The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-06-04

are not long-lived That the ambient
air, in proportion to the intensity of
the force expended upon it, carries it's
message to rapid oblivion. Not SO
the preaching at st. Johns. Judged
by the most effective test, the influ-
ence exerted upon the young, the
practical value of these sermons was
of the highest order as the sequel has
SO convincingly shown.
The young men and boys thus at
tracted to the church by such inn
pressive sermons were held there by
the personality and persistent work
of the pastor OH their behalf Liter
AIRY and debating societies were organ
lied; parish library was established;
the basement of st. Johns was fitted
up as clubrooms for the young men
and in various other religious chan
nels the pastoral zeal flowed, empha-
sizing and strengthening the pulpit
appeals.
Most of all he labored in the inter.
ests of education. In those days the
chances of acquiring an education
were restricted. The schools were few
and poorly equipped. The sisters had
not yet come to Olmsted county. Ex-
cept in neighborhoods that were who'll
ly Catholic, there was, of course, no
opportunity of imparting knowledge
of the catechism in the schools. But,
population was exclusively Catholic,
and in such places a Catholic teacher,
usually a young man or a woman of
the parish, was carefully selected by
the pastor to discharge this important
office.
Comes now the second character that
figures in the story. There was in
Rochester at that time young man
who had just finished his college
course in the east, whence he had
moved with his parents to the new
settlement. With his superior advan-
tages he was we'll equipped to teach
the branches that the limited curricu-
lum of the rural schools of those days
called for. But it was not so much
the teaching of the secular branches
as that of Christian doctrine and the
exercising of a wholesome influence
on the youthful minds of the pupils
that was of lasting value For several
years the young man referred to con-
Quoted the schools in the larger Cath
olic districts of the county. Taking
the place of much needed curate,
he assisted the pastor in the prepara-
ton of classes for first communion
and confirmation. On Sunday morn
ing he was at late Mass in st. Johns;
in the afternoon he attended the meet
ing of the young mems societies. In
the morning he was moved and charm
ed as he listended to the sermon; in
the afternoon he felt his minds vision
enlarged as the young pastor spoke OH
some interesting subject before the
young mems club. Then on Sunday
evening or Monday morning he went
back to the duties of his laborious
work in the school, with new inspira-
ton and enthusiasm.
The young teacher had a younger
brother who, like himself, had met
with much success in his studies. And
if for any reason the older was I'M
able to be in attendance at the school,
owing to indisposition or other cause.
he would send his brother "Dick" ia
take his place. In this way the lat
ter became eventually to be almost as
we'll known as the regular instructor.
All this embellished by richness of
detail and incident stands out WV
idly in the memories of the pioneers
of Olmsted county.
The years have turned the heroic
page, but the spirit and inspiration
which animated those elder-days have
since wrought wondrous changes. In
one of those district schools, he who
is now Ri. Rev. J. j. Keane, bishop
of Cheyenne, was a pupil; at another
attended the Rt. Rev. j. J. Lawler,
titular bishop of Hermopolis Major, in
Egypt. The brother "Dick'' is now
the Rt Rev. P. r. Hebron, bishop of
Winona. The young man in question
was Christopher Hebron, ex-mayor
and esteemed citizen of Rochester,
and the young pastor was Father
Thomas O'Gorman, now the noted
prelate of Sioux Falls, S. D.
-Historicus