The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-28
Father Anthony Ravalli, s. j.
Who spent forty years in this far
west,sfor the good Of souls and
suffering mankind, AZ a jealous
missionary aud n charitable ply
died
October ., 1854,
3"

died
October ., 1881
IL. l. r.
Within a few feet Of Father Ravalli's
grave, some 27S Indians repose in one large
grave. whose remains were removed from
Fort Owens old burylng ground some two
years ago. In trying to appreciate Father
Ravalli's true character, a person is at once
forcibly struck on reading Fathet Palla-
dino's memoir of the distinguished de-
parted, with his extraordinary ability. ac-
tiyity and talent for detail. Father Ravalli
felt that whoever ministers to the wants of
a people, especially of a savage people,
must reach them through their bodies. He
reasoned that the confidence to 30 desired
as a spiritual teacher and guide would be
far moro easily secured by paying great at
tention to the humber interests. He we'll
knew that Christ had paid much attention
to the bodily necessities of the people, as
n attested by the miraculous distribution of
.oaves and fishes.
ss>t1From the commencement of his religious
life the Indians of North America seemed
to beckon to Pers Ravalli. 1t is SO always in
Gods providence. Sometimes the highest
fitness for a place is attained indirectly.
God orders the preparations of his chosen.
His ways are inscrutable and not like ours.
Ravalli studied medicine under some of the
best physicians and surgeons in Europe,
little then dreaming hat the knowledge
thus acquired would be the means of saving
the lives of numerous miners during the
famous Sun River stampede. It is almost
impossible to believe that such varied and
profound studies as occupied the early years
of Montana's great missionary could have
been carried at the same time that he was
learning to handle the tools of aim oss every
trade. 1t is truly a serious thing to become
an Indian missionary. There IS no money
in it. 1t must be a wonderful love of Christ
which strengthened his heart for such work,
1t is a sacrifice to become a Jesuit mission
ary. There can never be a home for him
anywhere on earth. Christ had no home.
The Jesuit missionary comes nearest to
Christ in his service, and he must como
nearest to Christ in his sacrifice. He works
not for wife. family, fame or friends, but
from the moment no becomes a member of
the order to the day of his death, all he ex-
poets to receive ID the food he eats and the
clothes he wears. He has to obey the or
ders of his Guperiors and does obey them
without the slightest murmur. If Fathers
D'Aste, Neale and Diomedi, whom I met in
Missoula the other day. were ordered to
pack up and be off within twenty-four !
hours, to. say Alaska, Central Africa. the
South Sea Islands, why they would be on
the road within the time specified. They
may be compared to woll-disciplined SOL
diers in war times. when sleeping on post, |
disobedience to the orders of q superior
officer is punishable with death or e1pul-
zion.
The sons of Lovola like their fathers are
ever on the alert-against the too treacher-
ous moves of ''the world, the flesh, and the
GeyiI"-and under the cross of Christ and
the auspices of the most Holy Trinity, they
successfully cope with difficulties and Ian
gers. All honor then to these gallant SOL
dierg OF Christ who first planted His cross
in the wilds of magnificent Montana. The
names of such men as Iavalli, De Smet,
Point, D'Aste, Palladino, Mengarini, etc.,
will DO recorded on the pages of Montana's
history when tho names of the majority Of
those living in Montana at present will be
wholly forgotten. And their names should
go down for they rouGhod it in stormy days,
times that would have been far stormier
were it not for their teachings. In the
Montana Jesuit churches there are not to
this day, pew rents. at least such is
the case With st. Ignatius and the
Missoula churches, two of the largest
church huildingss in Montana. The De
Smets, Points, ltavallis, Mengarinis.
JoBets were not thinking about pew rents
Or collections in those days. The view from
81. Mary'B Peak under whose shadow St.
Mary's mission lies, is truly magnificent.
The characteristic glory of the western
Montana highlands is the infinite variety
and beauty Of their shape and the loneliness
Of their color. The Australian and New
Lealand mountains and lakes POSSESS a
softer and BWeeter grace; the dear, old
Twelve Tins and tho "keek'' or 'C,onoh
> t+lS@ W SaILduBhSs gre more calmly
mud wooiugly beautiful, tie African ones,
observed, appeared conservative ones, SO to
spefE; but the Roo.y and Bitter Root
mountain ranges and lakes excel all those
referred to in grandeur, majesty and wealth.
1T would be cheer presumption TO undertake
TO describe i'll anything like detail, the SOL
enan ansteritY, the lofty and lonely mag
nihceiice, the bleak, weird, haunted isola-
ton and the fairy-llke fantasy of this no
etc, romantic realm. whiCA dan be seen by
the naked eye from st. Mnry's peak, en-
bfacing AZ IL does tho great Fiathead coun~
try, Spring Guloh, the Occur d'Alencs, the
Bitter Root, Allssouia and other valleys;
but any lover of nature and NATURES God
may we'll declare his passion and declare
its sentiments as TO its enthrGlling and be-
witohing charms. !
Father D.,Agtc. $. j., told me last Wednes-
day that the first Chrigtmgss raasg i'll Mon
tena was sung by Fathers Mengarini and
Point, N q Ia 40 tepea under the shadow
Of III. Msrf'B peak. On that occasion sew
eral hundred Flatheads were received into
the church. Victor and his son Charles,
aa also Aries and other chiefs, were then ,
and there hartized. At that time there was
not a house ! presume in either Portland,
seokane. Semitic, or the whole of Idaho,
Washington and Montana. Whist a change