The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1870-10-09
The Paulists and their Founder.

the following sketch from
VoodhuU d. ClaHin's Weekly, published in
New York under somewhat peculiar au-
spices, and which pays Its regards to Ca
tholic matters occasionally. Although
pretty liberal, it's Protestant bias crops out
in it's assertion that the Paulists "machinery
is the stolen thhnder of the Protestant
Press" But to the article:
On Fifty ninth street, between Ninth
and Tenth avenues, stands the church and
monastery of St. Paul. The place is
known to the world of New Workers as the
ssHouse of the Panlist Fathers" Whoever
comes to New Y ok and is thrown in con
tact with the most intellectual classes OF
Catholics is sure to hear ot this chnrch ana
monastery and father Hecker, its founders
1t is a handsome stone structure, bulltIn
modern Romanesque style, surrounded by
beautiful grounds, and commanding a
view of Central Park. Among the bright
flower parterres within the enclosure can
the plants or cullipg flowers iar the affairs,
the black cassocked forms of the high bred,
intellectual priests and monks, whose
home and headquarters are here. They
are all, with two or three exceptions, con-
yerts to CatbolIcity i; they are all men of
cuiture and men whose vaulting ambitions
and aims would be high and daring were
they not moulded to the nobler end of self
sacrifice. They are men to whom the re
licion of Jesus has become the romance of
their lives. Most of them are from families
of ample means, whose sons could COM
mand the usual qualifications of young
Americans of the wealthier classes; but
who have forsaken every ordinary am
bition for the nobler one OF treading the
thorny path Of self-abnegation as soldiers
of the Cross. The columns OF that able
periodical Tie Catholic World, are filed, or
largely u piled, by the suggestive ideas of
these, priests. Their Superior is its editor
and also the Director of the Catholic Publ
cation Society. He is the popular and re-
uowued Father Hecker, the brother OF
George and John Hecker, two men whose
names on " all street or at the Stock EX-
change or Cold loom are as well known
as that of Vanderbilt or Fisk or A. Il.
Stewart, aud whuse large fortunes We're
made by the same lndomtabie energy and
perseverance, that have crowned tDclI
brothers high cndtavor with the only sue
cess he coveted, tho monks cowl and cas-
sock and the seii-sacriiice demanded foi
the monastery cetl. But readers who take
note OF the Important events transpiring al
the present day wlll observe the fact that
the ancient church is putting American
machinery into ber ark of the centuries
and they will recognize the hanc
of one master mind in the work
and in thut mind the cool German
intellect OF Isaac Hccker. Some OF
this American machinery is the stoler
thunder of the Protestant press. The four
page tract as the companion of the steam
boat ride they have used most effectively
the Sunday school, with its inspiring
hymns, is another the lecture room Is an
other ;-and what is the consequence .
this progressive activity and adaptation
to the wants OF the agef Converts from
the highest class of thinkers are turnin:
Romeward every year. 1t is not SO muci
the number as the quality OF the convert
which the Old Church is making tina
astonishes us.
But let us see where the founder of thi
truly progressive and American Order o
Priests was trained for the work III whicl
we fad him engaged, the establishment o
q community whose aim Is to make tn
printing press the auxiliary of the fait
and exponent of the stately decorums ant
symboIlcal ceremonies of Rome; for no on
will deny that those decorums an
ceremonies are csscpti " Roman III thcl
Origin .r'd char.cle'.
Isaac uccker Was u young baker oi NeN
York: his parents were German. N
family were estimable, vlrtuous and attec
tionatc in their characteristics. The tire
brothers, George, John and Isaac, wer
deeply attached to each slther, aud bega
business at an early age as bakers, work
ing at their own kneading trougbs an
ovens. But Isaac was not u man to Zee
his mind from embracing the whole wld
range of human thought while making on
at his loavcs. He nailed his algebra to tn
wall above his trough, that he might trai
his intellect W hlle at work. But this train
ing was for the purpose of assisting hiu
in the solution of the ever-recurrjD
thoughts, what is mani Whence came he