The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-02

a hope, to commit our soul 70 tho Lord, say
ing to Him: Patev, in asa,ssss taas commend
. spjritwM Hsewnsl
d Bsnsdistio Do; Omn;possss;s, etc.
Scenes In China.
Il The Marquis de Beauvoir has recently
!, published in London narrative Of hi
travels round the world, from which w
. extract the following striking account O
!, the work of the Holy Infancy in China---iti
evil and remedy:
Suddenly, as we were fastening alone
the muddy, lonely path whieh skirted the e
, ruins, we saw, three PAGES from us, lying
on the grass beaten down by the foot, a
little basket made of mating with the
opening sewed up; something. seemed TO
/ move inside it; we cut 1t open with knife
!, and found poor little naked creature,
frozen and blue with cold, about twenty
four hours old; as soon as the light fell
upon it, it set up a plaintive wall; in an.
other moment this was answered by fresh
cries coming from o neighboring bush,
where another infant was struggling in its
death agony. This one had apparently
been thrown over the wall, for it seemed 70
have its bones broken. We soon found,
within space of 500 yards alongside this
path, seven dying children only few hours
| old; some were attacked with leprosy,
others almost completely frozen one had
been stabbed in the side with q knife.
We discovered another, with the death
given to it. frankly confess, and apollo
! gize to the missionaries for the fact, that
never really believed in the exposure of
Chinese infants = but can no longer
be surprised at the number of 10000 or
q, 600, at which, il / remember rightly,
khxa An,na 10 nf L., - H. U-:lI
estimate the number OF children exposed
annually in China.
The remedy follows:
There is humble wooden hut, almost in
ruins, in which we were received by Mgr.
Guillemin, the Bishop Of Canton. This
venerable prelate resembles in person st.
Vincent de Paul, and his gentle impressive
speech in our own tongue won our hearts
which will be the most beautiful Christian |
edifice in China. . On this very spot |
was the palace Of the famous Governor
Yeh. =" Already it offers remedy for
many sufferings. The Bishop, taking us to
the end of the enclosure, opened the door
hall, superintendent by Sister of Charity,
where We could not at first understand the
meaning of twenty wooden troughs; over
all were spread coarse, dark colored cover
ings. When the Sister raised these, we
saw more than $50 little children living
there in rows. 1t was three weeks harvest.
Some looked lively, but the greater number
were livid twelve or fifteen were at the
point of death, four had Just died, And
while we stood their lifeless bodies were
carried off at once from amongst their
brethren in misfortune. Poor little inno-
cents, who died almost as soon as they
were born, and who might live if their in
famous parents did not throw then, ont in
The cold upon the stony roads. Worse still,
t is said that the Chinese give them strong
liquor to drink before exposing them, and
his is what causes 80 many deaths.
In passing, we may suggest, from a
Christian point of view, how much happier
8 the lot of those who die almost as soon
g they are born" than those who olive
nd live to die eternally )" they have not
eaven, that is certain, but yet, dying be-
ore they actually sin, they have not the
aims of hell. 1t must have keen their lot
ad they lived. For how can we hope for o
he salvation of adults where the first die
ates of natural religion are thus violated b
The writer continues: I
Every morning the. Christian Chinese 9
women, brought up by the Sisters, 90 ont v
With basket, and these s'children gather
RS" go through the lanes in the suburbs, =
ear the bushes, walls and waste lands, to =
lick up the little children whom they find :
east injured. At first the Chinese were
cry ready to sell their superfiuous children: {
nut they have since given up the practice,
rritated at seeing other people bring ing up | p
hose who should have been their special R
harge. If there were more funds to
,ay the "coliectors,n and to rear those
' hom they find, and, above all, to increase t
he number of French Sisters, hundreds of o
children would be received here daily. for Z
he practice of exposure is extending its II
melancholy devastations like stain Of oil.
On the Threshold of this enclosure.
where Yeh formerly drew up lists of 100
men to be decapitated in one night, there
now register of entries kept by French
Bishop for all the Chinese children whom
le seeks to recall to life; and here are
tatistics stronger than my poor words,
which show the number reclaimed in the
asst twelve months: :
In one year 44s3 children have been re-
;eived, baptized and cared for here. The
earch has cost EGG, which makes about
ID. a head (the cost of pound of wool in
Australia). The staff employed within the q
sylum consists of four French Sisters. fif. :
cen Chinese Sisters thirty opnbap cy;rle