The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-07-26

| altar. One after another of the dele
gates took the floor and reported what
mad been done during the past year in
his particular neighborhood and what
was planned for the future The In
dian is a born orator. In the course
OF these gatherings many an earnest
and enthusiastic speech was made on
education and the schools, as we'll as
on other pertinent religious and social
topics to numerous throng, who lis
tened to each of the speakers with un-
abated interest and repeated exclam-
atlons of 'Hauh," "hauh," expressive
of their approval
The presiding officer of the business
| sessions was Mr. Andrew Night Pine.
| a fervent convert to Catholicism and
president OF the entire Congress. 1t
would require separate article to
| give an adequate account of the self
sacrificing zeal and energy of Mr..
| Night Pipe and his able associates.
Secretaries of the Congress, Mr.. Will
| liam Flood and Mr.. Louis Mousseau.
| Mr.. Flood was one of the first gradu-
ates of st. Francis Mission School and
| one, too, of whom his alma mater has
| always had reason to feel proud. Mr..
| Mousseau is an earnest and successful
| catechist, ever ready to help where
| help is needed. These men together
with other catechists worked earnestly
and effectively for the success Of the
| Congress.
Bishop Lawler Confirms.
Sunday morning, July 49, Monsignor
| ketcham assisted by two Benedictine
missionaries, Fathers Vincent Frech
| and Sylvester Eisenmann, sang SOL
emn High Mass in the open air, in
! the presence of the Right Rev. J. J.
| Lawler, Bishop of Lead, and a great
concourse of people. After Mass the
Bishop administered the sacrament of
Confirmation to a class of ninety-four,
most of whom were adult converts. 1t
was a consoling sight to see these
veterans of the plains kneeling in all
humility and reverence to be strength
ened and enlightened by the grace of
the Holy Spirit The Bishop addressed
the newly confirmed in his own ener-
getlc manner and eXhorted them to
prove themselves true soldiers of
Christ by enduring all for His sake.
Any one who still believes that the
Indian is incapable of the highest
civilization, need only attend one of
these congresses to see for himself
what the Red Man can accomplish.
Here will he find solid Christian virtue
and religious fervor, faith, devotion,
fortitude, humility and generous hos
| pitality. The Congress of this year
was no exception, as all who were
| fortunate enough to be present can
testify. One notable example of Indian
hospitality deserves to be put on rec
ord. Whilst the missionaries them
selves preferred to dwell in tents
among their own people, they were
desirous of securing more suitable liv-
| ing quarters for visitors from dis
tance. Three Protestant families had
neat residences in the immediate
neighborhood of the camp. These they
turned over to the authorities of the
| Congress for the use of visitors, and
| they themselves lived in tents for a
week. Needless to say their kindness
/ was deeply appreciated by all who
profited by it.
Touching Scenes.
Many a scene of the Congress, touch
ing and sublime in it's simplicity, will
long be fresh in the memories of those
who were present.
There was, for example, the recep-
tion of the Right Reverend Bishop.
The clergy in automobiles were met
near the camp by a long line of Sioux
braves mounted on horseback, who
brought up the rear of the procession
as it advanced toward the camp From
the entrance to the grounds to the
arbor, ranged in two parallel lines,
the men on one side and the women
on the other knelt between nearly
thousand Indians, awaiting in humble
silence the coming of their Father
and Spiritual Guide. AS the Bishop
approached, the peal of church bells,
mingled with hymns of welcome, rang
out over the prairies, banners waved
heads were bowed to receive the bless
ing of him who came only to bless
The lively faith, the awe, reverence
and eager expectation depicted on the
countenances of those poor children
of the plains was sight that must
have repaid the missionaries for many
a lonely struggle and bitter hardship.
AS the Bishops carriage passed slowly
along, the Indians fell in line and,
amid continued chanting of hymns,
marched two by two past the row of
tents to their place before the altar.
| Pine Ridge Chosen. -
| Another picturesque and striking
ceremony was the selection of the next
meeting place. 1t was late in the even
ing of the fourth day and the bower
was in darkness except for the light of
the moon and feeble lamp or two
at one end. When all who were inter-
ested had gathered in the bower, three
spokesmen in turn took their place
, in the midst of the assembly and in
glowing terms described the advan-
tages of the locality in which their
people desired the next Congress to
convene. A vote was called for by