The Irish standard., 1892-11-05
'PERE HY AC' IN'1HE,
The Rise and Fall Of the Eloquent
French Ex-Priest Of Notre s.
Dame.
THE GALLICAN FIREBRAND.
Won Thousands Of Souls to Catho-
Lefty and is Now a Religious
Outcast.

teIaCeur, contributes the following IN.
teresting sketch to the B ston Republic
of the apostate priest, Father Hyacinthe,
whose wife was recently in Minneapolis
soliciting money from Protestant dupes
for the so-called Gallican church of
France:
The ex-reverend father was the son Of
humble parents who were not provided
with means ample enough to insure him
q competent Or adequate education. As
the lad, however, was of sincerely
pious disposition, and was very bright
and clever for his years, his education
was looked after and its expenses de-
frayed by priest who took lively in-
terest in the welfare of the yonth. Hav-
ing made his preliminary studies in the
little seminary Of ST. Nicholas in Paris,
Hyacinthe entered that of Isey--a school
of philosophy where students are trained
prior to being called to st. Sulpice. In
due course of time Hyaclnthe completed
his philosophy, and was admitted to the
Paris institution, where he soon dietin-
guished himself in nearly all his classes
by the wonderful scope and grasp of his
mind, and by his indefatigable industry
in the search of knowledge. We have it
on the authority of the late Baron PLATED,
the well known 'Ignotus" of the Paris
Figaro, that Hyacinthe had at this period
of bis career being in doubt of his voca-
tion.
tits recorded by him that he used to
spend many hours before the tabernacle
in he college church in prayer and medi-
tttion, wrestling with his conscience. and
e7tdeavoring to find out if he were des-
tined to become priest.
All doubts on that head must have
byen eventually dispelled, for time
came when Hyacinthe was called to the
priesthood and was ordained by the
arch bishop of Paris in the church of the
parish OF st. Sulpice ia that city. He
tried missionary life for some years, bat
with Indifferent success. The cares and
responsibilities OF his position grew posi-
lively irksome to him. Having been ac-
customed from boyhood days to the calm
of the college and the tranquil existence
of student, he had just then no relish
for the active and feverish world in
which he found himself. Having e1.
planned his views on this matter to the
proper ecclesiastical authorities, they
sent him into the more congenial sphere
of a class hall in a provincial college
where he protested bellies lettres and
various other branches for several years
Here, too, however, he became restless
and discontinued. He had even grown
weary of his books. Then a sudden reli.
gious fervor seized him, under the inh,1.
ence Of which he decided to give up the
world and become monk. Joining one
of the religious orders in Paris, he soon
rose to be one of the greatest pulpit ora.
tors in the city. His command of choice
words bespoke for him the applause Of
scholars; while the simplicity of his Ian
guage, which was clear as crystal, gained
for him the favor OF the masses
At this epoch in his career, and fol-
some time afterwards, Pere Hyacinthe
won thousands of souls to Catholicity
and was as fervent an apostle Of the
Catholic creed as could be found within
the confines of the French capital. When
he was called to succeed Pere Felix ir
the pulpit Of Notre Dame, the monk had
reached the zenith Of his fame and glory
His sermons were attended by the
mightiest magnates in the land. The
eclectic Fauberg st. German gathered
enmasse in the cathedral to listen to him
while the horny har DIS Of labor from the
working districts of Bellville and Mont
martre were to be seen in large numbers
in an audience where they formed de-
cided contrast to the kid gloves Of stately
seigneurs or the lily white tapering fin.
gers of the loveliest of duchesses
Rochefort, who himself believed neither
in God nor in Satan, but who was an
avowed republican, used to say: IF
=
you want to see the only place on this
earth where perfect equality prevails
just go to Notre Dane any Sunday in
Lent when Pere Hyacinthe is in the
chair, aud, mark my word, you will find
it there
/ Pere Hyacinthe in the midst Of his
ecclesiastical triumphs was fast falling
| a victim to intellectual vanity. He be
lieved himself indispensable to the
Church. And then woman came along
"a buxom, pretty American widow, OF
!. whom [ have already spoken in pre-
ceding paper in whose tolls he strug-
gled for q moment, but eventually got
/ lost. Like other great geniusea he CAPT
Stulated IN presence q q fair temptrees;
and the result was that HE monaafic
! garb was discarded, and the chair Of
i Ntt,tre Dame knew him no more.
4 Having . marriIe1l BIZ this Interesting r.