Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-05-02
st. Francis Church.

III IclcIGlSC W Vic NSlCiuDlC
church etlitice designated by the
above name, and situated about
one mile above APPOINT directly
opposite Bayou Sara. About all
that can ut present he obtained of
the past history of the church and
the notable events connected
Herewith, have been brought out
in various editorials, communlca-
tions and reports of correspon-
dents above referred TO. notably
in an elaborate article in Sundays
Picawtne, descriptive of the bull
ding itself, illustrated by faithful
views obtained through the arts
of the photographer and the en-
graver, and picturlng IN faithful
pen sketches the old cemetery
with its ancient tombs now crumb-
ling to ruins and awaiting only the
rapidly approaching final gulp of
the Mississippi, that threatens to
conslgn them, one and all, to OBJ
livion IN the depths the of the IN
satiatc nav of the monster river.
There Is Il conccnsus of opin-
ion amounting to nnan'mity, that
prompt and effective means should
be taken to rescue the dear histo-
rio relic from the fate that threa-
tens it, and to that end both our
respected contemporaries of Point
Coupee have opened subscription
lists in their Offices. The numcr-
Gus individuals in this parish who
are in sympathy with the objects
of the subscription, (and We do
not hesitate to say that most of
our people, irrespective of sect or
religious differences are,) can
quickest subservc the purpose by
forwarding their contributions to
the Democrat or Banner, ut New
Road.
All that has been published re-
Gently deprecatlng the prospective
of St. Francis Church
and pleading for its rescue, is am
tedatcd by and article that APP
pearcd in this paper over year
ago, on March 1st., 1890, and
which we herewith reproduce:
sit is evident that the rapid
of the Mississippi
river will soon remove one of the
most venerated and time-honored
land marks now existing IN Loui-
siana. Within Il week such abra-
sions of the bank have occurred
that the lcvec III front Of St.
Francis Church has been swallow
ed up in the insatiate NAV of the
great river, the turbid waters of
which rush within few feet of
the sacred cdlticc'.
"St. Francis Church stands
third in order of age, among the
of Louisiana, ana fourth
only among those IN the United
OF the church cdlticcs
within this commonwealth, the
Cathedral ut New Orleans stands
first in years. the Cathedral ut
follows, and then in
order comes st. Francis Church
in Pointe Coupee''.
"Many hallowcd memories
cling around this sacred monu-
ment of modern antiquity. In its
repose the bones of the
of hundreds who them
selves, Il century ago were mar
red before its alter. who had been
baptized at Its fount Of rcgcnc.a-
ton and who had been brought, !
in death, to receive the last abso- !
luton within her sanctuary ere
being committed tcarfuIiy yet
Drayerfully and hopefully to /. G
tomb
Cannot something be done for
The preservation of this dear old |
of by gone days-this
link that binds the past
Of long, long ago with the pres
ent of SO many people? Cannot |
he church itself be removed out |
IF danger even if the cemetery
he protected?
1--WE have no boubt that many.
very MANY of the residents of |
Pointc Coupec would assist in
providing Il fund for this laudable
purpose, and act III conjunction
With the people of that parish.
1--WE trust we will not be re-
.arded rs oGicious when we sug-
,est that the Police Jury of that
parish might properly take this
:iattcr in hand and, aided by the
Rev. Clergy and our public spir-
ted contemporary the Banner,
accomplish the preservation Of
he old church.
Thus we wrote over Il year ago,
nd repetition of our language