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HKV. KKKDEHIC liAHACiA, D.D. LIFE AND LABORS ov Rt. Rev. FREDERIC BARAGA, Fint Bishop of Marquette, Mich. TO WHICH ARE ADDED SHORT SKETCHES OF THE LIVES AND LABORS OF OTHER INDIAN MISSIONARIES OF THE NORTHWEST. BY P. CHEYSOSTOMUS VERWYST, O. F. M. OF LOS ANGLLEP, C^I . MILWAUKEE, WIS.: M. H. WILTZIUS & CO., 19C0. Tvptlnamr: p. X. KATZER, Atchiepiscopua Milwa uchiensis. P. THEODORUS ARENTZ, O. F. M. Minister Provinciales. . • ■ . • n d. jCa ^ /J C f-t*tfitfL u> .i./^^ a^ /. CZt^^^ /^t«%^ , uA-C^-i itiy^ \Ai:M .ItC Ur^^^^<:,^ , ^z /^ ui< 'p* /* Ht^ :*A { /"/ «/i ^i / V >tL C'*^^/uyi\ tc*^ ^ /^f'^< /AjhH^' ^tc< A *i »Vrtt*<.<^ of! Itlio illv Tt illy 11 n- matical structure of the languago will ahow that it is Asiatic in origin and Honiewhat allied to sonio Euri>i)ean tongues. In a fornier work of the writer, ''Missi(»nary Labors of Fathers Marciiiette, AUouez and Menard in the Lake Su|)eri()r Kegion," the reader will tind a list, by no means eoniplete, of Chippewa words, wliieh evidently havo a common origin with similar words in Euroi)ean lan- guages. To those who love philological studies wo would recommend Baraga's Chippewa Grammar an*' Dictionary, pidilished by a tirm in Montreal. Rev. ^lartin Farrard, S.»L, now deceased, composed an exhaustive dictionary of the Chippewa language, which, however, is still in manuscript, fornj, as the gifted author died before completing his great Avork. lie iiitended also to write a glossary to said dictionary, comparing Chij)pewa roots with similar ones in Sanscrit, Greek and other ancient and modern languages. Such a work would, indeed, be highly interesting to students of philology. As to the origin of the Indian races, they are no doubt from Asia. We have seen in missionary periodicals photo- graphic pictures of some Asiatic people, and we can truly say that they so closely resemble our Indians that there is no doubt about their common origin. Father Grellon,. who had labored for years amongst the Hurons of Canada and had left that country after the destruction of the Huron Mission in 1648-'49-'50, and went to Asia, relates in the ''Lettres Edifiantes" that he met, in Central Asia, a Christian Huron woman and heard her confession in the language which neither of them had spoken for years. This poor woman had been sold as a slave from tribe to tribe till she was brought far into the interior of Asia. There is no doubt that in remote times Asiatic tribes, many of whom are stili of a roving, nomadic disposition, crossed Behring's Strait, and, once on American soil, pushed on southward and in other directions. Moreover, the many islands in the Pacific Ocean seem to indicate that BT. BEY. FBEDEBIO BABAGA. m at a remote period there was a large continent, perhaps like Australia, between Asia and America. This may have become submerged in the course of time, ages ago, and perhaps many of the islands in said ocean are but portions of this continent. The ruins of Yucatan, Mexico, and Peru point to an Asiatic origin and civilization. The facial difference between some European and Indian races is not very great. Many of our half-breeds strongly resemble southern European races. They have very nuich the same complexion, dark, black eyes, black hair, etc. Besides, it is wonderful how easily, by inter- marriage, the Indian race merges into the white. At our Indian boarding schools can be found quarter-breed chil- dren, that is, the children of half-breeds married to whites, who are perfectly white, as to feature, color, hair, in a word, in every respect. This shows that two or three successive intermarriages with the whites are sufficient to transform the Indian into a white. Besides, the Algonquin races seem to have far more intellectual features than the southern and western Indian tribes. This would indicate that they are descended from a more intellectual type of Asiatic races. There is about the same difference between the Chippewa Indians and tho'^^e of the Pacific Coast as there is between the intel- lectual Hindoo and the nomadic Mongolian of Central Asi'd. It is our opinion that the different Indian nations of this continent belonged originally to different Asiatic nations. We hold that climatic changes, diet, mode of living, and intennarriage have a great deal to do with the formation of national features, color, intellectual capacity, and other ^peculiarities. It is noticeable that our Germans, French, Irish and other foreign nationalities gradually undergo considerable change of feature after having been in this country many years. This is especially true of their descendants in the second, third, and further gener- ations. INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST. ms, len of ler- As to the religions ideas of the Algonquin family of nations, they seem to have undergone a considerable change since the advent of the first European missionaries in the seventeenth century. If we can rely on Allouez, Marquette, Charlevoix, and others, the Indians of their time seem to have had hardly any idea of a Supreme Being. Some tribes appear to have picked up a vague notion of such a being from their intercourse with the French. Speaking of the Indians on the shores of Chequamegon (Ashland) Bay in 1665, Father Allouez says: "There is here a false and abominable religion, similar in many things to that of some ancient pagans. The Indians here do not acknowledge any sovereign master of heaven and earth. They believe that there are many manitous, some of which are beneficent, as the sun, the inoon, the lake, the rivers and woods; others malevolent, as, for instance, snakes, the dragon, cold, storms; and in general all that appears to them useful or injurious they call a manitou, and they render to such objects the worship and veneration which we give to the true God alone. They invoke them when they go to hunt, to fish, to war, or on a voyage. They offer them sacrifices with cere- monies only used by such as offer sacrifice "For the rest, as these people are dull, they do not achnowledge any deity purely spiritual. They believe that the sun is a man and the moon his wife ; that snow and ice are also human beings, who go away in spring and return again in winter; that the devil dwells in snakes, dragons, and other monsters ; that crows, hawks and other birds are manitous and talk as well as we do, pretending there are some Indians who understand their language just as some of them understand a little French." Another fact that goes far to show that in former times the Indians, with few exceptions, did not know nor wor- ship a Supreme Being, is that there is no particular word 6 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. I I; I il for God in their language. The names they now give to God, e.g.. Great Master, Kind Manitou, Master of Life, etc., seem to be of Christian, not pagan, origin. As we see from Father Alloaez, the word ''manitou" does not mean a spiritual being or God, but any beneficent or malevolent being, possessed of strange and, to the Indian, mysterious powers. We must then conclude that the Indians of former times, before the advent of the whites, were poly- theists and idolators, like the ancient Babylonians, Egypt- ians, Greeks, and Romans, and that one of their principal gods was the sun. As among the Greeks and Romans were to be found a few more enlightened men, who believed in the one, true, living God, for instance, Socrates, Plato, Cicero, so also we find such men amongst the ancient Indians ; the masses, however, were polytheists. But now the reverse is tnie. The pagan Indians of our day are monotheists: they believe and invoke the Great Spirit. But we strongly believe that this is due to their intercourse during the last two centuries with the French-Canadians, who have constantly traded and freely intermarried with them. Another result of this intercourse seems to have been the well-nigh total abolition of polygamy. Two centuries ago polygamy was universally practiced by the Indians of the Northwest. At present it is' very seldom that a pagan Indian has two wives. Two centuries ago the missionaries complain of universal libertinism and horrible immorality among the Indians. Xow Father Pierze tells ns that, w^here they are not corrupted by inter- course Avith the whites, pagan Indians are innocent and moral. The Indians of our times are far superior to their forefathers in knowledge, religion, and morality, where not perverted by bad whites. Our pagan Indian of the Algonquin family of nations strongly believes in the Great Spirit and shows, deep respect to Him. But his greatest concern is to placate and gain the good will of the manitous or demi-gods, with INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST. ago whom his imagination jieoples the sky, land and waters. They have countless legends, some droll, some childishly absurd, about Menabosho, or, as some pronounce it, Wena- boslio. The universal deluge forms an important point of th^ir belief. This great catastrophe, recorded more or less distinctly in the ancient traditions of most all nations, is related by our Chippewas in true Indian fashion, embellished with a thousand fantastic, ridiculous stories about Menabosho, who, it is claimed, remade the earth after the flood and for that purpose used a muskrat, who dived down and brought up from the depth a little dirt in one of its paws, which Menabosho dried in the palm of his hand, as he was sitting on the top of a high tree with the water up to his chin, and blew around him and where ever the dust fell firm land was formed ! By constantly repeating the above proceeding he increased the size of his island till it became the earth as it now. Besides Menabosho, our pagan Indians have other manitous, whom they invoke at their feasts and incanta- tions. Such are Mishiken and Oshkabewiss, his attend- ant or servant, who are invoked by the medicine-man at the Indian incantation called Tchissakiwin in order to learn future events or things going on at a distance. Formerly Mishibishi, the god of the waters and storms, was invoked for good luck when going on a voyage or fishing for sturgeon. Their dances have a religious character. They are religious rites by which they mean to propitiate the Great Spirit. Hence they have dances at their meetings or deliberations, when a person is sick, to make him recover, at their funerals in the house of the deceased, wdien about to go to war, etc. They have the great medicine-dance, the Sioux-dance, the war-dance, the squaw-dance, and the scalp-dance. Nicholas Perrot relates in his "Memoire" that when an Indian would get up a feast in honor of the manitou he meant to honor, he would address to him the following prayer : 8 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. V! ''I adore and invoke thee that thou mayest be favorable to me in the enterprise I have on hand, and that thou mayest have pity on me and my whole family. / invoke all the bad and good spirits, all those who are in the air, on the earth, and imderneath, that they may preserve me and my party, and that we may be able to return, after a happy voyage, to our country." As to their customs, our Indians are fast imitating the whites. They build log or frame houses whenever they have the means to do so. The wigwam of former times is fast disappearing, at least among our Chippewas, and Avill soon be a thing of the past, except when they camp out to make maple sugar, gather Avild rice, j^ick berries, or hunt. They try to get household furniture and live like the whites. A blanket-Indian is seldom to be seen. Face- painting and fantastical, grotesque dressing with feathers, beads, and other Indian paraphernalia is indulged in only by pagan Indians at their religious feasts and dances, also when playing their national game of ball, called La Crosse, or, in Chippewa, Pagaadowewin. Still they retain some of their peculiar customs. Thus many women still use the Tikinagan or Indian cradle for their little children, which is certainly very convenient for both mother and child, especially when traveling. More- over the men are fond of wearing mocassins and garters tastefully ornamented with bead-work, in the making of which Indian women are very skillful. They are likewise fond of bright colors, and seem to have little idea of a proper blending or juxtaposition of colors. They often put side by side bright, glaring colors, which produce a grotesque effect. Our Catholic Indians beautifully decorate their churches for Christmas and Corpus Christi. They will cheerfully devote whole days to this laudable work and spare neither time nor expense to decorate the church nicely. Chrismass is preeminently an Indian holyday, on INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST. I- of 'ise a eir ■rill nd ch on a ■^ Avhich all, even the most lukewarm, attend the midnight mass. On New Year's day they go from house to house Avishing each other a "Happy New Year." It is the day of universal good will and reconciliation. They all go to the priest and shake hands with him, wishing him, too, a Happy New Year, and kneel down to receive his hlessing. In going from house to house, they receive everywhere little presents and occasionally a little '^iire water," too. On the eve of All Souls' days, that is, in the evening of the first of November, they go to the church and each time they pray for a deceased parent, child or dear relative, they ring the bell, and this goes on sometimes until midnight or till the priest, tired of the endless dingling, locks the church. This ceremony they call "Niba-madwessing,'^ night ringing, whilst people are sleeping. Our Indians are open-handed, liberal, and assist each other readily. A miserly, stingy Indian is disliked by all. To be "a big Indian," one must make presents, be kind-hearted and liberal. Hence, at their pagan feasts they give presents to one another, sometimes even of great value, such as a horse, or blanket, or dress. As a rule, they are not thievish or dishonest. A man with money is far safer amongst Indians than amongst whites. To steal is considered very dishonorable, but they are rather slow to pay their debts, which is easily accounted for; because if an Indian owes a dollar he has so many pressing wants for which he needs the dollar he has, that he uses it to buy what he needs and forgets his debt. A merchant doing business with them must do it on a cash basis, for if he begins to sell on credit he will certainly fail, as many of his Indian customers will never pay their debts. Although the Indian has some grave faults, such as sloth, ficklemind- edness, drinking, and playing cards, he has many virtues which offset these faults, such as docility, liberality, hospitality, and others. CHAPTER II. FIRST ATTJ-n[I'T8 AT EVANGELIZING THE INDIANS OF THE NOIfTllWEST JOGUES AND RAYMBAUET AT SAULT STE. ZSIARIE^ Alien. OARHEAU AND DREUILLETTES. h |-5 I • As Bishop Baraga was tlie worthy, though not iinmedi- iite, successor of the grand old Jesuit Fathers who labored during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries among the Indians of the Northwest, we deem it proper to devote a few chapters to a brief review of their apostolic labors and sufferings. These saintly men labored at Sault Ste. Marie and Arbre Croche, at L'Anse and La Pointe du Saint Esprit, and in all those missions Father, afterwards Bishop, Baraga worked during thirty-seven years. The first missionaries that ever visited the Northwest were Fathers Isaac Jogues and Charles Raymbault, of the illustrious Society of Jesus. About the middle of October, 1C42, these two intrepid missionaries arrived at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Some two thousand Indians from all parts of the Xorthw'est were assembled there to celebrate the feast of the dead. The Fathers were well received and requested to stay there. They told the Indians that they might establish a missionary station at that place, provided the latter were disposed to receive instruction. A council was held, at the conclusion of wdiich the Indians assured the Fathers that they greatly desired the happiness of having them in their midst; that they would embrace them as brothers and profit by their words. However, as the Fathers were needed more pressingly elsewhere, they ^ rii li :! ! ii ■' 1 ii EVANGELIZING THE INDIANS. 11 departed, intending, no doubt, to establish a mission there later on. That same year, 1642, Father Jogues was captured by a roving band of Iroquois, with Reno Goupil and Francois Couture. They were most cruelly tortured and Rene Goupil was shortly afterwards tomahawked by the t;ide of Jogues. Four years later, October 18th, 1846, the latter was treacherously killed at the Indian village of Gandague, now called Auriesville, in Kew York. Ste})s have been taken looking to the beatification of Father Jogues, Rene Goupil, and Oatharina Tegahkwita, the Iroquois virgin, whose grave has been honored by many miracles. The next attempt to evangelize the Algonquin tribes* of the Xorthwest was made in 1656 by Fathers Leonard Garreau and Gabriel Dreuillettes. An Ottaw^a flotilla of fifty canoes, numbering two hundred and fifty men, arrived at Quebec. When about to return to the upper lake country the above-named Fathers eud)arked with them as thev themselves had asked for missionaries to preach the gospel in their country. Unhappily the Ottawa s, trusting to their superior numbers, and regard- less of danger, fell into an ambuscade near Montreal. At the first discharge of musketry, made by the Iroquois upon the unsuspecting Ottawas, a number of the latter were killed and others dangerously wounded. Among the latter was Garreau, whose spine was broken by a bullet and who *T]ie word tribe, although now in general use, is a misnomer when applied to the different Indian nations of America. The Chip- pewas, Ottawas, Foxes, Illinois, etc., are distinct nations, just as muc'li so as the Germans, Swedes, Dutcli, etc., are distinct nationali- ties. The word tribe might be more fittingly applied to the different totemic siihdivisions of Indian nations. The northwestern division of tlie Algonquin family of nations comprised the Chippewas, Ottawas, Outagamies, Pottawatamies, Sacs, Illinois, Menominees and other minor nations. They inhabited Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illi- nois, and the north shore of Luke Superior. I I I, I I ; 12 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. was captured and dragged into the Iroquois fort. After suffering for three days intense pains and miseries of every kind, he was finally brought by his captors to Montreal, where he expired, fortified by the holy Sacraments, on the second of September, 1656. Father Dreuillettes urgently requested the Ottawas to take him along, when secretly embarking in the dead of night, but no one would take him in their canoe. Sixteen years later, in 1672, we find the same Father Dreuillettes laboring with apostolic zeal at Sault Ste. Marie. Hi %i Hi ;i ! :! II t H \ After >i every antreal, on the rgeutly secretly Id take we find lie zeal ^,lt l.A IJONNK CATIIKUINK TB ;A 11 KOllTA. CHAPTER 111. i} rATiiKit menaud; his laijuhs nkar l'ansi:, Michigan, AND DEATH IN THE WILDS OF WISCONSIN. Tli«j pioneer iniHsioiuiry of the Lake Superior eouutry was Rene Menard, S. J. He arrived in Canada in the heginning of June, 1(140, in eonipany with another Father and two lay hrothers of his order, together with two Sisters of Mercy and two Ursnline nuns. He hd)ored for many years with great zeal and nnieh fruit in the Huron missions and among the Xipissings and Atontrates. He was the beau-ideal of an Indian missionary, full of burning zeal for the honor of (jod and full of sympathetie love and compassion for the poor Indians. His exeeodingly great kindness won their hearts. After the breaking up of tlie Huron missions in 1048-0, he was employed among the Indians and French at Three Rivers. In 1G56 an extremely hazardous mission was started amongst the Iroquois at Lake Cayuga. Three Fathers, amongst them Menard, two brothers and fifty-three Frenchmen, left Quebec on the 17th of May of the above- named year for the new mission field. After a long and tedious voyage of about two months they arrived at their destination and were received with great demonstrations of joy by the chiefs and head men of the Iroquois village. The whole aifair, however, was nothing but a deep-laid plot to entice the missionaries and French to their country, to hold them as hostages in case that any of the Iroquois should be captured, and to masacre them should they meet 14 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. i'. ' ■r I with any reverse in their attacks upon the French settle- ments along the St. Lawrence. Father Menard soon collected around him at Lake Cayuga a small flock of Christians, composed mostly of captives, brought together from a score of different tribes and kept as slaves in the Iroquois country. Misfortune had softened their hearts and made them accessible to the tidings of salvation. A letter of Menard, written about a year after the opening of the Cayuga mission, to his super- ior in Quebec, reveals to us the burning zeal of this saintly missionary and the great dangers to which he and his fellow-laborers were exposed. He writes: ''I praise God that your Reverence still takes an inter- est in our affairs ; but I am a little surprised to hear you speak in a tone different from that to which we were accus- tomed. IIow long ago is it since you wrote we had noth- ing to fear, that God continued sending you wherewith to support us in this remote corner of the world ? How is it that you now complain of our too great expenses ? We are in a place where the cost of living is very much greater than among the Hurons, and where we have no assistance to expect from the country itself, among false traitors, who ill-treat us by right of prescription. There is a crowd of captives here, gathered from all sides, who, after all, are capable of being made children of God. Of these I alone have, since last year, baptized more than four hundred. We walk with our heads lifted up in the midst of dangers, through insults, hootings, calumnies, tomahawks, and knives, with which they often run after us, to put us to death. Almost daily we are on the eve of being massa- cred, 'as dying and behold we live.' And you tell us that you are no longer able to support this mission ! I prefer, my Rev. Father, to stand by the last words of your letter, where you remark that after all, if we do our part well, God will do His as far as will be needed. Yes, assuredly, He will succor us, if we seek but His glory, if we expose ■}■ FATHER MENARD. 15 our lives to have His blood applied to those poor abandoned souls. This very thing all our Fathers here are doing with incredible trouble and labor. Should God, who led us into this land of barbarians, allow us to be slaughtered, praise be to Him forever ! Jesus, His Gospel, the salva- tion of those poor souls, these are the inducements that retain us here and make us tarry, as it were, in the midst of flames. Men burnt and devoured are sights to which our eyes are accustomed. Pray you to God that He may make Christians of these cannibals, and that He may strengthen us more and more; and we, we shall beg Him to move the hearts of those who love Him, so that they may enable vou to assist us." t The time, however, for the conversion of the Iroquois had not yet come. The tomahawk, treacherously buried for a while, was raised again in the spring of 1G58. Only strategem and secret flight, most skillfully planned and luckily accomplished, could save the lives of the Fathers and Frenchmen secretly condemned to death by the head men of the Iroquois village. With a bleeding heart, Father Menard left with the rest in the silence of the night. Far sooner would he have stayed with his neophy- tes, and, if necessary, have suffered death at his post. He felt as if his heart had been torn out of his body, or as a mother violently torn away from her children. But obedi- ence called him away, aiid so he departed with, the rest. Two yerrs later we see him going to the Lake Superior country, wdiere he perished in the wilds of Wisconsin, try- ing to bring the consolations of religion to a few starving Ilurons at the headwaters of Black River. In 1660 an Ottaw^a flotilla of sixty canoes arrived at Three Rivers. Two Jesuit Fathers attempted to accom- pany them on their return voyage. One of them, however, only succeeded, namely, Menard. The other Father was unceremoniously set ashore at Montreal. Before starting, 16 BT. BEV. FBEDEBIC BABAGA. it '■ 1 g-t ! ■ it I I 15 ' I I Father Menard wrote the foliowing lines to a reverend friend : ^'My Rev. Fathek, — The Peace of Christ ! ''I write to you probably the last word, and I desire it to be the seal of our friendship until eternity. Love him, whim the Lord Jesus does not disdain to love, although tlie greatest sinner; for He loves him, with whom He deigns to share His cross. May your friendship, my good Father, be useful to me in the desirable fruits of your holy sacrifices. In three or four months you may put me in the memento of the dead, considering the manner of living of these people, and my age and weak constitution. I^s^ot- withstanding all this, I have felt such a powerful attraction and have seen so little of nature in this undertaking, that I could not doubt but that I would have had eternal remorse had I missed this opportunity. We were taken a little by surprise, so that we are unable to provide our- selves with clothing and other necessary things. But He who feeds the little birds and clothes the lilies of the fields, will take care of His servants. Should we happen to die of misery, that would be for us a great happiness. I am overwhelmed with business. All I can do is to recommend our voyage to your holy sacrifices and to embrace you with the same heart as I hope to do in eternity. "My Rev. Father — Your very himible and affectionate servant of JesuS Christ, "R. Menard. ^' Three Rivers, this 27th day of August, at 2 o'clock after midnight, 1660." The Ottawa flotilla, and with it Father Menard, left Three Rivers on the 28th of August. The journey from Three Rivers to St.' Theresa (Keweenaw) Bay, Mich., took over a month uml a half. The poor missionary had to endure incredible hardships on the way. He was obliged to paddle all day and to carry very heavy packs on his FATHER MENABD. 17 er .ft P^^ shoulders at the numerous portages on the Ottawa River. They did not even allow him time to say his office, and threw his breviary into the water, imagining perhaps that the mysterious procedure of passing the eyes over curiously dotted paper was a mighty charm for their destruction. Luckily he found another breviary stowed away in one of his packages. Starvation was his daily companion. He writes : "But the worst was to come. Having entered Lake Superior after such hardships, there, in place of finding the promised rest and provisions, our canoe was smashed by a falling tree, and that so completely, that no hope of repairing it was left. Everyone abandoned us and we were left — three Indians and myself — without food and canoe. In that state we remained six days, living on filthy offal, which, to keep off starvation, we had to scratch up with our finger-nails around an old abandoned lodge. To make soup, we pounded the bones that lay about. We picked up earth saturated with the blood of animals that had been killed there ; in a word, we made food of every- thing. One of us was continually on the lookout at the shore to implore the mercy of those that passed by, and we wrested from them a few slices of dried meat, which saved us from death. At last some, more compassionate, took us u]) and brought us to our rallying point, destined for our wintering. This is a larffe bav on the south shore of lis Lake Superior (Keweenaw Bay), where I arrived on St. Theresa's day (Oct. 1.5th, 1660), and here I had the con- solation of saying Mass, -which repaid me bountifully for ail my past hardships. Here also I opened a temporary church of Christian Indians, occasional visitors from the neighborhood of our French settlements (on the St. Law- rence), and of such others as the mercy of God has gathered in from this place." In all probability Father Menard's mission was located at Old Village Point, or Pikwakwewaming, about seven 18 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. i 7 i I I' i miles north of the present town, L'Anse, Mich. He bap- tized some fifty adults and many children during the nine months he resided there. His labors amongst the hardened, polygamous Indians at Keweenaw Bay were attended with little fruit. They were not yet ripe for the Gospel, as in the days of Baraga, who labored ten years and converted nearly all the people there. Menard, hearing finally of a band of Hurons, many of whom were Christians and who resided some- where at the headwaters of Black River (Wis.), deter- mined to seek them. In the spring of 1661 he employed three of his French companions to visit the Huron settle- ment and acquaint them with his design. They found the Hurons in a starving condition. Upon their return they tried to dissuade Menard from his intended voyage, repre- senting to him that he would likely perish on the way or die of starvation when there; but all in vain. "God calls me," said- he; "I must go there, should it even cost my life. St. Francis Xavier, who seemed so necessary to the world for the conversion of souls, died well in trying to enter China. And I, who am good for nothing, should I, for fear of dying on the way, refuse to obey the voice of my God, who calls me to the succor of poor Christians and catechumens deprived of a pastor so long a time? No, no; I do not want to let souls perish under pretext of preserving the bodily life of a puny man, such as i am. What ! must God be served and our neigh- bor helped only then when there is nothing to suffer and no risk of one's life ? This is the most beautiful occasion to show to angels and men that I love my Creator more than the life I have from Him, and would you wish me to let it escape ? Would we ever have been redeemed had not our dear Master preferred to sacrifice His life in obedience to His Father for our salvation ?" So the resolution was taken to go and seek those poor, starving Hurons. A Frenchman accompanied the Father. ■m!' FATHER MENARD. 10 All the provisions they had was a hag of dried sturgeon and some smoked meat. His last adieu to the seven French- men who had come up with him from Three Rivers, and whom he now was leaving, was in these prophetic words : "Adieu, my dear children. I bid you the great adieu for this world, for you will not see me again. I pray the divine Goodness that we may be reunited in heaven." So Menard set out on his last journey the 13th of July, 16C1, nine months after arriving at Keweenaw Bay. He and his French companion stopped fifteen days near a certain lake — most probably Lac Vieux Desert — expecting the Huron guides, who were to conduct him to their vil- lage. As provisions were failing, they determined to push on, having found a small birch canoe in the brush. Finally, while going down river — most probably the Wis- consin — the Father got lost whilst making a portage about two days' journey from the Huron village, But whether he perished from starvation or by the hand of some roving Indian, will never be known with certainty. It is highly probable that Father Menard was the first priest that ever said Mass on Wisconsin soil, between the- 1st and 10th of August, 1661. r. v^- CHAPTER IV. I ^ I I 1 I. 11! nil ! ! FATHER ALLOUEZ; HIS APOSTOLIC LABORS IN THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION AND OTHER PARTS OF WISCONSIN. The pioneer missionary of Wisconsin was Claude Allouez, S. J. He labored longer on the Indian missions of that state than any other of his illustrious order; that is to say, for almost a quarter of a century. As he labored amongst the same class of i>eople on the shores of Chequa- megon Bay, that Father Baraga did a century and a half later, a brief notice of his labors and trials will not be out of place here. Father Allouez left Three Rivers, Canada, on the 8th of August, in the year 1665, in company with six French- men and about four hundred Indians of different tribes, who had come to traffic with the French at Three Rivers and Quebec, and who were then returning to their country. After a long and difficult voyage of almost two months in a poor birch canoe, he arrived at "Chagaouamigong" (Chequamegon Bay) on the first of October, 1665. On the way, the poor Father suffered much from the brutality of his Indian traveling companions. Their head men, especially their medicine-men, did all in their power to prevent his coming to their country; they insulted and ridiculed him on all occasions. Hunger and misery of e^'-ery kind was his daily lot. Speaking of these hardships he says : "When, in addition to these hardships, hunger comes, it is a very severe suffering, which soon taught me to take FATHER ALLOUEZ. 21 liking to most hitter roots and rotten meat. It pleased God to make me endure the greatest hunger on Fridays, for which I most gladly thank Him. I had to accustom myself to eat a certain moss, which grows on rocks. It is a kind of leaf in the shape of a shell, which is always covered with caterpillars and spiders. When boiled, it makes an insipid, black, stickey broth, which serves rather to keep death away than to impart life. "On a certain morning a deer was found, dead since four or five days. It was a lucky acquisition for poor famished beings. I was offered some, and although the bad smell hindered some of them from eating it, hunger made me take my share. But I had, in consequence, an offensive odor in my mouth until the next day." Speaking of the location of his mission at the head of Chequamegon Bay, he says : "On the first day of October, 1665, we arrived at Chagaouamigong, for which place we had sighed so long. It is a beautiful bay, at the head of which is situated the large village of the Indians, who there cultivate fields of Indian corn and do not lead a wandering life. There are at this place men bearing arms and numbering about eight hundred ; but these are gathered together from seven differ- ent tribes, and live in peaceable community. This great number of people induced us to prefer this place to all others for our ordinarv abode, in order to attend more conveniently to the instruction of these heathens, to put up a chapel there and commence the functions of Chris- tiaiiity. His first baptism was that of a Pottawatami child, whom he named Francis, having likely baptized him on St. Francis day, October the 4th. The child died after two days, "the first fruit of this mission." At the head of the bay were two large villages, the one inhabited by Hurons, and the other by Ottawas. The mission was called, "The Mission of the Holy Ghost." It ; In 1 .!( Ill I' I } f .1 I ■ >' 11 ; il'l ■I'' A. ' 22 BT. REV. FBBDEBIO BARAGA. was located between those two villages. There were, more- over, scattering villages and hamlets along the western shore of the bay, inhabited by bands of Illinois, Pottawat- amies, Sacs, Foxes and other tribes. These poor people had been driven westward by the fierce Iroquois about the middle of the seventeenth century. They lived in peace and security at this western end of Lake Superior for about twenty years. But having foolishly made war on the pow- erful Sioux, and been defeated, they were obliged to leave in 1670-'71. Some of them went to live on Manitoulin Island, in Lake Huii^n ; others at Mackinac ; others again at the head and on the shores of Green Bay. During; the three and a half vears that Father Allouez spent with them at Chequamegon Bay, he baptized about five hundred adults and children. In the spring of 1669 he went to Quebec and was succeeded by Father James Marquette, who arrived at the same bay on the 13th of September, 1669. This pious missionary, the famed dis- coverer of the Mississippi, labored there, but not with great success on account of the war excitement, until the spring of 1671, when the war between the Sioux in Minne- sota, and the Hurons, Ottawas and other tribes in Wiscon- sin, broke up the mission. From the above-mentioned date till 1835 there is no account of any Catholic mission- ary laboring on the shores of Lake Superior. In 1835, Father Baraga founded the mission of St. Joseph on La Pointe Island, and so revived, it may be said, the ancient mission of Allouez and Marquette at the head of Chequa- megon Bay. A-fter Father AUouez's return from Quebec in 1669, he went to Green Bay to found at the head of that bay a new mission. He departed with two Indians in a birch canoe from Sault Ste. Marie on the 3d of IN'ovember, and after suffering many hardships and much cold, he arrived at the head of Green Bay on the 2d of December, 1669. He said holy Mass on December the 3d, feast of St. Fran- FATHER ALLOUEZ. 23 cis Xavier, with all possible solemnity, and dedicated to that great saint the mission he was establishing. This indefatigable missionary may be justly called the ancient Indian Apostle of Wisconsin, for he was the founder of all the principal missions within its borders. He founderd St. Michael's Mission among the Menom- inees, that of St. Mark among the Foxes on the Wolf River, that of St. James, on the Upper Fox, amongst the Illinois, Miamies, and Kickapoos; besides other stations on the eastern shore of Green Bay, among the Winneba- goes, Pottawatamis, and Sacs. He also labored with great zeal in Illinois and died a holy and edifying death in St. Joseph's Mission, Michigan, about the year 1689. iFT I 111 CHAPTER V. THE LABORS OF FATHER MARQUETTlJ AT THE MISSION OF THE HOLY GHOST ON THE SHORES OF CHEQUAMEGON (aSHLANd) BAY AND AT ST. IGNACE^ MICH. I '"i ; i'i \ li !i Ml! \ Father Marquette, who had been laboring for about a year among the numerous Indians at Sault Ste. Marie, was sent by his Superior, in 1669, to the Mission of the Holy Ghost, to continue the work so auspiciously begun by his zealous predecessor. Father Allouez. He arrived at *'Chagaouamigong" on the 13th of September of the above- named year. In a letter, most probably written from Sault Ste. Marie in the spring of 1670, he speaks of his labors at Chequamegon Bay. We will give a few extracts : "Divine Providence having destined me to continue the Mission of the Holy Ghost, which Father Allouez had begun, and where he baptized the headmen of the Kiska- konk tribe, I arrived there on the 13th of September. I went to visit the Indians, who were living in clearings divided, as it were, into five villages.* The Hurons, to the number of from four to five hundred souls, are nearly all baptized, and still preserve a little Christianity. Some of the principal men, assembled in council, were much pleased at first to see me. I gave them to understand, however, that I did not as yet know their language per- *The location of these five Indian villages on the shores of Chequamegon Bay may have been as follows: 1, at Fish Creek; 2, at Nash ; 3, at Van der Venter's Bay ; 4, near Pike's Bay ; 5, Bayfield. FATHBB MARQUETTE. 25 fectly, and that there was no other Father to come here, partly because they were all gone to the Iroquois, and partly because Father Allouez, who understootl them per- fectly, did not wish to return hero for this winter on account of their not showing enough attachment to relig- ion. They admitted that they well deserved punishment and afterwards during the winter they spoke of it and resolved to do better, which they in reality have shown me by their conduct. ........ "The Outaouacs (Ottawas) are remarkably supersti- tious in their feasts and juggleries and seem to harden themselves against the instructions imparted to them. They are, however, well satisfied to have their children baptized. God has this winter permitted a woman to die in her sins. Her sickness had been concealed from me, and I heard nothing about it, except by a report circulated about that she had requested a very bad dance to be per- formed for her cure. I immediately went into a wigwam, where all the headmen were at a feast, and among them some Christian Kiskakonk. I pointed out to them the wickedness of that woman and of the medicine-man (in getti: g up such an immodest dance). I instructed them, speaking to all present, and Go.■ ' i ■ iJ!.' 1, « ' 1. '■ij if i; 1' . *' X. „ii CHAPTER VI. FATHER MARQUETTE DISCOVERS THE MISSISSIPPI; ESTAB- LISHES THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEP- TION; HIS EDIFYING DEATH. m In 1672 Louis do Buade, Comte de Frontenac, suc- ceeded M. de Courcelles as governor of Canada. As soon as he had arrived, M. Talon, the intend^nt, laid 'oefore him the plan of exploring the Mississippi. For this great undertaking Sieur Jollyet and Father Marquette were chosen. On the 8th of December, 1672, feast of the Immaculate Conception, Jollyet arrived at St. Ignace and told Father Marquette the joyful news of their appoint- ment to visit and explore the Mississippi. Duj'ing the winter they perfected their plans for the undertaking, and on the 17th of May, 1673, started from St. Ignace, in com- pany with five Frenchmen, who had volunteered to accom- pany them on this glorious though hazardous journey. At the mouth of the Menominee River, where it empties into Green Bay, was a settlement of Menominees, several of whom were Christians. They tried very hard to dissuade Marquette and his companions from the intended exploration. They told him he would meet with savage tribes, who showed no mercy to strangers ; that war had broken out between the tribes along the proposed route ; that the great river was very dangerous and full of horrible monsters, which devoured both men and boat ; that a demon or manitou obstructed the passage and drowned all who dared to come near, and that the heat mUy. \ m I ■;■>' i 11 ! ^ili'; • * .; ; dio could speak a little Illinois. The Father told them that he was on his way to the sea, and he gave them some instruction on God and the affairs of their salvation. All the answer he received was that eight or ten leagues further down the river he would find a large village called Akamsca, where he would get all the information he desired. Early next morning they embarked, accompanied by an interpreter and ten Indians in a canoe, who rowed a little ahead. Having arrived within half a league of Akamsea, which was located opposite the mouth of the Arkansas River, they saw two canoes coming to meet them. The headman stood up in his canoe and showed them the calumet. He then sang an agreeable song, offered them the pipe of peace to smoke, and served them with sagamity and corn-bread, of which they partook a little. The peo- ple in the village in the meanwhile had prepared a suitable place under the scaffold of the chief warrior. They spread out fine mats made of rushes, on which the Father and his companions were invited to sit. Around them sat the chiefs of the tribe, further back the warriors, and behind them the rest of the people. The Indians told Marquette that they were ten days' journey from the sea (Gulf of Mexico), but the Father thought thev could have made it in five. Thev said tliev were not acquainted with the tribes that dwelt there, because their enemies hindered them from having inter- course with the Europeans there ; that the axes, knives and !■ it, i :»',: 'j ■'*', : i. ■r ' ' '* V i. ■v ■V }■ ^ ■: ■ i iM ! Ii;! if S ; 4: f ^^^ :1^ ' |5t ! i 'A 'Si Bi RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. beads they saw had been sold to them by tribes living towards the east, and partly by a village of Illinois four days' journey towards the west; that the Indians whom they had seen with guns, were their enemies, who cut them off from all intercourse and trade with the Europeans ; finally that it would be dangerous to go any further, because their enemies continually sent out war-parties on the river, whom they could not encounter, armed with guns as they were and accustomed to wai, without exposing themselves to great danger. Fathei ]\riU'quette and Jollyet deliberated umongst themselves whether they had better push on further or return home. Knowing* they were within a few davs' journey of the Gulf of Mexico, and being convinced that the Mississippi emptied into said gulf and not towards Virginia nor California, the main object of their explor- ation had been reali'^ed. Having therefore rested them- selves a day at the village of Akamsea, they left on the iTth of July, having spent im entire month in exploring the Mississippi. They returned home by way of the Illinois River, and coasting along the western shore of Lake Michigan, arrived safely at the Mission of St. Francis Xavier, near the present city of Depere, Wis., towards the end of September. They had made in their two small birch-canoes a journey of over 2,700 miles. Father Marquette had suffered much on his voyage down the Mississippi in consjquence of which he w: * attacked with the dysentery He remained at St. Francis Xavier Mission for a wnole year. Finally, to his great joy, he was ordered by his Superior to proceed to the country of the Illinois to establish there the Missioii o± the Immaculate Conception. He left on the 25th of October, 1674, and after traveling for upwards of a month by way of Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, where they made a portage of three miles to 1 uke Michigan, and the western shore of the last named lake, he and his two faithful companions iii •^*^^ FATHER MARQUETTE. 86 tlie of St. leir 'age the : the [>ber, way ■i-age arrived at the Chicago Iliver. They wintered at the port- age between Chi mgo and Illinois Kiver. Marquette had a new attack of hia old ailment, which never left him entirely after that, though he was able to say Mass every day. He had all along a presentiment of his death, for he told his companions plainly that he would die of his ailment, and on that very journey. lie made the si:)irit- ual retreat of St. Ignatius with great devotion and consol- ation, said Mass every day, confessed and communicated his two companions twice a week, and spent most of his time in prayer. He made with them a Novena in honor of the Blessed Virgin Immaculate that she might obtain for him the grace not to die till he had founded his intended mission. His prayer was heard. On the 29tli of March, 1675, he departed from his Avinter encampment and traveled down the Illinois River for eleven days amidst great hardships. Finally, on the 8th of April he arrived at the village of the Kaskaskias,. where he was received as an angel from heaven. He went from cabin to cabin to instruct the people. On Holy Thursday he said holy Mass in the open air in the presence of an immense concourse of Indians, having first preached to them a most touching sermon on the death of Jesus; Christ on the cross for the redemption of man. On Easter Sunday another great meeting was held, at which he said Mass again and preached with fiery zeal. The good people listened to him with great joy and approbation. Thus Father Marquette v^as the first priest that offered up the holy Sacrifice on the soil of Illinois in 1674-5. His woik was done and he prepared to return in order to die, if possible, amongst his brethren at St. Ignace. We shall give the particulars of his holy death in the words of the "Relations" : "After the Illinois had taken leave of the Father, he continued his voyage and soon after reached the Illinois Lake (Lake Michigan), on which he had nearly a hundred I 1 36 RT. BEY. FBBDEBIO BARAOA. ' '. ; ( t I : % 1 111!] leagues to make by an unknown route, because he was obliged to take the eastern side of the lake, having gone thither by the western. His strength, however, failed so much that his men despaired of being able to bring him alive to the end of their journey ; for, in fact, he became so weak and exhausted that he could no longer help him- self, nor even stir, and had to be handled and carried like a child. "He, nevertheless, maintained in this state an admir- able equanimity, joy, and gentleness, consoling his beloved companions and exhorting them to suffer courageously all the hardships of the way, assuring them, moreover, that our Lord would not forsake them when he would be gone. During his navigation he began to prepare more partic- ularly for death, passing his time in colloquies with our Lord, His holy Mother, His angel guardian and all heaven. He was often heard pronouncing these words: 'I believe that my Redeemer liveth,' or 'Mary, mother of grace, mother of God, remember me!' Besides a spirit- ual reading made for him every day, he, towards the end, asked them to read to him his meditation on the prepara- tion for death, which he carried about him. He recited his breviary every day, and although he was so low that both sight and strength had greatly failed, he did not omit it till the last day of his life, when his companions induced him to cease, as it was shortening his days. "A week before his death he had the precaution to bless some Holy Water, to serve him during the rest of his ill- ness, in his agony, and at his burial, and he instructed his companions how to use it. On the eve of his death, which was a Friday, he told them, all radiant with joy, that it would take place on the morrow. During the whole day he conversed with them about the manner of his burial, the way in which he should be laid out, the place to be selected for his interment. He told them how to arrange his hands, feet, rnd face, and directed tliem to raise a cross FATHER MARQUETTE. 87 over his grave, lie even went so far as to enjoin them, only three hours before he expired, to take his chapel-bell, as soon as he would be dead, and ring it while they carried him to the grave. Of all this he spoke so calmly and col- lectedly, that yon would have thought he spoke of the death and burial of another, and not of his own. "Thus did ho speak with them as they sailed along the lake, till perceiving the mouth of a river with an eminence on the bank, whicb he thought suited to his burial, he told them it was the place of his last repose. They wished, however, to pass on, as tlie weather ixmnitted and the day was not far advanced. But God raised a contrary wind, Avhich obliged them to return and enter the river pointed out by Father Marquette. They then carried him- ashore, kindled a little fire, and raised a wretched bark cabin, where they laid him as comfortably as they could. But they were so overcome by sadness, that, as they afterwards said, they did not know what they were doing. "The Father being thus stretched on the shore, like St. Francis Xavier, as he had always so ardently desired, and left alone amidst those forests — for his companions were engaged in unloading — he had leisure to repeat all the acts in which he had employed himself during the preced- ing days. When his dear companions afterwards came up, quite dejected, he consoled them and gave them hopes that God would take care of them after his death, in those new and unknown countries. He gave them his last instruc- tions, thanked them for all the charity they had shown him during the voyage, begged their pardon for the trouble he had given them, and directed them also to ask pardon in his name of all our Fathers and Brothers in the Ottawa country, and then disposed them to receive the Sacrament of Penance, which he administered to them for the last time. He also gave them a paper, on which he had written all his faults since his last confession, to be given to his superior to oblige him to pray more fervently for him. W 88 RT. BEV. FRBDERIO BARAQA. Hi* • It ''i ii' ' $ 'i In fine, he i)roniised not to forget tlieui in lieaven, and as he was very kind-hearted, and knew them to he worn out with the toil of the preceding days, he hade them go and take a little rest, assuring them that his hour was not so near, hut that he would wake them when it was time, as in fact he did two or three hours after, calling them when about to enter his agony. ''When they came near he embraced them for the last time, while they melted in tears at his feet. He then asked them for the Holy Water and his reliquary, and taking off his crucifix, which he wore around his neck, he placed it in the hands of one, asking him to hold it con- stantly opposite him, raised before his eyes. Then, feel- ing that ho had but little time to live, he made a last effort, clasped his hands, aiid with his eyes fixed sweetly on his crucifix, he pronounced aloud his profession of faith and thanked the Divine Majesty for the immense grace He did him in allowing him to die in the Society of Jesus ; to die in it as a missionary of Jesus Christ, and, above all, to die in it, as he had always asked, in a wretched cabin, amidst the forests, destitude of all human aid. "Hereui)on he became silent, conversing inwardly with God ; yet, from time to time, words escaped him : 'Sus- tinnit anima mea in verbo ejus — my soul hath relied on His word,' or, 'Mater Dei, memento mei ! — Mother of God, remember me !' which were the last wordi' he uttered before entering on his agony, which w^as very calm and gentle. He had begged his companions to remind him, when they saw him about to expire, to pronounce fre- quently the names of Jesus and Mary. When he could not do it himself, they did it for him; and whei^ they thought him about to die, one cried aloud: 'Jesus, Maria !' which ho repeated several times distinctly, and then, as if at those sacred names something had appeared to him, he suddenly raised his eyes above his crucifix, fix- ing them apparently on some object, which he seemed to FATHER MARgUETTE. 39 behold with i)leaMuro, and thus, witli a countenance all radiant with smiles, lio expired without a struggle, as gently as it' he had sunk into a quiet sleep, May 18th, 1075".^ ''Ilis two poor companions, after shedding many tears over his hody, and having laid it out as he had directed, carried it devoutly to the grave, ringing the bell according to his injunction, and raised a large cross near it, to servo as a mark for passers-by. When they talked of embark- ing, one of them, who for several days had been over- whelmed with sadness and so racked in body by acute pains that he could neither eat nor breathe without pain, resolved, whilst his companion was preparing all for endjarkation, to go to the grave of his good Father and pray him to intercede for him with the glorious Virgin, as he had promised, not doubting that he was already in heaven. He accordingly knelt down, said a short prayer, and having respectfully taken some earth from the grave, he put it on his breast, whereupon the pain immediately ceased, his sadness was changed into joy, which continued during the rest of the voyage. "God did not suffer so precious a deposit to remain unhonored and forgotten amid the woods. The Kiskakon Indians, who for the last ten years piddicly professed Christianity, in which they were first instructed by Father ]\[arquette at La Pointe du Saint Esprit, at the extremity of Lake Superior (between Ashland and Washburn), were hunting last winter on the banks of Lake Illinois (Michi- gan). As they were returning, early in spring, they resolved to pass by the tomb of their good Father, whom I mi] I «>■' il 1^ 'We have given this affecting narrative of Father Marquette's dear . lii full. Well may we pray in the words of Holy Writ: "May my soul die the death of the just and may my end be like unto theirs." It is highly probable that Father Marquette died where the modern town of Ludington now stands, though some claim it was near Charlevoix. 40 BT. REV. FBBDEKIu BABAGA. iiiiilr I/!!; it^' ; !)» iii they tenderly loved, and God even gave them the thought of taking his remains and bringing them to our church at the Mission of St. Ignatius, at Missilimakinac, where they reside. "They accordingly repaired to the spot, and after some deliberation they resolved to proceed with thvir Father, as they usually do with those whom they respect. They opened the grave, divested the body, and though the flesh and intestines were all dried up, they found it whole, the skin being in no way injured. This did not prevent their dissecting it according to their custom. They washed the bones and dried them in the sun. Then putting them neatly in a box of birch bark, they set out to boar them to the house of St. Ignatius. "The convoy consisted of nearly thirty canoes in excel- lent order, including even a good number of Iroquois, who had joined our Algonquins, to honor the ceremony. As they approached our house. Father !N[ouvel, who is Supe- rior, went to meet them with Father Pierson, accompanied by all the French and Indians of the place. Having caused the convoy to stop, they made the ordinary inter- rogations to verify the fact thrt the body, which they bore, was really that of Father Marquette. Then, before land- ing, he intoned the 'De Profundis' in sight of the thirty canoes still on the water, and of all tie people on the shore. After this the body was carried tc the church, observing all tiiat the ritual prescribes for such ceremonies. It remained exposed under a pall, stretched as if over a coffin, all that day, which was Pentecost — Monday, the 8th of June (1677). The nsxt day, when all the funeral honors had been paid it, it was deposited in a little vault in the middle of the church, where he reposed as the guardian angel of our Ottawa Missions. The Indi:^ns often come to pray at his tomb." On September 3d, 1877, Very Kev. Edward Jacker, then stationed at St. Ignace, discovered the grave of Father • f r FATHER MABQUBTTE. 41 Marquette. A monument has been erected on the spot, with the following inscription f In Mbmobiam: REV. Di Ptbis J. MARQUETTE, S. J , QUI OBIIT DIE l8 MAII, MDCLXXV. XXXVIII ANNOS NAT: ET SEPULTU8 EST IN I8T0 8BPULCHRO A.D., MDCLXXVII. B I. P. lapis iste bbbctus est ab inc0li8 oppidi St. Ignatii A. t;., MDCCCLXXXII I ri ! '!:i m ' '>;:• CHAPTER ^ai. FATHER GABRIEL DEEUILLETTES^ S. J. J HIS LABORS IN MAINE^ CANADA^ AND MICHIGAN. Another most worthy predecessor of Bishop Baraga in the JSTorthwest was F. Gabriel Dreuillettes, S. J. He arrived at Quebec on August 15th, 1643, accompanied by two Fathers of his Order, namely, Leonard Garreau and Noel Chabanel. These two Fathers died as martyrs in the missionary field ; the former was shot by the Iroquois, the latter w^as most probably assassinated by an apostate Huron. On the same ship also arrived Rev. Chartier, a secular priest, and three nuns. In 1645 F. Dreuillettes accompanied some Indians on their winter chase. The poor Father endured untold hard- ships, hunger, and every kind of misery. His ministry, however, was productive of abundant fruit in the hearts of the poor people, who had an opportunity to hear fre- quently the word of God and receive the Holy Sacraments. The continual smoke in their wig^vams made him blind for some time, but through the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whom he had always enter- tained filial devotion, and whom he had invoked most earnestly with his simple, but pious j>eople, he recovered his sight instantly and perfectly, whilst in the act of offer- ing the Mass of the Blessed Virgi': which he knew by heart. For several years he labored with great zeal amongst the Abenakis of Maine. He was exceedingly kind-hearted and thereby gained the hearts of all who came in contact FATHER GABRIEL DREUIJiLETTES. 4j ^vitll him. llo nursed the poor, sick Indians with all the love and kindness of a father. By day and by night he would watcn at their bedside. Ho used to bring them food, and if he received any delicacies from others, he would bring them to the sick. In his travels amongst the Indians of Maine he came to a Xew ' ngland settlement on the Kenebec River, where he was it jeived and treated most kindly. He also visited other white settlements near the sea coast and was every- where treated with great respect. They had found out that his conduct was most exemplary and that he sought not furs, but souls. Even the Protestant ministers of Plymouth and Boston approved of his apostolic labors amongst the Indians. At Pentagouet he found a small community of French Capuchins, who overwhelmed the good Father with kind attentions during the few days he stopped with them. F. Dreuillettes accompanied his Indians everywhere on their chase, doing an immense amount of good by his mortified, apostolic life, his sublime virtues, his incessant labors and his wonderful, if :iot miraculous, cures. He was truly "a hunter of souls." ^NToticing day after day the saintly, self-sacrificing life of this holy man, even the pagans were struck with admiration. They contrasted the holy life of the missionary with that of their pagan medi- cine-men. ''The God, whom this Father preaches," said they, "must be powerful, since He cures so perfectly the greatest and most contagious diseases, which the inanitous cannot accomplish, whom our sorcoiers invoke. This God must be great and wise, since He nuikes this stranger s])eak our language in two or three months, which the Algonquins cannot do after living with us a whole year. This God must be good and powerful, since He takes from this Patri- arch (that was the name they gave him; the fear of the most contagious diseases and protects hii 5 against the ■' ,1 ;'i'! 44 RT. BEY. FREDERIC BARAQA. iH; threats of our sorcerers and against the evil of their charms, at which he mocks. This man is different from onr medicine-men. They are always begging; he never asks for anything. They are, so to say, never with the sick; he stays with them day and night. They seek but the furs of beavers and other animals; he does not even look at them through a corner of his eye Our sorcerers make good cheer as long as possible; the Father fasts sometimes fifty days, with only a little corn and without wanting to taste of meat. If we give him some delicacy, he brings it immediately to our sick. He is full of cheer in the dangers and sufferings of a long voyage. He is always busy with us, our children and our sick. He is welcome everywhere. The French at Pentagouet treated him most kindly ; and, what is more wonderful, the Eng- lish, who are not of the same country nor of the same lan- guage, respect him ; all this shows that his God is good and powerful." The Iroquois having struck terror into the hearts of all the surrounding country by their great victories over the Hurons in 1648-1649, the Abenakis of Maine deputed F. Dreuillettes to visit the governor of Boston and prevail upon him and his people to aid them against the fearful enemy, lie accordingly went to Plymouth and Boston and visited also other New England settlements and was everywhere weU received. He did not, however, succeed in stirring up the people of ^MTew England against the Iroquois. There was too much jealousy and bad feeling between the two European nations, who contended for the mastery of the great North- American continent. What helped the cause of religion among the Indians under the Father's charge w^as his wonderful, if noi mirac- ulous, success in healing the sick. He was a very holy man, and hence his prayers very powerful with God. It would be out of place here to dwell at length on the count- less cures he performed upon the sick Abenakis, Ifontag- FATHER GABRIEL DBEUILLETTES. 45 nais, Hurons, and Upper Algonquins. Many of them are recounted in the Jesuit Relations between 1G43-72. How- ever, the writer cannot forego the pleasure of giving his own account of one performed on an old man, almost a centenarian, in Maine in 1647. He writes (Relation of 1652, page 27) : "I. met an old man of about one hundred years. I had baptized him already in 1647, believing him to be on the brink of the grave. This good neophyte, whom I named Simeon, received the life of the body and of the soul as suddenly after three or four y^ars of languishing sickness in his extreme old age, that he was a subject of astonish- ment to all his countrymen. ^You know well,' he said to them, 'that I was dead (so to say) before my Baptism. I did not live any more. I could not move. Two days after- wards I was seen in health. I have killed this winter four moose that I overtook in running. I have slain two bears and killed a number of deer. I continually think of Him who made all. I speak often to Jesus ; He fortifies and consoles me. I outlive my family; I have seen die my son, my wife, and my little nephews. At first I felt some grief in losing them, but as soon as I began to pray, my heart was consoled, knowing that those who believe and are baptized go to paradise. I thanked Him, who made all, that they died as Christians. I feel happy in my soul because I shall soon see them in heaven. When my heiirt wants to wander away in grief, I throw myself down on mv knees and praver makes me find anew mv heart.' "Another old man, still more advanced in years, is so strongly addicted to prayer that he passes a part of the night conversing only with God. Sleeping once in his wigvv'am, I heard him get up secretly. The darkness with- drew him from my eyes, but not from my ears. He com- menced his prayers with those I had taught him. He then added others so well and made such amorous acts of love to God that I was over-delighted." - 1 iU 'ii 1 1 ' I *; ,''1 1 II 1 1 W ! s">' ^iii-i 46 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. These extracts, and many other edifying facts that might be added, did we not fear to tire the reader, show that those grand old Jesuit missionaries of Canada formed Christians of the very best kind. They show that the reli- gion of these Indian converts was not, as some of our ene- mies assert, mere fonnalism, but that it penetrated deeply into their hearts, purifying, enlightening and ennobling them, making them Christians that would compare favor- ably with any Christians of Europe, of ancient or modern times. In 1656 Fathers Dreuillettes and Garreau attempted to go and convert the Upper Algon quins, by which name were designated the Ottawas, Chippewas, Illinois and other tribes belonging to the great Algic family of nations. They embarked on a flotilla of more than sixty canoes of these Upper Algonquins. However, on the 30th of August the party was ambuscaded by a small band of Iroquois, who awaited the flotilla near Montreal at a place where they had to pass by. The enemy firing from behind the trees on the bank, killed several of the Algonquins and also mortally woimded F. Garreau. He died three days later at Montreal. In their hasty departure the Algonquins abandoned Dreuillettes, who was thus obliged to postpone his intended voyage. Four years later, in 1670, he was sent to Sault Ste. Marie, where, by his apostolic labors, his exceedingly great kindness, and his miraculous cures, he converted a great number of pagans. Of all the ancient Canadian mission- aries F. Dreuillettes seems to have been gifted in a par- ticular manner and to a wonderful degree with the "grace of curing — gratia curationum." Wherever we read of him in the Relations we find accounts of his miraculous cures. The "Relation" of 1671 mentions ten of his wonderful cures at Sault Ste. Marie. It was greatly due to these extraordinary cures that the Christian religion was so highly extolled by the Indians and so many of them con- FATHER GABBIEL DBEUILLETTE8. 47 verted. They brought their children in great numbers to be baptized, declaring themselves ready to embrace the faith as soon as they would be sufficiently instructed. One of their head chiefs, named Ishkouakite, one day seeing Father Dreuillettos summoning by the sound of a little bell the women and children to instruction, remarked as follows : "The Black-robes are truly our fathers. It is they who take care of us and give life to the Sault by assembling our wives and children at their place (for instruction) and by praying for us to Jesus, the God of war. Yes, even if the Sioux should come to attack us, as we have been informed they intend to do, we put all our confidence in the King of heaven and earth, who is preached to us. He alone can guard us. It is He that heals so often our sick ; it is He who preserves our young men from accidents, when they go to traffic or war. How happy are we in dwelling so near the Church ! Young people, women and children ! Let no one be slothful in attending prayer !" Father Dreuillettes continued to labor year after year at Sault Ste. Marie. As late as 1675 he is mentioned as laboring at his post with his customary zeal and success. He spent about thirty-five years in the Indian mission field. The writer has not been able to ascertain the year of his death. For an account of a terrible tragedy, that occurred in 1674 at Sault Ste. Marie, we refer the reader to a note in the appendix. 111 i CHAPTER VIII. I 111 I t 1 ^-: If i ,(• MISSIONARIES THAT LABORED IN THE NORTHWEST DURING THE ETi'HTEr VTJ CENTVRY. Bet^ the 6 1800 ther< eat years j dearth of missionary accounts. This is due to several causes. One of the principal reasons was the discontinu- ance of the Jesuit Relations in 1672. The discontinuation of these edifying and interesting accounts is much to he deplored hy all students of Canadian and iN^orthwestern history. Some fragments of later Relaters, condensed and com- piled by Father Dablon, bringing the account of Jesuit labors in Canada and the I^orthwest down to 1678, have been published in our days through the untiring zeal of Father Martin, S. J., and John Gilmary Shea, under the title, "Les Missions du Canada." They contain F. Mar- quette's Journal, his discovery of the Mississippi, his establishing the Mission of the Immaculate Conception amongst the Illinoi?, also the labors of Fathers AUouez, Andre, Dreuillettes, etc. Many of these accounts will be of special interest to Catholic historians of Wisconsin. However, as it is our intention to confine ourselves in this work to the territory consecrated by the labors of Baraga, we will speak here only of those missionaries who laljored before him in the same field which he aftervvards tilled with such great success. It is a fact patent to all readers of Catholic missionary accounts that the eighteenth century was far less pro- ductive of good results than the century preceding it. For MISSIONARIES OP THE NORTHWEST. 49 this many reasons may be assigned. One was tiie unset- tied state of Canada and *lie Northwest. Fov seventv-t'our years tliere \/as almost incessant war between England and France and their A.aerican colonies for the mastery of the St. Lawrence Valley. There was: King William's war, A. i). 1089-1097. ()i.oeu Anne's war, 1702-17i;i. King George's war, 1744-1748. The Old French and Indian war, 1754-1763. Conspiracy of Pontiac, in 1703. The American Revohition, 1770-1783. These wars Avere very unfavorable to miss' lar vork. 'Jlie Indian was kept in continual excitemeni i ip true, there were many wars during the preceding* ce^i: uvy; but they had, ai least for the Christian Huro' aid Algon- quins, to some extent, the appearance of re igious wars, as they viewed the Iroquois not only as enemies of their country, but also of their religion. ^loreover, the Canadian governors, at least several of tli(?m, for instance, Comte de Frontenac, we^re more or less luifriendly to the Jesuits. The latter opposed with all their might the nefarious liquor traffic between the French and Indians, which several governors tolerated from motives of trade. It was principally the Jesuits that labored amongst the Indians. The secular clergy and the Franciscans confined their work chiefly to the French set- tlements and military posts. It is easy to see that this unfriendly feeling towards the Jesuits could not but be injurious to their work. Finally, the suppression of their Order in 1775 was a fearful blow to Indian missionary work. The once flourishing missions of Sault Ste. Marie, Green Bay, St. Joseph, Mackinac, were almost entirely abandoned until they were revived again in the fore part of the present century, by Fathers Gabriel Richard, Francis Vincent Badin, Baraga, Van den Broek, and others. For a list of the clergymen who ofliciated at Macki- § M 60 RT. REV. FREDliKlO BARAGA. riuc and Detroit during the last century we refer I he reader appen(' to the lix at the end of this work. Arbro Croehe being near to Maekinuc, was jitteiided from time to time from the last-named mission during the seventeenth and eighteenth eentury. Father Sebastian Jvasle, S. .1., who labo'"^d for some time jimongst the Illi- nois, and tinaliy ap vng the Abenakis of Elaine, and who was slain in 17? bv a New FnoJand i)artv, states that there were F- .ners of his Order in KJlll at Maekinae, Arbre Croe'.e, JSav of the Piiants, <»r (ireen l>av, and St. I J )h A. (josepn As to the labors of those devoted men wc^ knoAV next t ) nothing. Let ns ho])e that future research in Cana- dian a 'id French arcliives mav brinii' \n liulit some of their letters We will give a few items of interest alK)iit Father l)u Jai nay, S. »!., who, though stationed at Mackinac, or Point ^t. Ignace, resided also f(n' some lime at A/bre Croehe, \'liere, it is said, the- Ottawas gave him a tract of land, some of which he cultivated, dohii Gilmarv Shea asserts that ht Ued at Arbre Croehe, Mliereas others claim that his death oc( Mrred at St. Joseph's Mission. In 17C^3 Pontiac the (liippewa chief of St. Clair, plotted tht^ destruction of all the Englisli forts in the Northwest. On the 2d of June of that year a Cliip])ewa pai'ty played their national game of lacrosse, or pagaa- dowewin, near the fort of Mackinaw. Hiis fort was not located on the Island of Mackinac, nor at St. Ignace, but south of the Strait of Mackinaw, at the northern extremity of the southern ]:)eninsula of Michigan, where Mackinaw City now stands. During the play the ball was several times thrown designedly over the walls of the fort, when it would be thrown back bv those within. Finally, to facilitate matters, the gate of the fort w{(s left open, so that the players could get the ball themselves, if it should happen to be throv/n inside the fort. That was just what the Chippewas wanted. The next time the ball was thrown into the fort the players rushed in, seized the arms, which MISS10NAB1E8 OP THE NORTHWEST. 51 iii their squaws held concealed under ♦heir blankets, rushed upon the few unsuspecting English aoldiers and butchered them before the eyes of the French within tlie fort, who themselves were not molested. Captain George E. Ether- ington was seized and bound and v/as about to be burned, but was saved by the timely arrival of Charles Langlade. Whether Father JJu Jaunay was in the fort at the time of the massacre does not appear. We are inclined to think that he was not there, but at Arbre Croche at that time. At any rate, ho did all he could for the English com- mander and the remaining soldiers of the fort. We will give a few extracts of Etherington's letter and another co-temporary document. Writing to Major Gladwyn, commandant at Detroit, undei* date of June 12th, 1763, he says : "I have been very much obliged to Messrs. Langlade and Farli, the interpreter, as likewise to the Jesuit, for the many good offices they have done us on this occasion. The priest seems inclined to go down to your post for a day or two, which I am very glad of, as he is a very good man, and has a great deal to say with the savages hereabouts, who will believe everything he tells on his return, which I hope will be soon. The Cutaways (Ottawas) say they will take Lieut. Lesley, me and the eleven men, which I mentioned before were in their hands,, up to their village (Arbre Croche), and there keep us till they hear what is doing at your post. They have sent thia canot (canoe) for that purpose. I refer you to the priest for the particulars of this melancholy affair, and am, dear sir. Yours very sinceioly, Geo. Etherington. To Major Gladwyn: P. S. — The Indians that are to carry the priest to Detroit will not undertake to land him at the fort, but at some Indian village near it ; so you must not take it amiss mi l-;i,;' 62 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAOA. that he docs not pay you the tirst visit. And once more I beg that nothing may. stop your sending him back the next day after his arrival, if possible, as wo shall be at a groat loss for the want of him, and 1 do not doubt that you will do all in your power to make him return, as you see the situation wo are in, and send up provisions as soon as pos- sible, and ammunition, as what we had was pillaged by the savages. Adieu. Gko. Etueuington." lott( V 1 i M i The priest mentioned in Etherin^ton s letter is rere Du .launay. This courageous missionary, who had already rendered the greatest service to the British prisoners in the hands of the Ottawas, in order to be still more useful to them, did not fear to expose himself to the dangers and fatigues of a long and monotonous canoe-voyage upon Lake Huron. He accomplished his mission with fidelity, had an interview with Major Gladwyn, then left Detroit to return to Michillimackinac on the 20th of June, 1763, as we leani by the following extract from a curious narrative, entitled, "Diary of the Siege of Detroit" : 'Mune 20th, 1763. This morning the commandant gave to the Jesuit a memorandum of what he should say to the Indians and French at Michillimackinac, as also to Captain Etherington, seeing he did not choose to carry a letter, saying that if he was ashed by the Indians if he had any, he would he obliged to say yes, os he had never told a lie in his life. He gave him a belt to give to the Ottawas there, desiring him to tell them that he was very well pleased with their not having meddled in an affair which must have brought on their ruin ; and that if they would send their prisoners to Montreal, they would convince the general of their good intentions, for which they would probably be well rewarded." CIIAPTKH IX. MFS. salvation. The number of Indians amounts to 650, including women and children. Makate Binessi.'' iil\ fill nmf 60 BT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. lilt. Wk'. fl r' if-i'- i'} hV- i' ! Oil the evening- before his departure from Arbre (*r(K'he F. Badin buried with all possible solemnity a poor Indian child, which he had baptized shortly before. The darkness and stillness of the night, the burning lights, the s(demii jH'ayers of the ehnrch, the singing, combined to iiiak<' a deep impression on their minds. In fact, one of the Indians wanted in all earnest to leave wifo and children and become a priest! It took all the influence and per- suasion Father Badin was capable of to induce tli'.s child of nature to return to his wife and children. The next day, at sunrise, all the ])(K)r Indians assembled at the beach to bid farewell to the Father, whom they Il'uI learned to love so well. They cast themselves on their knees on the sandy beach to receive his parting bless- ing, which he gave them A\ith a heart overflowing with emotion at the thought of nev.'r seeing them again. During the voyage to ]\Iackinac, a venerable old man, who accom])anied them, ^^^oke continually and with much feeling of the Jesuit Fathers who had formerly l)een sta- tioned at Mackinac. The names of Frank and Du ffaunay were ever on his lips. They were stationed at ■Mackinac from 1741 to 1764, perhaps even later. He spoke ve^y warinly about Father Du Jaunay, who had prepared him and given him his first IIolv Communion. That must have been at least sixtv vears before. He had also often served his Mass. He showed Father Badin the place where the good Father used to say his breviary walking up and down. This seems to refer to Arbre Croche, where Du .launay resided part of the time, l^othing esca[)ed the good old man's memory and with love he dwelt on the smallest circumstances 'Connected with the Father's actions and labors. On their wav back to Mackinac Father Badin disem- « barked at St. Ignace, about six miles from the island, on the main land, the seat of the old Jesuit IVFissiou founded by Father PaWon in 1670, of which F. Marquette was the FATHERS RICHARD, BADIN, AND DEJEAN. 61 first resident priest from 1071 to lOTo. In 1705 the mis- sion was abandoned. The Fatliers themselv^es tired the buildings before departing in order to preserve them from being desecrated by the pagans. Jjefore the eiiiireh, where in 1877 Father Edward Jacker found some relies of Mar- quette's body, a large cross was erected, which was renewe0 feet, with ten large windows, like- wise a school and ])arsonage, 40x20 feet, with three rople, their religious princijdes, their industrious and law-abiding ways, and so })rejudic(5 and bigotry gave place to a more liberal and enlightened attitude towards their Catholic fellow-citizens. At one time, it is true, the Know Xoth- ings, and very recently the American Protective Associa- tion, endeavored to rekindle the fire of bigotry and blind hatred against Catholics, but with poor success, for such anti-Catholic movements are t(Kj much at variance with the tolerant and enlightened sentiments of the great mass of our American people of to-day. The attem])t to trans- plant Irish and Canadian Orangeism to American soil was a failure. Prior to 1700 the Catholics of the original thirteen colonies were subject to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Vicar-Apostolic of London, England. Tn 1790 the See of Baltimore was erected and Rt. Rev. John Carroll was consecrated first Bishop of the United States in the Chapel of Lulworth-Castle, England. The n\miber of Catholics kept on increasing, and so in 1808 the diom I;, li'i^^ 1 68 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ; IT, ; ■ i.;' ! ': tiSl population of Xew England in 1830 was 1,960,015, of whom a little over 15,000 were Catholics. The diocese of Bardstown was erected by Pope Pius VII. in 1808, and its tirst Bishop, Kt. Kev. B. Flaget, a Sulpieian, consecrated by B. Carroll in 1801). In 1832 Bardstown contained a large Cathedral, a college and a seminary. There was also a Dominican monastery at St. Rose, and nearby a convent of Dominican Sisters, of whom fifteen were professed members of their Order. In Naza- reth, about three miles from Bardstown, was a convent with seventy Sisters and one hundred boarding scholars. The community had charge of several Catholic schools throughout the diocese. There was, moreover, a convent of Loretto Sisters at Loretto, Washington County, con- taining one hundred professed Sisters. The diocese embraced Kentucky and Tennessee ; a part of Indiana and Illinois was for a time attached to the diocese as a mis- sionary district. Bishop Flaget had a Coadjutor, Rt. Rev. Bishop David. There were about twenty priests and twenty-five churches in the diocese. Out of a total popu- lation of 1,872,923 there were about 25,000 Catholics belonging to Bardstown and 5,000 in Illinois belonging to St. Louis. The diocese of Cincinnati, erected in 1821, had for ten years Rt. Rev. Edward Fenwick as Bishop. Out of a total population of 30,000 in 1830, Cincinnati had about 6,000 Catholics. The diocese embraced the State of Ohio, with Michigan and the ISTorthwest attached as a missionary district. There were about eighteen priests and as many churches. In Somerset, Perry County, O., there was a Dominican monastery, St. Joseph's, and a convent of Dominican Sisters, St. Mary's. The Catholic population of Ohio, Michigan and Northwestern Territory in 1830 was a little over 32,000, of whom almost one-half belonged to Michigan and the Northwest. There were large con- gregations of French, Germans, Irish and Indians at THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1830. 69 Detroit, Green Bay and other phces. In 1833 Detroit was made an Episcopal See, with Rt. Rev. Frederick Rese as its first Bishop. The diocese of St. Louis, Mo., was erected in 1826. It embraced Missouri and Arkansas, with about one-half of Illinois — the western part along the Mississippi River — attached as a missionary district. Its first Bishop was Rt. Rev. Joseph Rosati, consecrated July 18th, 1826 ; died at Rome September 25th, 1843. The diocese was immense in extent. On the north it extended on the western side of the Mississippi to British America, on the south to Texas and New Mexico, and on the west to the Pacific Ocean. The far greater part of the Catholic population in 1830 were of French descent, besides some Irish and Germans in Missouri and Illinois, and some Catholic Indiaiis in the far west. The Catholics numbered about 40,000, of whom over 3,000 lived in St. Louis, which had then (1830) a total population of 8,000. About three- fourths of the Catholics in the city spoke French. The diocese contained the following institutions and missions : A convent of Ladies of the Sacred Heart, with about one hundred boarding pupils ; a hospital in charge of Sisters of Charity; a Jesuit college with eighty students. The above institutions were in the city of St. Louis. There was a diocesan seminary at Perryville (Barrens), in charge of the Congregation of the Missions, with one hun- dred students; also a Catholic congregation of 200 fami- lies with a resident priest. At Ste. Genevieve there was a French-speaking congregation of 2,000 souls. At St. Michael's there were 200 Catholics v/ith a stationary priest. Carondelet had 140 families of French descent. St. Ferdinand, at Florissant, had eighty families, mostly French, with three Jesuit Fathers. There was likewise a convent with novitiate of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart. At St. Charles were about one hundred families, mostly French, attended by two Jesuit Fathers; also a ^i iX H ''*?=■' m If, III f'j iV "«'. ( lit w: liU m il 70 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. school in charge of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart. On the banks of the Mississippi was Portage des Sioux, a French village with forty families, attended from St. Charles. Another small settlement, La Dardenne, con- taining but eighteen families, was also attended from St. Charles. Cote Sansdessein, another small French mission, ninety miles from St. Louis, had sixty Catholic families. La Vieille Mine (in the lead-mine district) had a church and resident priest. In Illinois were : La Prairie du Rocher, a French vil- lage with forty Catholic families and a church built by Father Murin, the last Jesuit missionary there before the suppression of the Order in 1775. Chare Settlement con- tained a considerable number of English-speaking Catho- lics. Kaskaskia was an old French-Indian mission station dating from Father Marquette's time. In 1830 there were but few Catholic Indians left; the French population was about 1,400. Prairie du Chien (Wis.) and La Riviere aux fievres contained about 500 Catholics. Langamo, about one hundred miles from St. Louis, had forty Catho- lic families. The diocese of Charleston was erected in 1820, and its first Bishop, Rt. Rev. John England, consecrated Sep- tember 21st, 1820. The diocese embraced North and South Carolina and Georgia, with about 11,000 Catholics out of a total of 1,836,432 in 1830. There were eleven priests. Charleston had about 5,000 Catholics, many of whom were negro slaves. There were two churches of moderate size, the Cathedral and another, in the city. The oldest Catholic paper in the United States, the United States Miscellaney, w^as published in Charleston. It began to appear about 1820. The Franciscan Fathers in Superior have one small volume of the above-named paper, dated 1824. Mobile, erected as Vicariate- Apostolic in 1824 and made an Episcopal See in 1829, comprised Alabama and THE OATHOLIO CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1830. 71 Florida. When Spain ceded Florida to the United States most of the Spanish clergy and people left the country, taking along almost everything of value belonging to the Church. The first Bishop of this diocese was Rt. Rev. Michael Portier, consecrated in 1826. With funds col- lected in Europe he built a college and seminary, contain- ing, in 1832, about one hundred students and twelve semi- narians. There were but six or seven priests in the diocese, which contained about 8,000 Catholics out of a total population of 343,931 in both states. i i "Si li ill rijf III ]\l i U. iiii> CHAPTER XI. DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF BARAGA S BIRTHPLACE. We enter now upon the life and labors of saintly Bishop Baraga, the man chosen by Divine Providence to take up and bring to a successful issue — after a lapse of almost a century — the glorious work of the grand old Jesuit missionaries of the seventeenth and eighteenth cen- turies. The latter had labored most zealously and self- sacrificingl\ among the Indians of the great ]!s^orthwest But only partial success crowned their efforts. The Indian was not as yet ripe for conversion. Polygamy was one of the great impediments to his conversion. This great evil had gradually and almost entirely disappeared prior to Baraga's arrival in the Indian country. Moreover, the fame of the French "Black-robes" as men, who loved the poor Indian, who deeply sympathized with him in the cruel wrongs he suffered at the hands of his crafty and powerful white brother, and who labored so disinterestedly for his spiritual and temporal good: the memory, I say, of Marquette, Allouez, Du Jaunay, Gabriel Richard, Badin and others ; all these memories and traditions, faith- fully handed down from father to son, paved the way for Baraga and his noble co-laborers, such as Bishop Mrak and Fathers Pierz, Skolla, Van den Broek and others, to work successfully at the conversion of the Indian nations dwelling near the great lakes. Before entering, however, upon the life and apostolic labors of B. Baraga, we beg leave to say a few words about his birthplace. The parish of Dobernig (Slov. Dobernice), in which m\ ' ;}'. <:! il'n III ll'li bara(;a'h birth. 7;i the illustrious suhjoct of our narnitivc was l)oru, is siruatixl in tho (li(M'('se of Laihacli, Intorkrain (Carni ►la), Austria. It lies ill a dee]), arid vallcv. Tlie inliahitaiits often sutler from the want of water, as neither river nor ereek tlow through it. lleiiee the whole eour.trv, from Tretfeii to Kibiiica, i: distance of U])war(ls of thirty miles, is ])opu- larly called "Suha Krajina," which signities in Kny,lisli: Arid Krain. The inhabitants of this waterless district, "who are mostly farmers, depend upon rain for their sui)ply of water, which, falliiijL!; on the roofs of their houses and barns, is gathered and conducted l>y means of gutters and conduit-pi])es into cisterns. in times of great drought they are obliged to haul water v.i barrels from the Iviver Krika or Temenica. The countrv is not very beautiful, but the peoj)le are staunch C^itholica and very pious, as a rule. The ])arish of Dobernig is very ancient, as parish ])riests were stationed there in the fourteenth century. For a time it was in charge of the religious of the (!!istbr- cian monastery of Sittich, founded A. 1). ll^JT). This monastery is about six miles from IKibornig. It was secu- larized in the year 1784. For some time Fathers of the (^onventual Branch of the Franciscan Order had charge of the parish. However, most of the time it was attended by secnlar priests. Dclbernig has a population of 2,400 souls, and is in care of a parish priest and his assistant. The parish Church is dedicated to St. George, Mar^yr. It has two side altars, one of the Dolorous Mother, and the other of St. Anthony of Padua. In front of the latter there is a subterraneous vault, in which Baraga's maternal relativer,, the de Jencic, are buried. The parish of Dobernig has eight station c]ia]>els (chapels of ease), namely : n: 1. St. Ann, in Sniaver, in the midst of vineyard-. Blessed Virgin Mary, in Dobrava. II 74 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. I 111 mir n !l! k; ,1 •' I •! (if .'J. St. AgnoH, V. M., in Knezjavus. > 4. St. Peter, in Korita. T). Holy Oosfl, on Mount Liaec. 0. St. MauruH, .M., in Sniaver. 7. St. Anthony, tlio Hermit, in Selca. 5. IIolv Ghost, in Tahovee. For Hevernl years a curious report has heen circulating among the })eo])le of J)("»hernig and vicinity that as soon as Bislio)) Baraga wouhl "he nuule a saint," canonized, his renlains wouhl 1k' hrought from their present resting place in America and he huried under the high altar of the Holy Ooss Church on Mount Lisec. Perhaps so! God knows ! Bjiraga was horn in the castle of Malavas (German: Klcindorf), as hefore stated, in the parisli of Dobernig. As to the history of this castle, Baron Weikhard Valvasor (+1()1).*3) relates as follows in his work, "Renown of the Dtd^edom Krain" (Book XI., pages 308-309) : ''In the parish of Dcihernig there used to stand on a mountain a very ancient castle, called Kozjek. At present (1083) only a few ruins remain. During the unhappy times caused by the irruption of the Turks in the four- teenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, this castle was often attacked by the Mussulmans, but never captured. Towards the end of the seventeenth century the castle Kozjek Avas abandoned by its owner. Count Auersperg, and in consequence Count Wolfgang Engelbert von Auers- ]ierg built — c. 1670 — in the valley a smaller castle in order to live more convenientlv. The materials of the ancient castle Kozjek were removed to Malavas (Kleindorf). ''After the death of W. E., Count of Auersperg, his brother, Johann Weikhard, Prince of Auersperg, inherited said castle, and after his death it passed over to his son Ferdinand, Prince of Auersperg." In the beginning of the eighteenth century the tamilj Morautscher (Slov. Moravcer) bought said castle. After babaoa's birth. 75 the death of Franz Morautscher, March .'Jd, 1742, the castle was purchased by Josef Karl Kern, who a few years later, c. 1750, sold it to Bernard Anton do Jencic, Baraga's maternal grandfather. In this castle were born unto Ber- nard A. and Katharina do Jencic the following children: 1. AnU>n Daniel Josef, born May 31, 175G. 'J. Maria Theresia, born October 24, 1757. o. Maria Katharina Josefa, \n\ March 21, 1759. (Mother of Bishop Baraga.) 4. Anton Bernard Josef, born May 22, 17C0. Maria Elisabeth, born January 7, 1702. Josef Stanislaus Anton, born May 17, 1763. Ferdinand Josef Michael, born September 24, o. 0. 7. 1764. 8. J). Francisca liaveria, born Jsi^vember G, 1765. Wilhelm Vinconz Ignaz, born March 9, 1768. In the castle Malavas, in which Baraga was born, was a very beautiful chapel, served by chaplains in the employ of Bernard Anton Jencic, who also acted as tutors to his numerous children. They were: In 1753, Christophorus Tobonneth; in 1763, Georg Zelenec; later on, Valentin Terbar, who died at the age of thirty, in Malavas, and who in the Records of the place is described : "Moribus et vita praeclainis." He was buried under the altar of St. Anthony of Padua in the parish Church of Dobernig. From 1780 to 1783 Anton Bolka was stationed as chaplain in the castle Malavas. He afterwards became parish priest of Dobernig, 1800-1827. The family Jencic were also in constant friendly intercourse with the inmates of the Cis- tercian Abbey of Sittich. From all this it is easy to be seen that the children of Bernard Jencic were brought up very piously and that they received a thoroughly religious education. Thus young Baraga inherited from his dear able all his lifetime. ii •■ 76 RT. BEY. FREDERIC BABAOA. • I m S -5l':'i; After the death of Bernard Anton Jencic, his daughter, Maria Katharina Josefa, mother of Bishop Baraga, inherited the castle Malavas from her father. She was rich, but Johann Nepomuc Baraga, whom she married on the 10th of May, 1792, seems to have been a man of but moderate means, as he was but overseer of the castle of jS'^eudegg. Two years after the birth of Frederic Baraga, they sold the castle Malavas to a man by the name of Santo Treo, whose grandson, Julius Treo, still owns it. Baraga's parents bought in Treffen a larger and more beautiful castle in 171)9, situated about two miles from Malavas. After the death of his father, in 1812, young Frederic inherited this castle. Subsequently, when pre- paring for the priesthood in the clerical seminary at Laibach, he donated freely this grand mansion with adjoining lands to his sister Amalia, not even reserving an annual allowance for himself. He could therefore truly say with the royal prophet : "Dominus pars haeredi- tatis mcae et calicis mei ; tu es qui restitues haereditatem meam mihi" — The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my chalice; it is thou who wilt restore to me my inheritance." (Ps. xv, v. 5.) ■I;- jo ' ■■ « .•>>' , . I '■■■ i:' ■:; i .11 iil ¥ '\ ■ ntnf -rn' fiV niilill CHAPTER XII. • BIBTH AND EARLY EDUCATION OF FREDERIC BARAGA ; DEATH OF HIS PARENTS ; HE STUDIES AT LAIBACH AND VIENNA *, RESOLVES TO ENTER THE PRIESTHOOD; STUDIES AT THE CLERICAL SEMINARY AT LAIBACH AND IS ORDAINED THERE. li 2 In the Register of Marriages in the parish (^hurch of Dobernig we find the following entry : ^^"On the 16th of May, 1792, Johann Xepomuc Baraga, widower, overseer of the castle of ^eudegg, of the parish of N^eudegg, was united in marriage to his sponse Katharina, virginal and legitimate daughter of Bernard Jencic, of Kleindorf (Malavas), in the parish of Dobernig, in the presence of Anton Lakner and Joseph Wnzeli, witnesses, by Thomas Zajec, parish priest of Dobernig." Five children were born of this marriage : 1. Maria, born and died March 1.'3, 1703. 2. Vincenz Johann Nepomnc, born January 23, 1704 ; died February 24, 1794. 3. Amalia, born July 16, 1705. 4. Irenaeus FriedricL, born June 20, 1797. 5. Antonia, born February 4, 1803. Irenaeus Frederic Baraga, the subject of our narrative, *"Die IG MaiJ, 1702, D. Joannes Nepomucenus Baraga, viduus, praefectus in arce Neudegg, Parochiae Neudegg, cum sua sponsa Catharina, Dni. Bernardi Jeneic, fil. leg. coelibe ex Kleindorf, Paro- chiae Dobernicensis coram testibus D. Antonio Lakner et D. Josepho Wiizeli copulatus est ab A. R. D. Thoma Zajec, parocho Dobern." n •li ft 1:> 78 BT. BEY. FBEDEBIO BABAQA. '*.i '". i i 1 : l'.; **■ '. V 1 ' . 1, i':' A ■' ''■:. i k * ■ : . ' !; i \ H l\ ' r i ■f^ \ 1 i Ml was born, as the above shows, on the 29th of June, A. D. 1797, in the castle of Malavas, or Kleindorf, in the parish of Dobernig, diocese of Laibach, Unterkrain (Lower Car- niola), a Slavonic province of the Austrian Empire. The full name of his father was Johann Kepomuc Baraga, and that of his mother Maria Katharina Josefa Jencic. As in the above-cited matrimonial record, the first name of his mother, Maria, was dropped, so also young Baraga never used in after life his first name, Ironaeus, neither did he ever use' it in any of his official documents as priest or bishop. Hence we will also drop it and simply call him Frederic, as he alwavs did himself. As the name of his parents indicate, F. Baraga was a Si^^vonian by birth and not a German, as is stated in some magazines. In the Baptismal Record of Dobernig we find the fol- lowing entry : *"0n the 29th of June, 1797, was baptized Irenaeus Frederic Baraga, legitimate son of Johann Nepomuc Baraga and Katharina Jencic (pron. Jentschitsch). The sponsors were Andreas Zurbi and Juliana Abulver, by Anton Herman, assistant priest." Young Frederic had the inestimable blessing of having deeply pious and God-fearing parents. His early educa- tion w^as in the hands of pious house-chaplains, who instructed him in the first rudiments of learning and reli- gion. His mother being very pious, instilled into the hearts of her children from their earliest years the love of God, a loathing of sin, and great compassion for the poor and suffering. Young Frederic was thus brought up under most favorable circumstances, under the vigilant eyes of pious parents and tutors, away from the seductions of the world and from contact with bad children. *"Die 20 Jnnii, 1797, baptizatus est Irenaeus Fridericus Baraga, filius legiiimus Dni. Joannis Nepomuceni Baraga et D. Catharinae Jencic. P^itrini D. Andreas Zurbi et D. Juliana Abulner, per cooner- atorem Antonium Herman." BARAGA'S YOUTH. 79 In the year 1806, at the age of nine, Frederic was sent by his parents to Laibach. There, under a private tutor engaged for him, he studied the main branches that were taught at the high school of that city. Tiiis no doubt was done to shield the innocence of the pious child, to keep him from coming into contact with bad children, who might easily sow the seeds of sin in his pure, innocent heart. Under this private teacher he made rapid progress in all his studies. After having spent two years at Laibach, his pious mother died. Although deprived at the early age of eleven years of his dear mother, her memory never faded from his mind. Her piety and love were a source of most happy recollections to his tender heart, and her motherly admoni- tions and pious examples guided him safely through the dangers of his childhood days. Bodily taken away by death, she lived in his memory and her loving spirit accom- panied him upon all the ways of his afterlife. In the year 1809 he entered the gymnasium at Laibach. That same year Napoleon Bonaparte took pos- session of Carniola, Frederic's native land, and established the "Kingdom of Illyricum." It remained under French rule till 1813. After Napoleon's disastrous Russian cam- paign and his retreat from Moscow, during which he lost almost half a million of men, Austria shook off the galling yoke of the Corsican usurper and with the help of other continental nations drove him from his throne and landed him In Elba. During the French occupation young Frederic com- menced to study French, to which he took such a delight that he continued it even after the French had been driven from his native country,, The knowledge of this language was of great service to him during his long missionary career in America. As he was the only son of the family, neither he nor anyone else could think otherwise but that he would be in future the sole heir of the domain of ti *- '. i 11 11 W"| ..■!|, ■;''V::.. ir,;V 'fi h/i ■, ■ *t! ! ■■ \ * ' j fo'! 1. !,l 1 80 RT. REV. FBEDERIO BARAGA. Treft'cn, especially as his father, who died in 1812, trans- ferred them to him. Hence his prospects for a life of worldly happiness were all that conld be wished for. lie was imiisually bright, intelligent, gifted with great talents, had many friends, a large domain, good health, and the prospect of a long and happy life. Yet he renounced all these worldly advantages to devote himself to the service of God as priest and missionary. After the death of his father, in 1812, young Frederic went to live with George Dolinar,"^ professor of canon-law and ecclesiastical history in the theological department of the Laibach Lyceum. Ho lived with this pious man for four years, until 1810, and found there a truly Christian home. The same order, the same Christian virtues, which he had seen constantly practiced at the house of his dear parents, were also prevalent in the house of his dear friend and ])rotector. With great delight did young Baraga often write in his letters to his sister Amalia, of the wisdom, learning, and deep piety of this good man. It was certainly through a special and loving arrangement of Divine Providence that Baraga's youthful days were spent under the best possible surroundings. It is, after all, true that man is to a 2;reat extent a creature of circum- stances. A child brought up, as Baraga was, will in mostly all cases be good and virtuous, whereas another living in bad surroundings will generally turn out to be bad. Baraga had saintly parents and tutors and he became a saintly man himself. Whilst pursuing his classic studies at Laibach he apjilied himself likewise to other useful branches of knowl- edge, such as nmsic, painting, and languages. lie once ■*He died October 21st, 1858, at tlie ripe age of ninety-four years, Tliough but a layman, he was professor of Canon Law. and Church history at the diocesan clerical seminary in Laibach. He was a A^ery learned and pious man, and wrote, in 1837, a book entitled, "The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ." babaga's youth. 81 painted a picture of the Good Shepiierd and sent it to his sister Amalia, writing at the same time: "The picture shows the Good Shepherd who gave his life for his sheep and who, when one of the hundred is lost, leaves the ninety-nine and seeks the lost one until he linds it. Do you recognize the Good Shepherd, dear Amalia V' Surely his beloved sister, who received this letter and looked often at this picture, of which her brother so frequently spoke in his subsequent letters, must have felt then that he would sooner or later become a living and true image of the Good Shepherd. After Frederic Baraga had finished his course of classics at Liabach he entered the Universitv of Vienna in the year 181 G, being then nineteen years of age. In the Austrian metropolis he was surrounded by dangers on all sides, but, thanks to his early training and the nobility of his soul, he escaped the contagion of vice and, in the words of St. James, "preserved himself unspotted from the world." Moreover, his tender, strong, and pure love for his sister Amalia had an ennobling and purifying effect on his young and sensitive heart. In a letter written to her from Vienna, and dated May Gth, 1811), he says: "Xow are and continue to be the consoling source of my thoughts. Although my soul is sometimes engaged in other thoughts and finds pleasure in them, yet my spirit- ual joy is but imperfect and weak and my heart endures it only for a short time. Sometimes there is in my heart such a desolation and emptiness that it can only be filled by raising my thoughts to God and His eternal love and with thinking for your dear, sisterly love, your affection for me." Here Baraga shows his great affection for his sister, but he guards this feeling by directing it towards God. He savs in one of his letters to her, "More and more do I understand that the eternal love gave me a heart crav- s' • , 'i 82 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ing for love, and I also see what a great favor God has bestowed upon nie by giving to my heart another heart to which it is given to appreciate the sentiments of my heart and to return them a hundred fold. Indeed, my dearest Amalia, if my heart were not filled with the purest love to you, it would be impossible to attain to that high degree of holy love, with which a Christian soul loves the eternal Love (God), for the ways are unknown to us, by which God's love draws us to Himself. God Himself i>ave vou to me as a gift, that by this gift He might remind me of His infinite love to us. Xever have I felt love so strongly as I do since I have loved vou more than anvthinii" else on earth. In this manner has earthlv affection, mv love to you, in the designs of the Almighty and All-wise God, become the means by which He prepares our hearts for the joys of heaven and draws us more and more to Himself." Young Baraga was a great lover of drawing and paint- ing. He sometimes spent from six to eight hours at land- scape painting. From Vienna he sent two beautifully bound books with drawings of his own, executed with paint-brush and pen, and also in colors. In the first and larger book he wrote the following dedicatory words: "Dir, geliebte Amalia, zum Andenken von deineni Friedrioh." On the next page he wrote : "Nimm es hin, O liebe, Theme Schwesler, Dieses Denkmal niinm aus meiner Hand. Es kniipft inniger vmd enger, fester Unser schones, zartes Liebesband." This book contains fifty-two drawings, all executed by himself, some of them miniatures, representing rustic scenes. At the conclusion a flower is painted with the following inscription : "Ziirtlich bniderliche Liebe Weihet diese T31ninen dir," On the next to the last leaf a wreath is drawn with babaoa's youth. 88 symbols of the four seasons, and below are the following words : "Jede der vier Jahrzeiten Myge Freude dir bereiten." On the last leaf are the following words in German: "Gezeichnet und gemahlt von Friedrich Baraga HOrer der Rechte An der hohen Schule zo Wien im Jahre des Heils 1818. The second book of his drawings has the following title: "Kleinigkeiten aus dem Lanschaftsfache, gezeichnet v. F. G. B." It contains a beautiful poem of his own composition, which we give in full, as many of our readers may be conversant with the German language : 1. Bist du ewig fort-geschwommen, Himmlische Vergangenheit ? Wirst du nimmer wieder kommen, Nimmer wieder, sch<)ne Zeit? 2. Durch die buntgeschmilckten Fluren, Folgend selbtitgewfthlten Spuren, Sang der Hirt der Herde nach. 3. Unschuld alles, was er dachte, Unschuld alles, was er machte, Unschuld alles, was er sprach. 4. Wo er immer hingekommen, War er freundlich aufgenommen, War er unter Freundes Dach. 6. Alle liebt 'er ja wie Brtider, > Die geliebten liebten wieder, Denn die Herzen waren eins. 6. Doch der nachtumflorten Raume Fiirst zerknickt die zarten Keime Dieses g5ttlichen Vereins. t * ! ■m4 M\^ 84 bt. rev. fbbdebio babaqa. 7. Tilckisch fUhrte er den Milden Au9 den duftenden Getilden Seines blumenreichen Hains. 8. Lehrte ihn nach Schatzen tiachten, Zeigte ihm des Berges Schachten, Wo versteckt der Demant glUht; 9. Liess ihn Gold und Perlen schauen, Lehrte ihm Palilste bauen, Und sieh da — die Unachuld flieht! 10. Nach der Flur zu ihren Lieben, Die allein noch treu geblieben, Sie avis Marmorsaulen zieht. 11. Und in ihrer reinen Mitte, In der anspruchslosen HUtte, Wohnt sie, selber anspruehslos. 12. In der Stadte Dunst. evieren Lasst sie SUnden triumphieren, Ruht in der Gefilde Schoss. 13. Den sie rein und wiirdig findet, Sie mit reinster Lust umwindet, Die aus ihrem FUllhorn floss. 14. Und auch dich, hat sie umschlungen, Dii auch ist ihr Ruf erklungen, Dich auch sie im Arme halt. x5. D'rum hab' ich die Heimath-Scenen Dieser Hehren, dieser Schonen, Dir zum Denkmal auserwahlt. 16. Nimm sie hin die Heimath-Scenen Dieser Hehren, dieser Schonen, Die dich fest im Arme halt. At Vienna, Baraga studied law, rhetoric, aesthetics, English, French, and Italian, all of which were of great use to him in after-life. He also took good care of his health by shunning all youthful excesses, abstaining from wine and alcoholic liquors, and by undertaking long jour- neys on foot during the seasons of vacation. Thus he walked on foot all the way from Vienna to Pesth, walking 1 1 babaoa'b youth. 85 through Moravia, Bohemia, aud Bavaria. It was thus he prepared himself for his future apostolate in the wilds of America. Both body and soul were trained for the great work in store for him. The thought of embracing the sacerdotal state entered his mind gradually during the time when he was pursuing his studies at the University of Vienna, and seems to date from the year 1819, after he had spent three years in the study of law and other usef 1 sciences. How it origin- ated, we have no means of ascertaining, as he kept it a secret. He had painted the Good Shepherd some years previous and spoke of it repeatedly in his letters to his beloved sister Amalia. As he was filled with the love of God, may we not suppose that the frequent thought of the Good Shepherd seeking the lost sheep may have gradually awakened in his pious and loving heart the desire to imitate Him by devoting himself to the priestly state? Baraga's spiritual guide and confessor at Vienna was Blessed Clemens Maria Hofbauer, that illustrious member of the congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, who died on the 15th of March, 1820, and was beatified in 1888. It was most likely this holy man that awakened in the heart of Baraga the desire of devoting himself to the ecclesiastical state. Baraga visited him frequently at Vienna, and the sight and conversation of Blessed Clemens Hofbauer must have made a deep, lasting, and salutary influence on the pious and sensitive youth. Although Baraga never said anything about how, or when, or by whom he was induced to study for the priesthood, we may safely conclude that, after God, it was due to the counsels and prayers of his holy confessor. The burning zeal of St. Alphonsus was infused into the heart of his worthy disciple, Blessed Clemens Maria Hofbauer, and he again communicated it to his spiritual child, Baraga. In order not to do anything hastily, he continued the study of law until he had finished his course in 1821. • 'I i 86 BT. BEV. FBBDEBIO BABAQA. He then applied for admiasioii into tlie archdiocese of Vienna, and his petition was readily granted. However, when he returned to Liabach and told his bishop, Rt. Rev. Augustine Gruber, the latter prevailed upon him to enter the diocese of Laibach, to which he belonged by right, and he accordingly entered the Seminary of Liabach in the month of November, 1821. He was an exemplary theo- logian, most fervent in prayer, a close and earnest student, observing conscientiously all the iniles of the house, per- forming all his duties with punctuality and fidelity, whether the eyes of his superiors were upon him or not. With what untiring zeal and happy results he applied himself to his theological studies is shown by the fact that he completed certain branches of study within a year, which others could scarcely accomplish in two. So at the end of two years he was duly prepared and received Holy Orders on the 21st of September, A. D. 1823, at Liabach, and the next day he said his first Mass in the Cathedral of that city. We will not attempt to describe the feelings of joy and happiness which flooded his pure soul on that grand day, when he consecrated himself unreservedly for his whole life to the service of his Divine Master. Having con- veyed all his rights and title to his paternal domain of Treffen to his sister Amalia, he refused even to accept an annuity of 600 fl., which she wished him to reserve. Ui. CHAPTER XIII. rATiiEK Baraga's labors at st. martin. After his ordination, F. Baraga continued his tlieolog- ical studicH for another year, during which he preached the word of God with great fervor and unction from time to time. Speaking of the feelings that animated him at that time, he writes to his sister : "I am now without an inlieritance in this world. When He shall come, whose name is Love, to call His faithful servant. He will say, 'Come ! I will give thee what is right !' Here I am. Lord ; give me now what is mine ; give me mv crown, as thou didst give it the Apostle St. Paul." In the autumn of the year 1824 he was sent to the parish of St. Martin, as assistant to its reverend pastor. There he had abunda t opportunities to show his great zeal and administrative talents. The one great thought ever uppermost in his mind was the salvation of the immortal souls entrusted to his care. This solicitude for their spiritual welfare made him become "all to all" in order to gain all. He labored with all the energy of his loving heart to convert sinners, to reclaim them from the ways of sin and vice, and lead them back to the path of virtue. The better evervthinc; that he undertook for the good of his people succeeded, the more favorable was the judgment they passed upon his priestly labors and the higher rose the burning flames of his fatherly love foi them. He gave himself neither rest nor peace, so that his sister was obliged, even in the first month of his pastoral labors, to implore him to take a little care of himself and ,ii«. Hti BT. REV. FRBDERIC BARAOA. I' est. God's harvest-Held is immeasurable; the grain is high and ripe. The servant, whom tlie Master has called to work in the harvest-field, should not stand by and look on idly wiiilst the wild birds are devouring the ripe grain. No, this I cannot do; it was not given me to act thus, even if 1 should have to give up my life right here." No, it was not given him to be idle. His whole life might be described in these few words: sanctity in action. He sought no reaction here below, no rest before the final rest of death, the rest of the grave. As a true pastor of souls, he labored "in season and out of season" for their salvation. With fiery zeal he announced the truths of salvation, taught the little ones entrusted to his care the rudiments of faith in plain catechetical instructions, heard confessions day after day — for people flocked to his con- fessional from far and near — and visited, consoled, and helped the sick and poor. As he himself knew and felt the sweetness and happi- ness which are the fruits of a thorough knowledge and TUiderstanding of the consoling truths of the holy Catholic : ^ligion, he had also the peculiar gift of teaching and explaining those truths with that convincing power and burning zeal that even the most hardened sinners were moved to repentance and yielded to the sweet and powerful workings of divine grace in their hearts. And when those poor, repentant sinners came to him to open to him their hearts, it was his greatest joy to receive them, to pour the oil and wine of consolation into their lacerated hearts, to bind their wounds and bring them back to the Good Father from whom they had strayed. He knew how to inspire ! I LABOKK AT 8T. M/ttTIN. 89 thorn with a sahitarv fear of the iustico of Gixl and unite th(^ same to tlie ('onsoiing eontidence in His infinite mercy. Wliih; en<;age(l in the study of eivil hiw in Vienna, lie gave expression to this (h>uhle sentiment of fear and confidence, which shouhl animate the repentant sinner, in a letter to his sister Amalia, written in ISIJ). He savs: "Great and fearful are the offenses committed by men. Hut the greatest and most awful offense is the sin of despairing in the infinite mercy of our eternal Father. () that I could imprint with angelic words upon the heart of the miserable sinner who with a contrite heart wishes to return to his offended Father, but who, under the sense of the inunenso outrage committed against God, cannot imag- ine how the eternal, just God can forg'vc him ; O that I could impress upon his heart these words: My friend! In the everlasting justice of God is also at the same time the love of an infinite mercy, though we cannot understand tliis with our poor, limited intellect. By your offense you indeed outraged the divine justice so much that all man- kind combined could not sufficiently atone for this outrage, but the eternal Son of God gave Himself for you, sinner, as a just reconciliation. He reconciled you with the Eternal Justice and made it possible for you to be re-united again with the Eternal Love through love. See, God demands nothing else from you but your good will." With F. Baraga's coming to St. Martin, new life came to the parish. Before that but few frequented the Sacra- ments; many did not comply with their Easter-duty. Gloved by his soul-stirring discourses in the pulpit and his boundless love and compassion towards poor sinners in the confessional, numbers came to him from all quarters; sinners, to be led back to God ; just to be conducted by his pious and prudent counsels on the road c.'^ Christian per- fection. Being thoroughly convinced of the truth that the spiritual life of a congregation will flourish in proportion as it is nourished by the frequent reception of the Holy 90 BT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ■M k liii: Sacraments, it was his first and chief endeavor to induce his people to approach the Sacraments worthily and fre- quently. And the people, seeing how it made him happy to go to the confessional, and how he was ever ready, at a moment's notice, to be at their disposal, needed no long sermons and exhortations to bring them to confession in large numbers. Moreover, on Sunday afternoons and on holy days he taught catechism, and the instruction proved so attractive and popular that the church used to be filled as at High Mass, many people from the country remaining in town after the morning services in order to attend the same. Would to God that all priests having the care of souls would imitate this saintly priest. The children are the choice portion of the flock of Christ. Upon their training depends the future of the family. Church and State. F. Baraga took special pains to instruct such poor chil- dren as could not be sent to school on account of the pov- erty of their parents. He gathered them around him, and that with such results that he could write in the very first month of his arrival at Medlika, to send him sixtv A-B-C books, as those he had brought along were not sufficient for even one-half of the children that frequented his school. His inborn kindness as well as supernatural love to souls made him assiduous in attending the sick. He eon- soled them in their sorrows and relieved their wants as far as was in his power. Kind-heartedness and charity to the poor and destitute he had imbibed, so to say, with his mother's milk. He learned the practice of these virtues at the side of his mother when visiting with her the sick and needy. Greed or covetousness he knew not. The more he had the more he gave. He had a beautifi'^ say- ing : ' "Whatever you give to the poor, that you shall have ; what you do not give, that some one else will have." He frequently used the words of our Lord : "As long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to Me." r|i!f'^ LABORS AT ST. MARTIN. 91 People tell o:f Lim how one day he came home bare- footed, because he had given his shoes to a shoeless beggar whom he had mei: on a sick-call. Another time he found a sick beggar h'ing on the street, unable to help himself. F. Baraga took the poor man in his arms, carried him to the priest's house and nursed him until he recovered. If at times he expressed a wish to have something, it "was only that he might be able to give to the poor and sick, or to do good Avith it. His usual saying was: ''I do not want riches, but to havo a penny (to give away) I would like well enough.."' In the year 1826 F. Baraga published a Slavonian prayer-book with tho title, "Spiritual Food." The editor of the Slavonian I.if 3 of Baraga, Dr. Vonciua, speaks of this prayer-book in terms of the highest praise. He says : "Of all the pray€:v-books that were ever edited there is none w^hich was so suitable to the needs and wants of the Slavonian people, n-oxie to which they were so accustomed, as to this prayer-bo^k of Baraga, 'Dusna pasa ;' very many editions of it have already appeared; it remains even to this day the most popular prayer-book in Krain (Car- niola). This book is a dear souvenir, by which Baraga lives and shall continue to live in the j^rateful memory of the pious Slavonian people, wherever they reside." In the year 1830 F. Baraga published a work called, "The Veneration and Invocation of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God." He translated this work from the Ger- man into Slavonian at the request of his reverend friend and benefactor, Very Rev. Augustin Shiga. At the parsonage in St. Martin's parish there was an aged servant by the name of Mica (Mary). F. Baraga used to say to her: "Mica, please go and see whether any- one is waiting at my confessional ; I shall be very thankful to you for so doing." The good old woman would go into the church at two or three o'clock Sunday mornings, because generally at that early hour there would be people r •••I ■ ■ 1 im •if ; : ;i $ ■3'! ■■*■,( /'IP 92 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BABAGA. in tlie cliiirch preparing for confession, to whom Baraga would attend immediately. His confessional used to be besieged with crowds of penitents, for people from other parishes, ten or twelve miles away, would flock to his con- fessional. Hence it was a common saying with the people of St. Martin : "With us it is always Portiuncula." This great zeal of Baraga met with disapproval from his colleagues. Many of the Austrian priests of that period had received their clerical training in seminaries infected with Febronianism and Jansenism. The clergy educated at such institutions were destitute of the true, Catholic spirit of piety and discountenanced the frequent reception of the Sacraments. The result may easily be imagined ; a universal stagnation of Catholic life and devo- tion. Baraga had imbibed a different spirit. His con- stant aim was to enkindle everywhere true piety and pro- mote the frequentation of the Sacraments. On this account he was disliked, belittled, and ill-spoken of by many of his luke-warm, Josephinistically-educated col- leagues. The people, however, held to Baraga. ^ They loved and venerated him as a saint. Even at the present day, after a lapse of seventy years, his memory is still fresh wdtli them, and in almost every house in St. Martin's parish a picture of Baraga may be seen. Many a pious legend they tell of their former curate. On a certain occa- sion, they say, he was taking the Blessed Sacrament to a sick person, his sacristan accompanying him. They came to the River Save, which had to be crossed. As there was no bridge anywhere nearby, the sacristan took Baraga on his shoulders and carried him across the river without feel- ing any weight. The only priest in the whole neighborhood, who befriended Baraga and who was heart and soul with him, Avas Rev. Augustin Shiga, the last member of the sup- pressed Cistercian Abbey of Landstrass in Untcrkrain. He was at the time parish priest of Krainburg (Slov. LABORS AT ST. MARTIN. 93 Kranz), and also dean of that district. Baraga found in him a true friend and protector. The hitter invited him to preach, during th^ee consecutive days before Ash Wednesday, 1827, in the parish church of Krainburg on the Holy Eucharist, which he did before an immense con- course of people, to the great mortification of his envious colleagues in the ministry. They wrongly accused him to his Bishop, Kt. Rev. Anton Aloys Wolf, who removed him from St. Martin and sent him to Medlika, near the boundary of Croatia, in June, 1828. His friend, Rev. Augaistin Sluga, died at the ripe age of eighty-nine, on the 19th of July, 1842, being at the time honorary Canon of the Cathedral Chapter at Laibach. As to Baraga's personal wants in those days, they were few and easily supplied. His meals were extremely frugal ; he seldom ate meat, and then but little ; he never drank wine. He generally slept on hard boards, and had very little furniture in his room. He gave all he had to the poor and fo^ beautifying the House of God. He was remarkably kind to children, especially to those who were poor. On great feast days his sister Amalia used to send him from Treffen all kinds of confectionary, not a bit of which he would put in his own mouth, but would divide these sweetmeats among the children, the poor and the sick. The latter he visited very often and consoled and helped them in every way possible. 'I! CHAPTER XIV. i ! ! m im. ■ if! r^-ir . 1 FATHER BARAGA S LABORS AT MEDLIKA. HE RESOLVES TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO THE INDIAN MISSIONS OF AMERICA; IS RECEIVED INTO THE DIOCESE OF CINCIN- NATI. SCENE AT HIS DEPARTURE FROM MEDLIKA. In Baraga's time the parish of Medlika was large, with more than 6,000 souls and twenty or more stations with chapels. The people were very kindhearted, but sadly neglected and very ignorant as to their religion. In this place Baraga labored with his customary zeal and forgetfulness of self. God visibly blessed his labors. One of his first cares was to procure a beautiful set of stations or AVay of the Cross for the parish church of that city, to promote devotion to the Passion of our Lord. In due season they arrived and were carried in solemn pro- cession through the streets of Medlika from the parsonage to the church. They were solemnly blessed and erected in the month of October, only four months after his arrival in that city. F. Baraga himself describes vividly this celebration in a letter to Amalia : "When we arrived at the church, the men, who carried the pictures, placed themselves, two and two at the places where the pictures were to be hung. Then I ascended the ladder and it was a real joy for me to hang up the pictures with my own hands. Oh, dearest Amalia ! I cannot tell you how the hearts of my people beat with joy at this unusual solemnity. I have often shed tears, but our people never shed tears so readily and so abundantly as on that Sunday. !N^ow let me tell you how we finished this LABORS AT MEDLIKA. 95 solemnity. In my inexpressible delight I ascended the pulpit and out of devotion for the Way of the Cross, I spoke with such fervor that very soon all my hearers were in tears, and many have declared afterwards that this day would remain for all time in the memory of the people of ^^ledlika. Everlasting praise to the Heavenly Father, whose hand was opened Avith such fatherly mercy at this celebration, for it is lie that effected all this. Our coun- try people cannot control themselves, so great is their delight at the sight of the holy stations, and they often ask when the priest will pray the stations with them.'' Scarcely had this one wish of Baraga's been fulfilled, namely, to see the Way of the Cross erected in the parish church of JMetlika, when he turned his attention to other needs of the church. The high altar, as well as the side altars of the parish church were in need of renovation, new vestments, and other church utensils had to be bought for the churches under his care. All these things were procured in a short time, mostly at his own expense. At the same time he found time to publish a work, entitled : "Visits to Jesus Christ in the ]Most Holy Sacrament," a translation of a similar w^ork of St. Alphonsus Liguori. All this shows how much a zealous servant of God can undertake and accomplish, who has God's interests and the salvation of souls at heart. Whilst F. Baraga was thus laboring with all the earnestness and energy of his noble soul for the salvation of his countrymen, the thought of so many poor pagans living in the darknes of heathenism, in ignorance and sin. awakened gradually in his heart an earnest desire to devote himself to their conversion. It cannot with cer- tainty be said when and where this thought of going to the pagans first originated in his mind. Certain it is that it was dormant several vears before he finallv revealed it to others. The author of the Slavonian Life of Baraga remarks : H-^^'S % 96 RT. REV. FRBDERIO BARAOA. ''Taking into consideration that already at St. JMartin's he usually slept on bare straw or on a board; that lie would not shrink neither from great cold nor excessive heat ; that he not only abstained entirely from wine, but that very often his breakfast and supper consisted only of bread and water; from these and manv other such fasts and mortifications in eating and drinking, we must con- clude that this resolution must have been growing for several years even if he had not so declared in a letter to his sister. For this reason he kept silent and did not reveal this his heart's desire to anyone, until from various indications he had been fully convinced that his wish iu this matter perfectly agreed with the will of God, and that it was God who was calling him thither where his own heart'^- longing was directed." In the year 1829 a society was organized in Vienna, Austria, wdiich had for its avowed object the supporting of the North American missions. This societv was called "Die Leopoldinen-Stiftung" (Leopoldine Society). It was approved by Pope Leo XII., who, eleven days before his death, issued in its favor an Apostolic Brief and granted certain indulgences to its members. His Imper- ial Highness, Archduke Rudolph, Cardinal Prince Arch- bishop of Ollmiitz deigned to act as its supreme head and superintendent, and he appointed the Prince Archbishop of Vienna as his representative. The rules and regula- tions of the society were published at Vienna on the 13th of ^lay, 1829. This society has done immense good to the struggling church of our country. Year after year large contributions were sent to the poor bishops, mission- aries, and religious societies. In the appendix of this work the reader will find a detailed statement of the con- tributions sent to this country betwen 1829 and 1868. Father Baraga looked upon the establishment of this society in his country as one of the many indications of his vocation to the Indian missionarv field. He, there- ■• \- JiABORS AT METLIKA. 97 fore, made known the secret wish of his heart, namely, to go to the Indians, to his bishop and to the managers of the Leopoldine Society, all of whom highly approved of his design. Full of joy at the successful outcome of his request, ho immediately wrote from Metlika to his sister Amalia, under date of Xovember 4th, 1821) : "You say the truth when you write that the will of God is seen plainly in my choice to go on the mission. Therefore I most firmly hope and I am immensely rejoiced that God has looked upon me with a truly great love and that lie has heard my most fervent prayers and supplica- tions, which are of several years' duration! From all that has happened in such an extraordinarily short time, I hope to foresee that it will be through the will of God that I go to the mission. I prayed to Goil, especially when going to Laibach, and later until I received my answer from Vienna and the bisho])'s representative, to so guide and dispos-^ my spiritual and temporal superiors, whose hearts are in His hands, that by their decision Ilis most holy will might be made known to me, which I could not know in anv other wav. And see, without anv hesitation, both iny spiritual and tem])oral surperiors grant mo their permission to go to those missions, on condition that I obtain from the corresponding bishop the assurance that he will receive me into his diocese." Having thus obtained the necessary permission to leave his diocese, he wrote to Rt. Kev. Edward Fenwick, Bishop of Cincinnati, for admission into his diocese. This letter was lost. In vain F. Baraga waited and Avaited for an answer. ]S[o answer came. However, during the long months of anxious suspense he had ample opportunity to examine and consider any doubts that might have arisen in his mind as to the true nature of his vocation to the misionary life. But as in all things, so also in this important affair, he sought nothing but the fulfilment of the most holy will of God. Fiat voluntas Dei — may the s i » 1 ', '^' li 98 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. I I will of God, not mine, be done — was his daily and hourly prayer. These sentiments of entire resignation to the will of God are beautifully expressed in a letter to Amalia, bis sister, dated January 22d, 1830. He writes: "You now think that after all it may be that I will need those books myself. To be sure, with God every- thing is possible. God could allow my letter to the Bishop of Cincinnati, or his to me, to be lost on its long and unsafe transit. I will certainly write another letter if I receive no answer by March the IDtli, feast of St. Joseph. Almighty God can permit my second lettcj* to be lost, like the first, if it should be His holy will that I am not to go there. But He has at His disposal a thousand other means of turning me away from my design. He is the Lord — His holy will be done !" Having waited in vain until the 5th of April, he wrote a second letter to Cincinnati. The answer came on Sep- tember 22d, 1830, and filled him with great joy, to which he gives expression in a letter to his sister : ''I^ow at length I hear from afar the voice, which invites me to come to the holv mission. On the 22d of September, just on the se'\''enth anniversary of my first holy Mass, I received a letter from North America, from the Bishop of Cincinnati, in which his representative, that is, the Vicar-general, entreats me most pressingly to come as soon as possible to that so much neglected part of the Lord's vineyard. !N^ow I dare hope that all obstacles have been removed ; now I shall soon reach the ^oal for which I have so long aspired." In another letter, written to that same sister he loved with such a strong and pure love, shortly before his de- parture from Metlika he says amongst other things : "I must scold you a little for giving yourself so much unnecessary trouble and care, that you are so much afraid on my account of the cold winters, of the hardships, hunger and thirst, and all kinds of dangers, which may i • LAB0B8 AT METLIKA. 99 overtake me on my travels. Do not, my dear sister, do not, I beseech you, let these trifles worry you. If the mis- sionaries troubled themselves about cold, heat, hunger and thirst, fatigues, dangers and other hardships, they would not bring many heathens into the Christian fold. As merchants do not shr^'nk from perils and hardships in order to increase their possessions which they can enjoy only to the end of their short life, why should these dif- ficulties frighten me who have no other object in view than to gain immortal souls for heaven 'i Banish, then, all these vain cares from your mind, which oppress you so much as you write in your letter, and give me up perfectly and completely to the Lord." After Baraga had arranged all his affairs and received all things necessary for his long journey, it was his only care to start as soon as possible. Great was the grief of the good people of Metlika when the day of his departure was come. He had labored among them for two years and had endeared himself to them by his many acts of kindness a 'id -"ataorly ^oodn^^st. He had been a true father una friend to them ail. His departure from Metlik-i was indeed sad. Towards the end of October, 1830, on a Sanday aftor catsehism, he spoke a few words of farewell to his people. Cries and lamentations broke forth on all sides. Baraga himself could not restrain his tears. He left the pulpit and kindly requested one of his reverend colleagues to pray the Litany in his stead. But when the people noticed that he was not kneeling as usually before the altar, they ran out of the church after him and kissed his hands and garment, crying piteously at the same time. The next day the wagon that was to take him away was waiting in front of the priest's house. Hundreds of people had come from all sides to see him once more and receive his parting blessing. When Baraga came out of 100 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAQA. ■0 the hoii8o all crowded around him to kiss his hands or gar- ment. All wept bitterly. After Baraga had taken his seat on the wagon, someone attracted his attention by tapping on his arm. It was the parish priest, who was also dean, Rev. Marcus Derganc. He had entertained for a long time a gi'eat dislike to Father Baraga on account of the latter's great popularity. "Father Frederic," says he, addressing Baraga, "you have rummaged a great deal in our churches and wanted to make yourself important by getting things for them. But all is not paid for yet. Who will pay for them when you are gone ?" Baraga arose from his seat and looked sadly at the dean. Tears glistened in his eyes. He said : "Very Rev. Dean, you know very well that I have no property and that my pockets are empty. I willingly give you my coat that you may pay with it the remaining debts." He then began to pull oif his coat, which he had lately got made to cover Avith it his shabby clothes. At this, loud munnurs of discontent were heard. The , people ,\yci'e highly incensed at the dean'*^ unreasonable /l\cplay of ill-will against Baraga. The dean h^stilj witj?.drew, iull,of con- fusion and without >,akihg,B'dTiigdii ^'y^h T^)^ debts, which the latter had contracted in repairing and ornament- ing the churches under his care, were aftei*wards paid mostly by his sister Amalia and partly by the voluntary contributions of pious people. After the dean's departure, Baraga wanted to drive away. But the people seized the wheels of the wagon on which he was sitting, and forcibly held back the horse and wagon. He could not stir. He consoled them and begged to let him depart, but in vain. It was only after a long delay that they finally let him go. Once more he gave them his blessing, and the wagon began to move. Many ran after him. All cried so loud that their cries and lan^ 3ntations could be heard at a great distance. We are LABORS AT METLIKA. 101 reniinded here of St. Paul's departure from Miletus (Acts Ap., ch. xx). ^'Magnus autem fletus factus est omnium." Great, also, was the grief of his dear sister Amalia, when, on the 29 th of October, at half -past nine in the evening, she accompanied him to the stage coach which was to carry him away. But this we must mention: that Baraga himself, though very tender-hearted and easily moved to tears, left everything that was dear to him — sister, fatherland, all — with a cheerful heart. All was forgotten in the happy thought of becoming now a mis- sionary in America. After a journey of two days and three nights, he arrived at Vienna on the 1st of November. There he was received with great joy and much kindness everywhere, especially by the directors of the Leopoldine Society, who gave him 400 florins to pay his traveling expenses, as he was their first candidate for the Indian mission. Others presented him with various articles for his mission. ('■i ii 1; CHAPTER XV. FATHER BABAOA LEAVES EUROPE. INCIDENTS OF HIS JOURNEY. ARRIVES AT CINCINNATI. HIS LABORS IN THAT CITY. ■m\ \ i Having obtained his "Exeat" from the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Laibach and his admittance into the diocese of Cincin- nati, Father Baraga departed from Vienna on the 12th of November, 1830. Traveling by way of Linz, Passau, and Landshut, he arrived at Munich, Bavaria, on the 15th of said month. He stayed there two days, and went, on the 19th, to Strassburg. Being on French territory, he feared trouble on account of the excited state of the coun- try. He was not molested, however, in the least. On November 23d he arrived at Paris and remained there three days to see the most celebrated sights of tht ^reat French metropolis. On the 27th of November he arrived at Havre de Grace, where he was obliged to wait until the first of December, on which day he embarked for New York. It is an indication of F. Baraga's humility and frugality that he traveled as deck-passenger. The fare from Havre de Grace to New York was but 52 florins. The weather was, on the whole, very favorable. On the second Sunday and Monday of Advent, however, they had a fearful storm, which filled the passengers with terror, as the mountain- high waves threatened to submerge the ship. During the voyage F. Baraga suffered much from sea-sickness, but no sooner had he landed than he recovered and enjoyed better health than he foimerly had in his own native land. LAIJORS AT CINCINNATI. 103 He landed in Now York on December Slst, 1830. With feelingH ()f deep gratitude to Divine Providence, who had brought him safely acnwH the wtormy Atlantic, he stepped on the soil of the New World, where he was to labor so long and faithfullv for the cimversion of innumerable souls. Although New York contained then one hundred and sixty churches of all possible denominations, he found only four (-atholic j)laces of worshij), and that in a city which then had i, po} ulation of 200,000. On the 4th of January, J8IJ1, F. i3araga left New York, and landed the same day in Philadelphia, where he stopped five days. At the urgent request of the priest, who had kindly r(M3eived him, he preached with a heart full of emoti(m, in German, on Sunday, the ninth of January. On the following day he "et out from Philadelphia, and arrived late that same dav in Baltimore. The next day he paid a visit to Most Rev. James Whitfield, Arch- bishop of that city. The good Prelate received the young priest most kindly and praised his goon I baptized him after some preliminary instruction and preparation. He was afterwards more :'* ally instructed by another priest. "A missionary in Xorth America should know almost all languages that are spoken in Europe, for people of all European nations are to be met with here. During the short, time that I have been here, I have used in the per- formance of my pastoral duties all the languages I know except the Slavdiian. I Iwve heard several confessions in Italian and French, and God gives me the grace not to find it as difficult to hear French and Italian confessions and give instructions in these languages as it was in Slavonian during the first year of my priestly career. "I have also not omitted to learn the language of the Indians a little. An Indian youth, who is being educated in our house, occasionally gives me instructions in that language, which, however, is not easy to be learned. It 106 BT. BEV. FBEDEBIC BABAGA. has long and queer-sounding words, but I hear it is poor in words and very simple. Here are a few : God means in Ottawa — Kitschemanito. Heaven — \/akwing. Hell — Anamakamegong. Earth — Aki. Sun — Kisis. Moon — Tibikikisis. Day — Kischigak. :Night— Tibikot. Water — Nibisch Fire — Skote. Soul — Ninschibam. Father — I^osse. Priest — Makateokonoje. Mary, mother of grace, means in Ottawa — Maria, quenatsch ningAvinam. Mary, our protectress, pray for us, means in Ottawa — Maria, genawenimiiang ! gaganotamawischinam. 1' :.;!!; II li;; "Today, that I am writing, is the feast of St. Joseph. Here it is not a feast of obligation ; otherwise I would not have had time to write to you. All day I am thinking of my dear relatives and acquaintances in Europe. I love you all as dearly as I did when yet in Europe, and even at this great distance I think daily of you. We live, it is true, in different parts of the world, and the immense ocean rolls between us, still we can always be united in sentiment and prayer and remain united until the divine love unites us still more intimately hereafter in the king- dom of everlasting love." As we have seen above, there was as yet no separate German Church in Cincinnati, although the Germans were even at that time numerous enough to form a large con- gregation (in 1831). The ground, however, had been LABORS AT CINCINNATI. 107 bought for a German Church, but the people were very poor, having come but lately to Ohio, and being mostly laborers and farmers. There was thus but one Catholic Church in Cincinnati in 1831, which was Bishop Fen- wick's cathedral. Father Baraga enumerates, in a letter dated January 22d, 1831, the churches built in Ohio during Bishop Fen- wick's administration, prior to 1831 : The cathedral in Cincinnati, a church at Lancaster, Somerset, Canton, Zanesville, New Lisbon, one in Guernsey County, two churches and a monastery in Perry County, and a church in Brown Co. ; in all, ten churches. In the following places churches were soon to be erected: A German Church in Cincinnati, another church in Tiffin, Clinton, a Gennan Church in Huron County, and others. Bishop Fenwick (Edward), who was himself a Domin- ican, led with his priests and ecclesiastical students a real monastic life in a poor, delapidated building, dignified with the name of seminary. At five in the morning the bell would ring and all would rise. Before and after meals prayers were said aloud, as is customary in monastic houses; after meals followed a short adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. There were five priests and four ecclesiastical students, one of them a full-blood Ottawa Indian from Arbre Croche, Mich., with the name of William Maccatebinessi (Blackbird), a youth of eighteen years, who could speak English and Ottawa, and was to be sent back, after his ordination, to his people in the wilds of Michigan to work at their conversion. He was subse- quently sent to Rome by Bishop Rese, and studied with marked distinction in the Urban college of the Propaganda Fide, where he died on the 25th of June, 1833.* *In his work: "History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan," the author, A. J. Blackhird, asserts that William Maeatebinessi was assassinated at college. For a full refutation of this groundless assertion see note in appendix. ;*!f*.tV-;v>J»9*!i.»5Mf- II'. ' 108 BT. BEY. FBEDEBIC BABAGA. The residence of Bishop Fenwick and his priests was very poor indeed. With the money received from the Leopoldine Society, Vienna, he had erected, prior to Baraga's arrival, a three-story college, at a cost of $7,500, and Baraga estimated that it would take about $4,000 more to finish and furnish it. At the special request of his beloved Bishop, F. Baraga wrote a letter of thanks to the above-named society for their generous donations to the Cincinnati diocese. The ver}^ first donations of the Leopoldine Society were for the diocese of Cincinnati. In April, 1830, they sent 22,220 florins, and in August of the same year again 12,200 florins ; in all, 34,420 florins. We shall show hereafter how much the Catholic Church in the United States owes to Austria, to the generosity of her ruler, of her nobility, clergy and people. \'::i i ! i CHAPTER XVI. FATHER BARAGA SETS OUT FROM CINCINNATI FOR HIS INDIAN MISSION. HIS LABORS AMONG THE WHITES ALONG THE ROUTE. HE ARRIVES AT ARBRE CROC HE. As we have before remarked, Bishop Fenwick told F. Baraga, upon his arrival in Cincinnati, that he would take him along in the spring, when visiting the Indian missions of his diocese, and duly install him amongst his future spiritual children. The burning zeal of the saintly Father manifested itself, as might be expected, everywhere on this journey. Wherever there was an occasion to preach the word of God, to baptize poor children, to hear confessions and bring back sinners to God, or to visit the sick, Father Baraga was there. He gave himself no rest seeking the poor "lost sheep of the house of Israel." Of him it may be trulv said as it was of our Lord: "Pertransiit bene- faciendo" — he went about doing good. We will give to the kind reader the particulars of this journey in Baraga's own words : "On the 21st of April, this year" — his letter was dated Arbre Croche, August 22d, 1831 — "I set out from Cin- cinnati to betake myself to the mission station assigned to me. To complete my narrative, I must mention here what the humility of my Rev, Bishop passed over in silence in his iormer communications to the Leopoldine Society regarding his indefatigable zeal for the cause of God. It is this: In order to further the cause of the Indian mis- sion, the Bishop resolved to make the entire journey from Cincinnati to Arbre Croche with me. The Indians of that 110 BT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. :'f:i,! i place are acquainted with him; he had l)een there once before. They call him the Great Black-robe or High Priest and have great respect and unbounded confidence in him. It was therefore very good that he came here with me and installed me in their midst. The distance from Cincinnati is at least as great as that from Vienna to Naples. "Bishop Fenwick desired me to leave Cincinnati a couple of weeks before him in order to hunt up, on the way, Catholic families and give them an opportunity to perform their Easter duty. In a small town called Miamisburg, thirty-five miles from Cincinnati, I found the first Catholics, and they were Germans. I stayed there a fe>. days, said Mass, preached three times, and heard confessions. I learnt here that there was another Catholic family twelve miles from Miamisburg. I went thither and found a good man and his equally worthy wife and six children. These good people were highly rejoiced at my coming. They prepared themselves for their Easter confession, and the next day both of them and their two oldest children received Holy Communion. I preached there likewise in a large room of his house. In the neigh- borhood there are many Germans, who, it is true, are all Protestants, but who gladly hear the word of God, even when announced by a Catholic priest. This man had informed his neighbors that a Catholic priest had arrived — as I was informed, I am the first Catholic priest that ever came to that part of the country — and thus many assembled to hear the sermon. They were satisfied with the doctrine announced, but no tree falls with one blow I "Next dav this man conducted me three miles further into the woods to a venerable old Irishman. I had been informed that this poor old man of eighty-one years had been living a long time in the wilderness, that he was half blind and deaf, and that for many years he had had no chance to receice the Holy Sacraments. The evening 'I I LABORS ON THE WAY TO ABBRE CROCHE. Ill before my intended visit I sent a boy to tell him that a priest would come the next morning in order to hear his confession and give him the Holy Sacraments, at which the good old man was very much rejoiced. I accordingly went and found him in a very miserable hut. In this shanty resided the old man, his wife, and three other women with five small children. The poor old man, who had not seen a priast for upwards of jifty years, received the Holy Sacraments, of which he had stood in want for so long a time. "The other inhabitants of this hut were not Catholics. I was heartily glad to have been able to give spiritual help to this poor old man, who stands at the door of eternity. But God gave me, in addition, another ineffable missionary joy. As above remarked, there were five small children of different mothers in this hut, and I learnt that not one of those children had yet been baptized. Their mothers are unhappy creatures, who profess no religion, and, con- sequently, did not trouble themselves about having their children baptized, as there are many such in this wild and too free country. Besides, no priest had ever before pene- trated this wilderness. When I proposed to them to bap- tize their children, two of the mothers immediately con- sented, but the third did not. However, she soon acquiesced, and the holy baptismal function proceeded. I thanked God most heartily and begged Him at the same time that, if it w^ere His holy will. He might take to Him- self all or some of these poor creatures, who had now become His children, or, that He might let them become more fortunately situated (for their religious good) than they are at present. "I then returned to Miamisburg and journeyed on further to another pretty large city named Dayton. Here I awaited Rt. Rev. Bishop Fenwick. In the meanwhile I performed missionary duties in this city. There are 112 RT. REV. FBBDERIC BABAOA. ■Silli! a. D! pi ii ,Hi1;l ■iilli but few Catholics there and they are very liikewann, with the exception of a few. ''On the first of May I said Mass in the house of the Catholic with whom I was stopping. In the afternoon I preached in a Protestant Church. There are many Ger- mans here of all sects. It appeared to me very singular to preach in a Protestant Church and before a Protestant congregation. Besides, the sermon was preached in my secular clothes, without surplice and stole. Alas ! It is reallv a miserv the wav religion fares in this country. In addition to the many sects that are found here, there are everywhere a great number of atheists. They are neither baptized, nor have they any kind of faith or religion. There are many good-natured people to be found amongst them, who have grown up in this sad state solely through neglect on the part of their parents and through want of priests. And now they remain in their infidelity because they know nothing better. Many of these unhappy crea- tures might easily be gained for God and the Church, if there were but more priests to preach the Gospel to them. / intended to ash my Bishop for permission to let me always travel around in the country to seek such lost souls and stay with each one until he would be thoroughly instructed, baptized, and strengthened in his holy faith, and then go on further. How many souls might I not gain for God ! When in Cincinnati I deliberated about this matter with Verv Rev. Vicar-General Rese, but he told me it would be more useful and better for me to go to the wild Indians ; that the prospects there were brighter still. TIence in this regard all I can do is to pray God to send soon several laborers into this abandoned part of His vineyard, that so many immortal souls, redeemed with His precious Blood, may not perish." The above reflections show the heart of a true pastor. Not ease and comfort, not money or honors, souls, immor- tal souls, redeemed with the precious Blood of Jesus, these f!l I LABORS ON THl WAT TO ABBBE CROCHE. iia were all that F. Baraga sought. To the true pastor the soul of the poorest Indian or negro child is as precious as that of the greatest king or millionaire. Father Baraga continues: "From Dayton I set out, in company with my Bishop, for Detroit, where we arrived on the 15th of May, and where we remained five days. There are many German and French Catholics in this city. I spent my time in preaching and hearing confessions. "From Detroit we traveled by water to Michilimacki- nac, where I did not delay long. On the 28th of May (1831), I arrived at Arbre Croche, and shortly after came also my Bishop. Happy day which placed me among the Indians, with whom I will now remain uninterruptedly to the last breath of my life, if such be the most holy will of God I" '11 J« ' ii t ■ 'I : ill A f »; f! M •f ■ ^ m '■•' i 1? if'! I 111 CHAPTER XVII. LABOKS OF FATllEli BAKAGA IN AKBUL: CKOCllK. The good Indiana of Arbro Cimx-Iio wore highly pknised at tho arrival of their new pastor. They were filled with unbounded joy when, at Jiaraga's first Mass in their rude chapel, Bishop Fenwiek told them that he would leave him with them and that their new Father would alwavs remain with them. Tho newly converted Indians gave their new pastor great consolation. In his report to the Leopoldine Society of IS-Jl he praises their docility, Inunble and ready obedi- ence, piety and child-like attachment to him. They always called him with the endearing name of Father and behaved towards him like good children do towards their father. Whatever he told them to do was immediatelv done and the order of divine service punctually observed. At five in the morning the Angelns bell was rung and the whole village assembled at the church for morning prayers, which were read aloud by one of the head-chiefs. Then followed Holy ^lass, at which a great number assisted every day. Every evening the bell was rung again and all assembled for night prayers, at which they sang i)ious hymns in their native tongue. After devotions, he gave them a short catechetical instruction, which, of course, the poor, ignorant, but well-meaning, Indians needed very much. On Sundavs and holy davs of obliira- tion they had divine service four times, namely, early morning prayers in common, then High Mass at 10 a. m. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon were Vespers and cate- i; X a; n II ' u i ■K f ' ?|.i lii: M LABORS IN AKBIIB CKOCUE. 115 chisni, aiul night ])niy('rs at sunset. Truly this was a niodt'l Christian connnuiiitv. In the hcgiiining F. JJarai»a, liko all niissionarios, eni{)h>v('(l the service of an interpreter. Luckily, he had an Indian who could sjx'ak French tlueutlv. When [)reaeh- ing, F. liaraga would say a few sentences in French and stop; then his dusky interpreter would tell his country- nu'u what the Father had said. He likewise heard con- fessions in the same way. The j)eople were satistiwl at this, as they knew that their heloved Father could not as yet si)eak their language and that the interpreter was a g(M)d Christian and well instructed. The writer had to do the same thing when he preached and heard confer.. ions among the ^Menominees at Keshemi in the winter of 18G.5- 18(10. Although confessing through an interpreter is highly disagreeable to Avhite ]K'.tple, it docs not seem to be so re[)ugnant to the Indian, provided the interpreter be a person of great virtue and discretion. F. Baraga praised his people for going often and willingly to confes- sion. Scarcely a day i)asse(l without some one going to confession. Between (^hristmas and ]\"ev; Year all the communicants, to the nund)er of one hundred and thirty- seven, a})proached the Holy Sacraments. This tilled the heart of the pious pastor with sweet joy and consolation. He also kept U]) the school, started by his predecessor, Rev. F. Dcjean. He had at first forty children, boys and girls, whom he and his interpreter instructed in reading, writ- ing, and the catechism. Speaking of his labors at Arbre Croche during the fall and winter of 1831, he says : "It is unspeakably consoling and joyful to me to be here. The conversions of pagan Indians, w^o live around here, are so numerous that in the short space of two months and a half that I have been here, seventy-two Indians, chil- dren and adults, have been baptized ; among them are ven- erable old men of sixty and seventy years. I make, from 116 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. 1":',;. 'i!|f, Si § ■ m ■••I:: if::: /So; i:' ■ , : 'K: ■ time to time, excursions into +^ oountry with my inter- preter, and when I find a wigwam I enter. In some wig- wams I find only Christians, in many they are all pagans, and in some they are mixed. Where I find pagans I try to show them the utility and necessity of the Christian religion, which God Himself has taught us. I have often the joyful consolation of seeing how deep the word of God penetrates into the hearts of these poor savages and how they resolve to embrace a religion which can make them happy for time and eternity. I then take care to have thetio catechumens instructed in the first rudiments of the Christian faith by others who are already Christians and live near them, and then they are solemnly received into the Church. I cannot express with what heartfelt joy and grateful feelings I baptize newly converted pagans, esp&- cially when there are several to be baptized together. On one day I had seven, and on the 12th of July — O happy, never to be forgotten day ! — I baptized at one time eleven pagans. "The inhabitants oi this part of the country are real heathens and idolators. They adore not only the sun and the moon, but have, moreover, their household gods, to whom thev offer solemn sacrifice, at the conclusion of w^hich they have their sacrificial banquet. They are full of idolatrous superstitions and have bags full of all kinds of supei^Jtious objects, of which they make use at their sacrifices and other pagan ceremonies. Now, w^hen a pagan havirg such a bag is converted, he brings this devil's bag to the missionaiy to be burnt. ISTot long ago such a bag, full of superstitious articles, was brought to be burnt in front of our church. I hope that the Lord of hosts, who alone should be adored, receives with great satisfaction such burnt offerings. The pagan who brought me this sack to be burnt is one of the chiefs of the Ottawa nation. I hope that his conversion, which caused quit^ a commotion, will bring about that of a great many others. LABORS IN ARBBE CROGHE. 117 God, the sole cause and perfecter of all good, be a thousand times praised for all the good He allows to be accomplished here." Father Baraga's church, school and house were no architectural beauties. They were the work of Indian carpenters, whose principal, if not only, tool, was their axe or hatchet. The 'oofs of these buildings were covered with birch-bark, and when it rained the water came in through many a hole. On such occasions he would spread his cloak over the table, on which he kept his books and papers, and open his umbrella and put it above his bed to keep it dry ; he himself would sit down in that part of the room where it rained the least. Truly his was a poor, hard life ; a life full of privations, yet he sa vs he felt happier in his little room, notwithstanding all hardships and miseries, than many others in their gilt palaces. "Super- abundo gaudio in omni tribulatione nostra" — I exceed- ingly abound with joy in all our tribulation. Baraga's church was comparatively large and could seat about four hundred persons. It was a very poor build- ing, built of logs and covered with bark. He had near by two small missions, which he often visited. In one of these places not only the roof, but the whole church was made of birch-bark, like the common Indian wigwam ; it was, in Indian parlance, a birch-bark prayer-wigwam. He found the Ottawa language at first very difficult, not having any books to aid him in the study of the lan- guage. His interpreter, hoAvever, was of great help to him, and with his assistance he worked at composing an Ottawa dictionary and grammar. He also intended to compose an Indian catechism with prayers and hymns, which Bishop Fenwick promised to have printed in Cincinnati. During the summer and fall of 1831 the number of conversions was so great that nearly all the people of that place were now either Christians or catechumens under instruction, and soon to be baptized. By the 4th of Jan- f ' i ''ft I US RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. iiary, 1832, that is, in less than six months, he had 131 converts, mostly adults. It was his intention to leave Arbre Croche as soon as most of the pagans were converted, and go north, where, as he was told, there were a great many pagans who had never heard or seen a missionary, Of course, there were sovne pagans at Arbre Croche and in the neighborhood who were hardened in paganism and sin. ^o missionary can convert all. Even our Lord, the great model of all tru(> missionaries, did not convert the hardened pharisees and scribes. Faith is a gift freely offered to all, but it is not forced upon anybody. Of the Apostle's ministry it is said : ''bredidc^runt quoti quot praeordinati erant ad vitam aeternam," "As many as were ordained to life everlasting believed." "I cannot thank the love of (iod enough," he savs. ^'that lie called me to a country where there are still so many pagans and so few preachers of the holy faith. There is but one priest in the neighborhood, who is abont fifty miles awiy from me, at Mackinac. The other mis- sionaries are 400 to 500 miles awav, and the further north one goes, the fewer missionaries does he find, and the more pagans. Oh, how glad I am and how thankful to God that I have left a country which has a superabundance of priests and have come here where I can count my fellow- priests, Avho are hundreds of miles away ! If some of my younger fellow-priests would know what happiness Indian missionaries experience, and how many occasions they find to work at the salvation of tlieir fellow-men, certainly some of them would resolve to brave all the hardships and dangers and come to this country in order to preach the word of life to the heathens, and make them Catholics, and thus bring them to eternal life. It is true, many hard- sh^'ps are connected with the missions in this country, but they are far outweighed by the consolations and spiritual joys which are enjoyed here." ;l :i! LABORS IN ABBRE GROOHE. 119 May these saintly words of Baraga find a responsive echo in the hearts of many p young, noble-hearted priest I "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few." There are about 300,000 Indians in the United States and Alaska. Of this number a great many are still pagans. The Jesuits, Benedictines, Franciscans and some secular priests are doing noble work among them ; still much remains to be done. Although Father Baraga had such great success, this did not elate him nor make him proud. lie was little in his own eyes. All our Indians praise his ^reat humility. We see this beautiful virtue shine forth in all his letters. They breathe humility, gratitude to God and his bene- factors, ardent zeal for the salvation of souls and great love and kindness towards the poor Indians. He was truly a man of God, a man of prayer, gifted with apostolic vir- tues ; hence God's blessings attended his work evervwhere. Speaking of his labors during the winter of 1 S3 1-1 83 'J, he says: "Indescribable is the goodness of our God, which reveals itself here so much, I am infinitely thank- ful that He has deigned to use a poor man as an instrument for manifesting to these poor heathens His merciful love and grace. Conversions continue steadily and those con- verted are very good Christians. They live in peace and brotherlv love and have an extraordinary fear of commit- They like very much to go to confession and keep oftener and oftener. Some days I have from twentv to thirtv confessions." "I await with great longing the near arrival of spring, for then I will again have more numerous conversions and baptisms. There are many pagan Indians in this neigh- borhood who promised me, last summer and autumn, when I went to seek them in their wigwams and forests and spoke to them about the Christian religion, that they ting sm. going IH Ml I \\ ! 1 i 120 BT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. would embrace it and be baptized next spring. Many of them are being instructed during this winter in the prin- ciples of our holy faith by such of their fellow Indians as are already converted, in order to receive Baptism immediately this spring." H m ill:: m M' ijirj; I ! ■ «jl ! -'I in ,! Ii CHAPTER XVIII. FATHER Baraga's visit to beaver island. In the early part of spring, 1832, a Christian Indian of another part of the country came to tell Baraga that he had conversed with many of his pagan countrymen about the Christian religion, and that they had assured hira that they, too, would become Christians as soon as a priest would come and instruct them. This made our good Indian so happy that he made a journey of three days to tell the Father the joyful news. He invited the mission- ary to visit that section during the coming spring and as- sured him that he could establish quite a mission there. F. Baraga praised his zeal for taking such an interest in the eternal welfare of his countrymen, gave him some pic- tures, and bade him return home and strive to keep his people in iheir good disposition. From two other Indian villages came the same joyful tidings. The good Father's expectations were not disappointed. Between Easter Sunday, April 22d, and June 24th, that is, in two months, he baptized one hundred and nine pagans, mostly adults. Several of these converts were venerable old men, who, at the brink of the grave, so to say, received the grace of spiritual birth in Jesus Christ and with it eternal life. He writes : "Since the conversion of the pagans was the only motive I had in leaving my dear fatherland and coming to this vild country, I feel great satisfaction and experience unspeakable spiritual delights at the great suc- cess the Lord of the harvest gives to my labors. I cannot sufficiently thank God for coming here, where so much good can be done. Even if I would have nothing else to fi 1 ■ ii 1 i 1 1 1 II i' I i It ! ■ / !■ v:^>.: *' ^1"'] 122 ET. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. do for the rest of my life than to keep and confirm in the faith the Indians thus far converted, I wonld be perfectly satisfied. I hope, however, that God will give me the grace to convert many more pagans to the true faith, and bring them through the saving teachings of Christianity to civilization." During the past winter F. Baraga had often made enquiries whether there were any other Indian villages near by. lie Avas informed that there was one a day's journey distant, another a day and a half, and a third a distance of three days. As soon as his Indian parishion- ers at Arbre Crocho had performed their Easter duty, he made a trip to Beaver Island, a beautiful island in Lake Michiffan. The island is of considerable size and named Beaver Island from the manv beavers that used to be found t.' there. There was a small Indian village on this island, consisting of eighteen wigwams. The principal source of support was fishing and making maple sugar. During the past winter one of these poor Indians had imbibed some knowledge of Christianity by conversing with some of his Christian countrvmen. He came after- Avards to Arbre Croche and was baptized. He proved to be a verv good Christian. When about to return to his island-home, F. Baraga requested him to tell his people that he, Baraga, would visit them the next spring and preach to them the word of God. So in due time the zeal- ous missionary embarked in a small sail-boat Avith some Christian Indians of Arbre Croche. We will give his own account of the journey : "My heart beat sensibly when we approached the island. I have a white flag with a red cross in the middle, w^hich I unfurl to the winds when going to a mission, so as to make the boat of the missionary recognizable. We had a favorable wind when sailing toward the island. Lovely floated in the wind the friendly banner of the cross and announced the coming of the minister of the Cruci- VISIT TO BEAVER ISLAND. 128 fied. As soon as the island-dwellers — who, as all savages, have remarkably sharp eyes — saw and recogTiized my ban- ner far in the distance, the head-chief caused his flag to be innnediately hoisted over his wigwam. My Indians of Arbre Croche immediately noticed the flag of the head- chief and interpreted this as a very good sign, which made me feel at ease. "Finally, when we approached Beaver Island,- I saw a number of these pagans hasten to the shore to bid us wel- come. The men fired a double salute with their guns to show how much they rejoiced at the coming of the mis- sionary. Scarcely had I stepped ashore, when all the men came and shook hands with me to bid me welcome. They then conducted me to their village, composed of poor birch- bark wigwams. I first enteied the wigwam of the head- chief, where a number of these poor savages assembled and could not satisfy their eyes gazing at the Black-robe, for they had never seen a priest before. ''When a person has any business to transact with the Indians of this countrv he must observe certain formali- ties. Hence I did not tell them immediately what I had to say to tliem, but conversed on other different subjects. At last I requested the head-chief to convene next day a i>Taud council." An Indian council is called in Chippewa : Sagasswaidi- win, a smoking together, because at such public delibera- tions every Indian smokes whilst listening to the speeches made by the tribal orator and other speakers. Women are excluded from such public assemblies. The Father continues : "I told him" — the head-chief of the island — ''that I would speak to the people about important matters. So next day they all assembled and I made them a speech, in which I briefly and clearly showed them the necessity and benefits of the Christian religion, and finally requested, the chief to answer. The latter did so through his orator, assuring me that they were very l! it : I L 124 RT. REV. FRE7)ERIC BARAQA. ^t : f-- !'Si; I i 1 much pleased and reckoned themselves happy at seeing a priest on their island and that they desired most earnestly to emhrace the (Christian faith. You can imagine what a heartfelt joy this answer caused to the missionary. I remained some time with them, instructed them, and the 11th of May was the happy day on which I baptized twenty-two of these Indians. "From there I went to another small village, which is two days' journey from Beaver Island, on the other side of Lake Michigan, in the territory of the Northwest. As I Lu> e remarked above, I had last wintcv an opportunity to send word to the Indians ot that village that I would visit them during spring. Hence when I arrived there they received me in the most friendly manner and rejoiced exceedingly at the coming of the missionary. The good feeling of these poor savages, who had romnined pagans so long solely because no preacher of the faith had ever before come to them, filled my heart with inexpressible sadness and joy. I was deeply xnoved and surprised when I saw that these good people, in whose hearts the antici- pating grace of vocation to the holy faith worked so mightily, had begun to build a little church, Indian- fashion, of logs and bark, even before I had come to them ! They had not thought that I would so soon fulfill my promise of coming and seeing them, and that was the reason why they had not as yet completed their church. When I saw them working so diligently at their church, I, ^oo, began to work, and my companions, nine in nu n- ber, encouraged by my example, aided in the good work, and we finished the church that very day. The next day I called them all together and, havmg first bkssed the church, I said Holy Mass in it and preached. I cannot describe with what deep emotion and gratitude towards Ood I performed the ceremonies of the church. The thought: In this wild place, in this primeval forest, where but lately only the cry of savages was haard and E VISIT TO BEAVEK ISLAND. 125 idolatrous sacrifices offered to the wicked spirits, now in this same place stands a temple of the living God, in which the immaculate Lamb of God is offered to the heavenly Father — this thought affected me so strongly that I wept tears of the deepest emotion and I could not find words with which to thank God. Happy are we that He needs not the expression of words ! He sees our hearts ! This little church is built but of logs and bark and is in want of all that can please the eye or express artistic taste ; yet it appears to me to be a more precious temple than so many churches in Europe, richly decorated with gold and works of art, and which are often desecrated by the lukewarm- ness and misbehavior of those that visit them. "I dedicated this little church to tlie honor of God under the name and patronage of His Virginal Mother Mary. When I made — in Europe — the resolution to con- secrate my life to the (Indian) mission, I promised our dear heavenly Mother that I would dedicate the first church, which I would bless amongst the Indians, to her protective I^ame, for I am convinced that she continually prays to her divine Son for the success of our mission. "I remained quite a long time with these good Indians, instructing them in the doctrines of religion, and said Mass every day. All the Indians of this place, large and small, old and young, embraced the Christian religion with one solitary exception, namely, an old man, to whom God seem? to have denied the grace of faith on account of his pridf. lie is unwilling to believe aiiybody except his own verv weak reason. He maintains stubbornly that he lived once before on earth, that this is his second life, and after ending this life he wants to go where his pagan forefathers are.'' This last remark is a common saying with pagan Indians. "The 25th of May wrs for these Indians the happy day, on which they were r^enerated by water and the Holy Ghost unto eternal life. I baptized on that day nine- I i 126 ItT. REV. FUEDERIC BAHAGA. f 11 ■i:'^ ^!^, ' il ■■! I' .III I I . I'l I I il teen pagans. Tlianks bo to ihe gocxl Shej)lKM*(l, who has so in(;r('ifiilly M these poor lost sheep to llis fohl. Thanks be also to ^lary the loving iM other of grace, who continu- ally })rays for the conversion of pagans. "After Baptism they brought to me all their idolatrous articles, which they had hitherto used in their pagan sacri- fices. I had a fire mad(^ and burnt all theise abominations of i)aganiHm as a holocaust to llim, the Almighty, the Eternal, to whom alone sacrifice is due and to whouL be praise and glory forever! Before leaving these g\x>d and happy people I distributed among them a great nuuiy religious pictures and promised to visit them from time to time in order to preserve and strengthen them in the faith, which promise consoled them very much.* "From there I returned to Beaver Island, where they also brought me all objects used in their idolatrous sacri- fices, which I likewise burnt. The newlv converted Indians determined to erect a snuiU chapel. At the present time they had constructed a kind of chapel of logs, birch- bark and units, in which I daily said Mass with grateful feelings and gave religious instructions three times every day. Six more pagans were converted and baptized. However, there are yet many pagans in this island who refuse to be converted. One dav a number of them came to my tent : some of them were quite naked with the excep- tion of a ])iece of mat tied around their waist ; this was all their idothing. One of them spoKC, and in a shrill, monoto- nous lone nuule a very foolish speech, in which he declared to me, in the name of all those who had come with him, that tliey did not want to embrace the Christian religion, but would live and die in the religion of their forefathers. I answered him mildly and forcibly, and I hope that in the course of time also these will be converted to the truth. "''^ then returned home. The Christians of Arbre *Thi? mission was located at Manistique, as is evident from F, Baraga's description, not ISln istee. VISIT TO BEAVER ISLAND. 127 Crocho were very much rejoiced when they heard that so many of their countrymen had now embraced the Christian religion. I did not remain long at home, but wont to the third village, spoken of before, about a day and a half journey distant, in the oi)posite direction. I went there, although I had heard that those Indians were outspoken enemies of the Christian religion. The reason is this: These Indians are incited to and kept in a hostile disposi- tion against religion through wicked fur-traders, who visit them often and bring them rum for their peltries. For these godless traders know very well that Indians, when they embrace Christianity, nmst give up entirely the use of intoxicating liquors, and especially drunkeness, a vice to which pagan Indians are much addicted. Xow in order to make a profitable irade with the Indians, they endeavor in every possible way to make them averse to Christianity and keep them in paganism. However, I went there and spoke to them of the Christian religion, but I found little hearing. Still God gave me the consolation of not having gone there entirely in vain. There were five pagans who took God's call to heart. They were instructed and brtp- tized on the 3d of June. I stayed some days longer with them and gave them additional instruction in religion and read Mass. After promising to visit them again in the near future, I returned to Arbre Crocho. "Here in Arbre Croehe the infinitely merciful God gives me unspeakable consolation. Almost every day, especially on feast days, Indians come to me asking for holy Baptism. On Pentecost Sunday I baptized five and on Pentecost Monday, fifteen. God be praised and tlianked for all !" , \- (i^ h i i; }{ Ji^ 11; 1:1 !( 1 'JJ! li 1l 9M t M 1 ' i',' I 1 ]■! LAST VISIT OF BISHOP FENWICK. 131 him. However, the angels and the Queen of the angels, towards whom he had all his lifetime cherished a very fer- vent and tender devotion, no doubt assisted him in his dying hour. And, although his mortal remains were buried without a priest being present to bless them, his beautiful soul was no doubt conducted by the angels before the face of our Lord, to whom he had devoted his whole life. 'No grand monument tells posterity that here rest the mortal remains of the Apostle of Ohio, but he erected to himself thousands of standing monuments in the hearts of all those whom he brought to the knowler^ge of God through his wonderful zeal and pious prayers. May he rest in peace and light eternal shine upon him !" He died at Wooster, Ohio. CHAPTER XX. CONTINUATION OF F. BAEAGA^S LABORS DURING THE YEAR 1832. HIS FIRST INDIAN PRAYER-BOOK PRINTED AT DETROIT. WHAT FATHER HyETSCHER, C. SS. R., AND OTHERS SAY OF HIM AND HIS WORK. ; 1 lii-f, .i;i, !.! After Bishop Fenwick's departure from Arbre Croche, F. Baraga visited his new missions, begiin in the spring. In one of them, called Manistique, he stayed five days, being all that time occupied in hearing confessions and giving instructions. He felt great consolation in finding his neophytes steadfast in their holy religion. He bap- tized there an Indian family of five persons. From Manistique he went to Beaver Island, where many Indians had prepared themselves for Baptism. He examined them and on Assumption Day baptized fifteen persons. Shortly afterwards he went to Detroit to get his Indian prayer-book printed. The prayer-book of F. Dejean was not in Ottawa, but in Algonquin, which language, though it strongly resembles the Ottawa, still has many words unintelligible to the Ottawas. Hence the necessitv of a prayer-book in their own language. This book is the "Anamiemasinaigan" of Baraga, which contains not only the prayers usually found in prayer-books, but also a great number of hymns for diiferent festivals of the year, in honor of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, Holy Eucharist, etc., which our Indians delight to sing. It contains, more- over, a complete catechism of the Christian doctrine. It is the best Indian prayer-book we have and is most highly prized by our Indians, both Ottawas, Chippewas, and Menominees. Bishop Fenwick had given F. Baraga two hundred and twelve dollars, which sufficed to pay for one LABORS DURING THE YEAR 1832 133 thousand copies. F. Baraga felt much rejoiced that he could give this so necessary and useful prayer-book to his dear Indians, many of whom could read. Before continuing our narrative of Baraga's labors in the extensive mission of Arbre Cro^^he, we will give the opinions of different parties as to the man and his labors. In a letter of Father Francis Xavier Hatscher, C. SS. R., to his Superior, Bev. Simon Sanderl, dated Detroit, the 17th of September, 1832, he writes thus of F. Baraga: '*Rev. Father Baraga has come here from Arbre Croche to get his Indian reading and prayer-book printed. He works with me like a brother and helps me very much, but he will be obliged to return soon to his dear Ottawas, amongst ivliom he ivorhs miracles of salvation. He is very poor and lives like a Trappist, hut with all that he prizes himself over-happy. 1 understand this well and desire to be made a partaker in the hardships and consolations of this noble man. Rev. Baraga wishes to take along my companion, Brother Alois, to Arbre Croche, in order that the latter may teach some of his Indians the locksmith and blacksmith trade. This will be a great benefit to the good Indians, in order that they w^ll not be obliged to come to the city (Detroit), which is several days' jour- ney distant, the visiting of which is injurious to their morality." Speaking of F. Baraga and his flourishing mission at Arbre Croche, Rt. Rev. Rese, first Bishop of Detroit, says : *'The mission of Arbre Croche is one of the most flourish- ing amongst the Indians, since it numbers over one thou- sand converts, who can be regarded as models of true piety." To the above we beg leave to add Father Bonduel's account of the religious, moral and temporal condition of the Arbre Croche Indians under F. Baraga's successor, Rev. Simon Sanderl, C. SS. R., in the early part of 1835. He says : 1 I 1 i ' i I > I I ^i I t 0< -M w 1 ■ T I > \ > IM ■'■■ II' 'i 134 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. (( . . It is but a few years ago uhat the beneficent voice of religion reached the Indians of Arbre Croche. But since the day that the word of God preached by Catho- lic missionaries penetrated their dense forests and the cross of Christ was planted on the shores of their littie bay, the progress of these people in morals, religion, and civilization has been wonderful. ... At j^resent there is no Indian tribe that can compare wirh 'hem in patience, meekness, nd spiritua? r: dfi-c noi Pu8 change is but the happy result of our hob^ icu;/. ts. The interesting account, which our lit. Rev. BisL'- p max' '^ known to the public in the Catholic Telegraph, of his Episcopal visit to Arbre Croche, I foimd entirely verified when I visited that Indian mission for the first time. They are the jewels of his diocese, the crown of his apostolic labors. "Some days after my arrival there, I preached to a large congregation morning and evening. ^N^othing can compare with the attention which they gave to my simple sermons. The pose of their bodies, the expression of their countenances, their outward propriety, and their venera- tion for the word of God — all gave testimony of the inward piety and religious feelings which were expressed in their outward conduct. The extraordinary and unbroken silence during the whole sermon filled me with respect for the congregation and with reverence towards Father Siin- derl, their pastor, who had led them so far on the narrow path of Christian perfection. The devotion of these good people penetrated my soul and tears filled my eyes whilst surrendering myself to the emotions it awakened in me." On page 45, Leopoldine Society Report for the year 1833, we find an Indian's comparative estimate of Catholic and Protestant missionaries. We give this queer piece of Indian philosophical observation in fidl. "Our forefathers had men with black-robes as leaders. They had neither wives nor children. They devoted them- selves entirely to prayer and to the service of the red men. !' '1' LABORS DURING THE YEAR 18;«. 136 When these men ate, thev were satiated, for thev had but one mouth to fill, and when one of them died, he did not iioed anything" more, for he had all he needed in heaven, ' d when v/e buried him we had only to pray for his spirit (•.juI), Now tliey give us men like ourselves as chiefs of p. aver. Tiiese men have women, and they love them, 'f ..ley have children, and ;hev love them. The women and children havy ^) any mouths and many backs. The chil- dren grow larger every day, and the poor man of prayer has great fear because he loves (wife and children). He fears that these mouths will not all be filled and these backs will not all be clothed. He fears very much tr. "■'% for then those he loves will suffer hunger, if we do nr ; \v. port them. As long as he lives he takes care of h ^^^ii- and children, and when he does this he savs to !ic " d- skin: ^1 do my duty;' and tl.-^ red-skin goes a- ay and +hinks what his father said that the Black-robe w; :^. man not like one of us and that he loved the red-skin vei v much because he had but the Great Spirit and his people to love. He had no wife and no child. He had but one mouth and one back, and when he died this mouth was shut and this back cold, and he feared not when the time came to die, and he looked only on the red-skin, whom he loved." Sound Indian philosophy ! CHAPTER XXL UABAOA's labors during 1833. visits little DETROIT, MANISTIQUE AND BEAVER T' ^.aND. BAPTIZES A GREAT MANY PAGANS DURING . ENTECOST WEEK AT ARBRE CROCHE. 111! ii: During the w'.iter of 1832-1833 F. Baraga'8 labors were eonliiied f tincipally to the Indiana of Arbre Croohe and two small v) llages not far distant. Host all the inhabi- tants of these th ee places were now Christians, full of fer- vent piety and morally well-behaved. During that . ame winter the zealous missionary was under the necessit> of making a journey of thirty or forty miles on snow-shoe^ to Mackinac and back. The entire distance both ways, taiv'ng into consideration the turnings and windings of the roaa or trail, would probably be not much less than ^ne hundred Liiles. The Indian snow-shoe is made of a wooden frame-work about forty-eight to sixty inches long and twelve inches broad or more, interlaced with buckskin strings. They are very useful for traveling in winter, when the snow is d(?ep and there are no beaten roads or trails. They are, however, pretty heavy, and to one not accustomed to walk with them it is a very difficult and painful task to travel a considerable distance. F. Baraga not being as yet accustomed to walk with snow- shoes, found it very hard to go with them all the way to Mackinac. The journey took him two days. Often he sank down in the snow quite exhausted. The return trip was still more painful. Many a time he thought he would be unable to go further. His kind Indian guides had great pity for their poor Father and would wait for him when- \iy LABORS DURINO 1838. 137 ever he would bo obliged to stop and rest. Many such jour- neys did he make later on, as we shall see hereafter. His first mission-trip in the spring of lHl^,] was to an island in l.ake Michigan, called Little Detroit. The inhabitants had never seen the face of a priest, but they had heard from some Christian Indians who had visited their island about the Black-robe and his religion, and expressed a desire to see and hear him. As soon as F. Baraga heard of it he embarked on the journey. The wind was unfavorable and the weather very disagreeable. Besides, the boat was unsafe and they were in constant danger of being engulfed by the waves. Bariiga, however, was calm and fearless. lie knew that the good Shepherd was leading him to some of His sheep, whom he was to bring to the fold. Finally, after a thou- sand miseries and dangers, he landed at the island. The poor Indians were very much pleased to see a priest at their village. He remained with them eight days and instructed them thoroughly, as he noticed their good dis- position towards Christianity. The 14th of May was a happy day for both Indians and priest. On that day twentv-two of them were made children of God bv the holy Sacrament of Baptism. The others were not opposed to religion. They gave him hopes that they, too, would become Christians upon his next visit to their island. Pie promised to see them again in the course of the summer, and they agreed to build in the meanwhile a log chapel at a place designated by him. On the home journey the party were in great want of provisions. It is true the good people of Little Detroit had given them some potatoes and fish; these were soon consumed and thev were without anvthing to eat. But divine Providence did not forget them. Sailing by a rocky islet, they saw a great number of sea-birds, gulls, fly up. They concluded that they must have their nests on the islet. Thev therefore landed and found one If I 'I', W ill! I f i pi 138 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. 11! r. n :i^' 'tI: )■ I ' i-\vi hundred and tliirty eggs as large aa goose eggs and of an excellent taste. Having made a hearty meal of these eggs ■with many thanks to (icxl, they continued their voyage. On til is journey he also visited Manistique, where, to his great joy, F. Haraga found all his converts true to their holy faith. They had made great progress in their knowl- edge of religion, thanks to the untiring zeal of a well- instructed ( 'hristian from Arhre Cro<'he, who had wintered with them. They were likewise busy building a new and bestter church than the one hastily erected the previous year, and were in hopes of finishing it daring that sum- mer. As all had been baptized at his visit except one old headstrung pagan, F. I^aragu had only two children to baptize. lie says he cannot sufficiently praise these good Indians, especially on acccmnt of their extraordinary love of -prayer. They faithfully said long prayers every morn- ing and evening. They likewise said the Holy Rosary everv dav very devoutlv ; some of them did so even twice ■ t' 9.' t - or ihroi} times. Whatever time they could spare from their work they devoted to reading their Indian prayer- books, praying, singing spiritual hymns, and learning the catechism. ]\Io8t of them knew how to read ; the rest were trving hard to learn. When reading this account, penned by F. Ba-aga him- self, who does not think of the words of Jesns: '1 con- fess to Thee, Father of heaven and earth, that Thou hast concealed these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to the little ones." We see a number of poor, ignorant Indians embrace the religion of One who w^as poor and despised like themselves, whereas millions of whites, puffed up with pride and learning, are left in heresy and infidelity to perish in their sins. From Manistique F. Baraga sailed to Beaver Island, ■where the number of Christians was greater than either in Little Detroit or Manistique; still the majority of the [-AHORR DURINCl 1K«. 139 iiiliiil)ita!its woro yet j)HgHns aiid hitter onoiiiios of the Cliristiaii r('ligimplained to them that, notwithstandini!: all his kindness to them, they were so unfriendly to him and his children and would not allow a house of prayer to be erected on their island to th Great Spirit. Finally they relented a little. Meeting, before his tent, their sj)okesman said that they wore no longer opposed to the building of a church, but it should not be put Tip in their village, but far away in the woods. They then showed him the spot Avhere he might build his church. F. Baraga thanked God for this concession and felt glad that they (!ould now worship God far away from those stubborn, hard-hearted pagans. He remained a few days on the island and ba])tized three pagans. On the 24th of ^lay he returned to Arbre Croclie^ where great labors, but also great consolations, were in store for him. He had a very great number of confessions to hear for Pentecor Sundav. That dav, as he savs, w^as the hap])iest of his life, for he then baptized in his church at Arbre Crocb*^ thirty-eight pagatis, all of them adults except six small children. The heart of the saintly missionary overflowed with joy and gratitude to God, who had deigned to shower down such abundant blessings on his labors. The next day he baptized six adults ; on the 1st of June three, and on the 3d tAvo more. Besides, U' .il I'''. lili I' Mi: m ¥ > II i i "■^i'.j4i.a^.wJMi mmmm fK% VVvt::. 140 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. 1 -r' ! 1 ■;l ^'i twelve more were to be baptized that week ; in all sixty-one persons, almost all adults. "Thanks be to God forever for all this," he exclaims ; ^'I feel unspeakably happy that the most holy Providence has placed me in the happy situation of an Indian mis- sionary and I thank Him for it from the bottom of my heart. Would to God that I could fulfill truly, worthily and zealouslv the duties of the holv ministry which He has •entrus+cd to me ! God grant that I may gain very many souls and bring back many lost sheep to the fold ! I thank the Reverend Directors of the Leopoldine Society and my former Rt. Rev. Bishoo, who have so kindly received my petition for permission to go to the (Indian) mission and who have aided its execution. I also thank all benefactors of the I^eopoldine Society for all the gifts in money and other pseful articles received from them. All th?se presents are very useful to my churches and my neophytes. Many of them, such as church ornaments, holy pictures, and rosaries cannot be obtained here even for money. The Indian converts are so much attached to and entertain such a veneration for these objects of devotion that they all ask for them, and if anyone loses his rosary or little cross, he comes immediately to the missionary to get another ; hence I need an enormous number of them." On the r»th of June F. Baraga baptized fifteen pagans, mostly adults, at Old Arbre Croche, a village about tweiitv-one miles distant from Xew Arbre Croche, after- wards called Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs. It was at Xew Arbre Croche where the parish chu 'ch of the w^hole mission was built. Many a time befrre had F. Barnga visited Old Arbre Croche* and baptized there, but never so manv at a time. *It was at Old Arbre Croche. as we learn from the author of the ^'History of the Ottawas and Chippewas in Michigan," that Father Vincent Badin had Mass in a small, rude chapel erected by the Indians in 1825. It was also there that Father du Jaunay laboredamong the Ottawas in the middle of the last century. CHAPTER XXII. F. BARAGA S FIKST VISIT TO GRAND RIVER ; HE BAPTIZES RESUME OF HIS HE LEAVES ARBRE CROCHE AND IS SUC" many; returns to arbre croche. MISSIONS. CEEDED there by REV. F. SANDERL, C. SS. R, kit jas he F. lut Ihe \ev bhe When Bishop Fenwick installed F. Baraga as pastor of Arbre Croche in 1831, he told him to do his best to seek out and convert all the Ottawas to the true faith. Having learned that there were many of them at Grand Kiver, he most earnestly urged F. Baraga to visit and try to convert thorn. However, during the first two years the zealous missionary was too much occupied with the conversion of the Indians in and near Arbre Croche to think of going to Grand River. Xow the time of visitation, the time of grace was come for these poor Indians who had been living so long ''in the region and shadow of death." During the winter of 1832-1833 Baraga founded a forerunner, a John the Baptist, in the person of a pious and well-instructed Indian of Arbre Crochre, who intended to winter at G.and River. The good Father commis- sioned this pious man to visit from time to time the various scattered villages of his countrymen at the above- named river, to speak to them about the Christian religion and tell them about the Black-robe, who was living with their countrymen at Arbre Croche and assure them that he would visit them without fail the next summer. This new John the Baptist, as F. Baraga styles him, fulfilled his commission most faithfully and effectually prepared the wav for the zealous missionarv. So well did our Indian labor that many of his country men at Grand River prom- ised to embrace the religion of which he spoke so highly, » Wf«MH»«jii*Aii»"'w'*K'.t*i(r*y*? 142 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. •I ' I I ' ass ^oon as they would have the happiness of seeing and hearing the anibassador of the Great Spirit. ^ With great longing did F. Baraga await the return of his Indian precursor. At length he arrived. Grasp- ing the hand of his dear Father he said, smiling: "Happy news, my Father, happy news !" Then he told him all he had done in the cause of religion and how bright the prospects were at Grand River, if there were but a mis- sionary there, for whom many of the people longed most eagerly. The nearest mission to it was that of St. Joseph amongst the Po.tawatamies, which was about 160 miles distant. Fathers Francis Vincent Badin and Deseilles labored there at the time. F. Baraga immediately made preparations for the long iournev to Grand Kiver, Avhicli was some 200 miles from Arbre Croche and where there were about 900 Indians, all pagans, excepting a few Protestants. He left Arbre Croche on the 7th of June (1833) and after incredible hardships and fatigue, arrived at Grand River on the 15th of the month. He was the first Catholic priest that set his foot on Grand River soil, the first to offer up there the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. At that time the above-named river formed the bound- ary between the imceded Ottawa country and that belong- ing to Michigan. The country north of said river belong- ed as vet to the Ottawas, the country south of it belonged to Michigan. The largest Indian village was located a day's journey up the river and it was there F. Baraga established the seat of his new mission. He described the surrounding; countrv as wonderfullv beautiful. Op ^osite the village, on the other side of the river, a rich Frei.ch-Canadian family had settled. This family was very numerous, as is frequently the case with Catiadian French, who in this respect are very different from their "cousins" across the broad Atlantic. They were also good, practical Catholics and w^ere exceedingly giad at the ■ yf :'Hi )ed W. ich [vas lian leir pd, the LEAVES AKBRE CROCHE. 143 arrival of the pious piissionary in that country, for they had- not seen a priest for a long time. F. Baraga had to stop with this good family, the members of which over- whelmed him with kind attention:^. They converted their new house, but lately erected, into a temporary church, in which the missionary daily said holy Mass with great fervor and grateful emotion. Here, likewise, did he preach mornings and evenings to great numbers of Indians, who came over from the otiier side of the river to hear the Black-robe, the first one many of them had ever seen, preach in their dear native tongue the truths of Christianit}'. He remained there twenty-three days, busily employed in the holy work of the mission. On the day before he left he baptized with all possible solemnity forty-si;s: pagans. "I baptized," he writes, "on this day forty-six 2)agans at one time, the first fruits of this new flourishing mission, in which, as I hope, with God's saving grace, many souls will be rescued from perdition and brought to eternal sal- vation. O what an unspeakable consoling prospect for me, who have come only for this into the wild country to seek for lost sheep and to rescue them, with God's help, from eternal ruin !" In addition to the forty-six Indians baptized at the principal village of Grand River, he baptized many others in other smaller hamlets. In one of these he bap- tized six, in another twenty-one, and in a third thirteen; in all, eighty-six. Truly, God was with this saintly mis- sionarv. F. Baraga's wonderful success at Grand River deter- mined Bishop Rese, the first Bishop of Detroit, Mich., to establish there a permanent mission or congregation, con- sisting partly of Indian converts and partly of French- Canadians, many of whom lived there and needetl a priest very much. A minister had preceded Baraga in that place ; but, although he had been there nine years and had had abund- ■liil.. I ^';! Mji •I'M .1 !i! !!! :'.i!: '^::i|! V It ^ giii 'I if H' :1 n !| I; 144 BT. REV. FREDERIC BABAGA. ) I ■i!ll;|l !'; u i; i: ant pecuniary assistance, he had converted in all that length of time but ten Indians. The same is also notice- able elsewhere. To have the necessary means for building a cheap church and parsonage, F. Baraga wrote for help to the Leopoldine Society, which was granted, as we shall see hereafter. It was intended at that time — July 26th, 1833 — to get two Itedemptor'st Fathers to make an establishment of their congregation in Arbre Croche, in which case Father Baraga was to remove to Grand River; and certainly religious orders are best adapted for missionary work. The Superiors can select thu men best suited for the work. Should one become sick or be removed, his place can be supplied by some other member of the community. More- over, they have more means at their disposal than indi- vidual priests. If the latter becomes sick or otherwise incapacitated, his Indian mission may be left without a priest for years, perhaps even entirely abandoned. Wit- ness the poor Winnebagoes of Wisconsin, many of whom were formerly baptized by Father Van dv^n Broeck and others, and who are now left in their paganism. After his return to Arbre Croche, F. Baraga received from the Leopoldine Society a box full of religious articles and 1,100 florins, a present of some kind benefactors of the diocese of Laibach, Austria. These things and this monev were to be used for the new mission of Grand River. With a heart overflowing with gratitude, he prom- ised not only to remember his benefactors at every holy Mass, but also to offer up the Holy Sacrifice for them from time to time. With tl'is end his labors in Arbre Croche. Within two years anl ■-''v 7^ionths he had baptized four hundred and sixty-one Indiij , b(.-"des eighty-six at Grand River; in all, five hundred j^^d forty-seven. After ]>-h 'C"ur 1 fi >iii Grand Mver, he made a last and short visit • ,il- -li rlVjont missions before leaving for good. LEAVES ARBRE CROCHE. 145 Towards tbe end of July be visited an Indian village not far from Arbro Croelie. Tbe inhabitants were all now Cbristians. They bad bnilt a neat little cbnrch, which F. Baraga blessed on tbe iirst of August, dedicating it to St. Ignatius of Loyola. Then be visited Manistique, where be found everything in the best of order, the Indians all fervent in prayer and of good morals. Shortly before, a young Indian woman bad come to said village with the resolution to leave her pagan parents and her home to live in Manistique for tbe rest of her days and become a Chris- tian. From there Baraga went to Little Detroit, where the Indians bad built a chapel of birch bark, which he blessed in honor of St. Vincent do Paul, lie baptized there on the 12th of August three Indian women. Before leaving he gave to the islanders a letter to the pri&st at Green Bay, asking him to take charge hereafter of this small island, as it was nearer to Green Bay than to Arbre Croche. He also landed at Beaver Island, but found most of tbe Indians gone to Canada to get their usual gifts from the Canadian government. Tbe church could not be finished on account of the hatred of the pagans against Christianity. F. Baraga advised the Christian Indians to leave the island and settle at Arbre Croche. Finally he returned to the last-named place, where he found his successor. Rev. F. Siinderl, Superior of the lledemptorists in tbe United States, with three lay brothers of the same congregation. F. Baraga gives the following list of his missions : 1. ISTew Arbre Croche, the church of Avhich was dedi- cated by Father Dejean to St. Peter. 2. Old Arbre Croche. 3. ^fission of St. Mary, with a church dedicated by F. Dejean. 4. Mission of St. Paul, also a church dedicated by tbe above Father. 5. Mission of St. Ignatius, founded by F. Barag ., i m r! i : ii]!.. m lii: nil- I m III m n V'. 1 m mi ?f '1: 146 BT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. m. ■■■;■ ft':;' 1' 1'^. -1,: .; ■■■■■,■■ \ G. 7.a Grande Traverse, with nineteen Christians. 7. Beaver IsLand, with fifty-five Christians. 8. Manistique, with thirtj-three Christians. 9. Little Detroit, with twenty-six Christians. Speaking of the happy conditions of his people at Arbrc Croche in those primitive days, A. J. Blackbird (Mackadebenessy), son of Mackadebenessy, says in his work, entitled, "History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan," p. 40-50 : "The Indians were very strict in their religion at this time. They did not allow any drunkenness in their vil- lage, nor allow anyone to bring intoxicating liquors within the Harbor (formerly Xew Arbre Croche). If any per- son, white or Indian, brought any liquor into the Harbor, by the barrel or in small quantities, and it came to the knowledge of the old chief, AA'pawkosigan, who was the war-chief, but was acting as principal chief at Little Traverse, he would call out his men to go and search for the liquor, and if foi:nd he ould order his men to spill the whisky on the ground by knocking in the head of the barrel with an axe, telling them not to bring any more whisky into the Harbor, or wherever the Ottawas were, along the coast of Arbre Croche. This was the end of it, there being no law-suit for the whisky. "They used to observe many holidays, particularly Christmas, Xew Year, and Corpus Christi. At New Year's eve every one of the Indians used to go around visiting the principal men of the tribe, shooting their guns close to their doors, after screaming three times, "Happy New Year !" then bang, bang, altogether, blowing their tin horns, beating their drums, etc. Early on New Year's morning they would go around among their neighbors expressly to shake hands one with another, with the word of salutation, "Bozhoo," children and all. This practice was kept up for a long time, or until the white people came and intermingled with the tribes. LEAVES ABBRE CROOHE. 147 "I thought my people were very happy in those days, when they were all by themselves and possessed a v/ide- spread of land, and no one to quarrel with them as to where they should make their gardens, or take timber, or make sugar. Fish of all kinds were so plentiful in the har- bor that a hook anywhere in the bay, and at any time of the year, would catch Mackinaw trout, and if a net were set in the harbor in shallow water, in the moniing it would be loaded with fish of all kinds. Truly it was a beautiful loca- tion for the mission. Every big council of the Indians was convened in the village of Little Traverse. "I will mention one or two more things which it might be interesting to my readers to know. Up to 1835, and some time afterwards, there was a very large double cedar tree, which appeared to have been stuck together while growing, but which in reality were two separate trees of the same size and height, growing close together, standing very near the edge of the water, and leaning ^lUward almost like a staircase projecting far into ih'^ bay. Under the roots of these trees issued a perpetual spring of water, which is now called McCarlow's Spring, near the present depot. In the fall of 1835 I was clear at the top of those trees, with my little playmates, watching our people as they were about going off in a long bark canoe, and \v'e understood they were going to Washington to see the Great Father, the President of the United States, to tell him to have mercy on the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in Michigan, not to take all the land away from them. I saw some of our old Indian women weeping as they watched our principal men going off in the canoe^ * * * After they all got in the canoe, just as they were going to start, they all took off their hats, crossed them- selves and repeated the Lord's prayer. At the end of the prayer they crossed themselves again, and then away they went towards Harbor Point. We watched tho^ until they disappeared in rounding the point. J) :i :l 'll' a i! t ClIAriER XXIII. LABOK8 AND IIARDSIIII'S OF F. BAKAGA AT GRAND EIVER. "■I V ft .' I .,■ !'' ■! I- . : i ! 1 i Father Baraga left Arbre Croche on or about the 8th of September, 1833. After a long and painful journey, he arrived at the mouth of Grand River on the 21 .t of the month, and here he rested a day. Finallyj on the 23d, lie reached his new mission, St. Mary, on Grand River. The first thing he did was to convoke the Indians to a council. When all were assembled, be informed them that he had come, not to pay them a mere passing 7isit, but to remain with them for good, in order to instruct them . '^ : heir children in the holy faith and in all that is good and usefr' The Catholics among them were exceedingly well pleased at this joyful news. The pagans were quite unconcerned. The few Protestants, however, were bitterly opposed to the project :>f a Catholic mission in the village. This was due to their ?ninister, who excited them against the Catholic missionarv. After some talking had been done for and against the intended mission, F. Baraga harangued the assembled mul- titude, showing them the many advantages of the mission for all parties. The spokesman of the dissenting Indians did not know what to answer. Finally he declared that he was altogether opposed to the founding of a Catholic mis- sion at the village. He was, however, unable to assign any valid reason for his opposition. This displeased his coun- trymen, for they saw that it was nothing but bigotry that actuated him. Finally he proposed to F. Baraga to estab- lish his mission further up the river, where, he said, there were other Indian villages. Thereupon F. Baraga told LABORS AT GRAND Rr'ER. 149 t him plainly that he had no right whatever to prevent the establishment of a Catholic mission in their village, as there were already there - great many Catholics, and that the latter had as good a right to have their priest build a church, school, and house in the village as his co-religion- ists had to allow their preacher to do the same. This silenced his opponent and tlie debate endc':|' ■', Ci get, but it was not enough, and so the last day they had nothing at all to eat. Work was begun on the 14th of October, but as there were only two men, the work progressed slowly. He finally secured another man to help, b^'t complains of the high wages and dear materials. Jlit ' celling for some time was wretched. He says it resembled more an open milk-houso than a human habitation. By December 1st ho had one hundred converts, and many others promised to become Christians. The number of his scholars had increased to thirty-eight. However, he felt continually uneasv as to the fate of this new mis- sion, partly on account of the great outlays connected with it, p.itl} ^ also, on account of the great prevalence of dnmk- enness amongst the Indians. One old man, the oldest head-chief of the village, was formerly a terrible drunkard. He had been the greatest brave of his band and many a scalp had he taken in his time. AVhen intoxicated he would imagine himself on the warpath, and in his drunken frenzy he was a terror to his wife and children, who were often in danger of their lives. He was converted and baptized and gave up liquor alto- gether. N^ot another drop passed over his lips. The pagan wolf became a meek Christian lamb. He used to come to church covered with a poor blanket, and, taking his rosary, which he always wore around his neck, in his hands, would kneel down in a corner of the church and pray most devoutly. He spent his time in working and praying and exhorting his pagan countrymen to embrace the Christian religion. We see here the soul-renovating and civilizing effects of religion. Futile are all government attempts to civilize the Indian without religion. He will take the money and rations given him, feast as long as provisions last, and then return to pagan starvation and misery. The Catholic Church alone can truly Christianize and civilize the itm LABORS AT GRAND RIVER. 151 Indian. Lk at Paraguay iindor the .h;8uits and Cali- fornia nndcr tlio Franciscans. Speaking of liis new mission, he writes to tlic Lcopol- dine Scx?iefy as follows: ''O how nmeh do T wish to soon have a lieeoniing ehureh and a eonuiKxlions, ])ro[)erly-fitted up school ! The found- ing of a new mission in such a wild and distant cxmntry costs much, very much indeed. But, considered in the light of faith, all these expenses are nothing when compared to the gi'eat good that is therehy realized. How many souls arc saved from eternal ruin through the creation of a new mission, who otherwise would have perished eternally ! And is not the salvation of a single immortal soul worth more thau all the things of this world ';• Would not J(>svis Christ he ready to be crucified anew to save even one single soul, if it could not be saved otherwise (J () that the want of temporal support might never hinder my progress in the conversion of the pofvr Indians ! I begin to fear this when I reflect on the great outlavs whicli are absolutely neces- sary in the establishing of my new missions. In this, my anxiety and fear, I appear before you, my dear benefactx)rs in my dear fatherland, as intercessor in behalf of my poor Indians so deserving of pity. I stretch out my arms im- ploringly to you and beg you to have compassion on your unhappy brethren in this part of the world, who are walk- ing in the ways of blind paganism towards perdition. You have the great happiness of being Christians, of knowing God, and of being on the way that leads to life. Procure, as far as it is in your power, this same inestimable blessing for your poor brethren in this country." Besides the uneasiness arising from pecuniary embar- rassments, T. I^araga felt keenly the painful situation of being obliged to live in the midst of pagan wickedness, drunkenness, and superstition. There is something p^^cu- liar about such pagan places. Everything is repulsive to Christian feelings. On all sides pagan objects meet the ►'I lii IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) / ^ s^ (./ /- r/u & ^ 1.0 I.I I^|2j8 |25 |50 ■^" lii^H ^ Kiii |22 L25 i 1.4 im V] 'ci^l c^l ^> ^;j ^4 '/ HiotogToDhic Sciences Corporation ^^ \ 4^ M V 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ''%'■ -A-:-.> -r'* ;V ^ 152 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. i cjo; tlio oar is ofTcndcHl bv the sound of pngan dnniis and rcvclrj. 'I'lio very air scvnis infected with pagan diabol- ism. The missionary feels again and again the truth of the Pslamist's Avords: "Oii antem gentium daemonia," "tho gods of the gentiles are the devils." lie feels that pagan worship is truly devil-worship. Everything in such a pagan village jars on his Christian feelings. He seems to feel the demoniacal influence pervading the place. He feels a strange, invisible power fighting him, resisting him, repelling him at every step. He has entered the devil's domains and whole armies of wicked spirits seem to be working against him. The writer owns he always felt this strange sensation whenever ho went to such a pagan vil- lage or entered a thoroughly pagan house. The very atmosphere breathed paganism. With a feeling of relief he would leave such places, to which he would never go did not duty impel him. Perhaps other missionaries may not have been so impressed ; but most likely his experience is also theirs. '0 h ,m-:-' 1 ik ill CHAPTER XXIV. DESCRIPTION OF INDIAN DRUNKENNESS AT GRAND RIVER; F. BARAGA\s LIFE ENDANGERED. INDIAN COUNCIL. F. BARAGA DEDICATES HIS NEW CHURCH. We will lot F. Baraga describe the state of things at Grand River. He says : "Indians arc, as a rule, very much addicted to drunken- ness. However, they have not always an oppoi-tunity of indulging in this vice because they cannot everywhere find intoxicating liquor. But here at Grand River there are so many fur-traders, who follow the Indians whither- soever they go and give them liquor in order to get their furs, that the Indians of this neighborhood and even in this place are almost continually drunk. I have spoken about this matter with several of these traders, who sell their own souls and the souls of the poor Indians to the hellish enemy. But I receive nothing but insults and threats in answer. They hearken to my words even less than the rudest and wildest Indian. To revenge themselves on me, they bring much more liquor to the Indians and advise them strongly not to listen or believe me and also slander me as much as possible. "Under such circumstances it is evidently hard to hold mission and convert these pagans. However, 'against God there is no counsel.' Xotwithstanding all this opposition, many are converted to our holy faith and through Baptism received into our holv church. "It is a terrible sight to see an Indian in the state of drunkenness, especially the women. They are then real furies. Many Indian women here have tio nose. When I came here the first time I did not know how to account It' i 164 RT. REV. FREDERIC BABAGA. . ti H^iili^is^l' :ni 11 for this. I made inquiries and learnt that Indian women, when dnink, attack one another like raging wolves and bite off on(; another's noses. Others, again, have lost one or more fingers in these bacchanalian fights. The men attack each other with their large knives, which they always carry. Often do we hear of murders perpetrated in drunk- enness. ^'My life is here in danger. At night I am obliged to carefully and securely lock my door in order to preserve mvsclf from the visits of these monsters. *^A few days ago there were many dnmken Indians in our village. A fur-trader had brought them such a quan- tity of whisky that they kept on drinking four days and nights without stopping. Our Christian Indians felt very bad at this and were in danger. One of my best Christians came near losing his life during those unhappy days. One of these drunken wretches came to this man's house and spoke terribly against religion. Finally he tried to stab him with his knife. It Avas only with the greatest diffi- culty that the Christian Indian averted this calamity. ''During these same unhappy days I myself had a nightly visit from dnmken Indians. Whilst they were yet a gi*e.it distance from my house their terrible shouts aroused me from sleep. When they came to my door they tried to enter, shouting terribly at the same time. I could not understand a word they said. I remained quiet trust- ing in divine Providence. When they saw tliat they could not get in, they wejxt away how^ling. Whenever I notice that there are drunken Indians in the village I lock my door immediately when evening arrives. "In Arbre Croche I did not have to undergo such troubles and dangers, for the Indians there are for the most part converted and the few remaining pagans can do no harm. Nevertheless, I have never repented of having come here, as Arbre Croche is far better provided for under the care of my successor, the enlightened and zealous h I DEDICATES HIS NEW CHURCH. 155 Father Siinderl, than it was when under my charge. Besides, I have the consolation of seeing that many here who heretofore had no knowledge of Christianity, through God's grace and help have been converted to the Christian religion and now live like exemplary Christians." In the January number of the American Catholic Review is a most interesting article from the pen of Hon. Eichard K. Elliott, of Detroit, :Mich., entitled: ^Fred- erick Baraga among the Ottawas." The gifted writer gives a detailed account of the nocturnal attack made by a crowd of drunken pagan Ottawas on F. Baraga's house at Grand River Mission. The facts, as recorded, are taken from a manuscript account of Rov. Walter Elliott, the cel- ebrated Paulist Missionary, brother of the above-named writer, and were communicated to him by Very Rev. Edward Jacker, who, no doubt, received them from a per- fectly reliable source. Hon. Richard R. Elliott writes : "There were at the time a number of Ottawa villages in the Grand River Valley. At the chief canton a Baptist missionary had been established for some years, but he had secured only a small number of followers. Here was the seat of the United States Indian agency for southern Mich- igan; Indian traders and their white followers were numerous, Avith the result that the Ottawas in these can- tons, who were nearly all unbelievers, had become very demoralized. Raw Ohio whisky could be had for twenty- five cents per gallon. "Debauchery had taken a strong hold to the great pecu- niary advantage of the Indian traders. But Father Baraga built his cabin where the city of Grand Rp.pids now stands, and he began to preach in the Ottawa diiilect. This enraged the Baptist missionary's followers, who found active allies among the traders. They instigated a drunken crowd one night to attack Father Baraga's cabin. He had been timely warned of their coming and had strongly barred the doors and windows. Fortunately, they !!ll I J fT- SUim mmmmsBBB I ; ) 156 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. l!fi !hp IH- i,; rM!' i i i i . li were too dnink to effect an entrance. Had they succeeded ho would have been raiirddred. For hours this drunken mob besieged his cabin. Their yells were frightful. He expected every moment to sec the bark roof ablaze and con- templated his death by fire. Word, however, was sent to the acting United States marshal, of the riot, and he came and dispersed the rioters. "All during this infernal uproar Father Baraga remained on his knees in prayer. Convinced of the evil brought upon his people by the abuse of liquor, he came to the ox)nclusion to offer himself as an example. There in that cabin, but unawed by his assailants, he solemnly vowed to abstain from intoxicating drink during the whole course of his life. He kept that pledge faithfully to the last. But many a time, when overcome with exhaustion, when his stomach was nauseated by unpalatable food, when shivering in his wet clothing, or partly frozen during Lake Superior winters, he sadly needed a glass of wine or brandy to revive both body and mind, he may have been tempted, but the night scene in his cabin on the Grand River would recur to his mind and he offered his j)rivation to his Redeemer whenever experienced." Baraga's combination church, school and house was 50x30 feet and 12 feet high, a wooden stiiicture, most probably of liewTi logs. He estimates the cost at a little over $800. During sugar-making time the Indians were in their sugar-camps, but on Sundays they used to come to the village to assist at Holy Mass. A day's journey from the mission there were many Arbre Croche Indians, who were accustomed to winter there to hunt and trap and make maple-sugar. The good Father complains of the rapacity of the fur-traders, who cheated the Indians and demoralized them by bringing whisky. On the 26th of Febniary some Indians from Arbre Croche came to the mission and asked F. Baraga to make them a missionary visit. After a long and painful DEDICATES HIS NEW CHURCH. 167 jouniey through trackless forests and s>yainps, over bridge- less brooks and rivers, he arrived at their camping ground. They received their dear Father with every mark of sin- cere joy and attachment. They had twelve sugar-camps. Sometimes two or three families live in such an encamp- ment, working together harmoniously. Although they had intended to stay there but a few months, they had erected a temporary church, in which they would meet twice on Sundays and at other times to oifer up their prayers in common. F. Baraga remained with his fervent neophytes three days and said Holy Mass with feelings of gratitude to God. All of them went to confession and many of them also received then their Easter holy communion. They had been preparing themselves for the reception of the Blessed Sacrament and so they received it with due appre- ciation of its greatness and holiness. They would come to him one after another and say, in child-like simplicity: "Father, examine me; perhaps you will find me fit to receive holy communion." On this trip ho baptized three adult Indians. From there he went almost a day's journey farther, to some Indian wigwams. The name of the place w^as Mash- kigong (Muskegon swamp). The preceding summer, on his waj'' to Grand River, he had baptized there twenty-one Indians. Now there were over thirty converts. They promised to build a chapel and he designated the place for it, a beautiful eminence overlooking the river and Lake Mashkigong. They intended to build it pretty large, as almost all the pagans of the settlement were determined to embrace Christianity. On the 20th of April, 1834, the third Sunday after Easter, F. Baraga had the consolption of blessing his new church. He describes the joyful solemnity as follows: "The serenity of the firmament accorded beautifully with the joyful celebration. When the usual hour for divine service had arrived we walked with solemn ii I'll 1 1 •■",' iii' \V 158 KT. REV. FKEDEKIC BARAGA. ' I ■ .1 i!!i M but liapjn- feelings In procession to the church. An Indian carried tJie j)eaceful banner of the cross ahead of us and planted it in front of the churcli. Quite a number of pagan Indians and Americans, of whom the greater part do not profess any religion, followed the procession in order to view the dedication ceremonies — a thing never before witnessed here. "The gifts in pictures and church articles, which my pious benefactors had sent me from Europe, did me good service at this solemnity. They are still of gi'cat use to me for adorning the altar and church and for performing divine service with due solemnity." The church was dedi- cated to the Blessed Virgin. Since his last report to the Leopoldine Society, dated March 7th, 1804, up to the 24th of May, F. Baraga bap- tized twenty-six Indians. One great reason why converts were less numerous at Grand Kiver than elsewhere was because many of them lived so far away in the woods — several days' journey apart — which made it very difficult for the zealous missionary to visit them. The number of his Indian scholars was thirty-three, all of whom he him- self had baptized. Besides these he had many French and English-speaking pupils. On the 13th of June he went to Mashkigong, where he was eagerly expected, and wdiere there were still many pagans. They worked industriously at their new church, which was dedicated to St. Joseph. While awaiting the completion of the church he said Mass every day in the house of an Indian, and baptized ten Indians, mostly adults. Baraga describes an Indian council that took place at Grand Kiver in the summer of 1834. Keports were freely circulating that the Ottavras were to be transported to some western country, a thing they dreaded very much. They were entirely opposed to ceding their lands to the United States government. The public press declared, it is true, DEDICATES HIS NEW CHURCH. 159 that the jvovoniiiuMit would not take the Iiuliaii country by force, but would buy it. I'hese <;ove run lent transactions have always appeared to the writer as the veriest lunubuij,' in the world. The Indian does not want to sell, but lie is urged and, so to say, forced to ac(iuiesce in the demands of the government com- missioners. ^Moreover, the Indian does not receive a thou- sandth part of the leal value of the land he (;edes. Then CM>mes the Indian trader with a long account against him. The claim is allowed and the poor Indian goes away minus land and monev, or at least he has verv little to show for extensive domains bartered away, so to sj)eak, for a song, and whicn ecpial in size a European emjiire. To give the reader some idea of the wretched condition of the poor Indians, which made them give away for trifling annuities, large tracts of the most valu- able agricultural, pine and mineral lands, the value of which they never knew or realized, but which was well comprehended by the grasping "Kitchi Mokoman" — "Big Knife" — American. We append here the concluding remarks of two of their chiefs, Esh-ke-bug-e-coshe and Nay- naw-ong-gay-bee. (Wis. Hist. Coll., vol. II., pp. 343, 344.) At a treaty made at the Mississippi, in 1855, the chief. Esh-ke-bug-e-coshe, "Wide Mouth," made the following remarks, wlien the government agents refused to accept a proposition of the chiefs, to sell their lands at a price double that offered them by the agent. He said : "Mv Father, I live away north on the headwaters of the Mississippi. My children (band) are poor and desti- tute and, as it were, almost naked, while you, my Father, are rich and well clothed. When I left my home to come to this treaty to sell my lands — for we know that we must sell for what we can get — the whites must have them — my braves, young men, women and children, held a council and begged of me to do the best I could in selling their I I'! Hi «: !t| ' § i;l V\ ICO BT. REV. i-'REDERIC BARAGA. h •'*: I' n I l' ml till homes. And now, iwv Fatlior, 1 hcg of you to accept of tlie proposition 1 have made you, and tomorrow 1 will stall for houKi; and then you count the days which you know it will take me to reach there, and on the day of my arrival look north, and as you see the northern lights stream up in the sky, imagine to yourself that it is the con-- gratulation of joy of my chihlren ascending to (iod, that you have accej)ted of the proposition 1 have offered you." At the treaty made in La Pointe, Wis., in 1854, Nay- naw-ong-gay-hee, tin? "J)ressing l^ird," one of the head chiefs of the Courtes-Oreilles hand of Chippewas, made a speech expatiating on the destitute condition of his people, who were ahjectly poor, many of the children being perfectly naked. We will insert only his concluding remarks : "My Father, look around you, upon the faces of my poor people. Sickness and hunger, whisky and war are killing us fast. We are dying and fading away. We drop to the ground like the trees before the axe of the white man; we are weak, you are strong. We are but foolish Indians; you have wisdom and knowledge in your head. We want your help and protection. We have no homes, no cattle, no lands, and we :'jill not need them long. The winds shall soon moan around the last lodffc of vour red children. I grieve, but cannot turn our fate away. The sun, the moon, the rivers, the forests, w'e love so well, we must leave. We shall soon sleep in the ground — we will not awake again. I have no more to say to you, my Father." The reader will please to excuse this digression. We shall now continue our narrative. On this occasion a large delegation of Arbre Croche Indians came to Grand Kiver to deliberate on what was to be done to avert the threatening calamity, the loss of their homes and lands. They assembled in the open air in a small round valley, in the midst of which several fires were DEDECA1 JS HIS NEW CHURCH. 161 made. At convenient places tobacco and fire were placed; also a large kettle with water, sweetened with majjle sugar, to drink. At the entrance of the valley they planted a large United States flag. After all necessarv preparations had been made, a sign ^vas given and the Indians came walking gravely and silently. They scpiatted down on the ground in true Indian fashion, sitting in £. circle. Then everyone lighted his })ip{^ and began to smoke. For a long time not a word was said. At length one of them arose and said: "Xow, brothers, whv have vou come here? What is vonr inten- tion ? Come, speak !" Then the orator of Arbre (/roche, a venerable old man and an exemj)lary Christian, arose. He went around the circle, shaking hands with each man as a token of friendship and good will. After some pre- liminary remarks he declared that all the Indians of* Arbre Croche were firmly resolved never to code their land to the United States, and not to make themselves and their children unhappy. After concluding his speech, he handed to the head chief of the Grand River band a string of glass beads stnmg on a green piece of tape or ribbon, as a mark of their union. Another pause. The head chief then passed the string of beads to his next neighbor, and so it went from hand to hand around the circle. After another long pause, one after another of the Grand River Indians went to their speaker and told him secretly their sentiments as to the matter under discussion. The latter then arose and went to the Indians of Arbre Groche and shook hands with each of them. He then declared in the name of his people that they, too, were determined never to cede their lands. Other speeches followed, and so they spent the whole day in council. This reminds the writer of a similar council held some 200 years ago at Saiilt Ste. Marie, to deliberate on the fate of a couple of bad Indians, who had been guilty of mur- m v-'\-K 1 163 RT. REV. FREDERIC RARAGA. I : :i^ §. t JS] ^i. Ml (Icrinp; soino Frenchmen. ''They wasted lots of good tohaceo, smoking for two days, and — tliat was all they Hceomjjiished. Finally the French took the matter in hand themselves and made short work of it by summarily exe- cuting the guilty ])a"ties, altl^mgh they (the French) were vastly in the minoritv. During the summer and fall of 1834 F. Baraga fre- quently visited his scattered missions. The roads, if any, were very }KK»r. Often nothing but Indian trails led through forests and miry swamps. (Mouds of mosquitoes alHicted the poor Father on these apostolic journeys. Dur- ing the cold nights of autumn he often slept in the open air, with j)erliai)s only a single blanket to cover him. This gives ns some idea of the many hardships the saintly mis- sionary endured in quest of souls. "But," says he, 'Svhen a person notices the holy long- ing with which the distant living Indians await the coming of the missionary, and how they implore him with child- like importunit;; at his departure to come soon again, when he notices all this he thinks no more of the hardships, but as soon as the time of the missionary visit comes he sets out on his journey. From now (November 3) till February I will not undertake any mission jour- neys, for at Christmas all Indians living at a distance como here (to Grand Eiver church) to perform their devotions. In Febmary, if God keeps me alive, I will visit them in their sugar-camps." In September F. Baraga visited an Indian hamlet two days' journey up the river. As was his custom, he had sent a precursor during the summer to said village "to pre- pare the way before him." When the missionary arrived he found some well-disposed Indians, whom he instructed and baptized. Others, however, hardened their hearts against the call of grace. They said that they had already a religion, the Indian religion, which they preferred to all others and which they would always keep. In vain did DEDICATER HIS NEW CHUBCH. 163 the iiiissi(t!uiry tell tlicin thut a religion, wliioli the Great Spirit liiiiisclt' liad made, must certainly hv better than the Buperstitious inventions and dreams of tlieir Indian foro- fnthors. IJnt all his reasoning was of no avail. "As many believed as were foreordained to eternal life." The Gospel makes its tonr during the centuries of time through the world, ^[any receive it and are saved ; more reject it and are forever lost. Four entire families were baptized in this hamlet. Towards the beginning of November he visited the mission of St. Josei)h at Mashkigong, where his soul was refreslied with abundant consolation and joy. Although Bome of the neophytes were from four to six days' journey in the woods hunting, they came to the church of St Joseph on the day appointed in order to assist at all the devotions to be held during the priest's stay and to receive the holy Sacraments. What an example for so many lukewarm Catholics, who will scarcely walk a few blocks to go to Mass on Sun- days! On the great day of reckoning these poor Indians will arise and condemn them, for they walked 100 to 200 miles through forests and swamps to go to Mass. F. Baraga had the consolation of again baptizing five Indians at Mashkigong (Muskegon). One caso, particu- larly, deserves mention. A girl of seventeen years desired very much to be baptized. Her father, however, was a hardened pagan, full of bitter hatred against Christianity. When the girl asked her father for permission to go to Mashkigong, the latter surmised the reason and refused her point blank. She, however, persevered in her request. Finally he said, angrily, to her: ''Go, then, but don't be so foolish as to become a Christian. But if in spite of my prohibition you do become a Christian, you have nothing to expect of me but that I will cut off both your ears." Hearing this, F. Baraga asked her very carefully and earnestly whether she still wished to receive holy Baptism, S v? ■ill jil!! ;, 'II : 164 RT. RBV. FREDERIC BARAGA. She answered with a firm vo.'ce that she was unchangeably resolved to become a Christiar , She was baptized. This reminds one of the Christians or the first centuries. Whether her father carried out his biiital threat could not be learned. On her part, she declarec. that she was willing to suffer all for her holy religion. At Christmas mostly all his Indians attended church, although some of them were hunting at a distance of three or four days' journey from Grand River mission. What a spectacle to see a number of poor, famishing Indians walking on heavy snowshoes for three or four days con- secutively to attend Christmas Mass and receive the holy Sacraments ! Bar-aga remarks that some of them were ven- erable old men and women, weak and sickly, and others mere children from ten to twelve years of age! Yes, F. Baraga made not only Christians, but heroes of these poor savages of the forest. In this respect he was like all the great missionaries of ancient and modern times, a St. Patrick, St. Boniface, St Francis Xavier, and a host of others. He was a man of God, imbued with God's spirit, 'and God was with him wherever he went, confirming his words, if not "with signs," at least with proofs no less con- vincing, for to change brutal savages into fervent Chris- tians is a gr* ater miracle in the order of grace than raising the dead to life. Before leaving th j Michigan missions to accompany J' Baraga to La Pointe, Wisconsin, we- wish to make a few remarks as to the state of those missions at the time of his d?. parture. Bishop Rese, in a letter to the Leopoldine Society, dated October 12th, 1834, estimates the number of Indian converts in his diocese at three thousand, with twelve churches or chapels. At Arbre Croche he found twelve hundred exemplary Catholic Indians, of whom one hun- dred and twenty received from him confirmation. He says most of them could read and ^vrite and lived like civilized DEDICATES HIS NEW CHURCH. 165 people in houses. He says Father Sanderl learned Ottawa in nine months to such an extent that he was going to pub- lish a grammar and dictionary of that language. We think the good Father's zeal was rather ahead of his ability. No man could learn Ottawa in so short a time to any great degree of proficiency. In 1834 the Catholic church at Sault Ste. Marie was plundered, the windows smashed, the altar utensils thrown out doors and destroyed, the missal torn to shreds, and the church itself set on fire. Father Hatscher, C. SS. R., was stationed there at that time. It was the work of a fanatical mob. iih M ij I 'i. 'v'M i 1 1 CirAPTER XXV^ F. BARAGA J-KAVES GRAND RIVER MISSION/ WINTERS AT ST. CLAIRE; GOES TO LA POINTE, WISCONSIN. In February, 1835, Father Andrew Viszoczky, a Hungarian missionary, wlio had been stationed at St. Claire's mission, not far from Detroit, near Lake St. Claire, came to Grand River with the secret wish to remain there, if Bishop Rese would consent. F. Baraga was agree- ably surprised when Father Viszoczky told him his plan. F. Baraga, who had intended to go to Detroit on some busi- ness, told him that he would speak to the bishop about the matter, and that he would do whatever the bishop would tell him. Father Baraga went to Detroit and told his bishop about the arrival of Father Viszoczkv in Grand River and the latter's desire to remain there. The good bishop was perfectly satisfied with this plan and told Baraga that he would take him along to the north the next spring to found there a new mission. Father Baraga, in his letter to the Leopoldine Society, is entirely silent as to the reason of his departure from Grand River mission, except that he was desirous of carry- ing the light of the Gospel to other Indian tribes immersed as yet in paganism, lie simply says that Rev. Andrew Viszoczky, a Hungarian priest, came to see him and expressed a desire to remain in Grand River mission; that he (Baraga) went to see his bishop about the matter and hat the latter approved of Father Viszoczky'a plan. Hon, Richard R. Elliott, however, in his above-cited LDAVBS GRAND RIVER MISSION. 167 able article gives the real reason of F. Baraga's going, and that was: the opposition of the Indian agent at Grand River and of his party, lie writes : ''Father Baraga had converted and baptized about two hundred Ottawas on the Grand River. He had reformed the habits of these neophytes before baptism, having won them over from their i)ropen3ity to get drunk, and they gradually fell into the practice of industry and thrift. "Their example had had its good effect on others; but there were opposing influences at work of such strength as he had never encountered before in his missionary experience. "The situation was this: All that part of the Grand River valley, where at the time the Ottawa cantons were located and which embraced the field of Father Baraga's missionary labors, was an Indian reservation under the United States government. "Within the limits of this reservation the potency of the United States Indian agent was supreme; he had for his assistance, in case of need, a small force of United States soldiers ; while on any extraordinary occasion he could have a full regiment sent from Fort Dearborn, now Chicago, to the reservation. But the fate of the Ottawas had already been decided. "The outbreak of the Black Hawk war had demon- strated the danger menacing the western frontier settle- ments from the vicinity of such Indian nations as the Otta- was, Pottawotomis, Miamis, Illinois, and the Sacs and Foxes. "During this outbreak, by adroit and prompt measures, the Pottawotomis and Prairie tribes were all assembled at Fort Dearborn, placed under guard, and regularly rationed until Black Hawk had been captured, and his revolt had collapsed; then they were permitted to return to their cantons placated with presents of blankets, kettles and sil- ver trinkets for the squaws. The following summer the » u t 168 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. Miamis, Ottawas and Pottawotomis were assembled in council at Fort Dearborn, and by the usual methods these nations were induced to sij^i a treaty by which they ceded tb'ir reservations in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinoiy and Wisconsin for reservations of five million acres of lands west of the ]\Iississij)i)i to each of the nations entering into treaty obligations. "But there remained the matter of form process of obtaining the assent of the separate tribes (bands) of each nation to their immigration to the West. With the Chris- tian tribes this assent was not so easy to obtain. This duty devolved upon the Indian agent resident with each nation. "The Pottawotomis, who were mostly Christians, were reluctant to leave their homes and the vicinity of the graves of their ancestors where for ceni iries this nation had occupied the soil of the fairest regions of Michigan and of Indiana, and were not unanimous; but speculators wanted their lands, and means were found by the United States Indian agent to obtain the signature of a sufficient number of chiefs to make a majority in favor of removal, which being in opposition to the wishes of the minority, the latter refused to leave their homes. A regiment of United States troops was sent from Fort Dearborn to drive these Christian men, women and children from their own homes bv the bavonet and to escort them like wild cattle to the place assigned them in the far distant West. "Hence the painful scenes accompanying this outrage to which we have already referred. The process of ob- taining the assent of the separate bands of the Ottawas to immigration in accordance with the national treaty was then in progTcss. Hence the tribal councils to which all came; hence the presence of so many Indian traders on the Grand River reservation and the debauchery prevalent while Father Baraga was there. It is certain he would not advise his converts to leave their homes. The United States government did not want a repetition of the dis- H-- • ! '- ' WINTERS AT ST. CLAIRE. 169 graceful scenes, which had blackened its reputation in the Pottawotonii removal. But the Ottawas were more effi- cient warriors ; should there be any trouble, another gen- eral Indian war might ensue, and the development of the Western states, then in fair ^.regress, would be retarded; Michigan, which at the time was rapidly filling with set- tlers, would be the theatre of this war. The Indian agent was instructed to effect the removal of the Ottawas peace- ably, and to avoid the violent methods resorted to with the Pottawotomis. The goveniment had acquired the title to the Indian lands by treaty, while the less important de- tails could be managed by well kno\vn methods. Besides, there was not at the time tlie same sharp crowd of land sharks and speculators eager to acquire lands in Michigan as there had been in Indiana and Ohio, to rush the Indian agent to rid the territory of the original owners of the soil. "While Father Baraga was so successful in his apos- tolic work, this success was creating an opposition ho prob- ably was not at first aware of. "The reform in the morals of the Ottawas seriously lessened the quantity of whisky which the Indian traders had been selling ; while the probability that the converted Ottawa bands would object to remove to the unknown country west of the Mississippi would bring the Indian agent into trouble with the government at Washington for inefficiency in effecting their removal. "That Father Baraga was considered a serious obstacle to the personal interests and to the official task c^ the United States Indian agent, however, is beyond any ques- tion, for it is proved by the edict of the latter functionary, that the Catholic missionary should leave the reservation for the alleged reason that he Avas disturbing the peaceful status of its Indians, and that he would thwart in all prob- ability, to some extent at least, the plans of the government for their removal. Father Baraga opposed this edict. Notwithstanding the efforts of Bishops Rese and Purcell, i 1 ! ; (': i : i il. i I 1^ N Hi 170 BT. REV. FBEDEUIC BABAQA. n^wn and the intervention of Stevens T. Mason, tlie youthful governor of the Territory of Michigan, the Indian Depart- ment at Washington sustained the action of the Indian agent at the Grand Kiver reservation, and Father Baraga was forced to leave the scene of his successful missionary works. The agent then accomplished the conditions of the treatv of Fort Dearborn, and the Ottawas were re- moved to the new reservation west of the Mississippi." During the rest of the winter of 1834-35 F. Baraga labored in a small French mission not far from Detroit. While there he received from his kind friends and well- wishers in Austria a box of church articles and devotionals. This timely gift pleased him very much, as he could use them in the establishment of his new mission, La Pointe, where such things were much needed. He mentions some of the articles received : Four large beautiful candlesticks, a very beautiful missal and nice vestments, etc. He re- marks that the cathedrai in Detroit did not have as beau- tiful candlesticks nor missal as he had received for his in- tended mission. In a letter dated Detroit, March 13th, 1835, he gives expression to his longing desire to go to his new field of labor. He writes : "It appears strange to me to be in a congregation of whites. I there live in peace and am much more comfort- able than among my Indians. But I feel like a fish thrown on dry land. The Indian mission is my life. Now, having learned the language tolerably well, and be- ing in hopes that I will perfect myself in it still more, I am firmly resolved to spend the remainder of my life in the Indian mission, if it is the will of God. I am longing for the moment of my departure for Lake Superior. Many, I hope, will be converted there to the religion of Christ, and find in it their eternal salvation. Oh, how the thought elevates me ! Would that I had wings to fly over our ice-Ix)und lakes, so as to be sooner among the i '(■ GOES TO LA POINTE, WIS. 171 pagans ! But what did I say ? Many will be converted I Oh, no ! If only one or two were converted and saved, it would be worth the while to go there and preach the Gos- pel ! But God in His infinite goodness gives us more than we expect. Certainly, my dear benefactors, the newly converted Indians will thank you on the day of judgment for having contributed so much towards their conversion and salvation. In conclusion, I recommend myself and my future mission to the fervent prayers of all the pious members and benefactors of the Leopoldine Society." 1 I it, \ ii: CHAPTER XXVI. r. BARAGA ARRIVES AT LA POINTE^ WIS. INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY HE BUILDS HIS FIRST CHURCH. ■« '!% . s-v I? We will let our zealous missioner himself relate the particulars of his journey to his new mission towards the western end of Lake Superior. His letter is dated La Pointe, Au^ist 9th, 1835. "After a long journey, often interrupted through want of opportunity, I finally arr ved, on the 27th of July (1835), at the place where I intend, with the help of God, to estahli-^ii a new mission. This place is an Indian vil- lage, in which, from time to time, also Canadian traders reside, who traffic with the Indians. It is situated on a very heautiful island, near the southern shore of the im- mense, large lake, Superior. This lake is the largest in- land sea of the world, with the exception of the Caspian Sea. It is four hundred and twenty American miles long and one hundred and seventy miles wide, and lies six hun- dred and thirty feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Its depth is in many places literally unfathomable. English engi- neers have attempted to measure its depth, but in many places they could find no bottom. "The place, where I now reside, is called La Pointe. It is 740 miles from Detroit and is situated considerably towards the north. I traveled on this lake in the month of July, the hottest month, and yet some mornings it was so cold on the water that I was obliged to put on my coat over my cassock and envelope myself in my cloak, not to ARRIVAL AT LA POINTE. 173 ite. >iy ith ras >at to take cold. On the 7th of July ico of the thicknoss of the back of a knife was found along the shore at the mouth of Lake Superior. Xow, however, in August wo have very hot days ; but the winter is said to be very severe and long here. **I left Detroit ab(mt noon the 8th of Juno, and at four o'clock in the morning of the lOth I arrived at ]\raekinac, although those two places are over 300 miles apart; so quick do steamers sail in this c untry. In Mackinac I remained several days and us'^d the opportunity to pay a visit to the Indians at Arbro Croche. They were very much pleased to see me again. They wished very much to keep me in their mission, for Rev. Father Simon Siin- derl had left Arbro Croche in the beginning of June, and is now in Ohio, where these Fathers intend to establish a house of their Order. I represented to the good Indians that their brethren at Lake Superior, who had never yet seen a pric 3t, were in greater need of spiritual help than they, and that certainly another missionary would soon come to Arbre Croche. This quieted them a little. "I returned then to Mackinac and waited there for Bishop Rese. lie was so busy at Detroit that he could not come. lie wrote that he could not come to Mackinac be^ fore the beginning of August. So I continued my jour- ney, and arrived at Sault Ste. Marie on the 4th of July. It is there that the saintly and zealous missionary. Father Francis HJitscher, of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, is stationed. But the very day I arrived at Saiilt Ste. Marie he departed to go to Ohio. He did not know whether or not he would return to the Sault. On the 10th of July I left the Sault on a trading vessel, and after a tedious voyage of eighteen days arrived at La Pointe, where the good people received me with exceeding great joy. For many years they had longed for a priest and had urgently requested that one might be sent to them. However, on account of the sad want of priests in our poor ; ill . (i 1 \ i 1 174 RT. IIEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. n ■ir diocese, iiotliing thus far could be done in the matter. Their joy, tliereforo, was uuspeakablc uhen they saw a priest coming' to tlieir |dacc'. "Tnily the want of ])riosts in our diocese is sad. Would that zealous ])riest8 in my fatherland resolve to como to this wilderness to rescue from eternal ruin the poor pagans who live scattered in this country, all of whom it is impossible for one priest to attend. Would it not pay to work and suffer much in order to save even but one soul and make it forever happy ! But here souls are saved not by one or two, but by hundreds. Every priest that would come here would infallibly, with the help of God, save hundreds, were he to have even but a little persevering missionary zeal. "From the Sault to La Pointe is considered to be 330 American miles, and my nearest neighbor priest is now so far distant. When I came here and noticed the good feel- ing of my people I immediately began to encourage them to commence the building of a church. They started in with such zeal that in seven days they had finished it so far that I could bless it on the 9th of August (1835), and say Mass in it. I dedicated this little church to God under the patronage of St. Joseph, this powerful intercessor with God. The building is strong and durable, although con- structed of hewn logs according to the American style of building. It is large enough for the people here, being 50x20 feet and 18 feet high, with a pretty high steeple, wherein a small bell hangs, which was cast in Detroit. "The number of my catechumens is quite considerable. All ardently long for Baptism, which they will receive as soon as they shall have been more fully instructed. On the 2d of August I baptized twenty-five Indians of those more fully instructed, and who had previously gained some knowledge of religion ; I likewise baptized some children. Between the 3d and 9th of August twenty-five others re- ceived holy Baptism. K i BUILDB HIS FIRST CHURCH. 175 ''This weok thcv will \x'g\n the building of my house, in which a large room will be partitioned off for a school. I am very contented and cannot sufficiently thank Gcxl that everything goes so nnex[)ectedly well in the establishing of this mission, though I am now wholly in want of all earthly resources. After di "raying the expenses of my journey hither, I have but three dollars left. Our Rev. Bishop could not give me more, for he is so heavily in debt for the cathedral-church in Detroit and for the church in Green Bay, and has to make so many new outlays to properly equip his school and provide for other necessary institu- tions in Detroit with what they need, that he expends all the money he gets for these purposes. Had I not found the peojde so good here I would not have been able to begin anything. However, I see that this cannot continue so on the long nm. The soil here is poor. The climate is not favorable to agriculture. The necessary clothing, which they procure from Canadian traders in bai-tering their peltries, is exceedingly dear, for it has to be brought hither from such a great distance. "It grieves my heart to see their children running around naked. Their parents would gladly clothe them, if they had the means. Aow much would it not recom- mend the missionary and his religion, could he but clothe these poor creatures a little ! O how gladly would I do it if I could ! At Grand River I have done so, and like- wise at Arbre Croche, because I was supplied Avith suffi- cient means, but now I have nothing. "Ninety miles from here is another Indian village, called Fond du Lac, where there are also many Indians, who desire to embrace the Catholic religion. They heard from a pious fur-trader of the religion and the priest. They wish very much to see one in their place. As soon as I shall have transacted the more urgent mission affairs here, I will go there, please God, and spend a couple of weeks with those good Indians in order to receive them M c < ^1 ii i*! ^ li 176 RT. REV. FREDERIO BARAOA. 'i by faith and Baptism into the number of the faithful sheep of Christ. I am told that in the neighborhood of Fond du Lac thoro a^o nuiny otlior Indians, who havo often made the remark that they, too, wouhi embrace tho Christian religion when a priest would be stationed in Fond du Lac to teach religion to them and their children. jVIoreover, in the interior towards the northwest there are other large lakes, where there are a groat many Indians, who are still walking on tho road to eternal perdition. Alas, is it not awfully sad to see so many souls go to eternal perdition through want of priests ! Ah, why do not some Austrian priests make up their minds to come to the assistance of these poor pagans ! Would to God that some would come to me ; I would certainly get them good places. The want of linguistic knowledge should not deter them from com- ing here. They would soon learn the languages. Let us pray the Lord of the harvest that Ho may send laborers into His vineyard !" r CHAPTER XXVII. FATHER BAKAOA's FIUST VISIT TO FOND DU LAC (mINN.) In his second letter to the Leopohline Society, drted La Pointe, September 28th, 1835, he remarks that since his arrival ho had experienced great consolation and much joy, but also many hardships and adversities. The latter are unavoidable in the establishment of new missions in distant and wild countries. Still, the consolations and Bpintual joys of the true missionary far outweigh the hardships he endures. These difficulties are due partly to the nature of the country in which he labors — heat, cold, bad roads, unhealthiness of climate, etc. They are also due in part to the opposition he is sure to meet with on the part of evil-minded people, such as are found everywhere. However, the conversion of a single pagan inspires so much consolation that the missionary readily forgets all his trials and hardships. Baraga remarks: '''Truly this is a dreary country. As early as the 22d of September we saw the snow-flakes falling and for several weeks past rooms are being heated." Since the 9th of August Father Baraga had a great number of Baptisms, mostly of adults. In order to make those holy acts more solemn and impressive, the missionary generally baptized only on Sundays. Hence he had quite a number of Baptisms. During the month of August, the first month he spent in La Pointe, he christened eighty-six Indians, and during September, sixty-two. As the good Indians of Fond du Lac were eagerly ask- ing for a priest, F. Baraga went there in September. As soon as he arrived at the village he was most agreeably sur- m 178 RT. IlEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. 1 1' i 1! i 1 :|f 0* ])risc'<] to iiiul a largo iiiunWr of Tiuliaus aHSoniblod at the trader's liousc. As soon as ho ontorod, tlioy all kuolt down and askod for tho ])riostly Mossiiijij, whioh tho pious and toiidt>r-lioartod niissionarv gavo llioni with a heart full of oinotion and joy. llo thanked repeatedly tho good fur- trader f(M* the great intcM'ost ho had taken in the conversion of those \H)or pagans. The name of this trader, who was a French-C^anadian, Avas Pierre (\)tt6. He had Iwon trad- ing with th(> Indians for ujnvards of thirty years, and could speak tluMr language tluontly. Through a merciful arrangement of Divine Provi- dence a copy of Paraga's Ottawa j>rayer-lH>ok, published in 1S32, had fallen into his hands. He began now to in- vito tlio Indians of his place to come to his house and then he used to sing for them various Indian hvmns to be found in the ])rayer-lHX)k. A groat numln'r of these hymns are composed according to well-known French airs. The In- dians found the singing so nice and pleasant that they used to come to his house every evening. They would often stay till midnight, nay, at times even till daybreak, sing^ ing with Mr. Cotte. When ho noticed their groat zeal he did not confine himself to singing spiritual hymns, but also instructcxl them in the cato<'hism. He also read to thorn the moniing and evening prayers, wliich the Indians soon learned by heart. When F. Baraga came, ho found many of the Indians very much inclined to religion and well prepared fur Baptism. Ho baptized twenty-one at Fond du Lac on the Gth of September, and thirty at La Pointe on tho 0th of the same month. Baraga says : "God be thanked a thousand times ! A considerable number of jiagans have already been received into the lx>som of the clnirch, namely, one himdrev('nil»('r, 181)5, wrote to the lx'ojK)l(.line Society about F. liarugsi : **l hnve read a letter of Fatlier Baraga to Kt. Kev. Bishoj) Ke^e, in wliicli lie eoniplains that his winter clothes which had been sent him had not arrived, and that he was exposed to all the rigors of a northern winter in his light summer clothes. This indefatigable apostle now teaches the Indians without an interpreter. It is truly edifying to read his hitters to the Rt. liev. Bishop, for they charac- terize a man of the strictest obedience to his superior." Truly this humble, self-sacrificing, obedient priest can serve as a model to all members of religious orders engaged in the Indian mission-field. It was in La Pointe that he l)egan the practice, and ever afterwards kept up, of rising at three in the morning during summer, and at four dur- ing winter, and spend three consecutive hours in medita- tion and prayer. This we learn from a casual entry in his journal kept when Bishop. No wonder that a man so highly gifted with the gift of prayer and of such heroic virtues should b(K?ome the instrument of God for the con- version and salvation of innumerable souls. I ^ CHAPTER XXVIII. Baraga's labors at la pointe — (Continued). lii'S' Between September 28tli and December 28th, F. Baraga baptized thirty-three in La Pointe, mostly adults. One of his converts was a venerable old woman of one hun- dred years. From an old French-Canadian, who had been on the island fifty-three years, her age could approximately be inferred, as she remembered things that had occurred about a century before. The poor old woman felt exceed- ingly happy when she was baptized. Three of her grand- children were baptized ^\dth her. Her youngest grand- child, a man of forty years, was baptized on Christmas day. On that great holy day Baraga baptized twenty adult pagans and two children. Several entire families were baptized that day. Every evening, for a whole month, during the cold winter weather, he walked a distance of three miles to where they lived, to prepare these good Indians for the grace of Baptism, for in the day time they were away fish- ing or trapping. These instructions used to last a long time till late at night, so that it was always very late be- fore he returned to his modest dwelling. God rewarded His zealous servant. On Christmas day he baptized a large number of adults, as above mentioned. From July 27th, the day of his arrival, up to Dec. 28th — that is, within five months, he baptized one hundred and eighty- four persons. During the five months that had elapsed since the founding of the mission, only one had died — a child of two years. This seeminly unimportant circumstance may H LABORS AT LA POINTE. 181 ay have aided him greatly in his work of converting. Had many died soon after Baptism, the people, who are natur- ally superstitions, would have most likely attributed it to that holy Sacrament, as they did in former times, when the Jesuits were laboring in the Northwest. In a letter written about that time he says : "I feel grieved that I must continue this mission en- tirely alone, and that, moreover, I have not a cent of my own. A school would be vei*;^^ useful in this mission, but it is simply impossible for me to do the two things — that is, keep school and properly perfonn my numerous mis- sionary duties and visit the sick. For often I am in the huts of the Indians all day, where I always find something useful to do. I must necessarily omit one or the other. In this case I rather omit keeping school than attending the mission, for, properly speaking, I am a missionary and not a schoolmaster. Of course, I would gladly do both, if possible. That I have no money at all is also very hard, for I would gladly clothe, at least a little, the poor Indian children, who even now run about half-naked in winter, but I cannot give them a stitch of clothing. That is hard ; but in the name of God let it be so for the first year. I hope hereafter to get a teacher and also some assistance." The winter of 1835-36 was very long and severe. As late as June 7th large blocks of ice were to be seen along the lake shore. Time, however, slipped by pleasantly, partly in instructing his new converts, partly in compos- ing literary works for the press. In a letter, dated La Pointe, June 17th, 1836, he mentions the following works, on which he had been laboring during his first year's stay on the island, namelv : 1. A work in the Slavonian language. 2. A German work, entitled, "History, Character, (I i !] 182 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. k Life and Manners of the Xorth American Indians." (This work was intended for his generous benefactors of the Leopoldine Society.) 3. A prayer-book in the Chippewa language. 4. The life of Jesus, also in Chippewa. On the 26th of May, 1836, he again went by boat to Fond du Lac and remained there two weeks. He found his converts in the very best disposition. He was in hopes they would obtain a resident priest, for Rev. Francis Pierz, who had intended to come to La Pointe the previous fall, but had been prevented from doing so, and had win- tered at Arbre Croche, was intended for Fond du Lac. The Indians there had heard of this arrangement and awaited F. Pierz with great desire. This, however, was never to be, for "man proposes, but God disposes." Through the zealous labors of good Pierre Cotte four- teen pagans were prepared for Baptism. This pious trader assembled them at his house every Sunday during the past winter and instructed them. F. Baraga com- pleted their instruction and baptized them. One of the converts was a head-chief, who, with his whole family, em- braced our holy faith. The day before Baraga's departure the head-chief of the i'ond du Lac band of Indians came to him with several men and begged of him not to leave, but to stay with them and let some other priest take charge of La Pointe. He answered that it would please him very much to do as they requested, but that he had often prom- ised the good people of La Pointe to live and die with them, if such should be the will of God. Hence it was not optional with him to leave them and go to another mission. At the same time he promised to do his best to procure them a resident priest. At this all were very much re- joiced. They showed the place where they ir tended to build a church and house for the priest. Alas, the hopes of these fervent neophytes were never LABORS AT LA POINTS. 183 L3 le to be realized. Fond du Lac has ever remained a mere mission. During the last fifty years it has been, attended by Indian missionaries from La Pointe, Superior, Bay- field, and now, Duluth. There are but a handful of In- dian half-breeds there now. Most of them have removed to Papashkominitigong and other places. At La Pointe the good work kept going on. Twenty- eight converts were received into the church, among them a head-chief, whose conversion made a deep impression on his pagan countrymen. He became a model of virtue and was zealous in the cause of religion. In the early part of June F. Baraga received a box of vestments and other church articles, as also a great quantity of rosaries, medals, pictures, scapulars, etc., for his new church and his dear Indians, from the Leopoldine Society. n i ii iii^i CHAPTEK XXIX. F. BARAGA GOES TO EUROPE HE IS RECEIVED EVERYWHERE WITH GREAT DISTINCTION LECTURES ON INDIAN MIS- SIONS RETURNS TO LA POINTE FINISHES HIS CHURCH FIRST CONFIRMATION IN I^ POINTE BY BISHOP RESE IN 1838. The nnmber of converts in La Pointe kept increasing. During the first year of his stay he baptized 255 persons, the far greater nnmber being adults. The little church hastily erected Avithin a week after his arrival, and which was dedicated to St. Joseph, was now too small to hold the congregation, and many were obliged to stand outside dur- ing divine service. Then he resolved to enlarge it by bulding an addition. To accomplish this he determined to go to Europe to collect the necessary funds and get his Chippewa prayerbook printed. He left La Pointe on the 29th of September, 1836. He first went to Paris and remained there for some weeks to superintend the printing of his prayerbook. This was the first edition of the Chippewa "Anamie Masinaigan Prayerbook," which has since been reprinted a number of times. But his zeal for the salvation of souls gave him no rest. During Lent he preached in German to his countrymen in Paris, a great number residing in the French capital. There he also found his widowed sister, Antonia de HoefFern, who had gone to Paris to acquire the necessary proficiency in Fionch, as she intended to devote herself to the service of God in America by teaching school. She came with her saintlv brother to La Pointe, but after GOES TO EUROPE —IIECEIVED WITH HONORS. 185 f »> Spending two years there her he.alth failed and she was obliged to return to her fatherland."^ F. Baraga then visited his native land^ and preached at Laibach and other places to great numbers of people who flocked together from all parts of the country to see and hear him. ]Ie preached in lx)th Slavonian and Grer- man, giving an account of his missionary life among the Indians and their wavs and customs. He then went to Vienna and gave to the directors of the Leopoldine Society an account of his labors and of the necessities of his mis- sion. Ho received the necessary funds to complete his church and pastoral residence. On the 8th of October, 1837, he returned to La Pointe and after many labors and trials he finished the church and annexed prists' house in the month of August, 1838. On the 2d of September of the last named year the church was dedicated to God under the name of St. Joseph. On the 7th of the same month Bishop Rese came to this mission for the first time, and on the 9th of September, 1838, confirmed one hundred and twelve converts and Canadians. Speaking of his countryman, F. Baraga, Rev. Fr. Pierz says : "Much ffood has alreadv been done for the Catholic religion, and there is gooeing done on the church. All this took up all his time during the day and often a great part of the night. The interior was decorated with eighteen beautiful oil- paintings, some of which are yet to be seen in the present La Pointo church and one in Bayfield. The beautiful and large oil-painting over the high altar in La Pointe church, representing the Holy Family at work, was painted in Lai- bach in 1837, and was intended to remind the Indians of the great precept of their Maker: ''In the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eat thy bread." Speaking of this beauti- ful painting, executed by Langus, in Laibach, Father Baraga writes : "The altar-picturo is large and beautiful, painted by Langus in Laibach. It repi*esents St. Joseph working in his shop. The Blessed Virgin sits at his side and sews, and the Child Jesus is looking at His foster father work- ing. This picture is very appropriate for an Indian mis- sion church, for Indians are by nature inclined to idleness. Missionaries have to admonish them very often to work, and no sublimer pattern of industriousness can be pre- sented before their eyes than the Holy Family." Speaking of the founding of the Grand Portage Mis- sion F. Baraga says : "Furthermore I have to report that the intended mis- sion at Grand Portage (Minnesota), on the northern shore of Lake Superior, is now in its beginning. It makes very agi*eeable progress. I have mentioned in a former letter that on my return from Europe (in 1837) I received a very friendly letter from the head chief there. He de- clared in the name of his countrj'men that they most ear- nestly desired to hear the Word of God. I then told F. Pierz to go this summer to Grand Portage, which he did. He found the Indians in the very best disposition. They had already constructed a small bark chapel, for they con- I: II 188 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAOA. i I Hi*' ill! fidently awaited the coming of a priest this summer, be- cause I had promised them last fall, when I tvas there, that I would procure them a priest, who would stay with them and announce to them the word of God. He has already baptized many, who are all very zealous in performing their religious duties. He has also made a missionary visit to another place not far from Grand Portage, called Fort William, where he found the Indians in the very best disposition towards religion." In I ; ■t';f;K m CHAPTER XXX. 1:1 STATE OF LA POINTE MISSION DUEING 1839 AND 1840. PECULIAR INDIAN CUSTOMS AT FUNERALS, MODE OP BURIAL. INTERESTING LETTER OF FATHER PIERZ. '.!■ In his letter to the Leopold ine Society, dated Jan. 25th, 1839, Baraga complains that he has nothing interesting to write, as mostly all pagans, who had any loaning to Christianity, had been converted, and the others seemed detennined to close their hearts against the call of divine grace and to persevere in their pagan superstition. "Cve- diderunt quotquot praeordinati erant ad vitam acternam," all those believed who were ordained to eternal life." St. Joseph's Mission at La Pointe was fast assuming the fonn of a well-regulated parish. The church, still located at IMiddlefort, near the large Indian cemetery, was finished both inside and out. It had a nice altar, pulpit, pews, and a regular choir, composed of Canadian and Chippewa singers. For many years Theophile Remillard, still alive at this writing (1896), aged 83 years, v.as head singer in St. Joseph's church ; he was assisted by Antoine and Jean Baptiste Gaudin (Gordon) both still alive. An- toine Gaudin resides at present in Gordon, Wis., and is a very good practical Catholic and main-stay of the little mission at his place. His brother, Jean Baptiste, resides at Bayfield, Wis., and is also a very good Catholic, as are also Joseph and Angeligue Gaudin, twins, brother and sister of the above-named men. We will mention some of the old settlers in La Pointe (1835-43). Besides the above-named singers there were at that time on the island : Alexie I^eveu, Gros Cadotte, IJ i .■J if i.' 1.111 w W' ; i '15 \ 1'^ ■*■' « t I :!■ . •I' ?! to lUO KT. REV. FKEDERIO BARAGA. ;^^>rlic'l Cadottc, Alcxio Clmrpcuticr, Charcttc, ^randfiitlier of CliarU? Cliarcttc, of Odaiiah; Aiitoinc Charcttc, l^iaco Kabidoux, Jean Ha})tistc Dcnoiumc, i'raiu'is Lainorciix, liaptistc Ci«>^iS('liii, Francis l>cllaiif»:cr, Jiasilc Jicaulieii, John J)cll, <;('ncrally called Scjuirc IjcU ; Louis Dufaiilt, Ba])tistc licriault, Louis Dufault, .loscjdi I )u fault, Charles BcUo Isle, Lcgault (Lcfio), .lolin Ji. J^risctto, Vincent Roy- Sr., Vincent Koy, ^vho died last year in Superior, Scraphin Lacondi, Ci(])t. Angus, .Michel Boucher, Brobaut, Antoino Perinicr, ^lichael Jiassinct, Jlilaire Genereau, Megalise, Jean Bap^iste Lassard, Robert Morin, Antoine Cournoyer. There were also three ushers or cliurch-policemen to keep order in church and assist their pastor. F. Baraga had also two grown-up boys to serve Mass and a sexton, everything in true cliurch style. All these men were Can- adicin Frenchmen, married to Indian women. Many of the parishioners, in fact, by far the greatest number, were very good men and deserving of great praise for their fervor and piety. F. Baraga had also a neat, well-built house, built, of course, of hewn logs, for frame buildings were very rare in those days as being too expensive. Adjoining the church was the cemeterv', that "city of the dead," covered even at present with many lit*le houses built Indian-fashion over the graves of their dead. We Bee in this mode of burial much that shows their belief in the immortality of the soul and their tender love and re- gard for the dead. Even Christian Indians adhere tena- ciously to their Indian mode of sepulture, unless hindered by their pastor. They hate to bury their dead deep in the ground, preferring to have them buried but slightly below the surface„ They generally put something over the coffin, usually a mat, or nice quilt, to keep it from get- ting wet. After the grave is filled they will immediately spread over it a large piece of birch-bark, as a kind of tem- porary c^>ver to keep the rain from wetting the grave. If not too poor, they will get a neat little house, or at least a i': y. c T 7. '-.i PECULIAR INDIAN CUSTOMS. 191 Dice roof, built over the grave at considerable expense. To this, then, the Christians attach a cross to distinguish their graves from those of the pagans. The pagan usually plants a United States flag or some superstitiously marked banner on the grave of his dead. On the whole, it can be truly said that they have more regard for the dead than many whites have. The pagans used to bury various ar- ticles used by the deceased during life, also place tobacco or sugar on the grave, or in the drawer made for that pur- pose in the little house built over the grave. But these customs are falling into disuse more and more. A pecu- liar feeling of sadness and pity seizes one in passing a pa- gan gi'ave-yai'd. They do not seem to have that aversion to gravo-yards so common to whites, for they often build their wigwams or houses close to the graves of their dead. In Bayfield their graves formerly lay on all sides, in front of ^he church, under the priest's window, at the rear of the house, in short, everywhere. Well does the writer remem- ber the lonely, queer, ghostly feeling that crept over him w^hen, during the first week of his stay in Bayfield, in June, 1878, he had to sleep literally among the dead, without a human soul in the house. How^ever, his shmibers were not disturbed by any nocturnal visitors from the spirit world. During the winter of 1838-39 F. Baraga composed his "Gagikw^e-masinaigan" — ^'Sermon-book," which contains the epistles and gospels of all the Simdays and holydays of the year, besides a short bible-history of the old Testament and instructive extracts from the four gospels. Acts of the Apostles, epistles of St. Paul and other Apostles. This look he intended to have printed at Green Bay, this being the nearest place where it could be done. However the estimated cost of printing and binding was three hundred dollars. It was no doubt for that reason that he wrote to the Leopoldine-Society to procure the necessary funds. The "Gagikwe-masinaigan" now used by our Indian 192 BT. BEV. FREDERIC BABAOi. ];!' IM.^ missionaries was printed by Joseph A. Hemann, Cincin- nati, O., in 1858. F. Pierz in a letter dated La Pointe, Wis., Julj 2l3t, 1838, writes as follows of Baraga's labors on that island : "La Pointe is a large island, where fish are plentiful, at the western end of great Lake Superior, 480 miles ( ?) from Sault Ste Marie, my former station. A large trading company has a branch store on this island and it is therefore the rendezvous of many Indians and French-Ca- nadians, all of whom lived like pag'ans before Father Baraga's arrival. "At first this pious missionary had to contend with many difficulties and hardships, but with his customary, persevering energy and apostolic zeal he soon formed out of these rude, wild barbarians a very large Christain con- gregation, which continues to grow daily through new conversions. To his gi*eat joy he has completed his beautiful new church and a suitable priest's house with the money he brought with him from Europe. "lie teaches daily in the church and in the wig^vams of the Indians. On Smiday he preaches five times in three or four languages. He is very much beloved and lives with his happy flock like a father with his dear children, in peaceful contentment and the enjoyment of the beau- tiful fruits of his labors to his great consolation. He has peculiar success and Goi_ s visible blessing in converting pagans. In Arbre Croche he formed out of very wild savages several hundreds of such good Christians, that one might propose them to all Christians as models of piety. At Grand River, in a short time, he made out of blind ido- lators a truly pious, Christian congregation. Here in La Pointe a person is deeply moved, when he hears the newly made converts singing the praises of God with their priest, in their beautiful decorated church, and sees them devoutly adoring their Creator and Lord. As to his per- sonal virtues and rigorous mode of life I will not expatiate { PECULIAR INDIAN CUSTOMS. 193 upon thean in order not to wound his humility. My prayer is that the Lord may preserve him for a long time to labor for the salvation of the Indians and to serve as a noble ex- ample to all missionaries, and that He may bless all his undertakings* "I also mention with pleasure the excellent Indian prayer-book which F. Baraga composed and had printed last year at Paris. This interesting work was distributed gratuitously in all the Indian missions and was every- where received with much joy. It stirred up religious life and laid the foundation for Indian schools. The great benefit and wonderful success of this work for confirming the Christians and converting the pagans is certainly highly consoling for the present and future of the Indians, who are so desirous of instruction. "In the German work: 'On the manners and customs of the Indians,' printed at Laibach, F. Baraga describes only wild savages and their way of living. He relates their horrible cruelties, as gleaned from the earliest his- torical accounts, without, however, disclosing the traits of goodness in the Indian character. The author, however, admits that he intended to speak in his work only of the manners and customes of Indian pagans and idolators, and that the description of the manners and customs of newly converted Christian Indians was to be the subject of his report to the Bev. Directors of the Leopoldine Society. "As regards my own personal experience, having had many opportunities during my three year's stay among the ludians of several places to watch them, pagans as well as Christains, I can justly assert that they are, as a rule, phlegmatic, good-natured, exceedingly patient and docile, and well disposed to lead a good life. Even in their wild, aboriginal state, when they are removed from bad. scandalous people, they do not live at all wickedly and viciously. They listen eagerly to the priest who conies to i| ^1 I ^ w 194 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ■ ■ m them, readily embrace the faith and allow themselves to be soon transformed into good, steadfast Christians. "But where the poor Indians have been scandalized by the great vices of white Christians, or have been spoiled by intoxicating liquor, and have been sednced by the enemies of religion and prejudiced against our holy faith, they naturally become far harder to convert and civilize. Thievery, injustice, or perfidy are found among no nation so seldom as among the Indians. Murders also are very rare. Only when provoked to reprisals, or driven thereto through the instinct of self-preservation, e. g., in case of a deadly famine do they take human life. A Catholic mis- sionary nowadays need have no fear of endangering life amongst the most savage tribes of these people, because owing to ancient traditions about the pious French Jesuit Fathers, who accomplished so much good in this country, they always show great respect to priests and call tliem reverentlv: 'Mekatewikwanaie Black Kobe.' Hence they adopt only that religion as being genuinely Catholic, w^hich is brought to them under the Jesuit soutain and which they call: ^'Wemitigojianamiewin'' — French reli- gion. Whoever preaches to them a different religion is a 'Jaganash' — an Englishman — and his religion is not held in respect by them." < ' " ri't !v CHAPTER XXXI. ¥. BAKACA S TEKSOMAL APl'EARANCE AND TECULIAIi TKAITS OF CHARACTElt. JUS HUMILITY^ POVEKTY;, KINDiSJESS^ BURNlJsG ZEAL AND RESTLESS ACTIVITY. LA POINTE, POl'ULATION^ PURSUITS^ EARLY SETTLERS. As most of the Pagans in La Pointe wlio had any leaning to Christianity had been converted, F. Baraga had but few baptisms in that place after the year 1840. During 1839-40 he baptized only twenty-two Pagan adults. He was, however, not idle. He labored hard and successfully in order to gTOund his converts in the knowledge and love of Go '- ! M' \ - ■ : 1 #i..v'. •■ \ *?H-. * ; ' ' ' ■ Mm r '.'■':> himself and was compelled to descend from the pulpit without completing the gospel." As to his personal appearance IVIr. Roy says: "I ro- member him as a man of medium height, about 5 feet 4 inches, and weight about 150 pounds. lie was stoutly built; his legs were veiy disproportionately short in com- parison to his body. His hair was dark brown aiid he always wore it long and in curls, as his picture will show. IJis speech was slow, c^ol and powerful, and he possessed a well modulated voice and distinct emmciation. His movements were very deliberate and disrnified." Mr. Roy also related to the writer an incident that shows that F. Baraga was naturally very sensitive. For a yea., or two he used to dine at jMrs. T.acomb's, an aunt of Mr. Roy. The dinner was very simple. It consisted of com, the shell of which had been removed by soaking the com in Ive or something- similar. On one occasion Mrs. Lacomb being almost out of provisions told Baraga, as well as she could, that although she was still willing to keep him she had hardly an}'tliing for him to eat — that he should try to find another place. Father Baraga became excited and exclaimed : "Do you want to drive me away ?" She tried to explain, but he was too excited to listen and left the house. The poor woman felt very bad. She wept bit- terly and immediatelv followed him to the church. After some explanation, F. Baraga was mollified and Mrs. Lacomb left consoled and pleased. He continued taking his poor meals at her house as heretofore. He made her a present of a particle of the Holy Cross, which she took WTth her when she removed to Courtes-Oreilles, where she was maiTied to A. Corbin. This precious relic was placed with the "autJientica" in a neat reliquary by Rev. Casimir Vogt, O. S. F., and is still kept with religious care in the neat, thougL humble, church of the alx)ve-named placa So the poor Indian church of Courtes Oreilles has a treasure, for which many a stately cathedral might justly envy it. re it.' V. ^|. ' 1 ' Mi: APPEARANCE AND TRAITS OF CHARACTER 197 The above incident shows that our saintly missionary waa human and as a holy Father says of the Apostles: "Eoa vitia non nescisse sed emendasse," so he, too, had to acquire virtue by the constant practice of self-restraint and self- denial. "From four to five in the moraing," said Father Jacker in his funeral sermon at the burial of Bishop Baraga, "or sometimes from three to five you would find him kneeling, wrapped in his cloak, in sweet conversation with his Lord, and this under anv and all circumstances. We have seen him thus giving the first hour to God in the dark forest and on the shores of lakes, amidst tlie roaring storms as well as in his private chapel or in some hiden corner of the crowded stopping places while on his journeys. We have had occasion to observe how he persisted in following this rule even when he had been traveling the whole preceding day under great hardships, by water and by land; some- times even when he had not been able to go to rest until after midnight. I know some may say: This was over- doing things ; was unnecessary. This was the way of the saints who knew that a thing torn a little will tear further and further, if not mended in time. They knew when a man begins to grow careless about his axercises of devotion he very soon begins to neglect his duties." Speaking of how he acquitted himself of his pastoral duties whilst at La Pointe, the above-mentioned Hon. Vin- cent Roy, who came to La Pointe in 1839, when about fourteen years old, and who, with his brother Francis, re- ceived instruction in catechism from F. Baraga in 1840-41 says : "He said but one mass on Sundays. I do not recollect his teaching catechism on Sundays. Several times during the week he taught catechism regularly in the afternoon. In his visits he would hastily gather the adults and chil- dren of the neighborhood and teach his impnimptu class the truths of faith. Vespers on Sundays without sermon. 198 IIT. REV. FRKDERIO bAR\GA. ;i:- ir h >i (5 i !.' .1 1. No statioiKs on I'^'idays, but during Lent (lie had Htationa) on Fridays and otlicr days of tho n'CHjk. Benediction waii given, I tliink, only on tlie first Sunday of each month; not oftoner tlum onee a month, 'i'he singing for mass was in Gregorian chant, vocal only, only male voices allowed. Vespers were sung in Chij)i)ewa, vocal only. Christmas singing was vocal, accompanied hy violins and flutes. The choir was comi)oscd as follows: Alexis Charpentier, An- toine Gaud in and a Mr. ^IcGillis. On C/hristmas day the instrumentalists were: Violin, Mr. Agnew, a clerk of the American Fur (\)mpany; flute, Charles La Rose, govern- ment interpr(?tor. "Ho made at least one visit to Fond du Lac every year, during tho summer, by l)oat. I rememl)er he and Louis Gaudin made a trip to Fond du Lac on snowshoes. I do not know with whom he stopped when there. There never was a completed church nor chapel there. Father Pierz in 1842 or 1848, started to build one of hewed logs, but it was never completed. About 1 840-4.5 I remember, Francis Roussain, Joseph Charette, J. B. Bellanger, were resident? of Fond du Lac, besides the employees of the American Fur Company and other transient visitors. There wore no whites nor Indians on the present town site of Superior, but Indians always lived near the entry opposite during the summer and some few further up the Minnesota-Point near Duluth." Speaking of the make-up of La Pointe's population in Baraga's time, the above-mentioned gentleman says: "There were no pure European families in La Pointe at that time. European males married into mixed- blood families, with the exception of the families of the Presbyterian mission — Rev. Sherman Hale and Teacher Sprote (two families). The population varied very much according to the season. In the winter they would number about thirty or forty mixed-blood families, besides a very few Pagan Indian families. In the summer the popula- DESCIIIPTION OP LA POINTB. 199 tion would alxmt double in all shades. It must be borne in mind that La Pointo was pi*e-eniinently the Indian depot for tho distribution of goods to the different minor posts; and it vvas nec^'ssarily the headquarters for all en- gaged in the fur traffic. Fishing was also carried on very ext<3nsively. Those who were engaged in this ofcupation were those who remained at home during the winter, mend- ing nets and making preparations for the next season's work. Fishing was also a branch of the American Fur Company's business. "There was but one store and that was the fur com- pany's. They carriens, moreover, are far too insufiicient. I do not mean exactly our pecuniary means, but there are too few apostolic laborers among the Indians. 'No one wants to work in this truly desolate vineyard of the Lord. The missionaries who come over from Europe prefer to stay with the Germans or with other civilized inhabitants of this coimtry. Hence this pari of the vineyard of the Lord remains desolate and wild, with the exception of some small places. In this territory, which extends from Lake Superior north, west and south, and which in size is far greater than the whole Austrian empire, lives the Chip- pewa nation, whose language I now speak fluently, and for this whole country, so vast in extent, I am the only mis- sionary ! And I am stationed at a place which is pretty populous, witli enough people in it to need even for itself exclusively all the work of a weak man. A person can i''ii 202 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ilib'i i . ii imagine, therefore, what progress our holy faith can make "under such cirenmstances in this abandoned coiintrv. *'Eor several years I have lxK>n working to get a couple of other missionaries to come here, to place them in differ- ent places ; but nobody comes ! Repeatedly have I had promises and assurances, but when they were to be carried out those making them preferred living among civilized rather than with wild people, which, of course, is more comfortable ; but the poor Pagans continue to be thereby the prey of that infernal 'lion, who goes about and seeks whom he may devour' ; who never rests and does much more for the eternal ruin of '^x)uls than those priests do for their salvation! My heart bleeds when I think of this misery. I purposely abstain from these sad reflections, not to lapse into discouraging sadness. "On this occasion I must mention that I am on the point of building here a new large church, for the present one was poorly built, and is, besides, too small, for this place grows year after year; since there is a church and resident priest here, many French from Canada, who are all Catholics and wdio used to live heretofore scattered among the Indians, have now settled here, and every year more are coming. The French-Canadians are married to Indian women and some of them have large families. Their women and children become converted to the Chris- tian religion as soon as they come here and receive baptism after sufficient instruction. Besides, many Indians of this place have been converted and every year some more em- brace Christianity. All this increases my congregation and so our church has become too small. Next spring, if God spares my life, the new church will be erected. The contract for building it has been made with the trading company here (American Fur Co.) The building will be constmcted of wood, and plastered inside, as is generally done in this c untry. All the lumber in the present church will be used for the new one, for the boards are perfectly THANKS BENEVOLENT DONORS. 203 if tiy soimd yet. Hence the building" will cost but one thousand dollars; otherwise the cost in this country, where every- thing; is awfullv dear, would cei*tainlv be more than foiu*- teen hundred dollars. "There is a Canadian here, who is considered a pretty goo I ! I'll sumo its; brisiiio^s. ^lorcover, l^ainsay Crooks is my H})ec'ial friend ajid U'liofactor, who in caisc of danger would have special regard for me. This way of sending money is the safesrt and shortest." As to the first injpnlse given to onr missionary to found the L'Anse Mission, it. seems to have come from ^fr. Pierre Crebassa, as we read in his letter, published in the L'Anse Sentinel. He Avrites : ai 111 few facts dinii" Kcv. Father now £>"ive T^ttraga, the second priest who ca'iie io h'Anse. (The hrsi was Kene Menard, S. J., in KiUU.) 1 came to L'Anse in 1837, and was employed by the American Fur Company. An old chief named Penanshi caine to see me every Sun- day. I had an old Bible printed in the French language in the year 1815, and the old chief used to I'equest me to read to him from the book and explain it, which I did to the best of my ability. lie desired to know if I could get a priest to come here, and I rr plied that I would write to Father Baraga, who was then at La Pointe, Wis., and was the only priest in this portion of the country. Accord- ingly I wrote to Father Baraga explaining matters and in- vited him to come. That was in 1840. He replied that he could not leave La l^ointe, as he had a church and a large congregation there. Each year I wTote to him, and at last, in 1843, I received the following letter, written in French, which is correctly translated in English : ''Mr. Pierre Crehnssa, My Dear Friend — I received your letter on the 6th of the month wdth great pleasure, and T think I am obliged to accept the invitation you make me. There's now three vears' resistance to the invitation to go to L'Anse, f' and cleanliness. His ])lan, therefore, was to make a small Christian ''Reduction" or settlement, after the ex- am])le of the good old Jesuits in Paraguay, and collect the Indians all in one village near the church. This plan pleased them ven' much. They all promised to live here- after in honses and to adopt the ways of the whites. The same plan was carried out, as far as practicable, by the .lej^uits in Canada 'luring the seventeenth, and by the Franciscans during the latter part of the eighteenth century in California. To any one acquainted with In- dian Avays and the strange, fascinating influence which pagan dances, feasts, incantations, and other species of jugglery exert \ipon them, it is a foregone conclusion that, if we want to establish Christianity among them on a per- manent basis, we must endeavor to get our Christian In- dians as much as possible away from their pagan surround- ings. Where Indians form exclusivelv Christian com- munities they make good, exemplary Christians. We see this exemplified in La Pointe Bayfield, Buffalo Bay, Baraga, Papashkominitigong, Harbor Springs and else- where. But where Indians live among pagans, as in Bad River Reser\^ation, Courtes Oreilles, Pakwewang, etc., they are easily induced to attend, and sometimes even to take part in pagan dances and feasts. In case of sickness, they sometimes send for that species of Indian humbug and trickery, the medicine-man, and have him perform his dia- bolical incantations. Jiving Avith pagans, they readily inter-marry with them. Although such marriages may at si i fiy, THE INDIAN'S AVEIISION TO WOBK. 211 see Bay, else- Bad they take thev I and dia- dily y at times 1)0 thf Iminaji inoanH of brinjjjiiig the pagan to adopt (^hristianity, it often resultH, as in mixed marriages, in perverting the Catholic party, especially if the pagan Ik? a person strongly wedded to his snj)erstitions and possessing a resolute eharaeter. The writer s])e.ak!;5 from personal knowledge and twenty years' observation. Could we but t^8tablish such exclusively Catholic Indian colonies far enough away from the evil influence of had whites and pagans, there would be some hope for tlie future of the In- dian race ; as it is, we are working for "a lost (uiuse." Moreover, the idea that the Indian must ^irst Ik) in- duced to become a farmer in order to make of him a civil- ized man is absurd. All his Indian instincts revolt against it. lie is quite willing to cultivate a small ])atch of land to raise some iwtatoes, cabbage, onions, etc., but to farm on a large scale, as his white brother does, is disagreeable to him. The writer does not know of five Indians in all noilhern Wisconsin who have as much as forty acre« under cultivation. They are born hunters, fishermen, and, to a considerable extent, mechanics. The Indian is imitative, a sort of natural mechanic. Give him tools and, with vei-y little instruction, he will do mechanical work as well as the average white man ; he will build houses, barns, make boats, etc., better than a great many whites, unless the lat- ter be trained mechanics. If, instead of letting his pine be logged by thieving corporations, who will cheat him whenever they can, the government had erected cheap saw- mills and other factories for working up his timber into lumber, shingles, laths, staves, tubs, barrels, chairs, tables, etc., under the supervision of a few skilled and conscien- tious white mechanics, his large forests would have sup- ported him for many a year. As it now is, his pine is fast id then miser disapp'^a" ing, lot. ^7 !'18 m I F. Baraga wrote on the 12tli of February as follows 1 1 I" !fi!L 212 RT. aEV. FREDEHIC BAR^C^A. i'S t I "I promised to have fifteen houses built for the newly converted Indians tliis year. Xext year^ if God keeps me alive and I get assistance, I shall have several more built. This undertaking will cost considerable money. Our buildings, of course, are constructed merely of logs, which cost nothing here. But the carpenters must be paid and the boards for the floor have to be sawed with whip-savi^s, as we have no saw-mills here. But what a gain if once this mission be establishtd ! How many poor, barbarian savag-es, who live in huts, which are to be compared to hea/r-lairs, and whose habits correspond to their surround- ings, will become civilized and be transformed into good, God-serving Christians ! According to a rough; estimate made by me, this Indian settlement Avill cost between four and five hundred dollars. I respectfully pray ^our Princely Highness to do for this 'Reduction' as much as you think proper." Although all that sjioke to F. Baraga about his projects told him they were impracticable, still he succeeded in ao complishing all he had intended. He says in his letter of the 27th of August, 1844, written at La Pointe: "With the help of the Good Shepherd, whom it pleases to call us to seek, after His example, the lost sheep in the desert in order to lead it back to Him; and with great effort and exertion, I myself working with them during all that time — 'ministraverunt manus i^tae' — I finally suc- ceeded in L^complishing all, unto the honor of God and the salvation of souls, for which be special thanks tc God ! "Since I am still, alas, the only missionary in this ex- tensive Lake Superior country, I cannot remain always in one place. Hence I have been low here in La Pointe for a montli on a missionary visit. Next Mori lay, September 2d, I expect to leave for L'Anse. "The mission of La Pointe belongs now to the new dio- cece of Milwaukee. On the 14th of this mouth (August, 1844), we had the honor o/ seeing here the first bishop of iaSm BISHOP HENNI'S VISIT. 213 th?8 new diocese. This pious, venerable and zealous bishop, Johii Martin Henni, a German, did much good during the short time he stayed here. His instructions, full of unction and very appropriate, vs^hich he gave to this Indian congre- gation, I acting as interpreter, have made a deep and, as I hope, lasting impression on the minds of these simple- hearted Christians. He confirmed one hundred and twenty-two persons, among others a gi*own-up sick girl, who died some days after, very well prepared. "This worthy prelate intends to make next winter a journey to Europe for the good of his new, but very poor, diocese. When he comes to Vienna, I beg Your Princely Highness to lend him as much assistance as possible, for you can imagine that a new diocese, bordering on the In- dian country and taking in a part of it, must be very poor. When he saw our mission-church he said that it was better than his cathedral! This expresses sufficiently the poverty of his diocese." all CHAPTER XXXV. FATHER BARAOa's T-ABORS DURING 1844-45. HIS LONG JOURNEYS ON FOOT TO DISTANT MISSIONS. Speaking of a new Indian work, the ''Gagikwe-masi- ?« .■ '1. '-m naigan j> -''Sennon-book" — he writes : "I also mention on this occasion that I have now re- ceived my third Indian-mission work. It coni>ists of ex- tracts taken from the Bible histoi'v of the Old and New Testament, Sunday and holy day Gospels and Epistlea. Some years ago 1 intended to have it printed in Green, Bay, but, through want of funds, I sent it to Laibaoh (Austria) to be printed. The edition contains eight hun- dred copies, is neatly printed, and so correct that I cannot sufficiently admire the extreme care of the proof-readers, who, after all, do not understand a single word of the In- dian language. Great was the joy of my good Indians at this new book in their language. I trust it will produce good finiits in many hearts." In a letter, dated L^Anse, October 4th, 1844, he states that he had received from the Leopoldine Society 650 florins, and that he would receive in due time the 265 florins sent for him to Bishop Henni, of Milwaukee. He mentions that, contrary to all expectation, he had completed last summer his entire mission establishment. Speaking of his privations there, he says : "L'Anse is an unpleasant, sad, sterile place, in no com- parison with La Point(». Solely the wish to help these poor Indians attain eternal happiness keeps me here. I have here, it is true, no comforts, oftentimes barely the neces- saries of life; but what consolation, what grand reward, rd, o c 05 c c o fl3 111 1 i I !'; Ji; s ' ' il'i'li I!" %^' I''' I I! I A NEW CHURCH DEDICATED. 215 what unspeakable joy will it bo for me when, on the Day of Judgment, some of these, my good children in Christ, or, rather, all of them, as I hope, will surround me and give their testimony before the rigorous Judge : 'He was the first to announce to us Thy divine word; he has told us of Thy mercies, shown by Thee to man through Thy Son, and filled our hearts with faith and love towards Thee! O, how I thank my God for calling me to the la- borious, indeed, but at the same time, highly consoling misr sionaiy state !' "I also mention that the 20th of September, the very day I received Your Grace's letter, was one of the holiest days for my new mission, for on that Sunday we celebrated with all possible solemnity the dedication of our mission- church. With joyful and grateful heart I dedicated this church to 'The Most Holy ^ame of Jesus.' The thought: my Jesus, I have built this house to Thy name, filled my heart with imutterable joy. It is but a small wooden building, yet it is holier than th: temple of Solomon, that wonder of architecture, for it is sanctified by the real pres- ence of Him, whom heaven and earth, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain. He does not disdain to dwell in it, whose first abode on earth was a manger." From his letter of the 24th of October, 1845, wo see that he was not forgotten by the Leopoldine Society and tliat they seconded by liberal donations his efforts in behalf of his new mission. Thus they sent him again two thou- sand florins to enable him to meet his obligations towards the American Fur Company, who supplied him with all the necessaries for bis mission-buildings, etc. As to his personal wants, they were few and easily supplied. What money he received he used for the furtherance of his work, but not for himself. He intended also to apply a part of the money towards building two small churches, one at Fond du Lac and the other at Grand Portage, both in Min- nesota. Speaking of the last named mission, he says : ■ K 216 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. r f "F. Pierz began a mission at Grand Portage and bap- tized there very many Indians. But he soon left them and went to reside at Arbre Croche, and so there is no mission- church yet at Grand Portage. I shall build one there and will dedicate it to 'The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus' next fall. I thank my Jesus that He has sent me through my benefactors the funds for building that little church. It is very useful to have churches in all mission-stations, even where a missionary priest does not reside continually ; for from time to time a missionary comes to such places, even in winter; moreover, those little churches built of bark cannot always be used. Besides, where Indians have a decent church, they meet regularly on all Sundays and holy days to sing, pray, and read their prayer book, the same as if the missionary were with them continually. So they do here, when I go anywhei-e, and so they do in La Pointe. O, how happy I am in advance that they will do so also in Fond du Lac and Grand Portage, to the honor of God and the salvation of immortal souls !" In the winter of 1845-46 a pagan Indian came to see F. Baraga. He came from an Indian village, five days* journey from L'Anse. The Indian informed the Father that the head-chief of that place had a great desire to see and hear him. This was enough. He immediately set out for that place to ascertain the feelings of said chief and his people in regard to religion. The evening of his arrival he requested all the men to meet in the large wig- wam of the head-chief. In a long discourse, among other things, he proposed to them to come and settle do'svn at L'Anse, as in their present place of abode the traders were accustomed to bring them the destructive "fire-water," whereas at L'Anse, where all were Christians, the importa- tion of that ruinous poison had ceased. His appeal seems to have met with little success. Some promised to immi- grate to L'Anse the next summer and become Christians. Others, however, were undecided. They told the Father ;1 swi ii.llllllllMJ]»MMUUI-«P««rT.'. \ ^ HIb HARDSHIPS DESCRIBED. 217 for that, by next spring, they wonld make up their minds whether to remove to his village or remain where they were. It seems that the most of them turned their hearts against the summons of God's anointed minister and re- mained in their pagan village, where their descendants still reside. Lac Vieux Deserts and Lac du Flambeau are yet strongholds of paganism to this day. As F. Baraga made that long journey on snow-shoes, he gives in his letter of January 24th, 1846, a description of the hardships to be endured in that mode of traveling. He says : ''In this connection I will explain how a missionary has to travel during winter in this Indian country. In winter a person cannot travel otherwise than on foot. As the snow is generally deep and there are no traveled roads, the only way to travel is on snow-shoes. These snow-shoes are from four to five feet long and one foot wide and are tied to one's feet. With them a man can travel even in the deepest snow without sinking in very much. But this style of walking is very tiresome, especially for Euro- peans, who are not accustomed to it. When a person must walk upon such snow-shoes all day long, and that for many days in succession, especially in these trackless North American forests, he cannot travel without extreme fatigue and almost total exhaustion. "Another hardship is the sleeping in the open air in a northern winter, for there are no huts in which to stay over night. Generally speaking, a man may travel four or five days in this extensive and thinly settled country be- fore coming to another Indian settlement. It is true, a large fire is made, but this soon goes out, for the Indian guide, who accompanies us, sleeps the whole night as if he were in a feather-bed, and then a person suffers much, from the cold. It is hard, especially, to pass the night in such a way, when it storms and snow^s all night and in the morning a person is covered all over with snow. But all these hardships the missionary joyfully endures if thereby iSiU i i f' 218 BT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. he can, through God's help and ^'aee, save even but ono soul. "I have to inalce this winter a far longer journey, that is, from L'Anse to La Pointe and Fond du Lac and ver turn, a distance of about s^ix hundred and ninety miles! I will begin this journey, please God, on the 4th of Feb- I'uary, and hope to be back hero again before the end of March. I ani going to Fond di' Lac, Minn., to make ar- rangements for the build yig oi .1 o-liurch ihere. I think, thertiifter, I will 1 jc go tlv ; iu:^^ moi'e, as now a mission- namely, Rev. Father where a>, La Pointe ary has arrived for m^ as; ? 4:ui>x, Otto Skolla, who spends this wintei I have been for eight years. "I take the liberty to ask- Your Grace to kindly send me a small box with the following mission requisites: One thousand small colored pictures for children, some large colored pictures, rosaries, medium sized copper cruci- fixes, 2x3 inches long, two sets of vestments, linen altar cloths, a chalice, a small monstrance, a censer with boat, a ciborium, some tin water c-ruets, a holy water font, etc. \ I. ! 'I 1 (■ 1:1; ■■'■ S h 1: ;", i^ asBnnBBH ■Hi cifAPTEr? xxxvr. WONDEKFUL FSCAPE OF FATIfKR BARAO.A, WITKN CROSSINQ LAKE SUPERIOR IN A SMALL SAIL-BOAT. ifIS ADVEN- TURE ON A FLOATING FIELD OF ICE. We learn from F. Baraga's letter, written in ' '■!>er, 1845, that he intended to go to Grand Portage, >^:i.i . ^ho next fall to build a church there. It is, therefo.; lu^L^ily probable that he made that trip in the fall of it4 < He first went to La Pointe, wL'^ro, no doubt, he >peut bonie time attending to the spiritual wants of the i.: -^ people. He then engaged a half-breed Indian, named i^ouis Gau- din, to go with him to Grand Poi*tage. They had but a small fishing boat with a mast and sail, without keel or centre-board. Such a boat might do on a river or small lake, but would he very unsafe on a large lake, where it would easilv founder or be driven like a cork before the wind. The boat was but eighteim feet long. When they started from La Pointe the people lauglied at them for at- tempting to make the journey. They said it would take them a month to make the voyage, as they would have to keep close to the shore all the way, going first west some seventy miles to the end of the lake ar.d then, doubling, turn northwestward, coasting along the northern shore of Lake Superior. This would make the distance about two himdred miles, perha})S even more. HoAvever, Father Baraga and his guide set out on their perilous journey. At Sand Island they awaited a favor- able wind to cross the lake, which is about forty miles wide at that place. By so doing they would save from eighty to one hundred miles, but would expose themselves to great « I', ,1 I ' ' 220 R.. REV. FKEDERIC BABUU. I 'V !■' ! '■ ,■'■ ■:( i . ':. : I i ' r l! $• ■• ; . 'I' h. ' i. ■ i jji; pi p' m u il i; f: danger, as a high wind might arise, -whilst they were out on the open lake, and engulf their frail bark. They set sail on an unusually calm day. Father Baraga steered and Louis rowed the boat. Before thoy got midway a heavy west wind arose and the lake grew very rough. They w^re constantly driven k^eward and when th(^v finallv reached +:ie north shore they were at least thirty miles east of '■ .leir intended landing place, hav- ing made a very perils ^is sail of seventy miles during that dav. While in th' height of the storm, in mid-ocean, it might be sai^', Louis became frightened and exclaimed in Chippewa o the Father, who was lying on his back in the boat, recit ng his office in an imconcerned manner: *'Nosse, ki ^a-nibomin, ganabatch" — Father, perhaps we are going i-) perish!" The Father answered quietly: "Kego segisi.'en, Wizon' '(Chippewa for Louis) — "Don't be afraid, Wiion ; the priest will not die in the water. If he died here in the water the people on the other shore, whither we are goi.^.flr, would be unfortunate." When nearing tht. north shore the danger was even greater than out on the J^iep watesr, for there were huge breakers ahead. Louis asked the Father whither to steer, and, as if folloAving a c^^rtain inspiration, F. Baraga told him to !^teer straight ahead for the land. Through a spe^ cial disposition of Divine Providence watching over the precious life of the saintly missionary, they passed through the breakers nnhanned and ran their boat into the mouth of a small river, heretofore unnametl, but now called Cross River. Full of gratitude for their miraculous escape, they at once proceeded to erect a cross. Hewing a ti'ee in a rough manner, they cut oil the top as far up as they could i*each, and tal<:ing a shorter piece, they nailed it crossrwise to the tree. "Wizon," said the Father, "let us make a cross here that the Christian Indians ^ndy know that the priest com- ■H CROSS THE LAKE IN BIRCH CANOE. 221 ing from La Pointe lando. 'I ' I 1 , Ui ;?{ 222 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ])any with an Indian liall'-^n'cd in the month of March or April. At tliat seas^on of tlic year the icx', tli; FATHER BARAGA IN DETROIT SUPERINTENDING THE RE- PRINTING OF SOME OF HIS WORKS BISHOP LEFEVRE GIVES CONFIRMATION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN L^ANSE THE INDIANS ALL TAKE THE TOTAL . ABSTINENCE PLEDGF:. Under date of September 18, 1846, F. Baraga writes to the Leopoldine Society : ''With much plea3ure aud \^ith a grateful heart I re- ceived your Grace's oominunication of the 2d of June of this year. I most humbly thank your Grace for the 600 florins sent me, which in American coin amount to $242.60. At present I am in Detroit and have beeen here for the last two months. The reason of this is as follows: The In- dian mission books, which I got printed in Paris in 1837, have about been disposed of. Hence the necessity of get- ting a new edition printed, for our numerous Indian missions cannot well be provided for without these little books, as many Indians can now I'ead and love their books of devotion very much and make good use of them. The missionaries, who labor in the Indian missions, all declare that the Christian Indians cannot well do without thera and that they derive great benefit from them. So says especially Father Pierz, who, with Father Mrak, has charge of the most populous and best Indian missions of our diocese. I have caused 2,000 copies oi the prayer- book and 1,200 of the gospel-book to be printed. I had 400 catechisms printed, besides the prayei^books, for the use of Indian children. I have enlarged the prayer i'l 228 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. hli I .■ I i;'(: book very much in this third edition and hav3 greatly im- proved it. "As regards my mission at L'Anse I have good and con- soling news to write. These go '11 i m I! ;! ■\f ^S t' ! Uh ■ . ^■| ^ . ( i:.?U^5 ! - ' , 1 ! i !^^ CHAPTER XXXIX. OPENING OF THE COPPER MINES IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN. BARAGA VISITS HIS NEW MISSION. HE LABORS ON HIS FAMOUS CHIPPEWA GRAMMAR AND DICTIONARY. The mission of the Most Holy Name of Jesus at L' Anse (now Baraga, Assinins P. O., Baraga Co.) kept growing continually, though slowly, by fresh conversions of pagans eoming from the interior a.id settling lown at the mission. Since 1845 F. Baraga's missionaiy field had begun to widen. At Portage Lake ind elsewhere on Keweenaw Point rich copper deposits htd been discovered and were being worked. This broup^t a great many whites to that formerly wild an*! desolace country, a great number of whom, perhaps the majority, were Catholic Irish, Ger- mans and French. On tho 11th of Januaiy, 1847, F. Baraga made a mis- sionary trip to the mines and spent three weeks there. Ho was astonished at the rapid growth of civilization in the Lake Superior country. Instead of poor Indian wigwams he found beautiful frame houses supplied with all the lux- uries of civilization. On this first trip to the mining coun- try he saw about two hundred and fifty Catholics and he says there were many more elsewhere, whom he had not yet visited. In going from one place to another the misr sionary was obliged to travel on snow-shoes and carry all things necessary for divine service. lie baptized a number of children, heard confessions almost every day, and administered Holy Communion to a great majority of the people. He went from mine to mine and preached almost every evening after the miners had fi.nished their day's AT WORK ON A NEW DIOTIONABY. 231 work. lie spoke in English at times or in German, accord- ing to the nationality of his hearers. The Germans espec- ially were highly pleased to .^nd a priest with a knowledge of their own language in that distant country'. On the 10th of May he made another missionary trip to the mines, which took about three weeks, during which he performed all tJie duties of the ministry with great fruit. He promised to attend these scattering missions three times a yeaj* until the people would obtain a resident priest. Speaking of a new literary work he had taken in hand, he writes from L'Anse June 19 th, 1847, to the Leopoldine Society : "I desire to state that, in accordance with the wish of my Rt. Rev. Bishop and my fellow-missionaries, I have composed a complete grammar of the Chippewa language, which is the language of our Indians here. It has cost me a great deal of labour, as I had to open the v ,i v '^veiywhere since no grammar of this language has hitu" « appeared. However, as I have been studying that language for the past seventeen years, I was able to finish the work, with the help of God. "I am also composing a dictionary of the language Otchipwe-French and F rencJi-Otchipwe.^ I have collected several thousands of words, and I shall continue at the work during the summer and autumn, and a part of next winter. Next spring I intend to get both works printed, and hope by so doing to procure a great and lasting benefit for our missions, which are scattered over three dioceses. For with the help of a complete and systematic grammar illus- trating all the rules with numerous examples, and with a copious dictionary in hand, our present and future mis- sionaries, who do not understand much Chippewa, and that •We think there is a mistake here. Instead of Otchipwe French and jPrenc/i-Otchipwc, the reading ought to be: Otchipwe-.Bng'Hs/i and /Jng^Msft-Otchipwe. Baraga wrote his Chippewa grammar in English, and it is natural to suppose that his dictionary was also intended for English-speaking readers. m .Ill 232 RT. REV. FREDERIC BABAGA. 1 f/., : hi- not grammaticaJly, will Ix^ enabled to leara this curious, very peculiar, yet systematic and beautiful language, in. a short time, a very important thing, for it is something quite different if a missionary can speak with the Indians personally, or tc be obliged txj have his words interpreted by another. "Now these works of permanent utility to our Indian missions will certainly be ready for the press by next spring, if the Lord prolongs my life. But there is a cer- tain impediment in the way, which, after God, only the generosity of your Lordship can remove. The printing of these works will cost at least four hundred dollars, which I cannot expect from anybody else than your Lordship. If, therefore, it is your wish and that of the Leopoldine Society to have these works of mine published for the good of our Indian missions I most humbly pray you tC) let me have the above sum by next spring, through the handa of our Rt. Rev. Bishop of Detroit, under whose eyes I will get these books pi'inted." "The Catholic Almanac," of 1848, published in Balti- more says (page 162, Diocese of Detroit) : "Frederic Bar^i/a, Vicar-general of the Diocese of De- troit, and a most v oi-thy missionary priest, opened a mis- sion at L'Anse, about three years ago amid incredible labor and hardships. He has built a church and school house and has the consolation of having charge of more than thirty-three Chippewa families, which he himself has con- verted to the Catholic faith, and he has the assured hope that his new flock will be increased by new conversions. The quick advancement in ci /ilization and prosperity of these Indians, whose missionii have been lately founded, has become a subject of wonde;* to all those who have known L'Anse these last two years, for the Indians have entirely abandoned their savage customs, w^ays, and irregular mode of life, and have become a good, industrious, self-support- ing, honest and sober class of people. They now live in curious, ge, in a iiething Indians rpreted Indian )y next s a cer- nly the Lting of v^hich I p. If, Society of our ive the Mr Rt. t these INDIANS WORKING INDUSTRIOUSLY. 23a decent houses and work their land industriously. Each owns about thirty inres of land in the woods, which he clears, that is, cuts down the trees, plants it and surrounds it with a fence in common and in this common property every head of a family has a lot, which is plowed, planted and cultivated according to each one's needs." Balti- >f Be- a mis- •■ labor house than s con- hope sions. ty of aded^ nown irely mode port- ^e in 'u^\ CHAPTEF XL. FATHER BARAGA GOES TO FOND DU LAC, BAPTIZES A VERY OLD AND BLIND WOMAN. SUFFERS MUCH HARDSHIP ON HIS RETURN JOURNEY. ■',■■'/ ■I ! 'fl i ■ ■I , i.' ! ' • , ■^ ! ,, , 1i % 'S f •; n I !■'' tl^t >: ;« ■:l:sk r V.tf . ■■ '■?'' .' r« * In a letter, dated Copper Harbor, Mich., October 18, 1847, F. Baraga makes the following reflections, which ■\ve give in full as they give us an insight into the boundless charity of this holy man toward the poor, abandoned In- dians, and his burning zeal for their conversion and eternal salvation : "... And now some news about my missionary undertaking's. I am on the way to Fond du Lac. This is a mission station in the interior, about 350 miles from here. I have been there before as appears from my forme j reports. I never remained there longer than eight or ten days, sometimes only three or four. But now I intend to stay in that mission over two months. In order to instruct more fully in religion the newly converted, and, with God's help, to bring some pagans to the way of salvation. "Next January I hope to return to my mission at L'Anse on snow shoes. It was with difficulty and a heavy heart that I could tear myself away from my dear children at L'Anse. Solely tlie spiritual commiseration with the Indians at Fond du Lac, who complain so touchingly of the abandonment in which they live, could move me to this resolution. "How sad it is to have so few missionaries at Lake Superior, where so many of them could find a very salutary occupation unto the honor of God and the salvation of souls, if they would come here and put their hands to work . . . CONVEBSION OP AN OLD LADY. 235 I entreat most earnestly aJl our dear niission benefactors to pray often, yes, very often, in the Name of Jesus to the Lord of the vineyard that lie niav send some hd>orers into this so abandoned part of liis vineyard. I iiave the assured hope that such a universal prayer will have a go^xl effect.'' In Octol>er, 1847, F. Baraga went from Copper Harbor to Fond du Lac, mo-t probably by boat. The go(xl people of Fond du Lac felt excee^ 1.0 I.I |50 ^ vs. 1^ 1^ IM 2.0 L25 III U i 1.6 Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 145B0 (716) 872-4503 '^ ^ #• 111 236 RT. REV. FREDEBIC BARAGA. '\\: fr ii!' 1 i\' 1. I ^'- !• After having crawled with difficvilty into her ver}' small and miserable wigwam, he saluted her. The Christian Indian woman, who had the care of her and who had accompanied the Father, told the poor old creature that the Blackrobe had come to visit her. She could not see the priest, for she V. as blind, but she stretched out her hands tow^ards him and when he reached his hand she seized it with both her hands and exclaimed : "Nosse, nosse, jaw^enimishin !" "My father, my father, have pity on me!" Baraga compas- sionated her abandoned condition and then spoke to her about religion, trying to make her understand how happy she would bo in the other world, if she would but receive and believe the word of the Great Spirit and receive holy Baptism. He explained to her the principal doctrines of our holy religion and asked her from time to time whether she understood and believed what he told her. As he ^vas satisfied from her answers that she was w^ell disposed he in- tended to baptize her immediately. But then again, be- lieving there was no immediate danger he thought it might perhaps be better to come back the next day and instruct her a little more, before administering Baptism. On leav- ing the wigwam, however, his first thought came again, namely, to baptize her immediately, which he did. Yfhen he came home it w^as late. He felt very happy and satis- fied thcit he had baptized the poor old creature. Early the next moniing the head of the Christian family, that had taken care of her, came to tell Baraga that during the night the good old woman had quietly "fallen asleep in the Lord.^' Only a Christian heart can imagine the unspeakable joy, which the pious missionary felt at this news. He thanked God most fervently for having inspired him with the thought not to postpone holy Baptism till next day, as he had first intended. It was a mysterious disposition of eternal love, whose weak instniment he considered himself to be, which wantetl to take directly this poor soul to the eternal joys of heaven. "Parcet pauperi et inopi et A PERILOUS HOMEWARD TRIP. holy 237 aiiimas j)auperiiiii salvas faciet." ''lie shall spare the poor and needy and lie shall save the souls of the poor." (Ps. 71, V. 13). He also had the great joy of admitting to their first Holy Communion thirteen poor Indians, whom he had diligently prepared for that lioly Sacrament. Having thus consoled, instructed, and confirmed the poor Indians of Fond du Lac in their faith, F. Baraga pre- pared to retu.rn to L'Anse. This return trip was full of hardships and misery for the pious missionary, especially hetween Fond du Lac and La Pointe. He remarks that ho had made manv hard missionary iourneys, but that this was the hardest of them all. At other times he made the trip from Fond du Lac to La Point on foot in four days, but this time it took him seven c-ays. His traveling com- panion and guide through the pathless forest was Louis Gaudin (Gordon). They set out from Fond du Lac about the 5th of December, 1847. The first day they reached a point on Lake Superior, l>etween Superior and Bayfield, called in Chippewa, Ga-Pakweiagak. The snow was then but six inches deep. They camped on the sandy beach. During the night it snowed very hard and in the morning they were covered with a thick layer of snow, for about one foot of snow had fallen, that night. Hence they resolved to go straight from Ga-Pakweiagak to the mouth of the Sioux River. IS'o trail could be seen through the thick forest. The next night was very cold and Louis, Baraga's guide, caught a very severe cold and became very sick. He could not sleep all night and kept saying all the time that he would not be able to go a mile further. It was indeed a sad night ! They were far aw^ay from any human habi- tation, in a dense forest, on a high hill or ridge, without any trail. They could not afford to stay there long as their provisions were very scarce. Often during that long, cold night F. Baraga thought that the end of his earthly career K \ ^'1 1 I ' lj ■ Hi ii' ^38 ET. REV. FREDEBIO BARAGA. was perhaps at h.and, which certainly would have been the case had his tmsty guide dier j)riest when the road wont uphill. Often he tin night he would sink down in the snow and })ori8h. J lad he lain down, he certainly would have frozen to death in a short time, for it was exceedingly cold and ho was too weak and exhaust (h1 to gather wood and make a fire. So he kept on dragging himself along, rest- ing every few steps he made. At last he had arrived within two miles of the place to which he was going. But he was so weak now that it took him almost three hours to walk that short distance. When ho left in the morning ho had expected to arrive at tlie end of his journey by eleven o'clock in the morning. But he did not arrive till about five in the afternoon. The kind inhabitants of tho place wondered and pitied him very much when they saw him so weak and exhausted. Next morning they immediately sent a young man for his pack, which ho liad left hanging on a tree. Although this journey had nearly cost his life, yet he felt amply rewarded through the good use the poor people made of his visit. The second time F. Baraga was in great danger of losing his life was when he returned homeward after hav- ing visited the various missions at the mines. He was again traveling entirely alone, and was obliged to walk thirty miles to get to the first house on his way. However, he prefered to walk that whole distance in one day than spend tbe night in the open air sleeping on the snow, a thing that he greatly dreaded. But this journey, this walk of thirty miles, was again connected with fearful hard- ships. Early in the morning, the moon yet shining, he set out on his journey. At first things went well, for his way lay through the woods, where he was sheltered from the ccld wind. But when he came out of the woods his way was over large frozen lakes, and the wind, which blew FOURTH EDITION OF HIS PRAYUt BOOK. 247 ntraiplit into his face, brvamo stroiip^or and strongof, till it Ixvanio a poi'fcK't stonn. It bhnv so hanl that at tini(\s he oouKl haro the fire to make the steam- boat go faster. When at lengtli we landed at a good har- bor, the sailors noticed that the boiler had a large hole in the botto]m. They could not proceed further with the boat. I, therefore, left them and got aboard another steamboat, which was sailing by, and caue back to Detroit, from which place I hope to st-art in a few days and return, with the help of God, to my mission." 1 !':!■ ;;,vi ■ I r! I [i ! II ill CHAPTER LXII. LETTER OF RT. RKV. PETER PAUL LEFEVRE^ BISHOP OF DE- TROIT. F. BARAGA GETS HIS GRAMMAR AND INSTRUC- TION BOOK FOR THE INDIANS PRINTED IN DETROIT. NEW LABORS. HIS TERRIBLE JOURNEY IN THE WINTER OF 1850-1851. We give the following letter of the Rt. Rev. Peter Paul Lefevre, Coadjutor-Bishop and Administrator of the Dion- cese of Detroit, in full, as it contains his opinion as to the state of Baraga's missions. The Bishop writes as follows to the Leopoldine Society : Detroit, June 20, 1850. ^'Your Princely Highness — I duly received, before my departure to the Indian missions, Your Lordship's letter of the 15th of March of this vear. Sincerelv and from the bottom of my heart do I thank Your Princely Highnesa and all the mission benefactors in the Austrian empire for the great and numerous benefits ^dth which Your High- ness comes to our assistance. It is a pleasure to me to be able to inform you that the amount which Your Lordship procured for us was of far greater utility to us than that of the last years. For the two thousand florins C. M., or one hundred and seventy-four pound sterling, I received $854.52. I have not as yet taken the money, but as soon as I shall have done so I shall give one-half of it, as Your Lordship wishes, to Rev. Frederic Baraga. He is just now here, busy with the publishing of some of his mission works. He will stay here for a considerable time, for he is harv^ing two works printed, each of which, as he says, will .4' , 'I'M JL- i)' I'M *i I : liji 1, I.' J' i ^ii h I' 1 PI if sii ■"'■' 1: ' ':! li ■' .1 : ', ;i,i|;H'!' i!ii I' !' 1^ nil! 250 RT REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. contain over six hundred pages. His Indian grammar will be very welcome to our Indian missionaries. It will be very useful to them to aid them in learning the Indian language, a thing absolutely necessary to them. ''It is only a few days ago since I returned from the Indian missions, in which I spent six weeks. I have also visited the mission of Rev. Earaga at L'Anse and have administered the sacrament of confirmation to many In- dians of his flourishing and steadily increasing mission. I have always much consolation and spiritual joy when- ever I go to the Indian missions. It is, indeed, consoling to see how these poor children of the forest, who until re- cently lived in the most horrible vices of paganism, are now God-fearing Christians and far surpass the whites in devotion, in faith, and in the fulfillment of their Christian duties. As often as I visit these missions I think that the life of a missionary is at times really hard and disagree- able, but at the same time very consoling and full of re- ward, since he sees immediately the fruit of his labors, and after the toil of planting comes immediately the joyful time of reaping. "Seminant missionarii flentes et gemen- tes, sed statim laetantes veniunt portantes manipulossuos — the missionaries sow w^eeping and sighing, but immediately they come bearing their sheaves." During his two and a half months' stay in Detroit, in the summer of 1850, F. Baraga worked, as it were, day and night at superintending the printing of two of his works, each of which shows his profound erudition and ex- alted pjety. His Indian grammar is a masterly work of linguistic learning. When we consider that nine-tenths of all Chippewa words are either verbs or reducible to verbs, and that these verbs have thousands of terminations ex- pressive of every shade of meaning, and that Baraga was obliged to learn all these countless terminations by patient inquiries from people who have no more idea of grammar "than the man in the moon," we are struck with astonis-h- STANDS FIRST AS AN INDIAN LINGUIST. 251 ment and wonder at the genius, learning, and herculean labor of the man. As Indian linguist he occupies the first place amongst all scholars of Indian languages. We do not, of course, mean to assert that no white man could speak Chippewa better than Baraga. There may be such. But we confidently assert that no known writer had sucli a full, scientific, systematic knowledge of the language as he had. Of that his grammar and dictionary are the best proofs. In the appendix we will note a few of the many peculiarities and difiiculties of the Chippewa language. As to the second work, spoken of above, it also 8ha^vs the wonderful ability of its author. It is written with deamess and perspicuity. The language is simple, the range of words very limited, only those being employed which are in frequent use. The sentences are short, hardly any causal clauses being used. It is just as if a mother would first chew the food and then put it in the mouth of her child, just beginning to eat The book opens with a beautiful explanation of Christ- mas, the feast the poor Indians love so much. Then follow instructions, most simple and appropriate, on 'New Year's day and Epiphany. About one hundred pages are devoted to the Passion of Our Lord. Then follows an instruction on Easter and Ascension, all beautifully adapted to the limited capacity of his Indian readers. He treats most beautifully of prayer, explaining separately and touch- ingly each of the seven petitions of the "Our Father," as also the "Hail Mary." He explains in a masterly way each of the commandments of God and the Church. His instructions on tlie Sacraments are models of Indian com- position, clear, logical, simple. At the end of the work are articles on the four last things and certain Indian vices, drinking, gambling, dancing. We have no hesitation in pronouncing this the ablest and best work of Father Baraga. It passed through two editions during Baraga's life time, and is now out of print and becoming very !'\i; ¥m . -rM ii- li ^■■11.'; ;ii.' lii 252 BT. BEY. FBEDEBIC BABAOA. scarce. Would to God it could bo reprinted aud thus be made again accessible to our Indians! But our Indian missionaries are poor and can do nothing. Speaking of these two works, he writes to the Arch- bishop of Vienna, one of the directors of the Leopoldine Society, as follows : "I had two works printed here (in Detroit, in 1850), of which I made mention in my last letter. Now they are finished. One of them is a theoretic-practical grammar of the Indian language, and the other an Indian meditation and instniction book on all the truths of our holy religion (ISTanagatawendamo-masinaigan). I take the liberty of sending to Your Princely Highness two copies of the grammar and one copy of the Indian work (the above- spoken of Chippewa meditati* n and instruction book). The latter is in the fonn of a pocket manual, because In- dians like to take along their books wherever they go. The dictionary could not be printed at present. There is too much work connected with it. I will immediately send the little box witli the books from here, but it will be per- haps late in the season before it gets to Vienna. I pray Your Highness to excuse me for asking you to forward the books in the enclosed package early and safely to Laibach. "During the whole time of my stay iiere I was very busy, for I was having both works printed at the same time, and had much to do in correcting the proof sheets. The days were always too short for me and they went by so quickly that it seemed to me as if it was always Sunday. On four Sundays I preached in the French church, on three Sundays in the English, and on the remaining Sun- days in the German church. "Day after tomorrow I shall depart for home and take along to my mission a young, exemplary priest. The Rt. Rev. Bishop sends him with me to learn the Indian lan- guage and then labor in the missions. That is a very good, AGAIN VISITS NORTHERN MICHIGAN. 263 ancient Jesuit plan. For it is really much bettor that a missionai*y first leani the Indian language before ho be- gins to work in the missions. It is a very disagreeable und difficult thing if a missionary is obliged to use an inter- preter. As a matter of corpse, this plan must be followed first. But now that v^e have a grammar and books in the Indian language, young missionaries will easily and soon learn the language. I am glad that this priest is going with me. He is a saintly man and has the finn resolution to spend his whole life in the Indian missions. He is a Belgian and his name is Charles Van Paemel" (should be Angelus Van Paemel). From a letter of Bishop Lefevre, dated September 15th, 1S52, we learn that Father Pierz left his diocese in the spring of that same year and that he went to Minnesota to establish a new Indian mission there. During the winter of 1850-1851 Father Baraga visited again his mission stations at the different copper mines of Keweenaw Point, Northern Michigan. There were qmte a large number of Irish, French and GeiTnans among the mining population, and to tend to them all meant a great increase of labor and hardships to the zealous missionary. The weather was very cold that wdnter. He had to go from one place to another on snow-shoes and carry his heavy pack, containing all things necessary for divine ser- vice. On one of these apostolic journeys he was in the greatest danger of losing his life. It was towards the end of January, during the coldest days and nights of that month. He was on his w ay homer ward, after having visited the mining settlements. He stayed over night in a certain house. From this plaxje to the nearest human habitation on his way wei*e thirty miles. Generally he used to walk that distance in ten or twelve hours ; but this time it came other^vise. During the entire preceding day and during the whole night it snowed fear- fully, so that the snow, which even before was very deep, W'l m. J'U I- ip < i4^ *iii '1.^ I ft'i - I. ir m¥ u .'I ,,! " ill Ki 1 'l II ! m : ;; mi ' iJ' i.i 1. ft? ^:.i:';ii! ;,,.), .ill. 'ii' '111! i^! ..!' 'l.f'i.o 254 BT. BEV. FBEDEBIC BABAGA. bcvamo a gToat deal deeper and the walking so much more fatiguing and difficult. And through this deep snow ho liad to travel entirely alono over thirty miles. It was only through a special protection of God that he escaped with his life. lie left the house, in -which he had remained over night, about seven o'clock in the morning and then he began to make his way. He soon felt very tired, but kept on walk- ing slowly all day long, making but little progress. About iivo in the evening he had made but half the way. It was truly horrible. It was evening, night was at hand, and ho was fifteen long miles away from the nearest hiunan d\vell- ing, all alone. The night was dark and intensely cold. No fire, nothing but a piece of cake to eat, and he ready to sink down in the snow at anv moment from exhaustion and weakness! What was the poor priest to do? He had either to walk on or freeze to death. With a fervent prayer he recommended himself to Divine Providence, which had so often before wonderfully protected him, and walked on ajid on during all that long, dai'k, and bitterly cold night At last, at seven in the morning, he arrived at the house and sank down totally exhausted. Nature could stand the strain no longer. The people of the house were astonished beyond measure at his coming. He had walked twenty- four hours, without resting, through the deep snow, with his snow-shoes on and carrying his heavy pack, tvith noth- ing to eat hut a piece of dry, frozen cake! He says : "I could not thank God enough, when I arrived at the house. Many a time I thought during the night,' which was bitterly cold, that I would sink down and freeze be^ fore I would get to the house. And it was really only through the special protection of my loving, heavenly Father that I could hold out in such great hardship. My trust in tlie help of God under all circumstances of life was even before that very great; but this occurrence has heightened it a great deal more." m m CHAPTER XLIIL BAKAGA S ELEVATION TO THE EPISCOPAL DIGNITY. SAULT STE. MAKIE HIS EPISCOPAL SEE. A SIIOIiT HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE PLACE AND OF THE MISSIONARIES WHO LABORED THERE. ffht life has Wo are now to enter upon a new era in the life of saintly Baraga. We have endeavored to give the reader a true picture of his life as child, student, priest and Indian missionarv. We are now to narrate his holv, self-sacrific- ing life as bishop of a large, extensive diocese. July 29th, 1853, the A^orthern Peninsula of Michigan ■was detached from the diocese of Detroit and erected into a Vicariate- Apostolic. On the 1st of I^oveinber of tliat same year Very Rev. Frederic Baraga was consecrated in the cathedral of Cincinnati by Archbishop Purcell, Bishops Lefevre of Detroit and Henni of Milwaukee act- ing as assistant consecrators. It is much to be regretted that no particulars of this important event have anywhere been recorded. Bishop Lefevre ceded to the newly consecrated bishop the Indian missions of his diocese in lower Michigan, and Bishop Henni did the same in regard to those of ISTorthem Wisconsin ; the like was done hy the bishop of Hamilton in regard to the Indians of the north shore of I ake Supe- rior. B. Baraga had thus a very large territory confided, to his care. It extended from Fond du Lac, fifteen miles beyond the western extremity of Lake Superior, to Arbre Croche and the adjacent islands and missions, thus taking in all the country around Lake Superior, the entire l^orth- em Peninsula, and a considerable Dart also of the Southern H ^ I m ■••,'n W~\M \'h mv I >i.'. J ' ri^;:ll■it!i iiH; 256 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. Po.niiisulii of Aliclu*:ari. From a lottor of his "vvc loam that at tlio time of liis consccratioii tliero were but two j)ri(\st8 in Noi*th('ni Ali('liif::an. From time immemorial the falls of Sault Sto. Marie were a common campinp; ground for Indians of the whole surrounding eountrv on account of tlie abundance of white- fish and lake trout found there. However, the Saulteurs or Eawiting daji-ininiwag were the regular settlers of the place. Thev fonned a brajich of the great Chippewa na- tion who inhabiteil both the northern iuid southern shores of Lake Superior. The iirst white man to visit Sault Ste. Marie and gaze on the limpid Maters of our great inland sea was most probably the Franciscan Father Jose])h Le Caron, in 1615 or thereal>outs. It seems that Etienne Brule, a French trader, was there at an eai'ly day, too. In 1634 — or, as some assert, 1630- -Jean Nicollet visited the Winne- bagoes near Green Bay, but wdiether he saw Lake Superior is i..icertain. In 1642 Jogues and Raymbault, two Jesuit FatJiers, visited the Sault and were well received by the 2,000 Indians assembled there to celebrate the great feast of the dead. Father Marquette spent a year there, 1668- 1669, and found the people w^ell inclined to Christianity. Father Dablon was thei*e for some years and may be justly called the founder of said mission. On the 14th of June, 1671, Sieur Lusson, acting in tlie name of the Intendant Talon and of his Majesty Louis XIV, of France, took formal possession of Sault St-e. Marie and of all the coun- try represented by the ambassadors of fourteen different Indian tribes assembled for that purpose. All the Fathers and Frenchmen in that vicinity, as well as a great number of Indians, were present, and Father AUouez addressed the multitude as follows : ^^Behold, a noble affair presents itself to us, my brethren ; grand and important is the affair, which is the object of this council. Look up to the Cross, elevated so mm ADDBESS OP FATHER ALLODEZ. 257 higb above your Loads. To such a (^ross it was that Jcsiis Christ, the Son of God, having become man for the love of man, allowe 258 BT. REV. FRKDERIC BARAOA. count tho scalps, but only the streams of blood which he has caiised U) flow! lie carries oif so great a number of prisoners of war that he makes no account of them, but lets tJiem go wherever they like, to sliow that he doen not fear them. At pret^ent no one dares to make war on him. All those living beyond tho sea have sued him for peace with the greatest submission. From all parts of tho world people go to see him, to hear and admire him ! It is ho alone that decides all the affairs of the world ! What shall I say of his riches ? You esteem yourselves rich when you have ten or twelve sacks of corn, some hatchets, beads, ket- tles, or some other things similar. He has more cities her longing to him than there are men among you in all these 'coimtries in five hundred leagues around ! In each city there are stores in which enough axes could be found to cut down all your forests; enough kettles to boil all your moose, and enough glass beads to fill all your wigwams ! His house (palace) is longer than from here to the head of the Sault — that is, more than half a league; it is higher than the highest of your trees, and it holds more families than the largest of your villages can contain." No wonder the Indians were filled with wonder and astonishment that there was a man on earth so great, so rich and so po^verful! Good Father AUouez indulged in hyperbolic language, to impress his dusky hearers with a gTeat idea of the grandeur of the "Grand Monarch," Louis XIV. In 1674, three years after the above narrated solemn act, a delegation of Sioux came to the Sault to take part in a general Indian council of the northwestern tribes. During one of the deliberations a sanguinary affray oc- curred between them and the assembled Crees and Chip- pewas. All the Sioux were killed, but also many of their enemies, and the mission building was set on fire and burned to the gi-ound. Father Dreuillettes labored long and successfully at the Sault. After his departure or death JESUIT FATHBBS AT THE SAULT. 259 long the miHrtion seoiiis to have been abandoned, the Fathers con- <5entrating their forces at St. Igiiaco in Michigan, St. Fran- cis Xavier, at Do Pore, Wis., and Kaskaskia, 111. In 1834 the Redemptorist Father Ilatscher lalwred with gi'eat zeal and much fi-uit at the Sault. Bishop Re«e visite-d the mission that year, baptizcMl many Winnebagoes and ooniirnieHl : lore than one hundred of them. A small Catholic church had been built there. It was, however, soon after destroyed by a fanatical mob, that smashed the windows, threw the vestments, chalice and other utensils out doors and destroyed them. They tore the missals into shreds. When Father ILHtscher attempted to decorate his church for All Saints' day they fireil the building. It is a remarkable coincidence that the same blind hatred against the church impelled a mob to destroy that verv year, on tlie 11th of August, the ITrsuline Convent at Charles- town, Mass., founded in 1820 by Bishop — after\vard3 Archbishop and Cardinal — Cheverus. Father Hiitscher, however, continued to labor at the Sault until the 4th of July, 1835, when he was moved by his superior, F. San- derl, to Ohio. In the fall of 1836 Father Pierz took charge of the Sault and commenced to build another church. He also visited the Island of 3t. Joseph and Kitchimitigong (Large Tree). In the last named place he converted many pagans. We find him still at the Sault in 1838, during which year he visited Michipicoton, where almost all the pagans re- ceived holy baptism. He then went to Okwanikissong, where he baptized many Indians. After having spent nearly a whole year at Grand Portage, Pigeon River, and Fort William, he returned to the Sault in 1839. Therer after he made his home in Arbre Croche, whence he visited, from time to time, the Sault and other stations until 1852, when he went to Minnesota, residin*;; most of the time in Crow Wing. In 1846 the Jesuit Fathers came to reside in the Sault, ii!l (I III Jii'l '«H 260 BT. BEV. FBEDEBIO BABAGA. Ehl 1 1 fi'i "i'l 'I; i if :£ ''iMii: ''''iliili!' '■'■ I, il';' namely, F. Menet and another Father. Ic 1847 F. Kohler of the same order caine to take charge of the mission of the Canadian Sault across the river witli F. Hamipaux as itin- erant missionary among the Indians. Father Monet re- mained at the Sault until 1860, when he was withdrawn. During this period there was but one regular residence for the missionaries, namely, at the village of Sault Ste. Marie. After Father Menet's return in 1864 a residence of Jesuit Fathers was opened at the Canadian Sault and later on at Garden River, about twelve miles below on the Canadian side. Both those residences, however, till about a decade ago, remained dependent on the American Sault. The Fathers of the last named residence have charge of the fol- lowing missions: Bay Mills, Donaldson, Indian Point, Ishkonigan, Pickford, Sugar Island, Waiskey Bay and White Fish Point i:i'! I ;i '-I :i:!l; •■ :.,ii'"r''!' '!!■!■' i P :i ,•' I'll! tlw, m 'liiiiiiiiiii i if iiil I CHAPTER XLIV. BISHOP BARAOa's pastoral LETTKR to TirE FAITUFUL OP HIS VICARIATK-APOSTOLIC ANNOUNCING HIS ELEVATION TO THE EPISCOPAL DIONITY. Shortly after his elevation to the episcopal dignity Bishop Baraga addressed two distinct letters to his people, the one in English, the other in Chippewa. Both are well worthy of perusal. The tone of the Erglish encyclical is different from most documents of this kind. It breathes throughout the feelings of a loving, fatherly heart. He does not use the words, "Beloved brethren," he ad- dresses them with the affectionate name of children, say- ing, "My dear children." He speaks more like a father than a dignitary. In the appendix we shall give the Chippewa document with accompanying translation. We do this the more will- ingly as B. Baraga's pastoral letter to his Indian children, whom he loved most warmly, is an unwum of its kind. As far as the writer knows, no such official document was ever issued in any Indian language. It is, therefore, well worth preserving, as well for its intrinsic as also for ita historic value. ♦'FREDERIC BARAGA, BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE FAVOR OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE, BISHOP OF AMYZONIA, VICAR APOSTOLIC OF THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN. TO THE FAITHFUL OF HIS DrOCESE, HEALTH AND BENEDICTION. VENERABLE BRETHREN OF THE CLERGY, AND DEARLY BELOVED CHILDREN IN CHRIST JESUS." M !>> ll i t I !i:l!i %' !^l Ni -^fi ''li'' *^ *v:ij::= 1'^^^ i'Hjj, 262 RT. RBV. FREDERIC BARAGA. «t ^Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father^ "and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for "our sins, that he might deliver us from this present wicked "world, according to the will of God and our Father." And the will of God, our heavenly Father, is our sanc- tification, our eternal happiness; that we should love him and serve him in this world, and be happy with him forever in the next. And there is no true happiness but with him and in him. God Almighty has created us for happiness; and he could not create us for anything else, because he is Charity, and all his designs and ways are charity and mercy. He has created all things for us, but he has created us for himself. And if we, nevertheless, see how much misery and unhappiness there is among us in this world, and are taught that innumerable souls are in eternal suffer- ings in the next world, we must acknowledge that the cause of all that, is not the will of God, but our own wickedness, our want of obedient submission to the most holy and merciful will of God Almighty'. Our Savior and our God is infinitely faithful to his promises. He promised us solemnly that whosoever shall fulfill the will of his Father, and our Father, that is in heaven, shall enter the kingdom of .heaven, and be there eternally happy with God. We see then plainly before us the way to happiness ; it is : The fulfilling yf the will of God, the fulfilling of our duties to- wards him. Dearly beloved, as I wish your eternal happiness with the same heartfelt desire as I do my own, I entreat you with all my heart, be faithful in the fulfilling of your duties toward God, and God will reward you for it in his heavenly kingdom. I will now explain to you our principal and most sacred duties towards God, that you may mind them, and with the help of God fulfill them faithfully. Read these instnie- tions with attention; not only once and then throw them- away and forget them, but read them repeatedly, and r>RTOBAL LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL. 263 em md endeavor to practise them. This is the first time I speak to you, through these lines, as your principal Pastor and Bishop. Let these words enter into your hearts as they come out of my heart. This heart has ever loved you, my dear children, but never so paternally as now. I. Our first essential duty towards God is the duty of Faiih, which consists in the believing of evci*y word that God has revealed to us, without rejecting a single point of revealed faith. Some truths of our religion are so sub- lime that M'e cannot comprehend them with our feeble and limiteil reason. These truths we also must believe on the authority of God who never can err, never deceive nor be deceived. That there are in our holy religion some truths so sublime that we cannot comprehend them shows the divine character of it and admonishes us of the necessity, of the absolute submission of our limited reason to the in- fallible authority of God. To reject a single point would be to destroy the w^hole ; because if God could err or deceive only in one point, his authority would be no better than human. This dutv of faith is essential a.nd the fulnlling of it necessary for salvation, because wit^out faith it is impos- sible to please God. And Christ said veiy expressly: "He that believes and is baptize:i|i '■ ii' i M't ' ' I'' ;i ■.,i]j, 1: ;:l'l,i. m ! : ■!!ii 1 ' 1 i ^1 It! n! 264 BT. BEY. FBBDEBIO BABAQA. make it our rule of life. If we have, and preserve until death, the true faith, and do not live according to its pre- cepts, we shall be cast out into exterior darkness on the day of judgment, like that slothful servant, who received a precious talent at the hands of his master, and merely pre- served it, but made no profit on it. Our holy Catholic faith is a most precious and immense treasure, infinitely more precious than all the gold and silver of the universe. This is that precious talent which our heavenly Lord and Master entrusted to us, His servants, that we may deal in it, and make all possible profit by it, against the day of ac- count. He that merely preserves this talent, and makes no profit of it, will certainly be cast out into that horrid darkness of eternal damnation. Examine yourselves, beloved children, whether your faith is living and profitable, or dead and fruitless. How unhappy is the negligent Catholic who possesses thai pre- cious talent, the true faith, revealed by the Son of God, and does not profit by it ! Oh, how those unfortunate vic- tims of the justice of God r^et that they did not make a better use of their religion when it was time ! Would they be allowed to return to this world, oh ! how faithful would they be in fulfilling all Christian duties ! They will never more be allowed to return to this world ; but you, my dear- est children, are yet in this world. But vour time will soon pass away forever. Profit by it ; it will be for your everlasting happiness. You have an immense treasure in your hands, you can buy heaven with it. How unfortunate would you be if you profit not by such an opportunity ! II. Another great duty of a Christian towards his God is the duty of Adoration. As soon as we believe in God and believe in His revealed word, we will easilv un- derstand how great our duty is to adore Him and Him alona "The Lord thv God thou shalt adore and serve Him alona'^ We are often accused by our adversaries of adoring creatures equally with the Creator. Let them say PASTORAL LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL. 265 hia in lun- [im Irve of jay what they please. Every Catholic child knows that we adore only God Almighty, and no other being. But we pray to the saints in heaven that they may pray with u3 and for us to God Almighty. The duty of praying is a great and holy duty. We are expressly commanded to pray continually and never to cease, Not only the word of our Savior, but also His holy example teaches us the duty of praying ; He was continu- ally praying and spent whole nights in prayer. ^ever neglect your prayers, beloved children. A Christian without prayer is like a soldier without arms; exposed to every attack of his enemiCvS, and easily over- come. We are soldiers of Christ ; our whole life is a kind of warfare against our enemies, visible and invisible ; and our strongest weapon is prayer. If you throw away that weapon, how will you be able to withstand the violent and repeated attacks of your enemies? Remember the warn- ing of our Savior, that we must watch and pray ; or else the enemy will soon overcome us. Although we have always to pray and never to cease, still there are some periods of time in which we are more strictly obliged to pray. These are especially the begin- ning and the end of every day ; therefore every faithful Christian ought, invariably, to perform his morning and evening prayer. And if he does not, he neglects a decided and sacred duty towards God, and deprives himself of many graces; because prayer is the principal channel through which the grace of God flows into our hearts. Dearly beloved children, be faithful in the fulfilling of this holy duty; and never say, I have no time to pray. Consider how ungrateful tliis is. God Almighty gives you twenty-four hours everv dav for your works and wants. And out of these twenty-four hours you cannot give a few minutes to God for the fulfilling of a great duty? Fear the reproaches of God on the day of judgment! It t&- quires only a good will and a firm resolution to fulfill this t'ii ' I . 1 ill S'iI'iLe I •5 IH 1: >i 1 I )( 11 ^.I'lllji!"' 'I'll' :ii "' I -^ ,1 I; ^:| :J' ^■' i'^iS: 'ill ;';,'•' illil 266 RT EEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. duty, and you will find means and time to do it. And don't think, my deaf children, that in remote places you are not very strictly obliged to pei*fonn your prayers. This is a pernicious illusion. God is everywhere, and must be served everywhere. Our Savior says plainly that the true adorers ajid servants of God Avill adore Ilim every- where in spirit and in truth. Be especially faithful in fulfilling the duty of praying on the day of Our Lord, on Sunday, which is set apart by God Almighty for His special service. We read in Holy Scripture how severely God has punished Sabbath-breakers in ancient times. If He does not punish them always now in this world, He certainlv will in the next. It is a melan- choly fact (but, nevertheless, very true, and it came a thousand times within my experience) that many Chris- tians living in remote places neglect more their duty of praying and c-ommit more sins on Sunday than on any otiier day in the week. How horrid this is ! And what a responsibility on the day of judgment ! Be careful, dear children, and fear the judgment of God. It may fall upon you on a sudden and unexpectedly. Watch and pray. Perform your prayers every morning and every evening, and during the day frequently remember God ; and so you will fulfill that precept of our Savior : "Pray continually and never cease." III. The third of our principal and most essential duties towards God is the duty of Respect; that we ought to respect God more than any person on earth. This duty seems to be plainly understood, and it seems to be a matter of course that God be more respected than any person on earth, because He is the most Perfect Being. And still there is hardly any other duty towards God that is so often transgressed, especially by many classes of people, than this very duty of respect. To fulfill this duty, we ought never to' forget the pres- ence of God, but continually to remember, as we are taught PA8T0RAL LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL. 267 I : res- ght by our faith, that God Almighty is everywhere present, that He knows onr thoughts, hears our words, and sees our actions ; and then to behave as it becomes the awful pres- ence of God. When a believing Christiaji (as they com- monly are) is in the presence of a respected and worthy clergyman, he behaves decently; not a single word will escape his lips that cx>uld oifend the re-spected person ; not a single action or gesture will take place that could hurt the feelings of the person of that raspectable character. But consider the same Christian when he is in his ordinary common society, amongst persons whom he does not partic- ularly respect. He ^vill behave quite differently, he will use bad language, he will curse, swear, blaspheme, and pronounce impure, obscene words. And all this in the very presence of God, the Most Holy, the Most High. What a want of respect ! And what a perversity ! He re- spects the presence of a man, and does not respect the awrful presence of his God ! And transgresses horribly the sacred duty of respect towards God. If God Almighty would re- quire of us only as much respect for His Most Holy Majesty as we use towards respectable persons on earth, every believing Christian would say that this would not be enough. And indeed it would not be enough, because there is no comparison between the respectability of the highest person in this world and the Most Holy Majesty of God! And still — to tJie shame of the majority of Christians we must acknowledge it — there is less respect among Chris- tians for God Almighty than for respectable persons in this v(7orld. Consider this, dearly beloved children, and reflect seri- ously how often you have transgressed this sacred duty to- wards God ; how often you have spoken words and com- mitted actions in the presence of God which you never would do in the presence of a clergyman or other respect- able person. Repent of it, beloved children, and maJ^e a firm resolution never to forget the presence of God; to U }> I I i • u! i > "!■ 11 « p:i;« I it iml i1: 'ilil 'I ,■•■• II,' •'.I'. Ill 268 BT. REV. PRBDBRIC lURAGA. look at Hini oons^tantlj with tho (\V(»s of faith, and tx) Ihv have in His proHonco as it btvomoa a Ix'lieviii^ (/hrintiaii, who knows fliat God, his future jud^>, evorywhoro scea him, ami hears ail his words. IV. Tlio fourth principal duty of a Christian towards his God is, tlie duty of Obedu^nce. Wo havo strict dutiea of obotlionrt:^ even to certain persons in this world. Thus children are strictly ohlii^e obniient to their parentfl ; and servants are commanded hv the word of God to Iw oboKliont to their masters in alt things that are not against tho law of G(xi ; and to be (>l>edient even to wicked and peevish masters. But far greater is our duty of obedience towards Goti, who is our heavenly Father, and the best of Fathers, our Supreme Lord and Master, and the kindest of Masters. To 1)0 obedient means, to fulfill the will of a superior. To he obedient to God means, then, to fulfill His holy will. When a master wiuits his servant to do something for him, he will tell him what he has to do, and the servant will know the will of his master. But how can we know what God, our heavenly Lord and Master, wants us to do ? Goil has established several means by which we may understand what is His will, in order to fulfill it. The voice of can- science is one of these means by which God gives us to un- derstand His will. The voice of vour conscience is the voice of God. Pav attention to the voice of vour conscience and you will understand that. When you propose to do wrong, or are in danger of committing sin, your conscience will inunediatelv warn you not to do evil, to avoid it bv all means. On the contrary, when you propose to do good, and find opportunity to do so, your conscience will encour- age you to do all good you can. See here the plain will of God. To avoid ev'^ and do good, this is for us invariably the will of God. So, then, beloved children, in order to fulfill the holy will of God Almighty, listen to your con- science and follow its dictates, avoiding what it forbids TASTOKAL LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL. 269 >i(iB you, hikI doing uiiut it coinmands you ; tirid by ho doing you will fulfill th« Hacr(' (J(xl. Another means l)y which (iie description of the character of our love towards God. Not only did he say tiiat we must love God, but he explained that we must love the Lord our God ^Svith our whole heart and with our whole soul and with our whole mind and with our whole strength." The ancient Fathers of the church wondered that it was necessary to give to Christians an express commandment to love God. "Is it not natural," they say, "to the heart of a Christian, who is a child of God, to love his heavenly if ; i u 270 BT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. PJlf! i: I'll ii iW 'ii '1 •"I, w' .'.^>M :ii:'->l:l'^:.j •'M ,1 ■If; ■Ill/iJ::' «!l!ii! iHSil!: i Father above all ? Was it nece^ssary to command it, to prescribe it ?" Oh, certainly, it was ! And notwithstand- ing this express commandment and the detailed descrip- tion of it, very few Christians love God according to this description of our Savior. Consider often, beloved children, these four marks of the true love of God, and examine yourselves whether your love has these marks. x\nd do not think that only a few chosen and extraordinary souls are obliged to love God thus. Ko ! we are all obliged so to love Him ! The first mark of the true love of God is, that we love Him with our whole heart; that is, that we do not divide our lieart between God and the world, between the Creator ajid the creature. God is a jealous God, as we see in Holy 8cripture; He suffers no other lover besides Him, much less above Him. He wants your whole heart, or nothing. If yon love anything more than God, or as much as God, you have not the true love of God. And if you are not earnestly ready to part with anything in the world for the love of God, if He requires it of you through the mouth of a pastx)r of His church, you do not love Him with all your heart ; your heart is divided, and consequently not accepted by God at all. But understand well, beloved children, when we are commanded to love God with our whole heart, this means not that v:e must not love anything but God. We may love, and w^e are commanded to love, our parents, our relatives, our benefactors, our friends, even our ene- mies. But we must love all in God, according to the will of God, and for God's sake ; and God in all and above all. And so we will love Him with our whole heart. The second mark of the true love o God is, that we love Him with our whole soul. This is a Scriptural expression. We often find in Holy Scripture the word "soul" instead of "life." So, for instance, our Savior says that whosoever shall lose his "soul" in this world for His sake, shall find it in the next; that is, whosoever shall lose liia "life" for PAvSl^OBAL LETTER TO THE FAITHFITL. 271 ^© love jssion. istead 3oever llfind " for hia Savior's nake in this world, shall find tnio lifo in the next. To lovo God with our whole soul, si!rniti(\s that we ought to lovo Ilini more than <»ur own life, and 1k3 Hrinly resolvc^l to lose our life ratluu* than to lose llini, throuij^h sin. Jt ought to be our tirin and eanu^st ivsolntion rather to die than to offend God. Jiut, alas! how often will the Christian eonnnit sin, even a mortal sin. not to save his life, but for a mere tritie, for the pleasure of a moment, for a small luere, for the vapor of a worldly honor, for the sake of a worldly friend, and so forth. What would he not do if his life were at stake ! And still we are called upon — all of us — to lose rather our life than to offend God with a single sin ! This is the meaning of the solemn appeal of Christ : "Love the Lord thy God with thy whole soul !" The third mark of the true love of God is, to love Ilim with our whole mind; that is, that we should oecupy our mind and our thoughts continually, or at least frequently, with the presence of God. It is natural to a loving heart to remember often, the object of its affection. Imagine a good loving child who lives at a distance from his kind and loving father. That child will almost continually think of his father, and will long after the happy moment of his reunion with the beloved object of his filial affec- tions. So ought every Christian to do, because he has the happiness to be a child of the best of Fathers. x\nd so he will do if he loves God with his w^hole mind. lie will think continually of his heavenly Father, and never forget His holy presence. And happy, infinitely happy, is the Christian who never forgets the presence of his God and Father. He will behave decently, and will carefully avoid fill that could offend his beloved Father, in thoughts and Avords and actions ; and will lead a holy life in the love of God. The fourth mark of the true love of God is, that we love Him with our luhole strength. The true love of God is the greatest happiness and the most precious privilege i.! 1-1 YtV i » k li; ^» ■my^ hrii-s ll. a '".1 " I* : .:;^ , .1' ., ' : i;i I: J-^' •'I'I'K ,-:''!] i 272 RT. REV. FREDEIilC BARAGA. of a Christian. It is that splendid wedding-garment in which he will be admitted to the happiness and eternal joj of the "Lamb's nuptials." Nothing in the world can be obtained without endeavors and labor; and the more pre- cious the object and the greater the fortune aimed at, the more serious the eiforts to obtain it-. As the true love of God is decidedly the most precious treasure of a Christian, so also our efforts to obtain and possess it ought to be ex- treme. But when we consider Christians as they com- monly are, we will see how earnestly and perseveringly they endeavor to obtain riches and honors and pleasures, and all the comforts of this perishable life. And the love of God ? This is commonly crowded out entirely, or, sought after as a by-thing, not as the "One Thing Neces- sary/^ Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus! With all the eager- ness and solicitlide of a loving father's heart I entreat you, in the name of God, whose Holy Providence has now com- mitted you to my spiritual care, be faithful in the fulfilling of these principal and most essential duties towards God our heavenly Father. Especially endeavor to have thfi true love of God, which is the very foundation of all Chris- tianity, and the glorious mark of a happy predestination. If you love God sincerely and above all, you will easily ful- fill all other duties towards Him. Nothing is difficult, nothing tedious, to a loving heart. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen." -fFREDERIC, Bishop and Vicar Apostolic of Upper Michigan. CHAPTER XLV. BISHOP Baraga's first letter to the leopoldinb SOCIETY after HIS ELEVATION TO THE EPISCOPATE. HE GOES TO EUROPE TO SECURE PRIESTS AND FUNDS FOR HIS INFANT DIOCESE. T>!, y, or, larity with »ishop Baraga being placed at the head of a new, ex- tensive, but poor, diocese, naturally began to look about for means to provide for the spiritual wants of his people, of whom, perhaps, one-half, if not more, were Indian converts. Hence, under date of January 23d, 1854, he penned the following letter to the Leopoldine Society : "Through the Providence of God, who protects and governs His holy church, I, although unworthy, have been made Bishop and Apostolic-Vicar of Upper Michigan, in North America, and have been consecrated in Cincinnati on the first of November of last year. ''Upper Michigan is as yet an entirely new country. It is but ten years ago since it was ceded by the Irdians to the United States government. Soon after, however, im- portant copper and iron mines were discovered there, and then the white population began to increase most marvel- ously. Germans, Irish, Canadians, poured in masses into Upper Michigan, which country soon put on another ap- pearance. By far the greatest majority of these settlers are Catholics. It was now that the want of priests began to be painfully felt. I was the only priest, who for several years had to care for all the Catholics there — Germans, Irish, Canadian-French, and Indians, until at length Prov- idence called me to care in a higher sphere for these so" abandoned Catholics. ill -|::ii^^ 274 RT. BEV. FREDEBIC BABAUA. 'iir ( i I: IcM f ''Sir'' ll ■''''ll'; •I ■ III''' "Without having bwn thcro, a jMM'Hon (.'an imagine that })rovicling for a (Hcxx'rie in such a tfirttaiit, extensire, and religiously so much neglected country must be accompanied with ircredibJe dithcultie^ ajid much unpleasiuitness, and tliat tlie Urst bisliop, who lias Ix'tm entrusted with this task, may justly complain tliat a burden has been placed on his shouJders, which would be formidable for those of an angel, vel anyelicis humeri^ fonnidandum opus. "In such a country everything must be ei*ccted : churches, houses for priests and religious teachers, schools, houses for Brothers and Sisters of various useful religious orders, etc However, 1 do not ask the generous Leopoldine Society to contribute anj^tliing towards these buildings. I shall endeavor to prevail upon the good people who inhabit Upper Michigan to erect these buildings at their own ex- pense. "The Catholics of Upper Michigaai are, partly, con- verted Indians, of whom we have, thanks be to God, ali*eady five thousand ; partly Germans, Irish and Canadians, who for the most part belong to the laboring classes and are obliged to earn, day after day, their living in the sweat of their brow. Still they have a good will and are ready to do all in their power to piovide for the necessary buildings and for priests and teajchers, if they can but obtain them. I hope to find on my European tour individuals of capacr ity, who will joyfully render them all spiritual assistance and likewise instruct their children in all useful branches of knowledge, unto the honor of God and the salvation of those abandoned souls. "For one sole building do I wish to receive pecuniary assistance from the Leopoldine Society, namely, for my future cathedral. May I be permitted to apply this grand name to a building of moderate dimensions, to be con- structed of brick, which is to be 90 feet long, 45 feet wide, and 30 feet high. The little city in which I intend to fix my Episcopal S«^ is Sault Ste. Marie, at the entrance of WHITES THE LEOPOLDINE SOCIETY. 275 coa- i*eady who are at of dy to dings thein. apax>- tance nches on of liary my crand con- Lvide, [o fix ;e of the ininicnso groat T.akc SnjxTior. 'J'lierc is at present an old wo(Mlen ciiurch there, which for years htus heen t small on account of the ra])idly increasing population. Another, larger cliurch is ahsolutely necessary, ajid this will sei've at the Nime time as cathedral for the bisho]). This church, although con.'paratively small, will certainly cost from eight to nin(5 thousand dollars, which is more than 20,000 florins C. ^M. 1 most urgently entreat the Ilev. Directory to contribute £3 mvch as })ossible towards this sum. In case I obtain sufficient means, I will build this church somewhat larger, about 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, a thing much to be desired on account of the future. "Another absolutely neceft6ai7 outlay, for the defray- ing of which I humbly ask the Kev. Central Directoi*y, is the procuring of all those thing's which my new priests, whom I intend to take along with me to America next spring, will need in their future dwelling houses, such as furniture, beds, stoves, etc., etc. All these things will have to be first procured (in America), as these Rev. Fathers are intended for places where hitherto no priest was ever yet statione 3^ a#:i i Imi. • V." i1 "t CHAPTER XLVII. LABORS OF B. BARAGA IN 1856; HE VISITS FORT WILLIAM, GRAND PORTAGE, SUPERIOR, LA POINTE, AND OTHER PLACES. We give here in full B. Baraga's letter of the Ist of October, 1856. He writes as follows : "This year I began my episcopal visitation at Lake Superior on the 26th of June. On this day I set out from Sault Ste. Marie, and after a long and tedious voyage" — most probably in a batteau or canoe — "I arrived, on the 11th of July, at Fort William. I was most agreeably sur- prised when I saw the beautiful, though small, church, which, under the supervision of Father Chone, had been erected a few years ago in this mission. I preached to the Indians, who were highly delighted to hear a bishop preach in their own language, a thing they had never heard before. On the 13th of July I confirmed here seventy-seven In- dians, large and small ; for this was the first holy Confirm- ation that was ever given there. "From Fort William I went, accompanied by Father Duranquet, to Grand Portage. Here I preached several times to the Indians and confirmed fifty-three of them, and this likewise was the first Confirmation ever conferred at Grand Portage. "From here I went in a birch-bark canoe to the newly- started little city of Superior, at Fond du Lac Bay. There is no church here as yet, but the zealous missionary "Van Paemel is working hard to have one soon. There was no Confirmation here because Rev. Van Paemel was absent. He was busy in La Pointe preparing people for Confirma- LABORS AMONG THE MISSIONS. 285 Jf rred tion. I preached on the 27th of July five sermons at Supe- rior, thrtic in the morning and two in the afternoon, in English, French, and Indian. This is one of the greatest difficulties of our missionaries that they have such mixed congregations so that they cannot satisfy the people with one seniion, but are obliged to preach two or three sermons in different languages. "From Fond du Lac (means Superior) I went to La Pointe, where my first mission at Lake Superior was lo- cated, which I opened in 1835. I preached here several times, and on the 3d of August confirmed forty-six per- sons. In La Pointe Confirmation has already been admin- istered several times. Bishop Rese confirmed here in 1838, Bishop Henni in 1844, and I gave Confirmation here now for the third time. "From La Pointe I went to Ontonagan. I was agree- ably surprised when I saw the improvements which Rev. Father Dunne had made in the church as well as in the parsonage. On the 10th of August I preached three ser- mons and confimied twelve persons. From here I went to the mines, where there are already two nice churches, which have been erected this year through the generous contributions of the miners and the zealous endeavors of Father Fox. On the 17th of August Confirmation was given fro the first time at Minnesota mine and twenty- seven children and adults received this holy sacrament. On the sair-e day the church at Minnesota mine was dedi- cated to Almighty God and named St. Mary's, to the great satisfaction and joy of the multitudes who had come there. "Thence I went to another mine, called the Norwich, where also a small, neat chapel had been built this summer. On the 24th of August I dedicated this church to Almighty God under the name of St. Francis Xavier. On the same Sunday I confirmed thirty-three persons. After these visitations I returned to Sault Ste. Marie." On the first of November of that year (1856) we find ill : ■ i w. ^ 'W 1 I i ; m- If'"' , f if It I ^^ 266 BT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAOA. I 5 i 1 I .,;i! ■'i; •# an entry in his journal, in which he complains of his weak stomach and poor digestion ; and on the 30th of December he says that during the foregoing night he had been quite deaf. And this is not to be wondered at It is almost cer- tain that he made the whole voyage, over 500 miles by the way he traveled, from Sault Ste. Mai'ie to Superior, in a birch canoe, or at least made a part of the journey in an open boat. Moreover, at times he suffered great mental depression or sadness from various reasons, especially the bad conduct of some in his diocese. Here is one of his entries : "Nov. 1, 1856. This is the third anniversary of my consecration ; a very sad day. I might almost say : 'Dies ille vertatur in tenebras .... obscurent eum tenebrae et umbrae mortis ; occupet eum caligo et involvatur amari- tudine.' " "Dec 15. A vei-y cold night. Today I put fresh relics in my Pectoral-Cross. Yesterday and today I have again thoughts of resigning. Could I but know the will of God in this regard, I would soon be at ease and determined for one or the other side." Thus we see that his elevation to the episcopacy in- creased his burdens. He had trials from without and trials from within. His deep sense of the awful responsibilty resting on the episcopal dignity was a source of continual anxiety to him. It was this that gave him no rest, but urged him on to do all he possibly could for his people and his own soul's salvation. He felt indeed that the burden of the episcopacy is an "onus vel angelicis humeris formi- dandum," "a burden formidable even to the shoulders of an angel." When at home he labored zealously and untiringly, per- forming all the duties of a simple priest, hearing confes- sions, attending sick-calls, instructing the little ones, and so forth. Thus on November 30th he made the following entry : 'W«»U^. VI8IT8 TEE 6I0K AND DIEINO. 287 "SuTulay ; preacho i V,--»-:4, IIAPrENINOa DURING 1857. B. BARAQA MAKES IIIS ANNUAL VISIT TO THE PBINCIPAL MISSIONS OF HIS DIOCESE. INTERESTING COMMUNICATION OF HON. C. D. o'bEIEN. i':.:. If %-') K, fi -«1 if!' ■ I'i'v;'' J 111 ',1 \: 1 iff"!" l;;-i ilil .14 liiii: sai!i|p|ili;ij!:i; ill"' As things were not going well at Mackinac and St. Ignace, B. Baraga determined to go there, although it was in the dead of winter and dreadfully cold. As all old set- tlers of the Northwest will remember, the winter of 1857 was terribly long and cold and the snow unusually deep. But B. Baraga heeded not the hardships of this winter^s journey. It meant a hard voyage on sno>w-shoes in the bit- ter cold of January for six days going and returning. But duty called and in such a case Baraga always obeyed. After three days traveling he arrived at his destination, where troubles and affronts were his portion. On Sunday, the 18th of January, he preached at Mackinac a sermon of reconciliation, whereby peace, at least for a time, was restored. Having accomplished his task he started, on the 20th, on his homeward journey. One night he was obliged to camp ill the woods, when the thermometer registered 40 degrees below zero, and when he was in danger, as he states in his journal, of freezing his face. On the 7th of March we find the following entry in his journal : ''How beautiful and true are these verses : "With peaceful mind thy race of duty run; God nothing does, or suffers to be done But what thou wouldst thyself, if thou eouldat see Through all events of things as well as He." On the 23d of April, 1857, he received the Papal Bulls, in which his church is designated : "Ecclesia Mari- ON niS ANNUAL VIBITINQ TOUR. 289 anopolitana," and ho himself is stylod : "Episcopu3 Mari- anopolitanus." On tho 26th of May he set out from Saiilt Sta Marie to visit the missions of the southern part of his diocese. In Garden Island he preached against the degrading vice of drunkenness and prevailed upon all the men to sign tlie temperance pledge. One after another he visited the sta- tions along the shores of Lake Michigan, everywhere per- forming all the duties of a zealous bishop. He then went to Detroi*^ to look after tho 'interests of his Indian schools. While there he assisted at the solemn dedication of St. Philipp's German church and the bless- ing of its bell. At the request of Bishop Lefevre, B. Baraga preached on this occai^ion in German and English, and on the following Sunday he delivered a German ser- mon at St. Joseph's cliurch. He then returned home, where he arrived on the 15th of July. As usual, his stay was short. On the 20th of the same month he left to visit the western mission stations of his diocese. On the 23d he arrived at La Pointe, where he stayed four days with Father Van Paemel, and on Sunday confirmed twenty-four persons. It was on this trip that he brought Hon. Dillon O'Bri'en and his family to La Pointe to take charge of the school on the island. The writer had the honor of once meeting with Mr. O'Brien at Hudson, when the latter was there selling his interesting work, "The Daleys of Daleys- town." His sons, who are able and much respected law- yers, reside in St. Paul, Minn. On the 23d of August the bishop ordained Rev. Fr. Louis Sifferath, who was afterwards, for several years, sta- tioned at Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs. He is the author of an Ottawa catechism, a copy of which is in our possession. In the same year (1857), on the 31st of Octo- ber, Baraga ordained Eev. Patrick Bernard Murray. We insert here in full the following most interesting communication of Hon. C. D. O'Brien, of St. Paul, as it ' .!ii;,. I, \^ '% 290 RT. BEV. FBEDEBIC BARAGA. ^h\.<' 1.', f:| ^mm l';-i :§ iWeZ will prove agreeable '' -uing for many of our i*ea(lers at the west end of Lake Superior. He says : "I remember very well our arrival at La Pointe, al- though I had forgotten the precise day of the month until reminded of it by an extract from Bishop Baraga's diary, it was the 23d day of July, 1857, and I had come with my father and mother and the other members of tlie family, from Detroit, on the steamer Illinois, then commanded by Captain Wilson, who afterwards was drowned on the oc- casion of the sinking of the Lady Elgin. We arrived some- time during the night or early in the morning, and went directly from the dock to the old church, being accompanied by Bishop Baraga. I remember that we waited there until daylight, and afterwards took possession of a house in the immediate vicinity where we lived during our residence on the island. ''My recollections of Bishop Baraga is rather indis- tinct. I remember him as a rather small, slender man, exceedingly reserved in his demeanor, and with a very sweet low voice. He w^as idolized by the Indians, the half- breeds and the old voyag-eus, among whom he had spent so many years, and each seemed to have an intense and personal affection for him. "At the time we came to La Pointe, it was a busy, hustling little place. The dock was a large structure, iii'Tiishing the safest possible landing for all boats. It had upon it a large warehouse, and on the shore adjoining it, there extended along the lake shore, towards Pointe De Fret, quite a little row^ of houses ; some occupied as stores, some as warehouses and others as cooj)er shops. There was quite a large building which was used as a hotel on the left hand side as you passed up from the dock, and on thfe right, another large one, or at least large as I recollect it, which was used as a store bv Julius Austrian. Behind this building was a grass plot, and fronting on that, a long row of one-story houses which had been the offices of AN INTEREBTING ITEM. 291 the American Fur Company. Behind this row of build- ings was quite a large garden, suiTOunded by a high stock- ade fence, and in my time, that garden produced apples, cherries and currants, besides all the ordinary vegetables. '^Behind the garden was the old church, standing in the church-yard where, at that time, the dead were buried on the surface of the ground, the coffin being laid upon the ground and surrounded by a little frame-work of logs which was filled with sand from the lake shore. At a subsequent period Bishop Bira^a required all the bodies to be interred in the groimd. The school-house stood in the church yard, and there must have been an. average attendance of from twenty to forty pupils of both sexes. "The town proper consisted of clusters of houses built on each side of a road-way ininning east and west, close to the lake shore, ternMnating on the west Pointe De Fret, and on the east at Middle Fort, which was either an episco- palian or a presbyterian mission, but at which no mission- ary was stationed during my time. Still farther to the east was what was called Old Fort, consisting of a clearing on the eastern side of the island, from which all of the buildings had been removed, but which had grown up to grass and second growth timber. "There were about three or four white families on the island ; the people were mostly half-breeds, the descend- ants of intermarriage between the old voyageurs and the Indian woman, and nearly all the men of middle or beyond middle life were Canadian French and had been voyageurs or coureurs des hoi^, and had evidently settled upon the island to pass their old age there with their families. In addition to the groups of houses at La Pointe proper and Middle Fort, there was a settlement upon the western side of the island, at a distance of one or two miles. "The people were a most innocent, affectionate and happy people. They made their own boats and nets, and the barrels, half-barrels and quarter-barrels in which they mi :'J . ^ I m I il s ' ': " ■■■■ ft'/ - i ''!ri: «i 292 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. packed their fish. During the winter thej went out trap- ping. They raised potatoes and other root crops, and one or two of the white men occaijionally raised wheat and oats, but very little of it. There were only two or three horses in the entire settlement, and one or two cows. In winter nearly all the hauling was done with dog teams; nearly every family owning from three to four dogs. These ani- mals were feelong- he f ol- idiansy tdoors. a mail ) night e train ed city d with 11 have be jay- [unich, liocese. ntifical lion he in the ults in upied eading Indian print- loil of regret >k in 'i*l three dSee. lerous kinnati It help )r the 1 1 j ■^i 'I r (ipiiiti&'v 1 1 K'll: !fc> I: 0h '■ ■ ■" ."''TO*,".":- f-t 1f i! ^fi Ji'T^'Ii ■'', ft ,i|iV%!''. »• I'iii ill!. : RT. REV. KiXATirs MKAK, D.D, •■'i':m:l ris l^iiW **S«W!K®P557 4 ^j^" "^ ^ -'^ ^ r^ YieiTS VARIOUB MISSIONS. 297 greater part among Indians, -^viio contributed little or noth- ing towards the support of their missionaries. On the 29th o.' May he arrive iWi >^ \r 1 '. • ! f ';ti ■ a:il. 298 BT. BEY. FREDEBIC BAUAGA. of which ho had spent on the Indian missionary field. Not- withstanding his great age he was comparatively healthy and active. From him we gleaned many items of interest in regard to his saintly countryman, Bishop Baraga. It was there, also, we enjoyed the kind hospitality of our former classmate of the Salesianum, Rt. Rev. Bishop \ ertlii, of Marquette, who kindly loaned us B. Baraga's journal, from the pages of which we gather most of our information in regard to B. Baraga's episcopal activity. Simday, tho 11th of July, B. Baraga spent at "Cat- head," where he preached four times that day in French and Indian. He then went to Mackinac, where, on the fol- lowing Sunday, he confirmed forty-five persons. After his return to Sault Ste. Marie, on the 24:th of the same month, he ordained Rev, P. V. Moyce, who, however, did not rer main long in the diocese. As was his custom, B. Ba.raga did not stay long at the *^Sault." He may justly be called the itinerant bishop, for he was "always on the go." He had been at home but a few days when he left again to visit the western portion of his diocese. Fortunately, the writer has a letter of Baraga, written to the "Wahrheits-Freund," under date of October 24th, 1858, in which we find an interesting ac- count of his trip. We will give it in full : "Most Respected Editor — Please publish the following account in your valuable, widely circulated and much read paper, the 'Wahrheits-Freund.' It may be of interest to some of vour readers. "My mission diocese is divided into two parts. A part of it borders on Lake Michigan, which is south of my dwell- ing place, Sault Ste. Marie. The other is northwest of here on Lake Superior. The first part of the diocese I visited in the fore part of last summer and sent an account of said visit to your paper. The northwestern part I visited later on, and three days ago I returned from this missionary visitation. Not- oaltliy iterest a. It >f our bishop raga's >f our ty. "Cat- i'rench he fol- ber his nonth, lot re- at the lishop, le but ortion :er of date ac- )wing read it to part Iwell- Ist of >uiit irt I this HI I i( [ m^ m i < " i ' 1 KT. RK\'. .lOIIX VKirnX, D.D. AT HIv^ FinST MISSION AGAIN. 299 **()ii tlio first of Antni.Ht I arrivcNl at La l^ointc Tliis mission is ovtu* dear U> mo, Inraiiso it sva.s tin,' firnt I foiiiKlod at Lake SuiuM-ior. On the 21)tli of July, is:jr), I landcil thople there, who depend prin- cipally upon fishing for their living, were already gone to their spring fishing. These poor people are employed by the whites to fish for them. Their employers furnish tliem with empty fish-kegs, nets, and salt and pay them from four to five dollars for evei*y keg of fish they fill and salt down. Among these fishermen ai*e many adults, who have not yet been confirmed, IxH^ause they are never at hand when tlio bishop comes. The missionaries, therefore, told me that I should come in winter in order to find them at home, llenco I will be obliged to make a journey on fo<>t with snow-shoos from Sault Ste. Marie to Mackinac and St Ignace in the first days of February, 1860. "These winter journeys I find somewhat difficult now, for in tlie fii'st place I am become unaecust<)med to them, and si>condly on account of my age, for by next February, if I live, I shall be in my sixty-third year. At that age, especially if a pei*son has in former years suffered hard- ship"^, he is already a little stiff and feels the cold. Walk- ing during the day goes tolerably well, but when one is obliged to camp out in the open air at night in the woods in this northern climate it is unpleasant. By reason of the tiret"'^nie walking on snow-shoes over hills and through valleys a person is sweating all day, notwithstanding the eold, 30 that one's underclothes become w^et. Then when he stands still in the evening, he soon feels terribly cold and begins to tremble as if he had the fever. If I could iirrive at some house eveiy evening on these winter jour- neys, traveling would not be so hard, but in this desolate •country a man has often to walk several days before seeing a single house. Such is the lot of a missionary bishop, al- though I do not find it so hard because I have been a mis- sionary in this \\dld country for so many years. The only thing that weighs on me is my advanced age. ''From the mission St. Ignace I went in a birch-crnoe •iBfc.iy jj ,,Li.i J. INTERESTINQ REMINISCENCES. 305 to tho Indian village, Cross Village, where a noble German missionary of the Third Order of St. Francis, Rev. Seraphin Zom, labors zealously among the Indians for the honor of God and their salvation. He has learned the In- diaii language in a comparatively short time. This is an exclusively Indian mission. Mackinac and St. Ignace are mixe; 1 ( 'I ■ 1 1 fea? .'.:*■ ,..>-. ■ « *. W1 ' . is. IL • 'll 306 IIT. BEV. FREDEBIC BARAGA. of })iratos aiul tliievos. Thoy coniinittod ao many bad deeds that tlK> iioighlKH'iiip,' tovviiH, cftpocially the inhabitants of ]\Iackina(*, nniteil, hired a larg-e steamboat, and with arms in tlieir liands drove the thievish Mormons from Beaver ]sland. "Now tliis larp,'e and beantifnl island is inhabited. al- most entirelv by Catholies, mostlv Irish and some Germans juid Freneh. They earnestly long to have a ehurch and priest in tlieir midst. On the 22d of May, the foui*tli Sun- day aftor Easter, I said holy !Mass there in a large, spacious sehmd house, and preached in English for the lii*st time on tJiis island, and after Mass confirmed twenty-four per- sons. They were al adults, with the exception of one boy ; some of them were old men and women who had never be- fore had an o}>portunity to see a bishop in their neighbor- IiwkI. After divine sen^ice the women and children went out and I held a meeting with the men to deliberate where and how a church might l)e built on this island. "Then I sailed over to the smaller Beaver Island, called Garden Island, which is inhabited by Indians, who are visit<^d from time to time by Bev. Father Zorn. All these Indians are now Catholics and hold fast to the faith, not- w^ithstanding the bad examples around them when the Mor- mons were living in their neighborhood. Thus far they had their old chapel, built of bark, but they are now on the point of building a decent church. It will be constmcted from the most Ix^autiful cedar I have ever seen, which is already hewn and ready to be used. Such a building made of cellar can last more than a century, provided the roof be repaired from time to time. ''Accompanied by the zealous missionary, Bev. Zorn, I visited two other mission stations, and on the 8d of June I arrived at Little Traverse, the former Arbre Croche. This was my first mission amongst the Indians, which I opened on the 28th of ^lay, 18J31. Here the Indians have a beautiful, spacious church, which they have built them- ^^■M^^W. INTERESTING REMINISCENCES. 307 selves. In fact, tlicsc Indians are already ])retty well ad- vanced in civilization. They are almost all carpenters aiid make their own boats. When 1 tirst came here the Indians had but birch-bark cancx^s. Now we do not see them any more. "At this visitation a thing occurred to me that had not yet happened in our Indian missions. A young Indian maiden of about 18 or 10 years, who, according to the tes- timony of the missionary, has led for years a pious life and gone often to holy Communion, came to me and entreated mo earnestly to receive her in the Ursuline Convent at Sault Ste. jVlarie. I wondered at such a reipiest from an Indian, because this nation only wishes for and respects tho matrimonial state as the Hebrews and other nations of ancient times. In order to act with certainty I sent for her parents and questioned them in regard to their daugh- ter. They stated that several young men had asked her to marry, but that she had not aceepteil any such proposal and that she intended to live single all her life. I asked her then repeatedly whether she really wanted to leave all and enter a convent, and she declared that such was her sole wish. So I took her along and she was received as a novice in our Ursuline Convent. I wonder whether she will pei*severe." From Baraga's journal we learn that the name of this pious young Indian maiden was Margaret Sagima. The bishop brought her to the Ursulines at the "Sault" on the 17th of June, 1851). In a few days she grew homesick, and already on the 26th of that same month he was obliged to send her home on the "Lady Elgin." In this connection he makes the following reflection in his journal : "N. B. — One should never try to form a priest of an Indian man, or a Sister from an Indian woman." The wn'iter fully concurs with B. Baraga's views in this matter. The Indian, although ever so pious and well- meaning, is naturally too fickle-minded, too destitute of \m. ji si 'v \. $ I' , .1 .H* ' 5' »/ ■it 308 BT. ItEV. PREDERtO BAIlAaA. spirituality (we mean, naturally too gross, too sensual), and too much attached to his kindred to bo ever fit for so sublime a calling as the sacerdotal or religious state. That we honestly believe to be the rule; there may be exceptions, of course.* The bishop continues: "^t Little Traverse Rev. Louis RifFerath is stationed as missionarv. lie is a conscientious, zealous, and pious Gennan pr'es; who in a short time has lermcd the Indian lar. '"■'ag;'^ ■ ]»^r i.bly veil an! daily per- fects himself in it. Ait \:' 1 hr.A visited two small Indian niission stations with Re-. ^niL-rcth and preached every- w^hcre to the Indians, I arrive ci ov the 9th of June, at Grand Traverse. This is the mission of Rev. Father Mrak, ivho has worked for many years as a zealous and enlight- ened missionary among the Indians. I was very agreeably surprised there when I saw how beautifully Father Mrak had repaired and beautified his church, both interiorly and extoriorly. '^On our return from Grand Traverse we ^vere obliged to go ashore at night, which was stormy and cold. We spent the night sleeping on the beach. I had no blanket with me, but, fortunately, had my cloak. I lay down on the cold sand and p^issed the night shivering with cold. Next morning I could scarcely speak and could hardly stand up; I had caught a bad cold. *'0n the 17th of June I again arrived at Sault Ste. Marie, to my great j y and that of others. I shall remain here a couple of weeks and then undertake a new mission- ary journey to Lake Superior, which will last two months." *riie writer lias fortunately learned of the actual existence of an Indian priest named Rev. M, T. Vincent, a i/wron , of Lorrette, near Quebec, who said the Requiem mass at the funeral of his Cliief, Maurice Sebastian Ahj^niolen, on the 30th of December, 1896. Ahgniolen had been grandchief of his peo])le at Lorrette and a man highly esteemed by all, hence some of the most notable men of the Canadian government honored his funeral by their presence. VISITS WESTERN MISSIONS. 309 ?> As he had imcndocl, B. Baraga started from the "Saiilt" on the 29th of June, 1859, his sixty-se«)nd birthday, to visit his we?tem missions. He arrived at L'Anse on the 2d of July and v^'as much consoled at the flourishing con- dition of that Indian i.iission, always so dear tx) his heart. It had grown to such an extent that the cliurch was too small to hold all the people on Sundays. He was still more con^olexi when he was assured by some pagans from Lac Vieux Desert (Gete-Kitigan) that they themselves and many of their relatives and acquaintances would come next summ.er to L'Anse and embrace the Catholic roli|x\on. The good bishop in the joy of his heart promises o me next year at an earlier date. He said he would ay • th them longer to instruct the pagans, and would er! ny;- -he church by one-half. He therefore respectfullv p itioned the Leopoldino Society to a&sist him, as he < Ad expect little pecuniary help from the Indians. He next visited Eagle Harbor and Clark's Mine. This mine was worked by a syndicate of French capitalists of Paris, and all the miners in their employ were Catholics. This mission was attended by Rev. Thieie, of Eagle Har- bor. The people were partly French-Canadians and partly Irish. Bishop Baraga asked the directors of this mine to let him build a small church there for the miners that the priest might no longer be under the necessity of saying Mass in a private house. Having spent the Sunday at Eagle Harbor with Kev. Thieie, preaching and hearing confessions, he went with him to the celebrated Cliff Mine, out of which millions of dollars' worth oi copper had been taken, and which yielded from 150 to 180 tons of the most beautiful pure copper monthly. In 1859 a large and beautiful church was built and completed. It w^as called St. Mary's church. A house was likewise built for the priest, whom they hoped soon to get. Thus far it had been attended every third Sunday from Eagle Harbor. B. Baraga contributed three hundred m m m um «\»! 310 RT. REV. FREDEirO BARAGA. ill ^' w ■v4 'm ''tis "• ■'mi 11^', (lolljirs iind a boll tliat coat him one hundred and sixtoon dollai*!^ to this chnrcli. The directors of this mine, although not Catliolics, contrihiited one hundred dollars. B. Baraga was highly phnised with the people of that mission on ac- count of their i)iety and great assiduity in attending divine service and receiving the holy sacraments. Every time the priest came he had large crowds of penitents for confes- sion, and all that couh' do so attendcxl Mass. B. Baraga next " xsited Marquette, near which, he says, are rich and inex' austible iron mines of a superior quality. These mines ^e l(x*ated about fifteen miles from Mar- quette. .^ <•! lurch w^as being built at the mine, while at *4Jttle ".larquette," as he calls the city, there was a small church ,n 1851), attended bv Father Duroc. Froi \ Marquette Baraga went on the ''North Star" to La Poin e, where he arrived on the 23d of August. He preached th.ere on Sunday in Chippewa, English and French, and confinued seventeen persons. B. Bara/"a also visited Portage Lake (Houghton) ou the 2J)th of Ju^y. w^here tliere were five productive copper mines in close pro.imity. A church had been built there in the f )re part of l<^')0, which B. Baraga blessed on the 31st of July, naming it after St. Ignatius, founder of the grand Jesuit Order, whose feast occurs on that day, and "w^hoso spiritual sons,"' says he, "were and still are the greatest missionaries." He dedicated it with extraor- dinary solemnity, singing Pontifical High IMass, assisted by Revs. Thiele, Jacker, and O'l^eil. In his fervor he preached on this solemn occasion in English, German and French. He left Rev. O'jS'eil there as the first resident priest. After visiting several smaller missions, B. Baraga went to Minnesota Mine, ''where the distinguished missionary, Rev. Martin Fox, lal)ors with holy and untiring zeal. Be- sides his large congregation at Minnesota, which consists of libli, German, and French, he has three other congre- St : \' -t'v I " tJ U Pl f flfll^Wib "DEO GBATIAS INFINITA8." 311 gations to attond, which ho visits from time to time. Be- sides a jijroat holy zoal, God has ^'wcn him a stronj^ and enduring bodily constitution, which triumphs victoriously over hardships that would exhaust two ordinary priests. May the good God yet keep him long and reward liis untir- ing labors." On the 4tli of Se[)teud>er he blesscnl Father Fox's church — "the largest and most iKMiutifui in the diocese" — in. honor of the holv Name of Mary. On this occa.sion I' I-' *'the beautiful organ, which F. Fox had ordered from Buf- falo, was heard for the first time. This is the first real organ throughout my poor diocese ; for here in my cathe- dral, as well as in otlier churches, we have but organ-like instiimients, called melodeons." Under date of the 21sr of ^^eptemlx^r, 1850. we find the following entry in his journal : ''The thirtv-sixth anniversary of mv ordination. Deo gratias! The eighteenth anniversary of my meditating morning prayer. Deo gratias infinitas !" The above entry as to his meditative morning prayer shows that he had already begim that holy practice of medi- tating at least one, oftener two, horirs, when stationed at La Pointe, B. Baraga did what the Apostles said : "Nos antem orationi et verbo Dei instantes erimus" — "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the minis- try of the word." On the 1 3th of October he writes : ''Rev. John Cebul (Chebul), who is intended for Min- nesota Mine, arrived today, on his twenty-seventh birth- day. He left for his destination on the "Mineral Rock" the next day." Last spring Father Chebul related an anecdote con- nected with his aiTival in Sault Ste. Marie, which illus- trates the simple kind-heartedness and humility of Bishop Baraga. He went along with young Father Chebul to the W>' > ■! -■ ■ ■ m i., 11' t*i :< ■!:' ^^iiiil •1 'si; 3 ,?:! : .: U 312 RT. RBV. FREDERIC BARAGA. 9tcaml)oat, on which tho latter was to depart, llo had two satchels. B. Barji^^a Unik hoth of them to carry. Cliobul remonstrated with him and trie mm. : ■ ;i. ., ,.:■■ i; I ^ I til I 1 "You always reprimand me for giving liquor to the In- dians, and you have yourself taken a pint of brandy in that cake." Baraga mildly answered, "I am sorry for you. I always took you for a gentleman — I am sorry." This mild rejoinder, this simple appeal to his better nature, pierced him as if a dagger had been thrust tliro^ h his heart. He at once realized the meanness of the petty trick and fell on his knees, Protestant though he was, before Baraga and hund)ly ai^ke(1 his pardon. He afterwards per- ished on the "Sunbeam," which foundered in Lake Supe- rior with all on board except one Canadian-Frenchman named Frajeau, who resided at Superior for many years and died ther^^ Although a little out of the chronological order, the writer wishes to relate another anecdote showing the high esteeia in which B. Baraga was held by all classes. They looked upon him as the beau-ideal of a Christian gentle- man. When B. Baraga visited Bayfield and La Pointe for the last time he was verv feeble, and his hands would tremble, being partly paralyzed. Father Chebul accom- panied him on the boat on the return voyage to Marquette. McK. was captain of the boat. At dinner B. Baraga tried to eat a little soup, but his hand trembled so much that he spilt most of the aoup before the spoon reached his mouth. Captain JMcK. saw this. "Father Chebul," says he, "take my place at the head of the table !" Reluctantly F. Chebul obe^'cd, not knowing what the captain meant to do. Pres- ently the captain went down to B. Baraga and, seating himself at his side, he fed the bishop with the spoon, hold- ing the bishop's head with his other hand. This sight moved the passengers, especially the ladies, to tears, as the captain was otherwise a "rough-spoken man." They followed him out after dinner and thanked him in the name of humanity and Christianity for his kind act to Bishop Baraga. l^-*****"^ m ClIAPTErt LI. DOINC.S AXD irAPPENIN'OS OF B. BARAGA DURIXr} THK YEA ? 1860, GREAT MISER1V:S ON UIS WINTER TRII» TO MACKINAC AND ST. IGNACE. UE VISITS SUI'ERIOR, LA POINTE AND BAD RIVER RESERVATION. INTERESTIN(} ENTRIES FROM UIS JOURNAL. I: PI [«■*- Lting lold- [ight as 'hev the It to When B. Baraga visited Maekinac and St. Ignaoe, in the si)ring of 1851), the fishennen, mostly Frencli-Cana- dians and half-breeds, were already gone to their fishing grounds, some seventy to eighty miles distant. He was told that he could find them at home only during winter. So he promised the Fathers in charge of those missions to come again during the following winter. This winter jour- ney from Sault Ste. Marie to Mackinac generally took two and a half days going and the same length of time return- ing, and made it necessary' to sleep out in the open air four nights. Trus*^ing in God's help, the Bishop set out on his jour- ney on the 6th of Februaiy, 1860. lie was accompanied by two men, who carried the necessarv' provisions and the blankets to sleep on at night. The weather was very cold. The bishop got a ride of three miles on a carriole, and then having put on his snow-shoes he traveled quite a distance. It would have moved any compassionate soul to tears to see this feeble old man, with heavy snow-shoes on his feet, drag himself along slowly following his half-breed guides, who walked ahead to pack down the snow a little, Now and then, at short intervals, the good men would stand still and look back to see v/hether their Father was following them. The poor bishop perspired freely, notwithstanding m r I 316 BT. REV. FKEDEKIC BARAGA. * I lit li ti (> f ft h Vi ! ;'. ,1, :"■■ 11 . ■■ : f'" ,|| ;;fiiifci the great cold. They kept walking on through the virginal forest until noon, the walking being very fatiguing to the gooersons, whom he would very likely not liave found at home during spring or sum- mer. On these tw^o Sundays he preached in English, French and Indian, so that no one might go away without hearing the word of God in his native tongue. On the 2od of February he started on his return home. The good people conveyed him again on tlie ice as far as where the trail entered the forest. On his return trip he had the same hardships and miseries to undergo as he had undergone before and which we have already described. After two days and tw^o very cold and unpleasant nights he reached home on the 25th of Febniarv. On the 11th of March we find the following entry in his journal : "Sunday, Dom. Ill Quadr. A well-spent day, dies plenus, thanks be to God ! Preached four times, English, French, Indian, French, and I believe that they were use- ful, practical sermons. Deo gratias !" "March 12. Great grace! Three full liours! (he means three houi*s of consoling conversation with God in ],: 'nipditjitive prayei''). A beautiful, sunny day, but very k-<-]^\ and windy — a rea IMarch day — sunny, cold, and windv '' Oi (hf ir»;h oi Apr'i we find this expressive entry- r'\ IN DEEP MEDITATION. 819 "Sunday. Groat spiritual misfortune this morning I Instead of rising at 3 o'clock, rose at 5 — two little hours absolutely lost! Preached two sermons to empty pcAvs. I think the church was never so empty as today. The mail expected for three we<^ks arrived at last." We must bear in mind that these entries were not made with a view to publication. They are written in three or four languages. Often an Indian or Italian or French word or sentence will occur in the same entrv. 1 liis shows they were intended to be strictly private. We publish occa- sionally one or another to give our readers an insight into the inner life of B. Baraga. The above-given entry speaks volumes. It discloses B. Baraga as a man of interior life, a man of meditation, even on Sundays, when there is so much work. On May 1st B. Baraga left Sault Ste. ^farie on the "Lady Elgin" to go to Portage Lake. On the first day they proceeded without hindrance, but at White Fish Point they came upon immense fields of ice extending on all sides as far as the eye could reach. They were detained in this sea of ice for twentv hours. At leiiiith the wind shifted and drove the ice out into the open lake, thus opening a channel for the boat. Such immense fields of ice are seen occasion- ally on Lake Superior even late in May, at times even in June. The first mission Baraga visited was Portage Lake, or Houghton. There was a pretty large church at this place, which, however, had become too small on account of the constant influx of miners, a large percentage of whom were Catholics. Father Jacker subsequently became pastor of Portage Lake mission, and labored there for many years. The writer met him for the first time at Hancf)ck, opposite Houghton, in the fall of 1881, and with him visited Father Terhorst at the mission of L'Anse, in the town of Baraga. The modern tow-n of L'Anse, at the head of Kt veenaw Bav, is not the site of B. Barai>*a's ancient mission. The :\ n 1 •Bi 1 I? If.' 'I' ! * w 320 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. 5 5,' ; -..^^Lt r Jill i|4,i: t 'i; ■ •; 'i':|i: latter is about two miles from Baraga, the county seat of Baraga County, and the postoffice of the mission i& called Assinins, from an old Indian chief, who used to reside there in Baraga's time and who was of great assistance to him in compiling his celebrated Indian works. As the church at Houghton was altogether too small, thp people resolved to build a second church. This second ■church was built at Hancock. B. Baraga then went to the "little city of Superior." The people were exceedingly glad to again see "a servant of God," for the pious and zealous missionary. Rev. Van Paemel, who used to attend this mission from La Pointe, became so sick in the fall of 1859 that he was unable to do ^my more missionaiy work and was obliged to return to his native country, Belg.'um, to rec )ver, if possible, from his illness. The people of Superior, who w^ere very affection- ately attached to him, felt very sad when they saw him leave, the more so as ihey were obliged to be without a priest during the lo'^ f winter, for the sick missioiiai*y de- parted on the last steamer. After that there was no more -chance foi a priest to go to La Pointe and Superior before !AIay, when navigation again ojoened up. B. Baraga re- mained in SujDcrior ten days, performing all the functions of a parish priest. He frequently spent the whole day in the confessional. He also blessed their marriages, baptized, and instructed the children and adults. Thence he went to La Pointe, where he stayed ten days and perfonned all the duties of a simple priest. He re^ marks : "I was just in my element there and very much satisfied, for Indian missions are exactly my element. I baptized sixty-four persons, partly children and partly adults, in Superior and La Pointe. Only a few had died since the departure of the sick missionary. Thus the mission congregations steadily increase, whilst, on the ■other hand, the wild, unconverted Indians are dying away more and more." NOTES FROM HIS JOURNAL. 321 To give an idea of B. Earajia's modus operandi on these Confirmation visitations we will give the entries, day after day, in his journal during his stay at Sn))erior and La Pointe. They may prove intere>ting to many Catho- lics at the west end of Lake Superior. May 25, 18C0. Arrived at La Pointe at noon, stopping seareelv fifteen minutes. The same also at Bavfield. I had no time to view the new church. I ])romised to return t-o La Pointe in about twelve or fourteen davs, and remain there a couple of weeks. In the evening arrived at sad Superior. May 2G. I was at home all day waiting for people who came to visit me. I*so Confessions yet; probably they will not come till late at night. Very few came; I hope they will come during the week and next Sunday. May 27. Pentecost Sunday. This moraing were very few confessions, and so but few commimions at the first Mass, which I said at half-past seven. At • !;' ^^cond Mass there were still less, and but few people. J l' .30 short ser- mons at ^lass and three again after Vespers. May 28. Today I visited poor Mrs. Dame and heard her confession. She has a terrible cancer around her nose and mouth. Mr. Anglois gave me the ''Kecipe" for curing cancer. May 29. Last night it stormed and rained fearfully. Terrihle streets in Superior! Fortunately there are side- walks almost everywhere, otherwise there would be no get- ting through in this weather. Brought holy Communion to Mrs. Dame. Mav 30. There were nianv confessions today and many communions in the morning, as also many candidates for Confirmation to be instructed. In the afternoon I heard the confession of sick Mrs. Rvan. Misera afflicta humanitas ! Mav 31. A very beautiful da v. Old Mav wants to L.' 1/ 1/ 1' coax us a little before he leaves us. Brought holy Com- m 322 RT. BEV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ! i I i»« *'i I f; mimion to Mrs. Hyan. Thus far I have baptized ten chil- dren, but perhaps there are yet more to be baptized. Bap- tized another tcxlay. June 1. June, my birth-month, begins nicely; we will see how he will l)ehave hereafter. Many confessions. The people of Fond du Lac are beginning to come, some are even coming from the Indian If(?servati(tii. June 2. An extraordinary day of work. Continual confessions and instructions for P».'iptism and (confirma- tion, also for first Communion. June 3, iSwiday. Today there were more people in church than on Pentecost Sunda^^, because they came from different places. A great working day ; but, alas ! only till 4 p. M., for then I had to leave. The ''A^orth Star" came sooner than expected. Twenty-t^^'O coiifirmations. Con- firmed all alone. June 4. Arrived at La Pointe at 1 a. m. Read Mass at 7, and then heard confession of sick Tchetchig-wais. Tiu [ many confessions in the evening. June 5. Brought holy Communion to Tchetchigwais very early in the morning: then said Mass, and then I set out for Bad P ! ver and arrived there in five hours. Stopped at NawadjiwiMis, where I found a neat chapel upstairs. Immediately alter my arrival I went to visit sick Wabado, In the evening, prayers and sermon. June 6. Last night I did not sleep much on account of the mosquitoes and crying of babies. After Mass I carried the Ble;^sed Sacrament to sick Wabado, to w^hom I also gave Extreme Unction. It rains terribly from time to time. June 7. Corpus Chnsti. At 10 a. m. I had Mass and sermon, afterwards baptized two adults and four children. In the afternoon Vespers and sermon. Towards evening I called Nawadjiwans and made an arrangement with him for the upper story of his house. June 8. Sailed from Bad River at 9 a. m. and arrived in La Pointe about 2 p. m. Soon afterwards I went to a w***ut^,™»uj.Cte. A LONG day's labor, 32a rais set )ped it of fried 5-ave I and jren. Iiin^ Ihim Wed to a Rick half-breed, the son of Michael Basinet, and heard his^ confession. Then I went to Bayfield to Colonel Drew, who paid me two hundred and seventy-five dollars for Dillon O'Brien. Many confessions in the evening. Jnne 9. Great day of work. Heard confessions all day long and had some baptisms. I paid T^awadjiwans forty dollars for the upper part of his house, for a chapel. June 10. Sunday. Extraordinary day of work! From Jf. o'clock in the morning till 10 o'clock at night I had luork uninterruptedly ; remarkably many confessions, five sermons,, twenty-three baptisms, and three confirma- tions; the church was filled to its utmost capacity. Jime 11. Today i\ere is not so much to do. In the aftenioon I went to visit sick Dufaut and sick Chalut and heard their confessions. In the evening there were some confessions." "At'ter having perfonned all that was to be done at La Pointe, I went to the mining town of Minnesota, where Kev. Martin Fox is pastor. He has now finished his large and beautiful church and has such a large congregation of Germans, Irish, and French, that his church, which is the largest in the diocese, can scarcely hold two-thirds of hia congregation. Many have to stand outdoors during divine service on Sundays. Luckily his church has three doors, so that the people, who stand ou .doors, can see the priest at the altar and hear the sennon. "Last winter there were two priests at Minnesota Mine, namely. Rev. Martin Fox and Rev. John Chebul, from Camiola (Krain), Diocese of Laibach. I sent Rev. Chebul, immediately aftei his arrival, to Minnesota Mine, in order to learn English and French. He devoted him- self with so much earnestness and with such success to these two languages that he preached and heard confessions in English and French for the last three months. In less than six months he has learned (and that well) those two languages, of which, previously, he knew scarcely anything, m V^^-^. 324 KT. REV. FRED.-^RIC BARAGA. 'I,-' i w. Jj' I". saif at which wc are all a.stonished, for such a thiuij was never known to us bofore. I have now sent him to La Pointe (in 1800), from which place he will attend Superior and other smaller missions. At .Minnesota Mine he does not need to know Indian, but in his j)resei ' : Mssion he cannot do with- out it. 1 hope that, being stationed there and being so liighly gifted v\ith the faculty of learning languages, ho will be able, within one year, to preach in the Indian lan- guage without an interpreter. ''Having visited these missions and provided for them, I returned to Sault Ste. Marie to attend to my correspond- ence, some of which called for a speedy answer." B. Baraga made a second trip to the western end of our lake in 1860 on business affairs connected with these west- ern missions. On the 4th of August he arrived in La Pointe, and the next day, which was a Sunday, he preached four short sermons in three languages. He praises Mr. Perinier for his work in beautifying the church. Next day he went over to Bayfield with Pather Chebul and saw Hon. Henry M. Rice (Indian name, Wabi-Manomin), who promised to have a house built without delay for the priest, provided the latter would come to reside in Bayfield. B. Baraga gave his consent, and that very same day work on the parsonage was begiin. While at La Pointe, he was called to Odanah, Bad River Reservation, to attend sick Charlotte Haskins, and stayed in the village over night. The family of Haskins have done much in times past for the missionaries who at- tended Bad River church, as it was with them the priest generally stopped. Edward Haskins still resides at the old place on the reserve. His brothers, Charles and William Haskins, and their sister, Charlotte, now reside in Ash- land. May God reward them for all they have done in years past for the Fathers attending the Bad River Indian mission. B. Baraga then went to L'Anse, where he found every- 1 A MOST HAPPY EVENT. 325 thing in good order. Ho liad Mu^s there on the Feast of the AHsnniption, the church heing crowded with Fndian worshippers. Sck)!i after we find him in Ilouglitoii, where, on Siinchiy, the llUh of August, he preached at early Mass in English and French, and again in English at late ^Fass, Aviiich was said bv Rev. E. Jacker. Tlie next day he went to the other side of l*ortage Lake to secure lots for a church. Having visitcnl several other missions on Keweenaw Point, he returned home. One of the happiest events of the year for the dioceso of Sault Ste. JMarie and Marcjuette and for the Indian mis- sion was the ordination of Kev. Gerhard Terhorst, which took place on Sunday, December 23, 1860. He said his first holy Mass on Christmas day. The bisliop adds, in recordin<>: these facts: "God grant that he niav become a good missionary !" The bishop's prayer has been heard. Again: "May 21, 1861, Father Terhorst is preparing for his de})arture to L'Anse." The good Father has thus been laboring in this Indian mission since 1801, which is now over thirty-nine years. May God prolong the life of this zealous Indian missionary for many a year to come! ery- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 l.t w m^ It— iM IUII2.0 12.2 m 1.25 JJ, .4 J4 ^ 6" - ► Photog.'BDhic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ■ fl^^ x ri i CHAPTER LII. BISHOP BARAGA ATTENDS THE III PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF CINCINNATI. HxiRDSHIPS ENDURED ON THE WAY THITHER. HIS VISIT TO THE SCATTERING MISSIONS OF HIS DIOCESE. In the winter B. Baraga had no communication with the outside world except by traveling long distances on snow-shoes. Hence he was obliged to make all his episcopal visitations during the season of navigation as far as pos- sible. However, in the early part of 1861 he was obliged to deviate from the rule above mentioned, as he wished to attepd the III Provincial Council of Cincinnati, which opened on the 28th of April. As navigation at the Sault did not open much before the first of May, Baraga was obliged to go on foot all the way from Sault Ste. Marie to Alpena, at which place he could take a steamer. He set out from the Sault immediately after Easter, walking on snow-shoes all the way to Mackinac — a two and a half uays' journey. From Mackinac to Alpena he trav- eled, partly on foot and partly on a dog sleigh, covering the distance in five days. As the hardships of this journey, most probably, were the cause of B. Baraga's subsequent poor health and prema- ture death, we will give some of the particulars, as gleaned from his journal. "April 1, 1861. Easter Monday. Day of departure, at 10 A. M. Rode as far as Sobrero, then walked about twelve miles, partly on snow-shoes, partly without them; then camped ; a good night, not very cold. "April 2. Broke camp at 6 ; walked all day till about EXTRACTS FROM HIS JOURNAL. 327 5 p. M.^ with gi'eat liardsliip and much fati^ie, then camped for the night in Fridette's hunting lodge. April 3. Started ahout 5 :30 a. m., and walked with great fatigue, w^ithout snowshocs, which were hurting me, until 1 r. M.^ when we came to the ice at Pine River. When half way across, Bollanger met me with his horses. I stopped over night with him. "April 4. Rode away from Bellanger's at 6 a. m., and arrived at Mackinac at 7 :30 a. m. "April 5. Departed from Mackinac at 8 a. m. with Theodore Wendell, riding, and about 12 o'clock arrived at Cheboygan, where we stayed over night at the home of Jos. Allair, whose wife is a Burke. "April 6. Rode fourteen miles from Cheboygan with LavigTie's team, who on the way back fell into a crack in the ice and lost his life. Camped very comfortably that night. "x\pril 7. Sunday. Unfortunately we could not keep this Sunday, but walked many miles, partly on good, partly on bad roads, until we came to a bad, abandoned shantv in the evening where we camped and where it smoked much, and there I said the tvhole long office de Dominica in Albis. April 8. Walked again, but more on bad, than on good roads, until we arrived at Grand Lake, where we camped pretty well, for the night. April 9. We started early in order to aiTive at Thun- der Bay, by night, if possible. The roads were bad and much water everywhere. Still we reached Alpena at about 7 p. ]\r. with the help of God. April 10. Have been feeling unwell for several days on account of constipation. Laid down the larger part of the day. Partook of a light breakfast, but had neither din- ner or supper. In the evening Mr. Lockwood came and we talked about a place to build a church. He donated one lot, and I paid him forty dollars for another. So we will have a church in Alpena. April 11. Am worse to-day than I was yesterday and ( • lUi ■■,? > j if' I t 328 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. %m 1 have niTich pain. Remained in bed all day, and cat no dinner. April 12. Am feeling miserable to-day, suffering severely. Partook of neither breakfast nor dimier. Re- mained in bed until 4 p. m. when I felt better. April 1 S. I'his was one of the saddest days of my life. May God presei've me from such days ! It is a gloomy day, snowing and storming fearfully. The lishop continues in his letter: "After I had ^tayfvI there some days a steamboat came along on which I went to J^etroil — and from there per train — to Cincinnati, to tl.e 111. Provincial Council which lasted from April 2cS until May 5. At the conclusion of the Council I returned lionie and again took up my usual visitations to the mis- sions. I generally commence w^ith the Southern part of my extensive, but little settled diocese, but this year pecu- liar circumstances induced to begin with the Northern part." As to Baraga's part in the deliberations of said Provin- cial Council we know nothing. He mentions that the 2d of May "was the commemoration of the deceased prelates and other clergymen. At 9 o'clock was Requiem, at which I preached. Dined at the Seminary." "May 3. Wrote to the Central Direction of the Lud- wig Mission Society in Bavaria, in the name of the Council." The first missions B. Baraga visited after his return were ]\[arquette and I^egaunee, both of which were under the care of Rev. Duroc. As there was a church at the last- named place and there were many Catholics, the people asked for a resident priest, but the bishop could not comply with their request, having no one to send them. In the meantime the bishop bought a house, that stood some miles away, had it taken down and transported to town and put up again, thus saving considerable expense. From there he went to the Cliff Mine, where Rev. VISITS THE SICK FAR AWAY. 329 Liid- the Andrew Andolschek was stationed. Tliis zealons Father also had charge of Eagle Harbor, which he attended every other Sunday. "In La Pointe," B. Baraga writes, ''Father John Clie- bnl is verv active. God a-rant that he niav not exhaust himself prematurelv. lie has a verv extensive and diffi- cult mission. Last winter he v^as called to a sick man, who lived ninetv miles from La Pointe.* There was no other way to make the journey thither and back again than on snowshoes. It took him six days to go and he was obliged to sleep in the woods every night. As he did not know be- forehand how far it was to the sick man's village he took provisions along for only three days. He had to eat very sparingly therefore and suffer hunger, besides enduring the hardships of the journey. lie stayed at the place several dayf instructed the Indians and half-breeds and baptized about thirty persons, mostly adults. He can teach cate- chism and preach pretty well in Indian. A gentleman who wrote an article about this mission-trip for a German newspaper, says, among other things : "Rev. Father Che- bul belongs to the diocese of Sault Ste Marie and we can but congratulate Rt. Rev. Baraga for obtaining such priests, who offer to God all their poverty and hardships and labors with apostolic love for the salvation of their flock." I;i fi stood ?d to se. Rev. *The bishop does not mention the name of the Indian village to which F. Chebul was called. Judging from the length of time it took him to make the journey thither — six days — it is highly probable that the village was Lac du Flambeau (Indian, Wasswaganing) . That village is eighty miles by rail from Ashland and about one hun- dred from Bayfield, where F. Chebul then resided. In fact, he told the writer, about a year and a half ago, that he had been in Lac du Flambeau about the year 18(52. He was called on a similar errand to Lac Courtes Oreilles (Indian, Ottawa-Sagaiganing) about the year 1865. It took but three days to make the journey thither. He was accompanied by George Roussain, a half-breed Indian, still living at Couites Oreilles. 330 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. piTj '■fit- u Under date of November 11, 1861, B. Baraga writes: It is now three months since I made my last report to the Leopoldine Society. Since then many things pleasing to a Christian have occurred in this diocese. I visited the southern part of this diocese, where our most important Indian missions are located. The population keeps con- tinually increasing. Especially has the mission of Cross Village increased rapidly, so that its church is much too small. We therefore resolved, the last time we were there, to enlarge it considerably. I encouraged the Indians to work at it themselves, in order not to be obliged to hire high-priced carpenters. The Indians of this mission, who were converted a long time ago, can w^ork well. They build their own houses and make their own boats, "In the neighboring village. Middle Village, they are also under the pleasing and consoling necessity of enlarg- ing their church. The Indians belonging to this mission have shown themselves willing to do so. This coming winter they will make all necessary preparation for the work." On Sunday, August, 25, B. Baraga gave holy Confir- mation at Harbor Springs to twenty-six persons and preached twice that day to the Indians. On the 28th of the same month he arrived at Grand Traverse (Eagletown) at 7 p. M. sich. The next two days he was obliged to remain in bed. On the 31st he got up but still felt very weak. On September 1 we find the following entry : • "Sunday XV p. T. I still feel weak ; however, I read Mass at 6 :30 and preached at 10 o'clock and confirmed six persons. Did not preach in the afternoon." Baraga founded a new mission and built a mission chapel on the so-called Sugar-Island in Sault Ste. Marie River, twenty miles from Sault Ste. Marie. There was a small settlement of Indians on the Island, some of %vhom were already baptized: the othei*s were still pagans. In order to give them a better opportunity to become con- DEDICATION OF A NEW CHAPEL. 331 "^onfir- and of the verted and obtain their eternal salvation, B. Baraga caused a small chapel to be built, which he dedicated to St. Joseph, on the 27th of October. The chapel was crowded with Christians and pagans. All rejoiced that in tliis desolate out-of-the-way Indian place there now stood a church. He remained with those Indians almost three weeks, said mass every morning and instiiicted them morning, noon, and evening. He had the certain hope that all the Indians of this place would be converted, and that perhaps other Indians would come and settle there so as to live near the church. He promised to visit them every month and to stay with them five or six days each time. He also recommended them to meet every Sunday in their church before and after noon, to say the rosary and sing pious hymns in their language ; which they did. This church, although small and built of wood, as were all his churches, nevertheless cost much money because carpenter wages were very high. And now let us view B. Baraga in a new role, namely, that of a carpenter for his Indian mission. There are some of his entries : October 3, 1861. Made a tabernacle for St. Joseph's Indian Keserve. October 4, 1861. Still working on tabernacle and be- gan steps (on altar). October 5, 1861. October 7, 1861. Joeeph's church. October 8, 9, 10, 1861. Worked for St. Joseph's church. October 11, 12, 1861. Made a nice small Baptismal casket. October 14, 1861. Worked the whole dav on frames for Stations. October 15, 1861. Finished the frames for the XIV Stations. Finished steps to-day. Made frames for altar cards, for St. m t 'i ' B '^ir ■ J' ' If 332 RT. REV. FKBDERIO BARAQA. October 16, 1861. Worked all day for St. Joseph's church. October 18, 1861. Worked all day again and finished everything for St. Joseph's church. OctolKM* 19, 1861. Made some little articles for the church and mission of St. Joseph. October 21, 1861. Packing things for transportation, for the interior of St. eToseph's church. Octolx^r 22, 1861. Day of departure. It was beauti- ful in the nKU'ning; it rained in the afternoon before we arrived at Payment's place, but nothing was damaged, thanks be to God ! I stayed at Payment's over night. October 28, 1861. Said Mass at Pa\'niont's and then went to St. Joseph's Mission, where we happily arrived at noon. In the afternoon we arranged the altar, etc. October 24, 25, 1861. Working continually in the church of St. Joseph — put up wood-shed. October 26, 1861. The people Avorked on the wood- shed and carried in the wood. I ought to have gone to all the houses, but I went only to the chief, who, however, had not vet arrived. In the afternoon and evening I had a considerable number of confessions. October 27, 1861. Sunday Dom. XXIII p. T. Mass at 10 o'clock and sermon. In the afternoon Stations and sermon. In the evening a long instruction. October 28,1861. Instructions after Mass on the pre- cepts of the church again to-day. tions. Every morning after Mass instructions." We might add many entries of Baraga's journal, did we not fear to tire our readers. The above are sufficient to give them an idea of the restless activity of this saintly man. Praying, working, instructing, filled up his time. He seems to have had no time for amusements or relaxa- tions of anv kind. He continues in his letter to the Leo- poldine Society : In the evening instnic- and evei*y evening -? 1 HurES FOB THE FUTUUE. 333 "Next year, when I f^et a little iiKHu^y a«;ain, I iiit^^iul to build another small church in an Indian s<'ttleinent on St. Martin's Island in Lake ]\Iichi*jjan, in order that the Indians there niav endjrace Christirinitv. 8onie of thoni have already expressed their desire to lM>coine converted, if only a missionaiy would come to tluMu. Now, that is what I intend to do this winter, in order to build there a small church. "Another benefit also comes from having churches in Indian villages, namely, the Indians asseud)le there on Sundays when no priest is with them, and pray and sing there." l •' ^}| 1' 1 CHAPTER LIIT. •I 'II' B. BAKAtiA WKITES ON THE CIVIL WAR ESTABLISHES A NEW liNDIAN .MISSION AT ST. AIAK'^In's BAY VISITS THE MISSION AT THE "bAYE DES GOULAIs/' In his letter to tlie Leopoline Society, dated August 30, 1862, B. Baraga thus expresses himself on the civil war then raging : "This year untold misery and oppressive want as to the necessaries of life prevail evei*ywhere on account of the terrible civil war, which rages horribly in the interior of this once so happy and peaceable country. Thousands and hundreds of thousands of useful individuals, who were the support of their families, are torn away from their feeble parents, their helpless wives and children, and thous- ands of families ai*e plunged into the most direful poverty. It is sad to hear wherever we go, lamentations and cries of miserv. However, 1 must admit that there is less to be seen and heard of this misery in my out-of-the-way diocese than in the southern part of this country, the actual theatre of this most sad war." In consequence of the many hardships and miseries endured during his seven day's journey on foot in April> 1861, his health was greatly impaired. Wheneveir' he walked but a short distance even during the following sum- mer he felt pain in his breast. He thought that his jour- neys on foot were at an end. But in the beginning of the next winter, 1861-1862, he felt an urgent desire to visit and convert a band of Indians who lived three days journey from Sault Ste. Marie at St. Martin's Bay. He had never been there be- B8"\BLI6HES A NEW M188ION. 336 fore as it was an out-of-tlie-\vay place and verv' difficult to reach. Considerii)g the poor stale of his health he enter- tained but slight hopes of reaching the Indian viUage. Still ho would not give up all hope witliout making at least an attempt. So ho put on his snowshoos, took a guide and set o\it on his journey. Scarcely had he walked a mile when he felt such an oppression in his left chest that he thought he would have to fall down. Recommending himself to God, he continued to walk on. lie could not endure the thought of giving up this attempt at converting those poor Indians. Thanks to God, the feeling of oppression on his chest grad- ually decreased and finely disappeared altogether. Al- though traveling for several days on verj-^ bad roads with heavy snowshoes on his feet, the old, feeble, but zealous missioner felt no evil effect from his journey. God strengthened His servant. On the third day he arrived at the Indian settlement. After taking a much needed rest, he visited the poor p'^ople. He found them without any knowledge of God and of His Son, "Jesus Christ, whom He had sent." At first his words fell upon very poor soil, as the following entries in his journal show : February 7, 18(32. This afternoon at 2 r. m. I arrived at the Indian settlement. I lodged in the house of the "trois filles," which is neat and in proper order. I went to the old chief and spoke to him about religion, but he answered that in no case would he become a ChristiitU. February 8. I spoke to three young Indian women to-day about religion, but these poor creatures declared very plainly that they would not embrace religion. February 9. Sunday, Dom. V. p. Ep. At ten o'clock I called the chief and as many as were willing to come to the house of the "trois filles" and spoke to them about the necessity of the Christian religion, but the chief emphati- m 3;j6 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAOA. 1^ II; i'^ ' .1 '• ' I i !;■ hi cullv (Ici'larcd tluit lu'itlicr he nor any of lii.s jicople would tiikc rclii^ioii. 'I'iicHc (>xtract!H i'nmi U. Harapi's jonnial sliovv that the Indians of that phiiM' were sti if -necked hcMithens and that at least then Ik^ did n«>t make numv converts. "CJredidcrunt quot (plot pneordinati erant ad vitani a'teniani." It is not nelikely tliat these nnhaj)|)y pa<>ans liad cionK^ in contact with had wliites and had Iinlians profcwsin^ Cliristianity. If so, it is not hard to cxj)lain their outspoken aversion to religion. The seanchdous lives of some so-calitHl Christian Indians is a g-reat harrier to the conversion of tlieir pagan oountrvmen. It is a sad fact that contact witli the white rac-e has always been detrimental to Indian conversion and njorality. But his visit to 8t. Martin's Bay was not entirely fniit- less. I'ho word of God penetrated the hearts of those obdurate pagans, almost against their will as it were. Some of them wore converted and baptized, and the zealous missicnary was in hope of gradually converting tlie entire village. He also resolved to build a small church there, in order to have a suitable place to offer up Holy Mass, preach the Word of God, and teach catechism. Scarcely had Baraga returned from this new mission, when he made preparations to visit another, fonnerly attended by the Jesuit Fathers stationed at the Sault and which was but one day's journey distant. On the day appointed he departed early in the morning and courage- ously made his journey on foot to the Indian village, located at "Baye des Goulais." At first he feared that the dreadful oppression in his breast might again appear, but, thanks to God, it did not He walked all day over hills and through valleys. The Indians wondered when tliey saw their aged bishop coming to visit them and were much rejoiced. He spent many days with them, said Mass every day and instructed them. Many of them made their first DEPLOKSB I ACK OF PBIEBTS. 337 Coinniiiiiioii on this ocvaHicm. Tlicy were particularly j)loaso(l wlicn he |)roiiiis<»d to have a little church built for t-heiii the next spring. This proniiw? was fulfilled during .the following sum- mer. B, Baraga bought a largo (pnintity of hnnlx^r and other building material and had it 8hi})pe «■ 1 as at all possible, to attend them, but in so doing he is ruin- ing his health. It is my greatest desire to send one more missionaiy into those regions, could I but find one. It is, however, difficult to find suitable priests for this diocese ; for in eveiy mission-station of this diocese the knowledge of three or four languages is necessary, namely, English, jFrench, German, and in some places, Indian. There are few priests, who can speak so many languages well and fluently. Several missionaries, who could preach in differ- ent languages, were obliged to leave this diocese because the state of their health did not allow them to perform such arduous missionary duties any longer." The good bishop's letter gives us but a very imperfect idea of his daily labors as bishop and Indian missionary. During the winter of 1860 and 1861 he was alone most of the time, without an assistant priest. During all that time he was obliged to perform the duties of an ordinary priest, attending not only to the people of the Sault, but also visit- ing outside missions. Every Sunday he said two Masses, generally preached two, often three, sermons in as many different languages, instructed the children in catechism, held Vespers or said the Stations. He was assiduous in visiting the sick and relieving the poor, in one word, become "all to all" to gain all unto Christ. He was as attentive to the spiritu; 1 wants of the poorest Indian child as he would be to thosf of any grown person, whether white or Indian. With him color or nationality or social position counted for nothing — the soul was all — everything else, nothing. rum- more It is, 3cese ; dgeof iglish, re are 11 and differ- ise the a such perfect Lonary. nost of at time priest, m visit- Vlasses, 5 many jchism, lous in become itive to 1 would ndirn. ted for CHAPTER LIV. BISHOP BAKAGA''S LABORS DURING THE YEAR 1863 ANEC- DOTES ABOUT BISHOPS BARAGA AND MARTY. As our sources of information in regard to the latter years of B. Baraga are meagre, we prefer to give the letters, which he wrote to the Leopoldine Society, in full. Under date of August 4, 1863, he wrote from Cincinnati : "^ot earlier than yesterday did I receive the kind letter of the director of the Leopoldine Society dated June 11, I thank you for the charitable help of 1,000 florins my diocese. As I am infonned, the income of the 1863 for Leopoldine Society is not very great and many applications for assistance had to remain unfilled. I return my sin- cerest thanks to all benefactors of our missions. "I am at present in Cincinnati in order to attend to the printing of an Indian work. As everything is dear here, so also printing. The printing of an Indian book is partic- ularly dear, as the printer does not imderstand a single word of it and hence asks more than for the printing of an English work. We now have sad times here, a horrible, all-destroying and desolating war. Things look very warlike and desolate in Cincimiati ; everywhere are to be seen soldiers, cannons, etc. They are here to protect the city, because a hostile invasion is feared. I wish very much to be through with my work, so as to return to my distant and quiet diocese. There we see nothing of the war, except what we read about it in our daily papers. In my diocese everything continues in its usual, quiet way. Churches and congregations keep on increasing, but I! '■I' • 340 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. "in unfortunately the number of my priests increases but slowly. We suffer nmch from the want of priests. Unless a priest have a little of the missionary spirit, he will not like to go so far north ; such priests prefer to remain in the more civilized states. But the few that are in my diocese, fifteen in number , are, thanks be to Go I .- it. - holy !Mass ever said in this place and the people assistM at it with much devotion and feeling. After Mass I preached, and said among other things, that it would be desirable to have a church built there. In the afternoon we met again in order to deliberate about building a church. I bought a lot in the middle of the growing village for one hundred and fifty dollars and opened a subscrip- tion list t-o animate the people to contribute towards the new church. I subscribed one hundred dollars as mv con- tribution, after which some subscribed ten dollars, others twenty dollars, forty dollars and fifty dollars. Even the Protestant population contributed liberally and now a nice church will built here, which, with God's assistance, will be completed next year. ^'From Alpena I went to Beaver Island in Lake Mich- igan, on a small steamer, where I had established a mission thirty-two years bef on . Here the zealous missionary Father Murrav labors. With ffreat labor and much exer- tion he has built a pretty large church and a house for any priest, that may be stationed there. He has accomplished much good since he came there. His principal care and endeavor is to combat the vice of intemperance amongst his peop]^. For this purpose he established a temperance society, w^hich many have joined. The Sunday I spent on Beaver Island I confirmed sixty persons and gave Holy Communion to one himdred and ten. Amongst the con- firmed were some old people, who h3retofore had had no opportunity to receive the Holy Sacrament of Confirma- tion. The first chance I had I left the island and returned home. I stayed there but a short time as I still had much traveling to do in this extensive and laborious diocese. "I visited La Pointe, where I founded a mission thirty years ago and in which Rev. John Chebul labors with un- daimted, praisworthy zeal, at present. He has several missions to attend. The principal place is Bayfield, where the missionary generally resides. His mission is very labo- AGAIN VISITS THE MISSIONS. 847 ricms. He has four cliiirchcs to attend, which are far dis- tant from each other. I spent ten days in his mission and confirmed fifty-three persons, mostly Indians and half- breeils. "From Bayfield I went to Ontonagan, where we have an Ursuline Convent, the only one in this poor diocese. It is in a flourishing condition, has fifteen Sisters and novices and about thirty boarding scholars; they have also a day school for outside pupils. Rev. Martin Fox, a German priest, is the confessor and director of this convent, whose active and pi*udent directorship gives assurance that the convent will be kept in good order. In addition to this convent and church to attend at Ontonagan Rev. Father Fox has three other churches to attend far distant from each other. At present an assistant has been given to him, who relieves him considerablv in the care of his extensive mis- sion. I confirmed forty-two persons at Ontonagan this yei'\ On the Sunday which I spent there I had a real missionary joy. There are, namely, in the neighborhood still some pagan Indians. As soon as they heard that I had arrived, some of them came to me and asked for Holy Baptism. I commenced at once to instruct them and on Simday I baptized nine of them, mostly adults, for which I returned heartfelt thanks to God, for it is a long time since I baptized so many. "I received much consolation and joy at Marquette, ■where Rev. Henry L. Thiele is now stationed. The church there is altogether too small to hold all the congregation. The wish to have a large new church had long ago become loudly manifested, but the former priest being advanced in years was lacking the necessary energ\^ and determina- tion for undertaking anything. But since Rev. Thiele, w^ho has built already many churches, arrived there, and is actively developing his energies, everything is rapidly advancing and in a short time a beautiful, durable, and large church will stand there unto the great joy of his III t;Pl I 348 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. M it :. i, "It faithful congregation. The nionibei*8 of the congregation have contributed to tlio building of this new church, some fifty dollars, others one hundred dollars, others again one hundred and fifty dollars, and one gave even six hundred dollars." In his letter of November 29, 1864, B. Baraga \\Tite9: "I have just returned from a two months' visitation amongst the Indian missions. First I visited the mission of Cross Village. I was very much pleased at the good progress this mission has made since my last visit. As the church was too small, the Indians determined to build an addition and fit it up. What they had resolved to do that they really did. They executed the work so beautifully and durably that no white carpenter could have done it better. It is true, the zealous missionary, Rev. Louis Sifferat, helped them at it considerably. In order to ani- mate the Indians, who are naturally slothful, to work, he himself put his hands to the work and encouraged them more by example than by word to labor assiduously at enlarging their church. I remained until the following Sunday, on which I preached twice to the Indians and gave Confirmation. ^'From there I went to Middle Village, another Indian mission, which is attended from Cross Village. There also the mission church is too small. Preparations are being made to build a larger one. I hope the work will soon be taken in hand. It is a pleasure to see how the Indian missions are growing, whereas the pagan Indians in the woods, who will not hear about convei*sion, are remarkably decreasing in numbers. I have often heard from my Indian guides on my former missionary journeys, when passing by places : "Here was once a large Indian village ; now not a single Indian lives there, or only a couple of families, who eke out a miserable existence." On the other hand the Indians in the mission stations increase more and more and live happy and are satisfied. r.i s : ij 1 AN INTERESTING LETTER. 349 ''From !Mi(l(lle Village I went to the mission of Arbre Croohe, which was mv first Indian mission. Thirtv-four years ago I began my missionary life here, which I have ever since continued, for I always consider myself a mis- sionary'. The Indians of this mission, especially the aged, are always happy to see their former missionary in their midst and 1 myself always feel very happy when I remem- ber the many consolations I had in this mission, for then conversions were still very frequent and numerous. Whole families became converted and were bai)tized together, father, mother, and all their children. The missionary stationed at this mission, Rev. Seraphin Zorn, is incredibly zealous and active, so that I admonished him to moderate his zeal a little because he is in danger of prematurely sacrificing his health and precious life. He preaches every morning after Mass and often makc^ long journeys to visit and instruct the Indians that live at a distance. I con- ferred the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation here also and preached to the Indians, who likewise feel happy, w^hen hearing their old missionary preach. "From this mission I went to Grand Traverse, the mis- sion of the aged nr'^sionary. Rev. Ignatius Mrak. He has been laboring in the Indian mission field for a long time and his ministerial labors are ver^^ hard, for besides Grand Traverse he has ten other smaller missions to attend, which he visits from time to time, and he has to preach in four diiferent languages, Indian, English, French and German. To some of these stations he is obliged to go on foot and carry all things necessar^^ for holding divine service in his satchel, to others he goes on horse back or in a boat. I went with him to some of these missions to administer holy Confirmation, but was often obliged to dismount from my horse and go on foot because I was afraid that the horse might fall down and injure me as tlie roads were uncom- monly bad. I spent two weeks with this excellent mission- ary and conferred Holy Confirmation at different stations i V -I I t 'r ri ' I 350 BT. REV. FKEDEUIC HArAGA, on Sunduys. I wont with him to Caq) River, where the good people built a small church, so that when tlio mi»- sioiuiry comes ho may there read Holy ^lass and preach. I have blessed this little church to the joy of that Christian congregation. In like maimer I blessed the spacious grave-yard, which tho good people have fenced in. I would gladly have fulfilled the earnest wish of this good congregation to give them a resident priest, but unfortun- ately I am in want of priests. The Catholics of my diocese are increasing in numbers, but seldom do priests offer them- selves to come to this distant and difficult diocese. "From Carp River my way led me to Mackinac. This mission is very old, forJesuit Fathers labored hero as missionaries over two hundred years ago. At present this mission is without a priest, but the missionary at Point St. Ignace, Rev. Andrew Piret, comes here every other Sunday and attends the mission. I confinned one hundred and twenty-three persons in these two missions, partly children, partly adults. From Mackinac I set out to return home, where I arrived on the 26th of November. "Notwithstanding my advanced age I always feel very well, thanks be to God. I hope to serve the Lord in these missions for a long time. I am very well satisfied with my priests. They serve God zealously and uprightly and they willingly bear privations and hardships. I assist them as much as possible and I thank the Rev. Directors of the Leopoldine Society for the charitable help they annually give me. In regard to pecuniary matters I depend upon Europe; whatever I have, I receive from there. My diocese has no income whatever, not a farth- ing !'^ I' ' ) ■r -iimt; (IIAPTEII LVr. INTKKKSTINO ACCOUNT 0¥ TllK FOUNDING Ol' TllK SLSTKlt's SCHOOL AT l'aNSE MISSION B. BAKAOa's KIIJST AND LAST DYING OIl-T TO THE SCHOOL. We give the following account as we have it from the lips of Father Terhorst, the venerable pastor of the above named mission, a most zealous missionary who has dovotod thirty-nine years to the religious, ir.oral and social elevation of the Chippewa Indians of his missiv)n. We hope that the Rev. Father will not bo offended at the libertv we take of giving his most interesting narrative to the i)ul)lic for the honor of God and the edification of the reader. Father Gerhard Terhorst, an Hanoverian by birth, was ordained by Bishop Baraga in 1860, and in the following year was appointed to succeed Rev. Edward J acker as pastor of the L'Anse mission. The bishop told him to go there remarking that he had spent ten of the most pleasant years of his life there. At first F. Terhorst felt lonesome in his Indian mission and wished to leave. But B. Baraga encouraged him to stav and advised him to busv himself with manual work. Beins; entirelv isolated from the society of the whites and confined exclusively to his Indians, the young Father soon leaimed to talk Chippewa fluently. The government had appointed a certain ]\[r. D. as Indian teacher for the L'Anse Reservation. He was the father of seven children, but totally unfit to teach Indian children. F. Terhorst soon saw this and w^as determined to secure Sisters for his school. Mr. D. was, of course, highly displeased and in a letter complained of 1 li ! ' *-4 , "li 4i: RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. B. Baraga. B. Baraga wrote to to molest Mr. D., advising him, at 362 the father to Terhorst not the same time, of the impracticability of having Sisters in L'Anse, as there were no means of sup- porting them. But F. Terhorst did not relinquish his idea. ]VIr. D. then tried to turn the Indians against him and made up a petition to have him removed. lie endeavored to get the Indians to sign the petition, who, however, politely but fiiTTilv refused. So it was sent to Sault Ste. Marie without their signatures. The good bishop felt somewhat ag'grieved at F. Terhorst and wrote to him : "I forbid you in virtue of holy obedience to speak against D. to have him removed." Next Simday the Father told his Indians what the bishop had written to him, assuring them, however, tiiat his sentiments in regard to this matter remained unchanged. ''We are not allowed to speaJc/' he told them, "but we can think about this matter." Mr. D. finallv realized that it was useless for him to stav. His school was a failure and but few children attended it, and he saw it would be the best thing for him to go. So, one day, he came to F. Terhorst and offered to leave, if the latter would buy his furniture, which he agreed to do. This left the school without a teacher, at least for the present. Unexpectedly Sister Agatha, now Provincial of the St. Joseph Sisters of St. Louis, and Sister Julia came in a boat with Father Jacker from Hancock, Mich., to the L'Anse mission. Ven. Sister Agatha was Avell pleased with the place and said that they were willing to take charge of an Indian school. F. Terhorst was highly delighted at this hopeful prospect of securing good Sisters for his school. IIo told the Ven. Sister Agatha and her com- panion, Sister Julia, that he would inform them within two weeks of his decision in the matter, which of course, depended on the consent of Bishop Baraga, The bishop happened, soon after, to be at Hancock and the subject was UNEXPECTED RELIEF. 353 e to 1, at aving sup- I idea, made to get Lybut ithout ewhat id vou ^e him s what r, that lained them, lim to ildren him red to ch he ler, at he St. in a T:o the with Irsce of ted at T his com- n two urse, hishop ',t was broaehew he |im it on a Ivhich was done. Then he asked him to take the key of the box from under his pillow and give it to him. With his weak, trembling hand the bishop opened the box and told Father Terhorst to take the money in it, which was twenty dollars. Upon F. Terhorst's remark that it was all the money he (the bishop) had, and that it was not right to take it, the sick prelate answered : "I don't need anv more money — X 1/1/ take it !' ' So to the last he showed his great esteem for Father Terhorst and his Indian school. He gave him the last money he had and died absolutely penniless. Sister Julia, who is now at the Mother-House iv St. Louis, Mo., gave the writer the following interesting state- ment as to the founding of the Indian boarding and day school at the L'Anse mission (Assinius P. O., Mich.) : "When in June, 1866, two Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Agatha and Sister Julia, from the Mother-House of St. Louis, were sent by Rev. Mother St. John to see and nego- tiate with Bishop Baraga concerning the establishment of two Houses in his diocese, he could not sufficiently express his joy and satisfaction at the prospect of having good schools, wherein the little ones of his flock could be trained up in the fear and love of God; and when they told him that, if he so desired, they thought their Rev. Mother would also send a little colony to L'Anse to open a school for the numerous Indians, among whom he had labored for ten years, he could no longer contain himself, but wept tears of joy and gratitude. "Three colonies subsequently left St. Louis for the fol- lowing places and arrived there in the month of August of the same year, viz: St. Mary's at Sault Ste. Marie, St. Joseph's at Hancock, and St. Xavier's at L'Anse, and probably no one experienced greater joy than the saintly bishop, when told of the assured success of these three es- tablishments. As long as he lived he proved himself their friend and benefactor." |: m M i ■ t' i I - : ' '■ j)'- 1 ; ■■ j1- m Hi: r/: 111:- ■, ;■■'■ r p CHAPTER LVII. REMOVAL OF THE EPISCOPAL SEE FIJOM SAULT STE. MARIE TO MARQUETTE. In the early part of 1865 B. Baraga was asked by some of his priests residing in the Upper Peninsula of Michi- gan to remove his episcopal see to a more central point of the diocese. One of these was Father Jacker, who was very intimate with his bishop, as their mutual correspond- ence discloses, and who was also very much beloved and respected by him. Under date of February 23, 1865, B. Baraga writes him as follows : "1 wrote to you lately that I would speak to you orally regarding the removal of my episcopal see. But I can tell you now very briefly my opinion in the matter. . . . "You say that my see in the Sault is out of the centre of the diocese. But that is not correct. You are thinking only on my northwestern missions at Lake Superior ; but I have almost as many missions, though not so populous, in the southern part of my diocese at Lake Michigan: Alpena (where a large church is now being built), Point St. Ignace, Mackinac, Beaver Harbor, Cross Village, Little Traverse, Grand Traverse, with five or six missions. All these would complain and feel bad were I to remove my episcopal see to Lake Superior. An old Latin proverb says: "Si in qua sede sedes, Et tibi commoda sit ista sedeg. In ista sede sede, Neque ab ea recede." THE SEE REMOVED. 357 "We shall therefore contiiiiie sitting on our old seat until death takes us off from it. ''Your innermost loving Father in Christ, "+rKEDERIC." It seems, however, that Father Jacker did not despair of being able to induce the bishop to change his mind. This appears from a letter of reply written to him from the Sault and dated October 26, 1865. B. Baraga writes him as follows : "Your worthy letter of the 7th inst. unfortunately did not come to hand until today. Dear F. Jacker, your St. Scholastica Remedy has worked wonderfully! All of a sudden it came before the eves of my mind that I am bound in conscience to remove the episcopal see to Lake Superior. I choose Marquette, first because of the name ; ^Marquettensis' is more proper than 'Hancockensis.' Han- cock w^as a heretic or perhaps an infidel ; Pere Marquette was a saintly missionary 'cujus memoria in benedictione est.' Secondly, Marquette is a pleasant, quiet, and central place, with many means of communication. . . . (My God, what is this? I can scarcely write any more; my right hand is lamed. O, do use the St. Scholastica Remedy for my right hand; otherwise I will soon be unable to write.") A change of mind came over the good bishop later, as we see from his letter to Father Jacker, dated December 22, 1865: "I know not whether your prayer continues to work or what. I had no peace of mind until I resolved to remove to Hancock. For a long time I was reluctant to do so; but it did not help. In Hancock I am in the midst of my missionaries and can have a Pontifical High Mass, a thing I could not have in Marquette, where I have but one assist- ant priest. And, moreover, all bishops, as we see, reside in the principal city of their respective diocese — Balti- F I: ! ; ^ \' in f:< l| . !l ii ( \ a 1: i' i) i b58 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ur: tit more, Xew York, Boston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chi- cago, Milwaukee, Detroit, etc. Now, Hancock is at least three times as large as Marquette, with Houghton near by. My successor would blame me for having removed my epis- copal see to a small place in preference to a larger one. In May, God willing, I will come and live in the house, which you have bought prophetically (?) in my name, and I shall build an. addition to it. Is the long side or gable end towards the street ? You may speak of it ; it is no secret." Still Hancock did not become the episcopal see, as B. Baraga had at last intended. "Man proposes, but God dis- poses." Rome spoke and that ended the matter. We have before us B. Baraga's letter to F. Jacker, dated Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., December 11, 1865; "Rev. F. Jacker — The answer from Rome has arrived. The Holy Father allows mo to remove my episcopal see to Marquette (not to Hancock), but I am to retain the former title, ^Marianopolitanus,' besides the new one *Mar- quettensis.' Very curious. Such an answer I had not ex- pected. I shall therefore remove to Marquette, but I will never use the two titles, except when writing to Rome. On all other occasions I will always w^rite : Bishop of Upper Michigan." In his two letters to the Leopoldine Society, dated Sault Ste. Marie, March 24, 1866, and Marquette, August 4, 1866, he speaks at greater length of the reasons impel- ling him to remove his see to Marquette. We will give both letters in full, for they are the last letters he himself wrote to said society. His two letters of 1867 to that so- ciety w^ere written by Rev. F. Jacker, in his name, and over his signature, as he was then unable to write himself, his right hand being paralyzed. "This time I have to inform the Leopoldine Society of an affair very important — at least to us here — namely, the transferring of my episcopal see from Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette, at Lake Superior. For several years my nself t so- and self, fy of ,, the lie to my LOCATED AT MARQUETTE. 859 I Si 11 i missionaries at Lake Superior asked me to coine and live nearer to tlieni, but I kept on postponing it. Finally, last fall I resolved to fulfill their wish and petitioned the Roman See for permission to do so, which request was granted without any difiiculty. So, in the month of May, as soon as navigation opens, I shall remove to Marquette. '''The reason of this removal is the greater facility of comnumicating with my missionaries. This place, Sault Ste. Marie, is an out-of-the-w^ay place, with which during five months — from the end of November till the beginning of May — there is no communication possible except by traveling on foot with snowshoes. Navigation is impos- sible on account of the ice, and roads there are none here for horses. The letters we write during winter have to be carried by mail carriers, who are obliged to travel on snow- shoes hundreds of miles through frightful forests before they c-ome to a station whence a person can travel with a horse. When I write in winter to a missionary at Lake Superior I cannot expect an answer in less than two months. It takes one month for the letter to get to the missionary, and another month for the answer to come to me. And this w^ill never get better here. They will never build wagon roads here on account of the horrible desolate- ness and poorness of the land and on account of the great distance from settled places. '*It is quite different now at Lake Superior. I say now, for ten or tAvelve years ago the Lake Superior coun- try was as yet but little settled. At present public roads have been built ever^^where, on which a person can travel and ride in summer as well as in winter. There are railroads there which are in operation, and others are being constructed. Hence I remove my episcopal see from this lonesome Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette, which is far more favored. I, therefore, request the Reverend Directors of the Leopoldine Society to direct hereafter their letters to me to Marquette, Lake Superior, Michigan. i' If' ' P m _ 360 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. t-^:r "I do not know how the winter is in Europe ; with us here it is extremely cold. The thennometer of Fahren- heit, which we use here, is generally 10, 20, 30 degrees below zero, and twice it sank even to 40 degrees. The French priest who is stationed here, and who in his youth was in Kussia, says that even in Russia the thennometer does not sink to 40 degrees below zero. "Our mission affairs go on prosperously, thanks be to God. The number of my missionaries increases and new churches are being built from time to time because the population in the country keeps on continually increasing. Our churches, it is true, are but of wood and small in com- parison with churches of old countries, still they are houses of God and serve the same purpose for which large and magnificently built churches are constructed." In his second letter of that same year, dated Marquette, Mich., August 4, B. Baraga writes : "In my last report I mentioned that with the approbation of the Holy Roman See I had transferi*ed my episcopal see from Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette, be- cause communication is far more easy with Marquette than with Sault Ste. Marie, especially during winter. Mar- quette is named after one of the first and most zealous Jesuit missionaries of this country. It is a beautiful small city situated at Lake Superior ; it is small as yet, but growing rapidly. This summer about forty houses are being built. "The church in Marquette is a beautiful large build- ing. It is the largest and most beautiful church in Upper Michigan, a veritable cathedral, which was begun last year and was completed this year. It has cost over twelve thou- sand dollars, which is very much for us in Upper Michi- gan. Unfortunately, it is not all paid for yet and there is still a heavy debt on it "From here I make my canonical visitations to the dif- ferent mission stations at Lake Superior. This summer 1: TO START ON A MISSIONARY TOUR. 361 I have been almost continually traveling. Only from time to time do I return home for a few days to answer let- ters, of which I always find a great number on hand. "Everything goes its usual way in the different mis- sions. Things are everywhere arranged as in regular parishes, with the only difference that priests are obliged to preach and hear confessions in three or four different languages — English, German, French, and Indian — in order thus to satisfy all the hearers, who are people of dif- ferent countries. In this very thing consists the greatest trouble of the priests of this diocese and it is with very great difficulty that the bishop can find priests who can speak these different languages. "Thus far I have visited the white missions, but in a few days I will start on a journey to the Indian missions, which are still more interesting than those of the whites." hi m \ i I 1 i i i 1 ni U :[ it sees or honry mo ho would tiiink that I could scarcely live a week longer. Yet I continue living and waiting for my successor, who is to come this summer. "For the last four months I have been unable to sav Mass ; but I will use all my strength to read Mass on Holy Thursday and consecrate the Holy Oils. "As to my diocese, all places are supplied with priests. There are now twenty-one priest.s in the diocese, and only then when new settlements spring up will there be need of more priests. What a difference between the present and the past, when the holy sacrifice had to be offered up for the most part in private houses. In the beginning of the diocese there y;ere l>ut two priests in the whole dio- cese, now there are twenty-one, and there are churches in all the larger settlements. Only in case new mines are discovered (and operated) will it be necessary to build more churches. Our churches are built at the expense of the respective congregations, nevertheless the bishop has to contribute the most of any. We are well supplied with schools, every congregation having one, which is kept either by Sisters or by secular teachers. Moreover, the missionaries have far less fatigues and hardships to endure than foiTnerly, when the few priests that ere here had to travel large distances on bad roads. N^ow they do not need to travel so far; the roads are mostly good and almost ever^'where there is an opportunity to travel by water and land. . . ." On the 28th of June, 1867, he wrote from Marquette: "About two months ago I wrote last and spoke, among other things, about the state of my health. I mentioned that I needed some assistance, especially this year, because my moving from Sault Ste. Marie, my former episcopal see, was accompanied with many expenses, and because here in Marquette a heavy debt remains on the newly built cathedral, so that instead of drawing a revenue from it, as most bishops do from theirs, I am obliged to make con- HIS LA8T PETITION FOR HELP. 3G5 siderublf contributions towards paving tlic debts and i)ro- curing such things as are yet necessary. . . . Moreover, my sickness has cost mo much and does still every day. I have been so sick for nine montiis that 1 caii neither read ^[ass nor say my breviary, nor scarcely speak, through weakness. "The priest who lias charge of this congregation hibors hard, especially in instructing the children. Last Sunday was first communion of the children. The number of first communicants was about fifty. In order to prepare them well for so holy an act, the missionary not only instructed the children here — the boys and girls separately — but also visited once every week three settlements five miles from here, in order to gather together and instruct the children there. At the same time he had evening devotions every evening during Lent, at which he preached in different languages. Scarcely were the Lenten devotions ended, when he had May devotions and also daily devotions with sermon during the Octave of Corpus Christi. "The church we have here is the most beautiful and the largest of the diocese ; but it has cost much. The con- tract was made for eight thousand dollars ; but, with the stone foundation, which was not included in the contract, and other additions and improvements, the whole amounts to fourteen thousand dollars. . . . The creditors hold me liable (for the debt) and are pressing me for payment. I am thus in a very painful situation and ask most urgently for abundant assistance. This petition is very urgent, for I have never been in such a predicament before. Sick as I am, and to be continually pressed by creditors, whom I am imable to satisfy, this is sad indeed. I beg of you, therefore, most earnestly to help me in my need." The same touching appeal for help resounds in Baraga's last letter (written for him by Father Jacker) of July 26 : "Last year about this time I received a check from you i; i| 1 1 ' \ ■ [ i 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 I t 1 1 i: ' ■■■ i!' A il !! ^ ii ii I i 1 '• ; i ll-^Mi 366 ET. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. r'r^H' (the Leopoldine Society directors) through Messrs. Brauns & Co. This year I have as yet received nothing from Vienna. I entreat you most urgently not to abandon me in my need. I was never so much in need of help as just now. My sickness of ten months, of which I still suffer, and my old debts, which I cannot pay, mal^e me truly unhappy. If I do not receive help this year from Vienna I do not know how it will 2:0 with me. I have still to govern the diocese ; my successor will not come this year. He who was recommended primo loco has declined. Hence other names will have to be sent to Rome, in order that the Holy Father may choose among them. "I beg of you once more very urgently not to abandon me this year." We wall give here the particulars of the death and burial of B. Baraga as we have them from the pen of Father Jacker : "When I wrote the last time to the directors of the Leo- poldine Society, at the request of Rt. Rev. Bishop Baraga, he was still able to sign the letter with a trembling hand. JSTow this hand rests in the grave ! "The long sickness of the beloved prelate, or rather the gradual decline of his vital force, which began to manif c st itself verv much some vears aaro, and which slowlv brought him nearer and nearer to his blessed end, ended with a couple of weeks of great pain. Since Xew Year the pious sufferer spent most of his nights sleepless. In the night before Epiphany severe pains and difficulty of breathing came upon him, so that it was considered neces- sary to administer to him the Sacraments of the dying. This condition lasted several days. An apparent im- provement of health followed, but it was only the forerun- ner of the gradual extinguishing of the vital force. Still the dying bishop retained the use of his mental faculties to his last moments, and even when his tongue was un- able to articulate, he tried to make known his wishes and HE BREATHES HIS LAST. 367 Year In ty of Heces- ying. im- enm- Still ulties s inl- and orders partly by writing, partly by signs, in which he suc- ceeded in most instances, though only after great efforts. "At two o'clock in the morning of the 19th of January, 1868, on which day the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus fell in that year, he exhaled his pure soul after an agony of only a few moments. "The cold season of the year made it possible to post- pone his solemn obsequies so long that at least some priests of the diocese were able to arrive in ti'x 3 to attend. On the 31st of January we buried our good Father in a vault constructed for that purpose in the basement of the cathe- dral. Only six priests were present. But the large church could not hold the crowds of people of Marquette and the surrounding country. Not only Catholics of dif- ferent nationalities were present, but also the majority of the Protestant population, who by common agreement stopped all works on that day and vied with the flock of the deceased bishop in manifesting their appreciation of his great virtues and merits.* "Thus ended a man whose purity of soul and single- ness of purpose, whose mortified life and burning zeal, joined to uncommon talents and acquirements, faithfully and successfully employed in the service of God and of the most abandoned of his creatures; a man whose extraor- dinary achievements as a pioneer of Christianity will not allow his memory to pass away as long as souls capable of appreciating so much virtue and excellence will live in this upper country, wdiich has been the principal field of his labors, and where his body now rests to await ^lie sum- mons for resurrection." The following inscription is engraved on the slab enclosing his grave : *The following Fathers attended Bishop Baraga's funeral? Jacker, Terhorst, Bourion, Duroc, Burns, and Vertin, now bishop oi Marquette. ii ?l !■ I! !i a 368 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. I. H. S. , 1 ' , 1 1- ■ I '■ Hie Jacet Corpus 111 ac Revd Friderici Baraga D. D. Ottawa et Chippewa Indianorum Apostoli 1 Episcopi Marianopolitani et Marquettensis. Natus die 29 Junii, 1797, in Carniolia, Austria. Ordinatus Presbyter Labaci die 21 7 1823, Consecratus Episcopus die 1 9 1853 j Obiit die 19 Jannarii, 1868. R. I. P. If*. i! V >■< ■ ■ CIIAPTEH LIX. SHORT RESUME OF THE LIFE AND LABORS OF BISHOP BARAGA ; HIS MANY VIRTUES AND ACCOMPLISH- MENTS ; A MODEL STUDENT^ PRIEST, INDIAN MISSIONARY, AND BISHOP. In the preceding pages we have endeavored to give a faithful, reliable account of the life and labors of saintlv Bishop Baraga. AVe are informed by Bishop Vertin, of Marquette, a countryman of Baraga and the last ordained by him, that the inhabitants of Dobernik, B. Baraga's na- tive place, intend to erect a monument this year, the cen- tenarv of his birth, to their distinguished countrvman in the parish church, where he was baptized just one hundred years ago. We hope that this little work of ours will also serve as a centenary monument to this saintly missionary and bishop of the Northwest, a monument which will help to perpetuate the memory of his noble deeds and great vir- tues unto future generations. B. Baraga had the unspeakable blessing of having had pious. God-fearing, thoroughly Catholic parents. Al- though he lost them at an early age, his mother dying when he was scarcely eleven years old, and his father four years later, still the lessons of piety, charity and other virtues thev had taught him never became effaced from his mind. At the University of Vienna and at the gj'innasium and seminary of Laibach he was a model student, diligent, conscientious, faithful, and persevering. He was gifted with extraordinary talents, had a clear, logical mind, re- markable memory and great love for linguistic studies. i; f ! \ • i f j ! ■ j! ■ i 370 RT. r.EV. FREDERIC BARAGA. :r'' His progress in all branches of study was astonishing. At the same time he was a pure-minded, innocent, God-fear- ing youth, of whom we are morally certain that he retained the white garment of Baptismal innocence untaniislied by any mortal sin to the day of his death. As priest in Europe we find him a model of all sacer- dotal virtues, laboring with all the zeal and energy of a true pastor of souls for the spiritual welfare of his people. He never knew what it was to be idle, lukewarm, or care- less in the service of his divine Master. Old and young, sinners and just, all felt the effect of his burning zeal for the salvation of souls, all were attracted by his soul-stirring discourses and instructions, by his kind, sympathetic, win- ning ways to God and the practice of religion and virtue. Even at this early stage of his sacerdotal career we find him composing works of devotion and instiiiction for his Slavonian countrymen, which even to this day have re- tained their hold on the popular mind and heart. As Indian missionarv he was second to none in self- sacrificing labor and success as converter of Indians. He justly deserves to be called "The Indian Apostle of the ^N^orthwest." His converts are numbered by the thou- sands, not to speak of innumerable sinners, whom he won to God by his instructions in the pulpit and confessional, and by his books of piety. Only on the great day of judg- ment will all the good be known which he effected during his long and fruitful priestly and episcopal career. As bishop we find him indefatigable in promoting the cause of religion and virtue in the extensive territory com- mitted to his care, which for many years embraced not only the Upper Peninsula of ]\Iicliigan, but also a great part of Lower Michigan, northern Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and parts of Ontario. Everv vear he visited almost all the missionary stations and congregations of this extensive territory, often suffering untold hardships and miseries, traveling in winter on snowshoes, sleeping under the open OF A FORGIVINa SPIRIT. 371 win- won .o>- air or in some wretched Indian wigwam, shivering with cold, living on a little bread, cheese and tea. He 7iever used stimulants of any kind, although often in sad need of them when exhausted by cold and long walks. He was a teetotaler of the strictest kind and preached temperance, teetotalism in his Indian works of instruction, knowing but too well that liquor is the Indian's greatest enemy. B. Baraga was deeply humble. Of this we have abund- ant proofs in his life as described by us and in the unani- mous testimony of all who were personally acquainted with him. 'Not long ago, we heard from ^Ir. Charles Belle Isle, a venerable octogenarian of Bellil Falls, Wis., the follow- ing touching incident, of which he himself was an eye wit- ness. One day he and Mr. Charpentier, father of Alexie Charpentier, of Odanah, Wis., were walking in the streets of La Pointe with Father Baraga. This was in 1841. They met a pagan Indian, most probably accompanied by others of the same stamp. Without the least provocation, this man went up to Father Baraga and spat in his face. He then walked away, laughing derisively. Charpentier, fired with indignation at the insult offered to his beloved pastor, raised his hand to strike the impudent wretch and give him a well-merited beating; but Father Baraga re- strained him, quietly saying: "Let him be; he don't know any better !" We are here forcibly reminded of the words of Jesus on the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." This Indian must have been one of the very worst sort, a fanatical pagan ; for, as a rule, all Indians, even pagans, respect the Catholic priest. We would, therefore, not believe what was related to us were it not vouched for by Mr. Belle Isle, who was an eye witness of the deed. 1 il 1 i^^B n hi i ■ i ^^H -w 372 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. ^ if m Ml ti': in'i ti ■ l»l Another proof of B. Baraga's great liniiiility is found in the following letter of his to Father J acker : '\Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., May 16, 1863. "Bev. and Most Beloved Father Jacher: "Your most valuable letter of the 11th and 12th inst., in reply to my five letters, I have just now received. My much beloved Son in Christ, you are my greatest, almost my only, consolation in my multifarious sorrows and humiliations. Especially do I rejoice in the innermost of my heart at the heroic word, which I find today in your letter : 'Should 1 not live to see the time' (when, namely, your place can be supplied with other good priests) 'I must be satisfied even then.' Yes, truly, be perfectly satisfied with the arrangements of your bishop, which you can re- ceive with all certainty as God's doings and you will work out your etenial salvation with the greatest certainty. "Now I leave all to you ; do as you like ; you have my approbation and my weak blessing upon all (you may do). O, that I were a saint in order to give you a powerful bless- ing ! I have never felt so much as now my poorness, unfit- ness, and insufficiency. However, I thank God for all these humiliations which He permits to befall me. 'Bonum mihi, Domine, quia humiliasti me !' "It "will please me exceedingly, dear Father Jacker, to see you here ; but come soon, for later on I must go to Cincinnati to have some Indian books printed, of which there is everywhere a very great want. . . . "Your loving Father in Christ, "-I-FEEDERIC, "Bishop." iSTo wonder that a man so humble and so deeply con- vincv^d of his w^eakness should feel so merciful and patient towards others, especially to poor sinners. His heart was like the Heart of Jesus, full of compassion for the weak HIS AIM TO SAVE SOULS. 373 and fallen. Witness his instructions to F. Jacker in re- gard to some unhappy members of his flock: ''Treat old ^I. as strictly ms possible, but to expel him from the mission village would mean to deliver him to cer- tain eternal ruin. Be glad in heart if he is willing to re- main in the mission village, where a person can speak to him exliortingly from time to time." Again : '"In the meanwhile I advise you, in general, not readily, or never, to employ the means of expulsion from the church. On the contrary, one should invite just those, who live sinfully, to be sure to come always to church, when they are in the village, that they may hear religious instruction and be brought to a change of heart. Treat sinners with meekness (but not with laxity in con- fession). Thereby you will accomplish more than with do^^^l-C0 sting banishment of the sinner. Yes, for the lion it may do to throw down and destroy all that is before him. K^ot so for the pastor under the good Upper-pastor, who went kindly after the lost sheep and did not cast it off." As to B. Baraga's love of prayer and meditation we have spoken of it repeatedly in the foregoing pages. He was preeminently a man of prayer, spending every morn- ing two or three hours in that holy exercise, and who rose lono' before davbreak to devote the silent hours of the earlv mornina; to communion with God. Even when walk- ing all day through snow, ice, and cold, he would say his breviary before daylight and again after dark, by the light of a camp firo, though shivering with cold. He was grave and dignified in his whole exterior, as all acquainted with him testify; the very picture of a re- fined, dignified, Christian gentleman. He was unobstru- sive, kind, sympathetic and gentlemanly in his whole de- portment and bearing. Although a man of vast learning and keen observation, he never paraded his knowledge in company or sought public applause. He loved to conduct divine service with all po.ssible decorum and solemnity as i 1 I ,ii i i i •- ' n 374 RT. REV. FREDERIC BARAGA. \V^ .; (, . - ii li:i\n): f it justly deserves and in order to make a salutai-y impres- sion on the people. He was very active, being always busy with some use- ful occupation. This is evidenced by his multitudinous correspondence and his literary works. His life might justly be described as sanctity in action. He w^as highly mortified, never using stimulants or liquor of any kind, seldom, if ever, partaking of meat, and living on poor, plain food, bread, cheese, tea and the like. He was unmindful of ease and comfort and satisfied with poor lodging and food. But it may be asked, Did not Bishop Baraga have any failings whatever ? We answer, He had one ; but that was rather a failing of the head than of the heart. It had its origin in his zeal and noble-heartedness. A close study of his dmrj or journal, which he kept for ten years of his episcopal life, shows that at times he acted rather hastily in ordaining, respectively, receiving priests into his diocese. Facts and names might be given, but it is unnecessary. Those very mistakes, however, are an evidence of his pas- toral zeal, solicitude, and noble-heartedness. As the mines in Upper Michigan were rapidly being opened and worked, a strong tide of Catholic immigration set in, and in a few years there were thousands of Catholics, where, before, there had been but few. To provide his people with good priests was his great endeavor. For that reason he went to Europe shortly after his consecration; but of the five priests he brought along, perhaps not a single one remained long in his diocese. One of them. Father Lautischar, came in 1854, and left in 1858 for the Indian missions of Minnesota. Of the other four, one became a Redemptorist and one, it seems, apostatized. What became of the other two is not known to the writer. As B. Baraga needed priests very urgently for the rapidly increasing population of his diocese, he gladly re- ceived priests, and ordained candidates for the priesthood HIS MEMORY HELD IN BENEDICTION. 375 without being sometimes sufficiently acquainted with them and their fitness for the pastoral charge. He meant well and always tried to do what was right, but at times his eagerness to provide for the spiritual wants of his people caused him to act rather precipitately. It was a mistake of the head, not of the heart; a lack of judgment and dis- cretion. Such mistakes may and do happen to the holiest and best of men, for ''to err is human." Moreover, his noble-hearted disposition made him naturally inclined to fonn a good opinion of those with whom he came in contact. Hence it is not to be wondered at that sometimes he was cruelly deceived. This explains his occasional attacks of great sadness. Being imbued with a deep sense of his awful responsibility as bishop of a large diocese, and noticing the unpriestly conduct of one or another of his clergy, he felt keenly the great injury that such were doing to the cause of religion, and saw his own mistake in receiving or ordaining them. Hence his lamentable complaint: "Would that I could be an Indian missionary again ! I would far sooner be an Indian mis- sionary than a bishop." Hence the occasional remarks in his journal that he would like to resign, if he but knew that such was the wall of God. We are of the deepest conviction that Bishop Baraga was a man of uncommon holiness of life. His very short- cominp:s show that, although human and therefore liable to err, he was a most zealous pastor of souls, noble-hearted, but at times too confiding. If they are faults, they are those of a noble man and saint. Bishop Baraga was a man of God, a priest according to the Heart of Jesus, a bishop of Apostolic virtue, a man full oi the purest and strongest love of God and his neigh- bor. He lived but for one object, and tliat was to make God known and loved and served by all men as far as it could be effected by his influence and example. He de- serves a foremost place in the ranks of our deceased pre- I I' I.i jfl-', r i, 376 RT. BEV. FBEDERIC BARAGA. III :|i 1 1 1 ) i il 1 r J i . h ■Mi =51 ■ •KM 1 i , ) 1 > H 1 Ilu ^ Mki^i. . latoH. His moniory is held in benediction by the [)eople of the Xoi'thwest, especiallv by those wlio had the happi- ness to be acquainted with liini. This was shown particu- larly at his funeral, at which Protestants and Catholics vied with each other to show their respect, love and venera- tion for him. Michigan has perpetuated his memory by naming- a county, town, and postofHce after him. In the foregoing pages we have given but a mere out- line of his life and deeds. Who can tell his maiiv acts of charity and kindness to the poor and suffering^ Who can relate the numberless hardships and miseries he endured in endeavoring to bring the light of faith to so many poor, desi)ised, abandoned creatures, the pagan Indians of the Northwest, in order to save their innnortal souls ? Only on the day of judgment, when all things shall be brought to light, will it be knoA\'Ti what this saintly man did and suffered for the love of God and ihe salvation of souls. Let us hope that the day will come when his name will be enrolled in the catalog-ue of the Saints. Reports of wonderful cures circulate among the people. It is desir- able that those upon whom such cures have been wrought, or who have certain knowledge of them, report the same to the proper ecclesiastical authority for investigation as to their truth and supernatural character. We shall now give two such accounts as we have them from the lips of Ven. ]\rotlier Julia, of the Mother House of St. Joseph's Sisters in Carondelet, St. Louis, Mo. A man working in the mine? injured his knee so badly that it was thought his leg Avould have to be amputated. A priest told him to apply to his sore knee a piece of the candle which B. Baraga had held in his hand when dying, and to invoke him with great confidence, as he had always been so good and kind to the sick. The man did so and tied the piece of candle to his bandaged knee. The next day lie was perfectly well. A certain Mrs. W. had a dairy farm between Marquette PEACE TO HIS ASHES. 377 by dlv ed. the av8 t.' md ext and Negaunoo. For a long time this woman had suffered from sore knee.^; the evil seemed ineiiruble. One day she went to li. Baraga and asked the person who was doin4. lowing names: Very Rev. Jos. Buh, of Tower, Minn., Vicar-General of the diocese of Duhith, who has labored long and well among the Indians at Sandy Lake, Cass Lake, and Upper Mississippi ; Rev. John Zuzek, Ignatius Tomazin, and Jas. Trobec, now bisliop of St. Cloud. They came from the diocese of Laibach, Austria. From the dio- cese of Gorica were Rev. A. Pint, John Tomazevic, and Jas. Erlali. It was also on this occasion that the present occupant of the archiepiscopal see of Milwaukee, Most Rev. Frederic Xaver Katzer, came from Europe. The theologians, Stem, Spath, and Erlach came with him. In 1865 Fathers Buh and Zuzek aided Pierz in the mission- ary field. F. Buh labored at Winnibigoshish among the Chippewas, and Zuzek at Crow Wing. In June, 1865, Rev. Ig. Tomazin j ined the ranks of the Indian mission- aries of Minnesota. They all went to St. Paul together to make their re- treat, at the end of which Father Pierz celebrated his golden jubilee in the cathedral of St. Paul, and made a Latin address to the assembled Fathers. In a letter to the bishop of Laibach he writes that on the 16th of August they saw a hmiinous cross in the sky of indescribable beauty. F. Tomazin was the first to no- tice it and pointed it out to Pierz. This wonderful cross shone for fully thirty minutes. "These signs," remarks F. Pierz, "are certainly not meteors or other fantastic phe- nomena. They are iindoubtedly signs of divine mercy for the conversion of the Indians. Seeing these signs, mothers brought their little ones to be baptized. Even the adults willingly received the consolations of the Church." As his health was beginning to fail, his many friends advised him to resign his mission, and an accident occnr- ring at this time injured his health very much. On a jour- ney to Sauk Centre the good old missionary, then eighty- four years old, fell out of the vehicle in Avhicli he was rid- ing. He but slowly recovered from the effects of this acci- BEV. FRANCIS TIERZ. 391 dt'iit, but, bt'iug gifted with a stronp^, good constitution, he gradually regained his former healtli. Jn 1S70 we tind him in Otter 1'ail still attending the neighbe when enter- ing upon his Apostolic career in the Indian missionary iield, and that ho continued therein uninterruptedly until his eighty-eighth year, we must say that his case can scarcely find a parallel in the missionary records of ancient or modern times.* The nearest approach to it is that of his worthy and zealous fellow missionary and countryman, Bishop Mrak, of Marquette, who is now (11)00) ninety years old. Father Pierz's missions were given to Fathers Buh and Tomazin. At present almost all the In- dian missions of Minnesota are in charge of the Benedic- tine Fathers. On the third of September, 1ST3, F. rierz left for Europe. Father Tomazin accompanied him. After a month's \oyage they arrived at Laibach on the third of October. While sailing on the broad Atlantic, in his 88th '■' u 4. *Siiice writing the above we learn that Father Dii Ranquet, S. J., -10 from France in the thirties, and lias been among the Indians ever since — that is, for a period of over sixty years! All honor to this noble Indian missionary, of whom Bishop Baraga always speaks in terms of great respect in his journal. He is now stationed at Wickwemikong, Manitoulin Island. 392 BIOGRAPHICAL 8KET0HES. year, F. Pierz composed a most interesting and touching poem, entitled, "Song on Bishop Baraga." Tlie fact, as well as his many letters, reveal his deep love and veneration for saintly Baraga, whose many virtues he had learned to prize and imitate. He made Kanmik, near which he had been born, his home for some time, staying there with the Franciscan Fathers. The year following he went to Laibach, where he died on the 22d of January, 1880, in his 94th year. His funeral was conducted with great solemnity. The Bishop of Laibach, Msgr. J. K. Pogacar, with a gTeat num- ber of the clergy, the various societies ard delegates from all parts of the country, came to pay their last tribute of respect to the man and priest, the pride and glory of Slavo- nia, and one of the greatest Indian missionaries of modem times. His dear friend, Canon Zupan, preached an elo- quent funeral-sermon on the labor and virtues of the de- ceased. Canon Zamejec made it his duty to collect volun- tary contributions for erecting a suitable monument on the grave of the great missionary priest. However, Father Pierz has erected a monument more enduring than brass in the grateful hearts of thou.*ands of devoted Catholics on both sides of the Atlantic. On May 20, 1885, the Catho.ics of Stearns Comity, Minnesota, celebrattd the centenarv of Father Pierz's birih and 4116 thirtieth year since his lirst holy Mass in that country. "What .m astonishing difference between now and then," writes F. Buh. "In those days notliing was to be seen but roving bands of Indians, roaming from place to place without lav fixed habitation. Kow we be- hold beautiful churches and raagn'Licent buildings on all sides where F. Pierz first planted the Cross." But F. Pierz has another claim on the grateful remem- brance of the ])oople of ^liiinesota. He was not only a pioneer of religion, but also of civilization. He was an organizer and promoter of immigration. In his numerous REV. OTTO 8K0LLA. 393 letters published by tbe press he directed attention to the agricultural and other resources of Minnesota and thus in- duced many to make it their home. The Gennaii settlers of Minnesota have added millions to tlie national wealth by their industry and thrift. vm EEV. OTTO SKOLLA, 0. S. F., St. Obs. A SirORT SKETCit OF HIS LABORS IX THE lA'DIAN MISSIONARY FIELD. As Father Skolla succeeded Baraga in La Pointe, it seems but right that we should give a short account of his missionary labors. It is much to be regretted that nothing can be found about his parents, birthplace, or early years. In obedience to an order of Very Rev. Bernadine de Mon- tefranco, Minister-General of the Franciscans from 1856 to 18 02, he wrote a Latin account of his labors at Macki- nac, La Pointe, Fond du Lac, Oconto River and Keshena, which was published in the Franciscan monthly, "La Pal- estina," in 1801. We have followed this account and his letters published in the "Berichte der Leopoldinen-Stift- uns'," Vienna. Father Skolln wi s born in Dalmatia, Austria. lie en- tered the Francisca]! Order and belonged to that branch of it which was called "Of the Strict Observance." For some time he resided in a monastery of his order near the very place where the holy house of Xazareth had been de- posited by angelic hands prior to its transportation to Loretto, Italy. Even in his youth Skolla felt a great desire to labor at the solvation of souls as missionarv. This desire increased V' by the frequent reading of mission accounts, especially of those written bv F. Baraca. So, finallv, he wrote to him to be admitted to lalwr with him at the conversion of the n \ f 1 t-;! If v^f f f t i ■ [ ^ I.? .1 1 1 ! i 394 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. i h)i 1 ^i m Indians. In the month of August, 1840, he received a let- ter from Baraga, in which the latter stated that the bisho}> of Detroit would receive him into his diocese to work among the Indians. This was happy news for F. SkoLa. He immediately asked his Provincial, Very Rev. Felician Kant, to grant him pennission to devote himself to the In- dian mission. After a dne trial of his vocation the per- mission w^as given in writing. He then w^'ote to the Leo- poldine Society of Vienna to kindly fnrnish him with the necessary traveling money. The directors of the society gave him 400 florins through the hands of the bishop of Laibach. Then ho wrote to the Apostolic i!^imtiii3 in Vienna to obtain throngh his mediation the necessary dis- pensation from those points of his vow^s and rule, wliich were incompatible with Indian missionary life. The Nim- tins sent this letter of F. Skolla, accompanied with his rec- ommendation, to the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide at Rome, which granted the dispensation. After all these necessary preliminaries had been duly settled, F. Skolla took leave of his Franciscan brethren and went to Tergestnm. After a few days he embarked on a merchant ship, called "Fallmonth," on the 24th of Sep- tember, 1841. The ship soon encountered fearful storms. She sprang a leak and was often in great danger of found- ering, as she was small and altogether unseaw'orthy. The sea voyage lasted three long months, during wliich time they encountered more than twenty severe storms. What made the vovafte still more tedious was the circumstance that he had no countryman on board except a Pole, who was very unruly and once came near being killed by the captain of the vessel. Their icM was very salty, and the water scarce, impure, and full of worms. Provisions also became low, as the voyage lasted unusually long on account of the many stonns and contrary winds. Finally, on the 25th of December, 1841, Father Skolla landed at Xew York. REV. OTTO 8K0LLA. 395 id a let- ! bishop o work SkoLa. i'elician the In- he per- he Leo- ;ith the society shop of tins in iry dis- wliich .e Xun- his rec- aganda n duly ethreri ved on )f Sep- torms. found- The time What stance who )y the d the s also count n the Xew I As soon as he had get ashore he inquired for the bishop's house, and, arriving there, presented his letters to the bishop. The latter directed him to F. Ivo Levitz, a coimtryman and a Franciscan of the same province to which Skolla had belonged. He staved with him until spring, assisting him in the care of his large flock. F. Skol'< tjreached his first sermon in the Xew World on Xew Year's day, 1842. In the beginning of May he left I^^ew York, traveling for almost two weeks on the Erie Canal. About the 15th of May he arrived at Detroit, and was kindly received by Bishop Lefevre, who had but lately succeeded B. Rese, re- signed. The kind-hearted bishop quei-tioned Skolla as to the particulars of his journey, country, and plans for the future. He asked the bishop to let him go to F. Baraga, to act a::; his assistant, as had been agreed on between B. Bese, Baraga, and himself. The bishop, however, told him that he could not let him go there at present, as he had too few German priests in his diocese, but that he would allow him to go the next year. Father Skolla, therefore, took charge of the German congregation of Detroit, wdiich then numbered some 6,000 souls. He resided witli the bishop. Besides the German, there were also an Irish and a French congregation in De- troit. The latter was in charge of Rev. Francis Vincent Badin, Vicar-General. The Cathedral congregation con- sisted then of French and Germans. The Germans had high Mass with seraion at S a. m.^ and the French at 10 A. M. Strict order was observed in the bishop's house. Xo one was allowed to go out without permission. Spiritual reading was held at table and prayers said in common every e^'^ening. The religious instruction of the German children at the parochial school devolved on F. Skolla, and we may be sure he did his duty well. He had, moreover, to attend some ( nn W J. 1 V- il Vt 8; :'man 3 ions J Lake Plaisante, and Pontiac. 396 BIOaRAPHIOAL SKETCHES. ■! I In June, 1843, F. Skolla was sent to ^Eackinac, whither he went, accompanied by his countryman. Father Pierz. From Mackinac they Avent in a birch canoe to Arbre Croche (Harbor Springs). The following Sunday Skolla preached in French, and his sermon was interpreted into Ottaw^a by an interpreter. Towards the end of July he returned to Mackinac, where he was most joyfully received by the people of the island. He estimates the population, most of whom were French-Canadians and half-breeds, at two thousand souls. The Catholic soldiers at the fort used to attend holy Mass regularly and F. Skolla would preach to them a short English sermon, as his knowledge of the English language must have been very limited as yet. In 1845 the soldiers left to take part in the Mexican war. During his stay of two years at Mackinac he baptized more than forty pagan Indians. In the beginning of autumn, 1845, B. Lefevre came to Mackinac and gave confiiTnation to a great niunber of adults and children. On this occasion he gave permission to Father Skolla to go to L'Anse to labor with F. Baraga in the Indian missions of the Lake Superior coimtry. Father Skolla left Mackinac in September, 1845, and went by iteamer to Sault Ste. Marie, which then had scarcely twenty houses. Xext day he embarked on a merchant ves- sel, which in twelve days brought him to L'Anse. After staying three days with Baraga they went together in a birch canoe to La Pointe. At first F. Skolla was naturally very much afraid to ride in such a frail boat — a mere nut- shell, so to say — but seeing how unconcerned his Indian companions were, how they were laughing and singing all the time, he soon conquered his unnecessary fear and got used to this new mode of traveling. In fact, the writer can say from expericK-^e that it is safer to travel on water in a birch canoe than in many of our dug-outs and small boats — that is, if you have Indians to paddle and steer the canoe. On the od of October, the Vigil of St. Francis day, vhither Pierz. Arbre SkoUa ed into ruly he eeeived ilation, 3eds, at >rt used preach ( of the et. In in war. )d more jame to iber of mission Baraga ountry. id went carcely t ves- After r in a urally Ire nut- ndian ng all [nd got writer water small er the day, REV. OTTO SKOLLA, 897 the Founder of his Order, Father Skolla arrived at La Pointe, and the next day said Mass on the island for the first time. The good people of La Pointe received the missionaries with great joy. Baraga introduced the new pastor and spent a, few days with his dear former parishioners and then departed for L'Anse. F. Skolla said high Mass every Sunday at ten o'clock, and after the first Gospel would preach in French. The Mass being ended, he would preach for the Chippewa portion of his flock, Antoine Gaud in (Gordon) acting as interi? . eter. The wa*iter is personally acquainted with Mr. Gaudin, who now resides at Gordon, Wis., and has a hotel and store there. He is a practical Catholic and the mainstay of religion in his town. He has likewise contributed very liberally towards the erection of the neat little church in Gordon, and on Sunday he acts as quasi-pastor to his Chippewa countrymen, reading to them the prayers of Mass and the Gospel. At La Pointe, on Sunday afteraoons, Vespers were sung in Chippewa, followed by Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. Then F. Skolla would give a catechet- ical instruction to his Chippewa flock, Antoine Gaudin again acting as interpreter. Every Wednesday and Sat- urday he used to hear confessions by means of an inter- preter until he had become sufficiently proficient in Chip- pewa to be able to dispense with his services. The people were innocent and simple; they were accustomed to con- fess even their slight faults with great sorrow and contri- tion, and oftentimes they would weep bitterly when accus- ing themselves of more grievous sins. After holy Com- munion the whole congregation devoutly said the holy rosary. In May, 1846, F. Skolla went to Fond du Lac, Minn., with the above named intei^reter and some half-breeds, where he was welcomed with sig-ns of unfeigned joy by the newly converted Indians. The pagans were engaged in II ;1& 4-' ■III i %/l ,m , f 398 hi J ■ill ^ I : ; ■ BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. their great medicine dance, wliieli generally lasted several days, at times even two weeks or a montli, if they had plenty of provisions. Before beginning the dance one of their orators made a speech. He spoke as follows : "Our forefathers have faithfully kept the great medi- cine dance until this day because it prevents sickness and keeps our children healthy. You know there is a manitou (god) in the earth, who makes the plants and herbs io grow, who gives us fishes out of the waters and wood and fire with which to cook our victuals and warm ourselves. This manitou below in the earth gives us food and drink. Pat there is another manitou above, who rules the winds, the air, and the seasons. Know that if you observe the great medicine dance you will go, after death, to a place of happiness, where you will always beat the drum and dance the great medicine dance. But those who despise the great medicine dance shall have to pass, after death, over a long bridge, under which two large serpents are lurking. When such a soul gets to the middle of the bridge she is seized and devoured by those two serpents !" Another orator spoke as follows: "My children, I think that your fathers, some of whom have died long ago, told you what a great famine they suf- fered in this place and how they hunted through all the forests in this vicinity ; but they did not bring home from their chase neither bear, nor rabbit, nor wolf ; neither did they have anything else wherewith to sustain life, so that many of them died of hunger. You know that some of your brothers received letters of acknowledgment and large medals from the English government for having helped the English in their war with the Erench-Canadians, be- cause they had fought bravely; many, however, fell in said war. This fact is a subject of great praise to our na- tion, but also a cause of great ruin to our people on account of your brothers who perished. You know, likewise, that our forefathers, many centuries ago, came from very dis- [ several hej had 3 one of I at medi- less and manitou lierbs to ood and iirselves. d drink. e winds, erve the a place iim and despise r death, enb are e bridge : whom hey suf- all the ae from ler did so that ome of d large helped ms, be- fell in our na- iccount le, that Yj dis- REV. OTTO SKOLLA. 399 taut countries through a narrow strait of the sea to our shores.* Tliey used to worship tiie sun, the moon, the stars, fire, water, statues of stone, crabs, beavers, owls, and serpents. They built shrines in shady places, and tem- ples, in which oracles were to be given. Behold, this same worship of the manitous (gods) continues with us to the present day. Therefore, my children, do not join the re- ligion of those people who are dressed in black (priests), who preach about the Cross ; but keep faithfully your do- mestic gods, as your forefathers have done, in order that our nation may not be scattered amongst other nations, lest it be entirely dissolved and eradicated. I therefore enjoin upon my sons, the medicine men, to watch that none of our people join the religion of the black robes, so that our name may continue. Hence, my sons, I shall give you a feast today, but tomorrow and the following days of this festival every family is to contribute. Should any one of them be unable to furnish all necessaries for the feast, their neighbors are to help them. People are to bring from the chase deer and rabbits and that will suffice for the entire time of the great medicine dance. Beat the drum, young men ! Begin the dance !'' Then all, both voung and old, shouted : "Taia ! Ataiia ! Well ! Ver>^ Welfl" Then with folded arm.s and great reverence they walked in procession around a wooden owl placed upon a post in the middle of a medicine lodge. At the entrance a linen cloth was spread on the ground, on which lay all kinds of roots and herbs supposed to possess medical powers or held in superstitious veneration, to which they offered a kind of sacrifice in the shape of tobacco. The medicine men, or jugglers, would often touch these plants and roots with their hands and add some herbs of their o^^Ti. Then thev mixed the roots and flowers with tobacco *The speaker seems to allude to an old tradition that they came from Asia to America via Behring's Strait. If-, I 4 i WW- I *■ ; 400 BIOGRArHICAL SKETCHES. and certain paints, made from a decoction of roots or some other substance, and formed magical signs over them. This ceremony ended, they sat down wit)i their wives and children, to eat. As the pagans at Fond da Lac were then too much oc- cupied with their su] erstitious perfonnance, F. Sk«"Ha-'did not accomplish much at this, his first, visit; lo bapti.Tt;d but six person , Oi Hijbsequeit visi*- to tlie same place he went to see * - i^ij^raiis in their wigwams and quietly and kindly sp ke v Ixcra about religion, but in vain. On his way back to Francii^ itvi ssain he said sadly to himself: Why did you come here I You will accomplish nothing. Suddenly he met a very old Indian of dark complexion, who could scarcely move along from want and sickness. Skolla asked him, "Are you sick ?" "^'Yes," say he, "I am veiy sick." "'Friend," said the missionai*y, "what a hap- piness would be yours if you would but believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom I am preaching ! See, you are sick and suffer hunger, but if you receive Baptism you will be happy forever in heaven and you will never again be hungry or sick." The old, hitherto obstinate, pagan answered: "Just now, a I this very moment, I was thinking in my mind whether I could be baptized, for my last hour is near at hand. Come, therefore, and baptize me now." The good Father, overjoyed, instnicted him immediatel and then baptized him. The next day the old man died. Lie had always been a medicine man and very strongly attached to paganism.. "Spiritus spirat ubi vult" — "The Spirit breathoth w^here he will." On this occasion Father Skolla remained a whole month in Fond du Lac and baptized fifteen Indians, adults and children. In 1853 he made his last visit to Fond du Lac, in com- pany with John Bell and family. When disembarking he noticed a particular joy depicted on the faces of his good neophytes. He asked his host, Francis Roussain, for the reason. The latter replied : "It was the will of God that REV. OTTO KKOLLA. 401 Dr some • them, ves and lucli oc- rllff'did >apti.Tcd le place quietly in. On [limself : nothing, iplexion, sickness, e, "I am t a liap- the Lord ^g ! See, Baptism 1 never 3stinate, t, I was for my baptize bed him day the nan and ►irat ubi On this ■in Fond hildren. in com- L'king he liis good for the rod that > SkoDa, the The whole Finally the you came to ns today, for while you were still a great dis- tance away we already knew that you were coming. A young paf'-an boy of scarcely eight years, and very sick, near by, whilst lying ^'^i bed, said this morning to his par- ents, joyfully: "Behold, I see a man with a black gar- ment at such a point — naming the place — who is coming to bap^'ze me. I see him sitting in a boat and holding a book in his hand. John Bell and his family are coming with him." What the boy said was exactly true. For at that very place and at that very time F. Skolla h^id in his hand ''The Imitation of Christ" and wa.'-' ' ling some chapters in that book. He was then soi .;. c; . miles or thereabonts from Fond du Lac. When Mr. lloussain related this inci ..i>« latter went immediately to the boy's ]» ust family was silent, but full of consols; :■ pagan mother stooped down to her sick v.hild and said to him : ' '*See, my son, the priest is here whom you have de- sired so earnestly to see in order to be baptized by him. Come, my son, tell now in his presence, that he may hear it himself, what you have seen this morning." The sick boy having regarded the Father with an expression of much inner contentment, said, with a weak voice : "Today before noon, from my bed here, when you were at the en- trance of the lake (where the St. Louis River enters St. Louis Bay, an ann of Lake Superior), I saw you sitting in the boat and holding a book in your hand. Bell was also Avith you and his wife and three children. And I said to my mother, 'Behold, the black gown (priest) is coming here to baptize me.' " The mother then said : "I, too, and my whole family want to be baptized by you." The boy was then duly instructed and baptized, and died not long afterwards. At his funeral F. Skolla held a funeral sennon, very appropriate for the occasion. He spoke as follows : "Dearest friends! Take good notice of my words. ! I ,i< 4^i 1 1 i ill \ i / i V ' I ■h 402 BIOOnAPaiCAL SKETCHES. Tlio Groat Spirit ?nys: ''irappy are the dead who die in t^le Lord." Now you arc living on earth and after a few years yonr life will eonie to an end and then nv)ne of you will bo left any more on the face of the earth. The same thing" will happen to your children and the whole human race. You freei ently see your brethren taken away out of this world and you don't see them any longer. Their souls ente- another world, but their bodies putrefy in the ground But those same bodies shall rise again on the last day .\'hen all men who are on eailh shall have died. But '^^me shall rise unto eternal life and others unto eternal death. Eternal life is the happiness of heaven and eternal death is the torment of hell. Those go to heaven who are baptized and during all their life do good, wdio believe in one God and in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who died on .he Cross to destroy the gins of the whole world. Finally, ti.ey go to heaven wdio devoutly worship God. But those wii' be cast into hell wdio refuse to be baptized and will not belie\ v' in the one God, Creator of all things, namely, idol- aters, wli'> worship wood, stones, animals, and all those who live wicledly and die in sin. Dear friends ! How can you escape eternal death un- less you believe and live rightly? You have seen mani- festly with your eyes and heard with your ears wdiat great grace the Great Spirit has sliow^n to this deceased little boy ; and why ? Because he desired Baptism so ardently. Endeavor, therefore, to accept the light of faith as He did, that you may be numbered amongst the children of God, as He is now inscribed in heaven amongst the choirs of the blessed. Have pity on your one, only soul, created by the Great Spirit, and renounce your darkness and blind- ness, all of you, who are the slaves of senseless idolatry which is nothing else than diabolical deception and deceit. Thrown the dnun into the fire, the drum by whose sound vou do not cease day and night to summon the devil, for 1/ i ■ II! BEV. OTTO SKOLLA. 403 10 die ill er a few e of you 'he same [> human Lway out . Their :y in the I the last ed. But 3 eternal d eternal who are ^lieve in ) died on Finally, 3ut those I will not elv, idol- all those eatli un- n mani- lat great ed little u'dently. He did, of God, loirs of eated by d blind- idolatry i deceit, ^e sound evil, for he willingly conies to thofjo who invoke him.* But wool because after death he will threw their souls ir.to hell to burn in the fire forever. "But you, who have, been baptized in Josi's Christ, per- severe until death in doing good works that you may obtain from the hand of God an eternal crown. For know this, that he alone is truly happy who, being baptized, Ix^lieves firmly in God, loves Ilini and serves Ilini faithfully until death, and endeavors in all his actions to fulfill the holy will of God. Certainly he that lives thus and does what is good initil the end of his life will die in the Lord and be clothed by Him in heaven with a golden garment and re- joice forever in His kingdom." This sennon was listened to most attentively by all present and left a deep impression on their minds. A few days later the parents and relatives of the deceased boy, with several others, asked to be baptized. During his three weeks' stay in Fond du Lac Father Skolla baptized seven- teen pagans. During all this time he stopped with Francis Roussain, who treated him with great kindness. The lat- ter died many years ago, but his wife and two sons and daughter still reside at Fond du Lac. A brother of his, George Roussain, lives at Courtes Oreilles, and is an ex- emplary Christian. As Skolla noticed that provisions were *Very Rev. Father Jacker, deceased, gives in one of his written lectures a specimen of an Indian incantation song: "Nin wawenabamigog ehe! ehe! Nind igog ehe! ehe! Ogimag ehe! ehe!" These same words are repeated for a quarter of an hour, or even for an hour, if deemed necessary. The meaning is : "They choose me ehe! ehe They tell me ehe ! ehe ! The chiefs ehe! ehe!" When F. Jacker asked the Indian, whom he heard singing the above words, what kind of chiefs he meant, his answer was: "I do not know, perhaps the wicked manitous" ( devils ! ) I I * ' Mi: I j 'Hi \t- '1 I '!' In pi I': ' I ' 'i; 404 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. becoming scarce with liis kincMiearted host, ho set out to return to La Pointe. Althougli the pagan Indians on the ishuid of La l*ointo were strongly attached to paganism, still many were converted, besides others who came from Courtos Oreilles, Lac du Flambeau, Grand Portage, and Pigeon River. The total number of baptisms in all his missions at La Pointe (1845 to 1853) was about 440. During all tho eiglit years F. Skolla labored at La Pointe ho had but three visits of brother clergymen. In 1847 he was visited by Fathers Baraga, Pierz, and Chone, S. J. It was an unusual sight to the good people of La Pointe he had but three visits of brother-clergymen. In 1847 he was visited by Fathers Baraga, Pierz, and Chone, with Skolla a whole month. One Sunday they had a solemn high Mass with deacon and sub-deacon, at which F. Chone preached an eloquent sermon. In 1849 F. Skolla was twice visited by Very Rev. Bou- langer, S. J., Provincial of his Order. The first time he re- mained but a short time, as he was on his way to visit the various missionary stations of his Order on the !Rorth Shore. On returning from this official visit to his brethren in Canada he stayed with Father Skolla tliree weeks and preached a most eloquent sermon, which made a deep and lasting impression on all present. In 1853 many of the inhabitan::s of La Pointe left their beloved island and moved to Sand Lake and other parts of Minnesota, in obedience to instructions from the Indian Department at Washington. At last there were but ten families left. Subsequently many of them re- turned. Seeing his Indians thus moving away, F. Skolla wrote to Bishop Ilenni, of Milwaukee, to give him some other Indian mission in his diocese. This was 'lone. He was removed to the Keshena Reservation, where many Me- nominee Indians resided at that time. On October 9,* 1853^ he left La Pointe, amidst the sad *nr The parish record says: September 19th, 1853. M. REV. OTTO S ROLL A. 405 et out to IS on the aganisrii, mo from ;age, and n all his 40. 3d at La [lien. Ill d Chone, )le of La men. In id Chone, jy had a at which [lev. Bou- ime he re- > visit the le Xorth brethren 'eeks and deep and (into left nd other from the ere were them re- ^. Skolla im some me. He any Me- the sad cries and lamentation of his poor people, who tried very hard to detain him. Ho gave them his parting blessing and embarked. His poor Indians were never again to seo him in this workl. He first went to :Mil\vaukee, via Saiilt Ste. IMarie. The very day he arrived at the Sault, Bishop Baraga had left for Europe, and so F. Skolla did not have the i)leasiire of meeting his beloved eountryman. He con- tinued his journey and arrived at ^lilwaukeo, where lie stayed two weeks with Bishop Ilenni. By way of Detroit and ^^lackinae he went to Green Bay, where he remained a few days with F. Parodin. He walked to Oconto Iliver, which took him two days. Hia predecessor in the ^fenominee mission. Rev. Florimund Bonduel, had left on account of son» . trouble between the Indians. They were very much pleased to have another priest so soon and secured a deserted house, repairing it and fitting it up for a temporary church; they likewise built a small house for the missionary. Here F. Skolla labored with his customary zeal and during his six months' stay near Stiles he baptized 150 pagans. With the help of some of his people he translated the Pater, Ave, Credo, Confiteor, and act of contrition into the Menominee tongue. On Sundays the Indians used to sing during holy Mass the pious hymns they had learned in Chippewa. At first F. Skolla preached to them in Chippewa, and although their knowledge of that language v/as somewhat imperfect, they listened to him with great attentiiM), striving to understand what was being preached to them. They would spend a great part of the evenings singing pious hymns, in which exercise they tool: special delight. Happiness was depicted on ev^ery face, ihe hap- piness which had its origin in the conscious po^s(^ssion of interior peace and the grace of God. Brothe;;ly love, un feigned kindness, and great joy reigned an?ongst tliose simple-hearted children of the forest. In reading SkoUa's it ! fm m ■^i":i^ 406 BIOGBAPHICAL SKETCHES. t! :(' »i'' hlh Ml IJr m- iiir account of them we are reminded of the primitive Chris- tians, "who were one heart and one soul." Speaking of his Indians, he writes: "'The Menomi- nees are very quiet and good-natured. There are good, fervent Christians amongst them. They hate utoxicating liquors, and it is the virtue of temperance which most powerfully impels them to embrace the Catholic faith. They dislike forb.dden pleasures and feastingb. When they have an enievtainment they observe the rules of sobri- ety, modesty and edification. 3Iy Catholic Indians have only one ;/eat banquet during the year, and that is on Three King's day, or Epiphany. The chiefs are called ''Ogimag'' — kings — in Indian, and so in their simple way they want to celebrate the feast of their patron saints, the Three Kings, and show themselves a little. Every year a chief gives an entertainment, to which his relatives con- tribute. Everything passes off most innocently in mutual love and kindness, and Indian religious songs are sung whilst the guests are eating." "On the 10th of May, 1854, the government superin- tendent, Dr. Hubschmann, came to Wolf Eiver Falls. He Avrote to me to come to that place immediately with my Indians in order to deliberate on important affairs con- cerning the Mv3nominees. I went thither immediately with my forest children and we w^re received by him very friendly. lie began immediately to speak to the people about their affairs and asked me to interpret in Chippewa what he had told them in English, which I did. The gov- ernment superintendent — most likely a government com- missioner — stayed two days and spoke to them three times in iirder to explain to them what had been decided on con- cerning them in Washington. The United States agreed to give them for fifteen years a saw and grist mill, a black- smith and carpenter, and two schools were to be erec<:ed. The agent of the Menominees will soon come to Wolf River Falls and give to each Menominee family a piece of land lUL live Cliris- e Menomi- ! are good, atoxicating vhicli most lolic faith, gb. When ies of sobri- idians have that is on are called simple way L saints, the very year a latives con- ^ in nintual s are sung nt snperin- Falls. He y with my ITairs con- nmediately y him very the people Chippewa The gov- inent com- hree times ed on con- ites agreed 11, a blaek- 3e erec<:ed. Yolf River }ce of land KEV. OTTO SKOLLA. 407 for cultivation. The chiefs have signed their names and the whole matter lias been forvv-ardcd to Washington to be ratified bv coni>Tess." In a letter dated Angiist 22, 185G, F. SkoUa mentions that he went to ]\Lilwankce to sec D. llcnni about certain affairs concerning his mission. ]Ie stayed with him a week, during which he paid a visit to the Salesianum. Fathers ITeiss and Salzmann received the Indian mission- ary very kindly and showed him the Seminary, which then had but thirtv students, llavinu" transacted his business with his bishop, Father Skolla returned to Iveshena. The first church, ''the bark church," was built in 1S54, near Lake Keshena, about three-fourths of a mile east of the village of Keshena. The site selected by Skolla for his mission was on the south side of the lake, where the shore is high and steep and commands a full view of the lake and the surroundin*;' count r v. He induced the In- dians to build a small church and parsonage at once. Both buildings were very primitive ; no floor but the bare ground and the roof covered with bark ; his house consisted of one room. Xear the church was the cemetery (now no longer used), where about one hundred lie buried. In 1850 the second church was to be built in the village of Keshena. From Xovember, 1853, until August, 1850, Father Skolla baptized 302 Indians, one of whom was an old chief far over 100 vears of ase. The neoidiytes were full of fe-.'vor; erery Sunday from twenty to thirty received holy Commiinion. To promote temperance amongst his Indians, Father Skolla had a picture hung up, depicting the evils of drink- ing and the beneficial efi'ccts of temperance. On the left, a drunken man with raaiied clothes is seen striking his poor wife with a poker, wnilst she is clas])ing to her breast her poor infant child. A devil with a diabolical laugh on his ndv face reaches to him a iilass of brandv taken out of a jug labeled, ''Fourth proof brandy." The poor children m ■!! ( 408 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. i 1 ^i\ Li, I >f'i! crowd around their mother, crying. On the right side is seen a fine gentleman instructing his little son. A young daughter sits at a table full of nice things to eat. The happy mother holds a smiling baby on her lap whom she is lovingly caressing. The Indians used to look a great deal at this j:)icture, which made a deep impression on their minds and induced 2G0 of them to take the temperance pledge ; eighty took it for life and kept it faithfully. xVlthough a man of great sanctity, Father Skolla, never- theless, became the victim of vile slanders. Some malevo- lent, superstitious Indians used to lurk about his poor, lit- tle shanty, watching through the holes and cracks in the walls everything he was doing inside. lie kept a cat and would, for a pastime, play with it, as he was staying all alone and had no one with whom to converse. He would then talk to the cat, and the Indian spies outside hearing him, but seeing nobody with him in the room, were con- vinced that he was talking to ghosts. In a similar manner, when they saw him play chess alone, as it is said he did at times, they imagined, perhaps, that the figures on the chess board were bad spirits with whom the Father .lad inter- course, or that the white figures represented the whites and the dark colored ones the Indians ; and their mutual struggle on the board typified the struggle of the two races for the mastery of the land. Moreover, they saw him sometimes in the evening walking in the grave yard or en- tering the church to pray. It is said that he spent much of his leisure time praying in the church. This pious custom gave rise to a most horrible calumny. He was charged with opening the graves at night and taking out the hearts of newly buried corpses to make out of them "bad medi- cine" for injuring people. This charge was supported by an old pagan Chip- pewa, who was on a visit with the ^I(?nominee3. This In- dian knew Fatlior Skolla and came one day to see him. Skolla had a box in which he used to put his things. The M ght side is A young eat. The whom she 3k a great m on their emperance illy. )lla, never- tie malevo- s poor, lit- cks in the a cat and itaying all He would le hearing were con- r manner, he did at the chess ad incer- he whites ir mutual two races saw him rd or en- much of s custom charged e hearts d medi- Chip- his In- ee him. rs. The i In '.I t : I ii ■i!n,:i: '3!l; El: i\ m^ \[ ''.i llii: iSl F . ■ ■ • i ^ .-« *■■■ - '" vJ Sk" ■ *■■■'.' ^: ^ ^ K^ / ^ 5^ ^S • VERY RE\'. EDWARD .f ACKER. X.Ci. ■li5;ifi. REV. EDWARD JACKER. 409 Chippewa ^at on the box, and, tapping on it with his hand, said to his companions: ''This box contains a piece of dry flesli which the priest has taken from the body of a dead person to nse it as bad medicine." This cahunnions and stupid story was repeated all over the reservation and be- lieved by many Indians, especially pagans. One day a yonng person was buried and the miserable charge was made again. So strong was the sentiment against the priest that some demanded that the corpse be exhumed and examined. F. Skolla w^as informed of Ihls. lie mildly said : ''You can do as you please, but b}' doing so you will only hurt yourselves." The disinterment was then omitted, but at some other occasion it was actually done to satisfy curiosity. It is easy to be seen that such cal- umnies must have been a areat hindrance to his missionary work, as tliev created feelin2;s of distrust and aversion against the priest, the more so as many Indians were very ignorant and superstitious. At first a small sum cut of the annuities was reserved for the missionary's si.pport. This was subsequently withheld, most likely on account of those base, lying reports circulated about him. As he had no ether means of support, he was obliged to leave in 1857. It seems he, shortly after, returned to his monastery in Carniola. Ills missionary account was published in the Franciscan monthly, ''La Palestina," in ISOl. From a foot-note in tlie February number It appears he was then still alive and residing at the monastery. ' I ■* w- VERY REV. EUWARD JACKER. (DECEASEO.) OF THE DIOCESE OF MAlKiUETTE, ]\[ICir. A SHOUT SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND LABOi - , Very Rev. E. Jacker was born September 2, 1827, in Ellwangen, Wurtend)erg. His parents were staunch, de- 'ent to the Indian mission of L'Anse. He was tlie third suc- cessor to F. Baraga in said mission, the immediate suc- cessor being Ilev. Angelus Van Paemel, whose name ap- pears in the Ba])tismal Record of said mission from August 7, 1853, until August 1, 1854. The next priest in L'Anse was Father Limagie, with whom the writer was personally acquainted, for he was the v^riter's successor in ^^:m REV. EDWAliD JACKER. 411 !onse.ien- New London, Wis., in ISOS and 18G9. Father Liniagie, who was a Belgian by birth, was stationed at L'Anse from Angnst 4, 1854, vintil Augiist 12, 1855. Then came Father Jacker from September 20, 1855, to April 3, 1861. He stayeid at i/Anso for live years and then moved to Honghton, from whicli place he visited the mission from time to time until 1801. Father Gerhard Terhorst arrived in 'L'Anse the day before Corpus Christi, 1801, and has ever since been in charge of said mission. About this persevering and ener- getic Indian missionary the writer might say much did he not know his dislike of public notice and fear to wound his well-known modesty. At L'Anse F. Jacker soon became master of the Chip- pewa language, the rudiments of which he had acquired under B. Baraga's guidance. Fr = n diis place he also at- tended the new mining towns aboiib i*ortage Lake, where a mixed population of Irish, French, and Germans began to form congTegations. Every alternate week he visited the mines thirty miles distant, proceeding thither, accord- ing to the season, either on snowshoes or in a frail bark canoe. He would then preach in the three languages and attend to the manv and various calls of his holv oliice. In 1801 Father Jacker was removed to Hancock. During his long stay in tliat town, especially during the first years, when he had no assistant, he was overburdened with work, and the strain, both physical and mental, was such that it gradually undermined his health and was the (iause of his premature death. In a letter to the writer, his brother, Hon. Fr. Jacker, says : "I was often with him during that period and thus had occasion to witness some of the trials of a missionary's life. After hearing confessions up to a late liour on Saturday nights, again in the confessional Sunday mornings, first low, then high ]\Iass. Hardly having put aside his vest- ments, lie Vvas waylaid at every door by crowds of parish- 412 BIOORAPHICAL SKETCHES. V ioners, who solicited liis attention in behalf of their vari- ous concerns, and but few minutes were left him to par- taJve of his behited dinner. Neither was there rest for him in the afternoon. The door bell was kont rinmnff all dav and sometimes in the middle of the night there came a call demanding his immediate presence at the bed of a person dying miles away. ''Besides these pastoral duties, he had other difficulties to contend with. He was a poor laoney collector and a still poorer financier. His too confiding and trusting na- ture M'as at times abused by unscrupulous persons. Though his parishioners generously contributed to his sup- port, he never accumulated any monoy. He lived and died 'poor! "When, during the latter part of his life, and upon his special request, he was again pennitted to go among his dearly beloved Indians, it was a happy change for him. .Vhile coasting along the western shore of Lake Michigan in a small boat, or penetrating the interior to visit the scat- tered domiciles of the "red man" in out of the way places, he found 'me to write up something for a magazine or to collect mat'M'ials for his "hobby" in comparative philology (if the attempt to find proof for the common origin of man by tracing and comparing the roots of words in diverse lan- guages deserves this appellation), thereby making good use of the talent given him by his Maker. "Besides being master of several languages, he pos- sessed a general kno^\ledge of the grammatical construc- tion of many others, i^erhaps of all languages, of which even an analysis in print has been attempted. His fre- quent marginal notes on the pages of linguistic works, which he succeeded to accumulate in time, seem to indi- cate this; and his critical remarks in this respect were not superficial, but deep and of fine discrimination. "Of his death — he never took to bed in his sickness and breathed \\h last in a chair — died literallv in bis boots. REV. EDWARD JACKER. 413 He wrote btters to his frieiuls and relatives up to tlie last hours, using" a lead })encil with his trembling hand." The writer Avas personally acquainted Avitli Father Jacker and corresponded with him a great deal between 1885 and the time of his death. These letters he treasures "vvith jealous care as tokens of friendship from a dearly beloved friend. F. Jacker assisted the writer very much when, in 1886, the latter was writing his little work, "Mis- sionary Labors of Fathers Marquette, Allouez, and Menard in the Lake Superior Regie:.." Under date of August IG, 188G, he writes as follows: "Detour, Mich., Aug. 16, 1866. Rev. Father Chnjsostom Verwyst^ 0. S, F., Bayfield, Wis. Rev. Deaiv, Father — I believe I was the last to write — some time in May. Possibly a missive of yours went astray; our postal arrangements are not the best; people complain that letters are sometimes lost. We have a dou- ble mail, one over land from St. Ignace, one by boat from Cheboygan, and both are irreg-ular. Should it be possible that your work has not yet come out ? I am anxiously waiting for a copy. I want one from your hand; as many more as I may need, I shali order from the publishers. There is a bare possibility that I may run up to see you some time in September, Avhen I hope to get as far as Han- cock. It wall depend on the amount of money as w-ell as of time that mav be at mv disposal. Father Atfield, of Menonnnee, invited me to visit the Indians in that neighborhood. As most of them are Mc- nominees and some know but little Otchipwe, I advised him to apply for one of your Fathers in Keshena. If he insists on my coming, I think I shall go in September, as I have to go as far as Escanaba, anyhow. For that pur- pose I am studying the works of your Wamcinominewene- sit. By the way, where is he at present ? I ■ 414 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. f 1 ); 4 f mm n K ' v^ I i 1 I'll 1 ' ■!', 'y 1 '■ ; - • ',. ■ii; 'i ' ; .. ';," oil' ;■ I'l' •!' 7^ ' • ; . 4; :} i ' ' , i;h- '. ; :i/| !■'. ^r .-• ! ' 'i ■ -1 ■! ; !'i «: '± ; ;•<■ ' fi^. : '• • ■ '«■ T ," ''■-■' ;^,; 1 /■ •4' i.! % 1 i ! i 1 ■ L. ^.^ ^ ■ \ ilJ Dotoiir is tlio quietest mission I have ever had. Still, I would rather bo in a little Indian settlement, so as to learn the languaiie again. If the collection ordered by the Plenary Council anio • rs to something handsome, Bp. Vertin may yet come to the resolution of giving me such a place. Here I have to work for my living — that is, I have to give the greater part of the year to those that g •)- port me, and to the Indians a few weeks now and then. liX}' best respects to Father John. I hope he will yet believe in vour studies. In unione precnni, Yours most sincerely, E. JACKER." The reader will pardon us for inserting the following testimonials of Father Jacker's worth as a self-sacrificing priest and Indian missionary. They come from all direc- tions and are from parties who were well acquainted with this saintly man. They were puldished in the "Ohio Waisenfreund," of Columbus, Ohio, under date of Decem- ber 14, 1892. "'Thirty-seven years ago." The editor says : "Under this heading we published the letter of a Ger- man-American priest of Michigan, in order to rescue it from oblivion, but we did not know the name of the writer. But now we can give that, too, for in regard to this pious priest the saying is truly verified, 'His memoiy shall be in benediction,' as we see from the notices which we have re- ceived concerning him. The name of this long ago de- ceased priest is Edward Jacker, from Ellwangen, Wurtem- berg. According to the unanimous testimony of our corre- spondents this priest led a saintly life and closed a career on earth for which God will have given him the crown of life." A correspondent from Minnesota writes : REV. EDWARD JACKER. 415 ^'Tlio iinir.f of the pr'cst was Edward Jackor. I was ^vc'll acquiiiiitcd with him, for 1 Hars on Sundav?? and wook davs, and I rwoivcd from him my first lioly Communion, and I can to.'^tifv of him that lie was tho most ])ious priest 1 over know. 'J'hat was in Hancock, .Mich., to which place ho came some years be- fore lis. He came to Hancock like a beiroar, his clothes all ragged and torn, after havino' lived manv vears amonu'st the Indians. Also in Hancock he alwavs had Indians in his house. He was beloved by Catholics and Trotestants, for he M-as goodness itself. About five vears aao I received a letter from him, and, if I am not mistaken, it is alx)ut three years ago that I read in a newspai)er that he had de- parted this world to obtain, no doubt, a good reward from God. Whether he was from Wurtemberg I do not know, but I am sure he was a Suabian. J. W." From ]\Iiehigan one writes : ^'We were well acquainted with the writer of said letter since the early part of the sixties, and his memory is held in the highest respect by all those who were ever acquainted with liim on our peninsula, regardless of creed. The writer was Kev. Father Edward Jacker, who died five years ago, born in Ellwangen, Wurtemberg, on September 2, 1827, and deceased at Marquette, ]\Iich., on September 1, 1887. Three days later he was consigned to eternal rest in Hancock, according to his wish, in the cemetery which he himself had blessed twenty-five years before. 'T. J. W." Another writes : 'That priest is undoubtedly the cele- brated Father Jacker, who not long ago discovered the grave of the Frenchman Marquette. He died some years ago. He was a man whose self-sacrificing labors remained unknown, but who in reality v/as a remarkable man and priest. It is certain that too much good cannot be said of him, for only few^ are his equals. It is to be regi'etted that iii m ■■.'^|i nS> ^^a^ 4^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 1.25 2.2 -„. I us ^ IIU 6" Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WESSTER.N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V .§\^ ^ % \ \ V 0^ ■<^ ■^ %o ^i ^ lilit: H-tvr- f^\ I <'\: >;li| ! 416 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. such an able man did not have a larger field foi- his capa- bilities, where he could have done infinitely more good. It is to be regretted that men like Jacker disappear with- out being known. Could his deeds and life be written, they would be a source of consolation to many and an in- citement to perseverance when in sorrow and want, both of which he had superabundantly. L. H.'' Another speaks of him thus : ''I knew him personally and have called him to a dying person thirty miles away. I do not believe that there will ever come a priest to this part of the country and do what he did, and every Catholic speaks most highly of him. It is not to be described what he suffered among the Indians, and money he could never Iceef, for he (jave every cent to the poor, and ivhen he was buried not a cent of money was found with him." KEV. LAUIIENCE LAUTISCHAE. HIS SHORT MISSIONARY CAREER AND SAD DEATH. The subject of this sketch, Rev. Laurence Lautischar (Slav. Laiitizar), was born on the 11th of December, 1820, in Srednjivrh, near Kranjska Gora, Carniola, Austria. His parents were pious country people, who brought him lip in the fear of God and in the practice of every Christian virtue. Being a child of gi'eat promise, very talented and pious, his parents had him study for the priesthood. At the Gymnasium and Seminary of Laibach, where hQ studied, he was respected and beloved by his professors and fellow students. He received the Sacrament of Holy Orders August 3, 1845. After his ordination he was sent to Treffen, B. Baraga's bii*tliplace, where he labored in the capacity of assistant pi-iest from 1846 to 1851. He was then transferred to Dobrova, near Laibach, in which to\vn there is a very cele- brated shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary much frequented REV. LAURENCE LAUTISCHAR. 417 by pilgrims from far and near. F. Lautischar labored here likewise as assistant priest from 1851 to 1854. In both places he worked zealously in the confcvssional and pulpit for the salvation of souls. Kt. Rev. Frederic Baraga having been consecrated on !N'ovember 1, 1853, Bishop of Amyzona and Vicar-Apos- tolic of Upper Michigan, went, soon after his consecration, to Europe in quest of priests and funds for his diocese. He came to Camiola and was everywhere received with great respect by his countrymen, who from all sides flocked together to see and hear the beloved bishop, whose fame as a great Indian missionary had preceded him. Several Sla- vonian and German priests offered themselves for the American mission, and one of them was F. Lautischar. On the lOtli of May, 1854, he bid a tearful farewell to his dear mother and relatives and set out for America. After a stormy voyage he arrived in New York on the 14th of July, 1854. He remained at Sault Ste. ^[arie a short time with B. Baraga and then was sent to La Croix to act as assistant priest to Rev. Father Mrak. In June, 185G, he was put in charge of Arbre Croche, where he labored humbly, unostentatiously and zealously until the early part of 1858. As the Indian missions of Michigan were in a good, flourishing condition, F. Lautischar thought he might do more good if he w^ent to labor amongst the pagan Indians, who were in greater need of a missionary than the good people of Arbre Croche. So he began to correspond about the matter with his countryman, Rev. Father Pierz, who was then stationed at Crow Wing, Minnesota. The latter rejoiced at the prospect of getting a good assistant to help him in his large missionary field. Bishop Baraga con- sented to give F. Lautischar the "exeat" from his diocese and he was received by the Very Rev. Administrator of St. Paul diocese, the Episcopal See having become vacant by the death of Rt. Rev. Joseph Cretin on February 22, ■■;l "! I L^h- I t| i| !|l! !'l!l ! 418 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 1857. Traveling by way of Milvvaukeo, Prairie du Chien, and St. Paul, from St. Paul to Crow Wing, a distance of 160 miles, he traveled by stage. He was welcomed with open arms by good Father Pierz. The latter was as poor "as a church mouse ;" he had not a cent of money, but, for- tunately, Fatlier Lautischar had eighty dollars left after paying his traveling expenses. This sum of money was truly a God-send for the intended missionary trip to Red Lake, where F. Lautischar was to be stationed in. the verv heart of paganism. With the money brought by Lautischar the necessary outfit for tlie intended journey was procured. This outfit consisted of a couple of large tents for the missionaries and their Indian guides and carriers, cooking utensils, flour, pork, and tea, lx}sides the necessary church vestments, mis- sal, chalice, etc. Moreover, some of the money was used for paying the Indians and half-breeds who were to act as guides and carriers. All being duly prepared, tlie mission- aries and their Indian companions set out from Crow Wing on foot. We do not know the exact distance from Crow Wing to Red Lake, but looking at the map of Minnesota we should judge it to be about 250 miles, perhaps more, by the way the missionaries had to travel on a zig-zag In- dian trail, around swamps and lakes and hills. They arrived at Red Lake on the 14th of August, after many hardships and sufferings, of which not the least was the tormen* endured day and night from clouds of mos- quitoes which infest the woods and swamps and drive the , poor traveler almost mad. Well does the writer remem- ber his trip of seven miles through a Minnesota forest, or rather swamp, on his way to an Indian village. To walk was out of question; had he done so the hungry, blood- thirsty mosquitoes would have eaten him alive. So he had to run, as fast as his legs could ca^ry him, through thick and thin, through mud and slush, knocking incessantly right and left with a large handful of leaves j^ REV. LAURENCE LALTTISCHAR. 419 and branches to keep the pests from flyin;^ into his eyes and mouth and nose. Even then, after all his exertions, after battling with the foe for almost two hours, his neck and wrists were all red and swollen from mosquito bites. We can then imagine what the poor missionaries must have endured on their long trip to the Indian country. We verily believe there are more mosquitoes in one township of Northern Minnesota than in the whole state of Missouri. On the 15th of August, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the missionaries offered up the holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the shores of Red Lake. After a stay of six weeks, F. Pierz returned to Crow Wing,' leaving Lautischar to work at Red Lake. The latter stopped with a French half-breed by the name of Pierrish, which in the Chippewa language is the word for Peter, and would mean: Bad Peter. He was very kind to Father Lautischar, who made his home with him and used hia house as a chapel. The good missionary was assiduous in giving instructions to both Catholics and pagans. At his arrival he found but ten half-breed Catholic families on the reservation. They had been baptized many years ago by B. Baraga at Lalie Superior, but had forgotten almost everything about religion. The Indians liked the young, warm-hearted, zealous missionary and listened eagerly to his instructions. In a short time he had converted several Indians and half-breeds. But his missionary'- labors came to a short and sad end. At the invitation of some Indians living on the other side of the lake, he went to see and instr icc them on December 3, 1858. When he got through, he started to return, al- though it was towards evening and a fearful blizzard was raging. The poor Father became blinded by the flying snow and sleet, so that he could not see whither he was go- ing. Moreover, he was too thinly clad for the rigorous cold of a Minnesota winter. After wandering about on the open lake in the dark night and blinding storm he finally ni ! [•*!. •! ! 1!' li 420 BIOOBAPHICAL BKETCHE8. succumbed to tho cold. His legs froze and so he could no longer walk. After crawling around for some time on the ice he finally lay down and died. Like St. Francis Xavier, whose death occurred on the 3d of December, in the great- est poverty, misei*y and abandonment, so Father Lautischar likewise died in darkness, misery and cold, without the consolations of religion in his last hour. We can imagine the sufferings and agony of the poor Father dying all alone in that dark night out on the lake. But we may be sure that he made good use of his last moments to prepare for death, oifering the sacrifice of his young life to God for the salvation of the poor Indians, for whose sake b had left Fatherland and parents to perish in trying to bring them to God. There was great lamentation and sadness when, next morning, they found their dear Father dead, frozen, out on the lake, not far from the place on the shore where the mis- sion house stood. After some days the good Indians de- cided to take the corpse to Crow Wing for burial. The only conveyance they had was a dog-train, on which they tied the box or coffin containing the Father's mortal re- mains. When they aiTived at Crow Wing it was about Christ- mas — a sad Christmas indeed for poor F. Pierz, who had thus suddenly lost his dear reverend assistant and friend. His only consolation was that, the deceased having ended his pious and self-sacrificing life in the service of God, and working for the poor Indians, his soul was happy in heaven, praying for the conversion of his poor people. He was buried at Crow Wing on December 26, 1858, in the cemetery adjoining the church. A wooden Cross was put on his grave. Writing to his reverend friend. Dean S. Vilfau, at Novomesto, Camiola, about Father Lautischar's untimely death, F. Pierz says : "I have to inform you, most sorrowfully, that the BEV. LAURENCE LAUTISOEAR. 421 learned and pious Laurence Lautischar is no more. He entered a better life because the world was not worthy of him. On the day of St. Stephen I solemnly buried him in Crow Wing. He froze to death while coming from his mis- sion. Undoubtedly he is one of the many saints in heaven. He offered to God the great gift of self-denial in choosing to leave Bishop Baraga in order to go into the wilderness after poor Indians. He left his dear mother, relatives, and many friends to increase his merit before God. In Arbre Croche he did much good during his three years' stay there. All praised him for his great piety and many virtues which adorned him so abundantly. That mission was too small for his Apostolic zeal and for this reason he wrote to me. I was very glad to get him. Being one in mind and soul with me, strong and always ready to work, we started on foot from Crow Wing for the upper countiy along the Mis- sissippi. After a journey of three days, amid great hard- ships, we came to Leech Lake, Ga-Sagaskwadjimekag, where 1,400 Indians awaited us. We remained eight days with them, preached to them, and cured the sick with my homeopathic medicines. They listened with great at- tention to us and many assured us that they would become converts. Their chiefs promised to do all they could for us, if we would but stay with them, ^ "We walked four days more and finally reached my last station — Red Lake. Here we found ten families of half-breeds; some of them had been converted by Bishop Baraga. We gave instructions to the Indians for six weeks and baptized many of them. Our dear Laurence under- stood my way of acting with the Indians admirably and he preached in the Indian language in such an humble and endearing tone that I could not help admiring him. He was dear to all. "The holy season (of Advent and Christmas) waa ap- proaching and duty called me to the whites to give them an opportunity to receive the holy sacraments. I gave to my f i w SI * ! l« i n 11 422 BIOQRAFHIGAL 8SBT0HES. assiaUnt the choice eitlier to stay at Red Lake, or go to some other mission during winter, or go with me to Crow Wing and stay with me there. He preferred to stay at Red Lake that he might do more good. I did not oppose him. At the same time I gave him the good advice not to leave home and go to some far-off mission during winter. "At last we sadly parted aiid I went to Crow Wing. I was just with tJie French at Belle Prairie when I received the dispatch with the sad news that my dear assistant had been found frozen on Red Lake. Immediately I took the proper steps to have his precious remains brought to Crow Wing for burial. His sudden death has brought the deep- est sorrow t>o my heart and I have shed many tears. The thought that he is certainly of the number of those who pray before the throne of God for the poor Indian mission- aries and their flocks has consoled me for a moment. , "He had been told that on the other side of the frozen lake there were a large number of natives who wanted to see him. He started on foot, alone, and never thinking of any impending danger. As he was returning home, to- wards the evening, the bitter north wind was blowing hard ; the messenger of Christ was to be the victim. Thus his pure soul went amid prayer and suffering to heaven. Not only in Red Lake, but also in Crow Wing, the Christians and savages mourned the death of their beloved priest for many days. "As to me, nothing can replace the loss of him and my soul is in the greatest sorrow, though he died a happy death. I have planted on the grave of my dear friend a white Cross, which, though wooden, is blessed and moistened with my tears. It will stand till I will be able to procure a more respectable monument for the eternal remembrance of my dear missionary companion." The venerable missionary composed a poem in the Sla- vonian language, in which he describes the great virtues and noble qualities of the lamented Father. Some years or go to to Crow 7 at Red ose him. to leave • Ving. I received :ant had took the to Crow lie deep- 's. The Me who nission- } frozen luted to king of >me, to- g hard ; hus his 1. Not ristians iest for ind my ^ death. L white istened )rocure ibrance he Sla- virtues > years I I i * t§:v! m ■ (;, m I: S'' rsmwmm I I '(< ,. ■ ;• ]{K\'. FATIIKH VAN DKN MKOKK. O.P. -I - i . THEODORE J. VAN DEN BBOEK, O. P. 423 ago his remains wore taken to Duliith and buried in the cemetery lot resoiTod for deconsed priests. TITEODORE J. VAN DEN BROEK, O. P. ONE OF THE PIONEER INDIAN MISSIONARIES OF WISCONSIN. SHORT SKETCHES OF HIS LIFE AND LABORS. Father Theodore J. Van den Broek, O. P., was a Hol- lander by bii-th and stationed for some time in Alkmaar, Holland. He left his native land in 1832, and having landed at Baltimore, ho went, via Wheeling, Cincinnati, and Louisville, to St. Rose, near Springfield, Washington County, ]Centucky, where there was a house of the Domini- can Order, to which he belonged. The whole journey from Antwerj), Belgium, to St. Rovse, took nine weeks. Here he prepared himself for missionary work, studying the lan- guage and customs of the counti*y. After a short stay at St. Rose, he was removed to Somerset, Perry County, Ohio, where there was another house of his Order. On the 4th of July, 1834, he aiTived in Greeti Bay to labor in the Indian missionary field. Here he found only ten Catholic white families, although more were living in the interior of the state at Little Chute, Butte des Morts, etc. He completed the priest's house, begun by F. Mazzu- chelli, and labored zealously among the whites and Indians ©f his flock. The Catholic church and parsonage were then located at Menomineeville (Shanteetown), half way be- tween Green Bay and Depere. Scarcely a year after his arrival the towns of Navarino and Astor, now Green Bay, were built, and as the Catholics of these places formed one congregation with those of Menomineeville, we will call the mission Green Bay. The first building in Green Bay, used as school house and chapel, was built of logs in 1823, during or shortly 424 BIOGRAPU.'^AL SKETCHES. I . Mi ; Sl\ '. after Fathor Oiibriol Richards' visit to tliat town. The Catholics of that place had not seen a Catholic priest for fifty years. Father Kichard did an iininenso anioiuit of good during the week he spent with them, baptizing 128 persons and marrying twenty-six couples. The church, begun in 1823, was finished under the care and supervi- sion of Father Badin and blessed by him on June 20, 1825. This log church was destroyed by fire that very same year. In 1831 Bishop Fenwick, of Cincinnati, selected a site for a new church, which was begun by Rev. S. Mazzuchelli, and finished by the Redemptorist Fathers Siinderl ani Hiitscher in November, 1832, at a cost of $3,000. This church was also destroyed by fire in 1840. Another church, bought of the Methodists, shared the same fate in 1871, Father Van den Broek labored at Green Bay, some- times alono and sometimes with Father Mazzuchelli, from 1834 till the winter of 1830. It seems he left Green Bay in December of the last named year and went to reside at Little Chute. As the Redemptorist Fathers, Siinderl, Hiitscher, and Prost, remained in Green Bay but a short time — Father Siinderl succeeding F. Baraga in Arbre Croche in 1833 — the care of the Green Bay mission again devolved upon Father Van den Broek for tlie next two years, 1830 to 1838. He was accustomed to have Mass there every other Sunday. While residing in Green Bay, he sometimes said two Masses on Sundays, the first one at Green Bay and the second at Little Chute, walking the entire distance (twenty to twenty-four miles). Once his feet bled profusely from the pegs in his boots, whence he ■was obliged to stop on his way to have them extracted. Another time he lost his boots in the deep nmd. Besides the hardships endured in his travels, he had often to suffer hunger, as his Indians were rather negligent in providing for his wants. When he first came to Little Chute, he lived for half THKODORB J. VAN 1)BN RROEK, O. V. 425 a year in a wigwam, fifteen feet lon^ and six feet hij^li, which Aorved us eliureh, dwelling, aiid sehool. As soon as he had baptized Home Indians lio btigiui to teaeli thoni to read Jiishop Bartiga's prayer and eatecJietical l)ooks. Here in liis wigwam lie was visited by snakes, wolves, and those worst of all nuisianees, starving Inditui dogs, who would often steal the poor Father's din?ier, stowed away, in the shape of meat or tish, in some old Indiiui ketthi. His mission for s uo years eird)raeed a very large part of Wisconsin, lie attended Green liay, Little Chute, ITol- landtown, liutte des Morts, Fort Wiiuiebago, Fond du Lac, Prairie du Chien, l*oygan, (Jaluniet, and other places. lie visited the more distant missions generally in winter. Oftentimes he was obliged to sleej), during bitter Jold win- ter nights, in the snow, with no other roof overhead than the staiTy cano])y ol neaven. Once, when called to attend a sick person, about 240 miles distant, he got lost in the woods, his guide having got drunk at a fort, where the Father had stopped over Sunday to give the Catholic sol- diers a chance to attend to their religious duties. After riding about for several hours in the dark through the woods, having lost his way, he finally tied his horse to a tree, took off the saddle and used it for a pillow on which to rest his aching head. Rain fell in torrents and howling wolves were in. close proximity. Next morning he said his prayers and made a vow that he would offer up a holy Mass in thanksgiving should he find his way out of the woods. In those days Wisconsin was almost one unbroken forest and to get lost in such a wilderness was a most dan- gerous predicament. After having prayed most fervently to Almighty God for deliverance from the great danger to which his life was exposed, he mounted his horse, let the reins loose and allowed the animal to go whithei'soever Divine Providence might direct it. In less than five min- utes he was on. the road and soon arrived at the sick per- is I I f py- ^-'>l:' ' ^'^ ITS r *t J i. 426 BIOGRAPHICAL SKBTCHES. son's house. Incidents like these give the reader some idea of the hardships this Apostolic man endured. Father Van den Broek was not only a missionary ; he was also, like his illustrious fellow laborer in the Lake Superior country, F. Baraga, a civilizer of his Indian peo- ple, who were mostly Menominees. He worked most in- dustriously himself, and digging his garden with hoe and spade, raised, the first year he came to Little Chute, plenty of com and potatoes. The second year he cultivated a suf- ficient quantity of breadstuffs besides vegetables, his In- dians helping him with a good will to till the ground. He also trained them to handle carpenter tools, made them masons, plasterer s, etc. With their help he erected a neat church, seventy feet long, with a nice little steeple, which he completed in 1839 and dedicated to St. John Nepomuc, the glorious martyr who gave his blood for the inviolability of the seal of Confession. The writer has been in this church more than once and within its hallowed walls he received the holy Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Henni in 1857. If his memory serves him right, the following inscription was to be seen over the church door : "In this Bolitary wilderness, au unexplored region, Father Van den Broek came to establish religion." Between 1834 and 1842 F. Van den Broel-' converted ar i baptized more than six hundred Indians, not to speak of those he converted between the last named year and that of his death, 1851. But Father Van den Broek has not only a claim to the grateful remembrance of the Catholics of Wisconsin as a zealous Indian missionary, but also as an originator of Catholic colonization. On the 29th of May, 1847, he left Little Chute, and crossing the broad Atlantic, visited his native land, Holland. The same year he published, at Amsterdam, a pamphlet, describing some of the many ad- vantages Wisconsin held out to the industrious immigrant, THEODOBE J. VAN DEN BBOEK, 0. P. 427 and induced many of his countrymen to settle in our state. Three ships Avith Hollanders sailed for America in 1848, in two of which were Catholic priests to attend to the spir- itual wants of tlieir countrymen, namely, Fathers God- hard, O. S. F., and Van den Broek, O. P. The latter sailed from Rotterdam, March 18, 1848, in the "Maria Magdalena." He landed at New York May 7, and arrived at Little Chuto June 7, with a large number of Ilollandish immigrants.* Among those who left their country on that occasion was Hon. Mr. Wigman, for many years president of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin, a lawyer of great reputation and a practical and devout Catholic, who re- sides at Green Bay; William A. Verboort — afterwards Father Verboort — first resident priest of Depere (died in Oregon), and the Avriter, then a boy of six and a half years, came over that same time. These immigrants from Hol- land settled at Little Chute, HollandtoAvn, Green Bay, De- pere, Freedom, and other localities. They were soon fol- lowed by others, and at present form quite a large percent- age of the Catholic population of the Green Bay diocese. They are second to none in strong, practical Catholicity, zeal for their church, religion, and schools, and command the respect of all classes of our people by tlieir industry, thrift, and orderly conduct. The tree that Father Van den Broek planted at Little Chute, in 1848, has spread its branches over a large part of Northeastern Wisconsin, and *Rev. Father Godhart, 0. S. F., arrived in Hollandtown on the 8th of June, 1848. The following were the first settlers of said town: Henry Gerrits, Albert van den Berg, Jan Verboord, Johannes Tiele- mans, Martinus Verkuilen. The writer is personally acquainted with all of them. Some of them, perhaps all, came over from Holland with him on the same ship. As Father Godhart was a Franciscan, he made St. Francis of Assisium the Patron-Saint of the church and congregation he was organizing; hence the name, "Franciscus-Busch," by which the settlement was known amongst the Hollandish Catholics of that part of the country. 1 n ■I III n I Pi lit: i\ vm re(|H '■l': . 'ill. »r ■::!■■ :', - 428 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. offshoots of it are found in Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Oregon, and other states. Father Van den Broek continued to labor with his cus^ tomary zeal after his return to Little Chute, in 1848, until his death in that town, November 6, 1851, at the age of sixty-eight years. He was succeeded by the Fathers of the Holy Cross, who for many years continued the work of their worthy predecessor, laboring zealously among the Hollanders, French, Irish, and Indian half-breeds of Little Chute and vicinity. In those days "Franclscus Bush" — now Ilollandtown — was in a very primitive state. The writer's home was a log building with a wooden chimney and no floor but the bare ground. The parish church was constructed of hewn logs, and was about 25x45 feet. The men sat on one side and the women on the other. Many came to church in their wooden shoes, and some of the women had their quaint, Hollandish bonnets or caps on, and wore heavy gold earrings hanging down their ears. The place was attended from Little Chute about one Sunday every month, but, priest or no priest, all the Hol- landers would go to church every Simday and holy day of the year. The venerable Patriarch of the settlement. Van der H., acted as quasi-pastor on all Sundays when there was no Mass. The first thing would be the Stations or the holy Way of the Cross, then the prayers of the Mass in Hollandish. At the Gospel he would read a short, practi- cal sermon from some book, adding occasionally a remark or two of his own, sometimes, too, gravely announcing to the congregation the fact that his sons had shot a deer, that the people might know where to get a good piece of venison for a reasonable consideration. A sturdy farmer acted as usher and passed round the collection box during service, and every time a copper fell rattling into the box he would say, with his stentorian THEODORE J. VAN DEN BROBK, 0. P. 429 venison voice : "God zal't loonen ! God zal't loonen ! God will reward it ! God will reward it !" Every fourth or fifth Sunday the priest would come from Little Chute to say holy Mass in "Franciscus Busch." There would be a double or triple row of penitents reach- ing from the door to the altar railing. When a penitent would leave the confessional, sometimes two or three would start on a run, trying to get to the priest first. Had a Protestant seen this performance he would have come to the conclusion that confessing one's sins must not, after all, be such a hard or disagreeable thing, for the people raced, so to say, with each other to get to the priest first. There were occasional seasons of jollification, for in- stance, during the Carnival days before Ash Wednesday, and when the "St, Francis Guild" had their shooting day. A bird made of the wood of some tough pine root or some other material would be placed on a high flagstaff or liberty pole and then the aspirants for kingly honors would shoot at the bird until, riddled with dozens of bullets, it would tumble do\^^l. The victor would be declared king for the next year and then there would be "a good time all around," though we tihink the king had to pay pretty dearly for his royal dignity, as he would have to get a large silver heart or plate made to wear on grand occasions and was expected to be liberal to the "boys." Dances were indulged in occasionally, but at rare in- tervals and only during the daytime. Before dark every young lady was supposed to be at home. Those were days never to be forgotten ! Alas, for the simple, innocent pleasures of those bygone days ! Our young people of the present day know them not. They are too eager for night dances, theaters, and similar body and soul-destroying amusements. > 1 ^m\' ■•!; r ,i 1 I ;! i lii APPENDIX. UNUM EST NECESSARIUM. FREDERIC BARAGA, KITCHI-MEKATEWIKWANAIE. Ninidjanissidog Saiagiinagog, Wewcni hid anamikoninim. Debeniminang Kije-Manito kakina gego o gi-gijiton, kakina gego gaie win o dibendan. Win enendarg, mi ka- kina gego ejiwebadinig. Memindage dash anamiewin, win od ijitwawin o mino ganawendan aking. Win debenimi- nang o gi-bidon anamiewin gi-bi-ijad aking gi-bi-jawenimi- nang, win gaie nitam gi-bi-gagikwe, gi-kikinoamawad anis- hinaben. Api dash jaig-wa wi-nagadang aki, o gi-assan mi- dasswi ashi nij ininiwan, mi sa o kikinoamaganan tchi baba-gagikwenid misi aking; bekish gaie o gi-inan tchi assawad misiwa ininiwan meshkwat ge-gagikwenidjin. Mi dash ga-ijitehigewad, mojag dash gi-aiawag mekatewik- wanaieg, kitchi-mekatewikwanaieg gaie, binish nongoni gijigak; binish dash tchi ishkwa-akiwang mojag ta-aiawag misiwe aking. Win dash Jesus weweni o ganawendan anamiewin; gi-ikito sa tchi ganawendang kaginig. Win gaie od assan kitchi-mekatewikwanaien ; win od ineniman tchi aianid od anamiewigamigong. Mi dash gaie nin gi-inenimid tchi kitchi-mekatewikwa- naiewaian, aiano-apitendagosissiwan ; kakina dash nin minig oma anishinaben cnamianidjin, nind inenimig dash tchi mino ganawenimagwa, weweni tchi anamiawad, we- weni gaie tchi ijiwebisiwad binish tchi ishkwa-bimadisi- wad aking. Mi dash iw nongom ge-dodaman ged-ako- bimadisiian. APPENDIX. ONE THING IS NECESSARY. FREDERIC BARAGA, BISHOP. My children, whom I love, I salute you well. Our Lord God made all things and he owns all things. As he wills, so all things happen. But especially does he take good care of prayer, his religion, on earth. He, our Lord, brought religion, when he came on earth, when he came to have mercy on us, and he first preached it, when he taught man. But when he wanted to leave the earth, he appointed twelve men, that is, his Apostles, to go about and preach everywhere on earth, and at the same time he told them to appoint everywhere men to preach in their place. And that is what they did, so there were always priests and bishops until this day, and imtil the end of the world there will always be such everywhere on earth. But he, Jesus, takes good care of religion ; for he said that he would take care of it always. Ho also appoints bishops; it is his will that there shall always be such in his church. And so he willed also me to be bishop, although I am unworthy, and he gave mo all the Christian Indians here, and he wants me to take good care of them, to exhort them well to always practice their religion, to pray well, to be- have well until death. And that is now what I shall do as long as I live. 432 APPENDIX. Xongom (lasli nin madjita, nongom nitam, eji-Kitchi- mekatewikwanaiewiian, kakina mamawi ki ganoniniin, ninidjanissidog saiagiinagog ! Pisindawishig, babamita- wishig, saiagiinagog! Anotch gego wenijishiiig ki wi-win- damoninini nongom. Weweni wabandamog mandan nin masinaigan, kawin eta abiding ki da-wabandansinawa, sas- agvvana sa wabandainog ; kakina dash dodaniog eji-gagiki- migoieg nongom. Kishpin dash awiia nissitawinansig masinaigan, mano kinawa nessitawinameg jawenimig, ka- kina dash agindamawig, kal^ina windamawig minik eteg oma nin masinaiganing. Ninidjanissidog saiagiinagog, weweni mo jag ganawen- damog kid anamiewiniwa ged-ako-bimadisiieg aking. Ki jawendagosim gi-odapinameg g'AveiaKossing ananlie^v^n. Kawin sa oma aking eta bimadisissi anishinabe, kaginig win ta-bimadisi gi-ishkwa-aiad aking, kaginig o tchitchag- wan ta-bimadisiwan. Ta-mino-aiawag dash ki tchitchago- nanig wedi kagigekamig, kishpin anamiaiang, bekish gaie weweni ijiwebisiiang. Mi dash iw ge-ondji-ganawenda- meg weweni kid anamiewiniwa, tchi jawendagosiieg kagi- gekamig gijigong gi-ishkwa-kitimagisiieg aking. Kego wika babamendangegon bakaii ijitwawin; kawin gwaiakos- sesinon. Migweteh inenimig Kije-Manito gi-minigoteg gweiakossing anamiewin, weweni dash ganawendamog ka- ginig. Kego gaie wika babamendangegon anishinabe-ijit- wawin. Memlndage gagibadad iw, apitchi dash Kije- Manito Debeniminang o jingendan. Kitchi matchi dodam enamiad, o kitchi-nishkian gaie Kije-Maniton, kishpin keiabi babamendang, gonima gaie neiab gego odapinang minik ga-webinang gi-sigaandasod. Mino ganawendamog kid anamiewiniwa, ninidjanissi- dog; kagige jawendagosiwin gijigong wikwatehitog ; kid inenimigowa sa Debendjiged tchi jawendagosiieg kagige- kamig. Minik ga-dodang Kije-Manito gi-ojitod gi-jig aki gaie, gi-bi-ininajaowad gaie Ogwissan aking, kakina gi- ijitchigo tchi ondji kitchitw awendaming od ijinikasowin, ENCYCLICAL. 433 But now I begin, now for the first time, as bishop I address you all together, my children, whom I love ! Listen, to me, obey me, ye whom I love ! I want to tell you various good things now. Read well this my letter ; not only once are you to read it, read it often, and do all things as you are now exhorted (to do). But if one cannot read the let- ter, do you, who can read it, have compassion on him, read all of it to him, tell him all that is in mv letter. fl ^Ij children, whom I love, keep always well your reli- gion as long as you shall live on earth. You are happy in having taken the true religion. For man lives not only here on earth, he will live forever after his life on earth is at an end, his soul will live forever. But, our souls will be there forever well off if we are Christians, and if at the same time we live a good life. Therefore keep well your religion that you may be happy forever in heaven, after you have been poor on earth. K'ever mind another reli- gion ; it is not the right one. Be thankful to God that you were given the true religion, and always keep it well. And pay no attention to Indian-religion (Indian paganism). It is very foolish, God our Lord hates it (Indian religion). A Christian acts very wrong and offends God much, if he still minds or resumes what he renounced when he was baptized. Keep well your religion, my children ; strive after eter- nal happiness in heaven; for the Lord wants you to be happy forever. All that God did in making heaven and earth and sending his Son on earth, he did all, that thereby his name might be sanctified and men thereby be happy. If man living on earth obeys God, he will receive from Him i I:ii5 ';; !-^ I 111! iiii !l. 'H p, 1 1 ll 434 APPENDIX. anishinabeg dash tchi ondji jawendagosiwad. Kishpin anishinabe bemadisid aking babamitawad Kije-Maniton, o ga-rainigon kagige minawanigosiwin gijigong; kishpin dash agonwetawad, kawin o ga-wabandansin kagige mina- ■wanigosiwin, meshkwat dash ta-kitimagisi, ta-kithi-kitim- agisi, kaginig gaie ta-kitchi-kitimagisi. Mi dash iw ge-dodameg, ninidjanissidog saiagiinagog ; mojag weweni babaniitawig Debeniminang Kije-Manito, dodamog eji-gagikimigoieg, mi ima ge-ondji-kitchitwawen- dameg Kije-Manito od ijinikasowin gaie dash ki tchitcha- gowag ki ga-jawendagosiawag. Jesus gi-ikito : "Bejigwan iw aiapitchi-kitchi-inabadjitong." Wegoiian dash iw? Mi sa tohi sagiang weweni gaie tchi anokitawang Ki3e-j\Ianito, mi dash ichi jawendagosiangwa ki tchitchagonanig. Ka- kina anokivin minik endagog aking kawin apitendagwas- sinon epitendag^vak iw tchi anokitawang Debeniminang Kije-Manito, mi dash ningoting gijigong tchi ijaiang. Mi sa iw gwaiak wendji-aiaiang aking. Mikwendamog, ninidjanissidog, ga-dodang Kije-Man- ito tchi mininang kagige bimadisiwin gijigong. Nakawe sa oma aking tchi bimadisiiang kid inenimigonan ; ki mini- gonan ananiiewin, kitchi Jawendagosiwinan, o jawendji- gewin gaie; tibinawe Ogwissan saiagiadjin o gi-migiwe^ nan tchi nibonid tchibaiatigong, mi sa tchi jawendagosii- ang gijigong kagigekamig — Geget Kije-Manito kitchi in- endam tchi jawendagosiiang, o kitchi apitendan ki jawen- dagosiwininan. Ogwissan o pagidinan tchi jawendagosiad ki tchitchagonanin ! Apegish, ninidjanissidog, weweni nissitotameg, mi dash gaie kinawa tibishko tchi apitenda- meg ki jawendagosiwiniwa, win Kije-Manito epitendang. Ow gaie mikwendamog, ninidjanissidog. Kishpin gashkitamasoieg kagige jawendagosiwin gijigong, kinawa ki ga-jawendagosim, kinawa ki gad-aianawa minik ge-gash- kitamasoieg. Kawin Kije-Manito nawatch ta-ondji-jaw- endagosissi, kishpin kinawa gijigong aiaieg; kaAvin gaie win awashime pangi ta-jawendagossissi kishpin kinawa ENCYCLICAL. 435 eternal happinees in heaven, but if he disobeys Ilini he will not see eternal happiness, but on the contrary, he will suf- fer, he will suffer greatly, and he will suffer greatly for- ever. But this is what you should do, my children, whom I love; always ob^v well Our Lord God, do as you are ex- horted ; thereby you will sanctify the name of God and you will make happy your souls. Jesus said : "But one thing is necessary." But what is that ? It is that we love and serve God well, and so make happy our souls. No occupa- tion (work) on earth is so important as that, that we serve Our Lord God and so go one day to heaven. That is just for what we are on earth. Remember, my children, what God has done to give us eternal life in heaven. Namely first, he wants us to live on earth; he gives us religion, the holy sacraments and his grace ; he has given even his flon, whom he loves, to die on the cross in order that we may be happy in heaven forever. Truly, God desires much that we be happy, he prizes highly our happiness. He sacrifices his Son to make our souls happy! My children, may you well understand this, so that you too may prize your happiness as God himself prizes it. This also remember, my children. If you obtain ever- lasting happiness in heaven, you yourselves shall be happy, you yourselves have all you shall have gained. God will not be more happy, if you are in heaven, and he will not be less happy if you burn in hell. You alone will have what you have gained. May you well understand this. ii 436 APPENDIX. I i ! I ' t 1:1 m if ill anamakamig danakisoieg. Kinawa sa eta ki gad-aianawa ga-gashkitaiiiasoicg. Ai)egisli wcweni nissitotameg. Ow dash gaie nissitotainog. Kishpin gwaiak bimadisi- ieg, mi dash gashkitoicg kagige jawendagosiwin gijigong, kakina gogo ki gi-gashkitoiia\va ; kid apitchi jawendagosim. Kishpin dash matchi ijiwebisiieg, mi dash gashkitossiweg kagige minawanigosiwin gijigong, kakina gego ki gi-wani- tonav/a, kakina ki gi-banadjitonawa; kawin bakan gego ki gad-ondji-jawendagosiasim, ki ga-kitchi-kitimagisim kagi- gekamig anamakamig. Kawin oma aking gvvaiiik jawen- dagosiwin ningotchi dagossinon, gijigong eta dagomagad. Kishpin dash iw jawendagosiwin gijigong endagog gash- kitamasossiweg, mi tchi animisiieg kagigekamig. Geget kashkendagNvad ! Anawi o kikendan bemadisid wenibik eta tchi aiad oma aking, o kikendan gaie dagossinog aking g^vaiak jawendagosiwin, gijigong eta dagomagad. Gwai- ak kikendan kakina iw; kawin dash o babamendansin, mi dash iji bimadisid tibishko encndagosid oma eta aking tchi bimadisid, tchi apitchi ishkwa-aiad dash api nebod aking. Kego kinawa, ninidjanissidog, ijiwebisike- gon. Nissitotamog ejiwebak; nissitotamog wendji- aiaieg aking. Mi eta wendji-aiaieg tchi gashkitamasoieg kagige bimadisiwin gijigong. Kishpin geget gashkitima- soieg, ki gad-apitchi-jawendagosim., missawa kitimagisiieg aking. l^^ishpin dash gashkitamasossiweg, ki ga-kitchi- kitimagisim, missawa kitchiwawisiieg aking, kitchi daniieg, kitchi mino aiaieg gaie. Kishpin awiia mino aiad aking, babamendansig dash kagige bimadisiwin, wikwatchita- masossig gaie, awashime win w^edi ta-ondji-kashkendam; ta-inendam sa : Geget nin gi-gagibadis megwa gi-bimadi- siian aking. Mi eta aking endagog nin gi-sagiton, nin gi- babamendan. I:^ongom dash nin gi-waniton iw, meshkwat dash kagige kotagitowin nin gi-wikwatchitamason ! Ape- gish, ninidjanissidog, weweni nissitotameg, apegish baba- mendameg ! ENCYCLICAL. 437 aianawa Unclerstaiul also this. If you live justly and so gain everlasting happiness in heaven, you have gained all; you are very hajipy. But if you are had, and so do not gain everlasting happiness in heaven, you have lost all, you have ruined all, for nothing else will you he happy (i. c. nothing else Avill make you happy), you will be very miser- able forever in hell. Keal happiness is not anywhere hero on earth, it is only in heaven. But if you do not gain the happiness that is in heaven, you will suffer forever. It i3 truly sad. Although a person knows that he is to bo only a short time here on earth, he knows that real happiness is not on earth, it is only in heaven ; he really knows all that ; but he does not mind it, and he lives so as if he had to live only here on earth and as if he would entirely cease to exist, when he died on earth. You, my children, do you not act so. Understand how it is; understand for what you are on earth. Only for this are you on earth, to gain eternal happiness in heaven. If you really gain it, you will ]^ very happy, even if you are poor on earth. But if you do not gain it, you will be very miserable, even if you are honored on earth, rich, and well. If one is well off on earth but does not mind eternal life and does not strive after it, he will be there the more sad on that ac- count ; for he will think : Trnly I have been foolish whilst I lived on earth. I loved only what is on earth, only it I minded. But now I have lost it, but in place of it I have gained everlasting suffering! May you well understand this, my children, may you heed it ! 438 APPE.^DIX. Gwjiijik niojjig nnokitawig Kije-^fanito, wenihik bima- disiii'i^ akiug; wcwcni dodamog eji-iruruvciulani:j I)cl)ciidji- jcd ; kakina dobwotainog eiiigokodooiog niinik ga-iji-kiki- iioaiiioiiaiig Jesus, gi-bi-aiad wenibik aking; kego ganage be jig ikitowiri webinangogon. Gogct aniiid gagikwevvinaii saiiaga(b)Ti, ga-iji-kikiiioanionang Jesus; kawin ki da-gasli- kitossiniin tchi nissitotaniaug, kJshpin kid inondainovvini- iiaii eta aioiang; osam jagwadad kid inendaniovviui- nan. Debweiendamowin dasb aioda; songau kakina deb- wetanda onia aking niinik ga-ikitod Jesus, wedi dash giji- gong kakina niijisha ki ga-wabandamin ejiwebak. Kisb- pin gego osam sanagak tchi nissitotameg, pabige inenda- niog: Kawin nin nin nissitotansin iw, kawin nin kiken- dansin ejiwebak, win dash Kije-Manito o kikendan. Win gi-ikitod, mi wendji-debwetaman Paniraa dash gijigong nin ga-kikendan kakina gego. Weweni, nissidjanissidog, ganawendamog ki debweien- damowiniwa ged-ako-bimadisiieg, Kije-Manito tchi sagii- neg; ikito sa kitchitwa Paul : Kawin awiia o ga-sagiigossin Kije-Maniton, kislipin debweiendansig. Jesus gaie ikito: "Aw ge-debwetansig ta-kagige-kotagendam anamakamig." Kego dash inendangegon, pijishig debweiendamowin tchi debisseg, ge-ondji-gashkitamassoieg kagige bimadisiwin gijigong. Bakan ejitwadjig o debwetanawa iw; kawin dash awansinon. Ojibiigade Kije-Manito o masinaiga- ning: Kishpin debweiendang eta awiia, mine dodansig dash bekish, nibomagadini o debweiendamowin, kawin ningot inabadassinini. Enigokodeeieg wikwatchitog tchi mino ganawendamog ki debweiendamowiniw^a, kid anamie- winiwa; bekish gaie dodamog mojag eji-kikinoamagoieg anamiewin. "Ta-bimadad ki debweiendfimowiniwa," kid igomin. Kishpin sa g\vaiak wikwatchitoiang tehi iji bima- disiiang eji-kikinoamagoiang anamiewin, mi tchi bimadak ki debwciendamowininan. Bemadak dash debweiendamo- win ki ga-minigomin kagige bimadisiwdn gijigong. Kid iji gagikimininim dash, ninidjani&sidog, weweni ENCYCLICAL. 439 Always tiMily serve God, whilst you arc living a short time on eartli; act well as the Lord likes; from your whole lieart believe all that Jesus taught us when he eanie to bo a short time on earth; do not reject even one single word. Some things, that Jesus has taught us, are indcH^d hard (to be comprehended) ; we woukl be unable to comj)rehend them, if we were to employ our reason only; our reasou is too weak. But let us use faith; let us -^trongly believe here on eartli all that Jesus said; there in heaven we shall plainly see how all things are. If something is too difficult for you to understand, think immediately: I indeed do not understand this, I do not know how it is, but God, he knows it. Because he said it, iherefore I believe. After- wards in heaven I shall know all. ' Keep well, my children, your faith as long as you live, that God may love you, for St. Paul says: No one will be loved by God, if he does not beliere. And Jesus sa^is : ^'He who will not believe, shall suffer forever in hell." But do not think that faith alone is sufficient for you to gain eternal life in heaven. Protestants believe that; but it is not so. It is written in God's book (holy Bible) : if one believes only, but does not do good at the same time, his faith is dead ; it is of no use. Endeavor with all your heart to keep well your faith, your religion, and at the same time do as your religion teaches you. We are told : *Tet your faith be living." If wo truly try to live so as our religion teaches us then our faith is living. And a living faith will give us everlasting life in heaven. weweni I exhort you, my children, keep well your faith, your M. i IM I! I » :!l iM . I 440 APPENDIX. ganawendamog ki debweiendamowiniwa, kid anamiewini- wa; ijiwebisig eji-nondameg anamic-gagikwewin ; ki ga- kitclii-jawendagosim dash Kije-Manito od ogimawiwining. Menindage dash gaie kid iji gagikimininim tchi ana- miaieg endassogijigak ; ikito sa Debeniminang Jesus: ^^Mojag anamiag, kego wika anijitangegon." Mo jag sa, endasso-gijigak, kigijeb onagoshig gaie weweni anamiag ; nonda-gijig dash aiapi mikwenimig Kije-Manito, kego wika wanenimakegon. Kishpin awiia anamiassig kigijeb, kawin gwetch ta-inashkawisissi tchi miganad ma- tchi nianiton. Mojag sa win matchi manito ki wi-minigo- nan matchi inendamowin, tchi matchi inendamang nitam, mi dash gaie tchi matchi dodamang. Kishpin awiia wewe- ni anamiad, ta-mashkawendam, gwaiak o ga-miganan ma- tchi maniton, kawin o gad-odapinamawassin matchi inen- damowin, kawin gaie ta-matchi-dodansi. Kishpin dash anamiassig, kawin gweteh ta-mashkawendansi, waiba dash ta-pagishin batadovvining. Kego kitimikegon tchi anami- aieg, ninidjanissidog; mojag endasso-gijigak anamiag, be- kish gaie nanagatawendamog ekitoieg anamiaieg. Kinid- janissiwag gaie weweni kikinoamawig anamiewin. Kitchi matchi dodam enainiad wenidjanissid, kishpin kitimid tchi kikinoamawad onidjanissan anamiewin. Kego kitimike- gon, ki gad-animisim dibakonige-gijigak. Memindage dash enamiegijigakin weweni anamiag; kego anokikegon iwapi ; anamiewigamigong gaie pindigeg dassing-pandigengin. Sagitog apitchi anamiewigamig, mi sa Kije-Manito o wigiwam aking. Kishpin awiia weweni paiapindigedjin Kije-Manito o wigiwaming aking, ta-pin- digana Kije-Manito o wigiwaming gijigong gi-ishkwa- bimadisid ogidakamig. Ninidjanissidog saiagiinagog, weweni gaie mojag ma- nadjiig Kije-Manito, kitchitwawenimig gaie enigokodeeieg. Kego wika awiia bemadisid aking 'awashime manadjiake- gon eji-manadjieg Kije-Manito. Awashime manadjiig, awashime kitchitwawenimig Debeniminang Kije-Manito, ENCYCLICAL. 441 li- r: religion ; live according as you hear religions preaching ; and you will be very happy in the kingdom of God. And especially do I exhort you to pray every day, for Our Lord Jesus says: "Pray always, never give up.'* Always pray well every day, morning and evening, occa- sionally remember God during the day, do never forget him. If a person does not pray in the morning, he will not be very strong to fight the devil. For he, the devil, wants to give us a bad thought, that we first think evil and so also then do evil. If a person prays well, he will strongly resolve, he will really fight the devil, he will not take bad thoughts from him, and he will not be bad. But if he does not pray, he will not make strong resolutions, but soon fall into sin. Do not be slothful in praying, my children ; always pray every day, and at the same time reflect on what you are saying when praying. Instruct well your children in religion. A Christian parent does very bad, if he is slothful in teaching religion to his chil- dren. Be not slothful ; you will suffer for it on judgment- day. 1 s Pray well especially on Sundays; do not work then; and enter the church as often as people enter. Love very much the church, for it is God's house on earth. If a per- son usually enters well God's house on earth, he will enter God's house in heaven after he has ended his life on earth. My children, whom I love, respect God well and al- ways, and glorify him from your whole heart. Never show greater respect to any person on earth than you show to God. Respect and glorify Our Lord God more than all people on earth. But it often happens that a person shows 1*1 i ' ! 442 APPEKDIX. ! if kakina dash bomadisidjig aking. Sasagwana dash iw iji- webad, awiia awashime manadjiad bemadisinidjin aking, Kije-]\Iaintoii dasli. Nanagatawendamog mi dash tchi nis- sitotanieg. Kishkin sa gaganonad mekatowikwanaien ka- ^vin ta-matchi-gigitossi, kawin gaie ta-winitagosissi, kawin sa gego maiaiiadadinig ta-ikitossi; o manadjian sa mekate- wikwanaien pesindagodjin. Kishpin dash bekanisinidjin wadji-gagibadisinidjin gaganonad, anotch gego gegibada- dinig, beshigwadadinig ta-ikito. Xissitotamog ! Kawin na win awashime o manadjiassin raekatewikwanaien, eji- manadjiad Kije-Maniton ? Kishpin mekatewikwanaieu nondagod, kawin matchi gijwessi; kishpin da3h nondagos- sig anawi dash Kije-Maniton nondagod, anocch gego mat- chi ikito. Mi dash geget bemadisinidjin aking awashime o manadjian, Kije-Maniton dash. Gegei kitchi matchi do- dam, kitchi bata-ijiwebad iw. Mi dash wendji-igoieg, ni- nidjanissidog, awashime manadjiig Kije-Manito, kakina dash bomadisidjig aking. ]\Iinik ge-wd-ikitossiweg, ge-wi- dodansiweg gaie enassamid mekatewikwanaie, kego iw wika ningotchi ikitokegon ; misi sa aia Debeniminang Kije- Manito ; kaginig ki ganawabamigowa, ki pisindagowa gaie. Kishpin enamiad enind: Eji-manadjiad mekatewik- wanaie, ki da-iji-manadjia Kije-Manito; pabige da-inen- dam : Osam pangi nin da-manadjia ; kawin na Kije-Manito awashime apitendagosissi, kakina mekatewikwanaieg, Kit- chi-mekatewikwanaieg gaie ? Geget awashime apitenda- gosi, kawin dash ganage iw minik manadjiassi, mekatewik- wanaie eji-manadjiind Enassaminid mekatewikwanaien kawin ta-matchi-ikitossi, enassaminid dash Kije-Maniton kitchi nibiwa ta-matchi-ikito. Geget kashkendagwad ! Kego ijiwobisikegon, ninidjanissidog. Weweni manadjiig, apitchi kitchitwawenimig Debeniminang Ki^'e-Manito. Mojag mikwenimig, misi sa aia ; kaginig ki w^abamigowa, apine ki nondagowa. Kego matchi dodangegon, ki waba- migowa sa Debendjiged; kego matchi ikitokegon, ki non- dagowa sa Maiamawi-Ishpendagosid. ENCYCLICAL. 443 greater respect to people on earth than to God. Tlefleot that you may nnderstand. If a person converses with a priest, he will not speak ill ; he will not speak immodestly ; lie will not say anything bad ; for he respects the priest, who is listening to him. But if he converses with another, who is his comrade in impurity, he will talk various fool- ish, immodest things. Understand ! Does he not respect more highly the priest than God ? If he is heard by the priest, he does not talk bad, but if he is not heard by him, although he is heard of God, he talks all kinds of bad tilings. And so he really respects more a person on earth than God. Truly, he acts very wickedly, it is very bad. Hence you are told, my children, respect God more than all the people living on earth. What you would not say, what you would not do l)efore the priest, never say it any- where else, for Our Lord God is everywhere ; he is always lookinc; at you, he is alwavs listeninc* to you. ti If 9 Christian is told : As you respect the priest sc should you also respect God, he should immediately think : too little w^ould I respect God ; is God not more to be prized than all priests and bishops ? Truly, he is more to be prized, yet he is not respected as much as the priest is respected. A person would not talk bad before a priest, but before God he talks bad very much. It is really sad ! Do not act so, my children. Respect wtII and glorify very much Our Lord God. Always remember him ; he is everywhere ; he sees you always, he hears you always. Do not act wickedly, for the Lord sees you ; do not talk wick- edlv, for the Most-IIi2,h hears you. fi !l. ii;^» 444 APPENDIX. j ^K&£ii ij , L ij Hh ! |l!' ■ ! il Weweni gaie mojag, niridjanissidog, babamitawig Kije- Manito. Apitcbi win apitendagosi ; kakina gcgo win o gi- gijiton, kakina gego gaie od apitchi dibendan. Weweni babamitawig. Potch bemadisinidjin aking tchi babamita- wawad, inawag enaniiadjig, mi &a abinodjiiag tchi baba- mitawaw^ad onigiigowan, enonindjig dash tchi babamita- wawad debenimigowadjin. Awashime dash kid iji gagi- kimigomin tchi babamitawang Kije-Manito, win sa kakina kid apitchi dibenimigonan. Kije-jManito mojag ki gaganonigonan kideinang, mojag ki gaganonigonan tchi jingendamang tchi ojindamang gaie kakina maianadak, meshkwat dash wenijishing eta tchi dodamang. Kishpin enamiad wi-matchi-dodang, pabige KijerManiton o ga-ganonigon odeing: Kego dodangen, ma- nadad, o gad-igon. Kishpin dash wi-mino-dodang enamiad, pabige Kije-Maniton o ga-gagansomigon tchi mino dodang. Mi sa eji-ganoninang mojag Kije-Manito kideinang. Kit- chi jawendagosi dash enamiad pesindawad mojag Kije- Maniton, eji-ganonigodjin. Minawa dash ki gaganonigonan Debendjiged gagiL- wewining. Api enamiad pesindang anamie-gagikwewin, gw^aiak Kije-Maniton o pisindawan. Anawi geget mekate- wikwanaie gagikwe ; tibishko dash gagikwe, Jesus Debeni- minang ga-iji-gagikwed. Ikito gaie Jesus: "Kishpin awiia pisindawad gegikwenidjin, nin igo nin pisindog." Ninidjanissidog saiagiinagog, weweni babamitawig mekatewikwanaieg gegikwedjig; Kije-Manito ki ga-baba- mitawawa. Dassing gaie waiebinigeiegon, weweni odapi- namog minik egoieg iwapi, weweni kakina dodamog, Kije- Manito iwapi ki ganonigowa. Memindage dash, ninidjanissidog, sagiig Kije-Manito. Kishpin awiia weweni saglad Kije-Maniton kakina gego gwaiak dodam, kawin gego ondjita matchi dodansi. Apit- chi dash gwaiak kid igomin tchi sagiang Debeniminang Kije-Manito, ki kikinoamagonan gaie Jesns ged-iji-sa- giang; ikito sa : "Debendjiged ki Kije-Manitom ki ga-sagia ENCYCLICAL. 445 Always obey God well, my children. lie is highly worthy; he has created all things and to him belong all things. Obey him well. Christians are told to obey even those who are living on earth, namely, children to obey their parents, and servants to obey their masters, lar more are we exhorted to obey God, for to him we all be- long entirely. God always speaks to us in our hearts; he always tells us that we should hate and shun all that is bad, and on the contrary should do only what is good. If a Chris- tian is inclined to do bad, immediately he is told by God in his heart : don't do that, it is bad, thus he will be told by Him. But if a Christian is inclined to do good, imme- diately he will be requested by God to do the good. It is thus that God always speaks to us in our hearts. Very happy is the Christian who always listens to God speak- ing to him. Again, the Lord speaks to us in sermons. When, a Christian listens to a sermon, he really listens to God. Al- though really the priest preaches, yet he preaches so as Our Lord Jesus preached. And Jesus says: "If one listens to him that preaches, he listens to me myself." My children, whom I love, obey well the priest's preaching; God you will obey. And as often as you con- fess, receive well all you are told then, do all well, God speaks to you then. "fi n But especially, my children, love God. If a person loves God well, he will do everything right, he will not do anything bad purposely. We are very justly told that we should love Our Lord God, and Jesus teaches us how we should love him ; for he says : "The Lord, thy God, thou shalt love with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, I "I ) !i,. !|. ■■ 1, L in spite of all tlieir efforts, some others approached the house and having piled up against it straw and birch bark canoes, set fire to them, and thns soon placed the Nadonessi in danger of being consumed by the flames. This obliged them to give a last proof of their courage ; for all ten of them came forth with the arms in their hands, and, with incredible promptness, threw themselves into a neighbor- ing palisade hut, from which they kept up the defense, and continued to kill as long as their ammunition lasted ; but this failing, they were overwhelmed by the great num- bers of Indians, who fired at them, and all were killed on the spot, together Avith two women who had accompanied them. A third one was spared, having been discovered to be only their slave, and an Algonquin by nation. During all that tumult and massacre, the fire wdiich the Indians had set to the house of the missionaries grew rapidly, and in spite of all that could be done, it soon con- sumed the building, which was only of wood, and placed the new chapel, which stood not far from it, in great dan- ger. However, it w^as saved by great exertions. It was a frightful sight to see so many dead and so much blood run- ning within so narrow a space, and to hear the shrieks of those who excited each other to the combat, find the groans of the wounded, amidst the confusion of an incensed rab- ble that hardly knew what they were doing. Our Indians bewailed forty of their own, partly dead, partly wounded, among whom were some of their chiefs and foremost men. The missionaries on their part had great cause for grief, losing so soon the hope which the peace just about to be concluded had made them conceive, of going to preach the ^'ospel to the Nadouessi. Besides, they saw themselves abandoned by the Indians of the country, who, fearing lest the Nadouessi, on seeing their men loiter, might suspect their fate and come to revenge their dead, dispersed and left the missionaries exposed to the fury of their enemies. Moreover, besides the daily BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES. 461 danger in which they were of being massacred, not only at the Sault, but also in all other places where they were on mission, the progress which the gospel began to make through them was greatly cheeked for some time. God has not failed to derive glory from those misfor- tunes, and to inake use of them, both for the salvation of some souls, and for the showing forth of the extraordinary efforts of His omnipotence; for several of those that had been dangerously wounded asked for baptism, and having received it, were healed. diich At a meeting of the Ottawas of Arbre Croche, held at Mackinac on January 14, 1829, to consult with their Rep- resentative in Congress, one of their head-chiefs spoke as follows : "My Father ! The headmen of the people, who are here assembled around you, want to open their hearts to you. They have seen here and in Arbre Croche their bishop (Rt. Rev. Edward Fenwick, of Cincinnati). He has given them a Catholic priest to reside with them. The chief men here before your eyes request you to help them in this important undertaking. My Father ! We let you know that pious women are with us under the supervision of our priest, to teach our women and children to write and work, as also to do the will of the Great Spirit. My Father ! We have at present a chapel and a school in bad condition and we would thank you very much if you would help us to fix them up better. Father ! We hope that the President of the United States will help us. Moreover, the here assembled headmen of our nation request me to tell you that they are firmly resolved to sell no more land to the government of the United States. My Father ! If any of our red brethren be foolish enough to be willing to sell their lands, we on our part will never sell ours. if V,' ■ ■■'- I: 1^ fJ. i I'^Mf 462 APPENDIX. Should, however, any of us make such an offering to you to cede their lands, we pray you to pay no attention to them and to drive them away from your door." ^lir i|if I I I'. it' V , fl! ' El hi n i\. 11^ I U >i NOTES. In his work, '^History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan," by A. J. Blackbird, the author asserts on page 42 that his brother, William Macatebinessi — Blackbird — was assassinated at Eonie whilst studying at college. As this assertion seemed to be entirely ground- less, as the young man was universally beloved and re- spected by his fellow students, the writer wrote to the Pro- paganda at Rome inquiring for particulars of the death of said Wm. Macatebinessi. Under date of February 18, 1896, the following answer was sent to him : ''Rev. Father — I received your letter of the 25th of last month, in which you ask for particulars in regard to the death of young William Macatebinessi, of Arbre Croche (Michigan), United States of America, who died at Rome June 25, 1833, whilst he was a student of the Urban College. After opportune inquiries it was ascer- tained that there is only a letter extant by which the noti- fication of his death was communicated to Rt. Rev. Fred- eric Rese, Bishop of Detroit. "Herewith 1 send you an abstract of said letter, which is conformable to the original. ''A. ARCHB. SARISSERN, Secrt." The following is a true copy of the letter sent to Bishop Rese: Rome, July 13, 1833. "Most Illustrious and Most Rev. Lord — I am sorry to notify Your Lordship of the loss sustained a few days ago of the good young man, William Macatebinessi of the Ot- tawa tribe, native of Arbre Croche, who was sent by you to Rome, was received among the alumni of this Urban College. Some time ago he complained of an internal L' IIP' «!■■ )|',' 464 APrENDIX. pain, as a consequence, as lie said, of an accident that hap- pened to him in America, when a wheel passed over his breast. On the morning of the 25th of last June the rup- ture of an artery just in the aforesaid part of the body re- duced liim within a short time to tho extreme and took him from this life. I give this notice to Your Lordship for your information, and that with due circumspection you may communicate it to the young man's parents. "In the meantime I pray God that He may long pre- serve and prosper you. "To Mens. Frederic -Rese, Bishop of Detroit." :m 1 I ' u li'i Total contributed by Leopoldine Society towards Amer- ican dioceses from 1829 to 184C : Udltimore 43,000 fl. Philadelphia 23,500 fl. Richmond 12,000 fl. Charleston 61,00® fl. Pittsburg 13,000 fl. Cincinnati 1 15,495 fl. Louisville 20,000 fl. St. Louis 44,000 fl. Little Rock 20,000 fl. Chicago 9,000 fl. Vincennes 57,800 fl. Detroit 46,000 fl. Milwaukee 8,500 fl. Boston 16,000 fl. Hartford 9,000 fl. New York 28,500 fl. Mobile 32,000 fl. New Orleans 10,000 fl. Natchez 12,000 fl. ISTashville 18,000 fl. Dubuque 23,000 fl. Kingston ( Upper Canada ) 6,000 fl. Vicariate of Texas 7,000 fl. Trinidad (Antilles) 4,000 fl. 638,795 fl. For Jesuit and Redemptionist Missions and individual Mis- sionaries 48,418 fl. 687,213 fl. Pamphlet 19—1846. ir; 'i NOTES. 4G5 Amounts of money contributed by the Lcopoldine So- ciety of Vienna, Austria, for the Catholic missions and dioceses of the United States and Canada : 1830, " " " 34,420 H. 1831, " « " ir),78(} H. 1832, " " " 47,000 11. 1833, " " " 53,270 H. 1834, " " " 32,000 II. 1835, " " " 30,020 H. 1830, " '• " 34,200 11. 1837, " " " 40,840 11. 1838, " " " 48,07111. 1839, " '• " 30,400 11. 1840, " " " 37,204 11. 1841, " " " 47,720 11. 1842, " " " 39,001 a. 1843, '' " " 37,.')23 11. 1844, " " " 41,233 11. 1845, " " " 44,090 11. 1840, " " " 43,970 11. 1850, " " " 43,301 fl. 1850, (no contributions during 1847-'48-'49) 35,523 fl. 1851, " ** " 38,29111. 1852, " " " .30,314 fl. 1853, " " " 31,900 fl. 1854, " " « 14,704 fl. 1855, " " " 47,25011. 1850, " " " 51,755 fl. 1857, " " " 12,457 fl. 1858, " " " 47,773 fl. 1859, " " " 2,445 fl. 1800, " " « 50,531 fl. 1801, " " " 30,400 fl. 1802, " " " 19,000 fl. 18G3, " " « 19,000 fl. 1804, " " " 20,070 fl. 1805, " " " 21,990 fl. 1800, " " « 18,150 fl. 1807, " " " 21,139 fl. 1,244,085 fl. i^otes taken from the Baptismal Register of Harbor Springs, formerly called Arbre Croche, by Bishop Baraga. "On the 28th day of May, in the year 1831, the Most Illustrious and Reverend Edward Dominic Fenwick, Bishop of Cincinnati, brought me, the undersigned, a secu- lar priest born in Illyria, a province of the Austrian Em- pire, here to perform the office of a missionary among tho im APPENDIX. li i w Indians of this region. He himself, the Most Illustrious and liev. Bishop, remained here from the above-named day until the 3d of June, in which time he baptized two adults and twenty-six children. "My predecessor, Kev. Peter John Dejean, a French secular priest, whom Very Bishop Fenwick sent here in the year 1820, baptized very many adults and children, being the first missionary staying and residing here, but he had no Baptismal Register ; for which reason this begins only from the 20th day of May, 1831, "Note. By the name : Arbre Croche is meant in this book the village here, where the Indians built the parochial church of St. Peter and the dwelling-house of the mission- ary. By the name Old Arbre Croche are meant, however, all the dwelling-places of the Indians from the place of the parochial church to the chapel of St. Paul, which dwelling- places are comprehended in the Indian name: Wagana- kisi,'^ "FREDERIC BARAGA, Priest." "The church of Arbre Croche, lately built by the In- dians alone, was lawfully blessed by me, the undersigned, missionary of this place, on the 25th of May, 1851, in vir- tue of episcopal delegation, in honor of Our Lord Jesus Christ as youth in the temple." "FRANCIS PIERZ, Roman Catholic Missionary." Wherefore this mission shall be called hereafter 'Mis- sio S. S. Adolescentiae Jesu.' " 4- FREDERIC, Bishop." Notes in regard to the origin of the La Pointe Mission, by Rev. Frederic Baraga, copied from the Baptismal Reg- ister of said mission. k NOTES. 467 "Tlio \iiHk'i>igiK'(l ininHionnry Ijiid the first foundation of the cli\ii'ch of thin mission iniincdiately after his arrival, i. e.j on the JJd (hjy of August, in the year IHJjr), and on tho Otli day of the same month he celebrated MasvS in thia church for the first time, although it was still in an imper- fect state. llo\vever, in order to finish this church and to firmly establish the whole mission, he left on the 2'.)th of September, in the year 188(), and went to Eui'ope, where through the contributions of ])iou8 benefactors he receive- iilations he completed this church and the annexed parson- age in the month of August, 1838. *^0n the 2d of September of tlie same year, which was the first F mday of Septend)er, this church w^as dedicated to God under the name of St. Joseph. On the 7th of tho same month, our bishop, Kt. Kev. Frederic Kese, came to this mission for the first time, and on the J)th he confirmed one hundred and twelve neophytes and Canadians. "This mission began on the 28th day of July, in the year 1835. For on that day the undersigned missionary, born in Illyria, a province of Austria, landed at this island, which they call St. Magdaien Island, sometimes also St. JVIichael's Island, which prior to that day the 'beautiful feet of those evangelizing peace, evangelizing good things' had never yet trodden. "The undersigned missionary found here some Cana- dian Catholics in the employ of the traders and a few Cath- olic half-Indians, who had been baptized in the Mackinac mission ; all the rest 'sat vet in the darkness and shadow of death. "The missionary was reeeived v/ith great joy on the island. Some immediately offered him their children to be baptized ai^d themselves to be instructed in the Catholic religion, which was done and daily was increased 'the mul- 468 APPENDIX. 'I it. titude of tliosc. ulio believed in the Lord,' who after the necessary instruction were regenerated by Baptism unto life eternal. "In the year 1841 the undersigned missionary caused a new church to be constructed (the old one being demol- ished, which had been too badly constructed), and at the same time he built it there where it was nearer to the greater part of the Catholic congregation. In the month of July of the same year this church was finished, and on the first Sunday of August the undensigned missionary dedicated it to God under the name of the same saint, St. Joseph. "On the 4th of October, 1813, the undersigned mission- ary departed from this mission in order to found, with the help of God, a new mission at L'Anse with the approbation of the Most Illustrious and Kev. Bishop Peter Paul Le- fevre. On the 27tli of July, in the year 1844, he again returned to this mission, not, indeed, to reside there per- manently, but to announce during some weeks the word of God to this congregation and to administer to them the holy sacraments. On the 14th of August of the same year the Most Illustrious and Rov. John Martin Ilenni, first bishop of Milwaukee, canonically visited this church, and on the IGtli day of the same month he confirmed one hun- dred and twenty-two Indians and Canadians. On the 3d of September of the same year the undersigned missionnry returned again to his new mission, and only on the 28th of June, of the year 1845, did he visit this mission of St. Joseph again to exercise the care of souls for some time." "PREDEPvIC BARAGA, Missionary." ^'f. Baraga's youngest sister, Antonia, was born in the castle of Treffen February 4, 1803. On :^^ay 31, 1824, she married Felix von Iloeffern, son of Heribert Hoeffern NOTES. 469 von Salfekl, Knight of the Holy Eoman Empire. F. Bai*- aga himself performed the marriage-ceremony.. His ad- dress to the married conple is still preserved by Eev. Joseph Benkovic.* The writer is imder great obligations to him for many interesting particulars concerning Bar- agp's parentage, early life, and labors in St. Martin and Metlika. Felix von Hoeffern died childless. After Baraga's de- parturc for the Indian mission, Antonia entered a convent in Paris to prepare herself, especially by the study of the French language, to be of service to her llev. brother in the Indian missionary field. When Baraga was on his way re- turning to America in 1837 she joined him at Havre de Grace and came with him to La Pointe. In a letter which she wrote in Itackinac on the 8th of September, 1837, to her sister Amalia, she says that it was her intention to serve the Indians as teacher for their chil dren and to instruct the Indian women in washing, cook- ing, and general housework. Speaking of her Reverend brother, she savs : "Our dear Frederic is so universally knowni that every- one speaks of him and knows something to tell about him. I have heard that supernatural things are ascribed to him, things which only a special favorite of God can perform. Every Indian is acquainted with him. In Mackinac were a great many Indians, when they sold their land; they came from five different provinces (states) ; and everyone wished to speaTi with him and to see him. I have visited many of them in their cabins. When they heard that I was a sister of Baraga, they all shook hands with me, laughed, and gazed at me as long as I was in the hut, which I always left with tears in my eyes." Some of the old Indians still remember Baraga's sister and how she kept house for her saintly brother. The cli- mate of Lake Superior being too severe for her frail con- stitution, she was obliged to leave La Pointe. As to her 470 APPENDIX. subsequent career and the time, place and manner of her death, the writer could find nothing reliable. The following acrosticon was composed by Father Baraga at his sister Antonia's departure from La Pointe, where she had kept house for him two years after his re- turn from Europe in 1837. It was given us by Rev. Ant J. Rezek, of Houghton, Mich., to whom we are very thank- ful for this proof of kind interest in our work. Angel Boshji naj te vedno spremlja, 'Nie ' arlasse Dich des Himmels Schutz, Tuta sis et salva in aeternum, Observez tou jours la loi de Dieu JS^uov^o sempre sia il Vostro zelo Imitate the Saviour's holy life, Angwamisin, mine bimadisin. Mission zum hi. Joseph in N. Amerika, im Juli, 1839. Dein Dich ewig liebender Bruder, FRIEDRICII BARAGA, m. pr. In the parish records of L'Anse we find the following entries : "The undersigned missionary laid the foundation of this mission, with the help of God, on the 24th of May, in the year 1843, on v/hich day he arrived here and re- mained twenty days among the Indians of this place. Some believed the word inimediateiy and were baptized after the necessary instruction. But others said : 'If that missionary comes again, not to remain only for a few days, but to stay constantly with us, then we, too, will receive the doctrine, which he i3reaches, and Baptism. Where- fore he came again on the 24th of October of the same year and immediately began to prepare whatever things were deemed necessarv for the firm establishment of the mission. With the special help of God the poor mission- NOTES. 471 ary was enabled to erect the church with adjoining par- sonage, also fifteen small houses for the Indian people. Afterwards he built seven others. On the 16th day of June, 1844, which was the third (Sunday) after Pente- cost, the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered up for the first time in this church. But, of course, the church was then not finished. But when it was com- pleted to some degree of perfection, the undersigned mis- sionary solemnly dedicated it on the first Sunday of tho same year to God Almighty under the Name of His Be- loved Son, Jesus, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost is God forever, and at the same time he beseeched Him that He might mercifully deign to grant that who- soever should enter this church, asking benefits from Him in the Name of Jesus, might receive what he faithfully asked, so that he might experience how truly the Truth itself spoke, saying: 'If you ask anything of the Father in My name He will grant it to you.' "On the 16th of July, 1846, the Rt. Rev. and Most Illustrious Peter Paul Lefevre, bishop of Zela and admin- istrator of the diocese of Detroit, visited this mission canonically and on the following Sunday confirmed eighty-six Indians in this church of the Holy Name of Jesus." "FREDERIC BARAGA, Missionary." "On the 25th of September, 1854, the Most Illustrious and Rt. Rev. Baraga, bishop of Amyzonia, and vicar- apostolic of Upper Michigan, canonically visited for the first time this mission, founded by him, and on the fol- lowing Sunday, which was the first Sunday of October, he confirmed forty-three Indians and half-breeds." ■a ft 472 APPENDIX. W i- PniESTS STATIONED AT DETROIT^ MICH. P. Constantin de la Halle 1703-170G P. Dominicus de la Marche 1706-1707 Cherubin Denieau 1707-1714 Hiacynth Pelifresne 1715-1718 Calvarin, vicar-general of the mission of Tama- rnas 1718-1719 Jean Mercier 1718-1719 D. Thaumm- 1718-1719 Pantoin Delins .1719-1723 P. Bonaventura 1722-1735 P. Daniel 1735-1738 P. de la Richardin, on Bois-Blanc Island 1738-1754 P. Bonaventura, again, in Detroit 1738-1754 Simple Boqnet 1754-1782 Payet 1782-1786 Pierre Frichette 1786-1796 Michael Levadon 1796-1802 Gabriel Richard 1789-1832 For a list of the priests who have officiated at Mack- inac since 1671-1850, see "Annals of Mackinac." Inscription on the tombstone of an Indian half-breed, found near the church of La Pointe, Wis. : To the Memory of Abraham Beaulieu, Born 15th of September, 1822, Accidentally Shot 4th April, 1844. As a Mark of Affection From His Brother. Short biographical sketch of Vincent Roy, lately of Superior, Wis. Before ending this work on Bishop Baraga, we wish to add a short biography of the best Indian of the North- west, Vincent Roy. He was born in or about the year •• « 19 19 '82 HON. VINCENT ROY, of fish th- 3ar I Hi' t ■ m^ P' '1 1^1' ■j 1 1 t' id 1 "'™T 1 I 1 f •i k. 1 NOTES. 473 1824, below Fort Francis, on the banks of Rainy Lake river, on the American side, at the junction of Rainy Lake and Little Forks rivers. His grandfather came to that place about the year 1810 and opened a farm. He had abont fifty acres under cultivation and raised a great deal of wheat, barley, potatoes, rootabagas, and other vege- tables. He used to trade with the Bois Fort band of Chippewa Indians, going to Mackinac every year to dis- pose of his furs and to buy goods for next year's trade. In 1839 he took his sons, Vincent and Peter, to La Pointe, Wis., where Father Baraga was laboring at that time. After his sister, Antonia de Hoeffern, had left in July, 1839, Father Baraga was accustomed to take his meals at Mrs. Lacomb's house. She was an aunt of Vin- cent Roy, being his father's sister. It was but natural that young Vincent should feel drawn to the great mis- sionary and become very intimate with h\m. During all his life Mr. Roy entertained a boundless love and venera- tion for Bishop Baraga. Vincent Roy engaged in the fur-trade to within a few^ years before his death. He had a trading-post at Vermillion Lake, Minn., and a store at Superior. It took almost two weeks to convey his goods and supplies to his trading-post. His Indian and half-breed packers were obliged to go up the St. Louis river, which is full of rapids, at which portages had to be made, that is, canoes and goods had to be carried past the rapids to smooth water, or overland from river to river. The first priest that ever preached the Gospel to the Bois Fort Indians at Vermillion Lake, wa& P. Odoric Derenthal, O. F. M., about the year 1883. He was then stationed at Superior, whence he attended the Indian missions of Fond du Lac, Papashkominitigong near Clo- quet, Bamum, Kettle River, Sand Lake — all in Minne- sota; besides Bashaw, Spirit Lake, Yellow Lake, Mouth 474 APPENDIX. r' It §1 U]ii Mil III (iff Is-'-' ! ■ Mr' ml m hi'" , jrfn;; of Yellow River, Trade Lake, and other place* in Wis- coii^in. Some twenty years ago large deposits of iron ore were discovered near Vermillion Lake, and soon rich iron mines were opened on the Mesaba Range. This caused an influx of whites into that country and Tower, Virginia City, and other mining towTis were started. A large number of Catholics, many of them Slavonians, work in those mines ; they are under the pastoral care of Very Rev. Joseph Bah, vicar-general of the diocese of Duluth. Viui^ent Roy married a daughter of Antoine Cour- noyer, a French-Canadian, a good man and a fervent Catholic. We think bis wife's name was Elizabeth. She resided at Superior, Wis., with Mary, her sis- ter, the widow of Charles Roy, deceased, a brother of Vincent Roy. Vincent and his wife lived in true con- jugal love, peace, and happiness. He was a model hus- band, kind, affectionate, industrious and saving. The writer was acquainted with him for many years and he can bear testimony to Mr. Roy^s noble. Christian, gentle- manly behavior. He never drank a drop of intoxicating liquor, neither did he smoke, chew, or snuff. He was most scrupulously clean, ncsat and well-clad at all times. He was a. perfect gentleraan. Mr. Roy's house was a model home. Although he had but little white blood in his veins^ his father b ;ing a half-breed, partly French, partly Indian, and his mother, to the best of our belief, a full-blood Chippewa, Vincent Roy had adopted in his home l:'fe and general deportment the manners and refinement of modern civiliza^;ioii. The writer dees not know the exact time of Vincent Roy's coming to Superior; h3 was, no doubt, one of the oldest settlers there, probably arriving there prior to 1851. His fur-trade and other business, especially the rise of real estate values following the founding of West Superior, IV!, i • "-■^r;^^ NOTES. 475 bf the brought him considerable wealth, which ho used very largely for the benefit of his less fortunate countrymen and the good of religion. Liberality is a characteristic virtue of the Chippewas and Vincent lioy possessed and exercised this -virtue in a very remarkable degree. "A friend in need, a friend indeed." Many a poor Indian found in Mr. Roy such a friend. No other Chip- pewa in the Lake Superior country was as liberal and generous towards the needy and suffering as Mr. Roy. When Ireland was suffering a dreadful famine about the year 1880, little Superior, with its forty-five Catholic fam- ilies, of whom scarcely a dozen were whites, contr'' ;ited about Three Hundred and Seventy-five Dollars towards alleviating the poor people of said island and of the above* given amount Mr. Roy contributed a large sum. Vincent Roy was a born leader among his people. His words and examples exercised an enrobling, elevating, Christianizing influence. His worthy wife nobly seconded her husband in all his works of charity and zeal. Their house was the home of priests and missionaries, where they always received a cordial welcome and were treated with the greatest kindness and respect. For four years the writer wa^ aji almost daily visitor at Mr. Roy's house, which he frequenred go of^'eu ;;> o'"der !o study the Chip- pewa language under so ablo .a master^ for Mr. Roy spoke and w^rcte Chippewa, ']E!ng3,i&h„a'iid I lenclv fluently. Mr. Roy's marriage was not blessed with children, but this very circumstance was made use of by Divine Provi- dence to make him the father and friend of his poor coun- trymen. Ho was the mainstay of the small congregation of Superior, which for many years consisted chiefly of In- dians and half-breeds. Mr. Roy contributed most liber- ally for church purposes and the support of the pastor. In fact, in every good work he was a leader, sparing neither time nor money. Vincent Roy was also a practical Catholic, assisting '^:^^^"}^^ 476 APPENDIX. at holy Mass every Sunday, and often on week-day. Every day, summer and winter, sunshine or rain, someone of his house would attend Mass, most generally his worthy wife, lier sister Mary, and their pious mother, Mrs. Cour- noyer. Mr. Roy was a frequent receiver of the holy Sac- raments and during the latter years of his life he would go to holy Communion every week. He prayed a great deal at home and read spiritual books, of which he had quite a number, with great relish. Vincent Roy was a model citizen, taking a lively inter- est in all political and social questions, especially those that regarded his state and city. He was pure and modest in his deportment, and the tongue of scandal never black- ened his fair name. He was frank and outspoken in his opinions, but without being haughty or overbearing. Ho was of a joyful, pleasant disposition, and keenly relished a good joke. To sum up, Mr. Roy was nature's nobleman, a true Christian, a patriotic citizen, "the imcrowned king" of the Lake Superior Chippewas. His memory is held in bene- diction by all who knew him. He died about three or four years ago in Superior, leaving his affectionate wife and a host of friends to mourn 'hi& l')Ssi.' *' • • ^ • • ' • ^•^i^^ k-day. [iieone ,'orthy Cour- V Sac- would great e had inter- tliose lodest black- in hia Ho lished true )f the bene- •four md a