The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-11-06

irregular triangle and is bounded by
Russia, Poland, and the Baltic sea.
AS nation it began to flourish in the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
The history of northern Europe is in
separately connected with that of Lith-
uania. After the conversion of the
inhabitants to Christianity about the
thirteenth century their swords were
always at the service of their neigh
Dor when Justice and liberty required
| their use.
A long line of kings and princes
occupied the throne of Lithuania, the
most noted of whom are Ringold, who
united the various portions of the
| kingdom into one solid confederacy,
and Gedimin, who conquered many
neighboring states and increased the
extent of Lithuanian territory. Jagi-
clio was also great warrior. He
| married Hedwig, the daughter of
Louis, king of Poland, and converted
the entire nation to Christianity. At
the death of Louis he was appointed
his successor and united the two king
doms Even at this early date Rus
STA had her eye on the Lithuanian ter
ritory and made several unsuccessful
| attempts to dismember the kingdom.
Jagiello resisted valiantly and in
three separate engagements he forced
the Russians to retreat to the very
gates of Moscow For two centuries the
Lithuanians ruled the united king
doms till Sigismund Augustus as
cended the throne and issued an edict
declaring Lithuania and Poland to be
one country.
The first ACKNOWLEDGMENT of this
country occurred in 1772, and at the
present time the greater portion is
ruled by Russia and small portion
| is included in East Prussia. Topo-
graphically Lithuania is low fiat
country, similar to Holland and is
| covered in many places with vast
marshes. There are many navigable
| rivers in this country, chief of which
are the Niemen, Dwina, Dnieper and
Beresina. These rivers abound in
i fish, which form the chief food sup
ply of the people living near their
banks. In the interior are many fine
farms producing an abundance of
grain, flax and hemp; honey, cattle
and horses are the other principal re-
sources of the country. These are
exported to the Russian and German
| provinces. From the war dispatches
we have become acquainted with
many of the Lithuanian cities, such as
Kovno, Grodno, Wilma, Sbavlik, etc.
/ Every Lithuanian takes special
pride in his language and will tell you
that it existed in it's present form be-
fore the time of Christ. 1t is I'M
doubtedly the most ancient of Euro
pean languages and is closely allied
to the Sanskrit. There is scarcely
any Lithuanian literature, as the peo-
pie of earlier times were engaged in
continual wars and had no time to
| devote to the gentler arts. Many
! folk songs and hymns of a religious
| and liturgical nature, however, are to
be found together with some choice
selections of other poetry. In 1905
the Russian government granted the
Lithuanians the freedom of the press
and since that time their literature
has been advancing both in quality
and quantity in a very encouraging
manner
i The Lithuanians are Roman Catho-
lies and in their profession of that
faith they show by the manner in
which they attend the divine services
that they have a practical, as well as
/ q theoretical knowledge of the funda-
mental principles of their religion.
AS an American citizen the Lithu-
anian emigrant has proved himself a
decided success. His name is indel-
IDLY printed on the role of fame COM
mencing with the gallant Kosciuszco
who offered his services to Washing
ton in the cause of liberty, and who
/ merited the public note of thanks Civ
en- him by congress. Washington
called him "a gentleman of science
and merit" and Franklin showered
upon him the most marked express
sions of esteem and commentator.
i The army list of the civil and Span
ish-American wars gives the names of
many Lithuanians who gladly gave
their lives for their adopted country
In the peaceful pursuits of everyday
life they are regarded by employers
as exemplary working men, being in
different to what sort of labor they do,
if such will Keep them from inactivity
and gain for them fair livelihood.
Many are found in the rank and file
of that great army of workmen, who
till the soil and build the cities that
have made the United States famous
throughout the civilized world. These
people are assisting in developing the
wonderful resources of this country,
going hand in hand with their fellow
countrymen in everything that makes
for the greatest effusion of all those
things that promote the best interests
of mankind. The poet, Adam MCKEE
wicz, Bishop NJ. Valanciaukas, the
Philosopher Kant and the Author H.
Sienkericz, are some of the illustrious
sons of Lithuania.