The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-05-28

| noon. lntS was MS inVdridUic Tuie
During the last twenty years of his
life Bishop Baraga abstained entire
ly from the use of meat. His food
at all times was simple; but while
pursuing the solitary tramps he was
accustomed to make through the
forests OF the upper peninsula, he
subsisted on crackers and cheese, a
limited supply OF which he carried
in a pocket OF his coat. AS has
been stated, he never used stimu-
lants.
That the literary status of Bishop
Baraga was of a high order is un-
questionable. His collegiate career,
considering the times and the cir
cumstances ensuing after the Ma
poleonic wars, was exceptionally
brilliant While the works he wrote
remain, and always will, high
tribute to his ability as scholar
and an author, more especially so in
his photographed contributions to
the languages of the indigenous
races whose ancestry were formerly
rulers of the lower and upper PENN
sulas of Michigan, among whom he
made his home, to redeem the peo-
pie of these races from Paganism,
and to bring them within the fold of
Christianity, for their spiritual and
temporal regeneration.
Aside from the sanity attributes
of Bishop Baraga, Father Jacker
tells US what manner of man" he
was Although by no MEANS" he
writes, "a stranger to those eX-
quisite sensations which the new,
the beautiful and the sublime
awakened in the mind, his inclina-
ton tended toward the comforts OF
home and the quiet enjoyment OF
study and literary work in prefer
ence to the excitement and unccr-
tain movements inseparable for mis-
sionary work among the red or the
white races. He would naturally
have preferred the society of the
refined and literary people of the
European circles to the associations
in daily life with the rude and
vulgar elements constituting the
degrees of unciviliZed, semi-civilized
and civilized communities for whose
people ne had left home and country
and crossed the seas to labor for the
salvation of their souls. y
He came 10 Michigan to devote
his life to the evangelization of the
Indians of her upper lake regions.
In this he succeeded
AS to what manner of maj" he
was in what constitutes principles
of charity, Father Jacker states:
He endeavored to become every
thing to all in order to gain all for
Christ. He was the especial friend
| of the poor, of the miserable, of the
/ ignorant, and particularly of the
children of these. He tenderly
loved them in the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, whose divine personality, in
his eyes, they represented
There is probably no doubt the
magnetic influence of the soul of
such sincere and holy Christian
man as was that of Frederick Bar
aga, attracted to him the love and
veneration of those of the unfor-
tunate Chippewas, among whom he
| lived and suffered. during the ma
ture years of his sacerdotal life.
| have outlined his missionary
work among the Ottawas and Chip
/ pewas, and | firmly believe his
/ sensitive nature and sincerity Of
! purpose was, To great extent,
satisfied with the results of his self
sacrificing labor While the res
! possibilities of missionary among
the Ottawas and Chippewas were
to such man conscientiously full
! filed. but. as | have endeavored to
show, at the cost of much personal
hardships. the burden of episcopal
responsibility which involved the
spiritual care of constituency in
GLIDING Indians and whites became
heavy.
While rcwarding such a sanity,
such an indefatigable Indian mis-
sionary with the mitre the Ameri-
can hierarchy placed upon his head,
all unaware of the fact as they may
have been, an ever reminding
crown, which concealed within its
silken exterior more thorns than
honors. During the winter seasons,
sometimes lasting more than six
months, the upper peninsula was
closed to the. missionary work OF
Bishop Baraga But the Indian
missionary stations on the River St.
Mary. on the shores of the northern
portion of the lower peninsula, and
on the islands in the adjacent wa
ters, were regularly visited by
Bishop Baraga, who made these
visitations in midwinter, travelling
at times alone on the ice on snow
shoes.
Continued next week.