The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-16
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
AN OLD AND FAMOUS RELIGIOUS Or
GANIZATION AT vINCENNES.
Established by French Priests, Who
Were the Vanguard of Western
CiviIization-Some Rare Books.
Correspondence Of the indianapolis Journal.

century. 1t not only enjoys this distinction,
but around St. Xavier Church centers some
OF the most interesting incidents in United
States history. The church was founded in
1902, and since 1749 there has been a regular
succession maintained in the priesthood.
The records of the church date back to that
year, and under that date are recorded the
first marriage and the first baptism. The
bride was buried in the church one year
later, her. remains being inferred under the
aisle down which she so happily passed the
previous year. St. Xavier Church was the
vanguard Of civilizations refining infiu-
ences which have raised the Mississippi val
ley to pre-eminence. 1t was in ST. Xaiver's
that General Hamilton, commander Of his
Majesty's troops in North America, sur
rendered the Northwest Territory to the
original thirteen States-the first expansion
of a nation which has since reached beyond
the g~rasping shores of the sea upon which
the sun never sets 1t was this incident In
this church which made the expansion or
the past year possible and which also re-
suited in the development of the Mississippi
valley. 1t was also in St. Xavier that the
British gained possession Of the land.
Tecumseh and his warriors were in its
shadow from the 18th to the 10Th of August.
1910. when they delivered to Gov. William
Henry Harrison-later President-the ulti-
matum Of war against the United States by
the confederation of Indian tribes of which
Tecumseh claimed TO be leader. These in
| cidents and many others make it historical.
The church itself is built over the graves
of Jesuit founders and secular priests who
followed them. Under it's altar lay the re-
mains of bishops, and around their graves
oro H.rriod Cpapior1c ENrenohraan EnOliSh-
men. colonists. Indians and slaves-men
whose names decorate civil and church his
tory-men who opened this great valley
storehouse of natures bounties. The French
post vincennes. and the French, English
and American forts at Vincennes are parts
of American history. but in reality they are
secondary TO the church which made them
possible.
THE CATHOLIC EXPLORERS.
While Professionalism forms the back
ground for the history of the colonies,
Catholicism rules with almost undisputed
sway the history of the opening of the
Mississippi valley. 1t was opened by the
French Catholic nation. The French ex-
plorers were attended by persevering Jesuit
priests, and the sword and the cross were
pushed together past The great lakes and
down through the valley Of the great river.
However much these Jesuits may be dis
credited to-day, 1t was they who first
pushed through swamps and forests and
over almost impossible barriers and raised
in this great territory the cross and taught
and baptized the savages. Here and there
where they dispensed kindness they erected
In the forests crude temples to the Deity.
and st. Xavier's Cathedral of this city
stands to-day the result of this work-the
pioneer Of all churches north and west Of
the Ohio river. 1t antedates all Protestant
churches in the Northwest Territory, as
stated, by almost one hundred years, the
first Protestant. church being erected in
Ohio in about t70 and in Indiana in Octo-
Der, 1898, and later in Michigan, Wisconsin,
Illinois and States beyond the Mississippi.
From the first trading settlement at Vim
cennes, which probably dates back to 1910,
the Catholics maintained a mission at this
point. In 1702 the Jesuits built the first st.
Xavier Church. 1t was a log concern of
peculiar construction. Posts were set in the
ground with twelve feet above the surface.
The interstices were filled with mud and
sticks, and a matched roof with weight
poles kept out the sun and the rain. In this
crude hut for the first time in the present
State of Indiana, and possibly in the North
west Territory, Frenchmen and natives
knelt before an altar. This church was built
on the northwest corner Of the square now
occupied by the cathedral. 1t faced what
was later the famous old Fort Sackville.
From the rear of the structure the land
sloped like a terraced lawn to the banks
of the Wabash. On this land were laid to
rest the believers in the cross. 1t was the
first graveyard in the present State of In
diana, and possibly the only one in the
Northwest Territory unless Kaskaskia and
Detroit established theirs about the same
time.
There are many interesting stories con-
nected with this crude pioneer church,
but interest centers chiefly around
the meeting within its walls of Gen.
eral Hamilton, Of the British army
in North America. and Gen. George
Rodgers Clark. which occurred on the
morning Of Feb. "a, 1873. 1t was at this
meeting that the surrender was made which
turned over to the United States, through
Virginia, of which Clark was a representa-
tive, all that territory west of the Allie
ghenies. and north of the Ohio to the Mis-
sissippi river, and which contracted the
British holdings forevermore to the present
Canadian boundary line. Within the con-
fines of those crude log walls the United
States mad a wonderful growth during
those minutes on the morning of Feb. "a.
She doubled in size and the star of empire
began to take its westward journey. There
are few ~surrenders in the history of the
world which involved so much for future
generations. 1t might also be added there
are very few of which the people of the
United States seem to know so little. II
was also in this post church that Father
Gibault gave the French settlers the oath
of allegiance TO the United States which
made il possible for Clark TO make the cap
ture. This old French priest. whose name
Is inseparable from the story of this great
incident Of American history, also occupied
the pulpit Of this congregation from ITO to
1779, and caused the church to be replaced
by a second one, built over the first and
dedicated in 17s9. 1t was a frame structure
OF 40x0 feet, and il stood until 1924, when
the present cathedral was begun, and dedi-
Gated March 30. 1876. It was erected over
the second church. thus 1t covers both. II
is ll5xeo feet in dimensions and was posi-
bly, the first brick church erected in Indi-
ana-certainly the first large one. There
are many interesting stories connected with
the second church. 1t was erected just
when the expansive policy of the Nation
and the progressive spirit OF the Americans
had brought the Indian troubles to their
worst stage. It is claimed there was a tun-
mel leading from behind the altar under