Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-19

was made the guest of honor by even
the fierce Backfeet. They even bore
him aloft in triumph, despite his pro-
testations. He arrived IN st. Louis the
last day of December and his eloquent
report of the Indians led every one OF
the fathers to ask to be sent there. Ac-
cordingly in the spring when he set out
he was accompanied by Father Gregory
Mengarini, a Roman, Father Nicholas
Point, Vendean, and three laymen,
Joseph Specht, an Alasacian, and two
Belgians, William Claessens and Chas.
Huet They were all Jesuits and Co.'S
mopolitan band was chosen by the
fathers purposely. y.
The Flat Heads had promised to meet
the father on his return on the LIST
of July; the missionaries die not reach
there until the middle of the month but
the faithful Indians waited although
provisions ran out and they suffered
much discomfort. Among the indians
were the two sons of Old Ignace and
Young 1gnace, the latter travelling four
days and nights without food or sleep
that he might be there on time. They
decided to go to Fort Hall and secure
supplies. and here, on August 49, at the
feast of the Assumption of our Blessed
Lady. Father De Smet met the others
of the tribe. On August 80 the main
camp was reached and the overjoyed
Indians greeted their priest with much
eagerness. 1t was decided to establish
the main mission in the Bitter Root
valley, and they went to beautiful
spot between old Fort Logan and what
is now Stevensville, where they located
the first Catholic mission in Montana
and came to the end of their Journey
! reaching there on the oath. the feast of
Our Lady of Mercy, which the priests
| regarded as happy omen. They nam
| ed the place and mission after Our
Lady of st. Mary's giving the same
! name to peaks. rivers and valley.
| The first Sunday in October, the feast
| OF Our Lady of the Rosary, the mission
was formally inaugurated. A log house
capable of holding the whole tribe was
built. There is a story told in con-
nection with this mission. When it
was completed an Indian said to the
priests This is the very spot where
little Mary said the house of prayer
would be built" Questioned by them.
the Indians said five years before when
camped on that very spot little Mary
an Indian girl of thirteen, was taken
i'll and died. She asked one of the
Iroquois Indians to baptize her. which
was done. Before dying she told them
of a vision of heaven she had had. and
ended by saying: Listen to the Black
| Robes when they come. They will
come. and on this very spot where
die will build the house of prayer" And
that the Indians spoke the truth was
evident, for different ones told the
story.
So began the mission of the Catholics
in Montana. brought there by the earn.
est desire of those ignorant, untutoret
savages who paved the way for the
civilization and welfare, both Temporal
and spiritual, of the thousands O.
whites in Montana of that day, ana
who have followed them. It reads Xix,
romance, and to one who is privileged
to read the diaries kept by those frs,
Black Robes, it seems truly that "Got
moves in mysterious way his won
ders to perform" choosing often thu
humblest and lowliest of his creature
to bring forth everlasting good. -,