The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-11
THE LATE BISHOP BACON.
FULL ACCOUNT OF THE 0BsEQUIEs,
EULOGT BY ARCHBISHOP Nc
CLOSKEy.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES

late of the Portland diocese, Rt. Rev. BislIol
Bacon, which took place yesterday from tn
hours of 10 o'clock a. m. to p. NJ, were OF tn
most imposing and impressive character
Long before the doors of the Cathedral wer
opened, throng of impatient people numbere
by thousands had gathered around the entran
ces. At half past nine O'Clock probably no
less than ten thousand men, women and chill
dren were in the immediate vicinage of the
edifice where the ceremonies were to take
place, and not one fourth of that number
could find even standing room within the
structure, SO that it is safe to say -fourths
of the number who desired to witness the i'm
posing ceremonies were disappointed.
The cathedral presented very animated as
pect at the opening of the services. The real
slips were filled to repletion by the surgins
multitude, and the reserved seats were occu-
pied by officials of the city government and
others invited, including many of our proml-
nent citizens. a
The dignitares of the church present were
Archbishop McCloskey of New York; Bishops
Laughlin of Brooklyn, Lynch of Charleston, S.
c., McNierney of Albany, N. Y, Williams of
Boston, Reilly of Springfield, and DeGous-
BRAND of Burlington. Vt; together with the
following named priests:V. G. VIM. Quinn OF
N. Y, V. G. G. +. Cazean of Quebec; V. G.
Jas. M. Early of Rochester, N. Y; V. g. j.
Hughes of Hartford. Conn; Jno. Brady of Bid
deford, Me; NJ. P. Danver, Concord, N. II; j..
B. Fl. V. Millette, Nashua, N. II; j. L. SuillT
van, Brooklyn; Lewis Matsaers, Bath, Me-;
Jno. F. McKenna, Portland; Fl. r. O'Donnell,
East Cambridge, Mass; w. Byrne, Boston; I.
Griffin, Worcester; w. Fl. Fitzpatrick, Stone.
ham, Mass; M. j. Doherty, Millbury, Mass;
j. Peterson, Rockland, N. Y; J. I. McDon-
nell, Machias. Me; Rev. DR.. Wallace, Cham
cellor of Providence. R. 1; w. Mcdonald,
Manchester, N. n; T. x. Bowler, Salmon
Falls, N. H; P. Hevey, Lewiston, Me; L. A.
Chevalier, Manchester, N. H; j. f. Pousardin,
Biddeford, Me; Canon Walsh, Portsmouth, N
H; L. s. McMazon, New Bedford, Mass; A. S..
Healy Boston Cathedral;J. c. Barry, Concord,
N. H; J. buddy, Oldtown, Me; I. M. A.
Burke, Albany, N. Y; D. Murphy, Keene, N.
H; J. W. Murphy, Bangor, Me; M. j. Supple,
Charlestown, Mass; E. M. O'Callaghan, Au-
gusta, Me; Anthony $50, Bangor Me; Jno.
Power, Portland; NJ. j. Goodwin, Laconia, N.
b; Jno. O'Brien, Manchester, N. H; Eugene
Vitromile, Eastport, Me; James McGlew,
Chelsea, Mass; E, insolvency, Bangor, Me; j.
E. Millenck, Boston; A. J. Telling, Newburgh,
N. Y; John P. Gilmore, lawrence, Mass; John
Delahuntz, Marlboro, Mass;T. H. Wallace,
Portland; NJ. Moran, Boston; W. j. DAILY,
Haverhill, Mass; j. McShane, Lawrence, Mass;
VIM. Orr, do; j. Sheridan, Taunton, Mass; f,
Honlehan, Milford, N. H; and others.
The choir, composed of about 100 selected
from the choirs of the Cathedral and st.
Domine's, rendered tho music, according to
the order published in our issue of yesterday,
in a most beautiful and impressive manner.
After the Office of the dead was chanted, the
solemn high mass was performed, the officers
being as follows:-Rt Rev. Bishop John J.
Williams. Celebrant; Very Rev. John O'Don-
nell, Vicar General of Nashua, Assistant
Priest; Rev. John Murphy of Bangor, Deacon;
Rev. John Duddysof Oldtown, sub-Deacon.
[Rev. buddy was altar boy under Bishop
Bacon, and was ordained by the same.] Rev.
E. M. O'Callaghan of Augusta, Master of Cere-
monies; Revs. Power of Portland, and Healy of
Boston, Chanters. The Archbishop then pro-
nounced his eloquent discourse on the life and
character of the deceased, in substance as
follows: =
ARCHBISHOP McoLosKEY's EULoGY
Little did you think, dear brethren, when
you last looked upon the face of your beloved
Bishop, and listened to his words offaffectionate
farewell, on the eve of his departure, some
again look upon that kind and radiant counte-
nance only as it reposed in the sleep of DEATH
He left you apparently in the enjoyment of
perfect health, and now he is brought back
lifeless corpse. Anticipating his safe return in
due season, you had prepared to give HIM a
warm and heartfelt greeting. But, alasi it
was dvnely ordered that grief SHOULD usurp
the place of joy, and poignant sorrow take the
place of exultant praise and gladstone thanks
giving: Heavy indeed has been the blow that
tensity of your grief shows how much you
loved him, and it evinces likewise how much
he loved you. He was great to his brethren,
to whom he was bound by the most endearing
ties. He was great to the city in which he
gained his episcopal see. He was friend and
brother to ALL and by his remarkable affability,
courtesy and gentleness he won all hearts.
But he is gone, and all should remember and
initiate his exalted virtues. Yes, you will re-
member him; we all will. His memory will be
most affectionately cherished, and his charac-
ter will be model to pattern after.
These words of mine are not those of simple
or funeral discourse, but the heart.
felt tribute of honor and affection for the de-
ceased.
Some account of his absence from his charge
will be of interest to my hearers. When he
quit his diocese with the intention of visiting
Rome, it was not for the purpose of TAXI ng
mere respite and recreation, but it was an I'M
perative duty to make periodical visit to the
tombs of the Apostles. to make known to the
Vicar of G hrist the spiritual progress and con-
IF hi 10 md 70 for wit n
spect to the best interests of the church. This
was his sole object and purpose, and all other
motives attributed to him are wholly erroneous.
When, in my company, he departed upon
the steamship to cross the Atlantic, there was
probably no one on board who was in better
health and spirits than he. His geniality,
kindness and affabiity were SO progressing
that in a short time no one on board was so un-
iverSal fayOrite as was the Bishop OF Port
land. But his health rapidly failed, and when
within three days of Brest, he might have beeu
seen at three or four o'clock in the morning
walking the deck, and suffering intensely from
the disease that had fastened upon him, indeed
SO alarmingly that it was feared he could not
live an hour. Said he to me: This sickness I
feel will be my last" The Bishop made
general confession, under the. strong convic-
ton that he could not recover from his malady.
On reaching Brest he was Immediately placed
in the Naval Hospital, and the government
physicians, on being apprised of the nature of
his disease and consequent sufferings, expressed
the belief that nine out of ten persons sub
jected to similar ordeal would have died. he
was very kindly and tenderly cared for ia the
hospital. The admiral's apartments were
placed at his disposal, and the physicians and
nurses were with him constantly, and did all in
their power to alleviate his terrible sufferings.
The Sisters of Charity were also ready to do
what they could, SO that nothing was wanting
in the way of care, nursing and medical advice.
In two days he seemed to rally, and in fifteen
days, at the Feast of the Assumption, he
offered the sacrifice and consecrated a large
number of candidates, which service exhausted
his physical powers and rendered his case more
desperate than it had been before. He was
conscious of the tax he was lsimposing
upon himself, but felt irresistibly i'm
PEELED to the service. He was Frustrated, and
his condition grew more critical. Temporal ry
rallying spells and relapses superyened, and
were frequent up to the time of his departure
for home. When L arrived in Brest 1 was in
expressibly shocked at the change that had
taken place in the Bishops condition. He did
not look like the same man, and 1 had grave
apprehensions thai he would not be able to
stand the trial of the ocean voyage. The ply
sicans, however, advised me to take him out of
the hospital and run the risk of the voyage.
Said the Bishop: 81 must go; to stay behind
would break my heart" On the voyage, day
after day we feared would be his last, and as l
sat by his side could see scarcely any grounds
60 howe tbat Io would hobo11 tho uoornipo