The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-08-05
. RELIGION AND HEROlSlf.

tereetipR at tniS time, WDen LiDerais In fArlS
have the ttfrontery to charge Catholics with a
want of devotion to their country. The Month
says:
After the defeat of lie Mans the disorder be-
came so great that the wounded were abandon
ed by the roadside, placed in oars from which
the driver had Embarrassed the horses IN order
to escape more quickly. colonel of the Mo.
biles' was in the same car with the narrator,
together with two soldiers, dangerously
wounded and shaking with cold and fever.
No help came, everyone was taking care of
himself, few men ran by, but they were deaf
peared and quickly approached the car. Il
was looking for you, my friends said he. See
ing the soldiers half frozen and almost lifeless
he took his own clOtbiog to cover those wi
were suffering, and then stopping some of the
fugtiyes he addressed them with prayers, re-
proaches, and promises to such good purpose
that they finally obeyed hi m. Push at the
wheel" said he, and harnessipg himself 30 the
car he drew it with infinite labor to vittaRs
There he begged coverings. straw and food,
and finally coming back with horse, con-
Quoted his charge to the hospital The
amount of good,' said the narrator, (which
this priest, the Abbe Gsraud, accomplished
during the war God only knows.'
On the g h Of August, 1870, 30 600 French
fought against $50 0O0 Germans. When
treat was inevitable, the French lefS 5000
dead, 5 600 wounded and .0e0 prisoners in the
hands of the enemy. Toe Abbe de Bsuvron,
assisted by Abbe Young, young. vicar Of
n0lOnbnOHen DAu CnaT2e Si Lue ambulance OF
the church and mayoralty of Froesch wilIer.
The church serving as a mark for the Pros.
sian artillery. the pIolectlles fell eroand the
wounded and when, finally - sheil exploded
in the sanctuary, the priest, WHO was giving
his blessing to the dying, thinking the build
ing about to fall, invited those pre.eut to make
an act of centrition, aud gave general absolu-
ton few moments after the Prussians
tered the village. The Abbe de Beuvron, who
was caring for the wounded in shed, ad-
vanced to meet the enemy, and placing himself
before the church door, tried to protect the
poor soldiers. A Prussap soldier directed the
barrel of his gun at the breast of The priest
but the latter pointed to his chaplains cross,
and signed to him to raise the gun. Sur
prised at such noble and simple courage, the
Prueslan grenadier placed himself before the
ambulance. Meanwhile tho flames devoured
the belfry of the church, and it was on the
point of falling, The chaplain ordered the
tabernacle to be remoV ed, and seZng litter
saved the wounded. Hardly was the last one
in place of safety. when the roof of the
church fell in. The dying prayed for glass
of water, but the Germans were guarding the
foor wells. The priest, with a gourd in his
hand went to the senuinels and begged for
some drops of water, with which he moistened
the lips of those who most needed it. TIE
kuapsacks of the dead furnished some pieces
of biscuit. and boiling the fest of slaughtered
horses, the chaplain found means to relieve
the spffsrers. This mode of life lasted four
days.
A. the battle of Sedan, the Inhabitants Of
Bezeilles were fahting N defence of their
hearths. The care, q whiSe- headed old man,
sustained theis spirits, encouraged them TO re-
sistauce, and bowed himself the stroug an
of the Gospel. When the village was taken
the Prussians set fire to the houses, aud shot q
certain number OF the inbabit9Gts. Amidst
the smoking rnins of HE Village, she enre Of
Bazeilles was dragged before a council of war
where he euergeticalv defended hinself and
the peasants. The couucil Of war condemned
the cure to death.
The correspondent of the London Times who
followed the Saxon army, wrote
"There is q man whom, from Sedan to the
battles before Paris, have constantly seen
following the wounded. He has neither car
riage nor horse, but with staff in his hand he
follows the course of battle, and with the ele.
gance of q we'll bred man and the tenderness
of q woman he brings consolation to the dying.
He is French priest. Bsnedicsine. do
not know how many times have met him on
his mission of charity. The other day. he sud-
denly presented himself to me, near the field
of battle, to ask where the wounded were to
be found. He had como on foot about twenty
miles. No government pays him; be is u
volunteer in The best sense of the word. Every
witness of his efforts prays God to- give him
the recompense he deserves. He is in the
prime of life, of noble appearance and dis
tinguished manners.
A missionary chaplain, the Able Mu5sas,
chaplain of St. Geueve, relates scene which
passed on the 10Th of August, 1870, at Recon-
vile, to show that some etimes not word, nor
even q gesture, is needed to relieve suff ring.
remember Che says) soldier in the house
at The corner OF the Rue de PEglisc, who had
one of the most. terrible wounds I have
durIng this war, where have seen go many.
Tne surgeon waa leaning over him, forcing a
to place organs ffom which the skin had been
entirely removed. The mere sight Of the op.
Grafton made me shudder, aud the sntterer, his
head thrown back upon the ground, his feat
nres pale aud contracted, his arms locked,
moaued piteously. l drew near and knelt be-
side HIM then gently raised his head, sup.
porting it with my left hand, while witL my
right band / held his arms, or stroked his
forehead or checks, as one might do with a sick
child. But did not speak to him, and only
my eyes fixed upon bis told how much sym
pathized in his sufferings. This was enough
to calm him Immediately and although the
surgeon still continued his cruel service, he
ceased moaning. After some moments, as l
moved little to take position more conve-
nient to myself, without disturbing him. be
thought was going to leave him. "Pray do
not go away" ne cried, sit does me 80 much
good to see you there!7 stayed until the end
of the operation, after which he fell into
heavy sleep, which often follows a severe
crisis.
Tbps va saa that the noiniakrv of the Driaat