Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-15


A plain social duty lies before him, which
he performs correctly but without the leasl
enthusiasm. And we shall best understand
his attitude of mind if we examine our owl
to the cognate absurdity of marriage pres
ents.
Father Dordillon's Career.
L have had occasion several times to name
the late bishop, Father Dordillon, Mon
seigneur," as he is still almost universally
called, Vicar Apostolic of the Marquesas and
Bishop of Cambysopolis in partibus. Every
where in the islands, among all classes and
races, this fine, old, kindly, cheerful fellow
is remembered with affection and respect.
His influence with the natives was para
mount. They reckoned him the highest Of
men-higher than an admiral; brought him
their money to keep; took his advice upon
their purchases; nor woul they plant trees
upon their own land till they had the APP
prevail of the father of the islands. During
the time of the French exodus, he singly
represented Europe, living in the residency,
and ruling by the hand of Temoana.
The first roads were made under his auspi-
ces and by his persuasion. There seems
some truth at least in the common view,
that this joint reign of Temoana and the
Bishop was the last and brief golden age OF
the Marquesas. But the civil power re-
turned, the mission was packed out of the
residency at "a hours notice, new methods
supervened, and the golden age-whatever
it quite was-determined. 1t is the strong
est proof of Father Dordilion's prestige that
1t survived, seemingly without loss, this
hasty deposition.
Methods of the Bishop.
His method with the natives was ex-
tremely mild. Among these barbarous
children he still played the part of the
smiling father, and he was careful to OBJ
serve, in all Indifferent matters, the Mar
quesan etiquette. Thus, in the singular
system of artificial kinship, the Bishop had
been adopted by Vaekehu as q grandson;
Miss Fisher, OF Hatiheu, as a daughter.
From that day Monseigneur never adj
dressed the young lady except as his
mother, and closed his letters with the for
malities of a dutiful son. With Europeans
he could be strict, even to the extent of
harshness. He made no distinction against
h~eretics, with whom he was on friendly
terms. but the rules of his W church he
would see observed, and once at least he
had a man clapped in Jail for the desecra-
ton of a saints day. But even this rigor,
so intolerable to Iaymen, so irritating to
Protestants, could not shake his popularity.
His character is best portrayed in the story
of the days of his decline. A time came
when. from the failure of sight, he must de-
sist from his literary labors; his Marquesan
hymns; grammars and dictionaries; his
scientific papers, lives of saints, and devo-
tional poetry. He cast about tor a new in
terest; pitched on gardening, and was to be
seen all day with spade and waterproof, in his
childlike eagerness, actually running be-
tween the borders. Another step of decay,
and he must leave his garden also. In
stantly a new occupation was devised, and
he sat in the mission cutting paper flowers
and wreaths. His diocese was not great
enough for his activity; the churches of the
Marquesas were papered with his handi-
work, and still he must be making more.
His Memory Held Sacred.
"Ah," said he, smiling, when 1 am dead
what a fine time you will have clearing out
my trashl" He had been dead about six
months; but l was pleased to see some of his
trophies still exposed, and looked upon them
with a smile; the tribute (if 1 have resd his
cheerful character aright) which he would
have preferred to any useless tears. Disease
continued progressively to disable Aim; he
who had clamored SO sIalwartly over the
ude rocks of the Marquesas, bringing peace
to warfarirg clans, was for some time car
ried in a chair between the mission and the
church, and at last confined to bed, impo-
tent with dropsy, and tormented with bed
sores and sciaIica. Here he lay two months
without complaint; and on the 11th Janu-
airy, 1887; IN the 18th year OF his life and
the thiftylfonrth Of his labors In the Mar
quesas passed away.
Those who have a taste for hearing mis-.
sions, Protestant or Catholic, decried. must
seek their pleasure elsewhere than in my
~ Whothnr 1Cafhnlio mr. Drofacfarf
with all their gross blots, with all their
deficiency of cardor, of humor, and of COM
mon sense, the missionaries are the best and
most useful whites in the Pacific. This is q
subject which will follow us throughout
but there is one part of it that may conve-
niently be treated here. The married and
the celibate missionary each has his par
ticular advantage and defect. The married
missionary, taking him at the best, may
offer to the native what he is much in want
ola higher picture of domestic life; but
the woman at his elbow tends to keep him
in touch with Europe and out of touch with
Polynesia, and to perpetuate, and even to
ingram parochial decencies, far best for
cotton.
Woman's Greatest Weakness.
The mind of the female missionary tends.
for instance, to be continually busted about
uTcsS. DIG q NC tauSub Will CAtremt
difficulty to think any costume decent but
that to which she grew accustomed on Clap
ham Common; and to crafty this prejudice
the native is put to useless expense, his
mind is tainted with the morbidities OF Eu.
rope, and his health is set in danger. The
celibate missionary, on the other hand, and
whether at bes. or worst, falls readily into
native WAYS of life; to which he adds too
commonly what is either a mark of celibate
man at large, or an inheritance from
medieval saints-I mean s~lovenly habits
and an u~nclean person. There are, OF
course, degrees in this; and the sister (oi
course, and all honor to herr is as fresh as a
lady at a ball.
1t might be supposed that native mission.
aries would prove more indulgenr, but the
reverse is found to be the case. The new
broom sweeps clean; and the white mission.
airy of to-day is often embarrassed by the
bigotry of his native coadj utor. What else
should we expect?
The best specimen of the Christian hero