The Irish standard., 1888-04-21
CATHOLIC NEWS.
a Convert Mothers Faith.

a Convert Mothers Faith.
Towards the decline Of the last cen
tury there lived in the Isle of Skye, OF
the western coast of Scotland, a lassit
named Mary Campbell, She was, llk'
nearly all tie inhabitants Of Skye, {
Presbyterian. When in her nineteenth
year she went to pay a visit of some
weeks to tL9onds in the little Island Of
Fig. and during that visit she, for The
first time in her life, assisted at the
Holy Sacrifice OF the Mass.
In those day S the Church in Scotland
was poor, aud struggling for the right
to exist. Priests We're few, and
churches were widely scattered (; while
as to trained choirs, they were unknown
in NORTHERN lAtltudes. The Shrill
sound Of the pibroch vibrating through
tins mountain passes WAS the High
lander's ideal music, and was con-
nected in his mind with battles and
not with prayer. High Mass was there
fore, in all probability, not celebrated
in the Island of Fig but the inyoca-
lions Of the priests were none the less
sublime, and the etficacious power of
the Sacrifice none the less strong, al
though sborn Of all ponlp and outward
circumstance. The wind in the deep
gorges furnished wild anthem for the
Low Mass, while the heaying waters Of
she Minch crooned a hymn Of thanks
glving all dag long.
AS Mary Campbell knelt before the
altar, whereon lay the Word made
Flesh, and bent her head in involun-
tary alteration, the light Of faith en-
lared her heart. From that moment
$40 was determined to become a Catho.
lio But first she had to go back to her
home in Skye, and announce her de-
t;.ision to her relatives, who tried their
vest to prevent her from carrying out
Her intention. twice she escaped from
their careful custody, and endeavored
10 return to Ely and twice was she
captured and brought back to Skye,
The third ATTEMPT Was successful. Not
long after her reception into the Church
she married one Neil Mcleod.
In the year 1871 Colonel Fraser, OF
Vnr: William, in Scotland, brought out
q colony from the island OF Fig to PIC
lou, Nova Scotia. Among the names
Of those emigrants we find john and
Donald McKlunon, three families Of
McEacherers, three families of Nc
Isaacs, Donald Mcleod from Gamma,
and Neil Mcleod from Fig. With the
OF Donald Mchinnon, all
these people went TO Peterborough, il.
Cumberland County, where they found
fertile land near the Basin OF Minas, in
which fish were very abundant.
There Neil Mcleod, with his wife
and children, made home, and from
there to the Gulf Shore, u distance OF
ano hundred and fifty miles, Mrs. Nc
Iced, accom- panied by two other
women, also named May, walked to
perform her Easter duty. This MEM
orable feat is still known throughout
The countryside as 1.-The pilgrimage CT
The three Marys,' 1t would appear
Shat the majority Of the little colony
were cortented to remain at PARIS
borough il, spite OF there being no Cath
olic mission in the vicinity, but not so
Mrs. Mcleod From the first she saw
the danger that lurketl in their position
and would say: "There is no fear for
,ls old peopla-there is n0 fear for us;
with the help of God, we Shall die in
the Faith; but what will happen to our
children, and to our children IS children?
They are SO far removed from the in
9uence of religion that they cannot
have the knowledge necessary to pre-
serve faith AT length her words pre-
vailed; the whole colony came round to
her way OF thinking, and after sojourn
Of nine years in Parrsoorough, they
disposed Of their lands, and removed,
some to the county Of Antagonist, and
some to tie county Of Inverness. Cape
Breton.
Neil Mcleod, with his wife aud fam
lly, settled at Kuoydart on the Gulf
Shore, where they lived exemplary lives
and died at ripe old age, Among
their descendants are the Very Rev.
Tell Mcleod, Vicar-General Of the
Diocese Of Antigonisl,; the Rev. w. 3.
Nc Donald, OF Stel4arton; tle Rev. W.
Nc Pherson, the Rev. William Mcleod, |
snd the Hon. John McKinnon, NJ. l..
c., Nova Scotia. Ave Maria.