The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-12

S. p, a Paulist Father, who visited thi,
city a short time ago. Father Younal
is a Hindoo-converted to the tru
church when very yOung-and will
the native talent so common to mel
of his race, coupled with a desire II
excel, became one of the most powerful
speakers among the reverend clergy.
He came to this city at the request
Of Bishop Seaman.
As the Catholic church-or, rather
St. Mary'S Cathe6E'al-was known t
be by far too small for the hundreds
that We're most eager to attend a non
Catholic mission, thing unheard of il
the State of Utah, the Mormon leaders
with great generosity and courtesy, Of
feTed the free use Of their grand AS
sembly Hall, even the Tabernacle
They were glad to give it TO us for SC
noble a purpose" they said, and adj
ded they would not have given it to
any other denomination" Some of
their bishops announced the non-Cath-
Ole mission through their respective
wards, and even urged upon their peO-
pie to attend. They openly proclaimed
Wherever there is truth we seek 1t,
and we love it; and we know that the
Catholic Church will speak the truth. "
It was spoken in all simplicity and
sincerity, and that without any oftense.
1t was thought best to use the Assem-
bly, Hakl, which seats two thousand.
There was an average attendance of
eighteen hundred, of whom fifteen hum
bred were Of the separated brethren,
including apostles, bishops, and elders.
They came Notwithstanding many
other attractions. the Ringing Broth
ers. Brigham Young's birth anniv ersary
celebrations. commandments of col
leges and schools.
The mission was closed in the
mighty Tabernacle on Sunday June 4,
4 farnr.s olg
the first time in the history of the State
a Catholic priest preached both in the
Assembly Hall and in the Tabernacle,
and what was more, in full missionary
habit and wearing his mission cross.
The lectures were the ordinary ones:
Faith; the divinity of Christ; the ne
cessity Of a. divine, infallible, authorita-
tive, living teacher; the Catholic
Church that Only Teacher proved by
her unity and holiness, and pointing
triumphantly to her nineteen centuries;
the Sacrament of Penance, and the
Real Presence Of Jesus Christ in the
Sacrament of Love. The closing ser
mon was on the parable of the 'Sower
and the Seed, !" with a. fervent appeal to
His other sheep to enter the one Fold
of Christ and be under the one Shep-
herd Of our souls They were urged
20 join the inquiry class. The grand
organ played and a. voluntary choir,
composed Of Catholics and non-Catho-
lies, added grandeur and solemnity to
the mission. Many and important
questions were asked, and the answers
given were devoured by listening hun
dreds, and even thousands.
The inquiry class was held in the
little church, which seats four hun
dTed, from the 9Th of June to the 10Th,
both days inclusive, two weeks only;
two months would have been too little.
Three hundred to three hundred and
fifty non-Catholics attended night after
night to hear more questions answered
and further doctrines of the Catholic
Church explained Good, great good,
has been done, and of course greater
good would have resulted had the in
quiry class been carried on for months.
Let the reader judge for himself. We
had forty-four converts, among whom
were a Mormon elder, a Jealous pro-
mOter. and twelve other Mormons. Ten |
more, sure of being received, were I'M
der instruction when Father Younan |
left: forty-twO are still in the inquiry
class. and some 200 odd ION the fence" |
on the 18th of June the Right Rev. |
Bishop confirmed thirty-four adults |
nearly all converts, and fifty-one chill |
dren. The converts were carefully |
prepared to receive also their First |
Holy Communion. Had there been no |
inquiry class not six would have been |
one week only, some ten more would /
have been added to the list. 1t was the |
second week of the inquiry class that |
witnessed twenty-eight new converts,
making the total forty-four. But could !
this great and all-important work have
been carried out two or three weeks
longer. forty-four would have twice
doubled itself; for the better and more
intellectual classes were beginning to
come in. tortured by doubts and diff
culties. and as some three hundred
faithfully attended for three weeks all
the lectures and explanations Of the
Catholic Church, and felt drawn to her
teachings. A rich harvest of souls is
only gained by the steady labor of
weeks. The longer the stay, the richer
the harvest.
The mission to non-Catholics has al
ready done an immense deal of good
to the general public. 1t has raised the
Catholics higher in the estimation of
their separate brethren, brought back
the zeal, energy and devotedness of
the Catholics. The new cathedral wor-
thy of Salt Lake City is promised them
within two years, and the foundations
are already being laid. Our people in
Utah are generous. Large donations
have come in; five Catholics alone have
given each $4,000. with assurances of
gift Of Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Kearns
Of $4,000 to build St AIMS Orphan
Asylum, in course of construction.
The MormOnS have been deeply i'm {
pressed. They. are on the whole a good {
people. simple, Industrious, and docile,
influenced by their leaders, greatly i'm Z
pressed with the idea of authority, !
and full of deep respect and reverence
for the word of God. They are afraid {
Of persecution from their own should
they embrace the faith, and they are
bound by ties. religious. political and
social, hard to break. Convince them s
Of their errors, and you have secured
them. Get their leaders and you get
them en- maSse.
The Mormon papers, without eXcep- p
ton. wrote up Father Younan's work I
in terms Of highest praise and admired h
the fairness and business of his deal c
ings with them He but followed in o
the policy of the bishop himself. who is V
both respected and loved by the people G.
Of Utah. Catholics certainly owe the 7
Mor7nons a debt of gratitude for their S
kindly bearing towards the church. and q
should pray God that in his infinite o
mercy he may. one day. show them the o.
light of the true Faith of Jesus Christ n
The consciences Of many have been
disturbed and thousands set a-think-
ng. c,
The most consoling feature Of this ii
mission has been the getting together. m
-or the first time, Jealous laymen TO 2,
AIRY out the grand work of CONVEX IL
SION so dear to our very heart of ! h.
hearts. They are named Mission
Helpers" and were taken from the best
promoters OF the Sacred Heart League
md from recent converts. who. like
saul, are determined to do the work of III