The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-09-17
Physician as We'll as Priest.

ishing. 80
Physician as Well as Priest.
He remained in charge of st. Mary's for num-
Der of years, but in 1857 he was assigned to the
mission among the Toeur&dAlenes and returned to
Colville. Here he remained for some time in
charge of the work there, but later was sent TO
California, and still later was returned to Mon
tana, where he arrived in 1853 going to St Peters
but he later transferred to dear old St.
Marys' as he loved to call it. where he remained
the balance of his life.
Placer gold in paying quantities had been dis
covered on Gold creek, and on the Grasshopper
creek, near Bannock in 1862 so that on his return
he found the country aliye with prQspectors and
gold seekers and he became missionary, not only
to the red men, but to the whites as well. His
earnest zeal for the Masters led him to visit
the mining camps in the various parts of the terri
tory and whenever he went he was always vel
come guest. From the time he entered mining
camp until he left it he literally owned it and all
there was in it. Always cheerful and happy him
self he made everybody around him happy, and
there was generally strife among the miners as
to who should have the honor of entertaining him
while he remained Nor the benefit all on one
side. 1t there anything difficult about the work.
anything requiring mechanical ingenuity, Father
Rayall could suggest a remedy for the difficulty,
and what was more to the purpose, he could put it
into successful operation.
Changes in His Field of Labor
In the early days in Montana there was much
sickness among the miners, caused, mo doubt, by
sleeping on the ground at night and working in the
water by day, and many poor fellow felt that he
owed his life to the good father. Physicians at
that time, not very plentiful and their charges
were enormously high. Father Ravalli was sent
for far and near, and when the call came he never
stopped to inquire whether the sick man was a
member of his Church, any other, for that mat
ter. 1t was sufficient for himto know that broth
er man was sick and needed his services 1t did not
matter how remote or difficult of access the gulch
was, or that he might have to go part of the way
on loot, or on snowshoes perhaps he went if it was
a possible thing for him to go. And as rule his
patient began to recover the very moment the good
father put his foot across the threshold of the
cabin. His presence in a sick room was as welcome
and cheering as that of a. May morning, bringing
health and strength and healing on its wings my
son, my son" he would exclaim this will never do
We must have you out of this" In many cases it
was SAID the fathers presence, his gentle nursing
his merry laugh and well told tales did as much
for the recovery of the patient as his medicine
And where 1t was necessary the father would re-
main by the bedside of his patient day in and day
out, no matter how crude OF announcement might be
his quarters, until he had passed the crisis of his
disease and was safely the road to convalescencc
When 1T came to question of compensation for
his services, if he thought the patient could afford
1t he would accept reasonable fee which by the
ways was often spent III some charity before he got
out of the camp where he had earned it; but if he
thought his patient not able to pay him-and this.
IN those early days, was very often the case-his
invariable answer was: NO my son; have no
need of money 1t will be some time yet before
you will be able to work again, and you will need
1T yourself. Keep it now, and hereafter when you
have plenty of money give what you think you
ought to pay to some of Gods poor and my bill will
be settled"
Honored and Reyered bu All
Is it any wonder that Father RavaH was hon
ored and revered throughout the length and breadth
of the territory by all classes and conditions of
men, Whose would know Father Ravalli as he
really and truly was must read Victor Hugo's de-
scription of Monsigneur Blenvenue in the earl,
chapters of his great novel, lies Miserables" All
that Monslgneur Blenvenue was to his flock Father