The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-04-25
NO. ~.


powers would be afforded full scope.
with the departure from the peninsula
OF the Jesuit fathers and their Indian
neophytes, fleeing before the conquerlng
Iroquois, and the destruction by fire of
the mission buildings to save them from
! desecraton, the first chapter in the story
OF the conversion OF the Indian was
closed. Young Father Baraga determin-
ed to open another chapter in this story,
and he came to America for the purpose
OF lifting himself for the Indian missions,
leaving his bright prospects of advance
ment and success in his own land. He
remained at the Cincinnati seminary long
enough TO inform himself OF the ''lay OF
the land' and the rudments of the
languages he must perforce use in his
new field, and there began the work of
bringing the savages under the influence
Of the gospel-aworkc CARRIED on by Mar
quette's successors upto sixty years be-
fore the ''dsruption."
HE began his abors at the Abre
Croche (now Arbor Sprngs) in the
lower peninsula The mission became
the rallying point of the Chippewas from
many miles around it. In thirty months
he had mastered the language, published
prayer and hymn books and established
the mission on Il solid footing, and secur-
Ing a successor. he proceeded TO the
(,rnn nA ,ylnra Ia. Of IN 4 70
becoming good indians, owing to the
demoralizng influence exercised over
them by bad whites in their ne!ghbor-
hood. Here he had hard work and won
derful success. Having established this
mission also on permanent footing. he
left it in other hands and started on
long and toilsome Journey after the
OibwaS who had settled near Lapointc
or Ashland. 1t took Father Baraga three
weeks TO make the trip from the 500
to Ashland. Eight years were spent
here during which his extraordinary
capacity for learning languages-he
spoke seven or eight modern tongues
fuentIy-enabled him TO compile and
print Biblical history aud books OF prayer
charge, he accepted an invitation Of the
Keweenaw band. and founded his last
mission near L'Anse. Here his task
was TO reform the Olibwa, rlined by
traders ire-water. and to induce them to
learn tillage and farming. Ills own lack
OF farming knowledge impeded this pait
of his work and 1t was only when u sue
cess0r came to him who could
farm, that the settlement really became
stable. Father Baraga bought this land
himself. and gave each Indian tract
and Il good log house. lie still worked
on his prayer books and Biblical history,
aud here completed his magnum opus,
the great Otchiprve grammar and die
tionary, the first eyer published and tho
standard work to this day.
In all his missions, Father Baragawas
the instructor Of his flock in the three
RS. as well as in the religious sphere.
HIS two trips To Europe were made TO
COlleCb lOI us lilISNibuS. dllu llt uCNti w
turned empty-handcd.
The founding of the L'AnSe mission
was almost cotempOrary with the open
ing up Of the copper mines; and this
meant more work for the father. as he
was the only priest near. For eight
years he visited the copper country fiom
L'Anse. travelling by canoe or on snow
shoes. through trackess forests. carry
ing his altar furniture with him. 5. B.
Ely son of the iron country Dioneer,
speaks OF the welcome extended the mis-
sionary by everybody on his arrival at a
mining camp, and Of the pleasure OF
listening to his incisive addresses in the
three languages spoken by his followers
Father Daraga's hope was to die among
his Indians; but when the peninsula
became diocese he naturally beca G it's
first bishop, over hocks mostly & !ered
by himself.
-Four years before his lamented death,
he was exposed to rain and cold during
an eight days boat journey. and frsm
the effects of this exposure he never frlly
recovered. During his last illness, his
condition was, of course, an object OF
great concern to all who knew and ad-
mired the man for his self denial and self
sacrifice. The Mr.. Ely already quoted,
called and tried to insist on the bishops
taking some comfort during his Illness;
bu. the bishop simply replied that he
was better housed than his Master was,
and he wonld have no improvements. A
big-hearted Irishwoman to whom Mr>
Ely complaine1, stormed her way inio
the presence of her beloved pastor, and
insisted on leaving sum OF .aoney for
some .'dacent" nourishmcn.. The bishop,
| fast failing. tried 10 make his attendant
understand he waited something, and at
length. Father Terhorst, his successor at
the mission, asked II it was the money,
and the bishop nodded. The money was
brought, and The dying apostle signed to
the father to take 1t Tor the mission, and
1 a -. I-ls. AZ