Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-12-07
FATHER LAKES WIDOW.
A Sad Sequei to the Marriage Of the ex
Catholic Priest.
from the New York World.

From the New York World
Sarah Genevra Chafa, whose marriage with
Father Henry S. Lake, the brilliant young
Catholic priest, created such IA sensation in
! this city several years ago, is now living IN
quiet WidoWhOOd at Santa Cruz, Calitor-
MIA Father Lake, it will be remembered,
was son of Henry Lake, of the dry goods
| firm of Lake Il McCreery, Of this city. After
embracing the Catholic faith the young man
studied for the priesthood in st. Johns col
| lege. in Fordham. Having taken deacon s
| orders he enter the order of the Paulist Faith
ers in this city. He then went to Rome to
complete his ecclesiastical education, and
while there collected d library Of Catholic
literature which was said 10 be equalled in
America only by the Jesuit Fathers in this
city. Upon his return to New York he 'sev-
cred his connection with the Paulist Fathers,
and was appointed assistant to Father Pres
ton in st. AIMS church. He first attracted
public notice by preaching a Christmas SER
mon in ST. James church, in which he de-
nounced in the strongest terms the use Of the
Protestant Bible in the public schools This
sermon produced profound sensation in the
community and drew upon the bold young
orator the censure of his superiors. His next
escapade was in St. Bridget's church, wherehe
had been invited to preach upon the topic Of
temperance. Here he declared that the use
Of intoxicating liquors was Il national evil,
and that much of its wretched influence was
due to the example OF certain priests who al
lowed themselves to be beguiled by the intoX-
icating cup. Father Lake was dismissed
from st. AIMS and sent to Manhattanville.
In November 1863, he formed the acquain-
tance of Miss Chafa, young girl of twenty
three years of age, who had written ii book
of verses and was studying elocution with a
view of becoming public reader and was
also understood TO have espoused the Wood
hull doctrines. The two pursued their studies
under the same instructor, were thrown fre-
quently into each others society, and within
one month after their first meeting, were
secretly married, Father Lake, in the mean
time, having been dismissed from the priest
hood. H~. eu.AAo uu4~ ~A-~y ,;~~a eA,,;etly to-
gether under the name of Edmonds, but thei1
identity was discovered and they suddenly
disappeared from the city.
They went to California, it seems, and let
ters came back from Mrs. Lake to friend in
New York, ''breathing of perfect happiness"
and describing ''the joy and bliss OF her we'd
ded life, the devotion of her husband, the
glorious summer Of the land Of flowers in
which they were living, and where there was
naught to mar their perfect and complete te-
licity but the fact that her husbands heart
was still divided between his love for her and
his devotion to his church, which preyed in-
cessantly upon his mind" Such is the state
ment of the correspondent in question.
Mrs. Lake, from her retreat IN Santa Cruz,
has recently detailed the circumstances that
led to the marriage, her few years of welded
life having been suddenly brought to an end
by the death of her husband, some months
SINCE of consumption. 'Ihave been blamed"
she says, ''for inducing MIR. Lake to break
his VOWS and leave the church. Il is false.
When he told me of his love and we discuss
ed the popularity Of his position, l advised
him to stay in the church. He studied up the |
question OF celibacy, and this led him TO i'll
vestlgate, and he concluded that the system |
was nothing but a gigantic fraud. Of course
| was passive to his wishes, for | loved him.
We talked the matter over thoroughly and |
He spoke of his own career as a
gay and pleasure-loving young man, who had,
until ne becamea a catholic, regarded all forms
OF Christianity as nothing more than q cum
ningly devised fable. He was unlike any
priest had ever seen in manners and CONVEX
sation He was impulsive, frank, outspoken
and man keenly susceptible to female in
uence."
''After our marriage" she says further on,
w ANSV AdppAAJ Will SOIIAC AA4CuuC VI QlLt |
N New York, under an assumed name, un-
mindful of the terrible commoton in the
church over the extraordinary step taken by
NY husband. But finally we were discovered
md persecution at once commenced. One by
)ne our friends were turned against us by de-
ectiyes employed by the church. Those
Who befrended us were threatened, and We
we're even like the Ishmaelites of old. NV
husband was so afraid of the displeasure of
he church that he did not know what to do.
lie told me that he was constantly followed,
nd he did not know where or how he would
'e struck. The constant struggle and strain
II trying to escape persecution finally Wor-
led us both to sickness, and we secretly sail
d for California, reaching San Francisco on
he 9th of November, 1874. Here we stayed j
or two months, and then, in hopes of finding
more congenial climate for Il consumptiye, {
vent to Santa Cruz and settled down tor life. ,
ly husband had little capital and endavor-
d to embark in several business enterprises. i
ut from the time that a Catholic priest walk 6
into the house and authOritatively and Omi- I
ously remarked, Your secret is known, he S
ever enjoyed any business prosperity. He /
tarted newspaper. but he had no heart for a
le struggle against the church and the perse-
ution that even in this favored and lovely
md had found us out" '
Mr. Lake died last December, and Mrs s
axe was left, as she says, "alone and T
lousands of miles away from any of my +,
lends. The world is SO cold and selfish"
le continues, land persecution, with its
'igid hand, is seemingly omnipresent, and 3
ot to be thrust aside. My life and my love n
! seem like troubled dream. l have writ !;
n to Mr.. Lake friends in New York. His :.
Ither is in good circumstances may say Q
ealthy-hut do not know how they look h
Don his wife, now that he is dead and gone. te