The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-28
IT IS SOUGHT BY THOUSANDS.
THEY HOPE TO RECEIVE HELP OF
A MIRACULOUS CHAR
ACTER
BIG PYRAMIDS OF CLUTCHES
Within the Church on the st.
Lawrence.

Ao"iSHce, lS the SHRINE or La BOnne
Ste. Anne de Beaupre, says the Provi-
dence Journal. 1t is a pilgrimage, in
deed, to reach it, this Lourdes of North
America, for which no lola has yet
arisen, but any discomfort attendant
upon the journey is more than repaid
by the sights and scenes witnessed.
The railroad carrying pilgrims from
quebec to Ste. Anne is owned by the
Canadian government. 1t has been
consecrated and blessed by the cardi-
nal, as well as the cars and the loco
motives. 1t is no easy matter to reach
the tiny station from the hotel or
pension privee in which you NAV be
stopping in Quebec. There are plenty
or saints in the nomenclature of the
town, and you pass through dozens of
streets called after them, feminine
and masculine alike, down. down the
steepest Of hills, passing the station.
from Which later on you will go to
Lake st. John to catch uuananiche
and on to the border of the ST. Charles
river, where hourly trains leave for
those who have faith in the interces
sion OF the good Ste. Anne. Really
there are three ways to go. First. as
a true pilgrim. In this case the cure
OF the parish to which the visitor be-
longs arranges with the railroads and
the priests of Ste. Anne, and the large
body Of people are sent by speciaI
trains The other ways are to go on
any of the morning trains b11t RI
make choice between first and sec
ond-class. AS the premier class Is not
only double the cost, but practically
SHUTS you out from seeing the people
Oh the country very few sensible trav-
eiers enter the cars de luxe. The
Journey occupies but an hour, but that
nour IS crowded with it's minutes Of
interest. There is no levity whatever
IN the travellers. Every one carries a
substantial bag filled with food and
urlnk. When on true pilgrimage
the cars are crowded with the
manned. the lame, the halt, and the
blind.
sb IN Ordinary occasions every one in three
SHOWS need of aid in bodily aiiment. PossihIv
the most affecting thing is the number of
crippled children being carried to St Anne's
s sn me oy loving hands. Last year there were
GOV wv pligrllns; the year before about 200 GOO
AS the cyn1c or the skeptic would Judge II
from his point of view as superstitious or
ueeply spiritual age, this year will see nron
Anne. "a 9'e'
To reach the parish in which the shrine Is
iocated one passes along the St Charles
river through country beautiful beyond des-
crlption. After it empties into the st. Law
renee splendid vista is obtained of both
shores of the latter, and the great walls Of
Quepec rise to form heavy, massive frame
Iof the picture. When one has assisted for
years the Providence youth to- nemorize the
fact that the Falls of Montmorenct are 100
1eet higher than Niagara and that they flow
with thunderous roar into the ST. Lawrence
1t is no little satisfaction to have eye and ear
corrooorate dry geographical facts as Mont
morencl TAILS burst upon you. The train
slackens speed; there are plenty Of tOhst''
and "Ahs!'' while the bridge is slowly crossed
over the great gush of water caused by the
Downfall Of this cataract OF marvellous
beauty.
The train goes on, increases speed, and
passes through the Canadian villages which
nestle at the base and in the recesses of the
La1rentian mountains It is a bit Of Swift
zerland in America. The houses just as
tiny and neat. All have the French win
dows, which open in the middle, inward. The
roofs are like the chalets Of the Hartz
mountains. They curve and slope pictur-
esQuely, being built thus that the snow may
the better slide off quickly in the winter The
long rectangular spaces of pasture land slope
to the river The cows are ankle deep in the
clover, and look sleek and well fed. The
names of the stations, LAnge Sardieu Chat
eau Richer, BEAUFORT would take the traveller
from times modern to those ancient, for since
1850 pious Canadians have visited this Sec
ton to be cured of the various ills that flesh
is heir to.
The story of La Bonnie Ste. Anne Is that
early in the seventeenth. century some mar
liners from Brittany, navigating the lower st.
Lawrence, were overtaken by a fearful storm.
of the Virgin Mary, that If delivered from
the danger which surrounded them they
would build whatever spot they might be
able to land sanctuary in her honor. In
fuIfillment of their vows the faithful Breton
fishermen erected a small wooden chapel,
still standing. To my mind this is even more
interesting than the present basilica, which
is an enlargement Of better structure
erected in 1860. The present handsome edi-
fee was raised to the dignity Of basilica
by Pope Plus TX. 1t is of pure Corinthian
architecture, 152 feet long, GA wide, and cost
500, 900. 1t is considered one of the finest
churches in the provinces, its interior being
full of decorations of much beauty, at the
hands Of great artists. In the center OF the
church is a colossal statue Of Ste. Anne
resting on q column OF white marble, and
to these are attached the venerable relics,
faith in which and their touch bringing to
pass the miracles which have resulted In
this second Notre Dame de Lourdes. These
relics are finger bone Of Ste Anne pro-
cured by Laval, the first bishop. when this
land was New France, not Canada; part Of
the saints wrist, sent by Leo Kill, and
portion of the rock from the grotto in which
Ste. Anne gave birth to the mother of
Christ.
The great basilica, with its statue of Ste.
Anne. which surmounts the twin towers the
crowds upon crowds of people, the mere dot
in the medieval town cuddlfng itself at the
base of the everlasting hills, upon which
hang the heavy rain clouds, are simply a
picture never to be wiped from the memory
Ordinarily an outing where large a body
of people is embraced, has some aspect Of
merriment, even when OF religious or semi
religious character. One reads of bicycle
parades In connection with Christian En-
deayor conventions and retoices at the same
But for once the two-wheeled vehicle craze
is gone There is nothing really depressing
ou1 WI criminals
many feeble, anaemic PRISONS 1t is the i'm
preston of a sublime faith, a belief in
higher power to heal to cure. to redress.
There are booths, as at a fair, all around
where emblems, rosaries and prayer books
are sold. Children are filling bottles at the
font Of Ste Anne, for this water Is carried
to those too ill to make the pilgrimage them
selves and for whom others come long dis
tances But these children do not laugh
There Is purpose In their acts, and that
purpose a spiritual one.
Inside the church the scene is even more
extraordinary and more impressive. There
had been pilgrimage from distant section
preached that morning, as we entered the
church. The Redemptorist fathers are in
charge of the church. and as the shrine is
visited by people from all parts of the United
States and Canada. the sermons are de,iv-
cred as REQUIRED for the audience, in Ger
man, Italian, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, as
well as In English and French. The plea
made from the pulpit was in French, and was
for faith and that alone. and in divine
power to heal body and soul alike: that a
perfected body was of little worth without
soul healed and cured Of all its Imperfect
tions. At its end the service was continued,
and after the elevation of the host came the
most thrilling part of the meeting. The big
congregation crowded to the altar. where
each kissed the relic in the priests hands.
Those Ill or lame were led slowly up, the
throng making way for the more decrepit
and feeble, tenderness and courtesy being
manifest. The believer In the want Ct the
Christian virtues of patience, gentleness, and
frrt rnrrld DO roll "a Iii hor, In,