Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-16
BOUND FOR BLESSINGS.
Another Days Rush of Pilgrims at
the Shrine of st. Anthony,
FATHER MOLLINGER WORKEDHARD
He PreScribeS No Medicine, but BlesSeS
Several Hundreds
MORE PEOPLEwH CLAIM TO BE CURED

---N VI Il llSAlN lldIlA vi All SIu0S NOIC ON
dences Of the crush and excitement of Sun
day. The churclyard was strewn over with
fragments OF bread and other edibles with
which the weary pilgrims had refreshed the
inner man during the past week. Even the
2j~uauUicd condition of the temporary
lunch stands added to the illusion and gave
an air OF reality to the fancy. One had, how
ever, only 10 tErn to the crowd who filled
the iucIoSurc to dispel any such hallucina-
sion. On every face could be traced the pro-
found emotions which stirred the people.
ErenZiCd hope, halr-doubting dependency
ana religious fcrvor were ali easily traced
nn the features OF the waiting crowd. stand
ing apart from all others was 4 young
man whose face wa~ radiant with gratifed
pleasure. In reply to THE DISPATCH reporter
lt SAID THAI he had arrived at Troy Hill
early last week, but had only been able to
sse the Father saturday morning. Some
months ago he had been working at an oil
tank when, through some cause or other,
the tank slipped and fell upon his right foot,
hge..Eing tHe ankle in two places. Since that
time he had been unable to do any work,
and, in addition TO that injury, he had been
attacked with rheumatism. After seeing
Father Mollirger he had experienced great
relief, and was now much better. The
rheumatism had almost entirely gone and
the pain in his ankle had also been much
relieved.
Another Hard Day for the Priest.
From o'clock yesterday morning Father
Mulimger sat in his Office and blessed the
waiting multiWdes who passed slowly be-
fple him. 1t l. calculated that there could
NOS have been less than l,4OO people who re-
ceived the blessing yesterday morning
alone. About noon. when the prieSt-phySi-
riau retired 10y dinner, he appeared COM
w.Hly broken down. He announced his in
l.HtfuH not 10 bless any more that day, but
gu seeing thc immense crowd winch was still
s-INiuu-'h waiting. and which was receiving
fresh reniiorcpmentS every moment, he con-
s..,5,.G 60 again resume his post in the office
5a BE afternoon. From the time the door
Mas opened m the afternoon until 4:30 the
E-,arr was kept constantly engaged with
g.D~. flEiOuS TO receive the blessing.
Getting in among the crowd that beSieged
E.lg door. Il DISPATCH reporter fought for ad-
l-.Jsurv with the rest. just as the man in
'front.' passed through, the door was closed
and another Ne;uy wait ensued. Notwith-
standing the intense heat, none of the crowd
1u-NtG ;,u inch from their positions, but
u.unE ,guaciou>ly to every inch of vantage
tI.,E- could -,siu. The scene which followed
--.e opening of the door reSembled nothing
Is. much as the door ut 4 first night play in Il
london thnatcr. Men, women and children
l..-gt with desperation for premier place.
Blind. lame, halt and curious all rushed
luslllE iur the open portal which they re;l-
lrau would ere long close them, perhaps
forever. from the blessing OF the famous
priest ply ~ltlttn Oh Troy lilil. II must nave
Roe, "a easier 70 get into ancient Troy during
f.Ee celebrated siege thOn it was to get
within the sacred portals OF Father Mol
IE.-"r's private Office on Troy Hill, for al
laDugh nanny luring and seemingly invinci-
hlr >tTutugpmS were adopted by cunning
patients. but few of the latter succeeded in
rushing by the Nigilant attendants, who
guarded exit and entrance with military
watrAiulness.
Helped in by p Priest.
L. Sod
elderly friend anxious to see the Father, sue
Ceu6ed in interesting Father Smith in OBJ
tanning her an early entrance by another
door, and had not the Father passed through
himself. he would have had some difficulty
In pacifyfng the crowd who clutched his
laU and made vain intercessions for a like |
FAVOR.
4 notable case of cure was that ofa man |
from Philadelphia, who arrived in the morn
ir-- ON CrUtches and was utterly unable to do |
without such aid. After receiving Father
MuLIugeT's blessing he expressed himself as
b. uch benefited, and, it il stated, ultimately
left his crutcnes il the church and walked
home unaided.
such statements as these naturally led to
increased faith on the part of the patients,
and though no actual cases of immediate
cure were Witnessed yesterday by THE Dis
pa rgH reporter the various people who re-
r-fvcd the blessing left the building with
cheerful cOuntenanceS, radiant with hope
81 a. complete cure in the nOt-diStant future
INSIDE the DQLClnE some curious scenes
were enacted. When admitted, the patient
were u-herCd into an ante-room where As
sISrant herdluE supplied them with seats
until such time as they could be admitted
into the inner chamber, where the blessing
was being administered
No High Hairdressing Allowed.
Considerable CONSERVATION was caused
among the female element present by the at
1cuLaut's announcement that not only would
they be required to take off their hats, but
ii amy Of them wore their hair on the crown
OF their head they should take il down, other
wise the priest himself would do so ere he
administered the blessing, and as the attend
amt tcrsely remarked: 'He might hurt"
After some short space spent in realizing the |
tuDIulty. the ladies proceeded to disheVel |
their 1OWlng locks, and rearranged them |
in some CaSeS-in much more pleasing style |
without the Objectionable topknOt.
During this time a continued stream of
people was passing through into the pres |
Cuee OF the physician who was assisted by |
Attendant Hepp. From the inner room |
came the silvery tinkle of dollars and dimes |
as they fell into the otfertOrv plate at the
otgne OF the priests voice rose and fell sol |
Cuuly above the Subdued murmurs of the |
people. as he placed his hands on the head |
Uf patient after patient, and pronounced the !
blessing. Having received the blessing the /
people Streamed out OF another door and dis
appeared in the thIong in the churchyard.
-HN ID
C. The Fathers celebrated prescriptions, and
many requests were made 10 attendants to |
fill lH-k@ and bottles with holy water. The |
latter was easily supplied, but throughout |
the day the priest had refused to prescribe |
for any patient, and had devoted himself /
entirely to blessing those who waited to /
receive It. The attendants were most courte-
Gus ana strove to impress upon the patients /
that the prescription mattered but little if /
they received the blessing and followed the /
directions as to prayer which were given by /
the Father. On this assurance the great /
majority left happy and cOntented.
One Blessing That Wasn't Enough.
Scarcely had the priest left the chair when
Z fresh thrush of patients again engaged his
attention. One man who had made a visit
one day last week and had received the
blessing was wheeled in again yesterday,
but did not know that he had been much |
benefited.
The last case OF the evening was that of an
elderly lady who had to be carried on
chair to receive the Fathers blessing. She
returned shortly afterwurd and seemed |
to be much pleased at having attained her
desire.
The attendants stated that tomorrow and
following days anyone wishing TO see the /
healer, should call at his house, as he would |
not leave the Mount until later in the week /
Had il not been for this statement it is very
doubuy if the crowd would have been in any
way diminished this evening, as new con
tngcnts were arriving every moment, but |
on hearing the announcement they resolved
TO Ily some other time.
Although yesterday was more or less a
thiGd-Iate day at the hill as regarded instan-
tanCOu- cures, some rather wonderful stories
were told TIE DISPATCH reporter of gradual
improvement under the Fathers treatment
I. y BlehtOrd, OF TarpOrt, Pa, was one of
three instances. He had had quite a comph.
cation Oi ailments. LOcomotor ataXy and
blindness were among his principal infirn-
itieS. some few months ago he was given