The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-05-28
Interesting Biography Of the
Great Indian Mis-
siOnary.
HIS SUCCESSOR AT L'ANsE.
The Catholic MissiOn-Father
,Jacker,s Letter-"What Man
ner Of Man" Baraga Was.
Continued from Last Week.

ana eStaDllSneu tne catueura Oh his
apostolic vicariate at Sault Sainte
Marie. Rev. Father Jacker's
letter, dated September II, 1882,
gives us some information in regard
to the successors of Frederick Bar
aga at the Catholic mission of
L'Anse. Father Jacker writes:
Being appointed bishop, Baraga
left the mission in 1888. At that
time the number of individuals of
all ages.Indians and half breeds
belonging to the missions was about
$50, and at nearly the same hight it
has ever since remained In 1854
Rev. A. Van Paemel had charge of
the mission; then Rev. Charles
Lemagie; after him Rev. Edward
Jacker, who was succeeded in 1861
by the present pastor, Rev. G.
Terhorst. He has now had charge
of this Indian mission for nearly
twenty-five years, and Of the
Catholic congregation of 1.Anse
since the existence of that village,
officiating at both places every Sun
day. All the mprovements, build
ings and institutions at the Indian
mission as it now stands, with the
exception of the small government
school house, are due to his energy
and perseverance. They are prin-
cipally the convent, asylum and
b )ardinS school of the Sisters of ST.
Joseph;a three-story stone building,
large enough to accommodate over
100 pupils; a commodious church,
built also of stone; the priest S
dwelling house of the same material,
and model farm of some thirty
acres, with stables, barns and wind
mill The produce of this farm
forms the chief support of the sister
hood and their Indian orphans, as
also of the Indian boys adopted by
the missionary and being trained,
under his direction, to agricultural
pursuits-the nucleus of a farming
school for the tribe. The example
and advice OF the pastor has been
followed by number Of Indians,
who. abandoning their indolent and
rowing habits, have taken to garden
ing, farming and cattlc-raisng
Father Terhorst has succeeded in
making all these improvements with
little outside help, by the economical
management of the local resources.
All the building stone has been
gathered from the surrounding
grounds now fine meadows and
gardens whore it lay scattered in
the shape Of boulders of every size.
Father Ternorst was born in the
Kingdom of Hanover in 1929; he
came TO America at about the aye OF
twenty years. and was ordained Il
priest 10y Bishop Baraga in 1850
he speaks the Chippewa language
with great fiuency. The govern
ment school for Indian boys and
girls, at the Catholic mission. is
kept by one of the sisters. The
convent, orphanage and schools of
the Cotholic mission form a conven-
tional village in themselves.
The Very Rev Edward Jacker,
who became more and more intimate
with Bishop Baraga, and finally his
personal attendant, states that
throughout all his sacerdotal and
episcopal career he was an early
riser. 1t was his custom to rise at
3 O'Clock in the summer and at
in the winter. Meditation and
prayer occupied the two first hours
of each day. This confirms my re-
marks upon the high estimate he
placed on the value of time.
Describing this early morning de.
yotion, Father Jacker writes You
would invariably find him on his
knees wrapped in his cloak in sweet
communion with his Creator, no
matter what difficulties the circum-
stances of time or place might seem
to offer. have seen him thus de.
voting to God the first hours Of his
day $ work or journey; in the depths
of the Lake Superior forest; on the
shores of the lake in bowling
storm; in some sequestered corner
of a crowded, uncomfortable board
ing house, as well as in his own
simple room in his residence at
Sault St Mary. "
when, after some long and tire
some journey, continues Father
Jacker, either by land or by water,
we had reached our place of rest,
often an hour or two after midnight.
when 'balmy sleep was essential to
the recuperation of mind as well as
of physique, one would naturally
conclude Bishop Baraga would
forego his customary early devotion
and take the rest apparently
requisite to sustain him in his mis-.
sionary work. But there was3no
deviation on his part from his rule
of life on such occasions. After /
had been refreshed by several hours
of sound sleep, and arose to make
my own morning devotions, / found
the bishop on his knees absorbed in
meditation and prayer"
Bishop Baraga led sanity life;
each day his life was devotional.
Whether at his humble home or
while upon his most toilsome Jour-
neys, no food passed his lips until