The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-12-21
THE TERMoUNTAN AND COLORADO cATHouc DECEMBER 2 1907

ished here an Indian boarding school. 70 have the
chlldrep re-convert their parents. The school has
maze, ana is making, great change for the bet
ter, and more than half of those who had fallen
away nave already returned to the nractice of their
religion.
Last December one of orr vounp Jesnits went
around on horseback visiting the different fami-
hes eXhortlng them to come to the Mission during
tne christmas novena. good many came to
camp near the Mission. During the day of the
ztth heard the confessions of the Indians and
S!uer night prayers L continued to hear the In
dians' ana my young companion, Father Boil, heard
the lew Catholic white people that have farms
some miles from the Mission. We were through at
ABOUT ~ p m, when of my old school boys
(the Indian school of 1859, who had like the 9th
ers given up the practice of his religion. but has
now returned to his religious duties. came to see
me.
Wen, Paul, said I, 'are you going to make ii
speech tonight, as your good father Josua used to
do IN the old times, before midnight MassP
he answered: Il would gladly do So had I not
mlsbehaved these last several years. ] wish some
OF the men would make speeches, as of old"
We'll, Paul, do wish they would Go around
and invite some of them to speak; tell them SO in
my name"
AT II p. IN. the first bell rang and the Christ
mas bonfire was made before the church; at II 80
p m the second bell was heard and all the Indians
gathered around the fire on the square
Paul came AGAIN to tell me that no one dared to
speak, for they had all behaved badly but should
go and speak myself. | went out to the square and
told them | would speak in the church but now
they should speak themselves As no one opened
his mouth, approached one of them and whis-
pered few words and he began to speak In sub
stance he SAID that he sorry for having given
them bad example, as he had now given up whisky
all should follow him in that resolve. "God has
forgiven me, and | hope you will forgive me too :
TDfa will,
make our hearts strong to do according to our
promise"
shout of approval, long a-a-a-a-a-a-a filled
the ar, and at the third bell all went into lie
church. singing Christmas hymns in the Nex-Perce
language. A little after midnight High Mass be-
gan and the Indians sang Kyrie Gloria Credo
which they had learned thirty odd years ago Aft
er the Gospel, | said few words in English and
then gave them long sermon in Nez-Perce. Aft
er the Agnus Del they said in common their pray
ers before Communion, and then [ said, Domino
non sum dig4us, ETC., in their own language and
gave them their loving Jesus. With the exception
OF few non-Catholics, all the Indians received the
Lord, and with great devotion. The church was
crowded. [ Immediately began the second Mass. at
which they recited in common their prayers. after
Communion, morning prayers, the rosary, hymns,
etc, all in Nez-Perce. At the third Mass imme-
dlatey after Me second. the school children said
their prayers and sany hymns in English It was
m. when this Mass was over.
These Indians like to pray, the longer the bet
ter. At 10 a. m. there another High Mass,
with Father Boil as celebrant. The school chill
dren sang the Mass very devoutly. The Indians
were very much pleased with the singing of the
children, and several induced to place their
children in our school. OH if we had means to
compete with the government school; this lack
causes great objections to our school. 1T is true
we have little band of very Jealous, sef-sacrifc-
ing who work and suffer generously, but our
poverty prevents them from doing all they could
otherwise. You may judge the quality of pow
erty when l tell you that we have had to find sub
situtes for tea and coffee-cherry bark and barley
AT noon all the Indians ate dinner together, and
then the schools brass band went around the vii
lage playing and adding solemnity to the day Then
pers, night prayers Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament, and other meetings and the great feast
day was over.-The Chicago Extension.