Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-29
CATHOLIC GROWTH.
WondeT1ut Spread Of the Roman Church In
ms Country Thousands of Converts

Won0e7Tut Spread Of the Roman Church In
has Country Thousands of Converts
From Protestasstisn
New York Graphic
single Jesuit priest, who is not vet q
very old man, is known to have received
more than 5000 American Protestants into
the Roman church, ten of whom were min
listers of various sects. The order of PauIist
Fathers, founded in 1858 by the Rev. Father
Hecker, himself convert from Protestant
ism, numbers thirty-four members. nearly all
of whom are American gentleme ). who we're
born and educated Pretestants Many of the
Jesuits-who have in the United States 75O
members-are Americans: the same is true
OF the Benedictines and the Christian Broth
ers, who together count 1000 members. The
late archbishop of Baltimore in five years
confirmed 1852 converts of American birth
The average annual number of adult con-
verts In the city of New York is said to be
about $50. The archbishops of Philadelphia
and Milwaukee report that from 5 to per
cent. OF those they confirm are converts.
Inc bishop of Richmond says that 35 per
cent. OF the Catholics in North Carolina are
converts, and that one parish in that State is
composed wholly of converts. The church
which has won from the ranks of Protestant
Ism ana enlisted IN its own service such men
as Dr. Brownson, DR.. Ives Archbishop
Wood, of Philadelphia; DR.. Bayley, the late
archbishop of Baltimore; Father Hecker.
Father Hewitt, DR.. James Kent Stone for
merly president of Hobart College; Father
Walworth, Vicar Gen. Preston, Father Nc
Leod. DR.. j. V. Huntington, Rev. Virgil 81.
Barber, Rev. Calvin White, and host of
others not less dstingui shed, learned, and
venerable Americans, cannot be regarded
with contempt; it must be reckoned with as
force that may be feared, but must not be
despiseI.
In the year l85O-twenty-eig years ago
there were IN the entire United States only 6
Roman Catholic notwithstanding of whom
was an American, three of Irish birth, and
two OF French origin-and 81 bishops.
There were 1900 priests, 1,O73 churches, 20
ecclesiastical institutions, II colleges, and 81
female academies. There are now IL arch
blshops-lncluding one cardinal archbishop
SO bishops, 5,54S churches, 1894 priests,
p theological semnares with 1,12l ecclesi-
astical students, IA colleges, and $40 AGA
denies Here is growth in twenty-eieht
years of a. prelates, 1884 priests, 3,475
churches, and ATT seminaries, academies.
and colleges. The Catholic population
was estimated in 1850 to number
100000 souls; to-day it is known to be
not less than 6,4Os,OOO, and by some author
tiles 1t is believed to exceed that figure by
one-half. Nineteen of the prelates are ma
tlves of the United States. The cathedrals
OF Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Albany Chica-
go, Baltimore, Buffalo, Louisville, Miwau-
kee, st. Louis, aud Cincinnati are monu-
ments OF piety, taste, and skill; the cathe-
oral OF boston is structure of massive beau
ty, 364 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 12O feet
high, with two towers, one rising to
the height of 800 feet. The style
is purely medieval gothic. The new
cathedral of New York, which has now been
twenty years in building, is the largest, most
beautiful and most costly ecclesiastical struc-
tnre in this republic. Hundreds of the
Catholic churches throughout the country
are handsome edifces, and they contain
very large amount of artistic wealth in
their alters, statues and paintings. Among
the 100 Catholic churches in the archdiocese
OF New York alone, (Which comprises the
city and county of New York and
Westchester, Duchess, Sullivan, Rock
land, Pullman, Orange, Ulster and
Blchmond counties) we could name more
than score which contain works of art
worthy of very careful study and of high
praise. We are obliged to confess that t,iese
are chiefly the production of foreign artists,
and this remark will apply to the interior
artistic attractions of the C.tholic churches
generally, but art knows no country The
art galleries of the United States, public and
private, If Jumped together, would not eqaal
the treasures of sculpture and painting that
may be found in the principal Catholic
churches throughout the country.