The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-13

The Catholic Missions In Northern Michigan.
We translate from the Journal de BrWreLles the
following interesting letter, descriptive Of the labors
of the Catholic missionaries amongst the Indians OF
Northern Michigan, w bas been addressed to 1t
by NJ. Frederic Baraga, Bishop Of Amizon and Vicar
Apostolic OF that district
quilted my nativs country, Austria in $780, for the
missions OF America, and have rem.iDsd svsr since
among the Indaas Of Michigan. ! went nrst amongst
the 0tawas whore remained about I'VE years. and In
roduosd into the bosom Of the Church. with the Of
me An Powerful BY conversion and bAptsm, more than
For the last eighteen years have been continually in
mission amongst the Ghppswas Tor rAthsr the 0:chip
wss on the shores Of Lake SUPERIOR In Northern Mchi
gan My d. st station ~ Lspointe (Which belongs 1t
present 10 the State Of Wise whore arrived in the
g n At the time speak o. vast desert No Catholic
missionary I'd SCI his foot there before my arrival
the time of the old Jssuits After
efforts and ny struggling against ell sorts Of obstacles
privAtons and disuities succeeded In establishing
mission. also built large church, house for the
missionary and several wooden houses for the converted
Indians resided IT Lapointe upvaies OF eight years.
and had the Of rscevipg into the pale Of the
breeds BY the after tenn Is meant tn. desc, ndants Of
Cansdsrs and Iadian women, and they are generally
speaking reared like the IndiAns
In ls4s Quilted the mission OF Laponte and other
mission took charge of it, vent TO Anse email In
dian village close TO Lake Superior where priest ha
whole Indian in stats OF intoxioaon the result Of
renen' wit Of eome greedy traders who had be- bar
erng strong liquors against peltry and salt ash Every
savage in the place, man, and child, under
tho influence OF drink and nothing was to be seen or
heard put herce contests blood ding csmouissal
keep Of tia way sevsraI days until the pa
OF thes exciting had exhausted self the In
vers.d for long time them ~tboat success but 1t
last they conf led what ths Indians prize most
this world their children, which tnty permitted me to
When you have got the children OF tho Iaaisus you
have mold Of thu dams themselves After the children,
the first OF the favsges who sorcarsr OF
great repu son whose predcl,ons, second sight and
other extrAor dinary gifts 1t impossible to explain
otherwise thsn by the agency Of the evil spirit himself
Tie possessed grea authority ca mp aud still sxsr.
cises It, but be r f-rvent christian he ,ormer
b appeared obstinate 10 his 'dolatry His exampls had
powe!ful enect, AID unable TO bud houses fast
snou gh for tbs converts Indians however, managed
to construct thirty good dwellings besides chnrea aud
st upwards OF hundrst Indians Who have
beep converted TO Jssu, Christ In this mission In
ott sr Rave endasvored to initiate what ths reverend
fathers Of the Society Of Jesus had successfully prao
tstG in Paraguay
Now tho missions OF which have spoken are inoreas
log in snel In two Ways; 10 the frat pace beosuse
the number Of births greatly exceeds that Of deaths
Battles and drunkenness longer contribute to the de
aructioI Of the red man esn safely affirm that there
Ia rot drupkArd amongst the converted Indans 10 the
next because the latter endeavor to attract round them
their relatives and friends who still wandering In the
woods
II from this spot tn humble msioa Of Anss that
Divine Providence summoned to take uArgs only
OF one but OF all the missions 10 Michigan IS their
priacipsl pastor and bishop.
The OF Al &C. which Is still. gradually on the in
crease IL A. prsfent cora ed to the Of the Rev.
Angsus Van Pss mel clersJ greatly beloved by the
indians, aid who is thoroughly acquainted with the
| Otchip~s language.
Ths drst years that passed ~ Ause was nployed
entirely in the ,f,r, OF tn. Indian Mission, Is nsd
been st LApone during my stay there preached and
taught In tho adisn language and kept regular school
But Ia 1Sib, ,hs discovery OF the copper mines In
Nor heIn Michigan, and tbs Introduction Of large
Der OF nainsrs incutrg Hish, Car adisn and German
-.thoiics, extended the Acid OF my opersons. When
raN those po,r Catholics de prvsd OF tbs blessings and
consultations Of our holy religion, begaa to undertake
pisii ne to the mines-sometimss TO the district Of
Point Kiwsnhw, sometimes to that OF 0ntepasan.
visited each district three four times rear and de-
vod generally tnree weeks to tour of all thu mines Ia
each Of them, Da ing the 6rst years my visits
tutolent but so N the mir es bsgsn to multiply Ia
sss aud population so thst my own abors Is mssIeu.
AIRY no longer sucsd for the spiritual wants Of the
Catholics Of those districts and began TO feel PAL fully
the want Of iditiorsl priests.
Tbis penury OF missionaries struck most iorcibly
during the last visit which paid the Mines In tbs
August nd September OF s year The increase In the
Rop1sh1n OF Lake sspser an more particularly OF
frey wonderful In my ether visits had rsry from
Twelve 20 fifteen neS born children t. baptis, and
though, the proportion large On the occasion Of my
iAst Welt bApused hfys who had all been born ia
the interval that hsd sed from visit TO ans.ber
1t is truly deploraole to many Catholics deprived
Of all that is holy and cansoirs in religion In
witnessing this dsarth OF spiritual aid especially OF
lass years. have reason bls,s the proycencs OF God
which NJ Affords ne an opportunity Of suooorng the
long neglected Catholics OF Northern Michigan
Iboss p.or Catholics a's urgently css,rous to have
prests sno tre wiling To support them In proper
Ier But they rot to be found in America All tie
Auercsn bshops complain OF the Of priests owrg
AMI ccntiHusl immigration This Is the reason OF my
coming to Europe to s'ek for priess Aai great de-
quickly as possible has made me thu 9,.os i'm,
mstiHely after my sarston, Ca sail my s.ch
bishop and oonseersor co. you have other means OF
providing for the s,iritul wants OF yopr diocesars