The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-11
Directed to Catholicism by
Orestes A. BrOWnsOn.
THE ORDER OF ST. PAUL The APOSTLE.
Adverse Criticism of His Life
by the Abbe rleignan.

Father Isaac Thomas Hecker was a
unique Development OF the east side life
in New York City and New England
transcendentalism His grandfather, En-
gel Freund, German cloakmaker, emf
grated from Elberfeld in Rtenish Prussia,
in 1907, and established himself in Hester
street, between Christie and Forsyth.
There was a tradition in the family that
it came originally of French stock, and
this Gallo strain may account tor some
of Father Hecker's characteristics.
Mr.. Freund prospered, and when his
daughters married he gave each OF them
a dowry in the German fashion. Father
Hecker's mother, Caroline Spohia Sus-
anna Henrietta Wilhelmina, was born in
Flberfeld in 1896. She had much to do
with the formation of his mind and he
cherished the warmest affection tor her
until the day OF her death, few years
before his own.
His mother was Methodist and his
father was nomina1ly Of the Reformed
Dutch Church. though he was by no
means strenuous in religious matters.
Father Hecker as lad was serious and
thoughtful. He never during his lite
used tobacco or liquor. From an early
age he cherished a conviction that he
was destined to important work, though
he had no clear idea of its nature. While
engaged in a political movement which
.championed the equality rights often
trampled in the dust by monopoly Demo-
,crats," he met DR.. o. A. Brownson,
Unitarian clergyman and philosopher,
who subsequently became Catholic and
exerted profound influence upon his
after life
,Dr. Brownson dropped out OF the
workingmen's movement and went to
Boston, but he had given an impetus to
1saac's mind which led the young man
into the study OF philosophy. He read
Kant's "Critique OF Pure Religion by
fastening the book against the wall while
kneading dough in the bakery so that he
unipht lose no time He read also Flchte
and Hegel, and began to speculate deeply
upon philosophical theories.
This study led to intellectual unrest,
and he went to Boston to consult Dr.
Brownson in 1842 with view OF finding
some way of satisfying it. DR.. Brownson
sent him to George Ripley, who had just
begun the Brook Farm experiment, in
which so many men who were atterward
to leave their impress upon the intellectu-
al life of their age were engaged. With
Mr. Ripley the young man from the
Rutgers street bakery found Nathaniel
Hawthorne, George P. Bradford, Charles
A. Dana, Sarah Sterns, Marianne Ripley,
George William Curtis. and his brother,
Burrill Curtis, and there he met Ralph
Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller. He
believed with them in abolition, woman's
rights, total abstinence. and opposition to
war; which were the distinctive principles
OF the "come- -outers." as they were
known in the slang of the day.
Young Hccker studied during his stay
at Brook Farm. and. no doubt. his mind
was enlarged by contact with his COM
ranions there: but the life did not give
him the mental satisfaction which he
sought, and he went to Fruitlands, SIM
liar community near Worcester. Mass,
founded by Charles Lane, under the in
f1uence of Amos Bronson Alcott. Fruit
lands was also failure to him, and in
August, 1843, he was back at work in the
bakery in Hester street.
He continued to read and study,
searching philosophy in vain for what his
mind craved He then turned to religion,
and examined carefully the doctrines OF
various sects in the hope Of finding peace.
He discarded them all at last, though at
one time he was strongly attached to
AnelicaTism.
He went to Concord. Mass. in 1874.
and studied Greek and Latin with George
P. Bradford. There he saw Emerson.
Curtis and Thoreau again. and once more
consulted with DR.. Brownson. He was
advised by Dr. Brownson to inquire into
Catholicism. When he returned to New
York he formed the acquaintance OF
Bishop McCloskey. who was afterward
the first American Cardinal, and under
his teaching resolved to become Cath,
olic. He entered that church witt, his
brother George. who always had the
greatest affection for him, and supplied
his material needs.
Sz He decided 10 ioir the RedemDtorist