The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-18
PRIEST IN ARCTIC FURS'
Father Barnum, S. J., breaches on
the Jesuit Missions in
Alaska.
The Northern Race Takes Kindly to
the trangers-Sisters Amid
the Ice and Snow

The spectacle of priest clad in gray furs
the same as Esquimaux use to keep their
bodies warm was presented In the pulpit of
st. Mary's Cathedral at late mass yesterday.
From a short distance in the dim light he
appeared more like dweller of the Arctic
than a distinguished and scholarly priest.
The fur hood was thrown back upon his
shoulders, but the coat was buttoned close
about him. A brass crucifx hanging in
front was the only sign that the preacher
was soldier of Christ.
He was the Rev. Father Barnum, S. j.,
one of the Catholic missionaries in Alaska.
His discourse was confined to the labors OF
the Jesuit fathers in Alaska and the Catho-
lie missions there. The subject was in
troduced by a reference to the command
OF Christ to his apostles to ego forth and
teach all nations"
The apostles went into the world teach
ing all things revealed to them and their
disciples have never ceased until to-day
there is extended around the world a chain
OF Catholic affairs where the divine sacri-
fee of the mass is offered to God.
Until few years ago." said Father
Barnum, 1.-The great empire of Alaska was
an unknown land to missionaries. 1t was
the noble prelate, Archbishop Seghers.
who first planted the cross in Alaska
among the Esauimaux. He gave the mis-
| sion into the hands of the Society of
Jesus. To-day there are twelve mission
stations, ten fathers of the Society OF
Jesus and seventeen sisters of the Society
OF st. Anne, spreading our holy faith in
the arctic. The missions are divided
among whites, Esquimaux and the Indians
on the coast.
1.-The Alaskan mission is one of our own.
an American mission at our own doors.
You cannot imagine the misery of the
desolate, dreary arctic solitude where the
EsQuimauX dwell. Only once wear have
we communication with the outside world.
In July the ice breaks up and a steamer
comes in from San Francisco. But then
we have the solitude, the utter silence. the
desolation and loneliness of the arctic
region for another winter. The terrible
cold, frequently as low as 80 below zero.
We have to endure without any of the
scientific appliances you have here-steam
heaters, stoves, etc. We must stand il off
as best we can. In the few weeks of sum
mer we gather all the drift wood ourselves
along the coast, but we can never get
enough TO fully supply US for cooking and
heating during the long winter.
"Our log huts we built ourselves. and
you may imagine what kind of houses
priests, who are not carpenters, could
build. Our clothes are such as you see on
wear three such coats as this one. several
stockings and punches of grass in our
boots. We never get butter, milk or the
many articles of food we were accustomed
10. Beans and rice form our standard food
with the products OF the country, fish and
seal, after we get used to seal meat But a
man has to serve hardy apprenticeship.
TO be without food for a day or two before
he can get useo to chunk OF seal. Still
seal meat is very welcome to US.
THE Esquimaux eat all their food raw.
They are a splendid people - inteIIi-
gent. docile, kind-hearted, devoted to
their children, but when one of them
grows too old his friends smother him
not through any mercenary motive, but
because they don't want their old people
to suffer. They put his body on a mat
roll it up and cover it in some corner of
the ice, where 1t lies until some polar bear
comes along. Each polar bear serves for
family vault in the neighborhood he
ranges over.
II never yet saw a sign of ill humor
mong them. They coax their children
but never punish EN-. We always
find parents willing to have their children
baptized and to be taught their PRAYERS.
In the beginning they did not know what
we were there for. They took us for trad.
ers and when we refused their skins thew
were surprised. Now they know US and
call us priests"