The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-29
ANOTHER PRIEST
CALLED BY DEATH.
Rev. Bernard Maekln Passed Away
Yesterday At Burlington. Max.
ing Third in Few
Months
WAS VERY WELL KNOWN
sulIs Fine New ST. Paur. cats~,le
Church in Burlington ana
Did Much for Fai,n
There.
.
WAS VERY WELL KNOWN

Three Catholic priests well known
in Keokuk. Iowa and the middle west
have passed away within the mast few
months. the latest being Rev. Father
Bernard Mackin. who died yesterday
morning in Burlington. The other two
were Father Vaughn and Father Rent
han. both eloquent orators and we'll
known priests.
Father Mackin passed away after an
illness which dated back many
months. He went to Europe and to
the famous Carlsbad Springs. but got
no permanent relief there and while
he may have believed that he had
made gains his friends were not de-
ceived and they saw that he had not
come home well man. He was ORDER
ed to take to his bed and to take q
perfect rest, But the disease had pro-
crossed so far that there was no help
and week ago 1t became apparent
to all that the end was drawing near.
He mad the best Of care and treatment
and the famous specialists OF Europe
informed him that they could have
prescribed no better treatment for him
than he had been given here at
home.
His Life.
Father Mackin was born at Inde.
pendence. Ia, October Is. 1859, and
was OF Irish and German descent. He
amused himself at odd hours tracing
his descent back to Portuguese fam
| lily. and it is believed that there was q
strain Of French blood in his veins.
Whatever 1t was 1t made an admirable
combination. He was educated In the
schools at Independence, worked on
the farm, studied at st. Joseph's col
lege in Dubuque and at st. Ambrose IN
Davenport and received his theological
training at St Mary's in Baltimore.
He was ordained on May 20, 1883, by
the late Bishop Cosgrove, served as as
sistant at the Sacred Heart cathedral
at Davenport, then for two years at st.
Ambrose In Des Moines, coming to
Burlington and taking Cargo OF st.
Pauls August %, 1892. He found the
parish weak and poorly organized and
went to work with will and an en-
/ thusiasm that made for success. At
the same time he worked with rare
skill, and while building up and
strengthening his parish he won
/ friends for himself ard his people
everywhere. pillar Of one OF the
leading Protestant churches said Of
him: II know no man In Burlington
who welded tie influence and who en-
ioyed the popularity and respect that
were given to Father MaclSin, except
4 the Rev. DR.. Salter.' He worked early
and late, and, no doubt in those UNI
| firing labors are to be sought the
source or the cause of his early death.
Some fifteen or sixteen years he
toiled early and late and had the sat
lisfaction Of building beautiful church
and an equally beautiful residence and
of making all sorts Of other improve
ments. And while at times he may
have looked bit weary, yet he always
had surprisingly youthful appear
ance, and his heavy black hair had no
| trace of gray. Then there came an at
tack of typhoid and when he recov-
cred, he seemed an aged man. His
health was shattered and he never
had really we'll moment after that.
His work was not confined to his
shurch AMI his parish and HIS people.
He was republican in politics and an
enthusiastic American. He was the
warmest friend of the Burlington bat
terry. and to his untiring efforts the
boys were In no small degree indebted
for whatever successes and honors
came to that company. There was
never a movement launched In Bur-
lington for Burlington that did not
have his hearty and enthusiastic sup
port. He was for Burlington first, last
and all the time without any hedging
or reservation, and. no doubt, he stood
UP for Burlington, Ia, IN the old
world as valiantly as he did every
where in the new An old friend took
him through the magnificent new
cathedral In New York He saw much
4 to praise and after all, he said: II