The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-05
THINGS HISTORICAL.
Some Interesting Papers Read Yes
day.
MEETING OF THE MAINE HISTORI-
CAL SOCIETY.

"a Church in the Wilderness'-"Father
Rales Ring"-society Will Celebrate
400 Anniversary of John Cabot's Dis
coveries.
There was very good attendance at
the meeting of the Maine Historical So
ciety in the room of the society in the
Baxter library building yesterday after
noon. The meeting was an interesting
one, the papers all being unusually en-
tertaining and the members present gave
the readings the. closest attention.
In the absence of President james p.
Baxter, of the society, DR.. H. S. Bur
rage presided gracefully.
After the reading of the papers was
completed DR.. Bnrrage, speaking for
President Baxter alluded to the 400th an
niversary on June "a next of the Land
Fall of John Cabot" and expressing the
presidents earnest wish that the society
celebrate the occasion by exercises be-
fitting the anniversary of an event SO
full of meaning to Americans; an event
which marked the real awakening OF
Anglo-Saxon interest in the newly dis
covered world across the sea.
DR.. Burrage went on to say that the
annual meeting of the society would
naturally occur at Brunswick on June
20 23 next, during Commencement
at Bowdoin. 1t was intended to have
the celebration mentioned in connection
with that meeting. The president Of the
society had communicated with President
Hyde and Professor Chapman Of Bow
doin college ana they had written that
the celebration would not interfere with
commencement programme and that the
college would be most happy to have it
occur then and would aid it in every
way.
1t was voted to raise committee of
three to make all arrangements for the
celebration and Messrs. George F. Talbot,
Rev. E. G. Cummings and Hubbard W.
Bryant were appointed to serve i'll that
capacity. 60
Hon. Joseph Williamson Of Belfast
read Memorial of Father Rale. !"
Among other things he said:
Through the courtesy of Mr.. 9. r.
Cannon of Salem, Mass, am enabled
to place in the custody Of the society Q
curious ring found in 1892, on the site of
the Indian village. 1t had wire like
circlet of gold, much corroded by expos
ure, and a seal bearing q representation
of the crucihxion. The figures lof two
women appear ON either side presumably
those of the two Marys, who were :last
at the crosssand earliest at the grave .
If the assertion is true that: only mis-
sionaries Of the early days were allowed
to wear such an emblem there is a rea-
sonaDle certainty that it belonged to
Father Rale.
The original finder of this very valu-
able memento was Mr.. j. W. WEIGH of
Oakland who presented it to Mr.. Cannon.
The former while searching for relics in
the summer of 1899 discovered the ring
about three rods from the monument,
protruding from the ground Oh spot
where the soil had been repeatedly dug
over and over.
The crucihx referred to is nor the only
one associated. with Faher Rale. Bour-
bong in his history Of Canada citing a
manuscript journal of Archbishop
Plessis' visit to the missions of the Gulf
of St. Lawrence in 1873 says: "That
the Abennkis being without missionary
since the CONQUEST of Canada, and hear
ing of Mr.. Carroll, superior general of
the missions of the United States, sent
a depuation to request a missioary. The
chief, who WAS spokesman for the whole
tribe. made an address which drew tears
from the virtuous CARROLL he painted this
sad condition of his brethren and the
evils which the drunkenness introduced
among themshad caused. Throwing him
self at his feet he drew from his heart a
crucifix which he kissed several times
and presented to Carroll. This oruoix, !"
he said, 'swas the oruoifx of our Father
Rale whom the English assassinated at
Norridgewock, and it is the only remenl-
brance which remains of him in our trl be-
We have preserved it from father TO son
to this day AMI if I give to you my faith
err this pledge of love for us it is that it
may be in your hands as pledge and a
promise that you will send us q priest -
Carroll profoundly moved. accepted
the presentLof the Abenakis tribe and in
his turn kissed the orucitix which
Sebastien Rale had carried at tho mo-
ment of his marty rdom. He then sept
hack the chief with the Indian who had
accompanied him with the promise that
he would promptly make efforts to salts
fystheir desires. He kept his word for at
his request Mr.. Emery of the Seminary
L..
Mr.. Ciuuard and one of his brethren who
did not delay carrying to the Indians of
the Penobscot the consultations of his
holy ministry. He fixed his residence in
the village of Old Town where he re-
manned 10:years and having been ordered
TO New Brunswick he gave to the A bbe
Cheverna, who had just been charged
with the care of missions comprised in
the present diocese Of Boston the care of
the A benekis OF the State of Maine, who
were visited from time to time by the
missionaries of New England when they
mad no resident priests among them.
The next paper was by Mr. Charles e.
Waterman.
A CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS.
October 1sU, 1891, occurred the centen-
NAL anniversary Of the First Baptist
church of Paris, Maine. The town was
one Of the first in the interior of the State
to be settled. Capt. Joshua Fuller fe-
ceived the town grant February II, l773,
and provisions for the establishment of a
church we're part of the grant Within
seven years it was required that sixty