The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-05-02
Both John Joseph, Both at the Same College
and Seminary, They Were
Rivals for Honor.
For Over Twenty Years One Was Always
Just Behind the Other, Then
the Order Changed.

signments to parishes, it looked as if
their relative positions were to be still
maintained. Father Keane was as
signed to fashionable St. Patrick's
church in Washington. He soon made
a reputation there. Within a few
months Washington was talking about
his eloquence and st. Patrick's was
crowded whenever he preached. Near
ly all the Catholic representatives Of
foreign countries took pews in the
church. Catholic members Of congress
who seldom went to church at all,
went to st. Patrick's to hear the young
orator, and large part Of the con-
gregation every Sunday was made up
of Protestants. Classmates of Father
Keane predicted that he would soon
be bishop.
Meanwhile Father Kain was laboring
in the little village of Harper's Ferry
in West Virginia. In his little church
up on Bolivar Heights, overlooking JEFF
ferson's Rock, John Browns "Fort''
and the junction of the Potomac and
Shenandoah rivers, he preached to a
congregation Of villagers and farmers.
He gained reputation for eloquence,
too, but, for a time, it did not get be-
yond the Blue Ridge mountains,
across the Shenandoah
His was a hard missionary life at
this time. His parish covered about
forty square miles; he had to say mass
at times in farmhouses and often his
sermons were addressed to half
dozen farmers and their families. They
were as carefully prepared and as elo-
quently delivered, however, as if he
had audiences of foreign ambassadors,
United States senator's and members
of congress.
At this period all who knew the
young priests believed that they would
60 on as ''Keane First" Kain second"
During the next ten years their places
remained the same, except that Father
Kain's reputation for eloquence spread
through the towns of West Virginia
and a part of Virginia. He was called
on to deliver lectures in these towns
and farmers, Catholic and Protestant,
often drove thirty miles to hear him.
Still his reputation could not be COM
pared to that of the orator of st. Pat
rick's church, whose name was known
throughout the country.
About twelve years after the ordina-
tion of Father Keane and Father Kain,
Bishop Whelan Of Wheeling, W. Va,
died. The name of Father Keane of
Washington was at once mentioned as
his probable successor and his old COL
lege companions said to one another:
II told you so; Keane first, always"
After time it was rumored that
Father Kain was also favorably
thought of at Rome and that both
names were on the lists sent in by the
bishops Of the province and the priests
Of the diocese. 1t is not probable that
there was any actual betting among
the friends Of the two priests, but If
there had been the odds would have
been-2 to on Keane, first.
After delay of several months
cable dispatches came from Rome an
nouncing, according to some papers,
that the Rev. John Joseph Kain had
been appointed bishop of Wheeling
and, according to others, that the Rev.
John Joseph Keane had been chosen.
The odds were still two to one that
it was Keane, first; but when the
official papers reached Baltimore, it
was found that the Rev. John Joseph
Kain of Harper's Ferry was to be the
new bishop Of Wheeling.
It was shock to the old classmates
Of the rivals. The positions held for
twenty years or more were reversed.
''Kain second' had become "Kain
first" and "Keane first" had become
"Keane second"
After the first surprise, the question
was general-will it continue, or will
Keane yet pass the new bishop? A
few years later the question was an
swered, in part, by the announcement
from Rome that Father Keane had