The Irish standard., 1912-10-12

FER 10, 1912.
er had ever thought of such scheme.
Abbey arranged pleasant tour
among the astonished colonial mana
gers. Madame Bernhard found the
voyage more enjoyable than disagree
able; she was received with a hearth
ness never accorded to her at home;
appreciation, applause and gold were
showered upon her; and she learned
how much more honor prophet gets
among strangers than at home She
promptly accepted the American
tour.
/ 1t was during the Algerian visit
that Henry Abbey encountered the
Church In the person and the work of
Cardinal Lavigerie. He mentioned
the matter only casually to his friend
the priest, speaking of the impressive
personality of the Cardinal, and of
his peculiar missionary methods. He
spoke with profound admiration of
both, but his business instinct was
caught by the care shown in sending
a missionary to his mission. AS Alb
hey expressed it: 81 used to read of
missionaries setting forth unarmed
and unguarded into a wilderness of
which they knew nothing, and l
thought it fool enterprise. l read
of their deaths by hunger or murder,
and asked myself what else could
they expect? Cardinal Lavigerie had
the right idea. He sent out his White
Fathers with supplies, horses or cam
els, and well-armed guards. They ar
rived in good shape at the field of
labor, and could take up work at
once. Moreover, they made a fine i'm
preston on the savages. In the hard
work of the mission, the missionary
I is the main thing, and he ought to be
cared for and supported and sus-
tanned as shrewd nation supports
its able generals"
Naturally, the fact that his son had
become a Catholic under strange cir
cumstances made Mr.. Abbey more
interested in the Church, and the
result of his observation of Catholic
activity was later expressed in
passing discussion:
| "You may think what you please
about the Catholic Church," he OBJ
served, "but you will have to admit
one singular fact concerning her. She
Is the universal Church. You have
only to look around to know that.
Wherever ] have gone have seen
her at work. You couldn't miss her
with your eyes shut. And her work Is
distinctive, impressive, and always
noticeable. Now, that's business!"
1t was the business side of the
Church which caught the attention
and won the admiration of the bril-
liant business man, who knew just
what he wanted, could find the
methods to get it, and could measure
the sincerity, determination and skill
of others by his own. He probably
kept thinking along these lines up to
the moment when sorrow and adver-
sity together Frustrated him, and he
suddenly realized the utter worth
lessness and futility of world with
out God.
| His last pathetic and fatherly words,
Il want to be with my boy" showed
the point to which his reason and his
heart had led him,-the external life;
its great exponent, the Church; it's
great King, the Christ. With far
greater depth of feeling than many
Catholics he could utter his first and
last Credo: ~ believe In God, and In
Christ His Son, and in the Holy Ghost,
the Holy Catholic Church, the Com
munion of Saints, the forgiveness Of
sins, the resurrection Of the body, and
the life everlasting"
| His funeral was held in the Paulist
Church, New York, and was the most
notable of its time. Famous actors,
managers, singers, authors, journal
lists, business men, and society leaders
paid the last tribute to the brilliant
man who had shed lustre upon them
all. At his months mind there
was an evening service, at which the
whole world gathered to hear the
singing of famous artists; but the
feature of the occasion was the taking
up of a collection in behalf of the
poor. according to the wishes of the
deceased.
Most people were astonished to
learn of his conversion, as most peo-
nile will now be astnnished at this