Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-12-16
AS TO THE PRIEST,

there never was wilder delusion than
exists in the minds of the American
people concerning him. was at the
houses. or rather lodgings, of a great
many OF them, but one example will
suffice
Halfway between Kenmare and Kill
larney, in wild, desolate country,
lives one of these parish priests, who
are supposed to inhabit luxurious
houses, and to live gorgeously, and to
be perpetually singing THE Cruiskeen
Lawn" with pipe in one hand and a
glass of poteen in the other.
He is a magnificent man. In face
and figure he is the exact picture of the
| lamented Salmon 2. Chase. one of the
greatest of Americans; and l venture
the assertion that, had he adopted any
other profession and come to America.
where genius and intellect mean some
thing, and where great ability finds
great rewards, he would have been one
of the most eminent of men.
Now understand that this man is the
lawyer, the friend, the guide and diree-
tor in temporal as we'll as spiritual
matters, of the entire population OF
| this district. If husband and wife
quarrel 1t is his duty to hear and de-
eide. If a tenant gets into trouble with
his landlord, he is the go.between to
arrange it. In short, every trouble,
great and small. in the parish is re-
ferred to him, and he must act. He is
their lawyer as well as their priest. He
is their everything. He supplies to
| thnn1 thn I,,ta lltnn,,oa fl,,f -,
fernal government on earth has denied
them.
But this is small part of his duties.
He has to conduct services at all the
chapels In this stretch of country. He
has to watch over the morals of all the
people. But this is not all No matte 1
at what hour of the night, no matter
what the condition of the weather, the
summons to the bedside of Il DIVING
man to administer the last sacraments
of the church must be obeyed. 1t may
be that to do this requires ride on
horseback of twenty miles in binding
storm, but it must be done. Every
child must be christened, every death
bod Rlust be soothed, every sorrow nit.
igated by the only comfort this suffer.
ing people have-the faith in then
church.
What do you suppose this magnifi
cent man gets for all this? The largest
income he ever received in his life
was f10O, which, reduced to American
money, amounts to exactly $4S4. And
out of this he has to pay his rent, his
Good, his clothing, the keeping of his
horse and all that remains goes in
charity to the suffering sick-every cent
of it.
When the father dies, his nephews
and nieces will not find very good pick
ing from what is left, | assure you.
'Why do you," | asked, "a man ca
pable of doing SO much in the world
stay and do this enormous work for
nothing?"
81 was called to it." was the answer;
what would these poor people do with
out me-
That was all. Here is Il man capable
of anything, who deliberately sac itices
career, sacrifices comfort, sacrifices
the life he was fitted for, sinks his iden-
tlty, foregoes fame, reputation, every
thing for the sake of q suffering people!
Il was called to it; what would these
poor people do without me?'
am very vigorous protestant, and
have no especial bve for the catholic
church; but shall esteem myself es-
pecially fortunate if / can make a rec
ord in this world that will give me a
place in the next within gunshot OF
where this man will be placed. I am
not capable of making the sacrifice for
my fellows that he is doing-I wish
to heaven l was l found by actual
demonstration why the Irish SO love
their priests. They would be in still
worse way, if possible, without them.