The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-01-06

years before the Hudson Bay Com
pany used the ox-cart as freight con-
veyance.
Educating the Indian.
Father Lacombe's interest i'm the In
dams was not confined to their spirit
ual welfare. He taught the Redman
how to till the soil and raise crops and,
in 1863, he erected the first horse-pow-
er flour mill on the western plains to
grind -four for the colony of ST. Albert
He built chapels and opened schools
for the half-breeds and placed the lat
ter in charge of Sisters who would
teach the young Indians Christian doc
trine and give them at least the rudi-
ments of an education. Like every
other missionary worthy of the name,
Father Lacombe multiplied himself, as
it were, to advance the reign of Christ.
He hurried from place to place visit
ing every tribe on the Western plains,
gathering these poor nomads into
colonies and missionary stations which
he turned over to the care of younger
priests and set out for new fields of
missionary conquest. He was not in
aptly called 1.-THE Missionary Free
Lance of the Plains" He came and
went almost as he would, so great
was the confidence which his superiors
had in his zeal and judgment. He was
their counsellor no less than the friend
of the Indians to whom he was known
as THE Man-of-the-Beautifu
and "The Man-of-the-Goo He
saw the missionary outposts estab
lished by him develop into episcopal
Sees and as soon as new hands came
to till the soil and watch over the
flock he took the road again and
helped to push the outposts of civiliZa-
ton still further towards the setting
sun. In his journeyings he travelled
on foot, by pack horse, and in canoe;
he slept on the wind-swept plain be-
meath the stars, wrapped in his blan-
kets and surrounded by friendly In
dams. During all these years he was
regard to the Indian tongues and later
on he gave to the world his Indian
dictionary and grammar, and trans
lated the catechism and spiritual books
into the language of his adopted flock.
The Work of Colonization.
In September, 1871, when Bishop
Grandin took possession of the See of
st. Albert, Father Lacombe was named
Vicar General and sent to the East
to seek funds and priests for the rap
idly developing West. He continued
his journey from Montreal to Europe
and on his return was appointed par
ish priest of st. Mary's Church in
Winnipeg, where he devoted several
years to the work of colonization.
When the first transcontinental rail-
way reached Winnipeg on it's journey
to the Pacific, Father Lacombe took
the greatest interest in the progress
of the work. He was appointed Chap
lain of the workmen in the construc-
ton camps and did much to purify
their moral atmosphere and keep the
workmen in touch, not only with their
religion, but with the folks at home.
During all these years, however, he
pinned for the free life and activity of
the plains, and, finally, in 1882, we
find him once more among the Black
feet where he noted many changes and
evidences of the white mans advent
among them. He made the nascent
village of Calgary his headquarters
and took a very active part in the
incidents, political and otherwise,
which preceded the Riel Rebellion of
the middle eighties, as well as in the
negotiations which took place after
its suppression. These services were
acknowledged by all who were con-
versant with the negotiations carried
on between the government and the
Indians. The authorities at Ottawa
knew how great was the influence
which Father Lacombe exerted among
the Indians and they had recourse
to his mediation in their dealings with
them.
The Chief of the Foothills.
Although the rowing life OF free
lance missionary among the Indians
was as the very breath of his nostrils,
Father Lacombe found that the ply
steal exertion began to tell upon his
rugged constitution and he sought a
quiet retreat wherein to pass his de-
clining years. He found such place
among the quiet foothills at Pincher
Creek, Alberta, and there he decided
to establish what he called his hermit
age. But he was not allowed to retire
thereto for yet awhile. In 1894 he was
called to the pastorate of ST. Joachim's
Church at Edmonton, where he re-
NAMED for two years. After that he
accompanied the government commits
sioners who made peace treaties with
the Indians. The Golden Jubilee of
his sacerdotal ordination was made
the occasion of a grand celebration at
st. Albert in 1899, the occasion being
honored by the presence of several
Archbishops and Bishops and large
number of priests and people. The
following year he made a trip to
Europe, and on his return sought the
retirement of his beloved hermitage
whence he was drawn, in 1904, by the
late Archbishop Langevin of st. Boni-
60 l. IL. L.