The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-07-08
DEATH BISHOP wHELAS.

ministry OF the Episcopal Church.
DEATH OF BISHOP wHELAS.
The announcement OF the death .oi
Bishop r. V. WHELAN, OF the Catholic
Diocese of West Virginia, will bring
pain 10 the hearts OF all who knew
him, without regard to religious beliefs
ordsnominatioua or ties, He has labored
so long aud so faithfully in this COM
munity and has so long been among the
loremosriu good words and works, that
the people at large have suffered in his
death loss which seems well nigh
irreparable. In efforts for public i'm.
provement and for the advancement
OF the best interests OF this city and
State. he has ever been active, earnest
aud wise. He was possessed OF a bust
ness sagacity that has rarely been
equalled, and the enterprises he es-
poused Were pushed forward with an
energy that was as untiring as it was
judicjous. Ia fact, his death at this
time may be iu some measure attrib'
utsble to the constsncy and severity OF
his labors for the material as well as
the spiritual welfare OF his peo,
pie. For some months past
he has been physically broken
down, but his active mind could not
cease to work. One OF the latest pub
lie enterprises that enlisted his atten-
ton WAS the Wheeling and Elm Grove
railway, and to the furtherance OF this
project he gave such labor as his rap'
idly failing health enabled him to be-
stow.
To the Catholics OF his Diocese, his
death is severe blow. de has been
indeed father to his church and by
precept and EXAMPLE has seemed to
"Loint TO Heaven aud lead the way"
But it is not our purpose at this time,
neither do we feel competent to write
for him fitting obituary. That
duty will doubtless be performed ere
long by some one better qualified than
We to analyze his character and point
out its many admirable traits.
We clip from the Baltimore Ameri-
cl,, OF Monday morning the following
account OF the Bishops last illness
aud brief sketch OF his lite:
Bishop Whelsn OF WestNirginia, who
as has been stated in the american. is
now lying i'll at St. Agnes's Hospital,
tegan to grow rapidly worse, and yes
teriav evening, word was sent TO the
B.shop's cousin, Mrs. Gegsn, wife Of
Prot. Gegan, leader OF the Cathedral
choir. that he was slowly sinking,
Special prayers for his recovery were
offered Yesterday morning IN the Ca
thedral and other Roman Catholic
churches but his physiciaus, DR., Mill
holland and Campbell, give it as their
opinion that his death is only ques-
ton OF time and must ensue in one or
two days, il not sooner. During the
d.v a number OF clergymen, among
them Archbishop Bailey, and Mr., and
Mrs Gegan, his relatives, visited the
s.ck vreIate, but none except the priests
were admitted 10 his bedside. His
Vicar General, Father Parks, is with
the Bishop at the hospital, and is con-
s,antly attending him. At eleven
o'clock last evening he WAS still
conscious, and to those that came
to see 10 him during the day be said
that he felt the hour Of his death was
near. The Bishop is said to be by
those who know him very energetic
and selt-sacriicing man, and his death,
which now seems TO He imminent, Will
be deeply felt in his diocese. BY con-
tnued exertions he had broken down
his health, and his physicians recon-
mended him repeatedly 10 seek sea
bathing near Snow Hill as restora-
tive. He followed their advice but
soon thereafter contracted the dysens
tery, from which he is now Wing 50
dangerously Ill. He arrived 10 this
CITY on Friday, the Doth inst, and
although be usually msde hs home
when in the city with Pro- Gegan, on
North Charles street, his Vicar Gem
eral, who is with him, advised him
TO proceed to ST. Agnes Hospital.
Bishop Whelsn was born in 1907 IN
this city, being the son OF Mr. David
Whelsn, at his time a well known citi-
zen OF Baltimore. After completing
his common school education he wSs
sent 10 St. Mary's Seminary, Emmitts-
burg. and alter finishing his studies in
that institution, he entered the College
OF ST. Suplice, Pa is, France. While
IN this college be was often the subject
OF much praise, and while there was
very much likei by his fellow students.
He wss ordained with distinguished
honors as priest. Although he could
euler one OF the many churches in the
capital OF France as clergyman, he
preferred to return LONE, and choose
the hard labor of a missionary. He
travelled through the West and South,
AID ia said 10 have been very cue
cs-s'ul. His interchangeable efforts as =
missionary attracted the attention Of
the Pore, who appointed him as Bish-
op OF Virginia. He wac ordained to
this Office in lS4l. at the Cathedral o.
tIis city, by Arch bishop Ecclestou, and
forthwith commenced his lsbors. Some
years thereafter he was transferred 10
West Virginia, At Wheeling be accom-
plshed much good. Under his direc-
ton the magnificent cathedral was