Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-10-11

A good man died in Boston last Saturday
night. The Rev. George f. Haskins, pas
tor of st. Stevens Catholic Church, and rec.
tor of the House of the Angel Guardian,
Boston Highlands, to whose decease we re-
fer, was certainly as noble an evidence of the
hight to which heart imbued with the love
of God and man may rise in this life, as any
individual we ever had the privilege to
know. Born of an old Boston family, rear
ed in afiuence aud educated at Harvard, he
hao devoted his entire life and fortune, first as
an Episcopal minister, and afterwards as a
Catholic priest, to the alienation of the suf-
ferings Of mankind. Especially has be
sought to save the poor boys Of the city, or
phans and those abandoned by their parents,
from the evil influences under which they
almost necessarily fall. 1t is no exaggsra-
ton to say that thousands Of respectable
and useful citizens in all parts of the country
owe their present prosperity and happiness
to the charity of Father Haskins who took
them from the streets, educated and cared
for them, and set them forth in life quail
fed under his faithful training and tuition,
to become what they are. Since the estab-
lishment of the House of the Angel Guards
an nearly FIVE thousand boys have been re-
ceived, educated and sent out to good homes,
and to trades and professions The care Of
the boys was always labor of love to Fa-
Their Haskins, and the great benefits result
ing from the establishment Of the House
both to the boys and to the community, are
incalculable.
The editor of the FARMER was
for several years physician to Father
Haskins' asylum, and had ample opportuni-
ty of witnessing the zeal, gentleness and
skill with which he led his young charges
into the pathways Of knowledge and virtue
Every boy loved him as father, and under
his peculiar influence the discipline of three
or four hundred boys picked up from the
streets of Boston was conducted without the
least severity, and seemed, indeed, to be self.
enforcing. Not only was this large colec'
ton Of boys, from six to fourteen years old
fed. clothed and educated, but their iudivid
ual happiness was looked TO, and amuse
ments were provided suitable to their vary
ing ages. One Of the great attractions at thu
House was the fine brass band, composed en-
drely Of the larger boys, whose music a
concerts given in Boston and elsewhere at
tracted the largest audiences for whom hall
room could be obtained. The talents Of tn,
boys were cultivated and drawn out in vari
GUS ways, so that among them specia
genius was developed. Many fine mu
sicians were formed there, and some strikin,
orators received the ifst elements of the
art from Father Haskins. 1t is not alone il
mechanical cupations that the boys Of tn
"Guardian Angel" are to be found. Promi
nent young professional and business men
east and west, are proud to ackDowedg
their Indebtedness to the good man for thei
, first hopeful start in life. Father Haskini
was, in short, a practical Christian,-on o
those men who, in whatever church they ar
found, save the Christian faith from re
proach, and prove to the world the power o
religion over the soul of man to ennoble it anc
make it Godhke. Father Haskins was 81
years of age at the time of his death.