The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-12-09
: pERE MARQUETTE J


written for The Intermountain Catholic.)
The proposed plan of erecting a statue
on Mackinac island to the memory of
Father Marquette will call attention
more than ever to this beautiful island,
and it is fitting that life like his,
which exemplified the beauty of holt
ness, should be remembered tangibly in
such a dreamland of nature.
Pere Marquette needs no monument,
built by human hands, to perpetuate
his memory. He lived ms life here, and
death took his earthly presence more
than 200 wears ago, but his deathless
soul vet lives and seems to be felt in
the places where he so bravely labored
long ago. What we owe to him and
to his labors we cannot tell until we
reach the land where we can read all
things by the clear light of fadeless
day
The proposed statue is the outcome
of the peoples love. which has been
gaining in strength all these years, and
is a testimony to the larger love that
is growing in the hearts of men, re-
CARELESS of creeds or prejudices.
While others toiled in exploring and
found their ambition satisfied in new
discoveries, Father Marquettes con-
trolling motive was religion. 1t is just
Nv said that the salvation of a soul was
more to him than the conquest of an
empire. He was Catholic, but he
seems to belong to all His devotion
to the Blessed Virgin was undying. We
have all been touched by the account of
his last hours given by his two ccm-
paniens. His sufferings were intense,
yet even when he felt the pale messen-
ger approaching, his solicitation was
= I'd hai
and exhorted them to trust God. Then
he sent them away to take their need
ed rest. Two hours later, when the end
was near, he called them to him. He
took the crucifx from his neck and
placed it in their hands, then pro-
nounced his profession of faith and
thanked God for permitting him to die
a Jesuit, a missionary and comparative
ly alone His face grew radiant and,
with the words, Jesus and Mary"
upon his lips. he entered Paradise.
How many of us today would thank
God under like circumstances? Think
of it,
1t had been his desire to be laid at
rest at what was then known as the
Mission of ST. Ignatius now the city of
st. Ignace Death overlook him before
reaching there; but, two years after
wards. a party of Indians, to whom he
had ministered, disinterred the body,
and, washing the bones, as was their
custom, carried them to st. Ignace,
where they now repose.
A word in description of Mackinac is
land, where so much of his workSwas
done, may not be out of place. 1t is sit
uated in the strait of Mackinac, which
divides the upper peninsula of Michi-
gan from the mainland. 1t contains
many places of interest, among them
Fort Mackinac,a built by the British be-
fore the independence of this country
was gained. Fort Holmes was built by
the Americans a. very few years later.
The John Jacob Astor House was orig
inalIy the headquarters. of the Ameri-
can Fur Trading company The Old
books used in the business of the com
pany are preserved in a chest in this old
house, where the Astors accumulated
the foundation, at least, of their wealth..
The natural beauty of the island is
unsurpassed anywheSe else in the con-
tinent The rocks, while lacking the
height and massiveness of the Rockies,
are 50 diversified in shape that no two
appear alike The Island is so small
that it's size is sometimes mentioned in
acres, rather than in miles; so to the
visitor the changes are almost like the
kaleidoscope.
Among its most celebrated natural
curiosities are Arch rock, Skull cave,
Leaning rock Robinson's folly, Chimney
rock. Maiden rock, Scott's cave, Devils
kitchen, Fairy arch, Pulpit rock and
Giants stairway Arch rock, viewed
from the shore, is one of its grandest
sights. e..
For years Mackinac, owing to its de-
lightful climate. has been a summer re-
sort for invalids and tourists
Last, but not least, the ineXhaustible
daisies must be mentioned. Going to
the island at any time in summer you
will be met by crowds leaving it laden
with these starry little flowers. but the
supply never gives out. Those who
come late find as many as they can
take away. Does it not seem as if these
blossoms of hope may be the echo of
the spiritual hope held by Father Mar
uuette while he labored and worshlped
where they now bloom?
JOHNSTON MERRILL.