The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-01-23
A winlr 10 The Canadian woeas.
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ftfftF AffR Aef Hssestt ~H So 81 10
missionary oamt Aown ibe aset ADS
chapcsd 10 mea Al MelDonAld't camp
Seu i 4 Customary " episrtAiu 81
mea Il God NJ These ouilAyinR camp
In rood shape ard 4 being ihF onll
tine ,l,s believer ~ any sorf ~ nli
rson had D. indulg. ID The rites q
lbes daseFeni churches u Il usually
egnocsied pheusny mar q God sifike'
lambcf camp special reverence .
shown him while Ne stays. soW ihes'
swo apostles o. Him wbo was the soi
az mat, allho' 81 different beliefs
were too slIvpd 70 quarrel Aboni faith
away np ia The wilds u North Amer
ica The Calhoiie.'man goi there first
ard i was be right - have ihs irsi
hearing boz be said "No, Mcdonald u
~ your church, Episcopal, and i be.
booyes ne 70 listen 10 You hrsi We
can start services early III the evening
and get AL through by ten 20 the
men can rest" Their. was some far
Their talk bat both men honestly want
"a 10 give The other the preference. IL
was finally left 10 Mcdonald who grasp
cd each by hand and looked from
Que 10 The other as he lowered above
them. bis closetcropped red .halr aud
long side whiskers aud sandy mustaehe
waving in the winter breeze. HE blue
eyes twinkled. ~ he said, II dinns
know which like best for ye are both
fine men and think both Of ye better
be first. You Of the old Mother church
hear the confessions OF the catholic
Canadians, while be Of the dissenters ad-
minister the sacramen, 10 the rest Of
as and can say 70 viii have four 10
one" They did so and then Melon
aid said these Frenchmen have not
heard the word Of God according 10 the
Holy Catholic church spoken in two
months. Can 80 speak 10 them Father,
the time be yours" And the priest
gracefully bowed and blessed himself,
and from long carpet bag produced
his robes and the simple altar trim
mings that they always carry with them
aud with table and other fixtures set
up an altar with lighted candles. He
talked for twenty minutes IN French
aud then few minutes in good English
repeating much he had said in French,
which was only compliment, as every
man present knew enough French 10
understand bis remarks.
Then the Episcopal man stepped for
ward and he also began in excellent
French and gave the men good advice
much on the line Of the priest. Neither
touched on dogmatic beliefs and both
gave good advice. Then Mcdonald
walked around among the men and af-
forwards up TO the two men of God
who stood conversing close by the al
tar which had been stripped of its fit
tings, The priest then stepped for
ward. raised his hand and all was still.
He then in fine tenor voice broke into
a chant. low and soft, which was soon
answered from the crowd; higher and
stronger rose the chant, until it seemed
the whole log house vibrated. The
men kept splendid time and when at
last the chant sank almost to whisper
the priest by a wave OF the hand stop
ped the other voices and then sang
sweet old song in form few could fol-
low, his voice being full Of pathos,
strong and clear, yet sad, and when he
ended there was not dry eye in the
place and You could hear the deep
drawn breath Of suspense. the song
was Watching on the River Not
word was spoken for many moments.
The men han heard from home though
few of them had ever seen France, yet
that love of country still dwells in every
French. Canadians heart and although
under British rule for centuries yet
they are Frenchmen both in language
and Mt heart.
Soon the Episcopalian man stepped
forward and in clear, sweet voice sang
an old familiar Canadian winter song
in French, many of the singers in the
crowd joined in and although il did not |
have the effect of the priests efforts
YET he joined heartily in il aud soon
another deep drawn breath was heard.
Then Mcdonald stepped forward grasp
ing each man of God by hand, he
faced the audience, dropped ther hands,
stepped back pace, raised both hands
and commenced that old familiar good
nIght song God Save the Queen"
louder aud louder swelled the anthem
10Th priests joined in as did most of
he crowd until the end, Then each
me present dropped coin into Me-
)onald's cap he adding two sovereigns
md then divided il equally between
he visitors. The meeting adjourned,
he time being high II, as they had TO
work next day. Thus one OF the most
friendly meetings ever Witnessed ended
way up in the North woods. And for
seeks afterwards no trouble was heard
n the job and all the logs were hauled
0 just as the big spring thaws com
fenced and the horses and rigs were
rni out on the snow. The sideways
lied with thousands Of valuable logs
n the river bank were watched, shor-
D., wedged and guarded as the ice
larted TO 20 ont OF the river and the
God came down full OF old logs, trees,
rush and debris clearing the river bed
0 the logs would run better. When {
he river again lowered into iis banks
be logs were rolled in as fast as posi-.
le and the big drive was afoai. The
iyer was full Of logs for miles aud the
oats were after them while along the
anks men pushed of the logs keeping
Rem IN the current and no mishap
yeriook them and IN two weeks they