The Irish standard., 1897-07-31
ALL HIGHLY EDUCATED MEN,
The Remarkable Conversion OF
the Barber Family.
ARCHBISHOP JAMES R. BAYLEY.
OreStes A. Brownson. Kent Stone
and Several Others.

One of the first of New England
Protestans to embrace Catholicism
was the Rev. John Thayer, Who was
native of Boston and a Conversational
minister. He worked among the Cath.
olics of Boston until 1896 when he left
them to the care of Father Cheverus
ana turned his attention to the Catho,
lies or the other settlements of New
England. until he was sent to tho Ko,-
tucky missions in 1899 He remained
there for several years, and then wenI
TO Ireland, where he labored among
the poor of the city of Limerick. There
his rave is pointed out to the tournist
stlll. While he was in Europe Father
Thaycr raised Il fund to establish y
convent In Boston for the education q
Catholic girls. and With the means he
gathered Bishops Chcverus and Fen.
wick were enabled to build the Ursu-
line Convent at Mt. st. Benedict III
Charlestown which was burned by
mob on the night of August II, 1884.
The conversion of the Barber family
TO Catholicism was remarkable In itself
and for the number of other CONVEX
sions to which 1t led. Rev. Daniel
Barber was born in Connecticut In 1866
and served for two terms in ;he rcvolu-
tionary war. Reared strict Conrre.
fyn{i inp },,t 1,o
paltan, and was ordained minister at
re age OF 30 years While on n visit
to Montreal in 1910 he was present
at the religious profession of FANNY
Hotel Dicu. He was greatly struck by
the story OF her life, her heroic sacri-
fees and extraordinary faith, and be-
gan to read the Catholic doctrinul
books.
Two years later he visited Bishop
Chcvcrus at Boston to get further
knowledge of Catholic beliefs. Still
doubling, he wrote to his son. Rev.
Virgil Horace an Episcopal minister
In northern New York. telling him of his
hil'i StIluiHb UlIu SOIIlO OF
the books he had been reading. The
faith of the son in hts own religion
became unsettled, and when he met at
Now York, in 1916, with Rev. Benedict
Joseph Fcnwick, s. j., afterwards Bis
hop of Boston. he exposed his doubts
to him and accepted the Catholic faith,
Both he and his wife became Catholics,
and later their children followed.
Rev. Daniel Barber, the father, hesi-
tntcd until November IS, 1918. when he
resigned his Episcopal parish and be-
came a Catholic. The conversion of the
Barber family led TO the conversion OF
n number of their friends and relatives,
Orcstcs A. l'rOwnson was, perhaps,
over. He was received into the Catho-
1.@ church October 2O 1874, in the 42d
year Of his life and 22 years after he
had Joined the Presbyterian chuV,h.
He continued to edit his Review, hich
became the defender of the Catholic
church.
No name is more horored among tho
Catholics OF Boston, especially by the
poor Of the North End. titan that of
Father IIa-skins who labored among
them both rs a Protestant minister and
a Catholic priest. His ZEAL his charity,
his unfailing kindness to everyone mado
him loved by all whom he encountered,
George lToXcrcft 1laskins was born at
thn nf tnt
Boston. April 1dth 1906. His father.
Thomas H"skns, and his mother, Eliz-
nbeth Foxcroft, were descendants OF
the early settlers Of Now England and
firm adhcrents Of the Episcopal! church.
The Rev. Lyman I'cccher visited Bos-
ton and delivered Il series OF sermons
against the Catholic church Young
Hask;ns attended them, later attended,
series of lectures In reply by Bishop
Fenwicll and Father O'Flaherty. In
October. 1890, he resigned the chaplain
cy Of the House of Industry to accept a
call to the rcctorship of Grace church,
On December 9th of the same year he
WAS ordained by bishop GriswoId and
entered on his new duties. In his diary,
ut the date January 4th, 1887, he wrote,
Administered communion for the last
time as Protestant, having resolved
to do go no more, till have settled cer-
tian religious scrupies.'
This year he was again unanimously
elected chaplain by tho directors Of tho
House Of Reformation. although he in "
formed them of Ills religious opinions.
In January, 1880. he surrendered k1s
ministry In the Protestant church into
the hands OF Bishop Gr1swold.
The following year he resigned THU