. Her sister told me that the last moments of the deceased were the same as throughout her illness. Cynthia begged her sister to inform her when she was near her end. Teresa did so,"~nd Cynthia, although she could not speak, continued to pray interiorly, and was observed striking her breast sometimes as if reciting the Confitevr. She requested that her beads, scapular and miraculous medal might remain around her neck where she always wore them, and be buried with her. She begged her sister also to recite daily a pair of beads for the repose of her soul. ,"By reading for her sister, Teresa* could not fail to become instructed in the principles of the faith. For some * She became a Ca~holic and died a few years ago. She was looked upon as a very holy person by all who were acquainted with her. �St. :Jo!tn's Clmrclt and Residence, Frederick, Md. · I79 years she observed the fasts, abstinences, etc., of the Church, reciting the beads every day, besides the usual prayers; and finding no difficulty now from her parents or others, she promised me that she would come to Frederick 'and make her first communion. "This brief memoir I have drawn up hastily for the edification of those who may read it hereafter. I regret not having taken more notes in detail of many other interesting particulars of this favored servant of God." In I839, we find Fr. James Ryder acting as the assistant of Fr. McElroy in the church and in the school, where he was prefect and teacher of French and writing. As a worker in the church, he used to lecture every Sunday at vespers, and it may be easily imagined that the efforts of the Father, then in the first glow of his career as an orator, caused a smsation. He delivered several eloquent discourses on the "Marks of the Church." The Protestants came in great numbers to hear him. But it was not until he had finished his course of lectures on "The Real Presence" that the ministers took the alarm. The effect of the eloquence of Fr. Ryder was so decided that each minister felt himself bound to attempt a refutation of the arguments. Their labors were in vain. Failing in this, they invited the Rev. Mr. Breckenridge to come from Baltimore to Fr~derick to rescue them in their sore distress. This firebrand, who had not long before become notorious by his tirades against the Carmelite nuns in Baltimore, where he had called on his congregation to rush en masse to liberate a crazy sister, who in the eyes of the bigots was a victim of cruel persecution, was ready to buckle on his armor again. The deeds of violence he had well nigh brought about in Baltimore might be realized in Frederick. On August I I, he preached three times against the arguments of Fr. Ryder, or, at least, made the attempt, and continued his invectives on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On one occasion he began in this wise: "Here, beloved brethren, is a thing the Catholics �i8o St. :John's C!turclz and Residence, Frederick, Md. adore," holding up a rosary; "here is one of the Romish idols." "That's a lie!" cried out a young girl in the audience. "Put him out! put him out!" was the exclamation of many, not knowing who the offending person was. The interruption was so annoying to the preacher, that he was unable to continue his discourse. The combined efforts of the ministers, backed by those of the great champion who had been-brought from another city, to arouse the flagging energies of the parsons and to worry the papists, did produce a little excitement. The abusive and rambling character of all the sermons, together with the vulgar and indelicate language used by some of the ministers, disgusted the conservative portion of the Protestants who regretted the course pursued by their pastors. Fr. Ryder never deigned to notice the affair. The length of the history of St. John's bids us hurry on to the end of the work. The rest of the stay of Fr. McElroy was attended by the usual events of a church and college. Fr. Thomas Lilly succeeded Fr. McElroy in September, I845· The assistants were Frs. George Villiger, Stonestreet, Meredith Jenkins, Finotti and Bague. During the three years that followed, the church and college continued t!=J flourish. Quite a number of colored adults were received into the C_hurch by Fr. Lilly. ..· . In I 846, the Sisters of Charity withdrew a1id were replaced by the Nuns of the Visitation from Georgetown. The Convent of the Visitation is now the finest establishment of education in the city. The school enjoys a fine reputation here and elsewhere. The Catholics of Frederick will always be grateful to the good Sisters of the Visitation; the poorer classes have especial reason for gratitude, on account of the free school which the Nuns have always kept up for the needs of the parish. In I 848, Fr. Charles H. Stonestreet became the successor of Fr. Lilly. The assistants at different times during the two years were Frs. Bague, Finotti and Ciampi. The col- I . �St. :John's Clwrcli and Residence, Frederick,'Md. I8I lege still went on with its usual success; indeed, many things might be said concerning the earnest endeavors of the new president to advance the academic standing of St. John's; we are forced, however, to omit them. The church in the meantime was well attended to. A remarkable event, the sudden restoration to health of a person in the last stage of consumption, deserves to be recorded. This favor was obtained through the prayers of Prince Hohenlohe. The Father who attended the invalid brought her the Holy Communion at 4 o'clock on the morning of the day fixed upon by the Prince. As soon as ·the sick person had communicated, health was restored. About a year afterwards, the malady returned through imprudence. Again the invalid said she would like to ask for her recovery, and asserted that she thought she had faith enough to obtain it ; but the Father, knowing the dangers she was exposed to when in good health, advised her not to ask for the favor. During the presidency of Fr. Stonestreet, the Very Rev. Francis Dzierozynski, who was looked upon by all as a saintly man, died at the residence. The following extract from the Catlto!ic Almanac of I85 I will show how highly he was esteemed by those who knew him : "Died, September zzd, I850, at St. John's College, of the Society of Jesus, in Frederick city, Md., the Very Rev. Fr. Dzierozynski, S. J., in the 73d year of his age. "Fr. Dzierozynski was a native of Orsani in Poland, and was born on the 3d of June, I777· After the usual preparatory studies, in the pursuit of which he exhibited talents of a rare order, he, in obedience to the Divine call, entered the Novitiate of the Society of Jesus, August I 3th, I 794, at the early age of fifteen. Bringing with him as he did, to that school of heavenly wisdom, an unsullied innocence and purity of soul, it is not to be wondered ·that the foundation of a sanctity, conspicuous through the whole course of his after life, should have been laid deep in his heart. Associa- �' 182 I St. J'o/m's Clwrclz and Residmce, Fredenck, Md. ted, during his novitiate and scholasticate, with many ~f the surviving Fathers of the old Society, who were cherished in Russia, though outraged and condemned by all the the world beside, he may be regarded as forming one of the few remaining links that connected that noble race of spiritual giants with the successors of the renovated Society. As such his loss is severely felt by his younger brethren, who have been accustomed to hang upon his lips, to catch the soul-stirring traditions of their Fathers, and animate themselves to a generous rivalry in carrying out the spirit of their lofty vocation. "After the compktion of his probation, and consequent dedication of himself to the Spouse of souls, by the simple vows of the Society, he was applied by his superiors to the prosecution of the regular studies of the Order. Under the guidance of able professors, he spent one year in the study of Rhetoric; three years were given to the study of Mental Philosophy .and the Physical Sciences, and four years (the ordinary course of the Society) were devoted to Theology. "Of the advantages he derived from the facilities so abundantly supplied by the Society, those can best judge, who, in their familiar intercourse with him, have so often had occasion to admire the depth and variety of his attainments in every branch of sacred and profane learning. "After his ordination he was made professci~ 6f Theology in the University of Polosk, from the faculty of which he received the insignia of the Doctorate. "On the 2nd of February, 1812, he was admitted to the highest grade in the Society, and completed by his solemn profession the perfect sacrifice of himself to the service of God and His Vicar upon earth. "In the year 1820, the Russian Government, which had sheltered and cherished the Society of Jesus, during the storms that had so long raged against her in other portions of the world, turned fiercely upon her, and in the blindness of bigotry, drove forth the civilizer of its barbarous hordes, · to wander as exiles on the face of the earth. �' St. :John's Clmrclt and Residence, Freden'ck, Md. · '183 "Among these exiles were Fr. Dzierozynski and his faithfur companion, the lamented Sacchi. Italy' afforded them an asylum for awhile. On the 30th of June, 1821, the good Father and his friend embarked from Leghorn for the United States, and arrived in Georgetown on the 12th of November of the same year. Fr. Dzierozynski on his arrival was appointed professor of Mental Philosophy in Georgetown College. Whilst engaged in this office, he gained the friendship of John C. Calhoun, who would frequently visit the good father, for the purpose of gleaning from his conversation some of that philosophic lore for which the great .southerner had so keen a relish. "At the time of the arrival of Fr. Dzierozynski, the Society in this country had not assumed the regular form which it now possesses. All the Jesuits, both of the east and west, under the title of the "Mission of Maryland," were subject to the jurisdiction of a Superior, or Visitor, _ mostly resident at Georgetown. "Fr. Dzierozynski was appointed to this high trust on the I 3th of August, I 823, and in it he gave renewed evidence of his untiring zeal and love for the Society. When we consider that in addition to this extensive charge, the burden of forming the novices of the Order also fell on his shoulders, and that both were faithfully borne, we may judge of the indefatigable spirit of the man. "During this time, too, although but imperfectly acquainted with the English tongue, his ardent zeal for souls found occupation in missionary duty. Many an old christian in Montgomery county and elsewhere still speaks in tender terms of his labors among them, and recalls, in thanksgiving to God, the memory of solace and assistance afforded through his holy ministrations. "During his Superiorship, the present flourishing college of St. John's, Frederick city, was founded, and an impetus given to education in that town, which calls for the gratitude of its citizens. �184 St. Yo!tn's Clmrclz and Residettce, Frederick, Md. "On the 12th of November, 1830, he was succeeded m the Superiorship of the Mission by the celebrated Fr. Peter Kenny. Fr. Dzierozynski from that date until 1834 occupied the chair of Theology in Georgetown College, performing at the same time, the duties of Spiritual Father of the house and Chaplain and Confessor of the Sisters of the Visitation of Georgetown. "The "Mission of Maryland" by this time acquired the form of a regnlar province of the Society, and the late Fr. \Villiam McSherry was appointed its first Provincial. "In December, 1834, Fr. Dzierozynski was sent to take charge of the Novitiute in Frederick. To this responsible trust he brought with him the matured fruits of long experience in religious life and a sanctity so conspicuous in all his actions, though perfectly unobtrusive, as to gain him more than an ordinary degree of love and veneration on the part of his spiritual children. "On the death of Fr. McSherry in 1840, Fr. Dzierozynski was appointed to the Provincialship. During his term of office, the· College of Holy Cross of \Vorcester, Mass., was founded.~ Fr. Dzierozynski was succeeded in the Provincialship by the Very Rev. Fr. James Ryder, in 1843. He - was again made Master of Novices in 1844, which office he held until 1846, when he retired to the re!lldence of St. John's of Frederick. Almost worn out, b.:;t 'not satiated with labors, he continued to perform the duties of Spiritual Director of the community and Confessor of the Nuns of the Visitation from 1846, nearly up to the time of his death._ The good Sisters of the Visitation mourn his loss as that of a father, for in his extraordinary charity and never failing cheerfulness they saw the semblance of their own amiable founder, the sainted De Sales. The young aspirant to the holy Institute of Ignatius, weeps for his privation, for in Father Francis* he had lost a guide and a model in the following of Jesus." * Though he had been in the Society fifty-eight years, he used to ask the novices to pray for his perseverance. �St. :Jo!tn's Clmrclt and Residence, Frederick, llfd. 185 Fr. Thomas l\Iulledy was appointed the successor of Fr. Stonestreet at the end of 1850. Under his administration it became necessary to expel so large a number of students from the college that it began to decline and has since· been used merely as a school for the city. The president of the college was now known as the pastor of the church. The Superiors after Fr. Mulledy were Frs. Villiger, Samuel Barber, Hippolyte De Neckere, Blenkinsop and McAtee. The assistants during this period from 1853 to 186o, were at different times, Frs. Bague, Duddy and Tuffer. In 1860, the residence on Church Street was rented out and the Fathers and Brothers connected with the Church and college took up their abode in the Novitiate, where they have since remained. The events of the decade from 186o to 1870 were the ordinary ones of a parish. There was, however, an episode, caused by the war. One of the greatest battles of the struggle was fought at Antietam, only seventeen miles from Frederick, and many of the wounded soldiers were brought to the city. A part of the Novitiate was used as a hospital; and the Fathers and Scholastics gave great assistance to the suffering. During the three months that the Novitiate was used as a hospital, besides a good number of Catholics prepared for death, about one hundred and forty Protestants were received into the Church. Again in 1864, after the battle of the l\'Ionocacy, when the barracks were turned into a hospital, thirty-five Protestants were baptized and some Catholics received the last Sacraments. The pastors who followed Fr. Sourin who had charge of the church from 1860 to 1870, were Frs. O'Kane, Smith, Jenkins, Ciampi, Fulmer and lastly Fr. Stonestreet, who, after an absence of twenty-five years, has returned to the congregation as its parish priest. The outlying missions during all these years have not been neglected. New churches have been built and the old ones enlarged. Five years ago the present pastor of the VoL. v-No. 3· 24 �r86 St. 7o!uz's Clmrclt and Residwcc, Frederick, Md. missions* concluded to build a small church in Middletown, a place seven miles from Frederick. It was needed; as many poor persons were hindred from attending Mass on account of the distance to any church. But Middletown was considered a bitter Protestant place. In fact, several well-intentioned people advised the Father not to attempt • the work, as the church might be burned down by the ill- . disposed inhabitants of the town. He thought otherwise, and engaged at first a room in a private house, where he said Mass now and then. Later on, the church was erected, · and, to this day, if we except a few shouts from the boys, when they saw the priest for the first time, not a disagreeable word has been noticed. \Vhen the church was dedicated, the Protestants offered the benches from one of their churches for the accommodation of the audience. A remarkable incident occurred about this time, which must have served to lessen any prejudice that might have existed. In a Dunkard family, far up on the mountain, seven or eight miles from the tmvn, there was a young lady who had been confined to bed for many years by an incurable malady. Medical science had failed, and she had been told to make up her mind to eke out the few remaining years ·of her life in pain and sorrow. By somt> good fortune she heard of the new church, which was beint: built'in the town, and, having previously received some crude ;;otions about the faith and especially in regard to the Real Presence, conceived the idea that if she became a Catholic and partook of Holy Communion, a miracle might be performed by our Lord in her favor. This idea she clung to the more steadfastly, as, by some meams, she had heard of the great wonders which were being wrought so frequently by the water of Lourdes. Accordingly, she one day asked her father to send for the priest to cure her. He laughed at her. She asked her brother, and he at first was unwilling, but when he saw her always insisting on the same thing, he made up *Fr. John Gaffney. He succeeded Fr. Tulfer about ten years ago. �St. 7olm's Clwrclt and Residence, -Frederick, .ftfd. I 87 his mind to do what was asked of him.. The priest was called; he instructed the young woman and received her into the Church. On the day of her Communion, though previously she had been confined to her bed for years and was weak to such a degree that she was perfectly helpless, yet as soon as she received the Blessed Sacrament new life, was infused into her withered limbs and soon she was able to arise from her bed and walk across the room. In a few days the invalid was quite well. Last October she was con- · firmed. The Most Rev. Archbishop having heard of the cure, sent for the young lady, in order to see the person who had received such favors from the Almighty. Recently a small church was built near the town of Urbana. It was dedicated during the last summer. It is intended in a great measure for a colony of colored people that have settled in the neighborhood. The village inhabited by them is quite a Catholic place. The bell is rung twice a day for prayers, and on Sundays, when there is.no, Mass, one of the men who is better instructed, assembles all the people and reads the prayers for Mass and instructs the chilrlren in the catechism. Whenever the priest makes his appearance in the village, all, old and young, hasten to do him reverence and ask his blessing. Some have indulged in gloomy forebodings in regard to Catholicity in Frederick city and county. This view they have taken, no doubt, from the fact that many have been lost to the Church by mixed marriages and other causes. \Ve should not despond so readily. In 18oo, the Catholics in Frederick county had a small room for a chapel; and now they have nine churches, some of them quite large .. And this is more consoling from the fact that there has.been very little emigration to Frederick county, whilst we know that a large number of Catholics have moved away to other parts of the country.* * During the last ten years many Catholics have been reclaimed and a number of Protestants converted to the faith by the pastors of St. John's, and the Fathers on the missions. �r88 The :Jesuits in Cincinnati. And this ends our history of St. John's Church and Residence, Frederick, Md. It is an imperfect one, but imperfect as it is, no little labor has been spent on it-labor that was the harder as the data were few and difficult to obtain, and as the time for the work had to -be snatched from the well-filled up day of a Father of the third probation. THE JESUITS IN CINCINNATI. ( Contiuued.) In the year 1852 there is mention made in the history of the house of a temporal coadjutor, \Villiam Hayes, who possessed the ~virtue of meekness, silence and modesty in an eminent degree, and fell a victim to cholera. The names of only one hundred and ninety-two students adorn the records of the college this year. The free school was never without four hundred or five hund-red. Of the latter more than three hundred made their first communion at this time, and fourteen persons were converted to the faith by Ours. Whilst speaking of the schools, it may as well be remarked here that of late years the smaller boys have been taught by lady teachers." who are found more devoted as well as better able to form the little fellows of the parish to docility and piety. · How they are to be pitied, those poor children, whose home is an abode of wretchedness and want-by whom made such it is nOt for me to say-whose minds flash forth �The :Jesuits m Cincinnati. at times the spark of mother-wit and whose hearts are_ filled with deep-seated love of goodness second only to that which they bear to the Catholic faith and the priest. Diamonds in the rough! their lack of cultivation is their greatest sin, for their home education has almost made them believe boorishness a virtue. Have I not seen them take by the hand and press around a poor, forsaken, dirt-begrimed "lost child" in the streets, thrusting their pennies, their bread and molasses into his hand to make him forget that he had lost his mother and cause him to dry his swelling tears ! How they patted his innocent little cheeks, with fatherly affection offering him their services, when other boys brimful of social politeness passed on unheeding. But here is a sample of the adventurous disposition and romantic taste which the parish school had to deal with. After the terrible battle of Shiloh, one of the parochial school boys misled by older chums was enticed from home and induced to take passage with them on a steamboat to go down the river and see for himself the scene of hostilities at Pittsburg Landing. Alarmed at his unexpected dis· appearance, his father makes inquiries only to find that his charming boy has left home in search of adventure, and was by this far from the reach of the paternal rod. The telegraph is brought into requisition and the police in a river town, where the boat was likely to stop, were instructed to put a quietus on the young knight-errant's aspirations. On arriving at the designated place, the· little fellow, in stepping off the steamer in the darkness of night, falls into the river. Twice he rises to the surface and is on the point of sinking for the last time, when he providentially grasps the wheel of the boat and clings to it with the tenacity of death. He is carried round two or three times with the revolving wheel, crying out all the time as best he could, "Stop the wheel!" His cries are at length heard, the wheel stopped and he rescued from a watery grave. Thus alive and safe the prodigal returns home even more joyfully than he had �Tlze :Jesuits in Cincinnati. , departed, consoling his parents no less by his improved behavior ,than by his safe return, causing every one who had heard of the incident to say that it was miraculous. It is easy to understand after this how far the independent spirit of "Young America" had invaded the breasts, even of the youngest, in those perilous war times, when watchfulness was relaxed at home, virtue imperiled abroad and rascality reduced to a systematic science by youthful thieves and desperadoes who took Jack Shepherd and the Forty Thieves for their accomplished models. 'vVe come now to what must be called the second period of our labors in Gipcinnati, when a notable change took place in the management of the college. In 1853, Fr. Baudreaux succeeded in the Rectorship Fr. Carrell, who was appointed Bishop of Covington. Heretofore the students had mostly been boarders, but the number constantly decreasing, so as not to justify the continuance of a boarding college, it was determined to receive henceforth none !Jut day scholars. This was beginning a new era, or rather it was equivalent to beginning anew. 'vVhat had hitherto been done counted-for little or nothing. Then came the darkest hour (and may we not say at the same time the most glorious days?) of St. Xavier's existence. But with renewed energy they labored on to make the college _prosper in its new sphere, sparing for the purpose neither efforts nor toil. Had he known the circumstances and the sacrifices made by the faculty to keep alive the sacred flame of knowledge, at a time when none but God smiled upon their efforts, common charity might have suggested to Mr. Foote to spare himself the trouble and others the pain of this sentence in his work on the Schools of Cincinnati : "The College of St Xavier has not been an exception to the remark respecting the colleges generally of America and Europe, that they have exhibited extraordinary powers of standing still,,while everything else is in rapid progress." - - But St. Xavier's was not so badly off after all: "the col- It'' �Tlze :Jesuits in Cincinnati. leges generally of America and Europe" kept it company, according to our patronizing friend. And yet only a few lines above he strenuously opposed the giving of any aid to our schools. If beings of flesh and blood could live on air, or zeal, instead of the "nickels," defray incidental expenses, I dare say western Catholic colleges could cope on pretty equal terms with any institution here. Even as itis, ours is not behind hand. But air is very unsubstantial diet for the ordinary run of men, and money cannot conveniently be dispensed with when there is question of paying taxes. Next came Fr. Oakly as Rector. Pardon an allusion which flows so naturally: what. a rendezvous of former Rectors young Chicago has become! At the present writing (Jan. '76.) there are in that city no less than three Fathers who were once Superiors here; for the honored names of Frs. De Blieck, Oakly and Shultz adorn its status. In addition the Superior of the Missions makes Chicago his headquarters. For good measure St. Louis University has contributed Fr. Verdin, and the whole Province, not to be behind hand, has given her a former Provincial to look to her spiritual interests. But to return to the thread of our story. The new Rector seemed to feel that not only the condition of the college should be improved, but the whole position of Ours in this city should be made more influential and commanding. Accordingly the college building underwent a renovation and it was determined to begin at once the erection of a new church. Old St. Xavier's Church had long since ceased to be the Cathedral, for St. Peter's, on Plum and Eighth streets, ' had been consecrated in 1844, Cardinal McClosky, then Bishop of Albany, preaching the dedication sermon. It is now valued at over $200,000, exclusive of the ground, seats over twelve hundred persons, and is quite rich in pictures. One of the latter, representing St. Peter's delivery from prison, possesses historic as well as artistic value. It was one of the four M urillos taken from the Cathedral of Se- • �The :Jesuits in Cincinnati. ville, during the Peninsular war, by l\Iarshal Soult, and given on his return to Paris to Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon's uncle. \Vhen in 1824 Bishop Fenwick was in Paris; this picture was presented to him by the Cardinal, and is now one of the chief glories of art in America. Another painting, which has also quite a history, is an Italian work dating · from the Sixteenth century and a copy of the original now . in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. It would take us too far from our course to mention other facts of interest connected with St. Peter's. St. Xavier's, in 186o, with its mournfully interesting history, is more than \\"tl can.do justice to. Some evil genius must have presided over the destruction of the old church, for truly it was a work of destruction. The old edifice could not give way to the new without a holocaust of lives. I was a boy at the time the accident happened, and I remember how, a few moments after the north wall had fallen, I rushed in with all the recklessness of a child, without a thought of other walls towering above me, which, for aught I knew, might hav~ been as insecure as the one which had just crushed out the lives of thirteen fellow beings, sending them to an untimely account. Little did I think that some unfortunate laborer might at that very moment be breathing out in agony his last act of contrition bene,;Hh the very bricks on which I stood in gaping wonder. On! it was an awful scene and a crushing blow to our good Fathers whose hopes were blasted and spirits crushed. The papers of the day stated that no contract was given out for the demolition of the building, in order that employment might be given to members of the congregation. Yet their best intentions were perverted. The plan adopted for taking down the church was that of undermining a portion of the wall and letting it fall into the interior. No .precaution was taken against accident by "shoving" the wall, as its insecurity seems to have been the last thing thought of by Ours, much less by the contractors and work- �T!te 7esuits in Cincimza,tz: 193 men who had taken down buildings in that way hundreds of times. The usual number of post factum prophets, however, had foreseen the result, though they kept the knmvledge locked up in their bosoms. , The work of undermining commenced on Tuesday and at nightfall was nearly completed. \Vould to God that it. had been finis/zed I for had it not been left to settle and sway from the perpendicular during the heavy rains of Wednesday and strong winds of \Vednesday night, the catastrophe would not have happened. A few strokes of the pick and the removal of a few bricks on Thursday morning sealed the fate of the laborers. Whilst the bodies were being rapidly disinterred, the sound of the pick and spade in the hands of more than a hundred eager toilers was drowned in the cries of weeping wives and children, who waited in terrible suspense, hoping against hope that their dear ones might have escaped. Who does not know what it is to see the mangled mass of bleeding members which can scarcely be recognized as human after they have been drawn from the cruel mass of brick and mortar? One woman was said to have become insane before night, owing to the loss of her husband. A little boy going to school heard of the accident, not knowing that his father was at work there ; .he came over to gratify his curiosity. Whilst standing near looking on, he saw the body of his father taken from the ruins, and instantly recognizing it, cast away his books with a shriek and threw himself on the mangled remains. The scene caused a cessation in the labor of recovery, for there were few who witnessed it that did not have to wipe away the tear of sympathy for that agonized heart. A young woman with an infant in her arms and a child apparently about two years old tugging at the skirt of her dress, with hair dishevelled and horror-stricken countenance, burst through the surrounding crowd, which instinctively opened to afford a passage to one whose appearance too surely proclaimed her right to explore VoL. v-No. 3· 25 �194 Tlze :Jesuits in Cincinnati. _ the scene of misery. In one glance she had drunk in the full extent of her loss-she was a widow and her little ones were fatherless. "0 John," said she, and those who heard her despairing accents did not soon forget them, "I parted from you this morning with an unkind word upon my tongue!" The Cincinnati Ga:::ette must have been then a different paper from what it is now. In an editorial we find the following: "Terrible as is the accident, and lamentable as it is that precaution had not been taken against it, we must not be too hasty in condemning those to whose charge the work was committed. Their distress is doubtless poignant enough without being made more so by an uncharitable judgment. Men of greater experience, not dreaming of danger, are often overwhelmed with equally sudden and unlooked for calamities, and made the innocent subjects of no less fearful responsibility, and until we are more wise and prudent than we are, we may always expect the occasional recurrence of like mournful scenes. Those who are in the most haste to judge and condemn, would probably in the same circumstances have committed the same unfortunate oversight." Some of the Fathers had a narrow escape,:one of them having just left the interior of the church \vhen the crash came. The man who had charge of the work, appeared before the coroner's jury and asked the privilege of making some further statements, in which he corroborated the testimony given by the pastor, and freely acknowledged that none other save he was at fault or to blame. \Vas not this a heroic act of charity at a trying moment? During these troubles, the minds of men were so much affected that it was deemed necessary to have our house guarded by the police. But all danger happily passed away. This calamity, was scarce forgotten when the civil war broke out. Its ·effect upon us was indirect and mainly fi- �The ·:resuits in Cincinnati. 195 nancial. Considerable dc:bts had been contracted in putting up the church, in the hope that the contributions of the peoplt; would in course of time prove adequate to its liquidation. This hope proved fallacious; for, with the greatest good will possible, the parishioners were unable to afford any very substantial assistance. Things looked dark enough for awhile, but the clouds cleared away at last, to such a degree, that twenty or thirty thousand dollars more would now finish the magnificent steeple in contemplation and partially completed. It is of Beuna Vista free stone, of which the church front is constructed, and will be 320 feet in height from the ground. For several years its outward appearance was marred by an unsightly weather-board cover over the buttress weathering just where the steeple ought to begin, while the steps approaching the church doors were of wood. The twenty-fifth anniversary of Fr. Driscoll's pastorship, about two years ago, was the occasion of resuming the work, the parishioners having presented him on that occasion quite a neat little purse for the purpose. As it stands to-day, the top of the church is 207 feet from the ground. When completed, St. Xavier's spire will be 325 feet high, .far overtopping, not only the highest steeples in the city, but even in the whole country. By way of comparis<m let us remark that the height of the Cathedral of Cologne is 5or feet; dome of St. Peter's, 457 feet; St. Paul's, London, 365 feet; and passing to the new world the Capitol of Wash-. ington is 287 feet; Trinity Church, N. Y., 286 feet; Bunker Hill Monument, 221 feet. Of course the comparison is . merely in point of height, for in massiveness, grandeur and ·costliness St. Xavier's can bear no competition with many inferior architectural works which have not been mentioned. The church proper, to the point where the steeple begins, , is 105 feet from the ground, measuring from its base to the floor of the church nearly seven feet. In the centre, above the base courses of the front, are two elaborately cut panels �The 7esuits in Cincinnati. under two Louvre windows. Above this the buttresses reach back with weatherings, and then continue unbroken, finishing with four large dragons, four by six feet, so arranged, the curious tell us, as to catch all the rain which passes through their mouths. In the centre of each front is a large clock dial, nine feet in diameter, and within, the bell and clock room with space enough for a chime of twenty-four bells. The base at the floor of the bell room is twenty-six feet square, with buttresses projecting seven feet at an angle of forty-five degrees. The small size of the base in comparison with the immense height will give an idea how light and graceful the steeple will be. Even in its unfinished state the church, as seen from Mt. Lookout or Eden Park, compares very favorably with the other churches of the city. The famous hand-steeple of the First Presbyterian Church on Fourth street, the highest in the city, measures from the ground to its extreme top only 285 feet, and it is not of stone either. The next highest is the cathedral, an object of pride to our citizens and satisfaction to the cultured stranger. In its perfect Corinthian proportions, long an architectural monument and harmonious offering to taste and beauty and grace, it rises 245 feet. A temporary metallic cupola, costing somewhat less than $I ,ooo, surmounts the portion of th.e steeple already finished. During the summer of I 87 5··if was struck by lightning, but beyond the derangement of a few iron bolts and demolition of some water spouts, but little damage resulted. \Vhat still remains to be done will consist of open stone work embellished with gothic tracery of the most elegant and elaborate kind. It will be strengthened by an interior framework of wrought iron rings, anchors,· etc. As very little work of this character has been done this side of the Atlantic, great difficulty was experienced in obtaining' estimates from builders, who knew that rare skill was required, but had no criterion by which to judge the cost. To prevent injury to the completed work, all the �T!te :Jesuits in Cincinnati. 1 97 hoisting has been done from within by means of steam power and a double-boom derrick. A stairway leads to the present cupola and wil1 be continued up to 234 feet, whence, through little gothic windows can be had the finest imaginable view of the city, the hills that gird it, the prospect of the neighboring cities and the Kentucky highlands. \Vhen will the work be completed, is a problem that may be reduced to a question in proportion: If it takes fifteen years to build three-fourths of a church, what time will be required to complete it? \Vhilst the steeple contractors were engaged in their operations, a strange attempt was made to do injury. On a Saturday night, when the usual number of penitents were going to confession, two men who were leaving the church noticed smoke issuing from some material in the vestibule. On removing some sacks of cement, they found a wicker basket on fire. They had scarcely thrown it into the street when a loud explosion followed. An examination of the debris showed that five one-pound cans of powder and a can of coal oil had been wrapped in cotton batting and ignited. The mystery was never unravelled. If it was some miscreant who wished to injure the church he must have been wonderfully ignorant, for the quantity of explosive substance was laughably small. If he was a religious fanatic, who desired to injure the parishioners, he nearly succeeded with the two men who discovered the basket. The most probable explanation is that it was an attempt to do harm to the contractors, for the ropes leading to their scaffolding were · found saturated with oil, but even had they caught fire little damage could have accrued to the stone work. During the administration of Fr. Schultz, beginning in r861, owing to the circumstances of the time no less than the unsettled state of everything which ought to be stable, Ours were more than usually exposed to dangers and difficulties from without; but at the same time they labored more than ever to acquire from within the virtues they �Tlze :Jesuits in Czitczimati. needed and to breathe into their efforts the spirit of union. Happily, Very Rev. Fr. Sopranis came as Visitor at the time, and whilst edifying all with his virtues confirmed them in their good undertakings and left .many a memorial of his experience and prudence. After the breaking out of the war, and even before it, the number of students for several years never reached higher than a hundred. The cause of this falling off may in great measure be attributed to the position as well as location of the college. The building had grown old and dilapidated, quite behind the time; in fact, so that even under the most favorable circumstances it was inadequate to the purposes for which it was intended and applied. But now especially that the church had risen up close beside it, one-half of the house was left in almost Egyptian darkness. It was no unusual occurrence to carry on school by lamplight even in the middle of the day. It will surprise all except those who have lived in Cincinnati (sometimes a few days residence is sufficient to learn the lesson), to know that gas must often be used even in the best lighted apartments till eight o'clock in the morning, and ·in the afternoon as early as four. If the weather happens to be rainy, independent of the clouds of smoke in which the factories continually shroud us, one can scarcely read with ease i.IJ' his room at midday. Visitors sometimes pass several days -without being able to catch a glimpse of the extent of the city from any of the steeples or hills, owing to the smoke. One of the blessings of this manufacturing city is that you can see it decently as a whole only on Sundays or national holidays. As to keeping clean that is next to impossible. The ground on which the city is built being somewhat in the shape of an amphitheatre, surrounded by hills on all sides except the south, where the river flows majestically along, cannot readily extend beyond the several ranges; so that little or no space is allowed for gardens or vacant lots, whilst the strictest economy in occupying ground by means of large, high �T!ze :Jesuits ill Cincinnati. 199 buildings is everywhere visible, especially where property is most valuable. In fact, in the business portion of the city, you will find whole squares of immense stone-front houses, built very compactly together and rather poorly lighted naturally, especially when in narrow streets such as Pearl. To make matters worse for us, the portion of the city north and east of our college was perfectly deluged with factories, the smoke of which, when the wind blows strong from that direction, can almost be cut with a knife. A gentleman actually held up his umbrella one day to protect his face and eyes from soot. \Ve seem to have been established in a very unfortunate neighborhood, for in the rear of the church is a refinery which uses charcoal so extensively that it goes by the name of the "charcoal factory," and the alley which separates our property from that delectable spot, "charcoal alley." Not far off is a tenement house, which has been denominated by Ours from time immemorial as "Noah's Ark." Comment unnecessary. Most of our students come from other parts of the city than our own parish, quite a number being from Covington and Newport, across the river in Kentucky. Of the classical course, the five upper classes, containing in the aggre- . gate more than seventy boys, about one-tenth are from our parish. They are nearly all Catholics, and mostly of German parentage. As a class, the students are quick, intelligent and extremely studious, often needing to be restrained rather than urged on. Piety always finds a grateful soil in their bosoms, for they listen with docility and try to practise what they are taught. Sodalities among them have always subsisted and borne rare fruit in the way of good morals and discipline. Obedience and respect to superiors are. their characteristic virtues, which make it an easier task for a teacher to be interested and devoted in the discharge of his duties; but rivalry sometimes springs up between the classes and results in an inconvenience much to be regretted and difficult to root out. Truth will not suffer us to lay �200 Tlte :Jesuits ill Cincinnati. claim to all this good ; since, though it flows partly from our efforts, it is mainly due to the care of parents and the genuine christian example and training they receive at home. For there are in this city a number of admirable Catholic families, often in but moderate circumstances, from which issue forth youth whose mature virtue might cause a religious to blush. Year by year God blesses the efforts of many such families, granting them prosperity and even wealth. With more ample means at our disposal, at a time when \vell conducted and ·appointed public schools offer a high bid for public patronage; with a better location and extensive builClings, the amount of good possible appears almost incalculable. After these statements, is it a matter of surprise that St. Xavier College has of late years been a nursery for Jesuit novices? One-third of the Scholastics in the Missouri Province at present (thirty-three out of one hundred and four), were educated wholly or partially at St. Xavier's, or received thereat the influence which determined them to become Jesuig. Nearly all of these were born and brought up in this country, though of German or Irish descent. Though the sketch of our rise and progress here seems - little better than a chapter of accidents and difficulties, it is agreeable to note the abundant fruits which "h<l.ve resulted from our labors. Where the numberless obstacles in our way seemed to doom our efforts to lasting sterility, God has raised up around us a generation that blesses the womb which bore them. No mean share of the young secular clergy of this city and vicinity received their classical training at our college, and still keep up the friendly relations , which have always subsisted between them and their Alma Mater. To foster the spirit of piety among the parishioners, numerous sodalities have been established. Their number is not less than terr, to suit the varied conditions of age, sex �'Tlte :Jesuits m Cincinnati. 201 and social standing. The prosperous state of the parish is in great measure due to the spirit of fervor a~d emulation which seems their peculiar heritage. Human respect disappears like morning mist before the sun in the presence of their regular and public frequentation of the Sacraments, nor do even the young blush to give evident and unmistakable public signs of their zeal and liberality, when christian charity and the call of mercy asks a helping hand. Several of the sodalities for women hold their meetings at and under the immediate care of the Sisters of Notre Dame, whose convent is about a square from the church. One of our fathers is the Director, and in matters of moment regulates what is to be done; for the rest, everything goes on just as well under the guidance of a nun, and the father is left more free to attend to his other duties. But the labors of Ours were never confined within the limits of our own parish. The hospitals and public institutions always claimed a share of attention. For more than ten years one devoted father wasted his strength and undermined his life in the service of the miserable beings in the pest-house and similar institutions. The results were immense, the conversion of sinners to penance and of heretics to the true faith being almost as wonderful as they were frequent. Ex uno disce omncs. There was in one of these establishments an infidel, or better, an upright pagan, whose happy fortune was a bright example of the preventing grace of God. The father, after explaining in brief as best he could (for h.e knew better the language of zeal than the beauties of our stern Anglo-Saxon), the principal points of the Christian Doctrine, asked the man if he desired to be baptized, but he would not. Shortly after, however, struck by some sudden light from heaven arid taught interiorly what Baptism really was, for he never knew before, he begged to be received among the children of God. After his conversion, evil counsellors about him thought to take advantage of his bodily weakness to influence his languishing VoL. v-No. 3· 26 �202 Mission of Goslzenlwppm. mind, so that he might at least profess to be a Protestant. But behold how wonderful God is in his works! Lying in his weary bed, sick unto death, he suddenly saw himself ~urrounded by a bright light and Jesus Himself showing His Heart from which flamed forth- burning fires of grace divine. Touched by the sight, he was so filled with consolation and strengthened in his newly acquired faith that to all his tempters he only answered, "I know now that there is but one road to heaven"-and that path he followed. (To be continued.) HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MISSION OF GOSHENHOPPEN, NOW CHURCHVILLE, PA. Drawn from tlze Archives of the Mission, and from tlte Personal Expen"ence of Rev. Aug. Bally, S. 7., who has been connected tlzerewitlz for forty years. The tract of land belonging to the Mission of Goshenhappen consisted at first of three hundred and seventy-three acres and one hundred perches, and was bought by the Rev. Joseph Greaton, S. J., Clerk or Pn.cst of Plziladclpltia, from Thomas and Richard Penn, true and lawful proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania and Governors of the counties of New Castle, Kent, etc. Its price was fifty-seven pounds, eighteen shillings and three pence. The patent of this tract, with the Proprietaries' seal attached, is kept at Loyola College, Baltimore, Md. ; a copy being preserved at the mission, bearing date of August 3. A. D. 1752. A second tract of a hundred and twenty-two acres was bought from �l'rfission of Gosltmlzoppm. 203 Ulrick Beidler by Rev. Francis Neale, S. J., in 1747, the deed of which is also at Loyola in Baltimore, and a copy thereof is kept at the mission. From time to time, \vith permission of the proper authorities, portions of this land were sold to increase the funds necessary for the other undertakings throughout the province; nor was this a loss to the Goshenhoppen Mission, but rather an advantage, as the sales being in small lots generally, gave an opportunity to several, who could purchase only on a small scale, of acquiring little freeholds in the immediate vicinity of the mission, and of thus establishing what is now the thriving little village of Omrcltville. As far back as 1741, and even prior to that date, Fr. Farmer and other priests of St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia, made missionary visits to the Goshenhoppen district, then Hereford Township, Philadelphia county, now Washington Township, Berk's county. As we have seen, it was not long after this that Fr. Greaten purchased the mission property from the Penns. In 1741, Rev. Theodore Schneider, S. J., a Gennan, fixed· his residence at Goshenhoppen, and with the assistance of the few Catholic neighbors, and also of the Mennonites, built the first little church. Fr. Schneider, to reward the poor sectaries for their charitable aid, gave back to them their meeting house and an acre of land that had become his by purchase. The register 9f baptisms, marriages and burials begins to date from this year, 1741. The entries are legibly written and the volume is in a good state of preservation. It has frequently appeared as evidence, to prove the validity of marriages, in the courts of Philadelphia, Lancaster and elsewhere, and has more than once evoked the encomiums of judges on the diligence ·of the Church in recording these sacred contracts. As seen from these records, Fr. Schneider's mission embraced the provinces of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New �204 .Jfission of Goslzenlzoppm. York. His labors were directed to almost every part of this vast field; his visits were as frequent as he could make them, and his invariable conveyance, a horse, which was the best means of passing to distant points available to the missionaries of those days. Owing to the bigotry of the times and the open persecution that was often practised, he found it necessary, eager missionary as he was, to travel under the guise of a physician; and hence it was, that Fr. Schneider was more generally known and received as a medical doctor than as a priest. His extensive mission kept him, during the less severe seasons, almost constantly from home. During the~winter he was unable to travel much, but his time at home appears to have been little less occupied than that which he had spent away from it. Among the many labors that he accomplished while at home, he wrote out entire, in a good, legible hand, two copies of the Roman ~lfissal. Since we may safely say that one so occupied would not h~ve done this for mere pastime, we may learn from his having labored so much in the copying, the scarcity of even these necessary books at a period so recent. One of these Missals was brought by Fr. Thomas Mulledy, then Provincial, to Georgetown College library, where it may now be seen. And in these days of ours, when there is ;;o much intemperate and ill-argued disputation on th; question of schools, it is not without interest to note that this old Jesuit missionary, amid the multiplicity of his occupations, found time, and ·in his one apartment, room to teach a school, which was eagerly attended by the few children of both Catholics and Protestants. Not very long ago, when the public schools were by law established in the vicinity, some were found who were narrow-minded and ungrateful enough to wish to ignore the memories of a century, and the sterling patronage given by the Catholic Church during that. time, to education, when it was altogether neglected �Jl1ission of Goslzenlzoppcn. 205 even by the ancestors of those who now clamor against the vital interests of that Church. But a sense of justice in the public authorities and their clear-sighted gratitude for benefits conferred when they cost dear, caused them to remember the old school of Fr. Schneider. They made an annual appropriation, by which the Catholic teacher should be paid for the four winter months' tuition out of the township treasury, as the public school teachers are paid. After a laborious missionary life of twenty-four years, Fr. Schneider fell mortally sick. He was alone; and it was only the charity of a neighbor that procured for him the consolations of religion that during his long apostolate he had brought to the death-bed of so many of the early settlers of the Quaker State. This charitable parishioner rode post-haste to Philadelphia, and informed Fr. Farmer of the extremity of his brother in religion. The brother priest was not slow to answer the call of his brother, and on the IOth of July 1764, Fr. Schneider died, full of years and rich in the merits of a zealous missionary life, having previously received all the consolations of our holy religion. He was buried in our little church by Fr. Farmer, who then· returned to St. Joseph's, Philadelphia. The inscription on Fr. Schneider's tomb is as follows: "Hie jacct Rev. Tlzeodorus SchJZeider, S. 7. Missionis ltzljits Fmzdator. Obiit IOa :Julii I764. ktatis 62. Missioms 24. R.I.P." The following in connection with this early missionary cannot be without interest, forcing upon us, as it does, the reality of our own not very remote relations with times and people, when and amongst whom principles were held and things done that we look upon, either as almost impossible or as worthy only of the dark ages. A certain John Kuhns, whose father lived here in the time of Fr. Schneider, related to me, on the authority of his father, that Fr. Schneider~ was one of three priests, on whose heads was set a reward of £so by the Governor of the province of New York, because, forsooth, he was informed that the missionaries were emis- �2o6 .ftfissi'on -of Goshmhoppm. saries of foreign powers, sent to alienate the colonists from their allegiance to the British crown. The accused went themselves to the Governor, disavowed any such intention, showed on the contrary that their presence and labors among the people would be the surest means of attracting to the province the great number of emigrants who professed the Catholic faith; and, in a word, fully cleared themselves of the calumnious imputation. The order was, consequently, revoked. No mention of this occurrence is made in Fr. Schneider's writings. I give it on the authority cited. In the baptismal registry is the following entry: "Ego Joannes Baptista De Ritter, S. J., 14 a Julii. 1765, baptizavi," etc.; from which it appears that the second priest, who attended this mission, Fr. De Ritter, came here about a year after Fr. Schneider's death. The same extent of territory was still to be visited, and Fr. De Ritter was in consequence seldom to be found at home. Many old people who made their first communion in his time and who remember him well, tell of him, that on his almost uninterrupted journeyings, he would never take his much needed repose in a bed; - but, with his saddle for a pillow, a little straw and a blanket, he was satisfied with a short rest, that was at once a necessary refreshment after the past, and a prepar'!tion for the coming day's labor. All speak of him as an 'Indefatigable laborer in our little vineyard, where he died F ebrary 3d, 1787. His remains rest under our church. On his deathbed, it is thought, he received spiritual aid from Philadel- phia, though no record of his burial is made in the Register. This, however, may have been forgotten, and the visit from St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, made to the dying pastor, all the same. On his tombstone, which, like Fr. Schneider's, was erected by Rev. Paul Ernsten, is read: "Hie jacet Rev. :Joan. Bapt. De Ritter, S. J. Obiit 3" Feb. I787. /Etatis 70. il1issioms 20. R. I. P.': As Fr. Ernsten came to the mission as early as April, 1793, he must have been familiar with the �Mission of Gosltcnlwppm. _ circumstances attending Fr. De Ritter's death, after which we find no other Jesuit of the old Society stationed at Goshenhoppen. During the succeeding years, and while the suppression_ of the Society lasted, our church registers attest the presence at different periods, and but for short intervals at a time, of two German priests. The first of these, Rev. Peter Helbron, being sent by Rev. Dr. Carroll, Superior of the Missions in the United States, came in October, 1787, a few months after the death of Fr. de Ritter, and went away in July, 1791. In August of this.year succeeded Rev. Nicholas Delvaux, who also left in February, 1793. It cannot be drawn from any document at our disposal that these two priests, or either of them, belonged to any religious Order. In their papers they are styled Missionaries, sent by Dr. Carroll, of Marlyland. Rev. Paul Ernsten succeeded Fr. Delvaux, and for twentyseven years labored in this mission, where finally he died. He belonged to a religious Order, probably the Franciscan. Although the extent of the mission had at this period been restricted to Pennsylvania, Fr. Ernsten's zeal found plenty of outlets within what now not unreasonably seems to us a very large parish ; i. e., all the country around our church, within a radius of from fifty to eighty miles. He came here in 1793, and there are yet those in our parish who remember him well and affectionately, and speak of him as always ready for a sick-call, stout, hearty, zealous missionary as he was. He improved the church much, and rented out the land. But death put an end to his long contin~ed toil and called him to the rest he would not seek on earth. Upon his falling ill, he sent to Philadelphia for Fr. De Barth, that he might receive the last consolations of religion. But the Angel of Death was speedier than the Church's minister, and before Fr. De Barth's arrival, Fr. Ernsten was found dead in his bed; in his hands, the Imitation of Clzrist, his finger marking the chapter that treats of our last end. �20S J}fission of Gosltc~zlwppm. He was buried in our church, a great concourse of all classes of people attending his solemn funeral, Protestants vying with Catholics in showing their respect for the memory of the deceased benefactor of their houses. The inscription on his tomb resembles that on those of his predecessors : "Hie Jacet Rev. Paul Ernstm. Obzit 20' 1liaii I8I8. Aitatis 53· 1lfissionis 27. R. I. P." Fr. De Barth applied to the court at Reading, Pa., for powers of administration of the effects of Paul Ernsten, deceased, and obtained them. All claims being settled, a considerable sum remained ;vhich was employed in improving the property by~ .building the large barn which still . stands upon it. This was an equitable disposition, as the deceased had drawn revenues from the land for a long term of years. From ISIS till October, ISig, the mission was attended by two secular priests; Fr. Schoenfelder, of Reading, and Fr. Brennewitz, a missionary who paid it some flying visits. In October,_ISig, Fr. Paul Kohlmann, S. J., brother of the well-known Anthony Kohlmann, S. J., arrived and remained till IS27. Under his auspices began to be held the regular ~hurch service in this mission; and the various practices of devotion that hitherto had been in use only from time to time, were now permanently established, the Angelus, the beads before late Mass on Sundays and holida'ys, and the like. He was a zealous and fervent propagator of the faith of which he was the minister; but while his unremitted labors. and salutary teaching gained for him the hearts of his Catholic children, they did not fail to arouse against him the hostility of.some of those who were outside the Church. These seemed to back their opposition on the fact that Fr. Kohlmann was candid and bold enough, without any indiscretion, we believe, to tell in true language· of the defection and the deceits of Martin Luther, among whose · misled followers many of those who now showed their dislike, could be numbered. �Mission of Goslzmlzoppm. Fr. Kohlmann was joined in 1822 by Fr. Boniface Curvin (Krawkoffski), S. J., a Pole, as his name indicates, who had come to the United States with Fr. Dzierozynski. Fr. Curvin being hale and strong, and fond too of riding on horseback, took charge of the outlying missions which, even at this late date, extended over a great part of Berk's, Buck's, Montgomery, Lehigh and Schuylkill counties, a circuit of fifty miles. Fr. Kohlmann took charge of the district immediately surrounding the mission house, till 1829, when he was called elsewhere by Superiors. The mission houst" of which we speak, it must be noticed, consisted of a single room, which, however, the two shared as brothers. The story goes, that they put up a sort of partition, which could not however remedy the difficulty that arose from the different temperaments of the fathers with regard to heat and cold, as there still remained only one wood stove to be heated according to the liking of both. Now good Fr. Curvin was from the land of the Cossack, while Fr. Kohlmann was more kindly affected to warm quarters. The latter, is is said, got the better of the bargain, as he had the partition so constructed, as to leave the stove door on his side the fence, whence naturally he fell into the office of fireman and could therefore be as generous with ihe fuel as his taste directed. • In this same room, the present pastor of Churchville lived for sometime alone, afterwards in company with Fr. _ Varin, a secular priest, who had been sent by Fr. Thomas Mulledy to end his days at our mission. At this juncture, however, luxuries had grown apace at Goshenhoppen, and each of us had his own stove to fire as best he could. This Fr. Varin, who died here in 1840, was a great linguist in his day, and had been professor of German to Fr. Curley in Georgetown College, and to others of Ours who may yet remember him. Shortly after Fr. Kohlmann's departure, Fr. E. McCarthy,· S. J., came to assist Fr. Curvin. He did telling work, parVaL. v-No. 3· 27 �210 jJ,fissioll of Gos/zen/zoppm. ticularly among the English speaking population of the home and outside missions. During his short stay he was especially successful in his labors at Pottsville. Here he introduced, for the first time, temperance societies, which soon proved a power for reform among the coal miners. A change for the better was soon evident, and Fr. McCarthy so won the approbation and esteem of the citizens at large, that when his superiors signified their intention of removing him, the mayor himself, backed by all the influential citizens, did their best, by petitioning, to prevent it. After his departure, which seems not to have been delayed by this intervention, Fr. Curvin was left alone in the labors of the mission for some years, until he was joined by Fr. Nicholas Steinbacher, S. J. The latter soon busily occupied himself in the surrounding stations, leaving his older associate the work at home. He remained working for months together, and with great fruit, now at Reading and again at Lebanon. He laid the foundation of a new mission in Nippeno's Valley, Lycoming county, one hundred and fifty miles north of Goshenhoppen. Here he purchased I 100 acres of land at half a dollar per acre, selling it afterwards by degrees to Catholic settlers for a dollar per acre . . With the proceeds he built what is now the sanctuary of quite a large church, which, with its flouris~ing congregation, was afterwards given by Ours to the Bishop of Philadelphia. Fr. Steinbacher remained at Goshenhoppeil till the death of Fr. Curvin, and for a year after this event in company with Fr. Augustin Bally, S. ]., the present incumbent. It was during this year our church \Vas finished, which at Fr. Curvin's death had just b"een closed in. Fr. Steinbacher was called by his superiors to other scenes of labor in Maryland, Philadelphia and elsewhere, and finally ended his useful life at St. Mary's Church, Boston, Feb. 14, 1862.. He used to tell of himself, that during a missionary excursion of his, fifty miles northwest of Nip- �lV!ission of Gosltmlwppcn. 2II peno's Valley, he came one evening wet and hungry to the log cabin house of comfort in that quarter. Here he found four young gentlemen, who were on a sporting tour from Philadelphia, and had been attracted to this spot by the abundance of trout in the neighboring waters. They appeared to be struck by rather a comic humor at the good father's not very dignified appearance at the moment, and passed several remarks concerning him among themselves·, now' in French, and then in Italian and modern Greek: "We will have rare sport with the old fellow; he is a professional temperance man, though perhaps not a practical one. His necktie would be his ticket of admission to any mee~­ ing-house in the State;" and so on. After enjoying their jokes quietly for sometime, Fr. Steinbacher took occasion from some faults that slipped them in the foreign languages they were speaking, politely to correct them, remarking that, although they seemed perfectly to understand the foreign modes of cooking-they were engaged in preparing their own supper-they did not seem to be so much at home in the languages. The young men were of course astonished. Mutual explanations followed, and Fr. Steinbacher used to smile as he would tell how no small share of their conve.,. niences fell to him. They had been students at Georgetown College; afterwards attaclzes in foreign legations and thus became familiar with the languages. Fr. Curvin's mission continued with great success, and in I836 he built the present church, at least the main portion of it, measuring eighty-five feet in length ~nd forty-four in width, which being added, as it was, to the old church building put up in I744, gives us a church edifice one hundred and twenty-one feet long, which is ornamented with a tower and steeple of just the same height. The death of Fr. Curvin occurred suddenly in Philadelphia, October II, I837· It was not, however, unprovided. He had left th~ mission after his Sunday duties, in order to procure materials in Philadelphia for the church. The �212 Mission of Goslzenlzoppeu. morning after his arrival there he went to confession and afterwards, in company with Fr. Ryder, started to see the physician, in order to consult him concerning a pain which he had been feeling in the region of the heart. But his hour had sounded. Before they could reach the doctor's residence he fell, and, upon being carried there, was bled. Heavy breathing was the only sign of life he ever gave. A priest of St. Mary's Church, who was passing on his way from a sick call, was summoned into the doctor's house. He administered Extreme Unction and gave the last absolution, when Fr. Curvin tranquilly passed away. He was laid temporarily in ·vault at St. John's Church, and eighteen months later his remains were brought to Goshenhoppen by Frs. Ryder and Barbelin. Before reinterment, his coffin was opened, and the body and even the vestments were found in a state of good pres'ervation. The writer of this remembers it; the finger nails had grown somewhat and some mildew had gathered on the robes ; otherwise, everything was as it had been on the day of the funeral. A year later, Fr. Dzierozynski, who was then Provincial, was asked if the c~ffin might be again opened for examination, as there were not wanting those who held the holiness of the deceased in great estimation and looked for a con. firmation of it ; but the good Provincial, a '-:~·ry holy man himself, answered that the dead should be left to their rest: ,perhaps, later on, the Lord would dispose it, that this curiosity should be gratified. - Among the pious memories of Fr. Curvin, it is recollected regarding him, that, rising all the year round at four o'clock, from that time till five, wheri he always said Mass, he could be found kneeling, absorbed in prayer, on the altar step in front of the tabernacle. Fr. McSherry, Provincial of Maryland, sent Fr. Augustin Bally, S. J., to Goshenhoppen, immediately after the death of Fr. Curvin. Fr. Bally, ever since that date, has been att.ending the missions, which by the building of new churches a �Mission of Gos/tenlwppm. 213 and. the arrival of other priests, have been diminished in extent of territory from an area of over fifty miles to one of about twenty square miles, our present parish. During Fr. Bally's long career here he has had many colaborers at various times. They were Frs. Steinbacher, S. J., Varin, who had been chaplain to the King of Bavaria; Dietz, S. J., Polk, S. J, George Villiger, S. J., Tuffer, S. ]., Schleuter, S. J., and the present assistant, Fr. Meurer, S. J. The present condition of this historic old parish shows no signs of decay. Its age seems rather to have gathered within it all of good that.during its long life has been added from time to time in other parishes as they sprung up: a good parochial school, the Confraternities of the Holy Rosary, Bona Mors, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There is also a large Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to which is attached a very· useful Beneficial Sodality. The church is handsomely frescoed, contains three altars, two hundred pews and a fine organ. A very efficient choir adds solemnity and much devotion to the regular services that are held, and more than one hundred communicants edify the co?gregation every Sunday and holiday. May this little, remote family of God's children, that, in this land, where everything is new, seems to have more of a· Catholic tradition in the soil than most of its fellow-parishes, go on increasing in good works for God's glory, and in the future, as in the past, God's blessing will rest upon it. �NOTES FROM OUR MISSIONARIES. REV. DEAR FATHER. P. C. Since my last summary of our Missionaries' letters, the work has been going on bravely and briskly, especially during the past Lent,~when both our bands were strengthened by the accession of the Tertian Fathers from Frederick. The first mission of which we have notice was given at the end of January, at vVare, Mass., and lasted four days only, with a result of seven hundred communions and two converts. The next was a ten days' mission at Cambridge, near Boston, which gave three thousand communions. Six thousand were invested with the Scapular, and four presented themselves for admission into the Church. The Lel}ten campaign was opened at the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, in South Boston. "Our labors have been abundantly blessed," writes the Superior, "we have had ten thousand communions. One thousand childre!l, who have not made their first communion, came to confession. Six hundred and twenty adults were confirmed, and of these, two hundred and fifty had been prepared "by us for their first communion. Two thousand received the scapular and eight converts were baptized. vVe gave one week to the men and one week to the women, and three days afterwards to the children and to the preparation of adults for communion and confirmation. It was a double mission, as all the exercises were performed simultaneously in the church and in the basement." The mission closed on the 25th March. ·From Boston the Fathers went to Providence, R. 1., where several missions had been bespoken, which extended 214 �Notes from Our JJfissionaries. 215 beyond Easter. The work began at St. Patrick's Church, and at the close of the first week there, some of the missionaries opened in St. Mary's whilst the others continued at the former. When the second week was ended at St. Patrick's, all united at St. Mary's. During the first week eighteen hundred women approached the holy table, six converts were baptized and forty persons prepared for first communion and confirmation. When the mission closed thirty-six hundred was the number of communions, though the pastor had not expected over two thousand as a brilliant success. \Vhen spoken to about a class for confirmation, he thought there might be a few candidates for the sacrament. The Fathers prepared one hundred and thirty and presented them to the Bishop, all adults of course. Nine persons were baptized. "At St. Mary's we were told," says the Superior of the band, "that three thousand would be the limit of communions. There were forty-five hundred." About one hundred adults were confirmed, and many more would have been prepared had not the Bishop come too soon. Many of those confirmed in each of these churches· had lived to an advanced age. We often meet persons in middle life, who have never been to confession, never knew that our Lord gave us seven sacraments, and whose knowledge of God and the Holy Trinity is sadly in need of recontruction. The confirmation class will be a feature tn all future missions." 'vVe now come to the southern band, which has not been less occupied or less successful. On the sixth of February they began at Bristol, on the Delaware, not far from Philadelphia, and continued till the fifteenth. "The. success was beyond all expectation. As the Forty Hours' Devotion preceded the Jubilee Exercises, the confessional claimed our presence from the day of our arrival. If you except the time for meals, the balance from early morning till ten or eleven P. M., was passed in the church. There were four sermons a day, all well attended, though the people live �I- 216 Notes from Our .Llfissiouaries. scattered over a radius of nearly twelve miles. The good priest seemed amazed at the crowds _that came to make their peace with Heaven. His calculation fell below the real status by about one third of the actual number. Asking for the baptismal register, and counting the number of baptisms from January to January, I gave him.the result of my calculation. He was incredulous when informed that his flock consisted of about sixteen hundred souls. At the close of the mission, however, he had become a convert to my arithmetic, and upon request I explained my method of counting. Sixty baptisms are allowed for a thousand souls. Three-fifths of these4~re communicants: the balance are below the age of twelve. Hence a parish of one thousand consists of two hundred families. The experiment has been tried in various localities, and it is a safe criterion to follow. \Vhenever I found a pastor with a complete census of his people, the above proportions are the infallible result, scarcely ever leaving a discrepany of fifty even in a number of three thousand. "This was the first mission ever given at Bristol, and hence many accounts unsettled for a quarter of a century were to be balanced. Though everything just now is centennial in this latitude, still we had no centennial penitents. Over fifteen hundred approached the Holy Table, certainly an unusually large number for a country parislf ·The priest acknowledged that he scarcely knew half of the people. There were two special features in this mission that are worthy of notice. The one regards the investing with the scapular. Each day during the Jubilee one hour was to be devoted to it to satisfy all. Nearly one thousand were enrolled. It was a glorious spectacle to see so many gray·headed men coming forward to receive this badge of love and veneration in honor of their Blessed Mother. The other, for consolation, stands foremost in our labors. Dozens of young persons, of both sexes, little instructed in their christian duties and destitute of even the knowledge �JVotes from 'Our Jlfissionaries. 217 of the alphabet, presented themselves for their first confession. They were at the same time to be prepared for Holy Communion : to delay to a future occasion would be to lose them to the Church. No efforts were considered too great to bring these little ones of the flock to the Table of their Lord. During the concluding exercises the baptismal vows were renewed and the entire church was in tears. We left Bristol with every blessing that a good christian people could impart." The next expedition was to a wilder region: Mauch Chunk, an unseemly name, but not a bad field for missionary zeal. Let the missionary himself tell us the events of that battle. "After every mission we have almost the same report to make, ipsissimis verbis, and yet I am sure that the lack of variety in the narrative cannot, in any way, mar the interest your Reverence will feel in reading the account of ' the mission we gave lately in Mauch Chunk. The Catholic population is composed of about a thousand souls. A mission is attached to it, some five miles off, numbering a little over three hundred. Hence, the maximum number of communicants may be reckoned at eight hundred for both places. The good people nearly all belong to the poorer class. The Lehigh Valley canal, running through the town, gives them employment for well nigh eight months of the year; but, sad to say, during the same period, prayers, Mass· on Sundays, Sacraments and all that could be of benefit to the soul, are at a frightful discount. You can surmise from these antecedents, what material we had to work on: miners, boatmen, coal-heavers; rather unpromising subjects, one would imagine, for a missionary to deal with. Add to this, the 'Nild reports published by newspapers during the past year, about the alarming spread of secret societies and dangerous principles among the coal regions of Pennsylvania (more truth than poetry), and you will not wonder that our expectations were not very sanguine. Imagine then, what must have been our consolation to see the Catliolics • VoL. v-No. 3· 28 �218 LVott'S from Our JIIissionan·t's. of Mauch Chunk manifest the greatest fervor during the ; whole time that we were among them. From the opening of the mission,_Feb. 2oth, until its close on the 28th, we had a large attendance at each of the exercises. At early morning they hurried in crowds to the Church to hear Mass and instruction. At 9 o'clock the Church was packed for the same purpose. A similar sight presented itself at 3 P. M. But the evening service surpassed all; people flocked together from great distances-many of them as much as twenty and twenty-five miles. ·whilst we recited the Rosary, as we always do immediately before the evening ser- . mon, for the good s~ccess of the mission, it was evident from the earnestness and fervor of their prayers, that grace was doing its work, and that God's special blessing was upon the mission. Some thirteen hundred approached the holy table ; among them many young persons from fifteen to twenty years af age, who, at the same time, had to make their first confession. We invested with the holy scapular from ten to twelve hundred; and -so great was the demand for St. Ignatius' holy water, that we had to bless over a hundred gallons. This little item serves to show the simple Irish faith of the people among whom we labored. They were ready to make any sacrifice in order to secure the full blessing of the mission. About twenty men severed their connection with the Ancient Order of Hibernians-an organization condemned in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. On the last day of the mission the Church was crowded from morning till night. At the first Mass, I gave the holy Communion to nearly four hundred, mostly men. In the evening, the exercises were concluded with the renewal of the baptismal vows, and the Papal Benediction. It was really a touching sight to see the whole congregation in tears, and to hear.'them renewing the promises of childhood �Notes< from Our Missionan"es. 2I9 with a vigor that betokened a strong determination to keep them. On the next morning we celebrated a Mass of Requiem for the deceased relatives and friends of those who had made the mission." The whole of Lent was devoted to the several churches in the city of Wilmington, Del., beginning with the Cathedral. The Bishop had told the Missionaries that the greatest number of communions would be fifteen hundred; at the end of the mission twenty-six hundred had been to confession, and twenty-three hundred had received the bread of life, and several Protestants had entered the Church, whilst others were still under instruction. -Every member of the congregation was enrolled in the Confraternity of the Scapular. The next mission was at St. Paul's Church, where the number of communions was greater by two hundred, with the same exercises and the same consolation. St. James' came next in order; a new parish, ·in which hardly more than six hundred communions could be ex- _ pected. As this labor Yvas light, one of the Fathers could be spared to help in the annual retreat at St. Joseph's in Philadelphia. This brought the Missionaries to Holy Week,. which was spent at home. After Easter a mission was given at St. Joseph's Church, near Wilmington, with theresult of fourteen hundred communions. I may close for this time with the additional remark that, triduums were also given during Lent and after Easter by some of the Tertian Fathers, to the students of Georgetown College and at Gonzaga College, Washington, as also to the pupils of the Visitation Academies of Georgetown, Washington and Wheeling; and finally, to the students of Loyola College, Baltimore. We have reason to thank and praise our dear Lord for the abundant blessings which He deigned to pour out from His Sacred Heart on the labors of our Fathers. P.M. BALTIMORE, Mo., I I MAY, I8J6. �MISSIONS IN PROVIDENCE, R. I. HoLY CRoss CoLLEGE, \VORCESTER, MASS., jULY 18th, 1876. REV. FATHER, P. C. On Low Sunday, April 23d, the Fathers of the northern missionary band of the Maryland Province, began a third mission in Providence, R. I. As the congregation was not very large, the pastor, Rev. Daniel· Kelly, thought the separation of the women from the men unadvisable; but the superior of the mission insisted, and the church which was ·packed during the women's week, was not less so during that of the men. Indeed, the men, in ail the missions given so far, have attended quite as well as the women. In the confessional, the great test of success, the men have come in numbers equally as large as the women ; sometimes the odds have_'been on the side of the men. The separation works weii, because all could not get into the church, where the congregation is large, and the men would soon become disgusted and stay away; and, what is all important, would make no attempt to go to confession, seeing they would have to fight their way through the crowds of women that always besiege the confessional. The men, in such straits, yield to the devout sex, some of whom would make it a point to go to every one of the ltoly commissioners, though there were ten thousand more waiting for a shrift. Now the women have their week, and after it is over, are not heard; but the whole week is given to' the men. The separation works well m 220 �"}fissions in Providence, R. I. 22I another way : the women act as so many preachers, let the men know what is going on, and give them no rest until they also have in their turn heard the Fathers and made the mission. There were about four thousand eight hundred communions. Three hundred and twenty-seven adults were confirmed; amongst whom were numbered ninety Portuguese, who had been previously well instructed, in their own language, by the Rev. James A. Ward, a secular priest, just returned from Portugal. Ten adults were baptized during the mission. On Sunday, May 7th, another two week's mission was begun at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rev. Edward Cooney, pastor. Great good was brought about by this mission also. There were over five thousand communions twelve adult baptisms, and a confirmation class of seven hundred and twenty-four persons: of these last, there were about two hundred and fifty grown people . .This ended our labors in Providence, in four of the largest churches of the city. In the missions given, there were in all, about fifteen hundred persons confirmed: of these a third had never been to communion, and a hundred or so, never even to confession. It was no easy matter to prepare them for the sacraments, as a great many were very ignorant, and, to add to the difficulty, a good number could not read, You may imagine the toil of instructing such persons. The missions in Providence must have given us at least thirty thousand confessions. \N e owe otir thanks to the secular clergy who helped us so well, sacrificing their time, in order to urge on the good work. Great good, of course, was effected in regard to those who were in danger of losing the faith, or who were leading lives of sin on account of matrimonial difficulties. The converts gave us much consolation. A young Protestant girl went to confession to one of the Fathers, and it �~fissiolls 222 iu Providence, R. I. I was only by accident that he found out who she was. When asked why she had come, she said: "I scarcely know what moves me to come, but I want to save my soul." Another young girl told the Father that she wanted to be a Catholic, because her mother was a Catholic, etc. \Vhen asked why she had never been baptized, she replied that her father would not allow it; but that now she was of age and meant to save her soul in spite of him. A young man preparing for his first Communion, said that his mother was an apostate. and that he had never been to a Catholic church before the mission. "How is it," said the Father, "that you now come to .. me." "My mother had me baptized· in the Catholic church, and though she has lost her faith and I have always attended Protestant churches, yet I want to be Catholic in practice." Several converts, when asked why they wished to become Catholics, answered that they wanted their sins to be forgiven, and that no other church could do it but the Catholic. Many other edifying things I might give you, but I have trespassed enough on your kindness. YouRs TRULY, J. • • A. M., S. J. �OSAGE MISSION. ST. FRANCis' INSTITUTION, OsAGE MISSION, NEOSHO Co., KANSAS, JULY Ist, 1876. DEAR FATHER, From year to year our miSSionary labors in these western countries have been advancing, and leaving here and there permanent marks of the progress of Catholicity. From the very foundation of this mission we have been in the habit of establishing missionary stati-ons at convenient points, as centres, where we could meet for a while, and afterwards, in proportion as the people began to increase, we went on erecting churches, more or less large and elegant, according to the means the new congregation could afford. Following this plan, we began this year, 1876, by opening a new church, or rather a small chapel, of simple structure indeed, but sufficient for the present, and free of debt. This chapel is in the small town of Thayre, and eighteen _ miles from this mission. Father John Schoenmakers, our Superior, had the honor of blessing this new house of , prayer, on the 9th of January, and placing it under the patronage of St. Agnes. In this town, as in all others through this region of country, are to be found people professing all kinds of. creeds, the Catholics being but few and generally poor. The erection of our chapel occasioned a great many remarks among the Protestants. They have long been talking of building a large church; but as they have not been able to agree together, nothing has yet been done. Our I 223 �224 · Osage i11ission. poor Catholics did not taik much; they knew that they needed a church, they soon came to be of one mind about it, and went to work at once. The result was that St. Agnes' church rose up as if by magic, and has the glory of being the first church built in that town. Thayre, though small in size, is not without resources, for it .lies on the Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railway, is surrounded by a very rich farming country, and has in its vicinity an abundance of coal mines, yielding the best kind of fossil. Unfortunately, miners are commonly a bibulous set of people, and no· wonder ; for being the whole day buried in the ground like moles, when they get out they feel rather dry, and will go directly to a grog shop, and in spite of their generally good intention, once in, somehow or other they begin to stagger, and find difficulty in getting out. ~o remedy this evil, a Temperance Society was started, soon after the blessing of St. Agnes', and nearly all our miners pledged themselves to it. Thanks be to God, this Society has so far been a success. Now looking around us, we can say that this our mission church though a combination of log and frame buildingsa real monument of North American antiquity-has a right to the title of Metropolitan Church, because it is the happy mother of several other churches. For, to say_nothing of those which, a good while since, we transferred--to the secular clergy, it is to-day surrounded by eight churches, and by a large number of missionary stations, where no churches have yet been built, though they are regularly attended. On the roth of January, twenty-nine new Osage children came here to be educated at. our Institution; so that the number of Osage children in attendance at this school during the year has been eighty-three. The last winter and spring have been very sickly seasons with us. \Ve had a great many sick children. Of these, the whites, as well. as the half breeds, passed through the period of their sickness very easily, and soon recovered, �Osage Mission. 225 but we had a hard time with the Indians. We lost one half breed and six Indian boys. If we consider that they had the happiness of being baptized, and of receiving all the assistance the Church could give them before death, we have every reason to believe that they are better off now; yet their death was felt very much by us all, and caused a momentary panic amongst our 'boarders. Indeed we feared that several would run away; however, thanks be to God, the excitement lasted but a short time; better counsels soon prevailed, they again appear to be well satisfied, and apply themselves to their studies as well as before. These Osage children are, on the whole, very intelligent, and willing to learn, and behave themselves better than many white children are in the habit of doing. To succeed better in educating these Osages, we give them a separate apartment, and special teachers. They were taught every day for as many hours as the white children, and meanwhile they were learning the rudiments of an English education ; they were also carefully taught their prayers and catechism. Of these Indian children, twenty-seven were baptized this year, four in articulo mortis, and twenty-three on Easter Saturday. The ceremony was an interesting one, and pleased the people who witnessed it. According to the liturgy of that day, first of all, the baptismal font was solemnly blessed; this done, the twenty-three catechumens advanced, and placed themselves in a large semi-circle around the font, near to the main door of the church. Having first recited the christian Acts in their own language, the ceremony began ; and it was most touching to hear these poor children of the forest answer to the ordinary questions, and to see them kneel down and bow their heads to receive the regenerating water. About this time a fresh contingent of Osage children, nearly as many as we already had, was preparing to come to our Institution, when we received orders from the Indian Department not to receive them: nay, we were requested to VoL. v-No. 3· 29 �226 Osage JWissio1l. send back to their homes those we had. This was a fatal blow to us; and the sadness which spread among the children when they heard the news, evidently proved that they were all pleased and satisfied to be with us. 'I_'he Commissioner of. Indian affairs, in giving us this order, brought as a reason for it, that the funds appropriated by the Indian Department for this fiscal year were exhausted, that they were greatly in debt, and that to reduce expenses their schools were to be shut up. And as no money was left for the education of their children, the only expedient was to send them back to their homes as soon as practicable. This however was, it seems, only a pretext ; for the expressions made use of by the Commissioner in his letters, show that he never expected that we would have such a large number of Osage children in attendance at this school. It seems that the Osage Agent, as well as some of his friends, had repeatedly tried to persuade the Indian Department, that though there had heretofore been a good deal of noise made amongst the Osages about our school, and though several petitions were signed by them calling for it, yet this did not express the will of the Osages at large; and if a fair chance were given them of sending their children elsewhere, they would not send them here. But the fact evidently proved how much they were mistaken, and how great is the esteem the Osages ha~e for us and Jor our system of education. In consequence of the orders received, as soon as Easter was over, we hastened to send our Osages back to the Indian Territory, with the exception of some few who were allowed to remain with us till the end of the scholastic year. Sickness and bad weather did not allow us, this last spring, to attend our missionary stations as regularly as we would have wished. Immediately after Easter I started on one of my western excursions. I was in time to bring the last comforts of our holy Church to a couple of good young ~men, who were dangerously sick; and it would appear that �Osage Mission. 227 the Extreme Unction, which they received with great devotion, was very beneficial to them, for both recovered. But I was too late for two others, who died without any assistance. Of these, the first was a native of Poland, some twenty years old ; the other was an Alsatian, thirty-two years old. Both had received a very pious education, and ne~er departed from the good principles they had learned in the old country. Both died a most edifying death. And here I cannot pass over a circumstance which preceded the death of the Alsatian. After having suffered for many years from epileptic fits, at last, about the beginning of last April, he grew worse, and fears were entertained that he would soon die. Early on Palm Sunday, the 9th of April, he was attacked by such a violent fit, that his parents thought he might die that very day. So they sent quickly for his elder brother, who was living with his family at no great distance. Before the message was delivered, and they . were ready to come, it was about noon, and when they came in, they found, to their great surprise, that their sick brother had just come down from his room, and was sitting by the door of the house, seeming to be no worse than usual. Here the elder brother began to apologize for coming so late, saying: "My dear brother, we would have come soon-· er, but the messenger you sent having found us reading our Mass prayers, which this day, you well know, are longer than usual, and did not want to disturb us until we had finished, so we have come late." To this the sick man replied that it was all right now; "however," said he, "I am sorry that this morning you were not here with me up stairs ; for I too had my Mass prayers, and more yet, for I also re-. ceived holy communion." "How can that be," said his sister-in-law, "for there was no priest here?" But the sick man answered: "I do assure you that I received holy communion. I do not know who gave it to me, but I am as sure as I am here that I did receive it. I saw the sacred �228 Osage Missio11. Host with my eyes, I felt it with my tongue, and its taste is still in my mouth, I never experienced such a happiness as I did at that moment." On hearing these words, which I learned from the sick man's father, who is very religious, and would by no means tell me one thing for another on this subject, the whole family wondered. A feeling of respect and fear came upon them for a while, and no one dared to speak! Two days after these things happened, the sick man died the death of the just. During the Eastertide I visited the Osages to give them an .opportunity of complying with their christian duties. I passed a few days with them, giving Mass at different places, to accommodate all, as far as possible. And I feel happy to say, that almost all answered willingly to my call; and I at last saw some coming to the sacraments, who had neglected to do so for quite a long time. Having got through saying Mass, preaching, etc. in one of the settlements, on Big Cana river, the people were sitting out of doors, in the shade of the house, enjoying themselves, when a naif breed boy came in, leading a beautiful but very wild horse. He stood looking at the people for a little while, then calling on another half breed boy, asked him to ride that horse. But the boy did not:seem much inclined to do so, and gave as a reason, that he' feared the horse would kill him. Hearing this, some of his friends said to him: "Do not be afraid to ride that horse, for even supposing you should be killed, it would do you no harm, for just a little while ago you received the blessed Sacrament, and you can have no better time for dying than the present." The good boy needed no more encouragement, he at once sprang on the beautiful steed, and off he went as fast as a deer pursued by the hounds. This incident may appear of no importance, yet it shows evidently that the education given to these youths at this mission has not oeen altogether useless ; for t~ough they �Indian Missions-Lake Superior. 229 have had neither priest nor church for several years, still they hold on to our holy religion, and well remember what are the advantages that arise from the worthy reception of the sacraments of Penance and the holy Eucharis~. YouRs, PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, s. J. INDIAN MISSIONS-LAKE SUPERIOR. Extract of a letter from Fr. C!zone. WIKWEMIKONG, JuLY 6th, 1876. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. * * * * * * * * * * The Saturday within the octave of Corpus Christi was a day of unusual joy here, for on that day we were favored with a long-promised visit from his Lordship, our Vicar Apostolic. Preparations had been made to welcome him with a formal reception, but a change in the weather well nigh disconcerted all our plans. As soon, however, as we descried the small craft which was conveying him from Killarney to our shores, the fact was announced by the toll. ing of bells. As I was just then summoned away to administer baptism, I deputed Fr. Hebert to organize the procession. Almost all our people were present-the choir boys clad in surplice, the little convent girls in white, and the "soldiers" parading their only title to military distinction, viz., the cast-off accoutrements of some English officers. Headed by a cross-bearer, the procession advanced to wei- �230 India1Z llfissions-Lake Superior. come the Bishop. As soon as he landed, he was saluted with a discharge of musketry, after which the multitude, having received his blessing, proceeded to the Church. On the following morning, his Lordship celebrated Pontifical Mass, and delivered an instructive and pathetic discourse to the people. In the afternoon, after the singing of a psalm, a hymn and the Magnificat-which service our honest Indian population dignified with the name of "Vespers"the procession was formed, and although it filed in double lines on either side of the way, it seemed almost interminable. The route was almost two miles, in which, at suitable intervals, four handsome repositories had been erected. At each of these, the benediction of the blessed Sacrament was given-which was announced to the remoter parts of the procession by a discharge of musketry. The last benediction was given at the Church, after which his Lordship, notwithstanding his fatigue, delivered another highly appropriate discourse. On Monday, his Lordship granted an audience to the chief and a number of the dignitaries of the village. The speaker, a man- of considerable good sense, and of high standing among the people, addressing the Bishop, passed in review the many benefits which our holy religion had brought them;- a priest to teach them their duties-a school for the education of their sons, where~- they were taught respect for their parents, a love for labor, etc. ; an academy for their daughters, where they learned the use of the needle, etc., etc. The Bishop responded in terms befitting the occasion. At last the hour for the grand ceremony arrived. An immense concourse of people had gathered in front of our house; the belfry and the roofs of the neighboring dwellings were alive with eager spectators. Seats were disposed in the form of an amphitheatre, facing a temporary platform reserved for the orators of the occasion. According to custom, several large vessels were filled with sugared water, familiar to the Indians under the name �Indian Missions-Lake Supen"or. 231 of Okimawabo, "water of the chief," so styled, because Indian etiquette requires that when the chief holds a convention, he should be regaled with this beverage. A quantity of meat, potatoes, flour, tea, tobacco and pipes, amounting in all to th~ value of $ro, was substituted as an apology for the feast which was to have preceded the ceremony. The programme opened with short addresses, spoken by two little Indian boys; these were fol_lowed by a discourse in German, delivered by Br. Koemstedt; another by Br. Devine in English; th~ French address being reserved for Br. Jennesseaux. In conclusion, Fr. Hebert, who had organized the whole ceremony, briefly resumed in Latin the substance of the other discourses. The speaker of the morning then advanced, and taking the Bishop by the hand, conducted him to the front of the stand; then addressing the assembly, said that he was about to confer upon their first Father, a name hallowed with grateful memories of one of their chiefs in years gone by, who in his day wrought a great deal of good in his tribe-that no one had a better title to this name than their great black-gown, for no one had ever done them greater aud more enduring good: he said that this name was Sagakki, and that henceforth they would call their guest, "Our first Father Sagakki-Our great blackgown Sagakki." This proposal was welcomd with unanimous applause. Scarcely had the burst of approbation subsided when a dance was started, in which some of the Indians made the round of the little amphitheatre three or four times, each one singing all the while and holding his Wiiaweieian by the hand, whilst the others kept time, with the guttural sound of Hen I Generally the dancers are followed by a band of natives who indulge in a variety of grotesque gesticulations and grimaces, interspersed with their own peculiarly wild airs. On this occasion however, this appendix was dispensed with, probably through respect for their honored guest. The Bishop, addressing the people in English, since many of them understood that language, �232 India1t J~fissions-Lakc Supen"or. r graciously thanked all those who had taken part in the ceremony; congratulated himself upon the new title to paternity with which he had been invested; spoke of the Society of Jesus under whose banner he had once resolved to enroll himself, etc., etc. On the Monday following, after having visited some of the neighboring villages, under the guidance of FF. Nadeau and Hebert, he took his leave of us, assuring us that he was delighted with his visit. Rev. Father, I cannot close this letter without recounting to you an incident, which I learned a short time since from the Superioress of the: school at Fort William. At the opening of the month. of March, thirty of her boarders, French and English, presented a written pe~ition to St. Joseph, laying it at the feet of that Saint's statue. Besides the spiritual favors demanded, some asked for a new dress ; others for a new pair of shoes; others for a bonnet; enjoining upon him at the same time, to discharge their commission by the end of the month, which closed with the feast of Easter. Well, the friend of innocence proved faithful to his trust; for, sure enough, with the last day of the month came the different parcels, containing the various objects asked for; in addition to all of which, by way of an earnest of his good pleasure, St. Joseph sent them a quantity of extra fine candy. _ A certain Emily Cooper, from P. A. Landing (a neighboring village, situated in the bay), had begun to waver in her confidence, fearing that her request had not been granted, when her father arrived, bringing her a handsome new dress, the object of her eager prayers. On receiving it she exclaimed, "it is just what I asked St. Joseph for." The father desired to see the written petition. I brought it from the altar, and the first words he read were these: "St. Joseph, you know my father is a Lutheran, and consequently that he is in great danger of losing his soul : my mother and I will go to Heaven because we are Catholics. We do not want to go there without him; therefore you must convert �Indian Missions-Lake Superior. 233 him." Then followed the other requests. On reading these lines, the father's heart was moved. and he wept: turning to his daughter he said : "your desire, my child, shall be granted." We had no previous knowledge of the contents of the letter. Excuse this hastily written letter, my dear Father-I was anxious to make amends for my long silence. I am with great respect, YouR REVERENcE's SERVANT IN CHRIST, P. D. 0. M. VoL. v-No. 3· CHONE, s. J. ��CONTENTS OF VOL. V. The Natchez Indians in 1730 3 St. Charles' College, Grand Coteau, La. 16 St. John's Church and Residence, Frederick, }!d. 29, 99, 174 The Young Men's Catholic Association of Boston College 37 Retreats and }fissions by the Fathers of Maryland, during the Summer and Fall of 1875 Osage Mission 47 54, 144, 223 Indian :Missions-Lake Superior -Washington Territory -Lake Huron 59, 229 65 148 The Texan Cyclone 67 St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia 81 The Jesuits in Cincinnati 115, 188 The College del Salvador, Buenos Ayres 126 Assassination of Don Garcia }!oreno 131 The }fissions in Charles Co., }!d. 142 .J. Alfred Gough, Nov., S. J. 156 Expulsion of the Jesuits from Louisiana in 1763 161 Notes from Our Missionaries 214 in Providence, R. I. 220 ~Iissions � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. 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They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 5 (1876) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1876 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." 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WOODSTOCI( LETTERS. 1_75 A RECORD Of Current Events antl IIistorical Notes connected witlt the College.<~ and .illission.'4 of tlte Soc. of JesU.'4 in North aud South Amct·ica. VOL. VI. ; \ t ; ~.· WOODSTOCK COLLEGE \87J. FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION. �/ �I t I I WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. VI, No. r. POTTOWATTOMY INDIANS. THE MISSION OF OUR FATHERS AMONG THEM FROM I846 TO THE PRESENT TIME. In the \VooosTOCK LETTERS for January I875 I gave a brief historical sketch of the Pottowattomy Indians, in which it was stated that this tribe was partially civilized in Michigan by Fathers of the Old Society; that after the suppression of our Society they were cared for by secular priests ; that the United States government removed the tribe in I 8 38, from Michigan to Sugar Creek, at the head waters of Osage River, and just outside the western border of Missouri. At the death of Rev. Mr. Pettit, in January 1839, the Pottowattomy mission, it was said, passed under the spiritual care of our Fathers. Some general account of their language was given in the preceding article; also the progress of the mission till I846, was therein briefly described. It is proposed now to complete the narrative, and bring the history of this interesting tribe of Indians down to the present time. In I846 it was determined by the Government again to. 3 �4 Tlzc Pottmuattomy Indians. remove the Pottowattomy Indians, as also the Osage tribe ; * this purpose was not executed however till 1847· The district of land selected as a reservation for the Pottowattomies was on the Kansas river, or as it is called by the people of Kansas, the Kaw river; it was just thirty miles square, lying immediately west of Topeka. The town, St. Mary's mission in the S. E. corner of Pottowattomy county, is twenty five miles west of Topeka and it is at the centre of the reservation. Before agai.n taking up the thread of their history, a few general remarks concerning the Indian races in America and their languages, may not be out of place. There have been described and enumerated four hundred Indian languages, all quite distinct from each other. Of these four hundred tongues, one hundred and fifty were spoken in North America; sixty were spoken in Central America and the West Indian Islands; one hundred and ninety were spoken in South America, the greater portion of them_by tribes inhabiting the forests and llanos between the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers. I never found it possible to doubt the unity of this wonderful race of men, if we consider their physiological type. Just as the most cursory and superficial observer does not mistake the Chinaman, wherever he may see him ; so, no one will ever confound the aboriginal American, from any part· of the continent, with the inhabitant of another hemisphere. It seems equally certain, if we judge by the same norma of physiognomy and general appearance, that the American Indian is of the Semitic race; and, on inquiry, I find. this to have' been the opinion most generally held from the beginning, by the learned in ethnology. The languages of the aborigi*The Osage tribe was settled in south east Kansas, on the Neosho river, and it was under the spiritual charge of Fathers Schoen makers and Bax. Father Bax, early in •.April of 1847, came to the Novitiate to bi<l good-bye, ask the prayers of the novices and to conduct to St. Louis the lay brothers appointed for the new Osage mission, viz: Bros. John Sheehan, Thomas Coghlan anoi John DeBruyn. �T/ze Pottowattomy ludiam. 5 nes have not as yet been fully mastered and collated by learned philologists. The Mezzofanti, ·wiseman or Max Muller, who is to trace their analogies, reduce them to unity, and show their Asiatic parentage, as the Aryan Jan-. guages, including the Sanscrit, * have been followed up to a Japhetic origin; the great minds, I say, that are to do this work for the American languages have yet to appear. H urnbolt after extensive travel in North and South America, concluded to the striking likeness of the aboriginal races, but he doubted as to the common origin of their languages.t Many learned philologists have found points of agreement in the general struaure of these four hundred tongues, and in their sounds of vowels and consonants. One peculiarity which is, in a greater or less degree, common to all Indian languages as spoken, is that they abound in gutturals, which are so deep that many authors describe them as peaoral sounds. Father Adrian Hoecken, when a missioner among • the Flatheads, met on the Rocky Mountains in the northern part of Montana, a tribe of Indians who when talking seemed to speak entirely with the throat and chest; so that they did not use the tongue, the teeth, or the lips, at all, in talking; and hence, their language, if it can be styled such, possesses no consonant sounds; and no interpreter was able to learn their mode of speaking so as to be understood by them. Among these four hundred aboriginal tongues, several have beeri found to possess striking analogy to the Hebrew; and of those possessing this resemblance to the language of David and Isaiah, was one '')lax Uuller, Lectures on the science nf L·mgnage, credits the .Jesuits at Goa with being the first Europeans that learned and made known to the Christian nation.• the Sanscrit. Sir William Jones who perfected grammars and dictionaries of that rich language, was no doubt, much aided by the writings of those early missionaries. t "From the Terra del Fuego islands to the river St. Lawrence and Behring•, straits, we are struck at the first glance with the general resemblance in the features of the inhabitants. We think we perceive that they all descend from the same stock, notwithstanding the enormous diversity of language which· •eparates them from one another."-New Sp-rin, book ii, chap. G. �, I 6 The Pottozvattomy Indians. spoken south of Patagonia, on the Islands about Cape Horn. Father Gailland, who besides being learned in many polite languages, both ancient and modern, is an adept in the Pottowattomy and some of its cognate Algonquin dialects, thus speaks in a letter received from him under the date St. Mary's Mi-;sion, Sept. I, 1876: "That the Pottowattomy Indians belong to the Semitic race, may be inferred, it seems to me, from the great analofy of their language to the Hebrew; and from the similarity of their habits with those of the Jews. First: In the Pottowattomy language the personal pronoun is inserted in the verb, as is done in the Hebrew: with this difference, however, that in the Pottowattomy it is placed in the beginning of the verb ; while, in the Hebrew, it is at the end. When two personal pronouns are so combined that one is the subject of the verb, and the other the object, as for instance, '/ze is angry agaillst us' that combination is expressed in both languages by a final variation in the verb. Besides, both the Hebrew and the Pottowattomy have a greater number-of voices than any of the European languages: this' constitutes the chief beauty and strength of the Ian, guages; e. g. besides the voices peculiar to the Latin, the Pottowattomy and the Hebrew have the.causative, frequen- · tative, etc., etc. Secondly: As regards ·family arid social habits, the Pottowattomies, like the Jews, call first cousins, 'my brothers, my sisters.' Again, it was an ancient custom among the Pottowattomies, when a man died childless, that his brother should marry the wife of the deceased, in order that children might be raised up to the departed brother. And generally a man called his brother's children, 'my sons, my daughters,' and also a woman was wont to call her sister's children, 'my ~ons, my daughters.' " These analogies, and the like customs pointed out by Father Gailland, are striking, and they say much in proof that the Pottowattomies and the Hebrews are kindred races of men. It is true, that, on the other hand, at least �17te Pottowattomy lndiaus: 7 one aboriginal language of America was found to have affinity to the Basque; and others were believed to have points of agreement with the Uralo-Altaic families of languages. These facts, if admitted, would show that there were migrati~ns to America from Europe also; but the dominance of the Semitic type is still plain to be seen by the general observer, in the physiological facts; and by the learned philologist also in the analogies of language. It is not improbable that several races migrated to America in primitive times, but that all these different races were, so to say it, absorbed or assimilated by a dominant one, which dominant one was Semitic; somewhat as all the nationalities, with their languages, in the United States, are now merged and finally lost in the English. But to return to the removal of the Pottowatromy. Indians in 1847 from Sugar Creek, to their new reservation on the Kansas or Kaw river, the Fathers themselves were very desirous for this change. The mission at Sugar 'Creek was surrounded, and often disturbed by roving bands of savages, belonging to various tribes; and little good was effected among them by the missioners. Their vicinity to the Missouri border enabled these savages to procure whiskey with facility; and when maddened with the wicked "fire water," no bounds coul·d be set to the bravado and ferocity of these vile ruffians. The Kickapoos, who, as said in the former article, had run away from the missioners and their own homes near the present Fort Leavenworth, in 1838, persuaded to take the step by "the bold eloquence and the big promises of a young prophet, these same Kickapoos, finally made their way to the neighborhood of the Sugar Creek mission, where they excelled all the wild men of the prairie, as drunkards * and horse thieves. For a detailed statement of the facts and circumstances connected with the *'Henry R. Schoolcraft, writing of the Indians in 1821 reflects on the fact that they all manifest a strong inclinatio;1 to intoxicating 'drinks. Also Alexander Ilumbolt, in the work above cited, New Spain, book ii, chap. 6, notices �8 T!te Pottowattomy Indians. transfer of the Mission to St. Mary's, I shall have to subjoin a letter from Father M. Gailland, which is written in simple and graphic language, and is the testimony of an eye witness to most of what he says, he having gone to the Pottowattomy Mission in 1848. He consented to write this narrative on being importuned, though he is very infirm from long exposure and many hardships endured in the course of nearly thirty years beyond the borders of civilized settlements. WALTER H. HILL, S. J. LETTER OF FATHER GAILLAND TO FR. W. H. HILL ON THE HISTORY OF THE POTTOWATTOMIES. 1847-48-49.-In the fall of 1847 Rev. Christian Hoecken with B. Andrew Mazzella accompanied the Indians who left for the Kansas valley, where their reservation had been selected. There they found the prairie band, that had come from Iowa. They were in great exultation to meet their friend~ and relations once more, after the lapse of many years, and to be ready to support each other against the wild tribes of the Rocky Mountains. The valley was beautiful and rich; but like almost all the western regions, rather destitute of timber. Immediately they set to work ; built wigwams, split rails, cleared up fields in scattered villages: Unfortunately the fear of the Pawnees and of the Sioux, their enemies, drove th~m too far south, into the Shawnee reservation ; in the spring, they had to move back north, and recommence their work. The spot for the location of the mission, had been wisely chosen on the northern ~ide of the Kansas. It was nearly in the centre of the reservation the same faet; but he says that the tribes of So nth America show an aversion to all such beverages. Does this difference arise from that of elimatP, race, or from what is more purely an oceasional cause? The letters of early mission· aries likewise testify to these same facts. �-=-.1 Tlze Pottowattomy Indians. 9 and of easy access to all the villages around. But the difficulty was to persuade the Indians to come and settle in the vicinity. This they refused to do, under various pretexts, but in reality because they feared the incursions of the wild tribes. And yet, unless they gathered close to the mission, no permanent and solid good could be done among them. At last, the decisive step was taken ; F. Verreydt, the superior of the mission, with Fr. Gailland, and a lay brother, and four religious of the Sacred Heart, struck their tents and started for the place where they intended to locate the mtsston. On the 8th of September they were detained by high water on the bank of the Kansas. Next morning, as the water had subsided, they forded the river, opposite Uniontown. At noon they stopped for dinner on the bank of a river, afterwards called Cross Creek, in the very place where now stands Rosseville. After dinner they continued their journey till sunset, when they were standing on the mission-site. That day was to be memorable in the annals of the mission, it was the day of the foundation of St. Mary's, a day afterwards dedicated to B. Peter Claver, the 9th of September, I 848. Two log-houses were prepared for us in the prairie. We began to work at them, that we might have a comfortable shelter against the cold of the winter: for as yet they had no door, no window, no floor. In October, the Indians began to move near to the mission' in large numbers,. In spring I849, we built the church, a log-building, which, although not elegant in form, an<;! of mean material, had however the honor of being the first church in that, wide region between the Mississippi and California, and was afterwards raised to the rank of a pro-cathedral. The Indians contributed with their own money to the ereCl:ion of the church, they gave to that effeCt: $I7oo; the Society for the Propagation of the Faith gave $6oo. The church was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Henceforth the mission assumed the name of St. Mary's. During the VoL. VI-No. 1. 2 �10 The Pottowattomy Indians. same year, we also put up the school buildings, one for the girls, the other for the boys. \Ve began immediately to keep school. We had at first great difficulty in getting children and keeping them for any length of time; the parents did not appreciate as they should the education of the youth. Another source of much annoyance was the.Baptist school, which was set up in opposition to ours. The least trouble that arose between us and the children, was for the parents a sufficient reason to withdraw the children from our school and send them to the Baptist's. Nay, frequently the children.took it upon themselves to leave us and go to the other sch~ol, which conduct of course was nearly always right and we were in the wrong. This year also the • mission underwent another considerable change. F. Verreydt, who had presided over its cradle and subsequent expansion, left for St. Louis, and Rev. Father J. B. Durinck succeeded him as superior. F. Hoecken also left early in 1849 for Michigan to visit the scattered Pottowattomies that had remained, and to induce them, if possible, to migrate to the \Vest; but in this he was sorely disappointed ; they were indeed glad to hear a priest that spoke their language so well, but would not hear of moving out of Michigan. 18 50.-Aithough on the northern side of the Kansas, where the mission had been located, the soil was richer, less broken and better timbered, yet we could not prevail on some Indians to come and live at St. Mary's. Some said the ground was too low and therefore subject to inundations; others, that there was not timber enough to supply the wants of all ; some pretended they could not afford to lose the improvements already made on the spot where they had first "squatted." But this was only a pretext to hide their cowardice; the true reason of it was the fear of the wild Indians, of the Pawnees principally and of the Sioux. They thought St. Mary's was too much exposed to the incursions of those barbarians. Nearly the half of �'17te Pottowattomy fndia11s. I I ·our neophytes refused to come over the Kansas. In order therefore to keep up their faith and piety we built two chapels in their respeCtive villages ; one in the village of St. Joseph, near the Baptist mission, the other on Mission Creek, which was dedicated to our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. 18 5 I . -This year shall be forever memorable in the annals of St. Mary's. The Holy See decreed to appoint a Vicar-Apostolic for that vast region, which lies east of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River. Rev. Fr. ]. B. Miege, S. J., was seleCted for that arduous work. The new prelate was consecrated in St. Xavier's church, St. Louis, on the 25th of March, 1851. The new Bishop was invited to come and fix his residence in St. Mary's, as that mission wa~ older and had more catholics than any other place in the Vicariate. The Bishop willingly accepted the invitation. We prepared for his reception. At last, on the 24th of May he arrived at St. Mary's. An Italian Father, F. Ponziglione, destined for the Osage mission, accompanied him, as also a lay· brother. The Fathers of St. Mary's, with a number of Indians went in procession to meet him the distance of a mile, and conduCted him to the church. It was too late in the evening to perform the solemn reception; it was postponed to the next day. Early in the morning of the 25th, the Indians, men and women, filled our mission yard, and were very anxious to show their high consideration for the great Black-gown. The women were on foot, carrying on their shoulders their squealing babies, wrapped up in red, green or blue blankets. The men were on horseback. At the fixed time the procession began towards the church, headed by the choir-boys, followed by the acolytes and clergymen, with the Bishop. The Indians in their cavalcade by quick and precise evolutions representing a variety of figures, displayed a grand and attraCtive speCtacle. The singing of the choir, the frequent discharge of musketry by the soldiers, the modesty and �12 i' I: I Tilt' Pottowattom;• flldia!ts. piety of the neophytes added to the solemnity .of the ceremony. But, in this world, it seems, sorrow must tread on the heels of joy. \Ve had hardly rejoiced at the arrival of our Bi:;hop, when we had to weep over the melancholy death of our beloved missionary, F. Christian Hoecken. He had left for St. Louis, to accompany F. de Smet on his journey to the Rocky Mountains. On the third or fourth day of navigation on a steamer bound for the Yellowstone, the cholera broke out on the boat, and in a short time it had laid low eleY.en victims. F. Christian ministered to the sick day and night, until at last he was attacked himself and fell a victim of charity, expiring in the arms of his friend F. de Smet. He was a native of Holland and had spent over fifteen years among the Indians, whose language he spoke admirably well. It would be difficult to find a priest as zealous for the salvation of souls, as forgetful of self and as pious. He was particularly devoted to the poor and the sick, and his delight was to be with them. Although exhausted with fatigues and weakened by many infirmities, he always recited the divine Office kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament. And whenever he held the Sacred Host for Communion or Benediction, his face beamed wit!~ an uncontrollable joy. One of the Fathers of St. Mary's went immediately to St. Joseph's to carry that melancholy news. In order to test at the same time the affection of the Indians for the deceased, at the end of the l\'lass, having simply announced F. Hoecken's death, he told the chief of the village to address a few words to the people. Immediately Joseph Meohkomie arose, and with a gravity dignified by the circumst;;tnces, said: "My fellow Christians: 'Ve have sustained a great loss in F. Hoecken, we lose a ttther, a protector, that for so many years tended our sick, fed our poor, watched over all of us. F. Hoeck en is dead, and we hope gone to his everlasting reward. Let us shed no idle tears. The love, the respect we had for F. Hoecken �Tlu• Pottowattolll)' Indians. 13 let us transfer to his successor here present. He is sent by the same Lord, invested with the same power, preaches the same doCtrine. The man is changed, not the authority, nor the doCtrine of truth." During summer we had the visit of Major Fitzpatrick, Agent of the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes, who took to \Vashington a delegation of the most distinguished Indians· of various tribes, to inspire them with fear and respeCt for the great American nation. They were extremely pleased with the reception; in return they gave us wild songs, . dances, delivered speeches each in his own dinleCt. They greatly admired the morality and industry of the Pottowattomies. "We go to vVashington," they said, "we will tell our Great Father to send us the same Black-gowns, that are among the Pottowattomies, to do among us what they are doing at St. Mary's." 1852.-The present year was very calamitous to the mission; two contagious diseases succesively visited us anddecimated our neophytes. First, towards the end of December, 185 I, the small-pox broke out in our village and raged for two months, carrying away one, two, three and even five viCtims every day. In some families five died in a few days. So great was the number of the sick that some days one could not find anybody to dig the graves or to make the coffins. Then in the summer time, the measles took away the children whom the small-pox had spared. At last, the long and continual dread of the Pawnees came to an end. From the very day they settled at St. Mary's our neophytes never spent one night in peace; they were repeatedly startled by some alarming news of the coming of the Pawnees, and indeed the Pawnees did come several times and stole horses, until they were finally pursued and chastised by our Indians. This chastisement brought them to a sober mind, they concluded to make peace with the Pottowattomies. Thev came therefore to the number of two hundred or three l;undred, and smoked �14 T!tc Pottmoattomy Indians. the calumet of peace with them. Thus ended the war between the two nations, kindled by the treachery of the cowardly Kaws. Twenty-five miles below St. Mary's, where Soldier Creek empties itself into the Kansas, there was a good settlement of Pottowattomies and half-breed Kaws, that had never been visited by the missionaries. One day, one of the Fathers of St. Mary's was going· as usual to St. Joseph's, across the Kansas; but no sooner had he left the mission, than he heard an interior voice urging him to go to Soldier· Creek instead. of St. Joseph's. So strong is the interior command, that he feels forced to obey it. It was not in vain that he went there. Just as he arrived on the spot, they were sending to the mission to call the priest for a man dying of the cholera. The Father baptized him, and prepared him for death, which soon took place. On that occasion several persons begged the priest to instruCt: and baptize them. The Father yielded to the wishes of many, and stayed ten days with them. As the number of Christians had increased quite considerably this year, we built a chapel in that settlement; it was· dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 1853.-The emigrants to California, that went across this vast Indian country, had given such a favorable description of its riches and beauty, that there was a general disposition in the neighboring States to have it opened to the whites for colonization. It seems that some half-breed Wyandots were put up to agitate that question before the American people: they organised a kind of mock-government, and begged the Government in vVashington to receive them into the Union. With that prospeCt: in view General Manypenny, Commissioner of Indian affairs at Washington, came up to St. Mary's, to examine what were the dispositions of the Pottowattomies. He had them assembled, and having communicated to them the future policy of the Goverment in regard to the settlement of this I �Tltc PottO'wattomy Indians. IS hitherto inaccessible desert, he asked whether they would, like to have their land divided and ·become citizens, or to exchange this country for another of their own choice. The Chiefs replied that they were not ready as yet to answer that question; and it would take some time, before they would have matured an answer. This year (1853) the Pottowattomies had an opportunity of showing the sincerity of their friendship for the 'Pawness. The latter sometime this summer, while on the buffalo-ground, were attacked by the Sioux and overpowered by their number. Hearing that the l'ottowattomies were in the neighborhood, they sent word to the~, informing them of their distress. The Pottowattomies immediately sped to the battlefield and did not leave it until they had fought off the foe. As some disorder began to creep into the community, to stop the evil, the Chief'> framed some la"ws, and appointed some honest and impartial men to see to the execution of said laws. I854.-ln the beginning of March, Bishop Miege returned from Rome, where he had been sent to assist at the General Congregation, which eleB:ed Rev. F. Beckx General of the Society of Jesus. He brought fine presents to our poor cathedral: an organ, a painting of the Immaculate Conception, vestments, a chalice, an ostensorium. This year we had flourishing schools of eighty pupils. The Commander of Fort Riley invited us to visit that garrison; we complied with his wishes. One of the Fathers had the celebration of divine service every month for the soldiers. At last a radical change is coming for all the Indian tribes of this country; Congress has organized two Territories in their midst, Nebraska and Kansas. This vast region is now open to the whites for settlement. The Indians will have finally to become citizens and disappear. r8ss.-This year the Pottowattomie mission assisted other houses of the province of Missouri, where assistance �16 Tlze PottowattomJ' Indians. was much needed. \Ve gave to the Novitiate of Florissant two thousand dollars, and to the Osage mission five hundred dollars. The present year is again a year of calamities: we had to endure the horrors of famine, pestilence and war. In the first place the great drought of I 854 having completely ruined the crops, many people were reduced to the last degree of destitution, the Indians especially, who are improvident. They subsisted on their scanty small game and on the little help they received from the relief committees. vVe shall ever be thankful to Generals Pomeroy and Lane: as also to Mr. Collamer, l\Iayor of Lawrence, for their liberality. The cholera did havoc also among our peotJle. But the worst of all the calamities was the civil war which broke out on account of slavery. The war was first confined to Kansas, but such was the agitation of minds throughout all the States, that it was easy to prediCt: it would become general. Some wanted to take up arms in defence of the South. We advised them to be on their guard and not to side with any party. When the Government sl;all call upon your help, we added, then you shall have an ample opportunity to declare your fidelity. They obeyed, though with relu8:ance; they remained neutral for two years, and then, at the call of the Goverment, one hundred young men enlisted for the service of the United States. IS$6.-'-The vVinnebagos sent a delegation to the Pottowattomies from Minnesota, begging to be received into their reservation: the place where they were located was untenable; they were surrounded by implacable enemies. The Pottowattomies received them kindly: but on account of the absence. of the principal Chiefs they could give no decisive answer; they requested them to come the next year to present their petition. Our annals record the wonderful death of Catherine Kwashinia, a girl four or five years old. Catherine's parents being pagans she was reared by her aunt Piwosikwe. so �Tlze Pottowattom_J' Indians. 17 Catherine's intelligence was wonderfully precocious : ~he understood and relished spiritual things like a grown person. One day as Piwosikwe was going from her house to the river to wash, Catherine taking her by the arm, went along. As they were walking, Catherine said to her aunt: "Aunt, is it true that in heaven there shall be no hunger, no thirst, no cold, no excessive heat ?"-"It is so, my niece."-"Is it true, that in heaven there is no sickness ?"-"It is undoubtedly so, Kate. In heaven there is no fever and ague, no pleurisy, no consumption; no suffering, but a perpetual blooming health; no old age, but a continual spring of life is enjoyed in heaven. The life of God is infused into the blessed soul."-"No tear, no sorrow!" exclaimed young Kate. "No, my dear niece, no tear, no sorrow, no privation is felt by the blessed in heaven," rejoined Piwosikwe. "Heaven is the home of joy and comfort. In heaven everything is good, unchangeable, eternal like God.""Pray, dear aunt, tell me, whence proceeds this pure and incomparable happiness?" asked Catherine.-"From God himsdf," answered Piwosikwe; "the citizens of heaven see God in His divine light, possess Him without fear of ever losing Him, are happy with Him forever. Heaven is our true home, we shall never be happy until we are in heaven. Do you understand me, Kate ?"-"Not very well, aunt; please explain it to me."-"Well, Kate," said Pi-· wosikwe, "here on earth we do not see God our Father, we see but his works·; we are, as it were, far from Him. Again, the earth is not our permanent home; heave·n is to be our everlasting home ; we are created not for the earth, but for heaven."-Kate for a moment was silent, as it were amazed and enraptured ; then bursting forth, she exclaimed : "How beautiful is heaven, aunt, how happy are its inhabitants ! I want to go there; here on earth we are too miserable. I must tell you, dear aunt, what vision I had last night. I saw myself carried up above the clouds into the beautiful place; there were myriads of people all beaming VoL. VI-No. 1. 3 '· �18 Tlze Pottmvattomy Indz'a~zs. with happiness. There I saw your own son, my aunt, filled with joy."-This circumstance is the more striking, that Piwosikwe's son mentioned in the narrative, had died many years before Kate was born, and no one remembered having spoken to her of the dead child.-"In the centre of that beautiful place there was ereCted a large cross glittering like gold," continued Kate ; "by the cross stood a lady of an amiable and dignified countenance. She beckoned to me to come near and occupy the place prepared for me in that rich abode." Piwosikwe, having finished the washing, returned home with young Catherine, who complained, in the way, of headache. Arrived home, Kate laid herself on her bed; a few minutes later she had lost consciousness. Three days after, Kat~'s body was lifeless, and her uncontaminated soul had fled to the celestial mansions. 1857--0ur annals this year record two illustrious deaths. That of Sister Louise at the convent of the Sacred Heart, who, although in feeble health for twenty years, taught the Pot!owattomy girls, and edified them by her charity and humility. The second loss we had to sustain is that of the Superior of the mission, the most loved and lamented R. F. Durinck. He was navigating with five men on the Missouri river, going from Leavenworth to Independence. The skiff struck against a snag and upset. He had by hard labor put the mission on a good footing. His patience, longanimity and charity endeared him to all. (To be continue;/.) �EXPULSION OF THE JESUITS FROM LOUISIANA IN 1763. (Concluded.) At last the inventory was begun ! It took some time to gather together and put in order the goods and furniture of so large an establishment (that of the Jesuits in Illinois, six leagues from Fort De Chartres), and to colleCt the cattle dispersed through the woods and open country: besides, there was good reason for being in no great hurry about the matter-the longer the delay, the greater was the profit to those engaged in the work. While this was going on, the people of the country around had plenty of time to refleCt on what was passing before their eyes. The condemnation of the Jesuits was sorrowful news to the savages ; the French were for the most part thrown into consternation by it, and regarded it as a public calamity. Justly attached to their pastor, they were about to lose him with no prospeCt of getting another in his place. No time was lost, therefore, in presenting to the Commandant and to the Commissioner of the country a petition asking in the name of almost all the people that at least Father Aubert, pastor of the French Cascakias, might be retained. As the answer to this petition seemed to be unreasonably delayed, a second was sent a short time afterwards. In the meantime, the more thoughtful and sensible of the inhabitants began to ask themselves by what right the goods of the Jesuits had been seized, and what power the French aHthorities could have over their persons in a land ceded by treaty to the crown of England. Then too, said they, eighteen months had been granted to all the settlers in the Illinois territory, without distinCtion, to decide 19 �20 Expulsion of t!tc :Jesuits from Louisiana in I76.J. whether they would remain there or remove elswhere ; why were the Jesuits excepted from this general benefit. \Vhat especially aroused their indignation was the seizure of certain sacred vessels belonging to a chapel of the Hurons of Detroit. Father Salleneuve, a missionary to that nation. had brought these vessels with him to the country of .the Illinois, when he took refuge there, two years and a half before this time. This Father, moreover, who had come from the Huron mission, and F~ther de la Morinie, of the post of St. Joseph, did not belong to Louisiana, but to Canada; extreme want ·alone had forced them to withdraw to the Illinois territory, and they were only waiting for a favorable opportunity to return to their posts. Father Salleneuve had received no employment on the Illinois mission, and if Father de la Morinie had taken charge of the church of St. Genevieve, it was not because that charge had been laid upon him, but because he was moved to do so by a zeal which could refuse no labor for God's sake. Plainly, the Council of New Orleans could have had no knowledge or thought of these two Fathers when decreeing the expulsion of their brethren ; but the authorities of the Illinois country were of a different opinion, and the Jesuits submitted without complaint or resistance to any interpretation that might be given to the command. Indeed it is hard to see what else they could have done. To protest against the order and its execution was useless, for the notary who must have received the remonstrance was himself personally interested in their destruction: he had aB:ed the part of sheriff in carrying out the decree for their expulsion, and had not even troubled himself to keep up a show of propriety. To put up their protest in public would have been worse than useless: they would have been treated as rebels against the public authority, seized, and perhaps put in irons as felons; on this point, explicit orders had been given. But the Jesuits had no such intention : their Superior at New Orleans had begged them, �Expulsion of tlze :Jesuits from Louisiana in z763. 21 in the name of Jesus Christ, to submit to. every thing, and to take their way to that city without regard to any reason which might seem to dispense them from obeying; and their only desire was to fulfil this command. They remembered that they were disciples of that divine Master who delivered himself up to them who judged him unjustly, and who like the lamb before the shearer, opened not his mouth. This time, at least, not even their bitterest enemies. could find fault with their practice of blind obedience. They went farther: fearful lest the petitions presented by the settlers might bring upon them the suspicion of intriguing and fomenting rebellion, they wrote to the Commandant and to the Commissioner, asking them to pay no attention to the representations made to them, but to hasten arrangements for the departure. The officials, however, had less regard for this letter than for the danger of a popular outbreak with which they were threatened, and they accordingly gave orders that Father Aubert, pastor of the Cascakias, should remain at his post until the Council of New Orleans should decide what was to be done with him. Meanwhile, the auction had been finished: house, furniture, lands, and stock were sold; the slaves were to be taken to New Orleans and sold for the benefit of the King; the chapel was to be razed to the ground by its new owner. The Jesuits were allowed their house, the use of which until the time of their departure had been guaranteed to them by an article of the sale. They did not find themselves at all embarrassed by the amount of furniture that had been left in it; in fact, the bedsteads and mattresses were the only articles remaining, so that they were obliged to borrow some chairs and a little table from their friends. The chapel was in a still more lamentable condition; the sacred vessels had been taken away, the steps of the altar had been cast down, the rich lining of the vestments had been given to negresses notorious for their bad life, while the great crucifix which had stood upon the altar, and the candlesticks, now figured �22 Expulsion of t!te :Jesuits from Louisia11a in I76J. upon the side-board of a house of ill fame. From the marks of spoliation visible in the chapel, it might have been supposed that the enemies of the Catholic religion had been at work there. At this stage of their affairs, the Jesuits of the Illinois mission were joined by a brother missionary, Father de Vernay, who came from the station of Saint Angelo, some two hundred miles away. The order for his expulsion had been sent thither, and so faithfully was it executed that even a little store of chestnuts found in his house, was seized and sold with the rest of his modest furniture. Father de Vernay, be it remarked, had at this time, been sick with the fever for six months, and he did not recover until after his arrival in France, six months later. But this was no reason for deferring his departure: the decree had gone forth; and besides, how could he remain in a dwelling destitute of both furniture and provisions? He began his march in the month of November: he had to traverse woods and moist prairies, exposed to the rain and the cold; and so poor Father de Vernay was in a sad plight when he came to join the little band of exiles awaiting embarkation. It was the interest of the Jesuits that this embarkation should not be too long delayed. There was reason to fear danger from the ice which fills the Mississippi, sometimes as early as the end of November, and which, closing in upon the boats caught in it, crushes them, or at least stops their progress and reduces those on board to a great want of provisions. The time fixed for their departure at length arrived, and ·on the 24th of November, 1763, the Jesuits went on board the flat-boat which was to carry them down the Mississippi to New Orleans. The craft was by no means overloaded by the weight of their baggage; they had nothing but their beds and a little wearing apparel, with some provisions which they had reserved for the voyage and which had to serve not only for their own subsistence, but also for that of �Expulsion of tlte :Jesuits from Louisialla ill IJ6J. 23 forty-eight slaves who were in their company. These negroes were suffering severely from the distress prevalent in the colony. They no longer belonged to the Jesuits, having been confiscated to the King, but their old masters retained for them the same kind regard which they had always shown them, and shared very willingly with these wretched creatures the provisions which they had brought with them. This charity was the more necessary, as the provisions put on board by the royal authority were very moderate, being sufficient for only fifteen or twenty days; whereas at that season, as several years' experience had shown, the voyage would in all probability require from forty to forty-five days. Fortunately, M. de Volsey, the officer in command of the troops, took care to provide whatever was wanting. He was in another boat with about twenty Englishmen : these men had been made prisoners some months before by the savages in revolt against the English, and had been carried by them to the Illinois settlements, and handed over to the French. The Commandant of the fort at Chartres sent them to New Orleans. All were men of vigorous appetite. Every evening, after landing, M. de Volsey, the chief of the whole party, accompanied by some others, went into the woods to hunt. They were almost always successful, and the bears and buffaloes which they shot amply supplied the deficiency of provisions. This was not the only kindness shown to the party by the courteous Commandant. In this winter season a considerable time was required for the embarkation and landing of such a number of slaves, old men, women, and children: on landing in the evening, they had to climb the high, steep, and slippery banks of the stream, at the risk of falling into the Mississippi and being drowned. Then, after reaching ~he top of the bank in safety, they had to look for a campmg-place in the woods with which the river is everywhere bordered; this was oftentimes to be found only by clearing some spot thickly set with briers and undergrowth ; then �24 Expulsion of tltc :Jesuits from Louisiana in I76J. it was necessary to gather wood enough to keep up seven or eight large fires all night; and finally, tents were to be erected in order to protect the travellers from the keen air of the November nights. Luckily the Jesuits were provided with tents for themselves and the slaves, this privilege having been granted them in the seizure of their goods. M. de V olsey always allowed full time for these various labors. The weather proving much more favorable than is usual at this season of the year, the voyage, which might have been much loilger, lasted only twenty-seven days. During this time, the Fathers managed to say Mass on every Sunday and feast day. Along the whole extent of the route, about one thousand miles, there are, if we except the settlement of the Germans not far from the city itself, only two posts established, one among the Arkansas, and the other at Pointe Coupee. At the Arkansas settlement, which is distant about four hundred miles from the Illinois region, M. Labaret d' Estrepy, Commandant of the post, gave the Jesuits a courteous and honorable welcome. At Pointe Coupee, also, M. d'Esmazilieres, the Captain in command, gave them the same kind reception. Father Iren<eus, a Capuchin stationed at the latter place, in charge of a parish some thirty or forty miles in extent, showed the Jesuits Fathers as much attention as he could have done to his own religious brethren. Finally, when they were about twenty miles from their destination, they stopped at the house of M. de Maccarty, formerly the King's Lieutenant at New Orleans, who by his kindness recalled to their remembrance the good will which he had always shown towards the Illinois missionaries while he held the position of General Commandant. This gentleman gave them additional proofs of his friendship after their arrival in the city. On leaving the friendly shelter of M. de Maccarty's roof, the Jesuits found themselves in a difficult position. New i. �Expulsion of tltc :Jesuits from Louisiaua in IJ6J.. 25 · Orleans was before them, but they knew not where to obtain a lodging. They could not go to their old house, for they knew that it had been sold and was already occupied by other masters; and in the present condition of their fortunes, they could not reckon upon the charity of their former acquaintances. But Providence provided for them in their necessity. l\L Foucaut, Comptroller of the Navy and Shipping, who was in command at New Orleans during the absence of his superior officer, learned from M. de Vols1ey the embarrassment of the Jesuits, and sending for them to his own house, told them that he had procured for them lodging with M. Le Sassier, a member of the Council. By this gentleman they were treated with great politeness; he even invited them to make his house their home until their departure for France. Meanwhile, the Capuchins, hearing of the Jesuits' arrival, came at six o'clock in the evening of December 21st, to meet them on their landing, in order to testify their sympathy for those in misfortune, and their desire to render them every service in their power. The Jesuits w~nt next morning to thank the good Fathers, and were received by them with every mark of the warmest charity: the Capuchim begged them to take their meals with none but themselves during all the time of their stay. This invitation was gladly accepted. The Capuchins could not offer the exiles a shelter under their own roof, for their convent was only a dwelling which they had rented and which did not even afford room for the whole of their own community; but the Jesuits took a house in the neighborhood, and during the six weeks which elapsed before their departure they received every mark of kindness and charity from the good religious. The Jesuits found means to show their gratitude for this treatment: the books of the New Orleans residence had been left to their own disposal by the decree of expulsion ; with these they formed a library, small, it is true, but of no VoL. VI-No. 1. 4 �26 Erpu!sion of tltc :Jesuits from Louisiana in I76J. mean value in so new a country, and begged the Capuchins to accept it. Many others also, even among the most distinguished persons of the city, showed a friendliness towards the Jesuits, which, under the circumstances, could not be suspeCl:ed of insincerity. The Procurator General visited them and assurefj them of the pain which he had felt in executing so odious a duty in their regard. A short time before their departure, the chief Commissioner, M. d'Albadie, sent them a letter which he had written for them to the French Secretary of the -Navy, and which he wished them to present with their own hands; in it he asked a pension for each of the Fathers, and gave favorable testimony of their conduCl:. In spite of all this, the Jesuits saw plainly that their longer stay in New Orleans was not desired. It was the month of January, perhaps the very worst season of the year for a voyage across the Atlantic; but they found a new and staunch ship, the ilfincrva of Bayonne, commanded by a certain C?ptain Balanquet, who had made himself famous in the last war, and who was in high repute for honor ~nd probity. These reasons determined the "jesuits to embark in his vessel. However, two out of the six Fathers remained behind. Father de Ia Morinie remembered the terrible sea-sickness which he had suffered on his former voyage, and which had almost proved fatal, and he therefore preferred " to delay his departure until the Spring, when the sea would be less rough. Father Meurin petitioned the Council for permission to return to the Illinois. Under the circumstances, this was rather a bold resolution, for he had absolutely nothing 'to count upon for subsistence: the goods of the Jesuits were sold, the French settlers were under no obligation to Father Meurin, and the savages were in a condition rather to need assistance than to afford it. Moreover, the health of this Father was very poor, as it had always been during the twenty- one years which he had spent in Louisiana; but he saw the great danger in which the �Expulsion of tlze Ycsuits from Louisiana in IJ6J. 27 Illinois neophytes were of forgetting their religion, if they remained long deprived of missionaries, and counted all difficulties as nothing, provided he could but resume the labors of his mission. Father Meurin's request was granted, and the members of the Council even promised to ask a pension of six hundred francs for him from the King. The four other Jesuits sailed on the 6th of February, 1764, in company with the Abbe Forget du Verger, member of the Congregation for the Foreign Missions, and Vicar General of the Archbishop of Quebec in th<:,Illinois region. For ten ,years this clergyman had shown himself very friendly to the Jesuits in that country, and his company at this time was an offset to whatever was disagreeable in their voyage. The weather continued favorable until the vessel was off the Bahamas. Here they had to pass the famous strait of Martyr's Island. The captain, vigilant and skilful, did his best to avoid it·; for about twelve hours he kept the helm down and the vessel headed towards the east, but in yain : towards midnight, the ship was carried by the violent currents upon the outlying rocks around the Martyr. The shocks of the vessel upon the rocks were terrible : a craft less staunch would surely have been shattered, or at least would have opened her seams, but the Minerva shipped - not an inch of water more than ordinary. Meantime the passengers fell to their prayers and made various vows for their safety. By sunrise they were off the rocks : after tacking all day from one side of the strait to the other, they found forty-five fathoms of water towards evening, and shortly after the lead failed to reach the bottom. The travellers breathed freely once more, and the next morning they sang the Te Deum in thanksgiving for their preservation. The weather was fine for the rest of the voyage, excepting the day and night of the 6th of March ; the evening before this day, St. Elmo's fire, as the sailors call those mysterious elearic flames which sometimes play around the mast-head I ; �28 Erpulsion of tltc :Jesuits from Louisiana in I76J. and yard-arms of vessels at sea had foretold bad weather, and in fact the storm was very violent, and extended so far that its force was felt equally at Bayonne, almost three thousand miles distant from the vessel. On the 6th of April, the flfincr<•a cast anchor in the roadstead of St. Sebastian, in Spain, the weather being too unfavorable to admit of her crossing the bar of Bayonne. The Jesuits of the college of St. Sebastian received the French missionaries with all the charity due to strangers and exiles. They could not help expressing their surprise that even in the depths of the North American forests, peaceful missionaries engaged in converting the savages and ministering to the spiritual needs of the French were not safe from the persecution of their Catholic fellow-countrymen. Like the Illinois settlers, they could not understand what pow~r the French authorities could lawfully exercise over subjects transferred by treaty to the crown of England. A suprise was also in store for the newly-landed Jesuits t~emselves; they were being sent to France, and · here they found their brother-religious of that kingdom, banished from France and taking refuge in Spain. It was at St. Sebastian that they heard of the ordinances of the Parliaments of l'aris and of other places, decreeing the expulsion of those members of the Society who would not apostatize by abjuring their Institute. They had been in town only two days when Father Nektous, the last Provincial of the Guyenne province arrived. This threw the missionaries into a new perplexity : how could they venture to enter France at the very time when their brothers were being chased out of it? They took courage, however, and remembering that they bore a letter to the Secretary of the Navy which they were obliged to present with their own hands, they resolved to cross the Pyrenees at all hazards. At San Juan de Luz, they found three Jesuits who were crossing i~to France. The two older of these religious were nearly eighty years of age; the third, a young man, �Expulsion- of t!te :Jesuits from Louisiana in I76J. 29 had undertaken to guide his aged companions across the mountains. The cheerfulness and frank gayety of these new travelling comrades reassured the missionaries and encouraged them to continue the journey which they had begun. Reaching Bayonne on the eve of Palm Sunday, they met there several bands of their fugitive brother-religious, on their way into Spain. All of them were welcomed kindly by the Archbishop of Bayonne. On Holy Thursday this prelate gave them communion with his own hand in his Cathedral, immediately after having communicated the canons: on the following day, he asked a dozen of them to dine with him, and showed them many other marks of friendly interest. During their stay of a fortnight at Bayonne, the Jesuits received similar marks of kindness from many other persons, and notably from the Baron d'Oriol. This gentleman scarcely ever quitted them, and did every service that could have been expe8:ed even from the oldest and most affeCtionate friend. On leaving Bayonne, the Jesuits took out a passport from the mayor of the city. This is a precaution which foreigners are obliged to take in order to enter the country and travel therein with safety, and as the Jesuits regarded themselves thenceforth as strangers in France, they desired to shelter themselves by this means from any ill-treatment they might encounter. At Bordeaux they found a large number of their brethren gathered together, uncertain of their future lot and fearful lest the corporation of that city should follow the example set by the capital. The two bands of exiles consoled each other by the story of their adventures. Up to this point the fou~ Jesuits from Louisiana had travelled together. On leaving this city they separated and each one directed his steps to that part of the co,untry where his own particular business called him. Two met again at Paris. On their different routes they found as before many kind persons to assist them, particularly at Or- �\ ~· 30 ' Expulsion of tlte :Jesuits from Louisiana in I763. leans, where the monks of Chartreuse showed them that warm attachment and charity which their holy order has ever entertained for the Society. Everywhere the same surprise was felt that the cession of the Illinois territory to the English had not proteB:ed the Jesuits from all harm. Those who spoke with them were astonished at their tranquillity in the midst of their trials, and in view of the diffi· culties they had to fear for the future. The Fathers foresaw how hard it would be for them to find suitable retreats and necessary means of subsistence; but they placed their confidence in the providence of God, which had never deserted them, and they firmly believed that it is only when human means fail that the loving hand of the Lord makes itself most plainly felt. Arriving at last in Paris, although entirely unknown in that city, they received the same marks of esteem and friendliness which they had met with in the whole course of their journey. People of all ranks, even the highest, who had always been attached to the Jesuits, took this opportunity to give new proofs of their love for the order. The four fathers met at Versailles in order to present to the Secretary of the Navy the letter which they bore for him, but as the day which he appointed for their first audience was still far off, they sent the letter by post, and each one withdrew whither he hoped to receive the assistance to which he was justly entitled. I believe that I have faithfully kept the promise which I made at the beginning of this letter to tell only the exaCt: truth, and I believe also that I have said nothing that can give offence to any one; you may therefore show this document to all who wish to see it. PARIS, SEPTEMBER 3. I764. �RESIDENCE OF ST. MARY'S, BOSTON, MASS. 1868-1876. The residence of St. Mary's, Endicott and Cooper streets, was given in the year of our Lord 1847, by the Right Rev. Bishop of Boston, John B. Fitzpatrick, to the Rev. Fr. John Me Elroy, as the representative of the Society of Jesus, il). · the province of Maryland. From that date to the present year 1876, the Society has held the original property, consisting of a church, and house adjoining; and by purchase has added thereunto. When the property first came into the hands of the Society, it had a front of only 85 feet on Endicott St., with an equal depth on Cooper St.; to-day, preserving its original depth, its frontage is 285 feet. Then, the parish embraced the whole territory known as North End, and a very large section of the West End of Boston. It was however, subdivided by the Ordinary: and the church of St. Joseph in the West End, and of St. Stephen in the North End, have taken a large part of the original parish. In the year I 87 I, the Lowell Eastern and Fitchburg Rail Road Companies, received permission from the Legislature, to enlarge their facilities for traffic, by condemning for the public good, Andover St. and parts of Nashua and Minot St., thereby curtailing the limits of the parish, and reducing its numbers. The Gas-house Company, also, by extending their works and levelling many dwellings lessened the population. At present the parish counts nearly , ten thousand souls. The dimensions of the "Old Church" wer~ 6o by 85 feet. The floor and galleries gave sitting room to about 800 persons. The basement was used exclusively for the boys of the parish and accommodated easily five hundred and more. 31 �32 f ! I Residence of St. "Jfary?s, Boston, lllass. To provide room for our people, a chapel in the upper story of the schoolhouse, on Lancaster St. where the Sisters of Notre Dame labored, was opened, and there l\Iass was said for the girls at 9 A. lll. and for the people in that neighborhood at 10 A.M. Rev. Father Me Elroy and one assistant Priest, with two lay brothers, formed the first Community of Ours iri Boston: but as more Masses were needed, and two Fathers could not attend to the wants of their charge, Superiors sent two other Fathers, and from that time, to the years 1875 ~nd 1876, four of Ours labored in the Mission of St. Mary's, ln the years 1875 and 1876, the number was increased to five. These Fathers said regularly on Sundays and holidays of obligation, eight Masses for the people, and notwithstanding, many for want of room were unable to be present at the Holy Sacrifice. From the year 1868 to 1876, the want of church-room, entailed on the Fathers, besides the labor of two Masses, each, the fatigue, on the part of two of their number, of singing the late Masses at half-past ten A. M. and of preaching thereat. It was a very exhausting duty after the labors of the three previous days spent in the confessional. Before the arrival of Ours in Boston, the small number of Priests, the want of church-room, the. absence of any system to gather together the faithful, except to hear Mass, precluded the organization of Sodalities. \Vith the introduCtion of the Sisters of Notre Dame, these difficulties were somewhat lessened or removed. Fr. Me Elroy with the sanCtion of the Right Rev. Bishop Fitzpatrick, organized the .Married Ladies' Sodality, and entrusted its management to the Sisters of Notre Dame. The Bishop frequently assisted at the reception of members, and by his presence and words of fatherly encouragement, gave his approval of the ereCtion and spread of Sodalities. The Sodality of the Married J_adies, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, numbers in its ranks three hundred and sixty mothers. I �Rcsidmce of St. lVfary's, Boston, lvfass. 33 The meetings are held weekly in Lancaster St. chapel, are presided over by a Sister, and frequently receive an instruCtion from one of the Fathers. In the year 1857, Rev. Fr. Bernardine \Viget, S. J., called a meeting of the men of the congregation in the basement of the church for the purpose of forming a Sodality among the male members. About twenty-five responded. The meeting was organized, and the first reception was held in February 1857· The good example of tlte few, the words of encouragement from the ordinary and pastors, the regularity in the lives of the Socialists, in a short time attraCted candidates from every se8:ion of the city. This Sodality was more properly a Sodality of men, without the distinction of married or unmarried, in its earliest days. It em- · braced all classes, from the age of sixteen upwards ; and soon numbered, between old and young, youths and boys, nearly eighteen hundred on its roll. Some years after, Fr. R. W. Brady, S. J., Superior of the house, saw the necessity of separating the young unmarried , men from the old, and of forming them into a distinCt: Sodality, to be known as the Young Men's Sodality of St Mary's. These two Sodalities require the members to attend meetings weekly, and to receive the Sacraments of Penance and holy Eucharist monthly. The Mal?'ied Men's Sodality meets on Sunday at 7 P. M., \vhen the Rosary and Office of the Blessed Virgin are said and an instruCtion is given by the DireCtor. This Sodality numbers nearly five hundred a8:ive members. The sick and poor of the Sodality are helped pecuniarily by private colleCtions taken up among the members and by disbursements from the treasury. On days of communion, it is a most edifying sight to witness the well-filled ranks, approaching the Holy Table. Since their separation from the Mam"ed Mm's Sodality, the Young Men, ranging in age from sixteen years, to twentyfive, have gone on steadily increasing in numbers. Like the senior Sodality, this body is presided over by one of VoL. vr-No. 1. 5 �L- 34 Residence of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. the Fathers. Meetings are held weekly, at which the attendance, especially during the winter months, is large. An instruCtion is always given by the DireCtor. The members receive the Sacraments, on the .third Sunday of every month. Officers are generally faithful to their duties, kind and prudent in seeking delinquent members, and reporting to the council the cause of absence. The number of members at the last count was within one or two of four hundred. To spread the devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and to , provide for tlw regular accession of members to the Young llfeJI's Sodali!J', and from them to the llfarried Men's Sodali!J•, two other Sodalities for the youth of the parish were organized. The Catholic Sclzool Sodality is composed of those pupils of the boys' school, who have made their first communion. They remain therewith connected, until they have reached - the age of sixteen, when, by "transfer" they are admitted amongst the young men. By "transfer" is meant, that a testimoniai of membership is given, signed by the DireCtor, the Prefect, and Secretary, which testimonial entitles the bearer to membership without probation, in the Young .Afen's Sodality. This system of "transfer," is adoped in behalf of a member of the Yozmg- Men's Sodality, who enters the married state. He is forthwith admitted as a regular member among the married men. The Public School Sodali!J', is another source from which recruits are obtained for the ranks of the two Sodalities mentioned above. This is composed of boys under sixteen, who go to the public schools, but attend the parochial Sunday school. Weekly meetings are held on Sunday afternoon, at five o'clock. The Rev. Director, after the singing of the Litany by the members, and the recitation of the Little Office of the B. Virgin, gives them an instruCtion. The fourth Sunday of the month, is their day of communion. The two Sodalities of boys, approach holy communion on the same �Resideuce of St. Mmy's, Boston, Mass. 3'5 Sunday, at the Mass for the children of the parish, to which no one is admitted but teachers or officers conneCted with the schools. In conneCtion with the Catholic school, and under the charge of one of the teachers, but subjeCt to the control of the DireCtor of the school, there is a Sodality for those preparing for their first communion, and known as the Holy Angels' Sodality. These, on the day of first communion, or as soon after as many be convenient, are received, without probation, into the Catltolic Sc!tool Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, thereby transferring them to the care of the Queen of Angels. The Sisters of Notre Dame have, besides the Sodality of the married ladies, one for young ladies, to whom instruction is given suitable to their state. It is formed in part from the graauates of the school, not however to the exclusion of any young lady of the parish of virtuous inclination. Amongst these Socialists are to be found, that remarkable portion of the "devout sex," who, though humble in life, are recognized by the Catholic and Protestant world as models of purity and attachment to the faith. A Girl's Sodality is organized amongst the scholars of the school, and is composed of those more advanced in learning. It numbers one hundred and thirty members. Under the charge of the Sisters, and formed of the pupils attending school, is the Sodality of the Holy Angels, numbering two hundred and ten- also the Sodality of t/ze Infant :Jesus for the little ones of our school, with one hundred and twenty~ six members. The Public Sc!tool Sodality for girls is also under the supervision of the Sisters of Notre Dame, with one hundred and fifty members. The Bona Mors Association was formed from the beginning of the parish. Every third Sunday of the month, the members receive holy communion, attend vespers, after which the celebrant reads the prayers of the association, and the large attendance, loud and fervent responses of the �36 Residmce of St. 11fary's, Boston, llfass. people, bespeak the earnestness of the members. About four thousand, are enrolled within this association. Sanc-tuary and Scapular Societies furnish the sanCI:uary with all things necessary, and promote the devotion of the Scapular of Mt. Carmel. The Confcrmce of St. Vi11cmt de Paul is composed of the most influential and praCI:ical members of our Church. Under its direCI:ion the distribution of alms to the poor, has been most judiciously made. Previous to its establishment, many. received assistance who were unworthy of it. The members, according to rule, meet weekly, and the wants of the poor 'of the parish are made known to the Conference, which appoints a committee to examine, report and relieve the worthy and needy. The members also very kindly give their services in caring for the public school children, by assisting the Rev. DireCI:or in ascertaining the cause of absence from their Sodalities. This Conference, to secure funds to relieve the poor, avails itself of leCI:ures. concerts, lotteries, and donations from Sodalities, etc., etc. The Temperance Society requires from the members an assessment of 25 cents per month, to meet the expenses of the Society, which, besides its spiritual charaCI:er, provides for the wants' of the sick of the association. It may be properly called a temporal and beneficial Society. Members, wearing .badges, and under the officers, receive the Sacraments (by rule) on the 4th Sunday of the month. The meetings are bi-monthly. Men and women compose this organization. At the public meeting, usually, an address . is made by one of the Fathers. The number of members at the present date, December, 1876, is two hundred. The Sc!tool Association is in a temporal sense, what the Sodalities are in a spiritual sense. It has been, and is to-day the bank from which has been drawn the revenue to support the,school of our parish. Every member is assessed the sum of 25 cents monthly, or three dollars per year. �I I t t I L' ' ' '· ' Residence if St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. 37 This assessment is gathered by gentlemen of the congregation, who undertake this work gratuitously, and who, in the discharge of this duty, go from house to house, from cellar to garret. It is, on their pait, a work not unfrequently attended with great inconvenience, as it is done principally after work hours and on Sundays. The parish is distriCl:ed, ·, and the people are notified from the altar, of the appointment of a colleCl:or. The amount received from this source, per month, during favorable times, has ranged between five hundred and six hundred dollars. As some compensation, if we may so speak, the Holy Sacrifice is offered twice in the week for these our good benefaCtors. Before the opening of schools in other parishes the colleCl:ors were permitted to receive members and their dues from these parishes, but this source is now closed, and our dependence is mainly on our own parish. In conneCtion with this association, we ought not to omit the name of one, whom we regard as worthy of all praise. A poor man, with a large family, engaged in the dirt and heat of the gas house of the city, obliged by contraCt: to ten hours of labor, gave since the year 1859, from the noblest and most disinterested motives, his time, every evening, after work hours, to this association. On Sundays after Mass and holy communion-he is a weekly communicant-he has tramped the whole day, going from house to house, from suburb to suburb, in search of members and their dues. No· weather, winter or summer, cold or hot, rain or sunshine was able to prevent him in his zeal in behalf ofthe Catholic school. Unable to read or write, he was obliged to have a companion to inscribe the names of members and the amount received. God blessed his zeal. During the last seventeen years, his books of account show the incredible sum of more than sixty thousand dollars collected by him alone, after the fatigue of the day. The name of William Whall deserves the respeCt: and gratitude of every member of our Province. Now in his seventieth year, he is still aCl:ive, �i L 38 Residence of St. llfary's, Boston, Mass. ,!- still asking the good God to spare him a few years more, that his eyes may behold another better and larger building for school purposes, than the one destroyed to make room for the new Church. The Fathers hear confessions on Thursday evening from 7 till IO P. M., with an interruption for supper. Thursdays are set apart for those who approach weekly, and the other days for all who come. The Fathers estimate the number of confessions heard by each of them as ranging between twelve and fifteen thousand yearly. The brother sacristan, who counts the particles, reports the number yearly distributed as ~ranging between sixty and seventy thousand. Though from this a correCt: estimate of the number of confessions cannot be formed, for many who confess at our church go to communion elsewhere. Since the year 1868 three missions conduB:ed by Ours, of New York, Missouri or Maryland were given. Each was successful, in proportion to the facilities offered the faithful for receiving the Sacraments. We have no data, to guide us in giving the number of converts. The Baptismal record of 1875 and 1876 mentions forty-five for these years. Our ·surroundings are almost entirely Catholic, few Protestants living in the parish. On the first Friday of the month, aftt;:r Mass, the prayers in honor of the SACRED HEART are said, and the Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament is given. This Mass (at 7 P.M.) is always numerously attended, and the-kneeling. crowd resembles a Sunday congregation. During the Mass the girls of the parish school sing appropriate hymns. The number of communicants is between four and five hundred. The devotion of our people to the Sacred Heart, was strikingly manifested on the occasion of the consecration of the parish, December 7th, 1873. The confessionals were thronged, communions numerous, and many date from that day the .end of a career of sin. It was announced at the Masses, that the aB: of consecrating the parish and people ., ·-l ,l �Residence of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. 39 to the Sacred Heart, would take place after evening services. When the Father came to robe for solemn Benediaion, with Deacon and Subdeacon, they found every part of the church and galleries crowded by the people. Many, unable to gain admission to the church, remained kneeling in the vestibule, exposed to the cold of a northern winter. Our aged sacristan, who has been and yet remains conneaed with the church from the year 1847, had prepared the altars, and lighted every gas jet and candle. At the foot of the altar, surrounded by the members of the Society, knelt the Father superior, who, in a loud voice, in the name of the people, repeated sentence by sentence, the aa of consecration, and was responded to by the assistants, and the kneeling masses of devout worshippers. One felt that this aa of consecration, was, at one and the same 'time, a declaration of faith and a manifestation of love towards the Sacred Heart of Jesus. From that day the devotion is more known and appreciated by the people. Many private Novenas are made by the affliaed for temporal or spiritual succor. Mothers make them for their husbands, negleaful of their Easter duties or addiaed to some vice, and the wayward one is silently yet irresistibly brought back to grace. Temporal favors are granted, such as work or situations, ere the novena is concluded. Many remarkable instances of the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes have occurred within the parish. Cures have been effeaed, which, in the course of nature, seemed impossible-acute pain has instantly left the sufferer, on the application of the Water of Lourdes. Every day, and sometimes five times a day, are requests made for the water, as a .relief in danger. But particularly in child-bearing has the miraculous interposition of our Mother been felt. 1'he medical praaice of the day, besides the lamentable example of sterility or feticide amongst those who differ from us in faith, is a temptation and danger to a Catholic mother in labor. Our Fathers have had occasion to exaa a promise, �. 40 Residmce of St. Jlfary's, Boston, llfass. not to allow the offspring to be put in danger of temporal and spiritual death, to save hersel£ On one occassion, a mother was declared by the physician, as not able to give birth to the fruit of her womb. The mother was growing weaker and weaker. She sent for a Father, made known her condition, the opinion of the physicians-for the family physician had called a consultation, and it had been decided that the mother could not bring forth the child, nor could they save her without causing its death. The Father having heard the confession of the sufferer and given her holy comm~nion, bade her have hope, and on his return home, sent her a small phial of the water of Lourdes, with the request to place her confidence in the Mother of God, and on no account permit the physicians to attempt feticide. Her prayer was heard-mother and child are strong and healthy. Our brother sacristan is obliged to keep on hand a large supply of St.· IguatzitS' Holy ~Vater, to satisfy the devotion of the people, who use it for any and all the ailments life is subject to. In diseases of the eyes and throat, the faith of the patient is frequently rewarded. Our people belong to what is called the poor class, a laboring people, living from day to day by the work of their hands, and rarely are able to lay by a· little for the day of sickness, or loss of work. They are mostly from Ireland, or of Irish descent of the first and second generation. Their faith is strong-their nature generous. \Vhen an appeal is made by the priest of God, their last farthing is given in the spirit of faith. Few among them own the house in which they live, and hence, when unable from loss of health or work, to pay the rent, collected weekly. they are obliged to remove, and seek accommodations elsewhere. They have their faults as a people, but their faith in God, and openhancfed generosity, will overbalance the failings of an impulsive-nature. We have had many exhibitions of their faith and generosity, but none so strikingly great as when �Residmcc of St. llfary's, Boston, 'Mass. 41 we contemplated the building of a new church and residence. To appreciate their generosity, it must be remembered, that when the old church, built in 1835, was open for service, the Bishop of Boston, Rt. Rev. B. J. Fenwick, S. J., in order to raise funds, was obliged to sell the pews in fee simple, giving thereby this property into the hands of the purchaser, to be at his disposal, for his own benefit, subjeB: however to a tax of six per cent. for the benefit of the pastor. When therefore it was announced that another church was to be built, a difficulty presented itself, involving a probable outlay of twenty thousand dollars, to secure the pews, without losing the good will of the people. Many of the pew-holders depended on the rent for their daily bread-the pews had descended to them by will or purchase in better timessome might be supposed ready to question the right in law to remove the pews ; others, living at a distance, and not at all interested in a new church, might demand the full cost of the pew. Besides, to add to the difficulty, the pew-holders had before them the example of the late Bishop, J. B. Fitzpatrick, who, in the sale of the Cathedral property, on Franklin St., indemnified the pew-holders. But our people as a body, gave up cheerfully all right to the pews-those who depended on them for their bread, were met in a generous spirit by the pastor, and his terms willingly accepted. No grumbling, lawsuits, or unkind reproaches were heard of againstany one of the Society. We record another instance of their faith and generosity. When it was announced that a new church was to be built, and that on them we leaned for support in this great undertaking, an appeal was made to them from the altar to come forward and say what they were willing to contribute: .by this appeal, and but once made, they subscribed more than ten thousand dollars, to be paid in instalments halfyearly, or yearly. Their faith seemed to grow livelier and more aB:ive, when they saw the preparations made for the VoL. VI-No. 1. 6 �[c' '. ~. t: 42 Residence of St. .fifar:)"s, Boston, .fifass. building. During the digging out of the foundation, every one seemed to watch the progress of the work and take the . deepest interest in it. As a means of raising money to purchase land, etc., a grand fair was announced. After three months of preparation, the fair was opened during Easter week of the year 1874. It was held during six weeks, and at its close, the people placed in the hands of the pastor, as the net result of their labor, the unprecedented sum of forty one tlzousand dollars. So large a sum of money was never before given, by any parish or congregation in the United States. Again, Ja'nuary the 1st, 1876, our good people were told that a fair would be held in the new basement, to continue during the month of February. With one month's preparation, and four weeks of fair, our people exceeded, if we consider the times and the short preparation, their first munificent offering ; for they presented as the net result of their fair, the sum of tlu'rty tltousand dollars. We may sum up the amount contributed in the space of le5s than two years as over eigltty tlwusaud dollars in ·cash, and in the equivalent, by the surrender of the deeds of the pews, as more than ten tltousand dollars. It is but just to say, that we found many generous friends among the other parishes: they felt the warmth of friendship for St. Mary's, either because they once belonged to the parish, or because they had chosen Ours for confessors. To these figures, add the yearly sum, through the school association, of more than five thousand dollars-the collections at Pentecost for the education of Ecclesiastics for the diocese averaging two hundred and fifty dollars-Christmas and Easter offerings, complimentary to the pastor, each nine hundred dollars-colleCtions for the Home of Destitute Catlzolic Cltildren, yearly two hundred and fifty dollars-the Orplzan asylum fund of one hundred and fifty dollars yearlythe offt;ring to the holy Father, averaging four hundred dollars-the new Cathedral colleCtion, about four hundred anI' �Residence of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. 43 nually-the \Voodstock colleaion, averaging three hundred dollars-colleaions for the poor, under the auspices of St. Mary's conference-appeals from the Sisters of t!te good Sltep!terd, the Infant asylum, the Carney Hospital, the General Hospital colleaion. To those add the almost monthly authorization of some private begging. Yet despite this strain on their resources, and its frequency, our people have never - failed to give more liberally than any other congregation in the city. Again, in the year 186g, the want of accommodations obliged Superiors to buy a residence, at a distance of two streets from the church, the cost of which was ten thousand dollars. Our people, in the joy of their hearts at seeing the Fathers better accommodated, gave the sum of $8,8go, at the fair, to cancel the debt. It is time to give some details about the New Church and Residence. During May, 1873, the negotiations for the purchase of land adjoining the school property were concluded. The land together with the houses there, nine in number, seven of brick and two of wood, was bought' at a cost of $6o,ooo dollars-securing thereby a lot, including the site of the school and old church, of 285 feet in length, by 85 feet deep. The plans for the improvements were drawn by the master architea of church buildings in the United States, Mr. l'. C. Keely. The church is of the Roman style. The external dimensions are 198 feet, 4 inches by 83 feet, 6 inches. The towers are 26 feet square, and 16o feet high from the sidewalk to the top of the cross. The basement is 13 feet, IO inches between the floor and ceiling, excellently lighted by nine large windows, 8 by 7 Yz feet, on each side. There are 6 confessionals; 212 pews furnished in ash, each easily seating seven persons; two altars and a large sanctuary and vestry. The whole building is to be heated by steam. The contraa for heating was made for the small sum of $5,200 dollars. �44 Reszilmce of St. Mary's, Boston, Jvlass. The nave ceiling of the church is 68 feet in height; the side-aisle ceiling, 35 feet. The church is entered from Thacher Street, by an arcade of three large doorways, between the two towers. The church floor, will have 276 pews, finished in cherry and ash, of the same dimensions as those in the basement, accommodating 1932 persons. The chancel is apsidallarge and spacious for all our requirements. The niches for the two side altars, are sufficiently deep to give good effect to the altars. ·The vestries are two in number and large. The chantry. or rooms over the vestries, will go around the entire apsis, and will open by an arcade of pillars and arches into the sanctuary. The openings in this arcade will be closed by a lattice screen, so that the singers-a choir of sanctuary boys-will not be seen by the congregation in the church. The body of the church is divided into nave and aisles, with two rows of light beautiful columns with handsome capitals. The ceiling is vaulted and enriched with pictures, representing the Assumption, Annunciation, and Immaculate Conception. The church windows are high from the floor to guard against the street noise. The organ gallery over the vestibule. is 34 feet deep and 40 feet wide. The basement walls are of trimmed granite, and the body of the church of face brick, with granite . trimmings and mouldings. The High altar, when finished, will be a grand feature of the church. The style is Roman. The extreme height from the floor to the top is 36 feet; the width 20 feet. It stands out from the wall five feet-the depth of altar is 6 feet 7 in. The ascent to the platform is by five steps, with a rise of 7 inches and a tread of 14 inches. The materials of which the altar is made, are white, black, and Bardilio marble, so arranged as to give light and shade; and no other material will be used in its construction, from base to top. Marble or metal statues, fifteen in all, will be placed in this order: two archangels in the side niches of the anti pen- '\ �Residence of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. 45 dium; an Easter Lamb in the central niche; the crucifixion in the Exposition niche; four Seraphim in niches on either side of the Tabernacle; two large statues, one of St. Ignatius, and the other of St. Francis Xavier in the end niches and reredos; in the centre over the Exposition niche, a life-size . statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or Mary; over the niches of SS. Ignatius and Fr. Xavier, two adoring angels. The altar will be surmounted by a broken pediment, on which will be two reclining angels. There will be twelve columns-eight in the antipendium and four in the reredos -the whole altar to be surmounted by a magnificent halo. The sanCtuary will be 75 feet wide; the depth from communion rail to altar steps, I 2 feet. The foundation of the new church was begun in the summer of 1874. The first Mass said in the basement, was the first communion Mass of the children of the parish, June, I 3th, I 876, and the basement was opened for the people, Sunday, July 30th, 1876. The Pastoral Residence is built on the site of the foundation of the old church. Its dimensions are 6o feet on Endicott St. by 85 feet on Cooper. It is four stories high, and contains eighteen· rooms for the Community, independent of the basement, with kitchen, store rooms, etc. The style is in keeping with the church-the basement of granite, and the windows arched. A small area of I 3 feet separates the church from the house, with a covered way for the use of the Fathers. The work on the residence was begun Monday, Sept. 25th, 1876, and the house completed will be given into our possession in March, 1877. A few words on our Sc!tools for Boys and Girls. March 14th, r858, a boy in the "Eliot school," a public school, situated on Bennett St., North End, was severely and cruelly flogged for thirty minutes by a master, for refusing to recite the commandments as worded in a Protestant Bible, or Bible history. Several other boys were flogged for the same offence, and in consequence of this interference with the rights �Residence of St. llfiuJ''s, Boston, llfass. of conscience, nearly four hundred boys left the school. To provide for their education and to protea them against the law of truancy, Rev. Bernardine Wiget, S. J., then the Direaor of the men's Sodality, appealed to them, by their faith, to assume the cost and responsibility of the education of these youthful confessors of the faith. Subscription lists were opened, and funds in abundance were placed at his disposal-a building was let-teachers and books were provided. Such is the origin of the Catholic school for boys, under the guidance of our Fathers. From that day to this the school has .existed. During the period of many years, the attendance has numbered over four hundred pupils. A Father gives his immediate attention to the studies and discipline. The teachers are eight in number, at present. Besides the duty of the class room, the teachers are required to be present on Sundays and holydays with their scholars. A plain English education is given. Students distinguishing themselves in the master's room, may win a scholarship in Boston College, entitling the recipient to a full classical course,' free of any expense, except for books. These scholarships were granted to compensate in part the people of St. Mary's parish for moneys taken therefrom to build the College. The first idea in the mind of the Rev. John McElroy, and which was approved by the Ordinary, was to erea the College and church on the "Jail Lands." This property was bought for that purpose, and at that time was situated within the limits of St. Mary's parish. A municipal law of the city empowers the inhabitants of wards to objea and deny their sanaion to certain kinds of buildings. Their approval was refused for college or church purposes, and, in consequence, the land was sold back to the city from which it had been bought. No other suitable property being for sale, the South End of the city was chosen for a church and college. The change of position and the desire to reconcile and compensate our parish for moneys taken from it, led to the grant of scholarships. The boys of the school are well behaved, �Rcsideucc of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. 47 attentive to study and school, and praaical in religious duties. Their faith is not endangered by the surroundings· of Protestantism, but quickened by every event, and by the example and influence of teachers and companions. During the prevalence of the small pox, in the year 1872, our school was specially proteaed from the loss of a single child, in the months of September, oaober, and November. Some few contraaed the disease, but in every instance regained their health. This special proteaion we attribute to the confidence of the children in the Mother of God. Every child received a miraculous medal to wear in her honor, and was told to say daily some prayer to her. Moreover, the Direaor of the school, remembering the example of our Fathers at St. Louis, in a somewhat similar danger, had placed a medal over the doors opening into the school, and over the doors of each class room. Death was around us, and the parish seemed a fair field for the ravages of the disease. The Fathers were busy from morning till night, giving the rites of the church to the infeaed, their visits reaching as high as twenty a day, during the worst season. The master of the school, was seized by the disease, unknown to himself, and passed through . the worst form of the attack in the discharge of his duties, before any one discovered his condition. As soon as it was known, the city authorities obliged him to go to the common hospital until recovery. Notwithstanding this entrance of the disease within the very walls of the class room, thanks to the Mother of God, not a clti/d lost /zis life. The master after a few weeks returned to his duty. From so Catholic a parish, we might reasonably complain of the comparatively small number of children attending the two schools. There are between eight and nine hundred in both ; but these do not represent more then one half of the male and female children under our charge. The enemy has sown cockle amongst us, by the ereaion of eight public schools, in our parish, and immediately adjoining us. Books without cost-large and attraaive buildings-the �48 Residence of St. llfary's, Boston, Mass. officers for truants most aetive to Jearn the cause and prevent the frequency of absence-the prospeCt or hope of parents that their daughters may obtain, after graduation, the position of teachers, may be assigned as some of the causes of the small number attending the Catholic school. So far, our parish is the only one in the city of Boston, and probably in the State of Massachussets, that maintains a parochial school for boys. The school for girls is under the charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame, a body of religious women first introduced into the Eastern States by Fr. John Me Elroy. They began to te~'ch in an humble building on Stiiiman Street. The present school building, situated on Lancaster St., was bought for a school for boys, to be taught by the Christian Brothers; but, as they had not the men to send, the building was given to the Sisters to be used as a school for girls. These Sisters, by superior taft in controlling their pupils, by the maintenance of a kind but firm discipline, by the influence of example and the spirit of perfeCt docility, in every measure~ conneCted with school, to the wishes of the Ordinary and pastors, have won for their body the good will, respeCt, and veneration of pastors and people. Their schools are numerously attended, and their scholars, in after life, show the training received, by their fidelity to the praCtices of holy faith. The number of scholars, at the present time, is . five hundred and twelve. These Sisters have under their charge the Sodalities of Married Ladies 360 members Young Ladies 476 " Pupils of the School I 30 Holy Angels 210 Infant Jesus I26 " Public school I 50 " Add Sunday School children 340 Total 1792 Number of Sisters employed, 9· i L �Residence of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. 49 The Fathers have under their charge the Sodalities of Married Men Young Men C. School Sodality Sunday School Sodality Holy Angels Boys in Sunday School Temperance Society St. Vincent's Conference Boys of Catholic school Total 500 members 400 " 100 " 175 " 8o " " 377 200 " " 37 500 " -- 2369. FATHER JoHN PRENDERGAST, S. J. The hand of death has spared our Community, with but two exceptions, during the period of eight years. Fr. Prendergast, after the completion of his studies, was sent by su-· periors to St. Mary's. From the beginning, great things were prediB:ed of him. His energy in teaching-indomitable perseverance in the interest of his pupils, the many efforts made, from year to year, to lead the van of classes in college, gave evidence of zeal for the glory of God within his heart. After his studies, the field of zeal was changed, but not the spirit that won all hearts, especially amongst an apparently abandoned class of the ragged poor boys, who made their living by selling papers, cleaning boots or running errands. The class assembled on Sundays for Mass and instruCtion in the basement of the old church. Fr. John was entrusted with their care. It was in the exercise of his duty as lnstruB:or that the seeds of death were sown in a body naturally robust. He preached with the same energy and zeal with which he had taught, and so absorbed at times was he, that clad in the vestments for Mass, he passed from the altar down the aisles without being VoL. VI-No. 1. 7 �50 Residmce of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. aware of his position, His confessional was crowded by his boys on the evenings preceding the monthly communion. Late at night, he awaited the coming of some little fellow whose work did not allow him to be present before 10 P. M. Early the next morning, Fr. Prendergast was expecting others who could not go to confession at any other time, and from 7 till 9 o'clock, the time for Mass, he was in the midst of his little parishioners, reproving this one, encouraging that one, and mercifully absolving all of them. He loved them, and they loved him. Superiors recognizing his tact in the management of boys, gave him the position of Director of the Young Men's Sodality. Fr. John saw but few attending the weekly meetings, and still fewer approaching the Sacraments. He braced hinself for the work, to bring back absentees, to persuade others to join, to induce all to a monthly reception of holy communion. His zeal was blessed. The Mother of sinners heard his prayer, saw his zeal and gave a force to his pleadings to join the Sodality, which even the most indifferent could not resist. He sought them everywhere, in season and out of season. If he met a number standing on the street corners, Fr. John had a kind word for all, and he left them not without having asked the oft-repeated question, "do you belong to the Sodality?" The Sodality, soon counted in its ranks hundreds, ranging in age, from sixteen to twenty-five years, all monthly communicants. Death called him to his reward when. young in years, but full of good works. Fr. Prendergast was born in Ireland, April 1st, 1830-entered the Society, August 13th, 185 I, died May I Ith, 186g, at Boston College, whither he was taken in the first days of his sickness. A rupture of the bowels was the cause which, by undermining his system, eventually led to his death. Afterwards an abscess formed in his throat, which ended in dropsy. ' .l l i· ' I l' r I i �Residence of St. Mary's, Boston, Mass. FATHER JAMES A. McGUIGAN, S. 51 J. Father James A. McGuigan, S. J. was born in Philadelphia, December 10th, 1818. .He entered the Society, August 30th, 1847, was ordained priest August 18th, 1856, in the church of St. Ignatius, Baltimore, Md., and died in Boston, at the Residence of St. Mary's, Salem St., December 18th, 1876. In his youth, he was remarkable for devotion to the Blessed Mother of God, and was among the first to be enrolled in the Young Men's Sodality, attached to St. Joseph's church, in his native city. Besides taking an aCtive part in everything relating to the Sodality, he was one of the most regular at meetings and at the monthly communions. He thus merited the approbation of his companions, who eleeted him to the office of PrefeCt: of the Sodality. In his twenty-fifth year. feeling himself called to a closer union with God, he left all, abandoning the world, and went to Holy Cross College, to study, and, if deemed worthy, to enter the Society. The same habits of regularity which distinguished him in the counting house, accompanied him in the duties of student and teacher; for in this latter capacity • he was engaged during the three years of his residence at Holy Cross, from 1843 to Aug., 1847, when with the approval of Superiors, he went to Frederick, Md., to begin his noviceship. Every duty of the fervent novice was faithfully performed by him. After the two years of probation, he was sent to Georgetown College, in the capacity of prefeCt: and teacher of the class of rudiments. Besides the five hours in the class room, he shared equally with others the duties of prefeCt:, in keeping studies, yard, and dormitory. Multiplied as were these duties, and made the occasion of exemption by others not so exaCt:, our good Scholastic, scrupled the omission of the least part of a quarter of an hour given to spiritual reading. During the ten years of the combined duties of prefeCt: and teacher, from our personal knowledge of his habits, we �52 Residmce of St. Mary's, Boston, Jt£ass. never knew him to omit, or curtail the common duties of a most fervent religious. Meditation, examens, spiritual reading, weekly communions, each had for him its due interest; not that of routine, but of duty before God. During the days and months of a lax discipline in college, when authority was despised, and on more than one occasion, openly defied by the majority of the students, no change was observable in the habits of regularity in our brother. Faithful to every duty assigned, he sought not himself but God in the midst of disorder and rebellion. The obedient scholar and disorderly pupil, each received from Fr. McGuigan a conscientious attention; the former, paternal kindness, the , latter, inflexible justice tempered with mercy, hidden from all but the recipient. After his ordination the duties of prefect, teacher and priest, were as faithfully performed, as when less was required of him. During his twenty years of priesthood, he was never known to omit the offering of the Holy Sacrifice daily, if we except the last nine months of his life, when sickness prevented him. He was heard to say, that the Holy Sacrifice daily offered, was the best preparation for • death. When sent to the Residence of St. Mary's, he never once availed himself of the privilege of five hours confes· sional duty, to excuse or exempt himself from Matins and. Lauds. Almost to the day of his death, he said the divine Office, as regularly as when in health. By nature possessing a strong will, he heroically conquered it, whenever obedience demanded, through the voice of Superiors. His love of poverty was as remarkable as the regularity of his life. Amongst his effects, after death, there was found nothing superfluous-but rather a scarcity of necessary clothing. Heart disease, of which he died, showed him a patient and resigned religious, under a most painful strangling or suffocation. No murmur escaped him. God's holy will was his prayer and comfort. May he rest in peace. �THE JESUITS IN CINCINNATI. ( Co?Zcluded.) ·, At the time when the war was raging fiercely in Kentucky and Tennessee, when every steamboat and screeching locomotive dragged to the city its freight of wounded humanity and living woe, new hospitals were opened for the wounded and dying from the battlefields of the South-west, and our Fathers were busy night and day.administering the Sacraments to Catholics, and laboring at the conversion of nonCatholics, many of whose hearts had been opened by the self-sacrificing devotion of the Sisters of Charity. "To the angel of the army of the Cumberland," a toast was publicly offered and a eulogy pronounced, in the principal hotel of this city, at a reunion of the officers of the army of the Cumberland. This is a trifle but it shows what the veterans thought of the soldiers' friend, the Catholic Sisters of Charity. Here as elswhere, at the urgent solicitation· of the Most Rev. Archbishop, our Fathers, besides renewing the spirit of many Orders of religious women frequently every year by the Spiritual Exercises of our holy founder, give regular exhortations to these sanctified servants of Mary. From time to time, as if by stealth, they go forth to give missions in the adjacent country, and during vacation they follow the laudable custom of finding rest from their ordinary labors by applying themselves to the work of giving retreats. Such facts are well known, they help to fill the gaps- of time usefully; but they are so universally in practice as to need no special comment among us. A friendly spirit has always existed between the clergy of the city and ourselves, as is evidenced by the fact that they procure students for 53 �54 , T/ze :Jesuits in · Cincin1lati. the College in preference to other institutions, and frequently invite Ours to preach and perform public functions of various kinds. If prudence did not admonish us to respect the modesty of the living and be silent in their praise, a word should be said of the labors of that missionary, whose name is known throughout the length and breadth of the land, for his eminent success in evangelizing the German and French speaking portion of the population-Fr. Weninger. He makes Cincinnati his headquarters, whence he goes abroad to hear his thirty thousand confessions every year, and do those other great works of zeal, the story of which is echoed in the books and treatises he has published. There is still another way of producing fruit in souls in which the Jesuits of Cincinnati have not been idle or failed to contribute their mite to the common good; that is the publishing of good books. Because they were mostly of a religious character and of general rather than collegiate interest, they were known by their connection with their several- authors rather than with the College. Still, the offices and practices of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the billets of the confraternity, minor treatises on kindred devotions and similar works were very early, if not first, published here. Again and again reprinted, they have scattered hence over the Union. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, with explanations in Latin, for the use of religious and priests took their rise here; likewise the Epitome Pastora!zS, in which little work all that pertains to the sacred ministry and sacerdotal life is given briefly but clearly, and adapted to the peculiar circumstances of this country. Afterwards, the "Manual of Christian Doctrine" was issued in its English dress, from the original German. It is, as it were, a compendium of Dogmatic and Moral Theology, where both Protestants and Catholics can learn for themselves the true religion. This work, praised by so many, though somewhat inelegant as far as English diction is con- �Tlze :Jesuits in Cincinnati. 55 cerned, passed through several editions within the first year after its original appearance. Then followed a book dedicated to the people of America, wherein the author shows that Protestantism is not only a form of belief begetting internal anguish and despair and leading direCt: to infidelity; but that the Catholic religion is the only true one, that it is full of consolation, that it should be embraced by every rightminded man who casts off the prejudices of the seB:s and removes the principles of infidelity, both of which the author refutes. To show how thoroughly up to the times this book was found, it need only be stated that within a few months no less than four editions were exhausted. There was likewise published that truly golden book "The Imitation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus." It remains a monument of Fr. Arnoudt's piety more lasting than storied urn, and praise chiselled in the mute marble. Fr. Fastre in the translation did full justice to the latinity of the saintly author. On his own account the same Father has written several volumes of a devotional charaB:er, on the lives of the early martyrs, which appeared first in serial form in the pages of the "Messenger of the Sacred Heart." Whilst the publishing of these books, manuals of devotion and occasional smaller works was going on, another Father was instituting a Sodality or community of prayers for the conversion of America- Our Holy Father Pius IX has enriched the confraternity with many indulgences, and even during the life-time of its founder it had taken root in other dioceses. During the years r862-63 this house ·seems to have suffered somewhat from the want of a full pastoral staff. In faa, the frequent sickness of several of our members produced a pressure of work on nearly all-but the religious spirit set everything to rights; for, as the history of the house puts it, "quisque suo (sc. officio) strenuam operam navarunt." The College opened under favorable auspices, and nine of the students received their degree at the end of the �,< Tile :Jesuits in Cindnuati. year. It is the custom here for the graduates to make a retreat of some days shortly after the commencement, in order to determine their vocation and begin life with due consideration. The results have always been very beneficial and saved many a bitter sorrow in after life to those who might otherwise have made a false step. Another event was the purchase of the ground on which our new building now stands. Though all felt the need, few perhaps cherished the hope, of seeing the edifice so soon rise in stately proportions to gratify their eager longings. Bet\veen forty and fifty thousand confessions and communions ·~ewarded the labors of the years 1862-63. It is well known that in those troublesome times not only native born and adopted citizens, but also all such as had declared their intentions of becoming citizens were subjeCt to compulsory service in the army. When the draft took place in this city, four of Ours were unfortunate enough to draw prizes in the lottery. Two of them were priests and two scholastics. Thanks to physical infirmity, both the priests and one of the scholastics were legitimately dispensed, but the remaining one of the four was compelled to buy a substitute for $300. The parishioners, on hearing the news, generously came forward and contributed enough to buy off all; but, thanks be to God, their assistance was but slightly needed. The number of scholars increased this year, principally on account of the extension of the Commercial course. This department has never received the encouragement given to the classical course, on which most of our care has always been lavished. In faa the quality of the students who take this course would hardly justify extended efforts; for they remain under our influence only a short time, as a general thing, and the difference between them and the boys engaged in the classics, both in abilities, spirited effort and good will has always seemed an anomaly. Meanwhile the fervor of piety continued, encouraged as �Tlte :Jesuits in Cincinnati. 57 it was by the industries of the chaplain as well as the assistance of the professors. I forbear mentioning the name of that Father, to whom the College owes a debt of gratitude, and to whom the Society is indebted for more than one vocation which, but for his fostering care, might have been lost. He took an interest in the boys, and they felt it. He had the judgment to see that the whole body could not he· direaed like some vast machine ; on which account he treated with them individually, advising, encouraging or scolding them apart, as necessity required. A thousand little industries, constantly varied, made the fickleness and caprice of boyhood an element for good in the formation of a solid, pious, christian charaaer, which stole upon them almost without their knowledge, and certainly without the least degree of irksomeness. Praaical exhortations suggest-. ing ever new devices for honoring God easily and secretly; special novenas and devotions from time to time; now some orchestral music by the boys; again an unexpeaed or unusual adornment of the chapel ; little billets suggesting exercises of devotion or spiritual reading. These and similar ways in which the activity of the boys was brought into play, made the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary prosperous and influential. Though an indication of zeal on the part of the secular clergy, it is a matter of regret for us that circumstances have changed this condition of things within a very few years. Now almost every parish has a boy's Sodality conneaed with it. Believing that charity begins at home, the pastors try to keep our s.tudents in their own parish Sodality, in order to give stability to the young organization. Nor can we insist on retaining. our own pupils so easily as might be supposed ; since the good will of the secular clergy, their influence and patronage has a great deal to do with the success of our College. Thus what is more or less a necessity of the present time, will grow into a precedent or custom, which it may afterwards be difficult to change. VoL. vr-No. 1. 8 �Tlze :Jesuits m Cincinnati. The same difficulty of steering safe between the Scylla of excessive concession and the Charybdis of unwise opposition, we likewise experience in regard to confession and holy communion ; because some of the boys are under the patronage of the clergy who like to keep their control, and their parents are anxious that they should go to confession and communion at their own church, and with them. It is no unusual thing to see the chapel quite crowded during recess with those who go to visit the Blessed Sacrament. They are advised to do so, it is true ; but they are left entirely free to visit or not. Though many of them may perform the act with all the levity of childhood, still a good spirit is thereby fostered, and human respect which might prevent many really well intentioned from visiting the Blessed Sacrament, if they were observably the only ones -to do it, is now not at all harmful. The greater number of the boys in arriving here in the morning, go first to the chapel to call down the grace of God on their work of the day, and many before returning home after class likewise drop into the sacred place to say some prayers. \Vhen we consider that all this is freely done, that in nine cases out of ten, they know that no professor can possibly observe them, that God is their only witness, there is certainly matter for much rejoicing. In 1863-64 the grand altar of our church was finished. It is large and suits the architecture of the church. There are sixteen statues, in niches throughout the various portions of the altar. A centre piece, of much beauty and artistic merit, placed in a recess., represents St. Francis Xavier (the patron of the church) preaching to the Japanese. The statues of the Japanese, one of whom is a Bonze, as well as that of the Saint are extremely natural and fully life size. These statues were made and painted in a Bavarian monastery. The whole structure cost about $5000 or $6oob. The altar together with the rest of the church is rather dark-colored, because it would be impossible, if �Tlte :Jesuits m Cincinnati. 59 painted light, to keep it clean or neat-looking in such a smoky city as Cincinnati. Some years ago it was customary to perform some drama at the annual Commencements. For reasons easily understood and appreciated, this praCtice has been discontinued. The ordinary exhibitions now are exclusively literary. If at times it seems proper to get up either an original or classical drama, it is either rehearsed in private or aCted in public for some charitable objeCt. Thus of late years considerable sums have been raised for needed charities, and laudable emulation produced among the students. In the early . days of the College, i. e. about 1846-47, the annual Commencements embraced several successive nights, one of which, for instance, would be devoted to the exercises of the juniors, another to those of the senior students; or one was set apart for striCtly literary, but elementary exercises, an-. other for dramatic or linguistic performances, a third for nothing but discourses, graduates valediCtory, masters orations, and the President's Address. This custom, though to the taste of the present day rather crude, seems to have succeeded quite well. On the feast of St. Ignatius, in the year 1864, a temporal coadjutor, Brother Francis Vander Borgt, a Belgian, died holily in this house. He was in many respeCts a remarkable man. My earliest recolleCtions of him are coupled with the idea of never having seen him wear a hat: winter or summer, it was all the same: he went hatless. It is said of him, truly or not, I cannot say, that he was so unaccustomed to any head covering that he once got into an omnibus on his way to St. Louis, without noticing at all the absence of his chapeau. Though somewhat eccentric, "Brother Frank" easily acquired an ascendency over people. He was sacristan for many years, in which office he had ample opportunities of attraCting veneration by his sanCtity of life and inspiring the wayward and undisciplined with a holy fear of his rebukes. It may well be doubted whether �6o Tlze :Jesuits in Cincimzati. his influence was not greater than that of many priests. He labored, "according to his degree," to advance piety and devotion, by exhortation, by distributing rosaries and pictures, and especially by instituting a "congregation of the Immaculate Conception," which is still in flourishing existence. In the eyes of hundreds, no one was equal to "Brother Frank;" and yet he had few natural gifts in his favor. A shrivelled old man, low of stature, mean and humble in exterior, not at all prepossessing, but poorly acquainted with the English language, gifted apparently with nothing but virtue, zeal, a~d an intense desire of keeping the altar and church like hi's own heart, worthy of his divine master .. When he died there fell upon his bier the tears of many, of whose prayers we might well be jealous. The history of the house refers again and again to the admirable spirit of harmony and fraternal charity existing in this community during these sad years; as if it were a relief to turn from the outward picture of discord and ruin caused by the civil war, to view the serene happiness of that life to which our Saviour has so kindly called us. May it never disappear from among us! That nothing has ever happened to ruffle it, the writer of this article can, with thanksgiving to God, bear ample testimony. In 1866, a church for the colored people was opened by Ours in Cincinnati. Any one who is acquainted with the character of the negroes, knows what sacrifices are demanded of the pastor of St. Ann's, and how ungrateful is the soil which the "negro priest" cultivates. These poor creatures degraded and debased by years of hereditary servitude, seem destined as a class to remain in perpetual childhood, and as a race almost bear the marks of divine displeasure. Those who have lived in the North or been raised in cities, being more intelligent, almost look down on their less fortunate brethren; but the mass of their people are dull, ignorant, slow, fickle, unreasonable, moved by the slightest impulse of feeling or pleasure, jealous of one an- �T!te :Jesuits z"n Cindnnatz: 61 other to the last degree, appreciating so little any efforts made for their elevation, that the favors of long years and the devotion of a life-time of charity are no security for fidelity on their part, if the promise of greater temporal good is held out to them. They seem to have caught by instinCl: the doCl:rine of some modern Philosophers, that religion is a sentiment. They believe that it consists in external rites and show, rather than in faith or any unity of doCl:rine. To· day they may seem to be bound to Catholicity with bands of iron, to-morrow they will cast off what before they held most firmly, in apparently happy unconsciousness of their inconsistency and their sin. No one who has not dealt with or instruCl:ed them can conceive the extent of their ingratitude and stupidity. The only gleam of hope for any extensive good among the race, the only prospeCl: f6r the permanent conversion of any considerable number, lies in the education of the young: little can be hoped till another generation has risen. This is the reason why a school for negro children has been in conneCl:ion with St. Ann's from the beginning. The boys are taught by hired teachers, the girls are taken care of by generous and devoted Sisters of Notre Dame. The contributions of the poor colored people would scarcely supply the church with candles; but Fr. \Veninger and the Blessed Peter Claver Society (composed of white citizens, mostly Germans, and founded by that venerable missionary), have hitherto supplied the pastor with the means of carrying on the good work. Vipat, jioreat, crcscat; but successful or unsuccessful, the task has been ennobled by the sacrifices and sufferings of generous apostles. With the years 1866-67 we come to what may be termed "The Third Epoch" in the history of St. Xavier's; for this year was signalized by the ereCl:ion of a new edifice, designed, it is true, originally, as a residence for Ours, but used partially for class rooms, till divine Providence sends us the means of putting up the buildings which our needs require. The struCl:ure is situated on 7th and Sycamore �62 T/ze, :Jesuits m Cincinnati. streets. Even in its unfinished state it attraCts the admiring gaze of visitors to our city; but when completed will be one of the objeCts of interest, not only for every tourist, but also for our citizens. That portion now finished is 66 feet in breath, facing on Sycamore street, by 120 in depth on Seventh ; is five stories high, exclusive of the mansard roof; with the exception of the stone foundation and basement story is of brick peculiarly made, and finished with heavy stone facings; massive and majestic, suggestive of strength and durability no less than beauty. The motto, Ad Jlfajorem Dei Glon{mz, deeply carved in a rosette of solid stone, set in the c~iling of the freestone porch, tells the charaCter of the Institution to the curious stranger whose admiration has been attraCted by the imposing struCture. Towards this undertaking one zealous clergyman subscribed $10,000, another $1000, whilst a catholic layman of this city, who is · always foremost in works of charity, donated$ 1000. These sums together with a few smaller amounts were all the aid received from without; the remaining funds, amounting to about_$130,000, were the result of years of saving and economy in the management of the College finances. It remains to be seen lvhether in the completion of the undertaking, the founding of Professorships, the establishing of suitable annual prizes for excellence_ in the ancient and modern languages, and in the sciences, there are persons who will emulate the generous founders of numerous non· catholic In.stitutions. It is to be hoped that the work may be speedily finished, and thus an Institution be here permanently established in which the branches of the very highest education may be taught. A strenuous effort has been made for years past to bring the library of the College up to a standard suitable to its necessities and reputation. The result is that inside of twenty years, notwithstanding the poverty of our treasury and the outlays.for new buildings, the number of volumes has advanced from six thousand to about twelve or fourteen thou- �The :Jesuits in Cincinnati. sand, exlusive of pamphlets, all purchased with the funds of the College or obtained by private donation. The works are in the main well seleCted, many of them valuable and rare. Among the latter may be mentioned a "Universal History," translated from English into French, in one hundred and twenty-six volumes; the "Classica Latina," in one hundred and fifty volumes; a French "History of China," in fourteen volumes; the Greek and Latin Fathers in one hundred and twenty-five; Lord Kings borough's "Mexican Antiquities," in nine folio volumes, elegantly bound; and Bibles of various dates and in different languages, with a copy of the first edition of it printed in America, the Lord's prayer in fifty-three different languages etc., etc. In the colleCtion of old and rare books are contained several published within half a century after the invention of printing. Among the books of languages beyond the range of ordinary study at the present day, may be mentioned a Chinese Speaker, a Sanscrit grammar, an Ethiopic Latin diCtionary, all the alphabets of the nations of Hindostan, several works in various Indian language, etc., etc. It contains the ordinary standard works in general literature both English and foreign, as also in History and Philosophy; it is most complete, however, in its Theological department. The Library, properly classified, is conveniently and neatly arranged in a hall on the ground floor of the new College building. The books occupy open shelves in a series of alcoves ranged along the side of the wall ; above being a gallery with additional shelves. The framework is of wood, adorned with simple and appropriate carving. The library by itself, together with an explanation of the system on which it is carried on and order produced, would merit an extended notice. The Museum contains a tolerably fair colleCtion of conchological, geological and mineralogical specimens, but is yet far from perfeCtion. From the preceding sketch of our difficulties and comparatively rapid progress in other respeCts, '. �l. The :Jesuits ill Cincinnati. 11 material as ,\rell as spiritual, the reader will be prepared to hear without surprise or censure, that our provision of philosophical and chemical apparatus, at the disposal of the professor of physical sciences, is rather unsatisfaB:ory and inco.mplete. Not having the ample resources which State schools command, this department necessarily absorbs a large share of the solicitude anp all the available funds of those whose duty it is to provide apparatus suitable to advancing science. Secular gentlemen of marked abilities have invariably presided over special branches, such as music and drawing. Prof. Eich, Pro( Brusselbach, now holding a prominent position in the public schools of Cincinnati, and Pro( Gerold, the distinguished organ~st, have had charge of the musical department since about 1859· Mr. C. Collier well known to others beside Cincinnatians, now a Trappist, and Mr. A. Piket, the architeB:, direB:ed for a long time the school of drawing. I may remark en passant, that both these branches, and notably drawing, have become of late quite a feature in the education of the public schools of this city. The growing importance of our annual industrial expositions and the mechanical genius of our citizens, no less than the spreading tendency to raise the standard of common school education and have the highest degree of intelleB:ual and artistic culture, at the minimum cost to the private purse of individuals, may explain the prevalence of one; whilst the large number of German citizens, to whom music is a national heritage, and the well deserved fame of Cincinnati in the encouragement of the art as well as the science of music, are sufficient to account for the attention paid to the other. This year, 1866, began the custom now in vogue here, of having BenediB:ion of the Most Blessed Sacrament and an inst~uB:ion on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, at night, on the first Friday of every month. It has worked well, the attendance being large and the fruit remarkable. In two or �T!tc :fcsuits ,i1l· Cindmzati. three months after beginning this praCtice, the number of communions was more than doubled. The Confraternity of the Sacred Heart as well as the Apostleship of Prayer are in a8:ive and successful operation in the parish. Among the students of the College, the first Friday of the month is celebrated with BenediCtion and an exhortation by the Chaplain; and every Saturday afternoon the Litany of the Blessed Virgin is sung in the Chapel by all the boys. To add to the number of Sodalities in our parish, a new. one was instituted in 1867. It was designed for thereformation and continuance in the faith of poor little boys, who at an early age are forced to earn their living as boot-blacks and newsboys. The temptations and dangers to which they are exposed are innumerable; yet, thanks to the zealous labor of one of our Fathers, they have in great measure ceased to be the scandal, but have become the edification of all. No means is left untried by the various Protestant Sunday Schools of the city to attraCt: these poor little fellows to a new belief. An establishment called" T!tc Bet/tel," situated on the public landing, where the harvest is likely to be most plentiful, has for years carried on its work of proselytism, by means of gifts, cheap or altogether free meals, donations of clothing, and such like inducements for selling birthright for a mess of pottage. Reading rooms have been established, special facilities afforded to the boys in the pursuit of their calling, military companies and battalions of cadets have been organized, public dinners have been gotten up, a regular system of pic-nics inaugurated, and, to crown all, besides the almost countless contributions of all classes of citizens, one "public spirited" gentleman gave $90,000 or $Ioo,ooo towards endowing this useful establishment. From this it may be judged how necessary it was to make some efforts to keep the unproteCted little ones of Christ from the ravening wolves. Though no such inducements for fidelity were or could be offered by our poor priest, he has kept around him by VoL. vi-No. I. 9 �66 \ T/ze Yesuits in Ci1tcinnati. charity, sacrifice, and all the attraCtions his humble means afforded, a goodly number of youths who else had lost the faith. It would be an interesting narrative to tell the various industries to which he had recourse in his work ; such as appointing monitors for given squares in the city, to report whatever any of the members of his Sodality were guilty of, and often the members were so well disposed, that they would come of their own accord to report their delinquencies. On one occasion the Reverend DireB:or found himself in a very disagreeable situation, through his anxiety to see to the welfare of his young charges. A pic-nic was set on~ foot for the newsboys by a certain Col. Moore, a philanthropic gentleman of the city who takes a lively interest in them. As there was nothing obviously wrong, our Father could not prevent his boys from going, but as he had reason to believe that some anti-catholic impressions might be left, or some designs be had against their faith, he determined to go there himsel( Promptly at the appointed hour he was at the rendezvous, when he saw that most of those encouraging the business were the DireB:ors of" The Bet/tel," he would have liked to withdraw, but it was now too late to retire from the contest, without betraying too evident want of good faith, and making known his design ; so he made the best of a bad bargain arid tried to feel at his ease. But that was only the least of his troubles. ·when the procession was ready to start, Fr. B.- was requested to head the line in company with the DireB:or of the Bethel and a certain judge of some fame in this city. Preceded by a band, arm in arm with Brother Lee of the Bethel and Judge Carter, he marched through the principal streets of the city, feeling at every step of the way as if he were the only objeCt: that any one cared to look at, and bewailing the misfortune which had placed him in such a plight. But of this enough ! It is said that many of these boys lead a life of comparative innocence amidst all their temptations, and that· their worst transgressions afford matter for confessions �T!te :Jesuits in Cincin11ati. ;. I ), f r I I I - 67 which persons of apparently more sanCtified life might envy. Whence can God not draw glory for His name! Where' can He not manifest His grace and power! The original charter granted to the College was limited; but in 1869 an advantageous and perpetual charter was secured, by a law passed in the General Assembly of the State. The ACt of Incorporation was accepted, of course, by the Board of Trustees. Its passage called forth some rampant eloquence against the Jesuits, from a member of the Hamilton county delegation in the House, who was chagrined at not being allowed to present the bill and thereby acquire the prestige and influence growing out of its adoption. There was however, very little opposition developed. The harmony existing among the community _this year may be judged from the faCt that not only those of other houses envied those living here, but even the inmates of this College were accustomed to style themselves "the happy family." Happy, indeed, the superior who feels that he can make obedience sweet and the yoke of the Lord so light! That the masters, who are in general notably laborious, might be afforded means of suitable recreation from time to time, according to the mind of St. Ignatius, an eligible and delightful villa overlooking the Ohio river and situated in Kentucky, six miles from this city, was purchased at a cost of $I8,ooo. The scholastics returning from their course of studies at Woodstock have often had occasion to enjoy this pleasant retreat. A successful business transaCtion in 1871 enabled us to pay off some of our debts, as well as indireCtly put us in a position to obtain a new parish school house on favorable conditions. The Purcell Mansion property on Walnut Hills, though bringing in very little rent had been every year increasing in value to such an extent that it was deemed advisable to sell it. A street or place graded and paved at our expense was run through the premises and the property divided off into lots. By this mano=uvre several �68 thous~nd T!te :Jesuits in Cincinnati. dollars more were realized, than could have been obtained by selling the whole piece of ground. $29,000 of the proceeds were at once laid out in purchasing a city lot about two squares from our church, with the intention of building a parish school there in course of time. But God provided otherwise, giving us still easier means of obtaining our end. There was a distriCt: school within about a square and a half from our house, very well appointed and excellently furnished, one of the buildings being quite new; but the accommodations were insufficient for the number of boys and girls ~ttending. Accordingly, the city Board of Education had tieen anxious to obtain a lot in the same neighborhood sufficiently large to ereCt: on it a new school house; but some how or other could not find any so well · suited to the purpose as our new purchase. Negotiations were entered into to see on what condition Ours would give up their lot. The result was that they gave us their school houses together with the ground on which they were built, which was smaller than ours, their furniture, a neat bonus of several thousand dollars in exchange for our property, and agreed to pay $300 for every month they occupied the premises after the date of exchange. This transaCl:ion was not effeCl:ed without some trouble, newspaper opposition and slanders, nor without the evident assistance of St. Joseph, to whom Masses and other offerings had been promised in the event of success. Some friends of ours in the Common · Council and Board of Education were of considerable service to us in the matter, though they probably looked to their own interest and that of the city, more than ours. The exchange was an advantage to us, for we might not have been able to build for years. Together with our large _ Jot we sacrificed fine prospeCl:s, but acquired a present good of probably greater value. Owing to our meagre finances we could not have done better in the way of a bargain, but neither could the city with all its appropriations. If it did not choose to accept the conditions it was free to purchase elsewhere if it could. �College of San Salvador, Bumos Ayres. 6g As we approach nearer to the present time, prudence bids us err on the side of deficiency rather than abundance. With the year 1873 we draw this sketch to a close;in the hope that a worthier pen may some day trace the good deeds, and hold up to merited admiration the virtues of those who have labored and suffered and given their hearts' warm affeCl:ions to the advancement of our Society and the greater glory of God in this city. May the success of the past be but a prelude to what is in store for us ; may our present flourishing condition be a faint omen of the future; may God make our virtues as ·bright as our labors are profitable, and deign to give the blessing of abundance to both ! COLLEGE OF SAN SALVADOR, BUENOS AYRES. SEQUEL TO THE ACCOUNT OF ITS DESTRUCTION. Two years ago we furnished. our readers with an account of the burning of our College at Buenos Ayres, and in the May number of last year we related the beginning of the reparation. On the present occasion we can furnish an agreeable sequel to that history. The best citizens and men of standing have united in a body to restore the College, and the central wing of the west part is already built. The first floor of the portion reconstruCted is intended for the boys' refeCl:ory: above that, will be one of the dormitories. But, for the present, Superiors think of using that upper floor for the classes, which, during the interval since the catastrophe, have been held in the remains of the old building. This old building will be assigned for the present to the professors, who have been subjeCl: to the grave inconvenience of going to the Seminary every evening and returning in the morning to the College. The building is �70 College of San Salvador, Buenos Ayres. advancing, though money is very scarce; in faCt:, becoming more and more so. The new struCture will offer advantages such as the old one had not. At the same time, it will not present the magnificent appearance of the other, which had three fine stories besides the basement. The present has only twothis is out of prudential motives, for our enemies are already grumbling that the Jesuits have gained by the whole transaCtion ; that they have a new college finer than the old, without paying a cent for it. The church adjoining the College escap<::d the flames, only because there was but little combustible matter about it : the rabble intended to burn it; indeed they were more furious where things were more sacred. It was in the course of construCtion at the time of the fire, and now it is almost completed, owing to the untiring care of Fr. Sato. It has a magnificent cupola, rising majestically over everything else in the city. However, with all this we cannot congratulate ourselves on enjoying peace and security. It is only the good and honorable citizens who interest themselves in reconstruCting the College, and removing the disgrace of February 28th. As to our enemies, they surround us on every side, live in impunity, through the fault of a weak and seCtarian government, are bitterly disappointed that they have not routed us out, and are setting new snares, concoCting new plots in secret. This gives us the more reason to wonder that we maintain our ground against them; and we implore the favor of God, that as He gave us strength and protection in the first attempt, He will not fail us in the second and third, if our objeCt: is His glory and the salvation of our pupils. In close conneCtion with the events of the riot and conflagration, I might say something about the sickness and death of Fr. Albi. The cause of his sickness was the hard usage he met with on that occasion; and the effeCt: it produced upon his mind was such, that neither the distraCting occupations of college life, nor the natural gaiety of his �College of San Salvador, Buenos Ayres._ 71 temperament, could relieve him from the impressions of grief produced by the catastrophe. Sadness slowly consumed his vigorous and robust constitution. Excellent religious as he was, and mortified in his habits, he suppressed the signs of his internal sadness, and endeavored to preserve his old joviality, which, in circumstances such as ours, was no slight comfort and relaxation to us. But Gutta cavat lapidem. Under the pressure of his gloom and moved by a special inspiration from heaven, he begged of the Blessed Virgin to send him some grave infirmity, or even death, if it were best for the salvation of his soul; and to secure his objeCt: he recommended it to the prayers of his penitents. Distinguished among them was an excellent lady, Rosa Britto, who is conneB:ed by blood with Blessed John de Britto. She came to the College, lamenting with tears in her eyes that her confessor, whom she loved as a father, should entertain such an idea. On the 16th of July, the feast of Our Lady of Carmel, Fr. Albi delivered the panegyric in our Church of the Conception : he renewed his fervent prayers to her who is styled Comfort of tlte AjjliCled ,· and after a few days he began to suffer in the head, was attacked by a serious malady, and took to his bed on the feast of St. James. On finding himself thus seized by what the doB:ors pronounced to be a galloping consumption, and seeing that his prayers were heard, he exclai!l)ed: "I have no reason to complain, for it is what I desired." In this manner he prepared himself for the praB:ice of extraordinary patience, which was particularly necessary under the violent remedies applied. Two days before his death, he requested to have Fr. ReB:or called, and among other things said that his Reverence should not be affiiB:ed at his sickness, for he had himself begged for it, through the intercession of Mary, and also death itself, if it were for the good of his soul: he desired only to be recommended to the prayers of all, that God might grant him the resignation and patience necessary in his condition. The prayer seemed to produce a good effeCt:; for the malady abated, and on the �72 College of Sail Salvador, Buenos Ayres. 30th of July, the doCl:ors congratulated themselves on having arrested the pulmonary affeCl:ion and placed the patient out of danger. But, towards midnight, after having confessed to prepare for holy communion on the feast of St. Ignatius, he began to be delirious. The disease was complicated. His confessor was called: in an interval of the delirium, he said: "Come, Father, let us finish quickly." Then having confessed, he began to wander again, till Extreme UnCl:ion was administered. Coming to himself once more, he recovered his former serenity, answered every question, and, as long as he had strength left, continued to recite with devotion various ejaculatory prayers and sentences of Holy Scripture, particularly: fifonatur a11ima mea morte ;itstonmz. At length, he breathed his last without a struggle, at 10 o'clock on the morning of St. Ignatius' feast. His funeral was quite an ovation. Fr. Albi had been one of those who suffered most in the attack upon our College, and our friends availed themselves of this occasion to show a mark of their love for the Society. They did so in excellent style; it was a protest against the barbarity of our enemies; and their savagery. The procession was made up of his Grace, the Archbishop, various canons, priests, religious, senators, deputies, etc. Fr. ReCl:or could not prevail on them to ride, but they would all walk on foot from the College to the cemetery, about a mile; 'the bier was carried by hand: more than seventy carriages followed empty. Let us trust in God, who can draw good out of evil, that this testimony of genuine affeCl:ion for us will help to keep us in a city, which stands so much in need of good colleges, and of a christian education for the young. The dangers for· innocence are so great, where the general corruption is so wide-spread. May it please God that our enemies too be moved by a ray of grace, and returning to their duty do, as one of them has already done-he has abjured his errors in presence of Fr. Sato, and broken off his conneCl:ion with the secret societies. C. P., s. J. �WOODSTOCK LETTERS._ VOL. VI, No. 2. POTTOWATTOMY INDIANS. THE MISSION OF OUR FATHERS AMONG THEM FROM 1846 TO THE PRESENT TIME. (Concluded.) 1858-Napshinga, first Chief of the Miami tribe came to St. Mary's with all his family to be instruCted in the Catholic religion. After a sufficient instruCtion they were admitted to baptism. Napshinga is a good sensible man. At every council of the nation he tries hard to get a Catholic school and Catholic missionaries. He is the only man of his tribe that has not fallen a viCtim to whiskey. ' The country around us is fast being settled. The Indians are afraid the whites will covet their land, which lies at the gates of Topeka, the capital of Kansas. They fear, not without reason, that very soon they will be compelled to sell out their lands and look out for a home in another wild region. To avert that impending calamity, in their national councils the Chiefs with the elders and wise men of the tribe begin to agitate the question of seCtionizing the land and becoming citizens of the United States. The question created two parties: the seetionizers and the anti-seetionizers, VoL. vr-No. 2. ro �74 Tlze Pottowattomy Indians. and produced great animosity between then. The question therefore remained for the present undecided. I8S8-I86o-Rev. John Schultz, who since Fr. Durinck's death had direCted the mission, is appointed ReCtor of the College of Cincinnati. Rev. J. Diels succeeds in capacity of Superior. This year there was in the Indian territory, but especially in Kansas, such a heat and drought that it surpassed any human recolleCtion. Nearly all the springs and creeks dried up ; the fruits burned on the trees ; for the whole spring and summer not a blade of green grass or vegetable of any kind could be seen. Had not divine goodness had mercy on us, undoubtedly we would have all perished. But divine providence did not fail at that hour of need. All the States vied with each other, which should be the quickest and most liberal in helping their suffering fellow-citizens of Kansas. I 86 I - The country is being settled fast. One of the Fathers of St. Mary's attends exclusively to the whites. He rides hundreds of miles to direCt the Catholics to certain pQints, where afterwards they, will build a church; and by his instruCtions and exhortations to keep up their faith. During the fall, one of the Fathers went to the head waters of the Grasshopper to visit our Kickapoo neighbors. He was welcomed by the Chiefs and the notabilities of the tribe. They requested him to stay with them: establish a school, and build a church. The Father replied that he could not stay himself, as he was needed in St. Mary's, but if they persevered in their present dispositions, they surely one day would realise their hopes. In September, Rev. J. Schoenmakers, Superior of the Osage mission, all on a sudden, arrived at St. Mary's. He had to fly from the o~age mission: some of the Rebel leaders, suspeCting him of preventing the Osages from going to the South, threatened his life. At last the Pottowattomies have arrived at the culminating p~int of their historical life and material prosperity. The step they are taking forebodes their final ruin as a tribe ; �Tlte Pottowattomy Indians. 75 but it is unavoidable, being brought on by the force of events. A delegation, has come from Washington to make a treaty with the Pottowattomies, by which they will sectionize their lands, have a portion thereof allotted to each individual, acquire, if they choose, the right of becoming citizens, and cede the surplus of the land to a Railroad Company. There was a strong opposition to the treaty, especially by the prairie band. The leader of the opposition was the eloquent Shahgwee. On the day appointed for the meeting, all the Indians were at the Agency, sitting on the sod. After the preliminary preparation, Commissioner Dole arose, and said: "My friends, by order of the President I have called you to this meeting to induce you to seCtionize your land and come under the law as citizens of the United States; or to sell out here entirely, and take in exchange another reservation, which shall be assigned to you farther west." · Hereupon Shahgwee came to greet the delegates : all eyes were on him. He is painted, wears a feather cap; he has broad shoulders and high breast, that gives his lungs and the magnitude of his heart free and easy play. His full Indian attire adds solemnity to the circumstances. Then standing in front of the delegation our speaker said: "Gentlemen of the delegation, I too come before you to speak in the name of my fellow Pottowattomies : I tell you, Messrs. Commissioners, we cannot accept either of these propositions; we are not prepared to seB:ionize our land and come ' under the law: it is only now we begin to see into the habits of the white men. Were I to make that step now, the whites would immediately surround me by the hundred, and by a thousand artifices get hold of my property ; like so many leeches they would suck my blood, until I should be dead of exhaustion. No, we are not advanced enough in civilization to become citizens.'' "But then the laws will proteCt: you," said Mr. Dole. "Ah, the law proteCt: me!" answered Shahgwee; the law proteB:s him, that understands �' 76 Tlze Pottowattomy India11s. it; but to the poor and ignorant like the Indians it is not a shield of proteCtion; on the contrary it is a cloak to cover ·the lawgiver's malice." The Commissioner replied: "If you do not think proper to become citizens, then choose the other alternative given you ; sell out to the Government this reservation and purchase another farther west, where you will be unmolested by the whites; we will pay you well." "You will pay me well! Ah ! not all your gold can buy from us this our sweet home, the nearest to the graves of our ancestors. Here we have been born, here we have grown up and reached manhood, here we shall die. But ye white men wby are you so covetous, so ravenous of this my poor limited home ? Behold with what liberality I treated thee. I was once the undisputed owner of that vast region, which lies around the lakes and between the great rivers; I ceded them to thee for this paltry reservation in the barren west. I gave to thee Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and thou begrudgest me this little spot, on which I am allowed to rest and labor! Is this thy return to my benefis_ence? Is this the charaCter of thy mercy ? Thou hast driven my forefathers from the shores of the Atlantic; are you going to pursue me until I disappear in the waters of the Pacific? Oh ! for God's sake have mercy on me; cease to hunt me from desert to desert like a wild beast. Show us barbarians, that civilization - has softened your hearts as well as enlightened your minds." Hereupon Commissioner Dole reminded the speaker that the President wished them for their own good either to seCtionize the land or move away from Kansas. Shahgwee answered: "I do not thank the President for such a desire; I think we know as well our interests, as the President: when he is enjoying himself with his friends, what does he care about us poor, benighted, forlorn Indians? One thing I wonder at, that the President, who should be like a rock, immovable in his mind and conviCtions, changes so often and so quickly. To-day he thinks and says the contrary of yesterday. On �T/ze Pottcr&attomy Indians. 77 the same subjeCt: he speaks one thing to ine and another to you. The President told me, when he assigned me this reservation, I remember it well, he told me that this land should be my last and permanent home. What business has he to tell me to change my abode ? This place is mine : I can leave it or keep it as I please." Thereupon one of the delegates remarked, that this country being settled by the whites as well as by the Indians, "it is but right that in our regulation we consult their wishes; otherwise there will be no peace, no harmony between the two races." Shahgwee replied: "A pretty thing is this. Suppose a stranger comes into your house, and declares himself dissatisfied with the way your domestic affairs are managed, would you listen to his whims? What have we to do with the whites that are settling among us? If our manner of aB:ing displeases them, why do they come in our way ? Let them allow us to manage our own affairs, and we will let them manage their own." Here Com. Dole called the speaker's attention to the division of parties, that were among them. "You were once," said he, "a great nation, formidable to your enemies. The name of Pottowattomy was a terror to the Sioux and the Osages ; unite once more ; reconcile the different parties for your common interests, and you will be again a great and happy people." Shahgwee quickly retorted : "You have the brass of exhorting us to peace and union, whilst at home you take up arms against each other and fight to the knife. The South is arrayed against the North, the son fights against the father; the brother against the brother. Your country is turned into one vast battlefield; and those rich plains, that once produced so abundant crops, are laid waste and reddened with the blood of American citizens. Sir, restore peace and union among yourselves, before you come and preach it to us." These words provoked Com. Dole, who betrayed his emotion. He quickly arose and said : "Whether you like it or no, you must sign the treaty." The orator, no less excited and in- �. ;8 The Pot/(Tt.i.Ja!tomy Indians . dignant, several times repeated the words, "you must, you must," adding : "This is an imperious command ;" then in a doleful tone he said to the Commissioner: "Ah! thou art the strongest ; I am the weakest." After which, turning himself and casting an angry look at the young men seated on the sod, in a thundering voice he said: "Ye braves of the Pottowattomy nation, why do you not rise; but no, the braves are all dead ; you are mere children." This is the last eloquent appeal to the patriotism of the Pottowattomy youth : this is the last effort of the Pottowattomy nation to preserve her life and autonomy. From this we will see her dwindle aw.i.y gradually, until she will have disappeared in the night of oblivion. After a few days the treaty was signed by the chiefs vVewesa, Majce, Miyenigo, Micorica, and afterwards ratified in Washington. By this treaty each head of a family is entitled to one hundred and sixty acres of land : the others to eighty acres. They are moreover therewith to draw in different instalments all the money due to them by the Government,, such as, annuity funds,-agricultural funds-school funds; and if they choose, to become citizens. The mission was to receive six hundred and forty acres ; but without the knowledge of the Chiefs the grant was reduced to three hundred acres. To make up for ~hat, the Chiefs had a provision inserted in the treaty, which allowed us, besides the three hundred acres, to purchase at the Government price one thousand acres. It is greatly to be regretted that the surplus lands should have been sold to a Railroad Company; both the Indians and the settlers would have been much benefited by it. 1862-During the present year civil war is raging with the utmost fury. The Government made an appeal to the Pottowattomies for ):lelp ; immediately about sixty young men responded to the call and showed themselves ready to defend their country. 1863-The present Agent of the Pottowattomies is very �The Pottowattomy Indians. 79 much opposed to our mission and to our schools especially. More than once he tried to have us migrate south with the Indians, as if we were a nuisance to him here. With this object in view he tried to form a delegation of Chiefs to go to ·washington to make some addition to the treaty. But when he thought he had succeeded in his plan, his own friends turned against him, and declared openly, that they did not trust his honesty and would have nothing to do with him any more. Providence was kind to us, the hostile of- · ficer was removed, and a good man, a sincere friend, put in his place. We have a right to rejoice: this year our mission acquired a new protectress in heaven. Mother Marianne O'Connor, a religious of the Sacred Heart, went, we hope, to receive the reward of a laborious life among the Indians. 1864-When General Price advanced towards Westport,. Mo. with his army, and threatened to invade Kansas, some Pottowattomy Indians fearing a general massacre fled into old Mexico, crossing the Rio Grande at a place called El Presidio del Norte; they were about one hundred in all. In their march they were first attacked. by the northern troops as secessionists; then they were hotly pursued by the southern army. 1865-0ur schools are flourishing both as to the number of pupils and their proficiency. Many people in high station passing by, ask to be allowed to see them, and bestow high praises on them. But we have enemies ever in the city of Washington, who would fain see them suppressed. Senator Pomeroy was obliged to take up their defence. He did it nobly. 1866-A delegation of Chiefs go to Washington to arrange minor matters concerning the last treaty. Dr. Palmer is at the head of it. This year the Pacific railroad came through St. Mary's. 1867-In order to undo what in the last treaty had been done in favor of the mission, our enemies are hard at work �So The Potttr..vattomy · India!ls. to have our good agent removed from office, and have ano · ther less favorable installed in his place. But happily their design failed-The Indians begin to sell part of their lands -The whites are getting numerous about St. Mary's. I 868-1 86g-This year several secular priests resorted ~o St. Mary's mission to make a few days retreat. Partly on account of political disturbance, partly through the wickedness of designing men, the treaty with the Government having not yet been ratified by the Senate, our agent, Dr. Palmer, took a delegation to vVashington to have it carried through. But the doetor did not dissemble the difficulties he ,;as to meet with in the capital with such delegates. The free-masons had gained over to their side the principal Chief. They boasted openly that they would soon put a stop to the ambitious encroachments of the priests; that if the mission was not entirely suppressed, at least it would be so crippled as to do no harm any more to the Indians. Tired of his stubbornness, the Indians held a public meeting, in which John Pomnnie, a secondary Chief, severely reprel!ended Wewesa for playing into the hands of the enemies of the Fathers, of the Catholic faith they professed, the free-masons, the excommunicated children of the Church. "You are not," said he, "invested with the authority of Chief to aet according to your notions, but to promote the welfare of the community ·over which you have been placed. Now, what interest is dearer to us than to possess in our midst the Fathers to watch us and direCt us, the Catholic school to educate our children; and you would take as our representatives at Washington men of such description·? Can infidelity represent religion? Can the devil represent God? But, keep your delegates, if you are so infatuated by them ; all we ask is that Mr. Bertrand should be added to the delegation as the representative of the Catholic party." Mr. Bery Bertrand was brought out and chosen as one of the delegates by universal acclamation. At Washington Dr. Palmer had no trouble in carrying out his views. �The Pottowattomy l1Zdians. 8I Having declared before the Department of the Interior, that Mr. Bertrand truly represented the great majority of the seCtionized Pottowattomies, whilst all· the other delegates together represented but a few individuals, all the measures concerning the mission proposed by Mr. Bertrand were adopted. The treaty was finally ratified by the Senate and approved by President Johnson. By the treaty the mission had the right to purchase one thousand acres of land at the Government price, viz. at a dollar and a quarter per acre. But some malicious fellow without consulting the Chiefs had inserted the words in a body; as all the land was supposed preempted about St. Mary's, he thought to compel us to leave the fine bottom and to pick up our thousand acres over the hill. Happily there were left in the elbow of the river about seventy acres unpreempted, which enabled us to take up our thousand acres i1l a body from the mission down to the big bend of the river. · To avoid any farther difficulty we immediately paid down the price of the land, and the Government issued letters patent for it. About five hundred of the prairie band refused to sign the treaty : they were allowed on Soldier Creek a diminished reserve of ten miles square. There they are now owning the land in common, receiving annuities from the Government, and send their children to a Quaker school. They daily get thinner by sickness. The whites that surround them steal their timber and their ponies. The greatest change for St. Mary's took place during this year: the thing was so much the more startling for us, as it was the less expeCted. In the month of May, Rev. Fr. Keller came up to St. Mary's and announced to us that it had been concluded in the council of the province, that a grand college should be built in St. Mary's, and orders were given to commence the work early the ensuing spring. God, it seems, in his infinite wisdom and mercy has decreed that St. Mary's should continue for future ages the mission commenced in Indian times, namely, that St. Mary's should VoL. vi-No. 2. II �82 · The Pott{Y'..vattomy Indians. diffuse all around among the white population the light of faith with human knowledge, as she did among the poor benighted savages. · The college meets with a good deal of difficulty and opposition ; it has to pass through the ordeal of humiliations, lest falling into pride it become unfit to promote the glory of our crucified Lord. We may indulge the hope, that placed under the patronage of the Immaculate Virgin, it will one day triumph and fulfil its glorious destiny. We had the projeCted institution chartered according to the formali;y' of the laws of Kansas in December, 1868. vVe also bou'ght a seal for the college: in it is represented the rising sun of Kansas; and a young eagle ready to take his flight high up, with this motto: "To science and virtue." May the college prosper to the greater glory of God.Amen. On the 4th December 1869 Rev. Fr. Patrick Ward succeeded Rev. Fr. Diels as superior of the mission. Rev. Fr. Diels had. to pass through turbulent times ; but with prudence and perseverance he steered his course through tempestuous seas and finally brought the ship safe into the harbor. 1870-1876-What a change has been brought on the mission in the space of twenty-eight years l The railroad has replaced the hunter's path; on those hills, where the antelope used to range exclusively, thriving towns, rich orchards and vineyards charm the traveller's eye; the centennial prairies are turned by the hand of industry into vast fields yielding crops of all descriptions; a stately stone church is ereeted by the old log cathedral, a magnificent brick college stands on the ruins of the rickety building of the Indian mission. Would to God that refinement and malice had not replaced innocence and simplicity. We have arrived at the gloomiest page of the Pottowattomy mission ; a sudden cold wind from the northern regions has blasted the beautiful flowers, that but yesterday displayed so much freshness in its magnificent garden. Un- �T!ze Pottcrt.Vattomy lndiaus. til this time the Pottowattomie3 had acquired to a great degree the habit of industry, were regular in attending to their religious duties, and by the purity of their morals and vivacity of their faith had been the edification of their white neighbors. But now, in accordance with the treaty stipulations, the Government begins in different instalments to pay out to them large sums of money. The whiskey comes along with the money and flows in torrents; nearly every house in St. Mary's is turned into a saloon. Sharks of all kinds follow the Indians wherever they go, and never lose sight of them night and day; they use all manner of frauds and artifices to get hold of the Indian's money and property. Seeing himself undone by those he looked upon as friends and protectors, the poor Indian. in despair of ever redeeming his condition plunges still deeper into drinking and all sorts of excess. In consequence thereof many of our neophytes have become quite negligent in the practice of their religious duties. Many have sold their lands and become homeless. Many by imprudent exposure to the inclemency of the weather have met with a premature death. Some were drowned, some crushed by the cars, some fell by the hands of assassins. What a sad spectacle it is for a missionary to see the work of so many years thus destroyed, and his flock devoured by merciless wolves. Like the prophet standing amidst the ruins, what else remains for him but to weep over the work of destruction ; to bewail his sins, to implore divine mercy, and to sigh after a better home? One thing, however, in my bitter grief consoles me, that a certain number, small indeed, have remained firm, and that to my knowledge none of those that have forsaken the path of virtue have lost the faith ; this revives in them sooner or later especially in times of sickness and adversity. Now of that once great Pottowattomy tribe some live in Canada; three small bands have remained in Michigan; about one hundred inhabit the northern part of Wis- �Aposto!ical Labors i1l Havana. consin; a few are scattered through Iowa. Some have emigrated to the Indian Territory; one hundred near to Chetopa; they are attended by Rev. Bononcini; about two or three hundred settled on the Canadian river. They are attended by Rt. Rev. Robot, 0. S. B. Within the old reserve the seCtionized Indians may count perhaps six hundred. APOSTOL! CAL LABORS IN HAVANA. HAVANA, SEPT. Ist, 1875· DEAR FATHER PaRTES, I have contraCted a heavy debt with your Reverence and am now about to pay you a little instalment. But I must tell you, first of all, that the multitude of my occupations has been the sole cause of my long silence. They have, indeed, been far more numerous, of late, than is ordinarily the case, and my only comfort is that Almighty God has bountifully supplied me with strength equal to the emergency. Though I cannot boast of enjoying good health, I manage to get on pretty well. ·. The political and financial condition of this Island does not interest us except in so far as it may exercise an influence on morality. I shall, therefore, merely mention that the state of uneasiness, produced by the present scarcity and the gloomy prospeCt: for the future, has a great deal to do with hindering the people from hearing the word of God with profit. However, our labors are not entirely fruitless, as they are sometimes rewarded with an abundant spiritual harvest. Such was notably the case at Santiago de Cuba. This place, one of the oldest settlements on the Island, thickly .populated, rich in produB:s and carrying on an extensive commerce with Europe, has been, of late years, vis- �Apostolical Labors m Havana. 85 ited by very heavy calamities. The insurreaion caused sad havoc there, wasting its fields, checking its commerce, and reducing to a state of misery many families who had before been in easy circumstances, or even wealthy. In this place the masonic headquarters for the whole Island had been established and the busiest and most powerful of the members dwelt there. Add to this, the awful scandal of having a schismatic clergyman, in the shape of a pseudoArchbishop, pretending to exercise the sacred funaions ! With the cruelty of a Nero, this man sent into exile, or to prison, the priests who remained faithful to the Roman Pontiff. You may imagine what great damage this must have caused! The ecclesiastical authority having been reestablished and the exiled priests restored to their ministries, they commenced again their labors with renewed zeal and aaivity. But while a few persons admired them as martyrs of the ' faith and discipline of the Church, the greater part looked upon them with suspicious eyes, and stood aloof from them, owing to the prejudices caused by the masonic and schismatic seas. Such being. the state of things, and as they saw that their authority and prestige were not great enough to put a remedy to the evil, they applied to our Father Rector, asking from him two Fathers of the Society to give the spiritual retreat to the clergy, and a mission to the people. Father Ignacio Santos and I were appointed to this enterprise, because we happened to be the only ones whose occupations allowed them to be absent, for some time, from the college. We started from Havana, on the 20th of Jan., with the blessing of Heaven, and with so visible a proteaion, that there was nothing more to wish for. Both in going and returning our voyage was very happy, and our health could not be better for continual work. Besides, magnificent and unexpeaed results crowned our labors. We reached Santiago de Cuba on the night of the 24th �86 Apostolical Labors in Havana. and took lodging in the Seminary, where the substitute of the ecclesiastical Administrator of the Diocese resided, together with the canons and priests, who had remained faithful to the ecclesiastical authority. All of them were very pious and edified us by the joy they felt at having suffered for the Lord. The 25th was spent in preparing the plan of attack, and on the 26th the work began in the following way :-Father Santos was engaged alone to give the retreat to the clergy who had been schismatical. The other priests also assisted, for some .hours, when their occupations allowed them to do so. Father Santos gained their good will by his gentle manner of aB:ing, and induced them by his exhortations to make a public retraB:ation of their errors ; so that one of them, best qualified by his dignity, after a sermon of Father Santos, made a solemn retraCtation, from the pulpit, before a numerous concourse of people. His noble aB:ion moved all to tears and feelings of thankfulness to God who thus changed the hearts of men. Meanwhile I was occupied in another task of less, though not of little importance. In the morning I used to go to the military hospital, where were to be found more than one thousand inmates. As the departments were so vast that it was impossible for me to go through them all, I brought together the convalescents, who were very numerous indeed, and gave them an exhortation. Then I went along the wards, stopping with those who were more dangerously ill. I exhorted them, in a loud voice, in order that the others, also, might hear me; and thus I disposed th~:: dying to receive the last sacraments and gave, at the same time, religious instruB:ion to all. In the evening I went to the prison, and there having gathered together all the prisoners, I taught them the christian doCl:rine, and preached the eternal truths. So I was engaged for ten days, which was the time spent by Father Santos in giving the retreat to the clergy. �· Apostolical Labors in Havana. 8; The result of my labors was that more than sixty convalescents in the hospital, and eighty prisoners, received holy communion: for the greater part of the latter it was the first confession and communion made in all their life. The former were Spanish soldiers, who knew·the christian doc-· trine and had praCtised it, but had not received the holy sacraments since the insurreCtion broke out, because they were compelled by their military duties, to pass most of their time in the woo.ds pursuing the enemy. On the 6th of Feb., Saturday before Quinquagesima Sunday, we inaugurated our mission to the people in the Cathedral. I was very much afraid indeed. It was necessary to speak on burning subjeCts, but in such a way that they should not burn nor cause any pain. We had to convince them of our mission of peace, but without a compromise with error or vice. All lent us an attentive ear, and looked at us with a sharp eye to form their opinion about what we said, either from our words or from the gestures with which they were delivered. But to what purpose all that attitude of suspicion towards us? Almighty God was with us, and spoke through us; and thus they became very soon persuaded that nothing but charity moved us: their prejudices were overcome, and they surrendered unconditionally. The Cathedral. which has five broad aisles, was not wide enough to contain the people that flocked to !\ear the sermons. Such recolleCtion and such earnest attention I have never seen in this Island, nor even in Spain. Father Santos took for himself the most difficult task, the catechetical instruCtions, and I preached the sermons, both using as much freedom as if we had been in a thoroughly christian hamlet: so sure were we of the docility and good will with which they listened to us ! We spent the mornings of Ash Wednesday and the three following days in explaining the christian doCtrine to the children of the colleges, in two different churches; and on the first Sunday of Lent the general communion of these �88 Apostolical Labors in Havana. little angels took place, with much edification to the older people, who admired their devout and modest behavior. We devoted the following week entirely to the older per- sons, attending to the confessional, in the mornings, and -preaching, in the evenings, until Sunday, on which day there was a general communion. This was not so numerous as those that take place in Spain under our Fathers; but perhaps none of them numbers so many persons who entirely reform their lives, or who come from so great a distance to receive holy communion. Besides what was done in the hospital, whose inmates were somewliat backward in christian instruction, and among the prisoners, who, for the most part, had not received any other sacrament than Baptism ; and besides what was done· in the schools, where the children had been neglected, is it not a wonder of G~d's grace, that more than three hundred persons returned to the reception of sacraments for which they had not cared for a long time-some of them for a space of thirty years? Is it not a miracle of the grace· of God to have gained to Him many schismatics and not a few f;eemasons? Is it not a great result to have gained_ those souls, winning them back to respect for the Church and to submission to her lawful pastors? And all this in one month, by two priests only ! Had we remained there during the whole of Lent, the fruit that we should have reaped is incalculable: because it was precisely then,\vhen all human respect was overcome, that those who had not before attended the mission were hastening to join it, so that up to the hour of our departure we kept on receiving men of importance and hearing their confessions. But time was pressing us, and it was necessary to return to the college by the end of February; because on the zd of March another mission was to begin, here in Belen, which I was to preach; and Father Santos was to resume his charge as secretary of the college. We se.t off from Santiago de Cuba on the evening of �Apostolical Labors in Havana. the 24th, accompanied to the steamer by the ecclesiastical Administrator, the canons, and all the seminarians, with very remarkable demonstrations of affection towards us, and of sorro'w at our departure. The zd of March, one day after my arrival at Havana, the spiritual Exercises in our Church of Belen were commenced. This Mission is giv~n every year at this time. Father Rector gave the explanation of the christian doctrine, and I preached the sermons. There was a large attendance of men anxious to hear the explanation of the . commandments of God, given with such clearness and abundance of practical instruction. The result was excellent ; and if all did. not make their confessions, it was not for want of conviction, but for other impediments very common in this country. 'liVe hope, however, that God will grant that the seed sown in their hearts may bear fruit some later day. We closed this mission on the 14th, and I started, on the Igth, fo~ Cardenas, where they waited for me to continue the work begun in May of the previous year. I will tell you now what had been done in the aforesaid month of May. I resided in the College of Sancti-Spiritus, and as our Church was not yet entirely built, I had no place where I could constantly preach: therefore I wrote to Father Rector of Belen, telling. him that if there was plenty of work, I was •at his disposal. He took me at my word, and called me to Belen. Here I preached some sermons during Lent, and many in sundry villages, which have all the vices of the cities without their culture and good manners. The fruit was almost imperceptible among the adults. I only obtained a general communion from the boys and girls, the good effect of which is yet felt, thanks to the constant care of an excellent priest they have now. Before that time the parish priest of Cardenas had asked a Father to preach during Holy Week, but as I knew the importance of such a city, I told him to wait for me until VoL. vi-No. z. 12 �Apostoli'cal Labors £n Havana. the month of May, when I should be at leisure to devote myself to his parish. In faB:, about the middle of April I was there. I commenced with the prisoners, and before May, all of them, more than eighty in numbe·r, had made their confession and received holy communion. I tried to give all possible solemnity to this aB:; the military Governor, the b~dy of Magistrates, and all the corporations of the city, accompanied by the band of the Volunteers, were present, so that it attraB:ed the attention, and excited the curiosity of the city, whose inhabitants cared very little for all that belongs to the Church: little iess was done in the hospital. With these preliminaries I began my preaching of the month of May. I used in my sermons very few flowers, but many big truths. There was a large attendance, and it was always increasing, so that many a day the church could not contain the people. The parish priest and all the clergy, who are very exemplary there, helped me admirably. I spent one week in the preparation of the children; and gave_ them, at the end, holy communion. On the last Sunday of the month, the general communion took place, with such a concourse, that it was necessary to have a second communion on the festival of Corpus Christi, because we could not hear the confessions of alL the people for the first. The best of all was that the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was established, and continues to in"crease and prosper. It is wonderful, that whilst before, there was scarcely anybody who communicated in that parish, now more than two hundred persons approach the sacred table on the first Sunday of each m-onth. It is worthy of mention that in the first general communion, at the end of May, six young ladies at least, whose confessions I heard, and some of whom were twenty years of age communicated then for the first time in their lives. Then I went to Cardenas, as I was telling you, and preached every day until the end of Holy Week. The ef- �Apostolical Labors in Havana. feB: of my labor was, to strengthen those who walked in the right way, and to conquer some of the obstinate. The communions of prisoners and sick persons, of children and old people, took place as had happened in the other cases. I then came back to Havana. A short time afterwards, came the month of May with all its work. There was daily preaching in our Church, but this did not prevent me from going to other churches, where a Father of the Society was asked for with great eagerness. Those labors were not fruitless ; but where God gave his special and very abundant benediCtion, was in the ACl: of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was too late when the news came, so that there was not time, humanly speaking, to prepare the people--:- doubtless because our Lord wished that the power of his grace should be shown all the more visibly. In our Church, and I believe this was the only one, we had a triduum of sermons before the day of the Consecration ; but there was time enough to print and distribute twelve thousand copies of the order and wish of the Holy Father, together with the aCl: of consecration ; and the reading of this document was so efficacious, and the grace by which it was accompanied so abundant, that never have the churches of Havana been attended by so many truly devout men, all of whom went to confession and communion. I will relate to you an incident, which happened in our Church, and is of great significance:- A lady, one of the highest rank in Havana, had, set in a ring, a precious stone of great value, and of very pleasant associations to her, because it was a family gift. This lady as she was about to communicate, remarked that she had lost the diamond. She did not became disturbed, but communicated, gave thanks, and went to the sacristy to leave her address, in order that the lost treasure could be returned to her. She said afterwards, with great simplicity, that she had not felt anxious about it, because, as all the people who were in the �Aposto!i'cal Labors m Havana. Church at that time, had approached holy communion, whoever had found the, diamond, would return it to its , ' owner; and so indeed it happened. Almost the same attendance was remarked in the other churches of the city, and an unusual movement was observed in the other parts of the diocese. \Vhat wonders God works without the aid of anybody ! I related to you the principal things that occurred here, but do not think we limited ourselves to them : it would not be fair., Besides preaching in our church on every Sunday, every festival, and whenever any person asked a function, of tl;anksgiving, for instance, to be celebrated, we went very frequently to preach in the churches of the city, and of the neighboring country. Indeed if it were not that Father ReCt:or is very circumspeCt: in the concessions he makes, all the members of this community would not be sufficient for these labors. Sometimes, however, it cannot be denied that we are more than hurried to fulfil all our labor. See the catalogue and you will remark that every body in the College has plenty to do, that is to say, has his own allotted burden. \Vithout negleCt:ing any of those duties, many missions were given in Cardenas, in the beginning of November and about the end of the same month, in the parish del Angel, of .this city; in December, in Regia, in San Felipe of this city, during the spiritual exercises in Belen; and besides that, some Fathers went away to preach in Holy Week at Bejucal, Alquizar, Giiines and Quioican. vVe are to give the spiritual exercises in five Convents, to the seminarians, and to the Sodality of the Children of Mary. We have to preach every month to the Sodalities under our care: these are, St. Joseph, All Souls, and that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We have to give an exhortation every week to the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Mary, to the Conferences of St. Vincent of Paul, and I know not h<?W many other things that I cannot now call to mind. In short there is incessant work ; and if we consider the small �Apostolical Labors in Havana. 93 number of workers, and the circumstances of this country and climate, it would be quite impossible to perform it if God our Lord did not care for us with a special providence. A thousand times blessed be His name because He grants us strength to \vork for His glory and the salvation of souls! I omitted, on purpose, to speak about the Sodality de Ia Ammciata, and of the feast they celebrated in the month of May, since I know an account of all that was sent to your house. I will only say that this Sodality is increasing, and is destined to be one of the works that will give great glory to God, here in Havana; for youths of great promise, who will have a great influence on the habits of others, belong to it. We direCt: also a Sodality of Ladies, in which those of the highest rank and standing in Havana are enrolled, and this serves as a powerful check upon many of them, and a more powerful allurement to virtue. At the present moment, they are preparing a great catholic demonstration, after having obtained from the ecclesiatical Administrator permission to gain the Jubilee, provided they visit in procession three churches only, and they are going to do it on the 9th, 10th and I I th of this month. That will be a thing never seen in Havana before, and will arouse the attention of the slothful. I will tell you something about this after it shall have taken place. Now, my dear Father, it is time for me to bring this letter to a close. It is quite a long one for me, engrossed as I am by so many occupations, but it will seem rather short, I fear, to you in your desire to learn all that we are doing here for the glory of God. Indeed, I would like to relate to your Reverence, and all our dear Fathers and Brothers, many other things that could contribute to their joy in the Lord: for the Society continues always working with great zeal and, thanks to the blessings which Almighty God showers upon her, all our undertakings produce grand results. May God keep us every day more and more closely united to �94 Our First Vacation at Sf. Inigoes. Him, as we are children of the same Mother, and of so good a Mother. I recommend myself to the holy SS. and prayers of your Reverence. YouR sERVANT IN CHRIST, JuAN HIDALGO. (From tlze "Cartas de Po;•amze," :July, z876.) OUR FIRST VACATION AT ST. INIGOES, ST. MARY'S CO., MD. It was an intensely hot day last 4th of July when the philosophers were busy packing trunks and valises to take with them to their new sea-side retreat. Nor can we forget the happy cheerful looks of all, but especially of the younger portion, that bespoke the feelings of joyful expectation that filled their breasts. The one great need which had been felt since the opening of ·woodstock had been remedied.-A new villa through the kind provision of superiors had .been built at the close of the scholastic year I 876, on the shores of old St. Mary's river and was ready for occupation.- Hence the joyous bustle of preparation for departure. Four P. M. came and with it the train that was to bear them to Baltimore. Arriving there in about an hour, they boarded the staunch old steamer Erpress that soon after swung from her moorings to carry them to their destination. We will not describe their trip, as we were not of the party, it having been arranged that we theologians should have our turn after the philosophers. We anxiously await news from .the villa. After a few days, communications are received lauding it in the highest terms and speaking in the· • 1 �Our First Vacation at St. Inigoes. 95 most enthusiastic maimer of the completeness with which every thing necessary to their enjoyment had been provided. Our philosophers found their most sanguine expeCtations realized and they now thought of their return to Woodstock as of an event that was to terminate a most agreeable vacation by the sea-side. Meanwhile the theologians were biding their time at Woodstock, and seeking, during those days of intensest heat, a breath of cool air. Ah ! who can forget those days of last July, with the thermometer, day after day, up to a point frequently above a hundred? Three weeks at length rolled by, and in the afternoon of July 25th, there was another departure from Woodstock, and this time it was a party oJ theologians. No fear was depiCted on any countenance, no misgiving filled any breast -all knew that the villa was a success . • The same boat lay at her wharf to convey the second party to St. Inigoes. Steaming out of the basin, as the North branch of the Patapsco is here called, attention was soon attraCted to the wharves and immense Elevators of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company and, a little farther beyond, to the embankments of Fort McHenry, celebrated for its noble and successful resistance to the British fleet in the war r8 I 2. Further down the Patapsco we pass Fort Carroll. At North Point, celebrated as the site of one of the land -engagements of the war of 1812, we enter the Chesapeake Bay. Night has already closed on us and soon the numerous lights appearing on our right announce to us that we· are opposite Annapolis, the capital of our State. It is situated at the mouth of the Severn river. We remain on deck to enjoy the refreshing breeze. At about ten we pass the ll:fary Washington, conveying on their return trip, our brothers, the philosophers. Our courses lay in opposite direCtions-opposite, yet the same, for both they and we were following the course marked out by obedi-· ence. May our paths thus always converge! �.g6 Our First Vacation at St. InigNs . Early next morning we came in sight of the numerous wharves at which our boat had to touch; we did not reach our landing till some hours afterwards. At seven we bade good bye to the very gentlemanly officers of the Express and distributed ourselves amongst the fleet of row-boats that had been left for us on the shore. A row of half an hour brought us to the villa, when the priests who were of the party prepared to say Mass and the others to assist. After breakfast, the next thing in order was to take a view of the surroundings. On all sides could be heard expressions of wonder and delight at the natural advantages of the site"and the wisdom of superiors is seleCting it as a place for vacation. The villa is construCted with a view to comfort rather then architeCtural beauty: It is seventy feet long by sixty in width, and three stories high. On the first floor are situated the chapel, refeCtory, the rooms of Frs. ReCtor, Minister, and two smaller rooms for guests. On the second floor are located a large recreation room, a spacious billiard room and_ four smaller rooms for guests. On the third floor is the general dormitory capable of accommodating fifty or sixty. The building, as we intimated, was found to be neither of Moorish nor Gothic design, but built in what might be designated the country style, pure and simple. The view from the point on which the villa has been ereCted is certainly very grand. In front, the St. Mary's, St. George's, and Potomac rivers, unite in their onward flow to the Chesapeake, and form an expanse of water ten miles in ·width, and bounded on the south by the Virginia shore. On the north our land is bounded by St. Inigoes Creek, a beautiful body of water and large enough to float the assembled navy of the United States. Indeed it was for some time seriously contemplated by the Government to establish here a large naval station and the projeCt has not been abandoned. There are many places to which excursions can be made. �Our First Vacation at St. Ini[;oes. _ 97 St. George's Island, a few miles off, and once owned by the Society, was the terminus of several excursions. Gunboat Spring, a favorite locality for the crews of the gunboats that, during the late war, guarded these waters, was a chosen resort for boating parties. Chancellor's Point too became familiar to our oarsmen. A few more daring spirits rowed down the St. Mary's, crossed the Potomac and landed on the Virginia shore. Theirs was a feat to boast of, but they found no imitators to follow in their course and emulate their fame. Four miles up the St. Mary's river, and on the east bank, is the site of old St. Mary's city founded by Lord Baltimore, but of which not a vestige now remains. It is perhaps the most charming site in the State, but St. Mary's was not destined to be the metropolis of Maryland. Patriotism and pleasure combined to make this the objeClive point with many an excursion party. The innumerable inlets, tributaries of the St. Mary's, and in themselves large sheets of water, gave to the boating a very pleasing variety. With regard to the bathing, that most important feature of summer resorts, it cannot be denied that St. Inigoes possesses very decided advantages. It can be indulged in freely and safely, and the water is sufficiently impregnated with salt to make such exercise both refreshing and invigorating. The prevalence, at times, of sea-nettles is the only drawback to enjoyment derived from this source. We cannot attempt to describe the senstion which follows the sting of the nettle-It must be felt to be appreciated. Those whose inclinations led them, even in the midst of the pleasure season, to seek the spiritual welfare of their neighbor, had opportunities for gratifying their pious bent. On every Sunday and holy day the pulpit of the little church near by was filled by one of the visitors-an arrangement which proved grateful to both pastor and people. A s~ort mission, too, was given, attended with the happiest results. The crowds that flocked to the church from all the country VoL. vr-No. 2. 13 �Our First Vacation at St. hzig,,cs. around, despite bad roads, hot weather and the busy season, their eager attention, close observance of the order of exercises and fervent reception of the sacraments gave proof of the deep and lively faith within them. The simple, earnest piety of the colored people, who form about a third of the congregation, was particulary edifying. All were anxious to avail themselves fully of the season of grace which the mission inaugurated, and at the closing ceremonies, when the Papal benediCtion was solemnly given, every portion of the church and sacristy was filled with devout worshippers. After thi~ ·'exhibition of sincere interest in their spiritual welfare, it 5'eems hardly just to speak of St. Inigoes' congregation as lacking that spirit of faith and devotion to the Church bequeathed them by their pious ancestors. They certainly left upon the minds of those who witnessed the progress of the mission, the impresion that they were. ready to respond heartily to any well-direB:ed efforts in their behalf. Besides the advantages which St. Inigoes so justly claims as a spot where our days of vacation may be spent so pleasantly and so profitably, it has other charms which must forever endear it to the members of the Society. The history of the Society in these parts is coeval with the settlement of. Maryland and many of the earlie~t scenes of the history are laid in and about St. Inigoes. A few miles off, the first cross was reared on the soil by Jesuit hands, and the first sacrifice offered to God. But a mile above us, the pilgrims of the Ark and Dove landed in quest of a settlement. They laid out the city of St. Mary's, and there our Fathers lived, labored, and died. The very property on which the villa is reared has descended to us from the pioneers ; and but a. few yards distant, near where the modest residence of the pastor now stands, the stately mansion till recently overlooked the river and bore witness to colonial times. Near by, too, is still pointed out the site of the old church which must have been built when St. Mary's ceased to be �ucnnu • Our First Vacation at St. Inigoes. 99 a city. It in turn yielded to the present edifice whose erection dates from 1820. The adjoining graveyard holds all that was mortal of the few of Ours whose place of burial is known. It is to be regretted that reverence for the holy dead did not urge their successors in the mission to place above their remains some mark to tell the names of those who lie beneath. This kindly office has been done for three only. The marble shaft over the grave of Fr. Carberry, the last buried at St. Inigoes, was reared by his flo_ck, and is a fit memorial of his virtues and their devotion. His name is still in benediCtion among the old members of the congregation. It would be too long to enumerate the places and objeCts which carry us back to the days of the first settlement:, and serve as conneCting links between the present and the distant , past. There is scarcely a place of note in this portion of St. Mary's County which does not borrow much of its interest from association with doings of the Fathers who planted the faith in the mission of Maryland. Amid such scenes, and with every facility for innocent and healthful enjoyment, it is not strange that weeks went by which seemed as days, and brought to a close the first" vacation at St. Inigoes, marked by constant evidence of the most untiring solicitude and unwearying kindness on the part of Superiors, and of lively appreciation and heartfelt gratitude on the part of the Scholastics. ,t �', OSAGE MISSION. OsAGE MissiON, NEOSHO Co., KANSAs, DECEMBER 30th, I 876. DEAR FATHER, The health of Fr. Schoenmakers having been considerably impaired since his return from the Indian Territory, at his own request he was relieved from the office of superior of this mission, which he had held since April 29th, 1847. His place was taken by Fr. Adrian Sweere, who came here on the 6th of July, 1876. The last ~pring was a very wet one. Rain fell without measure and the floods that followed were unprecedented. Both Fall river in the west and the Cana in the south occasioned an incalculable loss of property. In the Osage Reservation, down in the Territory, the Cana rose to a height never known before. I saw the marks left by the water at fifty feet over the ordinary level. People had to run to the hills to save their lives, houses were badly damaged, crops and fences were washed away. The Osage half breed settlements were almost ruined. The Protestant Ministers, who have succeeded us in taking care of the Osages, are in the habit of saying that the education we give is antiquated, and is not fit to give noble aspirations and generous feelings to the youth.. Well, a little incident which took place during the last flood comes just in time to bring light on this subjeCt. It had hardly rained for two days when the Osage Agency which lies on the left bank of Deep ford, one of the tributaries of the Cana, was all flooded. Along the stream, quite close . to the Agency, there stands a stone building, some thirty-five feet high, and used as a steam mill. This was soon invaded by the water in a fearful way. The employes 100 �Osage Mission. 101 having noticed the quick rising of the \vater, lost no time, and all ran away as fast as they could, with the exception of one, a young man who was sleeping some where above stairs. The water however coming to his bed made him get up. The poor fellow looked all around, and saw that there was no longer any chance for him to 'get out by the ordinary door, for the basement was already all filled up ; the only way left open was that of going higher up, and as the water was rising all the time, he was compelled to get on the very roof of the building, and you may imagine with what loud and pitiful cries he was calling for assistance! He was heard, and a large number of people soon assembled on the bank of the creek to see what could be done to save him. The water had formed quite a river between the mill and the Agency. A skiff was procured and two stout men, well provided with all kind of rigging to be ready for all contingencies, started to the rescue of their friend. They had gone but a few yards from the bank, when seeing how high the waves were rising, and how rapid the current was, they lost courage and gave up the undertaking ! At the moment they had started on such a noble enterprise a universal cheering from the bystanders accompanied them for a few minutes, but now that they return, a silence of death prevails amongst the people ; they look at one another, not knowing what to do ! In this general suspense behold a brave young Osage Indian, by name Martin Nickatuka, advances with an air full of determination; without saying a word, gets on the skiff, throws out all the rigging, with the exception of two oars, and lets himself be carried down by the stream. People are bewildered at such daring, and wonder what will be the success of the young brave! But Martin had made his plan and well he knew what he was doing. He had noticed that the waters rushing against the mill, just as against an island, divided themselves into two streams �102 Osage 1l1ission. _ rolling down with great rapidity, and meeting together into a main current a good way below, leaving between the point of junCtion and the building a large body of still water. Now all the hope of Martin was to get into this harbor if _possible. There was no time to lose. ' He had gone but few rods when seeing that the moment was favorable, he made a dash a cross the current, and with an herculean effort paddling his skiff over the waves he enters the calm water in safety. And now rowing his little boat without any trouble reaches the building, and helping the poor young man into his skiff, is steering quietly down the streatii;· and after a while lands him among his friends. This Martin Nickatuka, who is a married man some thirty years old, was reared at our school, he well knows how little sympathy the white men have for his race, he can tell you how many wrongs his people have suffered, especially of late years from white speculators. But he forgets all this, and shows himself a good christian by returning good for evil, even at the risk of his life. 1!1 consequence of this very wet season, our travelling through these western plains not only became more laborious, but also more dangerous. However, we attended to the needs of our people as usual, without any serious damage, divine Providence always assisting. I}S, sometimes even in most wonderful ways. This last summer we ereCted another small church in the beautiful little town of Neodesha, which lies at the confluence of Fall river with the Verdigris in the County of Wilson, some thirty-five miles south west of this Mission. I had the first Mass in this church on the 6th of August, Sunday in the oB:ave of St. Ignatius; and therefore I gave the name of our holy Founder to the new church. During the month of September I visited the Osages and found them in a state of destitution. The Agent, who managed ~heir affairs for nearly three years, having squandered all their money on the pretext of civilizing them, had �Osage Mission. brought them to a state of beggary. Visiting the settlements on the Big Cana, I heard that this vast Indian Territory south of Kansas had been formed into an Apostolic PrefeB:ure, and I was officially assured that very Rev. Dom Isidore Robot (with whom we are personally acquainted) had been appointed by the Congregation de Propaganda Fide as a PrefeCt Apostolic over this Indian Territory, nay more, he had already visited the Osage settlements on Bird creek. It was natural for me to conclude that my duties with the Osages were now over, so bidding them farewell, I left the Indian Territory. By this arrangement the Province of Missouri loses the missions she had amongst these Indians since 1824. I have at present nothing more to say in regard of the Indians; but before I conclude these letters I am bound to acknowledge that during the twenty-six years I have labored amongst them as socius of Fr. John Schoenmakers, they have been very kind to me, and this I must say not only of the Osages, but of all the other tribes with whom I came in contaCt during this long period of time. As to the result in christianizing them, if it has not been as abundant, as perhaps it was expeCted, this is to be attributed to different causes. First, to the want of laborers in this barren part of the Lord's vineyard ; for during our long stay with them we never were i:nore than three priests, and for a good while we were only two. One of us being bound to mind the temporalities of this mission, and the other having to attend to the church, to the education of the Indian children, and at the same time visit the half breeds, who formed quite a little parish, there remained only one free to devote himself to the good of 'the wild Indians. And as these, according to the different seasons of the year, now pitching their camp in the midst of large forests, and then moving on the top of very high hills, keeping always their towns at a good distance one from another (say one day's travel), it follows that the poor missionary charged �104 Osage· Jliissiou. with the duty of visiting them, not only had very hard work in running after them, but never could do anything permanent amongst them, and all that he could do was to keep them friendly, and induce them to sent their children to this school. Another great difficulty we met with during the many years we lived with the Osages, was the want of funds necessary to effeCt: anything amongst them ; for with the exception of a small allowance yearly given us by the U. S. Government for the board and tuition of the Indian children, we never re~eived any assistance either from the Propagation of the Faith' (established in Lyons, France) or from our Rt. Rev. Bishop, or from our Superiors, or from any Catholic Associations of the different States of the Union ; but as an old proverb says, we were left to paddle our own canoe the best we could. Finally the greatest obstacle we had was a systematic opposition of Government Agents to all that we were doing, or would advise to be done for the temporal as well as spirituaLadvantage of our poor Osages. In regard to the Osage half breeds, who are the more en lighted part of the nation, I must say that not only they always treated me well, but generally they also answered to my calls, and attended to their christian duties as regularly as circumstances would allow, though they well knew that in so doing they were incurring the disgrace of their Agents, who always abuse them because of the religion they are professing. May the Lord bless them, and grant them to persevere in their good dispositions. Before I finish these letters I should chronicle the death of Fr. Philip Colleton, our colaborer in this mission for over eight years. He was a zealous, energetic, and very popular missionary. He was gifted with a great power, that of ~ringing the most obstinate sinners to the Sacraments of Penance and holy Eucharist. He had a great devotion to the Mother of God, and did his best to propagate the , �Retreats and Missions by tlte Fat/zers of Maryla11d. 105 same amongst the people. He was brought to his end almost suddenly, by a violent cough, which afflicted him for several months. He died on the first day of this month being fifty-five years old, of these he had passed twenty- ' four in our Society.-R. I. P. · PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, s. J. RETREATS AND MISSIONS BY THE FATHERS OF MARYLAND. Since our last sketch of missionary labors, our Fathers have again gone through the usual round of Retreats to Priests, Seminarians and Religious Communities. Fortyfive retreats are on the list for the vacation of 1876, all given during the excessively hot months of July and August. This work at such a season is somewhat severe ; but it is cheerfully done in view of the great good it produces; and as the .vacation is the only time at which the Fathers are free to give Retreats and the communities to make them, nothing remains but to make a virtue of necessity and to enter bravely on th~ task, in the hope· of the gratification experienced when it is happily accomplished: Our missionary bands have not been idle since the last report. A mission at St. Joseph's church, Providence, R. 1., gave forty-five hundred communions, and thirteen adults baptized; besides a confirmation class of three hundred and twenty-seven, seventy of whom, though advanced in years, had never received Holy Communion, and many had never been to Confession. The next mission was at the church of the Immaculate Conception, in the same city. On the 2d or 3d day, five children were baptized, presented by their mother who had VoL. vx-No. 2. 14 �'' 106 Retreats and Jlfissi'ons by the Fathers o.f JJ,fary'land. been touched by the grace of God after many years of negleCt:. Another mother came to one of the Fathers, in great distress about her three children, who for the sake of clothes, had been sent to a Protestant church by their · negligent father. The missionary, of course, expressed his sense of such conduCt: in somewhat forcible language, which may have been reported at home. At any rate, on the following evening, the negligent man sent his eldest child to confession and removed them all from the danger of perversion: five thousand communions and seven hundred and twenty-four- confirmations, crowned the work. On the 23d May, the Fathers left Providence after four weeks of severe and uninterrupted labors. After a few days of much needed repose at Holy Cross College, Worcester, they went to Portsmouth, N.H., where a small congregation gave them comparatively easy work. Nine hundred communions was the result, together with two hundred and seven confirmations, the half of adults. Our southern band had but one mission since our last notice. Pittsburg was the field of labor for two weeks in June, and yielded a good harvest to the three Fathers engaged there. This closed the spring campaign ; the summer months being devoted to the Retreats. Early in September - the missionary work was resumed, but this time by one band only; as sickness, fatigue and old age had prevented the formation of a second. September 16th found the Fathers at Chicopee, Mass., for a mission which gave the usual result of considerable fatigue, rewarded by consoling effeCl:s of divine grace. No particulars however have reached us in regard to number of communions, etc. OCl:ober 8th a mission was begun in the Cathedral of Providence; the success of previous missions in the city had given the Fathers a great name; and in consequence, their reappearance was hailed with enthusiasm and the church was more than filled at every exercise. The "notes" of the mis- �Retreats and Missions by tlte Fatlzers of Mmyland. 107 , sionary call it "a grand success.-The church is packed at night; many have been turned away for want of room; two or three hundred must have been obliged to go away without having heard the preacher. As the church is old and poorly construB:ed, the Bishop and priest are uneasy at the crowds that come into it." ExtraCts from the public papers were sent to us, all speaking in the highest terms of the success of the Fathers but we all know sufficiently well the weight of such praises, and therefore we care not to insert them here. It is however worth noticing that such sentiments expressed by the secular press show that Catholic works and praCtices are looked upon with less prejudice now than they were some years ago in New England. It is a sign of progress in the right direCtion. At the close of the first week, the letters tell us that four thousand communions had been given. The Bishop says that the women, to whom the first week was devoted, have been thoroughly roused. A large number of difficult marriage cases, hardened sinners, persons who had abandoned the church and were not known to be Catholics, had been attended to. · . The second week was for the men, and produced similar fruits. Eight thousand communions were announced at the close of the mission, as the result, and on the last day, three hundred adults were confirmed by the Bishop. The papers of the city, with one voice, proclaimed this as the grandest, and most fruitful mission ever given in Providence. Next came New Bedford, Mass., and here the political excitement inseparable from a Presidential eleB:ion was to be dreaded as an impediment, to say nothing of bad weather. But in spite of all difficulties, the communions were thirtythree hundred, or one thousand more than they had been at the last mission there not long before. Six converts were baptized, many marriages reCtified; but perhaps the best fruit of all was the ereCtion of two Sodalities, one for young men and one for young ladies. These give the best promise of permanence to the conversions wrought by the mission. �108 Retreats aud flfi'ssions by tlze Fatlzers of Jrfary!mzd. Abington, Mass., was the next on the list. There had been some trouble in this parish, and it was feared that many would not approach the sacraments. But the grace of God overcame all obstacles. . "The mission at Abington," says the letter of Nov. 29th, "ended last Sunday night with the usual ceremonies. \Ve thought it best to remain over a day · for the stragglers; and it was worth while, for some of the people could not come at any other time and some hardened sinners held back, but in the end came to confession. The population is much scattered; in faCt, it is made up of people from small towns in the neighborhood. Many persons hav; ··to come over country roads, five, six, and even ten miles. The larger part of the congregation is at Rockland, about two miles off. The first days of the mission were very stormy, and yet·the people attended well. When the storm was over they ·came in crowds. The pastor thought there were about two thousand people all told; we had two thousand communions. Much good was effeCted. Many had said they would never come to church again ; the _young men, especially, had fallen away. The pastor, an excellent man and a graduate of vVorcester, was extremely anxious about them, as many had not been to Mass since the trouble began. Thanks be to God, I think all came and made the mission. Certainly there was no lack of young men at confession. It was the impression of the pastor that all had made the mission. Many who had been away for years and had weathered two other missions, came up this time. and were reconciled. This 'people as a body is the best I have seen here; living in the country, most of them having their pieces of land, they are free from the taints of our cities. Temperance is held is esteem by them. By the by, our superior was so much pleased that he gave a leCture on Monday in order to encourage the members of the T. A. Society. The Sodalities for young ladies and young men were looked to and stirred up last Sunday. I think we have �Retreats and Missions by tlze Fatlzers of Maryland. 109 every reason to be satisfied, and to all appearances the faith has been revived where it had received a severe shock." The next letter speaks of a mission given at Cambridge, near Boston, the site of the celebrated Harvard University. Of course, the mission was not called for by the students of the University, but by the zealous pastor of the Catholic congregation of the town. The letter also gives a sort of summary of previous missions, and hence we shall insert it here in full. It is dated Dec. 23d, 1876. "The mission at Cambridge ended a week ago, and now two of our bands are resting here whilst the superior has gone to a little place, Turner's Falls, Mass., to give a mission. Our labors in Cambridge were quite consoling, some hard cases turned up, though there had been a mission there last February. Some veterans came to confession who had not surrendered for many years before. The cause of temperance, which our superior advocated in February, had thriven meanwhile, and in the confessional we saw the good effects. At the end of the mission, he gave another lecture on temperance and about four hundred men took the pledge. There were about three thousand communions in ten days. Six or seven of the students of the University attended and made the mission. One of the young men, a sophomore, called to see about his vocation to the priesthood; beyond this move of his I know nothing. There were four baptisms, two being the children of an infidel, who lost the faith sometime ago. His daughter, a young woman, made her first communion, and another daughter, her first confession. Such cases of neglect are not rare in these parts. The father did not come to the mission. Altogether we have had this season more than twenty thousand communions: there were about twenty baptisms. In Chicopee, the point most worthy of note was the good done to the drunkards, though the labors of the band were eminently successful in other respects. �1 10 Retreats and Jlfission,s by tlzc Fatlters of Maryland. In Providence, many persons who for a long time had negleCted their duties and had been dallying with Protes. tantism returned to the Church; an apostate made a public recantation. Several marriages were reCtified by the Bishop: three hundred adults were confirmed, about a hundred of whom made their first communion. The Bishop was highly delighted, as you may judge from his letter to me some time ago. The mission of New Bedford was a success. Many marriage cases, some of long standing, were settled. The Protestants attended regularly, which is quite unusual in this part of the world. A few adult Catholics were prepared for first communion and these would have been a large class for confirmation, but the Bishop could not come. Abington, of which I wrote to you so recently was up to the standard, though there had been so many causes.to shock the faith of the people. I shall be in Manchester, N. H., from the 28th to the 1st proximo, to give a triduum to some Sisters of Mercy. Our next mission will be in Dedham." The mission at Turner's Falls, referred to in the preceding letter is thus recorded in a letter from the Father who gave it: "The congregation is small but very good. They come four and five miles over the snow in every cold weather, and attended regularly all the exercises. Many Prot· estants assisted and their prejudices were removed. On Sunday, 24th Dec. I sang late Mass and preached, and did the same on Christmas day, as the Pastor went to another station five miles away. The poor people never had a mission before. Many had been away from the sacraments for . ten or twenty years. There were four hundred commu· nions and one hundred confessions of children who had not made there first communion." This closed the centennial year, 1876, and we have no doub.t that there was more joy in heaven over the results of these missions and retreats, than over all the display of worldly pride and prosperity at the grand Exhibition. �Retreats lmd Missio!ls ~Y t!ze Fatlzers of Maryland. I I I · The year I877 is too young yet to furnish much matter for our notices. But we can quote another letter to close 'this account, in the hope of more materials rn future. The date is 1st Feb. I877· "The '!zoly commissiollers' have just returned from giving a very successful mission at Brighton, Mass. Many who had allowed the last mission to pass without coming to the church, attended regularly this time and received the sacraments. Brighton in a sui gmens place ; a goodly proportion of the population is made up of drovers, butchers, jockeys and stable boys; and at first sight, one would prefer christians of more lenity, to use a phrase from moral; but I must say that they made the mission well; and we look at results, not antecedents. The hardest sinners, many who had not been inside of a church for years and were looked upon as almost lost to the fold, came and made the mission. About two dozen, mostly adults, were prepared for their first communion; there were fifteen hundred communions, and more than seventeen hundred confessions. At the end of the mission, a Sodaiity was organized with two hundred members to begin with. By the way, I am glad to see that Sodalities are becoming quite popular in New England, and that they are doing a great deal of good. Some parishes in Boston have large and well- managed Sodalities. During the Christmas vacation I gave a triduum inN. H. The pastor of the place treated me very kindly. He is a great friend of the Society, and took occasion to say, whilst I was with him, that the coming of Fr. Me Elroy to these parts was a new era for the church and that his labors have been followed up and improved on by excellent men. He notices a happy change in affairs in the last twenty years, and says that it is in a great measure, if not wholly, due to the Society, that sent good and zealous men here whose example was imitated by others and was the cause of emulation to all." �112 Execution in Cltarlcs Co., Md. Finally let me invite your readers to unite with me in giving heartfelt thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the graces and blessings bestowed on the mission, only a few of which can be known or mentioned. Let us implore the Divine Heart to increase the number of zealous laborers, to bless their words with power to melt the hardest hearts, and to multiply the fruits of the Precious Blood. P.M. THE EXECUTION OF CHARLES H. SIMPSON AND MARTIN HENRY, ON THE 9TH OF FEB., 1877, AT PORT TOBACCO, CHARLES CO., MD. '- Early in November of 1876 I visited two prisoners, who had recently arrived from Leonardtown, in St. Mary's Co. I found them in solitary confinement, charged with a murder and robbery, \vhich had been perpetrated on the previous 9th of July. I was not only admitted, but welcomed to communicate with them by all the public officials. The only reply that Martin Henry made to my offers of instruction, was, that he was State's evidence and that he was not exposed to the risks of a trial, much less to the probability of condemnation. His public confession, which he made implicating the other prisoner, afforded him ample protection, whilst he awaited only the time of court to testify and go forth as a guardian of society. I could make very little impression upon him and left him to seek Charles H. Simpson. Simpson determined to deny not only all partiCipation in the crime for which they had been arrested, but his presence in the county at the time of the alleged murder. He expr~ssed his thanks for my visit, but his mind being wholly absorbed by the thoughts of his impending trial, he could �-Et:ecution m Clwrles Co., Md. I I 3 attend very little to religious discourse. My first visit then resulted merely in a manifestation of good will, profitless to the prisoner and discouraging to myself. Their trial came on, they were furnished with able counsel, no direa proof could be produced against them, yet so conneeted was the circumstantial evidence,· that no man reasonably doubted their guilt. The verdiet was murder in the first degree. The sentence of death, after three days of investigation in open court and three days more after it had been concluded, was solemnly pronounced by Chief justice Brent, the least affeeted persons being the prisoners themselves. They were now doomed to die; and so great was the public indignation, excitement and terror arising from the crime they had committed and the danger to which the unprotea, ed portion of the community might be exposed, that no voice was raised in their behalf and no commutation of sentence could be expeeted. One of their counsel, who was a Catholic, visited them in prison and clearly stated to them, the necessity of preparing for another world and the futility of delay. He told them also, that however diverse might be the path which ministers might point out to them as leading to heaven, the only secure road was the Catholic Church. He had been their greatest friend, and the assurance that the day which the Governor appointed for their execution would be the last of their lives, induced them to listen seriously to religious truths. Martin Henry was born in Louisiana of a Catholic mother who died when he was about two years old ; until six years of age, he lived with a Catholic woman, but after that time, although his master and family called themselves Catholics, he was taught neither the faith nor the praCtices of the Catholic religion. He grew up like a wild shrub in the garden, neither cultivated by the hoe nor pruned by the knife, or like a' beast of burden, regarded as profitable for VoL. VI-No. 2. IS �I 14 Erecution in Cltarlcs Co., Md. the amount of labor he might perform and the. sum he might bring if he were to pass into other hands. After the emancipation he left Louisiana and lived for several years in ConneCticut. Being gifted with a good memory, he there learned to read; but indulging in intoxicating drink and various kinds of dissipation, he was compelled to seek an asylum in some other place. He came to Washington city, and thence to the works on the southern Maryland railroad, and there he became acquainted with Charles H. Simpson. Simpson was born in Fauquier County, Va., and belonged to a family n~med Ferguson. His master and mistress, who were advanced in age, regarded their colored people as if they were their own children, imposing no restraints and allowing them almost unbounded license. Simpson particularly was a pet, encouraged to show his manliness in beating every boy of like age on the farm and in the neighborhood. He knew no law but his own will, no fear but that some one stronger than himself would retaliate. The lady of the family occasionally attended church ; the colored- people's church was amusement on Sundays. He grew up a reckless savage ; gross pleasures were his aim; anything that thwarted this purpose, was the only evil objeCt in the world. After the emancipation he wandered away from Virginia into Washington and .thence to St. Mary's County where he lived probably for the space of two years. There he usually attended St. Joseph's church and learned in this cursory way some of the doCtrines and many of the praCtices of the Catholic faith. There also he met Martin Henry. The work on the railroad in St. Mary's County was soon suspended, and the two new acquaintances journeyed to Washington, working in that city and the country adjacent, sometimes together, sometimes apart. Late in the month of June of last year, Simpson went down to Charles County, . where-he had previously worked at the fisheries, and whilst �Execution in Charles Co., Md. IIS there formed a plan of robbing a store, which was considerably exposed to danger, near the high road. Fearful of being unable to accomplish this alone, he proceeds to Washington again, where meeting Martin Henry, .te induces him to accompany him on the projected expedition. They landed at Glymont, called at one or two places on their way to the store, asking some questions rega~ding it which subsequently became strong evidence against them. They even entered the store after dark, bought some little articles ; deterred however by the presence of two or three men, whom they found in the store, they retired and taking their position behind an adjoining fence, they waited until the clerk closed the store and sought rest for the night in his accustomed place in the attic. Owing to the great heat, the windows were left open, and he lay upon a pallet on the floor, placing a revolver near his hand; although so unusual are robberies in our county, that no danger was apprehended. The moon was shining brightly. The men ascended a shed, looked through the open window, then one keeping guard, the other ascended by another shed in the rear, struck the sleeping man three blows, obtained a small sum of money, with other trifling articles, and fled towards the nearest railroad station. The cars had however passed before they arrived. The robbery and murder were discovered early in the morning, parties were sent out to the steamboat landing and along the railroad; yet they escaped to Washington and thence to Montgomery County, where they lay concealed nearly three months notwithstanding large rewards had been offered by the County Commissioners, the people of the ndghborhood, where the store was located, the masonic lodge to which the young man belonged, and the Governor of the State of Maryland. Simpson wrote a letter to a woman in St. Mary's County, with whom he had lived. She, unable to read, asked the gentleman in whose house she was employed to read it for her. Some obscure hints led him to believe that Simpson might be connected with �II6 Executio1t zn Charles _Co., Md. the recent events in Charles Co. Following up the clew, he obtained additional information, arrested the parties in Mont-, gomery County, confined them in the jail at Leonardtown, where they were sufficiently identified to effeCt an indiCtment against them by the Grand jury of Charles County. Such a sight as an execution for murder had not been witnessed in our community for more than fifty years, the excitement was great, mingled with pity, particularly when , it became known how their religious training had been negleCted in their youth. Many and fervent prayers were offered up for them, and to these we must attribute the divine mercy so signally displayed in their regard. I visited them again after their condemnation with different results from my previous attempts. The hours of their incarceration became wearisome, crowds flocked to see them, asking them curious and useless questions, so that they begged the guards to allow no one ingress except myself and their lawyer friend, who still continued his charitable attentions to them. In my intercourse with them in the beginning, I did not allow them to speak of themselves or their past life, I sought no details of their crime, my purpose was to gain their good will by making my visit a forgetfulness for them of their present misery and a relief from their apprehension of their fate. I related to them the examples of ·scripture, displaying the mercy of God, and the quaint anecdotes scattered among the writings of devout authors. My appearance, I was glad to see, was soon welcomed as a relief, they would eagerly ask when I would return and always tell me what had occurred during my absence. They were especially gratified, when I knelt down, as I usually did before leaving, and prayed for them. As soon as I perceived that I had softened their untutored hearts, I began to instruCt their intelleCts in the truths of faith, to which they now listened with wonderful docility. Simpson admitted every article I propounded to him·as soon as announced, but Martin Henry, who was of a �Exemtion in Cltarles Co., hid. II7 much more acute intellea, oftentimes proposed objeaions that surprised me, and he would believe nothing unless he perceived the evident proofs, but when once convinced, I felt assured that he would suffer martyrdom rather than deny his faith. Simpson too was often despondent, Henry was generally cheerful, revolving something in his mind that I had taught him. Henry, after some time, when he 4ad learned that sin was forgiven by sacramental confession, was anxious to confess, even before I thought him sufficiently prepared. Simpson procrastinated regarding his Baptism, and only in the afternoon of Christmas day was he at length received into the fold of Christ. To prepare them for the first communion was, I feared, a very serious undertaking, and how could I predispose men so gross to believe a mystery, the very avowal of which staggered the mind of the Jews, when they heard it announced even from the lips of the Messiah ! Simpson as usual seemed to admit it without apparently comprehending what I taught him, but Henry required the most complete and ample arguments ; but when he once understood and believed it, it became as it were an ocean of the mercy of God, an oasis in the desert along which he journeyed, an assurance that, notwithstanding the multitude of his follies, obedience to his Saviour compelled him to take that Saviour to himself and to lean on His bosom during the fearful passage over the valley of death. I was compelled to be absent about a week, and Fr. Wiget with his usual zeal and goodness continued their instruaion until I returned. I had chosen the 1st of February as the day upon which they were to receive, but it seemed, that all the old people had chosen that day to be sick and threaten to die, for I was incessantly occupied in riding for two or three days before and also after that time in attending them, and it was only on the fifth, the festival of the Martyrs of Japan, that they met for the first time since their confinement in the County. After confessing and long prayers they at length received the Lamb of God, who had been treated �118 Execution in Clzarles Co., Md. like a slave, that He might redeem the slaves of sin; who had been chained and imprisoned like themselves and who had died an ignominious death, even as they were to die ignominiously. These analogies gave them great comfort; from Monday until the following Friday, the day of their execution, they sought to be absolutely alone and unobserved by anyone. Some of the young men who guarded them, read for Simpson during a large portion of the day, when I could not be present, and both only thought of preparing for the great aCt: of expiation. They frequently expressed !heir gratitude to God, that they had not been ·seized by a mob, as there had been some fear, and that they had so many facilities for repenting for their sins and preparing for their final exit from the world. Many benevolent people sent them little delicacies from time to time as a token of their sympathy and a solace in their· sorrows; and as the day of their death drew near, I recommended them to the prayers of our different congregations, and the good people, who had been always zealous for their salvation,_redoubled their supplications to the throne of mercy. I said Mass for them on the morning of their first communion and also on the "Friday of their death. One family daily recited the Litany for a good death, another made a Novena, others offered up communions, and the name by which they were called was not the murderers, but the poor prisoners. Early in the morning of the 6th of February, I returned to the jail where I had spent some time the previous night, heard their confessions for the last time and administered the holy communion, when after thanksgiving, Fr. Wiget arrived and kept their minds devoutly occupied, whilst I retired for some hours to say Mass and then returned to accompany the men to the scaffold. The execution was to take place between the hours of ten and two o'clock. The Sheriff had been advised not to delay to the last instant, _through fear of some disorderly scenes that might occur among a promiscuous crowd assembled to witness �Exemtion ill Cltarles Co., Md. II9 what was to take place. About the hour of eleven the pris- ' oners proceeded from the jail, accompanied by Fr. Wiget and myself reciting in a low tone the 5oth psalm. They walked firmly, ascended the scaffold without any assistance, . meekly submitted to the adjusting of the rope and the binding of their hands and feet, in imitation of Him whose feet were bound to the wood of the cross by cruel nails. They had intended, but declined, to say anything, likewise in imitation of Him, who submitted like a lamb when led to the slaughter. I recited a prayer aloud, and then the prisoners and ourselves, whilst the vast crowd uncovered their heads, recited the aa of contrition ; a kiss of the crucifix, a moment more, and these unfortunate, yet happy men were suspended between heaven and earth. A few moments and their souls appeared before Him who had been so merciful a Redeemer to them here, there we trust an indulgent judge. In a short space of time, the bodies in their coffins were placed in a wagon, followed by the guards for a short distance, where halting I prayed aloud again, and then the guards returned and St. Joseph's colored Society accompanied them to St. Thomas' church, where they lay until 9 o'clock the next· day, when after celebrating Mass for their souls, we buried them with the usual prayers for interment; and they now after all their wanderings, find rest under the shadow of the cross, in which they trusted, so late yet so sincerely.-Requiescant in pace. F. McATEE, S. J. I �RETREAT AT ST. IGNATIUS' CHURCH, BALTIMORE-FORTY HOURS' DEVOTION. \ LoYOLA CoLLEGE, MAR. 8th, 1877. REV. DEAR FATHER, P. C. I send you an account of the retreat given to the Sodality of the B. V. "Mary, attached to our Church, in the hope that it may prove a source of interest and edification to your readers. The retreat began on the first Sunday of Lent, and was conducted by Fr. Me Gurk. The opening sermon was given in the evening at 8 o'clock, at which time the Sodality had assembled and filled up about three-fourths oi the pews. The remaning portion of the church was occupied by such members of the congregation as had accepted the invitation, extended to all, to join in the exercises with the S-odality. A sermon was preached each evening during the week, followed by BenediCtion of the Blessed Sacrament. The large attendance and edifying demeanor of the Sodalists and others engaged in the exercises, were a subject of admiration to all. It was very evident that the preaching was of that kind which is intended to go to the heart, and that in this particular case it had certainly reached its mark. On the following Sunday the retreat was brought to a close at the 7 o'clock Mass, at which a sermon on perseverance was delivered. At this Mass, the Sodality approached the Holy Table in a body. It was, indeed, a most consoling sight, to see rail after rail, first of men, then of women, returning to their pews, after having received their Lord, . their countenances beaming with devotion. Owing to the excellent arrangements made, there reigned that order and regularity which contributed much to the fervor and devo120 �,, St. Ignatius' Clturclt, Baltimore, Md. I2 I · tion of all. The retreat was certainly a success. God was evidently dwelling in the midst of His holy sodalists and their fri.ends. Owing to the large number that received holy communion, the Mass was not concluded till half-past eight. This, however, had been anticipated, and the 8 o'clock Mass for the people was celebrated, according to previous announcement, in the basement. The Sodality is now is a most flourishing condition, being constantly augmented by new accessions to its ranks. Last September, Fr. Reetor assumed the charge of the Sodality and infused new life and vigor into the organization The meetings are held every Wednesday evening. On the 8th of last December, feast of the Immaculate Conception, a reception into the Sodality took place, and one hundred and thirty-three new members were received. The church was very tastefully illuminated, and an eloquent discourse was preached to the Sodalists by V. R. Fr. Provincial. The Sodality now numbers about six hundred members. On the Sunday that marked the close of the retreat to the Sodality, the Forty Hours' Devotion was commenced. The Solemn High Mass of Exposition took place at halfpast ten o'clock. The music was excellent and the decoration of the altar strikingly grand. During these three days a constant stream of worshippers was pouring in and out of the church, and at all the services the sacred edifice was full. The members of the congregation showed an ardent desire to gain the Indulgence attached to the Devotion and to give a testimony of their love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The number of communions was over two thousand. An incident conneCted with the Forty Hours' Devotion must not be omitted, since to our mind it was the most beautiful, most touching event of the three days. On the Sunday on which the Devotion commenced, the Sundayschool children were notified that they would visit the Blessed Sacrament in a body. Accordingly, at half-past VoL. VI-No. 2. I6 �122 ' St. Ignatius' Clwrclz, Balt~·more. fifd. three in the afternoon, they filed into the church, under the charge of their teachers, numbering about six hundred; they filled up about three-fourths of the pews. When all had arrived in their places, at a signal from Fr. Denny, the church was filled with most charming music-six hundred innocent hearts were pouring forth their tribute of love and praise to Jesus enthroned above the altar. It was a spectacle to make angels rejoice and men weep tears of tenderest devotion. We felt that there was something more moving still than earnest speech, more touching yet than eloquent discourse, and for us it was the sweetly-harmonious hymning of six h~ndred innocent children. After singing several hymns with that unison and harmony that could come only . from long and patient training, and with the ardor and love born of youthful, innocent devotion, the children formed in line to return to their school, whilst we reluCtantly prepared to descend from that heaven to which their tender, moving melodies had transported us. A word in conclusion about the colleetions recently taken up in the churches of the city for the Pope. It gives us pleasure to record, that as St. Ignatius' Church exceeded all the others in the promptness with which the call was responded to, so has it surpassed all in the amount collected. The returns received at th~. Cathedral make the following exhibit: St. Ignatius, $95 I, I 6; next highest, Cathedral, $833,62. YouRs IN CHRIST, P. H. T., s. J.' �,I MISSION IN ST. MARY~S CHURCH, PROVIDENCE, R. I. HoLY CRoss CoLLEGE, MARCH 8th, I87J. VERY REV. FATHER PROVINCIAL, The mission given by the Fathers at Providence, in St. Mary's church, where we gave one last year, has had more than the usual success. Hundreds made the mission this time who did not come near the church last spring-hundreds of hard cases, sadly in need of reconstruCtion. The pastor is delighted with the wonderful fruit of OJ.lr labors. During the first week of the mission, when the women crowded the confessionals, we could see the good effeCt: of the last mission; most of them had been to their duties several times during the interval, at least once. The church was fearfully crowded every night of the women's week. I say fearfully, for I have no little dread when I see the crowds in the churches here and know at the same time the poor exit in. case of danger. But if this were the case in the women's week, what ought to be said of the men's week. The crowd had to invade the sanB:uary, though I had a detachment of fifty adults under instruCtion for first communion; whilst two gentlemen had a class of a hundred boys for the same purpose. This crowd continued during the whole week, indeed, I might say for the two weeks. The popularity of Fr. Superior seems to .be on the increase; and I think that what I said before is true, that no man in the United States could do more in Providence than he. The pastor of St. Mary's, in a printed circular, estimates his congregation at five thousand souls. We had five thousand communions. About sixty adults were prepared for the sacraments of Penance and holy Eucharist. Eight per123 �124 Dcat!t of Fr. Vito Carro:::zini. sons have been baptized, or are preparing for baptism. An unusual number of marriage cases was settled, as the bishop gave us ample powers in this regard. Altogether, the mission was the hardest we have had this year, from the fact that we had to do all the work ourselves during the day time, and had some help only at night. During the two weeks I spent seven and eight hours almost daily in the confessional. vVe were much pleased to see the number of young men who attended the mission and received the sacraments. I think fiv~ thousand communions must have been brought about by persons from oth.er parishes;_ and yet we know that many who went to confession to us did not receive at St. l\Iary's. I think we might add five hundred to the five thousand,,as the number of communicants, who availed - themselves of the mission. J. A.M. IN MEMORIAM A SHORT ACCOUNT OF FR. VITO CARROZZINI, S. J. On the I Ith of January last, Rev. Fr. Vito Carrozzini breathed his beautiful soul, adorned with many virtues and rich in merits, into the hands of our Blessed Redeemer. We thought it would prove of no little interest to all our _readers, most of who!Jl were personally acquainted with the good Father, to set before them a few glimpses of his life, which was truly exemplary and closed by a most edifying and consoling death. Fr. Carrozzini was born in Soleto, near the city of Leece, in the southernmost part of Italy, of parents blessed with affluence in the things of this world, �Dcatlt of Fr. Vito Carro:::zini. 125 but not less richly endowed with that which constitutes . the real worth of a Christian-piety and a spirit of self sacrifice: He studied, up to rhetoric, in Leece under the direEtion of the Jesuit Fathers of the Neapolitan Province, which he joined in Dec., 1857, being then in the 20th year of his age. His example was followed a year later by one of his brothers, who died a happy death at Havana. While Fr. Carrozzini was yet a postulant at the Novitiate, he was assailed by a violent temptation to give up his resolution and forsake the hallowed place; he battled with it a whole month, but finally conquered it and took the habit. This viEtory and a sub.sequent occurrence which we shall mention a little below, made him conceive the tenderest and most loyal affeEtion for the Society. It was remarked by his fellow-novices, especially during his pilgrimage and in the hospital which they attended, that he would invariably choose for himself the most painful and repugnant duties, with such ease and unstudied simplicity, as were always sure to please and edify. He had spent a year in the J uniorate, when in 1860 the revolution broke out in the kingdom of Naples, and, as is always the case, Ours were its first viEtims; our houses and colleges were closed and the inmates were consequently scattered through several other Provinces of the Society. Fr. Carrozzini was sent to Balaguer, in Spain, with his brother, to pursue the course of philosophy. In the fall of 1863, by order of Superiors they left Balaguer for Porto Rico, by way o( the Antilles. Having arrived at Havana, they were compelled to land, as Fr. Carrozzini's brother had been taken dangerously ill, and they put up at the college of the Society in that city. The sick scholastic had reached well nigh the end of his mortal journey ; he was aware of it, and rejoiced, while Fr. Carrozzini's countenance betrayed the gloom which had seized upon his mind, and the grief that was preying upon his heart. His brother perceived it and said to him: "Why should you grieve at my approaching end? We have �126 Death of Fr. Vito Carro.=:::ini. been praying daily and beseeching God for perseverance in the Society ; since, then, He is about to grant it to me, we . must rather be cheerful and give way to sentiments of joy." These words, uttered with the earnestness and sincerity of a dying man, produced an impression upon Fr. Carrozzini which remained ever after deeply engraven in his mind, and their unetion was never to die away in his soul. As classes were soon to re-open in Porto Rico, Fr. Carrozzini had to resume his journey, leaving his brother in Havana, where he died but three or four days after. In Porto Ric;··Fr. Carrozzini spent a year teaching grammar, and four years leCturing on natural sciences; giving at the same time evident proofs of his zeal for the salvation of souls by the persevering care he took of the negroes in the town. Owing to the scanty means for ventilating the room where he was lecruring, he inhaled a great quantity of noxious gas; this brought upon him the heart disease which, a few years later, carried him to the grave. In_ 1868 he was called back to Spain to begin the study · of theology, in the city of Leon; but hardly had he set foot again in Spain, when the revolution, which had been long brooding over the country, showed the first symptoms of its destruCtive fury by driving the So"ciety out of the whole of Spain. Fr. Carrozzini arrived just in time to attend the opening leCture, and then-the very day after-to be sent to Laval, where he passed four years in the study of theology. His happy temper, his artless and winning manners, his conversation full of life and humor, all graced and colored by a tint of sin.cere and unaffeeted humility, charmed all his fellow-students, so that even long after his departure for America, which occurred in I 873, he was remembered with the greatest pleasure, and frequently formed the subjeCt of their discourses. Aft~r crossing the Atlantic, he passed a year in Frederick, Md., for his third probation, and then started for New Mex- �Deatlt of Fr. Vito Carroszini. 127 ico. His zeal here found a large field: suffering and trials of every sort came in his way; privations were his daily bread, th.e salvation of souls his great object; prayer, and· , especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, his strength and support. \Ve have thus, in few words, drawn out his missionary career, for it would take us too long were we to detail in every particular the hardships to which he was subjected, and the straits to which he was often reduced, in his apostolic excursions, and while travelling over those immense plains that separate one town from another in New Mexico and Colorado. Often he set out on a visit to some one of the catholic families that lie scattered over the boundless and wild expanse that stretches from Las Animas to Trinidad, and after having journeyed for miles and miles, he found himself so completely at a loss which way to turn, that he was obliged to pass the night in the open air, without even a drop of water to quench his thirst. On one occasion, as he was driving across a river, his carriage sank so deep in the mud that the horses were unable either to advance or retreat. Happily the Father on perceiving the danger jumped out of the carriage in time and got safely to the bank. As there was no trace of a living creature around to give. him help, Fr. Carrozzini turned to the souls in Purgatory; and behold ! a man appeared unexpectedly, ready to help him out of the difficulty; and by his assistance he succeeded in saving both carriage and horses. ·Incidents of this kind were by no means rare with him. During his stay at Fort Union, one Longmayer called, on some business or other, at the house where Fr. Carrozzini just then happened to be. On seeing Fr. Carrozzini, the persori asked him: "Are you the catholic priest of the place?" "I am," answered the Father, "can I do anything for you?" "From what I heard," said the man, "you have �Dcat!t of Fr. Vito Carro:::::;i}zi. insulted me and my family this morning in your sermon." "Sir," replied the Father, "I have not the pleasure of knowing either you or your family-not even your name." "Yet you have insulted me" replied the other; and thus ;aying, he dealt him two heavy blows in the face, and gave him two vigorous kicks. "Thank you sir," said the Father; and without another word, he withdrew, offering up all to God. The faa however was soon noised abroad ; the catholics of the town were boiling with rage and indignation against the brutal assailant, and took measures to obtain suitable reparation for the scandalous treatment. Fr. Carro~zini labored much at San .!lfigucl, Las Vi:gas, Las Animas, and in the towns of La 7unta and Pueblo; but amidst his indefatigable toils and labors he was continually harrassed by his heart disease, which, while he was in Pueblo, became so violent and alarming that it was thought prudent to remove the Father from his mission, and send him to try the milder climate of California. He arrived at Santa Clara, Cal. in the month of June, 1876. There he soon· recovered almost entirely, when suddenly he was struck down again, worse than ever. "It was a distressing sight," says an eyewitness, "to see the good Father, seated in a large arm chair, as he could not ~tay in bed on account of his asthma, with his arms extended, and his mouth wide open, as though he were continually strangling." "His last illness was very trying and painful," writes anoth.er eyewitness, "and his sufferings were so acute that he was forced to cry aloud with pain. But he bore all with a wonderful patience. I had the good fortune of remaining with him now and then, and have heard him saying 'Deo gratias,' as the sharps pains would make him writhe. He did not lose the use of his senses until the very last. He suffered much and merited much. One day he called me to him and besought me to tell all the scholastics, in his name, to be faith· ful to their vocation. 'A man in my position,' said he, 'sees things 'clearly and in a light quite different from that in �Deatlt of Fr. Vito Carrozzini. 129 which they appear at other times. Ah ! I would exhort them to persevere.-Many of my companions did not persevere!' When he spoke of these, the poor Father wept like a child. He died ·in Brother B's arms, just as Fr. C. had repeated for the third time, 'Domine, suscipe spiritum meum.' ". He was in the 39th year of his age and in the 19th of his life in the Society. He was well versed in natural sciences, and had a particular talent for painting. The picture of our holy Father St. Ignatius, which is kept in the recreation room of the Fathers in Woodstock College, as well as several other pictures, is his work. Bu_t above all, there shone in him true and genuine humility, joined to such a degree of cheerfulness, that his company was always most agreeable and his correspondence most interesting. He did not value himself at all, yet he was one of the most efficient members of the Mission of New Mexico and Colorado. He labored much, he suffered more, and concealed all from the eyes of men. May lze rest i1z peace, and may our md be like unto !tis. -' VoL. vr-No. 2. r6* �'i ·' "DESCRIPTION OF THE CEILING OF WOODSTOCK COLLEGE LIBRARY. CENTRAL POINT---THE SUN. ORBITS. Orbit of Mercury. 2. " " Venus. " The Earth . 3· 4· " " Mars. 5· Region of the Asteroids. 6. Orbit of Jupiter. 7. " " Saturn. 8. - " " Uranus. 9· " " Neptune. The globes inside of Saturn's orbit are the planets with their magnitudes taken proportionally to that of the Sun, whose disk is represented by the orbit of Saturn. I. .. 10. I I. I2. I3. I4. I$. I6. I7. I 8. PLANETS. Mercury. Venus. The Earth and Satellite. Mars. Asteroids. Jupiter and Satellites. Saturn and Satellites. Uranus and Satellites. :N" eptune and Satellite. I30 I �T!ze Ceili11g of Woodstock College Library. I 3I COMETS. 20. 21. 22. 23. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. Orbit of Encke's Comet. " Biela's Comet. " Faye's Comet. " " Halley's Comet. Donati's Comet of 1858. Comet of 1853. Comet of 1843. Comet of 1744· General cele~tial map, representing the Milky Way and all the stars visible without the assistance of the telescope. Nebul<e. I. Orion's Nebula. II. The cluster in which, according to Sir William Herschel, is our Solar System. The other Nebul<e are among those observed by Sir J. Herschel and the Earl of Ross. On the globes between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus are the Signs of the Zodiac. ON THE FOUR CORNERS The terrestrial globe is represented, i. e., at the corner A the Southern, and at the corner B the Northern hemisphere; at the corners C and D the Eastern and Western hemispheres. LATERALLY At the central point, between the corners A and B the solar sphere is represented, and, on each side of it, magnified spots and facul<e, as observed by Fr. Secchi and others. On the opposite side, and at the centre between C and D, the �I 32 Tlte Ceiling of TVoodstock College Library. eclipsed Sun is represented, showing the halo and prominences; and on both sides of it are magnified prominences as observed by various astronomers. ON THE OVALS At the four corners are geological representations, i. e., at the corner A one represents a glacier, the other the gate of a glacier: at the corner B an iceberg and morenas: at the corner C on one of the ovals a geyser and the opening of the geyser when the jet ceases ; on the other oval a submarine volcano : at- ~he last corner the first and second stage of a sub<eral volcanic eruption. D. 0. M. �W 0 0 D ST 0 C K L E T.T E RS. VOL. VI, No. 3· ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF BR. RENE GOUPIL, BY FR. JOGUES. (Deatlz of a martyr related by a martyr.) Rene Goupil was born in Angers, and, whilst yet in the flower of his age, asked with earnestness for admission into the Society. He was received into the Novitiate at Paris, and dwelt there several months, giving good example to all. Sickness, however, came to snatch from him the longedfor happiness of binding himself forever to God by our holy vows. Nevertheless, as soon as his health permitted it, he sailed for New France, desiring to aid the Jesuits there as far as he could, since he had been obliged to forego the blessing of becoming one of their number in France. On his arrival, wishing, despite his freedom from all obligations, to lead a life of obedience, he put himself entirely at the disposal of the Superior of the Mission. By him the holy youth was employed for two years in the most menial offices of the house, and in nursing the sick and wounded in the hospital ; and in these employments he gave striking proofs of humility and tender charity. VoL. v1-No. 3· 20 �I 34 Dmtlt of a Martyr related by a Martyr. He was very skilful in caring for the sick, and his kindness and other virtues left behind him such a sweet perfume that his memory is even now in benediction. In July, 1642, we passed through Montreal, and, as our Hurons were in great need of a surgeon, we asked Fr. Vimont to allow Rene to come with us. No one can tell how great was the joy of the holy young man whi!n he was requested to accompany us; and yet he knew the hatred of the Iroquois against the French, and the risk to which, on this account, he was exposing his life. But obedience was dearer to him than life ; and so, when our company started fo-1'' Three Rivers, he cheerfully set out with us. We began our journey on the Ist of August, the day after the Feast of our Holy Father; and on the following day we were attacked by two bands of Iroquois. Almost all the Hurons fled, and we were made prisoners. Then the virtue of Rene showed itself; for, as soon as he was seized, he cried to me: "0 my father, God be blessed; He has allowed it, He has willed it; His holy will be done. I lc~ve it, cherish it, embrace it with all the powers of my heart and soul." Then, while the Iroquois were pursuing the fugitives, I heard the confession of my young companion, not knowing what might soon befall us. As soon as our captors returned,' they rushed on us like mad dogs, tore off our finger-nails, and bruised and crushed our fingers. These torments Rene bore patiently and unflinchingly, and, mindless of the pain which he felt, he helped me to instruct those of the Hurons that were not yet baptized. As I was caring for them in turn, just as I met them, he called my attention to the fact that a poor old In· dian, named Indonhiraon, would probably be among the first victims. I employed, therefore, in preparing this unfortunate man the time that the Iroquois spent in shipping the canoes of goods which we had intended for our missionaries among the Hurons; and, I saw him butchered before rny eyes,'just after I had given him a second birth in baptism. �Dcat!t of a lvlart;•r related by a 1lfartyr. 135 As we had the happiness of journeying together, I had the opportunity of witnessing many aas of virtue on the part of Rene. He was always thinking of God; his every word breathed submission to the Divine Will, and an earnest desire to be offered as a sacrifice in the fires of the Iroquois, lighted for the holocaust by the hand of God Himself. Shortly after our capture, as we were travelling along, he said to me: "Father, God has always made me desirous of giving myself to His service by the vows of the Society; but my sins have hitherto made me unworthy of this honor. I trust, however, that now our Saviour will vouchsafe to receive the vows which I wish to make to Him through you." Then having obtained leave from me, the pious youth pronounced the vows of the Society with great devotion. Although wounded himself, his thoughts were of others who were suffering, even of our cruel enemies ; one of whom he bier as tenderly and as charitably as if he were caring for one of his best friends. This humility and obedience to our captors made me ashamed of my own conduCt. On one occasion, two of them took Rene and me into their canoe, and told me to take a paddle and help them: but I, proud evc:n in misfortune, refused to aid them. Some time after, they asked Rene to paddle, and he at once began to do so ; then they turned to me, and tried to persuade me to follow his example ; seeing this Rene begged me to pardon him. Many times I did what I could to persuade him to take advantage of the freedom granted us to make his escape -a thing which I could not think of doing myself, as I had to care for the souls of a Frenchman and twenty-four or twenty-five Hurons. But as God, into Whose hands he had wholly put himself, never suggested thoughts of escape, he could not be brought to attempt it. On the Lake we met. two hundred Iroquois, who had �I 36 Deatlt of a JWartyr related by a .Martyr. come to Richelieu when the fort was building. They beat us, tore our flesh, and ma:de us feel the effeCt: of hell-inspired rage. The youthful saint bore all these torments most patiently, revenging himself only by his humility and charity towards those who maltreated him. Having fallen under a shower of blows, dealt with clubs and iron rods, Rene could not arise, and so he was carried half dead to a platform in the middle of the town, where we had by this time arrived. His appearance was enough, one would think, to move to pity cx:~.elty itself; his whole body was bruised and mangled, and his face was so much disfigured that only the white of his eyes could be seen ; but he was on this very account all the more beatiful in the sight of the Angels of Him of vVhom were spoken these words: "We·have seen Him as a leper," etc. "There was in Him neither comeliness nor beauty." Scarcely giving him time to breathe, the savages began to beat him with a heavy club, as they haq done before. Then they cut off my thumb, and afterwards his right thumb as far as the first joint; whilst he unceasingly cried out: "Jesus! Mary! Joseph!" For six days we were left to the ba.d treatment and insults of any one who might wish to annoy us. The sweetness ever shown by· Rene was truly wonderful ; . and yet, besides the torments already borne, he had his breast burnt by the hot coals and ashes thrown on us by the children as we lay fastened to the bare ground during the night. Natural instinB:s had made me more skilful in avoiding some of these torments. We were told at first that we were going to be burnt at the stake ; but we soon found out that they had no real intention of taking away our lives. After some time rny .young companion became very sick and suffered exceedingly,· not the least on account of the kind of food given him. I being unwell myself, and not having a single whole �Deatlz of a Martyr related by a Martyr. 137 finger, could do nothing to help him. I must hasten, however, to give an account of his death, which had all those marks by which a martyr's death is recognized. When our captivity had lasted six weeks,_ a dispute arose in the council of the Iroquois, some of whom had wished to set us free. This quarrel took away our last hope of seeing our Mission of Three Rivers that year. 'vVe consoled one another, and tried to make ourselves ready to bear patiently any trials that God might be pleased to send us. Rene did not know so well as I the full extent of our danger, and hence I took care to be ever advising him to hold himself in readiness. One day, as we were walking outside the town, whither we had gone to pray undisturbed, two young men came and told us to go back to our house. I had some presentiment of what was about to happen, and so I said to Rene: "Let us recommend ourselves to our Lord and to our Blessed Mother; these men have, I think, some evil designs upon us." A short while before we had offered ourselves to our Lord, beseeching Him to receive our blood and our lives, in union with His own Life and Blood, fo'r the salvation of these poor savages. At the bidding of the young men, we returned; and continued as we went along the recitation of the Rorary, which they had interrupted. On arriving at the entrance of the town, we stopped to wait for further orders from the Indians, when one of them, drawing a hatchet which he had hitherto concealed in his bosom, struck Rene ove'r the head with it. The holy youth sank down with his face to the ground, invoking as he fell the Sacred Name of Jesus-for we had often resolved that this Blessed Name .should close our lips and our lives. Turning around, I saw the hatchet all covered with blood, and, falling on my knees, I awaited the stroke which would make me a partaker in Rene's martyrdom. They did not wish to kill me, however ; and so I went to give the last �I 38 Dcatlt of a .ll1art;·r rdated by a 111art;•t·. absolution to my dying brother, whom the savages soon killed with two more blows of the hatchet. From the beginning of our captivity, had given him the absolution every second day. It was the 29th of September, the Feast of St. Michael, that this angel in innocence, and blessed martyr, gave his life for the Lord, \Vho had given His own for him. As soon as he was dead, the murderers ordered me to return to my cabin, where I remained for two days in momentary expectation of the same fate. It was the common belief that ..I would soon follow Rene, and, indeed, warriors came several times to put me to death. Our Lord, however, prevented their designs in ways which it were now too long to explain. The following morning, I went to the place where they had thrown the martyr's body, as I was determined to bury it at any cost. Some Iroquois who wished to save me from death, said to me: "You have no common sense; do you not see that your enemies are everywhere seeking for -a chance to kill you ? And yet you must go to look for a half-corrupted corpse, which they have dragged away to a great distance. Do you not see those young warriors coming out of the town to slay yo~ as soon as you are beyond the protection of the palisades?.:· These words did not make me hesitate. God had given me such courage that I was willing to die in the performance of this work of charity; and so, aided by an Algonquin, who had become one of the tribe, I succeeded in finding the holy remains. After the murder, the children of the tribe had ·put a rope around the neck of Rene's corpse, and had dragged it to a stream which flowed beyond the town. I could not restrain my tears at the sight of the martyr's body, which the dogs had already partly eaten. Taking it from the water, I fastened several stones to it and then let it sink to the bot· tom uf the river, where, I thought, it would be safe from the ·profanation of the Indians until the day following, when I r �Deat!t of a }}fartyr related by a iJfartyr. 139 would come and bury it. Several of the young savages had, however, been watching me, and after I had gone away they took the body out of the water again. The next day some of my enemies sought once more to put me to death, and, as I think, to avoid having me murdered, my aunt (a name given to one who takes care of a prisoner) sent me to work in a field belonging to her. I was thus obliged to put off the burial of my martyred friend; and unfortunately, during the night the river was much swollen by a heavy rain. On the following morning, borrowing a pickaxe-not from my aunt but from another, in order the better to conceal my intention-! went to that part of the river where I had put Rene's corpse; but it was not there. Thinking that perhaps the violence of the current had carried it away, I went into the bitterly cold water and walked about in the vain hope of finding it. How many were the tears that I shed as I pursued my search and said aloud the prayers for the souls departed! As I was thus engaged, a woman with whom I was acquainted, came along. I asked if she knew what they had done with the body ; and was told that they had dragged it to a part of the river which was unknown to me, at a distance of about a quarter of a mile. This was false; for the young savages, after pulling it out of the stream, had taken it to a wood hard by, where, duri"ng the autumn and winter, the foxes, the dogs and the crows preyed on it. When the spring came, same one told me of this, and I went three times to search for it, but in vain. The fourth time I found the head and some remnants of the bones. These I buried, after kissing them reverently as the relics of a blessed martyr. I resolved to carry these sacred remains with me, if my captors took me back to Three Rivers, as they spoke of doing. I have given Rene the title of martyr, not only because he was slain by the enemies of God and of His Church, �140 Deatlt of a .Mmt;•r related by a llfartyr. while engaged in a work of zeal and charity, in which he risked his life through pure love of God ; but especially because his death was occasioned by his devotion to prayer, and, in particular, by his having made the sign of the Cross. He had been praying in a cabin, as was his wont, and this greatly angered an old man who saw him. One day, a child of three or four years of age came near Rene, and he, through an excess of devotion and love of the Cross, and with a simplicity which we, more prudent according to the flesh, would. not have had, took off his own cap, placed it on the chil.d's head, and then made a large sign of the Cross on the child's body. The old man seeing this, called a youth who was about to become a warrior, and ordered him to kill Rene. The command was executed as I have narrated above. The mother of the young child told me on one occasion, when I found myself in her company, that Rene had lost his life for having made that sign of the Cross. One day, I myself was sent to the old man's cabin to eat, and before beginning I made the sign of the Cross. "Ah!" shouted the old man, "that is what we hate; it was for doing so that your companion was killed: for it you also shall die. Our European neighbors do not ma~e that sign." Another time, when I was out hunting, and kne~t to say some prayers, I was told by my companions that they hated such conduCt, that they had killed the other Frenchman because he acted in this way, and that they would put me to death for it on my return to the village. �ORIGIN OF THE OSAGE MISSION. It is hard to determine when the Osages first pitched their camps on the beautiful banks of the Neosho. However, we can record some few faCts, which may one day prove interesting, concerning the early settlement of this p~rt of the Neosho Valley, now known as Neosho county. In the year I 820, the Osages, being in the vicinity of St. Louis, sent a delegation of their leading men, headed by one of the chiefs of the nation, to Rt. Rev. Dr. De Bourg, Roman Catholic Bishop of New Orleans, then visiting the State of Missouri, which formed the Northern part of his immense Diocese. The objeCt: of this delegation was to obtain some Catholic Missionary to visit their towns and teach them the ways of God. · The Bishop was very much pleased with this delegation, and promised that, as soon as praCticable, he would send them a Missionary. Rev. Charles La Croix S. J. was, after a few days, appointed to the post. He visited the Osages ·repeatedly, baptized a great many of their children, and \Vas about to build a chapel among them, when, exhausted by his labors, he was taken away by death Rev. Charles L~ Croix was succeeded in his Mission by Rev. Father Charles Van Quickenborn S. J. who not oniy visited the Osages in their towns, but used all his enetgy in providing for the education of their youth. For this reason, in June, I824, he established the first Manual ·Labor School· that ever existed among them. He collected the boys in the residence of St. Stanislaus, not far from the town of Florissant, Missouri, and placed the girls ·in the Convent of the Sacred Heart, in the town of St. Charles, St. Charles county. The two places not being very far apart, he could without much trouble, provide VoL. VI-No. 3· 2I (I4I) �Origin of t/ze Osage Jlfission. for the welfare and instruCtion of both sexes. The work of education was now proceeding prosperously, and promising great things for the future, when the Osages, having made a new treaty with the United States Government, obliged themselves to vacate the State of Missouri, and withdraw into Kansas, then generally known under. the name of Western Indian Territory. This new arrangement frustrated the plan of Father Van Quickenborn, and the work so successfully begun came to a prematu~e end. The Osages having removed to their new home, a school was provided for them by a Board of Presbyterians. It \vas located near the western line of the State of Missouri, on the left bank of the Marais des Cygnes, some three miles north of Papinsville, in Bates county. Though Father Van Quickenborn had now no school among the Osages, yet he continued to take care of them. He visited them regularly at their Mission, which was called Harmony, and baptized several of their children in the Mission.. House, where the Presbyterian Minister most kindly and liberally allowed him a room to use as a chapel. In 1827, Father Van Quickenborn came from Harmony Mission to visit the Osages on Neosho river, in this very county, where they had just begun.."to form permanent set· tlements. These, however, were not confined to this county, but were in two great divisions, the one along the Neosho, the other near the Verdigris ; each containing from six to nine Indian towns, having their respeCtive chiefs. But as the head chief of the whole Osage nation resided on the Neosho, and had his house built on what is now called August Creek, and as his people were forming their towns, sometimes on the west, and at other times on the east side of the Neosho, on the identical spot where our beautiful town now stands; so this place was considered from the earlie?t days of its existence as tlze place of business. The Indian towns of the first division stretched from the �Origin of tlu Osage Mission. 143 confluence of the Labott with the Neosho to that of Owl Creek with the same river. Those of the second division extended from the junCtion of Pumpkin Creek, to that of Chetopa Creek with the Verdigris. The "half-breed" settlement lay, for the most part, between Flat Rock Creek, and what is now called Canville Creek. The mechanics allowed to the Osages under their late treaty with the United States, were established on Flat Rock; and the principal depot of the American Fur Company was on Can ville Creek. But as the Agency was situated, for a considerable time, not far from the mouth of Flat Rock, our present town site was considered the most important place on the Neosho. About this time the Presbyterian Board of Missions established another school at Saline in the Cherokee Nation, for the education of those Osages who were living on the Verdigris. But this institution, as well as the other at Harmony after a few years' existence could not be continued; so they were abandoned. After the breaking up of these schools, the same Missionaries tried to get up another one in this county. For this purpose they ereB:ed a large house on the left, or east bank of Four Mile Creek, about one-fourth of a mile from its junCtion with the Neosho. They lived and preached in this building ; but some difficulty prevented the successful opening of a school, and the Missionaries, seeing that they were losing time and could do nothing with the Osages, gave this place up likewise, and abandoned the whole Osage Nation. Father Charles Van Quickenborn having died in 1828, the spiritual care of the Osages was transferred to the Fathers of St. Mary's Mission among the Pottawattomie Indians, then living on Big Sugar Creek in Linn county, where the town of Paris now stands. These Fathers visited the Osages as regularly as they could until 1847; when the tribe having requested Rt. Rev. Peter R. Kenrick, Bishop of'St. Louis, for a Catholic School, Father John Schoen- �144 Origin of tlte Osage Missio11. makers, S. J., was appointed Superior of the Mission, and reached this place on the 2oth day of April, 1847. Father Schoenmakers took possession of two buildings, yet unfinished, which had just been put up for the use of this new Mission by order of the Indian Department. While · he was having these buildings completed, his companion, Father John Bax, went about visiting among the Osages, speaking to them with great zeal on the importance of becoming civilized and embracing Christianity. They were pleased with him, and having offered him several of their children th<!-.t he might give them a Christian education, he promised that he soon would return after them. On the 10th day of May, the houses being finished, he collected a small number of Indian children and brought them in; and so began, on that day, the Osage manual labor School, on the very spot on which it now stands. One of the two buildings, was used for the boys, the other for the girls. On the 5th day of October, 1854, several sisters of Loretto, having come from the State of Kentucky to devote themselves to the education of Indian girls, the present Convent was opened, and has flourished to this day. In a short time the two houses were found too small to accommodate the pupils who were bt;ought in, and it became necessary to enlarge the buildings, .and next to multiply them. So Father Schoenmakers went to work, and, having first built a nice church, he, by degrees, added other houses which gave to this institution the appearance of quite a . town. The Church was dedicated to God, in honor of St. Francis of Jerome; and it soon became the terminus of a·holy pil· grimage, which most of the Catholics living within a circuit of from fifty to eighty miles performed once a year, in order to comply with their Christian duties. The Fathers, attending this Mission, visited the adjacent tribes, such as the New York Indians, the Miamis Peorias, Sacs, Foxes, Quawpaws, as well as others who resided south �On"g-in of tlze Osage Mission. 145 of the old Santa Fe road. They established several Missionary stations amongst these people, and also amongst the white Catholics who were scattered over an extent of country some two hundred miles in diameter. But the Osage Mission was always considered as the Mother House, on which all the other Stations depended. The church in which I this day officiated, is the one which was first built, and which, with its additions, now forms a building thirty by ninety three feet ·in size, though it is by no means large enough to seat the numbers who attend Divine services in it. A few years after Father Schoenmakers had established the Mission, the Osage Agency was moved from here to Quawpaw Nation, on a small brook called Lost Creek, some four miles from the south east corner of this state. This, however, did not seem to detraCt: from the prosperity of the place, as the United States Agents came several times every year to visit us. They would assemble the Osages in council, examine our school children; and would generally make rich presents of flour, beef, etc. to the tribe, particularly when payment of the annuities was being made. The payment of the annuities was always celebrated by the Indians with great rejoicings. The nation would, on such an occasion, come here and build their camps around the Mission ; and nearly every year some other tribe came at this season to pay a visit to the Osages. Sometimes you would see the Sacs and Foxes; sometimes the Kaws or Otoes; sometimes the Kiowas and Comanehes. The objeCt: of these visits was to renew their old friendship, which they did by smoking the calumet, engaging in war dances and running horse races, to the great amusement of their white visitors, who used to be present in large numbers. The time of payment was likewise a time of rendezvous for traders and travellers of every description. All visited the Mission, which was really an oasis in the desert; for no settlement then existed nearer than Fort Scott, forty miles away, so that all who came stopped with us to rest their �Ongin of tlte Osage 111issioll. teams, to repair their wagons, or to supply themselves with provtswns. Thus it is that the Osage Mission can, with all truth, be called the cradle of civilization in the Neosho Valley. Whether the labors and expenses undertaken by the Mission for the civilization of the Osages, have been of real utility to the Indians, I do not now intend to discuss. We know this much from the perusal of history; that to bring aborigines from their barbarism to a state of civilization, and then to make of them good Christians, has always been the work of c~turies, not of a few years. However we do not hesitate to ~·ay that the Mission established by the Catholic Church among the Osages in 1820, and continued to this day, has been of great benefit to humanity at large; for it has kept the savages from ravaging the neighboring settlements, given them an idea, at least, of honesty and righteousness, inspired in them respe~ for religion, and inculcated upon their youth the importance of Christianity. If, during a period of forty years, the Osages as a nation have not taken up arms against the United States Goverment, if they have not made wholesale slaughter of trains and caravans crossing the plains, if they have not ravaged the country along the borders of both Missouri and Kansas if, in a word, they have never shown themse_lves hostile to the white people; this is due in great part to the influence which the Catholic Church exerted over them though her Missionaries. The school of the Osage Mission has generally been a success, even during the late war, which proved detrimental to so many institutions of the kind. The number of pupils in attendance has always been large, the boarders one year being as many as two hundred and thirty six. Strangers who at different times have visited this school and examined the pupils, have found, to their satisfaction, th~t the children of the Osages are as capable as any other children of acquiring an education. To be �Ongin of tlze Osage Mission. 147 convinced of the truth of this assertion, it is sufficient to open the Annual Reports, given by the United States Agents to the Indian Department, concerning this Osage Mission Manual Labor School. And though we must confess with sorrow that many of our pupils, after having left us and returned to their parents, have resumed their Indian customs, and in some instances become very bad; yet the greater number have turned out very well, and earn their bread honestly. By the treaty of September 29th, 1865, the Osages, having deeded this part of their country to the United States, Government, again removed to the Verdigris River, They left, however, a good many of their children at the Osage Mission School, where they yet are. The white people who first came to this part of the country seemed to prefer this place to any other, and began to talk of building a town. Father John Schoenmakers donated for this purpose a quarter secrion of land to a Town. Company. They laid out the town, and went to work without delay, and have been very successful; for though great has been the opposition made to Osage Mission, yet it has flourished beyond all hope and is at this day one of the most thriving towns in southern Kansas. ( f-.Vritten by Fatlzer Ponzzglione in z869.) �CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, BOSTON, MASS. The zealous and very successful labors of the venerable Father John Me Elroy S. J., in purchasing the valuable property on Harrison Avenue and ereB:ing upon it the stately and substantial buildings, that are now an ornament, even to the city. of Boston, where so many beautiful struB:ures are found,-the faithful cooperation of his successor Father John Bapst, S. J., whose influence and efforts did much to reduce the necessarily heavy debt incurred,-and the continued interest and efficient exertions of Father Robert Fulton S. ]., the present ReB:or, who completed the liquidation of the debt, besides enlarging and beautifying the buildings,-all were to receive the finishing touch of perfeCtion, on the feast of our Lady's Assumption 1875· On this day the stately granite temple, that for years already, under the auspices of her Immaculate Conception, had been the centre of a fruitful apostola.te for the Catholics of Boston and by the grandeur of its ceremonies and the learning and zeal of the occupants of its pulpit, had done much to elevate the church in the estimation of a community, that looks a good deal to the exterior of things,-on this day, the church was to be given over wholly to God by solemn consecration, as happily, and in accordance with the Canons, all debts on it being cleared, men could no longer claim any share in its ownership. Though it will not cease to strike the beholder with ad· miration, as long as it shall stand, one cannot at the present stage of church architeCture in this country, form an adequate idea of the magnitude of the scheme of its ereCtion, if the precise date hereof be remembered. For architeCture, in all its applications, has like everything else in this coun(148) �Clmrclt of t/ze Immamlatc Conception, Boston, 1Vass. 149 try, been going forward towards perfeCtion during the last score of years, with amazing rapidity. Twenty years ago, and scarce one of the thousand beautiful churches and cathedrals that now honor God and His Church in every part of the land, was stamling; and notably, in the city of . Boston, which now boasts its magnificent cathedral, our own beautiful new churches of St. Mary and the Holy Trinity, the costly church of St. James and others. that of the Immaculate Conception was looked upon as an entirely new, an almost startling enterprise in the matter of chur<:h building, especially for poor Catholics. The advance in beauty and grandeur of design in church edifices has not however yet, and indeed cannot go far enough, to leave behind iri any point of excellence the beautiful and graceful building of which we write. Its noble dimensions, chaste design, costly finish, artistic decoration, and above all its admirable fitness for the many calls to be made on its usefulness by an immense catholic congregation, with all the adjuna associa· tions that this implies when under the charge of Fathers of the Society, will always make the church of the Immaculate Conception a model of its kind. Under the church is a basement chapel of good height and of the same dimensions as the church, fitted and furnished in a complete manner, and accommodating an immense congregation of children, that would well crowd any ordinary city church. This basement, as well as the church itself, is furnished with a first-class organ of great power : that of the church being among the finest in the country. The altars of the church are of costly white marble, richly carved and heavily gilded in such a way as to show to better advantage the various relievos and other ornaments ; the Sanctuary is ample and well fitted for the ceremonial of the Church, even when carried out on the most extensive scale, as was well shown on the occasion of the consecration. Indeed the sacristies themselves are worthy of a detailed description, spacious, well appointed in every respeCt, VoL. VI-No. 3· 22 0 0 �150 Consuratio1Z of tlze Clwrclz of tlze and furnished with a full and precious wardrobe of every suitable vestment, together with a valuable and \•.rell assorted stock of altar decorations and ornaments of varied character. There are anterooms, closets for storing articles not in use, meeting rooms, a small chapel of St. Valentine, in the basement ; in a word, all the modern improvements and_ conveniences, if we may speak so without irreverence in conneaion with so sacred a thing as a catholic church. But we do not intend to go into all the details necessary to give a comprehensive idea of this church; for to do this would reqtiin~ also a description of the really grand college buildings in the immediate vicinity, that stand so favorably in comparison with those of other institutions of the city, whose endowments are given by hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly. We would only add a few words concerning the ceremony of consecration, which, as matter of course, was not very intelligently reported, from a religious point of view at least, by the Protestant press. Preparations for the funaion had been going on for about a month before the day appointed : the great organ of the church, however, appeared to excel, as was proper, in the endless notes of preparation that it gave forth during that time, almost at any hour from early m<;>rning till dusk. The energetic and skilful brother Sacristan was unwearying in his labors, and among the feats he performed may be reck· oned his conveying a freight-car load of laurel branches for the interior decorations, from a grove at the college villa, about sixty miles distant from the city. This with numer· ous additions of green branches of various descriptions was woven into garlands. by the younger members of the congregation, during the week preceding the lete, in the large hall of the college gymnasium. Indeed it reminded one of what we have read of the preparations for the church festi· vals in old Catholic Europe, to see these parties of New England boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, merrily weaving the beautiful garlands to decorate our Lady's beautiful �Immaculate Conception, Boston, Mass. I 5I ' shrine which lies almost under the shadow of Bunker Hill monument. We wonder if the shades of the old Puritan sires were altogether easy, in those pleasant August evenings, or those of the more modern and less worthy iconoclasts, who thought to burn out all roots of Catholicity as their ancestors did the witches, in the flames of the Charles town convent. Of course, matters more immediately conneaed with the consecration were not overlooked. The officers for the ceremony were assigned, distinguished clergymen, secular and religious, filling the principal places. Fifty acolytes were put in training, twice daily, for two w0eks, and were found fit to appear to advantage in the imposing services of the great day. The twelve crosses for the walls, required by the Roman Pontifical, were made after the Greek style, each arm terminating in a trefoil. They are of beautiful colored marble, the edges bevelled and richly gilded. The relics to be inserted in the main altar, which alone was consecrated, were the same as those previously used at the dedication of the church, when the same altar had been consecrated as a portable one. The relics were enclosed in due form, with parchment document and incense grains, in a new case of sheet copper, which was sealed by the Most Reverend Archbishop, and the many articles to be used in the ceremonial were prepared with a view to the stria observance of every prescription of the Roman Pontifical. On the vigil of the great day the church itself, as well as the college and surroundings, presented a scene of bustle and excitement. The church proper, from which the Blessed Sacrament had been removed, was almost as much thronged by operatives, as it would be by a congregation on an occasion of more than ordinary interest; the taberna· cle, baldachino, pulpit, chancel-rail, side altars, choir gallery, organ and each separate part of the building, had its own committe of ladies of the congregation, charged with its decoration : and these with a host of gentlemen assistants 4 �152 Consecration of tltc Clwrclt of tlze were vtemg with each other, that the result of each one's skill and labor might outshine in beauty that of all the rest. The college was filled with guests, and owners of private houses in the neighborhood courteously offered hospitality to others. Some had to find quarters at the magnificent St. James' hotel, which stands in the rear of the college-hall building. Unremitting labor did all that was possible to complete the work of preparation at an early hour, but notwithstanding every effort, it was half-past six in the morning when the last ladder was removed. A few moments afterwards th~ 'Archbishop drove up, and within half an hour the ceremony had begun. As prescribed, the relics were exposed on the previous evening in the domestic chapel, and during the entire night the Fathers of the college by turns recited the appointed office before them. It was here that the consecrating Prelate, Most Reverend Archbishop 'Williams, of Boston. vested prior to the ceremony, whence through the main door of the college the first procession started. None took part in this except those who were immediately to be engaged in the consecration proper. It would be long, to go through the beautifully impressive ceremony of the consecration, certainly among the most splendid and richest in significance of all the ceremonies in the Church's .. ~!Jblime ritual. Its full details are within reach of all, being found in the Roman Pontifical. On this occasion the ceremony lasted just three hours, though the details had been so foreseen and provided for as to do away with any interruption, and though the reverend celebrant went as rapidly through every part of the function, as was consistent with the dignity and grace which befitted the service and for which he is remarkable. The church being consecrated, the Pontifical High Mass followed. Meanwhile the doors were opened and an immense cop.gregation filled the spacious building in a short time. There was, however, no overcrowding, as none were �Immaculate Conception, Boston, Mass. I 53 admitted who had not cards of invitation which had previously been judiciously and not too lavishly distributed. A large corps of attentive and courteous ushers kept admirable order within the building, showing visitors to their places and keeping the aisles clear; and a detachment of city police performed the like service without, where a large crowd had gathered early and remained until the conclusion ofthe Mass. It had been suggested to the Archbishop, that it might tire his strength overmuch to celebrate after the ceremony, which indeed was very exhausting on that hot August morning; for it must be remembered that the mere walking round about the large edifice, for the lustrations, annointings, etc., reached into a question of miles. But he preferred to sing the Mass, and so the matter was arranged. The augmented choir was in place; the Germania orchestra gave token of their presence by the tuning of pipe and string; and the great organ was breathing at intervals ~hole , gusts of melody, forewarning the burst of harmony that was to follow. Both the sacristies and passages leading to them were crowded with those who were to participate in the last ~nd most important part of the beautiful celebration. The fumes of incense floating up from behind the reredos, gave the signal to the orchestra and organ, which swelled forth in the thrilling strains of Mendelssohn's March in Athalie, as the procession began to move solemnly from the Gospel vestry, The processional cross came first, carried by a Scholastic in dalmatic, with the acolytes of the day bearing their candlesticks, and clad in purple and crimson cassocks with train and swiss muslin cottas handsomely · trimmed with lace ; next the censer-bearers swinging their censers and similarly dressed. After these came a body of fifty choir boys, walking two abreast, with hands joined and eyes cast down, striving to keep their little minds as recollected as they might in the midst of such a thrilling scene, in which too they formed such a prominent feature. They �154 Consecration of tlze Clmrclz of the were dressed as those mentioned above, except that the colors were varied; red, purple and black being the distinctive marks of three separate divisions. After the boys, about seventy priests, secular and religious, from the city of Boston and other localities, filed out two and two, vested in cassock, lace surplice and biretum. Then came singly, the assistant Bishops clad in purple, each attended by a little choir boy, who acred as train-bearer. Behind these came the archiepiscopal cross borne by a Scholastic in dalmatic, nine of the larger choir boys who were to form the body ot attendants-Qn the officiating Prelate, the sacred ministers, the deacons of honor, the assistant priest and last the Archbishop of Boston attired in full pontificals and wearing the Sacred Pallium. As the line moved with slow and solemn pace it took a considerable time before all were in their places; but we are assured no one tired of the sight, which was calculated to give a good idea of what the Church loves to do and can alone do for the glory of God, and for the elevation of the souls of her children above the commonplace wants and pleasures of everyday life. On this occasion the vestments, worn for the first time, were a most precious and chastely beautiful set that had been ma~ufaB:ured in Rome for this church. They are. of the Roman style, made of rich moire brocaded with silver and shot with gold. Upon this as a ground work are wrought, in the greatest profusion, and with exquisite skill, beautiful designs in richly varied bullions. The solemn grandeur of a Pontifical Mass, when decorously carried out in all the details of the rubrics, with the powerful adjunct of an old master's music well rendered, and, above all, made usefully significant unto the salvation of many, by the presence of a thronging multitude, deeply impressed by the thought, that this hour the beautiful temple, which was the offering of their generous hearts to God, was sealed to the service of the Most High forever--these and many other causes gave to the solemn pageant of that morning a pleasant place in the recolleCtion of every one �Immaculate Conception, Boston, Mass. I 5S that witnessed it. For two hours of solemn joy to that vast throng, the music rose and fell ; now a solo of sacred song, now a harmonious chorus; the incense fumes arose with the silent prayer of the multitude; the gorgeously robed prelates and priests moved back and forth, and the lines of edifying youths paced to and fro in solemn procession at stated intervals; the air was luminous with hundreds of lighted tapers, that circled around every column and traced in lines of light almost every part of the architecture about the sanctuary. The whole scene almost carried one out of himself, till the tinkling chimes would recall his believing soul and his faith tell him that it all was in honor of the Present God, Who, when the solemn stillnes;; of a few moments at the Elevation followed, spoke as audibly to each believing heart, as if the words really h:td sounded in the ears, "The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him." And then raising the eyes towards heaven, one saw amid the graceful festoons of costly flowers, the beauteous figure of the Queen of Heaven, and the heart leaped again with joy to know, that at least faith enough is left yet in these latter days to prompt men to do much honor to her whom the King of kings has so much honored. At the end of the Mass, the reverend Rector of the college advanced to the railing and read a telegram just received from the venerable Father McElroy, of whom every one present had no doubt thought long and often on this most joyous day, which owed most of its glory to his indomitable energy and true religious zeal, in founding this noble establishment, when almost an octogenarian. Fear~ on the part of prudent superiors lest the journey should prove too much for him, were the cause of his absence, rather than any positive present infirmity. He sent his ~aternal blessing to his thousands of spiritual children and It was all that was wanted to make the happiness of the day complete. �I 56 Cousecration of tlte Clmrclz of t!te After this followed the really grandest spectcle of the morning. The organ and orchestra. swelling out into the grand Coronation March of Meyerbeer, the procession formed in the same order as that in which it had entered the sanctuary, with the addition of several evolutions and counter movements, which, while they added much to the scene, were necessary in order to bring the different parts of the line from their various positions in and around the sanctuary, without disorder, to the central chancel gate. Front this they filed down the central aisle with solemn pace, as the music continued in the organ loft above; then from the church, the line turned to the right in Harrison Avenue to the main gate of the college by which it entered. On the line reaching the door of the domestic chapel, those whu were partners separated and halted face to face, forming a double line in single file with an alley six feet wide betwee1!· Through this the Most Reverend Archbishop with the sacred ministers and attendants proceeded to the chapel where the disrobing took place. The procession then disbande<! and the beautiful ceremony concluded without mishap or accident of any kind. In the evening there were Pontifical Vespers sung by the Right Reverend Bishop Conroy of Albany, before a congregation, more numerous even than that of the morning, as tickets of admission were not required. The Right Reverend ·Bishop de Goesbriand of Burlington, Vt., preached, and Benediction followed. The newspapers, on Monday the 16th, gave extended notices of the ceremony in terms of admiration and praise which must have been very gratifying to those who had so well earned it by their generous labors during the days of preparation. After calling attention to the fact that but two other churches in the State have been consecrated, the Cathedral at Springfield and the Holyoke church, they went on to de~cribe the floral decorations, which, they all pronounced to be the finest ever seen in Boston. The follow- �Immaculate Conception, Bostoll, lllass. 157 ing description, taken from the Boston Post, may stand for all, as all, very naturally, did but give the same account in substance: "The plants and flowers were of the most varied size, hue and fragrance, and were arranged-with a taste and elaborateness highly creditable to the management of Bro. Fealy and his corps of auxiliaries, ladies and gentlemen. From the centre of the arches of the numerous windows on the sides of the building laurel leaves were dependent in festoons, nearly to the floor, and from the ceiling, between the windows and the columns of the main arch, the space was handsomely relieved in this manner. The columns were entwined with vines depending from hanging baskets, and the base of each column supported pot plants and hot-house plants, and rarest of exotics. The spaces between the columns contained elegant hanging baskets of flowers and green ivy. The windows and gallery fronts were handsomely adorned with flowers and evergreens, as was the organ. At the base of the twelve pillars in the body of the church were placed, as already stated, a singular display of large and valuable potted plants. All these were gratuitously offered to the church by Mr. Wm. Dogue, the florist. The pulpit was elegantly trimmed with flowers and green leaves, and the sounding board above almost covered with delicate smilax. From the top of the board hung a beautifully formed white dove with outspread wfngs, made of carnation pinks. This beautiful piece of handicraft was suspended so as to be over the head of Bishop de Goesbriand as he stood in the pulpit, and together with all the flowers on the pulpit was the gift of Mr. Horatio Harris, of ·walnut Avenue. The decorations on the ~[tars were rich and pleasing. From the centre of the main arch over it, festooned and connected at either side, were suspended laurel leaves, while the pillars above and around the altar were similarly decorated. The altar floor, which had been considerably extended, was most profusely decorated with plants and potted flow~rs. VoL. vr-No. 3· 23 �15 8 Clturclt o/ tltc Immaculate Conception, Boston, .ftfass. On either side of the space just inside the altar railing stood a huge banana plant surrounded with other but smaller plants in pots. On top of the tabernacle on the altar, was a white lily hemisphere, on the top of which stood a small but beautifully colored flower cross. The sills of the side windows by the altar were adorned with fresh green plants. and over the door leading from the altar to the sanauary was another large colleCtion of fine flowers. The painted . insignia of the Archbishop and the Popes's coat of arms hung facing one another, on the left and right sides of the wall near th~. altar, and were framed in roses and smilax. By the altar railing were placed ferns and variegated flowers, which exhaled a delicate perfume, which mingled sweetly with that of the incense, wafted heavenward by the young assistants during the services. Besides all those a tea-rose cross of Saint Andrew, about five feet high, stood just within the railing. Many of these cut flowers were from the establishment of the Norton Brothers. White lilies, roses, geraniur.1s, pinks, azaleas, poppies, ferns, smilax and a·thousand other varieties and kinds of plants, domestic and foreign, abounded on all sides. The side altars of SS. Joseph and Aloysius were covered with the greenhouse exotics, giving the whole church the appearance of a tropical garden." ·• ·The following is a list of the prelates and clergymen who took part in the services during the day : The Most Rev. Archbishop Williams; the Rt. Rev. Bishop Conroy, of Albany; the Rt. Rev. Bishop O'Reilly, of Springfield; the Rt. Rev. Bishop de Goesbriand, of Burlington; the Rt. Rev. Bishop Hendricken, of Providence; the Rev. Fr. Miege, S.]., ex-bishop of Leavenworth, Kansas; the Rev. Fr. Keller, S. J., ProvinCial of Maryland; the Rev. Fr. Galberry, Pro· vincial of the Augustinian Order ; the Very Rev. P. F. Lyndon, Vicar General of the diocese ; Fr. Fulton, ReCtor of Boston College and pastor of the Church ; and Fa· thers Bapst, Dompieri, Duncan, Sabetti, Maguire, Simeon, �Fatltcr 11-farquette-Discovery of lzis Remains. 159 Me Gurk, Byrne, Blenkinsop, Degni and O'Connor of the Society of Jesus; Fr. Freitag, C. SS. R.; with the following clergymen from other churches : Frs. Metcalf, Blenkinsop, O'Brien, Flood, Supple, O'Callaghan, Toole, Lamy, Hummel, Riordan and O'Bierne. FATHER MARQUETTE, S. J. DISCOVERY OF HIS REMAINS. Some account of the steps that have been recently taken for the discovery and identification of the remains of Father Marquette, S. J., cannot fail to be interesting to our readers. The life and labors of this zealous missionary of the red man of the west, and explorer of the Father of Waters, are too well-known to need recounting here. They have oeen the admiration of the world and the incentive of zeal to his brethren in religion. The historical records of his death and burial are briefly these. In fulfilment of a promise made to the Kaskaskia Indians, to return and teach them the faith, he set out from the Mission at Mackinac on the 25th of OEl:ober, I674. Steering his bark canoe down the western shore of Lake Michigan, he reached on the 4th of December the spot on which Chicago now stands, where, owing to the weakness of his health, he encamped for the winter. Early in the spring, he resumed his journey, and on Maundy Thursday, the I rth of April, I675, he offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the prairies of the Kaskaskias. His health now so rapidly declined, that a few days after Easter he found it necessary to return immediately, or abandon the hope of dying in the arms of his brethern at Mackinac. Be set out with an escort of Kaskaskias, ascending the �160 Fat!tcr llfarqucttc-DisCO'l!CrJ' of Ius Remains. east shore> of Lake Michigan. Becoming so seriously ill during the journey, that he judged it impossible to continue to its end, he turned into a small river, since designated by his name, where on Saturday, the 18th day of 1\'lay, 1675, like another Francis Xavier, he expired and was buried. Two years later, his remains were conveyed by the Kiskakon Indians to the mission of St. Ignatius, Point St. Ignace, Michilimackinac, where, on the gth of June, 1677, they were enclosed in a birch bark box and deposited in a little vault under, the chapel. \Vith reg~rd to the questions, whether the remains of the illustrious explorer were removed when the mission was abandoned in 1796; what place was designated Michillimackinac; in what particular spot the chapel was built; what are the local traditions; what steps have recently been taken for the discovery of the remains; they cannot be better answered than by inserting the two following letters of Father Jacker, present pastor of St. Ignatius' Church, l\'Iackinaw, whose zeal for the honor of God's servant is equalled only by his caution in research. ST. IGNACE, Mich., June 13, 1877. The report concerning the discovery of Fr. Marquette's remains, in this place, as first published in a Cheboygan paper, is a very ex;:~ggerated affair. All that has been found, thus far, is the foundation of a log building that might possibly have been a church, on or near the traditional site of that Father's grave. There are ma~y circumstances, indeed, that make it quite probable that this was the second chapel ereCted by the Jesuits in their mission of St. Ignace de Michilimackinac, the one in which Fr. Marquette's bones were deposited, June g, 1677; but unless some digging is done, and human remains gathered in a box, or at least some articles that would prove the building to have been a church, be discovered, it will forever remain a matter of doubt whether we have struck the right place. I have the confi- �Fatlter Marquette-Discovery of Ius Romains 161 dence that if the saintly missionary's remains are there, and if it is the will of God that they should be honored, something will happen to change the determination of the owner of the ground, who positively refuses to have any search made. Our reasons for believing that the spot in question is the site of the ancient chapel are principally these: The local tradition points to that neighborhood. Old persons, now dead, declared that a "Bishop" was buried' there. As they received their information from Indians, in whose language "Bishop" and "great priest" (kitc/zimekatewikmzaie) are the same terms, the tradition may well enough have reference to that great missionary whose memory is still fresh among the tribe. Besides it is certain no Bishop could have been buried there, and as certain that Marquette is the only priest ever interred in this neighborhood. Besides the tradition concerning the "great black coat's" grave, there is another one asserting the former existence of a chapel in the neighborhood. It has a somewhat legendary character. "No one," our folks said, "is allowed to approach that holy ground. lt is so thickly overgrown with brushes that is impossible to penetrate." And singularly enough, about an acre of ground, quite close to the buildings erected by the present owners some twenty years ago, has been left undisturbed until lately. They cut down the heavy timber (second or third growth), but allowed the underbrush to grow up again. Only this year, standing in need of more arable ground, they chopped it off, and then the foundation of the supposed chapel and presbytery became plainly visible. Had this clearing been done before a livelier interest in this matter was awakened (i. e., quite of late), those traces would very probably not have attracted much attention and become obliterated by plowing up the ground. But what is the verdict of written history? That the chapel in which Fr. Marquette's bones were deposited stood �162 Fat!ter .A1arquette-Diswvery of lzis Remains. near the point of the upper peninsula of Michigan, oppo~ite the Island of Mackinac, is an indisputable faCt, whatever Schoolcraft and others may have said to the contrary. That chapel was in the close neighborhood of Tionontate, Hu· ron's village, which has given our little bay its Indian name of Nadowekweyamishing, i. e., Little Huron Bay (the East Moran Bay of the maps). Lahontan, who was here in r688, and later, gives a pretty detailed description of the French, Huron and Ottawa settlements on this bay, and the Jesuits' residence, together with a plan that shows their respeCtive positions. ~With that plan and description everything thus far discovered on the ground in question agrees ; one could not wish for anything better. I have not time now to enter into details, but may do so at a future occasion. It remains only to prove that the foundations laid bare last month are those of the Jesuits' chapel, residence and other buildings. The largest of the edifices (about 30x45) can hardly have been anything else but a church or a ware· house. This we surmise from the circumstance that it had no fire-place like the other small buildings. The foundation, which consists of flattish limestones has also been more carefully laid. According to Fr. Dablon's Relation ( r673-9), Fr. Marquette's remains were deposited in a vault (or cellar, cavern) in the middle of the chapel. The exca· vation on the spot barely approaches with one of its corners the centre of the building. It is now about four feet deep, and may originally have measured eight by eight. There is a smaller hollow in the left front corner, where the baptismal fonts may have stood. A narrow room seems to have run along the rear of the supposed chapel (perhaps the sacristy) conneCting if with a pretty large building, which projeCts a few feet on one side. It contained a large fireplace, the only spot where some superficial digging was done before the owner issued his prohibition. The articles found, -~uch as fragments of a sa~, fish-spears, gun-locks, etc., some charcoal, vitrified cinders, and th~ like, make it �Fatlter llifarquette-Di'scovery of lzis Remains. 163 evident that a forge or smithy mus~ have been in operation on that spot for a number of years. This is a somewhat suspicious circumstance; not the faCl: of its existence within the establishment-for the Jesuit Brothers did such workbut its close proximity to what we should think to have been the sacristy. Two or three other smaller buildings stood a few feet apart from the presumed presbytery; and in what seems to have been ~corner of the enclosure (the establishment was surrounded with palisades, the traces of which are plainly visible) there is a collapsed root-house (caveau), such as Canadian farmers used to construCl:. It would be but the work of a day for a few men to make a thorough search on the premises, such as would in all probability bring to light some articles that might clear up our doubts. It might reveal the faCl: that no human remains are here; but e~en this would be some satisfaCtion. It is doubtful whether Fr. Marquette's bones were left under the ruins of the chapel ; the missionaries may have removed them before they set fire to the building. The records of that period-the first decade of the last century-are very scanty. It is not likely, however, that the Fathers took those remains along to Canada, whither they went on abandoning the mission. Nor do I deem it probable that they removed them to their new mission at "Old Mackinac," on the northern point of the lower peninsula, established a few years later. If this were the case, Charlevoix (who was there in 1721) should have heard of it. He was not even aware of the faa of the Father's remains having been transferred from his first burial place to the mission at Point St. Ignace. Yours very sincerely, EDWARD JACKER. �164 Fatlzer llfarquctte-Discovcry of lzis Remains. ST. IGNACE, Sept. 13, 1877. The report concerning the discovery of Father Marquette's remains, which must have speedily travelled over the wires and spread throughout the country, is this time, I am glad to say, not a fable or an exaggeration. I am now writing within a few paces of the little casket which contains all that is left of the saintly Jesuit's perishable part. But, alas, it is very little! If the fragments of bones gathered from the humble grave, were to be given away for their weight In gold, a person of moderate means could easily acquire" them. I wrote you, this day three months, that the owner of the ground in question would not allow any search for the supposed grave. His principal motive was a sort of religious awe. To disturb the remains of a saintly priest, and still more to remove them from the resting-place assigned them by their brethren, appeared to Mr. David Murray (a native of county Mayo, Ireland), as something akin to profanation, Nothing less than the word of a Bishop was required toremove his scruples. Accordingly, in the presence of Right Rev. Ignatius 1\Irak, Bishop of Marquette, who was prevailed upon to remove, himself, the first spadeful of ground, and of a goodly number of our poor peo"ple-most of them of mixed French and Indian descent-we began our search on the afternoon of Monday, the 3d instant. Commencing in the centre of the area circumscribed by what we took to be the foundation of the Jesuits' chapel-an opinion that had become more and more confirmed within the last three months-and there finding not even as much as would prove the former existence of a building and the fact of its destruction by fire, we proceeded towards the ancient pit or cellar-like excavation (let us simply call it a cellar), near the left or southern wall of the chapel, and just in front of what in our .churches generally is, and in the Jesuits', chapel probably was, the Blessed Virgin's altar. Once there, our �Father Marquette-Discovery of Ius Remains. 165 search began to assume a more interesting character. Quite a number of objects were dug out from under the vegetable soil, which, in the course of 171 years, had accumulated to the depth of a foot or more above. Pieces of half burned wood, apparently fragments of hewn planks or beams, all very much decayed, and coal-dust mixed with the sand or gravel that underlies the soil of the level ground around the head of our little bay, left no doubt as to the fact of the building having been destroyed by fire. A few spikes and a number of nails, some of them twisted and seemingly melted together, an iron hinge that may have belonged to the trap door of the cellar, and similar objects tended to prove the same fact. In order to facilitate the understanding of what follows, I shall make use of a diagram : v- d D I c/~ e b c f: ...... : g The broken line A, B, C, D, represents the cellar as it appeared before being disturbed by the spade. The line b c shows the bottom of the ancient excavation, and. the perpendicular lines, ab and cd, complete its probable contour. The asterisks (*****) mark the space within which most of the above-mentioned objects were found. It was when reaching the old bottom, between e and It, We first met with a piece of birch bark, well preserved, but evidently scorched by intense heat-an object well calcuVoL. vr-No. 3· 24 �166 Fat!ter llfarquette-Disarvery of Ius Remai1ls. lated to revive our sinking hopes. You remember that Father Marquette's remains, as brought to St. Ignace in 1677, consisted of his bones, dissected by the Indians and stripped of the least particle of the adhering tissues; and that they were enclosed in a birch bark case or box. In that poor casket, in all probability, they were entrusted to the ground. Now, if they had been removed by the missionaries before firing the chapel, we could hardly expect to find even the box, or fragments of it; for in that case the casket would most likely have been taken out, together with the bones_ 'A birch bark box, placed in dry sand, would, after twenty-nine years (from 1677 to 1706), have been found almost as solid as it was on the day of interment. On the contrary, if the removal of the bones took place after the fire, which could not but injure the bark (unless protected by a solid vault), some parts of it at least should be expected to have remained in the tomb. And such proved to be the case. Within the space marked by e,f, g, It numer· ous pieces of birch bark, some almost sound, a few blackened and ~superficially burned, but most of them only more or less scorched or made brittle by the heat, were found im· I bedded in the blackened sand and gravel, which had to all appearence fallen in, or been washed jn from above, and thus filled up the little tomb after the. removal of its contents. Pieces of mortar, likewise more or less blac~ened, and smaller particles of plaster, and even pure white lime, were also met with. Nor were fragments of bones wanting. A very small one, almost black, but solid, and a larg.:r one, about an inch in length, quite white but brittle, were found within the space apparently once occupied by the box (e,f, g, It, in the dia· gram). But our hopes to find all, or a considerable part of the remains, soon vanished when, at a depth of about one and a half feet from where the first· fragment of bark was discov~red, a large piece of the same material was found in its original horizontal position, resting on cle:tn sand and �Father JJ;farquettc-Di'scovery of !lis Remaius. 167 gravel. It was nearly two feet long, cut round at one corner, and evidently formed part of the bottom of the box. Outside of it, and on the same plane, three long pieces of wood-you would say about 2-inch scantling-and so much decayed that they fell into pieces as they were taken out, were found imbedded in the sand. They undoubtedly once formed the support of the box. Their appearance, as well as 'that of the large piece of bark, and especially a piece of white paper, which was also found, gave evidence that the aaion of the fire had not penetrated to the lower part of the tomb. The relative position of these wooden supports seemed to show that those who removed the contents of the tomb had displaced one of them and perhaps thrown out a fourth one; unless, indeed, these pieces of wood were placed under the box in the way we found them, merely to level it. From the space enclosed by them, I should judge that the box most have mea~~ured over two feet in length. There was probably not a person who witnessed the search thus far, who felt not CS!rtain that the long-sought for grave was found at last. N'or was the disappearance of the remains of difficult explanation. Their remov~l had taken place-most probably, at least-after the destruction of the church. Who, then, were the people that inhabited this neighborhood, or resorted to it after the missionaries' departure? Indians, principally pagan, with some apostates -the whole Tionontate tribe and the better _part of the Ottawas had removed to Detroit-and French "Coureurs de bois" (bush rangers), a class of men portrayed in very dark colors by the writers of the period. In fact, it was their licentious conduct, and the excesses fostered by their selling liquor to the Indians, that compelled the Jesuits to abandon the mission and burn the chapel in order to prevent its profanation. Hence, it is not likely that pious hands should have removed to some other place the remains of the great servant of God. For those pagan Indians, on the other hand, a very strong temptation existed to take pos- �168 Fatlzer Marquette-Discovery of lzis Remains. session of them. Human bones are frequently used by the Algonquin tribes for superstitious purposes, and this efficacy is believed to depend partly on the qualities of the individuals they once formed part o( What, then, should those poor people not expeB: of the remains of a man to whom miraculous power was attributed by their Christian clansmen? It was almost a matter of cours~ that they should secure such a treasure at the earliest opportunity. But could not the Jesuits themselves, after their return to this neighborhood, a few years later, and the renewal of the mission at a point distant only six miles from St. Ignace, ("Old MacKinac," at the apex of the !ower peninsula of Michigan,) have come over and transferred the remains of the founder of the mission to their new church? If such was the case, we could hardly fail-as already observed in my first letter-to be informed of the faB: by Father Charlevoix, who visited "Old Mackinac" in 1721. There is, however, another circumstance that makes me strongly incline to the belief that Im!ians robbed the grave. When the bones were taken out, and the damaged box torn t; shreds, the former were apparently thrown on the floor of the cellar and a number of small fragments were left there, mixed up with the debris of the building, and some shreds of the box ; a way of proceeding that would hardly be expeB:ed of the missionarie;, who, on the contrary, would have been careful to gather the last particle of their venerated brother's remains. Those fragments-some thirty-six in number, and belonging to different parts of the frame-were discovered on the second day after our search. A person of this place who, rather stealthily, searched for a piece of bark or some other little keepsake, was the lucky finder, and honest enough to hand them to me on my return from Mackinac Island, whither I had accompanied our Rt. Rev. Bishop the day after the first discovery. On sifting the ground on the same spot I found another little fragment. A physician to whom I have since shown all the larger �Father Marquette-Discovery of /zzs Remains. 169 bones declared them to be, beyond the shadow of a doubt, fragments of human bones, aeted upon by intense heat and remarkably well preserved. On one of them, apparently of the frontal bone, he discovered a slight incision running over its whole surface, and evidently produced by the point of a cutting instrument. That cut was mo~t likely made during the process of removing the skin, as described by Father Dablon in the Relation of 1673--9· In order not to delay the sending off of this-perhaps already too lengthy-letter, I will not enter into more details, or into a discussion on the probable surroundings of the place of interment (to be inferred from the fragments of lime, plaster and mortar found in and around the grave). Let me only add that we confidently look for assistance from outside for the ereCtion of some kind of tomb or mortuary chapel to be raised, the sooner the better, over Father Marquette's grave. We covered it, temporarily, with a floor of boards. Mr. Murray having generously promised to donate one-half acre of land, the proprietorship of the ground will soon pass over into the proper hands. Could not, in the meantime, steps be taken towards the organizing of committees for the colleCtion of necessary funds? St. Ignace itself is a very poor place, and the immediate neighborhood is not much better, especially as far as the great majority of our own people are concerned. We are none the less a very happy people, and consider ourselves rich in possessing Father Marquette's grave and remains. If the latter are scanty they are only the more precious. We preserve them in our little sacristy, together with the most I remarkable objeCts found in the grave. In due time they will be transferred into the tomb or chapel on the spot where they lay for the past two hundred years, there to remain an objeCt: of pious interest for thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the country-many hundreds have already visited the spot during the last three months-who in ever increasing numbers will come to honor the memory of "the gentle �170 Father Marquette-DiscO'very of !tis Remains. Marquette." May, in the meantime, only things much more precious than his remains fall to our inheritance; a small share of his humility, his compassion for the poor and forsaken, his tender devotion to the "Blessed Virgin Immaculate!" Yours very truly, EDWARD ]ACKER. P. S.-In regard to the suspicious circumstance adverted to, that there should have been a forge in such close proximity to th~ sacristy, it has since occurred to me that such an establishment might have been kept there by some of the Frenchmen living in the place after the Fathers' departure. Those immense "colonial" chimneys brave any fire, and are the last part of a building to tumble down. The one in the Jesuits' house, being probably the most substantial in the settlement, may have been made use of by those settlers, or by the coureurs de bois, for the ereCtion of a little forge, where to patch their kettles, repair guns, etc. Our old~ baptismal records show that up to the close of the second mission (1765), there must have been a little French population at Pointe St. Ignace. In faCt, from the time when Father Allonez met some Frenchmen and Indians in this vicinity, on Nov. the 11th, 166g, up to the time when the ancestors of a part of the present population settled here (after 1765), these shores have never been uninhabited. E.]. It was said above that Fr. Marquette died and was buried onthe bank of a small river since designated by his name. On the spot grew up a village, which for many years also bore his name; the following letter from a friend in St. Louis will convey some interesting particulars in regard to it: �Fatlter Marquette-Discoz•ery of !tis Re-mains. · I7I ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY, OcTOBER znd, I877. REVEREND DEAR FATHER, P. C. Now that the late discovery of Father Marquette's remains has renewed the loving interest which we all feel in whatever relates to that noble son of our little Society, the following few items will, I trust, be acceptable to your readers, as they concern the ,present condition of the locality, where the great missionary died, and where his mortal remains first found a temporary resting place. I have gathered these items from one of our Fathers, who lately gave a mission on that venerated spot. The place was known for many years as Pere Marquette, Michigan. This town contained, among other settlers, some hundreds of Catholics of various nationalities ; but it had no regular attendance from any priest. Gradually the torch of faith had grown so dim that most of the Catholics had lost sight of its guidance, and many attended protestant churches. For all these the Catholic name of Pere Marquette had lost its charm, and they readily parted with it in exchange for that of Ludington, the name of a wealthy man in the neighborhood, who promised them $500 as his part of the bargain. Things were in that sad state, when a zealous secular priest, Rev. C. L. Ceuninck, nearly a year ago took up his abode there, and vigorously set about the hard task of reclaiming the hallowed spot. But with,all his efforts, he had last spring only thirty Easter Communions. Then he resolved to try the effeas of a mission, to be given by · members of our Society. The mission commenced on the 26th of last August and closed on the 4th of September. It was preached by Rev. Fathers Coghlan, Condon, and D. Niederkorn. The parish being composed of three different nationalities, it was �172 Death of Father Van Assclte. necessary to preach in three different languages to reach all. Father Coghlan, superior of. the missionary band, gave the leading sermons in English, and Father Condon the instruCtion; while Father Niederkorn preached alternately in French and in German. The result was highly gratifying: five hundred of the stray sheep were brought back to the fold; the total number of holy Communions being five hundred and twenty-eight. Of these, forty-six were first Communions of adults, one of whom was fifty-two years of jlge. Twenty protestants joined our Holy Church, and three members of secret socie· ties return~ea to the praCtice of their religion. All felt ashamed of having sold the name of good Fr. Marquette for a handful of gold, and they will no doubt exert themselves to redress the wrong. It was with deep emotions of gratitude, hope, and love, . that the three missionaries knelt on the venerated spot where the body of Father Marquette had been first buried; and as they rose from their knees, they felt confident that from the .height of heaven the blessed soul of their illustrious predecessor would guard and foster the precious seed, which they had so hopefully dropped in that hallowed soil. c. DEATH OF FR. VAN ASSCHE, S. J. Rev. Judocus Francis Van Assche, S. J., departed this life on Tuesday, June 26, at 12 o'clock noon, in his seventyeighth year. On the 26th of last May he started on horseback to visit the sick, carrying with him the Blessed Sacrament. When two miles from Florissant, out on the Cross Keys road, he was suddenly attacked with paralysis, and fell from h!s horse. The faithful animal stood still, seemingly waiting for him to rise and remount. He lay helpless on �Death of Fat!ter Van Assclze. 173• the ground, till a gentleman, happening to pass that way, assisted him upon his horse. He wished to go on to the house of the sick person, but, after riding a short distance, felt that he could proceed no farther, and returned to his home at Florissant, which he reached with much difficulty. Dr. Hereford, being called, found the attack to be a serious one, and to offer little hope of recovery. The patient was removed to the St. Stanislaus' Novitiate, about two miles distant. where, despite all that the medical art and the kindness of friends could do for him, he gradually sank until noon of the 26th of June, when he breathed his last. The word "good Father Van Assche is dead," rapidly travelled to the village and through the surrounding country; and perhaps none that knew him personally, ever knew another person to whom the epithet, "good" in all its meaning, could be so appropriately given- for Father Van Assche was a man of remarkable goodness, both by nature and from every amiable virtue. He never had an enemy ; and an unkind word was never spoken against him. He had the simplicity of a child ; he was so cheerful, so kindly in his manners, so ready to serve others and to give the preference to any one over himself, that no man knew him that did not love him, and no one could meet him and converse with him, without desiring tomeet and converse with him again. Every member of his congregation looked on him as a special friend, and all revered him as a wise and saintly man. He was a father to the poor and to those in sorrow; he never turned away a beggar from his do'or without giving something, even when having little for himself; "For," he would say to his friends, "even if the beggar be an undeserving drunkard, he must be in great need if he comes to ask a pittance of me." Father Van Assche realized in his whole life and conduct the ideal of a Christian pastor, made perfect beyond all ordinary men, by a charity unfeigned ; because it knew no exception, refused no work, and feared no sacrifice. His zeal was not like that of the VoL. vi-No. 3· 25 �·174 Deatlz of Fatlzer Van Assche. Pharisee, fiery and impatient; it was persuasive but gentle, making duty a pleasure, not an insupportable burden. He was distinguished for his praCl:ical good sense and for the solidity of his judgment concerning all the affairs of human life; he was observant and thoughtful; his opinions showed so much wisdom and prudence on all matters falling under his notice that his ~dvice was sought for and most highly valued even by most learned acquaintances. It was instruCl:ion to hear him express his thoughts on public and social questions. Having spent in the United States fiftysix years of his long life, he had become as attached to the country and Its institutions as if he had known no other. He often said pleasantly to his young friends who were born here: "I am more of an American than you, for,two reasons; one is, I am here longer than you have been ; and the other is, I am an American by choice, while you are one by accident." He lamented the growth of avarice, saying "Now the people no longer work for a living, but to become rich." He began to minister at the altar in 1827, fifty years ago; he baptized in their infancy the grandparents of many now living i~ the city and county of St. Louis. "Good Father Van Assche," as he was for many years styled by every one, was buried on the spot-a little mound-where repose the remains of Father DeSmet, the illustriqJ,is Indian missionary, and those of Father Meurin, a member -of the old Society, who died at Kaskaskia in 1777. Fifty long years ago, Father Van Assche heard the whip-poorwill's nightly song from its perch on t~e tall trees covering the ground beneath whose sod he now sleeps his last long sleep. When this good and much-loved old missionary first reached St. Louis, May 30, r823, it was then but a struggling frontier town. Father Judocus F. Van Assche was born at St. Amand, which is on the banks of the Scheid, five leagues above Antwerp.· His father, J udocus Van Assche, dealt in spun cotton an'd flax. Young Van Assche wished to be a sailor �Deatlz if Fatlzer Vall Assc/ze. 175 and·his father applied to a captain, known to be a good man, to receive him ; but the captain declined to accept any more boys. The youth was sent to school at Mechlin. His playfulness caused his teacher, who did not rightly estimate the innocent vivacity of a boyish nature, to request his father to recall him from school ; his father declined to do so till his son was given further trial. The youth soon became distinguished for his diligence in study, obedience to rules, success in his classes, and all virtues becoming his age. In r8r6, the illustrious Kentucky missionary Father Chas. Nerinckx went to his native country, Belgium, in the interests of his various missions in the diocese of Bardstown, Ky. On his return to the United States, in I8IJ, he was accompanied by James Oliver Van de Velde, who joined the Society at Georgetown College, D. C. In Belgium, the latter was tutor of French to young Judocus F. Van Assche, who would have accompanied him had not his youth.and the lack of means rendered such a step impra.B:icable at that time. His desire to join his friend at Georgetown he however kept, and only waited for an opportunity to go to America .. In 1820, Father Nerinckx again set out on a visit to Belgium, and, passing by way of Georgetown, was made the bearer of a letter from Mr. Van de Velde to young Van Assche. Young Van Assche resolved to accompany the Rev. Mr. Nerinckx on his return to America, and revealing his intention ~o his schoolmate John B. Elet, he too determined to go. A little after, John B. Smedts joined them in their proposed journey, and then P. J. DeSmet, Felix Verreydt and P. J. Verhaegen also determined to join the party. In order to raise the funds necessary for the trip they disposed of their books and furniture, pawning their pianos and Watches for redemption by their parents. After overcoming many difficulties they collected together on the Texel, a small island off the coast of North Holland. Near the island the ship "Columbus," on which they were to sail, rode at anchor waiting for them. They boarded and went �Deatlz if Fatlzer Van Assc/ze. quietly out upon the main sea. They seemed to have cast no lingering, longing looks back upon the shores which most of them were never to see again; for their purpose was to give up all in order to devote their lives to the Indian missions of America.They reached Philadelphia on Sunday, September 23, 1821, whence they proceeded at once by way of Baltimore, to Georgetown. They were received as novices and sent at once to the house of probation, at Whitemarsh. In the yea:- 1823, Bishop Dubourg, who was bishop of Upper and Lower Louisiana, went to Georgetown to ask for a colony of Jesuits, for the evangelization of the Indians in the State of Missouri. Father Van Quickenborne, with Messrs. Van Assche, De Smet, Verhaegen, Verreydt, Smedts, Elet, and Brother de Meyer, who still survives at the good old age of eighty-four, offered themselves for the missions in the far West. They left Whitemarsh about the middle of April, 1823, went to Baltimore, where they procured wagons for their luggage, and started on the journey byway of Frederick, Md., Conewaga, Pa., Cumberland, Md., thence across the Alleghany Mountains, reaching Wheeling after a journey of about two weeks. They were here enter· tained for a few days by a kind gentleman, Mr. Thompson, whose daughter subsequently became a distinguished mem· ber of the Sacred Heart Order. They procured two flat boats, which they lashed together, placing upon one of them a wagon, some negroes that accompanied them, their stock of provisions for the journey, etc.,-the reverend gentlemen, with their library and various articles of church furniture, being on the other boat. After a trip of some twelve days down the river, without striking incidents, they reached Louisville Ky., where they met the Reverend Charles Ner· inckx, who was there awaiting their arrival. A "Falls pilot" was engaged to get their boats safely over the falls. They went down the Ohio to Shawneetown, where they disem· barked, and sending their baggage around to St. Louis by �Deatlt of Fatlzer Van Assclze. 177 steamboat, they journeyed across by land to the same destination. They reached St. Louis May 30, and, on the evening of the same day, Father Van Quickenborne rode on horseback out to Florissant. The present novitiate farm, or at least that part of it on which the houses stand, had been donated by Bishop Dubourg to Father Van Quickenborne and companions. They took possession of the place, and began at once to clear land for a garden ; and on July 3 I they began to dig the c~llar for a dwelling, which, in the style of that day, was a log cabin. Mr. Van Assche was ordained priest in 1827, and assumed two years later the regular charge of the congregation at the village of Florissant. This congregation had been for a year in charge of the Trappists, who gave it up in I 8 ro, removing to Monks' Mound, on Cahokia Creek, Ill. When the Monks left Illinois in I813, to return to Europe, Rev. M. Durand, a member of their order, remained in Missouri and had charge of the congregation at Florissant for some seven years, residing a part of that time in the village. His congregation was afterwards under the care of Rev. Mr. De Lacroix, from 1820 till I823, during which time he built the present brick church of that place. In 1823 Mr. De La Croix made over the church to the Jesuit Fathers, under whose charge it has remained till the present time. In 1832 Father Van Assche began to reside at Florissant. He lived a couple of years at Portage des Sioux, but in 1840 he was required by his physicians to leave the place, which was subjeCt to malarious influences, on account of the low, wet lands surrounding it. He returned to Florissant, and, with the exception of three years' residence at St. Charles Mo., Father Van Assche made Florissant his home till his death. He lived fifty-four years of his long life in Missouri ; and, except for two short visits, one to Cincinnati, ·and one to Chicago, he never in that time went beyond St. Louis and St. Charles Counties. He has now gone to the reward of a long and useful life, fol- �178 Death of Father John Me Elroy. lmved by the praises and the blessings of all that knew him. He was a man of God, who gave up native country, a home among loved ones - all that is near and dear to the human heart, in order to make himself useful as a missionary in a strange land. He set the example of a pious and blameless life; and .full of days, and full of merit, he expired calmly. He bore his last illness without murmur or complaint, and seemingly without any pain. No one who knew him personally, will refuse giving assent to the prayer-May he rest in peace! and may my last end be like to that..?,f good Father Van Assche. DEATH OF FATHER JOHN McELROY. A satisfactory history of a life extending over so long a period of time, so crowded with great works, and so interwoven for many years with almost all the important events in the history of the Church and the Society in this country, as was that of Father John Me Elroy, would require volumes: nevertheless, while waiting for. the promised biography which will, it is hoped, fulfil this·task in a worthy manner, we think that a short sketch of his life and last moments, however meagre and imperfect, may not perhaps be without consolation for those who mourn for his loss, and edification for those who wish to follow in his footsteps. John Me Elroy was born in the town of Enniskillen. county Fermanagh, Province of Ulster, Ireland, on the 14th day of May, 1782. His early education, like that of so many others in those times, when Ireland was just awaking from the long and fitful sleep of ignorance into which the penal laws had cast her, was of the scantiest description. Every morning, if we remember correctly the circumstances which we heard in former years from his own lips, he trudged �Deatlz of Fatlzer Jolzn Me Elroy. 179 off barefoot to school, with his brothers and the children of the neighborhood, each bearing under his arm the brick of turf which was to serve as his contribution to the schoolhouse fire for that day. The children sat on the floor, for want of benches, and received an instruction which corresponded to this primitive style of heating arrangements and furniture. His Catholic parents, however, took care to instil into his mind those important principles which are so often neglected in methods of education supposed to be of a much higher order; viz. a deep love for the Faith and a frank and sincere piety. These afterwards proved to be for him the seeds, not only of sanctity, but also of learning. In the year I80J, being then twenty years of age, he joined in the tide of emigration which was already setting, swift and strong, towards the western shores of the Atlantic. Landing at Baltimore, he made his way to Georgetown, and there entered into mercantile pursuits. The fathers of the suppressed Society of Jesus who were in Maryland, had no sooner heard, in the year 1801, that Pope Pius VII. had reestablished their beloved Society in the Empire of Russia, as a congregation, with the power of affiliating members in other countries,* than they wrote to the General in Russia, Father Francis Kareu, and obtained permission to aggregate themselves to the Company. This was about twelve years before its formal reestablishment as an Order throughout the whole world. When John McElroy, therefore, came to Georgetown in 1803, he found the Jesuits just struggling again into existence, and it was not long before he heard the voice of God calling him to serve Him in the new Society. He entered as a lay-brother. His long retreat was made at Georgetown College, in company with several other novices, the ineditations being read from l!f The Society, it will be remembered, was no sooner reestablished throughout the world, than it-was expelled from its place of refuge in the snows of Russia. It may interest our readers to know that, according to the catalogue of Galicia for 1877, there still remain twelve members of the old Russian province, scattered through the provinces of Galicia, Naples, Rome, 'lurin and Venice. �180 Death of Father john Me Elroy. a book by a priest who was himself a novice at the time. Brother Me Elroy remained in the college in the capacity of buyer and bookkeeper for four or five years. But the Very Rev. Father Grassi, who then governed the Society in Maryland, thought that he discovered in him extraordinary qualities, great prudence, virtue and judgment, and he therefore made him apply himself to his studies, that he might be elevated to the Priesthood. He was accordingly instruCted in the necessary branches to prepare him for ordination, and while pursuing his studies at the College, he still retained charge of its temporal affairs. It was du.~ing this period that he witnessed, from the windows of the College, the burning of Washington by the British troops under General Ross, who, after the battle of Bladensburgh, advanced to Washington, burned the Capitol and other public buildings, ate the dinner which had been prepared in the President's house for the American officers, and then set fire to the roof under which they had received such unexpeCl:ed hospitality. After making his course, Father Me Elroy was ordained Priest on the 3rd of May, 1817, at the age of thirty-five years. Not long after his ordination, his great talent for preaching was discovered almost by a~cident. It happened one Saturday that the Pastor of the cqurch was absent, and could not return for the Mass on Sunday. The Superior asked Father Me Elroy, with some doubt expressed in his manner, if he thought he could preach the next day. "Well," replied the young priest, "if you tell me, I will try.'" With the aid of an old volume of Father De Ponte's Meditations, which he had found lying in a corner, negleCl:ed and covered with dust, he prepared his first sermon. All who heard him were so much pleased that it was not long before he was again appointed for the same duty : after that, the preaching was given entirely into his hands, and from that day forward, he had the consolation of seeing his congre· gation steadily increasing every Sunday. He remained for �Deatlt of Father Jolm Me Elroy. 181 a short time as pastor of the church in Georgetown, at the same time looking after the temporal concerns of the College, direCting the accounts, and purchasing the supplies. In 1822, he was sent to the city of Frederick to take the place of the worthy Father Malave, who was at that time very ill ; and here he began that series of great works which have entitled him to rank among the founders of the Church in the United States. The old church which had been built by Father Dubois, predecessor of Father Malave and afterwards Bishop of New York, was going rapidly to decay. The congregation was not large, but with that resistless energy and invincible trust in Providence which were his distinguishing charaCteristics, Father Me Elroy commenced and brought to completion the Church of St. John. This noble edifice is an exaCt copy, in all save a few details, of the church of the Society, St. Francis Xavier's, in Dublin, but it surpasses its prototype in dimensions. It is built on such a scale that but few priests could be found, even at the present day, who would be willing to undertake its erection in so small a city as Frederick; fewer still, perhaps, who could bring it to a successful termination. But Father Me Elroy's courage knew no limits when the glory of God was in question. Indefatigable himself, he bore all along with him by his energy and contagious zeal. St. John's College, under the wand of this powerful enchanter, soon arose, and began to pour forth a host of graduates who have since become eminent for learning and piety. He introduced the Sisters; opened, with their aid, the first free-school which ever existed in Frederick, and had painted over their door, much to the disgust of some of the good people of that city, these words: "First Catholic Frederick Free-School." His labors. were not confined to the Frederick Valley, but extended as far as Pennsylvania and Virginia. He used to ride sometimes a hundred miles to attend some man who VoL. VI-No. 3· 26 �Deatlz of Fatlzer John lt:fc Elroy. was dying. There were no railroads, no conveniences of travel, and many a night had to be spent in the woods. Enduring countless hardships, always exposed to danger in fording swollen streams and riding through forests, the missionary priest of those days had to go about like the Good Shepherd, ever ready to lay down his life for his sheep. In early times, Frederick· and the vicinity had a large transient population of Catholic laborers. The building of the great "National Road," or military highway, which passes through Frederick, and binds together the East and the West,J~e construCtion of the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. and other works, brought many Catholic Irishmen into the field of Father Me Elroy's influence. Besides, Frederick, with its ·many turnpikes radiating to all points of the com· pass, was the centre and starting point of the great wagon trade with the \Vest, which preceded the introduCtion of railroads; and this faCt: may have contributed to the same result. Father Me Elroy's influence with these men was immense, and it is said that on one occasion his sole pres· ence and exhortations sufficed to quell an outbreak among them, similar in nature, though not so great in extent, as the late strike which it required so lamentable an expenditure of life to put down. His care o_f these poor men, when the terrible plague of the cholera,-i_n 1831, was sweeping them off by the hundred, and his solicitude in providing for their orphan children, fully justified the confidence and esteem which they had shown him. * '*In addition to these manifold labors, there was another, still more essential to the Institute, in which Father ::lie Elroy led the way. This was the work of giving the Spiritual exercises. Bishops ::\[arechal, Du Bois, Cheverus, and, in fact, all of those venerable men who are justly esteemed as the Fathers of the Church in this country, were his friends, and were anxious to secure his aid in fanning the flame of Faith and Piety which their own virtue and labors had kindled in their dioceses. If we look now upon the regions which were the scenes of those labors and which witnessed those virtues, we must exclaira: "Behold how small a fire, what a great wood it kindleth!" But it was not without patient and zealous labor that this result was obtained. Father }.{eEl· roy traversed the length and breadth of the land, giving retreats to priests, �Deatlt of Fatlzer Jolm Me Elroy. ,. After twenty-three years of indefatigable labor in Frederick City, Father Me Elroy was transferred to Georgetown, but not for a long time. Early in I 846 the Mexican war broke out, and President Polk appealed to the Bishops in council assembled, for the purpose of getting Catholic chaplains for the army. This request was made by the President in order to prevent, as far as possible, the vices incident to the life of soldiers in the field, and also to remove a false impression which the Mexicans had in some way received, that they were warred upon on account of their religion as Catholics. The Superiors of the Society were called upon religious houses and seminaries, and missions to the people. In his retreats to the secular clergy, he was especially careful to urge them to the attainment of the highest perfection, and to leave no room for the idea that such an aim is for religious only. "I always told them," said he, speaking incidentally on this subject during the period of retirement which preceded the close of his lite: "I always told them that Poverty was not an ivy which should grow on convent walls alone." It would be hard to imagine any one better suited to the work of missions than Father :McElroy, as he was at this time. His commanding stature and dignified bearing, his powerful, yet sweet voice, the noble and forcible language in which his thoughts seemed spontaneously to clothe themselves; his simple, affectionate earnestness of manner, and the strain of tenderness which ran like a silver thread through all the warp and woof of his mind and speech-above all, the burning ardor of a soul given up to God and consumed with zeal for the glory of His house, gave him such a command over the hearts of the people that he turned them which way he would-and this was always heavenward. The effects of his missions were incalculable. \Ve insert here an extract from a late "Freeman's Journal," which will give some idea of the good which he effected in this way: "Father Drumgoole saitl (on the occasion of a visit hy Father Damen and others to St. Vincent's Home for Boys, of which he is the Director) that one of the earliest and sweetest remembrances of his lite was hearing, when a boy himself, that illustrious Jesuit ~lissionary, Father McElroy, who but recently died full of years and sanctity, preach at a mission given at St. Patrick's Cathedral, in New York City, under the sanction of the lamented Archbishop Hughes. That was the first mission ever given in the city of New York, and bl~ssed and manifold were its fruits. Over forty persons, to my own knowledge, Said Father Drumgoole, embraced a religious life after attending it, and they became, both priests and nuns, all noted for their piety. At the close of the mission, Bishop Hughes admonished all the young persons especially to bear in mind the remembrances of that holy mi"Bion, and vividly do I now recall how we all knelt to receive Father J\Ic Elroy's blessing ere he departed from among us at that time." �1 84 Death of Fat!ter Jo!tJZ Me Elroy. to furnish the priests required, and. Father McElroy was seleaed, together with Father Rey, for the arduous post. He remained with General Taylor's army for about three years, and by his words and example effeaed much good and many conversions among the soldiers. On his return from the war, he was sent to Boston, to take possession of St. Mary's Church, which Bishop Fitzpatrick had just offered to the Society. Owing to preceding circumstances of an unfavorable charaaer, the charge of this parish promised to be no very pleasant task, but under the .magnetic.influence of Father Me Elroy's zeal and devo· tion, all difficulties were smoothed away, and this church and congregation became what they are at the present day -one of the most edifying and flourishing in the whole extent of North America. After some years, Father McElroy succeeded, in spite of difficulties, prejudices and opposition, in ereaing Boston College and the Church of the Immaculate Conception. This pile of buildings, magnificent in its proportions, and still more so in the results which are being there achieved for the Church in New England, is the noblest monument of his zeal. When he had finished it, the work of his life was done. His sight failed, and his frame, g·igantic though it was, could no longer withstand the~effeas of nearly three quarters of a century spent in unflagging toil in the service of God. His superiors therefore sent him again to Frederick, and there, in the peaceful quiet of the Novitiate, he calmly awaited the end. Perfealy blind, and scarcely able to walk to the chapel, he yet persever~d in saying Mass (the Mass of the Blessed Virgin, which he knew by heart), every day until he was aaually confined to his bed. Always bright and cheerful, he never gave the slightest sign of repining at his blindness: even if questioned upon the subjeCt, he always answered that it gave him no unhappiness. His light was the fire of divine love, which glowed the brighter in his heart as the flame of his earthly life burned low and �Deatlz of Fat!ter }olm Me Elroy. flickered in the socket. His· conversation with the. novices and others around him always breathed of heaven, and it was easy to see that he was impatient for the time when his eyes should gaze, without darkness or shadow, upon the face of his beloved Master. "The Angel of Death has passed me by," he would say; "I am afraid Our Lord has forgotten to call me home." It seemed that God wished him to remain on earth to see the reaping of the harvest which he himself had sown, and that we might see what kind of men our fathers were in their generation. At last the summons came, and, gradually sinking, he breathed his last. He died at the Novitiate in Frederick, September 12th, 1877, at the age of ninety-five years and four months.* *At the time of his death, Father McElroy was older by four years than any other member of the Society. Those whose ages approach nearest to his are two lay-brothers, Br. Spreafico, of the province of Turin, and Br. D'Amico, of Sicily, both of whom were born in the year 1786, and were therefore ninety· one years old when Father McElroy died. Next after them, came Father Arnaud Boisacq of Champagne, and Br. Baryszewski of Galicia, born in 1788. After these, another step of two years, when we find Fathers Sortini and Sordi, the first of the Sicilian province, and the second of the Venetian. Then there . are two born in 1791, three in 1792, and three in 1793. Of 1794, no less than seven appear on the catalogues, including Father Emmanuel Gill, of the Cas· tilian province, Assistant for Spain. The year 1795 also shows seven, the oldest of whom is our Rev'd Father General, Peter Beckx, who was born in February of that year. Two out of these seven, Father Maas, a Belgian, and Bro. Grocholski, of the Galician province, were born on the same day, June 13th, and bear the name of its patron, St. Anthony. The oldest Jesuit in America is Bro. Peter de ~I eyer of the ~Iissouri Province, born in 1793. Father ~fc Elroy was, at the time of his death, the oldest member of the !lociety not only in years l:)ut also in religious life, having entered the Novitiate in 1806. Next after him we find in the catalogues for 1877, Br. D'Amico, (Sicily), who entered on the 20th of June 1812. Father Ignatius Poczobut, formerly of the Province of 'Vhite Russia, and now of the Province of Turin, 25th of July 1812. Father Joseph Siedmiogrodzki (Gallicia) 4th of July 1813; Father Camillus lemma (Sicily) 3rd of Sept. 1813; Father Anthony Grocholski (Galicia) 31st of of July 1814; Father Robert Haly (Ireland) 7th of Sept. 1814; Father Bernard Addis (England) 7th of Oct. 1814; Father John Curtis (Ireland) lOth of Oct. 1814; Father Anthony Maas (Belgium) 12th of Oct. 1814; Father F. X. Patrizi (Rome) 12th of Nov. 1814. . Father Thomas Finnigan, of the Maryland Province, has spent more years In religion than any other member of the Society in America. having entered on the 5th of February 1815. �186 Deat!t of Fatlter ](1/m Me Elroy. His was a noble charaB:er; massive and grand as some rugged mountain-peak; tender and sweet as the last ray of sunlight that lingers upon its summit. . Sound and prudent in judgment, broad and comprehensive in his views, careful and deliberate in coming to a decision, but swift and untiring in its execution, he was in the spiritual republic what our patriot forefathers were in the material commonwealth. His charaB:er, like theirs, was so perfeB:ly balanced, so evenly developed, that to one who knew him but slightly the full extent of its greatness might perhaps have been scarcely apparent; just as in sog1e noble pile of buildings, where all the parts are in perfeB: harmony and proportion, where nothing is given an undue prominence or disproportioned development, we cannot, at first sight, realize the vast dimensions of the whole. What added greatly, in his case, to this effeB:, was his simple and unaffeB:ed humility. He could look around upon the Church as it is in the United States at this moment, and say with truth: "This is my doing," for in every one of her works for the education, instruCtion, conversion, and reformation of America, he had helped to lay the foundation upon which others are building so prosperously : yet no word of his ever indicated that he considered himself anything more than a simple priest and an unprofitable servant. \Vhether he'preached or conversed, there was a kind of simple dignity and grave tenderness in his manner which spoke the saint, and like the Spirit of God itself, moved the hearts of those who listened to him. The world, could it appreciate his work, would call him a "selfmade man ; " but he himself would have scorned the appellation. The grace of God made him what he was, and never was nobler piece o.f workmanship.-R. I. P. �INDIAN MISSIONS-LAKE SUPERIOR. WIKWEMIKONG, April 24th, 1877· REVEREND FATHER, P. C. The last occasion on which I wrote to you, I promised that my next letter would be longer. I will endeavor to fulfil that promise to-day \vhilst the ice, which a short time ago was covering the country all around, is thawing, and thus gives me some leisure. This is the only time in the year when I can rest from the hard work of winter; I avail myself of it to answer the letter which came during the last season, and to write other letters equally important. . To begin, I will tell you about our little community which seems to increase in number and in strength. Fr. Chane is far from being as well as one might wish him to be; he probably will soon fail like a taper that is burned away. Br. Keys is always the same: he seems to be but waiting for an occasion to leave us. Brs. Clarke and Koemstedt are getting weaker and weaker, especially the first. Good old Br. Jennesseau is so so; and Br. Divine is the only one that enjoys good health. Fr. Baudin is getting accustomed to the climate of our island; his health, at least exteriorly, seems much better than when he first came here. He already speaks pretty well the language of our savages. As to your humble servant, he continues to be, as it were, a stranger to Wikwemikong ; he goes there rarely, and then stops but a very short time. For, since Fr. Hebert left us, and Fr. Chane took sick, all the work of our numerous missions hangs heavy upon him. I will write to you, then, only about the missions which are particularly my own, and especially about those which I visited last winter. We will begin with those nearest to Wikwemikong. Wikmemikon(187) �188 Indian Missions- Lake Superior. sing and Achitawargoning are the first; I visited them last December. In each one of these missions there are schools and a church; but the schoolhouse being still in course of construB:ion, we were obliged to rent a room, in order not to interrupt the classes; but I hope that with the help of divine Providence these houses will soon be finished. A few days before Christmas I left again to visit Milchigiwatinong, a pretty important village of the Indians containing three or four hundred men. It has a fine church which the savages themselves built, and which is admired by strangers ; it has also a -school which is in working order. \Vith some help from the savages, I had a large, substantial schoolhouse built there : it is not yet finished, but still is good enough to teach in. I intend to have it finished entirely by next summer. I ~hen direB:ed my steps towards Mudge Bay and Gore Bay in order to visit some families of white men dispersed here and there among Protestants, and consequently much exposed to lose their faith. I then went to Shishigivaning and on my way I again came very near losing my life. I say again, because it was in traversing the very same bay that I almost perished some years ago. We were this time again caught by a frightful snow storm and opposed by a north wind which' was blowing in our faces. This storm was so strong that \..;e could scarcely see each other at the distance of a few steps; so that we were obliged to grope around and were in great danger of losing ourselves and getting frozen. Still we could not come back on that great Bay ; we were obliged to reach the other side. Finally, with the help of God, we succeeded in making our way as best we could through that frightful storm, and we arrived safe and sound. It is true, some parts of our bodies were frozen ; but one cannot go to war without expenses. Shishgroming is magnificently situated, and has a population of about one hundred and fifty. It has a church and �·Indian Missions- Lake Superior. 189 a s~hool; but they are now building a new church, which is to be finer than the old one, and which will be used as a schoolhouse. This poor little mission was, for some time, a prey to the wolves, ·I mean to the Methodists. During seven years, they could not, to all appearances, make a single convert; they merely left there the seeds of impiety which are now insensibly disappearing. It was only last year that I succeeded in getting entirely rid of these raging wolves and in chasing them from the flock of the Lord. I thus traversed, on the ice, the wide strait which divides Manitoulin Island from the main land, and went to Misisaging, where they were anxiously expecting me; a fatal war was to be waged with our old enemies, the Methodists, who, chased from Shishigwaning, had settled on the river Missisaging, in spite of the prohibition from the second chief and from all the Catholic Indians. These poor savages, new christians mostly, with some white and half-breed families, were impatiently waiting for me, like young recruits unused to war, who, being suddenly besieged during the absence of their chief by an audacious enemy, are at a loss what to do against his more or less devilish tricks. Such was the state of mind of these poor people, when I came among them. But that you may understand better the boldness and the shamelessness of the opponents with whom we have to deal, I will tell you what lately happened to us. About two years ago a pair of Methodist ministers alighted at Mississiging; they gathered together the white people and the Indians, and proposed to them, as they are wont to do, to establish a school there, gratis. They had no other end in vit:w, they said, than the happiness and the education of the children, and knowing that they were Catholics already, they Would take great care not to speak against that religion, etc. These poor people, who had no school there, and who were anxious to have one, were soon caught in the net and not only gave their consent, but promised, especially the whites, to build a schoolhouse. VoL. VI-No. 3· 27 �190 Indian Missions- Lake Superior. At my next visitation, I soon heard what had been done; but the Methodist gentlemen were already gone, congratulating themselves on their happy and easy success. You may well suppose what I did! I struck a different chord, and showed them the right side of the medal ; as well as the danger in which they were of losing themselves, their children, and their religion. vVell! all understood me perfectly and resolved never more to listen to the deceiving insinuations of those wretches. I then baptised some families of infidels, and, before I left, I promised to send them a catechist ·to instruct the new christians and to begin a kind of school, until I might be able to do something better for them. I kept my word, and since that time they have a good old man teaching them prayers, catechism, etc. So that when the Methodists came back, they found all minds rather changed. For not only did the people refuse to build a schoolhouse, but they thanked the gentlemen for their disinterested services and told them that there would be no need for any further trouble. But the Methodists did not think themselves vanquished; they came back the following spring (for these gentlemen happen not to use snow-shoes) in order to sound the place, at Shishigwaning and at Missisaging; but receiving a decided reSuff at Shishigwaning, they came back to Missisaging well resolved, this time, to take the place by storm, if it were possible. In order to succeed they used their usual weapons, lies and corruption; they offered to build a schoolhouse, a church, etc., all gratis. But this time, all the christian Indians showed themselves immovable; they rejected all proposals, told them that they had what they wanted in that line, and that they would not have any thing to do with them. You think that this time at least they were discouraged, acknowledged themselves vanquished and left the place: not in the least; you don't know yet all the audacity and boldness of these men. They tried their very best to gain at least a few to their �Indian Missions- Lake Superior. 191 party; and what with gifts and money they succeeded in getting a half~breed and the first chief who was still infidel. Hoping thus to make new conquests later on, they sent immediately a schoolmaster who spoke the language of the Indians, in opposition to the one whom I had appointed. But as the poor fellow had only two or three pupils, and the whole tribe was against him, he went away after a few weeks. In the mean time our famous Methodists were not idle ; they were working secretly, and had made up their minds to establish themselves there in force, in spite of every body and every thing. With this end in view they wrote first to the Indian Agent, then to the Indian Department, etc., in order to obtain leave from the authorities to build a schoolhouse, and thus to establish themselves in that place. Luckily enough, the Agent of the Indians, an honest Protestant with whom I am on good terms, warned me in time of what was planned, and let me know all that happened. He even showed to me some letters which were sent to him in the name of the famous chief above mentioned, who had sided with them, though he was still an infidel. I then wrote, myself, to the Indian Department to unmask the hypocrisy and bad faith of the Methodists, who on that account received a negative answer. Undeterred by this, they determined to build, at any cost, a schoolhouse in the reserve, with the approbation of the first chief, now become a traitor; but fearing, and not without reason, the open opposition of all the Indians, they waited till fall, when all would go hunting. When the tribe had gone, they began their undertaking. You may easily conjecture the astonishment and just indignation of the Indians, when they came back from their hunt at the b~ginning of winter and saw the house built on their reserve. They were furious against their chief who had thus betrayed them,· and especially against the Methodists, who would likely have had a hard time of it had they not been prudent enough to leave the �f11dimz Jlli'ssions- Lake Superior. t place before the tribe returned. They therefore agreed to depose their chief, who had become so unworthy of their trust, and to take possession of the schoolhouse; but they waited to see whether I would approve their resolution. This was the state of things when I arrived there. I succeeded in making them forbear a little, and recommended them to pray to God with me for the conversion of the chief, who was able to settle every thing. I then called that famous chief, so rebellious to God and to his people; he came, and, after long conversations with him, I succeeded with the help of God, in maRing him take the resolution of becomin!f a christian: \Veil, after I had prepared him the best way I could in the circumstances in which we were, I baptized him with his whole family, to the great satisfaction of all, even the catechumens; and by baptism the lion became a docile lamb. The chief and his people wrote immediately to the Methodists that the reserve was shut to them forever. Thus, with the help of God, we gained once more the vietory over our fearful enemies, without shedding a drop of blood. Now, perfeCt peace and union are reign. ing there : all participate of the same faith and of the same sacraments. A very pretty little church will be built there soon, through the generosity of a rich merchant, Mr. E. Sayers, a good and fervent christian:. Thus the calm succeeded to the storm ; let us hope that it will last long for the happiness of this little congregation. After that I went to the island of Cockburn, and going down, I visited Blind River, Algoma Mill, Spanish River, Moshkamosaging, Sagamok, La Cloche, Wigwassiganagog, Sugar Creek, the Little Current and Shigwaienda. Then I came back to Wikwemikong, after having been absent for more than two months. For the present I only give you the names of the places which I visited; I will give you details another time. After three days I again left Wikwemikong '!nd traversed the north coast of Georgian Bay ; in this journey I visited Killarney, Collins' Inlet, Grambling Point, Kabekonong, Kilchikiliganing and Byng Inlet with its wood- �l11dian Missions- Lake Supen"or. 193 yards, etc. I came back on the last ice. Since then I made another excursion on the shores of Lake Menito among our sugar manufaCtories. I was going to leave to-morrow for Killarney, in order to wait there for the first steamboat, on which I would have gone to the lower missions. But Fr. Chone thought otherwise, so that I will go to some other place. A long time ago our bishop asked to see me towards . the middle of May, at Collingwood, in order to begin a new campaign. God grant that I may make it safely! But here is enough, I think, Reverend Father, in order to give you at least an idea of my work during last winter. I do not think that I could be accused of laziness or sloth. But alas ! with all my efforts and fatigue, I cannot do more than half of what is to be done. If I could only multiply myself, so as to attend to the needs of my numerous . missions, I would not complain; for I fear neither work nor fatigue: but I must acknowledge that, alone, I am incapable of cultivating so vast a field, which would require the labor of three stout workmen. And when I see many of those missions, which have cost so much toil and sweat, in danger of relapsing into infidelity; or, what is worse, about to become the viCl:ims of ferocious wolves always ready to devour them ; this thought is far more troublesome to me than all my fatigue and labors, which indeed have become my daily bread. I beg of you again to send us, if you can, some help, before I yield under the heavy burden which weighs on my shoulders, and thus spare us the affliCtion of seeing some of our missions become heretic. I ask every day of the great St. Joseph to send us sufficient help, and to inspire some zealous Fathers with the efficacious desire of coming soon to partake of our works. Ask it with us, Reverend Father; this great ProteCtor will hear our prayers. Also pray, at least now and then, for the poor little missionary who calls himself-YouR REVERENCE's Unworthy Servant in CHRIST, P. NADEAUX, s. ]. �OSAGE MISSION. NEosHo Co., KANSAs, July Ist, 1877. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. I stated in my last that the Congregation De Propaganda Fzde having formed the Indian Territory lying sou.th of Kansas into an Apostolic PrefeB:ure, and given the charge of it to the Very Rev. Dom. Isidore Robot, 0. S. B. with the office of PrefeB: Apostolic, our missions among the Osages as well as the neighboring tribes had come to an end. But the burden put on Father Isidore Robot's shoulders soon proved to be heavier than he could carry, for he had nobody to help him. So, as we expeB:ed, he requested us to continue, for the time being, our spiritual labors in behalf of these Indians ; granting us, at the same time, all the necessary faculties. In consequence of this, as soon as spring opened and the roads became praCticable, I started to visit once more my poor Osages. I was well received indeed, but oh ! in what a condition did I find them. Before ·~caching their settlement, I could hear the wailing, and mourning of the deso· late people for their departed children and friends. Death had been in the midst of them, and ~vithout mercy had, in three months, carried away over three hundred viB:ims! No special sickness or epidemic of any kind prevailed. Ex· posure, want of proper food, and hard living in general, were the causes of it. In almost every case, no medical attendance was given them, though the nation pays high wages to a doB:or, who is comfortably located at the Agency, but does not give himself much trouble about the Indians. (194) �Osage Mission. 195 Among the departed, many were members of our holy Church; but the distance, the winter season which renders travelling very difficult through the Territory, on account of the streams and rivers which one cannot cross but by fording them-a thing dangerous in time of high waterfinally, the want of means for sending us notice in time; were the reasons why not one of them could receive the last sacraments before dying. · . In the general affliction the Osages lamented two of their principal chiefs : both were young and wild in their habits. All the juggleries of Indian medicine work were resorted to in order to save their lives, but to no purpose. Their death was followed by all those rites which the pagan ritual, ab immemorabi!i, has ordered for such occasions. The Osages are naturally good, and kind-hearted. They are full of affection towards their sick, and particularly towards their children. Once however death has struck a fatal blow, they are left without any hope. They indeed believe in a future life; but their ideas about it are very much confused; and when death takes away any one, especially a dear child, they think that the affliction has been brought upon them by one of their enemies, who, not daring to attack them personally, has done this through the agency of some wicked spirit. Hence, no sooner have they buried the dead, than they swear vengeance, leave for the plains, not to return till they have killed some of their enemies, in retaliation for their loss. The funeral of the pagan Osage does not occupy much time. On the spot where a dear one has expired, the mother, the wife, and the other women in attendance take a handfull of mud and besmear with it the right half of their long hair-as it were to show that they come from dust, and to dust they must return. This done, they at once begin their solemn dirge. This consists in repeating again and again, as loud as they can, the words Idol Idol I-dao I daol dao I inflecting these words in a very peculiar way. They �Osage Mission. pronounce the first two in a lamenting, interrogatory tone; the last three they sound in the note of the wild dove's moaning, so familiar to people living near the woods. \Vhat they mean by these sorrowful words, is a mystery to me; they themselves cannot give any account of it, except that it is an expression of love and sorrow they have learned from their grandfathers. As a great many facts could be brought to prove that the Osages as well as all these western Indians originated from the Hebrew race, why could we not say that these, words are derived from the old ldida? I leave to lingui;;ts to decide the question. The heart-rending mourning of the women is soon followed by the ferocious voices of the men, who in their turn make the very air vibrate with terror. N:ow their feelings are excited most powerfully; so much so, that sometimes, in their wild excitement, gesticulating with their knives, they sl:1sh themselves in order to see some blood flowing, for it seems that this is one of their dogmas, that they cannot appease the Great Spirit and render Him favorable towards the departed, but by blood. This exciting scene will last a little over one hour; then they proceed to the burial. A high bluff is generally seleCted for the purpose. Here no grave is dug, but the dead is seated on the sod, leaning on some rocks, and facing the nsmg sun. His head is shaved, and is painted with vermilion. Numbers of rings ornament his ears and fingers, his naked arms are bound with beautiful bracelets, and long wampums fall from his neck on his bare breast. His loins are girded with a nicely woven sash, and he wears well trimmed leggings tied with rich garters. The whole body is wrapt in a new blanket. On one side they place his bow and arrows, on the other his tomahawk and calumet. Now a chief addresses him for the last time, and bids him farewell. This done, the women like industrious bees go to work, and very quickly put up a wall, either with rocks or sods, around the remains of their departed friend. While this is �·Osage .Mission. 197 going on, the favorite horse of the dead man is slain on the spot. Scalps of enemies and the head of the horse are hung on two posts, as tutelar genii to protea the grave, and with this the funeral ends. · However the mourning is not over yet. No indeed; but the dearer the departed was, the longer it will last. It consists in very severe fasting, which they protraa for weeks and months, so strialy as not to allow themselves any food but once in twenty-four hours, and this after sunset. At the end of a week they take a day of rest, and, this over, they continue their seven days fasting for a long time, abstaining during all this period from every kind of enjoyment. We have seen some very robust men come to a premature death by this mode of penance, by which they think they can propitiate the Great Spirit in favor of their departed friends. , Oh ! how different is the death of the christian Osage from that of the pagan. Ignorant as these poor Indians are, they know the foolishness of all such rites; they know the power of prayer, and the strength their soul receives from the sacraments. Hence, as soon as they find themselves attacked by a dangerous sickness, if they possibly can, they send for the priest to come to assist them. But if circumstances will not allow them to do so, they do not become disheartened ; ' they recite long prayers, they call on their friends to pray with them ; in some instances they even make public confessions, and if they can but get hold of a crucifix, or beads, or an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they will not give it up till they die. And these articles tif devotion are generally buried with them. No christian Indian will allow a scalp to be hung over his grave; on the contrary, it is always ornamented with a small cross, which is rude in materialfor it consists commonly of two simple sticks tied together With bark-but is nevertheless the symbol of pardon, and of hope of a better life to come. I would be too long, if I related to you how piously and VoL. VI-No. 3· 28 �Osage llfission. devoutly some of our Osages died during this last winter. I am fully confident that their death has been a gain to them. Had our labors amongst the Osages brought forth no other fruit than to procure to a great many of them a happy death, we would have reason to be well satisfied, and to thank God for it. During my last excursion I visited the eastern portion of their .Reservation, and also delayed for a while in a Delaware settlement. These latter Indians are not Catholics, but have a great respect for our holy religion; they received me kindly and requested me to return to visit them. Death hia preached among the Osages a sermon stronger than any I could deliver; and I felt happy in gathering its fruits in the numerous confessions and communions I had in the different settlements, where I said Mass to give all an opportunity to comply with their Easter duty. No opposition was offered to me in this last visit by any of the Protestants who have care of the Osages, with but one exception, and this was at the Agency on Deep Ford, whece the school superintendent, though very liberal in al· lowing the chi ldren to attend any kind of Protestant or pagan meetings , would not allow them to come to hear Mass .. This is the kind of liberty granted to the Indians. From the Osage Reservation I re·t.urned to my missions in this state of Kansas, and I am proud to say that, wherever I went, I was edified by the fervor and devotion which I saw displayed by the people in coming to receive the sacraments. No distance, no inclemency of the weather would keep them from coming to meet me at the appointed stations: The rainy season this spring proved most inconvenient to our farmers, but especially to the miners, who, at some eighteen miles west of this mission, are extraCting coal from the hills that run along a creek called Chitopa. · And here I cannot help relating how mercifully God in His pzovidence saved two poor miners from a most dreadful death. They had, during last winter, opened a la~ge shaft, �Osage Mission. 199 from which they had taken a good deal of coal. One day, early in this spring, after they had passed all the morning at their work, they came out at noon for their meals. They were just washing at the creek running by, when, hardly five minutes after they had come out, they heard a great crash, and found themselves enveloped in a dark cloud of dust. What was the matter? It seems that on account of the great rains, the water had made its way from the top of the hill, some fifty feet above, and, penetrating into the mine, caused "by degrees the caving in of the hill. The two men had a very narrow escape from being buried alive. This was for them a far better instruCtion than any I could give them, to convince them how important it is for a man to keep himself ready; for indeed we do not know at what hour God may call us. This spring, immediately after Easter, we were happy in getting two zealous Fathers from St. Louis, Rev. Fathers Henry C. A. Bronsgeest, and Joseph J. Zealand, to give a mission for eight days to our congregation. The weather was unfavorable, but the people attended at the instruCtions in great numbers, especially in the evening. Protestants were particularly invited, and they came. They seemed to be well pleased. The fruit drawn from it was very abundant. Of the Protestants, sixteen adults were baptized. Many Catholics who were negleCting their duties, came at last to comply with them. May the Lord recompense these two good Fathers for their labors in behalf of our congregation, and may God grant the grace of perseverance to those who were brought to a more christian life. PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, D. 0. M. s. J. ��CONTENTS OF VOL. VI. Pottowattomy Indians ...... ·.................................... 3, 73 Expulsion of the Jesuits from Louisiana in 1763 .................... 19 Residence of St. ~Iary's, Boston, Mass .............................. 31 The Jesuits in Cincinnati. ......................................... 53" College of San Salvador, Buenos Ayres ............................ 69 Apostolical Labors in Havana ..................................... 84 Our First Vacation at St. Inigoes .................................. 94 Osage Mission ............................................... 100, 194 Retreats and ~Hssions by the Fathers of ~Iaryland ................. 105 Execution in Charles Co., JUd ..................................... 112 Retreat and Forty Hours' Devotion at St. Ignatius' Clmtch, Baltimore, !Id ............................................... 120 . Mission at St. :Mary's Church, Providence, R. I. ................... 123 Death of Fr. Vito Carrozzini. .................................... 124 Description of the Ceiling of Woodstock College Library .......... 130 Account of the de,lth of Br. Rene Goupil, by Fr. Jogues ............ 133 Origin of the Osage lllission ...................................... 141 Consecration of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Boston, ~lass ................................................ 148 Discovery of Fr. ~Iarquette's Remains ............................ 159 Death of Fr. Van Assche ......................................... 172 Death of Fr. John l\IcElroy ...................................... 178 Indian ~fissions-Lake Superior .................................. 187 �I J / I I � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 6 (1877) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1877 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-006 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 202 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1877 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/e19870a7b57773e70ca78d842edd3cc7.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=DYY%7EJ0gHGFReDO6OndJ5W4TsJHzxuqdgyy1y-atFwN3KVrPygf%7ElCyr6Pv6iu61lTzgv3jgg5SqxGUIAvyGWvFX8MBYCtr5haoLRqeYglRSsKrhwns9o2qcjeNT%7E4EgAbEQTJ%7Eh%7EGGAlAuRWGRC3l8m3tfFJ4TOJYWJZ7TBMZdMwHRmxru0EGLDhC9cpTi2cfHGRcnIwKahcHtvxTjCNBner-vSrhESdjRrsxwEGmec%7EH3lr3aJFn7P4Pvqm2Qpu6H%7EFKQzp6NV16hWP1gZvurIBmCSfVaLuvMdirxqcx1TKSiqtKg8%7EfAKeMGTjCe1b%7EX-%7E-WGOyod1AFtwuQKvYg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 333391235d70e5af28149b0de1d4cf03 PDF Text Text WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. VII, No. r. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE, ITs EARLY HISTO¥-Y, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ITS FOUNDER, AND EXTRACTS FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE. John Carroll, the founder of Georgetown College, born at Upper Marlboro', Prince George's Co., Md., Jan. 8th, 1735, was the third son of Daniel Carroll and Eleanor Darnall. The Carroll family, an ancient and distinguished one in Ireland, had lost their estates there through their fidelity to the old religion ; their descendants in Maryland doubtless more than made up these losses, for Daniel, as well as others of the name, became possessed of large and valuable tracts of land in the colony. The Darnalls were Catholics, .early settlers, and at one time, large land-holders in Maryland. Mrs. Carroll's youthful years were spent in France, where she had been sent to be educated: thus, to a noble character, she added a cultivated mipd and accomplished manners. Daniel was a merchant in Upper Marlboro', acquired wealth, and died during his son John's absence abroad ; whereupon his widow moved to Rock Creek, with her family. There were two sons and several daughters. The older son Daniel Carroll, Jr. (married to Eleanor, Cousin of Chas. Carroll of Carrollton), became a member of (3) �4 Gcorgetmun College. the first senate formed in Maryland after the adoption of its constitution ; was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1784; signed the articles of Confederation, and, as a member of the federal convention of 1787, also the Constitution; was a representative in Congress from Maryland, from 1789 to 1791; voted while in Congress for locating the seat of government on the Potomac, and was very influential in carrying that measure through: was appointed by Gen. Washington in 1791 one of _the three ,. Commissioners for locating and surveying the District lines. He died in May, 1796,* aged 66. John, the younger son, was sent by his parents,-being then about eleven years of age,-to acquire the rudiments of education at a school kept by the Jesuits at Bohemia Manor in Cecil Co. Of this school, which may be called the predecessor of Georgetown, no history is preserved: even the building in which it was held was pulled down fifty years ago. It is not to be expected, however, that many details of the school should be found on record: it was held in-a retired nook of Maryland, and afforded a resource for the education of the sons of the Catholic colonists which was unattainable elsewhere in the colony, under the persecuting laws that then prevailed. A very: considerable period doubtless intervened between active bperations at this old school of the hunted Jesuits and the foundation made in happier days on the heights of Georgetown. There was but one priest, Father Peter Morris,t of the late Society, residing at Boliemia at the time of the American Revolution, as there was but one a hundred years later, Fr. George Villiger, S. J., the present resident. The school must have ceased to be kept before Father Morris's time : it is not likely that one priest, with the care of a mission and the • Lanman: Dictionary of Congress. J. Carroll Brent's Biographical Sketch ,,f Arehbis.hop Carroll. t :Fr. Morris, an Englishman, no doubt, was born, 1743, became a novice, liGO, entered the missions of ~faryland in 1768, and <lied at Newtown, St. ).lary's Co., Nov. 19, 1783. �Georgetown College. 5 cultivation of a farm depending on him, could take charge of scholars : nor did the changed circumstances of the time, in the relaxation of anti-Catholic bitterness and the increase (to some limited degree) of educational facilities, require that he should. Bohemia Academy, however, is said to have sheltered at one time nearly twenty of the sons of the richer Catholic Marylanders. Among young Carroll's schoolmates were his cousin Charles, the subsequent signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Robert Brent of Aquia Creek, Stafford Co., Va., whose ancestor emigrated to the Old Dominion from England in 1687, under a special proteCtion from James II.; a safeguard rendered necessary in the condition of the laws of Virginia at that time against Catholics. In I 747, when young Carroll had spent a year or less at Bohemia he was sent with these two companions to St. Orner's in French Flanders, to complete his education; St. Orner's was established by the English Jesuits in 1590, or towards the end of the reign of Elizabeth, as a school for the Catholic youth of England, who were denied all means of education at home except upon the abandonment of their faith. About five years before the entrance of the three young Americans, an additional establishment for the reception of young boys had been opened at St. Orner's by the Fathers : here these youths doubtless entered: passing in the course of time, to the greater College. The Carrolls spent six years at St. Orner's, and Brent probably did the same. At the end of the six years course, namely in 1753, John, feeling himself called to the religious state, entered the Novitiate of the Jesuits at Watten, two leagues from St. Orner's. Charles proceeded for further study to the estab· lishments of the Jesuits at Rheims and Paris, began the study of the law at Bourges anq completed it at the Temple in London. He did not return to his native country until 1764, when he was twenty-seven years of age. This pupil �6 Georgetown College. of the Jesuits profited by his long training among them to become, soon after his arrival, the foremost advocate of civil liberty in Maryland. His subsequent career is too well known to be further dwelt upon here. On the cpmpletion of his noviceship in 1755, John, our young Jesuit, was sent to the Society's house in Leige to make his studies in philosophy and theology. After the completion of a four years course of study, he was ordained priest in 1759, being then twenty-four years of age: was immediately sent to St. Orner's to teach: and subsequently to Liege, wh~re he was professor of philosophy and then of theology. His theological manuscripts, which he prepared for his own use, either as student or professor, are still preserved in Georgetown College library. In the meantime, the conspiracy against religion and social order which met its culminating point later, in the French Revolution of 1789, made an important advance by the expulsion of the Jesuits from French territory in 1762.* In consequence, both St. Orner's an.d the novitiate at Watten were dosed, and their inmates transferred to Bruges in Austrian Netherlands, whither they were invited by the people, the magistracy, and even the Austrian impe· rial authorities: invited, only to be again plundered, maltreated, and banished twelve years ~later by these same authorities on the publication of the Brief suppressing the Society, in 1773. A most affecting narrative t of the cir*'At the death, in 176-!, of the depraved ~!~dame de Pompadour, the mis· tress of Louis XV., it was expected by the friends of the Jesuits that they would be restored to France, now that one of their most influential enemies was removed. Father Carroll seems to have shared in this expectation, as appears from a letter of his written at this time to his brother Daniel. See Brent's Biography, p. 29. An interesting letter to the same, written in 1769, on the occasion of the death of Clement XIII, whose namesake and successor suppressed the Society, appears on p. 27 of that work, et seq. It gives some insight into the plots against the Jesuits which were even then being actively urged at Rome. t:Mannsci-ipt copy from the original, made by Rev. Dr. Chas. I. White while assistant pastor at the Baltimore Cathedrai: the concluding portion is lacking. :Mr. Brent, in his Biography (p. 21) refers to two other narratives of �Georgetmem College. 7 cumstances attending this later event was subsequently written out by Rev. Mr. Carroll, during his stay in England. At the time of the suppression, there were two hundred and twenty students at Bruges, many of them members of ancient or noble Catholic families of England. Meanwhile, in IJJI, before the final crash came, Father John Carroll took his last vows as Professed Father of the Society of Jesus. By appointment of superiors, and at the request of Lord Stourton, whose son was doubtless among the students at Bruges at that time, he took charge of the latter as travelling tutor during 1772-3. They visited together, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, etc., an account of the tour being preserved in a journal kept by Fr. Carroll.* He had no sooner restored the Hon. Mr. Stourton to his father's hands in England, and returned to Bruges to take the position of "Spiritual Prefect" there, than the brief of Clement XIV. suppressing the Society was published. It had been signed by the Pope on the 21st of July, but was kept secret in the interval, or at least until announced to the Fathers in Rome on the 16th of August. It reached Bruges only on the 5th of September, and was immediately put into execution by the Austrian authorities, as it had been everywhere else under the Bourbon governments, with great brutality. Father Carroll, writing to his brother on the I Ith of September, six days after, announces the catastrophe that had overtaken himself and his brethren, and adds: "I am not, and perhaps never shall be recovered from the shock of this dreadful intelligence. The greatest blessing Which in my estimation I could receive from God, would be immediate death : but if he deny me this, may his holy and adorable designs on me be wholly fulfilled." He refers to Father Carroll's from both of which he quotes. One describes the means resorted to by the enemies of the Society in high places to procure its de"truction. The other was "an able and eloquent vindication of the Society" from the charges unjustly brought against it by its enemies. The latter, having been circulated in manuscript form. and never printed, is said to be almost entirely lost. *The "Journal" appears in full in the Appendix to l\Ir. Brent's book. �8 Georget£rd!Jl College. the funCl:ions exercised in times past by the Society, and to the labors and charities to which its members devoted themselves, and continues: "Such I have beheld it in every part of my travels; the first of all ecclesiastical bodies in the esteem and confidence of the faithful, and certainly the most laborious. \Vhat will become of our flourishing congregations with you, and those cultivated by the German fathers ? These refleCl:ions crowd so fast upon me that I almost lose my senses." He then announces his intention, now that he :is left to his own direCtion, of returning to Maryland tht:. next spring, if possible. After the suppression, the English Jesuits,-or rather now ex-Jesuits,-returned to their own country, and Rev. Mr. Carroll accompanied them. In England, he aCl:ed as the secretary at their meetings, and also conduCl:ed an important.correspondence * with the French government with regard to the property of the suppressed Society in France. Shortly after his arrival in England, he was invited by Lord Arundel-a member of a distinguished family that still adhered to the ancient faith-to become the chaplain of his household at Wardour Castle. "It was appropriate," remarks the late lamented B. U. Campbell,t" that he who was to begin the hierarchy of the United States in Maryland, should find a home during exile, ii{ the halls where was born the wife t of Cecilius Lord Baltimore, the founder of Maryland." During his-stay of less than a year with the Arundels he made many warm friends among the Catholic clergy and gentry, whom he never ceased to cherish in his subsequent recolleCtions. However, he had, as we have seen, expressed his intention of returning as soon as practicable to the land of his birth and of his love : and the threatening condition of the relations between England and her American colonies; warned him not to delay the exe*Richard H. Clarke, L. L. D., Lives of Deceased Bishops. t "Life and Times of Archbishop Carroll," U. S.. Catholic l\Iagazine, 1844. t Anne Arundel Co., set off under Cecilius in 1650, was named after this lady. �Georgetown College. 9 cution of his intention. Moreover, a venerable mother, now in her seventieth ye<J.r, and to whom he was ever devotedly attached, still awaited him there. The state of religipn, too, called for such service as he was able to render: He accordingly set sail, and after the usual tedious voyage of those days, landed upon his native soil, in the vicinity of Richland, the seat of the Brents at Acquia Creek, June 26th, 1774- Here, two of his sisters resided, one married to William Brent, the other to his kinsman Robert, the former schoolmate of John Carroll at Bohemia Manor and St. Orner's. The two younger sisters resided with their mother at Rock Creek, in what was then Frederick Co. (now Montgomery Co.,-set off in 1776); a few miles north-east of Georgetown. Hither, he hastened, after a brief stay of two days with the Brents. The emotions of mother and son on embracing one another after a separation of twentyseven years-years so eventful to him,-may well be imagined. The change that time had made in him from a lad of twelve to a man of forty, made her fail to recognize him at first, so it is said. At the time of Rev. Mr. Carroll's arrival, there were living in Maryland and Pennsylvania twenty-two priests who were members of the Society when it was disbanded. They were:* Thomas Digges, BenediCt Neale, John Lewis, Ma*This list differs materially from the one given by Campbell and followed by Clarke: but it is made up from a manuscript register in the archhes of the Provincial of Maryland, containing the dates of the arrival of the several Fathers who served the mission of Maryland between 1632 and li84. On a succeeding page is a record of deaths. By comparing the two, this list has been obtained. The first death among those named above is that of Father Mathias Manners (originally Siettensperger), who died [June 15th] 1775 : the last is that of Sylvester Boarman, who died Jan. 11th, 1811. The regiGter referred to mentions a Father Anthony Carroll as having arrived with his nameeake John, and on the same day, June 26th, 1774, but he probably made no stay in this country. He is recorded in "Oliver's Collections" among the Irish members S. J., but nothing is said of his flying visit to :Maryland, if he made one. lie was born in 1722, ordained at Liege in 1754, was on the mission in Englantl, and became a Professed Father. lie died of a violent assault made on him for the purpose of robbery, in the streets of London, 1794. There is reason to believe that the dates given in the MS. register referred VoL. vu-No. 1. 2 �10 Georgetown College. thias Manners, Ferdinand Farmer, Joseph Moseley, James Frambach, James Pellentz, Lewis Roels, John B. De Ritter, John Boone, James \Valton, Ignatius Matthews, Peter Morris, Lucas Geisler, George Hunter, Robert Molyneux, John Bolton, Sylvester Boarman, John Boarman, Charles Sewall and Austin Jenkins. The names are here given in the order in which they came to Maryland: the first named arrived in 1741, and the last two a month previous to Mr. Carroll. Messrs. Digges, Neale, Boone, Matthews, Sewall, Jenkins, and the Boarmans, were natives of Maryland, of well-known Catholic families. These clergymen were all supported from the revenues of the former Jesuit estates, which remained intaCt after the dissolution of the Society, and were administered by Rev. John Lewis, the late superior of the Jesuits, and now the vicar of the Catholic bishop of London, or "Vicar Apostolic of the London DistriCt," as the title ran until the restoration of the English hierarchy under Cardinal \Viseman in 1850. Rev. Mr. Lewis, as the representative of the London prelate, held the position of superior over all the Catholic clergy in the colonies: and when the colonies became states, still held it until the appointment by the H()ly See of Rev. Mr. Carroll himself as superior in 1784. Although the late members of. the Society were no longer bound by the vow of obedience to the superior, they aCted under Rev. Mr. Lewis's direCtion, and he expeCted the acknowledgement of his authority to assign them to such stations as he thought proper.* _·Rev. Mr. Carroll, having chosen Rock Creek as his residence, and being unwilling to be separated from his venerable parent, was held by Mr. Lewis not to be entitled to any salary or emolument from the means of the former Society. \Vith that disinterto above, are not in all cases correct. Possibly, Father Bernard Diderick and .Joseph Doyne were already in ~[aryland, although the register assigns a later elate as that of their arrival. They as well as Fr. John Lucas-in regard to whom th~ register is silent-are mentioned by Campbell. The addition of these names would bring the number of priests resident in the ~lission in lii ~. to twenty-five. '*Campbell: "Life and Times," etc. �Georgetown College. II estedness which was a striking feature in his charaCter, he , . acquiesced in this decision although not possessed of any means of his own: unless indeed, his brother and sisters restored to him the patrimony he had divested himself of in their favor on becoming a Professed Father in I 771. This seems not unlikely, for otherwise he would have been wholly dependent upon his mother, as he brought nothing with him from Europe. \Vhen he and his I.Jrethren were expelled from Bruges, they were deprived not only of all the property belonging to the Society, but of their personal effeCts, even to the books of which they were individually possessed. Yet at Rock Creek, in addition to the ordinary expenses of living, he was obliged to keep a horse for th~ long journeys required in visiting the scattered Catholics of the adjacent region, and it is not improbable, besides, that he observed the custom of his clerical brethren in Maryland at that time, of inviting to breakfast * those who had c"ome from a long distance to partake of holy communion,-a kind and thoughtful proceeding no doubt, and charaCteristic of Maryland hospitality, but none the less a pecuniary burthen to the host. A letter to his friend Plowden in England, during his residence at Rock Creek, though written in r 779, explains his circumstances at the outset: "No such division of property has yet taken place here as yo:.J mention in England; on the contrary, everything has been conduCted as heretofore. I think the English plan has too much of the frigidum i!lud verbum. I think we unfortunate inhabitants of the foreign houses are doomed to be the outcasts of every society. Robbed and plundered at Bruges, dismissed without any consideration or reparation, excluded from a share in England, we must try if heaven will not make us amends ---- *Campbell: "Life and Times," t"tc. etc., U.S. Cath. ~lag. for 1845. The letter quoted in the succeeding paragraph to the above, is from the vol. for 1844. It appears from it that the English ex-Jesuits, with the exception of those who lived abroad at the time of the suppression, were supported, likt' :hose of ~Iaryland, from the former means of the Society. Fr. Plowden, havIng been a resident abroad for many years, was thus excluded. �12 GeorgetfYWn College. hereafter for all our losses here. As you are shut out from a share in England, so am I here. I have care of a very large congregation, have often to ride twenty-five or thirty miles to the sick; besides which, I go once a month between fifty and sixty miles to another congregation in Virginia"-the Brents and their Catholic neighbors at Acquia Creek,-"yet, because I live with my mother, for whose sake alone I sacrificed the very best place in England, and told Mr. Lewis that I did not choose to be subjeCt to be removed froin place to place, now that we had no longer the vow of ~obedience to entitle us to the merit of it, he does not choose to bear any part of my expenses. I do not · mention this by way of complaint, as I am perfeB:ly easy at present," etc. These old estates of the Jesuits which furnished them \vith a support even after the dissolution of their Society, it might be well to remark, were acquired by their first missionaries in Maryland in 1634 and subsequent years, under the "conditions of plantation" which entitled every settle; who brought five able bodied men into the province at his own expense, to two thousand acres of land, at a small quit rent. These possessions were increased by a few donations of land from the I~_dians during the first years of the settlement, for building cnurches and supporting priests in the Indian nations.* The Indians of Maryland were faithfully served while they remained on the soil, and by their docility and gentleness gave evidence of the good effeB:s of the Catholic instruCtion they received: while, as to the whites, they were at no further expense for the support of the missionaries, who maintained themselves, at least after a time, on their own farms. Some of these farms are still preserved: it was from their revenues or from sales of lands that Georgetown College was mainly built, before the Society was restored: and after the restoration, that the means were found for the support of the novitiate, and in later days, the Woodstock scholasticate. *Campbell. �Georgetmvn College. 13 When, in 1689, the persecution of the Catholics began at the hands of those to whom they had given a shelter from persecution elsewhere, these farms served another useful purpose; Catholic worship, forbidden everywhere else, was permitted in private houses; and on each of the farms a small church was built, or a room in the dwelling set apart for a chapel, to which the Catholics for many miles around repaired on Sundays and festivals.* "Some of these chapels are still standing," says Me Sherry,t "as monuments of the intolerance of the age before the revolution in 1776, when, in the general emancipation which that glorious struggle secured, religious liberty again became the proud and holy heritage of Maryland." One such is still to be seen at Doughoregan Manor, the former residence of Charles Carroll .of Carrollton, a chapel t conneCted with the mansion by a continuous roof, and in those days attended once a month by a priest from Whitemarsh, who then passed on to "Baltimore Town'' to say Mass in Thos. Fotterall's unfinished building, near the site of the present Battle monument: or, for the accommodation of the' Acadian French, a portion of those who had been banished by the British from Nova Scotia in 1756, and had settled in South Charles street, he held service in one of their houses in that seB:ion, a seCtion then and long after known as Frenchtown. Old St. Peter's, in Baltimore, a little struCture of twenty-five by thirty feet (afterwards enlarged), was at last built in 1770-1,-at whose instigation it does not appear,but remained unfinished and unopened until the close of the Revolutionary war, on account of the bankruptcy of _. the builder, a certain John Me Nabp. Had it even. been used sooner, in contravention of the aa of 1704, "for preVenting the growth of Popery,"§ it is hardly likely, in the ameliorated temper of the times, that the officers of the law Would have seriously molested anybody conneCted with it. *Campbell. t History of Maryland, p. 96. tIn this chapel is the tomb of the venerable Signer. *Laws of )laryland, 170-!, Chap. 95: qnoted by Campbell. �Georgctmun College. Elsewhere in Maryland, however, no experiments of the kind were tried until all these persecuting enaCtments were struck from her statute-books by the effe8:s of the Revolution. When Rev. l\Ir. Carroll established himself at Rock Creek, he was content with fitting up a room in his mother's house, which served as a chapel, and could even perhaps accommodate at first all the Catholics of the neighborhood. He afterwards built, upon a knoll within view of his mother's house, a little church, which was thus described in I 844: * "an, humble frame building of about thirty feet square, whic.\1 still remains, though often patched and seldom painted, a frail and tottering memorial of its saintly pastor, and an evidence of the humble condition of Catholics sixty years ago." Since that time, the old building has been replaced by a larger frame struCture more neatly kept, and attended twice a month by the past~r of Rockville. It bears the name of "St. John's," as doubtless its predecessor did, a tribute by the original builder to the apostle whose name he bore and whose virtues he imitated. Around it lie the graves of many Carrolls, relatives of the first pastor, as were also the Brents, Digges's, and perhaps Fen wicks, Neales, etc., who are buried here. \Vithin the enclosure of the Brents is the grave .of his venerable mother; the head-stone, now, after more" than four-score years, sunk so as partly to obscure the inscription. The old ma::\sion, with its holy memories of mother and son, was destroyed by fire many years since, and its site is occupied by a modern dwelling. 1 ·:*Campbell. (To be continued.) �FATHER MAURICE GAILLAND, S. J. Father Maurice Gailland, died at St. Mary's Mission~ Kansas, about 8 o'clock P. M., on Sunday, Aug. I 2th, I 877. He was born in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland, on October 27th ISIS, and entered the Society at Brieg, in the Diocese of Sion, Switzerland, October 27th, I834. During the political troubles of Switzerland in I847, the revolutionists, in November of that year, seized the College of Freiburg and other establishments belonging to the Swiss Jesuits, and the inmates were compelled to leave the country for personal safety, some going to Turin, others to Chambery. Father Gailland and many of his fellow refugees came to Missouri early in 1848; and he with several of his companions remained here permanently, and became useful auxiliaries to the various missions and colleges of the West. Shortly after Father Gailland reached St. Louis, in I848, he was sent to the Pottowattomy Mission, in Kansas. In 1838 the ·Pottowattomy tribe of Indians were transferred by the United States Government from Michigan to Sugar Creek, a little tributary of the Osage River, near its head waters, and the spot chosen for their settlement was about fifteen miles beyond the western border of Missouri. Early in 1839, on the death of their chaplain Rev. Mr. Petit, a secular priest from the diocese of Vincennes, Indiana, the Pottowattomy Mission was committed to the care of the Jesuit Fathers of St. Louis. In I846 the Government again determined to remove the Pottowattomy tribe, assigning to them, this time, a reservation on the Kaw or Kansas River, extending west from where now stands Topeka, the capital of Kansas. Schools had been established at the Sugar Creek Mission in I84I; Ladies of the Sacred Heart, with Madame Mathevon as superior, laking charge of the Indian (I 5) �Fatlzer Maurice Gail!and, S. J girls. The tribe was not aB:ually removed from Sugar Creek, however, till I847, and they then settled, by mistake, on the lands of the Pawnees. They were moved again in 1848, accompanied this time by Father Gailland, and the other Fathers in charge of the tribe, and by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart; all reaching the present site of St. Mary's Mission, in the Kaw Valley, September 8th, I 848, late in the evening. The tniB: of land seleB:ed by them was fertile and well supplied with timber. As quickly as it could be done, they ereB:ed houses. The Fathers and the Indian boys had a row of cabins one story high, covered with boards, the crevices between the logs being filled with sticks and clay. The house for the Ladies and the Indian girls was of better finish, being two stories high and having the rooms rudely plastered. The church was a rough, wooden struB:ure, made of coarse plank and riven timbers, and its ceiling and inner walls were simply covered with canvas instead of being plastered. These humble struB:ures, put up at the beginning of St. Mary's Mission, remained their only dwellings and boarding schools till a few years since, when they were replaced by stately brick buildings, four stories high, now called "St. Mary's College, Kansas," and the "Sacred Heart Academy, St. Mary's Kansas." There is also a large parochial church, built of stone, and handsomely finished.' Father Gailland lived through all the changes that took place in Kansas from I 848, when it was an unsettled terri· tory, until it was opened for immigrants, and became a state. The Pottowattomy reservation was sold by the Indians ; the Kansas Pacific Railroad was built through it; thriving towns and· villages sprang up; and in time the whole distriCt: was filled with an industrious agricultural population. He spent nearly thirty years of his life among these Indians in unremitting efforts for their civilization and. their conversion to Christianity. When the reservation first began to be en- �Father Maurice Gail/and, S. J 17 croached on by white settlers, about two-thirds of the tribe had been made Christian, its entire number then . being nearly three thousand souls. He became an adept in the Pottowattomy language, besides mastering several other dialeCts of the Otchepone or Algonquin family. He regarded the Pottowattomy as a language of much beauty, it being free from all harsh sounds, and possessing much power and variety. He wrote an elaborate diCtionary and grammar of this tongue, which will constitute a most valuable addition to works on the aboriginal languages of America. His proficiency in many polite languages of both ancient and modern times, gives much weight to his opinions in comparative philology. Arguing from the general analogies of language, he reached the conclusion, as most probable, that the Indian races of America must have been principally of Semitic origin; which is the opinion also most generally held by learned ethnologists. That Father Gailland was a man of no ordinary virtue, is most certainly proved by the faCt that he spent well nigh thirty years of his life religiously in painful and laborious employments for the spiritual good of a savage race, and that in all this, he was rewarded or encouraged with little that is pleasing to human nature. The morose, indolent and obstinate aborigines improve but slowly, and their poor progress towards better things would baffle any but heroic virtue and perseverance; and thus it is that some tribes which were under the care of devoted missionaries, even for generations, were never wholly civilized, or permanently converted to Christianity. Father Gailland traversed a large distriCt of country, extending far around the spot where he breathed his last, to hunt up and care for the scattered Indians; inducing them to send their children to the schools, to cease their roving habits and settle down to a steady _mode of living. No kind of weather, no condition of the paths through the prairies, and no distance of place, ever prevented this hard-working missionary from keeping his VoL. VII-No. 1. 3 �18 Fatlter lrfaurice Gail/and, S.]. engagements, or from visiting the sick and looking after the strayed members of his flock. He possessed an iron constitution, a courage that knew no fear, and an energy that hesitated at no hardship or difficulty. Surely, a man that has spent the flower of his life among rude and savag-e people, beyond the confines of civilized society, destitute of the ordinary comforts and conveniences that are deemed necessary even for the poor, gives thereby unmistakable proof both that great and disinterested motives impel him thus to aa. and that his virtues transcend all that is usual even among those that are good. In Father Gailland, it was the ze.~l and charity of a devoted and self.sacrificing missionary which made him live in this manner, and endure such things for the good of unreclaimed savages. Father Gailland was of a gentle, cheerful and amiable disposition; his voice, countenance and whole deportment, bespoke the goodness of his nature; and hence, his kindliness won for him the love and confidence of all the Indians. His reproofs were so p'rudent and well-measured, that. they were nearly always efficacious; and to such a de· gree of uprightness in conduct did he raise the Christian Indians, that locks and bolts to their chests and doors remained useless, till the advent of the avaricious white man. But now the cupidity and other vi~~s of the white people have, to a great extent, beggared and demoralized the entire tribe, scattering its members, and almost destroying the autonomy of this once 'happy nation. Some few years ago, when Father Gailland was returning from a missionary excursion, in mid-winter, he was compelled to swim the Kaw river, then swollen by cold rains, or else spend a dark and chiily night on the lonely prairie. After stemming the rushing current, trusting to his courage and the vigor of his constitution, he rode on horseback for eleven hours, his clothes being frozen upon his person. This proved too much even for his extraordinary physical strength and health which never yet had known what it is to �Father Jlaurice Gail!and, S. J be sick. On the day after reaching home, he felt symptoms of paralysis ; and thenceforth, he was subject to more and more violent.attacks of this unconquerable disease, till the final one took him off, at 8 o'clock Sunday evening, August 12th. The Indians who still remain near St. Mary's,-they having refused to go with the other bands of the tribe that moved of( some to the Indian Territory, some to the Canadian river towards the Rocky Mountains, and others to the region about Lake Superior,-often visited him in his declining health, to be encouraged and comforted by him; for they loved him with the fondness of children for their father, and he was the o~ly friend whom they fully trusted. He often regretted his inability, from loss of health and strength, to follow the tribe to the Indian Territory, where he fain would have collected them all together once more. But he had done his task in life; and he had done it well; and the providence of God ordered things in another manner, as regards the Red Men so long under his charge. In the Pottowattomy tribe, Father Gailland's name can never die, till the tribe itself is finally extinguished; for, the memory of him, and of his teachings, is deeply engraved in the hearts of all that Indian race. It was meet that the devoted old missionary, so many years a good and faithful servant in the vineyard of his Lord, should at last go to his reward; should be freed from his sufferings and at length fi,nd rest after his long and weary labors. Few missionaries of recent times among the aborigines of America have accomplished greater and more solid good, than did the saintly, noble-hearted, long-suffering and most charitable Father Gailland. His life was a model of every high Christian virtue, and his death was the befitting close to such a career; for it was peaceful and happy in that hope that confoundeth not. Up to his dying day he never missed a community exercise, to which he was physically able to attend; and in order to spare others trouble, he would permit no one to serve him in anything which he. was at all able to do for himsel( �FATHER PETER L. MILLER, S. J. Father Peter Louis Miller was born in Belgium on the first of February I 82 I. The good seeds which afterwards produced snch plentiful fruits were planted in his young heart by the thoroughly Catholic training received in a Catholic home from pious parents. It was not surprising then that even early in life he should have turned his thoughts to -the service of God, in the religious life. He entered the Society, in Belgium, in I 84I, and yielding to his zeal for aetive missionary work, for which the new world offered a large field, he came to the United States in the Autumn of 1845· Having finished his theological studies at Georgetown College, where the Scholasticate then was, he was ordained in I848, and at once threw himself heartily into the work of his chosen state of life. His first duties in the ministry were exercised in behalf of th; colored Catholics of Georgetown. Here he manifested that loving, earnest desire for the interests of this race that marked his whole career as a priest. After some time he was sent to Frederick and here tqo he labored strenuously in promoting the spiritual welfare of those who were his chosen people. From Frederick Fr. Miller was transferred to St. Mary's County. Here he soon won the affeCtionate esteem of all by his earnest, self-sacrificing efforts to advance the eternal interests of those committed to his care. From St. Mary's County Fr. Miller was called to Balti· more. Here at last, in this large and more extended field of labor he found an opportunity of giving full vent to that consuming zeal which prompted him, in the very beginning of his priestly course, to consecrate to the spiritual advancement of the colored people the ardent devotion of a gene· rous heart, the untiring efforts of an enthusiastic nature. (zo) �Father Peter L. Miller, S. J. , 21 About two years before F. Miller's arrival in Baltimore, in 1850, the basement of St. Ignatius' Church had been secured for the use of the colored Catholics. Of this congregation Fr. Miller took charge and celebrated here the divine Sacrifice ~very Sunday morning. Here also on Sunday afternoons the congregation assisted at Vespers, and sodality exercises. During the week Fr. Miller visited the members of his flock, in order to stimulate their zeal and thus supplement his other efforts to increase their numbers and their spirit of devotion. In the course of a few years it was found necessary to provide for the colored people a more commodious edifice. In the carrying out of this projeCt, Fr. Miller was fortunate in securing the warmest sympathy, the heartiest cooperation of the late Fr. Michael O'Connor, who himself, going from house to house, colleCted six thousand dollars. Negotiations were then opened, which resulted in the purchase of the church at the corner of Calvert and Pleasant Sts. It had belonged to the Unitarians, though, for some time prior to its sale, no religious services had been held in it. By means of extensive alterations, ti:Ws building was converted into a handsome church, exceedingly well adapted to the purpose for which it had been secured. It was dedicated under the invocation of St. Francis Xavier. After opening the church, Fr. Miller organized a day-school for colored children in the basement. Now Fr. Miller's heart expanded with joy, because he was in a position to labor successfully for the best interests of a congregation ardently attached to him. He instituted special services and by means of novenas, processions and other pious exercises he nourished the spirit of fervor in those who fittingly re::ponded to the earnest, well-direCted efforts of their pastor. Some years previous to the opening of St. Francis Xavier's Church, that is, in r850, Fr. Miller had taken charge of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, commonly called the �22 Fiztlzer Peter L. llfil!er, S. J Colored Sisters. In directing this community and in promoting the success of their academy he spent much time and gave much zealous care. No wonder that the good Sisters came to look upon him as their devoted proteCtor and best friend. No wonder that they cast all their cares and sorrows upon him, knowing that he had nothing more at heart than the spiritual welfare and happiness of all. Nor did Fr. Miller's interest in the prosperity of this community and their most excellent undertakings fail to the very end. All through his sickness he heard with pleasure of their daily progress and almost his last words were a message sent to these·his devoted spiritual children to pray for him, as he was already entering on his agony. Amongst the other works organized by Fr. Miller, we must not omit to mention the Free School for colored children, begun in 1865-, and the Orphan Asylum, opened a year ·later. This latter was his most cherished and, we might perhaps also add, his most consoling undertaking. For w~ilst providing all necessary means to keep the adult portion of his flock £>ithful in the practice of their holy religion, he was de.termil'ted, as far as in him lay, that .the helpless little orphan should not be snatched from the fold. He was resolved that it should not ~e brought up in the worship of strange gods and thus robbed of that priceless boon, its Catholic faith. Here amidst these innocent children Fr. Miller was wont, until increasing infirmities rendered hi~ incapable of leaving the house, to spend his afternoons. Here he was happy, for his coming amongst his little ones brought to them extreme delight, extreme joy. A chorus of happy voices greeted him at his entrance and pleaded· eloquently at his departure for his speedy return: It was a proud moment for Fr. l\'liller whenever he met any of Ours who had not yet seen his orphans. An invitation, which was not to be rejected, was immediately extended ~nd soo!f a new visitor was ushered into the midst of his little flock. On such occasions it was difficult to say �Missionary Labors. 23 which was the more worthy of admiration, the simple child-like joy of Fr. Miller, or the cheerful, confiding love of his little children. About three years ago consumption began to make inroads into Fr. Miller's hitherto robust constitution. It remained now for him to give a last proof of his love of that God to whom he had dedicated his life. A long, weary, painful sickness was to put his virtue to its last test. How well he bore this trial those who lived with him will cheerfully testify. When gradually forced by sickness to lead a life of inaCtivity, of cessation from labor, he would at times sigh for the strength of former days, that he might engage once more in his cherished work; ye~ when he found that his days of labor had ceased, he resigned himself to the manifest decree of God and resolved to patiently suffer on till the end. On Wednesday, the 26th of last September, in the fifty-eighth year of his age and in the most edifying sentiments Fr. Miller breathed his last. After a ~ll-spent, laborious life, he died a calm and peaceful death. MISSIONARY LABORS. BRIEF ACCOUNT OF MISSIONS GIVEN llY FATHER DAMEN, S. J. AND HIS FIVE COMPANIONS, FROM AUGUST I876 TO JUNE 1877. Aug. 2d, I 876.- The first mission of th.e season was opened by Fr. Damen, assisted by Frs. Zealand, Niederkorn, and Bronsgeest, in St. Joseph's Church, Edina. This town is situated in the State of Missouri, and belongs to the archdiocese of St. Louis, which has a Catholic population of three hundred and fifty thousand. • A large majority of the m~mbers of this congregation live at a great distance �24 Missionary Labors. from the Church, but they displayed wonderful fervor and zeal in attending all the exercises. The mission lasted ten days, and produced the following consoling results: one thousand five hundred and thirty-five Communions, eight converts; and thirty-five First Communions of adults. Sept. 10th.- On this day a mission was begun in the Church of All Saints, Chicago, Illinois. This city has five hundred thousand inhabitants, thirty-eight Catholic churches, and the Catholic population of the diocese, numbers three hundred, thousand. In this mission Fr. Damen was assisted by Frs. Zealand, Niederkorn, Bronsgeest, Hillman, and, towards the end, as necessity required it, by Fr. l\lassclis. This congregation is only a little more than a year in existence. The reverend pastor, E. J. Dunne, has built a large school house, the upper part of which is used as a temporary church. A mission of ten days was rather too short for this place, yet the fruits were quite satisfaaory, viz: two' thousand and three hundred Communions, twelve converts, twenty-six First Communions of adults, and two hundred and eight Confirmations by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Foley, Administrator of the diocese. Sept. 24th.-From Chicago the missionaries started for Brooklyn, N. Y., where they spent several weeks. This city has about six hundred thousand inhabitants, forty Catholic churches; and the Catholic population of the diocese numbers two hundred thousand. The first mission was given in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul by Fr. Damen, assisted by Frs. Masselis, Zealand, Bronsgeest, Hillman and Condon. The enthusiasm and fervor of the people were very great, and the church was crowded even at the 5 o'clock Mass. On Saturday morning, oaober 7th, over nine hundred men received Holy Communion. This mission lasted seventeen days. Results : eight thousand Communions, thirty-nine converts: sixty-five First Communions of adults, two hundred and twelve Confirmations administered by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Loughlin. �ll1issionary Labors. Oct. 15.--The second mission was given by the same Fathers in the beautiful church of the Sacred Heart. The congregation is only a few years in existence; _it is rather small, but most edifying. This mission lasted sixteen days, and the results were consoling, viz: five thousand seven hundred Communions, twenty converts and sixty-six First Communions of adults. Nov. 5th.-On this day a third mission was opened by the same Fathers, in the church of St. Mary, Star of the Sea. All the exercises were well attended from the beginning to the end. The missionilries and some secular priests were busily occupied in the confessional. Hence the salutary results were as follows: seven thousand five hundred Communions, eighteen converts, one hundred and twentyfour First Communions of adults, and one hundred and ninety Confirmations. During the second week, the zealous pastor, Rev. Eug. Cassidy, was affii8:ed with a severe sickness of which he died a few days after the mission. Besides the mission, the Fathers preached and leCtured in different churches in the city of Brooklyn and its vicinity. Fr. Bronsgeest gave a retreat to the boarders of the ·Academy at Flushing, under the charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Fr. M~sselis, assisted by Fr. Condon, gave a little mission of five days, in St. Mary's Church, at Rockaway, Long Island, a fashionable summer resort on the sea coast. More than three hundred persons approached the Sacraments, and a lady, whose husband holds a high position in society, embraced the Catholic religion. Fr. Zealand and others, also attended to the spiritual wants of the men employed in the United States Navy Yard. On the 4th of November, the whole missionary band went on board of the war vessels, and heard the confessions of the marines, sailors, recruits and prisoners ; and the next morning these men received Holy Communion. Dec. 3d.-On this day, Fr. Damen, assisted by his companions, opened a mission in the Church of the Immaculate VoL. vn-No. I. 4 �JV!issionary Labors. Conception, Philadelphia. This city has eight hundred thousand inhabitants, forty-four Catholic churches, and the Catholic population of the archdiocese is two hundred and fifty thousand. The mission lasted sixteen days, and was very well attended. The results were as follows : five thousand Communions, fifty-two First Communions of adults, 'and one hundred and six Confirmations administered by the Rt. Rev. J. F. Shanahan, Bishop of Harrisburg. During the first week Fr. Masselis and Condon gave a country mission in Pottstown, which is situated forty miles from Philade~,Phia. Three hundred and fifty persons approached the Sacraments. Jan. 28th 1877.-After their retreat, some of the missionaries accompanied Fr. Coghlan to the church of St. Teresa, New York. But at the end of the first week, Fr. Damen, assisted by Frs. Masselis, Zealand, Bronsgeest, Hillman and Condon, opened another mission in the church of St. Francis of Sales, Boston. This city, which is a great manufaCturing emporium, and the metropolis of New England, has about three hundred thousand inhabitants, thirty Catholic churches, and the Catholic population of the archdiocese numbers three hundred and ten thousand. The members of St. Francis' congregation p.;e truly fervent, and regular in frequenting the Sacrament5, and they manifested an astonishing zeal in attending the various exercises. The mission lasted sixteen days, and produced the following successful results: eight thousand five hundred Communions, eight conve_rts; one hundred arid fifty adults were prepared for their First Communion. Feb. I8th.-From the East, Father Damen and his companions travelled South, a distance of one thousand seven. hundred and eighty four miles, where a mission was solemnly opened with Pontifical High Mass, in St. Patrick's Church, New Orleans. This city, which is the largest and most in;portant sea-port in the Gulf States, has two hundred thousand inhabitants, thirty Catholic churches, and the �111issionary Labors. 27 Catholic population of the archdiocese numbers two hundred and fifty thousand. \Vhether it was owing to the great political excitement which wa3 occasioned by the contest for the office of State Governor, or to the natural indifference and lukewarmness of the prevailing French spirit, it seemed to the missionaries that Catholicity here was at a rather low ebb, and made a poor show when compared with the fervor and piety manifested in our Eastern and . Western states. However, the Archbishop and clergy declared that this mission had succeeded better than any other before, and that it had given a general impulse to religion in New Orleans. At the end of the second week the results were, two thousand five hundred Communions, thirty converts, among whom was General Longstreet, sixtyfive First Communions of adults, and one hundred and six Confirmations administered by the Most Reverend Archbishop, Napoleon Jos. Perche. During this mission Fathers Zealand and Bronsgeest went on board the United States gunboat, Plymouth, in order to afford the Catholic sailors an opportunity of complying with their Easter duties. Notwithstanding the preparatory instructions, only forty received Holy Communion, the others being either engaged at their work, or afraid to make a public profession of their faith. March 1 rth.-From New Orleans the missionaries went to Mobile, Alabama, where Father Damen, assisted by Fathers Masselis, Hillman and Condon opened a two weeks' mission in. the Cathedral. This city has over thirty two thousand fnhabitants, five Catholic churches, and the Catholic population of the diocese is about sixteen thousand. The number of influential and well-educated Catholics appears to be larger in this congregation, than in those which we commonly visit in the East or the West. They availed themselves, in good earnest, of the spiritual favors conferred on them, and the mission was considered a great success. There were four thousand five hundred �28 ffifissionary Labors. Communions, twenty three converts, thirty First Communions of adults; and eighty-eight persons were confirmed by the Rt. Reverend Bishop Quinlan. \Vhile some of the missionaries were engaged in 1\Iobile, Fathers Zealand and Bronsgeest went to another portion of the diocese, called \Vest Florida, where they gave a week's mission in St Michael's church, Pensacola. The congregation is chiefly composed of the descendants of Spaniards; there is also a considerable number of Irish who come from Quebec, Canada, for the sake of trading in pine wood. Owing to the zeal and skilful management of the worthy pastor, Revered J. A. Bergrath, Catholicity is making daily progress. Communions, eight hundred; converts, twenty four. The same Fathers also devoted three days to the men of the United States Navy Yard, in the church of St. John, \Varrington, which is situated seven miles from Pensacola. Here they had three hundred Communions, one convert and three adults for First Communion. Father Zealand gave a retreat to the young ladies of the Visitation Convent near Mobile; and Father Bronsgeest to the students of Spring Hill College, which is under the direCtion of the Jesuits. April Sth.-On the first Sunday ;ifter Easter there took place the solemn opening of a mis.~ion of sixteen days, in St. John's Church, Chicago, during which Fr. Damen was assisted by Frs. Masselis, Hillman and Condon. This congregation is composed of a simple and hard-working class of people, who are truly fervent and exemplary Catholics. Rev. ]. ·waldron has been pastor of the parish for about twenty years. Although hi$ Reverence is accustomed to have a mission every second year, he acknowledged that the last one was the most successful, viz: six thousand Communions twenty-three converts, seventy-six First Com· munions of adults, and one hundred and sixty Confirma· tions administered by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Foley. April 8th.-Whilst the mission was going on in Chicago, �111issionar;' Labors. Frs. Zealand and Bronsgeest labored with success in the diocese of Leavenworth, Kansas, which h::ts a Catholic population of forty thousand. They commenced with the Osage mission, where they spent a week in the Church of St. Francis Hieronymo. The members of this congregation are simple and docile: they nearly all, to the number of eight hundred, approached the Sacraments; there were besides seventeen converts to the true Faith. April I sth.-On this day, Frs. Zealand and Bronsgeest extended their labors to St. Patrick's Church, Parson's Station, which is attended once a month from the Osage mission. Here they remained five days, and had two hundred and forty Communions and three converts. The condition of Catholicity here was rather deplorable, and, in order to apply an efficacious remedy, the missionaries exhorted the faithful to assemble in the church every Sunday during the year, when the priest cannot visit the station, and to spend about an hour in reading Mass, prayers and extraEI:s from some spiritual book, and in singing Catholic hymns. April 29th.-Fr. Damen, assisted by his five companions, opened a mission in the magnificent new church of St. Ann, Philadelphia. The congregation is very large ard most exemplary; hence the mission which lasted seventeen days produced the following salutary fruits: ten thousand five ·hundred Communions thirty-three converts; eighty-three First Communions of adults, and three hundred and twelve Confirmations administered by the Rt. Rev. J. F. Shanahan of Harrisburg. l\Iay 26th.-On Pentecost Sunday Fr. Damen, assisted by Frs. Zealand Bronsgeest and Condon, gave a mission in Lynn, Massachusetts, in the archdiocese of Boston. It is a great shoe manufaEI:uring town, about nine miles from the city. The people seemed to take peculiar interest in the mission, and attended the exercises with fervor and regularity. Results: four thousand two hundred Communions, fourteen converts, one huf:ldred First Communions of adults, �Missionary Labors. and four hundred Confirmations of children and adults administered by the Most Rev. Archbishop, John Joseph Williams. \Vhilst the mission was going on in Lynn, Frs. Masselis and Hillman visited the stations attended Ly the Rev. J. C. Roche in Jasco County, Michigan, in the diocese of Detroit which has a Catholic population of one hundred and seventy-five thousand. Results: five hundred and twenty Communions, one convert, four First Communions 6f adults. June- roth.-·-The last mission was given by Frs. Damen, Zealand, B'ronsgeest and Condon, in the Church of the Annunciation, in the city of Chicago. It lasted two weeks. The Catholics attended pretty well, but the church was never crowded. Results: two thousand Communions, one convert, and twenty First Communions of adults. The worthy pastor, the Rev. Thomas Edwards, died on the 26th of the following month. REMARKS-1St. \Vhenever the mission lasts two weeks, the first is generally for the women, and the second for the men-=-at least in regard to the evening sermons or leCl:ures. Protestants, however, of either sex are admitted both weeks. Experience has taught that this separation encourages the men wonderfully, and creates such ;:_rn enthusiasm that ordinarily the number of communica.nts in each division is about equal; and sometimes the men's Communions are even more numerous than those of the women. 2d. Towards the end of the mission, Fr. Damen usually establishes the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart and the Apostleship of Prayer, and ereets a large mission cross. GENERAL RESULTS :-Communions 71,545; Converts 276; First Communions of adults 906; Confirmations 1,782. �Missionary Labors. 31 BRIEF ACCOUNT OF•.!IIISSIONS GIVEN BY FATHER COGHLAN?. AND J. CO~IPANIONS. Sept. IOLh 1876.-The first mission was given at Morris, Ill. by Fr. John Ignatius Coghlan assisted by Fr. John D. Condon. It began on the roth and finished on the 19th of September, 1876. It is marked in the diary as well attended. The fruits were eight hundred and twenty-five holy Communions, forty First Communions of adults, and eight converts to our holy Faith. Fr. Coghlan established a young ladies' sodality. Sept. 24th.-In the next mission which was .given, Fr. Condon was replaced by Fr. D. Niederkorn, who remained as Fr. Coghlan's assistant throughout the year. It was he who kept the diary, from which I quote almost verbatim. This mission was given in Missouri, at St. Mary's Landing, from Sept. 24th to Oct. zd, and was a great success. The congregation is composed of English, French and Germans. It was found necessary to preach in English and in German, and to make the announcements, at least, in French. The congregation had been greatly negleCted, and the ~ealous young parish priest, Rev. J. Lilly, could do but little good. It took three days before there was a satisfaCtory attendance. Then the fears of failure were dissipated. Nearly all received the Sacraments; there \Vere three hundred and twenty-five Communions, thirty-five First Communions of adults, and nine converts, Deo Gratias. The missionaries told me of a venerable old gentleman, who was publicly kn_own not to have approached the holy Table since his marriage, forty-nine years ago, and who after the mission could not contain his joy at having been at last reconciled with his ~od. He is now as fervent as he was negligent before, and 15 preparing to celebrate in a holy manner the golden jubilee of his married life. Oct:. Sth.-From OCtober the 8th to the 17th a mission �32 Missionary Labors. was given at Detroit, Michigan, in the Church of Our Lady of Help. The exercises were well attended from the bee ginning. Several priests of the city offered their services and helped to hear confessions. About two thousand two hundred confessions, forty First Communions of adults and fifty Confirmations amply rewarded their labors. Although many Protestants attended the e\·ening leCtures, none were received into the Church. An altar society was established, which one hundred and sixty members joined at once. The young men's sodality was also revived, fifty members being added to it. OCt. 22d.-The 22d of OCtober found our two missionaries in Nebraska, at the Cathedral of Omaha. Here difficulties arose from an Irish society which had been for some time at variance with the pastor. Still the people were full of faith: the services were well attended, and Fr. Coghlan's leCtures on confession and on the Church were a great success. There were two thou~and three hundred Communions, fifty First Communions of adults, one hundred and fifty persons confirmed, and nine converts. An altar society was established with about one hundred members, a men's sodality with sixty, a temperance society with fifty; while the Fathers distributed seven hundred tickets of the Apostleship of Prayer. A special feature was the large attendance at the 5 o'clock Mass, and at the leCture given for the benefit of the children's sodality. Nov. 1zth.-Colorado was the next. field of labor. The first mission there was given at Denver, from Nov. the 12th to the 28th, in English and in German. The attendance was very good from the beginning. Numbers of Protestants, both German and American, attended in the evenings. thirty-one of whom were converted; while many Catholics who had joined secret societies were reclaimed. There were one thousand five hundred Holy Communions, seventy-four Confirmations, thirty-four First Communions of adults. The altar society was" increased in numbers and the Apostleship of Prayer revived. A building society was organised �Missionary Labors. 33 for the erection of a German Church. A special feature was that all the Protestant preachers of the city attended the lecture on the subject: "Is one Church as good as another?" Dec. 3d.-Then followed some minor missions. A two days mission at Golden, a little village, resulted in forty-three Communions. On the 3d of December the missionaries separated for a few days. Fr. Coghlan gave a mission at Georgetown, Colorado, where, in five days, he had three hundred and forty-four Communions and four converts. Meanwhile Fr. Niederkorn preached in Central City, under circumst:mces of special difficulty. Three hundred and eighty Communions rewarded his toil: many returned to their duties, who had never been in the church since their present pastor arrived, seven years ago. At Boulder both met on December the 9th, and preached in the court house for want of a church: they had eighty-four Confessions. Departing thence they separated again, Fr. Coghlan to give a three days mission at Pueblo, Fr. Niederkorn one at Smith's settlement. Neither place afforded much consolation: at Pueblo many would not come near the Church ; only sixty approached the Sacraments; while at Smith's settlement there were but five Catholic families and these far apart-still there were thirty-one Confessions. Passing together through Cheyenne, they were requested to stop for a day or two to preach and lecture, which they did quite successfully, and heard fifty Confessions. All the missionaries meet yearly at Christmas in their residence, St. Ignatius' College, Chicago, hearing nurr.erous Confessions there during that holy season. After New-Year they make their yearly retreat. The 14th of January found our little band again at work, this time at St. Teresa's Church, New York city. During the first week they were aided by the stronger band of missionaries consisting of Frs. Damen, Hillman, Zealand and Condon, as also by Rev. ]. McQuaid, S. J. of New York, who remained till the end. VoL. vu-No. 1. 5 �34 Missionary Labors. The worthy pastor of St. Teresa's, Rev. F. O'Farrell, an exemplary man, and his assistants Frs. Flynn, Farrell and \Vard, as well as some priests of the neighboring parishes, were assiduous in hearing Confessions. The fruits of these combined efforts were eleven thousand three hundred Communions, one hundred and forty First Communions of adults, and thirty-eight converts. To aid in paying offtQ.e debt of the Church, Fr. Coghlan gave two lectures, one on St. Patrick. and the other on the subjeEl: "Is one Church as good as another? " Feb. 4th.~On the 4th of February, 1877, Fr. Coghlan, assisted by Frs. Niederkorn, McQuaid and Bouige, opened a mission in St. Mary's Church, Troy, N. Y. From the day of the opening, the church was too small to contain the crowd. Our Fathers of Troy, and the Rev. professors of the Seminary there, kindly helped to hear Confessions: the venerable pastor Fr. Havermans was indefatigable. The fruits were abundant, viz: nine thousand five hundred Communions, about eighty First Communions of adults and torty-three converts. Feb. 25th.-Shamokin, Pa. was the next scene of labor, from February the 25th to March the 5th. There were sermons in English and in German, till Thursday, when Fr. Niederkorn left for Iowa. Frs. Coghlan and Bouige closed the mission on Sunday with one thousand six- hundred Communions, twenty First Communions of adults and eight converts. The leEl:ure on Monday drew an immense crowd of Catholics and Protestants. The mission at Davenport, Iowa, was meanwhile begun earlier than had been anticipated, owing to an oversight as to the time ; still it was blessed by our dear Lord with more than ordinary success, Three days after Fr. Niederkorn had opened it, his two companions arrived. Many Protestants and Catholics from the neighboring towns swelled the congregation. The number of Communions surpassed by one-third that of any former mission given in �Missionary Labors. 35 ·the town: there w'ere two thousand three hundred Communions, fifteen First Communions of adults and twenty-one converts. The leCture for the support of the schools was not less successful. March I8th.-Our little band of three (for Fr. Bonige remained in it), on March the 18th, began a ten days mission at East St. Louis, Ill. A large crowd from the first, and abundant fruit. About two thousand two hundred persons received the Sacraments, twenty adults made their First Communion and sixteen were received into the Church. A Protestant preacher, after hearing Fr. Coghlan, undertook to refute his arguments in his own church; but many of his parishioners, who had heard the missionaries, left the meeting house and reported their preacher to the presbytery. Apr. 8th.-The next mission was at Bunker Hill, Ill., from the 8th to the 16th of April. The pastor, Fr. Neu, is a very zealous man, and so the mission was well announced. Whilst it was carried on by Frs. Coghlan and Bouige, Fr. Niederkorn went to Bethalto, a small village about twelve miles off, where he preached in English, French and German, heard sixty-one Confessions, and returned to Bunker Hill. Then Fr. Bouige went to Gillespie, where he too heard some sixty Confessions. The main mission was meanwhile concluded with about six hundred Communions, ten First Communions of adults, and twelve converts to the Faith. Apr. 22d.-From the 22d to the 30th of April Litchfield, Pa. was evangelized. The results were most consoling: all the parishioners approached the Sacraments, twenty-five adults made their First Communion, and eight Protestants Were converted. May 6th.-Oliphant, Pa. occupied our laborers from May the 6th to the 14th, furnishing one thousand six' hundred communicants, besides fifteen prepared for their first holy Communion. But the Protestants were bigoted: although �Missiouary Labors. many attended the leaures, none applied for instruaion. It was almost the same in the next mission at Dunmore, where there was but one convert. Still the consolations were abundant: three thousand seven hundred confessed, and fifteen made their First Communion. From Dunmore, the Fathers started for Pleasant Valley, in the same state of Pennsylvania. This mission attraaed a v2.st crowd, not from the town alone, but also from Scranton and other places in the neighborhood. More than six hundred persons, besides the regular communicants of the parish, approached the Sacraments: there were in all one thousand seven hundred Communions, fifteen First Communions of adults and seven converts. The last labors of the scholastic year were bestowed on the parish of Rochelle, Ill., a place that had been sadly negleaed for some time. The happy fruits far surpassed the expeaations of all: there were six hundred and sixty holy Communions, twelve First Communions of adults and three converts. GENE~AL RESULTS- Communions, 44,720; converts, 208; First Communion of adults, 558; Confirmations, 274· MISSIONS GIVEN BY FR. MAGUIRE AND HIS COMPANIONS. BosTON, oa. Ist I877· VERY REV. FATHER PROVINCIAL, P. C. According to your Reverence's request, I send an account of the mi?sions given by our Fathers since the last number of the "LETTERs" was published. St. 1\h~y's, Cambridgeport, Mass.-This mission began on the fourth Sunday of lent and lasted tor two weeks. The fruits attending the labors of the Fathers were very �..Missionary Labors. 37 consoling. There were over three thousand Communions. About a hundred adults were prepared for their First Communion. A class of Confirmation was undertaken, and with very happy results, as over two hundred grown persons presented themselves for instruCtion. During the first week of the exercises, the Archbishop confirmed these candidates and many others who had been previously prepared by the pastor. There were twenty-five baptisms-sixteen adults and nine children of mixed marriages; most of them being above seven years of age. The pastor of St. Mary's, Rev. Thomas Scully, had been laboring very earnestly in the cause of Catholic education ; but here, as elsewhere, there were found persons who did not see the necessity of having Catholic schools, and were very willing to do away with what they looked upon as an expensive luxury. In consequence of this feeling, considerable opposition was shown toward the schools attached to the church. Various reasons were alleged for this hostility. Wordly prospeCts, the apparent indifference of persons in authority in some parts of the country, and many other cunning arguments were resorted to. Some went so far as to say, that Catholic schools make us less liberal in our views toward Protestants, or, in other words, will not allow us to have that broad religion so much in keeping with the genius of the age. Those who had been educated in the public schools fell back upon such arguments, as upon this coup de grace reason : the Catholic schools are not so respeC!:able, which, being interpreted, means, perhaps, we don't wish to be taken for Catholics, since they are gener;tlly poor and most frequently despised. These sentiments in regard to our schools are not confined to one city or town; they are but too common in these parts. The Fathers did their utmost to promote the views of the pastor in regard to this matter, and succeeded in obtaining many new pupils, so that now not more than thirty or forty children of the parish attend the public schools. An effort was made, and successfully, to increase the �Missionary Labors. membership in the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin. Four hundred candidates presented themselves for admission. Our church of the Holy Family, Philadelphia.- The Exc ercises lasted from the 29th of April to the 14th of May; and great good \vas effeB:ed by them. The Communions were somewhat under five thousand. One hundred and thirty adults, many of whom during this mission received the holy Communion for the first time, were confirmed. Thirty-tn:o persons were baptized-twenty-four adults and . eight children of various ages, the <lffspring of mixed marriages. -The parents of some of these negleB:ed children had been considered as apostates; but since God gave them the grace to make the mission, they returned to the Faith and acquitted themselves of a solemn duty, so long de· fer red. In no mission were there so many conversions from heresy; and, if time had allowed it, there would have been many more. The Fathers firid that the announcing at every Exercise, that persons who are desirous of receiving instruB:ion for Baptism, should give .in their names and come to some fixed place for information, does a great deal of good. Many come who would otherwise be too timid, or not know how to proceed, in· order to get instrutlion. A young man baptized during the' mi ssion, told one of the Fathers that he would have joined the Church at the retreat four years ago, but he did not know what to do, to accom· plish it. It might be useful to adopt a similar praB:ice in all of our Churches, even for ordinary occasions. Pawtucket, R . I.-This is a manuf~B:uring town, three miles from Providence. It has a population · of twenty thousand souls, one half of whom are Catholics divided into four congregations. The church is under the title of the Sacred Heart and was dedicated last year. The Exercises we're well attended. Three thousand persons received Communion. Many grown person's were. confirmed, as maY be seen from the following extraB: from the Providence �Missionary Labors. 39 Journal: "The interesting and impressive ceremonial of Confirmation occurred at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Central Falls (Pawtucket), yesterday forenoon, in the presence of an immense congregation. The Jesuit Fathers have been giving a mission there for some days past, and the class of candidates for Confirmation was prepared as an out-growth of this remarkable revival. The Sacrament was administered by Rt. Rev. Bishop Hendricken, at 8 o'clock, A • .M., to three hundred and sixty-one persons, one hundred and twenty of whom were adults, including several converts." Many new members were added to the Society of the Children of Mary. The devotion to the Sacred Heart was established at the request of the pastor Rev. M. Fitzgerald, and one of the Fathers remained a few days after the close of the mission, to help on the good work. The Exercises lasted from the zoth of May to the 1st of June. Four adults were received into the Church. On the last night but one of the retreat, a sermon was preached in the cause of temperance, and over a thousand people took the pledge for a year. South La\vrence, Mass.-Lawrence is one of the great faCl:ory towns on the Merrimac river and has a population of thirty thousand. The Catholics number about fifteen thousand. On the north bank of the river there are three English speaking congregations; in charge of the Augustinian Fathers. St. Mary's, the principal Church, is one of the largest ahd most elaborate specimens of Gothic architeCl:ure in New England. South of the river there is a congregation of twenty-five hundred souls under the care of Rev. James Murphy and an assistant. The usual work of the mission was continued for a week with the wonted success. The Communions numbered over three thousand, as many persons came from the other parishes. A sodality was begun. Some grown persons were prepared for the Sacraments. Four or five converts were made from Protestantism. �40 Missionary Labors. At the conclusion of the mission (June 3-10), the Fathers gave the Exercises for three days at North Andover, a town two miles away. The congregation is small ; but all the members of it, with a few exceptions, made the mission and approached the Sacraments. In Lawrence and Andover, as in all the missions, there were the usual cases of persons returning t6 the Sacraments after having been negligent for twenty, thirty and forty years, etc. It is a source of great consolation to add that some who had apostatized, and many who had married out of the Chur.ch were brought back. This was the last mission of the season. During the summer vacation, the Fathers were engaged in giving retreats in different parts of the country. I give a summary of the labors of the spring campaign of less than seven weeks duration : Communions 16,000; Adults Confirmed 450; First Communion of adults 300; Baptisms, adults 49; Baptisms, children of mixed marriages 19; Sodality membership 800; Ternperance pledges 1,200. This exhibit is flattering; but not unfrequently the same amount. of work is done in half the time . ..· LAS VEGAS COLLEGE, NEW MEXICO. We have received the ProspeCtus of Las Vegas College which our Fathers, at the earnest solicitation of Most Rev. Abp. La my and of the citizens of Las Vegas, have recently opened. We are happy to learn that over one hundred boys, boarders and day-scholars, are already in attendance. It was at first called St. Mary's College; but as another college, about forty miles distant, under the direction of the Christian Brothers, goes by the same name, it was thought advisable �Las Vegas College, Neu• Mexico. to adopt the title of Las Vegas College. The following are extraCts from its prospeCtus :-This College, to be inaugurated on the first Monday in November 1877, will be placed under the direCtion of the Jesuit Fathers.-Until a new and commodious building, now in progress of·ereetion, is completed, the College will occupy the house of Dam Francisco Lopez, which has been fitted up to suit the purpose, as far as a private residence could easily be adapted to it.-The institution is intended both for boarders and day scholars, and is open to all, regardless of difference in religious tenets.Only such matters will be taught as are deemed to meet the special requirements of our Territory, and will be adapted to the capacity and gradual proficiency of pupils. Consequently, Reading and Writing, and elementary lessons in English and Spanish Grammar, in History, Geography, Arithmetic and Book-keeping will be parts of the regular scholastic course.-A few applications for the study of Latin having been already received, that language together with. French, Italian and music of piano or organ, will be left to the option of parents; but all will form separate charges, except Latin. Board and Tuition, per annum ,$200,00. Day scholars will be required to pay from ,Sr,oo to $3,00 monthly, or admitted gratuitously if desired. As will be seen, a great dea! of opposition was manifested, in certain quarters, to the incorporation of this institution. The aet of incorporation, once defeated, was, after two years, again presented, and having passed the Legislature, met with an emphatic veto from the Governor, who, to give more weight to his message, went to the House to deliver it in person. Attorney General Breeden having been requested by the Governor to prepare an opinion on the aet, presented the following: "The bill, in my opinion, is clearly in violation of the said law of the United States." The Message, is so remarkable a specimen of historical erudition, and of religious toleration that we quote it in full: VoL. vn-No. r. 6 'I I ,, �42 Las Vegas College, New Mexico. To t/ze Honorable Legislative Council of tlte Territory of 1Vcw Jlfexico-Gentlemen: I return to you, with my objec- tions, an aCt: to incorporate the Jesuit Fathers in New Mexico. For the purpose of obtaining for your information the best legal advice within my reach, I requested the Attorney General of the Territory, Hon. William Breeden, to prepare a careful opinion upon the case; this opinion I make part of my Message and lay it in full before you. Attorney General Breeden says: "The bill, in my opinion, is clearly in violation of the said law of the· United States." This opinion I fully endorse, and if you pass this bill over General Breeden's opinion, and over my veto, you will do so with your eyes open, in violation of your oaths of office, and the laws of the United States. There are many other objeCtions to the bill, a few only of which I will bring to your notice. It is difficult to decide whether the man who seeks to establich the Society or the Society which he seeks to establish is worse. Both are so bad that you cannot decide between them. This Neapolitan adventurer, GAsPARR!, teaches the public that his dogmas and assertions are superior to the statutes of the United States and the laws of the Territory. No do8:rine or teaching can be more dangerous to good government than this; especially in New Mexic~ where the mass of 't.he people are ignorant. He also by his writings and harangues endeavors to excite animosities, and to stimulate the people to war on those legitimately exercising civil authority over them, and to aets of violence. He comes here while the legislative assembly is in·· session and lobbies, in the most brazen and shameless manner, to defeat needed and wholesome laws, and to force through bills antagonistic to the laws of the United States. Two years ago he intruded himself in the lower house, and remained within the bar, and by the speaker's side, till. he forced .the passage of this bill; but at that session it was defeated by an honest legislative council. He now presents himself again, and, being fully informed that what he asks �Las ,Vegas College, New Mexico. 43 is contrary to the laws of the United States, urges you to violate your oaths and pass the bill. The Society which he seeks to establish in New Mexico is worthy of just such a leader. It has been denounced time and again by the head of the Catholif Church, and justly expelled from the most enlightened countries of Europe. But apart from the dangerous charaCter of its chief, the bill is especially objeCtionable because it does not require that the incorporators shall be citizens of the United States, orresidents of New Mexico. The number who may be hereafter associated with them is unlimited, and they might all be aliens and reside abroad. Again, the bill here permits these people to own, free of taxation, an unlimited amount of property. They are permitted to own all kinds of real and personal estate in all parts of the Territory, and are not subjeCt to any supervision by the Legislature, nor required to pay anything toward the support of the government. The provisions of the bill are contrary to public policy and in direCt violation of the laws of the United States, and cannot receive my approval. S. B. AxTELL, Go·l'entor of tlte Ten-itory of New Mexico. Notwithstanding- the veto of the Governor, a second vote was taken, and the aCt passed by a majority exceeding two thirds. We congratulate the Fathers, and trust that this is but another exemplification of the saying of our holy Founder: "Tempestas absque nostra culpa in nos sa::viens, est .qua::dam futuri et secuturi brevi proventus significatio." �EXTRACTS OF A LETTER FROM PUEBLO, COLORADO. PUEBLO, Dec. 28th, 1877. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. I fear that I have incurred your displeasure by having put off so -lbng my answer to your last kind letter, and I judge so from your ominous silence. Can I hope, dear Father, to remove it by stating that overwhelming occupation has been the only cause of my delay? Perhaps you do not know yet that since the beginning of last September we have established a school here. Our pupils represent a great variety of religious denominations; as some of them are Jews, others Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presgyterians or Methodists, and others again profess no belief of any kind. Only five are Catholics. Does not this seem an odd state of things for a Jesuit school-house? The tableau is doubtlessly perfeCt, especially as it is not without shades, there being two negro boys,}s black as coal, among the pupils. Our school has not been so far the only one in Pueblo : besides two others under the management of Protestant ladies, there was one kept by a preacher up to the early part of this month. He w~s a Baptist minister, who, reckoning upon the absence of a Public School, and thinking it to be a fair opportunity for making money, succeeded in securing .a certain number of pupils. He styled himself a graduate of Harvard University, he even gave the name of this institution to his school. In order to inspire his pupils with a feeling of perfeCt confidence in his abilities, and t~· endear himself to the outside people, he would often entertain them with the in~eresting enumeration of his numberless personal accomplishments, at the head of which, of . course, was his being a freemason. . (44) �Letter from Colorado. 45 His pupils presented the greatest variety, if not the best seleB:ion ; they were of every age and of both sexes; boys and girls, or rather young ladies and young men. They all seemed perfeB:ly satisfied with each other, so much satisfied that "too much fun," as people said, was constantly going on amongst the students. But with such fun many of their parents were by no means pleased, and they withdrew their children from the Harvard University, sending them either to the Sisters or to us. The poor, wellmeaning Baptist minister understood at last that even his world-wide reputation was powerless to prop up his crumbling Harvard University; so, a few weeks ago, he dismissed his pupils and became clerk in a hotel in which he had secured a place. We are now enjoying very fine weather, and can hardly realize that we are in December and not in May.-Some thirty miles west of Pueblo rises the majestic Snowy Range. That abode of perpetual winter is not altogether destitute of human inhabitants ; many mining camps having perched themselves away up in the lofty region of eagles. Amongst the most important of these, is Rosita, situated on one of the very highest summits of the range, nearly two thousand feet above the level of the sea. It has a population of about fifteen hundred inhabitants, who are mostly Protestants, or rather nothing at -all; only a few being Catholics. However, the Catholics have been the first to ereCt: a church, a modest frame struCture which, not without trouble, one of our Fathers caused to be built some two or three years ago. In the early part of this month, I went to administer in that locality, travelling in a wagon in company with a numerous party of farmers. After one day's journey we reached, late in the evening, the foot of the range, where, on the bank of a creek, we pitched our camp for the night. We cooked our own supper, which we took in a very good mood and with appetite. Afterwards we retired to rest, every one stretching himself on the ground between two buffalo skins, Within a circle of blazing fires. Our bed was not very soft �Letter from Colorado, indeed, but it was by no means uncomfortable, especially since we had the satisfaaion of being warm on the very limits of the snow region. Our Blessed Lord, most certainly, had not such comforts, and suffered much more from cold on the night of his birth. I reached Rosita in the evening of the following day, at nearly the same time as a heavy snow storm, which had been hurrying up from an opposite direaion. This storm was not the affair of a moment; it lasted two days without a moment's interruption, that is, as long as I remained on that pinnacle of Colorado. This how~ver did not prevent me from "having church," and gathering ~-pretty numerous congregation, including some of the Protestant element. Two Episcopalian families were the first that entered the church : they complimented me by contrasting my attention to my Catholic flock with the indifference of the Episcopalian minister of the-place towards his congregation "which," remarked a lady, all flushed with holy indignation, "he let die through sheer spiritual starvation." They also told me that it did not matter to them whether they entered a Catholic or an Episcopalian church, on the score of the very little difference existing between them. I smiled such a smile as could not readily be misconstrued into approbation. . They were all Marylanders. After Mass I baptized some fifteen infants, and spent the remainder of the day in visiting my wild Catholics, all, of course, engaged in the mining business. The next day I went seven miles farther, to a beautiful place, called \Vet Mountain Valley. It is, as its very name suggests a fertile valley, about twenty miles long and five miles wide, watered by a hundred creeks, and well settled by German farmers at the two ends, and by French Canadians in the middle. I spent two days among the Canadians, who know so little English that every thing is carried on among them in old French style. I really imagined myself again in France. The main feature of this my Canadian excursion, and by far the most pleasant, was that I received back into the Catholic fold two wretched brothers �Letter from Colorado. 47 who, many years ago, had the misfortune of giving up their faith and joining a Protestant sea. They were what are called "well read men," so I did not think it unfit to make an appeal to their erudition as well as to their national feeling, a thing about which French people are, as you know well, always exceedingly touchy. "How is it" exclaimed I, in a tone of deep indignation, and in the presence of all the Canadian colony assembled in a large hall, "how is it my wretched, iny dear wretched fellows, that you were ever prevailed upon to abandon the religion of France, and of your great Bossuet, in order to embrace the teaching of an apostate German monk?" These words cut them to the quick, as was evident from their quivering frames.-"To the d --with the Germans,•· they exclaimed, "and with them all their apostate monks! There was,'a coup sur, more wisdom and learning in one of Bossuet's small fingers than in all those hair-plucked German heads of yore. Yes, Father, Bossuet's religion and the religion of France must again be our religion also." There was a great feast among those good Canadians on that day. . The day after this scene I was on my way back to Pueblo. Here I must bring my letter to a close, but not before recommending myself to your prayers, whilst I remain Your humble servant in Christ, A.M., S. J. �OHIO COLLEGE ASSOCIATION. ST. XAVIER CoLLEGE, CINCINNATI, Jan. Ist, I878. REV. FATHER, P. C. A brief notice of the. annual meeting of the "Ohio ColCollege Association" and of the part which Ours took in its proceedings may prove interesting to your readers. The name itself gives us to understand, that the "Ohio College Association" is a society of professors from the different colleges of the state. Organized for the purpose of mutual interchange of ideas on collegiate matters, it gathers its members every winter vacation to have them proffer their accumulated experience of the class-room, and to accept in ret.,!lrn the well matured thoughts of the essayists chosen for the occasion, together with the results of the ensuing discussions. A request was made of Rev. Fr. Recror to have St. Xavier College represented at the meet~~g by an address on our manner of teaching the classics. The invitation was accepted, and one of the professors appointed to prepare a paper on that subjeCt:. Five of Ours attended the sessions: the President and Vice-president of the College, and the professors of Philosophy, Rhetoric and Mathematics. I must confess to some slight confusion when I beheld the worthy assembly of men, venerable for their age and acquirements. But whatever surprise I at first experienced, it soon gave way to· the respeCt: which was due to these cultivated gentlemen on account of their many excellencies, the produCt:· of refinement and education. No ostentation of man· ner, no jealousy, no triviality, but instead, a charming sirn· plicity, a large-hearted kindness, a deep earnestness, and, (48) �0/zio College Association. 49 let me add, an obliging deference to Ours. There was no cavilling, but questions were asked for information, and discussions begun for the practical developments to be hoped from them. There was very little said or done at the meeting of which we could not approve. The members were extremely conservative. There was no disposition to do away with classical studies or to even abridge them. The universal sentiment was in favor of raising, rather than lowering the standard. On Wednesday evening, December 26th, 1877, the Association met to hear an address of welcome from a prominent member of the Cincinnati bar, and the inaugural address by the President, A. A. E. Taylor of the University of Wooster. The latter contained much valuable information about Ohio colleges and presented some very sound views on disputed questions. I will instance his defence of sectarian colleges as distinct from institutions under no denominational control: "It cannot be denied that the influence of the various denominations is largely responsible for the number of our colleges. Of the present thirty, twenty-two seem to be under denominational influence and direction, and among them most of those of the highest grade. Drawn together upon common territory, as we are in this Association, and being thus bound to advise together concerning points of mutual interest, and to allay the spirit of unnecessary dissension, it would seem out of place here to enter into a formal defence of denominational colleges as such. However, We may fairly say this much, that the various denominations have seemed to feel the need of taking pains to secure higher schools for their sons, in which they can be assured that the truths which they hold sacred will be certainly respected, arid where contrary opinions and influences may not be supposed to find encouragement from chairs of instruction. Besides, amid the intense pressure of competing professions and remunerative occupations, a denomination VoL. vn-No. I. 7 �so Ohio College Associatimz. can scarcely maintain a ministry of high grade without some such college work in self defence. Moreover, each church may well entertain the laudable design of adding its quota of means and influence to the grand cause of higher education, without being compelled to cast its portion into a common treasury of men and means, concerning the management of which, in so far as the interests of that church are concerned, there must be more or less distrust." Two sessions were held on the forenoon of Thursday: .in the first was· read and discussed, a paper hearing the title: ''lnstruetio~· by LeCtures: how far desirable, and how best conduCted:" in the second the Association met in sections, respeaively of Languages, Philosophy and Rhetoric, Mathematics and Natural Sciences; at which methods, experiences, text books, etc. were talked over in a less formal but in a nowise superficial manner. The afternoon saw the members assembled to listen to two papers, the first with the title: "The Jesuit System of Teaching the Classics," the second treating of "The Importance of a Knowledge of Philology to the Teacher of Classics." The evening session was occupied with the reading of the following papers : "The value of Marking, Prizes, and College Hon~rs" and "Scientific Courses of Study." During the forenoon of Friday a very excellent paper was r'ead on "The Place of English in the College Course, and how to teach it." The sessions of Thursday forenoon were held in the Uni· versity of Cincinnati; those of Friday in the Cincinnati Wesleyan College, the rest in College Hall. Let us return to the paper "The Jesuit System of Teach· ing the Classics" and descend to some particulars. Though none of the ideas were new to us, as they simply explained the Ratio Studiorum in its workings at St. Xavier's; yet, the style of the composition, and still more, the practical .lessons which it contained, commanded the stricrest attention and drew forth hearty applause from the audi· ence and many a sincere congratulation afterwards tendered �Ohio Co!!ege Association. 5I to its autho~. When he had finished, some questions were asked about our manner of teaching, but all in an earnest, sincere manner, without any attempt at fault finding, and purely for information. I mention this with a desire to show how real merit in a system never fails to please unbiassed minds. "The Jesuit System" could not help bearing ofithis victory; for it is a system which, "dating back several centuries, was conceived by giant intellects, and has been enobled by not a few scars of success." Some of the professors were so struck with the superiority of the method laid down in the Ratio as to tell us that they considered it deserving the closest study. After the session was over, several of them came to inquire about our College, ask for catalogues and to tender their congratulations. One gentleman especially found the essay to answer his expectations fully, though he had come to the city principally to hear it. He also inquired whether sources of information on that subject were accessible to every one, as he wished to study the method thoroughly with a view to reducing it to practice. Let me quote the concluding remarks of the paper, which make prominent the motives that direct a Jesuit's labors: "If the spirit of the society be in its members, it will say to them in unmistakable accents: Your motives and the spirit aCtuating your labors must alone be the keynote of your success. Banish self-interest and individual aggrandizement in favor of a common good, which will live when you are gone and forgotten. Cherish no hope of preferment, aspire to no personal fame : you are above them. Make your conduct subservient to your duty; give your whole minds and hearts to your work; and when your lives are worn out, you need expect to have gained nothing in this World, but what the world can not refuse its bitterest enemies-sustenance and the liberty of following a higher law. Leaving no heirs to your property, no monuments to your fame, no relics of a false life, fix your eyes with abiding �52 Ohio College Association. hope on another life, because you have consec,rated yourselves to education that you might gain the 'greater glory of God!'" One consoling occurrence I must record here. An expresident, whose silvery head told of four score years, was extremely delighted with an axiom laid down in the opening of the paper, "that the object of all true and solid education is not only to cultivate and adorn the mind, but also to form the heart to principles of honor and virtue ; " and he stated his- conviB:ion that every Catholic, every Protestant, every good man would acknowledge the training of the will to be of even greater importance than the development of the intellect. No exception was taken to his last assertion; on the contrary, hearty approbation greeted it from all sides. I will not go into further details, except to say a word or two on the "Report of Committee on Ohio Colleges, and conditions of membership in the Association." The Committe<;: advocated a high standard of classical training as a condition for any college to be received into the Association, on the ground that the public would form their notion of what a college should be from the minimum which the Association wonld assign as necessary for admission to its body, and consequently for the enjoyment of the name of a college. Many schools that undeservedly assume to themselves such a title, would thus be quietly forced to drop it, or else merit it by increased excellen,ce in their courses of study. Scientific, technical and agricultural institutions under the name of colleges, which apply for admission in the Association, will have to submit their application to a committee, upon whose favorable report they may be admitted by vote. The course of studies in all colleges belonging to the Association, must include four years of Latin and Greek, besides a preparatory course of three years in Latin, and at least two in Greek. It was a great pleasure to those of Ours who took part �Marcella Street Home, Boston. 53 in these proceedings, to meet so many teachers who are at one with us in the importance to be attached to classical training. It is an encouragement to us all to aim still higher in our collegiate .labors, to know that our work is appreciated by those who are most capable of understanding it. * BOSTON CoLLEGE, Dec. 29th, R'Ev. I sn. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. * * I received on the 22d of this month, * * a very kind invitation to attend an entertainment to be given to the boys, at the Marcella St. Home, of which we have the spiritual charge.* I send you a little account of it, and of our doings at the Home. The entertainment took place on Wednesday night and only two of us could go; as all the Fathers were engaged in one way or another, and the scholastics were busy in making ready for the plays which were to come off at the college during the holydays. The Archbishop was expeB:ed, but was unable to come. In addition to those who were to take part in the singing, there were thirty or forty of the most respeB:able Catholics of Boston present-most of them, I believe, connected with the Union. Altogether the ladies and gentlemen present made up quite a select audience. The cathedral choristers, about forty in number, sang three or four Christmas pieces. One gentleman sang several comic songs, others sang pieces of various kinds, *The l\Iarcella St. Home is an institution provided by the city of Bo>ton for the care and amendment of boys who are the wards of the city, though not criminals. The spiritual care of this establishment, as well as that of another on Deer Island, intended for boys who are dassed among the crimi· nals, was entrusted, not long ago by Archbishop Williams to our Fathers. �54 Marcella Street Home, Boston. so that there was a pleasing variety. The boys of the Home sang a Christmas carol. Mr. Blackstone, the superintendent of the Home, seemed pleased and the boys were delighted. The entertainment was a real success. On the Sunday before Christmas, Mr. Blackstone asked me whether I could not say Mass somewhat later on Christmas day and give the boys music. The singers and organist were secured for the occasion and I began ·my Masses at 7· I had previously heard the confessions of the old women who are employed as servants in the house, and gave then: Communioll·\lt my first Mass. At my third Mass the boys were marched up and as they entered each was presented with a new prayer book. During the Mass our quartet sang the Kyrie, Gloria and Credo from one of Hayden's Masses. The choir and the boys together sang the Adeste, and at the end one of Fr. Denny's Christmas carols. I gave a little instruB:ion, and as they filed out past me I gave to each one a pretty little picture. Every thing went off satisfaCtorily and the boys seemed very happy. Yesterday Frs. Rector, Minister, two other Fathers and I went out and heard the confessions of the boys. I thought it would be good to make Holy Innocents of them all. Their earnestness and sincerity \Yere most remarkable. Many of them confessed with tears· trickling down their cheeks. Mr. Blackstone cooperated most kindly with us., The Fathers were pleased with their n;wrning's work. Fr. ReCtor remarked afterwards that this ·mission was one most worthy of cultivation. Four of the large boys want to become Catholics; they presented themselves to me to find out when they might go to confession. Our plays.went off very well; but of this you will hear later. �APPENDIX. I-EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN LETTERS. Zikawei, Clzi1ta, Sept., I877· Your account of the Ia* * * * * bors of our Fathers in the United States was a source of great pleasure and consolation to me. Ours here are also working hard to do the little that is in their power. Fr. Zottoli continues the publication of his work; it will appear in 6 vols. under the title of "Cursus Literatur~ Sinic<e Neo-Missionariis accomodatus," and is intended as a text book for a five years' course. The first volume is entitled "Lingua Familiaris," the second "Studium Classicorum," the third "Studium Canonicorum," the fourth "Stylus Rhetoricus," the fifth "Pars Oratoria et Poetica," and the sixth "Syntagma Verborum."-Fr. Rabouin is lithographing a French-Chinese diCtionary in the Shanghai dialeCt:. Fr. Sica is preparing for the missionaries of China a second ,edition of his "Cases of Conscience," and a little volume (6o pages) of InstruCtions. Fr. Dechevreux's Meteorological and Magnetical Observations are now in press. .Add to these the Chinese books, on which some of Ours are engaged, and the list of our labors in this line will be complete. The publication of all these works is left to the direCl:ion of Br. Hersant. Rumor has it that at Paris they are going to print a Latin manuscript of a Polish Father, containing the history of the ll}issions of China from 1640, the year with which Bartoli ends his work, to 1704 or 1708. Twice a month, a small sheet, giving a brief resume of the principal doings of our Society and a general outlook * (SS) �Extrafls from Letters. of the state of the civilized world, is prepared by one of Ours and sent to every Father on the missions. For many this is their only source of information. The results of our apostolic labors for 1876-77 in the 47 distrias, entrusted to our care, are as follows : Churches and chapels Congregations 2,142 Catechumens 93·366 Christians 825 Adults-baptized .. Children of infidel parents baptized Infants nursed during the year Confessions at missions Communions " " Confessions of devotion Communions " Extreme Unaion administered to Marriages " revalidated Schools for boys Boys attending Schools for girls Girls attending College Students attending Boarding schools for boys Boarders Boarding schools for girls Boarders Orphanage for boys Orphan boys Orphanage for girls . Orphan girls Small Orphan asylums Orphans Hospitals for the sick 1],372 6,000 6o,766 52,o66 211,409 252,584 518 665 15 347 6,025 213 2,791 I 76 12 307 7 3o6 255 I . 502 7 1,554 3 �Extra{ls from Letters. . 57 Sick attended to 47I Hospitals for the aged 2 Inmates, male 34 female 38 School for European boys Boys attending 59 School for European girls Girls attending 95 Apothecaries 69 Complete meteorological and magnetical observatory I Museum of Natural History (in formation) 22 Carmelite nuns (in I convent) Sisters of the Poor Souls (in 2 houses) 40 Sisters of the Presentation (native born) 3I Our numbers for the Kiang-nan mission do not, as a general thing, run so high as those of last year. The cause lies in the persecution which has been raging in this distriCt: during the greater part of the year. ·The Chinese government has indemnified us for our material, but not for our moral losses; yet these constitute our chief misfortune. The Viceroy is following a course that is as cunning as it is worthy of the Evil One; for he is constantly separating the cause of the missionaries from that of their flocks, on the pretext that they, being Europeans, have no right to meddle in Chinese affairs, the management of which belongs only to the Mandarins. Thus we are at every moment interfered with in all our undertakings. Yet in spite of all these obstacles we are again gaining ground. Our Fathers of Ning-kooe-fou, Nankin and Tcheukiang have returned to their posts and are repairing losses. Fr. Sechinger has begun a new mission at Vouhou, a port on the river lately opened; and Fr. Gondar has obtained a house at Tsingho, an important town in the northern part of the province. Fr. Heud~ is still pursuing his researches in tortoises; thus far he has discovered upwards of a hundred new species. For variety he at times turns his attention to new kinds of mollusks, fishes, etc. VoL. vn-No. I. 8 �ss E-ctrac?s from Letters. From all this you can judge what hardships we ·undergo for the glory of the Church and the Society; Our schools for children of European parents are prospering, with the blessing of God, and will, in a short time, produce abundant fruits. They give us also standing and influence in the society by which we are surrounded. Unhappily the preparatory and theological seminaries are falling off in the number of their students. You cannot .imagine how difficult a task it is .to carry a Chinaman through a complete and thorough CO:~rse of preparation for the ministry. * * * The statistics for Tcheli, the mission of the province of Champagne, during the past year are : Congregations 387 Christians 26,033 Catechumens 2,988 Adults baptized 1,110 Children of pagan parents baptized 5,183 Confessions during the missions 16,171 ·Confessions of devotion 24,384 Schools for boys 67 Boys attending 712 Schools for girls 63 Girls attending ~- . . 696 The mission is enjoying peace, but suffers greatly from drought, so that the present year threatens to be one of even greater misery than the last. Bands of beggars and of thieves are forming on every side, while famine is aCtually raging in the northern provinces of China. * * College o:f St. Francis Xavier, Bombay, Dec. I)th, 1877* * * * Our college is frequented by a very large number of pupils-about seven hundred-of all na· tions and religions in India. There is also a clerical seminary attached to it for those Indians who aspire to the priest-. hood, as we have a secular clergy helping us.· Besides, a �Extrafls from Letters. 59 limited boarding house for those of the higher classes is also attached to St. Xavier's College. I learn just now, from the newspapers, that his Grace the Archbishop of Goa (a good friend of the Society and a pious and clever pastor), has formally announced that the exposition of the body of St. Francis Xavier. at Goa, will take place on the Saint's festival day, the 3d of Dec., 1878. We all heartily rejoice at these good tidings, as the occasion will lead to the performance of many miracles and to the increase of faith, hope and charity among all classes. Crowds of devout pilgrims will repair to the sacred shrine. I send you a description of a late visit of the Governor of Bombay to St. Xavier's College and St. Mary's Institution, both under the care of the Fathers of the Society. It is . taken from an Indian newspaper. His Excellency, the Honorable Sir Richard Temple, Bart., K. C. S. 1., accompanied by Lieut. Anderson, his aide-decamp, paid a private visit to St. Xavier's College, on Monday, at 5 o'clock P. 111. Notice of the unexpected honor was received at the college two hours before the arrival of the distinguished visitor. His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. L. Meurin, S. ]., the ReCt:or of the college, Rev. E. de Vos, S. ]., with the college staff, received his Excellency at the principal entrance, and conducted him, amid the enthusiastic cheers of the boys and the strains of the college band, to the seat of honor in the large hall of the college. A sweet duet by Caraffa, "Sempre piu," was then sung, accompanied on the piano, and elicited universal applause. In a short address improvised by an undergraduate boarder, his Excellency received the thanks of the professors and boys for the honor conferred on the college. * * * His Excellency rose amid deafening cheers, such as seven hundred lusty throats can raise, and familiarly approaching the boys, in a kind and impressive speech, thanked the profesSors and boys for the kind feelings expressed, and assured �6o ExtraEls from Letters. them that it would give him the greatest pleasure to be among them on every festive and joyous occasion. He was glad to s~e among them boys of all creeds and races, Christians, Jews, Mahomedans, Hindoos, Parsees, thus making the ,institution the representative-of all classes inhabiting Bombay. They enjoyed here the benefit of being under the influence of Christian teaching, and would thus be enabled, from their own experience and from the noble example of their teachers, to form a true estimate of Ch;istian virtue and Christian conduCt:. (Cheers). They had reminped him of St. Xa\lter's, the sister college of Calcutta. He was glad to say that he felt the warmest interest in that college-a college which, both by the numbers passed at the University examinations and the high proficiency, as far as that is shown by the University test, ever had distinguished herself among the other colleges there. He was not yet sufficiently informed whether the Bombay St. Xavier's College held, in this respeCt:, the same high position among her sister coll~ges in Bombay; but he could have little doubt of this from the faCt: that the gentlemen entrusted with their education were of the Society of Jesus. The splendid pile of buildings, this noble hall, the gentlemen professors, everything around them here was of a: nature to rouse their hearts and minds to noble ideas an'a noble feelings. "' * * A part-song, from Schiller's "Glocke," by Rhomberg; tastefully and enthusiastically delivered, terminated the reception. Though darkness had already set in, his Excellency, on leaving the hall, which he appeared greatly to admire, expressed a wish to take a cursory view of the buildings; and having first visited some of the classes, the cabinet of · . physics, the chemical laboratory, he mounted to the very top of the College tower, admiring the panorama, which, . his Excellency remarked, could from no other site be en· joye~ to such a perfeCtion. His Excellency left the premises at about a quarter past six. On Tuesday afternoon, his Excellency paid a visit to St. �Extra[ls from Letters. 61 Mary's Institution in Nesbit Lane, Byculla, where the Mazagon Company of the. Bombay Volunteers formed a guard of honor to receive the Governor. At 5 o'clock his Excellency drove up, accompanied by an aid-de-camp, and was received by the following gentlemen :-The Right Rev. Dr. Meurin, the Very Re\·. B. Hafely, Superior of the I~­ stitution, the Very Rev. N. Pagani, Rev. Fathers Daling, Cooke, Clarke, Drs. Willy, Bochum and Althoff, also the Hon. Justice Green, Mr. Lynch, and Col. Sexton. His Ex. cellency was escorted upstairs, where the boys of the school numbering about two hundred and fifty, were assembled, when a very tasteful address was read by one of the pupils. * * His Excellency thanked the boys for the address, and for the kind greeting he had received. He was pleased, he said, to see such a large number of healthy and happylooking boys, that they had such a comfortable home and nice play-ground, and that they were instruaed in every branch of education, including music, of which latter he had sufficient evidence· by the fine band they had. He thought they had reason to be thankful to their instruaors for these blessings, which would enable them, in after years, to earn an honest livelihood and become respeaable members of society. He said· tqat this was only a. preliminary visit, but he hoped to see them again and to have the pl~as­ ure of distributing prizes amongst them at the time of the examination. The boys then gave hearty cheers for the Governor. His Excellency was then conduaed through the spacious building. He walked through the dormitories, went up to the terrace or Watch Tower, then into the chapel, visited the infirmary, play-ground, school-rooms, etc., and expressed himself highly pleased with the neatness and cleanliness of the whole establishment. The band of the school played a few lively airs while his Excellency was going round the building, which showed that they had been Well trained under the management of Rev. W. Althoff. His Excellency continued his stay on the premises for �62 Van·a. more than an hour, during which he expressed his desire that a corps of volunteer cadets should be formed by the elder boys of the Institution, and if an instruCtor were required he would see that they should have one appointed for that purpose. His Excellency's desire was at once acceded to by the Rev. Fathers, and a number of volunteer cadets will soon be enrolled. On his Excellency's departure he thanked the authorities of the Institution for the kind reception he had met with, and for the very pleasant time he had spent. The .band of the school then played the national anthem and the volunteers presented anns. z-VARIA. Afi·ica-Father Depelchin, Rector of Bombay, has been appointed to go with the Belgian Expedition to Central Africa. The members of the exploring party, themselves, asked for Jesuits to accompany them. , Australia-A Sydney papei state!{ that the Archbishop has invited the Jesuits into his diocese, to the great joy of the whole Catholic population. Our Fathers will open a high school in the city, and a college and diocesan seminary on the North Shore, both of which will prepare can· didates for the de.grees of the state university. Belgium-A celebration is announced to take place next May, at Termonde, the birth place of Father DeSmet. A magnificent bronze statue will be ere8:ed in honor of the great miSSionary. A deputation of Americans is expeCl:ed to be present at the solemn unveiling.-Father Goethals, formerly Provincial of Belgium, is the new Archbishop of �Van·a. Calcutta. This is one of the very last nominations of Pius 'IX. Father Van Impe accompanies Father Goethals as secretary. Boston, lVIass.- On Thursday, Feb. 28th, the Young Men's .Catholic Association of Boston College, held a reception in the College Hall, in honor of the Most Rev. Archbishop. The exercises consisted of several well executed pieces of vocal and instrumental music, an address by the President, Father Fulton, and an address of welcome to his Grace, by a member of the Association. The response of the Archbishop could not have been more encouraging or friendly in its tone. He began by saying that his predecessor had brought the Jesuits into the diocese to put their mark on the young men of Boston, and they had done so, and would do so yet more in the future. Boston College, he said, would be a "house of benediCtion" for many yet to come. He continued that, in his charge of the diocese, his mind was freed from all anxiety wherever the Jesuits were; for he knew that .the souls entrusted to them would be well cared for. He went on in this strain for some time, and with the greatest earnestness. The Archbishop was followed by Mayor Pier~e in a short but elegant address. His Excellency, the Governor, who spoke next, was, as usual, very eloquent and full of friendliness. He said that he was happy to attend at any time the College entertainments, and declared that it always did him good to come within its walls. At the dose of the regular exercises, the audience visited the reading, music and billiard rooms, and witnessed a performance in the gymnasium. The Governor was quite enthusiastic in his admiration of all that he saw. France-The Theological Seminary of Mans which was offered to Ours, has been refused.-The Jesuits are not, after ali, to b'e entrusted with the theological professorships at �Van·a. Lille or the other new Catholic universities. Fathers Ramiere and Desjardins ha,ve been given the chairs of Ethics· at Toulouse, and Father Joubert that of Mathematics at Paris.- The results of the preliminary examinations at the Polytechnic and the military school of St. Cyr, have been published. Our colleges, as usual, sent up the largest number of successful candidates. At St. Cyr, our school of the Rue des Postes had ninety-six_:_nearly one third of the whole number-and besides carried off the first, second and third places. .. At the Polytechnic, the Rue des Postes had twenty-seven, St. Louis twenty-three, R0llin twenty-one; all the other schools in Paris, together, only twelve. Germany- * * As to the German empire, the government never permitted the Fathers to open a college within the boundaries of the different states. So they looked out for a place in Austria, and began, in 1857, a college at Feldkirch in Vorarlberg for day scholars and boarders. But they were'Obliged to yield to the anti-catholic movement in the Austrian Reichsrath, a!ld had to dismiss the day scholars; so that of late years they have only·a private college (i e., not acknowledged by the state) for. boarders. It has a large number of students. After..:t!le expulsion of our Fathers from Germany, a college was opened at Ordrupshoy near Copenhagen in: Denmark. The number of students is small. The college in Buffalo N. Y. is promising well. Besides the flourishing' college at Bombay there is still another college conduCted by the German. Fathers in St. Leopolda near Porte Alegro in Brazil. India-The College of Culcutta (Belgian Province) is succeeding very well and is attended by a large number of students. It enjoys a high reputation throughout India for studies and discipline. After the last public examinations, in which the· candidates from the college held the first places, several Protestant ministers entered their sons in the classes. Last December, Lord Lytton, accompanied by �Vana. Lady Lytton, visited the college, and in an eloquent speech, insisted on the absolute necessity of a religious training as the antidote for the evils of the age. The deification of reason, he said, had always led to anarchy and barbarism. Italy-A letter from Naples says: The Neapolitan Province has opened a novitiate in the city of Naples with some twelve novices and one in Las Vegas for the missions of New Mexico and Colorado. Father Piccirelli is teaching theology in Vals and Father Jovino Oriental languages and Sanscrit in Louvain.-The province of Venice has opened two new colleges, at Scutari and Cremona.-Our Fathers are preaching and giving missions very successfully, and without opposition, in many parts of the Peninsula.-Two of Ours have been sent to the University of Padua and one to Innsbruck, to follow the courses and take their degrees. Although known as Jesuits, they are treated with the greatest respeCt. One of them lately passed a brilliant examination in the philosophy of history, obtaining the votes of all the examiners, although he refuted the doCtrines taught by his professor. San Juan, Porto Rico* * Our Fathers were sent here by the Spanish Government in the year 1858, and authorized by a royal decree to confer the degree of A. B. But for want of a suitable building, the civil magistrates applied to the Bishop, who was not unwilling to place his seminary under the direCtion of the Society. They came to the agreement that our Fathers should undertake the management of the seminary and instruCt the seminarists as well as those who were desirous of obtaining academic degrees. In such a provisional state, things went on for fifteen years, when the present Bishop expressed the desire of having the seminary exclusively for clerical students. Thi~, far from being a misfortune, has proved to be most advantageous to us. For the Provincial Deputation, so- · VoL. vn-No. 1. 9 �66 Varia. licitous of keeping us for the instruCtion of the secular youth, met in consultation and determined to build a college (Provincial Institute) and commit it to our charge. The ereCl:ion of the building was begun eight months ago, and we hope that we will be able to enter on the academic course of studies in it next year, if our friends succeed in removing the obstacles that arise from the natives and from bad men who are exceedingly angry at our presence in the Island. Spain-Our Fathers have regained possession of most of the colleges \Vhich they lost in r868, when they were driven into exile by the revolutionary party. They have, besides, opened several new ones-two in Aragon, two in Castile. A new college is building at Saragossa ; and a charitable lady has left a legacy of$ 100,000 for the ereCl:ion of another at Morella.-There is reason to believe that our Fathers will soon have a magnificent church in Gandia, with the palace of St. Francis Borgia as· a residence.- The old church_ at Palma in Majorca, containing the tomb of Bl. Alphonsus Rodrigues, has been restored to the Society. One of Ours is editing the writings of the holy brother for early publication.-Our Fathers are preaching the lenten sermons in many cathedrals. The gtissionary bands are kept very busy in all parts of the cou"ntry : their services are eagerly demanded by the Bishops and the people, and their labors are crowned with most consoling and abundant fruits. Woodstock College -On the 13th of February, his Grace the Most Rev. Archbishop of Baltimore, his Excellency Dr. Conroy, Apostolic Delegate to Canada, Bishops Gross, Moore and Becker, the Provincial of the Redemptorists and a large number of priests paid a visit to Woodstock. After dinner, a reception was given them in the library. Dr. Con~oy returned to Woodstock, a few days later, to rest from his labors and to make a retreat. He was present at �Varia. 6; the disputations in theology and philosophy, and at a specimen in chemistry, and expressed himself highly delighted with the course of studies pursued in the Society, as exemplified at \Voodstock. After leaving Woodstock, he spent a few days at Georgetown College, and then started for the West. In company with Archbishop Purcell, Bishop O'Connor and several of the secular clergy, lie visited our college in Cincinnati, where he was received by the students with addresses of welcome in Latin, French, German and English. A like reception was given him at our college in St. Louis, which he visited with several prelates. * * * ~Ve sltould be very happy to be able to record i"n tlze LETTERS wlzat was do1ze in tlu c!mrclzes and colleges of tlze Society £n America 011 t!te occasioll of tlze deatlt of Pius IX, and also to presmt to our readers a correll list of the tmmber of studmts w!to attmded the various colleges of the wltole Soci'ety duri11g t!te year I877-78. Data 011 both mbjefls are respeilfully siJlici'ted. D.O. M. ��WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. VII, No. 2. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE, hs EARLY HISTORY, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ITS FOUNDER, AND EXTRACTS FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE. (Continued.) "Mr. Carroll," says Col. Campbell,* "had been zealously occupied in the duties of a missionary priest about a year and a half, when an appeal to his patriotism by that congress which afterwards declared our independence caused him to leave the field of his pious labors for some months and take a part in the great drama of the American revolution, in which he was able to display the purest love of country, while performing the office of a minister of peace." This "great drama" had already opened, and confliCts had occurred in various places between the British troops and the hastily organized forces of the Americans; there was, moreover, every possibility, considering the unyielding temper of the British ministry and the ever lessening prospect: of arriving at any accommodation with the mother country, that the colonies would have to unite in referring their grievances to the arbitrament of war. After the failure of Dr. Franklin's attempts at conciliation in his conference *Life and Times of Archbishop Carroll. VoL. vn-No. 2. 10 �70 Georgeto-wn College. with the ministry in London, in 177 4, a final severance from the British empire was the issue clearly foreseen by many of the leading minds among the Americans. Chas. Carroll' was conspicuously of the number, and doubtless his reverend friend and conneCtion shared his sentiments; but the people at large were hardly yet prepared for an issue so grave, and still hoped that a better understanding might be had with Great Britain, and thus a protraCted war be averted. It might have been avoided could Canada have been prevailed on to present a common front with the colonies. -However, the Continental Congress then sitting at Philadelphia, deemed it a duty to prepare for all contingencies whether of peace or of· war. If the Canadians could not be induced to unite with the Americans, they were to be urged to neutrality at least, and thus the northern border be secured from invasion. The Canadians had indeed some time before manifested friendly feelings for the Americans, but it began to be noticed that after the death of tbe brave Montgomery at the storming of Quebec, Dec. 31st, 1775, their ardor cooled. A further estrangement was occasioned by the ill-usage the /zabitans and sometimes their priests received from the American troops which still held positions within Canadian terr.i.tory. The Commissioners to treat with the Canadians, Dr. Ben. Franklin, Samuel Chase of Maryland, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton, were appointed Feb. I sth, 1776, and Congress added a special resolution requesting Mr. Carroll to prevail on the Reverend John Carroll to accompany the committee: "it being supposed," says Sparks, "that from his religious sentiments, charaCter and knowledge of the French language, his presence and counsels might be useful in pro. moting the objeB:s of the mission with the Canadians." Rev. Mr. Carroll acceded to the request, says Mr. Brent, "with the view so far as he was to have an agency, to induce the inhabitants of that country who professed the same religion as himself, to remain neutral, and to refrain from taking up arms on the side of Great Britain : further �GeorgetrrLVn College. JI than this he deemed it incompatible with his charaCl:er as a ministP.r of religion to interfere." The· Commissioners received their instruCl:ions on the 20th of March, and soon after, joined by Rev. Mr. Carroll, set out on their long and arduous journey. They left New York on the 2d of April by vessel up the .Hudson, and on the 29th reached Montreal where they were received with great" distinCl:ion by General Arnold, then in command at that post. From this point, Rev. Mr. Carroll wrote to his mother on the 30th of April (dated Ist of May). From a reference in this letter, he must have written to her previously, after the passage over lake George to Ticonderoga, which according to the Journal kept by Charles Carroll, was on the 22d of April. This letter however was probably not preserved. In the one from Montreal he gives an account of the flattering attentions the party re,ceived from the military and the citizens, describes the incidents of the journey thither, makes chatty reference to persons and things that came under his observation in the course of it, and adds some notice of the hospitable reception they met with from General Schuyler at Albany and· on his fine estate at Saratoga whither the General conduCl:ed them. Dr. Franklin, now seventy years of age and in feeble health, had suffered so much from his journey that he was unable to attend to any aCl:ive business, but the other Commissioners employed themselves assiduously in the duties of their trust, and kept Congress duly informed of all that was worthy of note; among other things, giving details of the condition of the American troops in Canada, a condition so desperate that unless help came, no resource was left but evacuation of the country, which ~ndeed followed before the end of May. While they were thus engaged, Rev. Mr. Carroll employed himself in visiting the clergy and conferring with individuals among them. He set before them the American case and its claims to the sympathy of the Canadian people, but was met by the objeCl:ion that the �72 Georgetoam College. Canadians themselves had no complaint to make of the British government which had fulfilled all the obligations of the treaty by which Canada had b~en acquired, and had even protected the ancient laws and customs of the country: that as to the assurances of religious equality held out to them if they would unite their fortunes with those of the Americans, the Canadians had nothing more to ask for than they received already from the British government, which left them in full possession of their ecclesiastical property, and guaranteed to them entire liberty of worship. They alleg.cd on the other hand, that in some of the American colonies severe laws against Catholics and especially .ilgainst priests still subsisted, and that Catholic missionaries among the Indians were rudely and cruelly treated. Rev. Mr. Carroll's explanation that these harsh measures were the result in great part of the l~ws of the royal government .did not entirely satisfy the Canadian representatives ; for they thought they saw no disposition on the part of the colonists themselves to ameliorate the effect of these laws": On the contrary, the intolerant temper of the Americans was c~nspicuously manifested on the occasion of the passage of the "Quebec Act" by the British Parliament in 1773, the very aCt: which secured the Canadians in the religious rights they now enjoyed: tfiis· measure was met in the colonies-though the legislation was one that no way concerned themselves-with a storm of anti-Catholic demonstrations; while the Continental Congress of 1774 in an address to the people of Great Brittain, adopted on the 21st of Oetober (only eighteen months before the visit of the Committee to Canada), stigmatized the concession in the most violent terms that bigotry could suggest. Finally, · the clergy thought that allegiance was due to proteCtion, a principle well established. ·wherefore, they could not teach neutrality to their people in the impending struggle, regarding neutrality as inconsistent with the allegiance due to such ample proteCtion as Great Britain had shown the Catholics of Canada. �Georgetown College. 73 Thus Rev. Mr. Carroll's mission was, through no fault of his, barren of result, and he prepared to return to Philadelphia with Dr. Franklin, whose health continued precarious. They set out on the 11th of May, and reached their destination on the 31st. Dr. Franklin writing back to his fellow Commissioners from New York, on the 27th, gratefully remarked that he "should hardly have got along so far but for Mr. Carroll's friendly assistance and tend:~r care." The other two Commissioners remained to complete their business, and did not reach Philadelphia until the 20th of June, two weeks before the Declaration of Independence. During the few days he spent in Philadelphia, Mr. Carroll enjoyed at St. Joseph's Church the society of his former brethren, Ferdimnd Farmer and Robert Molyneux.* On the 2d of June, he wrote to Charles the father of Chas. Carroll of Carrollton residing at Elkridge, Md., informing him that his son was safe and well and would return very shortly, if not detained by an express which "Mr. Hancock" informed the writer had been sent to delay the return of the two Commissioners : that he himself expeB:ed to call at Elkridge on his way home the following week,t etc. Father Carroll therefore returning to his humble field of labors t in Maryland awaited the progress of events, ready to serve his country as well as his Church in any capacity , in which he <:ould be useful. *'Ferdinand Farmer. (originally Steenmyer) a native of Suabia, was born li20, entered the Society at Landsperge, 1743: came to Maryland, 1752: was professed, 1761: died at Philadelphia in the odor of sanctity, August 17,1786. Robert J\Iolyneux, born in Lancashire, England, 1783: entered the. Society, 1757: was promoted to the priesthood and came to Maryland in 1771; was one of the first to join the Society at its re-establishment here in 1806, and became its first Superior: meanwhile, was President of Georgetown College, 1793 to li96: was made President again, Oct. 1st, 1806, died in office, Dec. 8th, 1808, and was buried at the College. t The original of his letter is in the possession of the Maryland Historical Society, and was published in connection with the Journal of Chas. Carroll of Carrollton. t The little missal from which Father Carroll read Mass, during his missionary career at Rock Creek was presented to Georgetown College by the late Bishop Chanche of Natchez and is preserved in the library. . �74 Georgetoam College. ExtraCts from letters written or received by him in the succeeding interval prior to the establishment of Georgetown College will serve moreover to fill up a hiatus that would otherwise for lack of incident intervene in this short sketch of his life. He received, in 1775 .. a letter from his friend Plowden,* and on account of the interruption. caused by the war of the Revolution, no others for three years. The next succeeding one, dated at Paris, Nov. 7th, 1778, was replied to by Mr. Carroll from Rock Creek, Feb. 28th, 1779· In this letter, after referring to the miscarriage of some of tfieir former letters, Mr. Carroll says : "Belie\'e me my dear Charles, there is no person with whom I would choose holding a correspondence rather than yourself, and thus renewing the memory of those happy days I spent with you at Bologna.t and should have spent at Bruges, had not pnblic misfortune damped all sense of private happiness. For the future however, now that we have opened a chann.el of correspondence, I hope we shall continue it uninterruptedly while we live; and indeed, I entertain some plea;ing idea of making our correspondence personal, for a few months at least, sometime or other of my life. I left so many dear friends behind me in Europe, that I am at times determined to return thither for a twelvemonth when peace is restored and when I shall be e~ab!ed conveniently to bear the expense of a voyage thither and back again." Then follows the passage quoted heretofore in reference to Rev. Mr. Lewis and himself and his own field of labor at Rock Creek. The letter continues: "You inquire how congress intended to treat the Catholics in this country. *Charles Plowden, born at Salop, England, 1743, entered the novitiate at . Watten (St. Orner's) 1759: was ordained at Rome, 1770: after filling various posts of responsibility, was made Provincial of England and Rector of Stony· hurst, 1817: Died June 13th, 1821. llis letters of 1775 and 1778 are probably to be found at the Archbishop's residence, Baltimore. t Fath~r Plowden completed his theological studies in Bologna prior to his ordination in 17i0: Fr. Carroll was then already a priest; and this is the only reference that appears anywhere to the fact that he was at Bologna at that time. Fr. Plowden was Minister at Bruges while Fr. Carroll was there in 1773. �Georgettr&n College. 75 To this I must answer you that congress has n'o authority or jurisdiCtion relative to the internal government or concerns of the particular states of the Union ; these are all settled by the constitutions and laws of the states themselves. I am glad however to inform you that the fullest and largest system of toleration* is adopted in almost all the American states; public proteCtion and encouragement are extended alike to all denominations, and Roman Catholics are members of congress, assemblies, and hold civil and millitary posts as well as others. For the sake of your and many other families, I am heartily glad to see the same policy beginning to be adopted in England and Ireland; and I cannot help thinking that you are indebted to America for this piece of service. .I hope it will soon be extended as far with you as with us. "You are then going, my dear Charles, to make another tour into Italy. How many affeB:ing sights will you have during your travels ; I fear more than Gothic waste and plunder, and, what is still more distressing, many aged venerable men, worn out in the service of Religion, doomed to drag out the remainder of their lives in want and poverty! Pray remember me to many by name at Rome and Venice; thank the Abbe Grant and Mr. Stonor for the many facilities I received from them during my stay there. Tell Abbe Grant that my young countryman of the name of Smith whom I accidentally met and introduced to him at Rome, is the same who now a lieutenant colonel, so bravely defended Mud. Island fort in Delaware the autumn before last." The next letter found on record, at least in part, from Rev. Mr. Carroll to his friend, is dated April 27th, 1780. After mentioning that he had received no letters from Europe since Mr. Plowden's own of November, 1778, previously acknowledged, the writer continues: "When we Parted, it was your intention to settle in France, but will *By "toleration" is meant "religious liberty:" but "toleration" was the more familiar word in those days. �Georgetown College. you not return to your own country and enjoy that indulgence and relaxation of penal laws which the spirit of toleration has procured for you in England? and to which, as well as to the removal of the obstruCtions on the Irish trade, our American Revolution has not a little contributed by making it necessary for England to unite all parties at home, and stifle all opposition in Ireland. This is all I shall say on politics at present. Since my· last to you, died here universally ~egretted by his acquaintance, Mr. George Hunter.* He was truly a holy man, full of the spirit of God and the zeir of souls, His death happened during the hot months last summer, which always had a terrible effeCt upon his health. Your old friend Molyneux, with whom you have passed so many happy hours, is still at Philadelphia: he is anxious to be removed into his province, tho' he is now, as he writes me, in high credit, being teacher of the English language to the Chevlr. de Ia Luzerne, the French Minister Plenipotentiary there. Your school-fellow Ashton t lives about twenty-five miles from me, and is the most industrious man in Maryland : it is a pity he could not have the management of all the estates belonging to the clergy in this country: they would yield thrice as much as they now do. Mr. Matthews t who succeeds Mr. Hunter at Port Tobacco, promises, I am told, ~ery well: but James '*George Hunter, born in Northumberland, England, 1713, entered the So· ciety 1730: came to :Maryland, 17-17: was professed the year after: returned to England, 1755: came back to )[aryland, 1739: went again to England, by way of Canada, and came back to )laryland finally in 17G9. He died at Port Tobacco, in odor of sanctity, .Tune lUth, 1779. He was the Superior in Mary· land prior to Rev. John Lewis. t John Ashton, horn in Ireland, 17-12, entered the Society in 17 59. He came to )fa ryland in 1767, and resided for thirty-nine years at Whitemarsh, part of · the time with Rev. )lr. Carroll himself. He did not join his brethren at the time of the restoration, but left ""hitemarsh,· and survived till 1815. It will be seen that the management of the estates was afterwards given to him, and that he was financial agent for building Georgetown College. ! Ignatius )latthews, born in )farylanrl, 1730, entered the Society, 1763, after finishing his theological course. Returned from Europe, li66, and died al Newtown, May 11, 1790. �Georgetown, College. 77 Walton,* who has as fine land a;; any in America, .is said to make a bad hand at farming. This you, who know him, will not be surprised at. But if he does no't succeed in temporals, he is indefatigable in his spiritual occupations. With him lives, amongst others, that man without guile, little Austin Jenkins.t I am told he is almost adored by his acquaintance; and I dare say, very deservedly. Of the rest I have only to say that they continue as they were when I wrote last." He then asks if the Academy at Liege were still subsisting. and says he has written to Aston-at Liege-who was President of the minor college at Bruges at the time of the suppression; to Elleker, also then at Liege, and to others. These observations indicate that Rev. Mr. Carroll was probably even then thinking of establishing an "Academy" in Maryland, and of drawing teachers for it from among those who had had experience at Liege. (In a letter written later, he does actually make application to this effect). He enquires after his "excellent and noble friends, Lord and Lady Arundel," and the "good old Lord Stourton and his son," with whom Mr. Carroll made the tour of Europ\'! seven or eight years before: regrets not receiving Mr. Plowden's letter from Turin, containing details concerning friends : desires to be remembered to his acquaintance in Italy, from whom he received "such numerous instances of sincere good will," a~d concludes as follows: "As to myself, I continue as when I wrote last, living with my mother in a retired part of the country, and enjoying great domestic felicity. My brother t resides at Annapolis, our capital, being in public employ there. I still retain the *James 'Valton, (a native of Lancashire?) born 1736, 'entered the Society, 1757: was probably a priest when he came to Maryland with Father Ignatius )Iatthews in 1766: died at St. Inigoes, 1803. ·At the time the above was writ· ten, he was living at Newtown, St. Mary's Co. . t.Austin (or Augustus) Jenkins, born 1747, entered the Society, 1766: was ordained at Liege: came to Maryland in 1774: after a zealous career, died Feb. 2nd, 1800. t Daniel Carroll, referred to in the beginning of this sketch. VoL. vu-No. 2. II �Gcorge!IJI-Uil College. same inclination as when I wrote last, to visit my European friends, but have little hopes of bringing it about." As the establishment at Liege is frequently mentioned in this sketch, or alluded to in the correspondence of Rev. Mr. Carroll and his friends, it would be well to give some account of it. The English novitiate of the Society, originally established at Louvain in 16o6 and endowed by the Lady Aloysia de Caravajal of Valladolid, was removed hither in 1614. It received further endowments from George Talbot, afterwards ninth Earl of Shrewsbury, and from Prince Maximilian Duke of Bavaria. The novitiate; however, was removed from Liege to \Vatton near St. Orner's in 1622, and Liege became exclusively a scholasticate or house of studies for those pursuing their Philosophy and Theology in preparation for ordination in the Society. Here our founder completed his course and became afterwards the preceptor of others. The suppression of the Society in 1773 closed the institutiC?n and transferred the property to ot!_ler hands after possession of it had been held by the Jesuits for more than a century and a half. The Prince Bishop of Liege immediatly restored the hquse to the late superior, John Howard,* as a place of educ:ation for the English Catholic gentry, as well as.a seminary for ecclesi· astics. Rev. 1\Ir. Howard died in IJ83, and was succeeded by Rev. William Strickla~d, a highly val~ed friend and correspondent of our founder's, who greatly promoted the success of the institution; so that in 1787 there were one hundred and thirteen scholars. Rev. Mr. Strickland resigned *This Howard was not of the noble family of that name. His family name was originally Holme. It is needless to add that all the reverend gentlemen mentioned here were members of the Society at the time of the suppression, . and all with the exception of Father Howard, lived to rejoin it at its restora· tion. ln 1774, during :Mr. Howard's presidency, :Mr. Plowden was "Spiritual Prefect" of the Academy. He had been, as stated before, :Minister at Bruges, and at the suppression was imprisoned from the 20th September, 1773, to·the 25th :May, 1774. 'Vhen released, he visited his friends at Liege, and thence went to England on a short visit, returning to Liege. In 1784, he was tutor to :Mr. Weld's sons at Lulworth. �Georgetown College. 79 his office in 1790, and repaired to England as Procurator for his brethren, leaving Rev. Marmaduke Stone as his successor. The latter was President both before and after the final emigration to Stonyhurst * in 1794. The removal from Liege was caused by the invasion of that territory by the French troops and its annexation to France: in consequence of which, an end was also put to the long line of Prince Bishops of Liege. , More than a year elapses without the record of any correspondence between Rev. l\Ir. Carroll and his friends, until May 1 Ith, 1781, when he writes from Rock Creek to his friend Governor Lee of Maryland. This letter-:-written after Mr. Carroll's return from one of his periodical visits to the Brents in Virginia-and those which follow it to the same person, are interesting on account of the reference made therein to events transpiring at the time. The writer acknowledges the Governor's last favor and now begs that he will cause to be despatched to him a:t "Mellwood," the family seat of the Digges-mutual relatives it appears of the Lees and Carrolls-a letter for him lying at Annapolis, which he sees advertised in the .Maryland Gazette of April 26th. He expected to be at Mellwood where his sister Betsy then was, or would be the following week, and adds : "It would be a great addition to the pleasure of my visit to find you there, tho' I much fear the business of the ,Assembly will confine you at home. The late manceuvres of oui enemy show that they understand the business of destruction better than you, but cannot plan so rational a plan of conquest, or permanent advantage at least, as that laid down in your last favour." He then goes on to give an account of the devastation committed by the British naval forces on their ascent of James River, Virginia, as commu*Stonyhurst was a foundation niade by Thomas Weld, Esq., of Lulworth castle, a member of an ancient and distinguished Catholic house. �So Georgeto-wn College. nicated to him by several American officers and merchants from Richmond, Petersburg, etc., whom he met at the house of the Brents. He speaks of some bloodthirsty threats made by Philips, the British officer in command, "if America did not in a very short time come into the terms of unconditional surrender." Col. Wm. Brent, Jr., informed him of these threats, and states that the enemy were expeCted up the "Patowmac." The Virginians were preparing for them • there, and the writer adds: "I doubt not but you are taking measures ofthe same tendency; as far as our defenceless situation wfit admit.-In my way home, I heard of a sudden revolution in .money matter, all old continental money being out of credit. If you can inform me of any method of getting off a small parcel of about four hundred dollars, I shall be obliged to you. I unfortunately exchanged Virginia currency for it the day before. My mother and Molly join me in giving you joy for the birth of another son, and present their best compliments. If Mr. Carroll and lady are still Ln town, be pleased to assure them of my affeCtionate regard. I am, with very sincere affeCtion and utmost esteem, my dear sir, your most obedient humble servant, J. Carroll." [The Molly and Betsy referred to in the above were the two unmarried sisters of the writer.' Col. vVm. Brent, Jr., was the son of their sister Eleanor, \vife of W m. Brent of Acquia Creek. "Mr. Carroll" was their conneCtion, Charles of Carrollton, then a member of the Maryland Assembly.] Another letter to Governor Lee, of July 17th, the same year, from "Rock Creek," exhibits that courtliness of ex· pression which flowed so naturally from Mr. Carroll's pen, the counter part doubtless of those graces of manner which . belonged to the gentlemen of his time, and which, from his familiarity with the best society in Europe and America, must have been habitual with h.im, even in his intercourse with t_he humblest persons. "My dear Sir: The pleasure and happiness of being acquainted with you and of enjoying. as I flatter myself, some share of your esteem, has raised �Georgetcr&n College. 81 my credit greatly in this neighborhood. This you will un. derstand from the earnest application made by the bearer of this for a letter in his favour. The young gentleman is son of the late Mr. Richard Beall, and grandson to Col. Sam'!. Beall. I am not acquainted with him personally, but have heard his aCtivity and diligence much commended. The good whiggism of his family is well known to you. He solicits a command in the p1ilitia to be raised immediately, and will conduCt himself, I dare say from his charaCter, with propriety and credit if he should obtain it. I hope you will convince him that my interest with you is as great as it is supposed here. If you should not, I shall immediately experience a great diminution of the respeCt now shown me, for I look upon it to be no more than a borrowed lustre darted upon me from some self-shining luminary. I find I have begun my letter on the wrong side of my paper.· Your favurite Lord Chesterfield would write it over again rather than send it in its present form : but you will excuse me for many reasons. "Your brother informed me that you had received some time since a letter from the Pres. of Congress, of which you would send me a copy when at liberty. I shall be very happy to understand from it, when I do see it, that there is any prospeCt of peace, an honorable one I mean. We are very anxious here to know all the particulars of Gen'l. Wayne's · aCtion with Corp. wallis. Three of my mother's grandsons [sons of Robert and William Brent] are with the Marquis [Lafayette], and the uncertainty of their fate gives unceasing disquiet to this family. My mother and sisters present their love to Mrs. Lee and respeCtful compliments to yourself," etc. The MS. collection of letters before referred to contains also copies of some from Charles Carroll of Carrollton to Gov. Lee, addressed from Doughoragan Manor (spelt by him "Doohoragan"), the ancient seat of the Carrolls and still their homestead. These letters are devoted entirely to �82 GeorgetOLmz College. the discusssion of affairs in Europe, and the military situation in America. The first is dated Aug. 4th, I 78 I. The second was written the following evening, to be sent off by "break of day" in care of "the Express,* Mr. Purdie," who brought the letter to which it is a reply. In anticipation of an attack on Annapolis by the British fleet, the writer says: " [ entreat the favour of you to direct my clerk to send up a messenger from the quarter, if the enemy should appear before Annapolis. I intend in that case to come down and join in the common fate and defence of this country." The third, of tli.e I Ith August, speaks in this commendatory manner of Gen. Greene : "He has really done wonders, he is a patient persevering General, of the temper and cast of mind peculiarly suited to our situation and affairs; he makes the most of a little force, retires when pressed, and pushes his enemy in turn. I think his campaign 'hitherto a most brilliant one." The fourth and last letter recorded of Chas. Carroll's to the_Governor, is of the I 8th of the same month, and among other things, makes reference to 'the currency troubles of the time. Paper money had been issued both by the State and by Congress in such quantities as to have become greatly depreciated in value. Th.e General Assembly of Maryland following a similar enactm~nt by Congress, passed in December, 1780, an act declaring that after the zoth March, I 78 I, all such money sh~:mld cease to have value or to pass current in the State but that, in the mean time, one dollar of a new emission would be exchanged for every forty dollars of the old. Rev. Mr. Carroll's "four hundred dollars," worth ten dollars when he received them, were therefore when he wrote to Gov. Lee, but waste paper, ,the period for their redemption having expired. . During 1782, but one letter of Rev. Mr. Carroll's is found '"An official employed by the Legislature in those days to convey messages to absent members. �Georgetown College. on record.* It is to his friend Plowden, under date of Feb. 2oth: "I have not seen since my last, but often hear from our good friend Molyneux. \Vhen I have next the pleasure of meeting him I expect to find him perfectly metamorphosed. Phila. is become a place of the greatest gaiety, the resort of all the rich people in America, and of the French officers serving in this country. M. has been English master to the Chev. Luzerne, and undoubtedly often among the brilliant company at his hotel. Now as you know his natural talen_ts for elegant life and manners, you will judge of his proficiency. "I observe in your last letter that some events had happened and othP.rs were likely to follow that afforded hope to the sanguine, of a re-establishment of the Society: I rejoice indeed at these events, and particularly that it has pleased God to vindicate and make known so publicly the innocence of the poor sufferers in Portugal.t This is a great step towards a complete justification, and with serious people, *There is a fragment noted of a previous letter, of the 2d Feb., referring to the recent announcement of the death of one of the writer's former brethren: "F. Wapeler's candor and artless disposition of heart always endeared him to me." IVilliam IV apeler, born in IV estphalia, li11, entered the Sol'iety in 1728: came to Maryland in li-H: established the mission at Conewago (Adams Co. Pa.) the same year, and that at Lancaster,-since surrendered by the Society-in 1742. His health failing, he returned to Europe in 1748, and was professed, 1749, probably at Ghent, where he took up his residence. He was subsequently 5ent to Rruges, where Fr. Carroll made his acquaintance, and where he died in September, 1781. The letter of Feb. 20th (above) is taken partly from Rev. Dr. White's letter-book, and partly from Campbell's Sketch, U.S. Cath. ~lag. 1844. p. 308. tThE\ revelations to which the writer-refers were those which followed the downfall, in 1777, of the Marquis of Pombal, the cruel and unscrupulous persecutor of the Portuguese Jesuits. The wretched man, shortly after the above letter was written, viz: May 5th, 178:2, surrendered to the Eternal Judge the remains of life which the clemency of his sovereign had spared to him. His ?ody remained unentom bed until the restoration of the Society in Portugal In 1832,-fifty years after his death, when a Uass was said over it by a mem-· her of that religious family which he had first smirched with calumny and then driven from the kingdom. For full details of the persecution, and an account of the proceedings in Paraguay, see a recent work by Rev. Alfred ,~- eld, S. J.: "The Suppression of the Society of Jesus in the Portuguese domiD!ons." London, Burns and Oates, 1877. �GeorgelfT<i.lll College. might be a sufficient reason to call in question and examine the other scandalous aspersions which were cast upon our dear Society. But I hope nothing beyond this," etc. Here, he comments upon the spirit of despotism among European monarchs, growing side by side with the development of a lawless sentiment among the governed, portents of the revolution which was shortly to shake Europe to its centre. He continues on the subjeCt: so dear to his heart, the restoration of the Society, which he nevertheless considers unlikely to occur, because, as he says, it "would be opposed by the united voices of all these plunderers who have enriched themselves with the lands, the furniture of the colleges, the plate and treasure of the churches and P.arishes." . He adds, with that honest indignation at the injuries suffered by his brethren, which-as these are words that pass in all the candor of familiar intercourse between one former member of the Society and another-may well be set in vindication of it against volumes of the loose inveCtive commonly employed on the other side: "I can assure you that one of my strongest inducements to leave Europe was to be removed not only out of sight, but even out of the hearing of those scenes of iniquity, duplicity, and depredation, of which I had heard and seen so much. This long war which has raged between our western co~tinent and your highminded island, at the same time that it deprived me of the pleasure of hearing from my friends, has at least afforded me the consolation that I have not been mortified with the recital of the rapines, the defamation, and insl!lts, to which those I love best have been exposed." Even the books he reads bring this painful subjeCt: before him. "In my retirement here," he says, "I have scarcely any other amusement than reading over and over the few books I have and can borrow from my friends, and amongst others, I have bee!l refreshing my memory by revising Muratori's account of the ~issions of Paraguay. What a dreadful havoc did irreligion make when it tore up, root and branch, that noble �Georgetown · College. 85 establishment, the triumph of ·zeal, of humanity, and Christianity! You will wonder my dear .Charles, how I could fall into this long dissertation, but really when I write to you, or think on my friends in Europe, my grief and, I fear, indignation, get the better of every consideration." Remarks upon other writings, comments on European . affairs,-among other things, the disturbances created in England by "that madman, Lord G. Gordon,"-references to friends in England and on the continent, etc., occupy the chief portion of this interesting letter, which is, however, too long to be transcribed in full, at least here. It refers to the then recent surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army: whence the inference that peace between England and America was not remote; and with peace would come greater facility of intercourse between friends by letter. The writer says of the venerable Challoner, whom he supposes then no more : "God has given a great blessing to his labors: some of his writings, and particularly his Catholic Christian, do infinite service here." And indeed this is true at the present day. From the tenor of -the following remarks in reference to the condition of the ex-Jesuits in Maryland, it is evident that the writer's comprehensive mind ·clearly grasped the necessities of the situation, while his zealous spirit chafed at the obstacles which threatened to impede the progress of religion. He thus gives unconscious evidence that he was the man of all others, whom it was proper to choose to regulate the affairs of the Church at this central point of its missionary labor in the States. Another proof of his eminent fitness for the superiority to which he was subsequently called by the suffrages of his clerical brethren is afforded in the same letter, where he speaks in such high terms of the then superior of the clergy, Rev. Mr. Lewis, the same who had excluded Mr. Carroll himself from all share in the revenues of the late Jesuit estates; thus showing that no personal considerations could warp the writer's calm and equable judgment of men: "The clergymen here continue Vot. VII-No. 2. 12 �86 Georgcttnrm College. to live in the old form; it is the effeCt: of habit, and if they could promise themselves immortality, it would be well enough. But I regret that indolence prevents any form of administration being adopted which might tend to secure to posterity a succession of Catholic clergymen and secure to them a comfortable subsistence. I said that the former system of administration (that is every thing being in the. power of a superior) continued: but all those checks upon him so wisely provided by our former constitutions"-the writer ref~rs to those of the suppressed Society-"are at an end. It ..is happy that the present superior is a person free from every selfish view and ambition; but his successor may not (be]; and what is likewise to be feared, the succeeding generation, which will not be trained in the same habits and discipline as the present, will in all probability be infeB:ed much more strongly with interested and private views. The system therefore which they will adopt will be less calculated for the public or future benefit than would be agreed to now, if they could be prevailed upon to enter at all into the business." • It will be seen, further on, that these defeB:s in the status of the clergy were remedied in good time, chiefly through the aB:ive intervention of Rev. Mi.. Carroll himself; and that side by side with the projeCt: of ·an Academy which, it seems probable, already occupied his thoughts, grew up the, design of an institution for the training of ecclesiastics, the need of which he so clearly indicates, above. (To be continue d.) �·THE MISSIONS OF FREDERICK Co., Mn. On the 25th of September,-1865, a Father was sent to take charge of the missions in Frederick Co. From the first day on which he began his labor the Liberty mission claimed and received much of his attention. The faith had not died out among the people of this mission. To be stirred up and added to was all that was needed. The Copper mines, worked by a goodly number of Irish, turned out to be a fertile field ready to bring forth good fruit in season. A number of Protestants asked for and received instruCtion ; and in due time were all received into the Church. In this way things went on, varied only· by the occasional visit of the Archbishop who administered Confirmation, or by the usual happy excitement which ever accompanies first Communion. Four or five years passed away, and the necessity of a new and larger church began to be evident. The old one was in a very dilapidated condition, and day by day gave new signs of its incapacity to seat the growing congregation. With a cheerful and hearty zeal they began the new church, which was dedicated to the . worship of Almighty God on the 10th day of June 1871. · A few days later the last payment of debt on the church ~m~ . The following year saw the secular priests in charge of the church and congregation. They, in turn, gave way to our Fathers who now have charge of the mission. About this time the want of a church in Middletown Valley was sensibly felt. A number of families were in great danger of losing their faith. A new one therefore under happy auspices, was ereeted, and on the day of its dedication, not one cent of debt remained to be paid. This little mission. in the Valley has given a greater proportion (87) �88 Tlte .Jlfissions of Fredrriek Co., Md. of- converts to the Church than any of the other missions. And here it will not be out of place to give, in brief, the incidents which accompanied the conversion of Miss Ezial Shoryer. This poor young girl' who had been bed-ridden for eight or ten years, heard that the priest who was building a Catholic church in Middletown, was saying Mass once a month at the residence of Mr. Shorb, and was frequently seen riding near her father's house· on sick calls or in performance of other duties. She expressed a wish to see him. The membE~rs of her family laughed at her, and turned her wish into ridicule. She however persisted, and obtained a promise from her brother Joseph to call on the Father on ·the following Sunday. He did so, modestly making his appearance after Mass. The Father heard him and promised to visit his sister on the next day. No little excitement on the part of the family, and among the neighbors, was caused by the expeCted arrival of the missionary. Much speculation as to what he would do, how he would behave himself, and if he were in any manner like the rest of mankind. · All these and many other notions filled the heads of those simple mountain peopl~ on that day. The poor crippled creature who anxiously looked foe-the priest, was beside herself with joy when he at last arriv~d. She was bold in telling them all, t!tat t!zat was tlze being she had so often seen in her di-eams. She undoubtedly believed in him and the Church that sent him. A little blue-covered catechism contained all the theology that was necessary, and the Father opened its golden leaves, and instruCted the full room for two hours. When he ended all seemed pleased with what had been said. A lesson was then given to the poor invalid who publicly expressed her determination to become a member of our holy Church; and a day was appointed to revisit and continue the instructions. On the day fixed the Father returned, and found that to the three pages given as a lesson, the intelligent �The Missions of Frederick Co., Md. child had added twelve others, which she recited perfectly. She not only knew them by heart, but she also thoroughly understood them. The grace of God seemed to have taken complete possession of her "soul. She knew well and understood all that she read, and seemed possessed of a wonderfully strong and deep faith in all that God has taught His Church. Two other visits completed the instructions, and Miss. S. was baptized in presence of her family and many of her friends. Very little more was needed to prepare her for first Communion; and Easter Monday of that year was fixed upon as the happy day. In the mean time the Father promised her some books to read, and kept his word. From. one of those books she read to her mother and sister the miraculous cure of a young person on the day of her first Communion; when the Father again saw her, she said to him with much confidence, that she also would be cured on the day of her first Communion. He comritended her faith, but . advised her to be satisfied with whatever God might be pleased to do. If for His greater glory and her greater good He would certainly cure her. But if the contrary, she must be resigned to suffer on. She would be, she said, perfectly resigned. Day after day brought her nearer to our Lord in holy Communion, and day after day, did she with great faith, redouble her fervent prayers. On Easter Monday, 14th of April, 1873, at the hour of Io o'clock, the priest and his penitent were found preparing for the great act. After the absolution, the little table being ready, all her friends and some neighbors entering the room, she received holy Communion with extraordinary devotion. The Father read the prayers of thanksgiving, after which a!~ except her sister left the room. A short quarter of an hour later, the girl's father, mother, and the priest reentered the room, and found Miss. S. dressed. She appeared to suffer from nervous excitement, and looked very pale. She however declared she was better, and said she could walk �go Tlte .!Vfi'ssz·ons of Freden.ck Co., 111d. to the door of her room which looked out on the Valley. A chair was placed in the doorway by the Father, and the young girl, in presence of her parents and friends, walked, with some little help, to the door, and looked out on the whole Valley, and saw with much pleasure the pretty little meadow below and the old orchard near it, where years ago, she played with her companions. She by the power and goodness of God was cured. Her mother and sister were afterwards baptized. She her,elf, two years later, was confirmed in th!! neat little church in Middletown by the Most Rev. Archbishop Bailey, who after Mass called for the girl _and spoke with her. She is very well at present, and by her industry makes an honest living. The mission of St. Joseph's on the manor has ever been to our Fathers a source of great consolation. Almost all the members of the congregation approach the Sacraments monthly. The small and almost ruined old church has given place to a new and more commodious one. All debt on the new church has long since been paid. In this congregation we have had many converts. A Sodality which comprises nearly all the colored people was established in 1s65. The largest congregation in this county is attached to St. Mary's church, Petersville. There al~o much consolation has been given to the Fathers by the fervor of the members. The old church built by Fr. McElroy was partially torn down in 1873 and rebuilt. All debt on it has been paid. Schools for the colored children have been established, and are being taught by Miss Eliza Mitchell. The schools are well attended. A number of Catholic families living in the distriCts of Urbana and New Market have been for years loudly calling for a church in their seCtion of the country, to meet the irn· mediate and special wants of the rising generation. A colony of colored people, under the temporal direEtion of their old patriarch, Ignatius Toodle, purchased a traCl: of �Tlte Missio11s of Frederick Co., .llfd. land in Urbana distriCt:, and soon ereB:ed a number of dwellings sufficient to justify the inhabitants in giving the place the name of their good and holy leader. Toodlestown, then, is the name. In the heart of the little town stands the school-house, which before the ereCtion of the new church, was used as a chapel. The Sunday Mass prayers, Angelus, Vespers, singing schools and night prayers, with litany of B. V. M. are all conduB:ed by the most intelligent and spiritual man in the community, John Contee. John is a species of deacon, who rings his bell four times on Sundays, for these services ; and on week days once for night prayers. During the holy season of Lent they have the exercises proper for that time. During the month of May also, eachday has its devotion. The men and women of Toodlestown often walk to Frederick city, a distance of fifteen miles, in order to go to Confession and Communion. Church-going for them is a labor of love. No extreme heat or cold, rain or snow, can deter them or keep them home on their regular church Sunday. After a grave consultation with the principal men of both distriCts, the happy determination of ereB:ing a new church in Urbana was taken. The building, under the happiest auspices, was commenced on the 10th day of February, 1876, and was solemnly dedicated to the worship of Almighty God on the I sth day, and third Sunday, of July of the same year. The last payment of debt on the fhurch is one h~n­ dred and twenty-five dollars, which in a few months they hope to pay. We are often called upon to witness extraordinary workings of divine grace in the souls of those who have been entrusted to our spiritual care. The Fathers employed on these missions experience some privations and a great many consolations. . �INDIAN MISSIONS. MISSION OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FoRT \VILLIAM, Nov. 22d, I877. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. I have'before me your charming letter from St. Inigoes, dated August 2, I 876, and I have not written to you since. Besides, while I was yet at Wikwemikong, Fr. Nadeau read me these words from a letter of yours: "Tell Fr. Hebert to wipe the rust off his pen." I shall not try to free myself from blame, as I have already defended bad causes enough. Then of what avail were it? You know me of old. The place from which your letter is dated was heretofore known to me by name only. The details you gave regarding St. Inigoes and its surroundings were full of interest to Fr. Chol!e, Bro. Jenesseaux and mysel£ But why didn't they get this fine villa for Woodstock some years before? I could have gone thither myself and perhaps have left there dyspepsia and headaches. But 'twas not in the counties that I had to get rid of them. I had to' tire them out in my snow-shoe tramps and bark-canoe ~oyages on Lake Superior. I had to kill them by doses of fat pork and hard-tack -recipe for dyspeptics who live in the midst of comfort. The faa is, dear Father, that my health has greatly im· proved since my arrival in these missions, especially since I came to Fort William. Since my strength increases, I would have you obtain for me from God's goodness, the grace to spend it all for Him. I left Wikmemikong in the month of Oetober, I876, and after a month'~ stay there, went to Grand- Portage where I spent .three months. Grand- Portage was, as you know, a very important trading-post of the Hudson Bay Company. Now there is nothing there but a handful of poor, wretched (92) �Indian ll1ission~. 93 Indians. I found, however, the thing for which I came, people who with thei-r savage language, speak pretty pure od;i'bce. On my return hither, in the last days of February, I remained but a short while. On March 15, Rev. Fr. Du Ranquet and I set out on the grand spring tour. \Ve followed the Pacific railroad as far as the Riviere aux Ang!ais. In the night-time we sought shelter in the "shanties." In them we fell in with men of many nations, Swedes and Nor\vegians being in the majority. At Riviere aux Ang!ais we hired h~o Indian lads to help us carry our baggage-each of us had an altar-and to guide us to Fort Nepigon. It \Vould be a hard task to tell how often we had to shoulder our canoes, how many lakes of all sizes we crossed. The snow was still quite deep, and when it melted under the influence of the noonday suns, our shoes were filled with water. Very often the nights were extremely cold. Our companions falling sick, we had to bear the heavy burdens and drag along the tobagan. After the day's travelling, we had to encamp at nightfall, cut wood for the night, make a fire, cook our supper and finish our breviary, straining' our eyes over the fitful light of the camp-fire. More than once the smoke forced tears from our eyes and we might have been taken for saints, if we had not made so many grimaces. 'Twas quite late ere our bed-time came. As we journeyed along during the day, I was often obliged to take off mittens, comforter and cloak ; but I lay down to sleep in full rig, cap, mittens and co~­ forter, and even then, I was often forced to get up during the night to put on more fuel. My hardy mentor had but one blanket over him, while I had two ; and yet he seemed to bear the cold at least as well as I did. As for the savages, I have often seen them sleeping soundly, though their feet were uncovered. That's what comes from habit! When we reached Fort Nepigon, we were completely worn out; our clothes even were m rags and we needed some . VoL~ VII-No. 2. 13 �94 Indimr JJ1issions. spare time to remove the marks of our travelling. We were received with open arms by M. Henri de la Ronde, who is in charge of Fort Nepigon. M. de la Ronde is a half-breed. He received a classical education in a Prot" estant college, to which his father was imprudent enough to send him to make his studies. Being quite young he soon lost his faith; the Protestants wanted him to become a min. ister. The father, who was a sincere Catholic, heard of what was going on, and deeply angered, at once wrote to . bid them send him h.ome. Jhey paid no attention to this order ; and· .then he tried something else : he sent no more money to defray his son's expenses. The consequence was that his son soon returned, not only to his father's house, but also to our holy religion, which he had abandoned only because he did not well know it. To-day his zeal and attachment to the faith are wonderful. Here we found good lodging, a well-cared for table and rest, which enabled us soon to recover strength. Here also it was that our ministry, properly speaking, began; for scanty, in sooth, were the gleanings left in his harvest-field by the indefatigable Fr. Baxter, who cares for the souls of those dwelling on the railroad line; and between the track and Fort Nepigon we found but a handful of'In~ dians scattered here and there. ..,.. At the Fort, however, our painstaking was well repaid, not that there were many at the fort on our arrival, but on the spreading abroad of the news of our coming, the people flocked in from all the villages lying on the banks of Lake Nepigon. This was their first chance of fulfilling their Easter duties, and they earnestly put it to profit. I was greatly edified by their recolleCtion and sincere piety. Poor savages ! They have the consolations of religion but once or twice a year, and they know how to appreciate thern. They are full of eagerness in these matters. Can it be that the saying, consueta vi/esczmt, is apt even in things of bound· less value! �Indian Missions. 95 We left Fort Nepigon after ten days' stay. Our clothes, our strength, our provisions, everything was renewed, thanks to the kindheartedness of our host. He gave us also a good viaticum and subscribed one hundred dollars for the building of a church at Red Rock, on Lake Helen, not far from Lake Superior. He sent men, besides, to accompany us about twenty miles. The scene at the time of our setting out was one of the most laughable that I have witnessed during my life. Horses, as you are aware, are not known hereabouts. Dogs have to take their place. Accordingly when we were about to start, and the sleds and harness with their many strings of little bells were brought out, all the dogs of the fort began to bark at once, showing, some one told me, their desire to take part in the journey. But the happy privileged ones were to be but eleven, six to draw the sledge of the Reverend Father and five for mine. This preference gave rise to jealousy, and a general battle followed. Those sharing in the fight, barked and howled, and our men shouted until their throats were sore to bring back quiet. 'Twas truly a deafening hub-hub, and in the midst of it I had to turn away and hold my sides. Peace at length came, and then the dogs that were to draw the sleds were put in harness and arranged in due order. But you don't go to war without paying the costs of it. This was plain in the many marks of biting which these poor dogs bore. To all this, however, they were insensible, and their hurry to be off was shown by their barking, glancing around and pawing the snow .. Finally they were put to the sleds, we bade adieu to the people of the fort, got on our sleds, and Charlie cries out: "Go along, Shoo-fly." We went with an astonishing speed, and as the ice was hard we soon began to describe all kinds of curves, and it was as much as we could do to keep our seats on the sleds; and yet I laughed like a buffoon. We made in a short time, I assure you, the twenty miles between the fort and the place we went to visit, �g6 Indian JJ{issions. From the time we left Fort Nepigon until the end of April, we were engaged in the holy ministry among those living on the shores of Lake Nepigon towards the northeast. They are in groups of two, three or more families. These hamlets lie from twenty to fifty miles apart. I noticed among these people a great desire of receiving the Sacraments, and I was edified by their behavior. Nothing, however, especially noteworthy happened save in a place styled Negondinong, i. e., String of Islands. We arrive.d there towards midday, and were at once told that there was a woman in the village, who had for a long time been dangerously ill. We hastened to her wigwam, and we found in truth that sh_e was very, very weak. From what we were told and what we ourselves saw, we were led to believe that consumption was about to carry her off. She seemed to be in great pain. Rev. Fr. Du Ranquet at once began to hear her confession, the rest of us retiring. After dinner the Rev. Father went again to see her, and as he said nothing of Extreme Unaion,-though he did not intend to put it off-she herself said to him : "make haste and give me the last Sacraments, for I feel that I am going." He at once complied with the pious )Vish of the dying woman, and two or three hours afterwards she died, leaving us little room for doubt as to the happiness in store for her. Does it not seem to you that she had been awaiting the coming of him who could open heaven to her? Thus it is that God watches over those whom He has chosen: et 1ze111o tollet iOS de manu mea. These plain signs of the loving kindness of God in saving the poor Indian woman, kept us from being as much moved as we would else have been at sight of the wretchedness we witnessed.· When the poor woman had breathed her last (without changing the garments which covered her), they sowed around her what had once been a white woolen blanket, and then left the corpse there covered, stretched out upon some branches in the hut. One of her relatives found some �Indian Missions. 97 old planks and nails in a ruined hut near by and managed to patch up something like a coffin. But what about digging a grave? The ground was rocky, still frozen, and they had neither pickaxe nor spade! They succeeded, nevertheless, by means of hatchets and stakes in digging a hole a few feet deep. On the morrow we paid the last rites to the departed, and then laid the mortal remains of the poor Indian in the grave which was already half filled with water. What privation! and yet how full of comfort to see that the one who bore it died the death of the just. Towards the end of April, Fr. Du Ranquet, my superior, decided on sending me to Red Rock, to give those living there the chance of fulfilling their Easter duties, and also· to build there a sorely needed chi.1rch. Thus the veteran kept for himself the gr~ater share in the toil, and gave but a trifling portion to the recruit. In fact, see what he took for himself: he was to remain five days ministering to these poor and dirty savages, then to start to Lake Long, which was a week's journey from this place; thence he was to go to Pio on Lake Superior, and this by all but impassable roads; thence to Michissic?ton; which would keep him away from Fort William until August. When we separated and I found myself with none but the two Indians he had given me as companions; distant from Red-Rock, whither I was bound, and sparingly supplied with provisions; a feeling, till that moment a stranger to me, strived to gain the mastery in my soul, but van- • ished when I called to mind the last words of the Rev. Father on leaving me: "l\Iay the Angel of the Lo~d accompany you." I reached my journey's end six days after leaving my venerable companion. The march was attended with fatigue .and danger. As for instance at Lake Helen, a short distance from the Fort belonging to the Hudson Bay Company, at Red Rock. It was then covered over with ice, which the rays of the sun had made very unsafe. \Ve tried to cross �Indian JI;Jissions. it, carrying with us large stones, to serve in case of need. \Ve had almost put foot on shore, when the ice gave way under one of my companions, and down he went, up to the waist; by the aid of his staff, however, he got out again. Seeing the mishap which had befallen my man, I was more careful. I noticed that the ice over which I was about to go, was here and there speckled, so to say, with black : I struck it with my staff, which pierced it through and through. I cannot say that the sight of this peril made no impression on me. I ml\de many a round to avoid dangerous places, and at last reached land, safe and sound. On my arrival I found the people of Red Rock well disposed, and delighted to see a missionary among them. At this place which is about a mile from the Fort of the Hudson Bay Company, I passed the greater part of the summer occupied in the ereB:ion of a house for the missionaries, as well as of the church of which I said a word above. I could tell you many things about my labors at Red Rock~ which I think would interest you. As my letter is however already far too lengthy, I must put off further details to another time. * * * As regards the Indians,-they are not saints yet, but they are improving both in behavior and in religion. I feel quite sure that you are not unmindful of them in your holy Sacrifices. * * * Be kind enough to give my respeB:s and , my most sincere assurances of love to my dear professors, and to all whom I have had the happiness of knowing at Woodstock. Tell them that I shall not forget them in my poor prayers and in the holy Sacrifice. As you will see, it is a long time since I began this letter; we are now at December 3 rst, but I've had to interrupt the writing, of it, to go to Grand Portage; whence I returned, by boat (the long continuance of mild weather having melted the ice and made almost impracticable the road we usually take in going to Grand Portage). Before travelling, a severe �\\ Indian Missions. 99 attack of rheumatism paid me a visit and hasn't yet gone away. The goodness of God enabled me to catch _two zvlzite fislz, at Grand Portage ; one was a Methodist, the other, a Presbyterian. I instruCted and baptized them a few days before my return. I present to you, Reverend Father, and to your large community, particularly to my old professors, my wellwishes for the new year, which will begin to-morrow. In union with your holy Sacrifices, R•• v•• inf. in Xto Servus, J. HEBERT, S. J. OsAGE MissiON, NEosHO CouNTY, KANSAs, December Jist, I877· REVEREND FATHER, P. C. J)uring the last six months I visited thrice the Indian Territory. From the Settlements of the Osages and Quawpaws I passed to those of the Kansas, or as they are commonly called, Kaw Indians. The new Reservation allotted to these Indians extends along the left or north bank of the Arkansas river and is about ten miles square. It is irrigated by two fine streams, Beaver and Bear creeks; the soil is excellent; and is well provided with timber, but in spite of all this the Indians dwelling on it are very poor. I was most kindly received not only by the half-breeds, who are all Catholics, but also by the full-bloods, who though pagans, yet appreciate our holy religion, and constantly ask for Catholic missionaries. I passed St. Ignatius' day among them ; and going around with. a small Indian boy as my interpreter, I visited their cabins trying to keep Up their faith. I baptized about twenty children, and rectified several marriages. At their most earnest request I �100 Indimz 1l1issious. said Mass in their presence for the first time in this Reservation, and was really surprised at the piety and fervor they exhibited in attending it. These poor Indians have neither Catholic schools nor missionaries, and have had none for a very long time ; they are entirely under the care of Protestants, like the Osages and Quawpaws. All that we do amongst them is at our risk; for those ,;ho now take care of them dislike us, fear our influence over them, and do not wish to see us about them. I was just leaving the Kaw Reservation, when the principal chief of the nation sent for me. "You are the blackgown," said he, "and I wish that you would try to come here to teach my children, for we do not like the teachers we have now. They do not take care of our children; they do not teach them any thing good; my children seem to be getting worse every day. I wish you to come here, and stay with us, and teach us the ways of the Great Spirit." I advised the chief to make a petition about this matter and send it in due form to the great father in Washingt~n. He promised that he would do so, and I doubt very much whether the great father will ever take the trouble of look· ing at it. • . But here you might ask me, do·· you really think, that the Indians are sincere in asking for Catholic missionaries? do you really think, that they have any correct idea of God and religion, and that they care much about saving their souls. From the little knowledge which my dealing with them, for twenty-six years, has procured me, I think that I can answer in the affirmative. The Indians generally, but especially the Osages, a:re eminently religious in their ways. There are neither materialists nor fatalists amongst them. They all admit the existence of a great Being who is over them, and who is the master of all things; to Him they attribute their origin, and Him they worship as a supreme ruler to whom there is no equal. No vestige of idolatry is �Indian Missions. IOI to be found amongst the Osages, or any of the W!'!stern tribes with which I am acquainted. The traditions which have been handed down amongst them concerning their origin, are much confused, and have been mixed up with numberless fables not worthy of mention. Their chronology does not extend any further back than the great flood of Noah; and the more we consider their national customs, the more we are inclined to think that these tribes are of Jewish descent. Nay their very language seems to justify such a conclusion. In fact, a very learned Protestant writer, havi~g studied the different languages of these western Indians, tells us, that a majority of them call God by the same name as the Osages use, viz : Waconta ,· which he proves to be nothing else than the ancient word Jdtovalz, gone through several inflections, a very common thing in the history of words. I am confident that if you could come with me and spend one night out in an· Osage town, you would be exceedingly delighted. \Veil, then, imagine for a few minutes that you are with me. See how the sun has just disappeared on the horizon, which is red and cloudless. The moon is bright and full without obscuring the light that comes from the millions of glittering stars. Do you notice that long line of wigwams and tents, some round like overis, others oblong like hay stacks, stretching away in two regular rows, and forming as it were a long avenue? See moreover how many other smaller camps branch off in every. direction, forming streets and lanes. vVell this is an Osage town, and the high and strong palisade which you notice around it is intended for the defence of its inhabitants. Now let us stroll through the place for a short while. Observe what a number of men, women and children are moving to and fro; they all seem to enjoy themselves. Some are chatting, others laughing, some are dancing, others lying down quietly smoking their calumets. These are playing, and those are eating and drinking. Hear what VoL. vn-No. 2. 14 �102 Indian 1lfissions. a confused sound of different voices arises around you; the noise indeed is great, yet listen carefully, and you will catch the monotonous song that comes from a corner of the town. Let us go nearer; do you perceive that group of young · men sitting in a circle, watching intent by a blazing fire? Do you understand what they sing? For over an hour they have been repeating again and again the same tune, in which their voices.rise and fall like the moaning of tide on the sea shore, always however keeping the same wild cadence. You certainly wish to know who they are, and what they-are singing? They are what the Osages call "TVaconta-clzi" that is ministers of religion, or to use a more common name, mcdicine-mm. They are repeating three words, namely Om, Ha, lfimz. vVhat they mean by these words, they cannot tell you. They are singing a "worship song" which we might call their canonical hours, for every day, at certain stated times, they p:rform most faithfully this ceremony. Now, as no one of the Medicine-men can give us an explan~tion of this rite, I think that we can safely receive that given by Fr. Calamette who, as reported by Chateaubriand in his Genius of Christianity, book I, chap. 3, says that the Indians of far Thibet by these thre~ words used to signify the three Persons of the Holy Tr'fnity. This Father tells us that the doCtrine of the Holy Trinity is known in the East Indies and in Thibet, and he says that the inhabitants of those countries have a kind of a chaplet over which they pronounce the formula Om, Ha, Hum, and that these three words together signify God. Here r wish you to remark that not only the Osages, but most of the other tribes of this western country use the same song in their worship. How does this come? I con explain it only by supposing that at some very distant period all these nations must have been conneeted with those. of far Thibet, and must have learned the mysteries of our holy religion from some of St. Thomas' disciples. �Indian Missions. 103 St. Thomas and his disciples have passed away; the churches which they built have been destroyed, either by time or by pagan intolerance; but the knowledge of the great mysteries of our religion which were engrafted in the heart of poor savages by means of this song outlives all the vicissi-. tudes of time and persecution, and like a rich inheritance has Leen transmitted through generations to this very day. But this is not enough. A careful study of the ways of the Osages will compel us to admit that their ancestors must also have been acquainted with the mystery of the Incarnation, passion, and death of the Son of God : and we come to this conclusion by examining their greatest aa of worship, namely the sacrifice, which. they offer very faithfully every year, just about the time when we are accustomed to celebrate the mysteries of Holy ·week. The Osages from time immemorial were used to sacrifice a bat which they fastened with spread wings to a board, and left there until it was dead. They again cannot give a reason for so doing. I asked many of their Medicine-men to explain to me the meaning .of this sacrifice, but I could never get a satisfaB:ory answer. At last one better ac- · quainted with the religious customs of the tribe, told me that in very ancient times TVaconta or the supreme Being had been most grievously offended by some of the people, and had therefore determined to destroy the whole human race. But after a while He changed his mind; He felt pity for His creatures, and concluded to spare them if they would make amends for their fault. But no creature was big enough to satisfy for the injury done to the supreme Being; and upon this His own son came forward, and offered to make the reparation due to His father. For this reason He came down from heaven, suffered and died. Now, continued this great Medicine-man, our great grandfathers represented by the bat, the son of the supreme Being. But here you might say, why did the old Osages pick �104 Indian Missions. out such an ugly animal, when there were thousands of better looking birds? The reason seems to have been this ; in their rude opinion they thought that no other bird could better typify the two distinct natures of the son of the supreme Being, namely divine and human nature in one person-tor we may say that these two natures are represented in the bat which is a flying bird, and a creeping animal at the same time. Moreover, this bat they would fasten to a board with spread wings, and would leave it there till iJ \vas dead, representing by this, in some way, the suffering and death of the son of God on the wood of the cross. However since the Osages came in closer contact with the white people, they felt ashamed of worshipping such a mean animal; and being, it seems, ignorant of the reason why their forefathers had adopted the bat, they substituted for it the sparrow-hawk, which they preferred to all others, as being, in their judgment, the greatest hunter amongst the birds. This, as you see, is a novelty in their worship; yet it does not destroy the conclusion which one naturally ·will draw, that, namely, the grandfathers of the Osages, and we may say, in truth, of all these western Indians, not only had an idea of the existence o{~ supreme Being, but also, that from the most remote times they must have been acquainted with the principal mysteries of our holy religion. But I fear that I am imposing on your patience with my long letter. The reason why I have. been so particular upon this subject, is to correct, as far as I can, the idea of some who would make us believe that the Indians are noth· ing but simple automata, having no idea of God and that consequently there is no use in teaching them religion. On the first Sunday of August 1876, I had the pleasure of dedicating a new church in honor of our holy Father St. Ignatius, in the town of Neodesha, in Wilson County; and on the first Sunday of September, 1877, I felt very happy also in dedicating another in honor of St. Francis �Missiollary Labors. I05 Xavier, in the town of Cherryvale Montgomery County, some thirty-five miles south west of this Mission. This time again, when the Protestants heard that we were going to build a church, they had a good deal to say about it, and passed resolutions that they would be ahead of us. We did not mind them, and went to work; the result was that our church was the first ere8:ed in this town. So we go on fixing new land-marks, which in after times will show that· our missionaries were the pioneers of the faith in this beautiful land of Kansas. PAUL MARY PoNzrGLIONE, S. J . . MISSIONARY LABORS. BosToN, April, 1878. REv. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. I now fulfil a promise, which I made some time ago, of giving you an account of our missions from the beginning of the scholastic year. . The first missions of the year, from 29th of September to 08:ober 2oth, were given at Chicopee Falls, Indian Orchard, and Greenfield, three small towns in the State of Massachusetts. Only two of the Fathers were engaged in this work, and were quite satisfied with the result of their labor for three weeks, that is to say, four thousand Communions and six converts from Protestantism. ST. JosEPH's PROVIDEXCE, R. I.-The Fathers began the mission here on 08::. 29th. This congregation was well known to them, as they had already, eighteen months previously, given the Exercises in the same place. Besides, additional interest was attached to these people, since in the meanwhile, their church had been transferred to the Society �106 111issirmary Labors. by the Rt. Rev. Bishop. The Communions numbered a little under five thousand. Five persons were brought into the Church. Notwithstanding that, at the previous mission, three hundred adults of advanced age had been confirmed, seventy grown persons received the same sacrament. Sometimes when asked why they did not come before, they answered that they had not heard of it. When questioned also concerning their negleCt:, some replied that they had missed their .examination in the old country. Here, as in other places, ·some hardened sinners were brought to confession by ~~ans of notes and visiting cards. A note or c'ard is sent ; an interview takes place and a confession is obtained. \VILLIAMSPORT, PA.-The work began here on Nov. 18th, and kept the Fathers occupied for ten days. This beautiful city in the northern part of the romantic Cumberland valley is the centre of the lumber trade for the State. Situated on the chief branch of the Susquehanna, and conneB:ed by railroads with the north and west, and by a fine canal and railroad with the south, its trade used to be immense, especially, during the war. The mission was well attended and did much good. The church was no~ large enough for the crowds that came every night to hear _the sermons. Here, as in Providence, the Protestants not only came to the evening services but even during the day, and some to the early morning instruCtions. This congregation was once under the charge of Fr. Stack whose misconduCt: in engaging in a lawsuit against the Bishop is too well known. Just before the Fathers arrived a favorable decision had been obtained by him from the county court. It was thought some trouble might arise and hinder the mission. But it now appeared that he had lost his former influence. There were fifteen hundred Communions, and six baptisms. Six or se\'en persons were left under instruB:ion for baptism. A three day's mission was given to the children. The usual announcements were made concerning it beforehand. The �Missionary Labors. I07 first day, a Protestant came with two children and said he wanted them to make the mission. He said they had been baptized in the church some four or five years ago, and that he and his wife were about to become Catholics at that time, but the bad example of certain men had kept them back. The children he said, were baptized and should be Catholics. A friendly visit from the superior of the mission and the parish priest overcame his difficulties. He and his wife and two other children were left under the care of the priest for instruction. A sodality was founded at the end of the Exercises. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER's, PHILADELPHIA.-This mission was from the 3d to the I 8th of December. Results: eight thousand Communions; three years previously there were five thousand. Fourteen persons applied for baptism. A number of grown persons was prepared for first Communion, as was the case in the former mission. More men than women received the holy Communion. The Fathers always encourage the faithful to buy good books and have done a great deal towards circulating that excellent work, "The Faith of our Fathers." At this church a large number was sold. In truth, no work takes better anywhere and gives more satisfaction. CLINTON, MAss.-This mission lasted from Dec. 23d to Jan. 6th. The pastor said that the Fathers would have easy times. Less than two years had passed since the last mission, at which fifteen hundred approached the Sacraments. This time, owing no doubt, to recruits from the neighboring towns, three thousand received the Communion. Two hundred children and a few grown persons were instructed during the Exercis~s and approached the holy Table for the first time. ST. MARY's, BosTON.-The mission lasted for seventeen days. This new church of the Society was dedicated in December. Twelve thousand persons were at Communion during the retreat. Five hundred and twenty grown per- �108 Jlfissio11ary Labors. sons were confirmed; of these, one hundred made the first Communion. It would be far from the truth to think that all these adults so wanting in Sacraments were from this parish; they came from every parish in the city. Thirty Protestants applied for baptism. The sodality membership was greatly increased, and a grand re-union was held at the end of the second week of the Exercises for the men. Here, as in every other mission, a number of marriages was made valid. ST. VINCENT's, BALTI:O.lORE, l\lo.-From Feb. 3d to 17th. Result: eight" thousand Communions: one hundred and forty grown persons approached the holy Table for the first time. The hard cases of this part of the city came in force. The pungy men and others engaged in the oyster trade flocked to the church. The pastor was unwilling to have separate services for the men and the women; he changed his views after a few days, and thus the number of communicants was greatly increased. Fifty persons applied for reception into the Church, of whom' thirty-eight were baptized and the rest left under instruCtion. On the last day the Most Rev. Archbishop administered Confirmation to six hundred and twenty-five persons, five hundred and twenty-five of whom were adults. Tlie number of Protestants received into the Church at thi~- p1ace was a subjeCt of remark. No doubt, many more would have been baptized, if the mission had lasted longer. ST. FR. XAVIER's CHURCH, BALTIMORE, Mo.-The mission for the colored Catholics of Baltimore began in this church on Sexagesima Sunday, Feb. 24th, and closed on Ash Wednesday evening, March 6th. It was conduCted by the Rev. Frs. McAtee and Nagle. The solemn high Mass on the opening day was celebrated by Rev. Fr. McAtee. Fr. Nagle delivered the sermon, in which he spoke of the objeCt of the mi~sion, its necessity and advantages. The church was filled with attentive listeners, among whom were many who were not Catholics. Fr. McAtee gave a very instruCtive �Missionary Labors. 109 discourse in the evening. The first Mass was celebrated every morning at five o'clock by Fr. Nagle, who at its close gave an instruction lasting from twenty to thirty minutes. Other Masses followed by priests attached to the church, and after the 8.30 A. M. Mass, Fr. Me Atee gave an instruction to the children preparing for first Communion and Confirmation. This instruction was followed by the blessing of beads, crucifixes, religious pictures, etc. At three o'clock P. M. a second instruction was given to the children by Fr. Me Atee. At 7.30 P. ~L the beads were said, followed by a short instruction of fifteen minutes. Sermons on the great truths of our holy religion were given each evening ·at e.ight o'clock by Frs. Me Atee and Nagle, alternately, Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament closing the exercises. Confessions were heard from the first Mass till noon, and from 3 P. M. ti'll a late hour at night-Many a poor soul that had wandered away from God came. back again with repentant heart, after twenty and thirty years spent in sin and spiritual darkness. The missionary Fathers were assisted in the confessional by the Rev. Fathers of Loyola College and the good, zealous priests of St. Francis.' These latter went through the dark alleys and lanes of the city, and found out and encouraged many to come and assist at the mission. Their labors were blessed in a signal manner; and they had the consolation of seeing many make the mission who had neglected their religious duties for years. The·last of the series of sermons was given by Fr. Nagle, who. exhorted his hearers to preserve in their hearts the fruits of the mission and to show forth these fruits in their daily lives. At five o'clock on Ash \Vednesday morning a solemn Mass was sung and the ashes blessed by Fr. Nag!~, who discoursed briefly on the ancient custom of the Church in blessing the ashes and sprinkling them on the heads of the VoL. vrr-No. 2. 15 �I 10 JJfissionary Labors. faithful. At half past seven P. ~I. the Most Rev. Archbishop administered the holy Sacrament of Confirmation to one hundred and fifty persons, eighty-two of whom were adults. At the entrance of the church he was received by the Rev. missionaries, the clergymen of St. Francis,' and the knights of St. Augustine in full uniform. These latter are members of the congregation, and attend in a body all the solemn festivals to the Church. Whilst the Archbishop and clergy walked up the centre aisle, the knights with drawn swords opened line, thus forming an imposing escort and garde du corps to the Archbishop. Previous to conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation, his Grace addressed those about to be confirmed, and com-· plimented the congregation for the earnestness and zeal they had manifested in their endeavor to make the mission profitably; and thanked the Fathers who had conduB:ed it to. so happy a termination. At the conclusion of the ceremony of Confirmation, the Archbishop, assisted by Frs. Me A tee and Nagle, imparted the papal benediCtion, as is the custom at the close of each mission. This was followed by the BenediCtion of the Blessed Sacrament, given by the Archbishop. As he moved down the aisle to the carriage in waiting, the entire congregation arose, whilsf"the clergy and knights accompanied him. A brass band, whose members are young men belonging to the congregation, discoursed during the while, sweet music. A very noticeable feature of this mission was the introduCtion of congregational singing. This was brought about through the exertions of Fr. Me Atee, who in a very few days saw his humble efforts crowned with far greater success than he had anticipated. The congregation was ripe for the happy experiment; and the precision and harmony which were maintained during this exercise, proved but too clearly, what is an acknowledged faCt:, that colored persons are naturally good musicians. The Archbishop expressed himself highly grat- �Missionary Labors. III ified with the new feature, and earnestly recommended its continuance to the pastor and his good assistants. The fruits of the mission are summed up as follows by Fr. Walsh, the pastor, in a late letter to Fr. Nagle: 34 adults baptized; 150 confirmed, of \vhom 83 were adults; 1,700 Communions. The same letter says: "The congregational singing which was. introduced at the mission is a great success. The church is now crowded as it never before was, with colored people." ST. CHARLES BoRROMEO, PHILADELPHIA. This mission began March· IOth and ended March 28th. Communions, fourteen thousand ; Baptisms, twenty-five; grown persons, confirmed, one hundred and seventy ; first Communion of adults, sixty. Of the baptized, seven or eight were children of various ages, the offspring of mixed marriages-A faCt of not unfrequent occurrence, which shows what dangers mixed marriages occasion, and by which we can estimate the alarming losses the Church meets with on their account. PASCHALVILLE, PHILADELPHIA. March 31st, April 15th. This was an easy mission and came very opportunely after the labors at St. Charles.' There were over one thousand three hundred Communions; thirty grown persons were prepared for Confirmation. Five Protestants were baptized. Summary of the work from the 29th of September to April I 5th. Communions, 56,6oo; Confirmation of adults, I,2g8; first Communions of adults, 452; Baptisms of adults, 156; left under instruCtion 43· * . *The above missions were given by Frs. Maguire, McAtee and Morgan, assisted occasionally by some other Father, as was the case in the colored mission. �PARISH WORK AT MILWAUKEE. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, April 12th, I878. REv. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. )Receive -my heartfelt thanks for the interesting news you were pleased to send me some time ago. I would have answered your letter sooner, and complied with your request, had time allowed me to fulfil that most pleasing duty. But during my brief experience in the sacred ministry I have found out that the grave responsibility of a pastor requires all his time and attention. On leaving \Voodstock I was sent hither to assist the pastor of St. Gall's. However, at the expiration of two monl:hs, ·viz. last August, I was entrusted with the care of the church of the Holy Name of Jesus. Notwithstanding the heavy duty imposed on me, I took courage, knowing that it was the will of God Who "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," and I at once entered u·pon my work. I began by visiting the different families of the widely spread con~re­ gation, which numbers about three hundred, some living two or three miles apart, and dispersed throughout the country. Among them I found several who had neglecred their religious duties for years, and not a few who _had lost the faith entirely, or at least were wavering in the first principles of their religion. Through the mercy of God many of these now lead a most edifying life. I was also _consoled by the conversion of some outside the true fold. As I have frequent intercourse with such during my mission excursions, I neglect no opportunity of doing what I can to prepare their minds and remove all obstacles to the grace of God. I begin by turning the (1I2) �Parislz work at Milwaukee. 113 conversation to religious topics, in order to make them see the necessity of laboring for the salvation of their immortal souls ; then I explain the principal points of our holy religion, answer all their objections, remove their doubts, and thus gradually make t~em acknowledge and renounce their errors. Lately two respectable ladies thus forswore their Spiritualism, and one of them is now a weekly, the other a monthly communicant. During the last two Jl10nths, I baptized two Lutherans, one Episcopalian, and one infidel who had struggled for a long time against the grace of God. Had I time, a great deal of good could be done among them, but the lukewarm Catholics, who almost exclusively claim my attention, need to be aroused to a sense of their dangerous state. Let me give you an idea of a pastor's work :-Saturdays and eves of festivals I devote entirely to the confessional. On the following day, I say Mass at half past seven o'clock, hear confessions till ten o'clock, then sing high Mass and preach on the gospel of the day: at two in the afternoon I begin Sunday school, at four, sing vespers and give Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and end my day's labors by \ldministering the Sacrament of Baptism. Speaking of Sunday school reminds me of the great need we have of Catholic schools. I began with forty-five pupils, but, through the blessing of God, the number has increased to one hundred and twenty, most of whom came from the public schools. I found, to my sorrow, that they were extensively patronized by Catholics, who consequently abandoned their religion. To stem the current Of infidelity, which grows in Milwaukee every day, and to save our youth from utter shipwreck, a Catholic college is very much needed and greatly desired both by English and German Catholics. A city of one hundred thousand inhabitants can well afford to support such an institution, and they are only too anxious to have one, for they feel the necessity of training their children in the sound principles of a thoroughly Christian education. �ll4 Parislt work at llfilwaukee. About three miles from St. Gall's Church is situated the National House of Milwaukee, an institution for those who were wounded, or who contraCted some disease during the late war. Of the nine hundred who are there at present about one-half ·are Catholics. On Tuesday evenings, I preach a sermon, to which they listen with breathless attention, and then I hear their confessions. Some, having lost a leg in the war, come up limping on one foot; others, whose hands were amputated, place their short. stumps on the table fQr support; others again, who are blind, grope around with a little cane to find the kneeling bench, and all, to my great edification, make a straightforward confession with the greatest devotion, showing by their tears their deep sorrow for their sins. They hail the priest's <;oming with ' the greatest joy, and many have told me that they would not leave an institution in which they have so fine an opportu· nity of attending to the salvation of their souls. On Wednesdays I say Mass for them, at half-past five in summer and -at six o'clock in winter, at which time as many as three hundred go to Holy Communion together. The poor fellows get up before the others, pass through the sleeping apartment very quietly, lest they might disturb their com· panions and be reported to the general, and after perform· ing their devotions with great fervor, they are back with the rest for roll-call. I next visit the hospital conneCted with National House. Here much good can be done for those unfortunate ones who are on the brink of eternity, for then our good Lord grants his grace most lavishly; I have already baptized three Protestants on their death-bed. The first was a Predestinarian, and when I encouraged him to have confidence in God, he replied: "I am predestined for hell." "By no mean~,'' said I, "and if you follow iny advice you will be in heaven." "Impossible," he answered in despair; I insisted, proved to him that God wished all to be saved, but he must believe in Christ his Redeemer, and live according to His �Paris!t work at Milwaukee. 115 holy teaching. "So then I can be saved," he exclaimed, while his face brightened up, as the light of faith dawned on his soul. I instruB:ed and baptized him, and after giving him Holy Communion, his constant prayer was, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph pray for me; and in these holy sentiments he calmly expired. The second was a Universalist who had no hope beyond the grave. As I approached him one day he asked: "Sir, could you show me what will happen to man after death ?" You may easily guess I lost no time in giving the necessary information on that important point ; apparently to his satisfaB:ion. Two days after, he was attacked by a violent hemorrhage, and sent for me in great haste. The scales had fallen from his eyes, and I promised to baptize him next morning. "No," he exclaimed, "I may be dead before morning." I complied with his desires. Next morning I went quite early to see him; he was very low, so that I judged it prudent to anoint him. I had scarcely done so when he went to receive the reward of his faith. The third was a Presbyterian, most tenaciously attached to his seB:arian. conviB:ions. He first received me very coldly, would talk on any topic except religion, and did not want me to trouble him on that point, as he was determined to die in his own belie( I complied, adding however, that it was absolutely necessary for salvation to die in the true Church of Christ, which is essentially one, and telling him to refleB: seriously whether he was on the right way that leads to heaven, and then I left him. As he grew weaker in body he became stronger in soul, for grace had done its Work. He called for me, and as soon as I came, he begged me to give him instruB:ion in our holy faith; I did so with joy. After being baptized h~ exclaimed: "What a fool I Was not to become a Catholic thirty-five years ago! I knew I was wrong." Before ~ight days had elapsed he too went to receive the crown of justice. I was not quite so successful in the case of another soldier, who was also a Universalist. Though he admitted the util- �II6 Parish work at Jlfitwaukec." ity of Baptism, he denied its necessity, maintaining that faith in Christ was sufficient for salvation. Opening his own bible, I read from the third chapter of St. John, and after briefly explaining the words: "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," he acknowledged the necessity of Baptism, frankly confessing that he never understood the text in the same light. I promised to return soon and explain more _fully the other important truths of our religion. Meanwhile he began to sink, and as there happened to be a. Protestant fuinister present at the time, he was baptized by him. I arrived next day, and, totally ignorant of what had occurred on the day preceding, I began my instruCl:ion, introducing occasionally some consoling remarks, which, I considered, his precarious condition required. But he appeared very sad, dispirited and reticent, notwithstanding my cheering words. Just then a Catholic soldier called me aside and revealed the mystery to me. I returned immediately, determined to. do the best I could under these peculiar circumstances, to save a poor soul, ready to appear before its Creator. I finally succeeded in extraCting some confession from him, and, hoping that he was in good faith, gave him conditional absolution. :Many others there are whose mortal life is drawing to a 'Close, but who are much better disposed. See, then, how much good carr be done here for the glory of God, and how much consolation such scenes afford a missionary; but alas! how sad to think that the laborers are so few, and the harvest so great. Pray the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, to send more laborers into the vineyard of the Lord, and to grant us the means of establishing a col·lege for the instruCtion and salvation of the Catholic youth of Milwaukee. �CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH IN CUBA. (From the Cartas de Poyamze.) SANTI SPIRITUS,* Jan. sth, I878. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, On the first Sunday of Advent, Dec. 2d, I877, our new church dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, was • consecrated with great solemnity. The ceremony was performed by the Most Rev. Archbishop of Guatemala, who, driven from his own diocese by the revolutionary government, has taken refuge in Cuba, and is staying at our college of Belen, Havana, and at the request of our Rev'd Fr. Retl:or, kindly came hither for the above mentioned purpose. The ceremony was attended by a commission of the municipal government, consisting of the Governor, Marshal, Commander in Chief, and other officials, and by a large concourse of people, and was concluded by the celebration of low Mass. On the following Thursday, Dec. 6th, the Most Blessed Sacrament was transferred, from the sacristy, which was used as a provisional church, to the new church in solemn procession ; which, consisting of many of the magistrates and most influential citizens, a body of troops, with bands of music, and various societies, started from the sacristy, paraded the streets of the city and returned to the church, where,,after a solemn Te Deum and Salve Regina had been sung, the Blessed Sacrament was deposited in the Tabernacle. On the 7th a Pontifical high Mass was sung by the Most Rev. Archbishop, and Fr. P. Aldecon, S. J. preached. After the evening instruCtion, a statue of our Lady was *The province of Castile has in the island of Cuba two colleges, one in a small town called Santi Spiritus, the other in Havana. The first has no spe· cial name; the second is called the college of Belen (Bethlehem), for having been formerly occupied by Bethelehemites. VoL. vn-No. 2. 16 {1 17) �I I 8 C(Jnsecration of a Clwrc/z in Cuba. carried in procession on the shoulders of the colored people, according to the custom of the Island. On the 8th, Fr. V. Salinero, S. J. preached at the high Mass ; and in the evening, there was another procession and a sermon by Mr. B. Pina, D. D. of the Archbishop's suite. At 10 o'clock A. M. a breakfast attended by the magistrates and principal persons of the city had been. served as an official banquet. On the 9th, Fr. T. Fernandez preached at the solemn high Mass; At the evening service a novena commenced • which concluded a week later with another procession; on which occasion the Daughters of Mary who had been prevented by bad weather on the previous occasions, were able to satisfy their pious desire of marching in the procession. It was edifying to see them, about two hundred in number modestly marching, all dressed in white, each bearing in her hand a small image of our Lady. After the evening services of this day our pupils furnished quite an er{tertainment to a large audience of ladies and gentlemen, by the performance of a comedy. The new church is of the composite style of architecture, very neat, sufficiently large, and finely ornamented and finished. The cupola and towers will be built later. The Archbishop stayed a week longet"to administer Confirmation; and when he departed the authorities granted him and his suite, at the request of the ladies of the city, a free passage by boat and rail. �OBITUARY. FATHER FERDINAND COOSEMANS. The Missouri province has lately lost, in Fr. Ferd. Coosemans, one who for. many years had been cherished • by all her members as a revered and most beloved parent. He was one of those able, kind and most edifying men, that Providence sends from time to time as a choice gift to religious bodies, to be the guide and models of their brethren. Rev. F. Coosemans was born the 5th of Febuary, 1823, in Brussels, Belgium, where he was educated at the College St. Michel of our Society. At the age of nineteen he left his native land for the American missions, entering the novitiate of Florissant Mo., on OCl:ober the 30th, 1842. From the beginning of his religious career, he was distinguished for piety, discretion, and a ready will to sacrifice himself for the work on which he had entered. His opportunities for study were scanty indeed; but his remarkable talents and the blessing which God granted to the obedient man soon enabled him to teach the high classes, and to render other V<;tluable services in various colleges of Missouri and at Grand Coteau, Louisiana. In 1852, immediately after his ordination, we find him 'marked in the catalogue engaged in the St. Louis university as direCtor of the students' sodality, president of the Spanish academy, professor of the first Latin and Greek, and the second English and French classes. The next year he was prefeCt: of studies in the same college; but he was soon applied to still more important duties. On oa. the 2d, 1854. he was made President of St. Joseph's college, Bardstown, Ky., and from that time onward, with the brief interruption of his third year of probation and a few months spent on the missions, he was em- ( I 19) �120 Fatlzer Ferdinand Coosemans. ployed in governing, being in January, 1859, appointed Reaor of the St. Louis university, in 1862, vice-Provincial, and on the 3d of December the first Provincial of Missouri; a~d after presiding over this province for nine consecutive years, was made Reaor of St. Ignatius' college, Chicago, in which capacity he continued to lead a life of great aaivity, till he was suddenly disabled by a stroke of paralysis, while· actually preaching in his church of the Holy Family, in the summer of 1874. During_~ll the years which he spent in governing, he· had been, as far as the duties of his office allowed, a zealous laborer in the ministry, reaping rich fruit in the spiritual harvest. Without being an orator, he spoke with so much unaion that he produced a deep impression on all classes of hearers; while, in the direaion of souls, especially in religious communities, he inspired the most marked confidence and veneration for his person and his counsels. Severe towards himself, he was a kind father to his inferiors and- his penitents, as humble as a child, and as simple in manners as he was venerable in personal appearance. Ever full of confidence in our good Lord, he possessed his soul in peace and holy joy, even when times were most troublesome, thinkin{ only of sanaifying. _his every ·aaion, and drawing all around him nearer to his God, with whom he was at all times intimately united. He was tenderly devout to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and contributed largely to propagate this devotion in the West, while he personally spent much time before the Blessed Sacrament, where he daily recited the entire divine office on his knees. He was also a loving child of the Blessed Virgi~ Mary, about whom he managed to introduce at least a few words in every one of his sermons. When partially paralysed and disabled from aaive duties during the last four years of his life, he continued to give the greatest edification to all by his spiritual conversation and his cheerful resignation to the divine will ; aaing mean- �Fat/zer Jo!zn Rover. 121 while as spiritual Father and confessor to our own members and some religious communities in Chicago; most happy when his health allowed him to aa as chaplain to the little Sisters of the Poor. On the 6th of last February, 1878, while at dinner with the community in St. Ignatius' college, where he had continued to reside, the good Father was suddenly seized with a third attack of paralysis, and after receiving the last Sacraments, he lost his senses to recover them no more. He died quietly on the next day, a few hours after our lamented Pontiff Pius IX, aged fifty-five years and two days.-R. I. P. Death has taken away from our midst two of our brethren, one a young Father, the other a Scholastic, both highly esteemed for the labors, they had undergone, and for the promise which their personal qualities gave of much greater fruit in the future. FR. JOHN ROVER. John William Rover was born at Mount Airy in Virginia, Sept. 27th, 1845, and after spending his early years and passing his collegiate course of studies at Washington, entered the novitiate at Frederick, when eighteen years of age. His health was not robust; and when he had spent four years in the novitiate and juniorate, neither the northern climate of Bostori, where he taught, nor the milder air of Baltimore, where he continued his course of teaching, succeeded in establishing. that robust constitution which is so desirable for the work of the colleges. After three years, therefore, of this work, he was placed in Woodstock, and here he remained during nearly seven years, without any other break than that of vacation time. In the leisure and repose of studies, his health was generally good; and at length towards the close of his sixth year, he happily, �122 Fat!ter Jolm Ro·ver. and, to all appearances, in good condition reached that term of his ambition, the priesthood. He was ordained priest, Easter week, 1877· However, the germs of ·a neglected disease were developing in his system. He was extremely slow in making any account of bodily maladies, and still slower in mentioning them, when that became necessary. The disease had to betray itself, as it did at the beginning of this scholastic year, four months after his ordination. His face became very much emaciated, he was evidently very weak ; and ..though fond of active exercise he abstained from it now through sheer debility. His case had indeed become desperate; and after a few weeks of forced idleness he was sent to \Vashington to consult an eminent physician. He said Mass there on the first day in St. Aloysius' church and he never said another. That day in the afternoon he was prostrated with a fever, while visiting Trinity church. There he remained an invalid, in a sinking condition during three days, when he was removed to the college infirmary, adjoining. It was seen that he was dying; and he himself, with his own characteristic coolness and imperturbable habit of mind, recognized the fact, and prepared by rec~iving the Sacraments, in the midst of his reJigious brethren. His friends and family in consternation, for .they had never dreamt of any such contingency as this, visited him, and were overwhelmed with grief. But he, though of a nervous temperament, yet as he had always been in the affairs of life so was he now at the moment of death undisturbed, self-possessed. \Vhen in the last hours, that night and the following morning, his consciousness came and left him by turns, the one thing which he asked for in the intervals of self-possession was that the prayers might be repeated and the absolution granted. And when his self-possession left him again, his own prayers continued still aloud, with the tenacity of an old fo~med habit. He.died peacefully on Tuesday, the 23rd of October. This sketch of his career reveals something of the rnan. �ilfr. James Wi"er. 123 He seems to have had such control over sentiment and feeling that there was no change to be seen in Fr. Rover-always the same. And this solidity of virtue combined with talents, which were particularly eminent in abstruse mathematics, and with an affability which made him at home with every one, and every one with him, shows what a loss the Society and the province particularly have suffered in this promising young Father, who was just on the point of embarking, well equipped, and finished, into the aCtive life. MR. JAMES WIER. The subjeCt of this memoir had a feature altogether in common with the young Father of whom we have just spoken. He did not care either to speak or to think of any thing which affeCted himself, but quietly suffered and said nothing about it. He was always in his young years reserved and retiring; and this quality elevated by the principle of self-denial in religion made him keep up external appearances and follow community life, when, as the doCtor said, it was a wonder how he could be standing on his feet at all. It was an excellent and a most edifying feature in our young brother; only it has cost the province to which he belonged the loss· of a future useful member. He was born at Cincinnati, Aug. rst, 1852, and studied at our college there. Entering the Society in August r87r, he passed through his novitiate and juniorate, perfeCting with religious virtues the charaCter which had won the esteem of professors and school-fellows at college. Reserved as we said before, and almost bashful, he had nevertheless C:xercised among· his fellow-students an influence which he commanded by his earnestness, his steadiness, and his rigid adherence to high principle. And these same qualities allowed to expand and studiously developed by him in a religious atmosphere made of him a solidly virtuous and �124 Mr. James 1¥ier. agreeably influential young man. He was sent to St. Mary's college, Kansas, where as prefea, professor, president of several societies he held the same even course in a larger sphere; and after a couple of years he was placed in \Voodstock, to commence his course of higher studies. Here during a year and a half he was known by his spirit of work, whether at his books or out of doors, by the quiet evenness of his manners, and above all, by his obliging disposition which would make him dispense with any comfort or convenience of'his own in behalf of others, and think no more about it. -He contraCl:ed a very severe cold in the throat, this negleCl:ed became grievous, extended down, and affeCl:ed his-lungs: pneumonia and typhoid resulted; not to mention other maladies of which he had said nothing. Being confined to his bed, he received every kindness from superiors and showed all manner of submissive patience in return. A couple of weeks later his mind began to wander, and then it was that the true charaCl:er of his disease became evid_ent. At times he recovered self-possession during the weeks which followed ; and his spirit of patience and obedience was remarkable, so much so, that even when wandering in mind and suffering intensely in body, an order, a word was enough and he obeyed. Fr. Minister said to him on one occasion, when he had be~n- desired to turn over and could not do it: ''You must suit yourself." "I don't want to suit myselt~" he answered, and with a painful, struggling effort turned over on his side, as he had been desired to do. On Friday before Passion Sunday the moment came for a crisis; and a kind Providence so arranged it that he was perfeCl:ly tranquil for a long time, and received the last Sacraments, while the whole community assisted. As the day advanced, he sank rapidly, and could not last through the night. After two o'clock in the morning the last mo· ment came, and by a look he asked for absolution. It was confe.rred, the prayers were recited, and in five minutes he drew his last breath in the Lord. He was gifted naturally in a special degree with talents �Requiem for Pius IX in Sltmzglzai. 125 for literature, and his English style was excellent. He was humorous too, and though unobtrusive and retiring \Vas neither slow of speech nor wanting in an abundance of dry wit. l-Iis feelings were tender, and the predomi-nant fruit of his charaCter may be said to have been an extraordinary display of the queen of all virtues-charity. Adorned as he was with this combination of natural gifts and spiritual endowments, it is no wonder that we laid him in his grave with a lively sorrow; while the youth who had known him as their prefeCt, professor and friend, showed in a public and touching manner that his memory remains in benediction with them. May he res~ in peace. APPENDIX. REQUIEM FOR POPE PIUS IX. IN SHANGHAI. (From tlte Nortlt Cltina Daily News, Marclt 4!/t, I8J8.) "On Saturday morning last, March 2nd, there was performed at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, in the French Concession, one of those gorgeous and at the same time solemn ceremonies with which the Roman Catholic Church delights. to pay a passing tribute to the memory of deceased Popes and Princes-a Requiem Mass, for the quiet or rest of the soul. The death of a Pope of course affords an opportunity for elaborating with more than ordinary splendour the ritual of the service for the dead, and the Requiem that was performed for the repose of the soul of the late Pius IX. far exceeded, we are assured, anything of the kind previously attempted in this part of the world. The prominent part taken by the deceased Pope in the history of the last thirty Years, and the vicissitudes that attended his lengthened VoL. vn-No. 2. 17 �126 Requiem for Pius IX. in 5/zang/zai. reign, coupled with the Revolutions, Reformations, and changes' generally which have occurred on the Continent of Europe since his assumption of the Papal authority in June, 1846, have made his name familiar as a household word; and to speak of Pius IX. became at last as though speaking of one personally known. It cannot, therefore, be matter for surprise that the heads of the Rom ish Church in Shanghai should have resolved to perform for him those ornate funereal rites with which the passing away of Kings and Princes who die in that religious faith, is marked. For days· before the time appointed for the ceremonial, the interior of the Cathedral had been undergoing preparation, and the effecr ultimately produced astonished the beholder unused to such adornment. On entering, the first impression was the absence of anything like preponderant gloom ; for although black was of course the prevailing colour, it was so relieved by the presence of other colours as to lose much of the depression usually caused by the exhjbition of the trappings of woe. Black velvet screens hung from the turn of every arch and drooped for a considerable depth, but the columns were entwined with black and white, while at every vantage point were. displayed the Papal arms-the crossed keys, ti~ra, and shield-and the monogram, "PP. IX." These, being In colours, relieved the deadness of the prevailing sombre hue; and the yellow of the Papal flags which were displayed in different parts of the Cathedral further assisted to relieve the eye. In recesses above the arches were placed, in pairs, tablets containing the dates of the principal epochs of the late Pope's career, from which we gathered the following :-Born, 13th May, 1792; made a priest, 10th April, 1819; bishop, 3rd June, 1827; cardinal, 14th December, 1840; Pope, 16th June, 1846; crowned Pope, 21st June, 1846 ; returned from exile1' 12th April, I85o; gave out the decree of the Immaculate Conception, 8th December, 1854; miraculously pre· served from injury from the falling of a scaffold in the church �Requiem for Pius IX in Sltanglzai. 127 of St. Agnes, Rome, 7th April, r855; issued the great Syllabus, 8th December, 1864; canonization of 200 Japanese Christian martyrs, 8th June, 1867; convocation of Vatican Council, 29th June, 1868; proclamation of infallibility, r8th July, 1870; feast of the 18th Centennial of St. Peter, 16th June, 1871; died, 7th Feb., 1878. In the open space fronting the altar rails was placed a large black catafalque, covered with a canopy and crowned with white ostrich plumes. The catafalque was of three tiers, and on the topmost was what resembled a coffin, the lid of which bore an emblazoned stole and triple crown, the whole being illuminated by about 150 tall candles, singly and in groups of candelabra, producing a splendid effeCt. Candles were also placed on the high altar, where also pre-, paration had been made for solemn Mass. In front of the organ gallery was suspended a shield, surmounted by a bouquet of Papal flags, the shield bearing the following inscription:PIO NONO PONTIFIC! MAXIMO CERTISSIMO VERITATIS VINDICI IMMORTAL! EXIMIORVM OPERVM CONDITORI PARENTALIA CVM LACRIMIS Other shields, suspended from the capitals of columns, bore the following inscriptions:Pauperes parente, Tutela oppressos, Splendido ecclesiam ornamento, 111iro populos exemplo, Una orbavit dies, Effusi in lacn·mas, Lugent boni. Non irruens undique turbo, Non efferata in rabiem, Diutina Proce!la, Sermo intrepidum fronte, Navis concussere ducem, Sed Adversi conflict us, Magnum ftcere majorem. Non si qui1zos supra oflogeuos, Viceque a sceClt!is inaudita, �128 Requiem for Pius IX ill Slz.wglzai. hztegros Petri excessit amzos, Orbi tmnm vi'sus cat!tolico, Vixi'sse satis, Rzter Pmztifex Jl!agi'ster, Sedulus ad exemplum. . Salve anima inclita, Summis recepta sideribus, Immamlata: quam assentisti virginis, Fmere triumplzzs, Prr.esmtique sospites ope Ecclesiam. Upwards of forty priests, assisted by nearly as many acolytes, thurifers, etc., took part in the service, the Rev. Father Chauvin, S. J., with a deacon and sub-deacon, officiating at the altar during.Mass; Father Des Jacques, S. J., directing the entire· ceremonial, which was very complicated. The choir was·composed of about fifty voices, and was supplemented by a harmonium and violins; while the St. Cecilia brass band, with drums, occupied one of the transept galleries, and after the Gospel and during the offertory played triumphal marches very effectively, the whole being under the direCtion of Father Basuiau, S. J., who also composed the triumphal marches and other portions of the Requiem. After the Mass, the ceremony of absolution was performed, and this was one of the most striking portions of the service. The whole of the priests-many of them attired in glittering robes of black and gold, the others in less showy raiment-the acolytes and thurifers wearing scarlet and white-entered in proc~ssion from both sides of the church-and, followed by thei; attendants, filed into the altar space within the rails, until they completely filled it; and then, to wailing strains of music, proceeded to perform the final solemnity. Headed by a large silver processional cross, the whole body of priests moved in slow march and took up a position round the catafalque, the band playing a Dead· March. Holy water was then used, and amid clouds of incense, the mournful cadence of tolling bells, and subdued harmony, the last solemn rites were performed, and the impc,sing procession retired in the same order as it advanced. In·a ftw minutes afterwards the Cathedral was deserted by the irr mense congregation of foreigners and Chinese, who had filled it in all parts from whence a view of the solemn ceremony could be obtained. �Jrfission of Madura, etc. 129 Yesterday afternoon, a Te Deum was sung in honor of the new Pope Leo XIII.; and the St. Cecilia band played appropriate seleCtions of music at the beginning and end of the service." MISSION OF MADURA. Our Fathers in Madura have much to do because of the smallness of their own number and the greatness of that of the spreaders of Protestantism. With all their earnestness and self-sacrifice they can visit their flocks but once a year, and can then give them but a few days only. For the remaining eleven months, consequently, the faithful are for the most part without a priest to instruCt: them, to administer the Sacraments, and to help the dying. For many years the Protestants have been hard at work. In the south they have a Normal School for teachers, a sort of Seminary for the forming of native catechists, a large Seminary for native ministers and a vast printing-office for the diffusion of error and calumnies against Catholics, in books as well as in a daily paper. In the southern distriCt: alone they have five hundred and ninety native teachers, all carefully formed, and one hundred and forty female teachers for the education of girls. The pupils number twelve thousand three hundred and fifteen. Their enthusiasm in other parts of the mission is of the same stamp ; and yet the people of India come to us more willingly, as well on account of their disgust at the coldness and absence of outward pomp in the Protestant worship, as because of the vexations they suffer or see others suffering at the hands of Protestant agents. Our Fathers are awaiting the arrival of more missionaries in order to undertake the conversion of the pagans. There is a fine harvest, but there are no workmen to gather it in. In the south there are one million four hundred and fifteen thousand six hundred and ninety-eight pagans, to fortyseven thousand seven hundred and seventeen Catholics and fifty-five thousand Protestants. In the north the pagans are even more numerous and the Catholics of smaller number: �Ji1issimz of Jlfadura, etc. there being three million one hundred and forty-six thousand one hundred and nine pagans, forty-seven thousand and seventeen Catholics, and nine thousand six hundred Protestants. In the central district the Catholics number fifty-two thousand nine hundred and eighty-two, the pagans one million two hundred and eighty thousand four hundred and the Turks forty-nine thousand five hundred and ninety-two. In this distritl: alone, therefore, there are one million three hundred and twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety·tiVo to be converted. Each Father"of Madura would, according lo these figures, have, besides five or six thous-~nd ·.Christians to attend to, two hundre~ thousand pagans to convert. ·In the northern district there are fifty-three churches and one hundred and sixty-four chapels. The Fathers are helped in their work by Religious of various congregations. At Trichinopoly there are native-born Brothers of Our Lady of the Seven Dolors, who take care of orphans and teach school. European nuns of the Congregation of Marie Reparatrice have a very large establishment in the city, containing an orphanage in which they have at present one hundred girls, an hospital, house for catechumens, etc. There is also in Trichinopoly a convent of fifteen Sisters, nativeborn, of Our Lady of the Seven D~lors, who, besides having a boarding-school in their own home, have a large school for externs in the central part of the city. At the request of the Propaganda, asylums are founding for widows of high caste, who are not allowed to re-marry. The Sisters of St. Ann have undertaken this charge and that of preparing widows for the office of baptizing. We are about to open in their convent a home for destitute pagan women over sixty years of age. The· nuns will prepare them for baptism and take care of them till they die, thus imitating the Little Sisters of the Poor. The. Propaganda requires the starting in the Apostolic Vicariates of India of schools like that of the Government, �1lfission of Madura, etc. 131 in which young men may be made able to pass the English University examinations. The college of Nagapatam, the corps of teachers of which is as large as that of a French college, fully answers this demand. In one of the four schools of Trichinopoly similar preparation is made. In the central district of Marava there are seventee~ schools with three hundred and forty-four pupils. The English language is employed in the schools of Dindigul . and Madura. The orphanage at Dindigul has at present one hundred occupants, most of whom work in the fields. At Sarougany they have opened a house for catechumens and an hospital in which a great deal of good has been done during the famine. In this district there _are thirty-six churches and three hundred <tnd twenty-nine-chapels. In the south there are forty-four churches and forty-three chapels; twenty-six schools attended by seven hundred and eighty-five boys; six schools frequented by one hundred and ninety-seven girls; an orphanage for boys under the care of one of our Fathers ; another for girls under the management of the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Seven Dolors ; a house for cat~chumens and an hospital for Christians and pagans alike. WE HAVE received from France a pamphlet of 124 pages (lithograph) with the title, "Gnices et Guerisons Extraordinaires Attributes a /'intercession des Peres 0/ivaint, Ducoudray, Caubert, Clerc et de Bmgy." It contains an account of some thirty most remarkable favors obtained by persons who had invoked the intercession of our martyred brethren. In several cases the attestations of physicians, ecclesiastical superiors, etc. are given in full. We give here one of the briefest, though not one of the most striking of the accounts, that, namely, of the cure of an Augustinian nun at the Hospital of Saint Quentin. "Through the intercession of Father Olivaint, a miracle was wrought at the Hospital of St. Quentin. A religious, �132 Varia. Sister St. John, was seized with a cancer in the stomach. It had reached the throat and prevented her from taking any nourishment. She suffered very much. Mr. Cordier, the physician of the hospital, told the Superior that medicine was no longer of any avail to the sufferer, and that nothing £hort of a miracle could save her. "Sister St. John was encouraged by this thought, and addressed herself to Father Olivaint, asking of our good Lord, through his intercession, her cure or her death within eight hours; an~ the community prayed for the same intention during this lime. At the end of eight hours she was wholly cured, and asked to rise. "The arch-priest was sent for, and, coming immediately, asked Sister St. John whether she felt well enough to chant the Te Deum. She intoned it at once, and sang the whole of it, together with the llfagnijicat. On the following day she hearu Mass in the chapel and received Holy Communion. She went to the refectory with the rest of the community, as if she had never been sick. "This event gave rise to much excitement at St. Quentin, and many persons weut to see Sister St. John." VARIA. Incorporation of Las Vegas College, N. M- The bill of in· corporation, which our Fathers of New Mexico presented to the Legislature of Santa Fe, was an exact copy of that which the Sisters of Loretto and the Christian Brothers presented four years ago to the same Assembly. The peti· tion of the Sisters and Brothers was approved by the Ter· ritorial Legislature and afterwards confirmed by Congress in ·washington. The Governor of New Mexico put his veto on the' bill presented by our Fathers, after it had passed the Legislature by a large majority. The message of the Gov· ernor with the veto was published in the last number of �Varia. 133 our LETTERS. A few newspapers of the Territory, political organs of Mr. Axtell, followed up the attack on the Society, by adding new calumnies to those which were contained in the insulting message. The old Monita Secreta and many other slanders taken from "Pascal's Letters" were published in the New llfc.rican of Santa Fe, and in the Gaccta of Las Vegas. The Rczn'sta Cato!ica, a weekly paper published by our Fathers in, Las Vegas. answered these falsehoods with wit and vigor, but at the same time with prudence. Many other papers published in the territory, as well as in Colorado and other States, congratulated the Rez,ista Catolica and eventually defended the rights of our Fathers. The first result of this storm is a constant increase of pupils in the new College of Las Vegas, for which the bill of incorporation was asked ; and besides a large accession to the subscription list of the Rez,ista. Cato!ica. The aet of i~­ corporation, however, has been annulled at Washington by the Senate Committee on Territories, because, as they said, the aa was in violation of seCtion 1889 of the revised statutes, which prohibits the legislative assemblies of Territories from granting private charters or special privileges . . By this aCl the Fathers were authorized to hold every class of real and personal property, which was made exempt from taxation. It was also provided that the college might make such by-laws and rules for its government as would not be in violation of the constitution and laws of the United States or of the Ter~itory. Our Fathers of New Mexico are now_ awaiting more favorable circumstances for proposing the bill again to the Legislature, and w.e cordially wish them success in their next effort to obtain all they need for advancing th.e greater glory • of God. Marquette's Monummt.-"At the fifth annual meeting of the Michigan State Pioneer Society, Rev. Duffield, D. D., one of the members, paid eloquent tribute to the illustrious VoL. vii-No. 2. 18 �134 Varia. missionary, Father James l\larquette. Bancroft prophesied that 'the people of the \Vest would build his monument,' and Mr. Duffield said the time for it has come. 'There is only one regret that I should have,' he writes to a friend, 'in the ereCtion of such a monument as Bancroft long since prediCted, and that is that it should be built by our Catholic friends alone. \Vill they not permit us all to unite in itMichigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and the whole Northwestand do him honor? the monument to b~ of the natural rocks in that immediate vicinity, and which have been so long waiting, apparently for a noble purpose.' " The Lansing (l\Iich.) Republicall, of April 30, says: "Rev. George Duffield, of this city, has received a letter from Jas. H. Dormer, of Buffalo, N.Y., in reference to the ereCtion of a monument to Marquette, the great explorer, at Mackinac, near where his grave \vas recently discovered. It is proposed that an association be formed for ereCting this monument, with Senator Ferry as President, and the Governors of Michigan, ·wisconsin and Illinois as Vice Presidents, and leading men of all religious denominations in the \Vest as associates. Although Marquette was a Roman Catholic and a Jesuit, geographical discoveries and his personal heroism were conspicuous, al}d deserve to be remembered. It is said that one thousa.nd dollars have already been pledged in the State of New York, nine-tenths of it by Protestants, for the erecrion of a suitable monument to the man who is now only remembered in the shadowy pages of history, and in his name being attached to a city, a county, and in part a railroad. It is suggested the latter part of July will be a favorable time to take acrion at Mackinac relative to the proposed monument, as a greater number of summer visitors are then on the memorable island than at any other period." D. 0. M. �WOODSTOCK 'LETTERS. VOL. VII, No. 3· GEORGETOWN COLLEGE, Jrs EARLY HISTORY, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ITS FOUNDER, AND EXTRACTS FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE. (CoNtinued.) The final triumph of the American arms in the war of Independence led to negotiations on both sides for a cessation of hostilities, and a treaty of peace was signed at Paris by commissioners from England and America, Nov. 30th, I782: a more definite one, Sept. 3d, 1783, settled all matters in dispute. Three months after, the American army disbanded. On the 23d of December, I783, the Commanderin-chief of the American forces repaired to Annapolis, where Congress was at the time in session, and surrendered his military authority to those who had conferred it upon him. In this interval, Rev. Mr. Carroll's attention was drawn to the objectionable relations subsisting between the Maryland clergy and the country from which the American people had just wrung their independence. Rev. Mr. Lewis's ~osition as ecclesiastical superior under a Bishop resident tn England, seemed to him inconsistent with the political order now established: and indeed Mr. Lewis himself took (135) �GeorgetO'Zon College. the same view. l\Ieetings of the clergy were called during 1783, to consider the subject, and also to take measures for the protection of the property interests committed to their charge. Considering Rev. Mr. Carroll's views on the latter topic; as expressed in the correspondence already quoted, it.is not difficult to surmise his active agency in procuring these meetings, as the documents and correspondence preceeding them would doubtless show, were they at hand. In these conferences, first or last, his plan of an "Academy" was considered, developing subsequently into the establishment of GEORGETOWN CoLLEGE. But before proceeding to narrate the business transacted at the meetings, the following extract from Campbell's biography * of our founder, seems an appropriate introduction. It was the growth of the more tolP.rant sentiments of their fellow-countrymen, as here described, that held up the hands of these venerable missionaries, in the work they now entered upon :-which inspired these orphaned sons of the persecuted and maligned Socjety of Jesus with new activity, in the prospect of reaping with joy, in the field of religion, the fruits, that had hitherto been gathered by them with tears. "Several circumstances during the progress of the revolutionary war had contributed to remove or diminish the prejudices entertained in many states· against the Catholic religion. \Vhile engaged in the formation of constitutions, their citizens were led to study the principles of li~erty in their practical application to government; and the injustice of proscribing men for their religious belief, or for their mode of worshipping the Almighty, was generally admitted. But long settled habits of intolerance still kept alive, in many places, feelings of aversion to a religion wh(ch they only knew from the misrepresentations of their English ancestors-who, the spoilers of church property, sought to justify themselves in their ill-gotten possessions, by misrepresentations of the doctrines, and slanderous imputations '~"Life and Time,," &c. U.S. Cath. )lag. for 1844, p. 370. �Georgetmvn College. 137 ag~inst the morals of the plundered and proscribed Catholics. Until the revolutionary war, the worship of God, according to the rites of the Catholic church, had never been praCtised in New England. And the solemn farce in commemoration ofthe deliverance from the gunpowder plot,* was performed in many places to keep up a holy horror for the abominations of popery. Even Rhode Island-the Ian d of 'Roger ·williams-had such exhibitions; and in Charleston, South Carolina, as late as 1774, the pope and the devil were made performers in the same pageant.t The alliance with France, however, and the aid of her Catholic armies to the cause of American independence, dissipated some of the mists of prejudice, and when the French fleet approached Rhode Island the laws against Catholics were repealed. When those who had been so far the dupes of misrepresentations and intolerance as to believe that Catholics are as ignorant and debased as their calumniators had represented them to be-beheld the accomplished and respeCtable officers of the French army and navy, and the gallant Kosciusko, Pulaski; &c. &c. piously engaged in the most solemn exercises of the Catholic religion, they learned to respeCt what they had before scoffed at. The French regiments and ships were accompanied by priests as chaplains, and in the march through the country, Catholic worship was frequently performed in the meeting houses of other denominations. The faCt: too that many catholic citizens had contributed by their services and their labors to the achievement of independence, had established a claim to liberty of conscience that silenced the bigot and the persecutor, and justified Catholics in their exertions to place their Church upon an equal with the members of other denominations. On the conclusion of the revolutionary war, and the restoration of *For a severe reproof by Washington'hilllflelf of the "ridiculous and child· ish custom of burning the effigy of the Pope," see extract from his Orderly Book, Nov. 5th. 1775, quoted by Sparks, Vol. III. p. 144. t Drayton's Memoirs. �Georgetcrwn College. peace by the treaty of 1783, the Catholic clergy were anxious to adopt regulations for their own government, and for the preservation and management of the property held for the benefit of religion, which, being in the names of individuals in confidential trust, it was impossible to take precautions to guard against the alienation of it by death or any other cause. "A letter from several of the clergy having been addressed to Rev. Mr. Lewis, vicar of the bishop of London for Maryland and Pennsylvania, &c. &c., and superior at the time of the dissolution of the Society of Jesus, praying that he would attend a meeting which they conceived to be absolutely necessary for the preservation and well government of all matters and concerns of the clergy, and the service of religion in those countries, Mr. Lewis expressed his entire approbation of the design, and notice was accordingly given to the Clergy generally of the time and place of meeting and their attendance requested. "<)n the 27th of June, 1783, the first meeting was held at \Vhiterilarsh, Prince George's county, at which were present Revds. John Carroll, John Ashton, Charles Sewell, Bernard Diderick, Sylvester Boarman, who attended in their own behalf as clergymen in the service o(· this country; and Leonard Neale in behalf of himself and "Ignatius Mathews, Lewis Roels *and John Bolton, residing at Port Tobacco, Maryland. The objeCt: was agreed to be, to establish a form of government for the clergy, and lay dowri rules for administration and government of their property. "At this meeting, the first draft of a form of government ,1, Louis Benjamin Roels, born in Belgium in 1732, enterred the Society in 1753, and came to J\Iaryland in 1761. He died at St. Thomas' l\Ianor, Port ·Tobacco, Feb. 27th, 1794. No details are preserved in regard to him. John Bolton, an Englishman and a Professed Father, born in 1742, entered the Society in 1761, and came to :Maryland in 1771. Our US. record assigns the year 1805 as the date of his death', but Oliver is probably more correct in the date he gives, Sept. 9th, 1809. Bp. Carroll in announcing his death to C. Plowden, said, "though he was not a man of learning, he achieved much good by his zeal and piety." �Georgetow1l College. 139 was made, which was revised at a second meeting at the same place on the 6th of November following, by delegates of all the clergy: namely, Revds. John Lewis for the northern distriCt:, which comprised the whole of Pennsylvania and the eastern shore of Maryland ; John Carroll and Bernard Diderick for the middle distriCt:, composed of all that part of the western shore of Maryland which is north of Charles county; and Ignatius Matthews and James Walton for the southern distriCt:, composed of Charles and St. Mary"s counties, and the regulations were completed at a third meeting at the same place, on the 1 Ith of OB:ober, 1784, 'and declared to be binding on all persons at present composing the body of clergy in Maryland and Pennsylvania.' " In reference to the custody of the estates, the regulations finally adopted were embraced in a series of nineteen articles,* a brief summary of which may here be given. The chapter or representative body of the clergy, clothed with general control of the whole property, was to consist of deputies, two in number from each of the three districts above-mentioned. The chapter was to meet at least every three years, and rules are added providing for any vacancies that might occur in it. A procurator, with the power of administering the estate and distributing their revenues, but without faculties for alienating any portion of them, was to be chosen from the general body of the clergy, at a salary of forty pounds, or one hundred and six dollars, which was no doubt thought a very respeCtable compensation at the time. The existence of a Superior in spirituals is supposed ; and his salary is fixed at what must have been a munificent sum, a hundred pounds, or four hundred and forty-four dollars, "together with a servant, a chair and a horse"-"chair" meaning, no doubt, "chaise." The pay of individual members of the clergy was fixed at a very moderate rate, and regulations were adopted for admitting new members, as Withdrawing support from unworthy members. Article • ~fore fully given in "Life and Times," page 371, etc. �Georgeto-wn College. XIV. provides as follows: "\Vith respeCt: to members aCtually forming part of the body of the clergy, there shall be no arbitrary power of removing them at will, or for greater convenience ; but when a vacancy happens, which the good of religion requires to be supplied, the members of the Chapter of the district in which the vacancy lies, shall endeavor to prevail upon the person they judge fittest, to accept of the vacant charge, application having first been made to the Superior in spiritua!ibus." · Article XIX. provides that "the person invested with the spiritual jurisdicrion in this country, shall not, in that capacity, have any power over or in the temporal property of the clergy." Some supplementary provisions prescribe "tha.t when two or more clergymen reside together, a system of equality shall be observed, and every idea of dependence on, or subjeCl:ion of one to the other, must be excluded." A standing committee was appointed, consisting of Reverends John Lewis, Thos. Digges and Ferdinand Farmer, to whom aU qifferences were to be referred that might arise among the clergy. Provision was also made for Masses for deceased members. The clergy who formed these regulations were all former members of the Society, and alth9_ugh only ten years had elapsed since its suppression, their liopes were ever confidently turned towards its early restoration. The solicitude, therefore, with which they guarded its former property may easily be understood. They affirmed, furthermore, at each of the two latter meeting, in November, 1783, and OC!:ober, I 784, that they would "to the best of their power promote and effeCt: an absolute and entire restoration to the Society of Jesus (if it should please Almighty God to re-establish it in this country), of all the property formerly belonging to it; and if any person who has done good and faithful services to rel!gion in this country should not enter with the Society, so re-established, he is, nevertheless, to receive equal maintenance whilst he continues to render the same services, �Georgetown College. and to be provided for, as others, in old age and infirmity."* Finally, the Rev. John Ashton, the individual indicated by Rev. Mr. Carroll four years previously as the most suitable person for such an office, was chosen Procurator General. In the interval between the first and second meetings of the clergy at \Vhitemarsh, Rev. Mr. Carroll says, in a letter from Rock Creek, under date of September 26th, 1783, to )lis friend Plowden: "\Ve are endeavoring to establish some regulations tending to perpetuate a succession of laborers in the vineyard, to preserve their morals, to prevent idleness, and to secure an equitable and frugal administration of our temporals. An immense field is open to the zeal of apostolic men. Universal toleration throughout this immense country, and innumerable Roman Catholics going into the new regions bordering on the Mississippi, perhaps the finest in the world, and impatiently clamorous for clergymen to attend them." t Other portions of the above letter, which seems to have touched upon a variety of topics, are found scattered here and there in Campbell's "Life and Times."! In reference to a memorial which Mr. Plowden had forwarded to the Austrian Emperor, asking compensation for the robberies committed at Bruges by the Imperial authorities, at the time ofthe expulsion of the Jesuits from that city, the writer says: "If the Emperor is desirous of establishing indeed the characrer of justice and impartial administration which he so much affecrs, he cannot refuse a demand so undeniably just." But Mr. Carroll thought that from one who exhibited the traits that charaCterized Joseph II. little was to be expecred; for, says he: "I cannot help thinking that every prince who strives so much to concentre all power within himself; to destroy every other exercise of authority, *"Life and Times," page 27:l. tSee pages 363, 663 and 79:l, United States Catholic Magazine for 1844. t Brent's Biographical Sketch, page 57. VoL. vu-No. 3· 19 �Georgdown College.. however respectable and ancient; to render the condition of his subjects precarious by obliging many to relinquish the state they were engaged in under the sanction of all the laws sacred and civil; I say th1.t I cannot help thinking that every such prince is in his dispo~ition a despotical tyrant." The following extract concerns affairs nearer home. The sturdy American spirit Of the pastor of Rock Creek and the insular prejudices of his British friend are brought finely into relie(' Mr. Carroll writes: "You tell me that you perceived-fhat in my last I was afraid of entering into politics; but that you will force me into the subjeCt. Indeed, ' my dear Charles, I had no such fears about me. I have the happiness to live under a government very different from that I have just been talking of (the Austrian); and I have never had any cause to fear speaking my sentiments with the utmost freedom. But when I was writing to you I had so many other subjects nearer to my heart to talk of, that I suppose I left them (the political ones) to the public papers. You have adopted the language of some of the prints on your side of the water, by representing us under imperious leaders, and the trammels of France; but alas ! our imperious leaders, by whom I suppos~_.you mean the congress, were at all times amenable to our popular assemblies. eleCted by them every year, often turned out of their seats, and so little envied that as their expenses were often unavoidably greater than their profits, it has at all times been a difficult matter to get men disinterested and patriotic enough to ac· cept the charge; and as to the trammels of France, we certainly have never worn her chains, but have treated with her as equals, have experienced from her the greatest magnanimity and moderation, and have repaid it with an honorable fidelity to our engagements. By both of us proceeding on these prin~iples, the war has been brought to an issue, with which, if you are pleased, all is well, for we are certainly satisfied." The younger Pitt was in his twenty-iourth year, at the time �GeorgetowJZ College. 143 just rising into distinCtion, and Mr.' Carr'oll remarks: "I sincerely rejoice that the son of my favorite, the late Chatham, conduEts himself with such ability and integrity. You did not expeCt: so much perhaps from an American;· and indeed we should b~ _excusable (if not as Christians, at least politically) for not bearing you much good will in return for all the lies and misrc!prc:sentations which many of your soured and indignant countrymen·. are· every day coining about us." In another place, he says: "If your other kind letters never came to hand, you have only to blame the unsleeping avidity of your own cruisers, whom I should call 'pirates, were I inclined to follow your example of abusing the political measures of our adversaries. For, since the objeCt: of the war, on your side, the right of parliam~:ntary taxation, is now confessedly, and by every moderate man on both continents, acknowledged to have been unjust, surely every measure to attain that objeCt: must have likewise been unjust; and consequently your cruisers, with all their commissions, were nothing more than pirates. Thus much to retaliate for your stroke at our fait!tless leaders and fait!t!ess allies, aft~:r which we will be done with politics." The following passage couples two names of former brethren of Mr. Carroll's in the Society, whose subsequent career in life afforded a contrast as wide as it is possible to imagine. One became afterwards his coadjutor in the See of Baltimore, President of Georgetown College, and finally Archbishop. The other, Rev. Mr. Wharton, a scion, like Rev. Mr. Neale, of an old Catholic family of Maryland and a relation of Mr. Carroll's, became the foremost apostate of his day, infliCting, by his course, the bitterest anguish upon him who here s·o charitably doubts the disparaging rumors that had reached his ears in reference to him. "Since my last to you, Messrs. Leonard Neale, from Demarara, and Ch. vVharton have come into this country. Have seen the latter only once, and propose returning his visit in about a fortnight. I find him indeed possessed of considerable �-~ 144 Georgetrrum Col!ege. knowledge, and endo\~ed with all those talents which render society agreeable. If upon a further acquaintance I discover any of those blemishes which s~me of his companions in England thought they did, it would give me great con. cern, and I should speak freely to him about them. He has surely too much knowledge, and is too well grounded in sound philosophy and sacred literature to adopt the incoherent and impious principles of modern infidelity." The last-~xtraet that will be given here refers to the wonderful pres~.rvation of the Society in the Russian dominions ; the Empress Catherine having refused to allow the Brief of suppression to be published, and the members of the Society in Russia being permitted by Clement XIV., who issued the Brief, to remain in statu quo. His successor, Pius VI., approved of and encouraged them. The news that reached Rev. Mr. Carroll, and to which doubtless he here refers, was the eleCtion by the Russian Jesuits of a Superior-General on the 25th of June, 1782; approved by Pius VI. the following March, six months before the present letter was written: "God grant that the little beginning in White Russia may prove a foundation for ereCting the Society upon once again; but I cannot help wishing that the protectress of it were a more respeCtable chara(ter than she has often been represented." The writer was destined not only to see his pious wish accomplished, of the restoration of the Society through the medium of the Fathers in Russia, but to be himself the agent in receiving it from that country, and reestablishing it on the soil of Maryland. - - - - - - - - - - --------N01'E.-Of the eight clerical delegates, besides Re\', John Carroll, who as· sembled at the old Jesuit residence at \Vhitemarsh in 1783, and unconsciously laid the foundations of the present hierarchy of the United States, some notice is due in this place, omitting those that have been already mentioned. (see foot notes, pages 76, 77, 138.) Jon::s LEWIS, born iu 1721, probably in England, entered the Society 1740, came to :Maryland in 1750, and was professed eight years after. In what year he succeeded Father George Hunter as Superior in )Jaryland does not appear. It was probably shortly before the suppression of the Society in 1773. Thenceforward for eleven years he was Superior of the clergy, until succeeded by Mr. J l �OBSEQUIES OF PIUS IX. Through the kindness of several Fathers and Scholastics, who have responded to the request made in our last number and in private letters, accounts have reached us from various quarters of-the funeral services performed in our Carroll in 178-!. He died at Bohemia, in Cecil co~nty, four years later. Dr. Oliver adds to the few particulars he gives of him: "He oftren passed by the name of Leppard. He was the mild Superior of his brethren in -:\Iaryland, where he departed to our Lord, 2-!th of March, 1788. Dr. John Carroll, in a letter dated the 20th of April, that year, movingly regrets the loss of this valuable Father." (No copy of the letter referred to is in the collections at hand.) Dr. Oliver mentions another John Lewis, no account of whom appears in the documents so far consulted for the purposes of this history. He says of him, that he "finished his lengthened course in the Maryland :\fission, 6th April, li95, aet. 74, Soc. 55, Prof. 37." He may be the same person mentioned by Campbell as "Rev. John Lucas," residing at St. Inigoes in 177-!. LEO:s-ARf\ NEALE, of a family which in his own and other generations has been remarkably fruitful in religious vocations, was born in Charles county in li-16. The founder of the family in -:\fa ryland, Capt. James Neale, settled here in 1642. Capt. Neale had been previously in the confidential employ of Charles I., and filled offices of trust and distinction in the colony, after taking up his residence in it. His wife was a friend of Queen Henrietta l\Iaria, after whom -:\Iaryland has been named. Leonard and his brother Charles were sent to St. Orner's together, in 1758, to be educated, and both subsequently entered the Society. After the suppression, Leonard repaired to England, whence, in 17i9, he set sail for Demarara. After four years of unavailing labor and hardships in that trying field, he came to Maryland in April, 1783, shortly before the first Whitemarsh meeting. His subsequent record belongs in great part to the history of Georgetown College. For a tiill biography, see volume I, "Lives of Deceased Bishops" in the United States, by our alumnus, Richard H. Clarke, LLD. . CHARLES SEWALL was born in St. -:\Iary's county, Md., 1774, at 1\fattapany on the Potomac, sixteen miles north of St. Inigoes. Charles Calvert, third Lord Baltimore, son of Cecilius, the founder of the colony, married a daughter of Hon. Henry Sewall of this family, and built at l\Iattapany a fortified residence. Here he made his home from 1662 to 1684, when he returned to England. His Lordship's fortress-home seems, however, not to have been built in a very substantial manner, for the father of Charles was obliged to substitute it by another, a fine brick residence near by, and no doubt still standing. Charles and his younger brother Nicholas were sent over to St. ( 145) �Obsequies of Pius /)(. churches for the repose of the soul of our beloved Holy Father, Pius IX. \Vant of spac~ forbids us to give in full the details so kindly furnished by our correspondents ; we must, therefore, content ourselves with the main outlines of the celebration in each place. The church of St. Ignatius, Baltimore, was heavily draped in mourning. Large bands of black cloth hung in immense festoons from the tops of the pilasters, as low as the stations, including organ and sanCtuary in their circuit, while shorter bands were ·looped from station to station. In front of th::: sanCtuary stood twelve towering candlestick;, heavily draped. Nearly in the centre of the church was the catafalque, surmounted by a casket which was covered with a heavy black velvd pall bearing a large cross of white satin in its centre. The canopy consisted of a broad band of black vel vet, studded with silver stars, from which hung heavy black curtains relieved by a back-ground of white lace and looped back at each corner to expose to view the catafalque beneath. FuOmer's in 1758, for their education. Like the Neale brothers th~y both became J esnits. Charles entered in 1764, became a professed Father, and returned to ~Iaryland in 1774. He finished his apostolical course November lOth, 18013, says Oliver,-in 1805,.says our ~IS. necrology. incorrectly, no doubt. Nicholas Sewall ne\•er returneLl to his pative country, but remained in England, succeeded Rev. Charles Plowden.as Provincial in 18~1, and died in 1834. • BERXARD DIDERICK, who, from his name, was probably of German birth, is recorded in our local ~IS. as having come to ~Iaryland in July, 1784, which is evidently incorrect, since the first "•hitemarsh meeting (at which his pres· ence is recorded) was held more than a year before that date. Beyond the prominent part he took in the proceedings at these meetings, nothing seems to have been left on record in regard to him, except the event of his death, which occured at "Notly Hall," July 3d, 1793. SYLYESTER BoAR)IAN, the brother of Rev. John Boarman, who is men· tioned by Oliver, while Sylvester is not, was a native ~Iarylander. Both were no doubt sent to St. Orner's together, like the Neales, Sewalls and others, and they are recorded as having returned to ~Iaryland together in 1774. Svlvester, who was professed with the four vows while in Europe, died at N e'~port, in his native county of Charles, January 7th, 1811; age not stated. His brother, of whom Oliver says, "without much pretentious to talents, he proved a most diligent and valuable missionary in his own country," preceded him to the tomb, dying at Newtown, St. Mary's county, in li9i, aged fifty-four. �Obsequies of Pius IX. 147 nereal plumes of white and black waved from the corners of the canopy. The papal arms, a picture of the Pope and flowers, completed the decorations. The solemn l\Iass of requiem commenced at 9 o'clock on :\Ionday, Feb. r8th, Rev. Father Me Gurk, Ret1or of Loyola College, was celebrant, assisted by Rev. Fr. Sheerin and :\Ir. Becket. The music of the Mass was Gregorian. Rev. Fr. Denny preached with more than wonted eloquence on the virtues of him whom all christendom was mourning, "the white robed warrior of the Vatican," and was listened to with rapt attention for three quarters of an hour. At St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, the Sunday-school children took the lead in showing their grief for the death of the Holy Father, who, during his life; had bestowed upon them more than one mark of his kind regard. Sunday afternoon, February roth, a short but touching service of thanksgiving for his glorious works and of earnest prayer for his speedy reward, took place in the Sunday-school chapel. "The discourse of the Father Instructor was a heartfelt effusion, and brought tears from youthful and manly eyes, and sighs from innocent, sincere hearts. On the following Sunday morning, the members of the sodalities, in honor. of the Blessed Virgin, offered up their Holy Communion for the repose of the soul of him whose highest glory it is to have authoritatively declared Mary Immaculate. The same was done by the Confraternity of the Sacred. Heart on the succeeding Friday. The solemn Mass of requiem was sung on Thursday Feb. I{th, by Father Jamison, as Celebrant, Father Ardia, as Deacon, and Father Romano, Sub-deacon. The church was draped richly and heavily, but in good taste and without any attempt at vulgar display. The catafalque was surrounded by mounds of fragrant flowers and trailing vines, and by numerous tapers in alternate silver and gilt candelabra. A unique ornament, peculiar to St. Joseph's and very much admired, was a tiara of white camelias, lilies of the valley, and violets-the gift of a poor woman. �Obsequies of Pius IX Very Rev. Dr. Corcoran, of the Diocesan Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, delivered the sermon. It was a thoughtful, learned, and earnest tribute to the memory of the late Sovereign Pontiff, but unfortunately it was inaudible to a great portion of the congregation. The church of the Immaculate Conception, Boston, fdt itself under an especial obligation to celebrate the Requiem services with extraordinary solemnity. It was Pius IX. who proclaimed that cherished dogma of our faith, the Immaculate Con~eption of the Blessed Mother of God; what place then more..fitting in which to render homage to the memory of the great Pontiff than the church dedicated to Our Lady under that sacred title? The Mass of requiem was celebrated on Thursday Feb. 21st at 10 o'clock. The mourning decorations and the catafalque corresponded in grandeur to the solemnity of the occasion. The church itself, usually so lightsome, was darkened to- a solemn and sombre twilight, which w;ts singularly impressive. The Young Men's Catholic Association occupied chairs in front of the sanauary railing. Father O'Connor was Celebrant, Father Charlier, Deacon, and Mr. Buckley, Subdeacon. The music of the Mass was from Verdi and Mozart Father Fulton preached the ser~on. After a resume of the great events and wise and noble aaions which con· stantly marked the pontificate which had just come to an end, he reviewed in a few words the relations of Pius IX. with his fellow-men and in his private life. "If aught," said he, "could have been found to censure in him, there were not wanting those who were ready to point it out, yet, now that he is dead, a chorus goes up from all the world paying tribute to his charaaer. If you had once been admitted to his presence, and had heard that voice so full of power and tenderness, or observed the benignity of his countenance, you could understand something of the personal love which he inspired. There was no one who ever came under the �Obsequies of Pius I X 149 influence of Pius IX. who did not love him. Shall we not then call Pius IX., 'the Great'? But, whilst we have been celebrating these obsequies for the dead, the news has spread across the Atlantic of the auspicious eleaion of a successor. Not that we shall forget Pius IX.-to him our prayers and loving remembrance; but for Leo XIII. our loyalty and loving obedience. The Pope is dead! Long live the Pope!" The West was not behind the Ee1-;t in the testimonials of her affeaion for Pius IX. In faa, the obsequies in the western cities, agreeably to the charaaer of the people, had perhaps even more of the nature of popular demonstrations of emotion than was evident in those celebrated in the Atlantic sea-board towns. At St. Xavier's, Cincinnati, special public prayers for the repose of the soul of our beloved Holy Father were said publicly on Sunday, Feb. the 10th and during the following week, while many Communions were offered for the same intention. _Besides these, fifteen hundred Holy Communions were received in our church alone on the day set apart for the memorial services. In common with the rest of the clergy, Ours were waiting for his Grace, Most Rev. Archbishop Purcell, to take the initiative. Owing to his absence from the city, no plan was drawn up till it was too late to announce the intended programme at the Sunday Masses. Thus the commemoration, solemn as it was, may be considered in the light of a spontaneous and impr.:mzptu expression of Catholic feeling; without the usual time devoted to preparation or the ordinary means of making the congregation aware of the appointed hour. We take the following details from the daily newspapers of the time: From an early hour in the morning St. Xavier's church Was crowded with worshippers. At half-past seven o'clock Father Boex's scholars, of St. Xavier's parochial school, met at St. Thomas' church, on Sycamore between Fifth and VoL. VII-No. 3· 20 �Obsequies of Pius IX Sixth streets, where each one of the thousand lads was giv- · en a piece of crape, which was tied around the arm and decked with the Papal colors. They made a fine appearance, as two by two, they marched to the church. At eight o'clock they filed into the centre and left doors, and placed their society banners in front of the main altar. The female scholars from the convent on Sixth street were also in attendance. The solemn High Mass at nine o'clock was the principal feature of the day's celebration. The day and night previous the thurch had been tastefully anu appropriately draped in mourning by skilful and eager hands, under the superintendence of the reverend pastor, Father Rose, and an abundant supply of elegant and rich tropical plants procured for the purposes of decoration. A rich catafalque, raised some five feet from the floor, was placed immediately below the railing in the upper part of the church. The floral designs were unique-a massive cross of flowers,,which was covered with a pall, and over it a representation of the Rock of Peter. Above the rock rested a snow-white dove with outstretched wings, an emblem whose significanct: was not lost on the lookers-on. A marble bust of Pius, executed with excellent grace and finish, ·was placed immediately below the cross, and around the"'.coffin hundreds of waxen tapers and ornamental candles threw a mellow light on the gorgeous decorations. On the floor and around the catafalque fragrant flowers were distributed. The steps leading to the Communion-rail and the railing above the coffin were almost concealed by lights, flowers and plants, and signs of mourning, intermingled with delightful effect. At nine o'clock solemn High Mass began with Rev. Charles Driscol celebrant, Rev. Wm. Boex, deacon, Rev. V. Putten, subdeacon; Mr. J. E. Kennedy, S. J., master of ceremonies. The choir was at its best, and accom· p an'ied by a full orchestra. Schmidt's Requiem Mass was successfully and feelingly rendered under the direction of �Obsequies of Pius IX. 151 Prof. Gerold. After the solemn Dies free, the Rev. H. A. Schaapman, ascended the pulpit without giving any text, for it was not his object to preach either a sermon or a eulogy. He recounted the great deeds of the Pontificate of Pius IX., but said that although these acts distinguished him above other Popes, they did not form his personal merit. If we consider his life we shall find-and this is what we must carry away with us as the fruit of this day's devo-. tion and treasure up for future thought-that Pius IX. was great, because he never swerved from duty and never lost sight of the ideal which he had formed in the beginning of his Pontificate. Principle was his, and duty dictated the uncompromising 1toll possumus with which he met every attempt to make him bow to the accomplished facts which seemed to demand a surrender of his rights. This is the clear lesson of his life, and is an example which each one can imitate. The preacher's manner was earnest and wholesouled, and evidently made a deep impression on his hearers. On the 26th of February the collegiate literary exercises were held in commemoration of Pius IX. ·They consisted of readings, declamations and an excellent eulogy of our late Holy Father, all delivered by members of the Philopa=dian Society of the college. The faculty of the college, the Acolytical Society, the German Literary Society, and the members of the Collegiate Department were present. At the church of the Holy Family, Chicago, the usual Mass was held at eight o'clock, and at that hour the church was quite full. At this Mass the Rev. Fr. Koopmans was celebrant, administering holy Communion to an unusually large number of persons. The office of the dead commenced about nine o'clock. The sight of the congregation within that spacious and richly ornamented church, as seen from the upper galleries, was one not to be soon forgotten. The lofty altar, than which there is no more ornate shrine Within any great church in the \Vest, was completely covered �Obsequies of Pius IX. with sable vestments. The tabernacle of the Holy Eucharist was concealed within long hangings of black velvet and satin, its place being marked with but a simple golden crucifix which was shrouded in white lace. Not a vestige of ornament or picture, unnecessary light or color, could be observed anywhere. At the head of the main aisle, just resting at the foot of the altar, was a plumed and draped catafalque, on each side of which burned three lofty tapers in golden candlesticks. The bier~was covered with a crimson pall, on the surface of which a stole, the keys of Peter, and the papal tiara were richly embroidered in gold and colors. The office of the dead being finished, the Requiem Mass was. begun. Father Schultz was celebrant, Father Lambert, Deacon, 1\Ir. Schlechter, S.J.Sub-deacon. Among the clergy present were Rev. Father Thos. H. Miles, President of the College, Father R. ]. Meyer, Vice-President, and preacher of the day, Fathers O'Neill, Van den Eerden, De Blieck, and other Fathers and Scholastics of St. Ignatius College. The musical setting of the Mass was by Franz. Schmidt, a churchlike composition of much feeling, which was excel· lently sung. Father Meyer's sermon was '6ased upon the following verses of scripture from the forty-fifl:h chapter of the book of Ecclesiasticus, which, it will be seen, form a remarkably appropriate text : "Beloved of God, and men; whose memory is in benediction. ''He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. "He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of His people, and showed him His glory. "He sanCtified him in his faith and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. �Obsequies of Pius l.X. 153 "For he heard him and his voice, and brought him into a cloud. "He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory. "He gave him a holy robe of gqld and blue and purple, a woven work, of a wise man, endued with judgment and truth. "And a crown of gold upon his mitre wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honor." The preacher dwelt upon the grcatucss of Pius IX., analyzing its true charaCter and extent, and drawing from it an impressive lesson of moral firmness and devotion to the Church for the spiritual benefit of his hearers. At the close of the sermon the "Libera me" was beautifully sung by the chorus to some grand old Gregorian tones and the Mass was then proceeded with to the end. At St. Xavier'!> church, St. Louis, the services began by the chanting of the office of the dead. Father Hill, in his sermon, considered the life of Pius IX. rather from a philosophical point of view, showing how his mission was to repair that great scandal, the Reformation, and how the whole aCl:ion and tendency of his pontificate was the direCt contradiCl:ion and refutation of the innumerable systems of error which have taken their rise from that source. He had to face errors starting from nearly every first principle of reason and extending over all species of matter, all objeCl:s of human knowledge and volition ; the nature of God, the nature and destiny of man, the nature of the visible world, and every known objeCl: in it. The nations that followed out to their end the principles of the Reformation are called back by Pius IX. to the true first principles that God revealed. The services terminated by the singing of the psalm "Miserere," in Gregorian chant. Here also, as in Cincinnati, the students of the University �154 Obsequies of Pius IX. gave separate expression to their grief for him who had so much at heart the interests of Catholic education, and especially of Catholic UnivP.rsities. The Philalethic Society held a public session at which essays and poems were read and orations delivered in honor of the deceased Pontiff. Detroit, although the last established of all our Western colleges, was not behind the others in the te,;timonials of her affetl:ion for Pius IX. "The solemn Requiem Mass for Pope Pius IX. celebrated at the ~hurch of SS. Peter and Paul," says the Detroit "Home Journal," "was largely attended. Rev, Fr. Miege, was the celebrant; Rev. Fr. Brady, Deacon; Rev. Fr. Erley, Sub· deacon; Mr. Grimmelsman, S. J. Master of Ceremonies. Rev. Frs. Real, Donovan and Van den Driesche were present in the santl:uary, which was most elaborately decorated and brilliantly illuminated with candles and gas jets tastefully arranged. The church was draped in mourning, and the light was excluded, so that the sombre appearance lent much to the solemnity of the celebration. In front of the santl:uary stood the magnificent catafalque. It was three stories high and covered with the richest velvet b.raided with silver. The whole was strewn with the choicest flowers in great profusion. The area surrounding the catafalque was a forest of tropical plants, while nearly one thousand lights and jets of gas, mingling with these, presented a most striking pitl:ure, and so impressed the people that they could with difficulty withdraw their gaze from it." Mr. Grimmelsman's newly organized Society of Acolytes~ thirty in number, assisted at the services, dressed in purple cassocks and pure lace surplices, while a scarf of black cloth fell from their shoulders. Mozart's grand Requiem Mass,was sung by the choir. At the Gospel, Rev. Fr. Walsh, delivered a splendid tribute to the deceased Pontiff. He showed how the three great virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity, which dwelling in I �Obsequies of Pius IX. . 155 the soul make the saint, shone in the life of Pius IX., and constituted an imperative claim that we should venerate him, and that his children "should rise up and call him blessed." At San Francisco, it had been previously announced in the church of St. Ignatius, that a Requiem Mass would be celebrated on vVednesday, February zoth, in honor of the deceased Pontiff, and the faithful of the congregation had been recommended to approach Holy Communion on that day in union with the above intention, and, also, for the Conclave then in session. In accordance with this suggestion, multitudes went to Holy Communion, and received from the Fathers, at the hands of an acolyte, as a precious memento of the occasion, a medal blessed by Pius IX., at the time of the visit of Very Rev. A. Varsi, the present Su~ peri or of the Society in this city. The decorations of the church by their magnificence manifested the ardor of affeCl:ion and reverence in which the Holy Pontiff is held by the Fathers, mariy of whom are Italians and were personal acquaintances of his Holiness. Thousands of yards of soft black and white material encircled the walls, looped in graceful festoons and fastened with rosettes. The eighteen pillars which support the gal· leries were covered closely with black, as were also the chancel walls and arched ceiling of the sanCl:uary __:_ the altar-piece of which, covered also in black, was rendered very effeCl:ive by a massive white cross of stately proportions which appeared as if planted in front of it, and brought into bold relief by the black back-ground. Twelve pews had been removed 'from the body of the church, direCl:ly in front of the high altar to give space for the dais that was to serve as the foundation supporting the catafalque and memorial monument. This dais arose in a succession of five stages or steps, painted in close imitation ofblack-veined marble, and on these were arranged innumerable bouquets of flowers in costly vases of Bohemian and �. Obsequies of Pius IX other rare and exquisite wares-delicate wreaths of pure white camillas, interwoven with religious designs-the anchor of hop~. the cro:;s of faith, the heart of charity, the coat of arms of the dead Pontiff, all with the most cunning skill of the florist's art. On the floor stood six tall candlesticks surrounding the catafalque; on the upper steps at each of the four corners a large golden candelabrum, bearing nine lights and a very large bouquet, and in every available spot were smaller candelabra bearing wax candles. On this black-veined marble dais rested the coffin. It was draped in ;·very rich gold-fringed silk pall, and had at the head, resting on a black velvet cushion fringed also with gold, the triple crown, a silver and gold tiara. It seemed, indeed, the lying in state of a right royal monarch, one not disowned by an envious brotherhood. The space occupied by the catafalque was marked by four short columns, formed in clusters of three, and painted in imitation of red porphyry, which supported the base of the fine!y proportioned monumental obelisk in white marble rising grandly thirty-two feet, and terminated by an elegant cross that almost reached to the frescoes of the roof. The face of the pedestal of the obelisk, looking towards the entrance, presented a fine portra_it of the benignant Pius, by Tojetti, the Italian Catholic ard~t~ who boasts of numbering among his patrons the illustrious Pope. The por· trait is a bust robed in red vestments and surrounded by a crown composed, the lower portion, of oak leaves with the young acorns, significant of stability and fortitude, so characteristic of Pi us I X. ; and the upper portion, of the victor's laurel also putting forth its fruit. In the midst of all this decoration stood the pulpit arrayed in its mourning robes with such modesty and becomingness as to suggest that the decorator had in his mind's eye, while he d<_!signed, the unassuming Jesuit as its only occupant. The celebrant of the Mass was Very Rev. A. Varsi, the Superior. He was assisted by Rev. Fr. Messea as deacon, �Obsequies of Pius I X 157 J., as sub-deacon, and 1\'lr. Crowley, S. J., the prefeCt of the SanCtuary Society, as master of ceremonies. The sermon was preached by Rev. Fr. Buchard. During its course, as he pronounced the words; "We do not mourn as those without hope," a sudden gleam of sunshine broke with a startling radiance through the clouds which had darkened the sky. The music for the occasion consisted of the Requiem, Kyrie and San{lus from Mozart's fifteenth Mass; the Libera and Dies Ira: from Rossi ; Offertory and Agmts Dei from Amb'roise Thomas, and a quartet I! Sa!uto a Pio Nono from Verdi, which was sung after the sermon and the Libera. We have kept for the last, two accounts which will perhaps have more interest for our readers than any of the preceding- those of the Requiem Mass at Las Vegas in the New Mexico Mission, and of the funeral services among the Cceurd'alene Indians of the Rocky Mountain Mission. The former we translate from the Revista Catto!i'ca edited and published by our Fathers at Las Vegas; "At Las Vegas, Feb. 14th the funeral rites were performed in memory of Pius IX. We candidly confess that we have seen very few things in this country which so deeply moved and impressed us as did this sad ceremony. The funeral pomp of the church, the number of priests, the chant, and the extraordinary concourse of people, all had a share in greatly moving the minds of all. The priests there gathered were, besides the Rev. parish priests of this and of some of the neigboring parishes, Frs. Tommassini, Persone, Gasparri, Marra and Minasi, S. J. The church, which is of no mean dimensions, was crowded with people, and this is so much the more edifying, as very bad weather prevailed the whole morning, which, no doubt, prevented many others from assisting. At one sid-: of the funeral bier were the pupils of Las Vegas College with Frs. Rossi and Fede, S. J., and at the other were the Sisters, also with their pupils. "The services began with the chant of Matins and Lauds ; by Mr. Collins, S. VoL. vu-No. 3· 21 �Obsequies of Pius IX. afterwards Rev. Fr. Fayet, parish priest of St. Miguel, celebrated Mass, Fr. Tommassini being deacon, and Fr. Minasi sub-deacon. When the Mass was over Fr. Gasparri delivered a funeral eulogy of Pius IX. After having traced in a few words the life of John Mastai Ferretti from his childhood to his elevation to the chair of St. Peter, the orator showed forth in Pius IX. the Universal Pastor and the Infallible Teacher of the Church. He showed also how God in his providence had disposed that the Supreme Pontiff, in order to exercise his supremacy and teaching office, should have temporal power. From this the orator took occasion to speak of the temporal power of the Pope, and of the many sufferings which Pius IX. had to bear for this cause. He closed his eulogy by speaking of the desire he entertained of one day seeing raised to our altars the glorious Pontiff for whose rest the funeral rites were performed, and of venerating him hereafter as a saint. "The services ended with the u~ual blessing and the chant of the Libera. \Ve are sure that those who were present at this ceremony will forget neither the impression that it produced upon all, nor the greatness of him in whose honor it was celebrated." The letter from the Indian Mission is so interesting that we cannot help transcribing it as it stands. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. As in your WoODSTOCK LETTERS you ask for news of the funeral rites for Pius IX., I answer for my own mission. When the Cceurd'alene Indians heard the first sad news of the death of Pius IX., they were awe-stricken and overwhelmed by a gloom and sorrow which would never have been expeB:ed of savages, even at the death of any of their nearest and dearest. They said : We are now fatherless; if we ~ourn for our father, how much more must we do for him who was the father of our souls in place of Jesus Christ? �Obsequies of Pius IX 159 A boy to whom the news was first communiCated started away, chanting the sad tidings in a loud mournful tone through the valleys and dales. We then announced to the few who were near the church that the next day, Sexagesima Sunday, we should have a solemn Mass for the repose of his glorious soul. All came to confession, and we could notice there the deep impression which such a death had made on their savage hearts. · Sunday morning other Indians came to church, and, hearing the sad news on their way, all felt the same sacred gloom creeping over them. In order to give time, both for hearing their confessions and for preparing the catafalque, the High Mass was deferred until twelve o'clock. A general Communion was offered for their beloved Father, and at the Offertory every one presented himself at the altar, offering his mite in order to have Masses said for the repose of the holy soul of Pius IX. During the sermon, prior to the Absolution, scarcely a dry eye was to be seen. The preacher felt a scruple in asking prayers for such a sainted man : he publicly invoked Pius IX. to pray for him and for his mission. At two o'clock the congregation was dismissed with a deep but hopeful sadness depieted on their countenances. The next day, the greater part of the chiefs and people arrived from afar off coming to celebrate Ash-Wednesday. While still at a distance they heard the sad news and sent a courier to know whether it were lawful, at so mournful a season, to perform the usual ceremonies of welcome to their chiefs. They came· in, all grieving and complaining that they had been deprived of the happiness of the previous day. The chief, Andrew Seltis, a man of unimpeachable charaCt:er and a lively faith, wished for another Mass the next day, but it was determined to defer it to the next Sunday, Quinquagesima, in order· to call in every member of the tribe and prepare the church better. The pontifical catafalque (a very modest one it was to deserve such a title), was however still standing in the church, and the new- �100 Obsequies of Pius IX. comers begged to be allowed to go there every day and say their beads for the Holy Father. Next Sunday, Quinquagesima, every one went to confession and made another Communion, really a general one this time, at the High Mass. Before the beginning of Mass, all the Indians, even the boys and girls, were running around to find money ; they even sold horses to have a bit to offer. I can say ·with truth that no empty hand was seen at the Offertory: the very babies had a bit to offer for the Hoi)• Father. Those who had nothing ready, presented a piece of paper with the pledge to give something at some definite period. vVe had hard work to prevent them from incurring debts for the Pope. After Mass, the chief, Andrew, came to invite the Fathers and Brothers to a repast with the whole people: "You can· not refuse," said he, "the Holy .Father was your chief as well as mine; we are all his children and must all unite together." Of course, we could not decline. For a table they _had stretched in a room a wagon-box, upside-down, spread with blankets and covered with viCtuals. The priests sat at the head, the chief<> around the sides, while one of the chiefs waited upon us. They wanted a little speech : the.-S_uperior rose, and seeing there some of a tribe who had Protestant Indians mingled with them, after congratulating the Catholics on their unequivocal expression of their attachment to their faith, he said: "A few years ago died Mr. Spalding, the great preacher of the Presbyterian Indian·s. Well, what did his children feel for him? They had seen him, had been instruCted and baptized by him; yet, at his death, no one felt a particle of grief. Why do you Cceurd'alenes give such expression to your sorrow? You have never seen Pius IX., know very little of him : yet' you cannot find anything suffi· cient t~ declare your love, respeCt and sorrow. Why? Because by Baptism you were unknowingly made children of the Pope, and you feel instinCtively that he is your father; not �illissionary Labors. 161 by your own study do you know this truth, but by the impulse of the Holy Ghost, who inspires you as also so many others, with this attachment and sorrow for the Holy Father. The chief was pleased, and went out to repeat the speech to , the crowd who were waiting out-doors for their dinner. MISSIONARY LABORS. AccOUNT OF THE MISSIONS GIVEN BY FATHER DAMEN AND HIS Cm.IPANIONS, FRm.I SEPT. 1877 TO }ULY 1878. On Monday, August zoth, Fathers Damen and Hillman left Chicago for Osage Mission, Kansas, a residence of our Fathers, to give a short repetition of the mission preached by Fathers Bronsgeest and Zealand, some four months before. They learned the news that not only the seventeen converts made during that mission had persevered in the faith, but, that shortly after, eight others had been received into the Church. ·Father Damen exhorted the congregation to contribute liberally for the beautiful, new stone church now in process of erection. The farmers volunteered to haul the stone from the quarry to the place where the church is to be built. During the short stay of Father Damen, six huT!dred and fifty three consecrated particles were distributed and four converts received into the Church. ST. GALL's CHURCH, MILWAUKEE-The congregation is under the charge of our Fathers. The mission which lasted from September 9th till September 19th was very well attended. The results were four thousand Communions, four converts, ten adults prepared for First Communion. YoNKERS N.Y. CHuRcH oF THE IMMACULATE CoNCEPTION -In this mission Father Damen was assisted by Fathers Masselis, Zealand and Hillman. They had three thousand �162 Missionary Labors. five hundred Communions, eleven converts, and forty-five adults for First Communion. Some of the Protestant neighbors complaim:d to the mayor that the ringing of the bell at four and a half A. M., disturbed their rest. The mayor sent the protest to the Reverend Pastor \vho thought it proper not to heed the notice and to continue the ringing. Meanwhile Fathers Bronsgeest and Bouige gave successful missions in Alpena, Michigan, wher€ they had eight hundred and .t\venty-five Communions, and in several little parishes of ·the diocese of Louisville, viz: in Hardens burg, in Cloverport, in St. Mary's Church, Long Lick, in St. Mary's Church, Breckinridge County and in Litchfield, Grayson Co. Kentucky. The result of their labors in these parishes was : one thousand one hundred and thirty Communions and fifty-one converts; besides these converts twenty-nine adults were prepared for their First Communion. The population of these parishes is almost exclusively American, descendants of the Maryland settlers who came over from England to avoid religious persecution. They are very constant and fervent in their faith. They came early in the morning from great di~tances, brought along their dinner and stopped till the end pf the exercises about 5 P.M. To the fervor of the Catholics was due the great success of the missions in many conversions from Protestantism during the three or four weeks we were amongst them. They went around stirring up the lukewarm, encouraging the wavering, convincing the Protestants of their errors and introducing them to the missionaries. They faithfully adhere to the devotional practices which they learned from their pious ancestors. The members of every family, for instance, say prayers in common, morning and night. On approaching a priest they salute him with a kind of genu· flection ; and if the priest reaches out his hand in token of friendship, many, especially the women, kiss it with rever- �Missionary Labors. ence. .The Fathers will never forget the cordial affeCtion bestowed upon them by these grateful people. From OCt. 7th till Dec. 4th, Father Damen assisted by Fathers Masselis, Zealand, Condon, Bronsgeest and Hillman gave three very successful missions. The Ist at ST. GABRIEL's CHURCH, N. Y- where they had seven thousand Communions, twenty-five converts, ninety-four adults for First Communion and two hundred and two adults for Confirmation. The 2nd at ST. JoHN's CHURCH, N. Y-with eight thousand six hundred Communions, twenty converts, one hundred and two adults prepared for First Communion and two hundred and ninety-five adults for Confirmation. The 3rd at ST. JoHN's CHURCH, BROOKLYN-with six thousand five hundred Communions, sixteen converts, ninetyeight adults prepared for First Communion and three hundred and fifteen adults for Confirmation. Each mission given by Father Damen in the large cities lasts two weeks and a hal( The order of exercises is: 5 A. M., Mass and sermon ; 8.30 A. M., Mass and sermon ; 3 P. M., stations; and 7.30 P. M., beads, sermon and BenediCtion. The first week is for the women, the second week for the men, i. e. those whose week it is are alone admitted to the night services, and have the privilege of going first to confession. This arrangement has many advantages : First, it gives to all a chance to attend the exercises. Second, the men, who, for the most part work all day are tired at night and a seat in the church is an objeCt with them. Third, the women having complied with their duties become very fervent and urge on their husbands, sons or brothers to avail themselves of the grace of the mission. Father Damen is accustomed to give two controversial leCl:ures during each week. The utility of these leCtures is very great, not only for Protestants who always attend in great numbers and whose prejudices are thereby greatly di- �lvfissz'onary Labors. minished, but, principally for Catholics who are wonderfully strengthened in their faith. If, moreover, Almighty God gives the grace of conversion to a number of Protestants, the ceremony of their baptism or reception into the church creates great enthusiasm amongst the Catholics, who glory with a laudable pride that so many are gathered into the true fold. A result of the missions that deserves special notice is the number of adults, that are prepared for their First Communion. Their delay in receiving the Sacraments is owing generally to--carelessness on the part of parents. Pastors can but rarely prevail upon them to come for the necessary instructions. Those people are instructed at night by anc other missionary Father during the mission-sermon of Fr. Damen. So also with regard to Confirmation. In most places the Bishop confers this sacrament every year, the Pastors making the proper announcement beforehand and inviting all who have never been confirmed; but human respect keeps many back. It is only after receiving the grace of the mission that they can muster courage to come to the feet of the Bishop. During the few days of repose allotted to them at the close of these great missions, the Fathers visited some charitable institutions in New York. They saw St. Vincent's Home for 'homeless boys, where Father Drumgoole, a very zealous Irish priest, keeps a house for news-boys and shoe-blacks, who pay ten cents a day for board and lodging. He has as many as he can accommodate and many are refused for want of room. The boys hear Mass on Sundays in the chapel of the Institution and receive the Sacraments at regular, stated times. The Fathers visited also the Protectorate, Westchester, N.Y. The boys' division is conducted by Christian Brothers, that of the girls by Sisters of Charity. Two Dominican Fathers residing at the ProteCtorate of the boys provide for the "spiritual wants of both houses. There ·are over one thousand five hundred boys. Besides attending school they �Missionary Labors. work four hours a day, principally at shocmaking. Some are employed in the printing office, some in the chair-caning room and others in the tailorshop. The girls' department numbers six hundred inmates. They receive a common school education and are employed a few hours each day at making shirts. Both buildings are grand structures. These Institutions are supported at the expense of the city, which pays one hundred and ten dollars a year for every boy condemned by court for vagrancy. Some of the Fathers also visited the House of the Good Shepherd, a very large Institution on 9oth St. and East River, just opposite Hell-Gate. It contains three hundred and seventy-two penitents besides a number of female prisoners and a class of children of preservation. Their spiritual wants are attended by the Jesuit Fathers of Yorkville. On Dec. 4th, Fathers Bronsgeest and Hillman opened a retreat for the young Ladies of the Academy at· Flushing, L. I. They concluded it on the morning of the feast of the Immaculate Conception. On the 9th they commenced a ten days mission in St. Theresa's Church, Brooklyn, with very happy results: two thousand nine hundred Communions, eight converts, twenty-seven adults for First Communion. At the same time Father Damen, assisted by Fathers Masselis, Zealand and Condon, was laboring successfully at St. Joseph's Church, Jersey City. Three thousand seven hundred received Holy Communion, there were ten converts, eighty-one adults were prepared for First Communion, two hundred and one adults were confirmed by Right Reverend Bishop Corrigan. The pastor of St. Joseph's is the Right Reverend Dr. Seton, Prothonotary Apostolic, a nephew of the celebrated and saintly Mother Seton, Foundress of the Sisters of Charity in this country. He is connected With the royal family ofthe Stuarts and was, for this reasop; admitted for his studies into the Collegium Nobilium. After VoL. vrr-No. 3· 22 �!66 J1Jissionary Labors. these missions, the Fathers went to Chicago to render assistance during the Christmas holidays and make their annual retreat. From January 13-23 Father Damen, assisted by Fathers Zealand and Bronsgeest, gave a mission in St. Augustine's Church, Cleveland, Ohio. The fruits of this mission were nearly one thousand Communions, five converts and twelve adults prepared for their First Communion. There is a statute in the diocese of Cleavland imposing the penalty_ of a public reparation on Catholics, whocontraa marriage ~?etore a Protestant preacher. Two couples submitted to tnis law and consented to have their names rearl out after the half-past eight o'clock Mass, begging pardon of the congregation for the scandal given. · These Fathers then repaired to Hartford, Conn., to give a mission in St. Patrick's church. Here they were joined by Frs. Masselis, Bouige and Hillman, who had been assisting Father Coghlan in the mission at the church of the Nativity, Chicago, Ill. The mission proved very successful. The faithful came not only from the parishes in the city, but also from the neighboring towns. Over ten thousand approached Holy Communion, twenty were converted to the true faith, one hundred and thirty-five were prepared for their First Communion, and four hundred' and ninety-three adults for Confirmation, which was administered by Rt. Reverend Bishop Galberry, 0. S. A., Bishop of Hartford. Through the exertions of the pastor, Very Rev. James Hughes, a magnificent church has been ereB:ed on the ruins of the old one, and a beautiful school and orphan asylums have been provided for the children of this congregation. From Hartford we went to the church of the Transfiguration, Brooklyn, L. 1., where we had thirty-five hundred Communions, fourteen converts, seventy-one adults prepared for First Communion and one hundred and fifty-nine adults for C.onfirmation . • Next in order came S. Theresa's church, New York, where, as usual, great enthusiasm prevailed. Over eight �Missionary Labors. thousand persons approached the sacraments, twenty-two were received into the Church, eighty-one adults were prepared for their First Communion and two hundred and sixtysix adults for Confirmation, which was administered by Rt. Rev. Bishop Loughlin of Brooklyn, his Eminence Cardinal McCloskey being at that time in Europe, to assist at the Conclave for the election of the new Pope. On our way westward, we met with an accident on the Erie railroad. About noon on Friday, 1\larch 29th, the engine and -all the passenger cars ran off the track near Jamestown, in the southwest part of the State of New York. Happily nobody was injured and the only inconvenience resulting from the accident was a delay of six hours on the spot and of six others by reason of missing conneCtions. It was a good warning for the fathers to keep up the praCtice of reciting the litanies ·of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a safeguard against accidents. \Ve arrived in Chicago on Saturday and went at once to the beautiful cathedral, where on March 3 rst, our last mission before Easter was opened. The exercises were well attended, with the following consoling results: Eight thousand Communions, thirteen converts, fifty-two prepared for First Communion and two hundred and eighty-five for confirmation. On the first Sunday after Easter, Fathers Damen, Zealand, Masselis and Hillman opened a mission in St. Mary's Church; Cambridgeport, Mass., which lasted sixteen days. During that time four thousand approached Communion; there were eleven com·erts and eighty-four adults were prec pared for their First Communion. Father Scully, the pastor, is the only secular priest in the State of Massachusetts who has a parish school for boys. He succeeds admirably well, notwithstanding the opposition he meets with. From Massachusetts, the same fathers went to Sing-Sing in the State of New York. The mission lasted eight days, during which thirteen hundred Communions were distributed and seventeen adults prepared for their First Communion. �168 Afissi(mary Labors. On Sunday, May 26th, Father Hasson, the pastor, accompanied by Frs. Damen, Zealand and Hillman, went to the State prison, situated on the east bank of the Hudson river, about three-quarters of a mile southwest of the town. A solemn High Mass was celebrated, an event which had never before taken place within the walls of this Institution. At the time of the visit one thousand seven hundred and fifty male convicts were in the prison, most of them young men betwee.n the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. The large hall.r,~aced at their disposal has a seating capacity of about fifteen hundred .. The remaining two hundred and fifty were therefore deprived of the benefit of their visit. During the Mass, Fr. Damen delivered a very stirring sermon on the importance of salvation, and after the Mass he addressed the Catholic portion of the prisoners, amounting to seven hundred or eight hundred, on the subjeCt: of confession, explaining especially the motives of contrition. He also announced to them, that on the following day the whole band of missioners and the parish priest would return to hear confessions. After the service the prisoners were marched, as is customary, in single file and in companies of fifty, each under the care of? ke~per, to their cells, where they were to remain confined Jill the next morning. On their way thither they received their rations for noon and evening. Next morning, at nine o'clock, the Fathers were there according to promise, and were told that nearly three hundred had asked leave from the Protestant chaplain to make their confession. The Fathers went to work at once and heard confessions till twelve o'clock. In the evening they returned. They were similarly engaged on Tuesday and Wednesday. They brought the Blessed Sacrament with them each morning to give Communion to those who were still fasting. ·Over three hundred confessions had been heard, but only two hundred and forty-one Communions were distributed, not all having kept their fast. Several of those who �~lfissimzary Labors. came to confession and Communion, did so for the first time in their lives. Three were privately baptized and also admitted to their First Communion. Perhaps the saddest feature of this Institution is, that there are only one thousand two hundred cells, the consequence being, that in over five hundred cells, the prisoners are "doubled up," as they term it, which, as will be easily understood does not promote the morality of the prison. The prisoners are variously occupied in the laundry, in the iron-foundry or the shoe-faCtory. Father Hasson was delighted with the results, as was also the very kind and gentlemanly \Varden, Mr. Davies, who, as a substantial token of his appreciation, presented Reverend Father Hasson with a purse of five hundred dollars in recognition of the labors the Reverend gentleman had gratuitously undertaken during the past two years. The offering of this handsome present was, moreover, a virtual recognition of Father Hasson as assistant-chaplain of the State Prison, with a salary of five hundred dollars a year, a position which this zealous priest had looked for most anxiously, as it would give him a firmer footing in the Institution, and would enable him to work more successfully among the prisoners. Father Damen and companions completed their yearly campaign by a small mission in St. Joseph's Church, East Saginaw, Mich. The people came from neighboring parishes and swelled the number of Communions to one thousand. Seven were· prepared for baptism and eighteen for First Communion. ·whilst Father Damen was in the east, Fathers Bronsgeest and Bouige gave missions in Burlington, Iowa, Waukeegan, Ill., Saginaw City and Wenona, Mich. In the two latter missions they were assisted by Father Hillman. The result of their labors in these congregations is as follows : over five thousand Communions, twenty seven converts and sixty-six adults prepared for their First Communion. �111issivlta1J' Labors. Among the converts in \\'enona was a lady aged eighty nine, and her daughter aged fifty. Before the last mission was finished, Father Bronsgeest and Father Hillman left for Florissant, Mo., to give a mission in St. Ferdinand's Church, which i~ under the care of Re\·erend A. Hayden, S. J. The results were seven hundred and fifty Communions, three converts and ten adults prepared for First Communion. Right Reverend Bishop Ryan of St. Louis, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation on the last 'day of the mission, to seventy-five persons, thirteen of ~~·hom were adults. The total results of the missions of Father Damen and his companions are: Communions 129,828; Converts 451; Adults prepared for First Communion I ,980; Adults prepared for Confirmation 2,989. These figures include the results of the missions which were given under the direction of Fr. Coghlan. AccOUNT OF THE MISSIONS GI\'EN BY FR. MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS FRO~! APRIL 1878 TO ] ULY I 878. HIS ~OSTON, July 8, 1878. REv. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. Having reached the end of our work for a while, I send you a brief account of what has been done. Since my last letter, missions have been given in several places where nothing of the kind had been seen before, and consequently the good effeCl:ed partook somewhat of the unusual, even in missionary annals. TRINITY CnuRcii, GEORGETOWN.-After ten days of work (April 28-May 7) we were gratified to see that over two thousand persons had received Holy Communion. Here the Fathers departed from their custom of dividing the congregation (men and women), thinking such a movement unnecessary. But, even in this place, the number of Corn- �11lissiolltliJ' Labors. 171 munions would have been larger and the good effected more extended, if only three nights had been set apart for the men. An experiment made on the second Sunday night of the mission. filled the church entirely with men. A Protestant who had attended every night did not come when the services were exclusively for the men, for, as he said, he thought the doors would be locked and everyone made to go to confession; and he was not quite ready for that. Protestants, and many of them of high social standing, attended the exercises every day. Eleven persons, including one or two children of mixed n;arriages, were baptized. Ten or twelve adults were prepartd for first Communion. Many, who had not been near the church for many years, received the sacraments during this time of grace. An effort was made, with what success, I know not, to increase the Sodality membership. The fathers were greatly pleased at seeing so many students from the college at the night exercises. May 12-20.-The next mission was begun at Towanda, Pa., where the Rev. Charles Kelly is pastor. This town is situated in the northeast corner of the State and is about thirty miks frorh Elmira, N. Y. The Lehigh Valley Railroad com1eCI:s it with the outer world. The country around is mountainous and romantic, and can furnish any amount of adventure to persons fond of hunting, fishing and hairbreadth escapes. The congregation is much scattered, being made up of farmers principally, who live at great distances from the church. It was a common thing to meet persons every day that had walked eight and ten miles fasting, in order to make the mission. After a week well spent here, the exercises were given in Barclay, a church under the care of the same clergyman. Barclay is a rough looking mining town, on the top of a mountain, sixteen miles from Towanda. The whole place belongs to the Erie Railroad Company, and is one of its chief coal centres. The people are simple and pious, just as they came from the old country. Seldom do we meet with a more fervent· �172 lvfissionary Labors. congregation, and one where more good could be done. Results in the two places : Communions, 2,500 ; baptisms, 6; First Communions of adults, 20. Here, as everywhere, several marriages were made valid. HYDE PARK, MAss.-The work was begun, May 26th and ended on the 9th of June. Owing to ·the lateness of the season, it was deemed advisable to undertake the mission at once. Consequently, the Superior of the mission left two Fathers at Hyde Park, whilst with a Father from St. Mary's of ~this city he undertook a retreat in Maine. The Fatl1ers in Hyde Park had every reason to thank Almighty God for blessing tht>ir labors. A mission was a novelty here. The attendance was very large; in a word, no one could tell where the people came from. Many had been scarcely looked upon as Catholics; many had never ·been seen in the church before. The pastor, the Reverend James Conlan, recently appointed to the parish, gave us every encouragement in our work and seconded our efforts in regard to forming a sodality, the surest means of making the fruits of the mission lasting. Results: Communions 2,500; Baptisms 2; First Communion of adults 20. Nearly a hundred children were after due preparation admitted to the J-l_oly Table for the first time. \Vhilst the mission at Hyde Park was in progress, our Superior was engagetl in giving the exercises in Rockland and Thomaston, Maine. The good people of these towns had never made a mission and whe delighted with the opportunity of taking part in one. Even the Protestants, with their ministers came in large numbers, to see what was going on. Very consoling effeCts were produced. The Com· munions were about I ,500; three persons were baptized; I 2 adults received the Holy Eucharist for the first time. From the 9th to I 7th of June a mission was given in \Voodstock, New Brunswick. For the time it lasted, the • work was the hardest of the whole year. Almost half the I f �Mi'ssionm y Laborf. 173 congregation are farmers and lumber-men who live a long way from the church, fifteen, twenty and thirty miles. Two hundred adults, most of them deplorably ignorant, had to be prepared for first Communion. Many had not been inside of a church for years, and had forgotten their prayers and the little they ever knew about their religion. To prepare these in the short time at our disposal was a cause of great trouble and anxiety. Nearly every day persons would present themselves and ask for permission to make their first Communion. What could be done? the majority of them were over thirty. They knew little and never could learn much ; besides they had walked fasting eight or ten miles and were obliged to return home soon. The Protestants of the place came in crowds to hear what the Jesuits from the States had to say. A very favorable impression was made and though the election for the provincial parliament was being conducted and canvassing quite brisk, the audience of Protestants continued to increase. In a neighboring county, a Catholic candidate was stigmatized as a tool of the Jesuits; but this political dodge was not resorted to on our account. A few Indians (Malicetis) came to the mission; they are Catholics and speak English well enough. An elderly man of the tribe was asked what had become of several of the young men who were seen in the church the day before. "He drunk; he gone down the river," was his reply. Here, as with us, the same vice is decimating the remnants of the once flourishing tribes. After the work was done, the superior remained a day, in order to give a lecture on temperance. A large audience was present and hundreds took the pledge. Results: Communions 1,000; Adults first Communion 200 ; Baptism 1. The first mission of Woodstock was, therefore, not by any means a failure. Summary for the Springtime, i. e. since Low-Sunday: VoL. vu-No. 3· 23 �I74 Indian Missions. Communions 9,500; Baptisms 23; Adults for first communion 26;. Adding to these figures those of former missions,· page I I I, we have for the total of this year : Communions 66, IOO; First Communions of adults 7I9; Baptisms of adults 222. INDIAN MISSIONS. FoRT CoLVILLE, ·wAsH. Tv., April 23rd, I878.. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. My winter trip to the encampments of the various tribes began on the I7th of December I877, and ended on the I 2th of the present April. Taking a south-easterly direCtion, I travelled about eighty miles, when I arrived at the encampment of the Spokane Indians who were eager to see me. With them I passed the Christmas holydays. Then I journeyed north sixty miles to visit the Kalispels whom, on my arrival, I found gathered a~~ording to custom for their .devotions. Thence I returned to Colville, where I stopped only one day for fear that the snow would block up the road on the mountains which divide the Sgoielpi from the other tribes, that belong to our mission, south and west of them. On the second day after starting, the fall of an ad· ditional foot of snow fairly shook the determination of my companion to go with me, at least for two or three days. But Providence supplied his place. A straggling Indian of a neighboring nation was about to return to his home. I asked him whether I might accompany him; for he belongs to tribe unfavorable to the missionary. He consented and we started; it was well for him that he took me for com· panion, for I was a very efficient assistant on the way, help· a �Indian Missions. 175 ing him to raise his ponies, which, being very lean and greatly overloaded, fell every two or three miles under their load. On the way we had many discussions, but I had to be very moderate for fear of offending him. "See now," he would say, "how foolish you are. Do you think that God who made the innocent babes, is going to cast them off when they die ? Where do you find parents that cast off their children? What good can Baptism do a person? We see very good people among the unbaptized, and very bad ones among the baptized. Answer that." We reached his tribe after four days travelling. In this tribe there is a prophet who is very popular and deceives the poor Indians by a thousand artifices. Some years ago he told his people that God ordered him, as Noe of old, to build an ark, because there would be another deluge; those who would follow his prayer, he would receive into the ark and save. In consequence of this order from above, he set his young men to sawing lumber during the whole winter. He thus keeps them from mischief, so that his nation compares favorably with other neighboring tribes, which gives him no little credit. He tells his people that he can read, though he never learned how, and that, were the whites to fire at him, they could not hurt him, as God had made him invulnerable. He says that God Almighty spoke through Jesus Christ, but of late He speaks to His chosen ones through himself, and that all such as follow the Black-Robe can certainly never obtain heaven. He is a sharper. As he is a cripple he would starve, but he manages to live splendidly and even to make a fortune by many of his revelations. On arriving at his tribe I was kindly received by arelative of my companion. The time for prayer approaching, I was asked whether I would attend. I answered that I would if I were allowed to speak. Upon this one of them started to know the mind of the prophet. He answered that I might go to their prayer if I wished, but that I could not speak. On hearing the bell, however �Indian ·Jlfissi'o ns: I went, and spoke too ; but I spoke to the wind as far as I could judge; for the prophet interrupted me and told me that I had spoken too much already; that they would not receive my prayers; that though he would not blame me for having adopted the prayer of Jesus Christ, I had no right to impose it upon others who had a different one. After him several others spoke, even more vehemently than the pseudo-prophet; some arguing that the prayer of their prophet was the right one, others maintaining that Baptism was'of no use, as it was nothing but the power of understanding the word of God and doing it. Their speeches were often interrupted by vociferous applause. The speeches were followed by a prayer calmly said and devoutly, the bell being rung at different times; a hymn, without words, consisting. only of an intonation of Alz, ali, aft, wound up the whole affair. I remained two days among them, but with no fruit. I left them much astonished by telling them that they would never reach heaven by the prayer of their prophet. I tr;velled two days more and arrived at another small tribe, who also have a prophet for their chief and teacher. I was received rather coldly at first, but little by little I gained their good will. I was consiqerably helped by five or six who were already baptized and who happened to be there. vVith these I said morning and evening prayers and I taught them some catechism. Soon some infidels joined them, and once in a while their chief came to honor us by his presence. He is a man of good heart, and is very intelligent. When Sunday came he invited me to go to his prayers. I went, and with some little effort I persuaded him to leave off his and say the Black-Robe's prayer. After the prayer he spoke to his people, telling them to make their hearts ready to receive the prayer of the Black-Robe. His address was long, animated and eloquent. At noon we met again in the chiefs house, a large log house, and I spoke at length, touching �Indian Jvfz'ssions. 177 upon all the principal tenets of our holy religion. In the evening he requested me to let him say his own prayer, telling· me that it was the wish of his people. I of course, assented. It was a melange of our tenets and soHle private revelations of his own. I took good care after his prayer to congratulate him on what it had in common with the BlackRobe's. I remained with this tribe twelve days, praying morning and evening, on work-days in my cabin and on Sundays in the chief's house. At the end of twelve days he came to me and told me that his people would on the morrow disperse for the deer-hunt; that both he and his people wished to receive Baptism at some future time, that one thing kept them back, his distance from the BlackRobe; for a visit only once in a while could not satisfy him and his people. On the morrow I baptized two children and then departed. Many others, I heard aftenvards, wished to have their children baptized, but the good chief hindered them, telling the parents that when he would be baptized then they and their children might join him. About sixty miles from this place I found the first camp of the Okinagan Indians. I was received most cordially, as they were all christians. I remained with them one week, gathering them together in a large place three times a day for prayer and instruCtions. On hearing that a child was dying at a second camp of the same tribe, about twenty miles further off, I hastened my departure. I arrived at this second camp during the night very wet. The chief is unbaptized and a little odd. He received me in his lodge with difficulty and refused me something to eat, but the next day he was more humane and tractable. I remained another week at this camp, and then passed from camp to camp, remaining in each the same length of time gathering together the people in some places three times, in others four times a day. Where the christians were in the majority I was well received, but not so well where the infidels were more numerous. �178 Indian Missions. Having ascended the Okinagan river up to the boundary line between the U.S. and British America (and a few miles beyond it for sick calls), visiting all the Indians on my route, I descended the same river revisiting them all, but making a much shorter stay with them until I reached the camp of the Mitgan Indians. With these I spent the same . length of time as with the others, and used the same method of instruCtion. I then descended the Columbia river to see the Chelan, the Inliclikurp and the Weenachee. These three tribes I found much disturbed in mind; they seemed to be under the impression that the Americans wanted them to leave their lands ;tnd go to some Reservation, to which they have a great aversion. This state of things had not little to do with their behaviour. The youngsters seemed to care very little about their prayers, and gave themselves up to gambling and disorders. I calmed them by telling them that, if they would fence up a piece of land, build on it a little house and live peaceably they would never be molested. This pleased them. I proceeded in each of these tribes as usual with my missionary exercises, which were always well attended. Qn leaving them God gave me a great consolation in the-· conversion of a white man who occasionally preached to the Indians. Before my arrival I met several Indians rehearsing to me with some degree of boldness certain objeCtions of the Protestants against our holy tenets, which they had learned from him. After his conversion, that neophite promised that hereafter he would, with the help of God, do as much good as he had fonnerly done harm to the Church, a promise I encouraged him to keep. · As Holy-Week was approaching, I hastened my return homeward, having had during my trip forty-five baptisms, of which fifteen were of adults, the others of children, some of Christians, others of infidel parents and about twelve marriages. U.G.,S.j �f1tdian Missions. ST. MARY's, MoNTANA 179 Tv., May 6th, I 8;8. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. To give your Reverence some idea of this mission among the Flat-Head Indians of St. Mary's Valley, or as the whites now call it, Bitter-Root Valley, in Montana Territory, I must make some remarks about their relations with the Government and with the whites. You must not imagine that we are here in a wilderness, far apart from the civilized world. No, we have, in this valley which extends about sixty miles, a populous settlement of whites. Formerly, indeed, this valley was an Indian Reservation, and according to Governor Stevens' treaty, made in 1855, with the three united tribes of the Flat-Heads, Pen-d'Oreilles, and Koote-nays, no white man should have been allowed to pass an established temporary boundary, until the Government would decide whether another valley, that of the Jocko, the actual Reservation of the Pend'Oreille Indians, would be more fit for them. But little by little the whites, some with permission of the chief of the tribe, others without it, began to pass the established boundary, and when a few years ago the Bitter-Root Valley was opened for settlers, it was already taken up by whites. Our Indians are now in a very precarious condition. The Government, in consequence of the misrepresentations of the money-seeking officials, regards the Flat-Head tribe as having given up their tribal relations, and patents have been issued by the Land Office for the fifty-two families which are supposed to be willing to become citizens, the other families being regarded as having removed to the Jocko Reservation. But the Indians continue to go on as before; they still consider their chief as their principal authority, and few only are living on the farms surveyed for them, and for which the patents, though issued two years ago, are not yet �ISO Indian lriissions. delivered. The only difference is, that for the last six years they have not received a cent from the Government. A few of the Flat-Heads, about six families, moved to the Jocko Reservation, and it is among these few families that are divided the five thousand dollars which were promised these [ndians for ten years, besides the annuities, granted by the treaty made with Gen. Garfield, about six years ago. While the whole of the tribe here in Bitter- Root Valley, about three hundred and fifty in number, in recompense for their histori~cal fidelity to the Government and the whites, have to support themselves as best they can. To aggravate their condition they are now forbidden to buy ammunition, though most of them have paid high prices for their breechloading guns. Moreover very few of them have any seed, so that, next summer, their condition will be worse. The only means of subsistence left to them, at present is the buffalohunt. But this, be:;ides the inconvenience of detaining them for about eight months in the year, far from the mission, .is now full of danger; their horses and lives being exposed to the greediness of a multitude of hostile Indians,· who are well armed. In faet, last winter our Indians lost many horses on the buffalo ground. In proof of the fidelity of these Fl~t- Heads to the Government, and of their friendship to the whites, notwithstanding the ill treatment they have experienced at the hands of government officials, and of many whites, I will give you a brief account of their behavior during the late Nez-Perces war, from which also your Reverence will see the influence· our holy religion has over the passions of these savages, and that our work among them is not altogether fruitless. Early last summer, as soon as the tidings of the hostility of a band of Nez-Perces in the lower country, reached Bitter- Root Valley, and there appeared some possibility that the hostile Indians might take refuge from the soldiers in this valley with whose passes· they were familiar, the whites here became alarmed. There are two Indian trails �Indian JJfissions. 181 leading into this valley from the Nez- Perces country in Idaho Territory; one, called the Lo Lo (Laurence) Fork's trail, enters at the lower end of the valley, the other, at the head of the valley. Both trails are very rough, and though many of the Nez- Perces used to follow them to the buffalo hunt, it was generally thought impossible for them to enter by either, burdened as they were with women and children and over one thousand horses. But as soon as the rumor spread that the soldiers were driving the Indians toward these trails, most of the Bitter-Root Valley settlers, many of whom were already prejudiced against the Flat-Heads, chiefly on account of their being Catholic, began openly to show their feelings ; and the more so because a few of these Indians are intermarried with Nez-Perces, and some NezPerces families lived in the valley. The alarm grew to such an extent that they sent for arms, built three forts, and some weeks before the hostile party arrived, left their farms and shut up themselves and families in the forts. The newspapers of the county had frequent spicy articles full of calumnies against the Flat-Heads, and exciting in the settlers feelings of fear and distrust. Every movement of the Indians was watched; in their most innocent aCtions hostile intentions were discovered by the alarmed people ; no powder nor ammunition was allowed to be sold to them. It was of no use for me to tell the people that they had no reason to suspeCt the Flat-Heads; that by aCting in so distrustful and cowardly a way without the least foundation for it, they were provoking the Indians and exciting them to revolt. The settlers would not believe me and some went 'so f<tr as to say that the Fathers were urging the Indians to get rid of the white settlers. At last the official news came that the hostile band, driven by the soldiers, was entering Bitter-Root Valley by Lo Lo Fork's trail. The excitement then grew intense. Many people were talking of killing all the Indians. The intentions of the Chief Charles, son of the famous Flat-Head VoL. vu-No. 3· 24 �182 Indian Jlfissions. ChiefViEtor, were sounded by the Indian Agent and the commanding officer of the recently established military post in l\Iissoula. Charles answered that he and his people would remain neutral, if not provoked by either party. About twenty-five soldiers and all the volunteers that could be gathered together, about two hundred, fortified themselves at the mouth of the Lo Lo Fork's defile, by which the Nez-Perces were coming. The exaa number of their warriors was not known, but it was reported that they were well armed-~nd had plenty of horses. Their armed men must have been three hundred or three hundred and fifty, under four principal chiefs, the most notorious of whom was Joseph, now a ·prisoner in Leavenworth. Some halfbreeds, and some whites, friends of our Indians, with the intention of reconciling them with the settlers, persuaded some to follow the volunteers. They went, moved rather by curiosity than by the desire of fighting. It was by them that Charles, in order to avoid fighting, sent word to the hostile party to take some other trail to the buffalo country. The commanding officer, distrusting the courage of his volunteers, many of whom were of the opinion that the hostile Indians should be allowed to pass unmolested through the valley, had two parleys with the··enemy who refused to surrender on the severe and, it seems, unreasonable conditions offered to them. A last intimation was therefore given to them, that unless they surrendered by noon of the next day, they would have to fight their way through. They then held a council, in which it was proposed to make a night attack upon the soldiers and volunteers. Had they aEted upon this, a regular butchery of the soldier's anJ whites would have been the result. But their scouts reported that Flat-Heads were in the volunteers' camp; and fearing to be obliged to fight not only the whites but also the Flat~ Heads and their allies, the Pen-d'Oreilles and Kootenays, they took the bold resolution of getting out of the defile by way of the hills. So, early in the morning they �Indiall lldissions. broke up their camp, and climbing up a steep hill which it was thought impossible for them to ascend, encumbered as they were with about two thousand tired horses and a multitude of women and children, and in sight of the soldiers and volunteers, they emerged from the defile in splendid order and marched up the valley without a shot being fired on either side, and encamped about five miles further upon the road. Next day, Sunday, they again decamped, and were to pass about a mile from our Mission, on the opposite side of the river. Charles, who did not like the idea of being slighted by the Nez-Perces, gathet;ed around the Mission all his Indians, about seventy in number, many of them without arms or ammunition, and went out to see them pass, ready to fight them had they showed any such inclination. He had told his men before to pray with fervor at the Mass I said for them early in the morning. When the Nez-Perces passed by, all well armed, Charles, with true bravery, refused to shake hands with their chiefs, or to have any communication with them, because of the murders committed by them in Idaho Territory. For the next two days, the settlers, whose love of money overcame their fear of the hostile Indians, began to trade with them. They were destitute of provisions, though they had plenty of money. To give you an idea of the booty they had accumulated in Idaho Territory by the destruction of several large stores and by robbing a large party of Chinamen, I will say that they had rolls of gold coin, heavy bags of gold dust and a quantity of greenbacks. In the small village of Stevensville, near our Mission, they spent over one thousand dollars, and would have spent more had they not been hurried off by the news that Howard was close behind them with a large force. The sight of these Nez-Perces, all well armed, boasting oftheir exploits in Ida~o Territory, and almost masters of the country, was a great enticement for our Indians. Yet �Iudiall 1liissions. not one joined them. \Vhat 'a contrast to the good behavior of our Indians was that of some whites, who, for the sake of making few dollars, sold whiskey to the savage;;, thus exposing the whole settlement to ruin. To the praise of our Indians, be it said, that, after the Nez-Perces went out of the valley according to their promise, without molesting the settlers, Charles, in accordance with the neutrality he professed, refused even a scout to the General. Among th,e Nez-Perces that passed here there were no Catholics, with the exception of a few women who were forced to foiiow the camp. S_uch a proof of fidelity. on the part of our Indians should have convinced the government officials that they had no thing to fear from our Catholic Indians ; and yet they are forbidden ammunition for hunting purposes. May God reward them for their uprightness and relieve them from the distress which it has brought upon them. Your humble servant, a J. D'A.,S.j ST. FRANCis' INSTITUTE, OsAGE MissiON, NEosHo Co., KANSAS, July I, 1878. REV. FATHER, ..- P. C. The following few items about our Mission and Indians may not be uninteresting to your readers. During the past year we· have succeeded in supplying what has long been felt to be a great want to our Mission. The log cabins, used a~ school-houses, built in the early days of the Mission, having become inconvenient and even dangerous, have been replaced by a splendid stone schoolhouse, measuring sixty-five feet front, forty feet deep and thirty-eight feet high. It would have been a great consolatio!l to our good Brother O'Donnell to witness before his death, the completion of this work for which he prayed and worked so hard; but on the twenty-fourth of last Oc- �Indian JJ1issi01zs. tober, he was called to receive the reward of his many labors for the glory of God and the prosperity of this Mission during the twenty-nine y~ars he spent among us. May his soul rest in peace. This year we had hardly any winter, but the weather was worse than wintry. Rain, rain, perpetual rain! The country around was flooded, the roads impassable. It was very difficult to attend to our distant missions, and we must thank our Guardian Angels that we suffered no serious inconvenience. I narrowly escaped drowning in crossing the Cana; while Fathers Driessen and Van der Hagan were left in the mud, their horses having broken loose from their buggy. . During the rainy season three missions were given in this neighborhood by Fr. Van Goch; one at Parson, another at Independence, the third at Humboldt. Notwithstanding the state of the weather and of the roads which were impassable by wagon or on horseback, the people came faithfully to the exercises, though often obliged to wade through deep water. Many Protestants also attended ; they condu8:ed themselves becomingly and appeared well satisfied. The missions were quite successftil; many careless Catholics returned to their duties, and several Protestants were reconciled to the Church. Owing to the weather it was impossible for me to visit the Osages last winter. But as soon as it dried up a little, I started for the settlement north of the Cana, to afford the people an opportunity of complying with their Easter duties; and I had the consolation of seeing most of them respond to my invitation. I also visited the Poncas, a tribe that after Custer's massacre were removed from the Black Hills to this country. They belong to the great nation of the Dacotahs, and number about seven hundred and eighty. Of these, one hundred and fifty, mostly half-breeds, are Catholics, having been baptized by Fr. De Smet of happy memory. Since my visit to them they have been ordered �186 Indian Jlfissions. to remove to a new Reservation on the salt fork of the Arkansas River. L::tst winter they sent to the President at Washington, a petition signed by ~very man of the nation, and endorsed by their Agent, Col. A. G. Boone, asking for a Catholic school and Mission. The fate of the petition has not yet been heard of. The Poncas,like the Osages, being blanket Indians, averse to civilization and very wild, there was some fear of trouble between them and the other Indians; but none has happened. The Indians who have removed to this southern Territory are of a- ·variety of nations, or rather the remnants of nations that were once populous, but are now almost annihilated. The only powerful tribe left is that of the Kioway~. who may eventually give som"e trouble to the United States Government; all the others are friendly with the whites. Among themselves, however, they have occasional wars, which might more properly be called retaliatory expeditions, and which end as soon as satisfaction has been obtained. . The following example of one that took place here among our o~n Indians some years ago will give you an idea of what they amount to. A party of Sacs and Foxes killed a boy,. belonging to a band called the Little Osages, while he was attending the horses of his peopl~· on the prairie. The head chief of the Little Osages with ~everal of his principal men was at the time paying us a visit. It was a long summer day, and the braves were lying on the ground after their meal, smoking their calumets and watching the children at play. Suddenly a runner appeared in great haste, announcing that the boy had been killed by the Sacs and Foxes. At once, all were up ; a war-whoop .was given, and in less than twenty mi!1utes all the men of the town were mounted and on the war-path. The head chief told us not to fear for they would soon settle this matter, and dashed off. \V,: watched them from the housetop until nothing more could be seen of them than a cloud of dust indicating the direction they had taken. �l1tdiau Jl,fissious. 187 \Vhile this was going on, our attention was attracted by seven or eight old women, advancing with long sticks in their hands. \Ve wondered what these fury-like creatures were about. They came on until they reached the open road, then turning their faces in the direCtion in which the warriors had gone, they formed a line, sat upon the ground and began a most hideous cry, accompanied with a clapping of hands. Then they beat the ground with their long sticks, at the same time pointing with one finger towards the enemy, gesticulating as if arguing with some distant person and uttering imprecatiom. against the enemy. \Ve learned afterwards that this was the pagan way of praying to God for viB:ory over their foes. The Osages started on the war path about noon, and in less than three hours overtook the Sacs and Foxes who immediately fled. The pursuit was hot until a Sac chief was killed. This satisfied both parties. The war was at an end. The Sacs carried off their dead chief, and the Osages desisted from further revenge. The chief of the Osages, knowing that we would be uneasy, kindly dispatched a messenger to inform us of the-result of the expedition, and gave him orders to be sure to "go and see the Sisters, who take care of our daughters, and tell them not to be afraid, but to sleep as soundly as if nothing had happened." This is the way in which Indian wars are generally condufted; for, except in some extraordinary cases, the Indians dislike much bloodshed. PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, S. J. �OBITUARY. FATHER SERAPHIM SCHE1L\1EL. Father Seraphim Schemmel was born at Rouffach, of the diocese of Strasbourg, in the department of Haut-Rhin, Alsace, on the 24th of January, I 8 I 7. As he was of a very retiring disP.osition, and not much given to talking about himself, next to nothing is known of his early life. It seems that he studied grammar and the classics at the college of Rouffach some seven years, that afterwards he made a year of rhetoric and another year of philosophy at St. Joseph's Seminary in Strasbourg, and that he wound up by no less than five years of theology, four of which were spent in the Strasbourg Seminary and one in private study in the Bishop's residence. On the eve of Passion Sunday, I 84I, he was ordained priest by 1\Igr. A. Raess, then Coadjutor of Strasbourg, and still Bishop of that same see. -For nine years and a half Father Schemmel acted as curate in a country parish. There, no ,doubt, he became convinced that he was not intended for;the bustle of the outer world. Remarkably timid, carrying on a very diminutive body a head more massive and learned-looking than attractive, fond of study and quiet, he welcomed with his whole heart his Master's call to a life of greater perfection. He had the good fortune to enter the Issenheim noviceship wh,ile Father Cote! ruled it with all the tenderness of a mother. For his second year of noviceship he was sent to Notre Dame de Liesse, and the next year he took his first vows in Paris, on the 22d of August, 1852, on his way to Laval, where, after one yea~ of review, he successfully passed his examination de uuiversa tlzeologia. In 1853, while the Mission of New York and Canada still belonged to the Province of France, he was sent to Fordham, where he taught altern.ately dogmatic theology, (188) �Fatlzer Serapltim Schemmd. Hebrew, philosophy and Holy Scripture during five years. Then he spent five other years in Montreal, teaching philosophy to the boys. · In 1863, we find Fr. Schemmel again in Fordham, teaching dogmatic theology and Hebrew. He seems to have had quite definite opinions of his own in controverted mat~ ters; but in the class-room it was very hard to make out his bias. He stated both sides fairly, and left you to choose. It was impossible to draw him out, however much you might question him. In private "coaching" for examination he was unrivalled: his clear, concise method was invaluable to one who wanted briefly the pith of an argument or the answer to possible objeCtions. From 1866 to 1868 he taught philosophy in New York; the following year he read metaphysics to Ours at Fordham. In 1869, when Woodstock was opened, he went there and taught for three years moral theology, the short course, or logic and metaphysics. Towards the middle of the academic year I872-73, which he spent at Fordham, he fell ill with inflammatory rheumatism. As he was no better at the end of the year, he was removed to St. Vincent's Hospital in New York, where the devoted siSters took him gently through a year of acute suffering. The little man used afterwards to relate how the nuns obliged him, according to the doCtor's prescription, to drink his bottle of brandy every day ; and lest such a dose would scandalize us in so regular a man, he would add: "My blood was so bad that I felt the brandy no more than if it had been water." As soon as he got well enough, he was sent back to his dear old Woodstock, where he taught either ecclesiastical history or the short course for two years. Here he was in his element, cheerful in the midst of lris books. Though so timid and diffident, and withal so humble that he imagined people ought to avoid him because he was, in his own eyes, so unbearable, yet he could not resist the temptation of an occasional witty remark or passing joke; only, if it was in the class-room, as he did not dare to look at his VoL. vn-No. 3· 25 �Fatlzer Serapllim Sclzemmel. pupils, he would direCt: his half-playful, half-bashful glance to a remote corner of the ceiling-which strange manceuvre was generally a signal to his hearers to prick up their ears for a forthcoming joke. · Woodstock saw the last of his public teaching, though, strange to say, what we might call his public life was only about to begin. Hitherto he had been altogether an indoor man, having nothing or scarcely anything to do with the exterior ministry; but now, in 1876, coming to New York just after Father Legouais's death, he unexpeB:edly stepped into his shoes. Literally speaking, they were not much to small, seeing that, while Father Legouais was a trifle under five feet, Father Schemmel cannot have been more than a trifle over the same. Morally, the said shoes fitted to perfeB:ion; in faB:, as Father Schemmel took Father Legouais's confessional, it is piously believed that some good people never perceived the change of personality. As had been the dead man, so was the -live one: clear and pointed in his advice, patient, gentle, always at home, always easy of access. His private lessons of theology to a couple of scholastics being no very great drain upon his time, he even ventured to toddle through the streets on errands of mercy, looking timidly over his shoulder every now and then, as if-this is the way that lo'6k was accounted for by a facetious Virginian-as if he was making sure that his guardian angel was following on his trail. Although he never completely recovered from his long illness, he·seemed in this last year to be growing stronger and less infirm. The day before he was struck down by the disease that carried him off so suddenly, he went to see a German who had been hurt on the Elevated Railway. He was always called for Germans, because, though decidedly French in charaB:er and training, he was more;: of a German in his talk; even French he spoke with a ·marked German accent. On that day, then, Sunday, the 7th of July, he ;;eem~d to be in his usual health and spirits. On Monday afternoon he was called again to see a sick woman in St. Joseph's Home, 15th Street. Coming back in time for ~ec· ond table, he went to sit with the Fathers during recreatwn. This was unusual with him. As he was troubled, after �Fatlter Ser<Ip!zim Srhemme!. meals, with a tendency to choking, which sitting down only aggravated, he made it a point to walk, generally with some of the Scholastics ; but this evening, whether because it wa~ vacation time, and they were .all at Fort-Hill, or because his sick call had fatigued him, so it was, that he sat down with the Fathers. and very good-naturedly stood their chaffing him about it. He went to bed at about ten ?'clock, without showing any signs of what was so soon to come. One of the Brothers happened to be passing by his. room at half-past eleven. Hearing groans, he went in, and found the poor little man sitting in his chair and complaining of great oppression in the chest. Father Rector was called, and immediately sent for the doctor. The latter eventually came, but all efforts to save the good Father's life were unavailing. The disease seems to have been congestion of the lungs brought on by rheumatism; it gave him intense pain, leaving him, however, the full use of his faculties. He made his confession, and was anointed without delay, but, as he seemed threatened with vomiting, Holy Communion was not given to him. At twenty-five minutes past one, only three hours and a half after he left the recreation room apparently in good health, he went to his rest. We had reason to think that the suddenness of his death was a mercy. He had formerly been very scrupulous, even in direCting others, so much so that, in the consciousness of his infirmity, he is known to have advised one of his scrupulous penitents to look out for some other direCtor. Latterly he has been found very definite, precise and unhesitating in the confes;;ional and in spiritual direction ; but who knows if the old tendency to over exactness might not have mastered him in the dreary trials of a lingering illness ? The very morning of his death, a lady came to ask for the "little Father." She was one of those who had found in him a worthy successor of Fr. Legouais. The Brother at the door pointed to the parlor, where the body was laid out, saying ominously, "He is there!" It was on the 9th of last July. He was buried on the following day, not quite twenty-eight years after his entrance into the Society, and about fourteen years and a half after his profession. Quietly and unobtrusively he died as he had ·lived, a man of solid and well digested learning, but above all an interior man who seems never to have swerved, in any important detail, from the path of duty. �APPENDIX. VARIA. Amen"ca-:-:-A young woman told one of the missiOnary Fathers t~at she had been associating with Protestants for years and going to their churches; she scarcely considered herself a Catholic. The only thing that kept her from formal apostasy was the thought of having to give up the Rosary if she became a Protestant. That she could not do. She made the mission and was extremely penitent. Another, a Protestant woman, was sweeping in a public place, and found a piece of paper, on which was printed the "Hail Mary." She learned the prayer by heart, and was pleased to say it often. This practice led to other things, and she was received into the Church by Fr. Dompieri. k priest was called in at \Voodstock, New Brunswick, to a man who was dying. He was born of Protestant parents, and probably unbaptized, and knew nothing of religion. When asked by the Father how it was that he had sent for a priest and what made him as~ for admission into the Church, the poor man replied; "I ·don't know anything about religion; I want 'to be a Catholic. It appears that when a young man he heard Catholics saying the Angelical Salutation, and had picked up a few words of it and used to say every day: "0, holy Mary, bring us to the Father and the Son." Asia llfinor-Our Fathers in Beyrout have a very fine printing office which excites the admiration of even European visitors. They have made a new Arabic translation of the Bible which is at present printing. The third volume will contain an Index Biblicus, a novelty in the East. A splendid copy of the first volume has been sent to the Paris Exposition.-The Fathers in Aleppo have gained the good will and respect of the whole population, by their exertions during the plague, and they have received besides a gold medal of honor from the French Government. �Varia. 193 East Indies-The Mission of Mangalore has been transferred to the care of the Society by the Congregation of the Propaganda. V. Rev. Fr. General has entrusted it to the Province of Venice. Six priests and two lay-brother will go at once to take charge of it. France-On the evening of May 12th, the relics of Fr. de la Colombiere were taken from the tomb in the chapel of the convent at Paray le Monial, where they had rested one hundred· and nine years; and on July 22d-the birthday of Blessed Margaret Mary-they were deposited in the public chapel of our house of third probation. Spain-His Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of Saragossa, has given a public testimony of affeCtion towards the Society by visiting our Novitiate and Juniorate in Verneh (Aragon), to celebrate the feast of our holy Founder.. He sang Solemn Pontifical Mass, and in the evening gave the BenediCtion of the Blessed Sacrament. He remained over eight days with the community. He seemed to take the greatest delight in dealing familiarily with our young people, walki.ng out with them, making them explain the distribution of time, the matter studied in the J uniorate, the method of studying, etc. A month later, just before starting for Rome, he wrote a very kind letter to the ReCl:or, thanking him and his community for the pleasure which the visit had given him. "I am going to Rome," said his Eminence, "and I am sure that I will afford great consolation to our Holy Father, to the Sacred College and to the· Fathers of the Society (on whom I will call), by simply relating what I have witnessed in that house." His Eminence is a member of the illustrious Order of St. Dominic. We stated o1z page IJJ, t/zat, in consequence of tlze confirmation of tlte 'l!Cto of Governor Axtell by t/ze Senate Committee o1z Territories, our Fathers would have to presmt mzot/zer Bill of Incorporation. We /zave since learned t!tat, itz cotzseqzteTzce of tlze refusal of tlte House of Represmtatives to concur in t/zis measure, matters remai1l as they were after the passage of the bill over the Govenzor's veto. �""' OUR COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FOR 1877-78. !'LAG~: NAME l'ROVINGE STUDENTS . Loyola College, d.* .. ......... }laryland ...••............... 80 . Boston College, d ... ...•.•.•.. J\laryland .....•...•.•........ 212 . Canisius College, b.t .......... Germany ..............•..... 119 . St. Ignatius College, d . •...•.. J\Hssouri..................... 236 . St. Francis Xavier College, d .• J\lissouri. .........•.....•.... 270 D . Detroit College, d .•••••••••• ·l~li~souri. ........•........... 84 F . St. John's College, b••••. ••••• New York and Canada Mission 185 G in Georgetown College, b• ••••••• J\Iaryland .....•.•......•..... 196 L . Las Vegas College, b• •••.••••• Naples.............•.....••.. 130 ]\ . St. J\lnry's College, b •••••••••• New York and Canada Mission 254 N . St. Francis Xavier College, d .• New York and Canada J\Iission 477 N , Immaculate Concept. College, d'Lyons ....................... 200 s s s s Santa Clara College, b••••••. . Turin................•....... 209 . San Francisco College, d •••••• Turin ........................ 672 . St. Louis University, b .••••••• J\lissouri. .................... 333 St. :Mary's College, b . •••.•••.. Lyons ....................... 178 · 1 Tra.nspoteo s_ St. Joseph's College,tb ........ Missouri. .................... 150 w , Gonzaga College, d .......... • 1\Iaryland .................... 110 Woreester, Massachusetts ..... IIIoly Cross (J()~~ge,b ......... 1 ll\Inryland .................... I 147 Creighton College, at Omaha, and St. Peter's, Jersey City, were opened this month-so that we can give no * d Day college; t b Boarding college. statistics concerning them. �CONTENTS OF VOL. VII. Page Georgetown College ....................••...•••........... 3, 69, 135 l\lissionary Labors ...............•........... 23, 31, 36, 105, 161, 170 Las Vegas College ..••••..••.•........•.....••.••..••.•.......... 40 Letter from Colorado ...............••..••••.••.•................ 44 Ohio College Association ..........•.......•...................... 48 Marcella Street Home, Boston ....................••.............. 53 The l\Iissions of Frederick County, Md ..•.........•.........•..... 87 Indian l\lissions ......................•.......... 92, 99, 174, 179, 184 Parish Work at l\Iilwaukee .......•.............•••...........•.. 112 Consecration of a Church in.Cuba ....................•.•......•.. 117 Obsequies of Pius IX.................. • .••••.........•....•..• 145 Our Colleges in the United States and Canada for 1877-78 .•....... 194 OBITUARY- Father l\Iaurice Gailland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . 15 Peter L. 1\Iiller. . . . . . . . . • . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Ferdinand Coosemans ...............•................ 119 John Rover ...••••...••....•..........••............ 111 1\lr. James 'Vier ............................................ 123 Father Seraphim Schemmel. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . . . . • .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . 188 APPENDIX- Extracts from Foreign Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • • . . . 55 Requiem for Pius IX. in Shanghai ... :. . .. . . . .. .. .. . .. . .. . • .. 125 1\Iission of .Madura. • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Varia ........................................ : ...... 62,132, 192 �• ..· .- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Periodical Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 7 (1878) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1878 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-007 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 233 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1878 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/c4bec095dcb9874b05f15e8b7b0b08d3.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=esqq7PSvRd8ELfmXMM7GP4w-%7Egm3Up2y92bvnCDx2p8uNkYHT%7EbwAarYACGI%7EOvYtNKAu7en5W8hOIFNE0%7ETEcPuFzShTzYvHPZATk4htthXpur--djWP1eBEMHAztwKPjISw-v9ng2lCYwLveEpq71h4OuAyK3-%7EIt6YcECtQc7xn%7EJ4Ae8fSMrb4nbTJgSPZURTCTqhAGjBZMe7OjtTsZVcn-xEKP0GWw5XgJekxqVi-ipgkBCvzqs8aLaujntKfowCyUEPIt51AApdqkJ8tgfEx-c4IzmQoa9lu0O90oW1BxOfdHnT-gVWXpGEqUkTFH6txnRsV6egywZyd3W9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 0e444e11f8b86a4f08ba8bb267168f60 PDF Text Text A.M. D. G. WOODSTOCI( LETTERS A RECORD Of C~t~•rent Events mul Historical :Notes connected with the Colleges and ~1Iissions of tlte Soc. of Jesus in J•rorth antl South America. VOL. VIII. WOODSTOCK COLLEGE I879· FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION. �Through inadvertence the promise of the writer of the History of Georgetown College, to reproduce the Proposals in the style of tl1e Original, was not entirely carried out by us in the reprint of that doc· .. ument. ERRATA Page 5 " 8 " 14 line ,, 23 36 " 11 for " " by read be In I " Jaques " ,Jacques ...... . : �WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. VIII, No. I. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE, lTS EARLY HISTORY, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ITS FOUNDER, AND EXTRACTS FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE. ( Contzizued.) Our regular narrative will be passed over at this point in order to give place to the following documents, which are too lengthy to be reproduced in the place where they belong, further on. They will be referred to when that period ( 1787) shall have been reached. The first is a copy of a letter from Rev. John Carroll to Rev. Charles Plowden, or at least of so much of it as refers to the proposed "Academy." No one that reads it can fail to be struck with the evidence it affords of the zeal, the scholastic tastes and fervor, and the administrative foresight of our founder. If Georgetown College had never had any existence beyond the germ of it conceived in the mind of John Carroll, the sketch he has drawn would · have been held in respeB:ful admiration as a guide proper to be followed in realizing the projeCt:: "Your continued attention and earnestness for the prosperity of the American church entitle you to every information concerning it. We have now two great undertakings on hand, for the success of which we stand in.need of every ( 3) �4 Georgetov.m College. support and best advice of the friends of Religion. vVe have resolved to establish an Academy for the education of youth: and to solicit the appointment of a Diocesan Bishop: the lat. ter is a necessary consequence of the former; for ~mr great view in the cstabli!i!hment of ~n Academy is tp form subjeCls capable of becoming useful members of the ministry ; and to these a Bishop, for ordination, will be indispensably necessary. "I shall send to London, either to Strickland or Talbot,* a printed paper containing the general outlines of the plan for an Aca_&my. It will be afterwards put into Mr; Nihell'st hands to o'e forwarded to you. But as it only contains as much as it was necessary the public should know, with you I will be more particular. In the beginning, the Academy will not receive boarders, but they ~ust provide lodgings in town: but all notorious deviations from the rules of morality, out, as well as in school, must be subjected to exemplary .correCtion : every care and precaution that can be devised will be employed to preserve attention to the duties of religion and good JTianners, in which other American schools are most notoriously defi~ient. One of our own gentlemen and the best qualified we can get, will live at the Academy to have the general diretl:ion _of the studies and superintendence over scholars and masters ...-'Four other of our gentlemen will be nominated to visit the Academy at stated times, and whenever they can make it convenient, to see that the business is properly conducted. In the beginning, we shall be obliged to employ secular masters, under the super:intendent, of which many, and tolerably good ones have already solicited appointments. The great influx from Europe of men of all professions and talents has procured this *Rev. Thomas Talbot, formerly Prefect of Studies at St. Orner's, was at this time living in London. Rev. Wm. Strickland, President of Liege AcademY• 1783 to 1790, may possibly have been in that city when this was written. t Rev. Edw. Nihell, a scholastic of the Society at the time of suppression, subsequently taught at Liege, was ordained in 1776, and came to England about this time. �Georget01.VJZ College. 5 opportunity of providing teachers. But this is not intended to be a permanent system. We trust in God that many youths will be called to the service of the Church. After finishing the academical studies, these will be sent to a seminary, which will be established in one of our houses; and we have, through God's mercy, a place ami situation* admirably calculated for the purpose of retirement, where these youths may be perfeCl:ed in their first and initiated into the higher studies, and at the same time formed to the virtues becoming their station. Before these young Seminarists are admitted to orders, they will be sent to teach some years at the Academy, which will improve their knowledge and ripen their minds still more, before they irrevocably engage themselves to the church. ''You will observe that the perfeCting of this plan requires great exertions: and in particular,_demands persons of considerable ability for the conduCl: of the Academy: and will hereafter stand in further need of able and interior men to take charge of the Seminary. The difficulties indeed perplex, but do not dishearten me. J3ut I stand greatly in need of your powerful assistance to procure as soon as possible a fit gentleman to open, as superintendent, the new establishment,t which we hope may by next autumn, or at furthest the spring twelvemonth. How often have I said to myself: what a blessing to this country would my friend Plowden be! what reputation and solid advantage would accrue to the Academy from such a direCtor! and what a lasting blessing would he procure to America by forming the whole plan of studies and system of discipline for that institution where the minds of Catholic youth are to be formed and the first foun'"Meaning, no doubt, the present site of Georgetown College: unless, indeed, it was designed to establish the Academy at this point and the Seminary at some other, say Whitemarsh. This ~was prior to the arrival of the Sulpi· cians and the establishment of their Seminary in Baltimore. t Although the "Seminary" has just been mentioned, it is evident that now the Academy alone is meant. In fact, the two institutions seem to have been United in the mind of the writer, who no doubt, designed to erect them side by side. �6 George!tr&n College. dations laid of raising a Catholic ministry equal to the exigencies of the country! Could the zeal of a Xaverius wish a more promising field to exert his talents? But, my dear · sir, I am sensible that I can indulge this happiness only in idea: Europe will hold you too fast to spare yoti to America. But if you cannot come yourself, is there no one on whom you can direCt your views, capable of filling this place with credit and advantage? I trust this important concern almost entirely to your management. You see, he must be a person old enough to carry a considerable weight of authority and.fespea: experienced in the detail of government for such a place of education ; and capable of embracing in his mind a general and indeed universal plan of studies, of which the academical institution is only a part. He should have considerable knowledge of the world, as he will be obliged to converse with many different persons : and he should be capable of abstraCting his mind from the methods used in the colleges where he has lived, so as to adopt only as much of them as is suited to the circumstances of the country; and of substituting such others as are better adapted to the views and inclinations of those with whom he has to deal. "You see I require a good deal; b.ut all I mention is necessary to give reputation and permap.ency to the plan; for you may be assured that in the Institutions of other professions they have procured from Europe some literary characters of the first class ; and this likewise makes me desirous of not falling behindhand with them. I have heard Mr. Kemper and Mr. Barrow* spoken of with great commenda*Thomas Barrow of the old Society, is spoken of by Oliver as a "prodigy of learning." He rendered incalculable service at Liege and subsequently at Stony hurst. Rev. Herman Kemper, his colleague in both establishments, was, says Oliver, "one of the ablest scholars and most valuable members of the Eng· lish Province." Thus our founder aimed high. "Messrs. Mattingly and Semmes," mentioned a few lines further on, were both Marylanders. John Mattingly, born in 1745, was sent to St. Orner's in 1760, entered the Society in 1766, and after the suppression, became travelling tutor to Sir William Gerard and other of the English Catholic gentry. "He was justly esteemed for his �Georgetown College. 7 tion. Can Liege spare them or either of them? and would either of them be willing to come over to our assistance? You perhaps can point out some other able and proper per_ son. I shall mention the matter to Messrs. Mattingly and Semmes; and if you correspond with Liege, you will I hope aCt in concert with them. We cannot afford, in the beginning, to offer very great encouragement: if the Academy should prosper, we probably should have it in onr power to make the superintendent's situation exceedingly comfortable indeed: but in the beginning, we dare not exceed an offer of 6o£ St. pr. ann. I again entreat you, my dear sir, to exert your utmost industry in this business, and to give immediate information of your success. You see the importance of the commission: and your exertions will, I hope, be adequate to the great concern at stake. Mr. Kemper's uncle, the worthy Mr. \Vapeler, having devoted so many of his labors to this country, may be a motive with the nephew to sacrifice his . own labors likewise to the perfeCting the work done by the former. "Next to the choice of a proper superintendent or Principal, your assistance will be requisite principally in the designation of proper elementary books for our establishment. You will therefore be so kind as to write me immediately which are the best of every kind for teaching English, Latin, Greek, Geometry, and the first principles of Mathematics. I remember that the catastrophe of the Society came upon you when you were engaged in simplifying the Latin Grammar and making it more easy to be understood. Did you afterwards at Liege finish your plan ? or was any other Grammar adopted there, and with what success? what Syntax? what Prosody? what Greek Grammar and other elementary works elegance of manners, literary attainments, and solid virtues," says Oliver. He died in 1807, while on a visit to Ireland. Joseph Semmes, born 1743, entered the Society in 1761, and eight years later became Professor of Philosophy at Liege; on the removal to Stonyhurst in 1794, he continued to teach philosophy and subsequently added Divinity. He died at Stonyhurst in 1809. Neither of these two ever revisited their native country. �8 Georgetown College. of that language do you recommend? In the schools established through this country, I find they have adopted Grammar and Syntaxes, both .for Greek and Latin, much more concise than those of Alvarez and Gretzer: whether they are equal in other respeCts l cannot tell, excepting that they are preferable. for containing the rules in English, which the students understand, instead of being in Latin, which they do not. "Besides these elementary books, I wish you to recorrl" mend the best works you know for forming and improving the taste of students, and enlarging their minds without endangering their moral principles. I remember to have heard great commendations of the Com's de belles lettres, by l'Abbe Batteux. I never read it, as it did not lay in m)' line of studies at that time. You probably have, and I hear it is translated into English.-In a word, set your mind to work, and you will, I doubt not, send us a very good system, Above all be not afraid of tiring me by descending into too . great a detail; you may see, by my inquiries, how much information I want; and particularly with respeCt to the minuti;:e of the business. At the same time, inform me where the elementary books, the Classics, Ma.ps, Globes, etc. may be had on the most reasonable terms. * * * * * * * "Amongst other difficulties which we have to overcome in the undertaking of the Academy, pecuniary resources will be a great one. I expeCt, indeed, that considerable subscriptions, considering the abilities of our people, will be obtained amongst them, but the first expense of ereCling proper buildings and securing the salaries for the Masters will be very great. Notwithstanding our debilitated circumstances, by the continuance of an expensive war, yet it so happens that all services are paid higher here than perhaps in any: country. The common Grammar masters in the colleges·and Academies amongst us have the enormous salaries of £ St I so to I So and 200. In hope, indeed, to get ours �Georgeto-wn College. 9 at an under rate ; but hardly for less than £6o to £8o St. · pr. ann. On this occasion may I not hope that the opulent Catholics of great Britain will contribute to a work so eminently useful as the proposed one is; and that they will remember that by giving it their assistance they probably render as essential and permanent service to religion as ever will be in their power, and entitle themselves to i:he gratitude of millions yet unborn, besides the superior prospect of a transcendent reward in heaven. These motives and encouragements, you, my dear sir, will know how to place in a proper light; and in this as well as in the other matters recommended above, I place great dependence on your zeal.~' An original copy of the printed document containing the proposals referred to in the above letter, and probably the identical one there spoken of, has been brought or transmitted to this ·country as a curiosity, and lies before us. In reproducing it here, the style of it will be imitated as nearly as our modern typography will admit. The document is folded in the form of a large letter, six by eight inches, and is addressed, "Mr. Charles Plowden, Lullworth Castle, near \Vareham, Dorset." The seal is of wax, bearing a crest now partially obliterated. The word "Ship" is rudely stamped on the outside, indicating the mode of conveyance: and a circular stamp, a little less rude, bears the date at which it no doubt arrived in London, "May 25, '87," nearly two months after it was dispatched. The postage inscribed is "62 Yz" (cts.). The sheet when opened is found to be printed only at one end; and the name of "Edward Weld, Esqr." is. written in Rev. Mr. Carroll's hand at the left upper corner. Rev. Mr. Piowden, through whose hands the document was transmitted to that gentleman, was at the time residing at the Castle in the capacity of tutor to Mr. Weld's children. When spread open, the paper measures fifteen by eighteen inches, and its general appearance conforms with that of the official documents of the period. It was no VoL. vm-No. 1. 2 �10 Georgetown College. • doubt printed at Annapolis by the Greens, the State printers of the day. Within, is another printed paper conveying an express authorization to the person addressed, to colleCt monies for the objeCt specified. The blank spaces, as filled in writing, will. here be indicated by the words enclosed in brackets .. The document is headed, "To all liberally inclined to promote the education of Youth," and then continues, substituting "humbly requested" for the printed word "appointed," through which a line is drawn with the pen; in like manner, "desire" r~places "authorize," and "humbly requested," again, substitutes"""authorized,"-the change having been made, out of respeCt to the distinguished social position of the Welds: "Be it known by these presents, that I, the underwritten, have (humbly reque3ted Edw'd Weld Esqr. and Lady) to receive any generous donations for the purpose set forth in a certain printed paper, entitled, Proposals for establishing an Academy, at Georgetown, Potomack River, Maryland; for which (they) will give receipts to the benefactors, and remit the monies received by (them) to me the aforesaid underwritten, one of the direCtors of this undertaking. Conscious also of the merited confidence placed in the aforesaid (Edward Weld Esqr. and Lady) I moreover (desire them) to appoint any othe;_person or persons to execute the same liberal office as (they are humbly requested) by me to execute. (Maryland), this (3oth) day of (March), 17(87). Signed and sealed,"- then follows the autograph, "}. Carroll." For an official seal, the corner of the paper under the signature is turned over and thus held in place by a wafer, without any device stamped thereon. Ninety years have elapsed since these missives were despatched, freighted with the best hopes of our energetic founder, but destined, as tradition states, to prove fruitless of result. People doubtless said that, "the clergy were rich" and needed no help: just as they have alleged since of the Jesuits who succeeded them. So, the clergy, left to their �Georgetrncm College. II own resources, divested themselves of a portion of the old patrimony of the Society which formed their own modest support, and which they had hoped to hand down undiminished to the Society again, when it should be restored : therewith contributing out of their own pockets, as it were, .to the erection of an institution of learning designed for the benefit of the community at large. The Jesuits, whose resources were thus ultimately diminished, have been left, ever since their restoration, to maintain the enterprise by their own labors, without gratuitous help from any other quarter, or, with so little as hardly to deserve mention. Now that a similar appeal, for only the second .time within a hundred years, has been made in behalf of the grand structure which is about to rise, will the burthen continue to be left to their unassisted shoulders ? PROPOSALS FoR ESTABLISHING A.N AcADEMY, AT GEORGE-TowN, p ATOW.liiACK- RIVER, MARYLAND. THE Object of the proposed Institution is, to unite the Means of communicating Science with an effectual Provision for guarding and improving the Morals of Youth. With this View, the Seminary will be superintended by those, who, having had Experience in similar Institutions, know that an undivi-ded Attention may be given to the Cultivation of Virtue, and literary Improvement; and that a System of Discipline may be introduced and preserved, incompatible with Indolence and Inattention in the Professor, or with· incorrigible Habits of Immorality in the Student. The Benefit of this Establishment should be as general as the Attainment of its Object is desirable. It will, therefore, receive Pupils as soon as they have learned the first Elements of Letters, and will conduct them, through the several Branches of classical Learning, to that Stage of Education, from which they may proceed, with Advantage~ �12 Georgc!tr&Jl College. to the Study of the higher Sciences, in the University of this, or those of the neighboring States. Thus it will be calculated for every Class of Citizens ;-as Reading, 'Writing, Arithmetic, the earlier Branches of the Mathematics, and the Grammar of our native Tongue will be attended to, no less than the learned Languages. Agreeably to the liberal Principle of our Constitution, the Seminary will be open to Students of EVERY RELIGIOUS PROFESSION.-They, who in this RespeCt differ from the Superintendents of the Academy, will be at Liberty to frequent the Places of Worship and InstruCtion appointed by their Parents; but with RespeCt to their moral ConduCt, all must be subjeCt to general and uniform Discipline. In the Choice of Situation, Salubrity of Air, Convenience of Communication, and Cheapness of living, have been principally consulted; and George-Town offers these united Advantages: The Price of Tuition will be moderate; in the Course of a few Years, it will be reduced still lower, if the System, formed for this Seminary, be effeCtually carried into execution. Such a Plan of Education solicits, and, it is not Presumption to add, deserves public Encouragement. The following Gentlemen, and· others, that may be appointed hereafter, will receive Subscriptions, and inform the Subscribers, to whom, and in what Proportion, Payments are to be made :-In Maryland.-The Hon. Charles Carroll, of Carr.ollton, Henry Rozer, Notley Young, Robert Darnall, George Diggs, Edmund Plowden, Esqrs., Mr. Joseph Millard, Capt. John Lancaster, Mr. Baker Brooke, Chandler Brent, Esq.; Mr. Bernard O'Neill, and Mr. Marsham Waring, Merchants, John Darnall, and Ignatius Wheeler, Esqrs., on the Western-Shore; and on the Eastern, Rev. Mr. Joseph Mosley, John Blake, Francis Hall, Charles Blake, William Matthews, and John Tuitte, Esqrs.- In PennsylvaniaGeorge Mead and Thomas Fitzsimmons, Esqrs., Mr. Joseph �The Old College of Quebec. 13 Cauffman, Mr. Mark Wilcox, and Mr. Thomas Lilly.- In Virginia-Col. Fitzgerald, and George Brent, Esq. ;-and at New York, Dominic Lynch, Esquire. Subscriptions will also be received, and every necessary information given, by the following Gentlemen, DireCtors of the Undertaking:-The Rev. Messrs. John Carroll, James Pellentz, Robert Molyneux, John Ashton, and Leonard Neale. (To be continued.) THE OLD COLLEGE OF QUEBEC. (From "Les Missions Catholiques.") The old College of our Fathers, in the city of Quebec, better known for years back as the Jesuit Barracks ( Casenze s des jesuites), was, by order of the provincial government, in June, 1877, condemned to be destroyed. The walls, it appears, were ready to fall. Abandoned for a long while, and left uncared for, exposed to all the ravages of storm and frost, the vast building had served of late to lodge a few poor families, who hastened perhaps the day of its destruction by making free use, in keeping up their fires, •of whatever wood or other combustible material the edifice contained. Our Fathers were allowed, as we learn from a Canadian paper, to remove the belfry of their old college, as well as the cornice placed over the principal entrance, both of which were adorned with inscriptions recalling the labors of the missionaries in the early days of the colony. The college was built in front of the cathedral,.on the slope of the hill, in the form of a vast square, with a courtyard in the interior, the principal front being on the marketplace. As its history is intimately conneCted with that of the Society in Canada, it will, we are confident, be of interest to our readers. �14 Tlze Old College of Quebec. I The College of Quebec, founded in 1635, one year before Harvard University (Cambridge, near Boston) was the old~ est establishment of the kind in North America. The project of its foundation and the first steps towards carrying it out were made at a still earlier date. In 1625 the Jesuits, at the request of the Recollect Fathers, came to help in the work of evangelizing Canada. Fathers Charles Lallemant, Ennemond Masse and Jean de Bn!beuf, accompanied by Fathers Francis and Gilbert, settled at first on the other side of the St. Charles river, in a place called Fort Jaques Cartier. The following year they built, in the neighborhood of the same place, an humble dwelling, called afterwards Our Lady of the Angels. Persuaded that the future of the colony depended upon the education of its youth, the Fathers had scarcely landed when they began to consider how they might best ensure it. Rene Rohault, eldest son of the Marquis de Gamache, had obtained leave from his family to enter the Society and to devote himself to the missions of Canada. His relatives, having learned from him his ardent desire that a coilege should be founded in Quebec, resolved to give him this . further satisfaaion. Accordingly they offered the Superior of the Fathers 6ooo louis for that purpose. Their offer was gratefully accepted. The work, howev~r; was not begun at once ; for the colony was yet too little developed for its inhabitants to avail themselves of the advantages of a college. On July 20th, 1629, a sad event occurred, which caused still further delay. David Kertk, a cruiser of Dieppe, in the pay of England, succeeded in intercepting Roquemont's little fleet, and forced Champlain, the Governor of Quebec, to capi~ulate. It was left to the choice of the colonists to remain or to return to France. The religious, however, were all compelled to cross the sea. �Tlze Old College of Quebec. IS Influenced by zeal for religion, rather than by motives of state-policy or self-interest, Louis XIII. refused to give up this sorely-tried colony. His just remonstrances were listened to; and, by the treaty of Saint-Germain en Laye, Canada was restored to France. But in what a condition ! The Governor's house had been burned down : its blackened walls alon~ remained. The Jesuit residence was in ruins; doors and windows had been carried off and broken to pieces. The convent of the RecolleCts had fared still worse. Our Fathers, on their return, set to work with renewed ardor. The beginning was humble enough. Fr. Paul Lejeune wrote in 1632: "I am teaching in Canada. I have at present two scholars who are learning to read. After so many years of teaching, back again at A, B, C! Still, I am so happy and contented that I would not change my two scholars for the finest audience in France." The following year he added: "I had two scholars last year. This year I am rich ; I have now more than twenty." The promises of the Marquis de Gamache had not been forgotten: they were about to be fulfilled. In 1635, classes were opened by Fathers Charles Lallemant and De Quen, and at the same time materials for the construB.ion of temporary buildings were gathered. The foundations of the College of Quebec were laid near Fort St. Louis, a piece of land, six arpmts in size, having been given by the colony. The result was that several well-to-do families came to Canada, where they could now hope to give their children a Christian education, and one in keeping with their position in society. Immigration received a new impetus. Still, the college walls were long in rising from the ground. Champlain survived but a few months the foundation of an establishment in which he had taken deep interest. He died Dec. 25, 1635. His death was mourned by all as a public calamity. Fr. Lejeune pronounced an eloquent dis.course over his grave, and then quietlyresumed his humble class. �16 Tlze Old College of Quebec. Fr. Bartholemew Vimont, who, Aug. I, 1639. brought to Canada the first of the Ursulines and Hospital Nuns, and remained there as Superior of our Fathers, was occupied in promoting the welfare of the rising college, when new trials caused fresh delays. The Jesuit residence having been destroyed by fire, the Governor placed the Fathers, for the time being, in the house which had been occupied by the Hm:pital Nuns. It contained but two rooms, which served turn about as kitchen, sleeping rooms, and class rooms. The cour<:~ge of the Fathers seemed to rise with the difficulties whiEli beset them. God blessed their efforts, and they were soon consoled with the prospeCt of a brilliant future. They were, besides, nearly all men of rare talent and tried virtue. Those who were· charged with the care of the college, however humble its beginning, were, for the most part, men distinguished as much by birth and previous service, as by their learning and ability. The following list will give some idea of the positions they had filled while still in France: Fr.. Lejeune, professor of rhetoric and afterwards superior of one of our houses. Fr. Charles Lallemant, professor of physics at Bruges, prefeCt of the College of Louis the Great, and afterwards reCtor of the college at Rouen. ~·. Fr. Jerome Lallemant, professor o(logic and direCtor at Paris before his first coming to Canada; afterwards reCtor of the College of La Fleche, where there were twelve hundred students, when he obtained, at the request of the Bishop of Laval, permission to return to Canada. Fr. Paul Raguenau, professor of literature at Bourges, and of philosophy at A miens. Fr. Peter Chastelain, professor at the College of Louis the Great in 1629, who died in Quebec in 1684, after spending forty-eight years in Canada, author of the pious and delightf\11 work: Ajfeflus anima: amantis Jesum. Fr. Bartholomew Vimont, prefeCt of studies and reCtor at Vannes. �Tlze Old College of Quebec. 17 Fr. John de Quen, professor of grammar at Paris, and of literature at Port-l'Eveque. Fr. Rene Menard, profe~sor of rhetoric at Moulins .. Fr. Ambrose Davost, minister and procurator of the college of Bourges. The College of Quebec had, besides, the glory of being the resting-place, and in some cases, the dwelling of those martyrs to apostolic zeal, who, in the seventeenth century, watered the soil of Canada with their sweat and blood. Fathers John de Brebeuf and Gabriel Lallemant, who, on the 15th and 17th of March, -1649, terminated by a heroic death a life of unheard-of toil and privation, may be claimed as belonging to the College of Quebec. Accordingly, as a memorial of his glorious death, his family presented to the coliege a life-size silver bust of Fr. de Bn!beuf. It stands on a pedestal, in which is enshrined the head of the renowned missionary. This precious relic has passed into other hands. It is at present kept in the Hotel-Dieu of Quebec. On OCl:ober g, 1668, the feast of St. Denis, took place the solemn inauguration of the petit seminaire of Quebec. Destined for the education of those who might be judged suitable for the priesthood, the establishment met with all the success that could be expeCted. The scholars, few in number in the beginning, but judiciously seleCl:ed, followed the classes at the college; and a close frien~ship existed be~ tween the two houses. The population of Canada grew larger and larger, as well through natural increase as by continued immigration from France. In 1721 there were only twenty-five thousand inhabitants, and in 1744 the number reached fifty thousand! II. During the years which elapsed from 1721 to 1744, the buildings which have just been destroyed were completed. We read in Fr. Charlevoix's journal, OCl:. 28, 1720: "You have doubtless read in certain relations, that the Jesuit colVaL. vm-No. 1. 3 �18 T!te Old College of Qurbrc. lege at Quebec is a very fine building. \Vhen the city was but a shapeless gathering of wretched hovels and Indian wigwams, this building, the only one, with the exception of the fort, which was built of stone, had some pretentious. The first travelers, comparing it with its surroundings, represented it as a magnificent edifice. Those who came after them copied what they had said, according to custom. Since then the wigwams have disappeared, and the hovels have grown into houses, for the most part well built, so that the college is at present an eyesore, and threatens to fall in ruins." The quarto edition of 1744 has the following note: "Since then the college has been entirely rebuilt, and i3 now a very fine edifice.'' The prosperity of Quebec had excited the jealousy of the neighboring colony. Louisburg, especially, was a thorn in the side of New England. The loss of this important place, which was forced to capitulate June 17, 1748, was the prelude to all the other disasters which followed, and which ended, in spite of a heroic assistance, in the surrender of Quebec, Sept. 18, 1659, and of Montreal, Sept. 8, 176o. From that time the struggle was over. A few weeks later, the English vessels took back to France the officers and soldiers of the army and fleet, together with a great number of the most notable among the colonists. The college of Quebec could not long survive so-~tide a shock. As Canada still belonged to France, the colonists cherished the hope that the mother·country would not abandon them, but would secure their restoration at the close of hostilities. But, after three long years of waiting, their hopes were sadly disappointed. The treaty of Paris, February IO, 1763, settled their fate by handing them over to England. The result was a second emigration. From one thousand to twelve hundred persons of note, who had remained after the capitulation, now ·withdrew to France or to San Domingo. With the exception of a few families of the better class, there remained only some of the lower officials, some mechanics, and the members of the religious orders. �Vacation ¥Vork oj Sclzo!astic Priests. 19 The College of Quebec con~inued to exist as best it might, until 1768, when the s~:n=n•ry, which until then had sent its scholars to follow the classes of our Fathers, received within its walls the last of our pupils in Quebec, some sixty in number. In I776, the English government took possession of a portion of the college, and kept there the public records, deeming itself generous in leaving the rest of the building at the disposal of the surviving members of the Order. \Vhen, in I8oo, the last of their number, Fr. Cazot, died, the crown, acting on the principle that might makes right, declared, without other form of law, the property of the Jesuits, the college included, forfeited; as if the Church, to whom it belongs, was not immortal. The college was turned into a barracks, and was occupied by the British troops until they were withdrawn from Canada in 1869. From that time the building was utterly abandoned. It seemed to be awaiting speedy and total destruEl:ion. However, one day of glory it was yet to witness. On OEI:ober I, 1874, the two hundredth anniversary of the diocese of Quebec, the windows of the venerable edifice were adorned with transparencies, on which, in letters of gold by day, and -of flame by night, all Canada might read the glorious past of the old college of the Jesuits at Quebec. VACATION WORK OF SCHOLASTIC PRIESTS. MISSIONS IN ST. MARY's CouNTY, Mn. Missions were given during the vacations in several parts of the counties of Maryland. · Those preached in St. Mary's County, in which scholastic Fathers from Woodstock had any part, were given at St. George's church, St. Nicholas,' St. Inigoes,' the Sacred Heart church and St. John's. Frs. Smith and Hughes from Woodstock, under the direb:ion of �20 Vacation TVork of Sclzolastic Priests. the pastor, Fr. Neale, began at St. George's, on July 14th, a Sunday, and ended there on the following Tue~day. A sermon, a couple of instruCtions, catechism, and various devotions, besides Mass at 10. 30 A. M., filled up the day from 10 o'clock each morning till 4 or later in the afternoon. The church and congregation are small: the Communions came to about seventy. Two days later the same programme was followed out in the same way at St. Nicholas,' beginning on Friday, and ending with Sunday. The congregation of this church, which is under the same pastor, Fr. N~~le, is much larger, more cultivated in every respeCt:, and the church itself is a hundred years old, quite interesting and antique in its form, and well cared for by the ladies of the congregation. The altar is very neat, and everything, the faithful themselves not excepted, is calculated to help devotion. There were about one hundred and ninety Communions. It was quite noticeable that whether at the altar-rail or in the confe::;sional, there was a degree of religious cultivation manifested by men and women alike that- was more than refreshing. On the follo\ving Wednesday, the same mission-sermons and instruCtions were begun at St. Inigoes' church, of which Fr. Vigilante is pastor. These exercises spread over four days, w~th very full attendance throughout, and ended on the fifth.d?y with the usual Sunday morning services. The number of Communions amounted to over three hundred. A good number of men returned to their duties after periods of negleCt: ranging freely from one to thirty-four years. A most remarkable feature of this mission was the work done with the children, of whom there were present from eighty to one hundred. Several scholastics had kindly taken a catechism class in hand, as soon as the villa opened at St. Inigoes, some three weeks before the mission; and dividing the children into various seCtions, devoting a whole morning to them three times a week, encouraging them in every way, the zealous catechists had managed in the �Vacation Work of Sclzolastic Priests. 21 course of three weeks to have in daily attendance, at the mission; a large body of well-organized children, amounting to between eighty and one hundred. Several weeks after the scholastics had left, there were still found at the ordinary Saturday catechism of the children, as many as sixty in attendance. So that a large number evidently had occasion in the course of that month, to lay something like a solid foundation of instruCtion for their future life. The recent disaster in the Chesapeake has a remote but sadly interesting conneCtion with the work of the scholastics. On the day after they had left St. Inigoes, Fr. Hughes who remained behind announced at Mass-it was the feast of St. Ignatius,- that· he desired to continue for a little while longer the special work of catechizing, which the scholas· tics had so kindly performed; he .therefore asked for assistance from such of the ladies of the congregation as could afford to come and teach a class. The very first who appeared in the sacristy after the sermon was a good mother of a family, whose children had all of them been particularly noted for their knowledge of the catechism ; and her eldest daughter had not an equal in this respeCt i one might suppose she had received a convent education. The good mother offered her services and those of her daughter. They were accepted; and on the subseq1.1ent catechism days the mother taught the prayers and perhaps the aCts, while the daughter taught a higher class. Among the four women- passengers aboard the ill-fated Express was this Mrs. Tarlton with an infant in her arms: she was lost in the general wreck.* *It is reported that, during the last hour before the catastrophe, the helpless female victims, the special objects of the Captain's solicitude, kept themselves in the saloon calm and resigned, preparing for the worst. The agitation of the moment betrayed itself only by a prayer or ejaculation that escaped them. We can imagine that :Mrs. Tarlton, who was the only Catholic among the three white ladies, taught her catechism once more, and went through the prayers and acts for the poor Protestants; particularly through the act of contrition. Be that as it may, when the saloon was swept away by a furious �., t 22 Vacation TVork of Sc!tolastic Pn"ests. At the close of these missions, one of the young Fathers remaining on the ground relieved the regular Pastor. The people being still roused, much good could be done. One entire family, besides scattered individuals in different families, were under instruCtion preparatory to Baptism. l\lass was said at different stations down to Point Lookout; and in one of these stations held in a private house, as many as ninety-two Communions were given, on different days in the course of a fortnight; which number with eighteen Communions at oth~r less populous places made a total of one hundred and ted.', outside of St. Inigoes' church just after the mission. There were many more confessions at these stations than Communions; many of the penitents not having fasted, and intending to communicate on Sunday at the church. There was a general desire for hearing instruCtions, as many as eighty persons, whether colored or white, waiting till noon on week days to hear all the catechism, which the Priest could afford time to explain. If there is a thing which promises ~vell in these parts, it is the thirst in Catholics and Protestants to hear and never seem tired of hearing and understanding Christian doetrine. Higher up on the Patuxent, other missions were commenced on August 21st, in a mor<:· populous part of the country, among larger congregations'and with more abundant fruit. Fr. D. Haugh, assisted by Fr. \Vm. Doherty from \Voodstock, began at the Sacred Heart church, of which Fr. Holland is pastor. Two sermons, with one instruClion, and one catechism, besides other devotions, covered the time from 9 o'clock in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. Intervals were allowed after all the exercises; and in the intervals the hearing of confessions was resumed, having begun about 5 o'clock in the morning, and not closing until about 6 in the evening. The intervals were many and short. wave carrying everything with it, they were washed overboard. Fifteen minutes later the quarter-master saw through the darkness )Irs. Tarlton cling· ing with one hand to a raft, and on the other arm holding her baby's head over the water. She was never seen again. �Vacation Work of Sclzolastic Priests. 23 In the missions mentioned above, besides such chance relaxations, during the exercises, as the singing of the litanies, etc., might afford, there was only one long interval from I 2 o'clock till 2, which interval itself allowed time for one public exercise, the way of the cross. There were five hundred Communions at this church of the Sacred Heart; and the mission, which opened on Sunday, was closed in the middle of Thursday. The good people regard it as quite a sacred duty to attend the mission; and prominent dates in former years are "when I made my Mission" or, "my Jubilee!" as if it were a recognized yearly retreat. And they will prepare for it previously by getting work off their hands, and leaving other work standing over until they have made the mission. And if there are many who have been guilty of neglect, it is only neglect and not any decided aversion which has kept them from their duties. So that a little personal solicitation is all that is required to have them begin anew. On the following Sunday, the same scholastic Priest, Fr. Doherty, assisting Fr. McAtee, opened another mission at St. John's, the church of Fr. Pacciarini. The order was slightly different. There were two sermons and two instructions, the rest remaining much the same. We remember hearing somewhere in the direction of St. George's from some Protestant, that he had heard the sermon of this Sunday, and he would not have missed it for the world. There were always a good number of Methodists attending, curious to hear, and no doubt to profit. At this Church of St. John's there were seven hundred Communions; with the same constant stream of penitents. The mission closed on Thursday at noon. There were two other missions given in St. Mary's Co. at the same time; no scholastic Father was eng~ged in them. Frs. Emig and McAtee, assisted in the confessional by the pastor, Fr. Pacciarini, gave one at St. Joseph's. Frs. Emig and Haugh gave the other at Leonardtown. The fruit was very large; eleven hundred Communions in the first; five hundred in the other. �24 Vacation TVork of Sclwlastic Pn·ests. CARROLL Co., Mo. The mission of St. Joseph's ch'urch, Sykesville, closed the vacation work of the scholastic Fathers of Woodstock. It was preached by Frs. Calzia and Smith, and lasted five days, commencing Sept. rst. As the Catholics are scattered and most of them live at great distances from the church, it was found difficult to carry out any programme which would require their presence during the day, so that the exercises were limited to Mass and an instruCtion in the morning, catechism for the children in the afternoon, and an instruction followed by·a sermon in the evening. The Catholic population of the village and surrounding country does not exceed one hundred and twenty, nearly all of whom went to their duties. The mission was immediately followed by the Devotion ofthe Forty Hours, during which the sermons were preached by Frs. Denny of Baltimore, and Hughes of \Voodstock. The altar and the sanctuary were adorned with a profuse display 9f tapestry, various colored transparencies, flowers, etc., which proved to be quite an attraCtive feature. It was a matter of no little consolation to witness the eagerness with which the Protestants attended the evening exercises, not only during the Forty Hours' Devo.tion but during the entire week. Some even went so far as· to participate in the ceremonies of the \Vay of the Cross, which had been erected during the early part of the mission. The presence of these strangers w~s no doubt owing in great measure to the plan, adopted by the Fathers, of studiously abstaining from saying anything in their discourses which might wound the religious susceptil::iilities of those who do not kneel at the same altar as ourselves. Hence many, led by curiosity or from a desire of information, were encouraged to go and see tor themselves what Catholics do and teach in their 'revivals.' Four:of the scholastic Priests, Frs. Bosche, Brandi, Cal· mer and Poland, were engaged during different parts of the vacation in the residences of Washington, Baltimore, Conewago and Georgetown. �ECLIPSE EXPEDITION OF THREE MARYLAND PROFESSORS. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. You have asked me to write for the \VooosTOCK LETTERS a narrative of our scientific trip to the Far \Vest the past summer. I shall gratify your wish cheerfully: however, if my account fail to interest the readers of the LETTERS, you must bear the responsibility on your own shoulders. Without more prelude, I shall enter on my subject. It was announced, with the exactness and certainty for which the predictions of astronomers are proverbial, that on the 29th of last July there would be an eclipse of the sun, which would be total along a narrow belt of country in the States and Territories of the Far West. Such a phenomenon is always of interest and value to astronomers, and especially so at present when the great amount of knowledge regarding the sun, acquired in recent years, has quickened the desire for more. Naturally it attracted the attention of Fr. Sestini, who is an astronomer of long standing, a pupil of the distinguished Fr. de Vico ; and the idea occurred to him of forming a little party of Ours to go and observe it. Superiors, aftt.>r duly weighing the matter, gave their approval. It was his desire to have two others in the party besides those who finally went; but obstacles came in the way, and our number was reduced to three, Fr. Sestini, Fr. Degni, Pro( of Physics at Woodstock, and the Pro( of Physics at Georgetown College. The neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, was selected as the place of observation. Through the gentlemen of the Government Observatory in Washington, we obtained round-trip tickets at a much reduced rate; and the route was quite an acceptable one to us, going by the way of Pittsburg, Chicago, Omaha, Cheyenne, to DenVaL. vm-No. 1. 4 (25) �Eclipse Expedition. ver, and returning by St. Mary's, in Kansas, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Fr. Sestini started first, as ht: had engaged to give a short retreat in Colorado before the eclipse. Fr. Degni and I started some days later: we arrived in Chicago about the 18th of July. We remained a few days in the great city of the prairies, at St. Ignatius College, where we were received very hospitably by Ours. They kindly showed us the city, as far as our time allowed, so that we took in its charaCteristics, its great extent, the surprising bustle and aCtivity observed in its numerous business streets, and, the enduring wonder of its rapid rebuilding after the great fire which reduced it to ashes for miles and miles. "\Vhere is the burnt distriCt:?" I asked of Fr. Lambert, as we were walking with him through a part of the city made up of long rows of imposing buildings, which did not appear new. "Here it is," said he, "as far as your eye can reach-1 don't expeCt: you to believe me, but it is striCl:ly true." \Ve were glad to see how much good our Fathers are doing in Chicago, with two large churches, a thriving college, and parochial schools in which the chi!· dren- are numbered by thousands. After a few days we resumed our journey westward, starting for Omaha on Monday morning, J u!y 22d. Our journey across the states of Illinois _:wd Iowa was uneventful: nothing striking in the scenery, as far at least as I observed. We had a large company with us on the train; and among those in our Pullman car was the distinguished English astronomer, J. Norman Lockyer, who had come from England to observe the eclipse, bringing his instruments with him. Fr. Degni had a long conversation with him in French, and found him very polite <Jnd agreeable. He had a great esteem for Fr. Secchi, had corresponded with him on most friendly terms, and had arranged a meeting with him a few years ago in Sicily, which however was prevented from taking place. After a journey of about twenty-four hours we arrived in �Edipsc Expeditiou. 27 Omaha, a city of between twenty and thirty thousand inhabitants, on the Missouri River, on the opposite bank from Iowa. We soon found ours:!lves in our own college, and were received mo..;t kin:l~y by Fr. Shaffel, the Superior, and Fr. Hill. The college! was built within·a year by the munificence of a W;!althy C:1tholic couple, and then given to Ours together with a yearly income of IO,ooo dollars, so that it mi"{ht be conduct:!d ai a free college. It is a handsome building, though only a portion of the entire plan, and beautifully situated on high ground, with an extensive view of the city, the country and the river. After one day's stay in Omaha we left for Cheyenne, just one day's journey west, and the term of our westward travel, as Denver lies south of it. We remained there an hour or two in the middle of the day, dining there, and seeing enough of the place to perceive its inferiority to Omaha and Denver. At last we began our five hour's journey to the latter place and surrendered to the conductor the last coupon of our ticket outward. And now the grand Rocky Mountains loomed into view, presenting different shapes to our eyes as the locomotive hurried us on constantly to new points of observation. Distant though they were·, their outlines were distinctly visible, on account of the dryness and purity of the atmosphere. Distance also lent enchantment to the view, and their "cliffs of shadowy tint" truly appeared "more bright than all the landscape smiling near." We arriveti in Denver about eight o'clock, when it was quite dark, and betook ourselves immediately to the residence of Bishop Machebceuf, where we were most hospitably received. Three days yet remained before the eclipse, and during the two following we were shown the city and vicinity through the kindness of the Bishop and his priests. Denver is a bright, lively, elegant little city, of about 20,000 inhabitants, with some fine business streets and many handsome residences. The country around is a plain, with the Rocky Mountains running along in the West, on which streaks and patches of snow are plainly visible, baffling the �Ecli'pse &pcditimr. attempts of the summer's heat to melt them. Almost no rain falls on the plains in Colorado during the greater part of the year, and great enterprise is shown in the system of artificial irrigation for Denver and its vicinity, without which nothing whatever would grow, not even the numerous trees which beautify the streets. The Platte River, a shallow stream flowing by the town, has been tapped many miles away at a high level, and its waters, led by a canal, are distributed by a network of ditches wherever needed, in Denver and the country around. The owners of the property pay for the water which they thus use. I remarked that the morning newspapers of Denver, unlike those here in the Eastern cities, are published on Sunday and have no issue on Monday; a custom more conducive certainly to the observance of the Sunday. There is only one Catholic church in the town, that of the Bishop; and it is an inferior edifice, too. Denver was the most important place in the belt of totality, favorable also otherwise for observations ; and more observers flocked there than to any other place. The eclipse was the topic of greatest interest there for some time before and after its occurrence, and the name was attached to any thing to which attention was to be drawn. It was announced, for instance, in.Jhe newspapers that a certain Protestant clergyman would preach on the "Eclipse of Christian Faith;" and I remember seeing an advertisment of an excursion, headed "Eclipse Excursion," because it was to eclipse every other. For several days preceding that of the eclipse the weather was cloudy or rainy-unusually so, we were told, for that country; and we had serious fears that our long journey would be all for nothing. Fr. Sestini had first seleCted Central City, forty miles distant and high in the mountains. as our place of observation ; and there he had gone before us, to give a short retreat. As it was constantly cloudy there, however, for several days, he judged that there would �Eclipse Expedition. be more chances for a clear sky at Denver, away from the mountains; and he therefore joined Fr. Degni and myself there a day or two before the eclipse. The Sisters of Charity have a home for invalids, ·situated a short distance outside of the city; and on the open ground near it we determined·.to take our observations. Thither we had our telescope, chronometer and other instruments taken ; and two of our party sojourned with the Sisters some days, receiving the kindest treatment from them. Providence seemed to favor the scientific ardor of so many, as the day of the eclipse dawned bright and cloudless, and so continued. However, for fear of a sudden change at Denver, a train was engaged by some of the scientific men, to carry them promptly to some other point which they should learn by telegraph to be suitable. Business was pretty generally suspended in Denver a good part of the day. We were at our post in due time, busy in making preparations. There were a few other parties of observers stationed quite near us, the nearest being a bevy of lady astronomers, with instruments, under the leadership of Miss Mitchell, the well known Professor of astronomy in Vassar Female College N. Y. Quite a number of persons also from the city were assembled on a knoll a short distance from us desirous of seeing the shadow of the moon travelling rapidly over the country just before totality. The first contaCt: took place at about twenty minutes past two, P. M., the sun was entirely covered a little more than an hour later, remaining so less than three minutes, and the eclipse ended about half-past four. It was certainly a solemn as well as a beautiful speCl:acle.- the sudden conversion of day · into night, the subduing effeCt: upon animals. the beautiful appearances of the clouds in the mountains, and the exquisite halo surrounding the dark moon. We, however, did not enjoy it nearly so much as others around us who were unoccupied with the care of exaCt: and special observations. I was reminded of the· French astronomer, who on the oc- �Ecli'pse Expedition. casion of an eclipse some .years ago, resolved to view the next one not as an astronomer, but as a simple spectator contemplating a thing of beauty. Although the day had been very warm, it became so cool during the totality, that Fr. Degni, who wore his duster while using the telescope, called for another coat, to the amusement of the Bishop, who h1d joined us about the beginning of the eclipse.-I shall not say anything about the scientific aspect of the eclipse or the results of our observations. All these points have been treated by Fr. Degni, in th:! scientific article on the subject, written by him for the October .. number of the American Catholic Quarterly. The Denver newspapers had notices of our party before and after the eclipse. It may not be amiss to quote from the "Rocky Mountain News" of the following day, July 30th. It devoted a large part of its space to a general account of the eclipse, which it styles in large letters "The great event of the century in Colorado;" then it makes special mention of the different observers, and of us among them, as follows: OBSERVATIONS OF THE WOODSTOCK PARTY. "The distinguished party of astronomers from the University of Woodstock, Maryland, consisting of Rev. Fr. Sestini, Rev. Fr. Degni, of the faculty, and Rev. Fr. Ryan, of the Georgetown (D. C.) College, m~de their observations from an elevated plateau near the Sisters' hospital. They were provided with telescopes and spectroscopes; but, owing to the limited number in the party, confined themselves to observing the construction of the corona and protuberances, really the most important subjects of study in connection with the eclipse. Fr. Sestini reports that, toward the end of totality, he observed some small continuous protuberances-not any well defined. Streaks of light and shade were observed on the gr~und just preceding the total phas~. The corona around· the whole solar disc was very bright, with luminous offshoots on both sides in the direction of the motion of the �Eclipse Expedition. 31 moon, each extending about one and a half diameters of the sun. There were also two other offshoots, situated nearly at right angles to those above mentioned, and in length about half the solar diameter. Father Sestini is well satisfied with the results of his observations. The members of his party gave considerable attention to swteping for intra Mercurial planets, but without success_ In this, however, he is not alone, as only one person thus far has been able to report any thing that presents indications of there being a new planet." And now I must be bringing my already too lengthy narrative to a close. After a few days we were obliged to separate. Fr. Sestini started eastward the next day, having been appointed to give the retreat to the community at Worcester before the 15th of August. Fr. Degni, the day following, departed on a visit to Ours in New Mexico, which adjoins Colorado; and I, on the same day, began a short retreat to the Sisters of Charity at Denver, cheerfully acceding to the Bishop's earnest request, in consideration of his and the Sisters' great kindness toward us. After the retreat I went to Pueblo, where the nearest house of Ours is, and spent a couple of days there under the hospitable roof of Fr. Gubitosi. On my return to Denver I stopped at the town called Colorado Springs, and spent several hours in visiting the springs, five miles distant. For me this was one of the pleasantest days of the whole trip. The springs, cool and briskly effervescing with carbonic acid gas, and a number of large hotels grouped around them, are situated in a narrow opening in the Rocky Mountains, at an elevation of six thousand feet. It is a charming spot, most fitly called by the Indians, Manitou, for it is well calculated to elevate one's thoughts to the great Spirit. It is just at the foot of Pike's Peak, which rises yet eight thousand feet higher. On my drive to the springs I was treated to grand mountain views, and exquisite scenery, which I have not time or space to �32 Eclipse E-,;peditioll. describe. They reminded me of the choicest gems among Sir Walter Scott's descriptions of the Highlands.-The next day I started eastward from Denver, stopped some days at our college in Kansas, and again in St. Louis, experiencing great kindness and charity from Ours in both places, and reached Baltimore a few days after the middle of August. Fr. Degni r<:!turned later, and now all three of us are again at our year's work. Pleasant memories remain of our eclipse excursion, and we hope also that it has not been without its good results. :.~ J. J. R., S.j INDIAN MISSIONS. FoRT CoL VILLE, \V ASH. Tv., July 20th, 1878. REv. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. I returned the other day from the Calispellem; and in • compliance with the request of Fr. Grassi I send you the following account of my trip. I left the mission at Fort Colville ·r~··company with a band of Sgoielpi who were going after cammas, and travelled with them three days. Their chief was very kind to me, treating me as his own child. He packed my horse every morning, and his wife cooked my breakfast and supper. Wednesday evening we reached the Calispellem country where the people came out to welcome me and shake hands with me. There were about fourteen lodges of the Sgoielpi who encamped in a valley about a mile west of the Pend 'Oreille river. I took up my quarters among the Calispellem, who had about twenty lodges near mine and as many more on the other side of the stream. About a mile and a half south in the valley were two other tribes; viz., the Koikoitememla with ten lodges, and the Singumene; only six �Jndiall J1!issions. 33 or seven were Catholics, the rest Protestants. In all there were, in this little valley six .miles long anJ three miles wide, about eighty lod_;2s of the genuine children of the forest. As soon as I arrived I had a sick call to the other side of the river. The Indian's light canoe carried me over in about seven minute~. There I found a poor girl, very low, scarcely able to speak: she expressed her joy at seeing me once more before dying, made her confession, received the last Sacraments, and I departed, promising to return the next day. The next day, afte; prayers, a canoe stopped before my lodge and an old man, the chief Victor, came in, and shaking hands with me, said: "Good day, Father. I think I must be a bad man, because the priest did not come to see me." "Perhaps so," I replied. "I shall know you soon and we will have a talk together. Now go home and tell the people on the other side of the river to come across and place their lodges near mine, because I have a great many important things to tell them." "All right," he said, and departed. Then I called the second chief, Simon, and told him to build a chapel. He told this to the Indian women, and they took four or five tents and covered a space that could hold about two and fifty persons. This, though · better than nothing. was still hardly half large enough. The following day the Indians who were encamped on the other side of the river, came over, and I began work. My first plan was to preach four times a day; but seeing the number of children between seven and fifteen years of age who needed instruction, I concluded to preach twice a day for the grown people, and twice a day to give catechetical instruction to the children. I learned that the most frequent and public sins were gambling, sorcery and adultery. I began by inveighing against the first two in strong terms. After a few days the chief came to me and acknowledged that he had encouraged these practices for the amusement VoL. vm-No. 1. · 5 �34 iNdian .1lfissions. of his people. "As you have been the cause of them," said I, "you must stop them. To-night call together your people and forbid them to aCt: thus, and I shall do the rest." He did so. I continued to denounce them so strongly that the young men thought me too severe. \Vhen I preached against adultery, the young men, much offended, began to gather together and plot against me. · On learning this, I reproached them for their behavior, and told them that, willing or unwilling, they should do what I told them. ·when they saw that their opposition only made me speak more freely and strongly, some of them went to their chief and told him they were glad that at last they knew their crimes, and that they were willing to reform. They sent their chief to tell me that they were well disposed towards me, because I freely made known their faults to them, and to request me to speak even more forcibly that they might be more impressed by my words. Others more bold and fervent, came to me accusing their chief as the cause of their faults, and one added: "I think that it would be good lor us, before confessing our sins, to go to our chief and ask him to whip us for them." "That is not my business," I replied. "Do as you think fit about being whipped; but pray to God to change your hearts and hereafter be good children." I separated two who had been living in 3:dultery for the last ten years, and arranged two other cases~ "In a few days things were all right again. I took two charms or instruments which they use in their incantations. They are parts of the animal under whose form the devil appears to them in their dreams. These often curiously wrought, and powerful ins· truments of crime are called Soncesh. The process used in the incantations is this: the charm is prepared for use by being smoked in the fumes of certain roots which are dug up and burned. Then the people are gatqered in a secret place, and the medicine man begins the song taught him by .the devil in a dream. The people yell and become intensely excited, being worked up by shaking the Soncesh �Indian Jlfissi'ons. 35 and this operation is continued day and night until they obtain the cure, or wliatevcr else they have been asking for. I was once called to hear the confession of a sick person who had just been left by the medicine-man, and had been under the influence of the charm. I was really frightened. The woman was in the greatest excitement. Her language was so filthy that even the Indians could not endure it. Her eyes stared wildly, her hair was dishevelled, her strength exhausted. She had been partially cured, but she relapsed and died the same year. God blessed my labors. One day I had one hundred and twenty Communions, and the people told me that only one of the Cali spells did not go to his duties, and they were rejoiced to sec so many approachinv, the Sacraments who for years had been living scandalous lives. Our division of time was as follows: early in the morning I rung the Angelus bell; and I had the consolation of knowing that the prayer was recited in every lodge. Shortly after, Mass, beads, sermon; after which the people went to their work. About nine o'clock, catechism for the children; after which they practised shooting with the bow and arrow. They arranged themselves sometimes in two lines, sometimes in a semicircle. One boy had a wooden hoop, covered with rags, which he rolled along the ground and the other boys shot at it while it was rolling; many of the lads were so dexterous as to pierce its edge or its centre and stop it altogether. They next went swimming; and some of them could swim a long distance. Again we had catechism after which they went to fish or to hunt prairiechickens and ducks. After dinner, the young men had horse races for three or four hours. At this exercise they look very wild, being nearly naked, with faces painted red. Before starting they yell hideously; they then set out and run the.ir horses almost to death. ·while racing, their yelling increases and they practice several manceuvres, picking from the ground sticks or other objects while at full speed. The �ludiau 1lfi'ssions. women are constantly at work digging or tanning skins. An hour before sunset they all return·home to prepare for prayer. Before sunset, they come to prayer and sermon, after which they return to their lodges where they chat and sing in their own language. One evening I heard them sing a hymn to St. Ignatius, which so pleased me, that the next day, I had them sing it after sermon. Though my soul had the consolation of seeing these poor people listening so attentively to the word of God, my body had to endure privations; the dogs got at my stock of provisions, which obliged me:to subsist sometimes on one meal a day. One day I had~but a few roots to eat, when a boy entered and saw my repast. He looked sad, but said nothing. That day I missed him from catechism class; towards evening he came to me with three trout, saying: "These are good fish, I think you will like them. I caught many more but they are full of bones and not good for you ;" and, quite happy, he ran off before I had time to thank him. The boy spoke of my situation and it came to the ears of the chief, who that night went around the camp saying: "Black Robe is fasti~g. we must feed him." Next morning a poor girl brought me a small dish of roots, and a poor old woman three eggs, saying: "if I can get more I will give them to you." Three men went hunting; '!_ffer three days they re turned with nine deer and made me ·a present of one ham and another good piece of the meat, which lasted me nearly a week. Though I had been so rough with them, until they correCted their faults, they loved me very much, and strove to gratify my every wish. I told them that I did not complain of my food, nor of my tent and bedding; all that I wished was that they should become good children ; and they did as well as I could expeCt. Fasting and preaching were my least difficulties : the greatest was hearing their complaints and arranging their affairs, especially respeCting marria.ges. These duties occupied me nearly all day and a great part of the night. �Indian i11issions. 37 Observing that little respect was paid to the authority of the chiefs, and that the young men did as they pleased, I called the two chief-;, and told them that the young people had to be restrained, otherwise the good done would soon be lost. "Don't you know," said they, "that the young people laugh at us, and tell us that we are good-for-nothing, and pay no heed to what we say to them." "This happens," I answered, "because you are not firm enough. You have a tongue, but neither. arms nor feet. I wish to give you the anns to tie the rascals and the feet to go wherever mischief is being done. To morrow, therefore, I wish to see fifteen· of the best men of the triLe, who will be your police. I will teach them their duty and how to prevent crime." ''\Veil, then," ,;aid they, "we will see if we can find so many." I urged the matter in a sermon, so that after three days I had organized fifteen good men under the chiefs authority to act as soldiers; besides that, I appointed a captain who had to be on hand only when something of importance occurred. I called a meeting of the chiefs, soldiers and head men of the tribe; and after having exhorted them to be of one heart and one mind, I explained to them the offices of the head and the other members of the human body, and thus tried to make them understand their duties towards each other. They set to work immediately and with courage. In the evening sermon, I told them that gambling, dealing with the devil and other crimes, once stopped, should be stopped for ever; that they now had their guardian angels who would watch over them and help them to do good; and that whosoever should oppose the police in the discharge of their duties, would be punished very severely by the chief.<>. The young men did not relish this, but they had to bear it, because the police, once organized, were able to check them. In visiting them a month later I was quite pleased with their behavior. One of the soldiers told me that there was no gambling. ThP. next day I was called to see several sick people. A kind of contagious fever had suddenly attacked them which �l~tdiaJZ ~1fissioJtS. deprived them of sight and caused them to fall frequently. was alarmed. I had medicines with me and administered some to one of the patients. To my surprise, in two days he was nearly well. Encouraged by this success I gave the same medicine to others, and in a few days they all recovered. The next Monday morning at about tltree o'clock. when I attempted to rise from my bed, I sank to the ground knocking my head again<;t the pole of my tent. I again tried to get up; but I grew dizzy, my sight deserted me and, I fell, hurting- my side. I was burning with heat and for sometime I remained motionless. I had caught the fever. As soon as ~I. recovered my sight, I looked for the box of medicine. took a good dose of it, and in three days was well again. On the day of my recovery, I heard a gunshot, and the chief came to notify me of the death of that poor girl of whom I have spoken. "How glad I am," said he, "that she saw the priest and received the last Sacraments. Oh ! if the priest could remain with us constantly, we would have all we desire upon earth." Then I told him to thank God that I had been able to visit them twice this year, and perhaps might visit them again in the fall-but that I had so many people to attend that I could not then remain longer than a month. "You know" said I, "that we have an extent of two hundred miles along the Columbii•. about ninety miles towards the Spokanes, over one hund;ed miles towards the Okinakane, aud about eighty miles to come to you, and besides we have to attend all Colville valley, settled by whites. For all this work we are only three-an old Father who is atending principally to the whites, Fr. Grassi and mysel( Though we travel regardless of the seasons and of all difficulties, we can hardly visit all uur people. How then can I remain here longer?" "I hope" said he, "that when we shall have the church built, you will come with one of your brothers and pass the winter with us. I and my people pray every day that God may not let us die during the winter, · becaus~ then. we should die without seing the priest." "I �Indian 111issions. 39 hope,'" said I, "that God will answer your prayers favorably; but it is altogether impossible foi· rne to !>top here longer, and in two or three weeks I will be a hundred miles away, visiting the Spokanes and the Szikaezilini. Sometime ago I made a promise to go to them, but I could not keep it on account of my sickness." He retired sadly and silently. Soon after I heard that gambling was going on every day. I called together the chiefs and the principal men of the tribe to enquire about this. They answered: "Not one of ours is gambling, nor any of those that belong to the Catholic Church. The gamblers are the Protestant Singumenes." "They came to me," said Simon, "asking me to allow my people to gamble at horse racing for one day. I answered that I had already many sins to atone for, and did not wish to increase the number. They urged their petitions no further. I send every day some trustworthy men to watch our young people, and they tell me, that not one of the Catholics, whether Calispell, Sgoielpi or Singumene, gamble." I suggested that our land was not a place for gambling, even though our own people did not take part in it; that strangers ought to obey the laws of the place an<:! not give our young men bad example. He understood what I meant, and answered that the Protestant3 were numerous, that they· had sent their women home, while the men remained to gamble among themselves, and that it might be prudent not to trouble them. I saw that he was afraid to interfere, and so I said that I would attend to it myself. I called the captain of the soldiers, and told him to go immediately to the camp of the Singumenes and tell them that Alena, the blackrobe, said that gambling of every kind must be stopped. He was silent for a moment, then said that if he talked thus, they would bind and whip him. "Coward," said I, "you must not speak those words as your own, but as coming from me; and if any one dare to harm you he shall suffer for it." Then he went and told them my words. They answered: "We gamble very little, but now we shall stop altogether and �40 Indian illissions. depart." And so they did: after two or three days· all had left, and I thanked God that such a scandal had c'eased. · For about fifteen days we had very bad weather, and only as many a3 could be sheltered in the lodge came to prayer. Then I determined to build a chapel and a reside1:ce for the priest. I spoke to them about it, telling them that a church large enough to accommodate all the tribe, ought to be ereCted. These Indians are so lazy that though they \rould have liked to see the church up, they did not like the labor of building it. I had an interview with the principal men, and made therrd.lromise to undertake it. The chief and myself seleCted a site. He wished to have it on the eastern side of the river because he lived there; but I told him that we ought to look to the convenience not of a few, but of all. An Indian who lived on the other side of the river, came to tell me that the church would not be built, for the people would not work. I told him that it would. "If you build it yourself," said he, "it \viii; but the people will not work." I preached again, exhorting them to begin at once. A subchief, came to me, saying, "the chief knows nothing about a chapel to be built in that place, and how can we build it." "Am I not a chief?" said I: "you have to obey me; that's all. I am the chief who will build the chu.-ch." Hearing this, he smiled and went away. Next'day, the time appointed to begin the work, I asked Simon: ·7How many will work to day?" "I don't know." "\Veil" said I," now take your axe, say a few words to the people, and go to the woods to cut down-trees." He did so, I watched to see how many would follow him, but saw none. Then I went out, and crying to them in a loud voice: "Let us go to work, follow me, and do not be lazy in the service of the Lord," I started for the woods. Before I had gone far three stout young men with their axes followed me, and the nurnber kept on increasing until all the young people on the western side of the river were at work. In a few hours, we had chopped down eighty trees, which we thought would be sufficient for the building. �Extraordt"lzary Cure of a Novice. 41 On. tile octave of SS. Peter and Paul we began to haul the logs. As we had no harness for our horses, this had to be done by hand, and a difficult task it was. When we had got the timber out of the woods, we hitched ropes to the pack saddles of the horses, and ·putting three or four horses to each ·piece we dragged it to the required place. Then. we begah to build, and; in a few days, the walls were up and the roof on. For want of proper tools, I could not make shingles for the roof, nor planks for the flooring ; so I told the Indians to wait until they returned from the chase in the fall, when I would have every thing necessary to prosecute the work. By spring I expect to have ready a nice little church 20 by 30, as well as a small cabin to live in. This is what has been done by these poor Indians whilst I have been among them. If we had another Father to help us, we could do a great deal more; for it is hard for a few to accomplish much, when the stations are so far apart and travelling is beset with so many difficulties. A. DIOMEDI, S. J. EXTRAORDINARY CURE OF A NOVICE. SANTA CLARA CoLLEGE, September 5th, 1878. A few days ago one of the novices obtained a _signal favor from our Blessed Lady. He was in danger of losing his vocation on account of sore eyes. His sight was so weak that he could not go about the house without spectacles, and it was growing worse and worse every day. Meanwhile he made long and fervent prayers to our Blessed Lady to obtain his cure. An hour before supper, on the 25th of Aug., the novice betook himself to the domestic chapel VoL. vm-No. 1. 6 �42 Fr. Mazzella's Departure from Woodstock College. to finish saying the office of the Immaculate Conception, which he chose to recite on that day in horior of the Blessed Virgin. As he entered the chapel, he took off his spectacles, but had to replace them immediately, because without them he could not see, even so much as to find his way among the benches. Having found a place, he knelt down to read the office, but in vain ; for though he had the spec~ tacles on he could not see. Thereupon he turned to our Blessed Gdy and said the "Sub tuum prmsidimiz." This prayer over, he· felt a change taking place in his eyes. He got up and'1approached the sanCtuary lamp, but even then he could not read. He put away his speB:acles, and to his surprise he read perfeB:ly well-better than he had done for many years past. He now reads, and walks about the house arid outside, without using speCtacles. Praise be to. God· and His holy Mother. FATHER MAZZELLA'S DEPARTURE FROM WOODSTOCK COLLEGE. On the 1st of OCl:ober, Fr. Mazze)la, our morning Professor of Dogma, received a summons ~from V. Rev. Fr. General to change the scene of his labors from Woodstock to the Roman College. After the first pause of surprise and regret, the members of our community became anxious to give expression to the very natural sentiments they entertained towards one who, both as a teacher of theology and as Prefeet of Studies had won a more than ordinary share of regard; affeB:ion and gratitude; Superiors not only granted a ready • consent to such a tribute; but invited· Ours of. the vicinity to. honor the demonstration with their. attendance; Accord~ · ingly on the evening qf the 5th of the same month, a far~ well entertainment was tendered Fr. Mazzella in the presence· �FJ'. Mazzella's Departure from Woodstock College. 43 of Rev. Fr. Provincial, the Rectors of Georgetown, Gonzaga, Loyola and of the Novitiate, and the Superiors of the neighboring residences. The programme made up of musical Sc:!lections and addresses in prose:! and versewrit_ten in the Latin, Italian, FreQch and English languages, was of sufficient variety to avoid the monotony apt to creep in on similat: occasions. As the renaissance of the pure scholastic system of philosophy and theology to be inaugurated under the immediate auspices of his Holiness, Leo XIII., is the cause of Fr. Mazzella's dep~rttu:e, a cpnspicuoJ..Is feature of the exercises was the meed .of honor b.estowed upon th.e do&rine an,<;l genius Qf St. Thomas Aq1,1inas. On that evening, the disciple received an ovation, and the master celebrated a triumph, At the end, Fr. Mazzella made M acknowledgment of the compliments paid him, and gave the community an assu~ ranee of reciprOGal feelings of attachment ;tnd of consequent • pain at his removal from their midst. In the course of his remarks, he expressed the conviction that much good had accrued to the Society and to the country from· ·the Seminary of Woodstock, and he augured an increase of this goqd, if supj!riors an<;! rectors in the different provinces contiu.J..Ie to ext.end their· favor .and contribute their material support to the institution. On the following morning, a (ull escort of fathers and s.chplastics attended their dear fr.iend and professor to the r.aHway station and wished him a final gods peed on his journey. Before sailing f~:om America, his thoughtful courtesy led him to exchange a last embrace with his brethren o( pur colleges and. r,esidences in. New England, Some days after Father.Mazzella's departure, the following brief arriV;ed from Rollle: �44 Brief Addrrssed to Frs. Mazzella & de Augustinis. Dildlis in Clmsto Filiis C:AllliLLO MAZZELLA et LEMILIO· M. DE AuGusTINIS, Professon"bus T/zeol. Dogin. in Collegio SS. Cordzs Jesu ad TVoodstock, ill Fffderatis Amen·cm Sept. Statibus. LEO PP. XIII. Dilecti Filii Salutem et Apostolicam Benediction em: Pr<eletl:iories theologicas, quas hatl:enus edidistis, libenter accepimus;-.gratasque habuimus, tamquam vestr<e in Nos et in hanc Apostolicam Sedem voluntatis significationem, et observanti<e testimonium. Maximi momenti est, nostris pr<esertim temporibus, Clerum solidis sincerisque dctl:rinis alte imbuere. Quod certe fiet, si dotl:rina S. Thom<e in scholis vestris floreat, prout Nobis non sine magna animi lcetitia nunciatum est. Hoc autem maxime decet homines~ quibus pr<ecipitur, ut "sequantur omnino in scholastica theologia dotl:rinam S. Thom~, eumque ut dotl:orem pr<r prium habeant, ponantque omnem operam ut auditores erga illum quam optime afficiantur." Itaque addant vobis animum in opere tam pr<eclaro regul<e officium, mens et jussa legiferi Patris Ignatii, decreta Congregationum vestrarum, necnon desideria et hoitationes hujus Sanche Sedis Apostolic<e, qu<e bane dotl:rinam insigni ellogiorum singularitate probavit. Nee dubitamus, quin vestigiis tanti dotl:oris fideliter insistentes, l<etissimos et uberes pro religione et animarum salute frutl:us precepturi sitis. Ab hac pal<estra expetl:at Ecclesia Dei fortissimos milites ad profligandos errores, ad rem catholicam defendendam. Quod ut vobis Deus copiose concedat, auspicem divin<e grati<e Apostolicam beneditl:ionem peramanter impertimur. Datum Rom<e apud S. Petrum die 27 Septembris 1878, Pontificatus Nostri anno primo. LEO PP. XIII. �Brief Addressed to Frs. Mazzella & de Augustinis. 45 To Our beloved sous in Christ, CAMILLUS MAZZELLA and Professors of Dogmatic Tlzeology in tlze College of tlzc Sacred Heart ofJesus at Woodstock, in the United States of 1Vortlz America. E11ULIUS M. DE AuGUSTINIS, LEO XIII. POPE. Beloved Sons, Health and Apostolic Benediction~ We have received with pleasure the theological treatises which you have thus far published. They were very acceptable to Us as a token of your affecrion and as a proof of your devotion to Us and this Apostolic See. It is of the highest importance, in these times especially, that the clergy be deeply imbued with sound and solid docrrine. This result will certainly be attained if, as We have learned to Our great joy, the docrrine of St. Thomas flourish in your schools. This is eminently becoming ·in men upon whom it has been enjoin;d "to follow by all means, in Scholastic Theology, the docrrine of St. Thomas, to hold him as their own Master, and to do all in their power to make him highly esteemed by their pupils." Therefore, the obligation of your rule, the intention and commands of your Fatht>r and Founder, St. Ignatius, the decrees of your Congregations, and the wishes and exhortations of this Holy Apostolic See, which has approved and commended this docrrine in a remarkable and extraordinary manner, should fill you with courage to carry out so glorious a work. Nor do We doubt, that by following f.<ithfully in the footsteps of so great a Docror, you will reap the happiest and richest fruits for religion and the salvation of souls. From your schools the Church of God expecrs to receive soldiers most strenuous in combating error and in defending the cause of Catholic truth. That God may grant you this favor abundantly, We very affecrionately impart to you, as a pledge of divine grace, the Apostolic benedicrion. Given at Rome, from St. Peter's, the 27th day of Sept., 1878, the first year of our Pontificate. LEO XIII. POPE. �LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE OF ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH AND COLLEGE, SAN FRANCISCO.* The blessing and laying of the corner stone of St. Ignatius Church and College, on Hayes Street and Van Nes~ Avenue, were conduCted with very impressive ~nd imp?sing ceremonies on the afternoon of Ott. 2oth. The day was extremely -.fi,pe, and there were between five and six thousand persons gathered to witness this event in the history of the in~titution .. The ceremony was performed by Bishop Eugene O'Connell of Marysville, assisted by a large number of clergy. A procession formed upon the grounds shortly after two o'clock in the following order: Marshal and Aids, First Regiment Band, Mac Mahon G!enadier Guard, students of the College Sodality, gentlemen of the ColJege Sodali):Y1 Ancient Order of Hibernians in uniform, rep~esentatives. of ·Catholic Societies, boys of the SanCtuary Society, Faculty :and Clergy, Bishop O'Connell, supported by .Fathers Ne!.i and Messea. Commencing at' the northwest corner of th~ . ' . ··lot, the procession walked east tq Van-Ness Avenl1e, thence by Hayes street, to the cen~_re of the chur,ch b~ilding. M.ount: ipg the steps there, tqey pro~eeded to a raise<;! platfqrp.J at the Grove Street end of the building. The platform w.~ 40 by 75 (eet. In the centre was .Pl<lced a stand bearing th!f rp.arble stone to q~ us~d as a receptacle for the vario!fs documents, coins, etc, to be l~d awax in. th~ corner stone. To the east of thisstand, was erected a_pulpit, which was ne;1tl; draped wi0 colo~eq cloth· ·.!<?.the qor~h st~od ~ massive white cross, and on the south the faldstool for tq~ Bishop.. Th~e were iq~losed by a semicircle to ·th~ soutp, ' *This account is taken from a local paper. �St. Ignatius Clzurclz and College, San Francisco. 47 composed of the Fathers present, joined to a like circle on the north, composed of the Sancl:uary Society of the Altar boys of St. Ignatius Church, the whole inclosed by the officers of the various societies represented. On the east side near the pulpit were the choristers. On the south, behind the Bishop and Fathers, were the numerous flags and banners of the societies present. The Guard were stationed in parallel rows extending south from the foot of the steps leading to the platform. The ·exercises were opened by singing, after which the Bishop blessed the water which was to be sprinkled upon the walls and corner stone. He then blessed the marble stone, and Father Buchard read the following English translation of the Latin document which was to be placed in it: A.M. D. G. On the· 2oth day of 0[lober. Sacred to the Purity of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. In the _year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and se1'mty-eight. In the Pontificate of · LEO XIII. JosEPHS. ALEMAN¥, Being Arclzbislzop and Metropolitan of the City of San Francisco; PETER BECKX, .Prepositus Gmeral ofthe Society of Jesus; ALOYSIUS V ARSI; Superior of tlte Mission of t/ze Society of Jesus in California; JoHN PrNAsco; Retlor of tlze College of Saint lgnat~·us, in tlte Cz"ty of San Francisco,· RUTHERFORD B. HAYES, President of the wkole United States of North America; WILLIAM IRWIN, · Govemor of California ; ANDREW J; BRYANT, Mayor of the City of San Francisco, �Laying of tlte Corner Stone of In presence of the Pupils and Sodali'sts of tlte College, and a great multitude of the Faitlzful, EuGEXE O'CoxNELL, · Bislzop of Grass Valley, Surrounded by an illustn"ous companx of Pn"ests, Secular and Regular, Set and Laid, Witlz solemn n"tes, according to the Canons of tlte Holy Roman Churclt, THIS CORNER STONE Of tle,e Clzurch and College of St. Ignatius. }AMES A. ROONEY, 0. P. Addressed, in pious and fitting terms, the assembled faithful. 'With much care and labor, Hugh Me Keadney prepared the plans of the Church and College ; Robert Mitchell directed the bricklaying; Augustus Sa ph the work of the carpenters. 0 Christ, our Saviour, Who together with the Father and ·the Holy Ghost hast from the beginning created all things, be Thou, we pray Thee, the beginning, progress and consummation of this work. Set the seal of salvation on this place, and suffer not the destroying angel to enter here. Immaculate Virgin Mary, holy patroness, be nigh at hand with thy blessed spouse Joseph, that this place be ever destined to prayer and to the invocation ahd praise of our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Father Ignatius accept this offering of thy sons, and let thy twofold spirit remain always with them. This being delivered by Bishop O'Connell to Rev. Father Varsi, was enclosed by him in a glass tube. Other documents were handed to the Father for enclosure in the same tube. The Grand Marshal, Mr. James R. Kelly, handed on a piece of parchment the names of the officers and members of the Ladies' Sodality of St. Ignatius College, with their seaL Similar papers were handed by the Prefect of the gentlemen's Sodality, the Sanctuary Society; and also a list �St. Ignatius Clmrclt and College, San Francisco. 49 of benefaCtors'· names. AU these documentst were placed in the glass tube and sealed. I~-a sil~er box there were placed sixty-four silver and gold coins,•representing nearly all countries. This box, together with the· gl~ss tube, was enclosed by Father Varsi in the piece of marble that was to be placed in the block of granite forming the corner stone or'the whole structure_ When tht! Bishop-and clergy reached. this· pl~ce, which was the northwest corner of the building, Father V~rsi took the piece ofmarble which had been carried there by two acolytes, and placed. it in the cavity prepared for it. The Bishop put some mortar· in the wali with a solid silver trowel having an ivory handi~, and the· granite stone was lowered to its proper place. The silver trowel was afterwards presented by the Fathers to Mr. Mitcheli;. the contractor for the· work. · On the blad~ of the trowel the following inscription.was neatly engraved: "Presented' to Robert Mitchell by the Fathers of the St. Ignatius College on the occasion of laying. the corner stone of their new church and college, corner of Van Ness Avenue and Hayes Street, San Francisco, October 20th 1878." After the laying and blessing.of the stone, the procession marched to the left, around the walls of the church, which are now-about twenty feet high, the Bishop sprinkling. the walis en route, and halting. frequently to bless· them. On the conclusion of this ceremony., the procession returned again to the stand. Fr. Rooney., 0. P. was then introduced, and addressed the vast audience on "Education and Religion." At the conclusion of Father Rooneyls· discourse, the procession, led by.· the b'and, marched· down the sidewalk on Hayes Street· to Van Ness Avenue,· to Grove; to Frankll~, and ·dispersed. Adjoining:; the- church and extending. down to Van N~ss avenue;· will be the house·for· th'e· Fathers.· It will. b'e four stories in height, built after the Doric and Ionic order of arch-itecture, and affording ample and convenient quarters VoL. vm-No. 1. 7 �so LaJ'ing of tlze Comer Stone of for its occupants. From the end next the church, and extending towards Grove Avenue, there will be a wing which will be devoted to the use of the Fathers. On the corner of Grove and Van Ness Avenue, and fronting on the latter thoroughfare, will be built the new college. It will be about 120 feet on Van Ness Avenue and will extend back to the church. There are to be four porches or entrances on Van Ness Avenue, and the facade of the building will be very handsome. The two lower stories will be devoted to clas::; and lecture rooms, while the space that would be occupied by t-he two upper stories is thrown into a large hall, capable of~~·eating 4,500 people. The hall will be 100 feet wide by 120 long, and the stage will be 40 by 72 feet,. furnished with scenery, curtains, and everything that is to be found in a well appointed theatre. The seats are to be arranged as segments of a· circle, and the stage as a centre, and the floor will gradually rise as it recedes fro·m the stage, thus giving a perfect view from every part of the house. B~tween the college building and the house of the Fathers on Van Ness Avenue, will be the garden, which will be an ornament to the street. This will give a pleasant prospect from the rear windows of the Fathers' house. The new college will accommodate about ~ 72oo pupils, and· every effort will be made to render its laboratories and other facilities for instruction as complete as can be furnished. When the building for juvenile students is erected on Franklin Street, the capacity of the institution will be greatly in- creased. · There will be comparatively little wood used in the structure, it being the design to make it as fireproof as possible. Hugh Me Keadney, the a·rchitect, proposes to make the Grove Street front of the buildings absolutely fireproof, as the greatest danger from fire is in that direB:ion. The exterior of the wall will be covered with Portland cemen~. thus giving the structure the appearance of a stone building. �St. Ignatius Clmrclt a11d College, San Francisco. 5I The cost of the buildings is estimated at about $I ,ooo,ooo. From seven to eight millions of bricks will be required in their construCtion and employment given to about five hundred men. The site fronts 400 feet on Hayes and Grove Streets, and 275 feet on Van Nass Avenue and Franklin street. The struCture will cover the greater part of this lot, leaving a strip I ro feet wide along Franklin Street for other buildings to be ereeted for the accommodation of young students. It was the. original intention to have the church front on Van Ness Avenue, but as the wind blows such douds of dust down that street, it. was thought best to place it on Hayes Street, where it will be proteCted from the wind .and dust. Accordingly, the handsome struCture forming the church will stand a little to the west, or middle of the Hayes Street front. It will be built of brick, and will have two towers, each 195 feet. high, at the corners on the front of the building. These towers will be very ornamental. The orders of architeCture are the Doric for the first story, Ionic for the second; while in the towers the Corinthian and the Composite will be used. There will be a flight of stone steps leading up from Hayes Street to the entrance, which will be broad and handsome. The church will accommodate the same number as the old one on Market street. From the floor to the ceiling the distance will be seventy-three feet, making a lofty and airy interior. It will be finished with the utmost care. �DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW BUILDING AT GEORGETOWN COLLEGE.* The building is pure Romanesque in style, that is, more ancient than the Gothic, and is the. one adopted by the Jesuit Fathers in Europe for their Colleges and $eminarie~. In the United States there are several instances of it, notably St. Mary'~ 'Catholic church in Boston, and the _Baptist church in Yonkers, N.Y. It seems peculiarly adapted for collegiate institutions, being suggestive of many quiet nooks where boo,ks are the most welcom,e co.mpanions. Our building will be 307 feet in its entire front, and will be subdivided so as to utilize every part of its great extent. First, we .have the basement. We will commence at the north end of this.. Passing through an archway beneath the main entrance,for there is another .entrance with a highly decorated archway"t on the basement level, hard by,-we enter a corridor running east and west; first on our left is a large room destined for the storage and reception of boxes, packages, and trunks; a sort of custom house it will be, where custom house restriCtions as to contraband· articles will doubtless prevail: on our right are six rooms whose destination at present is simply as store-rooms. Beneath these six rooms is the sub-cellar where the heating apparatus will be placed. This will consist of three large boilers, with furnaces and iron pipes to and from them to carry the hot water to all parts of the building. At the left and northwest end of the corridor is the clothes-room, and here we come in view of the grand corridor, running the entire length of the building, the numerous arches and the softened light from the windows opening on the area to the west, serving to magnify its length, so that a grown man at the farther end appea~s ! ' \ . . .... '-'From the Georgetown College Journal. (52) �1Jescript£on of tlte New BuZ:lding at Georgetown College. 53 to :be a small ;boy. ·Passing south in this corridor we meet first .on our left the main .staircase (of blue stone, all the way) .that leads to the upper stories and gives access:finally to the great ·hall-; .next on our left are two long .rooms .designed, .one for a recreation room, the other Jor a reading room ; then we reach the transverse corridor under the centre tower, then two more large rooms about. thirty feet wide and forty :long that will be .recreation and billiard rooms ; :then we .come ;to the laboratory. Here will be the .chemical .class-room, whicl;l .on three sides is arched over. The class-room will occupy .the open .spa{;e, while along the walls and in the alcoves the .experiment :tables, chemicals, and all :the apparatus will ;be kept; in the alcove abutting on the .corridor and cover.ed :in by beautiful grained arches, will be the furnaces. At the southern end of the corridor, we reach the :Stone stair-cas.e in the south tower; w.e turn to the right and an ascent .of half a dozen steps brings us to .a wide arched doorway looking towards .the infirmary ; but following ·the stairs by easy flights and comfortable platforms, we reach .the :first floor and look into the scientific lecture room, the plan of which, .as seen on paper and explained by the Superintendent, was, before its actual construilion, quite a stumblingblock to the general comprehension, but now :is understood by all. The lecturer will stand on a platform next the corridor wa:ll, and just over the grained arches of the chemistry room : his audience will be seated on three sides of him on the elevated _seats formed by :the over-arching of the room below, thus making a sort of amphitheatre. When completed, the room will seat about three hundred persons. For the purpose :to which it is to devoted, it will have no equal in this country; and will in itself furnish the :college just occasion for pride. Leaving the lecture room and foilowing the .corridor of this story, we pass on our right four large class-rooms corresponding to the recreation rooms below. The transverse corridor,. midway Of the building, opens out at the front in an arched_ �54 Description of tlte New Building at Georgetcr&n College. portal, the students' entrance: opposite which a similar door-way given access to the court between the buildings. The main corridors are all lighted from spacious windows opening on the court. At the north end of this corridor, on the left, is the Treasurer's room, with its great vault walled in by solid masonry three feet thick. Opposite the Treasurer'~ room is the visitors' drawing room, a large and lofty apartment, twenty feet wide and forty long. At the end of the corridor we come to the transverse corridor of the north pavilion, opening out at the east on the main entrance for vi'sitors. \Vhile the public drawing room is on the left of-this entrance, six small parlors for individual parties of visitors range along to the right. Facing the main entrance, and at the extremity of this short corridor, is a wide stairway leading to the President's room, the Museum, and the Debating Hall, on the floor above. Access to the upper floor is also gained by the re·gular flight of stone steps, near by. In the Museum, we .are struck by its splendid dimensions, its massive girders and geautifully turned wooden columns and brackets, the Bay oak and Georgia pine showing in beautiful contrast with each other. The Museum occupies the whole east front of the north pavilion. Just out of the Museum and to the right (the n.orth), is the Debatil}g Hall, and opposite to that is the President"s room, the entrance to which is on the main corridor. The beautiful Ohio stone corbels in the President's room are works of art, and will not fail to please the eye as will also the carved wood work of the ventilator. Again on the main corridor (now the second story) we come first to the main stairway and then to four large class-rooms corresponding to those of the floor below. At the far southern end we reach the doors by which part of the audience will have access to the seats in the scientific leCture room. These seats are on such an incline that from each row the. person.can see over the heads of those in front; and the lecturer and his table will be in full view from all parts of the hall. �Drscription ofthe New Building at Georgetown College. 55 Just beyond, we ascend the winding stair of the south tower, all, together with the platforms, made of the famous blue stone flagging from the Hudson River. Arriving on the third floor, the first door to our right leads into the library, a grand room forty-two feet by sixty, in which will be stored the 30,000 books of the present library, with room to spare for four times as many more.-The ceiling will be nearly thirty feet from the floor. \Vith its lofty windows, nineteen feet high, from which a prospeB: is presented· to the eye that cannot be surpassed on the continent, the ne\v library will be the most splendid in all our country. .On this floor, the corridor is changed to the middle of the building, so as to allow on each side the arranging of rooms for the use of such students as may desire privacy, and whose purses may enable them to indulge in the luxury. On this floor there will be twenty-six private rooms, about twelve feet wide by sixteen long. The partition walls, where the brick ones are not carried up from the floor below, will be of a new material called Limeofteil, a mastic, fire and water proo( It is well here to call attention to the fire-proof chai-aB:er of the . work. At convenient distances are placed fire-plugs conneB:ed with water-pipes on every floor, while the floors will be double, having a lining of three inches of concrete between them. Moreover, small towers at four points of the building with circular iron stairways inside will serve as fire-escapes. For greater security to the library, a dead-wall separates it from the rest of the house. At the northerly end of the corridor on the third floor we enter the Aula Maxima, the noble proportions of which strike the beholder with genuine admiration: its lofty ceiling, its magnificent corridors with their carved mullions and caps, the hanging gallery, the oriel look-out, all combining to make it a finer hall than any other institution can boast. The hall is capable of giving ample room to fifteen hundred people. Here is an opportunity for some open-handed capitalist to hand his name down to posterity by giving $20~ �56 Description oft!te Nn.t! Building at Georgetown College. ooo· to finish- and decorate the' hall in such a·. mann·er as: its proportions demand. The hall will thenceforth be known by the donor's name. Where could' the same money be placed to- more advantage? The library and haH occupy the height of two stories, in all· thirty-two· feet. The• fourth floor in the curtin e. (the main· stretch' of the building between the pavilions) is a duplicate of the third, having twenty-six rooms for students. Ventilating flues communicating with corridors and rooms; are profusely set in the walls. The heating apparatus in. set in the recesses of the wind~ws. Such· are''the interior arrangements of this magnificent structure.. Let us now try to comprehend its· extent by some statistics. In. its towering walls are laid over three ;thousand cubic yards of stone,, and for the rear and interior 1walls· more· than· two millions of brick have been used. For :the girders, joists; and roofing timbers, nearly three hundred :and' fifty thousand feet of Georgia· yellow pine have been :required. For the floors-, nearly two· hundred· thousand feet, .and thirty thousand- feet more of lumber· for the roof; in· all· more than· half a: million feet of lumber. -- •· �APPENDIX. I-EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN LETTERS. Bombay, 3 Ist July, I878. The new Mission or Vicariate of Mangalore has been given to the Society by the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda. For several years back, the Christians of Mangalore, seeing the progress of the Catholic religion in Bombay and observing, in particular, the success of higher education in our schools and colleges, have been frequently requesting the Congregation to entrust the Vicariate to our Fathers. But for certain delicate reasons, V. Rev. Fr. General again and again declined . the proposals of the Propaganda. At last, however, the Holy Father himself insisted so strongly that it was impossible to refuse. * * We have now five Vicariates in I"ndia, viz: Calcutta, Madura, Bombay, Poona, and Mangalore. ·* * It is estimated that there are in the new mission fifty-five thousand Christians. * * * The beginning will, I surmise, be very difficult for our missionaries. The natives - many of them being high-caste Brahmins-are intelligent, and far superior to our Bombay people. But they will expect our Fathers to erect at once splendid colleges and convents, as we have done here; whilst pecuniary means and a perfect knowledge of the' various languages will be wanting to us for a long time to come. English will be a prime requisite, as the people are very anxious to have a high school conducted by Catholic teachers. Besides English and Portuguese, the missionaries will have to speak the two dialects used by the natives. Indeed, next to the climate. which is so enervating to both mental and bodily activity; the greatest difficulty which VoL. vm-No. 1. 8 (57) * * * * * �ss Extracts from Foreign Letters. our missionaries meet with here, is the necessity of learning so many different languages.-Our College of St. Francis Xavier, in Bombay, has at present six hundred and seventyseven students, of whom four hundred and forty-five are Christians, mostly Catholics; one hundred and nine Hindoo idolaters; ninety-five Parsee fire-worshippers; nine Musselmans; three Jews. The college prepares for all the university degrees up to that of l\Iaster of Arts, and is held in high esteem by all classes.-The sacred body of St. Francis Xavier will be exposed for public veneration, during about two weeks, in December next. Great preparations are going on, and··large crowds of pilgrims are expeCted from all parts. I hope that I shall be one of them, as most of our Fathers are to go. A preliminary examination of the body of the Apostle of India was held on the 18th in st. in the presence of the Archbishop, the members of the Government Council, the Capitulars, the Medical Board, and the Board of Health of the "old city" of Goa; a small number. of outside speCtators being also present. The coffin was removed to one of the side altars, and after the usual prayers the iid was taken off. It is said that the body is in the same state of preservation as at the last exposition twenty years ago.-His Grace, the Archbishop of Goa, Don Ayres d'Oruellas· e Vasconcellos, has always be~,ri very friendly towards the Society. Before coming to India, he went to V. R. F. General, at Fiesole and asked for some Portuguese Fathers to undertake the direCtion of the Archiepiscopal Seminary in Goa. His request was granted very willingly, as it is a fruitful work for the glory of God to educate so many Indian priests, who are afterwards scattered all over the country wherever there are Christians belonging to the Arch" bishop of Goa. Formerly the direCtion of the seminarians * * * In the was entrusted to native priests. beginning of this year about seven hundred pagan converts to Protestantism, asked of His Lordship, Bishop Meurin, ' Vicar 'Apostolic of Bombay, to be received into the true �Extrac7s from ·Foreign Letters. 59 fold. * * * I would, indeed, always prefer that our converts should be made direetly from paganism. They are more constant in their faith, and more submissive to the voice of their pastors ; while those who come over to us from the seas have become accustomed to be urged on by money and other worldly motives, and are more or less infeeted with Protestant notions. Poymzne Nov. 22d, I878. I have scarcely time to tell you anything about our novices. We have sixty-four, together with five candidates. Among the novices are sixteen priests ; and it is most edifying to see these fathers, doetors in theology, philosophy and the sciences, as humble as the youngest novices of fourteen. One of the number, who was grand penitentiary of the Cathedral of Burgos, has recently been appointed Professor of Moral and Canon Law in this Col* * * At Murcia in our Province of lege. Castile, a new Novitiate has lately been opened with anumber of novices from this house. Five started from here several days ago, eighteen others will shortly follow. We hope to have vocations for both novitiates, confident that our dear Patron, St. Joseph, will not forget us. During the past four months, thirteen novices joined the Society here. Our colleges throughout Spain are in a very prosperous condition. Had our Rev. ,Fr. Provincial more subjeCts and more money, they might be much more numerous, for in several towns fine old buildings have been offered to him for colleges, but he is unable to accept them. * * * * �Varia. 6o • 2-VARIA . Afnca-Very Rev. Father General writes to Fr. Depelchin : "The Congregation of the Propaganda desires that our Society found a mission in Central Africa and devote its labors to the conversion of that country. As temporal means are necessary to bring this about, His Eminence, the Cardinal Prefect, thinks good that from this moment we should collect alms among the faithful. As I have, with the approvai of the same Cardinal Prefect, destined your Reverence to begin this mission, I authorize you to prepare the way and to receive alms, in order that you and those who shall be given you as companions, may repair to that country, carefully view the field of your labors, order everything as may seem necessary or convenient, and, in fine, begin your apostolic work. To this end, I implore 1he Divine Goodness, to shower numberless blessings on your holy work, and to direct and preserve your Reverence and your Jellow-laborers." Belgium-Festivities in Dendermonde on the occasion of the unveiling of the Statue of Fr. De Smet. On Sunday, Sept. 22d, early in the.m9rning, all the houses of the city, except those of a few liberals, were gaily decorated, and streaming banners .were stretched across the streets. Towards noon, eager crowds gathered near the starting point of the procession. The cavalcade which represented various historical events of the city, began its march at two o'clock P. M. The sight was very grand. The dresses of the cavaliers were gorgeous, and so well portrayed the costumes of olden times that the spectators imagined themselves transported back to the 13th or 14th century. Even the liberals were obliged to acknowledge the magnif1cence of the display. The cavalcade had passed through the principal streets of the city by half past five o'clock, at which time the famous "Ros Bayard" was exhib- �Varia. 61 ited. This is a masterpiece of sculpture, representing a gigantic horse mounted by four young men. Its present exhibition was the third since the beginning of the century. It is in memory of the great Count Aymon of Dendermonde who possessed an enormous charger which could be ridden only by his four sons together. In the evening, at halfpast eight o'clock, a Venetian festival was represented and a display of fireworks given on the river. A number of boats, built in fantastic shapes of swans, fishes and pavilions, preceded two large ships which carried the orchestra and the fireworks. On Monday, 23d, after the solemn High Mass, which was celebrated at 10 o'clock, Fr. Verbecke S. J. delivered an eloquent panegyric on Fr. DeSmet. The spacious cathedral was unable to hold the crowds of worshippers. The unveiling of the statue took place at three o'clock in the afternoon. Every available spot was occupied long before the hour. At half-past two a heavy rain began to fall, and the liberals rejoiced; but everybody remained in his place. At three o'clock the sun reappeared and was greeted with loud and continued cheering. The ceremonies were opened by the orchestra, which performed a choice piece of music. Then the statue was unveiled. The enthusiasm of the multitude was at its height. Thousands of hats were waved in the air, and nothing could be heard but the cry of "Vivat Pater De Smet." Silence was commanded, and then between six and seven hundred singers, accompanied by the orchestra, executed the grand cantata, composed expressly for the occasion. From seventy to eighty thousand persons attended the festivities. The statue is of bronze, and measures, with the pedestal, eight metres (a little over twenty-five feet) in height. Fr. De Smet, whose bearing and features are expressive of great majesty, seems to be coming forth from the cathedral, and,. with the crucifix in his hand, to be moving with a rapid stride towards the Rocky Mountains. �62 Varia. Among the devices cut on the pedestal are, a Bible, a cross and a torch. On the base are the words "Fortiter et Sua'uitcr." Cltina-During the month of May, the number of pilgrimages to the shrine of our Lady of Help at Zo-se was quite considerable; 142 Masses were said there, and 5980 Communions distributed. On the 24th of May, 33 missionaries, I 2 scholastics, and from 5000 to 6ooo pilgrims celebrated there the titulary feast of thP. place. On the sarne da); at Choei-tong in the district of Ning-kofou, seven other missionaries with from 200 to 300 Christians went through a ceremony, not so solemn, perhaps, but no less calculated to fill all hearts with hope. The name of Ning-ko-fou, and the persecution under which it has groaned for two years are well known. Some time ago the Superior General of the mission made a vow to the Blessed Virgin, promising her, that if she would check the fury of the enemy and give the necessary means to repair the ruins caused by the iqcendiary's torch and the axe of the destroyer, he wou\d erect a sanctuary under the title of our Lady of Help. His prayer was heard; and on the 24th of May, Father Seckinger blessed the first stone of the new shrine which now lifts its spires towards heaven in hoQ6r of Mary. A somewhat singular discovery was lately made at Kouang-te-tcheou, in this same district of Ning-ko-fou. Whilst a mason was pulling down an old wall in the neighborhood of Tchang-hong-bou, he found there a Chinese book written on European paper. He sent it to Fr. Chenleang. It is an eight-day retreat, dictated or composed by Fr. Nee-jo-wang, and followed by ten instructions on the Commandments of God. The retreat comprises four meditations for each day; and the whole is written in the classic language of the mandarins. How came the book to be hidden in that wall? It would be hard to say. However it happened, Nee-jo-wang is the Chinese name of Fr. John Duarte, a Portuguese, who �Varia. was born on the 27th of Nov. 1671, entered the Society of Jesus on the 17th of July, r6go, arrived in China in 1700. The year of his death and his burial-place are unknown. France- The students of Vaugirard have made a collection for the church of the Sacred Heart, realizing more than 5000 francs. The proceeds will go to build one of the columns of the ci-ypt. These columns number one hundred and one.-A chair of Theology in the Catholic University of Paris has been entrusted to one of our Fathers. Kentuck)'-During part of the Autumn, Frs. Bronsgeest and Hillman gave eleven small missions in the country districts of Kentucky. Most of the places visited were "stations," attended only at intervals from the towns. The labors of the two Fathers had the following results: Holy Communions, 4514; Adults baptized, 6r; Children baptized, 50; First Communion of adults, 21 5· Spain- Everywhere in Barcelona we met souvenirs of the old Society. \Ve saw the palace of St. Francis Borgia, over the main entrance of which stands a fine bust of the saint. The church of the Society, now in charge of secular priests, has the appearance of a grand cathedral. The college is used as a seminary. They have removed from the church the pictures of our Saints, and stored them away in a garret, where we found them covered with dust in a heap of cast off lumber. All the relics of our Holy Founder are in the hands of strangers who showed them to us with the greatest indifference. To see the sword of St. Ignatius, we had to secure the services of a chaplain, who was, by no means,_ over obliging. I kissed it with love and veneration. It is: about six palms in length, and is very sfender; the guard' is missing; the hilt is simple and without ornament. The weapon was evidently meant for use, not for mere display .. \Ve were shown next a piece of the mantle,- the wide cuff of one of the sleeves, of blue silk and tulle. At the end of the sacristy stands a bust of our Holy Father, said to be modelled after the cast taken from him after death, by order of Father Ribadeneira. We might have seen the hard, nar~ row pallet on which he used to take his rest, and the little stool on which he sat in the boy's school; but the sacris. tan was absent, and no one could tell us when he would be: back. (Extract from Aiz Letters.) �Varia. * * The pilgrimage to the tomb of Blessed Canisius at Friburg, has brought together more than twentyfive thousand persons. * Fr Pagani has been appointed Pro-Vicar Apostolic of the new mission of Mangalore. St. Francis de Hieronymo has been given as special proteaor to the Assistancy of Italy. The Irish Fathers have received from the Propaganda the mission of New Zealand. NUMERUS SCHOLARIUM IN COLLEGIIS UNIVERS.lE SOCIETATIS, AN. 1878. AssxsTENTI.IE PROVINCILE 8CHOL. Romana *. . . .. .. . . . Neapolitana t....... Sicula .............. { Taurinensis ......... Veneta ............. 449 130 200 1003 291 Austrire.. . . .. .. .. .. . Belgica ............. GERMANI.IE Galicire ......... ,... { Germanire.. . . . • • • . . . Neerlandire .. • .. .. .. 1069 5264 GALLI.IE Camp~nire . .._,'.: .. .. . Franc1re .....••• . . . . . Lugdunensis ........ { Tolosana . .. .. • .. . . . Miss. N. Ebor et Can. 1839 3835 3875 2553 916 HISP ANI.IE Aragon ire.. • . • • .. • . . 3029 Castellana . • • . . • . . . . 2036 { !Iexicana t........ 50 lTALI.IE ANGLI.IE 110 1294 510 rAnglire .. ......... .. 1074 ' .••••••••• 870 Hibernire ~ Uarylandire ........ . 745 ...•••.• 1101 l Uissouriana *Non recensetur collegium in Brasilia. tin Novo Mexico tantum. ~In Texas tan tum. �WOODSTOOI{: LETTERS. VOL VIII, No. 2. A SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JAMES OLIVER VAN DE VELDE, S. J. The following sketch of Father Van de Velde, afterwards Bishop Van de Velde of Nat chez, is not a complete history of his life; it contains little else than some princip:tl facts of his career in our Society. He had more than ordinary qualities, and it may be said that he left something of his impre8s on the province of Missouri; which is still traceable, as in a still more distinct manner is that of Father Kenny. On this account, it is believed that some notice of Father Van de Velde's labors as a follower of St. Ignatius, may, perhaps, prove both interesting and useful at this time. James Oliver Van de Velde was born near Teremonde, Flanders, April 3rd 1795. His childhood was spent with an aunt at St. Amand. In 1810, when fifteen years old, he was sent to a boarding school near Ghent, where he distinguished himself in his classes, sho\ving much aptitude, especially for languages. In I 8 I 3 he taught French for a time at Puers; and in the autumn of that year he entered the Seminary of Mechlin. By the treaty of Vienna, in 1815, Belgium and Holland ~vere united under William I of Holland, an arrangement by which Belgium was placed under a Protestant sovereign; and this so stung young Van de Velde that he thought of going to England or to Italy. VoL. vm-No. 2. 9 (65) �puerornm et puella· rum in ~dwli~o~, c1na~i paroehialibus. Xnmern~ MINISTERIA SPIRITUALIA PATRUM PROV. ANG. 1877. I! S ~:1 ·c ~ II ~ 11 ... E t1 ..: -~ I .... ~ 1----il~ Arcrington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Bc<lford Leigh . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Billington ................ 1 Black pool ) ~lbsion . . . . . . ' 1 1Convent...... 1 i 1 2 ' Bnmm·mouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17\l 177 ll 40 8(i\l:l 7200 720 2b00 18!J7 ' 4!Hi4 U.i~!i 210 !l:34 il8!i:l ;itl70 4itl!J :?:l SG\l:l G841 <i80 2Wi0 !!871 5709 SiiOO 206 1200 il(i4!J ii;i7<i ii170 1287 1241 Vil 421 51 420 1733 56 Hi!l 10:37 tl!lO 1i!72 Bri,tol ................... 1 4 • 1li7 I Broughton Hall ........... 11 2 Bnry·t:lt.·E<lmuull's........ 2 17 Chesterfield ............... I 2 na Clith!•Joe................. 2 70 Dalkcith .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 2 !J:l Path !lead............ Edinburgh........... .. .. 4 2111 20!l00 Everingham.............. 2 \l 21.'i7 1 2G:IO Gnlashiels 2 I 27 2012 1!J22 . Glllmuss .. :::::::::::::::: 1 1!l 1520 1410 <'l· j St. Aloysius' . . . . :l 1!J4 10:!20 !l750 18 0 ' ' g w (St. ,Jo:-leph'H ..... 4 58:3 il:JS!il :!4784 Holywell................. 1 12 ' :!801 ii:l82 Liverpool................. 7 MO ~ 5:!!J!J5 ' !Wil<i1 London, Farm Street...... (i ' ilO•i02 25000 B'xtr. Hccle.~ ... ,....... 77ilii Lulworth................. 1 17 i!070 aoao l\innchester............... 4 107 15'i!lri 18:!00 "1 ount ~t .• ary ' ~... .. .. . . . fl. l\[ 1 4'l 3· 1!i4 ,'!')()7 "' , ' :!\ewhall _I ::\~i>!·don... .. . . . 1 2 B47 ' t CunVl'llt . . . . . . . 1 BOO;! 17!l4ll Norwich ........... ,..... 2 40 ;1761 :JOOtl Oxfonl................... 2 2-.l 2880 aooo Portico................... 1 4ll 1121 !Hil Nt. !gnat ins' . . . . 4 ' 247 ill\IO:l 80000 Preston t\t. W;1l~>~n;ge's .. I ;) 265 1!Jll4 1!i521 1 I 1St. Wtlfnt\~ .... • · Pontefm<~t................ l'resl'ot................... llhyl .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 4 I 1 1 1 14G !i:l 7il 10 235j0 i 1!300 171l:l 1000 ! tit. Asaplt ................. , I 2,',' 182 iili Hit 1!J 43 Pf'J70 ) ta:J,51 1 :!702 , i 1502 I ll!JOS 2!J40 : Hi.i8 li 21 2;! !J 20 22 17 10 00 1B!i 284:9 10 7R il08 525 84 !i 15 32 5 4 ~ 1 I 24 !J 4 2 3tHi 7208 4020 1 aI (j;j:.J 13!J2 I I I I I I 11 470 32:):3 5!J6 5 37 12 12 5 7 I 2 !J3 4!J 158 82 42 116!J 8 4 I il!i 81 8 ; !J1 24 5 l'l 4!J 44 1!J I 183 __ I I 1 !)5 80 5(i 287 202 754 73 638 4!i 252 200 40 177 147 208 29 108 83:1 522 102 165 8 GO 1!l4 27 50 704 7!Jl 556 80 140 11 58 1:30 49 3:'4 13 45!i 380 50 150 12il 3!)(j 180 21!i Gil 154 113 374 "0 27!J 108 417 74 354 147 272 5:J!J 48· 101 52 I 7!i 128 40:J GO 65 725 18 1!i 20!J 265 3!i 105 50 22(i 207 417 ·1·9· '9 II' ·4·8· 42 D411!i 1 130 1 18!i 7 .. ll ... I ... 1:3 1 20 !J I 83 18 II 30!i I 433 I 121 G 58 5!i 14 4 1 45 II 3,3 \ f I 2!J(j 57 73 5(i 89 15 8!i 572 442 300 100 118 1 1 15!) 214 14 124 7!i il I 30!l 10!J !J10 1. I a-±a 1!Jl7 21!J 224 I' ) u ! 1 I Summa......... iil4S:J5 1418G72 -,!lG2fi!i1 -~5175tj50G - 2178- 749- '5517- I 17!i !l 42 ~ •..:'··. 111 . ~.47·. . ~~ 1 :JO 174ii 17!J8 24G 27 157 222 102 30 401 1!i3 3!i 2 i 32 21 !1 100 1 " li 134 "' ' :: ~~ ~ 1 87 ~ II' 12 I u 24 5G 30 1'1 426 I 51!i 40 II BRa i 471) 2G I[ 28t> I 847 14 I• 10 !J 11l t'l !)() I 100 1 I 4 ' 10 11>5 :l 428 2~07 4iJ81 · 8158 : 1!i!l8 881 I 114.i4 4600 1 110!l !) !J I 1 I 14 i 21 I 20 II 10.} :32 i 7 ! 150 ! 110 ii:l i 1il II 4(j I 50 I .. II 5,0 108 i 21 fl. 1!JO ·1181 i3 1 :. 32 ill 21 8 \' 48 I' 30 8 il :' 40 1 30 (i!l 48 : 22!i I 27!l 1!i!J !J7 li 4ii0 : 43(i 12 5 :1 4!J 1 51 24,7! 7~ ~I' 5:J2 i, 443 ,. :3~;)0 1G02 lltl!i 34 38!l 1 oi7 12 G4 ?.0 - 4:' )iJ 40 10:! 401 221 2fil 31tl1 70.) 15700 7:JOO 1280 • 12 220 I 13!i ! 124 'i' !! 1 1:3 17 2 u- 705 12400 2~8 1210!! 1H 15:J!l 2!l 21il8 3ii • (j(j88 1f'J7 0422 301 !i3 I' ..22 .. · · 1!l 17 !i 1 5 4 4 (j 0 , w:~~~i::~~:;\~,;~ . ::::: . . :::::: i1 21~•,.~, ~~"~.!.) , ~~~~ 4!i1 ::'lt. Beuuo's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 St H , j Lowe House. . a ' · e1ens t Holy Cross. . . 3 Selkirk................... 1 t\kipton .......... , . . . . . . . 1 tltonyhurst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . ' a l\1 1 510 ·wnkcfiehl { 1 ~ •11 • · • • · • 1 Cnicei . ·. · · . . . · 2 · .. . Wnrdour . . . . . . . . . . W . t j St. Mary's.. 3 estmms 'r ( l\lillbank . . . 1 Whit wood................ 1 Wig:lll .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . B Worcesll'l'................ 2 Yarmouth, Great.......... 2 280 211 8 58 II' 21071 118u 1 li !J 1!01 1 r 1 1\l40 , 1il 21!J · 2 58(i I 2 :121 3 1!i2il 12 3818 23 21!i GS!J:l • '!4 1!i44 2 1 1 1 li 1l0 I 34 75 1 17 1' 5 ' 21 24 5 ·· 8 5 i !l!J 2G 11 21 13 1 1 1I I ' I i iloos 592T li1T07 SG06- ' 3(i 8 12 2 I I 1 S~c=-~lisslones -1t:tl>i~~~;2~~~::·c~t.~~~~r.~:~~-. in ~~:~1~~=· ~elig~::is, -;~·-~ ~-~---_\ �-------·------ -- - ---~ -----Numerus puerornn1 ct pnellarnm in :-::cholis quas1 paroehialltms . MINISTER. SPIRIT. PATRUM APUD EXTERAS GENTES. ANNO 1877. . -r-~-·.r;-- -.~- T-:-~~~~r~ ~ " s 5 .~ : 8 ~ s a ~ 5 ·~ ~~ I t ~ s~ ~I ~ ~ '§ I I i :.,., : I r.}j 1----1---· I ;;; I I , Ep. DcmcrnraCnthedral,with :i\T!':Hiow Bk. i3 nnd Convent Church ... . Racrell Heart ............ . Bcrhice ... : .•............ 1 J\Ialgretout and Hague ... . l Victada with Buxton .... . 1 Plaisance lind Betcrverwagting ............... . 1 Esseqnibo, &c ....•......• 1 l3ari.Jatlos ................ . 1 i : !JG !JO 10 S. AfricaGrahamstown ........... . Graaf Reinet ............• 2450 850 718 437 837 708 1081 27227 33670 4 2 5!l12 I •/'. : 4300 ' ---1-----1 ,Jamaica. Kingston .. : .....•...•.... N. District. ............. . S.-W. District ........... . N.-W. District .....•...... V.A. 5 110!l Hi6!l1 ! 1G075 1 15G I 1177 I 1022 1 88 741 710 1 80 ' 768 602 Summa ......... . British HondurasBelize ...••............... Orange Walk and sub ..... Corozal ...•...........•.. Pnnto Gorda and Stann Creek ................. . Summa ......... . 2 4 2 2 II I ~- GO 27!l :, 181 43(l 282 18 10 31 20 88 44 35 46 os 1!l 17 7!l 120 3!l 50 10!l 151 63 52 18 21 41 46 22 35 46 43 G3 81 178 5!l6 81!J 801 :336 :l3t2 I '1 2 1 ~ ,s r~ ~-g ~z 'E § 0~ - - (l:l (l i I 81' 11 4 15 101 Ga 3 2 I :l , 75 44 7 7 14[7111 133 7 5 2 1 I 1 5 22 I 200 2 53 1 :3o 182 I .. .. 550 28:3 4463 108 18 41 154 !)2 ' 1926 ' 3120 17G 400 :360 1G5 o5o 100 :10 1 49o-~1 ao 20 110 44 I 66 !l4 I :::_1_~: 1428- i8377 ,1840!) I u! ~ !)() 13 4 5 83G 350 10!l , 11 ~ ~ _:__ -- ___ \-- -- 40 ..• I ___ ___ ,___ -- -- Summa .... . Ep. & 1400 17 1400 400 800 GOO !l!l45 10000 I 5000 10000 11000 G50 GOO 12!)4 1218 1320 1870 17!l 110 6!) !JO ~ ~ I , 4:37 ~ ~ .~r- :;~- I , II I 1 , I 4 136 --1 126 158 105 105 100 I .. . .. . . .. i 25!J :-188 2581 1 401 I 1 G II 154 1 1 oa2 -7-,75 G!l 46 14 7 , We present the foregoing summary of the "Opera pia" of the English Province, in hopes of receiving n list from our American Provinces, for the m•xt number of the LETTEHS. �66 Biograplzical Skctclz offamcs Oli< 1cr Van de Vc!dc, S.j. He began the study of both the English and the Italian languages, being undetermined in mind as to whether he should seek a home in London or in Rome; but the providence of God disposed his future course for him. In 1816 Rev. Charles Nerinckx, the illustrious Belgian missionary who had gone to Kentucky in 1805, arrived in Belgium on his way to Rome, whither he was going to offer the rule of his new society, the Sisters of Loretto, to Pius VII for examination, and approval, if deemed worthy of it. BefQr~ going on to Rome, Father Nerinckx published a pamphlet "in Belgium, which gave an edifying and impressive account of his missions, and the prospeB:s of religion in the United States, but especially in the diocese of Bardstown then governed by Bishop Flaget. The reading of this pamphlet caused a number of young men, and among them Mr. Van de Velde, to conceive the thought of accompanying Father Nerinckx to America on his return, the following year. Accordingly when Father Nerinckx, May 8th. 181 r, went on board the brig Mars, Captain Hall, at Amsterdam, bound for America, he found that he was to have, among other companions on the journey, James Oliver Van de Velde, Rev. P. DeVos, Messrs. Timmermans, Verh::egan, De Smct, and de Mey~r. Of this list)\'Ir. Timmermans, afterwards Father Timmermans, Brother Peter De Meyer, and Mr. Van de Velde, subsequently belonged to the vice province of Missouri; but Rev. P. De:! Vos, M<:!ssrs. Verha:gen and De Smet were not the three persons of those names who were afterwards distinguished members of the Missouri province. The party reached Baltimore July 29th 1817, where they pas,ed several days at the Su.lpitian Seminary over which Rev. Mr. Marechal, afterwards Archbishop, was Superior; and on July 31st they reached Georgetown College. Brother De Meyer was received as a novice on August sth. Mr. Timmermans became a Scholastic novice on Aug. 18th, and Mr. Van de Velde on Aug. 23rd. Mr. Van de Velde �Biograplzica! Sketclz ojJamcs Oliver Van de Velde, S.J. 67 had not left Belgium with the i~tention of becoming a Jesuit; he took the resolution to enter the Society on sea, after narrowly escaping a serious accident; and in this choice he was commended and encouraged by the saintly Father :Nerinckx. R<l-v. Charles Neale was then provincial of Maryland, and the novitiate was at Georgetown College, but if was removed to ·white-Marsh two years later. Young Van de Vel de was an apt novice, and after a few months of training he was found to be capable of rendering great service as a teacher in the college. He had already ·begun the study of English some two years before leaving Belgium; under his able instru~ors at Georgetown College, and helped by the well sdeC1:ed library, he made rapid progress. . Few scholars, even among those whose vernacular tungue was English, ever acquired a more thorough mastery of the language, or could speak and write it with more purity and propriety, than he could when he was raised to priesthood, which took place Sept. 25th I827. He was ordained at Baltimore, by Archbishop Marechal. From that time till I829 he tau~;ht at Georgetown College, saying .Mass at the Visitation Academy and giving weekly instructions to the pupils. In 1829 the mission at Rockville and Rock-creek, Montgomery County, was assigned to him, and he continued to perform this pastoral duty till 183 I. Here we should state that in 1823 Rt, Rev. Dr. Du Bourg, Bishop of Upper* and Lower Louisiana applied to the provincial of Maryland for a community of the Society to accept a house from him near' St. Louis, with' a view to evangelizing the Indian tribes still lingering in Missouri. It was in compliance with this request made by Bishop Du Bourg, that Father Charles Van Quickenborne and his companions, twelve in all, left \Vhite-Marsh for St. Louis on April I Ith I823, reaching St. Louis at I o'clock P. M. on Saturday May 31st I823. After this colony was established in Missouri, it remained subjeCt to the provincial of '*All the territory west of the ~lississippi river was then ealled Louisiana: the present State of Missouri was then comprised in "Upper Louisiana." �68 Biograplziral Sketclz ojJames Oliver Van de Velde, S.J. Maryland, till the year 1831; and Father Ozierozinski was sent from Maryland on a visitation of the Missouri mission in 1827. \Vhen Father Kenny was sent by Very Rev. Fr. General as visitor to the United States in 1831, the mission of Missouri was separated from the province of Maryland, and it was henceforth governed by its own local superior who was made immediately subjeCt: to the General. When it had been determined that this separation should take place, owing to the great want of members in Missouri where as yet no Scholastic novice had been received, Fr. Kenny decided to send Father Van de Velde, Father Van· Lommel, and Mr. Van Sweevelt to the mission of Missouri, there to remain permanently. A college had already been opened in St. Louis as long ago as 1829, and the number of students at the end of the third year was large, many among them being advanced in their studies. It was partly owing to the want of teachers for the higher classes that Father Van de Velde was sent to St. Louis in 1831. Irwas arranged for Father Van de Velde, Father Van Lominel, and Mr. Van Sweevelt to leave Georgetown for St. Louis about the 1st of September 1831 ; but their departure was delayed owing to a fever contraCted by Father Van de Velde during a visit to St.' Mary's and Charles Counties. Father Van Lommel a·~d· Mr. Van Sweevelt started on September 15th, but when they reached Cumberland, Father Van Lommel was attacked with a fever and they were detained there two weeks. Father Van de Velde did not start ti'll oa. 4th, when he had the pleasure of accomp~nying Father Kenny, and Father Me Sherry who went on a visit to Missouri at that time. They reached St. Louis on Monday OCl:ober 24th 1831, after an interesting and pleasant trip. Father Kenny remained more than a year in ·Missouri; he found all to be well disposed, and that every thing favored the constituting of Missouri into a distinct mission, under its own local government. Father Van de Velde was appointed professor of Rhet- �Biographical Sketch of james Oliver Van de Velde, S.J 69 oric and Mathematics, immediately after his arrival; and when the college was organized under its new charter, at the beginning of the year 1833, to his other duties were added those of vice president. He continued to hold these office.s, with the duties of procurator joined to them, after his solemn profession in 1837 till the year 1840, when he was appointed president of the St. Louis University. His elevation to this office inaugurated a new era in the history of the college, and, we may say, indeed, of the entire Missouri misston. One of the first works undertaken by Father Van de Velde, after his entrance into office as president, was the church of St. Francis Xavier adjoining the college; it was finally dedicated on Palm Sunday 1843, and it was, for that period, an imposing and costly struCI:ure. For many succeeding years the Catholic who was even but a casual visitor to St. Louis, could scarcely fail to be impressed with the faCI:, that St. Louis University along with St. Francis Xavier's Church, was praCI:ically the centre of Catholicity for all that distriCI: of the Mississippi valley of which St. Louis was the commercial metropolis. As the natural complement of this work, parochiai schools were next established; the Sisters cf Charity were invited to take charge of a free school, and to conduCl along with it an academy in which the higher accomplishments for young ladies would be t:wght-an invitation which the zealous Sisters accepted. Father George Carrell, the late bishop of Covington, was the first that was made pastor of St. Xavier's church; and the school building for the girls of the parish was ereCI:ed under his supervision, the Sisters taking possession of it, and opening school on Sept. 4th 1843, with one hundred seventy-~ve pupils. The Sisters had arrived on Low Sunday, and they kept a school for a few months on Washington Av., near Seventh Street. The school for boys was begun in the basement of the new church, on March 25th 1843 with two hundred and seven- �70 Biograpltical Sketclt ofJames OHver Van de Velde, S.J. ty-five pupils; this same school opened in the following September with three hundred and fifty boys taught by four Scholastics. In January I 844, there were four hundred and twenty in the school for boys, and two hundred and twenty in that for girls. The property was given in trust for the girls' school by Mrs. Ann Hunt. On July 4th 1843. Rev. DoRor Martin J. Spalding of Louisville, Ky., afterwards Archbishop of Baltimore, gave an eloquent leRure in St. Francis Xavier's Church, St. Louis, to a large audience, for the benefit of'these new schools. When Father Van de Velde became president of the St. Louis University, he gave a new impulse to the studies and the classes in the college, elevating them to a higher grade. He accomplished thi'i improvement, especially by the pains he took to train up and form his young teachers. He insisted that in order for them to be successful as professors, it was necessary that they should acquire proficiency in the English language and in its best literature. He stimulated a laudable ambition in talented young men to make pulpit orators of themselves, and to acquire facility in writing the English language with force and elegance, convincing them that no degree of superior learning could be made by them any means of impqrtant good for the people of this country, unless they be~aine well trained in the idioms of the language, the words and phrases that reach the hearts of the people, and, therefore, unless they learned their national history, their allusions, their models of literature, their ideal of style and taste. He himself trained those young men in elocution and in the art of composition, also seleRing for them modeb on which to form their style. Our province owes much to the prudent and well direRed zeal of Father Van de Velde in this matter, his efforts leading to the formation of many useful and eminently successful members; among whom one that is now dead may be named, tl;e well known Father Smarius; than whom, few abler orators ever occupied the Catholic pulpit �Biograplziml Sketch ofJames Oliver Va1l dt> Velde, S.j. 71 in the United States. Father Van de Velde's enlightened and eminently praCtical zeal sought to convert every available natural good into means of supernatural gain. He was a man of prayer, and he had a peculiarly strong faith, always counting on the help of God in whatever he undertook; and his success, he, in all cases, ascribed to our Lord's special favor. On Sq..Jtember 17th, 1843, Father Van de Velde was elevated to the office of vice provincial, and he held this position in the vice province of Missouri till June 3d, I 848. The Rev. George Carrell succeeded him as president of the St. Louis University. -In the office of vice provincial, Father Van de Velde had a still wider field for the exercise of his administrative ability and forecast. As the number of novices did not then equal the want of members for the works and missions of the vice province, one of his first important undertakings was to build a more commodious house for the novitiate. The novices still occupied the little cabins which were the home of the original twelve founders who came in 1823. To the cabin containing but one room, which was on the farm given to them by Bishop du Bourg, they had added other little cabins, raising them all to two stories in height; nevertheless, at the time now spoken of they were in rude contrast with the poorest institutions aronnd St. Louis. As the vice province had then no resources at all, beyond the small annuities contributed by its two colleges, the St. Louis University and St. Xavier College in Cincinnati, which had been taken in 1840, and by a few poor residences, it was judged expedient that our lay brothers, should, under the circumstances, mainly do the work of ereCting a new house for the novices. lt was also decided that the new house should be of stone; and a quarry furnishing suitable materials was found on the banks of the Missouri River, at a point seven miles below the noVItiate. A number of the brothers would go to the quarry every Monday and return home on the following Saturday �72 Biog-raphical Sketch ofJames Oliver Vall de Velde, S.j. afternoon. This work was begun in 1844; but the house was not ready for occupancy till 1849. At the time of Father Van de Velde's appointment to the provincialship there was in St. Louis a numerous body of Catholic Germans whose religious wants \vere not suitably provided for. They enlisted the zeal and charity of Father Van de Velde, who took necessary steps to have a church built for them at the N. E. corner of 11th and Biddle Streets, on a lot given for the purpose by 1\Irs. Biddle. The corner st'one of St. Joseph's Church was laid by Bishop Peter Richard Kenrick, April 14th, 1845, in the presence of a great multitude of Catholic Germans; and by order of the Bishop, the church was made succursal to that of St. Francis Xavier. St. Joseph's Church soon drew around it one of the largest and most prosperous congregations in the city, numbering some seven or eight thousand souls, and having a regular attendance in its parochial schools of one thousand children. The Jndian missions also were objeCts of the energetic and comprehensive zeal of Father Van de Velde. It was during his provincialship that the prosperous and important Osage Mission was established, in what is now South Eastern Kansas. In the spring of 1847, Fq_ther John Schoenmakers and Father John Bax were sent to-found a permanent establishment at that place, for christianizing and civilizing the Osage tribe. They were accompanied by three lay brothers, Francis De Bruyn, John Sheehan, and Thomas Coghlan; and when all arrangements were completed for beginning schools, a colony of Loretto Sisters from Kentu_cky accepted an invitation to share with the Fathers in the task of educating savage children, in this· distriCt then so far away from the confines of civilization. During the year 1847, steps were also taken to transfer the Pottowattomy tribe from Sugar Creek, a small branch of the Osage River, where the Indians were too near the Missouri border, and were thus exposed to injury by contaCt �Biograplzical Sketclz ofJamt's Oliver Van de Velde, S.J. 73 with the whites. They were removed to a more advantageous reservation set aside for them by the government, in the "Kaw valley," or at the St. Mary's Mission, about twenty-five miles west of Top~ka, the present capital of Kansas. But through an error of the guides, the Indians and missionaries went to the wrong place ; and they did not finally reach their own lands till September 1848. It was during Father Van de Velde's term of office that many of the Indian missions in the Rocky :\fountains were established; the particuIars of which, however, cannot be detailed here. In the autumn of 1842, when Father Van de Velde was president of the St. Louis University, the Medical department began a full course of lectures in that faculty's new building on \Vashington Avenue, immediately adjoining the western limit of our property. Dr. Moses L. Linton, who subsequently became conspicuous in St. Louis, was one of the first professors .. Dr. Linton was thenceforth visiting physician of the University, and he also remained a member of the Medical Faculty for thirty years, or till his death, which occured at the beginning of June 1872. In the year 1843. the Law department of the St. Louis University began its first sessi~n. In consequence of the "Know Nothing" troubles of 1854 and 1855, the medical faculty applied to be placed under its own separate charter; and, despite the opposition made to this projeCl by Dr. Linton, it obtained from the legislature of the State a distinct and independent charter in 1858. The Law School met with only limited success, and the organization soon dissolved. (To be continued.) VoL. vm-No. 2. 10 �JOURNAL OF MISSIONS IN KENTUCKY. ST. JoHN's, HARDIN Co., Kv., August 25th, 1878. On Thursday night, the 22nd of Aug., Frs. Hillman and Bronsgeest left for Kentucky, where they were to labor for nearly thre!! 'months, in the diocese of Louisville. The first 'mission was given to the parish of St. John, Hardin Co. The pastor of this congregation, the Rev. H. Mertens, is chaplain of the Loretto Sisters in Bethlehem Academy, and resides in the priest's house near the convent. Here the Frs. were very kindly received. To compensate the Sisters for their trouble, Father Bronsgeest gave a Triduum to nine invalid Sisters who had been unable to go to the mother house for their annual retreat. \Ve observed the following order of exercises in this and in all the subsequent country missions: -g A. M. Mass and sermon; II, instruction; 1.30 P. M. Stations or instruCtion; 3, beads, sermon, BenediCtion. The mission at St. John's was very..,~_ell attended. People came from a great distance; and although chills and fever were very prevalent in this seCtion, even the sick could not be kept home. Every d.ty a number of them were seen stretched on the grass, on the shady siuP. of the church-yard. At three o'clo<;:k the crowds were so great that the church could not contain them; and as the weather was pleasam, we determined to hold the exercises in the open air. The preparations were decidedly rustic. A pulpit was improvised by taking a wagon bed off its truck and placing it on logs. The people gathered around in a semicircle. Most of the women were seated on benches taken from the church, the sick found seats in wagons and on logs. All seemed to be comfortable, but the causes of distraCtion (74) �Jountal of JIIissions in Kentucky. 75 were many; for whilst the missionary was leauring, the wagon-horses, molested by th~ flies, shook the chains of their harness, the m:tres wc:re neighing for their foals, the dogs were hunting for chicken bones and the remains of the dinners, or a drove of young pigs came on the premises, grunting and snuffing in search of acorns and grass. However, all things consid~red, the shady cover was preferable to the intensely close atmosphere of the little church, resounding with the crying of restless babies. Next in order came three stations of Fr. Fahrenbach; Big Clifty, Bear Creek and Nolin. The Pastor resides at Bear Creek; consequently we had to put up at a farmer's house. Mr Fowler, our kin9 host, lives about a mile from the church, to which he took us every morning in his farm wagon, and brought us back at night. The surrounding farmers, each one in turn, snpplied us with food in regular picnic style. Old Uncle Harry, a Catholic negro, spread our meals on a board that served as a table and waited on us with peculiar solicitude and attention. \Vhilst conversing with this truly good man, we discovered that doubts were entertained concerning the baptism of his mother. On enquiring from the former master, Mr. Higdon, we found that these doubts were not without foundation. To settle the matter the old lady was baptized conditionally, at the age of 103. One day as Fr. Bronsgeest returned from the neighboring school, where he had instruaed Protestants, he noticed a squad of men engaged in very earnest conversation. On walking up to them, one remarked: "Father, here is a man who boasts that he does not believe there is a God." "Where is he?" ''Here-the school teacher," they replied. "Is that so? do you not believe that there is a God?" "Well, no," saiJ he in a very insulting tone, "I am not satisfied that there is one." The priest stooped, and having plucked a blade of grass,-"\Vell now dear friend" he said, "who made this blade of grass?'' "Ah," said the school teacher, "I am not so well educated as you are, I do �1 l ;6 Jounzal of Missions itz Kmtucky. not want to argue with you."-"1 see" replied the missionary, "that although you have come regularly to the mission exercises, you have not derived much profit from the sermons. But learn to-day this le!>son :-never talk about a. thing which you do not understand." Saying this, he went on, leaving the proud boaster, greatly humbled, to the ridicule of the bystanders. On Friday, Sept. 6th, Mr. Mattingly conveyed us in a spring wagon to Bear Creek Church, situated about one mile distant· from the Grayson Springs. These Springs, eight in number, within an area of about half an acre, possess medicinal properties, and many invalids resort to them during the summer months. A Catholic gentleman from Louisiana having died near the springs, his widow caused a memorial brick church to be erected over the tomb, for the use of the people of Bear Creek congregation. During the mission we received many calls from the people of Litchfield, where Frs. Bouige and Bronsgeest had preached a mission the year previous. The converts especially showed great fervor and affection. On Saturday, Sept. 14th, we were driven to Nolin, sixteen miles west of Grayson Springs. We have had, on several occasions, reason to admire the great j1onesty of the people of Kentucky. Here is an example. \Vhllst travelling along we saw from a distance something lying on the stump of a tree. "\Vhat is that?" we inquired, pointing in the direction. "That," said Mr. Mudd, our companion, "is a bundle of sieves, about half a dozen. I reckon somebody who had bought them in Litchfield, dropped them off his wagon, and another man passing by placed them on that stump, so that when the owner returns he may find them without trouble." Another example.-When we lodged with Mr. Fowler, in Big Clifty, we noticed that there were neither locks nor bolts to the doors 0f the house. "You do not seem to be afraid of thieves or robbers."-"No" he answered, "we are never troubled by thieves. Some years ago we kept a ne- ' �Joumal of Missions £n Ketttucky. 77 gro boy and he had a key for the meat house; but since he left we do not lock it, yet, we have never missed anything." In Nolin an incident happened, which amused the farmers very much. A lecture on Confession having been announced, an ex-preacher rode up to the church in company of a number of farmers. He brought his own Bible along to verify the quotations. "If,"' said he to his travelling companions, "if that man can prove from my Bible that I have to go to confession, I will give him my mule."-"Well," answered a Catholic, "I am sure that he will do so. I will request the priest to quote from your own Protestant Bible during the lecture." Of course the preacher's Bible was used with great display. Towards the end of the lecture, the preacher stole quietly out of the church, and struck for home with his mule, leaving the Bible behind him. In Nolin we were entertained by two gentlemen well known in that part of the country ; we had the pleasure of preparing one of them for his First Communion and of reconciling the other with God, after many year's negligence. The next trip from Nolin to Sunfish, Edmondson Co., was too long to be made in one day. On Friday, Sept. 20th, we travelled about six miles, and stopped at Mr. Summer's, in whose house we said Mass the next morning. On that day we made the remaining eighteen miles. We travelled for a good while on the road leading to the famous Mammoth Cave, and at one point we came within eight miles of it. Our appointments did not, however, allow us to visit that wonder of nature. Naturally enough we tried to gather some information from the farmers who live in the neighborhood; but no one had ever seen it. We finally met a man who had entered its mouth and had seen thousands of bats hanging in clusters from the ceiling; this was the only information we could obtain from him. After a wearisome ride of six hours, we arrived at our destination at about 3 o'clock, P. M. After thanking God for our safe journey we �Jounzal of Missions in Kentucky. commenced to make arrangements for our stay, as in this place no suitable lodging-house could be obtained. We fixed our beds in the sacristy, built a fire, closed the paneless windows, and put every thing in order. Here, as in other parishes, we lived on whatever was brought to us. But at night we had to do our own cooking. \Vhen the people had left for home, the missionaries prepared supper; they warmed their meat, cooked their coffee, washed their potatoes, and prepared a better meal than they had had for weeks. There existed a great abuse among the people of the parish of .Sunfish, namely the custom of marrying relatives. The consequence is that many are affliCted with deafness, others have the look of idiots, and most of them are devoid of all energy. It must, however, be said in their praise, that they but very rarely marry Protestants. The mission in Sunfish was attended by many Protestants, principally Baptists and Campbellites. Fr. Hillman gave some controversial sermons on "Infant B1ptism," and "Baptism by Immersion," making remarks which encouraged the Catholics, shook the faith of the Protestants, and greatly exasperated the preachers, who could find no arguments to reply in defence of their praCtices. \Vhen the mission in Sunfish ended :ve started for Marion County. vVe travelled the distance~ of about eighty-five miles partly in a farm-wagon, partly by railroad; and a few miles were made on horseback. The soil of Marion Co., although far from being rich, is much better than that of Grayson Co. The people are better to do, better clad and fed, and much more enlightened. On Sept. 29th, we opened a mission at Holy Cross, the oldest congregation in Ken· tucky, established nearly one hundred years ago. The people attended very well. During the week following, we gave a mission at Manton, a station ,of the same Fr. Feehan. vVe were kindly entertained by Dr. Pash. and Squire Blines. The mission was very successful. Besides a number of Protestants, we re- �Journal of Missions in Kmtucky. 79 ceiverl into the Church two notorious Free-masons. On the day we concluded, an old farmer who had not approached the Sacraments within the memory of any of the Catholics around, hut had now been reconciled with God, drove us in a handsome carriage to Loretto Convent, a very fine Academy, and the mother house of the Sisters of Loretto. The next day we left for St. Matthew's Church on Muldraugh's Hill, a station of Fr. Me Connell of Raywick. Here we lodged with a Mr. Davis, near the church. Mr. Davis is a generous, kind-hearted man, but has little accommodations for strangers. We slept sometimes as many as five in a room. Much good was done for this place during the few days we stayed in it. Now we were bound for Owensboro, a thriving town on the Ohio River, one hundred and fifty-five miles west of Louisville. Fr. Dom. Crane, the pastor, is an intt>lligept and zealous priest. The mission was well attended. The controversiai leCl:ures created quite a stir among the Protestants. The trouble was, that too many Protestants attended them. In consequence of this, many who desired to become Catholics were prevented from taking that important step through fear of incurring hatred or ridicule. The following week we gave a mission in English to the German congregation. At first the attendance was small, owing to dissensiOns about the building of a new church. Towards the end of the mission the church was filled to overflowing; and on the night of the conclusion, the missionary entoned the "Groszer Gott," which was taken up by the congregation with enthusiasm. Our last mission in Kentucky was in Hawesville, Hancock Co., which we reached after a pleasant trip on the Ohio River. The congregation of Hawesville had been greatly negleCled. It had been sometimes as long as two years without receiving the visit of a priest. Some families had completely lost the faith. They have a fine little stone �So Indian Missions. church built by the contributions of the Irish miners who in former years, used to work here. There are not more than a hundred and twenty Catholics in the parish; but the Protestants swelled the number of attendants, bringing with them the organ of the Baptist church. At night, fully three-fourths of the audience were Protestants. In the beginning they behaved as they do in their own meeting-houses, talking. laughing, tvalking in and out, etc. But after the missionaries had called them to order, they w~re very respectful. Only at the end of service, was there an)>' kind of disturbance. They did not stir until the priest told them that all was over, and they could go. Then the fathers of the family would rise, put on their hats, and call Mary, Jane and Nancy, to go home with them We had much consolation during this mission, for, although the number of Catholics was small, the results were beyond expectation .• INDIAN MISSIONS. NEOSHO C(.'ll!NTY, KANSAS, December rsth, I878. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. In the year 1870, almost all the lands of this Neosho County having been claimed by actual settlers, the tide of emigration began to turn away from us in its natural course westward. Several Catholic families wishing to live together went tu form a colony in the very centre of a large county, at that time called Howard. No sooner had spring fairly opened, and the roads become passable, than I started in search o_f them in hopes of being able to reach their settlement on the eve of the great feast of Pentecost, which was near at hand. But not being acquainted with that part of �flldiall .Missions. l:il the country, and not finding any one to direCl: me through these endkss wcs·ern prairies, I l~st my way, and it was only at nu"n of Pentecost that I came to the place. There was h.1rd1y a house built in the sdtlement; the people camped out, close to their wagons. without any shelter. I l1 .d no time to spare; so I qu1ckly dispatched some boys to inform all the neighbors that we would have Mass on the next morning. As we had no' houst', a largt.: tent was chosen for the purpose, and a simple. but neat altar was raised on the green sward, the prairie furnishing a great variety of beautiful wild fL.>wers to orn.un:::nr it. 0.1 the next morning. May 26th, our rustic chapel was filled wnh devout people, who attended with great fervor the celebration of the holy Sacrifice, and respeCtfully approached the Holy Eucharist. That very day, the leading men went out and surveyed a town-site, which they called Boston. Its central location was such as to bring to it many advantages, and in particular that of becoming the seat of government for the whole county. But jealousy and bigotry soon stepped in to interfere with the work. The Protestant neighbors declared that they would never allow the Catholics to hold the county seat, and as the elections soon fixed this in Boston, -which being a central point w,1s a more convenient place for all- the opposition party began to contest the elections. New elections were ordered, and new contests followed them. Difficulties and quarrels on the subjeCl: were the order of the day during the space of four years, till the opposih.on party seeing that the eleCl:ions always favored Boston, came to the determination of dividing the county; and so, through fraud and bribery they carried out their purpose, in spite of the will of the majority who were against the division. Thus Howard County was de~troyed, or rather two new counties were made out of it, the first called Elk, the second Chautauqua. Not sati~fied with this, to prevent Boston from ever becoming a county seat, the dividing line VoL. vm-No. z. 1I �82 Indian liiissions. was drawn through the very middle of the town leaving half in one county and hif in the other. In consequence of this division the town began to dwindle away, business was carried to other places, and in a short time only a few houses were left to show where Boston once stood. However the partition of the county did not succeed in destroying the Catholic colony. I continued to visit the place and say Mass at regular times, thus keeping up the courage of the people. New k'lmilies came to settle in the vicinity, so, that this year we numbered thirty Catholic families, an'd. we thought it was now time to try to build a church. I succeeded in gathering a tolerably good subscription for that purpose, and on the 23d uf June I had the pleasure of laying the corner stone. It was the second Sunday after Pentecost, the weather was lovely, and the old town-site of Boston presented a gala appearance, for the Catholics were· pouring in from e.very direcrion. As usual, we had Mass in a very large school house. This over, we marched to the spot selecred for the chu-rch. Having recited a short prayer, I exposed to the assembled people the objeCt: of the ceremony I was going to perform, and then, after having blessed the corner stone, I placed the whole work under the protecrion of the Mother of God by giving to the building 'just begun the name of St. Mary, Star of the \Vest. This done, I left for the Indian country to visit the Osages, and having passed a few days with them, I returned to this mission. Here I heard that our Right Rev. Bishop, Louis M. Fink, 0. S. B., had at last appointed a secular priest to take care of several of my western missions, that of Boston included. As Independence was considered my headquarters, I hastened to that place, and there I found that Rev. Robert Loehrer had already arrived to establish himself in that town, and take possession of that church. On the 1st of August I transferred to him the charge of all the missions I had in the counties of Montgomery, Elk, and �Indian Missions. Chautauqua, reserving for myself those I have m Wilson County, and the Indian Territory. On the 25th of August our mission suffered a heavy loss. A sudden death put an end to the very useful life of Father James Christian Van Goch. Father James had come here on the zsth of August I8S8, yet a novice of our Society. On the 25th of August 1859, he took his first vows, and remained with us for three years and seven months. During this time he was a most faithful companion in my missionary labors. Our life was then an exceedingly rough one, for we lived far away from civilized people, surrounded by wild Indians, and deprived of many of the comforts of life. We had tu be very frequently on the road visiting either the Osages, or other neighboring tribes. Sometimes we were almost frozen by the northern blasts, so terrible on these endless plains where one has to travel twenty or thirty miles without finding either a tree or a cabin to shelter himself; whilst at others, we groaned under the rays of a burning summer's sun, without being able to find a drop of water to quench our thirst. More than once after a long day's travelling, with our clothes all wet on account of the rain, or of the streams and swamps through which we had to pass, we were obliged to spend the night on the open ground, under the canopy of heaven, without any fire to dry us, with no bed but our blanket and no pillow but our saddle. The food we had on such occasions was in perfect keeping with the lodging, and consisted of a few hard biscuits and some slices of smoked meat, the nearest creek supplying us with plenty of water to drink. This was by no means a comfortable life, yet in spite of it, good Father James always appeared cheerful and satisfied. On the 18th of March 1862 he was called away from this mission, and did not return to us till the 27th of August · 1877; and he told us, in his own pleasant way, that he had come here to die. This and like expressions were frequently on his lips, and judging from the way in which he spoke �llldiall Jl1zssions. one would feel inclined to think that he had a presentiment of his approaching end. On the morning of the ::?5th of last August, he kept his bed, complaining of some pains in his spine; however he did not seem to suffer very much from it. At 3 P. 111. he began to sing the Credo, but in such a loud voice that we got alarmed and went to his room to see what was the matter. We found him out of his mind. Unconscious of our presence, he kept on singing till he had f.nished these words, which were his lasi: : d e:rpet?o rtSIIrrct?ionem. ·I:-Jere his voice failed him, and a severe fit attacked him~ The death struggle had begun, and we saw that there was no time to lose, so I hastened to administer Extreme Unction. Jn a few minutes after I had finished anointing him, and while we were reciting the prayers for the dying, he breathed his last. Father James Van Goch's life was a useful one to us. He was a fervent mi-;~ionary, energetic in business, and generally successful. The sobs and tears of the people who attended his funeral, clearly proved how much he was loved. More than four hundred per:>ons accompanied his remains to the burying ground. It was a procession of devout children mourning for the loss of their dear father. Their cries, when his coffin was lowered into tpe grave, were heartrending. R. I. P. ~ The extremely wet weather of last winter and spring was followed by a very dry season this fall. This contributed to improve the roads, which, at the opening of summer, were almost unfit for travelling. Taking advantage of this circumstance, I directed my course south of this mission along the bank~ of the Neosho, or Grand River, as it is called, some fifty miles below this place. Years ago the Osages had formed some settlements on a stream called the Salt Fork of the Grand River; but as that land belonged already .to the Cherokee nation, after a while they left the place, a·nd moved to their own reservation, locating their towns on the Verdigris as well as on the Neosho. How ever �Iudia1t Jl1issions. some of our half-breeds wl10 had intermarried with the Cherokees, remained on the Grand River. Several of these having been educated at our mission, were baptised and still persevere in the faith. As regards the Cherokees, at present they mostly all profess to be Protestants. I say at present ; for when· they were living in the old states of Georgia, Tenn.~ssee, and Florida, they were all Catholics. They moved to this western country some forty-five years ago; and it being- impossible for.the few priesb of the states from which they had come to follow them here, they were left alone, and soon fell into the g-ra-.p of Protestants. Now among these people you find some calling themselves Methodists, others Baptists, or Pre->byterians ; but in reality they do not believe in any such denominations, and in spite of _being under the care of Protestants, they show great respect for the Catholic relig!on and wish to see Catholic missionaries amongst them. I visited Tahlequah, Fort Gibson and Veneta, the three principal towns of this nation; I said Mass for the few Catholics I found living here and there, and baptised some children. Wherever I went, I was received most kindly, and invited to return as soon as possible to give them a chance to know something more about the Roman Catholic Church. I cannot conclude this letter without relating to you a circumstance which procured me great pleasure and surprise. I was travelling along through the forest that spreads all over the flint-hills which are so abundant in this section o(the Cherokee country. After admiring the huge rocks sparkling with mica, I was looking at the ancient trees which line the road, when my eyes fell upon a large cross, carved on the bark of one of them. The cross stands on a pedestal; the incision on the bark has grown round at the edges, and a strong second bark has undergrown the whole. From these indications it clearly appears that the tree, which now is a stately one, must have been about six inches in diameter when the cross was carved on it. The cross has grown with �86 India1t ~1fissions. the tree and is now some two feet high, about three inches wide, and well proportioned. I noticed here and there several other trees marked with crosses, but this was the best of all. I kept on my way, when after a while my attention was attraCl:ed by another tree on which were cut these beautiful words, Ave Afarz"a. The letters of Man·a are somewhat effaced by time, but the word Ave stands out as distinCl:ly as if it had been carved to-day. In this instance also the incision on t~e bark shows signs of its having been made a great many 'years ago. Now, how "aid it happen that these crosses, and the first two words of the Angelical Salutation were carved on these trees? This is quite a puzzle to me. It may be that Protestants have carved those crosses, but it is not likely ; generally they have no liking for such things. As to the words of the Angelical Salutation, they most certainly cannot have carved them, for every one knows what are their feelings on the subjeCl:. The only explanation I can give of this, i!i,. that some of those good Catholic Indians, who years ago migrated to these western countries, poor and destitute, having neither house nor church in which to meet, must have been in the habit of assembling in the woods before some of these crosses, and there, just...i~ if they had been in a chapel, must have recited their daily prayers. And the tree with the beautiful words of the Angelical Salutation must have been of a special sanCl:uary where these poor Indians came to implore the assistance of that sweet Mother whom they had been taught to call Help of Christians and Refuge of Sinners. 0! may this amiable Mother look once more with love upon these abandoned children of the forest, and, through her intercession, may they deserve to return to the faith of their fathers. PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, s. ]. �indian Mtssions. Tv., Dec. 30th, 1878. * * * \Ve had a very nice celebration on Christmas, night. Most of the Indians who had not gone after the buffalo-about thirty families in all-came to their duties. People and newspapers may say what they please of the ignorance, stupidity, treachery, wickedness of the Indians; but I can assure you that, in regard to religion, a great many of these savages can bear honorable comparison with white persons. I am more and more surprised, every day, at th'e way in which they make their confessions; you could not look for more from well instruCted whites. You see plainly the work of divine grace in them. What sincerity, what earnestness, what desires, what efforts! Were all the Indians blessed with the benefits of Catholic teaching, were· confession in use among them, instead of the dry Protestant worship imposed upon many of them, the government would not need the army to keep them quiet. Strangers who come sometimes to our church, on occasion of great feasts, are struck with surprise and admiration at seeing how respeCtfully, how attentively and with what earnestness our Indians behave; and this in spite of having before their eyes the bad example of almost all the whites that surround them; whom they never see praying, or observing the holydays or, in fine, performing any praCtices of religion. These poor people have several times remarked to me, that whenever they meet whites together, the most common topic of conversation is money. No obstacle is considered by our Indians as sufficient to prevent them from coming to Mass on Sundays. Distance, high water, snow, cold weather, children to pack on their back, are all looked on as nothing when there is question of co~1ing to church. When they return home from the buffalo-hunt, after an absence of over six months, it is not uncommon to hear them say, when they present ST. MARY's, MoNTANA �88 Indiall Missions. themselves at the sacred tribunal: •·Father, I am glad and thankful to God that I came back, and am able to go ag.tin tu confession; I was every day praying to God for this grace. My only fear, when f.tr from !10me was that I might die without having the consolatJOib of our relig1on." vVhen taken sick, they are not very anxious about the doctor vsiting them; but they must havt.: the priest, no 111atter whether it be night or day. I was once called to the bed side of a young married man. After I had administert'd the sacraments to,him, his f.d1er turned towards those present and said: "now I (eel well, my heart is glad and I thank God sincerely. My boy has now rece1ved the Sacraments of the Church; he is well prepared to die. It does not grieve me very much to see him depart from me." vVhen any one in a family is dangerously sick, a crowd of persons gather around, and offer prayers to God, day and 111ght lor the person. One winter, there was living, about two and a half miles from the mission, an old man over eighty years of age. His canoe had been carried away, and he had no horse lo ford the river, nor any neighbors from whom he could possibly get one. Christmas came and he wanted very badly to cross the river; but the water, which was about three feet deep, and a foot of snow along the road, prevented him from coming to church. New Y~ai"'s Day arrived, and the same state of affairs continued. At last, the Three Kings' Day was here, and then, though there was no change in the circumstances, he determined to come "ny llliW. Trusting to God, he blessed himself, stripped and forded the river, walked his way to the mission, fasting, and felt happy at having been enabled to go to confession and to approach the holy Table. When the Indians come to see the Father, they do not talk much. Yet, in confession, they explain themselves quite freely and answer without hesitation, the questions put to them. Prayer for their dead seems to be their devotion of predileCtion, and they like to receive the blessed �llfissionary Labors. Sacrament in order to help the souls of their departed friends (temtemnei). All Souls day is among them a holy day. I am really edified and consoled at the way in which the greatest number of th~se poor Indians prepare themselves for death. They seem confident that heaven is opened to them. During the last nine ye::trs I have had but one case, in which I could see any agitation or fear at the approach of death. These facts are sufficient, I believe, to prove to your Reverence that our work in behalf of these poor people is not entirely lost, and that our sowing is not altogether in barren soil. May it please God that our labors be not frustrated by any general Indian war, to which our people might be forced, by the abuses and injustices committed against them by some bad characters among the whites, who, being themselves worse and more barbarous than the natives, bear hatred and contempt for the Indian race, and would like to see it disappear from the face of the earth.-! recommend myself to your holy Sacrifices. ]. D'A, S. J. MISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS FROM SEPTEMBER I878 TO THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY, I879· FRANKFORD, PHILADELPHIA-In St Joachim's Church, of which the Rev. P. Byrne is pastor, Father Maguire assisted by Frs. Me Atee and Strong began the missions of autumn. Their labors extended from the beginning to the I 5th of September. It was thought at first that the Fathers would have easy work, as at a mission given three years before only eight hundred persons received Holy Communion. When we see the result of the exercises, we have every reason to thank God for the blessing bestowed upon them. Thirty-six hundred communicants made the mission. Five VoL. vm-No. 2. 12 �go Missionary Labors. Protestants were received into the Church, and sixty-eight adults were prepared for first Communion. A scandal of long standing, on account of a law suit between two members of the congregation, was happily removed by the efforts of one of the Fathers. CHESTER, PA.-This place is well known to the outside world by reason of the ship-yards belonging to the Roach Company. There are two Catholic churches in the city, in one of which, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Fathers gave a missio~'of ten days (Sept. 22nd-OCI:. 3rd). A special effort was m~ae here, as in other places, to do some good for the children, who received instruCtions every afternoon upon the sacraments and kindred topics. Results of the work: Communions, one thousand four hundred; Baptisms, three; adults for Communion, forty-five. ST. PATRicK's CHURCH, BROOKLYN-Father Taaffe, the zealous pastor of this church, had so well prepared the ground, before the arrival of the Fathers, that they did not find th~ same amount' of work in regard to adults to be made ready for the sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Confirmation. Classes had already been formed for such persons; and though considerably enlarged during the two weeks of the spiritual exercises, the main work_. was already done. Nevertheless, the mission from the 6th to the zoth of OCt:. was laborious; and, although six Fathers- Frs. Maguire, Stonestreet, Me Atee, Jamison, Strong, and Morgan, together with five or six secular priests, were engaged in hearing confessions, it was difficult to leave the church before 10.30 or I I o'clock, on the last three nights of each week. Great crowds attended during all the exercises; and in the evening, the church, a very large one, was frequently filled an hour before the services began. The Communions were eight thousand; seven persons were baptized, and five were left under instruCtion. Several children, whose parents, on account of unfortunate marriages, \Vere wanting in their duty, received baptism. About �Jl[issionary Labors. seventy adults were prepared for Confirmation; forty for first Communion. ST. JosEPH CHURCH.-Fathers Maguire, Me Atee, Strong and Morgan began on the same day that the mission ended at St. Patrick's, another at St. Joseph's-Rev. Fr. Corcoran, pastor. They were employed for sixteen days, though the mission work lasted for two \veeks. The Bishop of the diocese administered Confirmation, after the retreat was over, to a number of children and fifty grown persons, gathered by the Fathers. There were six thousand five hundred Communions. Thirty adults made their first Communion. The children had a separate hour for themselves, and the first day of each week was set apart for their confessions. All, little and big, were invited to the catechism, and would, no doubt, have proven to be a great rabble, but for the tact of the Father in charge, who, by seasonable rewards, and never failing novelty, managed to keep their attention.-Three converts were made to the faith. Thus was ended a hard month's work, in Brooklyn. With their first labors here, the Fathers have every reason to be satisfied. They were much pleased with the prosperity of the Church. No where have they seen the wants of the faithful so well looked after. The forty churches and their parish schools have done, and are doing, a great work, and Catholicity seems to be on a firmer basis than in any other city on this side of the continent. The two hundred thousand Catholics so well provided with churches and schools exercise an influence for good that makes this an exceptional city in regards to morality. HARRISBURG CATHEDRAL, (Nov. I0-20)-As the congregation is small, no division was made of the men and women. More Protestants came to the sermons here than in any other place. Twelve were received into the Church, and four others were left under instruction. Four children of various ages were baptized. Of course these were the offspring of mixed marriages, which are very common in Harrisburg. �92 Missionary Labors. ·when the Fathers spoke of a class of Confirmation, the pastor said it was useless, as he had taken special pains the year before to gather in the adults. He thought that there was no grown person who had not presented himself at the last Confirmation. Notwithstanding his zeal, eighty-seven had escaped, and were confirmed by the Bishop at the end of the mission. Results: Communions, sixteen hundred: Confirmations, eighty-seven; first Communions, twenty; Baptisms, sixteen. St. JosEPH's; BALTIMORE.-BeforP. the work was finished in Harrisburg,··Frs. Maguire and Strong began the exercises in this church. Our Fathers were well remembered and kindly welcomed, as this church belonged to the Society for some years. The congregation, for two weeks (Nov. 17th-Dec. 2nd), responded cordially to every effort made in their behalf. The church was too small, though the congregation was divided. On some nights, notably on the last night of the men's week, many were turned away. The same fact was noted here that had occured in other places auring the autumn, a larger number of men than women received Holy Communion. Results: Communions, two thousand five hundred; adults confirmed, one hundred and thirty six; first Communions of adults, fifty; Baptisms of adults, eight; of children, five. ST. AGATHA's, PHILADELPHIA-This mission lasted from the 8th to the 23rd of December. The church is large and beautiful, and has a congregation, according to the accurate census of the pastor, Rev. John Fitzmaurice, of two thousand five hundred souls. The Fathers had enough to do, however, as very many came from other parishes, and distant ones, too, though no notice was taken by any of the papers of the work that was going on. Several marriage cases were settled; but this is no novelty during a mission. Numbers were brought back to the Church who had for years been very negligent; and not a few who had almost lost the faith, returned to their duty. A man of sixty years �Missiouary Labors. 93' made his first Communion, whose only outward sign of the faith in him during the rest of his life was in fighting the Native Americans in 1844. St. Agatha's is a new and costly church, and architecturally, one of the finest the Catholics have in the city; and shows the energy and prudence of the pastor who built it and has almost cleared it of debt. Results; four thousand five hundred Communions; first Communions of adults, forty; Baptisms five, with several left under instruction. YoRK, PA.-The Fathers had thought of taking January for rest, so much needed after the long and wearisome labors since September, but at the earnest request of Fr. Kenny who has care of the church in this town, Frs. Maguire and Strong undertook the mission (January 5th-12th) And this they did more willingly, as a short time previously, Edith O'Gorman, or some one under that name, had given a lecture in the town-hall against the Church. The church in York, under the patronage of St. Patrick, was built by the Society and for a long time was attached to Cone\vago. York in those days was a small place ; now it has a population of twenty thousand inhabitants, and on account of its factories and other industries is quite flourishing. There were six hundred Communions. vVHITEMARSH, MD. (January I 8th- 25th)- Fr. Strong gave this mission assisted by the Fathers at the residence. The wintry weather, unusually severe, was a great hindrance to a scattered congregation in a country place, but it did not prevent the mission from being successful. Indeed, it was thought to be a mistake to attempt to assemble the people at this time of the year. Two-thirds of the congregation consists of negroes, and, as they are very poor, they were obliged to walk long distances over difficult roads, to be present for the sermons. Results: four hundred and fifty Communions; first Communions of adults, forty five. Some find fault with the way of giving the number of �Cure of a Sclzolastic. 94 Communions as the chief fruit of a mission, insisting that confessions form a better criterion; for the reason that many approach the holy Table a second and a third time during the exercises. It must not be forgotten that just as many who have confessed to the Fathers receive Communion in other churches. Any one whu has experience in mission work knows this to be true, and that not many communicate a second time. The order of the day during a mission is as follows : Mass and ins-truCtion at 5 o'clock; 1\'lass and instruCtion at 8 o'clock; children's instruCtion at 4 o'clock in the afternoon; a short instruCtion and beads at 7 o'clock in the evening, followed by a sermon on some subjeCt: of the Spiritual Exercises. After this, benediCtion of the Blessed Sacrament. Besides the public instruCtions, two instruCtions are given in private, one for adults preparing for the Sacraments, the other to Protestants preparing for Baptism. Confessions are heard all day. Gen_eral results since September: Communions, 29,650; first Communions of adults, 300; Confirmations of adults, 343; Baptisms, so. CURE OF A SCHOLASTIC. Ever since I 873 I have been suffering from the effeB:s of a sore throat, which made loud speaking very difficult to me. I experienced this particularly during my two years of teaching at St. Louis. Everything which called for an effort of the throat was forbidden me by doCtors whom I had consulted in St. Louis, Washington and Woodstock, and whose prescriptions I had followed all the time, with, howeve;, little or no relief. Sometime ago I began to feel a desire of making a novena to Fr. de la Colombiere for �Cure of a Scholastic. 95 the cure of my throat; for Fr. Rami ere, in his Messenger, had suggested to sick people to have recourse to Fr. de la Colombiere, as there is serious question of his beatification. To know, if possible, the will of God in this regard, I opened my Imitatio!Z at random, and the first words that I saw were : Ostende Domine magnalia, ut glorijicetur dextra tua. "\Veil, Lord," I said, "here is a chance for you; 1 will make this novena in honor of Your servant, Fr. de la Colombiere, to hasten his beatification, and not to be rid of my trouble; for You know very well how to send me something else to suffer. If You wish You might send me to that end sorrie severe sickness; however, I will leave all to You ; You know what is best for me." That day I asked our Lord for a picture of His servant, and to my great joy I obtained one from the last person to whom I spoke that evening. On it I read that Fr. de Ia Colombiere died at Paray le Monial on the 16th of Febr'y, r682. On the 7th, therefore, I began my novena, so as to finish it on the anniversary of his death, and to obtain my cure on that day. The next day I began to feel unwell; the day after I felt worse, lost all appetite and relish for food. Unaccustomed to this, I at first thought that my stomach was out of order, and took some remedy for it, without, however, finding any relie( For several days I lived on a piece of bread soaked in some tea. On the 12th I had to leave the class-room, as I suffered greatly every time that I tried to free my throat from the phlegm gathered there. I was .then told to see the doctor, who was to come to the house that day. I saw him soon after, and found out that it was not my stomach that was troubling me, but my throat, which was, as he said, in a frightful condition; so much so that he thought it incurable. It was with me a chronic disease, he added, which might perhaps be relieved to some extent by the end of a year1 if I would use remedies which he then prescribed. After hearing this opinion, which was anything but consoling, I returned to �Cure of a Sclzolastic. my room, opened my Imitation, and read: Ostmde Domine magnalia, ut glonjicetur dextra tua-the same words as before. "Indeed, 0 my God! You will be glorified if You cure me next Saturday." On Thursday, the I 3th, I heard the Menology of Fr. de Ia Colombiere read for the qth. As this date did not correspond with the one given on my piCl:ure, I said: " Lord, You can, if You will, cure me to-morrow as well as next Saturday. It is all the same to You." The _next day, then, during the BenediCl:ion of the Blessed Sac_rament, given in honor of the Sacred Heart, immediately after the Community l\Iass, I said: " Lord, if I but touch one hair of my beard with the relic of Your servant, Fr. de Ia Colombiere, I will be cured." Thanks be to God, my prayer was heard. I went down to the refeCl:ory afterwards, and was able to take a hearty breakfast, which I had not been able to do for the preceding five days. I then went to the infirmarian and showed him my throat. He looked at it, and thought that, to be perfeCl:ly well, it shoulq not look so red. Meanwhile I felt as I had never felt before. I was able to take my meals as usual, and was rid of all the inconveniences to which I had been subjeCl:. On opening my Imitation again, as ~oon as I returned to my room, I read: Ostende Domine m.agualia, ut glorijicetur dextra tua - the same words that I had read twice before. Some days after, when the doCl:or came to the house, I showed him my throat. He acknowledged that it had improved very much, and was astonished at the sudden change. "Am I then perfeCl:ly cured," I inquired. "Not exaCl:ly," he replied, "to be perfeCl:ly well, some little veins inside of your throat should not look so red; they are too much swollen with blood." On hearing this, full of confidence in Fr. de Ia Colombiere's intercession with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I said : " Lord, if You wish, You can cure me perfeCl:ly." then requested the doCl:or to look once more at my throat and see whether there was any change. You may judge of his astonishment, when, after looking at the :I �Father Plti!ip Rappag!iosi. 97 swollen veins, he was forced to exclaim: "\Vel!, sir, they are already diminishing." As I had used no remedies, I asked him how he explained this sudden change. He answered: "Really, I do not understand it at all; it is something miraculous; I cannot account for it otherwise." On seeing me a week later, after inquiring about the state of my throat, he said: "\Veil, I am going to give you one piece of advice, and it is this: in future, keep away from doB:ors, as much as possible, about your throat. You are all right now, and do not stand in need of them any longer." I left him and went to the chapel to thank the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and ask that this cure might contribute to the beatification of His servant, Fr. de Ia Colombiere, and to the conversion of the doB:or, who is not a Catholic. OBITUARY. FATHER PHILIP RAPPAGLIOSI. Rev. Fr. Philip Rappagliosi S. J. passed to a better life on the 7th of February 1878, dying like a true soldier of the cross, on the field of his apostolic labors. His uncommon virtues deserve a special mention, which, I am confident, will edify your readers. He was born in Rome on the 14th of September 1841, of parents remarkable for their piety. Nature endowed him with an amiable charaCter and a bright intelleCt:. Successful literary studies at the Roman College and the praB:ice of solid virtue prepared him for the Society into which he was admitted on the 28th of September 1856, in the Novitiate of St. Andrea. After his noviceship he studied Rhetoric for two years, when political troubles compelled his superiors to send him to France for his philosophical studies. Being VoL. vm-No. 2. 13 �Fatlzer Plzilip Rappagliosi. recalled at the end of the second year, he completed his. Philosophy in the Roman College, after which he was appointed to teach for several years in Rome and Ferentino. He then studied Theology for one year in Rome, and for three years more at Laval. During this time his talent for preaching revealed itself, and when called upon to exercise it, as frequently happened especially after his being ordained a priest, he did it with much zeal and abundant fruit. During his stay in France he showed none of that inclination through which some find fault with every thing that is not in conformity ..with the praCtices of their own country; on the contrary, he adapted himself so well to the customs peculiar to the Society in France that he rendered himself both dear and edifying to all. A journal of Fr. Rappagliosi, found after his death, shows how earnestly and with what result, he made his third year of Probation at Tronchiennes, "I heard," he says, "a voice in my heart requiring the entire oblation of myself to the divine service, although I was ignorant as yet by what path our Lord wished to lead me to Himself.... At the beginning of the tertianship, I experienced such joy and facility in the observance of all the rules, that I do nut remember to have failed in the least of them during a lo.ng period preceding the thirty days retreat." He gained·~ signal vietory over himself in surmounting a great difficulty he had to lay open his whole conscience to his spiritual superior, and he received with generous resignation the news of his failure in his last examination. It was also during this time, that an ardent desire of the missions of the Rocky Mountains made itself felt in his heart. That his appointment to labor in this portion of God's vineyard came from heaven is manifest from the faCt, that, though destined by his Provincial for the chair of Rhetoric, .this plan was changed by V. Rev. Fr. General himself, fo whom Fr. Rappagliosi had opened his interior, by the advice of Fr. Petit. We here subjoin the answer of the Father General. �Fatlzer Plu"fip Rappagliosi. 99 Legi libentissime litteras Reverentice Vestrce, 31 Julii datas, et statim me inclinatum sensi ad secundanda pia desideria, quce de sursum tibi immissa videbantur. Onmes quidem missiones, sed ilia prcesertim qua: est in montibus Saxosis, mihi maxime cordi est; tum quia ibi avidissime expetimur, multique ex NN. Patribus senio et laboribus fraB:i, propediem operi impares futuri sunt; tum quia lcetissimi in ilia missione fruB:us ad majorem Dei gloriam colliguntur. Nolui tamen rem illico definire; consului R. P. Provincialem qui quamvis ad alia R•m v•m designare cogitaverat, tamen non renuebat tam sanB:o ministerio, et tot animarum sal uti virum concedere. Precibus divinum lumen imploravi, rationes in utramque partem diligenter expendi. In prima sententia confirmor, et Rev. V. ad illas missioncs destino, in quibus magna sui et aliorum utilitate, ut confido, versabitur. Interim ego Deo gratias ago, R•• v•• et illi missioni gratulor. Optime spero. Tibi, mi bone Pater, ex animo benedico, et me commendo SS. SS. Carissime in Christo Pater PETRUS BECKX, S. ]. In the autumn of 1873. Fr. Rappagliosi bade adieu to Europe, and, aftet a long and fatiguing voyage arrived at the Rocky Mountains on the 21st of December of the same year. Having taken some necessary rest at our residence of Helena, which is the first one meets on coming to our mission, he proceeded to St. Mary's among the Flat-heads about one hundred and seventy miles further west. This was, for the present, the field appointed for his apostolic labors. The objeCt: of his ardent desires was now attained. He was in the midst of the poor Indians in whose service he was willing to spend himself, and even to lay down his life, that he might win their souls to God. He at once set himself down to learn their language, with the docility of a child and the earnestness of an apostle. When he had mastered a few phrases he would go among the Indians to repeat them. In this way, and by noting down the most �100 Father Philip Rappagliosi. common words which he afterwards committed to his faithful memory, he was soon able to make himself understood. He noticed also, that the Indians make great use of gestures in conversation; and of this faet he availed himself to make them more readily comprehend what he said. These poor people soon perceived the love of the good Father for them and readily yielded to his affeCtionate exhortations. \Vhenever a new lodge settled in the vicinity of the mission he set out to visit it, taking with him some pious images which he distributed among those whose influence was more powerful for good. If the new-comers had for some time negleCted their Christian duties, his zeal gave him no rest till by exhortation and entreaty he had recalled them to the observance of God's holy law. There lived among the Flat-Heads some families of the Nez-perd:s who were yet infidels. These he visited frequently, taught them their prayers, gave them some rudimentary instruCtion, and hoped soon to add them to the fold of Christ; but he was called away by holy obedience and sent to the mission of St. Ignatius, sixty-five miles to the north, among the Pend' oreilles, who are allied to the Flat-Heads and have the same language, customs and faith. He soon endeared himself to his new flock so that they sought him· in all their troubles and followed his instruCtions with docility. A Father who was his companion at the mission of St. Ignatius, writes of him as follows: "The good Fr. Rappagliosi is a source of edification to us all. He has the charity of an apostle, and labors unceasingly for the poor Indians." Fr. Rappagliosi was not allowed to remain long here; and yet he so won the hearts of all, that, when he was removed, the chief of the tribe came to ask the superior of the mission to send back the black-gown who was so much beloved by his people. One day when he had returned from a missionary excursion, his heart filled with sorrow for the destitution and misery both temporal and spiritual, that he had seen, he said to me with enthusiasm: "Oh ! that I had �Fatlzer Philip Rappag!iosi. 101 the means to alleviate the distress I witness around me. He did not spare himself in doing what he could for his Indians ; he spoke to them words of comfort, he instructed them ; he exhorted them to peace and to the practice of Christian virtue; he set them the example of bearing hardship without repining. Like a veteran missionary, he adapted himself to their mode of living; no self-denial was too great, provided he could gain souls to Christ. The Lord was pleased with his holy desires and labors, and called him early to his reward. Towards the summer of 1875, the mission of St. Peter was opened among the Black-feet. These savages have been hostile, and they are so corrupted by the wicked conduct of the whites who have come among them, that the fatigue and labor of the missionary are repaid with but little fruit. In fact, very few respond to our exhortations; almost all being sunk in brutal polygamy. Still, in spite of such general depravity, there is some good to be gleaned, and the heart of the patient missionary is gbddened when he is allowed to baptize the infants, which die in great numbers from want of proper care and nourishment. In the hope of working a change for the better in this tribe, the superior general of the mission sent Fr. Rappagliosi thither. But here he was met by a new difficulty; the dialect spoken by the Nez-peret':s and Pend'-oreilles, so that he had to begin over again the arduous task of learning a new and difficult language. God's greater glory and the salvation of souls required it, and, however painful the work, he was ready to undertake it at whatever cost. During some months, he might be seen daily going to a family of halfbreeds, who lived about a mile from the mission, to praCtise some phrases which he had learned and to pick up a few words more to add to his vocabulary. Another difficulty was, that the Black-feet lead a roving life, remaining no more than two or three weeks in one place. Moreover, the whites had encroached on their hunting grounds N. E. of �102 Fatlter Pltilip Rappagfiosi. the mission, and the bison having withdrawn farther to the north, the Indians were obliged to follow them, so that the principal camping grounds were thus removed about one hundred miles from the mission. This is a great inconvenience and exposes the missionary to many hardships ; for the route lies across a desert prairie exposed in summer to the hot parching rays of the sun, and to the piercing north winds in winter. In December 1876, Fr. Rappagliosi took charge of his new field of evangelical labor, and remained in the Indian encampment during several moths. There is no describing the privations he suffered during this time; for as yet his knowledge of the language spoken by the Black-feet was very imperfeCt:, and it was with difficulty he could convey his meaning by the aid of gestures. Add to this, the monotony of savage life, the food, and the annoying inseCts which swarm in the Indian lodges. He spent the time chiefly in mastering the language and in teaching the children their prayers. On Sundays he said Mass in a neighboring "Store owned by an enterprising white. Here with the aid of an interpreter, he gave instruCtions to the few Indians who attended, and insisted on the necessity of having their children baptized. His efforts:in this respeCt were fairly successful, and about one hundred received the Sacrament of Baptism during his stay among them. He departed from the Indian camp late in the spring, and came to the mission to enjoy a brief repose. Then the zealous missionary set out to visit the whites, sparsely scattered over the Territory. His sweet and affable manners were sufficient recommendations to gain the good will and attention of those who, differing from him in faith, were inclined to show little respeCt: for his sac;red ministry. He advanced rapidly in their esteem ; but his heart was with the poor unfriended Indians. ':It is, indeed, difficult to convert the old; but, with care and attention, the young may be made good Christians. If I had an orphanage under the management of the sisters �Fatlter Plulip Rappag!iosi. 103 of Charity," he used to say; "I would soon have the Blackfeet completely changed. The children would be educated in a pious, Christian manner of life, and they, by their prayers and influence, would then convert their parents. But the mission is too poor to bear the expenses of such an undertaking, and the unfortunate Indians must go to destruction. Ah! that some generous benefaCtor would come to my assistance." :\Iany and beautiful were the virtues which he praCtised to\vards his brethren in religion. Like every true son of the Society of Jesus, he was all sweetness and charity. His conversation was pleasant, mingled with Roman wit, but without bitterness; a harsh word or GUtting remark never passed his lips. He spoke and thought well of every one of his brethern, and deemed himself most happy when he could render them the least service. \Vhen they would return from their missionary excursions, he used to unsaddle their horses and put them in the stable, and then he would do all in his power to procure for the Father a speedy rest. His esteem for obedience made him seek its sanCI:ion in the smallest aCI:ions. He always asked his superiors for advice, both before setting out on his excursions, and when absent on the field of labor. "I will do what I can," he would say, when speaking of this virtue, "but above all, I long to have the blessing of obedience on my undertakings. May God grant me the grace to die, rather than I should act independently of our superiors." It was thus Fr. Rappagliosi prepared himself for the heroic labors and sacrifices of the mission of the Black-feet Indians, which was soon afterward assigned to him. \Vhile on this mission, necessity often forced him to travel many miles over vast and dreary prairies without a guide or companion, and with the few provisions one horse could carry. Stores of provisions were established along the encampments of the Indians, and money was furnished him by superiors for necessary supplies; but it not seldom happened, that his little stock of food gave out on account of the length of �104 Fat/zer P/u"lip Rappagliosi. the journey, or the rainy weather, which rendered travelling almost impossible. On such occasions he had often to be satisfied with buffalo-meat cooked after the manner of the Indians. The spring of the year 1877 was destined by Providence to be a time of great toil and sacrifice for Fr. Rappagliosi. He betook himself to the camp of the Indians, and found that provisions had given out and that the Indians were devoid of all means of subsistence. The wretched Black-feet in order to satisfy the cravings of hunger were forced to go in search of a~ad buffaloes which had been killed during the preceding winter. He told me confidently afterwards, that during his sta:r- among- them, he often suffered from extreme hunger. A few days after his return from the camp of the Black-feet, a courier from the Milk River arrived at the mission, having travelled a distance of two hundred miles to announce that the presence of a Father was desired by many Christian families of the Miticces, who had settledjn the neighborhood of the Milk River for the purpose of buffalo-hunting. Two of the three Fathers were then occupied in the ministry, and it fell to the lot of Fr. Rappagliosi to visit the Miticces. He made use of this opportunity to visit another camp of the Black-feet, situated many miles farther north. In an accou~t of this excursion which he gave to his superior, he says: "These good Miticces gave me a reception fit for a pope. They sent a covered carriage to Fort Belknap for my conveyance. Ten miles from the camp, forty horsemen met me, separated into two columns and fired their guns. On the rising slope, above which they had pitched their camp, the old men, women and children stood in groups waiting for my approach, extending their hands towards me as I drew near. I hope that these good dispositions towards the minister of God wiil indl!ce them to take advantage of this opportunity." Soon, however, matters underwent a change for the worse. He thus writes to his superior: "My health is good, but our �FatlterPhilip Rappag-liosi. 105 provisions are so reduced that meat alone, and often only dry meat forms our scanty meal. The Indians cannot buy me any thing, for there are no stores along the Milk River. Mosquitoes and vermin are in abundance, and frequently our wigwams are overturned by the storm. To be drenched with rain for hours is not uncommon with me; yet blessed be the good God, I feel no effects such as rheumatism, colds etc., though, as you know, my constitution is not of the strongest." From the camp of the Miticces he set out on a long and wearisome jou'rney to visit some Black-feet encamped many miles beyond the boundary of the United States, in the British Possessions. God rewarded his zeal with the baptism of about one hundred infants. On the 19th of August he returned to our mission station, much emaciated and worn out with fatigue. At other times when returning from his excursions he would recover his lost strength after a few day's rest. But this time his recovery was slow. He often said, that he felt very weak and fatigued; notwithstanding all this he kept up his courage, and thought of nothing but of winning to God the poor, abandoned Black-feet. I remember having often advised him not to expose his health so much, but to take a little care of it, especially, since the Black-feet did not show themselves as yet disposed for conversion, on account of polygamy, which, as has been already remarked, is prevalent among them, and is, under existing circumstances, most difficult to be abolished. But he would reply.: "Some one must expose and even lose his life for the establishment of the mission." Towards the end of September, I was removed from the Black-feet mission, on the score of ill health, and then only two Fathers were left to cultivate that vast and thorny field. It was a task beyond their strength; but the scarcity of priests did not allow the superior-general to reinforce them. About the middle of November Fr. Rappagliosi put himself in readiness to visit the camps of the Black-feet along the VoL. vm-No. 2. 14 �I06 Fat!zer Plzilip Rappagliosi. river Marais, when, from the camp of the Miticces, which he had visited last summer, a messenger arrived asking for a priest to assist a dying woman. Fr. Rappagliosi had to undertake the journey. Strange, as it seemed, he embraced all before departing, and in taking leave of Fr. Negro spoke these mysterious words: "Dear brother, should I return no more, pray for the peace of my soul." On the 28th of Nov. he arrived in the camp of the Miticces; but a sad speCtacle presented itself to his eyes. The wily enemy of salvation had walked through that hopeful field and sowed the cockle. Many of thos~e·who had before shown such excellent dispositions, having been ill advised and wrongly informed of his good intentions, now shunned him, and even went so far as to insult him. This unexpeCted treatment inflieted a deep wound on his tender heart. In a letter to one of the Fathers he says that he suffered an eight days' martyrdom. He endeavored notwithstanding to work for the salvation of those who remained faithful and to prevent dissensions between the two parties. After Christmas, he went to Benton, a little town about half way between Milk River and the missionhouse, and there met Fr. Imoda, his superior, from whom he received orders to visit the Piegans up the Marais River. Fr. Imoda on bidding him farewell, n<;>_ticed that he looked somewhat pale, and thinking he was sick, told him to stay a short time to recruit his strength, or, if he felt really ill, to return to the mission-house, as he himself would take his place. But. Fr. Rappagliosi replied in these words: "I do not feel any indisposition, dear Father, but it seems to me, nevertheless, that I go to die; still I must go." On the 3d of January Fr. Rappagliosi left Benton, and reached the camp of the Miticces on the 7th, taking up his lodging in an old hut of but one apartment, owned by a certain Mr. Alexander \Veekly. Scarcely had he arrived at the camp, when he began to feel indisposed. On the 20th of January, which fell on Sunday, he said Mass and preached, though he was not well. In the afternoon he rode to another camp �Father Plzilip Rappagliosi. 107 some miles off, where he was taken ill again, and this time rather seriously.. He sent at once for Mr. Weekly, who, on receiving his message, made no delay in coming. Judging from the symptoms that the illness would be of a serious nature, he helped the Father into a carriage and brought him back to his own house. \Vhile there, Fr. Rappagliosi wrote two letters, one to his superior, who was at a distance of two hundred miles; the other to Fr. de Courby, an Oblate residing twenty miles north of the. Milk River. The letter to Fr. Imoda was entrusted to an American on his way to Benton ; the other was sent by a special messenger. The Miticces wished to call a doaor, but Fr. Rappagliosi advised them not to do so, saying that a physician could be of no assistance to him since his disease was situated principally in the heart. On January the 22d he had a violent attack of fever which deprived him of the use of his senses. On the 23d he was again well and talked freely. He asked Mr. Weekly, who had a board in his hand, whether he was going to make his coffin. On the same day a Mr. Brooks visited the Father, and was requested by him to hasten to Fort Belknap and get possession of the letter to Fr. Imoda, which had been given to the American traveller. He set out at once, succeeded in getting the letter and returned it to Fr. Rappagliosi, who, thinking that he had exaggerated the account of his sickness, tore it up. On the following night he grew worse. His senses failed him, and his mind began to wander. Towards midnight the fever became less violent, and he recovered the use of his senses. Mrs. Weekly, who had nursed him with the tenderness of a mother, offered him some nourishment. He accepted it, thanking her for her great kindness and solicitude. The Miticces also, it must be said, endeavored by every poss.ible means to bring relief to the Father; buying for him the best things in the store at Fort Belknap. "Tell the Fathers," said the sick man to Mrs. \Veekly, "that the cause of my sickness is chiefly in the heart, and �108 Fatlzer Plzilip Rappagliosi. that in my opinion, my grief, rather than my malady will bring about my death ; but I deem it a signal favor of God to allow me to die here and in the midst of you." Next morning he requested her to call in all the childre~, because, he said, he wished to recommend himself to their prayers. Then he exclaimed: "My heart rejoices at the thought, that I am to die among you. I love you all tenderly, because you are my spiritual children; and I have made an offering to God of my life for your welfare." ·when his hostess, Mrs. Weekly, told him tliat his death would leave them deprived of all spiritual..assistance, and that in those lonely regions it was not, as in Europe, where the post left vacant by the death of a priest, is quickly filled by another, he replied, that he was glad to end his days among them, because it was God's most holy will. On the 24th of January Fr. de Courby arrived. Fr. Rappagliosi was then in full possession of his senses, made his confession and received holy Communion. After Communion he again lost the use of his senses, and with the exception of a few lucid moments remained in this state until death. During these short intervals of consciousness he would call the children around his bed and make them pray. As long as Fr. Rappagliosi was:ill, Mr. Weekly, in order not to be a source of annoyance to the sick man, lived in a tent hard by. When the Father heard of it, he thanked Mr. Weekly very much for his great kindness. Meanwhile Mr. Brooks attended the missionary with the utmost care, as if he had been his own son. On the 4th of February Fr. de Courby gave Fr. Rappagliosi Extreme UnCl:ion, and then left him, having been called away by pressing duties. After his departure Fr. Rappagliosi sank rapidly. Those who attended him, lhinking his end was near, summoned around his bed a great number of Miticces, who, falling on their knees, prayed most fervently for his happy passage to eternity. "Thus amidst the prayers and tears of these good Christians, Fr. Rappagliosi gave up his soul to his Creator, on the 7th of February at 7.30 o'clock P. M. �Father P!ti!i'p Rappagliosi. . 109 Fr. Rappagliosi's remains were placed in a metal coffin, and brought to Benton. Fr. Imoda arrived the same day, and on the following morning he said a Mass of Requiem, at which many Catholics assisted. The corpse was then conveyed to the mission of St. Peter where another Mass was said, and thence to· Helena. At Helena many Catholics of the city went out with hearse and carriages to meet the stage-coach thinking that it would bring the body. But it came by wagon, and arrived much later. After High Mass on Sunday, the 17th, it was carried in procession through the church; and after the last rites had been performed over it, and an appropriate funeral address delivered, it was laid to rest in the vault under the sacristy. Fr. Rappagliosi sleeps in the peace of the Lord, and his memory is held in benediction. Protestants as well as Catholics speak of him as of an apostle and saint. The poor Indians, who always found in him a true friend, a kind benefactor and a tender father, especially grieved over his death. On hearing of it, they were inconsolable and prayed with many tears for his soul. At the missions of St. Mary and St. Ignatius, solemn Mass was sung, at which many went to Communion. The Coeur d'Ait~nes, who knew the Father only by report, received the news of his death with mourning, and the chief of their tribe offered the superior of that mission money for celebrating a solemn Mass of Requiem. The superior refused the money, but celebrated the Mass, at which the Indians sang and many communicated. Some of the Flat- heads and Pend'oreilles, in passing through Helena, asked to see the grave of the Father, and when at the place, prayed on their knees most devoutly. God seems to have required the life of th~ Father as a pledge for the success of the mission. His end is worthy of a true son of the Society, for he fell with honor on the field of his labors.-R. I. P. �FATHER JOSEPH LOUIS DUVERNEY. Fr. Joseph Louis Duverney was born in Switzerland on the 30th of December, 1806, and entered the Society on the 8th of OCl:ober, 1825. Twenty-two years later, towards the end of 1847, he left Europe for America, just when the revolution had commenced that work of ravage and persecution, of wni"Ch we do not yet see the beginning of the end. The Swiss revolutionists, followed afterwards by those of other countries, started by proscribing the Jesuits, robbed them of their property and vexed them in other ways. Thus, a few months after Fr. Durverney had arrived in America, he was followed by several of his companions of the Swiss province, who came to seek shelter in the States. Little is known to me of Fr. Duverney's life in Europe except_ that he taught rhetoric with applause, and that after he had finished his studies he was applied to the teaching of the sacred sciences, especially Holy Scripture. Mgr. Mermillod, the present bishop of Geneva, was one of his pupils. If we except the last few ye.'.lrs, which were spent in retirement, and a sho.!t time employed in the ministry at St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia, we may say, that his professorship of theology, and sacred literature extended from his ordination until the end of his life, to the great satisfaCtion of all who had the good fortune to be his scholars. On account of the depth and clearness of his mind he was much devoted to St. Thomas, and was also a great admirer of Cardinal Bellarmine, whom he considered a man chosen by Divine Providence for the calamitous times in which he lived and for succeeding times, too. But his author of predileCtion was St. Augustine, whose works he had read over and. over again and transfused, so to say, into his own blood. He was so fond of them that he could not bear to (11o) �Father Joseplz Louis Duvcrney. III hear of the least divergence from the teaching of the holy doCtor, whom he was accustomed to call The Master. In the year I847, the congregation of Procurators was held in Rome, and Fr. Thomas Mulledy was the Procurator for the Province of Maryland. Towards the second part of the same year, Rev. Fr. John Roothaan had appointed Fr. Ignatius Brocard, who was then in Italy, to govern the Province of Maryland. Fr. Brocard, a fellow-countryman of Fr. Duverney, had been Provincial of the Swiss Province, and after the term of his administration he was called to Italy, and appointed ReCtor in one of the colleges of the Romagna, where he was much esteemed and beloved. Soon after his new appointment for Maryland, he went to Rome to confer with Fr. General, and, shortly after, started for France. There he met Fr. Duverney and Fr. Bague, who were to go with him to Georgetown. After a few days they sailed for America. But they had not yet crossed one third of the Atlantic, when they had to go back to France. The vessel was found to be leaking so badly, as to render perilous any attempt to reach the American shores. Having returned to Havre, they were obliged to wait there for the departure of another vessel. In this Fr. T. M ulledy, returning from the congregation, had secured a place for himself. The company of Fr. Mulledy was of great service to them; and this good Father, who was always very cheerful, made their sea voyage very agreeable to them. Immediately after his arrival at Georgetown, Fr. Duverney was appointed to teach theology to eight or ten Scholastics, among whom was our lamented Fr. Angelo Paresce. Two or three years later he was sent to St. Joseph's, as said above ; but soon afterwards he returned to his former office. Later on he was sent to Fordham in the same capacity, and then returned once more to Georgetown, there to remain until a common scholasticate was provisionally opened in the building of the present Boston College, in the year I86o. But on account of the civil war which was then �112 Fat/zer Joseph Louis Duverney. desolating the country, and for other reasons, the common scholasticate had to be dissolved, waiting for a better time to open it again in a locality permanently destined for this purpose. Meanwhile Fr. Duverney returned to Georgetown with the other professors and the scholastics of the Province of Maryland. As soon as the war was over, Fr. A. Paresce, then Provincial, took the first steps towards building a house for a scholasticate, much encouraged by Rev. Fr. General and by the desire of many others, especially our scholastics. The efforts and labors of good Fr. Paresce were crowned with success;-and on the 2 r st of Sept., 1 86g, the Woodstock Scholasticate was opened and Fr. Duverney was one of the professors. His class was that of Hebrew. But his constitution enfeebled by age and labor did not allow him to continue much longer in his office. He returned to Georgetown and afterwards passed to the Novitiate at Frederick, where he spent his last years. There he devoted a part of his time to the literary instruCtion of the novices, an office which pleased him exceedingly. He was much attached to his young pupils in whose progress he took the greatest interest. There is no need to add that his pupils were likewise very much attached to him. In an interview, which Fr. Duverney had with the Father supe_rior of the Novitiate, on his death bed, shortly before he dTed, he recommended him in a particular manner to take care of his· young men, of whom he spoke words full of kindness. He died in·full possession of his mental faculties, after having received all the Sacraments, with that disposition which was to be expeCted after a long religious and edifying life. Fr. Duverney possessed an uncommon store of knowledge both in literature and the sacred sciences. He was a great reader, and because of his remarkable gift of memory, he was never appiied to for information in vain. The same excellent. memory assisted him in becoming acquainted with varibus languages both ancient and modern. Besides French, his native tongue, he could speak fluently and well �Fatlter Joscp!t Louis Duverney. I 13 German and English, and he knew enough of Spanish and Italian to be able to hear confessions in these languages. Having been professor for a number of years of the Hebrew language, he was conversant with it, as well as with the Latin and Greek tongues. For the latter of these languages he had a particular attraCtion, and he was deservedly considered an excellent Hellenist. His modesty was equal to his ability and his conversation was no less agreeable than instruCtive. The writer of this short memorandum remembers with pleasure the many hours he has passed conversing with dear Fr. Duverney during a long period of years, and professes himself indebted to him for much information which this protraCted intercourse procured him. \Vould to God that the many examples of his edifying soul had proved equally beneficial to him, especially his modesty. He never spoke of himself or made the least allusion to what he knew or what he could do. In faa he considered what he could do and did as of little value and not worth being preserved. His modesty was the result of a maxim deeply rooted in his heart i. e. the main and even the solr! obstacle to grace, is pride. He was very zealous for the exaCt: observance of the Institute, every violation of which he regarded as disastrous. Let his good soul rest in peace, and God grant that we may be reunited in a better life never to be separated again. VoL. vm-No. 2. rs �FATHER CAMILLUS VICINANZA. Father Camillus Vicinanza, departed this life Dec. 30th, 1878. He was born in Naples, Italy, July 23d, 1814. After a youth spent in pious preparation for the ecclesiastical state, and a course of studies concluding with philosophy and made with distinguished success, he entered the Society of Jesus, July Z.sth, 1832; commenced his theological studies in 1841; came to America in 1845; was ordained priest in 1846; and on account of his extraordinary virtue and learning, was made a professed Father, Aug. 15th, 1851. He was employed in teaching philosophy and in other important dutie3 in Georgetown, D. C., Frederick Md., Alexandria Va. and Baltimore till 1853; when he was stationed at St. Thomas' l\Ianor, Charles Co., Md. ACtive, energetic, untiring, he performed the various duties of the sacred n~inistry till 1872; when he was transferred to Leonardtown, St. Mary's Co., Md., and here he continued his apostolic labors till a few weeks before his death. Fr. Vicinanza resided for nearly ninet!;en years in Charles county, Md., and seven in St. Mary's county. He was pastor of all the churches attached to St. Thomas' Residence at various times. After the death of Frs. Barber and Woodly, and the removal of Fr. Barrister on account of ill health, he became superior of the mission. During this time, whilst the financial condition of the house, was very much depressed, on account of the war and other causes, he was compelled to make various improvements and repairs on the main and out-buildings, which had been hardly completed, when a fire destroyed most of what he had done. And then to this serious disaster, in the following year, the 29th of D'ec., 1866, was added the burning of the church and residence. Nothing was saved except the vestments. (I 14) �Fat!ter Cami!!us Vici1lanza. 115 Fr. Vicinanza had incessantly importuned the Rev. Fr. Provincial from the moment he had been burdened by the care of the temporal aff<tirs, to be relieved. His great humility and his love of spiritual recolleCtion prompted him alike to urge the petition, now that a new source of distraction was thus forced upon him. His wish was granted, and he thenceforward attended the missions of Newport, Pomfret and Cornwallis Neck, until his removal to St. Mary's county. This was caused by his increasing age and infirmities. He was greatly attached to the place, where he had labored so long. It was then a severe trial of obedience that took him away, and none felt it more keenly than the fellow missioner, whom he left behind to struggle on, amidst the privations of an impoverished people, and the expenses of repairing the ruins of the fire. It was like taking away the best, the most experienced officer in the very crisis of the battle. He had become old on the missionary field of Charles. Every one he met was his friend, every face was familiar, every turn on the road was mapped out on his mind. The other Father accompanied him to Leonardtown as a slight token of the affeCtion which was due to one who labored so long and so earnestly for the spiritual and tern· poral welfare of St. Thomas' mission. Fr. Vicinanza was an example of spirituality; wherever he went-, he carried with him a copy of Baxter's meditations, and he invariably made his hour of meditation before he left the house where he had lodged for the night. At home he was like a hermit of the desert, being most punCtual and regular at all the duties of a regular community, having his hours to visit our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and other self-imposed devotions. During the long years of his missionary life, he was necessitated to say the late Mass, preach, attend to the instruCtion of the children, hear confessions and administer the other Sacraments every Sunday. He usually left St. Thomas' residence on Friday afternoon, returning only on �II6 Fat/zer Camillus Vicinmzza. Monday or Tuesday. Obliged to live in the midst of seculars, eating at their table, becoming one of their family, no one could ever repeat a hasty or thoughtless word as coming from his mouth. He was kind, but reserved with that dignity which becomes a priest of God, and the pastor of his people. He was an utter stranger to unmeaning compliments, and held in horror frivolous jokes as destruCtive of all religious recolleCtion and sacerdotal edification. In the Lenten season his whole time was employed in giving stations from house to house, affording no one a pretext for negleCting the.paschal duty. He manifested a surprising and untiring energy in colleCting funds for the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy Childhood, and I venture to say, that no priest in the United States, however favorably he might be located, did more than he for these twofold objeCts. Fr. Vicinanza was a model Je!Suit, a man of tender piety, profound humility, burning zeal and life-long mortification. In Charles and St. Mary's counties, his name will long be held in oenediction by those who were the witnesses of the heroic virtues, which he endeavored in vain to conceal. His charity, gentleness, meekness, child-like simplicity, and, above all, his seraphic ardor whenever h_e offered the Holy Sacrifice, will continue in the future, as· they have been in the past, subjeCts of admiration and praise for his devoted flock. May they remember in prayer the soul of their father, friend and benefaCtor, especially when they meet in the chapels and kneel at the altars, where he served them so long and so well.-R. I. P. �APPENDIX. I-EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN LETTERS. Some interesting information concerning the new mission of Mangalore, will be found in the two letters, which we take from the German "Catholic Missions," published by our Fathers ,of the German Province; and in the extracts from the first pastoral of Fr. Pagani, the pro-vicar apostolic, which he very kindly sent to us. "In order to bring down the blessing of heaven on this important enterprise," writes Fr. q. Ehrle, to his brother, "we visited the tomb of St. Fr. Xavier in Goa, at the time when his precious body was exposed for the veneration ·of the faithful. Leaving Bomb,ay on the steamer Alabama, we arrived at New-Goa in twenty-four hours, from which place it took us two hours to get to Old-Goa. My first visit was to the professed house of Bom Jesus, to which I found my way by following the crowd of pilgrims. The relics were exposed in a glass case, in the middle of the church, and were so placed that the whole body could be seen and the feet kissed by the numerous pilgrims. After our visit, His Grace the Archbishop of Goa showed us the several churches of the city, and in the evening returned to the professed house, to close the relics for the night. We passed the night at St. Monica, a large Augustinian monastery, which serves as a hotel for pilgrims. The following morning, I celebrated Mass at the tomb of the saint, and spent the rest of the day in visiting the wonderful ruins of the churches of the Carmelites, Dominicans etc. In the evening we embarked on the mail boat for the south, and after thirty-six hours reached Man galore. We were received at landing with a salute of cannon by a great concourse of (117) �II8 Extrafls from Foreign Letters. Christians under the direCtion of two Carmelites Frs. ViEtor and Irena!us, who conduCted us to a richly prepared hall, where an address of welcome was read, to which the new pro-vicar replied. After the reception, we \Vent to the Cathedral, near Jepoo, the residence of the bishop and the seminarians; the latter formerly numbered twenty-five. For want of priests and means the seminary had been closed for some months, but we will open it again in a few days, as we have received a promise of attendance from eight former seminarians. \Vhen more of the Fathers understand English, we will open high school, to prepare young men for the English University and for high stations. At present one hundred Catholic scholars attend the government schools. In this place the Swiss Protestant Missionaries from Basle have a high school; they possess a bookstore with printing press, but these advantages do not bring them any converts. Our Christians rejoiced exceedingly, at the great fear of the missionaries for the Jesuits; for, they warned the people, to keep away from the Jesuits as they would from tfie devil, and to avoid them, especially, in the streets. This warning, however, had no other result, than to bring new ridicule on the preachers." To this letter of Father 0. Ehrle we add one from Father Mutti, dated January 12th, I-879, and written to a benefaCtress of the mission.-"On our arrival here, the general aspeCt of poverty almost caused us to lose hope, but your kind letter shows us that Divine Providencedoes not forget to send us help. The poor Carmelite Fathers were sadly calumniated, because it was beyond their power to meet all the expeCtations of the people. Unable to support their seminarians, they were obliged to close the seminary, and last month their necessities be· came so urgent, that they were compelled to sell even the sacred vessels. From this you may judge of our extreme poverty;' for the mission does not possess any income, and the donations of St. Xavier's Society and of the Holy �Extrafls from Forei'gn Letters. 119 Childhood do not suffice, to pay half the expenses of our various institutions. But the people expect us to do even more, and hence on our arrival they welcomed us as angels from Heaven; more than fifteen thousand person~ were present at the landing place. They expect us to build schools and colleges; but for this we have not the means. Hence we ask relief from all quarters; money, sacred vessels and vestments for the service, and such like things will be gratefully accepted. Among the two millions of souls, there are only fifty-four thousand Catholics.-What a glorious field for the zeal of missionaries! Ask of St. Francis to grant us some of his apostolic spirit, that this part of the vineyard of the Lord may flourish and bring forth spiritual fruits in abundance." From tlze Pastoral of Fr. Pagani'. The wishes of the Holy See, which the Society of Jesus always looks upon as commands, have prevailed upon the General of that Society to undertake the spiritual charge of this apostolic vicariate of Mangalore. \Ve know full well, how very difficult in the execution and how embarrassing those commands have proved to the superiors of the Society. A large number of its missionaries already work in the different quarters of the globe, and the cry from the wide realms of Asia, from America, from Africa; from Australia, even from the furthermost limits of Europe itself, is constantly heard, that more missionaries are wanted, both to supply the place of those that have fallen victims to their zeal and to enlarge the field of their operations. Again the superiors were loath to take upon themselves the cultivation of a missionary field which the venerable Order of Carmel for a long succession of years, in times of troubles and difficulties, and when other laborers were wanting, had worked with noble self-sacrifice, zeal and prudence. It was then natural that they drew back, and for long months again and again entreated the Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius IX, of ever glorious memory, for the reasons specified, to �120 Extra[ls from Forczf:n Letters. allow the Society to decline the proffered mission. But their petitions proved unavailing, and with that reverence and submission to the Holy See, which the Society fosters and cherishes even by special rule, they then submitted to the declared wish of him, in whose will we cannot fail to acknowledge the will of God Himsel( However \Veak we are_. however difficult under present circumstances the task may be, which we are bid to undertake, yet mindful of the encouraging words of the Apostle: "I can do all things in Him who strengtheneth me," we bow to that sacred will, and come to- you as the messengers of God, sent to you by that authority which alone has the right to send missionaries to preach the Gospel of God in the name of God. We have not come among you of our own choice, we are not those, of whom the Holy Spirit complains : "The Prophets prophesy falsely in my name : I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, nor have I spoken to them : they pro· phesy unto you a lying vision and damnation and the seduClion of their own heart." \Ve come to you in the name of the ~Lord, to preach to you and to foster among you the faith of almost nineteen centuries, sealed by the blood that flowed from the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and preached to your fathers by the glorious St. Franc;ls Xavier, whose unworthy brethren we are. It is inde~d·a great consolation to us to be allowed to continue the work which he commenced in these parts, and, treading in his footsteps, to revisit the spots, the villages, hallowed by his presence; to preach the faith to the spiritual children of St. Francis Xavier by the instrumentality of children of that same Society, whose pillar and brilliant crown he was. * * * * \Ne are glad to see schools already existing in different localities of the vicariate, notably in Mangalore, Cananore and Calicut, established and supported by several of the Reverend members of the venerable Carmelite Order, and by the zealous Christian Brothers, and some by the zeal of the laity. These should be fostered, others established, and all brought to that perfeClion, which our school-going age �Extrafls from Foreign Letters. 121 seems to require. In the execution of these our endeavors, we must of course look to you, beloved brethren, for help and counsel. To realize all our hopes, it may take years yet. You are aware, beloved brethren, that all great things sprang from small beginnings, must be made to rest on a solid basis; the more carefully, and let me add, the more slowly the work of laying the foundation is carried on, the safer and the more economical will the upper structure be found at the end. This too is the principle we shall be guided by, in taking in hand our educational work. Look to Bombay with its magnificent schools and convents, deservedly the pride of the Catholics of that vicariate and the admiration of Protestants and Pagans alike. Bombay, as you may know is the great emporium of trade of Western India, populous and wealthy. The Government of that Presidency met the private efforts of the Catholics with unwonted liberality in granting sites for building, in furnishing large pecuniary help to erect those admirable piles at the capital of the Presidency, and the capitals of the provinces. The Chaplains, doing duty with the troops, contributed largely to the building funds, the laity too were not behindhand in generosity at the repeated calls of the ecclesiastical superiors. And yet it took Bombay full twenty years to raise its educational system to present perfection. We are then not to lose courage, if our progress in this line gets along at a slow pace, provided always that it does not stand still, nor retrogress. Here too we must recall to mind the words of Scripture : In your patience you will save your souls. We certainly have not many of the advantages which Bombay enjoyed ; but I think, we will commence our onward course at a starting point higher than that at which Bombay commenced. Our vicariate possesses already several Catholic schools, which in their own way, do an immense good; Bombay in 1858, had no English school whatever save one, which the superiors had just then succeeded in rescuing from rum. We are happy to see the VoL. vm-No. 2. 16 �122 Extracts from Foreig-1l Letters. pious and zealous Christian Brothers in our vicariate, working hard and steadily and successfully in the field of divine glory. Bombay had then nothing of the sort. The Catholic population of the vicariate of Bombay is smaller than ours, and they are not blessed with riches. Ours is by one-third, almost one-half, more numerous. Beloved brethren, let us but have that unity among ourselves, which sinks private quarrels, and views, and wishes in the general impulse for the good end ; let us but have that Christian faith by which we see in our ecclesiastical superiors the natural guides set over us by Gpd, and to whom we religiously must submit, that same gen-~rosity for which some congregations of the Bombay vicariate are renowned, and we shall have the happiness in far less time than we at ·first thought, to see our wishes realized. Let us all be animated with that faith, of which we have spoken above, and though difficulties should lie in our way mountains-high, faith will overcome those mountains. May our Lord Jesus Christ grant you always that lively faith which worketh by charity and grace abundant to walk always with circumspeCtion and edification in the way of truth, preserving inviolate from all stains the virginity of your faith. Tanzopol (Austria);· March 2d, I879· Rev. Fr., P. C.-"For some years we have had but a small number of students at our college in Tarnopol. No doubt, your Reverence is fully aware of the reasons of this fact. Before the year 1848, we had three colleges, all in a flourishing condition in Galicia; and here, besides the present college for the children of the nobility, the State high school. When we returned in the year 1856, we no longer direCted the course in this latter institution, nor had we our two other colleges of Leopol and Sandec. Besides, we have no houses in the portion of Poland subjeCt to Prussia'and Russia, but only in Galicia, which is under the dominion of Austria. Hence the difficulty of procuring �Varia. 123 students from any other quarter than from Galicia. You know full well how Russia tyrannizes over the Polish families, forbidding them to educate their children; outside of the empire. "But, though this state of affairs is very disheartening, matters are beginning to brighten a little, and I am happy to be able to tell your Reverence that the number of our students has gone on increasing; perhaps, there will be an additional increase after Easter. Alas! if the iron gates of Russia would only open, we would have crowds of children coming forth to us. If your Reverence only knew the difficulties which hinder the youth of that country from coming to us! One crossed the frontier, carried in a sack upon the shoulders of a peasant. Another, a very little fellow, was hidden by his mother under her cloak, and the good lady, offering some pretext for not descending from the carriage at the frontier, when stopped by the officials, brought us her little treasure in safety." VARIA. Clzina - The Ministeria Spiritualia of the mission of Kiang-nan, from July r877, to July 1878, were as follows: 839 Baptisms of adults Baptisms of children of Christian parents 3.797 Baptisms of children of infidel parents 16,844 Children nursed 6,093 Confirmations 2,295 61,884 Confessions during missions Communions during missions 54.320 Confessions of devotion 207.786 Communions of devotion 246,995 r,66o Extreme Unctions �124 Varia. Marriages Marriages made valid Sermons Catechisms Colorado-To the three Residences which the Neapolitan Province already has in Colorado, a fourth one is very likely to be added next September at Denver, the capital of the State and a very thriving town. France-In·opposition toM. Ferry's Educational Bill, by which Religious Orders would be excluded from teaching, bishops, priests and laymen alike have raised their voice. In their protestations and addresses, our Society is particularly alluded to, as it is also the main object of attack. We are glad to be able to insert the following passage from an address delivered by M. Chesnelong at a convention of Catholic laymen held in Paris, April 15-19. We take it from theN. Y. Freeman's Journal of May the 10th:"But ~why should I go to the past? Have we not seen, rising up here among ourselves, during the last quarter of a century, a new generation which is the living apologist of the masters that created it? Y au have seen it whenever the Christian activity of our age display~ itself, taking the lead in devotion to every cause that the noblest hearts can be inspired to. You have seen it upon the fields of Castelfidardo, and Mentana, of Patay and the plains of Avron, showing that all kinds of courage are kindred, and that a love of country is kindled at the same altar as love for God and for His Church. (Applause.) Who formed this generation ? Who inspired these souls? Who fashioned these hearts, so Christian and so patriotically Intrepid? To mention only one of the schools that have contributed to this work: The school of St. Genevieve supplied down to 1870, 2,283 pupils to our military schools; 1,093 of these took part in the late war; 86 fell upon the field of battle ; and �Varia. 125 I84 were decorated. (Great applause.) All honor then, gentlemen, to the Religious Communities which, under the proteCtion of the law of I 8 50, have blessed France with institutions of secondary education which gave birth to this believing and valiant generation, and which is a consolation to the Church and a hope to our country." Besides, graduates of several of our colleges have taken in hand the defence of the rights of their former teachers : sending their united petitions to the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies in their behalf. Moreover, the fathers of the students of our college at Lille have addressed a petition of like import to the French Legislature, claiming as their unquestionable right to have their sons taught by men, eminently competent, in their opinion, to give the desired instruCtion and education. The education of the child, they wisely argue, belongs to the parents, not to the State; and this would be a right in name only, were the State to exclude from the office of teaching, a large body of French Citizens. They next speak of the entire satisfaCtion the Fathers of the Society had given them, in making of the young men entrusted to their care, true Frenchmen as well as true Christians. :Japan- Some newspapers spread the report that the Holy Father had given the mission of Japan to one whom they styled "The Provincial of Lombardy." This piece of news was by many taken to be true. The faCt is what our readers know already, namely, that the mission of Mangalore was entrusted by our V. Rev. Fr. General to the Province of Venice, of wl~ich Lombardy forms a part. Kansas-On the 3d of Feb. 1879, St. Mary's College was entirely destroyed by fire. At about I 2.15 P. M., while the community were at dinner, the people on the streets, noticing considerable smoke issuing from the roof of the college, raised the cry of fire, and rushed towards the building. The �126 Varia. fire had broken out just under the roof; and owing to the dense smoke, it was impossible to reach the upper story. The only thing to be done was to save as much of the furniture as possible. Accordingly, to this every effort was direcred. Each story in succession was cleared of bedclothes, books, desks, etc., and then a line was formed and buckets of water passed up to stop, or at least check, the progress of the fire. The third floor was covered with blankets, sprinkled with plenty of salt and then well soaked with water; this succeeded so well that the fire received a sensible check:· A dispatch had been sent to Topeka for a fire engine, and all hearts leaped for joy, when at 3· 15 o'clock the train came in sight. In about half an hour more the engine was at work and hopes of saving the remainder of the building were raised, but were soon blasted by the giving out of the supply of water. Nothing remains of our noble institution but bare walls. The college was built eight years ago at an expense of $70,000. It was five stories high, thoroug_hly furnished, and, at the time of the fire, attended by ninety-eight boarders. The Fathers and students are at present domiciled in the building generously vacated by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart., where classes were resumed almost immediately, and things are already in their normal condition. On April I rth, a second fire occurred by which the stable containing all the horses and mules, was destroyed. The fire was discovered about a quarter past I I o'clock at night by some students who noticed the glare on the dormitory windows. The alarm was immediately given but the fire had already made such headway that it was impossible to enter the building; a few stalls were broken open, but only one colt was saved. The remainder of the stock, consisting of twenty-three horses and mules perished. All the valuable prope~ty of the college, except this barn, was insured. Tlie entire loss therefore of the barn and its contents, amounting to about $5,000, will fall upon the Fathers. The fire seems to have been the work of an incendiary. �Varia. 127 Missouri- The Golden Jubilee or fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the St. Louis University will be celebrated on the 24th of June of the present year. The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII, has sent his blessing to those connetted with the University.- Fr. Hill has prepared a history of the rise and progress of the Institution, which is said to contain also an account of the foundation of the :Missouri Province. To add solemnity to the occasion, the graduates of the University who have not yet taken out their degree of A.M., have been invited to apply for the same, and to be present at the celebration, as also at the annual commencement on the day following, June zsth, to receive their degrees. SpaiJZ- Towards the end of February, a mission was given at Barcelona by fourteen Fathers, from the Provinces of Aragon and Castile. The mission was given simultaneously in seven large churches. Our Lord was pleased to bless their labors abundantly. More than fifty thousand persons received Holy Communion. These missions were immediately followed by seven others, in smaller churches of the city, during which there were more than twenty-two thousand communicants. D. 0. M. ��WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. VIII, No. 3· A SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JAMES OLIVER VAN DE VELDE, S. J. · (Continued.) These facts, though very imperfectly stated, suffice to show that Fr. Van de Velde, both as president of the St. Louis University, and as vice provincial of Missouri, did much to advance our Society in the \Vest, to increase its useful works, to educate its young members, and stimulate their zeal for higher things. But his merit and success did not lessen the glory of those who preceded him in the same works. Indeed too much praise cannot be given the noble band of pioneers who in 1 823 first began this mission, who first cleared the land for it, built its first cabins, enduring, meantime, the hardships of much toil and much poverty. They did their work well, they opened a path through the wilderness; they prepared a field for others to cultivate ; they were resolute precursors who leveled the difficulties which stood in the way of a good beginning. Fr. Van de V elde, and his successors, using the material which had been collected, built up the structure with its present dimensions; and both parties are honored in the work. Father Van de Velde was an instance of what well directed and judicious education can accomplish for one who is duly disposed to receive its formative influence. I shall VoL. vm-No. 3· 17 (129) �I 30 Biograpltical Sketclt ofJames 0. Van de Veldc, S.J. not here speak, however, of that piety and religious observance of rules which are common to every genuine Jesuit ; he possessed the· true spirit of St. Ignatius, in an eminent degree; the present aim in view is to consider the manner in which he employed the gifts received by him from nature and his position, as means to promote the glory of God. Besides being learned in theology, philosophy, and mathematics, all of which branches he taught at different times in his life, Father Van de Velde was a good linguist; over and above the ancient classic languages and his vernacular tongue, he could speak and write with fluency the French, Italian, and Spanish; preaching sermons in those languages, when the occasion required it. He preached to the Spanish in New Orleans, on one occasion, and his pronunciation was so perfect that he was taken to be a Spaniard. He was also able to hear confessions, and give simple instructions, in the German and Polish languages. But after reaching the United States, he made it a special objeEt to master thorough]y the English language, the one which he was henceforth principally to use; and few native scholars ever so completely mastered its pronunciation, its grammar, and the various beauties of its literature, as he did. He did not seek to become a Trismegistus; yet, he lear_ned many things, and he learned them well, aiming especially to perfect himself in those branches which would make him efficient and useful to our Society in the United States. He said that he expected little future usefulnsss from the young member who evinced no desire to speak and write the language of the country with propriety and elegance; whereas industry and application in such pursuits, he regarded as a very prom1smg sign in our young men. The few published lectures and essays of Father Van de Velde, might be proposed as samples of correctness in the use of words, strict grammatic~! propriety in the structure of sentences, and of good taste and elegance in all that combines to make a finished composition. A passage, selected almost at ran- �Biog-rapltical Sketclt o.fJames 0. Van de Velde, S.J. I 3I dom, as a specimen of his style, is here transcribed from a lecture given by him in the Cathedral of St. Louis, July 4th, I84I: after citing Socrates' rebuke to the Athenians for their vices, which he translates into language of remarkable beauty, he says: "It is a truth supported by the strongest evidence of history, that the civil government derives all its energy from the morality of the people, and that its security and stability depend on the virtuous conduct of the citizens. For, not to speak of that solemn aCt: of religion, by which the civil and judicial authorities of the state bind themselves before God and the people, when, on entering upon the discharge of their respective functions, they place their hands upon the holy Evangels, and call upon the Almighty to witness the purity of their motives and intentions,-! maintain that religion alone can efficiently counteract the violence of human depravity, and restrain the lawless passions of our corrupt nature. "Laws may be enacted against the perpetration of crimes; punishments may be decreed against the convicted culprit; but unless man has learned in the school of religion to subdue his evil propensities, he will become the tool of his ungovernable passions ; he will despise the laws, and scorn the fear of punishment, when he has the least hope of evading the enactments of the lawgiver, or of escaping the terrors of human justice. ~he laws may frighten vice ip.to submission, but they cannot reform the vicious. Justice may be stern and inexorable ; its vengeful sword may leap from its scabbard and crimson the earth with the blood of its victims; but as it does not destroy the root of the evil, it will scarcely thin the number of the guilty. In spite of the penal laws that exist in our republic, the robber still infests society ; human blood is still frequently shed by the murderer; the degraded victim of beastly intoxication is often found in our public streets; acts of fraud and violence are almost daily occurrences; and the repose of society is not unfrequently disturbed by the commission of crimes of �132 Biograplzical Sketclt ofJames 0. Vall de Velde, S.J almost every description. And whence proceeds all this? Not certainly from a defeCt: in our civil and penal laws, but from a deficiency of reCtitude in those who transgress them. They are evils which the laws may check, but which they cannot remove; they may occasionally deter man from the perpetration of glaring crimes, but they cannot implant in his heart the love of virtue and the hatred of vice; they may compel the vietim of vice and passion to hide his enormities behind the veil of hypocrisy, but they cannot impress on his mind those solid and estimable principles that prompt the·loyal citizen to comply with all his duties from a sense of moral reCtitude, without fear of punishment or hope.of reward. This religion alone can effeCt:. Hence the truth of the conclusion, that she is the parent of genuine patriotism. Wlzere tlze spirit of tlze Lord is, tlzere is liberty." Father Van de Velde was convinced that industry and perseverance constitute the talent which, in praCtice, leads to success ; that they suffice to make the student of only average ability excel in all the acquirements which adorn the good -priest or the useful professor in college. \Vhereas, indolence and lack of commendable ambition or desire to succeed, leave the choicest mental gifts of nature hidden and dormant in the idler ; the most hjgl1ly favored mind will remain rude and uncultivated, even 'to the end of a long, but misspent life. On June 3rd 1848, Father Van de Velde was succeeded in the office of vice provincial by Father John A. Elet: Father Van de Velde was appointed socius of the vice provincial, and procurator of the vice province : he continued to perform the duties of these offices till the beginning of I 849. At the beginning of December I 848 Archbishop Eccleston received the bulls appointing Father Van de Velde Bishop of Chicago. When the Archbishop of Baltimore conveyed these documents, which had reached him on December 1st, to Father Van de Velde, the latter at once resolved to decline the honor thus proffered him. But �Biograpltical Skdclz ojJames 0. Van de Ve!de, S.J. 133 after reading the papers as sent to him, he began to doubt his liberty to rP.fuse the office ; the matter was referred to the Archbishop of St. Louis, Most Rev. Peter Richard Kenrick, who thought that a precept was imposed by the bulls on Father Van de Velde; and in this opinion, three theologians concurred, after a mature examination of the case. Father Van de V elde thereupon determined that he was no longer at liberty to doubt concerning what was his duty, and accordingly he declared his consent to accept the responsibility. There was some difference of opinion at the time, and afterwards, among our Fathers, as to the meaning of the bulls, and as to the faCt of their imposing a precept of obedience on Father Van de Velde. But both sides in the discussion meant well. Though Father Van de Velde, on being consecrated bishop, was released from his religious vows, yet, when he visited Rome some three years later, his Holiness Pius IX. reinstated him in our Spciety, without, however, taking from his shoulders the burden of the episcopacy. His often repeated requests, afterwards, to be relieved· of his burden, only served to manifest the high esteem in which he was held by the Sovereign Pontiff; and in an audience given him in June 1852, when he went to Rome with the decrees of the Baltimore Council of that year, although he earnestly petitioned to be released from his episcopal office and duties, the Pontiff declined to grant his petition, but instead, restored him to our Society, as before stated, and thus Bishop Van de Velde gained the principal objeCt intended by him. He was consecrated by Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick in St. Louis on Sunday February I Ith 1849, Bishop Miles and Bishop Loras assisting in the ceremony. Bishop Spalding coadjutor of Bishop Flaget preached a sermon for the occasion. Bishop Van de Velde reached Chicago, his episcopal see, on the following Palm Sunday ; and he began the first visitation of his diocese on July the zsth 1849· Chicago was then but a frontier town ; and law and order �134 Biograp!tical Sketc!t ofJames 0. Van de Velde, S.J do not usually become supreme at once, in a border settle~ent. All the northern and western parts of Illinois were then rapidly filling up with a miscellaneous population from the more crowded Eastern States, and the few Catholics among them were mostly Irish and German emigrants who had just arrived from Europe. Many of the priests then serving the Catholic!? settled in those distriCts of Illinois, had been ordained for other dioceses, and had subsequently obtained "the exeat." Bishop Van de Velde discovered, on making his visitation, that he had assumed a burden \vhich was fa;··greater than he had anticipated, and encountered insubordination, and even scandals. Chicago could scarcely be said then to have been really and completely organised into a diocese, though it had been nominally such for some years. During his visitation of Prairie du Rocher and Kaskaskia in 1849, he found, by the help of some old records there, and the traditions of the neighborhood, the remains of Father ~ouis Sebastian Meurin, S. J. who had died there Febr'y 23rd 1777. Father Meurin had been at Vincennes, or, as it was long called, Fort St. Vincent, from 1749 to 1 753· He spent the remaining part of his life attending this place, and various other missions,)naking his home at Prairie du Rocher or Kaskaskia. At th.e time of his death, his companion on these missions was Father Gibault, who for the important service rendered by him to General George Rogers Clarke against the British in 1778, received the public thanks of Virginia: Father Gibault induced the French and Indians at Fort St. Vincent or Vincennes, to take sides with the Americans against the English, after General Clarke had taken Kaskaskia and Cahokia in 1778. Father Gibault administered the last sacraments to Father Meurin, it may be assumed. Bishop Van de Velde took up the r~·mains of Father Meurin and removed them to our beautiful little graveyard at St. Stanislaus' Novitiate, near Florissant, Missouri, in 1849, where they are with those of �Biograpltica! Sketclt ofJames 0. Vall de Ve!de, S.J. 135 Father Van Quickenborne, Father de Smet, Fathers Van Assche, Verh<egen, etc., there forming, as he expressed it, •·a link that joins the old Society with the restored Society." Bishop Van de Velde in the diocese of Chicago, which then included the entire State of Illinois, was as a fish out of the water. The difficulties with which he had to contend, especially in the city of Chicago, soon broke him down, both in health and spirits. His suppliant petitions for permission to resign, were answered with letters of encouragement and consolation : but his wish to be relieved of his burden was not yielded to. After the death of Bishop Chance, in I 8 52, the diocese of Natchez became vacant; and when it had become known at Rome that Bishop Van de Velde's strength and energies were wasting away on the cold and incongenial shores of lake Michigan, it was decided to transfer him to a milder climate. He was changed to the See of Natchez, Mississippi, by a decree issued July 29th 1853. He reached Natchez on November 23rd, 1853; but before taking formal possession of his new See, he proceeded to Spring Hill College, near Mobile, Alabama, there going through the exercises of ;m eight days retreat. He returned to Natchez and took final possession of the diocese on December r8th 1853. There were then, and there are now, but few Catholics in the State of Mississippi; they are widely scattered and are in general very poor. There was a pretty good congregation at Vicksburg, which was then somewhat divided with dissensions; and there was a less numerous one at Natchez; but in no other place were there at that time more than a few families, as at Jackson, Canton, Yazoo City, Holly Springs, etc. The number of Catholics is now greater, especially in all those places through which railroads have been since built. The last report, given in the Catholic Directory, and these reports of our Catholic population are, perhaps, never put at too low a number, states the Catholic population of Mississippi to be 12,500, with three missions not �136 Biograplzical Sketclt of james 0. Va11 de Ve!de, S.j. returned; and they, doubtless, would add but a few hundred to the total. The entire population of the State now numbers about one million of souls. The bishop made a visitation of his diocese, with its scattered missions, in I 8 54· He was well received both by priests and laity, all of them becoming attached to him at once. The diocese of Natchez was, under all respeas, better suited to Bishop Van de Velde's gentle nature, and the state of his health, than was the hars~er latitude of Chicago. Besides, his priests and people, though not numerous, were docile and cordially united with hiin; he could, therefore, enjoy that peace and quiet which are so grateful to those who are infirm, and already far down the decline of life. On Oaober 23rd 1855, the bishop, now grown unsteady in his step from weakness, fell down stairs, in his dwelling at Natchez, and broke his leg in two places. vVhile under surgical treatment for his wounds, that fearful scourge of the South, the yellow fever, then raging as an epidemic in the towns ~long the lower Mississippi river, attacked him with great violence, and he died of it on November 13th 1855· Having been a good and faithful servant, it was meet that he should then depart in peace, and go to the reward of his labors and sufferings. He was buried~· under the Sanauary of St. Mary's Cathedral, Natchez. · In 1874, the remains of Bishop Van de Velde were removed to our little cemetery at the Novitiate near Florissant, Missouri, where they were reinterred, on November 20th 1874. The provincial of Missouri, Rev. Thomas O'Neil, deputed Father Converse to execute that work of fraternal love towards one who had done so much for the good of this province, in order that his body might sleep in death at the same last resting place with those whom he had most loved in life and with whom he· had spent so many years in .\vorking for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. The writer of this, who had the honor of being received �J-.;xpulsimz of }t'suits.from Mexico. 137 into the Society by Father V ;m de Vel de when vice provincial, felt that he owed to his memory and his virtues the tribute of this little sketch prompted by love and gratitude. Of those sterling men who origin:11ly began the mission of our Society in Missouri, there now survives but one; namely, Father Felix Verreydt. Father Verreydt was born February 18th I 798; he entered the Society on October 6th 1821; he is. therefore. in the 82d year of his age, and he is going on fifty-eight years in the Society. I append to this brief biographical notice of Father Van de Velde some letters* written by him, in which he describes his journey from Georgetown College to St. Louis in 1831, when he had as companions of the trip, Father Kenny, Visitor; and Father McSherry. A young friend has kindly translated Father Van de Velde's letters from French, the language in which they were written. They will serve to bring back vividly, and picture as now present, much of what was to be seen on a journey of one thousand two hundred and ninety-two miles, by land and water, in the year 1831. EXPULSION OF JESUITS FROM MEXICO. SEc;mN, TExAs, GuADALUPE CoLLEGE, June 13th, 1879· Before giving your Reverence the notice which you request of this our nascent college of Guadalupe, I deem it right to recount the circumstances which sent the fathers of the Mexican Province "to seek fresh fields and pastures new." I do this the more willingly as the following facts have never, as far as I know, appeared in print, and yet they have a certain importance, as a part, and a glorious part of the modern history of the Society. The Mexican Province, once so flourishing, and so re------·--------··------- '''They will appear in our next number. VoL. vm-No. 3· 18 �Expulsion of Jesuits from llfexico. nowned for the sanctity, science and successful labors of its members, has in our times been sadly diminished in numbers. Like a battalion isolated amongst its enemies, its reserves exhausted, it has seen its ranks thinning until a dauntless remnant alone remained, though with unbroken front, where once a gallant legion held the field. In 187 3, besides others variously engaged in the sacred ministry, Fr. Soler with seven fathers, aided by some secular clergy, conduCted the Archiepiscopal Seminary of Mexico. The success of the institution, in the number and choice of its sfadents, and in their manifest improvement, was, no doubt, the indireCt cause of persecution. An unfortunate spirit of envy at the seleCtion of a Jesuit ReCtor by the Archbishop disposed several of the clergy to favor an opposition which, let us hope, they did not anticipate would be pushed to the last extremity. The President of the Republic, Lerdo, the successor of Juarez, himself supreme direCtor of a State Institution, saw with pleasure a spirit, w~ich, unwittingly would assist him in injuring a too successful rival. For some time previous, there had been a clamor of the press against the members of the Society, but there was a difficulty in choosing a plan of attack:_: There was, to be sure, ;i law forbidding community life, as· an infraCtion of civil liberty, inasmuch as it exaCted a conscientious obedience to a superior. Under "liberal" rule in Mexico, as elsewhere, a disorderly life spent in sin is liberty, but a voluntary, regulated life of virtue is servitude. But this law could not avail them, as the Jesuits avoided all community exercises, some of them lived apart from the others, and there was nothing that seemed to distinguish them from other professors of the Seminary. A projeCt of law was therefore introduced on the 5th of April, 1873, in the Federal Congress, by which all the members of the Society of Jesus should be banished. The government, acknowledging that its policy was in no ways impeded by the So- �Expulsi01z of Jesuits from Mexico. 139 ciety, still declared itself willing to carry out any decree of the Congress that should call for the expulsion of the Order. The projeCt: of law passed the first reading, but the deputies, seeing that a trapwas laid for them in which they would find themselves oppressed by the odium of such a measure, by various expedients postponed the farther dis· cussion of the bill. It was then determined to make use of the 33rd article of the Constitution which confers on the President of the Republic the power of banishing foreigners who are a danger to the state. Here, too, arose a difficulty for on the one hand some of the Society were Mexicans, and on the other hand if only Jesuits were expelled it would be plain that it was not their charaCter as religious which was their crime, since other foreign religious lived in Mextco. It was resolved then to arrest all the Jesuits, and others also, who were not of the Society, but who belonged to religious orders. They would parody in the 19th century the measures of an Aranda, and a Pombal. At a certain hour, on a certain day, the arrests were to be made, a train was to be in readiness, they were to be transported to Vera Cruz, in time to embark at once on the steamer that shoula convey them into exile. This was the plan of the Governor of the city and distriCt: of Mexico, Don Tiburtio Montiel but "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley." It was intended that similar measures should be adopted at Puebla and Tacubaya. The governor of Puebla refused his cooperation. On the 20th of May then, at 8 o'clock in the evening, when all were at supper, a battalion of infantry and a squadron of cavalry surrounded the Seminary, and Col. Rangel with a guard, entering, summoned the professors to accompany him to the Governor who, he said, wished to confer with them. After announcing the objeCt: of his visit, he asked that the professors should of their own accord comply with his request, assuring them that in such a case he �Expulsion tif Jesuits from J1exico. would show them every respeCt, but that if they forced him to aCt independently, he would feel obliged to arrest every one in the house, and that he would prosecute the search to the end even though he had to break into every room. Fr. Barragan, the minister, accepted the condition, and fulfilled it so closely as even to call back Fr. Mas, who, being in civilian clothes, was coaly making his escape, as though he was not one of the party concerned. Some such proceedings had been expeCted for some time, and it had been understood by the others that no one should acknowledge that he ~lls a Jesuit, thus casting on the enemy the trouble of proving a point, which in the very nature of things, could scarcely be established save by the confession of the individual arrested. Father Barragan does not seem to have known of this determination, but Father Manci did, and therefore remained in his room untill called down by messengers whom the too scrupulous minister sent to summon him. In consequence Father Manci had the honour of being dragged along through the streets between two soldiers as one who 'could not be trusted. To the same circumstance of being arrested in his own room, he owed the favour of taking his breviary which he had in his hand, the others taking nothing but what they had with them, deceived indeed by the intimation···thaf the Governor desired merely the opportunity of conversing with them. The officer executed his orders with all courtesy, but with strictness, so that a guard was posted in the chambers of Father Soler, the ReCtor, and of Father Velasco, both of whom were confined to their beds by illness, nor was any one allowed to speak, or in any way communicate with them, except in the presence of a soldier. The other Fathers and brothers, with the secular clergy residing there, were obliged to set out at once. The names of the Jesuits were Fathers Mas, Manci, Monaco, Bordas, Anticoli, Barragan, Teran, (soon released because a Mexican) Brothers Amorena and Toelen. The officer conduCted them under �Expulsion if Jesuits from Mexico. armed escort to the Governor's palace, where they were kept waiting so long that the train finally departed, and they were invited to go to prison. The reason was that the plan of arresting all the Jesuits and the foreign religious in the city at the same time, was very imperfectly executed. Father Artola the Provincial was warned not to return ·home, and taking the train that night, he went to Orizaba, and thence, on the next steamer, to Havana. Father Morandi was captured a few days after, as he was about to say Mass; he was obliged to lay aside his vestments, and obey the summons, nor was he even allowed to take some breakfast, nor "to stand upon the order of his going." ~~ather Sarria, an eloquent preacher, whose sermons were the disgust and abhorrence of the so-called liberals, escaped until Sunday, and then bravely ascended the pulpit for the last time, literally as we shall see. Perceiving two police in his audience, he suspected that he was their prey, and took leave of the people in words that drew tears from all, saying that it was a farewell sermon that he was preaching, as he was to be arrested that day if so God permitted it. On leaving the pulpit, however, instead of turning towards the sacristy, where his visitors awaited him, he took the corridor which led to the adjoining convent, and, boarding the train, departed for Havana in company with Father Artola. He died three days after reaching New York of yellow fever, the germs of which he caught in Havana. When it was manifest that the "coup de Pombal" had failed, all the prisoners, including some Passionists caught in the same swoop, were marched off to the Calabozo (municipal prison) where they were confined, nineteen in number, in a room that measured ten by fifteen feet. They found it impossible to stretch themselves out at length, and so crouched two and two together upon ruv,s four feet square, which were provided for them. A political prisoner in an adjoining cell which opened into theirs, insisted on yielding his blanket couch to his friend Father Barragan, �142 Expulsion of Jesuits from Mexico. who was thus enabled to procure some rest, though already reproaching himself for having innocently surrendered a point of vantage for himself and companions in acknowledging themselves Jesuits before proof advanced. The night passed merrily enough with laugh and jest, in that spiritual joy which our sweet Lord is wont to impart to those who suffer for His sake. Father Monaco, especially, was the life of the company, once lighting a match and exclaiming "see, a procession of congratulation on the part of our fellow-prisoners; mice, scorpions, tarantulas, insects of every kind." Father Manci being of a delicate constitution was taken ill, an~ when finally released from an eight days' captivity was so far gone as to be obliged to receive the last Sacraments. He recovered, however, to be the fir:;t Rector of our new College of Guadalupe. With the morning dawn the news of the arrests had spread, and from that time until their release the confessors of the faith were the objects of a Christian ovation. Not only food, but every thing else they needed, or their jailers would -allow them to accept, was forced upon them by Mexicans who deemed it a point of honour thus to protest against a despotic act, executed under the name of liberty, by the antichristian rulers of a Catl)olic people. More than twenty lawyers offered their se;~iCes gratuitously in their defence, some of them even defraying all the expen· ses. The Archbishop Don Antonio Pelagio Labastida at once waited on the President and was told that the Governor had gone too far, that the fathers were guiltless of any crime, and that they should not pass another night in prison. This he said as promising himself that by that time they should be on their way to Vera Cruz. The same delusive promise was held out to a deputation of forty of the noblest ladies of Mexico who called on him wrapped in their rhantillas, worn only at great religious ceremonies. The United States Minister Nelson having heard that a �Expulsion of Jesuits from lVIexico. 143 naturalised citizen of that government Don Angel Lilla, a Passionist, was of the number, called and offered his mediation, protesting against any one being exiled without conviCtion of offence. This doubtless was a principal reason of the long delay in carrying the decree into final exe~ cution. Other ministers of foreign powers were solicited by the lawyers to join in this protest, but they refused, not being afraid of such a precedent, rightly deeming that such high-handed measures would be employed only in the case of religious ~en, in whom of course they were not called upon to take any interest. On the evening of the third day, the Governor Montiel came to the prison, the decree of banishment was read by his secre.tary, and the reasons of this arbitrary procedure at last made known. One had been too imprudent of speech, another of aetion, and again another was accused of preaching political sermons, each and all had failed no doubt in "liberalism," but the Jesuits had been guilty of living in community contrary to the Riforma, and proofs were alleged to exist of their being engaged in a conspiracy. One of the secular priests, Don Kiliano Coli, remarked that he was not a Jesuit, and as, according to public accounts, the whole proceeding was direCted against the Society, he claimed his release. "You,'' said Montiel, "are the worst kind of Jesuit, as I understand the term." Don Co!l was an eloquent and fearless preacher. "At least," said the brave priest, "do not be so cruel as to exile this old man, (Br. Amorena) and these sickly priests (McCree! and Toelen). You will surely draw down a punishment on yourselves-" and he hinted that foreign governments might take up the case. The infuriated governor ordered up two of the attendants, exclaming in the most frantic manner, "he dares to threaten us, put him in fetters and away with him to the small cell." So Don Kiliano Coli's humane feelings towards others procured him a night of suffering, the small cell being filled with vessels of most fetid odor. But, worse than �144 Expulsion of jesuits from Mexico. the suffocation which he experienced, was the fear of his being separated from his companions, a misfortune which he humbly bewailed as a punishment for his sins. The Mexicans were then released, ·while the others were transferred to the Carcel de Belen. On arriving at this prison, they were at first placed under the striCtest rule, and the closest seclusion, but the Superintendent, Del Rio, learning the faCl:, and being a personal enemy of Montiel (he. had only a few days before, kicked him down a whole flight of stairs") ordered them every liberty consistent with their safe confinement. He gave them a court-yard in which they could say Mass, and receive their friends during the day. Here their holy sacrifices continued in close succession from 2 till 8 A. M. They at once commenced the thirty Masses of St. Gregory, the last one being said by Father Manci, who at the end of his thanksgiving received the glad news of their liberation under security. For in the mean time the lawyers had not been idle. They applied, in spite of the presidential edict, for a writ of "'ampara ot lzabeas corpus as it is termed in English jurisprudence, and a fearless Judge, Buchelli, entertained the application, and ordered the cause up for trial in the Court of the 1st DistriCt, to determiO:~· whether the aCl:ion of the executive was according to the constitution. Shortly after, a bond of 50,000 dollars was drawn up, and offered by Don Mannuel Bustos, on hypothecation of his whole estate, for the appearance of all and each at the approach· ing trial. This having been accepted, after eight days' captivity the Fathers, priests and brothers were released, and allowed to resume their several avocations whilst awaiting the result of their trial. It might have been thought that this could have been scarcely doubtful. For several months before the issuance of the ediCl:, and since, more than ever, the clamor of the press had been furious and unceasing, and every one knows the wonderful effeCl: of this irresponsible agent to paralyze �Expulsion of jesuits from Mexico. 145 the judgment of juries, to blunt the just sense of judges, and to make a whole people accept the bitterest wrong as a necessary, and therefore rightful measure. But in this case a judge was found in Buchelli, who was not to be swerved by popular clamor, nor by the fear of a reckless Executive, in the :1dministration of justice according to the law and the faCl:s. He declared the enforcement of the decree of expulsion to be contrary to the 20th and 21st Articles of the political Constitution of the United States of Mexico. This was on the 26th of July, 1873. The case was then carried up to the Supreme Court of the first, second and third instance to use the terms of Spanish law. In the first, the judgment of the lower court was sustained, in the second there was no decision, and in the third the result seemed so certain that Don Mariano Moreda, an intimate friend of Juarez, and a distinguished lawyer, came to announce the successful issue to the Fathers, and to congratulate them on the event. He was mistaken. The Jesuits must go, the clamor of the wicked did not shake them, the laws properly administered could not disturb them, but progress and modern liberalism are above all law, and, for the sake of liberty, dare to be despotic. Vice President Jose Maria Iglesias, doing violence to his name, called the members of the court in private council, and urged them to back the aCl:ion of the Executive. He prevailed, and with one honorable exception, Don Arriega, they succumbed to the extra legal pressure; so at least was it believed in the City of Mexico. Don Mariano Moreda had already taken away any hope that might have been founded on the protest of Mr. Nelson, by saying that the Mexican Minister had assured his government of the indifference of the federal authorities at Washington. Indeed Nelson was known to be indignant at his want of support by his government, a support which certainly would not have failed had the subjeCt: of his protest been a Protestant missionary who had gone to insult the religion, and outrage the feelings of VoL. vm-No. 3· 19 �JJ1issio1lary Labors. its people. \Vas it to teach him this lessson, first to see wlzose ox was gored, that he was soon after superseded by Mr. Foster? The final judgment was rendered on the rgth of August 1873. and shortly after, the Fathers went forth from a country which they had loved and served, to seek othP.r lands where liberty is not as yet a cloak for tyranny, and where, amongst Protestants, they might continue labors which were too fruitful and to well appreciated in Catholic Mexico for the "religious tolerance" of its antichristian government. In similar cases history has often completed the story of an injustice by recording the condign punishment of its authors. In this instance the rule did not find an exception. Don Tiburtio Montiel was soon ati:er an incarcerated prisoner in Belen. President Lerdo and Vice President Iglesias were not long in joining their viCtims in their exile in the United States of America. F. P. G. MISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIDNS. FRmi THE IIIIDDLE OF JANUARY 1879 TO JULY 6th. HYDE PARK, MAss. (January 26th-Feb. 2)-At the earnest request of the pastor, the Rev. James Conlan, the Fathers gave a renewal of the mission of last June, and this they did the more willingly, as the opportunity was offered of introducing the devotion of the Forty Hours at the end of the spiritual exercises. The weather was extremely cold, but the attendance was always greater than the capacity of the church. At the early instruCtion (5 o'clock), the crowd was very large, and when one thinks of the long distance many had to come, he cannot but be edified at the faith �JJ1issionary Labors. 147 and piety of these people. Seve~al grown persons, including some Indians were prepared for the sacraments. Some hardened sinners, who had battled through the previous mission without doing penance, were reconciled this time. There where two thousand two hundred Communions. SACRED HEART CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA, (Feb. 9-23)~ Frs. Maguire, Strong and Morgan began the exercises here on the second Sunday of February and labored for two weeks amid most consoling results. This is a new parish, situated in what, at one time, was the very stronghold of Native Americanism in the city. Here the Shiffler Hose Company had their headquarters and made the locality a dreaded one for Catholics. Thirty years ago the building of a Catholic church within a few yards of the Shiffler Engine house was an impossibility. The times have changed. The Protestants came in large numbers to hear the sermons, and twenty-eight were received into the true fold. Many marriages were put to rights; twelve children, the off.;;pring of careless parents, were baptized. It is a sad fact that a great many children of mixed marriages are lost to the Church ; those we meet with in a mission are, perhaps, a small percentage regained." The Fathers were obliged to leave several persons under the charge of the pastor, Rev. James Fitzmaurice, for in· struCl:ion in order to be received into the Church. Results: Com~ unions, 4000 ; Baptisms, 40; First Communions of adults, 65. S. MARY's CHARLESTOWN.-\Vhilst the Fathers were engaged in Philadelphia, Frs. Me A tee and Hamilton gave a very successful retreat to the Men's Sodality in Charlestown. The exercises, thqugh intended for the Sodality, were given to all the men of the congregation that chose to come. The attendance was very good. The Communions were 1300. Fr. Me Atee after this interesting work gave the exercises to eighty pupils of the Academy of Notre Dame, Lowell. �ilfissiollary Labors. ST. IGNATIUS, BALTIMORE, Mn. (March 2-16)-Many were the forebodings of failure, when the Fathers insisted upon having a division of the congregation. "It is impossible to fill the church with women; they wunt come alone, etc." At the first sermon Sunday evening, the crowd of women was so great that it was deemed advisable to begin another mission next evening in the basement chapel ; and this was filled also for the rest of the week. Father Maguire preached the evening sermons in the church, whilst Frs. Strong, O'Connor and Morgan took charge of the basement congregation. Besides this extra work, there were the ordinary instruCtions twice a day in public with an afternoon catechism for a thousand children. This programme would seem to be ample enough, yet the Fathers after hearing confessions at all hours, were forced to rob themselves of their evening recreation, in order to carry on two other classes of instruCtion, one for converts, the other for grown persons preparing for First Communion. The attendance was what is called a "rush," for the upstairs exercises; rich and poor, old and young, came from all the surrounding parishes. At the beginning of the second week, the same prophecies were made about the success of the work. The men attend~tl just as well as the women ; the results were about the ~-arne. The Fathers were again obliged to have in missionary language a "double-decker." The Fathers of the College made the labor much less for the missionaries by their untiring attendance in the confessional. Results: Communions, 6500; First Communion of adults, 65; Baptisms, 24; left under instruction, 9· llii!IIACULATE CoNcEPTION, BosTON, MAss. (March 26-Ap. 6)-Taught by the experience in Baltimore, the Fathers suggested a double mission, and the suggestion was well received, though with some misgivings as to its success. From the start it was evident that if the large crowds that were excluded from even standing room in the upper church �Missionary Labors. 149 every evening had not been received into the basement, many hundreds could not have made the mission at all. It was thought that on several occasions there were six thousand men present. The first week, as usual, was for the women ; the second, for the men. The Masses, especially at 5 o'clock and at 9 o'clock, were largely attended. The Communions were above 10,000. There were no special services for the children of the Sunday School in number 1400, as they are scattered throughout the city. Their attendance at the exercises would, no doubt, have added largely to the roll of communicants. Result: Communions, 10,000; adults to First Communion, 66; Baptisms, 6; left under instruCtion, 5· The Fathers of the College took a large part of the work from the shoulders of the missionaries by hearing confessions from early morning until late at night. Fr. Plante of the N. Y. and C. Mission also assisted during the exercises and did good work, especially in preparing the adults for the sacraments. After the mission a grand rally in the cause of temperance was held in the basement, and speeches were made by the ReCtor of the College, Father Fulton, and by several of the missionaries. During the interval between the mission in Baltimore and the one in Boston, Fr. Strong g<;lve a retr"eat to the Children of Mary, whose meetings are held in the Chapel of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Philadelphia. ST. PATRICK's, PHILADELPHIA, (Apr. zo-May 4)-This is an old parish and has had its missions every three or four years for the last quarter of a century. The Fathers were well known, as none but members of the Society had ever given a mission in this church. . The labors of two weeks were extremely fruitful, as may be seen from the large number of Communions., The usual marriage cases occurred and were put in order. Confirmation was administered on the day of the opening of the mission, still the Fathers were obliged to call upon the Archbishop again for his services for the Monday after the �ISO llfissionary Labors. exercises were ended. One hundred and fifty persons, mostly middle-aged, were confirmed. How is it that so many are found in the great cities who have not been confirmed? Many explanations are given. In Ireland, until quite recently, the bishops made their visitations not oftener than once in seven or eight years. In the meantime there would be an exodus to foreign countries. Coming to us, and being scattered throughout the land, and at great distances from the church, they had no opportunity to receive the sacrament. Reaching the age of men and women, they were ashamed to-confess their needs. It is only in the time of a mission that they can be prevailed upon to acknowledge their neglect. Again, no doubt, many of them had been rejected by the bishop at home, as not having shown sufficient progress in the Christian doctrine. Finally, some account for the high figures of the confirmation list by saying that many pious old persons wanted to take part in everything going on, and would be confirmed two or three times a year, if possible. This explanation is not satisfactory as the applicants are sufficiently instructed upon this point by the Father under whom they are placed. There were I I, I 52 Communions, a gain of three thousand on the last mission, though the parish is npw smaller. Fifty grown persons were prepared for first Co'~munion. Fourteen Protestants were. received into the Church; five others were left under instruction. Six children of various ages were baptized. Frs. Stonestreet and Noonan were added to the band for this mission. ST. PATRICK's, BALTIMORE, (May I I-25)-Baltimore and Philadelphia always yield a rich harvest of converts. Though the missionary is saddened by the apostasies he hears. of on account of mixed marriages, he sees also that a great many people are brought into the true fold through them. Twe~ty-seven persons were under instruction for baptism, and seventeen were found to be well enough prepared to be received into the Church before the end of the �J1fissionary Labors. mission.- The Communions were 5000. Confirmed, I95; of whom fifty made their first Communion. A few children were baptized. During the second week, the Fathers, on account of the sickness of one of their number, and the departure of another for Philadelphia, had more than they could do, and but for the fortunate arrival of Fr. Smith of the New York and Canada Mission could not have accomplished so much good. vVAKEFIELD, MASS. (June I-8)-There was nothing unusual in this mission, except a lecture in the town-hall on temperance by Fr. Maguire during the exercises. Here, as in Hyde Park, where a similar lecture was given by the Superior last winter, the acme of perfetlion is, not· to get drunk in public, and keep a sabbath look at the proper time and place. Other things in the line of goodness are in an humble station. Crowds of Protestants attended the lecture, and it was hoped they would come to the church also, but it was not so. The preachers, as report has it, warned their people to avoid the designing Jesuits. Results: Communions, I 200; Baptisms, 4; adults confirmed, 40. MISSION IN NEw BRUNSWICK, (June I6-July 6)-Frs. Maguire and Morgan spent nearly three weeks in missionary work in this part of Her Majesty's dominions with very pleasing results. Small missions were given at St. Andrew's, St. George, and at the Rolling Dam. Though the Protestants, against the will of their preachers, attended tlie exercises in large numbers, only four became candidates for baptism. The·weather in this Province in June and July is far different from what is experienced in the Middle States. vVhilst the Fathers read in the papers of the great heat in some of the large cities, they found that a fire in the evening was sometimes not out of place. There were 1200 Communions as the result of the work. JuBILEE AND OTHER MISSIONs-The Fathers of the Province gave other missions during the spring, notably at St. Joseph's, Philadelphia, during Passion week, and for the �JIIa1trcsa, N. Y. Jubilee at St. Charles', at the Cathedral, at St. James' in the same city, and at Kellyville, and other places. The mission at St. Joseph's was given by Frs. Haugh and O'Connor; at the Cathedral, by Frs. Jamison and Morgan ; at St. Charles' St. James' and Kellyville by Frs. Stonestreet and Noonan. Fr. Calzia helped the Fathers at St. Charles', and conduCted the exercises of the children. At the Cathedral and St. Charles' the children went in procession to visit the churches, and in the former place many grown people took part ·in the pilgrimage. The venerable Archbishop read the prayers at the-!;Iifferent churches. Results, 17 ,8oo Communicants. Fruits of the missions since September, 1878 to July 1879: Communions, 90,762; First Communion of adults, 6o81; Baptisms, 146; left under instruCtion, 52; Baptisms of children of mixed marriages, 49; adults confirmed, 728. MANRESA, NEW YORK. Manresa at West Park on the Hudson .is the second and more recent House of Novices and Junio'r Scholastics of the Mission of New York and Canada. The other, and for some twenty-years sole, Novitiate of this division of the Society of Jesus still flourishes at Sault-au-Recollet, near Montreal, with a fair number of novices. Its distance, however, from a large and ever increasing part of the Mission, together with differences of nation and language, naturally led to the foundation of the new house·of Probation. Something of the kind had already existed for a short time during the civil vVar, in conneCtion with St. John's College, Fordham. Twelve vears later the need was still more pressing and chances ~f -~uccess more favourable; and so it happened that the spring of I 876 found two Fathers and several Bro- �Manresa, N. Y. 153 thers preparing for the opening of the new Novitiate in a place, shortly before secured at a very reasonable price through the good offices of a friend, on a foreclosure of mortgage sale. This was an estate of about one hundred and twenty acres, on the west bank of the Hudson, some six miles above the city of Poughkeepsie and nearly opposite the railway station of Hyde Park, at about seventy-five miles distance from New York. It had originally formed a part of one of the colonial grants under the English govvernment, probably to the Pell family, still extensive landowners in this distriCt. Afterwards coming into the possession of one of the petty Huguenot farmers who were established here some time in the last century among their Dutch coreligionists, it was finally bought and beautified into a country seat by one of the Black Friday, or from some similar vVall Street operation, millionaires. The quickly gotten wealth was quickly spent, tradition saith 'in ways that were dark and tricks that were vain'; but leaving behind, at any rate, a goodsized, well appointed, comfortable if not luxurious, modern house, complete stables and outhouses, neat cottage for farmer, conservatory and hot-house, large bowling alley, a high horse-shoe terrace in front of the house, overlooking the river, wide gravelled walks running through the grounds, a profusion of ornamental trees and shrubbery, and around all a tall cedar hedge that would hold its own among the hedgerows of old England. Hither then for the feast of our holy Father, July 31st, 18;6, came a colony of novices, who had already passed a year in Canada, and to them was at once added a number of new aspirants to the religious life, making something like two dozen scholastic novices and a community of about forty. In the late summer a new building, to contain in successive storeys, refeCI:ory and kitchen, chapel, common rooms, dormitories, was begun at a little distance from the original residence. Meanwhile, from the crowding together of the community in a house destined only for a private VoL. vm-No. 3· 20 �154 Jfanresa, 1V. Y. family, arose a mild Heroic Age, supposed to be common to all undertakings of this kind. By Christmas the chapel and refeB:ory of the new house were ready, and soon after the scholastic novices were transferred to their new and more commodious quarters. The following year in August; eleven of those who were already at the end of their two years' probation, were formed into a class of Juniors, and in 1878 yet another year was added, thus furnishing the new institution, with its full complement of novices and scholastics, for. the first four years of the religious life. During the Pest year the community has regularly num~ bered over seventy-five members. The Fathers occupy the Residence, as also the Juniors during time of study; the brothers are for the present stowed in the cottage. An addition of another building is needed, and, in faB:, looked for, as soon as the sinews of war develop sufficiently. In the meantime the place has become known, while from its commanding position the house is one of the most conspicuous along the river. The name-Manresa-figures on the tourist's map and has even crept into the time-table of the railway, as one of the many conneB:ions. From the cars running along the opposite bank a mile away or from the boats on the river, the house is seen ~o the best advantage. From the broad river a steep slopet l;>roken by natural terraces and covered with a trim vineyard and orchard beyond, rises some hundreds of feet to a tableland, lying for many miles along the hills that skirt the Hudson. Here, with its brick pilasters rising up from the hillside, stands Manresa, a long, high, white, many-windowed frame building, with a double balcony encircling it in mid-air, altogether not unlike some mountain resort for summer, were it not for the great cn?SS high above, that signs the whole valley with the sign of love and self denial. Behind and beyond, forming a background of green relief, rise new hills from the tablela~d. nowhere very wide. These hills are cultivated high up, with only a woody fringe where they jut out �llfanresa, N Y 155 against the sky. To the north they sweep in irregular windings along the tableland to where twenty miles away they join at the horizon the blue summits of the Catskills. Here and there at their feet, situated like our own Manresa, pleasant country seats appear, half-hidden among the trees, but none so prominent as this. Even the novices at spiritual reading, walking silently with sober step and in regular line along the balcony, lend impressiveness to this new sign of the Church's growth and vigour, overlooking and looked up to, as must needs be, from the world's great thoroughfare. From the house itself the view is entirely different, too vast to be piCturesque, but very beautiful and giving a sympathetic expansion to breast and spirit. The whole landscape stoops down to the immense river, stretching from north to south in plain sight for twelve or fifteen miles; while from the eastern bank the hills rise up, not so high· as to the west nor with such varied outline, but gently receding in long perspeCtive with graceful alternation of wood and open field and the ever recurring villas with their signs of wealth and culture, for this is the region favoured of all others by the denizens of our greatest city. Livingstons of Declaration of Independence, and Roosevelts of local historic, fame, and Astors of more recent note, have their manor houses or seats of their now numerous branches here; and some of them in this 'second spring' of the Church among English peoples, have become, as in the case of our Archbishop Bayley (Roosevelt) and others, loyal children of the mighty mother. Thus it is a Livingston that built the little Gothic church in the village of Hyde Park. And since the Livingston manor has been spoken of, why not bring back the memory of the famed adventurer and pirate captain who had his haunt there and, at last, on this very part of the river, scuttled his schooner and lost his fabulous gold forever, at least, for those who so often and in vain have sought for it. '0 his name was Robert Kidd, As he sailed, as he sailed.' �illauresa, N. Y. vVestward across the table-land and farther back from the river, before the house, is a small park of large trees. The walks, skilfully laid out to give an appearance of breadth to the grounds, which they do not really possess, are bordered by tall Norway spruces. Beyond, all along the highway is the tall cedar hedge, giving complete privacy to those walking within. Across the northern corner of the grounds a little stream comes down from the hills and running under the highway, breaks out again at the foot of the hedge inside. ~ Here an arch has been built over it with large, rough sto'nes, a work worthy of the Etruscan, first of all arches, as is said. Rising up from the arch to the side along the stream is a high cairn of boulders, having a rude wall-like face in front, with soft, green moss growing over chinks and crevices and tall, dark spruces behind; and on either side, in the narrow space between stream and hedge, which is here twelve feet high, there is a little parterre with narrow path leading along the bank, where just opposite the cairn.and looking towards it across the stream a kneeling bench is found ; for half way up the wall in a little niche smiles enshrined Our lovely Lady of Lourdes. When His Eminence, Cardinal Me Closkey, visited .Manresa in 1878, the long avenue and rustic bridge leading hither were lit up with coloured lanterns, hung from the dark branches of the evergreens, while the Grotto was ablaze with tapers, refleeted in the water below. His Eminence graciously conceded an indulgence of forty days for every Hail Mary said here, and the same for a shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, which the novices had made under the beetling rocks in one of the wildest ravines, far up in the hills. This was not the first illumination. Several times, especially on the feast of Our Holy Father, the whole river front of Manresa has been lighted up with lanterns hanging from eaves and balconies arid pillars, and high above, standing out in bright relief, a cross of light against the sky, banishing all spirits of evil from the valley and bringing in the reign of Christ. �Jvlaurcsa, N. Y. 157 'Stepping westward,' again, across the highway and past the cottage, farm buildings, peach orchard, up the hill, where there is a reservoir of \Vater, supplying the house below and in winter serving as skating pond to Juniors, who give impossible Latin names to that exhilarating exercise, a stiff walk through the underbrush and over rocks leads at length to the lookout on the peak. To the east, the view is the same as from the house, only that now the house itself and tableland for many miles are taken in. But to the west, the scene is well nigh as wild as when Rip-van-\Vinkle was having his nap out in the Kaaterskills, or Helderbergs, or, as they are called here, Shawangunk hills. The valley, clothed everywhere with a dense growth of forest-trees, sinks down, interseaed by ravines and rugged chasms, to a lake far below, beyond which the hills rise up again, leaving it here in the silence and isolation of its mountain setting. Beyond these hills again, two other ranges appear against the sky, telling of valleys between. Here and there are cultivated traas and at long intervals houses, bu( the scene is indescribably wild. It only remains to speak of the work done at Manresa for the spiritual improvement of the surrounding country; of the 'fire that goes before the Lord.' To the few Catholics, living far from church and priest, the opening of our chapel and the coming of the fathers among them has been a great good. They are, for the most part, smal~ farmers in the mountains1 or gardeners at the country seats, and in summer, servants accompanying families from the city. Catechism is taught throughout the year, by the novices at a station-church four miles distant and in another direaion in a private house seven miles away; by the Juniors in the parish church of Regina Ca:!i at Hyde Park across the river. Many have been reclaimed, children baptized, and other work done, such as is needed where Catholics of little instruaion have been left alone for so long a time. Even a course of instruaion on the Creed was given, at their own �Indian 1lfissions. request, to a considerable number of Protestants living among the hills. In general, since the foundation of the house, there has been a notable softening and wearing away of prejudices among all who have come in contact with the community. This is the silent apostleship of religious houses throughout the country. As far as concerns the real aim of such a foundation, God, Searcher of hearts, alone knows how far it has been reached. Vocations are 1l1ore plentiful than ever before, and the voice of God certainly' calls to no light things. \Vhy should not the great fire b~"kindled now that burnt of old in the breasts of Ignatius and Francis and Aloysius and Stanislas? The ocean of God's perfections is not less boundless, and His Glory as deserving of life work and sacrifice. And the 'fields are white unto the harvest.' Yea, Lord of the harvest, send Thy labourers and bless them forevermore. INDIAN l\IISSIONS. RESIDENCE OF ST. FRA:xcrs DE HrERONYli!O, OsAGE MrssroN, KANSAS, July 17th, 1879· RE\'. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. For the whole of six long and tedious weeks our beautiful country last winter was covered with hard frost and deep snow, a very remarkable thing for this southern part of Kansas, where it is not unfrequent to pass the winter without seeing a particle of snow, In consequence of this it has been a severe task for us to attend our missionary stations, and we m?-y thank God that we were allowed to do so without any damage either to toes or ears.No one can tell how many times in a minute our good �Indian J11issious. 159 Fr. William Van-der-Hagen gnashed his teeth, and clapped his hands to keep them warm, when, with hair stiff with frost, he was trotting along the endless prairies of Crawford county to visit his missions. No better story can be told of Fr. John Driessen when on his way to his missionary stations in Labette county. Had you seen him in his solitary cell of Parson, trying to kindle a fire that seemed as if it would not burn; had you noticed him reading his breviary to the sound of a whistling wind drifting snow into his room from under the door; had you taken a glance at the windows enameled, as it were, with silver arabessy, and looked at the walls of his little room sparkling with small icicles, you would have been forced to acknowledge that really Kansas is a great country, where during winter a poor missionary has a good chance of remaining crystallized, not only on the high prairie but even in his room. However if the winter was extremely cold, praise be to the Lord, the heart of our good Catholics kept warm. Yes, full of kindness and sympathy towards us, they always did their best to make us feel comfortable when we came to their poor cottages, and above all they proved a great consolation to us by approaching the holy Sacraments with an increased fervor of devotion. Spring coming on, I took the Indian trail to visit the Delawares as well as the Osages. Not much could be done with the first, but with the second I have every reason to be satisfied, for they answered my call and came in good numbers to the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist. I visited the whole reservation. The condition of the Osages during this last winter has been terrible, and several of them. died for want of necessary comfort, and through exposure. Having v·isited the Osages, my next trip was to the Cherochee and Creek reservations These two nations, who have from time immemorial been near neighbors, inhabit one of the most beautiful spots of the Indian Territory. Their �160 Illdian llfissions. lands are rich and fertile, and are irrigated by magnificent rivers such as the Arkansas, the Canedians, the Cimaron and others. Very few Catholics are now to be found amongst these Indians, but the seed of our holy faith sowed among the Cherochees and Creeks of old by the fervent missionaries sent them by St. Francis Borgia has not yet perished ; no indeed! on the contrary, in spite of all the efforts made by Protestant preachers to choke it, it is yet living, and will bring forth fruit, if only attended to. Not much is known of the progress these two nations had made in o.ur holy faith when the suppression came to snatch our Fathers from them. All we know is that when they were living in the States of Tennessee, Alabama and Florida, they faithfully followed the faith brought them by our Fathers. But since the U. S. government moved them to the Indian Territory, some fifty years ago, they have had no priest residing with them, but were left to themselves. Protestant ministers, seeing this, very eagerly took the opportunity that was offered to them ; they came in, established themselves among these poor Indians, began to pervert them, and still persevere in so doing. To-day some of these Indians call themselves Methodists, others Baptists, etc., but in reality they are no!hing of the kind, and in their heart they still cling to the-faith of their greatgrandfathers, in a rude way indeed, but perhaps not altogether wrong, for they mean to do right and know no better. I visited the two principal towns of the Creek nation, Muscolgee, or as to-day they call it, Muskogee, and Euphala. I came to this town on Thursday morning the first of May. I was quite a stranger, and was looking for a place · to get my dinner. It happened that on that day the school children were having a great picnic just in town, and I was told that, as every one was invited, I might as well go and eat with the people. The idea was not bad, and I direeted my course to the place where all were going. I tried to �161 Indian llfissio ns. play the incognito, but to no purpose, for no sooner had I got to the crowd, than I met some one who knew me. He pointed me out to others, and several soon came to compliment me for honoring them (as they were pleased to say, for a joke I suppose) with my presence. By and by a big Creek Indian, as black as an African came in, and was introduced to me as a Methodist preacher. I shook hands with him, and he next bowed to me very low. I told him that I was a Roman Catholic priest, and he again bowed most respeCtfully, and said: "I too am a Minister of the Gospel, and I preached in Texas for twenty years," then approaching his lips to my ear, and making a shell of his hand, added in a quite confidential mood: "to the white fox," and having said this, he broke into a very hearty and jolly laugh. But now the dinner was ready and the room was full of guests. As the old Indian preacher had been purposely sent for to say grace, so he was requested to bless the tables. Then he ordered silence, and \Vhen all was still he turned to-me with great reverence, and patting me on my shoulder said: "Ladies and Gentlemen here is the old Church, it belongs to him to say grace, and not to me." I complied with pleasure with the kind request, and told them: "I feel very happy to meet here so many of you, and I take this opportunity to inform you all that on next Sunday I shall celebrate Mass in this town, and I invite you all to come to be present at it." They answered with one voice: "Yes, sir, we will all come." And here turning themselves to the tables, which were laden with all kinds of viands, they all set to, as if they were attacking a fortress, and in a very short time made a general 'clear-out.' On the next Sunday, which was the 4th day of May, I said Mass in the public schoolhouse before a large crowd of Indians and several white people. They all behaved wonderfully well, and when all was over most kindly thanked me, and requested me to return to visit them as soon as VoL. vm-No. 3· 21 �Indian 11iissions. possible. This was the first Mass ever celebrated in Euphala, and it was done under the auspices of the Mother of God. Oh! indeed I could not help praising her on that day, and praying to her to obtain from God that the faith which the great St. Francis Borgia sent to the ancient Creeks, may revive in the present generation, and may induce these poor Indians to return to the Church of their forefathers. The Creeks as well as the Cherochees are almost all farmers ; they ~~re good natured and well disposed. They seem to have no prejudices of any kind against our holy religion. They are willing to have their children baptized, and wish to have them brought up by Catholic teachers in preference to any other. \Vhen I ask: "do you wish me to baptize your children?" "Oh! yes," they say, "you may do so ; \Ve know you belong to the old mission/' by which expression they signify the Roman Catholic Church. Indians in general have a great respeCt for the dead, and the Cree}_{s in this still show some vestige of Christianity. The wild Indians bury their dead either on the top of high trees, or above the ground under mounds of sod, or rocks. Not so with the Creeks: for they bury their dead in regular graves like all civilized people. Over the grave they raise a small struCture from three to four feet- high with a well shingled roof, and on the top of several of these· you might notice a cross, so that in going through these burying grounds you think you are passing through some old Catholic settlement. If a couple of fervent missionaries could be spared, and allowed now and then to pass one month or so with these two nations, I do not doubt that a great many of these poor Indians would return to our holy Church. And as the influence of these two nations is great, it is most probable that through their instrumentality adjacent nations, especially the Caddos, would soon come and range themselves under the standard of the cross. �Indian iJfissious. From Euphala I returned to Muskogee on my way to fort Gibson. The devil did not like me to go to the fort and put difficulties in my way. No sooner did I reach Muskogee than one of my friends told me that it would be useless for me to go thither, and handed me a letter from a very influential man of that garrison. In this I was told that I had better give up the idea of visiting that post altogether, for the soldiers were a set of good-for nothing drunkards, that they did not believe in any thing, and did not care about me, etc. I felt very much surprised at such a letter,,and after refleEl:ing on it for a while, I concluded that the best I could do was just to go there direEl:ly. So I did, and the faEl: proved that I was right in so doing, for I was, as usual, received most kindly by the officers as well as by the soldiers. The major invited me to his house, and had his office neatly arranged, that I might celebrate Mass in it. So I did on the next morning, and he himself and his staff, though not Catholics, came to assist with almost all the soldiers. I took this opportunity to announce to them the Juhilee lately granted by our holy Father Leo XIII, and invited them all to try to gain this great indulgence at my return, which I hope will be before the end of next August. This Jubilee has been as usual a great spiritual favor by which many of our people have been improved. Having· negleEl:ed their religious duties for a long time, at last on this occasion they returned to the right way. Praise be to the Lord for it. PAUL MARY PoNZIGLIONE, S. J. �CALUl\lNY, OLD AND NEW, AND ST. JOHN FRANCIS REGIS. It is nothing new that the saints of God, or the Society of Jesus should be calumniated; but there are calumnies that, creeping stealthily among the sober faCl:s of history, when their serpent's tail discloses them, should be at once crushed to death. This is especially the case when in any way there is question of God's faithfulness in His dealings with the saints..and those to whom He has given rule in His Church. Now for some years back, an old calumny in a new shape has been brought into circulation, either direB:ly attacking, in the particular case of St. John Francis Regis, the ordinary Providence of God, in giving the grace of perseverance in their vocation to all who offer a holocaust of themselves to Him in a state of life approved by His Church, or else indireCtly, and this is doubtless the cauda serpentina, denying any such ordinary providence in relation to the religious state. Moreover, and here the snake's rattle gives its true warning, God's Providence in the government of that 'Society which He has wished to be known by the name of His divine Son and to be one in all things with the Spouse of Christ, is openly impugned. We are now enabled, through the kindness of the Reverend .Fathers Assistants of France and Italy and with the gracious help of Rev. Fr. de Guilhermy, compiler of the great menology of the Society, to deal with the calumny as it deserves. First of all then, we find the original version in an addition to what is still the most authentic life of the Saint, by Fr. d'Aubenton, S. J. (p. 478, edition of Lyons, Fr. Bntyset, I74z.) "The public has been astonished of late at seeing in the Gazette d 'Holla11de, that Blessed John Francis Regis did not die a Jesuit, but vicaire of a village of Provence .... To put an end to so unjustifiable a charge, I have placed at the end of the volume the two following documents, for the sake of those whose good faith has been praB:ised upon." Here follows a letter of Fr. Ignatius Amoux, ReB:or ofthe College of Le Puy, to which the Saint was attached at the time ofhis death, to Fr. John Roulion, ReB:or of the College of Aubenas, dated Le Puy, January 7th, 1641. "I write this to inform Your Reverence how God has been pleased to call to Himself Fr. John Francis Regis, who died at La (164) �Calumny, Old and New, & St. John Francis Regis. 165 Louvesc the last day and the last hour of the year just past." After a detailed and touching account of the labours of zeal, of the illness and death of the saint, the letter concludes: "Such an end makes me believe he is in heaven; still, I entreat Your Reverence to have the usual suffrages offered up for him. After a few days I will write you at greater length on the wonders of his missions, and the regret he has left behind him." This is little enough consonant with the alleged charge, as is also the second document, an extract from the Register of deaths of La Louvesc, signed Bayle, cure, in whose house and bed, according to the entry, "had died Rev. Fr. John Francis Regis, Jesuit of Le Puy." In fact, the calumny under its first form seems to have stopped here, to spring up again in new guise after nearly two centuries, in minds that, perhaps, were already prepared for the evil reasonings and conclusions in practice, to which it naturally leads. Thence it has found access to the unsuspecting, even we are told, in a well-known Italian life of the Saint, of which we have been unable to learn the name of the author, but which should certainly be made to stand an auto da fe, whenever it may be found. As revamped, the story runs : St. John Francis Regis did not die out of, dismissed from the Society in which he had sanctified himself and given his life-work to God's glory; but his superiors knew not how to prize the pearl entrusted to them, and, as far as they were concerned, had already cast him off, the letters of dismissal were on the way, and, by no ordinary providence surely, death came just in time to save both the Saint's perseverance in his vocation and the credit of those who held the place of God towards him. Now, will it be believed that in the life by Fr. d'Aubenton, a book everywhere found, there are original documents amply sufficient for the refutation of the calumny and that should have prevented its existence? They are, first (p. 320), a letter, dated January sth, I64I, in which the Rector of the College of Le Puy announces to Very Reverend Fr. General, that Fr. John Francis Regis is dead, worn: out with fatigue, wept for and regretted by every one, most of all by the country people to whose salvation he had altogether given himself up." Second, Very Rev. Fr. General replies February 5th, of the same year : "I have been greatly moved by the sudden death of Fr. Francis Regis. What consoles me in the great loss we have undergone, is that his death was as apostolic as his life and that lze has slzown himself to tlze very end a worthy clzild of tlte Society; since he has died in the �166 llfissions by t!te Fat/zers of tlzc Proviuce of 11lissouri. aa of winning souls, fighting for God's glory against satan and against sin." Finally, for fear the calumny should find a last hidingplace in the assumption that, at least, there had been question of a dismissal, Rev. Fr. Boero, who for more than thirty years has had the care of the archives of the Society, and knows, none more thoroughly, its inner history, assures us through Rev. Fr. Rubillon: There is uot a trace of the dismissal of St. Francis Regis. Some Fathers may have complained of his manner of preaching, still more of his ardent zeal: and, indeed, there are instances of holy daring, to be imitated only by men of like authority and holiness. But llC"lJer was tftere any question of dismissing !tim from tlze Society. ·· MISSIONS BY THE FATHERS OF THE PROVINCE OF MISSOURI. FR. DAME:'-~ AND CoMPANIO:'-IS, AuG. 1878-]mm 1879. Father Damen attended by Frs. Masselis and Zealand started for St. l\Iary's, Kansas, an old reservation of the Pottowattomie Indians, where we have a college and parish. The college was formerly a school for Indians and Half breeds. The parish numbers two hundred and eighteen families, and a score or so of Indians. The_thurch is a stone struCture but recently finished.-Owing 'ta the remarkable coolness of the weather and moonlight nights, the mission was well attended by the farmers living in the neighborhood. There were about eight hundred Communions, three converts, and four adults prepared for first Communion. On the zd Sunday of the mission a new church bell was blessed, named after Fr. Gailland, S. ]., the great Indian m1sswnary. This ceremony was particularly attraCtive to a number of Indians who had pitched their camp in the neighborhood of the church during the mission, and who assisted in this celebration by singing Indian canticles. On Tuesday after the mission the missionaries paid a visit to the chief, Ehi, a most edifying Catholic, who resides about sixty miles from the church, but had come with his whole family and remained near the church during the mission. He was the first boy received in our Indian school. He is called chief by courtesy, is well informed, and aCts as interpreter whenever occasion requires. At present he is a �11fissions by t!ze Fathers of tlze Province of Missouri. 167 substantial farmer, most hospitable and charitable: his home is the asylum of the aged, the poor, and the orphans of his tribe. SEPT. 8th, LEAVENWORTH CATHEDRAL, KANSAs.-This large and beautiful cathedral was built by Fr. Miege, S. J., when Leavenworth was a flourishing and growing city; but now it is too large for the congregation. Leavenworth numbers seventeen thousand inhabitants of whom three thousand are English speaking Catholics; six hundred are Germans, forming a separate congregation. Right Rev. Bishop Fink, 0. S. B., was absent, during the mission, on a confirmation tour. The pastor of the congregation is Rev. James H. Defoury, V. G. Communions seventeen hundred, fourteen prepared for first Communion, and three converts. At the close of the mission in the city, the fathers proceeded to fort Leavenworth, a distance of five miles. It is a military station and prison. There are about four hundred Catholic civilians living on the reserve, employed in various ways at the fort. Few soldiers were remaining at the fort, two companies having left for the Northwest during the preceding week on account of Indian troubles. The civilians attended well; but of the soldiers comparatively few were present at the sermon~. A lieutenant and a corporal were received into the Church. The mission lasted four days. Communions r6o. Monday and Tuesday, Fr. Zealand was allowed to preach to the prisoners, conducted under guard to a room for that purpose. On Wednesday and Thursday, about seventy listened to Fr. Venneman. He went up to the dormitory and heard their confessions, a task which was not accomplished without some difficulty. Fifty-two presented themselves. They had to wait for Communion till Sunday. SEPT. 22d, MisSION AT ToPEKA, CAPITAL oF KANSAS.This city has about eleven thousand inhabitants, of whom only the small number of eight hundred are Catholics. Fr. Cunningham pastor. The missionaries also visited Lawrence, where they had thirty-one Communions, and one convert. OcT. 6th, HYDE PARK,-a suburb of Chicago, Fr. Tighe pastor. Communions three hundred, and one convert. OcT. 20th, SACRED HEART CHURCH, CmcAGo.-Mission lasted two weeks, four thousand Communions. NovEMBER 17th-DECEMBER 4th 1878.-Fr. Damen, assisted by Frs. Niederkorn, Zealand, Hillman, Condon and Bronsgeest, gave a mission in Hoboken, New Jersey, Fr. Corrigan pastor, Frs. Burke and Ceci assistants. The �168 flfissions by tlze Fatltcrs of tlte Provi1Zce of flfi'.ssozm·. church which had been dedicated to divine service the Sunday previous, is a fine brick building with stone trimming. In size and architeaure it closely resembles the Chicago Cathedral. During both weeks the church was well filled at night. The results of the mission were: Communions fully five thousand; converts four; adults prepared for first Communion forty-nine. On Monday of the third week, Rt. Rev. Bishop Corrigan gave Confirmation to three hundred and fifty-seven persons, one hundred and sixty-one of whom were adults.-There is in the neighborhood of this church, a chapel for Ritualists of very advanced tendency. It is mainly supported by a Mrs. Stephens, who purchased for it, at a cost ~of $70,000, the beautiful mosaic altar exhibited at the centennial. The preacher or "Father," as he calls himself, advocates and praaices celibacy, hears confessions, and follows the Roman Ritual very closely. He seems to be a very honest kind of man. Fr. Ceci who is \veil acquainted with the leading members of the Ritualist church, expeas that a great many of them will embrace the true faith. Recently two prominent young men and a young lady of that congregation became Catholics in Europe. One of the young men is a novice in Roehampton, the other~ studies at St. Sulpice, Paris, for the archdiocese of New York. DECE:IlBER 8th.-The same Fathers opened a mission in St. Patrick's Cathedral, N. York. The church was thronged at every service. Even at 5 A. M. hundreds were standing in the aisles. His Eminence the Gardinal assisted at the High Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the mission. Assisted by the V. Rev. V. G. Fr. Quinn, by the curates, Frs. Kearney, Keane, Moci, and Hogan, and by other priests, we heard about seven thousand confessions. Twenty persons were converted and one hundred and thirty-seven adults prepared for first Communion. Immediately after renewing their own spirit by an annual retreat, which the missionaries are accustomed to make about New Year, Fr. Damen's band went to the State of Missouri. CHURCH OF THE ANNUNC1ATIOX, ST. Lours.- Mission opened Jan. 12th, 1879, lasted until Jan. 21st, Fr. Damen was assisted by Frs. Niederkorn and Hillman. The attendance was excellent. One thousand five hundred Communions, nine adults, and three children of converts baptized; thirty Adults prepared for first Communion. At the end of the mission a leaure was delivered for the benefit of the �Missions by t!te Fat!ters of tlze Province of Missouri. 169 parochial school. Fr. Brady has charge of the congregation. ST. JosEPH's CATHEDRAf.:. ST. Jos. Mo.-The mission was opened on Jan. z6th, by Fr. Damen, accompanied by Frs. Niederkorn and Hillman. The attendance was large. One thousand and three hundred Communions, fourteen adults prepared for first Com 11union, nine converts baptized, three or four others left under instrud:ion. Meanwhile, Frs. Zealand and Bronsgeest preached the Spiritual Exercises to the congregation of Bridgeton, a town about four miles from the Florissant Novitiate. The church, a neat brick building, was ered:ed by Fr. Gleisal, S. J. It wa<> the pastoral residence of Fr. B. Masselis, S. J. Since our Fathers gave up the charge of the congregation, the flocks have been very unfortunate in their pastors. They have had about a dozen priests in that number of years. The present pa'>tor Fr. Schroder takes up his charge in good earnest. The weather being inclement and the congregation lukewarm, there was not much of a stir during the mission. Towards the end however, there was a decided improvement; and many reconciliations with God were effed:ed. Communions two hun .ired and forty-four. Two adults prepared for first Communion. GALESBURG.-Passing by the Novitiate, the same Fathers went to Galesburg, Ill., Diocese of Peoria, Jan. ·z6-Feb. 4· Galesburg is a bigoted town. But a few years ago. its municipality excluded Catholics from holding office. No Protestants attended the mission. We thought that this was owing to the bad location of the church, situated at one end of the town; but the pastor assured us that it was caused by anti-Catholic prejudice. Shortly before the mission he had invited the Bishop of Peoria to give a led:ure. He had hired the best public hall and advertised well; yet the great eloquence of the orator did not draw a single Protestant. For the rest, the mission was a perfe8: success. Its principal feature was the reorganization of a T. A. Society, which includes almost the whole male population of the parish. Communions nine hundred and eighty, twenty-one adults prepared for first Communion. The 7th of February found the whole band in New York. CHURCH OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FEB. 9th-28th.This is one of the largest congregations in New York. It is dired:ed by Fr. Edwards, pastor, assisted by Frs. Malone, Mahony, Slattery and Byrne. All these priests, with the VoL. vm-No. 3· 22 �170 .1.Wissions by tlze Fatlzers of tlzc Province of 11-fi:Ssouri. exception of the last, are pupils of the New York Jesuit Fathers. Great attention is paid to the parochial school, which numbers about two thousand three hundred pupils. Either the pastor or one of the assistants is constantly about the school, to catechise, teach or superintend. The mission was a complete success. The large church could not accommodate .all the men. Rather than disappoint them, the confessors vacated the chapel on the ground floor of the schoolhouse, where an audience of about seven hundred assembled to hear Fr. Niederkorn. In the beginning of the third week we were overcrowded with work. It was deemed advisable that a_special mission should be preached to the working boys and girls. Not having room to accommodate both, Fr. Bronsgeest took the boys to one place, and Fr. Hillman the girls to another. During the same days Fr. Zealand gave the Spiritual Exercises to the school children. We received much assistance in the confessional from the pastor and his assistants, from Fr. Flynn, a former curate, now pastor of Langherty, from several Jesuit Fathers, and secular priests, especially Fr. Hockspril. Communions twelve thousand two hundred, adults prepared for first Communion thirty-seven, converts thirteen. \Ve found reasons to prefer our system of giving the little mission to the children from the commencement. The same Fathers gave the mission in the church ofOuR LADY OF MERCY, BROOKLYN.-Fr. Me Namara, pastor, Frs. Gallagher and Donohoe assistants. It commenced Dom. I. Quadr. and lasted two weeks arid a half, was well attended, and everything went off orderfy and pleasantly. We received assistance in the confessional from some of the secular clergy. Communions seven thousand, converts twelve, adults etc. forty-two. HoLY F A!IULY CHURCH, CHICAGO, DoM. IV. Q.-The mission was well attended. Fr. Niederkorn preached at 5 A. M. Fr. Damen at night, Fr. Bronsgeest at 8.30 A.M. Fr. Zealand instructed his class of adults. Communions (including Easter Sunday) twenty thousand, converts six, adults prepared etc., twenty-seven. During Easter week, the missionaries went east again, Frs. Damen, Hillman and Bronsgeest to give a mission in St. Peterst' Jersey City, Frs. Niederkorn and Zealand in Sangerties, Ulster Co., New York. SANGERTIES, DoM. I. P. PAscHA.-Fr. O'Flynn, pastor, Fr. Me Corry assistant. Communions one thousand four �Missions by t/ze Fatlzers of the Province of Missouri. I 7 I hundred and fifty-four, converts seven, adults prepared for first Communion thirteen. During the second week the missionaries visited two little missions atttached to Saugerties : in Clove they had two hundred Communions, Quarryville, one hundred and eighty. ST. PETER's, JERSEY CITY, APR. 2oth-MAY 6th, DaM. I. P. PASCHA.-The mission in St. Peter's was well attended. Every facility was afforded to the penitents to make their confession, the Fathers of the College assisting us whenever their services were needed. Owing to the hospitality and kindness of Frs. Me Quaid and Kenny, and the charity of all the members of the community, our stay at St. Peter's was most agreeable. Communions five thousand nine hundred, converts nine, adults prepared for first Communion fourteen. ENGLEWOOD, MAY I rth, DaM. IV. P. PASCHA.-Fr. Damen was assisted during this mission by Fr. Zealand. Englewood is pleasantly situated on the Hudson River. The congregation is in charge of the Carmelite Fathers, Father Smith superior. Communions nearly one thousand. MAY I Ith-2oth. CHuRCHES OF ST. JAMES AND ST. THoMAs, NEWARK, DaM. IV. P. PASCHA.-From May I rth-2oth, Frs. Niederkorn, Hillman and Bronsgeest labored in Newark. The two latter gave the mission in the church of St. Thomas, a frame building fitted up some years ago, for the convenience of that portion of St. James' congregation, east of the Jersey Central R. R. track. The mission was a very fatiguing one, owing to the great distance of the pastoral residence. We were however encouraged by the zeal of the people who came to Mass, even at 4.30 o'clock, in such numbers that they filled every seat in the church. Communions nine hundred and sixty, adults prepared for first Communion five, converts two. f\Ieanwhile Fr. Niederkorn preached the Jubilee to the female portion of St. James' congregation, reaping a good harvest of souls. St. James' church is certainly one of the finest in the country. It is an imposing brown-stone building in Gothic style, and is very massive in all its details. The altars, the window-frames, and the floor are of marble and stone. When the spire is completed, it will be, after the Cathedral of New York, perhaps the finest and best finished church in the United States. Behind the church a grand brown-stone building is in course of ereCtion. It is intended for a hospital. The church was completed and the hospital built up to the roof by a French priest, who, �I 72 llfz"ssions by t!te Fatlzers of tlte Proviuce of Mz"ssouri. besides these grand structures contemplated ereCting a convent of vast dimensions for the Sisters of Charity. He laid the foundations; but death surprised him before his plans were carried out, and it is not probable that this building· will ever be completed. IMMACULATE CoNCEPTION CHuRcH, N.Y., MAY 2oth-JuNE I st.-The pastor of this church, Fr. Edwards, for whom we had given a very successful mission in the Spring, now wished to avail himself of the services of Fr. Damen and companions to prepare his people for the Indulgence of the Jubilee. They commenced on the Feast of the Ascension and gave two exercises a day till Pentecost. The pastor and his assistants were assiduous in the confessional. Communions six thousand. OsAGE MissiON, KANSAS, JuNE 8th.-To conclude the season, Frs. Damen, Zealand and Niederkorn gave the Spiritual Exercises to the congregation of St. Francis de Hieronymo under the charge of our Fathers. They had over nine hundred Communions. They went also to Parsons, a growing town and the great railroad centre of Kansas. Most of the Catholics are laborers in the railroad shops. Fr. Driessen, S. J., attends to their spiritual wants, every Sunday. Communions three hundred a·nd eighty. MISSIONS ON LAKE HURON SHORE, MAY 25th-JUNE lOth. - Frs. Bouige and Bronsgeest went to revive the religious spirit in a number of little missions in charge of Fr. Roche on the Michigan side of Lake Huron .. In Ansable, the residence of the pastor, they had four hu_ndred and ninety Communions and about the same number in three little out-missions, Tawas, Harrisville and Alabaster. Fifteen adults were prepared for first Communion and two were received into the Church. One thing remarkable about the Ansable congregation is that about three fourths of the English speaking part of it are Scotch Catholics. It is the· largest settlement of Scotch Catholics in this part of the world. They came from the Highlands; lived for a while in Glengarry, Canada, and then moved to Michigan. Their mother tongue is Gaelic, but all, however, speak English. They are very staunch in the faith, very religiously inclined, moral, industrious, and contribute liberally to the support of the church and the priest. Sum total of Communions 86,600; converts I66; adults prepared for first Communion 654. �1 ... OBITUARY. FATHER JOSEPH B. O'HAGAN. "Father O'Hagan di'ed of Apoplexy at sea, Dec. I5th, and was buried at Acapulco, Dec. I9tlz. He received Extreme Unflion." Since the memorable day ten years before when word came across the ocean that a beloved member of the Province, Fr. Joseph O'Callaghan, had perished at sea, no shock so great had fallen on the homes of the Maryland Province as struck them when the above telegram was received on the 28th of December last. But a month had passed from the day on which, in company with a dear friend, Fr. O'Hagan had sailed from the port of New York, for a journey by sea to California; and only the day previous to the receipt of the telegram, letters had come to friends giving encouragement to hopes entertained by them of his restoration to perfeCt health. Early in the Spring of 1878 there began to spread rumors that Fr. O'Hagan was breaking down, and some anxiety on this account was aroused ; but as the year grew apace and no development of serious disease took place, all fears in his regard were allayed. During the summer, he submitted to medical examination both at home and in the Provinces, whither he had gone to recruit, and the verdiCt of the physicians removed every vestige of uneasiness, for . they declared his organic condition to be sound, and himself in need of rest only to build up anew his strength. To further this objeCt, a sea-trip and a sojourn for the winter months in the milder climate of California were ordered; and in obedience to direCtions given by superiors, in pursuance of this recommendation, Fr. O'Hagan sailed from New York on the last day~ of November. What followed, up to the moment of his sudden death and to his temporary interment at Acapulco, cannot be better told then by inserting here the account of the sad issue transmitted to the Provincial by Fr. Healy, the companion of the deceased's last hours."When I mailed my last from Aspinwall, I little thought ( 173) �174 Fatlzer Joseplz B. 0 'Haga11. of what was preparing for us. If I mistake not, my letter was dated the 9th Dec. Father O'H. moved about with difficulty, yet was able to hold his own. His stomach had been very delicate and we taxed our brains to know how to please it. \Ve had to trust to instinCt:, because medical advice was of little avail. That evening a fearful storm arose, and about ten o'clock, it became evident that we should have to slip our moorings and run out to sea. Father O'H. and I were discussing the question of going ashore and roughing it. There is no decent hotel in the place, and the rain was pouring down in torrents. He could not walk any distance, and in case we went ashore would have to be carried. I determined to remain aboard rather than risk the drenching and the inconveniences of a leaky room. Providence soon made my decision inevitable. The gangway went plunging into the boiling sea. Our ropes were cut, and by good luck we escaped from the imminent danger of being dashed to pieces against the bow of a steamer lying near us. For two days we were obliged to sail up and down the coast, outside the harbor, and there were few who did not succumb to the influence of the ship's motion. On Thursday night we again entered the roadstead and cast anchor. fr. O'Hagan's strength was much reduced by this strain, and that night I noticed that he could not walk without being supported. No wonder, for he could retain nothing in his stomach. "Friday morning, the I 3th, we had him carried to the cars and we began the rough transit acrpss the isthmus. He bore up very well, and seemed to take an interest in the scenes through which we were passing, although his dimmed eye-sight robbed him of the pleasure of seeing things at a distance. \Ve left Aspinwall at I 2 111. and reached Panama at three o'clock. I had him carried to the lighter and his exhausted condition gave me my first serious uneasiness. "The doCtor of the vessel reassured me, and said that I was unnecessarily alarmed: that if he could retain his food, he could be easily brought out again. I spent most of the night with him and the next morning his appetite was found reviving. He took his food with relish and drank some madeira wine at regular intervals. On Saturday noon we found his chest somewhat congested on one side, the effeCt: of a cold caught in the transit of the isthmus. This was remedied and I asked to have an opiate given to ensure sleep. He passed a quiet night, though he did not sleep much. His appetite continued good throughout the day �.. Father Joseplz B. 0 'Hagan. 175 as well as on the morrow. Another opiate was administered on Sunday afternoon, and after givin~him his broth I went down to dinner towards six o'clock. Returning, I found him asleep. A little restlessness recalled me, and at first he spoke of his back, then said that he was not suffering at all. He composed himself to sleep and I went on deck to get a little fresh air, as we were yet on the hot belt. "I had been away about twenty minutes and Col. F. and I were speaking of the improvement in his condition, when the watch came to tell me that his breathing had undergone a notable change. vVe ran ·down. The blow had been struck during his sleep. The doctor said that he was sinking, and his face showed that apolexy had come unexpeCledly. I gave him Extreme UnClion and the absolution and had hardly finished when he was no more. "Neither he nor I, nor in fact any one, had dreamed of so sudden a.n end. \Ve had never spoken of the eventuality, and it was only when feeling depressed that he would sometimes express a doubt about his reaching San Francisco. On the way over the isthmus, he had told me of the seat he wanted at table, and had previously spoken of going to some springs in California in case Dr. B. and others approved of it. He died about 8.30 P. M. on Sunday, Dec. I 5th, off the coast of Nicaragua, Lat. 10° 29', Long. 86° 46'. "The suddenness of his death sent a chill through the vessel. Nearly every one knew him, and, as usual, loved him, and were anxious to show their sympathy for him. All music and revelry stopped at once, and many and heartfelt were the words of comfort and praise spoken by all. The officers of the ship were extremely kind from the time we embarked, and after his death were very prompt in offering every aid that they could extend. "I had his body embalmed and, as Acapulco was three days off, resolved to bury him there in the Catholic cemetery. Captain C. was willing to take the remains to San Francisco, and thither I should have preferred to transport them, but I thought it asking too much to keep the gloom of his death over the passengers for two weeks more. After embalming the body, the coffin was draped in the American flag, under which he had so long and so faithfully served, and so remained until we reached Acapulco." Thus was ended a life which had been spent in the service of God, and though the summons came unexpectedly they did not find the priest of God unprepared. Fr. Joseph B. O'Hagan was born in the pat:ish of Clogher, �Father Joseph B. 0 'Hagan. County Tyrone, Ireland, on the feast of Our Lady's Assumption, 1826. In' early youth he emigrated to Nova Scotia where his brother resided, and there he prosecuted his classical studies until the call to embrace the ecclesiastical state became too pronounced for him longer to doubt the designs that God had over his life. He was readily admitted into the Seminary by Abp. \Valsh of Halifax, whose personal friendship as well as fatherly solicitude it was his privilege to enjoy. Before completing the course of studies preparatory to ordination, Fr. O'Hagan, in the summer of 1847, met in Boston the venerable Fr. Me Elroy, who was then beginning in that city the great work, that is now represented by the..flourishing condition of our Society within its limits. To the young Seminarian the result of this meeting was his reception into the Society and his entrance into the Novitiate in December 1847·· It is scarcely necessary in so imperfeCt: a sketch as this must by force of circumstances prove to be, to enter with detail into the occupation of the deceased during his religious life of thirty-one years. Having passed through the noviceship, in which his unfailing cheerfulness, bright wit and affeCtionate disposition made him a favorite with his young companions and endeared him to superiors as a subjeCt: of much promise, he took up the usual studies of Rhetoric and Philosophy, and in 1852 began his work as teacher in the old Seminary in 'Washington. For two years, from 1855 to 57 his labors were transferred to Georgetown College. In the fall of the latter year he was' direB:ed to begin his studies of Theology ; and after two years was ordered to Belgium, whither superiors were glad to send him, because of the greater facilities there enjoyed at the time for the prosecution of all higher studies. There he was ordained; and he returned to the United States just in time to witness the outbreak of the civil war, that was to deluge in blood, for four long years, one half the country, and to entail on the entire nation a legacy of moral evils more deplorable than the slaughter of men or the destruCtion of cities; By the wise choice of our lamented Fr. Paresce, who was then Provincial, Fr. O'Hagan was appointed a chaplain in the Northern army, and he served at this post until Sept. '63. when he was ordered to Frederick for the thiro year of Probation. While stationed at Georgetown in the Scholastic year of 64-65, he was again direB:ed to join the army before Richmond, and he accompanied it in its viCtorious march to Richmond and up to the closing �Fatlzer joseplt B. O'Hagan. I77 s::ene at Appomattox C. H. where Lee gave up his sword. From the close of the war up to I 872, his labors where chiefly at St. i\'lary's anj the Immaculate Conception in Boston. In July of t!1at year he succeeded Fr. Ciampi as President of Holy Cross College, and was at the head of this institution when summoned away to his death. This skeleton of dates is the framework of a life that gave full years of loyal s<.:rvice to God as a devout religious and a zealous priest. During that period of his career in the Society, which w,ts d~voted to the work of the school-room, Fr. O'Hagan gained no mean repute as a teacher. An ever ready, flowing wit, a lively imagination, and a clearly defined poetic vein in his nature. supplemented an easy familiarity with the classics and a keen appreciation of their beauties. l\Ioreover his impulsive, energetic disposition was quick to excite inl;t!rest in the minds of his pupils, who followed his instruCtions easily, and, in conquering difficulties, caught something of their master's enthusiasm. His influence in developing not only the mental but the moral faculties of his scholars should not be underrated, and of his force in this direCtion those are the best witnesses, who benefited most largely by it. In the study of Philosophy and Theology, prosecuted for a measure in the greater schools of Belgium, where iarger numbers made competition more aCtive and rendered distinCtion less easily attainable, Fr. O'Hagan's talents met with full recognition; and .in due time he was admitted to the solemn profession of the four vows. But it was eminently in the labors of the ministry that the true charaCter of the man took shape and manifested its strength. Long years before the desire of his youth was realized by the reception of Holy Orders, the writer remembers to have been impressed by the deep sensitive and enthusiastic appreciation, displayed by this aspirant to priesthood, for the sacred charaCter that clothes him, who like Aaron, takes not this honor on himself, but is called of God. His warm, loving nature admirably fitted him to carry out the mission of the Great Priest, who went about doing good to all; and it was only necessary to accompany Fr. 0' Hagan on his visits to the poor of the large city parish in which he served, to recognize that his heart was great enough to compass the sufferings and the sorrows that fall so largely to the portion.of God's poor, and that the balm he so kindly poured into their wounds had in it the efficacy that bespoke the supernatural source whence it flowed. I .. VoL. vur-No. 3· 23 �Fatlzer joseplz B. O'Hagan. His presence fell like a light across the threshold of every door that he entered; and the gladness that brightened the faces of his hearers when fell from him words of comfort and counsel, intermingled with the playful jest and the flashes of wit which they knew so well how to appreciate, showed that he was welcomed as Father and Friend. For evidence of his zeal for souls, it is not necessary to go beyond the first mission assigned him as a priest, his appointment to the chaplaincy of the Excelsior Brigade of New York, constituting in 1861, a portion of the Army of the Potomac. under Genl. Me Clellan. How trying an experience this was for any priest, but especially for one who had just emerged from the seclusion of the leB:ure-hall, and how successfully Fr. O'Hagan stood the crucial test to which h~ was exposed therein, may be deduced from letters written at the time by himself to friends in the Society. After his presentation to his regiment, he writes : "Such a col!eB:ion of men, I think, was never before united in one body since the flood. Most of them were the scum of New York society, reeking with vice and spreading a moral malaria around them. Some had been serving terms of penal servitude on Blackwell's Island at the outbreak of the war, but were released on condition of enlisting in the army of the Union, and had gladly accepted the alternative. About half the regiment, perhaps two thirds, called themselves Catholics, but all the Catholicity they had was the faith infused into their souls by baptism. The majority of these so-called Catholics were the children of Irish parents, whom the misfortunes and vicious habits of the'se same parents had cast upon the streets of New York, and who, abandoned by their natural proteCtors, had grown up pests to society. Fighting was their normal condition, and when they could not meet the common enemy, they 'kept their hand in' by daily skirmishes among themselves. A few weeks before I joined them, they had held an eleB:ion for chaplain : over four hundred voted for a Catholic priest; one hundred and fifty-four, for any kind of a Protestant minister; eleven, for a Mormon elder; and the rest said that they could go to hell without the assistance of the clergy. The officers, with some noble exceptions, were worthy of their men .... I returned to the tent assigned me, and never in my whole life .. in sickness 'or in health, have I suffered so much as I did on that day in half an hour. What an apostolic priest I was, ready to cry like a home-sick girl, because I had not �Fatlter Joseplz B. 0 'Hagan. 179 found every rough soldier a cultivated gentleman and a perfect Christian ! " But time and Fr. O'Hagan's untiring labors wrought a ~ratifying change. L<lter in the same year he writes : "The men, being removed from the city and not having the facilities for dissipation at hand, settled down into comparatively decent fellows. I had a neat chapel built and I prepared quite a large number of young men for their first Confession and Communion. They became attentive to their religious duties and I had as much to do in the ten regiments of the division as I could well look to. My work, though hard, became a labor of love." Such were the duties and the rewards of missionary life in the camp. On the battle-field the dangers were not greater than the urgency of demand for the aid that the Catholic priest alone may give, and Fr. O'Hagan did not fear the one in extending the other. One of the most sanguinary of the earlier engagements of the war was the battle of vVilliamsburg, Va., and on that field Fr. O'Hagan mingled in the thickest of the fight to aid the dying and wounded. The miraculous escapes from death on that occasion he dwells on gratefully though lightly in his correspondence, and the instances of manifest dispensations of God's mercy to many a soldier who then fell, light up the pages of his letters with very fervid thanks. He thus describes the entrance of his own regiment into action: "May 5th, 1862, my men were drawn up in line of battle, just ready to go to the front, to relieve the regiments that had been engaged since day-light, and had suffered severely. The roaring of hundreds of pieces of artillery, and the sharp, crackling sound of musketry were deafening. The rain was pouring down in unbroken streams. The mangled remains of soldiers of ·the other regiments were carried past in quick succession. The groans of the wounded were heart-rending. Now a shell burst in our immediate vicinity, killing a few men and horses ; again a shower of grape-shot rattled in the trees above us. In obedience to my orders all the Catholic soldiers in the regiment, not one excepted, advanced two paces, knelt down in the mud, repeated aloud an act of contrition, and I pronounced the formula of absolution. All those who were not Catholics uncovered their heads and seemed awestruck at the solemnity of the scene. I heard, about a year afterwards, a Protestant officer telling another, that of all the religious ceremonies he had ever witnessed, no one had �180 Fatlzer Joseplt B. 0 'Hagan. made so lasting an impression on his mind as that aCt: of absolution. A religion that could produce such effect must be divine, he said; and yet he did not become a Catholic. \Vithin half an hour many of the men who thus knelt for absolution were in eternity. In killed and wounded our loss on that day was about five hundred." Such was the life of Fr. O'Hagan during his service in the army; and through all the fights of the seven days around Richmond, during which he was taken prisoner and carried to the Confederate capital, at Fredericksburg and on the terrible field of Gettysburg, his devotion as a priest and his heroism as a soldier were taxed to their utmost limit. On the field an{ in the hospital, in camp and on the march, he was energetic, earnest and untiring in bearing comfort to the wounded and the sick and the dying: and with that instinct, which in moments of supreme danger transcends the slower process of reason and is often a surer guide for action, men committed to his ear not merely the secrets of their souls, but those sacred confidences, which, thus entrusted, made less terrio\e. the approach of death, and which, when surrendered hy him in some instance after journeyings of many hundreds of miles for the purpose, to those for whom they were meant, gave the one Sl)\ace to the sorrowing hearfs which they were to know through what remained to them of life. Of the good odor of Christ left amongst the soldiers of the army by our dear Father in those years of hard service, no fitter testimony can close our remarks on this subject than the following letter Ql the Rev. Joseph H. Twichell, a Congregationalist minister of Hartford Conn:"Fr. O'Hagan had been for seventeen years one of my dearest friends, and this sudden intelligence of his untimely decease-for he was in the prime of life-has touched me with profound sorrow. Our friendship was formed under circumstances in the highest degree favorable to its intimacy and our mutual enjoyment in it. \Ve were chaplains in the same brigade of the army of the Potomac, and for the space of two years worked together side by side, and to some considerable extent hand in hand. For whole months we were daily companions. and we often slept under the same blanket. As Christian ministers we were continually thrown together in scenes that had the effect to make us forgetful of our differences in religion and mindful only of our sympathies. �Fatlzer 7osep!t B. O'Hagan. "He was one of the best and kindliest of men, and one of the most delightful of comrades. He had a bright, happy wit; no discomforts could overcome his cheerful temper, and his generosity was boundless. His society was ever an unfailing antidote alike to the tedium of the camp and the hardship of the field. His devotion to duty was unflagging, and bore him through great fatigues, not infrequently into great perils. He was as brave as he was tender-he:1rted and faithful. I never saw any reason to doubt, on the contrary, I saw every reason to believe, that the motive of his earnestness was his desire to serve God. Fr. O'Hagan exercised a strong, good influence among the soldiers, especially those of his own faith, and he was widely known and much respeCted throughout the army. His abilities and acquirements were of a high order. He was an accomplished scholar. Before the war he had been a member of the faculty of Georgetown College. There are many who will recall his eloquent address before the Irish Brigade on St. Patrick's day, r 863. "But, now that he is gone, it is most pleasing to dwell upon those private virtues which endeared him in personal relations, and which won from me an affeCtion which the flight of years has had no power to alter or abate. "He has occasionally been at my fireside here in Hartford, always bringing with him the same genial spirit of good fellowship and gooJ will that beguiled so many hours, otherwise uncheered, in the old never to-be-forgotten days, now left so (·u behind. \Vhat days they were! The sad news of his death brings them all back, in a flood of memories with the most imperishable of which he is associated. He was a good man and worthy to be lamented. It gives me a mournful pleasure to speak of him thus, and to testify to the admiration and esteem in which I held him-to the love I bore him and bear him still. The grave in which he lies buried at Acapulco, Mexico, is the grave of a patriot, a gentleman and true friend and a sincere Christian." Of Fr. O'Hagan's power in the pulpit it may be said, that fervor of thought and utterance, earnestness of manner and sincerity of motive gave to his words ..an efficacy which great originality of ideas, higher efforts of eloquence and more elaborate language might have lacked. His enthusiastic, generous nature was manifest in all that he said, and there was a personal magnetism about him that always �182 Fatlzer Yoseplt B. 0 'Hagau. carries with it men's assent. For proof of his administrative ability, sufficient are the years of his Presidency of Holy Cross College: and the work there accomplished by him in the betterment of the course of studies and in the magnificent material improvements that adorn the institution fully justifies the choice of superiors when they assigned him to the post. ~o one could be for any time in Fr. O'Hagan's company without coming under the influence of the open-hearted, loving nature that swayed him. Impulsive he was, but his impulses were generous. He was keen-sighted to detect what was good in every one and prompt to acknowledge and commend the same. \Vords of praise for those even who but little merited them were ever in his mouth; and although his quick wit would occasionally have play upon the foibles of men and the ludicrous phases of their character, it was never exercised in an unkindly spirit, and was invariably softened by words of commendation for what was of worth in them. No man ever had more numerous or more devoted friends than Fr. O'Hagan, and, in knitting them to him, he had a guiding motive in the injunction of St. Paul to make himself all things to all men, in order to gain all to Christ. In the rugged heart of the common soldier with whom he bore privation and faced danger, Fr. O'Hagan won love and esteem that outlived the trying times that gave the sentiment birth: very dear did his sympathy and almost womanly kindness render him to the widows and orphans of those whose dying jnoments he had soothed on field and in hospital; and 'in· many a home throughout the North when news of his death reached it, memories were stirred and, as one newspaper remarked, "many there were to express deep sorrow when they realized that so brave a man and so good a friend had passed away." Such was the feeling wherever he had for any time resided or had found any occasion to make acquaintances. During his administration, Holy Cross College was hospitably open to friend and to stranger, to priest and to layman; particularly for the former students of the institution who had entered the ministry, was the door kept ajar and within a hearty welcome prepared. As one of them remarked, when many had gathered for the funeral services, "in Fr. O'Hagan we found whenever we returned to Alma Mater a father to welcome and a wise counsellor to advise us. " �Fat!ter Tlzomas ilk Donouglz. The friendships that had brightened his life followed him to his far off resting-place on the Mexican coast; and by permission of Rev. Fr. Provincial, his mortal remains were disinterred and, after many vexatious delays and puerile objections on the part of the government of Mexico, transferred to San Francisco, where, in the church of the Society, his devoted friend and the companio•1 of that last voyage that was cut short by death offered the Holy Sacrifice for his soul's eternal repose. Thence the body was transported overland to \Vorcester, where it was finally laid to rest beneath the shadow of the beautiful chapel which he had left to be his monument. Thither the regrets and the prayers of many devoted hearts have followed him; and, we may hope, have won for him, in consideration of the many worthy deeds done in the flesh, which this huried sketch has failed to record with merited praise, the judgment from divine lips that all must pray to have"\Vell done thou good and faithful servant. .. enter thou into the joys of Thy Lord." FATHER THOl\IAS Me DONOUGH. To another member of the Marvland Province, did the Lord extend His invitation, "Ent~r thou into My rest." Nor was there murmur or delay; Fr. Thomas McDonough was ready for the" happy summons. The days of his youth spent in innocence and piety, the years of his manhood passed in the practice of religious perfection, his last morning on earth hallowed by the Sacraments-these were his sufficient preparation. He was called to his rest in the midst of his work, and quietly and hopefully exchanged the burden of office laid upon him by obedience, for its sure reward in heaven. A relative of the deceased has furnished us with thes~ details of his early life, which his modesty had kept in reticence. He was born on the I rth of March, 1830, in the town of Dingle, Kerry Co., Ireland. After finishing his studies in a private boarding-school at Banaher, he returned to his native place where he made a course of medicine under a surgeon and apothecary-branches of the profession then taught together. He obtained his degree in Dublin. �Father Thomas life Donouglz. In 1848, he came to this country, entered a pharmacy in Brookline, and later on, in Boston, and was fairly started on the road that would have brought him, like many another clever young immigrant, to wealth, and prosperity. A visit to \Vorcester gave him his right vocation. There he met his uncle, the lamented Fr. Patrick Forhan, a man of fine scholarship, who had been received into the Society and was then employed as a secular teacher at Holy Cross College. The example of his senior relative was too strong to be resisted by an heroic soul like his, and carried him along as a companion to the novitiate in rSso. Under the favorable influences of Frederick, he planted the seeds of a virtue which uninjured by the different atmospheres by which he was surrounded in his after life, attained a rich and stately growth. He was preeminently humble; he was modest to self-effacement. His noviceship over, he entered with alacrity upon the Jesuit routine of duties as teacher and prefeCt. Loyola College, then in her infancy, witnessed his first fervor in the class-room; Georgetown counted him in her staff and saw him manage her small boys; Holy Cross had the benefit of his mature experience in upholding discipline in yard and dormitory. Then followed the studies of preparation for Holy Orders, which he was fortunate enough to make in the Boston Scholasticate. His previous success in letters and his excelient natural talent for the sciences would have left him no laggard in the unfLbridged course, had not his head refused the strain of the.s~ven long years. After his ordination he was installed as Minister at Fred· erick, and in 1865 adn;itted to his last vows. Such was the trust reposed in him by his superiors, that when illhealth compelled the Ret1or, Fr. O'Callaghan-whose untimely fate still casts a gloom over the anniversary of St. Agnes-to remain away from his charge for the space of several years, the Minister was considered fully competent to aCt: as head of the house. A brief respite from the trials and troubles of this funCtion, was affi)rded him in the more congenial labors of a parish. Here would his post have been, had his natural inclination left him in control of the helm; but of this he had made unconditional surrender to his superior.: Accordingly, when Rev. Fr. Provincial was in search of the ability, the taCt, and above all, the spirit of self-sacrifice that make up the Minister of an important establishment, he discovered these qualifications in him, and �Father Thomas Me Do11ouglt. turned his course back into the breakers-into Woodstock College.-For eight years he discharged the duties of his arduous office with a devotion that will long remain unrivalled in our annals. He held his position with a watchful eye for the maintenance of religious discipline, and yet with a considerate attention to the peculiarities of charaCter, formation or nationality ; he saw through men and things with a clear, praCtical penetration, yet was not hardened by the view, but ever wore a gentle heart for those in trouble real or imaginary; he disposed of all with foresight and pru-dence and wisdom. A true servant of his community, he kept no office hours, but was always ready to supply each want, no matter how trivial ; a careful procurator, he enhanced by the generosity of his disposition what poverty forced him to give with economical hand. His patience only took a brighter polish under the attrition that is inevitable in the ministership; his charity was not limited to Ours but went forth into the neighborhood, and the many tears of gratitude for assistance in sickness and sorrow that were shed over his grave, attest his thoughtful sympathy. The amount of business which his office entailed, had for several years back made more formidable inroads on his already shattered constitution. Violent headaches recurring at short intervals, called for relief from his labors. Who was sadder than Fr. Provincial when he found that death had outstripped him in sending the longed-for boon? On the morning of the I 2th of March, Fr. Me Donough had just finished his Mass, and was moving through the gate of the sanCtuary, when he suddenly reeled and would have fallen but for the prompt support of some scholastics. This was his first stroke of paralysis. He, however, mistook the symptoms and was inclined to attribute the attack of weakness to a slight derangement of his stomach. On Saturday, the fourth day after the stroke, his physicians advised his removal to a more secluded room, and continued to watch him with anxiety. He now began to suspeCt that his condition was critical; made inquiries to that effeCt, but, of course, received an evasive and palliative answer. That night he sent away his attendant, and on Sunday morning at three o'clock got up to take his medicine, and reported himself much better at six. This was so like him; he was ever careful to give no trouble. Shortly after came the second stroke. When Fr. ReCtor accompanied by the hastily summoned community, arrived at his bedside at a quarVoL. VIII-No. 3· 24 �186 Fatlzer Angelo JJJ. Paresce. ter past seven, to administer the last Sacraments, he was conscious, indeed, but deprived of the use of his entire right side. For about an hour longer, he continued to recognize. those that stood around him with looks of sympathy, or. knelt by him for a charitable prayer; then dropped off into a wmatose state and so passed beyond the hopeful borders of recovery. He who had assisted with ministration of comfort at many a last hour, was not doomed to spend his in utter desolation. At half-past eight of that Sunday night the 16th of March, a hurried word came from the sick chamber that all was over, and the tolling bell immediately hushed recreation and~~tarted the De profimdis. The signal was premature; but, fortunate accident! it assembled the whole community around the bed of the dying Father, and brought it to pass that amidst the sacred sounds of the last prayers and the solemn scene of the kneeling brethren, he should go over to his eternal rest. His death followed closely upon his forty-ninth birth day. A longer career might have been desired for him, but not a nobler. For, Fr. Me Dono ugh lived and died a viCtim of that hearty and heroic devotion to duty which gives a flush of the sublime to brave spirits in the world, and in religion sheds upon them the radiance ~of martyrdom. - -· FATHER ANGELO M. PARESCE. Angelo M. Paresce was born in Naples, on the 3d of June, 18 I 7· As a child he was remarkable for the sweetness of his disposition, and the generous affeCtion which he evinced towards the members of his little household. To them, in turn, he was very dear; and indeed, not only to them, but to all with whom he came in contact: so that his playfellows were wont to say that he was by nature as well as by name, an angel. At the age of five, he began to go to school, and in his eight year, he made, with sentiments of tender piety, his first Communion. Two years later he entered on the classical course in the college of the Society in Naples. His application would have ensured distinCtion to students far less gifted than himself; and while, among the thousand scholars who attended the col- �Fatlzer Auge!o 111. Paresce. lege, he was preeminent in good qualities of mind and heart, he gained, by his rare modesty, the good-will of those whom his superiority might otherwise have rendered unfriendly. After spending five years at the college, the young Paresce sought admittance into the Society of Jesus. The Provincial, Fr. Ferrari, readily consented to receive him, but at home the desired permission was not so easily obtained; Angelo's father had recognized the ability of his son, for whom, with a father's pride, he had marked out a brilliant career in the world. These hopes, he thought, could not be reali1.ed. were his son to become a religious. Moreover his own advanced age, and failing strength, made him unwilling to part with one whose presence was a support and consolation ; but the mother helped her child, and a mother's prayers are strong. The father yielded. The young student entered the Novitiate in Naples, on the 16th of Sept., 1833; he was at this time in his seventeenth year. The Master of Novices was Fr. Tessandori, a man of consummate virtue, who for many years filled this responsible post, and sent forth able workmen into the vineyard. Under the guidance of so skilful a direCtor, the young novice advanced rapidly in the acquisition of solid virtue. In this early stage of his religious life, he began to show that singular charity towards the sick which was so remarkable a trait of his riper years. On learning of the illness of a companion, he would hasten to beg of the Superior permission to attend the sufferer; and this labor of love he would fulfil with admirable prudence and humility. A fellow-novice still gratefully remembers how, during a dangerous sickness, Br. Paresce remained for thirty long hours by his bedside; anticipating with loving solicitude every need, and taking no rest until his brother's life was out of danger. After taking his first vows, Br. Paresce began, in the Juniorate, the study of Rhetoric. About this time appeared the first symptoms of that heart-disease, which, for many years, occasioned him much suffering, and which was, in the end, the cause of his death. Two years of Rhetoric were followed by three of Philosophy, in Naples. The fervor and piety which had marked his life as a novice, the young scholastic preserved and increased. In spite of almost constant ill-health, he was very successful in his studies, especially in the natural sciences, for which he showed peculiar aptitude. On the completion of his course of Phil- I �188 Fat/ur Auge!o .M. Parcscc. osophy, Br. Paresce, now in his 24th year, was appointed professor of Mathematics and Physics at the college of Benevento. Four years were passed by him in this college. His scholars made rapid progress under his zealous and prudent care, while the community was edified by his exactness, tempered and made lovable by the charity which was its source. Deterred from much theoretical study by ill-health, he spent some hours daily in the cabinet of Physics, either adding to it by his own work, or skilfully directing the work of others. \Vith a small outlay he doubled, in the space of four years, the number of machines and instruments in the cabinet. His influence was not confined to the College : Jie was highly esteemed by the citizens· of Benevento, who, many years after his departure for America, spoke of him in terms of affectionate regret. In 1845, Fr. Ryder visited Italy to gather volunteers for the Province of Maryland. Br. Paresce offered himself. His Superiors were loath to part with so useful a subject; but the health of the young scholastic still continuing poor, and the physicians judging that a sea·voyage would prove beneficial, he at length obtained permission to 1\ccompany Fr. Ryder to the United States. The voyage had the desired effect; the health of Br. Paresce was greatly improved. At Georgetown, his first home in this country, he applied himself to the study of Theology, and in 1848 he was ordained priest. For about two years after this time he held the office of Minister, at Georgetown ; then, in I 8 50-5 I. he made his Tertianship at the Novitiate i!!-·Frederick. Of this house he was appointed Rector, on the 2'3d of l\1ay, 185 I; the duties of Master of Novices were at the same time combined with those of Rector. Fr. Paresce had now almost completed his 34th year. In this country, as in Italy, the sick were to him an object of special solicitude. By young persons he was regarded with peculiar affection, and, from the first, he exerted over them a powerful influence. Those whose happiness it was to pass their noviceship under his direction, know, in part, how admirably he fulfilled the duties of his double charge. Fathers, now growing gray in service, cannot speak of their old Master without tears; it is the heart's tribute, more eloquent than words. In 1853, Fr. Roothan died; and Fr. Paresce, with Fr. Ryder, went to Rome to take part in the election of a new General. On his return, Fr. Paresce resumed his work at the Novitiate, where he remained until, on the 19th of Apr., �J Fatlzer Angelo M Paresce. 189 186 I, he was made Provincial of the Province of Maryland. It was a critical period: the country was just entering on a great war; a part of the Province was occupied by the hostile armies. There were difficulties from within and from without; but Fr. Paresce was equal to the task assigned to him. No obstacle daunted him. He never undertook anything hastily; but, once his resolution was formed, once a work begun, he carried it through with a constancy which nothing could shake. He was a man of prayer; and, while straining every nerve in manly endeavor, he looked to God for the increase. · He put his hand to no work that was not for God, and to Him he left results; success or failure found him always the sJ.me. The respect which his virtues and talents inspired was not confined to the Society which called him her son : the secular clergy were won by his amiable manners, and reposed confidence in his wisdom. At the Baltimore Council, in I 866, the soundness of his judgment, and the prudence and humility which marked his conduct, gained for him the esteem of the prelates there assembled, and the lasting gratitude of Religious Orders and Congregations. To Fr. Paresce we owe our noble Scholasticate of Woodstock. He saw the need of a suitable edifice, and from the fir~t days of his Provincialship, he entertained the idea of supplying this need. At the end of the war, in 1865, the College of the Sacred Heart at Woodstock was begun. The work was carried on with energy, and in I86g was completed. The College was opened on the 21st of Sept., I86g, and Fr. Paresce, now freed from the duties of Provincial, was appointed first Rector of the house which owed to him its existence. It was no easy task to set so extensive a scholasticate in running order; but it prospered under the gentle yet firm rule of Fr. Paresce. As Superior, he evinced a marvellous tact in dealing with those under him; and this same tact characterized his intercourse with seculars. His government, while broad and comprehensive in its scope, did not neglect details; we have an instance of his foresight in the library of Woodstock, for which Fr. Paresce with careful discrimination gathered together a large number of precious works. He was eminently thorough in what he did ; and the additional exertion which · this thoroughness called forth helped much to break down a constitution delicate at the best. At last his weak frame was no longer able to bear the �190 Decretum Divisionis Neo-Eboracensis & Cauadensis. pressure which his untiring energy put upon it: in the early autumn of I 87 5 he was prostrated by a stroke of paralysis. Relieved now of the cares of the ReB:orship, he took that rest, and change of air, so long needed; but he had' already spent himself in the service of his Master. He partially recovered indeed, but the old strc1:gth never came back. Three years before his death he went to Europe; the trip did him good, but there was no lasting improvement. In sickness no less than in health, Fr. Paresce showed himself a man of exalted virtue. No complaint_ ever passed his lips; he bore with unchanging patience an inaB:ivity which, to one of his temperament, must have been irksome in the extreme. He made daily preparation for a death which, from the nature of his sickness, he had reason to believe would be a sudden one; and when he felt that his last hour was nigh, he awaited its approach with the calmness of a man at peace with his God. On the evening of Tuesday in Holy \Veek, Apr. 8th, 1879, Fr. Paresce was found unconscious in his room at vVoodstock. After some hours he rallied, slept during the night, and the next morning seemed better; but about noon, without warning, the final stroke came,-in a few moments he was dead. Thus, in the 62nd year of his age, died Angelo Maria Paresce, a-man whose every aspiration was noble, whose sanB:ity gave new lustre to his preeminent ability, whose heart ever beat responsive to that Sacred Heart to whose interests he was so tenderly devoted. His was the true spirit of the Society of Jesus. The gratefu.J)ears and prayers of thousands have followed him to the grave. He has deserved well of the Province of Maryland, which for generations to come will hold his memory in benediCtion. \Ve give here in full the decree recently issued by our V. Rev. Father General, in consequence of which the condition of our Society on this continent bas unde1;gone an important change. DECRETUM* DIVISIONIS MISSIONIS NEo-EBORACE.....,SIS ET CANADENSIS. lam diu ac Salpius actum est de ordinanda et ad consuetam Societatis nostrre normam redigenda Missione N eo-Eboracensi et Canadensi. Quum enim hrec missio partim in Frederatis Americal Statibus, partim in Domi*The article, "Manresa, New York," pRge 152, was in print before the union of the Mission of New York with the former Province of ll!aryland. �Decretum Divisiom~~ Nco-Eboracensis & Canadensis. 191 nio Anglico sita sit, inde non levia oriebantur incommoda, qure in dies magis succresccre videbantur tum ex longinquitate locorum, tum ex varietate linguarum, tum denique ex ipsa, qure in utraque regione intercedit, diversitate ingeniorum, morum, et consuetudinum. Quare ad ineundam rationem, qure his aliisque incommodis opportune occurreretur, non semel et iterum, sed pluries rogati sunt Patres graviores qui in utraque J\Iissione diutius versati sunt; quique datis ad nos litteris suam sententiam exposuerunt. Verum ut in re tam gravi maturiori consilio procederetur, et difficultates quredam, qure obstare videbantur, facilius evitarentur, per aliquod tempus, superscdendum a definitiva deliberatione duximus. N ovissime autem exquisitis iternm aliquorum Patrum sententiis, iisque attcnte ac diligcnter perpensis, tandem de consilio PP. Assistentium visum est in Domino decernendum et statuendum, prout prresenti Decreto decernimus et statuimus, ut l\lissio Neo-Eboracensis cum omnibus suis collegiis, domibus ac rcsidentiis qure nunc habet et in posterum habitura est, aggregetur et uniatur prresenti Provincire l\Iarylandire; et Missio Canadensis cum omnibus pariter domibus ac residentiis suis aggregetur et uniatur Provincire Anglicre, atque ita una ab altera segregata, partem constituat diversarum Provinciarnm ad maiorem Dei gloriam et animarum utilitatem: facta duolms Prrepositis Provincialibus potestate constituendi ea omnia in particulari, qure prredictam divisionem respiciunt, ad normam nostri Instituti et iuxta instructionem a nobis traditam. Interea Deum et S. Patrem Ignatium enixe precor, ut bane deliberationem e crelo ratam habeant, et dilectissimis Patribus et Fratribus nostris auxilium et gratiam adaugeant, qua uberiores in dies in charitate et unione fraterna, in regularum et domesticre disciplinre observantia, et in animarum zelo progressus faciant ad maiorem Dei gloriam et honorem. Datum Fesulis die 16• Junii an. 1879. PETRUS BECKX Prmp. Gen1"· Soc. Jesu. L. S. The Province of Maryland has been by this change, much enlarged, both as to the number of its members, and the extent of its territory, and has acquired the city of New York the largest in the United States. On this account, our V. R. Fr. General has decided that the Residence of the Provincial should be henceforth in that city, and that the Province should be called by the name of PROVINCE oF NEw YoRK. The address of Rev. Robert W. Brady, Provincial, is now: St. Francis Xavier's College, 49, West 15th Street, New York city, N.Y. l �OUR COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FOR 1878-79· :::==o-=-=----c==-~=====-=---===--=- PLACE ~- ~~ -- ~~--~-~~--~~-~-- -~~ -~~~~~~ NAME --------~~~-~--~~- STUDENTS PROVINCE ~------~-------- Baltimore, Maryland ..•..... Loyola College, d.* .....•.... 1\laryl:md ...........•...... Boston, Massachusetts ....•.. Boston College, d •.••••••••• Maryland ...............•.. Buffalo, New York .......... Canisius College, d ........... Germany .................. . Chicago, Illinois ............ St. Ignatius College, d ....... Missouri. ...•............... Cincinnati, Ohio ..•..•.•..•• St. Frnncis Xav. College, d .. •·J'r~issouri. ...••.............. Detroit, Michigan .......... Detroit College, d ..•••••.•.• Missouri.. ................. . Fordham, New York ........ St. John's College, b. • ••.... New York and Canada ..... . ................ . Georgetown, District of Col .. Georgetown College, b..•••.• Mnryhmd . · Jersey City, New Jersey ..... St. Peter's College, d ......... New Ynrk and Canada ..... . Las Vegas, New Mexico ..... Las Vegas College, b ..••.•.• Naple~ .................... . Montreal, ~ower Canada ..... St. Mary's College, b......... New York and Camtda ... ~ .. New York, New York ...... St. Francis Xav. College, d ... New Yorknnd Canada ..... . 1 New Orleans, Louisiana ..... Immaculate Cone. College, d. Lyons ..................•... Omaha, Nebraska.! .••.•.... Creighton College, d ......... Missouri. .........••........ Santa Clara, Calif6rnla ...... Santa Clara College, b.••.••• Turin ..................... . San Francisco, California .... St. Ignatius College, d .•••••• Turin ..................... . St. Louis, l'rlis~ouri. ......... St. Louis University, b....... Missouri. ................. . St. Mary's, Kansas .......... St. Mary's College, b.••••.•.. Missouri.. ................. . Rcguin, Texas .............. Guadalupe College, d ..••..•. Mexico .................... . Spring Hill, Alabama ....... St. Joseph's Colleg<•, b ....... Lyons ...................... I Washington, District of Col. . Gonzaga College, d ..•.....• ·jMarylaiHl ..•............... Worcester, Massachusetts.... Holy Cross College, b..•••••• Maryland ...........•...•.. I 101 238 142 213 240 98 179 156 108 301 520 213 200 209 608-. 362 177 71 112 87 141 �CONTENTS OF VOL. VIII. Page Georgetown College.. .. .. .. • . .. .. . • .. .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . .. .. • • .. .. . . . 3 The Old College of Quebec ....................................... 13 Vacation Work of Scholastic Priests .............................. 19 Eclipse Expedition ............................................... 25 Indian }fissions .......................................... 32, 80, 158 Extraordinary Cure of a Novice................................... 41 Fr. Mazzella's Departure from "\Voodstock College .....•••.•.•..••. 42 Brief Addressed to Frs. Mazzella and de Augustinis ..••••..•....... 44 Laying of the Corner Stone of St. Ignatius' Church and College, San Francisco. • • .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . .. .. • . .. • . .. . • .. . .. . .. • .. . • .. • 46 Description of the New Building at Georgetown College ............ 52 J. 0. Van de Velde, S. J ...................................... G5, 129 Journal of Missions in Kentucky ......... "~ ....................... 74 :Missionary Labors ....................................... 89, 14G, 1GG Cure of a Scholastic ..•..............•.....•..........•........... 94 Expulsion of Jesuits from liexico ................................ 137 Manresa, N.Y ........•.....•................................... 152 Calumny, Old and New, nnd St. John Fnmcis Regis ............... 1G4 OBITUARY- Father Philip Rappagliosi. ................................... 97 " Joseph Louis Duverney............................... 110 Camillus Vicinanza.........................•......... 114 Joseph B. O'Hagan ................................... 173 Thomas McDonough ................................. 183 Angelo M. Paresce ...................•............... 18G APPENDIX- Extracts from Foreign Letters ............................ 57, 117 Varia ................... ·...........................•.... GO, 123 Decretum Divisionis Missionis Neo-Eboruceusis ct Canadensis. 190 Our Colleges in the United States and Canada for 1878-79 ..... Hl2 ~ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Periodical Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 8 (1879) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1879 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-008 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 195 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1879 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/5e98f9a7b4453d936611032c49b5f57a.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=qSQerSUqVlJA0FaIdj1WQNH0aBo6y-CAHFVs4wkLCcCtwJ21vsxpK8mJhH8DgNwthOBcqJKT7ZDeRIRieheQYRNWhYcvrVR8j76X6f3lWVACtBsiBbM3bDcGYoPUBg%7EqHMMxCoEQVQc9HJsM7GxYgRxTF0V8RvPWZZkvWlQ-dQVpei1VaI-KebvIXcBAqDFHIabzmB1ZobzN7Lxwea4jCNxsDKhOZTIHQ6ssGpcNccjcJA6OmD%7EUcuvA7uRBW%7ELIZODieOdEwpaPsjIDMbDG-HlrfXILWksTnLk24PgIsVrCgSgObdiUphp-mN%7ENUb4UnjVX%7EIqNpuRgDZCVZOTxSg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM e7f27f3d8989195999e38d00a7cdd96c PDF Text Text A.M. D. G. WOODSTOCI( LETTERS Of Current Et•cuts and Jlisto1·ical ~Notes conncctecl with tile Colleges and .Uissiow~ of tile Soc. of' Jt'SUS in North and South Amerir·a. VOL. IX. ,:. ) , / i I 1.1 I ' I I I ..... :"-, / Marque JESUlT ARCHIVES Universi WOODSTOCK COLLEGE r88o. FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION . .. �p£ 1\' I ,,:,,r-x \ij v. t.~ ·-: 'L ..__ , �WOODSTOCI{ LETTERS. VOL. IX, No. 1. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE,. ITs EARLY HISTORY, WITH A IHOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ITS FOUNDER, AND EXTRACTS FR0:\1 HIS CORRESPONDENCE. (Continued.) The first meeting of the Catholic clergy of Maryland, or their delegates (all former members of the Society of Jesus), to concert measures for the service of religion, was held, as has been said before (Vol. VII, p. I 38), at ·Whitemarsh, Prince George's county-one of the old Jesuit residences still preserved to the Society,-June 27th, 1783. The second took place at the same spot, November 6th, of that year, and was attended by Rev'ds John Carroll, Bernard Diderick, Ignatius Matthews, John Lewis, superior of the mission after the suppression of the Society in I773• and James 'Walton. Of these the two first named only had attended the previous meeting. At the present one, in addition to the discussion of measures for the organization of the clergy and for the preservation of the late property of the Society against the fondly hoped-for day of its restoration,-subjeCl:s that had engaged the consideration of the meeting in June,-it was resolved at once to solicit of the Holy See the appointment of a superior in place of Mr. Lewis, who held his position unwillingly as the ecclesiastical subject of a Vicar Apostolic (3) �Gcorgetmvn College. 4 in England, a country from which Maryland and her late sister colonies had severed their political connection some years before. Moreover, says a document* drawn up by Rev. Mr. Carroll in 1790, after he had been made bishop: "During the whole war, there was not the least communication between the Catholics of America and their bishop, who was the vicar apostolic of the London DistriCt. To his spiritual jurisdiction were subject the United States; but whether he would hold no correspondence with a country which he perhaps considered in a state of rebellion, or whether a natural indolence and irresolution restrained him, the fact is, he held no kind of intercourse with priest or layman in this part of his charge. Before the breaking out of the war, his predecessor had appointed a vicar, the Rev. Mr. Lewis, and he governed the mission of America during the bishop's silence." The same narrative goes on to describe what was done on this occasio'n. "Soon after the war, the clergy in Maryland and Pennsylvania, being sensible that to derive all the advantage from the new order of things in America; it wouid be proper to have an ecclesiastical superior in the country itself, and knowing the jealousy prevailing in the American governments against the right of jurisdiction resting in a person residing in Great Britain, addressed themselves to the Holy See, praying that a superior ' might be allowed, and that he might be chosen by the clergy, subject to the approbation and confirmation of His Holiness." The letter to Rome, it seems probable, was written by Rev. Mr. Diderick, the author of a subsequent letter having reference to the same topic. It expressly stated that what was wanting was not a bishop, but a mere superior to be chosen from among the resident clergy. "The repugnance to the idea of a bishop," observes the author of the Life mzd Times,t "seems to have sprung from some hope entertained of a restoration of the Society of Jesus in this country, in i'l]e~;,_d-Ti.mes ofA-r;hhl;h~pc-a;r~ll.- U.s. Catholic !l~g;z~~fo~ 1845, --* page 2.51. t U.S. Cath . .Jiag. for 1844, page 797. �George/O'"dJn College. 5 which event it would have been desirable, as it would have been but just, to restore to the Society the property which had belonged to it, and was now held by the former members in trust for the service of religion in this country, and which it was feared would come under the control, in some measure, of a bishop, and thus be lost to the future society." The same writer gives it as his opinion that the members of the clergy "who entertained these views and were most aCtive in opposition to a bishop were probably few in number, and they were those whose stations as missionaries in the lower counties of Maryland confined them to a limited circle, where, occupied with the laborious duties of the mission, they had but little opportunity of consultation with persons of more extended views than their own and better informed on the subjeCts in question." Of the five present at the meeting, however, only two, Rev. Messrs. Matthews and vValton, were representatives of the lower counties. In reference to the stand taken on this occasion in opposition to the appointment of a bishop, Campbell says: "At the meeting of five delegates of the clergy in November, 1783, the sentiments of those present were expressed on this subjeCt, and one of them had prepared a letter to Rome stating their objeCtions, which he declared, if not adopted by the delegates, he would send in his own name. Without approving of the style of that letter, his colleagues agreed to send it in their own name to Rev. Mr. Thorpe,* their agent in Rome, tu be presented or withheld, as he should think '*.John Thorpe, born in Yorkshire, England, Oct. 21st, 1726, entered the novitiate at \Vatten in 1747, after a distinguished course at St. Orner's College. He made his philosophy at Liege, taught at St. Orner's, and in 1756 was sent to Rome to complete his theological studies, and continued to reside in that city until his death. He was :Minister of the English College, lecturer on philosophy and moral theology, and afterwards a penitentiary of St. Peter's. After the dissolution of the Society he retired to St. Carlo a! Corso, an establishment for ecclesiastics. He died April 12th, 1792, leaving the academy at Liege his heir. Oliver says of him: "As a man of taste, judgment and information, he had few superiors." He also admires him for "his solid and prac· tical wisdom; his discrimination, his high sense of honor, his candor and tender piety." �Georgetown College. 6 proper; and he very judiciously declined presenting the letter."* Nearly a year elapsed before another meeting of the clergy was held, a delay in settling the important affairs that had brought them together in the first place, which can only be accounted for on the supposition that definite arrangements were largely dependent on the answer that should be received from Rome to their application for a superior,-and in those days, communication with European countries necessarily involved prolonged delays. Contemporaneously, however, with the consideration of the subjeCt: on this side of the water, the Holy See, without the receipt of any advices from the American clergy, had apprehended their needs, and began to take measures looking to the appointment of a bishop. On the 28th of July, 1783, before even the second meeting of the American clergy was held, Cardinal Doria, the Pope's nuncio at Paris, communicated to Dr. Franklin, representing the United States at the French capital, an official "Note" received by him from the Congregation de Propaganda Fide at Rome, the body which has charge of foreign missions, suggesting, as the dependance of the American Catholics on an English prelate could now "no longer be maintained," and they were left without an ecclesiastic to govern them in matters of religion, that the American Congress give its sanCtion to the establishment "in some one of the cities of the United States of America, of one of their Catholic brethren with the authority and power of a vicar apostolic and the dignity of bishop; or simply with the rank of apostolical prefeCt:." Or, should a suitable person not be found among the American clergy, asking the consent of Congress "to have one seleCted from some foreign nation ~~close _terms of friendship with the United States.''t The * 18-14, page 796. The acquaintance whlch the author of The Life and Time~ shows with the transactions of that time, seems to give evidence that he had access.to documents or other information not at hand for the purposes of this Inemoir. 1 . t The despatch is given in full in Sparks' Franklin, vol. IS IX, pp. 548-9. It also quoted entire, both by Campbell and Clarke. Rev. Mr. Carroll's letter �Georgetown College. 7 nuncio requested Dr. Franklin to cause this note to be presented to congress, and to support it with his influence. Of course, congress had no jurisdiCtion in matters of this nature, but the ecclesiastical authorities of Rome were either not yet fully aware of the policy adopted among the newly confederated states of non-interference in matters of religion, -a policy strongly contrasting with that which prevailed under the colonial regimen, and indeed constituting a new departure in the praCtice of governments-or they desired to perform an aCl of courtesy towards the American repub- . lie, the fame of whose liber~l legislation, the charaCter of whose Washington, and the achievement of whose people in defeating the most haughty if not the most powerful of modern nations (remarks Campbell), attraCled the admiration of Europe. There seems to be no record in the journals of the Continental Congress in reference to the despatch, but the matter is adverted to by Rev. Mr. Carroll in a letter to Rev. Mr. Plowden, of April 10th, 1784, as having been then recently aCled on: "Dr. Franklin has sent into congress a copy of a note delivered him by the nuncio at Paris, which I shall enclose in this. I did not see it before congress had sent their instruCtions to their minister in answer thereto; and the answer, I am well informed, is, that congress have no answer to give, the matter proposed not being in their department, but resting with the different states. But this you may be assured of, that the Catholic clergy and laity here know that the only connexion they ought to have with Rome, is, to acknowledge the Pope as the spiritual head of the Church." He then proceeds to state (remarks Campbell) that the appointment of a bishop in partibus, to aa under the Propaganda at Rome, would be very much at variance with the wishes and views of the clergy in America; that a bishop in ordinary, and immediately responsible in reference to it is to be found in U. S. Cath. :Mag. for 1844, page 376; another portion on p. 662. No copy of the letter exists among the l\ISS. copies made by Dr. White. �8 Georgetown College. to' the Pope, would be more likely to promote the good of religion in the United States. Another portion of the same letter speaks of \Vharton, whose subsequent conduCt occasioned Rev. Mr. Carroll one of the bitterest experiences of his life. • You desire me to be particular about my friend and relation Chs. \:Vharton, for special reasons: I believe I know what those reasons are: for you mentioned them in a former letter; and l\Ir. Thos. Talbot* has done the same. He lives upwards of sixty '!Iiles from me upon his ?wn estate (with his bro~her), which is valuable, and will be rendered more so by h1s activity and good sense. He has just had judgment against the executors of his father's will, for a large sum, near £rooo: he brought in no faculties from the London distriCt, to *Rev. Thomas Talbot, born in Lancashire, 1717, was admitted into the So· ciety at 'Vatten in 1735; professed, 1753. Was afterwards prefed of studies at. St. Orner's. After the suppression, he resided in England. He died in London, Oct. 12th, 1799. 'Vhat he said in his letter to Mr. Carroll, in liS-!, was that Hawkins, the friend of 'Vharton in England, was "a fallen priest, a convert to woman, and a conceiterl puppy." (Note, among ~ISS. letters). As "a convert to woman," nothing more may be meant than that by frequenting female non-Catholic society, he lost his priestly vocation, and then the f;~ith. This was _probably 'Vharton's own case, for no social irregularities were ever alleged against him. From the cloister, he was thrown, yet a young man, into the midst of polite Protestant society, and lost his balance. He says, himself, in his "letter" to the Roman Catholics of"" orcester: '' )Iy connexions with many valuable Protestants with whom I liverl in habits of intimacy and friendship served not a little to enlarge my ideas, and wean my mind from the narrowness of a system. In proportion as I became acquainted with their persons, I ceased to view their principles through the medium of prejudice. It soon became painful to regard such fellow Christians, some uf whom are very near my heart, as straying widely from the only road to happiness," etc. Rev. John Hawkins, his friend who from a secular priest became a minister of the established ~hurch, and ~ho supported 'Vharton's "Letter" by an ".\ppeal to scripture, reason, and tradition" attempts no doubt, to apologize for both, when he says of Wharton: "he could no longer believe that those whom the most amiable qualities of heart rendered dear to him were the objects of eternal disregard and reprobation, merely because they would not submit to the claims of a church which assumed an authority to which she had no just pretence ..•.. He therefore began seriously to examine whether he had not himself been imposed upon in his early clays," etc. See note p. 29, vol. I, Whar~on's Remains, Philadelphia, 1834. Edited with a memoir by "George 'Vashmgton Doane, D. D., Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey " whose son is now Vicar General of the Catholic diocese of Newark, N.J. ' �Georgetown College. 9 which we were then subjeCt:, and exercises none. [Strange that this circumstance should not have aroused the suspicions of Rev. Mr. Carroll!] He leads a life clear of all offence, and gives no handle to censure, though there are not wanting who would be glad to find room for it. He Is neither visionary nor fanatic, un pm plzilosop!te, but I hop,e not too much so. You may be sure he never made a friend of Hawkins; though having received some civilities from him, he returned them with politeness. His abilities I say nothing of; you know them well." But in truth, Wharton was at that time completing, or had already completed his famous letter announcing and defending his apostacy. "A letter to the Roman Catholics of the city of 'vVorcester, from the late Chaplain of that Society, Mr. C. H. Wharton, stating the motives which induced him to relinquish their communion, and become a member of the Protestant church."* *Charles Henry Wharton was born in 1748 on the family estate, Notley Hall, in St. Mary's County, ~I d., the seat of his father and grandfather, to the latter of whom the property had been presented by one of the Lords Baltimore. lie was sent for his education to St. Orner's in 1760, entered the Society in 1766, completed his course at Liege, and was ordained in 1772. After the suppression of the Society, the following year, he went to live in England. In 1777, he was residing in Worcester as chaplain to the Catholics of that city, and remained there until his departure for ~Iaryland in 1783. After a year's stay with his brother Jesse, he went in May, 1784, to Philadelphia to publish his pamphlet, taking with him a letter of introduction from Wm. Paca, the Governor of Maryland, to the G:wernor's brother-in-law, Rev. 'Villiam 'Vhite, afterwards the first Protestant Episcopal Bishop in the United States. The latter read the manuscript with approval, and doubtless introduced the author to Protestant circles to which he was still further accredited by a very eulogistic letter written in July by his Protestant friends in St. Mary's Co., gentlemen of the vicinity. In October of that year, Wharton attended the first general convention of the Episcopal church in New York, and Mr. 'Vhite, who then proposed to open an academy in Philadelphia under church auspices, desired him to become the principal of it. This project, however, seems to have been given up, for Wharton was in li85 established as a minister at Newcastle, Del. Meanwhile, he. regularly attended all the Episcopal conventions, at one of which, in 1786, he signed, as President, the recommendation of Rev. 'Vm. White for consecration, to the Archbishops and Bishops of England. At another, in li89, he took an active part in the revisal of the Book of Common Prayer. Finally, in 1798, he was settled as pastor of St. ~fary's church, Burlington, New Jersey, where he remained until his death. He was chosen a member of the American Philosophical Society, while FrankVaL. IX-No. 1. 2 �JO Georgl'/own College. This produCtion, although addressed to the Catholics of Worcester, in England, was evidently intended for effeCt: in the United States. Its style was not a coarse one, of the charaCter of those attacks which were often made upon the Catholic religion while the country was under British domination, and, indeed, which have not unfrequently appeared ;ince: on the contrary, it was written with elegance, and its objeCt: appeared to be self-defence rather than aggression. The author speaks with respect of his former co-religionists, but grievously misrepresents the doctrines of the Church, making them appear narrow and illiberal, and attributing to Catholics, in consequence, an uncharitable and intolerant spirit. The time at which the attack upon Catholic doctrine was made, remarks Campbell, ''seemed to indicate an unfriendliness to that spirit of religious liberty which was then cherished by patriots, who, having just succeeded in emancipating their country from foreign control, were desirous to exhibit in the new republic the delightful spectacle of a fraternity in all civil and religious rights and privileges, without regard to the diversity of speculative opinions, or the variety of religious profession and practice." A reply seemed called for from the Catholic clergy, and the Rev. Mr. Carroll, who had been so cruelly undeceived in regard to Mr. Wharton's position and purposes,* was soliclin was President of it. In 1801, he was elected President of Columbia Coll~ge, New York, and held the place a few months. He died at Burlington, July 23d, 1833, in the Sfith year of his age, having never manifested, to the end of his life, so far as is kn<>wn, any desire to retrace his st~ps. He was twice married, but left 110 children. His first wife a l\fiss 'Veems of :Maryland die•l in li98. His second, llliss Kinsay of N'ew Jerst>y, survived him. ]~ should be said, to 'Vharton's credit, that he never spoke of his former companions in the Society in other terms than those of admiration and respect, and always characterized the suppression as an act of injustice. *In reply to lllr. Carroll's letter of April lOth to Mr. Plowden, the latter writes from Lulworth castle, Dorsetshire, S~pt. 2d, 1784: "I was pleased to read in your last so favorable an account of l\lr. 'Vharton, who has always my best wishes, but whose conduct at 'Vorcester gave me (·ause to apprehend some flagrant abuse of the talents with which God has distinguished him. Though 1 ~hoose n~t to write all that I have heard about him, I can assure you that my mformanon hc.s been for three years past derived solely from secular gentle- �Georgetown College. I I ited by his brethren to undertake it. But, while Mr. Wharton had had every advantage of consulting, at his leisure, learned authorities, Mr. Carroll was far from enjoying any similar opportunities, either in matter of leisure or of literary resources, the books belonging to the clergy being scattered here and there at the various missions, and no large library suitable for his purposes being readily at hand. Indeed, the frequent references by the former, says Campbell, "to authors rarely to be found in this country at that period, and only intelligible to the profound scholar, were calculated to embarrass the unlearned enquirer, and give temporary impunity to assertions subsequently shown to be only sustained by erroneous quotations or doubtful authorities." In this emergency, Mr. Carroll wrote to Mr. Molyneux in Philadelphia to search the libraries of that city for the authorities he needed. Some of these works are mentioned by Mr. Molyneux, writing under date of Aug. 24th and Sept. 8th, as being in the Loganian library, but were inaccessible at the time, owing to the sickness of Mr. Logan and the absence of his brother, it being necessary that one or the ·other should be present when the books were being exam· ined. Meanwhile, Rev. Mr. Carroll, having ascertained that the then existing public library at Annapolis contained many of the books he was in search of, repaired thither and set to work. His pamphlet was printed at Annapolis by Frederick Green, in 1784, and bore the title: "An Address to the Roman Catholics of the United States of America. By a Catholic clergyman." The controversy is ably summarized in Col. Campbell's "Life and Times of Archbishop men, Catholics and Protestants, and not, as you seem to ~magine, from narrowminded divines, who know not how to think or speak out of the dead letter of their dictates. I lately heard in London, and the report has reached Dorsetshire, that he has abjured his religion and sacerdotal character, and trans· mitted his pretended motives for it to his acquaintance at Worcester. Mr. Talbot told me this sad news without any appearance of doubt, and when I combine it with fi\Cts which I know, I can hardly persuade myself that it is false."-Life and Times, p. 663. The remaining portion of this letter, in reference to the proposed plan of a vicar apostolic, and which will be quoted hereafter, is to be found in the same volume, p. 376. �\ 12 Georgctou•Jt College. Carroll,''* and need not here be dwelt on. The following passage, however, from the concludit:g portion of the "Address," may be quoted as eloquently expressive of the feelings entertained by Rev. Mr. Carroll in taking up his pen against such an adversary: "But of all considerations the most painful was that I had to combat him with whom I had been conneCted in an intercourse of friendship and mutual good offices, and in connexion with whom I hoped to have consummated my course of our common ministry in the service of virtue and religion. But when I felt these expeCtations disappointed-when I found that he not only had ab:mdoned uur faith and communion, but had imputed to us doCtrines foreign to our belief and having a natural tendency to embitter against us the minds of our fellow citizens- I felt an anguish too keen for description ; and perhaps the chaplain will experience a similar sentiment when he comes coolly to refleCt on this instance of his conduCt. It did not become the friend of toleration to misinform, and to sow in minds so misinformed the seeds of religious animosity." To return to the matter of the correspondence between Rome and the Maryland clergy. The nuncio at Paris, after the lapse of more than nine months from the date of his former note, transmitted to congress by Dr. Franklin,-a sufficient interval to have enabled him to learn that congress had no objeCtions to make to the appointment of a vicar *Pages 662 to 669, vol. for 1844. Both documents, together with "'barton's reply, are to be found in the second volume of 1Vhnrton's Re11wins. The con· troversialists met again not long after the publication of their respective pamphlets. The occasion was this. ~Ir. ·wharton, on taking orders in the Catholic Church, surrendered his patrimony to his younger brother, on condition of his marrying with Rev. Mr. Carroll's consent. The conveyance was afterwards found to be incomplete, and while Mr. ·wharton was residing in Philadelphia, Rev. :Mr. Carroll called upon him to procure the instrument needed to make the brother's title perfect. It was readily giv<'n and Parson ·white, at whose house Mr. 'Vharton was then stopping-,-while Rev. ~Ir. Carroll stopped with lllr. Fitzsimmons, says in a letter to Bishop Doane, ( vol. I. "Remains," p. 33.): "I was gratified by the account given to me by Mr. Fitzsim· mons, of the friendly manner of their meeting." The youn«er 'Vharton left a son, C. II. Wharton, subsequently a resident of 'Vashingto"n, and a Catholic. �Georgetown College. 13 apostolic,-addressed Rev. Mr. Carroll, under date of May 12th, 1784, requesting, on behalf of the Propaganda, a full statement of the a8:ual condition of the missions in the United States, and enclosing a memorandum specifying the heads under which this information was needed. He enquires, 1st, as to the conduCt: and capacity of the different priests on tht' mission, desiring to be informed "who among them might be the most worthy, and at the same time agreeable to the members of the assembly of those provinces, to be invested with the charaCter of bishop in partibus, and the quality of vicar apostolic," adding, zdly, that a native of the country would be preferred to one who was not, all other things being equal; but that in default of a suitable candidate, a Frenchman would be appointed. 3dly, he wishes to know the number of ecclesiastics and missionaries; if there are any in other provinces besides Pennsylvania and Maryland; and how many are needed by the Catholics. 4thly,* an enquiry is made, which on account of1ts relation to the main objeCt: of these pages, were better given in full: "To know if in these provinces there are schools where Latin is taught: such that the young men of the country who might wish to prepare for the ecclesiastical state, could study their humanities before passing to France or Rome, there to enter at once on their philosophical and theological studies." This letter was not received by Rev. Mr. Carroll until some months afterwards, and is only given in this place in order to show the progress of events in order of time. The first letter received by him communicating any definite a8:ion on the part of the authorities at Rome, was one from Rev. Mr. Thorpe, of June 9th, 1784, announcing that he had been appointed superior. This aetion was evidently taken in response to the proceedings of the clergy on Nov. 6th, 1783. '*If Rev. )lr. Carroll had not already entertained the idea of establishing a school or academy, this enquiry must have guided him to it. It would be interesting to be assured that Georgetown College owes its origin to a suggestion of the Holy See, for the nuncia's enquiries emanated thence. For the full text, see volume for 1844, p. 376. �iii' 1.: I, ·!1 . ! 14 I 'I Georgetown College. This letter, to be sure, was not presented, but the substance of it seems to have been conveyed in a memorial addressed to the Propaganda by Rev. Mr. Thorpe as agent of the Maryland clergy, as we learn from Mr. Plowden's letter of Sept. zd, 1784, to Mr. Carroll: "Our friend Thorpe's memorial, delivered to the Pope along with your petition, by Cardinal Borromeo, convinced the propaganda that the introduCtion of an alien would overthrow the mission." The "petition" must then be supposed to have been a protest of Mr. Carroll's against the appointment of an alien in the quality of bishop. Mention is made elsewhere of a list sent on to R~ine, and doubtless presented with the other papers at this time, of five names of members of the Maryland clergy eligible for superior. Such a list, it is natural to suppose, would accompany the petition of Nov. 6th, 1783, for a superior. All that is known of it from the documents at hand is that the name of the existing superior: the estimable Lewis; occupied the first place on it, and that of Rev. Mr. Carroll, by his own request, the last. The names of the other three, it is to be regretted, do not transpire. l\Ir. T~orpe's letter* is as follows: " To .lllr. Jolm Carro!!, "DEAR SIR,-This evening ample ftculties are sent by the Congregation of the Propaganda, empowering you to confer the sacrament of confirmation, bless oils, etc. until such time as the necessary inform:1tion shall be taken in North America, and sent hither for promoting you to the dignity and character of a bishop. On their arrival here, you will be accordingly so nominated by the Pope, and the place determined for your consecration. Cardinal Borromeo sent for me to give me this intelligence, on the veracity of which you may entirely depend, though you should not, by any mistake, have received it from other hands. \Vhen the nuncio, M. Doria, at Paris, applied to Mr. Franklin, the old gentleman remembered you; he had his memory refreshed before, though you had modestly put your own *'Volume for 1844, p. 379. �15 indian Missio11s. name in the last place of the list. I heartily congratulate' your country for having obtained so worthy a pastor. vVhatever I can be ever able to do in serving your zeal for religion, shall always be at your command. "I am ever most affeCtionately and most respeCtfully yours J. THORPE. 9tlz Jztlle, I784." The documents referred to in the above letter, were sent to the nuncio at Paris, for transmission. An abstraCt of them will be presented at the proper place. "RoME, (To be co11tinued.) INDIAN MISSIONS. Letter from Fr. J Hebert to Fr. J Pen-oJZ. LAKE Lmw, May 27th, 1879. REV. FATHER, P. C. I promised you some time ago an account of my missions of last year. To give you an idea ofthem and the blessings with which God vouchsafes to attend my labors, I will describe a couple of trips which I made, one in the winter, the other in the spring. Returning from Red Rock in January, 1878, I received at the mission ofFort William a letter from Mr. Henry De la Ronde, who, as you are aware, is an officer ofthe Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Nepigon. He informed me that five of his Catholic Indians were very sick and desired my assistance. The news pained me, as well because I felt for the poor Indians, as that it interfered with a tour I intended to make among the Indians on the Pacific railroad. Then a journey of two hundred and fifty miles, in the middle of winter, unprovided with conveniences of bed and board, was no easy undertaking. I started however �16 'I I I ,'1 Indian 111issions. on Jan. 1st for Red Rock, in company with the Indians who had conduCl:ed me to the mission. Here I met Charles De la Ronde, brother of Henry, a noble hearted young fellow, somewhat wild, and always ready for a trip. He offered to accompany me and wa.; gladly accepted. vVe had to follow the river Nepigon to reach the lake of the same name, but did so with difficulty. The ice was already broken in several places by the thaw and the rapidity of the current, so that we had to travel the forty miles, that separate Red Rock from the lake, on a narrow strip of ice along the bank of the river, or where this [tiled, on the floating ledges 1n the middle of the stream. Once when we found our way cut off entirely by a large perpendicular rock jutting out into the water, we abandoned the river, but only to find obstacles all but insurmountable both to our men and our dogs, in climbing the adjoining hill and penetrating a dense wood. vVith such adventures our progress was naturally slow. Still we reached Fort Nepigon four days after leaving Red Rock. Evening prayers that night, and Mass next morning, which was Sunday, wen:! well attended. After Mass I started for Obabikang to see one of the sick persons whom Henry had told me at the Fort, I should scarcely overtake. I reached the place at nightfall and found the poor woman still living. Her joy at my arriv'al was great. What indigence was there! a poor hut consisting of bur one apartment, ill proteCl:ed against the cold, with a fe\v pieces of wood burning low on the hearth, not from lack of wood, but it seemed the poor woman could not endure the least heat. The cold heightened the poverty of the place. The sick woman lay on the floor, and close to her was an image of Jesus Crucified. The presence of this sign of our redemption shed a ray of hope that somewhat dispelled the desolation, which but for this would have been complete. How often during the long nights of her suffering had the poor creature turned her eyes, streaming with tears of devotion, �Indian Jl1issions. 17 to this cherished objeCl:. And Jesus answered: Ecce venio. He was indeed come to release her, for in a few days her sufferings ended. The other patients were not dangerously sick. I spent a few days here hearing confessions, and received into the Church a young pagan whom I had pre· viously instruCl:ed. The cold was intense all the time. While here I concluded to visit the rest of the Indians of Nepigon, though we do so only at Easter. There were many stations to visit, so I spent but a short time at each. On arriving I preached, heard confessions and next morning, after giving communion at Mass, started for another station, often very distant. From the Fort, I visited vVindJab, chief of the Nepigons. I had many companions, for all were eager for the trip. Charlie and myself led the van, and our twenty-five dogs, decked off as for a fete, and yoked one behind another, sped along with their tails ereCl:, as if delighting in their task. On reaching the home of the chief, he placed at my disposal one of his three shanties. Here I heard confessions while my comrades amused themselves singing canticles. On Feb. 2oth I was back at Red Rock, and on the 28th at Fort William. The sick call had taken just a month, and I had travelled more than five hundred miles. I will now describe to you, as briefly as possible, a second tour, which we call the grand tour, both for the time it takes and the distance it·covers. This was the first time I made it, for though I had accompanied Fr. Du Ranquet, in the spring of -77, I left him at lake Nepigon whence he continued his way by Lakes Long, Pic, and Michipicoton, and I returned to Red Rock by Lake Superior. An account of this trip appeared in the WOODSTOCK LETTERS. I started, then, on April 30th, 1878, from Red Rock for the Flats on Lake Superior, but did not tallow the ordinary route of my predecessor. I fancied I had found a better way than this veteran of twenty years' experience in these missions. A good proof of my mistake is, that I am now VoL. Ix-No. 1. 3 �18 ,:,! I~ 'i Indian JJ,fissions. following on his track. Henry, my inseparable companion, accompanied me. \Ve had a small bark canoe about fifteen feet long, rather small for the waves on the bay of Nepigon, which are large enough at any time, but especially in spring. When we placed in it our baggage and provisions, and took our seats, it was so weighed down that you would have considered it dangerous even for the shallow waters of the Patapsco. We reached the Flats in three days and a half. The place consists of a few huts mostly in ruins, inhabited by from seventy-five to eighty poor Indians from different localities, and much given to idleness. They are Catholics+ .~ut rather hickory, falling back into their superstitions as soon as the missioner turns his back. I spent four days with them, heard the confessions of all and gave communion to some. I found two of the infidels, an old man and his son, disposed to become Catholics, and set to work to instrua them. The old man Migisi (Eagle) certainly did not merit the name by quickness of intellea. I had the greatest possible difficulty in instruaing him. The young man was very intelligent: I also received back into the-Church a widow woman.who had five children. She had formerly been baptized by Fr. Kohler, but was afterwards duped by Methodists into abandoning her religion. I then left for Lake Long. As Henry did not know the way, I accepted the offer of a young man of the place to guide us some distance. His wife came along to guide him. The number I had now to provide for alarmed me, especially · as we advanced very slowly and our Cicerone had an excellent appetite. So when we reached a certain river that led to the place we were making for, though difficult to ascend, we shared our little stock with our guides and dismissed them. We proceeded ~p the river, but soon met a rapid. We sought in vain for a portage; we consequently shouldered our provi!:'ions, and carried them above the rapids. Then Henry alone in the canoe, and armed with a long pole, with �Indian JJ!issions. much labor succeeded in shoving it over. \Ne hoped now that such obstacles would be few and far between, but before we went far a second rapid appeared, and a third, and so on for three days, each with its own special difficulty. Sometimes we passed them by jumping into the water and dragging the canoe. This part of the work I left to Henry, for once when I tried it, I thought my legs would be torn off by the strong current of freezing water. vVhen we reached the head of the river, we took up our march from one small lake to another, dreading all the time that we had lost our way. To increase my fears, I remembered that Fr. "Du Ranquet, following the course of the river, had crossed from Lake Superior to Lake Long in a day and a hal( Then I began to look at our provisions, already so heavily taxed. True we had a gun, nets, and snare or hare traps, but there was no game, and ·very poor fishing. Different thoughts crossed my mind, nor were they all of the brightest color. But confidence in God and resignation to His holy will, which are sure to take deepest root when thus put to the test, soon restored calm to my soul. Among the lakes we had several portages. One, covered with broken trunks of trees lying in every direaion, and filled up with branches, was the worst I had ever seen. It was hard enough to cross it with the burden that nature has given us without any additional luggage. Still I loaded myself with a part of our baggage proportioned to my strength and started out to make my way across it. I had not gone far when I fell upon my right side, but_somehow the axe that I was carrying reached the ground before me and fell with its edge up, held fast between two roots. As I arose I felt a pain in my hand, and looking saw the blood flowing copiously. Just then I had the good fortune to think of another burden and fall and loss of blood, and offered up mine in union with those for the conversion of infidels, heretics, and sinners, remarking to Henry who had come up, that, had it not been for the proteaion of my Angel �'I!'' i II !·; 20 ·'I Indian 1liissions. Guardian, my whole hand would have suffered, and not merely a couple of fingers. This was the crowning of our difficulties. At the end of this portage we were in sight of Lake Long, and hailed it as the Hebrews did the Promised Land, or as Columbus and his comrades hailed our own continent. We were on our way betimes next morning, and on 1\Iay 16th reached the Fort on Lake Long, having crossed the whole length of the lake, a distance of sixty miles, in less than two days. The buildings at the Fort, a few old bark construCtions threatened with ruin, do small honor to the Honorable Hudso!Ls Bay Company. Mr. Reynolds, the offic~r in charge, ~~me down to the shore to' meet me. He is a Protestant and seemed to examine me with a cautious eye. Our meeting was rather cold, quite a contrast, I thought, to the cordial reception which Fr. Du Ranquet told me he used to receive from 1\'Ir. John Finlayson, the predecessor of Mr. Reynolds. I saw -only four wigwams, and asked Mr. Reynolds when he expeCted the savages. He answered, about the z8th of the month. Twelve days, I thought, is long to wait. He remarked my disappointment, but in a tone that seemed to say I had better not wait. I replied that I had come too long and difficult a journey to go off in this way. At all events he supplied me with a little hut, with the walls and roof, for there was no ceiling, covered with soot and dust, and for furniture there were a couple of benches and a little table that could scarcely stand on its legs. The Indians of the Fort came to confession, some at once, others later. On Sunday, the I 8th, I sang high Mass. Shortly after noon I espied three canoes coming towards the Fort, and going down to the shore when they approached, I did not negleCt: to shake hands with every one, big and little, though I had never seen them, for I know they make much of this. Seeing them wet and shivering with cold, I invited them to my shanty, where I had at least a good fire. There were nine of them, all of the same family. While they were warm- �Indian 111issions. 21 ing themselves, I asked Bwan, the head of the family, if they were Christians. He answered, "Not yet." "Do you wish to be?" "Yes," he replied, "and I have been telling my three brothers that the time ha-s come to take the step." "Very good," said I, "I'll see your brothers later, but shall I begin now to instruCt: you?" He agreed, but requested me to ask such of his children as were grown. I did so and found all disposed. My joy was great at such a capture. Next morning I baptized the two youngest and set to work to instruCt: the others. Towards noon five more canoes appeared. I went down to the shore, went through the same ceremonies as the day before, and in a short time had seventeen more, all of the same family, ranged around my fire. The father was a bigamist. His look and the presence of his two wives discouraged me. I asked one of the children, with some timidity. if they were going to become Christians. He told me that their father left them free. I asked the father, and he answered as Bwan had done the day before. I found the children all disposed, baptized three of them next morning, and began to instruCt: the rest. I had now twelve catechumens. How happy I was! Morning, noon, and night, you .could hear us reciting the prayers. When I grew tired or said my Breviary, Henry took my place. The Indians never tire. They can repeat the same thing from morning till night. They pay little attention to what they say and so cannot grow weary; but for this very reason it is only by continual hammering that you can get anything into their· heads. Still I met some exceptions to this rule. On Sunday the 25th, I baptized the twelve adults and did not forget to return thanks to the Sacred Heart, the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Next day, fifteen more canoes hove in sight, making for the Fort. My heart leaped for joy. I was at the shore to receive them; the men all shook hands, the women bowed. Some of these remained in a stooping posture for a few moments, spoke in a low tone, and wept, in token, I was told, �22 I' Indian Missions. of grief for the loss of their patents. The men ·at once started offfor the magazine of the Fort with their packages of fur under their arms, and ~hartly after returned with small quantities of flour, b~~. tea, tobacco etc. Meanwhile the women and cqildren plantedhheir wigwams and transferred their bagga~ irom the canoes. Sixteen more canoes arrived on the 28th, ~nd on 'the 2~, ten. Each arrival found me at my p~s~i;on the fanding.:.; The people of the Fort have left these P.~9r savs;ges only a small piece of ground for their tents, in "fltany places covered with water. It was so close to my shanty that I could hear their conversations. They make very long tents,jabondawan. Sometimes se'ven or eight families put Ut> in the same tent. Each family has its own fire. These fir.e';;•are all in a row in the middle of the tent from ot:te end to' the oth~r. \Vhen time for cooking came, all the fires blazed, and all the tent was one scene of aCtivity. The rest of the day,· they talked, and laughed, and slept stretched out behind the tent. When they were settled down, I made the rounds, asking boldly if they wished to become Christians. If they had c,hildren, I asked to baptize the\n.~J.1d was never refused, even by those who did not·\vish t9 15eco~e Christians themselves. \Vhen I gave instruCtion~. n1y.; httt was filled with adults. Some came out of curiositt:; others, whom I soon reck_oned among my cate~l~u-~e?s,~t~~ed with bet~er motives. l\Iy success \~as~ewha~'lundered by the Influence of a pagan family)Ot_ Canad_ian half-breeds, named Lagarde. They told the s'avages' that the children only should be baptized this spring, and the edults next year. Another obstacle was the extreme want of many of the In. dians, who had to go to some distance to seek good fishing. When the time came for Henry and myself to take our meagre repast, the children ~nd .tnany of the adults crowded into our shanty. I gave: them a little soup,.a mere trifle when divided among so many.· Still, it satisfied them. But th~ children visited ~~ at other times, at least twenty-five . \ ·.: I I ; ~':':' �Indian Missions. 23 times a day. They became very much attached to me, called me Kossinan, our father, often bothered me a great deal, so that some of .the people of the place remarked to me that I must have the patience of Job. I laughed and answered that I was certainly very far from it. I gave each of the children that I baptized a medal or a small crucifix; if they were proud to display these on their little breasts, I was not less so to see them there. For the instn.iB:ion of the adults, I separated the men and women and when the hour came I sometimes sent Henry around the tents to ring a little bell, sometimes went myself, recalling the example of St. Francis Xavier. I gave ·ahout a quarter of an hour's instruCtion to the men, while Henry repeated the prayers with the women. We then changed places; for if I were long without visiting either, they considered themselves negleCted and grew discouraged. To those who had difficulty in learning I gave extra lessons, in order to keep them up with the others. I endeavored to make them feel the necessity of religion and the impor. tance of the sacrament they were about to receive. Sometimes, I had the mortification to refuse some who, though prepared in mind, had not the proper dispositions of heart. The devil showed his opposition to my work, generally .. by the sarcastic s~iles of those who remained infidels, and by the conduCt: of some of the Catholics. It was evident on one occasion. I was about to baptize a little boy, three or four years of age, a real monster. His head was exceedingly large, so that it had to be continually supported by some one. When he saw me he began to weep, and all the time the ceremony lasted kept crying: "mad.fada kiwi nissigomin," "let us go, they want to kill us." One night about nine o'clock, when the wind was blowing terribly, and the rain falling in torrents, I heard a noise that seemed to arise behind my hut. I listened and recdgnized the tambour, deweigan, the favorite instrument of the pagan savages. One was singing an accompaniment, a monotonous drone �Indian .1Vissions. of three low notes. I started out in spite of the storm and made my way to one of the jabandawmz, and there I found the musician seated at one end of it so intent upon his instrument that he scarcely noticed me. Around him sat the men and women in separate rows completely enchanted by the music. I returned home, my heart heavy with sadness for the blindness of these poor savages. The scene was worthy of him that inspired it. But if the hand of the enemy \Vas visible throughout my stay at Lake Long, graces too were showered on us in abundance. A savage of much influence, among his tribe, whom I had great difficulty in winning- pver, because a Protestant minister had him in his clutches, at length became a Catholic. A feast, promised· the Indians by the people of the Fort, served me in keeping them together. It came off on June the 4th, and immediately after it they departed, except a few whom I detained for further instruCl:ion before baptism. At length on the 7th I left for Le Pic, one hundred and eighty miles distant, my heart filled with consolation. In twenty-two days I had baptized seventy, thirty-one of these adults. I attribute my success to the intention I sent to the .Lllessenger of t!tc Sacred Heart, during the winter: "A missioner, about to visit savage infidels, asks for their conversion to the faith." The 8th, gth and 1oth I spent. on the shore of a small lake. Here we celebrated the feast of Pentecost, for which we had decked our tent with evergreens, by high Mass and vespers, after which I baptized five, two of them adults. We then continued our way, suffering much from the heat and the musquitoes, and reached Le Pic on the 12th. Many savages were encamped around the Fort, but I had to leave next day for Fort vVilliam. However I baptized eighteen children, many of them of Catholic parents, and promised to return soon. I hastened on to the mission and was back at Le Pic on July 5th. On my way back I spent five days at Red Rock, where I heard many confessions and baptized five Indians, three adults and two children. At Le Pic I �Indian JJfissions. 25 spent seven weary fatiguing days. In the morning after breakfast, I gave catechism to the, Pagans and Methodists. At 1 1, attended to the children. In the afternoon I followed the same order, and in the evening said prayers and gave instruCtion. In this time I baptized nineteen, all adults except one, ten Pagans and eight methodists. The intention in the JJfessmger still bore its fruits. I was eager to remain here longer but had to leave in order to catch the savages before their departure from Michipocoton, one hundred miles from Le Pic. I reached it July 19th, and was very kindly received by Mr. Bell, the great man of the Hudson's Bay Company. He is a Protestant, but intends becoming a Catholic as soon as he is disentangled from the affairs of the Company; God grant it. There are a great many Methodists at this place. They were baptized, I was told, by Fr. Kohler, and some by Fr. Hanipaux, but after their departure, the enemy came, in the garb of a Protestant minister, and sowed cockle among the good grain. Many of these poor wanderers have since returned. We have a very neat little chapel at Michipocoton, the only one that is finished between Prince Arthur's Landing, and the Sault Ste. Marie. It was built by Fr. Du Ranquet. He was liberally assisted by Mr. Bell in finishing it. The Catholics are, in general, very punCtual in attending to their religious duties. The services in our little chapel attraCted many infidels and lVIethodists, of whom I baptized seven or eight. One day one of the apostates came to meand said: "Kossinanms, our little father (Fr. Du Ranquet) often asked me to return to the Church, but I always answered: 'Not yet.' To-day I will return and I wish you to tell him." It is thus that I gather the fruits of Fr. Du Ranquet's labors. He asked me for a calendar and some holy water, and added that he would come agam but not alone, for the savages along the river respeCted and obeyed him. I enquired afterwards and was told he was sure to keep his word. The celebrated chief Totominan, whom I VoL. rx-No. I. 4 �Indian Jvfissio11s. was eager to see, because if he return to Catholicity all the Methodists will probably follow his example, came to pay me a visit. He brought me two children to baptize. After the ceremony I had a long conversation with him, and found him to be very cunning, a:nd far, I fear, from the kingdom of Heaven; but the grace of God is all powerful. I left Michipocoton, july 30th, to return to Fort William. Since my departure from Red Rock, Apr. 30th, I had baptized one hundred and twenty-seven, mostly infidels and heretics. On my way home I baptized six more, and reached home, Aug. roth. Fr. Du Ranquct, who had been appointed visitor of· these missions, had gone to the Highlands and Grand Portage. This gave me a few days rest among my brethren. In reading this account of these two trips, the words of our Lord will no doubt occur to you, "Messis quz'dem multa, operarii autem pauci ,· rogate ergo Domimmz messis ut mittat operarios t'll messem suam." I know, Rev. Father, that you faithfully follow this injunction: Please to remember me also in your holy and fervent prayers, and be assured I do not forget you in mine. Present my kindest wishes to my old professors and all my acquaintances at Woodstock. In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your Reverence's servant in .Christ, - ]. HEBERT, S. ]. �Indian i11issions. 27 WASHINGTON TERRITORY. Extrafl of a Letter ji·om Fr. F. Giorda. DE SMET, PINE CREEK P. 0., w. oct. T. 2 I, I8 79 . * * * * Two years ago we were compelled to abandon the old Cceur d'Alene mission, and transport it to the spot which it occupies at present, and which we have called De Smet, in honor of the founder of all our missions. On a recent journey, I pas,;ed by the old missions, and my heart bled when I saw that majestic church, our residence, and the log houses of the Indians going to wreck. In a few years, there will be only a heap of ruins on the spot hallowed by the Sacred Heart. But the change of place was due to a long-felt necessity; and it has been produB:ive of good results. In the present locality, every male.: Indian of the Cceur d'Alene tribe possesses a substantial homestead and farm of his own. The land is as good as could be desired, the farms are ample in extent, and convenient to saw and grist mills, stores, etc. The whites are building towns all about the reservation. A few years ago it was a common thing for the Indians to live scattered about among the whites, working for them as day laborers; now, many of the Indians employ white labor. They have lately engaged a steam saw mill; we ourselves have taken three hundred thousand feet of lumber, and shall take some hundred thousand shingles for our church and house. The Indians also are using lumber quite extensively. * * * * The mission has boarding and day schools for boys and girls. A white girl, lately a pupil of our school, yesterday gave an example of zeal and fervor, which made me blush for myself. She had been obliged to go horne in order to assist a sick mother. The family is Polish, and very poor. They live at distance of eighteen a �28 Indian 1liissions. good long miles from this place. She, a girl of no more than eleven or twelve years of age, came all the way on foot and alone, through the mud and dense forests, in order to hear Mass and receive the Sacraments. The same morning she left for home again and on foot. Oh, had we more of such families! I think that I have seen over a dozen piCtures of the Sacred Heart in their very poor dwelling. Poor they are in this world's goods, but rich in their religion, which they know to perfeCtion, and in the consolations which it brings. Our Fathers in Poland must have labored well in the cause of the Sacred Heart, and their zealous efforts have contributed to spread the devotion even to the far off wilds of vVashington Territory. * * * * * * * * ·* LAKE SUPERIOR. E:ctJa{l of a Letter from Mr. Jos. Speclzt. FoRT vVILLIAl\1, Sep. 5th, 1879· * * * * Let me give you.. few details of my first excursion as missionary among the Indians of our Diocese, who, for the most part, are still pagans. On the morning of the I rth of August, Fr. Hebert, Mr. Gagnon and I left Fort William, where there is a station of the Canadian Pacific R. R. The car in which we traveled would in any civilized part of the globe be used only for cattle, yet we considered ourselves fortunate in having even this, since we would otherwise have been obliged, as we sometimes are, to perch ourselves upon boxes, casks or bales of hay, on an open car exposed to wind and smoke, and, what is worse than ~ither, to the danger of falling off. We arrived the a. �lndi(m JYfissions. same evening at Savane, our destination, which is about seventy-two miles from Fort William, and found the Indians encamped on both sides of the rail road. They were eighty families, numbering in all three hundred and fifty persons, belonging to four different reserves. Each reserve has its own chief whose names are Maketewassin (Blackstone), Kitchi Pienne (Big Peter), Bebamijas (M'Koy) and Kebekwan. As before this time I had never seen other than Indians of our own village, these real savages presented a strange and wonderful appearance. The men with their long hair, curious ear rings and woolen blankets, especially attracted my attention. Nothing could be more monotonous than the music and dance with which they welcomed us. To add solemnity to the occasion, they spared neither paint nor feathers. We soon discovered that while money, tobacco and provisions were in abundance, these poor people gave but little attention to religion, so we shall endeavor to come the next time before the government will have provided them with these. I am afraid that at present they have no inclination to embrace our holy religion. Fr. Hebert, however, is of opinion that the day in which they will all with one voice ask for the regenerating waters of Baptism is not so distant as many imagine. It seems that at present they are restrained by their chiefs, especially Blackstone, who exercises a sort of moral influence over the other three. The idea these poor Indians have of religion and heaven is very strange. One of the chiefs, M'Koy·, told Fr. Hebert in my presence that "baptized white people go to heaven and are received," and that "baptized Indians go there also but are not received." "Who told you this?" asked the Father. "Those who have been there," he replied. "vVhere are those people?" "Out West," replied the chie( When speaking on religious matters their last argument always is that: "the great spirit has made two religions, one for the white man, �bzdimz ll£issio1ts. the other for the Indians." Poor people! May the Sacred Heart of Jesus have pity upon them. 'vVe have as yet baptized but one adult and one young girl. If this were the only result of our slight labors we would consider ourselves recompensed, but I believe, that with God's assistance, we have already sown the good seed in more than one soul. The Protestant ministers endeavored last year to convert these Indians, but the attempt proved such a failure that this year they have not even visited them. The Indians told them that they had not as yet determined to accept the prayer (the Christian religion) but if they should, they would take that of Fr. Du Ranquet, who was at that time with the~m. During our stay at Savane, we held all our religious services in an old abandoned hut, which we repaired and adorned according to our means, and performed all the ceremonies of Mass with the greatest possible solemnity, so as to make an impression upon their still savage natures. During the five days we remained here, we were kindly entertained by Mr. Christianson, who, though a Protestant, did everything in his power for us, and, in return, woyld accept of nothing but our thanks. \Ve left the camp on the night of the I 5th and as the car.afforded us no protection from the cold, which was really intense, I can assure you that we were not sorry when, after seven hours' traveling we arrived at Fort \ViJliam .. _.' _\Ve returned, however, fuJI of hope for the future, that having "sowed in tears we shall reap in joy.'' * * * * * * * �f I I ST. JOHN FRANCIS REGIS. The last number of the LETTERS contained a short article in regard to an old calumny which had been revived and circulated concerning our glorious missionary Saint of Velay. The learned research of Father El. de Guilhermy has traced the calumnious report to its source, and we are indebted to his kindness for the subjoined additional information on the subject. In a letter to Fr. James Perron, he transmits a document, which is very curious as illustrating the tortuous ways of Jansenism, whilst at the same time it supplies peremptory testimony in regard to the matter with which it deals. Letter to Fat!tcr Perron. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. Allow me to inform you of a recent and singular document concerning St. Francis Regis. It is taken word for word from a manuscript Life of Father Daubenton, and will give an idea of the countless machinations of the Jansenists against the Society at Rome with the Popes and Cardinals, as well as in France. They have striven to rob us not only of St. Francis Regis, but also of St. Francis Xavier and our first three Japanese martyrs. Here is another interesting detail. In the month of January, 1641, a Consultor of the house of Le Puy, whilst announcing to Rev. Fr. General the death of Fr. Regis, and bestowing upon him the highest encomiums, complains nevertheless of a deviation from the Custom Book of the Toulouse Province, in that Fr. Ignatius Arnoux, Rector of Le Puy, had a public and solemn service celebrated in our church, "decantato ad cenotaphium (officio) pro P. Joanne Regis, perinde ac si defuncti corpus fuisset prcesens. Quod (3 I) �St.. Jolm Franczs Rcgzs. quidem pie ac religiose factum fuit, sed videtur insolitum." vVhereupon Fr. Vitelleschi replied to the Rector: "Placet quod accepi justa illi ad cenotaphium isthic a vobis persoluta." The two following extracts are no less conclusive. Fr. Ignatius Arnoux writing to the General, (Jan. 9th, 1641). and speaking of the last months of Fr. Regis' life, says: "Per quatuor menses, perlustratis aliquot pagis, decies mille circiter confessiones solus audivit, immenso Iabore. Cui quoniam et sibi non pepercit, mortuus nup~r est, ingenti mcerore omnium et incredibili desiderio relicto." And on Februar~ I sth, Fr. Vitelleschi answered: "Illud me in Patris Franc'isci Regis morte singulariter deleetat, quod obierit ut germanum Societatis filium maxime decet, sanetis laboribus incumbens, et pro animabus contra peccatum et d~monem pugnans." * * * * I remain Your ever devoted servant in X 0 • EL. DE GUILHERMY, s. J. Extra{l from a MS. 'Life of Fat!ter Daubenton' preserved in t!te Province of France. You doubtless remember what I said about the Sieur Louis Maille, the avowed enemy o( the Jesuits, and of the chagrin which he experienced at the successful issue of the lawsuit that Fr. Daubenton brought about in favor of the Seminary of Toulouse, in spite of the efforts of this agent of the opposite party. This defeat was ever rankling in his breast, and he was only waiting for an opportunity to avenge himself on Fr. Daubenton. To offset this defeat, he thought he could do nothing better than to hinder the beatification of Fr. Regis, of which Fr. Daubenton was the promotor. He went about it in the following manner. A preliminary congregation had been held in which the virtues of Fr. Regis had been discussed. �I f t I ! St. jolm Francis Regis. 33 Finding this an occasion f<worable to his design, he went to Mgr. Lambertini, promoter of the faith, and spoke in glowing terms of Fr. Regis, as if he too wished to aid in his beatification. Nothing could be added to what he said of the admirable virtues and extraordinary miracles of Francis, and he affirmed, moreover, that he himself had obtained special graces through his intercession. But in the midst of all this praise, he maliciously insinuated that this great servant of God had indeed been a Jesuit, but that the Fathers of the Society, jealous of his increasing reputation, and unable to endure so holy a man and one who by the splendor of his virtues threw them in the shade, dismissed and cut him off from the body of their Society, so that being no longer of their number, he had died 'l'icaire of La Louvesc. Astonished at so unexpeCted a revelation, the promotor asked him if he could prove what he had asserted; to which Louis Maille unhesitatingly replied, that he was born in the neighborhood of La Louvesc, and that the whole country would confirm what he had just advanced. On the following day the promotor of the £<ith hastened to the Pope, and informed him of what he had heard regarding Fr. Regis. His Holiness being in turn much amazed, ordered Mgr. Lambertini to go immediately and apprise Fr. Daubenton of what had been said concerning Fr. Regis, and tell him on the part of His Holiness, that he should bring forward au- thentic proofs to refute Louis Maille, or otherwise he should have to desist from promoting the cause of Fr. Regis. As soon as he was informed of the imposter's discourse and of the Pope's orders, Fr. Daubenton sought an audience of His Holiness, and assured him that if he would appoint a special congregation composed of Consultors of Rites to examine the archives of the Society, they would find ample proofs to repel the false allegations of Louis Maille. The Pope, who could refuse nothing to Fr. Daubenton, and believed him, moreover, incapable of bringing forward illfounded proofs, named, in accordance with his request, eight VoL. rx-No. 1. 5 �34 ~t. John Francis Reg£s. consultors to examine the original papers of the Society of Jesus. Among these consultors was the promotor of the faith himself and the secretary of the Congregation of Rites ; the others were prelates and theologians. \Vhen they were assembled at the Professed House, the person in charge of the archives was bound under oath to deliver over all memoirs, papers, writings and letters concerning Fr. Regis. The consultors then opened the press of the Province of Toulouse, examined its catalogues during eight entire days, and found, first, the day and year of Francis' entrance into the Society ; then year by year the places where he had dwelt, the offices he had held up to the time ~of his death, and, in fine, the circular letter announcing the year and day of his death, signed by his superior, who asked for him the usual suffrages, as is customarily done for those who die in the Society. This proof was irrefragable; but besides this, whilst searching among the papers, they likewise discovered letters from bishops in whose dioceses he had given missions, as also from several persons of note, but especially from consultors and superior?, who praised his zeal, piety, and indefatigable labor for the salvation of the poor and for the glory of God. Several of his own letters were found, in which he ardently asked the General for the Canadian mission in preference to any other, in the hope that he might mee! with a martyr's death. An authentic copy of these documents was taken by the secretary of the Congregation of Rites, and signed by the consultors. This not only destroyed the false report of Louis Maille, but also helped to repair the mistakes committed during the process of beatification, and to clear up all the difficulties urged by the promotor of the faith during the investigations of the first congregation. Fr. Daubenton skilfully profited by these new discoveries. He made an elenchus of the documents that had been found in the archives, and inserted them among his other writings for the second congregation. This greatly served to bring about �T!ze Couewago Mission. 35 the happy success of the Beatification of Fr. Regis, to which Louis Maille contrary to his intentions h:1d contributed more than any one else. THE CONEWAGO MISSION. Towards the close of 1872, there appeared in the Hanover SpeClator an article on Conewago. Many of the details were drawn from an old register of marriages and baptisms dating back as far as 1791. This record, though showing its age, is still in a good state of preservation, and has not unfrequently been the means of gladdening hearts by settling legacies, legalizing inheritances and bounty money, that would otherwise have been lost to the claimants. The account in the SpeEl:ator being however defeEl:ive in some points, M. Reily, Esq., a true ornament to Conewago church, made the proper correEl:ions and republished it in the Baltimore llfirror in the beginning of 1873. There were also consulted living witnesses born near Conewago towards the close of the last century and the opening of the present, some of whom are enjoying health and life even to the present day. It seems, says Mr. Reily, that the Catholics of Conewago built a small log church with two rooms attached, on or near the site of the present edifice, between the years 1740 and 1745. The style of architeEl:ure gave the building the appearance of a private dwelling; and it was chosen to conform to and not to violate the letter, if not the spirit of the stringent penal laws, then in force in the colonies and enaEl:ed by our good old stepmother England against dissenters. This humble but precious struEl:ure had no resident priest, but at stated times, probably once a month, Conewago was attended by the clergyman who resided at �Tlze Conewago Mission. what is now called "Hickory" in Harford Co., Maryland. The first priest stationed at Conewago, was known by the name of l\Iatthias Manners, S. J., a German, but whose real name was Sittensperger. vVhy he officiated under an assumed name does not appear; but it may have been to avoid the interference of relatives in the old country. Moreover, as it was customary in those days, both in Europe and America, to translate one's name into the language of the country of his adoption, Fr. Sittensperger may have thought it mannerly as well as customary, to anglicise his name, since Sittm in German is equivalent to manners in English. Fr. Mann~:s was succeeded by Fr. Frombach, and assisted by Fr. Detrich, a Frenchman, and probably also by Fr. Pellentz, whose name appears among the official records as early as 1758. During the ministration of these Fathers the log church was enlarged, but to what extent or with what modification of form does not appear. Next as Superior came Fr. Pellentz, who built a stone church (a part of the present house of worship) in the shape and style of a church, A. D. r 787, as can be seen engravenon a stone in front, about fifteen feet above the door. The edifice was raised only by extraordinary efforts and heavy cost at a time when the congregation was poor and insignificant in number compared with i,ts present status. The front of the church and that of the· parsonage adjoining are constructed of an excellent quality of brown cut stone, which was quarried near East Berlin, in Adams Co, and hauled here a distance of ten miles by the then scanty members of the congregation, who were however assisted generally and generously by their Protestant neighbors. The church is eligibly located on the eastern banks of Plum Creek and Little Conewago, near their confluence, and its elevated site affords a most extensive and varied view of the surrounding country-of the never-to-be·forgotten Gettysburg with its "Round Tops" and ramparts, and the South Mountains in the background, twelve and twenty miles to the west and �Tlze Conewago Mission. 37 south west -of the beautiful village of New Oxford and the Pigeon Hills, four miles to the north and north east -of Hanover with its numerous steeples and turrets, three miles to the east-and of old Peter Littlestown, and the magnificent and fertile valley of the Conewago intervening, six miles to the south. Father Pellentz's memory is held and will ever be held in benediCtion and gratefully cherished by the pastors and the congregation of Conewago, as one of the most liberal, charitable and zealous of men and benefactors, and as a shepherd who laid down his life for his flock at the advanced age of seventy-seven years, in the winter of A. D. 1800, after many weary years of incessant and successful labor, to ereCt: and perpetuate a Church, in which many thousands were regenerated in holy Baptism, fed with the bread of life and sent out of this world .strengthened with the holy Sacraments. Fr. Pellentz was assisted by the Rev. D. A. Gallitzin from 1795 till 1799, about which time he commenced his ever memorable and arduous mission at Loretto on the Alleghany Mountains of Pennsylvania, where he died after seventy-one years of incessant labor. After the demise of Father P~llentz, either Father Sewall or Father Boarman, succeeded as Superior, as both had been his fellow-laborers in the Master's vineyard during several years before his death. Then followed Rev. Fr. X. Brosius as Superior, assisted by Revs. Cerfoument, Monelly and Zockley. The Rev. Louis de Barth, a German nobleman, was next in time. I remember, says Mr. Reily, having frequently seen him, when I was quite a youth, and both feared and loved him; for he was stern in manner and mien, yet affable and kind in a remarkable degree to all who endeavored to perform their duties, and especially so to children, whom he always "suffered" and loved to "come unto" him. He remained at Conewago till 1828, assisted by Fr. Legueu and others, when he was removed to St. John's, Baltimore, where the magnificent church of St. Alphonsus has since been ereB:ed, and where he officiated for about ten years. �The Concwago Jlfission. Having become rather superannuated, he retired to that good asylum, Georgetown College, where he was dismissed, like Simeon of old, full of years, merit and grace, and greatly beloved by all who knew him. Father Legueu succeeded the Rev. Louis de Barth as Superior, and was assisted by several clergymen, among whom were Frs. l\lichael Dougherty, Paul Kohlman, Helias and Steinbacher. Rev. l\Ir. Kendler, whose name appears in the church registers at Paradise, was assisting about this time in the good ·work of the ministry. He was a pious and highly accomplished American convert from the Episcopal Church, of which he had been an eminent and~eloquent minister for several years. Fr. Legueu embarked for his native Belgium about the year 1843, and his office and place were filled for several years by Fr. Nicholas Steinbacher, and after him, for a short time, by Fr. Tuffer. In 1847, the present pastor, Fr. Joseph Enders, entered upon office as Superior. Possessed of a heart that breathed but charity, he soon had with him the love and affe8:ion of every man, woman and child of the Conewago congregatim;. Having made himself all to all, his only objeCt: was to gain all to Christ. The dimensions of the old church soon became too contra8:eJ; and in r8;o the good pastor concerted measures and procured" means to enhrge and beautify the edifice. It is in the form oi a cross, forty-five feet wide to transept, whilst each arm of the cross measures twenty feet. Its length is one hundred and twenty-five, and height to the centre of the arched ceiling, thirty-eight feet. The church is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The interior is adorned with numerous and beautiful fresco paintings, repr~enting the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Last Supper, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Crucifixion of Our Lord and several other mysteries. These were executed by Francis Stecher, a German artist, who short~y after their completion returned to his native land to �The Conewago ltfission. 39 visit his parents, but with the intention to return to America. However, but a few weeks after reaching home, sickness and death overtook him. Fr. Enders passed eleven years among his beloved children, when Superiors were anxious to put his zeal to the test in other localities. In r858, the mission at Leonardtown, St. Mary's Co., Maryland, was assigned to him. During his absence his place and office were filled by Fr. J. B. Cattani, who whilst suffering from typhoid fever, attended a sick call some five miles from the church, and returned home with death in his train. Fr. Moore, Dompieri, B. Villiger, Bellwalder, etc. followed each other in short succession, till Fr. Enders once more returned to his former field of labor to the immense joy and gratification of the Conewago people. We could not without doing injustice, pass over in silence the labors and the great virtues of Fr. Francis X. De Neckere, who for about a quarter of a century was connecred with the Conewago mission, and who like a true soldier of the Cross, terminated his earthly career on the battlefield whilst attending his mission at Littlestown. He left home January 4th, to celebrate the feast of Epiphany with his parishioners. He said Mass for the last time on the day following, being Sunday; but the feebleness of his condition would not allow him to rise to break once more the bread of life on the great solemnity to his sorrowing people. His own star of life was on the wane and disappeared on the 8th of Jan., r879. Fr. De Neckere died as he had lived-a saint. To return to Fr. Enders. In the fall of 1872, he added one more to his numerous and laudable enterprises and improvements, by building a steeple to the beautiful church. It is eighty feet high from the comb of the roof to the base of the cross that surmounts it. Various missions have been established by the Fathers stationed at Conewago, within the last half century, as Gettysburg, Littlestown, York, Chambersburg, Paradise, Hanover etc. The Catholics of Hanover, it being but three miles �40 Tlte Conewago .Jfission. from the mother house, worshipped for years at Conewago, the small number of Catholics not justifying the appointment of a resident priest. It would seem, however, that when a Catholic church springs into existence, though the faithful are apparently but few in number, in the limited space of three or four months many make profession of the old faith, of whose religion even their nearest neighbors had no knowledge. Steps were taken towards the close of I 862 to form Hanover into a separate congregation. The first Mass, however, was not celebrated there till the following year. The congregation had at that time no rtgular and fixed· place of worship, and the first Mass was offered at the residence of the late Jacob Hilt. About thirty persons were present. Fr. Dompieri was the celebrant, who weekly visited the new congregation, saying Mass, preaching and catechising the children. The room at Mr. Hilt's, however, soon became too small for the growing congregation of the faithful, and the Methodist Episcopal church (measuring forty by thirty-five feet) on Baltimore Street was purchased in 1864, at a cost of $900. Fr. Peter Manns succeeded as pastor, and divine service was held on the fir;t and third Sunday of every month. During the pastorate of this Father a Catholic school was opened and soon counted over eighty pupils. To this persevering laborer in t11e Master's vineyard the various Catholic schools clustering ~round Conewago owe their existence, though meeting with every imaginary difficulty and being surrounded by the most adverse circumstances in realizing the object. These schools, like every other Catholic school in the land are kept up by the private and scanty means of their respective congregations. One of the first teachers at Hanover was Miss Alice Dell one, an accomplished lady, and a daughter of one of its principal citizens. For the last four years the school has been under the care and vigilance of the Sisters of St. Joseph from Me Sherrystown. �Tlze Concwago Jfission. 4I The congregation gradually grew strong in numbers, and in I868 an addition of forty by thirty-five feet was made to the church at a cost of $2, I45· The good pastor on this occasion displayed his untiring zeal, showed indomitable energy and underwent herculedn labors to raise the amount for the new addition. colleCting neariy every dollar far away from home. A bell weighing one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four pounds was also purchased for $945, and placed in the cupola of the quasi-new church. Fr. Manns continued as pastor till the fall of I 876, when Fr. Alexius Jamison became his successor. This Father gave Sunday service alternately with the venerable patriarch of Conewago, Fr. Joseph Enders. About this time a move was made to build a new church. \Vhether the projeCt originated with the people, or was the result of the pastor's meditations, can not be unravelled, though but three summers have passed away since its commencement. It may however be safely stated, that a legacy of one thousand dollars gave impulse and animus to the scheme, and the eloquent appeals of the pastor roused the energies of the congregation. Fr. Jamison delivered several leCtures to swell the treasury, and a subscription of $4,638, by the members of the congregation, completed, for the time being, the resources for the new house of worship. The ground was staked off (Fr. Enders having bought the lot with a house adjoining for $4.500,) the foundations were dug, the work was begun and eagerly pushed on, so that all preparations for laying the corner stone were completed on the I6th of Sept., 1877. Over three thousand people were present to witness the ceremonies. Fr. Enders officiated, being assisted by the Fathers of Conewago, several secular clergymen and Fr. vV. F. Clarke of Loyola College, Baltimore, who delivered a discourse appropriate to the occasion. During the month following- a few ladies of the congregation opened a bazaar for the benefit of the rising edifice and handed over to the treasurer-the fruit of their labors-the handsome sum of nearly $I ,700. VoL. rx-No. r. 6 �42 The Concwago Missiou. Fr. Jamison being assigned a new field of labor, Fr. J. B. Emig became his successor, in the beginning of September, I 877. Since his arrival, the congregation has the entire church service on Sunday, and Mass almost every morning during the week. The number of Catholics, men, women and children, was supposed to count about two hundred and fifty souls; but since the regular service on Sundays and during the week, a Catholic population of nearly six hundred made its appearance. And if all who were baptized in the Church and received the bread of angels from the hand of the priest, but who unhappily preferred worldly considerations to the things of heaven, could be reclaimed;they would swell the number of the Catholics to nearly seven hundred. To strengthen the young folks in their holy faith, Fr. Emig established a Sodality fur young ladies on the 8th of Dec., 1877. It ,\ras .something novel. Human respect for a time played a prominent part in opposition to the good work. No difficulties presented themselves to persuade school girls to become children of Mary, but Young ladies, more advanced in years and position, labored under the hallucination, that to associate with those so far inferior in age and rank, would be a kind of degradation. But being told, that God does not measure a soul by the size of the Lady, nor its excellence by costly tissues and ornaments of gold, but by the n!)bleness of its virtues, by innocence, purity and modesty, their crimsoned cheeks became the index of their good hearts, and the Sodality of Our Blessed Lady soon bore forty names upon its roll, rather a high figure, considering the smallness of the congregation. Ever since its establishment, it has been the ornament and pride of St. Joseph's and the glory of its pastor. Nearly a year and a half later, a similar Sodality was established among the young men. People smiled at the proposal. On Pentecost Sunday, June 1st, 1879. the ball was put in motion. Fiery tongues, it is true, did not appear to rest upon any one, but the Holy Ghost touched the �Sketclt of tlze Nez Perces Indians. { I 43 hearts of twenty-eight young men, who presented themselves for reception and the Sodality was an established faa. Ever since, the number has been steadily on the increase, and the two Sodalities are nearly equal in number. The ladies meet every Sunday at half past three P. M. and the young men at six in the evening. We almost lost sight of the new church. The corner stone, as stated above, was laid on the 16th Sept., I 877, and after this, the work was suspended until May, 1878, when more favorable circumstances showed themselves to push on the edifice and bring it under roof towards the fall of the year. The brickwork of the tower, twenty feet square and one hundred and four feet high, was also completed; the bell was removed from the old steeple into the new belfry and proteaed by a temporary roof. This terminated the work for '78, because the pastor's principle is: No money, no work. Hence, when the church will be ready for consecration in the summer of I 88o, not a cent of debt will rest upon it, and that \vill be its glory. It measures one hundred and thirty feet by fifty-four and is forty-four feet in height. SKETCH OF THE NEZ PERCES INDIANS. The Nez Percc~s, in common with the other Indian tribes of the North West, had some vague notion of a supernatural power, but did not praaise any regular form of religious worship. They believed that this power was inherent in certain animals, or even in some inanimate objeas, and they strove to propitiate it, in order to avoid sickness (or, as they say, to expel sickness), to escape from danger, to be successful in hunting, fishing, root-digging, etc. They are by nature of a peaceable and friendly disposition; but this does not spring from want of courage, as they are brave �44 Sketc!t of t!te .Ne:; Perds Indians. and can never forget an injury. It was their boast until a recent period that no white man had been slain by them, although they had been wronged by the 1\·hites in many ways. About the beginning of the present century, before any missionary had penetrated to their country, a few of the Nez Perces had acquired som~: knowledge of the Catholic religion from the French Canadian employees of the Hudson's Bay Company, and believing what they had heard, they began to put some of the teachings of the Church into praCtice. A few years after this, an American Company (probably the North West Fur Company of'St. Louis,) in opposition .~vith the Company of Hudson's Bay, sent Ellis Inauzakamna, a Nez Perce boy and three other boys of different tribes to be educated in a Protestant college at the East. \Vhen Ellis returned to his native country after four years of residence at this college, he began to instil Protestant dodrines into the minds of other Nez Perces, and in accordance \Vith the instruCtions he had received at school, much hatred of Catholicity was mingled with his teaching. A few months later, H. Spaulding, a Presbyterian minister sent-by the Board of Foreign l\Iissions, arrived among the Nez Perces. Shortly after his arrival, in I 836, he established a mission at Lapwais. And although he made but few converts, for the Indians hated him, still he succeeded in poisoning their minds against the Catholic religion. Some few, however, still remained faithful to it, and upon the arrival at Vancouver of Revs. Blanchet and Demers, who had been <1ppointed to the Oregon Mission in April, I 838. they went to receive instru{tions in the Catholic faith. They endeavored also to obtain a priest for their own country, but in this they were unsuccessful. \Vhen the Coeur d'Alene Mission was established by the Jesuit Fathers in 1843, Inmetomshilu with some other Nez Perces chief\ went to the River St. Joseph to be instruCted, and Inmetomshilu was baptized by Fr. J Joset, receiving the Christian name of James. Though very desirous to �Sketc!t of tlze Nez Perccs Indians. I I g. 45 have a priest permanently stationed among them, they failed this time also to obtain the object of their pious wishes. They themselves translated the Catholic prayers from the Cceur d'Alene language into their own, and visited the mission several times before it was transferred to a place thirty-five miles further off, now called Old Cceur d'Alene Mission. In 1847, Dr. \Vhitman was killed by his own Indians: he was a Presbyterian minister who had founded a mission among the Cayuses of Wailetpu, at about the same time that Spaulding settled at Lapwais. Shortly before the \Vhitman massacre, Very Rev. J. B. A. Brouillet, Vicar General of the Bishop of Walla \Valla was requested toestablish a Catholic mission among the Nez Perd:s. Spaulding had by this time become utterly dissatisfied with his mission and the Indians, and he offered to make them over to the Vicar General. There was probably some difficulty about the conditions of transfer, for his offer was declined, and he afterwards sold his mission property t~ another. ' It is a mystery astonishing and inexplicable that the poor Nez Perces, despite their repeated and determined efforts, should have failed to secure the services of a priest: judicia Dei abysSlts multa. Even after the massacre of \Vailetpu, when the calumnies had died away which Spaulding had circulated against the priests anq Jesuits in general, and against the Bishop of \Valla Walla in particular, the question was several times mooted of establishing a Catholic mission among the Nez Perces. The Bishop was earnest in his desires and endeavors, but nothing was accomplished. From time to time, a Jesuit Father from the Cceur d'Alene Mission would visit the Nez Perces, but always with little or no results. It was not until the fall of 1867, that one of our Fathers was destined for the Nez Perces by the Superior General of the Rocky Mountains Mission. The appointment was made almost too late; for the greater number of those who had been well-disposed towards the faith were now dead, and hatred of the Catholic religion, infidelity �Sketc!t of tlte Nez Pt'rces bzdians. and vice of every description had fearfully increased among these poor Indians, especially after the stream of white immigration had begun to flow into the country. The labors of the Father for the conversion of the souls entrusted to him were thus rendered very difficult. Patience in the highest degree was necessary, and progress was slow withal, as scarcely anything seemed to be gained by the most persistent endeavors. There still remained a few old men, who called themselves Catholics, but who had never received baptism; around this nucleus, the Father succeeded in gathering several of the younger Indians, and he taught them the Catholic prayers and catechism. But prejudice and vice conspired ·to prevent them from entering the true fold. For on the one hand, the old unbaptized Presbyterians would hold forth against the priest and his religion, and openly proclaim that he and all his followers were destined to burn in hell for all eternity. On the other hand, those who frequented the Catholic prayers did not differ from their neighbors, but like them were the slaves of lust, gambling, drunkenness and lying, and some of them were living in aClual polygamy. The old men would not consent to be bap~tized, unless a good number should be gathered together for the reception of the Sacrament. "\Vhat is the use of being baptized," they would say, "unless we can live as good Catholics? and how can we live as such among these wild fellows? Have patience, Black-gown, wait a while; we really mean to become good Catholics, and for this reason we do not want to hurry. When a considerable number of our young people will consent to be good, we shall all be baptized." Others deferred their conversion under the pretext that the unsettled state of affairs would not permit them to be baptized immediately; but when the government should have made some definite arrangement then they would become good praClical Catholics. For these reasons, the Father baptized only a few of the tribe ; and the apparent sterility of the mission, together with more �Sketclt of tlte Nez Perces Indians. 47 pressing demands from other quarters induced the Superior to send the missionary first to the Yakima Indians, and afterwards to assign him to the Cceur d'Alene Mission with the charge of visiting the Nez Perces once or twice a year. A Nez Perce messenger arrived at the Cceur d'Alene mission on the 28th of 08:., I 87 I : he had been sent by some of the chiefs to ask for the immediate presence of a priest. "Black-gown!" said he, "you know that I am the only man that you baptized among the Nez Perces: this is why the chiefs have sent me. Black·gown! our people did not hear you, or rather they were deaf to the voice of God for more than two years, and you left us. But now they are sorry for the past; they beg you .to return and earnestly ask for baptism. You must come without delay, if you do not want to lose most of your people, for everyone now at the Agency is a preacher. The Agent is a preacher; Mr. Spaulding, who is expeCted back, is a preacher; the schoolmaster is a preacher: and all are trying to get· the Catholics to become Protestant. So, come along." The Father answered that he did not leave them of his own accord, but by order of his Superior, and now he could not go back without his Superior's consent. He would, however, write to hin1, and explain their danger and present dispositions. Were it in the summer, he would go and pay them a visit; but as it was so late in the fall, he could not leave his mission. The messenger was sadly disappointed, and at his departure expressed grave apprehensions lest some of his people might become Protestants. The grounds for these fears were that when the American Government assigned the Indian Agencies to the various religious denominations, many preachers swarmed into ~he Nez Perce agency and country. Though nominally Presbyterians, yet they aB:ed as Methodists, and by shouting, crying, public confessions, and loud harangues, they stirred up a species of religious enthusiasm, and baptized not only those who 'felt religion,' �Skctc!t of t/ze Ne::; Perch Indians. but those also who were opposed to conversion. They were taken by surprise, and amongst them were some of those who had in former years recited the Catholic prayers, and though unbaptized were accustomed to call themselves Catholics. In the spring of 1 87::!, the Fatha having received permission from his Superiors, went to Lewiston, where he was met by a great number of Nez Perccs Indians, who were all very glad to welcome him back. This was on Sunday, April 28th, 1872. l\Iuch harm had been done during the absence of the missionary; but bis timely return was the means of bringing back m:my stray sheep to the true fold. It was fo-r· him a great source of consolation to see that his former labors had not been thrown away, but had brought forth much fruit in season. For the few who had learned the prayers from him, had in turn become the teachers of others, and when on Sunday. ~e heard them pray in the church of Lewiston, he could not restrain his tears of joy. In a few weeks many were sufficiently instruCted, and more than a hundred received baptism. Oh! if even then the mission could have been firmly established, how many more wat1derers \Vould have been reclaimed, how many infidels would have been converted. But again we must say: Judicia Dei abyssus 1mt!ta. The scarcity of evangelic laborers and want of means delayed its esta.blishment for three years longer. The Father, in the midst. of his labors which were sweetened by present success, and encouraged by the hopeful promise of the future, received a peremptory order from his Superior to return to the Cceur d'Alene Mission. He was obliged to leave his poor neophytes like lambs in the midst of wolves. Such numerous conversions to the faith excited the anger and jealousy of the preachers, who declared war against the absent missionary and the Catholic Indians. They told the Indians that the priest would not be allowed to come back any more, that all the Indians should become Protestants, �Sketclz of tlze Nez Perces Indians. 49 that the Catholic Indians would be removed from the country, and many similar things calculated to frighten the Catholics. In May, I 873, a secret meeting of six or seven preachers was held at Lapwais, the Nez Perce Indian Agency; the proceedings were never made known to the public. Less than a month after this meeting, some newspapers reported a correspondence between J. B. 1\Ionteith, U. S. Indian Agent for the Nez Perces, and Hon. E. P. Smith, Commissioner of Indian affairs, Dept. of the Interior, Washington, D. C., in which the former asked from the latter, whether he could prevent the Catholic priest from holding religious services in the Indian Reservation. To this inquiry the Commissioner made answer, that it would be assuming too much power. The Catholic Indians were clamoring for freedom of conscience and worship, but all to no purpose. The Vicar Apostolic of Idaho was refused permission to build a Catholic church and priest's residence in the Nez Perces Reservation. \tVhen afterwards, rather from policy than justice, this permission was granted, the Presbyterian preachers of California and Oregon protested in a body, through their presiding official, against the permission. The Nez Perces Catholic Indians numbering now nearly three hundred, presented a petition to the government in which they complained of the persecution to which they were subjeCted, and asked for a church and school-house of their own, to be built at their own expense with the money due them from the Government. This petition was repeated, and another was urged through the Catholic Indian Bureau at Washington. But all these efforts resulted in nothing. The Indian 'Peace Policy' was only a disguised persecution of the Catholic Indian. Although without church or missionary,.and harassed by persecution, the poor Indians did not lose courage; they went sometimes for great solemnities to the Cceur d'Alene Mission, which is more than one hundred miles from their country. VoL. rx-No. I. 7 , �. l 50 Dedication of tlze Clmrclt of St. Stanislaus, Elys<,ille. The missionary could from time to time pay them flying visits, and the Almighty was pleased to console him with many conversions, some of which were very extraordinary. (To be continued.) DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. STANISLAUS, ELYSVILLE. On the 14th of December last, His Grace the Archbishop of Baltimore, assisted by Rev. Frs. ReCl:or and de Augustinis, dedicated the new church of St. Stanislaus at Elysville. This is a pretty manufaCl:uring village on the Patapsco, five miles below \Voodstock, on the line of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. It contains a population of about nine hundred, the great majority of whom are Methodists. Little did any one dream, when four years ago Fr. Van Krevel of Missouri, opened Sunday school there, that the humble work would grm'( to its present proportions. Indeed, considering the small number of Catholics in the place and the opposition met with on every side, we cannot think of the neat little church aCl:ually dedicated there without feeling that a special providence has been direCl:ing ~he events that led to its ereCl:ion. The Elysville mission was begun in the fall of 1875· At that time Sunday schools were commenced at convenient points within a radius of six miles from \Voodstock. The good to be done was obvious. The scattered Catholic population around the College had, it is true, the advantage of Mass and sermons every Sunday in the domestic chapel, which superiors had generously thrown open to them; but no provision had been made for the regular instruCl:ion of the children. The secular clergy were too far distant to attend. to it; besides, their hands were full of other work �Dedication of tlze C/wrclz of St. Stanislaus, Elysvi//e. 5I nearer home, and as yet none of Ours had been appointed pastor at Woodstock. Much good was meanwhile done among the people by some of Ours. Indifferent Catholics were reclaimed to the practice of their religion, and not a few conversions to the faith were made. The number of Catholics increasing in this way, the necessity of providing them with religious instruction became more manifest. Several bands of young Fathers and Scholastics were accordingly formed, and catechism classes organizeu at Marriottsville, Harkers, at the College itself and at Elysville, to which have since been added two others-one at the Quarry, the other at Love's. The aggregate number of children that receive instruction in these classes is something above a hundred, to say nothing of the grown people who attend. The Elysville mission is by no means first in point of numbers; but it is second to none in the progress already made and the prospect it offers of future good. The first Sunday school was opened there on the 2 I st of November, 1875, in a s~all frame house at this side of the nearest rail-· road bridge; for it was deemed advisable, on account of the bigotry of the inhabitants, not to enter the village at first. There were two rooms placed at the disposal of the Catechists, and in each of these they managed to pack about twenty persons. Some Protestants came through curiosity, for they had never seen a priest and were anxious to get a look at one. This may seem incredible in Catholic Maryland and within ten miles of Baltimore, but it is nevertheless a fact. Others attended the instructions for a time and some conversions were made. In the meantime the Methodists took the alarm, and began to hold revivals in the village. Some of our children would "get religion" on these occasions and remain away for a while; but they usually came back when their fervor had evaporated. In the Spring of '76 the Holy Sacrifice was offered there for the first time by Fr. Van Krevel. This was his last official act in conneCtion with the mission, for he was soon �52 Dedication of the Clwrclt of St. Stallis!aus,l!lysvi!!e. after recalled to Missouri. His place was taken by Fr. de Augustinis who has been in charge ever since. The year following it was judged proper to make a move for better quarters, as the house occupied was rather small, and the children, besides, were obliged to cross two railroad bridges in order to reach it. One of the Catholics of the village (Mr. Meehan, the teacher of the public school), offered his house for the purpose, which if not larger than the other was certainly more convenient. The offer was gladly accepted, and there for more than two years Mass was said once a month and instruction given every Sunday. During the Fall of '78, some Catholic .families moved to the village, and ..as several converts had already increased the congregation, it was painfully evident that there was not room enough for them in the house to hear l\Iass. \Vhat was to be done? The little congregation was poor, and the idea of a Catholic church in Elysville probably never entered any one's head. They prayed-pastor and people -that God would provide them some place in which to assist at the sacred mysteries. A petition to the same effect was inserted in the "Messenger." The Sacred Heart of Jesus heard their prayer. On the first Friday in the month of December following, Fr. de Augustin is had an interview with the Hon. Ja~. A. Gary, the proprietor of the mills, in which he represented the facts above recited. The result, thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus·;·was successful beyond expectation. Mr. Gary, who is not a Catholic, offered him any lot on the premises which he might choose and a contribution of $750, towards the erection of a church. It is needless to say what an agreeable surprise this was to the Catholics of Elysville and to those interested in their spiritual welfare. On the first Sunday of last June, the first day of the month consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the corner-stone of the new church was laid under the invocation of St. Joseph--;-because on St. Joseph's day and at St Joseph's church; Baltimore, the difficulty of raising the balance re- �llfissionary Labors. 53 quired to begin the work was removed by an appeal which the Archbishop made to the clergy present, and by the appointment of Fr. Dougherty of Ellicott's City to leeture for the purpose. The church at Sykesville, however, having been since dedicated under that title, and there being others of the same name in the diocese, the Archbishop thought proper to dedicate it in honor of St. Stanislaus. These details of the mission of Elysville may appear insignificant to those who are accustomed to grander fields and more magnificent results; nevertheless we have ventured to present them to our readers that they may admire the providence of God which is admirable alike in what is great and what is small. MISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS. FROM THE BEGINNING OF SEPT. I879 TO THE END OF DEC. SouTH ADAMS, MAss. (Sept. 6-17.)-The Fathers after spending the hot season at home in Boston, or elsewhere in giving retreats, were somewhat recruited for t'he work of autumn. The town of Adams, situated a few miles beyond the Hoosac Tunnel and surrounded by the highest mountains in the State has a thriving population, given up wholly to the manufaCturing of cotton and woollen goods. One of the most extensive gingham works in the country is found here. The Fathers were greatly encouraged in their labors by the manner in which the people r~sponded in this the first mission ever given them. After a week srent in Adams, three days were allowed for Cheshire, a neighboring town under the same pastor, Fr. Me Cort. At this last place, a blast furnace and a cheese faCtory give considerable employment; but the principal source of revenue to the working men is the sand beds. The sand from �54 1lfissionary Labors. ·~,~ these beds is the best in. the country fo\ glass, and is in demand everywhere. Cheshire was famous for cheese even in the last century, arid its' inhabitants during the days of Thomas Jefferson sent,Rim <rmons"fcr.:r>resent in sign of their favorite industry. :~;_;; .. Results of the mission :;one thousand five hundred Communions; twenty ad~;lt~ _prepared for First Communion. Two or three persons -applied for Baptism and were left under instruction. LANCASTER, PA. (Sept. 2o-Oct. 2.).:_This city has apopulation of thirty thousand; independently" of being the centre of the richest farming district in the United States, its factories of various kinds make it an important place. The Catholics are a fourth of the population and are, a great number of them, quite wealthy, having made large fortunes in years past as contractors on the public works. To-day the Lancaster contractors command the trade in the Atlantic side of the country, and no ~r~at work is undertaken without their having a share in it. The mission was attended t.h~ ·"":Protestants, five of ~v h_:>m. to the great disgust o.f their p,re3~,:~ers, :_~~re rece~ved 1nto the Church. One of the converts q~rore ~emg received into the true fold apprised his pa"stor of his in"tention. This information brought forth a. lo.~~~t,r, in which the neophyte was told that CatholicS':~ :s~)n P~,Iiigatory, worship the Virgin, reject faith, and put t 1e'f~rust entirely in good works. As these obje{(:ions aroS'e from ignorance, and were easily explained a\vay, tl]e convert continued under instruction, and was baptized at the erui of the mission. The ministers, especially }he one spo~en of above, have been hammering at the missioniuie~ ever since, warning their people against the errors of Rom\.as p~esented by the wily Jesuits. Several articles and pamphlets have been published by Catholics, concerning the misstatements and false assertions of the ministers. Here as every where, the parsons soon fell into the old ruts, not omitting the primacy - qy �, Jl1£ss£onary Labors. r r·. 55 of St. Peter, and his being ever at Rome, etc. etc. Every evening during the mission the church was crowded with a cultivated audience of Catholics and Protestants. A great deal was done, no doubt, to remove prejudice from the minds of our dissenting brethren, and to instruCt our own in their religion. Results: Communions, fourteen hundred; Confirmed, fifty-two; prepared for first Communion, fifteen; Baptized, five. Several Protestants were left under instruCtion. Lancaster is peculiarly interesting to membe·rs of the Society, since it was for eighty years attended by our Fathers. It was one of the earliest missions in Pennsylvania, dating from I 745, when the first chapel was built. This chapel was burned to the ground in 1766. A stone church was then built and is still standing, though a new and much larger church ereCted twenty-five years ago is used for di'vine worship. According to the Pennsylvania Archives, in 1757 there were in all Pennsylvania one thousand three hundred and sixty-five Catholics, under the care of Frs. Robert Harding, Theodore Schneider, Ferdinand Farmer, and Matthias Manners. In La~aster county under Fr. Farmer there were two hundred and two Germans and forty-nine Irish.* St. Mary's where the mission was given has an English speaking congregation, and yet it is easy to deteCt the ancestry of many of its members by the absurd use of still and already in conversation. Other adverbs also crop out in unexpeCted places. In the sacristy of the church is an old record, entitled "Liber baptismalis, matrimonialis et Fmzcraljs Eclim Pastoralis Romano- Catltolicm, Lancastrim, Satrapim ejusdem Nominis, Provincim Pennsylvanim, Australis Americm." This old book has entries from 1788. The earlier records were lost during the fire, or are at Conewago, whence the Fathers used to walk on their missions to Lancaster, <1 distance of seventy miles. Later on there were resident pastors. In the book above men*Penn. Arcl!ives, vol. 3. (Oath. "1Iirror, Nov. 15, 1Si9.) �Missionary Labors. ' tioned there is a list of pastors of the church from the beginning of 1745 to the time of Fr. Keenan, a secular priest who succeeded our Fathers. This list I transcribe, not holding myself responsible for the chronological order, though from the records within my reach, I have made some corrections: "Nomina eorum qui huic missioni pr~­ fuere," thus the entry, "Molineux,. Farmer, Schneider, Weyster, Pellents, Framback, Geisler, From, Elling, Causy or Cause, Helbron, Erntzen, Brosius, 1\longrand, Cerfoumont, Stafford, De Barth, Fitzimon, Egan, Janin, Stiiker, Beschter, Byrne, Holland, Shenfelter, Rossiter." Some of these we~;e secular priests, as for instance, Egan, afterwards bishop of ':Philadelphia, Holland, Rossiter, Stiiker, Shenfelter, Causy, De Barth, Fitzimon and Mongrand, Cerfoumont and probably others, as their names are not found in our archives. Causy and Stiiker have apostate added to their names. Causy was pastor in I 787. The Lancaster church was deeded to the Bishop of Philadelphia about fifteen years ago. ST. EDWARD's, PHILADELPHIA. (Oct. 5-l s)-After a rest of .three days, the Fathers began a mission at this church. With an experiment of two nights, it was evident that more good could be done by dividing the congregation. The crowd was equally great after the division, though only women were admitted to the ser~i_ces for the next three nights. Five days were given exclusively to the men with very happy effect. Fourteen Protestants were received into the Church and several others were left in charge of the pastor to be prepared for baptism. This is a new parish, and, as is the case in all parishes of the kind, a great many marriages had gone wrong, and a nu~ber of children, the offspring of them, had not been baptized. Results: Communions, eighteen hundred; First Communion of adults, thirty; Baptisms of adults, fourteen; of children of mixed marriages, fourteen; prepared for Confirmation, fifty. �llfissionary Labors. 57 CATHEDRAL, PHILADELPHIA, (Oct. 19-Nov. 2.)-To this date Frs. Maguire, Strong, and Morgan had not needed any help; but on account of the magnitude of the work at the Cathedral, Frs. Stonestreet, Langcake, Finnegan, and Holland were added to the band for the occasion. The work was, indeed, very great. vVhat with sermons, and instructions, and confessions very little time was left for even necessary recreation. Classes for converts and uninstructed Catholics had to be conducted every evening. Outside of the regular mission work, special efforts had to be made in favor of temperance and the Sodality of our Blessed Lauy. From the beginning to the end all was excitement. A great good was effected. Over two hundred and fifty grown persons, of all ages and many nationalities, were prepared for Confirmation. Several blind persons from the Asylum hard by attended the class; but the Father in charge had to entrust to some one else a deaf and dumb boy who used signs, and, on one occasion, began to laugh, and laughed so loud and long, that he had to be sent home as a nuisance. There was a large incn:ase of the Sodality on the last Sunday. After the mission, the Forty Hours' devotion was begun; Frs. Maguire, Stonestreet, Langcake, and Morgan, were requested to remain with the clergy of the Cathedral, in order to help in the confessional and the pulpit. The old seminary building was fitted up for the missionaries, and, in fact, they were more to themselves during this time than ever before. At meal time they met the Archbishop and priests of the Cathedral. Every where and at all times, the Fathers felt at home by reason of the kindness and affection of the Archbishop for Ours. Results: Communions, including "Forty Hours," twelve thousand; Baptisms of adults, fifteen; of children, nine; First Communion of adults, fifty; Confirmations, two hundred and seventy-two. Nine Protestants were left under instruction. BETHLEHEM, PA. (Nov. 2-13.)-Before the work was ended VoL. 1x-No. 1. 8 �JJ,fissionary Labors. in Philadelphia, another mission was commenced by Frs. Strong and Holland. After three days Fr. Maguire joined them. This town is the seat of Lehigh University. The Moravians for some time had the ascendency in religious matters in Bethlehem, but now they have dwindled down. The various industries have brought in a great many Catholics, who are engaged in the Iron, the Zinc and the Bessaamer Steel works. In most of these factories work goes on, night and day. Sunday is not a day of rest for all, but only for a half of the employees. Hence there were two distinct congregations of men in the church every twentyfour hours, 'according to the night and the day shift, or change. There were one thousand eight hundred and thirty Communions; three persons were baptized; twelve grown persons, prepared for First Communion; several were over forty years of age; one was over seventy. NoRRISTOWN, PA. (Nov. r6-3o.) Thco remarkable feature in this mission was the number of unbaptized children of mixed marriages. There were six of one family brought. in at the very last moment. Altogether fifteen of these children were made Christians during the two weeks. Their ages ranged from a year up to fifteen years. Those three and four years of age fought valiantly, when the priest was pouring the water upon their head~: Twelve adults were prepared for baptism. The Com~unions were increased by twelve hundred, owing to the Forty Hours' devotion. Numbers of persons came from the neighboring parish of Conshohocken. The Communions were three thousand seven hundred; adults prepared for First Communion, thirty. The Confessions were over four thousand. IMMACULATE CoNCEPTION, Philadelphia, (Dec. 7-2!.)Frs. Maguire, Holland, Gleason, and Morgan were engaged in this mission. The Sodalities attached to the church wer~ recruited. The Fathers strive every where, to advance �.Fatlter A. ilf. Marigliano. 59 the interests of the Sodality, and with considerable success. It is pleasant to record the good that these Societies produce. They have spread throughout the country, and are everywhere popular with all classes. One of the last exercises of the two weeks was a solemn reception of new members into the Sodality by the direCtor, Rev. J..Iichael Filan, the zealous pastor of the church. Communions, four thousand; Baptisms of adults, five; Baptisms of children, three; First Communion of adults, twenty; prepared for Confirmation, sixty. Thus end the labors for autumn. From the above calendar, there were generally short, and sometimes, no intervals between missions. General results: Communions, 26,230; First Communions of adults, 167; Baptisms, adults, 54; children, 39; Confirmations, 328. OBITUARY. FATHER ' A. M. MARIGLIANO. Fr. Antonio M. Marigliano was born at Naples, on the 3d of July, 1842, of pious and noble parents. From his childhood he was trained in the path of virtue, to which he seemed to be naturally inclined. Having finished his literary studies, following the example of his elder brother Aloysius, he resolved to consecrate himself to God in the ecclesiastical state, and for that purpose applied himself to the study of philosophy and theology, and was ordained a priest in the year 1865. His zeal, and his talents were well known to his Archbishop, the Cardinal Riario Sforza; hence, though very young, he was intrusted with the ministry of giving missions, and preaching in the different churches of �6o Father A. M. l'rfarigliano. his native city. Fr. Marigliano, with that eagerness for work which was always his characteristic virtue, acquitted himself of this office with the greatest satisfaction of hi,; ecclesiastical superiors, and with extraordinary success. In a few years he became so popular that it was enough to know that Fr. Marigliano would preach in a church to see crowds of people flock thither to hear from his lips the word of God. Fr. Marigliano, however, was unhappy in the world. He knew that God had called him to the religious state, and that the enemy of our salvation was doing his utmost to hinder him from fulfilling the will of God. On this account, he had to bear persecutions from every one, even from his parents;who for some unknown reason opposed his religious vocation with all their influence. But at last he succeeded in overcoming all obstacles, and entered the Society at the Novitiate of Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. In a Jlfemoir written by himself, and found among his papers after his death, he says: "After fighting for many yearl, by the help of God I succeeded in escaping from Naples and from my family, to become a member of the Society of my dear Jesus. This day., the happiest of my life, was Sept.~ 16th, I 869. On entering the Novitiate I was filled with so great a joy that I could not help repeating the words of St. Aloysius: 'H;ec requies mea, hie habitabo quoniam elegi earn.'" Here, from !he very beginning, he gave the greatest edification to lik companions by his spirit of recollection, obedience, and humility. The political troubles of I 870 obliged the superiors to close that Novitiate. Soon after the dispersion, Fr. 1\Iarigliano was employed in teaching and preaching, first in Guarcino, and afterwards in Alatri. It was in the beginning of May, I 872, that, by order of superiors, he left Europe for America, where he arrived on the 2oth of the same month, destined to go to our Scholasticate at Woodstock to review his theology. Here he remained for two years, after which, at his own request, he �Fatlzcr A. M .Marigliano. 61 was sent to Frederick for his Third Probation. At its close, he was assigned as companion to Fr. J. B. Emig to help in gi\"ing missions. And here a wide field was opened for his charity and zeal. It would be difficult to describe Fr. Marigliano's apostolic labors ; it wilt suffice to state that during the nine months he held this office, he was almost constantly engaged in giving missions, preaching every day once or twice, and hearing confessions for many hours, being always ready to work for the greater glory of God and the salvation of his neighbor. In his ll1emoir he speaks with great simplicity and humility of the many spiritual consolations with which, at that time, Almighty God used to fill his soul, especiaily during Mass, and of the many conversions he brought about in the citie::> of \Vashington, Wilmington and Philadelphia. His health being rather poor, the superiors thought it well to remove him from this laborious field, so dear to his heart. It was for him a great blow, but he received it as coming from God, and with his accustomed earnestness he applied himself to the teaching of Mental Philosophy in the College of the Holy Cross, \Vorcester, Mass., during the scholastic year, I 876-77. Our Residence of St. Mary's in Boston was the last field of his labors, and the place where he gave most striking proof of the burning zeal he had for souls. Entirely forgetful of self, he devoted himself wholly to the welfare of his neighbor, especially of the young men, whose Sodality he directed; never ceasing from labor even when his strength failed him through weariness or infirmity. He was well known and beloved, not only by Catholics, but even by Protestants, who after his death expressed in the most flattering words the esteem in whieh they had held him. Thus, for instance, the Boston Herald wrote of him "that the Catholic Church in Boston had lost in Fr. Marigliano one of her most learned and zealous piuneers." It was on the 28th of March, 1879, that being reduced �62 Mr. Aloysius Benassai. to a hopeless state, he left Boston for 'vVorcester to prepare himself to die. A few days after his arrival he received the last Sacraments, and asked one of the Fathers, who had known him in Naples, and had been afterwards his fellownovice, to write under his direaion a letter to his superiors. In this letter, Fr. Marigliano, after expressing his heart-felt thanks to the Society for having received him as one of her children, signified in the most sensible and touching words his consolation in dying as a Jesuit. On the I sth of April, I879, the day of his departure from this world, a Father asked him if he was afraid to die. "No," he answered, "since I die a Jesuit." So it was, he died a Jesuit, that is, as a true son of the Society, having always worked for the greater glory of God and the salvation of his neighbor.- R. I. P. MR. ALOYSIUS BENASSAI. NoviTIATE, FREDERICK, ott. 27th, I879· REV. DEAR FR. PERRON, P. C. I sent your Reverence, at 3 P. M. yesterday, a telegram announcing the death of our very dear little Bro. Benassai. He breathed forth his soul yesterday at twenty-eight minutes after eleven o'clock. He was co~;;cious till the last, and spoke with me about four minutes before he died. Many of us had the rare privilege of witnessing his holy death. All his moments were full of peace. He told me-" Father, I feel so happy, and have so little fear of death, that it does not seem as if I were going to die." I begged him to pray for us all and to obtain of God for us the grace to die in the Society, and as happily as he was dying. From the day he came till the moment of his death, no sign of impatience was ever remarked in him, and no one ever heard an idle word from his lips. These two remarkable faas in his life are �JI;Jr. George Aloysius Moffitt. worthy of imitation ; and I proposed him as a model in this regard to all our Juniors, who loved him dearly, and to the Novices who had not seen so much of him. We have had many holy deaths in this house, dear Father, and all of them have taught us different lessons, all were most happy, but some were more notably so, yet none more beautiful, more consoling, and sweeter to us than that of Mr. Benassai. All are very well and there is a sweetness and peace diffused over the whole house in consequence of the event of yesterday- as if the perfume of our little brother's virtues would linger long with us and serve to lead us onward in our life of faith. Commending myself to your Reverence's holy SS. and prayers, believe me, yours very sincerely in Dno. A.}. TISDALL, S. J. MR. GEORGE ALovsrus MoFFITT. George Aloysius Moffitt, N. S. J., departed this life 08:. 30th, I 879, aged twenty years, twenty-five days. Mr. Moffitt was related to the illustrious Abp. Carroll, of Baltimore, and like that venerable prelate, resolved to devote his life to the service of God in the sacred ministry of the priesthood ; having had this desire since the day of his first Communion,when he made in the fervor of his ardent and pure soul, this promise to God. Accordingly, before the close of that happy day, he repaired to the residence of his much esteemed pastor, Rev. L. Hoffer, to ask if he could begin with him the study of the Latin language as a preparatory course. Under the direCl:ion of his devoted pastor, he pursued hi,; studies with a zeal and ardor unsurpassed, showing rare talent, combined with an uprightness of principle, and those amiable qualities which endeared him alike to pastor and schoolmates. At the age of fourteen he entered St. Michael's College, Toronto, where three years of his young life were spent in �Mr. George Aloysius Jl[ojJitt. close application to study, and the constant praCtice of those solid virtues worthy of the religious instruction he received in this peaceful abode. Feeling an ardent desire to serve God as a religious, he made choice of the Society of Jesus, and was admitted to the Novitiate in September, 1878. Here he became a model of piety and devotedness in the duties of his new and holy state of life, winning the esteem and affeCtion of his brothers in religion, from whom he separated with much regret, to return to his family for change of air. His superior hoped by this means to arrest the progress of the disease of consumption, which had made its ·appearance; but in vain. The days of this pious youth \Vere numbered; having perfeCted himself in a short space, he was called to receive his reward. The remains were interred in the Catholic cemetery at Louisville, Stark Co., Ohio, on Saturday afternoon, Feast of all Saints. The funeral rites were attended by a large number of sorrowing friends and relatives. Religious.services were conduCted by Rev. L. Hoffer, who preached a very impressive sermon on the occasion. The deceased received Baptism, first Communion and Extreme Unction, also his vows from the same beloved pastor who conveyed his remains to their last resting-place. In his death the Jesuits lost an affectionate son, the community an edifying member.-May ·he rest in peace. h-xtrac? from letter, sent to Manrcsa, N. Y li li'i li 1~ !:•. " Iii ~,,I ,,, ' : 1'.' "Our beloved brother, George Aloysius Moffitt, N. S. J., departed this life at eleven o'clock in the evening of the feast of the Blessed Alphonsus Rodriguez. He was much devoted to the Blessed Alphonsus and had the happiness to die on his feast. He received holy Communion in the morning at about eleven o'clock, and passed the remainder of the day in silence and sufferings .... His last words he spoke to brother Matthew who was watching him when I said. night prayers for the family. Brother Matthew was �Jvfr. George Aloysius 1lfojfitt. kneeling at his bed side, saying his night prayers, and dear brother George looked at him and repeated twice the sweet names of Jesus! Mary! Jo:-;eph! . These were his last words, spoken at about nine o'clock. He held the string or tape of his crucifix in his left hand and had his eyes fixed on another which James held behind the blessed candle. He had the relic of Father Olivaint, S. J., under his head, and also the letter he received, dated the 23d, from his brothers at Manresa. As dear brother George was so happy to think he had once been at Manresa, and counted it such a great grace to make the grand retreat, so my parents, brothers, and sisters feel very grateful to you, for all your kindness to our brother, hoping he will be remembered in your prayers." From a second letter. "Having been with my brother George daily these five months, I have witnessed his many sufferings which he received from our dear Lord with heroic resignation. The only desire he expressed was to be with you. Formerly I was astonished to see the rapid progress he made in his studies while at the College in Toronto, but the progress he made in the science of the saints while at Manresa was ~till more admirable.. During his sojourn at home he constantly praCtised all the virtues of a true religious, especially his silence and resignation to the holy will of God. He seldom spoke to the many secular persons who, to testify their love for him, visited him frequently. He always received them with an affable welcome, and then he would seek some retired corner and remain in silence, or speak of how his death was fast approaching, and of the saints whose lives he had read, especially of St. Ignatius and blessed Alphonsus Rodriguez ..... Brother George had a great love for Manresa; he said he was often there in his dreams. I think this was his greatest suffering; 'he was away from those he loved tenderly.' Many are the proofs he gave of solid virtue. The physiVoL. 1x-No. 1. 9 �66 Mr. George Aloysius Mo_ffitt. cian who has been the family doctor for twenty years, and who is prejudiced against our holy faith, says 'George was a model as a boy and much more as a man. He never complained to me; he explained his sufferings and endeavored to be cured.'" From enclosed letter to "Brother George's Brothers in Christ." "Our well beloved brother George read your letter with his dying eyes. He had it placed under his head, and there it remained until he had passed to eternity. His life while at home was truly edifying. He practised virtue worthy of the instructions he received. He. spoke of the great grace of making the grand retreat, he said this was a preparation for death. \Vhen we spoke of the lives of the saints we had read, he would always admire the great virtues of each, but nothing could equal the perfection of St. Ignatius. When I wished to hear him speak, it was enough to relate something of the life of any saint; - then he would speak of the great sanctity of St. Ignatius or of some other Jesuit saint. He frequently said there c.re about two hundred saints of the Society of Jesus who ought to be canonized. The last he spoke of was blessed Alphonsus '"Rodriguez, how great his obedience was. Very much could be said of the solid virtue of our dear brother; but, as he often said, 'The less you speak of me, the better it is,' -therefore I will n?t say much more; only that he never forgot Manresa. At first he expected that he would certainly go back again, and endeavored to be cured in order to return. But when he was told that one lung was consumed and the other half gone, he said, 'I wish I had become so sick that it would have been impossible to remove me from Manresa; however, God wills all things for His greater glory, and most probably I am here to expiate my sins.' His sufferings were very severe. He frequently vomited three times in one day, so that he often remarked he was in �Mr. Ge01ge Aloysius Moffitt. the 'Purgative Way.' He said he could suffer more. He never would allow anyone to wait on him but his brothers. His funeral was the largest that ever took place in Louisville (Ohio). \Ve never thought he had so many friends: about one half were Protestants .... His corpse did not decompose. His right ear had been sore for two weeks; after death it was nearly healed, and we do not think he will decay. All that love and affeaion can bestow, was given to brother George, prayers were offered and every remedy applied; but God wished to take our beloved brother from us. George Aloysius Moffitt (Scholastic Novice, S. J.-by permission of Rev. Fr. Prm,incial lte had takm ZJtmJS if devotion on Ius death bed.) was twenty years and twenty-five days in this valley of tears. His brother, John P. Moffitt, of the Congregation of St. Basil, was twenty-three years and twenty-five days when he died in Toronto, whither he took George, who was present at his death, April znd, 1878.'. (It should seem that nothing need be added to these simple words from a Christian family, whose love is the well ordered charity of the just living by faith. May our souls die the death of the just.) �APPENDIX. VARIA. Belgium -The educational agitation has had the effect of increasing the number of scholars in our colleges in Belgium. The "Conspectus Scholarium" for last year by tabulated statements compared the eleven colleges under the charge of the Society with the government lyceums in the same cities. At the beginning of the current scholastic year 5,114 pupils were attending our classes; at the same time las.t.year, the number was 4.743. At Liege and Brussels, where the Liberal element is powerful, the entering classes were 144 and 104 respectively, and in these two colleges the number is daily increasing. France- The same effect has been produced in France by the Ferry Btl!. At Le Mans, so many new scholars have been received, that it was found necessary to add a dortoir Ferry. At the College St. Ignace, }laris, 100 additional students this year have raised the number to 8oo; in the three colleges of Paris there arc about 2,000 students. The classes of Rhetoric and Humanities have each two professors; whilst the Grammar classes require to be divided into three divisions, on account of th<{large number of pupils. The result of the competitive examinations for entrance into the Government schools speaks for itsel( For the Polytechnic, of the 200 successful candidates, 33 were from our College of Ste. Genevieve ; the only college which approximated to this was St. Louis, from which 24 were received. Twenty of our pupils ranked among the first hundred, holding the I st, 5th, 7th, etc. place. For St. Cyr, 73 of our scholars succeeded, one of whom gained the 2nd position. (68) �Varia. C!tina: Consecration of a Bzslwp-Father Valentine Garnier, successor of Mgr. Languillat,Vicar Apostolic of Kiangnan, was consecrated Bishop of Titopolis in partibus in/idelimn in the Cathedral of Tung-ka-doo, Shanghai, Sunday, April 27, 1879· The 'Letters of Laval' give a graphic description of the ceremony. The subjoined account, furnished by a correspondent, and extraCl:ed from the Shanghai Dai!)' News, is interesting as showing the impression produced on a Protestant witness; and also, because it enables one to form some idea of the present state of religion in that far distant Empire. The early hour of 8 A. :11. was appointed for the commencement of the ceremony, and soon after that hour it was well nigh impossible to obtain entrance to the Cathedral, the crowd of Chinese being so great- they literally swarmed everywhere in the building where they could obtain access, standing upon the benches in the nave and aisles, and crowding and crushing as it pleased their fancy. The Cathedral is reputed to be capacious enough to hold 4,000 persons on ordinary occasions, and if this be true, there were assuredly very many more squeezed into it at one time during the ceremony; but there was an almost constant succession of comers and goers on the fringes of the great . crowd, while those lining the barriers, or who had secured front places, found themselves so jammed as to be unable to obtain exit if they wished it ever so much. Of course, most of thtse were heathen on-lookers, but the number of native Christian converts was something extraordinary to behold-they were pointed out to us in thousands, the majority apparently being women, who conduCl:ed themselves with a modest, quiet deportment, in marked contrast to the crowd that filled other parts of the Cathedral. As in the eyes of Roman Catholics was becoming on such an important occasion, the greatest possible amount of decoration was observable in every direCtion throughout the edifice-a blaze of gilding and color meeting the glance �70 Varia. on every hand, from roof almost to floor-the wonder being from whence such an immense amount of gaudy material could have been obtained even for such a purpose in the Far East. However, setting such a speculation aside, the material was there, in the shape of banners, shields, long lines of drapery, etc., interspersed winh oil paintings of sacred subjeCts, and bearing beautifully emblazoned monograms (as we suppose it is correCt to style them), texts in the Chinese charaCter, and other means of ornamentation. The altar was of course a great centre of decoration, and upon it and its surroundings the utmost taste had been lavished-almost overloading it with the splendor of its adornments. The means of accomodation inside the Cathedral not being deemed sufficient for the vast multitude who thronged to see, r~nges of benches were placed outside, facing the open doors, and these, too, were crowded with occupantsthe speCtators, in short, overflowing into the adjacent streets, even into positions from which it was impossible to obtain a glimpse of the ceremony-and this lasted throughout the three hours and a half occupied in the Bishop's consecration. The following Bishops took part in the ceremony; Bishop Zanoli, of Hupeh; Bishop Gentili, of Foo chow; and Bishop Guierry, of Ningpo; in addition to a large body of priests, including a considerable proportion of natives, wearing the same kind of vestments as the foreigners. The choir, it was understood, was a special one, and the members certainly sang the music allotted to them in su- . peri or and impressive style. The brass band of the St. Cecilian Society played on the oc~asion, and at the conclusion of the ceremony and during'"the final procession performed a grand march very effeCtively. Mention of one marked feature of the proceediugs must not be omitted- the presence of a considerable body of foreign-armed Chinese troops in and around the Cathedral, who were present by permission of the authorities, and who, with fixed bayonets, no doubt were influential in preserving something like order in the large assembly. They were under the command of two Mandarins, who were accompanied by ten or a dozen drummers ami trumpeters. In the closing procession these musicians led the way, and in obedience to a signal from their officers, and tvhile inside the Cathedral, the trumpeters blew some triumphal blasts, �Van'a. 7I almost drowning the St. Cecilians, who nevertheless kept on playing, undismayed by the discords produced. Next to the drummers and trumpeters, came a small body of native infantry, also with fixed bayonets, preceded bv the two Mandarins with drawn swords. These were foll~wed by some ecclesiastics, next to whom came the consecrating Bishop in full vestments of cloth of gold, wearing his mitre and carrying a magnificent crosier, the two corners of his upper garment being each borne by an assistant clad in more humble yet striking attire. They were followed by the newly consecrated Bishop, who was also clad in cloth of gold, wearing his mitre and likewise carrying his crosier. He walked alone, being followed by the numerous body of priests before mentioned, walking in pairs; in addition to whom there were a number of Chinese youths who usually officiate as acolytes. The Fathers of this Mission now publish a weekly newspaper in Chinese. Fr. Dechevrens, diretl:or of the magnetic and meteorological observatory at Si-ka-wei, has pub-lished some observations on the nature of Chinese typhoons. The scientific journal, Nature, of London calls attention to them as of the utmost importance to navigators. llfission of Nankin-Last year there were in the mission of Nankin, 56 European and 26 Native Priests, I8 Scholastics, 16 Temp. coadjutors. These had charge of SIS churches and 62 private chapels; the Christians numbering 95,I75, catechumens I,721. There was one college with II2 scholars; I4 boarding schools with 534 boys; in the day schools for boys there were 4,015 Christian and 2,912 Pagan pupils. In the schools directed by the Presentation Nuns and other Religious, there were 518 boarders; in the day schools, 3,439 Christian and 244 Pagan girls were instructed. All of these were schools for native Chinese. There were two schools for European children, attended by 99 boys and 138 girls. The Ministeria Spiritualia for the year ending July I, 1879 furnish the following details :-Baptized adults, 820; Baptized children of Christians, 3,327; Baptized children of Pagans, 17,61 I; Confirmed, 4,390; Annual Confessions, 62,I29; Annual Communions, 54,743; Confessions of devotion, 227,336; 'Communions of devotion, 265,892; Extreme unction, r,83I; Marriages, 63I; Sermons, 7,748; Instructions, 7,42 8. �I BAPTIZATIII II 1--·-- --- ; - --!1 ~ sci. ~ rl' ' ::; [I CoNn,ss. < li' --,,-·-1 -----------Alexandrioo Miss. Va. . . Baitimor. Coli. 1\Id. • Bohemia Miss. " Boston. Coil. Ma~s. " " ad Stro l\Iariro . . ad SS. 'friuitat . . . Conewagen. Miss. Pa .. . Frideric. Dom. Prob.. Georgiop. Coil. " ad SS. TI"initat. Goshenhoppen. Miss. . . Leonardtown Misz'. . . . I Phiiadeiphioo ad S. Joseph " ad SS. Nomen.!\ Provide~_ce ~1iss. R I. .. S. Ignatu Miss. . . . S. Thomoo Miss. . . . I Woodstock. Coli. Washington. Coli. . . " ad S. Joseph Vigorn. Coil. 1\ 'Vhitemarsh Miss. 80 52 12 13 397 265 85 138 1 3~~ 265 183 222 125 247 22 255 64 167 12~ I PARATI. MATRJM. COMIIIUNION. ~ E-i <.i ~ ~ 0 -< rn "'· _. ~ ~ ~ ~I ~ ~ ~ ------- 2 II 13,1:W 9,100 100 21 I 11 II ~9,:333 ,so,ooo 3oo 2a 1 4 I' 601) I 100 35, I 30 I b2,102 ,58,000 8,29o' I 20 1 80,050 !14,000 8651 86 2 17 ,6iR 18,060 138 40 1 3 28,:i54 130,000 171[ 23 I ~.ooo 7,.soo s,ooo\13 I 1 I 7,018 ' 1,600 12,640 I 15,010 117,000 280 ~ 5i 61 15 ·6 33 30 12 19 7 45 1 l~ 1 .,~·.9-f.~ 2,950 ;· I -<1 ..: CJ:l § ~ -<1 90 I 10 34 5 359 270 200 180 7 9 77 I 9~ fi2 1~ 5 230 195 I nr; 3 - - ------;---- - - - 155 13,700 75 12,040 a,2oo 11,948 I 110 1 56 I 00 1411 15 40 1 135 1a5 559 328\ 96 37 \ aoo a26 2:35 !J59j 37 I 275 120 300i 50 200 100 100 194] 32 1 I 42 II 90 129 1,8001 34 4 80 250 40:~ 800i 3 1 53 40 30 3 104 205 355 8,000\ 26 24 8 15 597 46 246 230 78 300\ ~~ \ -- 770 3oo j 1~:~~~ ~:~gg 1,2~~~~ ~~ 67,229 :35,090 56,476 \57,1:\24 27,100 26,000 5,017 4,500 10,100 8,000 a,705 soo 32,426 36,000 6,110 6,500 23,500 8 0 u x.'i 51 1 1 ScnoL. P.ARocn. ___ _ 160 1120 3 I 6 3 1 5 786 188 312 600 190 325 125 150 48 103 54 100 [1,:w 1,ooc, 1,:WL 332 70 250 500 125 225 1,400 900 690 105 192 ~50 415 8001 il 6 1 5 3 a 1 225 636 50 990 2,000 65 ~ I I;~ 5 100 410 5oi 7501 125! 765[ 150 94 400 105 11 21 900 25 r.:is.£&1 JJ __ u_, : raa.,s -s• �FRUCTUS MINISTERII PATRUM PROVINCIJE MISSOURIANJE, S. J. A DIE PRIJIA STI. LunoVICI JU~II, 1878, AD DIKM PRIJIAJI JULII, 1879 STJ.CAROLI .WASHINGTON II WESTPHALI2E CINCINNATI! FLORISSANT CHICAGO MILWAUKEE ST2E. MARI2E, IOsAGE Miss., KANSAS KANSAS DETROIT --OPERA In omnibus Coli. et Sti. Sti Dom. Prob. Ferdinand. SS. Cord. Stationibus Convict. Joseph. - Bapt. Infant. " Adult. Confess. Comm. in Templo. Matrim bened. • " revalidat. . Ultim. sacram .. Parati ad 1 comm. . Sodalitates Numerus sodalium . . Pueri in schol. paroch. Puellre " . . . 327 87 107,906 95,450 50 15 153 360 9 3,406 185 160 In omnibus Stationibus --- 265 6 45,000 31,558 35 4 65 3,145 12,480 5 155 4 749 450 430 33 5,780 9,000 7 1 35 40 4 240 60 65 :2,542 2,911 3 1 17 10 2 212 59 52 a In omnibus Stationibus Coli. Coil. SS. Cordis Ad Sti. Galli Sti. F.Xav. St. Ign. In omnibus Stationibus In omnibus In Mission. ·coli. et Resid'a traditis Stationibus 48 7 5,731 4,704 15 1 16 23 2 34 48 93 153 8,810 8,680 34 1 30 153 8 330 228 179 87 6 6,652 7,013 16 2 135 71 3 232 120 130 549 90 136,618 117,000 53 8 741 441 18 3,617 670 820 964 41 155,763 125,140 138 17 499 1,056 8 2,949 2,130 2,359 288 6 30,470 29,906 30 2 145 6 1,320 400 350 167 16 51,560 35,075 48 2 218 172 6 1,245 124 40 19,450 6,000 12 12 56 220 3 200 197 36 8,790 6,000 21 5 125 90 4 420 121 110 176 329 123,150 22 76 16 1,610 123 20 46,214 45,385 26 44 24 250 ��I. r WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. IX, No. 2. APPLICATIONS FOR THE MARYLAND MISSION. 1640. The English Jesuits in Maryland made but few converts among the Indians, whilst the labors of their French brethren in Canada were crowned with remarkable success. That no lasting impression was made upon the native p<:>pulation, that the efforts bright with promise were suddenly arrested, must be attributed to the iniquity of the times and to the unfortunate circumstances in which they were placed, and not to a lack of zeal and apostolic spirit. The letters here published for the first time will go to show this. The missionaries, who accompanied the Maryland pilgrims of 1634, lost no time in entering upon the work of evangelizing the natives. Even before a site was chosen for St. Mary's, we find Fr. Altham, through an interpreter, unfolding the doctrines of Christ to the great chief of the Piscataways, then living on the Virginia side of the Potomac.* Father White, from the beginning, was impressed with the conviction that the natives could easily be led to embrace the faith, and earnestly desirous of diffusing the *Though called Piscataways, the Indians visited on this occasion by Father Altham in company with Governor Cal vert were really the tribe of Potomacs, belonging to the Confederation of Powhattan, anddwellingon Potomac Creek, in what is now Stafford and King George counties, Virginia. . VoL. 1x-No. 2. 10 (73) �74 Applications for the Maryland Mission-r640. light of the Gospel among_them, soon turned his attention to the conversion of the Patux_ents. In 1639. we find Father Brock (vere Morgan) living among them at Mattapany; this zealous missionary thus expresses himself in a letter written five weeks before his death: "I would rather, laboring for the conversion of these Indians, expire on the bare ground, deprived of all human succor, and perishing with hunger, than once think of abandoning this holy work of God from the fear of want." Although the four priests at this time ( 1639) in Maryland scarcely sufficed for the spiritual wants of the colonists, yet Father Fisher alone resided permanently at St. l\Iary's. Father Brock was with the Patuxents ; Father John Gravener (Altham) resided on Kent Island, and the ardent zeal of Father White had prompted him to take up his abode at or near Piscataway on the Potomac, about fifteen miles south of the present city of vVashington. He had composed a diCtionary and catechism in the native idiom ; the king of the country had welcomed the herald of the true faith, and shortly afterwards with several of his tribe, this powerful chief of the Piscataways was baptized ; the Anacostian chief was well-disposed, and earnestly begged a missionary for his people ; the harvest of souls was ripening, and seemed only to be waiting for the laborers to gather it in. Letters, descriptive of the good already accomplished and of the cheering prospeCts for the future, were despatched to Europe. Father Edward Knott, at that time Provincial of England, sent the Relatiolls to Liege, together with an exhortatory letter inviting an expression of opinion, and asking volunteers for the new missions. The men who were preparing themselves for the endurance of all that English law had enaeted against Jesuits ;-on whom the dark days of the ProteCt: orate were to fall,-some of whom were to be confessors of the faith during the Oates delirium, were not slow to respond when an appeal was made to labor for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. �Applications for tlze Maryland Mission-I64o. 75 Twenty-three letters have come down to us. They are in great part written from Liege, the Scholasticate of the English Province, and are stamped : RECT.: COLL.: ANGL.: Soc.: }ESU: LEOD. They are addressed: P. Odoardo Knotto, Soc. Je·su per Angliam Provinciali- Audomarum. These letters are well preserved, and written in fairly legible charaCters. \Ve print the first one literatim; the only change introduced in the others is to accommodate them to modern spelling. r.-Letter of Fatlzcr Francis Parker.* REVERENDE IN CHRISTO PATER, PAx CHRISTL At y• very readinge of yr Reverence his letter concerninge Mariland, I confesse I found myself very strongly moved to y• undertakinge of soe greate a worke, and allthough I was then in a very quyett moode, as havinge y• self same day ended y• spirituall exercise, yett yt I might more assuredly knowe y• devyne Will in a matter of such consequence, I resolved to take some days of mature consideration before I would wryte unto you : havinge therefore all this whyle seriously debated y• question with myself in y• sight of Allmighty God, direetinge all my devotions to knowe sweete Jesus his Will in this poynt, after all I fynd in my self a most earnest desyre to live and dye in an employment soe gratefull to his devyne Majesty, soe direetly expressinge y• holy apostles lyfe, and soe ad-. vantageous for y• assistinge of soe many poore needy soules *Father Francis Parker was a native of Lancashire, born in 1606, and admitted into the Society in 1626. He was sent upon the English mission in 1644, or 1647, and labored in that fruitful but dangerous field for upwards of thirty-two years, with great harvest of souls, during difficult and trying times. He was falsely accused with the other Fathers in the feigned plot for the murder of the king, and publicly proclaimed by the Privy Council, before he had even heard the charge. Finding no place of refuge in the kingdom, and despairing of being able either to conceal himself, or to be of any service to his neighbor, he succeeded in embarking for Belgium in the depth of winter. �76 Applications for tlze Maryland 1liission-I64o. as famish there dayly for want of y• breade of lyfe. The chiefest objeCtions which o'ccurred unto me were these: y' if I went now, perchance I should fynd some difficulty in matter of controversy with heretiques there, havinge yett read but Iitle in y' kynde, and had no praCtise at all. zly, y' I should want all those spirituall he! pes of y• third yeare under Fr. Stafford, to whose idea in matter of vertue I have ever had a greate ambition wholy to frame myself, and now y• tyme just seemed to be come in which I might most fitly compasse my desyre. Lastly, y' my eldest brother, two sisters with their husbands and children are all heretiques, my mother very ould and soe weake a Catholique, y' I have just reason to thinke her all most in extreame want of present help, which many others of my friends since Fr. Scroope came out of those parts doe allsoe very much stand in neede of, and I seemed now to be come to y• poynt when Allmighty God might dispose of me soe, y' perchance I might afford them some small succour. Yett for all this, betwixt sweete Jesus and my self I have soe clearly solved not only these, but allsoe all other objeCtions, of a hard journey, want of all humane comfort, paynes to be necessarily undergone in y• gayninge of soules, continuall hazard of lyfe, etc., y' I verily thinke I could securely defend this question without a President. I will not rehearse my motives, because I have allmost infinite, amongst others this is none of y• smallest, y' herein I shall soe neerely resemble glorious St. Xaverius, to whom above all other Saynts I have ever since my conversion bine most especially devoted. Wherefore I doe most humbly prostrate myself at yr Rev••• feete, and beg of you for y• appretiative and tender love you bear to all y• glorious Saynts of our Society, and to y• pretious Greatly advanced in years, and with health, previously infirm, now completely ruined by the effects of his long journey, he sank under his sufferings in the course of a few weeks after arriving, and rendered up his soul to God in the house of the Tertians at Ghent, May 20, 1679, ret. 73: having been fifty-three years a religious, and thirty-eight a professed Father.-RECORDS OF TilE ENGLISH PROVINCE (Series XII. p. 531.). �Applications for the .Maryland Mission-r64o. 77 blood sweete Jesus shed for all y• soules of Mariland, yt you will graunt me this jubily of hart for y• only favour I begge of you this Jubily yeare, as to employ me freely, if you judge me worthy of so greate a benefite. If it be my good hap to be disposed of yl way, I should be glad if in y• answere, you will give me leave to buy some few books for Catechisme and preachinge good morall thinges, which I know may be had here and at Antwerp, and scarce any where else. Soe comittinge you most hartily to y• protection of sweete Jesus, I rest R .. v•• Filius indignus et Servus in Christo, 26 July, 1640. FRANCISCUS PARKERUS. n.-Letter of Father Roger Rigby.* REVERENDE IN CHRISTO PATER, PAX CHRISTI. I had thought to have petitioned for a favor at your Reverence's last being here; but your sudden, and indeed to me unknown departure prevented me. However, I hope it was not without God Almighty's particular providence, that I might maturely deliberate of so weighty a matter, before I proposed it. My request is only to entreat the happiness to be made partaker of that happy *Father Rigby obtained his request, and came to Maryland in 1641. The annual letters for this year mention that only three priests were on the mission, and that Father Rigby was confined by sickness for three months. Next year, he went to a new settlement called in the vulgar idiom, Patuxent, for a better opportunity of learning the Indian language, also that he might better instruct some neophytes, and scatter the seed of faith along the banks of that great river. "The difficulty of the language is so great, that none of us can yet converse with the Indians without an interpreter. Father Rigby has made some little progress, so that he hopes he will be able in a short time to converse with them upon ·things of chief importance, as far as may be necessary to instruct them for Baptism, having with the aid of an interpreter composed a short catechism." LITT. ANN. 1642. This was almost the only fruit of his labors. Troubles arose in 1645; the Fathers were carried off to Virginia by a party of marauders, and Father Rigby died there in 1646, ret. 38, Soc. 17. �78 Applications for tlze Maryland Mission-I64o. mission of Maryland. 'Tis true, I conceive the mission not only happy and glorious, but withal hard and humble, in regard of the raw state things as yet are in; yet the love of Jesus neither fears labor nor low employment. Your Reverence's letter enkindled in my mind a great desire of this voyage, renewed former good purposes to that effeCt, and made me in fine resolve upon it. This resolution hath been very much strengthened this time of holy exercises both in prayer, Holy Mass, and other occasions, which I have taken to deliberate of this point. I confess the deliberation hath been long, and the resolution, I fear, will come late both for others' speedier petitions, and the time of the year; nevertheless, not always "first come, first sped," sometimes 1Wllissimi become pn"mi; and being near at hand, I confide, I may be ready in due time for that voyage the next opportunity. Besides, though others far better deserving, and more able to found that new spiritual plantation, will have already presented themselves, yet I should be glad to join my meanest endeavors with their best; and the little experience I have had, gives me good hopes, that my health and strength will be able to break through occurrent difficulties, and accompany others in their greatest labors. I fear, I have hindered your more serious thoughts too long, wherefore in a word I leave the matter wholly to your prudent charity, desiring you would freely dispose of me as you judge best. If you be already furnished with work-men, it may be you will want the next spring to provide for a new harvest; then you know where to find me. And with my dutiful respeCts, and best wishes, I humbly crave part of your Holy Sacrifices, and rest this 31 of July, 1640. Your Rev's humble servant in Christ, RoGER RIGBIE. �Applications for tlze llfaryland Mission-z64o. 79 m.-Letter of Fatlzer Jo!zn Parker. REVEREND£ IN CHRISTO PATER, PAX CHRISTI. By reason of yours written concerning the happy success of our mission in Maryland, I wished Reverend Father Reaor to signify unto your Reverence, that I \vas most willing and desirous to consecrate my weak endeavors to God's service in those parts. To which also I do not esteem myself a little obliged by rttason of a vow, whereof sometime in manifestation I have spoken to your Reverence. True it is that some condemn me here as unfit for such an employment both for want of health and an imperfeaion in my speech, but I hope that neither of these will be any impediment unto me. For, although my health be not at this present very good, yet since the ending of my studies it is better than it was, and I hope by the help of Villiers will be much more abettered; at least ways even the change of air may much conduce unto it. And as for the imperfeaion in my speech, sure I am, that, unless in fervor of disputation especially in a strange language, it is hardly perceptible. And verily it seems also the custom of Almighty God to make choice of less fit instruments, that whatever is done may be ascribed to the true author of it. In fine, I am solely in your Reverence his hands and so remain. Rev•• V es•• servus in Christo, Leodio. Aug. 6, 1640. }oANNES PARKERUS. rv.-Letter of Brother Robert Gray.* REVEREND FATHER, Your Reverence gave us to understand the last night what desire those first Fathers of ours which was sent in *"This valuable lay.brother was a native of Northumberland, and died at St. Orner's 25th of October, 1658, ret. 52, Soc. 19." OLIVER. �8o Applications for t!te Maryland ~~fission-I64o. Maryland missio!l hath of supplies. I make bold in all submission to tell you what promise I made to Father Copley* at his going, that after the death of Father Blount, if I lived after him, I would come to him in Maryl-and, provided I might be admitted. Father Windfield can tell you what he heard of a desire I had to go, if things of moment have not put it out of his remembrance. Now for my part, I conceive myself to be a staff in your hand to be put to carry me with your will. Trusting in sweet Jesus that I shall never have a thought to separate me from your Rev., I remain on Your dutiful servant and your most unworthy, RoBERT GRAY. v.-Letter of Fat!ter Jolm Cooper.t REVERENDE IN CHRISTO PATER, pAX CHRISTI. Your Reverence's exhortatory letter towards Maryland mission caused such comfort and *In the Records of the English Province (Series VII., p. 336.) the editor notes that he cannot trace any such Father in the Province, nor does the name occur in the catalogue made by Fr. McSherry at Rome. Yet, Fr. Copley is mentioned by this Brother in a letter to his Provincial, and also in Archbishop Carroll's narrative as among the first companions of Fr. 'Vhite. The name is also found on some deeds of transfer, and figures among the freemen invited to take part in the deliberations of the colonial assembly held at St. Mary's, which began on the 25th day of January, 1637. The record has been preserved, and is printed in the Maryland Ilist. Soc. Fttnd Publications, No.9. (p. 17.). After, were summoned to appeare by vertue of writte to them directed: Mr. Thomas Copley of St. Marie's hundred. Robert Clerke gent. I appeared for them, Mr. Andrew White gent: of ~ and excused their absence by reason Mr. John Altham the same hundred of sickness. l · r j l The next day, they preferred a request to be excused from serving in the Assembly, which was granted. Father Copley came to the colony in 1637 ; h~ brought many servants, and the land grants were made out in his name; he resided at St. Mary's, and seems to have been consulted on every matter of moment. It is probable that Copley is an alias for Fr. John Brock or Fr. Philip Fisher. t Another letter from the same Father, May 9, 1642, says: "I write to you �Applications for t!te Maryland Jlfission-I64o. 8I joy in my heart, that I was enforced to use no small endeavor to keep it from bre~king forth to others: for, I conceived immediately upon the reading thereof. that there was now hope of comp:1ssing my desires in helping to reduce such barbarous people to the knowing of one God, and the true faith of Christ. I have had these many years no small inclination towards such a mission; but not finding how to compass it, this little sp:uk of ze:1l for souls was in a manner covered with the ashes of desp.J.ir, which now begins again to show itself, and by reason of new fuel of hopes added, I find the fire of charity so to increase, that I can no longer hold from asking the favor, that I may be sent forthwith into those parts there to spend et superimpendere meipsum in reducing those souls so dear to Christ our Lord, and for his s;ke more dear to me than my very life; for, alas, how is it possible, but that I should burn with this fire, beholding with my interior eyes my dearest Saviour hanging upon the cross, and with as many mouths as he had wounds in his virginal body inviting me to this most Christian and truly Apostolical work? And, indeed, the confidence I have in His divine providence makes all apprehension of difficulties to vanish quite out of thought; and, although I might perchance have some false apparent reasons to dissuade me from this most holy enterprise, yet of much force I find this present motion, that I can admit of none. \Vherefore I most earnestly beseech Yr. Rev., out of that affeCtion you another way, that so at lea.•t one might not fail you. :My business was only to let yon understand that never was my uesire greater for the place you know, than at this present. The more I propose the occurring difficulties, the more I find my affections inflamed that way, and I hope the very ocean will not quench this fire. Dear Sir, let me know what hope there is of obtaining this great happiness. If you send none this year, I must entreat the favor in the · interim you would let me be where I may emp!Qy the strength and health God hath lately given me, in helping the poor and traveling afoot in that great work." Father Cooper's name appears among the missionaries of :Maryland in the Catalogue for 164.3. All trace of him is lost after that date; in this year the Fathers were all carried off to Virginia, of which Rev. P. General writes in a letter dated 22 July, 1645: "De nostris abductis tanto cum incommodo et , detrimento religionis, in navali illo, vehementer ut par est doleo," etc. VoL. Ix-No. 2. II �82 Applications for tlze lvlaryland Mzjsion-z64o. bear my soul's good, that you will value my health and life no more than I myseif do value them,• who shall be most ready to spend a thousand lives (if I had them) in so good a cause. I would have your Reverence to know that I care not to live, nor fear to die; death will free me from infinite miseries this world affords, and life is already so distasteful, by reason of my small increase of love towards Almighty God, that I esteem it more than a perpetual death to live any longer. 0, how happy should I be either to die in this journey, or in the midst of so glorious a harvest! Verily, Father, I cannot but speak this with much feeling; and, so much the more, speaking it to one who, I doubt not, but understands me. But why do I mention death, who persuade myself that life and health will rather be increased than lessened by reason of this journey? For why ~1ay I not hope, that as for leaving a father and brother in the world to follow Christ, I have found a hundred as wellwishers in religion, so for hazarding (if I may so term it) my life and health for His love, I shall also find both health increased and life prolonged according unto those his most true words: qui pcrdiderit animam suamJroptcr me im,eniet eam .'1 Moreover, my mean parts and small sufficiency will iiot, as I imagine, prove so beneficial to Europeans as to these barbarians, those of Europe requiring more learning than I for my part profess to have. Besides, this country of Maryland, taking its name from so great a patroness, as is the ever Immaculate Virgin, gives me no small assurance of doing something to her honor and glory, in whose help and assistance I trust next to God. I must, therefore, once more beseech your Reverence even for Christ's and His most Bl. Mother's sake, that you would approve of this my most humble request, and make me so happy as to be em· ployed in this most meritorious mission. R•• v•• humilis servus et filius in Christo, 17 July, 1640. ]OANNES CooPERUS. �Applicatiolls for tlzc Maryland Mission-I64o. 83 VI.-Lettcr of Fatlzer .J:fatthew Grimes.* REVERENDE IN CHRISTO PATER, PAX EJUSDEM. / Your letter was a forcible invitement unto me to undertake the happy labor of a mission into Marylafld. Since, I have seriously thought of it, and commended the matter to God, and at length resolved to let your Reverence know what affeCI:ion I conceive towards it. On the one side, my small abilities mixed with so many great imperfeCtions do avert me far from aspiring to so high an enterprise; on the other, the charity of our dearest Saviour, and the confidence which I place in the spirit of our holy vocation, urge me forward to offer and dedicate myself with my best endeavors for the increasing of God's glory there, or in any other part of the world where superiors shall please to send me, hoping that Almighty God will impart unto me such means as will be requisite to perform whatever He shall call me unto. As for the journey, I esteem it a recreation; and for a journey at sea, I think it will confirm my health, for it is the only physic I have used these fifteen years. Thus with my best respeCts to your Reverence, I rest Rae V•• obedientissimus in Christo servus, Leodii, 6 Aug., I640. MAT. GRYMES, S. J., fil. indignus. *His true name was Bazier. At the age of twenty-four, he joined the Eng· lish Province. Sent to the English mission, his quality of foreigner (for he was actually born at Rouen), enabled him for a time to exercise his priestly functions with comparatively greater freedom and confidence than the rest of his brethren, but at length he was thrown into a London jail, where he died "Fretore carceris extinctus," on the 11th of August, 1650, ret. 42. OLIVER. �Applications for tltc Jfary!and Jlfission-I64o. 84 VII.-Lett~·r of Fatlter J:awrmce Worslty!' RE\'ERE:\DE IN CHRISTO PATER, PAX CHRISTI. I had no sooner heard tht relation of the happy success of our mission in Maryland, and the great hope of converting souls to their Lord and Creator, but I was surprised with no small joy and comfort; which, nevertheless, was but little, compared with that which I received when I read those sweet and no less comfortable lines 'vith which your Reverence invited not any one in particular, but all in general, to employ their lives and labors in the };llldertaking of so glorious an enterprise, of converting soufs to God by means of that mission. And to tell you the truth, my joy was so great, that no thought nor word for a long time could come from me which resounded not, "Maryland." The cause of my joy was the hopes I conceived of being so happy as to be one of those who would consecrate themselves to so noble an employment. Nee vaua sjcs rst, I hope : since I doubt not but it is the will of Almighty God, for having commended the matter unto Him for some days, I still found the same desire I had in the first hour. If your Reverence desiretl1 to know yet further the joy which was caused in me by this happy news, I cannot express it better, than by ."aying that it hath been like an ocean able to drmvn all_.'other sorrows and crosses which by reason of troublesome· times might have had no small part in me. No cross ever struck so deep into me as when I saw many able men restrained from doing such things as were very suitable to their vocation; but now seeing such a plentiful harvest prepared for them, sorrows must of necessity give place to joy. I shall think mysef most happy if I might be thought fit to be one of those *Born in Somersetshire, 1613; at the age of twenty joined the Society: was •eut to the English mission in 1643: <lieu in Yorkshire, May 29, 16i5. 0LIYER. �Applications for tlze .Maryland Jl1ission-I64o. 85 who are to reap God his elected corn. Your Reverence will find r have no doubt many both more able and industrious than I am, yet unless I am deceived, you wi\1 not find many of better will or health, two necessary things for the undertaking of hard enterprises. If I may seem to be destitute of weapons to fight against my enemies, the Yirtue of your Reverence his word, whom I acknowledge in the place of God, shall serve me as a twoedged sword, as well to fight against myself as others. I hope to be able to say with St. Paul: Omnia possum in eo qui me conferta!. If it were put to my choice, I would rather make use of the present occasion than expect the uncertainty of another ; for post est occasio calva. I cannot possibly think it too soon to give my life for the good of souls, for the furthering of God his greater honor, and greater advancement of my own perfection; all which your Reverence sufficiently demonstrated to be found at this present occasion. How many occurrences may there happen to cross my design if I defer to execute my good desires at this present: I may relent in fervor and zeal, death may prevent other your Reverence his designs, or my hopes. 'Wherefore, considering the uncertainty of that which is to come, and the certainty of the present, I do most earnestly beg of your Reverence even upon my knees, that you will be pleased to admit me to be one of those, who in this Jubilee year wi\1 give their lives and labors, to be spent in the mission of Maryland, in token of gratitude for the conservation of our Society these ~undred years past. On condition you will accept of me, I will refuse to undergo no labor how hard soever it may be. Thus your Reverence sees my best desires; if you will make me happy even in this world, grant me what I desire, and so I will always remain your humble subject. I would willingly demand your Reverence his counsel in one thing, and it is by what means I may get my portion of those corporal goods which by right are due unto me. �86 Applications for tlze Maryland Mission-r64o. I would be willing to give all to the furthering of our mission. The surest way were to procure some friends to speak to my father. Peradventure, my stepmother, who is my Lord Montague his aunt, will be able to effeCt it. I leave all to your Reverence his disposing. The z6th of July, 1640. LAURENCE WoRSLY. vm.-Letter of Father Christopher Morris. REVERENDE IN CHRISTO PATER, PAX CHRISTI. The ardent zeal and earnest desire of concurring to the conversion of those poor infidels of 1\Iaryla~nd, which your Reverence in your exhorting letter doth sufficiently declare, stirreth up in me a confidence that no employment whatsoever is like to prove an obstacle to such as find in themselves a true desire of going to assist those needy souls so dearly bought, and so long neglected. \Vherefore, after having heard your letter upon Saturday, and suppressing the flame then begun to be enkindled in my heart, omitted to write on Sunday, to the end I might take some days to deliberate in so weighty matter. I find it r~ther to increase than any way to diminish, and now do beg as a favor that which heretofore I never was able even to think on, but with repugnance and horror. The considerations that move me thereunto are these following. First and chiefly, the g;.'~at want of succor which those poor souls as dear unto Christ our Lord, and redeemed with as great a price as the best in Europe, do stand in need of; and yet that they for so many years since Christ's suffering, seem to have been so negleB:ed, and as it were forgotten, by the permission of God's secret and inscrutable providence, as if Christ had not suffered for them, but for the Europeans alone so far they have hitherto been from reaping the fruit of that copiosa redemptio, for lack of external helps which the Europeans have more than abundance. a �Applications for t!te Maryland Mission-I64o.. 87 Secondly, the facility which·. God of his goodness hath bestowed upon me in learning of what language soever, the want of which seemeth to have been the chief impediment to the charitable endeavors of such as are already settled there. To which may be added the knowledge of music, which may perchance be of special use in the beginning of that young primitive Church: things which here by reason of abundance are of no great use unto me, and may be there of special consequence. Thirdly (but this is a motive of another strain, and a grace which I do acknowledge myself most unworthy of), the desire of martyrdom. For can the Catholic Church be firmly established in any country without persecutions and martyrdom? Will not the devil be as busy in raising oppositions against the Christian faith as well in Maryland, as in China, Japan, and other places? At least, if we miss of martyrdom, there cannot want great sufferances of labor and affliCtions, which joined to a true desire of martyrdom on my part, I hope will be accepted of Almighty God as part of satisfaCtion for my manifold former sins. Now, what is there besides my sins and imperfeCtions that can hinder your designs and my desires? The course of Philosophy which I have in hand? Certainly, this cannot hinder anything: there being those who can supply in this, who perhaps have no calling to that. Fr. Courtney, when he hath done his AB:ion there, or Fr. Worsley who hath my scholars already made to his hands, as being possessed with most of his principles ; or any one else, whom your Reverence will be better able to determine, than I to suggest. Again, on my part there can be no difficulty, which might arise out of human considerations, to whom it cannot but be glorious for Almighty God's sake and the help of souls, to have forsaken an employment of credit, at such a time as the chief labor was overcome and passed, and what remained was ·rather a glorious crown of my former pains, �88 Applications for the .Maryland Jl;!ission-I6.;.o. than otherwise. And if any shall so interpret my desires as to account me rash, in negleB:ing what commodious and honorable employment, I might expeCt: in our Province here and inconsiderately curious of novelty, rather than moved with a true desire of helping souls, I do contemn his judgment, and more highly esteem of the teaching of Christ's cross in all senses in Maryland, than of the most honorable chair either in Liege, or all Europe be~ides. And as for other dangers and difficulties, either of the journey, or funB:ion which there may befall me. I am most ready to undergo all for the love of Christ, and hope by the assistance of his holy grace, never to sink under the burthen.__ Those dangers and difficulties I have perused as much a2l was able in particular, and not only with a slight general and confuse thought. \Vhether I die by sea in my journey, or by land in .i\Iaryland, sure I am I shall have as good, yea more glorious a sepulchre than in Liege. The cause will ennoble the death. The inconveniences of diet, apparel and lodging will be made easy and supportable, by the frequent memory of my Saviour's vinegar and gall, nakedness, and hard bed of his cross. And I hot.~e to feel this stomach that in honorable employment used sometimes to be squeamish, by the influence of the soul's hunger and thirst after souls, and a good toilsome day's work and labor of body to that effeCt:, to become so hungry as to leap at a brown loaf. He little cared for the want of corporal goods, who said : Meus cibus est jacere w{untatem Patris. If I can get no meat, I pray God I may starve in so good an employment, and I shall be happy. Temporal commodities I neither wish for, nor expeCt: among those, I had almost called them barbarians, whom I hope shortly to see worthy members of Christ's mystical body. I beseech Almighty God to give me grace ever to remain in the same readiness and fervor on my part, and to inspire your Reverence that which shall be most to His honor and glory. If your Reverence shall think fitting to honor me by .making choice of me among others that shall offer them- �Applications for tlte Maryland iJfission-I64-o. 89 selves, I desire to be admonished soon, and to have leave for some books of music 'which shall not cost much, which may be found in these countries and not in England; as also to buy one Preacher, which I have a great liking unto. More other things I shall beg of your Reverence, or let alone, as you shall think most expedient. So expeCting till your next letters, upon my knees, your Reverence's desired benediCtion, I rest R•• v·• Scrvus et Filius indignus From Liege, 27 July, 1640. CHRISTOPHORUS MAURITIUS. The specimen letters printed above manifest the spirit which aCtuated the applicants for the mission, and show how generous was their response to the call for aid. Other letters, written on the same occasion, and breathing the same spirit of self-sacrificing zeal, have come down to us: they are from John Spencer, John Smithson, Francis Mathews, Thomas Atherton, Thos. Audcenus (Owens), T. Humphries,Thomas Mumford (a novice), Francis Maurice (a scholastic), James Morford, William Sadler, Richard Fulwood, Francis Line,-Gretson (? ), Thomas Harrison and Thomas Caraus (probably Carey, a novice). A fair beginning had been already made, and the most favorable impression had been produced on the neighboring tribes by the labors of Frs. vVhite and Altham, and after the solemn baptism of the Piscataway chieftain with his wife, child and principal councillor, at which Governor Calvert, Secretary Lewger and other prominent men of the Colony assisted, the prospeCts were bright for a rapid diffusion of the faith, as many natives were disposed to follow the example of their chief, and zealous volunteers were not wanting, as these letters abundantly testify. \Vhy then was so little accomplished? Lord Baltimore in his "Declaration" invites his countrymen to go to his colony, not only to better their material interests, but also to spread the seeds of religion and piety -a work, he says, dignum angelis, dignum Anglis / and VoL. rx-No. 2. 12 �90 Applications for the Maryland Mission-I64o. immediately upon receipt of his grant from the crown, he had treated with Father Blount, at that time Provincial, and had written also to Father General, earnestly begging that he_might select certain Fathers not only for the spiritual wants of the colonists, but also for propagating the faith among the infidels and savages. And yet the work of evangelizing the natives received its first check from the policy of this nobleman. Trouble arose in regard to the lands of Mattapany which the Fathers had received from their· grateful neophytes. Lord Baltimore regarded this transaction as an infringement of his proprietary rights to the soil, and made vigorous reclamations to the Provincial. In his irritation, he drew up new conditions of plantation, to go into df~ct on the Feast of the Annunciation, 1642, to which all who offered themselves for the colony were obliged to subscribe. There is a draft of these conditions in MSS. "Anglia," vol. 4. Stonyhurst, No. 108, R., and to this is annexed an oath of allegiance. There is also a form of certificate of the English Provincial, to the effect that he had read the conditions and the oath, and could find nothing in them which would render the proposer or accepter of them amenable to any cause of excommunication Bulla: Cce11a:, or guilty of any sin. Meantime Mr. Lewger, Secretary of the colony for the Lord Proprietary, had proposed measures in the assembly which were judged by the Fathers of St. Mary's to be in opposition t_o canon law and ecclesiastical privilege. A letter from th,e Provincial to Cardinal - - , says that their firm resistance to these measures incensed Secretary Lewger, "who immediately reported to Baron Baltimore, that his jurisdiction was interrupted by the Fathers of the Society, whose doctrine was inconsistent with the government of the Province. Hence, the said Baron, being offended, became alienated in his mind from the Fathers, and at first seized all their lands and let them to others. Afterwards the said Baron began to turn his attention to the expulsion of the Fathers, and the introducing others in their stead, who would be more pliable to of �Applications for tlze .111ilryland .Mission-I64o. 91 his Secretary. Therefore, he procured last year to petition the S. Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith, in the name of the Catholics of Maryland, to grant to a prefeCt and priests of the secular clergy, faculties for the same mission, etc. This state of affairs was not favorable for the introduCtion of new missionaries. \Vhilst in London the Lord Proprietary insisted* "that no Jesuit shall be sent to Maryland without the license of the said Lord Baltimore and his heirs being first obtained," the assembly convened at St. Mary's by Mr. Secretary Lewger t passed an aCt in which among other things objeCtionable was this clause ; "nor shall any one depart from the Province, even to preach the Gospel to the infidels by authority of the See Apostolic, without a license of the lay magistrate." Propositions had been made to Lord Baltimore relative to sending over two more priests to strengthen the Maryland mission. But, it seems that he was not perfeCtly satisfied, despite the concessions of the superiors in England, and the subjoined correspondence shows that the relations between him and the Fathers were not as harmonious as the success of the mission required. I.-Letter from TcVilliam Peasetyt to Mr. Gervzs. SIR, ' I have prevailed for the present employment of two of '''Agreement between Father Provincial and Lord Baltimore and his heirs . .\ISS. Anglia, No. 108. tHe was a personal friend of Lord Baltimore, and entrusted by him with tnany important offices in the young colony. He seems to have been a sincere Catholic, although the Provineial's letter charges him with the introduction of the legislative measures of which complaint is made. Zeal for his patron's interest carried him too far, and his early training had imbued him with false notions upon subjects which bclon~ed solelr to ecclesiastical jurisdiction. He had been an Anglican minister, and an mtimate friend of Chillingworth; when the latter became a Catholic, Lewger undertook to draw him back to the Establishment, but the attempt resulted in his own conversion. Chilling· worth subsequently abandoned the faith, and acquired some notoriety as an Anglican controversialist, bnt Lewger persevered, and after man;y. years spent in Maryland, died in London during the great plague, 1665, a victtm of charity. t Brother-in-law to Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore. Letters r, n, rv, were addressed to some one in England acting for Father Knott, who was probably then residing at St. Orner. They are endorsed: Written to MR. GERVIS (Gervase). �92 Applications for tlze "1Iaryland J11ission- I64o. Yours, as is desired; upon confidence and promise that he shall have satisfaction in his just and reasonable demands, and if it possibly may be before their departure; which was much pressed and importuned, for he sayth the best ship that goes now directly thither under the command of Ingle, the master, will be ready to set sail from Gravesend about a fortnight or three weeks hence at the furthest, so as by that time an answer may come from Mr. Knott to his demands. But that shall not hinder their departure. He designs to see and speak with the gentlemen, that he may judge of their disposition and fitness for such a work. I pray, therefore, let them be sent to him, as soon as may be, so I rest Your humble and affectionate servant, Ult. 7bris At night. \V. ·p. II.;-Lettcr of TVilliam Pmsc~v to Mr. Germs. SIR, After the departure of my man with the letter, I received this enclosed from my Lord Baltimore. By which it wiJI appear that his mind is changed. I went to him nevertheless this morning, and debated the business with him as earnestly as I could. But I cannot prevayle with him. He is stiff in his resolution, saying that he will prepare his demands within these two days, which may be sent over by the next Post, and the answer transmitted hither before the going away of the ship, which will be a month hence. And he conceives there will be no such necessity of sending those two gentlemen thither by this first shipp, in case the answer cannot come to his colony by the departure of the first shipp, for he s~yth there will go other ships after her thither. However~he is resolute, that none shall be sent, until he have satisfaction. This is the substance of ali our discourse. I am sorry I have fayled in doing that good and service proposed, so I take my leave and rest Your humble and affectionate servant, Lincoln's Inn Fields. W. P. 1 Oct., 1642. • �Applications for t!te Maryland Mi'ssion-I640. 93. m.-Lettcr of Lord Baltimore to Mr. William Peasely. Goon BRoTHER, I pray send \Vord to the party, that I cannot resolve upon what he desires concerning his friends going till I speak with him again, which shall be within a few days; for unless all matters are agreed and perfeCted before they goe, I cannot in prudence give way to his request. If diligence be used, I suppose this difficulty may be taken away, for there will be, I believe, above a month's time for it. Howsoever, it was not my fault that the business is thus streightened in time; nor that it hath beene so I wiss other yeares in the same manner so, I rest Your most affeCtionate loving brother, 30 Sept., 1642. C. BALTIMORE. Iv.-Lrtter of Ann Peasely to Mr. Gervz's. DEAR SIR, I have been with my brother, but have bestowed my pains to no purpose, for in this business he is inexorable, until. all conditions be agreed upon between you. The particulars are not worth relating, for both of us talked too much, since the effeCt: of our discourse proved no more to my content. I am only satisfied in this, that what can, hath been done in this business, and for the success, I leave it to Him who I hope will turn all things to the best, I cannot possibly wait upon you myself, our time is so short and our business so much, but I am as ever Your most affeCtionate friend and servant, oa. 5th, 164 2. ANN PEAsELv. A compromise must have been effeB:ed, as the catalogue for 1642 mentions the arrival of two additional priests. The annual letter of the same year speaks also of two other priests, not of the Society, sent over to oppose Ours. "But the reverse of what was expeB:ed happened; for our reasons being heard, and the thing itself being more clearly understood, they easily fell in with our opinion, and the laity in like manner generally." But whatever may have been the hopes or projeCts of more extended labor, they were soon rudely dispelled and �~4 · Applications for t!te Maryland 11Iission-I6-fo. thwarted; for, as the Parliamentary cause grew successful in England, persecution increased against the Catholics of Maryland. Claiborne, the evil genius of early colonial days, had been put down by force of arm'> and driven from Kent Island. He fled to England, and declaring for the Parliament, on his return to America, aided by Ingle and other Puritans, he was able in 1645 to excite an insurreCtion. Leonard Calvert was driven from his government, and the usurping faCtion sent all the Fathers prisoners to Virginia, whence they were transported to England. Father Fisher returned in 1648, but he was alone for some time. The famous Aet of Toleration was passed next year, but it was quickly abrogated. Claiborne in 1652, aeting, or pretending to aCt ~u1der commission of the Long Parliament, "was engaged in "the holy work of rooting out the abominations of popery and prelacy in Maryland." * Catholics, in the colony they had planted, were denied the open exercise of their religion: penal enaCtments were multiplied; any intercourse of Catholic priests with the Indians would have been regarded with suspicion and speedily arrested. This state of affairs explains sufficiently why after the date of these letters, we hear no more of conversions among the Indians-the annual letters of the Province and the colonial records are alike silent on the subjeCt. The only subsequent mention of English Catholic missionaries in connectimi with the natives is found in the plan formed by Governor Dongan of New York to substitute English Jesuits for French among the Six Nations. But the reign of James II. was too short for Dongan to carry out his projeCt, and there is no proof that the three members of the Eng! ish Province, whom he called to his aid, ever penetrated to the Mohawks and their allies. i * Ilurke, History of Virginia, yo!. II. 113. �THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MONTANA. BY FATHER L. B. PALLADINO. The year of Our Lord 1840 will always be a memorable one in the history of the Catholic Church in Montana. A young priest of remarkable energy and undaunted courage, Father Peter J. De Smet, S. J., whose name is now famous throughout all lands, planted in that year the standard of the Cross in the very heart of the Rocky Mountains, and thus became the pioneer of Christianity and civilization in what is now one of the most promising Territories of the West. What first direCted the steps of that youthful but intrepid missioner to the wilds of the Rocky Mountains sounds almost like a romance, and will ever be one of the most interesting incidents in the early history of this country. But it is impossible in a brief historical sketch like this to enter into any lengthy details, the objeCt of this paper being simply to present a hasty, yet accurate, account, a mere outline, of the past and of the present history of the Catholic Church and of its missions in Montana. That some of the Indian tribes west of the Rocky Mountains had at an early date some vague knowledge of Christianity no longer seems to admit of any doubt. How that ray of light, faint and dim, broke first on the minds of those untutored children of the forest is not known. ContaCt, however, with the fur traders of the North and West, as also intercourse with other tribes in their annual hunts east of the Rocky Mountains, may sufficiently account for it. However this may be, it is certain that the Flatheads, inhabiting the Bitter Root valley and the adj.acent country, had acquired, as this narrative will show, long before the missioners arrived among them, a somewhat clearer and more distinCt knowledge of the faith. This was imparted (95) �g6 Tile Catlzolic C/zurch in JJ,fontana. to them by some Christian Iroquois who had wandered to their land and whom the Flathead nation had adopted in the tribe. In the fall of.1839 there arrived in St. Louis a deput::tion of Indians who had come all the way tbrough, from the western slope of the Rocky 1\'Iountains, a distance of some three thousand miles. They were Flatheads. This famous nation between the years 1830 and 1839 sent out three successive expeditions in search of a "Black-robe." Of the braves sent forth on the first and second expeditions, some, falling in with hostile tribes, were killed ; others perished on their arduous journey, of sickness, hunger and hardships, and only one or two survived to carry home to their tribe the sad tale of death and disappointment. Unda-unted by former failures and disasters, a lhird deputation set out from the Bitter Root valley in the spring of 1839 and safely reached, as said above, St. Louis in the fall of the same year. On hearing the object of their mission Monsignor Rosati, then Bishop of St. Louis, referred the brave fellows to the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, to whom the Bishops of the United States, assembled in the council of Baltimore in 1835, had consigned the Indian missions of the country. -Young Father P. J. De Smet, was the one appointed to meet the wishes and earnest prayers of those good people. He left St. Louis in the spring of 1840, and in July, after a long and tedious journey, arrived.;imong the Flathead tribe, who were then camped somewhere· near the Three Forks on the Missouri. His mission began the day of his arrival, and there never was a more docile people. After two months of constant mi:;sionary labor Father DeSmet returned to St. Louis, but not before he had given to his newly begotten children of the mountains a solemn promise to return in the following .spring with other Black-robes to establish permanently the mission of which he had now laid the foundation. The little mustard seed was now planted, and was soon developed into a good sized and healthy tree. �Tlze Cat!tolic Clwrclz in Montana. 97 According to promise, in the spring of I 84 I, Father De Smet made his reappearance, accompanied by two youthful missioners, as intrepid as himself, N. Point and G. Mengarini, with some lay-brothers. He entered the Bitter Root valley, and there, close to where Stevensville now stands, established under the name of St. Mary the first Catholic Indian 1\Iission in what is now the Territory of Montana. The news soon spread among the neighboring tribes that Black-robes had come into the land, and the missionaries wrote as early as the month of OCtober of the same year that one single day had brought to their instruCtions the representatives of as many as twenty-four different tribes. The demand was evidently greater than the supply, and the laborers in the field needed considerable help to gather in the abundant harvest lying ripe before them. This help came to them by instalments, so to speak, in the successive years, in the persons of Fathers A. Hoecken, A. Ravalli, L. Vercruisse, Accolti, Joset, Zerbinati, Nobili, DeVos, Menetrey, Gazzoli and Congiato, and Brothers Joseph, Classens, Francis and Magri. Later on Fathers Giorda, Imoda, Caruana, Grassi, D'Aste, Kuppens, Van Gorp, Cataldo and others came successively to swell the ranks of those who had already borne for a good while "the burden of the day and the heats." Of all these pioneers a number have gone to receive the reward of their labors. The others are still working away in the vineyard of the Lord with undiminished courage, but greatly reduced in bodily strength by age, toil, hardships and ill-usage, some in our midst, some in other fields of labor. Among those who came earliest to the Rocky Mountains is Rev. A. Ravalli, an Italian by birth, whose name is a household word with every Montanian, at once a zealous missioner and a perfeCt mechanic, a learned theologian and a skilful physician, a true Samaritan of the Rocky Mountains, where for thirty-eight years he has been easing the ills of life and VoL. Ix-No. 2. · 13 �T!te Cat!toli'c Clwrclz zn Montana. doing good to every body ; a true, genuine type of those sly, cunning and hated Jesuits who disturb the quiet slumbers of Messieurs Bismarck, Grevy and Co., not excluding the worthy Secretary of our Navy, Hon. Geo. W. Thompson. Rev. J. Menetrey, a native of Switzerland, well known throughout Montana and the adjacent Territories, the founder of several missions and a favorite with all classes of people, whites or Indians, and whose cheering smile and pleasant words have buoyed up many a heart, and Brothers Joseph and Classens, the former a German, the latter from Belgium, both perfect Jacks-of-all-trades, and whose manual services in the cause of the missions have been manifold, persevering and invaluable, are the only ones that remain on the missions in Mo11tana. But to return to the Flatheads. They all to a man entered the church, and have been ever since sincere and pious Christians. They are still a fine nation in Montana, and by becoming Catholics have not lost their bravery of former days. Their firm and noble conduct in the late invasion of the marauding Nez Perces, in the opinion of the settlers themselves, saved the Bitter Root valley from pillage and bloodshed. Governor Stevens, in his official report of 1855 to t_he President of the United States, to which the President himself referred in his annual message to Congress, speaking of the Flatheads, says: "They are the best Indians of the Territory-honest, brave and docile." And again, in describing their manner of livjng, the same authority adds that "they are sincere and faithful, and strongly attached to their religious convictions." These words are as true to-day as they were twenty-five years ago. The Flatheads now number three hundred and ninety-eight. But let us pass on to St. Ignatius, the second Catholic Indian Mission founded in Montana. It was established by Frs. A. Hoecken and J. Menetrey, in 1854, in what is now the Jocko Reservation, one of the prettiest spots in our Territory. This was the country of the Upper Kalispels, �LII.JIInll Tlze Cat!to!ic C/mrc/z in Jl,fontana. ~ 99 ' but abounding in fi~h and game and the other comforts of Indian life, roots and berries, and offering superior advantages for the grazing of their ponies, was, winter and summer, the favorite resort of other tribes. Here the Fathers built the Mission, which has since grown to be the largest in the country. Kalispels, Pend d'Oreilles and Kootonais have all since entered without, perhaps, a single exception the Lord's fold. They are good Christians and the largest portion of them greatly advanced in civilization, as is plainly shown by the U. S. Agents in their official reports to the Government. Their Christian virtue, as well as their friendliness towards the white people, were likewise put to a severe test, as in the case of the Flatheads when the Nez Perces, stained with blood, rich with plunder and breathing vengeance against the whites, were passing through Montana. Runners came, and tempting offers were made as well as savage threats. But all to no purpose. In the history of ceaseless Indian wars never was, to my knowledge, nor ever likely will be, the instance of one being brought about by Indians trained by the Catholic Church. While the writer of this sketch was staying at St. Ignatius an old Indian, by name Quiquiltzo, a man intensely pious and who would give you the distance between two places by the number of Rosaries he was in the habit of saying in going from one to the other, was fishing one day at Flathead Lake, when, of a sudden, he saw something that seemed, as he said, to take with his breath his very soul away from him. He dropped his line and away he started for the Mission. On entering the room he said abruptly to the writer: "I saw 'Sinze Chitass.' " This was the Indian name of good Brother Vincent Magri, a favorite with the Indians at St. Ignatius, where he had lived a number of years, but who was then stationed among the Cc:eur d'Alene Indians in Idaho Territory. "I saw him," continued the Indian, raising his eyes and pointing with his hand to the sky, "riding in a most beautiful thing." The only descrip- �100 Tlze Cat!tolic Clwrclt in Montana. tion he could give was that it resembled a chariot, but exceedingly beautiful, and that he had never seen any thing like it. Several days after we received letters with the news of the demise of the Brother, which had occurred some four hundred miles away from St. Ignatius. By comparing dates we were forced to the conclusion that the good Indian had known more than any of us and had his news brought him by some other faster than Uncle Sam's mail. To every appearance the Master of the Vineyard had been repaying his faithful servant's many and toilsome tramps through these mountains by giving good Brother Magri a glorious chariot ride through the skies. There axe at St. Ignatius two flourishing schools for Indian children, one for boys conduCled by the Fathers, the other for girls under the charge of the Sisters of Providence, from Montreal. Those good and noble Sisters have been at the mission since I 864. They came all the way from Walla Walla on horseback across the rugged Cceur d'Alene Mountains camping out like the sturdy pioneer in search of gold, and they have been hard at work ever since improving the condition of the daughters of the forest. They train the hands not less than the heads of their Indian pupils, adding to the branches of a plain English education, practical gardening, varied manual labor and all kinds of household industries. And while some of their pupils are skilful in all the mysteries of the needle .and can handle a hoe or even an axe with dexterity, they·can also write a letter that is a model of spelling, penmanship and accuracy. I do not know how many of our girls could do the same. But, then, we train our daughters' feet. Astonishing as it may seem, here at St. Ignatius, l>y the mission press, has been issued a large oClavo of seven hundred pages. It is a complete Indian-English Dicrionary of the wonderful Kalispel language, which is spoken by the Flatheads and some fourteen other tribes west ofJhe Rocky Mountains. Its get- up, if not perfeCt:, is certainly very �Tlte Catltolic Clmrclz in Montana. 101 creditable considering that it is the work of Indian missionaries, published in an Indian country, and to a great extent by Indian help and Indian labor. The work was commenced some thirty-nine years ago by Fr. G. Mengarini, a thorough Indian scholar and author of a grammar of the same language published years ago by the Smithsonian Institute, and was brought to completion by Rev. J. Giorda through heroic perseverance and truly herculean labor. The Dicrionary was published exclusively for the use of the missionaries, with the exception of some fifty copies reserved for the larger libraries of Europe and America that may wish to possess themselves of a book so rare and curious and so interesting to linguists. Here also may be mentioned "Narratives from the Scripture," another work in Kalispel, published at St. Ignatius in 1876, containing the Gospels for every Sunday in the year, as also narratives from the Old Testament. Though much smaller in bulk and size, yet in point of Indian scholarship it is no less than the Dicrionary a remarkable producrion. But to bring this paragraph to a close, the Mission of St. Ignatius with its large and handsome church, the schools and all kinds of substantial improvements to be seen everywhere around, is to-day a monument of the success that has attended the self-sacrificing efforts of the missionaries to improve, spiritually and temporally, the children of the mountains. Passing on, the third on the list is St. Peter's Mission which was established by Fr. A. Hoecken in 1859, though Fr. N. Point may be said to have laid its foundation as early as I 846. It was established for the objeCt of bringing under the saving and civilizing influences of Christianity the Blackfeet and other Indian tribes roaming in the northern part of Montana. If the obje8: intended has been, as yet, but partially accomplished it is no fault of the missionaries, but owing to the peculiar and, humanly speaking, insuperable difficulties that encompassed that mission on every side and �102 Tlze Catlzolic Clwrclz in Montana. thwarted the efforts and self-sacrificing devotedness of the Fathers. But happily the present appears more cheering. A noticeable change for the better seems to be taking place of late in all those polygamous tribes of the North, and the heart of the missionary leaps with joy at the thought that i.t is the harbinger, perhaps, of their redemption. The faCt seems the more remarkable as this change was sudden and little expeCted. \Vhat is to account for it? One event that occurred less than two years ago, in the Milk River country, a few miles from Fort Belknap, perhaps furnishes the answer. Here on the 7th of February, I 878, died a saintly priest, Philip Rappagliosi, S. J., the apostle of the Blackfeet, and his death, though natural, was as mysterious, to all appe_arances, as it was untimely. In his tomb, likely, one day wil'! be found the key to explain the new era now, seemingly, about to dawn upon those Indians. This zealous missionary had vowed himself to their salvation; and aware, as it seems he was, that perhaps it would not be obtained but through the sacrifice of some one's life, he bravely surrendered his own and died an unknown, yet a voluntary, martyr for the cause. The noticeable change alluded to, and which, from late accounts, seems to increase the brighter hopes of St. Peter's Mission, dates from the very moment that the saintly soul of Philip Rappagliosi passed to a better life. If this be so, the conversion of the Blackfeet Indians to Christianity will be, at no distant day, a matter of history no less than the conversion to the~·faith of those who have been thus far the subjeCt of our sket'ch. We now part with the Indians and give a brief account of the Catholic Church among the whites in Montana. A few faCts, dates and figures will be enough to complete this second part of our task. The history of the Catholic Church among the white population in Montana covers a period of only sixteen years. The reason is plain and obvious. Until the year 1863 there existed as yet no settlement of white people in this Terri- �Tlze Catlzolic Ciwrclt £n Montana. 103 tory. Within this period churches or chapels were established at Hell-Gate, Virginia, Frenchtown, Helena, Deer Lodge, Missoula, Butte, Missouri Valley and Benton. At Hell-Gate, the first on the list, was established the first Catholic church for the whites in Montana -of course to prevent the people there from passing beyond to the bad place. Father U. Grassi built the church in 1863. It has since been removed to Missoula. Father Giorda in the same year, 1863, searching for souls and not for gold, as the miners well remember, twice visited Alder Gulch, now Virginia, where he heard many confessions and baptized a number of children. Rev. Raverdy, a secular priest from Denver, Colorado, and after him Father Kuppens visited the same place the following year, 1864. Father Giorda was there again in the winter of 1865 and remained till the spring of the following year, being succeeded by Fathers Vanzina, Van Gorp and d'Aste, who later on came to remain permanently. A frame building was turned into a church, and the mission of Virginia, under the title of "All Saints," established. It is now under the charge of Rev. F. Kelleher, who, since the fall of 1873, with zeal and devotedness has watched over the little· flock of two hundred and seventyfive Catholic souls committed to his care. Frenchtown had the little church built in 1864. I have at hand no late report of the Catholic population of that thriving little place, but including all the Frenchtown distria, with its mines, it cannot fall short of three hundred and fifty souls. Next in turn comes Helena, the capital of our Territory. The Catholic Church here dates from 1865. The old frame church, built by the Hon. J. M. Sweeney, was opened and dedicaterl under the style of the "Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary," on the feast of All Saints, in 1866, by Father Kuppens, who is remembered throughout Montana as one who knew as well how to manage wild bronchos as old and rusty sinners. Father Kuppens was replaced by Fathers L. �104 17ze Catholic C/wrclz in i1fontana. Van Gorp and d'Aste, while Father Grassi spent in Helena the winter of 1867-8. To accommodate the increasing Catholic population a larger church of brick and stone was begun in 1874 and completed in I876. The struaure is an ornament to Helena and a standing monument of the liberality of her people. Attached to this church are the four counties of Lewis and Clarke, Meagher, Jefferson and Gallatin, containing a Catholic population of ahout one thousand five hundred souls. Besides the above in I8j6 St. Joseph's church was built in the Missouri valley and two more are in contemplation, one at Bozeman and the other in Boulder valley. In the spring of 1877 the first episcopal visitation to Montana was made by Right Reverend Bishop J. O'Connor, Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska, to whose jurisdiaion th!'! eastern portion of our Territory belongs. In this visit he confirmed over two hundred persons, children and adults. The impression made on His Grace was most favorable and lasting. In a letter addressed to the Rev. Pastor of Helena, March 3 I, I 879. the Right Rev. Bishop, referring to the people of Montana writes: "It may be that I saw only the bright side of their charaaers, out certain it is I never met a people with whom I was better pleased." \Vith such flattering words from our Bishop, we may wtll cr6ss the Range once more and say a few words of the good people of Deer Lodge. In this portion of the Lord's Vineyard Rev. R. DeRyckere has been a devoted and faithful laborer since I 866. He built two churches, one a handsome stone building at Deer Lodge, the-other a frame lined with brick at Butte. The principal centres of the Catholic population in the county, besides Deer LoJge and Butte, are Philipsburg, Beartown, Flint Creek and Nevada Creek valleys. Having obtained no late returns we can give no ac· curate statement of the Catholic population of this county, but it is likely somewhat greater than that of Helena distria. During the summer of the past year Deer Lodge and all the other settlements of Western Montana were visited by Most Rev. C. Seghers, the Coadjutor of the Most �1/ze Catlzolic C/wrclz in Montana. 105 Rev. Archbi3hop of Portland, to whose spiritual administration this portion of the Territory belongs. The Most Rev. Archbishop was as favorably impressed with Montana as Bishop O'Connor had been two years before. From Deer Lodge, still going west, we reach Missoula county which, including those given above to Frenchtown, contains a Catholic population of nearly six hundred whites and one thousand five hundred Indians. North we reach Benton, the head of navigation, a place of great promise in the future. It has a new church ready for use but not quite completed. Benton thus far has been attended from St. Peter's Mission. Late accounts received from Father S. C. Imoda, who has been in charge of that mission for a number of years, inform us the Catholics of that whole distria number one thousand and fifty whites and two thousand one hundred and fifty Indians. A word more about our Catholic institutions, of which St. Vincent's Academy for young ladies deserves the foremost rank. It is conduaed by the Sisters of Charity from Leavenworth, Kansas. It was opened in 1868 for boarders and for day scholars. This institution has earned a well deserved reputation, and praise enough cannot be bestowed on those who condua it with so much skill, thoroughness and self-sacrificing devotedness. Our "County Fathers" seem to believe that these devoted Sisters are working for money and tax them accordingly. St. Vincent's Academy is in a flourishing condition. There is also in Helena a selea school for boys under the charge of the same Sisterhood. But it is the earnest wish and prayer of the writer that in the near future there may be a college for our boys to supply a much-felt deficiency. In Missoula the Sisters of Providence condua a boarding and day school for young ladies, which is like.wise well attended and flourishing. Moral and efficient schools are a great boon for our young generation, but the Hospitals conduaed by the Sisters of VoL. xx-No. 2. 14 �106 Tlze Catlzolic C/mrclz itz Montana.• Charity, are the greatest blessing for suffering humanity. Of these there are four in 1\Iontana, viz: St. John's in Helena, St. Patrick's in Missoula, St. Joseph's in Deer Lodge, and the Hospital at Virginia. Private patients as well as the sick and poor of the county are cared for in these institutions. The life of the miner is a hard one; it is harder still if instead of success his labor meets with disappointment, but when, after a life of toil and disappointments, he lies disabled by accident or sickness in his bunk of suffering, away from home, without the- soothing care of a loving mother or a dear sister, the miner's lot is then the very hardest. Nothing bespeaks the humane and philanthropic feelings of the people of Montana better than the faCt that their sick and poor are confided to the kind and tender mercy of the Sisters of Charity. Many a sturdy miner have we seen shedding tears of joy in beholding himself the objeCt of more than a mother's care in these abodes of cleanliness, peace, attention and sympathy. We conclude by quoting once more His Grace, Bishop O'Connor. We spoke of the past and present history of the Catholic Church in Montana. His Grace gives us a glimpse of ~hat her future history will be: "You and I may not live to see it, but the day is not distant when Montana will become one of the most fruitful and flourishing as well as the most beautiful portions of Go_d's Vineyard, and this will be owing in very great measure fo the labors and the virtues of those who have already borne there 'the burden of the day and the heats.' " �BRAZIL. (E:rtraCl of a Letter from Fr. R. M Galanti.) PARA, Feb. 14, 188o. In September, 1877, the Bishop of Para asked to have the assistance of some Fathers in the managemen~ of his Seminary, for which he had just obtained from Rome the privilege of conferring University degrees. Father Aure.li was the first to be chosen, and to him after a few months were joined Father Tuveri and your humble servant. We both reached Para in the beginning of June, 1878, and found the Bishop just about to start for his pastoral visitation to the Upper Amazon. Having nothing to do in the Seminary for the time being, we accompanied his Lordship, and went to Manaos, the capital of the Province of Amazonas; from this place, we proceeded to visit the river Madeira, going. as far as the frontier of Bolivia. There, I understood why Divine Providence had guided me to this place; for we found in this remote distriCt some eight or nine hundred Americans from Philadelphia, who were engaged in building a railway to avoid the falls and rapids of the River MadeiraMamore, with the ulterior objeCt of promoting the establishment of steamboat navigation on the River Mamore in Bolivia. They were for the most part Catholics ; but they had no priest, and many of them were sick, and some dying. It was a great consolation for these poor Americans to see me, as I was the only one of the company who could speak English; and I hope that I sent to heaven some of them who died in a few days. I was allowed to stay among them for only three days, but in that short time, I heard some two hundred confessions, gave Holy Communion to the sick, (107) �108 Bra:::il. and preached two or three times. They were very sorry at my departure, and begged me to visit them again as soon as possible. But this could not be done; because it is a month's trip by steamer from Para to that desert spot, and it costs a hundred dollars each way. This will give you some idea of the vast extent of this diocese. It happened afterwards that this rail-road enterprise was a complete failure, the contractor, Thos. Collins of Philadelphia, not having the funds to carry on the work. And all these poor fellows were left without a cent in a strange country, and obliged to make their way home as best they could. They all passed through Para on their way back to the United States, and nearly all of them came to see me, and again made their confession. Many of them remained sick and br(}ken down in the hospital, where several of them died. I visited them frequently, and gave them all the assistance in my power, and I had the consolation of converting two Protestants, who died in the same hospital, and whom I trust to see again in heaven. Among these poor men, were some who had been brought up by our Fathers, of whom they spoke with great respect and affection. But let us return to our own history. \Ve accompanied the Bishop in his visitation, and besides hearing a great many confessions, we preached a retreat to the clergy. On our return to Para, I was temporarily appointed to teach Rhetoric in the Seminary, and meantime preached frequently in the city; this was for 1878. _ For last year, 1879. Father AL;;_eii had charge of the second year of Philosophy together with Mathematics; Fr. Tuveri taught Canon Law; whilst I gave instructions in the first year of Philosophy, and lectured on Ecclesiastical History for the Theologians. Father Aureli is also spiritual director of this Seminary, and I hold the same office for the Little Seminary. Both of us preached, heard confessions, gave instructio~s in catechism, conducted retreats, etc. 'vVe celebrated the Festival of St. Aloysius in a becoming manner, having just received a statue of the saint �Sketclt if tlze Nez Perces Indians. from Germany. To honor our Holy Father Ignatius, we did something, but this sweet name is not heard with pleasure in this country, where owing to the infernal craft of the infamous Pombal, "Jesuit" and "rascal" are still synonymous terms. Thanks to God, during the last year, I heard some five thousand confessions, and the greater number of them were general. Besides this work of the ministry, I gave two retreats, four missions, and preached about fifty occasional sermons. My companions did approximatiz,e as much again, so that we can say without pride, that our labors have not been without fruit A. M. D. G. Last year the Bishop offered us the direCtion of both, or, at least, of one of his Seminaries. Our Superiors, however, having taken all things into account, thought it better to decline the offer; for the future, Deus proz•tdebit. We wish to open a small residence, but there are many and great difficulties in the way. RAPHAEL M. GALANTI, S. J. SKETCH OF THE NEZ PERCES INDIANS. ( Co1ltinued) Once when the missionary was preparing about twenty Indians for Baptism, an old chief became the objeCt of the attention and solicitude of those whose souls were going to be washed in the waters of salvation. For some time he had been going to church, but more with the intention of hearing his little daughter sing, than of pleasing Almighty God. He had two wives, for polygamy was very common, and was not disposed to renounce either of them. Several consultations were held, but to no purpose. The missionary told them, that the only way of gaining the old man, was to pray fervently for him and to give him good example. "If you pray hard," said the missionary, "he will come �110 Sketclz of tlze Nez Perces Indians. over slowly." "Slowly," said an old man, "why! You have been pushing us to Baptism so much, telling us that no one can be saved without it, and now you say: 'Slowly.' ·what will become of him, if he dies without Baptism ? No ! there is no slow way now. We want him to be baptized with us in a few days, and we too will speak to him." "My friend," said the missionary, "for you the time has come. You have been waiting too long already, and I am afraid, that you talk this way, because you wish to wait longer. For you, the time has come, and you must be baptized now, but for our old friend the time has not come as yet. Do not trouble yourself about him. You know very well, that, as he said a little while ago, he can not put away either of his wives, because _he loves both alike, and both love him. Thus his time is not at hand. I will speakto him again and again, but do not think that he must be baptized with you ; prepare yourselves, and in the meantime pray for the old man.'' Some time later, the missionary had a sick-call, but not liking to go alone, he asked Uyaskasit (this is the name of the old chief) to accompany him ; and he accepted the invitation. On the way the missionary began to talk about the absolute necessity of Baptism, and of the sacrifices one must be ready to make, to obtain such a blessing. He spoke forcibly and clearly, but in a general way, not daring for the moment to speak'direCtly to the old man, whom he thought very far from conversion.• especially, as it is hard for the Nez Perces to do good,.-b_ut easy to commit evil. The moment of silence after the instruCtion on Baptism was suddenly broken by Uyaskasit, asking: "When will those Indians be baptized?" "In a few days," was the answer. "And what shall I myself do then?" "Why, you must wait until you make up your mind.'' "I too wish to be baptized, for I am afraid of dying without being baptized." "That is very good, but are you disposed to put away one of your wives?" "·Well, no indeed, but I surely thought, you Black-gown would have pity on me.'' "But, good �Sketclz if tlze Nez Perces Indians. I I I friend, you can not be baptized so long as you have two wives; it would make you worse than you are now." "No, I do not say so; I must have only one wife, but as I am not able to send away either of them, I thought, you would have pity on me, and that you yourself would send away one of them." "We are talking seriously about a very important and sacred thing, and you are joking now." "Blackgown, I am very serious, but my heart cannot endure the cruel a8: of sending away a loving wife. Still, it is a duty, and who can perform such a duty better than you, who are a Black-gown, and who have, therefore, a strong heart. I beg you to tell me which wife has to be sent away. I will agree to it. But I want you to tell this woman that she has to be sent away, and that it is neither my wish nor choice, but a duty which must be performed. I wish you to settle the whole affair, and to take all the responsibilities upon yourself I want my children near me, but the wife cannot be near me, for the people will talk too much. You know the Indians." "Uyaskasit," said the missionary, "if you are serious, all the difficulties are nothing. To-night we will call the chiefs together, and decide how the whole business can be arranged. I will take the responsibility upon myself" "I am determined," said the chief, "but you must help me." "I will help you, and your name shall be Abraham, and God will give you a strong heart, as he gave to Abraham of old."-Then he related to him how Abraham was ready to sacrifice even his own son for God's sake. After their return from the sick-call they had another long talk. At length when evening came, the chief'> were called together, and it was decided, that the younger wife with her little son should leave the chief's house, and have a lodge in the same village, but at a certain distance from Uyaska· sit's. There were at first some difficulties against this decision, but finally all agreed. The chiefs then sent for the wife, but she would not come, saying that she knew that she was going to be condemned without any fault. The missionary then told one of the chiefs to go and tell her, �112 Sketclz of t!te Nez Perces Indians. that the Black-gown wished to see her and to have a talk with her. She gave no answer, but finally after long resistance she came. The missionary tried his best to persuade her, that it was indeed the fault of nobody, but a duty to be performed. But the woman became angry, and answered almost insultingly, finishing with these words: "Yes, you put me away, but to-morrow I will take my child, and go to my own country, far from the chu"rch, and if my child and myself are lost, it is your own fault." At these words, the missionary fearing that Uyaskasit would break his promise through affeCtion for his son whom he ardently loved, addressed the man, telling him to call to mind his new name Abraham, and all that Abraham did to please God. Then the old man, whom the grace of God had not only converted, but made wonderfully strong, made a speech in which he related the sacrifice of Abraham, and declared that he would follow him. He himself and some of the bystanders began to weep, and taking advantage of the great emotion around him, he addressed his wife, telling her to look at the tears that dropped down from the eyes of those present, and also from those of the Black-gown, the messenger of God, and not to affliCt any longer so many friends with her hardness and obstinacy. As for himself, his resolution was taken. He begged her to be reconciled, to become a Christian, to have the child baptized and to remain in the village. If not, he would become a Christian any how, though he should die of grie( At the close of this warm address no one could~ speak, so great was the emotion, and a long silence followed. Finally, the missionary broke the silence, and addressed the woman, telling her, that if she loved her husband, she should sacrifice her affeCtions for his sake, and as he was ready to become another Abraham, so she should imitate him, or rather the Blessed Virgin Mary, who sacrificed her most tender and holy affeCtion for our sake. As soon as the missionary stopped speaking, the woman taking her little boy in her arms, got up and advanced towards the �Sketc!t of t!te Nez Perch Indians. 113 door. Then, all believing that she was going out, there was a great whispering and excitement ; she did not go out, however, but walking straight up to the missionary, she said whilst crying: "I will not oppose my husband's wishes and God's will any longer; here is my child (and she raised the child, a boy about four years old). I will bring him to you, and you will baptize both of us together." Her tears prevented her from saying more. The ensuing scene, and the feelings of all present are more easily imagined than described. In a few days they were baptized all together. In the same year, the missionary arriving at Lewiston from Cceur d'Alene, was called to an Indian camp, twelve miles off, for a· sick woman, who wished to become a Catholic. He went there, and as there was no immediate danger, he told the chief that he would remain for one day, so as to instruCt: the woman for Baptism. Meantime a little girl about ten years old together with some old women made application for Baptism. But the Father told them, that they could not be baptized, unless they were well instruCted, and that therefore he would on some other occasion teach and baptize them. The chief, who was one of the few Presbyterians who had been baptized, told the Father, that the little girl knew all the Catholic prayers, that the old women and many of his Indians recited those prayers every day, the little girl being the leader and teacher, and that he himself, though a Protestant minister, would like to become a Catholic, if ever he would be able to learn the prayers. After inquiries and examinations, the missionary found out that the little girl was indeed very well instruB:ed in our holy religion, and that she was the teacher and leader of that whole Indian camp. Several times she went to hear the Catholics pray, and thus without a teacher she learned a great deal, and became the young apostle of her people. Knowing that the Father had determined to remain there for several days, to instruCt: some old men and women, of whom he finally baptized about a dozen, little Julia, was VoL. rx-No. 2. 15 �114 Sketch of the Ne::: Perds Indians. beside herself for joy. She tried to induce some more of her people to receive Baptism, especially her father and mother who had to promise her that they would be baptized on the next occasion. This happened in June, 1872. In October of the same year, Julia's parents with some of her relations were baptized, and she seemed to be another St. Agnes, always talking about God and heaven. In December, 1872, when nearly all her people were Catholics, not excepting the old chief who had been a Protestant preacher, -she went to heaven. All the Catholic Nez Perces and also many of the non-Catholics were very much grieved at her death, because it was indeed a great loss for all of them. The missionary himself, when he heard the sad news, said, that·no death had ever affected him so much as Julia's. Another time, when a young man was dying like a rep· robate, some of his distant relations, who were Catholics, having heard that the Father was at Lewiston, sent him word of his dangerous state. The missionary despatched a good young Indian, a kind of catechist, to the dying man, telling him to remain with him the whole of the night, and to do all in his power to convert the poor sinner, and that l:!e himself would come to pay him a visit the next morning. At day-break the catechist returned, saying that there was no hope of converting the sick young man, as he wanted to die an infidel, and did not like to see the missionary. The Father said Mass for him, ·and told the Indians who were present to pray fervent!§'~ and to accompany him on his way to the sick man after Mass. 'When they were crossing the river, another Indian met them saying: "Black-gown, you can spare yourself the trouble ; the dying man said, that he does not wish to see you, nor to hear any prayers." "\Vhen did he say so?" "Sometime this morning." "Oh, well!" said the missionary, "Mass has been said and prayers have been offered up for him; let us go on : God is allpowerfuL" They had not reached the shore, when another Indian coming in a great hurry towards them, cried out in �~C.,'ketc!t of tlze }lez Perces Indians. 115 a loud voice: "Black-gown, hurry up; the dying man says, he wants to see you, and I started immediately to bring you here." "See, my friend, what l\Iass and prayer can do," said the missionary to the Indian; "now, be always of great faith_." Shortly after, the dying man was instructed, baptized and called Louis; the next day he received Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction. The day after, all his little brothers were baptized, and after a few days he died like an angel, zoth of May, 1873. All his family and many of his relatives were instructed and after a few months, when the Father visited them again, all were baptized. In the mean time, the persecution against the Catholic Nez Perces had been going on very regularly. It was so evident to the public, that finally the Indian Department at \Nashington, was obliged, out of shame, to grant permission to the Catholic authorities to build a church and pastoral residence at their own expense in the Nez Perce Reservation. There was indeed a little Catholic chapel in the Reservation, built in January, I 869, before the persecution began, but it was too poor, too small, and badly situated. The Catholics needed a church very much, and had now permission from the government to build one; but of what avail was that permission, without help and means to build it? The Indians were told: "If you want a church, build it." But they were unable to put up a church, though willing to help according to their means. God opened a way in a manner altogether extraordinary. One day that the missionary from the Cccur d'Alene mission, was in Lewiston, some American gentlemen seeing so many Indians crowding the little town church, proposed to him to build the Indian church in the reservation, by subscription of both whites and Indians. But the missionary only laughed at the idea, as would have done any.man well acquainted with the disposition of the whites towards the Indians.-"No, Father," said the gentleman, "there is no need of laughing; we do not exactly mean to help the Indians, but you indi- �II6 Sketch of tlze Nc::: Perds Indians. vidually who are the only man who has ever done any good amongst the lndians.-It is only the Catholic priest who can do good with the Indians. So get up a subscription, and we will all sign it." The Father begged him to get it up himself in town, and if successful, he would circul~te it among the Indians then in the county, and in the mines. The next Sunday, the gentleman went to the missionary with a list of subscribers who, though few in number, had already subscribed more than $300. The Father now sure of success, had the Catholic Indians to subscribe first, and then went around in the country where not only Protestants and Infidels subscribed very liberally, but even the Chinamen, which was a real wonder. The next wonder was, that the Catltoiic Indians of the Nez Perce Reservation had on the 8th of September, 1874, in their own country, a nice little frame church, 25x50 ft., so well furnished inside and outside, that it was considered, at that time, to be the best building in the whole northern part of Idaho Territory. The church was blessed on the 1st of November, 1874. Mass was said in it only once in a great while; but many of the Indians went there very often to say their prayers in common. -Chief David Billy Hahaztushl several times made the following remark before the Indians and the missionary: "Even without a Black-gown, this church is a nice building, and with it alone I feel myself a Catholic." Yet, notwithstanding this boast, they knew .to_o well that Indian neophytes want a resident priest or they will easily go back to their old infidel praB:ices and superstitions ; and, therefore, since their first conversions, they kept asking for a priest. Besides their petitions to no purpose made to the government to have a church and a school of their own, together with means to support those institutions, they made oth.er petitions to the proper Catholic Authorities to get a Blackgown resident in their territory. In May, 1872, they petitioned the Superior General of the Rocky Mountain Mis- �Sketch of tlze Nez Perces Indians. 117 sion, Rev. Fr. J. Giorda, S. J., for a resident priest Afterwards, they sent a deputation to wait on Rev. Fr. Razzini, Visitor General of the Mission, for the same purpose. In I 874, they wrote a petition to the Rev. Fr. P. Beckx, General of the Society of Jesus, and in 1875, they wrote another to His Holiness, Pius IX., on the occasion of the Jubilee. Finally, the 2d day of Nov., 1875, Fr. A. Morillo, who had come from Sicily a few months before, arrived at Lapway (now St. Joseph:s Mission) with Br. A. Cagiagno to begin the Nez Perces Mission \'(ith the help of Father Cataldo from the Creur d'Alene Mission. The Brother put up, with the help of the Indians, a little house, and the Fathers began their fruitful work of teaching the Indians. The Indians now, were quite pleased with their success, they had finally a church and a Black-gown of their own, and they determined to organize themselves into a little republic, with laws, magistrates and police. Though very good an·d fervent, yet they could not avoid altogether small offences against order, especially as there were so many young folks among them. So one day Joshua Zimshilgupus (or Waptashamkein) who had already been elected chief instead of old David (called before Capt. Billy Hahaztushl) called a meeting of the chiefs and headmen ami proposed three things to be considered by them in council, that would help them very much to advance more and more in good christian behavior. 1st, they should make penal laws; 2d, they should select between five and ten men for police purposes; 3d, they should build a very strong cabin for a prison. The measures proposed were long agitated in council for several days. Some were inclined to adopt them and to follow in every particular the advice of the head chief; but others, more moderate, thought it better to go slowly; the mere building of a cabin, they said, would deter the Infidel Indians, and prevent them from being converted, when really such a building was not necessary at all. It �Indian JJ,fissions. 118 would be enough, they thought, to appoint some young men, with a chief at their head, who would be on the look-out, rather to prevent evil, than to punish it when done. But if evil was done before they could prevent it, then they could tie the culprit, and leave him fasting for one or two days without any prison at all: a good whipping, in the opinion of others, was enough to punish their offences. This mild and prudent opinion finally prevailed: no prison was built, but six men were appointed to aa as police. In the mean time, they began to build regular log cabins near the church, to make a kind of little town, and so to abandon their wigwams or Indian lodges. They enlarged their small farms, made many new ones, and, in a word they gave them~eives up to industry, instead of spending their time in gambling, and drinking, or merely in hunting and fishing as they had done before. (To be continued.) INDIAN MISSIONS. ·Letter from Fa titer Pon:;ig!ione. OsAGE MrssroN, KANSAS, peccmber 31st, 1879· DEAR FATHER, ~- .· P. C. Last summer our Catholic population increased considerably, owing to the large number of immigrants to this part of Kansas. To be able to attend to the spiritual needs of these new comers, we were obliged to give over to our Right Rev. Bishop some of our western missions, that, namely, of St. Francis Regis near New Albany, and that of St. Ignatius in the town of Neodesha, both in \Vilson County, and also that of St. Agnes at Thayer, Neosho County. �Indian iV!i'ssimzs. I 19 About midsummer I visited the Creeks and Cherokees, and as usual met with a very kind reception. There are but few Catholics among them. On account of their long contaCt with Protestants, a great many of them belong to the different seCts, but only nominally so. Very few, even among those who claim to be preachers, believe in the creed which they profess, as the following example will testify. A Creek preacher of some repute among his people, was invited not long since to take part in a religious meeting held in the Indian Territory by several ministers belonging to Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. They all went under the name of Baptists, though many among them belonged to other denominations. According to their custom, they prayed for a time, then stood up, and told their experience. When the Creek preacher's turn had come, he was requested to pray, which he did more fervently, perhaps, and sincerely than those who had preceded him. In the excitement of his devotion the good Indian cried out: "0 Lord be merciful to me,-be merciful when I come to die; and if, on account of my transgressions, I be not then found worthy to be admitted into thy great kingdom (heaven), allow me a place in 1thy smallest kingdom, so that, having satisfied for my sins, I may at last come to stay with Thee for ever." You may easily imagine what was the surprise of his brother ministers, when the interpreter translated this prayer into good plain English, and thus made manifest to all present how firmly this Indian champion of protestantism believed in the doCtrine of Purgatory. But you may ask: where did this man get his notion of Purgatory? Not, certainly, from the Board that made him preacher, but from those traditions that have come down from his Catholic forefathers. 0 would to God that the spirit of those heroes of our Society, who were sent by St. Francis Borgia to civilize and christianize the Creeks and Cherokees, would to-day revive in the hearts of some of �120 Indian J1issions. our zealous Fathers, causing them to consecrate themselves to the noble work of bringing back to the bosom of our holy Church these poor Indians! It was more through ignorance than malice that these people have strayed from the one, true fold; for they are, as a general thing, good and honest, and they would follow the truth, could they but know it. A mission among them would be far more useful than among the wild Indians, because, living as they do a half-civilized life, they cultivate the ground, dwell in houses, and are, for the most part, self-supporting. Besides, they nearly all speak English, are naturally industrious and inclined to lead a pious life. All they need is to have among them some one animated with apostolic zeal, who will lead them out ·of the errors into which Protestant teaching has caused ttiem to fall. Ther.e need be no fear that the Indians would refuse to receive him ; on the contrary, they would every where welcome him with joy and pleasure. I know that some will ask: But who will cover the expenses needed to support missionaries among these tribes? \Veil, this is more than I can tell; but as there are hundreds of people that spend their money lavishly in seeking amusement, so there are hundreds who would willingly help in a W<?_rk of this kind, were things but properly managed. About the end of August I visited the Reservations. of I the Poncas and Nez Perces. These are about one hundred and sixty-five miles south-west of this mission, on the endless plains that stretch along th~_.'Arkansas River and its tributaries. The Reservation of the Poncas is extensive and lies between the Arkansas and the so-called Salt Fork, not very far from their confluence. That of the Nez Perces is smaller, and lies just at the mouth of the Sharkaska, some fifteen miles west of the Ponca Agency. No game of any account is to be found on the Reservations, but there is very good grazing land. The soil appears to be rich, though parts of the country for miles and miles are nothing but a desert, without water, subjeCt: to drought, �Indian i11issions. 121 and frequently visited by grasshoppers. Neither the Poncas nor the Nez Perces raised anything last year for their support, and they must consequently depend entirely on the Indian Department for their sustenance, till the new crops are gathered .. Their condition, on this account, is at present wretched. Since their coming to these Reservations, they have suffered a good deal from sickness and starvation, and, according to their interpreter, Mr. Chapman, about twenty-five per cent of their number have already died. If you consider that the Poncas were but eight hundred, on their arrival here some three years ago from the Mountains, you cannot help concluding that in a few years more scarcely any of these poor Indians will be found on the Reservations. The majority of the Poncas are Roman Catholics, the oldest among them having been baptized by Father P. J. DeSmet of happy memory. Before coming to the Reservation on which they now are, they wintered, one year, near a town called Baxter Spring, ab?ut twenty-five miles south of this mission. I paid them a flying visit, and, not having time to attend to them, I placed them under the care of a very good secular priest, Rev. Eugene Bononerni, who went to visit them regularly. On one occasion, just at the end of Mass, all the Indians met in council and resolved to send a petition to the President of the United States, requesting him to give them Catholic missionaries and a Catholic school. All without exception signed the petition, and their Agent, Col. A. G. Boone, kindly_ endorsed it, and sent it to \Vashington. · What kind uf a reception· it met with, never became known; but a few weeks after it had reached the President, the Poncas were ordered to leave that part of the Indian Territory, and to go to their present Reservation. Col. A. G. Boone, of whom they thought so much, was at the same time removed from his agency ;-all, no doubt, because of his kindness in endorsing the petition. As soon as the VoL. rx-No. 2. 16 �122 Indian ftfissions. Poncas had been permanently settled, the Government established among them schools and a mission under the care of the Episcopal church. The Indians protested and declared that the missionaries sent to them were not those that they had asked for. They told their new agent that they wanted Roman Catholic missionaries and no others. But it was all to no purpose. There is no use protesting when might constitutes right. The Nez Perces count but few Catholics on their Reservation, though they know well what the Catholic Church is. The whole band was under instruCtion for Baptism, when they were forcibly driven from the Mountains. The better to pervert these poor people the government made two rather intelligent young Nez Perces, whom they picked up, Presbyterian preachers. These two are well paid for their work. One of them told me that he preached to his Indians every Sunday, and that he expeCted to see all the Nez Perces in a short time good Presbyterians. But thanks be to God, there is no sign of this yet, and there need be little fear for the future, because these young preachers have no influence of any kind, and are despised by their o~vn people. The Nez Perces are at present quite demoralized and dissatisfied. They would all return if they could to their native mountains. The fe~v that are Catholics are so timid that they do not dare acknowledge openly the religion which they were baptized in. If you ask them whether they are Catholics, they may answer at one time in the affirmative, and at the next, the~~ontrary. If you ask them in what religion they believe, they will answer: "we believe in Cataldo's teaching, and that is the only teaching which we wish to have." Their great chief, Joseph, is in every respect a fine man. Yet even he is afraid of the government agents, and when I asked him if he was a Catholic, he replied that he had no religion of any kind. In ans~ver to the question, whether he knew Father Cataldo, he said: "0 yes! Cataldo is my �indian il1issions. 12:3 friend; he is a good man; all my people love him, and I desire very much to see him once more." I offered a very nice pair of beads to a young Nez Perce who accompanied me as interpreter on my visit to his people. As he had told me that he was one of Cataldo's friends, and that he followed Cataldo's teaching, I concluded that he would like my present. He did, indeed, like it; but he refused to accept it, because he feared that he might be persecuted for having such an article of Ca-tholic devotion. Before leaving I asked him his name, in order that I might speak about him when writing to Father Cataldo; but he refused to tell it, owing to his fears lest I should report him to the Government and thus make him liable to be punished for having been too confident with me. In a condition hardly much better are the Osages. These would not sign the Treaty of 186g, by which they were to cede to the United States some' nine millions of acres, until a promise had been given them, that in their new Reservation they would have the schools and missionaries that they had here. But though the promise was solemnly given by the commissioners, it has not yet been fulfilled. In spite of the many petitions sent during the past ten years by the Osages to the President, calling .on him to keep his word; in spite of the general dissatisfaCtion prevailing among them, they have been placed under the care of Protestant ministers, with very little prospeCt of there being in the future any change for the better. Their not being allowed to give their children the education which. they consider proper for them, is the greatest trouble that the Osages have. This is especially the case in regard to the half breeds, who are naturally very quiet and intelligent, not to say religious. Most of them have been educated here at our mission. They know the advantages and the importance of a good Catholic education, and desire very much to have their children brought up in the same faith as they themselves were. More than once these good half-bret>ds have talked about �Indian foiissions. 124 building a church on their Reservation, but by some means or other the agents have thwarted their plans. The last time I visited the Osages they told me that they were going to try once more to build a church. \Vhat will be the result of this new trial, time will tell. PAUL MARY PoNZIGLIO:-<E, S. J. MissioN oF THE IMMACULATE CoNCEPTION. Letter of Fr. H<~bert to Fr. Perron. FORT vV ILLIAM, Feb. 24, 1880. REV. FATHER, P. C. I wish to enter into a detailed account of the long journey which I undertook in 1879· Were I not afraid of lengthening my letter to too great an extent, and of surpassing the limits which I have prescribed to myself, I should also like to make some mention about the missions of Red Rock, Le Pic and Michipicoton which I visited in -the autumn of 1878. It was during this memorable voyage across . Lake Superior, that I ran great risk of perishing in its waves. The trip I made last winter, during the course of which I traveled more than a thousa"IJd miles, would, no doubt, afford you some interest', especially, that which I made to Gull River on the great Pacific Rail Road, during which I baptized thirteen Indians; but I must confine myself within narrower bounds. On the 1st April. 1879. I left Fort William, accompanied by two Indians, who came from Red Rock in search of me. Going thither, I passed through Silver Isle for the purpose of giving the Catholics an opportunity of fulfilling their paschal duties; which all of them performed in a most edi- �Indian /t4issions. 125 fying manner. I arrived at Red Rock, on the 6th April, but I remained only five days, for I promised the Catholics of Nipigon to celebrate Easter among them. In the night of 8th April, I went to visit one of our Indians, who lay dangerously ill far away in the woods. I found the poor sick woman delirious, but knowing that she was a good Christian, I gave her Extreme UnCtion. At my return to Lake Helena, I was surprised to see many good Indians anxiously awaiting my arrival to hear Mass. The previous night, I had no sleep, for I was obliged to travel over a rough and dangerous road. What a grand occasion, to offer some little sacrifice to our dear Lord, during this week wholly set aside by the Church for commemorating and honoring His most sacred Passion. Good Friday, I started from Red Rock and took the road to Nipigon, accompanied by Henry and another Indian. 'vVe had not been more than a couple of hours en route, before we overtook the Indians, whom I had visited the preceding night. They had walked the whole day, carrying the invalid on a Tobagan. All were sound asleep, wrapped in large bear skins. I awoke some of them, and they pointed me out the invalid, whom I had visited the night before. Her condition was truly pitiable. There was neither tent nor fire to protect her from the inclemency of the weather; the poor creature was in agony and about to breathe her last, whilst her near friends and companions lay around unmindful of her sufferings. Her thick locks were congealed around her face, her hands and feet tied to pre~·ent her in her death throes from uncovering hersel( 'vVords cannot express what a sad impression this speCtacle produced on me. It recalled the pains and sufferings which our dear Lord underwent on this Good Friday, eighteen centuries ago. I could not refrain from remarking this to her husband: he understood my meaning, and unbound her hands. I then asked her if she was sorry for her past sins. By close listening I caught the feeble sound of her reply, and pronounced the �126. Indian 11-fissions. , words of absolution. Not being able to do any thing more for her, I departed, happy and consoled for having delivered her fron her twofold bonds. At twelve o'clock on Easter Sunday I arrived at Fort Nipigon. I assure you that I felt tired out and fatigued, as during the preceding week I had passed three whole nights \Vithout ·sleep. From my arrival at Nipigon until the Jst of May, my time was wholly taken up with the inhabitants of the Fort and the savages who dwell around the Lake. It was well spent in administering the sacraments and giving spiritual instruc· tions; I baptized a great many chiidren, all of whom belonged to Christian parents. There is nothing else which demands srecial attention. On the-~.st of May I arrived at the place from which I wrote to you last spring. There I met with many good Christian families, with whom I spent twelve days, whilst waiting for the breaking up of the ice upon the lakes. I took my leave on the I 3th and started towards Lake Long. During the portages, we were often compelled to wade for hours almost up to our knees in water, and carrying at the same time a heavy load on our shoulders. I had the misfortune to forget in one of our encampments some precious relics and the crucifix you gave me after the Third Year of Probation at Sault au Recollet. We reached Petit Lac Long on the I sth, where I found a family not yet converted to our holy faith. I had the consolation before my departure of baptizing all of them. Stra_!lge to say, all the children with one exception, have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. On the Igth we reached Fort du Lac Long, and believe me, it was high time, for our provisions were all consumed. At the Fort, some misconduCt had happened during my absence, which caused me great annoyance. The moment I was informed of this scandal, I felt oppressed with grief and anguish; but recalling to my mind those sweet words: Yesu, mitis et lmmilis corde,fac cor nostrum secundum cor tumn,, I became consoled and encouraged. �Indian JWissions. 127 I was obliged to wait for the Indians during the space of six days; they began to arrive after the 24th, and from that day until the 30th their flotillas of ten or fifteen canoes were daily seen making for the Fort. I kept a sharp look out for their coming, and as soon as I espied them at a distance, I took my station on the shore to welcome them, shaking them warmly by the hand and calling them by their Indian names. This greatly surprised and flattered them ; and we were quickly on good terms with one another. I began my work without delay, making use of the same means which I employed last year. Heaven blessed my feeble efforts; for during my short stay, I baptized twentytwo persons, of whom nineteen were children and three . adults. Lake Manito Namegong was the next place that called my attention. Some Indians who came from this neighborhood told me that Pierre Lagarde, the oldest member of a half-breed family of which I made mention on a former occasion, was sick and wished to see me. Notwithstanding his good christian name, he was still a pagan. Having appointed some to continue the instruCtions to the catechumens, and arranged other matters, that there might be no disorder during my absence, I set out in compliance with the invalid's ardent desire. On this trip we suffered much from driving, icy rain, that fell in torrents during a great part of the day, and against which we were badly provided. After braving the storm for a long time, we were at length forced to seek the shore for shelter; but not being able to find any covering, we turned up our canoes and got under them until the rain abated. After a couple of hours we were again upon our way, jaded in body, but filled with spiritual consolation. What happiness I experienced when I found out that I was the first priest to traverse these regions: and how many times during our voyage did I call upon God to bless those poor savages whom I was about to visit, and to shower down on them His graces in greater abundance than the rain which was drenching His unworthy servant. . �128 Indian Missions. Late at night we reached our destination; all were in bed; the fires were all out, and no one stirred to welcome us. As the old man was not dangerously ill, I thought it better not to trouble him: so, wrapped up in a blanket, I stretched myself on some pieces of bark which happened to be lying on the ground. Sleep soon quieted my weary limbs, but the cold produced by my damp clothes awoke me after a short nap. It was impossible for me to repose again, I was shivering from head to foot; prayer was my only solace until morning. \Vhen it was the good pleasure of the Indians to get up, they made a fire, and I profited by this occasion to dry my clothes and warm my • shaken frame. When I had made the acquaintance of all the inma,tes of the tent and taken my breakfast, I began to prepare. Lagarde for Baptism. With him I had the pleasure of biptizing eleven children who were presented to me; promising to return soon again, I started for Lake Long, where I arrived the same evening. On the I st of June, I had eight baptisms, seven of them being adults; and on the next day I baptized six adults more. This finished the mission of Lake Long, for the poor Indians, oppressed by hunger, left the place to seek food, and were soon scattered in every direCtion. I revisited Manito Namegong, on the 3rd of June. During my stay at the Fort, I baptized twenty children and sixteen adults, thanks to the Sacred Heart. The intention sent to the Messenger at ·woodstock wrought these fruits in souls. On my way to Manito Namegong, I obtained through the in\ercession of St. Anthony of Padua this wonderful little favor which I am about to relate: I had lost the key of the box which contained my portable altar; my men and your humble servant, imploring the intercession of St. Anthony, looked a long time for it, but without success. At length we gave up all hopes of ever seeing it again, and went to take up our tent; but one of my men in running his hand along the post for the purpose of making the rope slip down, felt something in his �indian jlfissions. 129 hand, which, to our great astonishment, turned out to be the lost key. The Lagarde family gave us a hearty welcome. I spent five days with them; we had cold and rainy weather almost all the time. On the 6th of June I baptized two children. On .the 7th, the eve of the feast of the most Blessed Trinity, observing a beautifnl tree beyond my tent, I conceived the idea of making a cross out of it; I entrusted this work to one of my men, who performed the task according to my expectations, and surrounded it with a handsome fence. The following day, I blessed it in presence of all the savages, and I then explained to them its meaning and the respect which they should manifest to it. '' Whenever you pass here," said I, "or wish to receive some favor from God, come and ask it at the f~ot of this Cross, and your prayer will surely be heard." The evening of the same day, I baptized eight neophytes, all grown up persons. On the gth, I uaptized two adults, and then taught two of the most intelligent members of the band how to administer baptism in case of necessity. Ten pagans still remained, who for one reason or another, had not yet been instructed. The poor creatures appeared sad and troubled on seeing me leave without giving them baptism; I encouraged them and promised to baptize them next spring. On the gth, I left Manito Namegong, where I had baptized twenty-four persons, and traveled towards Le Pic, where we arrived on the 14th. Nothing remarkable happened on this journey of two hundred miles; but during the trip we suffered much from the heat and from insects. At the Fort, I found almost all the savages of Le Pic, who were awaiting my arrival. After having given them a couple of instructions on penance, I heard their confessions ; then, I went about the neighborhood to visit some pagans and Methodists, whom I found so well disposed, that I began, at once, to catechise them. That all might have an opportunity of hearing the word of God, I employed my two men at this VoL. rx-No. z. 17 .... �Indian lllissions. same good work. On the 19th I baptized three adults and one child, but the day after my arrival, I had baptized five children. Every day was marked by a certain number of baptisms. On the 1st of July, the last day I spent at Le Pic, the whole number of those who had been baptized, amounted to thirty-three persons ;-twenty-two adults (and of these three were Methodists) and eleven children. One Methodist and two infidels still remain unbaptized. Now, as my work was completed in this quarter, I wished to leave as soon as possible, but the bad weather detained me for three days. I started, on the 4th, for Michipicoton, and arrived on Sunday, the 6th, a little after twelve o'clock, when the Indians _were coming out of church. I met here about three hpridred ~avages, half of whom were Methodists; I gave them a little instruCtion after vespers, and then retired for that day. My time for two or "three days was taken up in the administration of the Sacraments; then, I gave my whole attention to the infidels and Methodists. The poor Indian, who made me such fine promises last year, seemed willing now to fulfill them. It was agreed, that he should first go to the Methodist camp, about half a mile distant from the Fort, to obtain the permission of his chie( When he returned, he appeared to be delighted, they were well disposed and eight children would be baptized. He reported, however, that the son of the chief Totomi11au opposed his good undertaking. "Well," said I, "you must go again to-morrow and try to.~ptain the consent of the whole party." The next morning, he started off on the same errand, and returned a short time afterwards with bad news; there would be at most only three or four for Baptism, and the good dispositions which had existed were on the wane. Undaunted by this ill success, he tried a third time to conquer the obstinacy of his chief; but the attempt failed completely; and he came back to me again, downcast and affiieted. I used every means to console and encourage �Indian 1lfissions. 13 I him; but since then he has never visited our church. How are we to account for the change of sentiment on the part of Totominan and his son? He had brought me two children to be baptized, during my former visit, yet he, now, is opposed to all those who seek baptism at my hands. A short time since, his wife died a Methodist, and our Catholic Indians refused to sing canticles at her funeral, as they are wont to do for those who die in the faith. This is the cause of his wrath and fury against those poor Christian Indians. There is also another little event, which happened some short time ago and which helped to render us unpopular with the Methodists. Mr. Bell, the Bourgeois of the Fort, divided the sum of about $400.00, given by the government of Ontario, among the Methodists and Catholics. The Methodists resolved to buy provisions with their portion of the money and the Catholics put theirs together for the purpose of building a school-house. To renounce Methodism, was, therefore, to deprive one's self of pork and flour, which, I assure you, is a great sacrifice for a poor hungry savage. I am glad that the Methodists expended their money for food, instead of spending it as our people have done; for if they had a school, it might do much harm to the rising generation. Our good Catholic Indians went immediately to look for wood and other necessary materials for the ereCtion of their new building. Before leaving, I had the great pleasure of seeing a large pile of wood placed near the church to dry, which in a short time will be ready for their purpose. If the most sensible among the Methodists could not behold those proofs of energy, shown by our Catholic Indians, without feeling ashamed of their own conduB:, what will be their feelings, next spring, when they shall see this design fully carried out, and the school in a flourishing condition? Nevertheless, as I thought over the check experienced by the Indian mentioned above, I could not help reproaching �132 Indian 1'11issio!ls. myself with having perhaps placed too much confidence in him; and, thereupon, I resolved to repair the fault as far as it was possible, by going in person to visit the Methodists, and to find out from their own lips the cause of this unexpeCted opposition. They gave .me a warm reception ; and as it was a beautiful day, we sat down on a grass-plot before the tent. I was not very long in this position, when to my great surprise, I beheld myself surrounded by thirty of those poor heretics. I told them that my mission was not only for the Catholics, but also for them, and especially as they had been baptized by our Fathers. "Now you have," said I, "another religion, quite different from that one which our Fathers taught you. \Vhy have you changed your belief? \Va~ it not the true religion which they preached to you?" I.~hen took the volume of the Gospels, translated by Bishop Baraga, and seleCted four subjeCts, ·suited to the occaswn. Firstly, the supremacy of St. Peter and his successors. Secondly, the sacrament of penance. Thirdly, the Blessed Eucharist. Fourthly, devotion to the Blessed . Virgin. After giving a simple explanation of the Catholic doCtrine on one of these points, I added : "Your ministers have told you to rejeCt this teaching, held by our Church ; let us see what the word of Jesus Christ says about it." I then proved my point by many texts from Scripture. "But, perhaps," said I again, "some among you may think, that my. book says this, but that your Bible holds an opposite doCtrine." I opened their Bible and read for them the same text which I quoted in my instruCtion. They began to look at each other in astonishment, and I could perceive by their countenances, that they were fully convinced, that our religion was the only true one. At the conclusion of my discourse, I told them, that they were not so much to be blamed for making profession of a false religion as those false preachers, who had inculcated to them this bad doctrine; still, believe me, unless you now embrace the true religion, since you are convinced that it is the only true one, �Indian ~11issions. 133 you are exposing yourselves to a terrible misfortune. At my departure many said to me : "give us until next Spring to think about what you have said to us, and what we ought to do." I feel confident, that the Sacred Heart will soon leau back to us these poor sheep of the forest, whom the Methodist wolf has led astray. I recommend them to your holy sacrifices and prayers. Kinikomens, who was so much opposed by Totominan, came to me upon my departure and asked me for holy water, promising me at the same time that nothing would prevent him from becoming a Catholic next Spring. During my mission at Michipicoton, I baptized four adults -three of whom were Methodists and the other an infidel; and five children, three born of Christian parents, and two of Methodists. I left Michipicoton on the. 3d August and took the steamer for the Hauteur des Terres, which brought me in two days to my destination. During the four months' mission, without speaking of the other functions which belong to my ministry, I baptized one hundred and fifteen persons, almost all infidels or heretics. I shall not forget to thank the Sacred Heart, our holy Mother and St. Joseph, for all these graces. I hope and trust that you will often pray for those poor Indians. I recommend in a special manner to your holy Sacrifices, the infidels and Methodists. Father Superior is quite well. Brs. Regan and Hays are sick: my own health is better than ever before. The scholastics will be ordained next Spring. Father Chambon is in charge of the Landing and Silver Islet. We have. had a severe winter; plenty of snow; the savages find game in abundance. \Vith kindest regards to all my old friends at Woodstock, and particularly to my former professors, I remain Your servant in Christ, ]. ·HE':lERT, S.]. �NEW MEXICO. N. M.,· March 28th, r88o. LAS VEGAS, REV. FATHER IN CHRIST, P. C. Some time ago a reporter of the St. Louis Commercial called on Fr. Recror and expressed a desire to write an article on the College, to be published in his paper, stating at the same time that the trifling sum of twenty-five dollars would recompense him for his labor. As poor Father Rector has tnore than enough to do with the small amount of money that he receives, he declined the generous offer. However, in the article which the gentleman wrote on Las Vegas, he mentioned a few words about the College, to the effecr that it was the chief attracrion of the town. What would he have said, had he received the money? He told the truth: for, beyond all doubt, the College is the principal building in Las Vegas. It is situated in the lower part of Oldtown, or West Las Vegas, which is separated from Newto\~n. or East Las Vegas, by the microscopic river called Gallinas. It is a two story strucrure whose walls are made of the usual material of the country, adobes (bricks of mud and straw), and stuccoed with a mixture of adobe and lime. It comprises the main building, ab~ut two hundred feet front and forty deep, and two wings, each one hundred feet long and thirty wide. Although it is the pri~e of Las Vegas, it is not a very magnificent affair; but it is infinitely superior to the old building, which leaked so badly, that on more than one occasion umbrellas would have been very serviceable to keep the Fathers from getting wet in their rooms;but the misery was that they were too poor to afford the luxury of umbrellas. I often think how fortunate it is that (134) �New Mexico. 135 there are so few rain storms here, because if there were many the whole town would be dissolved. The difficulties and hardships of the Fathers who came to the Mission first can never be expressed in words; only He for whose sake they have endured them knows how great they have been. The people, like those of many other places, imagine that the Jesuits must be exceedingly rich, because they see them build such fine houses. And now that the college is finished and in running order, the greatest difficulty is experienced by Superiors in keeping it up, because they receive so little money for the boys' tuition. The Mexicans hate to part with their "dinero," and pay for their boys with "oves et boves et pecora campi."' Our Reaor is certainly to be pitied: what with paying debts and the fearful trouble he has in colleaing money to do so, and the providing for the wants of the community and college, he has a task to perform which I think few men would care about undertaking. · Before I came to New Mexico, I thought that the Fathers were in very comfortable circumstances, but I was mistaken. Oftentimes there is not sufficient money in the house to pay for the next meal. Truly, the love of God alone could make men waste away their lives in such a desert. Think of the consolation we derive from our work when we know that the highest ambition of the boys whom we try to educate, is to become rancheros or clerks. One boy last year, -to give an instance,-took music lessons. At the end of the year, he left all his music behind, giving as a reason that he would not need it any longer, as he. was going to work on the ranch. It is very amusing to hear them talk English. One evening a little fellow came up to me, crying: I asked him, what was the matter? and he replied: "Hipolito, he said me bad words." "What did he say?" "He said me, dog." "\:Veil, you go and say him, 'burro:' " and he went off happy. "He's there up," or "there down," is common. Several times they have come to me for "pocket books," meaning �New Mexico. envelopes. "I may can;" "he did bought;" and "I gained him," are some of the choice expressions. There is this about the boys that can not be said of all college boys, they are very obedient and respectful, and it is the easiest thing in the world to manage them. In class they behave very well and they all study very faithfully. For these reasons I have got to like them very much. The little scholars of Father Tomassini's class are the hardest to take care of. Fortunately they are almost all day-scholars, so that I don't have anything to do with them. But what a time he must have. Fifty or sixty of them with no manners or decency keep his hands full, and the scenes and incidents of his class room would not look well in print. I do not think that any teacher could have a harder class, nor take more interest and labor l1arder than he does. The good success of his work was- seen in the semi-annual examinations which finished last Tuesday. Taking everything into consideration I think his class did as well as, if not better than, any of the others. On Passion Sunday the boys of the college and the Sisters' girls marched to the parish church where some were to make their First Communion. The weather was extremely cold, and the church was a magnified refrigerator, as there is no furnace to heat it. The poor little fellows were all crying with the cold, and I don't think that any of us had devotion enough to keep us warm. The church itself is most uninviting and the want of care is evident in everything about it. A little labqr . would remedy all, for the church exteriorly is indeed a handsome edifice built of brown stone. The ceremonial is a peculiar one. The Mass said that day was a Low Mass, yet a fat boy headed the procession with a censer and two acolytes followed. After the Credo, Father Persone gave the children a final instruction. At the proper time the children, boys on one side, girls on the other, advanced in good order to the altar to receive for the first time the Holy Communion. It was a beautiful and edifying sight, and I am sure all who saw it �New ll1exico. 137 were very much pleased. In the afternoon we went to the church again for the Profession of Faith and Renovation of Baptismal Vows. Had the weather not been so cold, I am sure that more people would have been present; as it was, there was quite a large throng. All the Americans that have written about the people of this place have done them grievous injustice. The Americans who are the real rowdy disgraceful element are lauded as go-ahead people, while the poor "greaser" is called by all sorts of opprobrious names. The· truth is that in Oldtown, the real Mexican town, scarcely ever does a disturbance occur; while in Newtown, where the Americans have established themselves, all the murders, that have given Las Vegas her unenviable reputation, have been perpetrated. It is true that the morals of the lower class of Mexicans are not of a very high standard. How can it be expeCted, when the whole family lives in one little room, for almost all the adobe huts contain but one room, and the people are too poor as a rule to afford more. In this one room they and their dogs (every family has three or four) eat and sleep together. A Mexican hut presents to the American a curious scene, and, as often happens, when the dogs get snarling and fighting, the scene is rendered as lively and harmonious as could be desired. The people here are so lifeless that it is almost impossible to effeCt any good among them, but with time and patience they will improve. Their one redeeming trait is their piety, but even this is Mexican. They are ignorant, and their ignorance is the cause of all their miseries. Now the Americans that are here are even more degraded than the poor natives whom they despise. It would be impossible to find in any part of the country a more ignorant, sinful set than we have here in Newtown. Yet these men, who know better, and aEl: worse, than the "greasers," are acknowledged as the spice of society. The horrible lynching affairs whose accounts have reached even secluded Woodstock were manVaL. Ix-No. 2. 18 �New Mexico. aged almost entirely by the inhabitants of the \Vest side. \Vi thin the last few months no fewer than fifteen murders have been committed in and around Las Vegas, and of these not one was committed by a Mexican. There is excuse for the natives, because for two centuries they have been cut off from all society; and, as you well know, the example given by their priests was not likely to improve their morals. Not long since a certain Rev. Foote wrote an article in which he vilified, the people of New Mexico so outrageously, that he called forth more than one answer. One, written by a Mexican, I would like to send you, it contains such beautiful English, that it would serve as a model. The Rev. Foote was called by such delightful names as the "reverend fool," the "reverend clown" and "dish wiper" which showed how exten~.ive was the writer's vocabulary. In his letter, the above mentioned Reverend spoke about the "gewgaws" of the Jesuit church. I suppose he thought all priests are Jesuits, and although he said some true things, yet any one could perceive that all his exaggerations were caused by his animosity to the Catholics. The people are Catholic, and this is the most damnable thing of all in the sight of these tramps, who now and then afflict us with their presence. Of course, there are sights that are curious to Amer-· icaris. A man on horseback, with his wife trudging on behind the horse; youngsters parading with a garment not much larger· than a pair of suspenders; women working hard, and men taking it easy; bur.ros with mountains of loads so high and wide that it is a· wonder that the whole thing is not inverted with the burro dangling his legs in the air :-these are a few of the curiosities ordinarily met with. Whenever any one is sick, and a visitor enters and asks how the sick person is, the mother of the family just pulls down the bedclothes and shows the visitor where the patient is suffering,-and this, no matter who are present. They sit, or rather squat, around the bed in regular order from father down to the youngest, and never say a word, but stare �New Mexico. 139 at the sick person. \Vhen a corpse is being "waked," the visitor comes in, and with folded arms stands near the corpse, and stares for half an hour or more on the face of the dead person, and then glides out as noiselessly as he came in. They live on coffee principally, and that is one of the reasons why they are generally so thin. They take very little substantial food, because they cannot afford it. Give a Mexican "chile," "buffalo meat," "frijoles" (beans), and coffee, and he is happy. I have never tasted the buffalo meat, and if I judge of the taste from the smell, I hope I never will. The "chile," a species of red pepper, I cannot eat; but if you could only see how the boys take it,-it is a sort of icecream and strawberries for them. The women have the queerest way of smoking. They do it, as if they were doing something that they were ashamed o( They cover the head with the shawl, and smoke under it, and now and then clouds of smoke are seen to rise from their clothes, and one unaccustomed to the performance might think that the poor women were on fire. One of the great sins in the young ladies' eyes is to smoke before their parents. I have never seen children show such respeCt: to their parents as the Mexicans do. No matter how old or grown they are, they always show respeCt: for their father and mother, which the American youth would do to well to imitate. A few weeks ago I made a flying trip to La Junta about twenty-four· miles from Vegas. I drove there in a buggy to bring Father Minister home. I had never been there before, but I went alone and didn't get lost either. It was not a very difficult task to accomplish, for I had only to follow the railroad rout~. The reason I mention the trip is, because I wish to tell about a vision, that a servant of our Fathers there had. It was a material kind of vision which left a deep impression on him. He was sent one day to find a lost cow. He went on a mule. He inquired at various places for the cow, but without success. He finally asked at a place where there were some muchachitos playing. �New Mexico. The youngsters came out and frightened the mule, and the poor fellow fell off, and while falling the mule gave him a good sound kick. such as only mules can give, and knocked him senseless. The mule came home alone, and he came along some time after. Such was the vision, but it requires explanation. Two or three days after he was told that his father was dead. "I know it," said he. "for God gave me a vision three days ago." When asked to explain, he said : "When I fell off the mule, my father fell sick: and when the mule kicked me, and knocked me senseless, my father died." I don't think that this could be considered a real vision, yet th~ poor visionary, who by the way imagines himself a novice of the Society, firmly believes it. The church oC our Fathers there would deserve a chapter for itsel£ B11t I may be able to give a good account of La Junta, ·~s also of Fort Union, some other time, as we start for there to-day, and I must end this epistle in time. Suffice it to say, that Father Rossi went to Fort Union on Holy Thursday to give the Catholic soldiers an opportunity of hearing Mass. Easter Sunday also the same Father said Mass and preached a very good English sermon to them. The Gazette remarked that the commander not being a man of any religious belief permitted it, as though it were a speciaL favor he was conferring. For the scientific part of your readers, I have an item which I have reserved till the last. ·when I first came here, I was struck with a phenomenon th.at happened every night when I was undressing. Innumeraqle sparks shot out from all my clothes. At first, I was a little frightened, but thinking over it, I found they were electric sparks. Sometimes I have got as many as a dozen sparks from my shirt. It is owing, I have no doubt, to the dryness of the atmosphere, for I never observed it anywhere else. Since I have been here, it has not rained half a dozen times. We have had but three or four slight falls of snow which evaporated immediately. The climate is truly the only good thing here, �Missionary Labors. it makes up for all the inconveniences we have to suffer. You have often heard that Vegas is a beautiful spot, but if you could only see it, you wouldn't think so. But I must come to a close. If at any time I have anything of interest, I will certainly communicate it to Your Reverence, as I believe it is the easiest method of answering all correspondents. Hoping that what I have said may prove of interest, I recommend myself to the prayers of all. Your humble servant in Christ. M. T. HuGHES, S.]. MISSIONS GIVEN BY FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS. FROM JANUARY 4th, 1880, TO MARCH ·21st. December is a fine month, in which to leave the ice and snow of New England, and journey to Florida, where spring has already begun. Such was the good fortune of the Missionary Fathers at the end of last year. Leaving Boston on the 28th of December, they arrived at Jacksonville, January 2d, having traveled continuously with the exception of a night spent in Philadelphia. The change was most enchanting : to see the fields and gardens decked in green, the roses in full bloom, and the oranges ripe upon the trees was, truly, a welcome sight. Florida, though at all times having attraCtions for tourists, presents them most lavishly during the winter months. Thousands from our northern cities spend the winter there in quest· of health: thousands go there also for enjoyment, and this they find in the delightful climate and the remarkable scenery of the country. Many tourists, charmed with what they see around them, remain, and induce their friends to imitate their e;{ample. As a consequence, the State is I �Missionary Labors. increasing rapidly in population, since, independently of the advantages of climate and scenery, it offers the best inducements to immigrants, who naturally look for cheap lands and quick returns from their labor. Florida offers both to those who settle within her borders. It is an every day affair to hear of persons, who settled in Florida ten years ago, and bought fifty or sixty acres of land for three dollars an acre : for six or seven years they made enough to sup· port themselves; now with their orange groves, which, in the meantime, have begun to produce a fair crop, they are considered wealthy, having incomes of four and five thousand dollars a year, with every prospea of increasing them, as an orange grove reaches its highest point of produaiveness after twenty, and continues fruitful for a hundred, years. The writ~r'of this sketch saw trees in full bearing that were over sixty"years old. To return; persons who bought land for three dollars an acre, and managed to make a living on it for eight years, are now offered two and three thousand dollars an acre for the same land, owing to the groves upon it. Numbers of farmers from the North and West, aware of these faas, have sold out their estates, in order to settle in Florida, whilst our Catholics are rushing to the Northwest to freeze in winter, and make a pitiable living, perhaps, at all times. Some say that the supply of oranges will be too great for the demand. This was said fifteen years ago: in that time, the crop has increased by J?illions of oranges, and more money is made now than then, An orange grove requires very little attention. Light rubbish, or muck from the swamps, thrown under the trees is all the fertilizing needed. At times, a carbolic wash is good for the trunk of the tree. A tree with proper care will give a yield of five thousand oranges, but even putting it at a thousand, and following the praaice of having a hundred trees to the acre, and allowing ant; cent for an orange, net gain, the income would be a thousand dollars. �Missionary Labors. 143 I saw a tree, where last year the fruit was sold as it hung upon the branches for sixty dollars. And this is now no rare occurrence. A gentleman from the North has a small place near Mandarin, for which he paid a few dollars an acre. Having a good portion of it as a truck garden for the northern markets, he has besides thirty acres in orange trees, and, at the lowest estimate, in a few years, he will have an income from the oranges alone of thirty thousand dollars ! And the orange is but one of the products of Florida: all the semi-tropical fruits are grown there, besides the ordinary crops of grain, cotton, rice, sugar-cane, and early vegetables for the markets of the North, etc. Lumber is also a great industry. JA.CKSONVILLE.-The mission in Jacksonville, which in winter is the Saratoga of the South, lasted for a week. The Bishop of the diocese, always so kind to Ours, came from St. Augustine, his residence, fifty miles up the St. John's River, to greet the Fathers and bless their work. The church was crowded at every service. Protestants came to the mission in large numbers, and a few were received into the true fold. No doubt, the prejudices of a great many were removed, and though not converted, they will be more ready to hear Catholic truth in the future. Towards the end of the week, Father Holland was sent to Palatka, seventy miles up the River St. John, to begin a mission on Sunday, the I Ith of January. Father Maguire after giving two lectures in Jacksonville went to join Father Holland about the 15th of the month. The number of Communions in both places was altogether about seven hundred. Jacksonville in winter is a very inviting place, and the rich equipages of the northern residents give it a gala appearance. An additional interest was given to the every day routine of the city, during the mission, by the arrival of the ex-President on his way for Havana. His presence and the procession in his honor interfered a little with the attendance at the church for a day or so. �144 ilfissionary Labors. ST. AuGUSTINE. (January 18-25)-This ancient town, the oldest in North America, though considerably changed in appearance by the advent of northern men, is still quaint enough to put one in mind of Spain and hidalgos, of the plumes and prowess of the adventurers of former times. Passing along its narrow streets one almost feels on the alert for some caballero of the olden time to march out all booted, crested and spurred from an alley way, to challenge intrusion. The buildings are very old and venerable; they are made of cochina rock, a conglomerate of sand and shells, from a quarry on an island in front of the city, across the Matanzas River. This island and the river, not a mile wide, are the only barriers between the ocean and St. Augustine, and for this reason invalids are afraid to tarry there. Some, however, think this a mistake, as the nearness of the Gulf Stream to the coast (twenty miles) prevents any bad effects from the ocean air. The present Cathedral was built in the last century. The Franciscan convent, now a barracks, and the home of the Poor Clares, used as a private house in these times, were built long before. The present residence of the Bishop was under Spanish rule a free school, the first in the United States. The people are no longer the same that they were under the old government. At the change of flag in Ii63, nearly all the old Spanish settlers retired to Spain or Cuba; their places were afterwards filled by Minorcans brought to the colony by an Englishman, named Trumbull. To many there is very little difference between-a Spaniard and a Minorcan; though there is in character and language. The venerable names of Suarez, Sanchez, Fernandez, Lugo, Rodriguez are common enough, but when we see the bearer of one of these great names keeping an oyster-house or hiring out sail.boats, you cannot but admire how the mighty have fallen. The Indian Missions were at one time very flourishing and consoling around St. Augustine. Nearly all the Semi- �llfissionary Labors. 145 noles were converted to the f.1ith; but the English broke up the missions, and the poor Indians became wanderers again as their name signifies. At present, they. inhabit by treaty the Everglades, or swampy lands of the southern part of the State. They have little, or no intercourse with the whites, and are very suspicious in regard to them. Father Dufau, the vicar-general of the diocese, made an attempt a few years ago to enter the Everglades for the spiritual advancement of the tribe, but met with such difficulties and distrust, that he was forced to abandon his undertaking. The Indians call all white people, "cow men," for the reason that the whites come to trade in cattle once in a while. Half a mile north of St. Augustine is the chapel of Nuestra Senora de Ia Leche, a modern building on the site of an old one, where Father Bias Rodriguez de Montes was put to death two hundred and eighty years ago by some Indians, whose bad conduCt: he had found fault with. They came early in the morning to the chapel; the Father divining their errand obtained their permission to say Mass, which they attended in silence, and at the end of which they massacred him at the foot of the altar. This, with other faB:s well known in Florida, shows that Christianity has shed its blood there also, and consequently must have its triumphs. The mission work was most consoling in St. Augustine. The people are good, docile, full of faith, and remarkably honest, pure and temperate. Until the immigration of the northern people there was not a single liquor store in the town. Door.s ami bolts on houses were unknown, and, I doubt, even now, if the people are equal to the mysteries of them. About a dozen Protestants joined the Church, during the retreat; amongst them was a Mr. Bronson, the leading citizen of the place, who is married to a great granddaughter of Judge Gaston, so well known in his day. The church was crowded all day with devout worshippers. There were about one thousand Communions; about fifty grown persons were confirmed by the Bishop, the Right Rev. John Moore, at the end of the Mission. VoL. 1x-No. 2. 19 �JM"ssionary Labors. \Vhilst Frs. Maguire and Holland were engaged in the work mentioned above, Frs. Strong and Morgan were sent to other places in the State, to give the exercises; the former, to Key \Vest, the latter, to Fernandina, Moccasin Branch, and Mandarin. FER~ANDINA. (Jan. 4-1 1)-The church here is under the patronage of St. Michael, in memory of Father Miguel de Auiion, who was martyred by the Indians in 1597 in the old town of Fernandina about a mile from the new town. There is a chapel in either place attended by Father 0' Boyle, the present pastor. He lives in the new town. There are schools in both places taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The colored school in old Fernandina is supported by the State, and- the Sisters receive salaries for their services. The Catho).ic population is very small, and notwithstanding the arrival of General Grant on the opening day of the mission and the festivities in his honor on the day following, the attendance at church was very good throughout the week. A day was given for the benefit of the infirm in the 1 old town. Quite a number of persons came to the exercis es, and the Father was quite amused to see the colleCtion taken up in the chapel by an old lady of the congregation. Fernandina is a resort in winter for invalids and tourists. The famous beach, eighteen miles long, and the best ocean drive in the world, attraCts a great many people in the afternoon. The number of Communions was about two hundred and fifty. Seven persons, amongst whon1 was a colored alderman, were received into the church:·.· MoccASIN BRANCH.-This is a Minorcan settlement about twelve miles from St. Augustine. The congregation is under the care of Father Langlade of the Cathedral. There is a handsome chapel ereB:ed by the zeal of the pastor. The people are good and full of faith. Intemperance and the other vices, so common elsewhere, are unheard of here. No man has yet dared to sell intoxicating drink in the settlement. Everybody came to the mission, bringing even �llfissionary Labors. • 147 the babies to the church to the great annoyance of the preacher, who frequently had to give his sermon amid a chorus of a half dozen squalling infants. The dogs, too, came with their owners, to spend the day around the church and contribute their mite to the exis~ing difficulties. The mission began on the 14th of January at night; after the sermon there was a torchlight procession to guide the people homeward. The retreat lasted ten days. Number of Communions, one hundred. Among the many remarkable traits of these people in the way of goodness, a stranger is struck by their striCl: honesty. There are no locks or bolts on doors. A man goes from home and stays for a week, and no one interferes with his property. MANDARIN.-This is an old settlement made in the last century by royalists or tories from the Carolinas. After the Revolutionary \Var, they emigrated to Florida, then under the English flag. \Vhen the Spanish rule was restored, these settlers to obtain grants of land, conformed outwardly to the Catholic faith. Their religion, however, was very slight; a priest used to visit them once or twice a year, to baptize the infants. In 1840, the Methodists at. tempted to draw these people away from the Church, and partially succeeded, and would, no doubt, have perverted the whole population, but for a mishap. A certain tall, loud-talking preacher from Georgia appeared, and continually shouting out death, judgment and hell, frightened a great many. He insisted upon every one having his bible to read, etc. "I can not," he said, "give all bibles: colleCl: the money, and I'll buy them for you." The colleCl:ion was taken up; all contributed, some giving their jewels. The preacher took the offerings, and to this day, the bibles have not come, and the preacher has not been heard from. . About fifteen years ago, a priest, now in the Society, began to reside among the people of Mandarin. At first, he met with great difficulties, but now nearly all are Catholics. �Missionary Lr;tbors. • A few Baptist negroes are living in the neighborhood, and are noted for the usual vices of the race. The Catholic population is scattered over an area of thirty miles, and can scarcely be reached by a single mission : still those that could responded well to the labors of the m1sswnary. They are commonly called "Crackers," but whatever else may be said of them, they are good, and try to save their souls. One would much rather see them as they are, with little farms and their houses full of children, than crazy after money and advancement. If there is a poor man amongst them that is in need, he starts out in the morning with a sack, and has not to go far before it is full of provisions. The colored people who are. Catholics contrast very favorably with the colored Baptists spoken of above. About two hundred Communions were the fruit of the mission. This ends with the report from Key ·west, which will be given afterwards, the labors of the missionaries in Florida. The Fathers were all satisfied with the success of their work, and look back with pleasure to their stay in the "Land of Flowers." J. A. M. .. KEY \VEST. Notts from tlze Diary of a Missionary. Finding it impossible to reach .Key \Vest, Florida, by steamer, in time to comply with· our promised engagements, we started Dec. 30th from Boston for Cedar Keys with the promise from R. R. officials of making immediate conneCtion with steamer from that Port. On Sunday morning, January 4th, we arrived at Jacksonville, wearied with travel and worn out from the want of sleep. The jour~ey by the "Coast Line" is, indeed, monotonous. Leaving Richmond, Virginia, the "route" traverses the low grounds bordering the sea-coast. Miles and miles of swampy lands �llfissionary Labors. 149 covered with pine forests meet the eye. At long intervals a more elevated spot has been cleared and devoted to the culture of corn or cotton. Our stay at Jacksonville was of short duration. In the afternoon of the day of our arrival we retraced our steps to Baldwin, a. point of interseaion made by the "\Vestern Florida" and the "Atlantic, Gulf and \Vest Indies, Transit Co." Rail Roads. Next morning at eight o'clock we took a seat in a freight train trusting to reach Cedar Keys before the sailing of the steamer. Our route was now due East and West. The same formation of country presented itsel( Low, flat lands, here and there a portion devoted to the raising of rice, now and again an orange grove of recent date broke the monotony of the surrounding pines and attraaed attention. The road we were now traveling was known as A. G. & W. I. T. Co. which judging from the speed our train attained might read "Always going and when in time conneas." Cedar Keys were reached at eight in the evening and we were informed that the steamer had sailed the previous night. The next steamer would touch at this port on the following Friday. The island on which we were, is but one of the number of small islands called the Keys. It is about two miles long and half a mile wide. It is composed of sand, pebble and oyster shell, and stands not more than twelve feet above the sea level. The whole island was covered with the palmetto, of which we saw three different kinds. The tall palmetto (Saba! Palmetto), or as it is called by those residing upon the island "the cabbage palmetto, attained a height of thirty to forty feet. The saw palmetto (Saba! Serrulata) had a creeping stem four to eight feet long from which arose leaves two to four feet high. The dwarf palmetto (Saba! Andersonii), its short stem wholly under ground-its leaves two to three feet high, of a glaucous green, covered almost the whole extent of the sandy soil. The island derives its importance from being the Gulf terminus of the Florida railroad, and a point of departure �150 llfissionary Labors. for New Orleans or Key West and Havana. The chief and \Ve may say, the only objeCts of interest are the large sawmills belonging to Messrs. Fabers the famous manufaCturers of lead-pencils. This firm obtains, yearly, hundreds of thousands feet of cedar from the adjacent islands and prepares it in these mills for shipment to their faCtories in the North. The waters surrounding the island are noted for their oy?ters. So abundant are they that even the palmetto piles which form the wharves are incrusted with them. The catching and shipment of fish employ many hands as the interior of Florida is for the most part supplied with this article of food from this island. On Thursday a steamer en route to Havana touched at this port; -.Key \Vest was also a point of her destination. Hearing thk we requested the captain to take us aboard. He replied : "The vessel is crowded; not a berth vacant, and even the floor of the mess-room is covered at night with sleeping passengers." So weary were we of Cedar Keys that the inconvenience of passing the night on deck did not deter us. We entreated the captain to receive us. He complied. Without regret we bade farewell to the place of our imprisonment during the past four days. The voyage was delightful. Our little steamer in the perfeCtly smooth water of the Gulf glided along at the rate of ten knots per hour. The first night was passed on deck-not an inch of sleeping room under cover unoccupied. The heavy fog chilled us to the bones. In the early .morning the stewardess, an old colored woman, saw us req.ding our breviary and asked "if we were not a priest and our name." Informed, she exclaimed: "I went eight years ago to you to confession in Baltimore." Immediately the interest of this grateful soul was exerted in our behalf and she induced the first and second mates to resign their sleeping apartment in our favor. On Saturday about five in the afternoon we arrived at Key West. It was the 10th of January, yet the luxuriant vegetation �Jlfissiotzary Labors. 15 I of a tropical climate greeted us on every side. The city occupying about one half of the island, with its wide white coral streets, which were lined with small but neat residences shaded with tropical trees and embowered in perennial flowers and shrubbery, presented a picturesque and pleasing appearance to one who had just left the bleak North. The island, a vast coral, is about seven miles long by from one to two wide, and is eleven feet above the sea. The soil is extremely shallow, consisting of disintegrated coral and slight admixtures of decayed vegetable matter. The population numbers fifteen thousand; of these five thousand are Catholics. There are no springs upon the island and water forms an article of traffic. The principal industries are segarmaking, \vhich employs over four thousand five hundred Cubans, turtling, sponging and the catching of fish for the Cuban market. We began the retreat for the good Sisters of the "Holy Names of Jesus and Mary" on the evening of our arrival. Their convent "Maria Immaculata" is beautiful. Built of faced coral, it extends over two hundred feet in length. This struCture ereCted during the past seven years cost $30,000. The grounds surrou!lding the building are seven acres in extent. \Vith great difficulty has soil been colleCted to cover the barren coral, and now the seven acres produce nearly all the tropical fruits. Here we found the graceful cocoa tree with tall, straight trunk, tufted with long sweeping branches, and bearing fruit from the size of a walnut to that of a man's head. A banana grove occupies one portion of the grounds, whilst pine-apples, guavas, sapodillas, Jamaica-apples, lemons and oranges claim their respeCtive places. The whole place was bright with flowers the most beautiful and fragrant. In different places the island is covered with a stunted chaparral, a natural growth, in which several species of the caCtus form a prominent feature. The Sisters have two schools under their charge; one at the convent numbering about one hundred and fifty pupils, �I 52 Missionary Labors. another in the city for colored children, which is attended by ninety boys and girls. The retreat closed Saturday evening, or rather Sunday morning, as it was necessary to begin the mission for the people on Sunday, January 14th. Three years had elapsed since these good religious had the pleasure of seeing a Jesuit. Nothing could exceed their kindness in our regard. They pointed out the grave of the last Jesuit Father, who had conduCted the Spiritual Exercises in their convent. He came from Havana, gave the retreat, and on the next day was taken down with. yellow fever, dying in a few hours. No priest attended his death-bed, as he was the only one on the island. His body lies at the side of another hero of the Society, a priest also from Havana, who came to Key \Vest, when its pastor was stricken down by this dreadful scourge, to administer to the wants of the dying. He fell in harness, a martyr of charity. Their graves are marked with rude simple crosses. No consecrated spot received tht;:ir remains, no inscription tells their names. True soldiers of Christ, the Day of Judgment will reveal their merit. January I Ith, Sunday, we opened the mission for the people. The hope of success was faint indeed. The pastors told us, that of the four thousand five hundred Cubans, not one ever entered the church. They claim to be Catholics, but say that the clergy in the United States, as in Cuba, are opposed to "Cuba Libra ;" hence they relinquish the practices of their religion, though the.y cling to the faith. The true reason is that they all belong-· to secret societies, freemasons, of which there are thirteen lodges in this small island. Of the remaining five hundred Catholics who reside on the Key, we were told but four men had made their Easter Communion, of the women some twenty. It was disheartening, on turning around at the opening of the mission; to find about one hundred men, women and children present. At night, the church was filled, and during the mission God blessed our labors. Four hundred and eightythree approached holy Communion, thirteen were received �Missionary Labors. I 53 into the Church, twenty received Communion for the first time, and fifty were prepared for Confirmation. _.Among the converts, a prominent freemason made his abjuration. Monday night, January 26th, we closed the mission, and on Tuesday started for Tampa to begin another. On reaching Cedar Keys, after a .stormy passage, we concluded it were better to join the other Fathers in the more important missions in Charleston, S. C. So we bade farewell to Southern Florida. G. I. S. MISSIONS IN CHARLESTON, S.c. Returning North, the Fathers gave two missions m Charleston. Frs. Maguire and Holland were engaged at the Cathedral; Frs. Strong and Morgan, at St. Patrick's. The work lasted for a week; and the Fathers had every reason to be pleased with the fruits of their labors in both places. The people are warm-hearted and docile. The attendance during the exercises was very large; the Protestants of all classes showed great willingness to listen to Catholic doCtrine. About thirty-six hundred persons received the holy Communion, taking the results in both churches. Fourteen converts were made to the faith. Over a hundred adults were prep:ued for Confirmation ; about twenty grown persons made their first Communion. From Charleston northward there was little to vary the monotony of the journey. The burning of a bridge near \Veldon, N.C., delayed the Fathers for twelve hours. Wel-don is a small and uninteresting place. By inquiry it was found that there were eight Catholics in the town; the ninth one had been obliged to run away for some misdeed. Continuing their journey, the Father saw on the train about twenty."exodusters" en route for Indiana; these colored emigrants were dressed in their summer clothes, expeCting, no doubt, to find in the land of promise, a negro paradiseperpetual summer. The following dialogue was overheard. VoL. Ix-No. 2. 20 �154 Missionary Labors. A friend came into the car and spoke to the leader of the band. First(colored) citizm. "How d'ye do? \Vhar is ye gwine ?" Second (colored) citi:::m. (subdued.) "To Indiana." First. '.'To Indiana! What ye gwine dar for? It's monstrous cole out dar, ole man. It's powerful cole out dar round Boston. I've been dar once." Sec(>nd. (changing subjeCt.) "How's yer lettis ?" First. "What! did ye see de lettis? Well, ole man, ye won't see no mo! No lettis, out dar round Boston. Ole man, ye seed it for de las' time. Sell yer ticket and go back home. Y e won't see yer wife, no mo. \Vhy, ye'll die out dar round Boston. Y e'll be frize." The advice did no good. l\hssroNs IN NEw YoRK CITY. ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH.-Frs. Maguire, Strong, Holland, Magevney and Morgan gave a very successful mission in this church of our Fathers during the first week of Lent. They were obliged from the beginning to have a double mission, as the crowds in both weeks were too large to be gathered into the church. The interest was kept up through the two weeks, and much good was done. A separate service was had every day for the children, and a very interesting ceremony in their behalf was had on the last Sunday: the children were assembled,.and a certain number of boys and girls, appropriately dres~ed, renewed in the name of all the rest the Baptismal Vows, after which the papal benediCtion was given them by one of the Fathers. Results: Communions, eight thousand; Baptism of adults, nine; left under instruCtion, three: First Communion of adults, one hundred and two; prepared for Confirmation, one hundred and twenty-nine. CHURCH OF THE HoLY INNOCENTS.-This mission was given by Frs. Maguire, Me A tee, Holland, Magevney and Gerlach. The labor was hard and continuous, and, but for �llfissionary Labors. 155 the help of the Fathers from Fordham College, a great deal would have been left undone. They came every evening and worked for hours in the confessional, and this notwithstanding their collegiate duties during the rest of the day. Special efforts were made for the spiritual advantage of the children of the public schools with encour"aging results. Fruits of the work : eleven thousand Communions; First Communions of adults, thirty-two; Converts, fifteen. A number was prepared for Confirmation. JERSEY CITY, N.J.-Frs. Strong and Morgan were engaged at St. Bridget's Church in this city from the 7th to 21st March, whilst the other Fathers were giving the mission at the church of the Holy Innocents, in New York. Being by themselves, the work came hard on them, but the Fathers of the College kindly came to their relief and helped them over the difficulties. There were four sermons or instructions every day; a .special one was given to the children. The day after the exercises were ended, the Bishop of the diocese, Right Rev. Michael Corrigan, gave Confirmation to one hundred and twenty-nine adults. Seventy grown persons were prep;ued for first Communion; the total number of Communicants was twenty-seven hundred. Converts to the Faith, fourteen. Children, of mixed marriages, baptized, seven. Number of confessions over three thousand. This is the sum of the missionary labors to March 21st. It is easily seen that the southern tour was not so fruitful in numbers, but when it is considered that the Catholic population there is scattered, and that every body almost, that could, made the mission, and that so large a number of Protestants in proportion to the population was received into the Church, the Fathers have no reason to complain. General results: Communions, twenty-eight thousand; Baptisms, eighty; First Communion of adults, two hundred and thirty-four. Prepared for Confirmation (adults), four hundred and sixteen. J. A. M. �Jl!issionary Labors. MISSION IN CHICAGO. The nusswn at "The Holy Name" Cathedral, Chicago, commenced on the 4th Sunday of Lent, and was brought to a close on Tuesday of Holy \Veek. It was conduaed hy Father Coghlan, aided by Frs. Verdin, Bouige, Kuppens and Van Hultz. The very Rev. Dr. Me Mullen, V. G., pastor of the cathedral, as also the Rev. Clergy attached to the church, lent their aid in the confessional. Father Riel assisted till called away to replace the good and lamented Father Me Gill, who died in Detroit during Holy Week. The general results of the mission may be briefly summed up: ' There-were ten thousand confessions heard. There were nineteen converts received into the Church; two thousand three hundred members were received into the Society of the Sacred Heart and Apostleship of Prayer, while three hundred young ladies were received into the Sodality, established during the mission. There were three thousand men present at the night services during the week especially devoted to their spiritual welfare, presenting so imposing a speaacle that an accidental Protestant attendant remarked that "it could not be there said that religion was considered good only for women." The missionary Fathers left Chicago on ]\larch 3 Ist, to open another mission in the chur<:h of St. Charles Borromeo, Brooklyn, on the 4th of April. D. 0. M. �WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. IX, No. 3· PAPERS RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE MARYLAND MISSION. 1.- NARRATIVE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CATHOLIC RELIGION IN MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. By Archbishop 7olm Carro!!. [This NARRATIVE first appeared in the llfetropolitan Magazine, March, I830. It was translated by the Editor, Rev. Dr. Pise, from an old French MS. preserved in the library of the Archbishop of Baltimore. He says: ''From certain passages, I am induced to believe that it was originally' written in English by Archbishop Carroll. and translated into the language in which I find it." J. Carroll Brent, in his 'Biography of Archbishop Carroll,' borrows from the same French text. Campbell, a careful writer, in the U. S. Catholic Magazine, 1845. page 250, gives an extraEl: from the original paper in Archbishop Carroll's hand-writing. It corresponds exactly with the English MS. in our possession, which is in all probability the 'original paper,' seen and used by Campbell.] In the latter end of the reign of James I. of England, who died in 1625, the Roman Catholics, suffering great oppression from the laws of that kingdom, were very desirous of seeking some asylum from the persecution in their own VoL. rx-No. 3· 21 (157) �Historical Papers. country. Lord Baltimore, who was himself a Roman Catholic, obtained from the King the grant of that land which now forms the State of Maryland. The grant was confirmed by charter to Lord Baltimore, soon after the accession of Charles I. to his father's crown ; who gave to the new Province the name of Maryland in honor of his Queen, Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV. By the Charter, freedom was granted to all emigrants into the new country, for their religious and civil rights. Many Catholics, chiefly the younger sons of respeB:able English families, emigrated about the year 1630 under the conduCt: of Lord Baltimore himself; and with them came Father Peter White, an English Jesuit. These chose for · their place of residence a situation not far from the mouth of Patozt:tJlack River, and at its junB:ion with the River of St. Mary; .. which name was afterwards given to the first town, and it was made the Capital, and so continued for seventy or eighty years. Father \\'hite* finding too much employment for one priest "''Ve give the text of the :MS. unaltered, although it contains some obvious errors in regard to names and dates. Father "'bite's name was Andrew; the .Maryland Pilgrims set sail from England, November 22d, 1633; Lord Baltimore did not accompany the expedition, which\vas under the command of his brother. Fathers 'Vhite and Altham were among the first settlers, and the former did not return to England, until he was sent back along with the other Jesuits, in 1645. 'These are well known facts of J\laryland history; but the statement of the Narrative, that Father 'Vhite arrived in 1630, and returned to Europe for assistance in his missionary labors, gives occasion for a curious and interesting conjecture-that this Father may have accompanied Lord Baltimore in the abortive attempt to found the s.ettlement of Avalon. The first Lord Baltimore, when his scheme of colonization in Newfoundland had proved a failure, applied for the charter of Maryland, and in 1630, paid a visit to the Chesapeake; but Lady Baltimore seems to have made an excursion from Avalon to Virginia, in 162ll. There were two chaplains attached to the original colony, who are styled Seminary Priests; it is possible, that Father 'Vhite may have been one of these, and that he attended Lady Baltimore on the visit in 1629, although authentic records place the first arrival of the Jesuits in.1634. The date mentioned by the Archbishop is confirmed by the first entry in an old written Catalogns l'atrum Anglorum, etc. qui hue missi fuere ab ·intro· ductione Societatis in hriR partes usque ad 1790. Andreas White :-Primus l\Iarylandire missionarius. Ad venit hue circa 1630, ante Diim Baltimore. Sacellum extruxit in 'Vhite Neck, at non habebat Domum. �Arc!zbi'.slzop Carroll's Narratii,e. 159 only, returned to Europe to get assistance; and I find in my very imperfect memoirs, that in the year 1632, FF. Copley, Harkey and Perret came into this country, probably with Fr. White. Their chief residence was at a place which they called St. Inigo, the Spanish word for St. Ignatius. There they acquired a considerable body of land, part of which is yet in the possession of the clergy, and the residence of one of them, with a large body of neighboring Catholics, descendants of the first settlers. All histories, which have been written, even by Protestants, of the first settlement of European Colonies in America, speak in the most favorable language of the conduct of these Catholic Emigrants, who by their spirit of justice and fidelity to their engagements, won the esteem and confidence of the native Indians. They did not take from them an inch of land by force; but Lord Baltimore and his company made honorable purchases. from them of all the country within the lines of his charter; so that no treachery or bloodshed disgraced the beginnings of this colony. As it grew very fast the settlers extended themselves farther up into the country; and with them some of the clergy proceeded, and made acquisitions of land for their future support. About the year 1640, some design appears to have been formed for carrying the Gospel among the native Indians. For I find, by some papers in my possession, that in this year, the Provincial of the English Jesuits wrote a letter of exhortation to the young Jesuits at Liege, inviting them to offer their services for this perilous and laborious undertaking. In consequence of this invitation, upwards of twenty solicited with the most fervorous language to be sent; but I do not find that anything farther was done in the business; which I doubt not was owing to the jealousy, which the neighboring Protestants of Virginia had now conceived at the superior credit which the Catholics enjoyed among the Indians. Add to this, that in this same year 1640, the �I6o Historical Papers. troubles began in England, which ended in the dethronement and beheading of Charles I. in 1648; the virulence of the prevailing party in England against Catholics, and their jealousy of every enterprise for the increase of true Religion made it necessary to forbear from any farther communication with the Indians. For, as the spirit of the times was, it would have been said certainly, that the Indians would be brought down by the priests and papists to murder all the Protestant inhabitants. During the time of Cromwell's government in England, the Catholics of Maryland were sorely harassed. Lord Baltimore was deprived of his government; Catholics were excluded from offices of trust, which they enjoyed before, and the priests were obliged to perform the services of their religion qn1ch more secretly, and with great circumspeCtion. From this time, I find no account of any endeavors being made to penetrate amongst the Indians and teach them the doB:rines of the Gospel. Before the end of Cromwell's usurpation, they had removed probably to a great distance ; there were never priests more than sufficient to attend on the Catholic inhabitants; the power and influence of the Protestants, favored by the Government in England, and encouraged by all the surrounding Colonies, had increased very much in this; and the jealousy was always kept alive of the intermeddling of the Catholics with the Indians. It has even been perpetuated to these latter times, and in the war of 1755 between the French and English, some priests were apprehended in Maryland, wit~out the least foundation of truth, on a malicious information of their having tampered with the Indians to wage war against the AngloAmericans. Maryland, after the Restoration of Charles II., flourished under the equitable government either of Lord Baltimore himself, his Brothers, or his deputies; new religious establishments were formed, and in process of time, priests were settled in many other par.ts of the Province. They were no �Archbishop Carroll's Narrative. r I charge on the people, but were supported by the produce of the lands, which they had acquired since the planting of the Country. But, after the Revolution in England, Catholics were deprived of all offices of trust, and their religion, contrary to the Charter, and their original rights, was hardly tolerated. The Baltimore family changed their religion and became Protestants, to recover the government of the Province, of which they had been deprived. From this time a tax was laid on all persons, whatever might be their religious profession, to support the ministers of the Church of England: attempts were made to introduce the whole code of English penal laws; and it seemed to depend more on the temper of the courts of justice, than on avowed and acknowledged principles, that these laws were not generally executed, as they were sometimes partially. Under these very discouraging circumstances, some Catholic families of note left the Church, and carried an accession of weight and influence to the Protestant cause. The seat of government was removed from St. Mary's, where the Catholics were powerful, to Annapolis, where lay the strength of the opposite party. The Catholics, excluded from all lucrative employments, harassed and discouraged, became, in general, poor and dejeCted. But, in spite of these discouragements, their numbers increased with the increase of population. Some Congregations existed in most parts of the Province. They either had clergymen residing in their neighborhood, or were occasionally visited by them; but these Congregations were dispersed at such distances, and the clergymen were so few, that many Catholic families could not always hear Mass, or receive any instruCtion, so often as once in a month. Domestic instruCtion supplied, in some degree, this defeCt, but yet very imperfeCtly. Amongst the poorer sort, many could not read; or if they· could,' were destitute of books, which if to be had at all, must come from England; and in England, the laws were excessively rigid against print- �162 Historical Papers. ing or vending Catholic books. Under all these difficulties, it is surprising that there remained in Maryland even so much as there was of true religion. In general, the Catholics were regular and inoffensive in their conduct, such, I mean, as were natives of the country; but when many began to be imported as servants from Ireland, great licentiousness prevailed amongst them in the towns and neighborhoods where they were chiefly stationed, and spread a scandal injurious to the faith. Contiguous to the houses, where the priests resided on the lands, which had been secured for the Clergy, small chapels were built; but scarcely any where else; when divine service was performed at a distance from their residence, private and inconvenient houses were used for churches. Catholics contributed nothing to the._ support of Religion or its ministers ; the whole charge of its maintenance, of furnishing the altars, of all traveling expenses fell on the priests themselves; and no compensation was ever offered for any service performed by them; nor did they require any, so long as the produce of their lands was sufficient to answer their demands. But it must have been foreseen, that if religion should make considerable progress, this could not always be the case. About the year 1730, or rather later, Father Greaton, a JeslJit (for none but Jesuits had yet ventured into the English colonies), went from l\laryland to Philadelphia, and laid the foundations of that congregation, now so flourishing; he lived there till about the year 1750, long before which he had succeeded in building' the old chapel, which is still contiguous to the presbytery ~f that town, and in assembling a numerous congregation, which, at his first going thither, did not consist of more than ten or twelve persons. I remember to have seen this venerable man at the head of his flock in 1748. He was succeeded by the Rev. Father Harding, whose memory remains in great veneration, under whose patronage and through whose exertions the present church of St. Mary's was built. �Arc!tbislzop Carroll's Narrative. In 1741, two German Jesuits were sent to Pennsylvania for the instruCtion and conversion of German emigrants, who, from many parts of Germany, had come into that Province. Under great hardships and poverty, they began their laborious undertaking, which has since been followed by great benediCtions. Their names ware Father Schneider, from Bavaria, and Father Wapeler, from the lower Rhine. They were uoth men of much learning and unbounded zeal. Mr. Schneider, moreover, was a person of great dexterity in business·, consummate prudence, and undaunted magnanimity. Mr. vVapeler having remained about eight years in America, and converted or reclaimed many to the faith of Christ, was forced by bad health to return to Europe. He was the person who made the first settlement of the place now called Conewago. Mr. Schneider formed many congregations in Pennsylvania, built, by his aB:ivity and exertions, a noble church at Goshenhoppen, and spread the faith of Christ far and near. He was used to visit Philadelphia once a month, for the sake of the Germans residing there, till· it was at length found proper to establish there permanently a German priest as the companion of Father Harding. The person appointed was the venerable Father Farmer, who had come from Germany some years before, and had lived an apostolic life at Lancaster in the same province of Pennsylvania. This event took place, I believe, about the year I 760, or rather later. It is unnecessary to say much concerning the labors of this venerable servant of God; his memory is fresh in the minds of all who knew or heard of him, having died in 1786, the model of pastors, and of all priests. The congregation of Philadelphia speaks sufficiently his praises; for it must be ascribed, in great measure, to him, that so much piety and religion have been perpetuated in it. A short time before the death of this venerable servant of God, events took place in America, produB:ive not only of a great political change in the state of the country, but likewise of the utmost importance to the Catholic religion. �Histon·cal Papers. It is known that, in the year 1776, thirteen provinces of English America declared themselves independent of the British king and nation; and this independence, after a war of six years, was recognised by England. As long as the Provinces, which, after the Declaration of Independence, assumed the title of States, were subjeCt: to the British, the Catholic religion had not penetrated into any but Maryland and Pennsylvania. The laws were most rigorous against the exercise of it: a priest was subjeCt: to death for only entering within their territories. Catholics were subjeCt: to the most rigorous penalties for adhering to the worship which their consciences approved, and were not only excluded from every office under government, but would hardly have been suffered to remain in any of the other provinces., if known to profess the faith of Rome. In this situation ~f things, few Catholics settled in other States, or, if they did, dissembled their religion, and either attached themselves to some other, or intermarried with Protestants, and suffered their children to be educated in error. Even in Maryland and Pennsylvania the condition of ·Catholics, as was noticed before, was a state of oppression. The few Jesuits who could be spared from the English mission, were insufficient even to answer the exigencies of the two provinces in which they first settled; and no other clergymen undertook the perilous task of carrying the true faith into other provinces. Such was the state of things when a general revolt from England took plac.e. Having renounced subjeB:ion to- England, the American States found it necessary to form new constitutions for their future government, and happily, a free toleration of religion was made a fundamental point in all the new constitutions ; and, in many of them, not only a toleration was decreed, but likewise a perfeCt: equality. of civil rights for persons of every Christian profession. In some, indeed, the yet unextinguished spirit of prejudice and intolerance excludes Catholics from this equality. �Arcltbislzop Carroll's Narrati<'C. Many reasons concurred to produce this happy and just article in the new constitutions. First, some of the leading charaCters in the direCtion of American councils were, by · principle, averse to all religious oppression, and having been much acquainted with the manners and doCtrines of Roman Catholics, represented strongly the injustice of excluding them from any civil right. Secondly, Catholics concurred as generally, and with equal zeal, in repelling that oppression which first produced the hostilities with Great Britain; and it would have been deemed impolitic, as well as unjust, to deprive them of a common share of advantages, purchased with common danger and by united exertions. Thirdly, the assistance, or at least the neutrality of Canada, was deemed necessary to the success of the United States; and to give equal rights to Roman Catholics might tend to dispose the Canadians favorably towards the American cause: Lastly, France began to show a disposition to befriend the United States, and it was conceived to be very impolitic to disgust that powerful kingdom by unjust severities against the religion which it professed. Notwithstanding this happy change in the government and laws of the different States, still religion reaped little auvantage from it before the close of the war. The priests were too few; many of them were worn down with age and hardships; besides which, during the whole war, there was not the least communication between the Catholics of America and their Bishop, who was the vicar apostolic of the London DistriCt:. To his spiritual jurisdiCtion were subjeCt: the United States; but whether he would hold no correspondence with a country which he, perhaps, considered in a state of rebellion, or \vhether a natural indolence and irresolution restrained him, the faCt: is, he held no kind of intercourse with priest or layman in this part of his charge. Before the breaking out of the war, his predecessor had appointed a vicar, the Rev. Mr. Lewis, and he governed the mission of America during the Bishop's silence. VoL. Ix-No. 3· 22 �166 Historical Papers. Soon after the termination of the war, the clergy in Maryland and Pennsylvania, being sensible that, to derive all advantage from the new order of things in America, it would be proper to have an ecclesiastical superior in the country itself, and knowing the jealousy prevailing in the American governments against the right of jurisdiCtion vesting in a person residing in Great Britain, addressed themselves to the Holy See, praying that a superior might be allowed, and that he might be chosen by the clergy, subjeCt: to the approbation and confirmation of His Holiness. Soon after this petition was received at Rome, the present Bishop was appointed superior, with very ample powers, and amongst others, that of administering Confirmation, a sacrament which had-never yet been administered in the United States. This appo~!ltment was received in November, 1784. The new superior, soon after his appointment, drew up a state of religion in the country committed to his care, of which an abridgment is here annexed. The number of acknowledged Catholics in Maryland was estimated at about sixteen thousand, and most of them scattered in the country, employed in agriculture: in Pennsylvania, at more than seven thousand; and, as far as information could be obtained, about one thousand five hundred in the other States. But it has been discovered since, that this estimate was much too low; the number of Catholics having been found much larger; and in this enumeration the Canadian French and their desc!!ndants are not comprehended, who inhabit the country lying to the westward of the Ohio and the borders of the Mississippi. The number of clergymen in Maryland was nineteen, and five in Pennsylvania: of these, four through age and infirmity were almost entirely unfit for any service; and others were far _advanced in years, and their constitutions were broken down with continual and long labors. Their subsistence was not drawn from the contributions of their flocks, excepting in some towns, as Philadelphia and Baltimore, �Bisltop Fmwick's Sketclz. but from the estates which were obtained at an early time by the first clergymen. H.-BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARYLAND, WITH A NOTICE OF ST. INIGOES. BY B. B. B. (Benedifl J. Fenwick, Bisltop of Boston.) That portion of North America which forms the State of Maryland, was granted by King Charles the First, to Sir George Calvert, created Baron of Baltimore in Ireland, by King James 1., about the year I623. The grant bears date 1631 ; but the affixing of the Great Seal having been for some time delayed, Lord Baltimore died before the Patent was completed, and a grant of the said Province was soon afterwards made to his son and heir, Cecilius, Baron of Baltimore, his heirs and assigns, bearing date the 20th day of June, 1632. After obtaining this Grant, Lord Baltimore sent out his Brother Leonard Calvert, Esq., accompanied by other Catholics and their attendants, to the number of between two and three hundred, for the purpose of commencing a settlement. The adventurers are represented to have been chiefly persons of considerable wealth and distinCtion, who left their native country to avoid the inconvenience of religious intolerance. They set sail from Cowes, in the Isle of "Wight, on the 22nd of November, 1633, and having touched and made some stay at, the Islands of Bermuda and St. Christopher's, in the West Indies, they arrived, on the 24th of February following, at Point Comfort, in Virginia, from which they shortly afterwards sailed up the Chesapeake Bay, and the River Potomac. After having sailed up this latter River· about nine leagues, they reached a large and beautiful island, to which they gave the name of St. Clement's, but which is now called St. George's. There they first effeCted �x68 Historical Papers. a landing, and immediately proceeded to plant a Cross. An altar was shortly after erected, on which the holy sacrifice of Mass was celebrated. At first it was their intention to commence their settlement on this island, so favorably situated, lying between the mouths of two navigable rivers, the St. George's and the St. Mary's, both abounding in the choicest fish ; but after having explored the Potomac, as far up as Piscataway, reviewed the country and given names to several places, they finally selected for their first seat, a town of the Indians, called Yao-comoco; but which they afterwards named St. 1\Iary's. This town was situate on the eastern bank of the River St. Mary's, at the distance of about eight miles from its mouth. Thither they directed their course, and without f!IOlestation effected their landing on the beach, on the 25th of March, 1634. Calvert had set out with making a free and fair purchase of it, as well as of the circumjacent land, of the natives, with articles suited to their state of life, brought from England for that purpose. The prudence and justice which dictated this policy, in preference to the forcible intrusion which had marked the commencement of the first Southern Plantation, appear to have governed the subsequent proceedings also of the Proprietary and of his officers, for extending their limits of possession, and to have produced an entire good understanding and friendly intercourse with the natives. Among the individuals who accompanied Leonard Calvert to the shores of Maryland,...were the Rev. Andrew White, Altham, Copley, with perhaps one or two other Jesuit Fathers or Lay Brothers. These had been solicited by the Proprietary, especially the first named, on account of his superior merit, to embark with the settlers on an expedition, which they could not but foresee would be the means of gaining many souls to God, and thereby greatly enlarging the kingdom of His divine Son. Accordingly, we see them, with the consent and approbation of their supe- �Bis!top Fenwick's Sketch. 169 riors, uniting in the great and good work, with a zeal truly apostolic, and sharing among the foremost, the privations and common dangers of the enterprise. The first objeCl. which these good Fathers had in view was to construCt in the town a house wherein to celebrate the sacred mysteries, for the present, with becoming decency, until such time as a more appropriate temple might be ereCted. This was effeCted without much labor. A rude, yet sufficiently capacious, building was soon seen to rise above the humble habitations of the natives, having convenient to it a house of sufficient extent to accommodate the Rev. Fathers on their returning from the labors of the day. These they took the earliest opportunity to divide among themselves. While some were seen instruCting and giving their attention to the spiritual wants of those within the vicinity of the town ; others were seen making long excursions into the upper country among the more distant tribes, and as often returning after some delay, accompanied by numbers of the natives whom they had already prepared for Baptism. This sacrament they never failed to administer in the church with becoming solemnity. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin was usually sung, in which all the people joined, by way of preparation for the ceremony. Then followed Baptism; and after this, Mass. During the celebration of this august mystery, a number of hynins and canticles were sung. Some of these were translated into the Indian tongue for the better understanding of the converts, who were not backward in joining in the chorus. After Baptism the young believers were exhorted to remain in the town, till such time as they should be sufficiently instruCted for their First Communion. In these instruCtions, nothing could be more edifying than to see men and women of the first distinCtion lending their aid to the Fathers, who in a short time could no longer suffice in consequence of the multitude. The greatest harmony subsisted during all this time be- �170 Historical Papers. tween the Indians and the settlers. They went out together to hunt, and shared alike the fruits of the chase. The women taught the Indian women to spin and to weave; while the former were in many instances equally benefited in learning from them arts not less useful in their present condition, and of which they were wholly ignorant. So deeply were the Indians impressed with the justice of the settlers on all occasions, and so great the confidence which they reposed in them, that one of them, a chief among the Patuxents, was heard to say: " I love the English so well that were they even to go about to kill me, had I breath enough to speak, I would command my people not to avenge my death ; for I know they would not do it, except through my own fault." This good understanding continued undisturbed between the colonists and the aborigines, until the year 1638. Every year brought over from England a large increase of numbers, new and extensive purchases were made of the Indians, for which the Lord Proprietary never failed, upon the strictest principles of justice, to give an adequate conside-ration. To encourage emigration, a bounty in land was offered by the government, to every adventurer who should bring over a number of servants into the Colony, allowing so many acres to himself, his wife, if he l:_ave one, and to each of his children, and so many for each of the servants he shall have been instrumental in bringing over. This order was published at Portsmouth, in England, on the 8th day of August, 1636-and, by this, one thousand acres were to be all9.wed to each and every adventurer, who should bring over a 'number, not less than five, and one hundred acres for himself, his wife, and for each of his children besides. In consequence of the inducements here held out, every year brought a great accession of strength to the Colony, which contributed proportionally to the greater security of the Colonists in any emergency which might happen. A question has been often asked, how came the Jesuits �Bishop Fenwick's Sketch. IJI of Maryland to be possessed of so many landed estates in the State? This question may be easily answered by any one who will take the trouble to look into the early records of the Colony. It will be there found that the Rev. Thos. Copley, called in the records, Thos. Copley, Esq., one of the early Fathers, was among those who profited by the "Conditions of Plantation," published by the Lord Proprietary. He effeCted at a very early period the transportation of a number of servants into the Province, for which he demanded and obtained 28,500 acres of land. Of this great quantity, he distributed the far greater part to others, and reserved for the Society and support of the Church, which he wished not to see wholly dependent upon the people, only 8000 acres. Thus, as appears from the records, the first TraCt: of Land, he took up for the Society, was 2000 acres, called St. Inigoes, 1000 acres, called St. George's Island, and 400 acres of town land, about the town of St. Mary's, in different parcels. The second traCt taken up by him was that of St. Thomas' Manor and Cedar Point Neck. The 400 acres of town land has been wrested from the Society, in consequenc.e of an error which was committed in one of the conveyances, by leaving it out; although inserted in all the other warrants, certificates and patents, and conveyances, as well before as after this conveyance. The Rev. Thos. Copley was a man of great prudence and foresight. In taking up these several traCts of land, he wished not to have them considered as Church lands; for he knew how easy it would be to find a pretext for confiscating them, should they be held and known as such, in any change of government. Hence, in every instance, he caused the Patents to be issued in favor of Thomas Copley, Esq., instead of the Rev. Thomas Copley, which has in faa been the cause that we still see these lands in the possession of the Jesuits. In looking back upon those halcyon days of Maryland, one cannot but admire the steady adherence to principle �172 Historical Papers. that marked our good ancestors. \Ve behold a band of English and Irish adventurers, far removed from the immediate control of the Sovereign, and let loose in a distant forest, where every breeze whispered independence, yet docile to rightful authority as if they were surrounded with all the machinery of long established government. The Proprietary's sway is unsustained by military force, but as quietly submitted to as though it emanated from the popular choice. His people respeCt: his officers, acquiesce under his Veto, and neither squat on his land::;, nor declare his quitrents a grievance. They were not, however, disciples from the school of"passive obedience," for never did the Fathers of Nice resist more pertinaciously that little Iota, that would have changed the faith of Christendom, than did these embryo republicans contend for every tittle of their chartered rights. It were amusing to watch their protraCI:ed controversy with the Proprietary, on the right of originating laws. They reported by their own Committees, the very Bills they had rejeCI:ed as of his propounding; but when he dissented from their proceedings, they raised not the vulgar clamor for revolution. Th~re was, in faCt:, a special contraCt: between them, adhered to with mutual fidelity; and, as in all human institutions, unforeseen difficulties will arise, the Proprietary, while he insisted on what he considered his own rights, with firmness, remitted with commendable liberality what seemed to bear hard on his people; and they, on the other hand, though they resisted with inexpugnable determination, the slightest ·encroachment, were profuse, as their necessities would permit, not merely in discharging their lawful obligations, but in voluntary expressions of substantial gratitude. Witness the Bill of 1638, chap. 36, which granted to the Lord Proprietary 5 per cent. on all tobacco, except what was shipped to England, Ireland and Virginia. Also the aCt: of 1641, chap. 5: "The Freemen of this Province, out of their desire to return to his Lordship some testimony of their gratitude for his Lordship's �Bi'slzop Fenwick's Sketc!t. 173 great charge and solicitude in maintaining the Government and protecting the inhabitants in their persons, rights and liberties, and to contribute some support towards it, so far as the young and poor estate of the Colony will yet bear, do desire that it be enacted,'' etc. The grant was of"I 5 lbs. of tobacco per poll and cask for every inhabitant, male and female, over twelve years of age. The act of 1649, ch. 9. contained similar expressions, and gave the Proprietary 10.5 per hundred, etc. The Catholics of Maryland had been greatly persecuted and oppressed in their native country. The most unjust and unheard-of laws had been passed, by which, for more than a century, they had been made to suffer the most grievous penalties on account of their religion. How easily could they have retorted on the present occasion, had they been so disposed, upon their enemies. But, no -such was not their spirit, nor the spirit of their divine Founder. With a nobleness of soul and a generosity unparalleled, the utmost freedom was allowed in religion to Christians of all denominations, who should come into the Province. Sufferers of every persuasion were alike protected by the laws; and as early as 1637, the oath of the Governor and Council had been: "I will not directly or indirectly, trouble, molest, or discountenance any person professing to believe in Jesus Christ, for or in respect of religion." While the Puritans were engaged in persecuting Episcopalians in Massachusetts, and in their turn, the Episcopalians in Virginia were driving out the Puritans, the Catholics of Maryland alone could appreciate the true charity of the Gospel, by giving equal protection to all, and opening wide their doors to sufferers of every persuasion. I have said, the good understanding which prevailed between the colonists and aborigines continued undisturbed till the year 1638. The great "Bane" and "evil genius" of Maryland, was one Captain William Clayborne. This man, from the very beginning, had proved himself a most active VoL. 1x-No. 3· 23 �174 Historical Papers. and inveterate enemy of the infant Colony of Lord Baltimore. As early as the year 163 I, he had obtained a license to trade in those parts of America for which no exclusive patent, for that purpose, had before been granted; and under that authority had begun to plant a Colony on Kent Island, and laid claim, by right of prior settlement, to that and other lands comprehended in Lord Baltimore's grant. This claim Lord Baltimore could by no means allow. After a contest of some years' continuance, not without some bloodshed, Clayborne had recourse to other means. He represented his claims and injuries in a petition to the King, who referred the whole matter in dispute to the Commissioners of Colonies, and by them it was finally decided that the landsjn question belonged to Lord Baltimore; that no Plantatio~n'c or trade with the Indians ought to be allowed within the limits of his Patent, without his permission. After this decision, Clayborne was resolved to go any length ; seated with his adherents upon Kent Island, he had constantly refused to submit to the jurisdiCtion of Maryland; and Lord Baltimore, who foresaw the mischief that must follow, if a band of refraetory strangers were permitted to continue nestled in the heart of his Province, gave orders, in 1634, for seizing him if he did not submit to his government. He was not taken, however, but added to his refusal of obedience every injury he could infliet. He tried in every possible way to excite the Indians to war against his countrymen, insinuating to them, among other things, that the new comers, meaning the Colo.~ists of Maryland, were Spaniards, and enemies to the Virginians. He associated on all occasions with the opposers of Lord Baltimore's grant, of whom there began about this time to be many, and in the progress of his intrigues in Maryland, was joined by Captain Richard Ingle, who, in 1644, found means to raise an insurreCtion against the Proprietary's Government; forced the Governor, Leonard Calvert, to fly to Virginia for protection and aid ; seized upon the records, and the Great Seal, �Bishop Fenwick's Skt!!c/z. 175 which last was never recovered; assumed with his adherents the administration of government, and, in a word, plunged and kept the Colony in all the horrors of anarchy and intestine war (for he was opposed, and finally with effeB:), for the space of about two years, at the end of which the government was reestablished, and a free pardon, with a few particular exceptions, accorded to those concerned in the disturbance. Lord Baltimore did not forget to reward those who had taken a lead in opposing this dangerous insurreCtion, as appears by several grants of Manors, reciting the meritorious services of the grantees. About this period a new church was ereB:ed in St. Mary's, on a part of the land taken up by Rev. Mr. Copley. The building was construCted of bricks imported from England, and was sufficiently large for all present purposes. In consequence of the troubles which, as we have seen, began about this time, the Fathers who had succeeded"in the management of the concerns of the Society in the town, were unwilling to do more under present circumstances than what was absolutely necessary. The work of conversion, though checked in some measure by the intrigues of Clayborne, still went on, and a constant intercourse was kept up between the Fathers in town, and those scattered among the Indians on the Patuxent. For some time the church was left in an unfinished state, and consequently, wholly destitute of ornament, the Fathers having deferred giving it the last finish, in the expeCtation that when the troubles should be over they would have both the leisure and the means of doing it more effeCtually. Unhappily, this time never arrived. Clayborne had, in the mean time, been conviB:ed and found guilty of murder, piracy and sedition, but made his escape, and his estate was confiscated. A bill was afterwards passed for his attainder, as having fled from justice, but he kept out of reach, and at a distance continued his hostilities. In 1649, a great revolution took place in England. The �Historical Papers. regal government was completely overthrown, Charles I. was beheaded, and Oliver Cromwell was chosen Protet1or. During the whole period of the ProteCl:orat~, little favor was shown to the Catholics of Maryland, till at length the government was finally wrested from the hands of the Proprietary, and delivered over to a number of Commissioners; which state of things continued until the accession of Charles II., in t66o. Shortly after, the Protestant religion was established in Maryland, the Province was laid off into parishes, and all ta.rables were compelled to contribute to its support. In 1694. the government was removed from St. Mary's to Annapolis. Shortly after, the Protestants seized upon all the lands in and around the town, which belonged to the Fathers, under the plea that they had no just title to them, and with aifficulty suffered them to remain in it. . In 1705, the present house of St. Inigoes was ereCl:ed under Fr. Ashby, with the bricks of the old church of St. Mary's, which had been brought from England. The Catholics had, for some time before, in considerable numbers, left the city wholly to the Protestants. These abandoned it in turn, till at length not a house was left standing to mark the place where the town once stood . .i\_bout this time a small church was ereCl:ed in Chapelfield, near where the house of Dr. Roach now stands, and a graveyard was attached to it. During the revolutionary war, in 1j78, the "General Monk," a British sloop of war, a.gchored off St. Inigoes, fired a ball through the house, which was near killing Rev. Mr. Lewis, who had just left his bed, over which the ball passed. The fraCl:ure of the wall, produced by the ball in its passage through, may be seen at the present day, near the corner of the north-west chamber, on the first floor. Father Ashby was succeeded in St. Inigoes by the following Fathers, viz.: FF. Casey, Philips, Livers, Morris, �Bishop Fmwi'ck' s Sketch. 177 O'Reilly, Lewis, Ignatius Matthews, John Boarman, James \Val ton. On the 19th Qf Decem?er:, 1784, the Rev. James Walton arrived to take charge of St. Inigoes. On the I 3th of the following July, he commenced the present church, which stands at the eastern end of the farm, near the head of Chapel Creek, then called St. Luke's Creek, which, when he had completed, the Rev. Francis Neale preached the dedication sermon, he having just arrived in the country. In the winter of 1803, the Rev. James Walton died, greatly regretted by all. He was a truly good man and a zealous priest. He was succeeded by the Rev. Sylvester Boarman. After him successively came the Rev. Fathers Rantzau, Henry and Spink. In 1814, on the last day of Oetober, the house of St. Inigoes was robbed by a barge from the British sloop of war, Saracen, Captain Watts, by which the house was deprived of six feather beds, together with the blankets arid· sheets, all the clothing belonging to the Rev'd gentlemen, watches, silver and brass candlesticks, silver spoons, knives and forks, ten pairs new shoes, six sides of leather, and of every article of kitchen furniture. They took also all the sacred vessels from the chapel, including the ciborium, with the con- · secrated species, and all the sacred vestments. Remonstrance at the time was vain. But complaint having been made to the Commander of the Fleet some days after, an order was given to restore whatever had been taken. This was done on the 18th of November, 1814, through a flag of truce, at least as far as was praCticable; for many of the articles taken, had, it is supposed, been destroyed before the order had been issued, and consequently were never recovered. In 1816, the Rev. Joseph Carbery was sent to take charge of St. Inigoes. He arrived in the month of February. In 1817, he erected the sacristy to the church, gave the �178 Historical Papers. church a thorough repair, and arched the ceiling. Pews were likwise added in the same year. In 1842, on the 10th of May,~ great celebration took place at the ancient site of the town of St. Mary's, of the landing of our forefathers, at which an immense concourse of people from all parts attended. The celebration opened with a procession from St. Inigoes' house to the church, where a short discourse was delivered from the altar to the assembled multitude by the Bishop of Boston. After this, all went on board two steamboats, which were in attendance, and proceeded up to St. Mary's, landing on the very shore and at the very spot, where our forefathers had landed a little over two hundred years before. Here a new procession was forme~. headed by the Most Rev. Archbishop of Baltimore and. the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Boston. It passed through the forme~· site of the town and returned to the brow of the hill, overlooking the river, near which grew a venerable Mulbe;ry that cast a beautiful shade for many yards around. A platform was here ereeted, from which 'William George Read, Esq. addressed the immense concourse assembled, in an eloquent discourse, lasting nearly two hours. After this, all partook of a plentiful repast provided for the 9ccasion by several of the respeCtable citizens of St. Mary's, with a liberality truly charaCteristic. Among these, no one was more ardent, or took a more prominent part, than the Rev. Joseph Carbery, the pastor at the time, of St. Mary's congregation. In 1844, in the month of Septen;per, the Bishop of Boston paid a visit to St Mary's County, the land of his birth. Arrived at St. Inigoes, he was requested to preach. This he did on the following Sunday, when, after, a discourse on the Gospel, he took the opportunity to remind the good people of the congregation, that they were the lineal descendants of the first congregation of Catholics which had ever been planted in Maryland; that they had, with great fidelity, retained the faith handed down to them by their fore- �Bishop Fenwick's Sketclz. 179 fathers, and on several occasions had given strong proofs of their attachment to the same. He then spoke of the beauty and neatness of their c_hurch, and of the decency with which divine service was conduCl:ed in it- made particular mention of the sacred vessels, of the priestly vestments and other ornaments of their church, which evinced at once their liberality and zeal "for the beauty of the house of God, and the place where his glory dwelleth." He concluded with observing that there was but one thing more to be done, and he was persuaded from what they had already done, that as soon as this should be made known to them, they would lose no time in providing the church with it. He then alluded to the purchase of an organ, and stated that nothing contributed more to elevate men's minds to God and withdraw them from the distraCtions of the worlu, than the beautiful and solemn tones of that instrument. This the great St. Augustine himself acknowledged to have been the effeCt: produced upon him, when entering a cer-tain church, even before his conversion from Manicheism -that with an organ, a good choir would soon be formed, and consequently, the praises of God would then be suug in a dignified ·and becoming manner. He accordingly recommended to the congregation to take the matter at once under their consideration. He informed them, moreover, that a decent organ, and one sufficiently large for the size of the church, could be procured at Boston or New York for a sum not exceeding$ 400.00. Upon this a subscription was immediately entered into by the congregation, and the sum of one hundred and ninety-seven dollars was subscribed by some of the members before they retired from the walls of the church. The balance of the sum was not long after made up from the other members through the unremitted exertions of their pastor; so that the Bishop, previous to his departure, was solicited to seleCt: such an instrument as he should deem proper for the church. This he effected at New York on �ISO Histon"cal Papers. his way home. The organ finally reached St. Inigoes, and divine service was first performed on it on the 12th of January, 1845. In 1845, in the month of August, the Bishop of Boston paid another visit to St. Inigoes. Shortly after, the Rev'd Fathers, Thomas and Samuel Mulledy also arrived. The Rev. pastor of St. Inigoes, availing himself of their arrival, and wishing at the same time to give to his congregation, for the glory of God and the honor of his religion, a good specimen of Church music, invited to St. Inigoes a number of young ladies, well instructed in music, for the Sunday within the octave of the Assumption. On this day they accordingly came. The Rev. Mr. Woodley celebrated High Mass, and, the beautiful Mass of De Monti in G was performed Qn the organ, and sung in a manner and with a taste highly creditable to them. The Bishop of Boston preached on the occasion. The same young ladies went through the service of Vespers in the afternoon, when the Bishop again preached. Great was the concourse of people both in the forenoon and afternoon. The Bishop of Boston in his visit to St. Inigoes on this occasion, brought with him a sailing boat, a joint present from him and the Archbishop to Rev. Joseph Carbery. She was named the St. Inigoes-is a perfectly new boat, and one of the fastest sailers on the river. Among the relics of the first settlers of Maryland, may be seen an elliptic table of English. oak, capable of dining twenty persons. It was brought 0'-':er in the first ship, and was used by the first Governor of the Province, as his dining table. After passing through a variety of hands, it finally became the property of Mr. Daniel Campbell, at whose death it was sold by his executors, and bought by Rev. Joseph Carbery, on the 7th of January, 1832, for ten dollars. It is in excellent preservation, and is still used by him as a dining table on particular occasions. �CALIFORNIA. Letter from San Francisco. ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE, SAN FRANCISCO, l\fay I st, I 88o. REV. AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. It is such a short time since an account of the laying of the corner-stone of the new Church of St. Ignatius appeared in the WooDSTOCK LETTERS, that you will no doubt be inclined to think that the Jesuits in California do things a l'Americai1Ze, when you hear so soon of its dedication, and the opening of the new Residence and College built at the same time. Before saying anything of the dedication, I will give you a few particulars about the new edifice which the Society has erected in the cause of Religion and education. You will see that the work of eighteen months has realized something wonderful in the shape of large buildings. It has even excited the admiration oi the people of San Francisco, who are accustomed to do things so quickly, to see how the Jesuits have put up such a large building in such a short time. It is· situated in a quiet and respectable portion of the city, and is bounded on the east by a broad thoroughfare called Van Ness Avenue, on the west by Franklin Street, on the south by Hayes Street, and on the north by Grove Street. It comprises three main buildings, viz.: Church, College, and Residence. The Church stands midway in the block, fronting I20 feet on Hayes Street, and receding 200 feet. The Fathers' Residence adjoins the Church, and fronts 153 feet on Hayes Street, and 75 feet on Van Ness Avenue. The College abuts the end of the Church and runs parallel to the Residence. It fronts 274 feet on VoL. Ix-No. 3· 24 (I8I) �I82 California. Grove Street, and I I2 feet on Van Ness Avenue. A conneCtion is made between the College and Residence by a building running along the Church w.all. This building is of the same height as the rest of the house, and contains six rooms to each story, the doors of which open on a corridor on the Church side, and the windows give on a garden fronting 76 feet on Van Ness Avenue, and having a depth of I I6 feet. The entire edifice is a few feet below the street level, and is removed about 20 feet from the sidewalks, from which it is guarded by a strong iron fence with a granite base. The first story is of the Doric order of architeCture, and the three above it are Ionic. The whole is built of brick, and faced with Portland cement. To render it earthquake-proof, iron anchors are freely used in the brick work. A flight of sixteen granite steps, 75 feet wide, leads to the entrance of the Church, over the central door of which, is the following inscription, cut in the cementSOLI. DEO IN . HONOREM . S · IGNATII SOCIETATIS · JESU . FUNDATORI A . D . MDCCCLXXIX Two graceful towers rise to the height of I 25 feet, and are surmounted by two large plain gilt crosses. They stand at each side of the entrance, and are built of brick to some distance above the roof of the Residence, the 'rest being of wood. The interior of the Church ·is _Italian in style. It is divided into a nave and two aisles running the entire length. White is the prevailing color, and the whole effea is airy and cheerful. The nave is 74 feet from the floor to the ceiling; but the aisles are only half that, the space above them being reserved for sodality chapels. Rows of chandeliers of burnished brass, and glass pendants are suspended from the centres of the arches which join the pillars on either side, separating the aisles from the nave. An altar rail of hard �California. wood, beautifully stained and varnished, extends the entire width of the Church. Inside it are two massive fluted Corinthian columns supporting an arch that spans the nave and cuts it off from the sanctuary. Over the high altar is another arch similarly supporteu; and immediately under it is a smaller arch supported by double columns, and surmounted by two angels, holding with one hand, an aureola, the rays from which radiate from the letters I. H. S., and with the other, a scroll with AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM carved in gilt letters. The altar is of wood, and is richly ornamented with emblematic wood carvings. A large oil painting, 28 x 18 feet, and rounded at the top is placed over the altar. It represents the ascension of St. Ignatius into Heaven, and is the work of the Messrs Tosetti, artists of this city. On the epistle side, at the end of the aisle, is the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and on the gospel side that of St. Joseph. They are both of marble, and were made to order in Rome, at a cost of about $3500 each. One of them has forty-five varieties of marble, and the other thirty-four. In a niche over each altar is a marble statue of the Blessed Virgin, or St. Joseph. Along the aisle on the Gospel side, are three recesses for three more altars. One already erected, is dedicated to the Sacred Heart, and the other two, to St. Francis Xavier and St. Aloysius. The latter is to be erected by the youth of San Francisco. . The College next claims notice. Its site has already been described. The ground floor is occupied by the class rooms for the preparatory .and elementary departments; the first floor, by those of the Grammar, Poetry, and Rhetoric classes ; and the second floor, by the class rooms and lecture halls for mental and moral Philosophy, Chemistry, Physics, and higher Mathematics. Here are also the chemical laboratories, museums, and cabinet of instruments for the illustration of the lectures in Physics. On the third floor is a debating hall, and the rest of the space is allotted to an exhibition hall, 100 x 145 feet. It has tiers of benches �California. arranged crescent-wise, enough to seat four thousand ~om­ fortably. The stage is 40 x 70 feet, and is furnished with three changes of scenes, which are so adapted as to suit all requirements. The Grove Street side of the College is the only one from which danger is apprehended in case of a fire in the vicinity, so, that whole side is rendered as fire-proof as possible. In case of fire inside, there are several water pipes at convenient distances, with water power enough to extend over the whole building. The Residence is in keeping with the rest of the building on the outside; inside, it is commodious and plain. There is a fine large domestic Chapel, with a beautiful altar of white marble, a large library, and dining room. Throughout the building there are about sixty clocks, all moved from a central st;_ation by means of air tubes. The clocks are the invention "of a man in the city, and this is the first building into which they have been introduced on such a large scale. They have given satisfaction down to the present writing. It has been the subject of remark and congratulation, that during the whole time of the building, there was not a single accident of a serious nature. Everything, even the elements, seemed to favor us throughout, for the work had not to be discontinued a single day, on account of the weather._ I forgot to mention that on the zoth of August, 1878, the day after the laying of the first brick by our Reverend Father Superior, Aloysius Varsi, the following telegram was received from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIII.// S. Padre bmcdice con effusione-"qi cuore 1mo·va fabn"ca di clziesa e col!egio.-L. CARD. NINA. The day for the dedication of the Church was fixed for the 1st of February; and the blessing of the College for the znd. For several weeks previously the furniture and school effects had been removing, so that everything was in order in the new quarters by the day of the dedication. Right Reverend James A. Healy, Bishop of Portland, Me., arrived �Califomia. durin.g the meantime, having come to preach the sermon at the dedication of the church. The 1st of February was a real summer day; and for many hours previous to 10 o'clock, the hour fixed for the ceremony to begin, the street and Church were crowded with people. Pewholders were admitted by a private entrance. The admission for others was free. The greatest order was secured, owing to the absence of any disorderly element, and to the kind offices of a number of gentlemen who volunteered theirservices for the occasion. Twenty-five members of the Society arrived from Santa Clara the day before to conduCt the service, which was carried out with all the splendor of the Ritual. Our Most Rev'd Archbishop, Joseph S. Alemany, 0. P., officiated. The ceremony lasted about four hours. The sermon was preached from the text : "My house is a house of prayer for all nations." In the course of the sermon his Lordship said : - "\Vhen I arrived in your city a few weeks ago, I was amazed to see so beautiful a struCture. This temple of God is a fit representative of the wealth, prosperity and piety of the greatest and richest jewel among the galaxy of States." -The orchestra consisted of twenty-five musicians, who did their part so well, that it was said by the first critic in the city to be the finest musical service ever listened to in San Francisco. The Mass seleCted was Bellini's and Mozart's 1zth. The large three-rank " Hook" organ, in the choir gallery, was heard to great advantage throughout the entire Church. In the evening there was solemn Vespers and Benediction, Bishop Healy officiating. The Sermon was preached by the Vicar General of the Archdiocese, Very Rev. Luke Prendergast. When lit up, the Church looked beautiful. The next day, Feb. 2nd, Bishop Healy celebrated Solemn High Mass, and blessed the College, all the students attending, and going in procession to the entrance on Van Ness Avenue. �186 California. The next day school opened with an attendance of five hundred students, and everything went on as usual. The inauguration of the exhibition hall was reserved for the 10th of February, Shrove Tuesday. It consisted of a literary and musical entertainment, given by former and present students of St. Ignatius College. A letter was read from the Governor of the State, George C. Perkins, in reply to an invitation sent to him to be present. He expressed his regrets at not being able to attend, and said: " I greatly desired to add my humble voice, in public praise of the glorious work which you have so nobly accomplished,-work which is the result of life's devotion in a holy and noble cause. In thought and spirit I am with you, and my earnest prayers are for the success of your noble institution. The edifice you have raised must redound to the advantage of Christl::tnity, and f!lture years will consecrate the devotion you have so unfalteringly and so unsparingly bestowed in this great work dedicated to science, learning and morality." Bishop Healy delivered at the conclusion a very pleasing discourse, and was warmly applauded. He praised the zeal and energy of our Rev. Father Superior, who superintended the ereCl:ion of the building, and remarked that the inscription over the door of St. Paul's Ch~rch in London might with equal force be applied to him: "Si 11/01l1tmentum queens, circumspice .'!" JoHN J. MooRE, S. J. �BRAZIL. Letter from Fatlzer Galanti. PARA, April 6th, 188o. REv'n AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. It is my intention to write a series of letters in regard to the state of religion in the Empire of Brazil. Allow me, then, to begin ab ovo, that your readers may better understand the matter. Let me, in the first place, briefly call to mind the fact which is known to all the world, that our Fathers in the olden times by word and work illustrated this country; and it was here, perhaps, that their labors were crowned with a more abundant measure of success than elsewhere. The Ven. Father Anchieta, called 'the Adam of South America,' on account of his wonderful power over nature, and especially over every kind of wild beast; Father Vieira, the renowned preacher, commonly called the ' Father of the Portuguese language;' Fathers Nobrega, Vasconcellos, Malagrida, and many others, were amongst the first to plant religion in this country. They converted to the faith many tribes of Indians, and everywhere ereCted houses and colleges. Even at the present day, after the lapse of more than a century, we find the souvenirs of our early Fathers, not merely in isolated spots, but throughout the whole land from North to South. Here, it is a village whose inhabitants were converted and civilized by the Jesuits; there, it is some very old man or woman, who hands down the tradition about the Fathers, or claims even to have known them in childhood. In many places, the name of a town, or river, or mountain, reminds the people that our Fathers ( 187) �188 Brasil. were once there; whilst numerous buildings, colleges, churches, statues, etc., ereaed by them, and still in a good state of preservation, attest at the same time the extent of their works, and their solid durability; for many of the edifices construaed by them are even yet in good condition, and better adapted to their purpose than more modern struaures. For instance, our old Colleges are used as public buildings in S. Paulo, Rio Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, Spirito Sanao, Maranhao, etc., etc. Here in Para, our old College is the Bishop's palace. The monuments which they have left, even if other proof were wanting, would attest how well religion was planted here by the early Jesuit missionaries. Historytells us of the ruin which was wrought by the ruthless Pbmbal. Some, even of the clergy, through Jansenistic bi.~s and the spirit of envy, had rejoiced at the downfall of the So~iety; but events soon proved how baneful to religion was the expulsion of the Jesuits. vVhen Brazil became separated from Portugal, the fever of independence burned so fiercely, that all the Religious Orders of Brazil asked, and at length obtained a separation from their Roman Superiors. They were numerous and rich; but this step was fatal to them. Their numbers rapidly decreased, disorders soon crept in among them, and they failed to command any influence. At last, the Government prohibited them from receiving any more novices, and now there are very few Religious remaining. . They still retain many and beautiful buildings,-but they <_1re empty . . Jansenism produced its natural results. Those among the clergy who declaimed against the laxity of the Jesuits, adopted the most rigid theories for others, but they deduced some of the most curious praaical consequences for their own rule of life. It was said that laymen should not confess or approach the Holy Table more frequently than once a year: ·to fast, according to their interpretation, means total abstinence to the exclusion of any collation, �Brazil. the dinner should be a very light meal, and furthermore, if you sleep, or drink anything, even if it be nothing but water, it is a violation of the fast. As preparation fur confession, they required at least one week, during which time one was obliged to_ remain quietly at home, giving over every other business, in order to examine his conscience, etc. The result of this system was that no one paid any attention to what was recommended and commanded by the Church-the use of the sacraments was almost entirely abandoned. You may easily judge what were the results of such a system on public and private morality. The people lost all respeCt for those who should have been their instruCtors and models in the spiritual life - and not without cause. * * * * * * * * * But this state of affairs is now happily passing away, thanks be to God. The Bishops are earnest in their endeavors to form a virtuous and learned clergy. The signs of improvement are manifest on all sides, but many obstacles will have to be removed, and -time will be required for the change. It is very difficult, I might say impossible, for the Episcopal authority to remove or restrain a refraCtory or disedifying priest. The Government and the Freemasons helped to destroy religion, and now they are loud-mouthed in protesting against the clerical disorders, which their own course was most instrumental in causing. C' est le mot d' ordre. But far from helping the restoration, they oppose it in every way ; and it is enough for a priest to be in opposition to his Bishop, to merit their proteCtion and assistance. Divine Providence did not abandon Brazil, even when its religious state was most deplorable. For, it seems almost miraculous, that, under the circumstances, the Faith was saved from utter shipwreck, and that at least the external praCtices of religion have remained in some vigor. Another merciful dispensation was, that no Protestants appeared in the country at a time when their aggression might have VoL. rx-No. 3· 25 �190 Brazil. resulted in serious injury to religion. They begin now to show themselves in various places, and do some harm; but, thank God, they meet with some one capable of opposing their doCtrines. These propagators of error are for the most part emissaries of the Presbyterian .body in the United States; but I shall speak of them and their doings on some future occasion. I will, at present, say a few words about the performances of certain adventurers from that country, as their history will help to explain and give a better idea of the general condition of Brazil. One of this class came here in 1864, and passing himself off as an Armenian Catholic priest, dressed in the Eastern style, and said Mass according to some Oriental rite. He went about for some time colleCting money for the Eastern missions; and havin~ ingratiateg himself with several of the Bishops, he met with great success in raising funds. The fear of having his fraudulent charaCter and praCtices exposed, compelled him finally to decamp, and some time afterwards his crimes brought him to the scaffold at New York. Another imposter of the saine class put in an appearance this year. At first, he claimed to be the Catholic Bishop of New Orleans. The Bishop of Rio Janeiro refused to acknowledge his title, and then he said that he was the Greek Bishop of New Orleans. It was not long before he raised a violent storm against the Bishop of Rio, and having joined the freemasons, asked for their support in a great suit which he intended to bring against him. :rhe case is now before the courts, and no one can foretell what will be the decision. Another rascal has been causing trouble here in Para. He pretended that he was a priest from· North America, exhibited his papers, and affeCted great modesty and devotion in his conduCt:. After a few weeks, some suspicions arose in regard to his true charaCter. The Bishop discovered that he was not a priest, and attempted to have him committed to prison for passing himself off under false pretences. But the Masonic body came to his defence, and �Sketch of t/ze Nez Perces llldimzs. 191 obtained such an acquittal that he appeared to be the innocent viB:im of Episcopal tyranny. Nevertheless, the man himself confessed shortly afterwards that he had never received ordination, and was married before the American consul to a Brazilian girl, whom a wealthy family of this city gave to him through mere spite towards the Bishop. Their blind animosity prevented them from seeing that such a course justified the Bishop's conduCt:, and demonstrated the injustice of the tribunal. But what difference does it make with men, who will applaud anything which is direCted against religion and its true ministers? Freemasonry hates, and, therefore, it will persecute. From what has been said, you may easily gather what are the difficulties and dangers of the religious question in Brazil at present. May this short relation move the charity of zealous souls to pray for this unfortunate land; for, unless God help us in a special manner, there is danger that Brazil may soon cease to be a Catholic country. In my next letter I will speak of the struggle between the Government and the Bishops. RAPHAEL M. GALANTI, s. J. SKETCH OF THE NEZ PERCES INDIANS. (CoNtiNued.) When the Catholic Nez Perces Indians were trying to improve in their pursuit bf civilization, our philanthropic Government through its agents tried to discourage them, and make them abandon the building of their little town near the church. Not only they could not receive any help from the two white carpenters employed by the Government, according to the Treaty, for the exclusive benefit of the Indians; not only they could not get any lumber from �192 Sketch of the Nez Perces Indians. their own saw-mill; not only were they refused carpenter's tools, a few windows, and some nails, to which they had a right, according to Treaty; but also some, anxious to have houses any how, were refused permission to have their houses built by white men at the expense of the Indians themselves; and the threat was made that any white man employed by the Indians would be expelled from the Reservation. Yet all this was almost nothing compared with the calumnies spread by some Indians, at the instigation of those in power, to deter the Catholic Indians from improving their farms, and building their town. They spread the news, that all the Catholics, in a short time, would be expelled from the Reservation; that their church was something temporary, and that t~ey could not have a schoolhouse, much less a town. That these were not mere Indian rumors, but true threats of those in power, was made known by a letter sent from the U.S. Indian Agent to the missionary, in which he told the Father that, having heard of a scheme to put up a school-house near the Catholic church, he (the Agent) was obliged to inquire by what authority this would be done, and if no permission from the Indian Department could be shown to him, he was obliged to interfere and prevent the ereCtion of such a building. To this the_missionary replied, that the school-house, through want of means, could not be put up all at once; but that as for the permission, he thought he had an ample one: let the Agent look over a communication received by him nearly two years before, from the Indian gepartment, and there he will find that he was obliged to allmv the Catholic authorities to put up a church and missionary ,buildings in the Nez Perce Reservation ; that if the Agent thought that a schoolhouse was not a missionary building, then the missionary would not put up a school-house but only a missionary building. In reply to this letter he gave no answer at all, but merely asserted that there was no school-lzouse in the permit. This correspondence was made known to the �Sketch of the l 1lez Perces Indians. 193 white settlers and citizens, who, though not Catholics, were really indignant at the petty persecution, and spoke of it in such strong terms that the poor Agent, not to become more unpopular, thought better to ask himself from the Indian Department permission for the Catholic Indians to put up a school-house of their own at their own expense, so he could before the public boast of his forced liberality. The schoolhouse was begun by the Indians, but it is not finished as yet for want of means; half of the church serves for the moment as a school-house. As the Catholic Indians advanced, we may say through persecution, in industry and material welfare, and their children began to learn, they also made daily spiritual progress. Most of them settled near the church, went to Mass every morning early, and every evening to night prayers, which they always say in common very devoutly. Most of them went regularly to monthly.Confession and Communion, and not a few approached the Holy Sacraments every week. Every Sunday many would come to church from ten, fifteen, or twenty miles away; and on the great festivals, not only Catholics, but also many Protestants and infidels would crowd the Mission. Conversions, some of which were quite remarkable, were going on slowly but steadily. Once the missionary was told that a boy six or seven years old, brother to Agnes, a Catholic young woman married at the Mission, was dangerously sick in an Indian camp about thirty miles from the Mission, where all the Indians were either Protestants or infidels, with the exception of one family; and, besides that, the sick boy and all his family were not well disposed towards the Catholic religion; they were infidels, but they frequented the Protestant church. Agnes recommended her brother to the Missionary, and he tried his best to get a companion in order to go and visit the sick boy, but all refused to accompany him, being afraid of the father of the boy, who was always �I 94 Sketclt of t!te Nez Perces Indt'ans. speaking against the Catholics. After some few days he tried again, but again in vain; all were afraid. He could not go alone, as there was no road, and he did not know the place; so he had to be satisfied with praying for the boy, and told Agnes, the boy's sister, to pray very fervently. Other good Indians prayed too for the sick boy, and God heard their prayers. On Friday afternoon before Palm Sunday (I 876) an Indian entered the little room of the missionary, and, after the ordinary shaking of hands, he sat down, as if he wanted to say something. " \Veil, my friend," said the missionary, "you are pretty: early this time; I am glad to see you ten days before Easter; did you come with all your family?" "No; I did not come for the feast." "That is strange; what did you come for, then? :• Why, I came to fetch you up to see the dying boy." " What bdy?" Agnes' little brother; his father this morning said he would call for the Black-gown if there was an opportunity; I asked him whether he was in earnest, and he answered that he was ; for the boy wanted to be" baptized, not by the preacher, but by the Black-gown; so I got on horseback and came galloping." " I am very, very glad; let us go." Now, it is too late; and you have no horse; and you- cannot go on horseback by night." "My hor~e is near, and if you can run at night, I can follow you." " If you can, very well ; get ready, and we will start after I have eaten, for I feel terribly hungry." They started after three o'clock P. 111., and, crossing the River Clear Water before dark, J:iy midnight they had reached the place. The missionary was astonished to be welcomed by Agnes, whom he thought at the Mission; she shook hands with him, and manifested such gratitude as is very seldom found; she had come by herself, and without informing any one of her purpose, to see to the spiritual wants of her brother; and truly, if it were not for her exertions, her father would not have called for the priest. They entered the lodge, and, II 11 11 �-Sketclz of the Nez Perces Indians. 195 after the ordinary shaking of hands with all present, the missionaryseated himself on the ground near the bed of the dying boy, and asked him whether he wanted to be baptized. Receiving no answer from the boy, he asked those present whether the boy was conscious, and whether he had manifested a wish to be baptized. " Yes," said the boy's father, "he has been talking until now, and he· showed a great wish to be baptized by the Bktck-gown; perhaps he w"ill talk after awhile ; somebody has been telling him that the Black-gown's Baptism is not good." The missionary, apprehending some mischief from the devil, told all present to kneel down and pray with him ; he began to recite the morning prayers, and was followed by Agnes and one or two more; then he gave them an instruction on the necessity of Baptism, and on the one true Church, exhorting them all to embrace the faith ; then he sang some canticles in the Indian language, and finished with another exhortation. He had been watching the dying boy the whole time; finally, he addressed him again, asking whether he desired to be baptized and go to Heaven. The boy seemed to un. derstand very well, but yet he did not answer. Then the missionary called the father, and told him .to speak to the boy, to tell him that the good God had sent the Blackgown that night from so far because there was a nice place prepared for him in Heaven, and that in order to go to that place he should be sorry for his sins, and be baptized by the Black-gown. The father spoke in a very touching manner to his boy; and he inquired : " Am I alone?" The missionary asked what was the meaning of that expression, but he got no answer either from the father or the son ; and, therefore, he insisted on the necessity of Baptism, and on the ·shortness of time, for the boy was very low. So the father again addressed his boy in appropriate, mild, yet urgent language, and the boy again put the same question: "Am I alone?" The father said: "No, my son, �Sketclz of the Nez Perces Indians. you are not alone; I will be baptized by the Black-gown too, and your mother, and your sisters, and, perhaps, your aunts too; you will be baptized now, because you are going to see God immediately, but we will be baptized as soon as the Black-gown allows us; we have been frequenting the Protestant prayer, but now we give that up, and we will pniy with your sister Agnes." " Father, truly?" "Yes, my son, truly; 'I tell you truly, now I am with the Black-gown, and if he allows me I will be baptized now; but you know the Black-gown never baptizes people who are not sick, without first teaching them." "And where is my mother? " "I too, my son," ans\vered the mother from the opposite corner of the lodge, crying aloud, "we will all follow you, whether you live or die." All began to cry, and all pro.mised to become Catholics. Then the boy, turning himself to the Missionary, said: " I am very glad you came; for a long time I have wished to be baptized by you, but I did not like to be alone ; now that all promise to be baptized, I ask you to baptize me without delay." The missionary gave him some instruCtion, and then baptized him; after Baptism, he exhorted those present to follow the boy's example, who had been favored by the Almighty in such a special way. Then all tried to rest a little; it was already morning. After breakfast, the sick boy having become somewhat better, the missionary told the Indians that he would go back to the Mission, there being now a great many Indians for Palm ·Sunday; he told them, too, that should the boy die, they could either bury him there, or carry the corpse to the Mission, as they thought better, and then keep their promise to become all Catholics. On Good Friday they were all at the Mission, except •the boy, who had died and was buried there, as they had no conveyance to bring the corpse to the Mission. In the afternoon, after the sermon of the three hours of our Lord's Agony, Kaiziuet (that was the name of the boy's father), �Sketc!t of t!te Nez Perces Indians. 197 knowing that the missionary had a few moments of free time, went to see him. On entering the room he shook hands with .him, and said: " Black-gown, I know you are busy; I will not stop long; I will only relate briefly how my boy died, and then I will tell you that myself, my family, and some of my relatives are in your hands. Do with us what is best; we wish to be baptized, out we do not know any prayers, except my daughters, who, being young and smart, learned some already from their sister Agnes." " ~Iy friend," said the missionary, "try to learn from your daughters as much as you can, and then after Easter I too · will teach you, and when you are instruCted you will be baptized, either all at once or at different times. We will settle this afterwards; now, let me hear how the boy died." "Why he died like an old man who had been praying all his life long; he wanted his sister to pray aloud for him, and he wanted us to follow the prayers, as he would do too; and when Agnes stopped praying he would tell her to begin again. Only a little while before his death I told him to dispose of his horses. 'My son,' said I, 'you have three horses, to whom do you wish to give them ? ' He said : ' Father, give them to whom you please; we cannot speak of horses, now that I am dying; I am baptized, and so I will go up to Heaven, there I will see God, and do you think He will not question me about my father and mother? He will ask me this question: 'Are your father and mother going to be baptized by the one I sent, the Black-gown? ' I will answer Him : ' Yes, my God, as soon as they know the prayers they will be baptized, and they will always be good people.' Now see, father, if you will not be baptized; my answer will be a lie, see I will tell a lie to God, and I am afraid to tell a lie to God; so, father, you must promise me again that truly you will go to the Black-gown, as soon as I die, and ask to be instruCted and baptized.' I began to cry and told him that I would do so; that I had made up my mind to do so already; and so his mother promised VoL. Ix-No. 3· 26 �Sketc!t of tlze Nez Percl:s Indians. him the same; his sisters and brothers, and cousins, and aunts promised the same. Only two of his aunts would not speak, and he seemed to be very sorry for it; so I told hi~ not to be sorry, for they would, little by little, make up their mind too. Then he said : ' Now I die happy ; I will see you all again in Heaven.' He wanted to shake hands with each one of us; then he wanted all of us to pray, and during prayer he died; I am sure he is in Heaven now, and though I feel very lonesome, yet I am happy." After some time, one after another, they all became Catholics, except one of the boy's cousins; she held back because she had been so much talked to by her Protestant friends and relatives not to become a Catholic, that she was afraid perhaps she could not persevere in the faith. More than a yea.r..elapsed when she too was baptized; and so, divine grace triumphed in all those that promised the dying boy to become Catholics. But that was not enough. It seemed that God wished to show to the world (especially to the infidels and Protestants) how strong was the Catholic faith and the divine love in the simple hearts of those new converts; not only did He allow a terrible persecution against them, but He visited the family with sickness and death. Before the end of the second year after their Baptism; two more of the children were dead; after a few months a third child died, and before long a fourth, who was a very pious and zealous girl, and the hope of her parents. Before dying she asked to se.e the priest, and somebody was sent to the Mission for hiin. In the mean time, longing to receive the Sacraments, she fell into a trance and was apparen.tly insensible. After a short while she opened her eyes and said : "Oh! mother, how beautiful is that person ! I never saw the like; how resplendent is his face! Oh ! see, he comes to me; I think he comes to take me to Heaven." When they asked her what she had seen, she was astonished that the others did not see the same vision. "vVhy," said she," you did not sec him? It was �Sketclt o.f tlze Nez Perch Indians. 199 a very beautiful person; I think it was an angel, dressed all in white, and his face radiant like the sun. He approached me smiling, holding something in his hands; in one, he had something like a fruit, and in the other, a cup. 'This,' said he, 'will be your food to make you strong, and this your drink to refresh you.' I ate and drank, and felt happy. Oh! I think J.am going to Heaven.'' After some time the priest arrived, and administered to her the last Sacraments. Was it truly an angel that came to console her, and announce to her that she would receive the body and blood of our Lord, or was it the effeCt: of her imagination, excited by the great wish to receive our Lord? It is not easy to decide. Before dying she spoke forcibly to the Indian, who was a kind of preacher, telling him to abandon the Protestant religion, and to cease to teach lies to the people. After her death he acknowledged that she had been visited by an angel; that she died like a saint and went to Heaven; yet he was not converted. The poor father of the girl, after her death, speaking to the missionary, said: " Black-gown, the Indians tell me that God has punished me for having abandoned the Protestant prayer. \Vhen I was not a Catholic, I had many children, and all were strong and healthy, and now four are dead. But I think God takes them to Heaven to have mercy on them, and to punish my past sins. I was a bad man ; yet I hope He will have mercy on me too, and allow me to see them in Heaven.'' Now his eldest daughter, Agnes, is dead also, and he has only two children left, a boy and a girl, and he is ready to sacrifice them to God, if He wants to take them to Himself. He is persecuted by his Protestant friends and relatives, who wish to expel him from his land unless he renounce his religion ; but he is ready to lose all, even his life, for the sake of the faith. (To be continued.) �BLESSED ALPHONSUS RODRIGUEZ. This letter was written by Father Michael Julien, Re8:or of the College of Majorca, on the very day of the death of Blessed Alphonsus. It is addressed to the Fathers and Brothers of the Province of Aragon. The translation IS made from the French copy printed at Belfort in 1879: The time of recompense for our good brother Alphonsus Rodriguez has come ; he has gone to receive from the hands of our Lord the crown he merited by his long labors. To-day,'OCl:ober 31st, eve of the feast of All Saints, at a quarter past 12 o'clock A. M., he left this earth. He was 87 years of age, of which he has passed 47 in the Society and 32 in the degree of Formed Coadjutor. He was a native of Segovia. He was called to the Society in a miraculous manner at Valencia, where he had been studying Rhetoric for two years, and where he gave the most beautiful examples of modesty and piety. At his request, he was received as a Temporal Coadjutor, and the same year was sent to this college. Fully persuaded that a detailed account of his holy life will one day be written, I will here give only a hasty sketch of some of the many features of his life that deserve mention. Alphonsus had hardly entered .G?d's service in the Society than he took the resolution of following faithfully his divine Master, and he prayed that for his whole life he might never be spared either weariness or cross. Such generosity made him a perfeCt: model of every virtue. His humility was so profound that he considered himself the greatest criminal in the world; and, although he had learned by revelation that he should be saved and freed even from the torments of purgatory, he always cherished (zoo) �Blessed Alplzonsus Rodriguez. 201 in his heart shame and sorrow for his sins. In this disposition, nothing gave him more pain than respeCt: paid to his person .. He could not see, without trembling, a wretched sinner defiled with so many stains the objeCt: of any attention. His mortification was not less remarkable. In everything he always sought what is most repugnant to nature. At table, for example, if by mistake anything bitter was offered him, he took it with all haste, before any one could notice it. Fasts, disciplines, hair-shirts, in short, every kind of penance or mortification was sought after with the same eagerness. This very year of his last sickness, he asked my leave to comply with all the prescribed fasts, without any exception; and he declared to me in his account of conscience that he still continued to take the discipline regularly three times a week. What sh:1ll I say of his fervor in prayer? He passed in this holy exercise a great part of the night, and whole days, without receiving any hindrance from his exterior occupations. His extraordinary modesty and profound recollection in the fulfilment of his duties sufficiently showed how careful he was to keep himself in the presence of God. Seldom was there seen such perfeCt: obedience as that of Alphonsus. One day, to try him, his Superior ordered him to go to the Indies. Alphonsus would immediately have executed the order, but the porter refused to open the door for him. Afterwards I asked him how he expeCted to set out without money or knowledge of any ship: " I was going," he answered, "with the assurance that our Lord, of \Vhom the Superior is the representative, would procure me the necessary provision and means of conveyance. And if 1 had found neither the one nor the other, trusting in holy obedience, I should have gone into the sea." On another occasion his Superior noticing he left a door open asked why he did not shut it. This was enough. The good brother, who had to pass through that door at every �202 Blessed Alplwnsus Rodriguez. moment, made it a rule to shut it every time he went in and out, and never failed in this for many years. . The following is a fact I witnessed the very day I arrived from the main-land. I felt a great desire of having some conversation with him, and, although he was then suffering from a violent fever, we remained together over an hour speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ordinary topic of his conversations. " Brother," said I at the end, "is not your head tired?" "Yes," answered he. "\Vel!, then," I replied, "speak no more." He immediately stopped, and said not another word for the rest of the evening. The infirmarian visited him and asked how he felt, but received no answer. The next day there was the same silence." Brother," said the infirmarian," you are allowed to speak, it is-,necessary." "I cannot do it," replied the sick · man, "withput leave from Father Rector." I was called for. As soon as Brother Alphonsus saw me, he said: " Father, if it please your Reverence, I will answer the infirmarian and physician when they inquire about my state." "\Vhy not?" I asked. " Because, yesterday," said he, "your Reverence forbade me to speak." Zeal for souls burned within his heart, and he gave himself wholly up to it, according to the spirit of his vocation. Porter for 30 years in this college, he never ceased by his pious conversation, his modesty and good example, to preach virtue with admirable efficacy. He thus worked in those who dealt with him wonders in the way of conversion and sanctity, to the great edification .of the people, and to the honor of our Society. ·-· But this was too little for him; he wished the conversion of the whole world, and asked it constantly from God. Transported by the fervor of his zeal, he offered himself to undergo, for the salvation of each man in particular, Negro, Moor, Indian, all the torments of hell for all eternity. God rewarded so heroic a charity. He showed to Brother Alpho.nsus, during one of his ecstasies, all the men then �\ Bit'ssed Alphonsus Rodriguez. 203 scattered over the earth, and revealed to him that by his burning desires he had acquired as much merit as if he had in reality converted that immense multitude. He was always of an irreproachable modesty. With his eyes constantly cast down, and ordinarily fixed one or two steps in front of him, he went here and there without ever allowing his look to wander. During more than 40 years he never saw the face of a woman ; and yet he every day served at the altar, and offered water to those who received Communion.* The care he took to observe silence is astonishing. Obliged throughout the course of his long life to deal continually either with externs, or with those of the community, he never had to reproach himself with a single useless word. Conversation on divine things had great charms for him; but if it was changed to other topics, he immediately fell asleep. Numbers of pious persons were attracted to him by the lofty tone of his conversations on God. All desired to speak with him about the welfare of their souls, and to receive in their doubts the light of his counsels. This holy brother had indeed acquired in his union with our Lord a very high knowledge of spirituality. Several treatises from his pen are proofs of it. He treats in them of the different virtues with an elevation which several learned writers, speaking on the same subjects, have never equalled in their works. Members of the Chapter, counsellors of the court, noblemen, even Bishops and Viceroys, had recourse to this humble Coadjutor Brother, attrac1ed by his sublime wisdom. Many of them would never undertake anything of importance without first consulting him. All went away from his modest and holy conversation with the consolation their heart needed, and a sure knowledge of what they had to *According to an ancient custom, of which we have still an example in our ceremonies of ordination. �204 Blessed Alphonsus Rodriguez. do. Their confidence, it is true, could not be better placed, and those who followed his advice always saw their undertakings crowned with success. Poverty was the delight of Brother Rodriguez. He was as much rejoiced to feel its effeCts as he was grieved not to receive the worst in the house. If he happened to find a pin he did not think he had the right to appropriate it to his own use before he had asked leave. It was always a subjeCt: of joy to him to have to bear with some privation as to his food, clothing, or lodging. Thanks to the extreme watch he kept over his senses, he preserved unharmed by a perfeCt: purity of body and mind the angelic virtue that our Father Saint Ignatius demands. He never fixed his eyes on any one. He one day, without refleB:ion:·cast his eyes on· a carriage; it was for a long while after a cause to him of sorrow and tears. To sum up such a beautiful life, we might say that it was that of an angel and not that of a man. My own experience, in the most intimate dealings I had with him for the last few years, agrees with the testimony of Fathers who have known him for 20, 30 and 40 years, in affirming that there was never fault or imperfeCtion, or even the appearance of natural and human sentiment noticed in him. Never could it have been said that such or such an aCtion of his could have been better done. For, though the world and hell had. united against him, he would not have been less constant in doing what was required for the perfeCtion of his soul and the great~r glory of God, a motto which he had always on his lips and especially in his heart. A scrupulous observer of our rules, he would have chosen to be cut in pieces rather than break the least of them. To follow the common life in everything was his greatest happiness. Accordingly, during these last years, enfeebled as he was by very serious diseases, he felt a great dislike to sit at the table of the sick, and more still to have special dishes given him. �Blessed Alplzo1zsus Rodriguez. 205 Brother Alphonsus endeavored to hide all these virtues under the veil of humility, but it was in vain. The esteem in which he was held by the Fathers and Brothers of the house, as well as by the externs, is hardly credible. Many of Ours considered it a great happi'ness to cross the sea merely to enjoy his company, and many high personages, ecclesiastical and secular, often came to our college to look at the good porter, were it but for an instant. They admired his punctuality in receiving them, his obliging answerst his eagerness to satisfy all their wishes. These continual acts of virtue led him as by so many steps to a very pure and ardent lo\'e of God. Burning with ' the divine fire of charity, he would more than once have given way under its violence without a particular assistance of our Lord. He himself confesses this in the written accounts of conscience which he has left us. I must say, by the way, that his Superiors exacted from him, for the space of ten years, that he should thus make known by writing the state of his soul, in order to have a clearer and more precise account of it. Most intimate communications united our Brother to the Angels and Blessed. He had consecrated to twenty-four ofthem the twenty-four hours of the day, in order to hold converse with each one of them in turn and to recommend himself to their protection. Even in the midst of his sleep he never failed to awake at every hour to satisfy his piety. This devotion was rewarded. Our Lord one day in a vision brought him into the sojourn of glory. Disclosing to him the assemblage of the Saints, He made him acquainted not only with their names, but, besides, with all the particulars he would have learned had he passed his whole life with them. From his tenderest years Alphonsus had had for the Blessed Virgin the most filial devotion, and received continual favors from her. When a child he already loved her with such fervor that one day speaking familiarly with her VoL. zx-No. 3· 27 �206 Blessed A!pltonsus Rodn"guez. he said, among other things:" 0, my sovereign Lady, I love thee more than myself. I love thee, 0 my Mother, more than thou lovest me." The motherly tenderness of Mary could not bear this. The Queen of Angels appeared to her servant and said: "No, Alphonsus, no; it is not so. It is I who love thee more." He spoke to the Blessed Virgin and to our Lord in all simplicity, as a friend to a friend, as a beloved child in the arms of his parents. In fact he looked upon Jesus as his Father and Mary as his mother. Often he saw thelll walking by his side, and one day his heart seemed to him a little shrine wherein Jesus and Mary came to dwell. When he spoke of his Jesus and of his good Mother in Heaven, it, was with such great fervor and so loving a tenderness t~~t these sentiments communicated themselves to those who listened to him. " Forget yourself," said he to every one, "forget yourself and think only of serving Jesus and Mary, my sweetest loves" (this was the name he usually gave them), "and Jesus and Mary will take care of your temporal and spiritual interests." For more than four years he recited daily the office of the Immaculate Conception. This mystery was for him the object of the greatest veneration ; and Mary herself declared to him how dear this devotion was to her. For this reason the good brother exhorted us all to practise it. Once he told me and all those of the college gathered around him that one of God's in~entions in founding the Society was that her members shpuld preach and defend the Immaculate Conception of His holy Mother. These words were uttered with an extraordinary conviCtion and force that had never been noticed in him. Besides, he added, this was not a notion of his own, but a truth he had learned from Heaven. As to the rosary, he so often recited it that after his death we found on his fingers a kind of callousness, produced by the continual rubbing of the beads. �Blessed Alplzonsus Rodri'guez. 207 How many details I could still give of the great virtues Brother Rodriguez has praCtised, of the noble deeds he has accomplished, of the revelations and other supernatural graces he has received! I stop here; for a complete history of his life will some day be written, and that history, I firmly believe, will be one of the most wonderful, even among the lives of Saints the most favored of God. Besides, to say everything would be to exceed the limits of a simple letter, and moreover I should only do harm to the memory of our dear Brother, as I should have 1to present too concisely, on the one hand, the extreme munificence of God in His communications with His beloved Alphonsus, and, on the other, the unequalled generosity of Alphonsus in his correspondence with the divine liberality. I shall therefore end this letter by the brief narration of the last sickness of our Brother, of his death and obsequies. Since the arrival of Alphonsus Rodriguez in this college, our Lord, to satisfy his desires, had sent him every kind of trial. For many years the devils persecuted him without truce or mercy. Several times also he had to undergo cruel attacks of sickness. It seems, however, that God had especially appointed the end of his life for a trial of his virtue. He felt severe pains throughout his body, and that year, to his habitual infirmities, and to those which always accompany old age, were added the awful sufferings of the gravel. · Obliged thenceforth to keep his bed, and even forced for the last three months to remain on one side without changing his position, he endured real martyrdom. His prayer, however, was not interrupted on that account. He continued to ask God, not for cure or consolation, but for an increase of sufferings and infirmities. He constantly spoke of sufferings, and always with the same enthusiasm. "No one," he exclaimed, "is happier than the man to whom God gives grace to bear great pains with patience. What is there better here below? Is it not what the eternal Father gave His son? Ah 1 if the Angels and Saints �208 Blessed Alphonsus Rodriguez. were capable of jealousy, they would envy those who have much to suffer." This subject inspired him with sublime words, and all he said he had himself experienced, for his patience could be compared to that of Job. He was sometimes heard to complain, but it was that, according to him, they took an excessive care of his person, when they should have forgotten him, and fled from him as from a dead dog. Another cause of complaint was that he could not fast or do penance as he would have wished. When I told him to accept some comforts, he answered: "0 Reverend Father, believe me, all these comforts are for me so many sufferings; but sufferings, yes, they are the real comforts." When asked about his health, he only answered : "That will be all right with the grace of God." Left alone,. he immediat~ly entered into close and joyful conversation with Jesus;.his Father, and Mary, his Mother; and the sweet consolation and unspeakable joy he felt were a sufficient compensation for his sufferings. In those pious colloquies the tenderest words, the most affectionate terms, were constantly on his lips. He especially loved to repeat this prayer which our Lord had taught him: "Jesus, Mary, my sweetest delight, grant me the grace to suffer, to die for love of you ; to forget myself and be wholly yours." Let me relate also an answer he gave the infirmarian. When-the latter asked him what he felt, the good Brother, who could hardly speak, broke forth with the exclamation : "Alas! a great deal of self-love." Toward the end he was taken with a strong fever, which it wa~thought would carry him off. His pain increased with g~eater violence, and he continued to say: "Still more, 0 Lord, still more! " He received the viaticum with his usual devotion and angelic piety. For a long time past he received Holy Communion three times a week, and this favor had been continued the whole year, though he kept his bed. We gave him Extreme Unction which he received, always continuing with heroic virtue to ask for new sufferings. �Blessed Alphonsus Rodriguez. All his life he had had a very deep reverence for priests, even during this last period of his sickness, when reduced to such an extremity that he could hardly move his arms he always uncovered as soon as he saw a priest enter. Our Lord, on the point of calling to Himself this faithful servant, wished to fulfil the promise He had made him of consoling him at his death. On the 28th of this month (Saturday), towards evening, Brother Alphonsus entered into a rapture of delight similar to those he had often had this year. He remained three days in this state, and the ecstasy only ended with his life. His face, till then very pale, especially since his sickness, became all resplendent. His features breathed an angelic beauty. They disclosed the effects of the interior fire which consumed his soul. From time to time there escaped from his lips these burning words: "0 most sweet Jesus! 0 Mary!" At last, this morning after midnight, we perceived in our Brother some symptoms of his approaching end. All the Fathers and Brothers of the house hastened to his room to be present at his death. He repeated several times the most sweet name of Jesus, and, as a crucifix was presented to him, he opened his eyes, which had been closed during the three preceding days, fixed them with the same brightness as of old on the image of the crucified Saviour, kissed its feet, and pronouncing once more with great tenderness the holy name of Jesus, gave up his soul to God. The ·reputation for sanctity acquired by Brother Alphonsus had spread throughout the whole of our Province, and even throughout those of Castile and Andalusia, throughout Portugal, and even had reached the Indies. From every side, Ours, marvelling at what they heard, wrote me letter after letter to obtain some relics of the holy Brother. I had much trouble to satisfy them all. Moreover many eminent men among the clergy and laity, Cardinals, great men at court, and other dignitaries of the kingdom, wrote �210 Blessed Alplzonsns Rodriguez. to him to recommend themselves to his prayers and to obtain some souvenir from him. One can judge by this what affeCtion, what respeCt the Fathers and Brothers of the college, who knew him intimately, had for him. They were happy to have him touch their disciplines and beads, and all reckoned it a signal grace to be present at his holy death. But the veneration of which he was the objeCt has just been more clearly manifested. Our Lord, who had promiseu him to have him honored in this Island, doubtless wishes to begin at once to fulfil His promise. This death has 1ndeed been the occasion of general excitement. Scarcely had the news spread abroad, when the Viceroy, the members of the council, the canons, the, nobility, in a word, all the most distinguished personages:.in the city hastened to the college to venerate the humble remains of Brother Alphonsus and kiss his hands and feet. In the afternoon the church and the house were filled with people. We brought the body to the church and placed it on a kind of raised platform, to put him out of reach of the crowd. We succeeded, but not without trouble. The Dominicans, the Fathers of Mercy, the Franciscans, the Carmelites, the Augustinians, the Trinitarians, the Minims, the religious of every Order, came with their Provincials or superiors to sing the absolution before the body. The Chapter of the Cathedral came also, as well as all the parishes of the city, which were present in procession headed by their respe.etive clergy. It would be necessary to witness the unexampled eagerness of the crowd around the precious remains to conceive any idea of it. Some brought sick persons and made them touch the body, others applied their rosaries to it, others again cut pieces from the cassock. Six of our Fathers, aided by two Dominicans, remained there all day occupied in satisfying the pious wishes of the crowd. They could not, however, satisfy all. The crowd kept increasing, and, as all could not approach, they passed from hand to hand �Blessed Alplzonsus Rodriguez. 211 the medals, beads, or other objects which they wished to apply to the body of the Saint. What a beautiful sight for Heaven! The office of the dead was recited as usual. The Viceroy, the Chapter, and the magistrates were present. It was already dark when the sermon began. The Father who ascended the pulpit spoke for about a quarter of an hour of the most striking features in the life of Brother Alphonsus, and then asked the people to retire as it was already late, and invited them to come on Friday. One thing worthy of note is, that during the whole day, as well as during the sermon, no one ventured to cover his head in presence of the body. Besides, although the church was crowded, and such a number of people had never been assembled in it before, there was such great stillness and so unbroken a siience that the church was as if empty. We wished to proceed to the burial, but we could only bring the body back into the house, and even this not without very great difficulty. The news spreading that the ceremony was transferred, and that they could come back the next day and satisfy their devotion near the bier, the crowd retired little by little, and at 10 o'clock at night we buried the body. It would have been impossible to bury it otherwise. The face and hands of Brother Alphonsus had remained as flexible as when alive. So pure a life and a death so holy, joined to the revelation he received that he should go and enjoy God without passing through purgatory, give us a full assurance that he is among the Blessed, and even in a high degree of glory. Nevertheless, I ask your Reverence to have in your college the ordinary suffrages. I entreat you at the same time to intercede with God for us who as yet survive Brother Alphonsus, that we may become like unto the model of all virtue and perfection which the divine Majesty has given us in his person. May the holy Brother from Heaven protect your Reverence. From Majorca, October 31, 1617. �212 Blessed Alp/zorzsus Rodriguez. P. S.-At the request of a great number of distinguished persons we had a solemn service Friday morning, November 3d, the day already appointed for the panegyric. The church was filled very early. The crowd was extraordinary. Had our church, which is very large, been four times larger, it would not have held all the multitude. At this solemn service were present again, and for the· third time, the Viceroy, the councilmen, the royal court, the canons, the nobility, and all the most distinguished persons of the Island. Sickness prevented His Lordship, the Bishop, from being present. Before the tomb burned many magnificent tapers, sent from every side as marks of the venveneration paid to the Brother. The sermon that took place at the end of the office · enraptured _~hd well nigh stupefied the he.arers. Heroic virtues, supernatural favors, prophetic lights, an unheard of power with God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, everything in the life of Brother Alphonsus excited to the highest degree the admiration of the throng. Every one asked, with the most earnest entreaties and marks of sincere devotion, some objeCt the Brother had made use of, in order to preserve it as a precious relic. This eagerness manifested itself not only among the laymen, but also among ecclesiastics, among the Fathers and Brothers of the house, and in all the religious communities. A great concourse of people already frequents the vault near the altar of the Blessed Virgin where the body is deposited. This concourse is said to--'!Je due to some miracles performed during these last few days. Once these faCts are well ascertained, I shall make them known to your Reverence. ' MICHAEL jULIEN. �INDIAN MISSIONS. Letter from Father Ponzi'gliom. OsAGE MISSION, KANSAS, June 30th, I 880. . REVEREND FATHER, P. C. The winter just past was one of the most pleasant that we have had for a long time. There was very little sickness prevailing, but we were in the number of those who were visited; and one of our best men, Brother John Sheehan, was taken away from us, almost at the opening of the cold season. He was one of the pillars of this Mission, having come hither with Father John Schoenmaker as early as 1847; and he faithfully persevered to the end of his long career, ever the same, a good and simple religIous. He was very devout and pious. It was his custom, when in good health, to visit the church at two o'clock in the morning and remain there until six, passing four hours daily in fervent prayer. He had great love for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and for His Virgin Mother, whose Immaculate Conception he was always ready to defend. He used to work very hard, and in his younger days he was possessed of herculean strength. Even the Osages feared him, and thought that he was more than a match for them in physical powers. Tried by a long and painful sickness, fortified by the Sacraments of the Church, he breathed forth his soul as calmly as one who falls into a placid sleep. He died on the 13th of December, aged seventy-two, having spent thirty-three years in the Society. R. I. P. 28 VoL. Ix-No. 3· (2 I 3) �214 Indian J.11issions. As soon as the Easter season began, I started to visit the Osages, in order to give the Half Breeds, who are all Catholics, an opportunity of complying with their Christian duties, and I am happy to say that quite a number of them responded to my call, and came to receive the Sacraments. From the settlements on the Cana, which for a considerable distance forms the northern boundary of the Osage Reservation, I came to the banks of the Arkansas, which in its great bend bounds the Reservation on the west and south. A tract of ten square miles has been taken away · from the Osages by the United States Government and assigned to the Kansas, or, as they are ordinarily called, the Kaw Indians. These Indians resemble the Osages, of whom they seem to be an offshoot, having the same customs ancLspeaking the same language, but with a different accent. ·f'he full-blooded Kaws are not Christians ; the Half Breeds of the tribe. are all Catholics, but very ignorant in matters of religion. They have had no resident missionary for a very long time, and their knowledge of the Faith is limited to the fact that they were baptized in it. They have great respect for the priests, and freely declare that they belong to no other church than the Roman Ca.tholic, and are very anxious to have their marriages blessed and their children baptized by the priest. From the Kaws, passing through the settlement of the Salt Creek, I came to the Osage Agency which has a central position on Bird Creek at a,place called Deep Ford, and following my way due east J visited all the Half Breed settlements which are situated a quarter of a mile west of the ninety-sixth meridian. Everywhere I found plenty to do; marriages were to be blessed, children were to be baptized, and the people, without exception, were willing to comply with their religious obligations. Returning to the Cana at Canville's Settlement, some twenty-five miles north of the Agency, I heard that a young Half Breed, named Alfred Canville, had started a �indian Jlfissio11s. 215 school. Alfred was brought up at our Mission before the Osages left Kansas, and is well qualified to teach. I went to visit him and found him surrounded by quite a number of little one,;, some twenty-four in all. His school had been very successful, and parents informed me that their children had learnt.d more in three months from Alfred's teaching than they had acquired in three years at the Quaker school on Deep Ford. No unprejudiced observer could deny that Alfred was doing a good work; but the Agent was of a different mind. In fact, having heard of it, he was very much displeased, and so far was he from approving the course of those who sent their children to this school, that he even threatened to withdraw the annuity money due to Alfred if he wc\uld not stop teaching. Alfred, however, did not mind the Agent, and kept on teaching until he had completed the term for which he had stipulated. You here might ask, what reason after all could the Agent have for not approving of this school? No reason that we can assign except perhaps this one, that Alfred by request of the parents obliged the children to learn their · prayers and catechism. Yes, bigotry is the cause of this opposition, so unworthy of the age and country in which we live. To prove to you that bigotry is really at the bottom of it, I will relate to you what the first chief of the Osages, Joseph Pani-numpa-tze, told me when I visited him about the end of last month. "The Agent," said he, "wanted me to send my children to his Quaker school, but I told him I would not do so, because I had tried his school and found out that my children were learning nothing there. Then the Agent offered to send my children to Philadelphia to a big school that the Quakers have opened there for the Indians, but I refused because it was too far off. He then proposed that I should send my children to a big school the Cherokees have near Tahlaquah. Hearing this, I said to him: Why. do you want to send my children either to Philadelphia or �216 I1tdi'a1Z MissioJts. to Tahlaquah, when you well know that we all prefer to send our children to Father Schoenmaker's school at the Osage Mission in Kansas? Since you are willing to pay for the education of our children, why are you not willing to send them to the Osage Mission, a place nearer and cheaper than those you offer me, and besides a place which we all like? " The simple reason why the Agent does not want to allow this favor to the Osages is because he knows that ht:re they would be instruCted in the Christian doctrine, and taught to become praCtical Catholics. This is the liberty of conscience granted to the poor Indians by the office~s of a free government! And this is the cause of all the hostility of bqth Agent and School Superintendent against mysel( They'do nof like to see.. 'me visiting the Osages; they hate to see the school children running after me when I go there; and worse yet, they cannot bear the idea of their coming to Confession. Whenever I appoint an hour for Mass there is always some new difficulty in the way to keep them from coming to assist at it and receive Holy Communion. The School Superintendent is always very kind to any • sort of preacher that happens to visit the Agency. He himself will invite them to address the school children; but when) come to call on the children to give them some instruCtion they are sent on some new errand, or no room can be got for that purpose, or the children must be on duty somewhere else. . Some time ago having gone to the.. school-house to see the Superintendent about some arrangements in order that the children might attend Mass on the next morning, I spoke to him very respeetfully, trying to conciliate him if possible ; but it was useless ; the old fellow would not even give me an answer. This was very impolite, and his wife who stood by felt very n1uch ashamed at such a want of . good manners, and bt:gan to apologize. She put on a very ' smooth face, and said that they were well pleased in seeing �Indian .1l1issions. 217 me again, that they wanted to be friendly (of course) with me, and had no objeCtion at all to my preaching to the children, but "Father," she said in a very confidential tone, " please do us one favor; do not tell the children that unless one be baptized he cannot go to Heaven. You see this is quite against our doctrine, and creates a good deal of difficulty in this house; these children are rather impudent, and, coming around, they will tell us that we will never go to Heaven because we were never baptized. Now you see this is too bad, and we do not like to hear such a thing." Leaving the Osage Reservation I struck fartber east, some one hundred and fifty miles, and came to Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee nation. On the 21st of April I said Mass in that town where there are but very few Catholics. Before leaving the place I visited the two great seminaries, or boarding-schools of the Cherokees. They are both situated a few miles from town, and are built in palatial style. One school is used for the boys, the other for the girls; and they are two miles apart. Both contain from ninety to one hundred pupils. The course of studies is what they call graded. Concerning the morals and religion of these institutions I have not much to say, but if you consider that both are under the control of Freemasonry you will soon be able to draw conclusions. The largest part of the Osages being now gathered around the Agency, waiting for the payment of their annuity, I returned there to have an opportunity of seeing them all; and, as it was the eve of Corpus Christi, I immediately sent word to the few Catholics now living at that place to come and assist at Mass on the next morning. During the night there was quite an uproar; and we were awakened by the wailing and high-sounding lamentations of the Osages whose principal Medicine Man had just died. They were mourning over him like those who have no hope in a better life to come. This man was very popular, �218 Indian JV!issions. and by this great mourning they wanted to show how much they thought of him. He had been sick for a long time, and as yesterday he appeared to be sinking very fast all the chiefs and Medicine Men came around him to try their last juggleries. Among these the Dog Sacrifice is one of the principal. Every family of the Osages has a large number of dogs which are very wild and look like prairie wolves. Now in a case of this kind, when a sick man is given up, a dog is picked from the crowd of those belonging to his family. This dog is brought into the lodge and treated to a good dish of meat just close to the sick man's pallet, and when he has been well fed they take him out and kill him. By the killing of the poor dog, who is considered as an infe-· rior member. of the family, they try to appease the Great Spirit, and hope that being now satisfied with the victim they have offered Him He will spare their friend. But the case of our Medicine Man was too bad, and not even the Dog Sacrifice could do him any good. You might ask me here, did you try to baptize this dying man? \Veil, if I could have entertained but the slightest idea that he was any way disposed for it, I would have done it with pleasure; but, unfortunately, the case was quite different, and no supposition in his favor could be entertained. He was conscious to the very last, and his mental faculties were as good as one could wish to have, and he showed himself as wild a savage at the point of death as he had been during life. To give you"~n idea of what kind of feelings he had at the very moment of his death, I need but record his last words. To all the Osages that came to see him he would say: "My friend, I have done my duty, and killed as many white men as I could catch on the prairies; and as I am sorry to die now it is because there are four more white men whom I intended to kill long since, but I never had a good chance to do it." On Corpus Christi I said Mass and had the pleasure of �hzdimz Missions. 219 distributing the Bread of Angels to several of the Half Breeds. Mass being over I left for the Cana, where on the next Sunday, the 30th ultimo, I offered the Holy Sacrifice before a large congregation of Half Breeds. At noon I turned my course homeward, and came to camp for the night in Chautauqua county, a few miles north of the State line. The night was calm and pleasant. I took up my quarters on a large prairie almost encircled by timbered hills. Having pinned my horses to the ground with long ropes that they might have a chance to graze, I took a rath~r sparing supper and lay down on my buffalo robe. It was the best place for meditating on the beauty of the firmament. I kept looking at the stars till gradually I fell into a sound sleep. Between two and three o'clock in the morning a loud barking of dogs at some distance made me get up with anxiety. I looked around to see what was the matter, but as it was too dark to notice anything distinaly, I again lay down. But, after a while, a thought struck me that something wrong might have happened to my horses, and so I concluded to go and look after them. I went,and when I came to the place where I had left them I found . out that they were both gone. Refleaing that I was camping in a neighborhood notorious for horse thieves I could come to only one conclusion, that both my horses had been stolen, and here I was left on foot, at a distance of seventyfive miles from this Mission, not knowing what to do ! If I ever prayed to St. Anthony with my whole heart and soul it was certainly on ~his occasion, though I must confess that I had but little faith in my prayers, because, as I had strong reasons for thinking that the horses had been stolen, I could not see how I could recover them except by a miracle of the first class, for it is very seldom that one can get back a horse stolen near to the Indian country. As I had promised to offer Mass in some neighbor's house, where the evening before I had left my sack with �220 Indian Missions. all that is needed for the altar, I walked there and called them up. Hearing what had happened to me they hastened to rise from their beds, and before daylight all was ready for Mass. No sooner had I finished when we began to look around, and by carefully examining the ground found the tracks of my horses ; we followed them for about one mile when we found a part of one of the ropes with which I had fastened them. This discovery gave me courage, for it convinced me that they had not been stolen, but had only run off on a frolic. We then went to a house in the vicinity, and, upon inquiry, heard that at daylight two horses were seen running wild on the prairie. Here we gave up the idea of going after them ourselves, but I hired a young man who· happened to come by on horseback, and requested him not to lose a minute, but to run around and try to find my team. He started on a gallop, and I prayed to his Guardian Angel to direCl: his course so that he might be successful on his expedition. In less than three hours the young man returned with both my horses, which he had found about eight miles forward on their way towards this Mission. I need not tell you how happy I felt when I got them back ! Indeed my prayers either to St. Anthony or to the · Guardian Angel had not been useless! This circumstance delayed me on my way about four hours, but I assure you that once I had those two rascals well hitched up to my ambulance I made them make up for the time lost, and the dust flew from their backs. Before sundown I had traveled a good forty miles, and reached Independence where I passed the night with my old friends. Next morning I said Mass in the church which years ago I ereCl:ed in honor of S. Stanislaus, and on the 2d instant I returned to this Mission without having suffered any damage in this my long missionary excursion. PAUL MARY PoNZIGLIONE, S. J. �PRISON WORK AT BALTIMORE. From a conversation with Rev. Thaddeus Anwanden, C. SS. R., we learn many interesting particulars in regard to missionary labors in years past amongst the conviCts at the penitentiary in Baltimore. Religious services took place there regularly for the prisoners from 1848 to 1855. The chaplain was allowed free access to every part of the institution to which his duties might call him. Father An wanden remembers to have given Communion to as many as forty or fifty at a time in the hall then used for the meeting of the coiwiCl:s. There was, we may say, no regular chapel, no altar properly so-called, until September, 1879. The Most Reverend Archbishop Eccleston, deceased April 22, 1851, being much gratified to hear how happily things were going on among the poor conviCl:s, had promised to administer the Sacrament of Confirmat!on in the penitentiary; but, as he was unwell at the time appointed, his place was supplied by the Right Reverend Dr. Char7 bonnel, Bishop of Toronto, Canada. It was only after the decease of Archbishop Eccleston that Dr. Wyatt, ReCl:or of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, becoming aware of this, expressed his dissatisfaCtion at the whole proceeding. He made it known that he considered himself as the chaplain of the penitentiary, and that such proceedings were a trespass on his rights. Dr. Wyatt even seemed inclined to maintain his position by appealing to the old Maryland Colonial Laws. Much excitement followed; and many articles appeared in the public papers, all intended to awaken popular prejudice against Catholics and their religion. Father Anwanden left Baltimore· for New Orleans some twenty-five years ago, and we are unable to uiscover that VoL. 1x-No. 3· 29 (221) �222 Prison Work at Baltimore. there were any regular ministrations of our holy religion from the time of his departure until the present arrangement was made. For about eight years, from I863 to 187I, Rev. Alfred A. Curtis, then an Episcopal minister at Mount Calvary Church, Baltimore, was in the habit of visiting the penitentiary every week. Conversing freely with the prisoners in the workshops, and helping them in other ways to bear their unhappy lot, he was allowed to take them papers and letters, subjea of course to the inspeaion of the warden. General Horn, the warden, was very kind, even sending at night a carriage on one occasion, if not more frequently, when the nature of the sick case required. During this period a very good spirit prevailed ; there was a disposition on the part of officials to aid, so far as possible,' the chaplai~'in the discharge of his duties. The visits of Mr. Curtis ~to the penitentiary ended towards the close of 1871, and shortly after this time he was received into the Church. In the long interval between I855 and 1879, although Catholic P.risoners no doubt received the consolations of religion in cases of necessity, still there was no regularly appointed chaplain of our faith, and, so far as we can gather, there was no public exercise of Catholic worship in the prisog. To remedy this neglea the Most Reverend Archbishop Gibbons requested that a more regular attendance should be given to the Catholic prisoners; and Father Edward J. Sourin, having been appointed for this duty, said Mass at the penitentiary, after an in"t_erruption of several years, on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, January I8, I879· Thenceforward Mass was celebrated at 7 A. IlL every Sunday regularly until about the middle of June. The order of the day was as follows : At Mass, a short Instruaion ; 9 A. III., Sunday-school in the Chapel; About I I o'clock a second Instruaion before the end of the Sunday-school; �Pnson vVork at Baltimore. 223 After this, Confessions until half-past two P. M. in the cells. From the middle of June until September the religious services were suspended; in the third week of September the Holy Sacrifice, with other religious services, was resumed, and has continued without interruption up to the present time, June 6, 1880. From the opening of the penitenti,ary there was seldom, if ever, a sermon by a Catholic in the afternoon. Last September a monthly discourse, to be delivered by some Catholic priest, was made part of the Sunday's work. The first discourse according to this arrangement, which should have existed from before, was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Placidus L. Chapelle in the renovated prison chapel. The audience was composed chiefly of the eight or nine hundred convicts; besides these there were present the officers of the institution, and a number of ladies and gentlemen who take an interest in such matters. Such was the impression, both as regards the doctrine and manner of his sermon, that it could not have elicited more general satisfaction had it been delivered before an audience exclusively Catholic. l\Ionthly discourses on Sunday afternoons by different clergymen have followed in regular succession. On Christmas Day, 1879, Mass was said at the usual hour, but a volunteer choir with Prof. C. F. Percivall as organist, assisted by several Catholic ladies and gentlemen, sang the principal parts of' the Mass, much to the joy of the poor prisoners who roared out their "Adeste, Fideles," and other hymns in a style seldom heard inside the penitentiary walls. Owing to the many offerings and Christmas presents from relatives, friends, and kind-hearted patrons of all such good works, both Catholic and non-Catholic, but, above all, in consequence of the Christian spirit of the warden, Thomas S. Wilkinson, this great festival passed off in a manner that no outsider would have imagined possible within the walls of a prison. �224 Prison Work at Baltimore. We may here mention in proof of the becoming disposition on the part of the warden to do justice to all without fear or favor, that on one occasion when the Catholic chaplain was absent, and all the conviCts were assembled in the chapel, he gave them to understand that, although he was not himself a Catholic, the prisoners were at liberty to aCt: as they thought best on the subjeCt: of religion, and to join the Catholic Church if they felt so inclined. From the early part of 1879 a considerable number, both white and colored, have been in the habit of attending Mass, the Catholic services in Sunday-school, etc. Many of them have become sincere members of the Church and have returned to their families changed men ; others are still preparing to receive the Sacraments. During the recess (June Is-Sept. 17) the large upper room, which might properly have been called a garret, hitherto used for religious services, cold in winter and hot in summer, was converted into a commodious chapel by the present warden. " The ceiling and walls were plastered and whitecoated; the wood-work all newly painted, giving to the place an air of neatness and cheerfulness well in accord with its use." * It will hold from eight hundred to a thousand worshippers. The altar, built by Mr. Charles DunQ, stands in the north-west end of the chapel, the organ filling the opposite extremity. The conviCts, of their own good will, contributed seventy dollars towards the purchase of vestments, of which we have at present three sets, white, red and purple, fit for any sanCluary,.: . At the time when services began ag~in there were about nine hundred and fifteen conviCts in the penitentiary. Of this number, one third at most, might have been Catholics; the exaCt: number could not be determined, as many concealed to a later period in the year to what creed they belonged. There are now (July 24) six hundred and forty conviCts, all told. *Annual Report. �Prison TVork at Baltimore. 225 There have been twenty-five baptisms of adults, and two of children since January, 1879. The greater part of those who can read are supplied with catechisms and prayer-books; the rest have beads, scapulars, sacred medals, Agnus Dei, etc. The aggregate number of Confessions during the year was about three hundred ; of Communions, about one hundred and fifty. Confessions were heard as circumstances permitted; at first in the workshops, when the daily tasks had been completed; but this permission did not continue long, some of the contractors complaining that it interfered with the general work and business of the establishment. Secondly, in the chapel during the non-Catholic services; a large number every Sunday coming at this time, not heeding the presence of their fellow-convicts, nor the shouting of the Methodist hymns. In this way many of the longest and, we may believe, most sincere Confessions of years lost in all kinds of sin and misery were completed, in more than one instance the penitent returning four and five times before he was satisfied to approach the Holy Communion on the following Sunday. Other places for hearing Confessions were the cells, the hospital, or any room free at the moment for such a duty. As a general thing they have been going to Confession, as well as they could, in a corner of the chapel during Sunday-school, or in their cells, receiving Communion on the following Sunday. The average number is from seven to ten; the largest number was on last Christmas-about twenty. During the whole time (January 18, 1879-]une 6, 188o) not one Sunday has passed without bearing with it evidence of the earnest desire of several among the convicts to return to God by an humble Confession and renewal of all the good resolutions of their happier years. In this divine work they have been very much aided by a number of zealous Catholic gentlemen, who, besides giving their services as. teachers on Sundays, have supplied them with �M£s.nonary Labors. abundance of good reading matter, catechisms, Catholic periodicals, religious papers-all are made to contribute their share towards the one grand objea in whose final success so fair a portion of our Catholic laity are more than ever interested. Sunday, June 6, closed our religious exercises in the penitentiary for the present season. It was represented that as the Catholic services began at 7 A. M., and seldom lasted more than an hour and t\venty minutes, which would rarely, if ever, interfere with the regular routine of the house, it would be a great favor to allow the Mass to be continued as usual. The reply came that no exception could be made. It was besides some slight relief to the officials not to be obliged to attend any extra services dur- · ing the warp} season. Visits to the penitentiary have continued, and Confessions have been heard every Sunday up to the present, July 25; also during the week when required.· MISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS. FROM APRIL I Ith TO JUNE IOth 1880. CHURCH OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAuL, SouTH BosTON.- The work here was extremely hard, .and the five Fathers engaged in it were glad when the laoor was ended. They were obliged to ask help also from the neighboring priests, who kindly gave it, and thus increased the harvest very much. From five o'clock in the morning until late at night, confessions were heard, unless some duty of preaching or instruaing called the Fathers away for a short respite, if that exchange of duty can in truth be so called. The mission proper lasted for two wet!ks, bnf the "Forty Hours" devotion began on the day after the exercises were closed, �llfissionary Labors. 227 and as a large number of persons had to be prepared for Confirmation, the toil and drudgery were eked out through three more days. It was necessary to have a double mission in order to give all a chance to hear the sermons. Add to this, a special service in the afternoon for children, and it is easily seen that there were opportunities enough to give each Father a sermon during the day. Besides all these exercises, there were special classes of instruCtion every evening for Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Quite a number of persons in this parish speak English with difficulty, or not at all. The Fathers not unfrequently were told : " Father, I have little English," and then without more ado the person would begin the confession, or whatever else was to be done, in Irish. After mutual misunderstandings for a while, and a little loud talk on both sides, when the penitent was deaf, the priest that spoke Gaelic was sent for, and then a calm ensued. There were ten thousand five hundred Communions. Two hundred adults were prepared for first Communion; four hundred and thirty-six persons, all adults, were confirmed. Twelve adults were baptized, together with seven children of various ages. The work lasted from the 11th to the 28th of April. Fr. Maguire was assisted by Frs. Me Atee, Strong, Haugh and Morgan. ST. PAUL's, PHILADELPHIA. (May 2-17.)-This parish is in the old Moyamensing DistriCt, a part well known for hard fighters and drinkers. Nor are the other requisites of evil to be looked for elsewhere. In old times, Moyamensing had its notoriety; and though of late years there has been a change for the better, a great deal of good yet remains to be done. St. Paul's was established as a parish forty years ago, and during that time there have been but two missions. The first mission was given last~ year by Frs. Langcake, Gleeson, Smith and Freeman, and effeCted a great change. �228 Missionary Labors. But a half dozen missions may bring this parish up to the right level. The mission given this year by Fr. Maguire's band was very successful; and though the work was laborious, the Fathers could not but feel grateful to the workers of the previous year, who had done so much good, and lightened the labor for their successors. The labor was continuous for fifteen days with the following results: Communions, eleven thousand; First Communion of adults, one hundred and twenty; Confirmed, two hundred and seventy-one adults; Baptism of adults, thirtytwo; of children, twenty. Six Protestants were left under instruCtion. MANCH~'-rER, N. H. (May 2I-June 2.)-The mtsston at St. Paul's, 'Philadelphia, came very close upon the one in Boston ; in faCt, counting the days of travelling from one city to the other, there was little time for rest, so much longed for after seventeen days of hard work. The mission in St. Paul's ended on Monday evening June 2d; on the next day the Fathers had to set out for Manchester, where the work was to begin on Friday evening, June 6th. The labor in Manchester was extremely hard. The weather was- unfavorable, for the thermometer most of the time showed a temperature of over ninety degrees in the shade, and for a day the mercury rose to one hundred and two degrees. The Fathers had no assistance from the resident clergy, and in ten days were obliged _to do what would have given them ample employment for two weeks. To add to the difficulties, a mission had not been preached to the congregation for fourteen years. Those acquainted with our faCtory towns can easily understand how much evil may accumulate in such a space of time. There is, as a matter of course, a large floating population that bring with them all the vices, and very few of the virtues, met with in other places. The zeal of the clergy, with the aid of schools and �.llfissionary Labors. 229 sodalities, is not able to cope with the evil thus brought in. The roving class that have been· in almost every manufacturing centre in Scotland, England, and the United States, do not come under the care of the pastor, and it is only during a mission that they are discovered, if even then. The Fathers had every reason to be gratified with the success of their labors. The attendance was remarkable, far beyond the capacity of the church. Many had to go away at the evening service for want of room. The confessionals were thronged from five o'clock in the morning until ten at night, and this for the ten days. Of course, there were the usual results from hardened sinners and matrimonial cases. There were five thousand communicants. About twenty adults were prepared for first Communion. Several children previously neglected were baptized, and one adult. Manchester is a thriving town, the most important in the State, and is situated on the banks of the Merrimac River. Its chief industry is the manufacturing of cotton and woollen goods. The population is thirty-two thousand. The Catholics number about fifteen thousand, and have three churches. Their influence politically, owing to the old prejudices so long kept up in the State, is very slight. However, intolerance is fast disappearing; two years ago the last remnant of former bitterness and bigotry was swept away, when the constitution of the State was so modified as to allow Catholics to hold office. Practically the law had been a dead letter for thirty years. New Hampshire, like every other State in the New England group, has the legislating mania. Laws must be made to regulate everything, though not descending to particulars so domestic as in earlier times. Now-a-days the Solons spend themselves upon laws relative to temperance, lotteries, divorce and Sabbath keeping; in a word, upon anything that enables them to see to the affairs of other people. They blunder egregiously in everything, and especially VoL. Ix-No. 3· 30 �230 Missionary Labors. when the prohibition of intoxicating drink is the theme. Not long ago a law was passed forbidding the colleaion of debts contraaed for liquor. To say nothing of numberless dishonest transaaions arising from the law, it is possible for men to go from bar-room to bar-room and get all the drink they want for nothing. And it is done. Temperance suffers necessarily. Fathers Haugh and Bellwalder helped the missionaries for two days. CENTRAL FALLS, R. I. (May 31-}une ro.)-Father McAtee was deputed to open the mission in this place. After the labors in Manchester were ended he was joined by Fathers Maguire and Morgan. Father Strong gave, meanwhile, a succe,;sful retreat to a sodality in Lawrence, Mass: The same' Fathers gave a mission in Central Falls three years ago, ~nd they were much pleased to see what good results had come from their w0rk at that time. The Confraternity of the Sacred Heart established then has been very successful, and together with the Society of the Children of Mary has effeaed a great change for the better. At the end of the mission a society was formed for the young men of the congregation. Results : Communions, three thousand two hundred ; Baptism, one; First Communions of adults, seven. The Spring campaign, a hard one, lasted from the 1 rth of April to June roth. There were thirty thousand Communions; First Communions of adlllts, two hundred and thirty-five; Baptisms of adults, forty:six; children of mixed marriages, thirty; adults confirmed, six hundred and seven; left under instruaion for baptism, six. Adding these figures to those already given, we have for results of the whole year (Sept. 6-June ro): Communions, 84,230; First Communions (adults), 636; B:tptisms, 249; Confirmation (adults), I 45 1 ; left under instruaion (for Baptism) in various places, 24. J. A.M. �Mz:Sszonary Labors. 231 MissiONs OF FATHER CoGHLAN AND CoMPANIONS. BROOKLYN, N.Y., April 22d, 1880.-Jn the Church of St. Charles Borromeo, Sydney Place, Brooklyn, N. Y., we terminated our Mission on April 19th. During the Mission 8,000 persons approached the Sacraments; 19 converts were received into the Church; 2,500 persons became members of the Sacred Heart Society and Apostleship of Prayer. At the close of the Mission, Rt. Rev. Bishop Loughlin confirmed 300 candidates, 94 of whom were adults from this and neighboring parishes. Frs. Verdin, Bouige, and Kuppens assisted during the Mission. CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION, BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 13th, 188o.-Our report of the Mission just given in this Church is quite brie£ It may be summed up in a few words. We heard 4,500 Confessions during the mission. On the day after its close, Rt. Rev. Bishop Loughlin administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 188 persons. We intend to open our next Mission in St. Mary's Church, Troy, N. Y., on Sunday, May 16th. ]. J. CoGHLAN, S. ]. D. 0. M. · �OUR COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES FOR 187g-8o I ------1 PLACE I I NAME :PROVINCE STUDENTS ; I GRAD. . A.B. . \--- ·1 Baltimore, }ld..... :Loyola College* ........ N. Y... Boston, 1\lass....... ;Boston College*......... N. Y... Buffalo, N.Y ...... ·Canisius College ......... Germany Chicago, Ill........ ' St. Ignatius College* ..... \ Mo..... Cincinnati, 0 ..... -:st. Xavier College* ...... : Mo. ... Detroit, 1\Iich... ::. Detroit 'College * ........ l\Io..... Fordham, N. Y ... •'-" StJohn s College ....... 1 N. Y... , Georgetown, D. C •. ,Georgetown College .... N. Y... Jersey City, N.J ... St. P~ter's College* ...... N. Y... Las Vegas, N. 1\1... Las vegas College ....... · N a pies.. I New York, N. Y ... St. Francis Xav. College N. Y... New Orleans, Ln ... 'Imm. Conception Coll. *.. Lyons.. Santa Clara, Cal.. .. ~Santa Clara College . . . . . Turin.. San Francisco, Cal. 'St. Ignatius' College * ... . Turin .. St Louis, 1\Io....... 'St. Louis University .... . 1\Io.... . St :Mary's, Kan ..... ·st.l\Iary's College ...... . l\lo .... . Spring Hill, Ala.... St. Joseph's College .... . 'Vashington, D. C.. ·Gonzaga College* ...... . 1 'Vorcestcr, Mass.... College oft he Holy Cross . N.Y... I I 1 ·I 1 1 i.o;~. :I *Day College..".· 99 · · · ·: · · · ·· · 249 .... \ 16 176 .... : ..... . 192 .... : ..... . 224. ... 10 98 . · .. · • • · • · 188 .. .. 10 159.... 10 129 ......... . 194 ... . 436.... 34 251 ... . 204 ... . 2 654 .....••... 389 .... 8 156 ...... i :J 113: 2 93 .... (...... 136 ... ·I 26 �CONTENTS OF VOL. IX. Page Georgetown College............................................. 3 Indian :Missions ...............•..••..................... 15, 118, 213 8t. John Francis Regis.......................................... 31 The Conewago Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Sketch of the Nez Perces Indians ...........•............ 43, 109, 191 Church at Elysville, 11Id .......................... ·............... 59 )Iissionary Labors ...•.................................. 53, 141, 226 Applications for the 11Iaryland niission-1640........... .. . . . . . . . . 73 _ The Catholic Church in Montana............................... 95 Letters from Brazil. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . 107, 187 Letter from New :liiexico. . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . 134 HISTORICAL pAPERS:I. Archbishop Carroll's Narrative ...•.............•.........•. 157 II. Bishop Fenwick's Sketch .................................. 167 Letter from San Francisco .............•.....•.•..........•...... 181 Blessed Alphonsus Rodriguez. . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Prison Work at Baltimore .....................•••..-......•..... 221 OmTUARY:- Father A. 1\I. 11Iarigliano...................................... 59 11Ir. Aloysius Benassai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 nlr. Grorge Aloysius l\Ioffitt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 APPENDIX:- Varia......... .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . 68 Fructus Spirituales Patrum Prov. 11Iarylandire.................. 72 niissourianre..................•... Our Colleges in the United States for 1879-80 ................•...• 232 �-· � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 9 (1880) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1880 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-009 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1880 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/26015/archive/files/4fcf218c41df830186374a8a54f71141.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=VHX5Uxn6jbHvDNWlwglVr%7EbJMGpJXCufKO1ENyUp%7Ev4l3NPVzyClvNVgWh68Hud7VtCgZFtQ44Cd9DFe1SL%7E9G9umW8x118adhtys9qQpcz-LGOyfW7JYwO5s442a7souk3tUrLDaK1Fshnh-2lU5EiEL0HzbAQPd9Pdjz8LCi1tiSVB9NKDCZCPt%7EOwCE1N%7EpxWYrieRsM7fht6zv-MuSsY8yf8afkmryc0-ZAAMj5QQ4SsBPWNEJCywm8NHo9VOd-Nb1CI8pv%7EcK9EZDQoaNfvY34dfnefoCtiJEzcU4vfBZvQ9dD7hf9353R3cbR4c-O9pbW4%7EI1gg9SKRyHh6A__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM e2d54bead9d16cda86a7eabfc5df9c78 PDF Text Text A.M. D. G. WOODSTOCI{ LETTERS A RECORD Of Current Et•ents and IIistorical ~Notes connected with the Colleges and ..~1Iissions of tlte Soc. of Jesus in Nortlt and South America. VOL. X. WOODSTOCK COLLEGE 188!. FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION. ��WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. X, No. 1. PAPERS RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE MARYLAND MISSION. II~.-THE PENAL LAWS. Go1lernor Seymour reprimands Fathers Tflilliam _Hunter and Robert Brooke. 2. Papers on the subjeCl by Father George Hunter. J. IndiClmmt of Father Ya11U"s Beadnall. I. Although the penal legislation of the Mother Country was not extended to the colonies; nor enforced in all its rigor against recusants beyond the seas, yet the provisions of the law for the establishment of the Church of England in the Province of Maryland were such as to press heavily upon those who adhered to the ancient faith, and made the Sflying true, that "the Catholic inhabitant was the only victim of intolerance" in the land where religious liberty had been granted by his ancestors. Disfranchisement was followed by a persistent and tyrannical system of persecution, and by acts whose recital-to borrow the words of Colonel Scharf, the latest historian of the State, and a Protestant (vol. I, p. 370),-"may well make the Marylander of the present day blush with indignant shame at the deeds of his predecessors." This unjust and ungenerous policy of the Protestant �4 Histon'cal Papers. dominant party, and the grievous oppression under which Catholics suffered from the constant introduCtion and enaCtment of stringent measures against their religion, together with the apprehension of more intolerable burdens that were to be imposed upon them, at length caused the Catholic inhabitants to appeal to the Home Government for proteCtion against further injustice on the part of the Provincial authorities. This appeal for redress of grievances was drawn up by Father George Hunter, for many years Superior of the Mission. The three papers here presented are in his marked handwriting, and appear to have been written in 1757. One paper was evidently prepared as a memorial. and the other; two furnish the notes explanatory and con- · firmatory of its assertions. It may be that these papers were never presented ; at least, it is not known from the records at hand that any aCl:ion was taken in regard to them, or in consequence of them, by the authorities to whom it was intended that the appeal should be forwarded. But even if they offer mt:rely the rough draught of a contemplated memorial, they show clearly how many and how well founded were the causes for complaint on the part of Maryland Catholics, at a period only twenty years prior to the Revolution, which happily did away with all further necessity for appeals of such a nature; and the authority of Father Hunter, who was for more than twenty years Superior of the Mission, and thoroughlY. conversant with the matter of which he treats, lends value and interest to a doc-. ument which helps to illustrate the history of the past, and is one of the few records which have come down to us. Before presenting the papers of Father George Hunter, it may not be without interest, as conneCl:ed with the subjeCt: of penal laws, to give an incident in the life of Father William Hunter. The account is taken from the council proceedings of I 704, and may be found in Scharfs History (vol. I, p. 368). John Seymour had been appointed Gov-. ernor by royal authority, on the 12th of February; 1702, 0. �Governor Seymour reprimands FF. Hunter and Brooke. 5 · S. ( 1703), and shortly afterwards, when he had entered upon· the duties of his office, complaints were made to him by the Protestant inhabitants against Robert Brooke and William Hunter, two Catholic priests of St. Mary's County. They were immediately summoned to answer the charges before the Council, and signified their obedience, requesting at the same time to be accompanied by their counsel,· Charles Carroll, which request the board unanimously refused to grant. They appeared at the appointed day, Sept. 11, 1704, and the minutes of the council proceedings give an account of the affair, in which the Governor's language in some places sounds like the echo of a charge delivered by an Elizabethan judge in similar cases. 1.-GO~ERNOR SEYMOUR'S REPRIMAND OF FATHERS HUNTER AND BROOKE. "The said Mr. William HunterCIJ and Mr. Robert BrookeC2> appeared and are told on what occasion they were called before his Excellency. Mr. William Hunter gives his Excellency many thanks for the opportunity of appearing before his Excellency, and says he is very sorry for any annoyance in his con duEl:. As to his consecrating the chapel, he did not consecrate it, for that is an Episcopal funCtion, and that nobody was present but himself in his common priest's vestments, and that neither under his Excellency's eye nor in his presence, but if any such thing was done, it was above fourteen months ago, and long before his Excellency's arrival. Mr. Brooke says he did say Mass in the 1 < J01iver merely mentions that he died in 1Iaryland, August 15th, 1723. Father .McSherry's catalogue places Father Hunter's arrival on the Mission in 1692. He is marked Sup ..JJiiss. for the years 1696, 1697, 1700, 1703, 1705, 1708. Under the date of 1705 a note against his name says: Prof. 4 Vot., 23 Aug. 1702. In 1721, P. Hunter was at St. Thomas', where he died on the day mentioned by Oliver, or one day later, according toP. Geo. Hunter. 2 < ! In the catalogue of missionaries drawn up by Father McSherry, he IS described as Americanus ex Jiarylandia, and a note is added, Prof. 4 Vot., 15 Aug. 1702: The same authority names Father Brooke (or Brooks1 as the name is constantly written in this and other records,) as Superior m 1711, with a note appended that in another catalogue of 1711 (perhaps 1712), F. Thomas Mansell is named Superior. Oliver says: "This worthy Father died in the MarylandUission, 18th July, 1714; aet. 51, soc. 30." A record of the Mission says that he died at Newtown: �6 Historical Papers. Court time at the chapel of St. Mary's, but found that others had formerly done so. "Advised that this being the first complaint, the said Mr. Hunter and Mr. Brooke be severely reprimanded, and told that they must not expea any favor, but the utmost severity of the law upon any misdemeanor by them committed ; and being called in, his Excellency was pleased to give them the following reprimand: . " 'It is the unhappy temper of you and all your tribe to grow insolent upon civility and never know how to use it, and yet of all people you have the least reason for considering that if the necessary laws that are made were let loose they are sufficient to crush you, and which (if your arrogant principles have not blinded you) you must need to dread. "'You might, methinks, be content to live quietly as you may, and let the exercise of your superstitious vanities be confined to-yourselves, without proclaiming them at public times and in public places, unless you expea, by your gaudy shows and serpentine policy, to amuse the multitude and beguile the unthinking, weakest part of them, an aa of deceit well known to be amongst you. ·"'But, gentlemen, be not deceived, for though the clemency of her Majesty's government and of her gracious inclinations, leads her to make all her subjects easy, that know how to be so, yet her Majesty is not without means to curb insolence, but more especially in your fraternity, who-are more eminently than others abounding with it; and I assure you the next occasion you give me you shall find the truth of what I say, which you should now do, but that I am willing, upon the earnest solicitations of some gentlemen, to make one trial (and it -shall be but this one) of your temper. ~· •· " 'In plain and few words, gentlemen, if you intend to live here, let me hear no more of these things; for if I do, and they are made good against you, be assured I'll chastise you; and least you should flatter yourselves that the severities of the laws will be a means to move the pity of your Judges, I assure you I do not intend to deal with you so. I'll remove the evil by sending you where you may be dealt with as you deserve. "'Therefore, as I told you, I'll make but this one trial, and advise you to be civil and modest, for there is no other way for you to live quietly here. �Fatlzer George Hunter's Manuscn"pts. 7 " 'You are the first that have given any disturbance to my government, and if it were not for the hopes of your better demeanor, you should now be the first to feel the effeEl:s of so doing. Pray take notice that I am an English Protestant gentleman, and can never equivocate.' "After which they were discharged. The members of this board, taking under their consideration that such use of the Popish chapel of the City of St. Mary's, in St. Mary's County, where there is a Protestant Church, and the said County Court is kept, is both scandalous and offensive to the government, do advise and desire his Excellency the Governor, to give immediate orders for the shutting up the said Popish chapel, and that no person presume to make use thereof under any pretence whatsoever. "Whereupon it was ordered by his Excellency, the Governor, that present the Sheriff of St. Mary's County lock up the said chapel and keep the key thereof." The House of Delegates, on the 19th of September, 1704, took into consideration the remarks of the Governor to the two priests, and sent him the following address : "By a paper read in the House, we perceive what your Excellency was pleased to say to two Popish Priests, on the occasion there mentioned, and, as all your aEl:ions, so this in particular, gives us great satisfaEl:ion, to find you generously bent to proted her Majesty's Protestant subjeEl:s here against insolence and growth of Popery, and we feel cheerfully thankful to you for it." 2.-FATHER GEORGE HUNTER'S MANUSCRIPTS. A short account of the state and condition of the Roman Catholics in the Province of Maryland, co!!efled from autlzentic copies of the provincia! records and otlzer undoubted testimonies. The Province of Maryland was granted by Charter (2oth of June, 1632) to Cecilius Calvert, Baron of Baltimore, Roman Catholic. His laudable and pious zeal for the propagation of the Christian faith was one of the motives specified for granting him the said Charter. In pursuance of the Charter, Cecilius, Lord Baltimore, caused declarations to be �-s Histon"cal Papers. set forth, inviting all persons believing in Jesus Christ to transport themselves into Maryland, then a wilderness inhabited by cruel and savage people, promising an equality of freedom and favor and liberty of conscience to all so transporting themselves and to their descendants, and further engaged to ratify his said declarations and promises by a perpetual law. In consequence of the said declaration and promises, in the first session of Assembly held in the Province in 1640, a perpetual ACl: passed, entitled An A[l Conceming Religion, which confirmed the said declarations and promises concerning liberty of conscience. The same ACl: was again reenacted in I650, and confirmed in 1656. And the Council Records of 1657 have the following lines: "Lastly, Lord Baltimon:,"-~tc. In conformity to this passage, the Council Records o(1648 testify that the oath of lieutenant or chief governor of the Province of Maryland was to be in the following words: "And I do fitrther swear," etc. By the said Records of the said year, it appears that the oath of a counsellor of state was as follows : "I do (urtlur swear," etc. All which sufficiently evince the encouragement to Roman Catholics to settle in the Province, and that the "ACl: concerning religion" was to be deemed an unalterable and fun- damental law. In this posture affairs continued until the year 1689-90, 't when, in consequence of disturbances in that Province, their Majesties, King William and Queen Mary, for reasons of state, thought fit to take the government thereof into their own hands. From that period of·-time, at greater or less intervals, many severe laws were made against the Roman Catholics residing in the Province; in particular, an AB: passed oa. 3. 1704, for the banishment of every priest exercising any of his funB:ions in the province, and on the 9th of December. in the same year, another ACl: passed for the suspension of the former ACl: for eighteen months in regard of such priests as exercised their funCl:ions in a private family only of the Roman Catholic communion; which AB:, �Father George Hunter's Manuscn'pts. 9 in consequence of a report from the Lords Commissioners of Trades and Plantations to the Council Board, was ordered to be continued for a longer period, until repealed by her Majesty Queen Anne, in Council, when (Jan. 3, 1705-6) she expressly ordered that Governor John Seymour, Her Majesty's Governor in Maryland, should forthwith represent to the Assembly there that the above Act for suspending the prosecution of priests exercising their functions in a private family, be continued by a new act without limitation of time. Notwithstanding this, on the 17th of July, 1716, an Act passed declaring all incapable of holding or executing any office without swearing unto and signing the Test Oath. And the 28th of May, 1717, an Act passed to oblige all persons to the above oath, in order to be qualified as voters in the Eledions of Delegates. However contrary these were to the above fundamental law, they patiently acquiesced and submitted thereunto, whilst allowed the exercise of their religion, though in a private manner, and not affected in their property any other way than by subjecting them to the payment of forty pounds of tobacco per poll (about equivalent to three shillings sterling) to the Established Clergy. In testimony of their peaceable behavior, when about the year I740 a hint was given by the Upper House some way reflecting on that body of people, the· Lo\ver ~~ House sent for answer, "that they were well assured that the few of those people here amongst us had it neither in. ' their power nor inclination to disturb the peace or safety of the Province." In the year 1750 new troubles broke out, when pretended grievances ran so high that in I75 I a bill passed the Lower House for immediately putting in execution the Act of Parliament of the I I and I2 K. William III., ch. 4, by which every priest convicted of exercising his functions is to suffer perpetual imprisonment. Secondly, all persons educated in or professing the Popish Religion, who shall not within six VoL. x-No. I. 2 �10 Historical Papers: months after they attain the age of eighteen, take the Oath of Supremacy, and make the declaration in the 30th Car. II., are disabled to inherit, etc. Bills more or less to the same purpose were brought in each of the ensuing years, and as often rejeCted by the Upper House. In order to justify the conduCt of the Upper House, the Governor, on the 15th of August, 1755, ordered circular letters to the , Magistrates of the several Counties to inquire of any foundation for the complaints of the misbehavior of persons of the Roman Catholic persuasion. In consequence of the answers to these letters, the Governor, in his speech of April 23th, 1756, to the Lower House, when again disposed to bring in fresh bills against the Roman Catholics, has the following words: "The Magistrates assure me, that, after a careful inguiry and scrutiny into the conduCt of the people of the Rom ish faith, who ·reside among us, they have not found that any of them have misbehaved, or given just cause of offence." But, notwithstanding all the above grounds to hope for toleration, by an ACt of 'Assembly passed in May, 1756, they were burthened with a tax the double of that of their fellow-subjeCts, a thing never before praCtised in the Province, and, consequently, contrary to the Royal Orders to all Governors of other Colonies, by which they are ordered not to suffer to pass into execution any new law ajfefling tlze property of tlze sul?J"efl. As the above mentioned proceedi~gs tend to depopulating that Colony, and give the reason for.. Queen Anne's ordering a prolongation of the above ACt of Suspension, they also show the strong grounds the Roman Catholics have to apprehend for themselves, or posterity, that they shall be meantime violently expelled the country ; some are already beginning to wind up their ·affairs, and many others, it is feared, will follow their example if no spe~dy remedy be applied. It is, therefore, humbly prayed the double tax be not assented to, and that an order be given that no new Jaw hence- �Father George Hunter's Manuscripts. I I forward touching the religion or property of the Roman Catholic, uncommon to his fellow-subject, shall be passed into execution without the previous express consent of the Crown and Proprietor. A slzort account of tlze proceedings of the Assembly of Maryland in regard to tlze Roman Catlzolics settled tlm·e, together wit/z a justification of their condutl ; tlze wlzole proved from autlzentic copies of t!te Provincial Records and other undoubted testimonies. I.-The fundamental Law of the Country as to Religious worship allows free exercise of Religion to all professing to believe in Jesus Christ, and even imposes penalties on such as shall molest any one on account of his religion, believing as above. This law was enacted Anno I640, Vide, L. I, pag. 5I. The same was reenacted Anno I650, and confirmed Anno 1656, Vide, L. 2, pag. I7. Item, the Council Records of I648 testi(v that the Governor, by his oath, was to insure to the Roman Catholics the full enjoyment of all privileges common to their fellow-subjects, Vide, L.J, pag. 5. The Counsellor's oath contains the same in substance, Vzde, L. J, pag. 6. The oath of fidelity, ap~ pointed by an Act of I65o, to be taken by the inhabitants of the Province, asserts the above liberty of conscience, Ibid., pag. 7· Add to all these the Lord Proprietor's solemn promise never to give his assent to the repeal of the above fundamental law, establishing the free exercise of Religion to all believing in Jesus Christ, as witness the Council Records of I657· Vide, L. J,pag. 3· II.-The great objections at this time against the validity of the above fundamental Law are the Penal Laws of England and the misbehavior of the Roman Catholics of Maryland. As to the first, the very House of Assembly implicitly, if not expressly, acknowledges the Penal laws do not extend to their Province, as manifestly appears from their voting in that House to have them passed by Bills brought �12 Histon"cal Papers. in for this purpose at each session for these six years past, and in particular from the Preamble to the Bi\1 sent to the Upper House, Anno I 7 5 I, Vide, L. 2, pag. I. III.-As to the second objeCtion, of a\1 the many grievances laid to the charge of the Roman Catholics, and alleged in the several Memorials and Bi\ls of the Lower House, in order to induce the two Houses to assent to the introducing of the Penal Laws, no one hitherto upon examination ever proved to be weB-grounded or conformable to truth; on the contrary, their conduCt has been clearly justified as quite peaceable and irreproachable by the letters of the several Magistrates from their respeCtive Counties to the Governor, anno 1755, Vide, tlze autlzentic copies, L. 2, pag. 7, 8, 9, IO, I I, I2, IJ. IV.-The Roman Catholics are not only proved innocent and inoffensive, but also zealous in the defence of their country against the common enemy. Witness their subscribing more largely than others in proportion to their estates, when the Governor, not able to obtain any fund of his Lower House of Assembly, for the defence of the country at a time the danger was very imminent and pressing, was obliged to apply to the Gentlemen of the Council to hand about subscription papers, in order to raise something for th~t purpose by that means, Vide, the autlzentic copy o.f tlze Address o.f the Roman Catholics to the Upper House o.f Assembly, L. 3, pag. 2I. V.-The original maker or cause of all the repeated bills against the Roman Catholics, an_d of the whole present disturbance in that Province as t~- religious matters begun Anno 1751 and still continued at this time, was a Roman Catholic Legatee's demanding his legacy of a Protestant executor, who, alleging he was incapable of refunding the whole sum without distressing his family, proposed compounding the matter, offering for that end towards one half of the sum due; b·ut the Roman Catholic legatee insisting upon the whole sum, the executor then threatened going upon the Penal Laws, Vide, Mr. Dulany's letter to the �Fat/zer George Hunter's Manuscrz"pts. 13 Speaker o/ t/ze House, L. I, pag. 2, 3· In pursuance to the above threat, the said executor prevailed shortly after to have a Bill for the Penal Laws brought in and passed in the Lower House of Assembly, Viae, the authentic copy o/ tlze Bill, L. 2, pag. I, 2. This Act succeeding, other Bills have been brvught in to the same purpose every year since that time, as the printed proceedings of the House publicly testify. VI.-The only grievance or complaint not yet justified by public authority and authentic testimony is the late indictment of September last against James Beadnall, consisting of two articles : the first, his saying Mass in a private house; the second, his endeavoring to make a convert. The answer to the first is that he was authorized so to do, namely, to say Mass in a private house, by an express order of her Royal Majesty, Queen Anne, in 1706-7 sent to Mr. Seymour, then Governor of Maryland; witness the original in hand. As to the second, the fact is denied, namely, that the above named James Beadnall ever treated with the person specified in the indictment on the subject of religion. VII.-The consequences of these troubles are that they create so great ·uneasiness and disgust in the Roman Catholics as to have already compelled some to leave the country to the great prejudice of that Province; to have set. others on winding up their affairs, in order to quit it; anti determined many more to retire, and look for peace and quiet elsewhere, unless by the application of a speedy remedy they be allowed a peaceable possession of their lands and goods where they are. It is, therefore, humbly prayed immediate redress be granted, such as may securely prevent the Assembly passing and executing some severe Law on the body of Roman . Catholics, and t~us crushing and expelling them the country before they can have recourse either unto the Crown or Proprietor; particularly, as the order or nature of that Government is such as to put every law immediately in execution when once passed in the �14 Histoncal Papers. Country before either Crown or Proprietor can be apprized of what has been done. frfany Penal Atls of Assembly passed against tlze people of tlzat persuasion. In particular, on the 26th of April, 1715, there passed an Aa entitled, An Aa for repealing a clause of an Aa of Assembly entitled, An Aa for Establishment of Religious Worship in this Province. By this Aa, the oaths of abjuration and allegiance are ordered to be administered to all persons before being admitted to any Office or place of Trust. At the same time was passed an Aa for laying an Imposition on all Irish Papist servants imported into the. Province. .! On the t7th of July, 1716, passed an Aa entitled, An Aa for the better security of the Peace and Safety of his Lordship's Government and the Protestant Interest in the Province, by which Aa all persons were declared incapable of holding or executing any Office without swearing unto and signing the Test Oath. On the 28th of May, 1717, passed an Aa entitled, An Aa for laying an additional duty of twenty shillings in money on all Irish Servants being Papists. Item, at the same -time passed an Aa entitled, A Supplementary Aa to the Aa direaing the manner of eleaing and summoning Delegates and Representatives to serve in succeeding Assemblies, etc. This Aa obliges all persons, in order to be voters in the eleaions of Delegates;-to take the Test Oath, and subscribe the declarations specified in the above Aa, entitled, An Aa for the better security, etc., enaaed in 1716. At the same time, May 10, 1718, was passed a third Aa entitled, An Aa to repeal a certain Aa of Assembly entitled, An Aa to prevent the growth of Popery<1l within the Province, enaaed the 5th of September, 1704. This (IJThe number of Catholics in the Province in 1708 was 2,9i4, as appears by the subjoined list, sent out by Governor Seymour:· �Father George Hunter's Manuscripts. IS Act says the Act of 1704<1> is unnecessary, as bythe Act of Parliament made in the r r th and I 2th of William the Third, there is good provision made to prevent the growth of Popery, as well in this Province, as throughout all others his Majesty's dominions. However, the Act of the I Ith and 12th is not thus put in force, but only erroneously supposed so to be actually everywhere, both in Europe and America, which error they seem expressly to acknowledge in the preamble to the bill from the Lower House in 175 r, saying: "Whereas, some doubts may arise whetlzer tlze Ail entitled, An Ail to repeal a e-·crtai'n Ail of Assembly entitled, An Ail to prevmt tlze growtlt of Popery, the Ail of Par!iammt made in tlze I ztlz and I 2tlz of King William is in force, etc. Notwithstanding all the hardships and restraints the Roman Catholics were laid under by these several Penal Laws, contrary to the solemn promises made to their ancestors, which induced them to quit their native soil in order to settle that new Colony, and secure to their posterity A list of the number of Papists inhabiting in the several Counties of this Province, as taken by the respective sheriffs, Anno Domini 1708, viz: In Anne Arundel County, 161; in Baltimore County, 53; in Calvert County, 48; iu Prince George's County, 248; in Charles County, 709; in St. l\Iary's County, 1,238; in Cecil County, 49; in Kent County, 40; in Queen Anne's County, li9; in Talbot County, 89; in Dorchester County, 79; in Somerset County, 81; in all, 2,974." (London Public Record Office, l\Iaryland, n. T., Red, No.4., H .. p. 79). The whole population of the Province at this time was over 40,000. (ll "By its provisions, Section 1 provides a reward of £100 to any one who shall 'apprehend and take' a Popish Bishop, Priest or Jesuit, and prosecute him 'until convicted of saying J\Iass, or of exercising any other part of the office or function of a Popish Bishop or Priest.' Section 3 inflicts perpetual imprisonment on any Popish Bishop, Priest or Jesuit that shall say Mass or exercise any function proper to such Bishop, Priest or Jesuit; or on any person professing the Catholic Religion who shall keep school, or educate, or govern, or board any youth. Section 4: That if any Popish youth shall not, within six months after he attains his majority, take certain oaths prescribed (oaths inconsistent with the faith of Catholif's), he shall be incapable of taking lands by descent, and his next of kin, being a Protestant, shall succeed to them; that any person professing the Catholic faith shall be incompetent to purchase lands. Section 6: Any person send in~ his child abroad to be educated in the Catholic faith should forfeit £100." Letter of TVWiarn M. Addison upon Religious Toleration in America, p. 9/·,\""\'' . . \ ,"\ ..., .... '' ' .. '., ~ •, ,'.· \ \ ~ '. l I ' ' �16 Hi.stoncal Papers. a peaceable, quiet habitation, in the free exercise of their religion at the expense of their lives and fortunes; they patiently submitted to all whilst allowed the exercise of their religion and their properties not immediately touched, though deprived of many means of advancing their fortunes common to their fellow-subjeCts. In testimony _of this, their patient submission, peaceable and quiet behavior, they sent to Englanq to his present Majesty, on his accession to the throne, a congratulatory address, in testimony of their fidelity and duty, enclosed in an address to the late Proprietor of this Province. The same they confirmed again a few years after in an address to the late Proprietor on his arrival from England in his own Province, to which he gave them the following answer: "I thank )U?.U for the kind address, and cannot but be in a particular manner pleased with the dutiful regard which you express for his Majesty and the Royal Family, the continuance of which will always secure to you my favor and proteCtion." This seems a sufficient conviCtion of their satisfaCtory behavior, both in regard to the Crown, Governments and Country. In consequence hereunto, when about the year 1740, a hint was given by the Upper House some way refleCting on that body of people, the Lower House sent back for answer: "They were well assured that the few of those people here amongst us had it neither in their Power nor Inclination to disturb the peace or safety of the Province." Therefore, as was natural from.-this assurance of their peaceable dispo3itions, a calm of several years ensued; persons, though of different persuasions, universally agreeing among themselves, all mutually concurred in aiming at the daily improvement of their country, the increase of trade, the accumulating of riches, and embellishment of their now thriving Province; insomuch that it may with truth be said never did the income to the Crown or Proprietor so sensibly increase at any time in so short a space from the first settlement as during this happy period. This happiness, by a �Father George Hunter's Manuscripts. 17 general concord and union, might have attended the country many years longer, had not a quarrel happened between two private gentlemen, which, to the general surprise of all, set the whole country in a flame, not yet extinguished. This, in the year I750, took its rise and origin from a trustee's demanding of his cotrustee an account of some hundreds of pounds sterling, in favor of two legatees who were then come of age. The cotrustee, conscious that the principal had been lodged in his hands from the decease of the testator, and that consequently both principal and interest must be refunded by him, after taking the advice of a Counsellor, proposed by way of composition two or three hundred pounds until he rise gradually to £420, to which the trustee, answering that he insisted upon coming to a fair account, and would take nothing less than the balance due, tht: cotrustee replied he might stretch the string until it broke, alluding, as his counsellor testified in his letter of May 28, 175 I, to the Speaker of the Lower House of Assembly then sitting, to the Penal Laws, the two legatees being reputed Papists and priests. Accordingly, in May, 175 I, a Bill was brought into the Lower House of Assembly (of which the cotrustee was then a member) for putting immediately in execution the AB: of Parliament made in I Ith and 12th of King William the Third, chap. 4, entitled, An AB: for the further preventing of the growth of Popery, which, after some debates, passed in the Lower House of Assembly. Fresh bills containing Penal Laws were brought in and passed every session in the Lower House of Assembly for the four ensuing years; all which tended to deprive the Roman Catholics of their Religious and Civil RightsY) 1 < >In November, 1754, the citizens of Prince George's instructed their delegates to urge a law ''to dispossess the Jesuits of those landed estates which, under them, became formidable to his l\Iajestv's good Protestant subjects of this Province; to exclude Papists from places of trust and profit, and to pre· vent them from sending their children to foreign Popish seminaries for edu· cation, whereby the minds of youth are corrupted and alienated from his Majesty's person and government." The Lower House of Assembly, on the 1st of July, 1755, urged the Governor "to issue his proclamation command- VaL. x-No. r. 3 �18 Historical Papers. During these threatening turbulent times, the Roman Catholics preferred addresses to the different branches of the Legislature; and the Upper House, convinced of their innocence, and actuated by principles of justice, universally rejected all Bills of that kind. In order, at the same time, to give full satisfaction and justification for this procedure, the Governor, with the advice of his Council, ordered (Aug. 15, 1755,) circular letters to the Magistrates of the several Counties, to inquire of any foundation for the complaints of the misbehavior of persons of the Roman Catholic persuasion, and to punish the authors of such reports if found groundless. In answer to these, the Magistrates of St. Mary's County, where the Roman Catholics were more numerous than in any other, say as follows: "We are not yet informed \Vho have been the authors of those reports mentioned in~your Excellency's letter, which have been in some places industriously spread; if we should discover them, we should take proper measures for their being brought to justice as enemies to their country's peace and friends to a faction, who labor to foment animosity among us to the endangering our common security." The Magistrates of the other counties universally agreed that they did not find any ing all magistrates and other officers duly to execute the penal statutes ngainst Roman Catholics within this province." The church-wardens of va· rionsparishes adopted an order commanding "all persons not having lawful excuse to re8ort to their parish chapel on every Sunday and other days, and then and there to abide in decent manner during the time of Common Prayer, Preaching, or other service of God." Scharf's !list. :Maryland, I, 475. A number of the poor Acadians, ruthlessly torn from their homes and scat· tered along the coast, arrived in five vessels nt ..Annapolis, on the 1st of De· cember, 1755, in great destitution-in fact, they were dying of hunger. No provision had been made for their support by the King, and the Provincial authorities showed little inclination to relieve their pressing wants. But so intense was the bigotry against their faith that the Council passed an order to the justices to prohibit the Roman Catholic inhabitants of the Province to lodge them. Those of them who remained in Baltimore fared better than the others, and their spiritual wants were attended to by Father Ashton, who celebrated Mass for them once a month, bringing with him from Doughoregan ~Ianor the vestments and vessels used in the service. Their little chapel, the first Catholic Church in Baltimore, was an unfinished dwelling of Mr. Edward Fottrell, "the first brick house in Baltimore with free-stone corners, and the first which was two stories high without a hip-roof," which stood on or near what is now the northwest corner of Fayette and Calvert streets. �Fatlzer George 1-Iunter's Manuscripts. 19 sufficient grounds for the complaints made, insomuch that the Governor, in his speech to the Lower House of Assembly, April 24, 1756, expressly says: "The Magistrates assure me, that, after a careful inquiry and scrutiny into the conduct of the people of the Romish faith, who reside among us, they have not found that any of them have misbehaved, or given just cause of offence." As, thus, their innocence is evidently proved by irrefragable evidences, so their zeal also for the welfare of their country has its proper and sufficient vouchers. Witness, in particular, their behavior when, after the unhappy defeat of General Braddock, the inhabitants of the frontiers of the country lay utterly open to the enemy, and no provision was made for their protection by the Legislature, a subscription was set on foot to enable the Governor to erect block-houses and keep garrisons in those parts. In their address to the Upper House of Assembly in 1756, whilst the fact was yet fresh and recent, and consequently well known to many particulars, they express themselves on this head in the following terms: "The Roman Catholics were not the men who opposed this subscription; on the contrary, they countenanced it, they promoted it, they subscribed generously, and paid their subscriptions honorably, and if our numbers are compared with the number of our Protestant fellow-subjects, and the sum paid on this occasion by the Roman Catholics be compared with the sum total collected, it may be said the Roman Catholics contributed prodigiously beyond their proportion to an aid so seasonable and necessary." However well the Roman Catholics are thus proved to have been established by a fundamental law, frequently confirmed with repeated assurances it should never be broke through, however innocent and inoffensive subjects they are attested to have been from their very first settlement, however zealous for the welfare, and industrious for. the improvement of their country, they are, notwithstanding, pointed out as .enemies by an imposition of double taxes and yearly threatened with the passing of such Penal Laws �20 Histonca! Papers. as would necessarily compel them to retire out of the country. The lively and too well-grounded dread and apprehension of being compelled one day suddenly to retire out of the country, arising from repeated attempts of the above kinds; from Aets for double taxes, of which sort a second Aet, as we are informed, was in debate in November last; from the yearly voting Penal Bills in the Assembly, and from the nature of the Government, which is such that every Aet, so soon as signed by the Governor, passes immediately into execution without time being allowed to apply home for redress either to the Crown or Proprietor, has already determined some by way of precaution to look out immediately for settlements in other Provinces,< 1> and caused others to come~t~ a resolution of following their example, if no immediate" redress be granted, lest by some Penal ACt: of Assembly they be obliged to retire on a sudden with great loss in their effeCts to themselves and .families. It is, therefore, humbly prayed that the law which imposes a penalty or pu.nishment of double taxes may be repealed and discontinued, and that such an order be given (1) Some thirty years before this time, and for similar reasons, a number of Catholic gentlemen had conceived the plan of emigrating to the territory belon~ng to France. Charles Carroll and his brother James were at the head of the movement, and among those who intended to join it we find the names of Henry Darnall, Henry Darnall, Jr., William Diggs, John Diggs, Benjamin Hall, Clement Hall, William Fitz Redmond, Henry Wharton, Charles Diggs, Peter Attwood (S. J.), )lajor Nicholas Sewell and Richard Bennett. Charles Carroll had been Lord Baltimore's chief agent to collect all his dues and revenues in the Province, and when Lord~Baltimore was deprived of his government, on account of religion, upon the accession of "William and Mary, Carroll and all others who held prominent positions under the Proprietary, were, at the same time, displaced. The fifth Lord Baltimore recovered his rights by conforming to the Established Church, and reinstated those who had been deprived of their offices on account of religion. John Hart, Gov· ernor from 1713 to 1720, under whose administration the severest proscriptive meas\lres against Catholics had been passed, protested most vigorously against the "restoration of the Papists to their former pretended privileges." Charles Carroll, during a visit to his son in France, applied to the French Government for a grant of land on the Arkansas River, but the extent of the tract demanded startled the minister as 1\Ir. Carroll pointed· it out on the mup. lie considered it too vast to be given tu a subject., and ::IIr. Carroll was obliged to return without having gained the concession. Scharf's History of Maryland, I, 390, 391. �lndiflment of Fatlter Beadnall. 21 as that they may be assured they shall not at any time be molested or affected by any law touching their Religion or Property uncommon to their fellow-subjects, without the previous and express consent (as is usually ordered to new Governors of other Colonies) of the Crown and Proprietor, to whose justice and clemency they humbly recommend themselves and their posterity. This is the humble petition of the Roman Catholic gentlemen, merchants, planters and others, Inhabitants of the Province of Maryland, as a necessary encouragement to the people of that persuasion to continue to cultivate and improve that Province. They, on assurances of this sort, contributed chiefly to the first settling of it, and to the bringing of it to that flourishing condition in which we now behold it under your Lordship's wise government and administration. 3.-INDICTI\IENT OF FATHER JAMES BEADNALL. (l) After the breaking up of the above Sessions, on the 22d of May, 1756, in which the double tax was passed and a Bill for many Penal Laws was brought into the Assembly House, though not passed, a new expedient was tried against the Roman Catholics, whereby what could not be brought to pass in the Assembly, might have a chance to be effected in a Provincial or County Court, and thus by their decision have that in some sense declared to be a just and standing law, which the Assembly could not be prevailed on to declare, or any ways to look upon as such. Two writs were issued out for the arresting of a reputed priest, who, by virtue thereof, was taken by the Sheriff of Queen Anne County, on the 22d of September, 1756, and obliged to give bail for his appearance at the Provincial Court, to be held at Annapolis on the 19th of October following, under the penalty of £1,500 forfeiture. He ap(IJ "James Beadnall (or Breadnall), born 8th April, 1718; admitted at the age of 21 ; enrolled among the Professed Fathers eighteen years later; died in the Maryland Mission, 9th April, 1772."-0LIVER. �22 Histoncal Papers. peared accordingly on the day prefixed, when two indictments were exhibited against him; the first of which was for celebrating Mass in private houses; the second, for endeavoring to bring over a non-juror person to the Romish persuasion. But his trial was put off till the assizes in Talbot County, where, on the 16th of April, 1757, he was tried and acquitted; from the first, as allowed (I) so to do by an order issued by her Majesty, Queen Anne. dated at Whitehall, Jan. 3, 1705-6; from the other,< 2> as no sufficient evi(I) Out of this privilege grew the custom of establishing private chapels, under the same roof, and connected with the uwdling of some Catholic fum· ily, as in the olu residence of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, at Annapolis, and Doughoregan )lanor, Howard County. A sd of olu manuscript sermons in our possession, extending as fur back as 1/:?ti, shows the prevalence of this custom, as many, of the sermons, besides bearing the date, give also the place· of their delivery, which in the greater number of cases was some private res· idence. It was 'Probably for the same reason that such retired positions as Newtown, St. Thomas' and ""hitemarsh, were selected as sites fur churches instead of the County seats; chapels thus situated, built on the land and adjoining the dwelling of the missionary, were regarded by the law as private property, which he allowed to be used for religious services. <'>The amount of bail uemanued shows how serious a crime and misde· meanor it was either to celebrate )lass, or to make a convert. Father 'Vil· liam Hunter, who was reprimanded by Governor Seymour for the first of these offences, seems to have been conspicuously guilty of the other also as shown by the following account taken from Scharf's History of )lurylund, I, 364: . In 1696-i a terrible pestilence made its appearance among the people of the lower Counties. ""hatever faults may have been alleged against the Cuth· otic clergy, they have never been charged with shrinking fi·om their unties in times of peril; and while the disease was raging they went from house to house, helping the sick and administering the consolations and last offices of their faith to the dying. This conduct was .~ot unnoticed by the Lower House, who made it the subject of the following u1essuge to the Governor: ''Upon reading a certain letter from a reverend minister of the Church of England, which your Excellency was pleased to communicate to us, com· plainiug to your Excellency that the Popish Priests in Charles County do, of their own accord, in this raging anu violent mortality in that county, make it their businese to go up and down the county, to persons' houses when dy· ing and frantic, anu endeavor to seduce anu make proselytes of them, and in such condition boldly presume to administer the Sacrament to them; we have put it to the vote in the House if a law should be maue to restrain such their presumption or not; anu have concluded to make no such law at present, but humbly intreat your Excellency that you would be pleased to issue your proclamation to restrain and prohibit such their extravagance and presump· tuous behavior." �lndiflment if Fat/zer Beadnall. dence was brought against him, the jury bringing in as their verdiCt: to each,-lgJtoramus. About the latter end of the year 1756, a deposition was given in against another reputed priest, by one from the French army, taken up at Fort Cumberland, as supposed to be a spy from the enemy, who, though a native of one of these kingdoms, having been picked up by a party of French or their allies, the Indians, had engaged in the French service at Fort Du Quesne. This prisoner had sworn that the above priest had kept a correspondence by letters with the French, that he had been up the country amongst them, and that some certain laymen Roman Catholics, whom he named, had in concert with the priest signified to the French, they would second them in all their attempts against the country. In consequence hereunto, the priest was taken into the Sheriff's custody, in order to be tried at the ensuing assizes, to be held at Annapolis in February, 1757. On the day appointed for the trial, the prisoner being sworn, one of the above laymen was called upon, and the deponent questioned concerning him. First, did he know that person ; to which he replied that he did, and that it was the priest. Secondly, where had he seen him; to which he answered, he had seen him in Baltimore County, had been present when he celebrated Mass, and had carried letters for him up to the French. As the priest was well known to the Governor and Council before whom the prisoner was examined, an end was soon put to all further inquiry concerning this person; and one, two or more of the laymen accused were ordered into Court, in regard to whom the prisoner swore much to the same effeCt: as he had done in A short time later the Upper House think it necessary to bring a specific offender to the Governor's notice, in these terms: "It being represented to this board that William Hunter, a Popish priest in Charles county, committed divers enormities in dissuading several persons, especially poor, ignorant people of the Church of England, from their fidth, and endeavoring to draw them to the Popish faith, consultetl and debated whether it rnay not he advisable that the said Hunter be wholly silcnPed unci not suffered to preach or say Mass in any part of this Pro~·inee, and thereupon it is thought advisable that the whole be left to his Excellency's judgment, to silence him or not, as his demerits require." �24 Historical Papers. his deposition, but appeared equally defeCl:ive in his knowledge of their persons against whom he had sworn in his deposition as personally known to him, whereas upon trial he erred in most of their persons. In the last place, the priest was called upon, concerning whom the deponent was asked if he knew him; to which question he answered that he knew him not, and that he had never seen him in his life. Upon which the priest, together with the others, was acquitted, and the prisoner, after being confined some time, was then sent to Lord Loudon, as falling under his discretion in quality of a deserter. The preceding paper is also from the pen of Fr. George Hunter. The name of the priest is not given against whom the charge-·was made of corresponding with the 'French, and whose ..accuser was brought to grief after the manner of the Arian woman in the case of St. Athanasius. This unfounded suspicion of Catholic loyalty was not confined to Maryland. It appears in the legislation of all the colonies ; intolerance was so proscriptive in New England, New York and the four southernmost of the thirteen original States, that practically catholicity did not exist within their borders at the time of the events just narrated. Over and over again the charge had been made against the Catholics of Maryland by the Virginia officials of an intention to bring down the enemy upon the back settlements of that Province. And in Pennsylvania, !he only other colony besides Maryland in which Catholics were found in any number at the period of the French and Indian War, the same groundless suspicion existed. We subjoin a communication from a writer in the Cat!tolic Mirror of Baltimore, in regard to the treatment of Catholics in Pennsylvania at the period when Father Hunter's papers were written: �Treatment of Catholics m Pennsylvania zn I757· 25 HOW CATHOLICS WERE TREATED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN OLDEN TIMES. No doubt in theory at least, and, it is not to be denied, partially, if no more, in practice, Catholics were allowed the performance of their religious worship. It was well to keep it out of sight, however; and at no time in early provincial days \Vas there a hearty acquiescence in the allowance. In a letter from Governor Morris to Governor Hardy, of New York, under date of the 5th of July, 1756, the former writes that "the Roman Catholics in this and the neighboring province of Maryland are allowed the free exercise of their religion." Hardy, replying, on the 9th of July, commenting upon the French war, thinks that certain facts regarding the colonists had transpired "through the treasonable correspondence of Roman Catholics with the French," and quite naively observes, "I have heard you have an ingenious Jesuit in Philadelphia," probably referring to poor Father Harding, In those days the few Catholics in Philadelphia were worshipping in Willing's alley, in old St. Joseph's Church, now so enclosed in the growth of the city that few strangers can find it. No doubt divine service was fairly allowed in 1756. There seems to have been a strange fear that Catholics were, of necessity, traitors to the country. One result of this fear was the taking of a census of the faithful, which can be found it the Pennsylvania Archives, vol. III., and, as it is of curious interest, I give it here in full: A list of all the Roman Catlzolics in Pennsylvania, I757· (That is of all such as receive the Sacraments, beginning from 12 years of age, or thereabouts). VoL. x-No. 1. 4 �26 Historiea! Papers. JJien. Women. Under the care of Robert Harding-In and about Philadelphia, being all Irish (or English) . In Chester County Under the care of Theodore Schneider-In and about Philadelphia (all Germans) Philadelphia Co., but up country Berks County Northampton County . Irish Bucks County Chester County " Irish Under the care of Ferdinand Farmer-In Lancaster County, Germans In Lancaster County, Irish Berks County, Germans Irish Chester Cou~ty, Irish . " .\ Germans Cumberland· County, Irish Under the care of Matthias Manners-In York County, Germans In York County, Irish 72 18 iS 22 107 15 62 68 17 14 13 9 121 10 55 62 12 12 9 6 108 22 41 5 23 3 6 94 27 39 3 17 · 0 6 54 35 62 38 692 673 A most formidable showing, and well calculated to inspire a salutary dread of unknown and terrible deeds ! Perhaps some may fancy that this census does not necessariJy indicate a fear of what Roman Catholics might do, but simply gathered as historical data, as it were. To such I recommend a study of the following provisions of "An Act for regulating the Militia," passed by the Provincial Assembly 29th of March, 1757, the·s~me year. I give only those sections referring to "Papists," and omitting much of the involved phraseology of the past century, but not so omitting as to make a case against the Province: "And be it. enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all arms, military acoutrements, gunpowder and ammunition, of what kind soever, any Papist, or reputed Papist, within this Province, hath or shall have in his house or houses, or elsewhere, one month after the publication of this Act, shall be taken from such Papist, or reputed Papist, by warrant, �Treat;nent of Cat/zolics in Pennsylvania in I757· 27 etc., etc.; and if such Papist ... shall attempt to conceal such arms, etc., etc., ... any such person so offending shall be imprisoned by a warrant from said justices for the space of three months, without bail or mainprize." ''And, whereas all Papists and reputed Papists, are hereby exempted from attending and performing the military duties enjoined by this Act; ... and, nevertheless, will partake of and enjoy the benefit ... thereof.... Be it enacted ... that every male Papist ... between the age of seventeen and fifty-five years ... pay the sum of twenty shillings." From 1757 to 1776 was how many years? My arithmetic makes it just nineteen. Almost time sufficient for the baby in arms, who was not old enough to go to the Sacraments, being not "twelve or thereabouts," to have but a dim remembrance, if any, as he took "arms and accoutrements," for his country, that his' father or grandfather was not allowed a squirrel-gun to go a-shooting! But there were Catholics in those days who did remember this law, and the consequent numbering of their people to enable it to be carried out. Not with bitterness, perhaps. Certainly, George Meade, the grandfather, and Garrett Meade, the great-uncle of General Meade (who bore "arms and accoutrements" on a certain day at Gettysburg, in the whilom Province of Pennsylvania)-certainly tltey did not remember it with bitterness when they gave royally of their substance to help defeat the enemy and secure the independence of their country. Nor did Thomas Fitzsimmons, when the people who had helped to frame this law sent him to the Continental Congress, remember it with bitterness, as he signed the Constitution of the United States as a member from the whilom Province of Pennsylvania. Penn may have had liberal sentiments in regard to the free exercise of Religion, but, if so, he was a coward when he wrote those letters, the quotation of which has inspired this communication. Pennsylvania may have been liberally disposed towards Roman Catholics, but her acts belied· her �The First Church in California. disposition. She has more than 1,365 Catholics within her· borders to-day, and her people perform military duty creditably, whether Protestant or CatholiC, and it is well-but apologies for the past and explanations are useless. Let the dead past bury its dead. Pennsylvania is a grand old commonwealth now, and ready enough to acknowledge what she owes in the past to her Catholics, and ready to trust them in the future. THE FIRST CHURCH BUILT IN CALIFORNIA. SKETCH OF,THE LIFE AND LABORS OF FATHER SALVATIERRA, -~ THE APOSTLE OF CALIFORNIA. Giovanni Maria Salvatierra was born in Milan in the year 1644. After finishing his studies in the Seminary of Parma, he entered the Society of Jesus. From the first, it would seem, he had intended to give himself to foreign missions. "God had inspired him," the historian tells us, "with a burning desire to spend his life in the conversion of the heathen ; and this desire was of so long standing, so constant and so str<~ng, as jn the end to make him leave forever his native country." After much earnest petitioning, he at length obtained, in 1675, the leave of his superiors to go to Mexico. Here he spent four years study in theology, after which he was ordained priest, and took his ~?st vows in 1680. He was now thirty-six years old: robust in body, used to hard work, an accomplished scholar, and withal zealous, prudent and humble. His superiors recognized in the young priest all the marks of a great apostle, and entrusted to his care two newly-converted nations of the Sierra Madre Missions, the Guazaparis and the Ismoris. It was universally felt to be a very trying post, but Father Salvatierra succeeded beyond all expeCtation and quickly won and long kept the love and confidence of that fickle and suspicious �T!te First Church zn California. people. Nor did he stop here. His zeal extended beyond his immediate charge. Before a year had passed, he had converted and baptized the greater part of two neighboring tribes, and established the new mission of Terocavi. In 1684, the Provincial, Louis de Castro, appointed him Rector of one of the colleges in Mexico, but the grief of his neophytes at the thought of losing him was so great, and their pleadings to have him remain with them so urgent, that de Castro was obliged to yield to them. It was about this time that, in order to reach some heathen tribes in the mountains, he accomplished the famous passage of the Hurich, a deep and thickly-\\looded ravine, which up to that time had been considered impenetrable. The adventures and fruits of this journey are related by himself in a letter to the Provincial. In 1685, one of the northern tribes revolted, and the disaffection spreading rapidly, the whole country was soon in a state of rebellion. Several missionaries were murdered, and their missions plundered. But during the whole time this disturbance lasted, the tribes under Father Salvatierra's charge, though by nature the most disposed to give trouble, remained faithful to him, and took no part in the revolt. At last, in 16go, it was felt that the Father's word was of more avail with the Indians than the efforts of whole Spanish armies, and he was appointed Visitor-General of the Missions. Persuaded that many of the tribes continued in rebellion, rather through fear than malice, he went alone, armed only with his crucifix, into the most disturbed parts of the country, preaching peace and pardon. The event wasjust what he had anticipated. He was everywhere received with love and welcome, and before long most of the tribes had laid down their arms. After thus allaying with a few gentle words a rising which threatened to shake the very foundations of Spanish rule in Mexico, Father Salvatierra in discharge of his office as Visitor, arrived at the Mission of Pimeria in 1691. Here he met Father Francis Kino, well known over New Spain as an experienced mis- �The First Church in Calzfonzia. siomi.ry and a great and good man. This meeting was the turning point in Salvatierra's life. From that date forth he was the Apostle of California. Father Kino was one of the three missionaries who had accompanied Admiral Otondo in his expedition to California in 1683. He had spent two years in California, and in that time had learned so much of the charaCter of the natives as to feel convinced that, in spite of their many shortcomings, there was in them the stuff of which good Christians might be made. He had desired to remain among them, but was not permitted by Otondo, who was persuaded that the colonization of that pa~t of America was impracticable. The expedition returned to Mexico in I685, and on the strength of Otondo's representations, the Govern~ ment declared that all attempts at the conquest of California must prove vain, and forbade any further efforts in that direCtion. Six years had elapsed since that time, but the desire to help the poor Californians was still strong in Father Kino's heart. He was himself old and feeble, and felt that he was unfit .for so great an enterprise; but this only served to make him the more earnest in striving to enkindle in the breasts of younger and stronger men the fire that consumed his own. But his zeal had so far proved ineffeCtual. He could nowhere find a spirit kindred to his own, so generous, so self-sacrificing, so brave; or, to speak clearer, he had not yet found the man destined and prepared by God for this great apostolate. Noble natures are not slow to reco-gnize one another. The two missionaries had not spoken together for an hour when Father Kino felt he had at last met the man of whom he had been so long in search. Next day he invited Father Salvatierra to walk with him up to the highest of the range of hills near the Mission, from the top of which might be seen across the Gulf of California-or, as it was then called, Cortez's Red Sea-the blue coast line of the Peninsula of California. Here he set forth to the future apostle, with all �The First Churclt in California. 31 the eloquence of burning zeal, his long cherished desires and plans, and on his knees besought him, in God's name, to undertake the conversion of these poor, abandoned heathens. Nothing could have better suited the great soul of Father Salvatierra. The very difficulties which had proved too much for the courage of Cortez and the wealth of Spain, only made him the more eager to confront them. Besides, he heard within his breast the whisperings of the still small voice, telling him that this was the vocation of his life, the end and glorious crown of all his labors. He pledged himself to Father Kino to work for California from that moment forth, and to leave nothing untried to obtain the permission and means necessary for carrying out his design. Then the Fathers parted. Father Kino retired to his everyday missionary life. Salvatierra went forth to meet an opposition before which a spirit less truly apostolic than his must soon have yielded. He wrote at once to the Provincial, telling him of the desires God had inspired him with of undertaking the evangelization of California, and of the confidence he felt of his ultimate success, and begging to be allowed to start immediately. The Provincial answered that it was impossible to grant the leave he asked, seeing the Government had decreed that no new attempt should be made to enter California, but that he was free to apply to higher authorities, ecclesiastical and civil, and get what concessions he cou.ld from them. For the following two years, the moments of leisure he could snatch from his duties as Visitor of the College of Guadalajara, to which post he was at this time appointed, were spent in writing to different influential public men, his personal friends, entreating them to use their power with the Viceroy to permit him to undertake a new expedition to California. But all was in vain. The previous attempts at the conquest of California had cost the Government a great deal of money, and people were not disposed to risk any further expense in an enterprise which their worldly wisdom considered to be hopeless. �32 The First Clzurclz zn California. Father Salvatierra naturally enough was disappointed, but yet he was not discouraged. In 1693, he wrote to his countryman, Father Zappa: "This fire is still strong within me; it contrives one way or another to burst forth at times. Mexico does not heed it, but it will make itself felt at Madrid and Rome. W auld that I could speak to your Reverence for half an hour of what I hold to be the injustice done to California." His zeal did make itself felt at Madrid and Rome soon afterwards, but to little purpose. The General of the Society and the King of Spain showed as little inclination to yield to his request as the Viceroy and the Provincial. All this time, it is said of him, that he appeared to be able to thjnk and speak of nothing but California; his whole sou}.was engrossed with one great idea. It is a trial which only choice spirits are called upon to undergo, to feel themselves urged on by the voice of God, speaking within their conscience to undertake some great enterprise for His glory ; and on the other hand, to see themselves held back by the word of obedience, which, for them, is equally the word of God. Salvatierra's was such a choice soul, and through all the long-continued trial, we know not which to admire most in his character-the obedient religious or the zealous apostle. Notwithstanding the universal opposition of inferior and superior powers, Father Salvatierra still labored on in the dark, vainly, as it seemed, hoping ,against hope, till 1696, when the prospeCt began to brighten a little. In the beginning of the year D. Jose Sarmiento was made Viceroy, and Father Juan De Palacids, provincial. Both were personal friends of Salvatierra, and both had many times expressed their admiration of his zeal, and their sympathy with his projeCt. The good Father, encouraged by the hopeful turn of affairs, lost no time in setting his scheme before the new authorities, and begging them to remove the obstacles in the way of its fulfilment. But as very often happens, these two worthy men, now that they were raised to the high �Tlte First Clmrc!t in California. 33 chair of responsible authority, began to see everything in a new light. It would not look well, they said, to set aside hastily, the well-weighed decrees of those who had gone before them ; and, in faCt:, now. that they considered the matter in all its bearings, an expedition to California was for the present imprudent and rash ; in a word, impossible. Thus, for the hundredth time, success frowned on his exertions. Instead of being sent to California he was made Master of Novices and Reetor of the College of Tpotzotlan. Here he turned himself to God with renewed fervor, and with sighs and tears prayed the sovereign Lord and disposer of all things, in whose hands are the hearts of kings and all rulers, that His holy will might be done on earth as it is in heaven. "For," said he, "it is God's will, and God, I am persuaded, will sooner or later give the means of accomplishing it." God was not deaf to the prayers of his servant. A few months after, a simple incident occurred that turned the tide in his favor, and opened the long-closed gate to his apostolic zeal. Father Placids had come to visit the College of Tpotzotlan, and while there fell suddenly very sick. Medical skill failed to help him, and in his last extremity, he begged Father Salvatierra and his novices to pray for him. The Father, with childlike faith and frankness, said he would pray for him and obtain his cure, if he promised to favor the expedition to California. The promise was made. Father Salvatierra and his novices began their prayers, and in a short time the provincial was quite restored. He immediately returned to Mexico, determined to do all in his power in fulfilment of his promise. After much begging, and beseeching, and explaining, he obtained leave for the expedition, but only with the understanding that Father Salvatierra should himself provide all that was necessary, and that no help should be expeCted from the Royal treasury. Father Salvatierra's joy at hearing the good news was great. He at once set about to colleCt: among his friends the means necessary for fitting out the expedition. VoL. x-No. 1. 5 �34 The First Uzurclt ill Calzfornia. In a few days he had gathered $q,ooo. Of those who contributed we can mention here only D. Alonzo Davalos and D. Fernandez de la Cruz. These noblemen were among the first to come forward to assist Father Salvatierra, each giving $1,000. D. Pedro de la Sierpe lent for the voyage a small merchant vessel, and D. Juan Ocio promised to pay all bills to which Father Salvatierra's signature should be affixed. Thus in a little time all was ready. Then the Viceroy's official permission came couched in a long, carefullyworded document, in which it was set forth that Salvatierra was empowered to take possession of California in the name of the King, to establish the new government and make all needful laws, and finally that he might take some of the King's soldiers with him, provided he was ready to pay, them. The vessel that was to convey the new expedition was to start.from Acapulco. Salvatierra thought it better to go by land to the port of Yaqui, in order that he might have an opportunity of visiting and blessing for the last time his dear Indians of the Sierra Madre. At last, on the 10th of oaober, the Father and his little band of followers embarked. They were nine in all, Father Salvatierra, five Spanish soldiers, and.three native Californians, converts of Father Kino, whom he had brought to Mexico twelve years before. On the 19th of oaober, 1697, the vessel cast anchor in the Bay of San Dionigio. It was the season of the year still called the "Indian Summer." All the country round was bright and beautiful, covered wjth large green-leaved trees and flowering herbage; and a 'little silver stream that sported over the grassy plain hard by the invaders' feet, tossed its sparkling waves noisily into the Bay. It seemed as if nature had made California a very Land of Promise ; and now the new Joshua was come, who should establish the empire of grace and win over and lift up the hearts of its inhabitants to the love and worship of nature's God. They had hardly landed when several Indians, about fifty, the chronicler says, came running up, and with many signs �The First Clmrch in California. 35 of joy and welcome threw themselves on their knees before the Father, reverently kissing his crucifix and the image of our Lady which he carried in his hand. Fr. Salvatierra, who had learned some phrases of their language from the books of Father Copart (one of those who had accompanied Otondo's expedition), spoke kindly to them and blessed them, and gathered from their answers that they had learned many of the truths of Christianity from Father Kino. After giving them some food, and making them promise to return next day with others of their nation, he dismissed them. He and his companions then set about to choose a fitting site for their dwelling. They pitched upon an open grassy space on the right bank of the stream, which they fenced in with a strong wooden paling. Hither they transported their cargo, consisting mainly of some sacks of maize, a few sheep and goats and one horse; it was harmless and insignificant enough, but a little later on, as we shall see presently, it came near to bringing about the ruin of the whole colony. In the centre of the enclosure was erected a great cross crowned with flowers, and near by a chapel of our Lady of Loretto, whom Father Salvatierra had taken for patron of California, and after whom he named this his first Mission. Then as the evening drew on, the little band on their knees around the cross sang a Te Deum of thanks, and took formal possession of the Peninsula. And this, the Conquest of California, so often during the preceding two hundred years in vain attempted by ambitious and daring adventurers, from Cortez to Otondo, was effected by one man to whom all resources were wanting, and who was strong only through the strength of God, his Master, whose wont it is to make use of the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. Father Salvatierra, with the little knowledge of the California language he possessed, was soon able to make himself understood by the natives who came every day to hear his instructions. They were drawn at first, perhaps, as much by the comfortable meal of pozzoli or maize-porridge that �Tlze First Clmrclt in California. was regularly served out to them after the instruCtion, as by the instruction itself. Indeed many days had not passed before they showed in a rather unpleasant fashion their decided preference for the maize-porridge. They had already carried off the horse and most of the sheep and goats, but the Father shut his eyes to the theft, hoping by patiently putting up with a small loss to be able to re;~p a greater advantage. But the Indians began to think that one meal of porridge a day was too little, and that as they had beeen able to make away with the sheep and goat, they might as well do the same with the sacks of maize. Accordingly, they made a plan that four whole tribes should attack the Mission at different points, kill the Spaniards and thus get po~session of the maize. The I 3th of November was the dar. appointed for the attack. On that day about noon five hundred Indians surrounded the Spanish camp. Father Salvatierra tried to parley with them, but they answered with a shower of arrows. The case was desperate. The Father begged the soldiers to do what they could to frighten the Indians, but if possible to avoid the necessity to kill any of them. There was one piece of cannon in the camp. This was loaded and discharged into the air over the Indians. But instead of frightening them, it only made them more bold. For, said they, if the large gun is not able to hurt us, we have nothing to fear from the small ones. They advanced, therefore, nearer to the camp, and almost overwhelmed the soldiers wjth stones and arrows. Two or three of the Spaniards being·\\lounded, and seeing no other means of saving themselves, fired upon the Indians. The effeCt was instantaneous. After the first volley the Indians fled; and the infant colony was saved. What we might call the heroic period of Father Salvatierra's life may now be said to have ended. We meet no more violent opposition to his great work, no more extraordinary trials and sufferings, to place his great virtues in a stronger light. To one unenlightened by faith, his after life would seem to be made up of petty failures and sue- �Tlze First C/mrclt in California. 37 cesses, whose mere recital could not possibly be of interest to any one. The constancy and endurance of his brethren on the Missions of Canada have won glowing eulogies even from the cold and unwilling lips of New England Puritans. The names of Marquette, Lallemant, Brcbceuf, and Jogues are household words. And no wonder. There is something almost angelic in the patience of "the gentle Lallem:!nt" as he is slowly tortured to death by yelling savages. The fortitude of Brebceuf is seen to greatest advantage as he chants the praises of God whilst his limbs are torn off one by one. In the life of Father Salvatierra we have no such sublime piB:ure to offer. All is singularly tame and prosaic, if indeed anything done purely for God and the salvation of souls can be prosaic. After the faB:s told above, Father Salvatierra went on with his usual missionary work, and he soon had the happiness of receiving a chief and his family into the Church. Before long his friend and fellow-laborer, Father Francis Piccolo arrived. Strengthened by the presence of this good priest, Father Salvatierra, in order to give a permanency to his work, as well as to guard against any other attack on the part of the natives, began some buildings of a more substantial kind than those hitherto ereB:ed. They formed a trench and palisade round the camp, and built little huts to serve as dwellings for themselves. The tent, which up to this had served as a chapel, they replaced by a small building of clay and storie with a thatched roof. The Fathers spared no pains to beautify their little chapel, and on Christmas Day had the happiness of dedicating it to God in honor of the Blessed Virgin. Thus on Christmas Day, r697, was the first temple of the true God consecrated on Californian soil. Poor and unpretending as was that little hut, we may be sure the angels of God hovered about it with a joy akin to that with which they hovered around another poor hut more than r6oo years before. �The First Church in Califomia. About this time a change came over the natives. At first they thought the Spaniards had come only for the pearl fishing and for purposes of trade. As soon, however, as they discovered that the Fathers had come to establish religion and to spend their lives amongst them (of which the new buildings convinced them), they conceived a bitter antipathy to the new religion and its teachers. The sorcerers, or native priests, whose interests, of course, would suffer from the introduction of a new religion, were most energetic in exasperating the people against the foreigners. Some of the Indians were favorably disposed towards the Fathers, but most of them sideg with their priests. For some time they did not proceed to open hostilities, but at length, urged on by the sorcerers, they seized and destroyed a boat· belonging_ to the Mission and made an open attack on the Spaniards. A mere handful of the soldiers defeated a large body of them, and this defeat seemed to make the Indians of that tribe see clearly that they had no chance of getting the better of the strangers by fighting. The captain of the soldiers was for putting some of the ringleaders to death, but Father Salvatierra, true to his character as preacher of the gospel, absolutely forbade it, and gave a full pardon to all. This forgiving spirit of Father Salvatierra did much towards winning the simple childlike Indians to him. Holy Week was at hand, and the Fathers did their best to make the ceremonies of that ·solemn time as impressive as their slender resources would allow. To those accustomed to see the splendor with w·~ich Holy Week was celebrated in the churches of Europe and of New Spain, the little chapel of the California Mission would have seemed poor indeed. But what was wanting in richness of decoration and pomp of ceremonial was more than made up for by the earnest faith and fervent piety of the new Christians ; and the poor Indians beheld with wonder and delight the Church's beautiful ritual carried out in that humble thatched chapel. During these first months of their stay in California, the �The First Church in California. 39 missionaries' greatest consolation were the little children. These daily grew in piety, and the word of God took firm root in their young minds. The trials of Father Salvatierra were not yet over, and if the children gladdened his heart by their docility, there were not wanting to him causes of sadness and uneasiness. One day the native catechumens and many other Indians took French leave and left the poor Fathers completely in the dark as to the why and the wherefore of their departure. Afterwards, however, the Fathers learned that they had gone into the interior to gather pithahayas, an indigenous fruit, which was their principal food. The gathering of this fruit was always made the occasion of great feasting and rejoicing; in faet, it was for the poor Indians what the Carnival is for the people of southern Europe. Misfortunes, it is said, never come alone. A still more severe trial than the desertion of their disciples awaited the missiOnaries. Their provisions were nearly run out, and as a ship from Mexico with supplies had failed to arrive, starvation seemed to stare them in the face. As in all their difficulties, they turned to God and the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin, their glorious patroness. They at once began a novena to her, and before the nine days were up, a vessel plentifully stocked with provisions arrived. The greatness of the danger from which the missionaries thus escaped, may be better appreciated from the faC1:, that placed as they were on a barren shore, they depended altogether for provisions on the supplies received from Mexico. During these first months of their stay, the Fathers had been carefully studying the Indian language, and as they had now some facility in it, Father Salvatierra resolved to try and get acquainted with the different tribes scattered through the country. With some companions he set out for the interior. On his approach the Indians hid in the woods, and so this first attempt failed. The following spring, however, on trying his fortune with the same tribe, he was �40 Tlze First Clmrclz in California. more successful. The Indians received him kindly and listened to him attentively whilst he spoke of religion. For some time previous, his benevolence had been spoken of in all the tribes, and during his stay at this place a deputation from a tribe living at a distant place called Vizze Biabundo, came to invite him to visit them. Several Indians from other parts also visited him, and he had the consolation of baptizing many children and instructing some adults. Just then, Father Salvatierra was unable to go himself to the Indians of Vizze Biabundo, but on his return to Loretto, as the first settlement had been named, he sent Father Piccolo to them. Father Piccolo, after much toil succeeeed in founding a mission _amongst these Indians, which he named after. St. Francis~ Xavier. In these labors the first three years of the missionaries in California were spent. The rest of Father Salvatierra's life is so interwoven with the history of the whole Mission of California, that to give a correCt: idea of it, would require more space than is now at our disposal. Suffice it to say that his after life was one of severe trial and hard labor, undertaken and persevered in for the glory of God. - The Mexican Government treated the Missions with shameful neglect. The aid ordered to them by the Royal Government at Madrid was either withheld altogether or largely curtailed by the Mexican officials. The fickle nations about.Vizze'Biabundo made many attacks on the Mission, and on on~ occasion, roused by the sorcerers, they fell upon and destroyed the Mission build. ings lately erected. No punishment was inflicted for this outrage. The Mission was again quietly established, and again a body of pagan Indians attacked it and massacred all who came in their way. This time the soldiers did not allow the Indians to go unpunished; they attacked them in their camp, routed them, and against the earnest entreaty of the Fathers put the leaders to death. �The First Church in Califonzia. 41 On another occasion, the supplies from Mexico being kept back by severe weather, the whole settlement at Loretto was reduced to the last extremity. At this crisis the Fathers resolved to live and die with their neophytes, and gave the soldiers the option of returning to Mexico, and thus providing for their own safety. The soldiers nobly refused to desert the Missionaries, and declared they would, if need be, die at their post. Making a last effort to preserve their lives, the Fathers, converts and soldiers, separated into little groups and went to search the country for berries, roots, or some kind of food. During their wanderings Father Salvatierra came upon a tribe most anxious to be instruCted in the faith, and living in a place possessing great natural advantages for founding a Mission. But in the present critical state of affairs, Father Salvatierra had to content himself with baptizing a number of children, which their parents gladly brought to him. Meantime God did not forget his faithful servants. The long-delayed supplies at last arrived. The groups of wanderers returned to Loretto, and were once more gathered together under the proteCtion of Mary, in whose honor they had the happiness of dedicating a new church which they had begun some time before. At this time, 1705, Father Salvatierra was appointed Visitor of the Missions of Sinaloa and Sonora, and had to leave for Mexico. On his arrival there he found he had been appointed Provincial. His new office did not make Father Salvatierra forget his beloved Mission of California; on the contrary, in this exalted position he had greater opportunities of promoting its well-being, none of which he neglected. Thus, soon after his being appointed Provincial, we find him waiting on the Viceroy, urging him to carry out the Royal orders rer garding the Missions; at another, laying a memorial on the same subjeCt before the Governor. These efforts, however, seem to· have produced little effect; for though the King renewed his grants to the Missions, the Mexican officials still continued to evade the Royal commands. Again we VoL. x-No. I. 6 �42 Brazil. meet Father Salvatierra at Loretto, arranging about estab· lishing new Missions, and causing a lay brother to be promoted to the priesthood, to help on the good work. At that time there were only three priests in California. But Father Salvatierra's zeal for the California Mission was too great to allow of his remaining long away from it. In 1707, at his own earnest request, he was relieved from the office of Provincial and permitted to return once more to his beloved Mission. Here he labored indefatigably for. ten years more. In 1717 he was called to Mexico to assist at a general meeting of the Province to consider the state of the California Mission. Though Father Salvatierra was well-nigh worn out by fatigues and by the attacks of a lingering and painful malady, he set out at once for Mexico. On his ,y_a'y his malady again attacked him, and after two months of exquisite suffering, he died from its effeCts, June 18th, 1717. His eulogium is thus briefly and beautifully pronounced by an old historian of Mexico: "He was one of the most celebrated missionaries of New Spain, a true servant of the blessed Mother of God, and the Apostle of California." <Il BRAZIL. THE RELIGIOUS QuESTION IN THE EMPIRE. ..-· •. PARA, May I6, I88o. REVEREND AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. I purpose, in the present letter, to give a brief historical compendium of the Religious Question in Brazil. It is a history of persecution direCted against religion; and although it may be known to you already in its broad and general outlines, yet it may prove interesting and useful to become acquainted with some particular details concerning it. (tl Reprint from the San Francisco .IIIonitor.· �Brazil. 43 From my last letter you could gather that Freemasonry has become very powerful here, and is the bane of the Empire. It ha<.l invaded everything: the sanCtuary itself, the priesthood, even the religious orders were not free from the contagion. The evil consequences of this state of affairs are now manifest, although for a time they did not fully appear. Masonry, in faCt, adopted peculiar taCtics, that it might work its way more easily every where ; it put on the garb of devotion, in order to delude the people, and to prove that it was not in Brazil, as in Europe, a bad organization, an excommunicated society, but on the contrary, beneficent, pious and Catholic. The time for battle came at last, and, it is said, that it was the result of the Emperor's visit to Europe. Be that as it may, the faCts are these: in I8JI, the Grand Orient (such is his cabalistic title) of the Freemasons in Brazil became Prime Minister .of the Empire, and on the occasion of a great congratulatory demonstration made in his honor the next year on account of the abolition of slavery, a certain priest published a scandalous discourse which he had delivered in the Lodge, and took credit to himself for being the ordinary orator at the meetings (March, 1873). The Bishop of Rio Janeiro having summoned the priest before him, after all means had proved useless to bring him to a sense of duty, suspended him from the exercise of all clerical funCtions. This was the beginning of the struggle. The Masons called an extraordinary convention to determine upon their line of conduCt under the circumstances; and shortly afterwards, several newspapers were started, which dealt with every thing sacred, as if the demon inspired the sentiments and language of the writers. All this was done openly and professedly in the name of the masonic body, whilst at the same time leading Masons were taking part in the celebration of religious festivals, joining in processions, assisting in full regalia at Masses said for the eternal repose of departed craftsmen, etc. The organs of the party brought forward the most power- �44 Brazil. ful arguments to prove that the Bishops were obliged in conscience to put a stop to these scandalous proceedings, and in the very same issue dared them to interfere on their peril, and insultingly mocked at their want of courage. As it was their evident intention to precipitate a conflict, the Bishop of Rio judged it advisable not to notice their attacks, and to let matters· rest as they were, for the time being : the controversy, so far as he was concerned, was ended, but they continued to insult him in the most flagrant manner. Whilst matters were in this condition, the Rev. Vital de Oliveira, a Brazilian Capuchin, was appointed Bishop of Olinda and Pernambuco (May, 1872). It was immediately announced in some of the newspapers, that he was selected precisely because the government wanted to force the conflict, and be was judged to be one with whom they could pick a qua'rrel without delay. As soon as he had taken possession of his Episcopal See, the newspapers of Pernambuco began in chorus to deny the mystery of the Blessed .Trinity, the Divinity of our Lord, the Virginity of our Lady, and to utter the coarsest blasphemies against every dogma of our holy religion. The Bishop, therefore, judged it to be his duty to invite all good Catholics to take part in some prescribed acts of reparation; these public demonstrations were made every where with marked devotion by a great concourse of the people, and they tended to inflame the wild hatred of the foes of religion. They boasted of their power and numbers, and loudly threatened yengeance. They published the list of priests belonging to· the Order, and of those gentlemen who were Freemasons, and at the same time, active members of the religious Confraternities, so numerous in Brazil. No church is without one of these Confraternities, and some have two or three of them; they are very wealthy, own many of the churches, and, as they are filled with Masons, they constitute one of the greatest plagues of this unhappy country. The occasion was critical, and full of danger; if the Bishops had called a Synod to adopt energetic measures with �Brazil. 45 concerted aEl:ion, they would have gained the viEl:ory over Freemasonry, the confraternities would have been purged of unworthy members, and the government would have been forced to respeEl: the Church; for Catholics here, even the most lukewarm, love their religion, and have great affeEl:ion for their Bishops and Priests. But, unfortunately, the Bishops were not all of one mind ; and .some of them insisted upon what is called the course of prudence. Nevertheless, the Bishop of Olinda, after having tried in vain all charitable admonitions, suspended those of his clergy who were not ashamed to profess in public that they were Freemasons. Only two priests showed themselves contumacious; and only two Confraternities paid any attention to the Bishop's orders. The Bishop of Para adopted a similar course, and with the same results. It was after these occurrences, almost at the very opening of the question, that the Bishop of Pernambuco wrote a full account of the affair to the Holy Father, Pius IX (January, 1873). Hi3 Holiness answered (May, 1873) by a Brief, in which after praising the Bishop's zeal, he conceded to him and to his colleagues extensive faculties in regard to the Confraternities and for the removal of censures incurred by Freemasons. As soon as the Government was informed that such a Brief had been expedited, it threatened all who should dare to publish it with imprisonment and other penalties; but as it was published almost simultaneously by all the Bishops, these threats were never executed. Affairs were in this state when the Bishop of Pernambuco, for grave reasons, suspended a certain priest. This suspension gave fresh impetus to the controversy, for the man was an influential Freemason and a popular demagogue. On the fourteenth of May, 1873, a disorderly mob, led on by prominent Masons marched to his residence and offered their congratulations for the honor he enjoyed of having fallen under the ban of his Bishop. They next made a sudden and furious attack upon our College of Pernambuco, at the hour when our Fathers were engaged �Brazil. in the May devotions in honor of our Blessed Lady, and made a complete wreck of the chapel, and of the whole lower story, destroying everything in the class rooms, study hall, kitchen, cellar, etc. The Blessed Sacrament was saved from profanation by the resolute conduCt of the ladies present, who gathered around the altar, and held their ground amid all the turmoil and confusion. The assault was so unexpeCted that no precautions had been taken, and all were at a loss as to what should be done. Father ReCtor, seeing that the lives of those under his charge were in great danger, told the Fathers to save themselves as best they could ; but only two or three succeeded in passing with the boys to a neighboring garden. Several of the Fathers were severely injured, amongst them the ReCtor, who had remained at his post direCting, animating and consoling his subjeCts, and the Procurator, whose room was near the entrance, and who happened to be sick abed. These barbarians fell upon him in his weak condition, beating him cruelly; and having infliCted a deep cut upon his hand, drove him from the room, which they plundered of all the money it contained, and left him fainting in the corridor. There were troops stationed in the neighborhood of th~ College, but they did not appear to quell the disorder until the \vork of destruCtion had been carried on for a full hour, and the chapel together with the whole lower floor had been damaged to the extent of twelve thousand dollars. The rioters did not force their w_ay upstairs, but a brother coadjutor who was sick at the time with the yellow fever, was so terrified, that he died that very night. The Bishop, as soon as he was informed of what had taken place, wrote a note to Father ReCtor, which though brief, was full of sympathy and encouragement. Soldiers had been sent to guard the Episcopal palace against the violence of the mob, but he dismissed them, and throwing all the doors wide open, declared that he was ready to die for religion then and there. The danger was not trifling; for the rioters, after leaving our College, attacked the office of I I �Brazil. 47 the only Catholic newspaper in Pernambuco. This journal was under the patronage of the Bishop; they gutted the office completely, and flung the type and other materials into the river. They took the portrait of Pius IX, and with mock solemnities and much real profanity, burnt it in the public square. They did nothing direCtly against the Bishop, for such was the mot d'ordre, and tried the old trick of separating us from him. The rascals who had attacked and plundered the College were well known, but the government made no effort to bring them to justice. They did not, however, escape the avenging hand of God; for, within a few weeks, many of them either died or fell dangerously ill. The connivance of the Government in these proceedings was also made apparent from this, that the civil authorities about this time advised the Confraternities to appeal to the Emperor; and this course gave a new and complicated turn to the question. Although such an appeal was against the laws of the Church in its substance, and even against those of the country in its particular circumstances, yet it was promptly entertained by the Emperor, who deputed three Freemasons to investigate the question, and upon the receipt of their report, a peremptory order was despatched to the Bishop (June, 1873), to remove the interdiCt: from the Confraternities within thirty days, "because the state proteCts Freemasonry and does not acknowledge the excommunications of the Catholic Church against it." The Bishop, in his noble reply to the mandate, refused to obey, and the Government commissioned (July, 1873)an official to release the Confraternities from the Episcopal interdiCt: in the name of his Majesty: this was done during a great and noisy celebration, but it was a mistake on the part of the civil authorities. In spite of every effort and precaution, the people still admitted the existence and binding f<;>rce of the interdiet; and the priests, consequently, refused to say Mass, and the faithful to hear it, in the places forbidden by the Bishop. At the same time, many members of the Secret Socie- �Brazil. ties were returning to the Church (the Bishop of Pernam" buco received more than three hundred abjurations), several Catholic journals were being published, and an association for the promotion of religion with its headquarters ·at the Capital was spreading throughout the whole Empire. This infuriated the Government, and it aCl:ed in a manner worthy of the cause it was supporting, worthy of the evil one who inspired the resolution. An ambassador was despatched to Rome, and simultaneously the Bishops of Pernambuco and of Para were cast into prison. Let us speak of these two faCl:s separately. The Bishop of Pernambuco was arrested on the 2nd of January, 1874Such was the public excitement that the provincial governor was apprehensive of a revolution; and, contrary to in~ struCl:ions, 'he got rid of his prisoner without delay, by sending hiin off in a wretched war vessel. The Bishop of Para was arrested somewhat later on, and sent to Rio by the American Steamer. Meantime the ambassador at Rome, concealing the faCl: of the Bishops' imprisonment, succeeded by misrepresentations, in obtaining from Cardinal Antonelli an order for the Bishop of Pernambuco to relieve the Confraternities from censure. The news of this order was welcomed by the Government with a grand celebration; but the Bishop remained firm, and rejeCl:ing the offers made by the Government if he should yield, appealed to the Holy Father. He sent his secretary to Pernambuco, asking our Fathers to send some one to Rome, who could expl~in the true state of af. fairs, and obtain a reversal of the s~nlence procured by the ex parte representations of the Government envoy. A messenger was accordingly sent, and in spite of many and great obstacles thrown in the way, he succeeded in obtaining a revocation of the obnoxious order; and the Holy Father, when informed of the true state of affairs, lauded the Bishops, gave public approval of their course, and censured their opponents (April, 1874). The share which one of our Fathers had in this mission �Brazil. 49 to Rome, and the success which crowned the effort to undo what the crooked and cunning policy of the Government had accomplished, was an unpardonable crime in the eyes of the Masonic Body, and from that hour the utter ruin of our college at Pernambuco was decreed. After several fruitless attempts to close it, a civil commotion which broke out in Pernambuco (Nov., 1 874) furnished them with a pre"' text for carrying out their plan. The disturbance was easily suppressed, and was probably fomented by those who, afterwards, without a scintilla of evidence, charged it upon the Jesuits. vVith no other ground for action than these ridiculous reports, without indiCtment or trial, the government huddled our Father:; on board of a man-of-war, and hurried them off by the first steamer to Europe! In this way our Mission lost a College, and more than twen~y valuable subjects. While the Holy Father at Rome was subjecting the conflicting statements of the Government and of the Bishop to a close scrutiny, and weighing their respective merits in order to give a final decision, the Bishop of Pernambuco in Brazil was condemned to four years imprisonment with hard labor, and the same sentence was about to be passed upon the Bishop of Para. The trial was most unjust, in form, in circumstances, and in the judgment which was passed. Popular enthusiasm was enkindled in behalf of these noble victims of persecution, and both before and after sentence they were the objects of sympathetic ovations. The Bishops refused to plead before the tribunal, and declined to name their counsel; two of the ablest lawyers of the country volunteered their services, and made a gallant, but useless defence. The Emperor commuted the harsh sentence into four years of simple imprisonment, and the whole question was treated diplomatically with the Vatican, and its solution will appear further on. The Government used all its influence to have the interdict removed, and the Holy Father exerted himself for the release of the Bishops ; and by compromise, the Bishops VoL. x-No. I. 7 �so Brazil. were set free, and the confraternities relieved from censure (Sept., 1875). Thereupon, the Bishop of Pernambuco went direaly to Rome, to give a report of all that he had done, and, as it seems, his course was approved in every particular. But a bitter disappointment was in store for him; because, when he returned to his diocese, he found that some gentlemen who had constituted themselves into what they called the Cat!tolic Party, intended to dominate and manage the' diocese according to their own notions. They would regulate the priests and parishes, and even the Bishop himself. Of course such interference was intolerable; and, as the Bishop refused to accede to their plans, these nominal Catholics began a new course of opposition to him, obliged him to close his seminary, and alienated from him nearly the whole population. This second contest was far more bitter than the former one, for it was waged by Catholics, and it ended in a complete defeat for the sorelytried prelate, who went again to Rome_, with the intention this time of resigning his bishopric. The Holy Father, after deliberate examination, con;ented to relieve him, but a great difficulty arose as to the manner of granting the request. Whilst the. matter was still under considefatiOfl•'"at Rome, God, in his mercy, solved the problem by calling His _persecuted servant to his reward. He died in Paris, July·4, 1878. Unhappily, since his decease a reaaion has set in against his salutary reforms, and much of his work has already been undone; and the' priests who were faithful to him, principally those formed by Ours r~t Rome, are exposed to many annoyances. The Holy See is desirous of appointing a worthy thief pastor to the Church of Pernambuco, but the Government will nominate only such as cannot be accepted. Surely, this is religious persecution. Let us now say a word about the Bishop of Para, whose history with regard to these troubles down to the end of the imprisonment: is almo~t identical with that of the Bishop of Pernambuco. He is an able writer and speaker, and his efforts against Freemasonry were crowned with better sue- �Brazil. 51 cess. On returning to his diocese, after being released from prison, the people received him in triumph. He then applied himself to heal the evils which had been caused, to found a seminary, and to visit his diocese. Although he removed the censure from the Confraternities, yet he told his priests that he should not be pleased if they said Mass for them or took part in their celebrations .. This sufficed to prevent any of the clergy from identifying themselves in any manner with these Confraternities, and praCtically they are still interdiCted. They tried to celebrate some festival without a priest, but the attempt was a bad failure, for even the worst-disposed men saw that a religious celebration without a priest was only a farce. Unfortunately, the conduCt of some abandoned and irreligious wretches disturbs the peace of the community. There is at the outskirts of this city a miraculous image of our Lady of Nazareth, which was formerly in Portugal, and · at its shrine, as is reported, many miracles were wrought during the Middle Ages. The image was brought hither some time during the last century, and began to be venerated in this town with great devotion of the people, with whom its festival is most popular. But Freemasonry invaded this sanCluary, and chan·ged the religious charaCter of the celebration into a scandalous exhibition of public festivity. The most attraCtive feature in their programme consisted of late years in the theatrical representations, the stage being purposely ereCted close by the Church, and devoted to forbidden plays and immodest dancing. The rejoicings lasted for about twenty days, and everything Was done by night. The original design was to honor Our Lady, and there continued to be some prayers recited in the Church and a sermon was delivered, but of late years the religious exercises have been reduced to a mere formality. The celebration used to be inaugurated by a large and clamorous procession, in which all classes of society took part, and the image of Our Lady was borne along accompanied by the clergy, the civil magistrates, by many �52 Brazil. gentlemen on horseback, and by a long line of open carriages. Some of these carriages were occupied by women of bad repute, whose place was regularly assigned, as if they were an acknowledged class of society. The Bishop had tried for a long time to prevent this horrible insult to Our Lady, but could not succeed. Of course, the Masonic newspapers undertook the patronage and defence of the feast, for the very reasons which made it objetl:ionable to the ecclesiastical authorities. They said that these women, qua talrs, have (horresco referens) a religion, and the right of showing it in public. The matter went so far in I 877 that the Bishop was obliged to forbid the feast entirely. You must observe that the priests were accustomed to take part only in the proceedings within the Church, and even there they \\;ere by no means free, for a lay committee, whose memBers were generally Masons, had the chief direaion and control of the whole affair. In the above mentioned year these men carried their unblushing effrontery so far as to set up in a pavilion adjoining the Church, which every honest family was expeaed to visit, three wax statues of nude females, whose attitude, as is reported, was immodest in the extreme. The Bishop, on being informed of this, gave orders to suspend the· celebration and to close the Church. The devout Masons then broke open the doors, ejeaeci the priest, and carried on according to their own sweet will. The Bishop was firm in his prohibition, and they made ready for a grand display in 1878 without the services of priests. To draw the mop to their side, they spread the report that the Bishop wa~ wanting in devotion to the Blessed Virgin .. On the other hand, they had the · government support, and the procession was more demonstrative and scandalous than before. There were forty carriages in line filled with women of the town! Arrived at the Church, they had prayers (but no priest was present) and all the other ceremonies excepting those which used to be performed at the altar. The Bishop, thereupon, to prevent the repetition of such a scandal, applied to the Em- �Letters of Fat!ter J'ames 0. Van de Ve!de. 53 peror, and obtained fair words, but nothing more; for last year (I879) the feast was again held, and with the support of the government. What is the outlook for the present year? I fear that it will be worse than before. The Church is under persecution; and the misery is that many will not believe it, and through prudt'ncc they let things take their course. But Our Lord will awake and make quiet the sea. In my next letter I will give you a short history of our Brazilian Mission. I beg you to have this intention inserted in the MESSENGER: Our Fathers of Brazil ask prayers for the duration and prosperity of their Mission, chiefly for their College of Ita in St. Paul, where there are two hundred and four boarders. RAPHAEL MARIA G., S, J. LETTERS OF FATHER ]AS. 0. VAN DE VELDE. CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF A TRIP FROM GEORGETOWN, D. C., TO ST. LOUIS, 1110., IN OCTOBER, I831. ST. LoUis UNIVERSITY, November 25th, I88o. REv. AND DEAR FATHER DEviTT, The following letters, in which Father Van de Velde gives an account of his trip from Georgetown College to St. Louis, Mo., made in OCl:ober, I83I, were to have been published in the WooDSTOCK LETTERS as an appendix to a sketch of Father Van de Vefde's life, which I contributed the LETTERS, and which appeared therein last year. But the copy of them, forwarded for the purpose, was mislaid, and I herewith send you a recopy of them. These letters Were written in the French language, from which they are faithfully translated by good Father Kernion, who long knew Father Van de Veide, having been an inmate of the St. Louis University nearly all the time since the year r834. Neither their language nor their order, as in the original, is �54 Letters of Father James 0. Van de Velde. perfeCt:; but yet a reproduCtion of them will doubtless interest many, and from the faEl: that they describe persons, places and things, as seen by Father Van de Velde a half century ago, they possess even some historical value, which will increase as time goes on, and records of the past becqme scarce. Yours very truly in X'. WALTER H. HILL, S. J. LETTER I. GEORGETOWN CoLLEGE, oa. 4· I83I. ik!y Very Dear Friend: The day of our departure has come. \Ve will start for Baltimonf this afternoon at three o'clock, in the stage. You know already that Rev. Father Kenney, our Superior, and Father McSherry will be my traveling companions. It gives me much satisfaCtion to be able to travel in the company of those whom I know and esteem. It had been decided that I should start in the beginning of last month, but this was rendered impossible by my being seized with an attack of fever. Father Van Lommel and 1\Ir. Van Sweevelt, who were to accompany me, left Georgetown for Baltimore on the rsth of last month, after having waited for some days, hoping that my health would soon be restored. Father Superior has received a letter from Father Van Lommel, written from Cumberland (which he reached on the 17th ultimo), and dated the 19th of th~_same month, in which he informed us that Mr. Van Sweevelt, his companion, had been taken sick with the fever, and, on that account, they had been obliged to interrupt their journey. Dr. Smith, a cousin of the President of the Georgetown Bank, treated Mr. Van Sweevelt during his illness. Another letter from Father Van Lommel informs us that his companion is well enough to continue the journey, and that they will leave Cumberland on the 27th of September. As I told you already, we are about to leave Georgetown on our trip west. �Lrtters of Father James 0. Van de Ve!de. 55 Although my health is again pretty good, I still feel very weak. I hope, however, that traveling will help to make me regain my strength. I attribute my sickness to the visit which I made to St. Mary's and Charles Counties. I had never before been in those marshy districts without paying for it by some illness. This year a great part of St. Mary's County looked like an hospital. You could have found some sick people in every house on the shores of the Patuxent. Father Carbery, who resides at St. Inigoes, has had a relapse there. He has fled from that unhealthy locality, and he came here to the college to spend some days with us. The day before yesterday he left for Fredericktown, thence he will go to Baltimore, and from that place return to St. Inigoes. I am afraid that he will fall sick on the way. He appeared, at least, to be in a very precarious state of health. I will write to you every day, for I intend my letters to form a kind of diary or journal of our trip. Forget me not in your holy prayers; it is now especially that I stand in need of them. Believe me to be yours, etc. LETTER II. BALTIIIIORE, Oct. 5,1831. My Very Dear Fri'end: We are now on the way, and in good company. We have taken our lodging at Barnum's, who has the best hotel in the city. Last evening I went to visit the family of Mr. Edward Jenkins, accompanied by Father McSherry. It was very late, but as we had resolved to go and see the good Mr. Carroll, and I had besides several other visits to make to-day, I was afraid that if I delayed this visit I would have to leave Baltimore without seeing that estimable family. This morning I went to say Mass in the seminary of the Sulpicians, which is at a great distance from our hotel ; but as I had resolved not to leave Baltimore without bidding farewell to my friends at the seminary, I thought that �56 Letters of Father James 0. Van de Velde. my best chance to do that was to go and say Mass there. After Mass I was very much urged to remain for breakfast, but fearing to miss my companions, who had determined to start for Mr. Carroll's Manor at about half-past eight o'clock A. M., I hastened to join them. By the bye, I forgot to mention that Father McSherry has engaged the stage for Wheeling, by way of Fredericktown. I had told you that I would do all I could to take the stage which passes through Chambersburg, on account of several advantages, but particularly because by taking this last mentioned route we would have the opportunity of getting some sleep during a few hours every night of the journey, which, of course, is a very desirable thing to a person who still feels the effects of sickness, and is in danger of relapsing. Besides, we were sure to find a Catholic Church in all the places where we had to stop on the way, namely: at Chambersburg. at Bedford, at Pittsburg. Father McSherry had misunderstood Father Kenney, believing that he wanted to be in Wheeling absolutely for Sunday. Father Van Lommel had also written that there was no stage from Baltimore to \Vheeling by way of Chambersburg; as if we could not go from Bedford to Brownsville, or, at all events, from Pittsburg to Wheeling. To-morrow, when I write to you, I will give you an account of our visit to Mr. Carroll. Believe me, now and forever, your devoted friend and humble servant. LETTER' lii. FREDERICKTOWN, .M'y Very Dear Friend: Oct. 6, 18 3 1. We have just arrived in this town, and as they tell us that we shall not leave it before half an hour, I am going to employ that time in writing to you. It was ten o'clock A. M. yesterday when we took our seats in the car to go by railroad to Mr. Carroll's. We reached Ellicott's Mill at about half-past eleven. We found there the Count of �Letters of Fat!ter :James 0. Van de Velde. 57 Menon, who was just from Mr. Carroll's residence on his way to Baltimore. He had come in the carriage of the good old gentleman. Nothing could have suited us better. The carriage was at our disposal. \Ve reached Mr. Carroll's farm at one o'clock P. M. He received us with the greatest demonstrations of joy. He still remembered very well Father Kenney, whom he had seen formerly, and he appeared transported with joy in seeing him again. He clearly evinced by all his actions, as well as his words, how great was the pleasure he experienced at our visit. I can say as much for his daughter, Mrs. Caton, who showed the greatest respect for us. We found there also Mrs. Decatur of Georgetown, and Mrs. McTavish, daughter of Mr. Caton, and sister of the Marchioness of Wellesley former relict of Mr. Patterson, and of Lady Carmarthen, once Lady Harvey. Good Mr:>. McTavish presented to us two of her children, who were very interesting. The elder one, aged about thirteen years, is one of the students of our College at Stony hurst, in England; his name is Charles Carroll. Thus the good Patriarch sees himself, as it were, living over his life again in the sons of his granddaughter. He is the only one now living of all those who signed the Declara· tion of Independence in 1776. His health is excellent, though his sight is weak and he is somewhat dea( He is now in his 95th year.(!) They celebrated his birth-day with great magnificence on the 20th of last month. The President of the United States was present, as well as several other persons of distinction. Mrs. Caton told us that on that occasion, according to his custom, he rose early and commenced the day, as he does every year, by going to the Chapel and receiving the Holy Sacraments. He heard three Masses, which were celebrated in succession, and remained on his knees during the whole time, his heart overflowing with thanks for all the favors which he had received from Heaven. I had long desired to see him, and I can as· 1 < l Charles Carroll died November 14th, 1832, or about one year after this visit to him. VoL. x-No. 1. 8 �58 Letters of Fatlzer James 0. Vmz de Velde. sure you that since my arrival in this country, I have not paid a visit which has had so. many charms for me. You must understand that I speak only of visits to seculars. Mr. Carroll insisted upon our dining with him and family. The dinner time was advanced half an hour. At 2 o'clock we sat down to table. Mrs. Me Tavish did the honors. Time passed on very agreeably and very quickly. Our conversation ran on religion, on politics, etc. Mrs. Caton, who was at my right, spoke to me at great length of the aEI:ual state of Belgium, and of the projeEI:ed marriage of Leopold I with the princess Louise of France. She is acquainted with the reigning family of Orleans, and she assures me that Louis Philippe himself is indifferent in matters of religion, his royal consort, Marie Amelie, is very religious, and that she has: instilled religious sentiments into the hearts of all her chifdren, but especially Louise, and Marie, who are as pious as they are amiable. \Vhen I perceived that it was after three o'clock, and that my companions were not aware of the time thus passing away, I spoke to Mrs. Caton, who gave her orders for the carriage (for the train was to leave at four o'clock). vVe left at last, accompanied by the good wishes of the whole family; and we arrived in Baltimore at about half past six o'clock, after many delays on the way. Fr. Kenney and myselfwent to pay our respeEI:s to th-e most Rev. Archbishop. It was late when we left him : and I could not find time to go and bid adieu to my friends. The remainder to-morrow. I am, yours etc. LETTER IV. FROSTBURG, 0Ei:. J, 1831. We will dine here. I know that we are still in the State of Maryland, but that is all. We must be about a hundred miles from Fredericktown. We have been traveling all night. vVe stopped only to change horses and to take our dinner at Middletown, eight miles from Fredericktown, and our supper at Clearspring. Although I am sure that you �Letters of Fat/zer James 0. Van de Velde. 59 will believe me when I tell you that I am very tired, nevertheless I am going to resume my diary of the 6th instant. When we returned from the Archbishop's we found Father Dzierozynski at Barnum's. I expected him there. After he had presented his respects to Father Superior, I took him to the dining room, where he and I supped together. Father Kenney did not want any supper, and Father McSherry took supper at Mr. Edward Jenkins', where he met several of his acquaintances. Before retiring to bed I went to Father Dzierozynski to bid him adieu. We went to bed at about I I o'clock, and at half-past twelve we were awakened to continue our journey. We were, altogether, only five-that is, besides us, there were two gentlemen from the neighborhood of Martinsburg, Virginia, whose deportment was very commendable. We breakfasted at Mr. Roberts' Hotel, and we arrived at Fredericktown towards halfpast ten in the forenoon. We remained there about half an hour, and in the meantime Father Superior went to the house of Father McElroy, where he found no one. It is probable that Father McElroy had gone out, and that Father Barber and the other inmates were engaged at the time in the college. vVe were overtaken at Fredericktown by the stage from vVashington City, which contained seven passengers on their way to Wheeling. As that stage had room for nine persons only, our two traveling companions went to Middletown in a buggy, where we dined yesterday; and one of us was obliged to sit on the box with the driver. We took supper at Clearspring, a small town situated a few miles beyond Hagerstown. To-morrow I will speak to you of my traveling companions. Farewell. LETTER v. WAsHINGToN, PENN., oct. s, rs 3 r. We are traveling in the state of Pennsylvania since yesterday, having left Cumberland, the last town of Maryland, yesterday before noon. We took supper at Endsley's yes- �6o Letters of Fatlzer james 0. Van de Velde. terday, or rather this morning, for it was more than an hour after midnight. This morning we passed through Union, and through Brownsville, where we breakfasted. We are now entirely over the Alleghany Mountains. We will dine here; it is about 5 o'clock P: M. It is rumored that we will arrive in \Vheeling about midnight. Last night was spent like the preceding one, without going to bed. We have met with two· accidents on the road. On the 6th, towards evening, one of the pieces of iron which support the stage broke. They fix'ed it again as well as they could by fastening it with an iron chain. Yesterday one of the horses took fright whilst coming down a pretty high hill, and the stage was nearly upset. This morning we met Mr. Eaton, one of the ex-Secretaries, with his wife, at Brownsville. I [li'ust now say a word about our traveling companions. Th~y were seven in number and came from \Vashington City, where they had gone in order to obtain contracts for carrying the United States mail from one place to another. Among them there were two or three who had obtained what they desired by bargaining with the Postmaster General, whilst the others had not quite the same success. The consequence was that the first were very jubilant, and the others were in bad humor. Several of those travelers had been coach drivers, and some of the others were still such. It was not, therefore, a very great wonder if their conduct was revolting, and their conversations mixed with blasphemies and shocking indecencies. Never, since my arrival in Americ·~. have I traveled \vith such impolite and disgusting persons. There was one, however, who formed an exception; he was from New York, and behaved like a civilized man. Farewell. Yours, etc. �Letters of Fatlzer James 0. Van de Velde. 61 LETTER VI. WHEELING, oa. 9, rs 3 r. We arrived at this place this morning at 2 o'clock. We were so tired that we went to bed almost immediately after our arrival. There was a boat which was to leave for Cincinnati at 5 o"clock A. M. Being assured, however, that there would be other boats in the afternoon, we rested until seven o'clock. We then took a walk in the city to find out whether there was any chance either to celebrate or hear Mass. \Ve tound the Catholic Church there all in disorder: no altar, no vestments, the panes of glass in the sashes broken, etc. Mrs. Kennedy, at whose house we went for information, told us that it was impossible to celebrate the Holy Mysteries, a.s they were going to repair the interior of the Church, and everything was in confusion. The Catholics of the place had not had an opportunity to hear Mass or approach the Sacraments since the second Sunday in May, when Mr. Miles,< 1l of Zanesville, came here through charity. Father Roloff resided there for some months, but as he is not a very eloquent preacher, they did not treat him well, and he was forced to leave them. This is one of the reasons for which the Archbishop refuses them a resident priest. Here we are, then, in Wheeling, after having traveled from Baltimore night and day without resting, in order to be here in time to say or hear Mass. Fine hopes indeed! To-day is Sunday and to-morrow will be the feast of St. Francis de Borgia, and no Mass! We are through with our dinner, and now we are going to take a walk together. Farewell. Your most devoted. <tl This was Father Miles, 0. P., who afterwards became Bishop of Nash· ville, Tennessee. Dominicans from St. Rose, 'Vashington county, Kentncky, established a convent of their order at Somerset, Ohio, in 1819, and at a later date they also took charge of a church in Zanesville. �62 Letters of Father James 0. Van de Velde. LETTER VII. Otl:. 10, I 83 I. Yesterday,· in the course of the afternoon, we went to see the town. It had rained a great deal, and the streets were almost impassable. Most of the streets are not paved, and are full of dirt and filth of all kinds. It is a real hole. However, everything seems to prosper. We have taken our lodging at the Wheeling House, kept by a certain Mr. William King, of Martinsburg, Virginia, who is an acquaintance of Father McSherry. His hotel is in very good condition. It is not inferior to Barnum's, and the price is the same, one dollar and a half a day. The ex-Secretary, Eaton, arrived here this morning, and we took dinner and supper w"ith him, his wife and his sister-in-law. Yesterday we found no opportunity to start for Cincinnati. This morning we went to examine the manufaCtories. They well deserve the inspeCtion, particularly the glass works, etc. There are two coal mines in the mountain back of Wheeling. I went some distance into one of them, and would have gone deeper, but the place was very dark, and one of the workmen told me that it was very dangerous, because sometimes pieces of coal and stone get loose from the ceiling, and, owing to this, several accidents have taken place. There was no danger where I was then ;;tanding, for the ceiling was supported by planks. I found one of my acquaintances in Wheeling. I wi~ much surprised when, knocking at the door of Mrs. Magruder, a Catholic widow who has care of the Church, to see it opened by George King of Georgetown, who had studied philosophy with me at College. After his leaving the noviciate he took to the study of law. He is now married, and he teaches school. I baptized one of his children, George Alexander. WHEELING, �Lrtters of Fatlzer :James 0. Van de Velde. 63 LETTER VIII. MARIETTA, OCt. I I' I 83 I. We have now reached one of the towns of Ohio. I went on shore to be able to say that I have been in that State. This small town, situated ·on the river bank, is pretty enough and well peopled. We left Marietta at 7 o'clock A. 111. We left Wheeling last evening at about 5 o'clock, on board the steamer "Emigrant," Captain Ireland, and already we are eighty miles from Wheeling. Nothing worth noticing has happened. I am, etc. LETTER IX. GUYANDOTTE, OCt. I2, I83I. Yesterday, after leaving Marietta, we passed the Island and the town of Parkersburg, situated at the mouth of the Little Kenhawa. Shortly after, we coasted the Island of Blennerhassett, rendered famous by the conspiracy of the Vice-President, Aaron Burr, against the government of the United States. It was about 9 o'clock in the forenoon. At about I o'clock in the afternoon we passed the Island of Buffington; and at 3 o'clock, the Island and the Falls of Letart. The water was so high that we passed over the rocks of the Falls. In the evening we reached Gallipolis, the capital of Gallia County. That small town was settled by a colony of French, and most of the inhabitants speak FrenchY> Towards I 2 o'clock in the night we anchored, on account of a very thick fog, which had risen. We were then only five or six miles from Guyandotte, which is at the mouth of the Big Kenhawa, where we arrived this morning at half past 6 o'clock. Here, several of our traveling com- <•J Gallipolis was settled by a colony of French in the year 1791. The title to their land proved defl'Cti ve, and most of the colonists, originally several thousand in number, returned to France. Father Badin, who was sent by Bishop Carroll to the Catholic settlers of Kentucky in 1793, spent several days at Gallipolis, when o~ his way down the Ohio. �64 Letters of Father James 0. Van de Ve!de. pan ions left the boat. Here, too, is the terminus of the new route from Washington to Ohio, 11ia Fredericksburg, in Virginia. Vv'e hope to arrive in Cincinnati to-morrow. Believe me, etc. LETTER X. CINCINNATI, Ott. 1 3, 18 3 1. llfj Very Dear Fn"end: We arrived in Cincinnati at II o'clock this forenoon. After leaving Guyandotte in Virginia, and Burlington on the Ohio shore, we touched at Catletsburg, which is but a small hamlet at the mouth of the Big Sandy River, which separates Virginia from Kentucky. It is here that I, for the first tin1e', touched the land of Kentucky. Further on we passed Greenupsburg on the Kentucky shore; and finally Portsmouth, at the mouth of the Scioto River. It is here that the canal, which is to form a communication between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, enters that River. This canal commences at Cleveland, on Lake Erie, about two hundred miles from Buffalo, which is thirty-one miles from Lockport, where terminates the great canal from Albany to the Lakes. The first of these canals is more than eleven hundred miles long, the other is three hundred and sixtythree miles. The first is now nearly completed, they are working at it with great ardor. We lodge at the Cincinnati Hotel. After passing Portsmouth we touched at Mays-, ville and Augusta, and shortly .a(ter we had to anchor on account of another fog. After taking dinner and attending to our trunks, we went to pay a visit to Bishop Fenwick, who received us very kindly. We found there also Mr. Reze and Mr. Mullen, with another young priest, named Van Drom, a Belgian of the diocese of Ghent, who arrived here from Belgium in the beginning of the week. From the Bishop's residence we went back to our hotel; and after supper I went to see the Museum, which, though small, is worth seeing. Among other curiosities, there is a room �Dispersion of the College of Lm,al. 65 which the proprietor calls "the infernaL regions;" but, singular enough, you have to ascend several flights of stairs to come to it. That room is lighted up, and we see there devils, beasts and reprobates of all kinds. Of eleven ladies who went up with us, only three dared to remain. All the others ran away. After being there for some time, we saw that two or three of the figures began to move, and we heard such a howling as frightened several of those present. On a sudden all the lamps were extinguished at the same instant, and there ensued around us such a racket as might well be called infernal. Again light appeared and all was over. It is late. Farewell. DISPERSION OF THE COLLEGE OF LAVAL. Letter of .Father S. SclzijftiZi to Ius Brother. ST. HELIER, Sept. 15, 1 88o. DEAR BROTHER, Here I am at last in the new domicile to which Divine Providence has consigned me. St. Helier is, as you know, the principal city of the Isle of Jersey, and is situated on the sea shore opposite the Norman coast. The house in which I am is on a hill overhanging the town. It is a magnificent hotel, which, through the admirable disposition of Divine Providence, fell into the hands of the Province of France at the very time the sad Decrees of the 29th of March appeared. I will speak more on this head in another letter. For the present it is enough to know that this hotel will be a Scholasticate to take the place of Laval. It wont take long to tell how I came here. You know already, through the papers, what was the action of the French Chamber with regard to the well-known "Clause 7'' of the Ferry Laws, and hence the origin of the lamentable March Decrees. At their appearance, all the Superiors of ReligVoL. x-No. I. 9 �66 Dispersion of tlze College of La·Ml. ious Congregations of men, threatened by the said Decrees, with great though unexpeaed unanimity, met at Paris to see what they ought to do in such a junaure. It was resolved to offer every resistance sanaioned by French law. There was, at the same time, a consultation with the most celebrated lawyers and jurists of the nation, and especially with M. Rousse, one of the foremost lawyers of Paris. He is the author of the famous defence which you have seen, in which some two thousand lawyers concurred. In the meantime we kept up our usual scholastic exercises at Laval, without the slightest change in the order of duties. Towards the end of June, for fear the government would assume control of the house, all the more necessary articles were ~ent to a safe place in the town, and it was settled where ea~J:l one could best go in case the house was broken up. A generous and cordial hospitality was extended us from every side. On the 28th and 29th of June many of our friends and of the highest nobility carne to stay with us night and day, so as to help us if necessary, or (and this was the chief objea) to serve as witnesses to the brutality soon to take place on the part of the vandals who now govern poor France. The 30th arrived, and there is no need of describing what occurred. In Laval, as elsewhere, the performance consisted of three a as, viz: a notice to quit, served by the Chief of Police; a refusal to do so on the Reaor's part, in the presence of witnesses, accompanied by a protest against the illegal meas~res of the government; and, lastly, after seals had been affi.xed to the Church. our ejeaion, manu militan·, regardless of the Jaws which, in France, so strialy protea the dwellings of citizens. It must be confessed that the gens·d'armes conduaed themselves with a good deal of courtesy, and carried out their orders with tears in their eyes. Also be it said that the Prefea of Laval was among the least hostile, and, as a consequence, suffered the Brothers, and even five Fathers, to still remain in the house, in quality of legal proprietors. It is a hard necessity that presses one, when, for the sake of a �Dispersion of tlze College of Laval. 67 few dollars that he needs, he follows, with bad grace, the Republican car driven by Gambetta. After we were turned into the,street, with the exception of a few Fathers who remained in the town, we all, to the number of about a hundred, betook ourselves to four houses thrown open to us in the neighborhood of the city, and on the very next day resumed our wonted scholastic and religious exercises. The Theologians of the long course, with their respective . professors, found themselves in an elegant residence about four leagues from Laval, offered them by an old boarder at one of our colleges, Louis de Ia Sayette. Although everything was perfectly well known, and the Prefect had expressly forbidden any reunion on our part as a community, the gens-d'armes did not trouble us. We profited by this tranquillity to bring our scholastic course to its close, and to prepare ourselves for a speedy departure for Jersey. In the beginning of August the examinations took place as usual, followed by the long vacation, and at length, at the end of the month, we started for our new Scholasticate. The fifth of this month (September) more than seventy were here, and we made our annual retreat. vVe are now awaiting the arrival of the others who are to come. The "Status" is not yet out. Possibly I may havea class of philosophy in addition to my theological lectures. So, then, here I am, at last, an Englishman, after having been a Spaniard and a Frenchman. It can hardly be that the government will . drive us out of this place. The English are the most practical men in the world. My address is "College of St. Aloysius, St. Helier, Jersey, England."<1> Remember me most kindly to my acquaintances, and those of our province, especially, who may be near you. Write to me soon, and remember me in your Holy Sacrifices and prayers. Your affectionate brother, SANTO SCHJFFINJ, s. J. 1 < l Since this Jetter was written, Father Schiffini has been appointed Profes- sor of Philosophy at the German College in Rome. �LOYOLA COLLEGE. The College was handsomely decorated during the time of the Sesqui-Centennial Celebration in Baltimore; one of the features b,eing the ·subjoined inscription which was placed between the pillars of the balcony :COLLEGIVM . HOC . LOYOL.tEVM VHI · MAIORVM . EXPERIENTIA · SVCCESSV · QVE · EDOCTI SODALES . SOCIETATIS . IESV · TRES · ILLOS · CVLTVS DEI •, PATRI.tE · BONARVM · QVE . ARTIVM BALTIMORENSI · IVVENTVTI . VNA · SIMVL . INSTILLANT HOC . REDEVNTE . ANNO . OL . AB . EIVS . CONDITIONE BALTIMOR.tE · PLAVDIT CVIVS · HISTORIAM · TRES · MAGNI . AVSVS · IMPLENT DEI . CVLTV · VEXATOS . PERFVGIO · TVTARI PATRIAM · LIBERAM · PROSPERAM · QVE · CIVIBVS · CONFERRE BONAS · AR'TES · INSTITVTIS · MONVMENTIS · QVE · FOVERE �THE NEW CHURCH AT HARRISONVILLE. On Sunday, the 21st of November, Mass was celebrated for the first time in the new Church which has been erected on the Liberty turnpike, near Harrisonville, Baltimore County, about five miles from Woodstock College. The Churclt oj tlzc Holy Family is a neat frame building, 28 by 48 feet, costing a little over $1,500. Quite a number of people came from the surrounding country, Protestants as well as Catholics, to witness the unusual ceremony, which was conducted with as much solemnity as circumstances would permit. Father Salvator Brandi, of Woodstock, to whose zeal the congregation is indebted for their beautiful little Church, said the Mass. The sermon was preached by Father Devitt, and the choir from the College also assisted on the occasion. The new church at Harrisonville is the latest fruit of the zeal of the Scholastics and Fathers of Woodstock College. Little did any one dream six years ago, when a Sundayschool was begun in Mr. Harker's house, that in so short a time it would develop ·so wonderfully. Before the College was opened tht:re was no priest or chapel nearer than Pikes~ ville, some six or seven miles away; and, as the people were scattered all over the country, it is easy to conceive how Catholics became indifferent in the practice of their religion, while the younger generation was growing up without any faith at all. There were many, too, who had never belonged to any Church, who only needed some knowledge of ·the truth to embrace it. Consequently, much good was effected by the zeal and instructions of the scholastics who conducted the Sunday-school. The children were instructed in their catechism, and many lukewarm Catholics, who had for years neglected their Christian duties, were reclaimed. Thus it was that the little congregation in the neighbor- (6g) �;o Tlze New Cizurc!t at Harrismwille. hood of Harrisonville responded to the interest that was taken in them. Mr. Harker kindly gave part of his dwelling, in which catechism was taught every Sunday, and the Holy Sacrifice was celebrated once a month. The sight of a Catholic priest was quite a marvel in the beginning, and some opposition was manifested, which has now almost entirely disappeared. Marriages were blessed, and many who had grown up without receiving the waters of regeneration were baptized. A circulating library was established, and the spread of good instruCtive books contributed much towards the present success of the mission. In September, 1879. Father Brandi took charge of the mission of Harrisonville, and in a short time the congregation had become too numerous to be accomm<)dated in the private ch~pel where they were compelled to hear Mass. It became absolutely necessary, therefore, to build a more convenient place of worship without delay. The congregation entered with heart and soul into the plans of the pastor, and promised all necessary assistance. Thomas H. Worthington, Esq., one of the wealthy farmers in the vicinity, made a gift of an acre of land on which to build the church, whilst his father, R. \Vorthington, Esq., contributed generously towards the same end. . On the 16th of May last the corner-stone was laid with much· solemnity in the presence of nearly five hundred persons. It is unnecessary to add that more than two-thirds of those who witnessed the ceremony were non-Catholics. Several of the Fathers and fourteen Scholastics from the College choir assisted, taking part in the procession. Father Moeller preached a very fine sermon on the propagation of the Catholic Church. Thus the little mission at Harrisonville has entered upon a new era, and God grant that its progress in the future may correspond to what it has been in the past, and that through the instrumentality of its pastors and instruCtors many more stray sheep may be brought back into the one fold of Christ. �SKETCH OF THE NEZ PERCES INDIANS. (Continued) \Vhen the missionaries among the Nez Perces were reaping for the Church an abundant harvest of their past labors and sufferings, and ·whilst their hopes of seeing the whole tribe converted in a few years were justified by the many annual conversions; Satan, whose artifices had been so far defeated, devised another plan, which gave him the victory over many of those souls, whom the missionaries were patiently preparing for the fold: this plan was the Nez Perce war of 1877 against the United States army. The Wallawa Valley, which both Indians and whites claimed as their own, gave rise to many contests, and these resulted in the war. The Valley is on the frontier of Oregon, near Idaho ; it is very well adapted for farming and grazing purposes, and was also much valued by the Indians, as well as the surrounding country for root-digging and hunting. It was first included in the Indian Reservation, made by mutual agreement between the United States Government and the Nez Perce tribe, in the treaty of June 11th, 1855, which treaty was signed by Old Joseph, the chief of that band of Nez Perces that owned the Valley, a Presbyterian and father of Joseph, who afterwards became famous as the leader of the war. But; when on the discovery of gold mines in the Nez Perce Reservation in 1862, that Reservation was found to be too large, and should be by all means curtailed, another treaty, that put Wallawa out of the Reservation, was signed by some chiefs in 1863; but Old Joseph would not sign it, and protested that the Valley was his own: he died a few years after, telling his two sons, Joseph and Young Joseph, alias Allocat, never to give up Wallawa to the whites. In the latter part of May, 1873, a kind of Indian council (71) �72 Sketclt of t!ze Nez Perces Indians. was held at Lapwai, in behalf of Joseph and his people. Whether it was on account of trouble in Wallawa between whites and Indians, or, because the Presbyterians wanted another Agency in that Valley, it is difficult to say. In that council, Joseph exposed his claims to the Valley, and asked proteaion from the Government against the whites, who had already begun to settle there; the Indian Department endorsed the petition, and the President of the United States put the whole of the Valley out of market. After some time the Indians of Wallawa were told that probably Congress would make an appropriation to buy out all the settlers of Wallawa; and they would have a Reservation of their own. This, in the Indian mind, was equivalent to an acknowledgment of their right by Government; but Congress did not make the appropriation, and after some time, the Valley was again open to settlers. This made the Indians mad with rage, and they charged the Government with injustice and deceit, and began to show so hostile a spirit towards the settlers as to cause much uneasiness. Therefore in the fall of 1876, there was another council at Lapwai. A commission of some gentlemen was appointed by the Indian Department, to come to an agreement with Joseph, either to re~1ain in Wallawa, if he asked for. it, as in a Reservation; or to give it up altogether, be paid for it, and go to live in the Nez Perce Reservation. Joseph and his people were called; but as soon as they heard of the intentions of the Government, J~seph answered for all his people that they _had nothing to ask for. He would not even speak to the Commissioners; because, he said, he did not believe they were truly sent from Washington: and even were they truly sent, those who had already spoken in the name of the Government had lied too many times to the Indians, especially in regard to that question of Wallawa: "In the treaty made in Gov. Stevens said Wallawa was ours; and my father said it was and should be ours. When the preachers came in 1873, Government said it should be ours again; and I said it was rSss. �Sketclz of tlze Nez Perces Indians. 73 and should be ours. After a year or less, Government said it should not be ours any more; and I said it was and it should be ours. You may say now it should be ours, and next year again say it should not; I say now, as I said before, as my father said, as all my people will always say; vVallawa was, is and shall be ours, and that I do not need to ask it from your Government." Government officials went to see him several times, to persuade him to come and expose his views, telling him that he would obtain all that he wanted; but this made him worse. He became so proud that he thought Government was afraid of him. When the Commissioners saw that Joseph could not be induced to ask for any titvor, they recommended to have him and all his band removed to the Nez Perce Reservation, since vVallawa had been put out of the Reservation by the treaty ; but it seems they forgot to say that the treaty had never been signed by the owners of the country. Orders were given to remove Joseph to Lapwai, by gentle means if possible; if not, by force. Towards the end of 1876, and the beginning of 1877, messengers were going to and fro, the United States Agent sending word to Joseph to remove to Lapway, or the soldiers would go ami take him there. In the mean time an Indian, whose family were a!! Catholics, fell dangerously ill, and immediately he sent to the Mission (St. Joseph's), wishing to be baptized. On the 15th of January, one of the Fathers started with some Indians, very late in the evening, to Captain John's Creek; they found the sick man there (Joseph's was eight miles further on Grand-Rood River). As soon as the sick man saw the priest, he said: "Oh ! how glad I am to see you, blackgown ; I was afraid that I should die unbaptized, in punishment of the hardness of my heart. Do you remember how I would not look at you four years ago? You baptized my dying girl, and she got well in a few days, and my heart was not moved ; afterwards. you baptized my baby VoL. x-No. 1. 10 �74 Sketch of tlze Nez Perces bzdz"ans. and its mother; afterwards you baptized my big son, and you could never get me. Oh! now I am very sorry for my sins, and I want to confess them all before receiving Baptism." As he was well disposed, and well instructed, he was baptized without delay; and then he exhorted his relations to have all their children baptized. Some were baptized that very night; others promised to have their children baptized later. The next day, the missionary and his Indians proceeded to Joseph's camp, to pay him a friendly visit, which he had promised long before. Though Old Joseph, now dead, had been a Presbyterian, yet he died an infidel, and left his two sons, Joseph and Young Joseph, infidels. Both of them, however, \'{ere very friendly to the Catholic missionary, and they received him with great courtesy. They would listen to his exhortations, but they were not disposed to become Catholics; said they would see about it when the land question would be settled. The old Drummer(an Indian preacher of superstition), protested that none would become Catholics, neither young nor old ; they had their own religion and that was good enough. \Ve may remark that the most bitter of these men is now a good Catholic, and always very sorry for having spoken so roughly to the missionary. When the religious topic was over, the Indians asked the missionary what was his opinion about the injustice of the Government on the subject of \Vallawa. The Father answered that he was not prepared to. ~peak on that matter, having come exclusively on a spiritual mission, and had nothing to do with Government and land questions. The meal that was served, first to the Father and then to his companions, was one of the most sumptuous of Indian dinners, consisting of different kinds of dry meat, and many different kinds of dry roots ; the beverage was Indian tea with sugar. The missionary returned to St. Joseph's with many hopes of future conversions. After a few days, he went again to visit the new convert, who had got better; �Sketc!t of the Nez Perch Indians. 75 there he found an army of Presbyterian preachers, trying to scare the few Catholics, and prevent the others from joining us: yet, some more children were baptized. Next month, February, the missionary, accepting an invitation extended to him some time previous, went to the Umatilla Reservation, about a hundred and eighty miles from Lapwai, in order to give a mission to the Catholic Indians, and gain over some infidels to our holy religion. The mission was a great success; the Catholics, with very few exceptions, approached the Sacraments, and about twenty infidels were received into the Church. It seems that Young Joseph of Wallawa was there, trying to know the opinion of the Umatilla Indians, who also claimed the \Vallawa, as to whether it should be abandoned or not. This coincidence, with some other circumstances of less importance, and especially the success of the Catholic missionary, excited the zeal or rage of the Presbyterians; and the Lapwai Indian Agent wrote to the Indian Department in ·washington, that the Catholic priest was doing his best to prevent Joseph from coming into the Lapwai Reservation, and therefore he would inquire how to proceed against said priest. No sooner was this calumny known among the citizens of Lewiston, than all were indignant against the calumniator; so the Agent could not easily expel the priest from the Reservation (St. Joseph's Mission), as he had already told the Indians he would do. Some time in April, Young Joseph paid a visit to the missionary, and asked his advice, what to do about their land. The answer was: "Do what you think is best, provided every thing is done peaceably; for my part, I should like to see all of you near our Mission." He promised to be peaceful, and try to have all others peaceful, and that when settled, he and many others would become Catholics. In the mean time neither Joseph nor his people were doing any thing to move towards the Reservation. So Gen. Howard came to Lapwai and called a meeting of all the Indians of Joseph and vVhite Bird, to hold a council and try �;6 Sketclt of the Nez Perces Indians. for the last time, to have them all come to the Reservation. The council was held in May, and lasted several days. From the very beginning, Tahulkuzut, one of the old drummers of 'White Bird, said very clearly and positively that neither he, nor any of his people would ever go to the Reservation; that they would not give up their land, which was to them as a mother. Some few others expressed themselves in the same way, but not so clearly, and when the General would tell them that they were not free to stay or to come, but that they had to come, either of their own accord or by force, old· Tahulkuzut would repeat again that they would not abandon their mother, the land where they were born. At the third session, when Tahulkuzut was haranguing to the same tune, the General told the Commaqder of Fort Lapwai, who was present, to take charge of"old Tahulkuzut, so that he might hold the council with the others. And, indeed, after he was taken prisoner, the others seemed disposed to come to terms. After a few sessions, Joseph, \Vhite Bird and Haschus Keiut, the three chiefs of the largest bands of Nez Perces, agreed to come to the Reservation in thirty days; then Tahulkuzut was let free. \Vhether it was treachery on the part of these chiefs, or that, exasperated by Tahulkuzut, who reproached them with cowardice, they changed their mind and went to war, it is very difficult to ascertain. The fact is, that just one day before the expiration of the time agreed upon (June I4, 1877), some of \Vhite-Bird's yo~1ng men killed two white men on Salmon River, and thence .going to Camas Prairie, murdered several very good and inoffensive settlers. On the evening of the I 5th, about a hundred soldiers started from Lapwai for Salmon River and Camas Prairie; when, on the morning of the I 7th, the soldiers were ready to attack the Indians, Joseph sent two of his men. to the Commander of the troops, to tell him that the murders were committed without his knowledge, and that if he would wait, he would give satisfaction. But White Bird's I I �Missionary Labors. 77 young men, excited by Tahulkuzut, went ahead of the messengers, began the attack, killed thirty soldiers and a Lieutenant, put the balance to flight, and went back to the camp, saying that the war was begun, and there was now no backing out. It seems that the fight was between nine Indians and ninety soldiers, and only one Indian was killed. Then followed the battles of Cotton Wood and Clear Water, and the escape of Joseph with his forces across the Bitter Root Mountain. It is said that Joseph was nt!ver seen fighting, until his forces were attacked at night by the United States troops in Montana. From this it would seem true that \Vhite Bird, or some of his men, as Tahulkuzut, was the organizer and prosecutor of the war, and that Joseph was dragged into it by his friends. Whether he had said in Lewiston, some time before the war, that his people could easily beat all the soldiers of Forts Lapwai and Walla walla, or not, is not certain; if he said so, the first battle proved that it was not a vain boast. He had been repeatedly told that soldiers would take him and his people to the Reservation ; and there were no soldiers in the country, but eight small companies in those two Forts. · ST. FRANCIS REGIS, CoLVILLE MISSION, November 28, 1880. MISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS, FROM SEPTEMBER I9 TO DECEMBER I9, I880. The first two weeks in September were set apart in the missionary calendar for St. Joachim's Frankford; but, owing to unforeseen difficulties concerning the dedication of the church just finished, the Fathers could not begin their labors until the end of October. There was little reason to regret this mishap, as the weather in the early part of �·I lr!issioJZary Labors. the month of September was too warm for a mission in a crowded church. Of course, this delay lessens perceptibly the results of the autumn work. CHURCH OF THE AssuMPTION, EAsT BosToN.-At the invitation of the zealous pastor, Rev. Father Cassin, Fathers Maguire and Morgan gave a week's mission, beginning September 19, to the men of this congregation. Two services a day in the Church, with a short instruction in the afternoon for the children, were given. The men, occupied with their labors as stevedores or 'longshoremen, could come only early in the morning or late in the evening to the Church. As a consequence, their confessions had to be heard, for the most part, in the even· ing. This~ left a large portion of the day at the disposal of the devout female sex. It would seem, judging from what took place afterwards, that a council of war was held by the women, always so anxious to do some good for their souls, and, in the present case, aB:uated, no doubt, by a combined motive of piety, jealousy and curiosity. The truth is, a few old women presented themselvt::s, coming as pioneers probably. Their confessions were heard, and then, as if by magic, the crowds began to move, and tht:: Fa~hers had enough to do. The news spread quickly, and to the end of the week the communicants were eighteen hundred, one half of whom were women. On the last Sunday of the exercises special efforts were made, and with very flattering resl}lts, to increase the number of members in the various so.cieties conneB:ed with the Church. A few adults were prepart::d for First Communion. GESu, PHILADELPHIA.-From the 4th to the 18th of October, Fathers Maguirt::, McAtee, Strong and Morgan, with the very important help of their brethren in the community, were engaged in giving the exercises to the people! was going to say of this Church, but that would not be true-that came from all sides to this Church to make the I J �Missionary Labors. 79 Mission. It was necessary from the beginning to divide the congregation, giving the first week to the women, but this division was not sufficient, since an overflow meeting had to be held every evening in the hall attached to the schoolhouse. There several hundreds of persons were enabled to hear the sermons upon the exercises, a blessing they would otherwise have been deprived of. Philadelphia and Baltimore are always prolific of converts during a mission; other cities in the North have them, but these two are ahead nearly always. Eighteen adults were received into the Church at the Gesu during the exercises. Several pe~sons were left under instruction, having presented themselves too late. A prejudice prevails against converts of a mission. Poorly instructed and excited by the sermons, they rush into the Church to rush out again when the excitement is over. If, indeed, it were true that they are poorly instructed and brought in by excitement, and finally leave the Church e1t masse, the prejudice might be tolerated. If proper instruClion be given them, and if, as is most frequently the case, the mission is only the occasion of doing what has been thought on for years, through the good example of a wife, or a husband, or some kind friend, I see no reason for delay. As a truth, the Fathers have often heard the best accounts of their converts. Some will fall away, no doubt; so do they fall away under the most favorable circumstances. This argument, then, of falling away proves too much. In fact, it might lead to .the oyster policy of an old priest in these parts, who shut out all heretics from admission into the true fold, by doubting of the possibility of their sincerity. The children recei\'ed instruction every afternoon; they paid great attention, and, no doubt, profited by it. Communions, ten thousand; First Communion of adults, thirty-seven i Confirmation of adults, one hundred and twenty; Baptisms of grown persons, eighteen; of children hitherto neglected, three. The Archbishop, who kindly consented to confirm the �Missionary Labors. I candidates, supposed to be not more than two hundred and fifty children, was greatly surprised when he found that the number, increased by the adults gathered in during the mission, was over five hundred. J 8o ST. JoACHIM's, FRANKFORD (PHILADELPHIA).- Fathers Maguire, McAtee and Morgan were engaged in this mission from October 24th to Nov. j. In the meanwhile, Father Strong was deputed for other labors, an account of which will be given further on. The good people of Frankford responded very well to the endeavors of the Fathers in their behalf, though the weather was bad during the first, and the election for President was, in the way the second week. The day of election ·was, indeed, a considerable hindrance to the work of the mission. 'When this was ended, the men, a great many of whom had been disappointed, came faithfully and in large numbers. The soldiers of the United States Arsenal, a mile away, wereallowed every privilege to attend the ex. ercises by the Colonel in command, whose wife is a Catholic. It must be said to the credit of these soldiers that they were not backward to avail themselves of this kindness. The men engaged in the Arsenal are mostly vete~rans; they have their families, and, altogether, seem to be satisfied with their lot. By the efforts specially directed to that end, the number of members in the Sodality of the Sacred Heart and in that of our Blessed Lady was considerably enlarged. · Results: Communions, two thousand four hundred and fifty; First Communion of adults, fifteen; Baptisms, three; for Confirmation, adults, twenty-eight. The letter in favor of cheap Chinese labor, attributed by many to one of the candidates for the Presidency, caused no little excitement even in this quiet suburb. Parties were divided in their opinions concerning its authenticity. The boys, however, settled the difficulty as far as they could, by starting the cry after the election was passed: "Now we'll have it; six rats a week for the workingman! " �Missionary Labors. 8r ST. JosEPH's, PROVIDENCE, R. I. (Nov. 14-28.) -Three times in less than five years Father Maguire's band has given missions in this Church. The interest of the congregation in the exercises was as marked this time as ever before. The weather was cold and disagreeable the first week, and yet the women did not stay away on account of it. The total. number of Communions was greater than at the last mission, though the p:uish has been divided. The men, during the second week, did their part equally well; so that the results, counting both weeks, were: Communions, over five thousand; adults, First Communions, twenty-two; adults Confirmed, seventy-five; Baptisms, five. In general, one mission is like another. The same return of hardened sinners, the crowding of the confessionals, the settling of marriage cases and the like. Hence, the difficulty in giving an account pleasing to the reader, who is very apt to accuse the writer of being monotonous. There is a great deal of monotony about missions. Sometimes, however, the unusual happens. At St. Joseph's the leader of the band spoke in general terms about the immorality of the country, how all the seCts were drifting into infidelity, in consequence of having no fixed religion, etc. "In fine," he said, "it comes to this: praCtically, there is no morality outside the Catholic Church." A newspaper correspondent took exception to these remarks, and cried out against the arrogance of this Jesuit, who had come to insult the good people of Providence-this Jesuit, a mischiefmaker, whose brethren were recently driven out of France. "Look at our prisons; look at Spain and Italy, etc." No notice was taken of him until the last Sunday evening of the mission, when in a crowded leCture for the benefit of the parish schools, a reply was made, and the obnoxious phr tse explained. The leCturer's answer was based principa:ly upon a "Thanksgiving" sermon uelivered in Fall Riv:.:r by a Methodist preacher. This reverend gentleman, VoL. x-No. I. 11 �82 Missionary Labors. departing from the usual blarney of "Plymouth Rock" and the "Pilgrim Fathers" and their descendants, attacked the present generation for its vices. He put, as the most damning sin of all, the destruCtion of the family by divorce and other abominations. New England and those parts of the West settled by New Englanders stand foremost, according to statistics quoted by this speaker, in the practices that • tend to break up the family. The reply was published in the papers. Next day the following letter was received: FALL RIVER, MAss., Nov. 29, 1880. B. A. MAGUIRE, s. J. Rev. and Dear Sir-Not knowing how to reach you, you will recei~e this (if at all) by the courtesy of the pastor of St. Joseph·s Church. Seeing in Providence morning papers the reference in your leCture last evening to my "Thanksgiving" sermon, I thought that you might, perhaps, be interested to see the sermon as reported· in the Sun of this city. I therefore mail to you a copy of the Fall River Sun, containing what is, on the whole, a very excellent report of what I said on that occasion.(l) Yours very truly, }As. H. NuTTING. St. Joseph's parish was founded about thirty years ago. The church is Gothic, and is large enough for the congregation. Four years ago next M~y the Bishop of the diocese put our Fathers in charge, and even in that short time they have gained the confidence of the people, and are able to do much good by means of the sodalities established since their coming. ST. ALOYSIUs' CHURCH, WASHINGTON (Dec. 4-20.)-This parish was founded OCtober 16th, 1859, when the church (ll This remarkable discourse has appeared in many of the daily and weekly papers, and has given rise to mueh. comment and criticism; its statements rest upon a basis of hard facts, which cannot be explained away. I J �Missionary Labors. was dedicated. The little congregation that used to worship in the old Seminary chapel was transplanted to the new edifice, and has now become eight thousand souls. The crowds that assembled on the day of dedication to hear the eloquence of Archbishop Hughes and Father Ryder thought the church was too far out of the city. Now the city has come up to it, and gone far beyond it. The mission was most successful. The faithful came in large numbers to all the services, especially in the evening to hear their former pastor. I have seen more crowded audiences at the evening service in other places, but I think the general attendance at the morning instructions was far superior to what is seen elsewhere. The attendance of the men was better than that of the women ; nor was there any difference at the confessional. Even the boys were more numerous at the instructions than the girls. At night the younger folks were excluded. The boys, always ready for mischief, were determined to hear the sermons. Men were stationed at dangerous points to keep them out. The boys slipped in by a back door. This was locked ; the lock was broken. The door was nailed up; the boys got a crazy giant to break it open. A strange thing in truth! Boys are opposed to sermons; but, no doubt, it was not piety pure and simple that actuated them in the present case. The giant mentioned came for Confirmation towards the end of the second week. He knew little, and, to all appearance, would have to rest content with that little. When asked about the persons of the Blessed Trinity, his answers were misty and unsettled. After some instruction, everything being considered, he was allowed to be confirmed. The Fathers were much pleased to see so many colored people attend the mission. A tenth of the communicants was of this class. It was remarked by all how well these people had- been instructed in former times. Seven colored persons were received into the Church. Many Germans also attended the exercises. Of course, there was the usual �Missionary Labors. harvest of old sinners, and marriage cases had to be settled. Hundreds of young men who had gone astray were gathered in. These will fall away again unless some measures are adopted to attraCt them, as has been done in other cities. Before giving the results of the work, thanks must be given to the Fathers of the Church and College for their help during the mission. The showing would not be so fair but for their assistance: Communions, six thousand; adults, First Communion, forty; adults Confirmed, one hundred and eighty-two; adults Baptized, twenty-five ; children Baptized, five; persons left under instruCtion for Baptism, six. Of the hundred and eighty-two persons Confirmed, a third part was made up of converts to the faith. This remarkable -fact the Archbishop was so much pleased with, that he requested a special mention to be made of it in the Mirror. Father Maguire gave a leClure on "Popular objeCtions to the Catholic Church" after the mission was finished. The audience was large, and a large sum was raised for the parish schools, for whose aid the leClure was given. General results for the Autumn :-Communions, 25,250; First Communion, adults, I 18; Confirmation, 405 ; BaptisQl, 5 I ; Baptism, children (negleeted), 12; left under instruCtion for Baptism, 10. J. A.M. ~- �... VARIA. CoNEJOS, CoL.-The Revzsta Catolica of Dec. 2 sth contains a communication from Conejos descriptive of the celebration during which FF. Haugh and Capilupi pronounced their last vows. We translate: "The festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe was celebrated in this town on the 12th .. The mild weather, the concourse of spectators, the music and sacred ceremonies, in a word, all the attending circumstances, contributed to render this occasion one of the pleasantest days in my life. A splendid effect was produced by the banner of our Lady, as it waved above the church with its overshadowing folds. Abo\'e the entrance of the sanctuary was placed a large tablet, with MARIA painted in the most artistic manner by Fr. Ravel. Br. Ansalone surpassed even himself in the illumination of the sacred edifice. The music of the vespers was under the charge of the Sisters of Loretto, whose singing was admirable, whilst Fr. Persone, our revered and much beloved pastor of five years ago, officiated at the altar. On the following morning the American band arrived from Alamosa, and it fully justified the expectations of all, playing piece after pie~e with perfect execution. At the Solemn High Mass, Fr. Persone being celebrant, Fathers Haugh and Capilupi consecrated themselves to God by the last vows. Fr. Haugh preached a very eloquent sermon in English· to the many Americans, Protestants as well as Catholics, who had flocked to the church. After he had finished, Fr. Persone came forward to deliver the panegyric of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was a long time since we had last heard his sympathetic voice, and this caused it to appear more enchanting than ever before. His sermon occupied three quarters of an hour-but it seemed to pass almost in a minute. The choir of the (Ss) �86 Varia. Sisters performed wonders. At the end of the Mass, the customary procession took place, with the image of Our Lady carried in triumph to the public square. A hundred cavaliers mounted on mettlesome horses escorted the image, followed modestly by the rest of the population on foot. Conspicuous amongst all who bore a part in the procession were the Christian Mothers with their beautiful cinctures and the medal of the Congregation. The behavior of the American bystanders during this grand religious manifestation was very respeaful. We thank these gentlemen for the happy thought of raising the glorious flag of the United States in the middle of the Plaza." CHINA,il{ission of Nankin.-We extraa the following details from the Catalogue of this Mission: For the year Ouly I, I'879-]uly I, r88o) there were 97,3o6 Christians, and 2026 Catechumens. The College had I 53 students; in the schools for boys there were 4350 Christians and 3025 Pagans, and in those for girls the Christians numbered 3823, the Pagans 225. The Baptisms were: of adults, 1078; children of Christian parents, 3501 ; children of infidels, 17,643. During the year, ::t44 boys and 423 girls were cared for in the two orphan asylums; whilst in the minor asylums or by private nurses, 5022 children were supported. Confirmed, 5597; annual Confessions, 63,705; Communions, 56,481; Confessions of devotion, 296,555, Communions, 295,387. The Mission is served by 58 European and 28 native Priests. There are 22 European Scholastics and 17 Brothers, 35 Nuns o(the Presentation Order together with other Religious women. "In every work of the ministry, gains have been made over last year. The most gratifying progress is that which is shown by the schools, because every hope for the future rests upon them. The increase in the number of pagan infants baptized in articulo mortis is very consoling. Numbers of apostates and of old backsliders have been reconciled. �Varia. There could have easily been more catechumens, but they would have been actuated by motives exclusively human, and such rarely persevere. Some new posts have been established. I have not heard of any troubles in the Provinces, except a disturbance at Canton, which, for a time, threatened the Cathedral and the lives of the missionaries; but quiet has been restored. The schools of Shanghai are prosperous, and the observatory is a great success. P. Zottoli will finish this year the fourth volume of his work, Cursus Litter..Sin." FRANCE.-The city of Laval has· bound itself by vow to enlarge the Church of Avesnieres, at a cost of 100,000 francs, if the Society be restored to St. Michel within the year. Father Prendergast firmly protested against his expulsiOn: "Messieurs, je vous prends a temoin de rna protestation. Je suis citoyen des Etats-Unis d'Amerique. Mon pays a toujours donne l'hospitalite a vos nationaux, meme aux C?mmunards; et votre republique m'expulse parce que je suis un religieux." There are now six French houses in England. The novices of the Province of Lyons were at Roehampton, near London, until a recent period. They are now in a newlyacquired novitiate of their own at Sidmouth. The novices and juniors from Angers are at Aberdovey, Merionethshire, Wales. The hotel which they occupy, formerly a bathing establishment called The· Corbett Arms, and only a few steps from the sea, is a regular two-story building with two wings. SPAIN.-The community of Les Alleux, driven from France, is at Ara Coeli, formerly a house of Carthusians, near Valencia. The palace of Ocha, near Burgos, has been purchased for 12 I ,ooo francs. It is to be converted into a college. �88 Varia. ALGIERS.-The College of Algiers has been closed, and our Fathers have sold Ben Aknoun to the municipality, in order to support the College of Oran, which passes into the control of the Bishop, as a little seminary, under the direCl:ion of his vicar-general. Our Fathers remain only in Kabylia, and in the stations where they are charged with parochial duties. ZAMBESI.-The mtsston ts no longer attached to the Province of England. It publishes this year its .own separate catalogue, though by P. General's direCtion each member is to be assigned to his own Province. St. Aidan's and Graaff Reinet have been ceded to the mission by England. }============ A REQUEST. The assistance of Indian Missionaries is requested in favor of an undertaking projeCted by P. Pfister of Shanghai. His purpose is to gather the materials for an artistic volume to illustrate the text: Beatam me dicent omnes generationes. It will present the Ave Maria in all the languages and dialeCts of the world, so far as it is possiblt: to obtain th~m. Any of our readers who would be kind enough to aid in this work, can send by postal card a copy of the Hail Mary in any Indian language addressed to Woodstock College. NOTICE. The expenses incurred in pn"nting the LETTERS are supposed to be defrayed by tlte voluntary contn"butions of those to whom they are smt: our accounts register only three such contributions received dun·ng the past twelve months, nor is there any better record for two or three years preceding. If a!! who find a bitt in tlze curr(nt number-and only those who do find this bitt are expefled to make a contribution- would transm# $2 (or more) our expenses would be covered. I I �WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. X, No. 2. PAPERS RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE MARYLAND MISSION. IV.-THE SUPPRESSION AND RESTORATION OF THE SOCIETY. Bishop Richard Cltalloner, Vicar Apostolic {If tlte London Distria, notifies<'> tlte Missionaries in Maryland and Pennsylvania of the Dissolutiou of tlte Society.-Ofl. 6, I773· To Mess" the Missioners in Maryland and Pensilvania. Messrs To obey the orders I have received from above, I notify to you by this, the Breve, of the total dissolution of the Society of Jesus; and send withal a form of declaration of your obedience and submission; to which you are all desired to subscribe, as your brethren have done here; and send me back the formula with the subscriptions of you all, as I am to send them up to Rome. Ever yours, Oct. 6, I7?J· RICHARD DEBOREN. V. Ap. (ll The Brief of Suppression was ordered into execution in such a way that it was to take effect only when it had been communicated by the Bishop to the local Superiors within his jurisdiction. As the Mission of Maryland fiJrmed a part of the London District, it devolved upon Bishop Challoner to notify Father John Lewis, Superior in 1773, of the Suppression. After the VoL. x-No. 2. 12 �Historical Papers. Appointment< 1> of Fatlzer Robert Molymux as Superior m America-27tlz of Yune, I8n5. Ego infrascriptus Episcopus Baltimorensis ex facultate mihi concessa ab Admodum Rdo Patre Gabriele Gruber, Pr;eposito Genli Soct" Jesu nomino et constituo Rm Dom: Robertum Molyneux, Sacerdotem, ejusdem renascentis Societatis Superiorem per fcederat;e Americ;e regiones, ita ut pr<ediau~ D. Robertus Molyneux, post renovata pristina pia religionis vota coram testibus juxta modum ab admodum R. P. Generali pr<escriptum, jure possideat et exercere valeat omnem illam auaoritatem, qu;e necessaria sit tum respeau Novitiorum, quam pro regenda memorata So, cietate. ~· In quor~m fidem has litteras consueto meo sigillo munivi et manu signavi hac die 27" Junii, an. 1805. JoANNES, EP'us BALT';'. dissolution of the Society, Father Lewis wa.q appointed Vicar-General, and continued to govern the )lission in America ti>r the English Bishop, during the seven years of the Revolutionary struggle; as Bishop Carroll mentions in a narrative which has already appeared in these pages, the Bi;hop, during the whole of this period, held no kind of intercourse with priest or layman in this part of his charge. After the termination of the war, Father Lewis was-unanimously chosen Superior at a meeting of the clergy of the Southern District of :Maryland, held at Newtown, Sept. 23, 1783. At this meeting were present Benedict Neale, Ignatius :Matthews, James ·walton, Peter Morris, John Bolton, John Boarman and Augustin Jenkins; Mr. Matthews collected also the votes of Benjamin Roels and Leonard Neale, who were absent. The changed political status of the country, the ~n'iarged religious freedom guaranteed by the constitutions of the several States, and the long-continued in· difference of the Bishop, were sufficient reasons to inspire the assembled clergy to urge the appointment of an ecclesiastical Superior, who should reside in the country. A petition to this effect was addressed to the Holy See, and Fr. Carroll was appointed Superior in November, 1784; in 1790 he was consecrated first Bishop of Baltimore at Lui worth Castle, and in 1808 became first Archbishop of Baltimore. n> Bishops Carroll and Neale, in a letter dated J\Iay 25, 1803, begged Father Gruber to readmit into the Society the ex-Jesuits of J\Iaryland. They stated that the property of the Society had been preserved intact, and that it was sufficient for the support of thirty religious. Their letter contains this remarkable passage of modesty and self-denial: "\Ve have been so much employed in ministries foreign to our institute; we are so inexperienced in government; the want of books, even of the con· �Tlze Suppression and Restoration of tlze Society. 91 In the year of the Suppression, the Catalogue of England gives the number of Fathers in the Maryland Mission at twenty. The following list is made up from the Records preserved at Stonyhurst College: --NOMEN IORTUSI INGRESSUS 11742 -----~--- GRADUS --~----- John Ashton ............ ! i James Chamberlain....... i 1739 1758 Thomas Digges .......... \ 1711 1729 1747 James Frambach......... 1723 1744 1760 ·····,I 1705 1725 1743 1759 I I l Ferdinand Farmer. I 1772 Lucas Geisler ...•.....•.. 1 1735 I Robert Harding.......... · 1701 I George Hunter........... I 1713 1722 1730 1748 John Lewis.............. ] 1721 1740 1758 ! i John Lucas.............. 1740 I Matthias Manners ........ : 1763 i Ignatius Matthews ....... I 1730 1763 Peter .Morris ...•..•....•. ! 1743 I Joseph Moseley .......... : 1731 1760 1748 1765 Benedict Neale........•.• 1709 1728 1746 James Pellentz ...•..•.... i 1727 1744 1760 Lewis Roels .....•....... \ 1732 1753 Bernard Rich (Diderick). 1726 1745 I 1 J. B. Ritter lde) .......... James Walton ........... 1736 ---·----------~ -- --~ -- ---- 1757 - stitutions and decrees of the congregations, is so flagrant, that yon cannot find oue Jesuit amopg us sufficiently qualified by health and strength, as well as other requisites, to fulfil the duties of Superior. It would seem, then, most expedient to send here some Father from those around you. He must know your intentions thoroughly, and be prudent enough to undertake nothing pre· �Histoncal Papers. There are some inaccuracies in this Jist. Although the catalogue assigns Father Chamberlain to Maryland for this year, there is no record of his ever having come to the Mission. Oliver says of him : "Devoting himself to the painful mission of Demerara, he died there 1st March, 1779." Fr. Harding died at Philadelphia, 1st Sept., 1772. If we add the names of FF. Robert Molyneux and John Bolton, who arrived from Europe, l\Jarch 20, 1771, the number (20) given in the catalogue as attached to the Mission will be made out. Direaly after the Suppression, and before the breaking out of hostilities, the following Marylanders returned home from Europe : Anthony Carroll, John Carroll, John Boarman, Sylvester Boarman, Charlcs··sewall, Augustin Jenkins. After the war, in 1783, Fr. Leonard Neale arrived from Demerara, where he had been laboring on the Mission; in 1784, FF. Henry Pile and John Boone; in 1788, Father Francis Neale; in 1790, Father Charles Neale. Nearly all of these had passed away before any attempt was made to resuscitate the Society in America. The follmx._ing particulars are transcribed from a record which was kept by successive Superiors, under this heading: A list of Missionaries wlzo /zave died in Maryland since tlze First Settlement. 1779. June 16. Mr. George Huntc.r. died, in the sixty-seventh year of his age; a most pious and worthy Miscipitately before he has studied the government, laws and spirit of this re· public, and the manners of the people." There were then in :Maryland only thirteen Jesuits, nearly all broken with age and missionary toils. Father Gruber at once authorized a renewal of their vows, and Fathers Robert Molyneux, Charles Neale, Charles Sewall and Sylvester Boarman availed themselves of the permission. Father Gruber had confidence enough in the American Jesuits to name Father :Molyneux Superior. No visitor was sent from Europe, but there soon arrived in the United States Fathers Adam Britt, John Henry, F. Maleve, Anthony Kohl· mann, Peter Epinette, Maximilian de Rantzau, Peter .Malon and John Grassi. SHEA.-7'he Catholic Church in the United Btates, p. 73. �T/ze Suppression and Restoration of the Society. 1783. 1785. 1786. 1787. 1788. 1790. 1793. 794· I 1795. 1797. 1800. 1803. 1805. 93 sioner. His remains lie interred at Porttobacco, by the side of Mr. John Kingdon and Mr. Leonards. Nov. 19. Mr. Peter Morris died at Newtown of an apoplexy. Feb. 3· Departed this life 7o. Baptide Ritter, at Cutchenhopen. Mr. Luke Geisler died at Conewago, Aug. 10. Mr. hrdinand Farmer died at Philadelphia, Aug. 17; universally regretted, and leaving behind him a most lively persuasion of his eminent sanCtity. il'fr. Benedi[l Neale died at Newtown, March 20. Mr. Jos. Moseley died at St. Joseph's (which he first settled, and where he built house and chapel), June 3rd. Rev.J Lewis (worthy Sup• of this Mission when the dissolution of the Society happened) died at Bohemia, March 24. 77te Rtv. Mr. Ignatius 1Watthews died at Newtown. May 10. Rev. Bernard Diderick died at Notley Hall, Julys. Rev. Mr. Lewis Roels died at St. Thomas' on the 27th of February. Tlze Re11. 11-fr. :lames Frambaclz, aged 73 years, died at St. Inigoes, of a bilious fever, on the 26th day of August. Rro. Mr. 7olzn Boone died at St. Inigoes. Rev. J}fr.John Boarman died at Newtown. Rev. Augustin Jenkins died at Newtown, Feb. 2, aged 53· Rev. :lames Pellentz, a most amiable and venerable patriarch, died at Conewago, Feb. 18, aged about 77· Rro. :lames Walton, a very zealous and respeCtable Missioner, died at St. Inigoes, in St Mary's County, 19th Feb., 1803, aged .about 65. Rev. Thomas Digges, aged 94, and the oldest surviving Jesuit of the English Province, died at Mellwood, Feb. 5· �94 Historical Papers. Application of the JJfissionaries in Maryland in regard to the Institute of tlze Fait/z of Jesus. ST. THOMAS' MANOR, NEAR PoRT ToBAcco, November 23d, 1800. REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, Knowing your desire of the reestablishment of the Society of Jesus, and of our one day being reunited as Brethren under the Institute of our Holy Founder, St. Ignatius, we address you on this important subjeCt:. The time seems now to be at hand for the accomplishment of. our wishes, since our Society is, as we are informed, ':_e~staqlished in Europe. We have seen a copy of a letter wr.itten to our R 1 Revd Bishop by the Revd Fathers De Broglie and Rozaven. They inform him that Pope Pius the 6th and his Successor have approved viva voce the Society of the Faith of :Jesus; that they and their associates have entirely adopted the Constitution of our Holy Father, and that some of their members, with the consent of our Bishop, would be sent to America. \Ve have also seen a paper entitled "An Account of the Establishment of the Institute of ~the Faith of Jesus," by Father Halnat, one of the first companions of Father Paccanari. From this and other documents before us, it appears to us that the Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius, is most wonderfully reestablished by the Divine Providence. ~-·But, as we must suppose that you are better acquainted with this important affair than we in America, we beg you will give us your opinion of it,- and let us know whether any steps have been, or probably will be taken by our Brethren in England towards an union with the members of the resuscitated Society, now governed by the Holy. Superior, Father Paccanari, whom it seems Providence has raised up for His future glorious and merciful designs. We, the undersigned, are met here to consider on this important subjeCt:. Our other Brethren have not been able �Tlte Suppression and Restoration of the Society. 95 to attend, yet we have little doubt of their sincere concurrence. Being further informed that our Rt Revd Bishop has written for three or four members of the Society, and his Coadjutor two more, to come to America, on their arrival we have no doubt but that they will meet with a hearty welcome among us, and everything fully adjusted to our mutual satisfaction. AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM. We wish you to communicate the above to the RR. Fathers De Broglie and Rozaven, SS. St F. J. With much respetl: we are, Revd Sir, Your affeCtionate Brethren in Xto, Robert Molyneux-Joseph Doyne-John Bolton-Henry Pile-Charles Sewall-Sylvester Boarman-Chas. Neale. LETTERS OF BISHOP CARROLL. To Mr. Clzarles Plowden, at Stonylmrst, near Blackburne, Lallcaslzire. BALTIMORE, Dec. IS, I8oo. DEAR SIR, Since the receipt of your last, as I probably mentioned to you in mine, I received and answered a letter from London, sent to me by Mess" De Broglie and Rozaven. They gave the outlines of their Institute, and its acceptance by the late and present Pope. I can entertain no doubt of the zeal and sound principles of this new body of recruits to the Church, of which I have heard much from other quarters; and therefore have requested them to send two of their Society to this country, where they will learn, in the space of a few months, much more concerning the probability and me-ans of forming establishments here than can be learned by twenty letters. Their plan is, I hope, the work of God, tho they have in one point departed from St. Ignatius, viz: that of engrafting on their institution a new order of nuns, to be under the government of the Superiors �Histoncal Papers. of their own Society. I should be glad to hear of the manner of their reception in England, and success there. Mr. Stone; to whom I send my best respeCts, will receive a letter signed by some of our Brethren, amongst whom is Dnu• Doyne, concerning this application to me from these two Delegates of the Society of the Faith of Jesus. They (our Brethren) met together without a general consent of the rest of us, and full of zeal for the reestablishment of the Society, have written as if that happy event were already effeCl:ed; and I have since seen a letter from one of those who attended that meeting, in which to the signature of his name, he adds the words Soc. J. This is going too fast for one who subscribed his submission to the operation of the destruCtive Brief. In mine to MM. Broglie and Rozaven, aL~:he request of the Presdt. of G. Town College, I solicited them to send, if they could, a capable professor of philosophy, logic and naturals, and who should know English, referring them to Mr. Stone, tluo Mr. Strickland. * * * * * * * * P. S. +J., BP of Baltre * * * * * * In the former part of this letter, I mentioned slightly my having heard tidings relative to a revival of the Society. I beg you to send me, as early as possible, all the authentic information on this subjeCt: of which you are in possession. * * * * * To Mr. Clzarles Plowden, at Stonylzurst, mar C!itluro, Lancas!tire. BALTIMORE, Feb. 12, r8o3. * * * * * * Some members of the Society of the F. of J. have been long expeCted, not in consequence of any late letter to me from MM. Rozaven and Broglie (for they have not answered my last, written twelve months ago), but of advices sent to me by l'Abbe Gouppy, once your correspondent, froffi; the Abbey of Holthausen, in Westphalia. He prom- �T/ze Suppressioll and Restoratioll of tlte Society. 97 ised that four would be here before the winter; and never were good priests more. wanted. One of their body is now here, Romano di nascita, his name, Zocchi. He went from England to Canada, but the rigor of government there allows not of any Catholic clergymen settling in it; he therefore came hither; but, being of a narrow understanding, he does nothing but pine for the arrival of his brethren, and in the meantime will undertake no service. From this sample of the new Order, I am induced to believe that they are very little instructed in the maxims or institute of our venerable mother, the Society. Tho they profess to have no other rules than ours, he seems to me to know. nothing of the structure of our Society, nor even to have read the Reguke Commttllt'S, which our very novices know almost by heart. * * * * * * J., B. of B. + To Mr. Wzlliam Strickland, at Tlzos. Wright's, Esq., & Co., Bankers, London. \VASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 1804. SIR, I have before me your favor of May 7th. After condo!- . ing with you on the loss of your amiable companion and friend, Mr. Meynell, whom you do not indeed mention, but of whose death I have been otherwise. advised, I request you in the first place to return for answer to Fr. Gruber that I have not yet received my letter from him, and that one is expected impatiently by many of our Brethren. But even when his answer arrives, unless it presents the ree.stablishment of the Society in a view different from any that I have yet seen, it will, in my opinion, be very unsafe to enter into any engagement in it; at least, so as to divest one's self of the means of living independent, if after abdicating one's property, another Pope should declare the reestablishment, in virtue of mere verbal grants, void and contrary to Ecclesiastical institutions; and especially so m VoL. x-No. 2. 1.3 HoND. AND REv. �Historical Papers. countries where it had been abolished in virtue of a Brief, accepted and intimated by the first pastors, and submitted to expressly, though most unwillingly, by the members of the Society then living. But if the members of the Society, before their profession, do not abdicate their property, they will not be truly religious, nor most assuredly Jesuits, according to the standard of St. Ignatius. I cannot even conceive how there can be any professio quatuor votorum, in the present state of things, for reasons which it is unnecessary to mention to any one, who, like you, remember the principles of our Theology concerning the difference between the indissolubility of solemn and simple vows. However, I hope sincerely that the Pope will soon be so unfettered as.to be able to issue in full and authentic. form a Bull or B.rief for the reestablishment. In this hope I am encouraged by a letter from Rome, received since I wrote the first lines of this, and the more so, as it does not come from one of our former Brethren, who are easily led to hope what they ardently wish, but from a Dominican of note and charaCter there, Fr. Concanen. You mention Fr. Angiolini's mission to Naples only as a rumor, of which you expeCted a confirmation; but Fr. Concanen says positively that he was lately come from Rome to that city to settle the ..four houses granted by the King to the Jesuits; that an ediCt: had been issued there in 1787, withdrawing all Regulars from any subjeCtion to Generals or Superiors living out of the Kingdom; that Angiolin_i insisted on the necessity of preserving the Institute invioJate, and consequently of the Jesuits recognizing Fr. Gruber for their Superior, and that it was believed he would succeed in obtaining a revocation of the decree, which would be of the greatest benefit, not only to his own, but all other Religious Orders. I am come during the heats to spend a month with my friends at and near Washington City, and in my way called to see the venerable dean of our English Province, Father Thomas Digges, aged 94· His health is good, tho he is almost blind, and his memory far gone, yet tolerably accurate with respeCt: to past transaCtions. His delight is to �T/ze Suppression and Restoration of tlze Society. 99 converse on the men of other times, the FF. Carteret, Roels, vValmesley, Scarisbrick, Beeston, Browne, Lawson, 1\Ir. Thomas Lawson's uncle, &c., &c. Several young men here are ready to enter into the Novitiate, as soon as the Society and houses are organized for the purpose; but we are wretchedly provided with experienced and fit members to train and form them. I am, with great esteem, Rev. and Hon'd. Sir, Your most obedt St, Bishp of Baltr•. + ]., To Mr. Clzar!es P!owdm, Stony/zurst. BALTIMORE, Dec. 7, 1804. ;\I y DEAR SIR, Our correspondence, formerly so regular, has almost entirely ceased, but without any diminution of mutual friendship and regard; of this I- am conscious on my side, and am sure of the same on yours. I have too much to do, and no assistance to carry me through my work-my correspondence is increased beyond bounds, and rests entirely for writing and copying on myself. You, I presume, are enjoying your solitude with your fervent N--s, to whom you must often recommend to remember the necessities of this Diocese in their prayers. But you ought not to bury yourself so entirely in retirement, as to withhold from me the information of your reengagement in the Soc'y, and of your opinion of its stability. You know what has been done here for a similar reengagement. I enclosed to Mr. Stone a letter for Fr. Gruber, carrying with it an expression of the wishes of many of our Brethren here; to which I have had no answer from either of them, tho Bishop Neale received a very unsatisfactory account of the situation of matters from _Mr. Stone. I say unsatisfactory, because it gives no assurance of the issuing of any Decree or Apostolic Constitution for the reestablishment, but only of private allowance, 1!ivd voce. I shall blame none for relying enough on this to renew their engagements; but I would �Historical Papers. 100 neither trust to it myself, nor advise others to do so ; in which opinion I am confirmed the more by knowing that His Holiness either will not or dares not to exert authority enough to prevent Card1 Borgia from \Vriting such a letter to your V. V. A. A., as is mentioned by l\lr. Stone. It is rather surprising that no answer is received from Fr. Gruber. Mr. Strickland informed me by orte of July last that the answer had been sent to Mr. Stone to be forwarded to me, and Mr. Stone says to 1\lr. Neale that it was sent to Mr. Strickland·. Besides the former members, several young men now in Divinity, and others ready to commence it, would engage in the Society, if it had a solid foundation. But so much mystery has been made of all proceedings concerning it, that every one is full of distrust, to which the general state of religion, and the influence enjoyed by its greatest foes, contributes in great measure. * * * * * * * * Your brother Robert does me the favor of writing now and then. His account of your Br. Francis's History of Ireland gives me a desire of reading it, and we expeCt to receive it soon for our library. Dr. Troy sent to me his postliminious prelace. There is much anecdote in it, but from the circumstances related by him, and others, which have come to my knowledge, there is no great hope of a restoration to the Irish Catholics of their political rights. Robert is not pleased with the secrecy which prevails with your principal people in the transaCtions relative to the Society. In general, I do .not approve of the system of conducting, without any communicatu;n, the affairs concerning so small a body as the remnant of the Society in England; but at the same time, it is reasonable to suppose that there is good cause for it, and it would be very rash for any one, at my distance, to blame a conduct of which he cannot know the motives. Your brother's sound sense, great virtue, and steady attachment to the Society, are a sure warrant of his acting on principle, and I have no doubt of others acting equally so, tho they agree not on the means. My greatest objection to a dependance on a viv~ vocis �Tile Suppression and Restoration of tlte Society. 101 oraculum (a phrase unknown for many centuries) is that it gives no stability to a Religious Order; that it cannot abrogate a public and acknowledged instrument, such as the Brief of destruction; and that without a public Bull of approbation of the Institute, the distinction of simple and solemn vows, so essential to the Society, does not exist, according to the doctrine of our Divines, after Suarez. I am, D• Sir, Y", &c., f<J., B. of B. To tlte same. BALTIMORE, Mv MucH Jan. 10, r8o8. Ho=-'D. AND DEAR FRIEND, * * * * * It is no excuse for me to cast the blame on your good old friend Robert,<Il for not acknowledging, as Superior of the Society, his receiving the lucubrations of old Fr. Lawson, through your goodness. They arrived safe, and probably supply in some degree that want of information under which Mr. Francis Neale must labor, with respect to the institution of young men in the spirit of the Society. Luckily; another supplement to his deficiency is furnished by the arrival of Father Kohlmann from Russia, who was sent to be Professor of Philosophy at George Town, but is chiefly employed as Master of Novices.< 2l Why our good friend Molyneux leaves Mr. Fr. Neale in possession of the title can only be accounted for by the reluCtance of Fr. <Il Father Robert Molyneux, first Superior in America, after the Restoration of the Society. 2 < l Fr. Kohlmann writes to Fr. Strickland from Georgetown, Fe h. 23, 180i. "God has sent us a number of young men to be, as it were, the corner·stones of the Society in this new world. They are twelve in number, viz: eight Scholastics (four of whom are in theology and four in philosophy) and four Coadj. Temp. The· Novitiate is in a house separated from the College, but not far from it. Fr. Francis Neale is Master of Novices, and I am his Sodus. Fr. Charles Neale resides with his holy Carmelites. Fr. Britt is in a German congregation at Philadelphia. FF. Henry and Maleve are engaged on the missions, and are busy learning English. P. Epinette is at the College, and teaches Latin to several candidates for the Society. Our worthy Father Pro- �102 Historical Papers. Superior to undertake the arduous labor of making any alteration. There are, at least, ten Novitii Scholastici, and three or four lay brothers, and amongst the former some youths of distinguished talents. There would be no doubt of the Society acquiring stability in the U. States, and of becoming eminently useful to them, if its support from the head of the Church had more authenticity. A verbal authorization only is so easily denied, or repealed by his successor, that it affords no security to those who renounce all their worldly means of support under the hope of finding repose and necessaries in the bosom of a religious state. I am sure that I never wrote anything stronger to Dr. Betagh than this; and to this he must have alluded, by speaking, as you informed me, of my correspondence with him. Tho I shall always fear while the reestablishment rests upon its·present foundation, yet others here feel more confidence, and proceed with a publicity scarcely reconcilable with the wise and earnest recommendations of the General, who establishes as a principle, that out of Russia, individuals may be associated to the Jesuits there, but cannot coalesce into a body in other countries without an authentic instrument from the Pope. So, at least, I understand his letter, and it perplexes me to account precisely fur your situation in England. It is now some time (more than sixteen mbnths) since I applied to Rome for a Brief of His Holiness to authorize the reestablishment in this country; but no answer is yet received. The College of G. Town is not. flourishing by the number of its students, but very mucfi -so by the discipline and piety there prevailing. The novitiate for the present is contiguous to it, but will probably be removed elsewhere, if it please God to grant a more solid foundation to the permanence of the Society. vincial, Rev. Fr. :Molyneux, resides at the Novitiate, and has the confidence and affection of all by his kindness of heart and good humor. Our Novices give catechism twice a week in the parish, and I do the same on Sundays and Festivals, and our good Lord is pleased to bless these labors, because whereas, formerly seven or eight children at most used to attend the instructions, now there are more than eighty, and amongst them some Protestants and grown persons." �The Suppression and Restoration of the Society. To Rn•. Mr. lVilliam .S!rickland, No. London. BALTre, I I 103 Poland Street, April 2nd, I 808. RESPECTED AND DEAR SIR, I am the more particular in answering your last favor of Dec. I I, I 807, as you expressed a solicitude to that effect ; perhaps principally on account of the letter from Petersburg, which was enclosed in yours. Probably Mr. Kohlmann will likewise acknowledge its receipt, but it would be better if this were done by an opportunity different from the present; as it would double the chance of your hearing from America, from whence it will be difficult to obtain any conveyance of letters, as long as our trade and navigation are fettered by an embargo. Your picture of the state of the Society is not flattering to purely human observers. The catastrophe at Naples and Augsburg, and the alliance between France and Russia, excite serious fears. The anguish which I felt at the dissolution in I773 is yet fresh in my remembrance; and so many young men were deranged and disappointed in the plans fo.r their whole lives, that I earnestly beg of heaven not to suffer a renewal of those bitter days.<'> Having these impressions on my mind, I hardly 1 < > Upon the subject of the final suppression of the Society of Jesus, Mr. Carroll thus writes, under date of Bruges, September 11, 1773: "I this day received a few lines from Daniel, of July 15, in which he complains with much reason of my long silence. My mind is at present too full of other things to make any apology. After spending part of the autumn of 1772 at Naples and its environs, we returned to pass the winter at Rome, where I stayed till the end of March, from thence came to Florence, Genoa, Turin, Lyons, Paris, and so to Liege and Bruges. I was willing to accept of the vacant post of prefect of the sodality here, after consignin~ 1\fr. Stourton into his father's hands about two months ago, that I might enjoy some retirement, and consider well in the presence of God the disposition I found myself in of g-oing to join my relatives in i\faryland, and in ease that disposition continued, to get out next spring. But now all room for deliberation seems to be over. The enemies of the Society, and above all the unrelenting perseverance of the Spanish and Portuguese :\finistries, with the passiveness of the Court of Vienna, has at length obtained their ends: and our so long persecuted, and I must add, holy Society is no more. God's holy will be done, and may �104 Historical Papers. dare encourage any, who consult me, to enter. into the awful His name be blessed for ever and ever! This fatal stroke was struck on the Zlst of July, but was kept secret at Rome till the 16th of August, and was only made known to us on the 5th of September. I am not, and perhaps never shall be, recovered from the shock of this dreadful intelligence. The gr~atest blessing which in my estimation I could receh·e from God, would be immediate death: but if He deny me this, may His holy and adorable designs on me be wholly fulfilled. Is it possible that Divine Providence should permit to such an end, a body wholly devoted, and I will still aver, with the most disinterested charity, in procuring every comfort and advantage to their neighbors, whether by preaching, teaching, catechizing, missions, visiting hospital>, prisons, and every other function of spiritual and corporal mercy? Such I have beheld it in every part of m~· travels, the first of all ecclesiastical bodies in the esteem and confidence of the faithful, and certainly the most laborious. 'Vhat will become of our flourishing congregations with you, and those cultivated by the German Fathers? These retlectiolls crowd so fast upon me that I almost lose my senses. But I will endea\·or to suppress them for a few moments. You see that I am now my own master, and left to ·my own direction. In returning to )laryland 1 shall not only have the comfort of being witb you, but of being farther out of the reach of scandal and def· amation, and removed from the scenes of distress of many of my dearest friends, whom God knows, I shall not be ahle to relieve. I shall, therefore, most certainly sail for l\Iaryland early next spring, if I possibly can." Speaking of his apprehensions of a fatal combination against the society of which he was so zealous and attached a member, he makes the following re· marks in an earlier letter from Bruges to his brother: "Before you receive this letter you will have beard of the Pope's death; in human appearance, nothing could have happened more unfortunate to us, especially in the critical moment when an answer was to ha\'e been given to the memorials of three united courts of the family compact, France, Spain and Naples, requiring the immediate dissolution of the Society. His Holi· ness had minuted the heads of the answer he intended to make in a few days, and had delivered it to his ministers to be put into the due form. The sub· stance of it was, that no worldly consideration, no loss of temporalities, should ever force him into any measure which he could not justify to his own con· science: that the more he saw and knew'of the Jesuits, the more he was convinced of their eminent services to religion, and of the falsehood of the imputations charged upon them: that he could not therefore acquiesce in the proposal made him by the alhed courts. The answer entered into a much larger detail than I here mention, aud would have been a glorious testimony of His Holiness' esteem and affection for the Society. How matters will go on in the conclave, and after the election of the new Pope, Heaven knows. Humanly speaking, we have everything to dread from the combination formed against us; yet, when .J. reflect 011 the atrocious falsehoods, injustices, cruelties and mean artifices employed against us, I greatly confide that God's providence will not permit our dissolution to be effected by such wicked means. I know His kingdom is not of this world, nnd that they who seek to do His divine will, an<l promote His glory, are not to expect a visible inter· position in their favor on every occasion, nr to receive in this life an apparent testimony of innocence an• I divine approbation." BRENT- Biography of Arc),bishop Cttrroll, pp. 25-29. �The Suppression and Restoration of the Society. 105 engagements of a religious life, especially whilst in this country, its existence has no other canonical sanEl:ion (if it ever be canonical) than a verbal one. But, tho I dare not encourage any, yet it is highly gratifying to observe the magnanimous reliance of many young men on the protection of heaven. :fhe threatening dangers of the Society are not concealed from the postulants for, or novices in it. Honest and plain dealing requires, that particularly the latter, before their vows, should know the real state of the body with which they intend to be united, but there is no instance of any one having recoiled of that account. There are at present at G. Town, eleven, I think, of Nov. Scholastici, and three Coadj. temporales, the last very valuable men, and amongst the former some young men of brilliant talents. Since the receipt of your letter of Dec. I I, of last year, I was informed of two boxes direEl:ed to me, having been for a long time in the Custom House. Enquiry being made, they were found, opened and examined. One has three copies of the Constitutiones Soc. :Yesu, and a letter from you dated July I I, I 806. * * * * Besides Messrs. Britt, Henry, Epinette, Kohlmann and Maleve, we have received from Flanders (now novices) two most excellent priests, Messrs. Beschter and vVouters; but it is to be feared that the troubles in Europe, especially between England ~nd Russia, will delay the arrival of further supplies promised by the General. Be assured, my Dr. Sir, of the esteem and respeEl: of yr. m. h. st., J., BisP of B'•. + In another letter to Fr. Wm. Strickland, under the date of Dec. 3, r8o8, after speaking of the Bishops appointed to the new Sees of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Bardstown, he goes on to mention that he had requested the Dominican Father Concanen, Bishop eleEl: of Philadelphia, who was then at Rome, "to feel the pulse there, and see if a Brief might not be obtained, granting to this country VoL. x-No. 2. 14 �106 Historical Papers. authenticity and solidity to that establishment, for which you have labored so long, without obtaining the desired sanction. His letters from Leghorn say, that besides the authentic documents above mentioned, he has special communications to make to me, which assurance excites some hopes of success. As there is not this year any course of Philosophy at G. Town, I have sent Mr. Kohlmann to N. York, where a zealous pastor was much wanted, and he is accompanied with a countryman of my own, lately ordained and out of his novitiate, of great promise,< 1> and with four Scholastici, who have begun a schoo\,< 2> from which much good is expected. It is to be feared that we shall not keep Mr. Molyneux long: my last advices are that he is menaced with a dropsy; if so, considering his age and drooping he:1lth, he will probably fall a victim to that unsparing ailment." To .Mr. Clzarles Plrr&den, Stonylwrst, 11ear Clitlzeroe. BALTre, Feb. 21St, I8og. MY DEAR SIR, About the beginning of last December I advised you of the apprehension I was then under, of daily hearing of the d~ath of our old, good, and much respected friend, Mr. Robert Molyneux, which event took place at George Town on the gth of that month, after his being prepared by a life Ill Benedict J. Fenwick, ordainea Mareh 12, 1808, by Bishop Neale. FF. Spink, Enoch Fenwick and Leonard Edelil)' were ordained at the same time. They were the first members of the Society elevated to the priesthood in the United States. 1•> Father Kohlmann writes to Father Strickland from New York, 14 Sep· tember, 1810: "The College is on the following footing: Rev. Father Bened. Fenwick, an excellent scholar, has resided in it these two months, but I find by experience that to attend to about fourteen thousand souls is too heavy a work for one man, and so he will probably live again in the city, and visit the College once a week. I generally come out on Saturday to hear confes· sions, &e., &e. There lives also in the College a Spanish priest, who Rpeaks &lso Italian, but little English, a man of good morals, and much belo1·ed hy the pupils. Brother Wallace, a Scholastic of the Society, is our Master of :Mathematics, one of the ablest in the United States. Br. White, Scholn•tic also of the Society, is Professor of the English, Latin and Greek tongues, with whic.h he is well acquainted." �T/ze Suppression and Restoration of tke Society. 107 of candor, virtue and innocence, and by all those helps which are mercifully ordained for the c'omfort aml advantage of departing Christians. Not only your charity, but your friendship for him, with whom you passed so many cheerful and happy days of your life, will induce you to recommend very often his soul to the Father of mercies. He was my oldest friend, after my relation and companion to St. Omers in my childhood, l\1r. Chas. Carroll of Carrollton, remaining amongst us, as he often and feelingly reminded me the last time I saw him, in the month of September, with very slender hopes of meeting more in this worldY> R. I. P. No successor in the presidency of the College is yet appointed. Previous to his death, in consequence of powers vested in him by the proper authority, he had appointed :Mr. Chas. Neale to be the Superior of the body lately revived amongst us. * * * * J., BisP of B'•. + NE\v YoRK, Nov. 21, 1813. REv. AND HoN'n SIR,< 2> The enclosed letters are for the Very Rev. Fr. Gruber, Gen'l of the Society. One of them is the duplicate of <1>In a letter of Septemb<>r 19, 1809, Bishop Carroll speuks of the death of l'ather Bolton: "1 am sorry to intl1rm you that another of my, and indeed your, contemporaries, tho some years older, has dropped off. Our honest and worthy Brother, the Rev. Mr. John Bolton, departed this life on the 9th of this month, in a most religious anrl placid manner. With moderate abilities, out an excellent will to fulfil the duties of his calling, he consecrated his days to them, always with punctuality and cheerfulness, winning the affection of his congregation wherever he lived, and never making an enemy. His sickness did not last more than a week; it was contracted in the service of his neighbor, whom he visited and watched over till near midnight; and, in order to be in time at his chapel the next day (Sunday), left him with a profuse perspiration to expose himself to a noxious dew, which brought on the fever that terminated his existence, after receiving most calmly and piously all the rites of the Church. Let our Brethren know of his death. It happened at one of our houses, called Newtown, in St. llfary's County." He arlrls in the same letter: "I had placed at New York two priests of the !Society, Messrs. Kohlm.ann and Benedict Fenwick, with four Scholastics, who have alrea•ly produce<! most happy fruits, by introducing exercises of piety, sodalities, establishing an extensive academy, &c." 2 < > This letter is without &uperscription. It was probably addressed to Fr. John \Veld, Hector of Stonyhurst, who entered on office in January, 1813. �108 Historical Papers. another written in May last, to which no answer is yet received; and, fearful of miscarriage by the way of Hamburg, to which the first copy was to have been sent, I take the liberty of enclosing these to you, and requesting the General to send his answer through you. This I was induced to do, after hearing of the station in which you are placed, and chosen by Providence, as it may reasonably be hoped, to revive the spirit and renew the usefulness of the Society. The letters inclosed express the wishes of some of our former Brethren, and of several others, priests and non-priests, to be readmitted and first admitted into it. Being here on a visitation, I have only time to add, that the vessel is sailing, that I hope you will charge the postage on this and similar occasions to my account with Thos. \Vright _&Co., and assure MlVI. Plowden, Semmes, Spencer and all my other acquaintances, of my continued respeCt and att~chment. To Mr. Plowden I shall write soon, and shall always remain, Rev'd and Hon'd Sir, Your most obedient Serv't and B' in X'", +JoHN, BisP of Bait'•. P. S.-Rev. Mr. Joseph Doyne died OCtober 28th, of this year. To Rez1. 1lfr. C!zarles Plowden, Stonyhurst. Dec. 12, 1813. MosT DEAR AND EvER REsPECTED FRIEND, * * * * * * * * Mr. Grassi has revived the College of G. Town, which has received great improvements in the number of students and course of studies. His predecessor, with the same good intentions, had no ability for his station, and was nominated by a strange combination. There are, I think, some nine or ten novices, under a Fr. Beschter of Flanders, a very holy man, but one in whom the want of a regular education in the Society is very discernible. Fr. Kohlmann, with his companions at New York, has done much for Religion, and their little. �Tlze Suppression and Restoration of tlze Society. 109 College would do well, too, if it could be supplied with proper teachers. Mr. Kohlmann is unwilling to receive any but the members of his body; and there are too few to supply that place and G. Town; so that if he persists in his resolution, his institution must be dissolved. The Seminary here of St. Sulpice feels now the effeCts of departir.g from their original destination and the spirit of their Society, which is the education of young ecclesiastics only. They would go on the plan of forming a college for promiscuous and ornamental education. A priest of great talents, but delighting more in brilliancy than solidity, carried it on with much apparent success and splendor for a few years; but the consequence was an enormous debt, which has almost ruined both college and Seminary; a most deplorable event-for truly a more exemplary and worthy company of ecclesiastics nowhere exists. \Ve can gain no access to, or receive any communication from our H. F.; tho it is extremely necessary at this time. The Society is here, as with you, without that establishment which would serve to tranquillize my conscience; you will know more of this from mine to Mr. Stone. Mr. Kohlmann will inform you of a decision in a Court at N. Y., by which it was decreed that a Catholic priest cannot be required to testify to anything which he could know only by Confession.<'> This is contrary to the determination in Ireland, in the case of Father Gahan about Lord Dunboyne's will. (t) Fr. Kohlmann was summoned as a witness in regard to property stolen from a party named Keating, who had given information of his loss to the police; meantime, by means of the confessional, P. Kohlmann had restored the goorls to the owner, and when called to testify, demurr<'d because of the seal of Confession, respectfully stating his rea~ons. The District Attorney was about to enter a .No!. Pros., but the trustees of St. Peter's Church (of which Father Kohlmann was Pastor) requested him to argue the case, so that it might be settled legally once for all. This was done. Riker and Sampson made powerful pleas for the exemption. De \Vitt Clinton, who was then (1813) Mayor of New York, made a good summing up, and, although all con· nected with the decision of the question seem to have been Protestants, it was unanimously declared that a priest should not be compelled to testi(y in such a case. �I 10 Hi'stoncal Papers. To t!te Rev. Marmaduke Stone, Siony!turst. Jan. 31, 1814. REV. AND RESPECTED SIR, At the time of receiving the last letter from my venerable friend, Mr. Strickland, begun by him, and, in consequence of his illness, finished by you, hostilities broke out between our two countries, and rendered the conveyance of letters so uncertain, that I did not presume to answer you on the interesting subjea, on which you did me the honor to ask my optnton. On the subjea, about which you were pleased to advise with me, I presume that our friend-; in England are precisely in the same state as we are here; that is, that nothing has been done for annulling and repealing the destroying BJief of Clement XIV., with equal authority, publicity and authenticity, as was given to that .Pontiff's aa, which had its full execution in all countries where it was published. Even the members of the Society, and namely those at Liege, in Flanders, in England, and here, entered their fn:e, tho certainly reluaant submission to it. Reviewing the severe injunaions contained in the Brief, the censures on the Ordinaries who allow, and the individuals who attempt its violation, it seems to me, that without a derogation from it by an aa of equal authority, and quite as authentic, those who, with you and us, bind themselves by vow to live under the obedience of the General in Russia, and to conform to the rules of the Society, will not, nor can be a religious body, or enjoy the privileges of such. Their sacrifice is highly meritorious ·before God, but in the face of the Church, those who enter into orders, and those who are already in them, must be subjea to the general discipline as to their title for ordination; and be, as secular priests, under the authority of the Bishop. This has been declared by Fr. Czerniewicz, in his letter to Mr. J. Howard at Liege, and by Fr. Gruber and the present General in their communications to me, copies of which would now be forwarded if I were not confident that you have received �Tlze Suppression and Restoration o.f t/ze Society. I I I such already. Tho these restraints diminish much the usefulness of our dear Brethren, and may discourage some from making the sacrifice mentioned above, yet it is a misfortune to which submission is due, as long as it pleases God to keep us under it, which I trust will not be long. This matter has often engaged my very serious attention, and caused me to refer to the authorities of the ablest Di\"ines, from whom many extracts were occasionally made to aid my judgment. I have sometimes hoped that these researches would lead to a different conclusion; but I am sorry to say that they all ended in confirming the opinion already expressed. Wherever the Brief was executed, the Society was extinguished; and to revive it, the same authority was requisite as for the creation and approbation of a new Order. . In Russian Poland, the Brief was not executed; for the Kingdom of the two Sicilies, it has been annulled by the competent authority. But where such authority has not been authentically exercised, I cannot reconcile with the doctrine of our Divines, how the difference between simple and solemn vows can be established; how any who embrace the Society here or in England can be Professi 4 Votorum; and, consequently, how the Society can exist unless there be Professed Fathers. What must then be the meaning of that part of the first vows, promitto eamdem !:Jocietatem me ingressunmz, etc.? With these impressions on my mind, and the recollection of the solemn orders of His Holiness, containerl in the brief for my consecration, the erection of this and other Episcopal Sees in the United States, my obligation to be subject. to the commands of the Cong. de Propapanda Fide, etc., I never could persuade myself that our young men, who associate themselves to the Society, can be admitted to Orders, Titulo Religionis: they are ordained Titulo Afissioms, under the authority of the Ordinary.<IJ As long as I and my Coadjutor, (ll In a letter to Fr. Plowden, Feb. 3, 1814, he says on this matter: "I have written a long letter to the Rev. )fr. Stone, on a subject of mneh moment to the persons prineipally concerned, that is, to those who ha\'e asso<•.iated themselves to the Society in En;;-land. He will probably communicate to you my observations; and it will give me much satisfaction to have my opinions dis- �112· Histoncal Papers. Bishop Neale, continue alive, there will be little or no inconvenience, for we shall always acr in harmony with the Superiors of the Society; but in England, I am sensible that this must be a disagreeable situation. * * * * I am, most respecred Sir, Y' most obedt St, BALT., Jan. 31, 1814. J., Abp of B•• + To t!te same (on !zearing t!te news of t!te restoration). Jan. 5, 1815. MY DEAR AND RESPECTED SIR, your most precious and grateful favor of oa. 8th, accompanied by a Bull of restoration, was received early in December~·and diffused the greatest sensation of joy and thanksgiving, not only amongst the surviving and new members of the Society, but also all good Christians who have any remembrance of their services, or heard of their unjust and cruel treatment, and have witnessed the consequences of their Suppression; but your letter of Sept. 27, to which you refer, has not been received, nor any other copy of the Bull, nor a scrip of paper from Rome since the PoP.e's delivery, tho I have written by various ways, and the last time enclosed my letters to the Nuncio at Paris. You, who know Rome, may conceive my sensations when I read the account transmitted in your most pleasing letter, of the celebration of Mass by His Holiness himself at the superb altar of St. Ignatius at the. Gesu ; the assemblage of the surviving Jesuits in the Chapel to hear the proclamation of their resurreCtion; the decree for the restitution of their residence in life and scene of the death of their Patriarch, of the novitiate of St. Andrew, its most enchanting Church, and the lovely monument and chapel of St. Stanislaus, which I fondly hope have escaped the fangs of proved; for if my view of the subject be a corre(·t one, those excellent per· sons may form an edifying, an useful and meritorious association, united in heart and affection, with the legal and regularly existing members of the Society, but they will not be themselves true members of it, nor truly of any Religi_ous Order." �The Suppression and Restoration of the Society. 1 13 rapine and devastation. Is there no hope that these aCI:s of justice and religion will be followed by the restoration likewise of the Roman College, the magnificent Church of St. Ignatius, and the wonderful monument of St. Aloysius? If, as I believe, these were appropriated, not to private uses, but became the public University of the city and diocese of Rome, they will be restored to their former owners with less difficulty. But how many years must pass before these houses will be repeopled by such men as we have known, whose sanCI:ity of manner, zeal for the divine glory, science, eloquence and talents of every kind, rendered them worthy of being the instruments of Divine Providence, to illustrate His Church, maintain its faith, and instruCt: all ranks of human society in all the duties of their respeCtive stations. When I consider the length of preparation required to renew this race of men, my apprehension is that the friends of the Society will be too precipitate, too hasty in expeCting benefits from it before its pupils will be mature enough to produce them. I was sorry to notice that you apprehended opposition in England to its existence there, and of course in Ireland, notwithstanding the favorable disposition of the Irish Bishops. Here, I do not yet discover any sensation of hostility in our general, or any of the State governments; little is said in the public papers of the event of the reestablishment. In consequence of the law which was obtained above twenty years ago, and had become necessary for securing our old estates to the purposes of religion, it will be our duty to observe the forms of the law, to subsist, and quietly let the property pass into the hands of Trustees, who will all be members of the Society. Their vows and principles will direCt: them, how and by whom the estates must be administered for the services of the country and religion. You express a wish that all the old members should now return to the embrace of their beloved Mother. Of those mentioned by you, the good Mr. Pile has been dead nearly two years ago. I much doubt whether Mr. Ashton, whom I have not seen for several years, will be disposed to do so, or whether Mr. Grassi wishes it. VoL. x-No. 2. 15 �Histon"cal Papers. I 14 Concerning Bishop Neale and myself, it seems to us that till more is known of the mind of our rulers. it might not be for the interest of our Brethren, even if His Holiness would allow us to vacate our Sees, to expose their concerns to Successors, unfriendly, perhaps, or liable to be imposed on by malicious misrepresentations. This matter, however, has not yet received my full consideration. * * * * * * Our College at Georgetown is much improved, and comes more and more into vogue. It now contains, if not entirely, nearly one hundred pupils; which number cannot be much exceeded without additional building. The novitiate has been removed from St. Inigo (so much exposed to inva5ion and depredation) to the White Marsh, where there now are, or will be immediately, eight or nine No<,itii Sdzo/astici. The excellent Bishops of Boston and Bardstown, and Fr. Kohlmann, Administrator of New York, are doing wonders in their respective dioceses. I am the only sluggard, and do no good.-The visit of your countrymen last summer to Washington has nearly ruined some of my nearest connexions. They next came to this city in their shining; it was an awful spectacle to behold before us at least-forty vessels, great and small, and for about twentyfi::e hours five bomb ketches, discharging shells on the forts of upward of two hundred pounds weight each. You may suppose that we did not sleep much. Heaven preserve us from another such visitation. * * * * ~-·, I am truly yrs, etc. To the same. BALTIMORE, March 20, 18 I 5· * * * * * * Your letter excited a rapture of joy, as containing a copy of the Bull of restoration, and the first certain and detailed account of that most blessed event. On the same evening of its being received, and before I could give myself to read �Tlte Suppression and Restoration of tlze Society. I I 5 it leisurely through, it was transmitted to Mr. Grassi,Cl) who informed me that he instantly gathered together his cooperators and Brethren in the College, to communicate to them, and to offer their joint thanksgiving to Providence for the happy tidings. I do not foresee any serious obstacle to the reestablishment being fully completed here, as far as can be in a country which never can sanCtion, consistently with its political principles, indissoluble vows of religion, or that they induce an incapacity in individuals for certain at1:s of civil lift:, to which, without such vows, those individuals would be competent. In these respeCts, the future members of the Society can be restrained only by the ties of conscience, as all other Religious and Priests themselves now are in all Protestant States. * * * * * Abp. B'•. +]., (1) Letter of Father Benedict J. Fenwick to Father John A. Grassi. NEW YoRK, Dec. 23, 1814. REVD. AND DEAR FATHER, Te IJeum laudamus, Te IJominum confitemur. The Society of Jesus is then completely reestablished! That long·injured, long-insulted Society! That Society which has been denounced as the corrupter of youth, the inculcator of unsound, unchristian and lax morality! That Society which has been de· graded by the Church herself, rejected by her ministers, outlawed by her kings, and insulted by her laity I Restored throughout the whole world, and restored by a public Bull of the Soyereign Pontiff!! Hitherto cooped up in a small corner of the uncivilized world, and not allowed to extend herself, lest the nations of the earth, the favorites of Heaven, should inhale the poison of her pestiferous breath, she is now called forth as the only plank left for the salvation of a shipwrecked, philosophized world, the only restorator of ecclesiastical discipline and sound morality, the only dependence of Christi· anity for the renewal of correct principles and the diffusion of piety! It is then so. What a triumph ! How glorious to the Society! how confounding to her enemies! Gaudeamus in Domino, diem festum celebrantes, etc. If any man will say after this that God is not the friend of the Society, I shall pronounce him, without hesitation, a liar. I embrace, dear sir, the first leisure moments after the receipt of your let· ters to forward yon my congratulations on the great and glorious tidings you have recently received from Europe-tidings whi<'h should exhilarate the heart of every true friend of Christianity and the propagation of the Gospel; tidings peculiarly grateful to this country, and especially to the College of which you are Rector, which will hereafter be able to proceed secundum re· gulam et Institutum. 'Vhat a revolution must soon take place in your quarter of the United States I * * * * �Historical Papers. II6 In the letters of Archbishop Carroll frequent allusion is made to candidates for the Society, to the number of nov- · ices in such and such a year, etc. Perhaps it is not impossible, but certainly it would be difficult, with the partial data at hand, to determine with precision the status of the Mis· sion during the first years of the century. A fair idea of the state of affairs, even in preceding years, may be formed from the subjoined Catalogue for 1820; it is the earliest of the series which our archives furnish, and is in manuscript -the printed catalogues date only from 1836. A.M. D. G. -~ VATAJ.OGUS SOCIORU.U ET OFFICIORUl\I MISSIONIS AMERICiE F<EDERATiE SOCIETATIS JESu INEUNTE ANNO JIDCCCXX. R. P. ANTONIUS KOHLMANN SuPERIOR MISSION. AMERIC..E F<EDERAT..E A DIE 10 SEPT. 1817. P. }[AXIMILIAN. RANTZAU-Soc. et Adm. R. P. Superior. Gm.tEI.MUS MuLI.EN-Soc. Coadjutor. CONSULTORES :MISSIONIS. P. CAROI.US NEAI.E, P. P. FRANCISCUS NEAJ,E, P. Soc. R. P. SuPEmoR. LEONARDU~ EDELEN, �Tlte Suppression and Restoration of the Society. 1I7 COLLEGIUM GEORGIOPOLITANUM ET CONVICTUS. P. Antonius Kohlmann-Sup. Miss., Reet. Coli., Pro( theol. dogm., Con( conv. P. Joannes Baptista Cary-Min., Cons. coli. et con( conv. P. Maximilianus Rantzau-Soc. et Adm. R. P. S., Pr:d.. spir., Prof. theol. mor., Pra!s. coli. cas. consc_., Con( schol., Catech. in coil. P. Joannes McE!roy-Proc. coli., Pra!s. sod. B. V., et conf. ad SS. Trin. P. Rogerius Baxter-Pra!( studior., Pro( phil., Con( conv. P. Adamus Marshall-Cons. coli., Prof. math., Conf. conv. P. Joannes Theod. Detheux-Reet. eccl. SS. Trin. MAGISTRI SCHOLARUM INFERIORUM. Thomas Finigan-Prof. hum. et rhet., Prima! gra!Ca!, Catech. coil. Hieronymus Mudd-Prof. 1 gram. et 2 gra!Ca!. Gulielmus McSherry- Pro( 2 gram., 3 gra!Ca!, Pra!( conv. Joannes Smith-Pro( 3 gramm. Eduardus McCarthy-Pro( ling. angl., Geogr., Cat. coli. AUDITORES THEOLOGIJE. Anno secunda. Stephanus L. Dubuisson-Pra!( bib!., Cat. pr. gall. Germanus Sannen. Joannes Murphy-Catech. coli. Virgilius Hor. Barber. Henricus Verheyen. . Petrus Jos. Timmermans. Anno prima. Petrus Walsh-Prof. arithm. Josephus Schneller-Pro( calligr. AUDITORES PHILOSOPHIJE, Amzo secunda. Thomas Downing-Pro( 2 math. Thomas Mulledy, Gulielmu!l Grace-Pra!( conv. �Historical Papers. u8 Anno pn1no. Samuel Newton. Jacobus Vandewelde-Pro( ling. gall., Pra:( bibl. Ignatius Combs. Joannes Smith. Carolus Const. Pise. Georgius Fenwick-Organista. Jacobus Ryder. VACANT A SCHOLlS. Alexander Divoff. Jacobus Neill. COADJUTORES. Patritius McLaughlin, Petrus Kiernan-Sartor. Christophorus O'Hare-Fab. lign. Gulielml!.s'Mullen-Soc. R. P. Sup. et Proc. dom. Bartholom<eus Redmond-Colonus. Philippus Sweeny-Cust. vest., Sutor., Vis. or. et ex. Henricus Reiselman-Infirm., Excit. Joannes Drain-Cur. triclin. Edmundus McFadden-Sartor. Thomas Mead-Fab. lign. Christianus De Smet-Sacrist. Petrus de Meyer-Cog. Josephus West-Proc. pra:d. Richardus Jordan-Pistor, Novitius. Elias Newton-Organ. fabric., Novitius. PP.5 -Sclto!. 25-Coadj. ~4-U11iversi .f4. ---~ .. RESIDENTIA ET DO MUS PROBA TIONIS WHITE MARSH. P. Carolus Van Quickenborne-Sup., Mag. nov., Operarius. COADJUTORES. Laurentius Lynch-Hortul. Robertus Fenwick-Proc. pra:d. Michael Geoghegan-Coq. Gulielmus Taylor-Fab. lign. �Tlze Suppression and Restoration of tlze Society. 119 NOVITII SCHOLASTIC!. Jeremias Keily, Aloysius Mudd, Thomas Martin, Jacobus Lynch, Dionysius Donlevy, Jacobus Callaghan, Michael Dougherty, 14 Jun. 13 Aug. 12 Nov. 12 Nov. 12 Nov. 12 Nov. 12 Nov. 1818 Jacobus Fenwick-Cultiv. 20 Aug. Carolus Strahan-C<elator. 12 Nov. Georgius Smith-Fab. lign. 12 Nov. Martinus Connolly-Sartor. 12 Nov. 30 Nov. Patritius Burke-Cultiv. 8 Apr. Joannes Crease, Typogr. P. r-Sclwl. 7-Coadf ro-Univ. r8. 1818 " 1819 " " NOVITII COADJUTORES. 1819 1820 RESIDENTIA S. THOM.tE. P. Franc. Xav. Neale-Sup., Cons. R. P. Sup. M. P. Joannes Gulielm. Beschter-Oper. P. Carolus Neale- Cons. R. P. Sup. M., In conv. Mon. S. Ther. Portobacci quarum est conf. COADJUTORES. Joannes O'Connor-Proc. pr<ed. Gualterus Baron-Fab. lign. PP. ]-Coac[i 2-Univ. 5· RESIDENTIA NEOPOLITANA. (NEWTOWN.) P. Leonardus Edelen-Cons. R. P. Sup. M., Oper. Josephus Marshali-Proc. pr;ed. P. r-Coadf r.-Univ. 2. RESIDENTIA S. IGNATII. / (ST. INIGOES.) P. Josephus Carbery-Sup. Nov. a 29 Maii, Josephus Mobberly-Proc. pr<ed. P. r-Coadf r-Univ. 2. 1818. �120 Historical Papers. RESIDENTIA CO NEW AGO. P. Adamus Britt-Sup. P. Matthceus Lekeu-Proc., Oper. PP. 2. RESIDENTIA FREDERICOPOLITANA. P. Franciscus Maleve-Sup., Oper. P. Joannes Henry-Oper . . PP. 2. RESIDENTIA S. FR. XA VERil. (BoHEMIA.) P. Petrus Epinette-Sup., Oper. Joseph Bened. Hcard-Proc. prced. ~ P. I-Coadj. I - Uniu. 2. RESIDENTIA GOSHENHOPPEN. P. Paulus Kohlmann-Sup. Oper. BALTIMORI. P. Enoch Fenwick-Rea. eccl. S. Petri. P.~Petrus NEO EBORACI. Malou-Rea. S. Petri. CARLOPOLI. P. Benediaus Fenwick-Rea. eccl. cath. P. Jacobus Wallace-Oper. ". PHILADELPHI.tE. P. Ludovicus Du Barth-Vic. Gen. Sede Vac. Philad., Proc. prced. Soc. in Penn'a. EXTRA PROVINCIAI\1. Franciscus Vespre, Schol., Romce. Aloysius Young, " VITA FUNCTUS. P. Michael Jos. Cousinne, 31 Jul. 181g, Bohemia. �LETTERS OF FATHER JAS. 0. VAN DE VELDE. CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF A ~RIP FROM GEORGETOWN, D. C., TO ST. LOUIS, MO., IN OCTOBER, I8J I. . LETTER XI. CINCINNATI, oa. 14, IS 3 r. My Very Dear Frimd: The good Bishop came to our hotel this morning, to invite us to dine with him. It happens well, for this is a day of abstinence. We went there accordingly at about one o'clock P. M. After dinner we visited the Church and the College. The Church, the only Catholic one at present in the city,<') and called the Cathedral, is an edifice fine enough for this country. It is built of brick, and is of Gothic style. The interior is well ornamented. There is a fine painting above the altar, and two others, one on each side of the first mentioped, besides six more between the windows, presented to the Bishop by Cardinal Fesch. There is also another painting, which had formerly served as altar piece at the College of Bornheim. In front of the communion railing there is a stone which can be raised, under which is a vault destined for the sepulture of Bishops and priests. Two priests have been laid there: Mr. De Clicteur, a Belgian, and the first priest ordained by Bishop Fenwick, and Mr. Munos, a Spaniard, his vicar general, a man of the greatest talent, and formerly confessor to the King of Spain. The College called Athen.eumc 2) is a building somewhat simOl The first church in Cincinnati was of logs; it stood on Sycamore Hill, and it was built in 1819 by the late Dominic Young, 0. P. After Bishop Fen· wick was installed Bishop of Cincinnati, in 1822, this log Church was placed on trucks or rollers, and drawn uy oxen to the site of the Cathedral here de8criued by Father Van de Velde, and this Cathedral in its turn was revlaced in 1858--59 by the present St. Xavier Church. ' 2l The Athenmum was made over to our Society in the year 1840, when its name was changed to St. Xavier College. Father John A. Elet was its first President under its new regime. VoL. x-No. 2. 16 (121) �I 22 Letters ;;f Fatlzer James 0. Van ~e Velde. ilar to the Church, but of modern style. It has, like the Church, a small turret or steeple, which looks very pretty. The Bishop's house, which is rather small, joins the two other buildings. The whole, taken together, presents an imposing sight. The College is ample enough to receive a large number of students. The rooms are large, but the dormitory, though spacious, does not admit enough fresh air. The boys will suffer from this cause in summer.· There is a printing establishment attached to the College. Next week will be published the first religious paper, under the name of Catlwlic Telegraplt. Adieu. LETTER XII. CINCINNATI, Oct. IS, I83I: My Very .Dear Friend: Having given you a description of the Church and College of Cincinnati, I must now speak to you of the city in general. Before beginning, I must state that the College is 130 feet long and so feet wide: and that the Church has about the same dimensions. Only ten years ago there was here neither Church nor any resident priest. At present there are priests in divers parts of the State of Ohio, and tQ.e Bishop has fifteen or sixteen young men who are preparing for the priesthood in his seminary. Of the number, three are Belgians. As they were not introduced to me, although I wished to see them, I did not become acquainted with any of them. Perhaps they suspeCted that I might want to make Jesuits of them; ..if such was the case, the suspicions were not well founded. Now a word about the city. It is scarcely credible how much it has increased. Buildings, as well public as private, churches, banks, hotels, stores, are being ereCted on all sides~ The streets cut each other at right angles, as in most of the cities of the U. S., and the houses and stores are built on the Philadelphia plan. In 1790, the first building, a frame, was here erected. In rSoo, there were 7 so inhabitants. In 18 IO, there were 2,320. In r 8zo, w.soo. In 1830, z6,soo; and the present number �Letters of .Fat!ter 7ames 0. Van de Velde. 123 of inhabitants is reckoned at more than 28,ooo, without including strangers, whose number is about 1,500. There are now in process of ereEtion more than 500 buildings, of which a Presbyterian Church and the City Hotel are the principal. Adieu, etc. LETTER XIII. LoUISVILLE, oa. 16, 1831. Jl1y Very Dear .Friend: We left Cincinnati for Louisville yesterday at 11 o'clock M. Before saying anything else, I must mention the hydraulic works of Cincinnati, of which I forgot to speak to you. The water is pumped out of the Ohio river by a steam machine, the force of which is equal to a forty-horse power. That machine forces the water up to the height of 158 feet above the river, at low water mark. That water is received in two reservoirs, which are on the top of a hill, at the foot of which is the building which contains the machine. The large reservoir is roo feet long and so broad. The other is only 95 feet long and 45 feet wide. The water is conveyed to the city through cast-iron pipes, and passes under the bed of a small river called Deer Creek, as far as the interseCtion of Broadway and Third streets, where it is distributed through all the parts of the city in wooden pipes. The inhabitants may have the water brought to their houses from the street, where the large pipe is, for a certain sum of money, payable annually. The pipes through which the water is conveyed to the houses of private families are made and repaired at their expense, as also the hydrant, which aCl:s as a fountain. The lowest price for the use of the water is eight dollars a year. We came here on board the packet steamer Robert Fulton, Captain Greene. Before starting from Cincinnati Fr. McSherry lost his Italian boots. It is probable that they were stolen from him, for they say that there are many thieves in Cincinnati, and especially in the hotel in which we lodged. He had preA. �1 24 Letters of Fat!ter James 0. Van de Velde. viously lost his cane on the way, and so had Fr. Kenney, who besides had lost his gloves. \Ve reached Louisville this morning at about four o'clock. J\_dieu, yours, etc. LETTER XIV. LoUISVILLE, oa. IJ, I83I. My Very Dear Fn"cnd: After our landing here we had a great deal of trouble to find a hotel where we could be lodged, on account of the large number of strangers that were in the city. Some had come for amusement, others for religious motives, others again for motives of interest. Those of the first class were pouring in from all sides to see the horse races which are to take place to-day at noon. Those of the second class were Methodist ministers, who were to open their conference on yesterday. These conferences are to last four days. It is rumored that there are about I 50 of these ministers in this city. Some of them had traveled with us in the packet boat, having their families with them. One of these gentlemen blessed the table after his own fashion, and after supper, in the evening, asked permission to declaim on Religious matters, which was not granted to him. To console hi~self, he assembled his fellow preachers with their families, and they all began to sing in the rear of the cabin. Some of our passengers, who happened to be musicians, began also to play profane airs on Jheir instruments, which served to put them out. Those o"f the third class were composed of merchants and travelers. We succeeded at last in finding two beds in one room, which was already occupied by other persons. Father Kenney fared even worse. There were only three beds in our room, and we got two of them, but there were four or five beds in the room which was offered to him. After making these arrangements, Fr. McSherry and I went to take a walk to look for the Catholic Church, which we found, and to which we returned after some time in order to offer the holy sacrifice of the �Ldters of Fatlzer James 0. Van de Velde. 125 Mass. It was the first time since our departure that I had that happiness. Father Kenney preached on the Gospel of the day, and after the last Mass we went with Rev. Mr. Abell to dine at Mr. O'Brien's. LETTER XV. LOUISVILLE, jl{y Very Dear Friend: Oet. 18, 18 3 1. You must have noticed that the dates of my letters do not correspond with the observations which I make during my trip. To day is Tuesday, and I have not yet narrated what took place last Sunday. The last you heard was that we went last Sunday to take dinner at Mr. O'Brien's, an Irishman, who treated us very well. After dinner we went to see the interior of the Church, for we had said Mass in a room under the Church, which room is destined for a school when the Church shall have been completed. The Church itself, which was commenced about a year ago, is a tolerably fine building, in Gothic style, with a -square tower in the same style. It is 95 feet long and 55 feet wide, exclusive of the SanCtuary, which is 16 feet long and 20 feet {?road. They were working at the altar and at the pews, of which there will be six rows, each .row will have twenty-two pews, and each pew will be able to admit five persons. There is also a large gallery for the organ, etc. ; so that the Church will contain about one thousand persons or thereabouts. The city of Louisville increases almost as rapidly as that of Cincinnati. A kind of epidemic, which broke out here in 1822, served very much to stop the progress of this rising city. There existed then several marshes and ponds of stagnant water, which have since been filled. Now the atmosphere of the city is considered healthy. Buildings are springing up in every direCtion, and the population is already over I 1,000. Last Sunday we took supper at Mr. John Carrell's, brother of my friend George,<IJ who is now OJ Father George Carrell joined the Society at St. Stanislaus' Novitiate, Mis· souri, in 1835; he died Bishop of Covington, Ky., in 1868. His brother John �126 Letters of Fatlzer James 0. Van de Velde. pastor at Wilmington, Delaware. Mrs. Carrell is a very amiable lady, and showed the greatest kindness to us. Adieu. LETTER XVI. SHIPPINGPORT, My Vt:ry Dear Fn·end: Oet. Ig, 18 3 1. Last Monday Fr. McSherry and I visited the new canal, which is being dug between Louisville and Shippingport, in order to avoid passing over the Ohio Falls. The soil between these two places is rocky, and although this canal is only two miles in length and is very narrow, it has, nevertheless, cost a great deal of money anc! a great deal of work. On that same day we dined privately at the hotel where we had ta~ieh our lodging (Union Hall, kept by Mr. Langhorne), a·nd we had at table with us the ex-Secretary Eaton with his wife and his sister-in-law, also Judge Rowan and Rev. Mr. Abell, and Dr. De Clery, who said that he knew me, and who had resided at the College in. 1817. After dinner Mrs. Eaton introduced us to a certain Mr. Reynoldson, of Philadelphia, who drank a glass of wine with us and amused us very much by his conversation. To\vards evening, at the house of Mr. Abell, we met the Rev. Mr. Evremond and the Rev. Mr. Fouche, who had just arrived from Bardstown, a small town about forty miles from Louisville. It is there that Bishop Flaget resides, whom I so much desired to see, but, etc. Those Rev, gentlemen went to take their supper in the city, .a~d we went to Mrs. Bullitt, where resides General Atkinson, who married one of her daughters. The younger one is at the convent of Georgetown. The mother is, since two years, a convert to the Catholic Church. We met there also Miss Anderson, who left the convent of Georgetown some three or four years ago. The day after, Fr. McSherry engaged our pas· sage on a steamboat, whilst Fr. Keriney and I took a walk as far as the \Voodland Gardens. Mr. Evremond,< 1l left us went from Philadelphia to Louisville in 1R25. He died at his daughter's house in Frankli•rt, Ky., in 18i0:, ac:P<l m•nrly ninety years. His house was for many years as a home li>r priest~ in Louisville. OlFathers Evremond and Fotwhe both heeame Jesuit•, Father Fouche re· �Letters of Fatlzer James 0. Van de Ve!de. to go to the Noviciate at ·whitemarsh. this afternoon. 127 We are to start Adieu. LETTER XVII. SHIPPINGPORT, Oct. .llfy Very Dear Friend: 20, 18 3 1. I was forgetting to tell you that yesterday we dined at Mr. Rudd's and that we left the Inn at three o'clock to come to this port, where the houses and inhabitants present a scene of the most complete misery. We were to leave this place yesterday at four o'clock P. M. It is now eight o'clock in the morning, and we are still here. The name of the steamboat which is to take us to St. Louis is the Charleston, and that of the Captain is Thornburgh. The price of the passage, including the meals, is twelve dollars each. The cabin contains only sixteen bertJ1s, and it is rumored that we shall be about thirty passengers. The last comers sleep on mattresses laid on the floor. There are besides fifteen or sixteen ladies and half a dozen children, who get along the best way they can in the ladies' cabin, which is above ours, and where there are only eight berths. There are, moreover, some eighty other passengers, who are also above us, and who pay only for the trip; as for victuals and bedding, they have to procure them for themselves. All this is very unpleasant. So much had been said to us of the steamers which ply the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; but all those which we have seen so far (and they are many) are much inferior to those of Maryland and Pennsylvania. The principal object of the Captains is to make as much money as they can, regardless of the comfort of the passengers. To give you an idea of the trade on the Ohio and the Mississippi, I may tell you that there are now more than two hundred steamboats afloat on these maining with our Fathers at St. Mary's College, ~!arion County, Ky., till the Fathers left that place to take charge of St. John's College, Fordham, in 1846. Father Evremonrl had gone to France some three or four years before the Fathers had left Kentucky, and died soon after reaching France. �I 28 Letters of Fatlzer james 0. Van de Velde. rivers. The first was built twenty years ago (in I 8 I I) ; the second was built in I 8 I4; in I 824, one hundred and fifteen had been built, and of them all, but two now remain. Adieu. LETTER XVIII. ON BoARD THE BoAT, Oct. 21, 1831. My Very Dear Friend: 'vVe left Shippingport yesterday morning at ten o'clock, and we are told that we shall not arrive in St. Louis before next Monday, 24th inst. \Ve passed a little village called New Albany, almost opposite Louisville, and after making about one hundred miles we ran on a sand bar. The boat was turned round completely. All possible efforts were made to free the boat. They made use of piles, they took the anchor in the yawl and cast it at a great distance, and they did that several times, but each time it was raised without any progress on the part of the boat. Finally, after about an hour's work, they succeeded in extricating the boat by dint of steam, a thing which is considered dangerous. By noon we had passed the Green River and the Salt River, as also the small towns of B_randenburg in Kentucky, and Fredonia in Indiana. Sand bars and Islands are very numerous in the Ohio River. These sand bars often shift their places, which renders navigation dangerous. Moreover, there are many trees that fall into the river from its banks, when the river is high and the current swift. Those trees remain fastened to the sand bars, in which, where the river is not \"ery deep, 'the branches get deeply buried in the mud or sand which accumulates around them. The lower part of the tree rises sometimes above and sometimes below the surface of the water, and is either movable or immovable; in the former case, a tree thus situated is called a sawyer; in the latter case, a snag. Several steamboats have sunk to the bottom by running against those kinds of trees. Some forty have perished in that manner in less than two years. This morning when we awoke we found that we had passed the towns of Rome and Troy �Letters of Fat!zer :James 0. Van de Velde. 1 29 without knowing it. They are on the Indiana shore. VIe passed several towns of that sort, which contain from ten to fifty persons. The rest to-morrow. Adieu. Yours, etc. LETTER XIX. ON My Very Dear Frimd: BoARD THE BoAT, Oct. 22, I83I. I hasten to give you an account of the things I saw after writing my letter yesterday. We passed the mouth of Green River, which is a large river, although its mouth is very small. It crosses a large portion of the State of Kentucky.-[! forgot to tell you that we entered the Kentucky River (after which the State is named) between Cincinnati and Louisville. \Ve only entered its mouth, and it was to put ashore at Port \Villiam, a colored man who had stolen one of the horses of his master, who, suspecting his slave, went to Cincinnati where he found his man in the act of selling the horse. He seized upon both the man and the beast, fastened a halter around the horse's neck, and a chain around the ankle of the negro, and placed them on board our steamer.]-To return: after passing Evansville in Indiana and Hendersonville in Kentucky, we reached, towards evening, the mouth of the \Vabash River, which separates Indiana from Illinois. ·sometime after that, we arrived at Shawneetown, where we wooded and where we went on shore and touched ior the first time the land of Illinois. In the evening we saw the mouth of a cave which extends far into a mountain that appears to form but one large rock. The mouth looks much like a large door. During the night we passed the mouth of the Cumberland River, which is large enough, and that of the Tennessee River~ after which one of the States is named. This last crosses Kentucky and Tennessee, then winding through Mississippi and Alabama, it re-enters Tennessee at the line which separates Georgia from Alabama, and forking at Knoxville, one branch, which retains the name, enters South Carolii1a, and VoL. x-No. 2. 17 �I 30 Letters of Fa titer James 0. Van de Ve!de. the other branch, taking the name of Holston, enters Virginia.-Nothing worth noticing until the Mississippi River, that River, the objea of so much praise, into which we have just now entered. Adieu. LETTER XX. FRo~r THE MississiPPI My Very Dear Friend: SHoRES, oa. 2 3• 1s 3 ~. \Ve entered that River yesterday before noon. One would say that it is the Mississippi that enters the Ohio, and that for two reasons. First, because the Mississippi, below the mouth, seems to be a continuation of the Ohio River. Secondlv, because the mouth of the Ohio is much wider tba'n the i1ississippi above that mouth. The Mississippi is ~-either very wide nor very swift. \Ve expeaed to see a majestic river, much superior to the Potomac or the Susquehanna. It surpasses them, it is true, in length, but that is all. \Ve had scarcely entered that renowned river, when we struck against one of those hidden trees which I have described in my letter of the 21st inst. Happily it only served to frighten us. \Ve passed over the "sawyer" without receiving any damage. In the evening we saw on the Missouri side a small village called Commerce. Last evening we had a storm which forced the Captain to cast anchor. The rain. was pouring down in floods, the wind was very violent, and the waves <;lashed against the lower deck of the vessel. It is Sunday- to-day, anu we are on the river.- Patience! This morning after having passed Muddy River, a small stream on the Illinois side, we saw a natural towerY> round in shape, pretty high, and which, like a fortress, advances into the river on the Missouri side. It is formed of flat stones piled on one another and tapering -------------------------(I> This is called "Grand Tower." At this point, the river passes through a sort of gate in the primeval bluffs, aud the channel is here narrow and the current rapid. This scene is described somewhat minutely by Father Marquette in his diary; he passed it about the beginning of .Tuly, 1673, he nnd his companions being the first white men that ever saw this portion of the :Hississippi River. �Letters of Fatlzer James 0. Van de Veide. I 3I gradually to the summit, which is 30 or 40 feet above the level of the water. Towards noon we were once more thrown on a sand bar, but it was for an Instant only. All along the shores of the Ohio and Mississippi, are to be seen, from time to time, little huts without any windows, and some without chimney, inhabited by peasants ·and wood cutters, who provide boats with wood. Whole families live in these miserable huts. It is nearly 6 o'clock. I will write to you to-morrow before arriving in St. Louis. Adieu. LETTER XXI. ON My Very Dear Friend: BoARD THE BoAT, OCt. 24, 1831. We passed the mouth of the Kaskaskia River last evening, and during the night the small town of St. Genevieve, where died the Rev. Mr. Nerinckx. The mouth of the Kaskaskia River is so small, that we were nearly on the point of passing it without noticing it. We have just passed the Barracks, around which there are several other buildings. They are ten miles distant from St. Louis. Early this morning we pass the mouth of the Maramec. River, and we are now but a short distance from the village of Vide-Poche, which stands on an elevated rock. We will therefore be very soon in St. Louis, the terminus of our journey. And I am greatly rejoiced at it; first, because we are not at al( at ease in the cabin, which, moreover, is not kept clean; and secondly, because we are drinking the muddy water of the river, which we have been doing since we left Louisville. As it might happen that you may one day make the same journey, I will end this letter by giving you an account of the expenses for one person, starting from Washington to Fredericktown: �I 32 Letters of ratlzcr James 0. Van de Velde. :Miles From Washington to Fredericktown Supper and lodging in Rockville, and breakfast From Fredericktown to Hagerstown Dinner in Middletown, supper m Clearspring From Hagerstown to Frostburg Breakfast at Blackwell's, dinner and supper From Frostburg to \Vheeling Breakfast in Brownsville, dinner m \Vashington Lodgement in Wheeling, I days From Wheeling to Cincinnati Lodgem-ent in Cincinnati for one day From Cincinnati to Louisville . Lodgement in Louisville for two days For the coach to Shippingport From Shippingport to St. Louis, in all For the transport'n of four trunks, etc. so 41 $3 I 37}~ 27 I 50 I I2 I 37;/z 7 62 ;/z 87Yz Yz 200 358 10 00 I 00 132 4 00 200 2 25 540 I2 00 I 00 I292 55 00 You may notice that I have noted down only the bare cost of the trip, without including any extra expenses, or any accidents which may occur. Yours, etc. �KANSAS. Letter of Fatlzer Ponzi'gli'one. OsAGE MISSION, NEOSHO CouNTY, KANSAs, Dec. 3 I st, I REVEREND FATHER, 880. P. C. Broad and extensive as is the world, we cannot any longer hope to keep hidden the things that are daily taking place, so that what may happen to-day in the Far West will to-morrow be known in the East. As this is the case, I would not be at all surprised if you had already heard of my pleasure trip last summer to the Mountains; perhaps, too, some of your good-humored friends have come to the conclusion that the holy missionaries are after all only a set of ramblers, who know how to enjoy themselves. Well, I will grant you, that I took a trip to the Mountains, and it was indeed a real pleasure trip for me; but do not, I beg, impute to me any wrong-doing on that account. Although I am far from blaming a poor missionary for> taking a little recreation once in a while, yet for myself I prefer to keep the ball rolling, and be always at hard work as long as I can, looking only for rest where it shall last forever. If then the real objeCt: of my trip was not pleasure, what could it have been? Thinking that the answe~ to this question might prove of interest to you, I send you this little account. On the fifth day of July I started on a long peregrination westward-or, to tell you the plain truth-on a begging expedition, to colleCt: some funds with which to continue the building of our new church, which was begun in I872. On my route along the Kansas Pacific, from JunB:ion City to Denver, I visited the neat churches that ornament most of the towns on that road, and I am proud to say the various priests whom I met at these churches, not only re- (I33) �134 Kansas. ceived me very kindly and encouraged me in my undertaking, but gave me substantial proofs of the interest which they took in my work. I spent a few days in Denver with our Fathers, who have just finished a nice church in that city. They treated me with great cordiality, and through their influence I got a free pass by the South Park Railway to Leadville. Leadville is a new and wonderful city, and though hardly four years old, has a census of twenty-five thousand people. Looking at it, one would imagine that it had sprung up by magic from the rugged mountains of Colorado. The surroundings ·are wild in their appearance ; no orchards or gardens, no teeming vegetation or well kept farms relieve the monotony of this barren distriCt. For miles and miles the view is ch~erless, with here and there a few shabby pine trees or an..occasional bunch of wild sage sticking out from clefts in the rocks. Still the markets are crowded with all the fruits and vegetables which the season can afford. The South Park and Rio Grande railroads are daily competing for the supply of this place. The great and striking feature of Leadville, however, is the rich treasure of mineral ore which nature has deposited here in extensive mines. I was told that there was plenty of money here and entertained myself with the hope of colleB:ing a goodly sum. I was disappointed. A few days previous to my arrival the city was the scene of a terrible riot. The miners, who form the greater part of its population, raised a strike. They appeared in the public thoroughfares \V,ell organized and armed and for a short time life and property were threatened with destruB:ion. This excitement naturally brought on a panic in local business, and money was quickly taken in from circulation. The Catholics of Leadville are quite numerous. They have a resident priest, who has nearly completed a magnificent brick church. There is also another priest residing at the Sisters' Hospital, where I found forty-seven patients. As this clergyman \vas absent, I was invited to take his �Kansas. 135 place. I accepted the invitation, and for one week acted as chaplain. Though disappointed at Leadville in my expectations, I returned to Denver with the determination of continuing my journey \Vest while my money lasted. From Colorado I set out for California. While stopping over at some of the neat little towns along the Union Pacific R. Road, I again had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with some of the clergymen who labor in the Rocky Mountains. I must again bear witness to their respect, kindness and liberality towards me. They not only invited me to officiate in their churches, but allowed me to collect what money I could. On the 7th of August I arrived in San Francisco. Here I shall not lose time in describing the gigantic works which line the bay from Oakland towards this city, or in praising the beautiful palaces along the streets of this great western metropolis. The stately halls of St. Ignatius' College, with its Byzantine Basilica; the ancient cloisters of Santa Clara College, with its antique sanctuary (one of the few relics of the old California Missions which has escaped the destructive hand of Yankee enterprise); the charming villas that encircle the wealthy city of S. Jose; all filled one with delight and surprise. But what overwhelmed my heart with joy seldom felt before, was my meeting here with several friends and companions of my youth, whom I had not seen since the revolutionary storm which broke over Italy in 1848, and scattered us to all parts of the world. Oh! how happy I was during the few days which I spent in the company of my old fellow-novices and scholastics ! I seemed to find myself once more at home in my dear province of Turin. It all appeared to me a dream, not a reality, and I began to understand and feel what the old poet meant by the sweet words: "Dulce videre suos." My stay in California was short, and on the 14th of September I returned to this Mission. Here some might be wishing to know what after all was the result of my trip, and whether, from a pecuniary point of view, it was a sue- �Kansas. cessful one. To this question it is difficult to give a satisfactory answer ; for what would be a success for me, another might think a failure. I can say this, however, that on this trip I was not the loser, and collected more money than I could have received had I remained at home. So you see that, after all, I have no reason to complain. I came home just in time to attend a fair that had been planned during my absence by the ladies of ·our congre- • gation. It began about the middle of October, lasted for a week, and, thanks be to God, was a success. So, having a few dollars of ready money at hand, we began work on the Church without delay, and before winter set in, built a considerable portion of the front wall, which now shows the three main: entrances that are completed. As soon as spring will open; ..we calculate to resume the work, and shall continue according to our means. The walls are built entirely of large stones, and we can on this account stop the work at any moment without damage to what is now finished. As soon as I had a few days at my disposal after my return, I started for the Indian Territory on a visit to the Osages, and found them as usual in a distressed condition. I could not see the full-bloods on this occasion, on account of their absence in pursuit of game. I was, however, more fortunate with the half-breeds. These I called together in the different settlements, and offered them an opportunity of performing their Christian duties. The greater part listened to me with attention, and in.one settlement, God be praised, nearly "fifty were in attendance at Mass, and about half that number came to the Sacraments. I had hardly returned from the Osages, when I received a telegram calling me among the Choctaws, some two hundred miles south of this Residence, where a poor miner had been crushed by falling rock, and was in danger of death. I started on this sick call the night of the 13th of November on the first train which I could get. I arrived too late. I reached the place on the following morning, but the unfortunate man had died four hours before my arrival. All I could do was to say Mass for the repose of his soul, and perform the burial services. �Indian ll1issio11s. 137 On the 16th I returned to the Mission to bury Mr. Thos. Magner, one of our scholastics. He carne here on the 12th of last August from Seguin, Texas, to try whether the mildness of our climate could do something for his consumption. In the beginning he appeared to improve, and of his own accord asked to teach a class in our Institution. He was quite a young man, and gifted with all the qualities necessary to make of him a worthy member of the Society. He was not only a virtuous religious, but a thorough scholar and an able teacher. His pupils loved him, and were fast improving under his direCtion. But all his hopes of recovery were an illusion; for he had hardly been teaching two months, when he was obliged to give up his class and confine himself to his room. Here he began to sink rapidly. \Vith the consumption, which had reduced him to a skeleton, came palpitation of the heart, in consequence of which it became difficult for him to speak. He saw that his end was fa~t approaching, but was not alarmed by it. He calmly prepared for the last Sacraments, which he received with great devotion, and on the 21st of November, the feast of the Presentation, went, as we hope, to witness its celebration in Heaven. He was but twenty-three years of age, six of which he had spent in the Society. R. I. P. PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, S. J. INDIAN MISSIONS. I.-THE CROW INDIANS. More than twelve years ago the Crow Indians, a numerous tribe leading a wandering life to the east of the Rocky Mountains, presented a formal petition to the American government for a priest, or Black-gown. General Alfred Sully had written on this subjeCt to the lamented Father VoL. x-No. 2. 18 �Indian Missions. DeSmet, and he in turn proposed it to the Superior General of our 1\'lission. Delays were met with in the settlement of the affair, and, finally, the Superior went to see General Sully in regard to it, when he was informed that this mission had 'just been confided to the Episcopalians and Methodists. The only reason for assigning this tribe to them was that the government had made valuable appropriations in the case. It is true that we did not lose sight of these poor infidels, but it was impossible to obtain subjetl:s who could take charge of the mission. Finally Fr. Barcelo penetrated to them, and he is the second priest who has ever paid them a visit, the first having been Fr. DeSmet, whose stay among them was. very brief, but whose memory will forever remain in benediction amongst all these savage nations. The res"ult of Fr. Barcelo's visit is described by himself in the following letter written to the Superior of the Rocky Mountain Mission. Letter of Fr. Barcelo to Fr. Cataldo. HELENA, Oct. 7. I88o. Having set out, according to instructions, to visit some Catholic families of whites, I arrived for the first time in the camp of the Crow Indians, between Fort Custer and Terry's Landing. I was well received, and by means of a negro, who acted as my interpreter, I explained to them the object of my coming, which was .to_teach them the way to Heaven. The chief and his principal men showed themselves to be well disposed. After dinner, the chief assembled all his people under the shade of a tree, and I explained the principal mysteries of the Christian religion, and exhorted them to pray for the gift of faith. Towards evening an adult Crow, who was sick, sent for me, and, after some instructions I baptized him and administered Extreme Unction. He was somewhat better next morning, and I gave him a medal. The chief would have me baptize the children, but believing it safer to proceed slowly, I deferred the �Indian Missions. 139 matter until I should have obtained permission of the Agent. Having promised at rny departure to return as soon as possible, I arrived at Fort Custer, and from that place I proceeded to Terry's Landing, where I met Father Venneman, who was on his way to Bozeman.· The judgments of God are inscrutable. Not one of the white Catholics would take the trouble to come to Mass on Sunday, although for years they had not been present at the Holy Sacrifice, and the pagan Crows were asking for instruCtion in the Catholic faith. Upon my return to the poor Crows, they earnestly besought me to baptize their little children, and with great pleasure I complied with their request. I also b.tptized three children of my interpreter, who had been brought up a Catholic, but who had had no opportunity of practising his religion since the age of twelve years. I gave him the catechism to translate. I gave the savages to understand that it would be impossible to instruCt: them and make them good Christians, if they went wandering about in pursuit of the buffalo; that they should settle down in some fixed place; that they have plenty of fertile land. They listened with attention, and showed a readiness to do whatever I suggested. I spoke about it to the Agent, who exhibited some astonishment that the savages should be willing to do for the priest and for the Catholic religion what could not be obtained from them by the American government and by the Protestant ministers. These latter, having found out by experience that none of the natives paid any attention to them, have all returned home. Your Reverence, in conjunCtion with Rev. Mr. Brouillet, should try to obtain that the American government throw no obstacle in the way of that which has been so well begun. G. BARCELO, s. J. �Indian JV!issiolls. 140 II.-THE INDIAN SCHOOL OF ST. IGNATIUs'· MISSION. &tra{l of a Letter from Fr. Luigi M Folchi to Fr. Piccin"/!o. ST. IGNATIUs' MissiON, MissouLA Co., MoNTA:-<A, December 26, 1880. * * * * * This is the golden opportunity for putting our schools amongst the. Indians on such a footing as to compete with, or even to surpass those of the Protestants. The Lord seems to bless our poor endeavors. An inspector of Indian affairs (a man of no religion), who had spent a s~ort time here, wrote lately to the agent of this Reserva~i6n, from the Indian College of Forest Grove, in Oregon, an institution liberally supported by the government, that he has visited many Indian schools, but has never·· seen one to equal that of our Mission in the improvement of the scholars. Laus Deo semper! But does it seem as if justice will be done us by the government? Just now the census is being taken under orders from Washington. There is a world of questions which the enumerators have to propose to these poor Indians, even as to the number of guns they have ; how many dogs? etc., etc. But there is no inquiry made about their religion; because, as· these reservations are allotted to the various denominations, regard should be shown to the majority according to religious persuasion, and they would naturally find more Catholics among the Indians than they would desire. * * * * 111.-LAKE SUPERIOR. Extrafl of a Letter from Fr. Specht to Fr. :James Perron. RED RocK, Jan. I7, 1881. Since the visitation by Rev. Fr. Charaux, Superior of the Mission, your humble servant has been constituted Miss. Ercurr., having charge of the following stations: �indian Missions. 141 ·Grand Portage, Minn.; Riviere aux Anglais, upon the Canadian Pacific R. R.; Red Rock, distant one hundred miles from Fort William; and Nepigon, which is two hundred miles distant from the same place. But in the Spring I shall go even further still. There will be plenty of work at the different stations, for I have to instruCt: the Christians, and in some places there are pagans to be converted. ·I have already had a taste of the fatigues inseparable from the missionary's life on the borders of Lake Superior, especially in winter. On the 16th of September FF. Hebert, Gagnon and myself went from Silver Islet to Red Rock. As the wind was contrary, we were several times obliged to go ashore and camp. On the 19th we all three said Mass in our tent, which was pitched in the midst of the woods. vVe reached Red Rock on the 2oth, and leaving Fr. Gagnon there, Fr. Hebert and I started on the 24th in a bark canoe for Nepigon, accompanied by two Indians. The voyage lasted six days, and presented difficulties which can be understood only after they have been experienced. The greatest trouble is caused by the portages, seven or eight in number, and some of them two miles long, with a trail which is a path only in name. We had to carry our own packs, but the roughest part of the work, the transportation of the canoe, fell to our two companions. We were delayed for some time on Lake Nepigon by head winds, and it was not until the 1st of Oetober that we could steer a straight course for Fort Nepigon. Our Christians were assembled at the landing place to welcome us, for they had been in expeCtation of our coming, and we had to shake hands all around. After the evening prayers, which are recited in common every day, Fr. Hebert introduced me to my congregation as his successor; Before dismissing our people, we gratified them with the sight of the beautiful chasubles, chalice, ciborium, etc., etc. which their Bourgeois, Mr. Henri De Ia Ronde, had ordered from Montreal for the chapel, at an expense of $130. Fr. Hebert remained only a short time at Nepigon. After his departure I gave a mission, which was very successful, Mr. �indian Missions. De la Ronde assuring me that he did not know even of one who failed to receive the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist. During these days a ceremony took place which may seem childish to white men, but to which our people attach a great deal of importance. I speak of the conferring an Indian name upon the new missionary. Our Indians are not blessed with the gift of tongues, and can rarely pronounce, much less remember our names, especially, if like mine, they chance to be German, and consequently they give us a name taken from their own language. The choice of this name is a privilege of the chief, and I had to undergo the ceremony like every one else. They dubbed me: Kapapamincoad_ji"mo I which being interpreted signifies, "He who brings the good news." Henceforward, I shall be known by them under this name. We have built a little schoolhouse on an island not far from the Fort ; I shall open it next Spring if I can find a competent teacher. On my return to Red Rock, I was busy for a time in direCting some improvements which were made upon the church and the surroundings of the priest's house. I set out for Fort William on the 6th of St>ptember. I did not go by boat this time; the journey had to be made quite prosaically on foot, and for the greater part of the time on snow-shoes. An Indian sled carried my chapel furniture, vestments, books and some other indispensable articles. This is the winter style of traveling here. It required three days to reach Prince Arthur's I,.anding, seventy-five or eighty miles from here in a straight line. We made our way sometimes on the lake, sometimes through the woods, and occasionally along the bed of little streams or over ponds, which are very numerous at the carrying places; the cold was so intense that my nose and one cheek were frozen. And besides, making my way on snow shoes through the woods, and by paths which do not deserve the name, I got many a fall. I came back from Fort William on the 10th of December. Ten days later I set out for Grand Portage, taking a bad cold along with me, which I �ltzdia1Z Missi01zs. 143 got rid of on the way. On the 28th I again quitted the soil of the United States, with the thermometer marking thirty-nine degrees below zero.' We camped out in the woods that evening, and although we made a fire big enough to roast an ox whole, we suffered terribly from the intense cold. My share in its effeCts was a frozen heel, and whilst engaged in saying my office close by the fire, I thought that my hands would also be frozen. You may be sure that we were glad when daylight came. We made an early start, traveled on the whole day, and at six P. M. reached Fort William, where all were filled with astonishment that we should have attempted a journey during such intensely cold weather. My stay at Fort William was short, for on the 31st of December I set out for Red Rock by way of Silver Islet. I thought that I could reach the latter place by ten o'clock at night; but having arrived about nine o'clock at the Portage, we lost the road, for it was a dark night, and we had never gone that way before. We were forced to camp out without tent or coverir.g, for it had been our intention to sleep at Silver Islet that night, and we had nothing to eat except some sardines and soda biscuits. ·To make matters worse, I began to feel so sick that my companion was frightened. Fortunately, it was only a trifle, and early the next morning, New Year's Day, we were able to proceed, my companion having found the road. At nine A. M. I knocked at the door of Mr. Simmons, one of the good Catholics of Silver Islet. No one expeCted me, for it was supposed that I was still at Red Rock ; but scarcely had the church bell announced the arrival of the priest, when our people flocked to the church to hear Mass. I baptized two children next day (Sunday), heard confessions and gave Communion to the faithful, overjoyed at the opportunity of approaching the Sacraments. A few days afterwards I returned to Red Rock. Towards the end of March I shall start upon my gra1td voyage of about four months, of which I shall by and by send you a detailed account. Jos. SPECHT, S. ]. �144 Indi'an Missions. IV.-MONTANA TERRITORY. Letter from Fatlter Prando to Fat!ter Cataldo. T., January 13, 1881. ST. PETER's MissioN, M. REv. FATHER SuPERIOR, P. C. I write to your Reverence some strange things from St. Peter's Mission. The first cause for wonder is that it snows here under a clear sky; for when the snow has fallen, after the ordinary manner of falling snow, and the sky has again become clear, a strong wind springs up, which causes the snow as _!ine as dust to drift, until mountains arise at the caprice of"the storm. A man here had his house buried, and was obliged to tunnel his way out through the snow. Rows of trees are completely covered with it, so that one can walk over their tops. Sometimes the mountains around the l\1ission are seen so enveloped with snow that they look like smoking volcanoes when the fierce winds sweep the light particles up to and over their summits; again, when the wind changes, it drives the snow before it like whitecapped waves, and, pressing it close to the ground, the very mountains appear to be moving towards the plains. The immense prairies, deeply covered· with hard packed snow, are sometimes scoured by terrific blasts, which send minute particles whirling in dense cloud~)wer its surface. \\'hen the poor missionary is caught in stich a storm, he can see nothing to guide him on his way, and runs great risk of being lost. Last November a poor man was lost in the neighborhood of Fort Shaw, and had his feet frozen from exposure. After a few days it was found necessary to amputate them, and he was sent to the hospital at Helena. At Fort Benton it is now forty degrees below zero, centigrade; they have no fire wood, and have to go twenty miles to get it, hauling it over the snow. In the Mission of St. Peter, although we suffer much �Indian Missio1Zs. 145 from cold, yet we are consoled by much spiritual fruit obtained. I have been recompensed for all the labors of my journey, by the first success among the Blackfeet. During the novena of Christmas, the-Holy Child granted me the gracious favor of baptizing an Indian woman, one hundred and twenty years of age. She was reputed to be a medicine woman, and had cured many whites at Fort Benton. Some months ago, near the Mission, a young man, attacked by a panther, had received four ugly wounds on the head ; and this old woman effeCI:ed a complete cure in the course of a month, using only one herb for the purpose. She would not see the missionary, and to all who spoke to her about religion, she answered that she would riot receive Baptism, because after death she wanted to travel the same road as her sons had done. I visited her several times, but took care not to touch upon the subjeCt: of religion. On the first day of the Novena for Christmas, a man came and told me, that the old woman was speaking of dying. This morning she was saying that she had expeCI:ed to die when the cherries ripened; but that now she thought death was near, and she requested not to be buried beneath the ground, but that her body might be placed upon a tree, after the manner of her tribe, because she wished to rejoin her sons. Next day I said Mass to obtain the conversion of this soul, and started on horseback to see her. The poor thing was seated in silence on the ground. I saluted her, and said it was time for her to be baptized, and that if she refused she would go to a fiery chamber, a place of torments, where she would ne'ver see her sons ; if, on the other hand, she consented, then she would go to Heaven, where she would find all her good children with God. She finally was persuaded, but expressed a wish to retain her medicines. I was not aware that she dealt in this business, and began to suspeCt: something on hearing such a request. I told her that she might keep her medicines if they were good, and that I should like to see them. Thereupon, opening a little bag, she took out a root, and said that when it was boiled and a drink made from it, it would cure a cold. I asked VoL. x-No. 2. 19 �Indian Missions. her if she performed any ceremonies while using this; she said that she did not, and I told her that it was a good medicine, and she could keep it. Then she took a bit of wood and said, when this is reduced to a powder and used as a snuff, it stops bleeding at the nose, without any ceremony being added. I told her to keep this, too, and many other remedies which she showed and explained. 1 then asked her from whom she had learned the virtue of these medicines ; she said that no one had taught her; but that when she stood in need of anything she went to sleep, and a person appeared to her in a dream, who pointed out where she would find a root to cure the disease. I asked her: "Can we obtain a sight of this person?" "No." "Has he horns?" "No; his face is beautiful!" "Has he wingslong wings-and horse's feet?" She replied that he was winged, but that his wings were very short and white, and that he had feet like a chicken, and that nevertheless he walked upon the water, and she liked him very much. Returning in the afternoon, I caused her to renounce all dealings that she might have had with the evil one; and when she had made all the promises necessary to convince me of her sincerity, I admitted her to Baptism. Just before the pouring of the water, when I was stretching out my hand to place it on her head, she began to tremble from head to foot with great terror. After Baptism she became tranquil in body, and her face was very calm. She was my first convert from among the Blackfeet, and I called her Mary. ·On New Year's Day I baptized a Blackfoot boy, and gave' him the name of Joseph. Just now I have four Protestants under instruCtion, and they are very eager to learn, and will soon receive Baptism. A good American Catholic called upon me, and begged me to try and persuade his wife, who was a Protestant, to embrace the faith; he added that he had not himself urged her in regard to religion, because he did not wish to excite the ill-will of her relations. I visited the family two or three times, and, having learned how matters stood, I said to her one day: "Well, when shall we begin the instruc- �Indian fifissions. 147 tions ? " She understood what I meant, and answerell that we could begin that very evening, which was done. At Fort Shaw I have established a Catholic Society, whose members receive Holy Communion in a body every two months. The Commander, although a Protestant, is very courteous to the Catholic missionary, and on Sundays has the time for Mass announced by drumbeat. At Sun River they had not yet thought of building a Catholic Church. On the occasion of my first visit to that station, they told me that Mass would be said in the public school, which is used also as a Protestant meeting-house and a dance hall. I felt my blood begin to boil; I felt the full force of the text: "Zelus do11ws tuce comedit 11Je." I told the Catholics I was willing this once to say Mass in such a place, but that I should never do so again. A zealous Catholic said to his neighbors: "The Father is right; it isn't proper that where Christ comes upon the altar, in the very same place soon afterwards a Protestant minister should mount up and mock at our sacred mysteries." We have repaired the old school-house, which had been abandoned, and which will do well enough for a church. This is the way I took possession of it: The door was not locked, the principal owner lived sixty miles away, and as many, especially Protestants, had contributed to build it, none of the Catholics dared to enter it first, through fear of the legal consequences. I led the way, fixed my altar, had the broken panes supplied, and the whole place cleaned up. The next Sunday, Mass was celebrated there. Then, with a Catholic guide, I went to all those who had helped to ereCl: the building, and asked them if they were willing to cede whatever right they had in it to the Catholic congregation, and all, Protestants, as well as Catholics, subscribed their names to a paper of renunciation, which I had prepared, so that we came home part owners of the schoolhouse. Then I had a new lock put on, and took charge of the key. Shortly afterwards the principal owner, who was an excellent Catholic, wrote that he would sell his share in the building at a low figure. The legal transfer will be �indian .Missions. made as soon as possible, and thus Sun River will begin to have a Catholic Church. The church is all made of wood, but after some years, aided a little by the Propagation of the Faith, one will be constructed ~f stone or bricks. I wish to introduce the Sisters as soon as possible, for at present the children are obliged to go to a Protestant school. A thousand good wishes to Yr. Rev. R•• v•• Hummus Servus, P. P. PRANDO, s. J. V.-LAKE .SUPERIOR. Letter of Fatltrr .( RIVIERE J. Hebert. nu Pre, Dec. 30th, 1 88o. REVEREND ••FATHER, P. C. As the account of my missionary travels and adventures seems not altogether uninteresting to you, I am going to jot down whatever happened worth remarking in my journey of last spring. I left the Mission, March 14th, taking the route of Silver Islet, intending to spend St. Patrick's day with the Irishmen- in the vicinity. An Episcopalian minister from Prince Arthur's Landing happened to be my "compagnon de voyage" as far as the mine. He was extremely courteous and sociable; and praised very highly my predecessor in these missions, wondering greatly at the· long and painful journeys which he made for many years. In the course of his remarks he said that whatever be the opinion one may hold regarding the controverted point of the celibacy of ministers of the Gospel, there is no question that the missionaries of Lake Superior should be unmarried men. I perceived he had sent ahead his wife and eight children, that he might hide the sense of discredit and shame which the contrast between him and the Catholic priest, whose praises he was sounding, made him feel. He spoke, of his father, also a minister, but a Presbyterian, and �indian Missions. 149 said that he was wrong in not admitting the Episcopacy, as it was clear that the order existed in the Primitive Church. We were traveling on snow-shoes. I carried a burthen heavy enough on my back. He was unimpeded by any luggage; nevertheless, I was often obliged to halt and let him rest, and in spite of all he was barely able to reach Silver Islet. Imagine what a suitable target for the flying shot of Irish pleasantry! The morning after St. Patrick's day, I departed for the further end of Thunder Bay, where I should meet two young Indians of the Mission, who were to accompany me as far as Red Rock. I walked all day long alone, by no means a very pleasant occupation. It was about sunset, ·and though but a short distance from the rendezvous, not a soul could be seen ; neither could I discern any smoke, which would indicate the presence of a human being. I felt a little ·anxious and uneasy, for it was rather cold, and I had neither axe to cut wood, nor blanket for the night. By and by, I saw some one come and draw water from the Bay; things grew brighter, and my fears disappeared. It took us three days to reach Red Rock. At night, before sleeping, we built a large fire; then we drew in our beds as near as prudence allowed, and sometimes a little nearer. One morning, on awakening, I found my blanket of hare skins half burnt; yet that had not awakened me. Before arriving at our destination I was painfully made aware of what snow-blindness-mal de neige-is. I had often heard people talk of it; but then, for the first time, I had personal knowledge of how much it makes one suffer. After spending a few days at Red Rock to give the Catholics an opportunity to make their Easter duty, I set out for Nepigon. It was on Good Friday I started, hoping to reach the Fort for Easter. But we were still sixty miles away when the feast came, for the roads were very bad and our dogs rather lean. Easter Sunday morning the weather was beautiful.· The sun shone out magnificently, and scarce a breath of wind was stirring. Everything seemed to bid me say Mass. I did, but scarcely had I begun, when I regret- �ISO lndi'an JV!i'ssi'ons. ted it. Every breeze, how light soever, that passed, lifted a cloud of ashes and dust that covered my little altar. I no sooner removed to a respectable distance on one side, than I got just as much from the other. Finally, I finished, very thankful for having been able to say Holy Mass, but just as thankful for having finished. We arrived at the Fort. the last day of March. I had been there in January" to visit the sick, and had baptized a family of seven persons, all infidels. This time I remained there five days, which were pretty well taken up in the exercise of the holy ministry. I quitted it, April 5th, in the evening, accompanied by a half-breed and a savage, who were to make the complete tour with me. Mr. Henry De la Ronde l=jent along some of his men to escort us some· distance. <fie walked on snow-shoes, and as fast as we could, day and night, from the sth to the lOth, stopping only a couple of hours towards midnight to see an Indian family. I had to baptize one child and hear some confessions. Towards noon we had come to Negodinong, about which I have already written you. Thence, we went to Obabikang, where we were left by our escort, who returned to the Fort. lleft on the 9th for Onamani-Saging, which I had never visited but once in the spring of 1 877, with R. -P. Du Ranquet. I found there five families of pagans and one of Christians, in all twenty-five persons. As I was approaching I saw coming towards me a savage, till then very much attached to pagan superstitions. He smiled good-naturedly. This seemed the focerunner of good things. As my stay there was necessarily to be of the shortest, I began right away talking to the pagans of the religion of Jesus Christ. I found them exceedingly well disposed. I set about instructing them without delay, and the catechism was not shut once while I was there. Sunday evening, April 1 Ith, I baptized ten children, and next day ten grownup persons. I had forgotten to ask them to give- up the objects of their superstitious practices, and especially their Matclzimasti'ki'ki-evil medicine-but a Christian reminded me of it. All were ready except one young man, to whom �Indian Missimts. I 51 it seemed a little hard. He gave in, however, without my asking twice. How pleasant it was to burn these little coils of bark, th•at did the work of the devil!· I. bade them adieu, my hea.rt filled with gladness, thanking the good God for taking pity on those poor savages. After this, I left Lake Nepigon to go to Lake Long, taking a route I had never before followed; it obliged me to make a long roundabout march before getting there. Here's why I did it: in the spring of 1879, I saw at Lake Long two savages that came from some place they called Agoki Sagaigmz, and who brought two little boys that they wanted baptized. After finding out pretty well where they lived, I promised to go and see them before long, if possible. From that time I had not ceased thinking of the trip. At last I undertook to make it: We began to go up a river named Obabikang, which is very rapid, and the ice was already giving way. Twice I missed my footing, and barely escaped falling into the river. After three days we came to a Lake called Gct!tionit(fegense .Sagaigan. We had a good deal of bad weather, thunder and hail, so we stopped at the hut of a Canadian half-breed, Joseph Lagarde, who took us in kindly, which I was all the more thankful for, as I desired to spend a part of the spring around there, while waiting the breaking-up of the ice and the opening of the rivers. We stayed twenty-three days there, and had a good deal to suffer from the cold and smoke, not being able to make a fire, except outside our cotton tent. However, I was able to say Mass every day, and every evening we had prayers in common. I baptized while there ten infidels and two of the half-breed's children. It was here also I came nigh getting drowned. Going out one day a short distance from the camp, to take a look at the road we were to follow, I struck across a little bay, where it seemed some one had lately walked. I was soon sorry enough for my steps ; I sank through the ice to my knees, and then up to my waist. Had I not had my gun along, it would have been all over with me. I held it in front of me, the ends resting on either side on the ice. ,Getting at length on my feet �Indian Missions. again, and walking cautiously, I was able to get on terra firma safe and sound. On the 8th of May we left. On the 15th we· discovered a family encamped on the bank of the Agokisihi. We approach and are heartily welcomed. They happen to be near relations of one of my companions. The family comprises father, mother and two children. I· told them that, as it was late, and the next day was the great festival of Pentecost, we would not continue our journey till Monday. They seemed right glad. Encamped near them, I was able to see them often. After asking the help of the Holy Ghost, I propose to them our Holy Faith. They are not averse. I begin instruCting, and next evening I baptize the children, and on the following morning the father and the mother. I,then take leave of them promising to return next summer. They told me that I would soon come up with two families, relatives of theirs ; and so it fell out, for that evening we sighted their cabins. We get the same warm reception here as before. That night we set our net in the river, and next morning hauled in forty large pike. That same day (April 12th) we and the savages with us reached Lake Agoki. On the opposite· side were the poor people for whom I had undertaken this long voyage. For five days I instruCted the little band with us, and then baptizea them all. During this time we were anxiously listening for a signal from the opposite shore. At last, we resolved to cross, but there was no one there. The 23rd (Feast of the Holy Trinity), the weather being very fine, I said Mass. \Ve discharged our ~uns three times to let them know where we were, but there was no reply. We became somewhat anxious, for we were totally ignorant of the position of Lake Long, and of the route to be taken to get there. During the 24th and 25th, we coasted about the Lake, hoping to meet some one; but no. My men were rather downcast, and went out gloomily to stretch their nets. Soon they came back smiling, and told me that the long-looked-for savages were encamped not far away. Things seem cheerful again. ~traightway we went to pitch �Indian il1issions. 153 our tent near them. As Indian etiquette demands among friends a gener.al shaking of hands all around, I was able to form a pretty close estimate of their number. They form a pretty large band, and are not at all badly off for savages. That evening we had prayers, and quite a number attended. The ground where we tented was rather low, and it rained all night, so that on awakening in the morning I found I was lying in the water. After Mass I had sqme conversation with a few of the men, and learned that they had nearly all been baptized by the Protestant minister, at least all the men, for the women and children were yet infidels. Having cautiously tried their dispositions, and calculated the length of time I was able to pass among them, I concluded to put off till later all efforts at conversiOn. However, I asked to baptize the children, and they allowed it. I baptized seven. I should have done the same to six more, but an unfortunate circumstance had kept them at three days' distance from there. I placed in their hands prayers written in Indian, with letters invented by a Protestant Bishop. I was forced to learn this writing, the better to fight the devil on his own ground. The 26th, a few of the band going out to have a look at their traps, brought back three bears. They gave us a part; that same evening the three bears had disappeared, swallowed in the abyss of their awful stomachs, in gurgite vasto. Not to slander them, I should say that two of the brutes were not very large. The 27th, I was informed that one of the women had been attacked.by the colic. I wasn't surprised, considering the amount of bear she had eaten. 'Twas then, the panacea which the genius of PERRY DAVIS bequeathed to suffering humanity, brought relief to the woman of the forest. Passing by Lake Manito, of which I spoke in my last letter, I called upon the Lagarde Band, and baptized two children. · They thought that I was in a great hurry to leave them. I promised to see them again in the fall, but it was impossible for me to do so. Father Gagnon and I will make amends to them in a few days. I reached Lake VoL. x-No. 2. 20 �154 Indian Missions. Long on the Ist of June in the evening. The Indians had been expecting me for some time. I had plenty of work in hearing the confessions of the many Christians there. These confessions are difficult and slow, as the people are poorly instructed. I remained only six days at this place; and during my stay I baptized ten persons. There are only twenty there who still remain pagan. If I could have prolonged my visit, I think that more would have received Baptism; but I was obliged absolutely to reach Le Pic by the I zth, to meet Mgr. Jamot, in accordance with an agreement made a year ago. Consequently, leaving Lake Long on the 8th of June, I arrived at Le Pic on the I zth, where. I found Monseigneur and Fr. Cb~mbon. They had been there two or three days; they had n-ot been idle, but their limited acquaintance with the Indians prevented them from accomplishing much, and they had been waiting for me to begin the business in earnest. In spite of all the misery that had gone before, and although I was fagged out, the hardest labor of the trip was now before me; because only a short time could be given to each station, and the work to be done was considerable; and-for these reasons they had been waiting so anxiously for my coming. From three and a half A. M. until ten or eleven at night, I had scarcely time to take my mea,Is. This is the order of the day: P. Cham bon and I said~·a. very early Mass, and then were in the confessional until the Bishop's Mass, which took place about seven o'clock. . After Mass the Bishop gave instructions and advice to the Indians, which I interpreted. \Vhenever a sufficient number had been prepared, he administered Confirmation after Mass. From dinnertime, which was at noon, we were employed in explaining the catechism and in hearing confessions. Several times we had to accompany the Bishop, when he went to confirm the sick in their tents. Catechism and confessions filled up the afternoon. The Indians also had some meetings in re- �Indian Missions. 155 gard to the establishment of schools, etc., to which they invited Monseigneur, and which necessitated my presence. Then petitions to the government had to be drawn up. Finally, in the evening, the Breviary had to be finished, and little time tables made out for the Indians; so that it was well on to midnight before we could get to bed. By far the greater part of the Michipicoton Indians remain at the Fort for a very short time, and so we judged it best to go there without delay. Before carrying this plan into execution, some thirty Indians were confirmed, who had come from Lake Lung with the furs of the Hudson Bay Company. \Vith regard to these savages, I ought to say that it was wonderful to witness the action of the Holy Spirit upon their simple and sincere hearts; it manifested itself in their looks and words. How glad they were to have come to Le Pic, where they had seen so many things to excite their admiration! Father Cham bon remained at Le Pic. It took only a day and a half for us to reach Michipicoton, one hundred miles from Le Pic. It was on the 10th of June. I told you in a former letter that this is the stronghold of Methodism. \Ve resolved, then, to make a longer stay here than elsewhere. Mr. Bell, the Bourgeois of the Hudson Bay Company, received us kindly, and insisted upon the Bishop taking up his quarters at the Fort. Our days were filled with the occupations that I have described above. There were meetings in regard to a school and petitions were drawn up. On Sunday, the 20th, neariy all the Methodists came to Mass and Vespers. After Vespers, as it was fine weather, they stretched themselves upon the grass near the church. The Bishop entered into familiar conversation with them, and almost all of them seemed to be favorably disposed. Nevertheless, only ten returned to the true fold ; let us hope that there will be better success next summer. Sixty-five were confirmed here. The Bishop expressed his satisfaction at all that he saw, and congratulated them on their handsome little church, their school-house and general progress. �Indian Missions. Leaving Michipicoton after dinner on the 23rd, we came back tired out to Le Pic, which we reached at 5 A. 111. June 25th. Here we were even more busy than at the place we had left, for the Indians are more numerous. Many approached the Sacraments; one hundred and sixty-eight persons were confirmed ; several pagans were baptized, and also some Methodists. On the 28th we started for Red Rock, and reached it on the 30th, after a journey of one hundred miles. \Ve thought it better to give the Mission at Nepigon first, and having set out next day, we camped on tht! evening of July 1st near the Nepigon Bdgade, composed partly of Christians and partly of pagans. All assisted at the instruction; theri came the confessions, rendered troublesome by clouds of mosquitoes,; next day, communion, and twelve persons confirmed:.. Proceeding forward, we were delayed nearly a whole day by contrary winds at Lake Nepigon. On the afternoon of the 3rd we sailed twelve miles before reaching the Fort, under circumstances that I shall riot be apt to forget. It was a dead calm, but towards the west the sky was covered with black clouds, which began to pile up and hurry towards us. B.efore undertaking the passage, Alexandre De Sukonde, who has sailed on every sea, turned towards Monseigneur, as if to ask him for directions. He gave a sign to go on, and we started. I must confess that i was not quite at ease, expecting a squall to spring up at a1_1y moment. Happily, we were spared, and escaped with a thorough drenching. \Ve could not reach the Fort until next day, and had to camp out at it" short distance from it. The warmth of our reception made up for all we had gone through. Our stay here was to be short, for P. Chambon was to remain after our departure. We set to work, as at the other places, and by the 6th a great many had confessed and received Holy Communion, and ninety-~ix had been confirmed ; besides, fivt! pagans received Baptism. Quitting the Fort on the 7th, we reached Red Rock, after a journey of one hundred miles, on the 8th. Three days here-crowds for confession-ninety-five con- �San Xavier del Bac, Anzona. I 57 firmed.· I was worn out completeiy, and was suffering from a bad cold. We left Red Rock oil the izth; bad weather and foggy; I jth, reached Silver Islet; the few Indians there came to confession, and eight were confirmed on the 14th. \Ve got back to the Mission that evening. This, Reverend Father, is an imperfeCt description of my tour for I88o. During the four months that it lasted I baptized ninety persons, of whom the greater number were infidels, Monseigneur, P. Cham bon and I having a share in the Baptisms after I had joined them. You see that I have good reasons for thanking the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to which I attribute the success of my labors, as well as the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, to whose powerful intercession I am so much indebted. Help me to make suitable returns for these favors. Regards to all acquaintances at Woodstock. R•• v•• in( in X 10 Servus, J. HEBERT, S. J. SAN XAVIER DEL BAC, ARIZONA. A SKETCH OF THE ?.fiSSION, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF ITS CHURCH. (I) What is the history of this .mission ? How old is its church? Who built it? These are questions often asked by strangers, who co not fail to go to San Xavier del Bac<2> as soor. as they have visited the old Presidio, to-day the g;owing city of Tucson. The San Xavier Mission, which is situated in the Santa Cruz valley, nine miles south of Tucson, was established by the Jesuit missionaries for the Papago<3> Indians towards the end of the seventeenth century. (tJ Condensed from an account written by "A Missionary of Arizona," pub· lished last year in pamphlet form at San Francisco, and sold to aid in the completion of St. Mary's Hospital. <•J The word Bac, in the language of the Aborigines, means a place where there is water. (3J Papa go, according to the explanation given to us by one of the Indians of San Xavier, means "hair cut," the sign by which, formerly, those converted to the faith were distinguished. �San Xa'l/ier del Bac, Arizo11a. The Jesuits, who had missions in Sinaloa since 1590, reached Sonora on the 13th of March, 168J, with Father Kino as Superior. In 1690 four missions had already been established in Sonora, and were visited by Fr. Juan Maria Salvatierra, who had been sent from Mexico as Visitor. During this visit FF. Salvatierra and Kino were invited to go to their rancherias or villages, by some Indians, who had come from a distance of over one hundred and twenty miles-the region where subsequently were established the Missions of Tumacacori and San Xavier-and so earnest were their demands, that the missionaries changed their itinerary, and followed them as far as Guevavi, where they founded the first mission(!> which was established in the country now called Arizona. As for San Xavier, we have not seen any record of its first starr-.as a Mission. 'What we know is that, in 1692, the missionaries were visiting the different tribes of the western part of the country, and that in 1694 they established two missions on the Gila River. But from these fads, can we not infer that the San Xavier Mission was already existing, especially when we know that it was the strong wish of the Papago Indians to have missions established in their villages? Moreover, the location which the aCl:ually existing church occupies, and the rich and extensive valley by which it is surrounded, must have attraCted at once the attention of the missionaries. We can, then, safely suppose that this mission was established soon after that of Guevavi, if not at the sa!lle time. Nevertheless, San Xavier had no resident priest._for several years after its establishment, but was attended from Guevavi. The ·first church was a small adobe building, the most easily ereCl:ed to meet the wants of the new Mission. The fragments of records we have found in the church give us an idea of the population that lived in the vicinity, by the number of Baptisms that were yearly administered from 1720 to 1767. This population must have been considerable. We find in the same books that twenty-two Jesuit missionaries sue<1>This l\Iission, now abandoned, was situated in the southern part of Ari· zona, near the frontier of Sonora. �San Xavier del Bac, Anzona. 159 cessively administered at San Xavier between the dates mentioned, the last of which was that of their expulsion by the Spanish government. The missions they had established during their stay in the province of Sonora were twenty-nine in number, consisting of seventy-three Indian pueblos, as is stated in the Rudo Ensayo, a geographical description of Sonora, written in 1762 by one of the Jesuit Fathers. The Mission of San Xavier was one of the most flourishing in Sonora under the care of the Jesuits, and the loss of these missionaries could not but affeCt: it very seriously, as well as all the others. In 1767, the Marquis de Croix, Viceroy of Mexico, made an application to the guardian of the Franciscan College of Santa Cruz de Queretaro, Mexico, requesting him on the part of King Charles III, to send fourteen, or at least twelve priests of his Order to take charge of the missions of Sonora. The petition was granted, and on the 27th of March, 176S, after a long and painful voyage, the fourteen missionaries asked for landed at Guaymas. Soon after, they proceeded to San Miguel de Horcacitas, where they fixed the headquarters of their labors. Amongst the missions that were considered important enough to require the presence of a priest was that of San Xavier, to which was assigned· one of the new missionaries, the Rev. Francisco Garcez. We must here mention that the missions had passed through many trials from their establishment to the time the Jesuit Fathers were compelled to abandon them. The most severe of all was a revolt of the Pimas and Ceris, which broke o~t in 1751 and lasted over two years, causing the death of several missionaries, and obliging the others to temporarily leave their missions until better times should come. This revolt subsided in 1754, as is shown by the following note extraCl:ed from the records of Tubac : "On the 21st of November, I 7 51, all this Pima nation rebelled, and deprived this Mission of its spiritual adviser until now, 1754. in which year the Indians have returned to their pueblo, meaning, as they say, to live peaceably. And for the authenticity of this writing, I sign it. Francisco Paner. �I6q San Xavier del Bac, Arizo1ta. The priest who wrote this note was then alone in the missions of the northern part of the province, as we see by the different visits he made at that time from Tubac to San Xavier and Tucson. The Baptisms he administered the same year in these missions are: for Tubac, 49; for Tucson, 50; and for San Xavier 43· The missions which had escaped going to complete ruin during this revolt were hardly started again when the Jesuits were expelled. No wonder that Father Garcez found San Xavier in a pitiable condition. This mission, says A. Velasco, in his .Noticias Estadisticas, was very poor when the missionary took possession of it. It was lacking the means necessary .not only to support a priest, but even to furnish the most essential things for the worthy celebration of the sac-red mysteries. But these difficulties could not deter the~ new Apostle from his undertaking. As he aimed only at the spiritual welfare of the Indians, he thought but very little of his personal comfort. His zeal won the admiration of the Indians, as they saw him accommodate him'3elf to their customs; his bed was the bare ground, and for covering he had nothing but his clothes ; his food was that of the Indians; his breakfast consisted of a cup of ·atole (corn mush); instead of bread, tortillas (pancakes), an9 some dish of wild plants, such as sow-thistle, and occasionally roasted corn, made up his whole fare. He never used tobacco in any shape, but carried it always with him in order to gratify the Indians.(!) Such a mortified way of living was evidently imp9.sed upon him originally by circumstances; but Father Garcez did not improve it when things were better regulated, and when a certain amount of provisions was regularly furni.shed by the government to the missionaries. All he could get in the way of sugar, chocolate and other supplies, was carefully stored and kept for his Indians. These articles were partly issued to them as delicacies, and partly sold to purchase agricultural implements. By this liberality he won the affeetion (tl These details about F. Garcez are extracted from the Corona Serafica del Golegio de Santa Cruz de Queretaro, Mexico, 1792, which gives the history of the missions of Sonora during the administration of the Franciscan Fathers. �San Xtwicr del Bac, Arizo11a. lui of the Indians. During his stay at San Xavier ( 1768-I778), he visited several times all the Indian tribes of Arizona, and . prepared almost all of them to receive missionaries, had these been sent to them. But owing to a want of material resources, or rather to a lack of energy on the part of the military authorities, two new missions only could be established during his life, and under his leadership. These are the Immaculate Conception, and St. Peter and St. Paul, which were opened in March, 1778, on the Colorado River. The date, I 797, which is seen on one of the doors of the Church of San Xavier, .is, according to the tradition, the date of the monument's completion, the building of which had required fourteen years. This is confirmed by the testimony of a few persons whom we have seen since we have been living in Arizona, and who assert that they assisted at the dedication of the church. vVho are the priests that built it? No mention has been made of their names in any of the records we have met with, nor did those true sons of the humble St. Francis put on the walls any mark that could manifest their personal merit to future generations. vVhat they did was to place the coat of arms of their Order on the frontispiece of the church, as if to say to us: vVe, unknown to you, poor religious of St. Francis, have built this for you ; pray for us! Nevertheless, if the tradition be right about the time spent for the building of the church, we can raise the veil of humility by looking at the names oi the missionaries of whom mention is made in the church records during the said period. According to this tradition, the present church, which was built near and to replace the old one left by the Jesuits, was commenced in 1783, and, as inferred from the books, under the administration of the Rev. Balthasar Carillo, whose name is mentioned in said books from May 22d, 1780, to 1794· His successor, as Superior of the Mission, was the Rev. Narciso Gutierres, who remained in charge until 1799. From these considerations, we may safely conclude that it is to the above-named priests that we are inVaL. x-No. 2. 21 �162 San ){avier del Bac, Arizona. debted for the too much dilapidated, but yet elegant and rich church of San Xavier, which attraCts the attention of every visitor to Arizona. It may be asked what were the means the m1sswnaries had at their disposal for the ereCtion of such struCtures as those, the remains of which are seen at San Xavier, Tumacacori and other places? According to the writers of the Rudo Ensayo and the Noticias Estadisticas, the churches were built with the sole produCt of the land, assigned by the government to each mission, which was cultivated by the Indians under the direCtion of the priests. To this resource we might add the produCt of the live stock, and also what the missionaries were able to spare of the scant allowance of provisions issued by the government, amounting yearly to $300 for each one. This explains why the building of the churches required so long a time, and also why some of them remained unfinished in parts. \Ve will here say a few words about the dealing of the missionaries with the Indians, and about the way they taught them, little by little, the manners of a civilized life. We will only give some particulars received about San Xavier, from men who saw the Fathers at work and who were employed by them, as foremen, in the different labors carried on in this Mission. The Indians were free to work for themselves or for the church; to cultivate their own fields or the church land, with this difference, that the former had to look for their maintenance, while the latter were supported by the Mission. Tho~e who worked for the Mission depended on it for food and clothing, not only for themselves, but for their families. For that purpose provisions were stored in the mission house, and distributed in due time. Early in the morning the Indians had to go to church for morning prayers and Mass. Breakfast followed. Soon after, a ring of the bell called the workmen to the atrium, a little square place in front of the church, where they were counted by one of the priests and assigned to the different places where work was to be done. When the �San .Xavier del Bac, Arizona. priests were in sufficient number, they used to superintend the work, laboring themselves, otherwise they employed some trustworthy Mexicans to represent them. Towards evening, a little before sundown, the workmen were permitted to go home. On their arrival in the houses, which surrounded the plaza, one of the priests, standing in the middle of this plaza, said the evening prayers in a loud voice in the language of the tribe. Every word he pronounced was repeated by some selected Indians who stood between him and the houses, and lastly by all the Indians present in the tribe. Notwithstanding these orderly measures, many of the Indians fled every day from their respeEl:ive squads before reaching the place where they had to work, and tried only to be present at meals. Nevertheless, these are the men who, by their work, enabled the missionaries. to build their churches and houses, learning at the same time how to earn their living in the future. That the Indians must have been happy under such a rule, nobody can doubt, and San Xavier, owing perhaps to the vicinity of the Presidio of Tucson,< 1> became afterwards one of the most flourishing missions under the administration of the Franciscan Fathers. It continued progressing until the year I 8 10. Then was heard, all over the territory of New Spain, the cry of Independence. Very soon the government commenced to feel embarrassed financially, and the annual help allowed to the missions failed to come in due time, and, in many instances, failed to be paid at all. From this time they had to suffer, more or less, year by year, until the last stroke was aimed at them by the expulsion of their missionaries, which followed the fall of the Colonial government in Mexico, December 2nd, J82J. Here ends the history of the Indian missions. By the fall of the Spanish domination and the expulsion of the Franciscans, the Indians remained without any protection. They could not but miss at once the support they were (I) This Presidio was established some time after the revolt of the Pimas, either to prevent any subsequent rebellion on the part of these Indians, or to protect them agai.nst their cruel enemy, the Apaches. �Sa1l .Xmll·er del Bac, Arizona. wont to receive from the church. In a very short time, many of them, finding themselves without any resources, commenced to scatter here and there, and to return gradually to the customs of their former Indian life. Then followed the destruCtion of the live stock left by the missionaries, and the settlement by the soldiers and Mexican people on the mission lands. Thus the population of the missions commenced to be a mixed one. The Indians who formed the population of the Mission were the Papagoes, who belong to the large tribe known by the name of Pimas, still scattered over a great portion of Sonora and Arizona. Those living in the southern part of Sonora were called Indians of the Pimeria Baja, while those who had settled on what has since become Arizona, were designated by the name of Indians of the Pimeria Alta. Th-e·latter were always more exposed to the attacks of the Apaches, as they were too far from the presidios, or military posts, to receive any proteCtion from them. Owing to this faet, they were all good warriors, and succeeded not only in defending themselves, but many times in preventing the enemy from molesting others. These Indians, though barbarous in their customs, and inclined to the use of intoxicating liquors, which they made fron~ several kinds of wild fruits,(IJ were industrious, thrifty and more sociable than the other Indians living in the missions. Their moral charaCter was excellent. Previous to the establishment of the missions amongst them, they had a knowledge of the sacredness of !))arriage, as they kept it .always in its unity and perpetuity. They were so stria on this point that the woman who committed adultery was punished with death. As far as we know, and have been told by several persons, the same rule is in force yet among the Papagoes. It is also said by many \Vho are acquainted with these Indians, that they are the most virtuous people in the world. As for the other tribes, it is but too well known that they have greatly changed their former feelings about morality since they have been in contaCt with the Cll The most noxious of these liquors was that made of the elder tree berry. �San )(avier del Bac, Arizona. white people. The Indians are generally chaste in their language, neither do they curse or use any profane words. The number of the Indians living at San Xavier can only be approximately calculated, as many of them do not remain in the pueblo after the harvest of the wheat. Those who are steady in residing are about five hundred in number, forming, as it were, two villages, each one having a special chie( As for the total number of Papagoes living in Arizona, it is estimated to be about five thousand. Amongst the customs which were observed by the Indians there is one worthy of mention which still prevails in the Papago tribe, and this is, the purification praCtised for forty days by any Indian who has killed any one, whether with just reason or not. During this time he cannot reside in the pueblo, but must remain out in some place where his relatives will carry him the food he needs, and leave him alone. It is only after the purification time is over that the Indian can be received back into the tribe to be treated as a brave, if the man he has killed was an enemy. As regards the modern history of the Mission of San Xavier, we have but little to say. As a consequence of the expulsion of the Franciscans, the secular priests being very few in the province of Sonora, it was condemned to remain without a resident minister for a long time. It is true, it was never abandoned, as the Bishop of Sonora had it put under the charge of the parish priest of Magdalena; but, owing to the distance and the danger from the Ap. aches, the visits of the priest were only on rare occasions. This state of things lasted until 1859, when Arizona was aggregated to the diocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, whose Bishop, the Right Rev. J. B. Lamy, made it his duty to have the new field opened to his labors, provided with some priests at once. The first priest sent thither was Rev. J. P. Machebeuf, at present Vicar-Apostolic of Colorado . . He found the Church of San Xavier, the only one which had not gone to complete ruin amongst all the missions of Arizona, still showing many unequivocal proofs of its former beauty. He saw, however, that the vaults of this tern- �166 San Xavier del Bac, Arizona. ple had been greatly injured by leakage, and his first care was to have a coat of mortar put on the outside surface, in order to prevent any further damage. The Indians of San Xavier had not entirely forgotten what they had been taught by the old missionaries. As soon as they knew that there was a priest amongst them, they rushed to the church and rang the bells to welcome him. They went to listen to his instruCtions, and brought their children to be baptized. In a very short time the missionary ascertained that they knew some prayers, and, to his great amazement, even two or three were able to sing at Mass, though not exaCtly according to the rules and notations of the Gregorian chant. This was more than was expeCted~ but there was another agreeable surprise for the · priest, w~en he saw the Indians bringing to him several church articles, which they had kept for years in their houses lest they should be stolen. The Very Rev. J. P. Machebeuf spent only a few months in Arizona. It was with sincere regret that he left the country; but the report he made induced the Bishop to send another priest to it soon afterwards. In March, 1864, the Bishop came to Arizona and made a pastoral visitation to the Mission of San Xavier, and to the new parish of San Augustin, at Tucson. These churches were administered at that time by FF. C. Mesea and L Bosco, S. J. The next year the Papagoes agent, Col. C. D. Poston, applied to the Bishop .for a Catholic teacher for these Indians. The teacher was· sent, with three mission-·. aries, also assigned to the missions of Arizona; but when he arrived at Tucson, Feb. 7, I 866, the Indian agent had left the country, and the school could not be started as intended-that is to say, as a school supported by the government. Nevertheless, the priest who then aCted as VicarGeneral in Arizona, determined to open a school at his own expense for the Indians until things could be regulated., This school was opened in the church, but owing to the negligence of the Indians, and to want of means, it lasted only a few months. No other school was established for �San Xavier del Bac, Arizo11a. the Papagoes until September, 1873, under the administration of R. A. Wilbur as Indian Agent. This school, supported at the expense of the government, was dire[ted by three Sisters of St. Joseph. From its beginning it seemed that it would be a real success, and it proved so all the time it was in existence. Unfortunately, this time was too short. By order of the Department, the Papago Agency was consolidated with that of the Pimas on the I st of April, I 876, and the school suppressed the same day. Though ignorant of the reasons for this order, we cannot but regret that it should have been issued. The Indians were pleased with the way the Sisters treated the chilJren, as they have declared several times to the inspectors sent by the government to visit the Agency. Indeed, the Sisters did all in their power to make themselves useful in the tribe. Besides teaching the children, they visited the sick and· took care of them during the leisure time left by the school. It was not long before a good number of the young Indians could make a fair show in spelling and reading. Gradually the teachers and pupils overcame the great difficulty of understanding each other, and it was no little pleasure for visitors to see the Sisters speaking now in English, then in the language of the tribe, and being answered by· the pupils in either language. The teaching, besides reading, writing and arithmetic, embraced household work for the young girls. The Indian children were not very regular in attendance, still the classes were numerous enough to be conduCted with success. Though the school lasted only a short time, it has not been fruitless. This can be seen by the manner in which some of the pupils have regulated their way of living since. From April, 1876, the Papago Indians have remained without a special agent. vVhat the government gained by that we do not know; but what is obvious to all people acquainted with these Indians is that the loss has been for them. Being far from the agent to whose care they were committed, and left too much to themselves, too many of them have fallen back either materially or morally. In these late years they have indulged �168 San Xavier del Bac, Arizona. freely in the use of strong liquors, which has been the cause not only of the squandering of the little money they had, but of many quarrels, ending, too often, in the loss of life. Religious service is held at San Xavier regularly every other Sunday at nine A. M. DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH. The church, as can be seen by its arches, surpassing the semicircle and the ornamental work in low relief which covers the flat surfaces of some parts of its walls, belongs to the Moorish style. The first thing to be noticed is the atrium, a little enclosure 66x33 feet, which separates the church from the plaza, and whicli:was used, as we have seen, for the place of meetings relating to matters not direetly conneCted with religion. On the frontispiece, which shows the width of the church with its two towers, is placed, in low relief, the coat-of-arms of the order of St. Francis of Assisi. It consists of an escutcheon, with a white ground, filled in with a twisted cord and a cross, on which are nailed one arm of our Saviour and one of St. Francis, representing the union of the disciple with the Divine l\Iaster in charity and the love of sufferin~. The arm of our Lord is bare, while that of St. Francis is covered. On the right and left of the escutcheon are the monograms, I. H. S. and B. V. M. The frontispiece was surmounted by a life size statue of St. Francis, which has now gone pretty nearly all t~·pieces under the aClion of tin1e. .... . . The church, which is built of stone and brick, is 105x27 feet inside the walls. Its form is that of a cross, the transept forming on each side of the nave a chapel of twenty-one feet square. The church has only one nave, which is divided into six portions, marked by as many arches, each one resting on two pillars set against the walls. Above the .transept is a cupola of about fifty feet in elevation, the remainder of the vaults in the church being only about thirty feet high. �San _J{avier del Bac, Arizona. Going from the front door to the main altar, there is on the right hand side wall a fresco representing the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the Disciples. Opposite to it is the piCture, also in fresco, of the Last Supper. Both paintings measure about 9x5 feet. · In the first chapel, to the right hand, are two altars, one facing the nave, with the image of our "Lady of Sorrows," standing at the foot of a large cross, which is deeply engraved in the wall, and the other one with the image of the Immaculate Conception. In the same chapel are two frescos representing Our· Lady of the Rosary and the Hidden Life of our Saviour. The opposite chapel is also adorned with two altars. One of them is dedicated to the Passion of our Lord, and the other to St. Joseph. There are also two paintings, the subjects of which are: Our Lady of the Pillar, and the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple. The main altar, which stands at the head of the church, facing the nave, is dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. These altars, and especially the principal one, are decorated with columns and a great profusion of arabesques, in low relief, all gilded or painted with different colors, in the Moorish style. Besides the images we have mentioned, there are the statues of the twelve Apostles, placed in niches cut in the pillars of the church, and many others, representing generally some saint of the Order of St. Francis. There are also in the dome of the cupola the piCtures of several personages of the Order who occupied high rank in the Church. Going again to'the front door, there are two small openings communicating with the towers. The first room on the right, which is formed by the inside of the tower, is about twelve feet square, and is used for the ministration of Baptisms. There is a similar room in the left tower which is of no particular use now, but which corresponds to the mortuary chapel of the old basilicas. From each one of these rooms commence the stairs, cut in the thickness of the walls, and leading to the upper stories. StartVaL. x-No. 2. 22 �San Xa'ZJier del Bac, Arizona. ing from the baptistery, the second flight reaches the choir of the diurch. A good view· of the upper part of the monument can be had from that place. Two flights more lead to the belfry, where are four rough and home-made bells of small size. Twenty-hvo steps more bring the visitor to the top story, and under the little dome covering the tower, an .elevation of about seventy-five feet above the ground. One of the towers was never completed; it lacks the dome and plastering from the second story above. Some people say that this was owing to the death of the principal builder, which must have occurred before the completion of the work. Some others believe that it was in order to avoid the payment of a tribute which, according to them, was due to the Pope by all finished churches. Neither one of these ~e-xplanations is admissible; because the principal builders of this church were two brothers by the name of Gauna, who were subsequently employed to build the Church of Tumacacori; and because there is no mention whatever in history of any tribute to be paid to the Pope, by any church, whether finished or unfinished. On the west side of the church, separated from it by a narrow passage, is an enclosure, with a small mortuary ch3pel. formerly used as a cemetery, at its western side. On the east side of the church is the mission building, which formerly occupied a somewhat extensive space, and consisted of the rooms necessary for the priests, of a soap faCtory and stores for the provisi.gns. Besides, there were several farm houses on the mission- land. Of these buildings there are now only two rooms, making a body with the church, and four extending south and facing on the church plaza. All these rooms were repaired by the government in 1873, with the consent and under the supervision of the Bishop, and used as a school-house until 1876. �BRAZIL. THE COLLEGE OF ITU. PARA, January 22, r88I. REVEREND AND DEAR FATHER, P. C. In this letter I will endeavor to give you some news about the labors of our beloved Society in Brazil. In doing so, I shall try to be as brief, clear and exaCt: as possible ; but I do not know whether I shall be able to master the difficulty I find in expressing myself in your language. I ought, first of all, say something about a college which our Spanish Fathers had some thirty years ago in the Island of Sta. Catharina. As I have no documents, and write from what I merely remember, I can fix neither the date upon which their college was opened, nor that upon which it was closed. All that I can say is that these good Fathers went to Sta. Catharina a·fter their expulsion from Montevideo, and that their college flourished for a short time. Its temporary success was owing to the number of boys that came from Montevideo to attend its classes. The College was finally given up on account of the terrible Yellow Fever, which carried off t:lany of the Fathers and some of the students. Those of Ours, who had survived the scourge, were called· away by their Superiors. Meanwhile, they had done a great deal of good, and left among the inhabitants a very favorable idea of the Society, which proved of service to us at a later period. Before proceeding with my narrative of another effort made to found a permanent College in Sta. Catharina, I must make short mention of the Mission of the German Fathers in Brazil. Its field of operations covered the extreme southern Province of the Empire, and was intended chiefly for the spiritual aid of the German colonists who ( IJI) �Bra:::il. have settled in that region. Some of these Fathers were employed in the Capital, where they had their central Res· idence, whilst others labored in scattered distriCts of the interior. In the year I 86o, Don Sebastiao Larangeira, Bishop of Rio Grande do Sui, obtained from our Superiors some Fathers for his Seminary, and thus the Brazilian ·Mission passed to the Roman Province. These first Fathers applied themselves to their work with great fervor, and for a time things went on well ; soon, however, they discovered that the difficulties with which they had to contend were almost insurmountable. The Superior himself lost courage, and withdrew to the Mission of the Spanish Fathers, in the Argentine Republic. \Vhile the other Fathers were also preparing for their departure, one of them chanced to hear that the 'People of Sta. Catharina were anxious to enjoy the privilege of a Jesuit College. This information was too important to be allowed to pass unheeded. The Father who had been the first to receive the good tidings was forthwith commissioned to investigate their truth, and was advised, in case the rumor proved true, to make offers of willingness to undertake the establishment of a College. He immediately began a correspondence with all those interested in the business, and soon had the happiness of receiving the desired permission. It was at this time that Rev. Father Razzini, of the Province of Turin, was sent by V. R. Father General to be Su. perior of our Mission. Father Razzini afterwards went to California, and perchance passed·· through \Voodstock on his way thither. He came to us invested with extraordinary powers. These extended even to the German Mission, which was in some manner united to ours for a few years. Eventually, it was separated from us, and is doing a great deal of good through its single College and a few small Residences. As for us, the College of Sta. Catharina went on but poorly for a few years. This was partly owing to the poverty of the people of the Island, and of the whole province, �Brazil. 173 and partly to the difficulty of communication with the other provinces. Owing to these causes, we never had as many as twenty boarrlers at a time, and they often were as few as eleven. Our pupils at no period reached the number of fifty. Still, we were obliged by our contract with the government to teach ten different branches, although it was not a rare occurrence for each teacher to have but one scholar in attendance at his lesson. The most serious obstacle to our prosperity, and the one most sensibly felt was our want of funds, wherewith to carry on the College and to support ourselves. These were so low at times that we were often on the verge of actual want~ The government gave us yearly for our services only three Contos de Reis, viz: fifteen hundred dollars of your money, and what the boys paid was not sufficient to maintain themselves. Although, under this condition of things, dejection was general, yet, thanks be to God, the spirit of Sacrifice did not fail in any of us. The Superior had resolved to abide by the contracl::, at any cost, for the stipulated ten years. Not so the government. The party that carne into power in the year 1869 began a regular persecution against us for the furtherance of its political views, and strove to find some pretext to rescind the contract. \Vith this purpose in view, its partisans claimed the right to visit our schools, examine our pupils, etc. As all this was done ad malum ji1tem, and was a violation of the agreements made in the contract, the Rev. Fr. Rector protested and refused to open the schools to the official visitors. The consequence was that the government refused to pay the little sum it had promised.. The Rector, finding it impossible to consult his Superiors, then made use of his discretional powers, and closed the College in March, 1870. To replace in some degree the College, which had lasted six or seven years, a Residence was opened, in which five or six Fathers are now stationed. Their missionary lahors are very successfuL·I fear that my description ofthe short and struggling life of the College of Sta. Catharina may lead you to believe it to have been produCtive of but little fruit. It would be �174 Brazil. wrong to leave you under any such impression. The truth is, that while this College was in existence, it served as a medium for opening other Colleges, and especially that of Itu. Then, our Fathers were able to do much good by exercising the holy ministries, resistance was made to the spread of the errors which the Protestants were endeavoring to propagate, many ·sinners were converted, and some Freemasons were reconciled to the Church. Several of the latter died in the best dispositions shortly after their conversion, and we have good grounds to believe that they are in Heaven praying for us. Of course our scholars did not fail to requite us for what we had done for them. Two of them became members of our Society, two others are good secular priests, and several others. are living up to our teachings. more or less perfeB:ly, in-good situations in the busy world. During the short life of the College of Sta. Catharina, Father Razzini opened two other Colleges, one in the capital of the Province of Pernambuco, another in a little town of the Province of St. Paul. I will first say a few words about the College of Pernambuco, and then give you the history of that of Itu, which still exists. In 1865, the Bishop of Pernambuco applied to V. R. Father General for some Fathers to carry on his Seminary of 'Olinda. His request was granted, but in the follo\Xing year the Bishop died, and our Fathers were in a short time obliged to give up their places in the Seminary. They immediately started a College in the _same town, and tried by every means in their power to eff~tr'some good. The College, though not very large, was thriving until, as I told you in a former letter, it was attacked by Freemasons, May J4, I 873. After ibis the Fathers removed to a little village not far from the town, where they again opened the College in a house offered them by a friend. Fear of the Freemasons neither hindered them from makin.g frequent visits to the town, nor from laboring for the benefit of religion, both in the town itself, in the Seminary, and surrounding distriB:s. In the midst of discouragements, our Fathers worked �Brazil. 175 on cheerfully. They formed plans for the commencement of a new College, and hoped soor.. to establish a promising Mission in the interior of the Province, when Freemasonry resolved to vent its fury upon them once more. This time it decreed their expulsion, and the decree was inexorable. A revolt, most probably the work of Freemasons, gave them a fair occasion to put their resolves into execution. Our Fathers were calumniated, persecuted, cast into prison and brought before the tribunals, thence to be put on shipboard, where they were confined for two or three weeks, and then sent to Europe. The motives cited, and explanations offered for this despotic conduEl: were as ridiculous as false. They were, indeed, well worthy of Freemasonry, whose despotism and barbarity know neither right nor justice. Perhaps these expressions may seem to you to be too strong, but were I to translate the decree of our expulsion, you would scarcely believe your own eyes. As for me, I am persuaded that historians in future ages will be puzzled to understand how any government of regular form could have been capable of issuing such an unreasonable decree. Hatred of religion will be the only motive power to which they can attribute this piece of anti-Christian fanaticism. All of Ours did not leave Pernambuco at once. A few Lay-Brothers remained after the banishment of the Fathers. In ·a short time, however, the law having been enforced against them, they started for Portugal. One of the Fathers, a native Brazilian, was allowed, in company with a single Lay-Brother, to stay in Pernambuco. We hoped that between them they might be able to save what still belonged to the College, but, unfortunately, the Father was in a very sickly condition, and was therefore unable to prevent the wreck of our property. Our friends availed themselves of his illness to take for themselves whatsoever the greed of the Freemasons had spared. It is said in Rome: "Quod 1zo1t fccerzmt barbari,fecenmt Barbcrini." The adage proved true in the present instance. The College had a good library, which our friends plun- �Brazil. dered in a friendly manner. Thus, the choic_est works disappeared, and, of course, all search for them afterwards proved vain. Such was the end of the College of Pernambuco. The Brazilian Father who had been ordered to remain in the place, began to sink so rapidly that he was called to Itu, where he died shortly after his arrival. I now proceed to sketch for you the varied and consoling history of the College of Itu, which, at its beginning, had to contend with greater obstacles than the other Colleges, whose short-lived career I have just traced. It seemsdestined by divine Providence to bri"ng forth more abundant fruits than any of its predecessors. While Father Razzini was striving to place the College of Sta. Catharina on a firm footing, he one day received an invitation to visit a good parish priest, residing in the interior of the·Province of St. Paul, who was very desirous to have a Jesuit College in his neighborhood. As no railroads traversed the Province at the time (1H64), Father Razzini was obliged to make the journey on horseback. After a long and tedious journey, he reached a small town, which had the good fortune to possess an old Franciscan missionary, who had preserved the majority of the inhabitants in the praCtice of religion and piety. There was also in !he town a flourishing convent for girls, under the direCtion of some French Nuns. In the year 1865, after all necessary arrangements liad been made, two Fathers, a Scholastic and a Lay-Brother were sent to Itu, at the expense of the old parish priest. Aeting up to their instruCtions, th~/ left no means untried to open the College as soon as possible. The government for two years stubbornly refused to give the required permission.· "While awaiting a favorable chance to put their primary intention into execution, Ours were not idle. They catechised, gave sermons and exhortations, besides hearing confessions. Our enemies could not endure the sight of our doing so much good. The bad newspapers raised a hue and cry against us, uttering all the old calumnies �Brazil. 177 against the Society. The result of all this noise was quite different from that intended, for it only served to make our Fathers better known and more highly esteemed. One of them, Father Anthony Onorati, a very learned and fearless man, as well as a good preacher and polemic, made a great name for himself by his disputations, and silenced every opponent. His reputation for learning was also accredited to all his Brethren by the popular mind. The following incident will serve to show how high this opinion was. One day an ignorant Freemason, happening to notice the letters I. H. S:on a curtain at the door of our· Church, remained for some time in contemplation of them, evidently at a loss to discover their meaning. Finally, he exclaimed: "Ah! at length I have found the meaning! vVhat pride! So, then, Jesuits alone are learned!" Being asked what was the matter, he answered: "Look here; they have written at the door of their Church, :lesuitos Homines Sabios. It is true, the Jesuits are learned, but not they alone." In the midst of the talk and excitement about us, a miserable Brazilian Priest, who had become a Protestant and declaimed against Catholicity in many places, dared to come to Itu. Thereupon, Father Onorati began to preach against him, and to bring matters to a climax challenged the apostate to a public discussion. The wretched man, not expeCting a reception of this nature, did not dare to come before an audience, and left with more speed than he had come. The natural consequence of our efforts for the welfare of religion was to strengthen our influence with the population. In a short time our Church became too small to contain the crowds that flocked to hear the word of God. The Fathers, therefore, applied to his Lordship, the Bishop, for a larger edifice, which was immediately bestowed upon them. Then, too, their hopes that they might in the near future be able to build a College on a grand scale, were confirmed by the following curious history, coming, as it did, from the best authorities. VoL. x-No. 2. 23 �Brazil. A native of the little town of Itu was one of the number of our forefathers who were expelled from Brazil by the notorious Pombal. This Father, out of love for his vocation, accompanied his Brethren to Italy. After the suppression of the Society, he was one day taking a solitary walk on the beach of some Italian bay, and meditating upon a plan for returning to his country, when a beautiful young man came towards him. The youth offered him a fine pitl:ure of Our Lady of Good Counsel; saying: "My Father, I know you wish to return to your own country, and that you have no means to do so. Be confident; in a short time a ship will arrive ; she will take you gratis to the capital, and there you will find the means to reach your small town. Bring this pitl:ure thither; preach to its people the de\'otion to Our Lady of Good Counsel, and it will be their salvation." He then disappeared suddenly. His predictions were verified; the promised vessel did soon arrive. The Father returned to Brazil, and preached this devotion to the Blessed Virgin in the place of his nativity, where he built a little church, in which the pitl:ure is still kept and honored by the faithful. The good Father also opened a small College in a park, which had come into his possession. He left this property, the Church, College and park, to a young priest, with the understanding that it was to be transmitted to the Jesuits, who he preditl:ed would come in future times to Itu and open a College. He moreover foretold that their College would be built joined to the Church, and that it would be prosperous. You may be sure that we were "inlich encouraged by this history. The will made by the Father was faithfully carried out, and we received the Church, College and park. Our Fathers found so many reasons against placing the College in the spot indicated by the prophecy, that they resolved to build where it best suited them. By a combination of circumstances, however, the Fathers were forced to do just as had been foretold. When the College had been put up and was ready to receive scholars, the Government was still hostile to us and �l l'rfissiollary Labors. 179 would not allow us to carry it on, so we opened it in the name of a secular priest friendly to us. Within two years a law was passed granting the liberty of teaching to almost all persons. We availed ourselves of this to open the College in our own name. I pray you be not offended if I stop here in my narrative for the present. 'With the help of God, I shall continue it in another letter. Let me add, as an appendix to the RELIGIOUS QuESTION, which I treated in my last communication, that the unhappy Priest, who, by bringing about the discussion of this question, was the occasion of the persecution of the Church in the Empire, has made his submission to his Ecclesiastical Superiors. Some months ago, having been attacked by a disease of a serious nature, his eyes were opened to the dangers of his position, and, before receiving the Sacraments, he made a publi~ retractation. His conversion seems to be sincere, for having recovered from his illness, he confirmed his previous act of repentance by once more, much to the fury of the Freemasons, publicly retracting his errors. 1\Iay Our Lord Jesus Christ grant him the grace of perseverance. Remember in your prayers this poor country. Yours, RAPHAEL GALANTI, s. J. MISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS, FROM jANUARY 9TH TO APRIL lOTH, 1881. ST. PETER's CHURCH, JERSEY CITY.-The Mission was opened on the second Sunday of the month, and continued for two weeks. The missionaries were exceedingly well pleased with the successful ending of their labors. The work was hard, notwithstanding the gener- �180 llfissiollary Labors. ous and zealous help of their Brethren of the College in the confessional ; for the sermons and instruftions are a burden in themselves. It may be said also that the people hunt up a commissioner if possible for their confessions, thinking, no doubt, that his powers are more ample, or that he has some royal road to the hereafter quite unknown to ordinary priests. Hence, the poor missionary has little spare time on his hands from the beginning to the end of the Mission. The weather for a part of the time was very inclement, and still the attendance was not less remarkable. The men not only attended well, but, what is more to their praise, came in larger numbers to confession. The Church is a large one, having accommodations during a mission, when he is lucky,, who gets standing room,. for twenty·five hundred persons. Though a division of the sexes was made for the first and second week of the exercises, it was noticed on many evenings that the crowd was too great for comfort. To stand for more than two hours in a badly ventilated place, to be jostled, not to be able to fall to one's prayers with any satisfaction, requires considerable patience and a good supply of faith. And yet hundreds had to put up with all these inconveniences, in order to hear the night sermon. Most of the people attending St. Peter's are poor, gaining their living in the service of the various factories and railroad companies that abound in this city and in New York. But it would be wrong to ~hink that those of the congregation who are better off in this world's goods were less eager to take advantage of the Mission. All classes came. Many Protestants were present at the evening service, and especially at the lecture after the Mission was closed. Our Fathers have had charge of St. Peter's for nine years or more. The parish was established many years ago, and has had its schools for a long time. Ours have done a great deal to improve the congregation. The College, a fine building, erected by the present Superior, Father �Missionary Labors. 181 McQuaid, is already a success, as at present one hundred and forty students attend-the classes. Results: Communions, five thousand five hundred; Baptisms, nine; First Communion of adults, forty; prepared for Confirmation, ninety. After the work in Jersey City was finished, Father Maguire, the leader of the missionary corps, was called to San Francisco to give a Mission in our new Church of St. Ignatius, the largest, perhaps, that the Society has in the United States. Fr. O'Connor, who went as Fr. Maguire's companion, will give an account, no doubt, to the readers of the LETTERS. The other missionary Fathers were scattered during the interval to different cities, where they gave the exercises. Frs. Strong and McAtee gave missions in Pittsburgh and New York, which will be spoken of further on. TROY, NEw YoRK (March 6-14).-0ur Fathers have two churches in this city, and are doing their work well, though, by reason of the class of people, iron workers, they have to deal with, there are many drawbacks. Troy has about sixty thousand inhabitants. Iron foundries and collar and cuff faCtories are the chief support of the place. It is frequently a subjeCt: of remark that the laundry business of Troy is ahead of the whole country. Many attribute this superiority to the purity of the water. Judging from the number of liquor stores, one would think the people of the city are content to let the laundries monopolize the water. Frs. Morgan and Bradley gave a nine days' Mission in the Church of St. Francis on Ida Mill, a suburb of the city. They had no reason to complain of any want of success. The pastor, Rev. Father Drum, a secular priest, rated the Easter Communions at nine hundred. The Fathers gave Holy Communion to eleven hundred persons before the Mission was over. Three hundred more Communions were given on account of the "Forty Hours" devotion, which followed. �182 liiissionary Labors. Ten children of mixed marriages were baptized; two adults were received into the Church ; two or three grown persons were prepared for First Communion. Some remarkable conversions took place. An old woman who lost the faith fifty years ago, and was a shouting Methodist, came to the services through the persuasion of her friends. God's grace touched her heart during a sermon by Father Bradley on the "Marks of the Church," and she came to confession, prepared to do any penance for the scandal given by her apostasy. On another night, after a sermon on the mercy of God, a man advanced in life walked through the crowded aisle to the open confessional, where one of the Fathers was seated, and, kneeling down, said, "Father, I have come to renounce Masonry, which I have been con_neB:ed with for twenty-five years. I have not been in a Church for twenty years." Such conversions are mer..tioned here, not because they are rare in Missions, but to show what may sometimes bring sinners to confession. These two persons had listened to the sermons on the great truths without much profit. And yet a Mission without the great truths would be like a soulless body-a dead thing. Troy has suffered very much for the last six months from a virulent type of small-pox. The death rate has been unusually high, few recovering of those who were attacked. Fr. Drum, of St. Francis' Church, is the chaplain of the pest-house, which the city authorities, for good reasons, handed over to the Sisters of Cha.t:_ity. Many rrotestants were sent to the pest-house during the small-pox epidemic. Their ministers, when summoned, to a man refused to attend them. Fr. Drum had the happiness of receiving most of these, thus abandoned by their hirelings, into the Church before they died. ST. MARY's, NEw YoRK CITY.-Some one has said of New York that you might begin a Mission anywhere, even in the open air, and, at any time, and have a good attendance of the faithful. Be this as it may, it is certain that all the �Missionary Labors. services were crowded during the exercises in this church; and when it is added that many could not find even standing room during the night service, and were obliged to go away, one is merely tel!ing the truth. St. Mary's Church can hold an audience of three thousand persons. During the men's week it was a most edifying sight to see them ready to submit to many inconveniences to hear the sermons. They outnumbered the women at the Holy Communion. The crowning event of the Mission was when the three thousand men renewed their baptismal promises, with their right hands uplifted, a most thrilling speCtacle. The Mission lasted from March 27th to April 10th. Once the work began, there was no respite. The Fathers were kept in the confessional until eleven o'clock, and might have staid all night, for that matter, towards the end of the second week, as there would have been some always on hand for confession. Here, as in other places, the Fathers strove to increase the membership in the confraternities attached to the Church, and succeeded very well. , In an old established parish like St. Mary's, we expeCt to find schools, and such is the case. It is surprising, however, to find that many Catholics do not send their children to them, though the schools are good. In mixed marriages the children almost invariably go to the public schools. Results: Communions, ten thousand; First Communion of adults, one hundred and eighteen ; prepared for Confirmation, one hundred and seventy-five; Baptisms of adults, twenty-six; of children, six. The missionaries look back with great satisfaCtion to their labors in St. Mary's, and feel how short they would have been of these high figures, unless helped by Fathers Keating M.cHugh and Pont, of Ours, and by the zealous clergy of the parish. J. A. M. ST. VINCENT's, BALTIMORE.- The Mission began Feb'y 27th. It lasted two weeks. Fathers Finnegan, McHugh and Winkelreid gave it. There were four thousand six �Missionary Labors. hundred and fifty-three confessions, of which one thousand eight hundred and seventy were made by men. Ten converts were baptized. The parish has several variety theatres in it; two of them are only a few hundred feet away from the church. The admission being but ten cents, they are nightly filled with boys. A special service was for these boys; they filled the church, and with uplifted hands promised not to go to a variety theatre, etc., etc., nor to read flash newspapers. The next Mission (of a week) by Fathers Finnegan and Winkelreid, was begun at Le Roy, N. Y., the third Sunday of Lent. There were nine hundred confessions. No one could but admire the faith manifested in this country parish. Many people, leaving the church after confession at ten o'clock:at night, had to walk home four and five miles over bad roads and in cold weather. Numbers of Protestants attended the sermons, though, as far as known, there were not any conversions. IMMACULATE CoNCEPTION, NEw YoRK.-The work began the fourth Sunday of Lent. It was opened by Fr. Denny, of St. Francis Xavier's College, whilst awaiting Frs. Finnegan and Winkelreid, who arrived the Wednesday of that week from Le Roy, to continue the exercises, which the pastor calls a retreat. The difference between it and a mission is only in the name, except, perhaps, that the zeal of the pastor is more conspicuous than it would be in a mission. The retreat lasted three weeks. The success did not seem very great, especially among.. the men; for of the two thousand and over that filled the Church every night of their week, not a thousand came to confession. These retreats take place twice a year, not counting the "Forty Hour's Devotion." Too often to be success(ul, one may add. There are seventeen thousand souls in this parish, which is one of the largest and the best of the city. The pastor is unique in the government of his people ; no fairs, no picnics, no charge at the door for seats, and yet he manages to meet his liabilities, which are many. By actual �Missionary Labors. count, eight thousand communions were given. There were many consolations at the return of old sinners. J. H. F. General results: Communions, 35,903; First Communion, adults, 195; prepared for Confirmation, 338; Baptism of adults, 5 I; Baptism of children, 16. MISSIONS IN THE CE:'-ITENNIAL AND GOLDEN STATES. According to an agreement made by Superiors last August, it was arranged that some Fathers of the Province of Maryland-New York should conduct the exercises of a holy_ Mission, some time during the course of the year, in our magnificent new Church of St. Ignatius, San Francisco, California. Later, it was thought well to accept the invitation of Father Guida, S. J., of Denver, Colorado, and give, en route, an eight days' Mission in his new, pretty little Church of the Sacred Heart. And so, other circumstances proving · favorable and the weather horrible, Fathers Maguire and O'Connor left Boston on the rst of February, with great trust in God, but very little in the promises of time tables; or in the ordinarily reliable grit of iron wheel and steel rail; for these, with the intense cold, began to crack and break with an uncomfortable frequency. 'Westward we sailed;' through Massachusetts from the Atlantic to the Hoosac; from east to west, through York State, into and through the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania, that is washed by Lake Erie. When the missionaries passed there was no washing however, as old Erie was to all intents and purposes, as solid as the firma terra of Penn, the cold being just then - 28° Here the journey was broken,-and the wheels of the car, by the frost; and by a pretty plain interposition of Providence the whole train was saved from ditclzing, and many lives from being lost. Some of the wheels of one of the trucks of the sleeper broke to pieces as the train was speeding on. Contrary to his custom, the train-conductor was passing VoL. x-No. 2. 24 �186 Missionary Labors. through the sleeper at the very time, and felt the car jumping, in preparation for its sault from the track. He stopped the train immediately, and the evil was ayerted. Shortly after this they were landed for breakfast at Corry, Pa., the cold being fixed as before. This was not the regular meal station, and the dining-room was locked, the servants abed, and the hungry, freezing passengers in none the best of humors. Admitted, they found no fires, much delay, confusion among the Ca!sars, who rushed round the tables, asking everybody wouldn't they have everything. -A quarter of an hour, and nothing came, and then they asked again, "tea or coffee?" "I told you six times bef~re," a gentleman ventured to remark. "Jcs keep cool, sah!" Pompey rejoined-and the mercury twenty-eight degrees below!. Ohio was traversed from its northeastern to its southwestern corner,--the through car promise from Boston to Cincinnati, owing to the severe weather, being more than filledas the through passage was made in four cars instead of one. A day's rest in the Queen City (?),a trip to Newport and Covington, Ky., to the Clifton Academy of the Sacred Heart, a thorough exploration of the beauties of the suburbs, the fine city, our splendid church and College of St. Xavier, and true brotherly hospitality of Ours-so many of them old Woodstockians-made the day's stay more than pleasant ai1d fully taken up. Cincinnati had been reached twenty-two hours behind time. Thence a flight across southern Indiana and Illinois; over the great bridge that bestrides, like a Colossus, the Father of Waters: a rolling ride through St. Louis, and on Saturday· night at the door of the University, our dear old Provincial, its present ReCtor, embraced and heartily welcomed his quondam subjeEI:s and always brothers. The University grounds and buildings have a decidedly Georgetown-y appearance. Here, again, Woodstock is strong. Sunday was spent in sight-seeing : visiting every corner of the University, the fine Church of St. Joseph, the splendid site for the new University, the great bridge, and a thousand other objeEI:s of interest. Signs and wonders preceded and followed our visit to St. �Missio)tary Labors. Louis. A half million dollar fire broke out as we entered the city, the University building caught fire, while we remained, but was little damaged, and the church was burglarized the night before. On Monday the genial minister of the University took one of the visitors to the Novitiate at Florissant, where, by the way, the night before, they had gotten up a fire to anticipate the event, by burning down the old negro quarters, and where the fine establishment, with all its crowd of memories, had very little of the entirely new to the eastern traveler, as he had heard of them all from hrethren whose Bethlehem Florissant had been. The quaint old creole town, the stations along the line of the Narrow-Gauge, where we have missions, the old friends, the hearty pastor of Florissant and his gallant steed,-our note book and memory are too full even to mention half the detail. That same evening was left St. Louis for Omaha, and the little party reached our fine establishment there, Creighton College, about noon the next day. Everything here is new and good. As is known, the College has been built and founded by a gentleman deceased, whose name it bears, and whose good works live after him in a most telling way. Would that older communities could honor the memory of such wise and munificent benefactors. In one day was seen the promising city of Omaha. It is full of thrift and push, and, during this visit, equally full of snow and slush. The street cars had to give up their regular trips, the snow was so deep, but a few were kept running with double teams to keep the track somewhat clear. Pedestrians were generously allowed to enter these cars for a ftw blocks' ride, free of charge; and thus the missionaries made part of their eight thousand mile pilgrimage a free ride. A very short but pleasant visit was made to the learned, esteemed prelate, the Right Reverend James O'Connor, brother of our lamented Father O'Connor, S. J., who presides over the rapidly growing prosperity of the Vicariate Apostolic. He is of opinion that Nebraska will soon be the great Catholic State of the Union. Catholics h~ve a better foundation �J88 lliissionary Labors. thereto build on, no mistakes have been made, no opposition offered, and the great State is teeming with richness, awaiting the coming possessors. Omaha is the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad, and here is in faa begun the really new, fresh, wild, interesting part of the trip to the Pacific. The main stem of this road, for it has many branches besides, runs a distance of 1,032 miles, from the Missouri River entirely across the State of Nebraska, \Vyoming Territory, and into Utah, as far as Ogden, its western terminus, near Salt Lake. On the Union Pacific, then, or the U. P., as it is invariably called -indeed all the roads in the Far ·west seem to be generally known by their initials-our little party embarked. It had been determined to leave this direa route for San Francisco at Cheyenne;'in \Vyoming, and go direa south, by the Colorado Railroad, one hundred and thirty-eight miles to Denver. This was done, and almost on time, although ar.other serious accident took place, that might have been the destruaion of the entire train. One of the axles of the car in which the Fathers were, snapped across, on account of the extreme cold. It was discovered in time, and only a few hours' delay resulted. In this part of the journey the traveler observes a great difference between what he has been !lccustomed to in the East and what he now sees, in the matter of fences, farm-houses, villages and towns along the route, trees and the like. There are, indeed, none of all these things, except at very rare intervals, and one steams along for hours, over._plain and prairie, and there is nothing but plain and prairie, and the thumpedythump of the train, and the miles of snow outside, broken by the tufts of withered, tough prairie grass, that looks like furze,-and inside the cozy car, with its Noah's ark of occupants, if we only had space to name them. Oh! it is a comet's life, that of the tourist in a long trip like this. Dashing through states and territories that seemed really larger than ever would be thought of, from Mitchell's Atlas, touching a score of great cities in a day, that in a man's ordinary life he would not visit in a score of years,-and then �Missionary Labors. 189 flying off again to others,-paying little more respeCt to the meridians of longitude than our little street arabs do to the rafters of houses in construCtion, over which they so lightly and quickly step; truly it is a flying, electric-prism life, that in the cars. But we have notes that could fill volumes. Cheyenne was reached and Denver, and our beautiful little Church of the Sacred Heart there; and our _party was soon at home in the hospitable little residence of good Father Guida, S. J., who has snugly ensconced himself and litt!e community behind the church. This is cruciform, built of brick and stone, has a beautiful little spire, and generally is in good taste. There is a good parochial school, a nice little congregation forming, and everything to promise a rich harvest to Ours, for the greater glory of God. A Mission was begun here on Sunday morning, and though, owing to the smallness of the Church, the numbers attending were insignificant to those of other similar works in which the Fathers had participated ; still, it was evident from the beginning that many of the right sort were there, who needed a Mission, and that the capacity of the little church was going to have an eight days' testing. During the week, at all the principal services, there were fine congregations. There were five sermons or instruCtions daily, as at the largest Missions, and confessions were heard all day. The Re\·. Daniel Haugh, S. J., of the Province of MarylandNew York, temporarily residing at Pueblo, Colorado, came up to Denver and helped the missionaries for a couple of days, by hearing confessions and by the great pleasure they experienced in seeing him. Here also were met Very Rev. Father Gentile, Superior of the Mission, Fathers Aloysius Montenarelli and Charles Ferrari, now of Denver, formerly of Woodstock. On the second night of the Mission the Fathers had the pleasure of seeing the great celestial phenomena, visible on the night of Feb. 14th, in Denver and elsewhere. The whole sky was an azure silk, patterned with many silver 1Jt001ts, full and in crescent, with these joined into regular groups, by arcs of prismatic colors, �19() Missionary Labors. and the whole sky lit up with an unwonted radiance. And there was an intense cold. On first reaching Denver and for a day or two after, it was perceived that we felt a kind of oppression in the chest, akin to that suffered by one in asthma, though not so severe. It was remarked to one of the resident Fathers; oh! yes, he replied, almost every one visiting Denver feels something like that in the beginning. You know we are nearly six thousand feet higher than Boston, and though our climate is good for those with weak lungs, that have not been used to bleeding, it is injurious to those that are inclined to hemorrhage. For the air is so rare, one has to inhale much to get enough for respiration, and the extra effort opens the wounds of healed lungs, and a greater rent is made, as in the wind box of an overloaded, badly-me~ded bellows. Indeed, in a day or so, the strain passed a~ay, and both the visiting Fathers, besides feeling very well, found that they did not feel the cold near as much as they would in less dry climates. So the little Mission progressed. We found ourselves by degrees speaking a new language, about plazas and ranches and canons, and our heads full of ideas concerning smelters, boulders, prospeCting claims, ores and the like, and we made the acquaintance of many a hero, whose like we had neyer before met, outside of a dime novel: there was Ned of Bloody Gulch, Ralph of Pig's Ranche, Leadville Tarheel, and an army of the like. And after ten, thirty, sixty years in the Rocky Mountains, "widout ever bendin' a knee undher a priest," they made the' Mission like men, and sobbed over their sins like tender hearted women, and they gave joy to the angels in Heaven and consolation to the missionaries. The celebrities of Denver and of the Colorado government were constant attendants at the Mission; about one thousand received Holy Communion, and several converts were left under instrucrion. At the invitation of many, it was decided to give a lecrure in the city on Sunday evening, the last day of the Mission. It was delivered in Walhalla Hall, Father O'Connor delivering the introduCtory, and Father Maguire the lecrure. �Missionary Labors. The audience was certainly an enthusiastic one, and they gave the Fathers a hearty send off. Ex-Governor Gilpin, of Colorado, was present, and in conversation with the Fathers, after the lecture, having extolled in the highest manner the labors of Father DeSmet, whom he knew well, said he hoped Providence would send many of Ours, who are being expelled from the old world, to the southwestern regions of this, to complete the great churches and to do the great works their predecessors of centuries ago began. Monday morning at seven o'clock found the missionaries again on the road for Cheyenne. The train had two locomotives, the front one with a giant snow plough; we repeat this fact, though we were charged with the authorship of a bull, when we wrote it once before to a friend, adding, that it was used for driving the sand from the track. In fact, there was but little snow in the way this day, but the wind, which is nearly always high about Cheyenne, blew so much sand on the track from the plains that, besides the plough, the train had to be stopped frequently and gangs of men sent out to shovel it offthe rails. Cheyenne was reached about twenty minutes too late for the western train, and that meant a twenty-four hours' delay, as there is only one train a day, each way, in all these big stretches of road. The best was made of the job, a place to put up discovered, a sufficiently comfortable hotel ; then the church was discovered in the snow, and the next morning the Fathers heard and served each others Masses. In due time the U. P. came along, was boarded, and away again to the \Vestern West, five hundred and sixteen miles more to Ogden, the western limit of the U. P., and the eastern of the Central Pacific, or C. P., as it is called. The week at Denver was, of course, spent under the shadow almost of the Rocky Mountains, but as what they call the shadow stretches here for from twenty to twenty-five miles, while in Denver the Rockies did not impress me much more than the Catoctins would as seen from Frederick. But when you draw nearer, then you are awed indeed by the butting, towering peaks, the miles of castellated rock that look so much �Missio11ary Labors. like age-worn art, that one would believe himself passing whole capitals of castles and bastioned walls, such as Froissart would have loved to see. And then the hills and mounts, pile upon pile, terrace upon terrace, of the magnitude of none of which one has a true idea until he walks a few miles among them, and feels he is but an ant crawling along the mighty backbone of the two Americas. Thirtythree miles beyond Cheyenne, a station named Sherman is reached; it is the. highest point of th;! road crossed, and is eight thousand two hundred and forty-two feet above sea level. The route was strewn at intervals, on either side, by the frozen carcasses of cattle who had perished during the severe days preceding, and a short distance from these would be seen herds, some of them numbering hundreds, browsing>apparently in snow and ice, but really on the furzy, dry.. clumps of grass. In some regions, the ranchemen told us, they had lost as high as fifty per cent. of their cattle from the cold and starvation; and this, although the neighboring state, Nebraska, had so much corn and fodder that many of the farmers were using both for fuel. The great events of the tourist's day appear to be his rising and retiring, the stoppage at the three meal stations, with the refreshment, good humor and little walk on the platform consequent thereupon, the daily passage of the other way' bound train, a game of euchre, often a glimpse at nature in her sublimest, a cat-nap, a smoke, an orange. Missionaries now-a-days, outside of what they furnish themselves, find no more of the apostolic on their journey than St. Francis Xavier did among thc;se of his day, who went down to the sea in ships for other than soul traffic. Generally there is a decorum that often warms into cordiality among the passengers, more particularly if these be few in numbers. The smoking compartment, containing only four, and generally fully occupied after meals, is a great place for forming acquaintances. After leaving Sherman the route lies across the Laramie Plains, a belt of grazing land, twenty-five miles wide by sixty long, where stock raising is the chief industry. It was lately computed that �Missio!lary Labors. 193 about 90,0oo head of cattle, 85,000 of sheep, and 3,000 horses and mules, valued at ,$2,250,000, could be found in a circuit of forty miles here, whereas, ten or twelve years ago, not five hundred of all together were on the same plains. On one side the scene is closed by the rugged masses of the Black Hills, rising in their grandeur. About here the snow fences and snow sheds become more numerous. The former are wooden struCtures of about eight feet high, built like an ordinary fence, with spaces between the boards, but the whole inclined to the road, about a hundred or two hundred feet in length, and forming in the length something like the arc of a circle. These are generally ereCted on the more windward side of the road, at cuts; they create an eddy, that drifts the snow about them, and leaves the road comparatively clean. The sheds are roughly construCted wooden tunnels, with openings at intervals to let in air and light, and let the smoke escape; it was said that on the trip from Cheyenne to San Francisco one hundred and ten miles of snow sheds and tunnels were passed through. Along this part of the route many Indians are met, but they appear to be of other than the fight.ing persuasion. At about a hundred rods from the road a few wretched wigwams are seen, with the smoke curling from the open top in regular story-book style, and when you roll up to the stations, about twenty of these children of the forest, braves, and squaws with papooses strapped on their backs, lounge about. Some of them faintly resemble our ideal, but most are a stunted, coarse-looking people, with thick, coarse, matted black hair, and in general are not unlike the Esquimaux. They are chiefly Utes, Piutes, Shoshones, Snakes and Diggers. Some of their faces are daubed over with vermilion; others prefer a chrome yellow complexion; these we often saw; we did not see, but only heard, that on St. Patrick's Day a festive Irishman in the neighborhood persuaded one of these Children of the Setting Sun to put his face for the occasion up in bright red and his nose in emerald green. Within a day and a half Ogden was reached, and then a VoL. x-No. 2. 25 �194 lrfissimzary Labors. transfer to the Central Pacific. The Pullman Car Company have not been able to agree to have their cars put on this road. ·what is called the Silver Palace Sleeping Car is substituted, the only perceptible difference between the two being a slight, unimportant modification in structure, and a different style of painting. At Ogden nearly everything is Mormon; indeed, for some hundreds of miles around, the Mormons have much property and influence. Many of them were interviewed, some of their theology evoked, and some pleasant acquaintances made. The Chinese, too, have begun to grow plenty before this; the waiters and servants at the stopping places, and the railroad hands are jo!ttzs very often; and what with Indians, Mormons, Chinamen, the polyglot ofpassengers, and the omnigenous Pat, who never failed "the Fathers," curiosity and taste for novelty were passing co~stantly, under very prisms of natural diversity, -gentile and saint, trapper and Indian, grazier and legislator, three card monte man and missionary. The ride of many miles on the shelving shore of Salt Lake was delightful. The skies are so clear and the stars so large up here near the.home of the Saints; the lake by starlight is peculiarly lovely. But we must hurry through Utah, Nevada, through the Emigrants Gap of the Sierra Nevada, and stop only Jor a word about these great snowy peaks. Leaving Reno, a pretty little city in western Nevada, celebrated for its mountain trout, of which a bountiful supply was served at supper, glowing descriptions were indulged in by the old travelers of the change from wintet:.-fo summer that would be experienced on waking in the mo~ning, in the summer land of California, on the other side of the Sierras, and it was a matter of regret that the sublime scenery of these would shift by in the night. Morning came, indeed, but not yet the summer land; it was found the train had been stopped at Truckee, only thirty-five miles west of Reno, owing to a collision that had taken place the previous night. By this, the train ahead of the one bearing Ours ran into a freight car that had been left on the rail through carelessness, had slid in from a sideling by \lCCident, or had been �Missionary Labors. run in through malice, as some of the railroad men thought. A great smash ensued, and shortly after, when the Fathers' train steamed slowly up to the spot, down in the heart of the Sierra, with miles of tunnel behind and before; on alighting there was found the wreck. It was a dismal sight and outlook; there was the huge locomotive lying across both tracks, and the gathering trains puffing and snorting; the darkness of the tunnel, the cold, the glaring engine fires, the thickening atmosphere, the shouts of the gang, the screaming of whistles, the dismayed and disappointed faces, the prospect of delay and no dinner, deep down in the bowels of the mountain,-well, it was anything but the summer land of anticipation. But the men worked well and cheerily, all kept their tempers in control and were glad it was no worse, and, after a delay of some hours, out the train shot into daylight, and in sight of the truly grand Sierra scenery. And for miles and leagues the train careened again over a terrace broad enough for track room, cut, it would seem, in the slope of the mountains, with hun• dreds of feet of these slanting up, so that the pines an~ winter trees, of eighty feet and more, at the· serrated top line, that seemed to saw the sky above, looked like saplings, and the goodly stream in the valley bed, sheer below, appeared, as it was clear or otherwise, a silver or a golden thread. This repaid all previous debts of ·delay, and was enough to raise the soul of the prosiest, least spiritual traveler there to the Architect of such sublimity. Flying through Dutch Gap, Blue Canon, Alta, the region of hydraulic mining, rounding Cape Horn, through Sacramento by night, by the longer route-the shorter one was nearly all flooded-a safe arrival at San Francisco, ended, by God's merciful goodness, the perilous, adventurous, fatiguing, pleasant journey of over four thousand miles. Arrived at our truly grand Church and College of St. Ignatius, the Fathers were at home, Frs. Varsi, Kenna and the whole community seeming to make it their chief duty to do every possible kindness to the "wise men from the East," though there were only two, and not three, as had been ex- �Missionary Labors. peCl:ed. A kind reception by the Most Rev. Archbishop, a glance at China Town, a rest in the real summer land, with the music of the Pacific to lull the BosTON PRIESTS to repose, and on Sunday morning, February 27th, began the most successful Mission ever given on the Pacific slope. It would take too long now to give anything like an adequate description of the magnificence and propriety, the grandeur and fitness of everything about the San Francisco establishment, and it is to be hoped that some capable person will soon furnish your LETTERS with the details. An entire large block in the best part of the city is already nearly filled with splendid struCtures; and it occurred to us that the architeCt must have had the inspiration of Rome in his mind and the rule book of the Society in his hand when he planned an§built, or else he had a genius of a Jesuit beside him to "guide his hand and thought. We give only one dimension of which we are sure: the Church is one hundred and twenty feet wide, and otherwise in proportion. The exterior, approaches, interior, altars, chapels, aisles, pews, vestibules, galleries, choretti, lateral and basement chapels are simply splendid. The altars are paneled with malachite, lapis lazuli, and many of the most costly marbles of Italia and California, blended most beautifully. The wall~ are covered with works of the best home and foreign artists, and we think the grand altar piece, St. Ignatius' Vision on his way to Rome, twenty-five feet by sixteen feet, almost worth the entire trip to see. But this is a story of a Mission-is it not? We shall have.to put the story then in a foot note. It began, and the great edifice was thronged. There were five principal exercises daily, all well attended, even that at five in the morning; as for the evening service, from first to last, "no more standing room" was the order. And the Fathers preached and preached, and preached again. They were only two ; how generously they sighed that a third were there to share in the good work ! They caught the San Francisco hoarseness, that compliments visiting speakers and singers; and still they preached. And sympathetic auditors sent in gargles and troches and nos- �Mzssionary Labors. 197 trums by the dozen, and the colds passed away; and they preached louder than before. And the devoted Fathers of the Church and College, seventeen in number, were in the confessionals sometimes as early as five in the morning, as late as almost twelve at night. And old miners came, and young maidens and old ones, and the rich and poor, and the six thousand who received Holy Communion on the last day alone swelled the grand aggregate to fully twenty thousand Communions, as the Mission harvest. A hundred anecdotes to interest, and conversions of poor wanderers to encourage the laborers in the vineyard and awaken the zeal of the aspirants, could be here recounted. We shall have to summarize, and say that all concerned seemed more than satisfied, trusting that God's greater glory, too, was magnified by this happy jubilee of the men that dwell by the golden gate of Pacific's summer sea. Twice during the Mission a little recess of a few hours was taken, and the city explored. One of the Fathers paid a visit to the Pacific Ocean in earnest, having been quite thoroughly, though gently washed, clothes and all, by the sudden upward sweep of the grand surf in front of the Cliff House. Here the seals were roaring as they slid off their rocks, or climbed up again like growing ivy. Accompanied by special detectives, on the other occasion, China Town was explored within and without. The Chinese shops, stores, streets, kennels of lodging houses, catacombs of filth and opiumsoaked humanity, two flights down under the gutters; their restaurants, workshops, factories, their Joss houses; ·and part of a play, that had begun five years ago, was running twelve hours a day since, Sundays included-for here all the theatres are in full blast on Sunday-and was, as a wag remarked, approaching the conclusion of the second aa. A kindlier feeling than before was felt for the idea that gave Kearney his first prominence, and from the ample inform-ation received from the most reliable sources, it was firmly resolved and carried that :John is an unmitigated plague on the fair face of the Pacific Slope. A tearful farewell, a flying visit to Santa Clara, San Jose, and the return trip �198 Sketch of the Ne:; Perces Indians. was begun vVednesday morning, March 16th, as full of adventure as the outward one. But these shall have to be chronicled by some future historian; as the perils encountered and adventures gone through were as many and interesting as Othello's of yore. A very full day was spent at Chicago, Detroit, a part of one at Niagara, the most of another between New York and Fordham, and the day after but one found the Pioneer missionary beginning another reaping of souls in one of the largest parishes in New York, his assistant safe at home in Boston, where all had been bright during his absence, except the one black cloud that passed, when the unexpeB:ed death occurred of one of the best religious and truest patriots the community could boast, Brother Edward B. O'Kelly, S. J. Perhaps the most striking featut;_e'of all the trip was the universal brotherly charity of Ours. Everywhere, always, the Fathers felt at home. In every house there were Woodstockians, and questions were asked and answered without number, and thanking God for His increase given and proteB:ion afforded, nearly everybody's love in the vVest is given to everybody in the East. J. O'C. SKETCH OF THE NEZ PERCES INDIANS. (Concluded.) It has been asserted over and ov~r again that Chief Joseph and his followers were Catholics. This is a great mistake. The report was spread by those who wished to shift the blame from themselves and throw it upon us; and their malicious statement was strengthened by a singular occurrence during the Nez Perce war. I do not vouch for its truth, but the story runs as follows: A party of those who were engaged in the hostile operations were about to massacre a prisoner. The man was not a Catholic, but he had seen Catholics bless themselves, and in this imminent danger he made the sign of the cross. The Indians were �Sketch of tlze Nez Perces Indians. 199 awed by that sacred sign, which they knew and respected, and after some consultation among themselves they allowed the prisoner to depart, and he understood them to say that they gave him leave to go away unhurt, because he was a Catholic. Now, we assert confidently, that the Catholic Indians of the Nez Perce and neigboring tri~es, with a few trifling exceptions, behaved as well as any good citizens could have done. At the very beginning of the war the commander of the United States troops asked for some Indian scouts, and he obtained more than half a dozen from the Catholics. Some of these Catholic scouts had ncar relations in the hostile camp, notably one of them, whose step-father, mother, brothers and sisters were with the enemy. Even the missionary thought it a great imprudence to employ such men as scouts, and expressed himself freely to that effect in conversation with the military authorities. Yet they all proved faithful to their engagements. After the first battle some of these scouts were missing, and it was thought that they had fallen into the hands of the enemy. The father of one of them, who had been biiptized by the priest in January, having obtained permission from the Commander and the Agent, went to inquire about his son; meantime the scouts returned by another road. Having reached Joseph's camp, he was told that his son was not there ; then they insisted that he should stay and fight along with them. The poor neophyte could not resist the temptation ; he allowed himself to be overcome by their arguments, and was killed in the next battle-the only Indian slain on that occasion. When his son (the scout) heard of this he joined the enemy, thus verifying the apprehensions of the missionary; but the blame must rest with those who had neglected his timely warning. Two other Nez Perce boys were prevailed upon to join the hostiles, but all the rest of the Catholics in the tribe proved faithful. The same fidelity did not characterize the Protestants, for many of them joined the parties of Joseph and White Bird. Another example of the Catholic Indians' loyalty to the �200 Sketch of the Nez Perces Indians. government during the war can be instanced here. \Vhen the hostile band:>, pursued by the troops, had escaped to Montana, and were crossing the Bitter Root Valley, some of the Nez Perce chiefs paid a visit to Charlot, Chief of the Flat Heads, and wished to shake hands with him. He refused, saying: "My hand is clean, and I· cannot clasp hands stained with the blood of the whites; we have always been friends, but we cannot be such under the present circumstances." And yet, naturally speaking, the Flat Heads had far more provocation to go to war than the Nez Perces. The most noble example of fidelity to the government was given by the Cceurs d'Alene Indians. \Vhen the followers of Hush-hush-keiat, belonging to the Lower Nez Perce band, were informed that the bands of Joseph and White Bird had declared the war at Camas Prairie, they wished to· begin hostilities in their own country, so as to fight the whites. from both sides. But as the whites were too numerous, they tried to secure the Cceur d'Alene and Spokane Indians as allies. In furtherance of this objeCt, two of their warriors killed an old inoffensive white man on Pine Creek, Cceur d'Alene county, and brought his horse to the Cceur d'Alene Mission (June 23rd), hoping to embroil · the whites with these Indians. As soon as Soltis, the Cceur d'Alene chief, heard of this awful crime, he sent a me';;sage to the authorities, to acquaint them with the faCts, and assured them that his people not only had no share in this aCt, but that they could be depended on in any emergency to defend and assist their .~·hite neighbors. In accordance with these promises, they helped in every way the whites, who were panic struck after the war broke out, and it was the universal verdiCt that no white men could have done better. The loyal attitude of the Catholic Indians forced the Nez Pt:rces to quit Pine Creek, and to evacuate the whole of the Palouse country under cover of darkness; they joined Joseph, but the Palouse and Spokane countries were spared the horrors of Indian war. In faCt, we may assert without exaggeration that were it not for the Catholic Indian Missions, the Nez Perce war of 1877 �Sketch of the Nez Perces Indians. 201 would have become general, involving all the Indian tribes of the North West, the white population of this seCl:ion would have been exterminated, and it would have cost the government millions of money and thousands of lives. We have positive knowledge that nearly all the Protestant Indians, Spokanes, Shaozileni and the Columbia Tribes, were inclined to war, and secretly endeavored to secure the cooperation of the Catholic Indians; but, failing in this, they resolved to keep quiet. And what was their recompense? Annoying and petty persecution of the Catholic missionaries and Indians. The warriors who were made prisoners after Clear Water, when they had been taken under the proteCl:ion of the Protestant preacher, and sanflijied by him, were set at liberty ; but when some other warriors, who wished to surrender had gone to the priest for assistance, and were by him brought before the military authorities at Fort Lapwai, they were encouraged to hope for clemency, but ultimately they were sent as prisoners along with Joseph to the Indian Territory. The Catholic Nez Perces, who had remained constantly faithful, and who were very numerous, could never obtain aid from the government to build a school for their children; on the other hand, Spokane Jerry, who made nosecret of his hostility, who had even expressed his opposition in a public council, has a separate school, maintained at government expense, for his few Protestant children, on a Catholic Reservation. For Joseph and his people who engaged in the war, an annual appropriation of more than $20,000 is made; but Seltis and his people, who prevented the war, cannot obtain a small portion of the $200,000 due them for the cession of their lands to the United States. When the managers of Forest Grove Indian School, a Protestant institution, maue a pilgrimage to a far-off distriCl:, and picked up children from a tribe under the management of a Catholic Agent, without so much as saying by your leave, they were highly praised and amply rewarded by the government official; but when a Catholic priest accepted a few children who were offered to him for the Catholic school VoL. x-No. 2. 26 �20 2 Sketclt of the Nez Perces lndi{ms. by their parents, the officials, instead of praise, had nothing but blame, insults and threats for such conduCt, and finally ordered the children to be taken to the Protestant Agent. Chief Joseph and his people have been blessed with the unwelcome presence of two Protestant Indians, who are preachers, and who have scared some of these poor souls into Protestantism; but those of his people who truly and earnestly desire a Catholic priest, have not been able to obtain one, and, in all likelihood, never will. Even the poor prisoners, who surrendered themselves in the priest's presence at Fort Lapwai, and had already made up their minds to become Catholics, having begged for Baptism several times, are now so completely terrorized that they dare not open their mind to anybody, and were almost afraid to speak to Father, Ponziglione, who paid them a flying visit s~me time ago., as narrated in a recent number of the LETTERS. The Fathers of the Rocky Mountains have offered th.eir services to lab~r among the Nez Perces removed to the Indian Territory, but the Ecclesiastical authorities have in their prudence declined to accept the offer, at least for the present. A good half-breed, baptized by Father De Smet, and educated at one of our Missions of the Missouri Province, has been living for several years in the Indian Territory. This worthy man, in ignorance of the difficulties tnrown in the way of Ecclesiastical Authority, wrote to a friend in Montana: "If the Catholic Church had done, or would do, what the Protestants are doing for the different tribes of Indians here, these Indians would all becom~ Catholic, and be happy." What won~der that this good, simple man should speak so, when a clergyman of high standing, and who knew of what he spoke, did not hesitate to say: "The Catholic Church in America has to render a great account to God and to man, for her neglea ofthese Indians." Let us conclude this sketch with an anecdote of what happened a few years ago at Lapwai, in the Protestant mission. Old Mr. Spaulding, a preacher, seeing that the Nez Perces were rapidly becoming Catholics, and that even some of his Presbyterians were leaving him for the true �Sketch of tlze Nez Perces Indians. 203 fold, employed all his cunning, and he had a great deal of it, to prevent such a misfortune. But all his efforts were in vain; the more he labored, the more would the Nez Perces go to the Catholic Church. Finally, he cast aside all moderation, and began a course of Sunday sermons, which were simply terrible invectives against our Holy Religion. Benedict Aw-lish-\Vampu, an excellent Catholic, and very witty withal, could not believe the reports that were spread on the subject; but as he heard them repeated Sunday after Sunday by his Protestant frie~ds, he at last determined to go in person and find out whether what was said concerning the language of his old friend was not exaggerated. He went accordingly, and to his utter amazement heard Mr. Spaulding say: "Yes, my children, the priest will go to hell and burn forever, and all his followers will go there, too, and burn with him; so you must no more go to the Catholic Church." Aw-lish-wampu thought that this was strong language, exceeding even what he had heard reported by others. He felt prompted to stand up and inquire, as they sometimes do in that church, if his old friend had forgotten his own words, in which he (Spaulding) had several times admitted to him that the Catholic Church was good-almost as good as the Presbyterian ! After a little reflection, he resolved to keep his seat. When the services were ended he went to Mr. Spaulding's house; he did not enter it, as had been his custom, but kept walking up and down in front of it. By and by, the preacher came out and offered his hand. "No! Mr. Spaulding," says Aw-lish-wampu; "you know that I am truly your friend; therefore, I cannot shake hands with you. Do you remember that some years ago myself and my brother saved your life when the Presbyterian Indians wanted to kill you?" Mr. Spaulding said that for that very reason they should shake hands. "No, my friend," said the old Indian ; "as I saved you once, so too do I wish to save you now. If I take your hand, surely I will burn it with mine. I am a follower of the Priest, and as such, you said in the church, I shall burn with the Priest, and I do not like that you should burn with me." �204 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Having said this, he went his way. But the Indian's story has a sequel. He declares that when Spaulding was about to die he complained of excessive heat, and repeated several times: "I'm burni11g I l'm burning!" \Vhen the Presbyterian attendants related this circumstance to Awlish-wampu, he dryly remarked that perhaps this burning was the effect of his burning sermons against the Catholic Church. SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN . . Extrac7 of a Letter from Fr. R. Chartier. SAULT STE. MARIE, MICH., April I 1, 1881. The Sault has increased ~ince you visited it. The population of the town is now two thousand, of whom more than fourteen hundred are Catholics, so far as the name is concerned; for many neglect their religious duties, although nearly all give us some satisfaction. The neighboring country is rapidly filling up, but most of the settlers are Protestants and Orangemen of the blackest dye: I am told that some of them are runaway convicts from Canada. The few Catholics, on the other hand, among the new settlers, are the best class of Irishmen. I go to say Mass at their houses, in different places, twelve, fourteen and sixteen miles from here. ~rt does me good to leave occasionally the tainted moral atmosphere of this town, and breathe the perfume of virtue among these virtuous people. There is talk of building a branch railroad, starting from here, and going across the country to form a junction with the Marquette and Point St. Ignace R. R. This branch is intended to connect with the Canadian Pacific by a bridge over the rapids, probably, if ever the Canadian railroad reach the Sault. If this expectation be verified, this will beco~e a very important place. About two hundred men * * * * * �Sault Ste. .kfarie, Miclzigan. 205 have been employed during the winter at work upon the enlargement of the ship canal. Many accidents have happened during the progress of the work; one man was killed, and several have had their legs broken and feet crushed. It will be ready for the opening of navigation about the middle of May. As you may see by the Catalogue, I am still the only priest here. Father Chambon is expeB:ed here in the spring; he will have charge of the various stations, some eight or ten in number, depending on the Sault, in which there is a scattered Catholic population of more than five hundred. The improvement of this place is not confined to the material order; there has been very consoling progress in religious observances. In 1877-8, nine hundred confessions were heard; the next year, more than eighteen hundred ; last year, over two thousand. Some spiritual exercises resembling a Retreat were given them in December, I 878; during the eight days of their continuance the church was not large enough to hold the eager crowds who flocked to the evening service. Many long, general confessions were heard during that time; and the mustard seed then . planted has been growing ever since. I can count more than four hundred long, general confessions since September, 1878. Two men lately, who had obstinately resisted the grace of God for years, were brought to make their First Communion ; one of them is forty and the other fortyeight years of age. Marriages have been reconciled; illicit connexions dissolved or made valid. Some good has been accomplished since my arrival, but much remains to be done among the ignorant, indifferent and bad Catholics who abound here. Five Protestants have beer. received into the Church. Two men have lately been cured by the use of some cement from Knock. We have about one hundred and forty children in our parochial school, with three Sisters as teachers. A seleB: school has been begun, which promises to be sucR. CHARTIER. cessful. ��WOODSTOCK LETTERS. VOL. X, No.3· PAPERS RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE :MARYLAND MISSION. ' V.-THE ANNUAL LETTERS-I634-I773· Some ten years after the settlement of .Maryland, the Colonial Records were carried off and destroyed, during the tumults excited by Claiborne and Ingle. It was believed that much light would be thrown upon the early history of the Province in regard to matters civil as well as religious, by the letters and reports of the first Jesuit Missionaries, which were still preserved, as was suspeCted, in England or at Rome. Accordingly, Father William McSherry(!) made diligent search amongst the Archives of the Gesu for in(l) "He was born July 19th, 1i99, near Charleston, in what is now the State of West Virginia. In his 15th year, he became a student in Georgetown Col· lege. In his 16th year, he was received as a novice of the Society of Jesus. He was sent to Rome in 1821, to complete his studies, where he was ordained, and then returned to the United States in 1828. In 1829, he became Professor of human>ties in Georgetown College. In 1832, he returned to Rome, during which visit, he discovered the previously unknown, 'Relatio Itineris,' and the other interesting documents here printed. In 1833, he became the first provincial of Maryland, and in 1837, President of the College, of which he had been a student in his youth. He died in the year 18:l9, and his remains repose in the cemetery of the College, at Georgetown."-College Journal of January, 18i4. VoL. x-No. 3· 27 �210 Historical Papers. formation bearing upon the early l\1ission of Maryland, and we are indebted to him for the first authentic copies of Father \Vhite's Rc!atio Itineris in 1llary!andiam, together with the Dec!aratio Colonia: Domini Baronis de Baltimore. He also brought back to the United States a paper transcribed from the original l\1SS. entitled Excerpta ex Litten:S Anma:S, and a Cata!ogus Missionan"orum, which he had compiled during his stay at Rome. The Latin text of Father \Vhite's Re!atio, and also of the Dec!aratio, was printed in the first volume of the WOODSTOCK LETTERS (I872) together with an English translation, which was a revision of the translation made for the Maryland Historical Society, in I ~47, by Nathan C. Brooks, author of Viri !!lustres Americm / a few copies of this translation . had been pripted, and it was subsequently published amongst the "Collection of Historical Tracts" (Vol. IV. n. I 2) by Peter Force of \Vashington. A partial translation of the same papers had been made previous to this time by B. U. Campbell, Esq., and it appeared in the Metropolitan Catlw!ic Almanac for I 840. A new translation, accompanied with the Latin text, was printed in I 874, by the Maryland Historical Society (Fund Publication-No. 7). It was carefully edited by Rev. E. A. Dalrymple, S. T. D., who illustrated the text with several valuable notes. This latter publication also included some excerpts from the Annual Letters-I635-I677. In the Records of tlze Eng!z:Siz Province, S. J:, Vol. III. pp. 320-400, there is a long account of the·"Mission of Maryland, which formed part of the English Province from the original Settlement of the Colony until the Suppression of the Society (I 633-177 3). The Records give in full the papers above mentioned which had already appeared in print, and furnish in addition to them, from MSS. preserved at StoQyhurst, many interesting details and facts, as also a continuation of the extracts from the Annual Letters down to the suppression of the Society in I773· As the records are not easily accessible to all, it has been judged ~dvisable to include these extracts amongst this �T/ze Allnual Letters. 2II series of historical papers. Occasion will be taken at the same timt: to insert information derived from various sources which may help to illustrate the text; this will in a rough sort of way bring together the dz~e{la membra of our history. For the most part, the writers of the Letters from which the extraCts are taken remain unknown: it is most probable, however, that the reports were written by the Superior of the Mission for the time being. The original accounts were written in Latin, and sent direetly to Fr. Genera[,<IJ or to the Provincial of England, who forwarded them to Rome, as they were received from the Missionaries, or compiled from their reports the points for his Annual Letter which have reference to Maryland. The text of the Records will Le followed; but some additions will be made to it from old documents preserved in the archives of the Province, and from copies of papers furnished to the Provincial of Maryland by Br. Henry Foley, editor of the Records. It may not be without interest to notice the aetion taken by the Maryland Legislature in regard to Father McSherry's discoveries. When it became known that he had made copious extraCts from the letters of the early Missionaries, a laudable curiosity was excited to become acquainted with the result of his researches, and the proposal was made by John Bozman Kerr, an aCt:ive member of the House of Delegates, that measures should be adopted to procure all the information on the early history of Maryland that might be found in the archives of the Society. The following official document declares the aCt:ion that was taken in the matter: STATE LIBRARY, MARYLAND, ANNAPOLIS, March 24th, 1837· REVEREND AND DEAR Sm, Herewith I transmit you an Office Copy of a Preamble and Resolutions, passed by the Legislature at its recent Session. Happy in being seleCt:ed as the organ of our liberal and enlightened Legislature on this interesting occasion, I has1 < > Father White's "Relatio" was directed to Father :l.Iutius Vitelleschi. �212 Historical Papers. ten to carry into effect, on my part, their very laudable and praiseworthy intention. May I indulge the hope, My Dear Sir, that you will give me your valuable aid, in procuring the documents indicated in the Resolutions, and which are deemed so necessary and important to the elucidation of the Early History of Maryland. I s~all be happy to hear from you, and am, Reverend and Dear Sir, With great respect, Your Obt Serv\ To the REVD. \VILLIAM McSHERRY, D. RIDGELY, Libran'mt. Charles County, Md. Maryland sa. At a session of the General Assembly of :Maryland, be-· gun and h~d at the City of Annapolis, on the last Monday of December, being the twenty-sixth day of the said month, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and ended on the twenty-second day of March, in the year one thousand, eight hundred and thirty-seven. His Excellency, THOMAS vV. VEASEY, EsQUIRE, Governor. No. 56. By the House of Delegates. March 20th, 1837· Whereas, it has been ascertained by means of certain extracts which have been taken from documents relating to the first settlement and early history of the Province of Maryland, which now remain amol!g the archives of the Jesuits at Rome, that an interesting·and authentic narrative or history of Maryland, composed in Latin by Father Andrew White, the first Missioner in Maryland, and fellowvoyager with Leonard Calvert, in MS., is easily accessible, and that a copy of the same may be procured at a comparatively small expense, and it has heretofore been deemed highly important, as it is interesting to the patriotic citizens of the State, to obtain correct information of their origin and the progress of their ancestors to the enjoyment of a firm and stable government, and it is proper, therefore, that all authentic materials for History should be placed within their reach : Be it, therefore, resolved, by the General Assembly of �The AnJZual Letters. 213 Maryland, that the State Librarian be, and he is hereby authorized and required, to solicit the Rev. \Villiam McSherry, of Charles County, the now Provincial of the Jesuits, to use his endeavors to procure for the State of Maryland an accurate transcript of the said narrative or history, and of any other document relati!lg to the early history of Maryland that may chance to be lodged in the said archives, or in other Jesuits' house in Europe, and to contract for securing such transcript at an expense not exceeding five hundred dollars, and that the Treasurer of the Western Shore be and is hereby authorized and required to advance from time to time upon the order of the said Librarian, such portions of the said sum of money as may be required for carrying this resolution into effect. And be it further resolved that the said transcript or transcripts when obtained be deposited and preserved in the State Library. By Order, GEo. G. BREWER, Clk. By tlte Smate, March 21st, 1837, \Vas this day read and assented to. By Order, Jos. H. NICHOLSON, Clk. Maryland SCl:. ~ I, Richard W. Gill, Clerk of the Court of Appeals for the \Vestern Shore of the State of { SEAL } Maryland, do hereby certify that the preceding '--v--' is a full and true copy of the resolution of the General Assembly of the said State, of which it purports to be a copy as taken from the original resolution deposited in and belonging to the Office of The Court of Appeals aforesaid. In testimony whereof, I herewith subscribe my name as Clerk, and affix the Seal of the said Court of Appeals, the twenty-fourth day of March, A. D. I 837. RICHARD w. GILL, Clk. Father McSherry, under date of April 8th, promises his cooperation, and says: "I shall make it my, duty to write immediately to one of our members, who has lately gone to Rome, and who can have full access to the archives, and have copied whatever manuscripts may be found of im- �214 Histon"cal Papers. portance to the elucidation of the early history of Maryland. I will also write to Stonyhurst College, in England, where, very probably, valuable documents may be obtained. Previous to the next session of the Legislature, I will forward to you the documents, or report to you what progress shall have been made in "the research for them." ·whether anything further was done in the premises does not appear; but it is probable that nothing was obtained from Rome, and that those who sought for information had to rest contented with the transcripts made by Father McSherry himsel( It was only in 1874 that the 'valuable documents,' from Stonyhurst, were received upon application of Rev. Father J. E. Keller. They consist of correspondence and historical notes,~colleCl:ed and arranged in order by the editor of the Records, "for the intended history of the l\Iaryland Catholic Mission, S. ]., the Mother of the present vast Catholic Church of the United States." Free use has been made of these documents in former papers of the present series, and it is mainly due to them that this reproduCtion of the A~xuAL LETTERS will possess any special interest or value. Father White's Narrative of the Voyage to Maryland and Founding of St. Mary's was written from that city, within about a month after the arrival of the first vessels, that is to say, towards the end of Aprf( ·r634. The last paragraph of the letter says: "We have been here only one month, and so the remaining particulars must be kept for the next voyage." An ancient pamphlet (Stonyhurst MSS. Anglia, vol. 4) furnishes some of these remaining particulars, which may appropriately be introduced here, as a suplement to the Rdatio. The Governor, Leonard Calvert, after the first landing had been effeCled on St. Clement's Island, had sailed up the Potomac with a few followers, amongst whom was Fr. John Altham. His objeCt: was to obtain an interview with �77tc Anuual Letters. 215 the powerful chief of the Piscataways, and to select a proper site for the future capital of the Colony. Our man·uscript, copied from the Stonyhurst original, takes up the narrative at this point. Whilst the Governor was abroad, the neighboring Indians, where the ships lay, began to cast off fear, and come to their Court of Guard, which they kept night and day upon Saint Clement's Isle, partly to defend their barge, which was brought in pieces out of England, and there made up, and partly to defend their men, which were employed in felling of trees, and cleaving pales for a palisado, and at last they ventured to come aboard the ships. He, finding it not fit, for many reasons, to seat himself as yet so high on the River, resolved to return back again, and to take a more exact view of the lower parts; and so, leaving the ship and pinnaces there,· he took his barge (as mo_st fit to search the creeks and small rivers), and was conducted by Captain Fleet, who knew well the country, to a river on the north side of Potomac River. They went up this river ?-bout four leagues from the mouth thereof, which they called Saint George's River. They went up this river about four leagues, and anchored at the town of Yoacomaco, from whence the Indians of that part of the country are called the Yoacomacoes. At their coming to this place, the Governor went on shore and treated friendly with the \Verowance there, and acquainted him with the intent of his coming thither, to which he made little answer (as their manner is to any new or sudden question), but entertained him and his company that night in his house, and gave him his bed to lie on (which is a mat laid on boards), and the next day went to show him the country, and that day being spent in viewing the places about that town, and the fresh waters, which here are very plentiful and excellent good (but the main rivers are salt); the Governor determined to make the first colony there, and so gave order for the ship and pinnaces to come thither. This place he found to be a very commodious situation for a town, in regard the land is good, the air wholesome and pleasant, the river affords a safe harbor for ships of any burthen, and a very bold shore. Fresh water and wood there is in great plenty, and the place so naturally fortified, as with little difficulty it may be defended from any enemy. To make his entry peaceable and safe, he thought fit to �216 Histon·cal Papers. present< 1) the \Verowance and the \Visoes of the town (so they call the chief men of account amongst them) with some English cloth, such as is used in trade with the Indians, axes, hoes and knives, which they accepted very kindly, and freely gave consent that he and his compani should dwell in one part of their town, and reserved the other for themselves; and those Indians who dwelt in that part of the town, which was allotted for the English, freely left them their houses and some corn that they had begun to plant. It was also agreed between them that at the end of harvest they should leave the whole town, which they did accordingly. And they made mutual promises to each other to live friendly and peaceably together, and if any injury should happen to be done on any part, that satisfaCl:ion should be made for the same, and thus upon the 27th day of March,Anno Domini 1634, the Governor took possession of th~e"place, and name~ the town St. Mary's. There \Vas an occasion that much facilitated their treaty with these Indians, which was this: the Susquehanocks, a warlike people that inhabit between Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay, did usually make wars and incursions upon the neighboring Indians, partly for superiority, partly for to get their women, and what other purchase they could meet with, which these Indians of Y oacomaco fearing, had the year before our arrival there, made a resolution for their safety, to remove themselves into the country higher, where it was more populous, and many of them were gone thither before the English arrived. Three days after their coming to Y oacomaco, the Ark and the two pinnaces arrived there. The Indians much wondered to see such ships, and at the thundering of the ordinance when they came to an anchqr. The next day they began to prepare for their houses, and first of all a court of guard and a store-house. In the meantime they lay aboard the ship. They had not been there many days before Sir John Hervey,< 2l the Governor of 1 < l Whilst all history is full of commendation and praise over the conduct of William Penn, in purchasing his lands in Pennsylvania from the Indians, it will not be amiss to bestow a due measure of credit upon the same course pursued by Lord Baltimore's Governor. He purchased the land, upon which his settlement was made, for what, to Indians, would be ample remuneration, they being about moreover to abandon their country, as indeed many of them had already done, in consequence of their dread of the formidable Susquehannocks. -Note by Dr. Dalrymple, 'Relatio,' p. 123. 2 < l The first Lord Baltimore, after the failure of his Colony at Avalon in N ~wfoundland, came to Virginia in search of a better situation for himself �77te Annual Letters. 217 Virginia, came thither to. visit them, some Indian Werowances also and many other Indians from several parts came to see them, and amongst others the Werowance of ami his dependents, arriving at James City in 1729. He was very ungraciously received by the Virginia colonists. The Assembly tendered him and his followers the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, the latter of which, as a Roman Catholic, he refused to take. The oath at that time was the one presct'ibed by the Statute I. Eliz. ch. i, sec. 19, by which he must have declared that the King was the only supreme governor of all his dominions and countries, "as well ;n all spiritnal or ecclesiastical things or causes, as temporal."- The Lords Baltimore by John G ..Jlorris. . Father 'Vhite mentions the apprehensions of his companions, as the expedition approached Point Comfort in Virginia, "lest the English inhabitants, to whom our plantation is very objectionable, should plot some evil against us." Sir John Harvey, Governor of Virginia, treated them well at this first meeting, and after the friendly visit mentioned above, sided with Governor Calvert against the partisans of Claiborne. He was forcibly sent home to England shortly afterwards by the Virginia Company. ''The Company alleg~ that he is a J\Iarylander, that i~, one that favours too much Lord Baltimore's Plantation, to their prejudice" (Stafford's Letters). The subjoined State Paper throws some light upon the subject:- State Papers. Dom. Charles I., Vol. 303, No. 105. 11 Dec. 1635. Whitehall. Notes by Nicholas, Clerk of Council, of proceedings of the Council this day, the King being present. on the investigation of charges against Sir John Hervey, Governor of Virginia, who has been sent home by the Council of that Colony. The charges against Sir John and his answers are here given, with a special note of the King's opinion, and a passing remark of Archbp. Laud [Canterb.]. The whole is somewhat difficult to make out, being partly written in Nicholas' shorthand. It was held to be an assumption of royal power to send hither the Governor : those to be sent for that assumed the Government, and him that laid hands on the Governor. Amongst the charges against the Governor are the following:That he denieth to administer the oath of allegiance to those that went thither to plant, as he is obliged by his instructions. And that he is a favorer of the Popish Heligion. Charged that one Rabnet of :Maryland having said it was lawful and meritorious to kill an heretic King, and Sir John Harvey caused him to be apprehended, and set at liberty, and this being offered to be proved by one Mr. Williams, a )Iinister, Sir John would not admit of his testimony, because he had married two persons without a license. Lord Baltimore's servants had slain three men in keeping of the entry of Hudson's River, which goes up to Maryland. (!J Mr. White, a Minister, is silenced by the Governor, for cursing those of his Parish; and an old man for bringing of him drink and white bread is . . . . . Governor:That he could never see any orders, albeit he had two years time to show his orders: denies that he silenced him . .Charged that he countenanceth the religion in Maryland. :Mr. Halley in the midst of the Mass said that he was come to plant in l\Iaryland the Rom ish religion. Denied·absolutely by :Mr. Halley. It is said by Sir John Harvey and ~Ir. Halley that there is public J'.fass in Maryland. VoL. x-No. 3· 28 �218 Hi:Ston·ca! Papers. Patuxent, who, being brought into the great cabin of the ship, was placed between the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, when a Patuxent Indian that came with him, on entering the cabin and finding the vVerowance thus seated between the two Governors, started back, fearing that he had been surprised, and was ready to have lept overboard, nor could he be persuaded to come into the cabin until the Werowance came himself unto him, for he· remembered how the said vVerowance had formerly been taken prisoner by the English of Virginia. After they had finished the ·store-house and unloaded the ship, the Governor thought fit to bring the colors on shore, which were attended by all the gentlemen and the rest of the servants in arms, who received the colors with a volley of shot, which was answered by the ordnance of the ship. At this ceremony were present the Werowances of Patuxent anrl Y oacoma'co, with many other Indians; and the \Verowance of Patuxent hereupon took occasion to advise the Indians of Y oacomaco to be careful to keep the league that they had made with the English. He stayed with them divers days, and used many Indian compliments, and at his ueparture he said to the Governor: "I love the English so well, that if they should go about to kill me, if I had but so much breath as to speak, I would command the people not to avenge my death ; for I know that they would not do such a thing except it were through mine own defaults." They brought thither with them some store of Indian corn from the Barbadoes, which at their first arrival they began to use (thinking fit to preserve their English provision of meal and oatmeal), and the Indian women, seeing their servants to be unacquainted with the manner of dressing it, would make bread thereof for t)1em, and teach them how to do the like. They found arso the country well stored with corn (which they bought with truck, such as there is desired, the natives having no knowledge of the use of money), whereof they sold them such plenty as that they sent a thousand bushels of it to New England to provide them some salt fish and other commodities which they wanted. During the time that the Indians stayed by the English at Yoacomaco, they went daily to hunt with them for deer and turkeys, whereof some they gave them for presents, and the meaner sort would sell them to them for knives, beads and the like. Also of fish the natives brought them great store, and in all things dealt very friendly with them; �T/ze Annual Letters. 1 their women and children came very frequently amongst them, which was a certain sign of their confidence of them, it being found by experience that they never attempt any ill where the women are or may be in danger. Their coming thus to seat upon an Indian town, where they found ground cleared to their hands, gave them opportunity (although they came late in the year) to plant some corn and to make them gardens, which they sowed with English seeds of all sorts, and they prospered exceedingly well. They also made what haste they could to finish their houses; but before they could accomplish all these things, one Captain Claybourne (who had a desire to appropriate the trade of those parts unto himself) began to cast out words amongst the Indians, saying that those of Y oacomaco were Spaniards and his enemies; and by this means endeavored to alienate the minds of the natives from them, so that they did not receive them so friendly as formerly they had done. This caused them to lay aside all other works and to finish their fort, which they did within the space of one month; where they mounted some ordnance, and finished it with some murtlzerers and such other means of defence as they thought fit for their safeties ; which being done, they proceeded with their homes and finished them, with convenient accommodations belonging thereto, and although they had thus put themselves in safety, yet they ceased not to procure to put these jealousies out of the natives' minds, by treating and using them in the most courteous manner they could, and at last prevailed therein, and settled a very firm peace and friendship with them. They procured from Virginia hogs, p6u!try and soll.J.e cows, and some male cattle which hath given them a foundation for breed and increase; and whoso desire it may furnish himself with a store of cattle from thence; but the hogs and poultry are already increased in Maryland to a great stock, sufficient to serve the colony very plentifully. They have also set up a water mill for the grinding of corn adjoining the town. Thus, within the space of five months, was laid the foundation of the colony in Maryland, and whoso now intends to go thither shall find the way so trodden, that he may proceed with much more ease and confidence than these first adventurers could, who were ignorant both of place, people and all things else, and could expeCt to find nothing but what nature produced; besides, they could not in any reason but think the natives would oppose them; whereas, �220 Histon"cal Papers. now the country is discovered, and friendship with the natives is assured, houses built, and many other accommodations, as cattle, hogs, poultry, fruits, and the like, brought thither from England, Virginia and other places, which are useful both for profit and pleasure; and without boasting, it may be said that this colony hath arrived to more in six months than Virginia did in many years. If any man shall say they are beholden to Virginia for so speedy a supply of many of those things which they of Virginia were forced to fetch from England and other remote places, they will confess it, and acknowledge themselves glad that Virginia is so near a neighbor, and that it is so well stored of all necessaries for to make those parts happy and the people to live as plentifully as in any other part of the world; only they wish that they would be content their neighbors might live in peace, by them, and then no doubt they should find a great comfort each in the other. "On account of the very many difficulties that present themselves in this mission, which has been lately started, but little fruit has thus far been gathered from it, especially among the savages, whose language is slowly acquired by our countrymen, and hardly admits of being written. There are employed in it five members of the Society, three priests and two assistants, who, in hope of future results, endure their pr~sent toils with great cheerfulness. "Four priests and one lay-brother are employed in this mission, but we are left in ignorance of what they have accomplished, because no letters have been brought thence during this year. ''Four Fathers gave their attention to the mission, and along with them one lay-brother, who, after enduring severe t~ils for the space of five years with the greatest pa- �J T!te Annual Letters. 221 tience, humility and ardent love, was seized by the disease prevalent at the time, and happily exchanged this wretched life for that which is eternal. "He was shortly followed by one of the Fathers, who, though young, possessed remarkable qualities of mind, which gave great promise for the future. He had scarcely spent two months in this mission, when, to the great grief of all of us, he was carried off by the sickness so general in the colony, from which none of the three remaining priests have entirely escaped, yet we have not ceased to labor to the best of our ability among the neighboring people. (I) "Though the authorities of this colony have not yet allowed us to dwell among the savages, on account both of the prevailing sickness and of the hostile disposition shown by the barbarians towards the English, to the extent of murdering a man from this colony, who had go_ne amongst them for the sake of trade, and also of entering into a conspiracy against our whole nation; still we hope that one of us will shortly secure a station among the barbarians. Meanwhile, we devote ourselves more zealously to the English; and since there are Protestants as well as Catholics in the colony, we have labored for both, and God has blessed our labors. "For among the Protestants, nearly all who came out from England in this year ( 1638) and many others, have been converted to the faith, together with four servants whom we purchased in Virginia (another of our coionies) for necessary services, and five mechanics whom we hired for a month, and have in the meantime won to God. Not long afterwards one of these departed this life, after being duly prepared for death, and receiving the sacraments. Hardly anything else worth mentioning has occurred with respeCt to them, but the following circumstances are more worthy of note: 1 < >Brother Thomas Gervase died in 1637; the day aml month not named. Father John Knowles died September 24, 1637. �222 Historical Papers. "A certain person, a zealous Protestant, entirely unknown to us, was staying with a friend who was still more fervent in his religion, and having been bitten by one of the snakes that abound in these parts, he was in great danger of death. One of our Fathers, on learning this, took a surgeon with him and hurried to the sick man, with the hope of being of some benefit to his soul, though it was reported that he had already lost his senses. His friend, however, divining this intention, tried to thwart its success. The priest, unable to think of any other plan, determined to stay all night with the sick man. But his friend prevented this also, and, lest the Father should gain any access at night, he appointed a guard to sleep on a bed laid across the door of the chamber occupied by his friend. The priest, nevertheless, watched anxiously for every opportunity of approach, and going at midnight, when he supposed the guard would probably be overcome by sleep, he contrived, without disturbing him, to enter the sick man's room ; and, at his own desire, received him into the Church. Although, under the circumstances, it was impossible that the sick man could be taught much, or be very firmly established in his belief, yet when, contrary to all expectation, he was cured by our surgeon, the grace of God gave him strength to choose to be put out of his friend's house rather than retract what he had done; nay, he even came to us of his own accord, and happily completed the work whicli he had begun. ~· . "Another man, whom one of us tried to bring to· the orthodox faith, repulsed him with the answer, "that he had vowed he never would embrace Catholicity." A short time afterwards, this wretched man was attaeked by disease, and brought to the last 'extremity before the Father was informed of his sickness. He, however, hastened to the house with all speed, and found him quite insensible, though still breathing. Accordingly, he instructed the attendants to put some nourishment into the mouth of the sick man every now and then, and summon him if there was at any time a return of consciousness. A message arriving early �Tlte Annual -Letters. 223 the next morning, the Father ran to him, and, after a time, perceived that he could in some measure understand what was said, and could sometimes give an answer to a short question, though not to a long discourse at once. The Father, therefore, determined to make use of the present opportunity, inasmuch as he could not hope for another. And when by various communications he felt sure that he had obtained the consent of the sick man to become a Catholic, a!' well as an expression of sorrow for his sins, and a desire to be absolved from them, he gave him absolution, together with the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. After this had been done, the sick man, in a day or two, was perfectly restored to his senses. And when asked what he had done, or what he was conscious of having been done with respect to him, he answered with such great joy and heartfelt emotion that he had been admitted to the Catholic Church and intended to remain 'in it even to his last breath, that all who were present were affected with no small admiration. Afterwards, when the Father came again, he expressed the same joy to him, and to his great satisfaction performed everything necessary for his further confirmation in grace. From that time he gradually recovered, but having had scarcely any of the proper remedies, and being obliged to lie for a long time on his back, dreadful ulcers broke out over his whole body. \Ve procured such necessaries for him as we could at our own expense, and sent him a surgeon, by whose skilful attention and the watchful care of others he was cured, and is now a strong man, sound, as we trust, both in mind and body. "Another person, who was of noble birth, had been reduced to such poverty by his own unrestrained licentiousness that he sold himself into this colony. Here, when he had been recalled by one of us to the right faith and the fruits. of a holy life, he still had anxious doubts as to whether he had entered upon the safe road. On one occasion, when he had entrusted himself to the sea in a small skiff, a frightful storm arose, such as he had never seen, al- �224 Historical Rzpers. though he had been often out in storms before ; inevitable shipwreck seeming close at hand, he earnestly prayed to God that He would ward off the impending danger, as a confirmation of the faith he had lately embraced, provided it was really true. God heard his prayer, and, turning the storm in another direB:ion, confirmed his wavering mind, and brought him to a state of tranquil peace. Not long afterwards, this man was brought to the last extremity by a severe complaint, and having received all the Sacraments about an hour before his death, he asked his Catholic attendant to pray for him. It is probable that his guardian angel presented himself to his sight, for when almost at the point of death, he called the same attendant, saying with a cheerful voice: 'Don't you see my good angel ? Behold him ~standing near to carry me away; I must depart.' And thus happily (as we are permitted to hope) he breathed his last. Since his burial, even Protestants have often seen a very bright light playing at night around his tomb. ''Besides these cases, a Father going beyond the colony, found two Frenchmen, of whom one had been without the sacraments of the Church for three entire years; the other was already near death, after spending fifteen whole years am~>ng heretics, and living just as they did. The Father aided the former with the sacraments, and confirmed him in the Catholic faith as far as he could. The latter he restored to the Catholic Church, and, administering all the sacraments, prepared him for a hap.f>y death. [An attempt will be made in the next number to determine the Status of the Mission during the first ten years of its existence. This will give an opportunity to bring together various notes, which might have been appended here in illustration of the text:] �ACROSS THE CONTINENT. LETTER I. ON THE YELLOWSTONE, July-, 1877. Where shall I begin the account I promised you of a jaunt across the Continent? After tugging slowly up the Yellowstone, against a current more like that of a mountain stream than a great river, railroads seem too commonplace to deserve mention. Let me begin then at Bismarck, the present terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, just asking you to glance back towards Duluth, at the head of Lake Superior, from which this railroad starts. There is nothing at all inviting about this first portion of the route ; the country is level and marshy, scrub oak and tamarack being the characteristic trees, and the road-bed swaying in ominous undulations, as if it had wished to sink out of sight like the millions of hard earned savings that helped to construCt it. In such ground, to prevent the subsidence of the track, trees are felled across from both sides, and earth or gravel is then piled upon them to receive the track. At Brainerd, the railroad crosses the Mississippi, no slight stream even in this northern latitude, but small when compared with the Missouri. After crossing the Mississippi, I could only meditate upon the country through which we were rolling along, for it was too dark to see anything, and next morning found us at the Western boundary of Minnesota, the Red River of the North. This we crossed at Fargo, and as it was Sunday, we had to be content with the speed of a freight train, that gave us abundant time to gaze upon the level extent of Dacotah's prairies, where not a single tree breaks the monotony of the dull scenery. These prairies produce fine wheat, and immense tracts are being brought under cultivation. They talk here of single furrows miles in length, and one thinks of a ploughman in VoL. x-No. 3. 29 (225) �226 Across tlze Continmt. seven-league boots to do the work, and a Colonel Mulberry Sellers to calculate the amount of grain to be harvested. At dusk we reached Bismarck on the Missouri River, the present terminus of the Norther~ Pacific Railroad. To say that it is the terminus of the road is enough to describe the town to any one who remembers Cheyenne or Denver in years past, when they bore the same relation to other railroads. Houses built more of canvas than of wood, stores with large displays of goods in front, immense signs and great pretence, running back to small wall tents not many feet in the rearnt turpiter atrum Desinat in piscem mulier formosa superne, grog shops more numerous than all other trades combined, a French res.taurant kept by a German who has a negro cook; a population of some hundreds, the male portion being largely in the majority, and of a charaCter such as Mark Twain and Bret Harte have made the world familiar with-this is Bismarck. The very air of the place is nomadic. You would not think of remaining there for a day, and you cannot imagine that any one really stays there. The railroad will move on and "Bismarck" will move with it. Not the material Bismarck, that may stop where it is and oe the foundation of a future city-but the moral Bismarck, the present inhabitants, railroad employes, adventurers, whiskey-dealers-they will push on with that which gives them life and a raison d'etre. It may be safe to say that the material Bismarck too wifi not remain, for it is said that at Cheyenne a traveler left his carpet-bag leaning against a house, whilst he went to mail a letter, and that on his return, house, carpet-bag and all had disappeared. The Arab had struck his tent, and had doubtless mistaken the traveler's carpet-bag for some of his own personalty. The charaCter of such a place necessarily soon changes; permanent dwellings are ereCted, streets paved; and a more respeCtable population takes the place of the pioneers. Warned by him of Cheyenne, we did not leave our carpet-bags against any of the houses, but shook the dust from our feet in the �Across the Continent. 227 early morning, and proceeded to the steamboat landing, about a mile distant, where the Rosebud, a boat well known on these upper waters, received us. ON THE MrssouRI.-Truly he makes those who trespass on his patience by opposing his natural drift, pay well for their temerity. The broad brown waters sweep past us at the rate of six miles an hour and our steamer puffs and tugs to make the progress of a row-boat. The stream runs between bluffs about one hundred feet in height, in which occur occasional layers of lignite, or soft coal, a few feet in thickness. Sometimes the hills recede from the stream, and the low lands on the banks of the river are covered with cottonwood and willow trees. The hills themselves are covered with thin tough prairie grass, but no trees or shrubs break their monotonous outline. The sun seems to have forgotten that he is shining upon latitude 47°, for he beats down with as much warmth upon us as he is wont to do ten degrees further south. It is intensely hot on the steamboat, and day and night the mosquitoes swarm about us relentlessly. They are not the noisy, boisterous pests of New Jersey, but quiet, sober searcher;; after blood. We wear the ordinary head protectors, made of mosquito netting, which form a necessary part of one's costume on the Upper Missouri; heavy buckskin gauntlets protect our hands, / and still it is impossible to escape entirely. To do so, it is necessary to be clad in newspaper armor, and at some of the forts we visit, we are told that ladies and children thus protect themselves. Is it the character of the paper, the moral or physical odor of the print that disgusts and repels the hungry insect? The days drag wearily along, the scenery is as tame and dull as can be imagined, the great stream always opposes our progress with the same swift current, and there is none of the romance of seeing herds of elk and buffalo and antelope. I wander about the boat, and find my way to the pilot-house, where Grant Marsh, our Captain, whiles away an hour chatting about other trips, when he was obliged to surround his pilot-house with sheet iron to proteCt the pilot from the bullets of Indians on �228 Across ·the Continent. the shore. How do pilots steer on these western rivers ? A broad shallow stream lies before them, the main channel is always comparatively narrow, and to a Iandman's eye there is nothing to show where the water is deep. They judge by the sweep of the river, the charaCter of the bends, by a mere ripple, and other signs which they cannot describe. ''May r steer a while?" "Certainly." "\Vhich way?" "Put her close to the bank here, there's a long sand bar stretching out yonder." "How do you know?" A low chuckle is the only direCt: answer. "Last year it was on this side, and above the bend there, but I see it has shifted." I am tempted to repeat my interrogation, but refrain this time. Surely this is the evidence of things that appear not; faith is necessary'here. To me there is only a broad yellow surface gleaming in the sunlight, without wave or ripple. In the afternoon we pause at Fort Stephenson, a small military post on the left bank (the right as we ascend), and we discharge some freight for the fort. At nightfall we come to a great bend, and on the point or elbow that juts out into the stream stands a village of the Mandan Indians, and near by is Fort Berthold, the agency for the tribe. Unlike most Indians of the Northwest, the Mandans live in large dome-shaped huts, covered with earth. It is among them ~that Lewis and Clarke spent their first winter on their famous exploring expedition of 1804-5-6. The manners and habits of the tribe have been interestingly described by Catlin. In three days from Bismarcl{we reached Fort Buford, at the mouth of the Y ellowsto~e~ a distance of some three hundred miles-slow traveling when compared with railroad speed, but a wonderful improvement upon canoes and row-boats we read of, when fifteen miles a day up stream was regarded as good progress. We have now seen three military posts-Fort Lincoln, a few miles below Bismarck, which we visited before starting up the river; Fort Stephenson, and now Fort Buford. These stations are scattered through all the western territories in such a manner as to hold in check bands of roving Indians, to proteCt: large distriCts, and to form depots from which �Across tlze Continent. 229 troops can operate against hostile tribes. They are so much alike in general charaCter that a description of one may suffice for all. An open square, one hundred or one hundred and fifty yards in length, surrounded on all sides by frame buildings, one story in height, usually painted white, or of some very light color. On one side are officers' quarters, on two others barracks for the men, the fourth being occupied by store-houses, shops and other necessary buildings. Sometimes small block-houses close the angles of the square, but usually there is nothing to indicate that attack is even possible. No eart~works of any kind surround the buildings, no cannon are seen, there is no stockade or enclosure. The Indians rarely attack one of these forts, and the mere presence of an armed garrison is enough to make them avoid any near approach, though in .the field they may prove more than a match for the troops. Such posts are like little oases in a desert, where, after long dreary marches across uninhabited wastes, one meets with many of the conveniences of civilized life, and with genial, cordial people, who try to make homes for themselves wherever they are sent. Life must be dull enough in such places, especially in the winter, when for months at a time they are cut off from regular communication with the outside world. A regiment is liable to be moved from Texas to Montana, or from Louisiana to Oregon ; so, officers, and their families as well, acquire an indifference to places and an adaptability to circumstances that is becoming to the military profession. As the Rosebud reached Fort Buford at sunset, and steamed up the river at dawn, there was no chance to see the mouth of the Yellowstone. It is well known that the Missouri is the stream which gives charaCter to the Mississippi, or rather that it is the principal river of the two. Of the· Yellowstone we were tempted to think the same, and say that the Missouri flowed into it, and not it into the Missouri. If the size and volume of the two streams be compared, scarcely any difference will be found. At the mouth of the Yellowstone, Lewis and Clarke's party found it to �Across the Continent. exceed the Missouri in actual width only about thirty yards. The latter is, however, the longer stream, probably drains a greater extent of territory, and therefore deserves to be held as the principal river. As we ascend the Yellowstone, the current is swifter, the bends in the river are sharper and more frequent, rendering navigation correspondingly difficult, and the bluffs on the shore are higher and more rugged. To the south of us now lie the Bad Lands, the L11am,aises Terres of the French, which well deserve their name. You have seen mud dried and cracking in the sun, and noticed how irregular the cracks are in size and direction, how unlike any defined arrangement of hill and valley, such as is seen where~~ rill has washed out a bed for itself on the road side?·· Imagine the cracked mud indefinitely magnified until each little portion grows to be a great hill and the rifts between become rugged ravines, and you will have some notion of what the Bad Lands are like, as they appear from the Yellowstone. The strata lie horizontally, and consist of soft sand stones, alternating with indurated clays, usually crowned by some feet of drift, and above that again alluvium. Such soft formations might, it seems, by the _mere influence of denudation, be worked into their present uncouth shapes. The fact that the strata lie lzorizontal!y shows that there has not been much disturbance since they were laid down. There are some thin layers of what appears to be coal, but it is s'!ii.I to be useless for fuel, being probably admixed with clay. · Occasionally there are islands in the river covered with cottonwood trees. At times the banks are low, and the plains on both sides extend for some distance, but the general character of this portion of the Yellowstone is that of high bare hills. There are not a few sand bars in the stream, and the current seems to become swifter and swifter as we ascend. A west wind is enough to stop our progress altogether, and oblige us to tie up to the bank for a few hours, but the time is utilized in laying in fuel for the engine. At night,. too, we tie up to the bank, and guards are stationed �Across t!ze Continent. 231 on the hills. It is strange to find that Captain Clarke reckons the _current of the Yellowstone, from Tongue River to the Missouri, at only two miles an .hour, while it seems to us to be six or seven. The difference can only be accounted for by remembering that he did not ascend the Yellowstone, but visited that stream on his return· from the Columbia, and to descend a stream makes one's judgment of the current very moderate, when after a long absence the voyager has turned his face once more homeward. He agrees with us in finding the mosquitoes on this portion of the Yellowstone a great pest: "Aug. 5th-Finding their situation intolerable where they were (from the mosquitoes), they proceeded further down. On the way Captain Clarke went on shore and ascended a hill in pursuit of a big-horn, but the moschetoes were in such multitudes that he could not keep them from the barrel of his rifle long enough to take aim." At night they are particularly annoying, and the choice between making yourself a victim to the mosquitoes and sleeping with your clothes, shoes, hat and mosquito-net on, is not a pleasant one, but the latter alternative is to me the less unbearable, even in the close berth of a small stateroom. When we have ascended about one hundred and fifty miles, we find that they have gradually diminished in number, and then entirely disappeared, why or wherefore the entomologist must tell us. At the mouth of Tongue River there is a large cantonment of troops, stationed here to control the wandering bands of Sioux that have given so much trouble during the past few years. The quarters are built of logs with earthcovered roofs, but they are very comfortable and cosy. The ladies of the garrison came up from Fort Leavenworth on board a steamboat, their furniture being stored on a second vessel. Unfortunately, the boat on which the furniture was laden blew up, and all their household goods were lost. They arrived, therefore, stripped of their Lares and Penates, but have accommodated themselves with great cleverness to the situation. The commandant's house, for instance, is decorated with bunting, the stars and stripes furnishing �Across the Continent. the walls and ceilings. Boxes and trunks have been neatly covered with skins of bear and elk, the walls are adorned with Indian trophies, a~d the whole residence has a truly martial air about it. A permanent post is in course of construaion, but we rejoice to have seen the log huts with their military furniture. A mile from the cantonment is a camp of Indian prisoners. The children, arrayed in nature's garb, are lying out in the sunlight; women, half clad, are lazily reclining in the wigwams ; here and there one may be found engaged on some sort of bead work, but for the most part they are without occupation, listless, dull and stupid looking. The men are fine specimens of humanity physically, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, with large square features and fine muscular development. We sa\V'"men lying naked in a sweat-tub, a low circular struaure with a pile of heated stones in a hole in the centre. They were "making medicine," and from the buffalo skull that grinned in the doorway, we inferred that their incantations had something to do with a hunt. 'vVe also saw a number of men crowded into a tepee, singing monotonously to the accompaniment of a drum, which they beat incessantly. Deprived of their arms and ponies, Sioux prisoners are regarded as harmless creatures, and do not need to be strialy guarded. They sometimes- avail themselves in a curious way of the liberty allowed them, as the following anecdote shows : A young lady at t~e post was engaged in front of her mirror the other day,'When she perceived in the glass the image of a swarthy brave seated on the floor behind her. Resisting the first impulse to scream, she continued arranging her hair, while another and still another figure kept appearing in the mirror, until she was surrounded by an admiring circle of Sioux warriors. They had stolen past the guard, were prowling about the post, and had entered the room through curiosity to watch the white squaw at her toilet. Like all Indians, the Sioux make use of gestures as well as words as a means of communicating their thoughts. For instance, a chief describing a journey, �Across t/ze Continent. 233 lays his head on his elbow three times, points to the west, and raises and lowers his hand rapidly as he moves it in front of him, thus indicating that he traveled west for three days on horseback. And so he continues, but the other signs are too complicated for one unacquainted with this mode of speech to interpret readily. In the evening there is a parade of the regiment, and four companies appear mounted on Indian ponies. An infantry man with his long musket looks strange enough on a small Indian pony, but General Miles thinks they will be very efficient in the field. For two principal reasons they will be better than the ordinary cavalry. First, because they are armed with the musket instead of the short carbine which the regulations require the cavalry to carry; secondly, because, as their ponies are accustomed to living on prairie grass, there will be no need of having long trains of pack animals loaded with forage to follow every detachment. They will be superior to infantry from the fact that they can make forced marches quicker, and with less fatigue to the men. The difficulties- I had almost said the impossibilitiesof an Indian campaign can not easily be appreciated by the citizen of an eastern town, who reads the account of Custer's massacre, with his slippers on the fender, and wonders how regular troops can be overcome by poor, ill-supplied savages, encumbered with wives, children and household goods. A little reflection shows, howe\·er, that the poor savage has many points in his favor. He is a practised marksman, trained from infancy to the use of arms ; the soldier until two or three years ago was a laboring man or a farmer, and during his years of military service has had but little practice in firing. The Sioux has a number of ponies, and when one is jaded he jumps upon a second, driving the others before him, and his animals are satisfied with the scanty pickings of the prairie. The trooper has his one horse, on which he is totally dependent, and it must be fed on good oats, and must be well shod and cared for. The Indian is a .perfect horseman, can fight on foot or m VoL. x-No. 3· 30 �234 Across t!ze Continent. the saddle, and has trained his pony to perfeCt: docility, so that he will stand fire. The soldier, even if he be a fine rider, can seldom rely on his horse, so that usually one. man in four must hold the horses, while the others advance on foot to deliver their volley. A brave will give anything for a good rifle; it is his treasure, "dimidium anima!;" the govt;rnment cannot afford to arm the common soldier with a crack rifle. There is another very important point to be considered in criticizing modern engagements. The use of repeating arms, enabling opposing forces to fire very rapidly, obliges an extension of lines, a widening of intervals, which leaves each man more of a unit, more dependent on his own courage and skill than in former times, when we. read of solid,columns advancing to the attack. Speaking under correCtion, this must favor the Indian more than the white man, because regular troops depend upon orders from their officers, and upon the moral support of standing shoulder to shoulder with comrades. The savage is by nature a guerilla, and can fight alone or in bands, as the occasion requires. One thing more, and I have done with this apology, where apology is hardly needed. A stern chase is always a long chase, especially when the leading vessel is the better sailer; and to follow a band of Indians across the plains is like giving chase on the high seas. Leaving Fort Keogh, as the Tongue River post is to be called, after three days we reached t_he mouth of the Big Horn. Nearly opposite. the point wh'erl:! this stream empties into the Yellowstone is ''Pease City," consisting of two very small houses, and a diminutive block-house for defence against the Indians. The Big Horn has the same charaCter as the Yellowstone, only exaggerated. It is a bold, swift, winding stream, striking on one side against a steep rocky bluff, and then swerving off between bottom lands, covered with a thick growth of cottonwood, until it meets similar hills on the other side of its valley. I shall never forget the piCturesqueness of the scenery at the point where we "camped" last night. The boat lay �f Across tke Continent. 235 at the foot of a high sloping bluff, broken by steep ravines, on whose slanting sides grew a few pines and bushes. Climbing to the summit of the bluff, the view in all directions was strangely beautiful. The bright moon shed a lustre over everything, and in its· soft light barren hills seemed clothed as"'if with velvet.. Far away to the ~est rose the Big Horn Mountains, looking like a low blue cloud against the distant sky. In the near distance lay rolling hills, broken by jagged ravines with here and there a lonely pine standing like our own pickets motionless against the dark blue background of the Heavens. At our feet lay the river-the merciless, torrent-like stream-now sweeping and eddying against a soft, low, yielding bank, carrying away trees and shrubbery; now boldly dashing against cliffs of yellow sandstone, then. stretching away in the bright moonlight, seemingly as quiet and calm as a Jake, but revealing its true charaB:er in an occasional swirl or eddy dancing brightly in the shimmer of the moon. Up the steep hill sides were clambering the boat's crew, with soldiers to help them, and the sharp stroke of the axe broke· the quiet stillness of the air,.and broke it not unpleasantly. There is something strangely impressive to me in the vastness of these upper waters. You are familiar with the Mississippi at St. Louis, where it is already twelve hundred miles above its mouth-we know the broad Missouri at Leavenworth, four hundred miles above, and you remember that we reached the Missouri at Bismarck, a thousand miles still further up. Well, from Bismarck we traveled day and night for three days, and then we reached a tributary, the Yellowstone; on the Yellowstone we steamed and steamed day after day, and still the same broad expanse of swift waters. And now we are on a branch of the Yellowstone, and still we are on a mighty river. It fairly makes one's head ache to refleB: upon the unceasing labors of these waters, and the vastness of their field of work, but such refleB:ion is a great aid in appreciating the magnitude of nature's design in tearing down and grinding up mountains to make plains and meadows out of these same materials, thousands of miles below. �Across tlze Continent. Confined by steep, enclosing hills, the Big Horn frets from side to side, sometimes divided into several channels, sometimes heaping its waters together, and so puzzling the navigator. Nature did not fashion this stream for steamboat navigation, and the Rosebud had to pay the penalty of being an intruder. Sometimes she stood perfealy still, though steaming as hard as possible; sometimes the river seemed to conquer, and we were borne backwards for a short distance~ Fortunately, two companies of troops had embarked on our boat at Tongue River, so we were well off for men, and fifty or sixty of them would occasionally be landed to tug us up over a rapid or around some ugly bend, while the steamer was prevented from grounding by the use of long spars. Twenty miles the first day, fifteen the second-;.. the stream is becoming S\vifter and swifter ; Grant Marsh, energetic Captain as he is, has exhausted himself, and the five miles intervening between us and Fort Custer promise to occupy an indefinite time. A large part of the cargo is discharged on shore, to the mortification of the Captain, and we advance thus lightened to Post No. z, or Fort Custer, at the mouth of the Little Big Horn. The site of this fort was determined by the disastrous engagement of General Custer with the Sitting Bull band last summer, and Forts Custer and Keogh, it is thought, will secure this distria from future invasion by the Sioux, will open up the country north of the Yellowstone, and will also pave the way to some extent for the Northern Pacific Railroad. For unless these forts existed, large'~scorts would have to accompany and defend parties at work on the road. Fort Custer lies within the great reservation of the Crow Nation, which extends from the Rocky Mountains on the west to and beyond the Big Horn River on the east, and from the 45th parallel of latitude on the south to the Y ellowstone River. The army may protea the territory of the Crows from their old enemy, the Sioux, but how long will they be able to keep out the more numerous white men? From the hills across the Yellowstone, the immigrant will look with longing eyes at the broad meadows �Across tlze Continent. 237 stretching invitingly before him, with their waving grasses that might so easily be replaced by wheat and oats; and the rolling uplands, where domestic herds could graze in-· stead of the now almost extina big-horn, or the few stray buffaloes that have still survived the wanton destruaion of the huntsman. Fort Custer is in process of construaion, part of its garrison, with the commandant, Colonel Buell, having arrived a month ago. To construa a Fort is to found a colony in a desert. The troops arrive on the ground, pitch their tents, and then what is to be done next? Where is the material to be obtained? How is it to be brought to the spot? How shaped and fashioned? The vicinity of Fort Custer affords nothing but cottonwood, so this must be the chief building material. A young officer is sent some distance up the Little Big Horn with a detachment of men, who fell the trees and float logs down as fast as possible. The commanding officer, Colonel Buell, was an engineer officer during the War, and, to judge by the aspea of his post, he is glad to find aaive occupation. A portable steam saw-mill has been brought up by boat, and is now cutting ten thousand· feet of lumber a day. A brickyard is also in full operation, and by the time winter sets in, there will be a neat square set of buildings up on the Lluff, one hundred feet above the river. The cottonwood is not durable for building purposes, but it is the only building material available. Some twenty miles from Fort Custer, on th~ Little Big Horn River, is the spot where Custer and his three hundred fell last July, paying with their lives for the reckless daring of their ambitious commander. Two days in the rear of Custer was a column of more than two thousand infantry, a force more than sufficient to cope with Sitting Bull's band of Sioux. Custer's cavalry was designed to aa as an auxiliary force, but their commander, wishing to reap all the honors of the campaign, and impatient of the necessarily slow movements of an infantry body, pressed forward to attack the Indians. Confident of an easy .victory, and desirous of completely annihilating the Sioux, he �Across tlze Continmt. committed the further mistake of dividing his regiment into three portions, that they might attack the Indian village from different direaions. The story is only too well known -how the gallant three hundred fell round their chief, and how the other detachments were only saved from a similar fate by a prudent retreat, an entrenched camp, and the arrival of the advance guard of the infantry column. The descent of the Big Horn was as rapid as the ascent had been slow, but proportionally more dangerous. The waters seemed to carry the boat whithersoever they wished, at one time threatening to dash us head foremost against a bold, rocky cliff, at another sweeping us sideways down a straight stretch between two islands. Then o·ur boat would catch in sqme projeaing ·sand-bar, and, swinging round, we would4drift stern foremost down the stream. If steering up stream was a mystery, what can be said of guiding a vessel down the Big Horn? A vague suspicion crossed my mind that we were not being steered, but that our Captain trusted to Providence and to the tightness of his boat. Be that as· it may, the military authorities on board were· thoroughly satisfied that the Big Horn is not a navigable stream, and a depot is to be opened on the Yellowstone,· whence supplies will be conveyed to the post by wagon. The-navigation of these upper waters is only attempted, of course, in the spring and summer, when the melted snows have filled the channels; and even then, as we have exP.erienced, it is both slow and difficult. At the mouth of the Big Horn we.parted company with the Rosebud, which landed us on the north bank of the Yellowstone. There a military escort was waiting to accompany our party westward. Our horses were soon saddled, and, though it was well on in the afternoon, we set forward at once. The road leads back from the river for a little distance, then rises on to the bluff, and continues along the height parallel to the stream. As we ascend from the valley, a storm, which has been brewing for some time, breaks upon us. Hail and rain beating in <;me's face, the wind blowing hard and cold from the �Across tlze Continent. 239 northwest, the dry alkali prairie converted in a few minutes to a muddy paste, a horse fresh as his rider to such an experience, and insisting upon a dog trot instead of a fair walk, the prospeCl: of lying all night on that wet ground, all this dampens the ardor of the tyro, and he sees that the Rosebud's cabin was not such an uncomfortable place after all. When we go into camp a few miles further on, and our tent is pitched in a drizzling rain, he walks along the edge of the bluff watching the river winding below, seeking consolation in the view which the deepening shadows, together with the dark rain clouds, are fast narrowing. He almost ran against a smooth, square stake, and, stooping to see. what purpose it served there, what was his astonishment to read in pencil charaCl:er on one side, "Jefferson St.," and on the other "Montgomery St." Yes, he was in the midst of a town. Already (in the imagination of its founders) hotels, stores and dwellings adorn the corners of Jefferson and Montgomery streets, and town lots are selling at so much a front foot in Big Horn City. Next day the weather is clear and fine, we make an early start, and I have a chance of becoming better acquainted with our escort. What a surprise it is to the uninitiated to see a company of cavalry on the march after they have been campaigning for some months. Keeping in mind the piCl:ures you have seen of the Franco-Prussian war, or the mounted troops one sometimes sees on parade in the East, let me try to describe Company L., Second U. S. Cavalry. Their horses are light and dark bay, sorrel, roan-of diverse shades,-anything but uniform. The men have thrown off their overcoats, and coats as well, for the sun is beginning to beat down fiercely. Some carry their coats at the pommel, and others at the cantle of their saddles, rolled in the neat regulation fashion, or dangling at full length about their horses' flanks. Their trowsers are blue, and this marks the soldier; their shirts, however, are of every shade, red, blue and gray, and their hats white, black or brown. The faces of the men are brown and weatherbeaten, their whiskers in various stages of shagginess. Every bit of metal �Across the Continent. about them, however, on carbine and pistol, buckle and button, is bright and clean, and the feeling grows upon me that they have seen more of the reality than of the showy part of a soldier's life. In faa, they look like a party of Texan rangers or of backwoodsmen, but not like regular troops in aaive service, as we imagine they should look. Our second night on the plains was spent at Pompey's Pillar, so named by Captain Clarke. A ridge of sandstone stretches from the north to the Yellowstone, and the river, instead of flowing round the extreme point of this ridge, has cut through, leaving an isolated mass on the plain on the south side of the stream. The great hill looks romantic enough in its loneliness, and affords a fine view of the surrounding country from its summit. Pompey's Pillar is well desc~ibed in Captain Clarke's journal. "It is nearly two hundred paces in circumference, two hundred feet high, and accessible only from the northeast, the other sides consisting of perpendicular -cliffs of a light-colored, gritty stone. The low grounds of the river extended nearly six miles to the southward, when they rose into plains reaching to the mountains. The north side of the river for some distance is here surrounded by jutting, romantic cliffs, succeeded by ragged hills, beyond. which the plains are again open and extensive." Our route is marked by a wagon trail, very distina, but without bridges or cuttings. We follow the ravines, or 'coolies,' to their head, and sometimes are obliged to make long detours from the course of ·th~ river. On the third day, especially, we were forced some miles to the north of the Yellowstone, high on the uplands, much to my delight, for from the ridge a fine view was gained. To the north lay the Bull Mountains, separated from us by range after range of rolling hills, covered with tall grass, and here and there a grove of pine trees in the sheltered ravines. To the south, far away, glistened the summits of the Big Horn Mountains, covered with snow even now, whilst near by lay the broad valley of the Yellowstone, with its fine meadows and gro":es of cottonwood. The southern side of the Yell ow- �Across t!ze Continmi. stone would have afforded us a more direCt: and' an easier route, but there are no bridges, and the stream is too deep to ford with wagons. Hitherto we had seen but one buffalo, and that at a great distance; it was with great excitement that I perceived a stray buffalo moving in a direCl:ion such as forced him to cross our trail at some distance in front of us. Two or three of the soldiers were ordered to give chase, and as we were moving on a level plateau we enjoyed a good view of the hunt. The huge beast was well aware of his danger, and with his massy head lowered he ran at no mean speed. The soldiers gained steadily on him, however, and fired as their horses ran. Every shot took effeCt:, and at the fourth the buffalo tumbled to the prame. Riding slowly to the spot, we found the men busy over their prize ; one wished to secure the tongue, a second the heart, a third some other chosen tit-bit, while the quartermaster's sergeant, a butcher by trade, soon arrived, and began to strip off the hide and quarter the carcass, loading the meat into one of the wagons. The buffaloes formerly ranged in summer from Texas to the northern boundary of our territories, but since the completion of the Union Pacific railroad they are said to be divided into two great herds, one of which, the northern herd, never passes below that road. In the summer it wanders north beyond the boundary of British America, and probably the bull we had just seen slain was a straggler on his way northward. 'vVe saw no more buffaloes, and very little other game on the Yellowstone. A few large rabbits and some deer were met with, but we secured no venison for our mess, on account of the shyness and swiftness of the deer. \Vhen Lewis and Clarke passed through this country it was swarming with game; elk, big-horns, deer and bear were then common, but the huntsmen have done their work well, and game is now too scarce and too wild for any but skilful and patient plainsmen to hope for a shot. Travelers, as we were, making our regular day's march the first and chief objeCt:, we could hope for little amusement or sport with the rifle. Though the prairies may be stripped of game, and the pic- VoL. x-No. 3. 31 �Across the Continent. turesque tepees of the Indians replaced by the log cabins of the whites, though waving grasses must yield to the plow, and stately pine groves fall under the axe, the beauty of this rolling country can never be destroyed, and the view of the mountains will remain unchanged. Looking to the west, as we ride back to rejoin our party, clear cut against a bright blue sky, standing out prominent and distinct in the pure air, rise the Rocky Mountains. Why is it that the sight of a mountain range sends a thrill of admiration tingling through one's veins? You may see many pictures of more rugged peaks without the slightest feeling; you may read volumes about mountains, and find the volumes as dry as a German commentator on the classics, but let a man see a reat~ountain before his eyes, rising up like a wall to imped~ his progress, and a dim idea of vastness and majesty will fl~~t into his brain, and arouse a feeling of awe and wonder. \Ve camped the next night at the Hot Springs of Hunter's ranche, a locality well known in Montana. The waters are very hot when they issue from the ground, though they are tempered before being admitted to the bath. Of course, they are said to be very beneficial for many diseases, but the remoteness of the locality renders them of little service at present. No doubt they are destined to be famous in the future; and already there is a large bath-house with a swimming pool, of which we availed ourselves, enjoying the swim, and finding the water agreeably spft and pleasant to the skin. Montana has many such springs, but none, I believe, is more liked than Hunter's. Two days' more marching, and we have followed the Yellowstone to the point where it debouches from the Rocky Mountains, a clear, sparkling stream, one hundred yards in width, full of lively trout, and glancing and gleaming .along over its rocks as merry as a little brook. Its character is that of a brook, but, issuing from such a mountain range, its volume and swiftness must give evidence of its ongm. Glancing back down its valley, we see that its main course is northeast, until many hundred miles below �Across the Continmt. 243 tt JOinS the Missouri, in the forty-eighth parallel of latitude, or very near our northern boundary line. Its main tributaries enter from the south, Clarke's Fork, the Big Horn, the Rose Bud, Powder and Tongue Rivers, all large streams, draining the lofty Big Horn Mountains. Its valley is from two to eight miles wide, and this land can all be readily cultivated. The hills and plateaus above will afford fine grazing, and doubtless this country was designed by nature to be a vast pasture for the flocks and herds of the white man. Like all valleys on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, the want of timber detracts much from its beauty, and renders the scenery at times dreary and monotonous. But as we approach the mountains, it becomes more diversified, groves of pines cling to the sides of the ravines, and there are more glades and wooded districts. Up to the mouth of the Big Horn there are no settlements except the occasional bivouac of a woodsman, who cuts cord wood for the steamers that bring supplies to the military posts. The few ranchemen that are established near the mountains rejoice in fine cattle and good vegetables, and other pioneers will doubtless soon follow their example in settling this country. We have not seen or heard of a hostile Indian since we embarked on the river, and now that the Sioux problem is practically solved by the establishment of large posts, settlers may feel comparatively secure. The Crow nation "has always been friendly to the whites, so from them immigrants will have nothing to fear. The climate is certainly trying. At night the thermometer sinks very low, and when reveille calls the sleeper from his hard bed, crawling from under a warm buffalo robe, he finds no overcoat too warm to keep out the chill of the morning. Once in the saddle, however, the beams of the rising sun having begun to sparkle among the dew-drops on the bunch-grass, overcoats are laid aside, and before long you begin to wish for shade and the cool of evening again. The heat at noonday is oppressive. For some distance from the mountains the Y ellow~tone is full of fine trout. They bite greedily, preferring grasshoppers to any artificial �244 Fifty Years Ago. fly. No reel is required in taking them, but an ordinary pole and line suffice. More or less caution is, of course, necessary in concealing oneself, but it requires no expert angler to enjoy an hour's fishing here. Sometimes a fine big fellow will drag hook, line and all with him, but, as a general thing, they can be landed safely without much playing. Our party stopped for a noon rest, when lunch and a nap were in order. Even at that unfavorable time, it was no little sport to spend an hour on the river's brink, and we seldom returned to camp without a fair string of speckled beauties. Even if they had had a surfeit of grasshoppers, and declined the offered bait, it was charming to watch them sporting in the clear water, with its dancing surface always changing, but-~lways the same. I shall wri~~ to you again from the National Park, the Geyser country, or \Vonderland, as it is variously called. FIFTY YEARS AGO. I.-SOME LETTERS OF FR. F. GRIVEL. Father Fidele de Grivel was born of a distinguished family of Franche-Comte, December I7, 1769. He was already a priest, when he resolved to join the .Fathers of the Sacred Heart. Father Varin writes of him: "I must say .a word about our little Society and its plans. I say Society; for such it really is. There are six of us, and a seventh, who is the Abbe de Grivel, will speedily join us. He was this winte"r at Friburg, and I have seen him several times. He is an angel. Five of the six have been in the army." Father Grivel became a member of that Society in 1794, entering upon his novitiate at Leutershofen, not far from Augsburg, and shared the varying fortunes of that body until I 803, when he was r~eived into the Society of Jesus in Russia. The strength of his religious vocation, mid his �Some Letters of Father ./<~ Grivel. 245 firm resolve to persevere in it, were shown in a remarkable manner, when, on the death of Father de Tournely in 1797, the struggling association of the Fathers of the Faith was deprived of its head, whose guidance seemed indispensable. Father Grivel was minister of the house, and, assembling the community around their founder's death-bed, he said with courage and confidence which could come only from on high: "My brethren, the Lord demands a most painful sacrifice from us; He strikes at the most sensitive part of our hearts ; but let us not imagine that He will desert His little flock; Nolite timere, pusillus grex. He snatches away the best of parents, for whom we had too much natural affeCtion. God wishes to show us that He stands in need of no man to accomplish His designs, and that He can carry them on to a successful issue by the feeblest instruments just as well as by those who seemed to be best fitted for the purpose. Courage, then ; let us be of confident heart; it is not without a purpose that God has brought us together, and given us such signal marks of His protection; let us correspond with His intentions, and let us promise, over the dead body of our Father, that we will never separate, and that we will be faithful to our vocation." Admitted into the Novitiate, Fr. Grivel, speaks with enthusiasm of the life led at Polocz: '_'The fervor which reigns here claims my unbounded admiration; we have too much happiness. I live amongst angels in a land of benediCtion ; venite et 7Jz"dete. Cheerfulness, modesty, simplicity, exaCt observance of the rule, union of hearts, charity, the spirit of Jesus Christ,-these are the marks of our novice life, and these excite my admiration." The quiet retirement of Polocz was soon exchanged for aCtive missionary life among the German colonies that the Russian government had planted along the Volga. An interesting account of his labors at Krasnopolis is given by Fr. Grivel in a letter to a friend at Paris (CARAYON- Documents sur Ia Compagnie de Jesus, xx, 6). Recalled to St. Petersburg, he taught Rhetoric in the College established by the Society in that city, until the Jesuits were expelled from the two capitals of �Fifty Years Ago. the Russian Empire, in I8I5, when he returned to France. In the following year, Fr. Brzozowski appointed him Visitor to England, from which country he was accompanied back to France by Father Simpson. Shortly afterwards Father Simpson became Provincial of France, and Fr. Grivel, as Socius to him and to his successor in that office, Father Richardot, was of great assistance in regulating the affairs of the Province. He was a member of the Twentieth General Congregation, which ·in I 820 eleB:ed Father Louis Fortis, General of the Society, and during its deliberations he signalized his zeal for religious discipline, and his attachment to the Institute. He taught theology at Paris and Stonyhurst for some years, and then, being sent to Maryland, he filled· the office of Master of Novices with zeal and edification (Feb. 22, I83I-Dec. I6, I834); after three years spent upon the Mission at St. Inigoes as assistant to Father Carbery, he was appointed Spiritual Father at Georgetown College, where he died, June 26, I842, in the 73rd year of his age. During the later years of his stay in the United States, his family wrote several letters urging him to return to France. Father Grivel's only answer was, that being a religious and a child of obedience, he would return if he should receive an order to that effeCt:, but that he should never manifest the slighte~t desire for it, as he did not wish to interfere with the designs of Providence in his regard. . To tlte Rev. Nicltolas Sewall, (I) Catltol;c Cltapel, Worcester. ~ 30th May, I832. Long. East of White Marsh, Meridian at Washington, 0° 20', lat. N. 38° 59'· \VHITE MARSH, PRINCE GEORGE Co., QuEEN ANN's PosT OFFICE, MD. REVEREND AND MosT REVERED DEAR FATHER, P. C. The letter of yr Rev., dated the 4th of March, reached our delightful solitude the 5th instant, and, of course, was (LJ Dr. Oliver, in his notice of the late Father Nicholas Sewall, a native of Maryland, b)lt a very eminent member of the English Province, and once its �Some Letters of Father F. Grivel. 247 extremely welcome, not only to me, who am very grateful for your kind remembrance, but to our good Novices, to whom I hastened to impart it. Out of twelve Scholastics, seven are Americans; and they were really proud to hear that the oldest of all living American Jesuits had been pleased to give them his love. I assure you that since then they have prayed very hard for your Rev., according to your request; but be confident that they did not wait for your letter to discharge their duty in that respect; because your late brother, Father Charles Sewall, is very well known, and your family, too. Moreover, they have in the College the two hundred and odd exhortations of Father Charles Plowden, copied in your own hand; consequently, how would it be possible not to know, or to forget, or not to pray for good Fr. Nicholas Sewall ? No doubt, I will remember yr Rev. by and by to all our Fathers in the Eastern Mission of the United States, and especially to Father Francis Neale, the only survivor of all your friends of Liege, in the Society. Rev. Mr. William Matthews is a Liegean, one, too, parish priest at \Vashington City, and our friend. Fr. Neale is seventy-six years old, and no infirmities, except a shaking in his hands, which prevents him from writing. He is a Missioner at St. Thomas's Manor, near Port Tobacco, goes to the sick calls (in his carriage), says the last Mass, and preaches after Mass almost every Sunday ;-and that, after having heard confessions from six Provincial, who died in the year 1834, aged 89, after speaking of him as a man of regular and retired habits, much given to prayer and mortification, yet always cheerful and obliging, adds: "The progress and prosperity of our holy religion was the object nearest and dearest to his heart, and indeed he had great cause to rejoice, especially when he witnessed the wonderful propagation of the Catholic faith in his native land. When the United States of America were subject to the English rule, the very exercise of the Catholic religion was degraded, proscribed, and persecuted; but no sooner had these States established their independence of the mother country, than they proclaimed universal liberty of conscience, and afforded religion itself fair play. Father Sewall survived to behold Baltimore erected into a Metropolitan See, with eleven suffragan bishoprics. I have heard him say that he remembered the time when the Catholics had not even a private room in Baltimore where they were suffered to assemble for prayer; and he lived to see it embellished with a noble Catholic cathedral and seven Catholic parish churches, with bells inviting the numerous faithful to the celebration of their religious rites."-Recor<hl of the English Province, vol. III, p. 321. �Fifty Years Ago. or seven o'clock in the morning; good appetite, cheerful, Professed of three vows. His Church is an elegant one, built by your brother Charles (who is buried there, anno 1805), and blessed by Archbishop Carroll. I was there the winter before the last, to help Father Francis at Christmas. Since last fall and the sickness of seven Novices, the devil has left us in peace, and our noviceship has proceeded very regularly. I expea, from the infinite mercy of Almighty God, that not a single one will leave the noviceship, but all will take the vows. In September eight Scholastics will be sent either to the study-house or to the College, and ·I will remain with four only. ;But I was told that four candidates of our College, boys or auxiliaries, are ready to enter the N oviceship,--:-perhaps six. This supply, and a French priest from J);entucky, who will join us in August with three or four Belgians, who perhaps have already sailed from Antwerp, will make a pretty little novitiate. Pray Almighty God and St. Ignatius to give them perseverance in their design; the Blessed Virgin shall bless us. I thank very much your Rev. for the good news of Portugal; but for that very reason the infidels will say that Don Miguel is a double and treble monster. I wish the whole of France and of Europe to be filled with such monsters. White Marsh, formerly called Carroll's Burgh,< 1l is situated on a hill about one hundred feet high; on the top is a fine Church of stone, 95 by 36 feet; an organ; here is its shape [A pen piaure of the church is··given, with the criticism :-'Very bad draught']. Besides the Church, there are frame buildings for twenty Novices and two Missioners, with two spare rooms for guests; kitchen, refeaory, stable, an orchard, a garden, nothing else. The top of the hill, which is conveniently planted with trees, may be five hundred feet long and four hundred wide-almost round. Eastward, at the foot of the hill, is a plain, from west to east, half a n1ile broad, and a mile and a half long, with mead(l)About the year 1760, James Carroll went from Ireland with Father John Ashton, bought this estate, was a bachelor, and gave White :Marsh to a nephew of his, '!ho was a Jesuit. �Some Letters of Father F Gn"vel. 249 ows, fields of tobacco, some wheat, a little more rye, plenty of Indian corn. The soil is too sandy, fit only for tobacco, corn and vineyards; but of the last we have as yet none. By and by we will plant them, and the vines will succeed. Half a mile from the hill, eastward, and over the plain, runs the Patuxent, from north to south, with a good wooden bridge, called Priest's Bridge; it is on the road to Baltimore and Annapolis. 'White Marsh is fourteen miles from the latter town, thirty-three from the former, twenty-two from \Vashington westward, twenty-five from Georgetown, seventeen southwest from Upper Marlborough, and eight from Queen Ann southward. It has about four thousand acres, of which one thousand is a very poor sandy soil. vVe have two farms and one hundred and four slaves, men, women and children. The farms were entirely ruined eight years ago by bad administration; now, Father Aloysius Mudd, who is a good farmer, has paid all the debts- about $IO,ooo-but has not as yet been able to make any fresh improvements. By and by he will drain the low lands along the Patuxent, and have meadows for two hundred head of cattle and fifty horses; he will also build a mill, with three or four stones. When done (but for that he needs a capital of $8,ooo), White Marsh would have an annual income of $5,ocio, instead of $z,ooo, which is the actual revenue in tobacco alone, and besides these $5,000, he will maintain a community of twenty-five religious, the farms, and over one hundred blacks, even with clothes. I asked Father Mudd about a trial of Cobbett's corn, and of Egyptian wheat. He accepted the offer, with thanks to your Reverence. He said, however, that the latter was tried, as related in the America?Z Farmer, without success, but he will try it again. Only as a good procurator, he fears the expense of the freight from England to Baltimore; but, hoping that you will quiet his fears, I pray direct the parcel to E. ]. Willson & Snowden, General Commission Merchants and Planters' Agents, No.4 Bowly's Wharf, Baltimore. Although I am very well pleased here with the country, VoL. x-No. 3· 32 �250 Fifty Years Ago. the inhabitants and my office,-or rather offices, being more than half a Missionary, having heard last year more than six hundred confessions of the congregation, and three hundred of our Religious,-nevertheless, I think very often on my friends of \Vorcester, Stonyhurst and London. Rev. Father Kenney started from our College of St. Louis, Missouri, about the 25th of April, and arrived at Bardstown, Ky., the I sth of May. There he was to give a retreat to the clergy of the diocese, by invitation of Bishop Flaget, and his Coadjutor, Bishop David; he was, moreover, to inspect there as Visitor, the first beginning of the College of French Jesuits, called by the Bishop, and sent by Father General. There are now only three Priests, but they have written for some seven or eight more from France. The Superior is F~ther John Peter Chazelle. Fr. Kenney will perhaps give inother retreat at.Cincinnati, Ohio. He is expected to be at Georgetown aboutthe end of June. My opillion is that Fr. Kenney is not to remain in America, but that his presence will be necessary here for two or three years more, especially because it seems probable that the Mission will be very soon erected into a Province, and he, very likely, will be the first Provincial. Archbishop Whitfield is visiting upper Maryland, and will be at White Marsh in June to give Confirmation, and to confer Tonsure and Minor Orders on our Novices. He continues to be very kind to the Society, and is in good health. Protestants are in a great alarm, and enraged against us, esp,ecially in Maryland, on account of the rapid progress of G<1tholicity, which the sectarians cannot prevent. Father Rector of Georgetown will begin next month a large building (cellar, basement, two stories above, and· a large garret) one hundred and twenty feet long and thirty broad, to join the new to the old College,-expenses, $20,000. But it will do for two hundred and thirty boarders. Now they have one hundred and twenty-seven, and only two places vacant. Pray for us and our Novices. I am, with great esteem, and regard, Revnd Father, Your humble servant in Christ, Fm. GRIVEL, S. J. �Some Letters of Father F. Grivel. 2 5I Poor old Mr. Wharton is continually tortured by his conscience in his parsonage near Trenton, New Jersey. His cook, a good Irish Catholic woman, fell dangerously sickno priest at hand. "Although I am now a Parson," says Mr. \Vharton to her, "l am a Catholic Priest, and can give you absolution in your case." She made her confession, and he absolved her. Did she die or not, I dont know. The fact is true. \Ve heard it from Mr. Wharton, his nephew, a good Catholic, and a magistrate at Washington City. Pray for poor Mr. \Vharton, formerly your fellowcollegian at Liege. Did the cholera reach Stonyhurst, or sweep away some of our Fathers and Brothers? What do you think of my English? To the Same. C. 9th July, 1833. GEORGETOWN CoLLEGE, D. REVEREND AND MosT DEAR FATHER, P. C. Being for a few days in this College, to take leave of our Rev. Fr. Visitor and Superior, Fr. Kenney, whom our M. R. Father General recalls to Ireland, I am now able to pay your Rev. my debt for the two very kind letters of July 22, 1832, and January 16, 1833. I say, of course, mea maxima culpa, for having been so negligent in discharging my duty of an answer. Now, beginning with the most important affair under Heaven, the salvation of a soul, I could not ascertain whether R. M. Wharton of Burlington, New Jersey, has received your letter of July, 1833. I asked a few days ago the Hon. Mr. \Vharton, his nephew, who is living at Washington City; he knows nothing about that. But his uncle is sinking very fast; he has given up preaching. His grand-nephew, the son of our Mr. Wharton, paid him a visit a few weeks ago, as he was passing that way. The old man spoke with him out of the window, and made many difficulties to admit him; however, he did for a night, and the conversation could not fail to be on religion. I think it would be proper to write him again, directing to Burlington, N.J. �Fifty Years Ago. 2ndly, For Cobbett's Indian corn, and Turkish or Egyptian wheat, I could not prevail on Fr. Al. Mudd to make a trial. His father, grandfather, mother, grandmother, etc., being born in Maryland, he farms as he has seen them farming, as all the neighbors are farming. I could hardly persuade him even to graft some apple trees, etc. In reading, he consults his favorite work, The American Farmer; that is his agricultural gospel. Now, there is not a word in it of Douay's Indian corn, or Egyptian wheat; however, I keep your information for better circumstances. 3rdly, I heard nothing about the vineyard of Mr. C. Carroll, of Carrollton; but there are in some places many good vineyards, and in Pennsylvania, a German made a fortune selling his native wine. Fr. Rector of this College planted an acre four years ago, and has succeeded well. We will do the same at the Marsh, and very soon. 4thly, vVe are accustomed here to the idea of cholera; we make scarcely a difference between it and influenza, or' small-pox. It is not at all extinCt:, and is returning from the \Vest to the East. It has reached the boundaries of Maryland near Wheeling. Rev. W. Byrne, President of St. Mary's Seminary, Lebanon, Washington Co., Ky., where seven French Jesuits and priests are living, died last June of the Cholera in seven hours. He had given two years ago his Seminary, worth $ IO,ooo, to Bishop Flaget, for the French Jesuits. Now they are able to teach the schools there---90 boarders and 7 half-poarders. An Irish Jesuit, but belonging to the Provine~ of France, is with them: his name is Me Guire, an able professor of Natural Philosophy. They are independent of our Province of Maryland, and belong to the French Province. I said Province of Maryland: by a decree of our M. R. Fr. General, of the 2nd February, 1833, the Mission of the Eastern United States is erecred into a Province, called the Province of Maryland. On the 5th, Fr. Wm. Me Sherry, a Virginian, was appointed Provincial. Yesterday, he was installed by the Rev. Fr. Visitor, who will leave us to-morrow, and embark the first week of August, at New York for Ireland. The �Some Letters of Fat/zer F. Grivel. 253 Mission of Missouri has its own Superior-Fr: de Theux, a Liegean: it is independent of Md. or Ky. The Superior of Kentucky is Fr. J.P. Chazelle. An eighth French Jesuit, Fr. Petit, is vicar of the Cathedral at Bardstown, and preaches well in English. They have a Novitiate; how many novices, I dont know; methinks, four or five, among whom two French priests, forty-one and forty-three years of age, who know English very well. The College of St. Louis, Missouri, has been ereCted by the Legislature into an University :-75 boarders, and about 40 half-boarders. 5thly, Your prayer against War, Pestilence, &c, has been printed here, and spread everywhere. The cholera did not reach Prince George, Charles and St. Mary's counties; but at \Vashington, about 2,000; at Georgetown, ~ot above 400: among them, remarkably few Catholics-only 50 at Georgetown. Thirty Protestants died Catholics; some fifteen recovered, and remained Catholics-at Georgetown, there are 2,500 Catholics; at Washington, four or five thousand. 6thly, Georgetown College is going extremely well. Boarders, 148; half-boarders, 12. Since the dispensation granted by the Pope, of taking Mi1terval, or money, for day scholars in the United States, there is the projeCt: in earnest to set up again the Seminary at Washington, in the same and very proper place, without any harm for Georgetown College. We are proprietors at Philadelphia of St. Joseph's Church, and of a large, handsome house adjoining it. Two Jesuits took again possession of both, at the entreaties of Bishop Kenrick, and are doing well. St. Francis Xavier, of whom we had, in the Novena, March 4, 1832, begged six scholastic novices at least, sent us ten : Belgians, five; Germans, two; Americans, two; and a Frenchman. Last March, we begged the same.-Now, a German and a Belgian having left last Easter, by want of Vocation, the good St. Francis sent three, a German, a Bel·gian, and a fine, Irish, talented young man of Derry. Ten of the former Novices having taken their Vows, we are now twelve Scholastics at the Marsh, among whom five Priests,- four Belgians and a German, -and four good Irish Lay Brothers. �254 Fifty Years Ago. There is nothing remarkable about the increase of Catholicity in the United States. Catholicity is gaining ground without any doubt; this is evident from the frequent challenges made to Catholic Clergymen by the parsons, who seem to be blind to their own interests: or will support their declining influence, and cover up their exposure, by making noise, and raising money for Temperance, Missionary, Tract, Bible, and other Societies. They do a great deal of harm to simpletons, to vain and bigoted ladies. I hope the husbands will stop their expenses in favor of their hypocrite parsons, who are all Deists, or worse. Bishop Fenwick of Boston, in his Sentinel, or The Jesuit, and seven or eight other newspapers, expose them continually. · .1 am, respectfully, R. Father, ' Yr. most h. serv. in Christ, ·Fm. GRIVEL. To tlze Same. \VHITE MARSH, 31 March, 1834. REVEREND FATHER, P. C. I am very glad to give information to your Rev., that the box with Cobbett's Indian corn arrived safe, and in the best preservation. I received it a few days ago, with your letter of Dec. 30. Fr. Aloysius Mudd having been sent to Newtown, Charles County, where he is now Missioner and Procurator, is succeeded here by Fr. Ignatius Combs, who has not the same prejudices against new· things ; and he will try Cobbet's corn first in our garden, according to the prescriptions which you were so kind as to send me. Mr. Notley Young, our neighbor, a wealthy and very good Catholic, will make the same trial. I expect others of our Fathers at St. Thomas's Manor and St. Inigoes, that is, FF. Francis Neale and Carbery, will do the same the present year, the season being early, the trees having as yet no leaves. Next year I will try too at Frederick Town, Maryland, where the Novitiate will move in the course of June, and where I beg of yo~ to direct letters for me,-St.John's Church. �Some Letters of Father F. Gri·vel. 255 Frederick is a town of 6,ooo inhabitants, like Georgetown. The soil is very rich; they neglea tobacco for wheat and corn. The country is not"hilly. However, five miles from the town begins the first line of Alleghany Mountains, and at that place we have fifty-five acres of woodland, with an abundant spring; a frame or log house will be built there for our Villa. The Society had an establishment at Frederick in the year 1760, four years after Fr. James Pellentz had founded the Mission at Conewago in Pennsylvania, forty miles from Frederick; but it has since improved, not in lands, but importance. Fr. John Me Elroy, an Irishman, opened a school; now he has a College, with five Professors and ninety students: no boarders as yet. In order to conceive better the matter, I'll draw a clear, although a bad plan of the whole. [The plan represents, with very slight difference, the present state of affairs.] There is a rail-road from Baltimore to Frederick, 63 miles-fare $ 1.80, and we can get every day fresh fish, oysters, etc., and all the other articles to be found in the largest towns. Near, but not adjoining our Novitiate, we have two lots -one of four acres, the other of twelve, rich soil for wheat. Fr. Provincial, \Vm Me Sherry, has just now purchased for $6,ooo the new house south of the New Church, and the College will be transferred thither; and the Novices will occupy the old house; when the new Church, which is 156 feet long, of stone, in the form of a Latin cross, will be finished, the old one will become our oratory, &c. It is contemplated to build a Seminary or Scholasticate. The old College will be ready in June for the Novices. The school has three stories, and is of brick, as are all the other buildings-grand and nice. Your Reverence conceives the great advantages for the Novitiate to be in a town, for catechizing, visiting the poor-house, prisons, hospitals, etc. The Province is going on well. I have fourteen,Scholastic novices, and among them are three priests; but two of them, and t\vo priests will go next month to Missouri. However, I reckon that St. Francis Xavier will send others in their place. �Fifty Years Ago. Unfortunate Wharton died impenitent last August. The Episcopalians, of course, made a great eulogy of him in the newspapers: but Mr. Wharton of Washington, a nephew of the deceased, published a refutation of the Eulogy, deploring the apostasy of his uncle, but in decent and appropriate, not abusive terms. Fr. Francis Neale is declining by old age, although not sick: he is ten years younger' than your Reverence. Please God to keep you in good health, till you join your friends in heaven. Our Novices here are not forgetful of you in their prayers. I am with great esteem and regard, in union with your prayers and the merits of your sufferings and infirmities, Reverend Father, _" of your Rev. the humble serv't in Xt. .• F. GRIVEL, s. J. P. S. Although Father J. Me Elroy built one half of the Novitiate, his school-house for $3,000, the house for the Sisters of Charity (who have now 40 boarders) for $3,000, and his own Church for \11'20,000,-yet we have no income here; but he is a man of God, and gets in charity every year .about $22,000. The Novitiate, however, wants to have a perpetual foundation. Our plantation of Conewago will be united-to the Novitiate, with the obligation to support three Missionaries at Conewago. To Father :Joseph Tnstram, Worc(ster, England. ST. INIGOES MANOR, MARYLAND, March 10, 1835. REVEREND FATHER JOSEPH, P. C. Finally I'll pay my debt, being ashamed to have delayed nine or ten months. I received your kind letter of March 18, 1834, with the sad news of the demise of our good Father Nicholas Sewall. I have got his parcels of Cobbet's corn: it succeeded very well, spite of the little care taken of it by ~ur procurator at White Marsh, but I saved an ea·r, �Some Letters of Father F. Grivel. 257 and I will myself see to the planting and cultivation of it, because I have more leisure here, and Fr. Joseph Carbery, our Superior and Procurator, is more partial to European fashions than many others. It is indeed to be wondered at, that the Americans, a new-born nation, are almost as tenacious of their customs, as the Chinese of theirs, three thousand years old. I do not disapprove entirely of it; because every nation must have its own features : but they go too far in many things, especially in farming; and in pronunciation, whilst they profess to conform to \Valker's DiCtionary, in praCtice they follow their own way. I spread as far as I could the painful news of Father Sewall's death, in order to have him recommended to the Holy Sacrifices and prayers of his fellow-Jesuits, friends and relations ; and I succeeded. A fortnight ago I accompanied Father Carbery to Mettapany-Sewall, sixteen miles north of St. Inigoes. We have there a congregation of six hundred communicants (in 1817 there were only one hundred, and Father Carbery made five hundred more, the most part Protestants), with a chapel better than the old one at Stonyhurst. It is called St. Nicholas' Church. The Sewalls are great benefaCtors to it. Mettapany, an Indian name, is situated on a hill on the south side of the Patuxent river, about two miles above its mouth in the Bay of Chesapeake. Charles Calvert, Lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland, gra~dson of George Calvert, and son of Cecil, had Mettapany his favourite residence from r662 to 1682, when he returned to England, where he died in r 714, as good a Catholic as his father and grandfather. But his son, BenediCt: Leonard Calvert, wishing for the proprietorship of Maryland, which had been taken from his father by William and Mary, to be restored to him, had turned Protestant and was a member of the English Parliament. His charter as lord proprietor was restored to him, instead of heaven, in 1715. In the meantime, Mettapany<l) had become the proprietary of the Jesuits, and they sold it to the Sewalls. The residence of Charles Calvert, which 1 < >The spelling varies: .Metapawnien-~lettapanient-1\Iattapany, etc. VoL. x-No. 3· 33 �\ Fifty Years Ago. was a fort also, had so much decayed, that the grand, or great-grandfather of Father Sewall, had built a fine ·brick house at a short distance, and in that manor-house Father Sewall was born. Indeed, I walked with delight in the place where our good friend had been playing, and saying his prayers as a child. I regretted he was gone, because he would have been pleased with my details about the place of his birth and baptism .... The manor now belongs to Henry Sewall, a grand-cousin of Father Nicholas. The branch of his nephews is living at a short distance, and are very wealthy, too. Now you will ask me why I am living at St. Inigoes? Because my three years and more of the Mastership of the Novices being .eiapsed, Father Dzierozynski was appointed in my place. _Perhaps I behaved ill; I do not know. Anyhow, I am n~w companion to Father Joseph Carbery. The business of a Missionary in Maryland is scarcely harder than that of Father Addis at Stonyhurst, except that the roads are worse and sick calls at a greater distance. But we have every comfort of life. St. Inigoes Manor has a good solid brick house,< 1> with twelve rooms. It has about eighty negroes, that is, fifteen families, and three thousand acres of good land, quite flat, and plenty of cattle, poultry, fish, wheat, etc. At this very farm, half a mile from our ~ouse, landed, on the 25th or 26th of March, 1634, Lord Cecil<2> Baltimore, with Father Andrew White and four other English Jesuits, and two hundred settlers, all Catholics. The first""Mass celebrated in the English colonies of North America having been said on the 25th of March. on St. Clement's Island, now Heron Island, seven miles up from our house, the name of St. Mary was given to the river they sailed up to land and settle. Take a good map of Maryland. Ten or twelve miles above the mouth of the Potomac, and up the Bay of Chesapeake, lies St. George's Island (it belongs to our farm). Sail be' ' II> Destroyed by fire in 1872. <2> His brother, Leonard Calvert was in command of the expedition. This Lord Baltimore never came to America. There are some other inaccuracies in what follows. �Some Letters of Fat/zer F. Grivel. 2 59 tween it and its eastern shore, and a point east dividing the Bay from St. Mary's river. Sail up to the north five miles. There larided the colony, but for a day or two, on the eastern side of the river. A fort only was built there afterwards, with four cannons brought from England by Lord Baltimore. Later on it was abandoned, and the cannons, rusty and useless, are now in the yard of St. Inigoes Manor as a curiosity. Hearing of an Indian village three miles up St. Mary's river, Yoacomaco, on the eastern side, too, of the river, there the colony finally settled, having purchased from the Indians, who were extremely kind, the village and their land. The Indians retired, as agreed upon, to the north side of the Potomac (Patuxent). The name of Y oacomaco was changed into that of St. Mary's Town. It never had more than sixty houses, but the settlers, and now the Government, call trrLVn any place where as many houses are as are individuals required to make a riot; that is twenty, as fixed by the Riot Act. The seat of the Government of Maryland having removed to Annapolis about the year 1695. St. Mary's Town contains nothing but a Protestant church and a parson's house. St. Inigoes congregation has five hundred communicants and a good church, and the people in t/tis corner are very much like, for faith and singleness, to Lancashire people, but not so in the wlwle of Maryland. Enough of St. Mary's County: ..... Father Francis Neale is keeping his ground. He can say Mass, although with trembling hands, preaches, and rides in his carriage as often as he can; he does not like to be home; always cheerful. He was a laborious Missionary indeed ; he remembers your Reverence very well, and begs of you to pray to God for his happy death. I left to Fr. Francis Dzierozynski twelve scholastic novices and seven good lay-brothers. One novice is a Mexican priest. I think God destines him to establish the Society in Mexico, with Fr. lldefonso de Ia Pefia, who is at Rome. There are some hopes from the part of the Government of Mexico.-You have read how the Presbyterians here are fanatic and powerful. They procured the shameful acquit- �200 il1issio1tary Labors. tal of those who burned the Ursuline Convent at Charlestown, near Boston. They are continually abusing and threatening Catholics. Their motto is: Church (viz: Presbyterian) and State! Blood must be shed. I recommend myself to your holy prayers and sacrifices. Yr. Obedt. Servt. in Xis to, Fm. GRIVEL, S. J. 1\IISSIONARY LABORS OF FATHER MAGUIRE AND COMPANIONS, FRO~i: APRIL 24TH TO JUNE 5TH, I 88 I. NEw HAVEN, CoNN.-New Haven is one of the handsomest cities in the country. The private residences are mostly detached, standing in court-yards beautifully adorned with fruit trees and shrubbery. Probably, in no other city are to be found so many and such lofty elms. From the great abundance of these trees New Haven has been familiarly denominated the "City of Elms." New Haven is more celebrated for its literary advantages, and for the intelleCtual and moral charaCter of its citizens. Yale College is situat\!d here, and adds much to the importance of the city.. Six Catholic Churches, well provided with parochial schools, meet the spiritual wants of the faithful.' ~· •· Rev. John Cooney is the pastor of St. John's Church, where we opened a Mission on the 24th of April, and finished on the 8th of May. The Church, though large, was not able to contain all who flocked to the Mission from every part of the city. Several Protestants came, especially to the leeture delivered the last night. Three converts were baptized, and others left with the Pastor for further instruCtion. Five thousand persons received Communion. Twenty grown persons were prepared for the sacraments. Many who had been away from their duty for twenty and �Missionary Labors. 261 thirty years returned to the Church and found mercy from God. The people manifested great faith, and gave much consolation to the Fathers. Frs. Maguire, McAtee, Keating and Schiffini gave the exercises. The last mentioned came on from Fordham for three days for the benefit of the Italians in the congregation. He preached to them several times, and did much good amongst them. ST. MARY's, RocHESTER, N.Y. (April 24-May).-Rochester is situated on the Genesee, a turbid stream, whose falls, ninety feet in height and a quarter of a mile in width, are in the heart of the city, and give it a very piauresque appearance. Visitors never fail to see them, if not for the view, at least in memory of Sam Patch, who took his last and fatal leap here. Seven miles away, the river, after another fall of seventy feet, empties into Lake Ontario, an inland sea. Rochester must be a beautiful city at all seasons of the year, on account of its magnificent residences for·the upper classes, and its clean, airy homes for the poor. Every family has a house to itself, detached from its neighbors, with a plot of ground about it. There are no tenements reeking with filth, over-crowded dens, where drunkenness and impurity are·apt to have full sway. The business part of the city is also quite interesting. During spring the city is at its best, and whilst walking along its wide and level streets, through miles of palatial residences, one forgets that he is in a town only seventy years old. From preconceived ideas concerning Rochester, its Bible and Masonic troubles, its Spirit Rappings, its Woman's Rights and various isms too numerous to mention, we expea more of Sparta and less of Athens. Frs. Fulton, Reid and Morgan were appointed for this Mission by Very Rev. Fr. Provincial. The weather was favorable during the two weeks spent in the work. The backward spring, so much regretted by the farmers and business men, had great advantages for missionary labors, inasmuch as the intense heat was avoided. With our crowded �Missionary Labors. and badly ventilated churches, the usual high temperature of May would have been a serious inconvenience to the missionaries, and a positive drawback to the good undertaking. St. Mary's is an old congregation. Several Missions have been given within the last ten years. The Fathers were not but agreeably surprised, when they saw that God was blessing their toilings by bringing to confession crowds of hardened sinners, who had passed through other Missions unscathed, who had not been near a church for five, ten and twenty years. Some thought this happy turn of affairs was due to the fact that the Fathers were not so hard in their views. Certainly, a great deal is to be attributed to the zeal of the pa~tor, Fr. S~ewart, in advertising the retreat in every possibl~., way. He requested those that knew of bad Catholics in the parish to inform him. This was done. The backsliders were called upon, and induced to come to the sermons. When they go this far, they end by making a good confession. No matter how the good was brought about, all are thankful for the result. The Bishop of the diocese, Right Rev. Bernard J. McQuaid, gave the missionaries every assurance of his good will, bestowing on them the amplest faculties, and encouraging them by his kind attentions. · On the last day of the retreat, after singing Pontifical Mass, he remained until the afternoon, and administered Confirmation to thirty grown persons prepared during the exercises .• The most favorable impression made by the Rev. Father" uf the Society, the first of his Order to do so, who gave the retreat to the Bishop and clergy last September, may explain the present kindness. The diocese of Rochester is well governed and in a flourishing condition, with its churches, convents and asylums, with its schools for nearly every parish. Absolution is withheld from those who send their children to the public schools. And yet the debts of the diocese will be paid in two or three years. \Vhat a lesson for older and richer dioceses, where so little has been done for Catholic education, where the usual charities are so poorly attended �Missionary Labors. to, where whole generations, perhaps, have been lost to the faith. ST. MARY's, BosTo:-~ (May 13-June 4).-This church was dedicated, May 22nd, 1836. At that time, Catholics were very few in the North End. A small church was amply sufficient for the congregation. A priest, the Rev. William ~Viley,coming over on Sunday from the Cathedral on Franklin street, could do all the work. Now fifteen priests with five churches scarcely satisfy the wants of the thirty thousand Catholics who have dislodged the Puritans from their ancient stronghold, where old Lyman Beecher used to pour forth his envenomed harangues against the Faith. A few crumbling monuments, like the tombstones in Copps Hill graveyard, where the virtues of Cotton Mather and his tribe are recorded, the names of some streets give the only evidence of what once was. And is not this an index of what is to be in these parts, the survival of the fittest? Other priests followed Fr. Wiley as residents pastors at St. Mary's: Rev. P. O'Beirne, Michael Healy, Thomas J. O'Flaherty, John B. Fitzpatrick, and Patrick Flood. The congregation, meanwhile, increased too rapidly for the size of the church, which, like all of the old churches, was built in such a way, that it could not be enlarged. It was a usual thing to see the church so crowded at the Sunday Masses, that hundreds of good people were obliged to kneel in the street. A crowd, however, is not always made up of saints. There were faCtions; the pastor and his assistants could not agree together; hence division, trouble, and even blows, and, unfortunately; not in the street, did the admirers of the rival clergy settle their differences. Paul, and Apollo, and Cephas, had their defenders even before the altar. This was the state of affairs .in 1847, when the Bishop, Rt. Rev. John B. Fitzpatrick, gave the parish to the Society. Brother John Lynch, still a member of the Community, took possession of the premises on the feast day of Blessed Alphonsus, Oct. 30, and Father John Me Elroy came on the day following and was installed as pastor. The place demanded virtue, taCt:, and prudence. These were not wanting in Father Me- �.llfissionary Labors. Elroy. In a short time, all the troubles were forgotten ; the factions died out. Soon the confidence and.affection ofthe people were gained, and, as the writer was once told by a worthy secular priest, a new era was begun for Catholicity in New England. Then were laid the foundations of great works, to which now in their completeness we can point with pride and gratitude. The first care of Fr. Me Elroy wa~ the Catholic education of the children. He had had the honor of establishing the first Catholic free school of the country in Frederick, Maryland, nearly sixty years ago; it may be said that he was the first to put Christian education on a good basis in Boston. To aid him in this great labor, so necessary for the future of the Church, he engaged the Sisters of Charity, who were afterwards succeeded by the Sisters of l'{o'tre Dame (de Namur) from Cincinnati. These excellent and pious teachers came, three in number, Nov. 13th, 1849. It was thought by many they should have to return to the West, as a Catholic school could never meet with success. What do thirty-two years tell ? That the Sisters of Notre Dame are numbered by hundreds in Massachusetts. The thousands of girls now under their charge in the state, and the thousands of mothers of families, who owe their attachment to holy faith, and the practical observance-of its duties, to the lessons taught them by the good Sisters, show how Catholic schools can prosper. Nearly every parish school for girls in Massachusetts is conduct~d by the Sisters of Notre Dame. Nothing had as yet been done for the boys-a fatal mistake, so often noticed in New England, as if boys do not need more help than girls, to cling to their holy religion. A cruel teacher in the public school, much against his will, no doubt, was the apostle of the boys. 'He had severely flogged a Catholic youth for refusing to recite the Protestant version of the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. A suit was brought against the teacher, but he was acquitted. The outcome of the consequent excitement was the establishing of a Catholic school by Rev. Fr. B. F. Wiget, 111 1859· An association was formed for the support of the �liiissio11ary Labors. great work; each member of the union contributed monthly, twenty five cents. From that day to this, the undertaking has gone on. Now eight hundred boys attend the classes in the large school-building, bought from the city a few years ago. One of the canvassers, Mr. Wall, the father of the youth mentioned above, has collected for the association nearly a hundred thousand dollars in the last twenty-two years. And yet it was said that a Catholic school must fail in Boston. In course of time, Fr. Me Elroy undertook to put into execution the plan entertained by the Bishop from the beginning, the building of another church with a college connected with it. The "Jail Lands," so called, were bought from the city for the purpose; but, when the bigots found out what was to be done with the property, difficulties were raised concerning the title. At the suggestion of Honorable Alexander Rice, the Mayor of Boston, Fr. Me Elroy chose another site in a different and, at that time, a less inviting part of the city. The church and college were built by r86o. No one regrets the result of the bigotry, shown by the "City Fathers" twenty years ago. The Governor of the state (the same gentlemqn who had induced Fr. Me Elroy to make the change of site) had every reason, whilst speaking at the Commencement of Boston College three years ago, to say that he felt proud of the part he had in the compromise. St. Mary's congregation, after contributing most liberally towards the new buildings, were left to themselves. By means of chapels in the school-houses, the people heard Mass and received instruction every Sunday. But this state of things could not last. Land was bought and a new church, to be one of the largest and finest in New England, was begun by Rev. R. W. Brady, in 1875; it was dedicated Dec. 8th, 1877, and is now known as St. Mary's of the Sacred Heart. A large and commodious pastoral residence was erected on the foundation of the old church. The little Community of 1847, has also grown meanwhile: ten Fathers, including the four missionaries, four Brothers, two externs now reside here. VoL. x-No. 3· 34 �i'tfisszimary Labors. During the first years that the parish was in the hands of Ours, the Communions, though the parish was twice as large in numbers as it is now, were twenty thousand a year, one for each soul in the congregation. Last year, the Communions were a hundred thousand, an average of ten for each person. This happy and astounding increase is due to the schools and sodalities. The first sodality, that of the Young Ladies, was formed March, I 8 53· But sodality work was in its infancy until Nov. 13th, 1856, when Fr. \Viget began the Young Men's Sodality. Sixteen young men were enrolled as postulants on that day: and amongst the names are those of three, now Fathers in the Society. Soon the church was too small for the meetings. Divisions and subdivisions were made in course of time, and to-day nearly four thousand m!;mbers are enrolled in the various sodalIties. The boys and the girls in the schools ; the married men ; the unmarried men ; the married women ; the unmarried women, all have their sodalities. As the necessity arises from age or marriage, members are transferred from one society to the other. All the sodalists receive Holy Communion once a month. On the last day of the Mission there was a grand reunion of the sodalities in the church. The members felt proud of the occasion, and listened with enthusiasm to the eloquent address of Father Maguire, the leader of the missionary band, who congratulated them upon the blessing God had bestowed on them, and on others, through their good example. "Twenty-fiv~ years ago," said he, "the sodality was a mere handful; no\v.·you have on to four thousand members. Twenty-five years ago there were but three sodalities in the state, now scarcely a parish is without one, through the example you have set." To form an idea of the good done by the sodality among the men, it should be told that twelve hundred of them, half of whom nearly were unmarried, went in procession this year, to make the visits to the churches for the Jubilee. It was one of the most edifying sights ever witnessed in Boston. Still, many priests find, or make, difficulties in conduCl:ing sodalities. It !s true, that there is some trouble attached to �Missionary Labors. them: they must be watched, nursed for a long· time. The director must take great interest in them, else they may go down. And this is especially true in regard to the Young Men. The present large sodality (420 members) would vanish in a year, unless the greatest care were taken with it. Fr. Byrne, under whose guidance the Yo.ung Men'~ Sodality is at present, has formed the Young Men's Sodality Association, in order to attract them. The members meet every evening for amusement in the hall of the boys' schoolhouse; here they read, play games, go through gymnastic exercises, and, on occasions, give dramatic readings and entertainments, and good ones, too, for their friends of the outside world. There is no telling the good effect of this association upon its three hundred and thirty-five members, who are kept from the street, and the evil companions always to be found there. All the good work done at St. Mary's, the enormous increase in the Communions must not be given entirely to the schools and the sodalities. The Confraternity of the Sacred Heart, whose membership has almost been trebled within the last four years by the zeal of its director, Fr. Hamilton, the Confraternity of the Scapular, the Conference of St. Vincent, an occasional Temperance Society, have all had a good share in the work. If we examine, we shall find that sodalists make up the rank and file of these co~­ fraternities; this is true, particularly, in regard to the four thousand associates in the C~nfraternity of the Sacred Heart. I only attempt to account for the increase of communicants. The mission at St. Mary's lasted three weeks. For the first time the Fathers undertook so lengthy a one. FF. Maguire, McAtee, Holland, Keating, and Morgan, gave the exercises. Without the assistance of the Fathers of residence they could not have heard much more than half of the confessions. It was an experiment, and the success attending it may cause a repetition of it elsewhere. The first week was for women, married and single. Of course, the church was thronged every evening ; this was to be looked for. The �llfi'ssionary Labors. second week, for married men, was very good. But the third week for young men ; did they come also and show the greatest interest in every thing regarding their spiritual welfare? They did, and what is more, took upon themselves the whole management of the services; they were proud of the event, and were ambitious to show that they could value highly a mission, and did not need the married men to help in anything, not even in taking up, or, as some say, lifting, the collection. They came far better than the married men; more of them went to confession. In the general good effected, the young men's week was the best mission. More recruits for the sodality were gathered in than from the married men. And yet it was feared the experiment might l:ie a failure. The children \vere not neglected ; separate services were had for them every afternoon, the girls coming the first week, the boys, the second. At the end of the Mission, many children received First Communion, and two hundred were confirmed. Altogether, the Fathers were never better pleased with their work than during these three weeks. The results were: Communions, 12,000; First Communion of adults, 44; Confirmation, 108; Baptisms, 12, with several candidates left under instruction. New members for the sodalities :-from the young men, I42; married men, 50; unmarried women, 16o; married women, I 20. The work from April 24 to June 5 was: Communions, 21,000; First Communions of adults, 17; Baptisms of adults, IS, of children, 2; Confirmation of adults, 158. ~ " Some persons think missionaries have an a priori way of getting at figures, and a couleur de rose method of describing events. As far as the writer of these sketches is concerned, he does his best by aCl.ual count to obtain correct numbers; is, by no means, poetical in fancy, and his statements, perhaps, are not up to the mark, rather than beyond it. With this preamble he closes the report of this year by giving the general results.- A. M. D. G. Communions, 103,153; First Communion of adults, 380; �llfissionary Labors. Baptisms of adults. I z6g 17, of children, 30; Confirmations, 901. Protestants were left under instruCtion in various places, for Baptism. ]: A. M. The mission at \VESTPORT, CoNN., begun April23d, lasted a week. There are six hundred communicants in the parish. All received the Sacraments with but few exceptions, and these were found among some local statesmen and publicans. The proprietor of a tavern, who kept a Sundaynight rendezvous for young people, was refused absolution, unless he would post a notice outside his canteen that hereafter his place would be closed on Sundays. After some hesitation, and a long sigh for the shekels he was about to lose, he consented. This gave great edification, for his establishment had been a scandal to all for miles around. The devotion to the Sacred Heart is praCtised with great fervor by these simple country folk, who had the satisfaction of seeing a beautiful Munich statue ereCted, after the Mission, with becomin~ ceremonies. The pastor has caused Fr. Tickell's Life of Blessed llfargaret Mary to be distributed among his people. The next Mission was given in JERSEY CITY, at St. Bridget's. A Mission had been preached a year ago by FF. Strong and Morgan, and this one was intended as a sort of gleaner. Fr. Bradley lent an efficacious hand to help on the good work. So also did FF. Cunningham and Smith of our College, which is near by. These good Fathers deserve thanks for their timely aid. Nor was it forgotten that this service was done after they had taught five hours to their classes. They remained in the confessional till long after eleven at night. The services were held at 5 and 8 o'clock A. M. and at 3.30 and 7-45 P. M. Fr. Bradley had some converts in hand, but I forget how many. Seven hundred confessions were heard, and iron-clad pledges given to some of the neighboring sugar-house men. �llfissionary Labors. The five o'clock Mass and instruction was well attended by men, notwithstanding the drizzel and fog that greeted their awakening eyes every morning. This church is in the malarial district. It is bounded on the north by the "Jersey City Rag Factory"-one block away, on the south by a dismal swamp across the street, on the east by a primary school and on th_e .west by a dumping-ground. It may not be out of place to say here that the druggist's bill for quinine, furnished to pastor and assistant from August to January, amounted to forty-seven dollars. There was none of it left when we arrived there. FAIRFIELD, CoNN. was the scene of the next work, May 29th. There~re eight hundred Catholics there. The usual-Mission regulations were announced at High Mass of the opening Sunday. Some difficulty was found in getting the men to attend the five o'clock services, on account of the onion crop, which requires constant attention, caused by the rapid growth of the weeds. With little attention thirteen harvests of these may be raised in a season. An acre of onions gives a profit of five or six hundred dollars in the New York market. The proprietors can afford to pay two dollars and a half per day to men and even boys,· who are known as weeders. All day long these may be seen on their knees, like the Egyptians of old, prostrate before this immoral vegetable, trying to preserve it. vVhat was to be done? If they did not come to Mass on account of weeding, they were too tired at nignf ·for more kneeling. The Missioner is preaching to the good old people, who did not need him. The matter was quietly arranged during the night of the second day, by a copious and generous rain, which, having thoroughly drenched the furrows, doggedly resolved itself into Scotch mist for two days more. Thi~ straightened up the weeders, who afterwards attended the exercises until the confessions were heard. With the help of neighboring secular priests, five hundred were able to go to Communion. Some vocations to the religious state were met and laid over for a year's consideration. �llfissionary Labors. 2JI The notice of this Mission would not be complete without reference to an extraordinary incursion of mosquitoes, which sorely annoyed priest and people. Besides, it was not their time to come. Nothing so completely upsets human nature, as the persistent hum of a mosquito, who seems willing to die a martyr, if he can only light on your nose or bald head. If your tongue can use guileless words under such circumstances, and not resort to expletives which are heated by the fires of a quick temper, you are a proper candidate for a missionary life, or the superintending of a Sunday-school. From Fairfield I went to the vVARWICK MoUNTAINS, a spur of the Blue Ridge, which sets its back up in Western New York. The Mission opened there on Trinity Sunday. It was the first one preached to these good people, who had never seen a Bishop, and who reminded me of the Ephesians mentioned in AB:s xix. 3. who did not know if there was a Holy Ghost. The Sacrament of Confirmation had never been administered to them. At PINE ISLAND, twenty-three miles further we~t from my first stoppage, I found fifteen families who do not go to Mass at all, and among whom there are lads and lassies of sixteen and eighteen without Baptism.. As the place I went to was an out Mission, I was quite alone, the pastor being obliged to be in another part of his forty-mile parish. The consequence was that I had a taste of shanty life, eating and sleeping under the hospitable roof of Mr. Defly, a mile away from the chapel. During the night it often occurred to me that his babies ought to have been a mile away from the shanty. Exaltatio11es Dei i1z gutture eornm. One of these interesting babies was afflicred with sore eyes, and the mother had settled it that I was to work a miracle. I left her a huge crock of St. Ignatius' water for that purpose, and for the purposes of other babies. Let me say a word about this good woman. She is the daughter of one Gray, a Marylander, who was in Georgetown College fifty years ago. The old man migrated towards these mountains, neglecred his religion, and brought �272 Mtssionary Labors. up his children Protestants. Being reduced in circumstances, they left him, and "hired out" among farmers. My hostess often noticed one of her fellow-servants, an Irish girl, going on her knees at night, and reading from a book that she always kept in her pocket. Upon asking to be permitted to see the book, she was answered that it wasn't "for the likes of you Protestants." Miss Gray, with that curiosity that is sometimes remarked in her sex, managed to obtain it, and the result was her conversion some time afterwards. She was baptized on the day of her marriage to mine host Defly, a thoroughbred Celt. Determined to reclaim her old father, she set about it with such earnestness that she has the happiness of knowing that he gc;es to confession often during the year. He is now eighty-f?.ur years old. It might be proper to say, for the honor of Georgetown, that although Gray went through its classes, it was always after the boys had vacated them for the day. The Mission was well attended. Quite a number of lukewarm Catholics were reclaimed. vVhole number of confessions heard amounted to a hundred and sixty. The Baptist minister, Mr. Litchfield, attended the evening services two or three times, and seemed to be pleased with every. thing ·but the "smoke up at the head of the Church." He meant the incense. The people neve.r witnessed BenediCtion before, which was given every evening, the celebrant aCting as cantor and choir as well. I left the Warwick Catholics to go to another station, MoNROE, thirty-five miles distant. Mass and Mission services were held in the large room of a dwelling-house. The native youth was unable to serve Mass, which obliged me to do without him. Archbishop Corrigan came up to administer Confirmation to about forty adults and children. A lad, John Barrett, when asked what name he would take, replied, "0." "That is not a saint's name," he was told. "Perhaps you would prefer Mac." '\No," he answered, "I only want one letter." We gave him it with Toole added for euphony and proteCtion_ Seventy-fiv~ confessions were heard here in three days. Near- �JJ1issionary Labors. ly all were enrolled in the Confraternity of the Scapular of Mt. Carmel. One convert, who had been under instruction, was baptized. The pastor of AsBURY PARK, N.J., has about a hundred and fifty souls to answer for there, which made him think that a little Mission would do them some good, at the same time that it might be of benefit for his legion of Methodist brethren. More of these than of the others attended, only fifty-three confessions having been heard. This town, five miles south of Long Branch, and facing the ocean, is owned by a Mr. Bradley, a <;Ievoted Methodist. Forty-five years ago his father pulled across the bay from Staten Island, to have this bad boy baptized in St. Peter's R. C. Church of Barclay St. The son fell away from the faith some time after, and, in course of time, becoming rich, had his possessions mapped out into town lots, upon which are erected cottages for summer boarders, who are, for the most part, Methodists. The Catholics being for a long time without a priest, have fallen away from the praFtices of their religion, and have no hesitation in going to camp-meeting, if not as an act of religion, at worst, to see what they call t!te fim. After preaching to slim audiences for three days at Asbury Park, I went to MoRRISVILLE, N. J., eighteen miles away. As far as can be learned, all in this scattered place went to the Sacraments during the Mission of three days. One hundred and sixty confessions were heard, and some First Com.munions given. Mass at five, followed by an instruction, with sermon in the evening. There being no priest's house here, I took very lonesome sleeps in the sacristy of the rickety old chapel, trying betimes to keep out of my mind all the ghost stories I had ever heard. The sacrifice which these good people made in order to attend the evening instruction, was very gratifying and consoling. This being the haying season, they work from dawn till dusk, and then, many of them having to walk three miles, they prepared to start for the Mission. The service was VoL. x-No. 3· 35 �Holy Week at San Jlrfiguel. 274 • put off till late in the evening on their account; added to this, their patience in waiting their turn for confession no doubt gained for them many blessings from Almighty God. NEW MEXICO. HOLY WEEK AT SAN MIGUEL. A description of tlte peculiar ceremonies of Holy ~Veek, according to tlte ancimt customs of t!te country. BY MR. JoHN A. CHESTER, S. J. ") American in,stitutions have changed some of the most pleasing features of this country. From the day when Gen. Kearney, at the head of his sixteen hundred bronzed warriors, rode into the ancient town of Santa Fe, and, hoisting the Stars and Stripes over the crumbling adobe palace of t~e governor of the country, proclaimed the region property of the United States, many of the time-honored and purely Mexican, or rather Spanish, customs have disappeared from the land. Even the indigenous costumes of the Caballeros and Vasqueros, the institution of Deollage, many of the ceremonials of the Church, and a number of other features foreign to eastern folks, have gradually retired across the line to Old Mexico, before the influence of American zeal, which is always inimicaf~more aggressively destruCtive than those who are not witnesses of it can readily understand-to everything not square-toed and of daily life. This decadence of the old customs, and disappearance of the ancient life and landmarks, has been going on slowly, but surely, during the past three or four decades; but the last two or three years have given a new impetus to the movement, by the introduCtion of railroads, and the opening up of the many rich mines of gold and silver with which all the mountainous distriCts, that is, all the country, abound. The Church has had to suffer from the influx of �Holy Week at San JJ1iguel. 275 strangers that these enterprises have brought. The "Almighty Dollar" is the only god recognized by these seekers after wealth, and every form of religion that would put a curb on their unruly passions is hateful to them, but above all, that of Rome. 'Wherever this. horde of destruCl:ionists has called a halt, whether in mining-camps or railroad centre, many of the former sacred rites have to be set aside, or confined to the interior of the churches, in order to conciliate the strangers, and render them less hostile to a form of worship seldom, if ever, seen before. Nevertheless, in settlements situated in the interior, distant from this stranger influence, some of the ancient ceremonies are still carried out in full. Among those that yet exist is that of Holy Week, a description of which, as it was observed this year in the little town of San Miguel, I purpose giving here. This town is located about thirty-six miles to the south of Las Vegas, on the line of the railroad, yet far enough removed from it to form a distinCt: settlement from the one that is now springing up by its side, under the name of Pecos. It may be of interest to remark her~ that all the railroad companies that have entered the territory during the past few years, have avoided with studious care all the crumbling towns inhabited by a purely Mexican population, skirting them, however, so that they might forni a nucleus for another and more enterprising one of their own making, an end they have, in mostly every case, succeeded in accomplishing. The population of this town, of more than a century's existence, scarcely numbers five hundred, and is made up almost entirely of Mexicans, only a few Americans residing here for the purpose of barter. Spanish is the only tongue understood here, except among the few Americans, who speak their own language and observe their own customs, rarely, if ever, intermingling with the natives. Here, as in some parts of the Orient, two nationalities live side by side, yet keep themselves entirely distinCt: in language and customs. There is not a single two-story or frame building in the whole settlement, frame struCtures being but illy adapted to a country such as this, where the �Holy Week at San J.l1iguel. climate is so dry that the danger of fire is greatly augmented, and besides, lumber is scarce and costly, whilst dried mud is cheap and easily obtained. Hither, during the Holy ·week just passed, gathered all the religiously inclined Mexicans of the Territory, for this was the only place where the ancient ritual was fully observed this year, swelling the number of its population to more than twice its usual proportions. It was a matter of surprise to me at first to understand where and how they found accommodations, there being no hotels in the town; but the solution of the difficulty was easy enough to me, when I saw with what indifference whole families of ten or twelve accommodated themselves to a room scarcely ten feet square. This is their ordinary manner of living, I am told, whole families of from ten to twenty persons residing in one apartment barely large enough for tw~· persons. Two of the Fathers from the College were sent to assist the pastor, a zealous French priest, as are all the secular clergy of this archdiocese, in carrying out the ancient rubrics. The opening exercise was held at seven o'clock P. l\I. on Wednesday, one of the Fathers delivering a discourse on the "Precious Blood" shed by our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane the evening before His Pa3sion. In the middle of the church a statue representing our-Saviour, covered with an imitation of blood, was arranged, with that of an Angel, kneeling, and holding in uplifted hand a cup, to catch the precious drops as they flowed from His sacred body. The people stood or knelt around the statues,-the churches in this -<:ountry not being encumbered by pews,-and listened to the preacher, who tried to inspire them with compassion and sorrow for the heavy sufferings of their God and Redeemer. At the end of the discourse, a procession was formed, headed by the women, the men bringing up the rear, close to the statue, which is borne on the shoulders of four robust men, around the plaza in front of the church ;-a plaza without a church facing it would be an anomaly in this country. In this order the entire circle is traversed, whilst the choir chants hymns app,ropriate to the occasion. When they enter the �Holy Week at San Miguel. 277 church again, the preacher finishes his sermon and dismisses them till the hour of Mass on the following day. No sermon is delivered then; it is postponed till the evening, when a discourse on the "Capture" of Jesus by the servants of the High Priest is offered for their consideration. Just before the preacher ascends the pulpit, a statue of our Lord is borne into the middle of the church by twelve men, dressed as the Apostles are supposed to have been arrayed on that night, who, after they have placed the statue in position, retire to some distance, and one of them, who assumes the role of Judas, withdraws himself from the rest and goes o.utside, where those who represent the priests and soldiers are stationed. The sermon, in the meantime, has been begun ; at a given signal, the soldiers armed with pikes, muskets, etc., enter, headed by Judas, and advance up the church till they arrive near the statue, when the preacher asks them: "A quien quo-cis .9" "\Vhom do you seek?" and they answer in a loud tone: "A Jeszls Nazarmo !" "Jesus of Nazareth." The priest then answers: "A'iui le tmezs!" "Behold, he is here!" and they immediately fall to the floor, where they remain till they are told to rise. Then he who represents Judas steps up to the statue of our Lord and kisses it, whilst the Jews crowd around it, and put a rope about its neck preparatory to leading it away. The sermon is again continued from where it was left off, and, at the end, a procession is formed, and passes over the same route as on the preceding evening. A drummer and fifer lead it, however, and the statue of our Lord is carried in the centre of the Jews, who seem to heap all kind of insults upon it. I forgot to mention, that the Captain of the Jews is mounted on a large black horse, accompanied by two servants, who keep up with him by clinging to the saddle on either side, and at the same time urge the poor animal forward by means of large whips, which they carry in their hands .. In this manner, they again enter the church, where, after certain prayers prescribed by the ritual are recited, the people are dismissed till 7 o'clock, when they come together �Holy Week at Sa1Z Miguel. to listen to a discourse on the "Imprisonment." In a corner of the church an imitation prison is ereCted and the statue of Jesus is placed therein chained to a huge pillar, and surrounded by armed men and others bearing chains, whips, etc. The preacher recalls the circumstances, as narrated in the Gospel, and the soldiers buffet the statue, striking it with the chains and whips, and making a most unearthly noise. At the end of the sermon, a procession is again arranged, and follows the same course as in the two former, with the same attendants: but as it is now night all arc supplied with ocote,-resinous, pine splinters-which burn with. a bright light. The next ceremony, that of the Three Falls, takes place immediately af~er the "Adoration of the Cross" on Good Friday. Twn. processions are formed- one, of the men, which goes by one side of the plaza, carrying with them the statue of our Lord loaded with the cross and surrounded by armed Jews and executioners, who bear whips and other instruments of torture,-the other, of women, who march by the other side, having with them the statues of the Blessed Virgin and St. John and also a young girl, seleCted from among the congregation, robed, as piCtures tell us the Blessed Veronica was, bearing a white cloth wherewith to wipe the face'()[ the suffering Saviour. In the centre of the plaza, a temporary platform is ereCted, and when the two wings of the procession have arrived within about fifty feet of it, a halt is ordered, and the preacher mounted on the platform narrates the doleful history of the Falls t5f-our Lord, making some apposite refleCtions on each. vVhen he announces the first Fall, the statue of our Saviour is inclined towards the ground, and the people advance a few steps; at the second, it is still further inclined; and at the third, drops on the ground, or rather against the raised platform ; then the statues of the B. V. l\Iary and St. John are brought close up to it, and the Veronica comes forward and wipes the face of our Lord; the sermon is then finished, and the procession returns to the church, the women in the lead. �Holy Week at San Miguel. 279 In the evening, towards the hour of three, the "Crucifixion" is preached in the church. A large purple veil is drawn across the altar, behind which a cross has been raised with an image of Jesus nailed thereon. After recounting the facts of our Lord's Crucifixion, the preacher cries out in a loud voice : .1lfurio Yes1ts (Jesus has died): the veil is torn in two, and the cross bearing the dead Jesus is displayed to the gaze of the worshippers. Then some young men robed in albs come in from the sacristy, bearing ladders, hammers and ropes, and prepare to take down the body from the cross, whilst the sermon continues. The nails which bound the statue to the cross are removed, and given to the maidens, who are dressed in white, and supposed to represent the pious women that attended at theCrucifixion, and the statue is lowered and placed in the arms of a statue of Mary Most Sorrowful. Finally, the statue of our Lord is placed on a bier, and the ordinary procession is inaugurated. The sixth exercise, that claims the attention of the faithful, is a sermon on the Sorrows of Mary. Close to the tomb of our Saviour which is erected in. the centre of the church, a statue of Mary clothed in black, and surrounded by four or five maidens to represent the holy women, who accompanied the Blessed Virgin during that sorrowful period, is arranged, and the preacher with his eyes fixed on this group endeavors to move the people to compassion for her sufferings. It does not require a great effort to effect this, as the devotion to "Mary Most Sorrowful" is a favorite devotion of the Mexican people. A procession is again formed and the same track is gone over, but now as our Lord is dead and enclosed in the tomb, the statue of Mary is also carried. This closes the exercises of this day. On the following morning a solemn Mass is celebrated, the tomb remains in the same position as on the preceding day, but is guarded by a band of armed men and their captain. At the intoning of the "Gloria," the stone which guards the entrance is suddenly rolled back, discovering a statue of the Angel Gabriel, and the linens that enshrouded the dead body of �280 Holy Week at San .Miguel. the Crucified Saviour. Jesus has risen gloriously from the tomb. At the same time, the soldiers, who had been guarding the sepulchre, throw aside their arms, helmets and spurs, and the captain jumping over the altar railing seizes the censer and continues as Acolythe during the rest of the Mass. There is no procession after this ceremony, which concludes the exercises of this holy season; the remainder of the time being devoted to the confessional and preparation for the great feast of the morrow. These ceremonies, however puerile and absurd they may appear to persons imbued with modern ideas of religion, are of great efficacy among a race of people who have been educated from their earliest years to consider them the most sacred forms of their worship. Their usefulness has been proven by.. the number of persons who flock to the confessional during their performance, and the multitude of sinners, who have been separated from their church for years, brought again within the fold. How long these and similar observances will continue to keep a foothold in this country, where a foreign race whose very presence breeds immorality and infidelity is crowding out the nation, is a problem difficult of solution. vVe can but shrug our shoulders in imitation of the Mexican and murmur: "Quien sabe? "~"vVho knows?" ~- .· �TEXAS. Letter from Father Garesche. SEGUIN, TEXAS, July 10, 188r. REV. DEAR FATHER, P. C. I was sent to this State in March I 879, in the hope that my health, impaired by a three years residence in Milwaukee might be improved by a sojourn in the South. In two weeks most of the symptoms of an incipient paralysis were aba~ed, and by the month of July, I was thought capable of giving some country missions in Lavaca County. This county is south of what is called Sunset Route, the railway between Houston and San Antonio. I was told by my Superior that the pastor wanted a mission; it never occurred to me that the plural number was what he meant. I took the railway to Flatonia, where the pastor awaited me with his buggy and horses. So seldom is a single horse used here in harness that the roads in the country are all worn into a double track. Father Forrest, the worthy priest of Halletsville, took me to his little church three miles south of that place. We had to journey eighteen miles across a prairie, for the most part undulating, called hog wallow. Now and then the road would be cut by a new fence which seemed in no way to surprise him as he would look for some little tracks to the right or the left, and turn the obstacle. There are three classes of roads in Texas, according to law. The first road may not be closed in, the second may be closed in, but with a gate for travellers, the third has no rights which a Texan need respeCt:. I have seldom travelled on a road of the first class. In Refugio County I lately journeyed for eighteen miles on a road which led across two ranges (cattle farms) to a third, VoL. x-No. 3· · 36 (281) �282 Texas. where we stopped. We had therefore three gates to open, the ranges averaging twenty-four miles square. Arrived at the church, I found a frame building about fifty by twenty-five feet, from which that very evening we removed every window sash. There could be no danger of rain, for there is always a drought at this season, and the heat would have been otherwise unendurable. Our residence was one lower room in a log farm-house of which the other, with an intervening hall was occupied by a saintly German family of farmers. The women did for us in Teutonic style, the table being rich in grease and vinegar. The upper story or attic embraced likewise two rooms, and this building once claimed to be the first Catholic college in \Vest Texas! The mission .. exercises were at 9 A. 111. and at 4 P. M, but after the morning sermon a young Bohemian priest translated the instruCtion for the benefit of a large concourse of Catholics of that nationality, whose orange, purple, red and green dresses and kerchiefs, were enough to give inflamation of the eyes to a blind man. Those who understood English were descendants of Missouri or Kentucky Catholics, and there were but few Irish names to be found. Their piety was not demonstrative but solid, and they came some of them from twelve to sixteen miles to make the mission. Some few left their farms to care for themselves, and camped out nearly the whole week. It was a singular thing to me this preaching to a purely American congregation. I felt the loss of the Celtic sympathy and e"nthusiasm of faith, which in Missions at the North reaCt: upon the preacher so as aCtually to make him eloquent in nature's despite. The thermometer was, during the greater part of the week, high up in the nineties, but the nights, which I passed upon the floor with doors and windows open, were cool and refreshing. Here I began to make acquaintance with Texan rusticity, which knows little of conventional refinement. They are for the most part a silent but hospitable people, but they have little notion of privacy. I would come to my room sometimes for a rest, onfy to find it occupied by �Texas. mothers nursing their children, or soothing them to sleep on my bed. Fr. Shea, the translation of an unpronounceable Bohemian name, went up stairs one afternoon to take some rest and found a man stretched on his couch, who muttered, as he sleepily rolled himself over on the other side, "I always take a nap at this time of day." In this mission there were but six or seven Catholics who failed to take advantage of the graces offered them. \Ne made some converts, but there were few Protestants who attended the exercises. On the Monday succeeding the mission we went to Y ellow Banks, eighteen miles off, and gave there a three days mission, returning to Halletsville on Sunday evening. This was what is called a post-oak country, where the heat is most felt, and I feared that I could not stand it. The result was satisfaB:ory, as but one Catholic stayed away from confession. Friday evening, I leB:ured in Halletsville, in a small, badly-lighted, over-crowded hall to an audience principally Protestant. The next morning I received a numerously signed petition to give them another address upon my return. vVe started for Brushy, eighteen miles off, the thermometer indicating 104 degrees in the shade. The sun was vertical, the roads dusty, or across a hog-wallow prairie; I felt utterly prostrated. At Brushy another log-house for pastoral residence adjoining the church, used occasionally for a school-house. As I leaned weak and worn out against the door jam, noting the gaps in the roof and the wide . chinks between the apartments, which they were filling up with old clothes, I confess to have felt some despondency, and I asked Father Forrest if there were yet lower depths to sound. He smiled, the holy, indefatigable missionary, and assured me that this was the worst that I would have to encounter, but, said he, this is civilization, this is luxury to what I found, coming here for the first time at the clo~e of the war. This mission was the piece de resistance. Here I had been prepared to find an unruly and careless set of cow- �Texas. ' boys, utterly reckless of meum and tuum where unbranded calves were concerned. It was for this place that I had been entreated to reserve my most moving arguments, and - I fell sick. Only one house was in sight from the church, and yet the next morning the place was alive with wagons and horses, and in all that crowd not a sound of the delicious Irish brogue. I broke down in the morning sermon, and a physician who was present pronounced it impossible for me to recover in time to continue the mission. My brain was burning and I became delirious, but not before I entreated the people to wait one day. The whole prairie around the church was an encampment, and they did wait. All Sunday night, all Monday until three o'clock. Tuesday \ morning I was out of my mind and the Doctor would not leave me, a cour_ier was on horseback to summon a Father from Seguin, and an old San Jacinto man was sitting up with me, as he said, to see a priest die. "I have seed a many, but never a priest." The dear old fellow, he walked a whole mile- a great feat among these centaurs- to the country store to buy a chamber vessel for the sick priest. There was nothing of that kind there. 'When I woke from my fever, it was to see four or five men sleeping around me on the bare boards. I thanked God fervently for granting me the favor of working yet a while longer for Him. That afternoon I made the congregation a short address, and then the mission went on as usual, except that the good people would not, out of consideration for me, approach my confessional. I had been,. told, when complaining now and then of the babies brought to the church . at the preceding missions, "wait till you go to Brushy." They were right; I suppose there must have been at least fifty children who were not old enough to talk, but quite old enough to drown a preacher's voice with their screams. I have counted as many as a dozen being nursed at one titJe on the verandah on which my room opened, or in the adjoining apartment. The year was exceedingly hard on the farmers, for a long drought had parched every thing, and we coul? find nothing to eat save bacon and corn bread. �Texas. On Friday we had literally nothing for dinner but ochra, which I cooked myself for fear they they should spoil it, we could not get even eggs. If the trials were pretty severe the result surpassed our fondest hopes. Only one man abstained from the sacraments and he had made his Easter. The cow-boys who had not deigned at first to lift their hat to the priest or missionary ; who had come to the mission as to a camp meeting, for the fun of the thing, gave in, and their smiles and awkward salutes showed that they had hearts under their rude exterior. On the last Sunday I preached four times. On one of these occasions I had promised that none but mothers with their children should be present. It was intended as a compensation for my strictness in enforcing a law that every crying child should be at once taken out of church. Some rebelled at this, and on two occasions I had great difficulty in carrying my point. Well the blessing of the babies came, and of all the concerts I ever assisted at, it was the most wonderful. At first I got along pretty well, but when one, then three or four, and finally thirty or forty infant voices joined in the chorus I concluded to withdraw. I gave the blessing and made a promise to myself never to do it again. In the three missions we had altogether about twelve converts and seven hundred and fifty Communions, and I recognized herein the blessing which God communicates in a mission which has been worked up for years by a pious, self-sacrificing priest. They loved and revered ttl.eir pastor, these simple Texans, and it would be hard to find in America more solid virtue, simple but well grounded faith than on the Catholic missions of Lavaca County. I return there this August to preach the Jubilee. F. P. G. �KANSAS. Letter from Fatlzer Ponziglione. OsAGE MissiON, NEosHo Co., KANsAs, July 7th, 1881. REV. FATHER, P. C. Last winter was one of the most severe winters through which I passed during my stay in this western country. In January I started on a visit to the Osages in Indian Territory, but could not proceed farther than one hundred miles on account of the snow and ice which covered the ground. I may thank my Guardian Angel's kind watchfulness that I did not break my neck during this much of the journey. In the valleys and on the hills-everywhere, the ground was covered with ice as smooth as glass. My horse being sharp shod was sure-footed,and never missed a step; but my ambulance? oh if you had only seen it! why it swung from one side to another, like an oscillating pendulum; now it swayed to the right, then veered to the left, and at times drew up uncomfortably near to the edge of a tremendous precipice. After such experiences during the 10hort distance of one hundred miles, I concluded that it was impossible to finish my missionary work among the Os~ges at the appointed time, and thouglit it best to return to my mission. The winter at last was over, and I started again on the sixteenth of May for the Indian Territory. Fresh troubles awaited me, surely, for the raining season had just begun. The rivers were very high, or the creeks were swollen into rivers and the little mountain streams into torrents, so that I found it very hard to cross them. But with God's help I went through every danger uninjured. I direCted my course to the north-west corner of the Osage Reservation and found the half-breeds at the usual stations en(z86) �Ka1tsas. gaged in working their farms, but the full-bloods were scattered all over the country in quest of game. You have no idea what a trouble it is to find these full-bloods when they are scattered in different parts of the country on the hunt; unless a person is acquainted with their habits, he may travel a whole day over the plains without discovering the least trace of them. The smoke, however, is my best indication in quest of the Indians on the plains. When the Osages go out, either on a big hunt, or on a war path, they march in single file on the same trail. Some three or four hours before the party sets out, scouts are sent ahead. These are generally chosen from the young men well acquainted with the roads and sharp on the trail. As they go along, fire is put to the grass on their route. On a calm day the smoke resembles a pillar rising to the sky. At night, of course, the smoke cannot be used as a signal, or guide; the fire then takes its place. This smoke by day or fire by night is always kept in view by the Indians following, who may form a line two or three miles in extent. On this trip I observed the smoke at a great distance, drew near to it and found that I had come upon the camp of a full-blood Osage family. Here I found a poor squaw, who hearing of my visit to her nation at a certain station, had traveled twenty-five miles with three of her little children in order that they might be baptized. It seems that after high hoping the poor woman was disappointed, for she did not meet me at the place where she expected to see me, and was obliged to return in sorrow to her wigwam. God was soon to reward her piety, for I, unaware of her whereabouts, by accident came to her camp. Think of her joy, when she saw me baptize her little darlings! After I had baptized the little children she requested me to bless for her a few cedar branches. This I did and hastened my course to the Agency which \vas not far off, to get under shelter from an impending storm ; I did not like the idea of getting an unnecessary drenching. The Osages, and generally all the blanket Indians, do not care about living in houses, but prefer to live in the ~ �2~8 Kansas. open air. ·A shower, no matter how heavy, does not trouble them; on the contrary, in summer, they seem to enjoy it. \Vhen the shower is over, they shake themselves like the birds, and in a short time are perfectly dry, because their clothing is scanty. Some people imagine that because the Indians roam in comparative nakedness, immorality must be great amongst them. This is far from being the case. On the contrary, we find less immorality amongst them than amongst the whites. I grant that in their midst you may find some wicked men, ready for indecency and other crimes ; yet not in greater proportion than among civilized people. As a class they are very moral and full of selfrespeCt, so that we but seldom meet with anything improper. A miSsionary can pray, meditate and read his breviary in an-Indian camp with less distractions than in the families of our civilized friends. Speaking of the breviary puts me in mind of a queer incident. I had just finished the reading of my Office, one day, and was about to put away my book, when an Osage, \Vhaconta-chi, or, in other words, Medicine-man of the tribe, asked me very pleasantly whether that book was my Bible. "\Vhy," I asked, "do you put me such a question? What do you know about the Bible?" "I too have a Bible as well as you," pe replied. Hearing this, I requested him to show me his Bible. He willingly consented to show me the Holy Book, and for that purpose invited me into his tent. Here he seated me on a large b_uffalo skin spread upon the ground, and having picked ;Jp·· three bundles of sticks, very much resembling reed pipe-stems, handed them to me, saying: "This is my Bible." I took the bundles in my hand, turned them over and over, and returned them to him, saying: "My friend, I am at a loss to know where to begin to read this Bible of yours; how do you read it?" The good-humored fellow smiled and said: "I do not know." Then I asked again: "But why do you call it your Bible?" "\Veil," he said, "that is the name all the Medicine-men give to these three bundles." Perhaps this Bible is a puzzle to you as it was at first to �Ka1lsas. me. I will try to give you a few items on the subjeCt:, which may lead you to think that the Medicine-man was not altogether wrong in calling the three bundles his Bible. Among the different religious ceremonies of the Osages, the veneration of these three bundles holds a prominent place. The Medicine-men cannot tell you their real significance, but generally agree in saying that they received them from their forefathers as heirlooms of most distant generations, and that their fathers always held them in the greatest reverence, and guarded them as a sacred trust. The value they attach to the worship of these bundles depends in a great measure upon the number of sticks contained in them, and upon the order in which they are taken from one bundle and placed in another. These three bundles contain different numbers of sticks. The first has seventy- seven, the second, sixty, and the last, thirty. Regarding the meaning of this Bible, some will tell you that each stick represents some different age of the world: others, again, that it recalls some remarkable event in the world's history. A third party will rejeCt: both interpretations and tell you that each stick on its appearance called forth from the Indians certain prayers or sacred lines which they were obliged to recite at the beginning of every expedition. This seems to me to be the best explanation, and to coincide more exactly with the proceedings while on the march. For, if the number of these sticks be computed, it will be found to tally pretty nearly with that of the psalms. There are more sticks than psalms, it is true; but an obvious reason may ac!ount for this. It is only natural that in the course of centuries, some additions were made, prompted by the religious feelings of the people. The practices of the Osages at this very day seem to confirm the supposition that this Indian Bible is but a record of the psalms, or of the old psalter. When the Osages start on their regular hunts, or on a war path, some honored Medicine-man dressed in the full insignia of his office, takes his position at the head of the party, and selecting a stick from one of the bundles which VoL. x-No. 3· 37 �Kansas. he carries on his back, begins a song, or rather gives them a note, which they hold and repeat for some time. After a while he puts the stick into a small bag and picks out another, which is the signal for the beginning of another melody either in a higher or lower tone than the preceding one. The chant continues in this way until the end of the journey. 'When the whole band sings in full chorus, you are immediately reminded of a choir of monks singing their matins or vespers. Now it is most probable that in ancient times these aborigines knew the psalms by heart ; but as they had no written books in which to record their customs and transaCtions, naturally the wording of the psalms slipped from their memories and left them but the various intonations of each. The Osages.'are very conservative in whatever concerns their religiou;·praCl:ices; so much so, that, though willing to part with almost every custom, they cling with devotion to this primitive and so-called Bible. Should it be lost, every effort is made to recover it, no- matter what may be the trouble and expense. Only a priviliged few among the Medicine-men are allowed the use of these bundles. They are generally the favorites and admired of the tribe. While the Osages live in their aboriginal state as blanket Indians.._they will never relinquish their superstitious rites and adopt Christian habits. They must consequently be first civilized and then christianized. The Indians themselves imagine that the Christian religion is only for the civilized, and as they are not a civilized people an~_ do not follow the customs of the whites they canflot be Christians. "'While we are Indians," they say, "we must follow the Medicineman" On the expedition I passed through the country of the Kansas, or as they were formerly called, the Kaw Indians. The Kaws are kin to the Osages, and rightly speaking are but a branch of the same nation. The language which they speak is materially the same as that of the Osages, though there is a slight difference in accent. They claim a more ancient pedigree than the Osages whom they call �t: 1 I ~. Kansas. younger brothers; but the Osage will tell you that the Kaws are but a people coming after them, and much below them in physical and intellectual greatness. This question of the priority of family or tribe, will probably never be decided. Society however will not suffer. The full-bloods of this tribe follow the same religious ceremonies as the Osages. The half-breeds profess to be Roman Catholics, that is to say, they have been baptized in the Church, but know nothing about her doctrines, owing to the want of Catholic instructors. They have frequently petitioned the United States government for Catholic priests, but have not succeeded in obtaining their request. As to their intellectual powers there is little difference between the two tribes; though it must be confessed that in certain cases the Kaws have succeeded in outwitting their Osage brethren. The former are noted horse thieves and will spirit away a horse, whenever a good chance offers. The Osages dread the Kaws on this account, and accuse them of the theft of their missing horses. To give you an idea of the smartness shown by these horse thieves in their profession I will mention a case that happened some time ago. Near our mission, lived an old Indian, Nassour by name; he was a good Christian and a very sociable man. At the time of the annual payment, several neighboring tribes came to visit the Osages, and according to their custom "to smoke horses," that is to say, barter horses. About twenty Kaws came with the visitors. Although this party was a friendly one, the bad name of their brethren, caused all to be on the watch for their horses-lest some of the Kaws might yield to temptation. Old Nassour especially, kept his eyes open; he had but one horse, and him, he intended to guard closely. Well, night set in; and the old Indian tethered his horse to a tree with this precaution however; that he tied a bell to the horses neck, in order that the jingling sound during the night, might assure him of the animal's presence. With this precaution taken, he settled down to sleep. Every �Kansas. motion of the horse caused a ringing of the bell, and the old man hearing it would say: "Good! my horse is here yet." Then turning over he would fall asleep again. The wily old Indian was indeed smart, but he had a still sharper person to deal with in the shape of a young Kaw. This fellow made up his mind to steal the horse. Accordingly, he crept stealthily to the tree, approached the horse gently, took the bell from his ne~k, and tied it to a branch of the tree; then mounting old Nassour's treasure, sped away. The night was dark and stormy, and the wind very high at intervals ; so that the bell kept ringing and swinging the whole night, and Nassour kept imagining that his horse was safe in his possession. Imagine his surprise at daybreak, in finding his animal gone, and in seeing the bell swinging in the..branches of the tree . .Now you ask: "Do these Indians see any harm in stealing?" Yes they do, that is, among themselves. They very seldom steal from each other, though they have many a chance; for the wigwams and lodges are always open. But like the Jews of old, they see no harm in appropriating the property of their enemies. Now, the white man is their enemy; consequently the Indian takes his property with· an easy conscience and considers himself in goo_d luck when he 'Succeeds in so doing. .This is one of the great obstacles to success in ch~istian­ izing them. But these very notions are eradicated easily and the bad habit broken, under the dir~etion of Catholic missionaries, who have the sound doetririe to give them, and will treat them disinterestedly and fairly. PAUL MARY PONZIGLIONE, s. J. �OBITUARY. FATHER ]AMES M. CoNVERSE. Rev. James M. Converse died at the St. Louis University on Tuesday, April 26th, 1881, at eight o'clock P. 1\L, after devoutly receiving all the rites of the Church. 'He suffered much during the last four or five days of his illness, but he bore his pains with great patience, and with complete resignation to the will of God. His disease was enlargement of the heart, which first manifested dangerous symptoms about one year ago. With the advice of his physicians, he visited the scenes of his childhood in the State of Vermont, where he spent . the month of July and a part of August, 1880; but finding there no relief from this insidious and unconquerable malady, he returned to St. Louis, where the disease gradually gained on his vigorous constitution, till it resulted in the dropsy which finally carried him off. The faculties of his mind retained their charaCteristic clearness and accuracy to the last struggle with death, in which life passed away. Rev. James M. Converse was born near Randolph, in the State of Vermont, on July 30th, 1814, and he was a descendant of the Puritan first settlers of New England. When he reached his majority, in 1835, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he engaged in business with his brother. His avocations carried him to the copper mines in the vicinity of Lake Superior, where his interests detained him for some while; but he subsequently returned to Cleveland and studied law. He followed the profession of law thenceforth till the year 1845. Religion occupied a considerable share in his thoughts wherever he was, and in whatever employments he was engaged. After abandoning the denomination of religion in which he had been reared, he drifted from one church to another during several years, studying successively all the confessions of faith on which (293) �294 Fatlzer :James }}f. Converse. he could lay his hands, his changing opinions causing him to join quite a number of seas, but not remaining long in membership with any one. As there were certain fundamental questions to which he could find no satisfaaory answer in any of the churches to which he had attached himself, he became unsettled in mind and despondent ; he began to think seriously of dismissing the subjea of religion from his thoughts altogether. He was in this state of mind when, on Easter Sunday, 1842, he was casually passing the door of the Catholic Church in Cleveland during divine service. He never had, up to that time, thought it worthy of his attention to examine the claims of the Catholic Church on rational belief, because its falsity was, throughout his~'life, a foregone conclusion for his mind. Out of mere curiosity he entered the Church door, and, as it happened, the priest, Rev. Peter McLaughlin, was just beginning his sermon, and the subjea announced was precisely one that had long perplexed his own thoughts. The sermon shed a new light upon his mind, and opened new trains of thought, making so great an impression on him that he determined to see the priest when service was over, and have a conversation with him. The reverend gentleman received him kindly, and their talk on questions of religion, ~vhich began at the dinner table, was aaually prolonged throughout the evening and entire succeeding night. After some repose next day, Mr. Converse asked Father McLaughlin, as the man from Ethiopia .ri<;Iing on a chariot with the Apostle Philip beside him "preaching unto him Jesus," asked, when he was made to understand the truth: "See, here is water; what doth hinder me from being baptized ? " Mr. Converse was, in compliance with his own earnest desire, baptized on that same day, which was Easter Monday, 1842. Father Converse, with the approval of his spiritual adviser, the Rev. Peter McLaughlin, resolved to become a Jesuit, and accordingly he entered the St. Stanislaus' Novitiate, near Florissant, Mo., February 4th, 1845, and he remained a II!ember of the Jesuit society till his death. Dur- �Fat!ter :James M Converse. I 295 ing the first years, after his probation as a novice was completed, he was employed as a teacher at the St. Louis University; he was afterwards successively at St. Joseph's College, Bardstown, Ky., at St. Xavier College, Cincinnati, in Chicago on parochial and missionary duties, in Leavenworth, Kansas, in St. Louis and at St. Stanislaus Seminary, in all of which places he filled important positions with great efficiency. After the death of Father De Smet, which took place May 23, 1873, Father Converse was appointed to succeed. him as procurator, or econome of the Province, occupying this office till his death. It devolved on him, as procurator of the province, to manage the temporal affairs, and the finances of the Missouri Province, to which employments he united parochial duties in the congregation of St. Francis Xavier's church. His zeal for the spiritual welfare of the people, and his remarkable ability for business, gained for him a large number of friends and admirers, who testified, to the last, their high esteem for his many excellent qualities, among which his charity and kindness were preeminent. Many are the persons who will remember works of disinterested goodness which he did for them in their hour of need. Father Converse had an intellect that was penetrating and searching, ~t the same time that its range was broad and comprehensive. In matters of business, and in all the practical affairs of life, he was remarkable for the correctness and prudence of his judgments. His entire conduct was reg_ulated by principle maturely considered before action was decided on. He followed his convictions of what was duty for him, with unswerving firmness of purpose; after canvassing minutely all the reasons for action, and reaching a decision as to what was right, no difficulties could discourage him, and no opposition save that which comes from evident principle could divert him from his undertaking. The sickness which carried him off, as said, was enlargement of the heart, finally resulting in dropsy. His strong, iron will resisted the destroyer, so as, aided by the skill of his physicians, to prolong his life far beyond the �Father :James M Converse. measure which such ailment ordinarly allows to the most vigorous constitutions on which it seizes. He knew for months beforehand that his enemy must conquer at last, and as the end approached, he went about the preparation for death as a matter of business, but as the most important business of his life. He never manifested a sign of fear, uneasiness or unwillingness to meet death, often remarking that death could cause him no dismay, talking freely and cheerfully of his approaching dissolution, with its final struggles. Father Converse was of a manly and sterling charaCter, which peculiarly fitted him for great and arduous tasks, and such he performed whenever the occasion for them required him. The striCt: adherence to principle for which he was distinguished exhibited itself in his religious conduCt:, in his praCtice of piety, always solid and masculine, obsequium ratiotzabile, and especially did it manifest itself in all he diu to dispose himself to appear before God in judgment. All had to be done according to rule and system; but that rule, and that system, were adhered to by him with the thoroughness and exaB:ness which charaCterized all the performances of his life. Father Converse possessed extraordinarily good qualities both of head and heart, which shone more brilliantly in the }ast long trial of his life, his death• which was that of a good man, who had filled the measure of a useful and meritorious life of sixty-seven years. His remains were buried on Thursday, April 28th, 1881, at St. Stanislaus' Novitiate, near Florissant; on a little mound in the garden, where repose those of Fathers Van Quickenborne, DeSmet, Van Assche, Verhaegen, etc. R. I. P. WALTER H. HILL, s. J. �J ' Brother Dani'el Mason. 297 BROTHER DANIEL MASON. Died at Woodstock, at 2 o'clock, on Good Friday morning, Brother Daniel Mason. The name of this good Brother will recall to the minds of Woodstock's first inhabitants recolleCtions of those early days when all that was beautiful at Woodstock was confined within the walls of its domestic chapel. There were then no winding walks, nor flowers breathing sweet perfume, nor conservatories to proteCt: against the chilling blasts those plants that were to charm the eye and cheer the heart, when spring should call them forth. Nor were there then any spreading lawns nor shaded boulevard, nor ingeniously contrived summer-houses in which to pass in pleasant groups the recreation hours. To the chapel, then, in those early days, we escorted our visiting guest, feeling that here, at least, we could point with pride to what was then our solitary boast. Here too in those early days of Woodstock, when the pelting rains, and the roads ankle deep with mire, kept the Woodstock student a prisoner within its walls, the heart was less heavy and the days less sad, as we held converse with God within this our sanB:uary. But who amongst us will fail to acknowledge, that, if with pride we escorted our guest, or if with sacred joy we knelt and prayed within these hallowed walls, much that was there to inspire our pride, or excite our feelings of sacred joy, was due to the devoted zeal and excellent taste of him who was our Sacristan ! Or who can fail to see in all those plans and devices, by which he contrived so well to enhance the dignity of the Church's festivals, Br. Mason knew Whom it was he served and loved Him well! No wonder he could always smile, no wonder he could always toil and never pause to rest those limbs that for thirty years knew keenest suffering. No wonder, when his days were full, and God, satisfied with his faithful service, called him to appear before Him, no wonder that in this VoL. x-No. 3· 38 �2g8 11-fr. James 0' Connell. summons he joyed as only the eleet can joy. Suffering intensely, but so sweetly smiling, that we forgot the while that nature had not fashioned in attracrive mould a face that grace now lit up with ineffable charm. Thus Br. Mason suffered, thus he smiled, and suffering and smiling he calmly, peacefully, joyfully passed away complaining only of this, that the docror seemed desirous of prolonging his life. Those who witnessed his last moments, seeing his lips constantly moving in prayer, and his eyes raised on high, could not fail to perceive that his heart was where the orders of Superiors and his daily duties had long kept him-near, very near, to God. Thus passed away Brother Mason,just one week after another of Woodstock's faithful Brothers, Michael Keenan, had been called to his reward. Alike in their fidelity, alike in their simplicity, their deaths were not dissimilar. God grant that all who die at Woodstock ~aydisplay the same evident, most abundant signs of predileCtion ! MR. }AMES O'CoNNELL. On the 8th of July was laid to rest in the quiet churchyard of Old St. Inigoes, St. Mary's County, Md., Mr. James O'Coimell; a scholastic of the Missouri Province. He was drowned, while bathing in the St. Mary's river near a place called Gunboat Springs, on the morning·of the 5th. During the three days occupied in searching for his body, so great a gloom was cast upon us all that few will soon forget the vacations of 1881. \Vhen the remains had been recovered and placed in sacred ground, so many and consoling were the circumstances connecred with the death of our Brother, that a feeling of relief and joy succeeded our mourning. As we arrived at St. Inigoes too late on the morning of the 2nd to go to Holy Communion, we received general permission to approach the Holy. Table on the very day of the accident. Of this privilege Mr. O'Connell and �Mr. James 0' Connell. 299 his excursion party availed themselves. Fr. Klein; who was providentially of the number, gave him the Last Absolution. It is not the purpose of this present notice to enter into details of the event. They are already well known. In Mr. O'Connell, his Province lost a faithful and. edifying religious and laborer of much promise. He was in his twenty-sixth year, and had been eight years in the Society. His virtues and amiable qualities endeared him to all, whilst his talents and energy pointed him out as destined to a career of usefulness. During his brief life he had accomplished much good in a quiet and hidden manner. There was neither glitter, nor show in what he· did: Exceedingly charitable to all his brethren, he was especially so to the sick. A Sister of Charity could not have treated them with greater de.licacy and taCt. His leading charaCteristics were great love of the right and perfeCt, and independence of mind in following out what he considered to be· his duty, regardless of consequences and comments. He aimed at perfeCtion in whatever he undertook and nothing less could satisfy him. Hence, his great ardor for study arid for all that could tend to aid him to become such a Jesuit as our Institute asks for. His ideal Jesuit was a very lofty conception and often was he heard to bewail his inability. to attain it, though striving manfully. As a child, he grew up under the shadow of the Altar and was known as one of the most devoted and punCtual Acolytes of the Holy Family parish in Chicago, his native city. Here it was that he first exhibited a very great devotion to the Sacred Heart and to our Lady's Immaculate Conception. This trait marked his whole life. One of the first students to have his name inscribed on the catalogue of St. Ignatius' College, he was ·also one of the first PrefeCts of our Lady's Sodality. He used his popularity with his fellow students to form a Guard of Honor for prayer before the tabernacle during hours of recreation. This praCtice became quite general. It was not unusual to see boys leaving the excitement of a game of Base Ball to �300 Mr. James 0' Connell. spend their allotted time in the Chapel. To this pious custom introduced by him . many attribute their vocation to the priesthood and to a religious life. He remained but three years at College, entering the Society after the class of Poetry. During his three years at Florissant this devotion to the Sacred Heart did not abate. When he entered our Colleges to teach, he found a fitting outlet for his zeal. I have before me a list of boys, whom he had caused to enter the Association of the Sacred Heart. Many of them and their relatives promised to make frequent Communions of Reparation. During his life as a teacher it was remarked that his class was alway~ foremost in decorating their little classroom ~brine of~~r Lady during the month of May. The charming simplicity of his manners won him the love and respect of all, with whom he came in contact. Of strangers, with whom he had merely a chance conversation, he made fast friends. Thus, when coming to Woodstock, he fell in with a young officer of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, who ever afterwards regularly corresponded with him. The conversion of this gentleman was his great desire. All his ·brethren tell of his deeds of kindness, his considerate charity, and great exactness in the performance of duty, and many an eye was dimmed as the cold earth fell over the mortal remains of one, so full of life and promise, torn from our midst in so sudden and sad a manner. Few went to St. Inigoes with greater hopes of enjoyment. He was anxious to make the most of the week he was to spend with us in regaining his strength, before going to Georgetown for a special course of Chemistry, to follow which he had volunteered to make the sacrifice of the greatest part of his vacations, that he might thus fit himself better for the work of our Society in Colleges. His death brought out most strikingly the deep fraternal charity of the Society. The name of him who exposed his own life, to save his brother's, and of those who toiled I �1 l JIIr. Jauus 0' Collnell. 301 under the rays of a hot sun for three days in the attempt to recover his remains, as well as of those, who so beautifully arranged his grave, will not soon depart from our memory. "A true child of the Company of Jesus, he glorified God, and edified his neighbor." D. 0. M. �OUR COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES FOR 1880-81. 1 PLACE NAME PnoVINcE STUD's 0 R AD • A. B. Baltimore, Md ............ ,Loyola College* ......•.. ~I d. N. Y. 104 Boston, l\lass ............ IBoston College*......... ::\Id. N.Y. 230 15 1 Buffalo, N. Y ............ 1CanisiuR College ......... Germany ·······~········ Chicago, Ill ........... : (. St. Ignatius College*..... Missouri 203 I '2 229 Cincinnati, 0 ........ :-.,.'\St. Xavier College*...... " 5 Detroit, ::\Iich ............ Detroit College*........ . 132 Fordham, N.Y .......... StJohn's College ...•.... Md. N.Y. 207 6 Georgetown, D. C........ Georgetown College..... . 184 8 Grand Coteau, La ........ St. Charles College ....... N. 0.1\Iiss 49 Jersey City, N.J......... .st. Peter's College* ...... 1\Id. N.Y. 146 Las Vegas, N.l\1 ......... Las Vegas College ....... Naples 219 New Yorlf, N.Y ......... :St Francis Xav. College* 1\Id. N. Y.j 503 1· · New Orleans, La......... !Imm. Conception Coli.* .... N. 0.1\Iissl 301 I 4 Santa Clara, Cal ......... Santa Clara College ...... ; Turin I 194 I 713 San Frnncisco, Cal. ...... 1St. Ignatius Co:Jc,;e *.. · · · ~ " 342 St. Louis, ::\Io.- ......... jst. Louis University...... !Missouri St. ~Iary'~, Knnsas ....... ,St. )lary's, College........ i " • 1 183 I.... Sprmg H1ll, Ala ......... 1St. Josephs College ..•••. N. 0.1\hssl 1?6 '\V"ashington, D. C........ Gonzaga College* ....... ~1\ld. N. Y.l 123 20 Worcester, 1\lass ......... :college of the Holy Crossi: " l \········ i········ ·2o·· · 1 l....f"" I 2... 1~~; 1 *Day College. Ll- ~ ; �CONTENTS OF VOL. X. Page PAPERS RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE ~L\RYLA);D )!ISSION:III. The Penal Laws......................••......... ·......... IV. The Suppression and Restoration of the Society ............. 89 3 v. The Annual Letters ........................................ 209 The First Church Built in CalitiJrnia-A Sketch of the Life and Labors of Father Salvatierra ................................•..• 28 BRAZIL:- The Religious Question in the Empire ....................•...... 42 The College of Itu .•..•..••.................................... 171 Letters of Father James 0. Van de Veld e ...•.. _. ............... 53, 121 Dispersion of the College of Laval. .....................•......... 65 Loyola College .................................•...•............ 68 New Church at Harrisonville ..................................... 69 I l Nez Perces Indians ............................. , ............. 71, 198 :l\Iissionary Labors .....•....••..................•..•...... 85, 179, 260 Kansas-Osage ~Iission .........•............................. 133, 286 Indian ~1issions ...•.......................................•...... 137 San Xavier del Bac, Arizona ...................................... 157 Sault Ste. Marie, :Michigan .......•••............................. 204 Across the Continent-Letter I. .................................. 225 FiftyYears Ago-Some Letters of Fr. F. Grivel. ................... 244 New l\Iexico ..................................................... 274 'fexas ....•........•.............•............................... 286 OntTUARY:- Fr. James ~I. Converse ......................................... 293 Br. Dotniel ~Iason ..............................•............... 297 ~Ir. James O'Connell .............................. ."............ 298 Our Colleges..................................................... 302 I � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n79046634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits</a> <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives & Research Center Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives & Research Center Saint Louis University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives & Research Center. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng lat Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Abstract A summary of the resource. The Woodstock Letters were a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969. They were named after Woodstock College, the Jesuit seminary in Maryland where they were published. Written almost entirely by Jesuits, and originally intended to be read only by Jesuits, the Letters were "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus in North and South America." They include historical articles, updates on work being done by the Jesuits, eyewitness accounts of historic events, book reviews, obituaries, enrollment statistics for Jesuit schools, and various other items of interest to the Society. The writings of many renowned Jesuit scholars and missionaries appeared in the Woodstock Letters, including Pedro Arrupe, Pierre-Jean de Smet, Avery Dulles, Daniel Lord, Walter Hill, John Courtney Murray, Walter Ong, and Gustave Weigel. They provide an invaluable record of the work done by American Jesuits throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 99 items Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1872-1969 Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Periodical Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodstock Letters - Volume 10 (1881) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://lccn.loc.gov/n81134877" target="_blank">Woodstock College (Woodstock, Md.)</a> Subject The topic of the resource <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85021157.html" target="_blank">Catholic Church--Periodicals</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004994.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--19th century</a> <a href="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh87004995.html" target="_blank">Jesuits--History--20th century</a> Description An account of the resource 1881 edition of the Woodstock Letters, "a record of current events and historical notes connected with the colleges and missions of the Society of Jesus." Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Jesuit Archives: Central United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Jesuit Archives Central United States Saint Louis University Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context JA-Woodstock-010 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived BX3701 .W66 Language A language of the resource eng lat Relation A related resource JA-Woodstock Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Reproduced with permission of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Permission to copy or publish must be obtained from the Jesuit Archives: Central United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2017-2 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 301 pages Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1881