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I TORONTO: PllIN'rfn* FOE THE SOCIETV OF St. YiX( ENT DK PaIL, AT THK '* Irish Canadian" Offre, 10 KiN«i St. East. 1884. 1 . t'' I'- SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, THE MODERN APOSTLE OF CiniUTY. (FROM VAIITOUS SOURCKS.) Many have heard of St. Vincent de Paul, lait few perliaps have any idea of the magnitude of his claim to the gratitude and reverence of mankind. A l)rief and very imperfect outline of a life of eighty-five years spent in the constant exercise of every virtue wliich can adorn humanity may not he witliout interest, Vincent was tlie son of a peasant ; he was l)orn at Pouy, in the south of !•' ranee, in loTG; his early years were spent in caring for the cattle on his fathei''s farm. As lie grew up lie manifested a capacity for learning, and was placed in a smrJl grammar school in a friars' convent. His studies were conunued at Toulouse and Sarivgossa. To ol)tain the means to finish his education he opened a school in the neighborhood of Toulouse, and completed his course in the university of that city. He was ordained priest in 1600. A few years latere while on tlie Mediterranean, he was taken prisoner by African pirates tind carried to Barbary, where he was sold to a fisher- man and then to a physician, who took a gn^at fancy to him, and did his best to convert him to Mohammedanism. On the death of the physician, Vincent was again sold to a renegade Christian, a (juasi Mormon, who had three wives, one of whom, a Turkish woman, went often to the field where Vincent was working and asked him to sing pious songs for her adification. She was much impressed by his saintly demeanor, and reproach- ed her husband so vehemently for his base apostacy, that the latter finally repented, and iiiakin;^ his escape with Vincent, landed near ATai-seilles in 1()07. After a short visit to Rome, Vincent went to Paris, and was a})pointed to a small parish near that city ; lie soon wrought such a reformation that a learned divine ■ isiting the place during Vincent's temporary ahsence, testified that the people led the lives of angels, and that when preacliing to them h(^ felt he was carrying light to the sun. Soon afterward Vincent was induced to undertake tlie education of the sons of the Count de Joigny, general of the galleys of France. '^I'he duties of this otlic(? fre(puMitiy carried the Count to Afarseilles, and Vincent, who generally accompanied him, had thus opportunities of seeing the dreadful condition of tlie galley slaves. In those days slaves or captives were often employed to woi'k the oars of slv.ps, and it frecjuently happened that in a sea fight the natives of one country worked the ship of war of her enemy, as was the case at J-epanto, where the Turkish ships where generally worked by Christians, and t\w Christian ships by Turks. These ships wer« actually prisons ; th(> miserable beings confined in them were chained to benches, and when not workiiig at the oars, were perfectly idle ; their treatnuait was brutal, their food scanty and bad, the air they breathed pestilential, and no attention was given to the sick or dying. To relieve them was a duty, but the (juestion was how could they be relieved ; generally speaking, the law which condemned them was just and its provisions humane, but its administration was most inhuman and its victin\s without practical means of redress. Vincent began his charitabh; work by announcing to them his friendly intentions ; having gained their confidence he made their condition known to the higher clergy ; large subscriptions were raised and their disposal entrusted to him ; the king applauded the work and conferred on Vincent the title of j\lmoncr-( General of the French Galleys. The galley service was gradually abandoned, and finally commuted for labor at the national works, where prisoners were protected by the icent, 3, and soon ibitin.u' I that tic'hing 8oon Ration t^allcys ed the ipar icd lulition aptives Huently worked .epanto, ristians, p,ctually chained crfectly lul bad, as given \)ut the -leaking, o visions and its it began friendly de their L-riptions he king title of service laV)or at I by the \ public (^ye ironi undue oppression. lict'c^rc the al>oliti<>n of the slave trade this was probably the noblest triunij)!! obtained in the cause of sutl'ering humanity. An interesting episod«> in the life of Vincent at this time dese'ves notice. On one occasion he observed among the convicts a vounc; man driven abiiost to madness bv the reflection that his family, during his captivity, would be deprived of the means of sul>sistenc(\ Vincent was so afte';ted by the sight of this man's misery, that, being unable otherwise to relieve him, he managed to take his place, bore the chain and worked in the galley service unnoticed and unknown, till after the lapse of some months he was discovereil. lie bore through life the honorable marks of the chain. J»y the advice of M. de 1^'rulle, afterward Cardinal, Vincent, in IfilT, left the house of the Count de Joigny, and undertook a mission at (jhatillon, now in tlu^ Department of Ain. While there, the town was A'isited by pestilence and famine. With the clergy of the locality he was incessantly employed in procuring subsistence for the living, and comfort for the dying. Emulating th(ur exami)le, the ladies of Chatillon built tents, carried the sick to them, and pro- vided food and medicine ; ladies of the highest rank shared this dangerous and laborious work. On one occasion while Vincent was going into his pulpit, a lady asked him to recom- mend to his people a poor family, tive miles from Chatillon, sick and utterly destitute. He complied with zeal and elo- quence. Numbers, carrying bread, wine and provisions, visited the poor family. Vincent also went, and seeing the al>un- dance of the supplies, said, "This is a good deed, but not w^ell regulated. This family has too much, and some part of the supply will prove useless. AVhat is not consumed at once will be spoiled and wasted, and the poor pt^ople will then be as badly oti' as before." He had the spirit of order and arrange- ment, and accordingly devised a scheme by which not only that particular family, but every other in the neighljorhood similarly afflicted, might be eti'ectually relieved. Instances of this kind occur occasionally in 'I'oronto. Sonio well nicaninn', but inexperienced individual learns all at once tliat a t'jimily is at starvation point ; forthwith a notice to tliat effect appears in a newspaper, and then eoiues an avalanche of provisions — five oi" six )-oasts of )>e(?f, twelve or twenty loaves of hn^ad and other thin^ijs in proportion are contriltuted with reckless })rofusi()n ; l>ut it often liuppens that the last state of that family is worse than t\w first. In \C)l)'2 the congregation of Priests of the ^lission, estab- lished by \'inc(ait, was foi'nially sanctioned l>y Jlonie ; these priests are generally called Lazarists, from the convent of St. Lazarus in Paris, formerly their principal house. Soon after the formation of this order, its missionaries wan^ found in Madagascar, Ireland (where one of them, merely for exercising his priestly functions, was shot near Limerick by a Cromwellian soldier), the Islands and Highlands of Scotland, Uarbary and elsewhere. Vincent lived to see 2.") houses of his order in active operation in different parts of Europe. The present Archl)ishop of Toronto was a Lazarist, prior to his elevation to the episcopate. The best known of Vincent's foundations is, perhaps, the Sisters of Chaiity, whose institution has for its object to procure for the sick j)oor, kind and intelligent nurses. At first they numbered only five, but others soon joined their ranks. Before the revolution Paris alone contained 34 hou«5es of this order ; it has sinc(; spread far and near ; the mother house of the LTnited States is at Emmittsburgh, Maryland, and is now occupied by two hundred professed sisters, with their dependents. Those who haAo seen these sisters in France and other foreign countries must have noticed their wonderful headgear, respecting which a curious anecdote is told : The French king was sitting with Vincent near a window in Paris, wlien one of the sisters, bareheaded, passed along the street. " Vincent," said the King, " why not give your sisters a bonnet of some kind?" at the same time throwing toward her a napkin w hich chanced to be in his hand. The napkin spread in falling, and lighted on the girl's Iioad, causing h«'r to appear not unlike an animated t aducfus. 8ucli is said to be the ori;^dn of tliis strange looking cap. So far as is knowii to the writer there are no nuns of tiiis order in Canada. Details of Vincent's other works woulor and intirn»ities, })assed to his n^ward ; he was beatitied in 1729, by Benedict XIII,, and canoni/ed in 1737, by Clement Xll. During the process of the imjuiries which are always made in cases of canonization, commissioners visited Chatillon, and then signified their int<'ntion to go elsewhere for fuither information; "that," said the pr, for the Pliiloi-ophy cla.- < The school of Law had only a few Christian students. In lUcli a condition were nia*ters that one of them, M. de (\ 'y, t)iinkin<^ Iiimself alone in the practice of his laitli, and hein^ determined to preserve iC pure, remained six months v/ivliout becoming ii. jmate with any one. One Sunday in i83'J, he saw ]V[. Ozanam and one or two of his friends, at tlie Iligli Ma'^s at St. Etionne-du-Mont, and remembered ]la^■ing seen them at th(? Law lectures. It was with a sentiment of profound ioy that, on leaving the church, he accosted them on the Place St. Etienne, asking permission to press their hand, and become a friend of theirs ; a request which was accepted, and the friendship heartily continued. At the school of Medicine, Christian students were still fewer. The institutions created foi- Christian youth in Paris before 1830, had disappeared. The Society of Wholesome Studies, whose name sufficiently indicates its object, was of this number. The premises occupied by them on the Place de I'Estrapade, No. 11, a few st^ps trom the School of Law, had, however, continued in the possession of one of its former This account of tl ° early times of our Society is jjiveij at the request of the Council-Cicneral, by one o. the seven founders of the Conference of Charit.\'. It was sent to tile tliree other survivors, who state its perfect correctness, and have added some details to it. One of the survivors, M. Devaux, lias since died. I: ) directors, M. Bailly. These premises comprised on the ground floor a reading room, a room serving as a library, and several smaller rooms, and on the upper stories, M. Bailly's apartments, with a certain number of rooiis. The lattar \ ere occupied l)y young students, pensioners of M. Bailly, who had organized a reading room for them in the library, and difterent conferences for law and history in the halls of the ground floor. In order to cause a little emulation among the residents, M. Bailly admitted several young men from without to subscribe to the library, and to take part in the labors of the conferences. The best attended amonij: the latter was the conference called the History Conference, but literature and philosophy were also studied there, and Frederic Ozanam belonged to it. He came to Paris in the year I8.')l, to bi'gin his law .studies. He was living in the Rue des Fosses Ht. Victor, with M. Ampere, of the Institute, who felt quite a paternal interest in him. The energetic and enlightened faith of Ozanam had long since suggested to him the idea of a federation of studies and labors amoniist younu; Christian men. He saw a means of realizing his project, in the History Conference, and he never lost an opportunity of l)ringing new members to it. It was he who induced Lallier, one of the ten philosophy pupils of St. Stanislaus during the preceding year, to enter during the year 1832. Some time afterwards Lamache was admitted. He was a native of the environs of Cherbourg, but was living in Paris since November, 1830. The History Conference was not composed exclusively of Christian students. There were several Deists, Voltairians and Saint Simonians. Work was not of obligation. The most zealous and ardent lectured on subjects chosen by themselves. It therefore happened from time to time that the lectures gave rise, during the meeting, to rather warm discussions, especially when the Voltairians mixed in it. These struggles, sustained by Christian members of the Conferences, in defence of their common faith, soon established afiectionate relations between those who had not known each other previously, and strength- 9 ve 'ir ened those already in existence between the otliers. From this «'poch date several of those Christian friendships which are some of the greatest joys of lif*^^ and wliich are not destroyed by death. However, the discussions, thus suddenly entered on, some- times strayed away, and it was then perceived, somewhat too late, that the speakers, with the exception of the lecturer, who had studied his subject, were not sutticiently prepared to sustain, for or against. Struck with this inconvenience, and desirous of remedying it in the interest of the jjgtuse they were advocating, and for the honor of the faith that was dear to them, Ozanam and his friends conceived the idea of establishing amongst them, in the interests of tlie meetings of the History Conference, preparatory meetings where each person should make himself acquainted with the subject which his colleagues proposed to discus^. They could thus study them l)eforehand, and thus have more chance of eclat and success. A committee, consisting of Ozanam, Lamache and Lallier, was charged with examining this project, and the means of accomplishing it. This committee met almost immediately at the house of Lamache, Hotel Oorneille, Rue Corneille. The first meeting passed in conversation, and brought about no practical result. The next day, one of the members of the committee had occasion to chat about it with Le Taillanditr, a law student of the same year, and also a memV)er of the History Conference. Le Taillandier was living with his parents, Rue des Fleurs, near the Luxemburg. Of a calm disposition, not at all argumentative, he assiduously attended the meetings simply as a listener, without taking any [)art in the discussions. Whilst chatting with Lallier about the projected preparatory meetings, Le Taillandier said suddenly : " I would much prefer another kind of meeting, wlience contention and controversy would be Vanished, and which wodld be composed only of Christian young men, engaged together, and solely about good works." Lallier received this project without enthusiasm. On the following day, however, he communicated it to his two 10 colleagues. Tlie latter did not seem more pleased Avitli it than he did himself, and all three continued chatting simply about the matter that occupied their attention for the time being, that is to say, the formation of meetings where the subjects to be treated on in the History Conference would be discussed. A short time afterwards, a meeting of this Conference took place ; it was more; stormy than usual. The adversaries of Christianity were more aggressive ; some even with acrimony and ill-will that render controversies so extremely painful to a Christian. One of them, after a pompous eidogium on Lord Byron, traced the resemblance between that sceptic and the scoffer Voltaire, and took it as his text to attack the Church, although he himself had received a Christian education. Ozanam, notwithstanding that he had taken part in the discussion witli his usual superiority, was greatly saddened. On leaving the meeting he said to Lamache and a few other friends : " How sad it is to see Catholicism, to see our holy mother the Church, thus attacked, ridiculed and calumniated. Let us of course remain in the breach to face the attacks. But do you not feel, like me, the desire, the necessity for having, outside this combative conference, another meeting consisting ex- clusively of Christian friends and wholly devoted to charity 1 Does it not seem to be time to join action to words, and to affirm by words the vitality of our faith?" After half a century, this little scene is perfectly present to the memory of one of those (Lamache) to whom 0/:anam addressed himself. He seems almost to seeOzanam's eyes, full of sadness, but at the same time full of fire and ardour ; he seems to hear that 's oice, slightly tremulous, from the deep emotion of his soul. When the little group separated, each one carried away in his heart the burning dart which Our Lord Jesus Christ had just i>lunged in by the hand of the young student. Le Taillandier's idea was then resumed, in concert with him, by the three members of the Committee. 11 But liow wa« it to be realized 1 Where wert? tliey to meet 1 What was the object to be assigned to the activity and charity of the members? They resolved to take council with M. Bailly and to ask his concurrence. Ozanam took upon himself to see him. M. Bailly received the overtures made to him with the most paternal kindness. He highly approved of the project of a little brotherly intimate meeting of young men resolved to occupy themselves solely in works of charity. As to works to be undertaken, he suggested consulting the Cure of the parish of St. Etienne du Mont, M. TAbbe Olivier, afterwards Cure of St. Roch and Bishop of Evreux. The young people went to M. 01i\'ier and explained theii* intentions. He had the kindness to pass in review before them the works which appeared to him suited to their age and aptitude. He concluded by recommending, by preference, the work of the catechism for poor children. After retiring the young men consulted togeth«»r. The work of the catechism pleased them, but all did not feel themselves gifted with the vocation necessary to undertake it. It required a punctuality and care that all could not promise. They were then induced to choose a work of )uore general interest, within reach of all, easy of arrangement with the exigencies of the studies, and whicli might present suthcient variety to captivate and satisfy young minds. The work of visiting the poor at their homes possessed these characteristics. No doubt, it would be imprudent to entrust such or such a poor family indiscriminately to any visitor. But in the infinitely varied number of the poor, it is always easy to find some to whom a visit would not present any inconvenience, even for the most inexperienced young man. They gave M. Bailly an account of the result of their interview with M. I'Abbe Olivier, of their impressions and of their resolution, which had l)een nearly fixed, of adopting the work of die visiting of the; poor. There were only four members : that was very few. They then sought amongst 12 the young men frecjuenting the history Conference for some who would be admissible. Ozanam mentioned two, ClavH and Devaux : the former's father being head of an institution in the Faubourg de Roule in Paris, a recently converted St. Simonian ; the second, a medical student and a native of Normandy. He was immediately asked by his colleagues to invite those two young men, who were besides known to them all, to join the |)rqiected meeting. They accepted unhesitatingly. M. Ikiilly proposed then to meet in the Rue du Petit- Bourbon — St. 8ulpice, No. 18, in the same office as the Catholic Tribune, the Gazette of the Clergy, a paper coming out every second dayand of which M. Bailly was at once the proprietor and principal editor. These premises appeared to be well suited for a small intimate meeting, not seeking publicity and still less eclat, and the members of which would desire before everything else, as the rule said later on, to learn to know themselves better and to love each other better, and, to succeed in this, to know, love and serve together the poor of Jesus Christ. The first meeting took place in May, 1833, at eight o'clock in the evening. The members present — not one failed — were, in the order of their age : M. Bailly (Emmanuel Joseph), born March 9th, 1793, at Bryas (Pas-de-Calais), living at No. 11 Place de I'Estrapade. M. Lamache (Paul), born July 18th, 1810, at 8t Pierre Eglise (Manche), second year's law student, living in the Hotel Corneille, Rue Corneille. His father, a physician. M. Clave (Felix), born in Paris, a student, living with his father, the head of an institution, in the Faubourg du Roule. M. Le Taillandier (Auguste), born January 28th, 1811, at Rouen (Seine Infcrieure), a second year's law student, living with his father, a man of property, Rue des Fleurs. M. Devaux (Jules), born July 18th, 1811, at Colombieres (Calvados), a second year's medical student, living in the Hotel Ecole de Droit, Rue St. Jacques. tor and mayor of Colombieres. His father, proprie- 1.3 M. Ozanam (Fretleric), born April L'.'lrd, IS13, at ]\[ilan (Italy), of French parents, a second year's law student, living in tlie Rue des Fosses St. Victor. His father, a doctor at Lyons. M. Lallier (Francois), l)orn January 2 4th, Isl 1, at Joigny (Yonne), a second year's law student, living in the Rue St. Jacqu^i's. His father, a doctor at Joigny. None of these young people had ever, until then, taken part in any pious association. H they liad any political opinions, they were unknown to each other. With all of them the whole rule of human life was summed up in obedience to the Commandments of God and liiial love for the Catholic Church, the guardian of those commandments. The meeting, which was presided over by M. Bailly, opened with the Veni^ Sancte Spit it lis ^ and a short pious chapter (from the Imitation). They immediately resolved to adopt, as the fundamental work, the visiting of poor families at their homes. But as no one knew any poor people, or at least a sufficient number to enable each to choose whom they would wish to visit, it was arranged to ask Soeur Rosalie Rendu, of the Rue de I'Epee-de-Bois, for a list. She presided at the distribution of relief at the Committee of Benevolence of tho twelfth arrondissenient in the district of the Rue Mouffetard . M. Devaux was directed to see her and ask her for this list. It was at the same time decided that, as far as possible, the relief should not be given in money, but in kind, and by means of tickets on the various tradespeople. Whilst waiting for the meeting to g(;t its own tickets, M. Devaux was to procure from Sceur Rosalie some of the tickets she used. After a short conversation as to the name to be giA en to the association, that of Conference was adopted, through analogy with the name used by the other meetings to which the young people belonged. This name was besides (|uite inoffensive and one at which no one could take otl'ence. The Conference of Charity thus constituted, it became necessary to choose a patron. The name of Saint Vincent de w 14 Paul was received with acclamation, as that of an essentially popular French Saint. The Conference decided, in short, that their charity should he done at their own expense, and that each person should contribute to it in })ioportion to his ability, the measure of which he alone should know and of whic) he should be sole judge. A collection at the end of each meeting would be for this purpose. It was made, at the end of tlie first meeting, by M. Devaux, w)io was appointed treasurer. A hat served as a purse. The meeting concluded with the recital of the prayer Su/^ tuiiui Pracsidium. The ]^aii Satidc and the Sub tiiufii were to each of the members a classical souvenir. At the second meeting, a week after, each meml)er was provided with a poor family chosen by him and for him with discernment. One of the members still perfectly remembers that the familv that fell to him was that of a workinjj; carpenter, consisting of the father, mother, and six or seven children, living at the corner of the Rue de I'Arbalete, near the Rue Monffetard. Soeur Rosalie welcomed, with her usual kindness, the OonferiMice messenger. The tickets furnished by her were distributed. At the third or fourth meeting, Lallier proposed the admission of one of his companions of Stanislaus, (lustave Colas de la Noue, a law student and the son of a Councillor at the Court, in Orleans. This proposal at first gave rise to some objections. Theirs was a meeting of friends, knowing each other for a long period and accustomed to the sweetest intimacy. Might not a new comer, known only to one of the numbers, cause some coldness in the meeting and thus risk destroying, or at least troubling, this cherished intimacy % On the other hand, did not charity, which they had taken as their guide, oblige them to receive a young man, a brother, until then alone, and whose isolation ex^josed him to many dangers, and to give him the support and concurrence of friendships that might be termed ready made, since they had as their 15 foundation tlie same faith and aspirations 1 The latter advice prevailed, and all adopted it. The entrance of ( Justave de la None was quickly followed by other admissions. Among the newly admitted, we may mention Ennnanuel de Conde, a law student, presented by M. Bailly ; Charles Honimais, law student, another Stanislaus companion, presented by Lallier ; Henri Pessonneaux,* Chauraud, law student, and (iignoux, a nu'dical student, presented by Ozanam. At the end of the scholastic year, the Confertuice of Charity counted about fifteen members. During this period of three or four months, from the beginning of May to the end of August, the collection was chiefly fed by five or six five-franc pieces which, from time time, M. Bailly dropped into the collecting hat, at the end of the meeting. These five-franc pieces, shown by the treasurer, caused a sensation ; each of the young men knew he gave nothing but a small coin. Tliese five franc pieces represented the value which M. Bailly was good enougli to attribute to some articles, chiefly bibliographic, supplied by the majority of the members of the Conference to the Catholic Tribune^ The projects of preparatory meetings for the militant Conference remained in statu cjuo. The new meeting, so full of attraction, so calm, and at the same time so vigorous, caused them to be forgotten. The members of this first Conference of St. Vincent de Paul experienced in the highest degree the Quam honuin d qiiam jiicundiim habitare fratres in uniun ! Their weekly meetings of piety and charity, far from being monotonous and grave, a cordial friendsliip animated tliem, and there were frequent sallies of frank youthful gaiety. At the end of Aur^ust, 1833, came the holidays. The members of the Conference separated, appointing to meet again the following November. * When in 1853, speakin},' to our brothers of Florence and Leghorn, Ozanam was mentioning the number eight as being tiuit of the first members, ho incUuled Henri ressonneaux, his relation ; but Pessonneaux always declared that he perfectly remem- bered being admitted immediately aft-r Charles llonunais. t Sec especially the following numbers of the (7«am(', and on suhjcets calculated to captivate the attention of their youthful hearers. The three sent had been chai'<;ed l»y their friends with re( [nesting that the special instruction, the object of the petition, iniglit be entrusted to the Abbe Lacordaire, whose warm and combative lanfi;uage they liked ; or to the Abl)e Baiitain, whose good sense and sound philosophical deductions they appreciated. Both, although under diti'erent aspects, appeared to them calculated to succeed with youth, whosei entire sympathies they had. They therefore testified a desire to have one of those orators, frankly and with the most res})ectful deference expressing the fear that a series of preachers, each giving a sermon on a different subject, might not produce the results hojied to be attained l)y an unicjue and well arranged instruction. Whilst the conversation was taking its course on this delicate ground, the salon door opened, and M. de la Mennais was announced. Mgr. de Quelen immediately rose, liastened to meet him, and taking his hand, turned towards the young men : " Here, gentlemen," said he, *' is the man who would suit you. If his strength and voice wonld permit him to be heard, the doors of the cathedral should be thrown wide open, and it would not be large enough to contain the immense crowd." " Ah ! is it I, Monsigneur," replied M. de la Mennais; " my career is over." The three young men had iisen on the entrance of the new visitor ; they took leave of the Archbishop, and retired. The next day, a newspaper published, at the head of its oolunms, a short account of the reception of the three young men, with the incident relative to the Abl)e de la ;^[ennai8. Annoyed at this indiscretion, Ozanam and Lallier, after having conferred with Lamache, who could not join them, went at ten o'clock in the morning to Mgr. de Quelen, who received them in his ante-chamber. They hastened to express their regret at the ill-timed publicity given by a newspaper to the 20 conversation of tlic day Ix'forc. M,i;r. do. etween the young people, who sought to explain as well as they could the kind of instruction they wished for, and the preachers, who tried their host to respond to their views. Tiiey liked each other very cjuickly, and whilst the calmest were chatting near the firej)lace, M. I'Ablie Thibaut, afterwards Bishoj) of Montpellier, was warndy discussing tho matter, walking round the salon with Ozanam. Just at the moment that they were at the end of the room opposite the door, speaking loudly, the Archbishop entered. M. I'Ablx' 'I'liibaut, stretching out both arms towards his Grace, cried out — " JNIonsigneur, Monsigneur, the gentlemen and we understand each other perfectly." " If you do not understand each other well," replied the Arch- ])ishop, smiling, " you can be well heard at all events.'" The young men retired, after having thanked hi^ Grace for his extreme kindness. Returning to the house of one of them, and convinced that the measures adopted would not have the desired success with regard to youth, they drew up, still holding the meotinir, a memorial to the Archbishop of Paris. Ozanam was full of his subject, ideas crowded upon him and rushed from his lips as from a spring. The two friends wrote, and in a kind of reciprocal dictation, by a rapid and animated exchange of m 91 thoiij^'hts and expressions, in wltidi O/anani almost always liad th<' initiative, tiiey en(lea\(»fed to formulate, in elear and precise terms, eaeh of the tpiestions that thev tliouijht im}»ortant to be treated on, ajul wliieh, almost all, related to tlu' social role of tlie Church. A fair L'o\)y of this memorial, or lather i)roijramme, was then drawn ii)) and immediately sent to M<,M'. de (^urh-n. It is not known what Kecanie of this. The Univcrs of th<> Sth Februaiy published th(» order for the Conferences of Notre Dame. They were given durin;.; the Lent of IH.'U, to an immense crowd of men of every age and rank, by tlie seven preachers a})pointed. At the same time, but at different hours, the Abb*' Lacordaire gave his tirst Conferences in the chapel of the Stanislaus College. They were frequented by young peoplo especially. They concluded with an appt-al to the charity oi the audience, in favor of a poor artist, who was a cripple at thirty years of age. and visited by the young painter Janmot, in his character of nn'mber of the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. The Conference of charity felt the efi'ect of the activity and ardor of the youth who thus flocked to the foot of the Christian pulpits. At their first nuM^ting in May, 1833, the members were placed under the patronage of Haint Vincent de Paul. On the 4th February, 1834, at the suggestion of Leprevost, they placed tliemselves still more specially under the protection of that great Saint, by adding to the prayer l^eni Sancte the invocation Sanctc Vinccnti a Paulo, ora pro nobis, and by resolving to celebrate in future his feast of the 19th July every year. At the same meeting, Ozanam requested that the Society might bo placed under the protection of the Most Blessed Virgin also, by choosing one of her feasts to honor her in a special manner. Lhermite proposed the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The two suggestions were unanimously adopted and the Ave Maria added to the prayers for the meeting. After the Lent of 1834, the number of members was more than doubled. A touching ceremoDV oo ill li: took place which gave a fresh goad to their enthusiasm. On Sunday, April 1."Uh, IS-'U, the anniversary of the translation of the relics of St. Vincent de Paul was to be celebrated in the chapel of the Lazarists, Rue de Sevres. A new silver reliquary, richly ornamented, had been prepared to receive the l)ody of the Saint. These veneral)le remains, piously preserved for nearly two centuries, after the Revolution of ITi^^O, had l)e«'n taken out of their reli(juary in order to conceal them from profanation. The reliquary only had been destroyed. Tlie remains were placed for the time in a room or sacristy contiguous to the chapel of the La/arists, behind the altar. j\I. liailly, President of the Conference, obtained permission for them to visit, on the eve of the ceremony, the relics of the Saint whom they had chosen as their patron. Delighted at this fa\or, about sixty of tlie members went to the Lar;arist's chapel on the morning of the 12th of April. After having heard Mass, they went into the next room, where the bodv was clothed in itn sacerdotal vestments. It was quite easy to see the features and profile of the face, beneatli the veil that covered them. All present knelt and prayed with great recollection. Then each person advanced in turn to kiss the feet of him who, like his Divine Master, had gone about doing good on the earth. In presence of these holy relics, the thoughts of the young associates ascended without d'tHculty to the invisible world, whence the glorious soul of their Patron Saint could see and bless them. On the 6th May, 18.'U, at the request of Soeur Rosalie, several members were appointed to go and teach spelling to three young workmen, in a house in the Rue de Yaugirard. On the 27th of the following May, the members of the Conference made it a point to join the procession of Corf us C/iristi, in the town of Nanterre. The parish priest, being informed of their intention, was good enough to approve of it, and to express his gratitude at this act of public edification. It was renewed the following years of 18.55 and 1836, at Nanterre and Batignolles. 23 The success of tliese little associations naturally niacU' the members anxious to extend them, and multiply iheir fruits. Tliey felt themselves, no douVjt in a very humlde manner, useful to the poor, and, above all, useful to themselves. Faith, pi<"ty, every good and pure alt'ection of the human heart found food in these Christian relations amongst young men, who eould give free scope to all the enthusiasm of their age, under the guidance of a man essentially good, calm and prudent. Thev tlierefore felt the necessity of widening the sphere of their action, and from time to time this became apparent from the conversation of several of them. Thus, on Holy Thursday, March 27, 1834, La Taillandier and Lallier agreed to meet at Ozanam's, to discuss a project of a grand association of good works, which would comprise the provinces as well as Paris. But the unexpected arrival of otlier visitors preventeil the three friends from examining the sul>ject thoroughly. On the other hand, the Conference meetings, which had become large, no longer presented the charm of the early intimacy. The long distribution of the tickets, more rarely accompanied with details of the families visited, was losing much of its interest. They willingly allowed themselves the pleasure of a private chat with those sitting near them. The meeting of the 24tli of April, 1834, liad certainly made those inconveniences more manifest, for, on leaving the Conference, at nearly ten o'clock in the evening, Ozanam, Devaux and Lallier consulted together for more than an hour, walking on the Place du Pantht'on. For the first time they asked each other if it would not be desirable to divide the Conference into sections, in each of which they would know each other better, and when it would be possible to have again the charm and intimacy of earlier times. The solution to that question was not given until the following year. It was debated more than once, without, however, the project of extending the Society to the provinces being lost sight of. On the 10th of June, 1^34, Ozanam presented to the Conference a former companion who was^ 24 i i visiting Paris, M. Carnier of Niinos, who had expressed a wish to attend one of the meetings. This meeting was of ordinary interest. There was nothing unusual except the giving in of a sum of thirty-tive francs by a brother, a pupil of M. Ingres. It was the result of a special collection in the master's worksliop, for the poor of the Conference. The meeting over, M. Carnier thanked the members for their brotherly reception, saying that lie had resolved to establish at Nimes a meeting of young meii, exactly similar to that which he had just witness- ed. In the beginning of the year 183;") he realized his project. On the 19th of June, 1('^."U, in consequence of a kind of orticial conmiunication from M. Bailly, M. I'Abbe Faudet, who for several months had l^een kept current with the works of the Society, consented to come to one of the meetings, which, for his convenience, was tixed for Friday, June 27, instead of Tuesday, the usual day. The meeting went off as usual, with the addition of a report read by M. de Lanoue, on the works of the Conference since the beginning of the scholastic year. He stated, amongst other things, that the expenditure, the chief part of which consisted of the distribution of tickets to the poor, amounted to 1, 101 francs. When M. I'Abbe Faudet came to the meeting, his countenance, which was habitually serious, almost severe, seemed full of care. It soon l)rightened in the presence of the frank, simple attrac- tions of this assemblage of young men, and it was with real cordiality that M. Faudet wound up the meeting with a few- words of paternal encouragement. The general satisfaction proved itself l)y the collection, which was fifty francs. At that time there was a house of correction for young l)risoners in the Rue des (In's, in the vicinity of the schools. The majority of those children were devoid of religion and good principle, and were almost completely abandoned to themselves, especially with regard to religion. One of the members, Leprevost, concei\ed the idea of giving the first elements of Christian instruction, in the hope of forming in them an upright intelligence and will on this basis. He m rming mooted tliis to his brothers, several of whom offered to second him. But to penetrate into the house it would he necessar- to obtain the authority of the president of the civil tribunal, who at that time was a M. de Belleyme, and none of the young members had any means of approaching him. After some time they discovered some one who knew a friend of M. de Bellyme. Negotiations were entered into by i»ieans of this medium. M. de Bellyme received the overtures with great kindness, and, at the end of the month of July, ltS34, granted the desired permission. The work of the instruction of the young prisoners was immediately tried. Le Prevost, Ozanam, J.amacho and Le Taillandier devoted themselves especially to it. With the majority of these poor children, Lamach(> says in his report of 1842, they found the most utter ignorance of the elementary ideas of religion, and others were already advanced ill impiety ; they saw there those prodigies that Paris boasts of. Atheists of lifteon years of age, who are wonderfully conversant with their philosophy, and answered a <[uestion from the Catechism with a jest from Voltaire. Despite the little consolation offered to the mendjers of the Conference, who went every week and shut themselves up for hours in this moral lazar house, they continued their lessons for more than two years, until the young prisoners were transferred from the Rue des Gres to the prison of the Madelonnettes, at the other extremity of Paris. The work of the young prisoners was replaced later on, at the l)eginning of 18.S6, by the work of the orphan apprentices of St. Vincent de Paul. The vacation of 1834 did not interrupt the visiting of the l>oor. From this time forward, several of the members were living in Paris and did not leave it, and amongst them was Le Prevost, a little older than his brothers, and of uncertain health, but with whom zeal made up for want of strength. At the end of the scholastic year, the absent Iiad only to resume their place at the common fireside. Tiie meetings 26 had not been discontinued. Tliev broujjht l)ack numerous fri»-nds from the provinces. Ozanani had written on the 15th October, 1834, " We shall bring you a band of good Lyonese to Paris, who will swell all our meetings, though, truth to say, I no longer hold to the History Conference but as a means of recruiting the Conference of Charity/' He kept his word, and from November to December, 1834, the number of members quickly exceeded a hundred. The inconveniences which had already been felt by several niemV)ers, at the time of the first increase, then became so sensiV)le, that it was necessary to resume the project of dividinn' the Conference into several sections. Brought before the meeting of December the 16th at the suggestion of Ozanam, many opposed it. The principal objection was the impossi- bility of having M. Bailly to preside at the different sections. He had received the growing Society into his house, had guided it, lavishing his advice on its first efforts. They were accustomed to his direction, his presidency seemed indispens- able, and they feared that the sections that would l)e deprived of it might languish and be dissolved. These objections pi'evented any resolution being adopted. Fifteen days afterwards, on the 30th December, Arthaud renewed the proposal to divide themselves into sections. A <-(>nnnittee was formed to examine into it. On the next day, 31st of Decem))er, the conmiittee met, and such was the interest that attached to the ([uestion, that several members, although not belonging to this committee, went there, and f'ven took^part in the discussion. It was a warm one. The project of division, sustained l>y Ozanam, was combated -eai'nestly by Brae de la Pei-riere. Le Taillandier feared above all the great blow that would l)e given to the friendly relations estal)lishpd between the members, by a separation : he could not restrain his tears at the idea of it. The meeting continued ; opposition of \\\e ditlerent vi(nvs and general emotion were only increasing, when the clock struck midnight. At the sound of the New-Yeai-, M. Bailly, very much moved himself, rose and said : ■27 " For soiiu* time past, this uncertainty and tlu'se dissensions liave shaken my liealtli very much ; I feel unable to continue them. A new year is beginning ; let us embrace each other, and leave to me the care of making suitable arrangements to give satisfaction to all." At these simple words, all the members rose and embraced each other cordially, ^vith reciprocal wishes for happiness. On the following Tuesday, January Gth, IS.'k^, two new committees were a})pointed by M. Bailly. One consisted of the partizans of the division, and the other of its adversai'ies. They held several meetings, especially on the 27th of January, in which both concluded to form two sections, l)oth of which should be held in .M. Baiily's hous<'. Each section should have its special meeting, devoted to the disti'ibutioii of tickets ; then the mem])ers of both sections would lu^kl a general meeting to vote extraordinary relief, and to deliberate on the admission of new candidates, and for the collections. They hoped in this way to do away with the painfulness of separation. Following this idea, M. Bailly announced at the meeting of the 24tli of February, the division of the Conference into two sections, who would meet the following week in two different rooms. One of these sections would bo formed of the members who visited the poor in the twelfth arrondissement^ and in the city ; the other, of the members who visited the poor of tlie thirteenth and first arroudissemeuts. The poor of the first arrofidissejnent were then confided to the brothers who lived ill the district of St. Phillippe du Roule, among whom was Clave, who, despite the distance, went every week to the Conference, Rue de I'Estrapade. M. Bailly, continuing as president of the Society, appointed Ozanam vice-president of the first section, and Brae de la iVrri^re secretary. Levassor was vice president of the second section, at least the minutes say so,* and de Thury was Levassor never appears to have fulfiiled those functions, in <.onselace at the meeting then being held. On the 16th of the previous June, Le Taillandier had succeeded Lallier as President of the St. Jacques section ; and .Maul>out had replaced Leprevost in the St. Germain section. On the 19th July, iS.So, all the sections of the Society met in the chapel of the Lazarists, to celebrate the feast of their patron saint. A great number of members went to iloly Communion at the nine o'clock High Mass. They went again to vespers at half-past two. The general meeting was held at eight o'clock in the evening, in their usual hall. It was during the year 1835, that they began forming a Jibrary and clothing depot for the poor. 80 The vacation was approaclnng. and, as in othor years, would necessarily recall the majority of the youug members to their families. But, in each section a surticient number of members would remain to do the visiting of the poor unin- terruptedly. M. Bailly, President General, was able, at the me^eting of September 29tli, that is to say, in the height of the holidays, to give an account of the start" and works of the two sections of St. Phillippe du Roide and Bonne Neuville, to th( united sections of St. Jac(|ues and St. Germain. At the same time that it was thus becoming strengthened and extended, the Soci(!ty was beginning to be known, although its rule was not to seek publicity. At the meeting of the lOtli February, 18.']."), it had received, besides a n(^w visit from M. Le Cure of St. Etienne du Mont, that of M. Pissin-Sieanl, the adopted son of ]M. I'Abbe Sicard, and director of a deaf and dumb institution in Belgium. On the following Tuesday, March ."^Oth, M. de Rainneville came to ask addresses of heads of workshops, where it would be possible to place in perfect security apprentices or workmen coming from tlu^ country. On the 15th of April, the brothers who were directing the Christian School of the Rue St. Martin wanted willing voung men to aid them at the evening adult classes. Le Taillandier and Esteve offered themselves for this mission. On the 28th May, the same brothers made another request. This time they wanted short addresses after the music class on Sunday evening. On the 16th June, a sum cf 250 francs was given to the Society for the poor. It consisted if 20 francs sent by M. i'Abbe Auge, director of tho Stanislaus College; 30 francs, the product of a collection maie at a meeting of ^oung men ; and 200 francs sent by the pupils of the College of Juill\ . Towards the end of the year 1835, the number of members, admitted since the beginning, reached the figure of two hundred amd fifty. 11* e moment seemed opportune for a regular organi- 31 zation. When tho holidays wore over, al' meml)e s met agiiii in Paris, and M. I^ailly resolved to give a regular written rule to the Society of Charity. He charged Lai ier to draw it up, resolving to himself the writing of the preliminar} retiections. He, at the same time, endeavoured to oblaiu special room in the fauhourg St. Germain, where tlie section of the same name miglit hoiiceforth meet, and form, witli the Conferences of ^i. Pliiliippe r\i Itoule and l^oune-Xeuville and tho section St. Jacques, four branches of the same stock, entirely distinct. This room was kindly given, in the house occupied hy the Society of St. Francis Kegis, Rue Cassette, at the corner of the Rue de Vaugirard, by M. Gossin, its President, to whom the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, of which, later on, he was to become President (General, was at that time unknown. He admitted the section Saint Germain, only on the condition that it would be presided over by Chauraud, who was personally known to him, as a member of the Society of St. Francis Regis. On the 8th December, 1835, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and one of those celebrated by the Soci«>ty, M. I'ailjy placed the rule before the general meeting, it being preceded by the reading of the preliminary considerations