The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-28
MONTANA.
MISSIONS IN MONTANA.
Flocklng to Hear Paulist Fathers
MacCor1.v and Hopper.
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The provincial press brings US interest
ing tidings of the good work now being
accomplished by the Paulist Fathers
throughout the State of Montana. At the
close of the Anaconda missions, Fathers
Hopper and MacCorry divided forces
Father Hopper taking the eastern terri
tory, including Lewlstown. Townsend,
Bozeman, Livingston. Billings, Glendive
Miles City and Red Lodge, and Father
MaeCorry moving nor, n and west, visiting
Deer Lodge, PhillipSburg Garnet Colum-
blSt Falls, Kalspell Havre, Glasgow, Fort
Benton and Marysville.
Both missionaries will meet again at
Great Falls about the 18th of November,
and after a two weeks mission will go to
Helena. where their labors in Montana
will be brought to a close.
A lew days ago the Montana Catholic
man CHANGED on train on which Father
MacColry was iourneying northwari. He
talked interestingly about mission work in
montana. 1T is a field, he said, where
much has been done. but where great
cause of God.
Personally the father said, 81 am
deeply interested in the non-Catholic
apostolate here in the great Northwest.
IN TINS special work we have received
great encoura gement at the hands of your
good Bishop and his clergy alike OH ii
Is great and grand and glorious apos-
tolate-crowded with results everywhere
dice and abuse are going up from the land
Ike mists at sunrise. You no longer en-
counter men and women as in other days
who still believe it is needful to hate for
the love of God. Everywhere Won can
flnd non-Catholic audiences who are will
lng-many even anxious-to hear Catholic
doctrines candidly and fOrclbly presented
AT any rate. they always give YOU an ear
nest and respectful hearing. Armed as we
are with the thunderboltS of Gods truths
what more can We ask for or expect?
Given that-if under God, great things
be not accomplished-the judgment shall
be laid at our doors
You remember the kindly and induiring
interest awakened among non-CatholicS
careful preparation and instruction if nv
memory serves me. there were thirteen
converts received into the Church How
many more were started on the voyage
Who can say?
In Anaconda a few weeks ago there
We're upwards of 200 non-Catholics in at
tendance every night. On the occasion of
BlpIe and the Divinity of Christ es-
peclaily constructed for the benefit of non
catholics: the public hall was crowded
with anxious, earnest listeners.
Again, ait PhilIipsburg the interest
awakened among Protestants was wide
and deep, large numbers being in attend
ance at all the services. So the work goes
TO be sure, any or all of that does not
necessarily imply precfpitate conversions
10 the Catholic Church. But it does mean
tnis-that intolerance is being pilloried in
all Its naked narroWneSS and spite. THAT
blgotry and prejudice is swept away: that
something of a Christian Unity and the
Brotherhood of Man'-so much prated a
ana SO little understood-is being realized
on earth; that in its least and last analv
SIS. IL men s sincere convictions are hone
essiy at variance and cannot be adjusted.
we pegln TO understand that they can, at
least, be friends.
That most of all, perhaps. mems minds
are eelng startled up from the pernicfous
ethargy of L don't care and push o1t
along lines of religious inquiry which |
to Rome i0"u
Even now l know there is a. harvest
tlreaoy whltened in your great North |
west, out the harvest we are reaping now !
; the product of the seed that other hands !
nave sown-sown, God knows best under /
what pr1vations and against what tremen- !
ious odds. We reap today the sowing of |
~ .1 pI pyle priests OF your Northwest |
beginning, that the faith might be kent |
and the crown might be won
!, And SO. too, The seed that we SOW now. |
ne harvest may be reaped by other
lands. What matters that. as long as # |
De reaped? In the sowing fOr. some Of ne |
Is our life work done -
W nat part does the Question Box play |
n \, You. your SYSTEM ventured the Montana |
1t is undoubtedly one of the best nos /
4ole methods in the world continued |
ne; ne ! her of bringing the Catholic
he non-Catholic mind. it is this way.
nay lecture an hour before a non-C Catholic
Iuulence on a given topic and not hit
ne n precise diflculty or doubt in the minds
y nan dozen people in the church or
heatre or hall. But place a Question
5oX at the door where objections can he
le9rly stated on a paper Slip and depos-
teu, then devote twenty minutes or half
m nour 10 their answers immediately be-
ore the lecture and you can puiVerize
hem one by one. Always cautiously of
curse. and with liberation. presuming in
Very instance the honesty of the inquirer. !
ntl he demonstrates the contrary him
ell. Never impatient, never sarcastic |
ever critical or rhetoric or grammar or
.whWard construction. Never descending
Q tr1fllng or ridicule least of all abuse !
SuI KIND and gentle. always decisive au-
and strong. speaking as one
aNlng authority to teach but ALWAYS |
onSideTate of keen Sensibilities tread |
ng with soft and careful footsteps into
ne sacred sanctuary of souls above all |
lse terribly in earnest in the work in
ana, not knowing but that on the SIM |
lest sentence falling from your lfps may |
lNot the salvation of an immortal soul. !
Almost every question will serve as a nail
n winch 10 hang some point of Catholic
octrlne, nothing minimized, nothing di-
lted, but presented as Catholic truth
an well afford to be presented in all its
alive integrity and strength. Briefly, ac-
urateiy, pointedly, concisely Then
rown your argument with a text from
cripture and you have it, a Yeritable
monarch on its throne"
What is generally the nature of the
uestionS asked?' inquired the Montana
IAN, at the risk of being himself called
Question Box
OH weird, strange. multiplex and i
aried,' said the father. Catholic GER
monies and practices for instance.
leads, Scapulars, Holy Water Red lamps
sanctuary. Candles on the altar Why
o Catholics genufiect to their pew before
n1ering it? Why do little boys ring bells
{ mass time? Why do priests shavep
Why are priests called fathers? What
nd why is a nun?
Then Catholic doctrine: The papal
The Catholic idea of the
ible2 The blessed virgin? The Holy
ucharist2 PuTgatory? Indulgences?
he confessional? Invocation of saints2
Then Catholic morality. Is ii never
ermissable to lie? What is mental
sservation2 Why did some one say that
he end iustifies the means 2-and so on
nd so on.
" 'Littledale's Plain Reasons perhaps
he most insiduously malicious and dis
onest publication that ever crawled from
le cylinders Of the press. is the treasure
ouse Tor charnel-house, if you Wild of
lost of them. Oh, yesl it has been an
Tered in one way or another a thousand |
mes or more. Father Ryder of the Lon
On OratoTy. in his Answers to Plain
Z, ]