The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-04-13
MADAME FeIIer.

The Canadian papers have recently record
ed the death and funeral of Madame Feller,
Swiss lady who came 10 this continent
many years ago and established Protestant
mission school not far distant from ST. Johns
city in Lower Canada. A Swiss clergyman
preceded her, but after laboring short time
he left the field 1t has been truly said that
there is something sublime in the idea ofa
great soul wholly consecrated to one
OBJECT and spending long life in its ae-
compiishment. Madame Feller possessed
such SOUL and she lett her sweet home
among the romantic hills of Switzerland and
came to Grand Ligne in Canada, fat coun-
try and entiIely destitute OF that wild and
beautiful scenery which characteIizes the
landscape of her native land. But she fully
believed in her religion and was willing to
undergo many hardships and deprivations for
the sake of converting the French Catholics
in Canada to its doctrines. The salvation
OF the French Canadian people was the one
object of her life, and most industriousy did
she labor for it under tie most discouraging
circumstances. ,
uhCh EoldOlSIeu ueE uISSlCQ ING
French habitans were strongly welded to
their religion, and the Catholic priests had
unlimited influence over them. But nothing
daunted, here she commenced her labors and
persevered till the grave closed upon her
earthly career. The spot she selected was
most uninviting one, and strangely in contrast
with her native home. The people were
poor farmers and cultivated the soil as their
fathers had done almost two hundred years
previous. They did not keep step with the
improvements of the age, but used the clum-
sy and inconvenient farming tools their an
cestors had used ever since the Jesuits came
to the country. They did not hall plow their
lands and used no manure although it was
lying in heaps about their barns. But they
were prudent people and saved every thing,
selling what was suitable to sell to pay the
priest, and making puddings from the blood
of their hogs. Madame Feller had every
thing to contend against, yet she never relax
ed her exertions in what she believed 10 be
good cause. The Catholic religion exactly
suited the French minds. Not far distant
from her mission was French village called
Acadia, where there were two churches-if
we mistake nct-and the French priests were
not very austere, but lively and pleasant, al
lowing their folio 6ers to play ball after at
tending church. And one Of the old priests
of that rather pretty village would fiddle for
them TO dance alter church hours. He was
a jolly man and one after their hearts. Such
were the people among whom Madame Eel
Ter established her mission.
Several years ago visited her establishment,
and took dinner with her and her pupils. She
had erected quite large and commodious
building with tower and a bell. A few
acres of ground were enclosed where she rails
ed vegetables and cultivated flowers. As has
been already said the land was level as q
floor in that region, and Madame Feer long
ed for hills and mountain scenery, and years
before she had commenced making hill near
her building that she might have one thing
to gaze upon that would elevate her feelings
in that fiat region. Her pupils and others
wheeled dirt and rubbish and piled on brush
for years to make an elevation on that fat
ground, and they had succeeded so well in the
work that quite little mountain rose up be-
fore Madame Feller's gaze which highly srati-
fed her.
Her funeral called forth many tokens of
warm affection and profound respect. Several
clergymen from Montreal and Quebec ofici-
ated on the mourntul occasion, sonse sIeak-
ing her praise in French and others in the
English language. They spoke of her deep
piety, of her missionary spirit and her burn
ing zeal for the salvation of souls, and espe-
cially for the conversion and salvation of
OF French Catholics she consecrated all her
great powers and energies, She was buried
n the Mission Cemetery which is on a gently
rising ground, shaded by trees, and where a
number of the Missions converts have been
buried whose graves are marked by handsome
tombstones. 1t is an interesting spot and
many pilgrimage will hereafter be made to
it to see Madame Feller's grave and to shed
tears over it. She was but little known to
the great mass of the French Canadian peo-
pie; yet the time will come when her loving
labors will be appreciated and her memory
revered bY the whole OF the nationality to
whose highest interests her life was conse-
Grated.
AGRICoLA.