The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-02-04
A JESUIT MARTYR.

The protestant world is inclined ia
ridicule a great deal of usage of the
Catholic church known as the "beatifi.
cation" of persons worthy to be en-
rolled among the lists of saints. This
inclination arises from misunder.
standing of the procedure and the
purposes. In recent years there have
been but few so honored, and conse-
quently, the lives and merits of those
entitled to such honor have been
brought home to the daily lives of very
few of the human race. Every one
making any pretentions to learning or
culture is familiar with the lives of
at least few of the lives of the great
est saints in the church. But to every
present generation these saints belong
to Il former age, and so it is that we
are inclined to look upon them or
rather to regard the place in which
they are held by the church as some
thing above the human. This, how
ever, is wrong aspect. For those
who have been honored thus were men
and women many Of whom performed
the ordinary duties of life of the sta
tlon in which they had been placed. Not
all saints were persons who withdraw
themselves from the world nor does
the church claim that all saints have
been "beattied' us the procedure is
called. 1t is only those whose lives
were so sclf-sacrillcing and holy that
they attracted the attention of the
people among whom they lived that
have been thus honorcd by the Church.
And. in connection with this matter
which is so generally misunderstood, it
is refreshing to find intelligent and ap
preciative comment from non-Catholic
sources. The Chicago Record Herald,
commenting upon the procedure
for the qualification of Father Isaac
Iaques, the Jesuit priest who is known
us the "Pioneer Missionary of New
York State,' says, "In all history of
religious zeal and martyrdom there is
probably no character that is worthier
of the high honors of the church than
this simple, devoted and courageous
soul. Carried Off by the Indians as a
captive lie was the first white man to
see Lake George and when he had
been taken into the Iroquois country
he acted as If captivity itself among
the most cruel of foes was rich favor
and blessing bestowed upon him by
Providence. Though he was compelled
to undergo sufferings, the mere de.
scription of which make the reader
writhe, he kept up the work Of pro-
selytizing with consistency that seem
ed more than human. Neither un.
speakable, brutal treatment nor the
ever present menace of death deferred
him, though Parkman says that he
was constitutionally timid and mar
of great sensitiveness and refinement
When finally he made his way to the
Dutch settlements and was given op
portunity to escape from the country
he hesitated. He spent the night ii
great agitation tossed by doubts ant
full Of anxiety lest his self-love should
beguile him from his duty. Was il
| not possible that the Indians might
spare his life and that by a timely
drop Of water still rescue souls from
torturing devils and eternal fires Of
perdition? On the other hand, would
he not by remaining to meet n fat,
almost inevitable incur the guilt o
suicide? The long debate was decide,
In favor Of retreat but when he ha(
reached France in an utterly forlorl
condition his Thoughts immediatel,
went back to the new world and h,
soon returned to Canada. Once NOR
too he visited the Mohawk country
once more was subjected to frightfu
fortunes, and this time death came t
him from the savages us a mercifu