The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-08-11
west Virginia Catholic Messenger.

pleasure to publish Wnat We KNOW OF TIE
religious beliefs and record of Mr.. Rich
aged and venerable citizen Of Wood
County, West Va. Mr.. Reeder was born
in Maryland, A. D. l775 and lived to see
his 103d year. His parents, who were Ca.
Gholics, had him early christened and
caught in the tenets and observances of
chat faith. The pastor of the Reeders in
those days was the Rev. John Carroll, OF
Rock Creek, Nd, of holy memory. When,
IN 1890, Father Carroll was made Bishop of
Baltimore, young Reeder with other candi-
dates was presented to him for confirmation.
This double honor of being baptized and
confirmed by 80 illustrious q churchman
and patriot was often referred to iu after
life by deceased. From this period till his
oath year, Richard Reeder was a consist
ent and practical member of the Catholic
Church. Then came the crisis of life and
it's vicissitu udes the mixed marriage away
from the church amidst surroundings un-
friendly to his creed the plunge into the
wilderness, and his tolls and trials to build
up an inheritance for his race the apathy
In religious matters, which clash OF secte
and such Isolation is calculated to ~beget
the vast fecundity of his descendants in
patriarchal age to which it pleased God
His servant should be spared and the
dnal return of this venerable man to his
church after an absence from its seryi ,es
and sacraments of seventy-six years.
This last event took place in the sum-
zner of 1875 at his home in Wood county,
West Va. one hundred years after his bap-
tisEa, eighty five years after his confirma.
Sion, and three quarters of a century since,
in Frederick, Maryland, be had last con-
fessed. In 1922, when Cincinnati was
taking her first Catholic Bishop, and ready
ing for action as an evangelizing power,
Mr.. Richard Reeder was already in his 47th
year, and the 231 of his married life. In
Ls41 and lS43, when Richmond to the east
and Pittsburg on the north, were following
suit, aud their missionary outposts were
1rst heard of in these parts, the Reeders of
absorbed by the sects or deplorably pre-
JUDGED against the church. Certain it is
that in lS47, when priests were first loea-
ted in Parkersburg; no orthodox signal
came from that quarter to show that the
faith was there. Yet it is known that
olic faith, bat defended 1t to the last when
assAiled.
Terhaps Mr.. Rseder's knowledge of
Catholic doctrines was not In measure to
his religious wants. His, of truth, was q
hard road to travel. Those who have had
experience in the sectarian back woods
know this. Religion In such parts is largely
q social, and sociable aud business affair.
The old folks like it i; the young folks go
TOr It; it creates afinities and amenities,
and oft tells largely in the main point-rhe
successful establishment in life. Besides,
the sexes are always friendly to each other,
and viii marry, when the time comes, de-
spite of Parson or Pope. This aggrsvates
things considerably for Catholics, who have
more than a misgiving that there is a hell
and heaven, q God and q divine law-by
arhich all must stand or fall. Ia Mr..
fRiehaEd Reeder's case, it must be said, that
IN youth he had learned has Catholic Cate
,AhsGrn Wall Rut the human mind
expands and the passions increase, this
naedium of elementary learning is not
enough. In after life the came truths prop
erly presented have larger and more
practical sense. Yet, unfortunately, there
are still Catholics who with this minimum
Of teaching rush into hymen and from
,<hymen isto places away from their church,
amidst hostile surroundings, with like re
,suita. Nova days such temerity is un-
pardonable and near to a curse. The day
is past when Catholic books for the million
could not be had ; when it coat the distant
settler more than be could afford to visit
hie priest; and when apologies for the
ancient faith and its doctrines had yet to
be compiled. The misfortune IF our Cen
fenarian was that in the hour of need he
had no facilities of the kind. The wonder
is that the faith of his youth stuck to him so
bravely to the last.
Dame Reeder herself was o lady of fine
qualities, a Marylander by birth, and Bap-
tist in creed. She married in her 18th
year, and lived to her 87th of which near
Iy three score and ten was in the welded
state. The Reeder parents lived to see
their descend dants to the 4th generation, A
Trustworthy account, lately published,
give their issue as follows: 13 children,
S5 grand children, I75 great grand children,
80 great great grand children,-in all, to
date of Mr.. Reeder's death, 303 souls.
When Jacob went down to Egypt he took
with him his sons, their wives and children,
In all 20 souls. To these and his other
descendants in that strange land he be-
4ueathed in dying his covenants and his
faith. Our modern patriarch dying left
TO his people neither HE baptism nor his
creed. The Reeder descendants are all
PrOtestants of various hues. But one
seventh of them at most belong formally
60 any sect the rest are scattered around.
This is scarcely even for PrOtestants
satisfactory result. In this case the evils
OF mixed marriages are plain. Had Miss
Butcher welded one of her own creed, as
Jealous and exemplary ae herself, the fate