The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-07-26
asrnlng Star and Catholic Messenger.
VIEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY. JULY 60 1874.
Jesuit Missionaries.
by A PROTESTANT BISHOP.

Dear Caholic-I must give you the re
mainder of the very beautiful eulogium OF
the noble Jesuit Missionaries, from the per
of the Protestant Bishop Kipp, that finished
the last letter l wrote.
"Most of these, too, were martyrs to theil
faith. 1t will he noticed in reading this
volume (Rev. w. j. Kipp's Early Jesuit
Missions), how few of their numbers died
the common death of all men, or slept at
least in the ground which their Church had
consecrated. Some, like Jogues, and Du
Poisson, and Souel, sunk beneath the blows
of the Infatuated savage, and their bodies
were thrown out to feed the vulture, whose
shrek, as he tapped his wing above them,
had been their only requiem. Others, like
Broebeuf, and Lallemand, aud Semat, died
at the stake, and their ashes flew no
marble tells us whittier, while the dusky
sons of the forest stood around, and
mingled their wild yelis of triumph with
the martyrs dying prayers. Others, again,
like the aged Marquette, sinking beneath
and their borrowing companions dug their
graves in the green turf, where for many
years after the rude forest rangers stopped
TO invoke their names, and bow in prayer
before tho cross that marked the spot. But
did these snfferings stop the progress of the
Jesuits7 The sons of Loyola never re-
treated. The Mission they founded in
tribe itself. Their lives we're made up of
fearless devotedncss and heroic self sacri-
flee. Others, while sOrr0wing for the dead,
pressed forward Mt once to occupy their
places, and, if needs be, to share their fate.
Nothing wrote Father LIE Petit, after
describing the martyrdom of two of bis
brethren, has happened to the two excel
lent Missionaries, for which they were not
prepared when they devoted themselves to
the Indian Mission. If the flesh trem bled,
the spirit seemed never to falter each one,
indeed, felt that he was baptised for the
dead, and that his own blood, poured out
in the mighty forests of the West, would
bring down perhaps greater blessings on
those for whom he died, than he gould win |
for them by the labors of n life. He real
lied that he was appointed unto DEATH
Ibo ct non rcdibo will go, but will
not come back were the. prophetic words
of Father Jogues, when, after previous
departed for the Mohawks. When Lalle-
mand was bound to stake, and for seven
teen hours his excruciating agony was pro
longed, his words of encouragement to his
companions were, Brothers, we are made
spectacle to angels and to men, When
Marquette was setting out for the sources
of the Mississippi, and the friendly Indians
who had known him wished to turn him |
from his purpose by declaring that those |
distant nations never spared the strangers
the calm reply of the Missionary was, l
shall gladly lay down my life for tho saliva
ton of SOULS And then the red sons of the
wilderness bowed with him in prayer, and |
before the simple cross of cedar, and among |
the state groves of elm and maple which |
line the st. Lawrence, there arose that |
grand old chant which the aged man had |
been accustomed to hear in the distant |
Cathedrals of his own land:
Vexilla Regis prodeunt:
Fulget orucis inysterium.'
Though contact with the whites, Pro-
testantism and whisky, made sad havoc
with the poor Indians, still the glorious
work of the Missionaries was not all lost,
and in 1862 We have the following statistics
in regard to the number of Catholic Indians
in Canada and the United States: In the
Diocese of Quebec, 1856; in the Diocese
of Milwaukee, 9. 600; Sault Ste Maria. over
5000; Michigans, Hurons, Ottowas, a, 900
Hamilton and Owen sound, So; Monitoulin,
l 900; Diocese of Montreal, $50 !; Sault
st. Louis, 400; Deux Montaguese, 500;
In Maine, 900 in Kansas, a 900; West of
the Rocky Mountains, 5000. The In
dians, so far as reported, practiciDg
the Catholic faith within the limits of the
United States, numbered $4,000 in 1862
The strong hand of power and persecution
hwarted many promising hope, and COM
to place, until they found safe spot for
their affairs. But the good work went on,
aud under the most adverse fortune the
number always increased, whilst in the
same land, Protestant ministers, aided by
all that could encourage, protect and
excite, by Sovereign, by laws, by money,
aud by hell, after one or two generations
same to naught.' This proves that the
Words spoken by Tertullian to tue sects,
more than sixteen hundred years ago, are
true to-day They can pervert, but not
convert; that is, of Catholils they make
non. Catholics, alias infidels; of children of
one Church they make sectarians and
schismatics of Christians, non Christians
Of believers, infidels but to convert one
nation of heathens to Christianity is beyond
their power Such is the testimony OF his
tory in favor of the Catholic Church.
nho nln.1. 1I;n IT,. NIL r,r-