Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-12-19

| O colony and accepting the donation of a
| farm from benevolent family entered upon
his new enterprise in 1899 with dozen fol-
lowers, having first constructed rude chapel
out of the trees of the forest In order TO
attract settlers, he soon after purchased a
large tract Of territory, which was apportioned
| iuto small farms, at scarcely more than NOM
nal prices. Many of them were given graf
uitously to German immigrants, whom his
enterprise had attracted. To meet his nu-
merous engagements, he counted on large
patrimony, his father being now dead. But
the Emperor of Russia could not pardon such
an apostacy in the sons of one of the most
princely mobiles of his court, and in 1903 the
missionary received from his friends the fol-
lowing note -
The question of your rights, and of those
of the princess your sister, on the estates of
your father in Russia, has been examined by
the Senate of St. Petersburg, and it has been
decided that, by reason of your Catholic t ith,
and your ecclesiastical profession. you cannot
be permitted to partake of the property OF
your deceased father. Your sister is, there
fore, sole heir of the estates The Council of
State has confirmed the decision of the Senate.
and the Emperor, by his sanction, has given
it the force of law"
Nevertheless, the princess, Marie Anne,
PROMISED 10 acCOru 10 ulin HIS pOf-
tion and at different times actually did remit
to him considerable sums of money, which he
consecrated to the payment of his obligations,
and the wants of the poor under his care.
The sister, however, ultimately married, and
all hope of receiving the promised inheritance
was cut off, though he might have recovered
it by returning to his family and country.
Preferring the rep oach of his chosen profess
sion, the faithful pastor cheerfully adapted
himself to his new condition, imposed upon
himself many austerities, lived in an humble
log cabin, and devoted all his energies to the
instruction of the mountaineers, whom he had
drawn about him. often making long Journeys
among the intermediate forests in the pursuit
of his vocation He found time also to pur-
sue his studies, and published several tracts
in defence of his faith, which have gone
through numerous editions in both Europe
and America.
This venerable patriarch of the Ailegheneys
had renounced with the other princely privi-
leges of his birth, his family name and title,
and was known during the forty-one years of
his laborious missionary life, as the Rev. Mr..
Smith He died at Loretto. village that he
had founded in the mountains in May, 1910,
leaving" in the language of his friend and
colleague, the Rev. Mr.. Heyden, '' ten thou
sand Christian professors where he found
twelve" In founding his colony he expended
the sum of $50, 900 francs, received at vari-
Gus times from his sister. A suitable monu-
ment in the place of his death marks the graf
itude of the people whom he SO faithfully
served. They are chiefly Germans.
By recent Papal brief, learn that the
Benedictine monastery at St. Vincent de La
trobe, in Pennsylvania, has been raised to the
dignity of an abbey and the Rev Boniface is
named the first Abbe-Mitre (mitred-abbot.)
This institution was founded only nine years
ago, by this same abbot, accompanied by if-
teen associates (friars), and to-day he counts
his jurisdiction five monasteries and one
hundred and fifty Benedictines. The prog
ress Just now of the Roman Church in the
United States is regarded here with more than
usual satisfaction.