The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-21
st Joscphs Missionary College Of the Sacred Heart
Mill Hill, London.
DEPARTURE OF THE MISSIONARIES.
London Tablet, Dec. sl.I

bIOTTBRE-uV6
India aud one for America. The ceremony of
g." the departure" though simple in ifself, re-
tame always it's specific chAracter-tbat of
being sffecting-even To those who have wit
messed it several times before. Although no
public notice had been given. q goodly humble
of strangers bad braved the inclemency of the
season to come and witness the ceremony. The
same order was observed as on former occa-
sions. After the anthem, " How beautiful
npon the mountains are the feet of Him that
bringetn good tidings and that presoheth
peace" (Isaiah lii, V. y, the "Benedictus" and
Ave Maria Stella" were sung in procession
round the cloisters. When the "Veni Creator"
had been sung, the Rector, before administer
ing the oaths of the society to two of the mis-
sioners made short address: " Fourteen
months ago." he said, q departure like the
present took place in this church. There was
then the same number of 1Dissioners and the
sane distnotion-four for India and one for
America. That ceremony was enhanced by q
large assembly of friends, by the presence of
the Bishop of Stafford, the Superior General of
the Society, and by tire eloquent words of the
Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. Tsese
words have been read far and wide, and have
contributed much to convince the doubtful
that st. Joseph's Missionary College is not the
passing scheme of man, but the distinct work
of Gods providence. This days ceremony
continued the Rector, is more une fete de
famlle,' but it is not the less important for the
many souls that will be benefited by this de-
parture. One of the Fathers goes forth to
America to replace the young Jealous priest
who, last month, died on the field of battle,
not lnQ66Q O martyrs O66Cn, puG Q08GQ scarce
ly less glorious He died in the very midst of
his labors, on the fifth anniversary of his de.
parture. Before bidding farewell to st. .Joseph's
College, on the 18th of November, 1871, he
took the vow to be always the father and the
servant of the negro" The tender affections
with which the negroes clupg to him, both at
Baltimore and at Charleston, az children cling
to the dearest of fathers; the long hours which
he spent in the confessional, and at the death
bed of the humbest of his bum BILE tock-these
testify how faithfully he kept his vow. The
Father who is about To take the same VOW
will, with Gods blessing, be as faithful to it
az the young missioner who has been SO upex-
pectedly called away from the harvest-field to
take his rest. Four are setting out to-day for
India, the land of st. Thomas and st. Francis
Xavier! India with it's handful of Christians
and it's two hundred and fifty millions of hea-
thens! What field for true apostle! They
go to strengthen the hands of the good Vicar
Apostolic of Madras and his Jealous mssiona-
ries by helping the four young priests, who
for the last twelve months are bearing the
burden of the day and of the heat in the
Teleyu mission. What help, it may be said,
to the Bishop OF Madras in his exertions for
the conversion of the Gig hit millions of heathens
who live within the limits of his Jurisdiction
Indeed, the reign of Satan seems firmly
established in India; Idolatry, with all its at
tendant vices, has taken such deep root
Mobammedansm has set its iron foot on the
consciences of so many millions in India, that
any attempt at converting the Indiap-it it
were human undertaking-wouldb be foolish,
even if supported by all the gold and by all
the power of England. But what cannot even
the humblest of Gods Apostles achieve when
armed the first Apostles weref
Take up the TesponT OF a true apostle;
E. E. S6 ss
he hard 10 seg that yGu may win the weak
That will subdue the earth to jesus power
And AL His loving heart with joy.
St. Paul held himself as "a debtor to Greek
and barbarians, to wise and unwise." A foreign
missioner is likewise debtor to all that are IN
darkness and in the shadow of death. But the
missioners of st. J0seph's College are above
all debtors to India. They 90 forth either as
Engilshmeu or as speaking the language of
England to pay The enormous debt of charity
which England owes to her two hundred mil
lions OF Indian subj cots. Protestants eff every
hue send numberless Bible agents to bring the
poor Indians into rebellion against the Cuurch
of God while the Catholics of these realms
have, as yet, bnt family acknowledged this
debt, if we may judge from the scanty support
which the college has received 30 far. What
ever harvest of souls these missioners may reap
in India it will DO the first instalmeut of the
debt of charity which the English Catholic
body owes to the heather OF India. May God
epeed them on their noble Grand"
After this address the Rev. John Crowley
took the vow that he would always be the
father and servant of Che negro, and would
undertake no work that might interfere with
negro. One of the Indian fathers then took
the vow of obedience which the four others
had taken on receiving the sub. daoonate.
After this the Rector, professors, students,
and all the gentlemen who were in the church
came up to the Missionary Fathers who stood
on the predella of the altar, to kiss their feet,
to give and receive the "osculum pacis" to
whisper into each others ears some warm re-
quest FIR prayers, which was, in most cases,
1ollo wed by still warmer tears.
Meanwhile the community sung alternately
with the good Sisters of st. Msrys Abbey
Gounod's famous missionary hymn, Parties
herauts," which q member of ST. Joseph's So
ciety had translated into English. ALI joined
10 the chorus:
Go forth, farewell for life, o dearest Brothers;
Proclaim afar the sweetest OF God.
We again day in heavens land of blessings.
Farewell, BrOthers farewell.
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was
then given by the Very Rev. Canon Bamber /;
aud the ceremony closed with the singing of
the iuvocations, Regina Apostolorum," Re-
gina martyrum," etc, and of the Laudate
Dominum, omnes gentes."
When the community and the visitors had
partaken of some refreshment, ali-missoners,
students and visitors-wended their way with
cross and banners to the Mill Hill station, re-
citing the rosary and singing the Magnificent.
At the approach of the train at 4:47 the stu-
dents sang again q few stapzas of the Mission
airy hymn. Then nine hearty cheers, and many
more hearty shakings of hands, and the mis-