Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-22
RELIGIOUS JUBILEE
In Concentration of the First Mass
ChAnted by a Catholic Priest
Where Pittsburg Now Stands.
An Interesting Event in a Venerable
Edifice-Pioheer Worshipers in
the 0ne-Time Wilderness.

correspondent, of the New York Herald,
wiring fToa PIitsburg I he l7Ih instant,
gives an interesting account of the commem- |
grafton of the first MACS at PItIsburg.
Ga the banks of the Beautiful River"
l29 years ago, the fret religious ceremony |
in this part Of the country was performed BY |
Charles Baron, priest of the order OF 81. |
Francis OF Assissium. 1t was to commemo- |
rate this event that the Catholics OF this city
have been holding special services for tour
DAYS, which have attracted widespread in
tere-t throughout the community and among
all sects. The ceremonies have bsen under
the direction OF The R-v. Father A. A. Lam
bling, priest in charge of the cnurch OF 81.
Mars Of Mercy, within whose district lies cid
Fort DGquespe, the place where the original
service was held. The little church stands
on the corner of Third avenue
hood given over TO dwellings of
an humble type, boardinghouses, machine
shops and boiler works. The city has grown
eastward, miles away from The site Of the
old fort, and it has stretched itself on the
banks of both of the smaller streams, the
Allegheny and he Monongahela, which
unite al "Tne Poius" snd form the Onic, or,
as the Indians cslled it in their Language,
the Beautiful River" The church OF 81.
Mary OF Mercy Is but one story high, but 1t
is roomy, and Its low, dark ceilings cover
more pew space than some more pretentious
houses of worship. 1t has poor congrega-
ton, but its pastors have performed more
good deeSs Than there are bricks in the
building where they preach.
THE RELIGIOUS oBsERvANcEs.
The celebration was Introduced by a
iridium, or three days devotion, which be-
gan on Saturday last. Ga that evening the
Rev. Father Landing preached on the Gus
tom and spirit of the Church in celebrating
anniversaries. On Sunday night the Rev. P.
w. Power, president OF the Catholic college,
spoke on the Catholic doctrine of dsyotioa to
| the essad Virgin. On Monday evening the
| Rev. F. P. Ward, of 81. Paul's cathedral, de-
| liyered sermon, in which he showed that
| devotion to the Blessed Virgin was the
special characteristic of the Catholic Church
| 10 this country. To-day the church was
| crowded al all the services. Three mas e
| were said this morning-oue at ESQ O'Clock,
another Al o'clock, for the children, and
I The solemn high pass of the day at 10 o'clock
| The macs was rendered doubly i'm
| pressive owing to the unusual sur
| rouudlngs OF the occasion. The long
row Of clergy, the Cspuchins, with their
brown habits and white belts; the Passion
4 ISIS, Cldn III rOHuGE DlECh-6ll AtO
1 with the solemrity OF the occasion to impress
most forcibly the mind of the beholder. The
mass was sung by the Rsv. Fl Keane, OF the
| church of the Sacred Heart. The Rsy.J. Z
| Canovsn, of the cathedral, officiated as dea,
con and the Rev. s. ]. Schrsmm as sub dea
con. The sermon was preached by the Rev
| NJ. NJ Sheedy, of ST. Roses church, Connel
| ton, Beaver county, the subject being "Ths
| Assumption Of the Blessed Virgin Of The
| Beautiful River"
| IMPRESSIVE CEREMoNl Es.
| The ceremonies were all Of the most i'm.
| pressive character, aud tho church uss pro-
fusely decorated with flowers and eyergreens
| The altar of the Blessed Virgin of thu
"Beautiful River" which was erected Il
commemorate the first msss, ia foe piect
| of work manship, Of which the little church
| is very proud, and it was, of course, the cen
| trail point of interest and attention IN ths
building. 1t was almost hidden by tbs
quantities of flowers which were PLACED
| about it. A special organization exists
under the sanction of the bishop of Pitts
burg, known as the "Guard of Honor OF the
| First Shrine Of Mary III the Wilderness.
| The members OF the guard are those who
have paid certain sums for the privilege
granted to guards, and who are entitled t
special masses.
address BY THE REV. A. A LAMBING,
In his address TO the congregation the
Rev. Father Landing, after giving an histor
| icsl sketch of the early settlers OF the west
era part OF Penusyivania and the beginning
of the permanent occupation of the sic O
| Pittsburg, continued as follows: Nov a. to
| the religious history of the spot. l shall
premise by stating that it is well known Il
every student of American history that the
| French soldiers and generally their lndiaI
allies also were Catholics, and that on al
| their expeditions they We're attended by ar
army chaplain, who said mass daily in ths
camp, not only when there was no danger o
surprise, but also 10 The face or in pursuit o
the enemy, when haste and -vigilaoee wer
necessary. We have striking illustration
| OF this pious custom in our own locality an.
at the precise period Of which we are no,
treating. When NJ De Villiers WAS march
ing against the Erglish, who were encsmpeI
at place within the liLaits of the prssen
Fsyelte county, be kept a journal OF tn
expedition, in which We read: The 29d
June, 1854, mass was ss.id in the camp
after which we marched etc. There can b
no doubt that a chaplain attende
the important expedition that descen6e'
the Allegheny to take possession
OF the Forks,' and that mass wa
SSlSol oACN NuS AoOAhihS oAtCA INC ~
now the French were undi sputed MASTER
and no enemywss near 10 menace them. j
was Friday in Easter week, April II, 1754
We may picture TO ourselves the boundles
virgin forest, broken only in the Point b
the unfinished works of Capt. Trent; tn
portable altar Gse1 by the missionary
erected at the foot of a giant oak; overhes
hang the tangled branches just budding int
new life; the flicker of the candles, lik
Stars, light up the rustic scene, while at th
foot of the altar stands the priest in his IS
cred vestments TO offer up the adorable Viz
tim on the day on which He Himself vouch
safed TO be i'm molated for the sins of mel
/ B ehind and around the minister of the Mos
High knsel the French and Indi ans in siler
alteration; further to the rear flows ih
crystal current Of the Beautiful River ;
whose banks the canoes aud ba:teaux Ii
moored, while beyond the plain stretches GU
till it is bordered By hills that rlse to gree
the morning sun.
THE SHRINE IN THE WILDERNESS.
"But far above the towering trees, ia
above the hosts of heaven, from her thron
of glory the august Mother of God loos
down with complacency upon the sller
scene. She rejoices in the thought that I'll
the mind OF that humble priest, for she ma
Inspired him with the resolution OF consG
cralisg that now lonely spot 10 her. Ther
she will establish her first shrine in the vii
derness, and thither her children will con
to proclaim her praises and invoke her intel
cession. Thrice happy priest TO whom
was given 10 establish on that calm Apr
morning the first shrine Of Mary, and thric
happy we who are permitted TO rebuild he
forgotten sanctuary aud raise memoirs
altar on that favored spot. But who wa
that happy missionary? 1t WIS Charlie
Baron, a child, it would seem, of surn
France, an humble son of the humble 81
Francis of Assissium, a Recollect Esther v Ia
in religion had taken the name Of Denys.
learn from Mr. John Culinary Shea that b
was ordained September %, l74l, and sfie
serving several different parishes 10 Cauad
he was appointed chaplain of this exped
ton, and took up his residence al Fort Du
quesre. Some time before the abandonm5 4
Of the fort another chaplain succeeded hin
and he was transferred 10 the chsplaincy
Fort st. Frederic, at Ticonderoga, on Lax
Champlain, where he died November
1853, a few days before the fall of Fort Dr
quesne, his heavenly Mother having Gale
, him to herself before he should hear of ID
REIMBURSEMENT of the spot which ne ha
consecrated to her.
VENERABLE CHAPEL.
"a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgi
excited at Fort D1quesne during the perio
of the French occupation. But the readt
will hardly realize the honor that attachs
to this chapel until he is told that, althoug
there were many French missions, especial
; in Michigan and in the valley Of The Mi
, sissippi, there were only three otbers-ihoi
Of Detroit, Saut Ste. Marie and Kaskaski
as far as / have been able to learn, ded
, | Gated 10 the Blessed Virgin in the whol
present territory OF the United States, frol
} the Allegheny mountains TO The Pacif
, | ocean, If we except the French and SPANS
| settlements Of the Southwestern area
. 100000 squsre miles, or about two thirC
of the entire republic.
e Il have before me the register OF the osl
, tisms and iuiermeuts that took place at It
tort from the arrival of the French till o
d | tober, 1856. The title in the entriss ii
2 | August 9th is merely Fort Duquesne Of II
I. Beautiful River from that date till 5
: TENDER I2.h ii is Fort DuquesDe under 4
|. title of the Assumption OF the Blessed vi
: | ein:' but from the latter date till the end
e | the register it lie 'at Fort Duquesne und
) | the title of the Assumption Of the Bless
Virgin Of The Beautiful River Bot the 70
was abandoned in the fell Of 1853, and q
;. | nam. Of Mary was no longer remembers
for those who took Possession OF the snot
Il Il