The San Francisco call., 1908-05-17
Faith" one of the earliest Catholic
books printed in this country.

Faith" one of the earliest Catholic
books printed in this country.
Quebec is celebrating with pride the
three hundredth year of its existence,
and the two hundred and fiftieth ami
versary of the founding of the diocese
by Bishop Laval. The two anniver-
saries are to be commemorated with
unusual magnifcence. The fleets of all
the great nations are to salute the
colossal bronze statue of Champlain
which overlooks the city. His figure
towers above Dufferin terrace, so
called by the English residents. but
persistently named by the French Ca
nadians La Promenade Frontenac,
after one of Champlains successors.
Another never forgotten hero of
theirs is Jacques Cartier, who, so years
before Champlain's advent passed
terrible winter in his scurvy stricken
ships near the low banks of the st.
Charles. Upon his granite monument
are cut the names of the ships to keep
them in remembrance. This monument
also states that it is on the exact spot
where the Jesuits erected their first
residence in Canada, defeated to the
Holy Angels. There Brebouf prepared
for martyrdom
Jogues, Brebeuf, Lalemant, Daniel
and others who went forth from it's
palisades TO death or a terrible life
among savages We're familiar figures
on the streets of Quebec. The present
city hall near the basilica is the site
of the old Jesuit college, which ante
dated Harvard. There Joliet Mar
quettes future companion, brilliantly
defended his thesis in philosophy; and
there for time lived Laval The Eng
lish cathedral near by occupies the site
of the old Recollet church of colonial
times.
In Quebec we see the splendid
basilica with its famous university
alongside; the immense convent of
the Ursulines; magnificent hospitals,
churches, schools, asylums; and you
meet priests in their cassocks, nuns in
their habits and bare footed friars
walking its streets as unconcernedly as
in the times when the city owed al
legiance to the kings of France.
Samuel de Champlain was the father
and founder of Quebec. His father
was captain of a vessel; his uncle, pilot
general of the Spanish fleet. He began
his own career in the army, but in 1859
sailed away in command of his own
good ship, the st. Julien. He threaded
his way through the islands of the
West Indies, crossed the gulf, landed
at Vera Cruz. Travelled overland to the
City of Mexico and continued on till he
reached the isthmus of Panama, where
he regained his vessel When he sur
veyed Panama he suggested g ship
canal across the isthmus, centuries be-
fore our great and only Roosevelt
began to make the dirt fly in that
region. That was in 1901.
In 1903 or a little later, as royal
geographer, he had explored every bay
and river in New England. He went
up the Penobscot to the present site of
Bangor. He was in Plymouth before
the Puritans; rounded Cape Cod and
dropped anchor off Marthas Vineyard.
He made careful charts and notes of all
he saw, and in 1908 was back in
France pleading for colony on the St.
Lawrence.
Having founded his colony In 1908
and provided for its safety. he was
again exploring with view to future
expansion. Travelling with the Algon-
quins in their summer campaign, he
soon stood on the shores of the lake
which yet bears his name. He was then
aged 43, and unmarried Returning
once more to France, he married Helen
Boulle. a Protestant and still a mere
child, whom he left there to grow up.
Five years later she joined him in
America now herself a Catholic; and
after his death she became a nun. ST
named after her.
plain ascended the Ottawa, reached