Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-08
CAMP FATHER MATTHEW.
Stewardship Of the Rev. VIM. Walsh.
Contributions, and from Whence
they Came, Etc.

A true hero Of the yellow fever period
was the Rev. Father VIM. Walsh, now
rector of st. Briiget's church, in this city,
but at the time the scourge first appeared
assistant priest in the st. Patrick's church,
the most youthful divine in ths list Of
priests and reverend ministers Of all de-
nominations in this city.
All who know him, and many not per-
sonally acquainted, pronounce the holy
father a worthy man of God, full Of spirit
and energy, always ready, even in the
darkest hours Of our long siege of trials
and tribulations to aid and console the
most humble and poorest of his fellows.
Father Walsh was the prime mover in
the establishment OF the camp known as
Camp Father Matthew, where a large
number Of our citizens sought safe refuge
from the fever. 1t was through the un-
selfish devotion and u~ntiring energy of
Father Walsh that the camp was kept free
Of the plague, and its occupants were en-
abled to return to our city in good health
and spirits at the close Of the great cpl
demic. The reverend father, by his great
e1ertions and fidelity, gave good proof Of
his executive ability as well as his fitness
to fill the position Of rector in the church
now under his charge. May he live long
to merit the honors so appropriately be-
slowed.
Father Walsh has just issued a state
ment of the contributions received by him
for the use Of the needy and destitute.
These contributions came from all parts of
America. The people Of the Pacific
shores vieing with their brethren in the
Eastern States, and the generous hearts of
the South from Texas to Virginia. 1t on
abled Father Walsh to disburse about
$50 per day, over a period of ninety
days-all showing open-handed liberality
in their desire to extend relief to the suf-
fering,
Among other items OF importance
Father Walsh says that when he began
his lsbors he was assistant priest at St.
Patrick's church, and honorary president
Of the Father Matthew Society here, and
was also attached to the Irish Catholic
Benevolent Union and the Catholic Total
Abstinence Union of America. He sug-
gested that members of the several organi-
cations SHOULD save themselves by timely
fight, and in furtherance Of his object the
camp known as Father Matthew Camp
was established, where all, without dis
tinction Of race, creed or color, might 60.
This was early in August, when the great
lcourge was just beginning its ravages.
Shortly after Father Walsh issued an ap-
peal for aid to the Catholic societies to
which he is attached. The result was
that about $4,000 came from various
sources before the close of the fever. Fa-
Their Walsh says of this furd:
1t enabled us to be a source of charity
and benevolence among the needy. the
dying and the dead, irrespective of creed
race or color, during nearly three months
Of the most trying ordeal, an ordeal which
made u fair city q city of the dying and
the dead. Out of its population Of forty-
FIVE or fifty thousand inhabitants. thirty
five or forty thousand had fed for their
lives when the plague broke out; of the
eight or ten thousand who remained over.
seven thousand are reported as having
been stricken down by the fever. The
county undertaken has a registry of $500
burials by him alone.
The bravest and the noblest OF every
rank wero being daily stricken down. ana
their remains hurriedly carried away to
the cemeteries or the Potter's field.
Those Of us whom God was pleased TO
spare, in order to minister TO the wants Of
the sick, the needy and the dead, had TO
witness scenes which pen cannot well de-
scribe, and to undergo labors which. on
some occasions at least, might be consid-
cred su%perhuman.
Among our sisters and priests the fever
made great havoc. Almost a score Of sis
terI died. Of the priests who were in the
city when the fever broke out, only three
ofus escaped, without having to submit to
the treatment of physicians and nurses.
who, as yet, know no specific remedy fo,
yellow fever patients. 1t is a fact that
wherever the disease was directly attacked
by the powers of medicine, the life Of the
patient was directly attacked.
Since the 10Th Of August ten Of our
priests have been laid down "to Sleep in
Calvary Cemetery, making, In all, fifteen
priests-fvein 1873 and ten in lS7S-who
have died here OF yellow feverl-ffteen
who have died on the field Of battle to
which the call OF their ministry summoned
them. This great mortality among priests
is not TO be vi ndered at when it is taken
into consideration that every dying Cath
Ole needs his priest; hat the priest has to
sit and kneel beside the bed OF the plague
stricken patient, and, while hearing the
confession Of years of sin, to lean over the
patient, inhaling his poisonous breath; and
he has very often to draw cut. from be-
sides his person, the hands that are stiffsn-
ing in death, in order TO anoint them with
the holy oils ofthe dying. Thus, human
ly speaking, 1t was almost impossible for
priest on duty here 10 have escaped the
plague,
The site of Camp Father Matthew in.
cluded about two hundred acres of land.
There was a boiling spring of pure water
and groves Of forest trees on each side Of
the crystal steam, Of which the spring
was the resource. No intoxicating liquors
were permitted to be used on its grounds.
In a few days after the camp was estab-
lished it had a commissary, a drug store
and a kitchen, also a c~ommodious dining
hall; also a little church, the latter erected
on wheels and located beneath forest trees
at the end Of Father Matthew avenue.
Here Father Walsh celebrated mass. re-
cited the Rosary and gave -benediction of
tho blessed sacrament. He daily visited
the plague stricken city and labored
among the sick and dying, returning 10
camp at night for rest and religious deyo-
tons. Out Of four hundred persons who
occunied the camn only ton dioJ 90 eo,or