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foi-  tXVH,  Na  452 


Jaiiuarf-Februarf# 


ANNALS 
OF  THE  PROPAGATION 
OF  THE  FAITI^i    a* 


GO  TE  INTO  THE  WHOLE  WORLD  AND 
PREACH  THE  GOSPEL  TO  EVERT  CREATURB 


BALTIMORE,  KIk. 


€0?^3ra:NTS. 


*      -        •   '                                                                     PAGE 
AUDIENCE  GRANTED  BY  HIS  II0UNE$S  PIUS  X.  TO  THE  DELEGATES  OF  THE 
SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE^FAITH  ' 3 

Missions  in  Asia. 

CHINA. 

^£//.CAai/.— Latter  of  Rev.  Father  Cavalerie,  P.  F.  M 5 

Visit  to  a  persecuted  mission. — ^The  people  of  Chui-Kia. — 
Satisfactory  results.' 
INDIA. 

laAore.— Letter  of  Rt  Rev.  G.  Pelckmaiit,  0.  M.  Cap 16 

Missions  in  Africa. 

EQUATORIAL  AFRICA. 

South  ¥htoHa  N/anziL'-£xbrjic\$  from  a  letter  tl  Rev.  Father  Hurel,  Ai.  M.  .    21 
A  Journey  into  Kiza'. 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

TAHITI. 

Cook  /e/a/M/8.— Letter  of  Rev.  Father  CaeUnle,  S.  H.  Pic %6 

The  island  of  Mauke. 


News  of  the  Missions. 

EUROPE. 

Irleh  Missionarlee  Praised  hy  the  King  of  England S9 

ASIA. 

Famine  and  Emigration  In  India SI 

Official  Acknowledgment  of  a  MIesionary't  Work 40 

AFRICA. 

SUttetlct  of  the  Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Madagascar 41 

Progress  of  the  Mission  of  Lower  Niger 41 

The  Persecution  at  Kalfa  and  Harar. 41 

OCEANICA. 

The  Leper  Colony  at  Moiokal 42 

Destrttctlon  by  Fire  of  the  Church  at  Mua-Tonga 43 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 45 

Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals* 

EDITORIALS 7T7TTTTT 46 

MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS. 

An  American  In  Korea:  An  Explanation  of  the  True  Causes  of  Rellglotts  Dlstur- 

banees  In  the  Hermit  Kingdom.    Letter  of  Mr.  W.  F.  Sands •  .  48 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 58 

OBITUARY 64 

Botered  at  th«  Post  OiBoe,  Baltimore,  Md.  as  Sooond  Claaa  Hatter. 


ANNALS 


OFTHB 


Propagation  of  the  Faith 

A  PERIODICAL  COLLECTION 

OF 

LETTERS  FROM  THE  BISHOPS  AND   MISSIONARIES  ENGAGED  IN  THE  MISSIONS 

OF  THE    OLD   AND   NEW  WORLD,  AND   OF  ALL  THE   DOCUMENTS 

RELATING  TO  THOSE  MISSIONS,  AND  TO  THE  INSTITUTION 

OF   THE    PROPAGATION    OF   THE    FAITH 


This  Collection  serves  as  a  continuation  of  the  **  LsTTRES  Edifiantbs'' 


VOLUME  LXVII 


BALTIMORE 

PUPLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FaITH 


> 


Blessed  John  Gabriel  Perboyre,  G.  M. 

Martyred  in  China  in  1840. 

One  of  tbe  first  missionaries  assisted  by  the  Society  for  tlie  Propagatiou 

of  the  Faith. 


*^*t 


AUDIENCE 

GRANTED   BY   HIS   HOLINESS  PIUS  X 

On  the  Twenty-Second  of  November,  1903, 

to  the  Delegates  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 

of  the  Faith 


Upon  the  day  of  the  election  of  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X., 
the  Central  Councils  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith  sent  congratulations  to  the  new  Pontiff,  at  the  same 

54  time  assuring  him  of  their  continued  submission  to  the  Holy 
1  See.  In  addition  to  this  it  was  decided  that  a  delegation, 
consisting  of  the  directors  of  the  Coimcils  and  the  editor  of  the 
Catholic  Misdons  and  Annals  of  thb  Propagation  op  thb 
Faith,  should  go  to  Home. 

The  delegates  were  granted  a  special  audience  by  His  Holi- 
ness on  the  day  after  their  arrival  in  the  apostolic  city.  The 
reception  accorded  them  by  the  august  Pontiff  was  most  kind, 
his  manner  was  charming  and  his  words  marked  by  a  gracious 
simplicity. 

M.  Berloty  addressed  His  Holiness,  speaking  in  the  name 
of  both  Councils.  He  first  expressed  the  hope  that  the  new 
pontificate  would  be  long  and  prosperous;  then  he  assured  the 
Holy  Father  that  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
placed  .itself  entirely  at  his  command,  and  that  his  will  would 
Ml    be  law  to  this  association,  which  for  eighty  years  had  had  for     . 


V 

I. 

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i: 


^f^*^i*0^,^i,^uim^i^^miS^t.^mii>^^,^m^4>0*,0^ 


tn/Mi        LS 


i 

< 

I 

i  ( 

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its  only  object  the  extension  of  the  knowledge,  love  and  service 
of  Christ,  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  in  the  most  distant 
lands. 

"  It  is  our  hope  and  prayer,"  he  continued,  "  that,  under 
the  supreme  direction  of  Your  Holiness,  and  with  the  support 
of  your  good-will,  it  will  furnish  the  apostolate  with  those  re-^ 
sources  which  are  now  more  in  demand  than  ever  and  that  it 
will  renew,  according  to  your  desires,  the  world  in  Christ. 

"  As  your  illustrious  predecessors  have  often  done,  we  beg 
you  also.  Most  Holy  Father,  to  bless  the  delegates  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 'who  now  humbly 
kneel  at  your  feet.  Bless  our  Central  Councils,  our  diocesan 
and  parochial  directors,  our  promoters,  all,  who  in  any  degree 
— ^missionaries,  priests,  faithful — ^have  helped  to  make  our 
Society  more  prosperous.*' 

Pope  Pius,  in  replying  to  this  address,  thanked  the  dele- 
gates for  their  expressions  of  submission  to  his  authority  and 
said  that  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  was  a 
work  designed  by  Providence  and  that,  as  all  his  predecessors 
had  recommended  it  to  the  faithful,  he  would  do  likewise,  for 
it  assisted  greatly  in  spreading  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  worid. 

"Upon  all  sides,"  he  continued,  "the  truth  is  opposed. 

^  \    The  Protestant  sects  are  particulariy  strenuous  in  the  fight 

\    against  it;  they  labor  hard  and  are  backed  by  large  resources. 

The  means  at  our  disposal  are  not  so  great  as  theirs,  but  our 

missionaries   are   self-sacrificing  workers   and   their   success 

springs  mostly  from  the  example  they  give. 

"We  must  *  re-establish  all  things  in  Christ,*  as  St.  Paul 
says.  The  Gospel  must  be  made  known  throughout  the  world 
and  the  precepts  therein  contained  must  be  practiced,  for  in 
the  Gospel  all  the  means  of  salvation  are  found.  Our  priests 
spread  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  it  is  true,  but  in  the  times 
in  which  we  live  a  good  Christian  laity  is  their  powerful  aux- 
iliary and  every  member  of  the  faithful  may  become  an 
apostle." 

His  Holiness  finished  by  conferring  his  blessing  upon  all 
the  members  of  the  Society,  both  clergy  and  laity,  their 
parents,  families  and  friends — tutti  da  per  tutto,  as  he  said, 
with  his  charming  smile. 


^ 


-JZ:  54/ 

ANNALS  ^"  FL :111m    ^" 

Propagation  of  the  r 

Vol.  LXVII,  No.  452.  Jaxdary-Februaby,  1904. 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  KUl-CHAU,  CHINA 


Kui-chau  is  a  Chinese  mission  in  which  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  has  been 
greatly  retarded.  Nevertheless  there  are  at  present  about  twenty-thou- 
sand Catholics  in  a  total  population  of  ten  millions  of  souls.  The  Euro- 
pean missionaries  number  thirty;  the  native  priests  eight.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  catechists  are  devoted  to  teaching  neophytes.  There  are  no  Sis- 
ters in  the  mission,  but,  in  a  certain  number  of  parishes,  pious  natives 
conduct  schools  for  girls  and  take  charge  of  the  manual  training  schools 
and  orphan-homes.  The  number  of  churches  and  chapels  is  seventy- 
seven.  The  capital  of  the  province  of  Kui-chau  is  Kuiyang-fu.  The  vicar- 
apostolic.  Bishop  Ouichard,  has  made  this  city  his  place  of  residence. 

Letter  op  Rev.  Father  Cavalbrie,  P.  F.  M. 

Visit  to  the  People  of  My  district  comprises  the  parishes  situated 
of  Chiii-Kia.  —  Con-  in  the  prefectures  and  sub-prefectures  of  Tu- 
veraions.  yun-fu,  Tu-chan-chau  and  li-po-hien.     This 

is  the  country  of  the  Chui-kia  natives,  excellent  people  indeed,  but 
somewhat  afraid  of  the  Chinese  who  oppress  them. 

A  large  number  of  conversions  (more  than  two  hundred  families) 
having  taken  place  on  the  banks  of  the  li-po,  I  determined  to  visit 
the  newly-received  Christians.  Upon  the  way  I  learned  that  the 
mandarin  of  li-po  was  irritated  at  the  fact  that  so  many  people 
under  his  control  were  leaving  the  faith  of  their  fathers  and  that  he 
was  using  every  means  in  his  power  to  prevent  their  doing  so.  Eight 
native  Christians  had  been  thrown  into  the  prisons  of  Li-po.  Others 
fled  for  concealment  from  house  to  house  or  sought  a  refuge  with 
the  tigers  in  the  jungle.     The  poor  neophytes  were  fast  in  the 

5 


6 


MISSIONS  tK  ASIA 


clutches  of  the  first  magistrate.  The  mandarin,  "  father  and  mother  ^^ 
of  his  people,  was  hurrying  to  the  sfcene.  After  having  passed  the 
night  at  Chui-tso  he  rode  upon  the  following  morning  into  the 


'^"^ 


•4 


\ 


View  of 


KUI-YANG-KU, 


Capital  or  Kui-cnAU. 


market-place  of  Eiu-tsien.  Dismounting,  he  strode  forward,  struck 
his  breast  and  sputtered  forth  maledictions  against  religion  and  its 
ministers.     His  final  words  were: 

"  If  the  stupid  people  of  Chui-kia  are  firm  in  their  resolution  to 
practice  the  Catholic  religion,  they  cannot  remain  here;  they  will 
have  to  go  and  work  on  the  rice  plantations  of  Europe.^' 


KDI-OHAU^   CHINA 


A  hundred  soldiers  formed  his  body-guard.  In  the  hands  of  each 
something  shone  in  the  sun  which  at  a  distance  looked  like  rosary 
beads^  but  which  upon  close  inspection  proved  to  be  manacles.  In 
a  short  time  the  market-place,  but  lately  thronged  with  people,  was 
abandoned.  Nobody  stopped  to  look  at  the  red  flags  of  the  troop, 
but  hastened  at  the  utmost  speed  along  the  road  which  led  to  the 
mountain.    The  wine  which  had  been  exposed  for  sale  was  taken  by 


Mandarin  and  Attendants. 

the  mandarines  pretorians  to  quench  their  thirst,  and  it  is  to  be  re- 
marked that  none  of  them  failed  to  appropriate  to  himself  whatever 
he  could  get  of  those  objects  which  the  fleeing  Christians  had  aban- 
doned in  their  haste.  At  length,  when  well  fed  and  refreshed,  the 
soldiers  gave  chase  to  these  people  who  were  guilty  of  no  crime.  A 
mob  composed  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  country  districts, 
encouraged  by  the  example  set  them,  pillaged  the  house  of  a  rich 
Christian.  The  chiefs  of  neighboring  villages  also  took  a  hand  and 
plundered  t^'O  families. 


8 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


Upon  hearing  this  news,  I  hastened  forward  by  forced  marches 
and  on  the  tenth  of  November  reached  Kiu-tsien.  Thank  God!  the 
storm  had  passed  and  the  Christians  of  Chui-kia  had  borne  it  well. 
The  higher  the  wind,  the  lower  bends  the  blade  of  grass.  The  Chui- 
kians  had  imitated  the  grass  blade  and  in  consequence  I  found  them 
iminjured. 

I  continued  on  my  way.  I  was  regarded  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  through  which  I  passed  as  a  curious  animal.    At  Ma-tao  I 


A  Wayside  Halt  during  a  Missionary  Journey. 

was  surroimded  and  critically  examined,  being  obliged  to  permit  my- 
self to  be  turned  this  way  and  that  before  the  people  were  satisfied. 
At  Ki-chang  all  the  inhabitants  stood  at  their  doors  to  watch  me  pass. 
When  we  reached  the  center  of  the  town,  Cadet-Eoussel,  my  mule, 
suddenly  stopped  and  remained  immovable,  looking  straight  ahead, 
his  two  great  ears  pointing  to  the  front,  a  ceri^in  indication  to  one 
who  knows  his  character  of  profound  astonishment.  Dozens  of  chil- 
dren approached  me  smilingly  and  after  some  hesitation  were  em- 
boldened to  address  me  as  Yang-jen  (European  devil).    When  these 


KUI-OHAU,   OHINA  9 

two  words  are  spoken  to  one  in  a  manner  especially  friendly^  accom- 
panied by  a  smile  of  particular  gracionsness^  they  should  never  be 
taken  as  an  insult.  In  China^  as  elsewhere,  it  is  the  manner  that 
shows  the  intention. 

.^^  At  Chni-po  the  amazement  of  the  people  at 

*"'  my  appearance  was  greater  than  even  that  of 

the  natives  had  been  through  whose  towns  I 
had  just  passed.  It  was  said  aloud  that  I  was  indeed  a  brave  man 
since  I  was  going  forward  to  meet  danger.  My  ears  were  assailed  by 
such  compliments  as  this  all  along  my  route,  but  at  length  the  climax 
was  reached  when  I  was  surrounded  by  a  group  of  old  men  of  ven- 
erable appearance  who  prostrated  themselves  three  times  in  silence, 
each  prostration  being  so  profound  that  their  foreheads  touched  the 
dust.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  Chui-kians  do  not  do  things  by 
halves. 

I  did  not  have  time  to  recover  from  my  astonishment  before  I 
found  myself  the  center  of  a  procession  of  from  ninety  to  a  hundred 
old  men,  white  bearded  and  gray  haired,  all  of  whom  were  clad  in 
their  richest  robes.  I  learned  from  them  that  at  Chui-kin  the  Chris- 
tians had  been  subjected  to  great  annoyance  and  had  been  forced  at 
the  point  of  the  sword  to  pay  to  their  persecutors  more  than  five 
hundred  taels  (nearly  $400). 

And  then  I  learned  the  following:  The  Chinese,  trying  in  every 
way  to  excite  the  people  against  the  foreign  missionary,  had  spread 
abroad  the  extravagant  rumor  that  I  was  advancing  at  the  head  of 
a  hundred  armed  soldiers.  The  story  had  been  repeated  to  the  Chris- 
tians and  finally  found  its  way  to  me.  In  consequence  of  this  fairy 
tale,  the  city  of  Ti-po  was  made  ready  to  withstand  a  siege.  Night 
and  day  the  road  which  circled  its  ramparts  was  patrolled  by  guards. 
It  was  heavily  garrisoned,  the  soldiers  holding  themselves  ready  at 
short  notice  to  repel  the  assault  of  the  Yang-jen  and  his  terrible  fol- 
lowers. It  was  all  very  foolish,  but  it  did  much  to  increase  the 
hatred  which  was  already  entertained  by  the  Chinese  for  us. 
Consequences  of  the  ^  P^*  ^^  ati^ntion  to  the  people  of  Li-po, 
Visits  to  the  Chris-  l>^t  went  quietly  on  my  way,  visiting  the 
tians.— An  Agreeable  Christian  neophytes.  I  had  already  traversed 
Surprise.  {he  plains  of   Pan-lan-chai  and  Chui-je.      I 

was  now  at  the  village  of  Chui-mei.  At  each  station  there  were  about 
fifty  catechumens.  The  resignation  with  which  they  met  the  evi- 
dences of  their  neighbors'  hatred  was  astonishing  and  at  the  same 
time  very  consoling  to  me. 


10 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


On  the  twenty-fifth  of  Ifovember  the  public  crier  proclaiined  in 
the  market-place  of  Kin-tsien  that  soldiers  were  expected  soon  who 
had  received  orders  to  exterminate  the  Christians.  Every  family  was 
commanded  to  furnish  a  quantity  of  rice  for  the  constmiption  of  this 
troop.  The  Christians  who  would  apostatize  would  not  be  molested. 
The  others  would  be  beaten  and  despoiled  of  all  their  goods;  their 
rice  fields  would  become  common  properiy.  This  was  another  attempt 
to  terrify  the  people.  It  was  a  scheme  concocted  by  the  village  chiefs. 
However,  my  presence  in  the  country  has  exeiied  a  restraining  influ- 


Open  Air  Kitchen  in  Kui-chau. 


ence  upon  them.  The  mandarin  has  written  me  a  letter  in  which 
he  asks  for  an  interview  with  me  either  at  Ki-chang  or  Tu-chan.  But 
why  not  here,  where  he  has  jurisdiction  ?  Can  it  be  that  he  fears  to 
face  the  unhappy  people  whom  he  has  had  beaten  and  robbed  ? 

While  waiting  for  the  horizon  to  clear  I  visited  Yu-pia,  where  I 
found  a  number  of  converi:s.  Then  I  went  to  Chui-je  and  set  up  my 
pori^ble  altar  in  the  house  of  a  man  who  had  formeriy  been  a  great 
sorcerer.  At  this  station,  where  the  people  less  than  a  year  ago  had 
never  heard  of  the  Gospel,  an  agreeable  surprise  was  in  store  for  me. 
I  had  not  expected  that  the  neophytes  would  have  memorized  the 
catechism  or  prayers,  yet  I  listened  to  a  group  of  little  children  recite 


KUI-OHAU,   CHINA 


11 


together  morning  and  evening  prayers  Avithont  hesitancy  from  be- 
ginning to  end.  They  have  indeed  reason  to  be  good  Christians. 
Their  father  at  that  very  time  was  lying  a  prisoner  in  Li-po  on 
account  of  his  religion ;  before  this  honor  of  public  confession  of  faith 
had  been  conferred  upon  him  he  had  taken  care  to  instruct  well  his 
children  and  the  other  members  of  his  household.  In  a  short  time 
I  hope  to  confer  baptism  upon  seven  or  eight  members  of  this  family. 


Interior  op  a  Lodging-House  in  Kui-chau. 


An  Interview. 


From  Chui-je  to  Chui-mei  is  but  a  short 
distance.  At  the  latter  place  I  had  baptized 
a  family  the  previous  year.  During  the  present  visit  three  adults 
received  the  grace  of  regeneration.  While  in  this  village  I  had 
the  honor  of  bein^  interviewed  by  an  envoy  expressly  sent  by  the 
mandarin  of  Li-po.  He  did  not  at  first  come  himself  to  see  me,  but 
sent  his  card  with  a  message  requesting  me  to  call  at  his  house.  He 
was  an  adept  in  the  art  of  Machiavel,  for  his  note  informed  me  that 
he  would  be  very  happy  to  offer  me  some  bottles  of  the  wine  of  my  noble 
country  should  I  deign  to  accept  them;  he  was  sure  they  would 
refresh  my  precious  heart.    I  refused,  however,  the  presents  of  Arta- 


12  MISSIONS  IN   ASIA 

xerxes.  Purthennore,  the  meeting  place  which  he  had  appointed 
appeared  to  me  particularly  ill-chosen,  and  the  wording  of  his  invi- 
tation filled  me  with  distrust.  He  was  not  discouraged  and  pro- 
posed a  second  rendezvous  which  was  no  more  acceptable  to  me  than 
the  other  and  for  the  same  reasons.  He  was  forced  at  length  to 
come  to  where  I  was  stopping  to  obtain  the  interview  he  wished  for 
so  earnestly.    He  found  me  surroimded  by  my  Christians,  and  said: 

"  The  '  great  man '  ought  to  go  to  Tu-chan,  where  he  will  find  the 
repose  which  he  must  need  after  his  many  labors.  This  country  is 
dangerous  to  the  health,  it — ^^ 

''Oh,  yes,'*  spoke  up  a  young  man,  "this  is  indeed  a  dangerous 
country,  especially  when  the  '  father  and  mother  of  his  people '  comes 
with  his  soldiers.  They  carry  away  the  cattle,  eat  the  hogs  and 
drink  all  the  wine;  and  those  who  do  not  pretend  to  be  pleased 
when  they  are  robbed  are  cruelly  treated.  In  proof  of  what  I  say, 
go  to  the  market-place  and  see  the  old  men  who  have  been  himg  up 
by  the  thumbs.^' 

I  turned  the  conversation  and  we  spoke  of  religious  matters.  As 
a  man  of  good  birth  my  visitor  began  to  emphasize  my  own  assertions. 

''Ah I  what  a  beautiful  religion;  how  sublime!  To  do  good, 
to  avoid  evil.  How  reasonable  it  is  I  But  would  the  '  great  man '  go 
to  Tu-chan  where  he  will  find  the  repose  which  he  must— r  '* 

"  Pardon  me,^^  I  interrupted,  "  I  am  very  fond  of  the  pure  air 
of  these  mountains;  I  find  it  agrees  with  my  constitution.  The 
exercise  is  very  healthful.  Finally,  my  dear  sir,  do  you  not  know 
that  your  great  Emperor  has  given  permission  to  missionaries  to 
preach  the  Gospel  throughout  the  whole  of  China  ?^' 

"Why,  of  course  the  Emperor  permits  it,*'  he  replied.  "Could 
he  do  otherwise  than  approve  of  the  dissemination  of  such  beneficent 
doctrine  ?^^ 

These  words  were  heard  by  all  who  were  present,  and  before  long 
they  bore  fruit. 

In  this  village  there  was  a  pagan  who  upon  my  previous  visits 
had  followed  me  about  everywhere,  had  watched  my  comings  and 
goings,  in  fact  had  been  as  close  to  me  as  my  shadow.  It  was  annoy- 
ing at  times,  yet  I  had  taken  it  in  good  part,  for  I  believed  him  a 
little  mad.  A  great  error.  This  year  he  had  adopted  the  same 
tactics.  Therefore  he  was  naturally  present  when  I  received  the 
visit  of  the  mandarines  envoy.  When  the  visitor  had  departed  my 
faithful  shadow  came  forward,  made  a  salutation  before  me  and 


KUI-CHAU,  CHINA 


13 


flkod  to  become  a  Christian.  He  explained  that  for  a  long  time  it 
had  been  his  desire  to  join  the  ranks  of  the  faithftd;  that  he  had 
always  felt  attracted  toward  the  religion  of  the  Master  of  Heaven. 
However^  as  he  had  heard  it  so  badly  spoken  of^  and  as  Christians 
were  said  by  their  enemies  to  be  rebels  and  members  of  secret  socie- 
ties, he  had  hitherto  hesitated  to  take  the  definite  resolution. 

"To-day,"  he  went  on,  "I  heard  an  ofBicer  in  person  publicly 
acknowledge  that  this  religion  is  good  and  that  the  Emperor  permits 
its  practice.  I  will  hesitate  no  longer.  My  eyes  have  beheld  the 
actions  of  the  Father,  my  ears  haVe  heard  his  words.    I  am  certain 


Scene  in  the  Neighborhood  op  Chui-sl 
that  Christians  do  not  belong  to  secret  societies  and  that  they  are 
not  rebels;  it  is  my  desire  to  be  admitted  to  their  ranks.'* 

You  may  imagine  with  what  pleasure  I  listened  to  these  words. 

We  continued  our  journey  and  set  out  for 
^^"^  ^      '  Chui-si.     As  we  were  traveling  along  at  an 

easy  pace  I  overheard  my  catechist  say  that  we  would  be  able  to  find 
nothing  to  eat  in  this  place. 

"My  friends,'*  I  said  to  them,  "reassure  yourselves.  Observe  at- 
tentively this  beautiful  mule  upon  which  I  am  mounted.  You  have 
heard  it  said,  have  you  not,  that  the  pagans,  the  enemies  of  our 
faith,  have  sworn  to  sacrifice  him  in  honor  of  their  worm-eaten 
idols?  The  vows  of  the  wicked  will  not  be  fulfilled.  But  if  we 
are  ever  reduced  to  such  an  extremity,  we  will  ourselves  kill  my 
faithful  Cadet-Eoussel,  and  this  noble  animal  will  have  conferred 


14  MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 

upon  him  the  great  honor  of  furnishing  us  with  the  sausages  neces- 
sary to  the  sustainment  of  our  lives/' 

These  plans  were  useless,  our  fears  vain.  Having  heard  of  my 
approach,  the  Chui-kians  had  killed  a  pig  in  my  honor. 

4- 

Let  me  here  insert  an  ethnographical  detail.  Ordinarily  the  Chui- 
kians  prepare  their  food  with  the  least  possible  amount  of  fat  and 
salt.  When  a  guest  seats  himself  at  their  table  he  is  served  exactly 
according  to  his  wishes.  The  culinary  art  of  this  people  is  such  that 
the  daintiest  stomach  could  have  no  cause  for  complaint.  Their  good- 
heartedness  and  the  excellence  of  their  wine  is  attested  by  the  fol- 
lowing surprising  words  which  I  heard  from  the  lips  of  an  old  Chris- 
tian of'TPtf-chan: 

"  When  I  return  from  among  the  Chinese  I  am  obliged  to  take  a 
drink  o;f  wine  to  strengthen  my  stomach;  when  I  return  from  the 
Chui-kian'  villages  I  have  recourse  to  water  to  reduce  the  redness  of 
my  nose.'^ 

From  Ghui-si  to  Chui-kin  is  a  distance  of  three  leagues  with  one 
hill  to  cross.  Chui-kin  is  a  stronghold  of  Christianity.  Its  enemies 
have  not  been  able  to  obtain  possession  of  this  village  of  four  hun- 
dred families  nor  have  they,  though  they  have  tried  in  vain,  suc- 
ceeded in  wiping  out  the  Christian  name.  In  this  place  there  are 
more  than  one  hundred  Catholic  families,  all  of  whom  are  bound 
together  by  strong  ties  of  friendship.  Their  number,  and  perhaps^ 
also,  the  sight  of  their  muscles,  have  prevented  all  attempts  at  pillage 
by  their  pagan  neighbors.  After  a  week  devoted  to  the  instruction 
of  converts  I  resumed  ray  journey  and  visited  the  villages  of  Chui-ko, 
Jong-jao,  Chui-long,  etc.,  and  in  all  I  was  listened  to  with  eagerness, 
f  At  Meu-long,  a  large  market-town  near  Li-po,  I  was  approached 
by  some  of  the  inhabitants  who  asked  to  be  instructed  in  the  truths 
of  Christianity.  The  mayor  of  the  village  of  Uai-se-kiao  came  to 
me,  greeted  me  very  politely,  and  presented  a  like  request.  To  try 
his  earnestness,  I  said: 

*^  The  times  are  hard ;  you  had  better  wait  until  some  future  occa- 
sion.^' 

"Oh,*'  he  exclaimed,  "we  have  no  fear.'' 

"  Very  well,  my  son,"  I  consented,  "  you  may  come  and  attend  our 
instructions." 

A  delegation  came  ttom  Chui-kui.  "What  do  you  wish?"  I 
fisked. 


KUI-OHAU^   CHINA 


15 


"  Catechists  to  teach  us  to  pray  and  adore  the  true  God/'  was  the 
answer. 
" My  friends/'  I  replied,  "  I  am  your  man;  I  can  fit  you.'' 

Finally  a  little  tribe  from  Miao-tse,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Li-po, 
paid  me  a  visit  of  couri;esy.  They  closely  examined  some  pictures 
I  had  with  me  and  exclaimed  in  admiration: 


A  Wayside  Inn. 

"What  fine  persons  these  are  with  their  beautiful  clothes  and 
nicely  arranged  hair.  They  must  belong  to  our  ancient  dynasty. 
How  close  the  resemblance  is!" 

And  all  expressed  the  wish  to  embrace  the  religion  of  the  Master 
of  Heaven.    The  tribe  comprises  three  hundred  or  more  families.  . 

I  wish  very  earnestly  that  I  could  have  a  brother-priest,  a  co-worker, 
at  Tu-chau  or  Tu-yun.  We  could  carry  on  the  work  of  evangelization 
more  efiEectually  and  make  wider  breaches  in  the  fortresses  of  Master 
Satan.  Members  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith, 
you  who  are  the  friends  of  missionaries,  who  assist  them  in  their  work, 
pray  that  my  wishes  may  be  realized. 


DIOCESE     OF  LAHORE,  INDIA 


The  following  letter  which  was  sent  us  by  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop  of 
Lahore  gives  a  graphic  account  of  the  plague  which  has  devastated  the 
Punjab  in  India.  Bishop  Pelckmans  makes  an  appeal  for  assistance  as 
the  missionaries  in  his  diocese  are  very  poor  and  the  natives  who  have  been 
reduced  to  desperate  straits  by  the  bubonic  fever  can  do  nothing  to  help 
them. 

Lbttbb  op  Et.  Eev.  G.  Pelckmans^  0.  M.  Cap. 

JPEW  years  ago  the  English  Govenunent  undertook 
and  carried  to  success  a  gigantic  plan  to  irrigate  the 
immense  extent  of  territory  which  is  traversed  by 
the  five  rivers  of  the  Punjab  and  which  had  lain 
waste  perhaps  for  centuries.  The  field  in  which 
this  work  was  carried  out  lies  for  the  most  part 
in  our  diocese;  that  is,  in  territory  situated  between 
the  river  Bavi  and  the  river  Chenab,  where  our  colonists  settled  in 
1900.  The  building  of  the  canals  brought  to  the  heart  of  a  desert 
region,  formerly  the  haunt  of  vagabond  tribes  of  marauders,  the 
fertile  waters  of  five  rivers  and  opened  a  new  era  of  prosperity 
to  this  province  in  the  north  of  India  at  the  very  time  that  a 
providential  movement  arose  on  the  part  of  the  dense  population  of 
the  great  centers  toward  agricultural  districts.  GonciLrrently  with 
this  material  development  there  was  a  renewal  of  religious  activity 
on  the  part  of  Protestant  missionaries.  We  could  not  permit  our- 
selves to  lag  behind.  Villages  were  springing  up  here  and  multiply- 
ing, where,  not  so  many  years  ago,  had  reigned  the  silence  of  the 
desert.  The  development  of  commercial  relations,  facilitated  by  the 
building  of  new  stone-ballast  roads,  has  given  birth  to  cities  which  in 
time  will  acquire  capital  importance.  We  considered  that  the  time 
16 


LAHORE^  INQIA  17 

was  opportune  to  plant  onr  tent  in  the  midst  of  this  new  agricultural 
region. 

Upon  the  plains  which  I  have  described  above,  those  namely  which 
are  fertilized  by  the  canals  canying  the  waters  of  the  river  Chenab, 
Ehnshpur,  '*  the  dty  of  joy/'  has  been  built.  Its  beginning,  like  that 
of  Adah,  Sahowala  and  Maryabad,  was  very  simple.  Father  Mark 
and  Brother  Ferdinand,  the  pioneers  of  the  Catholic  foundation  at 
this  place,  were  obliged  to  content  thCT[i8elves  with  a  poor  structure 
made  of  bricks  dried  in  the  sun.  About  this  time  the  Very  Beverend 
Mother  Qhislaine,  superior  general  of  the  Sisters  of  Chari^  at  Gand, 
visited  the  missions  of  Ceylon  and  the  Punjab,  where  the  nuns  of  her 
order  had  been  working  for  six  years,  and  expressed  a  desire  to  see 
the  young  colony  of  Elhushpur.  The  sight  of  the  miserable  condition 
of  the  native  women  and  their  profound  ignorance  inflamed  her  zeal. 
At  the  present  time  Ehushpur  possesses  a  solidly  built  convent  with 
a  regularly  constituted  community  of  Sisters.  Mother  Wilfine  of 
Bruges  is  the  superior.  The  colony  progressed;  it  had  grown  to 
twelve  hundred  Christians  and  catechumens,  when  suddenly,  like 
lightning  from  a  clear  sky,  the  plague  broke  out — ^the  bubonic  fever, 
which  in  two  years  claimed  141,789  victims  at  Ehushpur.  The  num- 
ber I  have  given  is  official,  that  is  to  say,  much  below  what  in  reality 
it  should  be.  For  the  natives,  exasperated  by  the  sanitary  rules  which 
the  authorities  have  vainly  tried  to  persuade  them  to  follow,  secretly 
buried  many  of  their  dead,  who  thus  were  not  included  in  the  official 
coimt.  I  may  say  without  exaggeration  that  200,000  perished  be- 
tween the  sixth  of  January  and  tiie  first  of  May  of  this  year. 

One  morning  the  cry  was  heard,  ^'  The  plague  is  in  the  village !  '* 
and  terror  spread  among  the  people.  I  Imow  of  no  better  way  to 
convey  an  exact  idea  of  the  panic  produced  by  the  appearance  of  the 
scourge  than  to  transcribe  these  two  letters  which  I  have  recently 
received: 

Lbttkr  of  Bev.  Fb.  Bbrnabdik. 

Khubhpub,  Mat  23,  1903. 

The  weather  has  grown  terribly  hot,  a  fact  which  will,  for  a  time  at  least, 
lessen  the  ravages  of  the  horrible  epidemic  I  am  able  to  breathe  a  little 
easier  and  I  wlU  attempt  to  give  you  some  slight  Idea  of  what  has  taken 
place  here  during  the  past  month* 

We  had  celebrated  the  feast  of  the  risen  Lord,  and  I  was  returning  to 
my  house  when  I  suddenly  found  myself  surrounded  by  a  group  of  natives, 
weeping  and  crying  plteously: 

"  Father,  Father,  pity!  have  pity  on  us!     The  plague  is  in  the  village. 


18  MISSIONS  IN   ASIA 

A  70un£^  man  has  died  after  two  days'  illness  and  two  others  in  the  slune 
house  have  fallen  sick." 

Without  pausing  I  hurried  to  bury  this  first  victim  and  then  returned  to 
the  hut  where  he  had  died  to  administer  the  last  Sacraments  to  his  poof 
mother.  An  hour  afterwards  she  also  was  dead.  Losing  no  time  I  went  to 
the  others  and  examined  them;  the  tumors  under  their  arms  were  very 
noticeable.  There  was  no  room  for  doubt,  it  was  the  plague.  I  sent  word 
to  the  Mother  Superior  of  the  convent  Gk)d  alone  knows  the  immense 
amount  of  good  which  she  has  done  in  this  village.  As  soon  as  she  had 
finished  caring  for  the  fifty  or  sixty  poor  sufferers  who  came  daily  to  the 
dispensary,  the  indefatigable  Sister  went  from  house  to  house,  arranging 
the  beds  of  the  stricken,  cleaning  their  dwellings,  washing  and  binding 
their  repulsive  sores,  giving  them  medicine,  advising  them  as  to  the  pre- 
cautions to  be  taken,  reviving  the  courage  of  the  timid,  or  reciting  the 
prayers  of  the  Church  at  the  bed-side  of  the  dying.  Many  and  many  a 
time  was  she  exposed  to  contracting  the  evil.  In  spite  of  all  our  efforts 
to  withstand  the  progress  of  the  scourge,  it  continued  its  ravages  and  in  a 
few  days  I  had  buried  fifty  of  its  victims.  They  had  departed  well  pre- 
pared for  death.  All  the  catechumes  who  had  not  received  baptism  begged 
me  with  tears  in  their  eyes  to  administer  the  sacrament  to  them. 

If  my  people  at  the  beginning  of  the  epidemic  had  been  more  prudent 
many  would  have  escaped  the  contagion.  I  had  advised  that  no  one  go 
near  the  affected  except  those  who  were  absolutely  obliged  to  do  so.  Use- 
less advice!  The  evi^  spread  to  such  a  degree  that  I  had  buried  forty  more 
in  a  few  days.  The  people  were  seized  with  panic  and  fied  from  their 
homes  to  camp  in  the  open  fields.  This  gave  rise  to  a  very  sorrowful  inci- 
dent 

One  evening  a  Christian  came  to  inform  me  that  a  woman  who  had  been 
attacked  by  the  bubonic  fever  had  been  forsaken  three  or  four  days  before. 
I  hurried  immediately  to  her  house.  In  a  dark  corner  of  a  room  I  dis- 
covered a  dead  body  already  in  the  process  of  decomposition.  I  returned  to 
the  door  to  get  a  breath  of  fresh  air  and  to  call  the  family  which  was  camp- 
ing in  the  open.  But  what  good  did  it  do  to  ask  them  for  help?  They 
told  me  they  were  all  afflicted  with  the  disease.  I  was  obliged  to  wait  until 
the  next  day  when  with  the  aid  of  some  good  Christians  I  carried  away  the 
others  who  had  caught  the  contagion  from  the  uncared-for  corpse.  I  asked 
for  information  and  learned  the  following.  It  appeared  that  as  soon  as  the 
poor  woman  was  stricken  she  had  called  her  son  and  said  to  him: 

"  I  have  the  plague:  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  for  me,  I  must  die.  As 
for  you,  run  outside;  place  some  water  near  my  bed  and  leave  me  to  die 
in  peace." 

One  does  not  know  whether  to  admire  this  evidence  of  self-abnegation 
which  is  by  no  means  common  in  a  pagan  or  to  be  indignant  at  these  child- 
ren without  heart  abandoning  their  mother  about  to  die  such  a  sorrowful 
death. 

At  present  the  plague  is  diminishing,  but  it  is  not  yet  over.  May  the 
God  of  Mercies  deign  to  withdraw  this  scourge! 


LAHORE^   INDIA  19 

Letter  of  the  Rev.  Mother  Wilfi5e  of  Brtjoes. 
Superior  of  the  convent  of  St.  Vincent 

A  few  days  after  Easter  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  as  I  was  re- 
turning from  our  little  parish  church  I  noticed  a  group  of  Christians  about 
the  priest's  cabin  who  were  crying  that  the  plague  had  broken  out  in  the 
village.  The  father  tried  to  calm  the  excitement  of  his  parishioners  and 
pretended  that  he  attached  no  great  impoiianoe  to  the  fact  He  remained 
perfectly  calm  and  spoke  these  words  to  the  people: 

"  My  dear  friends,  calm  yourselves.  It  is  not  so  terrible  as  you  imagine. 
Indeed  how  do  you  know  that  it  is  the  plague?  You  have  never  seen  any- 
one suffering  from  it.  I  do  not  deny  what  you  have  told  me  but  listen  to 
what  I  have  to  say.  God  who  has  spared  us  till  to-day  may  well  have  sent 
us  an  example  of  what  he  hold^  in  reserve  to  punish  some,  to  reward  others 
and  to  try  us  all.  Now  is  the  time  to  show  your  faith  and  your  charity. 
Commence  by  appeasing  the  Just  wrath  of  God  by  fervent  prayers.  Let 
each  one  examine  his  conscience  well  and  make  a  worthy  confession.  After 
that,  fear  nothing." 

"Father,  Father,  baptize  us  at  once,"  some  of  the  catechumens  who 
were  in  the  group,  cried. 

"I  refuse  baptism  to  none,"  the  Father  replied.  "But  I  will  admin- 
ister it  only  to  those  who  have  prepared  worthily  and  have  earnestly  de- 
sired it" 

These  words  produced  a  marvellous  effect.  Next  morning  at  daybreak, 
the  whole  parish  was  at  church. 

On  that  day  we  commenced  our  visits  to  the  plague-stricken,  especially 
to  the  natiye  women.  Permit  me  to  give  you  an  example.  We  knocked  at 
the  door  of  one  of  the  huts  which  contained  a  fever  patient  and  it  was  im- 
mediately opened.  A  yile  odor  which  assailed  our  nostrils  nearly  forced  us 
to  retreat;  the  room  was  crowded  with  men  and  women  and  altogfBther 
unventilated.  With  great  difficulty  we  forced  our  way  to  the  sick  bed. 
Our  first  care  was  to  drive  out  of  the  house  all  who  could  be  of  no  assist- 
ance; then  we  aired  the  place  and  carried  the  sufferer  outside  and  set  her 
down  in  the  shade.  The  victims  of  the  plague  are  attacked  with  violent 
fevers  and  sores  appear  under  the  arms  or  in  the  throat  where  the  glands 
break  open;  the  wounds  enlarge  more  and  more  until  they  are  of  great 
size.  There  are  few  known  remedies.  When  a  person  dies,  a  great  hub- 
bub is  immediately  set  up.  All  the  women  of  the  neighborhood  collect  and 
commence  a  lamentation  over  the  body,  at  the  same  time  beating  their 
breast  with  a  cruelty  that  makes  one  shudder.  These  newly-converted 
Christians  have  not  yet  renounced  this  stupid  practice  which  is  a  remnant 
of  paganism. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  find  among  our  young  Catholics  many  edifying 
traits.    This  is  one  example  among  many. 

The  father  of  a  family  had  fallen  sick.  When  Father  Bernardin  had 
heard  his  confession  and  was  leaving,  he  said: 

"Tomorrow  morning  I  will  return  and  give  you  Extreme  Unction  and 
Holy  Communion." 

The  sick  man's  daughter,  a  child  of  fourteen,  hearing  that  God  was  to 
come  to  her  house  was  filled  with  Joy  and,  having  prepared  some  white- 


20  MISSIONS  IN   ASIA 

wash,  straightway  set  about  whitening  the  walls  of  the  poor  little  hut 
Passing  by  chance,  I  asked  what  she  was  doing. 

"God  is  coming  tomorrow  morning^'  she  replied.  "And  I  must  make 
ready  to  offer  Him  a  worthy  reception." 

"  But,  my  dear  child,"  I  continued,  "  do  you  not  know  that  you  will  make 
yourself  ill  by  working  so  hard  in  this  hot  sun?  " 

"  Father  Sahib  will  give  us  God's  blessing  and  we  will  1>6  protected  from 
the  plague." 

Poor  girl!  Upon  the  following  morning  she  was  taken  down.  But  the 
Lord  considered  her  simple  faith  and  she  is  now  convalescing.  The  plague- 
stricken  who  escape  death  (and  they  are  few  in  number)  remain  extremely 
weak  and  emaciated,  with  a  deathlike  pallor.  Their  ulcers  are  so  large 
and  deep  that  without  any  exaggeration  two  fingers  may  be  thrust  into 
them. 

In  finishing  I  wish  to  narrate  another  edifying  incident  in  relation  to  a 
young  Christian  named  Paul,  twelve  years  old.  His  mother  had  been 
stricken  by  the  plague,  then  his  sister,  next  his  sistsr-in-law,  and  finally 
himself.  Little  Paul  was  prudent  and,  as  the  Father  had  recommended, 
took  no  solid  food,  an  essential  condition  to  recovery.  His  mother,  although 
as  old  as  the  hills  and  as  hard  as  a  rock,  nevertheless  came  to  the  point 
of  death.    The  boy  was  inflamed  with  apostolic  zeal. 

"  Mother,"  he  cried,  "  fear  nothing.  I  will  make  you  well.  Baptism  is 
.an  infallible  remedy." 

And  seizing  a  dish  filled  with  water  he  poured  it  out  upon  the  head  of  the  • 
old  woman,  saying: 

"  Mother,  I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost" 

When  he  told  the  Father  of  his  heroic  act  his  young  zeal  was  necessarily 
somewhat  cooled  for  he  learned  that  his  mother  had  already  been  baptized. 

Thank  God,  the  scourge  is  now  disappearing.  Let  us  continue  to  pray 
however. 


To  the  joy  with  which  I  as  bishop  read  these  two  letters,  breathing 
as  they  do  an  angelic  simplicity,  was  mingled  a  feeling  of  sadness. 
It  has  probably  been  remarked,  that,  owing  to  the  deadly  climate  of 
India,  and  the  privations  which  the  missionaries  are  forced  to  endure 
in  caring  for  the  poor,  the  sick  and  the  orphaned,  their  lives  are  fore- 
shortened by  many  years.  With  what  fervor  do  I  not  pray  God  from' 
the  bottom  of  my  heart  to  inspire  generous  souls  to  send  me  a  little 
out  of  their  abundance!  Who  will  aid  me  to  build  a  house  and  a 
church  which  will  be  larger  and  less  unworthy  of  the  Ood  of  our 
tabernacles?  Who  will  give  me  something  to  relieve  the  poverty  of 
the  unfortunate,  to  soften  the  lot  of  the  little  orphans,  and  to  restock 
the  dispensary  which  at  present  is  entirely  without  the  medicines 
needed  for  the  care  of  the  sick? 


i\  \Vof>ii  Seller. 


MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  SOUTH  VICTORIA 
NYANZA 


The  vicariate  apostolic  of  South  Victoria  Nyanza  comprises,  broadly 
speaking,  the  lands  which  He  to  the  east«  west  and  south  of  the  southern 
half  of  the  great  lake  Victoria,  an  immense  sheet  of  fresh  water,  situated 
in  Equatorial  Africa.  In  this  district  are  four  Missions  which,  with  their 
churches  and  schools,  are  in  charge  of  fourteen  White  Fathers  under  the 
direction  of  Bishop  Hirth.  The  following  letter  gives  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  an  attempt  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  establishment  of  a  new 
mission  in  the  Kiza  country. 

21 


»»  missions  in  africa 

Extracts  prom  a  Letter  of  Eev.  Father  Hurel,  A1.  M. 

The    establishment    of    a    mission    which 
p  .—   TIP    g^gjjQp  ujp^ji  iiajs  long  had  in  mind  in  one 

'""  ^      *      of  .the  most  interesting  parts  of  Southern  Ny- 

anza  has  been  definitely  undertaken.  Father  Eoussez  and  myself  took 
a  long  journey  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  a  home  for  the  future 
missionaries  of  the  new  station.  Upon  the  morning  of  our  departure 
a  crowd  of  men,  women  and  children  accompanied  us  to  the  point  of 
embarkation.  The  king  himself  came  to  wish  us  a  safe  journey  and 
to  see  us  off.  It  was  eleven  o'clock  before  our  boats  finally  left  the 
river  bank. 

Our  boats!  Fancy  two  logs  more  than  thirty  feet  long  which 
had  been  hollowed  out  and  in  the  sides  of  which  we  fastened  narrow 
seats  for  the  rowers  and  you  will  have  an  idea  of  our  "  ocean  liner.^' 
This  is  a  style  of  craft  which  to  my  mind  is  much  superior  to  the 
frame  barges  of  the  Bagandas,  as  the  latter  are  liable  to  spring  leaks 
and  deposit  rowers  and  passengers  at  the  bottom  of  the  lake.  The 
vigorous  propulsion  of  the  Braherevoe  sent  us  along  at  the  rapid  pace 
of  five  miles  an  hour.  In  two  days  we  had  reached  the  end  of  the 
gulf  of  Speke  and  arrived  at  Guta,  where  we  were  to  leave  the  water 
and  continue  by  land. 

The  Kiza  country,  our  destination,  is  about  two  days'  journey  from 
Guta  toward  the  east.  In  order  to  reach  it  it  is  necessary  to  climb 
the  Sizaki,  a  long  chain  of  moimtains  which  frowns  upon  the  sur- 
rounding plains.  But  let  us  hasten  on.  Our  rowers,  now  become 
porters,  march  blithely  along  behind  the  guide  while  Father  Boussez 
and  I  bring  up  the  rear.  We  first  traversed  an  immense  plain  which 
had  been  devastated  by  fire  and  in  consequence  presented  a  dreary 
appearance.  Great  numbers  of  wild  beasts,  antelopes,  zebras,  gazelles, 
etc.,  were  at  play  and  at  our  approach  fled  in  all  directions.  It  was  a 
tempting  opportunity  to  try  a  shot,  but  time  pressed  and  prudence 
forbade  leaving  the  path.  It  took  us  five  hours  to  cross  this  plain; 
from  the  time  occupied  I  will  leave  you  to  judge  of  its  breadth. 

Soon  we  entered  Sizaki,  properly  speaking,  and  commenced  to  climb 
the  mountain.  In  two  hours  we  had  reached  the  summit.  Here 
dwelt  Baterezya,  king  of  this  country,  and  here  we  pitched  our  tent. 
A  Boyal  Audience.—-  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^  old  acquaintance  and  excel- 
The  "Milk"  of  the  lent  friend  of  Father  Roussez,  received  us  cor- 
White  People.— Lit-  dially.  Without  saying  a  word  he  took  us  by 
tie  Makanga.  q^q  a.rin  with  every  mark  of  friendship,  and 

then,  leading  us  through  the  village,  brought  us  finally  to  the  top  of  a 


SOUTH  VIOTORIA   NTANZA  23 

large  rock.  Here  he  stood  and  looked  at  us  attentively,  still  in 
silence. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  prospects  in  the  world  was  spread  before 
us.  Directly  beneath  our  feet,  at  the  bottom  of  a  sheer  precipice,  ex- 
tended, as  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  a  vast  plain.  We  were  standing 
upon  the  highest  point  of  the  highest  mountain  of  the  Sizaki  range; 
the  distance  to  the  level  land  below  would  measure  more  than  36,000 
feet.  Kiterezya  knew  well  that  we  would  be  surprised.  He  is  an 
old  fox  who  knows  the  weak  point  of  Europeans. 

Speaking  of  weakness  and  frailty,  I  regret  to  state  that  they  arc 
only  too  commonly  manifested  by  the  royal  race  of  this  country.  It 
has  a  fondness  for,  nay,  a  passionate  devotion  to,  brandy.  His 
Majesiy  imbibes  this  baneful  liquor  with  visible  evidences  of  the 
greatest  delight. 

"Will  you  not,'*  he  asked  us,  "join  me  in  drinking  this  'milk* 
of  the  white  people?'* 

''No,"  we  replied,  "it  would  kill  us.** 

"What!**  he  exclaimed,  in  astonishment.  "Why,  I  thought  that 
all  Europeans  were  fed  on  it.** 

Kiterezya  is  entirely  ignorant  of  all  our  hygienic  principles;  yet 
this  does  not  prevent  him  from  being  our  devoted  friend.  A  long 
time  ago  he  consented  to  receive  our  catechists.  We  have  had  no 
difficulty  in  establishing  a  missionary  center  in  his  village.  His  coun- 
try is  ours  and  his  people  are  ours,  as  he  himself  delights  to  put  it. 
The  language  which  his  subjects  speak  is  the  same  as  that  used  in 
Kiza  and  the  two  neighboring  tribes  are  excellent  friends.  In  spite 
of  his  good-will  toward  us,  Kiterezya  is  none  the  less  a  thorough 
pagan,  covered  with  amulets  from  head  to  foot.  However,  we  hope 
that  in  time  God  will  enlighten  him. 

For  the  most  part  the  villages  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  king 
are  governed  by  his  own  sons;  that  is  to  say,  by  those  who  are  also 
our  friends.  Even  little  Makanga,  the  Benjamin  of  the  reigning  fam- 
ily, manifested  kindly  feeling  for  us.  With  an  audacity  which  had 
already  attained  royal  proportions,  he  reached  up  to  his  full  height, 
caught  hold  of  my  beard  and  stroked  it  with  a  patronizing  air  which 
was  highly  amusing.  The  young  lion  will  grow,  and  in  time  perhaps 
become  a  fully  developed  one.  Let  us  hope  that  he  will  not  take  to 
drinking  the  brandy  which  he  sees  so  often  in  his  f ather*s  glass. 

* 

Upon  the  following  morning  at  an  early  hour  we  were  already  on 


24 


MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 


our  way,  as  we  were  anxious  to  behold  the  famous  Kiza  country,  the 
goal  of  our  journey  and  of  our  future  hopes.  Before  we  had  trav- 
eled far  the  country  changed  in  character;  numberless  hills  lay  in 
our  path,  each  one  of  which  had  to  be  laboriously  climbed  to  our  infi- 
nite weariness.  We  thought  always  that  we  had  reached  the  last,  but 
there  was  another  in  front  of  us  as  soon  as  we  stood  on  the  summit 
Our  porters  became  almost  exhausted  and  we  ourselves  were  not  much 


King  Masuka,  Chief  of  Mwanga. 

better.  Finally  from  the  top  of  a  hill,  the  last,  we  beheld  an  immense 
boma,  laid  out  with  the  greatest  regularity;  that  is,  an  enclosure  con- 
taining the  royal  dwellings.  We  had  arrived.  Our  strength  returned 
and  our  spirits  revived  as  if  by  magic.  That  was  the  spot  upon 
which  God  desired  the  missionary  to  pitch  his  tent  and  those  were  the 
souls  destined  to  hear  the  Divine  Word. 

King     Matutu,     attended     by     his     suite. 
King  Matutu.  -Our    ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^  p^^^^  ^  ^^^^^  ^j  ^^ 

First  Christians.  dwelling.     He  is  a  man  still  young  and  dig- 

ro      n  1  en    .  nified  in  bearing,  much  different  from  the  or- 

dinary native.     He  affected  a  certain  solemnity  in  greeting  us.    We 


SOUTH  VICTORIA  NYANZA  25 

refused  to  go  inside  the  boma  in  spite  of  his  reiterated  requests.  We 
were  in  haste  to  erect  5ur  tent  npon  that  hill  at  the  foot  of  which  the 
royal  huts  were  bnilt  and  upon  which  were  already  standing  the 
bouses  of  our  catechists  and  the  shed  which  serves  for  a  school. 

Matutu  accompanied  us^  followed  by  the  whole  suite.  At  length 
we  came  to  the  chosen  spot  and  while  our  servants  were  putting  up 
the  tent  we  conversed  with  the  king.  We  must  have  formed  a  pictur- 
esque group.  The  two  white  men  on  one  side  seated  on  folding  chairs ; 
the  king  and  his  court  opposite.  There  was  none  of  that  freedom 
from  ceremony  here  which  had  characterized  our  relations  with  King 
Kiterezya.  We  were  now  in  the  presence  of  a  personage  who  sur- 
rounded himself  with  dignity  as  with  a  shell,  a  pose  rare  in  these 
parts.  Prom  his  conversation  we  learned  that  Matutu  was  our  de- 
voted friend.  Our  purpose  in  coming  to  his  country,  namely,  to 
build  there  and  make  it  our  dwelling-place  for  some  months,  far  from 
surprising  him,  seemed  to  give  him  great  pleasure. 

God  was  manifestly  with  us  in  our  undertaking  since  He  had 
so  favorably  disposed  towards  us  the  heart  of  this  king,  who  was  the 
master,  in  the  true  sense  of  that  word,  of  the  country.  However, 
friendship,  no  matter  how  warm  it  may  be,  in  order  to  be  kept,  must 
be  cultivated.  Therefore,  Father  Eoussez  drew  forth  from  his  box  a 
complete  suit  of  clothes  and  presented  them  to  His  Majesty  as  a  gift. 
The  pleasure  of  the  sovereign  was  childlike.  His  lips  distended  into 
a  broad  smile  and  there  before  our  eyes,  for  he  could  not  restrain 
bis  impatience,  he  straggled  into  the  vest,  which  was  adorned  with 
large  brass  buttons,  and  drew  on  the  wonderful  trousers.  Then, 
proud  as  any  emperor,  he  led  the  way  to  his  boma.  It  was  a  comical 
sight  to  behold  His  Majesty,  clad  in  his  new  clothes.  The  trousers, 
which  had  not  been  made  to  his  measure,  were  a  sad  fit,  indeed. 

*^He  will  come  to  grief, ^'  I  remarked  to  Father  Boussez  as  we 
watched  his  departure,  ^'especially  if  he  attempts  to  leap  over  that 
brook  below.'^ 

My  prediction  was  verified.  His  Majest/s  personal  appearance 
suffered  greatly  from  the  mishap.  Nevertheless,  he  continued  on  his 
way  imdaunted,  his  bearing  as  proud  and  self-satisfied  as  though 
nothing  had  happened. 

We  devoted  the  next  day  to  visiting  the  people  of  the  neighborhood. 
We  were  accompanied  on  this  first  apostolic  journey  by  a  native  Chris- 
tian, a  village  chief  and  the  only  baptized  Catholic  in  the  whole 


26  MISSIONS  IN  AFBIOA 

country.  He  had  suffered  exile  years  before  for  political  reasons  and 
had  gone  to  Ukerewe,  where  he  had  received  instruction  and  baptism. 
Wherever  we  went  we  were  well  received.  The  women  and  children 
did  not  run  away  at  our  approach^  as  generally  happens  in  those  places 
where  white  people  are  seen  for  the  first  time.  The  comments  we 
heard  were  often  interesting. 

"  Why,  see  what  feet  they  have  I  *'  was  a  common  exclamation. 

These  good  people  suppose  that  our  stockings  and  shoes  are  part  of 
our  bodies.  Thus  they  often  wish  to  examine  them  closely  and  touch 
them.    They  will  pinch  the  stocking  lightly,  and  ask : 

''Did  not  that  hurt?'' 

"No.'' 

"  Ah ! ''    Complete  surprise. 

We  learned  with  joy  while  on  this  visit  that  the  Bakiza  were  soon 
to  make  a  journey  to  us. 

But  let  us  not  forget  the  purpose  for  which  we  undertook  this  long 
trip.  It  was  to  build  houses  for  the  future  missionaries.  Our  first 
task  was  to  choose  a  site  for  them.  The  king  had  forestalled  us;  he 
had  already  selected  one.  He  was  to  come  in  person  to  conduct  us 
to  it. 

At  seven  o'clock  the  next  morning  he  is  without  with  his  inseparable 
suite.  The  outfit  with  which  he  has  draped  his  person  is  wonderful. 
He  has  tried  to  dress  like  his  friends,  the  officers  of  Ikoma.  He  has 
on  a  pair  of  hunting  breeches  and  gaiters;  his  feet  are  encased  in 
white  shoes;  upon  his  head  is  an  old  cork  hat  and  in  his  hand,  or 
rather  under  his  arm,  a  thirty-cent  umbrella.  We  will  see  how  he 
will  fare  with  such  extraordinary  clothes.  The  affair  was  conducted 
thus:  We  climbed  first  one  hill,  then  a  second,  then  a  third.  The 
sun  climbed  with  us  and  in  consequence  the  perspiration  rolled  from 
the  portly  king  in  great  drops.  With  a  gesture  anything  but  royal, 
he  energetically  mopped  his  face  with  the  umbrella,  which  he  had 
not  opened.  Moreover,  his  shoes,  the  traitors,  threatened  at  each 
step  to  throw  him  full-length  upon  the  pebbles  of  the  path.  No,  he 
could  stand  them  no  longer.  They  were  pitilessly  drawn  off  and 
foimd  a  prosaic  resting  place  in  the  hands  of  a  little  slave.  Freed 
from  danger.  His  Majesty  thereafter  stepped  forth  freely  and  we 
soon  reached  our  destination. 

The  spot  selected  was  splendid.  It  is  upon  the  slope  of  one  of  the 
highest  hills  and  commands  a  magnificent  outlook.    A  large  river 


SOUTH   VICTORIA   NYANZA 


2t 


flows  by  a  short  distance  away,  winding  about  the  foot  of  the  hill. 
This  brings  a  copious  water  supply  close  to  the  mission  house.  In  a 
word,  the  place  pleased  us.  Matutu  was  highly  elated  when  he  found 
that  his  choice  was  ratified  by  the  white  men. 

Organization.-The  "^^^  evening  Father  Eoussez  set  out  upon 

Palace  of  Matutu.—  ^^^  return  to  Ukerewe,  where  his  presence  was 
The  Maflsais:  their  necessary.  I  went  to  the  king's  house  to  dis- 
History.  cuss  the  question  of  building.     The  matter 

was  quickly  arranged.    Matutu  dispatched  word  to  all  his  village 


Fishermen  on  the  Shore  of  Lake  Victoria  Nyanza. 

chiefs  commanding  them  to  collect  large  forces  of  men  and  to  send 
them  into  the  jungle  where  they  were  to  cut  what  wood  was  needed. 
A  great  number  of  laborers  were  soon  at  work.  There  was  every 
reason  to  think  that  things  were  going  well  and  in  consequence  I  was 
content.  This  feeling  of  satisfaction  I  did  not  conceal  from  the  king. 
He  too  was  elated  and  in  a  burst  of  enthusiastic  confidence  invited  me 
to  visit  the  innermost  parts  of  his  boma.  It  was  a  veritable  fortress. 
In  the  first  place,  there  was  an  outer  rampart,  formed  of  a  triple  hedge 


28  MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

of  ihoni;  one  dry,  the  second  green  and  growing,  the  third  again  dry. 
This  measured,  altogether,  at  the  least,  fifteen  feet  across.  It  was 
impossible  to  set  fire  to  it,  for  the  flames  oonld  not  pass  the  second 
row,  as  the  live  plant  is  incombustible.  It  was  a  very  ingenious  ar- 
rangement, bnt  this  was  not  all.  Abont  sixty  feet  further  on  another 
fortification  was  erected,  more  formidable  still.  As  in  the  first,  here 
also  was  a  hedge  of  dry  thorn;  immediately  behind  this  a  row  of 
long  stakes  firmly  placed  in  the  ground  and  bound  together  by  giant 
creepers,  and  finally  two  more  hedges,  one  green,  the  other  dry.  The 
royal  houses  were  built  within  this  last  enclosure.  These  fortifica- 
tions surround  the  king's  residence  in  two  great  circles,  unbroken 
save  in  one  place,  which  is  the  point  of  entrance  and  egress,  but  which 
may  be  blocked  up  at  a  moment's  notice  by  large  rocks,  placed  near  by. 

4- 

What  purpose  do  these  ramparts  serve?  Does  the  king  fear  war 
or  the  encroachments  of  robbers?  Indeed  he  does;  he  is  in  mortal 
dread  of  bandits  of  a  ferocious  type,  the  terrible  Massais. 

The  people  named  the  Massais  consist  of  a  number  of  independent 
tribes — ^they  elect  no  chief — who  occupy  the  plateaus  between  Lake 
Nyanza  and  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa.  They  do  not  till  the  soil,  but 
live  entirely  by  pillage.  They  wander  far  from  their  own  country  in 
pursuit  of  goats  and  cattle,  suddenly  swoop  down  upon  some  village, 
disappear,  and  are  next  heard  of  where  they  are  least  expected.  Their 
method  is  very  simple  but  always  successful.  Under  cover  of  darkness 
they  approach  a  village,  set  fire  to  the  houses,  and  slay  without  pity  all 
who  resist  them.  Their  depredations  are  frequent.  Only  last  year 
they  appeared  at  the  strait  which  separates  our  island  of  Ukerewe  from 
the  mainland ;  that  is,  at  a  place  more  than  a  month's  march  from  their 
own  coimtry.  In  1890  they  crossed  this  strait,  burned  and  pillaged 
the  villages  which  lay  in  their  path  and  were  not  successfully  opposed 
until  a  party  of  fifty  Bagandas  in  the  king's  service  were  sent  out 
against  them.  The  royal  soldiers  won  the  first  encounter,  but  were 
imprudent  enough  to  pursue  the  robbers  across  the  strait.  Not  one 
returned;  they  were  all  slain  by  the  terrible  lances  of  the  Massais. 
Up  to  the  present  time  no  one  has  been  able  to  bar  the  way  to  these 
bandits.  Their  audacity  passes  belief  and  their  organization  is  perfect 
The  inhabitants  of  the  countries  exposed  to  their  incursions  protect 
themselves  by  retiring  to  the  top  of  a  mountain  or  fortifying  them- 
selves upon  the  shores  of  a  lake.  At  a  momenf  s  notice  they  can  hurry 
out  of  harm's  way. 


SOtrTH  VIOTOBXA  KYAK2A  29 

The  Massais  came  to  Eiza  more  than  thirty  years  ago,  but  fear  of 
them  remains  still  in  the  country.  The  character  of  this  region  is 
such  that  it  could  be  captured  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  The 
numberless  hills  afford  excellent  places  of  retreat  to  the  inhabitants; 
they  can  intrench  themselves  upon  the  tops  and  defy  the  most  daring 
marauders.  Each  house  thus  becomes  a  fortress  to  be  taken  in  turn, 
and  it  is  impossible  to  set  fire  to  villages  so  well  protected  by  hedges 
of  living  thorn.  There  is  no  fear  that  the  Massais  will  cast  flaming 
arrows  after  the  manner  of  the  Bahayas  for  the  reason  that  they  do 
not  carry  bows  and  arrows.  A  lance  and  a  long  knife  are  their  only 
arms. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  Massais,  or  rather  the  fear  of  them, 
have  helped  to  make  us  acceptable  to  the  people;  they  have  assisted  in 
establishing  us  in  places  where  we  might  not  have  been  looked  upon 
with  favor.  The  saying,  "  When  white  men  are  with  us,  the  Massais 
will  stay  away/'  explains  what  I  mean.  As  a  matter  of  fact  these 
brigands  have  always  avoided  places  inhabited  by  Europeans. 
Eindnefls  of  Matutu.  ^  ^^  ^^*  enter  into  a  detailed  account  of 
—The  Natives  of  Eiza.  ^^^  building  operations,  as  I  fear  it  would  not 
—Their  History  and  be  interesting.  The  houses  which  were  erected 
y^BjmeTB,  80  quickly  are  not  palaces;  they  serve  to  keep 

out  the  rain  and  the  sun,  which  is  all  we  desire.  The  natives  re- 
sponded to  a  man  to  the  appeal  of  their  king  and  five  days  after  my 
arrival  foundation  timbers  were  already  laid. 

Matutu  was  very  kind.  Twice  a  day  he  sent  one  of  his  ministers  to 
ask  after  my  health  and  to  inquire  how  the  work  was  progressing. 
Ond  morning  His  Majesty  came  to  my  tent  to  pay  me  a  personal  visit 
and  to  bring  me  some  gifts  as  a  token  of  his  unbroken  friendship. 
One  of  these  presents  was  a  large  gourd  which  contained  a  thick  yel- 
low liquid.  At  first  I  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  it  and  naturally 
looked  inquiringly  at  the  donor.  Without  saying  a  word  he  plunged 
his  hand  into  the  vase  and  drew  it  forth  covered  with  the  liquid,  which 
he  let  fall  from  his  fingers  into  his  moutii  with  many  evidences  of 
delight.  His  reply  was  short  but  clear.  I  followed  the  example  set 
me  and  in  my  turn  ate  the  liquid,  having  first  daubed  my  fingers 
with  it. 

Every  day  I  climbed  some  of  the  nearby  hills  and  visited  a  large 
part  of  the  natives  in  their  huts.  These  are  my  impressions  of  the 
country  and  its  inhabitants.    It  may  be  said  that  Kiza  is  Kabylie  on 


30  MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

a  small  scale.  There  are  no  plains ;  the  mountains  are  lofty  and  com- 
mand a  splendid  view.  Prom  the  plateau  upon  which  we  have  built 
our  house  is  spread  before  us  a  magnificent  landscape^  upon  one  side 
the  interminable  chain  of  the  Sizaki  mountains,  upon  tiie  other  the 
serrated  outline  of  the  Lanaki  range.  The  climate  ought  to  be  very 
healthful. 

Kiza  is  thickly  populated.  A  traveler,  hurriedly  passing  through 
the  country,  would  be  led  to  believe  the  contrary,  because  tiie  houses 
for  the  most  part  are  hidden  behind  their  fortifications.  Prom  with- 
out the  inhabitants  of  the  dwellings  are  not  visible.  It  isof ten  neces- 
sary to  go  into  a  village  to  be  convinced  that  people  really  are  living 
there.  Courage,  then,  you  who  are  to  be  the  happy  apostles  of  this 
country.  Your  zeal  should  be  rewarded  by  gratifying  results,  for 
sheep  abound  and  await  only  the  invitation  of  the  shepherds  to  enter 
the  fold. 

The  original  masters  of  Kiza  were  the  Bagwes.  They  have  long 
since  gone  and  no  trace  of  them  remains.  The  present  king,  Matutu, 
although  he  was  for  years  in  disgrace  and  exile,  has  not  been  Influ- 
enced in  any  degree  by  his  stay  among  strangers.  The  missionary  in 
this  country  labors  among  a  people  who  are  entirely  free  from  the  mis- 
conceptions which  are  entertained  by  their  neighbors  in  our  regard. 

The  Bakizas  clothe  themselves  after  a  fashion  which  is  certainly 
original.  The  men  drape  themselves  (that  is  the  only  word  to  express 
it)  in  a  long  wide  piece  of  hide,  fairly  well  tanned,  which  is  rendered 
soft  by  many  applications  of  grease.  Prom  the  lobe  of  the  left  ear 
they  hang  a  number  of  objects  which  sometimes  reach  dimensions  well- 
nigh  beyond  belief.  Through  curiosity  I  measured  one  of  these  and 
found  it  over  two  inches  in  diameter.  The  right  ear  is  generally  with- 
out ornament.  The  neck  and  arms  are  adorned  with  small  beads, 
white,  yellow  and  blue  in  color.  These  trinkets  are  arranged  accord- 
ing to  thf  taste  of  the  individual  and  men  and  women  wear  a  greater 
or  less  number  in  the  degree  that  they  are  fond  of  admiration.  Upon 
days  of  merry-making  the  left  ear  is  further  burdened  with  a  number 
of  small  chains  which  fall  to  the  shoulders  and  the  hair  is  decorated 
with  an  abundance  of  red  and  blue  beads.  The  costume  of  the  women 
does  not  differ  from  that  worn  by  the  men;  they  also  pierce  the  left 
ear.  About  their  ankles  are  clasped  large  ornaments  either  of  iron 
or  copper  which  clash  together  when  they  walk  and  produce  a  sound 
very  like  that  of  a  chain  when  drawn  over  a  floor.     Some  of  these 


SOUTH   VICTORIA   NYANZA 


31 


women  carry  upon  each  foot  as  many  as  six  anklets  which  represent 
a  weight  of  some  pounds.  In  consequence  their  manner  of  walking  is 
ungraceful  and  slow;  they  seem  rather  to  drag  themselves  painfully 
along  than  to  walk.  They  also  attach  to  their  neck  and  ankles  a  num- 
ber of  little  bells  of  native  manufacture  which  tinkle  when  they  move. 
These  people  are  like  children^  as  are  most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
n^ro  country,  and  their  maimer  of  dressing  appears  to  us  foolish. 


A  Tribal  Chief. 

The  time  had  now  arrived  to  set  about  re- 
turning. I  was  leaving  behind  me  as  the  result 
of  my  labors  a  large  house  of  four  rooms  and 
a  quantity  of  timber  for  use  in  the  future. 
The  king,  with  his  usual  kindness,  sent  porters 
and  three  of  his  attendants  to  accompany  me  on  my  way.  These  men 
were  armed  with  large  elephant  guns  and  directly  represented  His 
Majesty.  They  came  with  us  more  to  protect  the  porters  on  their 
return  than  to  escort  me.  For  though  we  had  to  cross  dangerous  ter- 
ritory the  negroes  feared  nothing  on  the  outward  journey.     A  white 


The  Return.— The 
Goat  of  Eissiri.— The 
Jovial  Issaha.— Ar- 
rival at  Nakatende. 


32  MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

man  was  with  them.  But  they  would  have  hesitated  long  before  com- 
ing back  were  the  king's  attendants  not  present  with  their  fire-arms. 

It  is  eight  o'clock;  dl  is  ready  for  the  departure.  I  give  the  signal 
which  sets  the  train  in  motion. 

''  Be  sure  and  return/'  Matutu  called  after  me  as  long  as  I  can  hear. 

This  was  the  form  of  his  farewell. 

At  noon  we  reached  the  plain  and  found  it  on  fire.  The  brush  was 
burning  fiercely^  pillars  of  flame.  Our  path  was  barred  twice^  and 
each  time  we  succeeded  in  diverting  the  course  of  tiie  conflagration. 
We  were  late  in  reaching  our  halting  place;  we  did  not  get  there  till 
sunset.  Everybody  was  tired  out,  but  the  negro  quickly  forgets  fatigue 
when  seated  before  a  pot  of  steaming  meat.  We  were  encamped  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain^  and  what  a  mountain  it  was  I  To-morrow  we 
would  have  to  toil  up  its  side  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day  beneath 
the  rays  of  a  broiling  sun.  Everyone  was  astir  early;  the  tent  was 
folded  and  the  porters  in  position  to  take  up  the  inarch  when  we  saw 
a  man  coining  towards  us,  leading  a  goat  with  one  hand  and  waving  a 
paper  in  the  other.    Questions  were  hurled  at  him. 

"  Who  are  you  ?    What  do  you  want  ?    What  is  that  paper  ?  " 

'*I  am  king  of  this  region/'  he  replied  in  surprise.  "Don't  you 
know  me?  I  have  come  to  give  you  a  greeting  and  offer  a  present. 
Indeed  I  am  the  king.    Look  at  this  paper;  it  will  tell  you  so." 

I  read.    **  Your  name  is  Kissiri,  then?  "  I  said. 

*'  Why,  yes/'  he  exclaimed.    "  But  how  did  you  know  it?  " 

*'  If  you  are  the  king/'  I  objected,  "  why  do  you  come  alone  ?  Kings 
are  usually  accompanied  by  many  attendants,  but  you  have  only  a 
goat." 

There  was  no  reply.    I  went  on: 

"  I  will  accept  your  goat  as  a  gift,  but  as  you  can  see,  my  cases  are 
closed  up  and  I  have  nothing  to  give  you  in  retorn." 

However,  in  spite  of  what  I  said,  I  presented  him  with  a  package 
of  needles  worth  about  two  cents.  He  opened  it,  looked  at  the  con- 
tents and  was  profuse  in  expressions  of  gratitude.  It  does  not  take  a 
great  deal  to  satisfy  their  Majesties,  especially  such  little  Majesties 
as  Kissiri.  He  was  the  first  king  I  met  upon  the  return  journey,  but 
he  was  not  the  last 

We  toiled  up  the  mountain  during  the  whole  of  the  morning  and 
when  we  at  last  reached  the  summit  the  sun  was  very  hot.  We  halted 
for  ft  short  time  at  the  bouse  of  another  king,  the  jovial  Ikaka,  to 


SOUTH   VICTORIA    NYANZA 


33 


take  a  little  refreshment.  As  it  turned  out  Ikaka  had  been  imbibing 
freely  from  his  gourd  of  pomhe.  The  maimer  in  which  he  welcomed 
us  was  like  a  comic  scene  at  the  play.  He  skipped  about,  twisted  him- 
self into  strange  contortions,  sang  or  rather  bawled  with  the  full 
strength  of  his  lungs  and  then  suddenly  threw  himself  upon  his  knees 
at  my  feet. 

" Bwana"  he  cried,  " look  and  listen.  Tlie  white  man  is  my  friend ; 
he  is  my  breast,  my  head,  my  members.^^ 

Then  he  recommenced  his  leapings  and  his  cries  which  soon  passed 
all  bounds  in  his  frenzy.  Suddenly  they  ceased,  he  paused  for  a  mo- 
ment, then  disappeared  into  his  house  to  return  immediately,  dragging 


'"^-t.- 


Native  Blacksmiths. 


by  the  hand  a  woman  who,  like  himself,  was  under  the  influence  of 
much  pombe. 

"  Bwana/*  he  exclaimed,  "  this  is  my  wife.  I  have  brought  her  to 
greet  you.'^  Then  turning  to  the  woman,  "  Go  and  bow  to  the  white 
man.^' 

The  poor  queen  fell  rather  than  knelt  at  my  feet  and  muttered  a  few 
unintelligible  words.  After  more  dances,  the  monarch  addressed  me 
again. 

"  Bwana/'  he  said,  "  you  please  me  much.  Will  you  pass  the  night 
here?  To-morrow  I  will  show  you  all  the  sights  of  my  kingdom  and 
we  shall  visit  together  some  men  I  know.  They  have  excellent  pombe; 
you  will  be  well  entertained." 

I  was  obliged  to  convince  Ikaka  that  I  must  depart  without  delay. 


34  MISSIONS   IN  AFRICA 

I  wish  to  add  that,  when  sober,  there  is  no  better  king  in  the  whole 
country  and  none  who  regards  us  more  favorably.  Father  Roussez, 
who  passed  here  last  year,  had  a  good  opportunity  of  observing  him 
when  not  under  the  influence  of  liquor  and  of  judging  his  dispositions 
in  regard  to  missionaries. 

-h 

We  marched  along  the  crest  of  the  mountain  until  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  when  we  made  a  fresh  halt  at  the  gate  of  a  third  king. 
He  came  out  to  greet  me  with  his  whole  court.  We  conversed  for 
some  minutes  and  then  I  continued  on  my  way  without  further  cere- 
mony. When  we  come  back  to  speak  to  these  people  of  God  and  our 
holy  religion  at  least  we  will  not  be  strangers  to  them.  -  They  will 
remember  the  white  Father,  his  cross  and  his  rosary,  and  I  hope  also 
his  conciliating  manners. 

At  sunset  we  had  arrived  at  the  dwelling  of  a  fourth  king,  a  man 
whose  maimer  was  more  solemn  than  that  of  the  others.  The  Ger- 
mans had  attempted  to  place  this  little  royalty  at  the  head  of  the 
whole  country.  He  has  not  forgotten  this  and  in  consequence  regards 
the  white  people  as  his  great  friends.  He  furnished  me  with  an  ex- 
cellent meal,  goat's  flesh,  milk,  flour — notliing  was  wanting.  I  had 
scarcely  finished  eating  when  Musanza  (this  is  His  Majesty's  name) 
entered  my  tent. 

"Bwana,"  he  said,  "I  have  summoned  all  my  people,  men  and 
women.    They  are  here ;  won't  you  come  and  watch  them  dance  ?  " 

"  No,  I  thank  you,"  I  replied.  "  I  am  deeply  grateful  for  the  atten- 
tion, but  I  am  wearied  and  would  sleep." 

He  retired,  but  not  without  surprise.  That  evening  there  was  no 
**  ball "  at  the  court  and  I  slept  tranquilly.  My  refusal  did  not  keep 
the  king  from  coming  to  wish  me  good  morning. 

•h 

We  were  now  drawing  near  the  end  of  our  journey.  At  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning  we  arrived  at  Nakatende,  the  point  at  which  we  were 
to  abandon  the  land  for  the  water.  Nakatende  possesses  a  little  Chris- 
tian settlement,  some  catechists  and  about  twenty  Catholics.  The  fol- 
lowing day,  which  was  Sunday,  I  had  the  consolation  of  seeing  these 
fervent  neophytes  kneeling  before  the  altar.  There  was  a  general 
communion  and  my  cup  of  joy  was  full.  That  evening  the  boat 
arrived  which  was  to  carry  us  to  Our  Lady  of  Hope.  Finally  upon 
the  twenty-eighth  of  July  we  reached  Ukerewe. 

God  had  protected  me  well.  May  He  be  forever  blessed  and  glori- 
fied. 


MISSIONS   IN   OCEANICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  TAHITI 


MISSION   OF  COOK    ISLANDS 

Mauke  is  a  small  island  of  coral  formation  about  six  miles  square;  it  is 
the  most  eastern  of  those  which  compose  the  Cook  group.  The  details 
which  Father  Castanie  gives  of  the  first  results  obtained  by  his  zeal  in  this 
far-away  field  which  has  only  recently  been  opened  to  Catholic  mission- 
aries will  be  read  with  edification  and  interest.  We  ask  the  prayers  of  our 
associates  for  this  growing  mission  upon  which  the  evangelical  sun  has 
80  tardily  risen. 


Letter  of  Rev.  Bernardin  Castanie,  S.  H.  Pic, 
To  Rev.  Tldefonse  Alazard,  S.  H.  Pic. 

§K  i?Jn^  /^  ^"^  '^^PPy  to  8ay  that  for  the  moment  I  am  en- 
S^y  'yM^  joyiiig  here  at  Mauke,  an  island  full  of  Protest- 
<SS2^'I  Ki&7>  ants,  a  freedom  from  interference  which  is  very 
advantageous  to  my  work.  My  new  station,  at 
which  I  have  been  living  for  five  months,  is 
about  one  hundred  and  eight  miles  distant  from 
Rarotonga.  During  the  first  two  months  of  my 
residence  I  was  discouraged  and  often  cast  down,  but,  little  by  little, 
the  people  have  come  to  me  until  now  fifty  persons  have  embraced 
our  holy  religion  and  others  are  preparing  to  imitate  their  example. 
My  labors  have  been  well  rewarded. 

On  Sunday  my  little  chapel  cannot  contain  all  who  come  to  assist 
at  Mass.  It  is  true  it  only  measures  thirty-six  feet  by  fifteen.  It  is 
a  bamboo  structure  covered  with  leaves;  the  floor  is  made  of  a  thick 
layer  of  dried  grass.  If  baptisms  continue  it  will  have  to  be  replaced 
by  a  church  made  either  of  wood  or  beaten  clay,  a  form  of  building 
material  much  used  in  these  islands.     In  the  meantime  I  hope  to 

35 


30 


MISSIONS    IN    OCEANICA 


enlarge  the  present  chapel  by  some  yards  in  order  to  accommodate 
the  increased  congregations. 

The  rectory  is  no  less  primitive.  Wind  and  rain  have  free  entrance. 
I  was  very  cold  the  first  nights,  but  I  have  now  become  used  to  the 
climate  and  do  not  mind  it  in  the  least;  besides,  with  the  padding 
of  packing  cases  and  pieces  of  old  sacks  I  have  stopped  up  the  largest 
holes.  When  I  had  repaired  this  evil  in  my  habitation  I  found  my- 
self face  to  face  with  another  and  far  worse.  The  dry  grass  of  my 
floor  serves  as  the  hiding-place  for  fleas.  It  is  the  eleventh  plague  of 
Egypt  and  I  can  do  notliing  to  overcome  it.     To  complete  my  dis- 


Thf.  Ship  "  Countess  of  Ranfarly  "  at  Anchor  near 
Rarotonga,  Capital  of  the  Cook  Islands. 


comfiture  innumerable  mosquitoes  sing  in  my  ear  during  the  entire 
night. 

•!• 

The  population  of  our  island  is  four  himdred  and  fifty  persons, 
who  are  governed  by  three  great  chiefs;  one  of  these,  Samuels,  re- 
ceived me  as  his  guest  during  the  early  months  of  my  stay  here.  His 
hospitality  has  brought  its  reward;  he  was  the  first  to  be  baptized 
with  his  son  and  a  part  of  his  household.  He  gave  me  the  ground 
upon  which  the  chapel  and  rector}^  have  been  built,  and  his  son,  who 
was  brought  up  at  our  school  at  Rarotonga,  is  now  assisting  me  to 
form  a  class  of  the  little  Kanaks  of  the  island.     The  natives  are  eager 


COOK   ISLANDS 


37 


to  build  a  school-house  in  which  I  intend  to  give  instruction  to  fifty 
children,  many  of  whom  are  Catholics. 

I  dedicated  my  poor  little  chapel  upon  the  feast  of  the  Ascension. 
The  three  chiefs  were  in  attendance  with  a  considerable  number  of 
natives.  They  were  witnesses — and  the  ceremony  produced  a  powerful 
effect  upon  them — of  the  solemn  baptism  of  eight  of  their  neighbors, 


A  Native  Family  in  the  Island  op  Mauke. 


whose  reception  into  the  Church  I  had  purposely  put  off  until  this 
great  day.     Since  then  conversions  have  been  many. 

May  the  Archangel  Michael,  patron  of  the  infant  mission,  bring 
the  entire  island  within  the  fold!  Unhappily  we  have  to  overcome 
more  than  one  obstacle;  inebriety,  produced  by  drinking  fermented 
orange  juice,  is  not  the  least.  Many  of  those  who  would  otherwise 
make  good  Catholics  have  not  strength  sufficient  to  give  up  the  liquor 
which  intoxicates  them.  Let  us  hope  that,  with  the  grace  of  Gtod,  they 
will  do  so  in  time. 


38  MISSIONS    IN   OCEANICA 

Every  morning  a  fair  number  of  persons  come  to  the  chapel  for 
prayer  in  common  and  assistance  at  Mass.  In  the  evening,  at  six 
o'clock,  they  all  return  for  prayers  again;  hymns  are  sung  and  chap- 
ters of  the  catechism  recited,  after  which  I  explain  a  point  of  our 
faith.  Up  to  the  present  the  natives  have  been  faithful  in  attending 
these  exercises;  it  is  truly  wonderful  how  quickly  they  learn  our 
prayers  and  especially  our  hymns. 

Among  the  converts  I  ought  to  mention  a  Protestant  deacon,  an 
old  man  nearly  a  hundred  years  of  age,  whose  father,  the  king  of  Atin, 
admitted  into  his  island  the  first  Protestant  missionaries  and  thence 
brought  them  to  Mauke.  In  spite  of  his  years  the  aged  convert  is 
still  hearty.  His  wife,  younger  than  he  by  some  twenty  years,  has  also 
been  converted.  She  was  the  leader  of  the  native  female  missionaries. 
Another  Protestant  deacon  has  spoken  also  of  becoming  a  Catholic; 
he  has  been  attracted  to  the  faith  by  the  example  of  two  of  his  chil- 
dren and  his  sister-in-law,  whom  I  have  baptized. 

As  our  mission  is  still  in  its  infancy  and  everj'^thing  has  yet  to  l>e 
done,  I  will  receive  with  gratitude  any  help  which  you  will  be  able 
to  give  me.  Mauke  is  a  very  poor  island.  Nearly  all  the  children 
are  naked,  as  their  parents  cannot  afford  to  give  them  clothes.  They 
run  about  in  the  dust  like  little  animals,  which  is  a  pity.  Naturally 
their  morals  suffer. 

Assist  us  then  if  you  can.  God  will  not  forget  the  charitable  souls 
who  clothe  Him  in  the  person  of  my  poor  neophytes. 


NEWS   OF  THE   MISSIONS 


EUROPE 

Irish  Missionaries  Praised  by  the  King  of  England 

During  their  visit  to  Ireland  King  Edward  VII.  and  Queen  Alex- 
andra stopped  at  the  Seminary  of  Maynouth.  They  were  received 
by  the  Archbishops  of  Dublin,  Cashel  and  Tuam,  by  a  large  number 
of  bishops  and  by  the  faculty  and  students  of  the  institution.  An 
address  was  presented  to  them.  In  reply  the  king  said,  among  other 
things,  that  the  college  was  justly  celebrated  as  a  great  center  of  the 
ecclesiastical  life  of  Ireland ;  that  it  was  noted  for  forming  a  clergy 
which  exercised  its  ministry  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  Em- 
pire. He  added  that  he  was  glad  to  see  that  his  sentiments  in  regard 
to  the  Irish  people  had  been  understood ;  they  had  contributed  greatly 
to  the  honor  of  the  Empire  and  had  enriched  the  national  life  by  the 
many  admirable  gifts  which  characterized  them  as  a  nation.  He  went 
on  to  say  that  he  could  not  think  without  sadness  of  the  death  of  the 
venerable  Pontiff,  Leo  XIII.,  whose  memory  was  held  in  high  esteem 
not  only  within  but  also  outside  the  Church  of  which  he  had  been 
the  head;  that  he  preserved  a  cherished  remembrance  of  the  inter- 
view which  he  had  had  with  His  Holiness  and  of  the  affectionate  in- 
terest which  he  had  shown  in  the  welfare  of  the  British  Empire  and 
its  peoples. 

ASIA 

Famine  and  Emigration  in  India 

Father  Chavanol,  P.  F.  M.,  writes  us  from  Tanil  under  date  Sep- 
tember 20,  1903 : 

Bishop  Laouenan,  of  revered  memory,  compiled  the  statistics  of 
births  in  India,  and  found  that,  proportionately,  those  of  Christians 

39 


40  NEWS   OF   THE  MISSIONS 

were  greater  than  those  of  pagans.  In  my  district  I  find  this  asser- 
tion true.  The  families  of  my  neophytes  have  grown  in  a  very  con- 
soling manner.    But^  but — ^the  sun  cannot  nourish  the  newcomers. 

Himger  is  a  poor  counselor^  and  when  tempters  paint  the  colonies 
in  glowing  colors — easy  travel,  abimdant  food,  good  wages,  return  to 
the  native  country  with  money — ^many  of  the  young  people  listen  and, 
without  saying  a  word,  run  away  in  the  night  to  test  the  truth  of 
these  fine  stories.  Then  the  following  morning  their  parents,  often 
old  and  infirm,  learn  of  the  disappearance  of  their  sons  and  come  to 
me,  weeping  and  lamenting,  for  comfort.  The  interviews  which  fol- 
low are  heart-rending.  The  youth  are  the  hope  of  the  new  missions. 
When  they  are  dispersed  to  the  four  points  of  the  compass  the  expec- 
tation of  a  golden  harvest  vanishes  and  I  am  sorrowful  like  the  laborer 
whose  waving  com  has  been  laid  waste  by  hail.  But  this  is  not  all. 
Why  is  this  mother  weeping?  Why  are  her  children  sobbing  by  her 
side?  Because  there  is  a  vacant  place  at  the  fireside.  The  father  of 
the  family  has  worked  hard  to  bring  home  food  for  the  little  ones. 
The  summer  comes  with  its  heavy  rains.  More  labor  for  him  to 
feed  the  children.  The  unfortunate  man  nevertheless  sees  them  die 
before  him.  Desperation  seizes  him  and  he  goes  off,  no  one  knows 
where,  to  a  distant  place.  Poor  children!  Poor  mother  I  Where 
will  they  go?  To  the  house  of  the  missionary.  With  tearful  eyes 
and  supplicating  hands  they  say  to  me: 

"  Father,  we  have  no  one  but  you  in  the  world.  You  will  not  let 
us  die.^' 

Oh,  you  who  have  children  of  your  own,  precious  beings  who  are 
all  in  all  to  you,  you  will  understand  what  I  suffer.  To  you  I  address 
my  appeal  for  some  little  assistance  to  keep  my  spiritual  children 
from  leaving  their  country  and  from  proving  unfaithful  to  Gk)d. 
Your  deceased  friends  and  relatives  will  be  the  object  of  my  prayers. 

Official  Acknowledgment  of  a  Missionary's  Work 

Father  Grandmaire,  P.  P.  M.,  missionary  in  Cochin-China,  has 
been  honored  by  the  following  resolution : 

"The  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Cochin-China, 

Be  it  resolved.  That  an  oflBcial  testimony  of  satisfaction  be  given  to 
Father  Grandmaire,  who  was  sent  to  Culaogieng  just  as  the  cholera  was 
breaking  out,  and  who,  not  satisfied  with  caring  for  the  sick  in  their 
homes,  transformed  his  own  dwelling  into  a  hospital  and  received 
as  many  of  the  afiOicted  as  it  would  contain. '^ 


AFRICA  41 

AFRICA 
Statistics  of  the  Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Madagascar 

Bishop  Cazet  has  sent  us  the  statistics  of  the  mission  and  a  state- 
ment of  its  administration  from  June  30,  1902,  to  June  30,  1903 : 

2  bishops,  76  priests,  75  brothers,  92  sisters,  1935  native  school 
teachers,  1368  posts,  1148  churches  and  chapels,  118,411  Catholics, 
1358  schools,  attended  by  90,000  pupils. 

Sacraments  have  been  administered:  14,739  baptisms  of  children, 
7409  baptisms  of  adults,  8909  confirmations;  Extreme  Unction  has 
been  given  to  614  persons,  and  1074  marriages  have  been  blessed. 
There  have  been  223,661  confessions  and  178,353  Communions. 

Progress  of  the  Mission  of  Lower  Niger 

Father  Lejeune,  C.  S.  Sp.,  prefect  apostolic,  writes  from  Old  Cala- 
bar, September  13: 

To-day  I  left  Old  Calabar  for  Onitsha,  after  having  passed  three 
months. in  the  capital  of  the  colony.  During  my  sojourn  we  built: 
one  church,  which  is  now  being  painted  and  will  be  opened  for  services 
in  three  weeks ;  part  of  a  rectory ;  a  kitchen  and  a  shed.  The  schools 
of  this  new  mission  have  met  with  extraordinary  success.  There  are 
180  pupils  in  one  and  70  in  another.  The  total  number  registered 
is  360. 

The  High  Commissioner  asked  us  some  time  ago  to  undertake  the 
foundation  of  an  institute  for  the  education  of  150  boys,  the  sons  of 
native  chiefs.  I  have  consented  to  do  so.  After  three  or  four  years 
in  this  institute,  the  boys  will  be  sent  to  the  government  college,  where 
they  will  study  law,  medicine,  etc.  There  is  question  also  of  establish- 
ing a  hospital  for  negroes  which  the  Sisters  will  conduct;  it  is  not 
settled  yet,  however.  The  High  Commissioner  also  wishes  me  to  re- 
establish an  anti-slavery  institution  at  Ibi,  now  that  peace  seems  to 
be  established  in  that  region.  In  accordance  with  his  wishes  I  will 
at  once  resume  this  work. 

The  Persecution  at  Kaffa  and  Harar 

The  mission  at  Kaffa  is  undergoing  persecution ;  the  vicar-apostolic. 
Bishop  Jarrosseau,  who  is  personally  proscribed,  has  been  obliged  to 
leave  the  country  and  let  his  missionaries  carry  on  the  work  of  God. 
Affairs  are  becoming  more  alarming;  each  succeeding  letter  contains 
sadder  news.  , 


42  NEWS   OF   THE   MISSIONS 

Father  L^once,  0.  M.  Cap.,  writes  from  Chappa-Mariam  (Kaffa)  : 

**Our  situation  at  Kaflfa  has  become  desperate.  On  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  June,  during  Mass  our  little  church  at  Choppa  was  the 
scene  of  a  terrible  sacrilege.  A  troop  of  armed  soldiers  entered  the 
•sacred  building  and  set  upon  the  two  hundred  Christians  who  were 
assisting  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice.  They  hurled  blows  right  and  left, 
'  striking  the  \^orshipers  with  whips,  clubs  and  the  butts  of  their 
muskets.  One  of  them  was  even  loading  his  gun,  and  God  only  knows 
what  might  have  occurred  if  Father  Joachim  had  not  ordered  the 
faithful  to  leave  the  church.  He  finally  finished,  behind  closed  doors, 
the  Mass  which  had  been  so  rudely  interrupted. 

"  But  our  sufferings  are  small  in  comparison  with  those  of  our  Chris- 
tians. They  were  carried  away  as  prisoners  to  Andaratcha,  where 
they  have  been  piled  into  jail  one  upon  another.  Three  days  were 
allowed  to  pass  before  they  were  given  a  hearing.  What  is  to  be  the 
outcome  of  it  all?  It  is  easy  to  foretell.  The  property  of  the  rich 
will  be  confiscated.  The  poor  and  the  slaves  will  not  be  condemned 
to  death;  they  will  only  be  flogged,  but  the  punishment  will  be  so 
terrible  that  scarcely  strength  sufficient  to  drag  themselves  home  will 
be  left  them,  and  then  they  will  breathe  out  in  the  arms  of  their  rela- 
tions the  life  which  hypocrisy  forbade  their  slayers  to  take  outright. 
As  for  ourselves,  we  are  expecting  to  be  brutally  driven  out  of  the 
country  as  soon  as  the  local  authorities  receive  fresh  instructions  from 
their  superiors.    Alas !  these  orders  will  not  be  slow  in  coming.'^ 

It  is  not  alone  at  Kaffa  that  the  situation  of  the  missionaries  is 
critical.  Father  Leon,  of  Saint  Mary,  vicar  general  of  Bishop  Jar- 
rosseau,  writes  from  Harar : 

"  I  have  received  during  the  past  ten  days  an  official  order  from  the 
Emperor  to  close  all  the  schools  at  Harar,  to  withdraw  all  the  mis- 
sionaries and  to  command  the  priests  to  cease  ministering  at  the  hos- 
pital for  lepers.  Yesterday  the  police  invaded  our  house  and  placed 
a  guard  at  the  doors  to  arrest  any  who  attempted  to  enter  therein. 
The  Emperor  will  shortly  reach  a  decision  with  the  local  chiefs  as  to 
whether  we  are  to  be  protected  or  driven  out." 

OCEAN  ICA 
The  Leper  Colony  at  Molokai 

Father  Juliotte,  S.  H.  Pic,  writes  from  Kalawao : 
"  The  edifying  death  of  one  of  our  lepers,  a  boy  of  fifteen,  which 
occurred  recently,  has  been  the  means  of  giving  us  great  consolation. 


OCEAN  ICA  43 

The  poor  child  was  horribly  disfigured;  only  a  portion  of  one  eye 
remained  and  the  nose,  mouth  and  ears  had  entirely  disappeared.  The 
flesh  of  his  face  was  one  great  cancer.  Two  hours  before  his  death, 
at  half  past  three  in  the  morning,  I  was  called  and  hurried  immedi- 
ately to  his  side.  He  was  much  agitated,  but  as  soon  as  he  received 
the  sacraments  of  Penance  and  Extreme  Unction  he  became  calm  and 
said  to  me  : 

*'  *  I  am  suffering  a  great  deal,  but  it  is  nothing ;  ah !  blessed  day  of 
my  death/ 

"  *  Why  are  you  so  glad  to  die  ?  ^     I  asked. 

"  *  Because  I  long  for  heaven.  I  want  to  see  God  who  is  beautiful 
above  all  beautiful  things.  I  am  going  to  heaven  in  the  name  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Oh,  blessed  day ! ' 

''  A  little  while  after,  he  cried  : 

"  *  Depart  from  me,  Satan,  wicked  demon,  impure  and  stained  with 
all  crimes.  I  do  not  want  you.  I  want  Jesus.  Do  not  forget,  all 
of  you,  that  Jesus  is  the  true  God  whom  we  have  to  serve  if  we  would 
go  to  heaven.  The  devil  is  not  God.  Serve  God  alone  and  He  will 
receive  you  into  Paradise.' 

"  He  responded  distinctly  to  the  prayers  which  were  said  at  his  bed- 
side. Then  he  fell  quietly  into  the  sleep  of  the  predestined,  leaving 
us  all  profoundly  moved  and  consoled. 

"Some  time  before  Brother  Louis  and  Brother  Sylvain  buried  a 
poor  blind  leper  who  had  also  died  a  most  edifying  death.  For  many 
years  he  had  been  deprived  of  his  eyes,  which  had  been  eaten  away  by 
the  terrible  disease.  You  cannot  imagine  what  a  horrible  sight  the  poor 
body  was;  but  on  the  other  hand,  if  you  had  known  him,  you  would 
have  aflSrmed  that  you  had  never  met  a  more  beautiful  soul.  He  lived 
in  entire  resignation  to  the  will  of  God.  The  spectacle  of  these  suffer- 
ing souls  is  indeed  touching.  They  are  completely  resigned  and  await 
.with  tranquillity  the  call  of  God.  May  our  generous  benefactors  con- 
tinue to  help  us  with  alms  and  prayers !  *' 

Destruction  by  Fire  of  the  Church  at  Mua-Tonga 

Father  Guitta,'S.  M.,  writes  us: 

"  With  a  breaking  heart  I  write'  to  tell  you  of  the  terrible  disaster 
which  has  plunged  my  mission  of  Mua-Tonga  into  the  profoundest 
sorrow.  We  had  at  Mua  a  beautiful  church,  a  monument  of  Tongian 
architecture.  It  was  admired  by  all  who  visited  it.  It  was  con- 
structed in  1865  and  enlarged  twice  according  as  the  increase  in  the 


44  NEWS  OF   THE  MISSIONS 

number  of  the  faithful  required.  In  1883  I  had  a  belfry  built  in 
which  were  placed  three  fine  bells  which  were  brought  from  Lyons. 
In  a  word,  for  thirty-three  years  it  has  been  a  pleasure  and  a  duty 
for  me  to  beautify  this  dwelling  of  Our  Lord  as  much  as  my  feeble 
resources  would  permit. 

^'  In  one  hour  our  church  was  completely  demolished  by  the  flames. 
The  wooden  walls  and  thatched  roof  are  reduced  to  ashes;  the  three 
bells  are  melted,  as  are  also  the  candlesticks,  chalices  and  an  osten- 
sorium. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  distress  of  my  neophytes.  Greater 
than  the  loss  of  a  meeting-place  for  the  holy  offices,  greater  than  the 
loss  of  bells  to  call  to  prayer,  is  the  loss  of  nearly  everything  necessary 
for  the  celebration  of  the  Holy  Sacrifice. 

"  But  I  must  not  lose  confidence.  I  must  not  permit  myself  to  be 
discouraged,  but  must  work  with  greater  ardor  than  ever  to  bring 
about  the  construction  of  our  stone  church.     God  will  not  abandon  us." 


DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 

Reported   Since  the   Xovember-December   Annuls. 


AMERICA 

United  States. 
Rev.  Fr.   Allhelllg.  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.   Allocro,  R.  F.  M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Cotta,  R.  F.  M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Cronenberger,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.   Eiscle,  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.   Hehlr,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  LIchtenberger,  C.S.Sp. 
Rpv.  Fr.  Mayer,  C-  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.   Severo.  Jl.  F.  M. 
n*^v.  Fr.   Turkes.  C.  8.  Sp. 

-  West  Indies. 

Haiti. 
Rev.  Fr.   lehl,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rpv.  Fr.   Henry,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.   Lanore,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev,  Fr.  Thomas,  C.   8.   Sp. 

Martinique. 
Rev.  Fr.  Michel,  C.   S.   Sp. 
Uev.  Fr.  MoUoy,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Trinidad. 
Rev.  Fr.  I>e  Padellec.  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.   Neville,  C.  S.  Sp. 

AFRICA 

NOBTBBBN    AFBICA. 

OimbaJHuia. 
Rev.  Fr.  Bonel,  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Diquelou,  C.  S.  Sp. 


Rev.  Fr.  Fisher,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Grandjean,  C.  8.  Sp. 

French   Guinea. 
Rev.  Fr.  Garin,  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Laplagne,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Quillaud,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Kev.  Fr.  Sutter.  C.  S.  Sp. 

Sierra  Leone. 
Rev.  Fr.  Scheer,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Equatorial  Afbica. 
Amazonia. 
Rev.  Fr.  Berthon,  C.  8.  Sp. 
Congo   (Stanley  Falls). 
Rev.  Fr.  Aubert,  M,  8.  C. 
Rev.  Fr.  Farshender,  M.  8.  C. 
Rev.  Fr.  Martmann,   M.   8.   C. 
Rev.  Fr.  RItner,  M.  S.  C. 
Rev.  Fr.  Wulfers.  M.  8.  C. 
Rev.  Fr.  Wysen,  M.  S.  C. 

French  Conffo. 
Rev.  Fr.  Gamier,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Laurent,  C.  8.  Sp. 

Portuguese  Congo. 
Rev.  Fr.  Kapp,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Qabon. 
Rev.  Fr.  Leclere,  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.   Fr.   Mace,   C.   8.   Sp. 


Lounda. 
Rev.  Fr.  do«  Santos.  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Sardier.  C.  S.  Sp. 

Ubanijui. 
Rt.  Rev.  P.  Augouard.  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr  Belzlc,  C.   S.   Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Eplnette.  C.  8.  Sp. 

Zanzibar. 
Rev.  Fr.  Burlce.    C.    8.    Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Flick.  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Krieger,  C.  8.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  LIntzler,  C.   S.    Sp. 
*Rev.  Fr.  Rohmer,   C.   S.    Sp. 

AraiCAN    Islands. 
Madagascar. 
Rev.  Fr.  Fieret,  S.  J. 
Rev.  Fr.  Vuillaume.  8.  J. 

MaurUfc  Island. 
Rev.  Fr.  Woegth,  C.  8.  Sp. 

Reunion  Island. 
Eev.  Ft.  Meillorat,  C.  S.  Sp. 

ASIA 

China. 

S.  E.  Chili. 
Rev.  Fr.  Eivat,  S.  J. 

8.  Shensi. 
Rev.  Fr.  Checchi,    R.    F.    M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Naln,  R.  F.  M. 


45 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


OP  THE 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Comments  of  the 
Press  on  the  Beport 
of  the  Allocations 
for  1903. 


The  report  of  the  apportionment  among  the 
missions  of  the  world  of  the  funds  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith,  as  published  in  the  last  number  of  the 
Annals,  gave  rise  to  many  comments  in  the  Catholic  press.  We  quote 
the  following : 

The  Sacred  Heart  Review,  of  Boston :  "  We  are  particularly  im- 
pressed by  the  statement  that  ^  whereas  the  Society  had  for  distribution 
last  year  only  $1,245,537.00,  it  received  application  for  four  million 
dollars,^  and  this  latter  amount  doubtless  represented  the  barest  needs 
of  our  missionary  army. 

"  When  we  realize  that  Protestants  throughout  the  world  give  $20,- 
000,000  a  year  to  foreign  missions,  and  that  in  the  United  States 
alone  they  contributed  two  millions  more  than  the  entire  sum  asked 
for  by  our  missionaries,  we  can  not  but  long  for  the  day  when  every 
parish  in  every  diocese  of  our  country  shall  be  in  living  touch  with  this 
great  work. 

"  There  is  no  better  way  for  the  Church  in  the  United  States  to 
exemplify  to  the  world  the  true  Catholic  spirit  than  by  her  ever- 
growing support  of  that  most  Catholic  of  all  societies,  the  Society 
FOR  THE  Propagation  of  the  Faith^  which  reaches  in  its  helpfulness 
to  the  farthest  ends  of  the  earth,  and  shows  its  love  not  for  a  few 
members  only,  but  for  the  entire  body  of  Christ.  ..." 
46 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERICAN   EDITION   OF   THE  ANNALS        47 

• 

The  Ave  Maria: 

"  The  fact  that  the  alms  at  the  disposal  of  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Faith  are  altogether  inadequate  to  meet  the  demands 
of  the  missions  throughout  the  world  which  it  helps  to  support,  should 
be  an  incentive  to  the  charity  of  all  Catholics.  If  only  it  were  com- 
mensurate with  the  self-sacrifice  and  zeal  of  our  missionaries  in  for- 
eign lands!  Every  Christian  worthy  of  the  name  should  feel  it  an 
obligation  to  co-operate  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  c6inAiand  to 
*  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature/  .  .  .  '^ 

The  Record,  of  Ix)uisville,  Ky.,  in  the  course  of  a  lengthy  review  of 
the  report,  remarked: 

"...  We  commend  this  •truly  apostolic  Society  to  our  readers 
and  to  the  faithful  everywhere.  We  urge  upon  all  to  contribute  to- 
ward it  and  to  become  members  of  it.  God's  special  blessing  will  fol- 
low any  alms  sent  to  it.  ... '' 

The  Et.  Pev.  L.  C.  Casartelli,  formerly  ed- 
The  Bishop  of  Sal-  itor  of  the  Illustrated  Catholic  Missions,  the 
^''L^pS'^^''  ^^ean  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
Hiaaions.  *^®  Faith  in  England,  and  now  Bishop  of  Sal- 

ford  has  written  a  letter  to  the  Catholic  Fire- 
side,  in  which  he  urges  the  Catholic  press  to  assist  the  work  of  foreign 
missions.    We  quote  from  his  letter : 

"  As  a  former  colleague  in  the  fraternity  of  editors  of  Catholic,  popu- 
lar and  illustrated  periodicals,  I  very  gladly  send  my  blessing  and  best 
wishes  to  yourselves  and  your  readers.  The  work  you  are  doing  is  a 
most  valuable  one  for  the  cause  of  the  faith  among  English-speaking 
Catholics.  May  God  prosper  it  I  If  I  may  cdd  a  personal  wish,  I  shall 
be  very  glad  if  you  will  occasionally  devote  some  of  your  space  and  your 
illustrations  to  the  glorious  cause  of  our  Foreign  Missions.  Would 
that  our  young  Catholics  took  as  much  interest  in  this  apostolic  work 
as  so  many  non-Catholics  take !  ^' 


48  MISSION   NOTES   AND  NEWS 


MISSION   NOTES  AND  NEWS 


AN  AMERICAN  IN  KOREA:  AN  EXPLANATION  OF  THE 

TRUE  CAUSES  OF  RELIGIOUS  DISTURBANCES 

IN  THE  HERMIT  KINGDOM 

Although  It  is  our  purpose  in  the  Mission  Notes  and  News  department  of 
the  American  Supplement  of  the  Annals  to  publish  only  what  concerns 
American  missions  yet  we  have  considered  that  the  present  article  upon 
Korea  will  not  be  out  of  place  in  as  much  as  it  was  written  by  an  Amer- 
ican gentleman,  Mr.  W.  F.  Sands,  who  is  now  residing  in  the  country  of 
which  he  writes. 

The  Immediate  occasion  for  this  letter  was  an  attack  directed  against  the 
Catholic  missionaries  of  Korea  who  were  made  the  subject  of  cestain 
unjust  accusations.  Besides  giving  a  true  account  of  the  incidents  which 
served  as  a  basis  for  these  charges,  Mr.  Sands  explains  the  actual  condition 
of  affairs  both  political  and  religious  in  Korea;  by  this  explanation  the 
reader  Is  enabled  to  understand  fully  the  real  causes  of  the  frequent  re- 
ligious disturbances  which  occur  in  that  country.    , 

Letter  of  Mr.  W.  F.  Sands 

Beligious  disturbances  are  of  frequent  occurrence  in  Korea,  and 
iheir  cause  can  only  be  understood  through  a  closer  knowledge  of  the 
oountry,  the  attitude  of  the  natives  toward  Christianity,  and  the  sys- 
tem of  proselytizing  employed  by  foreign  missions. 

The  Koreans,  standing  for  many  centuries  in  intimate  intercourse 
with  China,  and  under  the  direct  influence  of  Chinese  thought,  adopted 
very  early  the  Confucian  teachings.  Later,  Buddhism  was  introduced, 
and  at  one  time  was  so  very  powerful  at  court  as  to  lead  to  the  forming 
of  two  great  factions,  the  military  and  the  "  ecclesiastical,'^  and  to  a 
long  struggle  which  ended  not  only  in  the  banishment  of  the  monks 
from  court  and  capital,  but  the  downfall  of  Buddhism  as  a  religion 
in  Korea.  Since  the  beginning  of  this  dynasty,  which  marks  the 
triumph  of  the  military  party,  the  monks  and  nuns  have  withdrawn 
more  and  more  to  their  mountain  monasteries  and  temples.  Their 
following  has  fallen  away,  and  to-day  they  recruit  their  novices  among 
the  orphans  and  abandoned  children,  and  are  classed  with  the  lowest 
of  social  outcasts.  It  is  rare  that  a  monk  knows  more  of  his  religion 
than  the  prayer-formula  which  he  recites  before  the  Buddha's  image. 


MISSION    NOTES   AND   NEWS  49 

Buddhism  continues  to  exist  in  Korea,  but  only  among  the  nobility 
and  educated  classes,  as  a  vague  philosophy  of  which  the  principle 
seems  to  be  that  religious  truth  can  only  be  discovered  by  the  individ- 
ual; no  teaching  or  outside  help  is  of  any  avail  in  saving  the  soul, 
therefore  all  religions  are  useless,  and  can  only  be  tolerated  as  a 
mechanical  means  of  holding  in  check  the  passions  of  the  ignorant. 
Extremists  go  so  far  as  to  reject  the  teachings  of  Buddha  himself, 
saying  that  what  he  says  is  not  the  truth,  but  merely  an  indication  of 
the  means  of  discovering  the  truth.  Christianity,  they  look  upon  as 
a  corruption  of  the  vulgar  Buddhist  beliefs. 

Thus  the  Buddhist  "  religion  ^^  in  Korea  is  a  selfish  contemplation 
of  the  destiny  of  the  individual  soul,  taking  no  outward  form.  One 
may,  from  personal  motives,  practice  any  form  of  religion  and  still 
be  a  Buddhist.  In  Korea,  as  in  China,  the  nobility  differs  essentially 
from  that  of  Japan  and  Europe.  In  the  first  two  named,  the  nobility 
is  of  "  office.**  The  noble  is  not  he  who  supports  his  feudal  lord  with 
armed  force,  but  he  who  acquires  his  nobility  by  his  clerkly  accom- 
plishments. As  the  clerk  or  scholar  was  despised  in  mediaeval  Europe, 
so  is  the  man  of  arms  only  tolerated  in  China  and  Korea  for  his  use- 
fulness. He  is  a  necessary  evil.  Every  year,  until  a  few  years  since, 
a  public  examination  was  held  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the 
King  and  his  Ministers,  in  the  Chinese  classics,  ethics,  philosophies 
and  in  statecraft,  at  which  successful  candidates  received  titles  and 
rank  enabling  them  to  hold  official  position,  and  from  tliese  wore 
selected  all  officials  of  the  Government.  Thus  the  ethical  system  of 
Confucius  became  a  necessary  part  of  the  equipment  of  every  official, 
though  no  part  of  his  teachings  has  passed  into  their  daily  lives  but 
the  so-called  "  ancestor-worship,*'  which  has  degenerated  into  a  mass  of 
superstition.  The  lower  classes,  having  nothing  of  either  Buddhism 
or  Confucianism  but  their  lowest  superstitions,  have  surrounded  them- 
selves with  demons  and  spirits  and  are  enveloped  in  the  grossest  devil- 
worship.  Devil-exorcisers  and  witches,  "  physiognomists,**  astrologei  s, 
geomancers  and  other  fortune  tellers  use  great  influence,  not  only 
among  the  ignorant,  but  even  in  the  highest  and  best  educated  class(\*5, 
through  the  women. 

This,  then,  is  the  condition  of  mind  which  the  missionary  must 
face:  an  irreligious  population,  composed  of  a  contemptuously  toler- 
ant, indifferent  or  sometimes  actively  hostile  nobility  (which  includes 
all  the  ruling  class),  and  an  ignorant  and  superstitious  people,  equally 
distrustful  of  foreigners  and  of  their  own  Government. 


50  MISSION   NOTES   AND   NEWS 

Although  in  former  times  there  was  some  semblance  of  rule,  since 
the  war  between  China  and  Japan,  and  the  ensuing  disorders  into 
which  the  country  was  thrown,  having  abolished  most  of  the  old,  and 
not  yet  adopted  more  advanced  and  modern  customs  and  views,  Korea 
has  become  one  of  the  most  corrupt  governments  it  is  possible  to 
imagine.  The  most  unscrupulous  officials  are  at  the  head  of  affairs, 
and  the  ruling  idea  is  that  of  personal  gain.  Honest  men  withdraw 
as  far  as  possible  from  politics.  Every  official  position  has,  unless 
in  time  of  great  danger,  its  price,  and  from  the  governor  of  a  province 
or  magistrate  of  a  district  to  the  lowest  office  clerk  each  one  expects 
to  draw  from  his  position  the  neatest  possible  profit  in  the  shortest 
time.  The  only  limit  to  extortion  is  the  patience  of  the  people. 
These,  mild  and  }delding  by  nature,  make  no  resistance  to  oppression 
unless  driven  to  despair.  Their  only  safeguard  against  the  exac- 
tions of  the  nobility  is  in  organization,  so  that  the  country  is  filled 
with  "benevolent^'  societies  and  guilds,  whose  numbers,  if  they  do 
not  permit  their  members  entirely  to  escape,  at  least  make  possible  a 
less  burdensome  distribution  of  the  assessment.  Chief  among  these 
guilds  is  the  "  Peddlars'  Union,^'  an  association  so  powerful  that  the 
highest  prince  in  the  land  did  not  disdain  to  be  their  chief.  Having 
been  used  freely  in  the  court  intrigues  which  preceded  the  assassination 
of  the  Queen  of  Korea  by  the  Japanese  in  1895,  this  society  was  abol- 
ished, to  be  re-established  later  and  used  .in  dispersing  the  "Inde- 
pendence "  Club,  in  1898,'  whose  members,  composed  of  progressive 
men  and  largely  supported  by  the  American  Methodist  and  Presby- 
terian missions,  had  made  themselves  obnoxious  to  the  Government 
by  their  ultra-radical  utterances.  Since  then,  the  "  Peddlars,"  semi- 
officially recognized,  have,  by  a  long  series  of  intrigues,  endeavored  to 
secure  again  their  lost  power.  Their  chief  strength  lies  in  their  anti- 
foreign  and  anti-Christian  attitude,  which  secures  for  them  patron- 
age of  all  the  old  Conservative  (Confucian)  nobility. 

The  peculiar  position  of  foreigners  in  Korea,  standing  as  they  do 
entirely  outside  of  the  laws  of  the  country  by  virtue  of  the  right  of 
cxtra-territpriality,  i.  e.,  the  right  to  be  tried  only  by  their  own  con- 
sular officials,  offers  another  means  of  escape  from  oppression.  This 
abnormal  state  of  affairs  gives  to  every  Korean  seeking  protection 
against  his  superiors  a  potent  reason  for  becoming  a  member  of  some 
foreign  church,  thus  securing  to  himself  the  interest  of  the  foreign 
missionaries  and  teachers.  This  is  true  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  it 
is  equally  true  of  those  missions  conducted  by  Americans.     I  might 


MISSION   NOTES   AND   NKWS  51 

even  say  that  it  is  more  true  of  the  latter,  for,  although  our  Govern- 
ment not  only  does  not  claim  the  right  of  protection  in  religious  mat- 
ters for  any  save  its  own  nationals,  but  strongly  disapproves  of  inter- 
ference between  the  people  and  their  lawful  superiors,  still,  to  every 
American  the  idea  of  oppression  is  abhorrent,  and  the  interest  and 
sympathy  which  the  missionaries  necessarily  have  for  their  converts, 
together  with  their- totally  different  ideas  as  to  the  respective  rights 
of  the  governing  and  the  governed,  are  responfeible  for  many  a  clash 
with  the  Korean  authorities.  While  perhaps  unavoidable  from  their 
point  of  view,  this  does  great  hurt  to  their  mission  work,  not  only  in 
antagonizing  the  Government  and  educated  classes,  but  principally 
because  it  attracts  to  all  foreign  churches  undesirable  characters  and 
even  evil-doers,  who  make  their  religion  a  cloak  for  their  misdeeds, 
and  when  justly  punished  by  the  local  authorities,  raise  the  cry  of 
religious  persecution.  In  most  large  Christian  communities,  the  posi- 
tion of  magistrate,  even  with  the  best  of  intentions,  is  one  of  exceed- 
ing delicacy,  and  requires  great  tact,  or  a  conflict  is  inevitable.  The 
missionaries,  over-zealous  to  protect  their  flocks,  see  religious  hatred 
often  where  it  does  not  exist,  and  the  authorities,  even  where  otherwise 
tolerant  of  religion,  arc  often  too  ready  to  see  political  motives  behind 
this  alienation  of  the  people.  Such  mutual  distrust  more  easily  leads 
to  conflict  if  the  missionary  be  young,  an  ardent  defender  of  free  in- 
stitutions, and  too  recently  arrived  from  home  and  college  to  Tinder- 
stand  the  people  whom  he  has  come  to  convert. 

Given,  then,  such  conditions:  two  contradictory  religions  in  a  new 
field,  an  undisciplined  and  occasionally  lawless  following,  and  a  gov- 
ernment antagonistic  to  both,  and  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  out  of 
a  very  small  matter  may  arise  a  serious  quarrel. 

Such  a  case  has  recently  occurred  in  the  Whang-Hai  province  of 
this  coimtry.  For  two  years  the  Catholic  mission  has  carried  on  a 
struggle  with  the  "  Peddlars  "  in  Whang-Hai,  who  have  sworn  to  force 
all  foreign  religions  to  leave  the  country.  They  have  not  hesitated 
to  use  violence,  and  twice  the  military  authorities  have  been  forced 
to  interfere  to  rescue  the  native  priests  from  the  hands  of  the  mob. 
The  military  officers,  I  may  add,  are  almost  without  exception  of  the 
progressive  party,  and  have  profited  by  the  liberal  and  modern  edu- 
cation afforded  them  by  the  Military  College.  Whatever  their  private 
opinion  may  be  in  regard  to  "  foreigners  and  foreign  religion,''  they 
disapprove  of  lawlessness.  In  the  early  part  of  this  year  some  trouble 
broke  out  among  native  Christians  in  the  absence  of  their  prospective 


52  MISSION   NOTES   AND   NEWS 

pastors,  and  there  were,  no  doubt,  many  reprehensible  acts  committed 
on  both  sides.  Accusations  were  brought  to  the  Presbyterian  Mission 
by  their  converts  against  the  Catholic  Mission.  The  Catholic  priest 
sent  to  the  Presbyterian  pastor  to  meet  him  and  sift  the  matter,  so 
that  they  might  punish  jointly  all  those  at  fault.  The  Presbyterians 
declined  to  discuss  the  matter  with  him,  and  laid  the  charges  before 
the  provincial  governor,  a  man  who  is  well  known  in  Seoul  as  a  cordial 
hater  of  missionaries  and  of  everything  foreign.  This  gentleman 
seized  the  opportunity  with  alacrity,  and  instituted  a  system  of  whole- 
sale arrests  accompanied  by  the  grossest  disorders  on  the  part  of  the 
"  Peddlars  "  employed.  Grave  charges  having  been  brought  against 
the  Catholic  priest,  Father  Wilhelm,  of  torture,  extortion,  etc.,  the 
French  legatirn  insisted  on  a  fair  investigation  and  a  cessation  of 
the  lawless  acts  which  were  forcing  the  Christians  into  open  revolt 
against  the  Government.  Accordingly  an  official  sent  by  the  Govern- 
ment from  Seoul  and  attended  by  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Mis- 
sion examined  the  charges  against  Father  Wilhelm  and  they  were 
not  only  not  proved,  but  counter  charges  were  brought,  and  a  suit 
instituted  for  defamation  of  character  which  is  now  in  progress. 

This  affair  has  been  made  the  subject  of  a  newspaper  article  in 
which  the  public  were  supplied  with  misinformation  in  regard  to  it. 
There  is  a  strong  rcnction  in  Korea  at  present  against  foreign  influ- 
ence in  general,  and  against  Christianity  in  particular ;  therefore  such 
articles  seem  to  me  especially  ill-advised  at  this  time,  the  more  so  as 
they  convey  an  absolutely  false  impression. 

I  have,  perhaps,  at  too  great  length,  endeavored  to  explain  both 
the  political  and  religious  situation  of  the  country  in  an' impartial 
manner,  in  order  that  it  may  be  understood  how  such  troubles  arise. 

When  the  condition  of  affairs  is  correctly  known  one  may  be  able 
to  draw  one's  own  conclusions  from  the  stories  of  "  persecution  "  by 
missionaries  which  come  from  Korea. 


SPECIAL   DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  Noyember-December  Number. 

Fos  Missions  in  the  United  States. 

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Fos  Fathbb  Lucchbssi,  S.  J.,  Alaska. 

Rev.  H.  Tump   (Diocese  of  Leavenworth) 2.00 

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Fob  Bishop  Paschal,  O.  M.  I.,  Saskatchewan. 

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For  Fathbb  Codrbis,  O.  M.  L,  Saskatchewan. 

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For  Father  Corre's  Leper  Mission,  Japan. 

ReT.  L.  Verhaag  (Diocese  of  Oregon  City) 10.00 

ReT.  L.  Riesen    (Diocese  of  Alton)    10.00 

Rev.  J.  M.  Sklenar   (Diocese  of  Wichita)    5.00 

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Franciscan  Fathers    (Diocese  of  St.   Joseph)    50 

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For  Missions  in  Syria. 

Miss  B.   O'Brien    (Diocese  of  Boston)    5.00 

For  Father  Gorju,  A1.  M.,  No.  Victobia  Nyanza. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  Boston)    20.00 

Fob  Father  Dupin,  P.  F.  M. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  Boston)    19.00 

For  Father  Morin,  O.  M.  I.,  Oranok,  So.  Africa. 

Rev.  A.  Tyszka    (Diocese  of  Pittsburg)    2.00 

Anonymous    (Diocese  of  Boston)    5.00 

For  Father  Pellion,  South  Solosion   Islands,  Oceamcv. 

Miss  Emma  Krampe  (Diocese  of  St.  Louis)    1  00 

For  the  Most  Nbeot  Mission. 

Mrs.  A.  M.  Webb  (Diocese  of  Cincinnati)    10.00 

For  the  Redemptiott  of  Chinese  CiiiumKN. 

Mr.  Paul  Vogel   (Diocese  of  Pittsburg)    •''•  00 

Total     $415.40 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the  donors  for 
any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards  the  same  at  once  to 
its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

53 


|f-rrr^      V 

^ 

^^P 

1 

OBITUARY 

The  following,  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates: 

Et.  Eev.  Denis  M.  Bradley,  Diocese  of  Manchester;  Et.  Eev. 
E.  Banci,  0.  F.  M.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  No.  W.  Hu-peh;  Et.  Eev.  J. 
B.  Anzer,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  So.  Shan-tung;  Et.  Eev.  Mgr.  Quigley, 
Diocese  of  Charleston;  Et.  Eev.  Mgr.  S.  J.  Euas  de  Ahren,  Director 
General  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  Portugal; 
Et.  Eev.  Mgr.  H.  Metzmacher,  Diocese  of  Aix-la-Chapelle ;  V.  Eev. 
George  Deshon,  C.  S.  P. ;  V.  Eev.  Canon  Battisti^  Diocese  of  Ajac- 
cio;  V.  Eev.  Canon  Briffaut,  Diocese  of  Langres;  V.  Eev.  M.  H. 
Arnaud^  0.  P.,  Cienfuegos,  Cuba;  Sister  Sign,  Sister  of  Cliarity, 
Jerusalem, 

Mr.  A.  Pages,  Member  of  the  Central  Ck>uncil  of  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Faith  at  Paris;  Mr.  Richard  Gahogen,  Diocese  of  San  Fran- 
cisco; Mrs.  Anna  M.  Cochems,  Diocese  of  Green  Bay;  Elizabeth  Brophy^ 
Patrick  Brophy,  Diocese  of  New  York;  Mary  S.  Lincoln,  Diocese  of  Cin- 
cinnati; James  Connors,  Patrick  Tiemey,  Diocese  of  Newark. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston,  the  following:  James  Farrell,  Sarah  Farrell, 
Mrs.  Margaret  Carney,  Mary  O'Leary,  Mrs.  Isidore  Doucette,  Mrs.  Abraham 
Coderre,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  F.  Riley,  Margate  Mawn.  Mrs.  Ellen  Higgins,  Mrs. 
BUen  Sullivan,  Mrs.  Maiy  Corcoran,  Edward  Eagan,  .7ohn  Crowley,  Tim- 
othy Crowley,  Joanna  Crowley,  Mrs.  Mary  Kelley,  Mrs.  Cath.  Daley,  Mrs 
Bridget  Murphy,  Mary  Burns,  Mrs.  Flynn,  Mary  McCabe,  Marjjaret  McCar- 
thy, Thos.  Cogan,  Jos.  Purcell,  Mrs.  Anna  Gore,  Mary  McGuire,  Ellen 
Whitten,  John  Cashman,  Miss  Mary  Dempsey,  James  E.  McGrath,  Mary  E. 
McGrath,  John  B.  O'Brien. 


54 


GOVERNMENT 
POSITIONS 
VS.      25,566 

ApiwinlaealB 


CQUZGB 


re)  m 


MON  NOOVEAU  VIC 

(MY  NCW  CURATE) 
Ji>iiriul  Bia»(ir1allt|it«  A%tk  vliiiuc  Cure. 

Rev*  p.  A.  Shcdiaiu 

A  il»ct4»dtf  f  ri&Qti  IrmtiilittdB  of  h  *<trk 
full  of  C«lUe  wk^|»opuUr  ftttottj;  sll  eUMct 
of  rtttdtr*. 

Tilt  Soeltty  for  thf  Prtpif  ttloe  tf  th«  FiMfe, 
BALTIMORE,  HO. 

CHURCH  HISTORY 

nil  Tli  TO  9(h  VUtt  OF  tCROOU 

By  Rav,  J.  H.  OECHTERINO, 

wlUi  4c<«iiili  briAilf  Ijut  vlvMly  drmwo. 

**  Tha  «itUior  of  tlio  pnM^',  Toltim»  tuui  hod  loii« 
«X1»«rtefio«  m  m.  paftor  una  (o«cbor«  ^d  1 1  In  ooufh 
dotlj  Mi«^*«4  itiiit  Ja  pubUntimff  thb  work  lie 
i  A  t«<^uiJie  iMrviae  to  our  ■eltnoift.'^ 


«9  eta*  wboEcaaU. 


B.  HERDER, 
5t,  Loytd,  no. 


We  must  beg  the  Indulgence  of  the  readers  of  the 
ANNALS  for  the  delay  In  the  appearance  of  the 
present  issue.  A  fire  at  the  printer's,  by  destroy- 
iner  the  types,  has  made  it  impossible  to  publish 
this  number  earlier. 


P1ea-»#  morition  ♦*  Annals '*  when  writing  to  advertisers* 


CONTENTS* 


Missions  in  Asia. 

CHINA. 

Ck0'Miang.^'4M%r  of  Bishop  Reynaud,  C.  M 65 

Touching  Details  of  the  Martyrdom  of  Father  Tml 
SYRIA. 

t/6aii.— Utttrof  FatharDalortpSJ •  •  •  .    ei 

Tbo  Question  of  Schools. 

Missions  in  Africa. 

EQUATORIAL  AFRICA. 

^a6o/i.— Utter  of  Father  BrIauK,  C.  S.  Sp 65 

Struggle  of  a  Toung  Christian  Woman  against  Polygamy. 

NORTHERN  AFRICA. 

^•ff/ji.— Utter  of  Mrs.  Flora  Uwls 78 

Progress  of  the  MisBlon.— Bishop  Lang.— Saint  Clayer  HospltaL 

Missions  in  America. 

NORTHERN  CANADA. 

iiMa6asca.— Letter  of  Bishop  Grouard,O.M.T 77 

Touching  Homage  to  Bishop  Glut.— Burning  of  the  Mission  of  Saint 
Anthony.— Works  of  the  Sturgeon  Lake  Mission.— Steamer  Saint 
Charles. — Conyersions. 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

TAHITI. 

Myaeaia. — Letter  of  Father  Janeau,  S.  H.  Pic.  84 

Tuamotu  Islands.— Wreck  of  an  English  VesseL— Derotion  of 
NaUves. 

News  of  thie  Missions. 

EUROPE. 

A  sister  Honored  by  the  French  Academy -s  .  •  •    89 

ASIA. 

A  Missionary  Bishop  Decorated  by  the  Emperor  of  China. 89 

AFRICA. 

The  Persecution  In  Kaffa. 90 

The  Sleeping  Sickness.     • 90 

The  Mission  of  Deklna 91 

AMERICA. 

An  Address  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Province  of  Saint  Bonlfaco. 92 

OCEANICA. 

Progress  of  the  Mission  of  the  Solomon  Islands 98 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 94 

Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals* 

EDITORIAL ...:.. 95 

MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 96 

Letter  of  the  Rev.  E.  Bonald,  0.  M.  1 96 

A  Samoan  Incident 97 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 99 

OBITUARY 100 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimoxe,  Md.,  as  Second  Olaes  Matter. 


^,,0  COLLEGE  ,^^ 

'^"  MAR  30  1904  ^ 

ANNALS 

OF  THE 


Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Vol.  LXVII,  ISTo.  453.  Maroh-Apkil,  1904. 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


A  MARTYR  OF  CHE-KIANG,  CHINA 


The  following  touching  and  dramatic  account  is  a  new  page  added  to 
the  glorious  martyrology  of  China.  Che-Kiang  has  offered  its  first  martyr 
to  Heaven.  The  shedding  of  the  blood  of  Father  Tsu  will  surely  draw 
down  the  most  precious  blessings  upon  this  beautiful  mission. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Keynaud,  C.  M.  * 

Permit  me  to  tell  you  of  the  cruel,  though  heroic,  death  of  a  young 
Chinese  missionary.  We  shed  tears  over  his  loss,  in  admiration,  as  he 
fell  a  victim  to  his  devotion  to  Christians. 

4- 

For  about  a  year  Father  Andr6  Tsu  labored  to  rebuild  the  ruins 
in  the  sub^prefecture  of  Ning  Hai,  about  sixty  miles  from  Ning  Po. 
The  revolution  of  1900  had  left  nothing  standing.  With  indomitable 
energy,  he  set  to  work.  New  centers  were  opened  and  more  than  1500 
catechumens  knelt  by  the  side  of  Christians  in  the  newly-built  chapels. 
Father  Tsu  urged  me  to  bless  and  crown  his  work  by  a  pastoral  visit, 
but  he  himself  was  to  consecrate  his  own  labors  by  his  blood. 

As  the  Jews  rebuilt  the  temple  in  Jerusalem  amid  suffering,  so  he 
was  obliged  to  keep  a  constant  watch  upon  an  ever  ominous  horizon, 
foiling  the  plans  of  a  prowling  enemy. 

4- 

This  enemy  was  none  other  than  the  scholar  Ouang-si-ton,  the 
principal  author  of  Qur  losses  in  1900,  who  had  become  more  auda- 
cious since  he  remained  unpunished,  though  condemned.  He  had 
believed  our  work  annihilated  and  when  he  saw  it  rising,  even  with 

55 


56 


MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 


promise  of  greater  prosperity  from  its  ruins,  his  hatred  was  enkindled 
afresh.  Calling  his  accomplices  together,  he  gathered  a  large  num- 
ber of  brigands  animated  with  the  hope  of  booty,  distributed  arms 
and  ammunition  among  them  and  gave  them  flags  bearing  the  in- 
scription :   "  Death  to  Christians !  " 


M^4^. 


.■*  '■'■'■'  '^''\-X^^ 


■m 


W 


■'■■■''IM^'       4 


Pl 


.T^ 


Fatheb  Andrew  Tsu. 


Father  Tsu  was  at  Ning  Po  when  Ouang-si-ton  set  out  on  his 
expedition.  He  had  come  to  spend  the  27th  of  September  with  us 
and  take  part  in  a  festival  which  all,  pagans.  Christians,  and  even 
the  mandarins,  were  celebrating  with  great  enthusiasm.  In  the 
midst  of  general  rejoicing,  the  funeral  knell  was  heard.  Ouang-si- 
ton  had  struck  his  first  blow  and  a  cry  of  anguish  had  broken  forth 
from  his  first  victims.  Three  neophytes,  his  neighbors  and  own 
relatives,  had  been  strangled;  he  could  not  forgive  them  for  having 
introduced  religion  into  his  village  and  family. 


From  that  time,  each  day  brought  fresh  tales  of  sadness.  The 
Christians,  tracked  and  hunted  down,  sought  safety  in  flight.  Every- 
where fire  followed  upon  pillage  and  the  fury  of  the  bandits  received 
no  check. 

Our  young  brother  priest  lost  his  appetite  and  could  not  sleep. 
Night  and  day  he  seemed  to  hear  the  cries  of  his  flock,  and  he  was 
anxious  to  go  to  their  help,  to  save  them,  if  possible,  or  at  least  to 
encourage  them  in  tribulation  and  console  them  in  death. 

I  advised  the  general  and  the  governor  of  Ning  Po  of  the  situation. 
They  promised  to  spare  no  effort  in  suppressing  outrages  and  arrest- 
ing the  guilty.  Both  were  sincere,  but  their  orders  were  not  obeyed. 
Colonel  Tsiou,  appointed  to  re-establish  order,  came  to  see  me  before 
taking  command.  He  assured  me  that  if  Father  Tsu  incurred  any 
danger,  he  himself  would  die  in  defending  him. 

These  words  relieved  my  fears;  moreover,  the  situation  was  not 
hopeless.  The  insurrection,  it  is  true,  was  violent  but  only  local, 
and  incited  by  a  few  hundred  bandits  that  fifty  soldiers  could  easily 
have  dispersed. 

Spiritual  precautions  were  not  neglected.  Prayers  were  offered 
by  all,  and,  as*  it  was  the  vigil  of  the  month  of  October,  special  peti- 
tions were  addressed  to  Our  Lady  of  the  Eosary. 

All  indications  were,  therefore,  reassuring. 

Father  Tsu  left,  full  of  hope  and  happy  in  the  thought  that  he 
was  able  to  save  his  poor  Christians.  Alas!  he  was  going  to  death 
with  them.  I  did  not  know  why  the  tears  started  to  my  eyes  when  I 
gave  him  my  last  benediction. 

Our  beloved  brother  priest  arrived  in  Ning  Hai  on  October  1. 
What  sad  news  reached  him  there !  What  a  sad  sight  met  his  eyes ! 
His  poor  Chrifitianfl  were  fleeing  without  the  hope  of  finding  shelter. 
The  bandits  were  in  the  city  pillaging,  burning  and  killing  and  no 
measures  were  taken  to  stem  their  murderous  course. 

The  second  of  October  was  spent  in  making  applications  and  pre- 
senting desperate  petitions  to  solicit  the  mandarin's  intervention. 
The  least  manifestation  of  their  power  would  have  dispersed  the 
bandits,  but  nothing  was  done. 

After  consulting  together,  the  sub-prefect  and  colonel  said  they 
would  take  the  Father  back  to  Ning  Po.  This  proposition,  they  well 
knew,  meant  certain  death,  for  all  the  roads  were  in  the  hands  of  the 
murderers.     The  perfidious  offer  was,  therefore,  refused. 


58 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


Moreover,  the  mandarins  were  generally  accused  of  complicity. 
Christians  that  sought  a  refuge  in  their  courts  were  brutally  re- 
pulsed. The  sub-prefect  himself,  upon  three  different  occasions, 
refused  to  allow  the  missionary  to  enter  his  oflSce. 

When  all  hope  was  lost,  Father  Tsu  applied  himself  to  placing 
the  sacred  vessels  and  valuable  papers  in  a  place  of  safety.  At  the 
same  time,  he  saw  that  the  homeless  Christian  women  were  sheltered 


Che-Kiano. — Chubch  of  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul. 

in  pagan  families  upon  which  he  could  depend.  All  the  personnel 
of  the  residence  bade  one  another  farewell.  Father-  Tsu  said  to  the 
last  catechist,  unwilling  to  leave: 

"  The  general  good  demands  that  you  go,  otherwise  we  might  risk 
dying  together.  Separated,  one  of  us  may  escape  death  and  be  able 
to  warn  the  bishop.  Since  the  colonel  is  responsible  for  my  life 
and  has  promised  to  protect  me,  it  is  best  that  I  go  to  him.'' 

The  catechist  was  taken  prisoner  the  next  day  and  retained  as  a 
hostage  to  be  delivered  to  Ouang-si-ton,  who  had  placed  a  price  upon 
bis  head.     Several  days  afterwards  he  was  released  upon  the  pay- 


OH^KIAKO  69 

ment  of  $500.00.  A  letter  written  by  Father  Tsu  a  few  hours  before 
his  death  was  seized.  As  it  contained  his  farewells  and  last  mes- 
sages, I  am  doubly  sorry  not  to  have  received  it. 

The  priest  kept  one  acolyte  with  him,  a  boy  fifteen  years  of  age. 
Accompanied  by  him,  he  went  the  same  evening  to  the  colonel's 
headquarters  in  the  principal  pagoda  a  short  distance  from  the  resi- 
dence, where,  sick  of  a  raging  fever,  he  spent  a  night  of  agony  in  prayer 
and  tears. 

4- 

On  the  morning  of  October  3,  the  brigands  directed  their  steps 
to\*ard  the  city.  At  Fong-tau  tliey  halted  to  bum  our  church.  At 
some  distance  from  Nang-hai,  they  met  Colonel  Tsiou,  who  dis- 
mounted and  demanded  to  see  their  leader,  not  for  the  purpose  of 
putting  a  stop  to  their  outrages,  but  simply  to  interview  him. 

When  he  retraced  his  way  to  the  city,  the  mob  followed  close  after 
him,  sure  of  meeting  no  resistance. 

The  gates  of  the  courts,  so  carefully  closed  when  the  Christians 
sought  refuge  there,  were  opened  at  the  second  appeal  from  the  band 
of  murderers.     The  guard  received  orders  to  allow  them  to  pass. 

A  few  minutes  afterwards  our  buildings,  wet  with  coal  oil,  were 
a  mass  of  flames.  From  the  pagoda  Father  Tsu  could  see  the  fire, 
distinguish  the  banners  of  the  brigands  and  hear  tlieir  savage  yells. 
When  the  waving  of  their  standards  sliowed  that  the  robbers  were 
coming  in  their  direction.  Father  Tsu  said  to  his  young  attendant: 
"Leave  quickly;  you  are  not  known;  you  can  still  flee;  for  me, 
flight  is*  impossible." 

While  the  boy  made  his  escape,  tlie  brigands  bombarded  the  great 
door  of  the  pagoda,  the  soldiers  looking  quietly  on,  as  they  had  re- 
ceived orders  not  to  interfere. 

From  the  floor  on  which  he  had  sought  refuge,  Father  Tsu  heard 
Ouang-si-ton  demand  his  head.  The  priest  had  thought  that  the 
mandarins,  for  their  own  interests,  would  not  dare  give  up  a  mis- 
sionary for  whose  life  they  were  responsible.  This  last  illusion  was 
quickly  dispelled. 

The  bandits  were  already  ransacking  the  pagoda  when  Father  Tsu 
escaped  by  the  roof,  and  succeeded  in  gaining  a  neighboring  store. 
Alasl  his  flight  was  discovered  and  cut  off  from  all  sides.  Seized 
and  violently  dragged  through  the  streets,  he  was  soon  covered  with 
wounds;  two  cuts  from  a  dagger  split  his  skull  and  made  a  deep 


60  MISSIONS  IN   ASIA 

gash  in  his  neck.  Their  victim  half  dead,  his  executioners  wanted 
to  finish  their  work  on  the  spot;  objections,  however,  were  raised 
and  he  was  dragged  back  to  the  pagoda  by  his  hair  and  feet,  leaving 
a  bloody  track  on  the  stones.  He  was  about  to  be  sacrificed  before 
the  idols  when  the  sub-prefect  made  a  sign  to  take  him  further  on. 
So  he  was  dragged  to  the  field  beyond  the  southern  gate.  There, 
after  death  had  undoubtedly  already  come,  he  was  decapitated.  With 
savage  brutality  his  executioners  cut  open  his  body  in  the  form  of 
a  cross,  because,  these  monsters  in  human  form  said  to  one  another, 
"  he  so  loved  the  cross.^^ 

One  bandit,  more  savage  even  than  the  others,  tore  out  his  heart 
to  devour  it.  The  fact  is  proved  and  this  fiendish  act  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  this  coimtry;  brigands  pretend  to  discover  thereby  the  secret 
to  greater  cruelty. 

4- 

Two  days  afterwards,  what  could  be  collected  of  the  scattered  re- 
mains of  our  beloved  martyr  were  placed  in  a  coffin. 

Since  then,  justice  has  begun  to  prosecute  the  guilty.  The  manda- 
rins who  were  so  cowardly  as  to  betray  their  victim  have  been  de- 
posed and  are  awaiting  a  severer  sentence  in  prison.  Some  of  the 
executioners  have  been  arrested  and  several  decapitated.  Ouang-si- 
ton  is  being  pursued  and  can  not  evade  capture  much  longer. 

But  who  can  bring  back  the  one  we  have  lost?  Sentiments  of 
pious  pride  mingle  with  our  sorrow  and  our  regrets  are  softened  by 
the  conviction  that  we  have  one  protector  in  Heaven. 


GvLM  Valij:v. 


LIBAN 


One  of  the  Jesuit  Missionaries,  who  together  with  the  Lazarists  and  Fran- 
ciscans are  exercising  the  apostolic  ministry  among,  the  pagan  and  non- 
Catholic  population  of  the  celebrated  mountains  of  Syria,  sends  the 
following  interesting  letter  fiom  Ghazir   (Liban). 

Letter  of  Eev.  Father  Delore,  S.  J. 

As  everybody  knows,  in  the  East  all  progress,  whether  religious  or 
political,  is  effected  by  schools.  As  the  conquest  of  certain  countries 
advances  slowly  by  small  forts  and  small  detachments,  so  all  mis- 
sions here  make  headway  by  schools.  Schools  are  the  small  forts, 
the  centers  of  live  forces,  vital  points  about  which  other  works  are 
grouped. 

61 


62 


MISSIONS    IN    ASIA 


Each  one  of  the  many  national  influences  in  Syria  is  endeavoring 
to  claim  a  village,  a  valley,  or  a  region,  by  schools ;  sometimes  a  single 
village  presents  the  phenomenon  of  three  or  four  rival  institutions, 
Catholic,  Greek  schismatic,  Eussian  and  Protestant. 

Alas!  we  must  acknowledge  that,  principally  since  the  law  of 
1901,  the  Catholic  religion  has  lost  ground.  Poor  missionaries,  for 
lack  of  resources,  are  obliged  to  look  upon  the  triumphs  of  their 
opponents  and,  with  hope  dead  in  their  hearts,  are  forced  to  close 
their  schools. 


LiBAN. — Church  of  Nahb-el-Dahab. 
They  may  be  pardoned  for  not  ceasing  to  ask  for  help. 

Assisted  by  Father  Claude  Chevrey,  I  laid  claim  to  a  district  of 
Liban,  above  Ghazir,  called  Pothoud. 

Here  the  solid  mass  of  rocks  is  cut  by  precipices  and  valleys;  the 
region  is  picturesque  and,  though  barren  and  poor,  aboimds  in 
savage  splendor;  on  the  north  it  is  bounded  by  the  famous  Adonis 
river,  which  has  seen  the  Bacchanalian  sports  of  Adonis  and  Astarte 
and  has  been  crossed  by  pilgrims  from  all  parts  of  the  East,  and  even 
by  those  from  the  West. 


LIBAN 


63 


In  each  of  the  valleys  between  these  sterile  mountains  lie  one  or 
more  Maronite  villages,  the  inhabitants  of  which  live  from  hand  to 
mouth  and  are  very  ignorant. 

At  least  once  a  week  we  climb  the  high  plateau  at  daybreak 
and  push  our  conquest  forward.  Each  valley  will  be  conquered  by 
a  school;  in  view  of  this  fact,  we  feel  within  ourselves  the  soul  of 
an  Alexander  the  Great.  .  .  . 

By  force  of  prayers  and  strictest  economy  I  have  been  able  for 
some  years  to  play  the  part  of  a  petty  teacher  king  over  several  val- 


LlBAN. — A    GOAT-HSBD   MUSICIAN. 


leys;  if,  like  David,  a  thought  of  vanity  should  move  me  to  number 
my  kingdom,  I  may  say  that  I  possess  ten  villages:  Ghineh,  Joura, 
Ayn  Jouay,  Ayn  lea,  Ghobaileh,  Hayata,  Hitchet,  Yahchouch,  Chah- 
toul  and  Nahr-el-Dahab. 

Of  these  ten,  only  five  have  schools,  each  numbering  about  forty 
children;  a  teacher,  rod  in  hand,  unites  his  pupils  under  an  oak,  as 
Saint  Louis  did  of  old. 

I  have  said  that  I  possess,  but  that  word  anticipates  too  much.  I 
possess  nothing.  Wherever  I  sow  a  little  seed  of  catechism,  I  say 
that  I  can  do  nothing,  having  no  money.  My  poor  mountain  people 
are  perceptibly  at  a  loss;  they  part  with  their  last  mite  to  help  mat- 
ters along,  begging  me  to  come  to  their  assistance.  I  always  give 
my  promise,  nearly  always.    Now  and  then,  I  arrange  processions 


64  MISSIONS  IN   ASIA 

to  quiet  them,  in  imitation  of  a  certain  government  that  once  directed 
that  music  should  be  played  to  calm  famished  strikers. 

+ 

You  see  how  considerable  my  means  for  action  are.  Now  my 
forces  are  laying  siege  to  a  little  village  and  you  can  judge  of  future 
conquests  by  my  first  announcements  of  victory. 

At  the  base  of  steep  and  barren  rocks,  a  few  huts  have  been 
erected  in  a  valley  misnamed  "  The  Valley  of  Gold  ^^  (Nahr-el- 
Dahab),  the  inhabitants  having  no  idea  whatever  of  the  precious 
metals,  never  having  seen  either  gold  or  silver,  I  verily  believe,  but  in 
the  rays  of  the  sun  and  the  mirror  of  their  river. 

If  they  were  ignorant  of  the  science  of  money  alone,  I  should  leave 
them  undisturbed;  but,  alas!  to  them  the  science  of  God  is  also 
unknown.  The  catechism  has  not  been  taught  throughout  this  val- 
ley, settled  as  it  is  by  goat-herds  which  try  to  draw  their  daily  sus- 
tenance from  the  barren  rocks.  Their  church  is  a  small  hut,  a  little 
bell  is  poised  on  two  rocks  and  extends  its  rope,  as  if  in  despair,  to 
the  hands  of  the  passers-by.  A  priest  visits  this  locality  on  Sundays 
and  says  Mass  for  these  poor  people. 

One  day  I  passed  through  this  district  and  spoke  to  two  young 
herdsmen  who  were  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  years  of  age.  They  could 
not  even  say  the  "  our  Father.^'    My  eyes  were  opened. 

I  said  to  myself,  "  Here  is  a  field  for  conquest,"  and  going  down  to 
the  church  I  rang  the  bell.  Children  at  once  responded  from  all 
sides,  and  what  children!  Before  me  gathered  a  motley  throng, 
unkempt,  ragged,  miserable.  Half  of  them  hardly  knew  how  to 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

Poor  little  bodies!  poor  little  souls!  I  thought  of  the  words  of 
St.  John  Chrysostom,  "Nothing,  not  even  the  whole  world,  can  be 
compared  to  the  soul  of  a  child."  They  all  opened  wide  their  eyes 
and  begged  me  to  teach  them  something  about  God.  A  school 
is  undoubtedly  needed;  unfortunately,  however,  a  school  must  have 
its  teacher,  and,  more  unfortunately  still,  a  teacher  must  be  paid. 
To  make  demands  upon  the  small  means  of  the  people  would  be  both 
cruel  and  useless. 

I  turned  my  pockets  inside  out,  but  there  was  no  jingling  sound,  • 
they  contained  not  even  a  penny.     With  an  ardent  prayer  of  confi- 
dence in  God,  I  set  to  work  tr^dng  to  solve  the  knotty  problem  of 
founding  a  school  without  money. 

My  efforts  have  been  so  far  unsuccessful ;  perhaps  the  hearts  of  my 
readers  may  find  a  solution. 


MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  GABON  (EQUATORIAL 

AFRICA) 


Heroic  Fight  of  A  Young  Christian  Woman  Against 
Polygamy 

The  following  touching  and  interesting  account  gives  us  a  true  idea 
of  the  sad  conditions  of  pagan  tribes  in  French  Congo,  and  makes  clear 
to  us  what  difficulties  missionaries  encounter  in  their  work  of  laying  the 
foundation  to  Christian  family  life  in  savage  countries. 

One  of  the  great  benefits  of  the  nineteenth  century  is  the  abolition  of 
slavery.  The  blacks  of  the  Antilles  and  the  Indian  Ocean  have  been 
freed,  and  Europe  has  forbidden  the  sale  of  slaves  in  different  parts  of 
Africa. 

But  there  Is  another  kind  of  slavery  that  la  not  prohibited,  polygamy, 
which  is  Just  as  hideous. 

In  the  eyes  of  pagans,  woman  is  not  the  companion  of  man,  she  is  his 
slave,  his  beast  of  burden.  A  man  possesses  as  many  women  as  he  can 
buy,  two,  four,  ten  or  a  hundred.  They  are  given  up  to  him,  not  only 
without  being  consulted,  but  even  against  their  will,  and  often  when  they 
are  still  very  young.  In  defiance  of  the  honor  and  liberty  of  woman, 
polygamy  obtains  throughout  Africa,  where  Mohammedanism  favors  it, 
under  the  indifferent  eyes  of  European  governments. 

Will  the  twentieth  century  effect  the  abolition  of  this  immorality,  and 
may  a  change  be  prophesied  from  the  position  of  woman  in  the  new  and 
the  old  world?  All  haste  should  be  made,  for  the  wound  from  which  the 
people  suffer  is  a  mortal  one. 

In  Gabon,  two  tribes  have  disappeared  in  fifty  years.  Only  about  1200 
adults  and  200  children  remain  of  the  intelligent  Pougones  that  once  dwelt 
along  the  coast.  The  large  families  of  the  Pahouins,  a  strong  and  warlike 
tribe  of  the  interior  are  showing  unmistakable  signs  of  dissolution. 

The  following  example  is  taken  from  Donghila,  a  post  not  far  from 
Libreville,  the  first  mission  among  the  Pahoulns. 

65 


66 


MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 


Letter  of  Eev.  Father  Briault,  C.  S.  Sp. 

When  the  Sisters  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  of  Castres  came  to  open  our 
girls'  school  in  1894,  their  first  pupil  was 
a  little  Pahouine  about  twelve  years  old, 
who  came  from  the  village  of'Foula,  near 
by.  Her  father  was  dead,  and  so,  according  to  the  prevailing  custom, 
she  belonged  to  her  uncle,  Esong  Ayong,  an  obstinate  pagan.    He 


Little  Flavia 
Promised  or  rather 
Sold  in  Marriage. 


Gabon. — Chapel  of  the  Mission  of  Donghila. 


followed  the  custom  so  closely  to  the  letter  that  for  several  years  he 
had  already  promised  her,  for  value  received,  to  a  man  named  Nzong. 
Under  the  name  of  Medard,  Nzong  had  been  brought  up  and  bap- 
tized at  the  Mission,  but  he  had  practically  been  an  apostate  for  a 
number  of  years. 

The  little  girl  lived  with  the  sisters  and  was  very  docile  and  pious. 
When  she  was  baptized  under  the  name  of  Flavia,  the  Mother  Supe- 
rioress stood  sponsor  for  her. 


GABON  67 

As  she  grew  up,  her  uncle  demanded  an  exorbitant  payment  for  her 
in  consideration  of  the  instruction  and  care  which  she  had  received 
from  ns.  Medard,  from  time  to  time,  brought  him  the  required 
goods,  guns,  sacks  of  salt,  bars  of  soap,  pots,  etc.,  always  avoiding  a 
payment  in  full,  in  true  Pahouin  fashion. 

In  the  meantime,  Flavia  continued  liv- 
Stni««le  of  Flavia  fbr     jj^g  ^ith  the  Sisters;  when,  at  the  end  of 

S^S^^'  ^^  ^^  y®*'  ^^^"^^  *®  understood  how  she  was 

to  be  disposed  of,  she  suffered  cruelly  from 
the  injury  done  to  her  liberty  and  Christian  feelings.  After  Medard's 
first  visit  to  her,  she  told  the  sisters  that  she  could  never  marry  such 
a  man.    Her  firm  resolution  gave  rise  to  much  trouble. 

The  Mission  decided  to  stand  by  her  and  give  her  every  moral 
assistance  to  protect  her  rights.  The  enemies  in  line  were  her  guar- 
dian,, whose  pride  was  wounded  that  a  woman,  worth  no  more  than  a 
goat  among  the  PahouiuB,  should  dare  to  resist  him;  Flavians  mother, 
the  old  Ntzama ;  tha  repulsed  suitor,  who  made  costly  fetiches  to  gain 
his  purpose;  and  finally,  the  loud-mouthed  crowd  of  old  pagans  in 
the  neighborhood.  In  this  locality  personal  matters  are  public  affairs 
and  the  council  of  the  village  met  every  day  to  decide  upon  them. 

For  weeks  and  weeks  the  young  girl  suffered  annoyances  from  the 
people,  insults  and  threats  from  her  uncle,  curses  from  her  mother  and 
temptations  of  all  kinds.  She  persisted  in  her  course,  positive  in 
her  resolution  that  she  would  never  leave  the  sisters  but  for  a  Chris- 
tian husband. 

In  the  meantime,  Charles  Efayong,  a 
A  Christiaii  Suitor  *  J^^^S  Christian  who  had  withstood  re- 
Accepted  by  Flavia  peated  temptations  against  his  faith,  came 
and  Her  Family.               to  the  village.     Having  heard  of  Flavia, 

he  asked  her  hand  in  marriage.  They  met 
and  were  mutually  pleased.  Knowing  Charles  to  be  rich  and  the 
son  of  a  chief,  Esong  Ayong,  Flavians  mother  and  the  members  of 
the  council  agreed  that  he  should  marry  her.  Nothing  remained  to 
be  done  but  for  him  to  deliver  the  merchandise  equal  in  value  to  what 
had  been  given  by  Medard,  who  was  to  be  repaid  by  Esong  Ayong. 

This  arrangement  was  too  simple  to  be  final.  While  Charles  was 
making  his  first  payments,  Medard,  far  from  being  discouraged  by 
the  roguery  of  his  once  prospective  father-in-law,  renewed  his  charge, 
outbidding  his  rival.  After  new  gifts  of  all  kinds  of  wares,  the 
uncle's  heart  wavered  lamentably.    Without  retracting  his  word  to 


68 


MISSIONS   IN  AFRICA 


Charles,  he  renewed  his  promise  to  Medard  and  used  every  means  to 
break  Flavians  will. 

The  unfortunate  experience  of  the  young  girl  may  well  be  imag- 
ined ;  at  all  times  she  was  obliged  to  receive  her  family's  hated  visits, 
to  suffer  the  threats  of  her  uncle,  the  curses  of  her  mother  and  th^ 
inhuman  annoyances  of  the  pagans  who  took  part  against  her. 


Little  Flavia. 


At  other  times  she  was  called  to  the  village,  filial  obedience  requir- 
ing that  she  should  spend  her  afternoon  leisure  with  her  relatives. 
She  often  ran*  home  across  the  banana  fields  to  escape  her  perse- 
cutors and  intrenched  herself  within  the  Mission  until  their  next 
attack. 

Flavia  spent  her  time  between  work  and  prayer,  begging  her  com- 
panions to  join  their  petitions  to  hers,  that  Heaven  might  grant  her 
prayer.  Hers,  in  fine,  was  a  nature  firm  as  a  rock  in  well-doing 
and  rich  in  strength,  refreshed  by  persecution. 


On  October  30,  1900,  the  administrator 

•u-  J  ^  m  •     X  of  the  district  came  to  the  Mission  for  the 

Medard  Tries  to  .     , 

Carry  Flavia  off.  He  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^  Saints.  Medard  had  suc- 
is  Arrested  and  Taken  ceeded  in  accompanying  him  as  interpre- 
to  the  Post  Manacled,  ter.  Lacking  all  sense  of  shame,  he  com- 
plained to  the  Superior  of  the  shabby  treat- 
ment which  he  had  received  and  of  the  unjust  accusations  of  his 
fiancee. 

The  Father  accordingly  arranged  another  interview  between  him 
and  her  before  himself,  the  Sisters  and  the  inevitable  family.  Flavia 
denied  his  assertions  successively,  disclosed  his  lies  and  repeated  that 
she  never  wanted  to  see  him  again.  Esong  Ayong,  enraged,  threatened 
to  shoot  her  at  the  first  opportunity.  "  Go,"  said  she  to  him,  "  get 
your  gun  and  cease  tormenting  me." 

The  interview  had  taken  place  at  noon.  In  the  evening,  about  seven 
o^clock,  while  the  Fathers  were  making  their  visit  to  the  Blessed  Sac- 
rament, steps  were  heard  in  the  Sisters'  yard.  Some  one  had  been 
seen  prying  about  the  dormitories  and  the  poor  children  were  crying 
for  fear,  Medard  had  gained  access  to  the  yard  and  was  meditating 
seduction.    That  was  his  ruin. 

The  misdemeanor  of  trespassing  is  punishable  by  law;  so  the  Mis- 
sion entered  complaint  and  Medard  returned  to  Ningue-Ningue 
with  manacles  on  his  wrists  to  spend  two  months  in  the  prison  of 
Libreville. 

The  city  council  of  Foula  presented  a 
Flavia  is  Taken  f^m  sight  of  complete  disorder.  Their  first  act 
the  Sisters  by  Her  ^^s    one    of  angry    folly.     Esong    Ayong 

Firm^ss    ^^  played   his   last   trump   by   taking   Flavia 

away  from  the  Sisters. 

The  poor  girl  was  forced  to  live  in  the  village,  where  she  was 
compelled  to  work  with  the  other  women,  though  she  dared  not  eat 
with  them  for  fear  of  poison.  She  succeeded  in  returning  to  the 
Sisters  every  night  to  sleep.  So  much  did  she  suffer  during  this 
time  that  she  said  to  one  of  her  friends :  "  If  I  were  a  pagan,  I  would 
drown  myself." 

However,  the  family  were  not  so  angry  but  that  they  might  become 
a  prey  to  avarice;  and,  as  Medard's  cause  seemed  to  be  sufficiently 
hopeless,  they  bethought  themselves  of  Charles. 

+ 

iN'egotiations  were  opened  with  him.  He  left  the  Mission  one 
evening  during  November,  while  the  Fathers  were  absent,  and  car- 


70 


MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 


ried  new  offerings  to  Esong  Ayong,  who  was  always  ready  to  receive 
more.  No  one  was  advised  of  the  issue  of  his  errand  and  the  next 
morning  nothing  was  seen  of  Charles^  his  boat^  or  Flavia. 

Great  consternation  prevailed  at  the  Mission.  Only  one  thing  was 
known  positively.  Before  leavings  Flavia  had  sent  a  message  to  the 
Sisters  by  one  of  her  friends  saying  that  "  she  felt  herself  obliged  to 
flee  from  her  village,  where  there  was  no  security  for  her  and  where 


Gabon. — The  Mission  of  Donohila. 

she  could  not  save  her  purity  and  be  assured  of  making  a  Christian 
marriage," 

Having  left  his  bride-elect  with  his  old 
father  Esone  at  Mekonangha  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  Charles  returned  to  the 
Mission.  This  he  had  a  perfect  right  to 
do;  but  no  sooner  was  his  presence  known 
than  we  were  besieged  by  a  furious  mob, 
ready  to  kill  and. devour  him.  One  old,  white-bearded  pagan  per- 
sisted in  exciting  the  others  to  lay  hold  of  their  guns,  which  they 
had  concealed  in  our  own  banana  fields. 


The  rage  of  the 
people  of  FoiQa 
baffles  description.— 
Anger  of  the  Pagans 
against  Charles  and 
Flavia. 


GABON 


71 


"  Do  not  do  that,"  said  the  Father  Superior  to  them ;  "  Charles 
is  our  guest  and  the  muskets  of  the  Mission  speak  more  potently  than 
the  blunderbusses  of  Esong  Ayong."  At  these  words  the  crowd  dis- 
persed with  threats  of  death. 

Charles  retired  to  rest  in  the  children's  school-room;  about  ten 
o^clock  in  the  evening  the  Father  Superior,  accompanied  by  a  Brother, 
went  with  him  to  his  boat,  never  leaving  the  shore  until  he  was  out 
of  sight;  the  pagans  had  been  prowling  about  and  might  have  seized 
him  had  he  not  been  imder  our  protection. 


Gabon. — A  Pahouin  Dwelling. 


Suffering  greater  and  greater  humiliation,  the  wrath  of  Esong 
Ayong  was  not  appeased.  In  December,  1900,  he  crossed  the  river  to 
regain  possession  of  his  adopted  daughter.  The  missionary  was  not 
a  witness  to  any  of  the  ensuing  scenes,  but  he  imderstood  that 
Flavia  was  subjected  to  new  trials.  She  continued  to  hold  fast  to 
her  resolution  that  she  did  not  want  a  marriage  which  would  inter- 
fere with  her  religion,  and  otherwise  maintained  a  rigid  silence.  At 
the  end  of  several  days'  heated  discussion,  her  uncle  left  with  anger 
in  his  heart. 

Flavia  was  as  good  a  child  as  her  mother 
was  a  wicked  parent,  and  when  she  saw  her 
relative's  boat  pulling  from  the  shore  she  ran  a  short  distance  to  a 


"New  Threats. 


73  MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 

bend  in  the  river,  so  as  to  bid  her  mother  a  last  farewell.  Seeing 
that  she  was  alone  on  a  jutting  rock,  Esong  Ayong  and  his  men  made 
an  attempt  to  seize  her.  Screaming  at  the  top  of  her  voice,  she 
resisted  them  until  the  men  of  Mekonangha  came  to  her  aid.  One 
instant  more  and  she  would  have  been  gagged  and  in  the  hands  of 
her  enemies. 

Esone,  the  chief  of  the  district,  took  her  by  the  hand  as  a  sign 
of  his  protection,  and  the  boat  with  her  relatives  disappeared  amid 
demonstrations  of  diabolical  hatred.  Undoubtedly  there  were  final 
quarrels  and  stormy  scenes;  but  Medard  behind  the  bars  could  do 
nothing,  and  Charles  was  prepared  to  lay  down  the  required  sum 
for  his  wife.     As  usual,  interest  silenced  hatred. 

On  December  27,  the   Father  Superior 
Happy  Issue.—  ^nd   myself  went   to   Mekonangha;    John 

chosen  judge  to  control  the  question  of 
payment,  and  accompanied  us.  Ntzama  also  went  with  us;  she  was 
still  a  little  sulky,  but  quite  a  different  creature  from  the  vixen  that 
two  days  before  had  been  swearing  before  our  doors  to  get  possession 
of  her  daughter. 

On  December  28,  we  celebrated  Mass  in  the  hut  of  Felix,  the  cate- 
chist  of  the  post.  The  birds  of  the  neighboring  forests  furnished 
the  music.  Charles  and  Flavia  received  their  Christmas  Communion 
and  a  few  moments  afterwards  the  nuptial  benediction.  They  are 
now  living  good  Christian  lives.  By  her  desire  for  a  Christian  union 
Flavia  proved  herself  to  be  a  woman  of  strong  principles. 

As  for  the  people  of  Foula,  Esong  Ayong  and  the  rest  are  now 

rejoicing;  Medard,  who  was  to  have  been  Flavians  husband,  has  been 

stricken  with  a  severe  illness.     When  Charles  paid  her  a  visit  at 

Easter,  Ntzama  was  so  happy  to  see  him  that  she  cooked  him  a  fine 

dinner. 

_      ,     .  I  have  related  a  true  story.     It  has  a 

Conclusion.  ,  ,.        i    x  i  ii '       i 

happy  ending,  but  how  many  others  have 

concluded  differently.     Many,  many  women  bear  the  burden  of  years 

of  servitude. 

We  missionaries  fight  single-handed  against  this  horrible  pagan 
crime.  The  government  has  as  yet  no  thought  of  instituting  a  re- 
form, for  others  besides  the  blacks  support  the  custom. 

Nevertheless,  Jesus  has  said :  "  From  the  beginning  it  was  not  so.^* 
Upon  His  word  we  hope  to  re-establish  the  normal  union  between 
man  and  woman,  giving  to  the  latter  her  liberty  and  true  position. 


>:m^ 


St.  Pkti  u  Ci.avku  s 
K^..-.   ^^I*lLv^A^.K  AT  Lacios* 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  BENIN 
(NORTHERN  AFRICA) 


The  letter  of  Mrs.  Flora  Lewis  shows  that  Christian  charity  and  noble 
sentiments  thrive  in  all  climes. 

Bishop  Pellet  was  at  the  head  of  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  Benin  for 
seven  years  when  obedience  called  him  from  the  militant  life  of  the 
apostolate  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  government  of  the  Society  of 
African  Missions  of  Lyons.  The  filial  affection  which  his  flock  felt  for 
him  has  been  transferred  to  his  successor,  Bishop  Joseph  Lang,  who  has 
been  in  charge  of  the  Mission  of  Benin  for  nearly  two  years.  The  vicariate 
apostolic  numbers  27  European  missionaries,  37  religious,  12  churches  or 
cliapels,  24  schools,  10  orphanages  and  several  hospitals. 

73 


74  missions  in  africa 

Letter  of  Mrs.  Flora  Lewis, 

Directress  of  the  Hospital  of  Saint  Peter  Claver  in  Lagos, 

To  THE  Et.  Eev.  Mgr.  Pellet, 

Former  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Benin. 

I  do  not  know  what  you  think  of  my  very  long  silence.  Nothing 
good,  I  am  sure,  but  yon  mnst  not  attribute  it  to  forgetfulness  or 
ingratitude.  "* 


Lagos. 

I  cannot  tell  you  how  happy  we  are  that  Bishop  Lang  is  our  bishop. 
He  loves  us  so  much  that  he  wanted  to  be  consecrated  at  Lagos,  in 
our  very  midst,  thus  making  the  sacrifice  of  not  having  his  family 
with  him  on  that  glorious  day.  By  that  act  of  mortification  he 
showed  that  he  is  entirely  ours.     Apart  from  color  he  is  all  African. 

Now  we  look  upon  you  as  our  grandfather;  and  as  grandfathers 
usually  spoil  their  grandchildren,  we  expect  you  to  send  us  a  quan- 
tiy  of  spiritual  sweetmeats.  When  you  come  back,  as  we  all  hope 
you  will,  I  love  to  believe  that  God  may  grant  you  the  favor  of  find- 
ing your  Christian  community  improved  as  to  numbers  and  quality. 


BENIN 


75 


I  hope  also  that  you  may  find  a  number  of  catechists  and  even  a 
few  aspirants  to  the  priesthood.  Why  not?  There  is  no  impossi- 
bihty  in  hope.  God  has  his  chosen  servants  everywhere.  There 
are  already  native  priests  in  Senegal^  Congo  and  Gabon ;  and  Gk)d  has 
bestowed  such  graces  upon  us  that  we  feel  emboldened  to  ask  Him 
this  favor. 
I  am  convinced  that  the  establishment  of  the  Confraternity  of  the 


Haousbab  Street  in  Laoos. 

Blessed  Sacrament  has  opened  a  fountain  of  graces  from  which 
numerous  and  precious  blessings  will  flow.  We  cannot  thank  God 
enough  that  our  new  bishop  has  not  only  supported  and  encouraged 
the  Confraternity,  but  has  allowed  the  Blessed  Sacrament  to  be  ex- 
posed the  first  Sunday  of  every  month  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing till  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening.  This  great  favor  is  highly  ap- 
preciated. The  attendance  during  the  day  is  always  good.  During 
the  week  those  who  have  promised  to  spend  an  hour  before  the 
Tabernacle  are  very  prompt  and  regular  in  relieving  one  another. 

+ 


76  MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 

My  letter  would  not  be  complete  if  I  said  nothing  of  Sdnt  Claver's 
Hospital,  the  crowning  work  of  your  apostolic  labors  among  us.  We 
have  now  eleven  patients,  nearly  all  emancipated  slaves  from  Brazil. 
I  am  sure  that  you  will  be  happy  to  learn  that  they  are  well  and 
content.  They  do  not  require  as  much  care  now  as  when  they  came. 
Some  of  them  can  do  light  work  for  which  they  receive  a  few  pen- 
nies; they  are  very  happy.  Others,  of  course,  are  either  too  old 
or  too  sick  to  do  any  work.  We  need  help  for  them;  at  present  we 
have  no  means.  The  foundation  of  this  asylum  at  a  time  when 
cupidity  is  dominant  is  a  proof  that  the  work  is  inspired  of  God. 

Most  of  the  old  men  when  they  arrive  in  Lagos  are  met  by  shame- 
less rogues  who  claiming  to  be  relatives  take  them  to  their  home  and 
help  to  sell  whatever  they  may  have  brought  along,  tobacco,  dried  meat, 
etc.  The  poor  creatures  receive  about  one-third  of  their  dues  and  when 
the  acclimation  fever  obliges  them  to  go  to  bed,  their  pretended  rela- 
tives take  the  worst  patients  to  the  hospital  and  leave  the  others 
neglected  in  some  damp  corner.  Death  is  often  the  result.  The 
good  relatives  then  divide  the  small  inheritance.  Sometimes  they 
simply  take  all  the  money  their  aged  victim  has  and  even  sell  his 
clothes;  if  he  recovers,  they  tell  him  that  everything  was  spent  in 
taking  care  of  him  and  that  his  clothes  were  burned  to  prevent  the 
spread  of  contagion.  As  he  has  nothing  left,  they  bid  him  begone; 
so  we  often  find  old  men  in  the  streets,  deprived  of  all  their  belongings 
and  at  a  perfect  loss  to  know  whither  to  go.  Such  are  guests  for 
Saint  Claver's  Home. 

+ 

We  have  an  old  pagan  woman  who  is  learning  her  catechism  that 
she  may  be  baptized.  Poor  woman !  hers  is  not  an  easy  task  and  it 
is  edifying  to  see  how  hard  she  tries  to  make  the  lessons  enter  her 
head.  A  person  advanced  in  years,  who  has  never  had  an  idea  of 
the  supernatural,  finds  the  greatest  diflBculty  in  learning  even  the 
very  little  that  is  required  for  admission  to  the  sacraments. 

I  hope  that  we  shall  be  able  to  collect  some  alms  for  our  hospital, 
as  our  resources  are  at  an  end.  The  rainy  season  is  about  to  begin 
and  will  bring  with  it  rheumatism,  disease,  etc. 

I  can  write  no  more;  in  conclusion,  I  ask  your  paternal  benedic- 
tion for  myself,  my  children  and  Saint  Claver's  Home.  We  pray 
for  you  every  day,  and  especially  in  these  times  of  trouble  when  faith 
is  so  greatly  tried. 


MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  ATHABASCA 


The  following  Interesting  letter  was  written  from  the  extreme  north 
of  Canada.  For  four  years  the  immense  vicariate  apostolic  of  Athabasca- 
Mackenzie,  which  extends  to  the  Arctic  Ocean,  has  been  divided.  Bishop 
Grouard  is  in  charge  of  the  district  of  Athabasca.  The  district  of  the 
Mackenzie  forms  a  district  vicariate  apostolic  under  Bishop  Breynat. 

Letter   of   Right   Rev.   E.   Grouard,   0.   M.   I. 

The  death  of  Mgr.  Chit,  Bishop  of  Arindele,  has  been  known  to  you 
for  some  time.  Although  he  was  called  to  his  eternal  reward  on  July 
9, 1  was  advised  of  his  death  only  recently.  The  news  reached  Europe 
much  more  quickly  than  the  interior  of  my  vicariate,  where  I  was  on  a 
visit  at  the  time.  There  is  relatively  easy  and  frequent  communi- 
cation betw'een  Little  Slave  Lake  and  Edmonton,  and  Edmonton  is 
in  telegraphic  connection  with  the  civilized  world.  But  when 
you  penetrate  into  the  interior  of  Athabasca,  you  turn  your  back  on 
all  the  benefits  of  modem  invention — railroads,  telegraphs,  tele- 
phones and  postoffices — and  find  yourself  in  the  midst  of  the  same 
conditions  as  prehistoric  man.  You  will  therefore  understand  that, 
though  Bishop  Glut  died  in  my  vicariate,  I  did  not  know  of  his  death 
until  I  heard  of  that  of  Leo  XIII.,  who  passed  away  fifteen  days 
later.  The  same  courier  brought  me  the  news  of  the  election  of 
Pius  X.     The  Te  Deum  followed  close  upon  the  De  Profundis, 

It  would  not  be  an  easy  task  to  recount 
all  the  apostolic  labors  of  Bishop  Glut. 
Bom  in  1832  in  the  diocese  of  Valence, 
ordained  priest  by  Bishop  Tache  at  Saint 
Boniface  in  1857,  and  consecrated  Bishop 
of  Arindele  in  1867  by  Bishop  Faraud,  whose  assistant  he  was,  he 
contributed  greatly  to  the  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  Atha- 

77 


Bishop  Glut.— An 
Apostolic  Life.— 
Burning  of  the 
Chapel  of  Saint 
Anthony. 


78 


MISSIONS   IN  AMERICA 


basca.  How  many  long  and  perilous  voyages  he  made  during  the 
summer  in  a  frail  bark  canoe!  How  many  journeys  in  snow  shoes 
leading  the  dogs  attached  to  his  sled !  He  preached  the  Gospel  to  all 
the  tribes  scattered  over  the  vast  territory  of  Northern  Canada.  Hav- 
ing spent  his  forces  and  ruined  his  health,  when  great  journeys  be- 
came impossible  to  him,  he  devoted  the  rest  of  his  life  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Saint  Bernard  Mission  on  Little  Slave  Lake.  He 
brought  the  Sisters  of  Providence  from  Montreal,  clearing  the  ground 


Saint  Bebnabd's  School. 


for  the  Convent,  the  Church  and  the  Mission  with  his  own  hands. 
His  character  was  that  of  the  race  of  ancient  monk  apostles  and 
civilizers  who,  after  having  evangelized  barbarous  nations,  taught 
them  to  till  the  soil  and  cultivate  all  kinds  of  fruits.  Man  forgets 
the  service  rendered  by  the  religious,  but  God  is  faithful  and  gives 
them  their  eternal  reward. 

We  have  sustained  other  losses  besides  the  death  of  Bishop  Glut. 
Fire  has  destroyed  the  chapel  of  the  Mission  of  Saint  Anthony. 

Last  winter  the  missionary  was  obliged  to  be  away  and  camped 
several  miles  from  the  Mission.  During  the  night,  the  flames  burst 
through  the  roof  of  the  church.    Fortunately,  they  were  discovered 


ATHABASCA 


79 


by  some  Indians.  Having  neither  pump  nor  water,  they  could 
not  fight  the  fire,  but  they  managed  to  save  what  was  valuable  in 
the  building.  The  tabernacle  they  reverently  carried  into  the  priest's 
house*. 

When  the  missionary  returned  the  next  morning  he  could  not 
repress  his  tears  at  the  sight  of  the  smoking  ruins.  The  chapel,  it 
is  true,  was  built  of  wood,  but,  nevertheless,  it  was  an  elegant  struc- 
ture and  represented  considerable  labor.  Besides,  the  terrible  ques- 
tion confronted  him,  How  was  the  loss  to  be  repaired?     $400.00 


Canada. — Saint  Bebnabd's  Mission. 

would  not  suffice  to  rebuild  what  the  fire  had  destroyed.  How  could 
this  sum  be  raised  ?  I  tried  to  console  him  by  promising  that  Catho- 
lic charity  would  help  him  in  his  misfortune,  and  I  trust  that  I  am 
not  presumptuous  in  my  hopes. 

Sturgeon  Lake.-Our  Two     very     important     enterprises     are 

Labors.— Our  draining  our   resources.     One   of  these   is 

Steamer.  the  building  of  the  Mission  of  Saint  Francis 

Xavier  on  Sturgeon  Lake.  Last  winter  we  began  to  transpori;  the 
materials  necessary  for  the  construction  of  a  residence  and  a  chapel. 
For  this  purpose  it  was  necessary  to  cut  a  road  through  the  forest,  as 
there  was  only  a  path  broad  enough  for  one  horse  to  pass  with. a  flat 
sled.     It  was  necessary  to  widen  this  enough  not  only  for  two  horses 


80  MISSIONS   IN   AMERIOA 

abreast,  but  that  two  vehicles  could  pass  without  interfering  with 
each  other's  movements.  That  is  to  say,  a  road  twelve  feet  broad  and 
about  one  hundred  miles  long  had  to  be  dug.  The  missionary  could 
not  undertake  such  a  piece  of  work  alone,  so,  as  the  fur  traders  had  an 
interest  in  the  opening  of  the  road.  Father  Desmarais  proposed  that 
they  should  contribute  toward  defraying  the  expenses.  He  himself 
opened  the  subscription  with  $200;  all  promised  an  equal  amount 
and  the  work  was  begun. 

The  Father  left  with  his  laborers,  directed  the  enterprise,  and 
never  returned  until  the  road  was  finished.  Boards,  joists,  shingles, 
doors,  windows,  nails,  kitchen  utensils,  stoves,  etc.,  were  hauled  to 
the  new  station,  where  Father  Girard  will  have  a  convenient  residence 
and  chapel;  once  completed,  the  buildings  will  be  the  admiration  of 
the  poor  native  Christians. 

The  other  enterprise  under  .consideration  for  a  long  time  was  the 
construction  of  a  steamboat  for  Peace  River.  If  it  were  only  neces- 
sary to  descend  the  stream,  we  should  not  have  been  obliged  to  have 
recourse  to  modern  invention^  and  make  so  great  an  outlay.  But  we 
are  called  upon  to  go  up  the  river,  and  when  the  water  is  high,  as  it 
is  in  summer,  the  current  is  very  strong.  The  boatmen  are  often 
obliged  to  give  up  and  turn  back.  Missionaries  have  been  impeded  in 
their  work  by  difficulties  of  all  kinds.  Last  spring,  however,  our  pur- 
pose was  realized,  and,  thanks  be  to  God,  the  Saint  Charles  has  been 
launched.  The  vessel  measures  60  x  12  feet;  it  is  a  screw  steamer  and 
has  a  30-horscpower  boiler.  The  trial  trip  was  made  to  the  fort 
of  St.  John  and  we  made  an  easy  passage  past  the  places  where  the 
current  is  strongest.  Father  Hesse,  who  is  in  charge  of  the  St.  John 
Mission,  was  surprised  at  the  ease  with  which  he  reached  his  post. 

Satisfied  with  the  trial  trip,  we  descended  the  river  to  Saint  Augus- 
tine, where  we  loaded  the  vessel  with  material  for  a  new  mission; 
returning  to  Saint  John,  we  left  our  cargo  there.  The  Indians,  who 
had  heard  of  a  fire  canoe,  but  had  never  seen  one,  were  rather  scep- 
tical. Their  astonishment  knew  no  bounds,  and  when  the  whistle  blew 
they  ran  away  as  fast  as  their  legs  could  carry  them.  Only  the  bravest 
commanded  their  fear. 

The  Peace  river  would  be  a  magnificent  stream  but  for  one  unsur- 
mountable  obstacle  to  navigation.  About  300  miles  above  Lake  Atha- 
basca calcareous  rocks  from  a  falls,  beautiful  to  look  at  but  impossible 


ATHABASCA 


81 


to  cross  without  making  a  portage  of  about  two  miles.  Fi'om  this 
cascade  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  a  distance  of  about  190  miles,  the 
river  is  navigable  for  vessels  like  the  Saint  Charles,  which  does  not 
draw  more  than  four  or  five  feet  of  water.  We  have  four  missions 
within  this  circuit :  Saint  Henry,  at  Fort  Vermilion ;  Saint  Augustine, 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Boucaire  river ;  Saint  Charles,  at  Fort  Dun- 
vogau,  and  Saint  John,  at  Fort  St.  John. 


The  St£ameb  of  Saint  Bernard's  Mission. 


Thanks  to  our  steamboat,  these  missions  have  the  inestimable  advan- 
tage of  being  connected.  Our  little  steamer,  the  Saint  Joseph,  of 
Lake  Athabasca,  can  descend  as  far  as  the  cascade,  and,  consequently, 
can  easily  co-operate  with  the  Saint  Charles;  great  service  can  thus 
be  rendered  to  the  entire  vicariate.  This  summer  I  made  the  whole 
trip,  descending  the  Peace  river,  crossing  the  lake,  and  continuing  the 
route  as  far  as  the  Eocky  Mountains.  Much  game  is  to  be  found  in 
these  parts,  bears  and  elks  abound.  I  counted  eleven  bears  on  the 
river  banks  in  one  day;  we  killed  four  that  tried  to  cross  the  stream, 
but  only  one  elk  succumbed  to  our  shots. 


82 


MISSIONS  IN  AMEHIOA 


The  valley  of  Peace  river  is  attracting 
universal  attention.  Wild  animals  are  dis- 
appearing before  the  settlers.  We  are  doing 
our  pari;  toward  the  material  progress  of  the 
country,  but  what  concerns  us  most  is  the 
extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  conversion  of  the  natives  to 
the  true  faith.  There  has  also  been  a  great  forward  movement  in  this 
direction.  Father  Joussard,  of  Fori;  Vermilion,  has  informed  me  of 
an  expedition  which  he  undertook  among  the  savage  natives  on  the 


Civilization  is 
Promoted  by  the 
Apostolate.— The 
Triumph  of  Grace 
over  a  Great  Chief. 


New  Chubch  of  Saint  Bebnabd's  Mission. 


shores  of  the  Hay  Eiver.  A  number  of  families  have  been  converted ; 
seventy  pagan  adults  have  been  baptized,  and  I  have  been  requested 
to  send  them  books  and  rosaries.  As  these  poor  people  live  a  week^s 
journey  from  the  mission  of  Saint  Henry,  it  was  absolutely  necessary 
to  build  a  chapel  for  them  and  a  small  dwelling  for  the  priest. 

Father  Dupin,  who  is  in  charge  of  the  Cris  tribe,  writes  of  the 
triumph  of  grace  over  a  hardened  polygamist  chief  called  Kakinosi, 
i.  e.,  great  man.  TJnequaled  in  hunting  and  trapping,  he  was  almost 
the  sole  support  of  three  wives  and  their  numerous  progeny,  though 
some  of  his  children  were  a  gi:eat  assistance  to  him.  He  became  a 
well-known  figure  among  the  traders,  whom  he  furnished  with  beau- 
tiful furs.     The  Protestant  minister  found  no  objection  to  his  life 


ATHABASOA  83 

and  told  him  that  his  "  patriarchal  ^'  ways  would  form  no  obstacle  to 
his  becoming  a  church  member.  The  priest  was  the  only  one  who 
admonished  him  to  change  his  life.  Up  to  that  time  he  had  enjoyed 
unclouded  prosperity;  but  God  wished  to  make  him  feel  that  he  had 
been  created  for  a  more  noble  destiny  than  the  enjoyment  of  natural 
pleasures.  He  told  his  faihily  of  his  intention  to  embrace  the  faith 
and  expressed  a  desire  that  all  should  imitate  his  example.  Coming 
to  the  priest  for  instruction^  he  was  told  that  learning  his  catechism 
and  prayers  would  not  be  sufficient  for  admission  into  the  churchy  but 
that  he  must  conform  his  conduct,  to  his  belief  and  decide  to  keep 
only  one  wife. 

"  I  well  understand  that,"  he  replied ;  but  he  was  very  undecided  as 
to  his  choice.  The  three  poor  women  cried,  and  each  tried  to  touch 
his  heart.  They,  too,  wished  to  be  Christians,  and  understood  that 
all  could  not  live  with  him.  Their  happiness  was  at  stake  and  nature 
rebelled  against  the  sacrifice.  The  chief  seemed  to  know  the  good  and 
bad  qualities  of  each. 

"  I  should  keep  the  oldest,"  he  said,  "  but  she  has  a  bad  temper  and 
tongue." 

"  That  is  true,"  she  answered,  "  but  heretofore  I  have  never  believed 
in  God  or  the  devil.  You  will  see  how  I  shall  change;  you  will  not 
be  able  to  find  a  more  submissive  wife." 

The  good  old  man  appeared  convinced,  but  his  two  other  wives 
began  to  sob  anew,  deploring  their  future  fate.  Alas  I  what  would  be- 
come of  them? 

A  fine  young  man,  the  son  of  one  of  them,  then  stepped  up  to  his 
mother  and  said  to  her : 

"  Be  consoled,  mother;  my  father  is  leaving  you  in  obedience  to  the 
law  of  God.  I  am  able  to  take  care  of  you  and  my  sisters  and  brothers, 
and  I  will  do  it.     Besides,  God  will  help  us." 

Is  it  not  beautiful  to  see  grace  triumphing  over  savage  natures? 
The  oldest  of  the  three  was  chosen  for  his  legitimate  wife  and  Kakinosi 
was  baptized  together  with  the  sixteen  members  of  his  family.  When 
the  father  became  a  Christian  it  was  agreed  that  he  woifld  remain 
faithful  to  his  duties  toward  his  children  and  continue  to  provide  for 
their  wants. 

The  movement  of  colonization  has  touched  the  Great  Prairie,  and 
Father  Letreste  has  sounded  the  cry  of  alarm.  How  shall  we  meet 
the  demands  of  changing  conditions?  If  Protestants  flock  to  these 
parts  must  we  not  multiply  the  number  of  missionaries,  chapels  and 
schools  ?    May  God  come  to  our  assistance ! 


Til  A  >f  IJTi: T  HE    V 1 LLAOE 

OF  Fakarava. 


MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  TAHITI,  POLYNESIA 


Mission  of  the  Gambier  and  Tuamotu  Islands 
The  Gaftibier  or  Mangareva  Mission  comprises  the  twenty-four  most 
eastern  islands  of  the  vast  Tuamotu  archipelago.  Tatakota,  the  farthest 
distant,  is  about  500  miles  from  Rikitea,  the  chief  post  of  the  mission. 
Missionaries  are  obliged  to  make  long  voyages  to  carry  on  their  sacred 
ministry  among  these  lost  islands.  Travel  is  as  painful  as  it  is  dangerous. 
The  only  means  of  traffic  are  small  vessels  manned  by  a  pilot  and  two 
sailors.  The  most  difficult  piece  of  work,  however,  is  not  to  guide  the 
boat  in  a  high  sea,  but  to  avoid  the  numerous  reefs  that  skirt  the  shores 
of  the  islands. 
84 


TAHITI  85 

Tlie  following  letter  gives  an  account  of  the  wrecking  of  an  English 
vessel  near  the  island  of  Reao. 

Letter  of  Father  Vincent  Ferrier  Janeau,  S.  H.  Pio. 

The  Tuamotu  Islands,  "islands  of  extent/'  "far-off  islands/'  or 
"islands  of  sadness/'  they  might  be  called,  as  the  sea  keeps  up  an 
incessant  wail  along  their  borders,  are  raised  scarcely  twelve  feet 
above  the  water.  They  are  formed  of  a  straight  band  of  earth  which 
describes  a  more  or  less  regular  oval  enclosing  a  portion  of  the  sea 
called  lagoon.  Fish,  the  main  article  of  food  of  the  inhabitants, 
mother-of-pearl  and  the  coprah  (dried  cocoanut)  are  the  only  articles 
of  commerce. 

The  Tuamotu  Islands  number  80,  and  are  scattered  over  an  area  of 
about  200,000,000  acres,  with  a  maximum  length  of  about  1100  miles 
and  a  maximum  breadth  of  about  500  miles. 

On  June  23  I  left  for  Mangareva,  arriving  there  on  August  2. 
During  those  forty  days  I  visited  the  islands  of  Tureia,  Tahoto,  Vahi- 
tahi,  Nukutavake,  Pukaruha  and  Reao;  they  contain  1000  inhabitants, 
all  natives.  Owing  to  the  pearl  fisheries  or  the  taste  for  travel  of  the 
islanders,  I  saw  only  954  persoijs. 

The  result  of  my  expedition  was  23  infant  baptisms,  649  confessions, 
489  Communions,  18  marriages,  33  new  members  of  the  Confraternity 
of  Our  Lady  of  Mt.  Carmel  (and  there  would  have  been  more,  had 
there  been  enough  scapulars),  62  First  Communions,  and,  finally,  the 
return  of  one  old  man  to  the  true  Faith.  There  are  now  only  three 
non-Catholics  in  the  eastern  islands. 

The  most  important  event  to  relate — thanks  be  to  God !  such  occur- 
rences are  rare  in  these  districts — is  the  shipwreck  of  the  iron,  three- 
masted  English  vessel  Savernake,  off  the  coast  of  Reao.  It  carried  a 
cargo  of  barley  and  wheat;  the  crew  numbered  seventeen  men,  sixteen 
of  them  at  least  of  English  origin. 

On  November  14,  the  islanders  sighted  the  large  and  beautiful 
vessel,  which  was  approaching  too  near  to  shore.  In  less  than  a  half 
hour  they  saw  the  sailors  trying  to  gain  the  open  sea  in  the  life- 
boats. Then  alone  did  they  understand  what  had  happened.  With 
loud  cries  they  signaled  to  the  wrecked  crew  to  approach  their  island, 
but  half  naked  men,  carrying  on  like  wild  beasts,  were  no  reassuring 
sight,  and  the  boats  kept  on  to  sea.  During  this  time  the  large  vessel 
split  and  slowly  sank.  Not  knowing  what  to  do,  the  natives  ran  to 
their  village  and  hoisted  the  French  flag.     At  the  sight  of  the  red, 


86  MISSIONS   IN  OCBANIOA 

white  and  blue  the  wrecked  sailors  halted,  steered  for  the  island  and 
landed  amid  the  greatest  demonstrations  of  joy  on  the  part  of  the 
natives,  who,  however,  could  not  make  themselves  understood. 

An  interpreter  of  English  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  find  in  Beao. 
Finally  a  certain  Joanne  Ipu  was  discovered.  More  than  one  tale  is 
told  of  him.  Being  on  the  island  of  Pukarua,  he  contributed  largely 
to  the  rescue  of  the  young  Atanasio,  a  native  of  Mangarevo,  mentioned 
in  the  Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  for  1896.  Brought 
up  as  a  curiosity  on  board  the  vessels  that  travel  between  Tahiti,  the 
Marquesas  and  the  Gambier  Islands,  far  from  his  native  island  com- 
panions, whose  chief  delighted  in  the  meat  of  his  own  children,  Joanne 
became  somewhat  civilized  from  his  contact  with  Europeans;  at  all 
events,  he  remembered  a  few  English  words.  Seeing  that  no  one  could 
make  himself  understood  to  the  newcomers,  he  planted  himself  before 
them  armed  with  a  stick  six  feet  long.  To  the  great  astonishment  of 
the  natives  and  the  greater  satisfaction  of  the  strangers,  he  began 
talking  a  jargon  that  formed  the  means  of  communication  between 
them  for  an  entire  month. 

Shortly  after  their  arrival,  a  sailor  ventured  out  as  far  as  the  vessel 
to  look  for  some  of  his  belongings,  tarried  away  by  the  waves,  he 
came  very  near  being  killed. 

Soon  afterwards,  two  of  the  bravest  sailors  and  the  captain,  as 
worthy  as  he  was  courageous,  tired  of  the  monotony  of  their  food,  set 
out  for  the  Gambier  Islands,  taking  with  them  four  logs  to  serve 
as  ballast.  After  a  perilous  voyage,  they  landed  at  the  end  of  a 
few  days.  Others  of  the  crew  also  wished  to  leave  and  were  imprudent 
enough  to  risk  the  trip  without  a  native  guide.  One  of  the  sailors 
was  severely  woimded  and  they  were  obliged  to  return.  Despite  the 
warning  of  the  islanders,  they  set  out  again  in  three  days,  and,  after 
passing  the  island  of  Hao,  they  fortunately  met  the  Maurice,  whose 
captain  received  them  on  board  and  took  them  to  Tahiti.  They  carried 
a  letter  from  the  chief  of  Eeao  in  which  he  announced  the  loss  of  the 
Savemake  and  requested  that  the  remainder  of  the  shipwrecked  crew 
on  his  island  be  called  for  as  soon  as  possible.  The  Z616e,  bound  for 
Papeete  at  once  set  out  for  Eeao,  arriving  on  the  15th  of  January, 
passing  the  Gambier  Islands  to  take  on  the  captain  and  his  two  com- 
panions; all  were  safely  landed  at  Tahiti. 

Our  neophytes  showed  great  devotion  in  caring  for  the  strangers 
and  dressing  their  wounds.    Their  families,  as  a  rule,  are  large;  but 


TAHITI 


87 


they  did  not  hesitate  to  sacrifice  all  their  fish  and  even  the  little 
children  took  pleasure  in  giving.  "We  will  know  how  to  manage/' 
they  said.  What  a  consolation  their  conduct  was  to  mel  How  can 
any  one  help  being  touched  at  seeing  these  poor  natives^  half  naked^ 
teaching  their  children  to  relinquish  the  whole  product  of  their  labor 
in  favor  of  the  afficted.  As  beautiful  as  the  act  may  be  for  any  Chris- 
tians, with  the  selfish,  coarse  and  gluttonous  Kanaks  it  becomes  sub- 
lime.   Their  deed  was  the  result  of  the  preaching  of  the  (Jospel. 

The  natives  assured  me  that  not  the  least  disorder  was  occasioned 
by  the  shipwrecked  crew  on  the  island.    These  assured  the  Bishop 


Abchifel  Toamotu. — Marakau  Island. 


of  Megare,  Tahiti,  that  the  conduct  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  Eeao, 
especially  that  of  the  women,  was  irreproachable.  I  can  confirm  their 
testimony  after  the  closest  investigation. 

During  their  stay  in  Eeao,  the  crew  lodged  in  my  dwelling,  and 
they  left  me  unequivocable  tokens  of  sincere  gratitude.  Diflferent  re- 
pairs were  very  well  done.  My  poor  statue  of  Saint  Joseph  was  most 
appropriately  repainted ;  if  a  Protestant  hand  held  the  brush,  it  was 
certainly  guided  by  an  appreciative  and  pious  soul.  It  is  possible  that 
some  of  the  crew  may  have  been  Catholic.  The  ship's  carpenter  made 
a  beautiful  cross  and  coffin  for  the  burial  of  one  of  our  most  fervent 
neophytes,  Jonas,  the  son  of  the  Indian  who  saved  Father  Eoussel 


I 

88  ,  MISSIONS   IN   OOEANIOA 

from  starvation.  The  sailors  were  present  at  the  burial  and  deeply 
edified  the  natives  by  their  deportment  in  the  church  and  at  the 
cemetery.  The  conduct  of  other  adventurers  had  not  been  so  com- 
mendable. Our  good  people  imagined  they  had  made  their  visitors 
so  happy  on  their  barren  rocks  that  some  would  come  back  from  Eng- 
land to  make  their  homes  in  Reao. 

+ 
I  have  heard  that  the  mail  boat  from  Tahiti  has  likewise  foundered 
on  the  reefs  of  Apatai  island  (Tuamotu).  These  low  islands  have 
been  justly  named  the  dangerous  archipelago;  they  are  surrounded  by 
nothing  but  danger.  Alas !  there  are  many  accidents.  May  the  Star 
of  the  Sea  watch  over  her  children  I 

Some  time  after,  the  same  missionary  wrote: 

Since  you  were  so  pleased  with  the  generous  conduct  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Seao^  I  am  glad  to  tell  you  that  they  have  been  rewarded  by 
the  French  Government.  Governor  Petit,  touched  by  the  beautiful 
sentiments  manifested  by  a  people  just  emerged  from  barbarism,  pre- 
sented a  petition  that  five  salvage  medals  be  given  to  them.  He  him- 
self delivered  them,  four  of  silver  and  one  of  gold,  on  the  Durance. 
It  is  a  great  satisfaction  to  see  these  islanders  helping  the  afflicted, 
whilst  other  natives  rob  those  who  are  wrecked  on  their  coasts.  Like 
the  Bretons,  they  have  abandoned  robbery  to  devote  themselves  to  sav- 
ing life.  How  the  Holy  Gospel  has  softened  their  manners!  Not 
thirty  years  ago  the  petty  king  of  this  island,  Mahiti,  killed  and  ate 
his  own  children. 

I  often  joke  with  one  of  his  daughters;  when  I  meet  her  now  I 
say,  "You  are  no  good;  your  father  did  not  even  think  you  fit  to  eaf 

For  fifteen  years  I  have  been  laboring  on  the  perilous  coasts  of  the 
islands  of  Eeao,  Puharuha,  Takoto,  Va'itahi,  Nukutavak6  and  Turfiia; 
Seao  is,  beyond  a  doubt,  the  least  dangerous.  My  neophytes  are  a 
great  pleasure  to  me.  I  am  reaping  what  other  priests  have  sown. 
Whatever  may  happen,  rest  assured  that  your  children  are  not  dis- 
couraged. Without  a  complaint,  our  eyes  fixed  upon  a  crucified  God, 
we  shall  continue  to  the  end  in  the  way  of  the  cross  which  He  has  laid 
out  for  xus. 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


EUROPE 
Missionary  Sister  Receives  the  Great  Monty  on  Prize 

The  French  Academy  has  bestowed  the  Montyon^prize  of  $600.00 
upon  Sister  Saint  Charles^  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  who  left 
for  Gabon  in  186Q. 

When  very  yonng,  she  decided  to  devote  her  life  to  the  negroes  in 
Africa,  and  for  this  purpose  she  entered  the  community  of  the  Sisters 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  CastreSv  In  1859,  she  was  sent  to 
Gabon.  The  foreign  hospital  service  in  which  she  spent  several  years, 
painful  as  it  is  in  the  African  climate,  did  not  satisfy  her  generous 
ambitions.  She  soon  found  the  opporinmity  of  consecrating  herself 
entirely  to  the  blacks  and  made  her  choice  from  among  the  most 
miserable  and  neglected,  especially  the  aged,  sick  and  infirm,  or,  in  the 
words  of  an  eye-witness,  from  among  those  whom  no  one  else  wanted. 
Though  deprived  of  all  personal  resources,  she  succeeded  in  building 
a  kind  of  hospital  to  which  she  first  joined  a  dispensary,  then  she  added 
a  leper  house,  reserving  for  her  own  work  the  dressing  of  the  wounds 
and  the  washing  of  the  linen.  So  much  devotion  made  her  very  popu- 
lar among  the  natives,  and  her  reputation  extended  beyond  the  field 
of  her  work.  Sister  Charles  is  sixty-eight  years  of  age  and  has  lived 
in  Gabon  forty-three  years.  She  has  been  away  but  once,  to  repair 
her  health  shattered  by  the  climate,  and  hopes  to  continue  her  work  of 
devotion  till  her  death. 

ASIA 

A  Missionary  Bishop  Decorated  by  the  Emperor  of  China 

Bishop  Lavest,  prefect  apostolic  of  Kouang-si,  has  been  advised  by 
imperial  decree  that  the  Emperor  of  China  has  accorded  him  the  man- 
darinal  globule  of  the  second  degree  for  his  devotion  during  the  famine 

89 


90  NEWS  OF  THE   MISSIONS 

and  the  recent  troubles  in  Kouang-si.  It  was  upon  the  suggestion  of 
the  viceroy  of  the  province  that  this  high  distinction  was  granted  to 
Bishop  Lavest 

AFRICA 

The  Persecution  in  Kaffa 

Father  L6on  de  Sainte  Marie^  vicar-general  of  Bishop  Jarosseau, 
writes  the  following  harrowing  news  from  Harar  to  Father  Moyse  of 
Orleans,  procurator-general  of  the  Capuchins : 

"Our  situation  is  most  deplorable;  all  priests,  whether  native  or 
foreign  missionaries,  have  been  driven  from  Kaffa. 

"The  following  proclamation  was  published  after  the  priests^  de* 
parture: 

" '  This  is  my  order : 

"/  All  those  w]^o  have  been  baptized  by  the  banished  strangers  must 
swear  allegiance  to  the  Amarah  faith. 

"  *  They  shall  be  obliged  to  present  themselves  at  our  churches,  be 
rebaptized  and  kiss  and  salute  the  cross  of  our  priests.  If  any  of  their 
number  prefer  to  return  to  the  infidelity  of  their  ancestors,  they  shall 
be  obliged  to  bring  me,  in  person,  their  religious  insignia,  crosses, 
medals  and  rosaries,  as  my  order  is  absolute.  All  those  who  continue 
to  carry  any  emblems  of  Christianity,  without  belonging  to  the  Ama- 
rah religion,  shall  be  brought  before  me.  An  ofl&cer  of  the  law  may 
bring  forward  any  accusation,  but  the  right  of  punishment  shall  be 
reserved  to  myself.* 

"This  means  a  regular  persecution.  Catholics  may  expect  the 
worst  acts  of-violence.  They  are  threatened  by  the  direst  misery  and 
the  most  barbarous  mutilations. 

"  A  new  page  of  history  for  the  Galla  Mission  will  be  written  in 
tears  and  blood.    May  God  have  mercy  on  us ! '' 

The  Sleeping  Sickness 

A  White  Father  of  Southern  Nyanza  writes  from  Kamoga: 
"  The  sleeping  sickness  has  made  cruel  ravages  on  the  shores  of  the 
Victoria  Nyanza  for  the  past  two  years.  The  epidemic  is  supposed  to 
have  come  from  Senegal;  passing  by  Gabon  and  Congo,  it  spread 
through  Central  Africa  and  reached  the  eastern  shore  of  the  conti- 
nent, being  known  in  Mombasa.  The  vicariate  of  Southern  Nyanza 
has  greatly  suffered  from  the  disease,  which  has  claimed  thousands  of 
victims  in  Boukedi,  Kiagoue,  S6s6  Archipelago,  and  the  whole  district 
from  Kag6ra  to  Bouddou.    Some  villages  have  lost  half  their  popula- 


AFRICA  91 

tion;  others  have  been  completely  depopulated.  Prom  SAs^  to  Nt6W 
several  islands  have  been  deserted. 

"  It  is  certain  that  the  disease  of  sleep  is  contagious.  It  may  be 
contracted  by  contact  or  even  by  sleeping  in  a  bed  that  has  been  occu- 
pied by  one  of  its  victims.  The  natives  isolate  those  afflicted  most 
rigorously  and  even  refuse  to  use  a  pipe  that  has  been  smoked  by  one 
of  them.  The  sick  die  as  often  of  hunger  and  neglect  as  of  the  dis- 
ease. UntQ  now,  the  scourge  has  been  confined  to  the  blacks,  but 
physicians  say  there  is  no  reason  why  the  whites  may  not  contract  it. 
No  cure  has  yet  been  effected.  Death  results  at  the  end  of  a  few 
months  or  after  one  or  two  years. 

*'  There  are  different  phases  of  this  te^ri^^le  malady.  The  first  sjrmp- 
toms  are  slightly  inflamed  eyelids  that  refuse  to  open  wide,  making  a 
patient  look  as  though  he  had  spent  a  bad  night  and  needed  sleep.  Dur- 
ing the  course  of  the  day  he  succumbs  easily  to  several  attacks  of  a 
heavy  sleep.  A  short  time  afterwards  the  glands  of  the  neck  begin  to 
swell  and  sometimes  the  groin.    This  symptom  is  not  general. 

"  During  the  first  stages  a  patient  suffers  from  loss  of  appetite,  then 
he  wakes  up  ravenously  hungry;  the  intervals  of  awakening  become 
rarer  and  emaciation  follows.  The  patient  then  complains  that  his 
legs  refuse  to  carry  him  or  that  he  is  too  weak  to  get  up.  Headache, 
vertigo,  sometimes  severe  cramps  set  in,  followed  by  restlessness  and 
even  fever,  until  a  sleep  comes  on  from  which  there  is  no  awakening. 

"Alarmed  at  the  increasing  ravages  of  the  epidemic.  Bishop 
Streicher,  vicar-apostolic  of  Northern  Nyanza,  has  ordered  a  triduum 
of  prayers  to  be  held  in  all  the  missions  of  Uganda.*^ 

The  Mission  of  Dekina 

The  prefecture  apostoUc  of  the  Lower  Niger  is  making  fine  progress. 
The  English  authorities  see  the  devotion  of  Catholic  priests  and  second 
their  efforts,  realizing  the  beneficial  results  of  their  labors  for  the  good 
of  the  country. 

Father  Lejeune,  prefect  apostolic,  announces  the  formation  of  a  new 
mission  to  Bishop  Le  Boy. 

"  Upon  our  arrival  in  Dekina,  Mr.  Linley  extended  a  most  cordial 
welcome  to  us. 

"  'A  mission,'  said  he  to  me, '  is  just  what  I  want  in  my  province.' 

"  He  sent  for  the  chiefs,  and  explained  to  them  the  purpose  of  our 
coming.     All  seemed  satisfied. 

"  My  request  for  about  600  acres  of  land  was  at  once  granted.    The 


92  NEWS  OF   THE  MISSIONS 

residence  of  Dekina  is  located  900  feet  above  Beiiu6.  Our  mission 
will  be  laid  out  in  the  very  fertile  plain  at  the  base  of  the  moxmtam. 
It  is  bounded  on  one  side  by  a  chain  of  mountains,  on  the  two  others 
by  two  beautiful  streams  and  on  the  remaining  side  by  the  confluence 
of  these  two  bodies  of  water.  It  might  be  called  a  meadow;  only 
instead  of  pasture  land  there  are  fields  of  yams,  com,  rice,  cotton  and 
tobacco,  all  under  cultivation.  The  yams  are  much  cheaper  than  in 
Onitcha;  what  can  be  bought  for  one  dime  in  Dekina,  would  cost 
fifty  or  sixt^  cents  in  Lokodja  or  Onitcha. 

"  Chickens  can  be  had  for  thirty  cents ;  all  meats,  excepting  beef 
and  mutton,  are  just  as  cheap. 

^^  Dekina  is  on  the  confines  of  four  tribes :  the  Igaras,  the  Bassas, 
the  Bassas-Komos  and  the  Kpotos.  The  last  mentioned  seem  to  be 
the  mildest  and  are  the  best  workmen.  Dekina  is  a  center,  but, 
imf ortunately,  has  been  already  infested  by  the  Mohammedans. 

"  I  staid  there  only  five  days.  Father  Joseph  is  in  charge  and  is 
making  all  the  necessary^  preparations  to  receive  our  fellow-laborers 
whom  you  have  sent.     On  my  return,  I  stopped  in  Lokodja. 

"I  had  scarcely  set  foot  upon  its  soil,  when  the  superintendent  of 
the  prison  came  to  me  proposing  a  most  painful  duty.  Five  murderers 
had  been  condemned  at  the  last  court,  and  he  asked  me  whether  I 
would  go  to  prepare  their  souls  for  death.  The  prison  was  open  to  me. 
I  went  at  once  to  the  unfortunate  creatures,  who  were  all  pagans 
and  had  never  heard  of  God.  Two  accepted  all  the  truths  of  our  holy 
religion;  the  three  others  would  not  listen  to  mo.  So  I  prayed  and 
offered  to  God  all  that  I  had  suffered  in  Lokodja,  all  the  tears  that 
I  had  shed.  I  invoked  our  Blessed  Mother,  and  then  returned  to 
preach. 

"  Six  o'clock  struck.  All  the  doors  of  the  cells  are  closed  at  that 
hour,  and  it  was  only  then  that  my  poor  three  stubborn  pupils  said  to 
me,  *  I  believe.'  I  poured  the  regenerating  waters  of  baptism  on  the 
heads  of  the  condemned,  giving  them  the  names  of  Peter  Claver, 
John  of  the  Cross,  Paul,  James  and  Simon. 

"  They  are  now  no  more;  the  execution  took  place  October  18.  The 
first  five  to  be  baptized  in  our  new  missions  of  the  Niger  were  five 
thieves.    Is  it  a  happy  sign?    I  think  so.'' 

AMERICA 

An  Address  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Province 
of  Saint  Boniface 

Bishop  Pascal,  0.  M.  I.,  vicar  apostolic  of  Saskatchewan,  writes 
from  Prince  Albert  to  the  directors  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith : 


OCEANIOA  93 

"  In  September,  1903,  the  Most  Hev.  A.  Langevin,  Archbishop  of 
Saint  Boniface,  held  a  reunion  of  the  bishops  of  the  ecclesiastical  pro- 
vince in  his  archiepiscopal  residence.  The  purpose  of  the  meeting  was 
to  consider  the  means  for  promoting  the  interests  of  the  church 
throughout  the  vast  region  of  Northwest  Canada.  The  immigrants 
who  cross  the  ocean  and  demand  the  hospitality  of  Manitoba  and  the 
Northwest  Territory  greatly  increase  the  cares  of  missionary  Bishops. 
How  are  churches,  priests  and  schools  to  be  provided  for  people  speak- 
ing every  language? 

^^  Before  separating  the  bishops  expressed  their  gratitude  to  the 
members  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  tiie  Faith.  The 
following  communication  was  sent  in  the  names  of  Most  Bev.  A.  Lange- 
vin, Archbishop  of  Saint  Boniface;  Bight  Bev.  E.  Legal,  Bishop  of 
Saint  Albert;  Bight  Bev.  E.  Grouard,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Athabasca, 
and  Bight  Bev.  A.  Pascal,  Yicar-Apostolic  of  Saskatchewan : 

" '  We  are  deeply  grateful  for  the  providential  help  which  we  receive 
from  your  Society.  What  would  we  do  without  it?  We  unite  our 
hearts  and  voices  to-day  to  express  to  yourselves  and  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  our  sincerest 
gratitude,  to  which  we  add  our  blessings  and  prayers.*  *' 

OCEANICA 
Progress  of  the  Mission  of  the  Solomon  Islands 

Father  Bertreux,  S.  M.,  prefect  apostolic,  writes  from  Bua  Sura : 

*'  To-day  has  been  a  day  of  great  joy  in  the  College  of  Bua  Sura. 
Two  of  our  pupils  have  left  to  be  catechists  in  two  large  villages  on 
the  western  coast  of  Guadalcanar,  about  125  miles  distant,  and  the 
day  was  celebrated  by  a  distribution  of  tobacco.  The  imgrateful  and 
sterile  soil  of  the  Solomon  Islands  has  produced  its  first  two  blossoms, 
or  rather  its  first  two  fruits.     Thanks  be  to  God  1 

"  Andrew  and  Xavier  are  the  children  of  cannibals.  A  few  years 
ago,  they  were  playing  on  the  seashore,  with  no  other  clothing  than 
the  mud  which  covered  them,  when  the  missionary's  boat  cast  anchor 
near  their  village.  They  accepted  the  invitation  to  go  to  Bua  Sura, 
were  well  received  and  grew  up  there.  Increasing  in  knowledge  and 
wisdom,  they  were  baptized,  made  a  fervent  First  Communion  and  felt 
sujBScient  zeal  to  go  and  live  among  pagans  in  order  to  convert  them. 

"  They  understand  that  there  is  danger,  but  they  do  not  hesitate 
to  confront  it,  that  the  name  of  our  blessed  Lord  may  be  known. 
Yesterday  they  were  pagans;  to-day  they  are  apostles;  to-morrow, 
perhaps,  they  will  be  confessors,  or  nearly  so.  What  a  joy  for  us 
that  our  Divine  Master  has  thus  blessed  our  labors.'^ 


DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 

Beported  since  the  January-February  Annals. 


AMERICA 

United  States. 

Rev.  Fr.  Olfen,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Rev.  Pr.  Wilhelm,    C.    S.    Sp. 

West  Indies. 

Martinique. 

Rey.  Fr.  Burgsthaler,  C.  S.  Sp. 

AFRICA 

Senegal. 
Rev.  Fr.  Renault  C.  S.  Sp. 

Zanguebar. 
Rev.  Fr.  Muller.  C.  S.  Sp. 

SenegamMa. 
Rev.  Ft.  Brottler,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Lower  Niger. 
Rev.  Fr.  Brey,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Ltoa,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Mauritius  Island. 
Rev.  Fr.  Bonjean,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Gabon. 
Rev.  Fr.  Duron,  C.   S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Le  Hir,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Boutin,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Ubangi. 
Rev.  Fr.  Le  Gallols,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Oimbebaeia. 
Rev.  Fr.  Kelllng,  C.  S.  Sp. 
Rev.  Fr.  Kleffer,  C.  S.  Sp. 


DaTiomep. 
Rev.  Fr.  Aupials,   L.   A.   M. 

The  Ivory  Coast. 
Rev.  Fr.  Moury,  L.  A.  M. 
Rey.  Fr.  Gulnard,  L.  A.  M. 

North   Madagascar. 
Rey.  Fr.  VelUet,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Beyohelles  Islands. 
Rey.  Fr.  Gumy,    O.    Cap. 
Rey.  Fr.  Imhof,    O.    Cap. 

ASIA 

Chinese  Empibb. 


Rey.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rev.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rev.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rey.  Fr. 
Rev.  Fr. 


Kiang-Nan. 
Haouls^,  S.  J. 
Hermand,    S.    J. 
Barbotln,  S.  J. 
Beauc6,  S.  J. 
Aucel,  S.  J. 
Lamoreux,  S.  J. 
Vanara,   S.   J. 
Onclerc,    S.  J. 
Glbert.  S.   J. 
Chanteple,  S.  J. 
Bsutslhashl,  S.  J. 
deVlbray,  S.  J. 


Kouang-Tong. 
Rey.  Fr.  Favre,  P.  F.  M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Leaut6,  P.  F.  M. 


Kouang-si. 
Rev.  Fr.  Albony,  P.  F.  M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Maurice,  P.  F.  M. 

N.  Tongking. 
Rev.  Fr.  Malgret,  P.  F.  M. 

8.  Tongking. 
Rev.  Fr.  Laygue,  P.  F.  M. 

8se-0Jiuan. 
Rey.  Fr.  Dangy,  P.  F.  M. 

Cambodia. 
Rev.  Fr.  Dalle,  P.  F.  M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Chaumartln.    P.F.M. 

India. 

Pondioherry. 
Rev.  Fr.  Gaston,  P.  F.  Bf. 

Kumbhakonam. 
Rey.  Fr.  Mercler,  P.  F.  M. 

Mayssour. 
Rey.  Fr.  Nassoy,  P.  F.  M. 

Lahore. 
Rev.  Fr.  Emmanuel,  O.  M.  Cap. 
Rey.  Fr.  Ubald,   O.  M.  Cap. 
Rey.,  Fr.  Macalre,  O.  M.  Cap. 
Rev.  Fr.  Alban,  O.  M.  Cap. 
Rev.  Fr.  Florlbert,  O.  M.  Cap. 
Rev.  Fr.  Gaetan,  O.  M.  Cap. 
Rev.  Fr.  Felix,  O.  M.  Cap. 


94 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faitli 


When  this  issue  of  the  Annals  reaches  its  readers  the  removal 
of  the  central  oflSce  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
in  the  United  States  from  Baltimore  to  New  York  will  have  become 
an  accomplished  fact.  For  some  time  past  it  was  felt  by  the  Directors 
of  the  Society  that  for  the  better  development  of  the  work  it  would 
be  advisable  to  choose  a  more  central  location  for  its  oflSce.  His 
Eminence  Cardinal  Gibbons  was  consulted  and  the  permission  of 
Archbishop  Farley  obtained.  By  this  removal  nothing  is  changed 
in  the  aim,  methods  and  administration  of  the  Society;  all  will  go 
on  as  in  the  past,  but  with  renewed  fervor. 

From  the  date  of  its  establishment  in  this  country  until  the  present, 
the  Society  has  slowly  but  steadily  developed.  The  Eeport  of  our 
work  in  1903,  which  will  be  published  in  the  next  number  of  the 
Annals,  is  by  far  the  most  gratifying  the  American  Branch  has 
ever  issued.  It  is  hardly  necessary,  however,  to  remark  that  in  the 
future  we  hope  and  permit  ourselves  to  expect  that  it  will  advance 
more  rapidly  still.  Indeed  it  is  essential  that  it  should,  if  the  mis- 
sionary work  of  the  Church  is  to  be  successfully  pursued.  At  the 
present  time,  the  Church  in  France,  which  has  for  many  years  been 
the  mainstay  of  the  missions,  is  seriously  crippled  imder  persecution, 
and  niany  of  our  missions  will  be  actually  threatened  with  ruin  unless 
other  Catholic  people  will  supply  the  deficiency.  Let  us  hope  that  we, 
who  through  the  sacrifices  of  others  are  now  fully  enjoying  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Christian  faith,  shall  imderstand  our  duty  of  gratitude  and 
charily  in  that  noblest  of  all  undertakings,  to  make  the  name  of  our 
Lord  known  to  and  loved  by  our  infidel  brethren  and  help  them  to 
share  the  fruits  of  His  Eedemption. 

95 


96  MISSION   NOTES  AND  NEWS 


MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 


Letter  of  Eev.  E.  Bonald,  0.  M.  I. 

To  THE  Most  Bev.  P.  L.  Langbvin^  0.  M.  I. 

Archbishop  of  St.  Boniface 

I  desire  to  call  attention  to  the  moral  state  of  the  Keewatin  district, 
the  remotest  of  the  vast  diocese  of  St.  Boniface.  On  the  large  slope 
of  this  district,  which  is  situated  to  the  northwest  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
and  to  the.  south  of  the  Nelson  Biver,  dwell  large  numbers  of  Cree 
and  Saulteux  Indians,  belonging,  at  least  in  name,  to  two  Protestant 
sects,  the  Anglican  and  the  Metiiodist.  The  ministers  of  the  former 
have  established  themselves  in  two  places,  those  of  the  latter  in  six 
or  seven.  But  from  every  settlement  in  which  these  ministers  are 
to  be  found  have  come  appeals  to  our  zeal  sent  by  the  Indian  inhabi- 
tants. The  Indians  have  urged  us  strongly  also  to  come  and  settle  in 
those  places  to  which  the  Protestant  ministers  have  not  as  yet  pene- 
trated. Unfortunately,  we  have  arrived  here  only  a  very  short  time 
ago,  and  our  numbers  are  too  few.  "  Parvuli  petierunt  panem  et  nan 
erat  qui  frangeret  eis;  "  these  words  of  our  Holy  Scriptures  are  well 
suited  to  those  poor  souls  who  are  craving  after  the  truth.  Error  does 
not  satisfy  them;  Protestant  teachings  leave  an  emptiness  in  their 
hearts  which  our  Catholic  religion  alone  can  fill.  The  hour  of  con- 
version has  come  for  this  people  who  have  lived  for  so  long  a  time 
outside  the  true  Church.  We  ought  to  have  in  the  vast  districts  of 
Keewatin  missionaries  able  to  preach  in  Cree  and  Saulteux. 

I  have  just  returned  from  this  region;  I  saw  some  of  its  inhabitants; 
I  heard  their  appeals,  and  I  fully  understand  their  wishes.  Therefore, 
I  ask  your  pardon  if  I  take  the  liberty  to  urge  your  Grace  to  look 
with  pity  on  those  poor  Indians  who  expect  from  you  the  means  by 
which  they  may  attain  salvation.  It  is  true  we  are  already  two  Oblate 
missionaries  at  Cross  Lake,  and  I  may  say  that  we  have  done  some 
good  work  and  that  the  "penny'*  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
has  helped  us  a  great  deal  in  our  success;  but  we  require  a  greater 
number  of  missionaries  and  more  money.  Helpl  therefore,  help! 
for  these  poor  "  Children  of  the  Woods  '*  who  are  so  well  disposed  to 
receive  the  true  Grospel. 


MISSION  N0TB8  AND  NBWB  97 

For  too  long  a  time  have  the  ministers  of  error  profited  by  their 
simplicity  to  tell  them  and  make  them  believe  untruths. 

Let  the  Catholic  religion  be  preached  and  the  greater  number  of 
them  will  enter  our  Divine  Lord's  fold.  Since  unbelievers  in  some 
other  parts  of  your  diocese,  who  have  been  visited  for  a  long  time  by 
missionaries,  remain  stone-deaf  to  their  entreaties,  why  not  shake 
oflf  the  dust  of  their  villages  from  our  shoes  and  go  to  those  who  are 
longing  for  our  coming.  "  Vent,  adjuva  nos."  It  is  only  for  love 
of  their  souls  that  on  the  eve  of  my  return  to  my  dear  mission  1  send 
this  request  to  your  Grace  in  behalf  of  those  poor  Indians  to  whom 
God  wishes  me  to  devote  my  life. 

A  SAMOAN  INCIDENT 

It  may  not  prove  uninteresting  to  Americans  to  detail  an  incident 
which  happened  some  time  ago  in  the  Samoan  Islands,  in  that  part 
of  the  archipelago  which  is  imder  the  control  of  the  United  States. 
It  occurred  in  the  Island  of  Toutouila,  and  is  related  in  a  letter  by 
the  Bev.  Father  Bellwald,  S.  M.  Fifty  years  ago  the  South  Sea 
Islanders  were  all  heathens,  many  of  them  cannibals.  Since  that 
time,  owing  to  the  activity  of  Protestant  missionaries,  who  early 
chose  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  as  the  field  of  their  labors,  conversions 
to  Protestantism  have  been  very  numerous;  so  much  is  this  the  case 
that  whole  villages  and  even  some  of  the  smaller  islands  may  be 
reckoned  Protestant.  The  Marist  Pathers^have  charge  of  the  Catholic 
missions  in  these  islands,  and,  considering  the  difl5culties  they  have 
been  forced  to  contend  with — the  native  dislike  to  a  religion  of  sacri- 
fice and  the  opposition  of  Protestant  ministers — they  have  met  with 
a  satisfactory  degree  of  success. 

In  the  Island  of  Toutouila  is  a  village  called  Malaeloa,  whose  inhab- 
itants are  Protestant  and  fanatical.  They  objected  so  strongly  to 
Catholics  that  they  refused  to  permit  a  catechist  to  dwell  among  them. 
In  spite  of  this  opposition,  the  Marist  Fathers,  by  dint  of  brave 
perseverance,  succeeded  in  converting  a  few  persons  of  the  village — 
a  little  band  who  lived  in  daily  fear  of  being  hunted  out  of  their 
native  town.  The  only  chief  who  was  a  Catholic  was  without  influ- 
ence, and  his  neighbors  left  him  in  peace  upon  condition  that  he 
would  demand  no  favors  and  make  no  attempt  at  proseljrtism.  In  the 
course  of  time  this  Catholic  chief  felt  the  burden  of  advancing  years 
and  found  the  journey  which  he  had  to  make  to  reach  a  Catholic 
church  and  attend  divine  service  too  great,  so  he  asked  for  a  catechist 


98  MISSION   NOTES   AND   NEWS 

for  himself  and  those  of  his  neighbors  who  shared  with  him  the  same 
faith.  The  request  was  readily  granted.  At  this  the  Protestants 
rose  in  their  wrath.  A  cotmcil  was  called  and  the  old  chief  notified 
that  he  must  immediately  leave  the  village.  He  did  as  he  was  com- 
manded. When  the  Marist  Fathers  heard  of  this  they  hastened  to 
reassure  him  and  advised  him  to  return  to  his  home.  He  did  so, 
and  neither  threats  nor  requests  could  make  him  move  again. 

The  Protestants  straigh^ay  employed  other  means.  They  sent 
a  delegation  to  their  minister,  explained  the  situation  to  him  and 
asked  him  to  interview  the  Catholic  missionary  on  the  matter.  This 
the  Bev.  Mr.  Hawker  refused  to  do,  but  he  suggested  the  idea  of 
having  recourse  to/ the  Government,  and  gave  the  committee  a  letter 
of  introduction  to  the  Grovemor. 

This  oflScial  received  the  delegation,  heard  their  request  and  prom- 
ised an  answer  later.  It  was  not  long  in  coming,  and  was  far,  indeed, 
from  what  had  been  confidently  expected.  As  the  outcome  of  this 
agitation,  a  law  was  promulgated,  some  days  afterwards,  proclaiming 
absolute  liberty  for  all  religions  according  to  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States.  It  is  prohibited  henceforth  to  annoy  any  one  on 
account  of  his  religious  opinions.  It  is  forbidden  to  drive  any  one 
from  his  village  upon  the  pretext  that  he  does  not  practice  the  same 
religion  as  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants. 

This  law  was  an  agreeable  surprise  to  Catholics,  as  they  had  often 
been  subjected  to  annoyance  at  the  hands  of  Protestants.  They  are 
free  now  to  exercise  their  religion  and  to  carry  on  their  holy  ministry. 
A  number  of  heretics,  who  had  remained  in  error  through  fear,  have 
become  Catholics.  Already  a  catechist  is  well  established  at  Malaeloa, 
and  there  is  good  reason  to  hope  that  the  principal  chiefs  of  this 
village  will  soon  be  converted. 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  January-February  Number. 


Fob  Bishop  Chatbon,  P.  F.  M.,  Osaka,  Japan. 
Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)  $  51.25 

Fob  Bishop  Pelckmaks,  O.  M.  Cap.,  Lahobs,  India. 

Rev.  T.  Finn  (Diocese  of  Chicago)   10.00 

Fob  Bishop  Cbouzet,  C.  M.,  Madaoascab. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston)  1.00 

Fob  Fathsb  Cobbe's  Lepkb  Mission,  Japan. 

Rev.  D.  J.  McMahon  (Diocese  of  New  York)  2.00 

Rev.  A.  Mattingley,  O.  &  B.  (Diocese  of  Sioux  Falls)  1.00 

St.  Joseph's  College  (Diocese  of  Cincinnati) 2.00 

Rev.  H.  H.  Hamakers  (Diocese  of  St  Louis) 2.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Altoona)   100.00 

Rev.  M.  Heitz  (Diocese  of  Concordia)  2.00 

Rev.  H.  Eggenstein  (Diocese  of  Alton)   5.00 

Miss  M.  Weber  (Diocese  of  Alton)  5.00 

Rev.  M.  Schmitt  S.  J.  (Diocese  of  Lead)   1.00 

Rev.  A.  Matousek  (Diocese  of  Winona)    1.00 

Rev.  C.  Gasparik  (Diocese  of  Pittsburg)    20.00 

Rev.  J.  A.  (k>nser  (Diocese  of  Chicago) 3.50 

Rev.  H.  B.  Degenhardt  (Diocese  of  Alton)   5.00 

Miss  H.  Castleton  (Diocese  of  Trenton)  10.00 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston)   5.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Dupin,  P.  F.  M. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)  3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Batle,  P.  F.  M.,  South  Tongkino. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)  5.00 

Miss  E.  cyToole  (Diocese  of  Newark)  3.00 

Miss  Margaret  Bulman  (Diocese  of  Albany)  6.00 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston)   1.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Guebin,  O.  M.  I.,  Pbince  Albebt. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston)  5.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Febband,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

St.  Joseph's  Seminary,  Tonkers,  N.  T.  (Diocese  of  New  York) ....  60.00 

FOB  Fatheb  Bhxabd,  India. 

Rev.  K.  T.  WIthopf  (Diocese  of  Concordia)  15.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Gttitta,  S.  M.,  Centbal  Oceanica. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Baltimore)   20.00 

Fob  Fatheb  0>ubbis,  O.  M.  I.,  Saskatchewan. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Fitzgerald  (Diocese  of  Omaha) 13.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Theyenet,  M.  S.  F.  S.,  Naopobe. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston)  1.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Mobin,  O.  M.  I.,  Obanoe  (Colony. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston) 1.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Juliotte,  S.  H.  Pic,  Molokai. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)  6.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Chayanol,  P.  F.  M.,  India. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 5.00 

Fob  Amebican  Indian  Missions. 

Per  Mr.  J.  E.  Dougherty  (Diocese  of  New  York)  100.00 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston)   1.00 

Fob  Chinese  Missions. 

A  Friend   (Diocese  of  Detroit) 10.00 

Fob  Most  Needy  Missions. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston)  1.00 

Rev.  H.  Tump  (Diocese  of  Leavenworth)   2.00 

Total .1482.75 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the  donors  for  any 

particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards  the  same  at  once  to  its 
destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

99 


OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Eight  Kev.  A.  Dubier,  Bishop  of  Natchitoches,  La.;  Right  Bev. 
Mgr.  Pee,  P.  P.  M.,  Bishop  of  Malacca;  Right  Rev.  Mgr.  Albert, 
L.  A.  M.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  the  Oold  Coast;  Rev.  Canon  Zenklusbn, 
Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  the  Diocese 
of  8ion;  Rev.  J.  L.  O^Neil,  0.  P.,  Diocese  of  San  Francisco;  Rev. 
Pr.  Glbason,  Diocese  of  St.  Louis. 

Sister  Antoinette  Slattery,  Sister  Celestia  Prendigast, 
Sister  Emiliana  Cameron,  Sister  Edmund  McKenna,  Diocese  of 
St.  Louis.   . 

Mr.  Scipion  Debanne,  Member  of  the  Central  Council  of  the  Pro- 
pagation  of  the  Faith  at  Lyons;  The  Marquis  db  Gabriao,  Member 
of  the  Central  Council  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  at  Paris. 

Mr.  Augustine  Slavin,  Diocese  of  Nesqually,  Wash.;  Mr.  Henry  T. 
Coleman,  Diocese  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Mrs.  Margaret  O'Hara,  Diocese  of 
Boston;  Miss  Mary  J.  Kelley,  Diocese  of  Syracuse,  N.  T.;  Mrs.  Jennie 
Kelley,  Diocese  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.;  Mrs.  Rachel  L.  Reily,  Diocese  of  Har- 
risburg,  Pa.;  Mrs.  Isidore  Morrin,  Diocese  of  Detroit,  Mich.;  Miss  Ellen 
M.  Murphy,  Diocese  of  Boston,  Mass.;  Mrs.  Anna  Stay,  Diocese  of  Nes- 
qually;  Mr.  Robert  McKenna;  Miss  Anna  McKenna;  Miss  Elizabeth  Ryan. 

The  following  from  the  Diocese  of  St  Louis:  Mr.  Patrick  Staed,  Mr. 
•  Michael  O'Rourke,  Miss  Marcella  Fitzgerald,  Mrs.  M.  Mahoney,  Mrs.  O.  P. 
Hedger,  Mrs.  Bridget  Murphy,  Mrs.  Bridget  O'Neil,  Miss  Julia  Walsh, 
Mr.  James  Heade,  Mrs.  Alicia  Lonergan,  Mrs.  Eliza  Lightholder,  Mrs.  Mary 
Dwyer,  Mrs.  Mary  Geeke,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Foy,  Mrs.  Eliza  Gugerty,  Mr. 
John  O'Connor,  Miss  Kate  Mahon,  Mrs.  Norah  Kehoe. 

The  following  from  the  Archdiocese  of  Boston:  Miss  Hannah  Dwyer, 
Mrs.  Thomas  Murphy,  Miss  Mary  Murphy,  Mrs.  Margaret  Walsh,  Miss 
Margaret  Raible,  Miss  Elizabeth  Blaine,  Miss  Mary  Gannan,  Miss  Margaret 
Niles,  Mr.  Matthew  Rogers,  Mr.  Michael  Kenney,  Mr.  James  Hartnett, 
Mr.  Frederick  Dandley,  Mrs.  Ellen  Merry. 

(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  the  names  of  all  deceased  associates  whose 
names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 
100 


Ppur/tlor^ers: 


)  '^'^  \      Is  U^. 


Eafth 


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The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
begs  leave  to  inform  its  members  that  the 
headquarters  of  the  Society  has  been  trans- 
ferred from  Baltimore  to  New  York.  The  office 
of  the  General  Director,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Frerl, 
is  now  located  at  627  Lexington  Ave.,  New 
York  City,  where  henceforth  all  communica- 
tions concerning  the  work  should  be  addressed. 


Please  mention  "Annals"  when  writing  to  advertisers. 


ANNALS 

OF  THE  PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 


CONTENTS. 


TAam 

Missions  in  Asia 

JAPAN 

The  City  of  Osaka  (a  tkttch)  by  the  Rev.  Father  Watttr,  M.  B 101 

Description  of  Osaka. — Its  Importance. — ^Material  Deyelop- 
ment. — Summary  of  the  Civil  and  Religious  History  of 
Japan. — ^Evolution  of  Ideas  and  Social  Transformation. — 
Education. — The  Church  at  Osaka. — ^Progress  of  the  Faith. 

Missions  in  Africa 

EQUATORIAL   AFRICA 

(/p/?er^/7e.-LetkorofSlttorli.  Marcolla,  0.  8.  F 119 

A  Christmas  Celebration  in  Uganda. 
Letter   of   Mother   Mary   Paul,  0.  8.  F 134 

Nubian  Practices. — ^The  Sleeping  Sickness. 

Missions  in  America 

UNITED   8TATE8 

Oregon.-\M»f  of  Blthop  O'Reilly,  of  Baker  City 188 

Difficulties  of  the  Ministry. — ^Need  of  Priests  «nd  Means. — 
Consoling  Results. 

rejrae.-Utter  of  Father  Malmartel,  0.  M.  I ISl 

A  Texas  Missionary  Trip. — ^Visit  to  Port  Davis,  Alamo,  San 
Jose  and  Indio.— The  Mexican  Character  and  Hospitality. — 
The  Ages  of  Faitli.— A  Saintly  Death. 

Souih  Dakota.— \M9r  of  the  Rev.  H.  I.  Westropp,  8.  J 189 

The  Jesuit  Mission  Among  the  Sioux.— Difficult  Beginnings.— 
Opposition  from  the  Indians.— The  Conversion  of  Two 
Kettle  Camp. 

NORTHERN   CANADA 

Athaba8ca.-'lB\\9r  of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Dupe,  0.  M.  1 1^8 

A  Painful  Journey. — Indian  Sorcerers. — A  Horrible  Sacri- 
fice.—The  Foundation  of  St.  Martin's  Missions.— Our 
Schools. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  AnnaK 

EDiT0RIAL8 1*'' 

The  May-June  Number  of  the  Annate 1^7 

Letters  from  American  Mlsslonariet  Abroad  and  at  Home 1^8 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  at  the  Wathlngton  Mleeionary 

Conference 1^^ 

The  8oclety  for  the  Propagation  of  the  FaHh  In  Mexico 1*9 

Our  Mite  Boxee. l^^' 

8PECIAL   D0NATION8 1*1 

OBITUARY 1«^8 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  Md.,  as  Seoond  Claat  Matter. 


ANNALf " 


Propagation  of  the  Faith 


OP  THE 


Vol.  LXVII,  No.  454.  May-June,  1904. 


MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 


THE  CITY  OF  OSAKA,  JAPAN. 

(A  SKETCH] 
By  The  Rev.  Father  Walteb,  of  the  Little  Bbothebs  of  Mabt. 

The  following  remarkable  article  is  due  to  the  pen  of  an  American  Mis- 
sionary, Father  Walter,  who  for  several  years  has  been  chaplain  of  the 
"  Meisei  gakko  "  school  kept  by  the  Little  Brothers  of  Mary  at  Osaka.  It 
contains  not  merely  a  sketch  of  that  interesting  city  but  much  valuable 
information  on  Japan  and  its  intelligent  inhabitants,  who  are  now  attract- 
ing the  attention  of  the  world. 

Several  of  our  readers  will  remember  that  the  Bishop  of  Osaka,  Mgr. 
Chatron,  visited  this  country  last  year  in  the  interest  of  his  Mission,  and 
gave  to  all  who  approached  him  the  impression  of  being  a  most  truly 
apostolic  man.  The  study  we  publish  to-day  was  communicated  by  him 
to  our  Society. 

Importance  of  the  City  of  Osaka.  —The  Todogawa  river.  -  The  streets 

of  Osaka. —Modes  of  conveyance.— Business  and  business 

men.— Bailroads  and  factories.— Temples. 

At  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  inland  sea  of  Japan  between  two 
chains  of  barren  mountains  is  a  rich  and  fertile  plain  which  extends 
in  a  northeasterly  direction  to  the  picturesque  banks  of  Lake  Biwa. 

This  is  classic  land,  the  Attica  of  Japan.  Here  have  occurred  from 
the  earliest  tinies  the  principal  events  in  the  history  of  the  country. 
Two  of  the  largest  cities  of  Japan  are  situated  at  each  extremity  of 
the  plain;  to  the  north-east,  Kioto,  the  intellectual  center,  the  foun- 
tain-head of  literature,  the  stronghold  of  religion  and,  for  many  years, 
the  political  capital ;  to  the  south-west,  Osaka,  the  city  of  industry  and 
commerce.     Osaka  is  built  in  the  midst  of  the  plain  about  8  miles 

101 


102  MISSIONS   IN    ASIA 

from  the  mountains,  upon  both  banks  of  the  river  Yodogawa  and  not 
far  from  its  mouth.  The  city  now  occupies  an  extent  of  territory 
measuring  22  miles  square  and  is  growing  steadily  every  year;  it 
contains  within  its  borders  already  a  million  inhabitants  and  has  an 
annual  increase  of  seventy  thousand.  It  is  the  second  fou  of  Japan. 
In  this  country  there  are  three  large  fou,  that  is  to  say,  three  cities 
having  an  administration  independent  from  the  provinces  in  which 
they  are  situated.    They  are  Tokio,  Osaka  and  Kioto. 

At  the  head  of  the  Osakafou  is  a  prefect,  elected  by  the  people  and 
confirmed  by  the  emperor.  For  convenience  in  administration,  the 
city  is  divided  into  four  Kou  or  quarters,  north,  south,  east  and  west. 
Each  of  these  has  its  mayor  and  municipal  council. 

The  plain  upon  which  Osaka  is  built  is  an  immense  rice  plantation 
which  extends  from  the  sea  to  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  In  winter 
its  appearance  is  that  of  a  vast  and  gloomy  marsh ;  in  summer  it  looks 
like  a  sea  of  verdure.  The  Yodogawa  which  takes  its  rise  in  Lake 
Biwa  crosses  the  northern  part  of  the  city  flowing  from  east  to  west. 
After  having  formed  the  Islands  of  Nakanoshinna  and  Dojima  it 
empties  itself  into  the  gulf  of  Osaka. 

That  quarter  of  the  city  called  Kawagachi — ^a  word  which  means 
mouth — is  at  the  present  time  a  full  three  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river  though  two  hundred  years  ago  it  was  built  upon  the  sea. 
The  sand  which  the  river  carries  down  has  formed  a  great  bar :  near- 
by are  dangerous  whirlpools.  An  American  admiral  about  thirty 
years  ago  attempted  to  pass  them  and  enter  the  river.  He  paid 
dearly  for  his  temerity:  the  boat  with  its  crew  of  twenty  men  disap- 
peared in  the  boiling  mass  of  water  and  all  on  board  were  lost. 

The  Yodogawa  feeds  about  twenty  large  canals  and  a  multitude  of 
small  ones  which  flow  through  all  parts  of  the  city.  These  canals 
extend  in  straight  lines  to  all  points  of  the  compass,  intersecting  at 
right  angles.  They  are  especially  numerous  in  the  western  section 
of  the  city,  the  portion  devoted  to  business.  They  greatly  facilitate 
the  transportation  of  merchandise  in  a  country  which  is  so  poorly 
supplied  with  beasts  of  burden.  It  is  impossible  to  count  the  craft 
of  all  kinds  which  ply  upon  the  canals  and  the  Yodogawa ;  in  seeming 
great  confusion  vessels,  large  and  small,  are  moored  to  both  banks,  a 
small  channel  only  being  left  for  passage.  On  account  of  these  canals 
Osaka  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  cities  of  Holland.  It  has  even 
been  compared  to  Venice;  however,  the  contrast  between  the  small 


OSAKA  103 

houses  of  the  Japanese  city  and  the  marble  palaces  of  the  city  by  the 
Adriatic  is  too  great  to  permit  the  comparison.  The  banks  of  tlie 
river  and  canals  are  fortified  by  a  succession  of  stone  piers;  at  inter- 
vals pairs  of  stairs  facilitate  communication  between  the  water  and 
the  land  above,  and  an  almost  incredible  number  of  bridges  of  all 
sizes  span  the  waterways  of  Osaka.  Persons  whose  word  may  be  im- 
plicitly relied  upon,  have  aflBrmed  that  they  have  counted  four  thous- 
and of  them.  Many  of  these  bridges  are  not  at  all  inferior  to  the 
best  ones  of  our  American  cities.  The  Temmabashi  and  the  Tenjin- 
bashi  are  six  hundred  feet  long.  The  two  new  railway  bridges  which 
are  being  built  for  the  Kobe  and  Kioto  lines  have  twenty-four  arches 
and  are  two  thousand  four  hundred  feet  in  length.  The  pieces  of 
iron  used  in  their  construction  were  brought  all  the  way  from  the 
United  States.  The  lack  of  blast  furnaces  has  prevented  the  Japanese 
from  utilizing  up  to  the  present  time  the  iron  ore  which  is  to  be  found 
in  their  country.  The  first  furnace  was  built  last  year  near  Moji  in 
the  Kyushu. 

4- 

The  streets  of  Osaka  are  long,  straight  and  regular  but  in  general 
are  narrow  and  without  sidewalks.  They  run  in  a  direction  parallel 
to  the  canals  and  like  the  latter  intersect  at  right  angles.  They  are 
not  paved,  but  this  does  not  greatly  matter  for  the  carriages  are  small 
and  are  drawn  by  men.  In  this  commercial  metropolis  of  the  extreme 
East  the  almost  total  absence  of  four-footed  beasts  of  burden  is  a 
fact  to  be  remarked.  Donkeys  are  as  rare  as  the  phenix.  As  to 
horses  only  the  artillery  of  the  imperial  garrison  can  afford  the  luxury 
of  possessing  them  and  then  they  are  small  and  weak  compared  to 
the  western  animals  of  the  same  kind.  Their  head,  it  is  true,  has 
a  certain  grace  of  contour  but  their  gait  is  everything  which  is  most 
awkward;  this  is  due  to  the  fact  that  in  the  country  their  feet  are 
shod  with  straw.  It  is  with  great  difficulty  that  the  military  authori- 
ties can  find  blacksmiths  able  to  make  iron  horse-shoes. 

It  is  useless  to  look  for  cabs,  omnibuses  or  street  cars  in  Osaka. 
The  streets  are  as  a  rule  too  narrow  to  permit  the  use  of  such  means 
of  conveyance.  However,  narrow  as  they  are,  they  are  obstructed  by 
telegraph  poles  and  wires  like  the  streets  of  our  own  cities. 

Bicycles  are  very  numerous.  They  whirl  by  day  and  night,  now 
traversing  quiet  back  streets,  or  again,  speeding  harmlessly  through 
crowded  narrow  thoroughfares.  Soldiers,  manufacturers,  students, 
bank  clerks,  professional  men,  everybody,  in  a  word,  rides  save  the 


104  MISSIONS   IN  ASIA 

Little  Brothers  of  Mary  who,  as  good  religious,  still  cling  to  the  car- 
riage of  St.  Francis. 

Are  you  hurried  or  fatigued  and  do  you  wish  to  ride  to  your  desti- 
nation? With  a  word  or  a  gesture  you  may  hail  a  Kurumaya  (man- 
horse  or  horse-man).  He  runs  up  with  his  miniature  chariot,  makes 
a  bow  and  lowers  his  shafts,  then  you  climb  to  the  one  small  seat, 
just  large  enough  to  receive  a  guest  of  ordinary  size,  draw  a  robe 
about  your  knees,  name  the  place  you  desire  to  reach  and  off  goes 
your  "horse,"  striking  into  a  little  trot.  Winter  and  summer,  rain 
or  shine,  they  are  all  one  to  him,  or  rather,  I  mistake;  rainy  weather 
is  the  most  favorable  to  his  particular  business,  for  then  everybody 
takes  a  huruma  and  the  day's  receipts  are  increased  in  consequence. 

When  forty  years  old  a  Kurumaya  is  worn  out,  and  yet  many  of 
these  unhappy  creatures  love  the  kind  of  life  they  lead,  for  they 
might  often,  if  they  so  wished,  change  their  occupation  to  one  perhaps 
more  lucrative  and  certainly  easier  and  more  healthful ;  however  they 
like  too  much  the  freedom  from  all  restraint  which  they  enjoy  to  give 
it  up. 

The  first  time  a  foreigner  sees  these  men  yoked  to  a  cart  like 
beastSi  puflfing  and  sweating  from  their  exertions,  he  is  apt  to  exper- 
ience a  feeling  of  disgust  and  to  refuse  out  of  respect  for  the  human 
species  to  permit  himself  to  be  drawn  in  their  carriages.  This  feeling 
passes  away  in  time,  however,  as  he  becomes  familiar  with  a  mode 
of  transit  which  is  fairly  rapid  and  very  economical.  In  the  end  he 
rides  through  compassion  for  these  poor  wretches  in  order  that  he 
may  give  them  a  few  pennies. 

At  present  on  account  of  the  advent  of  railroads  the  Kurumaya 
has  lost  much  of  his  importance :  formerly,  however,  he  furnished  the 
ordinary  mode  of  transportation  from  one  part  of  the  empire  to 
another.  The  same  man  will  drag  his  carriage  with  its  occupant  all 
day,  keeping  up  a  steady  trot.  At  noon  and  again  at  the  fall  of  even- 
ing he  will  pause  and  hastily  swallow  a  bowl  of  rice  seasoned  with 
rotten  apples.  Upon  the  following  morning  at  daybreak  he  takes 
up  his  course  again  and  so  on  as  long  as  the  journey  lasts.  This  is 
heroic  endurance  to  be  rewarded  at  the  rate  of  forty  cents  a  day. 

Some  years  ago  Mgr.  Osouf,  archbishop  of  Tokio,  traveled  in  this 
manner  throughout  the  north  of  Japan  while  making  a  pastoral 
visitation.  The  journey  lasted  fifteen  days  and  during  that  time  he 
was  drawn  by  no  one  else  but  the  porter  of  the  archbishop's  residence 


OSAKA  105 

who  refused  to  share  with  another  the  honor  of  being  His  Grace's 
Kurumaya. 

Merchandise  is  transported  upon  small  two-wheeled  carts  drawn 
by  men,  two  of  whom  go  before  and  two  behind.  Nothing  is  so 
strange  as  the  plaintive  cries  uttered  in  an  unvarying  monotone  which 
come  from  these  men  as  they  perform  their  work.  One  would  fancy 
that  they  were  about  to  die,  that  each  breath  as  it  passes  from  their 
body  was  the  last.  On  the  contrary,  however,  they  are  cries  of  en- 
couragement 

The  streets  of  Osaka  are  always  crowded  with  a  busy  throng.  At 
certain  periods  of  the  day  the  hustle  is  so  great  that  the  police  are 
obliged  as  a  measure  of  prudence,  to  prohibit  the  Kurumaya  from 
plying  his  trade. 

The  houses  are  built  mainly  of  wood  with  movable  windows  and 
doors  which  slide  backward  and  forward  in  grooves  and  are  so  ar- 
ranged that  when  all  are  open  the  interior  of  a  dwelling  is  entirely 
exposed  to  the  outer  air.  American  and  Bussian  petroleum,  gas  and 
electricity  are  used  for  lighting  purposes.  To  obtain  heat  the  Japa- 
nese employ  small  braziers  which  contain  half  a  dozen  coals.  The 
houses  of  Osaka  are  very  low  and  gloomy.  This  is  the  effect  of  an 
old  superstition:  Tukugami,  the  god  of  wealth,  it  is  said,  is  best 
pleased  when  worshipped  in  an  obscure  place.  The  land  upon  which 
the  city  is  built  is  low,  hence  it  will  be  readily  understood  that  the 
public  health  leaves  much  to  be  desired:  Osaka  is  peculiarly  sus- 
ceptible to  epidemics  of  cholera  and  other  malignant  diseases.  For- 
tunately the  evil  bears  with  it  its  own  remedy.  The  police  at  stated 
intervals  give  the  streets  a  thorough  cleansing  and  at  the  same  time 
superintend  the  cleansing  of  the  dwellings  in  all  parts  of  the  city. 
Mats  are  beaten  and  the  dust  which  is  obtained  is  gathered  up  and 
taken  away  while  debris  of  every  kind  is  burned. 

The  houses  which  have  been  recently  built  are  higher  and  better 
in  every  way  than  those  of  older  date;  one  may  now  see  veritable 
palaces  of  stone  which  would  add  beauty  to  the  finest  cities  of  the 
United  States. 

Fires  are  of  infrequent  occurrence  at  Osaka;  when  they  do  break 
out,  the  rapidity  with  which  they  are  subdued  is  extraordinary.  This 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  city  possesses  an  efficient  pumping  station 
which  is  situated  at  the  highest  point  of  the  old  castle.  It  draws 
water  from  the  river  and  by  reason  of  its  altitude  secures  a  high  pres- 
sure at  the  hydrants. 


IDG  MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

The  stores  arc  very  numerous  and  line  both  sides  of  many  streets 
in  an  uninterruptod  succession.  The  front  part  of  these  shops  opens 
directly  upon  the  street,  being  without  a  wall,  doors  or  windows. 
Throughout  the  whole  year  the  commercial  district  presents  an  aspect 
of  feverish  activity;  cases  of  merchandise  come  and  go  by  the  hun- 
dreds. Osaka  is  the  market  place  for  the  entire  central  and  western 
portions  of  Japan. 

Merchants  group  themselves  according  to  the  business  in  which 
they  are  engaged.  One  street  for  example  is  given  up  entirely  to 
shops  dealing  in  drugs,  where  all  kinds  of  pharmaceutical  supplies 
may  be  obtained;  another  is  devoted  to  porcelains,  another  to  dry 
goods,  to  workers  in  bronze,  etc.  Upon  the  bank  of  the  river  near 
Kawagaehi  is  the  fish  market.  Every  morning  from  six  to  eight 
o'clock  is  here  displayed  for  sale  every  variety  of  fish.  Our  seas  are 
wonderfully  rich. 

4* 

The  city  is  also  divided  into  sections  according  to  the  occupations 
of  the  inhabitants.  To  the  northeast  near  the  castle  are  the  military 
schools  and  a  garrison  of  twenty  thousand  men.  Upon  the  heights 
to  tlie  east  and  southeast  are  situated  a  number  of  Buddhist  temples; 
this  section  is  called  Teramachi  (city  of  temples).  Upon  all  sides, 
to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  before  and  behind,  one  sees  as  one  looks, 
nothing  but  temples,  many  of  them  of  great  size,  and  all  surrounded 
by  flowers  and  trees.  The  largest  of  these  is  called  Tcnnoji  (temple 
of  the  king  of  heaven).  It  dates  back  to  the  time  of  Prince  Shotoku, 
the  Constantine  of  Japanese  Buddhism  (about  600  A.  D.).  For  a 
saint,  the  prince  had  a  singular  character.  The  Emperor  Sujun 
was  a  firm  adherent  of  the  religion  already  established  in  his  kingdom 
for  he  feared  the  resentment  of  the  KamU;  Shotoku  wished  him  to 
favor  'the  new  cult  which  had  been  introduced  from  China  by  way  of 
Korea.  But  the  Emperor  would  not,  so  the  young  prince,  an  ardent 
disciple  of  Buddha,  discovered  that  his  sovereign  had  been  guilty 
during  his  past  life  of  murders  and  other  crimes.  As  a  punishment, 
he  assassinated  him  and  then  placed  upon  the  throne  a  princess  who 
was  willing  to  second  Shotoku  in  anything  he  might  wish  to  do;  in 
this  manner  the  triumph  of  Buddhism  was  brought  about  in  Japan. 

Tn  the  court  of  the  temple  a  pagoda  is  built  which  is  200  feet  high. 
The  top  of  this  building  is  the  most  elevated  point  in  Osaka.  One 
looking  forth  from  this  position  sees  the  city  as  an  immense  field  of 
low-lying  roofs  out  of  which  rises  a  forest  of  tall  chimneys  belonging 


OSAKA  107 

to  modern  factories.  These  and  cotton  mills  have  multiplied  in  an 
extraordinary  manner  during  the  past  ten  years.  Cotton-spinning  is 
the  principal  industry  of  Osaka.  The  city  is  also  celebrated  for  the 
manufacture  of  muslins,  paper,  musical  instruments,  and  articles  in 
brass;  it  has  besides  an  arsenal  in  which  cannon  and  all  the  instru- 
ments of  war  are  made. 

A  belt  line  of  railroad  connects  the  extremities  of  the  city  and 
facilitates  communication  between  them.  Besides  this  road  there 
are  many  large  ones  which  make  Osaka  their  terminus.  There  are 
no  less  than  fourteen  stations  in  different  parts  of  the  city;  that  M 
the  North  called  Umeda,  is  the  largest  and  finest  in  the  extreme  E»i.  t. 

In  the  first  fever  of  trade,  the  people  of  Osaka,  who  are  so  practical 
in  many  things,  forgot  to  make  provision  for  the  ornamentation  of 
their  city :  there  are  no  public  places  and  no  parks,  except  the  gardens 
of  Teromochi,  and  the  only  monuments  are  the  telegraph  poles.  When 
it  is  too  late  the  citizens  will  want  to  repair  the  effects  of  their  thought- 
lessness, but  then  no  space  will  be  left  within  the  limits  of  the  city 
large  enough  to  be  used  for  purposes  of  civic  adornment.  One  must 
go  into  the  country-af  one  wishes  to  find  parks:  to  the  south  of  the 
city  are  the  gardens  of  the  great  temple  Sumiyoski  while  to  the  north 
lies  the  picturesque  valley  of  Mino. 

The  Church  at   Osaka.— Progress   of  the  faith.— A  summary   of 
the  civil  and  religious  history  of  Japan. 

Osaka  has  always  been  known  as  a  city  of  pleasure.  The  rich  and 
populous  section  named  Dotonibori,  is  almost  exclusively  given  to 
theatres.  Here  plays  and  representations  succeed  each  other  without 
pause  day  after  day,  going  on  continually  from  morning  to  evening 
and  from  evening  to  morning.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the 
Gospel  had  made  so  little  progress  among  a  people  given  up  to  a  great 
extent  to  sensuality.  The  diocese  of  Osaka  is  made  up  of  four  thou- 
sand three  hundred  Catholics,  while  the  total  population  within  its 
limits  is  thirteen  millions  of  souls;  there  are  in  the  city  of  Osaka 
three  parishes  with  only  a  thousand  of  the  faithful. 

There  are  other  obstacles  to  the  progress  of  the  true  faith.  Japan 
is  just  now  passing  through  a  period  of  transition;  the  old  order 
has  disappeared  and  the  new  is  fashioned  entirely  according  to  West- 
em  ideas.  Public  attention  is  centered  upon  political  and  social 
reorganization ;  no  one  has  time  to  bother  about  his  soul.  It  should  be 
mentioned  also  that  for  the  past  fifteen  years  a  reactionary  spirit 
against  everything  foreign  has  been  visible  in  different  parts  of  the 


108  MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

country.  It  has  not  been  powerful  enough  to  check  political  and 
civil  evolution  but  it  has  very  effectually  arrested  any  general  move- 
ment towards  the  Church.  In  addition,  the  part  which  Prance  took 
in  the  expulsion  of  the  Japanese  from  Manchuria  after  the  Japanese 
war  has  resulted  in  bringing  Catholic  missionaries  into  disfavor. 
Nevertheless  the  progress  of  the  faith  is  constant  and  real;  the  grain 
of  mustard  seed  will  become  in  time  the  great  tree  of  which  the 
Gospel  speaks;  for  the  Japanese  are  still  the  intelligent  people  that 
St.  Francis  Xavier  found  in  the  XVI  Century  in  these  islands,  and 
the  good  dispositions  which  were  shown  then  will  be  shown  anew  at 
the  time  designed  by  divine  Providence. 

4- 

The  castle  of  Osaka  is  the  marvel  of  Japan.  To  do  justice  to  this 
structure  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  recourse  to  history,  for  what  is 
seen  to-day  is  only  the  shadow  of  the  former  grandeur  of  this  building. 
And  since  we  are  going  to  consult  history  let  us  begin  at  the  begin- 
ning. Long,  long  ago,  before  the  golden  age,  the  bronze  age,  the  iron 
age,  even  before  the  age  of  stone,  in  a  word,  in  the  time  of  the  gods, 
Amaterasu  Amikami,  the  great  goddess  who  illumines  the  world  gave 
birth  in  the  high  vault  of  heaven  to  Amatsuhiko  hoho  minigi  no 
smikoto,  that  is  to  say,  to  His  Majesty,  son  of  the  sun,  high  prince, 
golden  abundance  of  ears  of  rice.  She  sent  him  to  govern  the  vast 
expanse  of  earth  which  stretches  beneath  the  firmament. 

"  I  make  you  ruler  *'  said  she  "  over  the  plains  clothed  with  luxu- 
riant reed,  over  the  country  rich  in  fresh  ears  of  rice.  You  and  the 
emperors,  your  descendants,  shall  rule  in  the  land,  and  the  prosperity 
of  your  throne  shall  be  eternal  as  the  duration  of  heaven  and  earth 
is  eternal." 

She  spoke  and  the  celestial  emperor,  accompanied  by  a  glittering 
court,  descended  from  heaven  and  touched  earth  upon  the  summit  of 
Kirishimayama,  a  mountain  to  the  south  of  Kuishu,  where  the 
people  to  this  day  show  to  pious  pilgrims  the  imprint  which  was  made 
in  the  rock  when  His  Heavenly  Majesty's  foot  first  smote  the  land 
of  Japan.  His  son  espoused  Toyotama  him,  princess  of  the  sea,  who 
was  none  other  than  a  crocodile  according  to  the  Kojiki,  the  oldest 
Japanese  book,  which  was  written  in  the  year  712  B.  C.  On  the 
other  hand  Nihonghi,  written  in  720  claims  that  she  was  a  dragon. 
Between  two  such  respectable  but  contradictory  authorities  the  critic 
dares  not  attempt  to  decide. 

Jimmon  Tenno  (celestial  sovereign  of  divine  valor),  grandson  of 


OSAKA  109 

the  princess  mentioned  above^  and  founder  of  the  Japanese  empire, 
became  dissatisfied  with  Kuishu — it  was  too  small  for  his  swelling 
ambitions — ^so  he  gathered  his  faithful  followers  about  him,  crossed 
the  seas,  disembarked  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yodogawa  and  raised  a 
temple  upon  the  summit  of  the  neighboring  hill,  where  was  to  be 
built  later  the  castle  of  Hideyoski.  Thus  was  Osaka  cradled.  Soon 
the  emperor  set  out  upon  the  conquest  of  central  Japan  and  the  city 
was  left  for  a  long  time  in  obscurity  and  neglect.  During  the  fourth 
century  of  the  Christian  era  the  emperor  Nintokon  established  his 
residence  there  and  thenceforth  for  many  generations  it  was  the  capi- 
tal. For  centuries  the  city  was  engaged  in  a  struggle  of  supremacy 
with  Sakai,  a  seaport  with  a  more  favorable  situation.  During  the 
civil  wars  of  the  fifteenth  century  the  latter  city  fell  into  the  power 
of  a  bonze  who  built  a  citadel  upon  one  of  its  hills  and  terrorized 
the  country  for  miles  around.  The  influence  of  Sakai  steadily  waned 
afterward. 


During  the  fifteenth  centur}'  the  power  of  the  bonzes  was  at  its 
highest.  Their  monasteries  became  fortresses  fortified  by  high  stone 
ramparts  and  surrounded  by  deep  moats.  Their  arsenals  were  filled 
with  arms.  Safe  within  their  protecting  walls  they  chanted  hymns 
before  sumptuously  ornamented  altars,  drank  sake,  gorged  themselves 
with  good  food,  plotted  treason  and  incited  civil  wars,  when  it  was  to 
their  own  interest,  and  escaped  all  the  consequences  of  their  actions  by 
the  reverence  which  the  people  entertained  for  their  sacred  characters. 
The  chief  stronghold  of  these  priests  was  situated  at  Hiyeizan  upon 
Lake  Biwa.  As  many  as  three  thousand  temples  were  built  here  with 
a  great  number  of  other  monuments. 

The  bonzes  were  finally  conquered  by  Nobunaga,  the  powerful  chief 
of  Owari  (1534-1582),  by  whom  Japan  was  pacified  and  unified.  He 
made  himself  master  of  the  central  part  of  Hondo  and  extended  his 
protection  to  Catholic  missionaries.  His  projects  were  opposed  by 
the  bonzes  who  did  not  wish  the  restoration  of  good  order.  Nobunaga 
resolved  to  wipe  them  out  and  marched  against  Hiyeizan.  Then  he 
laid  siege  to  Osaka.  The  citadel  was  formed  of  ?iwe  enclosures,  each 
fortified  by  a  stockade.  For  two  months  the  struggle  had  continued, 
the  besiegers  advancing  little  by  little  until  only  two  of  the  inner 
fortifications  remained  uncaptured.  Twenty  thousand  bonzes  had 
perished.  The  survivors  in  order  to  escape  the  fate  of  their  compan- 
ions surrendered  and  their  lives  were  spared.     But  they  never  after- 


110  MISSIONS   IN  ASIA 

wards  recovered  from  the  blow  which  they  had  received ;  their  power 
was  broken.  The  bonzes  have  ever  since  regarded  their  conqueror  as 
a  demon  incarnate  who  was  sent  to  earth  to  destroy  their  faith. 

Nobunaga  was  assassinated  in  1582.  Toyotomi  Hideyoshi,  the  first 
of  his  generals,  succeeded  him  and  took  the  now  famous  name  of 
Taikosama.  He  continued  the  work  of  pacification  which  had  been 
inaugurated  by  Nobunaga,  his  great  ambition  being  to  surpass  his 
former  master  in  all  things.  As  the  latter  had  built  a  castle  upon  the 
shores  of  Lake  Biwa  more  magnificent  than  any  ever  before  seen  in 
Japan^  Hideyoshi  resolved  to  raise  a  grander  one.  He  determined 
to  make  Osaka  the  site  of  the  structure  he  contemplated,  for  this  city 
was  the  key  to  the  whole  country. 

Previously  Osaka  had  occupied  the  right  bank  of  the  Yodogawa. 
Hideyoshi  chose  the  left  as  the  place  upon  which  to  rear  his  fortress. 
The  very  spot  upon  which  Jimmon  Tenna  had  built  his  temple  was 
made  the  center  of  the  castle.  This  was  rectangular  in  shape  and 
covered  an  area  of  nearly  eight  miles.  It  contained  three  interior 
fortifications,  each  of  which  was  surrounded  by  a  ravine  one  hundred 
feet  deep  and  three  hundred  feet  wide  and  further  protected  by  a 
massive  rampart  75  feet  high ;  over  all  rose  a  series  of  towers  some  of 
which  attained  great  height.  At  the  very  center  Hideyoshi  built  a 
palace  for  himself.  Close  by  was  placed  a  lofty  tower  from  which  the 
emperor  could  command  a  view  of  the  surrounding  city.  To  hasten 
these  works  he  brought  laborers  from  all  parts  of  the  country;  as 
many  as  sixty  thousand  were  present  at  one  time.  Within  two  years 
all  his  designs  were  finished.  Everything  succeeded  with  Hideyoshi. 
He  had  arrived  at  the  summit  of  his  greatness.  Never  had.  a  monarch 
held  such  undisputed  sway  in  Japan  as  he.  The  empire  which  he 
had  conquered  enjoyed  peace  within  and  respect  without.  China  was 
vanquished  in  battle  and  its  ambassadors  came  to  sue  for  peace,  some- 
thing never  before  heard  of.  The  emperor  was  not  ignorant  of  the 
truths  of  our  faith.  Pride  and  passion,  however,  choked  his  better 
impulses.  "  One  thing  alone  ^^  he  said  to  missionaries,  "  prevents  me 
from  becoming  a  Christian.  Permit  me  to  keep  as  many  wives  as  I 
choose  and  I  will  be  baptized  tomorrow.^^ 

His  passions  and  the  desire  which  he  cherished  of  being  ranked  as 
a  god  made  of  him  a  persecutor  of  the  religion  which  he  admired. 
It  is  he  who  crucified  the  twenty-six  martyrs  of  Nagasaki  who  have 
been  canonized  by  the  church. 

A  day  of  adversity  at  length  dawned  for  Hideyoshi.     As  he  was 


OSAKA  111 

contemplating  with  pride  the  magnificence  of  the  works  he  had 
planned  and  executed,  suddenly  the  earth  trembled  beneath  his  feet, 
the  crashing  of  thunder  was  heard  and  strange  moanings  came  forth 
as  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  Osaka  and  Kioto  were  left  a  mass 
of  ruins  by  the  earthquake.  Within  the  short  space  of  a  half  hour  the 
palace  of  the  prince  was  laid  low,  a  shapeless  heap  of  masonry.  The 
haughty  emperor  fled  for  his  life  carrying  his  eon  in  his  arms ;  seven 
hundred  of  his  concubines  were  buried  beneath  the  fallen  stones.  The 
number  who  perished  throughout  Japan  in  this  catastrophe  was 
enormous.  It  is  said,  however,  that  not  a  single  Christian  was  killed. 
"  It  is  certain,"  remarks  Charlevoix,  ^'  that  while  all  the  other  houses 
upon  one  side  of  a  street  in  Sakai  were  destroyed,  that  of  a  Christian 
in  which  the  faithful  were  accustomed  to  gather  for  prayer,  alone  re- 
mained standing  and  received  no  damage.'' 

Hideyoshi,  who  was  obliged  to  live  in  a  tent  for  many  days,  cried 
out,  it  is  said,  that  God  had  justly  punished  him  for  daring  to  attempt 
what  was  beyond  mortal  power  to  accomplish.  But  his  remorse  car- 
ried him  no  further.  His  heart  was  hardened  as  that  of  Pharoah. 
When  the  earth  became  tranquil  and  the  sea  returned  within  its 
accustomed  bounds  he  rebuilt  his  palace. 

Hideyoshi  had  only  one  son,  named  also  Hideyoshi,  six  years  of 
age.  To  secure  the  succession  the  father  appointed  a  council  of  re- 
gency and  at  its  head  placed  Dyeyasu,  a  powerful  chief  of  Yedo,  to 
whom  he  had  already  given  the  hand  of  his  daughter.  Hardly  had 
the  old  emperor  closed  his  eyes  in  death  (1598)  when  Dyeyasu  with- 
drew from  his  colleagues  and  announced  that  he  would  reign  alone  in 
Japan.  The  bloody  battle  of  Sekigahara  established  his  ascendency 
over  the  country :  he  was. lord  of  it  all,  save  only  Osaka  which  remained 
faithful  to  Hideyoshi. 

Fourteen  years  passed.  The  eaglet  of  Osaka  longed  to  try  his  new- 
grown  wings  and  sent  word  to  all  who  were  discontented  with  tlic 
new  regime — and  they  were  many — to  rally  round  his  standards.  The 
Christians  had  little  to  hope  for  from  the  young  prince  who  was 
superstitious  and  an  ardent  devotee  of  idol  worship,  but  they  had  less 
to  fear  from  him  than  Dyeyasu.  They  therefore  supported  Hideyoshi. 
The  usurper  appeared  suddenly  before  Osaka  at  the  head  of  two  hun- 
dred thousand  men ;  so  rapid  had  his  movements  been  that  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  city  scarcely  had  time  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  provisions  and 
prepare  for  a  siege  (24  December,  IGll).     The  besiegers  made  many 


112  *   MISSIONS   IN  ASIA 

attacks  but  were  always  repulsed;  the  fighting  was  so  violent  that  in 
less  than  seven  weeks  thirty  thousand  men  had  perished.  A  truce  was 
made  and  Dyeyasu  withdrew,  intending,  however,  to  renew  the  contest 
whenever  an  opportunity  favorable  to  him  presented  itself.  When  the 
Christians  saw  the  man  they  dreaded  in  retreat  they  supposed  that  he 
was  completely  conquered  and  permitted  joy  which  such  belief  engen- 
dered to  become  evident.  This  was  sufficient  to  cause  the  promul- 
gation of  fresh  edicts,  pitiless  in  their  severity,  which  condemned  to 
torture  and  death  all  followers  of  Christ  without  distinction  of  con- 
dition, age  or  sex.  (February,  1615.)  The  persecution  continued 
unabated  until  there  were  no  more  of  the  faithful  to  be  martyred. 

In  the  meanwhile  Dyeyasu  levied  fresh  troops  in  all  parts  of  the 
country;  Hideyoshi,  also,  made  preparations  for  a  final  battle.  On 
the  third  of  June,  1615,  the  greatest  military  engagement  in  the  his- 
tory of  Japan  took  place  beneath  the  walls  of  Osaka.  Fortune  at 
first  favored  Hideyoshi  and  his  battalions  were  successful  in  beating 
back  the  front  ranks  of  the  enemy.  Victory  seemed  within  his  grasp 
when  suddenly  the  city  in  his  rear  was  enveloped  in  flames.  Dyeyasu 
had  caused  these  fires  to  be  kindled  by  placing  spies  among  the  gar- 
rison of  Osaka.  Hideyoshi,  alarmed  at  the  turn  events  had  taken, 
hastened  to  carry  his  family  and  treasures  to  a  place  of  safety.  Part 
of  his  troops  followed  him ;  the  remainder  became  panic-stricken  and 
fled  in  utter  confusion.  The  conqueror  ended  the  day  by  ordering  a 
general  massacre  of  the  routed  soldiers.  The  carnage  was  fearful; 
a  himdred  thousand  bodies  lay  scattered  upon  the  plain  when  even- 
ing at  length  put  a  stop  to  the  butchery. 

Hideyoshi  succeeded  in  escaping  with  a  few  faithful  Samurai  and 
took  refuge  at  Kyushu  where  we  will  leave  him.  It  is  said  that  one 
of  his  children,  a  boy  of  seven,  was  captured  and  taken  before  Dyeyasu. 
Far  from  appearing  disconcerted  in  the  presence  of  his  father^s  con- 
queror, the  lad  accused  him  of  usurpation  and  reproached  him  bitterly, 
then,  before  it  could  be  prevented,  stabbed  himself  to  death.  As  he 
fell  to  the  floor,  Dyeyasu,  looking  down  upon  him,  said  sneeringly: 

"  Hideyoshi  was  devoted  to  the  gods.  What  good  has  it  done  him  ? 
I  have  never  expended  a  penny  in  the  worship  of  any  divinity  and  yet 
I  am  master  of  the  Empire." 

Nobunaga,  Hideyoshi  and  Dyeyasu  are  the  three  greatest  names  in 
Japanese  history.  The  two  first  paved  the  way  for  the  third.  They 
unified  and  pacified  the  country  which  had  been  distracted  by  the 
jealousies  of  three  centuries  of  feudalism.     Dyeyasu  received  their 


OSAKA  113 

heritage  and  transmitted  it  to  his  descendants,  who  held  it  in  their 
possession  for  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight  years. 

Nobunaga,  endowed  with  clear  vision,  understood  the  true  interests 
of  Japan  and  wished  to  enter  into  the  concert  of  European  nations. 
He  would  probably  have  done  so  and  given  to  his  country  the  advan- 
tage of  Christian  religion  and  civilization  had  not' the  hand  of  an 
assasmn  brought  his  career  to  a  sudden  close.  Dyeyasu  was  undoubt- 
edly a  successful  soldier,  but  his  administration  of  affairs  was  detest- 
able. He  inaugurated  the  retrograde  movement  whereby  Japan  cut 
herself  off  from  all  other  nations  and  retired  within  herself,  so  to 
speak,  as  an  oyster  within  its  shell.  He  is  to  be  blamed  for  the  fact 
that  in  progress  the  country  was  until  recently  three  centuries  behind 
the  west. 

The  castle  of  Osaka  escaped  the  great  conflagration  of  1615.  It 
was  destroyed  later  however  by  the  troops  of  Shogan  at  the  beginning 
of  the  War  of  the  Bestoration  (1860).  Only  the  third  enclosure  re- 
mains at  the  present  day.  Upon  the  spot  where  the  lofty  central 
tower  used  to  stand  is  now  placed  the  pumping-station,  and  nearby 
is  the  cannon  which  is  daily  discharged  exactly  at  noon. 

Eyolution  of  ideas.— Social  transfonnation. 

During  the  many  years  of  peace  which  followed  the  siege  of  Osaka, 
the  genius  of  the  nation  was  paralyzed.  The  vital  forces  of  the  coun- 
try dwindled  in  enforced  idleness.  The  people  of  Osaka  alone  showed 
a  little  initiative.  They  became  merchants  and  developed  a  utilitar- 
ian spirit  absolutely  opposed  to  that  which  the  Samurai  cherished. 

The  Samurai!  What  remembrances  are  called  up  by  this  word  so 
dear  to  the  Japanese  heart !  The  Samurai  was  the  chivalrous  knight 
to  whom  honor  was  all  in  all,  who  regarded  as  sacred  his  given  word, 
who  opened  his  heart  to  none  but  the  most  generous  sentiments,  who 
despised  mon^  and  held  death  in  absolute  disdain.  His  was. the  na- 
ture of  fine  potentialities,  but  uncultivated  and  almost  savage;  the 
Samurai  needed  only  to  be  influenced  by  divine  grace  to  have  become, 
like  the  Christian  knight  of  European  chivalry,  the  soldier  of  God, 
the  apostle  armed  in  defense  of  truth  and  virtue.  Such  was  the  heart 
of  the  Samurai;  such  the  neophytes  of  St.  Francis  Xavier. 

The  time  has  passed  and  the  spirit  of  Oriental  knighthood  lives  no 
longer  in  Japan.  The  revolution  of  1868  has  changed  the  face  of  the 
country.     The  customs  of  only  forty  years  ago  are  now  antiquated. 


114  MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 

Old  men  have  become  strangers  in  their  own  native  country.  The 
transformation  of  manners  and  the  change  of  sentiment  have  occurred 
with  extraordinary  rapidity ;  everything  is  different  from  what  it  used 
to  be,  ideas,  principles,  laws,  even  language.  The  Japanese  have  be- 
come eminently  practical.  Other  times,  other  manners.  They  have 
developed  a  wonderful  facility  in  imitation  and  adaptation.  When 
the  progress  which  has  been  made  in  forty  years  is  considered  it  is 
impossible  to  withhold  admiration  for  the  genius  of  a  people  capable  of 
accomplishing  so  much.  When  the  new  ideas  have  been  thoroughly 
assimilated  Japan  ought  to  take  high  rank  in  the  intellectual  world 
and  contribute  to  the  discoveries  and  inventions  of  the  future.  Un- 
fortunately, however,  the  Japanese  have  not  learned  to  make  haste 
slowly.  They  wish  to  do  everything  in  a  day.  But  lately  an  intelli- 
gent young  man  said  that  he  found  the  German  language  difficult  to 
acquire  because  after  the  first  lesson  he  could  not  read  and  write  it 
readily.  The  Japanese  of  to-day  may  be  said  to  resemble  overgrown 
children  in  whom  are  all  sorts  of  qualities,  both  good  and  bad,  none  of 
which  however  are  well  developed.  This  is  of  course  the  character  of 
every  epoch  of  transition.  It  was  the  instability  of  the  Japanese  peo- 
ple which  brought  forth  from  Bishop  Cousin,  the  oldest  missionary 
in  the  country,  the  following  remark: 

"  Here  things  are  never  so  bad  or  so  good  as  they  appear  to  be. 
Hence  it  is  quite  useless  to  be  over-an^fious  about  the  former  or  rely 
too  much  on  the  latter." 

Material  development.— Hopes  for  the  future.— Education.—A  few 

statistics. 

The  city  of  Osaka  appeared  to  be  very  little  affected  by  the  move- 
ment which  is  agitating  the  rest  of  the  country.  In  reality  it  had  no 
transformation  to  undergo.  It  has  always  been  given  to  trade  and 
now  has  only  to  continue  in  the  accustomed  way.  Up  to  the  present 
it  has  led  a  separate  existence,  so  to  speak,  but  now  that  the  Empire  of 
the  Sun  has  turned  with  avidity  to  commerce  and  industry  Osaka  by 
force  of  circumstances  takes  the  lead  in  the  new  movement.  In  order 
to  succeed  this  city  will  undergo  any  expense.  In  March,  1903,  a 
great  national  industrial  exposition  was  opened  in  which  the  whole 
world  was  invited  to  take  part.  Manufacturers  of  all  nations  were 
requested  to  exhibit  machines  and  other  objects  which  might  be  used 
in  the  development  of  Japan.  By  means  of  this  exposition  Osaka 
hopes  to  double  its  business,  which  is  already  great;    last  year  it 


OSAKA  115 

amounted  to  500  millions  of  yen  ($250,000,000).  The  commerce  of 
the  city  will  be  greatly  increased  by  the  vast  improvements  which  are 
being  made  in  the  harbor.  The  docks  have  not  always  been  as  they  are 
at  present,  nearly  three  miles  from  the  city.  Three  hundred  years  ago 
nearly  all  the  houses  were  built  about  the  castle  of  Hideyoshi;  but  as 
the  sea  receded  Osaka  followed.  In  a  few  years  the  Yodogawa  will 
empty  into  the  ocean  through  a  new  outlet. 

Three  things  have  prevented  Osaka  from  becoming  a  great  seaport; 
the  unprotected  condition  of  its  harbor  which  is  open  to  the  ocean,  the 
want  of  ruggedness  in  the  surrounding  coast,  and  the  lack  of  depth  of 
water  due  to  sand  continually  washed  down  by  the  Yodogawa.  To 
overcome  these  difficulties  an  immense  breakwater  nearly  10  miles  in 
length  is  to  be  constructed ;  it  will  enclose  space  enough  to  contain  the 
fleets  of  the  world.  Then  the  harbor  is  to  be  dredged  until  a  depth  of 
about  30  feet  is  obtained.  Finally  a  new  channel  is  to  be  dug  for  the 
Yodogawa,  that  it  may  flow  into  the  sea  at  a  point  upon  the  coast 
which  will  prevent  it  from  carrying  debris  into  the  reconstructed  port. 
The  works  which  were  commenced  about  four  years  ago  are  already 
well  advanced.  The  new  river-bed  is  finished  and  is  already  spanned 
by  two  magnificent  iron  bridges. 

The  great  breakwater  advances  steadily  every  day  towards  comple- 
tion. In  four  years  it  will  be  finished  and  the  port  open  to  the  world's 
shipping.  The  cost  will  amount  to  over  twelve  million  dollars.  But 
the  city  hopes  to  be  more  than  reimbursed  for  this  outlay,  as  it  will 
now  attract  to  itself  imports  which  formerly  entered  Japan  by  way  of 
Kobe. 

Will  these  projects  be  as  successful  as  is  expected?  If  Osaka  must 
rely  upon  the  assistance  and  sympathy  of  the  rest  of  the  country  they 
will  not.  Eightly  or  wrongly  the  people  of  this  city  bear  a  poor  repu- 
tation. They  are  said  to  be  avaricious,  to  be  given  to  speculation  and 
to  be  no  better  than  thieves.  A  thoroughly  honest  employee  is  not 
wanted;  when  his  honesty  is  detected  he  is  liable  to  be  promptly  dis- 
charged, because  when  everyone  is  untrustworthy  there  is  no  danger  of 
betrayal.  They  are  accused  of  lacking  patriotism.  It  is  true  that 
they  have  little  liking  for  military  service.  They  detest  war,  and  do 
not  attempt  to  conceal  the  fact  that  the  tranquility  of  peace  is  much 
more  to  their  taste.  These  reproaches  arise  perhaps  from  jealousy 
engendered  by  the  wealth  of  the  city,  but  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
some  of  the  accusations  are  just. 


116  MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

In  regard  to  education  the  citizens  of  Osaka  have  made  little  ad- 
vance. Their  primary  schools,  it  is  true,  are  good  and  well  attended. 
Secondary  or  grammar  schools  are  fair.  A  school  for  commercial 
training  was  f  oimded  last  year.  But  this  is  all  that  can  be  said.  The 
study  of  law  and  medicine  cannot  be  pursued  within  the  bounds  of  the 
city:  of  a  university  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term  the  people  have 
never  even  dreamed.  For  a  rich  and  enterprising  community,  made 
up  of  a  million  individuals,  this  is  not  sufficient. 

A  word  as  to  the  instruction  which  is  given  in  these  schools.  In 
those  of  the  primary  grade  reading,  writing  and  a  little  arithmetic 
are  taught  together  with  the  geography  of  Japan.  This  is  all  the 
citizens  demand :  it  was  good  enough  for  our  fathers  and  for  us,  they 
say,  let  it  suffice  for  bur  children.  A  great  difficulty  to  be  met  in 
Japanese  education  is  the  employment  of  Chinese  characters ;  it  is  one 
which  the  student  finds  hard  to  overcome.  It  takes  ten  years  of  study 
with  four  or  five  hours  of  work  a  day  to  learn  the  characters  which  are 
in  common  use  in  daily  life.  This  fact  places  the  Japanese  student 
far  behind  the  young  college  man  of  the  West. 

A  university  course  in  Japan  can  scarcely  be  completed  before  the 
age  of  thirty.  It  is  useless  to  give  way  to  these  regrets,  however. 
Owing  to  Buddhism,  Chinese  characters  have  become  an  integral  part 
of  the  Japanese  literary  language.  And  indeed  they  render  a  certain 
service  which  may  explain  the  fondness  of  the  nation  for  them.  They 
have  given  to  the  language  a  precision  which  those  of  Europe  lack. 
As  years  are  devoted  to  committing  them  to  memory  this  faculty  is 
developed  to  a  marvelous  degree.  The  study  of  them  constitutes  an 
excellent  mental  gymnastic  for  the  finding  of  different  ways  to  express 
the  same  idea;  it  is  a  good  training  for  oratory,  and  in  this  depart- 
ment the  Japanese  show  themselves  the  equal  of  the  peoples  of  the 
West.  If  they  do  not  excel  in  depth  of  thought,  they  are  more  pro- 
ficient in  the  use  of  words. 

Finally  the  Chinese  characters  have  contributed  not  a  little  to  give 
the  Japanese  that  finesse  in  little  things  which  they  possess,  that 
quickness  in  grasping  all  sides  of  a  question  as  soon  as  presented, 
keenness  in  detecting  the  slightest  flaw  in  an  argument  as  well  as  their 
marvelous  ability  to  observe  the  smallest  details  of  an  object,  an  abil- 
ity which  has  enabled  them  to  put  forth  masterpieces  of  miniature  art. 

However,  let  it  be  understood,  it  is  not  necessary  to  know  the 
Chinese  characters  in  order  to  live  in  Japan.  They  are  written  only, 
and  not  spoken.    The  spoken  language,  the  language  of  the  people,  is 


OSAKA  117 

easily  learned,  very  sonoroua  and  harmonious.     In  fact,  after  a  year's 
residence,  missionaries  speak,  preach  and  hear  confessions  in  Japanese. 

In  brief,  education  in  Japan  has  not  reached  a  high  level ;  its  schools 
are  far  below  those  of  Europe  or  the  United  States;  nevertheless  the 
prospectus  of  any  one  of  those  of  secondary  grade  reads  like  the  cata- 
logue of  a  university. 

Infitruction  is  given  in  many  branches,  but  the  treatment  is  not 
thorough.  The  Japanese  aim  at  the  curious,  the  eccentric,  and  pay 
little  attention  to  the  serious.  They  attach  an  exaggerated  importance 
to  the  natural  sciences,  especially  mathematics.  History  with  them  is 
only  a  collection  of  falsehoods  which  have  been  directed  by  Protestants 
against  the  Catholic  Church.  These  defects  which  are  common  to  the 
whole  of  Japan  are  more  noticeable  in  Osaka  than  elsewhere.  While 
students  flock  in  crowds  to  Tokio,  Kioto  and  even  to  the  little  village 
of  Yamaguchi  which  is  hidden  away  in  the  mountains  and  is  without 
communication  with  the  rest  of  the  country,  few  come  to  Osaka  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  many  lines  of  railroad  lead  there. 

However,  Osaka  shows  signs  of  an  awakening  in  the  future.  The 
sympathetic  welcome  which  the  Little  Brothers  of  Mary  have  been 
given  by  the  people  and  officials  of  the  city  proves  that  they  appreciate 
the  benefits  of  science  and  education. 

The  personnel  of  the  Catholic  mission  of  Osaka  is  as  follows :  One 
bishop,  tweniy-five  European  missionaries,  two  native  priests,  four 
Brothers  of  Mary  (of  the  College  of  St.  Stanislaus  of  Paris),  four 
seminarians,  forty  native  catechists,  sixteen  Sisters  of  the  Holy  Infant 
Jesus,  three  novices  and  three  postulants.  The  diocese  comprises 
thirty-four  parishes,  eight  churches  or  chapels  and  twenty-four  orator- 
ies in  Japanese  houses ;  four  schools,  of  which  one  is  for  boys  and  three 
are  for  girls ;  the  number  of  pupils  in  these  is  four  hundred  and  nine- 
teen. The  Brothers  have  one  high  school  with  one  hundred  students, 
five  orphanages  with  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight  inmates,  one 
hundred  and  forty-nine  children  in  the  workshops,  and  thirty-two 
nurses  in  the  hospital. 

Here  are  the  results  of  last  yearns  labors : 

Baptisms   of   adults 193 

Conversions  from  heresy 2 

Baptisms  of  children  bom  of  Pagan  parents 258 

Baptisms  of  children  born  of  Christian  parents 100 


118  MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 

Confirmations    164 

Easter   Confessions 1574 

Easter    Communions 1397 

Holy   Viaticum 34 

Extreme   Unction 55 

Marriages   40 

Deaths  and  Emigrations 779 

Twelve  months  of  hard  labor  have  brought  these  results  which,  it 
must  be  confessed,  are  not  brilliant.  However  the  missionaries  are 
content  to  work  on  without  losing  courage,  and  their  zeal  is  commen- 
surate with  the  great  task  which  the  church  has  confided  to  them. 
They  do  their  duty  and  do  not  reckon  the  cost. 

4- 

It  is  unfortunate  that  the  good  which  they  so  earnestly  desire  to  do 
cannot  be  accomplished  on  account  of  their  poverty.  Everything  has 
doubled  and  even  quadrupled  in  price.  The  money  which  the  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is  enabled  to  apportion  to  us  is  not 
sufficient  for  our  needs.  It  is  impossible  to  imdertake  new  enterprises 
and  we  may  even  be  forced  to  abandon  those  which  have  been  for  some 
time  under  way. 

In  view  of  these  facts  we  are  emboldened  to  appeal  to  the  Catholic 
world  for  assistance  to  enable  us  to  carry  on  effectually  the  work  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  Japanese  people. 


MISSIONS   IN  AFRICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  THE  UPPER  NILE 


The  two  letters  which  follow  will  have  a  peculiar  interest  for  our  readers 
because  both  were'written  by  two  American  nuns,  who  at  present  are  doing 
heroic  work  among  the  natives  of  Uganda  in  Equatorial  Africa.  The  sis- 
ter of  one  of  these  devoted  souls  is  a  woman  of  prominence  in  New  York, 
to  whom  the  letters  were  addressed,  and  in  communicating  them  to  us 
she  adds  the  earnest  wish  that  they  may  help  American  Catholics  to  real- 
ize the  part  that  some  American  priests  and  nuns  are  taking  in  our 
glorious  apostolate  and  the  help  consequently  that  should  be  extended  to 
them. 

Letter  op  Sister  M.  Marcella,  0.  S.  F., 
To  A  Friend  in  New  York. 

NsAMBYA,  Uganda,  East  Africa,  Deoombor  31,  1903. 
Deu8  del  nobis  suam  pacem! 

My  dear  friend: — Rev.  Mother  has  just  asked  rae  to  write  and 
tell  you  something  about  our  Christmas  here  in  Uganda,  as  she  has 
such  a  lot  of  letters  to  write,  and  wants  you  to  know  about  our  Mid- 
night Mass,  which  has  been  so  different  from  those  of  other  years. 

For  months  beforehand,  we  had  heard  of  the  terrible  crowd  that 
would  come  to  attend  the  Christmas  services,  and  we  had  also  heard  of 
the  savage  characteristics  of  this  crowd.  Two  of  our  elder  children 
talking  together  were  heard  to  say  "  Terese  can't  go  to  Mass  at  Mid- 
night, she  is  still  a  young  child.^'  "Ah,"  said  the  other,  "  she  can  go, 
because  she  can  pinch  very  well,  ako  she  can  bite.*'  With  these  neces- 
sary qualifications,  the  two  settled  that  Terese  could  go.  Overhearing 
many  such  conversations,  we  began  to  think  that  Midnight  Mass  was 
to  be  a  very  war-like  proceeding.  The  people  told  us  that  very  likely 
we  would  have  some  of  the  black  policemen  all  round  us  to  save  us 
from  being  trampled  to  death.  When  one  morning,  about  two  days 
before  Christmas,  we  saw  two  new  doors  being  cut  in  the  walls  of  the 
church  near  us,  we  began  to  think  the  various  terrifying  predictions 

119 


120 


MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 


must  indeed  be  true.  We  noticed  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  strange 
faces  each  day  increasing,  as  the  natives  came  from  their  far-oflE  vil- 
lages to  spend  the  Christmas  here  in  Nsambya. 

On  the  eve  of  the  feast,  Rev.  Mother  gave  us  all  our  presents  at 
supper  time,  and  then  we  put  her  to  bed.  She  slept,  much  to  our 
surprise,  for  the  screeching,  yelling  and  shouting  were  worthy  of  sav- 
ages.    Nevertheless,  she  slept,  and  at  11.30  we  called  her  to  get 


Learning  to  write. 


ready  for  the  Midnight  Mass.  It  was  a  real  African  night.  The  moon 
was  shining,  and  the  sky  was  one  mass  of  bright  stars,  yet  for  all  that, 
it  was  very  dark.  We  took  our  lantern,  and  stepped  out  into  the  road. 
There  were  chiefs  coming  along  with  their  servants  doing  the  yelling 
for  them,  and  carrying  torches  made  of  a  bundle  of  reeds  tied  together. 
As  we  passed  into  the  church  yard,  the  noise  of  our  boots  made  many 
black  faces  peer  up  from  their  barkcloth  on  the  ground,  to  have  a  look 
at  us.  All  around  the  church  were  himdreds  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren lying  down  sleeping  on  the  ground  till  the  hour  of  midnight 
drew  nigh.     It  was  a  very  queer  sight,  they  looked  like  bundles  and 


UPPER  NILE  121 

bundles  of  corpses,  until  we  saw  their  bright  eyes  and  shining  teeth. 
We  walked  around  to  one  of  the  new  doors,  the  one  on  the  women's 
side  of  the  church,  and  there  was  a  whole  line  of  some  of  the  best 
catechists  waiting  for  us.  These  men  stood  round  our  seat  all  the 
time,  so  that  we  were  not  a  bit  crushed. 

About  11.45  the  drums  began  to  beat  and  the  organ  to  play. 
The  candles  did  not  give  a  very  brilliant  light,  but  just  made  it  seem 
all  the  more  beautiful.  Once  inside,  the  Bagandas  (4,000  of  them,  in- 
side and  out)  were  very  quiet  and  pious.  There  was  a  grand  High 
Mass,  and  the  people  simply  roared  the  various  vocal  parts,  the  Kyrie 
especially,  as  they  all  knew  the  words.  Pour  priests  gave  Holy 
Communion,  and  as  soon  as  each  Baganda  had  received,  he  was  hus- 
tled out  of  the  door  near  the  Communion  rails,  thus  making  room  for 
others  to  enter  at  the  bottom  of  the  church  and  preventing  a  collision. 
You  see,  there  was  not  sufficient  room  for  all  to  be  inside  for  the  Mass, 
so  hundreds  were  sitting  outside  till  the  time  for  Holy  Communion. 
Everything  was,  however,  managed  beautifully,  and  fBW  order  inside 
was  perfect.  The  people  outside  did  try  not  to  make  a  fearful  noise, 
and  they  succeeded  pretty  well,  for  only  three  times  during  the  Mass 
had  a  Father  to  go  out  to  them. 

4- 

We  returned  to  our  Convent  about  1.30  A.  M.,  very  much  to  our 
surprise,  for  we  thought  we  should  be  in  till  nearly  breakfast  time  next 
morning.  Then  we  went  to  bed  after  a  slight  refreshment,  and  didn't 
get  up  until  it  was  nearly  time  for  the  High  Mass  of  Christmas  Day. 
I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  as  we  came  from  the  Midnight  Mass,  all  the 
people  ran  round  us  shouting  "  Kulika  Noeli,"  which  means  "  Thank 
you  for  getting  safely  over  Christmas."  Hundreds  and  himdreds 
slept  in  our  compound  that  night,  so  as  to  be  able  to  hear  Mass  the 
next  morning.  At  the  morning  Mass,  the  church  was  again  filled, 
they  know  the  number  who  entered  by  the  fact  that  every  one  must  put 
one  cowrie  shell  in  a  bag  which  the  watchmen  have  at  the  door. 

After  the  Mass,  we  came  home,  besieged  by  the  crowds  for  their  pres- 
ents, which  they  most  certainly  expected,  and  they  looked  as  if  they 
meant  to  stay  till  they  got  them.  The  Eev.  Mother  had  a  lot  of  soap  cut 
into  small  pieces,  and  made  the  afternoon  school  women  pass  before  her 
window,  while  she  gave  each  one  a  piece  of  soap,  a  crucifix  and  a  safety 
pin.  Sr.  Solaiio  was  posted  outside  the  window  to  prevent  them  from  re- 
turning and  receiving  three  or  four  times,  which  they  would  do  if  they 
could,  but  the  crush  became  so  terrible  that  Rev.  Mother  had  to  pull 


122 


MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 


Sr.  Solano  in  by  the  head  at  the  window.  Mother  Abbess  had  sent 
us  a  box  of  little  toys,  etc.,  as  well  as  plum  puddings,  cakes,  and  these 
(the  toys)  we  all  started  giving  away,  much  to  the  Bagandas'  delight. 
One  little  tiny  boy  got  a  spy-glass,  one  of  these  little  things  which 
cost  a  penny  or  one-half  each,  and  in  which  by  turning  round 
neat  patterns  can  be  formed  from  pieces  of  colored  glass  con- 
tained inside.  Well,  the  baby's  father,  our  head  man,  Dandi, 
caught  sight  of  this  curiosity,  snatched  it  out  of  the  child's  hand 


A  Reading  Class. 

and  i)layed  with  it  himself  for  the  rest  of  the  day,  only  letting  a 
few  of  his  favored  friends  have  a  look  now  and  then.  The  child 
was  consoled  by  a  little  tin  engine,  which  I  am  afraid  tempted  the 
mother,  as  we  have  never  seen  the  child  with  it  since.  The  joy  over 
these  rubbishy  little  things  would  do  your  heart  good  to  see.  Eev. 
Mother  gave  all  the  king's  women  a  Luganda  prayer  book,  rosary,  and 
piece  of  soap.  They  never  dreamt  of  so  magnificent  a  present  and 
simply  shouted  for  joy,  one  of  them,  old  Maritina,  when  she  saw  her 
present,  made  a  sign  to  the  others  to  be  quiet  for  a  minute,  then  she 
blessed  herself  and  said  a  prayer,  she  was  so  full  of  joy.  They  said 
they  would  sing  so  well  in  church  now  that  they  had  the  words  of  the 


UPPER  NILE  123 

hymns,  and  have  quite  fulfilled  their  promise,  for  as  they  squat  at  the 
back  of  us  in  churchy  Sisters  Kevin  and  Solano  mentioned  the  other 
day  that  they  are  quite  deaf.     The  reason  is  obvious. 

The  king's  women  are  very  good,  but  sometimes  are  very  funny.  The 
three  eldest  are  Maritina,  Anna  and  Angelina.  The  other  day  in  school, 
Sister  wanted  to  teach  Anna  to  read,  so  she  said :  '^  Now,  Anna,  oome 
along,  you  may  sit  next  to  Angelina  and  read  Mariko^'  (St.  Mark). 
Anna  answered  in  quite  a  tragic  tone,  "  Little  child,  I  have  just  suffi- 
cient strength  to  come  here  to  learn  to  read  kaie,  then  I'll  begin." 
"Angelina  *'  is  a  very  naughty  little  child  of  about  eighty-five,  who  talks 
and  plays  when  the  Sister  is  not  looking,  and  very  often  has  to  be  put 
in  the  comer.  When  Rev.  Mother  goes  down  to  the  school,  poor  An- 
gelina trembles  visibly  when  her  slate  is  being  examined  and  awaits 
her  sentence  of  "good  or  bad"  with  anxiety  that  Rev.  Mother  finds 
hard  to  resist.  They  are  such  nice  people,  these  Bagandas.  Rev. 
Mother  goes  about  now  to  their  little  huts  and  asks  them  what  work 
they  have  done,  etc.,  etc.,  and  never  comes  home  without  one  or  two 
presents  such  as  native  gourds,  pumpkins  or  beans.  The  natives  were 
terrified  of  her  at  first,  but  now  you  will  see  her  trotting  along  with 
a  lot  of  people  after  her,  sometimes  little  children  with  the  famous 
dress  of  a  string  of  beads  round  their  neck,  waist  and  ankles.  It  is 
marvelous,  though,  how  quickly  they  learn  that  they  fnust  try  and 
cover  themselves  when  a  sister  comes  along.  The  other  Monday,  Rev. 
Mother  sent  Sr.  Solano  and  me  to  Rubaga  to  the  French  Sisters,  and 
as  we  passed  by  the  king's  kissJcati  (fence  surrounding  liis  huts  and 
grounds)  the  space  outside  was  filled  with  chiefs  and  their  servants 
waiting  to  get  in  to  the  lukiho  (coimcil).  There  were  hundreds,  and 
there  were  lines  and  lines  of  servants  with  presents  for  the  king  of 
mubissi  (wine),  bananas,  cattle  and  other  things.  There  was  one  old 
chief,  who  must  have  belonged  to  former  King  Mtesa,  he  seemed  so 
old^  he  was  dressed  in  white  flowing  robes  and  had  nice  sandals  on, 
which  he  very  carefully  left  at  the  gate;  he  had  fifteen  slaves  walk- 
ing behind  him.  (I  mustn't  call  them  slaves,  because  slavery  is  for- 
bidden now). 

We  are  looking  forward  with  great  anxiety  to  see  the  box  dear  Mrs. 

is  sending  us  and  we  were  so  delighted  with  her  cards, 

please  will  you  thank  her  over  and  over  again  for  us  and  give  our 
love  to  her.     With  very  much  love  to  yourself,  I  remain 
Your  sincere  friend, 

S.  M.  Marcella,  0.  S.  F. 


124  MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 

Letter  of  Mother  Mart  Paul,  0.  S.  F., 
To  Her  Sister  in  New  York. 

NsAMBYA,  Uganda,  East  Africa,  February  25,  1904. 
^^  Deu8  det  nobis  svam  paceml'' 

My  dear  sister  : — To-day  the  mail  came  but  there  was  nothing  for 
the  Convent.  This  made  me  realize  what  you  felt  like,  waiting  for 
news  of  me.  At  the  same  time,  I  am  certain  it  does  not  mean  that 
you  have  not  written,  but  rather  that  the  mails  are  at  fault.  Lately 
they  have  been  very  irregular  coming  in,  and  I  presume  the  same  is 
true  of  the  outgoing  mails. 

When  we  were  out  walking  last  Thursday,  we  went  a  little  farther 
than  usual  and  happened  to  get  on  the  road  where  the  single  telegraph 
wire  is  fastened  to  trees  and  posts.  I  asked  Pia,  a  little  girl  who  was 
with  me,  what  it  was,  and  she  said  in  Luganda,  "  That  is  the  voice :  it 
speaks  from  afar  to  the  white  men  in  the  fort,  and  it  speaks  from  them 
to  the  men  in  distant  lands :  it  is  simply  a  voice !  "  And  as  I  looked 
at  the  slender  connection  ^twixt  us  and  the  outer  world — which  could 
be  so  easily  severed  by  one  of  these  savages — it  brought  home  the  fact 
that  we  are  indeed  foreign  missionaries. 

We  got  into  a  Nubian  settlement  that  day^  and  in  their  desire  to 
see  us  the  Nubian  women  and  children  came  running  from  the  fields 
at  such  speed  that  ever  so  many  of  them  fell  sprawling  before  us,  for 
they  were  looking  at  us  so  intently,  they  didn't  look  at  the  ground  to 
see  where  they  were  going.  We  didn't  like  them  at  all.  They  have 
a  custom  which  makes  them  hideous.  They  slash  the  cheeks  of  their 
children  and  into  the  cuts  they  rub  a  dye  of  some  kind  to  prevent  them 
from  healing.  When  they  grow  up  these  cuts  or  scars  on  the  cheek 
have  a  shiny  look  and  always  remind  me  of  a  Vienna  loaf.  Don't 
you  know  how  the  baker  cuts  the  top  of  it?  The  women  of  Bunyoro 
have  many  cuts  on  their  foreheads:  these  are  made  from  the  scalp  to 
the  eyebrows  and  look  like  a  fringe. 

4- 

Our  people  sometimes  bleed  themselves  in  this  way  if  they  are  sick. 
A  little  boy  was  brought  to  us  a  week  ago  with  his  hand  frightfully 
swollen.  A  snake  had  bitten  him  on  the  tip  of  the  finger  and  already 
the  poison  was  doing  its  deadly  work.  Sister  Kevin  is  infirmarian 
and  Sister  Andrea  was  her  assistant  that  week.  The  sight  of  the 
hand  and  the  fact  that  it  had  instantly  to  be  cut  made  Sister  Kevin 
shake  so  that  she  couldn't  do  it.  As  I  took  the  lancet  she  ran  away. 
Sister  Andrea  watched  me  cut  it  and  put  permanganate  of  potash  in 


UPPBR  NILE 


125 


the  cuts,  and  she  even  mixed  the  8tr}'chnine  for  the  boy  to  drink.  It 
was  time  for  me  to  go  to  school,  so  I  said :  "  Sister,  keep  the  blood 
flowing  as  long  as  you  can,  won't  you ?"  1  left  her,  but  on  my  way  into 
the  Convent  missed  my  spectacles.  I  went  right  on,  and  to  the  win- 
dow looking  out  into  the  dispensary  (an  open  space  outside,  but  under 
the  roof  of  the  Convent)  and  what  did  I  see?  The  dear  little  black 
boy  looking  in  amazement  at  Sister  Andrea,  who  was  lying  full  length 
on  the  ground  in  a  dead  faint !    I  thought  I  would  never  got  around  to 


Deab  Lord,  Bless  Mother  Paul  and  heb  Children! 


her,  though  I  ran  as  fast  as  possible  calling  Sister  Kevin  as  I  ran. 
She  was  of  course  much  whiter  than  anyone  those  natives  had  ever  seen 
before;  and  as  there  were  several  men  outside  our  fence  waiting  for 
the  little  boy,  they  saw  her.  They  also  saw  Sister  Kevin  and  me  giv- 
ing her  brandy  and  chafing  her  hands  and  finally  saw  her  get  up  and 
walk  into  the  Convent.  Consequently,  the  news  was  spread  that  Sis- 
ter Andrea  had  died,  but  that  we  brought  her  to  life  again.  They 
believe  that  we  can  do  anything !  The  little  boy  is  quite  well,  and  was 
the  bravest  of  us  all. 

4- 


126  MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA 

The  sleeping  sickness  you  hear  of  is  not  prevalent  near  us,  as  it 
confines  itself  to  the  lake  shore  and  the  islands.  Whatever  cases  are 
about  here  are  the  sick  who  have  come  from  the  shore.  Bishop  Han- 
Ion  has  missions  on  the  islands  and  where  they  had  flourishing  stations 
three  years  ago  not  a  single  soul  is  left  of  the  hundreds  who  lived 
there.  They  visit  the  villages  where  formerly  there  dwelt  a  catechist 
and  where,  perhaps,  three  hundred  would  be  instructed  by  him  and 
ready  for  Baptism  when  the  Priest  went  there.     And  now  they  (the 


Distributing  medicine  and  tending  the  sores  in  the  morning. 

Priests)  go  to  these  places  and  look  at  the  fallen  Catechumanate  and 
the  huts,  and  they  call  and  listen  in  vain  for  a  sound  of  the  human 
voice ;  it  is  as  though  no  one  had  ever  lived  there — except  for  the  bones, 
and  the  ruined  huts  and  a  few  little  household  things  they  used. 

The  specialists,  who  have  come  from  Europe,  have  found  the  germ 
of  the  disease,  but  as  yet  no  cure  for  it.  The  brain  becomes  quite 
hardened  and  the  victim  is  sometimes  found  in  unusual  postures.  The 
Bishop  told  us  of  one  man  who  was  found  sitting  on  the  roadside  hold- 
ing an  umbrella  open  over  him.  Many  passed  him  thinking  he  was 
only  resting.     At  last  some,  who  noticed  tliat  he  had  not  moved  for 


UPPER   NILE  127 

several  hours  went  to  him  and  found  him  stiff  and  cold — quite  dead. 
The  man  we  saw  dead  on  the  roadside  had  evidently  been  kneeling 
and  had  nodded  till  his  forehead  touched  the  ground  and  then  he 
died — his  nose  and  face  were  not  on  the  ground  but  only  his  knees  and 
forehead — and  his  hands  hanging  limp  and  lifeless.  It  is  a  very 
strange  sickness,  isn't  it?    Deo  gratias,  we  keep  quite  well  here. 

We  had  a  lovely  retreat  from  February  6th  to  the  15th.  Every  bit 
of  work  was  left  to  our  girls,  who  surpassed  all  expectations.  You 
can  scarcely  realize  what  it  mean^  for  them  to  cook,  set  the  table,  wash 
and  mangle  clothes,  clean  and  dust,  trim,  fill  and  clean  lamps  and 
ring  our  breakfast,  dinner  and  supper  bell  exactly  on  time,  because 
you  won't  be  likely  to  remember  that  until  we  came  with  our  "  bintu  " 
(things)  ;  they  had  never  seen  a  piece  of  furniture  like  ours;  had  no 
idea  what  a  spoon,  fork,  cup  or  plate  were,  or  what  they  were  used  for. 
When  first  we  came,  we  let  them  take  our  clothes  to  the  river  and  there 
wash  them  in  their  own  way  till,  to  our  horror,  we  learned  that  upon 
these  occasions  great  crowds  assembled  to  look  at  the  wonderful  gar- 
ments of  the  "  Babikira  "  (Virgins)^  and  they  were  passed  round  from 
hand  to  hand ! !  Now,  they  fetch  the  water  and  we  have  them  do  the 
washing  inside  our  own  fence. 

It  will  be  long  before  you  get  such  a  lengthy  epistle  from  me  again, 
for  the  work  increases  daily.  Pray  that  we  may  do  it  well,  and  believe 
me.  Ever  your  devoted  sister, 

M.  Mary  Paul,  0.  S.  F. 


mtgrns^m 

ggpK^=5^ 

^^l^a^ 

^^^ 

K  I..i3k^k/!'TM 

^^'^^ 

^4^^^^^^ 

MISSIONS   IN   AMERICA 


THE  MISSIONS  OF  OREGON 


It  is  not  for  the  first  time  tliat  news  from  tlie  Oregon  Missions  have  been 
found  in  the  "  Annals."  As  early  as  1856  this  magazine  published  a  letter 
of  Father  D'Herbomez,  O.  M.  I.,  then  Missionary  in  Oregon  and  later  first 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  British  Columbia.  The  consoling  hopes  he  then  had 
have  been  realized  in  part;  still  there  remains  a  great  deal  to  be  done  to 
establish  the  Church  on  a  solid  basis  in  that  part  of  the  country,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  letter  of  the  first  Bishop  of  Baker  City,  Oregon.  We  pub- 
lish it  with  great  pleasure,  and  any  offering  intended  for  Bishop  O'Reilly's 
missions  will  be  gratefully  received  by  us  and  forwarded  to  its  destination. 

LirrTiiiR  OF  THE  Eight  Uev.  C.  J.  O'Keilly,  D.  D., 

Bishop  of  Baker  City,  Ore., 

To  THE  Eev.  J.  Freri,  D.  C.  L., 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

Baker  City,  Ore.,  March  28,  1904. 
Eev.  and  Dear  Father  : — The  great  kindness  and  Christ-like  en- 
couragement received  from  the  perusal  of  your  letters  prompt  me  to 
set  before  your  zealous  co-operators  the  needs  and  hopes  of  this  new 
and  extensive  diocese. 

Last  June,  when  the  announcement  came  that  the  Holy  See  had 
divided  the  vast  Archdiocese  of  Oregon  City,  establishing  the  See  of 
Baker  City,  some  thought  the  division  premature  and  expressed  doubts 
as  to  the  possibility  of  maintaining  a  bishop  in  so  sparsely  settled  a 
country.  Events,  however,  have  already  proved  the  wisdom  of  mak- 
ing this  division,  as  the  very  extent  of  territory  embraced  in  the  dio- 
cese, comprising  65,683  square  miles,  necessitated  the  presence  of  a 
missionary  bishop  who  would  visit  the  scattered  missions  and  provide 
priests  for  the  spiritual  needs  of  our  Catholic  people. 
128 


OBEQON  129 

The  diflSculty  is  not  to  maintain  the  bishop,  whose  wants  are  few, 
but  to  support  the  priests  who  must  travel  far  and  wide  to  administer 
the  Sacraments,  to  catechise  the  children,  and  to  preach  the  word  of 
God  through  the  mining  districts  and  the  vast  cattle  ranges  of  Eastern 
Oregon.  In  this  extensive  territory  there  are  as  yet  but  eight  priests, 
all  of  them  doing  heroic  work.  They  are  obliged  to  travel  almost 
constantly,  and  their  expenses  often  amount  to  more  than  their 
income.  The  only  railroad  in  this  country  runs  through  the  centre  of 
the  state,  so  that  our  priests  must  make  most  of  their  missionary 
jouraeys  in  the  stage.  What  this  means,  especially  in  the  inclement 
season  may  be  judged  by  the  experience  of  a  priest  who,  in  going  to 
a  mission  recently,  passed  three  days  in  a  stage,  being  obliged,  on 
account  of  the  fearful  condition  of  the  roads,  to  spend  one  entire 
night  striving  to  cover  a  distance  of  only  fouri«en  miles.  Another 
priest  has  just  returned  from  a  sick-call  of  two  hundred  and  ten  miles 
over  the  mountains,  on  almost  impassable  roads  and  in  a  biting  snow 
storm.  He  had  the  consolation,  however,  of  reaching  a  dying  man 
just  in  time;  as  he  entered  the  house,  the  grateful  soul  exclaiming: 
"  Thank  God,  I  can  now  die  happy,  as  I  have  the  priest  of  God  to  pre- 
pare me.^^  Many  other  edifying  incidents  might  be  related  of  a  sim- 
ilar character. 

But  more  priests  are  needed,  men  of  apostolic  spirit,  who  will  not 
flinch  at  difficulties.  The  Catholic  families  are  often  very  widely  scat- 
tered, and  the  priest  has  sometimes  to  spend  a  few  days  at  each  place. 
The  great  need  of  this  Diocese  is,  therefore,  funds  to  allow  priests  to 
visit  those  families,  who  because  they  cannot  see  the  priest  occasion- 
ally are  in  great  danger  of  losing  their  faith.  There  is  an  absolute 
need  of  several  priests,  but  in  our  present  condition,  I  am  entirely 
unable  to  provide  means  for  their  support.  No  help  can  be  obtained 
for  this  purpose  from  the  Diocese,  which  is  burdened  with  the  erec- 
tion of  churches  in  many  places,  while  the  zealous  and  hard-working 
priests  receive  an  income  barely  sufficient  for  their  support. 

Your  kind  interest  in  our  needs  has  emboldened  me  to  make  this 
statement  in  the  hope  that  some  charitably  disposed  Christians  might 
come  to  our  assistance.  I  wish  also  to  express  my  heartfelt  gratitude 
to  His  Eminence  Cardinal  Gibbons  for  the  strong  letter  which  he  for- 
warded in  our  behalf  to  the  Central  Council  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  Paris.  Donations  would  be  gratefully 
received  for  the  support  of  the  priests,  and  also  to  provide  two  priests 
for  the  Indians  at  Warm  Springs  and  Klamath  Reservations.  Years 
ago  the   apostolic  Archbishop   Blanchet   instructed   and   baptized   a 


IJO  MISSIONS   IN    AMERICA 

iiuinber  of  Indians  there,  but  they  have  no  opportunity  to  keep  up 
the  practice  of  the  Catholic  faith  as  I  have  no  priests  to  visit  them. 

In  several  places  priests  are  trying  to  erect  small  churches  for  the 
few  Catholics  in  their  missions,  and  vestments  and  sacred  vessels  arc 
greatly  needed.  We  hope  to  have  at  least  one  priest  and  one  church 
in  each  county  of  the  Diocese  as  centres  of  Catholicity. 

Yesterday  I  preached  two  sermons,  one  hour  each,  in  a  Methodist 
church  to  a  large  number  of  Protestants  and  a  few  Catholics.  Before 
Mass  an  aged  Frenchman,  who  had  come  many  miles,  presented  him- 
self for  confession  and  cried  for  joy  when  I  addressed  him  in  the  beau- 
tiful language  of  "  La  belle  France  "  which  I  had  learned  at  Montreal. 
In  sight  of  the  entire  congregation  I  heard  his  Confession,  and  he 
had  the  happiness  of  receiving  Holy  Communion.  Oh !  if  we  could 
only  support  some  zealous  priests  to  work  among  our  scattered  Cath- 
olics and  at  the  same  time  to  preach  the  saving  Gospel  to  our  separ- 
ated brethren,  who  are  so  anxious  to  hear  us. 

When  railroads  and  settlers  come,  conditions  will  be  greatly  im- 
proved, but  at  present  it  is  a  serious  struggle  to  keep  our  people  from 
losing  the  priceless  gift  of  faith,  and  some  will  inevitably  fall  away 
unless  Catholics,  who  are  in  more  favorable  circumstances  elsewhere 
come  to  our  assistance. 

Thanking  you,  dear  Father  Freri,  for  your  great  kindness  to  this 
Diocese,  and  assuring  you  of  our  prayers  for  yourself  and  all  other 
benefactors,  I  remain 

Yours  sincerely  in  Christ, 

4.C.  J.  O'Reilly, 
Bishop  of  Baker  City. 


THE  MISSIONS  OF  TEXAS 


A  Texas  Missionary  Trip 


We  are  prone  to  think  that  all  hard  missionary  work  is  being  done 
thousands  of  miles  away  from  our  own  dear  land.  But  do  we  ever  stop 
to  think  of  the  truly  apostolic  men  and  women  who  are  laboring  in  season 
and  out  of  season  for  the  salvation  of  souls  here  in  the  United  States?  We 
read  and  marvel  at  the  sufferings  and  privations  of  priests  and  nuns  in 
savage,  pagan  lands,  but  the  same  missionary  work  with  its  attendants 
heroic  sacrifices  is  being  carried  on  here  in  America  almost  at  our  very 
doors.  Father  Malmartel,  O.  M.  I.,  in  his  letter  gives  us  some  idea  of  the 
conditions  that  a  priest  must  face  in  Texas  to  bring  the  glad  tidings  to 
the  peoples  scattered  throughout  that  State. 


Letter  of  Father  Malmartel,  0.  M.  I., 
To  THE  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

Through  the  Desert  Let  me  take  you  in  spirit  to  a  district  not 
~A  Hearty  Welcome  far  away,  and  let  me  at  the  same  time  tell 
—Consoling  Minis-  you  of  the  wonders  accomplished  among  the 
^"  poor  scattered  flock  of  South  Western  Texas; 

wonders  which  it  pleased  our  merciful  Father  to  accomplish  through 
our  ministry. 

On  the  9th  of  August  Father  Repiso  and  myself  left  Eagle  Pass  on 
a  long  missionar}'  trip  to  the  peoples  scattered  thro'  the  wild  desert 
district.  Desert  is  the  word  that  alone  can  describe  this  territory  thro' 
which  we  traveled.  Not  a  tree,  no  vegetation  whatever,  not  a  living 
being,  not  even  the  cry  of  a  bird  to  break  the  silence  of  this  solitude. 
Nothing  but  rocks,  immense  boulders  which  towf^rol  into  mountains 
of  majestic  height.  For  about  fifty  miles  we  followed  the  winding 
course  of  the  Rio  Grande,  frequently  at  snail's  pace  because  of  the 
frightful  precipices  that  yawned  around  us  on  every  side.     After  a 

131 


132  MISSIONS  IN   AMERIOA 

journey  of  twenty  hours  we  finally  alighted  at  one  of  the  small  fron- 
tier stations,  whence  we  were  to  start  on  our  real  missionary  trat^^ls. 
A  primitive  and  rickety  old  stage-coach  carried  us  over  the  fiftjr-five 
miles  that  we  were  to  cover  before  making  our  first  stop.  Have  you  any 
idea  what  this  means?  A  noted  traveler  has  said  that  a  first  stage- 
coach experience  is  never  forgotten,  and  I  firmly  believe  it.  For  after 
weary,  uninteresting  interminable  hours  we  arrived  at  our  destination ; 
our  fatigue  however  was  amply  repaid  by  the  hearty  welcome  given  us 
by  the  entire  population  of  the  place.  Word  had  preceded  us  that  the 
Fathers  were  coming  and  they  had  prepared,  as  far  as  their  limited 
means  would  allow,  to  show  their  love  and  respect  for  us.  Our  first 
steps  were  directed  to  the  rude  little  chapel,  which  was  soon  filled, 
not,  however,  without  great  attending  excitement.  For  even  the  count- 
less dogs  of  the  country  around  seemed  to  have  gotten  wind  of  our 
arrival  and  hastened  to  join  in  the  celebration  and  take  part  even  in 
the  religious  exercises.  And  oh,  such  a  racket — between  the  cries  of 
the  men  and  the  yelps  of  the  dogs  as  they  were  ignominiously  cast  out, 
one  felt  indeed  as  if  pandemonium  had  broken  loose. 

We  remained  there  nine  days  and  the  marvels  of  grace  worked 
among  this  uncultured  people  must  have  rejoiced  exceedingly  the 
heart  of  our  dear  Lord.  From  early  morning  until  the  late  hours 
of  night,  they  came  confessing  their  sins  and  doing  penance,  and 
showing  a  fervor  of  spirit  and  a  living  faith  that  could  come  only 
from  hearts  attuned  to  the  love  of  God.  We  had  the  great  happiness 
of  helping  them  all  and  making  them  again  the  friends  of  the  Master, 
but  they  were  almost  unbearable  in  their  efforts  to  show  their  grati- 
tude. Had  we  the  means  of  taking  away  their  gifts  with  us,  we  would 
have  had  more  than  enough  to  stock  a  first-class  farm.  They  gave  no 
money  because  they  had  none  to  give,  but  they  brought  us  all  they 
had — eggs,  chickens,  vegetables,  fruits  of  various  kinds,  and  even 
a  young  heifer  which  amid  great  solemnity  was  presented  to  "the 
Fathers." 

Who  says  that  the  ages  of  faith  have  passed  ? 
At  Indio^The  Ages  Qn  one  of  the  last  days  that  we  were  there, 
HoflDitalitv  ^  ^^  called  to  attend  a  man  who  met  with  an 

accident  and  was  almost  killed  in  falling  from 
a  cart.  Father  Repiso  hurriedly  went  for  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
while  I  was  anointing  the  poor  unfortunate  man.  The  streets  thro' 
which  our  Blessed  Lord  was  to  pass  were  quickly  swept  and  in 


TEXAS  133 

some  cases  an  attempt  was  made  at  decorating  the  walls  of  the  huts 
that  line  the  roadside.  The  entire  crowd  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren formed  a  procession  to  accompany  ''His  Divine  Majesty/'  as 
they  themselves  put  it  A  strikingly  beautiful  picture  it  was,  and 
one  which  will  linger  with  me  for  many  a  day.  The  lighted  candles, 
the  intense  devotion  written  on  the  face  of  all,  young  and  old,  and  the 
murmured  prayers,  the  sweetly  tinkling  bell  of  the  little  acolyte,  all 
made  up  a  scene  that  mig^t  have  been  drawn  from  the  early  ages 
when  faith  was  strong  and  love  was  active. 

4- 

The  time  came  for  us  to  leave  and  it  was  then  hard  to  feel  the 
truth  of  the  poet's  words  "parting  is  such  sweet  sorrow,"  J  really 
think  that  we  felt  as  sorry  to  go  as  our  poor  people  were  to  lose  us. 
You  would  scarcely  believe  it  unless  you  had  seen  the  evidence  with 
your  own  eyes,  how  they  grieved  and  in  some  cases  wept  bitterly  when 
the  time  came  for  our  leave-taking.  It  was  an  almost  universal  cry : 
"What  will  become  of  us  now?  We  are  sheep  without  a  shepherd; 
what  are  we  to  do  when  death  approaches?  Who  will  prepare  us  to 
meet  our  God  when  you  are  gone  ? ''  It  was  truly  heart-breaking  but 
we  had  to  go,  for  new  fields  awaited  us. 

We  left  that  night  for  Indio,  six  cowboys  on  their  wild  ungovern- 
able mustangs  forming  an  escort  for  us.  On  our  arrival  the  owner  of 
the  ranch  where  we  were  to  stop  came  with  hie  entire  household  to 
meet  us  and  to  offer  the  hospitality  of  his  home.  We  spent  a  very 
pleasant  hour,  before  retiring,  with  the  family  of  our  host  and  learned 
again  the  gracious  and  deeply  religious  spirit  that  rules  the  homes  of 
these  Mexicans.  After  prayers  had  been  devoutly  said  in  common,  we 
were  conducted  to  our  room  which  was  to  serve  us  as  our  sleeping 
quarters  by  night  and  our  chapel  by  day. 

The  rooms  on  one  of  these  ranches  are  indeed  odd  and  to  the 
stranger's  eyes  a  bit  grotesque.  Ours  must  have  measured  fully 
thirty  feet  in  length,  with  two  small  windows  thro'  which  the  interior 
was  lighted.  A  small  portable  altar  decorated  with  fresh  cut  flowers 
stood  in, the  back  ground,  the  walls  were  himg  with  gaudy  prints  so 
common  amoung  this  people,  and  in  striking  contrast  to  this  a  number 
of  mirrors  were  placed  at  regular  intervals  around  the  room.  No 
carpet,  in  fact  no  flooring  to  cover  the  bare  earth.  Each  night  two 
mattresses  were  spread  on  the  ground  and  on  these  improvised  beds 
we  tried  to  take  a  much  needed  rest.  Throughout  our  trip  we  had  no 
better  conveniences,  but,  taking  them  all  in  all,  they  were  not  so  bad. 


134  MISSIONS   IN  AMERICA 

Is'nt  it  etrange  how  old  ghosts  will  arise  and  walk  at  the  most  unsea- 
sonable hours?  Frequently  during  my  stay  my  sleep  was  broken  by 
strange  uncanny  noises  which  brought  to  my  fevered  imagination  all 
sorts  of  phantoms.  From  a  long  familiar  association  the  rats  of  the 
country  have  become  bold  beyond  belief,  and  many  a  time  I  felt  as 
if  the  room  were  filled  with  them  or  with  scorpions,  or  other  un- 
welcome visitors  which  seem  to  thrive  in  this  distressed  country.  It 
is  indeed  a  blessing  if  a  man  can  forget  such  unpleasant  subjects,  but 
my  mind  and  my  poor  body  for  that  matter,  seem  to  retain  very 
vividly  early  impressions  and  made  the  "witching  hour  of  night*' 
hideous  for  me. 

In  the  ranch  where  we  stopped  was  an  old  woman  about  a  hundred 
and  twenty  years  of  age,  at  least  that  is  the  conservative  estimate  of 
the  oldest  residents.  She  was  absolutely  deaf  and  to  add  to  her  mis- 
fortune was  totally  blind.  I  was  anxious  to  have  her  receive  Holy 
Communion  but  though  I  tried  in  every  way  known  to  me,  I  could 
not  make  her  understand  nor  could  I  get  from  her  any  sign  that  she 
knew  the  meaning  of  the  august  mystery.  It  was  hard,  but  I  had  to 
be  satisfied  with  giving  her  conditional  absolution. 

4- 

The  excellent  Catholic  who  had  given  us  hospitality  at  Indio  accom- 
panied us  to  Fort  Davis,  our  next  stopping  place.  The  respect  that 
those  people  have  for  a  priest  is  almost  beyond  belief.  To  act  as  our 
guide  meant  many  days  travel  away  from  home  but  the  honor  of 
being  with  the  Padres  compensated  him  for  the  trouble  and  incon- 
venience. After  a  hard  tiresome  ride  across  the  plain  we  came  to  the 
mountains  across  which  there  is  no  direct  path,  naturally  we  had  to 
take  a  round-about  course. 

What  a  truly  picturesque  country  it  is.  Mountains  on  all  sides  rose 
to  immense  heights ;  to  the  right  and  left  they  stretched  with  a  beauty 
and  majesty  which  would  require  the  pencil  of  an  artist  to  depict. 
Around  us  rose  stately  trees  which  stood  like  so  many  sentinels  in  the 
unbroken  silence.  Behind  us  was  the  simple  rolling  woodland,  above, 
thousands  of  fleecy  white  clouds  floated  around  the  summits  in  the 
glory  of  the  sunshine.  It  was  our  memorable  privilege  to  see  a 
thunderstorm  raging  on  one  of  the  mountain  sides.  A  monstrous  wall 
like  a  huge  gray  veil  came  traveling  towards  us  and  we  could  watch 
the  lightning  repeatedly  striking  miles  away  to  the  accompaniment  of 
multiplied  peals  of  thunder.  Occasionally  through  an  opening  in  the 
clouds  the  sun  would  suddenly  light  up  the  summit  of  the  mountain 
or  flash  a  path  of  gold  along  its  side.     I  have  been  in  all  parts  of 


TEXAS  135 

Texas  during  my  twenty-five  yeara  but  never  have  my  eyes  rested  on 

such  a  picture. 

+ 

On  the  following  day  we  rode  into  Port 
Visit  to  Fort  Davis.—  Davis,  but  no  sooner  had  I  swung  out  of  the 
A  Saintly  Death.  saddle  than  I  was  accosted  by  a  young  man 

who  wished  me  to  go  to  his  dying  mother.  I  went  immediately  and 
found  the  poor  creature  in  a  critical  condition.  Weak  to  an  extreme 
though  she  was,  however,  the  great  joy  she  felt  at  my  coming  seemed 
to  give  her  fresh  life :  "  How  good  God  is  to  me,'*  she  repeated  over 
and  over  again.  Her  one  wish  was  to  die  with  all  the  consolations 
of  her  Faith,  and  her  wish  I  was  to  fulfill,  namely  to  be  for  her  a 
''Holy  Christ  of  this  earth,"  a  name  commonly  given  to  priests  by 
the  Mexicans.  Often  in  her  dreams  the  priest  had  come  to  her  bear- 
ing upon  his  breast  the  image  of  the  "  Santo  Christo  of  heaven/'  she 
said;  and  when  she  recognized  in  my  mission  cross  the  object  of  her 
dreams,  pressing  it  to  her  lips  while  the  tears  coursed  down  her 
cheeks  she  cried  "  0  Father  why  does  the  good  God  leave  us  orphans, 
how  hard  it  is  to  die  alone  and  forsaken  without  a  priest !  '^ 

Let  me  mention  that  this  woman  knew  neither  how  to  read  nor 
write  but  a  special  inspiration  of  God  certainly  cleared  her  mind  and 
gave  her  a  perfect  understanding  of  Eternal  truths.  Her  confession 
was  carefully  made  and  her  happiness  on  receiving  our  Blessed  Lord 
transfigured  her  whole  countenance.  Some  time  before  our  arrival, 
she  had  been  attended  by  a  Jesuit  Father  and  an  Oblate  both  of 
whom  had  passed  that  way  in  their  journey,  and  I  can  testify  that 
from  that  time  the  poor  soul  had  led  not  only  a  blameless  but  a  mor- 
tified life.  One  of  her  neighbors  told  me  that  when  her  sufferings 
were  keenest  not  even  a  whisper  of  impatience  escaped  her;  her 
ejaculation  "  all  for  the  love  of  God  "  was  an  index  to  every  word  she 
uttered  and  every  pain  she  suffered.  It  was  my  great  happiness  to  be 
with  her  when  she  died,  for  towards  the  end  of  the  mission  God 
claimed  her  as  His  own.  The  work  of  a  priest  in  the  waste  places  of 
the  world  is  indeed  hard,  but  is  he  not  amply  recompensed  by  experi- 
ences like  this? 

4- 

At  Alamo  and  San  Excelsior,  up  and  onward,  no  delay,  we  must 
Jose.— A  Terrible  be  about  our  Father's  business  and  though  we 

Kight,— The  Mezi-  would  have  liked  to  tarry  longer  in  each  place, 
can  Cnaraoter.  ^^  Master  beckoned  us  on  to  new  fields.     We 

bad  heard  much  of  a  neighboring  village  called  Alamo,  and  thither 


136  MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 

we  bent  our  steps.  Two  travelers  whom  we  accidentally  met  kindly 
offered  to  show  us  the  way  and  it  was  providential  that  they  did  so, 
otherwise  I  am  sure  that  we  would  never  have  found  the  place.  Across 
a  trackless  waste  we  went  and  though  the  weather  was  mild  and 
agreeable  we  all  felt  the  fatigue  of  the  rough  roads.  It  was  bright  and 
clear  when  we  started,  with  just  enough  cold  to  make  travel  pleasant. 
Along  towards  noon,  however,  it  began  to  darken,  and  the  wind 
which  had  been  a  gentle  breeze  began  to  blow  with  great  violence.  A 
fine  cold  rain  began  to  fall  and  soon  we  were  chilled  to  the  marrow 
of  our  bones.  We  halted  for  dinner  and  with  great  difficulty  suc- 
ceeded in  starting  a  fire  with  which  our  food  was  cooked  and  our 
clothing  dried.  We  had  figured  on  reaching  the  village  before  night 
fall,  but  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  country  through  which  we  were 
passing  we  soon  found  this  impracticable.  We  made  the  best  of  the 
situation  therefore  and  settled  down  to  spend  the  night,  but  what  a 
night  it  was!  Without  any  shelter,  with  winds  raging  violently 
around  us  and  in  the  midst  of  the  unceasing  downpour,  the  blankets, 
our  only  covering  were  soon  soaked  through  and  through  and  gave  us 
but  sorry  protection.  Father  Repiso,  an  old  soldier  of  the  Carlist 
wars  assured  us  that  though  he  had  spent  many  a  night  in  the  open, 
he  had  never  met  with  such  a  trying  experience.  In  such  conditions 
one  has  great  need  of  remembering  the  value  of  immortal  souls  and 
the  sufferings  and  labors  which  our  Blessed  Lord  paid  for  them. 

4- 

At  daybreak  we  commenced  again  our  journey  to  Alamo  which  we 
lost  no  time  in  reaching.  That  night  an  old  man  came  to  us  for 
confession  and  before  leaving  he  asked  this  favor :  '*  Father,  said  he, 
for  the  love  of  God  please  spend  to-morrow  with  us  and  say  Mass  at  my 
house.'*  We  could  not  refuse  him.  On  the  way  our  guide  pointed 
out  to  us  the  peak  of  San  Jacinto.  At  the  time  a  dazzling  cloud 
hid  the  head  of  the  mountain  from  view,  but  after  a  few  minutes' 
walk  as  we  turned  a  comer  in  the  road,  the  cloud  had  disappeared 
and  there,  outlined  against  the  clear  blue  of  the*  sky,  was  the  head 
of  a  monk  of  colossal  proportions.  A  freak  of  nature  certainly,  but 
so  exquisitely  wrought  in  the  rock  that  it  seemed  the  perfect  work  of 
some  gigantic  sculptor.  In  good  time  we  arrived  at  the  top  of  the 
hill  where  we  discovered  in  the  distance  a  ranch  set  amid  most  en- 
chanting surroundings. 

Our  companion  seemed  overjoyed  at  the  sight,  for  taking  his  som- 
brero in  hand  he  waved  it  violently  to  some  one  whom  we  could  not 


TBXA8  137 

see.  His  practised  eye  however  seemed  to  read  everything,  for  turn- 
ing, he  infoTmed  ns  that  his  son  would  soon  meet  us.  And  sure 
enough  a  few  minutes  afterwards  he  arrived.  It  turned  out  that  he 
was  the  head  of  a  family  but  did  not  forget  his  dut^  as  a  son.  His 
first  thought  was  of  the  old  man,  his  father,  who  had  been  absent  for 
eight  days.  One  question  followed  another  and  if  he  expected  a 
reply  he  did  not  wait  for  one.  Stooping  he  respectfully  kissed  his 
father^s  hand  and  taking  him  gentiy  by  the  arm  he  led  the  way  to 
his  home.  We  offered  the  Holy  Sacrifice  for  this  truly  patriarchal 
family  on  the  following  morning  and  had  the  happiness  of  giving 
Holy  Conmiunion  to  eighteen. 

To  understand  and  appreciate  the  Mexican  character  one  must 
live  with  them.  I  forgot  to  mention  that  on  our  way  to  San  Jose  we 
saw  at  a  distance  from  the  road  the  magnificent  flowers  which  might 
indeed  be  called  bouquets  so  beautifully  has  nature  arranged  them. 
They  are  called  the  American  Yucca.  To  give  you  an  idea  of  their 
size  let  me  say  that  each  stem  held  not  less  than  five  hundred  fiowers 
and  more  than  three  thousand  petals  of  an  extremely  delicate  cream 
white  color.  The  same  thought  was  in  the  mind  of  both  of  us ;  0  for 
some  of  those  fiowers  for  the  altar  where  we  were  to  say  Mass  on 
the  following  day.  The  two  big-hearted  fellows  divined  our  wish 
and  it  was  a  great  pleasure  to  see  how  anxious  they  were  as  to  who 
would  be  the  first  to  gather  them  for  us. 

4- 

At  San  Jose  the  people  gave  us  a  right  royal  welcome,  taking  us 
for  men  endowed  with  wonderful  miraculous  powers.  One  woman  in 
fact  came  to  meet  us  crawling  on  her  knees,  to  show  the  respect  she 
had  for  us  and  her  confidence  in  our  prayers.  Her  husband  was  sick 
and  her  petition  was  for  us  to  make  him  well  in  soul  and  body. 
Who  could  withstand  such  faitii?  One  of  our  first  visits  was  to  the 
unfortunate  invalid  and  after  attending  him  what  was  my  surprise 
when  he  pressed  into  my  hand  a  dollar. 

"  Whaf s  this  for  ?  "  I  said  to  him.  *'  Do  you  not  know  that  God's 
blessings  are  not  sold  ?  '* 

"  I  do  not  want  to  buy  them,**  he  said,  "  for  have  I  not  already  re- 
ceived them  without  any  restrictions?  If  this  will  satisfy  you  kindly 
listen.  We  set  some  eggs  under  one  of  our  hens  after  marking  one  for 
the  priest,  the  egg  was  hatched  and  gave  us  a  fine  chicken  which  in 
turn  has  given  us  eggs  in  abundance  and  the  dollar  which  I  offer  you 
now  is  simply  the  earnings  of  the  first  egg.'' 


138 


MISSIONS   IN  AMERICA 


Do  you  realize  what  a  productive  plant  we  have.  The  wonder  will 
be  where  our  fortune  will  end,  with  a  capital  of  eggs  and  chickens  we 
will  have  a  continually  growing  interest. 

On  our  way  home  the  journey  was  somewhat  brightened  by  the 
thousands  of  little  prairie  dogs  that  we  met  with  at  almost  every 
step.  They  appeared  and  disappeared  into  their  burrows;  yelping 
and  jumping,  sitting  and  nibbling;  I  was  at  a  loss  to  know  whether 
they  were  holding  high  carnival  or  making  sport  of  us.  We  finally 
reached  Eagle  Pass  tired  out  indeed  but,  0,  so  happy  to  have  labored 
among  those  many  neglected  souls  and  with  such  gratifying  results. 


INDIAN  MISSIONS  IN  SOUTH  DAKOTA 


The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  has  alwajrs  taken  a  keen 
interest  in  the  Indian  Missions  of  this  country,  and,  although  there  is 
now  a  Society  especially  intended  to  look  after  their  welfare,  we  have 
continued  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  several  of  them.  Those  contri- 
butions being  sent  by  us  directly  to  the  Missions  do  not  figure  in  the  re- 
port issued  by  the  Bureau  of  the  Catholic  Indian  Missions,  but  may  be 
reckoned  from  our  own  report  published  every  year  in  the  November  num- 
ber of  the  Annals. 

Several  accounts  of  the  Sioux  nation  appeared  in  the  Annals  years  ago, 
and  a  visit  paid  to  them  by  Father  De  Smet  in  1848  was  described  at 
length.  We  are  very  glad  to  acquaint  our  readers  with  the  great  results 
obtained  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers  since  they  took  charge  of  that  Mission  in 
1886. 

Letter  of  the  Eev.  H.  I.  Westhopp,  S.  J., 

TO  the  Rev.  Joseph  Freri,  D.  C.  L., 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

St.  Francis  Mission,  Rosebud,  S.  D.,  March  15,  1903. 

An  account  of  the  Jesuit  Mission  among  the  Sioux  has  never  ap- 
peared in  the  American  edition  of  the  Annals.  Neither  have  we 
so  far  partaken  much  of  the  bounty  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith.  This  gives  me  the  courage  to  hope  that  an  account  of 
our  successes,  reverses  and  missionary  wants  may  bring  us  a  little 
much-needed  aid. 

The  great  Sioux  nation  is  divided  into  seven  tribes,  numbering 
perhaps  25,000  souls ;  it  is,  therefore  one  of  the  most  numerous  Indian 
nations  in  the  United  States.  Yet  the  Indians  were  almost  completely 
neglected  by  Catholic  missionaries  until  comparatively  late  years,  the 
southern  and.  larger  portion  of  the  tribes  falling  into  the  hands  of 
Protestant  missionaries  long  before  any  Catholic  missionary  ever 
settled  in  these  parts. 


Father  de  Smet  passed  through  here  once  or  twice  in  the  forties, 
baptized  a  few  and  that  was  all  they  got  of  the  faith  for  many  years. 

139 


140  MISSIONS   IN   AMERICA 

A  few  years  before  we  came,  a  couple  of  secular  priests  had  been  work- 
ing off  and  on  among  them.  They  had  even  managed  to  erect  a  mission 
and  thus  when  in  ^86  Father  Jutz,  S.  J.,  and  Father  Perrig,  S.  J.,  ar- 
rived, they  found  the  way  broken  by  worthy  pioneers  and  a  real  mission 
begun.  I  am  speaking  now  of  the  Brul6  Sioux  of  Eosebud,  for  the 
Benedictine  Fathers  had  long  before  established  missions  among  the 
Yankton  in  the  East  and  the  Hunkpapa  of  Standing  Bock.  Of 
course,  the  two  Jesuit  Fathers  realized  that  our  hopes  must  be  centred 
in  the  rising  generation,  immediately  started  a  school,  inviting  the 
Franciscan  Sisters  out  as  teachers. 

The  old  Sioux  or  Lakotas,  as  they  call  themselves,  still  ran  about 
almost  naked,  even  in  the  depth  of  winter.  They  celebrated  their 
heathen  feasts  and  dances.  To  drive  away  their  diseases  they  made 
use  of  the  medicine-man  with  all  his  foolish  rattles,  cries  and  libations, 
all  of  which  customs  are  now  to  a  great  extent,  extinct.  The  little 
feathery  redskins  found  school  a  rather  dull  place;  a  good  part  of 
their  time  was  spent  in  trying  to  steal  away  and  in  being  brought 
back  by  the  missionary  or  by  the  child*s  parents.  I  wonH  attempt 
to  narrate  the  "  Sorrow  ^'  of  the  first  year's  ministry.  Ideas  of  clean- 
liness were  very  primitive  and  vices  abounded.  Punishment,  espe- 
cially with  a  whip,  was  a  dangerous  medicine  to  administer,  as  the 
parents  are  fond  of  their  children  to  the  greatest  excess.  Even  in 
later  years  the  Fathers  have  been  struck,  had  their  beards  torn 
out,  and  been  threatened  by  the  infuriated  parents  for  daring  to 
give  children  much-needed  chastisement.  An  old  and  feeble  father 
came  once  and  offered  to  take  his  son's  punishment. 

When  help  came  in  the  persons  of  Fathers  Digmann,  Bosch  and 
Lindebuer,  it  was  decided  to  start  a  mission  among  the  Ogalalla 
Sioux,  farther  west.  The  year  following,  through  the  generosity  of 
the  then  Miss  Catherine  Drexel,  the  Eosary  Mission  was  founded  not 
far  from  Pine  Eidge  Agency.  For  a  while  all  went  well  at  both 
missions.  The  Fathers  journeyed  on  horseback  or  in  a  wagon,  doing 
their  best  to  bring  as  many  of  the  Sioux  into  the  true  fold  as  pos- 
sible. Still  they  received  hard  words  and  much  ingratitude.  For  you 
must  know  the  Indian  code  of  honor  differed  considerably  from  ours. 
If  they  could  succeed  m  playing  a  mean  trick,  striking  in  the  back, 
as  it  were,  when  one  was  not  looking,  even  in  cowardly  attacking  a 
single  person  with  a  numerous  troop,  they  boasted  of  it  and  received 
the  compliments  of  their  fellow  warriors.    This  was  a  real  difficulty 


SOUTH  DAKOTA  '  141 

in  the  beginning.  Then  there  were  the  dangers  of  traveling.  The- 
priests  often  met  with  accidents  in  the  open  prairies,  horses  running 
away,  smash-ups,  etc.  In  winter  with  the  thermometer  at  times 
forty  degrees  below  zero  they  were  called  out  to  see  a  sick  person. 
Sometimes  they  would  be  caught  in  a  Dakota  blizzard,  perhaps  lose 
their  way  and  arrive  at  some  house  all  but  frozen  to  death.  The 
treacherous  ice  of  the  rivers  broke  more  than  once  placing  their  live» 
in  peril. 

Opposition  came  at  times  from  the  Indians  themselves,  who  would 
refuse  to  allow  dying  babies  to  be  baptized,  and  yet  chariiy  com- 
manded the  missionary  to  see  that  the  child  was  regenerated  by  the 
saving  waters.  Here  an  artifice  had  to  be  used.  The  most  refractory 
cases  were  visited  by  the  sisters,  who  had  or  were  supposed  to  have 
some  knowledge  of  medicine.  These  then  privately  baptized  the 
dying  children.  When  this  plan  was  not  feasible  the  missionary 
himself  would  at  times  rub  a  little  peppermint  water  on  the  forehead 
of  the  child  to  cool  the  fever  and  then  baptize  the  child.  Father 
Bosch  had  a  method  of  his  own.  '^  If  the  child  gets  worse,''  he  said 
to  the  mother,  "Will  you  baptize  it,  provided  I  show  you  how?*' 
The  woman  assented,  perhaps  to  get  rid  of  him,  and  when  he  showed 
her  how,  he  took  care  to  perform  a  real  baptism.  By  and  by  the  old 
people  began  to  take  more  interest  in  our  holy  faith  and  each  year 
added  notable  converts  to  the  fold.  The  great  chief  "  Spotted  Tail " 
had  always  favored  our  religion,  but  was  unfortunately  killed  before 
he  could  be  baptized.  His  grandson  died  a  pious  death  here  at  the 
mission.    Among  the  chiefs  baptized  are  Bed  Cloud  and  Two  Strike. 

4- 

One  of  the  most  gratifjdng  conversions  was  that  of  Two  Kettle 
camp,  whose  chief  was  Tall  Mandan,  the  grandfather  of  the  Indian 
Chief  who  appeared  as  delegate  at  the  Catholic  Federation  last  year. 
This  camp  had  always  leaned  towards  Episcopalianism,  if  it  did  not 
belong  to  it.  After  holding  a  great  "  pow-wow,''  in  which  there  was 
much  intelligent  discussion,  they  all  decided  to  join  the  Black  Robe's 
prayer.  To  these  facts  I  may  add  that  there  are  many  influential 
Canadian  half-breeds  on  the  reservation,  who  are  mostly  Catholics. 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  assert  that  if  we  had  a  little  more  of  the  "  sinews 
of  war  "  and  another  priest  or  two  the  greatest  part  of  the  reservation 
would  be  Catholic.  At  present,  I  learn  that  the  mission  school  is  in 
danger.    Uncle  Sam  had  invited  us  to  begin,  had  promised  his  sup- 


142  MISSIONS   IN   AMERICA 

port  and  now  after  the  plant  has  been  erected  and  all  is  going  on 
most  satisfactorily,  he  faithlessly  withdraws  his  hands  and  throws 
us  on  charity.  The  school  had  always  been  successful.  As  soon  as 
we  had  room  we  took  in  250  children.  Even  now  while  the  servants 
of  Uncle  Sam  are  out  in  the  lanes  and  by-ways  forcing  the  ever  halt 
and  the  lame  into  the  public  boarding  school,  we  have  so  many  chil- 
dren that  we  have  to  turn  them  away  by  the  score.  Wq  have  made 
the  schools  attractive  and  entertaining  and  have  taught  ordinary 
trades  to  the  boys,  while  we  have  trained  the  girls  as  cooks  and  house- 
keepers with  a  good  knowledge  of  dress  and  lace-making.  Everyone, 
including  bigots,  has  praised  our  work,  but  the  Catholics  were  having 
too  much  success.  Were  our  children  at  home  or  in  other  schools 
they  would  be  entitled  to  rations.  The  day  they  enter  the  door  of  our 
school  sees  the  end  of  rations.*  For  the  past  few  years  we  have  tried 
to  push  along  with  what  the  Ca,tholic  Indian  Bureau  gave  us  and  the 
alms  we  managed  to  beg.  Of  late  these  have  grown  less.  We  live 
actually  from  hand  to  mouth  and  any  failure  of  regular  alms  brings 
us  face  to  face  with  the  danger  we  have  so  long  tried  to  avert — ^the 
reduction  of  the  number  of  pupils,  or  even  the  suspension  of  the  mis- 
sion. Instead  of  250  we  ought  to  have  twice  that  number  of  pupils. 
Our  accominodations  are  cramped.  Some  of  the  children  had  even  for 
a  while  to  sleep  on  the  floor.  Buildings  are  necessary.  But  how  can 
we  think  of  this  when  we  have  to  look  even  for  our  daily  food.  How 
much  is  going  to  waste  in  the  houses  of  the  people  in  the  East  that 
would  be  relished  out  here.  Every  little  piece  of  clothing,  every 
penny  we  receive  is  considered  a  gain  and  counts  so  much. 

Hoping  this  appeal  will  be  heard  by  some  charitable  souls,  I  am. 
Yours  in  Christ, 

Henry  I.  Westropp,  S.  J. 

*  We  are  glad  to  state  that  since  this  letter  was  written,  an  act  of  Con- 
gress (March  28,  1904)  has  restored  those  rations,  and  it  is  now  impossible 
for  the  Indian  Department  to  discriminate  against  Indian  children  attend- 
ing Mission  schools  in  the  distribution  of  rations. 


VICARIATE   APOSTOLIC  OF  ATHABASCA 


As  may  be  judged  from  a  perusal  of  the  letters  published  In  the  "  An- 
nals" all  apostolic  works  are  difficult,  but  the  Missions  of  Northwestern 
Canada  may  certainly  be  counted  among  the  hardest  on  account  of  the 
long  journeys  in  search  of  tribes  scattered  throughout  immense  frozen 
regions  and  the  incessant  struggle  for  life,  which  the  missionaries  are 
obliged  to  sustain.  The  following  letter  will  certainly  excite  the  sympathy 
of  our  readers. 

Letter  of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  DupE;  0.  M.  I., 

To  THE  Rev.  Joseph  Freri,  D.  C.  L., 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

Saint  Martin  Mission, 
Wabuskaw  Lake,  N.  W.  Canada,  January  27,  1904. 
Reverend  Sir  : — Permit  one  unknown  to  you  to  extend  a  greeting  to 
yourself  and  the  admirable  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith, 
the  object  of  your  zealous  charity,  as  its  director  in  the  United  States. 
Whatever  affects  the  interests  of  the  Catholic  religion,  its  vitality  and 
its  expansion,  should  awaken  the  most  heartfelt  sympathy  in  every  truly 
Catholic  heart.  Called  by  vocation  to  spread  the  light  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  savages  of  northern  America,  I  feel  myself  naturally  in- 
debted to  those  Christians  who  enable  us  to  sow  and  cultivate  the 
good  seed.  I  would  grant  them  all  blessings  imaginable,  were  it  in 
my  power  to  reward  them  according  to  their  merits.  With  Bishop 
de  Mazenod,  our  founder  and  first  pastor,  I  can  say,  as  he  said  of  the 
Church:    "  My  heart  is  running  over  with  Catholic  faith." 

4- 

For  twelve  years,  I  have  been  a  missionary 
APainfulJoumey.-     jj^  north-western  Canada,  among  the  Indians 

Lost  in  the  Snow.  j     n*  xt_       j         *  t    i      ttt  i.     i 

dwelling  on  the  edge  of  Lake  Wabuskaw,  a 

name  given  by  them  to  the  body  of  water  connecting  two  lakes  whose 

shores  are  covered  with  high  grass.     The  Mission  is  under  the  patron- 

143 


144  MISSIONS   IN  AMERICA 

age  of  Si  Martin  and  is  situated  about  three  hundred  miles  irom  Ed- 
monton, the  eastern  post  of  civilization  in  these  parts. 

This  Mission  is  of  recent  foundation.  Before  its  permanent  estab- 
lishment six  years  ago,  it  was  attended  by  the  missionaries  from 
Saint  Bernard's  Mission  on  Little  Slave  Lake.  In  1896,  I  arrived 
with  our  much  beloved  vi^ar  apostolic,  Mgr.  Gronard,  after  a  most 
painful  voyage.  We  left  Little  Slave  Lake  in  the  beginning  of  Janu- 
ary. The  cold  was  intense.  Twice  our  guides  lost  their  way  and  we 
nearly  perished  on  a  large  lake  from  the  bitterest  cold  that  I  have 
ever  felt.  A  frightful  north  wind  benumbed  our  limbs,  blinded  our 
sight  and  obliterated  our  road.  The  snow,  whirled  like  dust  in  a  gale, 
cut  like  a  knife  and  choked  our  speech.  There  was  no  more  road  to 
be  distinguished;  none  of  us  knew  our  bearings;  we  only  walked 
ahead.  All  we  knew  was  that  we  were  on  the  ice;  the  shore  was  no 
longer  to  be  seen;  we  could  not  even  trace  the  outline  of  the  tallest 
trees ;  for  us,  there  was  no  horizon.  How  long  the  day  seemed !  Never 
in  my  life,  shall  I  forget  it. 

Finally,  without  knowing  how,  we  arrived  at  a  clump  of  willows; 
it  mattered  little  that  we  knew  nothing  of  our  surroundings;  we  de- 
cided to  make  a  halt.  Our  suffering  continued  and  night  came  on. 
Still  our  camping  ground  was  not  altogether  without  comfort.  Some 
green  willows  there  were,  but  not  a  piece  of  dry  wood,  not  a  fir  branch 
to  furnish  us  a  bed.  Facing  the  situation  and  with  stout  hearts,  we 
commenced  to  dig  out  our  resting  place  in  the  deep  bed  of  snow  and, 
fortunately,  unearthed  a  few  pieces  of  dry  wood  by  means  of  which 
we  were  enabled  to  brew  a  cup  of  tea.  All  things  come  from  God. 
Providence  sent  us  the  cold,  but  at  the  same  time,  the  means  of 
protection  against  it.  Most  unexpectedly,  we  discovered  a  lone  little 
fir  tree  isolated  among  some  willows.  Its  branches  served  to  make 
the  fioor  of  our  bed  chamber.  After  a  light  supper  and  a  fervent  night 
prayer,  we  lay  down  to  rest,  facing  the  dying  embers  and  the  still 
darker  problem  of  our  situation. 

The  day  was  slow  in  breakiug.  Alas!  its  light  did  not  reveal  our 
lost  road.  God,  however,  was  watching  over  us.  In  a  little  while, 
we  saw  an  Indian  approaching;  he  had  known  of  our  departure  and 
felt  anxious  about  our  safety  after  the  storm.  The  smoke  of  our  little 
fire  had  guided  and  brought  him  to  us.  Known  to  his  tribe  by  the 
name  of  '^  Thunder,"  this  poor  unbelieving  savage  was  to  us  an  angel 
of  charity.  Could  we  only  make  a  return  to  him  by  converting  him 
to  the  Christian  faith !  Once  again  on  the  right  road,  we  continued 
our  trip  without  further  incidents  of  note. 

4- 


ATHABASCA  145 

Tndian  Sorcerera.—  The  night  we  spent  under  such  tr3ring  con- 

A  Horrible  Sacrifice,  ^^^^^^j^  ^^^  indeed,  a  harrowing  and  eventful 
one.  About  eighty  miles  above  us,  at  Trout  Lake,  the  Evil  One  had 
impelled  the  Indians  to  sacrifice  a  poor  unfortunate  savage,  who 
had  become  what  they  call  a  Wittikoro.  To  their  minds  one  afflicted 
with  this  strange  disease,  cannot  resist  the  diabolical  desire  of  eating 
human  flesh.  The  Indian's  belief  on  this  subject  is  odd  and  sense- 
less, but  the  natives  hold  this  doctrine  as  precious  almost  as  life 
itself,  and  those  who  hold  the  contrary  are  looked  upon  as  lacking  in 
ordinary  good  sense.  In  matters  of  this  kind,  the  poor  Indians  will 
not  listen  to  reason;  nothing  can  stay  them  in  their  sinister  designs. 
As  soon  as  found,  a  Wittikoro  must  be  suppressed  before  he  has  had 
an  occasion  to  satisfy  his  horrible  passion. 

When  we  reached  Trout  Lake,  the  fatal  blow  had  been  struck.  The 
skull  of  the  poor  Wittikoro  had  been  split  by  his  maternal  uncle;  and, 
for  greater  surety,  the  head  had  been  severed  from  the  body  and  cast 
aside.  Alas!  however.  All  these  measures  were  far  from  reassuring; 
everybody  was  maddened  and  terror  stricken  by  fear.  The  sorcerers 
were  present  and  excited  the  credulity  of  the  crowd.  With  the  beating 
of  his  drum,  one  of  them  announced  that  the  evil  spirit  had  not  de- 
parted far.  According  to  this  expounder  of  metempsychosis,  the  Wit- 
tikoro spirit  had  passed  into  another  man  or  into  another  animal  to 
wreak  his  vengeance.  The  wise  men  assembled  in  council  and  it  was 
decided  that  tiie  body  of  the  victim  should  be  buried  and  weighted 
down  with  a  large  number  of  tall  and  heavy  trees. 

This  measure  was  in  progress  when  the  Bishop  arrived;  the  all 
prevailing  terror,  at  once,  gave  way  to  a  sudden  calm.  The  savages 
came  like  little  children  to  tell  the  events  of  the  mournful  drama 
enacted.  "  It  was  the  evil  spirit,^'  they  said,  "  who  has  deceived  us 
and  spurred  us  on  to  such  horrors.**  The  Bishop  answered  that 
their  deeds  were,  in  truth,  the  work  of  the  devil,  homicide  from  the 
beginning.  He  spoke  vehemently  against  their  barbarous  practices 
and  ridiculous  ravings  and  could  not  repress  his  tears  at  the  sight  of 
80  much  misery  and  ignorance. 

4- 

The  Foundation  of  ^^    these     circumstances    influenced    the 

St.  Martin's  MiBSion.  Bishop  to  decide  upon  founding  a  permanent 
—Our  Schools.  mission  at  Lake  Wabuskaw.     This  district  has 

the  largest  population  and  Trout  Lake  and  other  neighboring  lakes 
can  be  most  easily  reached  from  here.  Of  course,  there  is  much  work 
in  an  entirely  new  mission  where  everything  remains  to  be  done  and 


146  MISSIONS   IN   AMERICA 

the  priest  must  multiply  himself  to  respond  to  the  necessities  of  his 
ministry.  Thanks  be  to  God!  we  have  a  fairly  large  number  of 
Catholics  which  we  hope  to  increase  by  the  aid  of  the  prayers  and 
alms  of  yourself  and  the  Society  which  you  represent. 

Our  school  is  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  Providence  from  Mon- 
treal. Forty  little  savages  are  receiving  instruction;  for  fear  of 
never  seeing  them,  however,  we  are  compelled  to  give  them  food  and 
clothing.  The  burden  is  a  heavy  one  for  so  poor  a  mission  which  has 
no  other  resource  than  that  of  charity.  It  is  the  charity  of  the 
Catholic  world  which  enables  us  to  receive  and  educate  children  that 
others  would  take  from  us.  Unfortunately  for  us,  material  resources 
are  not  wanting  to  them;  they  have  an  abundant  supply.  It  is  against 
terrible  odds  that  we  must  struggle  to  defend  the  souls  of  our  children. 
"Res  sacra  puer"  says  the  Latin  poet.  The  child  is  sacred  in  the 
eyes  of  the  church,  so  she  spares  no  eflEort  in  the  education  of  chil- 
dren, her  hope  and  her  glory. 

Besides  our  work  among  the  children,  we  care  for  a  few  destitute, 
old  and  afBicted  women.  Even  if  they  are  old  and  infirm  they  man- 
age to  use  their  tongues  to  good  advantage.  Had  I  the  time,  I  could 
tell  you  many  an  instructive  and  amusing  incident  concerning  their 
use  of  words. 

There  are  still  some  unbelievers  near  the  Mission  of  Saint  Martin 
of  Tours,  especially  in  the  counties  around  Trout  Lake,  Devil  Lake, 
Lake  Moutaymeis  and  Lake  Castos.  We  commend  these  unfortimate 
creatures  to  your  prayers  that  they  may  find  the  way  of  truth  and  of 
life.  I  am  sure  this  is  the  desire  of  your  heart  as  it  is  of  ours :  "  That 
they  may  know  Thee,  the  only  one  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
Thou  hast  sent.'' 

Permit  me  in  conclusion,  to  give  you  an  idea  of  our  poverty.  The 
church  is  not  finished  and  can  boast  only  of  its  four  bare  walls.  The 
altar  is  without  ornament,  without  a  flower  or  a  cloth.  We  should 
like  to  have  a  few  cassocks  for  the  altar  boys,  but  who  is  to  give  us 
thus  much  desired  gift  ?  A  processional  cross  would  be  most  welcome 
and  of  the  greatest  service.  The  missions  would  also  be  most  grateful 
for  clothing  for  the  school  children,  boys  and  girls.  It  need  not  be 
new,  we  can  make  use  of  any.  I  shall  not  lengthen  my  list,  but  it  is 
by  no  means  complete. 

Accept  my  best  wishes  for  yourself  and  the  members  of  the  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  and  believe  me. 
Very  sincerely  yours  in 

Jesus  and  Mary  Immaculate, 

J.  M.  Dupe,  0.  M.  I 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


THE  MAY-JUNE  NUMBER  OF  THE  ANNALS 

The  letters  from  missionaries  received  by  the  Society  for  the  Pro- 
pagation of  the  Faith  are  gathered  at  the  general  headquarters  of  the 
Society  in  France.  There  a  selection  is  made  and  those  which  are  to 
be  published  in  the  Annals  are  forwarded  every  other  month  to  all 
countries  where  an  edition  of  the  magazine  is  published  so  that  the 
fifteen  editions  of  the  Annals  are  exactly  uniform.  Last  month  the 
parcel  containing  those  letters  failed  to  reach  us;  it  had  been  lost 
through  the  mails  and,  in  spite  of  our  investigations,  could  not  be 
found.  ' 


It  would  have  caused  a  long  delay  to  wait  for  another  manuscript 
to  be  forwarded  from  Europe,  so  we  have  made  up  the  present  number 
from  letters  which  some  friends  of  the  Society  had  the  kindness  to 
communicate  to  us,  or  which  had  been  received  at  this  ofTice  directly 
from  the  missionary  field.  This  will  explain  why  the  May-June  num- 
ber of  the  American  Annals  is  entirely  different  from  the  other 
editions  in  French,  German,  Spanish,  etc.  The  report  of  the  receipts 
of  the  Society  in  1903,  which  ought  to  have  been  published  in  this 
number,  will  appear  in  the  next  one. 

147 


148      SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS 

LETTERS  FROM   AMERICAN    MISSIONARIES   ABROAD 

AND  AT  HOME 

A  remarkable  feature  of  this  number  of  the  Annals  is  that  it  is 
entirely  made  up  of  letters  written  by  American  missionaries  at  home 
and  abroad.  Perhaps  it  will  be  a  surprise  to  many  of  our  readers 
to  hear  that  there  are  American  nuns  in  the  heart  of  Africa  doing 
missionary  work  among  the  poor  blacks  of  Uganda,  and  with  what 
consoling  results  may  be  judged  from  their  letters.  Let  us  hope  that 
the  noble  example  given  by  those  heroic  women  will  awaken  in  the 
hearts  of  some  a  desire  to  walk  in  their  footsteps  and  in  the  hearts  of 
all  American  Catholics  a  generous  purpose  to  extend  some  help  to 
them.      * 

The  letters  from  missionaries  in  our  own  country,  will  probably 
reveal  to  some  a  condition  of  affairs  entirely  unsuspected.  While 
we  are  quietly  enjoying  the  blessings  of  our  Holy  Religion,  perhaps 
without  sufficient  appreciation  and  gratitude,  we  forget  that  there 
are  many  souls  longing  for  those  same  blessings  and  unable  to  obtain 
them,  except  at  rare  intervals.  Let  this  example  also  be  an  incentive 
to  fervor  and  charity. 

THE  WASHINGTON  MISSIONARY  CONFERENCE 

On  April  6-13  a  Missionary  Conference  was  held  at  Washington 
on  the  occasion  of  the  dedication  of  the  Apostolic  Mission  House  just 
erected  on  the  grounds  of  the  Catholic  University,  which  is  intended 
to  be  an  institution  for  the  preparation  of  priests  for  non-Catholic 
missions.  The  Paulist  Fathers,  who  have  taken  the  lead  in  this 
movement,  invited  quite  a  number  of  secular  and  regular  priests 
already  engaged  in  that  Apostolate  to  come  and  discuss  ways  and 
means  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Christian  Faith  among  the  infidels 
and  non-Catholics  of  our  country. 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  which  has  taken  and 
is  still  taking  such  a  deep  interest  in  the  evangelization  of  our  country, 
was  naturally  invited  to  attend  the  meeting.  It  was  represented  there 
by  Father  Freri,  National  Director,  and  Father  Walsh,  Diocesan  Di- 
rector of  the  work  in  Boston. 

Father  Freri  read  a  paper  on  the  origin,  aim,  methods,  organization 
of  the  Society  and  its  thoroughly  Catholic  character.     He  gave  an 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS      149 

account  of  the  results  obtained  by  Protestant  societies  of  the  same 
nature,  and  the  quoting  of  certain  figures  left  no  room  for  boasting  of 
our  generosity  in  the  matter.  The  so  often  repeated  assertions  that 
Protestant  missions  are  a  mere  sham  was  examined,  and,  upon  the 
testimony  of  our  own  missionaries,  it  was  demonstrated  that  they 
raise  a  new  and  every  day  more  powerful  obstacle  to  the  planting  of 
the  Christian  Faith. 

Father  Walsh's  paper  was  on  "  The  Foreign  Mission  Field.**  He 
called  attention  to  a  fact  too  much  overlooked  by  us,  that  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Twentieth  Century,  there  are  still  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions of  human  beings  who  do  not  share  in  the  fruits  of  the  Christian 
Redemption,  who,  perhaps,  have  never  heard  of  it.  He  gave  a  sum- 
mary of  the  various  misionary  societies  engaged  in  the  sublime  and 
noble  work  of  bringing  them  light  and  life.  His  vivid  description  of 
the  sacrifices  of  thousands  of  Catholic  missionary  men  and  women  as 
well  as  the  heroic  constancy  of  their  converts  in  the  midst  of  perse- 
cution elicited  much  applause.  Admiration,  however,  should  be 
practical,  because  the  unanimous  cry  from  the  mission  fields  to-day  is : 
"  Help  us  with  your  prayers  and  alms.** 

The  aim  of  both  papers,  which  will  soon  be  published,  was  the 
same,  an  appeal  to  American  Catholics  to  take  the  rank  they  ought 
to  occupy  in  the  evangelization  of  the  world.  How  much  could  be 
done  if  we  would  only  make  a  little  sacrifice,  which  at  the  same  time 
would  prove  a  source  of  blessings  to  our  own  country,  for  as  a  great 
social  worker  once  remarked :  **  For  every  dollar  you  give  away  to 
convert  the  heathen  abroad,  God  gives  you  ten  dollars  worth  of  pur- 
pose to  deal  with  our  heathen  at  home !  ** 

THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH  IN  MEXICO 

We  read  in  El  Pais,  of  Mexico :  "  Father  Devoucoux,  delegate  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  the  republic  of  Mexico,  has 
just  arrived  at  the  capital  to  pay  his  respects  to  Mgr.  Domingo  Serafini, 
Apostolic  Delegate.  His  Excellency  was  very  much  gratified  to  hear 
of  the  hearty  welcome  given  to  this  truly  Apostolic  work  by  the  Mexi- 
can Catholics.  The  Bishops  have  always  had  an  active  practical  inter- 
est in  this  world-wide  apostolate  and  imder  their  direction  the  Society 
is  being  established  in  all  the  parish  churches.  ^Igr.  Serafino  ex- 
pressed himself  as  highly  pleased  at  the  action  of  our  prelates,  who,  in 


150      SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE  AMERICAN   EDITION   OF  THE  ANNALS 

thus  taking  part  in  the  work,  have  but  followed  the  earnest  recommen- 
dation of  Popes  Pius  IX  and  Leo  XIII.  Many  times  did  both 
Sovereign  Pontiffs  earnestl}^  urge  the  faithful  of  the  whole  Catholic 
world  to  be  enrolled  in  its  ranks/^ 

OUR    MITE    BOXES 

We  have  just  made  Mite  Boxes  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  offer- 
ings for  the  Catholic  missions.  These  boxes  may  be  placed  in  class, 
societies  or  Sunday-school  rooms,  there  to  receive  an  occasional  small 
offering.  They  may  be  used  even  in  families  to  act  as  the  silent 
promoter  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith.  At  the  end 
of  the  year  the  box  is  broken  open  and  its  contents  forwarded  to  some 
director  of  the  Society  or  directly  to  us. 

This  method  of  gathering  alms  for  the  missions  is  widely  used  by 
our  separated  brethren  and  quite  successfully.  Through  it  the  Episco- 
palians collected  last  year  for  that  purpose  over  $73,000  in  their 
Sunday  schools  alone. 

We  shall  be  pleased  to  forward  any  number  of  these  boxes  to  any 
institution  or  person  who  will  have  the  charity  to  dispose  of  them 
among  their  pupils  or  friends. 


SPECIAL   DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  March-April  Xumber. 


For  Bishop  Pelckmans,  0.  M.  Cap.,  Lahore,  India. 
Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brookl}Ti) $     5.25 

For  Father  Guitta,  S.  M.,  Central  Oceanica. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston) 20.00 

For  Father  Corre's  Leper  Mission,  Japan. 

Rt.  Rev.  6.  H.  Doane  (Diocese  of  Newark) 5.00 

Rt.  Rev.  P.  Engel,  0.  S.  B.  (Diocese  of  St.  Cloud) 12.00 

Rev.  D.  McShane  (Diocese  of  Louisville) 3.00 

Rev.  W.  Mulheron  (Diocese  of  Rochester) 40.00 

Rev.  V.  Sovilla  (Diocese  of  Columbus) 1.00 

Rev.  A.  Tyszka  (Diocese  of  Pittsburg) 2.00 

A  Priest   (Diocese  of  Trenton) 50.00 

Mrs.  Margaret  Rooney  (Diocese  of  Omaha) 10.00 

For  the  Redemption  of  a  Chinese  Child  to  be  Baptized  Under 
THE  Name  of  Robert. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Tucson) 25.00 

For  the  Passage  of  Two  Missionaries  from  Cork  to 
Africa. 
Per  Rev.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 400.00 

For  Chinese  Lepers'  Mission.  * 

Rev.  J.  X.  Lasance  (Diocese  of  Cincinnati) 1.00 

For  Father  Delore^  S.  J.,  Liban. 

Mr.  Paschal  Ferrara  (Diocese  of  Buffalo) 2.00 

Mr.  6.  G.  DoUiver  (Diocese  of  Boston) 5.00 

Total    $581.25 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the  donors 
for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary  and  forwards  the  same  at 
once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

151 


OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates: 

Eight  Bev.  L.  M.  Fink,  Bishop  of  Leavenworth;  Very  Bev.  A. 
Andries,  Diocese  of  Natchitoches;  Bev.  James  Cleary,  Diocese  of 
Philadelphia;  Bev.  J.  J.  Elcock,  Diocese  of  Philadelphia;  Bev.  B.  A. 
Sidley,  Diocese  of  Cleveland;  Bev.  Prank  O'Borke,  Diocese  of  Detroit; 
Bev.  Wm.  H.  Sidley,  Diocese  of  Cincinnati ;  Bev.  M.  T.  SchiflEmacher, 
Diocese  of  Davenport. 

Sister  Eupl^rasia,  Diocese  of  Tuscon. 

Mrs.  Annie  E.  Boyle,  Archdiocese  of  New  York. 

The  following  from  the  archdiocese  of  Boston:  Mrs.  Mary  Colgan, 
Miss  Kate  Ryan,  Mrs.  Thomas  Vachon,  Mrs.  Anna  Sullivan,  Mr.  Peter  J. 
Kelley,  Miss  Margaret  Harrington,  Mrs.  Callaghan,  Miss  Catherine  Mcln- 
tyr.e,  Mr.  Timothy  Flynn,  Mr.  Bowen,  Mr.  Samuel  Coulson,  Miss  Catherine 
Coulson,  Mr.  Martin  Boland,  Mr.  James  Keating,  Miss  Mary  Keating,  Mr. 
Frank  King,  Mr.  John  McManus,  Miss  Mary  Mahoney,  Miss  Margaret  Hal- 
ligan,  Mr.  Frank  J.  Quinlan,  Miss  Annie  Cullen,  Miss  Catherine  Rowan, 
Mr.  Jeremiah  McSweeney,  Miss  Johanna  McSweeney,  Miss  Julia  Mc- 
Sweeney,  Miss  Mary  McSweeney,  Mr.  John  McSweeney,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Mc- 
Sweeney, Miss  Cynthia  P.  Richards,  Mr.  Charles  Carter,  Mr.  Brennan, 
Mrs.  Margaret  McNamee,  Miss  Ellen  Ward,  Miss  Nora  Cole,  Miss  Elizabeth 
M.  Sharon,  Miss  Bridget  Mahoney,  Miss  Annie  Devine,  Miss  Ellen  Murphy, 
Miss  Catherine  Bulger,  Mrs.  Julia  Callahan,  Mr.  Daniel  McGrath,  Mrs. 
Mary  Hegarty,  Miss  Bridget  McManus,  Mr.  Patrick  McManus,  Miss  Mary 
McManus,  Mr.  Alex.  Schaller,  Mrs.  James  Walsh,  Mr.  Thomas  Abbott,  Mrs. 
May  Strain,  Mr.  Michael  Kelley,  Mr.  Roger  Kelley,  Mr.  Edward  Tracy, 
Mr.  John  Gaffney,  Miss  Ann  Jones  Gaifney,  Miss  Rebecca  J.  Woods,  Mr. 
John  H.  Woods,  Mr.  Henry  L.  Richards. 

R.  I.  P. 

(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  the  names  of  all  deceased  asso- 
ciates whose  names  are  sent  to  ns,  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 
152 


ADVEBTIBEMCNT8 


MON  NOUVEAU  VICAIRE, 

(MY  NEW  CURATE) 
JoumAl  Humoristlque  d*iui  vieuz  CarA. 

Rev.  P.  A.  Sheehan. 

Paper.      tfO  pages.      Postage  prepaid*        $\jOO, 

ADDRESS 

THE  SKIEn  FOB  THE  PROPUATIOI  OF  TIE  fUTI, 

627  LEXINGTON  AVE.,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


CHURCH  HISTORY 

roi  m  TO  Mn  YiM  or  ociiool. 
By  Rev.  J.  H.  OBCHTBRINO. 

A  Bhoft  HIstorj  Citenhism  In  stfong  outllBaiL 
with  details  teiefly  Imt  Thrldlj  drawn. 

**  Tha  aotlior  of  tha  pxessBlToluma  has  had  lontf 
azpartonoeasa  pastor  and  teacher,  and  It  Is  oonft- 
dentlj  heUered  that  In  publishing  this  woi^  he 
I  afenulne  senioe  to  oar  schools." 


Viwth  BdlttoB.    Ctoth.    ijl  pagw, 
so  cts.  wholesale. 


B.  HERDER, 
St.  LoaU,  rio. 


For  love  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  help  us  to  send  priests 
to  the  poor  heathen. 


"  Make  a  little  chest  for  alms  at  home,  near  the  place 
where  you  pray,  and  as  often  as  you  go  to  pray,  first 
deposit  an  alms  and  then  send  up  your  prayer." 

—St.  John  Chrysostom. 


If  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is  not 
established  in  your  parish,  send  a  postal  card  for 

A  MITE  BOX 

wherewith    to   collect    your   offerings    for    the    Catholic 
Missions  to 

The  REV^  J.  FRERI, 

627  Lexii^^ton  Avenue^  New  York  Qtjr^ 

He  will  gladiy  send  it  by  mail,  free  of  any  charge. 


Please  mention  "Annals"  when  writing  to  advertisers. 


."^ 


ANNALS 

OF  THE  PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 


GO  YE  INTO  THE  WHOLE  WORLD  A«D 
PREACH  THE  GOSPEL  TO  EVERY  CREATURE 


'WV^ 


BALTmORE,  Kb. 


ACJ 


[UMiys:] 


BALTinORfi.  Mfik 


jimnnnT   mhajaku^ 


CONTENTS. 


PAO> 

BRIEF  OF  HIS  HOLINESS  POPE  PIUS  X 158 

REPORT  FOR  1903 IW 

Raetlpit  from  all  Dlocmt  Contributing  to  tho  Work  In  1903      ....  158 

THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC   MISSIONARIES.    .    .    ; 167 

THE  MISSIONS  OF  THE  FATHERS  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST     By  Bltbop  Lo  Roy, 

Suporior  Gonoral 167 

Missions  in  Asia. 

INDIA. 

Ay(/e/ti6a(/.~Journal  of  Fatbor  CIvatti,  M.  F.  M 180 

Need  of  a  Refuge  for  Aged  Pagans.— Discussion  with  an  Intelli- 
gent Hindu.— Truth  Proved  by  Charity.— Logical  Conclusion. 
INDO-CHINA. 

Southern  Tongk'mg.'-XMibT  of  Fatbor  Bollovlllo,  P.  F.  M 190 

Three  Blossoms  of  the  Ha-Tinh  Mission.— Peter  Thuy.— The 
Khoi  Family  —Peter  Hoan. 

News  of  the  Missions. 

EUROPE. 

Tho  SIttort  of  Charity  In  Donmark.    .    .    .    , 197 

A  SUtuo  to  Falhor  do  Dokon 197 

ASIA, 

Roport  of  tho  Socloty  for  Forolgn  Missions  of  Paris 198 

A  Missionary  on  bis  Travols .198 

AFRICA. 

An  Abyssinian  Cblof  Favorablo  to  tbo  Catholic  Roilglon 900 

A  Lsamsd  Missionary 901 

DosUnatlon  of  MIsslonarios.       202 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals* 


EDITORIALS 203 

Popo  Plus  X  and  tbo  Socloty  for  tbs  Propagation  of  tho  Faltb 208 

Tho  Roport  for  1903 204 

MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 205 

Lottsr  of  tho  Right  Rov.  J.  A.  O'Gorman,  C.  S.  Sp 205 

Rsiigious  StattsUcs  of  tho  Worid 207 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS :  209 

OBITUARY.     .    : ;    ; 210 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  McU,  as  Beoond  ClaM  Matter. 


A  BRIEF 

OF 

OUR  HOLY  FATHER 

POPE  PIUS  X 

BY  WHICH 
THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE 

PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 

IS  ENCOURAGED  AND  COMMENDED 
AND  BY  WHICH  THE  FEAST  OF 

ST.   FRANCIS  XAVIER 

PATRON  OF  THE  SOCIETY 

IS  RAISED  TO  THE  RITE  OF  A  DOUBLE  MAJOR 
FOR  THE  UNIVERSAL  CHURCH 


153 


PIUS  X  POPE 

For  a  perpetual  remembrance. 

Raised  to  the  Apostolic  Office  and  plac<il  Hy  a-  act  c>f  ti  t  J  •,  *e 
Clemency  at  the  very  head  of  the  Christian  Pn*  nho  ti,  \\  •  1^, ;  c  •  s< :: 
upon  Ourselves  a  Guardianship  which  goes  f..^  h-.^onvl  tru  iii:.  :s  .  r  '>i:r 
Church  of  Rome.  For,  when  He  was  about  to  leave  A\\>  e::rti',  (1.:  -t 
commanded  the  Apostles  and  among  them  a!.  e:p'«.;:J'\  P  ,t  '  -  v  hoin 
He  wished  to  be  more  illustrious  than  the  others  i  )i  o\\\\  l\v  n  in<>:i  -^f 
his  dignity  but  by  his  zeal  for  the  heavenly  glors — i  xiw^h  ..'1  n;.  i  »r  >  r.i  . 
to  carry  the  salutary  preaching  of  the  Gosin*'  to  r-u-  nuosr  rcm)rc  a  : 
uncivilized  parts  of  the  world.  Obeying,"  tlxic  irr.  tlie  Divine  C  n.- 
mands  and  following  the  glorious  examples  of  ^J  \i  t  Jv(cs^  .r>,  «  •  u  . 
that  it  is  most  consistent  with  Our  office  thar  C  Mr  *  M»r  anl  Oi.r  c  •. 
good  will  should  be  given  to  every  means  corAlu*.  ;vc  to  t  lo  sprc  ;'  i.  ,.1 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  and  to  the  widening  of  the  limits  of  the  Church. 

In  the  very  first  rank,  both  by  its  usefulness  and  its  works,  stand? 

the  Society  called  The  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  worthy  of  the 

highest  praise.    This  work  among  men  seems  to  have  been  born  of  a  wholly 

Divine  inspiration,  for  it  is  certainly  in  the  Providence  of  God  that  the 

people  of  the  Church  who  did  not  receive  the  commission  to  .preach  the 

doctrine    of  Christ    should    aid,   nevertheless,    by   their   alms   and    their 

prayers  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel.     In  this  way,  therefore,  the  love  of 

Christ  the  Redeemer  stirring  the  hearts  of  some  excellent  men  inspired 

them  to  unite  in  a  Society  the  faithful  of  all  peoples  and  all  nations,  who 

would  contribute  from  their  resources  to  the  sending  of  missionaries,  who 

would  come  to  the  aid  of  these  dispensers  of  holy  things  by  uniting  in 

prayers  for  them  and  thus  obtain  the  object  of  their  desires,  namely:   the 

progress  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  earth.     It  is  evident  to  all  that  such 

an  association  has  deserved  the  highest  praise  in  the  wide  spreading  of 

the  Christian   faith.     If    the  messengers    of   the    Catholic    doctrine  are 

able  to  reach   out   to  the  most   distant  lands  and  the  most   barbarous 

peoples,    it   is  to  the  generosity  of  this  noble  Society  that  credit  must 
154 


be  given.  Through  it,  salvation  began  for  numberless  peoples ;  through 
it,  souls  were  prepared  for  those  excellent  fruits  whose  price  he  alone  can 
appreciate  who  knows  the  value  of  the  blood  shed  by  Christ.  Through 
it,  contrary  to  what  might  have  been  expected  from  the  disunited  efforts 
of  men,  was  marvelously  carried  out  the  command  to  make  known  the 
Gospel.  Deeply  conscious  of  the  merits  of  this  illustrious  Society,  We 
have  always  been  greatly  interested  in  it  and  have  always  helped  it  as  far 
as  Our  humble  resources  would  permit,  always  most  anxious  to  do  even 
more  if,  with  the  grace  of  God,  it  were  within  Our  power. 

Now  since  the  bounty  of  the  omnipotent  God  has  conferred  upon 
Us  the  power  of  dispensing  from  the  Chair  of  Peter  spiritual  favors.  We  are 
unwilling  to  allow  this  occasion  to  pass  without  paying  to  the  association 
which  We  command  a  special  mark  of  Our  good  will.  Wherefore,  in 
virtue  of  Our  apostolic  authority  and  by  these  letters,  We  absolve  and 
declare  absolved  from  all  excommunication,  suspension  and  interdict  and 
all  ecclesiastical  penalties,  if  they  have  incurred  any,  all  and  each  in  whose 
favor  these  Our  letters  are  given.  And  in  order  that  to  the  external 
helps  given  to  the  Society  there  may  be  added  also  protection  and  grace 
from  on  high,  We  have  chosen  St.  Francis  Xavier  as  the  heavenly 
Patron  of  the  same  and  We  wish  that  to  him  be  given  all  the  honors  paid 
to  heavenly  Patrons.  Moreover,  that  the  veneration  paid  to  him  may 
be  further  increased  and  that  additional  honors  offered  by  the  liturgy 
may  enhance  his  glory  still  more  among  men.  We  raise  his  feast  to  the 
rite  of  a  double  major,  conformable  to  the  rubrics,  for  the  Universal 
CJiurch. 

There  is,  indeed,  between  this  Saint  and  the  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PRO- 
PAGATION OF  THE  Faith  a  peculiar  and  personal  relationship.  For  Francis 
labored  during  his  life  so  zealously  and  with  such  great  success  to  fill  the 
hearts  of  people  with  Christian  truths  as  to  appear  to  have  been  a  chosen 
instrument  of  Divine  Providence  as  were  the  Apostles  themselves. 

Wherefore,  We  are  filled  with  the  firm  hope  that  this  most  noble 

association  will  grow  in  strength  day  by  day  under   the   intercession  of 

Francis  and  that  before  long  by  the  abundance  of  its  fruits,  the  number  of 

its  associates,  the  liberality  and  the  zeal  of  those  who  contribute  their 

alms,  it  will  prove  to  be  true  this  sublime  and  striking  fact,  that,  as  Christ 

established  His  Church,  in  which  there  is  salvation  for  all  who  believe,  so 

God  in  His  own  designs  brought  forth  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 

I5r) 


OF  THE  Faith  to  make  the  Gospel  light  shine  before  those  who  do  not  yet 
believe. 

Doubtless  the  generous  efforts  of  individual  Catholics  will  cootribute 
a  great  deal  to  this  result  even  though  they  act  independently.  No  more 
profitable  m^ans  can  be  used,  however,  than  the  formation  of  bands  of 
ten  associates  among  Catholics  according  to  the  very  wise  methods 
already  in  vogue  in  the  Society.  For  the  less  we  unite  our  efforts,  the 
less  result  there  will  be ;  on  the  contrary,  when  we  combine  and  organize 
our  forces  our  strength  is  most  powerful.  To  act  as  individuals,  We  say, 
is  good,  but  to  act  united  with  others  is  to  act  as  we  ought  to  do.  May 
Christ,  who  has  saved  and  regenerated  the  human  race,  protect  this  His 
Society  by  His  grace  and  help,  since  it  is  its  aim  to  spread  His  Most  Holy 
Name.  Yes,  we  are  redeemed  not  with  silver  or  gold,  but  with  the 
precious  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  it  is  our  first  duty  to  secure  His 
help  by  our  unceasing  prayers. 

This  We  order  and  command,  and  We  decree  that  these  present  let- 
ters be  binding,  valid  and  effective,  and  that  they  acquire  and  obtain  their 
full  and  entire  effect  and  in  all  points  be  fully  available  to  those  to  whom 
it  belongs  or  shall  in  future  belong,  and  that  judgments  and  definitions 
be  given  according  to  these  aforesaid  by  every  judge  holding  ordinary  or 
delegated  powers ;  and  We  declare  null  and  of  no  effect  any  attempt  to 
the  contrary,  by  whomsoever,  with  what  authority  soever,  knowingly  or 
in  ignorance,  it  be  made,  all  constitutions,  apostolic  ordinances,  or  any 
other  notwithstanding.  Also  it  is  Our  wish  that  to  copies  of  these  present 
letters,  printed  or  otherwise,  subscribed  by  the  hand  of  a  pubh'c  notary 
and  bearing  the  seal  of  some  person  constituted  a  dignitary  in  the  Church, 
the  same  credence  be  given  as  would  be  accorded  to  these  present  letters 
if  they  were  produced  and  shown. 

Given  at  Rome,  at  St.  Peter's,  under  the  Fisherman's  ring,  the 
25th*  day  of  March,  1904,  in  the  First  Year  of  Our  Pontificate. 

[seal]  Aloysius  Cardinal  Macchi. 


156 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 

Vol.  LXVII,  No.  455.  July-August,  1904. 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  WORK  OF  THE    SOCIETY 
FOR  THE   PROPAGATION   OF  THE   FAITH 

IN    1903 


Tlie  receipts  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  in 
1902  were  $1,319,608.93.  in  1903  tliey  are  only  $1,247,421.00. 
Hence  there  is  a  decrease  of  $72,187.93,  which  would  have  been  les- 
sened somewhat  by  a  sum  of  $11,800  received  after  the  closing  of 
accounts  for  1903;  it  will  be  credited  to  the  present  year's. 

In  comparing  the  reports  of  1902  and  1903,  we  find  that  the  de- 
crease is  due  to  the  returns  from  France.  The  bands  of  Associates 
have  been  maintained  in  the  parishes  and  those  contributions  are 
nearly  equal  to  those  of  former  years,  but  large  special  donations  have 
failed  to  come:  hence  the  decrease.  Shall  we  be  surprised  at  this, 
considering  the  religious  condition  of  France  at  present?  What 
is  surprising  is  that,  crippled  as  she  is,  she  has  given  to  the  work 
$701,671.00. 

Whatever  may  be  its  cause,  a  decrease  is  always  for  us  a  matter  of 
regret,  and  the  loss  of  $70,000  to  our  missions  is  a  very  considerable 
one.  It  may  be  remembered  that  the  sum  total  of  the  various  appli- 
cations for  help  made  last  year  to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith  from  all  parts  of  the  world  was  more  than  three  times 
the  amount  collected,  and  as  these  appeals  were  then  for  the  relief 
of  immediate  necessities,  the  present  condition  of  some  of  our  mis- 
sions must  be  serious,  and  the  progress  of  the  Church  in  many  dis- 
tricts surely  threatened. 

We  sincerely  hope  that  the  appeal  of  Our  Holy  Father  in  behalf 
of  the  work  of  our  Society  will  be  generously  answered  by  all  good 
Catholics  and  the  next  year's  report  will  show  a  considerable  increase 
over  the  receipts  of  1903. 

157 


158 


REPORT  FOR  1903 


RECEIPTS  FROM  ALL  DIOCESES  CONTRIBUT- 
ING TO  THE  WORK  IN    1903 
EUROPE 
France 


Aix    13,339.37 

Ajaccio    1,483.10 

Digne 1,338.26 

Frejus   3,158.63 

Gap    1,845.07 

Marseilles    10,318.10 

Nice  3,198.98 

Albi 6,260.04 

Cahors    4,802.93 

Mende   3,581.36 

Perpignan    1,229.25 

Rodez    17,629.79 

Auch 7,075.33 

Aire   7,225.92 

Bayonne   13,093.99 

Tarbes    2,390.49 

Avignon    3,908.34 

Montpellier    5,953.91 

Nimes    2,673.70 

Valence  4,288.49 

Viviers    10,653.56 

Besancon   8,400.88 

Belley    11,786.34 

Nancy    7,818.47 

Saint-Die    8,258.09 

Verdun    6,153.00 

Bordeaux   9,591.10 

Agen    2,658.43 

Angouieme    2,057.32 

LuQon    7,590.55 

Perigneux    2,606.48 

Poitiers    4,603.47 

La    Rochelle 1,455.80 

BouKGES    3.438.24 

Clermont-Ferrand    10,704.85 

Limoges    4,143.74 

Puy    13,391.50 

Saint-Flour    4,896.25 

Tulle    1,512.15 

Cambrai    34,688.85 

Arras     10,709.44 

Chambeby    2,347.33 

Annecy    6,702.57 


Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne    .  $1,480.70 

Tarentaise    1,710.25 

Lyon    77,939.30 

Autun    11,074.67 

Dijon  3,226.74 

Grenoble    14,962.60 

Langres    3.446.10 

Saint-Claude    3,839.99 

Paris  31,863.81 

Blois    1,565.20 

Chartres    1,630.03 

Meaux   1,044.49 

Orleans    4,197.00 

Versailles  6,090.16 

Reims    9,122.71 

Amiens   . .  .* 5,712.94 

Beauvais    1,712.90 

Chaldns    2,140.10 

Soissons    6,298.54 

Rennes     23,307.17 

Quimper   29,648.93 

Saint-Brieuc    35,102.23 

Vannes    5,617.60 

Rouen     8,677.49 

Bayeux    8,129.20 

Coutances     11,987.34 

Evreux    2,134.56 

S6ez   7,367.65 

Sens  2,732.92 

Moulins    5,077.68 

Nevers    3,904.64 

Troyes    2,601.07 

Toulouse   11,332.38 

Carcassonne    3,914.65 

Montauban    2,600.80 

Pamiers    1,883.00 

Tours    3,360.44 

Angers    11,608.68 

Laval    9,122.39 

Mans     4,661.50 

Nantes    36,873.56 


Total    $701,671.70 


Monaco 


Monaco 


$400.00 


Alsace-Lorraine 

Metz    $42,567.42 

Strasbourg    32,733.72 


Total    $75,301.14 


BRITISH   ISLES 


159 


Germany 


Cologne    $20,144.58 

Munster    7,898.67 

Paderborn    6,150.06 

Treves  11,268.17 

POSEN    AND   GXESEN 4,116.5^ 

Culm    95.05 

Breslau   2,761.64 

Hildesheim    21.00 

Osnabruck    285.00 


Wannle    I     680.00 

Fbibouro     5,743.14 

Fulda    295.96 

Limbourg    60.00 

Mayence   315.51 

Rottembourg  10,140.74 

Munich    2.45 

Saxony    350.00 


Total    $70,328.52 

Switzerland 

Basle   $5,277.98  Lausanne    $  4,370.74 

Chur    2,571.93  Sion     4.000.28 

St.  Gall 3,381.40  

Total    $19,602.33 


Austria 


Laibach    $  .46 

Trieste  and  Istria 35.00 

Lbopol    207.20 

Przemysl    174.40 

Tarnow    250.00 

Olmutz    120.01 

Prague    1,902.00 

Salzbouso    1,127.56 

Brixen    1,416.85 


Gurk    $8.83 

Seckau    107.74 

Trent    278.97 

Vienna    1,353.14 

San    Polten 358.65 

Linz   414.69 

Cracow    830.02 


Total   $8,585.53 


Hungary 
Various   dioceses $142.76  Grand-Varadin    $     969.60 


Gran 
Raab 


1.14 
6.60 


Total   $1,120.10 


Belgium 

Malines    $14,175.96  Namur    $  7,303.75 

Bruges    13,114.27  Tournay    12,162.97 

Gand    11,124.32  

Liege     10,190.63  Total    $68,071.90 

Holland 

Utrecht   $628.00  Haarlem    $  1,402.15 

Bois-le-Duc    5,720.72  Ruremonde    5,357.99 

Breda    587.44  • 

Total    $13,696.32 

Duchy  of  Luxembourg 
Luxembourg    $1,159.69 

British  Isles 


IRELAND 


Armagh    $1,687.87 

Clogher 5.41 

Derry 155.41 

Down  and  Connor 62.50 

Dromore  5.41 

Kllmore    10.41 

Meath    281.52 

Raphoe    10.00 

Cashel   500.42 

Cloyne 1,000.00 

Cork    1,457.55 

Kerry  and  Agadoe 70.95 


Klllaloe    $         9.75 

Limerick    1,661.09 

Ross 5,487.51 

Waterford  and  Lls.-nore.        392.51 
Dublin    7,640.62 


Ferns  . 
Kildare 
Ossory  . 

TUAM     . 

Elphin 
Galway 


and    Leighlin.. 


47.91 

151.35 

144.75 

919.69 

11.45 

25.25 


Total    $21,738.33 


160 


REPORT  FOR  1903 
British  Isles— Cont. 


ENGLAND 


Westminster    |  1,056.96 

Birmingham    364.12 

Clifton    287.60 

Hexham  and  Newcastle.  355.22 

Leeds    103.62 

Liverpool    1,153.93 

Menevia    127.91 

Middlesborough    98.87 

Newport    . . . ; 200.00 


Northampton    |     17.41 


Nottingham 
Plymouth   . . 
Portsmouth 

Salford    

Shrewsbury 


210.50 
106.08 
634.64 
73.75 
345.06 


Southwark  1,238.79 


Total $6,374.46 


SCOTLAND 

Aberdeen    $440.76  Glasgow    $527.06 

25.00  


Dunkeld 
Galloway 


355.62 


Total   $1,348.44 

British  Isles   $29,461.23 


Spain 


BUROOS    $600.00 


Calahorra 

Leon    

Osma  .... 
Palencia  . 
Santander 


108.47 
174.06 
140.00 
836.57 
679.94 


Vitoria    6,343.64 

COMPOSTELLA      439.70 

Lugo 554.96 

Mondonedo    310.'53 

Orensa    777.10 

Oviedo 686.44 

Tuy    295.94 

Granada   243.14 

Almeria    252.20 

Carthagena    277.39 

Guadix    80.00 

Jaen    220.00 

Malaga    211.32 

Saragossa    530.00 

Barbastro  23.78 

Huesca    101.00 

Jaca  28.94 

Pampeluna    865.82 

Tarazona    187.81 

Teruel   163.00 

Seville    1,120.30 

Badajoz    363.52 

Cadiz    553.29 

Cordova    303.44 


The   Canaries $110.50 

Tarragona  206.36 

Barcelona    2,512.14 

Gerona    73.60 

Lerida   122.98 

Tortosa    131.36 

Urgel  108.00 

Vich  230.00 

Toledo     466.62 

Coria   54.73 

Cuenca    79.22 

Madrid    4,285.90 

Plasencia    291.04 

Siguenza    260.60 

"Valencia    675.90 

Majorca    286.60 

Minorca    243.09 

Orihuela  92.00 

Segorbe 272.11 

Valladolid    188.60 

Astorga    136.60 

Avila   205.63 

Ciu.  Rodrigo   387.00 

Salamanca   589.63 

San  Cristoval  of  i-.aguna  377.16 

Segovia  118.52 

Zamora  135.60 

Ciudad    Real 40.00 

Gibraltar    10.00 


Total    $30,160.79 


Portugal 


Braoa    $2,108.43 


Braganza 
Coimbra 
Lamega  . 
Oporto 
VIzeu    . . . 

EVORA     . . 


202.45 

287.66 

41.40 

597.80 

53.38 

50.00 


Beja    . . . 
Lisbon 
Angra    . 
Funchal 
Guarda 


$  4.55 
520.99 
421.92 
111.92 
878.24 


Total    $5,278.79 


ITALY 


161 


Rome    ^2,587.56 

Albano    35.00 

Frascati    34.12 

Camerino   53.39 

Febrara    220.00 

Perugia    121.00 

Spolete    5.90 

Acquapendente  67.28 

Amelia    15.00 

Aaagni    12.41 

Ancona  and  Umana 38.05 

Ascoli    150.00 

Assisi    34.87 

Bagnorea    18.00 

.Citta  di  Castello 46.00 

Civita    Castellana 20.00 

Cometo  and  Ciyita 

Vecchia 6.28 

Fabriano  and  Matelica. .  45.00 

Fano    40.00 

Faligno   12.00 

Gubbio    61.00 

lesi    100.00 

Montefiascone   35.40 

Nocera    17.57 

Norcla    12.00 

Orvieto    8.00 

Osimo  and  Cingoli 19.23 

Poggio  Mirteto 3.00 

Recanati  and  Loretto..  1,131.28 

Rieti    23.20 

Segni     6.00 

Terni  67.00 

Terracino  and  Plperno.  15.98 

Tivoli     23.78 

Viterbo  and  Toscanella.  28.38 

Bologna    408.77 

Faenza    22.00 

Imola    112.04 

Febmo   64.00 

Macerata  and  Tolentino  1,581.94 

Montalto     41.66 

Ripatransone     20.00 

San    Severlno 17.10 

Ravenna     52.00 

Bertinoro    20.46% 

Cervia  6.00 

Cesena    37.06 

Forli    90.00 

Rimini     6G.00 

Sarsina  20.0G 

Urbino    35J)0 

Cagli  and  Pergola. . . , . .  28.60 

Fossombrone     18.85 

Montefeltro    45.50 

Pesaro 70.00 

Senlgaglia    93.20 

Sarzanne  and  Brugnato  38.00 

Genoa   3,410,18 

Albenga    304.00 


Italy 

Bobblo    I       68.00 

Chlavarl   220.00 

Savona  and  Noli 220.00 

Tortona    697.39 

Vintimello    239.50 

Sassari   47.00 

Turin    12,613.42 

Acqui     111.20 

Albe     202.00 

Aosta     543.85 

Astl    1,068.40 

Coni     488.60 

Fossano    391.00 

Ivree    1,400.00 

Mondovi    1,278.82 

Pignerol    478.20 

Saluces   577.33 

Susa    170.00 

Vebceil  2,100.53 

Alexandria    138.40 

Bielle     1,440.00 

Casale 662.80 

Novare    1,116.31 

Vigevano    430.40 

Udine    210.27 

Borgo  San  Domino 6.72 

Milan    7,749.05 

Bergamo     584.00 

Brescia   900.84 

Como   267.69 

Creme    37.90 

Cremona 458.62 

Lodi     459.50 

Mantua   19.60 

Pavia     259.00 

Venice    441.74 

Adria     46.90 

Belluna  118.05 

Ceneda    27.96 

Chioggia  38.10 

Concordia    29.24 

Feltre    9.12 

Padua    199.74 

Trevise    24.40 

Verona    183.96 

Vicence  200.00 

Lucca    490.00 

Arezzo     179.12 

Cortona     60.40 

Montalcino  4.68 

Parma  99.07 

Piaisance    154.53 

Florence    688.49 

Borgo  San  Sepolcio 8.20 

Colle    48.40 

Fiesole    22.56 

San  Miniato   96.80 

Modigliana     42.90 

Plstoii  and  Prato 169.53 

Pisa  127.65 


1G2 


REPORT  FOR  1903 


Italy— Cont. 


Llyurna    

Pescia   

Pontremoll    

Voltena  

Sienna    » 

Chiusi-Pienza    

Grosseto    

Modena  

Carpi  

Guastalla    

Massa  di  Carrara 

Reggio    

Catana 

Gaeta    

Aci  Reale 

Aquino  Sora  and  Ponte- 

corvo   

Ayersa    

Cava  and  Sarno 

Marsi     

Molfetta  Terlizzi  and 

Giovenazzo     

Trivento   

Valva  and  Sulmona 

ACEBENZA  AND  MATERA.  . 

Venosa    

Avellino    

Bojano    

Larino    

Capua   

Cajazzo   

Calvi  and  Teano 

Caserte   


Chietti 


$130.93 

106.48 

32.60 

61.96 

120.80 

53.82 

11.61 

896.77 

68.83 

24.02 

58.40 

299.25 

846.69 

44.60 

188.80 

13.20 

130.00 

3,887.60 

7.70 

16.00 
47.00 

3.38 
12.22 

5.00 
200.00 
30.60 
21.55 
28.00 
20.00 
46.32 
13.00 

2.00 
82.00 


$1.00 

49.41 

8.53 

74.96 

107.72 

58.97 

Naples    2,625.17 


Lanciano  . 
Messina   . . . 

Patti    

Monbeale  . . 
Caltanisetta 
Girgenti 


23.94 

15.62 

15.00 

60.00 

155.43 

127.02 

138.34 

30.00 

3.80 

5.13 

90.00 

9.40 

17.20 

3.20 

1.20 

Sorbento    1,573.05 


Ischla 

Pouzzoles    

Otranto    

Leccee  

Palermo  

Mazzara    

Trapani    

Regoio    

Nicastro   

Oppido    

Salerno    

Diano    

Nocera  dei  Pagani. 

Nusco    

Policastro    


Cast^Ilamare 

Syracuse   

Noto    

Tabentum    

Castellaneta    

Tbani    

Andria    

Bisceglia    

Abbey  Monte  Cassino. 
Abbey    Montevergine . 


16.60 
21.46 
28.13 
22.51 
32.21 
31.35 
180.00 
16.00 
7.74 
24.00 


Total    $65,865.85 


The  Levant 
Malta     $  9,284.30  Gozzo 


Naxie    $ 

Syra    


GREECE 

13.94  Tine    , 

36.00  CoBFU 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE 

Constantinople  $  1,108.60  Candie    $ 

SCUTABI     46.00 


144.25 


44.00 
20.00 


40.00 


Jassy 


ROUMANIA 


$7.40 


Total   $10,744.49 


Russia  and  Poland 

Russia    $582.61 

Wabsaw    48.00 


Total   $630.51 

Various  Northern  Countries . .       $130.64 


UNITBD  STATES 


163 


ASIA 


Smyrna    

Syria  

Jerusalem  . . 
Mangalore   . . 

Colombo  

pondichxbbt 


262.70 
140.68 
311.08 
75.32 
122.74 
148.66 


Malssour    I  1.22 

W.  Tongklng 23.00 

S.  Burma 60.27 

Kouang-Tong    50.00 


Total   I  1.195.67 


AFRICA 


Aloikbs I  1,309.61 

Constantine  1,072.80 

Oran    1.332.62 


Cabthage 

Egypt    

Delta  Egyptian  . 

Gallas   

W.  Cape  Colony. 


346.00 

5.20 

20.50 

4.00 

417.90 


Gabon    I  25.34 

Benin    27.75 

Dahomey    70.08 

Senegal    303.22 

St.  Denis  453.29 

Port  Louis 200.00 

Madagascar  .60 


Total   I  5.580.82 


NORTH  AMERICA 
Canada 


Halifax   |         1.24 

Antigonish    1,460.92 

Peterborough    1.02 

MONTBEAL 124.42 

Quebec    310.35 

Saint-Pierre  and  Miquelon 


Rimouski    . . . 
St.  Boniface 


.1         5.20 
367.68 


Total  I  2.270.83 

$55.59 


United  States* 


Baltimore^   I  6.400.17 


Charleston 
Richmond    . . . 

Savannah  

St  Augustine 

Wheeling   

Wilmington  . . 
N.  Carolina   . . 

Boston  *   

Burlington 


44.77 
453.75 
148.84 

86.14 
568.29 

42.45 

15.00 

25,326.63 

285.00 


Hartford*    I 

Manchester  *    

Portland  

Providence »    

Springfield  •    

Chicago  *    

Alton*      

Belleville    

Peoria  

Cincinnati  •    


2.770.78 

2.233.52 

729.40 

3,311.93 

1.537.08 

3,373.40 

993.66 

374.00 

200.35 

1,149.60 


^  Special  mention  is  made  of  single  donations  of  |40.00  or  over. 

*  The  total  offerings  from  the  Diocese  of  Baltimore  amounted  to  12672.65, 
which  includes  a  legacy  of  $777.47  and  3  perpetual  memberships,  $130.00. 
As  the  general  office  of  the  Society  was  then  located  in  Baltimore,  we 
have  added  to  the  contribution  of  that  diocese  the  returns  from  sale  of 
pamphlets  and  other  literature,  the  interest  on  bank  deposits  during  the 
year,  the  returns  from  advertisements  in  the  Annals  and  some  donations 
sent  to  us  from  outside  the  United  States. 

'Including  a  legacy  of  $103.00;  18  perpetual  memberships  $730.00. 
'  Including  a  donation  of  $600.00. 
« Including  a  donation  of  $1000.00. 

*  Including  a  legacy  of  $500.00. 

*  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

^  Including  a  legacy  of  $125.00  and  a  perpetual  membership  $50.00. 
"  Including  a  donation  of  $476.55. 

*  Including  a  donation  of  $100.00  and  two  perpetual  memberships,  $100.00. 


J  64 


REPORT  FOR  1903 


United  States— Cont 
Cleveland     $  2,323. 


Columbus   194 

Covington    269 

Detroit    523. 

Fort  Wayne 627. 

.  Grand  Rapids  671. 

Indianapolis    773. 

Louisville"    1,175. 

Nashville    39. 

Dubuque    1,520. 

Cheyenne   5. 

Davenport    755. 

Lincoln  5. 

Omaha"   537. 

Sioux  City 502. 

Milwaukee  "    2,447. 

Green  Bay  1,046. 

La  Crosse 611. 

Marquette    *. 281, 

New  Orleans  923. 

Dallas"    182. 

Galveston   328. 

Little  Rock   166. 

Mobile  393. 

Natchez    179. 

Natchitoches   62. 

San   Antonio" 267. 

Brownsville  98. 

Indian  Territory  166. 

New  Yoek  2,870. 

Albany    776. 

Brooklyn    622. 

Buffalo "     1,224. 

Newark"    2,566. 

Ogdensburg   271. 

Rochester 784, 


80 
65 
11 
55 
55 
29 
00 
55 
00 
,97 
00 
01 
,00 
62 
00 
31 
,00 
91 
.79 
,75 
00 
,55 
,00 
,60 
20 
,80 
40 
18 
,37 
,01 
,05 
99 
56 
69 
.00 
.80 

Mexico 


Syracuse"   $  929.00 

Trenton     657.82 

Oregon  City   46.00 

Alaska    12.50 

Boise   228.80 

Helena    125.85 

Nesqually  378.20 

Vancouver    100.00 

Philadelphia   339.86 


Altoona "    1,135.22 


Erie  

Harrisburg    

Pittsb'gh  and  Allegheny* 
Scranton 


636.60 

11.00 

2,351.23 

523.00 

St.  Louis  1,448.74 

Concordia    296.22 

Kansas  City    363.12 

Leavenworth     662.25 

St.  Joseph   195.00 

Wichita     141.35 

bT.  Paul    1,748.75 


6.00 

6.00 

40.93 

432.00 

150.00 

791.26 

San  Francisco 1,421.00 


Duluth 

Fargo    

Lead    

St.    Cloud". 
Sioux  Falls 
Winona 


Monterey-Los  Angeles 

Sacramento   

Salt  Lake 

Santa  Fe  

Denver    

Tucson    


35.40 
335.00 
5.00 
205.66 
230.50 
276.40 


Total   $92,503.48 


Angelopoli    I  126.30 

Antequera    251.99 

Yucatan    107.00 

DURANGO 209.99 

Guadalajara    3,968.20 

Aguas  Calientes 110.20 

Tepic   1,943.40 

Zacatecas    904.0D 


Linares    $  23.70 

San  Luis    J4.40 

Michoacan     254.70 

Leon    59.40 

Queretaro    ', 2,593.54 

Mexico    564.12 

Vera  Cruz   270.38 


Total    $11,421.32 


"  Including  one  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

"  Including  two  perpetual  memberships,  $80.00. 

"  Including  a  legacy  of  $200.00. 

"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

"  Including  two  perpetual  memberships,  $80.00. 

"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

»•  Including  a  donation  of  $100.00. 

"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $50.00. 

"  Including  a  donation  of  $200.00. 

^*  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

=°  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 


OCEANICA  165 

Central  America  and  West  Indies 

San  Jose  (Costa  Rica)  .$  .64          Roseau    %       46.08 

San  Salvador   5.00         Guadeloupe    240.00 

POBT  AU  Pbince 63.00          Martinique 40.00 

Hayti     120.00                                                         

PoBT  OP  Spain 196.38                 Total   %     711.10 

SOUTH  AMERICA 

U.  S.  of  Columbia 
Cabtiiagena    ^29.86 

Panama 
Panama    %     111.70 

Venezuela 

Caracas    ^547.10 

Ecuador 
Hoja    S4.00 

Riobamba    2.79 


Total    $6.79 

Peru 
Lima  -. $936.84 

Bolivia 
La  Paz $18.70 

Brazil 

Bahia    $       67.71  Rio  Grande   $       17.78 

Olinda  20.00  

Rio  DE  Janeiro 202.22  Total    $      307.71 

Chili 
Santiago    $83.50 

Argentine  Republic 

Buenos  Ayres    $  9,272.15  San  Juan  $     138.45 

Cordova    3,595.78  Santa  Fe   3,263.33 

La  Plata 2,017.04  Tucuman    2,142.91 

Parana    1,830.15  

Salta    734.36  Total   $22,994.20 

Paraguay 
Assumption    $297.43 

Uruguay 
Montevideo   $25.20 

OCEANICA 

Adelaide    $       69.73  Gilbert  Islancs $         5.20 

Melbourne     14.00  Marquises  Islands  40.00 

Christchurch   145.83  Tahiti    360.00 

New  Caledonia 216.46  

Total    $      851.22 


Grand  Total  for  all  countries,  1  903, $  1 ,247,42 1  .OO 


The   Right   Rev.  G.  Bonfioli,  O.F.M. 
Late  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Egypt. 


IGG 


THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


It  has  seemed  advisable  to  us  to  introduce  an  innovation  into  the 
Annals  which,  we  are  sure,  will  receive  the  approval  of  our  readers. 
Each  number  contains  letters  written  by  missionaries  from  every 
corner  of  the  world.  They  carry  their  readers  in  spirit  to  every  place 
where  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  is  preached.  We  have  no  intention 
of  setting  aside  this  custom;  but  in  future,  each  number  of  the 
Annals  will  commence  with  a  general  review  of  the  work  done  by 
one  of  the  numerous  societies  consecrated  to  evangelization.  Our 
readers  will  thus  receive  a  more  general  idea  of  what  has  been  under- 
taken and  the  results  obtained. 

Our  first  letter  is  from  the  superior  general  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Bishop  Le  Roy,  who  warmly  favors  our  proposed  plan, 
and  has  graciously  responded  to  our  request.  We  shall,  successively 
publish  letters  from  the  superiors  of  the  different  congregations  and 
so  our  readers  shall  become  acquainted  with  the  united  efforts  of 
those  who  are  laboring  in  far  off  lands  under  the  same  standard 
and  for  the  same  purpose. 

THE    MISSIONS   OF    THE    FATHERS  OF   THE    HOLY 

GHOST 

By  Bishop  Le  Eoy,  Superior  General. 

The  Congregation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  owes  its  origin  to  a  young, 
brilliant  saint,  too  little  known,  a  scholar  of  the  XVIII  century, 
Claude  Poulart  des  Places. 

On  Pentecost  day,  1703,  he  founded  in  Paris  a  small  society,  the 
aim  of  which  was  to  aid  "  poor  students,"  who,  after  being  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  would  consecrate  their  lives  to  the  ministry  of  the 
most  neglected  souls  among  the  faithful  and  unbelievers. 

167   • 


168 


THE   SOCIETIES   OF    CATHOLIC   MISSIONARIES 


The  society  was  soon  organized  and  approved  by  eccleciastical 
and  civil  authority,  and  before  the  end  of  the  century  it  had  sent  its 
members  throughout  France  and  her  colonies  to  Acadia,  Newfound- 
land, Guiana,  Senegal,  India,  even  Indo-China  and  China. 

Attacked,  ruined  and  dispersed  during  the  French  Revolution,  it 
became  reduced  to  a  single  member,  combining  the  merits  of  many. 
Father  Bertout.  Destined  for  the  missions  in  Guiana,  he  sailed  from 
Rocliefort,  was  shipwrecked  off  the  coast  of  Sahara,  taken  prisoner 
by  the  Moors,  sold  in  Saint  Louis,  Senegal,  then  in  possession 
of  the  English,  succeeded  in  escaping  from  his  enemies,  and  rendered 
valuable  service  in  the  return  of  this  colony  to  France.    When  peace 


The  Venerable  Libermann  o.\   His  Deathbed. 


was  restored  to  the  Church,  he  reorganized  his  congregation;  again 
obtained  oflScial  approval,  and  recommenced  the  work  of  furnishing 
priests  to  distant  colonies. 

In  spite  of  his  own  efforts  and  those  of  his  successor,  however, 
the  little  society  was  unable  to  provide  a  sufficient  number  of  priests 
for  the  countries  under  its  charge. 

In  1842,  Father  Libermann,  together  with  two  of  his  friends  from 
the  Seminary  of  St.  Sulpice,  Father  Ijc  Vavasseur  of  Bourbon 
Island  and  Father  Tisserand,  of  San  Domingo,  had  founded  the 
Society  of  "  Missionaries  of  tKe  Sacred  Heart  of  Mary/'  devoted 
especially  to  the  evangelization  of  the  black  race.  Both  societies 
soon  met  on  the  same  fields  of  apostolic  work,  and  in  1848,  the  last 


THE   MISSIONS   OF  THE   FATHERS  OF  THE   HOLY   GHOST  169 

mentioned  was  identified  with  the  congregation  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Father  Libermann  was  made  superior  general  and  became  subse- 
quently reorganizer. 

One  of  his  first  efforts  was  to  provide  colonies  with  religious  service 
under  definite  and  permanent  conditions.  Through  his  inspiration 
and  by  his  help,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  Holy  See  and  the  civil 
government,  bishoprics  were  established  in  Reunion,  Martinique  and 
Guadeloupe,  and  prefectures  organized  or  maintained  in  Guiana, 
St.  Pierre  and  Pondicherry.  The  Seminary  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be- 
came the  Seminary  for  the  French  colonies,  where  secular  priests  are 
prepared  for  parochial  duties ;  they  form  the  colonial  clergy  of  France. 

There  remained  the  hew  settlements  with  no  organized  diocese  or 
parishes — only  a  few  Catholics  and  no  source  of  income — those  be- 
came the  lot  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Since  then  the  divine  breath  which  gave  them  birth  for  an  apostolic 
lif(i  has  wafted  their  bark  to  many  shores  where  they  have  planted 
tlie  cross  on  barren  and  unknown  soils,  amid  peoples  that  whether 
liostile  or  friendly,  in  every  instance,  regarded  them  with  astonished 
eyes.  Africa,  however,  has  always  been  their  chief  field  of  labor;  the 
blacks,  from  whom  the  weight  of  secular  prejudice  seems  never  to  be 
lifted,  their  family  of  a'doption. 

From  1842  to  1845  these  missionaries  were  placed  at  their  posts, 
Father  Laval,  on  Mauritius  Island;  Father  Vavasseur,  in  Reunion; 
Father  Monnet  in  Sainte  Marie,  Madagascar;  Father  Tisserand, 
first  in  Hayti,  then  in  Gorie;  Father  Bessieux,  first  at  Pal  mas  Cape  then 
in  Gabon;  with  the  help  of  the  grace  of  God,  the  years  following  find 
them  in  larger  numbers,  better  organized,  and  always  with  undi- 
minished zeal.  Dakar,  now  an  important  city  and  first-class  port, 
the  residence  of  the  governor  of  western  French  Africa  may  be  said 
to  have  been  foimded  by  the  mission  in  1847.  In  18()2,  Father 
Horner  went  from  Bourbon  to  Zanzibar;  here  he  found  a  public 
slave  market  where  60,000  men,  women  and  children  were  sold  every 
year.  From  there,  he  traveled  to  Bagamoyo,  where  he  opened  a  door 
on  the  immense  continent  which  has  never  been  closed  since.  Sierra 
Tjcone,  at  that  time  called  the  "  white  man's  grave,"  was  occupied  in 
1864.  Later  on.  Father  Aubry-Duparquet,  at  the  cost  of  voyages, 
negotiations  and  obstacles  without  number,  succoodod  in  re-estab- 
lishing in  Portuguese  Congo_  and  Angola  the  flourishing  missions 
which  the  policy  of  Pombal  had  ruined  in  the  XVIII  century. 


170  THE   SOCIETIES   OF   CATHOLIC   MISSIONARIES 

In  the  meantime,  Europe,  which,  in  times  past,  seemed  to  turn  its 
attention  to  Africa  only  to  tear  away  its  children  in  shipfuls  to  carry 
them  across  the  Atlantic,  whilst  the  Turks  and  Arabs  conducted  a 
like  industry  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  Red  Sea,  and 
Indian  Ocean — Europe  began  to  recognize  that  this  large  continent 


Scenery  Neab  Landana,  Congo. 

which  missionaries  and  explorers  were  beginning  to  make  known, 
offered  other  resources. 

-h 

We  have  witnessed  in  part  the  extraordinary  march  of  events  which 
recall  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  conquests  of  the  XVI  century. 
Alvarez,  Cabral,  Orellana,  Cortez  and  Pizarro  are  no  longer  quasi- 
legendary  characters  for  us.     Have  we  not  become  acquainted  with 


THE  MISSIONS   OP  THE  FATHERS  OF   THE  HOLY   GHOST  171 

Livingston,  Stanley,  Brazza  and  many  others?  Obscure  missionaries 
though  we  are,  have  not  we  ourselves  been  discoverers  and,  at  times, 
conquerors?  Have  not  we  made  treaties,  modified  boundary  lines, 
founded  villages  ^hat  may  grow  to  be  cities  of  note,  consolidated  mon- 
archies and  instituted  a  few  republics? 

Certain  it  is,  that  in  so  far  as  the  means  of  travel  at  hand  have 
permitted,  we  have  gone  before,  accompanied  or  followed  the  pioneer 
conquerors  of  the  XIX  century.  On  the  Senegal,  at  the  sources  of  the 
Niger,  on  the  river  banks  of  the  South,  in  upper  Ogui,  in  the  Congo 
and  the  TJbangi,  on  Lake  Tchad  above  and  below  Kunene  as  well  as  on 
the  superb  flanks  of  Bilima  Ndjaro,  on  the  fertile  plateaux  of  Kikou- 
you  and  at  the  foot  of  Mt.  Kenia  prosperous  Christian  centers  are 
found  established  by  us. 

Let  us  enumerate  the  missions  at  present  in  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation of  the  Holy  Ghost: 

I.  French  Missions. — Senegal  and  Casamance — vicariate  apostolic. 
French  Guinea  and  Sudan — prefecture. 

Gabon,  vicariate. 

French  Congo  or  Loango — vicariate. 

French  Upper  Congo  and  Ubangi — vicariate. 

Northern  Madagascar — vicariate. 

Comores  Islands — prefecture. 

Keunion,  Guadeloupe  and  Martinique — missions.* 

II.  English  Missions, — Gambia  (of  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  Sene- 
gambia) . 

Sierra  Leone — vicariate  apostolic. 
Nigeria  (Lower  Niger) — prefecture. 
Zanzibar — vicariate. 

Mauritius  and  Eodriguez  Islands — mission. 
Trinidad — mission. 

III.  Portuguese  Missions. — Portuguese  Congo — prefecture. 
Angola:  Loanda — ^mission;   Cimbebasia — prefecture  and   mission; 

Kunene — ^mission. 

IV.  Spanish  Mission. — Bata  (Rio  del  Muni) — mission. 

V.  Oerman  Mission. — East  Africa — vicariate  apostolic. 

^  The  term  "  missions "  is  here  used  in  contrast  to  vicariate  and  pre- 
fecture apostolic,  to  designate  works  entrusted  to  the  missionaries  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  dioceses  where  they  serve  as  auxiliaries. 


172 


THE   SOCIETIES   OF   CATHOLIC    MISSIONARIES 


^y^ 


To  this  list,  we  must  add  three  other  countries  across  the  Atlantic : 
republics  of  unequal  importance  and  different  aspects,  where,  how- 
ever, having  found  what  we  have  sought  elsewhere — men  with  skins 
other  than  white — we  have  also  established  missions: 

Hayti;  The  United  States  of  America;  The  Amazon  District 
(Brazil). 

In  all:  7  vicariates  apostolic,  4  perfectures,  11  missions,  making  a 
total  of  144  stations,  each  in  charge  of  2,  3,  4  or  or  more  missionaries. 

On  January  1,  1904,  the  number  of 
Fathers  amounted  to  ()9G,  assisted  in  tlieir 
work  by  667  auxiliary  Brothers;  in  all 
1363  religious. 

In  the  missions  under  our  charge  other 
apostolic  laborers  sometimes  work  with  us. 
In  Madagascar,  Premonstratensians 
Fathers  are  devoting  their  zeal  to  Sainte 
Marie  and  Vohemar;  in  English  Zanzibar, 
the  missionaries  of  Notre  Dame  de  la 
Consolata  of  Turin  already  number  five 
stations.  In  the  last  mentioned  vicari- 
ates, at  Ousambara,  the  Trappists  of  N^atal 
have  established  two  of  tlieir  holy  and 
laborious  missions. 

In  Senegal,  the  Ploermol  Brothers  Irnvo 
flourishing  Schools,  and  prosperous  schools 
in  Gabon  are  conducted  by  the  Brothers 
of  Saint  Gabriel. 

The  Sisters  of  Saint  Joseph  of  Cluny, 
true  daughters  of  the  heroic  Mother  Ja- 
vouhey  are  laboring  in  Senegal,  Gambia, 
Guinea,    Onitcha,    Old    Calabar,   Sierra 
Leone,     Brazzaville,     Loanda,     Caconda, 
Huilla  Diego-Suarez,  Majunga,  Nossi-B6 
and  Mayotte. 
The  Sisters  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  Castres  are  estab- 
lished in  Dakar,  Bata  and  three  posts  in  Gabon.    One  of  their  number. 
Sister  Saint  Charles  has  been  working  for  forty-three  years  in  Libre- 
ville among  the  miserable  by  the  wayside.     The  French  Academy 
recently  conferred  upon  her  its  highest  honor. 
In  Zanzibar  the  Sisters  of  Saint  Joseph  of  Cluny,  the  Trappis- 


Newly  Wedded  Bride 
OF  Zanzibab. 


TUB   MISSIONS   OF  THE   FATHERS  OF   THE   HOLY   GHOST  173 

tines  of  Natal,  the  Sisters  of  Loretto  and  of  St.  Dominie  have  suc- 
cessively joined  the  Daughters  of  Mary  from  Reunion,  who  have 
borne  the  burden  of  the  work  from  the  very  beginning. 

To  organize  and  conduct  a  campaign  the  first  requisite  is  what 
strategists  call  the  "  sinews  of  war."  The  apostolate  is  a  campaign ; 
there  must  be  resources. 

Curious  fact!  the  most  cultivated  minds  often  show  the  least 
penetration  into  our  financial  conditions.  They  are  so  apt  to  believe 
that  everything  pertaining  to  the  missions  of  a  congregation,  houses, 
churches,  hospitals,  schools,  dispensaries,  fields,  plantations,  furniture, 
real  estate,  wagons,  steamers,  sail  boats,  canoes,  beasts  and  people  are 
the  property  of  the  congregation,  and  they  say,  what  a  fortune ! 

If  there  be  a  fortune,  the  congregation  sees  no  trace  of  it.  Each 
mission  is  as  independent  as  each  diocese  in  the  United  States  or 
England.  All  that  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  congregation,  after  it  has 
received  the  commission  from  the  Propaganda  to  evangelize  a  pagan 
country,  is  to  send  out  the  necessary  missionaries  for  establishing  and 
maintaining  a  mission. 

Where  does  the  money  come  from?  Excepting  the  prefecture  ol 
Senegal  officially  recognized  together  with  the  provinces  of  Saint 
Louis,  Gorie,  Dakar  and  Eufisque,  which  receive  appropriations  from 
the  government,  our  missions  in  French,  English,  German  and  Span- 
ish Africa  do  not  receive  one  cent  from  the  civil  authorities.  Poi- 
tugal  gives  sums  of  money  annually  to  the  missions  of  Angola.  In 
the  English  colonies,  the  schools  receive  appropriations  in  proportion 
to  their  success  and  the  number  of  their  pupils.  It  is  well  known  that 
all  grants  from  the  government  have  been  suppressed  in  the  French 
colonies. 

Who  furnishes  the  money? 

Well,  it  comes  from  the  humble  class  of  Catliolics  throughout  the 
world;  rarely,  very  rarely  from  wealthy  proprietors,  landliolders  or 
capitalists.  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is 
the  main  support  of  our  apostolate  and  its  bands  of  associates  often 
consist  chiefly  of  modest  working  men  and  women,  servant  girls  and 
school  children.  Its  two  central  councils,  one  in  Lyons,  the  other  in 
Paris,  distribute  the  money  collected  throughout  the  Catholic  world  to 
the  heads  of  each  mission  according  to  their  needs  presented.  The 
budget  prepared  is  too  often  like  that  of  many  a  republic,  showing  a 
pitiful  disproportion  between  supplies  and  necessities. 


174  THE   SOCIETIES   OP   CATHOLIC   MISSIONARIES 

Besides  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  there  is  the  Association  of 
the  Holy  Childhood,  without  which  likewise  our  missions  could  not 
exist. 

The  Apostolic  Work  of  the  Holy  Women  of  the  Oospel  also  send 
us  necessaries  for  divine  worship  and  do  all  that  they  can  to  help  us. 

Prom  different  parts,  we  receive  special  donations  sent  by  relatives, 
friends  and  benefactors  known  and  unknown. 

Finally,  we  make  every  effort  to  be  self-supporting  by  cultivating 
the  soil,  industrial  labor,  teaching,  knitting  and  fishing. 

Following  the  sailor's  maxim,  which  is  also  that  of  the  missionary, 
each  man  tries  to  get  along  the  best  he  can. 

I  came  very  near  forgetting  to  mention  our  first  and  last  resource. 
When  earthly  means  fail,  we  stop  and  wait  with  eyes  uplifted  to 
heaven.  And  from  heaven,  the  God  of  the  missionary  nearly  always 
sends  what  is  wanting !    These  are  our  means  of  support. 

The  people,  religions,  laws,  customs,  conditions  of  life,  as  well  as 
the  countries  themselves,  with  which  we  become  acquainted  present 
the  greatest  possible  variations.  Not  to  be  taken  unawares,  the  mis- 
sionary engraves  the  words  of  Saint  Paul  on  his  heart:  Omnibus 
omnia  foetus  sum — I  became  all  things  to  all  men. 

Whereas  in  the  TJnited  States,  the  West  Indies  and  old  ^European 
colonies  like  Mauritius,  Eeunion,  Trinidad,  etc.,  we  come  in  contact 
with  the  most  advanced  modem  civilization,  in  many  African  coun- 
tries we  see  man  in  the  most  primitive  state.  Still  in  all  parts, 
whether  he  be  traveling  on  foot,  alone  or  in  caravans,  by  railroad, 
tramway,  carriage,  steamer,  sailboat,  canoe,  gipsy  cart,  riding  an  ox, 
a  donkey,  a  camel  or  a  hore,  seeking  to  reclaim  lost  souls,  living  upon 
what  he  finds  and  clothed  with  what  heaven  sends,  the  missionary 
finds  in  each  individual,  whatever  be  his  education,  social  rank,  intel- 
lectual culture,  occupation,  habit  and  color,  the  same  preoccupa- 
tions, the  same  struggles,  the  same  weaknesses,  the  same  aspirations 
and  the  same  falls.  He  returns  from  his  wanderings  over  the  world, 
his  soul  bearing  the  impression  of  a  daily,  more  profound  compassion : 
omnis  caro  foenum,  .  .  .  omne  cor  moerens!  "All  flesh  is  grass 
.  .  .  The  whole  heart  is  sad.'' 

With  sentiments  like  these  made  up  of  faith,  love,  pity  and  hope 
missions  are  founded. 

4- 

We  shall  at  present  confine  ourselves  to  Africa. 
When  we  again  undertook  the  work  of  evangelization  on  the  coast 
and  in  the  interior,  foreigners  were  few.     Sometimes  years  passed 


THE  MISSIONS   OP  THE   FATHERS  OF   THE  HOLY   GHOST 


175 


without  our  seeing  one  and  the  natives  knew  the  whites  only  from 
missionaries  and  the  few  explorers  who  visited  their  country.  Since 
then  Europe  has  increased  her  activities,  spread  her  influence,  mani- 
fested her  power,  and  dispersed  her  products  in  trying  her  best  to 
explore  the  continent  and  find  out  what 
it  has  to  offer  of  minerals,  plants,  beasts 
and  people.  Africa,  however,  is  on  the 
defensive  and  is  trying,  in  her  turn,  to 
leam  something  of  the  element  that  is 
forcing  its  way  over  her  ground.  In  this 
struggle,  not  always  conducted  on  friendly 
terms,  but  inevitable  in  the  historic  evolu- 
tion of  the  human  race,  the  Catholic 
missionary  lends  a  helping  hand,  endeavor- 
ing, on  his  part,  to  spread  around  him  the 
ideas  of  eternal  Truth,  Justice  and  Charity 
of  which  he  disposes. 

In  general,  his  relations  with  foreign 
Functionaries,  soldier,  sailor,  merchant, 
colonist  and  traveler  are  friendly;  oc- 
casionally they  may  be  somewhat  strained. 
In  the  countries  of  the  blacks,  the  Cau- 
casian race  feel  one  to  another  more  like 
brothers;  and,  if  the  material  and  moral 
atmosphere  which  they  breathe  sometimes 
makes  them  forget  what  they  are,  as 
children  of  a  superior  race,  they  must  be 
judged  not  too  strictly;  they  are  so  far 
away  from  the  eyes  of  their  mother. 

A  Zanzibar  Girl. 


In  the  north,  on  the  eastern  coast  and  at  some  points  in  the  interior, 
we  come  in  contact  with  the  Moslem  element.  Mohammedanism 
never  loses  its  identity.  It  is  a  religion,  but  a  religion  that  constitutes 
a  distinct  society,  a  particular  civilization,  a  veritable  state  with  dog- 
ma, morality,  worship,  laws,  customs,  dress,  occupations,  aspirations 
and  a  special  mentality — all  organized  in  a  simple  way,  adapted  to 
its  surroundings,  attractive  for  the  mind  and  heart  of  man;  the  best 
constituted  to  unite  in  a  common  faith  the  most  widely  different  ele- 
ments and  to  win  over  and  subjugate  the  "  infidel."  It  is  said  and 
believed  that  Catholic  missionaries  and  Mohammedans  are  two  irrec- 


176  THE   SOCIETIES   OF    CATHOLIC    MISSIONARIES 

oncilable  enemies  and  that  the  presence  of  the  former  among  the  latter 
menaces  trouble.  That  belief  is  an  absolute  error.  A  missionary  who 
is  careful  not  to  insult  a  Mohammedan  and  his  faith— rand  why 
should  he  insult  them? — at  once  lays  claim  to  a  Mohammedan^s  love 
and  i^espect.  Why  ?  Because  a  missionary  knows  God,  prays  to  Him, 
fasts,  follows  God's  law,  devotes  his  life  to  Him.  A  Mohammedan 
understands  all  that  and  admires  it. 

What  he  does  not  understand,  however,  what  he  despises  and 
judges  altogether  to  be  beneath  him  is  the  foreigner  whom  he  never 
sees  pray,  who  drinks,  blasphemes,  and  makes  profession  of  not  know- 
ing God.  He  is  the  dog  and  the  son  of  a  dog,  to  whom  the  "  faithful  '^ 
will  soon  be  compelled  to  submit,  because  he  is  in  power.  Respect 
he  will  never  gain. 

There  is  no  need  of  saying  that  the  foreigner  has  riches  and  power, 
commands  steam  and  electricity,  has  invented  the  telephone  and  dis- 
covered radium.  "All  those,"  answers  the  Mohammedan,  "  are  play- 
things. The  infidel  understands  small  material  machinery,  but  God 
has  refused  him  light." 

It  is  a  very  curious  phenomenon.  The  more  foreign  atheists,  or 
simply  skeptics  are  despised  by  the  Mohammedans,  the  more  they 
favor,  attract  and  benefit  them.  These  enjoy  that  attitude,  it  is  a 
victory  of  faith  over  impunity  and  they  make  the  most  of  it.  We  see 
cases  only  too  often,  when  European  functionaries,  ashamed  at  heart, 
for  not  being  Christians,  smile  upon  Mohammedanism  and  think  they 
deserve  the  credit  of  being  liberal;  they  are  only  candid:  it  is  their 
excuse. 

Others  have  a  theory  in  their  opinion,  the  black  fetichist  must 
arrive  at  civilization  by  the  way  of  Mohammedanism.  That  is  also 
an  error.  Mohammedanism  may  be  a  way,  but  one  in  which  the  black 
will  remain  in  perpetual  ambuscade  against  Europeans  unless  they  be 
converted  to  the  Moslem  faith. 

Others  favor  Mohammedanism  because,  they  say,  it  promotes  in- 
dustry and  commerce;  from  it  the  custom  house  derives  benefit.  A 
fresh  error.  Mussulmen  carry  on  trade,  it  is  true,  but  only  with  the 
labor  of  others.  Colonization  thus  promoted  would  mean  that  one- 
half  of  the  African  fetichist  and  slave  population  would  be  in  the 
service  of  Moslem  Africa.  That  is  perhaps  too  clear  a  statement  to 
be  sanctioned  by  public  authorities. 

Though  loved  and  respected  by  them,  missionaries  liave  no  serious 
influence  over  Mohammedans,  excepting  isolated  instances,  which 
nevertheless,  are  more  frequent  than  generally  believed.     It  is  there- 


THE  MISSIONS   OP  THE  FATHERS   OF  THE  HOLY   GHOST         177 

fore  of  much  greater  importance  to  make  a  determined  effort  on  behalf 
of  the  great  mass  of  fetich  worshippers  which  number  millions  of 
human  beings  in  Africa. 

4- 

They  are  the  true  field  of  the  missionary,  where  he  finds  interesting 
peoples,  each  with  its  own  district  of  habitation,  language,  govern- 
ment, laws  and  religion.  Most  of  them  live  by  easy  work  in  the 
fields;  others  follow  a  pastoral  life;  others  know  little  other  occupa- 
tion than  gathering  fruits,  knitting  and  fishing.  Among  all,  family 
life  is  more  or  less  organized.  All  have,  likewise,  some  form  of  gov- 
ernment. Sometimes  a  father  or  grandfather  rules  over  a  village, 
the  population  of  which  is  composed  of  his  own  children  and  other 
relatives;  sometimes,  a  chief,  in  many  cases,  a  tyrant,  governs  a  whole 
tribe;  sometimes,  the  greatest  license  is  allowed  to  communities  and 
individuals  under  a  council  of  elders. 

What  is  then  the  cause  of  unhappiness? 

They  are  ignorant  of  Christianity.  Upon  close  study,  one  can  not 
fail  to  notice  the  abyss  of  moral  misery  into  which  these  pagan  com- 
munities are  plunged.  First  of  all,  no  pity  is  shown  to  the  weak, 
no  mercy  to  the  vanquished. 

Alas,  such  is  the  law  prevalent. in  almost  all  parts  of  the  world; 
still  nowhere  is  it  carried  out  with  more  brutal  force  than  in  Africa. 
The  abandonment  of  the  sick  and  aged,  the  legal  murder  of  crippled 
or  infirm  children,  the  seduction  of  women,  polygamy,  slavery,  can- 
nibalism, the  blind  tyranny  of  fetich  practices;  all  these,  not  to 
speak  of  thefts,  lawsuits,  wars,  inveterate  hatred,  vengeance,  poison- 
ing, treason  and  injustice  leave  the  impression  that  some  evil  spirit 
must  be  claiming ,  Africa  as  his  special  kingdom  and  exerting  his 
intellect  to  devise  means  to  lead  the  poor  people  astray. 

The  missionary  arrives.  .  .  .  Ah,  in  surroundings  like  these,  he 
feels  as  though  manifest  to  the  touch,  what  a  deliverer  Christian 
truth  is!  Amid  such  scenes  we  realize  what  a  deplorable  fall  it  is 
for  a  Christian  people  to  return  to  paganism  as  so  many  false  prophets 
are  inciting  Europe  to  do. 

Hating  fixed  the  site  of  his  mission  where  he  thinks  best  or  circum- 
stances force  him,  the  head  of  a  mission  in  Africa,  turns  his  attention 
to  strengthen  it  with  all  the  essentials  upon  which  he  bases  his  action : 
a  residence  for  several  missionaries,  a  church,  schools,  liospitals,  dis- 
pensaries, workshops,  etc.  He  then  studies  the  country  in  his  charge, 
and,  if  personnel  and  resources  permit,  he  establishes  a  missionary 


178  THE   SOCIETIES   OP   CATHOLIC   MISSIONARIES 

post,  with  two  or  three  Fathers  and  Brothers,  in  what  he  deems  the 
most  promising  centres. 

The  new  station  springs  into  existence.  Building  is  begun,  land 
is  cleared  and  an  attempt  made  to  become  acquainted  with  the  in- 
habitants. The  missionaries  having  gained  confidence  and  friendship 
by  kindness,  they  come  to  visit  them.  The  calls  are  returned,  wants  are 
provided  for,  advice  is  given,  services  are  rendered,  schools  are  opened 
and,  little  by  little,  the  grace  of  God  falling  in  gentle  showers  upon 
it,  a  small  Christian  harvest  is  gathered  in  a  country  given  up  to 
paganism,  barbarism  and  anthropophagy  for  centuries. 

As  soon  as  possible,  natives  are  associated  with  the  good  work. 
Catechists  are  selected  from  the  best  and  most  liberal  minded  families 
and  are  thoroughly  instructed.  Children,  young  men-  and  women 
well  trained  and  well  behaved  are  like  so  many  "  vicars "  of  the 
mission,  disseminated  in  the  villages  of  a  district.  They  complete 
and  extend  the  priest^s  religious  influence  and  open  the  way  of 
salvation  for  other  souls.  The  dogmatic  truths — God,  the  origin  of 
the  world,  the  fall  of  man,  the  redemption  of  the  human  race,  eternal 
life,  the  sacraments — are  generally  received  with  astonishing  facility. 
The  moral  code  is  found  to  be  excellent — for  the  whites;  but  to  the 
poor  blacks  it  is  hard  and  complicated.  One  6f  our  missionaries  said 
recently  that  he  thought  he  had  discovered  a  good  means  for  better 
results — not  to  dwell  upon  delicate  points  till  the  end  of  the  teaching, 
when  all  the  rest  was  taken  for  granted. 

With  certain  generous  natures  the  Christian  life  is  conducive  to  a 
religious  one.  We  have  native  Brothers  and  Sisters  in  Senegambia, 
Gabon,  Congo  and  Angola. 

And  since  the  Catholic  priesthood  should  be  represented  by  all 
nations,  we  also  have  native  colored  priests,  who  are  laboring  with 
us.  As  yet,  they  are  few  in  number:  Seven  in  Senegambia,  one  in 
Gabon,  one  in  Congo  and  two  in  Angola. 

We  shall  conclude  this  almost  two  general  a  review  with  a  few 
statistics. 

Leaving  out  the  missions  in  which  we  are  only  auxiliaries,  Mauri- 
tius, The  Antilles,  the  United  States,  Brazil,  etc.,  the  -territory  in 
Africa  entrusted  to  the  Congregation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  contains  from 
30  to  40  millions  of  pagans.  Among  them  are:  Catholics,  91,000; 
Protestants  about  60,000;  Catechumens,  100,000;  Primary  schools, 
314;  Technical  scliools,  93;  Pupils,  23,034;  churches  and  chapels, 
246. 


THE   MISSIONS   OP  THE  FATHERS  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST 


179 


These  results  are  small ;  alas,  very  small.  But  when  we  think  from 
what  an  abyss  of  misery  this  supernatural  harvest  has  been  torn,  in 
face  of  what  obstacles,  what  poverty,  what  uncertainty,  what  trials  of 
all  kinds,  our  hearts  swell  with  gratitude  to  God. 

620  of  our  missionaries  have  died  in  Africa.  Their  dust  will 
sanctify  that  land  of  malediction,  while  their  example  and  their 
experience  will  be  a  guide  to  their  successors. 

In  each  of  our  missions  we  now  have  convenient  buildings,  works 
in  progress,  and  all  necessary  books,  grammars,  dictionaries,  cate- 
chisms, prayer  books,  etc.,  in  every  language. 

To  guard  the  territory  gained  and  extend  the  frontiers  of  the 
Catholic  church  and  Christian  civilization  farther  and  farther,  we 
are  awaiting  new  and  courageous  laborers  with  a  reinforcement  of 
prayers  and  resources. 

The  providence  of  God  will  send  them  to  us. 


A  Fanq  VnxAOE. 


Church  of  Bezwada,  Hydebabad. 


MISSIONS  IN   ASIA 


DIOCESE  OF  HYDERABAD 

The  mission  of  Hyderabad  was  at  first  a  part  of  the  mission  of  Madras, 
from  which  it  was  separated  in  1851.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by 
the  Godavery  River,  which  divides  it  from  the  dioceses  of  Nagpore  and 
Vizigapatam;  on  the  south  by  the  Kistna  and  Tongabundra  Rivers;  on 
the  west  by  the  diocese  of  Poona,  and  on  the  east  by  the  Bay  of  Bengal. 

Excepting  a  small  part  directly  controlled  by  England,  this  diocese  is 
under  the  authority  of  the  Nizam.  Though  the  population  numbers 
twelve  million  souls,  there  are  only  15,000  Catholics.  Bishop  Vigano, 
an  Italian,  is  in  charge,  assisted  by  missionaries  of  the  Society  of 
Foreign  Missions  of  Milan  and  40  native  catechists.  One  of  the  members 
of  that  society,  Father  Civatti,  has  sent  us  the  following  touching  account. 
God  grant  that  the  generous  project  of  the  zealous  missionary  may  be 
realized! 

A  Refuge  for  Aged  Pagans 

[Journal  of  Father  Civatti  of  the  Society-  of  Foreig^i  Missions  of  Milan] 

Upon  my  arrival  in  Hyderabad,  after  a 
few  days  of  rest,  Father  Piatti  accompanied 
me  to  my  destination.  It  was  my  first 
apostolic  journey. 

Bezwada  is  about  thirty  miles  from  Tur- 

lapadoo.     The  trip  is  very  tedious,  but  to 

a  young  missionary  whose  soul  is  filled  with  enthusiasm,  everything 

seems  beautiful  and  poetic.     The  novelty  of  the  places,  the  singular 

180 


Picturesque  Voyage 
and  Night.— Sad  Die 
covery.— Abandoned 
Old  Man. 


HYDERABAD  181 

and  primitive  means  of  transport,  the  desire  to  arrive  as  soon  as 
possible  to  the  Christian  settlement  assigned  to  me  left  me  no  leisure  ' 
either  to  think  of  *my  members  put  to  sleep  by  the  jolting  of  the 
Indian  cart  or  even  to  notice  the  rain  that  had  begun  to  fall  fine  and 
fast. 

The  oxen  slackened  their  pace  already  slow,  despite  the  blows  of 
the  pagan  guide  who  tried  to  help  them  by  invoking  the  name  of  his 
Gods:  Rama!  Naraina!  The  road  became  muddier  and  the  wheels 
sank  into  the  ruts.  All  of  a  sudden  the  animals  halted  and  our  guide 
was  trembling  from  cold  and  dampness.  In  spite  of  our  desire  to 
go  on,  we  were  obliged  to  stop. 

4- 

At  the  first  hut  of  a  village,  Kancenurla,  our  conductor,  requested 
hospitality  for  himself  and  his  beasts.  What  about  the  missionaries  ? 
They  had  to  rest  on  the  poor  cart  near  the  stable,  curled  in  a  semi- 
circle, and  covered  by  the  mat  which  protected  the  vehicle. 

We  rested  thus  without  sleeping,  Father  Piatti  suffering  from 
one  of  his  attacks  of  neuralgia,  brought  on  by  his  mission  work.  In 
such  hours  of  loneliness,  the  missionary's  only  distraction  is  his 
rosary. 

4- 

After  some  time,  the  rain  ceased  and  the  light  of  the  moon  broke 
through  the  clouds.  We  were  obliged  to  get  down  from  the  cart, 
and  like  generals,  we  set  out  to  study  our  position. 

Before  us  was  a  stable  exposed  to  the  winds ;  tied  to  the  posts  were 
four  ruminating  oxen;  two  belonged  to  us,  the  two  others  to  the 
owner  of  the  neighboring  hut.  Meanwhile,  a  moan  different  from 
the  strong  breathing  of  the  animals,  came  from  a  distant  comer;  it 
was  the  groaning  of  some  one  suffering. 

Impelled  by  curiosity,  I  listened  attentively ;  walking  back  of  the 
oxen,  I  beheld,  by  the  light  of  a  little  Indian  lamp  (shell  filled  with 
oil),  a  pallet  formed  of  four  poles  joined  by  some  twine.  A  living 
skeleton  was  stretched  upon  it  covered  with  rags,  his  dried  up  feet 
and  disfigured  and  bony  face  protruding  from  under  them. 

Shivering  with  horror,  I  returned  to  my  companion. 

*^  Who  is  that  old  man  ?  ^^  Father  Piatti  did  not  seem  to  be  very 
much  surprised.     I  tried  to  interest  him. 

"  He  seems  to  be  dying,''  I  said ;  "  he  has  no  clothes  on,  there  is  not 
a  relative,  not  a  friend  to  help  him.  Why  do  they  not  take  him  into 
the  hut?     He  is  abandoned  on  a  pallet." 

"  I  believe,"  answered  the  Father,  "  that  he  is  the  owner  of  the 


183 


MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 


house,  the  former  proprietor  of  this  stable  and  all  the  surrounding 
property.  You  have  just  arrived  in  India  and  are,  as  yet,  unac- 
quainted with  the  customs  of  the  people.  In  these  parts,  a  man  has 
no  value  so  soon  as  he  is  incapacitated  for  work.  So  long  as  he  is  able 
to  work  he  represents  capital  bearing  interest;  his  labors  are  appre- 
ciated and  his  efforts  rewarded.  However,  when  disease  or  old  age 
deprive  him  of  strength,  he  becomes  a  care  to  his  family.     If  the 


__Ci^.°:.~-:^^ 


Fathers  Piatti  and  Civatti. 


children  are  at  all  well-to-do,  they  may  not  refuse  him  a  dish  of  rice 
in  some  out  of  the  way  corner,  just  as  a  crust  of  bread  is  thrown  to 
an  old  dog.  They  have  not  the  brutal  courage  to  kill  him,  but  they  do 
exercise  the  cruel  pity  of  prolonging  life  for  torture,  fasts,  humilia- 
tions and  neglect." 

"  If  persons  in  easy  circumstances  act  thus,  what  becomes  of  the 
poor,  the  pariahs,  considered,  at  best,  the  refuse  of  society  ?  " 

"  You  will  see  later  on/'  my  companion  replied,  "  when  you  can 
converse  with  them,  visit  their  villages,  enter  their  attics  and  learn 
their  customs.    You  will  see  how  the  poor  and  the  aged  suffer,  espe- 


HYDERABAD  183 

cially  in  times  of  drought  and  famine Now,  the  sight  of  such 

misery  touches  and  grieves  you ;  but,  in  a  little  while,  after  you  have 
become  acquainted  and  Indianized,  you  will  become  accustomed  to 
seeing  the  practice  of  the  old  Somans  applied.  You  remember  how 
they  left  those  incapacitated  for  army  duty  to  perish  on  neglected 
ground.  Here  the  people  still  follow  the  hard-hearted  counsel  of 
Seneca :  ^  It  is  a  just  and  prudent  measure  to  get  useless  persons  out 
of  the  way.' '' 

The  question  at  once  rose  to  my  lips:  "And  what  are  we  doing 
for  these  unfortunates  ?  "  However,  I  held  my  peace.  Upon  second 
thought,  it  occurred  to  me,  that  my  words  might  be  interpreted  as 
the  counsel  of  a  novice  to  a  zealous  and  experienced  superior. 

II. 

Ten  years  have  passed.  The  study  of 
Ten  Yean  Later.— The  the  Indian  language,  travel  among  Christ- 
Same  Sights  of  Horror  ian  settlements,  the  avocations  of  a  mis- 
and  Despair. -An  sionary  life  and  spells  of  illness  have  en- 

Appeal  to  Charity.  grossed  my  attention;  still,  I  have  never 

'  been  able  to   forget  that  one  man  dying, 

and  I  have  often  repeated  the  question  to  myself  that  rushed  from 
my  heart  to  my  lips  at  the  sight  of  him : 

"  Can  we  do  nothing  to  relieve  the  misery  of  such  afflicted  ones.  Can 
we  not  rescue  them  from  their  abandonment?" 

The  difficult  problem  has  been  ever  kept  before  my  mind  by  re- 
peated sad  instances. 

How  often  have  I  seen  living  skeletons  with  faces  withered  and 
drawn,  old  men  crouched  before  the  doors  of  their  homes,  fatalists 
even  in  suffering,  imploring  death  to  bring  them  relief;  poor  old 
women  in  their  dotage,  summoning  their  decaying  forces  to  gather 
herbs  and  dried  wood  to  pay  their  own  children  for  a  meagre  meal, 
old  men  and  old  women,  tottering,  groping  their  way,  leaning  upon 
a  staff,  their  only  support,  without  a  regret  for  the  past,  without  a 
hope  for  the  future,  victims  of  the  destiny  that  condemns  them  to 
live  on. 

Sometimes,  after  the  missionary  has  come  in  contact  with  such  as 
these  and  spoken  to  them  of  the  Christian  religion,  paradise  and  the 
means  to  obtain  it,  they  have  given  up  idolatry,  recoivod  instructions 
and  been  baptized. 

Some  have  said :  "  But  we  are  old,  every  one  has  forsaken  us,  who 


181 


MISSIONS    IN    ASIA 


will  instruct  us?  who  will  have  the  patience  to  teach  us  our  prayers? 
It  is  impossible." 

Others  replied :  "  If  we  become  Christians,  our  children  will  refuse 
us  a  shelter  in  the  stables  and  the  small  pittance  of  food  which  we 
now  receive.  If  we  become  Christians,  who  will  bring  us  our  mouth- 
ful of  millet  in  the  evening?     It  is  impossible." 


An  Indian  Cabt. 


0  Christian  charity !  stretch  out  thy  arms  as  a  mother,  to  embrace, 
help  and  instruct  these  old  pagans.  0  Christian  charity!  thou  dost 
shelter  the  poor  children  abandoned  by  their  idolatrous  parents;  why 
turn  thy  gaze  from  the  aged,  deserving  of  respect  despite  the  abjec- 
tion of  their  souls? 

1  pray  and  most  ardently  long  for  the  hour  when  the  love  of 
Jesus  Clirist,  the  only  virtue  that  can  touch  the  hearts  of  these  un- 
fortunate creatures,  will  surround  them  with  its  blessings  and  triumph 
over  their  obstinacy.  The  chains  of  superstition  will  then  be  broken, 
the  weight  of  fatalism  destroyed,  and  heads  bent  and  sunken  will  be 


HYDERABAD  185 

raised  to  heaven,  whilst  the  waters  of  baptism  and  the  redeeming 
blood  will  be  shed  upon  their  white  hairs.  Faith  consoling  will  pre- 
pare them  for  a  happy  death :  Christian  hope  ameliorate  their  suffer- 
ings, and  Charity  imbued  with  power  divine  to  effect  their  conversion 
will  give  them  eternal  happiness. 

III. 

Some  time  afterwards  I  engaged  in  con- 
Bisciifision  with  an  versation  with   a  Hindu.      Our  discussion 

Intelligent  Hindu.—  was  unlike  that  with  Brahmin  priests  or 
Truth  Proved  by  other  wandering  ministers ;    with  these  one 

Charity.— Logical  can  not  argue  seriously;   they  affect  the  use 

Conclusion.  of  obscure  terms,. true  enigmas,  which  they 

themselves  do  not  understand.  This  pagan 
had  good  intentions;  he  made  serious  objections,  proposed  doubts, 
manifested  a  sincere  desire  for  instruction,  but,  like  all  Hindus,  he 
slipped  from  one  idea  to  another  without  any  connection.  Oh!  for 
the  logic  which  we  learned  from  our  good  professors  of  philosophy. 
We  spoke  of  everything,  the  Hindu  epics  (Mahabharata  and  Ramay- 
ana),  the  fabulous  accounts  of  Prince  Bobbily,  the  incarnations  of 
Kistna  and  the  proverbs  in  verse  of  Vemana. 

The  conversation  was  drawn  out  without  my  being  able  to  convince 
him  or  even  hold  his  attention  to  one  subject.  When  I  referred  to 
the  Sacred  Scriptures,  the  holy  Gospel,  he  quoted  the  Vedas ;  when  I 
tried  to  persuade  him,  he  clung  to  Hindu  tradition.  His  conclusion 
was  ever  the  same,  "  Our  forefathers  have  always  done  as  we  are 
doing,*'  a  statement  that  decides  all  controversy.  I  had  exhausted  all 
my  resources,  when  a  sudden  thought  flashed  upon  my  mind.  "  Do 
you  not  see  that  your  religion  has  no  humanity,  no  compassion  ?  The 
castes  into  which  you  are  divided  presuppose  souls  different  in  their 
nature  and  in  their  destinies.  If  you  see  a  pariah  fall  at  your  feet, 
struck  down  by  an  enemy,  you  do  not  deign  to  assist  or  comfort  him. 
Your  social  position  forbids.  If  you  were  to  see  him  drowning  in  a 
lake  or  a  river,  you  would  do  nothing  to  help  him,  but  look  coldly 
upon  the  death  of  one  of  your  own  kind.  Is  not  your  religion  some- 
what cruel  and  inhuman  even  with  regard  to  family  life  in  its  teach- 
ings respecting  the  aged  and  the  incapacitated  ?  " 

The  subject  interested  him  greatly  and  he  paid  the  closest  atten- 
tion. I  continued :  "  I  have  read  several  of  your  holy  books ;  the 
rituals,  the  Practical  Life  of  the  Svdras  and  the  Nirnaia  Siftcdia  (sea 


18G 


MISSIONS    IX    ASIA 


of  practice),  the  Kalamuroimam  (nectar  of  time),  and  in  them  I 
discovered  not  a  single  allusion  to  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  the 
aged.  The  Niimkarma  (the  action  of  truth),  whicli  is  the  great 
ritual  of  the  Brahmins,  mentions  in  detail  all  that  priests  must  do, 
even  defining  rules  for  their  most  ordinary  actions,  but  contains  not  a 
word  about  old  age,  expresses  not  one  sentiment  of  pity  for  unfor- 
tunates who  survive  their  physical  strength.     The  Dharmasastra,  in 


The  Cathedral  of  Hyderabad. 


which  the  science  of  almsgiving  teaclies  the  rich  in  what  manner  they 
are  to  dispense  their  treasures  by  building  temples  and  making  offer- 
ings to  the  Brahmins,  has  not  a  single  reference  to  the  incompetent 
aged  or  neglected  widows. 

The  Hindu  seemed  to  be  convinced.  Encouraged  by  his  attention, 
I  kept  on : 

"What  are  the  customs  of  your  country?  Is  an  old  man  dpng? 
He  is  thrown  out  of  the  house,  that  it  might  not  be  profaned.  If  the 
Brahman  priest  has  announced  the  day  of  liis  death  and  the  poor 


IIYDEKABAD  187 

man  continues  to  live,  your  priests  say,  *  There  is  still  an  attachment 
between  him  and  another.'  And  you  force  the  person  loved  to  give 
a  draught  that  hastens  death.*' 

Suddenly  he  replied,  "  And  what  do  the  whites  do  for  their  aged?" 

"  What  do  we  do  ?  Ah !  in  our  countries  charity,  the  fruit  of 
Christianity,  prevails.  When  a  child  is  left  alone,  without  father 
or  mother,  it  is  taken  to  a  large  home  where  it  is  educated  as  it 
should  be.  When  a  poor  person  is  taken  sick,  he  is  taken  to  a  hos- 
pital where  he  is  tenderly  cared  for  by  the  rich.  When  old  men  or 
women  can  no  longer  work,  they  are  provided  with  food  and  clothing 
and  served  as  though  they  were  with  relatives.'' 

"  That  is  not  just,'^  said  he.  "  Old  folks  are  a  nuisance.  There 
is  a  proverb,  *  Do  you  want  to  perform  a  useless  task,  make  a  new 
garment  and  give  it  to  an  old  man.'     Proverbs  are  wisdom  itself." 

Could  I  tell  this  poor,  ignorant  Hindu  that  we  see  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  neglected?  Could  I  speak  to  him  of  "venerable  old  age," 
quoting  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  or  of  "  the  great  dignify  of  the 
aged  in  the  Church,"  referring  to  the  words  of  Bossuet  ?  I  could  not 
even  repeat  to  him  the  words  that  came  to  my  mind  from  Victor 
Hugo  in  his  "Art  of  Being  a  (Trandfather.''  So  I  contenterl  myself 
with  a  short  exposition  of  the  religious  l)enerits  among  peoples  en- 
lightened by  the  faith.  1  spoke  of  the  poor  and  aged  sick  whom 
virgins  nursed  with  filial  tenderness,  leaving  family  ties  and  riches 
in  order  to  minister  unto  them. 

'*  Do  the  like  work,"  he  exclaimed.  "  If  you  care  for  the  aged, 
we  shall  see  by  your  actions  what  your  religion  is  and  many  will  come 
over  to  your  faith.  Repeat  tlie  wonders  here  of  the  country  of  your 
father  and  mother,  and  we  will  learn  your  prayers  and  become 
Christians." 

Therefore,  we  must  act.  De^vls  are  more  powerful  than  words. 
The  conversion  of  this  people  re(piires  an  exam])le  of  charity  gen- 
erous even  unto  heroism.  In  vain  the  aged  stretclied  on  their  pallets, 
or  dying  by  the  way,  hold  out  their  hands  to  Hindu  fatalism  or 
paganism;    he  must  find  Christian  cliarity. 

Seeing  persons,  not  bound  to  them  l)y  rank  or  friendship,  even 
those  whom  they  do  not  know,  sacrificing  time,  health  and  life  with- 
out expecting  so  much  as  a  "  Thank  you "  in  return,  seeing  the 
renunciation  and  humility  of  a  sister  who  calls  them  brotlier,  him 


188  MISSIONS   IN    ASIA 

the  refuse  of  the  world,  he  will  embrace  the  Christian  religion  and 
bless  the  hand  that  dries  his  last  tear. 

In  a  word,  we  must  do  in  India  what  has  been  done  in  other  lands. 

IV. 

Bishop  Vigano,  of  Hyderabad,  has  solved 
The  Problem  Solved.—  the  problem  in  his  fatherly  heart.  He 
Appeal  to  Christians.       wishes  to  open  a  home  of  refuge  for  the 

aged  of  his  Mission.  This  Home  will 
spread  the  spark  that  is  to  enlighten  the  twelve  millions  of  unbe- 
lievers entrusted  to  his  apostolic  zeal.  He  is  thinking  not  only  of 
the  15,000  Christian  souls  in  his  diocese,  but  he  desires  to  draw 
down  the  benediction  of  Heaven  upon  all  the  pagans  of  this  large 
peninsula.  For  this  end  he  has  written  to  a  religious  order  of  sisters 
concluding  his  request  with  these  words: 

"  This  work  of  charity  will  touch  the  hearts  of  the  unbelieving 
and  do  -sweet  violence  to  the  heart  of  Jesus,  gaining  many  choice 
graces  for  my  Mission.^' 

The  Sisters  will  soon  arrive  in  Hyderabad.  They  are  coming,  but 
what  shall  they  find?  Xo  preparation  has  yet  been  made.  We  need 
a  home  to  shelter  the  aged  and  their  devoted  servants;  we  need  an 
altar,  a  tabernacle  for  Jesus  our  Lord,  the  inspiration  and  support 
of  all  charity.  Everything  is  wanting  excepting  the  host  of  old  men 
dying  in  miserv  and,  what  is  worse,  in  idolatry. 

Scarcely  had  the  project  of  a  home  become  known  when  a  crowd 
of  old  people  presented  themselves  for  admittance:  they  are  the  first 
fruits  of  a  work  which  God  will  make  prosper  by  the  generosity  of 
the  rich,  the  widow's  mite  and  the  prayers  of  all. 


A    GliLAT    Ma >  DARIN 
OF    TOSGKIXC* 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  SOUTHERN  TONGKING 

The  mission  of  Southern  Tongking  comprises  the  provinces  of  Nghy-An 
and  Ha-Tinh.  It  numbers  125,000  Catholics,  among  a  total  population  of 
two  millions.  395  churches  and  chapels  have  been  built  in  the  most 
important  Christian  centers.  A  bishop,  37  foreign  and  70  native  priests, 
assisted  by  275  catechists,  are  laboring  with  most  ardent  zeal  for  the 
conversion  of  pagans  and  the  instruction  of  neophytes. 

189 


]JM)  MISSIONS    IN    ASIA 

Three   Blossoms  of  Ha-Tinh 

Lf:tteu  of  Father  Francis  Belleville, 
Of  the  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris, 

Peter  Thuy. 

Young  Peter  Thuy,  of  the  village  of  Horn  Nha,  could  boast  of  no 
physical  beauty;  he  was  short,  thick-set  and  disfigured  by  small- 
pox marks.  Xevertheless,  it  was  he  who  was  chosen  by  the  young 
people  of  the  village  to  conduct  t^ie  preparation  for  the  Easter  ex- 
amination. 

This  was  five  years  ago.  My  residence  was  then  near  the  village. 
A  collection  had  been  made  to  buy  oil  for  night  study.  For  long 
weeks,  nay,  months,  fresh  young  voices  were  lifted  in  song  during 
the  silence  of  the  night.  Peter  Thuy  and  his  comrades  were  repeat- 
ing their  catechism.  I  used  to  fall  asleep  with  the  touching  melody 
ringing  in  my  ears.  When  I  awoke  during  the  night  it  had  not 
ceased. 

4- 

The  great  days  of  examination  arrived,  Maundy  Thursday  and 
Good  Friday.  The  young  candidates  from  every  village  of  the  parish 
had  already  passed  a  trial  examination.  Those  who  are  successful  on 
these  occasions  are  usually  the  selected  champions  to  maintain  the 
honor  of  their  respective  villages  at  the  general  assembly. 

The  priest  presides,  assisted  by  the  catechists ;  the  prominent  mem- 
bers of  the  village  form  a  circle  about  him,  anxious  and  expectant,  as 
the  armies  of  Rome  and  Alba  at  the  contest  between  the  Horatii  and 
the  Curatii. 

The  meeting  is  opened.  The  candidates  now  i)resent  themselves 
in  groups;  formerly  they  were  called  in  turn.  The  young  women 
and  men  of  each  village  successively  approach  the  center  and  either 
kneel  or  sit  upon  a  mat  on  the  ground  ;  the  young  girls  timidly  hide 
their  faces  behind  their  fans.  Each  group  must  reply  to  three  ques- 
tions in  the  catchism  and  give  an  oral  explanation. 

As  soon  as  one  of  the  (questions  is  drawn,  so  as  to  avoid  the  least 
suspicion  of  favoritism,  it  is  solemnly  read  by  the  catch ist.  The 
group  on  the  rostrum  repeat  it  in  a  low  voice,  whisper  one  to  another, 
turn  over  the  answer  in  their  minds  several  times  and,  finally,  chant 
the  answer  in  chorus  with  imposing  slowness. 

If  the  answer  is  perfect,  without  the  least  iota  of  a  variation,  their 
success  is  announced  by  the  beating  of  drums;  the  young  men  show 


SOUTHERN   TONGKIXG  191 

signs  of  increased  modesty  and  the  young  girls  make  an  effort  to 
hide  themselves  entirely  behind  their  fans. 

On  the  contrar}%  if  they  make  a  mistake,  ever  so  slight,  perhaps 
in  the  application  of  only  a  single  word,  the  clicking  of  castagnettes 
calls  attention  to  it  and  the  assembly  is  informed  of  the  error  as 
well  as  that  '*  to  err  is  human."  A  light  blush  rises  to  the  usually 
pale  cheeks  of  the  candidates. 

If  a  group  has  answered  all  the  questions  proposed  without  any 
sound  from  castagnettes,  there  is  a  prolonged  beating  of  drums  whilst 
they  return  to  their  places;  if  they  fail  in  the  very  least  detail,  and 
such  is  oftener  the  case,  they  resume  their  seats  in  silence. 

+ 

The  parish  of  An-whien  presented  that  year  a  brilliant  spectacle 
at  the  general  examination.  Several  villages  stood  the  required  test, 
provoking  a  continuous  beating  of  drums.  The  final  victory,  how- 
ever, rested  beyond  all  dispute  with  Peter  Thuy  and  his  comrades  of 
the  village  of  Hom-Wha. 

On  the  evening  of  Easter  day  tliQ  solemn  distribution  of  prizes  took 
place.  The  names  of  the  victorious  contestants  were  intoned  in  the 
noble  official  language  of  China.  Each  village  received  a  reward 
according  to  its  merits;  pictures,  crucifixes  and  beads,  more  or  less 
beautiful,  and  scapulars. 

The  final  ceremony  followed.  As  many  processions  formed  as 
there  were  victorious  hamlets.  The  prizes  of  each  village  were  attached 
to  a  board  covered  with  red  cloth  and  shaded  by  a  large  parasol.  Amid 
the  beating  of  drums,  the  clashing  of  cymbals  and  the  waving  of 
banners,  followel  by  the  people  on  foot,  the  prizes  were  solemnly 
borne  home. 

The  group  of  Peter  Thuy  walked  with  a  more  measured  step,  its 
music  bore  a  special  character,  pnd  the  youth  of  the  village,  accom- 
panied by  the  whole  population,  sang  the  Resurrection  hymn  with  a 
more  emphatic  accent  of  victory. 

+ 

A  few  months  afterwards  the  rice  began  to  get  ripe.  The  sun 
darted  its  fiery  rays  from  tlie  zenith  to  earth.  The  water  wae  draw- 
ing off  from  the  fields,  but  had  not  entirely  disappeared.  The  people 
of  Annam  began  to  gather  the  harvest;  with  heads  exposed  to  the 
heat,  and  feet  in  water  and  mud,  their  situation  invited  disease. 
Moreover,  some  of  them  had  endured  a  long  enforced  fast  and  greed- 
ily seized  the  first  grains  of  rice  not  thorouglily  ripened.     All  those 


192  MIJSSIOXS    IX    ASIA 

causes  brought  on  dysentery,  usually  prevalent  at  this  season,  typhoid 
fever  and,  in  many  instances,  cholera. 

One  day  I  was  called  upon  to  attend  a  sick  man.  It  was  Peter 
Thuy.  He  was  lying  on  his  bamboo  bed  in  a  poor  little  hut  of  two 
compartments;  several  sheaves  of  rice  in  a  state  of  fermentation 
made  the  air  heavier,  hotter  and  more  unwholesome.  My  patient 
had  typhoid  fever. 

"  Father,^^  said  he,  "  I  have  already  made  my  confession,  but  the 
priest  who  came  to  me  did  not  seem  to  be  strict  enough  with  me.  I 
should  like  to  confess  my  sins  again.^' 

I  gave  him  all  the  comforts  of  religion,  including  the  plenary  in- 
dulgence at  the  hour  of  death,  my  penitent  manifesting  the  most 
lively  sentiments  of  piety. 

A  few  days  afterwards  another  procession  formed,  but  not  one  of 
triumph.  Peter  Thuy  was. again  the  hero,  but  borne  upon  a  bier; 
the  young  men  and  women  of  his  village  again  accompanied  him 
with  voices  uplifted,  the  Resurrection  hymn  giving  place  to  the 
chants  for  the  dead  and  the  recitation  of  prayers  for  the  departed. 
His  family  was  too  poor  to  give  him  any  other  than  the  poorest 
burial.  I  read  the  solemn  service  for  the  dead  and,  during  the  cere- 
monies, it  seemed  to  me  as  though  I  saw  his  soul,  bright  and  beauti- 
ful, surrounded  by  the  aureole  of  the  blessed;  the  elect  of  greater 
glory  for  having  made  known  the  truth  to  others. 

The  Khoi  Family. 

We  shall  confine  ourselves  to  the  district  of  Ha-Tinh.  To  the  north 
lies  the  village  of  Yen  Mi,  in  the  parisli  of  Trai  Le,  lost  in  a  depres- 
sion in  the  side  of  a  small  mountain.  From  a  religious  point  of 
view  this  village  comprises  three  classes  of  inhabitants:  Christians, 
few  in  number,  but  zealous  and  influential,  apostates  and  pagans. 
I  ministered  to  their  needs,  exhorting  the  faithful  to  exert  their  best 
efforts  to  lead  their  separated  brethren  back  to  God.  Ten  years  be- 
fore a  brave  and  earnest  missionary.  Father  Klingler,  had  visited  the 
village.  He  is  still  remembered,  and  thanks  to  the  ef!ect  Of  his 
ardent  zeal,  hearts  were  more  pliable  and  wills  more  flexible,  and 
they  returned  once  more  to  the  law  of  Christ. 

4- 

Among  the  converts  is  a  family  with  four  generations  living,  but 
how  wavering  and  hard  of  heart.  The  oldest  member,  bent  with  age, 
a  centenarian,  is  the  great-grandmother,  who  has  remarried  a  Catho- 


SOUTHERN   TONGKINO 


193 


lie.     As  far  as  prayers  are  concerned,  she  remembers  only  the  "  Our 

Father,"  hers  being  particularly  unique.     When  she  gets  near  the 

end,  she  begins  all  over  again,  so  that,  as  many  as  she  says,  the  prayer 

is  never  finished.  mi.    xi_-  j  ^  •  i.  j  u 

The  third  degree  is  represented  by 

a  grandson,  still  strong  and  ereot. 
But  alas!  his  soul  is  bowed  down 
under  the  yoke  of  apostasy.  He 
abandoned  his  faith  and  is  the  cause 
of  his  family's  defection. 

The  second  generation  is  repre- 
sented by  a  daughter-in-law,  the 
daughter  of  a  mandarin,  cup-bearer 
to  King  Tu  Due.  She  is  a  widow 
and  had  never  renounced  paganism. 
Her  two  sons  are  the  fourth  gene- 
ration. They  are  about  twenty 
years  old  and  have  been  baptized. 
The  elder  married  a  pagan,  the 
younger  is  still  single.  All  this 
family  has  been  converted,  each  has 
received  the  grace  of  the  sacraments 
and  their  sight  has  pierced  the  dark 
veil  which  keeps  pagans  in  blindness. 
"  Why  have  you  given  up  your 
religion  ?"  I  asked  the  grandmother. 
"  Well,  you  see.  Father,"  she  re- 
plied, "  I  had  a  boy  who  died  at 
the  age  of  seven  years.  Some  time 
after  his  death  he  appeared  to 
me,  saying,  *  ^lother,  why  do  you 
let  me  go  hungry?  Why  do  you 
not  offer  me  rice  and  meat  ? '  Then  I  said  to  myself,  *  Why,  my  son 
was  baptized;  how  can  he  have  need  of  such  things?  So  he  is  not 
in  h^aven.^  I  therefore  gave  up  my  religion  so  as  to  be  able  to  offer 
food  in  sacrifice  for  my  son,  who  stands  in  need  of  it." 

The  poor  mother  did  not  recognize  a  prince  of  darkness  in  the 
supposed  vision  of  her  son.  How  many  stratagems  the  devil  uses 
in  a  pagan  land ! 

Besides  the  apostates,  several  of  the  pagans  have  embraced  the 
tnith.     Paul  Khoi,  the  father  of  the  family,  has  become  the  head  of 


A  ToNGKiNO  Catechist. 


194  MltiSIONS    IX    ASIA 

the  Christian  settlement.  Thanks  to  the  constant  efforts  of  several 
missionaries  and  native  priests,  other  pagan  villages  have  entered  the 
true  sheep  fold;  with  the  five  small,  older  Christian  hamlets  for  a 
nucleus  they  form  a  new  parish,  situated  in  the  very  heart  of  a  pagan 
land.  And  who  can  determine  in  these  results  the  power  of  the 
never-ending  "  Our  Father*'  from  the  lips  of  the  great-grandmother? 

Peter  Hoan. 

In  the  same  parish  of  Trai  Le,  to  the  west,  lies  the  village  of 
Phuong  ;Mi,  lost  among  the  mountains  about  a  half  day's  journey 
distant.  The  "  mountain  country ''  is  here  sjTionymous  with  the 
"  tiger  country/'  and  Phuong  Mi  has  its  share  of  the  feline  specimen. 
During  his  visit  the  priest  lives  in  a  small  house  close  by  the  church. 
One  day,  or  rather  one  night,  good  Father  Hien  was  seated  in  the  con- 
fessional, a  simple  bamboo  structure,  placed  at  the  door,  with  a  curtain 
to  shield  the  priests'  and  penitents'  faces.  A  tiger  entered.  Taking 
him  for  a  penitent,  the  kind  priest  inclined  his  head  to  hear  the  sub- 
dued tone  of  a  confession,  when  he  was  greeted  with  a  movement  of 
tongue  and  lips  that  he  could  not  understand.  Raising  his  eyes,  he 
realized  his  position.  We  can  easily  imagine  his  feelings.  He  himself 
told  me  this  exciting  story,  bursting  into  a  loud  laugh  when  he  tried 
to  imitate  the  roar  of  the  animal. 

Despite  the  natural  temptation  to  color  a  story  which  I  prefer  to 
repeat  as  it  happened,  I  must  say  that  no  tiger  presented  itself  at 
my  confessional  during  my  missionary  visit,  but  it  was  in  the  yard 
nearly  every  night.  Then  a  young  man,  Peter  Hoan,  as  delicately 
formed  as  a  girl,  would  go  out  alone  and  without  a  light  to  drive  the 
animal  away.  Hoan  had  fought  against  the  rebels  with  the  same 
spirit  and,  notwithstanding  his  youth,  was  made  lieutenant.  He 
made  a  name  for  himself  among  his  Christian  friends  and  was  a 
terror  to  his  enemies. 

When  peace  was  re-established,  Peter  Hoan  turned  his  arms 
against  the  devil.  In  Pliuong  Mi  there  were  still  some  pagans  liv- 
ing among  the  Christians.  He  took  their  conversion  to  heart. 
Every  year  he  succeeded  in  converting  some,  instructing  them  him- 
self; the  priest  was  called  upon  only  to  pour  the  regenerating  waters 
upon  the  converted  head. 

It  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  this  young  man  at  the  head  of  the 
small  flock  which  he  had  led  to  the  feet  of  Christ.     Agreeable  to 


SOUTHERN    TONGKING 


195 


God  and  hated  by  the  devil,  he  could  not  escape  temptation.  He  was 
tried  in  many  ways.  Was  he  always  victorious?  I  cannot  say,  but 
his  death  was  his  last  triumph. 


TONOKiNO. — A  Parish  Obchestba. 

A  few  years  afterwards  we  found  him  poor  and  alone  in  the  prison 
of  Ha-Tinh,  his  neck  in  the  pillory.  He  had  been  confined  for  several 
months,  but  hoped  to  be  released  from  day  to  day,  when  he  expected 
to  rejoin  his  wife  and  children.  However,  he  possessed  his  soul  in 
peace.     For  some  time  before  his  arrest  he  had   led  the  life  of  a 


196  MISSIONS    IN    ASIA 

religious,  meditating,  fasting,  visiting  the  sick,  receiving  Holy  Com- 
munion frequently,  reciting  the  rosary  and  increasing  in  zeal  for 
the  conversion  of  infidels.  Before  going  to  prison,  he  had  fulfilled' 
all  his  religious  duties  and  nourished  himself  once  more  with  the 
Bread  of  the  Strong;   providential  precaution. 

One  day  the  doors  of  his  prison  were  opened  to  admit  a  deputy 
from  the  mandarin.  Surely  the  paper  he  held  was  his  certificate  of 
freedom.  Alas!  it  was  his  sentence  of  death  by  decapitation,  to  be 
carried  out  immediately. 

^• 

Peter  Hoan  had  neither  the  power  nor  the  time  to  call  a  priest,  so, 
surrounded  by  the  customary  escort  of  soldiers,  he  'rose  to  proceed 
to  the  place  of  sacrifice,  letting  the  beads  of  his  rosary  slip  one  by  one 
through  his  fingers.  On  his  way  he  met  some  Christians  who  begged 
him  for  his  beads  as  a  souvenir. 

"  I  cannot  let  you  have  them,"  he  said.  "  I  wish  to  recite  my 
rosary  to  the  end.  For  myself,  I  am  resigned;  do  you,  my  breth- 
ren, live  in  peace.'^  Continuing  on  his  way  to  death,  he  kept  on 
repeating,  "  Holy  Mary,  Mother  of  God,  pray  for  us  sinners,  now 
and  at  the  hour  of  our  death." 

Arriving  at  the  place  of  execution,  he  fell  on  his  knees  and  con- 
tinued his  prayer.  Commanded  to  sit  on  the  ground,  his  hands  were 
tied  to  a  stake  behind  him;  at  the  given  signal,  his  head  fell  on  the 
grass.  The  rose  empurpled  had  yielded  its  perfume.*  The  justice 
of  man  had  accomplished  its  work;  the  justice  of  God  will  accom- 
plish its  own  during  eternity. 

^• 

Had  Peter  Hoan  then  committed  a  great  crime?  Yes,  it  was 
said  that,  in  converting  the  Buddhists,  he  attacked  their  liberty  of 
conscience.  He  was  to  learn  that  in  our  days  all  liberty  is  sacred 
except  the  liberty  in  doing  good. 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


EUROPE 
The  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Denmark 

The  Sisters  of  Charity  have  begun  their  work  in  Denmark. 

Leaving  Paris  at  the  end  of  February,  they  arrived  in  Copen- 
hagen after  36  hours^  travel  and  were  received  by  Bishop  Von  Euch 
with  his  usual  cordiality.  The  end  of  their  destination  was  Else- 
neur,  a  city  of  14,000  inhabitants. 

The  arrival  of  the  Sisters  has  been  the  subject  of  much  favorable 
comment  on  the  part  of  the  public  and  the  press.  The  papers  have 
published  their  appreciation  of  the  sacrifice  made  in  leaving  homo  to 
minister  unto  others  in  a  foreign  country,  and  have  extended  a  sin- 
cere welcome. 

The  Sisters  have  already  begun  to  take  care  of  the  poor,  and  chil- 
dren are  coming  unto  them.  A  little  workroom  has  been  opened  and 
others  will  succeed.  A  small  house  has  been  converted  into  a  chapel 
which  will  accommodate  forty  persons.  Elseneur  is  situated  in  the 
extreme  north  of  Seeland,  separated  from  Sweden  by  a  very  narrow 
strait.  The  boat  between  Elseneur  and  Helsingborg  makes  as  many 
as  eight  trips  a  day. 


A  Statue  to  Father  de  Del<en 

The  monument  erected  in  Wilryck,  near  Antwerp,  to  the  memory 
of  Father  de  Deken,  the  illustrious  missionary  who  accompanied 
Prince  Henri  d'Orieans  and  Mr.  Bonvalot  on  their  explorations 
through  Thibet,  will  be  unveiled  in  August.  This  expedition,  so 
well  described  in  his  book,  "Across  Asia,"  was  not  his  only  trip.  He 
also  traveled  in  Africa,  returning  with  Baron  Dhanis  after  a  stay 
of  two  years. 

Father  de  Deken  returned  to  Belgian  Congo  in  1895,  and  never 
saw  his  native  land  again.  He  died  at  Boma  in  March  of  the  same 
year. 

197 


198  NEWS   OF   THE  MISSIONS 

Jean  Herain,  the  sculptor  of  his  memorial,  represents  the  brave 
missionary  baptizing  a  native.  He  thus  renders  a  pious  homage  to 
a  religious  hero,  the  man  of  science  as  well  as  the  large-hearted  man 
of  God. 

ASIA 

Report  of  the  Society  for  the  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris 

We  are  in  receipt  of  the  comprehensive  and  interesting  report 
which  the  Society  for  the  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris  publishes  annu- 
ally. It  gives  an  account  of  the  apostolic  work  accomplished  in  the 
32  missions  under  its  charge. 

We  make  a  few  extracts  from  this  interesting  publication: 

^'  With  hearts  filled  with  gratitude  to  God,  we  record  the  consoling 
results  of  our  work  for  1903.  The  latest  statistics  are:  38,321  adult 
baptisms;  490  conversions  from  heresy;  131,736  baptisms  of  pagan 
children. 

"The  number  of  adult  baptisms  and  conversions  from  heresy  is 
much  larger  than  that  of  last  year;  baptisms  of  pagan  children  are 
fewer. 

"Notwithstanding  this  slight  decrease  in  number,  we  can  most 
truthfully  say  that  the  laborers  in  our  32  missions  have  succeeded 
well  this  year.  Their  assistants,  native  priests,  religious  men  and 
women  and  catechists,  empowered  to  baptize,  have  done  their  best  to 
extend  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ  and  to  procure  the  salvation 
of  souls. 

"  The  aim  of  the  Society  for  the  Foreign  Missions  is  not  the  con- 
version of  infidels  only.  Its  rule  defines  that  its  members  must,  first 
of  all,  devote  their  energy  to  the  formation  of  native  clergy;  next  in 
order,  care  for  Christians,  and  only  lastly,  labor  for  the  conversion 
of  infidels. 

"  Instruction  is  now  given  to  2118  students  in  our  38  seminaries, 
and  we  are  providing  for  the  spiritual  necessities  of  1,323,947  Chris- 
tians dispersed  over  an  immense  territory  in  which  we  have  5095 
stations.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  work  of  evangelization  does 
not  progress  as  quickly  as  we  desire.  To  our  great  regret,  the  lack 
of  resources  and  an  insufiicient  personnel  prevent  our  making  a  more 
rapid  development." 

A  Missionary  on  His  Travels 

We  extract  the  following  details  from  an  interesting  letter  sent 
from  Kan-Su,   China,  by  Father   Steyaert,  of  the  Missionaries  of 


AFRICA  199 

Scheut-lez-Bruxelles,  to  his  superior  general,  the  Very  Rev.  Van 
Hecke: 

"  I  am  traveling,  I  have  traveled,  I  am  going  to  travel ;  my  duties 
compel  me  to  conjugate  the  verb  travel  without  ceasing.  Leaving 
my  residence  in  December,  1902,  for  instance,  I  did  not  return  until 
June,  1903,  after  having  visited  the  most  distant  Christian  settle- 
ments under  my  charge. 

"  Travel  means  living  in  hostelries.  In  China  an  inn  is  a  general 
rendezvous.  From  morning  till  night,  from  the  opening  of  the 
doors  till  the  closing  of  the  same,  anybody  who  will  may  enter.  As 
soon  as  a  stranger  arrives,  especially  a  foreigner,  a  large  and  curi^ 
crowd  gathers.  All  social  ranks  are  represented.  The  lowest  order 
usually  leads  the  procession,  merchants  and  even  mandarins  follow, 
mixing  with  the  common  people,  leisurely  to  contemplate  a  stranger 
fallen  from  they  know  not  where.  The  most  naive  remarks  are 
made.  A  beard  occasions  the  greatest  delight;  a  long  nose  seems 
to  be  a  startling  phenomenon.  As  soon  as  they  find  out  that  the 
person  on  exhibition  can  speak  the  language  of  the  Flowery  King- 
dom, they  are  stupefied,  and  heap  question  upon  question. 

"How  many  days'  walk  separate  Europe  from  China?  Is  Europe 
as  large  as  China?  Does  it  pay  duty  to  the  Emperor?  Where  does 
Europe  begin  and  where  does  it  end?  Do  the  people  sow  the  five 
cereals  and  the  hundred  wheats?  Do  they  also  have  beggars?  Do 
they  too  see  the  sun  and  the  moon  ?  '^ 

"  From  among  th«se  inquisitive  minds,  some  educated,  others  vul- 
gar, such  is  on^  of  the  types : 

"A  young  man  enters;  he  is  about  twenty-five  years  old,  broad- 
shouldered,  of  vulgar  carriage,  with  a  coarse  voice  and  scornful  ex- 
pression of  countenance. 

"'What  is  my  future?'  he  asks,  holding  out  his  hand  wide  open, 
in  a  bold  manner. 

"  *  Pardon  me,  sir,  I  trade  neither  in  necromancy  nor  fortune- 
telling.^ 

"'What!  I  have  been  told  that  all  foreigners  are  versed  in  the 
occult  sciences  and  predict  the  future.  Be  that  as  it  may,  you  can,  at 
least,  sound  my  lungs,  tell  me  whether  I  have  a  strong  constitution 
and  can  count  upon  a  long  life.' 

"  *  You  must  excuse  me  again ;  I  am  neither  a  doctor  nor  a  sooth- 
sayer.' 

"'Why,  is  not  everybody  in  Europe  a  doctor?' 


200  NEWS  OF   THE   MISSIONS 

"  ^  There  is  a  distinction  between  doctors.  I  am  not  a  doctor  for 
the  body,  but  I  am  a  doctor  for  the  soul/ 

"The  man,  astounded  and  nonplussed,  turned  toward  the  door, 
nodded  and  said: 

"  ^  I  do  not  understand  what  you  mean  by  doctor  of  the  soul ; 
but,  if  I  had  the  time,  I  would  ask  you  for  an  explanation.  Au 
revoir/ 

He  disappeared  muttering  to  himself,  '  A  doctor  of  the  soul ;  what 
can  that  be  ?  ^ 

"  In  China,  if  you  speak  of  money,  horses  and  grains,  you  will  be 
understood.  If  you  speak  of  morality,  the  people  will  affect  to  un- 
derstand. If  you  speak  of  the  soul,  every  one  is  at  a  loss.  In  this 
country  matter  is  everything;  material  interests  absorb  all  things  else.^' 

AFRICA 
An  Abyssinian  Chief  Favorable  to  the  Catholic  Religion 

Father  Charles  Gruson,  C.  M.,  writes  from  Gouala,  near  Alitiena: 

"Although  a  persecution  is  raging  in  the  south  of  Abyssinia,  we 
are  enjoying  the  greatest  peace.  The  oldest  inhabitants  say  that 
for  sixty  years  the  Catholic  religion  has  not  enjoyed  so  much  favor 
or  rest. 

"  The  chief  of  Agamia  takes  pleasure  in  paying  us  frequent  visits. 
Recently  he  came  to  see  me,  escorted  by  three  hundred  soldiers. 
After  having  thanked  him  for  his  kindness,  I  said :  ^  We  may  become 
dangerous  to  you.^  • 

"As  he  seemed  surprised  at  my  remark,  I  continued,  smiling: 
^This  week  representatives  from  the  Convent  of  Gounde-Gound^ 
called  upon  me;  perhaps  they  are  going  to  be  Catholics.^ 

"  The  convent  of  Gounde-Gounde  is  schismatic  unto  fanaticism ; 
its  former  abbot  was  the  cause  of  the  persecution  in  1900.  At  .pres- 
ent there  is  a  complete  revolution  of  feeling  among  the  monks;  their 
efforts  to  enter  upon  friendly  relations  with  us  is  most  evident. 

"The  clergy  are  getting  to  be  more  and  more  favorable,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  number  inclined  to  come  over  to  the  truth;  several 
deacons  have  already  been  converted. 

"  The  chief  of  Agamia  is  well  informed  of  the  situation ;  whether 
because  of  his  affection  for  us,  or  that  he  believes  that  the  Catholic 
religion  will  save  his  country  and  revive  its  former  religious  splen- 
dor, he  allows  us  the  greatest  liberty. 

"  Despite  the  recent  trials  and  even  despite  future  persecutions 


AFRICA  201 

liable  to  occur,  the  hope  for  prosperity  in  Abyssinia  is  well  founded. 
The  people  themselves  feel  that  the  weak  remnants  of  a  worship 
purely  exterior  cannot  make  religion;  they  understand  that  the 
schismatic  clergy  possess  neither  science  nor  virtue  and  so  do  not 
heed  them.     The  flock  is  without  a  shepherdt 

"  Our  ministry  is  producing  good  effects,  but  we  must  enlarge  our 
sphere  of  influence;  charity  must  pave  the  way  for  us.  Works  be- 
gun, seminaries  and  schools,  must  be  maintained.  The  catechists  who 
instruct  the  people  and  visit  the  villages,  lost  among  the  mountains, 
in  order  to  prepare  for  conversions,  marriages  and  baptisms,  must  be 
supported.  All  these  necessities  require  resources  which  are  not  at 
hand.     We  place  our  hope  in  God  and  the  charity  of  our  brethren.^' 

A  Learned  Missionary 

In  the  Officidl  J&umal  of  Madagascar  and  Its  Dependencies  we 
read: 

"Father  Colin,  who  so  ably  directs  the  observatory  of  Ambohid- 
empim,  has  just  received  a  high  distinction  from  the  Academy  of 
Sciences  in  Paris.  The  honor  conferred  is  the  prize  of  five  hundred 
dollars  offered  to  astronomers,  geographers  and  explorers.  The  work 
submitted  is  entitled  Geographical  Positions  in  Madagascar,  and 
contains  the  complete  series  of  astronomical  observations  made  in 
Madagascar  from  1889-1902. 

"  This  is  the  fourth  time  that  the  Academy  has  manifested  its 
high  esteem  for  the  work  of  Father  Colin.  In  1890  he  received  the 
Jerome  Ponti  prize;  in  1898,  the  Valz  prize  for  astronomy;  in  1899, 
he  was  elected  corresponding  member  of  the  Institute,  receiving  46 
out  of  50  votes.'' 


DESTINATION    OF    MISSIONARIES. 

Eeported  since  May-June  Annals. 


NORTH   AMERICA 

United  States 

Rev.  J.  Schultz,  C.S.Sp. 
"     C.  Leroux,  C.S.Sp. 
*'      J.  Lestrohan,  C.S.Sp. 
"     J.  Baptiste  Deacouus, 
C.S.Sp. 

West  Indies 

Hayti 

Rev.  G.  Touquet,  C.S.Sp. 
"     L.  Cremmel,  C.S.Sp. 

Cuba 

Rev.  C.  Bernard,  O.P. 

Trinidad 

Rev.  P.  Acton,  C.S.Sp. 

SOUTH    AMERICA 

Chili 

Rev.  A.  Jamet.  S.H.Pic. 
'*     F.  Patlsaou,  S.H.Pic. 
**     M.  Joseph  Moreno, 
S.H.Pic. 

Amazon  District 

Rev.  A.  Kermabon,  C.S.Sp. 

AFRICA 

'Northern  Zanzibar 

Rev.  R.  Bertagna. 

**  J.  Giacosa. 

"  M.  Ardse. 

"  S.  Scarzello. 

**  J.Cattaneo. 

"  F.  Cagrliero. 

"  D.  Dijrnoli. 

**  G.  Barlassina. 


Mauritiws  Island 

Rev.  A.  Noly,  C.S.Sp. 
*'     C.  Portler,  C.S.Sp. 

Reunion  Mand 

Rev.  A.  Bourbon nais,  C.S.Sp. 

Senegamhia 

Rev.  J.  Baptiste  Barbier,  C.S.Sp. 

Oahon 

Rev.  I.  Sahin,  C.S.Sp. 
"  A.  Reeb,  C.S.Sp. 
'*     A.  Rouxel,  C.S.Sp. 

Sierra  Leone 

Right  Rev.  J.  O'Gorman,  C.S.Sp. 
Rev.  J.  Fleck,  C.S.Sp. 

Lower  Niger 

Rev.  C  Vogler,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Congo 

Rev.  A.  Vanuyten,  O.Prem. 

French  Congo 

Rev.  C.  Murard,  C.  S.Sp. 

Portuguese  Congo 

Rev.  L.  Andr6,  C.S.Sp. 

Belgian  Congo 

Mgr.  Van  Ronsle,  B.F.M. 
Rev.  Fr.  Baten,  B.F.M. 
"       "    Gosman,  B.F.M. 

Kuftcnc 

Rev.  A.  de  Merange,  C.S.Sp. 

Northern  Madagascar 

Rev.  L.  Dissard,  C.S.Sp. 


ASIA 

China 
Kiang-nan 

Rev.  L.  Lamoureux,  S.J. 

'•  R.  Barbotin,  S.J. 

"  L.  Hermand,  S.J. 

"  A.  Haouisec,  S.J. 

*'  C.  Vanara,  S.J. 

"  E.  Beauc6,  S.J. 

"  P.  Ancel,  SJ. 

INDIA 

Ma>dura 

Rev.  Fr.  Lief  mans,  S.J. 
"      "    Spelten,  S.  J. 

Wt»tcrn  Bengal, 

Rev.  Fr.  Bressers,  S.  J. 
*'     **     Walrave,  S.J. 

Ceylon 

Rev.  Fr.  Van  Antwer^>en,  S.J. 
'*     •*     Limbourg,  S.J. 


OCEANICA 

TahUi 

Rev.  G.  Jos.  Eich,  S.H.Pic. 
**  J.  Chesneau,  S.H.Pic. 
"     L.  Robin,  S.H.Pic. 

Sandwich  Inlands 

Rev.  C.  Beissel,  S.H.Pic. 
"      E.  Schats,  S.H.Pic. 
"     R.  Windels,  S.H.Pic. 
'•     T.  Van  Schayk,  S.H.Pic. 


202 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


OF  THE 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


POPE   PIUS   X   AND  THE   SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPA- 
GATION OF  THE  FAITH 

We  earnestly  entreat  our  readers  to  peruse  the  brief  of  the  Holy 
Father  which  we  publish  in  this  number.  The  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  is  the  first  charitable  association  thus  hon- 
ored by  the  present  Pontiff,  and  quite  rightly,  for  as  Pius  X  himself 
says,  "  It  stands  in  the  very  first  rank,  both  by  its  useftdness  and  its 
works,  and  has  deserved  the  highest  praise  in  the  wide  spreading  of 
the  Christian  faith." 

The  letter  reveals  the  highest  appreciation  of  this  "divinely  in- 
spired Societ}',"  as  the  Pope  refers  to  it,  asserting  that  "if  means 
have  been  supplied  permitting  the  messengers  of  Catholic  doctrine 
to  hasten  to  distant  and  barbarous  countries,  bringing  the  advan- 
tages of  our  religion  and  civilization,  it  should  be  attributed  to 
the  generosity  of  this  noble  association." 

Pius  X  calls  for  united  effort  and  sanctions  with  his  high  authority 
the  mode  of  organization  of  the  Society,  stating  that  nothing  could 
be  more  profitable  in  every  way  than  the  enrolment  of  promoters 
and  the  formation  of  bands  of  ten  associates.  "  Individual  action 
is  good,  but  united  action  is  what  is  required." 

203 


204 


MISSION    NOTES  AND  NEWS 


St.  Francis  Xavier,  the  great  missionary  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
the  apostle  of  India  and  Japan,  was  chosen  as  patron  of  the  Society 
the  very  year  of  its  foundation,  in  1822.  Pope  Pius  X  confirms  that 
choice,  and  in  order  that  the  veneration  paid  to  that  Saint  be  further 
increased,  raises  his  feast  to  the  rite  of  a  double  major  for  the  Uni- 
versal Church,  expressing  the  hope  that  by  the  intercession  of  Fran- 
cis the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  will  daily  spread 
among  Catholics. 

•J* 

The  letter  of  His  Holiness  has  been  printed  in  leaflet  form,  and 
we  shall  be  glad  to  furnish  with  copies  all  associates  who  will  have 
the  charity  to  distribute  them  among  their  friends. 

THE  REPORT  FOR   1  903 

Whilfit  we  sincerely  regret  the  decrease  shovm  in  the  general  report 
of  the  work  of  the  Society  in  1903,  we  must  not  fail  to  note 
that  the  'Catholics  of  the  United  States  have  not  contributed  to  it — 
on  the  contrary  they  have  increased  their  contributions  during  the 
past  year  more  than  $7000,  having  given  to  the  world-wide  cause  the 
sum  of  $92,503,  the  largest  contribution  ever  received  in  one  single 
year. 

We  offer  our  heartfelt  thanks  to  God  for  this  success  and  express 
our  gratitude  to  the  hierarchy  of  this  country,  whose  good  will  toward 
our  work  is  well  known  to  us.  Let  our  Diocesan  and  Parochial  Di- 
rectors, as  well  as  our  dear  Promoters,  accept  also  our  sincere  thanks 
for  their  most  valuable  co-operation.  May  our  Lord,  for  Whose 
sake  they  work,  reward  them  with  abundant  blessings! 


MISSION   NOTES   AND   NEWS  205 


MISSION   NOTES  AND  NEWS 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  SIERRA  LEONE. 

The  mission  of  the  Holy  Ghost  Fathers  in  Sierra  Leone  was  estab- 
lished in  1858.  It  is  located  in  that  section  of  Africa  known  as  the 
"  White  Man's  Grave,"  because  of  the  large  number  of  missionaries  who 
have  succumbed  to  the  ravages  of  the  climate.  There  are  at  present 
fifteen  priests,  and  a  number  of  Brothers  and  Sisters.  Out  of  a  total 
population  of  over  a  million  and  a  half,  there  are  nearly  3000  Catholics. 

The  present  vicar  apostolic.  Bishop  O'Gorman,  is  well  known  to  many 
of  our  readers,  having  spent  several  years  as  professor  of  Theology  in 
the  House  of  Studies  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost  at  Corn  wells.  Pa. 
He  received  the  Episcopal  confirmation  in  Philadelphia  from  Archbishop 
Ryan  last  October,  Bishop  Donahue  of  Wheeling  preaching  the  sermon. 

Letter  of  the  Right  Rev.  John  A.  O'Gorman,  C.  S.  Sp., 

To  The  Reverend  James  A.  Walsh, 

Diocesan  Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  FaiHh 

in  Boston, 

Sierra  Leone,  Freetown,  April  4,  1904. 

Bev.  and  Dear  Sir — Just  one  word  to-day  to  thank  you  for  your 
kind  letter  and  to  assure  }^u  that  I  shall  be  very  happy  indeed  to 
comply  with  your  wishes  as  to  Mission  news  and  photographs.  I 
was  in  the  hospital  when  your  letter  reached  me,  but  have  since  left 
it.  A  bilious  fever  within  my  first  two  months  seems  to  show  that 
I  am  beginning  to  be  ac<5limated.  I'm  not  anxious  to  take  the  next 
step  any  sooner  than  I  must,  however. 

Since  my  arrival  I  have  been  able  to  see  nearly  all  our  stations, 
in  fact  all  but  one,  and  to  form  some  idea  of  the  state  of  the  Mission. 

Our  work  is  extremely  hard,  harder,  I  think,  than  almost  any  mis- 
sion in  Africa.  Such,  too,  seems  to  be  the  opinion  of  the  Fathers 
from  other  missions,  who  frequently  call  at  Freetown,  as  nearly  all 
the  boats  stop  here.  The  climate  is  very  treacherous,  the  language 
of  the  interior  diflBcult  and  changing  within  small  areas,  means  of 
travel  very  expensive,  resources  limited.  Add  to  this  that  the  colony 
proper  (population  of  about  100,000)  is  nominally  Protestant,  in 
reality,  as  far  as  morals  go,  worse  than  the  pagans  of  the  interior. 
The  Protectorate,  according  to  those  best  informed,  contains  a  popu- 


206 


MISSION    NOTES  AND  NEWS 


lation  of  two  and  a  half  to  three  millions,  a  much  higher  figure  than 
is  usually  given,  but  one  based  on  the  returns  from  the  hut-tax  and  con- 
sequently trustworthy  enough.  This"  population  is  pagan  for  the 
most  part,  very  degraded  and  not  very  responsive  to  the  efforts  of 
the  missionaries. 

Still,  thank  God,  we  certainly  are  succeeding  beyond  all  expecta- 
tions. Our  Christians  are  to  be  found  everywhere  along  the  coast 
and  up  the  rivers,  and  we  have  a  Catholic  population  numbering 


Bishop  O'Gokman,  Mission abies  and  Native  Chbistians. 


about  3000.  This  number  would  be  twice,  possibly  three  times  as 
large,  were  it  not  that  the  Sierra  Leonean  is  such  an  inveterate  trader 
and  traveller. 

We  have  two  Protestant  American  missionary  societies  here,  the 
United  Brethren,  who  have  a  number  of  missions  in  the  Protecto- 
rate (they  are  here  since  1857),  and  the  African  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Society.  I  wish  we  were  half  as  well  supplied  with  funds  as 
either;  we  could  then  have  three  times  the  number  of  children  we 
have. 

I  am  sending  you  this  time  two  photographs  taken  recently  dur- 
ing my  visit  to  St.  Joseph's,  Mobay  Island.     I  am  afraid  the  cos- 


MISSION   NOTES   AND  NEWS 


207 


tumes  of  the  school  children  are  rather  too  sumptuous.  I  don't 
know  where  Father  Shields,  the  father  in  charge  of  the  station,  got 
so  many  shirts;  I  certainly  shouldn't  have  expected  to  see  so  many 
after  my  experience  there. 

While  in  Sherbro  I  visited  the  tomb  of  a  namesake  of  vours.  Father 


A  School  House  in  Sierra  Leone. 

John  Walsh,  a  Pittsburg  boy  and  an  old  pupil  of  mine,  who  died 
three  years  ago  within  three  months  of  his  arrival  in  the  colony. 
Believe  me.  Reverend  and  Dear  Father, 

Very  sincerely  yours  in  Christ, 

+  John  A.  O'Gorman,  C.  S.  Sp. 


RELIGIOUS  STATISTICS  OF  THE  WORLD 

The  German  edition  of  the  weekly  bulletin  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith,  die  Katholischen  Missionen,  of  Friebourg, 
has  recently  published  a  sketch  of  a  very  interesting  study  by  a 
Jesuit  priest.  Father  Krose,  on  the  most  important  systems  of  re- 
ligion at  the  close  of  the  nineteenth  centurj'. 

According  to  this  eminent  religious,  there  are  550,000,000  of 
Christians  in  the  world  and  one  thousand  millions  of  non-Christians. 


208  MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 

Of  the  550  millions  of  Christians,  374  are  found  in  Europe,  134 
in  America,  29  in  Asia,  8  in  Africa  and  4  in  Oceanica. 


Europe    177,657,261 

America   71,330,879 

Asia    11.513,276 

Africa    3,004,563 

Oceanica    979,943 


ProtoiUnti 

97,293,434 
62,556.967 

Orthodox  Or««ka 

97,059,645 

OrlenUlH 

220,394 

1,926.108 
1,663.341 
3,187,259 

12,034,149 
53,479 

2.726.053 
3.608.466 

166,627,109 

109,147,272 

6.554.913 

Total   264,505,922 

The  term  Protestants  includes  all  the  members  of  from  500  to  700 
different  denominations. 

The  non-Christian  population  is  divided  into: 

Jews   11,037,000 

Mohammedans   202,048,240 

Brahmins  or  Hindus 210,100,000 

Old  Indian  Cults 12,113,766 

Buddhists    120,250,000 

Disciples  of  Confucius  and  Huo  Worshippers 253,000,000 

Taoists    32,000,000 

Shintoists    17,000,000 

Fetichists  and  other  pagans 144,700,000 

Other  religions 2,814,482 

Of  the  total  population  of  the  globe,  1539  million  souls,  according 
to  Yuraschke,  35.7  per  cent  are  Christians,  13.1  per  cent  Mohamme- 
dans, 7-10  per  cent  Jews;  762,102,000  are  monotheists;  776,000,000 
polytlieists.  Nearly  half  of  the  world's  population  believe  in  the 
unity  of  God. 

Comparing  one  religion  with  another,  we  find  that  the  Catholic 
Church,  with  264,505,922  adherents,  has  the  largest  number  of  mem- 
bers, and  is  the  most  widely  extended.  Nearly  half  the  total  num- 
ber of  Christians,  i.  e.,  43.2  per  cent,  and  more  than  one-sixth  of  the 
world's  population  profess  the  Catholic  religion.  The  Catholic  re- 
ligion is  one,  not  split  up  into  an  infinity  of  sects,  like  Protestantism, 
Mohammedanism  and  Buddhism.  Despite  all  the  attacks  of  its  ene- 
mies, the  Catholic  Church  at  the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century  is 
spread  all  over  the  world  and  alone  merits  the  name  of  catholic  or 
universal. 


SPECIAL    DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  May- June  Number. 


For  Bishop  O'Reilly,  Baker  City. 

Mr.  F.  Harper   (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) $10.00 

For  Bishop  Chatron,  P.  F.  M.,  Osaka. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 11.00 

For  the  Education  or  an  Ecclesiastical  Student  in  the 
Seminary  of  Canton,  China  (for  one  year). 

Rev.  P.  Blake   (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 125.00 

For  Father  Corre's  Leper  Mission,  Japan. 

Rev.  S.  M.  Lvons   (Diocese  of  Trenton) 3.00 

Rev.  T.  S.  O'Reilly  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

Rev.  A.  Tyszka  (Diocese  of  Pittsburg) 2.00 

Per  Rev.  E.  L.  Lemkes  (Diocese  of  St.  Louis) 10.00 

Rev.  0.  Derethal,  0.  F.  M.  (Diocese  of  La  Crosse) 3.25 

Miss  M.  Anderson  (Diocese  of  Louisville) 1.00 

For  Father  Courbis,  0.  M.  L,  Saskatchewan. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

For  Father  Bruck,  0.  M.  I.,  Saskatchewan. 

Per  Rev.  E.  L.  Lemkes  (Diocese  of  St.  I^ouis) 5.00 

For  Father  Delore,  S.  J.  Liban. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 2.00 

Per  Rev.  T.  Finn  (Diocese  of  Chicago) 5.00 

For  Father  Dupe,  0.  M.  I.,  Athabaska. 

Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

For  Father  Lecorre,  0.  M.  L,  Saskatchewan. 

Rev.  H.  Nelles,  S.  J.  (Diocese  of  Cleveland) 3.10 

For  Father  Luchesi,  S.  J.,  Alaska. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

For  Father  Walter,  Japan. 

Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

For  Father  Westropp,  S.  J.,  South  Dakota. 

Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

For  Mother  M.  Paul,  Uganda. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 1.00 

Per.  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  Xew  York) 64.25 

For  the  Redemption  of  Chinese  Children. 

*  Per  Rev.  L.  E.  Lemkes  (Diocese  of  St.  Ijouis) 10.00 

For  Missions  in  Tongking. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 3.00 

For  Indian  and  Negro  Missions. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 3.00 

Total $321.G0 

209 


\rrvrr\ 

li 

Wi 

M 

Wl{ 

OBITUARY 

The  following  deceased  persons  are  commended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates: 

The  Most  Rev.  Mgr.  Emmanuelian,  Armenian  Patriarch;  The 
Eight  Eev.  Mgr.  Fee,  Bishop  of  Malacca;  The  Right  Rev.  Gau- 
DENZio  BoNFiGLi,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Egypt;  The  Right  Rev.  Mgr. 
Philippe,  Titular  Bishop  of  Lari;  The  Rev.  J.  C.  Pernot,  Director 
of  the  Seminary  for  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris;  The  Rev.  Peter  P. 
Mazuret,  Diocese  of  Little  Rock. 

Miss  Mary  Fitzmaurice,  Diocese  of  Hartford. 

Mr.  Aug.  Peter  Wittemann,  Diocese  of  Detroit. 

Mrs.  Mary  Wall,  Diocese  of  Nesqually. 

Mrs.  N.  Roberts,  Diocese  of  Kansas  City. 

Mrs.  Bridget  O'Connor,  Diocese  of  Milwaukee. 

Mr.  John  Steinford,  Diocese  of  Concordia. 

Of  the  Archdiocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Mr.  Patrick  Burns,  Mr. 
Maurice  Hern,  Mr.  Edward  Hern,  Miss  Cecilia  Hern,  Mr.  Maurice  Llhrof, 
Mr.  Benjamin.  Proctor,  Mr.  Joseph  Cunningham,  Mr.  William  Colposrs, 
Miss  Ellen  Kelley,  Miss  Mary  McDonald,  Mr.  Matthew  Rogers,  Mr.  Michael 
Tierney,  Mr.  James  Hartnett,  Mr.  Frederick  Dandley,  Mr.  Patrick  Reddy, 
Miss  Margaret  Guider,  Miss  Mary  Feeney,  Mr.  Patrick  Feeney,  Mr.  Patrick 
Gorman,  Miss  Catherine  Gorman,  Mr.  Daniel  Buckley,  Mrs.  Jane  Scully, 
Mrs.  Alice  Delaney,  Miss  Ellen  Buckley,  Mr.  William  Buckley,  Mr.  Patrick 
Buckley,  Mrs.  Julia  Fahey,  Mrs.  Bridget  Horrigan,  Mr.  John  Keough,  Mr. 
Patrick  Reilly,  Mr.  James  Slamin,  Mrs.  Hannah  Grady,  Mr.  Thomas  Fahey, 
Mr.  Thomas  Sullivan,  Mrs.  Callahan,  Miss  Ann  Norton,  Mrs.  Myers,  Mrs. 
Mary  Mahoney,  Mr.  John  C.  Driscoll,  Mr.  Nicholas  Mullen,  Mr.  Luke  C. 
Fardy,  Miss  Hannah  L.  Fardy,  Mr.  William  Seegraeber,  Mrs.  Myers,  Mrs. 
Mary  Buckley,  Mrs.  Ellen  Mongeau,  Miss  Jeanette  Duffy,  Mr.  Timothy 
O'Brien,  Miss  Ann  Norton,  Mrs.  Mary  Mooney,  Mrs.  P.  Kearney,  Mr.  Michael 
Boland,  Miss  Julia  Boland,  Dr.  Michael  Hines,  Mrs.  Margaret  Murphy,  Mrs. 
Joanna  Harrigan,  Mr.  Henry  Cunningham,  Miss  Mary  Mooney,  Mr.  Francis 
Lundergan,  Mr.  Patrick  Lawless,  Miss  Catherine  Lawless,  Mr.  Edward 
Medley,  Mrs.  Margaret  Sweeney,  Miss  Mary  K.  Ryan,  Miss  Margaret  Lane, 
Mr.  Michael  Lane,  Mr.  John  P.  Punch,  Mr.  William  Mangan,  Miss  Mary 
Daley,  Mr.  Hugh  O'Brien,  Miss  Mary  Nolan,  Miss  Amelia  Le  Blanc. 

(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  the  names  of  all  deceased 
Associates  whose  names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our 
readers.) 

210 


WANTED!! 

MORE  NEW  PROMOTERS, 

MORE  NEW  MEMBERS, 


THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OP 

THE  FAITH. 

We  want  a  few  Tromoters  in  every  pari:ih  iii  Lh€ 

UPBTED  ST  ATESL 

A  Promoter  is  one  who  oideavof^  to  eiilist  at  least  nim  new  mctntKr^  ^^''T*- 
-cribing  aut  kss  limn  five  cents  nionlhly. 

We  gladly  supply  Promoters  with  cards,  certificales  and  copies  of  the 
Ann  A I  ^^  'MT  TiiE  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

AMfts^i  Sockty  Im  the  Pfopagaticm  of  the  Faiths 
627  Lexington  Avenue,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 

"Eteubtless  ttic  good-will  of  Catholics,  even  if  separate 
and  singly  they  show  themselves  liberal  fa  gifts^  will  con- 
tribute much  to  make  the  light  of  the  Gospel  shine  upon 
those  who  do  not  as  yet  belfcve;  but  nothing  will  be  of 
greater  profit  than  the  organization  among  Catholics  of 
bands  of  ten  according  to  the  very  wise  mrthods  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith/* 

POPE  PIUS  X 


55^ 


ANNALS 

OF  THE  PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 


GO  YB  INTO  THE  WHOLE  WORLD  AND 
PR£ACH  THE  GOSPEL  TO  EVERY  CHEATVIB 


BALTIMORE,  Mb. 


»'^ 

-■<?■-   - 


CONTENTS.  . 


PAOa 

THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  iNISSIONS.--ll  ArtleU 211 

The  Society  of  Foreign  INIssions  of  Parle Sll 

Missions  in  Asia. 

Iao9.— Letter  of  Father  Bourlet 920 

Socialism  in  X^os.— Curious  Details  Concerning  the  Rights  of 

Property, 

Missions  in  Africa. 

Gabon. — Letter  of  Father  Jeanroy 225 

Abandoned  Children.— Apprentices  in  Libreville. 

Northern  Myanza.—\M»T  of  Father  Moullec 280 

A  Year's  Record  of  the  Mission  of  Mitaia  Maria. 

Missions  in  America. 

Southern  Patagonia.—XMw  of  Dom  Borgateilo 280 

A  Trip  into  Magellan. 

Letter  of  Dom  del  Turco 240 

The  Onas  of  Tierra  del  Fuego. 

News  of  the  Missions. 

EUROPE. 

Homage  to  Missionaries 248 

The  New  Superior  of  the  Seminary  of  Foreign  Missions  In  Paris 248 

ASIA. 

The  New  Bishop  of  Colmbatore 244 

The  Christian  Pariahs  of  Madras 244 

A  Typhoon  In  Cochin  China 246 

Flowers  of  Martyrdom  in  Mongolia 246 

AFRICA. 

Abyssinia.^  kn  Appeal  from  Beyond  the  Tomb •. . .  247 

The  Persecution  in  Galias 248 

Rebuilding  of  the  Missions  of  Deldna 249 

The  Mission  of  Zagnandado  (Dahomey) 249 

The  Mission  of  the  Fails..... 250 

The  Mission  of  Rwanda 251 

OCEANICA. 

The  Church  of  the  Valley  of  the  Colonies  (New  Caledonia) 251 

Death  of  the  Old  Minister  of  King  George  of  Tonga 252 

Progress  of  the  Catholic  Faith  In  Cook  Archipelago 268 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 254 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals* 

EDITORIAL 255 

France  and  the  M lesions 25 5 

Martyrdom  of  a  Bishop 255 

Feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavler 256 

MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 267 

Saskatchewan  (Canada)  .—-A  New  Mission  at  Saskatoon 257 

Letter  of  Father  Querin,  I.  M.  1 257 

Letters  from  an  Anglican  Nun 260 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 268 

OBITUARY 264 


Bntered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  Md.,  as  Second  Class  Matter. 


/ 


l"^    SEP 26  1904  .'': 

OFTHB 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 

Vol.  LXVII,  No.  456.  Septembek-Octobeb,  1904. 

THE  SOCIETY  OF   FOREIGN   MISSIONS 
OF    PARIS 


In  our  last  number  we  announced  that  each  future  issue  would  contain 
an  account  of  the  purpose,  the  territory  of  evangelization,  and  the  labors 
and  trials  of  the  different  missionary  societies.  The  article  on  the  Fathers 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  published  in  July. 

The  Society  of  Foreign  Missions,  founded  by  Bishops  Pallu  and 
Motte-Lambert  in  the  years  1658-1663,  dates  back  to  the  great  reign 
of  Louis  XIV. 

Bishop  Pallu  was  appointed  by  the  Sovereign  Pontiflf,  Alexander 
VII,  vicar  apostolic  of  Tonkin  and  administrator  of  the  provinces  of 
Yun-nan,  Kni-chau,  Hou-kouang,  Su-chnan  and  Kwang-si,  in  China, 
as  well  as  of  Laos.  Bishop  de  la  Motte-Lambert,  vicar  apostolic  of 
Cochin  China,  received  the  administration  of  the  Chinese  provinces 
of  Sze-kiang,  Pokien,  Kuang-tung,  and  Kiang-si  and  the  island  of 
Hainan. 

A  third  bishop  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  vicariate  apostolic  of 
Nanking  and  administered  the  Chinese  provinces  of  Pe-tche-li,  Chan-si 
and  Shantung,  besides  Tartary  and  Korea. 

Leaving  France  for  their  respective  missions  in  1660-1662,  they 
•  traversed  Persia  and' India  on  foot. 

The  aim  of  the  new  society  was  to  evangelize  infidel  countries,  found- 
ing churches  by  the  formation  of  a  native  clergy  governed  either  by 
foreign  or  native  bishops.  As  soon  as  its  growth  permitted,  a  house 
was  established  in  1663  by  the  priests  whom  the  vicars  apostolic  had 
named  their  procurators. 

From  here,  charitable  offerings  were  sent  to  help  on  the  work  of 
the  bishops,  and  at  the  same  time  the  institution  served  as  a  sem- 
inary where  young  priests  were  educated  for  their  apostolic  calling. 

211 


212  THE   SOCIETY   OF   FOKEIGN    MISSIONS   OF   PARIS 

The  institution  is,  and  has  always  been,  situated  in  Paris,  rue  du  Bac. 
Known  since  its  foundation  as  the  Seminary  of  Foreign  Missions,  it 
received  the  approval  of  Pope  Alexander  VII,  and  the  legal  recognition 
by  the  French  Government  which  it  enjoys  even  at  the  present  day. 

•J- 

The  nature  and  the  organization  of  the  Society  deserve  special 
mention. 

The  Society  of  Foreign  Missions  is  neither  a  religious  order  nor  a 
congregation,  but  a  society  of  secular  priests  united  as  members  to  a 
body.  They  are  not  bound  by  vows  but  simply  follow  a  rule,  conform- 
able to  the  aim  of  the  Society,  approved  by  the  Holy  See,  the  com- 
munity and  the  Seminary  of  Foreign  Missions,  the  central  point  of 
the  association  and  the  common  institution  which  unites  its  branches. 

Upon  entering  the  Society,  the  members  promise  to  devote  their 
whole  lives  to  the  service  of  the  missions,  and  are  assured  on  the 
part  of  the  Society  of  the  means  of  sanctification  and  perseverance 
and  all  the  necessary  helps  and  assistance  for  their  temporal  support. 

There  is  no  superior  general;  the  bishops,  vicars  apostolic,  superi- 
ors of  the  missions  and  the  council  of  the  directors  of  the  seminary 
are  the  superiors.  The  directors  are  chosen  from  among  the  mis- 
sionaries and  each  group  of  missions  is  represented  by  one  member. 
The  bishops  and  vicars  apostolic  are  appointed  by  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff  upon  presentation  by  the  directors  of  the  seminary  after  elec- 
tion by  the  missionaries;  on  their  missions  they  are  subject  only  to 
the  Propaganda  and  through  it  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff. 

No  one  can  be  admitted  to  the  seminary  under  the  age  of  thirty-five 
and  no  one  is  eligible  to  membership  in  the  Society  until  he  has  spent 
three  years  in  missionary  work.  Some  of  the  regulations  have  ob- 
tained since  the  first  years  of  the  Society's  existence;  others  have 
been  framed  from  time  to  time,  as  necessity  demanded. 

From  the  date  of  its  origin  the  Society  of  Foreign  Missions  has  had 
for  its  general  and  exclusive  aim  the  apdstolate  in  foreign  missions; 
for  its  special  purpose,  clearly  defined,  the  formation  of  native  clergy. 
This  double  purpose  has  remained  unchanged  for  two  centuries  and 
a  half.  All  applicants  received  in  the  Seminary  of  Foreign  Missions 
are  wholly  and  exclusively  devoted  to  the  service  of  the  missions 
among  infidel  peoples.  Following  these  rules,  the  Society  has  thrived 
and  developed  the  great  outlines  of  its  history. 

This  history  is  divided  into  three  periods.    The  first,  1658-1700, 


THE  SOCIETY   OP   FOREIGN   MISSIONS   OP   PARIS 


213 


corhprismg  the  origin  and  organization  of  the  Society,  extends  a  few 
years  beyond  the  life  of  the  first  vicars  apostolic,  whose  influence  was 
felf  by  all  the  members. 

The  principal  events  of  this  epoch  are  the  publication  of  the  book. 
Apostolic  Institutions,  containing,  in  embryo,  the  principles  of  mle; 
the  confirmation  of  the  powers  of  vicars  apostolic  continually  threat- 
ened by  the  Portuguese;    the  increase  of  powers  given  to  the  same 


Bishop  Pallu. 


Bishop  De  La  Motte  Lambebt. 


vicars  apostolic.  These  received  jurisdiction  over  the  kingdom  of 
Siam,  whose  geographical  site  and  political  and  religious  position 
allowed  the  bishops  a  central  point  of  action;  the  foundation  of  a 
general  seminary  in  Juthia,  Siam;  the  evangelization  of  Tonkin, 
Cochin  China,  Cambodia  and  Siam,  where  more  than  40,000  souls  were 
baptized;  the  creation  of  a  religious  institution  in  Annam  under  the 
title  of  Lovers  of  the  Cross;  the  establishment  of  rules  among  cate- 
chists;  the  ordination  of  thirty  native  priests;  the  consecration  of 
one  native  bishop ;  the  appointment  of  Bishops  Pallu  and  de  la  Motte- 
Lambert  as  general  administrators  of  the  missions;  the  discussion  of 


214  THE   SOCIETY   OF   FOREIGN   MISSIONS   OF   PARIS 

rites;  creation  of  new  vicariates  apostolic  in  Tonkin  and  China;  and, 
finally,  the  constitution  (1700). 

Besides  these  facts  of  a  purely  religious  order,  there  are  others  of  a 
political  nature.  Brisker  traffic  was  fostered  between  Indo-China, 
India  and  Europe;  more  friendly  relations  established  between  Siam 
and  foreign  powers;  embassadors  sent  to  different  points  and  treaties 
signed. 

The  most  important  work,  however,  of  the  vicars  apostolic  and  the 
Society  of  Foreign  Missions  is  the  successful  application  of  the  prin- 
ciple to  establish  churches  by  means  of  native  priests  and  bishops. 
The  apostolate  in  its  progressive  march  has  followed  this  plan  in  all 
quarters  of  the  globe  with  rigorous  fidelity  and  increasing  success. 

The  second  period  extends  from  the  composition  of  the  constitution, 
in  1700,  to  the  foundation  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  1822. 

The  first  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  was  marked  by  no  special 
event.  Siam,  Cochin  China  and  Tonkin  were  evangelized,  and  in 
China  the  provinces  of  Sze-chuan,  Yun-nan  and  Kui-chau.  The  So- 
ciety took  an  active  part  in  the  agitation  of  the  question  of  rites  in 
China  and  defended  the  order  which  Benedict  XIV  subsequently 
declared  should  be  followed.  War  broke  out  in  Siam  and  several 
persecutions  raged  in  Indo-China  and  China,  aggravating  the  diffi- 
culties of  a  position  already  hard  to  deal  with,  because  of  the  small 
number  of  missionaries. 

In  the  second  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  Society  was  placed 
in  charge  of  the  Jesuit  missions  in  India.  Two  noted  prelates,  Bish- 
ops Pettier  and  Dufresse,  made  their  strong  influence  felt,  particularly 
in  Sze-chuan.  In  Cochin  China,  Bishop  Pigneau,  of  Behaine,  ren- 
dered an  important  service  to  the  king  of  that  coimtry  by  negotiating 
a  treaty  with  France. 

The  struggles  of  the  Revolution  prevented  the  recruiting  of  mission- 
aries, but  otherwise  had  no  effect  upon  the  missions.  The  Seminary 
in  France  was  sold  and  confiscated.  Eebought  by  the  directors,  all  its 
rights  were  restored  by  Napoleon.  Closed  again  in  1809,  it  was  re- 
opened with  the  authorization  of  the  government  of  Louis  XVIII. 

•I- 

The  third  periods  begins  in  1822.  Since  then  until  the  present  day, 
that  is  to  say,  for  eighty-two  years,  the  situation  of  missions  has  be- 
come more  and  more  promising  despite  the  disasters  from  which  they 
have  suffered. 


THB  SOOIBTY  OF  FOBEIGN   MISiSIONS  OF   PARIS  215 

Churches  are  built,  the  ntunber  of  bishops  is  multiplied,  and  priests 
abound,  together  with  martyrs;  prisons  overflow  with  captives  and 
convents  are  filled  with  religious,  seminaries  with  Levites;  Christians 
are  proscribed  and  conversions  swell  in  number;  immense  progress 
and  prodigious  misfortunes,  signal  triumphs,  unheard-of  disasters,  the 
most  unexpected  events — all  succeeded  one  another  in  quick  succes- 
sion, promoting  the  most  brilliant  and  marvelous  progress  of  the 
missions. 

Several  causes  contributed  to  this  development.  We  shall  not  speak 
of  divine  grace,  the  true  and,  in  one  sense,  the  only  cause,  but  of  the 
human  agencies  that  God  has  made  use  of  and  which  the  eye  can  see. 

The  first  is  the  charity  manifested  by  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith.  Founded  in  1822,  this  association  has  established 
a  permanent  collection  of  voluntary  alms  in  all  Christian  countries, 
assuring  the  missionary  of  the  "  apostles^  mantle  and  the  black  bread 
of  the  prophet,*^  preparing  a  shelter  for  him  and  giving  him  a  tomb. 

The  second  cause  of  progress  is  persecution.  Excepting  fifteen  mis- 
sionaries imprisoned  or  beheaded  during  the  seventeenth,  the  eighteenth 
and  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  all  the  martyrs  of  the 
Society  of  Foreign  Missions,  and  their  number  is  great,  nearly  one 
hundred,  have  suffered  since  1822.  We  refer  only  to  missionaries; 
were  we  to  count  all  the  native  priests,  catechists  and  religious,  in  a 
word,  all  who  have  borne  testimony  to  Jesus  Christ,  we  should  have 
the  most  bloody  chronicle  recorded  in  centuries. 

4* 

At  the  recital  of  the  sufferings  and  triumphs  of  martyrs  in  Cochin 
China,  Tonkin,  China  and  Korea,  noble  hearts  have  been  filled  with 
enthusiasm  and  envy.  They  understood  how  beautiful  and  how  good  a 
thing  it  is  to  shed  the  last  drop  of  the  heart's  blood  for  Jesus  Christ, 
their  King,  their  God,  the  Crucified  on  Calvary.  Full  of  courage,  they 
succeeded  one  another  to  fall  in  turn  under  the  executioner's  blow; 
others  followed,  proving  the  deep  meaning  of  Tertullian's  words, 
"  The  blood  of  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  Christians.'* 

For  164  years,  1658-1822,  the  Society  for  Foreign  Missions  sent 
out  only  287  missionaries  to  the  Far  East;  from  1822  to  1903,  in- 
clusive, it  sent  out  2330.  Charity  had  furnished  the  resources;  perse- 
cution, the  missionaries ;  and  science  annihilated  distance,  facilitating 
communications  which  commerce  developed. 

Politics  gained  the  liberty  which  preachers  of  the  Word  required. 
In  the  name  of  industry,  commerce,  national  honor,  humani^  and 


216 


THE  SOOIBTY  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS  OF  PABIS 


Teligion,  Europe  took  up  arms  against  the  Far  East;  China  was  over- 
come, Annam  conquered  and  Korea  and  Japan  opened  to  foreigners. 


..4   '^''^"\ 


<9 


s 

H 
QQ 

OB 

(14 


Priests  and  bishops  of  the  Foreign  Missions  assisted  in  acquiring  the 
useful  and  glorious  privilege  of  protecting  the  liberty  of  the  apostolate. 
Bishop  Lefebvre  exerted  his  efforts  in  Cochin  China,  Father  Jeannin 


THE  SOCIETY  Ot  FOBEION   MISSIONS  OF  PAEI8  217 

labored  in  Cambodia,  whilst  Bishop  Pngnier  became  celebrated  for  his 
success  in  Tonkin. 

These  are  the  general  causes  of  the  progress  of  the  Society  and  mis- 
sions under  its  charge  during  the  present  century.  The  development 
is  effected  in  three  ways:  by  the  divisions  of  older  and  the  creation 
of  newer  missions  and  by  the  founding  of  numerous  institutions. 

The  following  comparative  statistics  for  1822,  1860  and  1904 
speak  for  themselves. 

1822         1860         1904 

Missions   5  22  32 

Bishops 6  21  35 

Missionaries   27        230        1,280     • 

Native  Priests 135        300  639 

Seminaries   9  11  38 

Colleges    . .  53 

Schools . .         3,390 

Hospitals    . .  52 

There  is  still  an  immense  amount  of  work  to  do  and  yet  the  results 
obtained  are  very  consoling. 

1800-1850         1850-1904. 

Baptized  Adults 250,000  984,616 

Baptized  Children  8,244,780        9,260,667 

4- 
The  progress  of  the  Society  has  necessitated  institutions  that  were 
not  required  in  the  past.     A  sanatarium  for  missionaries  has  been 
built  in  Hong  Kong;  another  in  India  on  the  Nilgiris  mountains  of 
smiling  aspect  and  strengthening  atmosphere. 

The  needs  of  the  soul  have  not  been  forgotten  in  the  care  of  the 
body.  A  house  for  spiritual  retreat  has  been  established  in  Hong 
Eong  where  all  priests  of  the  Society  can  go  to  renew  their  fervor  for 
their  sacerdotal  and  apostolic  duties.  A  printing  establishment  has 
been  annexed  which  publishes  the  most  beautiful  books  in  the  Par 
East — dictionaries,  grammars,  works  on  theology,  doctrine  and  peda- 
gogics and  books  of  piety. 

Aspirants  to  the  Seminary  are  more  namerous  than  ever.  In  1822, 
there  were  only  three  or  four;  in  1850,  thirty  or  forty;  in  1904,  more 
than  250.  The  seminary  in  Paris  has  become  too  small  for  their 
accommodation,  so  one  has  been  established  in  Bievres  (near  Paris), 
where  students  spend  two  years  in  studying  philosophy. 

4- 


218  Tflfi   SOCtfitT  Of  fORElGl^   MISSIONS   OF  1»AR1S 

This  multiplication  of  institutions  seems  a  rapid  work  in  writing 
of  such  details,  but  in  point  of  fact,  progress  is  slow  for  the  want  of 
resources.  The  Seminary  and  the  Society  have  no  other  resource  than 
the  alms  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith.  The  state- 
ment seems  odd,  but  can  easily  be  proved.  Its  archbishops  and 
bishops  are  at  the  head  of  their  missions  often  disturbed  by  persecu- 
tions; its  priests  live  in  the  large  cities  of  China  and  the  forests  of 
Laos,  Siam,  Tonkin,  India,  etc.;  its  directors  at  the  Seminary  are 
occupied  solely  with  the  training  of  young  Levites  for  the  apostolate. 
Understanding  the  state  of  the  case,  several  persons  have  decided  upon 
furnishing  an  effective  remedy  as  far  as  charity  permits;  a  beneficial 
society  for  the  purpose  has  been  founded  with  the  approval  of  one  of 
the  directors;  it  bears  the  title  of  Association  of  Departing  Mission- 
aries, the  name  by  which  young  missionaries  are  known. 

4- 

To  conclude  this  incomplete  sketch,  we  shall  mention  the  missions 
in  charge  of  the  Society.  Four  are  in  French  and  English  India: 
Pondicherry,  Mayssour,  Coimbatour  and  Kumbakonam.  In  some 
parts  of  these  missions,  conversions  are  numerous.  The  question  of 
education  is  everywhere  to  the  front,  and  the  large  colleges  with  hun- 
dreds and  hundreds  of  pupils  require  a  large  personnel^  active  and 
intelligent. 

In  eastern  Indo-China,  the  missions  of  Malacca  and  northern  and 
southern  Burma,  there  are  prosperous  charitable  institutions,  particu- 
larly the  leper  hospitals  in  Mandalay  and  Rangoon.  The  struggle  not 
only  against  paganism,  but  against  Protestantism,  is  being  carried  on 
with  success. 

In  Siam  and  Laos,  with  their  various  tribes,  conditions  are  much 
more  hopeful  than  could  have  been  at  first  expected. 

French  Indo-China,  together  with  Cochin  China  and  Tonkin,  so 
long  the  classic  lands  of  martyrs,  and  Cambodia,  so  long  in  stubborn 
resistance  against  apostolic  infiuence,  possess  the  largest  number  of 
native  clergy  of  all  the  missions,  a  people  easily  governed,  closely 
settled  Christian  districts,  flourishing  under  a  regime  of  liberty, 
which,  alas !  unwise  laws  and  prejudice  are  tending  to  restrict. 

In  China  the  Society  is  in  charge  of  the  vast  and  populous  provinces 
of  Sze-chuan,  Kui-chau,  Kwang-tung,  Kwang-si,  Yun-nan  and  Man- 
churia, the  scene  of  such  stirring  events. 

To  the  west  of  China,  the  mysterious  region  of  Thibet  in  the  iron 
grip  of  its  lamas  occupies  the  attention  of  missionaries;  in  all  proba- 


THE   SOCIETY   OP  FOREIGN    MISSIONS   OF   PARIS 


219 


bility  England  will  succeed  in  opening  this  country  to  foreign  influ- 
ence; to  the  north,  Korea  still  resounds  with  the  clanking  of  the 
chains  of  its  martyrs — bishops,  priests  and  laity.  Finally,  the  So- 
ciety has  succeeded  in  evangelizing  four  dioceses  in  Japan,  the  coun- 
try which  has  thrown  itself  heart  and  soul  into  our  material  civiliza- 
tion, making  a  study  of  German  philosophy,  French  socialism  and 
American  enterprise,  manifesting  to  the  astonished  eyes  of  the  old 
worid  what  patriotism  can  do  when  it  is  keyed  to  a  high  pitch. 

4* 
Such  is  the  field  of  action  in  which  all  talents  may  develop,  all 
manifestations  of  charity  be  displayed,  all  degrees  of  zeal  gain  the 
victories  which  faith  dreams  of  for  the  Church  of  God — the  field  in 
which  love  of  country  acts  hand  in  hand  with  love  of  God.  If  the 
past  be  any  guarantee  of  the  future,  the  Society  of  Foreign  Missions 
may  hope  successfully  to  continue  the  work  so  clearly  allotted  to  it 
by  Providence. 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  LAOS 

To  respond  to  the  desire  of  a  number  of  our  readers,  we  shall,  whenever 
possible,  publish  articles  upon  general  subjects.  We  shall,  of  course,  give 
the  most  space  to  letters  of  a  religious  character,  sweet  nourishment  for 
pious  souls.  At  the  same  time,  we  take  great  pleasure  in  publishing 
studies  like  the  following  written  for  the  Annals. 

Socialism  in  Laos 

By  Father  Bourlet, 

Of  the  Society  of  Foreign  Missions, 

We  do  not  wish  to  offend  the  ardent  advocates  of  social  evolution, 
but  the  doctrine  promises  no  progress  for  humanity;  on  tlie  contrary, 
any  such  movement  is  retrogressive.  It  would  be  a  useful  lesson 
for  any  disciple  of  the  doctrine  to  study  it  among  the  people  where 
its  maxims  obtain.  Laos,  at  least  the  region  of  hua  phan  thang  hok, 
it  seems  to  me  is  a  fine  country  for  such  a  study. 

Laos,    with    forests    of    undergrowth    and 

Property  in  Laos.—     towering   trees,    presents   scenery   similar   to 

Official  Divisions.         ^^    i.   -      t^  mi.  xl         i.  t 

that  in   Europe.     There   is   a  true   chaos  of 

mountains,  separated  by  narrow  valleys  at  the  bottom  of  which  tor- 
rents break  into  foamy  cascades.  Sometimes,  when  the  torrent  abates 
and  becomes  a  mere  river,  the  valley  spreads  out  into  a  small  plain 
turned  into  rice  fields ;  these  are  separated  by  ridges  of  earth  to  retain 
the  fertilizing  waters.  Close  by,  often  on  a  hill  side,  the  village  is 
built  with  houses  of  bamboo. 

There  is  no  landed  proprietor;    the  whole  country  belongs  to  the 
king  and  his  subjects  are  only  tenants.     The  ground  is  distributed 
among  those  who,  having  saved  a  sufficient  sum  of  money  or  rendered 
880 


LAOS  221 

many  signal  seryices^  nnderstand  how  to  make  themaelves  masters. 
Each  phanha^  or  tenant,  and  chief  of  a  proyince  considers  himself 
a  master,  and  distributes  all  unclaimed  ground  to  the  highest  bidder. 
The  possessor  takes  the  title  of  pho  ban  (father  of  the  village)  and 
proceeds  to  build  his  village.  He  selects  his  council  from  among 
his  most  intelligent  friends  of  noble  birth;  these  are  the  thao  hou. 
Gradually  other  families  of  humbler  caste  settle  in  the  neighborhood; 
they  form  the  laboring  class  and  thus  the  village  is  established. 

Every  year,  during  working  time,  the  drum  sounds  in  the  evening 
from  the  house  of  the  pho  ban;  each  inhabitant  advances  slowly, 
torch  in  hand,  and  seats  himself  in  silence  at  the  hearth  in  the 
center  of  the  hut.  Council  is  held  for  the  distribution  of  the  rice 
fields  in  the  plains,  and  each  man  has  a  voice;  the  most  insignificant 
has  a  right  to  express  his  opinion.  Lots  are  usually  distributed  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  families  and  the  number  of  persons  dependent 
upon  them.  The  portion  reserved  for  the  pho  ban  is  a  little  larger 
than  that  for  the  thao  kou,  which  is  again  larger  than  that  of  the 
people.  Very  often  lots  change  hands,  so  each  in  turn  receives  good 
and  bad  ground. 

4* 

The  rice  fields  on  the  plains  alone  are  subject  to  this  division.  The 
mountain  country  is  the  great  granary;  any  one  has  the  right  to 
claim  ground  as  he  pleases.  As  soon  as  a  site  in  the  forest  has  been 
selected,  bamboo  stakes  mark  oflE  the  place  along  the  boundary  line; 
the  upper  stalks  of  the  bamboo  are  split  and  the  tops  bent  over  and 
fastened  into  the  ground  around  the  base.  This  implies  the  act  of 
possession  and  informs  passers-by  that  the  ground  has  an  owner.  The 
proprietor  clears  his  land  of  trees  and  brush,  which  he  burns,  and 
plants  in  their  stead  rice,  com  or  manioc. 

The  mountain  farmers  are  usually  poor  men  that  do  not  own  even 
a  buffalo.  A  hatchet  and  an  axe,  most  primitive  implements,  costing 
a  few  cents,  are  all  they  have  to  work  with.  Naturally  their  duties 
are  less  onerous  than  those  of  the  residents  of  the  plain. 

4- 

The  cares  of  a  village  are  various:  When 
Village  Customs.—  a  stranger  of  noble  birth  passes  through,  he  is 
n'ative  Hospitality.  furnished  not  only  with  water,  fire  and  a 
shelter  for  the  night,  but  also  with  rice,  a 
chicken  or  a  pig,  according  to  his  rank.  For  these  offerings  the  whole 
village  is  assessed. 


222  MISSIOKS  IK  ASU 

Hospitality  is  never  refused,  even  to  the  most  humble  traveler. 
He  receives  a  warm  welcome  at  any  fireside  and  a  place  at  the  family 
table  is  reserved  for  him  at  dinner.  Like  Ruth,  he  takes  what  is 
his  without  saying  a  word.  During  the  silence,  almost  religious, 
which  is  observed  at  meals,  he  takes  his  fish  with  chopsticks  and  the 
rice,  served  in  a  dish  of  bamboo,  in  his  fingers.  Some  day,  in  his  turn, 
he  himself  will  oflfer  the  same  hospitality  to  any  stranger  who  may 
come  to  him. 

Besides  the  statute  labor  and  taxes  imposed  by  the  government, 
'  an  additional  demand  is  made  by  a  chief  when  he  begins  to  till  his 
fields  or  when  he  builds  a  new  house.  In  a  general  council  held  at 
the  home  of  the  pho  ban,  the  work  is  divided  among  all  the  inhabi- 
tants; a  time  of  preparation  is  fixed,  the  materials  are  made  ready 
and  when  all  is  done  and  the  day  arrives  for  the  rice  to  be  harvested 
or  the  new  dwelling  to  be  raised,  the  chief,  in  his  turn,  furnishes  the 
laborers  with  food.  In  proportion  to  the  importance  of  the  labor 
performed,  the  repast  consists  of  pigs  or  buffaloes,  with  copious 
draughts  of  rice  water.  It  sometimes  happens  that  a  neighbor  is 
unable  to  perform  a  long  and  painful  piece  of  work ;  in  that  case  an  , 
appeal  to  his  '^  brethren,^'  as  the  inhabitants  call  one  another,  is 
made,  but  he  himself  must  defray  the  costs  of  the  dinner. 

4* 

Not  only  ground  and  public  charges  come  under  conmiunity  rule; 
natural  produce  is  also  divided.  The  hunter  who  has  watched  nearly 
a  whole  night  for  a  deer  to  leave  the  thicket  to  drink,  leaves  his  game 
on  the  spot  where  it  was  killed  until  morning,  so  that  each  one  may  take 
his  share.  The  village  is  represented  by  tMae  member  from  each  family. 
The  animal  is  hastily  skinned  and  cut  to  pieces,  the  hunter  receiving 
one-half;  the  other  half  is  divided  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 
families..  The  pho  ban  and  his  thao  kous  receive  each  a  leg  and  a 
steak;  in  the  evening  the  successful  hunter  furnishes  a  common 
repast  to  which  his  guests  bring  the  rice. 

Some  unknown  ancestor  may,  in  times  past,  have  planted  an  orange 
or  a  fig  tree.  When  the  fruit  is  ripe,  or  nearly  so,  the  chou  koti,  an 
oflScial  corresponding  to  a  mayor,  collects  the  fruit  and  divides  it  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  families. 

The  torrent  itself,  or  rather  those  parts  where  fish  abound,  are  also 
divided;  each  fisherman  within  his  own  limits  can  contentedly  ply 
his  industry  without  fear  that  either  of  his  neighbors  will  dare  to 
interfere  with  him  by  thro  /ing  a  line  in  his  way. 


LAOS  223 

The  chief  has  charge  of  all  clothing  and  is  obliged  to  impose  a  fine 
upon  any  one  who  appropriates  what  another  has  received. 

4- 

It  was  night  and  Thiem  was  anxious  to  forget  the  cares  of  exist- 
ence in  a  few  draughts  of  opium;  but  there  was  no  more  grease  to 
feed  his  lamp.     A  small  pot  served  as  a  pipe. 

Thiem  had  stretched  himself  before  his  window,  a  hole  made  in 
the  wall,  and  noticed  a  small  piece  of  round  furniture  under  his 
neighbor's  house.  It  was  the  chicken  coop.  Ah !  if  he  only  had  a 
few  eggs,  he  could,  by  a  process  known  to  himself,  easily  extract  from 
them  an  inflammable  liquid.  Of  course,  it  would  be  better,  but  when 
no  oil  was  to  be  obtained  he  could  easily  satisfy  himself  with  this 
substitute. 

Slipping  quietly  down  his  ladder,  he  sneaked  into  his  neighbor's 
quarters  and  thrust  a  trembling  hand  into  the  nest  when — 

'*  What  are  you  doing  there,  thief  ?  " 

There  was  no  chance  of  escape;  the  proprietor  had  caught  Thiem 
in  the  act. 

"  Come,  follow  me ;  the  chief  shall  be  judge." 

Thiem  obeyed  without  a  murmur.  The  notables  met  and,  whilst 
smoking  their  pipes,  slowly  and  gravely  discussed  the  gravity  of  the 
offense,  reminding  the  culprit  of  their  usages  and  customs.  For  this 
time  the  court  would  be  lenient.  The  price  of  pardon  was  fixed  at 
one  pig  and  a  jug  of  wine.  The  next  day  the  feast  was  served  to 
the  village,  the  wine  was  drunk  and  Thiem  was  restored  to  grace. 

Theft  is  Useless.-  Before    the    introduction    of    the    use    of 

Interesting  Features,  opii^m,  theft  was  almost  unknown  in  Laos. 
—Conclusion.—  Cases  are  still   rare.      Why  should   any  one 

Encouragement  to       steal  when  anything  is  to  be  had  for  the  ask- 
Idleness.  jj^g^  ^  ^.jj^  following  incident  proves: 

A  year  is  a  long  time  and  harvests  ripen 
slowly.  The  last  gathering  is  but  a  memory  and  ingenuity  must 
devise  means  of  subsistence.  Wild  roots  and  sago  are  food,  of  course, 
but  .... 

One  evening  a  young  man  who  had  visited  a  neighboring  village 
returned  with  a  great  piece  of  news.  Kham  had  rice;  he  harvested 
early.    Surely  there  were  reasons  for  asking  him  for  some. 

The  next  day  the  house  of  poor  Kham  was  surrounded  by  his  rela- 
tives, his  brethren ;  he  could  not  refuse  them  a  few  handf uls  of  rice. 
When  he  would  be  without  it,  then  would  not  everybody  be  ready  to 
come  to  his  rcKef  ? 


224  MISSIONS   IN   ASIA 

Kham  yielded;  such  was  the  custom,  and  who  can  act  contrary  to 
custom?  The  great  news,  however,  spread,  and,  after  relatives  and 
brethren  had  been  satisfied,  strangers  came  to  buy  rice.  Could  Kham 
refuse  to  sell?  But  the  buyers  staid  one  day,  two  days,  and  hospi- 
tality must  be  extended,  so  Kham  continued  to  give. 

A  man,  poorly  clad,  presented  himself  after  the  others  had  left 
and  timidly  offered  his  mite  for  a  measure  of  rice  to  satisfy  his  chil- 
dren, crying  for  hunger.  Alas !  they  could  not  live  on  sago.  Kham 
was  a  man  of  generous  heart  and  so  he  gave  the  poor,  miserable  man 
a  large  quantity  of  rice  for  a  little  money,  and  he  left  in  good  cheer, 
proclaiming  the  liberality  of  his  benefactor. 

"What!  ^las.he  given  more  to  you  than  to  us?  Is  your  wine 
better  than  ours  ?  No,  we  will  not  suffer  such  an  injury !  ^'  And  so 
all  the  others  returned  in  a  body,  demanding  restitution  for  having 
paid  too  much  for  their  rice.  They  deserved  as  much  pity  as  any 
one  else.     Poor  E3iam  continued  to  yield  in  virtue  of  Socialism. 

The  religious  observance  of  these  customs  naturally  suppresses  all 
forms  of  begging.  For  any  one  to  ask  a  neighbor  for  corn  or  rice 
when  provisions  are  exhausted  is  not  begging,  but  simply  claiming  a 
common  right.  Moreover,  those  who  ask  always  accompany  their 
petition  with  some  present  of  other  produce — ^tea  leaves  gathered  the 
night  before,  fish  caught  in  the  morning,  etc.  As  small  as  a  present 
may  be,  it  is  always  considered  more  precious  than  money. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  a  proven  fact  that  socialism,  even  in  its  milder 
forms,  engenders  idleness.  SuflScient  rice  for  the  year  satisfies  amf)i- 
tion.  Why  should  any  one  work  hard?  A  few  hours^  labor  in  the 
morning  during  the  summer;  hewing  a  few  trees  for  the  winter  if 
the  weather  is  not  too  severe;  that  is  enough.  It  is  so  sweet  to 
lounge  at  home  on  a  mat  when  the  sun  is  scorching  without;  so 
agreeable  to  smoke  a  pipe,  watching  the  sparks  fly  from  great  logs  of 
wood  whilst  the  wind  roars  without. 

How  long  will  this  condition  of  affairs  last?  Who  can  prophesy 
the  end?  Let  us  hope  that  we  shall  be  able  to  make  our  Catholics 
of  Laos  understand  the  usefulness  of  labor;  that  it  will  develop  the 
rich  resources  of  their  now  almost  fruitless  country,  and,  above  all, 
that  it  is  conformable  to  the  law  of  God,  healthy  for  body  and  soul 
and  instrximental  in  developing  our  best  energies. 


MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  GABON 


The  Mission  of  Libreville 

Among  the  numerous  missions  creatM  during  the  nineteenth  century  on 
the  vast  continent  of  Africa,  the  oldest  is  that  of  Gabon.  It  was  founded  in 
1844'  by  an  humble  and  zealous  missionary  of  the  Congregation  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Bishop  Jean  Remi  Bessieux,  who  became  its  first  vicar  apos- 
tolic and  died  in  the  odor  of  sanctity  after  long  and  fruitful  labors. 
Under  the  name  of  the  two  Guineas,  this  mission  comprises  the  largest 
part  of  the  western  coast  of  Africa. 

The  immense  territory  is  subdiyided  into  twenty-five  distinct  missions, 
established,  successively,  as  new  missionaries  arrived  to  give  their  life  to 
the  great  work  of  evangelizing  the  black  race.  The  mission  of  Gabon 
occupies  a  central  location  and  is  making  steady  progress,  its  twelve 
principal  stations  are  uniting  numerous  groups  of  Christians  and  cate- 
chumens. 

The  following  letter  has  been  received  from  the  very  cradle  of  the 
mission,  Libreville,  and  discloses  the  devotion  of  missionaries  and  their 
neophytes. 

Letter  of  Father  Jeanroy,  C.  S.  Sp. 

It  was  evening.  We  were  quietly  walk- 
Abandoned  Children,-  ^^S  along  the  shores  of  Libreville,  speaking 
A  Mother's  Death.  of  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  the  day,  for  joys 

and  sorrows  there  had  been,  when  Father 
Gautier  suddenly  stopped : 

"What  are  we  going  to  do  with  the  twenty-five  dollars  that  have 
just  been  received  irom  home?'' 

Twenty-five  dollars !  A  fortune  for  a  missionary  I  When  such  an 
offering  comes  from  home,  a  greater  feeling  of  joy  fills  the  heart  and 
a  thousand  memories  rush  to  the  lips. 

" But  what  are  we  going  to  do  with  the  money?  If  we  give  them 
to  Michael,  do  you  think  he  will  be  able  finally  to  pay  his  wife's 
dowry?    Shall  we  repair  the  glass  of  the  chapel?    Shall  we  provide 

225 


226  MISSIONS   IN   AFRICA  -      ^ 

a  bed  in  the  hospital  for  the  poor  old  man  whose  leg  must  eventually 
be  cut  off?  Shall  we  take  in  three  more  children?  Shall  we  station 
a  catechist  in  such  or  such  a  village?  Shall  we  ....  ^^  In  the 
meantime  night  came  on,  and  we  were  obliged  to  go  home. 

"  To-morrow,  father,  we  shall  decide  how  to  put  this  immense  for- 
tune, these  millions  for  the  congregation,  to  some  reasonable  use.'^ 

Our  angel  of  good  counsel  visited  us  during  the  night  under  the 
guide  of  old  Oroungou.     These  are  his  words : 

"  Minisse,  I  am  a  pagan,  but  they  tell  me  that  you  all  are  men  of 
God,  come  to  do  good  to  the  blacks.  I  have  come  from  the  other 
country  where  the  sun  sinks  into  the  sea.  For  two  days  my  boat 
wandered.  Alas!  the  first  day  my  wife,  who  acGompir.i'd  nic.  ^ave 
birth  to  a  child  and  then  ....  she  is  dead.  I  threw  her  body  into 
the  sea  and  kept  the  child !  How  can  it  live  by  sucking  sugar  cane  ? 
I  do  not  know  any  one  in  Libreville ;  I  am  a  stranger,  almost  a  slave 
of  the  Mpongwes.  Minisse,  you  are  good,  take  my  child;  I  do  not 
want  it  to  die;  take  it;  I  give  it  to  you." 

How  could  I  resist  such  a  petition? 

"  I  will  take  it,"  I  replied. 

One  hour  later  Sister  Saint  Charlos  numbered  one  patient  more  in 
her  hospital  and  old  Oroungon  went  back  to  his  boat  drying  his  tears. 
The  first  thought  was  given  to  tlio  soul  of  the  little  one,  and  we  bap- 
tized it,  saying:  "Soon  ^larie  Leon  will  be  chanting  the  praises  of 
God  in  Heaven." 

We  had  made  a  mistake.  A  generous  parishioner  offered  a  scarce 
gift  in  these  lands,  a  nursing  bottle,  and  the  child  of  the  old  savage 
instinctively  used  the  instrument  of  civilization  to  the  general  satis- 
faction of  its  attendants,  and  waxed  strong. 

In  Congo  they  know  only  condensed  milk  from  Europe.  Marie 
Leon  insisted  that  she  would  need  five  dollars  a  month  to  get  along; 
Sister  Saint  Charles  certified  her  account  and  sent  us  the  bill.  For 
seven  months  there  has  been  no  change,  and  Father  Gautier's  fortune 
has  been  spent  and  more  besides.  If  any  reader  of  the  Annals  cares 
to  adopt  my  charge,  I  shall  willingly  resign  my  paternal  rights. 
Marie  Leon  promises  to  be  a  worthy  subject  of  the  interest  taken 
in  her. 

I  have  told  Marie  Leon^s  history;  I  might  add  that  of  many  others; 
for  instance,  little  Jean  Marie,  whose  mother  of  the  Bondjo^s  tribe 
died  in  the  same  hospital. 


GABON 


227 


For  three  years  she  had  been  the  victim  of  cancer  of  the  throat. 
How  it  was  that  she  arrived  at  the  refuge  I  do  not  know.  She  was 
instructed  and  baptized  on  the  same  day  as  her  son.  After  her  re- 
generation she  said  to  me :  "  Father,  I  am  going  to  die,  but  I  am 
happy.  Keep  Jean  Marie  so  that  he  cannot  be  carried  off  to  Senegal 
and  go  astray.     He  is  yours ;  I  give  him  to  you ;  keep  him." 

I  have  kept  him.  Beloved  brethren,  help  me  to  keep  him  and  give 
him  other  little  companions,  for  alas!  others  there  are.  In  return  I 
promise  you  at  least  ,  .  .  .  their  photographs. 


Gabon. — A  Mission  Station 


Bishop  Adai%  vicar  apostolic,  has  added  the  following  lines  to  Father 
Jeanroy'8  letter: 

"  Poor  little  blacks,  taken  in  like  Marie  Leon  and  Jean  Marie,  are 
brought  up  by  the  Mission.  They  are  baptized,  instructed  and  raised 
as  good  Christians.  When  they  are  grown,  according  to  their  apti- 
tude, they  become  catechists  or  workmen  living  by  the  labor  of  their 
hands,  useful  companions  to  their  fellow-countrymen." 

The  following  account  proves  how  much  these  young  Christians  can 
do,  even  those  of  the  most  savage  tribe,  the  Pahouins,  who  are  still 
cannibals. 

Brother  TJbald  and  four  young  apprentice 
Mission  Apprentices.— ;  blacksmiths  at  Lambarene  went  to  Lake 
A  Timely  Bescue.  Zile  to  gather  pieces  of  iron  from  a  sunken 

vessel.    At  no  great  distance  two  Galoas 
were  working,  the  one  digging  a  ditoh,  the  other  apparently  cutting 


228 


MISSIONS    IN    AFRICA 


stakes.  The  unexpected  arrival  of  the  Brother  and  his  companions 
seemed  to  annoy  them  and  they  gave  short  answers  with  an  air  of 
embarrassment  to  all  questions.     No  attention  was  paid  to  them. 

The  apprentices  set  bravely  to  work,  diving  and  re-diviag  for  the 
bars  of  iron.  Suddenly  one  of  them  came  to  the  Brother,  saying: 
"  It  seems  to  me  that  I  hear  a  slight  noise  in  the  forest.  There  must 
be  a  deer  or  wild  hog  around."    The  Brother  went  to  investigate  but 


^.r^ 


Qabon. — ^Village  near  Donohila. 


could  see  nothing.     Thinking  the  boys  wanted  to  deceive  him,  he 

said  to  them: 

"  Go  to  work.    The  iron  is  more  valuable  to  us  than  a  deer." 
The  blacks  have  very  acute  hearing,  and  in  a  short  time  one  of  the 

boys  again  said : 
"  I  tell  you  there  is  something  in  the  brush,"  and  he  glided  like  a 

serpent  into  the  thicket.     A  minute  later  he  came  back  very  much 

frightened. 
"A  man  is  there  bound  hand  and  foot,  tied  close  to  a  tree.'-^ 
All  at  onoe  hastened  to  the  relief  of  the  unfortunate  creature  and 


GABON 

asked  him  how  he  came  to  be  in  such  distress.  He  could  only  respond 
in  a  few  unintelligible  words.  The  boys  spoke  to  him  in  Pongw6, 
Pahouin,  and  resorted  to  a  few  broken  idioms  which  they  remembered 
of  other  dialects.    All  their  efforts  proved  useless. 

Finally  they  had  recourse  to  signs  and  understood  that  he  drew 
their  attention  to  the  two  Galoas  who  were  working  near  by.  (Joing 
in  search  of  them,  a  terrible  struggle  soon  ensued.  One  of  the  guilty 
was  thrown  to  the  ground  and  bound,  the  other  escaped.  He  and 
their  unknown  victim  were  placed  in  the  boat  and  conducted  to  the 
chief  of  the  post 

On  their  way  the  boys,  moved  by  pity,  begged  that  the  cords  of 
the  unfortimate  man  might  be  released.  The  Brother,  however,  ex- 
plained to  them  that  they  were  the  evidence  of  the  criminals'  inten- 
tions and  would  show  the  chief  the  state  of  affairs.  Arrived  at  the 
post,  the  oflBcials  learned,  upon  interrogation,  that  the  stranger  was 
an  Apindji  from  Saint  Martin  on  his  way  to  Lambarene  to  sell 
caoutchouc.  The  two  Galoas  had  seized  him,  robbed  him  of  all  his 
goods  and  were  ready  to  kill  him.  They  intended  to  throw  his  body 
into  the  river  to  hide  all  traces  of  the  crime.  Having  loosed  his  bonds, 
the  commander  ordered  the  culprit  to  be  thrown  into  prison  until  his 
accomplice  should  be  found. 

''Brother,'^  said  his  young  companions,  "we  are  more  content  to 
have  saved  the  life  of  this  man  than  to  have  eaten  a  whole  deer." 
For  Pahouins,  that  is  saying  all. 

"Very  welV  answered  the  Brother;  "if  any  one  in  your  village 
ever  wants  to  kill  a  man  in  order  to  eat  him,  do  as  you  have  done 
to-day.  You  will  then  be  happier  still  and  God  will  prepare  a  beau- 
tiful home  for  you  in  Heaven." 


-f^-  :^^ 


VlLLAOE  OF  NyAITZA. 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  NORTHERN   NYANZA 


The  venerable  superior  general  of  the  White  Fathers,  Bishop  Lionihac, 
has  sent  us  the  following  letter,  which  contains  an  interesting  account  of 
the  efforts  made  to  gain  souls.  The  mission  of  Northern  Nyanza  numbers 
40,000  neophsrtes,  160,000  catechumens,  30  churches  and  40  missionaries. 
Right  Rev.  Dr.  Streicher  is  bishop. 


A  Year  in  the  Mission  of  Mitala  Maria 

Letter  of  Father  Moulleo, 

Of  the  White  Fathers. 

The  mission  of  Mitala  Maria  (our  Lady  of  the  Mountains)  was 
founded  in  November,  1899,  and  evangelizes  three  provinces  of 
Uganda,  Mawokota,  Butambala,  Eatunzi,  besides  the  small  island  of 
Zinga,  a  dependency  of  the  province  of  Busiro.  Mawokota  has  36,869 ; 
Butambala,  7051;  Eatimzi,  10,000,  and  the  island  of  Zinga  about 
1000  inhabitants. 

To  provide  for  all  these  souls,  we  have  stationed  catechists  in  all 
230 


NOKTHEKN  NYAK2A  231 

of  the  most  important  centers.  They  are  95  in  number  and  are  the 
official  bearers  of  the  Good  Tidings.  In  reality,  however,  all  Uganda 
is  apostolic,  the  people  bum  with  the  desire  of  converting  their  fellow- 
countrymen,  so  that  it  may  be  said,  even  in  the  smallest  village,  the 
Gospel  is  made  known  to  every  soul  of  good-will. 

Wherever  a  catechist  is  stationed  a  house  is 
Catechists  Work.—  '^^^^^  which  serves  at  the  same  time  as 
Thorough  Organiza-  school  and  oratory,  and  can  accommodate  from 
tioii*  250  to  300  persons.    The  poverty  of  the  people 

does  not  permit  them  to  ornament  these 
houses  of  prayer;  nevertheless,  they  always  contain  a  large  table 
which  serves  as  an  altar,  a  crucifix  and  several  pictures  to  call  to 
mind  the  principal  truths  of  our  holy  religion. 

The  catechist  and  his  Christians  assemble  in  these  houses  for 
morning  and  evening  prayers;  on  Sunday  they  meet  twice — in  the 
morning  to  read  'the  mass  prayers  in  common  in  their  own  language, 
and  in  the  evening  for  the  recitation  of  the  Eosary. 

The  children  assemble  every  day  to  learn  their  prayers,  the  Cate- 
chism, the  alphabet  and  hymns.  All  the  catechists  conduct  a  small 
school — ^the  very  lowest  primary  grades,  so  that  when  children  are 
presented  at  the  mission  for  baptism  or  to  make  their  first  Com- 
munion they  are  able  to  read  religious  books. 

Pull  of  zeal,  catechists  give  instruction  not  only  at  their  own  sta- 
•tions,  but  they  visit  all  the  villages  within  their  district  to  attend  the 
sick  and  explain  the  truths  of  faith. 

Six  general  inspectors  are  selected  from  among  the  most  deserving 
to  watch  over  their  colleagues,  that  they  apply  themselves  to  their 
duties  with  zeal  and  perseverance. 

+ 

The  missionaries  themselves  fear  not  swamps,  rivers  or  the  torrid 
heat  to  visit  their  Christian  settlements  in  person.  Each  in  turn 
leaves  for  a  week's  stay;  hurried  as  they  are,  these  visits  produce  the 
best  fruits.  Abuses  are  corrected,  the  sick  consoled  and  prepared  for 
death,  lukewarm  soids  encouraged  and  renewed  with  fervor. 

The  arrival  of  a  missionary  in  any  center  whatsoever  is  the  cause 
of  universal  joy.  As  soon  as  his  visit  is  announced,  all  manner  of 
preparation  is  made  to  receive  the  messenger  of  God.  Some,  the 
chiefs  at  their  head,  to  the  sound  of  drums  and  flutes,  travel  a  great 
distance  to  meet  the  priest.    That  is  his  first  ovation.    Others  stand 


232 


MISSIONS   IN  AFRIOA 


in  the  middle  of  the  road  by  which  he  travels  to  give  him  a  second 
ovation.  The  largest  crowd,  however,  ranges  itself  in  two  ranks 
before  the  doors  of  the  chnrch,  sending  forth  joyous  cries,  accom- 
panied by  clapping  of  hands.  Finally,  the  children,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  the  catechist,  are  assembled  in  the  church.  As  soon  as  the 
missionary  enters,  they  enthusiastically  intone  the  anthem,  *'  I  am  a 
Christian,  that  is  my  glory/'  translated  into  the  vernacular. 


In  thb  Orphanaob. 


Such  a  reception  is  well  calculated  to  comfort  a  missionary  and 
make  him  forget  the  fatigues  of  the  journey. 

+ 

A  mission  should  be  a  beacon  of  light.  We  have  seen  how  its 
rays  shine  abroad;  let  us  see  how  it  bums  within. 

At  daybreak,  five  o^clock  in  the  morning,  all  the  missionaries  rise, 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross,  saying,  ^^  Lord,  I  am  thy  servant.*'  Prayer 
is  followed  by  meditation,  after  which  they  say  Mass.  Communion 
id  given  daily,  Mondays  excepted,  to  90  or  100  souls. 

When  we  have  spoken  to  God  we  are  best  disposed  to  speak  to  man. 
Consequently,  after  Mass,  the  superior  gives  a  half  hour's  instruction 


NORTHERN  NYANZA 


233 


to  neophytes.  There  is  usually  a  large  attendance;  about  500  assist 
at  Mass  every  day,  and  no  one  cares  to  leave  without  having  heard  the 
instruction. 

Other  instructions  are  given  during  the  morning,  the  first  to  adult 
catechumens,  the  second  to  men  and  women  so  old  that  little  memory 
is  left,  the  third  to  children  preparing  for  first  Communion. 

After  instructions,  the  catechists  open  school,  attended  by  all  cate- 


^^r?-- 


'^^. 


A  Welcome  Visit. 


chumen  children  not  over  sixteen  years  of  age.  Three  native  teachers 
conduct  the  classes  and  a  missionary  pays  a  visit  daily  from  half-past 
eleven  till  twelve  o'clock.  There  is  also  a  music  class  held  in  the 
morning;  about  150  children  attend  to  learn  the  singing  of  the  As- 
perges,  the  Kyrie,  the  Gloria,  the  Credo,  etc. 

Toward  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  all  the  natives  retire  to  their 
homes  and  around  their  own  hearths  discuss  what  they  learned  in  the 
morning.  Besides,  many  sick  present  themselves  every  morning  at 
the  Mission  and  are  cared  for  by  a  missionary. 


234 


MISSIONS    IN    AFRICA 


There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  respite  from  work;  a  missionary  in 
Uganda  hopes  for  rest  only  in  Heaven.  Every  morning  children  are 
brought  to  be  baptized.  The  sick  at  home  must  likewise  be  attended. 
During  a  part  of  the  morning  the  superior  is  besieged  with :  "  Father, 
Father,  I  have  something  to  ask  you."  Twenty,  thirty,  forty  individ- 
uals storm  his  door,  elbowing  one  another  to  gain  admittance  first. 


A  Voice  fbom  Civilization. 


During  these  interviews  very  gradually  Christian  customs  are  intro- 
duced among  the  people. 

The  sound  of  the  drum  calls  the  missionaries  to  church  for  exami- 
nation of  conscience.  After  the  Angelus  they  assemble  for  their 
frugal  meal.  Very  often  they  assist  at  it,  like  St.  Bernard,  tamquam 
ad  tormentum,  as  though  it  were  a  torture.  In  this  country  one  would 
like  to  live  on  pure  air.  After  an  hour's  rest,  each  one  again  devotes 
himfielf  to  the  care  of  souls.    After  an  instruction  to  catechumens 


NORTHERN  NYANZA 


235 


about  to  be  baptized,  the  fathers  go  to  church,  where  they  hear  confes- 
sions till  half-past  five  in  the  evening. 

4- 

There  are  missionaries  in  Uganda  who  for  ten,  eleven  and  twelve 
years  have  followed  a  daily  order  such  as  above  described.  Their  life 
will  always  be  the  same,  even  so  full  of  apostolic  joys,  until  God  calls 
them  to  their  eternal  reward. 

Whilst  the  missionaries  are  laboring  for  the  extension  of  God's 
kingdom  on  earth,  the  Christians,  under  the  direction  of  a  Brother, 
are  building  a  church  of  sun-dried  brick.  Our  brave  people  have 
begun  with  300,000  bricks. 

At  present  200  men,  under  the  direction  of  10  foremen,  are  carrying 
water,  making  mortar  and  waiting  upon  the  builders.  All  the  work 
is  done  to  the  music  of  drums  and  flutes.  The  sight  is  as  edifying  as 
it  is  amusing.  After  the  church  is  finished,  we  shall  build  a  brick 
house  for  catechumens,  another  for  a  school,  another  for  the  children 
preparing  for  their  first  Communion,  etc.,  provided  God  grants  us  life, 
strength  and  a  little  money. 


A  Native  Patagonian. 


MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 


PREFECTURE  APOSTOLIC  OF  SOUTHERN  PATAGONIA 

The  prefecture  apostolic  of  southern  Patagonia  in  charge  of  the  Sale- 
sians  of  Turin  comprises  the  extreme  southern  part  of  the  American  con- 
tinent, bounded  by  the  Santa  Cruz  river,  the  Cordilleras  and  the  Antarctic 
ocean.  It  includes  also  the  islands  in  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  the  Falk- 
land Islands  and  Tierra  del  Fuego.  There  are  about  13,000  Catholics  and 
2700  Protestants.  16  missionaries,  all  European,  and  25  catechists  attend 
to  the  wants  of  the  faithful.  Seven  churches  and  chapels  have  already 
been  built  in  the  principal  centers  of  this  mission  at  the  end  of  the  world. 


Letter  of  Dom  Borgatello, 
Salesian  Missionary  of  Turin, 

In  obedience  to  Bishop  Fagnano,  I  have  just  made  an  apostolic 
journey  of  28  days  into  the  territory  of  Magellan,  and  I  send  you  a  few 
interesting  notes  on  my  trip. 
236 


BOUTHKRN   PATAGONIA  237 

During  my  short  stay  in  Punta  Arenas^  Prince 
A  Meeting  with  a  Louis  of  Savoy^  Duke  des  Abruzzes^  com- 
Boyal  Visitor.  mander  of  the  crusier  Liguria^  arrived.    Bishop 

Pagnano,  who  chanced  to  be  at  the  mission  of 
Candelaria,  Dom  Bamah6,  Dom  Bergise  and  myself  considered  it  a 
duty  to  pay  our  respects  to  His  Highness. 

As  we  approached  the  pier,  the  prince  met  us;  he  was  accompanied 
by  an  officer.  The  invitation  to  visit  our  college  was  graciously  ac- 
cepted. He  smiled  when  I  told  him  that  I  had  read  his  work,  la  Stella 
polare  (the  Polar  Star),  and  was  much  affected  by  the  account  of  the 
accident  in  which  he  lost  a  finger.  ''  E  niente!  e  niente  "  (it  did  not 
amount  to  anything),  he  replied. 

Having  crossed  the  Rio  Verde,  we  accepted 
A  French  Family.—  ^^®  hospitality  of  a  Protestant  Hollander,  who 
Baptism  of  the  gave  us  the  most  cordial  welcome.     Isolated  at 

Children.  the  end  of  the  world,  distinctions  of  cult  and 

nationality  among  men  cease  to  exist.  Among 
the  numerous  personnel  of  his  hacienda  there  were  French,  Spanish 
and  one  Italian,  all  Catholics.  I  could  do  them  some  little  good  in 
passing  through. 

Not  much  farther  on  I  stopped  at  Mina  Marta,  a  locality  that  has 
enjoyed  its  day  of  renown.  Coal  was  discovered  and  a  French  society 
formed  to  develop  it.  The  first  beds  promised  sufficiently  good  re- 
sults; sheds,  houses  and  a  railroad  were  constructed,  costly  machines 
were  imported — in  short,  600,000  dollars  had  been  spent  when  it 
was  discovered  that  the  coal  could  not  be  utilized.  The  whole  under- 
taking was  abandoned  and  the  savages  burned  the  buildings.  Of  the 
great  enterprise  nothing  but  ashes  is  left. 

At  the  southern  extremity  of  Skyring  Bay,  I  met  a  French  family 
separated  from  all  human  intercourse  for  nine  years.  The  head  of 
the  household  had  conceived  the  erratic  notion  to  settle  some  place 
"where  no  living  soul  could  find  him.'^  The  site  selected  fulfilled 
that  condition  perfectly,  so  perfectly,  indeed,  that  he  bitterly  repented 
of  having  satisfied  his  caprice..  His  hair  and  beard  were  so  long  and" 
tangled  that  he  resembled  a  bear  more  than  a  man.  As  it  was  raining, 
he  had  wrapped  himself  in  a  ridiculously  large  coat.  Having  been 
told  that  his  five  children  were  unbaptized,  I  expressed  my  desire  to 
administer  the  Sacrament.    Showing  me  how  to  reach  the  house  where 


238  MISSIONS   IN   AMERIOA 

his  family  lived,  he  excused  himself  under  some  slight  pretext  from 
accompanying  me. 

As  soon  as  the  children  saw  me  they  shrieked  as  though  I  were  some 
wild  beast,  and  fled.  The  oldest,  less  afraid,  or  more  brave,  hid  in 
the  neighboring  woods.  That  seemed  too  insecure  a  shelter  for  the 
others.  Running  as  fast  as  their  little  legs  could  carry  them,  jostling 
one  another  and  trembling  with  fear,  they  rushed  into  the  house, 
through  one  apartment  into  another,  till  they  reached  their  bfeds,  draw- 
ing the  covers  over  their  heads  so  as  not  to  be  seen. 

A  woman  about  forty  years  old  stood  at  the  door.  She  seemed 
dumbfounded  upon  beholding  a  stranger.  I  greeted  her  politely  and 
told  her  first  in  French,  then  in  Spanish,  that  I  had  come  to  baptize 
her  children  with  the  consent  of  her  husband,  whom  I  had  met  on  the 
way.  She  declared  that  would  be  impossible,  as  her  children  had  no 
suitable  clothes.  I  told  her  she  need  not  trouble  herself  about  such 
details,  as  I  would  administer  the  Sacrament  in  the  house. 

"  But,"  she  objected,  "  they  are  so  timid ;  they  have  never  seen  a 
stranger;   they  would  never  let  you  go  near  them." 

Sure  enough,  when  they  heard  my  voice  they  set  up  a  howl  and 
began  to  carry  on  like  creatures  possessed,  insisting  upon  staying  in 
their  hiding  places.  I  showed  them  a  large  piece  of  chocolate,  and 
promised  it  to  the  one  who  would  first  approach.  My  only  response 
was  redoubled  confusion,  so  I  decided  to  pitch  my  tent  a  few  yards 
from  the  house  and  spend  the  night  there. 

4- 

The  next  day  my  little  savages  were  not  so  fierce.  By  means  of 
presents  and  kindness  I  won  them  over  completely  and  succeeded  in 
instructing,  baptizing  and  confirming  them.  Their  mother,  whom 
the  natives  call  the  Parisienne,  told  me  the  sad  story  of  her  life  in 
this  desert  region  for  nine  years.  I  counseled  her  to  go  back  to 
civilized  parts,  or  at  least  to  send  her  children  to  our  college.  This 
she  promised  to  do. 

I  said  Mass  in  the  house;  in  assisting  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  of  which 
she  had  been  deprived  for  so  long,  the  poor  woman  wept  tears  of  joy. 
My  soul  comforted  by  the  happiness  which  my  presence  and  holy  min- 
istry had  brought  to  this  family,  I  continued  my  journey. 

Having  crossed  the  Chilian  Andes,  I  arrived  at  Ultima  Speranza 
(Last  Hope),  a  locality  which  for  some  years  has  been  showing  signs 
of  progress  because  of  the  numbers  of  colonists.    No  more  beautiful 


SOUTHERN    PATAGONIA 


239 


site  than  this  can  be  imagined,  framed  as  it  is  by  verdant  mountains 
and  an  arm  of  the  sea  similar  to  the  marvelous  Lake  Leman. 

Providence  guided  my  steps  in  this  direction  to  give  spiritual  suc- 
cor to  a  poor  waggoner,  the  victim  of  a  cruel  accident.  I  met  him 
at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra  Dorotea.  He  had  fallen  under  the  wheels  of 
his  cart,  heavily  laden,  and  had  broken  both  hips.  His  agony  was 
intense.    Mounted  on  a  mild  mare,  he  was  trying  to  reach  the  home  of 


Native  Patagonians. 


a  friend,  not  far  away,  to  die.  He  begged  me  to  hear  his  confession, 
and  not  wishing  to  add  to  his  sufferings,  I  heard  the  accusation  of  his 
faults  whilst  walking  beside  him,  and  gave  him  absolution.  Did  he 
enjoy  the  consolation  of  reaching  his  friend  before  commending  his 
soul  to  God  ?     I  do  not  know. 

From  Ultima  Speranza,  where  I  spent  four  days,  I  went  to  Rio 
Turdo,  the  home  of  the  cacique  Mulato  and  his  tribe.  There  I  con- 
ferred three  baptisms  and  three  confirmations.  I  celebrated  holy 
Mass  in  the  house  of  the  chief.     All  the  Tehuelches  Indians  of  the 


240  MISSIONS   IK   AMERICA 

locality  assisted  as  well  as  a  number  of  workmen  from  Chili  who 
were  passing  through  the  country. 

Poor  Tehuelches!  their  days  are  numbered.  They  are  fast  disap- 
pearing from  the  face  of  the  earth;  strong  drink  is  thinning  their 
numbers  as  consumption  is  making  ravages  among  the  Onas  of  Tierra 
del  Fuego. 

The  Onas  of  which  Dom  Borgatello  speaks  are  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing tribes  of  the  archipelago.  Dom  del  Turco,  a  Salesian  missionary  in 
southern  Patagonia,  has  written  concerning  their  attractive  customs. 

The  famous  race  of  Onas,  of  athletic  phy- 
The  Onas  of  Tierra  sique  and  comparatively  mild  manners,  seem 
del  Fuego.  destined  to  disappear.    When  they  exercised 

their  wild  sway  over  the  country,  they  lived 
many  years;  we  have  known  Indian  men  and  women  over  ninety 
years  old,  whilst  now  the  Onas  scarcely  reach  the  age  of  forty-five. 

Before  the  coming  of  the  bands  of  speculators  who  have  distributed 
the  country  among  themselves,  the  Onas  had  divided  their  land  into 
different  zones  which  they  occupied  at  different  seasons  of  the  year. 
Compelled  to  be  content  with  what  was  left,  imable  to  defend  them- 
selves against  the  intemperate  intruders,  they  naturally  perished  from 
all  causes,  not  to  mention  hunger,  for  the  guanacos  chased  by  a  domes- 
tic dog  are  not  so  easily  overcome. 

Many  have  found  an  asylum  at  the  Mission. 
Mission  Shelter.—        There  they  are  at  liberty  to  follow  their  no- 
Pagan  Superstition,     madic   habits,   absolutely   necessary   to   their 
existence.      Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  Onas 
Indians  are  still  living  as  savages  in  the  unexplored  regions. 

Permit  me  to  mention  a  few  of  their  superstitions.  An  Onas 
Indian  firmly  believes  in  the  existence  of  an  evil  spirit,  Ksoord.  He 
fears  him,  fights  him  and  uses  the  same  defensive  means  of  sorcery 
against  him  as  against  the  moon.  The  evil  spirit,  it  is  believed,  will 
come  forth  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth  when  God  shall  abandon 
Heaven.  During  its  first  two  phases  the  moon  swallows  up  a  number 
of  children  which  are  set  at  liberty  when  it  is  once  full.  When  there 
is  an  eclipse  everybody  arms  himself.  One  of  the  Onas  told  me  that 
after  death  souls  are  carried  far  away  to  a  lake  of  blood.  Did  he 
allude  to  the  Redemption  ?  Is  the  allusion  more  apparent  when  they 
express  their  belief  in  the  existence  of  a  son  of  God,  Jow-listonf 

One  of  their  best  instructed  children  gave  us  a  description  one  day 


SOUTHERN    PATAGONIA  241 

of  a  being  descended  from  Heaven  under  the  form  of  an  angel  all 
surrounded  by  light;  a  number  of  details  sounded  Vcry  like  the 
Apocalypse.  He  spoke  a  long  time  with  much  enthusiasm.  Was 
there  any  allusion  to  the  Messiah,  since  they  believe  in  a  God,  Jowen, 
and,  I  repeat  it,  in  his  son,  Jow-listont 

4- 
*  At  the  death  of  a  relative,  mothers,  in  sign 
Barbarous  practices.    ^^  mourning,  make  deep  cuts  in  their  arms, 
—Influence  of  legs  and  breast;  both  mother  ani father  shave 

Sorcerers.  their  heads  and  intons  dirges  which  they  re- 

repeat  for  several  days.  All  the  eflfects  of  the 
deceased  are  immediately  burned,  but  he  himself  receives  honorable 
burial. 

The  Onas  have  no  education  whatever.  They  can  count  up  to  five 
on  their  fingers;  when  that  number  is  passed,  they  open  both  hands 
wide,  and  exclaim:  "Mucho!"  (much).  However,  any  little  for- 
eigner might  envy  the  memory  of  some  of  the  children.  They  easily 
recall  the  names  of  persons  upon  seeing  their  photographs. 

4- 

One  of  the  greatest  obstacles  in  the  way  of  missionaries  is  the  influ- 
ence of  sorcerers.  According  to  them,  all  disease  is  caused  by  the  evil 
spirit  Ksoord  or  by  the  moon;  consequently  they  hurl  their  wildest 
and  most  terrible  invectives  against  them. 

The  Onas  have  no  knowledge  of  medicine.  Charms,  spells  and  en- 
chantments constitute  their  only  remedies.  To  protect  their  chests 
against  the  rigors  of  winter  and  the  wind,  they  coat  the  whole  body 
with  a  kind  of  red  earth,  which  they  have  previously  kneaded,  cooked 
over  the  coals,  reduced  to  a  powder  and  mixed  with  the  fat  of  some 
animal.  To  comb  their  long  hair,  they  make  use  of  the  jawbone  of  a 
fish.  To  transport  drinking  water  they  manufacture  buckets  from 
the  skin  of  the  guanaco;  shells  serve  for  drinking  purposes. 

4- 

Great  lovers  of  nomadic  life,  it  does  not  take  them  long  to  demolish 
their  huts  (chozas)  when  they  decide  to  make  a  change.  They  take 
their  whole  house  with  them,  the  stakes  and  the  skins  of  the  guanaco 
or  seal.  Being  once  present  at  one  of  these  removals,  I  learned  how 
the  Onas  crossed  a  most  dangerous  river.  The  men  ranged  themselves 
as  stepping  stones  from  one  bank  to  the  other,  and  the  women  were 
led  over  by  the  arm,  as  also  the  old  men  and  children;  this  proceeding 
lasted  a  long  time,  as  the  river  was  quite  broad. 


242 


MISSIONS    IN    AMERICA 


When  two  tribes  meet,  their  mode  of  salutation  is  to  make  three 
profound  inclinations  at  different  intervals. 

The  Onas  have  dances,  songs  and  foot  races;  horses  are  unknown 
to  them.  Target  shooting  is  practiced  with  arrows.  Their  favorite 
game  seems  to  be  tennis;  their  balls  are  made  from  the  skin  of  the 
guanaco,  stuffed  with  the  hair  of  the  same  animal,  feathers  or  other 
elastic  matter. 

When  I  arrived  among  the  Onas,  February  16,  1901,  nineteen  chil- 
dren were  entrusted  to  my  care.  Alas !  two  months  had  scarcely  passed 
before  one  after  the  other  fell  a  prey  to  consumption.  Secular  studies 
were  postponed  and  all  were  satisfied  to  devote  their  time  to  catechism. 
With  this  instruction,  they  learned  to  die  well.  All  wanted  to  receive 
the  Holy  Viaticum  and  Extreme  Unction.  Of  the  nineteen  children, 
only  five  are  now  living,  and  we  are  trying  our  best  to  prolong  their 
sad  existence. 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


Homage  to  Missionaries 

During  its  session,  May  26,  the  French  Academy  bestowed  the  Joest 
prize  ($400  for  useful  works  for  the  public  benefit)  upon  Father  J. 
B.  Piolet  for  his  work,  "  The  French  Catholic  Missions  of  the  Nine- 
teenth Century/^  Each  of  the  six  magnificent  volumes  written  in 
honor  of  the  contemporary  apostolate,  at  the  time  of  its  publication 
received  a  special  mention  in  our  columns. 

Two  missionaries  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  have  also 
received  honorary  titles  which  they  were  far  from  seeking,  but  which 
are  an  evidence  of  the  official  recognition  of  their  services. 

Upon  resolution  of  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  subsequent 
to  the  motion  of  the  Minister  of  Colonies,  Father  Henri  Trilles,  supe- 
rior of  the  station  of  Ndjol6,  in  Gabon,  has  been  named  an  officer  of 
the  Academy.  This  distinction  was  accorded  to  him  upon  the  request 
of  Mr.  Guynet,  ambassador  to  French  Congo,  because  of  his  important 
contributions  to  geographical  science.  The  Missions  Catholiques  pub- 
lished an  account  of  the  expedition  last  year. 

Finally,  upon  resolution  of  the  Minister  of  Agriculture,  likewise 
subsequent  to  the  proposition  of  the  Minister  of  Colonies,  Father  The- 
ophilus  Klaine,  missionary  since  1865  in  Sainte  Marie  de  Libreville, 
has  been  named  chevalier  of  merit  in  agriculture.  This  modest  dis- 
tinction, previously  requested  by  Mr.  Dolisie,  lieutenant-governor  of 
French  Congo,  is  due  to  the  learned  missionary ;  during  his  forty 
years  of  service  he  has  discovered  many  rare  and  new  plants,  and 
introduced  the  culture  of  useful  plants  into  French  Congo.  Vanilla 
especially  has  been  transported  from  his  test  garden. 


The  New  Superior  of  the  Seminary  of  Foreign   Missions 

in  Paris 

Father  Pierre  Theodore  Fleury,  of  the  diocese  of  Laval,  formerly 
missionary  in  Pondicherry,  who  for  six  years  has  filled  the  position 

243 


244  NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

of  assistant  superior,  has  been  appointed  superior  of  the  Seminary  of 
Foreign  Missions  to  replace  Father  Delpeeh.  Father  Delpech  has 
been  named  honorary  superior. 

ASIA 
The  New  Bishop  of  Coimbatore 

Eight  Rev.  Augustin  Eoy,  of  the  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris,  writes : 

"  Since  the  beginning  of  1903,  our  beloved  diocese  has  passed 
through  mourning  and  tribulations. 

"On  February  7th,  1903,  God  called  to  himself  his  well-beloved 
servant,  Right  Rev.  Bardou,  the  great,  wise  and  holy  bishop;  for 
eighty-nine  years  his  virtues  won  the  respect,  admiration  and  love  not 
only  of  his  clergy  and  people,  but  of  the  pagans  themselves. 

"On  the  17th  of  August  of  the  same  year,  his  pious  successor, 
Bishop  Peyramale,  who  was  to  be  consecrated  on  the  23rd  of  the  same 
month,  quietly  breathed  his  last,  surrounded  by  his  sorrowing  clergy 
and  former  parishioners  of  Coonoor.  As  though  the  justice  of  God 
were  not  appeased  by  all  this  suffering,  a  terrible  scourge,  the  bubonic 
plague,  visited  the  diocese,  casting  terror  on  all  sides,  disorganizing 
our  beloved  institutions,  annihilating  and  dispersing  families,  causing 
torrents  of  tears  to  flow,  and  leaving  a  train  of  miserable  creatures 
behind. 

"  For  four  months  the  city  of  Coimbatore  was  nothing  more  than  a 
desert.  Amid  so  much  misery  and  so  much  sorrow,  the  little  deso- 
lated church  learned  that  His  Holiness  Piux  X  had  given  it  a  new 
pontiff.  The  sacred  oil  of  consecration  still  flowing  from  his  brow, 
this  new.  pontiff  hastens  to  forward  his  first  blessings  to  his  benefac- 
tors, recommending  his  person  and  his  diocese  to  their  prayers  and 
charity. 

The  Christian  Pariahs  of  Madras 

Right  Rev.  J.  Aelen,  bishop  coadjutor  of  Madras,  has  written  the  fol- 
lowing touching  letter  to  the  Reverend  Mother  Superior  of  the  Con- 
gregation of  Jesus,  Mary  and  Joseph : 

"In  January  I  made  a  pastoral  journey.  Of  the  854  Christians 
whom  I  had  the  happiness  to  confirm,  309  were  converts  from  pagan- 
ism ;  most  of  them  were  pariahs. 

"  I  was  astonished  to  find  how  well  they  were  instructed  in  matters 
of  religion.  They  deserve  the  greater  merit,  as  they  have  a  hard  time 
to  gain  a  livelihood.  It  is  only  in  the  evening  after  a  hard  da/s 
labor  that  they  can  assemble  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  If  a  mission- 
ary finds  it  necessary  to  keep  them  a  day  with  him,  he  is  obliged  to 
furnish  them  a  little  money.     These  poor  people  live  ^  day  by  day.' 


ASIA  245 

"  Once  Christian  they  endure  still  greater  hardship.  They  suffer 
dreadfully  from  the  treatment  of  their  masters.  Pagans  often  accuse 
them  of  imagined  wrongs.  Sometimes  they  are  even  beaten  unmerci- 
fully for  the  single  crime  of  singing  hymns  on  the  street. 

"But,  you  may  ask,  do  not  the  missionaries  protect  their  Chris- 
tians? Of  course.  In  these  parts,  however,  it  is  a  diflScult  thing  to 
have  real  offenders  punished.  If  any  accusation  is  brought  against  a 
a  Christian  pariah,  all  the  pagans  league  against  him.  False  witness 
is  brought  to  bear  against  truth  and  calumny,  and  as  the  judge  can 
pronounce  sentence  only  upon  the  testmony  given,  his  judgment  is 
usually  the  same :  *  The  case  is  not  proved.^ 

"  In  face  of  so  much  misery  the  heart  is  torn  with  sympathy ;  one 
can  not  help  but  admire  these  poor  oppressed  creatures.  No  effort 
should  be  spared  in  their  behalf;  they  themselves  do  not  shrink  from 
any  suffering,  and  are  a  noble  example  of  constancy  and  love  of  sac- 
rifice.^^ 

Seven  Sisters  of  the  Congregation  of  Jesus,  Mary  and  Joseph  have 
arrived  in  Madras  and  are  diligently  studying  the  languages  of  the 
country  to  devote  themselves  absolutely  and  exclusively  to  the  salva- 
tion of  the  natives.  They  intend  to  found  schools,  dispensaries,  or- 
phanages and  all  other  kinds  of  charitable  institutions,  and  will  travel 
from  village  to  village,  distributing  medicines,  instructing  neophytes 
and  baptizing  pagan  children  in  articulo  mortis. 

A  Typhoon  Ln  Cochin  China 

Mgr.  Mossart,  of  the  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris,  vicar  apostolic, 
writes  from  Saigon,  May  11,  1904 : 

"A  part  of  Cochin  China  has  suffered  from  a  veritable  disaster. 

"  The  first  of  May  a  typhoon  struck  the  shore  and  continued  on  its 
destructive  path  into  the  interior.  The  center  of  the  storm  passed 
through  the  eastern  part  of  the  Mekong  delta,  toward  Gocong,  Mytho, 
Bentre,  etc.,  passing  from  southeast  to  northwest.  It  attained  its 
maximum  intensity  about  five  o^clock,  subsiding  about  nine  o'clock  in 
the  evening. 

"All  the  localities  along  its  route  have  been  ravaged.  Gocong  suf- 
fered from  both  wind  and  water,  which  rose  to  the  height  of  six  feet. 
Elsewhere  the  wind  alone  accomplished  its  sinister  work.  Trees  were 
uprooted,  houses  demolished  and  vessels  engulfed.  The  number  of 
dead  is  estimated  at  3000.  It  is  a  heartrending  sight  to  see  the  living 
without  shelter,  clothing  or  food. 

"  The  loss  of  the  Mission  has  not  yet  been  fully  ascertained.     The 


246  NEWS  OP  THE  MISSIONS 

chapels  built  of  wood  and  covered  with  leaves  have  been  swept  away. 
The  brick  churches  are  still  standing;  the  roofs,  however,  have  been 
partially  torn  off  and  the  interior  damaged  by  water.  The  ornaments 
and  sacred  linens  have  either  been  carried  away  or  damaged.  The 
houses  of  the  missionaries  and  native  priests  have  suffered  the  same 
fate  as  churches  and  chapels.  The  catechisfs  school  in  Anduc  is 
totally  destroyed.  The  small  village  schools  and  homes  of  our  Chris- 
tians have  been  swept  away. 

"  I  mention  these  facts  to  keep  you  informed  of  our  needs  and  to 
recommend  to  the  prayers  of  the  members  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  the  dead  and  the  homeless  living.^' 

Flowers  of  Martyrdom  in  Mongolia 

Father  Claeys,  of  the  Belgian  Missionaries  of  Scheut,  writes  from 
Hia-ing-tse  to  Father  Van  Hecke,  his  superior-general: 

"  For  over  a  year  Father  Tertstappen  and  myself  have  been  in  Hia- 
ing-tse,  the  scene  of  the  glorious  martyrdom  of  our  colleagues,  Fathers 
Van  Merhaeghe  and  Bongaerts. 

"  Upon  our  arrival  the  Christians  had  not  seen  a  priest  for  over  a 
year.  Eather  unattractive  in  appearance,  their  faith  is  strong  and 
active  and  their  attachment  to  their  priests  defies  all  form  of  perse- 
cution. Their  joy  upon  seeing  us  brought  silent  tears  of  sadness  to 
their  eyes.  The  sufferings  of  the  past  came  to  their  minds  in  strong 
contrast  with  the  hopes  of  the  future. 

"  From  their  first  visit  to  us,  which  they  made  in  a  body,  the  con- 
versation naturally  turned  upon  the  massacre  of  our  two  fellow-priests. 

"  They  told  us  how,  on  the  13th  of  December,  1901,  the  feast  of  St. 
Lucy,  under  cover  of  the  night,  a  band  of  thirty  brigands  armed  with 
swords  and  knives,  uttering  the  most  horrible  yells,  rushed  down 
through  the  village  directly  toward  the  dwelling  of  the  Fathers;  how 
they  satisfied  their  rage  by  hacking  their  victims  to  pieces.  The  marks 
of  the  swords  on  the  wall  and  spots  of  blood  on  the  floor  were  still  to 
be  seen.     The  temporary  tomb  of  the  martyrs  was  also  shown  to  us. 

"As  sad  as  ve  felt  at  this  tale  of  suffering,  our  hearts  were  filled 
-with  consolation  that  we  were  not  left  alone  to  provide  for  our  little 
flock.  Two  champions  of  the  faith  in  Heaven  will  bless  our  efforts 
and  help  on  our  work  by  their  prayers. 

"  Finally,  we  visited  the  village  and  were  deeply  moved  by  what  we 
saw  near  one  of  its  boundary  lines.  Suspended  from  stakes  driven 
securely  into  the  ground  were  a  dozen  cages,  each  containing  a  human 
head  severed  from  the  decaying  body;  the  long  hair  was  in  frightful 


AFRICA  247 

disorder,  presenting  a  more  horrible  sight  than  naked  skulls.  Under 
each  of  the  dead  bodies  there  was  an  inscription  giving  the  name  of 
the  victims  and  the  reason  of  their  punishment.  They  were  twelve 
of  the  principal  assassins  of  our  beloved  dead.  After  the  massacre 
the  bandits  had  shouted  victory,  believing  that  they  had  destroyed 
the  support  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  Four  months  afterwards  they 
themselves  fell  under  the  executioner's  axe  to  appear  before  the  dread 
tribunal  of  that  same  Chrisf 

AFRICA 
Abyssinia— An  Appeal  from  Beyond  the  Tomb 

Father  Edouard  Gruson,  superior  of  the  mission  of  Abyssinia,  has 
sent  us  the  following  touching  letter: 

"  Father  Charles  Gruson  has  just  met  a  tragic  death,  whilst  bathing 
near  Alitiena.  Among  his  papers  I  found  the  enclosed  letter,  headed 
'What  shall  the  title  be?'  Alasl  the  title  is  furnished  by  the  sad 
accident  which  has  deprived  us  of  an  excellent  missionary.  I  shall 
feel  myself  much  indebted  to  you  if  you  will  publish  the  'Appeal  from 
beyond  the  tomb '  by  Father  Charles  Gruson.  Generous  souls  will  be 
affected.'' 

We  hasten  to  comply  with  the  touching  request  of  the  venerable 
superior  of  the  Lazarists  in  Abyssinia.  Father  Gruson's  letter  is  as 
follows : 

"Upon  my  request  for  alms,  I  recently  received  a  response  from 
some  one  whose  offering  manifested  his  generosity.  Nevertheless,  his 
response  betrayed  a  doubt  of  the  use  of  making  sacrifices  for  the  mis- 
sion of  Abyssinia.  The  reason  of  his  attitude  was  that  nothing  could 
be  done  in  this  country  because  '  we  do  not  enjoy  a  suflBcient  liberty 
there.' 

"  Such  a  presumption,  once  admitted,  would  ruin  our  work,  so  I 
felt  the  urgency  of  refuting  the  false  assertion. 

" '  Nothing  can  be  done  in  Abyssinia,'  they  say.  The  statement 
seems  to  me  a  very  rash  one.  I  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  it  is  an 
easy  thing  to  do  good  there;  but  the  church  of  God  was  not  easily 
spread  through  the  world.  Is  it  not  the  fate  of  holiness  to  suffer 
persecution?  Whatever  some  may  think  to  the  contrary,  good  is 
being  done  and  every  day  brings  with  it  some  consolation. 

"Need  we  mention  the  crowds  of  children  and  young  people  who 
fill  our  school  in  Alitiena?  Is  not  the  host  of  young  girls  who  flock 
to  our  native  Sisters  in  order  to  learn  and  embrace  the  Catholic 
religion  a  most  eloquent  proof? 


248  NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

"And  when  children  educated  by  us  suffer  persecution  to  the  shed- 
ding of  blood  rather  than  abjure  the  true  faith  to  please  their 
schismatic  parents,  can  any  one  say  nothing  is  to  be  done  in  Abys- 
sinia? 

"And  during  times  of  persecution  when  whole  villages  abandon 
their  homes,  fields  and  flocks  rather  than  apostatize,  can  any  one  lose 
confidence  in  the  future  of  Abyssinia? 

"  Of  course,  the  threat  of  confiscation  hanging  over  the  heads  of 
converts  is  calculated  to  intimidate.  But  when  the  opportunity 
affords  access  to  souls  and  they  are  instructed,  they  do  not  hesitate 
to  sacrifice  all  temporal  goods  for  the  one  thing  necessary. 

"  Of  course,  we  have  many,  many  enemies  in  the  schismatic  clergy. 
But  our  Lord  Himself  was  opposed  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 
Did  He  not  conquer  by  kindness  and  miracles  ?  We  also  can  conciliate 
hearts,  and  if  we  have  not  the  power  to  raise  the  dead  to  life,  we  can 
prevent  the  living  from  dying  of  hunger. 

"  May  help  come  to  perform  miracles  of  charity ;  may  the  deficit  in 
our  budget  be  supplied  to  instruct  souls  strayed  from  the  truth ! 

"  Good  can  be  done  in  Abyssinia,  but  missionaries  must  receive  help 
from  their  brethren  to  do  it.  Generous  alms  must  support  works 
begun,  increase  the  number  of  disciples  and  prepare  for  the  Church 
zealous  apostles  and  brave  defenders. 

"  In  a  word,  without  the  help  of  our  brethren  abroad,  we  cannot  do 
much;  with  their  assistance  we  can  perform  prodigies.  May  they 
extend  their  hands  in  brotherly  love ! " 

The  Persecution  in  Gallas 

Father  Mo3\se,  procurator-general  of  the  Capuchin  missions,  writes : 

"  We  have  received  sad  news  from  Harrar. 

"  The  persecution  which  was  threatening  us  after  the  intervention 
of  the  foreign  minister  has  been  renewed  with  greater  vigor.  At  the 
end  of  April  missionaries  received  orders  to  meet  in  Harrar  and  were 
prohibited  from  giving  any  instruction.  The  imperial  edict  added 
that  all  stations  would  be  placed  under  military  rule  to  enforce  the 
orders  of  the  negus. 

"This  action  means  the  loss  of  Kaffa,  the  Gallas  provinces,  Choa 
and  perhaps  that  of  the  whole  mission.  It  is  not  known  what  Bishop 
Jarosseau  will  do  when  he  returns  from  Addis  Ababa. 

"Whatever  the  issue,  the  unfortunate  missionaries,  who  have  been 
compelled  to  leave  the  scene  of  their  labors,  cannot  abandon  their 
Christians,  especially  their  orphans,  confided  to  the  neophytes  on  their 


AFRICA  240 

departure.  They  must  provide  for  their  children,  that  the  work  of 
forty  years  may  not  be  undone." 

Rebuilding  of  tlie  Mission  at  Del<lna 

The  Fathers  of  the  Lower  Niger  have  lost  no  time  in  reclaiming  the 
mission  of  Dekina  from  its  ruins,  although  the  condition  of  the  coun- 
try is  far  from  promising. 

March  15,  1904,  Father  Joseph  Lichtenberger,  of  Dekina,  wrote  to 
Father  Lejeune: 

"  The  city  is  rebuilding  and  the  barracks  of  the  soldiers  are  going 
up  rapidly.  Alas !  nothing  has  as  yet  been  done  for  our  poor  mission. 
I  must  begin  again  from  the  very  beginning  and  have  no  one  to  depend 
upon  but  myself.  My  workmen  can  do  very,  very  little  for  me.  God 
will  help  me,  .... 

"All  the  officers  are  most  kind.  Colonel  Festing  presented  me 
with  a  filter.  Captain  Rose  and  the  others  are  exceedingly  gracious. 
A  despatch  from  Zunguru  informs  me  that  the  chief  commissary,  Sir 
F.  Lugard,  heartily  approves  of  resuming  the  work  so  dear  to  you. 

"At  Lokodja,  I  was  requested  to  conduct  the  burial  service  for 
Captain  O'Riordan.  In  the  afternoon,  at  four  o'clock,  the  officers 
escorted  me  to  the  court  house.  The  casket  of  Captain  O'Riordan 
and  Lieutenant  Bumey  rested  on  two  cannon  and  were  covered  with 
the  national  flag.  Twenty  Catholic  young  men,  most  of  them  from 
Onitsha,  were  present;  surplice,  a  black  stole,  prayer-book,  holy 
water— everything  was  provided.  We  chanted  the  Libera,  Beriedkiiis, 
etc.     The  service  was  most  touching  in  its  simplicity  and  solemnity. 

"The  Protestant  minister  buried  Lieutenant  Bumey.  The  re- 
mains of  these  poor  murdered  officers  arrived  only  last  week. 

"  The  state  of  the  country  is  far  from  reassuring.  Reinforcements 
of  troops  are  constantly  arriving.     In  two  months  there  will  be  a 

change.     Much  fear  is  felt The  Okpotos  wilL  not  yield  and 

the  Bassas  have  joined  them.  I  am  going  to  set  to  work  with  the 
huts,  prepare  the  ground,  cut  the  wood,  etc. 

Tlie  Mission  of  Zagnanado  (Daliomey) 

Father  Joular,  of  the  African  Mi«5ion  of  Lyons,  writes: 
"The  beautiful  station  of  Zagnanado,  of  which  I  am  in  charge, 
was  founded  more  than  ten  years  ago.     The  government  manifested 
its  friendliness  toward  us  by  placing  the  immense  fortified  camp 
of  Behanzin,  surrounded  by  high  and  solid  walls,  at  our  disp(»al. 


250  NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

"  This  populous  district,  situated  on  the  Oueme  river,  only  a  day^s 
journey  from  the  old,  royal  city  of  Aboraey,  is  sufficiently  distant 
from  foreign  centers  and  not  yet  invaded  by  the  Mussulmen.  Its 
site  is  excellently  adapted  for  the  work  which  our  prefect  apostolic, 
the  venerable  Father  Bricet,  has  been  anxious  to  found  for  so  long 
a  time,  "  a  Christian  village,'^  in  other  words,  "  a  free  village/' 

"Two  hundred  young  men  and  boys,  ten  to  twenty  years  of  age, 
have  been  under  the  instruction  of  three  Fathers  and  one  Brother, 
applying  themselves  to  the  study  of  the  Christian  religion,  the  ele- 
ments of  French,  different  trades  and  the  culture  of  the  cacao  tree, 
the  vanilla  bean  and  other  native  products. 

"Unfortunately,  our  resources  have  become  so  reduced  that  our 
vicar  apostolic,  Mgr.  Dartois,  has  been  compelled  to  reduce  the  num- 
ber of  our  boarding  pupils  to  one-half.  Still  the  expense  is  too  heavy 
for  our  small  budget;  although  the  cost  of  food  for  one  pupil  amounts 
to  only  ten  cents  a  week  and  their  clothing  is  of  the  most  primitive 
order. 

"  Interpreters,  telegraph  operators  and  custom  house  officials  are 
always  selected  from  these  young  men ;  all  such  employees  are  natives 
and  have  been  brought  up  in  our  schools.  Two  or  three  attempts 
have  been  made  to  establish  lay  schools,  but  none  has  proved  success- 
ful. After  several  attacks  of  fever  during  a  few  months'  sojourn, 
all  teachers  so  far  have  left  discouraged  and  unwilling  to  return  a 
second  time  to  this  African  oven.*' 

The  Mission  of  the  Fails 

The  Priests  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Saint  Quentin,  missionaries  in 
Belgian  Congo,  have  just  published  in  Brussels  an  account  of  the 
l^fission  of  the  Falls,  founded  in  the  year  1897. 

The  first  two  missionaries,  Fathers  .Gabriel  Grison  and  Gabriel 
Lux,  sailed  July  10th  for  their  distant  destination,  and  arrived  there 
at  the  end  of  September.  The  governor  of  the  district  of  the  Falls, 
Mr.  Malfelt,  extended  a  cordial  welcome  and  helped  to  decide  upon 
the  site  to  be  cleared  in  the  thick  forest  about  four  miles  below  Stan- 
leyville. Father  Lux  was  taken  ill  and  was  compelled  to  return 
home.  On  December  25th,  however,  Father  Grison  took  possession 
of  Saint  Gabriel,  said  his  first  Mass  there  and  the  Mission  of  the 
Falls  was  founded. 

To-day  the  missionaries  of  Saint  Quentin  have  evangelized  a  ter- 
ritory six  times  larger  than  Belgium.  They  occupy  a  third  of  this 
immense    district,   in   which    they   have   established    six   residences: 


OOEANICA  251 

Saint  Gabriel,  center  of  the  mission ;  Stanleyville,  Basoko,  Romfe 
Banalya  and  Avakubi,  the  most  recently  founded.  They  number  14 
priests,  assisted  by  one  Brother  and  5  Sisters.  Besides  the  residences 
mentioned,  "there  are  20  to  25  posts,  numbering  in  all  2000  Christians 
and  3000  catechumens. 

The  Mission  of  Rwanda 

Father  Lecoindre,  of  the  Society  of  White  Fathers,  writes  from 
Our  Lady  of  All  Saints  ( Rwanda)  : 

^'  I  am  in  the  great  kingdom  of  Bwanda,  about  fifty  leagues  east 
of  Lake  Victoria  Nyanza.  This  region  extends  north  almost  to  Lake 
Edward;  on  the  west  it  is  bounded  by  Lake  Kivou;  to  the  south,  a 
chain  of  mountains  extends  almost  in  a  horizontal  line  nearly  to  the 
northern  edge  of  Lake  Tanganyika. 

"The  country  is  very  mountainous;  in  these  parts  they  speak  of 
the  chief  or  the  inhabitants  of  such  or  such  a  hill.  The  soil,  neverthe- 
less, is  most  fertile.  Trees  grow  to  an  enormous  size  and  all  foreign 
vegetables  thrive  to  a  marvelous  degree.  The  grapes  and  fruit  trees, 
however,  cannot  be  grown  here.  The  climate  is  very  mild;  during 
the  fourteen  months  that  I  have  been  here,  I  have  not  known  the 
thermometer  to  be  above  25°  or  below  15°:  There  are  two  well- 
defined  rainy  seasons  every  year;  the  first  lasts  about  three  months, 
from  October  to  December,  and  the  second  four,  February  to  May. 

"  We  have  been  established  "here  but  four  years.  It  was  only  in 
1908  that  we  recorded  our  first  baptisms.  Five  stations  have  been 
founded  with  a  totality  of  about  180  Christians.  The  number  is 
increasing  in  relatively  considerable  proportion;  there  are  at  present 
5000  to  6000  catechumens.  But  what  are  they  against  a  total  popu- 
lation of  two  million  souls?  We  cannot  assert  that  we  have  come  in 
touch  with  the  masses ;  our  efforts  have  been  futile  with  the  nobility, 
the  governing  class,  which  manifests  a  deep  hatred  against  us.  Pray 
and  obtain  prayers  for  our  ipissions/' 

OCEANICA 

Tlie  Cliurch  of  tlie  Valley  of  the  Colonies  (New  Caledonia) 

In  1903  the  mission  was  enriched  by  a  church ;  the  feast  of  dedica- 
tion was  most  consoling  to  the  missionaries  and  Catholics  in  the 
valley  of  the  colonies.  St.  John's  Church,  108  by  36  feet,  is  built  in 
the  Roman  style.  Six  columns  support  the  vault  of  the  great  nave 
which  rises  in  an  arch  30  feet  in  height. 


252  NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

Bishop  Fraysse,  surrounded  by  all  the  priests  of  Noumea,  sprinkled 
the  walls  of  the  church  inside  and  outside  with  holy  water,  whilst  the 
solemn  prayers  of  the  ritual  were  chanted,  by  which  the  edifice  and 
the  bells  were  consecrated  to  divine  worship. 

After  the  Gospel  was  read  at  the  pontifical  Mass,  Father  Lencon- 
teur  delivered  a  sermon  from  which  we  publish  the  following  ex- 
tracts : 

"The  first  missionary  to  plant  the  cross  on  Caledonian  soil,  De- 
cember 1,  1843,  died  in  the  humble  settlement  of  Balade,  where  he 
spent  the  first  years  of  a  glorious  apoetolate  in  dread  of  savage  ag- 
gression. 

"  Since  that  memorable  epoch,  Caledonia,  the  pearl  of  the  ocean, 
has  been  surrounded  by  a  rich  girdle  of  chapels  and  churches.  To- 
day the  valley  of  the  Colonies,  which  I  have  every  reason  to  call  the 
Valley  of  the  Future,  since  it  is  inhabited  by  men  of  good-will,  is 
honored  by  the  erection  of  a  church.  This  house  of  God  will  hence- 
forth be  a  rallying  point  and  an  all-powerful  motive  for  hope. 

"The  bell  which  has  been  solemnly  consecrated  will  call  to  our 
minds,  in  sweet,  strong  and  melodious  peals,  the  sentiments  of  faith 
that  form  the  foundation  of  Christian  life.  Have  you  noticed  an 
accent  of  sadness  in  its  prolonged  vibrations?  Best  assured,  that 
undertone  of  melancholy  will  disappear  when  your  generous  efforts 
will  hiive  crowned  the  present  work  with  an  elegant  belfry.  The 
tower  is  the  diadem  of  the  church,  the  outside  pulpit,  the  asrial 
throne  from  which,  day  by  day,  the  eloquent  bro^ize  preacher  salutes 
the  majesty  of  God  and  invites  the  faithful  to  prayer." 

Death  of  the  Old  Minister  of  King  George  of  Tonga 

Father  Beiter,  Marist  missionary  in  central  Oceanicaj  writes  to 
Father  Begis: 

"  In  the  month  of  November,  1903,  Baker,  the  famous  prime  min- 
ister of  King  George,  died  at  Haapai.  At  one  time  he  was  a  most 
powerful  factor  in  our  islands;  the  chiefs  trembled  before  him  and 
the  papers  of  the  English  colonies  were  filled  with  accounts  of  his 
actions.     His  death,  however,  was  hardly  noticed. 

"The  son  of  a  Protestant  minister,  he  had  promised  his  dying 
mother,  they  say>  to  bring  the  "  true  Gospel "  to  the  Pacific  islands. 
Arriving  in  Tonga,  August,  1860,  he  began  his  mission  in  Kolowai. 
From  Tonga  he  was  sent  to  Haapai,  where  he  began  to  quarrel  with 
the  other  ministers,  leading  such  a  life  that,  in  1873,  he  was  accused 
of  all  sorts  of  crimes.     The  conference  of  Tonga  examined  his  case. 


OCEANIC  A  253 

but  reserved  sentence  for  the  supreme  tribunal  in  Sydney.  Baker 
left  for  Australia  and  returned  with  absolute  authority,  more  power- 
ful than  before. 

"  He  succeeded  in  convincing  one  of  the  foreign  counsellors  of 
King  George  that  he  was  the  temporal  and  spiritual  head  of  Tonga. 
In  1875  he  made  use  of  his  power  to  frame  a  more  or  less  liberal  con- 
stitution, which  his  enemies  tried  to  employ  against  him.  They 
succeeded  only  in  having  him  suspended  as  a  Wesleyan  minister; 
he  still  retained  his  position  as  prime  minister. 

^^  Open  war  was  declared  between  him  and  the  Methodist  ministry. 
In  December,  1884,  Baker  separated  himself  altogether  from  his  co- 
religionists, founded  a  new  sect  and  began  to  preach  again.  The 
conference  in  Sydney  ti-ied  to  re-establish  order,  but  failed. 

"In  the  meantime  Baker  acted  tlie  true  tyrant.  Xo  one  was  sur- 
prised at  the  attempt  made  upon  his  life,  when  the  natives  tried  to 
shoot  him  in  the  village  of  Noukoualofa.  This  act  threw  the  whole 
kingdom  in  confusion;  the  culprits  were  shot  and  Baker  was  again 
triumphant,  but  awkwardly  accused  the  English  consul  of  providing 
rebels  with  arms.  The  matter  was  brought  before  the  English  gov- 
ernor, who  sentenced  Baker  to  withdraw  from  Tonga. 

"  In  1899  he  considered  the  moment  auspicious  to  return.  A  few 
malcontents  took  his  part,  but  their  triumph  was  of  short  duration. 
He  then  retired  to  Haapai,  where  he  died. 

"Baker  hated  the  Catholic  religion  and  tried  to  do  all  possible 
harm.  It  is  said  that  he  prevented  King  George  from  becoming  a 
member  of  the  Church.  True  it  is  that  about  1884  and  1885  the 
king's  conversion  was  expected  and  a  number  of  chiefs  would  have 
followed  his  example.  Whatever  the  case  may  be.  Baker's  influence 
was  very  hurtful." 

Progress  of  the  Catholic  FaUh  in  Cook  Archipelago 

Father  Bemardin  Castanie,  missionary  in  Mauke  island,  writes, 
March  14,  1904 : 

"The  work  of  God  is  progressing  in  !Mauke,  which  already  num- 
bers 76  Catholics.  Our  school,  attended  by  both  Catholic  and 
Protestant  children,  has  70  pupils.  Sunclays  from  120  to  150  per- 
sons attend  Mass.  My  chapel,  although  much  enlarged,  has  become 
too  small.  Every  morning  a  large  number  of  neophytes  assemble 
for  prayers  and  to  assist  at  Mass,  when  they  recite  the  Rosary.  I 
^  teach  school  every  day.  Every  evening  prayers  are  said  in  common. 
I  am  about  to  establish  similar  posts  in  the  neighboring  islands. 


DESTINATION    OF    MISSIONARIES 

Beported  since  the  July-August  Annals. 


SOUTH  AMERICA 

CniLT. 
Rev.  Ellas  Rodriguez  Lopez. 
Kev.  Arthur  Garcia  Linagre. 
Rev.  Joseph  Emmanuel  Curraly 
Uarcia. 

Columbia. 
Rev.  J.  M.  Turbellier. 
Rev.  J.  M.  Arriendan. 
Rev.  P.  Itaron. 
Rev.  V.  Duret. 

NORTH  AMERICA 

Hatti. 
Rev.  Louis  Oremmel,  C.  S.  Sp. 


AFRICA 

French  Ot'igo, 
Rev.  Claude  Murard»  C.  S.  Sp. 

Benin. 
Rev.  Fr.  Landsperger,  A .  L.  M. 

Portuguese  Coiiyo. 
Rev,  Lourenco  Andre,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Kun^ne. 
Rev.  Antoine  De  Merango, 
C.  8.  Sp. 

North  MaddHfascar, 
Rev.  Leon  Dissard,  C.  S.  Sp. 

Belgian  Omu". 
Right  Rev.  Van  Ronsl. 
Rev.  Honore  Baten. 
Rev.  Alfred  Gorman. 


ASIA 

China. 

Eastern  Otchin  dilna. 

Rev.  Edmond  Landreau,  P.F..M. 

Kuanu-Tong. 
Rev.  Jos.  Bar  masse,  P.  F.  M. 

Cambodia. 
Rev.  Simon  Larrabure,  P.  F.  M. 

India. 
Potidicherry. 
Rev.  Jos.  Cheilletz,  P.  F.  M. 


254 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 

or  TBB 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MISSIONS 

For  the  past  year  the  attention  of  the  Catholic  world  has  been 
fixed  upon  France  and  her  struggle  with  the  Holy  See,  and  though 
at  times  the  crisis  seemed  inevitable,  yet  it  was  hoped  peaceful  rela- 
tions would  be  restored.  From  the  latest  accounts  received,  how- 
ever, it  is  evident  that  the  Concordat  will  be  abolished  and  in  con- 
sequence the  butcome  for  the  Church  is  very  dark.  The  ordeal  through 
which  the  Church  is  passing  has,  therefore,  for  us  a  peculiar  interest. 
Since  the  very  inception  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith,  France  has  home  to  a  large  extent  the  burden  of  its  support 
both  in  the  money  and  priests  she  has  sent  to  the  foreign  mission 
field.  Now  we  may  naturally  look  for  a  change.  As  was  mentioned 
in  our  last  issue,  America  is  now  taking  an  active  interest  in  the 
Society,  and  with  His  help  for  whom  we  are  working,  we  may  rightly 
expect  that  our  heroic  missionary  priests  and  nuns  will  not  suffer 
for  the  lack  of  resources.  We  rely  on  the  promise  of  Him  who  said, 
"  Give  and  it  shall  be  given  to  you." 

MARTYRDOM  OF  A  BISHOP 

It  was  with  the  deepest  sorrow  that  we  learned  of  the  death  of 
Bishop  Verhapen  and  his  brother  at  the  hands  of  some  Chinese 
fanatics  in  the  province  of  Lichuan.     A  young  man,  scarcely  in  the 

255 


256      SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE  AMEUICAN    EDITION    OF  THE   ANNALS 

prime  of  life,  who  certainly  answered  the  description  of  the  sacred 
writing,  "  in  a  few  years  he  lived  a  lorg  time." 

The  protectorate  of  the  missions  in  the  East  has  always  been  held 
by  France,  who  at  present  is  in  the  anomalous  position  of  driving 
out  her  priests  and  nuns,  while  protecting  them  abroad.  The  out- 
come will  be  watched  with  much  interest. 

FEAST  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  XAVIER 

The  brief  of  His  Holiness  Piux  X,  recommending  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  to  the  faithful  of  the  Universal  Church 
was  published  in  our  last  issue  and  has  awakened  a  fresh  and,  we 
hope,  a  laeting  zeal  for  the  spread  of  this  most  blessed  work.  "  Deeply 
conscious  of  the  merits  of  this  illustrious  Society,"  he  has  always 
been  anxious  to  promote  its  interests,  which  is  evidenced  by  the  fact 
that  he  has  raised  to  a  double  major  the  feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavier, 
the  patron  of  the  Society.  Throughout  the  entire  world,  therefore, 
the  Catholic  faithful  will  unite  on  December  3,  next  in  paying  vene- 
ration to  the  great  apostle  of  the  Indies,  in  obedience  to  the  will  of 
the  Holy  Father.  There  is  a  plenary  indulgence  granted  to  those 
who  observe  the  usual  conditions,  and  we  respectfully  urge  as  many 
of  our  promoters  and  associates  as  possible  to  receive  Holy  Com- 
munion on  that  day. 


MISSION    NOTES    AND    NEWS  257 


MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 


SASKATCHEWAN,  (CANADA).    A  NEW  MISSION  AT 
SASKATOON 

Last  year  we  published  Father  Guerin^s  article  on  the  Saskatche- 
wan missions  in  northwest  Canada.  The  same  missionary  has  sent 
us  the  following  account  of  a  new  mission: 

Letter  op  Father  Guerin,  0.  M.  I. 

In  March,  1903,  Bishop  Pascal  charged  me  to  visit  a  little  town 
ninety  miles  south  of  Prince  Albert  City.  Saskatoon^  the  little 
savage  pear,  according  to  its  elymology,  was  at  that  time  a  hamlet 
with  only  15  to  20  families.  Three  or  four  times  a  year  a  mission- 
ary from  Prince  Albert  attended  to  the  religious  wants  of  the  few 
Christians  living  there. 

On  my  first  visit  it  was  easy  to  collect  my  flock  in  a  little  room. 
Great  was  my  surprise  the  following  month  to  see  that  the  room 
would  not  hold  the  attendants  at  Mass.  Two  weeks  later,  upon  my 
return,  I  was  obliged  to  seek  larger  quarters.  A  hall  was  obtained 
and  Protestants,  Freemasons,  etc.,  came  to  hear  me.  It  was  easy  to 
rent  the  hall.  A  Mass  in  the  rooms  of  Freemasons !  God  will  for- 
give me. 

The  number  of  Catholics  increased  from  day  to  day.  I  multiplied 
my  visits  and  soon  realized  the  necessity  of  building  a  church.  Bishop 
Pascal  did  not  contest  the  urgency  of  my  request.  But  churches 
cost  money  to  build,  and  the  river  Pactolus  does  not  flow  by  Prince 
Albert,  The  only  answer  my  bishop  gave  me  was  to  show  me  his 
empty  purse. 

"But,'^  I  respectfully  objected,  "it  is  necessary.  Saskatoon  is 
going  to  be  a  place  of  importance.  The  Protestants  are  beginning  to 
build  three  houses  of  worship.  Is  it  not  a  shame  that  we  Catholics 
should  be  in  the  backgroimd  and  be  obliged  to  hear  Mass  in  the  hall 
of  Freemasons  ?  ^^ 

"  Go  ahead,^^  said  the  bishop ;  "  I  will  do  what  I  can.^' 

I  left,  fortified  with  episcopal  sanction. 

4- 

I  arrived  at  Saskatoon  on  the  feast  of  Corpus  Christi.  The  bishop 
had  given  me  two  of  his  best  assistants,  full  of  enthusiasm  and  zeal, 


.258  MISSION    NOTES   AND    NEWS 

Fathers  Burnouf  and  Duclos,  excellent  carpenters.  We  pitched  our 
little  tent  and  quickly  set  to  work.  A  few  generous  young  men  gave 
us  their  assistance.  Credit  was  allowed  for  the  wood  and  .... 
three  months  afterwards  Bishop  Pascal  came  to  bless  our  modest 
little  church,  which  the  clever  hand^  of  my  good  helpmates  had  made 
neat  and  attractive. 

The  residents  of  the  city  flocked  to  it  in  astonishing  numbers. 
Nearly  all  the  Catholics  live  in  the  coimtry;  but  the  Protestants 
responded  to  my  invitation  and  came  in  crowds  to  the  opening  cere- 
mony. A  Benedictine  priest  preached  an  English  sermon  and  asked 
the  non-Catholics  to  be  present  at  Benediction.  The  church  was 
again  literally  filled  to  overflowing,  as  in  the  morning. 

The  priest  spoke  on  the  necessity  of  faith,  and  his  words  made  a 
good  impression  on  his  hearers.  Several  Protestants  came  to  tell 
me  how  greatly  pleased  th«y  were. 

"At  least,'*  said  they,  "to-day  we  have  heard  the  word  of  God 
preached  without  evasion  and  without  disguise.*' 

The  sermon  has  done  much  to  set  aside  a  score  of  prejudices,  and 
I  trust  that  the  divine  word  sown  thus  in  honest  and  upright  hearts 
may  bear  fruit.  Several  have  been  deeply  touched  I  hope  much  for 
the  future. 

The  population  is  constantly  increasing;  in  a  few  years  Saskatoon 
will  be  a  large  city.  The  Catholics  are  proud  of  their  church,  mod- 
est though  it  is;  even  so,  I  contracted  debts  to  build  it.  Were  my 
confidence  not  based  in  God,  I  should  feel  uneasy.  There  is  still 
much  to  be  done.  Being  of  wood,  the  building  must  be  painted.  I 
likewise  need  an  altar  with  all  the  appurtenances,  a  bell  and  an 
organ.  Without  a  bell  or  music  a  church  seems  sad.  The  little 
belfry  looks  impatient  at  its  emptiness.  We  must  also  build  a  house. 
In  a  short  time  the  place  will  require  more  than  one  priest,  and  my 
lodging,  sixteen  by  twelve  feet,  is  not  the  most  comfortable.  Even 
the  necessity  of  a  day  and  boarding  school  begins  to  be  felt.  Catho- 
lics require  Sisters  to  educate  their  children  and  Protestants  are 
making  a  demand  for  them.  They  have  asked  me  when  I  shall  be 
able  to  have  Sisters  for  a  boarding  school  and  a  hospital.  I  must 
say  they  have  shown  very  generous  dispositions  toward  me.  All 
these  works  are  the  subject  of  my  thoughts,  and  my  heart  bleeds  at 
the  want  of  means. 

My  ministry  is  not  confined  to  the  single  city  of  Saskatoon.  Many 
Catholics  have  located  in  its  vicinity  and  they  are  scattered  within  a 
radius  of  from  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  miles.     As  they  are  not 


MISSION    NOTES   AND    NEWS  259 

congregated  in  a  village,  but  live  separately,  I  am  traveling  about 
continually  and  need  two  strong  horses.  One  is  not  enough  now ;  it 
would  die  of  cold  on  the  road  at  a  temperature  of  30°  to  40**  below 
zero.  Horses,  however,  are  dear  and  my  funds  are  exhausted.  Even 
by  practicing  the  strictest  economy,  cooking  my  own  meals  to  avoid 
expense,  I  cannot  make  both  ends  meet. 

My  people  are  very  different,  representing  all  nations — French, 
Canadians,  Americans,  Yankees,  English,  Irish,  German,  Belgians, 
Dutch,  Swedes,  Russians,  Ruthemians,  Galicians,  Persians,  Indians, 
Mongrels  and  Chinese.     Have  I  not  the  gift  of  tongues? 

4- 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  short  journey  of  discovery  south  of 
Saskatoon.  There  I  discovered  a  "  reserve  "  of  Sioux  Indians,  pagans, 
alas !  or  Protestants.     Still  a  new  field  to  cultivate. 

A  little  farther  distant  there  is  a  village  of  mongrel  Cris  Indians. 
These  are  Catholics.  I  found  besides  several  other  families  of  diverse 
nationalities,  in  all  more  than  a  hundred  souls.  I  was  really  taken  by 
surprise  and  prepared  myself  for  other  discoveries.  The  Mongrels 
had  fled  to  the  United  States  during  the  insurrection'  of  1885  and 
had  returned  only  a  few  months  before.  Since  that  time  many  of 
them  had  been  without  Sacraments,  without  priests,  without  the  Mass. 
How  great  was  their  delight  to  be  present  at  the  Holy  Mysteries  after 
so  many  years !  How  happy  they  were  to  see  me !  I  had  no  trouble 
in  getting  them  to  receive  the  Sacraments;  my  duties,  however,  were 
far  from  light,  and  the  little  time  at  my  disposal  did  not  permit  me 
to  arrange  everything.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  stay  long  in  any 
one  place,  I  have  so  many  districts  in  charge. 

A  chapel  and  a  school  are  also  necessary  in  that  locality.  Despite 
the  privation  of  the  helps  of  religion,  these  brave  mongrels  have  led  a 
good  life;  I  was  surprised  to  see  how  they  had  preserved  their  faith 
and  manners  pure.     God  watched  over  them. 

An  old  woman,  eighty  years  of  age,  told  me  her  history,  whilst  she 
smoked  her  pipe  filled  with  tobacco  and  willow  bark.  She  had  lived 
in  this  locality  during  the  Sioux  war.  Her  father  was  killed  in  battle 
and  she  saw  her  mother,  two  of  her  sisters  and  her  youngest  brother, 
an  infant  at  the  breast,  massacred  before  her  very  eyes.  She  herself, 
covered  with  wounds  and  with  three  bullets  in  her  leg,  had  been  left 
for  dead.  Cared  for  by  some  charitable  neighbors,  she  stayed  in  the 
country  until  the  rebellion.  Then  she  emigrated  to  the  United  States. 
It  wafi  hard  for  her  to  travel  into  an  unknown  country,  and  she  was 


260  MISSION    NOTES    AND    NEWS 

very  glad  to  return.  Poor  old  woman,  in  her  exile  she  had  been 
forced  to  travel  miles  and  miles  every  year  to  see  a  missionary;  her 
strength  failing,  she  had  been  deprived  of  the  Sacraments  for  several 
years,  and  she  actually  wept  for  joy  when  she  first  saw  me. 

My  arrival  was  a  day  of  rejoicing  for  everyone.  My  ministry  is 
very  trying,  it  is  true,  but  what  a  consolation  it  is  to  know  that  we  are 
doing  some  good  and  that  we  are  the  instruments  God  has  chosen  to 
dispense  His  peace,  grace  and  blessings  to  these  poor,  neglected  souls. 

4-  • 

May  the  pious  readers  of  these  lines  offer  a  short  prayer  for  myself 
and  the  souls  confided  to  me,  and  may  we  feel  the  benefits  of  their 
generous  charity. 

LETTERS  FROM  AN  ANGLICAN  NUN 

The  following  letters,  written  by  an  Anglican  nun,  are  as  remarkable 
as  they  are  interesting.  We  sincerely  hope  that  they  will  prove  an  Incen- 
tive to  our  promoters  to  redouble  their  zeal  for  the  spread  of  our  Holy 
Faith. 

"Your  people  outnumber  us  five  to  one,"  she  writes,  and  yet  our  con- 
tributions are  less  than  a  twelfth  part  the  amount  given  by  non-Catholics 
to  the  Foreign  Missions.  "That  'tis  true,  'tis  pity,"  and  we  may  well 
ask  the  reason  for  such  a  disproportion.  Our  people  have  never  realized 
their  position  in  the  Church  and  their  duty  towards  our  priests  and  nuns 
who  are  spending  themselves  for  the  glory  of  God  in  foreign  lands.  We 
all  must  have  an  active  lasting  interest  in  the  propagation  of  the  Faith, 
and  he  who  is  indifferent  to  this  duty  is  a  Catholic  in  name  only.  May 
the  Christ-like  love  which  underlies  the  following  lines  animate  us  all  and 
encourage  us  to  pray  and  labor  for  the  day  when  "  there  shall  be  one  fold 
and  one  shepherd." 


Reverend  and  Dear  Father — I  am  an  Anglican  religious,  but  read 
with  great  interest  records  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith  in  the  "  Sacred  Heart  Review  "  of  Boston,  and  also  lately  the 
copies  of  the  Annals  that  you  have  so  kindly  sent  us.  The  foreign 
missions  of  the  Church  have  always  had  a  warm  place  in  my  heart 
and  a  constant  remembrance  in  my  prayers.  I  hope  your  reverence 
will  not  think  I  am  taking  a  liberty  in  writing,  or  that  what  I  say 
is  in  a  spirit  of  criticism.  I  have  read  with  surprise  (knowing  how 
conspicuous  your  people  are  for  good  works)  that  the  sum  contributed 
to  your  Society  last  year  in  the  United  States  was  only  $65,000.  I 
think  the  contributions  to  our  ^^  Board  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Mis- 


MISSION    NOTES    AND    NEWS  261 

sions  "  for  the  same  period  was  something  like  $800,000,  and  yet  your 
people  outnumber  us  five  to  one,  or  more.  No  doubt  much  money 
has  been  expended  in  other  good  ways,  such  as  through  the  St.  Vincent 
de  Paul  Society  and  in  maintaining  your  excellent  parochial  schools, 
and  yet  I  wish  that  more  came  to  your  Society,  to  spread  the  faith 
among  those  who  have  never  yet  heard  of  their  God  and  Saviour! 
I  notice  in  this  week^s  "Ave  Maria"  a  quotation  from  the  Holy 
Father  in  which  he  points  out  that  while  individual  gifts  are  good, 
that  the  largest  returns  will  be  from  the  perfect  organization  by 
which  the  many  small  offerings  are  collected.  It  is  just  in  this  way 
that  our  people  have  been  so  successful,  and  it  occurred  to  me  that  it 
might  be  of  use  to  you  to  know  of  the  way  in  which  one  part  of  our 
year's  income  comes  to  us.  This  is  called  the  "  Children's  United 
Offering,"  and  is  laid  on  the  altar  every  Easter  Day  as  the  result  of  the 
Lenten  self-denial  of  our  children.  The  Board  of  Missions  have  pre- 
pared every  year  cardboard  mite  boxes  which  are  sent  (free)  to  the 
rector  of  each  pa]:ish,  according  to  the  number  of  children  in  his 
Sunday  School.  These  are  distributed  to  the  children  on  Quinqua- 
gesima  Sunday,  with  instructions  to  put  in  the  box  from  day  to  day 
the  money  saved  by  self-denial  (such  as  money  usually  spent  for 
candy,  car  rides,  etc.),  and  also  any  money  collected  by  them  for  the 
purpose.  Many  poor  children  earn  all  their  money  by  working  after 
school  hours,  or  in  other  ways,  and  some  of  the  largest  offerings  come 
from  the  poorest  parishes.  These  boxes  are  returned  to  the  parish 
priest  at  the  end  of  Lent  and  by  him  forwarded  to  uie  Board  of  Mis- 
sions in  New  York.  The  amount  of  the  offering  has  grown  steadily, 
for  some  years  the  objective  set  before  the  children  was  to  try  to  raise 
the  sum  of  $100,000,  but  last  year  it  was  overpast  and  $110,000  offered 
to  our  Risen  Lord  by  His  little  ones.  I  am  convinced  that  if  some 
such  system  were  tried  with  your  children  in  Sunday  Schools,  and 
also  in  your  parochial  schools,  you  would  have  marvelous  results.  If 
we  have  one,  I  will  enclose  in  this  one  of  the  mite  boxes,  that  you  may 
like  to  see. 

I  must  ask  your  reverenc .  to  pardon  my  writing  in  pencil.  I  have 
^  for  four  months  been  confined  to  my  bed  with  heart  disease,  and 
writing  is  not  easy,  as  you  see  by  the  untidiness  of  this  sheet.  !May  I 
ask  you  of  your  charity  to  remember  me  once  at  the  altar  that  our 
Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give  me  the  grace  of  a  good  death.  If  any- 
thing I  have  written  is  of  service  to  you,  I  shall  be  glad,  but  please 
do  not  mention  my  name.     In  the  Sacred  Heart  of  our  Lord,  with 


262  MISSION    NOTES   AND    NEWS 

many  prayers  for  your  Society  and  for  the  spread  of  the  Catholic 
Faith,  Yours  respectfully, 


S^A 


Reverend  and  Dear  Father — Accept  our  thanks  for  the  interesting 
publications  you  sent,  which  were  read  with  much  interest.  What  a 
glorious  record  of  the  work  done  by  your  Society  since  1822,  and  if 
the  mere  outward  record  is  so  inspiring,  what  must  be  the  inner  spir- 
itual results  which  God  alone  could  estimate.  Surely  your  great 
Patron  has  carried  on  his  apostolic  labors  through  you.  I  was  spe- 
cially interested  in  Bishop  Pavier's  journal,  kept  during  the  siege  of 
Pekin,  as  I  have  often  wished  I  could  know  more  of  the  details  of 
what  took  place  at  the  Cathedral. 

Our  reverend  superior  instructs  me  to  ask  if  our  Society  may  be 
permitted  to  become  associates  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith.  We  are  seven  in  number,  and  the  yearly  subscription  I 
enclose  for  1904,  and  hereafter  on  the  Feast  of  St.  Peter  it  will  be 
renewed.  We  always  say  a  decade  of  the  Rosary  after  Sext  each 
day  for  foreign  missions,  and  to  this  we  will  add  the  Invocation  of 
St.  Francis  Xavier  for  the  Society  and  the  Our  Father. 

Perhaps  you  know  that  our  special  work  is  to  labor  and  pray  for 
the  return  of  the  Anglican  Church  to  her  allegiance  to  the  Holy  See, 
that  we  may  be  again  one  fold,  under  one  Shepherd.  When  that  great 
event  is  consummated  the  *^  kingdom  of  this  world  "  will,  I  trust,  very 
soon  become  ^^  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  Christ.'^ 

In  the  Sacred  Heart,  Yours  respectfully. 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  July-August  Number. 

For  the  Work  of  Catechists  in  the  African  Missions 
(Society  of  Lyons). 
Very  Rev.  M.  Weis  (Diocese  of  Alton) $10.00 

For  Father  CorrF^  Ieeper"  iftlssiON,  Japan. 

Very  Rev.  F.  M.  Boff-  (Diocese  of  Cleveland) 10.00 

Per  Rev.  T.  M.  O'Leary  (Diocese  of  Manchester) 5.00 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

Total    $30.00 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums^of  money  intended  by  the  donors  for 
any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards  the  same  at  once  to 
its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 


263 


OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  commended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Rt.  Rev.  H.  de  Regge,  D.  D.,  Diocese  of  Rochester. 

Rt.  Rev.  Monsig.  Slaughter,  of  the  Diocese  of  Portsmouth. 

Rev.  Patrick  Cunningham,  of  the  Diocese  of  Burlington. 

Of  the  Archdiocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Miss  Annie  Tracy,  Miss 
Mary  Martin,  Miss  Mary  E.  Sullivan,  Miss  Nellie  Tangney,  Mr.  Thomas 
Roche,  Mr.  Mangan,  Mr.  Wm.  C.  Creed,  Mr.  John  McCotter,  Mr.  John  J.  Mc- 
Inness,  Mrs.  Margaret  Reardon,  Mr.  James  Tully,  Mr.  John  Tully,  Mr.  Chas. 
McMullen,  Miss  Ann  McMullen,  Miss  Ellen  Burr,  Miss  Anastasia  Sheehan, 
Miss  Katie  Sheehan,  Mrs.  Daniel  Keene,  Mrs.  Sarah  Chamberlain,  Miss 
Louise  Chamberlain,  Mr.  Edward  Timmins,  Mrs.  Mary  Timmins,  Miss  Han- 
nah Fitzgerald,  Miss  Sarah  Haus,  Mrs.  J.  F.  Fitzpatrick,  Mr.  James  Wood, 
Miss  Bridget  Burns,  Miss  Catherine  Orr,  Mr.  Patrick  McCole,  Mr.  Daniel 
Keene,  Miss  Jennie  F.  Fitzpatrick,  Mrs.  Mary  Mooney,  Mr.  Daniel  Mahoney, 
Mr.  Michael  Hunt,  Mr.  T.  R.  Donovan,  Mrs.  Mary  Ivers,  Mrs.  Maria  Walsh, 
Mrs.  Johanna  Whelan,  Mr.  John  Haley,  Mr.  Thomas  Larner,  Mr.  Thos. 
Larner,  Jr.,  Mr.  Wm.  Lambert,  Mr.  Dennis  J.  Mahoney,  Mr.  Thos.  Cough- 
lin.  Miss  Margaret  Davin,  Mr.  Thomas  Norton,  Mr.  Michael  Norton,  Mr. 
Patrick  Ryan,  Miss  Mary  G.  O'Neil,  Miss  Margaret  Murphy. 

Of  tho  Archdiocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Rev.  Patrick  Hartigan, 
O.  P.:  Rev.  John  Cook,  C.  S.  S.R.;  Mrs.  McGoey,  Mrs.  Mary  Fitzpatrick, 
Mr.  Patrick  Faughman,  Mr.  James  Crangle,  Mr.  James  Bond,  Miss  Bridget 
Lannau,  Mr.  Patrick  McDavitt,  Mr.  John  Cullen,  Mrs.  M.  O'SullIvan,  Mrs. 
A.  McGuire,  Mr.  John  Dunn.  Mrs.  Mary  Jaeger,  Mrs.  Barrett. 

(We  shall  be-glad  to  recommend  the  names  of  all  deceased  associates 
whose  names  are  sent  to  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 


264 


ADVERTlSEIfENTS 


The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Field 

and  the 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Two  Papers  read  at  the  Missionary  Conference 
held  at  Washington,  D.  C,  April  6-12,   1904 


BY  THE 

Rev.  J.   FRERI,  D.  C.L.,  National  Director 

and  the 

Rev.   JAS.  A.  WALSH,   Boston  Diocesan  Director 

of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


EXTENT  OP  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

QUALITY  OP  MISSIONARY  LABOR. 

PROTESTANT  MISSIONS  AN  OBSTACLE. 

SOME  REMARKABLE  RESULTS. 

MEANS  OP  SUPPORT. 

REPLEX  INFLUENCE  OP  MISSIONARY  LABORS. 

THE  CATHOLICITY  OP  THE   CHURCH   AND  OP  THE  SOCIETY 
FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH. 

ARE  PROTESTANT  FOREIGN  MISSIONS  A  MERE  SHAM? 

OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OP  THE  SOCIETY  FOR 
THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH  IN  A  PARISH. 

THE    SOCIETY    FOR    THE    PROPAGATION    OF   THE    FAITH    A 
SOURCE  OP  BLESSINGS  TO  PRIESTS  AND  PEOPLE. 

THE  WORK  OF  THE  SOCIETY  AT  PRESENT. 

FAFEB,  5  CENTS 
Address: 

THE  SOdETT  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 
627   Lexingrton  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y.  , 

f 


ANNALS 

OF  THE  PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 


*♦♦!» 


^ 


GO  YE  INTO  Tii£  WHOLE  WORLD  AND 
FREACH  THE  GOSPEL  TO  EVERT  CREATURE 


lALTmORE.  MD. 


\^.. 


CONTENTS. 


\ 

REPORT  OF  ALLOCATIONS  MADE  IN  1904  BY  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPA- 
GATION OF  THE   FAITH      . 965 

BISHOP,  INISSIONARIES  AND  CHRISTIANS  MASSACRED  IN  CHINA     ....  275 

THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES.— Ill  Article 276 

Th»  Society  pf  African  MissionarlM  (White  Fathers),  by  the  Rev.  Sttnltlat 
Comte 275 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

Fiji  lBiandB.'-\j^T  of  the  Rev.  John  de  Marzan,  S.  M 200 

Conversion  of  the  Tribe  of  Vounangoumou. — Imprisonment 
of  the  Chiefs  of  Wainimala  for  the  Crime  of  Sorcery. — 
Pastoral  Visit. 

News  of  the  Missions. 

EUROPE. 

The  Urgett  Diocese  In  the  Worid 297 

ASIA. 

Massacres  In  Armenia  207 

Terrible  Cyclone  In   Anam 207 

An  Outline  of  Events  in  the  Far  East 298 

AFRICA. 

Edict  of  Menelik  against  the  Uzarltt  Mission  In  Abyssinia 298 

News  of  the  Mission  of  Galla 299 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 200 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annalsu 

EDITORIALS 

The  Feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavler 801 

The    Distribution   of    Offerings 802 

The  Chartty  of  the  S.  P.  F 802 

Visit  of  a  Japanese  Missionary 802 

Lay  Apostolate 808 

Grateful  Missionaries      . 804 

$70,000  In  One  Day 804 

Our  Departed  Friends 805 

MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 

Mackenzie.— Letter  of  Bishop  Breynat,  0.  M.  1 806 

Sandwich  Islands.— Letter  of  Father  Yzendoom 807 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 809 

OBITUARY 810 

CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  LXVII .811 


Bntered  at  the  Post  Offloe,  Baltimore,  Md.,  aa  Second  Class  Matter. 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Vol.  LXVII,  No.  457.  Novbmbb^|cember,  1904 


Report  of  the  Receipts  and  Exp^^^Hrres  of  the 

Society  for  the  Propagationi^rthe  Faith 

for  I903 


RECEIPTS 

Dioceses  of  Europe  11,107,463.93 

Dioceses  of  Asia 1,195.67 

Dioceses  of  Africa    5,588.82 

Dioceses  of  America* 132,321.35 

Dioceses  of  Oceanica 851.22 

Total  for  1903  (as  in  May  Report) 11,247,420.99 

Sum  remaining  at  the  disposal  of  the  Holy  Father  for  his 

Eastern  works  at  the  close  of  1902 27,600.00 

Balance  brought  forward  from  1902 27.23 

Grand  Total  11,275,048.22 

EXPENSES 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  Europe 1124,198.07 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  Asia    584,397.62 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  Africa 259,881.89 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  America 66,555.82 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  Oceanica    123,449.50 

Publication  of  the  16  editions  of  the  Annals 68,772.92 

Management    18,270.53 

Total  Expenses  for  1903 11,245,526.35 

Sum  at  the  disposal  of  the  Holy  Father  for  Oriental  Rites 29,400.00 

Balance  carried  forward  to  1904 121.87 

Sum  equal  to  the  foregoing  grand  total 11,275,048.22 


BBFOBT  FOR  1903 

The  Division  of  the  Alms  collected  In  1 903  has  been  made 

as  follows : 

MISSIONS  IN  EUROPE 

Diocese  of  Menevia— Bishop  Mostyn I  300.00 

Diocese  of  Lausanne-Geneva— Bishop  Deruaz    4,800.00 

Diocese  of  Chttr— Bishop  Battaglia 700.00 

Diocese  of  Basel— Bishop  Haas 2,000.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Cologne — Cardinal 

Fischer  800.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  Diocese  of  Treves — Bishop  Korum. .  800.00 
To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Munster — ^Bishop  Din- 

gelstadt    400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Paderbom — Bishop 

Schneider    3,200.00 

To  Missions  of  Northern  Germany — Bishop  Voss 6,600.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Limburg — Bishop 

Willi    400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Mainz— Bishop  Kir- 
stein    400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Fulda— Bishop  Enders  400.00 

Diocese  of  Hildeshelm — Bishop  Sommerwerk   2,300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Saxony 700.00 

Missions  of  Pomeranla  and  Brandenburg — Cardinal  Kopp 6,000.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Breslau — Cardinal 

Kopp     900^ 

Diocese  of  Posen  and  Gnesen — ^Archbishop  Stablewskl 1,700.00 

Diocese  of  Warmla  (Brmeland)— Bishop  Thiel 900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Denmark  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Von  Euch 7,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Sweden  and  for  the  Nuns— Bishop  Bitter 2,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Norway  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Fallize 5,300.po 

Diocese  of  Jassy — ^Rev.  Fr.  Malinowski,  Adm l,100i>0 

Diocese  of  Bukharest — ^Archbishop  de  Hornsteln 3,500.00 

Diocese  of  Nicopolls— Bishop  Doulcet,  C.  P.* 1,300.00 

Diocese  of  Serajevo— Bishop  Stadler  4,000.00 

Diocese  of  Banlaluka— Bishop  Markovic,  O.  F.  M 700.00 

Diocese  of  Antivarl— Archbishop  Millnovich,  O.  F.  M 800.00 

Diocese  of  Scutari — Archbishop  Guerlni  600 J)0 

Diocese  of  Scopla— Archbishop  Troskl 1,200.00 

Diocese  of  Durazzo — Archbishop  Bianchl    600.00 

V.  A.  of  Philippopolis  and  for  Nuns— Bishop  Mennini,  O.  M.  Cap..  800.00 
Apostolic  Delegation  of  Constantinople  for  Christian  Brothers' 
Schools  and  other  works  of  the  Latin  Vicariate — Archbishop 

Bonetti,  CM 18,600.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Plus  X 100.00 

Armenian  Catholics— Mgr.  Emmanuellan    3,800.00 

^The  following  abbreviations  have  been  used  In  the  report: 

Al.  M. — Algerian  Missionaries  (White  Fatherg).  B.  F.  M. — Foreign  Missions  of 
Belglnm.  C.  S.  C. — ^Holy  Cross  Fathers.  C.  M. — Lazarlsts.  C.  P. — ^Passionists. 
C.  8.  Sp. — Holy  Ghost  Fathers,  C.  SS.  R. — Redemptorlsts.  B.  F.  M. — Foreign 
Missions  of  England.  C.  I.  H.  M. — Children  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary. 
L.  A.  M. — African  Missions  of  Lyons.  M.  C. — Company  of  Mary.  M.  P.  M. — 
Foreign  Missions  of  Milan.  M.  S.  C. — Missionaries  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  of  Issbu- 
dun.  M.  B.  F.  8. — Missionaries  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  of  Annecy.  O.  0.  D. — ^Dis- 
calced  Carmelites.  O.  F.  M. — Franciscans.  O.  M.  C. — Franciscans  (Minor  Confen- 
tuals).  O.  M.  Cap. — Capuchins.  O.  M.  I. — Oblates  of  Mary.  O.  P. — Dominicans. 
O.  Praem. — ^Premonstratenslans  (Norbertlns).  O.  S.  A.-^Augustlnlans.  O.  8.  B. — 
Benedictines.  O.  8.  F.  S. — Oblates  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales.  P.  F.  M. — ^Foreign 
Missions  of  Paris.  R.  F.  M. — Foreign  Missions  of  Rotne.  S.  D.  S. — Society  of  the 
Divine  Saviour.  S.  H.  Pic. — Plcpusians.  S.  J. — Jesuits.  S.  M. — ^Marists.  8.  8. 
F.  8. — Saleslans.  8.  V.  D. — Society  of  the  Divine  Word  (Qerman-Holland  Foreign 
Missions).  Dloc. — Diocese.  H.  H. — His  Holiness.  Pref.  Apos.  or  P.  A. — ^Prefec- 
ture Apostolic.    Vic.  Apos.  or  V.  A. — ^Vicariate  Apostolic.    Aam. — Administrator. 


REPORT  FOR  1903  267 

Armenian  Sisters  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  through  His 

Holiness  Pope  Pius  X $1,000.00 

Armenian  Orphans  of  Recanati,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X.  400.00 
Lazarist   Missions   In   Constantinople,    Salonica,    Monastir   and 

Houses  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity 11,020.00 

Apos.  Del.  of  Greece  and  for  Nuns — Archbishop  Delenda 2,800.00 

Diocese  of  Corfu — ^Archbishop  Polito  1,100.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 1,600.00 

Diocese  of  Zante — Archbishop  Polito   300.00 

Diocese  of  Syria  and  for  the  Nuns — ^Bishop  Darmanin 600.00 

Diocese  of  Tyne  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  di  Mento 400.00 

Diocese  of  Candia— Father  da  Pettineo,  O.  M.  Cap 400.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Tyne  and  Syria 1,168.00 

Lazarist  Missions  In  Santorin  and  for  the  Sisters  of  Charity 1,600.00 

For  the  St.  Athanasius  College  in  Rome,  and  for  the  Latin  College 

in  Athens,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 6,000.00 

For  the  Oriental  College  in  Rome,  through  His  Holiness  Pope 

Pius  X 4,000.00 

Works  of  the  Propaganda  for  the  Union  of  the  Eastern  Churches, 

through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 800.00 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

Diocese  of  Scio  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Nicolosi 600.00 

.  Diocese  of  Smyrna  and  for  the  Brothers  and  Nuns — Archbishop 

Marengo     4,600.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Smyrna  and  Sisters  of  Charity 4,100.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Armenia 8,176.00 

To  the  Armenian  Bishop  of  Malatia,  through  His  Holiness  Pope 

Pius  X  600.00 

To  the  Armenian,  Syrian,  Greek  Melchite  and  Chaldean  Patri- 
archs, through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 5,700.00 

To   the   Apostolic   Delegation   of   Mesopotamia,   Kurdistan   and 

Armenia  Minor — Archbishop  Drure    3,000.00 

For  the  United  Rites  of  the  same  Delegation 2,500.00 

To  Mgr.  Thomas,  Chaldean  Patriarch,  through  His  Holiness  Pope 

Pius  X   2,000.00 

Dominican  Missions  in  Mesopotamia  and  Kurdistan 7,400.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  Mesopotamia 5,000.00 

Carmelite  Missions  in  Bagdad  1,700.00 

Latin  Patriarchate  of  Jerusalem — Mgr.  Piavi,  O.  F.  M 6,800.00 

To  the  Benedictines  of  Palestine,   through   His  Holiness   Pope 

Pius  X 4,ooo.oa 

Greek  Melchite  Seminary  of  St.  Ann  in  Jerusalem    (Algerian 

Missionaries)      3,800.00 

Missions  in  Cypress  and  for  the  Nuns— Mgr.  Piavi,  O.  F.  M 400.00 

Apostolic  Delegation  of  Syria,  for  the  Latin  Vicariate  and  the 

United  Rites— Archbishop  Duval,  O.  P 7,100.00 

To  Archbishop  Haggiar,  Melchite  Archbishop  of  St.  Jean  d'Acre, 

through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 1,000.00 

To  Mgr.  Doumani,  Greek  Melchite  Bishop  of  Tripoli,  through  His 

Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 1,000.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  Syria 1,800.00 

Carmelite  Minions  in  Syria   800.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Syria  and  Houses  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity, 

Beyrout    7,500.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Syria 9,070.00 

Apostolic  Delegation  of  Persia — Archbishop  Lesne,  C.  M 7,800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Arabia  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Clarke, 

O.  M.  Cap 2,200.00 

Diocese  of  Lahore— Bishop  Pelckmans,  O.  M.  Cap 1,900.00 


268  REPORT  FOR  1903 

Prefecture   Apostolic   of   Rajputana — V.    Rev.    Father   Fortunat, 

O.  M.  Cap $1,600.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Bombay — Archbishop 

Dalhoff,  S.  J 3,504.00 

Diocese  of  Poena— Bishop  Beider  Linden,  S.  J 1,943.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Calcutta — Archbishop 

Meulman,  S.  J 8,466.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Assam — Father  Muenzloher,  S.  D.  S 1,300.00 

Diocese  of  Dacca— Bishop  Hurth,  C.  S.  C 4,500.00 

Diocese  of  Krishnagar — Bishop  Pozzi,  M.  F.  M 2,400.00 

Diocese  of  Colombo— Archbishop  Melizan,  O.  M.  1 3,200.00 

Diocese  of  Jaffna— Bishop  Joulain,  O.  M.  1 6,000.00 

Diocese  of  Kandy— Bishop  Pagnani,  O.  S.  B 600.00 

Seminary  in  Kandy  for  the  Missions  in  India 2,800.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Ceylon 3,504.00 

Diocese  of  Madras — Archbishop  Colgan,  B.  F.  M 2,000.00 

Diocese  of  Hyderabad— Bishop  Vigano,  M.  F.  M 3,000.00 

Diocese  of  Nagpur,  M.  S.  F.  S 2,800.00 

Diocese  of  Vizagapatam— Bishop  Clerc,  M.  S.  F.  S 2,000.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Pondicherry — Arch- 
bishop Gandy,  P.  F.  M - 12,019.01 

Diocese  of  Kumbhakonam — Bishop  Bottero,  P.  F.  M 5,404.18 

Diocese  of  Colmbatore— Bishop  Roy,  P.  F.  M 6,672.96 

Diocese  of  Mysore— Bishop  Kleiner,  P.  F.  M 8,498.98 

Diocese  of  Malacca — Bishop  Burillon,  P.  F.  M 6,658.68 

Diocese  of  Madura — Bishop  Barthe,  S.  J 14,014.00 

Diocese  of  Mangalore — Bishop  Cavidini,  S.  J 10,316.00 

Diocese  of  Verapoly — Bishop  Bernard,  O.  C.  D 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  Quilon — Bishop  Ossi,  O.  C.  D 1,500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Trichur — Bishop  Menachery  200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Changanacerry— Bishop  Makil   200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Ernaculam — Bishop  Pareparambil 300.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Burma— P.  F.  M 4,202.53 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Burma — Bishop  Tornatore,  M.  F,  M 3,500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Burma— Bishop  Cardot,  P.  F.  M 8,017.48 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Siam— Bishop  Vey,  P.  F.  M 6,825.15 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Laos — Bishop  Cuaz,  P.  F.  M 4,508.87 

College  of  Paris  Foreign  Missions,  Pulo  Pinang 1,000.00 

House  of  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Singapore 2,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Cambodia — Bishop  Bouchut,  P.  F.  M 7,235.92 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Cochin  China— Bishop  Caspar,  P.  F.  M 8,457.59 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Cochin  China— Bishop  Grangeon,  P.  F.  M 10,022.22 

Vic.  Apos.  of  West  Cochin  China— Bishop  Mossard,  P.  F.  M 10,059.38 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Tongking— Bishop  Velasco,  O.  P 4,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Tongking— Bishop  Terres,  O.  P 3,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Central  Tongking — Bishop  Fernandez,  O.  P 6,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Tongking— Bishop  Pineau,  P.  F.  M 7,537.79 

Vic.  Apos.  of  West  Tongking— Bishop  Gendreaii,  P.  F.  M 8,785.95 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Upper  Tongking — Bishop  Ramond,  P.  F.  M 5,402.10 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Maritime  Tongking— feishop  Marcou,  P.  F.  M 6,245.90 

Pref .  Apos.  of  Borneo  and  Labuan — Father  Dunn,  E.  F.  M 2,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Chi-li— Bishop  Favier,  CM 5,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South-west  Chi-li— Bishop  Brugiere,  CM 4,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Chili— Bishop  Geurts,  C  M 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South-east  Chi-li — Bishop  Maquet,  S.  J 3,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Honan — Bishop  Scarella,  M.  F.  M 2.800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Manchuria— Bishop  Choulet,  P.  F.  M 5,019.87 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Manchuria — Bishop  Lalouyer,  P.  F.  M 3,398.90 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Mongolia— Bishop  Abels,  B.  F.  M 5,200.00 

Vic.  ApoB.  of  Central  Mongolia — ^Bishop  Van  Aertselaer,  B.  F.  M. .  5,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South-west  Mongolia — Bishop  Bermyn,  B.  ^.  M. . . .  5,100.00 


RBPOBT  FOR  1903  269 

Mission  of  Hi  (Kansu)— Father  Steeneman,  B.  F.  M $1,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Kansu— Bishop  Otto,  B.  F.  M 4.900.00 

House  of  Belgian  Foreign  Missions  in  Shanghai 600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Shen-si— Bishop  Rizzi,  O.  F.  M 2,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Shen-si— Bishop  Passerini,  R.  F.  M 3,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Shan-si— Bishop  Fiorentini,  O.  F.  M 2,200.00 

Vic.  ApoB.  of  South  Shan-si— Bishop  Zimmer,  O.  F.  M 2,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Shantung— Bishop  Giesen,  O.  F.  M 3,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Shan-tung— Bishop  Schang,  O.  F.  M 2,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Shan-tung— Bishop  Henninghaus,  S.  V.  D 4,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Che-Kiang— Bishop  Reynaud,  C.  M 5,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Ho-nan— Bishop  Volonteri,  M.  F.  M 3,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Hu-nan— Bishop  Perez,  O.  S.  A 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Hu-nan— Bishop  Mondaini,  O.  F.  M 2,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Bast  Hu-peh— Bishop  Carlassare,  O.  F.  M 2,600.00 

Mission  House,  Hankow    (EJast  Hu-peh) — Bishop  Carlassare, 

O.  F.  M 400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North-west  Hu-peh — Bishop  Landi,  O.  F.  M 2,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South-west  Hu-peh — Bishop  Verhaeghen,  O.  F.  M. ..  3,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Nanking— Bishop  Paris,  S.  J 1,752.00 

House  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Shanghai 2,100.00 

Vic.  ApoB.  of  North  Kiang-si — Bishop  Ferrant,  C.  M 2,900.00 

•Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Kiang-si— Bishop  Copset,  C.  M 2,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Kiang-si— Bishop  Vic,  C.  M 3,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Kui-chau— Bishop  Guichard,  P.  F.  M 7,035.66 

Vic.  Apos.  of  N.  West  Si-chuan— Bishop  Dunand,  P.  F.  M 6,291.82 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Si-chuan — Bishop  Chouvellon,  P.  F.  M 8,042.85 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Si-chuan — Bishop  Chatagnon,  P.  F.  M 7,002.45 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Thihet— Bishop  Giraudeau,  P.  F.  M 3,013.02 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Yun-nan— Bishop  Fenouil,  P.  F.  M 4,764.97 

Vic.  ApOB.  of  Amoy— Bishop  Clemente,  O.  P 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Fuh-chow — Bishop  Masot,  O.  P 3,000.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Kwang-si — Bishop  Lavest,  P.  F.  M 4,065.09 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Kwang-tung— Bishop  Merel,  P.  F.  M 9,954.70 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Hong-Kong— Bishop  Piazzoli,  M.  F.  M 1,900.00 

House  of  Italian  Foreign  Missions  in  Hong-Kong 600.00 

House  of  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Hong-Kong 4,120.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Corea— Bishop  Mutel,  P.  F.  M 7,371.41 

Diocese  of  Tokio — Archbishop  Osouf,  P.  F.  M 6,455.98 

Diocese  of  Osaka — Bishop  Chatron,  P.  F.  M 6,531.98 

Diocese  of  Nagasaki — Bishop  Cousin,  P.  F.  M 6,488.48 

Diocese  of  Hakodate— Bishop  Berlioz,  P.  F.  M 4,859.98 

MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of   Algiers — Archbishop 

Oury    , 1,800.00 

Kabyles  Mission  (Algeria) ,  Algerian  Missionaries 4,300.00 

Vic  Apoe.  of  Ghardaia — Algerian  Missionaries 2,100.00 

V.  A.  of  Sahara  and  French  Soudan — Bishop  Bazin,  Al.  M 3,800.00 

Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Constantino — Bishop 

Gazaniol     2,200.00 

Missions  of  the  Diocese  of  Oran — Bishop  Cantel 1,900.00 

Missions  of  Tripoli — Father  Barrafranca,  O.  F.  M 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Egypt  for  the  Brothers,  Nuns  and  Apos.  Delegation 

— ^Bishop  Briante    5,700.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  the  Delta  of  the  Nile  and  for  the  Nuns— L.  A.  M. . .  3,900!00 

Franciscan  Missions  In  Upper  Egypt  1,200.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Minleh,  V.  A.  of  Egypt 2,726.00 

Liuarist  Missions  and  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Alexandria 4,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Central  Africa— Bishop  Geyer,  V.  A.  M 1,600.00 


270 


REPORT  FOR  1903 


Pref.  Apos.  of  Erythraea— Father  Carbonara,  O.  M.  Cap $2,000.00 

Pref.  Apoe.  of  Abyssinia—Father  Gruson,  CM 2.400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Galla— Bishop  Jarosseau.  O.  M.  Cap 2,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Victoria  Nyanza— Bishop  Hirth,  Al.  M 4,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Victoria  Nyanza— Bishop  Strelcher,  Al.  M. . .  8,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Upper  Nile— Bishop  Hanlon,  E.  F.  M 2,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Upper  Congo— Bishop  Roelens,  Al.  M 4,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Unyanyembe — Bishop  Gerboin,  Al.  M 4,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Tanganyika — Bishop  Lechaptois,  Al.  M 4,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  LAke  Nyassa- Bishop  Dupont,  Al.  M 2,000.00 

House  of  the  Algerian  Missionaries  in  Monbasa 600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Shire— Father  Prezeau,  M.  C 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Zanzibar — Bishop  Allgeyer,  C.  S.  Sp 5,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Southern  Zanzibar — Bishop  Spiss,  O.  S.  B 1,000.00 

Mission  in  Upper  Zambesi — Father  Kerr,  S.  J 4,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Natal— Bishop  Delalle,  O.  M.  1 3,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Orange  Free  State— Bishop  Gaughran,  O.  M.  1 3,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Basutoland — Father  Genez,  O.  M.  1 5,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Transvaal — Bishop  Gaughran,  O.  M.  I.,  Adm 2,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Cape— Bishop  MacSherry 1,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  West  Cape  and  Pref.  Apos.  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 

District— Bishop  Leonard 1,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Orange  River— Bishop  Simon,  O.  S.  F.  S 3,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lower  Cimbebasla — Father  Nachtwey,  O.  M.  1 1,800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Upper  Cimbebasia — Father  Lecompte,  C.  S.  Sp 900.00 

Mission  of  Cunene — Father  Antunes,  C.  S.  Sp 700.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lower  Congo — Father  Magalhaes,  C.  S.  Sp 2,800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lounda— Father  Wendllng,  C.  S.  Sp 400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Belgian  Congo — Bishop  Van  Ronsle,  B.  F.  M 2,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Uelle — O.  Praem 800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Upper  Kassai — Father  Cambier 900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Lower  French  Congo — ^Bishop  Carrie,  C.  S.  Sp 3,300.00 

V.  A.  of  Upper  French  Congo  (Ubangi)— Bp.  Augouard,  C.  S.  Sp..  5,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Gabon— Bishop  Adam,  C.  S.  Sp 5,400.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lower  Niger— Father  Lejeune,  C.  S.  Sp 3,300.00 

Mission  of  Fernando-Po  ( Annoban) — Bishop  Coll,  F.  C.  I.  M 800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Kamerun — Pallotin  Fathers 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Benin — Bishop  Lang,  L.  A.  M 5,200.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Upper  Niger — Father  Zappa,  L.  A.  M 2,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Dahomey— Bishop  Dartois,  L.  A.  M 5,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Gold  Coast— Bishop  Klauss,  L.  A.  M 3,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Ivory  Coast — Father  Homand,  L.  A.  M 2,400.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Togoland — Father  Bucking,  S.  V.  D 1,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Sierra  Leone— Bishop  O'Gorman,  C.  S.  Sp 2,000.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Liberia— Fr.  Sarre,  M.  C 1,200.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  French  Guinea— Father  Segala,  C.  S.  Sp 2,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Senegambia— Bishop  Kunemann,  C.  S.  Sp 7,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Northern  Madagascar — Bishop  Corbet,  C.  S.  Sp 2,400.00 

V.  A.  of  Central  Madagascar  and  for  Christian  Brothers — Bishop 

Cazet,  S.  J 21,020.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Southern  Madagascar— Bishop  Crouzet,  CM 6,000.00 

Diocese  of  Port  Victoria,  Seychelles — Bishop  Hudrisier,  O.  M.  Cap  400.00 

Indian  and  Chinese  Missions  In  Reunion  Island 400.00 


MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 

Diocese  of  St.  Boniface — Archbishop  Langevin,  O.  M.  I . 

Diocese  of  St.  Albert — Bishop  Legal,  O.  M.  I 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Saskatchewan — Bishop  Pascal,  O.  M.  I 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Athabasca — Bishop  Grouard,  O.  M.   I . . 
Vic.  Apos.  of  Mackenzie — ^Bishop  Breynat,  O.  M.  I 


4,000.00 
6,000.00 
5,200.00 
4,000.00 
4,000.00 


RBI>OBT  90R  1903  271 

Diocese  of  New  Westminster— Bishop  Dontenwill»  0.  M.  I $6,800.00 

Jesuit  Indian  Missions  in  Canada  (St.  Boniface) 1,752.00 

Diocese  of  Vancouyer— Archbishop  Qrth 400.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Alaska— Jesuit  Missions 5,854.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  U.  S 3,795.00 

Diocese  of  Cheyenne— Bishop  Keane  300.00 

Diocese  of  Lead — Bishop  Stariha  400.00 

Diocese  of  Baker  City— Bishop  OHeilly 400.00 

Diocese  of  Tucson — Bishop  Granjon 800.00 

Diocese  of  Santa  Fe — ^Archbishop  Bourgade 800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Indian  Territory— Bishop  Meerschaert 2,800.00 

Diocese  of  Natchitoches  400.00 

Diocese  of  Natchez — ^Bishop  Heslin 400.00 

Diocese  of  Roseau — Bishop  Schelfhaut  1,900.00 

Dominican  Missions  in  Clenfuegoe,  Cuba 900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Jamaica— Bishop  Gordon,  S.  J 1,168.00 

Diocese  of  Port  of  Spain— Archbishop  Flood,  O.  P. 500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Curacao— Bishop  Van  Baars,  0.  P 1,800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  British  Honduras — Bishop  Hopkins,  S.  J 974.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Surinam — Bishop  Wulfingh,  C.  SS.  R 4,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Northern  Patagonia— Bishop  Cagliero,  S.  S.  F.  S 300.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Southern  Patagonia— Father  Fftgnano,  S.  S.  F.  S. .  900.00 

Mission  of  Corrientes — Franciscan  Fathers 200.00 

Missions  of  Arauco,  Diocese  of  San  Carlos  de  Ancud  (Chile) — 

Bishop  Jara  600.00 

Missions  of  Arauco   in   the   Diocese   of   Conception    (Chile) — 

Bishop  Labarca  400.00 

MISSIONS  nr  ocbanica 

Vie.  Apos.  of  Klmberley— Pallotin  Fathers  800.00 

Maori  Biission,  Diocese  of  Auckland— Bishop  Lenihan 800.00 

Maori  Mission  (Diocese  of  Wellington  and  Christchurch),  Father 

Devoy,  S.  M 1,600.00 

Jesuit  Missions  In  the  Bast  Indies 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  English  New  Guinea— Bishop  Navarre,  M.  S.  C 7,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Wilhelmsland  ((Jerman  New  Guinea) 1,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  New  Pomeranla— Bishop  Couppe,  M.  S.  C 5,200.00 

Marshall  Islands  (New  Pomeranla)   900.00 

Vic.   Apos.   of  the   Gilbert  and   Ellice   Islands — Bishop   Leray, 

M.  S.  C 5,800.00 

House  of  the  Missionaries  of  the  S.  H.  in  Sydney 600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Central  Oceanlca— Bishop  Lamaze,  S.  M 5,500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  the  Navigators  Islands — Bishop  Broyer,  S.  M 6,400.00 

To  the  same,  for  the  No.  Solomon  Islands 3,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  the  Fiji  Islands— Bishop  Vldal,  S.  M 9,900.00 

To  the  same,  for  the  So.  Solomon  Islands 3,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  New  Caledonia— Bishop  Fraysse,  S.  M 11,400.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  New  Hebrides— Bishop  Doucer6,  S.  M 5,400.00 

House  and  Sanitarium  of  the  Marlst  Fathers  in  Sydney 1,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Tahiti— Bishop  Verdler,  S.  H.  Pic 9,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  the  Sandwich  Islands — Bishop  Boeynaems,  S.  H. 

Pic 8,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Marquesas  Islands— Bishop  Martin,  S.  H.  Pic 4,200.00 

Exceptional  Subsidies  to  defray  the  Missionaries'  Passages 
on  Board  Ships  and  other  Extraordinary  Expenses 

EUROPE 

Lasarist  Missions  in  Constantinople,  Macedonia  and  Bulgaria 1     890.00 

Lasarist  Missions  in  Santorin  80.00 


272  REPORT  FOR  1903 


ASIA 


Lazarist  Missions  in  Smyrna $200.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  Mesopotamia 360.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Syria 340.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Persia 360.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Arabia 30.00 

Diocese  of  Lahore 1,170.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Bettiah  240.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Rajputana  180.00 

Diocese  of  Krishnagar 240.00 

Diocese  of  Dacca 280.00 

Diocese  of  Kandy  60.00 

Diocese  of  Madras    420.00 

Diocese  of  Hyderabad  540.00 

Diocese  of  Vizagapatam    1,200.00 

Diocese  of  Nagpur    1,020.00 

Diocese  of  Pondicherry  500.00 

Diocese  of  Coimbatore 100.00 

Diocese  of  Kumbhakonam    60.00 

Diocese  of  Maissour  200.00 

Diocese  of  Malacca 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Burma 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  East  Burma 500.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Burma 220.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Siam    300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Laos 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Cambodia 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Cochin  China   200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Cochin  China 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Cochin  China 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Tongking    300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Tongking 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Tongking 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Upper  Tongking 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Maritime  Tongking 200.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Borneo  and  Labuan    100.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Chi-li 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Chi-li    160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Chi-li    160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Ho-nan    320.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Ho-nan 960.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Manchuria 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Manchuria 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Mongolia 640.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Mongolia 1,500.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Mongolia   1,000.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Kan-su  600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Shen-si 320.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Chan-si  600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Chan-si 640.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Shan-tung 1,520.00 ' 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Shan-tung 480.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Che-Kiang    180.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Hu-peh    680.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Kiang-si  200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Kiang-si  160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Kiang-si 260.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Kui-Chau 700.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  N.  Western  Si-chuan 600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Si-chuan  600.00 


REPOBT  FOR  1903  273 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Si-chuan $640.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Thibet 720.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Yun-nan  400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Kwang-si 200.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Kwang-tung 200.00 

House  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Hong-Kong 56.17 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Corea 200.00 

Diocese  of  Tokio 100.00 

Diocese  of  HiEkodate  120.00 

Diocese  of  Nagasaki 100.00 

Diocese  of  Osaka 100.00 

AFRICA 

lAzarlst  Missions  in  Egypt 200.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Abyssinia 240.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Africa 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Galla 120.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Sahara  and  French  Soudan 1,400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Victoria  Nyanza  1,760.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Victoria  Nyanza 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Upper  Nile 280.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Upper  Congo  2,800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Unyanyembe    1,400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Tanganyika   3,600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Nyassa 1,800.00 

House  of  the  Algerian  Missionaries  in  Mombasa  400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Shire 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Zanzibar 1,345.00 

Vicariate  of  East  Cape  100.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Orange  Free  State 480.00 

Mission  of  the  Upper  Cimbebasla 200.00 

Missions  of  Kunene 175.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lower  Congo 250.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lounda 250.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Belgian  Congo 3,100.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Upper  Kassai  800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  French  Congo  550.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Ubangl  1,800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Gabon  2,350.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lower  Niger 700.00 

Mission  of  Kamemn    1,000.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Benin 640.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Dahomey 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Gold  Coast 200.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  the  Ivory  Coast 360.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Togoland  800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Sierra  Leone 100.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Liberia 600.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  French  Guinea  280.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Senegambia  490.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Madagascar 800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Madagascar 500.00 

Diocese  of  Port  Victoria 30.00 

AMERICA 

Diocese  of  Dallas  370.00 

Diocese  of  Tucson 700.00 

Diocese  of  Santa  Fe 60.00 

Diocese  of  Roseau 40.00 

Dominican  Missions  in  Cuba 1,520.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Southern  Patagonia  440.00 


274 


REPORT  FOR  1903 


OCEANICA 

Diocese  of  Rockinghampton  $480.00 

Diocese  of  Oerajdton  240.00 

Maori  Mission,  Diocese  of  Wellington  and  Christchurch 1,000.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  New  English  Guinea 480  00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  New  Dutch  Guinea 240.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Wilhelmsland  1,480.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  New  Pomerania 1,440.00 

Mission  of  the  Marshall  Islands 1,120.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Gilbert  and  Ellice  Islands 320.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Oceanica 600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Navigators  Islands 1,200.06 

Mission  of  the  Northern  Solomon  Islands 1,200.00 

Mission  of  the  Southern  Solomon  Islands , 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Fiji  Islands 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  New  Caledonia 2,400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  New  Hebrides  2,400.00 

House  and  Sanitarium  of  the  Marist  Fathers  in  Sydney 800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Tahiti    630.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Sandwich  Islands 560.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Marquesas  Islands  90.00 

SUMS  FORWARDED  TO  THE  MISSIONS  ACCORDING  TO  THE 
DONORS'  WISHES 

Europe    $  4,790.07 

Asia     36,234.62 

Africa  21,335.89 

America   &,082.82 

Oceanica     10,869.50 

Total  AUocations $1,158,482.90 


275 


THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


In  this  issue  of  the  Annals  we  publish  the  third  article  on  missionary 
societies.  The  account  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  Foreign 
Missions  of  Paris  is  followed  by  that  of  the  Congregation  founded  by  the 
great  Cardinal  Lavigerie.  It  is  young  still,  but  its  labors  have  made  it 
already  widely  known.  The  following  notice  is  thoroughly  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  that  man  of  genius  who  was  at  the  same  time  a  true  con- 
queror of  souls.  His  apostolic  action  survives  in  the  work  of  his  children — 
the  White  Fathers  and  the  White  Sisters. 

In  the  successive  studies  of  different  missionary  societies,  we  have  begun 
with  those  founded  in  the  XIX  century,  because  their  work  is  less  known 
than  that  of  others. 

Later  on  we  shall  publish  accounts  of  the  labors  of  the  venerable  con- 
gregations, which,  under  various  patrons,  such  as  Saints  Benedict,  Francis 
of  Assisi,  Dominic,  Ignatius,  Vincent  de  Paul  and  others,  have  edified  the 
world  by  the  splendor  of  their  works  and  virtues. 

III. 

THE  MISSIONS  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  AFRICAN 
MISSIONARIES  (WHITE  FATHERS) 

By  the  Rev.  Stanislas  Comte. 


Since  the  sixteenth  century  the  Franciscans,  Dominicans  and  Jesuits 
have  established  flourishing  missions  in  the  heart  of  America,  in  the 
extreme  Orient  and  in  the  lost  islands  of  Oceanica.  Africa,  however, 
though  much  nearer  to  Europe,  has  remained  almost  closed  to  their 
missionaries.  We  must  except  the  Portuguese  missions  of  Angola,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Congo,  founded  in  the  fifteenth,  and  those  of 
Mozambique,  founded  in  the  sixteenth  century,  which  had  only  an 
ephemeral  existence.  In  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  the 
Church  numbered  only  a  few  bishoprics  for  the  foreign  population 
scattered  along  the  coast  or  among  the  neighboring  islands  and  some 
missionaries  who  landed  in  Dakar  in  1842  and  in  Abyssinia  in  1846. 
This  was  not  yet  the  period  of  the  "  reconquest  of  the  apostolate  " 
outlined  by  Portuguese  Jesuits. 

Africa  presents  the  greatest  difficulties  to  foreign  exploration.  Its 
unbroken  coast  line  offers  no  possibility  of  a  harbor,  its  rivers  bar 
276 


THE  800IBTY  OF  AFRIOAN  1CIS8I0NABIE8 


277 


navigation,  and  access  to  the  lakes,  full  of  miasma,  is  impeded  by 
dangerous  rapids.  The  interior  presents  nothing  but  sterile  and 
burning  deserts,  impassable  swamps  and  forests.  Fever  rages  in  all 
parts  and  there  is  no  escaping  from  the  scourges  of  the  invisible 
enemy.    For  these  reasons  Africa  hae  remained  literally  "the  mys- 


BisHOP  LrviNHAc,  SuPEBioB  Genebal  of  the  White  Fathebs. 


terious  continent;"  till  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  geog- 
raphers were  in  doubt  as  to  whether  or  not  the  great  central  lakes 
formed  one  vast  single  sheet  of  water  and  whether  the  three  large 
rivers  had  a  common  source. 

Thirty  years  later,  1880,  not  a  corner  of  Africa  was  excluded  from 
apostolic  jurisdiction;  missionaries  bad  planted  the  cross  on  all  the 


278 


THE  SOCIETY  OP  APRIOAN  MISSIONARIES 


shores  of  its  great  lakes  and  at  the  sources  of  its  large  rivers.  Arch- 
bishop Lavigerie,  of  Algiers,  was  one  of  the  principal  factors  of  this 
important  religious  movement. 

4- 
How  beautiful  was  his  mission  in  Africa !     In  his  opening  address, 
when  he  took  possession  of  his  see  in  1867,  he  traced  the  outline  of 
his  magnificent  plan :  ^*  To  make  Algeria  the  cradle  of  a  great,  gener- 
ous. Christian  nation ;  to  spread  the  true  light  of  a  civilization  whose 


Southern  Ntanza — Residence  of  Missionaries. 


origin  and  law  is  derived  from  the  Gospel;  to  carry  the  truth  into 
the  desert,  even  into  the  heart  of  this  immense  continent  still  plunged 
in  barbarism;  to  bring  Northern  and  Central  Africa  to  live  a  Chris- 
tian life — such,  in  the  designs  of  Gk)d,  is  our  mission  from  Heaven.*^ 
This  grand  design  had  been  foreseen  by  Charles  X,  King  of  France. 
'^The  day  of  our  conquest  of  Algeria,*^  Archbishop  Lavigerie  ex^ 
plained  later  on,  "happened  on  the  eve  of  a  revolution  whose  prin- 
cipal character  was  religious  infidelity  and  opposition  to  the  Church. 
One  month  after  that  conquest   all  our  generals   were   replaced 


THE  SOOIETY  OF  AFRICAN  1CIS8I0NABIB8  279 

by  partifians  of  new  ideas;  their  policy^  as  anti-national  sa  it  waA 
impious^  was  to  depreciate  and  abolish^  as  far  as  possible^  the  Catho- 
lic relij^on  in  favor  of  Mohammedanism/'  What  is  more,  our  colony 
became  the  home  for  the  malcontents  of  the  mother  country,  and  the 
example  of  foreigners  was  far  from  helping  conversions.  In  vain 
prominent  Mohammedans,  of  their  own  accord,  asked  for  priests  to 
instruct  them;  the  government  was  so  antagonistic  that  two  of  the 
first  bishops  of  Algeria,  especially  the  well-known  Et.  Bev.  Mgr.  Pavy, 
were  forced  to  restrict  their  work  to  their  dioceses. 

In  vain  did  Mgr.  Lavigerie  draw  attention  to  the  fact  that  Divine 
Providence  having  used  the  efforts  of  the  world  for  the  betterment 
of  Africa  in  the  second  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  Catholic  mis- 
sions must  be  a  part  of  the  civilization  which  France  was  building 
up  in  Algeria. 

4- 

At  the  end  of  1867  a  terrible  famine,  caused  by  two  successive  years 
of  drought  and  the  locust  plague,  ravaged  Algeria.  Hunger  and 
disease  carried  off  one-fifth  of  the  native  population  within  a  few 
months.  Thousands  of  children,  left  orphans,  faced  certain  death. 
Bishop  Lavigerie  at  once  organized  relief;  1800  little  Mohammedans 
were  confided  to  the  care  of  the  Brothers  of  Christian  schools  and 
Sisters  of  Christian  doctrine. 

Becognizing  in  these  events  a  sign  from  Providence,  the  archbishop 
claimed  the  mission  of  the  "  eldest  daughter  of  the  Church  "  for  his 
own.  ''He  could  cherish  the  ambition,  for  he  accepted  the  labors 
and  possessed  the  genius.'*  Be  that  as  it  may,  men  and  money  were 
necessary.  God  was  to  provide  him  with  men  whom  he  could  animate 
with  his  zeal  and  inspire  with  his  thought.  The  money  was  expected 
principally  from  the  Sooibties  for  thb  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
and  that  of  the  Holy  Childhood.  "  I  do  not  believe,  moreover,''  he  said 
later  on,  "  that  the  question  of  money  is  ever  an  obstacle  not  to  be  over- 
come when  works  proceed  truly  from  God.  For  a  long  time  I  have 
experienced  that  Gk)d  sends  his  missionaries  what  they  need;  I  have 
always  received  from  charity  the  funds  to  carry  on  the  works  of  our 
missions.''  He  did  not  say,  however,  that  more  than  once;  even  as 
cardinal,  he  visited  the  capitals  of  Europe,  pilgrim's  staff  in  hand,  to 
beg  bread  for  his  children  and  alms  for  his  poor. 

In  the  midst  of  the  famine  Father  Girard,  president  of  the  seminary 
in  Algiers,  one  day  announced  to  the  archbishop  that  several  youn^ 


280 


THE  SOCIETY  OF  AFRICAN  1CISSI0NABIE8 


clerics  had  offered  themselyes  as  missionaries  to  the  Mohammedans. 
Archbishop  Lavigerie  called  them  together,  entrusted  their  religious 
guidance  to  a  Jesuit  and  a  Sulpician  Father  and,  on  the  second  of 
February,  1869,  bestowed  the  habit  of  a  new  religious  congregation 
on  its  first  four  members.     "  Since,^^  he  said  to  them,  "  the  pride  of 


Father  Paulmieb,  Murdered  in  Sahara  in  1876. 


Arabs  is  one  of  the  principal  obstacles  in  the  way  of  their  receiving 
the  Gospel  from  men  who  seem  to  despise  their  class,  we  must  give 
them  some  marks  of  condescension;  that  is  to  say,  we  must  make 
ourselves  more  like  unto  them,  adopting  their  exterior  mode  of  living, 
their  dress,  their  food,  their  language;  in  a  word,  we  must  become 
like  them  in  order  to  win  them  over  to  Jesus  Christ.^' 


THB  800IBTY  OF  APBIOAN  1CISSI0NARIB8  281 

The  Society  of  African  Missionaries  was  founded.  The  style  of 
its  habit  soon  gained  for  its  members  the  popular  title  of  '^  White 
Fathers/' 

This  institution  necessitated  another.  ^' Among  the  Mohammedans 
women  alone  can  approach  women  to  bring  salvation  unto  them. 
Everywhere,  and  especially  in  Africa,  woman  is  best  fitted  for  the 
ministry  of  charity .''  Archbishop  Lavigerie  sent  one  of  his  priests 
to  Brittany  for  women  filled  with  courage  to  undertake  this  new 
mission.  They  were  the  first  Missionary  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  of 
Africa.  Because  of  their  habit,  too,  the  people  called  them  "White 
Sisters.'' 

Before  ten  years  had  passed,  despite  the  very  great  diflBculties 
encountered,  the  faithful  little  troop  under  their  guide  had  opened  a 
new  world  to  the  apostolate.  A  few  dates  will  give  an  idea  of  the 
rapidity  of  their  progress. 

In  July,  1872,  in  the  Attaf  plain,  the  archbishop  solemnly  inaugu- 
rated his  first  Christian  Arab  village.  "This  village,"  said  he,  "will 
be  the  commencement  of  the  regeneration  of  the  people  and  of  that 
true  assimilation  which  is  sought  for  in  vain  in  the  Koran.  According 
to  the  Koran,  in  a  thousand  years  we  shall  be  as  we  are  to-day,  ^  dogs 
of  Christians ; '  to  strangle  us  and  throw  us  into  the  sea  will  be  con- 
sidered a  holy  act.'' 

In  1873,  Archbishop  Lavigerie  obtained  permission  to  establish  his 
missionaries  in  Kabylia,  whose  500,000  Berberes  are  descended  from 
former  Christians.  Three  stations  were  soon  founded;  fearing  an 
imaginary  fanaticism,  however,  the  government  formally  prohibited 
any  attempt  at  evangelization  on  the  part  of  missionaries.  If  they 
could  effect  no  conversions,  they  at  least  had  the  consolation  of 
winning  hearts  by  teaching  in  school  and  caring  for  the  sick.  The 
following  year  the  White  Fathers  pitched  their  tents  in  the  oases  of 
the  Sahara — ^the  terrestrial  Oceanica — rising  amid  an  immense  ex- 
panse of  desert  seas.  In  a  few  years  they  occupied  Laghouat,  Gery- 
ville,  Metlili,  Ouargla  and  El  Golea. 

These,  however,  were  only  advanced  posts  in  the  direction  of  Tim- 
buctoo,  the  holy  city,  the  learned  city,  the  mysterious  city  of  Soudan. 
By  founding  a  settlement  there,  at  whatever  cost,  the  archbishop 
intended  to  arrest,  if  possible,  the  extension  of  Mohammedanism 
among  the  blacks.  "  Several  young  negroes  might  be  ransomed,  edu- 
cated and  sent  back  into  their  own  country  as  apostles."    There  was 


282 


THE  SOGIBTY  OF  AFBIOAN  MISSIONABIES 


need  of  haste;  so,  at  the  close  of  1875,  three  White  Fathers,  Eevs. 
Pauhnier,  Bouchaud  and  Menoret,  set  out  with  the  order  and  reso- 
lution to  settle  in  the  capital  of  Soudan  or  to  sacrifice  their  lives  for 
the  love  of  the  Cross.  News  of  their  having  been  massacred  was 
afterwards  received. 

In  1876,  the  White  Sisters,  already  established  in  Kabylia,  went  to 
take  charge  of  the  hospital  in  the  Attaf  plain,  founded  for  the  benefit 
of  the  natives.     It  was   opened   with  wonderful   festivities   whose 


Bquatosial  Africa — Buildiivo  the  Mission  of  Kamooa. 

oriental  magnificence  was  so  well  adapted  to  the  great  ideas  of  the 
archbishop,  and,  from  the  very  beginning,  gained  the  sympathies  of 
the  Mohammedans.  This  hospital  for  natives  was  so  successful  that 
the  government  founded  another,  which  they  gave  in  charge  of  the 
White  Sisters. 

4- 

His  little  army  of  missionaries  suflBciently  organized,  increased  and 
trained,  Archbishop  Lavigerie  applied  himself  to  carry  out  the  second 


THE  800IETY  OF  AJfRIOAN  MIB8I0NABIE8  283 

part  of  his  great  providential  plan,  viz.,  "  to  spread  the  true  light  of  a 
civilization  whose  origin  and  law  is  derived  from  the  Gospel,  to  carry 
the  truth  into  the  desert,  even  into  the  heart  of  this  immense  conti- 
nent, still  buried  in  barbarism/^ 

The  new  field  of  action  which  he  requested  from  Some  for  his 
White  Fathers  extended  from  the  southern  boundary  of  Soudan,  in 
the  north,  to  the  English  possessions  in  the  south,  and  was  bounded 
on  the  east  and  west  by  existing  missions.  ^'The  extent  of  terri- 
tory,*'  said  he,  "  is  a  region  as  large  as  Europe,  covering  an  area  of 
nearly  8,000,000  square  miles.  According  to  recent  geographers,  the 
population  numbers  nearly  one  hundred  million  souls.  The  missions 
to  be  established  offer  the  greatest  hopes,  for  they  appeal  to  idolaters 
who  are  new  souls.'^ 

The  request  of  Archbishop  Lavigerie  was  favorably  received  by 
Leo  XIII  four  days  after  his  election,  and  on  April  22,  1878,  the  first 
caravan  of  White  Fathers  left  Marseilles  to  penetrate  into  the  interior 
of  the  Dark  Continent. 

4- 

The  caravan !  What  trials,  what  fatigue,  what  suffering  this  word 
conjures  up !  No  roads  to  travel !  simply  a  path  which  the  band 
followed  in  Indian  file  for  hundreds  of  miles,  making  a  guard  almost 
impossible  and  desertion  easy.  There  are  instances  where  as  many 
as  120  men  have  run  off  within  a  few  days. 

Arrived  at  the  Arab  colony  of  Tabora,  two-thirds  of  the  route  behind 
us,  the  caravan  divided ;  four  of  the  missionaries — their  superior  had 
died  in  the  forest — ^turned  toward  Tanganyika,  the  other  five  toward 
Nyanza.  Since  their  departure  from  Marseilles  the  first  band  had 
travelled  ten  months,  the  second  fourteen.  The  same  voyage  is  now 
made  in  two  or  three  months. 

Thus  were  the  missions  of  Equatorial  Africa  definitely  founded. 

4- 

The  zeal  of  Archbishop  Lavigerie  was  far  from  satisfied.  The  same 
year  he  founded  a  Graeco-Melchite  seminary  in  Jerusalem  for  the  edu- 
cation of  priests  of  the  United  Greek  rite  to  effect,  through  them,  the 
return  of  eastern  schismatics  to  the  Church.  At  the  same  time  he 
gave  the  Church  of  Saint  Ann,  in  Jerusalem,  ceded  by  Turkey  to 
France,  in  charge  of  his  own  missionaries. 

In  1879  he  opened  a  college  in  Carthage  under  the  direction  of  the 
White  Fathers  and  opened  the  way  for  tiie  "  annexation  of  Tunis  to 
the  spiritual  kingdom  ^'  by  the  introduction  of  a  Catholic  clergy.   The 


284 


THE  SOCIETY  OF  AFBIOAN  ICISSIONABIES 


same  yeax  his  missionaries  were  established  in  Tripoli  to  attempt  the 
entrance  into  Soudan  by  way  of  Shadames. 

Such  progress  could  not  be  made  without  sacrifices;  in  1881,  within 
a  few  months,  the  news  came  that  three  missionaries  had  been  mur- 
deredyon  the  shores  of  Lake  Tanganyika  and  three  others  in  Sahara 
on  their  way  to  Timbuctoo.     "  Ten  of  yours  have  already  shed  their 


Fatheb  Bouchaud,  Mubdebed  in  Sahaba  in  1876. 


blood  in  the  interior  of  poor  Africa,"  wrote  the  archbishop,  when  he 
felt  himself  obliged  to  moderate  their  zeal. 

Blood  was  shed  in  torrents  around  the  missionaries.  On  the  shores 
of  Tangan3dka,  Arab  slave  traders  put  all  to  fire  and  sword  for  many 
years;  the  White  Fathers,  the  only  representatives  of  civilization  in 
that  distant  country,  were  obliged  to  sustain  veritable  sieges  in  order 


THB  800IETY  OF  APBIOAN  MISSIONARIES  285 

to  save  the  thousands  of  negroes  who  sought  refuge  with  them  from 
death. 

Farther  north,  on  the  shores  of  Victoria  Nyanza,  persecution 
immolated  generous  martyrs  by  the  executioner^s  ax  or  the  pyre's 
flames;  there,  as  at  all  times,  the  blood  of  martyrs  proved  the  seed  of 
Christians. 

The  missions  at  present  in  charge  of  the  White  Fathers  may  be 
divided  into  three  groups : 

The  Missions  of  Northern  Aerica,  Algeria,  Tunis,  Kabylia 
and  Sahara,  are  developing  slowly ;  not  because  Mohammedans  cannot 
be  converted,  since  reason  and  facts  prove  the  contrary,  but  because  of 
•  the  hindrances  of  all  kinds  which  cramp  the  free  action  of  the  apos- 
tolate.  Excepting  Kabylia,  where  good  results  have  followed  mis- 
sionary effort,  the  moment  has  not  arrived  when  conversions  may  be 
looked  for,  still  we  may  break  down  prejudice. 

This  mission  numbers  16  stations  with  230  catechumens  and  about 
700  neophytes,  Arab  and  natives.  The  White  Sisters  conduct  indus- 
trial and  children's  schools,  dispensaries  and  hospitals. 

4- 

The  Missions  of  Central  Africa  comprise  all  of  French  Soudan 
or  the  "  country  of  the  blacks ;  '^  that  is  to  say.  Upper  Senegal,  Upper 
Niger  and  the  regions  included  in  the  basin  of  this  river. 

The  population  defies  all  statistics  and  classification;  of  the  Cau- 
casians we  shall  mention  only  the  Berberes  and  Arabs,  all  Moham- 
medan ;  of  the  negroes,  the  Mand6,  the  Songhai  and  the  Mossi.  The 
term  Mand6  designates  a  number  of  different  tribes  presenting  some 
analogy  of  language  and  type,  such  as  the  Bambara,  the  Malinke,  the 
Sonnenke  (Saracolets)  and  the  Sousou;  most  of  them  are  fetishists. 
Finally,  the  red  race,  a  mongrel,  is  represented  by  the  Peul  (Foulb^, 
Fellata),  probably  of  Semitic  origin,  and  the  most  ardent  propagators 
of  Mohammedanism. 

Although  the  White  Fathers  did  not  penetrate  into  Soudan  until 
the  victory  of  Bonnier,  in  1894,  this  mission  has  already  grown  to  be 
one  of  great  promise.  The  greater  number  of  blacks,  it  is  true,  em- 
brace the  religion  of  Mohammed  in  idle  boast,  adopting  a  few  exterior 
practices;  nevertheless,  even  so  much  makes  true  conversion  less  easy. 
With  the  Bambara  and  Mossi  fetishists,  there  is  every  reason  to  hope 
for  conversions  in  great  numbers. 

The  vicariate  apostolic  of  Soudan  numbers  10  stations,  1245  neo- 
phytes, 2840  catechumens,  11  schools  and  32  charitable  institutions. 


286 


THE  SOOIETY  OF  AFRIOAN  MISSIONARIBB 


The  White  Sisters  have  established  their  usual  works  and  are  in  charge 
of  a  military  hospital;  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph  of  Cluny  conduct 
several  common  and  industrial  schools,  besides  a  military  hospital. 

4- 

The  Missions  of  Equatorial  Africa  comprise  the  six  vicariates 
of  Northern  (Uganda)  and  Southern  Nyanza,  Ounyanyembe,  Tan- 
ganyika, Upper  Congo  and  Nyassa. 


%^S^^  -^ 


Sahaba.     Mission  of  El  GtOLea. 

Excepting  a  few  Indians,  Arabs  and  Europeans,  the  number  of 
whom  is  on  the  increase,  the  population  is  composed  entirely  of 
negroes.  The  blacks  have  nothing  whatever  in  common;  each  tribe, 
nearly  every  settlement,  speaks  a  dififerent  language;  their  size  ranges 
from  that  of  the  Pygmies  (3^  to  4  ft.)  to  that  of  the  Mouhima  (6  ft. 
and  above) ;  even  their  color  varies  from  ebony  black  through  all 
shades  to  the  most  beautiful  chestnut  brown. 


THB  SOCIETY  OF  AFRICAN  MI88I0NABIB8  287 

The  same  yariety  is  manifested  in  the  climate^  the  hot  plains  of 
Roukowa  (Tanganyika)  contrasting  with  the  eternal  snow  of  equa- 
torial peaks.  Ourandi  with  its  wild  valleys  and  graceful  hills,  where 
the  sweet  odor  from  meadows  mingles  with  the  lowing  of  the  herds,  is 
the  Switzerland  of  Africa, 

Each  and  every  one  of  these  missions  has  given  the  best  results; 
that  of  Uganda,  in  particxdar,  has  astonished  the  world  by  the  number 
and  fervor  of  its  Christians,  recalling  the  most  glorious  times  of  the 
Church.  Stanley  prophesied  the  truth  concerning  the  Baganda  when 
he  called  them  "  an  extraordinary  people.'*  Unfortunately,  this  people 
is  harassed  by  a  disease  called  the  sleeping  sickness  and  the  Bubonic 
plague,  which  will  annihilate  them  unless  Heaven  comes  to  their 
relief. 

Everywhere  the  White  Sisters  help  the  missionaries  in  their  apos- 
tolic work.  Besides  infant  asylums,  dispensaries  and  leper  hospitals, 
they  conduct  common  and  industrial  schools  for  young  girls,  whom 
they  try  to  educate  as  good  housewives  and  Christian  mothers.  The 
best  instructed  among  their  pupils  usually  marry  catechists  and  make 
themselves  very  useful  by  teaching  the  women  in  the  villages  evan- 
gelized by  their  husbands.  Their  households  are  a  valuable  auxiliary 
for  the  mission. 

The  moral  transformation  in  Christian  villages  is  not  the  least  con- 
spicuous fact;  the  neophytes  possess  an  elevation  of  thought  and  a 
delicacy  of  sentiment  that  is  truly  astonishing.  Eeligious  subjects 
are  their  usual  theme  of  conversation;  the  beauty  of  their  souls  regen- 
erated by  baptism  is  reflected  in  their  demeanor,  language  and  even 
in  their  carriage. 

The  blacks,  by  their  manner  of  understanding  and  practicing  a 
Christian  life,  are  a  formal  refutation  of  a  certain  bulletin  on  anthro- 
pology which  states  that  "it  is  as  nonsensical  to  teach  religion  to  a 
race  of  fetishists  as  to  teach  differential  calculus  to  a  child  five  years 
old.*' 

Our  Christians  frequently  approach  the  sacraments,  many  of  them 
once  a  week.  Large  numbers  assist  at  Mass  every  morning;  their 
whole  demeanor  and  the  prayers  which  they  say,  often  aloud,  attest 
a  simple  and  profound  faith.  All  manifest  a  great  devotion  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  as  well  as  to  their  patron  saint  whose  feast  they  cele- 
brate with  great  solemnity.  If  they  need  special  assistance  in  any 
important  affair  or  in  a  dangerous  hunt,  they  invoke  Mary.  Nearly 
all  recite  the  rosary  every  day  with  such  recollection  that  pagans  and 
Protestants  are  moved  by  their  religious  respect  and  often  find  in  it  a 
sufficient  motive  for  conversion.    Neophytes  and  catechumens  rarely 


THE  SOOIETY  OF  AFRIOAN  lOSSIONABIES 


commence  any  work  without  first  making  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  it 
is  the  first  act  which  a  mother  teaches  to  her  child.  We  might  men- 
tion numerous  instances  of  the  heroic  practice  of  all  the  virtues. 
Contemplative  souls  are  not  a  rarity;  so  eager  are  they  for  Christian 
perfection  and  sacrifice  that  missionaries  are  deeply  edified. 


Father  Menobst,  Mubdebed  in  Sahara  in  1876. 

In  June,  1903,  our  equatorial  missions  numbered  56  stations,  1200 
catechists,  91,316  neophytes,  193,496  catechumens  and  346  schools. 

4- 

The  Society  of  Missionaries  of  Africa  is  an  association  of  secular 
clergy,  living  in  community,  following  the  same  rule  and  bound  to 
their  work  in  common  by  the  oath  of  consecration  to  missions  in 
Africa,  according  to  the  rules  of  the  society  and  under  obedience  to 
superiors. 


THE  SOCIETY  OF  AFBIOAN  MISSIONARIES 

"  It  cannot  be  denied,"  Cardinal  Lavigerie  writes,  '*  that  a  mission 
like  that  in  Africa,  and  especially  in  the  interior,  presents  difficulties, 
suffering  and  danger. 

"  The  first  proceeds  from  the  climate,  which  is  hard  on  the  consti- 
tution of  foreigners.  For  this  reason,  unlike  other  communities 
which  have  their  mother  houses  in  Europe,  the  novitiate  has  been 
established  in  Africa  itself,  near  Algiers.  The  climate  in  this  region 
partakes  of  the  character  of  that  of  Europe  and  of  the  equator.  In 
this  way  missionaries  are  tried  and  gradually  acclimated. 

^'  The  second  cause  of  suffering  is  the  change  of  food,  particularly 
in  the  interior.  We  are  deprived  of  the  things  which  we  had  at  home; 
often  we  have  no  bread  or  vegetables  and  native  fruits  are  quite  differ- 
ent to  ours.  The  necessity  of  making  long  journeys,  exposed  to  the 
burning  sun,  is  one  more  cause  of  suffering.  Missionaries  are  accus- 
tomed to  these  trials  from  the  time  of  their  novitiate  and  are  thus 
enabled  to  test  their  strength. 

"Besides  material  sufferings  there  are  others  more  painful  to 
endure,  especially  in  the  beginning  of  a  mission.  To  change  the  sen- 
timents of  a  people,  to  lead  them  from  error  to  truth,  from  vice  and 
barbarism  to  virtue  and  civilization,  is  always  a  long  and  difficult  work. 
When  missionaries  arrive  with  illusions  very  common  to  generous 
natures,  believing  that  they  need  only  be  seen  to  win  over  their  audi- 
ence, only  to  speak  to  convert,  they  meet  with  a  disappointment  that 
might  well  discourage  them.  There  is  but  one  remedy  for  this  evil : 
perfect  reliance  upon  God  in  prayer  and  the  firm  conviction  that  all 
required  of  a  missionary  is  not  so  much  success  as  fidelity  to  his  duty. 

"All  these  sufferings,  however,  have  their  reward,  some  in  measure 
a  hundred-fold.  Prom  a  material  standpoint,  if  life  in  Africa  is  hard 
imder  some  conditions,  it  is  attractive  under  many  others.  Those 
who  have  seen  the  clear  sky  of  Africa,  its  pure  light  and  majestic  and 
picturesque  scenery,  do  not  want  to  leave  it.  From  a  spiritual  stand- 
point, the  harvest  promises  an  abundance;  perhaps  no  other  mission 
in  the  world  holds  out  a  greater  hope  to  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel 
than  does  equatorial  Africa.  If  the  list  of  dangers  is  terrifying, 
consolations  are  proportionately  great.  With  Saint  Paul  we  may  say, 
*  I  abound  in  joy  in  the  midst  of  all  my  tribulations.' 

"Moreover,  it  is  this  interior  joy  which  proceeds  from  suffering 
itself  when  borne  for  the  love  of  our  Lord,  from  a  consciousness  of 
laboring  for  the  extension  of  His  kingdom  in  the  souls  of  others,  and 
in  himself,  that  makes  the  vocation  of  a  missionary  superior  to  that 
of  a  priest  in  Christian  countries.*' 


M 

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SlBKuBn 

n^ 

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^^ 

^^ 

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I^^^M^ 

Jpl 

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(^v^sflK^&Jf 

MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  THE  FIJI  ISLANDS 

In  1844,  Bishop  Bataillon,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Central  Oceanica,  founded 
the  first  Catholic  Fiji  mission,  on  the  island  of  Namuka,  south  .of  Viti 
Levu.  During  the  following  years,  Christian  poets  were  multiplied  on 
most  of  the  islands  of  the  archipelago,  so  that  in  1863,  by  a  decree  of 
March  6,  the  Fijian  mission  was  made  an  Independent  prefecture  apostolic. 
The  progress  of  conversions  decided  the  Holy  See  to  constitute  it  a  vicariate 
apostolic.  May  5,  1887.  Thirty-two  missionaries,  all  Marists,  are  in  charge 
of  the  90  Christian  settlements  scattered  over  the  islands  of  Viti,  Vanua, 
Taviuni,  Ovalau  and  Rotuma. 

Letter  of  the  Rev.  John  de  Marzan^  S.  M. 

Solo-IRA,  Notre  Dame  d'Esperance,  June  14,  1904. 

I  have  good  news  for  you.    The  third  tribe. 

Conversion  of  the  that  of  Vounangoumou,  dwelling  on  the  banks 

Tribe  of  of  the  Wainimala,  have  followed  the  example 

VonnangoumoiL  of  the  Namosi  and  Solo-ira  tribes  and  entered 

the  true  fold.  God  be  praised  a  thousand  times ! 

In  1902,  when  Bishop  Vidal  returned  from  Namosi,  accompanied 
by  Father  Bougier  and  myself,  we  visited  several  villages  of  this  tribe. 
We  wished  to  see  the  chief  of  Solo-ira,  who  had  just  been  converted, 
and  who  is  a  relative  of  the  principal  chief  of  the  new  tribe. 

Once  converted,  the  people  of  Solo-ira  not  only  practiced  their 
religion  themselves,  but  endeavored  to  become  the  apostles  of  their 
faith  to  others.  Calling  upon  their  relatives  of  the  Vounangoumou 
tribe,  whose  chief  lives  about  twenty-eight  miles  distant,  they  ex- 
plained the  purpose  of  their  visit  after  the  usual  salutations.  Their 
address  may  be  condensed  as  follows : 

"We,  chief  and  people  of  the  tribe  of  Solo-ira,  have  received  the 
Catholic  religion  and  know  that  it  is  good.  Her  priests  are  true 
fathers  to  us,  and  treat  us  like  their  children.  It  is  a  religion  of 
290 


FIJI  ISLANDS 


291 


kindness  and  love  and  its  practice  makes  us  happy.  Since  we  love 
yon,  because  you  are  our  brethren  and  of  our  blood,  we  want  you  to 
share  in  our  happiness.  Receive  the  Catholic  religion  and  abandon 
the  error  in  which  you  are  living.  This  is  our  desire  and  the  only 
purpose  of  our  visit.'^ 

After  these  words,  one  of  tliem  approached  the  chief  and,  according 
to  Fijian  custom,  offered  him  a  present,  which  was  accepted.     This 


Fiji. — On  the  Shores  of  the  Rewa  Riveb. 


was  a  good  sign,  as  its  acceptance  was  a  promise  to  accede  to  the 
visitors^  requests.  The  chief  of  Vounangoumou,  however,  desired  to 
defer  embracing  the  new  religion  for  a  few  months,  saying  that  he  and 
his  people  would  study  it  first.  He  promised  that  they  would  not 
hesitate  to  embrace  it,  and  closed  his  address  with  the  following  sig- 
nificant words :  "  Together  we  have  heretofore  been  in  error ;  together 
we  shall  henceforth  soon  be  in  truth."  This  interview  took  place  in 
February,  1903.    How  long  were  we  to  wait?    God  alone  knew.    In 


292  MISSIONS  IN  OOBANICA 

December,  1903,  an  incident  occurred  which  promised  to  retard  this 
movement  of  conversion,  but  which  on  the  contrary,  proved  the  means 
in  the  design  of  God  to  soon  bring  it  to  pass. 

4- 

The  tribe  of  Vounangoumou  had  already 

T       .  .    M  received    some    Protestant    instruction    from 

ImprisonmeiLt  of 

^    ^,  .  -     -  Methodist  ministers;   most  of  them,  however, 

Wainimala  for  the        adhered  to  pagan  customs,  and  especially  to 

n.         -  -5  certain  practices  of  sorcery  called  luve  ni  wax 

Cnme  of  Sorcery.  ,  ^ .        ...  ^  ,       x    x      m, 

(ceremonies  of  the  sons  of  water).     These 

pagan  practices  had  been  prohibited  by  the 
government.  Unexpectedly,  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe  were  brought  before 
court  for  having  tolerated  and  even  favored  the  ceremonies  of  the  sons 
of  water.  On  the  10th  of  December  several  of  the  accused  were  pro- 
nounced guilty  and  condemned  to  three  months'  imprisonment.  Be- 
fore leaving  to  suffer  the  penalty  of  their  guilt,  the  great  chief,  as  well 
as  the  priest  of  the  sons  of  water,  addressed  their  people : 

''Go  at  once  to  get  prayer-books,  crucifixes,  medals  and  rosaries 
from  the  Catholic  priest  and  embrace  the  true  religion;  it  alone  can 
cure  us  of  pagan  superstitions  and  make  us  happy  like  our  brethren  of 
Solo-ira;  if  you  are  afraid  to  embrace  it  now,  wait  until  we  are  set  at 
liberty  and  we  shall  become  Catholics  upon  our  return.'' 

The  people  decided  to  wait  for  the  expiration  of  the  three  months. 
During  that  time  they  were  visited  by  the  Christians  of  Solo-ira,  who 
earnestly  exhorted  them  to  embrace  the  Catholic  religion  without 
delay.  These  devoted  apostles,  however,  could  not  induce  them  to 
take  the  last  step. 

Having  been  advised  of  their  favorable  dispositions,  I  decided  to 
send  several  native  catechists  to  them,  whilst  I  myself  went  to  see  their 
imprisoned  chiefs.  My  visits  were  graciously  received  and  they  joined 
their  voices  with  mine  in  prayers  to  God  on  their  own  behalf.  Before 
I  left  they  promised  me  to  be  converted  as  soon  as  they  had  served 
their  term  of  sentence.  In  the  meantime  I  visited  several  villages  in 
the  mountains  where  all  the  people  seemed  disposed  to  abjure  their 
errors. 

On  the  10th  of  March,  the  day  of  the  chiefs  deliverance,  I  returned 
to  Souva;  true  to  their  word  they  accepted  the  cross,  wearing  it  con- 
spicuously around  their  necks  as  a  sign  of  their  admission  to  the 
Catholic  Church.  Returning  to  their  tribe,  they  took  with  them 
some  medals  for  the  most  influential  men  of  their  different  villages. 


FIJI  ISLANDS 


293 


Solemn  Pastoral 
Visit  to  the  Tribe 


On  the  17th'  of  March,  Father  Rougier  and 
myself  set  out  on  our  pastoral  visit,  accom- 
panied by  a  number  of  catechists  and  children 
from  our  school.     After  a  two  days'  march, 
in  a  driving  rain,  we  arrived  at  the  first  villages  of  the  tribe;   here 
we  learned  that  the  Bonli  or  sub-prefect  of  the  region  was  opposed  to 
conversions,  and  had  torn  the  cross  from  the  neophytes^  necks.     Such 


Fiji  Islands. — Court  of  Justice  in  Rewa. 


a  violation  of  religious  liberty  in  opposition  to  the  laws  of  the  country 
required  immediate  and  energetic  action.  To  comfort  our  new  con- 
verts, we  visited  every  village.  Thanks  be  to  God !  we  were  able  to 
thwart  the  designs  of  the  Bonli  and  succeeded  in  having  the  magis- 
trate call  his  attention  to  the  fact,  that  Fijians  are  free  to  embrace  the 
Catholic  religion  as  any  other  and,  in  consequence,  that  no  cross  should 
be  taken  away  from  any  neophyte. 

•I- 


294 


MISSIONS  IN  OOBANIOA 


This  admonition  put  an  end  to  annoyances  from  that  quarter. 
Another  war,  however,  was  shortly  afterwards  instigated  by  a  Meth- 
odist minister.  Despite  his  smooth-tongued  calumnies,  he  met  with 
violent  opposition.  As  a  last  resource,  to  frighten  the  natives,  he  pre- 
dicted an  immediate  ruin  of  the  whole  tribe. 

"  I  have  seen  in  a  vision,'*  said  he,  "  that  only  those  who  hold  fast 
to  my  girdle  shall  be  saved." 

We  assured  our  neophytes  that  only  those  shall  be  saved  who  cling 


""'^ 


Fiji  Islands. — The  Rewa  Riveb. 


to  the  cross  of  Christ.  Fijians  believe  readily  in  dreams;  neverthe- 
less the  minister  gained  nothing  by  his  lying.  Unabashed,  he  spread 
the  rumor  that  the  English  government  of  the  colony  regarded  their 
conversion  with  suspicion,  and  would  refuse  any  post  of  honor  to 
Catholic  chiefs. 

Then  one  of  the  newly  converted,  the  most  influential  chief,  said 
to  the  neophytes: 

"  I  wish  to  set  my  mind  at  rest  concerning  this  rumor;  I  am  going 
to  consult  the  missionary.'* 


7UI   ISLANDS  295 

Arrived  at  Solo-ira,  I  advised  him  to  go  to  Souva,  the  residence  of 
the  governor  and  of  the  bishop. 

^'  Go  and  see  the  bishop  yourself/*  I  said,  "  and  you  will  find  that 
the  governor  will  contradict  the  report,  for  he  is  a  protector  of  religious 
liberiy/' 

It  was  Holy  Thursday  when  the  chief  and  his  catechist  arrived  in 
Souva.  Bishop  Vidal  received  him  affectionately  and  obtained  an 
interview  for  him  with  the  minister  of  the  home  government.  Prom 
him  he  learned  that  the  English  government  allows  full  religious 
liberty.  Any  one  may  believe  as  he  pleases,  provided  that  he  obeys 
the  civil  laws. 

4- 

Made  happy  by  this  answer,  the  chief  returned,  home,  having  first 
been  strengthened  in  his  faith  by  the  sight  of  the  beautiful  ceremonies 
of  Holy  Thursday  and  Good  Friday.  Informing  his  people  that  the 
governor  had  told  him  a  Catholic  was  free  to  practice  his  religion  and 
could  hold  a  position  under  the  government,  the  same  as  a  Protestant, 
he  assured  the  neophytes,  before  the  whole  tribe,  that  he  intended  at 
once  to  enter  the  Catholic  Church ;  at  the  same  time  he  expressed  the 
hope  that  the  other  chiefs,  his  relatives,  would  do  likewise  and  that 
all  the  people  would  follow  their  example.  In  consequence  of  this 
declaration  500  persons  consented  to  become  Catholics. 

The  Jtfethodist  minister  made  a  last  effort  to  gain  his  cause,  but 
the  brother  of  the  chief  who  had  been  a  prisoner  answered  him : 

"  Minister,  you  tell  me  that  we  are  your  children,  but  how  are  we 
your  children,  and  how  are  you  our  father  ?  My  brother  and  several 
other  chiefs  of  our  tribe  spent  three  months  in  prison.  Who  visited 
them  and  consoled  them  ?  You  ?  No.  It  was  the  Catholic  mission- 
ary; it  was  he  too  who  visited  our  tribe  and  instructed  us.  It  is  not 
you  who  have  been  a  father  to  us;  it  is  the  Catholic  priest.  There- 
fore we  should  be  his  children,  not  yours.  That  is  all  I  have  to  say 
to  you.'* 

4- 

On  Easter  and  the  following  Sunday  these  people  came  in  large 
numbers  to  our  little  church  in  Solo-ira,  too  small  to  accommodate 
them.  They  had  traveled  several  days  to  reach  us.  Before  leaving 
they  begged  me  to  get  them  catechists,  a  missionary  and  Sisters.  I 
made  known  their  request  to  Bishop  Vidal,  but  not  a  single  priest  can 
be  spared  for  a  new  mission  in  Fiji.     Since  the  conversion  of  Namosi 


296 


MISSIONS  IN   OOSANIOA 


and  Solo-ira,  several  Fathers  have  had  their  work  increased  to  an 
enormous  extent.  Pray  that  new  missionaries  may  arrive  and  that 
we  may  receive  ahns  to  build  a  chapel  on  the  beautiful  shores  of  the 
Wainimala.. 

We  also  need  a  convent  for  Sisters  to  instruct  young  girls  and  train 
them  in  Christian  virtue.  Who  will  come  to  our  a€lsistance?  In  re- 
turn for  what  we  receive,  we  promise  our  prayers  and  those  of  our 
neophytes,  and  God  will  reward  a  hundred-fold. 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


EUROPE 
The  Larerest  Diocese  in  the  World 

For  eighteen  months  the  vast  diocese  of  Mohilev,  whose  titulary 
resides  in  St.  Petersburg,  has  been  deprived  of  a  pastor.  The  new 
archbishop,  so  impatiently  expected,  Mgr.  Georges  Scherabek,  former 
bishop  of  Plotsk,  was  promoted  to  his  new  see  November  9,  1903,  and 
received  the  pallium  Ascension  Day,  May  19, 1904,  in  the  parish  church 
and  pro-cathedral  of  Saint  Catherine. 

As  archbishop  of  Mohilev  and  likewise  administrator  of  the  diocese 
of  Minsk,  without  a  bishop  since  1869,  his  jurisdiction  extends  from 
Pinsk  almost  to  the  frontiers  of  Austria,  as  far  as  Yladivostock  and 
from  Tachkend  on  the  boundary  line  of  Thibet  to  the  Arctic  ocean. 

ASIA 
Massacres  in  Armenia 

Our  readers  are  acquainted  with  the  heart-rending  scenes  presented 
in  the  mission  of  Armenia.  The  missionaries  of  these  regions  so  sorely 
tried  have  sent  us  an  appeal  of  despair  to  move  charitable  hearts  in 
behalf  of  their  poor  starving  Christians. 

God  grant  that  their  cry  of  distress  may  be  heard !  We  commend 
this  poor  Christian  flock  to  the  charity  of  our  readers. 

Terrible  Cyclone  in  Annam 

Father  Fleury,  superior  of  the  Seminary  of  Foreign  Missions, 
has  telegraphed  from  Paris: 

"  We  have  received  the  following  dispatch : 

"  ^  The  mission  of  Hu6  has  been  destroyed  by  a  typhoon.  Father 
Dangelzer,  pro-vicar,  killed.    Implore  immediate  aid  for  us. 

Caspar.'  " 
297 


298  NEWS    OF    THE    MISSIONS 

Bishop  Caspar  has  been  vicar  apostolic  of  Northern  Cochin  China 
since  1880.  The  victim  of  this  terrible  disaster.  Father  Louis  Etienne 
Dangelzer,  was  the  senior  dean  of  all  the  missionaries  of  that  country. 
Bom  in  the  diocese  of  Strasburg  in  1839,  he  left  for  Annam  in  1863. 

An  Outline  of  Events  in  the  Far  East 

Bishop  Chatagnon,  vicar  apostolic  of  Southern  Si-Chuan,  writes 
from  Sin-Fu: 

"  Times  are  bad  in  China.  For  ten  years  there  has  been  no  cessa- 
tion of  persecution  in  this  province ;  we  have  scarcely  had  even  a  few 
months  of  respite.  Nevertheless,  God  has  favored  us  with  consola- 
tions and  encouragement.  Though  persecutions  are  not  a  thing  to 
be  desired  and  do  much  harm,  still  they  also  effect  some  good.  By 
the  grace  of  God,  who  makes  use  of  the  most  contrary  events  to  pro- 
mote his  glory  and  increase  our  merit,  they  excite  the  faith  and  zeal 
of  lukewarm  Christians,  arousing  virtues  of  which  they  deemed  them- 
selves incapable. 

"The  pagans  themselves  ere  moved  and  attracted  by  religion.  I 
have  never  experienced  a  similar  movement  of  conversions.  Since  the 
war  of  1900,  which  affected  all  China,  it  has  been  felt  in  every  prov- 
ince. In  the  midst  of  troubles  and  revolutions,  the  pagans  turned  to 
the  young  society  of  Christians  who  seemed  to  be  more  consistent  and 
united  and  manifested  greater  charity  to  one  another.  As  in  the 
times  of  St.  Paul,  pagans  are  without  love  and  pity  for  one  another 
and  can  easily  be  won  over  by  any  one  who  shows  the  least  sympathy 
for  them.  Thus  God  makes  use  of  the  calamities  in  this  world  for. 
the  salvation  of .  souls.  We  cherish  the  strongest  hope  that  this 
immense  empire  will  one  day  be  converted. 

"At  present  we  are  enjoying  peace,  despite  the  war  between  Russia 
and  Japan,  which  from  all  indications  will  be  a  long  and  desperate 
one.'^ 

AFRICA 
Edict  of  Menelik  against  The  Lazarlst  Mission  in  Abyssinia 

Father  Edward  Gruson,  C.  M.,  superior  of  the  mission  in  Abys- 
sinia, writes : 

"  The  readers  of  the  Annals  will  be  grieved  to  learn  that  a  general 
persecution  has  been  declared  in  Abyssinia. 

"  Until  within  the  last  few  days  our  expectations  wavered  between 
fear  and  hope.     Owing  to  the  great  distance  between  our  mission  and 


AFRICA  299 

the  capital,  as  well  as  to  the  good-will  of  the  prefect  of  Agamie,  we 
cherished  the  thought  that  we  might  be  left  undisturbed. 

"Alas!  we  are  all  included  in  the  persecution.  There  is  no  hope 
of  escaping  the  suflfering  till  the  end. 

"After  having  made  the  most  frightful  ravages  in  the  south,  the 
storm  is  about  to  break  over  all  our  works.  The  order  of  our  expul- 
sion has  been  pronounced  by  Menelik  II  himself.  The  following  is 
a  translation  of  the  imperial  letter  to  the  governor  of  our  province : 

"'The  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  has  conquered,  Menelik  II,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  king  of  the  kings  of  Ethiopia. 

"'This  communication  shall  reach  Choum  Agamie  Desta. 

" '  How  is  your  health  ?     I,  thanks  be  to  Grod,  am  well. 

" '  Our  father  Pietros  is  sent  by  me ;  consequently  he  alone  is  em- 
powered to  teach  religion  in  the  region  of  Tigris.  As  for  yourself, 
you  are  charged  with  the  commission  of  expelling  the  men  of  Abba 
Joannes  who  are  in  your  province.     That  is  my  desire. 

"'Written  in  our  city  of  Adis  Abeba,  the  19th  day  of  November, 
1896,  that  is  to  say,  the  27th  day  of  November  according  to  our 
Latin  calendar.' 

"By  the  men  of  Abba  Johannes  (Father  Coulbeaux,  my  venerable 
predecessor)  the  negus  means  not  only  Lazarist  missionaries  but  all 
native  priests  and  Catholics.  That  is  the  interpretation  given  by  all 
the  lawyers  in  the  country. 

"  Thus  our  unfortunate  faithful  have  no  other  alternative  but  apos- 
tasy or  exile.  We  are  anxiously  awaiting  the  result  of  the  negotia- 
tions of  the  French  minister  in  Adis  Abeba/' 

News  of  the  Mission  of  Galla 

Since  the  foregoing  letter  was  written.  Father  Moyse,  of  Orleans, 
procurator  general  of  the  Capuchin  missions,  has  sent  us  the  following 
note  which  promises  some  hope  even  for  Abyssinia : 

"  Thanks  to  the  intercession  of  Mr.  Lagarde,  the  French  minister, 
and  to  the  intelligence  and  generosity  of  Menelik,  the  suffering  which 
has  overwhelmed  the  mission  of  Galla  is  about  to  cease." 


DESTINATION    OF    MISSIONARIES 

Reported  since  the  September-October  Annals 


AFRICA 

French  ChUnea 
Rev.  Father  Laoas,  C.S.Sp. 

French  Soudan 
Rev.  Femand  Sauvant,  A1.M. 

"     Bmll  Gourtellle,  Al.M. 

»*     Pierre  Houme,  A1.M. 

»»     Henri  Pranooia,  A1.M. 

<*    Martin  Leuray,  A1.M.   . 

*^     Bugene  Mangln,  A1.M. 

"     Ernest  Thueux,  A1.M. 
Northern  Nyanza 
Rev.  Brneat  Favidre,  Al.M. 

"     Arthur  Prentice,  A1.M. 

"    Iieon  Delevaux,  Al.M. 

**     Btienne  Arveny,  AI.M. 

"     Louis  Delery,  Al.M. 

"    Joseph  Berder,  A1.M. 

''     Jean  Baptiste  Persef^ol, 
A1.M. 

SoutTiem  Nyanxa 
Rev.  Henri  Leonard,  A1.M. 

•*     Bmll  Kuypers,  Al.M. 

*'     Bugene  Desbrosses,  A1.M 

"     Martin  Portet,  A1.M, 

''     Leon  Reant,  A1.M. 
Brother  Fulgence,  Al.M. 

N&rthern  Madaoc^car 
Rev.  Father  Ghapert,  C.S.Sp. 

QcLbon 
Rev.  Fr.  Nussbaumer,  C.S.Sp. 
"       "    Monnier,  C.S.Sp. 

NORTH  AMERICA 

Canada. 
Rev.  Father  Limbour,  C.S.Sp. 

SOUTH  AMERICA 

COIiOMBIA. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Tupbelller,  O.M.I. 
•*     J.  M.  Arrieudare,  O.M.I. 
•*     P.  Baron,  O.M.I. 
*•     V.  Buret,  O.M.I. 


ASIA 

China. 
Kvxmg-tuno 
Rev.  Alfred  Jarreau,  P.F.M. 
**     Bmll  Leveque,  P.F.M. 
''     Bdouard  Sapin,  P.F.M. 

TonMn 
Rev.  Louis  Christian  Deoooman. 

P.F.M. 
'*     Antoine  Marie  Mafifnin, 

P.F.M. 
"     Bmll  Olivier  Proult,P.F.M. 
"     Clavis  Tlssot,  P.F.M. 
"     Matthew  Bocher,  P.F.M. 
"     Jules  Louis  Bremaud, 

P.F.M. 

Thibet. 
Rev.  Pierre  Sylvaln  Valentin, 
P.F.M. 

Cochin  China 
Rev.  Gaston  Francois  Degas, 
P.F.M. 
•*    Celestin  Tramler,  P.F.M. 
*'     Celeste  Marie  Nicolas, 
P.F.M. 

Kwang-si 
Rev.  Louis  Humbert,  P.F.M. 

Hong  Kong 
Rev.  Alexandre  Marie  David, 
P.F.M. 


Si-chuam, 
Rev.  Dominique  Arias,  P.F.M. 
''     Adolphe  Marie  Pitiot, 
P.F.M. 

**     Cyril  Francois  Gibergues, 

P.F.M. 
^     Jean  Ferdinand  Amaud, 

P.F.M. 
'*     Bdmond  Champion,  P.F.M. 
"     Pierre  Louis  Clavidres, 

P.F.M. 
^     Amand  Alphonse  Poisson, 

P.F.M. 


Kui-chau 

Rev.  Jos.  Alphonse  Saunier, 
P.FJff. 
'*     BugeneBartholemyGrlm- 
ard,  P.F.M. 

Chi-li 
Rev.  Jos.  Nlssen,  S.J. 

'*     Paul  Bornet,  S.J. 
Brother  Joseph  Schmltt,  S.J. 

Cambodia 
Rev.  Yves  Qulmbrot,  P.F  Jf . 
*'     Jos.  Pilliot,  P.F.M. 

India 

Siam 

Rev.  John  Yves  Bellamy. 
P.F.M. 

Laos 
Rev.  Leon  Perroudon,  P.F.M. 
'*    Jean  Marie  Bouohet, 
P.FJi. 

Pondicherry 

Rev.  Bertraud  Ernest  Maylin, 
P.P.M. 
*'     Ludovio  Blaesd,  P.  F.M. 

Kumbhakonam 

Rev.  Jean  Baptiste  Croze, 
P.F.M. 
**     Jules  Bulllard,  P.F.M. 
'*     Claudius  Chasaain,  P.  F.M . 

Coinibatore 
Rev.  Leon  Auguste  Bechut, 
P.F.M. 

Maisur 

Rev.  Antoine  Marie  Laval, 
P.F.M. 

Ceylon 
Rev.  GHiston  BobichezC8.J. 

»*     Michel  Gouth,  8.  J. 
Brother  Alphonse  Drouan,  S.J. 


300 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THB 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


The  Feast  of 

St.  Francis  Xavier. 


On  December  3,  the  Church  will  celebrate 
the  Feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  the  great 
missionary  of  the  sixteenth  century,  who  la- 
bored so  zealously  and  with  such  great  success 
to  fill  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  India  and  Japan  with  Christian 
truths.  St.  Francis  was  chosen  as  patron  of  the  Society  by  its  very 
founders,  and  this  year  our  Holy  Father  Pope  Pius  X  confirmed  that 
choice  in  the  beautiful  letter  which  he  addressed  to  the  Catholic  world 
encouraging  and  commending  the  work  of  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith.  He  did  more,  he  raised  the  Feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  to  a 
higher  liturgical  rite  in  order  that  the  veneration  paid  to  him  may  be 
further  increased.  Our  associates  will  not  fail  to  answer  the  wishes 
of  the  Holy  Father  and  pay  to  that  great  apostle  a  special  duty  of 
honor  and  praise.  Let  them  pray  on  that  day  that  God  may  inspire 
our  missionaries  with  the  zeal  and  love  for  souls  which  consumed  the 
heart  of  Francis.  May  their  efforts  be  blessed  with  the  same  success 
and  may  also  the  association  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  grow 
in  strength  day  by  day  under  the  intercession  of  Francis. 

We  remind  the  members  of  the  Society  that  a  special  plenary  indul- 
gence is  granted  them  on  the  3d  of  December,  provided  they  observe 
the  usual  conditions  prescribed  by  the  Church. 

301 


302        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS 

The  report  published  in  this  number  shows 
The  Distribution  of  how  the  alms  collected  in  1903  were  distrib- 
the  Offerings.  uted  in  the  early  part  of  this  year    Whilst  it 

is  a  clear  evidence  of  the  truly  Catholic  char- 
acter of  the  Society,  it  indicates  also  that  our  poor  missionaries  must 
rely  on  the  grace  of  God  and  their  own  sacrifices  rather  than  on  human 
means  to  carry  out  their  mission.  Their  applications  for  help 
amounted  to  nearly  five  times  the  amount  on  hand  for  distribution. 
All  had  to  be  curtailed  in  proportion  and  the  alms  sent  were  really 
insignificant  if  we  consider  the  needs  and  the  results  aimed  at.  And 
yet  how  gracefully  received  by  those  noble  souls !  How  willing  they 
are  to  share  the  merits  of  their  sufferings  and  labors  with  their  bene- 
factors !  Let  us  hope  that  the  number  of  good  Christians  anxious  to 
partake  of  those  precious  blessings  will  grow  and  through  their  charity 
the  joys  of  the  Gospel  will  be  imparted  to  a  larger  number  of  souls. 

The  Propagation  of  the  Faith  has  not  suc- 
Tlie  Charity  of  the  ceeded  as  yet  in  obtaining  a  firm  footing  in 
Society  for  the  Canada,  since  the  total  contributions  to  the 

Propagation  of  the        work  made  last  year  by  that  country  amounted 
Faith.  to  only  $2270.83.     The  sum  is  rather  small 

for  a  Catholic  population  of  over  two  millions, 
still  the  Society  continues  helping  generously  the  missions  of  the 
Dominion,  showing  thereby  its  truly  Catholic  spirit  and  charitable 
impartiality.  As  may  be  seen  from  the  report  published  in  the  pres- 
ent issue,  the  sum  of  $31,152.00  was  apportioned  to  the  missions  of 
Northwestern  Canada,  which  may  be  counted  among  the  hardest  on 
account  of  the  distances  and  the  rigor  of  the  climate.  They  are  almost 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate. 

A  few  weeks  ago  we  had  the  pleasure  of  en- 
Visit  of  a  Japanese  tertaining  a  Catholic  missionary  from  Japan, 
Missionary.  the  Rev.  Claudius  Ferrand.    Father  Ferrand 

is  returning  from  Europe,  where  he  has  been 
soliciting  the  charity  of  the  faithful  in  behalf  of  a  work  which  prom- 
ises to  do  much  towards  the  conversion  of  the  Japanese  people.  He 
is  striving  to  reach  the  masses  through  the  students  and  has  already 
obtained  remarkable  results  in  Tokio,  where  the  student  body  is 
50,000  strong.     Briefly,  Fath.er  Ferrand's  plan  is  to  establish  dormi- 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS       303 

tories  for  students  where  they  will  be  guarded  against  the  baneful 
influences  of  the  hotels  in  which  they  are  accustomed  to  live,  and 
brought  into  a  Catholic  atmosphere.  The  first  Catholic  Geshikuya 
(dormitory)  established  three  years  ago  by  Father  Ferrand  has  met 
with  great  success  and  contains  at  present  more  than  sixty  students. 
The  good  report  of  this  house,  which  is  called  Nazareth,  has  spread  in 
Tokio,  so  that  government  oflBcials  expressed  their  satisfaction  at  the 
work  which  is  being  done,  and  nearly  one  hundred  and  twenty  appli- 
cants have  been  refused  for  lack  of  accommodations.  Father  Ferrand 
is  striving  to  enlarge  the  work  and  establish  other  Catholic  Oeshikuijas 
both  in  Tokio  and  the  other  university  cities  of  Japan  and  is  traveling 
to  obtain  the  necessary  funds. 

From  New  York,  Father  Ferrand  went  to  Boston,  where  he  received 
the  most  cordial  welcome.  He  will  visit  several  places  in  Canada, 
where  he  will  lecture  upon  the  Japanese  and  their  manner  of  living, 
at  the  same  time  pleading  the  cause  of  his  most  deserving  undertaking. 

A  few  days  ago  we  received  a  letter  from  k 
Lay  Apostolate.  Catholic  layman  asking  for  information  and 

materials  to  establish  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  a  certain  parish  of  a  Western  diocese. 
We  thought  at  first  that  his  intention  was  merely  to  form  a  band  of 
Associates  among  his  friends,  but  soon  received  another  letter  asking 
for  more  materials  with  the  welcome  intelligence  that  he  meant  to 
start  the  work  throughout  the  whole  parish,  which  is  a  new  one,  and 
later  on  throughout  the  diocese  in  which  it  is  located. 

We  have  since  learned  that  the  credit  for  the  formation  of  that  new 
parish  is  due  to  that  young  man,  who  is  in  the  employ  of  a  large  rail- 
road corporation.  When  he  went  to  the  place  he  found  about  one 
hundred  Catholic  families  deprived  of  the  help  of  religion.  He  set 
about  encouraging  interest  for  the  building  of  a  church  and  his  efforts 
met  with  prompt  success ;  the  church  was  dedicated  last  month  by  the 
bishop  and  a  pastor  appointed. 

What  is  more  remarkable  than  all  this  is  the  determination  of  that 
young  man  to  establish  at  once  the  Society  for  the  Propagatiox  of 
THE  Faith  in  his  parish,  which  probably  is  itself  in  need  of  many 
things.  But  he  understood  that  the  surest  way  to  draw  the  blessings  of 
God  upon  our  own  apostolic  labors  is  to  take  interest  in  those  of  others ; 


304       SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERIOAK  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS 

that  the  safest  means  of  keeping  the  faith  and  diffusing  its  advantages 
around  us  is  to  do  something  toward  bringing  its  light  to  those  entirely 
deprived  of  it;  that  charity  for  this  world-wide  apostolate^  far  from 
being  prejudicial,  rather  stimulates  generosity  for  all  home  works. 
This  is  a  true  Catholic  spirit;  may'Gtod  bless  the  efforts  of  that  lay 
apostle  and  may  his  example  be  followed  by  many ! 

On  August  30  the  Chapter  General  of  the 
Oratefnl  Congregation  of  the  Oblates  of  Mary  Immacu- 

Missionaries.  late  convened  at  Liege.     It  was  attended  by 

fifty-five  members,  among  others  the  Arch- 
bishop of  St.  Boniface,  the  Bishops  of  Jaffna,  St.  Albert,  New  West- 
minster, the  Vicars  Apostolic  of  Athabasca,  Mackenzie,  Saskatchewan, 
Yukon,  Orange  Colony,  Natal,  and  other  prefects  apostolic  and  chiefs 
of  missions  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 

One  of  the  first  cares  of  the  Chapter  was  to  address  unanimously  a 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  op  the  Faith. 
In  the  letter  expressing  the  gratitude  of  the  Congregation,  they  assert 
that  it  is  owing  to  the  generous  assistance  of  the  Society  that  their 
missionaries  are  enabled  to  pursue  their  apostolio,  labors;  they  ask 
Ood  to  bestow  His  choicest  blessings  upon  its  members  and  directors, 
promising  them  a  communion  of  prayers  and  merits.  They  hope  that 
the  number  of  our  associates  will  grow  daily  and  that  all  good  Catho- 
lics will  generously  contribute  to  the  cause  of  the  missions,  which  is 
the  cause  of  our  Lord  Himself. 

ITnnnono  "Oh!    it  is  wonderful,  very  wonderful!*^ 

^    '      '  loudly  sang  the  congregation  that  assembled 

in  the  (Jospel  Tabernacle,  692  Eighth  Avenue, 
New  York,  on  October  9.  The  Rev.  A.  B.  Simpson,  President  of  the 
Christian  Missionary  Alliance,  had  made  an  appeal  in  behalf  of  the 
Protestant  foreign  missions  and  people  were  pouring  money  into  his 
hands. 

Before  the  end  of  the  day  $70,000.00  had  been  contributed  to  the 
cause  in  that  one  church  and  by  that  one  congregation.  It  was  indeed 
wonderful!  And  this  is  only  one  of  the  many  instances  when  our 
separated  brethren  give  us  a  remarkable  example  of  their  zeal  and 
eagerness  for  the  propagation  of  the  Christian  faith. 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMEBIOAN  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS       305 

The  month  of  November  oflEers  us  an  oppor- 
Our  Departed  tunity  to  remind  the  faithful  that  even  persons 

Friends.  who  have  departed  this  world  may  at  the  re- 

quest of  some  friends  share  in  the  blessings  of 
the  Propagation  of  the  Faith.  Let  us  remind  them  also  that  there 
can  be  no  truer  charity  to  their  departed  relatives  and  friends,  no 
greatei*  proof  of  affection  and  gratitude  than  to  have  them  enrolled  in 
the  Society  and  thus  obtain  a  part  of  the  merits  and  prayers  of  the  mis- 
sionaries and  in  the  Masses  said  by  them.  More  than  10,000  Masses 
are  oflEered  up  every  year  for  the  living  and  deceased  associates. 


306  MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 


MISSION  NOTES  ANDJNEWS 


Mackenzie,  Canada 

Letter  op  Bishop  Breynat,  0.  M.  I., 

Vicar  Apostolic  of  Machenzie. 

A  letter  from  Father  Husson,  procurator  of  our  missions,  informs 
us  that  the  station  at  Athabasca  Landing  has  suflEered  from  a  sudden 
flood. 

In  a  few  hours  the  water  rose  eight  to  ten  feet.  By  the  energy  and 
courage  of  Father  Beaudry,  who  fortunately  happened  to  be  there, 
and  of  Mr.  Besnard,  the  representative  of  the  firm  of  Eevillon  Bros., 
most  of  the  effects  in  our  dwelling  were  saved,  but  all  the  merchandise 
bought  in  Winnipeg  and  stored  in  the  warehouse  of  the  above  firm 
was  destroyed.  The  loss  of  the  mission  amounts  to  two  thousand 
dollars. 

The  merchandise  specified  were  the  annual  provisions  for  our  mis- 
sions in  Mackenzie.  Transported  during  the  winter  over  the  snow  to 
the  river  shore,  they  were  held  till  the  melting  of  the  ice  to  be  carried 
by  boat  for  distribution  to  the  uttermost  mission  near  the  Arctic 
Circle.  In  a  few  hours  the  flood  had  destroyed  everything.  Thy  will 
be  done ! 

Father  Husson  at  once  set  to  work  to  renew  the  supplies  and  organ- 
ize a  second  expedition.  The  additional  expenses  will  be  enormous. 
On  account  of  the  bad  roads  and  great  amount  of  traffic,  the  cost  of 
transportation  between  Edmonton  and  the  Landing  alone  has  been 
raised  from  seventy-five  cents,  the  rate  last  winter,  to  two  dollars  a 
hundred  poimds.  We  shall  be  only  too  glad  if  we  can  obtain  what 
we  need  in  Edmonton,  particularly  the  materials  for  making  nets, 
which  are  an  absolute  necessity  for  us.  If  we  are  obliged  to  get  them 
in  Winnipeg  or  Montreal,  I  am  very  much  afraid  that  they  will  not 
reach  their  destination  this  year.  What  privations  I  apprehend  for 
my  poor  missionaries.  Sisters  and  children !  There  is  no  thought  of 
procuring  anjrthing  but  absolute  necessities;  besides  the  exorbitant 
prices  ($15  for  100  lbs.  of  flour  in  the  mission  of  Providence,  $20  in 
the  mission  of  Good  Hope),  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  will  be  very 
limited  in  their  supplies. 


MISSION  NOTES  AND  NBW8  307 

In  aflfectionate  gratitude,  we  oflEer  to  God  our  trials,  our  suflEerings, 
our  privations  and  our  prayers  for  the  benefactors  of  our  painful 
missions.  I  am  proud  to  afBrm  that  my  missionaries  are  doing  their 
duty  bravely.  Thanks  to  divine  assistance  and  the  alms  of  the  Society 
FOR  THE  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  they  will  continue  to  do  in  the 
future  what  they  have  done  in  the  past.     Grace  will  not  be  wanting. 

Sandwich  Islands 

Father  Reginald  Yzendoom,  missionary  at  Hawaii,  writes  from 
Hilo: 

"After  nine  months  of  continuous  work,  I  felt  the  need  of  a  little 
rest  and  received  permission  to  spend  one  week  in  the  country. 

"  I  should  have  liked  to  visit  Father  Ulrich  in  Puna.  His  district 
is  a  vast  arid  plain  where  many  curious  things  are  to  be  seen — trees 
of  lava,  caves,  hot  springs  and  Hawaiian  life  in  all  its  purity  and 
simplicity.  The  people  of  Puna  are  for  the  most  part  still  composed 
of  the  native  element.  As  Father  Ulrich  was  absent,  I  could  not 
appeal  to  his  hospitality,  and  so  applied  to  Father  Otto,  whose  district 
is  on  the  opposite  coast. 

"  First  I  went  to  Papaihon,  where  there  is  a  Japanese  temple ;  a 
little  further  on  is  Kalao,  where  stands  the  first  church  built  by 
Father  Otto;  it  has  just  been  painted.  We  continued  our  way  to 
Honomu. 

"A  chapel,  white  as  snow,  surmounted  by  a  red  roof  and  built  on  the 
summit  of  a  steep  hill,  announced  the  end  of  my  journey.  The 
priesfs  house  stands  close  by.  Back  of  the  house  is  the  cemetery. 
The  main  part  is  reserved  for  Catholics,  the  rest  for  the  Japanese. 

"  I  at  once  perceived  that  it  was  '  All  Souls'  Day '  for  the  Japanese. 
The  graves  were  adorned  with  paper  lanterns.  At  every  turn  men 
and  women  were  performing  their  devotions.  The  lamps  were  lighted, 
figures  were  kneeling,  one  by  one,  before  the  graves,  their  hands 
clasped.  A  prayer,  a  little  shorter  than  the  Ave  Maria,  was  recited, 
a  bow  was  made,  and  the  same  ceremony  was  repeated  before  each 
grave  visited.  The  devotion  was  good  and  short,  and  the  prayers 
were  said  with  a  spirit  of  devotion  and  recollection. 

"  The  next  day  I  witnessed  a  Japanese  burial.  The  procession  was 
led  by  several  children  dressed  in  bright-colored  gowns;  they  were 
followed  by  men  and  women  forming  two  lines.  Then  came  a  man 
carrying  a  wooden  tray  with  offerings:  a  cup  of  tea,  a  cup  of  rice, 
several  potatoes  and  bamboo  sticks  for  a  fire.  The  coffin  came  next ; 
it  was  made  of  plain  wood  and  was  carried  by  six  men.     A  short  dis- 


308  MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 

tance  behind  came  the  bonze  on  horseback  and  dressed  in  American 
costume;  for  the  ceremony,  however,  he  resumed  the  native  Japan- 
ese garb.  Long  prayers  were  recited  and  short  bamboo  sticks  burned. 
On  their  return  I  saw  several  Japs  kneeling  before  our  church  to  per- 
form their  devotions  as  above  described.  Probably  the  popular  prin- 
ciple, ^  all  religions  are  the  same,'  has  been  introduced  into  Japan ;  or 
were  they  pa3ring  homage  to  the  ^  unknown  Ood,'  as  did  the  Athenians 
in  the  time  of  Saint  Paul  ? 

^'  I  took  a  walk  across  a  field  of  sugar  cane.  Suddenly  my  path 
stopped.  Before  me  lay  an  abyss  about  180  feet  deep.  To  reach  the 
other  side  I  had  to  cross  the  -flume.  In  the  English  of  Hawaii  a  flume 
is  a  kind  of  wooden  trough,  sometimes  under  ground  and  sometimes 
resting  on  supports  more  or  less  elevated.  They  serve  for  the  trans- 
portation of  the  sugar  cane  and  are  never  without  a  stream  of  water. 

"  The  flume  which  crosses  the  gorge  of  Honomu  is  about  200  feet 
high  and  rests  upon  a  very  light  scaffolding.  Well,  I  crossed  this 
kind  of  a  bridge.  But  when  I  found  myself  in  the  middle,  separated 
from  the  chasm  by  a  slight  rail,  and  beheld  \mder  my  feet  the  foam- 
ing river  dashing  against  the  rocks ;  when  I  thought  of  the  possibiliiy 
of  a  breakdown,  I  felt  myself  to  be  a  mere  nothing  in  the  hands  of 
Him  who  is  the  Master  of  life.  I  do  not  deny  that  I  recited  acts  of 
love  and  contrition  until  I  set  my  foot  on  firm  ground  again.  It  is 
good  for  man  sometimes  to  be  in  danger.  Never  does  he  make  a  better 
meditation. 

"  On  my  return  I  was  in  a  conveyance  with  two  Japanese,  an  Ameri- 
can, a  Portuguese,  five  Chinese  women  and  one  Chinaman.  The 
Chinese  women  wore  trousers,  the  Japanese  men  skirts.  The  way  of 
the  world  was  reversed,  but  anything  may  be  expected  in  Hawaii.** 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Beceived  since  the  September-October  Number. 

For  Bishop  O'Rbillt,  Bakbr  Citt. 

Per  Rer.  J.  J.  Dann  (DIoccm  of  New  York) $  10.00 

Min  C.  A.  O'Donnell   (Dloceee  of  Pittsburgh) 2.00 

Z.  Z.   (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Bishop  Okouakd,  O.  M.  I.,  Athabasca. 

Z.    Z.    (Diocese   of  New   York) 8.00 

Fob  Bishop  O'CSobman,  C.    8.   8p..   Sibbba  Lsonb. 

Rey.  T.  8.  O'Reilly  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 60.00 

Per  Rey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 10.00 

Fob  Bishop  Chatbon.  Osaka. 

Per  Rer.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 22.60 

Fob  Bishop  Viqano,  Htdsbabad. 

Rev.   T.   8.    O'AelUy    (Diocese  of   Brooklyn) 60.00 

Mr.  Wm.  Noonan  (Diocese  of  8an  Francisco) 100.00 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  M.  H.  Ibwin,  N.  Cabolina. 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 7.00 

Fob  Fb.  Wbstbopp,  8.  J.,  Lbad. 

Z.  Z.   (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  Fathsb  Roonbt,  Tucson. 

Per  Bey.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  Bbuck,  O.  M.   I..  8askatchbwan. 

Per  Rey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 10.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Paqubttb,  O.  M.  T.,  8askatchswan. 

Z.  Z.   (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  Cobbv,  Japak. 

Rey.  A.  Tysika  (Diocese  of  Pittsburgh) 2.00 

Rey.  O.  W.  Holhn  (Diocese  of  8t  Louis) 2.00 

Fob  Fb.  Obdson,  C.  M.,  Abtssinia. 

Z.  Z.    (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  Bbiaui/f,  C.  8.  8p.,  Gabon. 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  Fb.  Dblobb,  8.  J.,  Liban. 

Z.  Z.   (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  Fb.  Tignods,  India. 

Per  Rey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 67.26 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 82.00 

Fob  Fb.  Ddpont,  Tonoking. 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  Fbuttibb,  India. 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 7.00 

Fob  Fb.  Fuuiand,  Tokio. 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 100.00 

Fob  Fb.  CnrATTi,  Htdbbabao. 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston) 6.00 

Mr.  I.  Hneberger   (Diocese  of  Davenport) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  Baubbt,  Japan. 

Z.    Z.    (Diocese  of  New  York) 10.00 

Fob  Mothbb  Paul.  O.  8.  F.,  Uganda. 

Rey.   T.    8.   O^Rellly    (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 26.00 

Per  Rey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 18.00 

Fob  8I8TKB  Mabcblla,  O.  8.  F.,  Uganda. 

Rey.  T.   8.   O'Reilly   (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 25.00 

Fob  Mbs.  Floba  Lewis,  Benin. 

Z.   Z.    (Diocese   of   New   York) 8.00 

Fob  the  Missions  in  (Upe  Vebde  Islands. 

Mr.   M.  H.   Douglass    (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

Fob  Amebican  Indian  Missions. 

Miss  M.  O.  8anders  (Diocese  of  8t  Augustine) 1.00 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  La  Crosse) 6.00 

For  the  Cistebcian  Monastbbt  of  Hakodate,  Japan. 

Z.   Z.    (Diocese  of   New   York) 2.00 

Fob  the  Redemption  of  Chinese  Childben. 

Z.  Z.    (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  the  "  fbo  Afbica  "  League. 

Z.  Z.   (Diocese  of  New  York) 10.00 

Fob  a  Lepbb's  Mission. 

Per  Rey.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 6.00 

Fob  Afbican  Missions. 

Per  Rey.  T.  Fagan  (Diocese  of  Milwaukee) 10.00 

Total $647.76 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the  donors 
for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards  the  same  at 
once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

309 


OBITUARY 

The  following  deceased  persons  are  commended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Most  Rev.  W.  H.  Elder,  Archbishop  of  Cincinnati;  Most  Rev. 
C.  Duval,  0.  P.,  Delegate  Apostolic  in  Syria;  Most  Rev.  A.  Bonetti, 
C.  M.,  Delegate  Apostolic  in  Constantinople;  Most  Rev.  A.  Timoni, 
Archbishop  of  Smyrna;  Right  Rev.  G.  Pelckmans,  0.  M.  Cap., 
Bishop  of  Lahore;  Right  Rev.  Dom  S.  Wyart,  General  Abbot  of 
the  Cistercian  Order;  Very  Rev.  Father  Davis,  0.  C.  C,  Dublin, 
Ireland;  Rev.  J.  P.  White,  Baltimore,  Md.;  Rev.  C.  Kaiser,  Rev. 
P.  A.  O'Reilly,  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York, 

Mr.  John  McAuliff,  Mr.  Stanley  MacMullin,  Diocese  of  Cincinnati;  Miss 
Teresa  McColgan,  Diocese  of  Pittsburgh;  Mrs.  Bridget  Regan,  Mr.  Wm. 
Regan,  Diocese  of  Milwaukee;  Mrs.  Coughlin,  Diocese  of  Newark. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Mrs.  Mary  Jaeger,  Mr. 
Cornelius  J.  Hurley,  Mr.  Wm.  Scott,  Mr.  M.  Gounoud,  Miss  Mary  Fitz- 
patrick.  Miss  Mary  McDonald,  Mrs.  McGoey,  Miss  Mary  Fitzmaurice,  Mr. 
Joseph  Cunningham,  Mr.  Francis  Lundergan,  Mr.  John  Ryan,  Miss  Bridget 
Dolan,  Miss  Margaret  Sweeney,  Mr.  Hugh  O'Brien,  Mr.  Wm.  Buckley,  Mr. 
Wm.  Mangan,  Mr.  Wm.  Lord,  Mrs.  M.  Mooney,  Mrs.  Fay,  Mr.  John  Thomas 
Ryan,  Mr.  George  Fox,  Mrs.  Casey,  Mr.  Patrick  Sheridan,  Mrs.  Engrazia 
Callahan,  Miss  Maria  Engrazia  Callahan,  Mrs.  William  Farrell,  Mr.  M.  B. 
Masterson,  Mr.  Thomas  Finnegan,  Mr.  John  Nolan,  Mr.  John  Murphy,  Mr. 
Michael  Connolly,  Mr.  Eugene  F.  Sullivan,  Miss  Frances  Stockton,  Mr. 
Robert  Fahey,  Miss  Grace  Menchine,  Miss  Honors  Whelan,  Mr.  William 
Whelan,  Miss  Mary  Whelan,  Mr.  John  Byrnes,  Miss  Honors  Byrnes,  Mr. 
Auerlia  Williams,  Miss  Alice  Hortense  Ming,  Mr.  Frederick  Aloysius 
Coughlin,  Mr.  Henry  Richards,  Mr.  John  Wagner,  Mr.  Wm.  Kearney,  Mrs. 
Nellie  Boyle,  Mr.  E.  D.  Flynn,  Mr.  James  McDonagh;  Mrs.  Mary  Ann 
McDonagh,  Miss  Delia  McDonagh,  Mr.  Patrick  Reynolds,  Mr.  John  H.  Rey- 
nolds, Mr.  Michael  Howard,  Mrs.  Rose  A.  McKenna,  Mrs.  Jennie  Smith, 
Mr.  Patrick  Norris,  Mr.  Michael  Norris,  Mr.  John  Norrls. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Mr.  James  Curley,  Miss  Mary 
Shields,  Miss  Margaretta  Fleig,  Mr.  Michael  Lynch,  Mr.  Thomas  Lynch, 
Miss  Ellen  Inglls,  Mr.  Joseph  Shepard,  Mrs.  Ellen  Crane,  Mrs.  Ellen  Carey, 
Mrs.  James  Klnsella,  Miss  Anna  Leary,  Mr.  James  F.  Aylward,  Mr.  Henry 
L.  Richards,  Mr.  William  McNamara,  Miss  Mary  McCarthy,  Mr.  John 
Hayes,  Mr.  James  Dunn,  T.  R.  Donovan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sullivan,  Mr.  Charles 
Lundergan,  Mr.  Michael  Bathazar,  Mrs.  Virginie  Bouchard,  Mr.  George 
Chabot,  Agnes  L.  Ring. 


(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates  whose  names  are  sent 
us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 
310 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  LXVII  311 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  LXVII 


Brief  of  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X  in  behalf  of  the  Society  fob  the 

Propagation  of  the  Faith  153 

Aitdience  granted  by  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X  to  the  Delegates  of 

THE  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 3 

Reports  of  Receipts  in  1903 157 

RxpoRT  OF  Allocations  made  in  1904 265 

The  Societies  of  Catholic  Missionaries 167 

1.  The  Missions  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  Bishop 

Lb  Roy 167 

2.  The  Society  of  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris 211 

3.  The  Society  of  African  Missionaries   (White  Fathers),  by 

the  Rev.  S.  Comte 276 

News  of  the  Missions 39,  89,  197,  243,  297 

Destination  of  Missionaries 45,  94,  202,  254,  300 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


Kui-Chau. — Letter  of  Father  Cavalerie,  P.  F.  M. — Visit  to  a  persecuted 
Mission. — The  people  of  Chui-Kia  5 

Lahore. — Letter  of  Rt  Rev,  G.  Pelckmans,  0.  M.  Cap 16 

Che-Kiang. — Letter  of  Bishop  Raynaud,  O.  M. — Touching  details  of  the 
martyrdom  of  Father  Tsu  55 

Liban. — Letter  of  Father  Delore,  8.  J. — The  School  question 61 

The  City  of  Osaka. — By  the  Rev.  Father  Walter. — Description  of 
Osaka. — Summary  of  the  Religious  and  Civil  History  of  Japan. — 
Evolution  of  Ideas  and  Social  Transformation. — Education. — The 
Church  at  Osaka 101 

Hyderabad.— Jowrnal  of  Father  Oivatti,  M.  F.  M. — Need  of  Refuge  for 
Aged  Pagans. — Discussion  with  an  Intelligent  Hindu. — Truth 
proved  by  Charity  180 

Southern  Tongking. — Letter  of  Father  Belleville,  P.  F.  M. — ^Three 
Blossoms  of  the  Ha-Tinh  Mission 190 

Laos. — Letter  of  Father  Bouriet,  P.  F.  M. — Socialism  in  Laos. — Curious 
Details  concerning  the  Rights  of  Property 220 

South-West  Hu-Peh. — Murder  of  BisTiop  Verhaeghen,  0.  F.  Af.,  Mis- 
sionaries and  Christians 275 

MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

South  Victoria  Nyanza. — Letter  of  Father  Hurel,  Al.  M. — A  Journey 
to  Kiza 21 

Gabon. — Letter  of  Father  Briault,  C.  8.  8p. — Struggle  of  a  Young 
Christian  Woman  against  Polygamy  65 

Benin. — Letter  of  Mrs.  Flora  Lewis. — Progress  of  the  Mission. — Bishop 
Lang. — Saint  Claver  Hospital  73 

Upper  Nile.— Letter  of  8ister  M.  Marcella,  0.  8.  F.— A  Christmas  Cele- 
bration in  Uganda    119 

Letter  of  Mother  Mary  Paul,  0.  8.  F.— Nubian  Practices. — The  Sleep- 
ing Sickness  124 

Gabon. — Letter  of  Father  Jeanroy,  C.  8.  8p. — Abandoned  Children. — 
Apprentices  in  Libreville  225 

Northern  Nyanza. — Letter  of  Father  Moullec,  Al.  M. — A  Year's  Record 
of  the  Mission  of  Mitala  Maria 230 


312  OONTBNTS  OF  VOLUME  LXVII 

MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 

Athabasca. — Letter  of  Bishop  Orouardt  0.  M.  I, — ^Touching  Homage 
to  Bishop  Glut — Bumlng  of  the  Mission  of  St  Anthony. — ^Works 
of  the  Sturgeon  LAke  Mission 77 

Obbgon. — Letter  of  Bishop  0*Reilly. — ^Difficulties  of  the  Ministry. — 
Need  of  Priests  and  Means. — Consoling  Results 128 

TznAB.— Letter  of  Father  Malmartel,  0.  M.  L — ^A  Texas  Missionary 
Trip. — ^The  Mexican  Character  and  Hospitality. — ^The  Ages  of 
Faith.— A  SainUy  Death 131 

South  Dakota.— ^Letter  of  the  Rev.  H.  L  Westropp,  8.  J. — ^The  Jesuit 
Mission  Among  the  Sioux. — ^Difficult  Beginnings. — ^The  Conyersion 
of  Two  Kettle  Camp 139 

Athabasca. — Letter  of  the  Rev.  J,  M,  Dupe,  0.  If.  J. — Indian  Sorcer- 
ers.— ^A    Horrible    Sacrifice. — ^The    foundation    of    St    Martin's  . 
Mission. — Our  Schools  143 

SoxTTHEBN  Pataoonia. — Letter  of  Bom  Borgatello,  8al, — ^A  Trip  into 

Magellan    236 

Letter  of  Dom  del  Turco,  fifoZ.— The  Onas  of  Tierra  del  Fuego 240 

MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 

Cook  Islands. — Letter  of  Father  Castanie,  8.  H,  Pic. — The  island 
of  Mauke 35 

Tahiti, — Letter  of  Father  Janeau,  8.  H.  Pic. — Tuamotu  Islands. — 
Wreck  of  an  English  Vessel. — ^Devotion  of  Natives 84 

B^i  Islands. — Letter  of  Father  de  Marzan,  8.  M. — Conversion  of  the 
Tribe  of  Vounangoumou  290 


Contents  of  American  Supplement 


Editoelal  Section  46,  95,  147,  203,  255,  301 

Mission  Notes  and  News. — 

An  Amebican  in  Korea. — ^Letteb  of  Mb.  W.  F.  Sands 48 

Letteb  of  the  Rev.  E.  Bonald,  O.  M.  I. — St.  Boniface 96 

A  Samoan  Incident  97 

Lett£b  of  the  Right  Rev.  J.  A.  O'Gobman,  C.   S.  Sf. — Siebba 

Leone    205 

Religious  Statistics  of  the  Wobld 207 

Letteb  of  Fatheb  Guebin,  O.  M.  I. — Saskatchewan 257 

Letters  of  an  Anglican  Nttn  on  the  Pbofaoation  of  the  Faith.  .  260 

Letteb  of  Bishop  Bbeynat,  O.  M.  I. — ^Mackenzie 306 

Letteb  of  Father  Yzendoobn,  S.  H.  Pic. — Hawaii 307 

.Special  Donations  53,  99,  151,  209,  263,  309 

Obituaby  54,  100,  152,  210,  264,  310 


IMPORTANT  NOTICES 


The  Proffloters^MembefSy  and  Benefactors  of  the  ^Society 
fof  the  Pfopagation  of  the  Fahh*^  are  earnestly  requested 
to  remit  their  annual  contributions  before  December  3f ,  1904* 

The  DIOCESAN  DIRECTORS  wiU  please  remit  aU 
receipts  to  the  General  Director,  the  REV*  J.  FRERI, 
D-CU  627  LEXINGTON  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK, 
N«  Yt  before  January  tO,  1905;  on  this  date  the  account 
of  receipts  to  be  credited  to  the  various  dioceses  for  the 
current  year  will  be  closed* 


n 

We  beg  leave  to  notify  the  readers  of  the  ^ANNALS 
OF  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH ''that  the 
dates  of  appearance  of  the  magazine  will  be  changed  with 
the  next  number* 

Henceforth  it  will  come  out  regularly  on  the  first  day  of 
the  folfowing  months:  FEBRUARY,  APRIL,  JUNE, 
AUGUST,  OCTOBER,  DECEMBER. 

We  shall  be  thankful  if  notified  of  any  failure  to  receive 
the  ^  Annals^  on  the  foregoing  dates* 


to'Ca 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

PROPAGATION 

OF  TEE  FAITH 

6 


Published  bi-monthly  by  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,  Baltimore  and 
New  York.    A    a    a    /, 


/' 


/' 


OTKCH    SHEEP  I  MAVC  THAT   j^ 

'MC   NOT  Ot  THIS  roLI>    TH£H  ALS^ 

!    r\M%T   eUlNO  ANDTHEt-^ 

liHALL  HEAR  HY  VOICE  AfioT    f 

|TH£a£  SHALL  |f  ONE  fOUJ^V^ 

AND    OlS  SHEPHERD 


^ 


CONTENTS. 


Missions  in  Asia. 

CHINA. 

So,  IHanchuria.'^SMKi  of  Father  C.  Monnl«r,  P.  F.  M.        .  .     .      3 

Murder  of  a  MiBsionary  of  the  Society  of  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris. 

INDO-CHINA. 

Upper^Tongking.^LfMw  of  Father  Hue,  P.  F.  P'!. 5 

How  a  Christian  settlement  is  established. — Conversion  of  the  Bonze 
of  Phu-Nghia, 

Missions  in  Africa. 

EQUATORIAL  AFRICA. 

Belgian  Congo.— iMer  of  Father  Senden,  B.  F.  M 18 

Letter  of  Father  Stock,  B.  F.  M 2J 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

POLYNESIA. 

Hew  Pomerania.^\jb\iw  of  Bishop  Couppi,  M.  S.  C 80 

Two  Missionaries,  three  Brothers  and  five  Sisters  massaored  in  New 
Fomc'/ania. 

News  of  the  Missions. 

AFR!CA. 

Good  Tidings  from  Abyssinia 87 

The  Jubilee  of  Bishop  Augouard 37 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES  88 


Sttpplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals* 

EDITORIALS. 

The  Feast  Day  of  Our  Patron 89 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  In  our  Ecclesiastical  Seminaries  40 

The  Society  for  the  Prop«|atlon  of  tne  Faltn  In  Arizona 42 

MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS. 

Father  Corre's  Leper  Mission 45 

Ste.  Marie's  MIsiilon.— Brittoh  Columbia 49 

nPErSAL   DONATIONS &3 

OBITUARY 64 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  Md.,  as  Second-Class  Matter. 


ANNALS 


OF  THE 


Propagation  of  the  Faith 


A  PERIODICAL  COLLECTION 


OF 


LBTTEHS  FROM  THE  BISHOPS  AND   MISSIONARIES  ENGAGED  IN  THE  MISSIONS 

OF  THE    OLD   AND   NEW  WORLD.  AND   OF  ALL  THE   DOCUMENTS 

RELATING  TO  THOSE  MISSIONS,  AND  TO  THE  INSTITUTION 

OF   THE    PROPAGATION    OF    THE    FAITH 


This  Collection  serves  as  a  continuation  of  the  '^Lettres  Edifiantes" 


VOLUME  LXVlll 


Published  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 

BALTIMORE  AND  NEW  YORK 

1905 


"  I  am  the  Immaculate  Conception."-LouRDE8,  1858. 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Vol.  LXVIII,  No.  458.  February,  1905. 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


MURDER    OF    A    MISSIONARY    OF    THE    SOCIETY    OF 
FOREIGN   MISSIONS  OF   PARIS 

Favored  by  conditions  which  are  a  result  of  the  war  between  Russia 
and  Japan,  bands  of  brigands  are  scattered  over  Manchuria,  the  province 
80  tried  in  recent  years  by  pillage  and  death.  Father  Fleury,  superior  of 
the  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris,  has  sent  us  the  following  account  of  the 
murder  of  a  young  priest  who  fell  on  the  field  of  honor,  a  victim  of  charity 
for  his  Christians. 

Letter  of  Father  Christopher  Monnier, 
Procurator  in  Kouang -Chen-Si. 

Kouang-Chen-Si,  October  20,  1904. 

Only  a  short  time  since,  we  said  to  one  another :  "  What  a  miracle 
it  is,  that,  in  these  times  of  war,  we  have  been  living  undisturbed,  and 
have  suffered  so  little ;  and  behold !  we  are  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
death  of  a  fellow  priest  who  lost  his  life  by  a  brigand's  shot.'' 

Father  Ernest  Trecul,  who  enjoys  the  honor  of  being  the  first  victim 
chosen  by  God  from  among  our  ranks,  died  at  his  post  in  Ta-tsing-chan, 
October  16,  at  half-past  twelve  in  the  afternoon.  He  had  just  par- 
taken of  a  frugal  meal  when  Ouang,  a  young  Christian,  came  to  tell 
him  that  the  brigands  were  in  the  village  and  were  pillaging  his  home. 
The  young  priest  at  once  set  out  to  help  the  afflicted  family,  hoping  to 
check  the  robbers  by  his  mere  presence.  His  old  servant  tried  to  keep 
him  back,  but  in  vain.  "There  is  nothing  to  fear,"  said  the 
missionary. 

When  he  arrived  at  Ouang's  home,  the  first  sight  to  greet  him  in  the 
yard,  was  a  brigand  pursuing  a  Christian,  his  gun  aimed  for  the  death 
shot.  Eealizing  the  danger  which  threatened  his  neophyte,  Father 
Trecul  seized  the  weapon  to  thwart  the  murderer's  design.    The  robber, 

3 


4  Missions  in  Asia 

trying  to  regain  control  of  his  gun,  called  for  help.  One  of  his  com- 
panions responded  at  once,  and  fired  upon  the  priest  at  close  range ;  the 
bullet  passing  through  the  body.  Falling  on  his  knees  without  loosing 
his  hold  of  the  enem/s  gun,  the  priest  was  speedily  surrounded  by  six 
men  who  all  fired  upon  the  victim.  One  ball  tore  off  two  of  his  fingers 
and  lodged  in  the  leg  of  his  old  servant;  five  others  penetrated  his 
breast.  In  convulsions  of  agony,  he  sank  to  the  ground;  making  a 
feeble  effort  to  rise,  his  arm  fell  back  lifeless.  Six  of  the  seven  wounds 
received  were  mortal  and  his  soul  had  been  summoned  before  his  (Jod. 
The  murderers  mounted  their  horses  at  once,  and  fled,  themselves 
shocked  at  their  crime. 

The  matter  was  taken  before  the  tribunal  of  the  sub-prefect  of 
Houaijteu-hien,  but  will  any  action  ensue?  will  the  culprits  be  pun- 
ished? If  the  mandarins  so  desired  they  could  easily  find  the  mur- 
derers. Two  bands  of  brigands  are,  at  present,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Ta-tsing-chan,  and  all  facts  tend  to  the  belief  that  the  assassins 
belong  to  either  one  of  these  gangs. 

However  the  case  may  be,  our  fellow  priest  died  a  victim  of  charity 
for  his  people;  the  words  of  the  Gospel  may  be  applied  to  him :  "  The 
good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  his  sheep" 

Father  Ernest  Louis  Trecul  was  born  in  the  Diocese  of  Chartres, 
January  9,  1879,  ordained  priest  on  June  21,  1903,  and  left  for  southern 
Manchuria  on  the  22nd  of  the  following  July. 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  UPPER  TONGKING 

The  vicariate  apostolic  of  Upper  Tongking  was  separated  from  the  vicari- 
ate of  Eastern  Tongking  in  1895.  It  comprises  the  province  of  Hung-hoa 
and  the  mountainous  region  bordering  on  the  Yunnan,  besides  a  part  of  the 
provinces  of  Sontay  and  Tuyen  Quang.  About  20,000  faithful  are  scat- 
tered over  this  vast  region  inhabited  by  two  and  one-half  millions  of  souls. 
The  mission  numbers  120  Christian  settlements.  Bishop  Ramond  is  as- 
sisted by  24  missionaries  of  the  Society  of  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris,  14 
native  priests  and  60  catechists.  The  Sisters  of  Saint  Paul  of  Chartres 
have  four  houses  in  Upper  Tongking. 

How  a  New  Christian  Settlement  is  Established— Conver- 
sion of  Phu-Nghia 

Letter  of  Father  Hue,  P.  F.  M., 
Missionary  in  Upper  Tonglcing. 

At  the  foot  of  Bavi,  the  holy  mountain  of 
Origin  of  Annam  Annam  stretches  a  vast  plain  bounded  by  the 

According  to  a  Red  and  the  Black  River  which  the  first  but- 

Popnlar  Legend. —        tresses  of  rock  have  forced  to  change  their 
The  Blood  of  course.     History,  as  well  as  legend,  places  the 

Martyrs. — ^Mystery  of   cradle  of  the  Annam  Empire  in  this  region. 
Predestination.  In  the  shadow  of  the  sacred  mountain,  the 

legend  runs,  was  fought  the  famous  combat 
between  the  Spirit  of  the  Waters  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Mountain. 
Both  of  these  sought  the  hand  of  Mi-Chau,  the  daughter  of  Hung- 
vuong,  who  decided  that  whichever  one  came  first  to  ask  her  hand 
should  receive  her  consent  the  following  morning.  The  spirit  of  the 
mountain  arrived  at  daybreak  and  the  prince,  faithful  to  his  word, 
gave  him  his  daughter.  Shortly  afterwards,  the  Neptune  of  Annam 
presented  himself,  but  it  was  too  late.     In  his  wrath,  he  called  upon 

5 


6 


Missions  in  Asia 


all  the  spirits  of  the  waters  to  make  a  violent  assault,  but  the  spirits 
of  the  mountains  discharged  their  arrows  in  numbers  so  great  that  they 
appeared  as  a  cloud  enveloping  the  unfortunate  suitor  who  was  forced 
to  withdraw  to  his  own  domains.  Nevertheless,  every  year  he  sub- 
merges the  land  surrounding  Bavi  as  a  sign  of  his  anger.  Imagination 
plays  a  greater  part  than  science  in  this  explanation  for  the  annual 
overflow  of  the  Red  and  the  Black  River.     Moreover,  if  these  inunda- 


Thb  Old  Bonze  of  Phu-Nqhia. 


tions  are  directed  against  the  spirit  of  the  mountain,  their  alluvial 
deposits  make  the  soil  of  the  plain  rich  and  fertile. 

•I* 
In  this  entire  district  of  the  province  of  Sontay,  the  true  religion 
numbers  not  a  single  believer.  However,  the  blood  of  martyrs  has 
been  shed  in  the  capital  of  the  province  and  a  glorious  death  has 
crowned  their  life  of  sacrifice.  Blessed  Cornay  was  cut  into  pieces. 
Blessed  Scheffler,  decapitated;  Blessed  Mi,  Truat  and  Duong  were 


Upper  Tongking  7 

strangled  because  of  hatred  of  Christ.  What  is  more,  these  confessors 
of  the  faith  were  dragged  from  Co-Do  to  Sontay,  one  in  a  cage,  the 
others  fastened  to  the  pillory,  so  that  the  soil  drank  in  their  blood  with 
their  sweat. 

This  divine  seed  could  not  fail  to  germinate.  On  each  side  of  the 
route,  first  in  Phu-Nghia,  then  in  Trach-Mi,  Dong  Phu  and  Quang- 
Ngoc,  in  the  furrows  traced  by  the  witnesses  of  Christ,  were  felt  the 
first  motions  of  mercy  and  light  which  promised  to  reach  and  arouse 
other  villages  still  under  the  shadow  of  death. 

Phu-Nghia  (abundance  and  justice)  was  the  first  to  be  called  to  the 
fold  of  the  Divine  Shepherd. 

In  all  probability,  the  Gospel  had  never  been  preached  there.  The 
only  fact  known  is  that,  at  the  edict  of  dispersion  in  1862,  a  Christian 
was  exiled  in  this  village.  A  hut  had  been  constructed  for  him  at  the 
entrance  gate,  but  his  guard  could  not  have  been  very  strict,  for  one 
fine  night  the  prisoner  escaped,  leaving  behind  his  prayer-books  which 
became  the  property  of  Ly  Tho,  the  pagan  to  whom  he  had  been 
entrusted.  Why  Phu-Nghia  should  have  been  converted  to  the  faith 
in  preference  to  so  many  other  villages  where  the  Divine  Word  is 
preached  every  day  is  a  mystery  of  predestination  which  St.  Paul  ex- 
plained twenty  centuries  ago:  "iV^on  currentis,  neque  volentis,  sed 
miserentis  est  Dei,"  "  It  is  not  of  him  thai  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy,"  Such  a  mystery  stifles  all 
sentiments  of  pride  in  the  soul  of  an  apostolic  laborer. 


Since  Constantino  and  Clovis  the  tactics  of 
The  Ways  of  Providence  have  not  changed.    Man  is  always 

Providence. — ^A  attacked  at  a  weak  point.    Ly-Ei,  a  local  chief. 

Bonze  Apostle. —  suffered  from  crying  injustice.    Without  help 

Touching  Details  on  earth,  he  turned  to  religion  for  comfort. 

Concerning  this  hoping  to  find  there  even  the  means  of  con- 

Bonze. — ^The  True  firming  his  innocence  before  the  court  of  the 

Science.  foreign  protectorate.    For  reasons  too  sad  and 

tedious  to  relate,  his  appeal  was  without  effect 
and  he  was  condemned  to  eight  years  of  exile.  God  was  imprinting 
the  seal  of  the  cross  upon  the  cradle  of  religion  in  Phu-Nghia — a  good 
sign.  However,  if  the  missionary  understood  the  doctrine  of  suffering, 
to  the  relatives  and  friends  of  Ly-Ri,  still  weak  in  the  faith,  it  was  an 


8 


Missions  in  Asia 


incomprehensible  doctrine,  and  so  a  large  number  of  defections  was  the 
result  of  the  sentence. 

Having  no  one  to  look  to  upon  earth,  I,  too,  turned  my  eyes  to 
Heaven  and  placed  the  case  entirely  in  the  hands  of  Blessed  Cornay. 
Hoping  against  hope,  I  sent  a  catechist  to  Phu-Nghia  to  teach  cate- 
chism and  prayers.  Often  I  spent  several  days  among  the  cate- 
chumens ;  many  attended  evening  instructions ;  some,  out  of  curiosity, 
others  out  of  sympathy. 


-^rfy^Bfe^r*^ 


ToNQKiNG — The  Chubch  of  Ke-Vinh. 


All  were  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  Catholic  religion,  but  the 
three  concupiscences  had  struck  too  deep  a  root  to  be  torn  up  by  a  first 
effort :  ^^  This  saying  is  hard  and  who  can  hear  it  f"  A  small  band 
of  catechumens  alone  remained  faithful. 

•I* 

Meanwhile,  Blessed  Comay  had  arranged  matters  by  his  intercession 
in  Heaven,  and,  despite  complications  of  every  description,  the  happy 
prisoner  retraced  his  steps  toward  Phu-Nghia,  September  1,  1902. 


Upper  Tongking  9 

The  return  of  Ly-Ri  re-animated  the  courage  of  all,  and  every  one 
began  to  study  with  renewed  fervor.  My  visits  continued  as  in  the 
past;  during  one  of  my  short  stays,  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  old 
bonze  who  had  persuaded  Ly-Ri  to  come  to  me  to  be  instructed  in 
religion. 

Nguyen-van-tin,  originally  of  Phu-Huyen,  was  a  magnificent  speci- 
men of  manhood ;  seventy  years  had  not  succeeded  in  bending  his  tall 
frame.  Having  entered  the  religious  state  at  seven  years  of  age,  he  was 
brought  up  in  three  pagodas  in  which  he  served  at  the  death  of  their 
masters.  His  favorite  residence,  however,  was  Phu-Nghia  where  every 
one  loved  and  honored  him.  His  talents  as  a  doctor,  his  knowledge  of 
Chinese,  and,  above  all,  his  compassionate  charity  contributed  not  a 
little  to  the  universal  affection  felt  for  him.  About  twenty  years  since, 
he  was  obliged  to  take  refuge  in  Vinh-Yen.  The  rumor  had  spread  that 
he  had  discovered  a  treasure,  a  motive  more  than  sufficient  to  expose 
him  to  the  attacks  of  brigands  who,  at  that  time,  were  ravaging  the 
coimtry.  Understanding  that  the  walls  of  his  pagoda,  which  kept  the 
world  from  him,  were  an  insufficient  protection  against  the  vandalism 
of  his  countrymen,  the  old  bonze  took  refuge  with  his  maternal  uncle, 
feared  by  all  because  of  the  important  services  which  he  rendered  to 
the  French  troops  in  the  taking  of  the  citadel  of  Sontay. 


When  peace  was  re-established  our  good  bonze  continued  to  shower 
benefits  upon  the  country.  A  very  able  administrator,  he  understood 
how  to  draw  from  his  fields  the  money  necessary  to  repair  and  embel- 
lish his  temples.  By  his  efforts,  seven  new  pagodas  were  built.  To 
finish  the  last  he  needed  funds,  and  this  lack  of  resources  was  the 
exterior  motive  which  led  him  to  me. 

'*  Father,^'  said  he,  "  your  religion  is  vast  and  grand ;  you  are  occu- 
pied in  doing  good  to  every  one  and  you  absolve  the  sons  of  men  from 
their  sins.  We  bonzes  do  the  same  thing.  Just  now,  I  am  in 
want;  I  am  building  a  pagoda  and  need  thirty  piasters  to  finish  the 
work.  If  you  can  lend  them  to  me,  you  will  be  doing  a  good  work; 
I  shall  return  them  in  a  month.^' 

I  tried  my  best  to  make  him  understand  that  any  such  co-operation 
was  forbidden  to  me.  He  could  not  have  followed  my  argument,  be- 
cause he  answered  at  once  : 

"  That  is  not  so.  Father,  for  I  will  give  you  some  lumber  from  my 
pagoda  for  yomr  church.** 


10 


Missions  in  Asia 


In  the  Home  of  the 
Bonze. — ^A  Bepast. 

than  that  of  a  man. 


After  a  short  explanation  of  the  difference  in  the  case,  lie  withdrew 
without  further  insistence. 

•I* 

In  the  evening  I  went  to  see  him.  He  lived 
on  a  porch  at  the  entrance  of  the  pagoda. 
There  were  no  signs  of  luxury  or  of  comfort. 
His  dwelling  seemed  more  the  abode  of  a  spirit 
His  only  piece  of  furniture  was  a  cot  which 
served  as  couch,  chair  and  divan.  The  large  columns  of  wood  were 
covered  with  inscriptions.  One,  in  particular,  attracted  my  attention. 
It  read :  "  Science,  science,  all  in  the  religion  of  Buddha  is  conform- 
able to  science.    Vision,  vision,  all  in  our  cult  is  vision !  " 

After  having  made  an  act  of  love  with  all  my  heart  in  a  spot  where, 
perhaps,  God  had  never  before  been  loved,  I  prayed  that  our  Lord 
might  enlighten  this  bonze  in  the  one  only  science,  which  is  to  know 
the  true  God  and  Him  whom  He  has  sent,  Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  meantime,  my  host 
invited  me  to  be  seated. 
Over  the  cot,  he  threw  a  red 
cloth  which  time  and  mag- 
gots had  transformed  into 
Jace  work.  Our  conversa- 
tion, at  once,  turned  upon 
religion  and  my  interrog- 
ator conceded  the  Catholic 
religion  to  be  more  perfect 
than  Buddhism.  Neverthe- 
less, according  to  his  way  of 
teaching,  both  religions  were 
good,  because  bonzes  and 
missionaries  are  engaged  in 
relieving  the  miseries  of 
mankind, 
hesitated  to  eat.     The  bonze 


The  Ferbt-Boat  at  Phtjc-Nhac. 


When  tea  and  fruit  were  served,  I 
understood  why  and  said : 

*'  Father,  you  may  eat  without  fear.  These  are  pure  dishes.  I  know 
your  principles  and  I  should  never  have  presented  consecrated  offer- 
ings to  you.^' 

I  partook  of  the  refreshments  with  good  grace  and  went  into  the 
house. 

4- 


Upper  Tongking  11 

TJpon  another  occasion,  early  in  the  mom- 
The  Bonsse  at  Mass.  ing,  the  bonze  came  to  see  me.  It  was  Friday, 
a  fast  day,  and  I  was  saying  my  prayers,  pre- 
paring for  Mass. 

Fearing  to  disturb  my  '^  strict  silence,"  the  catechumens  refused  to 
admit  him;  the  noise  of  their  discussion  reached  me  and  I  invited 
him  in. 

"  Father,"  said  he,  ^'  I  should  like  to  assist  at  a  Catholic  Mass." 

Having  been  assigned  to  a  place  on  the  bench,  he  sat  there  with 
uncovered  head,  his  hands  in  his  large  sleeves ;  motionless  and  respect- 
ful, he  heard  Mass  for  the  first  time.  I  must  confess,  his  presence 
increased  my  own  fervor  and  I  prayed  to  Jesus  Christ  that  He  might 
manifest  Himself  in  the  breaking  of  bread  to  him  who  had  followed 
Him  so  long  without  knowing  Him. 

After  Mass,  the  old  bonze  walked  gravely  back  to  his  pagoda;  I 
joined  him  a  moment  afterwards.  Some  one  must  have  told  him  that 
it  was  a  fast  day,  for  he  served  only  such  dishes  which  the  Buddhist 
ritual  allows  on  fast  days.  Seeing  that  I  persisted  in  abstaining,  he 
said,  with  an  air  of  intelligence : 

"Oh!  Father,  I  know  all.  You  sec  these  are  dishes  for  fast  days; 
eat  without  fear." 

Necessity  compelled  me  to  explain  that  Catholics  fast  by  abstaining 
from  food  and  not  merely  by  eating  something  different.  The  cate- 
chumens, who  had  accompanied  me,  came  to  my  assistance  with  all 
their  knowledge  of  theology  on  the  question.  My  host  seemed  some- 
what disappointed  and  contented  himself  with  offering  me  tea.  We 
parted  good  friends,  nevertheless,  after  having  exchanged  different 
views  on  the  subject  of  religion. 

•I* 

Meanwhile,    prayers    and    catechism    were 
First  Solemn  studied  hand  in  hand  in  Phu-Nghia  and,  in 

Baptism. —  consideration  of  the  desires  and  excellent  dis- 

Disinterestedness  and    positions  of  the  catechumens,  the  day  of  Pente- 
Courage  of  a  cost  was  fixed  upon  for  solemn  baptism. 

Yoimg  Catechumen.  I  arrived  four  days  before  the  feast  to  preach 

a  retreat  to  the  new  Christians.  On  the  vigil 
of  Pentecost,  at  the  public  examination,  a  young  boy,  sixteen  years  of 
*g®>  presented  himself.  He  was  a  relative  of  one  of  the  catechumens, 
but  his  grandmother  had  threatened  to  disinherit  him,  if  he  were 
converted  to  Christianity. 


12 


Missions  in  Asia 


"  Father/*  said  he,  with  a  determined  air,  "  I  desire  to  be  baptized 
with  my  brothers/* 

"  But/*  I  answered,  "  only  those  can  be  baptized  who  are  suflSciently 
instructed." 

"  Father/*  he  answered,  "  I  know  my  catechism  and  my  prayers  by 
heart.** 

These  words  surprised  me  the  more,  as  I  had  never  seen  him  study. 
I  examined  him  and  he  answered  a  dozen  questions  in  the  catechism 
without  making  a  mistake.  His  explanations  of  doctrine  were  likewise 
good. 


HanoX — Buddhist  Pagoda  on  the  Great  Lake. 


"  Where  did  you  learn  all  you  know? **  I  asked. 

'^  When  you  were  teaching  in  the  evening,  Father/*  he  said,  "  I  hid 
back  of  the  door  and  heard  every  word  that  you  said.*' 

There  was  no  reason  why  I  should  hesitate.  According  to  the  pre- 
cept of  the  Master,  he  who  leaves  father  and  mother  for  His  sake  is 
worthy  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven ;  so  I  gave  him  permission  to  prepare 
himself  for  receiving  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  with  the  others. 

Pentecost  day  was  celebrated  with  unusual  solemnity.  Through- 
out the  country,  where  there  were,  as  yet,  no  Christians,  the  grace  of 
God  found  hearts  ready  to  receive  the  gift. 


XTppbe  Tokokikg  18 

On  the  vigil  of  the  feast,  throngs  of  old  Christiaas,  from  all  parts, 
crowded  the  roads  leading  to  Phu-Nghia,  True  imitators  of  the  faith- 
ful in  the  early  days  of  the  church,  some  brought  an  ox;  others,  a  pig; 
others,  rice;  and  again  others  enormous  fish.  In  Annam,  where 
religions  and  civil  reunions  form  occasions  for  great  feasts,  the  day 
of  baptism  is  a  feast  for  the  body  as  well  as  for  the  soul.  Thanks  to 
God  and  the  generosity  of  old  Christians,  nothing  was  wanting  and 
nearly  three  hundred  persons  could  be  seated  at  the  festive  board. 
The  neophytes  themselves  waited  upon  their  elder  brethren  in  the 
faith. 

As  for  the  feast  of  the  soul,  every  indication  manifested  that  God 
was  pleased  to  watch  over  it.  The  house  bore  signs  of  a  great  celebra- 
tion. Gardens  furnished  the  most  beautiful  flowers  and  woods  the 
most  varied  foliage  to  conceal  our  poverty.  The  like  had  never  been 
seen  in  Phu-Nghia.  The  evening  before,  the  native  priest  had  come  to 
add  to  the  splendor  of  the  ceremonies  and  baptized  the  children. 
Baptism  was  administered  to  adults  on  Pentecost  morning. 

The  night  before  the  great  day,  I  slept  little. 
The  Last  Word  of  A  secret  mixture  of  joy  and  fear  kept  my  eyes 
Divine  Grace. — ^The  open ;  under  any  other  circumstances,  the  extra 
"  pusillus  grex." —  fatigue  of  the  past  few  days  would  have  closed 
The  Finger  of  God.  them  in  a  deep  sleep.  Harassed  by  such 
sentiments,  the  sound  of  a  sepulchral  voice 
broke  upon  my  ear,  at  two  o^clock  in  the  morning. 

"  Father,  greeting." 

I  recognized  the  voice  at  once  to  be  that  of  my  friend,  the  old  bonze 
of  Phu-Nghia,  who  had  come  to  see  me. 

"  Father,"  said  he,  "  I  know  that  I  should  not  have  come  at  this  hour 
to  disturb  your  rest,  but  I  have  a  secret  to  tell  you.  I  am  convinced 
that  truth  is  on  your  side  and  I  want  to  be  converted  to  the  religion 
of  the  Sovereign  Lord  of  Heaven." 

Great  was  my  joy  upon  hearing  these  words  of  a  new  Nicodemus. 
I  really  thought,  I  must  be  dreaming,  but  my  senses  were  not  deceived. 
A  few  words  of  encouragement  with  the  help  of  the  grace  of  God,  con- 
firmed our  new  catechumen,  and  he  himself  felt  sure  that  he  could 
settle  his  affairs  within  the  space  of  two  months.  Bidding  me  fare- 
well, he  returned  to  his  pagoda. 

•I* 

This  interview  robbed  me  of  any  further  desire  I  might  have  had 
for  sleep  and  I  spent  the  remainder  of  the  night  in  prayer,  until 


14 


Missions  in  Asia 


morning  should  gather  around  the  altar  of  (lod  those  whom  He  was 
to  regenerate.  They  were  nineteen  in  number.  It  was  the  pusUlus 
grex  in  which  the  eternal  Father  was  pleased.  In  this,  as  in  every 
other  instance,  many  were  called  but  few  were  chosen.     The  ceremony 


ToNQKiNG — ^A  Notable  Chbistian  and  His  Gsandchildben. 


was  performed  with  all  the  rites  of  Holy  Church.  The  newly 
"  elected  "  responded  in  a  firm  voice  to  the  questions  which  the  priest 
asked  and,  finally,  the  blessed  waters  fiowed  upon  the  brow  of  these 
catechumens  who  promised  to  bum  what  they  had  adored.  The  act 
was  completed  and  the  Church  of  Christ  numbered  nineteen  Christians 


TJPPEE  TONGKING 


15 


more.  The  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  brought  the  Holy  Ghost  down 
into  the  souls  of  these  neophytes  upon  the  same  Pentecost  Sunday, 
and  during  the  solemn  Mass,  which  followed,  Jesus  in  person  took  pos- 
session of  these  souls  which  Satan  had  so  long  held  captive.  The  mus- 
tard seed  has  been  sown.     May  it  thrive  and  become  a  large  tree ! 

My  duties  called  me  elsewhere,  so  I  left  my  neophytes  to  their  joy 
and  fervor  and  set  out  for  No  Luc. 

I  was  not  to  see  my  old  bonze  friend  again 
in  this  world.  In  July  he  was  seized  with  an 
attack  of  dysentery  which,  because  of  his  great 
age,  made  rapid  progress.  The  medicines  of 
Annam  were  ineffective.  A  few  European 
drugs  were  given  with  no  better  results  and  the 
patient  grew  worse  day  by  day.     One  of  his 


Baptism  and  Death 
of  the  old  Bonze. — 
Vengeance  of  the 
Bonzes. — ^A  Flower 
of  Annam. 


ToNGKiNG — The  Road  to  Laos. 


friends  advised  the  catechist  of  his  condition  and  he,  at  once,  went  to 
see  him.  The  dying  man  asked  to  be  baptized,  so  the  catechist  finished 
his  religious  instruction  and  exhorted  him  to  renounce  all  superstition. 
The  good  old  man  made  a  fervent  profession  of  faith  in  presence  of  his 
fellow  bonzes  and  numerous  visitors  from  the  neighborhood.  After 
that,  the  catechist  poured  the  waters  of  regeneration  on  his  venerable 
head,  giving  him  the  name  of  Augustine.  It  was  a  touching  coinci- 
dence that  Ly-Ei  should  act  as  sponsor — he  whom  his  god-child  had 
advised  to  embrace  religion  hardly  two  years  before. 

His  disciples  were  not  at  all  pleased  with  the  conversion  of  their 
master.  They  wanted  to  remove  him  from  the  influence  of  the  cate- 
chist, but  he  refused,  and  begged  his  Christian  teacher  to  tell  him  all 


16  Missions  in  Asia 

that  he  was  obliged  to  do  to  save  his  soul  and  to  administer  the  sacra- 
ments to  him.  Unfortunately,  I  was  too  far  away  from  Phu-Nghia  to 
reach  him  in  time,  so  the  fervent  neophyte  received  only  the  Sacrament 
of  Baptism. 

Meanwhile,  the  other  bonzes  insisted  upon  taking  their  master  to 
Trach-Mi  where  they  thought  he  might  be  cured.  This  time  he  acceded 
to  their  request  after  the  catechist  had  given  his  consent;  Upon  their 
asking  him  hqw  he  wished  to  be  buried,  he  replied : 

" I  give  my  soul  into  the  hands  of  the  catechist;  my  body  into  the 
hands  of  my  former  pupils.*^ 

As  it  was  necessary  to  give  him  Christian  burial,  the  catechist  con- 
sulted me,  but  my  answer  did  not  reach  him  in  time  to  act.  The  neo- 
phyte breathed  his  last  sigh  pronouncing  the  holy  names  of  Jesus  and 
Mary,  and  I  have  the  sweet  confidence  that  his  soul  has  winged  its 
flight  to  the  divine  Tabernacles. 

Scarcely  was  the  old  man  cold  in  death  when  the  bonzes,  in  the 
absence  of  the  catechist,  hurriedly  took  away  his  body  for  burial — ^not 
in  the  sacred  ground  of  the  pagoda,  a  privilege  his  position  merited, 
but  in  the  plains  below.  In  the  eyes  of  men,  this  action  was  the  result 
of  mean  vengeance  on  the  part  of  the  bonze  Co-Phap,  who  had  been 
severely  punished  by  the  deceased  for-  the  scandal  which  he  had  given 
to  the  community.  In  the  eyes  of  faith,  however,  the  finger  of  God 
was  there.  He  did  not  wish  his  servant  to  rest  in  ground  consecrated 
to  Satan.  Upon  a  slight  eminence,  overlooking  three  _  villages,  rest 
the  mortal  remains  of  the  old  bonze  awaiting  the  summons  of  resur- 
rection. 

All  the  people  declare  his  life  to  have  been  without  reproach.  Since 
a  catechist  was  installed  near  him,  he  has  a  thousand  times  declared, 
in  a  tone  of  conviction,  when  called  to  the  bedside  of  persons  seriously 
ill :  '*  I  can  do  nothing  more  for  you ;  if  you  want  anything  more,  you 
must  send  for  the  catechist.'*  A  large  number  of  children  owe  their 
eternal  salvation  to  this  happy  suggestion. 

One  year  has  passed  since  the  death  of  the  bonze  of  Phu-Nghia, 
and,  within  that  time,  the  Christian  population  has  pearly  doubled. 

•«• 

I  shall  close  with  a  most  touching  incident: 

At  the  end  of  January  last,  Quen,  a  little  girl  eight  years  old  and  not 
yet  baptized,  was  playing  with  her  little  friends,  Madeleine  and  Agnes. 
I  was  then  in  Dong  Phu,  a  short  distance  from  Phu-Nghia.     The 


Upper  Tonokino 


17 


children  were  planning  a  walk  to  Dong  Phu  for  the  next  morning. 
Quen  willingly  consented  to  go ;  then  reflecting  a  moment,  she  said : 

"  I  shall  not  go  to  Dong  Phu  to-morrow ;  I  am  going  to  Heaven  and 
I  shall  not  come  down  from  there/^ 

Hardly  had  she  uttered  these  words,  surprising  as  coming  from  a 
child  who  had  never  been  instructed  in  Christian  truth,  when  she  stood 
still  as  though  paralyzed.  In  the  absence  of  the  catechist,  Ly-Ei 
baptized  her,  and  her  soul  fled  to  Heaven,  where  she  is  now  praying 
for  her  disconsolate  parents. 


MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  BELGIAN  CONGO 

The  missionaries  of  the  Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart 
of  Mary  have  received  the  commission  from  the  Holy  See  to  evangelize  an 
immense  district  in  the  Congo  region;  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  Belgian 
Congo  administered  by  Bishop  Camille  van  Ronsle  and  the  prefecture 
apostolic  of  Upper  Kassai  in  charge  of  Rev.  Henri  Cambier. 

The  venerable  superior  of  the  seminary  of  Scheut,  Rev.  van  Hecke,  has 
sent  us  the  following  letters  from  two  of  his  missionaries;  the  first  was 
written  by  Rev.  Sen  den  to  his  mother,  the  second  by  Rev.  Stock  to  his 
superior.  Both  relate  very  interesting  facts  concerning  the  difficulties  of 
the  apostolate  and  the  customs  of  the  people  in  these  distant  countries  of 
equatorial  Africa. 

Letter  of  Father  Senden, 
Missionary  of  Scheut. 

After  three  months  of  absence,  I  am  again 
in  my  residence  of  Saint  Tnidon.  Three 
months  of  travel  in  Congo!  Do  not  let  your 
imagination  drift  into  ecstasies  over  my 
prowess,  for  when  I  count  up  my  days  of 
march,  they  number  only  thirty. 

To  return  to  my  post  from  St.  Joseph,  I 
traveled  over  a  new  route  and  was,  therefore, 
obliged  to  take  a  guide  in  each  village.  The 
third  day  I  stopped  with  Shaumba,  and  left  there  for  Bidouai.  On  our 
way,  we  came  across  a  large  pond  of  which  marvelous  tales  are  told. 
According  to  the  Bena  Luluas  the  water  throws  back  all  that  is  thrown 
into  it,  even  iron  and  stones.  Besides,  this  pond  is  filled  with  large 
fish  and  the  bottom  is  covered  with  beautiful  stuffs  and  garments, 
white,  black,  yellow,  red,  etc. 

"  But,^^  said  I  to  Shaumba,  "  if  there  is  so  much  beautiful  stuff  in 
18 


The  Missionary  on 
His  Travels. — 
Chimerical  and 
Real  Dangers. — ^Bad 
Will  of  a  Chief.— 
Without  Guide.— 
Happy  Result. 


Belgian  Congo  19 

this  pond,  why  do  you  not  draw  it  up  and  clothe  your  people  who  go 
about  almost  naked  ?  " 

"  That  would  do  very  well,  Father,"  answered  Shaumba,  "  but  the 
spirit  who  lives  in  the  water  gives  us  the  choice  between  the  fish  and 
the  stuffs.  If  we  drew  up  these,  the  fish  will  no  longer  enter  our  nets, 
and  we  prefer  to  eat  fish  and  go  about  half  naked,  rather  than  have  fine 
garments  without  fish." 

According  to  Shaumba,  the  village  of  Bidouai  was  far  away  and  we 
were  obliged  to  leave  early  so  as  to  reach  there  before  evening.  Con- 
sequently, the  next  day,  I  set  out  about  four  o^clock  in  the  morning 
with  my  guide  and  whole  retinue.  At  six  o^clock  we  came  to  a  small 
village. 

"  Halt ! "  cried  the  guide.  "  Why  are  we  stopping  here?  "  I  asked, 
"it  will  soon  be  roasting  hot  and  Bidouai  is  still  far  off.  Let  us 
profit  by  the  cool  morning  hours." 

"  That  is  very  true;  but  Bidouai  is  still  so  far  off  that  we  could  not 
arrive  there  before  evening  and  there  is  no  village  between  here  and 
there.  Let  us  stop  here,  that  we  shall  not  be  obliged  to  sleep  in  the 
woods." 

Whether  I  wanted  to  or  not  1  was  compelled  to  stay  with  Shamanga 
Tjondo. 

Five  men  presented  themselves  to  accompany  me  to  Bidouai,  so  I 
Jaarde  farewell  to  my  guide  Shaumba. 

The  next  morning,  at  six  o'clock,  I  found  myself  on  the  shores  of  the 
famous  pond  with  all  my  men.  It  is  a  beautiful,  clear  sheet  of  water. 
I  asked  my  men  to  get  me  some  of  the  stuffs  hidden  in  the  pond,  but 
they  refused. 

"  That  pond,"  they  objected,  "  is  the  territory  of  the  Bena  Luluas ; 
we  are  Balubas  and  they  would  kill  us  if  we  trespassed  on  their 
ground." 

Without  stopping  to  catch  any  of  the  large  fish,  I  gave  the  order  to 
advance  and  about  mid-day  we  reached  Bidouai. 

The  next  day,  likewise  at  noon,  I  arrived  at  Tshilolo,  surprising  the 
chief  in  his  '*  morning  negligee ; "  and  old  worn-out  apron  girded  his 
loins.  When  he  saw  me,  he  took  to  his  heels,  to  return  from  his  hut 
in  gala  costume.  A  loose  garment,  in  days  long  gone  by  white, 
concealed  his  broad,  black  shoulders,  a  hat  with  ventilating  holes 
capped  his  curly,  black  head;  his  feet  were  covered  with  a  pair  of  shoes 


so 


Missions  in  Apbica 


from  which  his  toe  nails  protruded  with  a  rather  menacing  air.  I 
asked  him  for  some  water  and  wood  to  prepare  a  light  collation.  Tlje 
water  he  had  brought  at  once ;  as  for  the  wood,  I  would  be  compelled 
to  wait  until  it  was  cut.     In  the  meantime,  my  attendant  had  collected 


Belgian  Congo— 
The  Tomb  of  Fathkb 

B£  DilKEN  AT  BoMA. 


a  few  twigs  here  and  there  and  cooked  me  a  good  cup  of  coffee,  which 
would  suffice  me  until  ev^iing. 

After  dinner,  I  called  upon  the  chief  three  times  before  His  High- 
ness would  deign  to  appear.  I  saw  that  he  did  not  suffer  from  ami- 
ability, so  I  said  to  him : 


Belgian  Congo  21 

"  You  see,  my  old  man,  I  must  have  some  water  and  wood.  Are  you 
going  to  give  them  to  me,  yes  or  no  ?  *' 

''No/' 

''Well  then,  boys,"  I  said  to  my  companions,  ''set  to  work  and 
demolish  these  old  hovels;  they  will  give  us  enough  wood  for  the 
night." 

When  Tshilolo  saw  that  the  monuments  of  his  capital  were  threat- 
ened, he  begged  me  to  spare  them,  and  hastened  to  furnish  me  with 
necessaries. 

However,  I  needed  a  guide  to  take  me  back  to  St.  Trudon.  After 
much  parley,  the  chief  assigned  one  of  his  men  to  me.  The  next  morn- 
ing, at  an  early  hour,  I  rapped  at  his  door.  No  answer.  One  thrust 
of  the  shoulder  opened  the  door.  Behold!  the  hut  was  empty.  I 
went  to  find  the  chief.     That  bird  had  also  flown. 

What  was  to  be  done?  Without  a  guide  and  totally  ignorant  of  the 
roads,  my  situation  was  far  from  amusing.  Suddenly,  I  heard  a  rustl- 
ing of  the  dry  leaves  behind  me.  A  man  was  crawling  out  of  his  hut 
on  hands  and  feet;  before  he  had  time  to  rise  and  rub  his  eyes  to 
recognize  me  I  laid  firm  hold  on  him.  My  men  assisted  me  and  made 
flight  impossible. 

"  My  good  man,"  I  said,  "  you  are  just  in  time.  Serve  as  my  guide 
and  I  will  reward  you  handsomely." 

We  were  saved.  Now,  we  could  proceed.  After  a  half  hour's  walk, 
we  no  longer  watched  our  guide  so  closely,  not  dreaming  that  he  would 
think  of  flight  then. 

In  a  little  while,  we  came  to  a  small  woods,  when,  all  of  a  sudden, 
he  plunged  into  the  brush  and  escaped.  What  were  we  to  do,  all  alone 
in  an  unknown  forest.  In  such  a  situation  a  Christian  soul  raises  his 
heart  to  Heaven  and  places  himself  in  the  hands  of  God. 

Comforted  by  prayer,  I  fearlessly  advanced.  God  protects  those 
who  trust  in  Him.  Without  allowing  myself  to  be  confused  bjr  paths 
that  divided,  crossed  and  led  into  inextricable  thickets,  I  took  the 
direction  which  I  supposed  to  be  northeast  and,  a/t  ten  o'clock,  reached 
Musunga  Muana,  a  village  about  six  hours'  walk  from  the  mission. 

During  my  trip,  I  visited  the  sick  and  baptized  a  large  number. 
The  sleeping  sickness  is  spreading  day  by  day.  Our  hospital  is  filled. 
The  seminary  of  Li^ge  has  recently  sent  us  two  hundred  dollars, 
which  has  been  a  great  help  to  us.  During  the  past  year,  we  have 
spent  eight  hundred  dollars  for  the  ransom  and  support  of  the  sick. 

Dr.  Borden  has  been  with  us  four  months,  studying  all  the  phases 


22  Missions  in  Africa 

of  this  disease  from  morning  till  night.  He  vi^ll  leave  next  week 
without  having  found  any  remedy  for  this  terrible  plague.  The  hope 
of  finding  a  cure  is  very  small.  In  the  meantime,  God  is  making  use 
of  us  to  gain  many  souls  for  his  kingdom.  Since  July  1,  1903,  we 
have  baptized  more  than  900  persons. 

Letter  of  Father  Stock, 
Missionary  of  Scheut 

Moanda,  March  17,  1904. 

My  companion,  Fad:her  Boumans,  has  left  for  Kangu  to  make  his 
retreat  and  take  a  much  deserved  rest  after  two  years  of  unremitting 
work.  I  have  been  alone  at  the  residence  for  a  month;  alone  among 
our  Blacks.  My  multifarious  occupations  have  left  me  no  time  for 
ennui.  By  way  of  recreation,  I  am  going  to  tell  you  about  my  last 
visit  among  the  Museronges. 

I  traveled  with  six  boys  to  carry  my  luggage. 
A  Visit  Among  the  After  leaving  the  Christian  village  of  St.  Louis, 
Museronges. — ^Royal  we  walked  through  high  grass  till  we  reached 
Mourning. — Curious  "  the  swamps  of  Mamputu,  about  noon.  Cross- 
Customs. — Conver-  ing  these  was  comparatively  easy  for  me.  I 
sion  in  extremis. —  had  only  myself  to  take  care  of  and,  by  the  aid 
Bloody  Practices. —  of  my  long  stick,  I  could  find  a  firm  footing  on 
Queen  Netona.  the  trunks  of  trees  lying  in  the  marsh ;  for  my 

companions,  however,  passage  was  very  diflS- 
cult;  three  of  them  fell  with  their  loads;  to  add  to  our  misfortunes, 
the  case  containing  the  necessaries  for  saying  Mass  fdl;  all  the  vest- 
ments were  ruined.  It  was  impossible  to  dry  anything  at  all,  as  the 
weather  was  very  damp  and  foggy.  ^*  Go  back,  Kisi,  my  boy,'^  I  said, 
^^  and  bring  me  other  vestments  to  Mingiele  to-morrow." 

I  dined  on  the  other  side  of  the  swamp  in  the  forest.  There  was  no 
want  of  appetite,  but  the  rations  were  meagre.  At  two  o^clock,  I 
arrived  at  Netombe,  my  first  halting  place.  In  the  evening,  there  was 
catechism  for  the  catechumens.  Twenty-five  boys  were  present,  not 
a  single  girl;  the  attendance  was  small  for  a  village  of  its  importance. 
The  chief  is  not  friendly  to  us,  and  his  sentiments  influence  the  people. 

Three  days  afterwards,  my  little  caravan  entered  Nenimi. 

What  meant  the  crowd  of  men,  women  and  children  around  the 
royal  hut?  I  went  up  to  them  and  looked  within.  Nenimi,  the  chief 
of  all  the  Museronges  on  this  side  of  the  river,  was  lying  dead,  en- 


Belgian  Congo 


23 


veloped  in  strips  of  cloth,  above  a  small  wood  fire  the  smoke  of  which 
was  gradually  drying  his  body.  Two  days  before,  he  had  been  drowned 
whilst  swimming  in  Banana  creek. 

In  Europe,  the  death  of  a  king  or  a  prince  is  much  talked  of  at  first. 
In  a  few  days,  the  illustrious  departed  descends  into  the  tomb;  the 
newspapers  make  a  last  mention  of  his  good  or  bad  qualities  and  imme- 
diately afterwards  fill  their  columns  with  articles  on  his  successor; 
the  dead  are  forgotten. 


-^v 


&ir^— -^    -T^:P^.>^^, 


Belgian  Congo — Chubch  at  Leopoldville. 


^^  :-g^_-.i^^ 


Among  the  Museronges,  conditions  are  different.  As  I  saw  Nenimi 
the  other  day,  so  I  shall  find  him  again  next  month.  His  dead  body 
will  not  have  changed  place ;  he  will  be  supported  by  the  same  frame 
of  wood,  above  the  same  fire,  never  extinguished.  The  only  change 
is  that  extra  strips  of  cloth  will  be  wrapped  around  his  body.  For 
long  months  he  will  remain  so,  until  his  body  is  completely  mummified, 
when  his  funeral  will  be  held. 

I  retired  to  my  hut  where  my  catechist  Leo  lives  when  I  am  not 
in  the  village.  It  is  very  near  the  royal  dwelling.  Since  Leo  has 
been  teaching,  the  catechism  classes  are  better  attended  than  before; 


24  Missions  in  Afhioa 

besides  a  number  of  boys,  some  girls  are  present  and  even  a  few  married 
men. 

Very  well  satisfied  with  these  results,  I  went  to  sleep.  In  the  early 
morning,  before  three  o^elock,  I  was  aroused  by  a  concert  of  lamenta- 
tions performed  near  the  corpse  of  the  chief.  The  chant,  sad  and 
solemn  as  the  Miserere,  was  accompanied  by  the  muffled  beat  of  drums. 
Prom  time  to  time,  the  crowd  interrupted  the  dirge  at  different  inter- 
vals with  a  piercing  lament.  ^^  Tata  ufuidi,  Tata  ufuidi,"  (Alas! 
our  father  is  dead.) 

It  was  impossible  for  me  to  go  to  sleep  again.  I  looked  out  to  see 
what  was  going  on.  Women  and  children  were  gathered  around  fires, 
singing  in  a  plaintive  voice  the  virtues  of  the  deceased. 

On  my  side,  I  erected  my  portable  altar.  The  catechumens  came 
singly,  or  in  small  groups,  kneeling  without  on  the  sand.  And  there, 
on  two  rough  boards,  under  a  roof  made  of  palm  fibre,  Jesus  de- 
scended.   I  thought  of  Bethlehem,  the  stable,  the  crib,  the  bed  of  straw. 

Ah!  Nenimi,  new  Bethlehem,  may  you  become  the  cradle  of  a 
flourishing  Christian  settlement  among  my  poor  Museronges ! 

Mass  and  thanksgiving  were  followed  by  instruction.  JoyfuUy,  I 
registered  several  new  names.  Then,  a  happiness  of  a  different  nature 
came  to  me. 

One  of  the  old  Christians  came  up  to  me  saying : 

**  Father,  you  know  Joseph  Ditu ;  he  is  a  Christian,  but  for  three 
years  he  has  not  fulfilled  his  Easter  duty.  Now,  he  is  seriously  sick ; 
he  has  been  stricken  with  the  sleeping  sickness ;  it  would  be  well  for  you 
to  see  him." 

*'  Thank  you,  my  good  man,  I  will  go." 

The  hut  of  the  sick  man  was  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  away. 
Joseph  was  stretched  on  a  poor  rug.  I  talked  to  him  of  his  youth, 
when,  taken  by  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  instructed  and  baptized 
by  them,  he  had  tasted  so  sweet  joys.  I  drew  from  him  the  confession 
that  he  had  been  unhappy  ever,  since  he  left  the  narrow  road.  I 
brought  to  his  mind  the  thought  of  death  and  what  follows  it — ^judg- 
ment, hell.  Heaven — ^telling  him  that  he  must  decide,  for  his  hour  was 
near.     Then,  seeing  that  he  was  moved,  I  added : 

"You  want  to  go  to  confession,  do  you  not?  You  will  find  peace 
now ;  Heaven  hereafter." 

As  he  could  hardly  speak,  he  gave  a  sign  of  consent  and,  after  he  had 
made  his  confession,  his  countenance  betrayed  the  emotions  of  his 
heart.     I  gave  him  the  Holy  Viaticum  and  paid  him  a  visit  the  next 


Belgian  Congo 


25 


day.     Four  days  afterwards  he  died,  happy  to  have  heard  the  call  of 
grace  at  the  last  hour. 

The  same  day,  I  beheld  a  strange  sight  near  the  funeral  hut  of 
Nenimi.  One  of  his  old  vassals,  chief  Kifuku,  followed  by  his  people, 
had  come  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  mortal  remains  of  his  sovereign. 
The  day  was  waning.  The  large  open  space  before  the  hut  of  the 
deceased  was  lighted  up  by  enormous  torches  of  palm  branches  tied 


Belgian  CJongo — Cabbiers  at  Rest. 


together.  Kifuku,  with  his  retinue  and  the  followers  of  Nenimi, 
stood  on  the  right,  whilst  the  women  and  children  were  arranged  on 
the  left,  singing  a  plaintive  dirge. 

With  the  men,  the  ceremony  began  with  copious  libations.  Was  this 
meant  to  soften  their  hearts,  or  was  their  grief  so  great  that  they  felt 
the  need  of  drowning  it?  Neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  These 
people  neither  feel,  nor  do  they  invite,  sadness.  So  long  as  his  personal 
interest  is  not  at  stake,  ihe  Congoan  has  no  sense  of  compassion ;  his 
only  motive  for  action  is  egoism ;  he  lives  upon  it  and  dies  of  it.    These 


26  Missions  in  Africa 

men  drank  for  the  sake  of  drinking,  merely  to  amuse  themselves.  The 
performance  might  even  terminate  in  bloodshed,  if  any  question  of 
self-interest  were  provoked.  Such  an  issue  was,  by  no  means,  improb- 
able; chief  Kifuku,  as  a  vassal,  was  obliged  to  furnish  a  certain  amount 
of  stuff  to  decorate  the  dead  body.  If  he  refused — ^which  he  was  likely 
to  do — a  fight  would  ensue. 

However  the  matter  stood,  after  strong  drinks,  at  a  given  signal, 
four  men  leaped  into  the  arena  formed  by  the  two  groups  and,  to  the 
accompaniment  of  tam-^ams  and  boisterous  songs,  began  a  series  of 
dances,  one  more  grotesque  than  the  other. 

One  of  the  dancers  wriggled  a  long  train  back  of  him,  whilst  his 
partner  gracefully  balanced  the  immense  cloak  which  enveloped  him. 
Two  others  pirouetted  so  dexterously  as  to  make  the  most  clever  clown 
in  Europe  jealous.  The  sight  recalled  to  my  mind  the  dance  of  death, 
about  which  I  learned  in  my  youth ;  it  was  a  true  dance  of  black  spirits 
moving  about  in  the  uncertain  and  yellowish  light  of  the  torches. 

Meanwhile  the  performers,  tired  out  and  dying  of  thirst,  withdrew 
and  were  followed  by  two  gladiators  who  threw  themselves  about  in 
the  arena  like  souls  possessed.  Uttering  the  most  horrible  yells,  each 
one  fought  alone  against  an  invisible  adversary.  Terrible  blows  fell 
in  number;  there  were  leaps  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  sudden  halts, 
whilst  with  breast  protruded  and  arms  extended,  each  fighter  brand- 
ished a  knife  which,  suddenly  thrust,  felled  the  fictitious  enemy;  his 
overthrow  was  greeted  with  a  most  savage  applause  from  the  throng  of 
spectators. 

Finally,  one  man  alone  occupied  the  stage.  In  his  left  hand  he 
carried  a  convex  shield  of  wood  with  a  band  of  iron,  on  which  he  beat 
loudly  with  the  rusty  sword  clasped  in  his  right.  Then,  in  about  the 
middle  of  the  open  space,  he  seemed  to  move  about  with  extreme 
caution,  closely  studying  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  Suddenly,  he 
threw  his  body  forward,  bent  his  legs  and  gave  a  vigorous  lunge  against 
the  range  of  spectators.  Had  he  noticed  my  presence?  Be  that  as  it 
may,  his  sword  just  escaped  my  breast.  Instantly  there  arose  a  general 
cry :  "  Keba  Mundel6,  Keba  Mpelo  (look  out  for  the  foreigner,  look 
out  for  the  Father).*' 

The  actor  continued  to  plunge  into  the  crowd,  striking  with  his 
blade,  seemingly  desirous  of  splitting  all  their  skulls  and  piercing  their 
hearts ;  but  hurting  no  one. 

Suddenly,  his  attention  was  attracted  by  a  plaintive  wail  coming 
from  one  end  of  the  arena.  Two  men  crawling  on  hands  and  feet, 
with  their  faces  to  the  earth,  advanced  directly  toward  the  armed 


Brloian  Congo 


27 


actor.  At  first,  they  pleaded  with  him  m  sweet  and  fearful  tones, 
then,  in  agonizing  cries,  to  have  pity  upon  them.  The  ferocious 
fighter,  however,  seemed  only  to  redouble  his  fury.  Preluding  his 
action  by  repeated  knocks  of  his  arm  against  the  shield  ornamented 
with  iron,  he  rushed  against  the  two  defenseless  men  who  seemed  to 
be  in  the  agony  of  death.  Apparently  not  without  reason,  for  the  terri- 
ble sword  passed  over  their  entire  bodies  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning. 
The  man  possessed  astounding  skill,  so  to  calculate  his  blows  as  not  to 
cause  even  the  slightest  scratch.     Finally,  he  lifted  his  arm  as  if  to 


"^^"^^^^ 


Belgian  CJonqo — Chubch  at  Moanda. 


give  the  decisive  blow ;  however,  a  last  cry  for  mercy  made  the  sword 
descend  without  force;  grace  had  been  granted  and  the  three  actors 
left  the  scene. 

After  catechism  in  the  morning,  I  left  for  Netona,  nearly  two  miles 
distant.  I  had  very  few  catechumens  there  and  I  wanted  more.  God 
gave  them  to  me. 

Netona,  like  Holland,  is  governed  by  a  woman.     Among  the  Muse- 


28  Missions  in  Africa 

ronges,  this  is  no  uncommon  occurrence.  If  a  king  dies,  leaving  a 
son  too  young  to  hold  the  reins  of  government,  his  mother  acts  as 
regent,  assembles  the  people  to  decide  matters  of  importance  and  settles 
disputes.  Under  such  circumstances,  the  queen  of  Netona  appears 
in  uniform :  a  baggy,  divided  skirt,  a  hat  with  a  hanging  brim  and  on 
her  breast  an  immense  copper  medal  representing  Victor  Emmanuel. 

When  I  made  my  official  and  diplomatic  visit,  she  appeared  with 
this  pomp  seated  on  a  little  wooden  bench  for  a  throne.  I  received  a 
graceful  invitation  to  be  seated  on  another  bench  to  the  right  of  Her 
Majesty.  The  people  stood  around  looking  at  us.  Before  inquiring 
about  the  purpose  of  my  visit,  the  queen  offered  me  five  chicken  eggs 
for  which  I  expressed  my  gratitude  by  signs  and  deep  inclinations  of 
the  head.  My  present,  in  return,  was  accepted  with  delight;  and  so, 
convinced  of  the  good  dispositions  of  Her  Majesty,  I  began  an  address 
in  the  Congo  language. 

"  Netona,  you  are  a  great  queen  and  numerous  subjects  obey  your 
orders.  Nevertheless,  only  a  few  of  them  come  to  hear  instructions 
on  the  great  God.  Only  a  few  men.  Why  do  not  the  women  and 
young  girls  attend  catechism  ?  Is  Heaven  meant  for  men  alone  ?  Are 
not  women  as  worthy  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  as  men  ?  " 

In  delivering  this  piece  of  African  eloquence,  I  emphasized  my  words 
as  strongly  as  possible  so  that  they  should  make  an  impression,  and  I 
succeeded.  During  my  speech,  the  queen  gave  signs  that  she  under- 
stood me  to  be  right.  Then,  taking  up  the  thread  of  discourse  herself, 
she  invited  all  the  boys  and  girls  to  be  present  at  the  classes  of  the 
priest  of  God. 

Unfortimately,  the  young  girls,  timid  as  they  are,  were  very  much 
frightened  and  seemed  as  though  they  were  going  to  run  away. 

^^Do  not  be  afraid  of  the  white  Nganga  (priest),"  said  I.  "Come 
back  and  begin  by  holding  out  your  hand  to  Titz,  who  will  give  you  his 
p;lw." 

Titz  is  my  brave,  large  dog.  The  young  girls  began  to  laugh  and 
approached.     One  of  them  ventured  to  hold  out  her  hand. 

"  Your  paw,  Titz." 

Titz  quietly  stretched  out  his  paw  to  lay  it  in  the  child's  hand.  The 
others  took  courage  after  this ;  some  caressed  his  back,  others  put  their 
arms  around  his  shaggy  head.  One  child  even  ventured  to  touch  his 
terrible  teeth.  Titz  is  ready  enough  to  growl  at  any  time,  but  he 
looked  at  me  with  a  knowing  air,  as  if  he  understood  the  part  he  was* 
to  play.  His  success  was  complete.  Thanks  to  him,  the  children 
took  confidence  which  was  of  great  value  to  me. 


Belgian  Congo 


29 


I  arose;  the  children  followed  me  and  the  queen  herself  attended 
catechism.  You  may  judge  of  my  astonishment,  joy  and  gratitude  to 
Qod.  Until  then,  I  had  numbered  only  29  catechumens  in  Netona; 
upon  this  occasion,  I  gained  24  new  aspirants  among  them,  seven  young 
girls  and  three  married  women  together  with  their  husbands. 

Two  days  later,  the  village  of  Nesongo  made  me  another  present  of 
13  catechumens,  so  that  my  trip  gave  me  the  consoling  figures  of  51 
new  members  for  the  Church  of  God.  Glory  be  to  God,  and  thanks 
to  the  pious  souls  who  have  helped  us  by  their  alms  and  prayers ! 


MISSIONS   IN   OCEANICA 


TWO    MISSIONARIES,   THREE     BROTHERS    AND    FIVE 
SISTERS    MASSACRED  IN  NEW  POMERANIA 

As  Bishop  Coupp^  remarks,  the  natives  are  not  attacking  the  Catholic 
religion,  but  the  whites,  the  foreigners,  whom  they  consider  invaders.     If  . 
the  assassins  have  selected  missionaries  for  their  victims  it  is  because 
these  are  defenseless. 

The  vicariate  apostolic  of  New  Pomeranla,  crea^d  in  1889,  comprises 
not  only  the  archipelago  but  New  Mecklenburg,  the  Admiralty  Islands 
and  New  Hanover.  All  these  Islands  belong  to  Germany.  Their  evangeli- 
zation has  been  entrusted  by  the  Holy  See  to  the  Congregation  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  of  Issoudun.  Before  the  recent  massacre  it  num- 
bered in  these  parts,  20  missionary  priests,  29  Brothers  co-adjutors,  and 
17  Sisters  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  Bishop  Louis  Coupp6  was 
born  in  1850  and  appointed  titular  bishop  of  Lero,  December  28,  1899. 

Lettee  of  Bishop  Couppe, 
Of  the  Society  of  the  Missionaries  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Issoudun, 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  New  Pomerania, 

VuNA  Pope,  August  28,  1904. 
Several  years  since,  we  founded  a  new  mission  center  in  the  moun- 
tainous region  of  the  Gazelle  peninsula  inhabited  by  the  savage  and 
semi-nomadic  tribes  of  the  Bainings.  It  numbers  five  stations; 
Ramandu,  Vuna  Marita,  Saint  Paul,  Nakarunep  and  Marienhohe. 
The  first  two,  situated  on  the  coast,  are  inhabited  by  the  native  tribe 
of  the  lAvuans,  very  different  from  the  Bainings  in  language,  physiog- 
nomy and  character.  They  are  old  pirates  who  settled  near  the 
Bainings  to  carry  on  their  sad  trade  among  them,  massacring  them  by 
stealth  and  making  slaves  of  them.  The  three  other  stations  are 
situated  in  the  mountains  of  the  interior  in  the  midst  of  the  Bainings. 
Toward  the  end  of  August,  the  governor  and  principal  settlers  were 
to  meet  in  St.  Paul  for  the  dedication  of  a  new  church.  It  was  while 
the  preparations  for  this  solemnity  were  being  made  that  the  massacre 
took  place. 

30  + 


Ni:W    TOMEUANIA 


31 


The  following  are  the  details  of  this  horrible  drama: 

On  August  13th,  a  large  number  of  natives  from  the  neighborhood 

came  to  Mass.     After  services,  Sisters  Bridget  and  Dorothea  went  to 

Vuna  Marita  with  their  orphans  to  get  some  things  brought  by  the 

mission  boat.     Father  Rascher  was  to  be  one  of  the  crew,  but  feeling 


,;'.,v'^.'MJii^  "";":j)i. 


Father  Rascher,  Murdered  in  New  Pomerania. 


indisposed  he  changed  his  mind  and  went  to  rest  on  his  bed  without 
undressing.  According  to  his  custom,  To  Maria,  the  priest's  hunts- 
man, a  resident  of  the  village  and  a  former  slave  brought  up  at  the 
mission,  asked  the  brother  for  his  gun,  which  was  given  to  him.  The 
three  Brothers  Plasschaert,  Schellekens  and  Aloysius,  and  the  five 
Sisters  were  performing  their  respective  duties.     Sister  Ann,  assisted 


32  Missions  in  Oceanica 

by  a  boy,  was  washing  up  the  floor  of  the  hall  in  the  center  of  the 
priest^s  house.  The  priest  himself  was  lying  down  in  his  room,  the 
window  of  which,  leading  upon  the  veranda,  was  open. 

About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.  To  Maria  climbed  upon  the 
veranda  and  shot  at  Father  Eascher  through  the  window.  The  full 
discharge  entered  his  breast;  however,  he  was  able  to  rise  and,  going 
to  the  door,  he  gave  one  cry  and  fell  dead  at  the  feet  of  Sister  Ann 
who  had  run  to  his  assistance.  Pursued  by  the  murderer,  she  took 
refuge  in  the  adjoining  room  and  locked  herself  in.  To  Maria  forced 
open  the  door  with  a  hatchet  and  shot  Sister  Ann  through  the  brain 
at  close  range.  She  was  found  under  the  table  with  her  eyes  open  and 
her  habitual  smile  upon  her  lips.  On  the  road  to  the  new  church  lay 
the  body  of  Sister  Sophia,  who  was  returning  from  the  village  whither 
she  had  gone  to  dress  the  wounds  of  some  sick.  She  must  have  made 
a  struggle,  for  her  habit  was  torn. 

The  body  of  Brother  Aloysius  was  found  near  the  house.  He  and 
a  young  boy  named  Tand6  were  working  under  the  dwelling  when  they 
heard  the  gun-shot.  (Joing  out  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  he  called 
to  To  Maria: 

"Why  did  you  shoot?'' 

The  murderer  took  aim,  but  Tand6  placed  himself  before  the 
Brother,  saying : 

"You  shall  kill  us  both." 

To  Maria  told  him  to  get  out  of  the  way  and  when  Tande  refused, 
he  shot  at  the  Brother  who  fell  over  and  was  killed  with  a  hatchet. 

Brother  Schellekens  was  busy  finishing  a  cement '  stairs  at  the 
iBntrance  of  the  new  church.  A  Baining  split  his  skull.  He  was  found 
with  his  face  to  the  ground,  still  holding  the  trowel  in  his  hand. 
Brother  Plasschaert  was  measuring  off  boards  to  cut  them  into  the 
required  lengths.  His  body  was  found  in  a  reclining  position,  with  a 
pencil  in  one  hand  and  a  rule  in  the  other ;  his  skull  had  been  likewise 
split. 

Sister  Agatha  was  dressing  the  wounds  of  some  natives.  She  was 
attacked  from  the  back  and  her  head  totally  crushed. 

Sister  Angela  was  in  the  temporary  chapel  arranging  the  altar.  Her 
body  was  found  lying  on  the  altar  steps;  at  her  side  lay  the  tabernacle 
enclosing  the  Blessed  Sacrament.    Her  skull  had  been  split. 

Sister  Agnes  was  working  as  usual  under  the  porch.  Her  body  bore 
deep  wounds  in  the  head ;  she  had  covered  her  face  with  her  veil. 

The  murderers  accomplished  their  bloody  work  in  a  few  minutes. 
Their  different  rdles  had  been  assigned  beforehand  and  each  one  was 


New  Pomerania 


33 


at  his  post  awaiting  the  signal  to  act.     The  plot  was  perfectly 
organized. 

4- 

At  sight  of  the  massacre^  the  orphans  and  natives  still  at  the  station 
and  in  the  village  took  flight  in  confusion;  some  went  directly  to  Yuna 
Marita;  others  hid  in  the  forest. 


New  Pomerania — Chubch  at  Vlavolo. 

In  the  morning  of  the  same  day,  shortly  after  the  attack  in  St.  Paul, 
Father  Butten  was  assassinated  in  Nakarunep. 

His  chair  was  found  covered  with  blood  under  the  porch  of  his  house, 
whilst  a  large  pool  of  blood  on  the  floor  marked  the  place  where  the 
Father  breathed  his  last.  His  breviary  and  a  book,  entitled  The 
Martyrs  of  the  Catacombs,  were  Ijdng  at  his  side.    A  few  steps  away, 


34  Missions  in  Oobanioa 

his  body,  wrapped  in  banana  leaves,  was  bnried  a  foot  deep  in  the 
ground.  His  head  was  severed  from  his  body  completely  hacked 
into  pieces. 

At  the  news  of  the  massacre,  Father  Van  der  Aa,  head  of  the 
mission,  went,  in  all  haste,  to  St.  Paul.  On  the  road  he  encountered 
two  armed  Bainings,  who  were  going  to  surprise  him  in  Yuna  Marita; 
they  fled  at  his  approach. 

Towards  morning,  Sunday,  August  14,  the  Bainings  came  down  to 
Yuna  Marita  in  large  numbers;  seeing  that  our  people  were  on  the 
alert,  they  withdrew. 

4- 

Father  Bascher  was  buried  in  the  morning.  During  the  holy  sacri- 
fice, just  after  the  elevation,  the  Bainings  attempted  a  second  attack. 
We  were  obliged  to  shorten  the  Mass.  When  our  people  rushed  out  of 
the  church,  the  assailants  withdrew.  It  was  only  then  that  the 
burial  could  be  made. 

Messages  announcing  the  uprising  were  received  at  Herbertshohe 
the  seat  of  government,  Sunday  morning.  Unfortunately,  the  governor 
was  on  a  trip  to  the  Corolinas;  the  vice-governor  was  in  New  Guinea 
repressing  a  plot;  and  the  imperial  judge  was  attending  to  affairs  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  island.  At  the  same  time,  there  was  but  one 
boat  to  command  and  it  belonged  to  the  New  Guinea  Company. 

Preparations  for  an  expedition  were  hastily  completed.  Twenty 
native  police,  the  whole  force  present  in  Herbertshohe,  left  for  Yuna 
Marita,  where  they  arrived  Sunday  evening. 

4- 

Monday,  the  16th,  at  a  very  early  hour,  they  went  to  St.  PauL  There 
they  beheld  the  horrible  sight  of  the  mutilated  bodies  already  in  a  state 
of  putrefaction.  The  houses  were  still  standing;  but  linens,  clothes, 
food,  knives,  hatchets  and  church  ornaments  had  all  disappeared. 
What  was  of  no  value  to  the  murderers,  chalices,  lamps,  books,  chairs 
and  tables,  had  been  thrown  down  in  confusion  on  the  ground.  The 
canvas  of  cots  and  folding  chairs  had  been  cut  off  and  carried  away. 
The  dwellings  of  the  village  had  also  been  robbed. 

The  first  thing  done  was  to  bury  the  victims  in  a  common  grave  in 
the  cemetery  of  the  station.  Then  the  whole  neighborhood  was  scoured, 
but  the  posse  returned  to  St.  Paul  in  the  evening  without  having 
found  a  single  offender. 

On  the  16th,  the  police  went  to  Nakarunep.  On  their  way  they 
fired  on  a  group  of  Bainings  who,  in  their  flight,  dropped  a  gun  which 
was  recognized  to  be  that  of  To  Maria.    Near  Nakarunep  our  force 


Nbw  Pomerakia 


35 


•  divided  into  two  bands;  the  one  set  out  in  search  of  Lo  Yalilika^  chief 
of  the  district,  the  father  of  To  Maria  and  a  noted  cannibal  known  to 
be  one  of  the  murderers;  the  other  went  to  the  station  of  Father 
Rutten.    It  was  completely  plundered.     After  a  long  search,  the  body 


,  ^Sff^j^^ff^-x  .^ 


A  Natiyk  of  New  Pohkhania. 


of  the  priest  was  found.  Torn  papers  and  books  were  lying  around 
in  disorder.  The  altar  in  the  church  had  been  demolished  and  the 
tabernacle  containing  the  Blessed  Sacrament  carried  away*  The 
twenly  orphan  boys  of  this  station,  recently  founded,  have  not  yet  been 
heard  from. 


36  Missions  IN  Oobanioa 

As  far  as  we  know  anything  about  the  circumstances  of  the  attack 
upon  St.  Paul^  all  evidence  tends  to  the  fact  that  the  hatred  of  the 
Bainings  is  not  directed  Against  missionaries^  as  such^  but  against  the 
whites  in  general.  The  uprising  was  provoked  by  the  universal  and 
inveterate  hatred  of  the  savage  natives  against  the  whites^  who  have 
taken  possession  of  their  country  and  become  their  masters.  If  our 
missionaries  have  been  the  first  to  suffer  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
Bainings^  it  is  because  they  occupy  outposts  and  cannot  defend  liiem- 
sdves. 

Meanwhile^  it  is  painful  to  confess  that  several  of  the  murderers^ 
To  Maria,  To  Palum  and  To  Mekmek  belong  to  the  village  of  Saint 
Paul,  formed  of  former  slaves  liberated  and  adopted  by  the  mission. 

To  Maria  was  ransomed  by  us  a  long  time  ago;  in  turning  against 
the  missionaries  to  whom  he  is  indebted  for  nothing  but  good  and 
joining  his  father,  who  instigated  the  plot,  he  has  yielded  to  his  bad 
instincts.  He  was  an  intelligent  boy,  but  his  heart  was  ruined  by  vice. 
That  was  the  cause  of  his  treason.  After  his  marriage,  he  ran  away 
with  the  wife  of  one  of  his  neighbors.  Brought  back  to  his  lawful 
wife  he  swore  to  revenge  himself  upon  those  who  opposed  his  passions. 
A  few  days  before  the  massacre  he  had  been  reprimanded  by  Father 
Bascher. 

To  Palum  had  recently  been  handed  over  to  the  mission  by  the 
government  which  had  redeemed  him  from  slavery;  his  father  and 
relatives  were  also  among  the  murderers.  The  third,  upon  whom  a 
strong  suspicion  rests,  is  To  Mekmek,  who  has  not  reappeared.  His 
father  is  one  of  the  assassins.  The  others  are  men  of  the  forest  who  do 
not  belong  to  the  village  of  St.  Paul  and  do  not  often  come  under  the 
influence  of  the  missionaries. 

May  God  make  use  of  these  trials  and  the  blood  of  these  ten  victims 
for  His  glory  and  the  greater  benefit  of  the  mission ! 


^-''W^m^ 


t2^ 


NEWS  OF  THE   MISSIONS 

AFRICA 
Good  Tidings  from  Abyssinia 

His  Majesty,  the  Negus,  has  "Revoked  the  edict  of  persecution  and 
exile  directed  against  Catholics.  The  saving  telegram  was  received  in 
Adigrat,  September  17.    It  reads : 

^^Au  chaum  agamie  Desta.  Do  not  interfere  with  Catholic  mission- 
aries.   They  may  remain  at  their  posts.    Menelick  II.'' 

The  Jubilee  of  Bishop  Augouard 

Father  Gourdy,  C.  S.  Sp.,  writes  from  Brazzaville : 

"On  the  holy  feast  of  Easter,  we  celebrated  the  silver  jvbilee  of 
Bishop  Augouard,  our  vicar  apostolic.  Most  of  the  foreigners  who 
live  here  attended  Mass;  alas!  not  out  of  devotion,  but  to  manifest 
their  sympathy  and  regard  for  the  bishop.  Our  little  church  has  a 
poor  attendance  on  Sunday. 

"Twenty-five  years  of  ministry  in  Africa!  How  much  has  been 
accomplished ! 

"  By  Bishop  Augouard^s  efforts  religion  has  spread  over  a  vast  dis- 
trict in  this  part  of  Africa.  The  eight  mission  centers  founded  by  him 
are  so  many  hearths  from  which  the  knowledge  of  God,  the  benefits  of 
religion  and  civilization  spread;  several  thousand  slaves  have  been 
ransomed  and  instructed,  and  we  now  number  1200  children  in  our 
schools.'* 


37 


DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 

Beported  since  the  November-December  Aimals 


AFRICA 

The  Gold  Ooaet 

Congo  Free  State 

Rt  Rev.  Klaus,  L.A.M. 
Rev.  Pfreger,  L.A.M. 

Rev. 

Arthur  Brielmao,  S.J. 

** 

Jales  Sadin,  S.J. 

The  Ivory  Coast 

Lunda 

Rev. 

Convers,  L.A.M. 

Lebert,  Ti.A.M. 

Eev. 

Germain  Faroux,  CS.Sp. 

" 

Gruson,  L.A.M. 

Senegal 

The  Niger 

Rev. 

Ange  Renault,  C.S.Sp. 

Rev. 

Cermenatl,  L.A.M. 

Rev. 

Sierra  Leone 
Edouard  Knntsmann, 

O.S.8p. 
Charles  Rudolph,  C.S.Sp. 

Rev. 

Lotoer  Niger 
Victor  Duhase,  CS.^p. 

" 

Upper  Niger 

Lower  Congo 

Rev. 

Rousselet,  L.A.M. 

Rev. 

Chas.  Luttemhacher, 

C.S.Sp. 

Mauritius  Island 

Zanguebar 
Rev.  Btlenne  Baur,  CS.Sp. 
**    Alphonse  Kuhn,  C.8.Sp. 
'*     Louis  Demalson,  CS.Sp. 

SenegamMa 
Rev.  Jean  Leveque,  C.S.Sp. 
"     Augustin  Alller.  C.S.Sp. 
"     Henri  Joffroy,  C.S.Sp. 

French  Congo 
Rev.  Francois  Pele,  O.S.Sp. 

North  Madagascar 
Rt.   Rev.   Francois  Xavler  Cor- 
bet, CS.Sp. 
Rev.  Marlus  Georges  Hug6, 
C.S.Sp. 
"     Francois  Morln,  C.S.Sp. 

Central  Madagascar 
Rev.  Jos.  Bowln,  S.J. 
"     Louis  Verley,  S.J. 
"     Paul  RIgot.  S.J. 

Northern  Nyanaa 
Rev.  Jean  Buffard,  Al.  M. 
"     Paul  d'Urbal,AlM. 
"     Francois  Robin,  Al.  M. 

Benin 
Rev.  Bmlle  Schmltt,  L.A.M. 

DafUMney 
Rev.  Laublac,  L.A.M. 

38 


Rev.  Auguste  Haaby,  CS.Sp. 
"     Jean  Marie  Plrault,  O.S.Sp. 
"     Honors  Salles,  C.S.Sp. 

ASIA 

India 

Calcutta 
Most  Rev.  Menleman,  S.J. 
Rev.  Jacques  de  Berraly,  S.J. 

•*     M61ard  Vermelre,  S.J. 

"     John  Comerford.  S.J. 

'*     Michael  Moore,  S.J. 

"     Louis  Wantus,  S.J. 

"     Alphonse  Bockaert,  S.J. 

"     Gustave  MotteI4,  S.J. 

"     Paul  Feron,  S.J. 

"     Frederic  Ernes,  S.J. 

"     Pierre  Hipp,  S.J. 

Ceylon 
Rev.  Paul  Delebecque,  S.J. 
"     P.  Gllle,  S.J. 

Madura 
Rev.  Emlle  Jonglt,  S.J. 
Mr.  Bonhome,  S7J. 

*'    Albert  Mona,  S.J. 

"    Alphonse  Durh,  S.J. 

**    Francois  Lament,  S.J. 

Malacca 
Rev.  Henri  Germane,  P.F.M. 
"     Bus^he  Chevauchtf,  P.F.M. 

Rumhhakouam 
Rev.  Victor  Chaumartin,  P.F.M. 


Lower  Burma 
Rev.  Jos.  Mamy,  P.F.M. 

Upper  Burma 
Rev.  Ren6  Bonffanais,  P.F.M. 
"     Claudius  Roche,  P.F.M. 
"     Victor  BUl^  P>.M. 

Pondieherry 
Rev.  Jean  Bastlde,  P.F.M. 

Koimhatur 
Rev.  Louis  Perrl^re,  P.F.M. 

Maisur 
Rev.  Francois  Boson,  P.F.M. 

Siam 
Rev.  Louis  Calenge,  P.F.M. 

China 
Eastern  CocMn  China 
Rev.  Henri  Bonhomme,  P.F.M. 
"     Charles  Dorgevllle,  P.F.M. 

Kwang-tung 
Rev.  Leon  Lemaire,  P.F.M. 

OCEANICA 

OUhert  Islands 
Rev.  Alexis  Ponoreau,  M.S.C. 
**     Auguste  Auclalr,  M.S.C 

New  Pomerania 
Rev.  Joseph  Mflller,  M.S.C. 
**     Joseph  Htlskes,  M.S.C. 

Dutch  New  CMnea 
Rev.  Pierre  Smets,  M.S.C 
'*     Jean  van  der  Rooy,  M.S.C 

New  Caledonia 
Rev.  Fr.  Fraysse,  S.M. 
"     Henri  Thouion,  S.M. 

New  Hebrides 
Rev.  Pierre  Gonnet,  S.M. 
*'     Antoine  Genevet,  S.M. 
*'     Emlle  Roux,  S.M. 

Southern  Solomon  Islands 
Rev.  Jules  VIgne,  S.M. 
"     Joseph  Berlin,  S.M. 

Northern  Solomon  Islands 
Rev.  Joseph  Grisvard,  S.M. 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


THE  FEAST  DAY  OF  OUR  PATRON 

A  few  months  ago,  St.  Francis  Xevier,  the  great  missionary  of  the 
16th  Century  and  one  of  the  greatest  apostles  of  all  times,  was  pro- 
claimed Patron  of  the  Society  fob  the  Propagation  of  the  Paith^ 
by  Pope  Pius  X,who,  besides,  raised  his  feast  to  a  higher  liturgical  rank 
in  order,  as  he  said,  that  "the  veneration  paid  to  Him  be  further 
increased  and  that  additional  honors  may  enhance  His  glory  still  more 
among  men/*  It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  the  feast  should  be  ob- 
served in  a  special  manner  by  the  Associates  of  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith. 

At  Lyons,  the  cradle  of  the  Society,  the  celebration  took  place,  on 
December  3,  in  the  primatial  church,  in  the  presence  of  the  Cardinal- 
Archbishop  of  that  city  and  the  other  members  of  the  Central  Council 
of  the  Society.  The  panegyric  was  delivered  by  Monsignor  Henry, 
Bishop  of  Grenoble.  At  Paris,  where  resides  the  other  Central  Council 
of  the  Society,  the  ceremony  took  place  as  usual  in  the  chapel  of  the 

39 


40     Supplement  to  the  Ambeigan  Edition  of  the  Annals 

seminary  for  foreign  missions;  the  sermon  being  preached  by  Father 
Lesserteur^  one  of  the  professors  of  the  hoiuse.  Similar  celebrations 
were  held  in  various  parts  of  Europe  where  the  work  has  been 
deyeloped. 

In  New-  York  the  feast  of  St.  Francis  was  celebrated  at  the 
Cathedral,  on  December  2.  Notices  had  been  sent  to  the  different 
churches  throughout  the  archdiocese,  and  in  response  to  the  invitation 
nearly  six  thousand  of  our  helpers  gaithered  to  hear  Fr.  Pardow,  S.  J. 
His  Grace,  the  Most  Bev.  Archbishop,  presided  and  gave  Pontifical 
benediction.  In  Boston  the  service  consisted  of  solemn  Vespers,  on 
Sunday,  December  4.  His  Grace,  Archbishop  Williams,  presided,  and 
Fr.  Oasson,  S.  J.,  preached  the  panegyric  on  St.  Francis.  Those 
celebrations  will  be  remembered  as  the  first  public  expressions  of 
interest  in  foreign  missions  by  the  Catholics  of  this  country;  they  are 
hopeful  signs  that  Americans  will  soon  take  a  prominent  part  in  the 
evangelization  of  the  heathen  world. 

THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 
IN  OUR  ECCLESIASTICAL  SEMINARIES 

The  Society  fob  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  has  been  estab- 
lished for  many  years  in  several  of  our  ecclesiastical  seminaries.  There 
are  still  some^  however,  where  it  is  practically  unknown.  A  request  was 
recently  addressed  to  the  Presidents  of  these  institutions  that  it  be 
organized  among  the  students,  the  aim  being  not  so  much  to  obtain 
from  them  much  material  help  as  to  acquaint  them  with  a  work  of  zeal 
which  cannot  but  appeal  to  the  heart  of  young  men  preparing  for  the 
priesthood,  and  from  which  they  may  derive  wholesome  lessons  and 
inspiring  examples.  Then,  again  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  clerical 
student  once  ordained  priest  and  in  the  ministry,  will  call  the  attention 
of  his  people  to  a  Society  offering  so  many  spiritual  advantages. 

We  are  pleased  to  say  that  several  seminaries  gave  a  most  cordial 
welcome  to  our  request.  The  first  answer  came  from  the  Pontifical 
College  Josephinum,  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  we  are  sure  that  our 
readers  will  be  interested  in  the  letter  written  us  by  one  of  the  semi- 
narians of  that  flourishing  institution,  in  the  name  of  his  fellow- 
students  : 


Sl'PPLEMENT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  TBE  AnNALS        41 

October  23,  1904. 
Jtevcrend  and  Dear  Father:  ] 

"  We  have  read  the  pamphlet,  '  The  Catholic  Foreign  Missioil 
Field/  which  has  recently  been  distributed  among  us  by  our  Very  Rev. 
Rector,  with  great  interest.  We  felt  that  we  ought  to  do  something 
for  the  propagation  of  our  Holy  Faith,  now  already  in  the  years  of 
preparation  for  the  priesthood,  and  have  therefore  decided  to  become 
members  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith.  Nearly  all 
of  us  seminarians,  37,  as  you  may  see  from  the  enclosed  list,  beg  to  be 
admitted  into  the  Society.  We  have  obtained  permission  from  our 
superiors  and  have  arranged  with  our  prefect,  who  himself  wishes  to 
become  a  member,  that  he  take  upon  him  the  direction  of  the  Society. 
Our  alms  for  the  coming  month  will  be  forwarded  to  you  in  the  course 
of  this  week.  Accept  our  little  offering;  it  is  all  we  are  able  to  do  at 
present.  But  after  some  years  when,  with  the  grace  of  Ged,  we  shall 
be  admitted  into  the  ranks  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  we  hope  to  do 
more  for  the  Society,  and  thereby  for  the  propagation  of  our  Holy 
religion." 

Sincerely  yours  in  Christ, 

A  Seminarian. 

Another  zealous  student  of  the  Seminary  of  Rochester  undertook, 
with  the  consent  of  his  superiors,  to  establish  the  Society  at  St.  Ber- 
nard's. A  few  days  after  he  had  obtained  the  materials  necessary  for 
the  purpose,  he  wrote  us :  "I  can  get  most  of  the  students,  125  in 
number,  to  join  the  Society."  In  the  diocesan  seminary  of  San  Fran- 
cisco at  Menlo  Park,  Cal.,  one  of  the  professors  was  appointed  director 
of  the  newly  established  Society. 

The  Propagation  of  the  Faith  has  been  for  many  years  a  feature 
of  Seminary  Jife  in  New  York,  Boston  and  Baltimore.  In  the  Boston 
Seminary  there  is  an  Academia  of  Missions.  At  its  monthly  meetings, 
papers  on  home  and  foreign  missions  are  read  and  diseuBsed  with  great 
profit  by  the  Seminarians.  The  feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  Patron 
of  the  Society,  is  always  the  occasion  of  a  great  celebration  in  the  New 
York  Seminary.  This  year  it  was  perhaps  more  solemn  than  usual 
and  a  substantial  offering  of  $650  was  sent  to  the  Society;  this  sum 
representing  the  contributions  of  professors  and   students  and   the 


42      Supplement  to  the  Amkuican  Editiox  of  the  Annals 

results  of  collections  made  by  the  latter  among  their  relatives  and 
friends. 

We  hope  that  those  generous  examples  will  be  followed,  and  that 
we  shall  soon  have  the  pleasure  of  enrolling  all  the  students  of  our 
ecclesiastical  seminaries  in  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faitxi. 

THE    SOCIETY    FOR    THE    PROPAGATION    OF   THE 
FAITH    IN    ARIZONA 

The  following  letter  was  written  to  us  by  the  pastor  of  one  of  those 
floating  congregations  as  may  be  found  in  the  mining  camps  of  a  territory. 
We  publish  it  because  it  reveals  a  truly  apostolic  spirit  and  describes  in 
an  interesting  manner  what  can  be  done  for  the  spreading  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  on  earth  in  spite  of  poverty  and  under  unfavorable  circumstances. 

Letter  of  an  Arizona  Priest 

To  the  Reverend  Joseph  Freri, 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

December  3,  1904. 

I  want  to  write  you  a  few  lines  about  the  Society  for  thk  Propa- 
gation OF  THE  Faith  in  my  parish.  As  I  told  you  some  time  ago, 
I  am  trying  to  organize  it  on  a  systematic  and  permanent  basis.  My 
plan  is  the  following,  which  so  far  has  proved  a  complete  success  and 
promises  to  be  such  every  year;  the  results  obtained  are  beyond  my 
expectations. 

I  invited  sixteen  ladies,  of  the  best  and  most  zealous  parish  workers, 
to  form  a  band  of  Associates.  To  each  one,  of  course,  I  suggested  to 
give  the  example  and  become  a  member  herself,  then,  to  enroll  her 
husband  and  other  members  of  her  family,  either  living  or  dead;  the 
rest  of  the  band  to  be  made  up  from  among  lier  Catholic  neighbors. 
In  this  manner  I  have  at  least  one  promoter  in  every  section  of  the 
parish,  and  you  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  nearly  all  of  the  sixteen  pro- 
moters have  already  turned  in  their  $6.00.  When  this  is  done,  I  will 
ask  for  a  full  list  of  the  members  and  compare  it  with  tlie  list  of 
members  of  the  parish.  I  shall  then  make  a  list  of  those  who  have 
not  been  asked  and  appoint  one  or  more  new  promoters  to  go  and  see 
them.  In  other  words,  my  intention  is  that  every  Catholic  family 
and  individual  of  this  parish  shall  be  asked  each  year  to  join  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

Since  you  have  been  working  yourself  in  the  field  we  are  trying  to 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals      43 

cultivate,  you  know  that  it  is  a  poor  one  from  a  financial  and  other 
view  points ;  nevertheless,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  establishing  here  the 
Society  fou  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  firmly  convinced  that 
the  sacrifice  of  a  few  pennies  to  help  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen 
world,  far  from  being  prejudicial  to  my  work,  will  help  it  and  give  to 
my  people  a  more  ttuly  Catholic  spirit. 

If  every  parish  priest  in  the  country  would  adopt  my  system,  there 
is  not  the  least  doubt  that  the  $92,000  collected  in  the  United  States, 
in  1903,  would  be  increased  to  a  round  million  of  dollars,  which  would 
gladden  the  heart  of  our  beloved  Holy  Father  and  make  him  feel 
prouder  of  his  North  American  children.  Dear  Father,  I  think  it  is 
the  bounded  duty  of  every  pastor  in  the  country  to  obtain  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  as  much  help  as  can  be  expected,  con- 
sidering the  means  of  his  parishioners  and  the  importance  of  the 
matter  in  the  present  circumstances  of  the  Catholic  missions. 

Because  of  the  sad'condition  in  which  the  church  is  to-day  in  France, 
very  soon  we  will  hear  of  the  great  falling  off  of  the  contributions  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  that  unfortunate  country ;  which 
falling  off  will  be  ^  veritable  calamity  for  many  missions  among  the 
heathens,  and  the  cause  of  stopping,  in  a  great  measure,  the  glorious 
and  gigantic  advance  the  Catholic  Church  is  making  nowadays  in 
pagan  lands.  Who  is  going  to  make  up  for  the  expected  falling  off  of 
France?  Which  nation  is  going  to  step  in  to  take  up  the  burden 
France  will  be  compelled,  shortly,  to  lay  down,  if  not  the  young, 
vigorous,  up-to-date  and  wealthy  Catholic  Church  in  America?  If 
the  Catholic  Church  in  America  does  not  prove  equal  to  the  emergency, 
if  she  does  not  answer  the  call  of  Divine  Providence  in  this  matter,  a 
calamity  on  the  foreign  missions  and  the  church  at  large  may  shortly 
be  expected.  No  doubt  this  sad  expectation  was  in  the  worried  mind 
of  the  Pope,  when  he  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Catholic  world,  asking 
it  to  give  a  new  impetus  to  the  Society  for  the  PROPAGATioy  of  the 
Faith.  No  doubt  the  Catholic  Church  in  America  was  uppermost  in 
his  mind  to  make  up  for  the  expected  falling  off  of  contributions  in 
France. 

In  order  to  increase  still  more  the  collections  for  the  missions  in 
my  parish,  I  will  imitate  the  example  of  our  separated  brethren  in 
their  most  practical  manner  of  raising  funds  for  their  foreign  missions, 
and  establish  the  Society  of  the  Holy  Childhood  among  the  children 
of  the  Sunday  school  of  the  parish.  Protestants  are  raising,  in  this 
way,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  to  spread  error  among  the 
heathens  and  to  convert  or  rather  pervert  lukewarm  Catholics,  why 


44      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

should  we  not  make  at  least  the  same  efforts  to  spread  and  defend  the 
truth? 

The  Holy  Childhood  Society,  wherever  it  is  established,  produces 
two  excellent  results :  in  the  first  place  it  increases  the  amount  collected 
for  the  propagation  of  our  Holy  Faith,  and  besides  it  helps  to  lay  the 
foundation  and  cultivate  among  the  rising  generation  a  missionary 
spirit,  which,  it  must  be  granted,  has  been  lacking  in  some  quarters. 

Finally,  allow  me  to  say  that  it  is  much  to  be  desired  that  there  be 
in  every  diocese,  as  far  as  possible,  a  priest  devoting  unreservedly  his 
time  and  efforts  to  the  organization  of  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion OF  THE  Faith.  Let  it  not  be  believed  that,  while  acquainting 
clergy  and  laity  with  the  foreign  missions  and  interesting  both  in 
them,  he  is  not  working  for  the  best  interests  of  the  diocese ;  this  noble 
work  has  a  reflex  influence  on  our  missionary  labors  at  home  and  will 
contribute  to  make  the  priests  more  zealous  and  the  people  better 
Catholics. 

These,  Rev.  and  Dear  Father,  are  the  few  suggestions  I  wished  to 
write  to  you  in  regard  to  the  development  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  in  a  country  for  which  it  has  done  so 
much,  and  from  which  it  is  fully  justified  to  expect  some  returns. 
Yours  very  sincerely  in  Christ, 

Sacerdos. 


Mission  Notes  and  News  45 


MISSION  NOTES  AND  NEWS 


FATHER  CORRE'S  LEPER  MISSION 

Father  Corre  does  not  need  to  be  introduced  to  American  readers;  there 
is  probably  no  foreign  missionary  better  known  in  this  country  than  this 
apostle  of  lepers  1^  Japan.  For  years  his  appeals  in  behalf  of  the  poor, 
abandoned  lepers  entrusted  to  his  care  have  been  received  and  generously 
answered  by  many  of  our  clergy  and  laity.  We  asked  him  sometime  ago 
for  a  comprehensive  account  of  his  work,  and  he  caused  his  assistant,  a 
native  priest,  to  write  us  the  following  interesting  letter. 

Letter  of  Father  Fukahori,  a  Japanese  Priest^ 

To  THE  Rev.  Joseph  Freri, 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

KuMAMOTO,  July  23, 1904. 

Reverend  Father: — I  will  endeavor  to  comply  with  your  desire  to 
hear  about  our  leper-house,  but  allow  me  to  write  my  account  in  poor 
French. 

It  is  now  fifteen  years  since  Father  Corre,  missionary  apostolic,  came 
to  evangelize  Kumamoto!  In  1890,  while  going  about  preaching  here 
and  there,  he  came  across  many  poor,  miserable  lepers,  and  especially 
he  saw  great  numbers  of  them  along  the  road-side  when  he  passed 
through  the  town  of  Ilommyoji,  so-called  from  a  pagoda  much  fre- 
quented by  devout  Buddhists.  Lepers  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
flock  to  that  place,  above  all  those  who  have  been  driven  away  and 
abandoned  forever  by  their  families,  for  they  hope  to  be  healed  by 
praying  to  the  god  who  is  worshipped  there.  But,  poor  creatures! 
their  hopes  deceive  them,  and  cast  down  by  sorrow,  they  only  wait 
there  to  die.  When  Father  Corre  saw  them,  his  heart  was  touched  so 
that  he  burst  into  tears.  Finally,  he  decided  with  the  help  of  pious 
offerings  to  establish  a  leper-house,  and  the  work  was  approved  by  the 
Bishop  of  Nagasaki,  in  1891. 

During  seven  years  some  French  Sisters  who  were  already  estab- 
lished at  Kumamoto,  where  they  had  an  orphanage,  gave  their  precious 
aid  to  this  work;  and,  in  1898,  some  Franciscan  Sisters,  called  Mission- 
aries of  Mary,  were  called  to  look  after  it. 

The  Lazar  house  of  Kumamoto  is  situated  at  Biwazaki  and  is  called 


46  Mission  Notes  and  News 

in  Japanese,  Tairo-in,  which  signifies,  "  Come  to  me/^  It  is  placed 
under  the  patronage  of  the  famous  Franciscan  Martyrs  of  Japan, 
Saint  Peter  Baptist  and  his  companions.  Biwazaki  itself  is  on  a  little 
hill  outside  of  Kumamoto,  under  the  shadow  of  the  Aras  mountain,  in 
a  beautiful  country,  about  half  an  hour^s  walk  from  the  city. 

The  hospital  is  a  building  216  feet  long,  by  24  feet  wide  at  the  ends 


Father  Corre,  Missionary   Apostolic. 

and  36  feet  at  the  center;  and  is  divided  into  two  sections,  one  for  each 
sex,  both  of  which  may  accommodate  from  twenty-five  to  thirty 
patients.  The  grounds  around  the  hospital  have  an  extent  of  nearly 
ten  acres,  within  which  are  the  houses  of  the  Chaplain,  the  Sisters  and 
the  catechist. 

As  a  rule,  there  are  about  thirty  men  and  women  sick  in  the  L&zar 
house,  of  whom  five  or  six  die  every  year  and  are  replaced  by  others. 
Fifty  or  sixty  lepers  can  be  received  at  a  time;  but  at  present  no  more 


>IlSSION    NOTFS   AND    NkWS  47 

than  thirty  can  be  taken  in  because  of  lack  of  funds,  and  it  requires 
about  sixty  dollars  a  year  for  the  care  of  each  patient. 

Generally,  they  become  Christians  after  entering,  and  having  no 
hope  for  anything  in  this  world,  they  only  look  forward  to  the  happi- 
ness of  heaven. 

The  Chaplain  says  Mass  and  preaches  every  Sunday  in  the  chapel  of 


Fatiteb  FuKAnoRi,  Japanese  Priest. 

t^4iOBpit^,'aiid»fee6ides  these  cermons  the.  catechism  is  explained  from 
time  to  time  by  the  catechist  and  infirmarians. 

During  the  month  of  April  this  year,  more  than  twenty  lepers  re- 
ceived the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  at  the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of 
Nagasaki. 

The  good  Sisters  at  present  in  charge  number  seven,  and  are  aided 
in  their  work  by  young  Japanese  women.  Every  day  they  wash  the 
wounds  of  the  lepers — wounds  which  are  running  sores  of  a  most 


48 


Mission  Notes  and  News 


offensive  odor.  In  fact,  the  Sisters  take  care  of  t\u  souls  and  bodies 
of  the  lepers,  with  a  kindness  only  equalled  by  mothers  towards  their 
own  children;  and  their  charitable  works  attract  the  admiration  of 
every  one. 

Those  who  are  least  ill  among  the  lepers  work  as  carpenters,  or 
joiners,  or  else  cultivate  the  garden.  They  unite  in  the  chapel  for 
prayers   every   morning   and   evening.     They   love   each    other   like 


Leper  Dispensary  at  Nakaomaru. 


brothers;  for  in  truth,  they  have  only  the  Chaplain,  the  religious 
women  who  nurse  them,  for  parents  and  family;  their  own  relatives, 
according  to  the  flesh,  having  wholly  abandoned  them. 

Sometimes  scholarly  persons  are  to  be  met  with  among  them.  Oue 
day  when  I  went  into  their  large  hall,  some  of  these  surrounded  me 
and  began  to  propose  various  objections  on  the  subject  of  religion ;  and 
I  was  amazed,  as  well  as  delighted,  at  the  depth  and  sagacit}'  of  their 
questions.     So,  after  I  had  solved  their  difficulties,  I  gave  them  some 


Mission  Notes  and  News  49 

cigarettes,  and  then  in  their  turn  they  showed  such  pleasure  that,  the 
following  day,  they  sent  ttieir  thanks  written  in  verses  composed  by 
themselves. 

Some  fields  and  rice  plantations  are  owned  by  the  Lazar  liouse; 
these  form  a  good  and  safe  capital  stock,  and  if  more  can  be  purchased 
the  future  of  the  establishment  will  be  assured.  Therefore,  it  is'much 
desired  to  acquire  more  of-  them,  and  alms  given  for  that  purpp,se  will 
be  gratefully  received. 

The  government  of  Japan  does  nothing  to  aid  the  Lazar  house, 
because  just  now  it  has  no  time  to  attend  to  lepers,  and,  moreover,  it 
has  great  need  of  money  for  all  other  kinds  of  things,  in  its  effort  to 
civilize  this  empire. 

At  Nakaomaru  (fifteen  minutes  walk  from  Biwazaki)  the  leper- 
house  has  a  dispensary ;  and  as  many  lepers  go  there,  the  Sisters  from 
Biwazaki  usually  visit  the  place  every  other  day  to  dress  the  wounds 
of  the  sick,  and  two  Japanese  catechists  teach  them  the  catechism,  or 
prayers.     Generally,  about  fifty  of  them  are  baptized  every  year. 

I  am  glad  to  have  this  opportunity  of  offering  the  heartfelt  thanks 
of  Father  Corre  and  myself  to  the  American  Associates  of  the  Propa- 
GATiox  OF  THE  Faith^  both  for  the  help  received  from  the  Society 
and  the  alms  many  of  them  have  sent  us  directly  from  time  to  time. 
Let  them  rest  well  assured  of  the  gratitude  of  our  dear  lepers  and  may 
God  reward  their  charity  by  guarding  them  forever  against  mortal  sin, 
that  leprosy  of  the  soul  far  more  to  be  feared  than  the  leprosy  of  the 
body. 

BRITISH  COLUMBIA 

Ste.  Marie's  IVIission 

Letter  op  Father  Tavernier;  0.  M.  I. 

Ste.  Marie,  one  of  the  first  missions  founded  by  the  Oblates  of  Mary 
Immaculate  in  British  Columbia,  is  gracefully  situated  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Fraser  River.  On  one  side  of  its  modest  church  is  the 
convent  of  the  Sisters  of  Saint  Ann ;  on  the  other,  the  residence  of  the 
Oblate  Fathers.  The  cemetery  is  not  far  from  the  church.  There, 
in  the  shadow  of  an  humble  cross,  among  their  beloved  converts,  rest 
the  two  great  apostles  of  Columbia,  Bishops  d'Herbomez  and  Durieu, 
together  with  several  Fathers  and  Brothers,  like  themselves,  members 
of  the  Congregation  of  the  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate.  On  the 
outskirts  of  a  forest,  several  hundreds  of  yards  away  from  the  ceme- 


50  Mission  Xotes  and  Nkws 

tery,  a  ch-apel,  surmounted  by  an  elegant  cupola,  has  been  built  upon 
a  high  rock.  This  is  the  sanctuary  of  Notre  Dame  de  Lourdes  of  the 
Pacific,  erected  a  few  years  since,  by  Bishop  Durieu  to  fulfill  a  vow 
made  by  his  predecessor. 

The  mission  of  Ste.  Marie  possesses  a  boarding-school,  conducted 
by  the  Sisters  of  Saint  Ann,  and  one  in  charge  of  the  Oblate  Fathers. 

A  word  in  regard  to  our  schools.  First  of  all,  permit  me  to  present 
one  of  the  latest  arrivals,  a  child  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age.  A  brown 
face,  sunken  eyes,  thick  lips,  a  flat  nose,  black  hair  -growing  almost 
direct  from  the  eyes,  a  careless  gait,  hardly  form  an  attractive  picture. 
Does  the  exterior  denote  an  intractable  character?  Not  at  all.  By 
means  of  smiles,  caresses  and  a  few  goodies  the  little  savage  can  be 
tamed.  In  a  short  while,  you  will  see  him  playing  with  his  com- 
panions. The  majority  of  these  children  belong  to  a  wandering  tribe 
known  here  as  the  "Stalos;'^  they  live  on  the  banks  of  the  lower 
Fraser. 

Their  whole  demeanor  betokens  absolute  indifference-  Generally, 
they  are  contented  at  Ste.  Marie.  However,  the  hours  of  the  class 
must  be  too  long,  nor  can  a  severe  discipline  be  maintained.  Our 
pupils  love  neither  work  nor  punishment.  If  we  are  gentle  with  them 
and  do  not  offend  their  love  of  independence,  our  success  is  assured. 

We  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  disobedience  on  their  part;  on  the 
contrary,  we  have  only  words  of  praise  for  the  respect  given  to  the 
orders  of  teachers  and  priests.  Most  of  them  are  devoted  to  those  who 
instruct  them.  Of  mediocre  intelligence,  with  no  thought  of  any 
higher  condition,  these  children  possess  little  taste  for  study.  Never- 
theless, they  try  very  hard  to  improve,  simply  to  please  their  teachers 
and  the  missionaries. 

At  Ste.  Marie,  religious  instruction  is  first  in  order.  Our  little 
savages  have  quite  a  good  knowledge  of  their  catechism.  Their  piety, 
without  being  fervent,  seems  to  be  sincere.  They  have  a  very  lively 
faith  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament  snd  still  they  suffer  from  a  thousand 
distractions  even  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord.  The  following  is  an 
instance : 

One  of  our  pupils  was  preparing  for  confession,  when,  suddenly,  he 
drew  his  sling  from  his  pocket  and  ....  a  stone  whizzed  out  of  the 
window  of  the  chapel.  What  would  you  do?  he  had  seen  a  wicked 
little  bird  picking  at  tlie  fruit  of  a  cherry-tree  nearby.     A  slight  fault 


Mission  Notes  and  News  51 

for  a  pupil  not  strong  enough  to  repress  the  instincts  of  Nimrod, 
which  possess  the  soul  of  every  savage. 

Our  children  learn  to  read  and  to  write ;  we  teach  them,  besides,  the 
elements  of  grammar,  arithmetic,  geography  and  even  drawing.  They 
have  a  real  passion  for  music ;  not  that  they  trouble  themselves  much 
about  its  theory ;  but  they  have  a  good  ear  and,  in  a  few  days,  can  leam 
to  play  on  different  instruments,  like  the  cornet  and  trombone,  with 
surprising  skill. 

"  Is  it  necessary  to  have  a  school  for  these  children  ?  "  you  may  ask ; 
"  is  it  not  sufficient  for  them  to  leam  the  indispensable  truths  of  our 
religion  ?  " 

Since  the  desire  for  gold,  the  wealth  of  our  forests  and  the  fertility 
of  our  soil  have  brought  a  throng  of  immigrants  into  these  parts,  people 
of  all  religions  and  all  sects,  it  is  necessary  that  our  natives  be  more 
than  believing  Christians;  they  must  be  able  to  defend  their  faith. 
Without  institutions  to  educate  the  young,  this  result  cannot  be 
obtained. 

The  children  who  come  to  Ste.  Marie  will,  in  future,  be  lost  among 
an  almost  entirely  Protestant  population.  Probably,  they  will  be  farm 
laborers,  sailors  or  factory  hands,  or  they  will  go  from  door 
to  door  selling  the  product  of  their  hunting  or  fishing.  Most  as- 
suredly, they  will  come  in  daily  contact  with  the  whites.  What  man 
or  woman,  edified  by  the  conduct  of  these  good  people,  will  not  speak 
to  them  of  religion?  Perhaps,  they  will  be  congratulated  upon  the 
fact  that  they  are  Catholics;  but  again,  may  not  some  sneer  at  seeing 
them  faithful  to  Catholic  practices  €uid  even  invite  them  to  go  over  to 
error?  Under  pretext  of  compassion,  may  not  some  deplore  their 
being  poor  and  not  so  civilized  as  the  whites,  even  pitying  them  for 
still  being  under  the  thraldom  of  papacy  f 

•I- 

The  school  of  Ste.  Marie  can  give  good  reasons  for  its  existence.  But 
how  hard  it  is  to  defray  the  expenses  of  such  an  institution !  We  can- 
not count  upon  the  settlers  to  relieve  our  poverty.  But  may  we  not 
appeal  to  the  charity  of  the  readers  of  the  Annals  ? 

If  we  do  not  harbor  the  children  who  beg  to  come  to  us,  will  they 
not  receive  only  too  warm  a  welcome  from  the  Protestant  minister? 

There  is  question  of  protecting  the  faith  among  the  children  of  a 


52 


Mission  Notes  and  News 


whole  tribe  converted  to  the  Catholic  faith  by  our  predecessors.  What 
have  I  said?  there  is  question  of  preventing  Protestantism  holding 
sway  over  a  territory  indisputably  Catholic  for  a  number  of  years.  All 
Christians  who  assist  in  this  good  work  will  further  the  glory  of  Grod 
and  the  salvation  of  souls. 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Eeceived  since  the  November-December  Number 


Fob  Bishop  Chatbon,  Osaka. 

Per  Rev.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) $118.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.20 

Fob  Bishop  Hamlon,  TJppbb  Nilk. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 11.00 

Fob  Bishop  Yioano,  Htdbbabad. 

Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

Fob  thb  Right  kbv.  Bishop  of  Naopdb. 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fb.  Pbicb,  N.  Cabolina. 

Per  Rev.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 1.00 

Fob  Fb.  Roonbt,  Tucson. 

Per  Rey.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 1.00 

Fob  Fb.  Gbuson,  C.  M.,  Abyssinia. 

Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

Fob  Fb.  Moullbc,  N.  Ntanza. 

Mr.  F.  Harper  (Diocese  of  Brooklyn) 10.00 

Fob  Fb.  Tionous,  Coimbatobb. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 23.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 5.00 

Fob  Fb.  Oubbin,  O.  M.  L,  Saskatchewan. 

Per  Rev.  James  A.  walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 6.00 

Mr.  O.  McOaer  (Diocese  of  Nashville) 5.00 

Fob  Fb.  Joulab,  Dahombt. 

Mr.  O.  Mciiaer  (Diocese  of  Nashville) . .« 5.00 

Fob  Fb.  Cobbb,  Japan. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Philadelphia) 5.00 

Rev.  R.  de  Rvckere  (Diocese  of  Helena) / 10.00 

Fob  Fb.  Gditta.  S.  M.,  Cbktbai:.  Ambbica. 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Baltimore) 5.00 

Fob  -Fb.  Gotlb.  Uganda.      .    , 

Per^Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 12.00 

Fob  Fb.  Fbbband,  Tokio. 

Per  Rev.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 100.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 60.00 

Fob  Fb.  Jbanboy,  C.  S.  Sp.,  Gabon. 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Fb.  Fbuttibb,  India. 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fb.  Bbbnabdinb,  Lahobe. 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  YorlO 3.00 

Fob  Fb.  C^avanol,  India. 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Dom  Boboatello,  S.  Patagonia.  • 

Z.  Z.  (Diocese  of  New  YorkJ 8.00 

Fob  Motheb  M.  Paul,  O.  S.  F.,  uppbb  Nile. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 25.00 

Fob  Indian  Missions. 

P«r  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 20.50 

Per  Rev.  D.  B.  Hudson,  C.  8.  C.  (Diocese  of  Fort  Wayne) 8.60 

Fob  Indian  and  Nbgbo  Missions. 

Per  Rev.  D.  B.  Hudson,  C.  8.  C.  (Diocese  of  Fort  Wayne) 34.85 

Fob  thb  Sbminabt  fob  Apbican  Missions  in  Cobk. 

Per  Rev.  D.  B.  Bodson,  C.  8.  C.  (Diocese  of  Fort  Wayne) 25.00 

Fob  Obphans  in  Japan. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 14.00 

Fob  L^bbs  in  Japan. 

Rev.  C.  Boehm  (Diocese  of  Cleveland) 10.00 

Total $561.05 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the 
donors  for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards 
the  same  at  once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

63 


OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates: 

KiGHT  Rev.  Richard  Phelan,  Bishop  of  Pittsburg;  Right  Rev. 
Bishop  Carrie^  C.  S.  Sp.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  the  French  Congo;  Very 
Rev.  Jules  Lebas^  Superior  General  of  the  Society  of  St.  Sulpice; 
Rev.  Benjamin  De  Costa,  Diocese  of  New  York;  Rev.  John  T. 
Stinson,  Diocese  of  Boston;  Rev.  Jas.  J.  Dougherty,  Diocese  of  New 
York;  Rev.  Ed.  O'Connor,  Rev.  James  Stella. 

Rev.  Mother  Ambrosia;  Sister  Anna,  0.  S.  F. 

Mr.  Andrew  McPartland,  Diocese  of  Hartford;  Miss  Emily  Stewart, 
Diocese  of  Baltimore ;  Miss  Emma  Xax,  Diocese  of  Baltimore ;  Michael 
Blake,  Diocese  of  Burlington. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Mrs.  Ellen  Twohill,  Margaret 
Costigan,  Mrs.  Peter  L.  Fay,  Mrs.  Helen  T.  Clements,  Michael  Rude,  John 
Mulligan,  Mr.  Michel,  Mary  Webster,  Mrs.  Catherine  Holden,  Mrs.  Black- 
wood, Catherine  Murray,  Johanna  Dunn,  John  Cullen,  Margaret  Delaney, 
Edward  Holland,  William  Kearney,  Margaret  Miller,  Ann  Reilly,  Catherine 
Castello,  Patrick  Griffin,  Mr.  Concklin,  James  McKenna,  Thomas  Howard, 
Peter  Kelly,  Mrs.  Margaret  Gilligan,  Ann  Clark,  Mrs.  Ann  Wrape,  Mrs. 
Christina  Casw^l,  Mrs.  Ellen  Conkey,  Mrs.  Anne  Harvey,  Edward  Coffey, 
St.,  Michael  Coffey,  Jr.,  Margaret  Coffey,  Charles  Massey,  Mr.  Dromgoole, 
John  Ryan. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Mr.  Michael  Bathazar,  Mrs. 
Virginia  Bouchard,  Mr.  George  Cabot,  Miss  Annie  Leary,  Mr.  Frederick 
Shepard,  Miss  Margaret  Newcomb,  Miss  Bridget  Short,  Mr.  Joseph  Flatley, 
Mr.  Patrick  O'Connor,  Miss  Mary  Joyce,  Miss  Annie  Joyce,  Mr.  James 
Kaveny,  Miss  Bridget  Kaveny,  Mrs.  Mary  Honney,  Miss  Mary  Crosby, 
Miss  Mary  Haley,  Miss  Ellen  Hackett,  Miss  Annie  E.  Sullivan,  Miss  Jennie 
McNaughton,  Miss  Leah  McNaughton,  Miss  Ann  Mulligan,  Mr.  Wm.  A. 
Palmer,  Mr.  William  Delory,  Miss  Margaret  Christie,  Miss  Ann  McGann, 
Miss  Ann  Boyle,  Mr.  J.  J.  Lynch,  Martin  J.  Dwyer. 


(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates  whose 
names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 
5^ 


ADVBBTISEMENTfl 


We  beg  leave  to  notify  the 
readers  of  the  "ANNALS  OF 
THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE 
FAITH'"  that  the  dates  of  ap- 
pearance of  the  magazine  are 
changed  with  this  number. 

Henceforth  it  will  come  out 
regularly  on  the  first  day  of  the 
following  months:  FEBRUARY, 
APRIL,  JUNE,  AUGUST,  OCTO- 
BER, DECEMBER. 

We  shall  be  thankful  if  notified 
of  any  failure  to  receive  the 
"Annals"  on  the  foregoing  dates. 


PUBUCATIONS 

OF  THE 

SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION 
OF  THE  FAITH. 


The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
and  the  Catholic  Missions,  1822-1900, 
Postpaid,  10  cents. 

Bishop  Favier*  s  Diary  of  the  Siege  of  Pekin, 
May- August y  1900,    Postpaid,  lo  cents. 

Origin  and  Causes  of  the  Chinese  Crisis. 
By  Rev.  J.  Freri,  D.  C.  L.  Postpaid,  5 
cents. 

The  Propaganda.  (A  Sketch.)  By  Rev. 
J.  Freri,  D.  C.  L.    Postpaid,  lo  cents. 

The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Field.  Two 
papers  by  the  Revs.  J.  Freri  and  Jas.  A. 
Walsh.    Postpaid,  5  cents. 

ADDRESS  : 

Society  for  tliB  Propagation  of  tlie  Faltli, 

627  LEXINGTON  AVE.,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


HAVE  YOU 
A  MITE  BOX 

Wherewith  to  collect  your  oflEerings  for 
the  Catholic  Missions  during  the  year 
1905?    If  not  send  a  postal-car^  to 

THE  REV.  JOSEPH  FRERI, 
627  LEXINGTON  AVENUE, 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

He  will  gladly  send  one  by  mail,  free 
of  any  charge. 

WANTED  FOE  1905 

MORE  NEW  PROMOTERS 

MORE  NEW  MEMBERS 

OF  THE 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith* 


If  the  Society  is  not  established  in 
your  parish,  write  for  a  Promoter's 
card  to  the 

REV.  JOSEPH  FRERI, 
627  LEXINGTON  AVE., 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

and  try  to  interest  your  relatives  and 
friends  in  that  most  truly  Catholic 
charity.  It  will  prove  a  source  of 
blessing^s  to  you  and  to  them. 


Please  mention  "  Annals  "  when  writing  to  advertisers. 


WHAT  OUR  H©LY  FATHRR 

POPE  PIUS  X 

SAYS  or  THE 

Society  for  t&e  PropagatioD  of  the  Faltli 

**TIIE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION    OF 

THE  FAITH  appears  to  have  ori^nated  and  arisen 
among  men  by  an  inspiration  quite  Divine." 

^*U  the  messengers  of  the  Catholic  docfaine  are 
able  to  reach  out  to  the  most  distant  lands  and  the 
most  barbarous  peoples,  it  is  to  the  generosity  of 
the  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE 
FAITH  thiit  credit  must  be  given," 

•■Through  the  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGA- 
TION  OF  THE  FAITH,  salvation  began  for  number- 
less people  «  .  •  ,  through  it  there  has  been 
gathered  a  harvest  of  souls*** 


"We  have  always  been  greatly  interested  in  the 
SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 
and  have  helped  it  as  for  as  our  humble  resources 
would  permit.** 

"We  are  filled  with  hope  that  this  most  noble 
association  will  grow  in  strength  day  by  day . 
and  may  Christ  protect  it  ...  .  since  it  is  its  aim 
to  spread  His  most  Holy  Name." 

'  iLt  VOU  JOm  ANO  HCl^  T»" 


LXVm,  Na459 


APRIL,  1905 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 


7 


/ "/ 


Publtahed  bi-monthly  by  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,  Baltimore  and 
New  York.    ♦*.    •%    •%    .% 


OTKfR   iMIiP  I  HAVI  THAT   ^ 
'arc    not  of  TKIf  TOLO    THtfl  ALf£ 

IHALL  HEAR  MY  VOICE  Amf    f 
THEAE  SHALL  Bt  OKC  rOLulvX/ 
,,u^  A  Mil    ONC   SHEPHERD  J 


CONTENTS. 


THE  80€IEnES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES— IV  Artlcto 56 

The  Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary  and  flM 

Seminary  of  Schent-lea-Bmseels. 

Missions  in  Asia. 

Kumbhakonam,—\M.%T  of  the  Right  Rev.  Mgr.  BoltorOp  P.  F.  M M 

Sharp    Contrasts The    East   and     the    Weft    Rayaged. — Knmli- 

hakonam    Undisturbed Report  of  the  MlBsion,    1904. — The 

Training  of  Catechists.— Expected  TriaU. 

Missions  in  Africa. 

^a6o/i.— Letter  of  Rev.  Fr.  Mace,  C.  S.  8p 74 

The  Miaaion  of  Lambaren4 The  Oaloas  and  the  Pahonl&iw— ftlayery. 

News  of  the  Missions. 

EUROPE. 

A  Monument  to  Fr.  de  Deken  In  Belgium 81 

ASIA. 

The  English  In  Thibet 81 

DlfRcultlee  of  the  Apoitolate  In  Kan-ta 82 

Convertlone  In  Kwang-tung 88 

AFRICA. 

Terrible  Hurricane  In  Madagascar 84 

The  Seminary  of  KIsubu 88 

OCEANICA. 

Importance  of  Services  rendered  by  Missionary  Brothers  In  New  Qulnea 86 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 88 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals» 


AN  ORDINATION  OF  CHINESE  PRIESTS  IN  S.  E.  CHIU 88 

IN  THE  STEPS  OF  DAM  I  AN— Brother  Seraplon  a  Victim  of  Uprosy 88 

THE  RUSSO-JAPANESE  WAR  AND  THE  PEOPLE  OF  JAPAN  by  Father  Meodt, 

Japanese  Priest 88 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 108 

OBITUARY 107 


Entered  at  the  Poet  Oflllce,  Baltimore,  Md.,  as  second  olass  matter. 


\ 


•  1 


V 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Vol.  LXVIII,  No.  459.  April,  1906. 

THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


The  following  is  the  fourth  of  the  sketches  of  missionary  societies  pub- 
lished in  the  AiTNALS.  Articles  on  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Society  for  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris,  and  the  White  Fathers  founded  by 
Cardinal  Lavigerle  have  already  appeared.  Three  hundred  and  fifty  years 
ago  Saint  Francis  Xavler  proclaimed  the  worth  of  Belgian  missionaries, 
when  he  wrote  from  the  Far  East  to  Saint  Ignatius:  Da  mihi  Belgas! 
(Send  me  Belgians.)  The  following  account  shows  that  the  apostles  sent 
forth  to-day  from  Belgium  are  as  zealous  and  heroic  as  their  predecessors. 
If  the  great  apostle  of  India  were  living  now,  he  need  not  recall  his  words. 

IV. 

THE  BELGIAN  CONGREGATION  OF  THE  IMMACULATE 

HEART  OF  MARY  AND  THE  SEMINARY  OF 

SCHEUT-LEZ-BRUSSELS 


The  origin  of  the  Congregation  of  Missionaries  of  the  Immaculate 
Heart  of  Mary  dates  back  to  the  year  1860.  In  virtue  of  the  treaty 
signed  in  Pekin,  the  doors  of  the  Celestial  Empire  had  just  been  opened 
to  foreign  powers,  and  also  to  apostles  of  the  word  of  God.  For  a 
long  time  Father  Verbist,  chaplain  of  the  military  school  in  Brussels, 
and  director  of  the  Association  of  the  Holy  Childhood  in  Belgium, 
had  cherished  the  desire  of  founding  a  society  of  Belgian  missionaries. 
In  the  sixteenth  century.  Saint  Francis  Xavier  had  applied  for  Bel- 
gians to  carry  on  his  work  in  the  hard  missions  of  India,  and  in 
response  to  his  appeal  numerous  missionaries  set  out  to  preach  the 
Gospel  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  It  was  a  great  regret  that  no  national 
institution  existed  to  make  it  easy  for  those  who  felt  themselves  called 
to  an  apostolic  life  to  obey  the  voice  of  God.  The  treaty  of  Pekin  put 
an  end  to  Father  Verbisfs  hesitation.  He  at  once  began  the  neces- 
sary preliminaries,  and  was  soon  joined  by  Father  Van  Segvelt,  vicar 

55 


56     Belgian  Conghegation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary 

of   Saint  Gudule,   and   Fathers  Vranckx  and  Verlinden,  vicars  of 
Molenbeek-Saint-John. 

God  always  tries  those  whom  he  calls  to  a  great  work;  numerous 
difficulties  faced  the  new  Society.  However,  the  apostolic  zeal 
of  Father  Verbist  and  his  companions  set  aside  all  obstacles  and,  on 
the  25th  of  August,  1865,  the  first  little  band  set  sail  for  China.  They 
were  Father  Verbist,  superior,  and  Fathers  Van  Segvelt,  Vranckx 
and  Hamer,  and  Mr.  Paul  Splingaert,  Fr.  Verbist^s  servant.* 

The  new  missionaries  received  charge  of  all  Mongolia,  an  immense 
region  comprising  nearly  the  whole  of  the  country  lying  north  of  the 
Great  Wall.  A  small  band  of  Christians  awaited  tiiem.  The  Laza- 
rists  had  already  begun  to  labor  in  these  parts,  but  were  recalled  by 
the  Propaganda  that  they  might  give  undivided  attention  to  their 
other  missions  for  which  the  number  of  priests  was  insufficient. 

4- 

In  1866,  four  new  members  joined  their  venerable  superior,  who  was 
thus  encouraged  by  the  hope  of  seeing  his  work  a  success.  Neverthe- 
less, two  great  trials  lay  in  store  for  the  young  congregation;  for  a 
while,  it  seemed  as  though  its  foundation  were  tottering.  On  the  5th 
of  April,  1867,  Father  Van  Segvelt  died  in  Siao-miao-eul-kau  and,  on 
September  12  of  the  following  year.  Father  Verbist  passed  away  in 
Lao-hou-kau.  Contrary  to  human  points  of  view,  the  death  of  the 
two  founders  was  only  the  means  of  showing  to  their  disciples  iliat 
generous  hearts  make  a  joyous  sacrifice  of  all,  even  life,  .for  the  con- 
quest of  souls. 

The  first  cross  aroused  fresh  ardor.  Father  Vranckx,  successor  of 
Fatlier  Verbist  as  superior,  returned  to  Europe  to  direct  the  work  in 
Scheiit.  Of  tlie  first  little  band  of  four,  Father  Hamer  alone  remained 
in  China ;  he  received  his  reward,  the  crown  of  martyrdom,  only  after 
thirty-five  years  of  apostolic  labor. 

At  home  the  membership  of  the  congregation  continued  to  increase. 
Thanks  to  the  generosity  of  the  Catholics  of  Belgium  and  Holland, 
the  patronage  of  Bishops  and  the  assistance  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith,  sufficient  alms  were  received  to  provide  for 
the  increasing  necessities  of  successful  missions. 

In  1874,  Mongolia  became  a  vicariate  apostolic,  with  Mgr.  Bax  as 
first  Bishop.     During  the  same  year.  Fathers  Devos  and  Verlinden 

*Mr.  Paul  Splingaert's  life  was  one  of  extraordinary  success.  He  be- 
came a  mandarin  of  the  Empire,  the  happy  husband  of  a  Chinese  Christian 
and  rendered  the  missionaries  many  valuable  services. 


Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary     57 


undertook  the  evangelization  of  the  Ortos  territory,  while  at  the  same 
time  the  Christians  of  Tli,  exiles  in  Turkestan  for  the  faith,  applied 
to  Mgr.  Bax  for  missionaries.  In  1878,  the  Holy  See  added  the 
Chinese  Turkestan  to  the  missions  of  Mongolia,  besides  the  vast  region 


The  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Hecke,  Superior-General  of  the  Missionaries 
OF  Scheut-lez-Brussels. 


of  Kuku-nor  and  the  whole  province  of  Kan-su.  Situated  south  of  the 
Great  Wall,  the  last  mentioned  district  belongs  to  China  proper,  to 
which  Mongolia  is  tributary.  Formerly  in  charge  of  Italian  Fran- 
ciscans, Kan-su  was  made  a  distinct  vicariate  apostolic ;  Mgr.  Hamer, 
its  first  Bishop,  likewise  presided  over  Kuku-nor  and  Turkestan. 


58     Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mart 

In  1883,  flourishing  missions  and  the  constantly  increasing  num- 
ber of  missionaries  demanded  the  division  of  Mongolia  itself.  Mgr. 
Bax  remained  in  charge  of  central  Mongolia ;  Mgr.  Devos  became  vicar 
apostolic  of  southwest  Mongolia  (Ortos),  and  Mgr.  Eutjes  was  placed 
over  eastern  Mongolia. 

In  1884,  Fathers  Jansen,  Steeneman,  and  de  Dekan,  missionaries  in 
Kan-su,  arrived  among  the  poor  Chrisftians  of  Tli  after  a  painful  jour- 
ney of  three  months.  Later  on,  this  region  was  also  made  a  distinct 
mission. 

4- 

The  missionaries  of  Scheut  were  thus  in  charge  of  five  contiguous 
missions  in  Northern  China,  stretching  over  a  territory  measuring 
1700  miles  from  east  to  west  and  1000  miles  from  north  to  south. 
The  bu^de^  seemed  overwhelming.  God,  however,  blessed  the  work  of 
his  laborers.  His  grace  multiplied  conversions,  peopled  the  growing 
Christian  settlements  as  if  by  magic,  and,  at  the  same  time,  generated 
vocations  in  Europe. 

The  necessity  arose  to  regulate  and  unite  the  vast  work  whose  labor- 
ers were  scattered  over  so  large  a  field.  In  1887,  a  general  meeting 
called  at  Eul-che-san-hao,  in  Central  Mongolia,  brought  together  the 
delegates  from  the  mother-house  in  Scheut  and  those  from  the  differ- 
ent vicariates.  Very  Rev.  Van  Aertselaer  was  elected  superior-general 
and  the  following  year  the  Holy  See  approved  the  constitution  of  the 
congregation  for  ten  years. 

In  1888,  a  new  field  was  opened  to  the  zeal  of  these  missionaries. 
By  a  brief,  dated  May  11,  His  Holiness  Leo  XIII  created  the  vicari- 
ate of  Belgian  Congo,  and  confided  the  evangelization  of  this  district 
to  the  missionaries  of  Scheut.  The  new  vicariate  comprised  the  whole 
of  Congo  Free  State,  excepting  the  region  of  Tanganyika  already  con- 
fided to  the  White  Fathers. 

The  first  missionaries  destined  for  Congo  left  Antwerp,  August  28, 
1888.  They  were  Father  Gueluy,  former  missionary  in  China,  and 
Fathers  Huberlant,  de  Backer  and  Cambier,  all  natives  of  Tournai. 
In  1891,  a  novitiate  of  Brothers  coadjutor,  destined  specially  for  mis- 
sions in  Africa,  was  added  to  the  seminary  of  Scheut. 

A  short  but  violent  persecution  tried  Eastern  Mongolia  at  the  close 
of  1891.  Several  hundred  Christians  and  the  native  priest  Lin  were 
massacred  by  the  Tsai-li-ti,  one  of  the  numerous  secret  societies  in 
China. 


Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary     59 

When  this  sad  but  glorioxis  news  was  received  in  Scheut,  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Van  Aertselaer,  superior-general,  was  about  to  leave  for  a  voyage 
of  exploration  in  Congo.  He  was  accompanied  by  Father  de  Deken, 
former  missionary  of  Kan-su,  who  had  shortly  returned  from  the  cele- 
brated trip  across  Thibet,  China,  and  Tonking  made  with  the  Prince 
of  Orleans  and  Mr.  Bonvalot.  After  an  absence  of  two  years,  the 
superior-general,  well  satisfied  with  the  progress  of  the  Congo  mis- 
sions, returned  to  reassume  charge  of  affairs. 

4- 

The  year  1896  was  marked  by  the  elevation  of  Mgr.  Van  Ronsl6 
to  the  dignity  of  vicar  apostolic  of  Belgian  Congo,  and  the  year  1898 
by  the  meeting  of  the  general  chapter  at  the  mother-house.  Provin- 
cial superiors  and  delegates  from  the  different  missions  in  Africa  and 
Asia  discussed  the  general  interests  of  the  congregation  and  of  the 
missions.  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Hecke,  former  missionary  of  Kan-su, 
was  elected  superior-general  to  succeed  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Aertselaer, 
destined  to  take  the  place  of  Mgr.  Bax,  deceased,  in  Central  Mon- 
golia. 

In  1899,  thanks  to  the- generosity  of  a  noble  patron,  the  house  of 
Sparrendaal,  in  the  diocese  of  Bois-le-Duc,  Holland,  was  opened. 
Finally,  on  July  20,  1900,  a  decree  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  crowned 
the  labors  of  forty  years  and  assured  the  stability  of  the  Society  by 
approving  its  constitution.  Perpetual  vows,  until  then  optional,  were 
made  obligatory  for  all  members  who  had  kept  the  vows  for  five  years. 

Whilst  the  Holy  See,  by  its  supreme  authority,  was  consecrating  the 
work  so  prosperous  under  the  protection  of  Mary,  Providence  con- 
firmed its  success  still  more  gloriously  by  accepting  the  sacrifice  of  its 
first  martyrs.  On  the  very  same  day,  July  20,  that  the  decree  of 
approbation  was  signed  in  Rome,  Mgr.  Hamer,  the  first  of  the  seven 
martyrs  of  1900,  commenced  to  suffer  his  horrible  tortures.  Christ 
called  to  the  joys  of  this  triumph  those  whom  He  had  first  associated 
in  His  sufferings  during  their  work  of  the  apostolate. 

To  this  brief  outline  of  the  origin  and  development  of  the  Congre- 
gation of  the  Immaculate  Heat  of  Mary,  we  add  a  short  account  of  its 
present  status. 

I.    Missions  of  Schbut  in  China. 

The  immense  territories  of  Northern  China  are  settled  by  a  dense 
population  composed  of  two  races,-  the  Chinese  and  the  Mongolian, 
each  having  its  own  language,  character,  and  customs.  The  Chinese, 
for  the  most  part  farmers,  occupy  the  southern  part  of  Mongolia  and 


60     Bklqian  Conoregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary 


%x 


^^'^^v^ 


Bishop  Abblb  Bishop  Bbrmyn 

Vic.  Apost.  of  E.  Mongolia.  Vic.  Apost  of  S.  W.  Mongolia. 

Bishop  Otto 
Vic.  Apost.  of  Kan-su. 
Bishop  Van  Ronsl^  Bishop  Van  Abbtslabb 

Vic.  Apoat.  of  Belgian  Congo.  Vic.  Apost  of  Central  Mongolia. 

The  Missionaby  Bishops  of  the  Society  of  Scheut. 


Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary     61 

Kan-su.     The  Mongolians,  more  or  less  nomadic  shepherds,  tend  their 
flocks  in  the  steppes  of  the  north,  even  to  the  frontiers  of  Siberia. 

The  great  distances  between  settlements  oblige  missionaries  to 
almost  daily  travels,  made  more  painful  by  the  rigor  of  the  climate. 
The  winter  is  long  and  severe;  30  degrees  and  40  degrees  below  zero  is 
not  a  rare  temperature.  On  the  other  hand,  summer  heat,  especially 
in  the  south,  is  almost  equal  to  that  of  the  tropics.  The  unparalleled 
purity  of  an  atmosphere,  ordinarily  very  dry,  more  than  compensates 
for  these  extremes,  so  that  missionaries  in  Mongolia  nearly  always 
enjoy  good  health. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1900,  Christian  settlements  were  flour- 
ishing. During  the  last  few  years  a  strong  tide  of  conversion  passed 
over  the  country.  It  would  seem  as  though  God,  in  face  of  the  ap- 
proaching storm,  would  have  all  souls  of  good  will  brought  into  the 
fold  of  the  church. 

At  present  one  hundred  and  ten  missionaries  of  Scheut,  assisted  by 
twenty  Chinese  priests,  are  administering  to  the  spiritual  wants  of 
40,000  Christians.  One  hundred  and  seventy-three  schools  are  at- 
tended by  3300  pupils.  Two  seminaries  and  seven  colleges  are 
preparing  young  men  showing  the  marks  of  a  vocation  for  the  priest- 
hood. Sixteen  hundred  orphans  sold  by  their  infidel  parents  are  cared 
for  by  Chinese  sisters  and  a  few  Franciscan  missionaries  of  Mary  from 
Europe.  One  hundred  young  girls,  besides,  have  been  placed  in 
Christian  families. 

In  1904,  there  were  170  priests  in  Mongolia  and  Kan-su,  142  Fathers 
from  Scheut  and  28  native  priests. 

Jealous  of  these  magnificent  results,  the  devil  instigated  one  of  the 
most  terrible  persecutions  ever  waged  against  missionaries  and  Chris- 
tians in  China.  The  exact  and  complete  account  of  the  events  in 
1900  can  not  yet  be  written.  There  is  no  doubt,  however,  but  that  the 
annals  of  China  will  furnish  a  glorious  page  in  the  history  of  the 
Church,  manifesting  the  power  of  the  Gospel  to  transform  the  most 
barbarous  people;  with  a  few  exceptions,  Chinese  Christians  have 
proved  themselves  possessed  of  heroic  courage.  Their  constancy  be- 
fore death  is  not  less  admirable  than  that  of  the  early  martyrs. 

In  Mongolia  the  number  of  Christians  who  sealed  their  attachment 
to  our  Lord  with  their  blood  is  estimated  at  three  thousand,  and  God 
alone  knows  the  hosts  who,  deprived  of  all  their  goods,  have  died  of 
misery  since  the  persecutions.  Others  during  the  struggle  assembled 
in  the  principal  residences  and,  under  the  direction  of  missionaries, 
bravely  defended  themselves  against  the  Boxers.     Thanks  to  their 


62     Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary 

strong  resistance,  sustained  in  several  instances  by  a  providential  inter- 
vention bearing  the  character  of  a  miracle,  all  was  not  destroyed.  In 
some  districts,  however,  it  was  impossible  to  take  measures  of  defense. 
Thus  it  was  that  in  Tai-hai  and  Hau-pa,  in  Central  Mongolia,  all 
was  destroyed.  In  the  northwestern  part  of  the  vicariate  of  Mgr. 
Hamer,  fifteen  missionaries  expelled  by  Mongolian  soldiers  were  forced 
to  travel  forty-two  days  across  the  desert  to  reach  Europe  by  way  of 
Siberia. 


Chapel  and  Seminabt  of  Scheut  in  1870. 


Of  the  ninety-five  missionaries  that  remained  at  their  posts,  seven 
enjoy  the  glory  of  having  shed  their  blood  for  the  faith  (July- August, 
1900).  The  following  year,  in  December,  two  others  were  massacred 
in  Ortos. 

We  have  lamented  the  death  of  these  noble  victims,  but  our  tears 
have  not  been  without  joy.  Near  the  throne  of  God,  these  conquerors 
are  powerful  intercessors  in  behalf  of  the  work  for  which  they  sacri- 
ficed their  lives.  Moreover,  despite  the  material  losses  caused  by  the 
Boxers,  we  have  the  firm  hope  that  an  era  of  prosperity  is  about  to 


Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  op  Mary     63 

begin  for  Mongolian  missions  and  that  the  earth  watered  by  the  blood 
of  martyrs  will  produce  a  rich  harvest  of  Christians. 

Besides^  far  from  diminishing  apostolic  zeal  in  Christian  conntries, 
the  terrible  events  of  1900  have  served  only  to  give  it  a  stronger  im- 
pulse; a  larger  number  of  vocations  is  a  proof  that,  in  Belgium,  truly 
religious  families  consider  it  the  greatest  honor  to  give  up  their  chil- 
dren for  the  holiest  of  works,  the  salvation  of  souls. 

II.    Missions  of  Soheut  in  Congo. 

Since  the  creation  of  the  vicariate  of  Congo  Free  State,  other  re- 
ligious societies  have  tmited  their  eflPorts  with  those  of  the  mission- 
aries of  Scheut  for  the  evangelization  of  the  Dark  Continent.  They 
are  the  Jesuits,  Iforbertins,  Trappists,  Priests  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 
Eedemptorists,  Sisters  of  Charity  of  Gand,  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame, 
Franciscans  of  Mary,  Trappistines,  and  the  Sisters  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Mary  of  Berlaer. 

Distinct  missions  have  been  made  of  two  countries  separated  from 
the  vicariate,  the  mission  of  Kwango  under  the  Jesuits  and  the  pre- 
fecture of  TJelle  in  charge  of  the  Norbertins.  The  rest  of  the  region 
is  in  charge  of  the  Congregation  of  Scheut  and  forms  the  immense 
vicariate  of  Mgr.  Van  Bonsl^.  By  a  pontifical  decree  of  July  16, 1901, 
the  region  of  the  Kassai  and  its  affluents  has  been  separated  from  the 
vicariate  apostolic  of  Belgian  Congo  and  forms  a  distinct  mission 
under  the  name  of  Upper  Kassai.  One  of  the  oldest  missionaries,  the 
Rev.  Emeri  Cambier,  waa  appointed  prefect  apostolic  in  March,  1904. 
We  shall  mention  only  the  posts  founded  by  the  missionaries  of  Scheut 
and  cared  for  by  them. 

4- 

Congo  Free  State. — The  first  mission  on  the  coast  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  is  Moanda.  Two  missionaries  and  five  Sisters  of  Charity 
are  in  charge  of  a  large  number  of  catechumens  and  a  flourishing 
orphanage. 

At  Boma,  five  missionaries,  three  of  whom  are  priests,  perform 
parish  duties,  attend  the  hospitals  and  schools  and  direct  the  state 
academy.     Eight  Franciscan  sisters  are  also  stationed  there. 

A  railroad  has  recently  been  built  from  Boma  to  Majumbe.  A  mis- 
sionary of  Scheut  is  chaplain  of  the  company,  as  well  as  of  the  mili- 
tary encampment  in  Tjuki.  In  Kangu,  a  little  farther  distant  in  the 
region  of  Majumbe,  is  the  young  mission  of  Moll-Sainte-Marie.  The 
missionaries  here  are  instructing  a  number  of  catechumens,  also  free 
children  that  have  come  from  the  neighboring  villages. 


64     Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary 


Leaving  the  forests  of  Majumbe  for  Matadi,  the  railroad  stops  at 
Leopoldville.  So  in  a  few  hours  the  famous  ^^earavan  route**  is 
crossed  which  cost  explorers  and  early  missionaries  so  much  suffering. 

Leopoldville  is  the  residence  of  Mgr.  Van  Ronsl6,  vicar  apostolic  of 
Congo,  of  Eev.  Father  de  Clerck,  superior  provincial,  and  of  the  two 
missionaries  in  charge  of  the  parish  and  the  hospitals  in  the  city 
and  the  military  camp  of  Kinshassa. 

^^Our  Lady  of  Perpetual  Help,"  the  small  mission  steamer,  sails 


..r^'  .    '^^ 


The  Seminary  of  Scheut,  Near  Brussels,  in  its  Present  Condition. 

from  Leopoldville.  Her  captain  is  a  missionary  who  visits  the  posts 
on  the  river.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Kassai  stood  the  once  flourishing 
mission  of  Berghe-Sainte-Marie,  of  which  there  is  now  no  trace.  The 
strange  "  sleeping  sickness  "  has  converted  these  once  populous  regions 
into  a  mournful,  silent  waste. 

Farther  up  the  river,  on  the  other  side  of  the  equator,  is  the  mission 
of  New  Antwerp,  among  the  Bangalas.  Here  there  is  a  flourishing 
Christian  settlement;  the  missionaries  are  evangelizing  the  neighbor- 
ing villages  and  attend  the  government  post  not  far  away.     They  also 


Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  op  Mary     65 

direct  a  state  academy  similar  to  the  one  in  Boma.  Seven  Francis- 
can Sisters  assist  in  the  work. 

Upper  Kassai. — ^Ascending  the  river  and  its  affluents  from  the 
other  side,  we  arrive  at  several  very  important  missions  in  the  region 
of  Lnluabonrg.  Saint  Joseph,  founded  in  1891,  is  the  largest  and 
most  beautiful  one  in  Congo.  Eev.  Father  Cambier  is  in  charge.  He 
is  assisted  by  five  missionaries  and  eight  Sisters  of  Charity. 

All  the  missions  of  Scheut  in  Congo  have  been  founded  by  large 
donations  and  usually  bear  the  name  of  their  generous  benefactors  or 
those  of  patron  saints  chosen  by  them.  In  all,  this  congregation  has 
twelve  posts  or  centers  of  evangelization;  these  are  attended  by  72 
missionaries,  of  whom  55  are  priests  and  17  Brothers  coadjutor. 

No  member  has,  as  yet,  suffered  mariyrdom;  many,  however,  have 
sacrificed  their  lives  in  their  prime  to  apostolic  devotion.  In  fifteen 
years  thirly-three  missionaries  of  Scheut  have  fallen  victims  to  climate 
or  the  exceptional  fatigues  attendant  upon  first  settlements. 

III.    The  Seminary  op  Soheut. 

The  oldest  part  of  the  present  seminary  building  was  erected  near 
the  chapel  of  Notre  Dame  de  Graces  in  1870.  At  that  time  there  was 
neither  a  school  nor  a  novitiate.  Unordained  aspirants  finished  their 
course  of  studies  at  Louvain,  Rome,  or  elsewhere.  As  soon  as  the  mem- 
bership permitted,  a  mother-house  was  established. 

Most  of  those  who  now  apply  for  admission  have  finished  the  college 
course.  All  aspirants,  even  priests,  spend  a  whole  year  in  the  noviti- 
ate, the  many  spiritual  exercises  of  which  are  designed  to  foster  apos- 
tolic virtues.  Instruction  is  likewise  given  in  the  Chinese  and  Congo 
languages.  After  a  novitiate  of  one  year  the  future  missionaries  take 
the  religious  vows  for  a  term  of  five  years  only.  Later,  they  make  their 
perpetual  vows.  To  be  admitted  ss  a  novice,  one  must,  as  a  rule,  be  of 
Belgian  or  Dutch  birth,  have  received  a  college  education,  and  be 
possessed  of  the  qualities  of  mind  and  body  indispensable  for  their 
future  career. 

During  the  present  scholastic  year,  1904-1905,  Scheut  numbers  38 
novices  and  55  students  of  philosophy;  84  aspirants  are  taking  the 
course  of  theology  at  Louvain. 

Fifteen  Brothers  are  preparing  themselves  at  the  mother-house  for 
the  different  trades  useful  to  the  missions.  Young  men  from  18  to  30 
years  of  age  are  admitted,  provided  they  possess  the  necessary  physical 
and  moral  qualities  and  are  born  of  honest,  Christian  parents. 


MISSIONS   IN  ASIA 


DIOCESE  OF  KUMBHAKONAM 

The  territory  which  composes  the  diocese  of  Kumbhakonam  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  the  Vellar  rlyer,  on  the  west  and  south  by  the  Cayery,  and 
on  the  east  by  the  Bay  of  Bengal  and  the  French  district  of  Karikal.  This 
vast  mission  was  detached  from  the  archdiocese  of  Pondicherry  by  a  decree 
of  Augrust  28,  1899;  it  is  eyangelized  by  20  missionaries  of  the  Foreign 
Missions  of  Paris  and  a  few  natiye  priests,  and  numbers  108  churches,  400 
chapels  and  a  Catholic  population  of  85,000  souls. 


Keport  of  the  Et.  Kev.  Mgr.  Bottbro,  P.  F.  M., 


Sharp  Contrasts. — 
The  East  and  the  West 
Bavaged. — ^Eiunbha- 
konam  Trndisturbed. 


Bishop  of  Kumbhakonam, 

When  I  was  a  youBg  man,  it  was  my  de- 
light to  climb  the  heights  of  my  native  coun- 
try and  satisfy  my  eye  with  the  varied 
scenery  before  me.  Below  me  lay  fertile 
fields ;  in  nearer  view,  shaded  valleys ;  to  my 
right  dense  forests  of  fir  trees ;  to  my  left  a  cascade  dancing  down  into 
a  chasm  of  rolling  stones  and  thrown  back  in  iridescent  spray.  Some- 
times at  one  point  of  the  horizon  great  clouds  charged  with  electricity 
would  suddenly  gather.  In  an  instant  the  plain  before  me  would  dis- 
appear; under  my  feet  the  thunder  crashed  and  hail  spread  ruin  and 
desolation  over  a  country  smiling  and  animated  a  moment  before. 

All  around  me,  however,  would  be  Calm  and  serene;  not  a  cloud  to 
be  seen  in  the  azure  vault.  The  sun^s  rays  played  among  the  leaves 
and  bathed  me  in  floods  of  light.  The  contrast  between  the  heavens 
above  me  and  the  stormy  atmosphere  below  lifted  my  thoughts  to  the 
powerful  God  who  has  created  all  things  and  whose  voice  the  elements 
obey.  My  heart  re-echoed  the  words  of  wisdom  which  my  good  mother 
so  often  repeated  to  me : 

"My  child,"  she  would  say,  ^'here  below,  joy  is  intermixed  with 
;  there  are  days  when  fortune  smiles  upon  us  and  again  we 
6Q 


KUMBHAKONAM  67 

experience  nothing  but  trials  and  contradictions.  But,  whether  the 
storm  rages  or  the  sun  shines,  preserve  thy  soul  in  peace.  Fear  noth- 
ing but  sin ;  seek  and  desire  but  one  thing,  to  love  God.'' 

This  dream  of  the  past  frequently  haunts  me,  and  my  mother's 
words  come  back  to  my  mind,  when  I  consider  the  events  that  are 
taking  place  in  the  designs  of  Providence  as  I  write. 


In  the  east,  two  powerful  nations,  the  one  Christian,  the  other, 
alas !  Gentile,  appealing  to  our  love  less  by  their  heroic  bravery  and 
deep  affection  for  their  native  land  than  by  the  deeply  founded  hope 
which  they  hold  out  to  the  church  of  their  conversion  to  the  true  faith, 
are  waging  a  furious  war  against  each  other.  Their  blood  has  flowed 
in  streams  on  the  plains  of  Manchuria  and  at  Port  Arthur ;  the  earth 
trembles  under  the  weight  of  large  cannons;  night  and  day,  the  air 
resounds  with  the  detonation  of  a  thousand  engines  of  war,  one  more 
murderous  than  the  other;  the  sea  itself  is  troubled  to  its  depths  by 
the  explosion  of  torpedoes  in  touch  with  strong  vessels.  Nevertheless, 
it  seems  as  though  these  two  nations,  killing  without  pity  or  mercy, 
were  intended  to  hearken  unto  each  other's  voices ;  unfortunately,  they 
have  been  excited  beyond  control,  pitted  one  against  the  other,,  doing 
evil  that  good  may  ensue.  Woe  to  those  who  follow  so  infamous  a 
policy. 

In  the  west,  France  is  a  prey  to  a  religious  and  social  cataclysm 
which,  alas !  recalls  the  darkest  days  of  her  long  history. 

All  around  the  country  in  which  I  live,  in  fact  throughout  most  of 
India,  for  the  last  seven  or  eight  years,  thousands  of  men  and  women 
have  fallen  victims  to  epidemics.  Every  week  30  to  30,000  beings 
die  of  the  plague,  which  resists  the  prayers  and  cries  of  anguish  from 
Hindu  hearts  and  scorns  the  obstacles  which  European  science  has  set 
in  its  way.  Cholera,  fever,  and  small-pox,  in  their  turn,  glean  what 
has  escaped  the  terrible  reaper. 

Whilst' far  and  near  the  collision  of  forces  is  spreading  ruin  and 
desolation,  Kumbhakonam  is  delighting  in  peace  and  enjoying  a  secur- 
ity which  is  the  envy  of  others.  Here  the  air  is  calm,  the  sky  serene, 
the  sun  makes  everything  bright  during  the  day,  and  a  thousand  stars 
brighten  the  night.  In  most  of  our  districts,  Hindus,  Turks,  and 
Christians  help  one  another.  Everywhere  our  missionaries,  beloved 
by  their  people,  esteemed  by  the  government,  and  respected  by  their 
Mohammedan  or  idolatrous  neighbors,  are  profiting  by  this  Heaven- 


68  Missions  in  Asia 

sent  peace  to  organize  the  parishes  in  their  charge  on  a  solid  basis. 
By  their  zealous  efforts  churches  and  schools  have  multiplied  and  the 
Christian  spirit  has  penetrated  hearts  in  which  the  grace  of  God  has 
nurtured  a  thousand  blossoms  of  virtue  and  merit. 

We  enjoy  full  liberty.  The  Blessed  Sacrament  and  the  sacred  images 
are  carried  in  triumphant  procession  through  our  cities  and  villages, 
receiving  the  public  homage  and  veneration  due  to  them.  Only  yes- 
terday Catholics  in  great  number  could  be  seen  wending  their  way 
from  fifty  different  points'  to  follow  the  blessed  statue  of  the  Holy 
and  Immaculate  Mother  of  God.    It  was  the  close  of  the  jubilee  year. 

The  route  of  the  procession  was  covered  with  flowers,  the  streets 
were  festooned  with  garlands;  hundreds  of  pious  banners  floated  in 
the  breeze.  Bells  of  churches,  chapels,  and  religious  houses  sent  forth 
loud  peals  mixing  their  joyous  tones  with  the  happy  voices  of  Chris- 
tians who  sang  the  praises  of  Mary  from  the  depths  of  their  hearts. 
Amid  torches  and  lights,  to  the  sound  of  music,  somewhat  barbarous, 
it  is  true,  though  original  and  strictly  in  time;  in  the  glow  of  red, 
white,  and  green  lights,  shedding  a  fantastic  glow  over  men  and  things, 
the  statue  of  the  Queen  of  Angels  was  carried  through  the  streets  of 
the  Gentile  and  the  Christian  alike.  Returning  to  the  holy  place,  the 
church  was  surrounded,  the  porches  filled  by  an  immense  crowd. 
Benediction  was  given  and  all  returned  home  with  the  regret  that  the 
feast  was  over  so  soon.  In  remembrance  of  the  solemnity,  all  chil- 
dren, boys  or  girls,  bom  within  the  three  months  of  celebration,  have 
received  in  baptism  the  blessed  name  of  Immaculate  Conception, 
"Amalanaden  ^'  or  "Amelorpavi.^' 

I  have  said  that,  in  this  part  of  India,  we 
Work  to  be  Bone.  are  enjoying  a  blessed  peace  which  mission- 

aries are  making  use  of  to  organize  their 
many  parishes.  The  work  is  a  difficult  one,  for  the  converted  Hindus 
live  scattered  in  small  groups  among  their  Gentile  or  Mohammedan 
relatives.  The  moral  atmosphere  which  they  breathe  is  poisoned. 
Idolatry,  superstition,  and  sensuality  reign;  around  them  all  is  cor- 
rupt; peoples,  temples,  gods,  the  ceremonies  of  the  pagan  cult,  family 
feasts,  the  fine  arts,  books,  journals,  all,  even  to  the  language  of  the 
country,  is  tainted  with  the  virus  of  impiety  and  immorality.  Our 
neophytes  live  and  move  in  the  middle  of  pernicious  example,  and  to 
believe  that  they  are  easily  preserved  from  contagion  would  imply  that 
human  nature  in  them  bears  a  different  character. 

We  cannot,  in  conscience,  be  satisfied  with  increasing  their  num- 
ber.    We  must  educate  and  civilize  them,  making  them  more  con- 


KUMBHAKONAM  69 

formable  to  our  model,  Jesus  Christ.  The  work  is  one  not  readily 
accomplished.  If  we  should  be  unfortunate  enough  to  neglect  it,  we 
should  be  unworthy  of  our  holy  vocation.  What  would  be  said  of  a 
prince  who,  having  collected  large  pieces  of  stone  and  marble,  rare  wood 
and  all  required  to  construct  a  palace,  would  leave  his  materials  idle 
in  a  comer,  without  thinking  of  disposing  of  them  according  to  the 
rules  of  architecture.  The  example  applies  to  us  in  Kumbhakonam. 
Much  material  is  already  prepared;  but  it  must  be  fashioned  and 
arranged  for  a  fine  edifice.  To  effect  this  result,  marble  and  stones 
must  be  united  by  the  cement  of  divine  charity.  Missionaries  are  de- 
voting their  lives  to  this  great  purpose.  All  are  maMng  the  effort; 
some  succeed  better  than  others;  perhaps  they  are  more  gifted  than 
their  fellow  priests;  perhaps  God  has  allotted  to  them  individuals  of 
higher  intellectual  and  moral  endowment.  Results  are  not,  and  can 
not,  bfi  the  same;  at  times  they  are  not  even  commensurate  with  the 
effort  made;  but  I  believe  I  can  say,  without  presumption,  that  on  the 
whole  the  work  of  instructing  and  perfecting  our  Christians  in  the 
moral  life  is  making  very  satisfactory  progress. 

During  the  past  year  only  26  priests,  Eu- 
Beport  of  the  Mission  in  ropean  and  native,  have  been  able  to  do 
1904. — Catechist  Sisters  active  service.  These  heard  99,092  confes- 
of  Mary  Immaculate.  sions  of  adults  and  5500  confessions  of  chil- 
dren; 120,300  persons  received  Holy  Com- 
munion and  2400  children  were  prepared  for  their  First  Communion ; 
1010  marriages  were  blessed  by  the  church;  1112  sick  received  Extreme 
Unction,  but  only  361  Holy  Viaticum,  which  shows  that,  in  most  in- 
stances, death  resulted  from  cholera ;  only  141  adults,  alas !  were  con- 
verted from  paganism. 

With  the  grace  of  God,  four  other  priests  are  going  to  join  their 
efforts  to  ours,  so  that  we  hope  to  bind  a  larger  sheaf  of  new  adorers 
next  year.  I  am  happy  to  add  that  we  have  recorded  135  conversions 
from  Protestantism,  60  in  excess  of  the  number  for  the  year  pre- 
ceding. Such  a  result  fills  our  heart  with  joy.  What  awakens  in  us 
the  deepest  feeling  of  gratitude  to  God  is  the  success  which  has  crowned 
the  zeal  of  priests  and  sisters  in  finding  and  baptizing  pagan  and 
Mohammedan  children  in  articulo  mortis.  Paradise  was  opened  for 
1949  children  who  are  now  enjoying  the  possession  of  eternal  glory. 
Such  is  the  record  for  the  diocese  of  Kumbhakonam.  I. had  hoped 
that  the  number  of  the  preceding  year  would  be  double  and  behold ! 
it  has  been  nearly  tripled. 

Of  these  1949  souls  regenerated  in  extremis,  the  missionary  Cate- 


70 


Missions  in  Asia 


chist  Sisters  of  Mary  Immaculate  baptized  over  1100.  At  the  cost  of 
what  sacrifices  and  suffering,  Qoi  alone  knows.  These  holy  women 
have  traveled  over  a  large  part  of  the  diocese  either  on  foot  or  in  ox 
carts.  A  tropical  sun,  rivers  or  mountains — ^nothing  intimidates  them. 
Three  of  them  risked  their  lives  in  crossing  a  river;  three  others  were 
hooted  at  and  stoned  out  of  a  pagan  village,  returning  to  the  mission 
center  glad  to  have  been  thought  worthy  of  suffering  for  the  justice  • 
and  glory  of  God. 


Episcopal  Residence  at  Kumbhakonam. 


These  sisters  have  opened  dispensaries  in  Kumbhakonam  and  Tran- 
quebar.  The  kindness  and  love  they  show  to  the  sick  win  over  many 
hearts. 

"Your  Sisters  are  ideal  women,"  a  Brahmin  wrote  to  me  a  few 
months  since;  "We  have  nothing  in  Hinduism  which  can  compare 
with  them." 

Their  dispensaries  are  gaining  in  popularity  every  day.  Patients, 
especially  women,  apply  by  the  hundreds.  At  the  government  hospital, 
as  at  the  Catholic  dispensary,  care  and  medicines  are  free.     How- 


KUMBHAXONAH  ?1 

ever,  the  official  doctor  works  for  himself;  the  Sister  of  Charity  for 
the  love  of  (Jod;  the  doctor  on  duty  contents  himself  with  treating 
his  patients  according  to  the  prescriptions  of  the  Codex;  the  Sisters 
look  upon  them  as  their  children  and  slip  in  a  few  words  of  consola- 
tion that  reach  the  heart  and  re-enkindle  hope. 

The  training  school  of  catechists  and 
The  Traming  of  Cate-  teachers  continues  to  make  satisfactory 
chists. — What  They  Do.   progress^  despite  the  absence  of  its  founder, 

Father  Mette.  Several  of  the  missionaries 
are  assisted  by  yoimg  men  educated  in  this  school,  and  they  are  loud 
in  their  praise  of  their  services.  On  October  28,  Father  Barralon 
wrote  to  me : 

The  son  of  my  Paudharam  (catechist  pariah),  Aya  Cannofi,  who  has 
finished  the  course  at  Father  Mette's  school,  has  wonderfully  profited  by 
the  lessons  received.  He  performs  all  kinds  of  invaluable  services  and  is 
especially 'helpful  to  me  with  the  religious  instruction  of  children.  He 
travels  through  all  the  pariah  villages  of  the  district,  assembles  little  boys 
and  girls  around  some  stump,  teaches  them  their  prayers  and  catechism, 
and  brings  them  to  me  when  they  are  sufllciently  well  informed.  Thanks 
to  his  efforts,  a  number  of  children  made  the  jubilee. 

Father  Deltour  recently  wrote  to  me  of  a  similar  instance  of  zeal  on 
the  part  of  his  catechist : 

"  I  cannot  praise  his  piety  and  devotion  enough.  He  goes  about  in  the 
neighborhood  of  my  station,  mingles  with  the  pagans,  argues  with  them, 
corrects  the  erroneous  ideas  which  they  have  and  explains  to  them  the 
principal  dogmas  of  our  holy  faith.  He  shows  the  same  zeal  in  preparing 
Christian  children  for  confession  or  for  their  First  Holy  Communion. 
What  valuable  services  he  does  for  me!  " 

I  am  persuaded  that  this  young  institution  is  destined,  in  the  near 
future,  to  produce  great  results  of  good,  not  only  for  this  diocese,  but 
for  neighboring  missions.  Grod  has  granted  us  the  means  to  develop 
it.  One  of  our  fellow  priests  from  a  distant  vicariate  has  interested 
himself  so  greatly  in  this  charity  as  to  give  a  large  part  of  a  legacy 
left  to  him  to  the  bishop  of  Kumbhakonam  for  that  purpose.  Thanks 
to  his  liberality,  we  are  able  to  place  the  school  on  a  better  footing; 
in  a  short  time  we  shall  receive  official  recognition  by  the  government 
as  a  "  normal  school,"  and  will  be  able  to  provide  for  a  much  larger 
number  of  pupils. 

I  have  just  finished  a  pastoral  visit 
A  Pastoral  Visit.  through    the    diocese    of    Kumbhakonam. 

Traveling  four  months  in  the  year,  it  took 
from  July,  1900,  till  November,  1904.     My  impression  is  that  this 


72  Missions  in  Asia 

mission  is  one  which  holds  out  the  greatest  promise  for  the  future. 
None  other  contains  so  many  Catholics  in  as  small  a  territory.  None 
other  possesses  as  many  buildings  consecrated  to  God.  Here  and 
there  are  old  villages  with  a  population  of  1700  to  1800  souls,  in  which 
scarcely  two  or  three  pagan  families  are  to  be  found.  In  all  parts  of 
the  diocese  churches  lift  the  august  sign  of  our  redemption  on  high. 
The  mass  of  the  people  practice  their  religion.  Without  any  feeling 
of  human  respect  they  wear  on  their  naked  breasts  the  crucifix  or  the 
scapular.  The  confraternities  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  Our  Lady  of 
Mount  Carmel,  and  the  Suffering  Souls  in  Purgatory  are  established 
in  all  parishes;  their  membership  is  large  and  all  receive  communion 
once  a  month. 

I  have  kntwn  the  time  when  aspirants  at  the  seminary  of  the  For- 
eign Missions  of  Paris  showed  very  little  enthusiasm  for  the  missions 
of  India. 

"  Oh !  "  they  used  to  say,  "  What  can  we  do  there  ?  It  is  but  a  poor 
country,  burned  by  a  tropical  sun.  Foreigners  are  established  there; 
we  should  find  but  the  same  old  routine  of  parish  work.  We  want  to 
go  to  Corea,  China,  and  Thibet/* 

At  that  time  "  persecuted  "  missions,  where  there  was  a  chance  of 
winning  a  martyr's  crown,  were  the  only  ones  which  excited  any  am- 
bition. In  the  end,  what  has  been  the  percentage  of  those  whom  the 
executioner's  axe  has  crowned  with  glory  ?  Probably  one  out  of  fifty. 
The  other  forty-nine  realized  at  once  that  all  was  not  poetry  in  Corea, 
China,  and  Thibet.  During  the  day  they  were  compelled  to  lie  con- 
cealed. At  night  only  they  could  venture  out,  like  wild  beasts,  afraid 
of  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  every  moment.  More  than 
once  they  deplored  the  fact  of  not  being  able  to  do  their  work  of 
apostles  but  by  the  intermediary  of  catechists. 

In  India  the  situation  is  different.  Priests  work  in  the  open  day. 
It  is  true  they  live  poorly,  but  they  preserve  tbeir  cheerfulness,  because 
the  country  is  one  of  bright  skies  and  broad  horizon.  The  priest  him- 
self baptizes;  he  converts  pagans  himself;  he  visits  his  flock;  he  can 
carry  sacred  images  publicly  through  cities  and  villages;  the  sick  call 
for  him;  on  his  way  to  them,  sun  and  rain  alike,  according  to  the 
season,  the  expression  of  joy  is  on  his  face,  for  he  carries  on  his  heart 
the  Blessed  Sacrament.  Ah!  the  happiness  of  carrying  the  Divine 
Master  through  forests,  tall  grass,  and  the  harvest  field.  The  road  is 
never  long  in  such  sweet  company.  With  Him,  we  fear  nothing;  we 
never  turn  our  back,  whether  plains  must  be  traversed,  mountains 


KUMBHAKONAM  73 

climbed,  or  rivers  crossed  by  ford,  in  boats  or  on  willow  or  bamboo 
rafts  covered  with  buffalo  skin.  Is  not  our  life  in  the  open  air,  which 
gives  us  occasion  to  exert  all  our  heartfelt  energy,  preferable  to  that 
in  China  and  other  localities  where  days  must  be  spent  in  some  ob- 
scure den?  Places  which  hold  out  the  promise  of  the  shedding  of 
blood  for  our  Lord  are  undoubtedly  beautiful  fields  of  labor,  but 
those  where  missionaries  offer  the  sweat  of  the  brow,  drop  by  drop,  for 
the  glory  of  God  are  not  less  inviting.  After  all,  the  most  desirable 
for  each  one  are  those  selected  by  superiors. 

I  conclude  my  parable.    During  my  youth, 
Expected  Trials.  when  on  the  mountain  heights  I  too  often 

jdelded  to  the  pleasure  of  contemplating 
the  marvelous  beauties  spread  before  my  eye,  I  was  more  than  once 
the  victim  of  my  curiosity.  The  wind  would  suddenly  change  and 
the  clouds  which  enveloped  the  plain  beneath  me  would  rise  to  the 
level  on  which  I  stood  and  I  would  be  without  shelter  against  thunder 
and  hail. 

Just  now  nothing  disturbs  the  peace  about  me;  but  tears  attend 
upon  every  feast,  and  the  calmness  and  serenity  of  any  one  day  is  no 
guarantee  against  shadows  and  storms  for  the  morrow. 

There  is  already  a  forerunner  of  approaching  trials.  The  black 
plague  is  making  its  mournful  progress  over  India;  its  approach  to 
us  is  near.  The  priests  of  Mysore  and  Coimbatore  have  been  unable 
to  save  their  Christians  from  infection.  In  all  probability  our  turn 
will  come  next.  We  have  already  noticed  several  isolated  cases  in  our 
settlements. 

During  the  coming  year  we  shall  have  not  only  the  plague  to  fear, 
but  famine  also.  There  have  been  no  rains  and  the  harvest  is  dried 
up.  If  God  does  not  hasten  to  our  assistance,  there  is  no  hope  for  us. 
May  He  show  us  mercy  in  our  bitter  affliction !  Moreover  the  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is  handicapped  by  recent  events  in 
France  and  can,  therefore,  not  remit  to  us  the  usual  amount  of  alms. 
Whence  shall  help  come  to  us  in  case  misfortunes  overtake  us? 


i^'1iMBIiP^''Tii"T1 

miM^^fTO 

^^hH 

^^S 

^^^1 

MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  GABON 

The  Mission  of  Lambarene 

The  following  letter  gives  us  a  picture  of  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
missions  in  French  Congo,  Equatorial  Africa.  The  abolition  of  slavery 
has  been  promulgated  in  principle,  but  it  will  be  some  time  before  it  is 
realized. 

Letter  of  Rev.  Father  Mac^,  C.  S.  Sp. 

According  to  an  old  axiom^  to  live  is  to  possess  the  principle  of 
motion;  motion  is  what  Lambaren6  lacks  less.  All  who  labor  here 
know  that  Lambaren6  of  the  past  sees  nothing  to  envy  in  Lambaren6 
of  the  present. 

In  1902,  the  mission  received  a  very  valu- 
Our  Schools.  able  aid  to  our  boys'  school  in  the  Brothers 

of  Saint  Gabriel.  The  three  classes  now 
formed  number  140  pupils.  During  the  years  1902-1903  the  attend- 
ance averaged  107.  This  number  has  been  considerably  increased 
by  the  addition  of  the  Pahouin  element.  We  have  been  compelled  to 
transform  the  refectory  into  a  class  room  and,  to  provide  suflBcient 
accommodation,  have  added  a  light  brick  building  51  feet  by  15 ;  this 
has  only  three  walls;  the  fourth  side  is  closed  by  a  whitewashed  frame- 
work with  window  panes,  which  produces  a  very  good  effect. 

The  girls'  school  is  likewise  developing  under  the  direction  of  the 
Sisters  of  the  Immaculate  Conception;  it  numbers  45  pupils.  This 
year  we  have  been  able  to  erect  a  fine  building.  Workroom,  refectory, 
and  class  room  are  on  the  ground  floor;  on  the  second  floor  there  is  a 
dormitory  with  70  beds  and  a  room  for  two  Sifters.  Added  to  this 
are  a  laundry  and  kitchen  for  the  pupils  and  a  hospital  with  40  beds 
for  the  sick.  The  whole  forms  quite  a  little  community. 
74 


Gabon 


75 


Besides  catechism  and  the  elements  of  reading  and  writing,  the 
pupils  learn  all  that  it  is  necessary  for  girls  in  their  state  of  life  to 
know :  sewing,  cooking,  and  housekeeping.  They  have  their  own  little 
banana  grove  and  their  fields  of  pistachios,  corn,  etc.  The  most  im- 
portant service  they  perform  is  the  making  of  clothes  and  the  washing 
of  linen,  not  only  for  residents  of  the  mission,  but  for  foreigners. 

This  work,  which  is  particularly  diflBcult  to  establish,  has  already 
produced  good  results.  Since  1902,  we  have  blessed  the  marriage  of 
eight  of  our  young  women  with  men  brought  up  at  the  mission. 


Chxjbch  and  Mission  at  La.mbaben£ — Oabon. 


Oardeners,  Carpenters, 
and  Bricklayers. 


The  number  of  apprentices  varies  from 
25  to  35.  Ten  are  carpenters,  the  others, 
all  Pahouins,  are  gardeners,  planters,  and 
builders,  as  the  occasion  demands;  Brother 
Sylvain  is  often  called  upon  to  change  trades ;  nevertheless,  he  remains 
a  master  in  each.  His  garden  means  a  great  deal  to  us,  and  our  mer- 
chant neighbors  often  obtain  produce  from  it.  The  apprentices  are 
of  greatest  assistance  to  us  as  sailors  on  our  apostolic  rounds,  which 
can  not  be  made  but  by  water.     Our  greatest  encouragement  is  that 


76  Missions  in  Africa 

they  are  all  well  instructed  Christians;  several  have  become  good 
catechists  and  maintain  our  influence  among  the  Pahouins. 

The  work  of  training  laborers  is  hard;  the  school  is  easily  filled, 
but  as  easily  emptied,  homesickness  being  one  of  the  most  prevalent 
diseases  among  the  Pahouins.  However,  the  good  seed  has  been  sown ; 
it  is  very  seldom  that  any  one  who  has  become  a  Christian  leaves  with- 
out returning  sooner  or  later.  Even  so,  they  carry  away  with  them 
the  great  lesson  of  work,  a  most  important  acquisition  in  a  country 
where  the  ideal  of  the  greater  number  is  absolute  idleness. 

Brother  Dioscorus,  who  has  been  laboring  in  Africa  for  years,  with 
unimpaired  health  and  undaunted  spirit,  has  succeeded  Brother  Syl- 
vain  as  director  of  the  carpenter  shop.  A  large  number  of  carpenters 
have  been  placed  in  very  advantageous  positions.  This  year  three 
who  finished  the  course  of  study  were  at  once  engaged  by  commercial 
associations. 

We  also  keep  up  a  brick  yard  and  make  about  50,000  bricks 

and  5000  tiles  every  dry  season.     Unfortunately,  this  work  is  not 

very  remunerative.    Yet  our  barren  soil  yields  little  else.     The  cacao 

does  not  take  root  here,  coffee  scarcely  thrives,  and  even  bananas  do 

not  produce  fine  fruit.    We  have  made  application  for  an  island 

formed  by  two  arms  of  the  river  opposite  the  mission,  in  view  of 

planting  a  grove,  but  nothing  definite  has  been  accomplished.   Though 

our  children  have  not  always  the  best  heads,  their  stomachs  are  in 

excellent  condition.     When  manioc  is  scarce,  we  become  apprehensive, 

but  St.  Joseph,  the  patron  of  temporal  affairs,  usually  saves  us  from 

distress. 

mi.    -rr  1    -m-  •  x  Thc  work  of  a  priest  among  the  various 

The  Holy  Ministry.—  i      ^i,  i.          u    •     •       x           •      i.u 

mi.    ^  /          :■  T*  peoples  that  are  besinnmff  to  acquire  the 

Thc  Qaloas  and  Pa-  •        ^    •    v    i.-      ?      a.    i                 j.  ^  ^ 

,      .     -     _,..  .  vices  of  civilization  is  not  always  a  grateful 

-  *  task.     Nevertheless,  we  see  that  some  good 

has  been   done.     Unfortunately,  only  two 

Fathers  have  been  stationed  in  these  parts  and  for  the  last  two  months 

the  superior,  Fr.  Monnier,  has  been  alone.      One  of  them  attends  the 

Pongons,  the  other  the  Pahouins. 

The  Galoas,  who  were  falling  a  prey  to  corruption,  seem  to  be  re- 
turning to  God.  Is  the  movement  to  be  attributed  to  their  disillusions 
of  the  commercial  companies,  which  have  no  further  use  for  them? 
Is  it  to  be  laid  at  the  door  of  Protestants  because  of  their  calumnies 
against  us?  Or  are  we  to  recognize  in  it  the  last  grace  for  the  salva- 
tion of  these  poor  souls?     Each  of  these  three  causes  no  doubt  plays 


Gabon  77 

some  part.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  movement  toward  good  is  a  fact. 
The  large  majority  of  young  men,  at  least,  are  well  disposed ;  the  old 
men,  imfortunately,  are  still  very  influential. 

Our  young  men  often  say  to  us : 

"Ah!  Father,  if  you  knew  how  hard  it  is  to  be  a  Christian.  We 
want  to  send  boys  and  girls  to  the  mission,  but  the  old  men,  and, 
above  all,  the  old  women,  object.** 

They  speak  the  truth.  What  prevents  the  Galoas  from  coming 
over  to  us  is,  first  of  all,  the  question  of  marriage.  These  gentlemen 
and  ladies  love  change.  Then  there  is  fetichism,  in  which  the  old 
men  are  adepts.  Furthermore,  there  are  the  mothers-in-law.  To 
take  their  daughters,  send  them  to  the  mission  and  marry  them  in 
church  would  be  to  deprive  them  of  their  little  gains;  they  would 
be  prevented  from  earning  much  money,  God  knows  how ! 

Our  young  men  are  seeking  to  bring  about  a  reaction;  it  does  not 
seem  just  to  them  that,  considering  their  number  and  their  intelli- 
gence, they  should  be  treated  as  pariahs. 

"  We  want,"  they  say,  "  to  found  families ;  we  want  Christian  women 
for  wives  and  not  those  whom  others  have  refused." 

This  is  the  main  reason  for  the  return  to  truth  which  we  notice  in 
the  young. 

4- 

As  checkered  as  their  life  has  been,  a  deep  spirit  of  faith  lives  in 
these  youths.  If  some,  by  reason  of  the  pitfalls  set  for  them,  have  gone 
astray,  they  easily  come  back  to  us  when  experience  opens  their  eyes. 
Lazarus,  our  catechist  in  Satanga,  is  an  example. 

During  the  past  year  Father  Monnier  was  obliged  to  correct  him 
in  public  for  having  participated  in  fetichist  ceremonies  and  neglected 
his  Christian  duties.  He  bore  the  reprimand  bravely.  All  was  going 
on  well  in  Satanga  this  year ;  the  chapel  had  been  repaired  and  orna- 
mented by  a  beautiful  altar  and  a  belfry  that  is  the  envy  of  our  neigh- 
bors. Unfortimately,  at  the  close  of  the  summer  Lazarus  was  mortally 
wounded  by  a  fall  from  a  boat 

As  soon  as  he  was  injured  he  sent  his  brother  for  me.  I  tried  in 
vain  to  cure  him.  In  perfect  resignation  he  faced  death  with  sur- 
prising firmness.  Having  received  the  last  sacraments,  he  called  the 
faithful  around  him  and  confided  his  three  little  children  to  his 
brother,  asking  but  one  thing  of  him,  to  make  Christians  of  them. 
Begging  pardon  for  the  bad  example  he  had  given,  he  asked  that  the 
prayers  for  the  dying  be  recited,  especially  the  litany  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  during  the  third  recital  of  which  he  breathed  his  last  sigh. 

4- 


78 


Missions  in  Africa 


Here,  as  everjrwhere  else,  the  Pahouins  are  not  models  of  wisdom. 
We  return  good  for  evil.  These  old  man-eaters  are  beginning  to 
soften  and  do  not  make  as  great  opposition  as  heretofore  in  confiding 
their  children  to  us.  Of  course,  their  motive  is  one  of  self-interest, 
but,  nevertheless,  good  will  result  from  their  action.  We  have  more 
than  sixty  children  at  the  mission;  forty-eight  of  these  attend  our 
school.  Perhaps  we  shall  be  able  to  draw  them  in  greater  numbers. 
It  is  only  such  a  purpose  that  can  give  us  patience  to  listen  to  their 
interminable  harangues. 


Gabon. — Schools  at  Lambaben^. 


Since  1902,  a  catechist  school  has  been 
Catechists.  organized  in  a  very  important  village  of  the 

Esesobas  tribe.  The  magnificent  region  of 
Samkita,  where  we  have  two  posts,  has  suffered  many  changes  in  the 
past  two  years.  The  establishment  of  a  military  post  has  forced 
several  large  villages  into  the  interior;  the  inhabitants  are  returning 
in  small  numbers  and  seem  well  disposed.  A  passing  visit  is  not  suf- 
ficient for  them ;  they  need  a  real  mission  or,  at  least,  a  residing  priest. 
Alas !  when  shall  we  realize  this  dream  ?  Two  things  fail  us,  laborers 
and  resources. 


Gabon  79 

The  village  of  Esicourge,  on  Lake  Ejanga,  formed  by  the  Mboule, 
has  a  chapel  and  catechist.  Many  of  our  apprentices  are  natives  of 
this  village.    The  good  work  has  commenced. 

At  Ntangatele  we  have  resumed  work  by  maintaining  a  young 
Christian  household  in  a  hut  offered  to  the  mission  by  an  old  settler. 

In  ISrtambe  we  are  not  so  successful;  catechists  have  been  forced 
to  withdraw  because  of  the  bad  will  of  the  people. 

At  Mpendo  and  at  Melen  the  catechist  is  doing  good  work. 

Frequent  visits  have  been  made  to  Lake  Azingo,  where  we  were  able 
to  see  several  children;  Obego,  the  catechist,  has  resumed  his  duties 
there  and  also  attends  a  neighboring  Pahouin  village.  In  a  few 
months  we  shall  station  a  catechist  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake,  where 
a  beautiful  hut  has  been  offered  to  us.  Father  Dubrouillet  has  just 
returned  from  an  eight  days'  stay  in  these  parts ;  he  found  the  people 
in  good  disposition  and  has  brought  back  eight  children  with  him. 
On  the  whole,  our  cateohists  are  a  great  help  to  us. 

Since  July,  1902,  we  have  redeemed  five 
Slaves.  slaves.    It  is  said  that  slavery  is  no  longer 

in  vogue  here ;  that  is  true  in  principle,  but 
the  practice  still  obtains.  Every  year  a  large  number  of  slaves  are 
brought  from  Ngounie  and  Upper  Ogooue;  the  traflSc  is  not  carried 
on  openly,  but  it  exists  none  the  less. 

There  are  villages,  or  rather  plantations,  which  swarm  with  slaves. 
These  unfortunate  creatures  represent  all  classes.  Some  sold  by  their 
families  are  carried  far  away  from  home  to  work  plantations.  Others, 
sold  while  they  are  very  young,  are  transported  to  perform  the  same 
labor  or  even  tasks  more  shameful.  All  are  reduced  to  the  ranks  of 
beasts  of  burden.  They  are  considered  only  as  long  as  they  are  capable 
of  working  and  serving  the  passions  of  their  masters.  For  this  last 
purpose  every  effort  is  made  to  destroy  any  vestige  of  nobility  in  the 
nature,  so  that  moral  sense  is  completely  stifled.  They  are  trans- 
formed into  inferior  creatures ;  indeed,  the  term  is  too  mild ;  they  are 
placed  on  a  level  with  brutes.  A  slave  is  nothing  more  than  an 
instrument. 

The  comment  of  a  rich  negro,  a  man  of  judgment,  and  who  was  even 
considering  conversion,  is,  to  my  mind,  a  just  judgment  on  the  state 
of  slavery  among  the  Qaloas. 

Father  Monnier,  superior  of  the  station,  learned  one  day  that  an 
old  woman  had  died  during  the  night;  she  was  a  slave.  Passing 
through  the  village,  the  priest  asked  her  master  why  he  had  not  sum- 
moned him  to  baptize  her.  Filled  with  astonishment,  the  man  an- 
swered coldly : 


so  Missions  in  Africa 

"  Oh !  Father,  baptism  is  very  good  for  us,  but  what  can  it  do  for 
an  old  woman  like  that,  a  slave,  all  covered  with  wounds?  You  see, 
we  do  not  even  bury  any  one  like  that;  we  simply  throw  them  into 
the  river/* 

Recently,  we  have  had  the  happiness  to  rescue  an  unfortunate  young 
man  from  such  a  life  of  moral  and  intellectual  degradation. 

Two  of  our  Brothers  left  with  several  children  for  a  trip  on  the 
river.  When  they  halted  in  a  cove  of  brush,  they  found  two  men 
preparing  their  camp  for  the  night.  Their  odd  behavior,  embar- 
rassed manner,  and  loaded  gun  made  the  Brothers  suspicious  of  what 
their  business  might  be.  Going  into  the  forest,  they  found  a  young 
man,  with  hands  tied  and  mouth  gagged.  He  seemed  overjoyed  to 
see  them,  and  when  questioned  by  the  children  informed  them  that  he 
had  been  taken  captive.  Giving  up  all  idea  of  their  trip,  the  Brothers 
returned  to  the  mission,  taking  the  victim  and  his  two  captors  with 
them. 

The  superior  being  absent.  Father  Dubrouillet  took  the  matter  in 
hand.  After  much  difiBculty,  being  ignorant  of  his  language,  we 
gleaned  a  few  facts  from  the  captive's  history.  He  belonged  to  the 
Ishogo  tribe,  which  inhabits  the  banks  of  the  ISTgounie  river,  was  called 
Mondjo,  and  had  been  sold  by  his  parents  to  two  Adiombas,  neighbors 
of  ours.  The  two  culprits  were  at  once  taken  to  the  post  and  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  the  governor  of  the  district.  Young  Mondjo  was 
set  at  liberty  and  returned  to  his  tribe.  To  obtain  this  end,  we  were 
obliged  to  have  at  least  ten  interviews  with  the  commander  of  the 
post.  However,  the  cost  was  not  too  great  for  the  consolation  of  hav- 
ing saved  a  fellow  creature  from  a  horrible  life  of  slavery  or  a  frightful 
death.  We  hope  that  he  will  remember  in  the  future  what  he  owes 
to  the  missionaries  of  God.  Let  the  readers  of  the  Annals  continue 
to  assist  them  with  their  prayers  and  alms. 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


EUROPE 
A  Monument  to  Father  de  Deken  in  Belgium 

On  September  14,  the  monument  erected  to  the  honor  of  Father 
de  Deken  in  Wilryck,  his  native  town,  near  Antwerp,  was  unveiled. 
The  imposing  ceremony  brought  together  a  large  crowd  of  all  social 
ranks :  delegates  of  the  king  and  of  the  Congo  Free  Stai^,  the  governor 
of  the  province,  military  commanders  from  Antwerp,  senators  and 
representatives,  magistrates  and  members  of  geographical  and  differ- 
ent State  societies. 

The  statue,  which  is  bronze  with  a  granite  base,  represents  Father 
de  Deken  standing,  holding  his  crucifix  in  one  hand  and  extending  the 
other  in  benediction  and  protection  jover  a  negro  humbly  kneeling  at 
his  feet.  The  statue  has  been  erected  by  public  subscription  and 
is  a  truly  national  monument,  having  been  paid  for  by  the  three 
provinces  of  Antwerp,  Grussels,  and  Gand. 

We  need  not  inform  our  readers  of  what  Father  de  Deken  has 
done;  the  glorious  part  which  he  took  in  the  memorable  trip  across 
Central  Asia  with  Mr.  Bonvalot  and  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans  is 
known  to  all.  A  great  missionary  and  explorer,  he  died  in  his  prime 
in  Africa,  whither  he  had  been  sent  by  his  superiors  to  propagate 
the  faith  and  give  to  Christians  the  helps  of  their  religion,  beloved  of 
all  who  knew  him.  Men  of  all  opinions  united  to  attest  his  merits, 
admire  his  virtues  and  perpetuate  his  memory. 

ASIA 

The  English  in  Thibet 

Bishop  Giraudeau,  vicar  apostolic  of  Thibet,  writes  from  Tatsien- 
Jou,  September  27,  1904 : 

81 


82  News  of  the  Missions 

'^The  news  of  the  entry  of  the  English  into  Lhassa,  August  3,  is 
now  generally  known.  A  less  widely  reported  fact,  however,  is  the 
rather  cowardly  flight  of  Dalai  Lama,  about  whom  so  much  has  been 
written. 

"Five  days  before  the  English  entered  Lhassa,  the  grand  lama 
left  his  sacred  residence  and  took  the  road  leading  to  the  north,  carry- 
ing some  of  his  treasures  with  him.  It  is  believed  that  many  of  the 
lamas  traveled  with  him,  but  the  army  which  he  had  gathered  for  his 
defense  at  once  scattered  to  the  four  points  of  the  compass. 

"  The  only  act  of  note  which  this  supreme  Thibetan  diety  performed 
before  his  flight  was  to  take  vengeance  on  the  imperial  legate  of 
China  for  not  having  given  him  sufficient  protection.  Several  attacks 
were  made  upon  the  representative  of  the  Chinese  Emperor  with  no 
other  result  than  the  death  of  several  Thibetans.  The  emperor  de- 
prived him  of  his  titles  of  the  great  living  Buddha  and  king  of  Thibet. 
Unfortunately  for  us,  he  has  appointed  as  his  successor  his  adversary, 
the  living  Buddha  of  Tchrachilhumbo.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  England 
will  not  omit  the  clause  of  religious  liberty  in  her  treaty. 

"At  all  events,  a  mortal  blow  has  been  struck  at  the  prestige  of  the 
capital  of  Buddhism,  which  henceforth  will  be  only  a  military  center. 
I  trust  that  the  missionaries  of  Thibet  will  be  able  to  take  possession 
of  the  cradle  of  the  mission,  Bonga,  and  raise  the  standard  of  the 
cross  in  the  Babylon  of  the  lamas.  An  immense  but  very  poor  region 
is  about  to  be  opened.  I  recommend  the  conversion  of  the  people  to 
the  prayers  of  Catholics.  At  the  same  time,  I  appeal  to  their  charity 
that  their  alms  may  help  us  to  enter  the  new  field  of  labor  before 
preachers  of  false  doctrines  take  possession." 

Difficulties  of  the  Apostolate  in  Kan-su 

Rev.  Father  Van  Poeck,  of  Scheut-lez-Bruxelles,  writes  from  Juen- 
tau-kau : 

"In  Kan-su,  we,  like  our  fellow  priests  in  other  vicariates,  have 
been  able  to  throw  our  lines  at  large  and  see  it  torn  by  the  weight  of  a 
counter-draught.  Prom  time  to  time  only  do  we  succeed  in  drawing- 
a  soul  from  the  waters  of  paganism.  Cases  like  the  following  are 
the  more  consoling,  as  they  are  so  rare. 

"  One  day  a  pagan  came  to  see  me  at  my  residence,  declaring  that 
he  desired  to  become  a  Christian  in  order  to  save  his  soul.  As  I 
learned  later,  he  was  one  of  those  upright  and  sincere  souls  that  are 


Asia  83 

so  seldom  found  in  this  immense  country,  to  whom  the  words  of  our 
Saviour  can  be  applied,  in  quo  dolus  non  est.    I  give  his  history : 

''Ten  years  ago,  this  man  was  working  with  our  Christians. 
Impressed  by  the  sublimity  of  our  doctrines,  he  resolved  to  be 
converted  and  began  to  study  the  catechism.  He  was  serious  in 
his  decision,  but  just  at  that  time  his  brothers  came  for  him  to  adjust 
some  family  affairs.  He  never  came  back;  however,  the  spark  of 
faith  which  seemed  extinguished  still  smouldered  imder  the  ashes. 
He  never  forgot.  After  his  brothers  could  take  care  of  themselves 
and  their  children  were  grown,  he  bade  them  farewell  and  returned 
to  us  for  religious  instruction  and  baptism. 

"Another  example  proves  that  God  does  not  abandon  to  themselves 
those  who  seek  Him  in  all  sincerity.  A  brave  pagan,  Wang-je-sin, 
had  searched  books  and  manuscripts  for  a  number  of  years  to  find 
out  the  truth.  Meeting  one  of  our  Christians  in  his  travels,  he 
entered  into  conversation  with  him,  and  introduced  the  subject  of 
religion : 

" '  My  brother,'  said  the  Christian  to  him,  '  what  you  seek  you  will 
find  with  us  and  nowhere  else.'  He  then  explained  to  him  in  sim- 
ple and  concise  words  the  principal  points  of  doctrine.  Wishing  to 
know  more,  the  pagan  came  to  his  companion's  house  and  borrowed 
a  few  books  on  religion.  As  soon  as  he  had  read  them,  he  declared 
himself  a  catechumen.  His  friends  spared  neither  flattery  nor  threats 
to  dissuade  him  from  his  purpose.  He  remained  firm,  weathered  the 
storm  and  was  baptized.  Not  satisfied  with  having  found  the  truth,  he 
is  its  staunch  defender." 

Conversions  in  Kwang-tung 

We  have  already  had  occasion  to  mention  the  marvelous  effects  of 
grace  in  the  prefecture  apostolic  of  Kwang-tung.  Nowhere  else  do  we 
believe  is  a  stronger  movement  of  conversion  to  the  truth  noticeable. 
Let  us  thank  God  for  this  magnificent  growth  in  apostolic  fields  and  let 
us,  by  prayers  and  alms,  gain  a  share  in  the  merits  of  the  laborers  who 
are  reaping  this  spiritual  harvest. 

"  In  the  district  of  Shaokwan,"  Father  Montanar  writes,  *'  we  num- 
ber more  than  a  thousand  catechumens.  I  could  have  prepared  at  least 
two  hundred  for  baptism  if  my  duties  had  allowed  me  to  stay  long 
enough  to  give  them  the  necessary  instruction. 

'*  In  the  month  of  September  I  went  to  visit  the  old  Christians  of 


84  News  of  the  Missions 

Lien-chau.  In  a  few  weeks  more  than  ten  thousand  persons  came  to 
me  to  be  admitted  as  catechumens.  My  heart  beat  for  joy.  The  words 
of  our  Lord,  Videte  regiones  quia  olhae  sunt  jam  ad  messem,  came  to 
my  mind,  and  a  hymn  of  gratitude  burst  forth  from  the  depths  of  my 
soul. 

''  I  do  not  know  how  many  catechumens  will  persevere,  but  I  hope 
to  baptize  a  large  number.  Mandarins,  notables,  and  shop-keepers — 
all  seem  in  good  disposition.  A  larger  chapel  where  neophytes  can 
assemble  on  Sundays  and  holy  days  is  an  absolute  necessity.  I  have 
said  a  chapel;  but,  after  the  baptism  of  these  new  converts,  other 
buildings  must  be  erected.  A  collection  is  being  taken  to  raise  money 
to  buy  ground  and  build  a  chapel,  school,  and  residence.  The  poverty 
of  the  neophytes  cannot  guarantee  suflScient  resources.  Will  you  help 
me  to  procure  the  required  amount  for  the  buildings  and  the  mainten- 
ance of  catechists  ? 

AFRICA 
Terrible  Hurricane  in  Madagascar 

The  cyclone  which  recently  devastated  the  north  of  Madagascar  has 
cruelly  injured  the  Catholic  works  of  this  large  island.  Our  readers 
can  judge  of  the  damage  by  the  following  touching  appeal  from  Bishop 
Corbet,  who  writes  from  Diego  Suarez,  December  20,  1904 : 

"  The  press  has  informed  you  of  the  terrible  catastrophe  which  has 
afflicted  this  island.  But  you  can  not  form  a  suspicion  even  of  the 
horror  of  our  situation  and  the  extent  of  the  disaster,  God's  will  be 
done! 

"  On  December  13,  I  returned  from  a  pastoral  visit  to  the  western 
shore  of  the  islatid,  when  at  Majunga,  the  next  day,  Thursday,  De- 
cember 15,  a  terrible  cyclone  suddenly  swept  over  the  country.  1 
have  seen  many  terrible  hurricanes  in  the  West  Indies  and  in  the 
Eeunion  Island,  but  I  have  never  heard  of  any  more  frightful.  For  a 
whole  day  the  wind  blew  with  unabated  rage,  destrojring  everything  in 
its  path.  Houses  were  unroofed  and  others  crushed  by  the  debris  car- 
ried by  the  wind.     Not  a  building  was  spared. 

"  The  mission  itself  suffered  great  damages ;  the  church  was  partly 
unroofed.  The  storm  burst  so  suddenly  that  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
could  be  removed  only  at  the  cost  of  great  danger.  The  roof  of  our 
dwelling  was  split  in  the  center.  The  workroom  of  the  Sisters  was 
entirely  unroofed.     Their  house  was  also  damaged. 


Africa  85 

"  To  add  to  the  suffering,  a  heavy  rain  continued  during  the  wind- 
storm ;  for  one  whole  day  we  had  not  a  corner  in  which  to  take  shelter, 
and  were  forced  to  be  passive  lookers-on  of  the  work  of  ruin  and  deso- 
lation. 

"  All  our  institutions,  established  lately  at  great  cost,  if  not  totally 
destroyed,  are  in  a  state  of  collapse  impossible  to  describe.  The  furni- 
ture of  the  church  and  sacristy,  ornaments,  altars,  vestments,  library, 
the  book-bindery,  and  carpenter^s  shop — ^nothing  has  been  spared ;  all 
is  soiled,  damaged,  and,  for  the  most  part,  unfit  to  use.  If  Providence 
and  charitable  souls  do  not  come  to  our  relief  in  our  great  distress,  I 
do  not  know  how  we  can  support  this  trial. 

"I  have  mentioned  only  what  I  have  seen  in  Diego  Suarez;  the 
same  sad  sight  is  presented  at  Anamakia  and  Amber  Mountain.  No 
news  has  yet  come  from  Vohemar,  St.  Marys  Island,  and  Tenerivo. 
May  these  stations  have  been  spared ;  still  I  can  hardly  cherish  the 
hope.^^ 

The  Seminary  of  Kisubu 

To  form  a  native  clergy  is  always  the  purpose  and  supreme  ambition 
of  missionary  societies. 

"  I  have  in  my  school,*^  writes  a  White  Father  from  Villa  Maria, 
"  more  than  a  hundred  boys  between  six  and  twenty  years  of  age.  The 
greatest  punishment  is  dismissal  from  class;  they  are  so  willing  to 
learn;  all  are  good  children,  docile  and  pious,  more  attached  to  the 
missionary  than  to  their  own  fathers. 

"  With  such  characters  for  material,  it  was  not  a  difficult  matter, 
ten  years  ago,  to  form  an  apostolic  school,  the  first  fruits  of  a  native 
clergy  for  Central  Africa,  and  the  preparatory  seminary  of  Kisubu  was 
founded.  This  nursery  has  produced  a  number  of  catechist  instruc- 
tors, valuable  assistants  of  the  missionary  in  their  laborious  work  of 
evangelization.'^ 

No  further  action  was  taken  until  the  end  of  December,  1903,  when 
Bishop  Streicher,  vicar  apostolic  of  Northern  Nyanza,  concsidered  the 
moment  opportune  for  taking  the  next  step  forwards.  Father  Man- 
ceau  writes  to  one  of  his  former  teachers  in  the  seminary  of  Angers: 

"  I  am  now  in  Kisubu,  and  you  could  never  guess  why  I  am  here.  I 
have  been  appointed  superior  of  the  seminary.     Perhaps  you  have  not 

heard  of  our  preparatory  seminary The  bishop  has  selected 

six  of  the  strongest  pupils,  most  zealous  and  gifted  in  mind,  and  hold- 


86  News  of  the  Missions 

ing  out  the  promise  of  perseverance,  since  they  have  been  here  since 
the  beginning,  to  form  the  basis  of  the  seminary.  In  three  days  they 
will  begin  their  studies  after  a  retreat  of  six  days,  just  as  the  custom  is 
at  Saint  Sulpice. 

"  Our  pupils,  with  whom  I  have  a  very  slight  acquaintance,  are  not 
eagle-eyed,  as  far  as  science  goes,  but  they  are  admirable  young  men. 
The  oldest  is  twenty-five,  the  youngest  twenty  years  of  age.  All  know 
enough  Latin  to  understand  the  New  Testament  and  the  breviary. 
That  is  all  their  intellectual  baggage,  besides  the  elements  of  ecclesias- 
tical history,  geography,  and  arithmetic.  You  can  understand  what  a 
task  it  will  be  to  explain  philosophy  and  theology  in  Ruganda.  My 
duties  affright  me.  The  vernacular  is  so  little  adapted  to  convey  such 
ideas. 

^^  Give  me  your  prayers  for  the  success  of  the  work  and  for  the  poor 
priest  in  charge.  When  shall  we  see  a  Ruganda  priest?  In  ten  or 
fifteen  years  ?  Our  Divine  Lord  alone  knows.  As  for  myself,  I  hope 
to  see  that  from  Heaven.** 

OCEANICA 
Importance  of  Services  Rendered  by  Missionary  Brothers 

The  following  letter  by  Rev.  C.  Meyer,  missionary  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Issoudun,  gives  a  very  just  idea  of  the  work  done  by  Brothers 
coadjutor : 

"Although  missionaries  are  invested  with  sacerdotal  rights  and  are 
the  depositaries  of  faith  and  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  they  need 
the  help  of  the  faithful  for  the  carrying  out  of  the  work.  It  has 
always  been  so,  as  St.  Paul  testifies  in  his  beautiful  letter  to  Philemon, 
whom  he  calls  '  his  co-operator '  and  whom  he  asks  to  send  Onesimus 
that  he  may.  become  ^not  his  servant,  but  his  beloved  brother.'  Mis- 
sionaries find  valuable  assistants  in  the  Brothers  coadjutor  and  the 
Sisters.  This  point  of  resemblance  with  the  primitive  church  appeals 
to  me  so  strongly  that  I  feel  constrained  to  express  my  appreciation 
for  the  work  of  these  humble  assistants. 

"Let  us  take,  for  example,  what  is  being  done  in  the  mission  of 
Papua  by  the  Brothers.  I  was  filled  with*  astonishment  at  the  progress 
made  in  New  Guinea — twenty-eight  churches  and  as  many  stations  and 
schools.  To  estimate  the  results  at  their  proper  value,  the  different 
settlements  must  be  visited  one  by  one.  I  myself  have  been  to  all,  and 
shall  describe  the  first,  by  which  all  may  be  judged. 


Afbioa  87 

**  The  native  villages  are  all  built  on  the  same  plan^  symmetrical  and 
picturesque.  In  the  center  is  an  open  square^  from  450  to  600  feet 
long  and  120  feet  broad,  in  perfect  order,  weeded  Mid  graveled;  this 
is  adapted  for  a  promenade  for  men,  a  playground  for  children  and  a 
dancing  lawn  for  solemn  occasions.  On  each  side,  in  regular  rows,  one 
against  the  other,  like  sparrows  on  a  branch,  stand  the  huts  of  the 
natives;  four  of  such  lines,  back  to  back,  on  the  right  and  the  left  of 
the  square,  constitute  the  village. 

^'  So  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  general  symmetry,  missionaries 
build  their  stations  a  little  apart,  by  preference  at  one  end  of  the  large 
square;  an  avenue  leads  up  to  it.  The  churches,  which  recall  the  pov- 
erty of  the  stable  at  Bethlehem,  are  the  grandest  structures  ever  beheld 
by  these  savages.  Built  on  piles  of  native  wood,  they  have  no  other 
grandeur  than  that  of  large  proportions;  some  of  them  measure  a 
hundred  feet  in  length.  To  construct  them,  the  Brothers  have  been 
obliged  to  be  wood-cutters,  builders,  carpenters,  locksmiths,  etc.;  to 
build  the  altar  and  finish  the  decoration  of  the  sanctuary,  they  have 
played  the  part  of  cabinet-makers,  painters,  and  decorators. 

"  Work  is  hardly  finished  in  one  station  before  other  demands  are 
made  and  the  Brothers  leave  with  their  utensils  on  their  backs  to  re- 
peat their  services. 

''As  the  stations  are  scattered,  roads  must  be  cut  through  the  forest. 
These  are  something  unknown  to  savages.  An  almost  imperceptible 
footpath  through  the  grass  of  the  undergrowth,  or  on  the  edges  of 
mountain  bridges,  suflSces  for  them.  The  government  can  do  no  more 
than  pay  the  salaries  of  its  functionaries.  It  is  missionaries  who  pene- 
trate thickets,  bridge  over  rivers,  lay  out  the  zig-zag  roads  over  moun- 
tains, throw  planks  over  swamps,  and  so  make  communication  easy,  if 
not  always  agreeable. 

'*  Besides  their  many  other  services,  Brothers  also  perform  the  du- 
ties of  catechists  and  school  teachers.  In  these  they  not  only  comfort 
the  priest,  but  take  his  place.  God  has  often  blessed  their  ministry  in 
an  extraordinary  manner. 

"  Thus  Brothers  coadjutors  live,  suflPer,  and  die  on  the  mission  field. 
Neither  their  life  nor  their  death  is  barren  of  fruit.  But  alas !  how 
incommensurate  their  number  with  ever  increasing  demands  I  *' 


DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 

Beported  since  the  February  Annals 


NORTH  AMERICA 

United  States 

Rev.  Alphonsns  Coignard, 
C.  S.  8p. 
««      Manrice  Raelpsaet, 
8.  H.  Pic. 

West  Indies 
Cuba 
Rev.  Regis  Gerest,  O.  P. 
it     Epiphanius  Vernay, 

O.  P. 
"     Marcel  SeignenriD,  O.  P. 
'»     Amed6e  Fiojgere,  O.  P. 

ffayti 
Rev.  Valery  Dubnc,  C.  S.  8p. 

Martinique 

Rev.  Chas.  Wechter,  C.  8.  8p. 

'<     Leon  Delaval,  C.  ^.  8p. 

SOUTH  AMERICA 

The  Amazon  District 
Rev.  Henri  Maurice,  C.  8.  8p. 

AFRICA 

Oabon 
Rev.  MathiasSchmittjC.  8.  8p. 


Lower  Congo 
Rev.  Mathnrin  Le  Conrtois, 
C.  8.  8p. 

French   Congo 
Rev.  Cyril  Moulin,  C.  8.  8p. 

Cimbeba9ia 
Rev.  Joseph  Roussel,  C.  8.  8p. 
»»     Aug.  Muller,  C.  8.  8p. 

Lundi 

Rev.  Manoel  Alves,  C.  8.  8p. 

«*     Alvares  Alves  da  8ilva, 

C.  8.  8p. 
**     Honors  Trltsch,  C.  8.  8p. 

Zanzibar 
Rev.  Ferdinand  Luc,  C.  8.  8p. 

Senegambia 
Rev.  Joseph  Peres,  C.  8.  8p. 

Cunene 
Rev.  Jean  Steinmetz,  C.  8.  8p. 
<t    Joaquin  Pereira,C.  8.  Sp. 
i»     Felix  Villain,  C.  8.  8p. 
*«     Joseph  Le  Borgne, 
C.  8.  Sp. 


Sierra  Leone 

Rev.  Francis  Joseph  Sinner, 
C.  8.  8p. 

Dahomey 
Rev.  Fr.  Imoberdorf,  L.  A.  M. 

Ivory  Coast 
Rev.  Fr.  Dubreuil,  L.  A.  M. 

Gold  Coast 
Rev.  Fr.  Rlber,  L.  A.  M. 
"     Fr.  Mutscheler,  L.  A.  M. 
'<     Fr.  Schmitt,  L.  A.  M. 

Benin 
Rev.  Fr.  Delfosse,  L.  A.  M. 
**     Fr.  Schmidt,  L.  A.  M. 

Madagascar 
Brother  Acaire  Meyer. 

ASIA 

Polynesia 
Sandfoich  Islands 
Rev.  Olivier  Bogaert, 8.  H.  Pic. 

Tahiti 
Rev.  Gustave  Nouviale, 
8.  H.  Pic. 


88 


p ^._. 

A^ 

1      ^^^^ 

tmSjfeSr^ 

m| 

^^S 

SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 

OP  THE 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


AN  ORDINATION  OF  CHINESE  PRIESTS 

She  was  a  dear,  good  old  soul,  whose  life  was  filled  to  overflowing  with 
faith,  more  precious  to  her  than  all  the  world  beside.  She  knew  her  But- 
ler's Catechism  from  cover  to  cover,  and  could  quote  like  a  theologian  pas- 
sages from  it  that  would  put  to  flight  the  strongest  adversary.  Her  re- 
ligion was  part  and  parcel  of  her  very  being,  and  what  she  did  not  know 
of  it  and  about  it  is  not  worth  recording. 

Some  months  ago  there  was  issued  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith  a  picture  of  a  group  of  ecclesiastical  students  in  Canton,  China. 
A  copy  fell  into  her  hands,  and  as  one  of  our  directors  was  minutely  ex- 
plaining its  meaning,  and  was  about  concluding  his  talk  with  the  infor- 
mation "  that  all  these  Chinese  students  would  be  ordained  within  a  year 
and  a  half,''  he  was  rather  startled  with  the  remark:  "Glory  be  to  God, 
Father,  did  I  ever  think  I'd  see  a  heathen  a  priest!  " 

There  may  be  others  who  do  not  fully  appreciate  the  meaning  of  the 
Catholicity  of  the  Church,  and  to  them  we  commend  the  following  letter  of 
Fr.  H6raulle,  S.  J.,  some  of  the  details  of  which  might  well  have  been  writ- 
ten about  our  own  students  in  our  home  seminaries. 

VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  S.  E.  CHILI,  CHINA 

HsiEN-HSiEN,  March  20,  1904. 
For  his  first  ordination  of  priests  Bishop  Maquet,  S.  J.,  chose  the 
feast  of  St.  Joseph,  the  special  patron  of  China.     As  at  all  the  great 

89 


90      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

feasts  of  the  year,  the  Christians  came  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five 
miles  about,  to  hear  Mass,  to  receive  Holy  Communion  and  to  assist  at 
the  ordination  of  five  young  priests.  You  can  have  no  idea  of  the 
crowd  that  assembled  in  the  church  at  eight  o^clock  when  the  ceremony 
commenced. 

The  feast  was  as  imposing  as  any  I  have  ever  seen  in  Europe.  The 
assemblage  was  less  brilliant,  to  be  sure,  simple  peasants  for  the  most 
part  in  their  workaday  clothes — all  their  wardrobe  contained — but 
no  one  minded  that  One  thing  alone  riveted  the  attention,  namely, 
the  crowd  of  Christians,  both  men  and  women,  kneeling  on  their 
simple  mats  or  even  on  the  earthen  floor.  In  that  posture,  I  may  add, 
they  remained  more  than  three  and  a  half  hours,  occasionally  resting 
themselves  by  sitting  on  their  heels. 

The  ordination  itself  brings  before  one  a  picture  of  the  early  ages 
of  the  Church  when  the  Bishops  ordained  those  who  were  to  fill  up 
the  ranks  depleted  by  the  bloody  edicts  of  the  emperors.  When  I  saw 
these  future  priests  prostrate  in  the  sanctuary,  I  said  to  myself :  These 
are  the  relatives  of  martyrs,  and  even  the  youngest  of  them  may  one 
day  celebrate  the  glorious  feast  of  a  father,  a  mother,  a  sister,  or  a 
brother.  The  Bishop  and  the  priests  who  assisted  him  are,  as  it  were, 
in  the  catacombs,  the  survivors  of  the  persecutions,  for  they  had  with- 
stood the  Boxer  siege  for  more  than  three  months,  expecting  each  day 
to  have  their  rampart  battered  down  as  were  those  of  Fr.  Mangin, 
S.  J.,  and  his  2000  Christians. 

The  little  ones  had  climbed  the  steps  of  the  sanctuary,  some  of  them 
hanging  to  the  altar  railing,  their  wondering  eyes  following  with  atten- 
tion all  that  was  going  on.  To  look  at  them  one  would  believe  that 
they  imderstood  what  was  taking  place  between  the  Bishop  and  the 
superior  of  the  mission,  who  was  acting  as  archdeacon. 

'*  The  holy  Church  asks  you  to  raise  these  holy  deacons  to  the  rank 
of  the  priesthood.** 

"  Do  you  know  them  to  be  worthy? **  asks  the  Bishop. 

Father  Superior  answers  imhesitatingly.  He  has  every  guarantee 
that  human  prudence  can  afford.  He  has  been  for  years  with  those 
young  men  before  him.  They  have  been  under  his  observation  in  col- 
lie during  their  Chinese  studies  and  later  in  the  seminary. 

Before  admitting  them  to  the  Sacred  Orders  which  will  bind  them 
for  life  he  has  sent  them  out  to  a  district  to  act  as  catechists  or  teach- 
ers in  the  schools.  He,  therefore,  answers  in  a  firm  tone,  dwelling  on 
each  word : 


Mission  Notes  and  News 


91 


"  As  far  as  it  is  permitted  for  human  weakness  to  know  anjrthing, 
I  know  and  I  testify  that  they  are  worthy.'^ 

The  whole  assemblage,  the  little  ones  clinging  to  the  altar  railing, 
the  fathers  and  mothers  in  the  back  of  the  church  are  prepared  to  give 
the  answer  of  the  Superior :  "  Yes,  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop,  they  are  worthy. 
The  pagans  of  our  villages  have  observed  them  while  they  were  among 
us,  studying  their  solitary  lives  so  contrary  to  our  mode  of  living,  and 
never  have  they  seen  in  them  any  sign  of  weakness.    We  have  received 


Bishop  Maqxtet,   S.  J.,  Fb.   StuftcAAJ^  S.   J.,  and  the  Five  Newly 
Ordained  Priests. 


from  them  only  good  example.  Do  not  be  afraid,  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop, 
they  are  worthy." 

And  Monsignor,  his  soul  overflowing  with  joy,  pronounces  the 
words  of  the  pontifical,  ^^  Thanks  be  to  God.*' 

There  is  nothing  out  of  the  ordinary  about  this  ceremony  of  ordina- 
tion; it  is  the  same  ceremony  of  the  Catholic  Church  the  wide  world 
over,  and  everything  is  conducted  with  becoming  gravity  and  ad- 
mirable dignity. 

The  first  Masses  were  said  on  Passion  Sunday.  The  new  priests 
left  the  sacristy  at  six  o'clock  and  grouped  themselves  around  the  steps 


92      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

of  the  main  altar,  each  one  having  at  his  side  the  priest  who  was  to 
assist  him;  a  short  distance  away  stood  the  sanctuary  boys. 
After  the  Veni  Creator  was  intoned  and  sung,  the  Masses  of  the  young 
priests  began.  In  procession  walked  the  relatives  and  friends  directly 
to  the  altar,  where  their  loved  one  was  to  celebrate  the  Holy  Sacrifice. 
One  of  them,  Pr.  Tchang,  who  was  born  in  the  town,  gave  fifty  com- 
munions to  the  various  members  of  his  family.  Another,  Pr.  Stanis- 
laus Tchong,  formerly  an  old  student  of  Tai-ming-fou,  had  fewer 
assisting  at  his  Mass,  in  fact  only  three  men,  one  of  them  a  pagan. 
They  lived  three  hundred  miles  from  here  and  spent  twelve  days  on 
the  journey.  How  the  heart  of  that  other  young  priest  must  have 
throbbed  with  joy  at  the  sight  of  the  following  incident.  The  day 
previous  his  parents  had  waited  on  the  Bishop,  whom  they  had  known 
when  he  was  in  charge  of  their  district,  and  the  uncle  said  to  him : 
"I  and  my  family  from  this  time  forth  are  Christians.^^  It  was  the 
fulfillment  of  a  promise  made  some  ten  years  previous,  when,  having 
been  exhorted  by  his  nephew  to  become  a  Christian,  he  had  then  re- 
plied :  ^'  Very  well,  we  shall  all  be  Christians  when  you  are  a  priest/' 
He  had  come  to  assist  at  the  ceremony  and  in  the  course  of  his  visit 
had  received  the  light  of  faith.  At  the  main  altar  the  celebrant  was 
Fr.  Raymond  Li,  assisted  by  his  brother,  Fr.  Simon  Li,  of  the  Society 
of  Jesus. 

One  could  clearly  perceive  that  the  devotion  of  the  Christians  was 
indeed  genuine,  and  I  could  read  on  the  faces  of  those  around  me  the 
joy  that  I  knew  to  be  in  their  hearts.  The  following  incident  will 
illustrate  this.  The  men  of  a  family  came  to  thank  the  spiritual 
father  of  the  seminary  before  leaving  and  begged  of  him  to  watch 
over  a  cousin  of  theirs  who  was  in  the  little  seminary,  at  the  same  time 
expressing  their  hope  that  he  also  would  become  a  priest.  "  But,  my 
friends,  that  is  not  for  me  to  say.  It  is  God  who  calls,  and  it  is  He 
who  will  watch  over  him."  "Yes,  yes,"  said  the  men,  "we  recom- 
mend the  little  one  to  the  good  God,  but  we  hope  that  the  father  too 
will  watch  over  him." 

Those  studying  philosophy  and  theology  live  in  the  large  seminary, 
but  are  separated  into  two  divisions.  The  chapel  and  refectory  are 
the  only  places  where  they  assemble  together.  Studies,  of  course,  are 
no  longer  in  Chinese,  but  in  the  tongue  of  the  Church,  Latin.  In 
three  or  four  years  they  become  quite  proficient  in  it,  and  after  a 
certain  time  spent  at  preparatory  subjects  they  pass  on  to  the  study 
of  philosophy,  which  they  pursue  for  two  years,  then  they  are  sent  to 
some  districts  to  work  as  catechists  or  school  teachers. 


Mission  Notes  and  News  93 

In  this  course  of  training,  practical  proof  is  given  as  to  the  fitness 
of  those  aspiring  to  the  holy  priesthood.  They  are  now  no  longer 
children,  but  men  of  twenty  years  or  more,  who,  if  they  were  in  the 
world,  would  be  directing  the  affairs  of  a  household.  Their  years  of 
study  have  developed  in  them  a  serious,  solid  character.  They  have 
acquired  the  habit  of  daily  meditation  and  spiritual  reading.  By  con- 
stant examination  they  have  found  out  their  weaknesses  and  safe- 
guarded themselves  against  later  sudden  surprises.  Prom  a  mission- 
ary who  has  acquired  wisdom  and  practical  knowledge  they  receive 
occasional  talks  which  will  help  them  in  the  years  to  come.  During 
their  days  spent  in  the  seminary  they  have  had  the  graces  and  helps 
which  come  from  daily  Mass  and  frequent  Communion.  These,  it  is 
true,  they  will  now  miss  when  away  from  their  seminary  life,  but  their 
souls  have  been  strengthened  to  face  all  difficulties. 

Take,  for  example,  the  life  of  any  individual  student,  the  details  of 
which  are  the  same  for  all.  In  the  village  to  which  his  Bishop  sends 
him,  he  will  conduct  a  children's  school,  will  teach  the  catechism  to 
the  new  Christians,  or  the  catechumens,  will  lead  in  their  prayers  or 
will  preside  over  the  congregation  in  church.  It  may  be  that  he  will 
have  charge  of  a  small  boarding  school  in  his. district,  and  his  life  in 
such  a  case  will  be  more  confined.  He  must  not,  even  for  a  little 
while,  leave  the  children  alone.  After  class  work  is  over,  he  watches 
over  them  while  at  study,  takes  part  in  their  games,  eats  at  the  same 
table  with  them,  and  sleeps  in  the  same  dormitory.  On  Sundays  and 
feast  days  he  preaches  to  them,  always  adapting  himself  in  simplest 
language  to  their  intelligence.  Little  by  little,  better  even  than  the 
European,  he  succeeds  in  impressing  the  hearts  of  those  erstwhile 
pagans  with  the  spirit  of  Christianity. 

After  two  or  three  years  of  this  kind  of  life  he  returns  to  the  sem- 
inary. When  he  first  made  application  to  be  a  priest  he  was  told: 
**It  is  all  very  well,  my  child,  but  do  you  know  what  it  is  to  be  a 
priest?  You  will  have  less  comfort  than  is  given  to  a  catechist  or 
even  than  a  peasant  may  enjoy,  whereas  in  the  world  you  might  per- 
haps have  a  life  of  ease.  Think  of  the  matter  seriously  and  some  time 
later  we  will  talk  it  over  again."  The  courageous  young  man,  how- 
ever, has  weighed  and  calculated  all  these  before  he  went  to  his  spir- 
itual director.  The  yearning  is  not  born  of  the  enthusiasm  engen- 
dered by  the  glowing  description  of  some  missionary,  but  a  strong 
determination  based  on  the  highest  motive,  viz.,  His  Lord  and  Master 
had  suffered  and  labored  for  him,  and  now  he  would  labor  and  suffer, 
and  repay  the  debt.     A  month  or  two  passes,  and  his  spiritual  director 


94      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

again  opens  the  subject :  "  Well,  my  boy,  how  now  do  you  fed  about 
your  vocation  ?  *'  His  resolve  has  not  changed ;  the  answer  is  almost 
invariably  the  same :  "  I  think  now  as  before ;  I  want  to  be  a  priest 
to  save  my  own  soul  as  well  as  the  souls  of  others/' 

And  when  he  enters  theology,  after  his  years  of  trial,  the  young  man 
is  stronger  and  more  trustful  to  the  grace  of  God  which  has  victori- 
ously sustained  him  in  all  his  diflSculties  and  sufferings.  His  directors 
know  him  better  also,  for  they  have  seen  him  at  work,  and  they  know 
that  when  souls  are  confided  to  his  keeping  he  will  be  watchful  and 
zealous,  if  he  is  faithful  to  his  rules.  They  go  back  to  his  life  in  the 
seminary  and  they  remember  how  he  renounced  his  liberty  and  applied 
himself  to  the  regulations  imposed  on  him;  they  follow  his  career 
during  his  three  years  of  probation  in  his  mission  life.  And  when 
at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  or  thirty  he  is  advanced  to  the  priesthood, 
the  Archdeacon  can  very  well  reply  to  the  interrogation  of  the  Bishop, 
"  I  know  him  and  can  testify  that  he  is  worthy  of  this  charge." 

After  the  stormy  days  of  1900  the  work  of  the  seminary,  as  in  fact 
all  other  works,  received  a  fresh  impetus.  To  it  Bishop  Maquet  gave 
his  whole  attention.  He  immediately  opened  a  course  of  theology 
for  those  who  had  finished  philosophy,  the  priests  in  the  neighboring 
districts  supplying  the  college  and  the  seminary  from  their  schools. 
Always  careful  to  select  only  those  who  had  intelligence  and  good 
sense,  and  were  anxious  to  devote  themselves  to  the  service  of  the 
Church,  they  succeeded  in  securing  young  men  who  would  do  effective 
work  as  catechists  or  as  teachers  in  schools. 

A  word  will  not  be  amiss  about  these  schools  and  their  students. 
The  boarding  school  is  conducted  on  the  same  lines  as  the  better  class 
of  European  schools,  and  furnishes  many  future  priests.  The  year  is 
divided  into  two  terms.  Children  who  are  about  to  enter  must  know 
their  prayers,  the  catechism,  the  rosary,  and  the  way  of  the  cross. 
Then  commences  the  study  of  their  own  Chinese  works,  at  which  they 
continue  until  proof  is  given  of  their  piety,  their  character,  and  their 
general  ability.  At  14  or  15  years  of  age  they  are  admitted,  if  they 
so  desire  it,  into  the  little  seminary,  where  they  continue  their  Chinese 
studies,  to  which  is  added  Latin  for  an  hour  each  day.  Consent  of 
parents  is  secured  to  allow  the  young  students  to  follow  their  vocation, 
and  to  waive  the  custom  of  betrothing  them  while  still  young,  but  the 
promise  does  not  always  hold.  It  often  happens  that  some  fine  morn- 
ing the  professional  matchmakers  have  decided  that  such  a  one  should 
marry  such  a  one,  and  all  arrangements  are  completed  without  the 
knowledge  of  either  father  or  mother. 


Mission  Notes  and  News  95 

Our  little  seminarians  finish  their  Latin  studies  at  16  or  17  years 
of  age.  This  is  almost  equivalent  to  entering  the  religious  state.  They 
spend  their  last  vacation  days  with  iheir  relatives^  and  finally  bid  them 
farewell.  They  will  now  return  to  see  them  but  rarely ;  occasionally 
they  may  do  so,  but  it  is  compulsory  on  the  young  student  to 
return  to  the  college  the  same  night.  They  now  belong  to  God  and 
the  Church.  The  parents  pay  no  tuition  for  them  nor  do  they  clothe 
them,  a  privilege  of  which  they  hasten  to  avail  themselves. 

The  results  that  have  been  obtained  thus  far  are  most  encouraging 
to  Mgr.  Maquet  and  those  who  have  given  themselves  to  the  training 
of  the  seminarians.  At  present  two  are  about  to  enter  philosophy 
after  Easter,  and  year  after  year  the  good  work  will  go  on.  In  the 
little  seminary  there  are  48  boys  studying  the  rudiments  of  Latin, 
which  gives  bright  promise  for  the  coming  years. 

IN  THE  STEPS  OF  DAMIEN 


Brother  Serapion  a  Victim  of  Leprosy 

The  name  of  Damien,  the  leper  priest,  the  hero  of  charity,  is  loved  and 
reverenced  throughout  the  world.  He  stands  out  vividly  as  an  example  of 
Christlike  disinterestedness  and  love  for  suffering  humanity.  There  are 
men  indeed  who  give  their  lives  in  attempts  to  save  others,  men  who 
shrink  not  from  dangers  and  conditions  demanding  undaunted  courage  and 
extraordinary  bravery.  There  are  circumstances,  however,  which  help  one 
to  bid  defiance  to  fear.  For  instance,  the  battlefield  has  always  furnished 
types  of  heroism,  and  yet  the  majority  of  us  can  be  brave  to  more  or  lees 
extent  in  the  surroundings  in  which  war  places  us.  It  is  a  different  story 
when  one  is  called  on  to  go  forth  alone  without  blare  of  trumpet  or  beat  of 
drum  to  become  a  life  prisoner  amid  the  most  fearful  conditions,  until  death 
comes  to  end  the  tragic  tale. 

Damien  consecrated  his  life  to  alleviating  the  sufferings  of  men  who  had 
been  cursed  with  the  most  loathsome  of  all  diseases.  He  went  among  them 
in  the  fiush  of  vigorous  young  manhood,  entered  into  the  living  charnel- 
house  of  Molokai  and  labored  there  through  the  ceaseless  sight  and  touch 
and  smell  of  long-drawn  agony  until  the  Master  called  him  from  the  scene. 
He  has  gone,  but  only  to  be  succeeded  by  other  not  less  heroic  souls.  In  the 
appended  letter  we  find  his  living,  breathing  spirit;  in  the  one  pathetic 
sentence,  "I  am  a  leper,"  Brother  Mary  Serapion  presents  to  the  world 
another  hero  of  charity,  a  living  martyr  of  his  love  for  Christ  and  his 
fellow-men. 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  the  good  Brother  to  some  of  his 
friends  giving  them  the  dreadful  news. 


96      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  op  the  Annals 


Kalaupapa,  August  22,  1904. 
I  have  at  last  summoned  suflScient  courage  to-day  to  write  you  a 

few  words,  the  writing  of 
which  will  not  be  without  an 
effort  and  with  no  small 
amount  of  grief.  For  the 
past  six  months  I  have  lived 
through  days  of  such  anxiety 
and  melancholy  that  I  had  not 
the  courage  to  talk  with  you. 
You  will  pardon  me  for  not 
replying  more  promptly  to 
your  well  wishes  for  a  happy 
year,  but  I  could  not.  Even 
to-day  it  is  very  hard  fqjr  me 
to  tell  you  the  sad  news,  but  I 
feel  it  necessary  at  last  to 
break  silence  and  let  you  know 
my  condition.  Will  you  kindly 
break  the  news  to  my  brothers 
and  sisters,  because  I  can  not 
tell  them  myself. 

A  little  while  after  your  let- 
ter came  I  discovered  that  I 
had  no  feeling  in  my  elbow. 
I  remarked  the  fact  to  Eev.  Pr. 
Maxime,  who  immediately  commanded  me  to  go  to  our  physician.,. 
After  he  had  examined  me  he  declared  that  the  want  of  feeling 
appeared  to  him  to  be  a  symptom  of  leprosy,  but  to  make  sure  he  took 
from  my  elbow  some  pieces  of  flesh  for  a  microscopical  examination. 
After  a  few  days  he  came  to  see  me  and  informed  me  that  very  prob- 
ably it  would  prove  to  be  a  case  of  leprosy.  He  did  not  care  to  decide 
definitely,  however,  as  all  cases  of  the  kind  are  left  to  the  doctors  at 
Honolulu,  to  whom  he  suggested  that  I  should  go.  Our  Very  Eev.  Pro- 
vincial had  been  stopping  with  us  for  a  fortnight,  and  on  his  return  to 
Honolulu  I  accompanied  him.  When  we  arrived  there  I  was  exam-' 
ined  by  Doctor  Herbert,  who  also  took  a  piece  of  flesh  from  my  elbow, 
causing  me  quite  a  little  pain.  The  operation,  however,  brought  no 
result. 


Fatheb  Damien  Afisb  His  Obdiitation 
(1863). 


Mission  Notes  and  News 


97 


Two  days  later  there  was  a  new  operation  with  similar  uncertainty. 
The  following  day  I  was  examined  by  another  doctor  in  the  hospital, 
who  brought  in  consultation  the  ph3rsician  in  charge  of  the  Board  of 
Health.  This  time  a  small  piece  of  skin  was  taken  from  a  red  patch 
which  had  appeared  on  my  cheek,  as  well  as  a  piece  from  my  forehead. 
In  both  of  these  cultures  they  found  the  microbes  of  leprosy.  There 
is  no  doubt  of  it,  I  am  a  leper ! 

These  experiments  were  made  on  the  11th  of  this  month.  That 
same  night  I  left  Honolulu  to  return  to  Molokai,  where  I  will  be  com- 
pelled to  remain  for  the  rest  of  my  days. 

You  may  be  sure  that  this  last  trip  was  not  exactly  a  very  pleasant 
one.  Just  as  soon  as  I  arrived  at  the  Lazaretto,  my  first  care  was  to 
turn  over  all  the  affairs  of  the  house  to  Father  Maxime,  with  whom  I 
had  lived  up  to  that  time.  I  then  took  up  my  residence  in  a  hut 
where  I  will  live  absolutely  alone  until  my  superiors  decide  other- 
wise. It  is  certainly  a  very  great  trial  for  me,  but  I  am  sure  that  Gtod 
will  not  forsake  me.  This  is  why 
I  ask  you,  my  dear  friends,  to 
remember  me  often,  but  especially 
in  your  prayers. 

Brother  ^ 

Mary  Serapion  Van  Hoof, 
S.  H.  Pic. 

Not  alone  will  the  relatives  and 
friends  of  this  heroic  soul  pray 
for  this  new  leper,  but  all  the 
members  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  will 
not  fail  to  recommend  him  to  the 
intercession  of  Fr.  Damien.  Like 
him  whom  he  resembles  in  so 
many  details  he  has  now  com- 
menced to  walk  step  by  step  that 
sorrowful  journey  which  will  end  ^atheb  Damien  the  Leper— (1888). 
only  when  his  mangled  body  rests  neath  the  shadow  of  the  tomb. 


The  Bev.  Fr.  Maxime  Andr6,  S.  H.  Pic,  missionary  at  Kalaupapa, 
writes  on  the  same  subject  under  date  of  November  21,  1904: 


98      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

"  You  know  that  Brother  Serapion  is  a  leper.  Three  or  four  doc- 
tors besides  the  one  oflBcially  appointed  to  examine  the  sick  before  they 
come  here,  have  found  the  bacilli  of  leprosy  in  his  blood.  Our  dear 
Brother  is  only  in  the  first  stage  of  the  disease  and  there  is,  therefore, 
almost  no  external  evidence  of  it.  He  suffers  more  in  the  fingers  of 
his  right  hand  than  in  the  rest  of  his  body.  He  experiences  no  feel- 
ing whatever,  even  when  pricked  with  a  pin.  At  times  his  right  hand 
becomes  very  weak  and  occasionally  two  or  three  of  his  fingers  are 
powerless  and  are  as  it  were  paralyzed.     He  has  not  yet  been  set  down 


Bishop  Boeynaens,  S.  H.  Pic,  and  Lepeb  Boys  at  the  Grave  of  Father 

Damien. 


in  the  oflBcial  list  of  lepers,  because  to  do  this  the  person  must  appear 
before  a  commission  composed  of  six  doctors  who  are  stationed  at 
Kalihi,  near  Honolulu.  He  remains  my  helper,  for  there  is 
not,  I  believe,  any  danger  of  contagion  for  me  as  yet,  and  I  feel  no 
repugnance  for  the  disease. 

"  I  have  taken  ordinary  precautions,  however.  He  is  not  permitted 
in  our  house,  but  may  come  to  the  veranda  or  work  in  the  kitchen, 
which  is  separated  from  the  main  building.  But  although  we  are  for- 
bidden to  receive  the  lepers  in  our  own  rooms,  we  are  not  forbidden 


Mission  Notes  and  News 


99 


to  go  to  them.  I  make  spiritual  reading  with  him  by  going  to  an 
apartment  near  his  bed-room.  The  other  exercises  are  conducted  in 
the  chapel,  where  all  are  admitted  without  distinction.  Our  recrea- 
tion, when  our  duties  permit  such,  we  take  together  on  the  veranda 
or  in  the  enclosure  surrounding  our  mission  house.  Often  I  take  the 
Brother  with  me  in  my  visits  to  the  lepers,  and  I  am  going  to  secure 
for  him  a  pony  so  that  he  will  be  able  to  visit  from  time  to  time  our 
other  Brothers  at  Kalawao.^' 

Brother  Serapion  is  a  young  man  but  thirty  years  of  age ! 


Gbaveyabd  at  Molokai. 


THE    RUSSO-JAPANESE   WAR    AND    THE    PEOPLE 

OF  JAPAN 

By  Father  Maeda,  Japanese  Priest. 

Father  Maeda,  ordained  in  1894,  is  the  first  native  priest  of  the  Arch- 
diocese of  Toklo,  and  for  several  years  past  he  has  been  devoting  himself 
to  the  apostolate  of  the  press.  Alone,  or  collaborating  with  Father  Ligneul, 
he  has  published  a  "  Course  of  instructions  to  Christians/'  besides  a  number 
of  pamphlets  and  leaflets. 

A  pious  and  educated  priest,  he  is  also  an  orator  whose  talent  is  appre- 
ciated by  pagans  and  Christians  alike.  On  many  occasions  he  has  been 
invited  to  deliver  a  series  of  lectures  before  audiences  composed  of  pro- 
fessors and  school  directors. 

The  following  sketch  by  him  will  interest  our  readers  for  the  light  it 
throws  upon  the  attitude  of  the  Japanese  people  towards  the  war  now 
going  on. 


100    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 


^*  For  the  past  thirty  years/'  he  writes,  ^'  probably  no  country  has 
been  more  talked  of  than  Japan,  and  particularly  during  the  last  few 
months,  the  Russo-Japanese  war  has  engrossed  the  attention  of  the 
world.  Japan  has  attempted  the  almost  impossible,  and  achieved 
results  which  even  she  in  her  wildest  fancy  had  never  anticipated. 
What  country  in  Europe  would  have  ventured  to  draw  the  sword 
against  so  great  an  adversary  as  Eussia?  And  yet,  so  far,  events 
seem  to  prove  the  old  adage,  ^Audaces  fortuna  juvat.*  The  Japanese 
are  victorious. 

"The  shot  fired  in  the  extreme  point  of  Asia  has  been  heard 
throughout  the  world,  and  the  nations  are  not  only  astonished  but 
dumbfounded  at  the  sight  of  such  heroic  bravery  and  such  unlooked-for 


BABBACKt — TOKIO. 


success.  They  seem  to  say :  What  kind  of  people  are  those  Japanese 
who  are  making  their  first  appearance  before  the  world? 

"To  see  those  little  yellow-faced  soldiers  and  sailors,  with  their 
oddly  shaped  heads  and  awkward  carriage,  walking  in  the  streets  of 
the  capital  in  European  shoes  and  clothing,  nearly  always  too  large 
in  size,  no  one  would  detect  an  active  mind  and  a  high  degree  of  in- 
trepidity and  valor  beneath  such  a  careless  ease  and  heavy  gait. 

"  To  foretell  the  outcome  of  the  war  requires  light,  which  certainly 
very  few  at  present  enjoy.  Time  alone  will  disclose  what  is  now  ob- 
scure. All  developments  in  the  undertaking  are  so  extraordinary 
that,  on  many  points,  the  most  clear-sighted  policies  will  certainly 
fail  in  their  promised  issues. 

"As  events  are  making  their  course  and  leading  up  to  the  fulfill- 


Mission  Notes  and  News  101 

ment  of  the  decrees  of  Providence^  this  war  has  already  had  a  most 
important  result  in  its  effect,  and  first  of  all  upon  the  Japanese  them- 
selves. Before  the  war,  and  especially  during  the  past  four  years,  the 
ancient  spirit  of  the  Japanese  has  suffered  a  decided  change.  The 
principles  of  materialism  which  ruled  their  educational  methods,  had 
very  much  lowered  the  old  ideals  of  the  nation,  ideals  of  honor,  hon- 
esty, and  patriotism.  Self-interest  and  money  held  an  undisputed 
sway  in  the  estimation  of  this  people.  Material  civilization  brought 
in  its  train  many  vices.  What  was  luxury  before,  now  became  a  neces- 
sity, at  least  to  many  who  were  forced  to  appear  as  prosperous  when 
in  very  truth  they  were  not.  Every  day  created  new  deeds,  and  in 
order  to  make  provision  for  them,  means  formerly  considered  dishon- 
est were  looked  upon  as  legitimate.  Venality  in  particular^  at  one 
time  looked  upon  as  a  disgrace,  became  no  longer  a  secret  sin,  and  the 
public  morals  naturally  went  the  downward  course.  Public  conscience 
was  relaxed  on  all  points  and  the  united  efforts  of  educators  and  moral- 
ists were  powerless  to  check  the  movement. 

'^  Politics  became  more  complicated  day  by  day,  by  the  confusion  of 
opinions  and  rivalry  of  parties.  And  how  to  preserve  peace  at  home 
became  a  most  di£Bcult  question.  The  dissolution  of  the  congress,  re- 
peated several  times  in  succession,  showed  the  predicament  of  the 
central  power.  In  the  general  disturbance  and  discontent,  socialism 
spread  rapidly,  numbering  many  and  powerful  adherents.  "  In  a  word, 
to  state  the.  matter  plainly,  selfishness  in  all  its  forms  seemed  on  the 
verge  of  succeeding,  bearing  with  it,  as  is  always  the  case,  division  in 
society. 

"  With  the  declaration  of  war  an  entire  change  took  place.  As  soon 
as  word  came  announcing  the  news  to  the  people  in  all  parts  of  the 
empire,  the  whole  nation  responded.  From  one  end  of  the  country  to 
the  other  a  single  thought,  war,  brought  about  a  sudden  union.  The 
soul  of  ancient  Japan,  which  had  lain  dormant,  was  aroused.  This 
people,  numbering  foriy  million  souls,  had  at  once  but  one  thing  in 
view,  the  honor  of  their  country;  but  one  resolution,  victory  or  death. 

"  The  new  congress  which  in  the  meantime  had  been  re-elected,  forgot 
its  rancors  and  abandoned  its  opposition,  and  in  three  days  closed  its 
sessions,  voting  upon  all  the  motions  of  the  government  without  dis- 
sent. *  Country,  first  of  all  I '  The  people  cut  down  their  expenses, 
those  in  better  circumstances  gave  up  their  luxuries,  and  even  the  poor 
gave  their  mite  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  war.  The  tax  of  blood,  a 
greater  sacrifice  than  money,  was  demanded  and  paid  with  the  same 
generosity.     All  the  soldiers  that  had  fought  in  the  war  with  China 


102    Supplement  to  the  Amerioak  Edition  of  the  Annals 

were  called  to  arms.  They  could  support  their  younger  comrades; 
what  mattered  it  that  they  were  men  thirty-five  years  of  age  and  above^ 
with  wives  and  children?  They  left  for  the  field  of  action^  and  rela- 
tives, friends,  children,  and  wives,  yea,  whole  villages,  accompanied 
them  to  the  neighboring  docks.  Among  those  crowds  there  was  no 
evidence  of  weakness;  those  left  behind  were  as  courageous  as  those 
departing,  the  determination  of  both  was  the  same,  the  strength  of 
their  farewell  left  no  doubt  of  their  readiness  to  f aoe  every  danger. 

"With  such  men  all  things  are  possible.  No  one  need  be  aston- 
ished, therefore,  when  the  time  comes  for  some  extraordinary  act  of 
valor  and  the  general  calls  for  ten  volunteers  to  do  or  die,  if  two  thous- 
and rush  forward  to  crave  the  honor. 

"  When  the  fatal,  nay,  the  glorious  news  is  received  in  Japan,  that 
a  son,  a  father,  or  a  husband  has  fallen,  tears  flow,  nature  demands  its 
rights;  but  this  tribute  to  human  weakness  only  keys  them  up  to 
greater  courage.  Congratulations  are  extended  to  those  who  have  lost 
relatives  in  battle  for  their  country.  All  must  die  some  day,  the  dead 
were  brave,  there  is  no  reason  to  grieve  for  them;  moreover,  the  be- 
reaved do  not  dare  to  complain,  for  they  are  not  abandoned ;  in  every 
village  families  unite  to  support  the  widows  and  orphans. 

"No  doubt  the  war  is  imposing  a  heavy  weight  upon  the  whole 
nation,  but  the  patriotism,  union,  and  endurance  which  it  has  called 
forth  are  ttiily  admirable.  A  celebrated  thinker  has  said  that  the 
greatness  of  man  is  measured  by  his  power  of  devotion.  What  is  true 
of  individuals  is  likewise  true  of  peoples,  they  are  great  according  to 
their  devotion.  Applied  to  the  Japanese  in  their  present  line  of  con- 
duct, this  rule  would  raise  them  to  the  first  rank  among  nations. 

"  Can  we  call  them  a  great  people?  Not  yet,  for  their  education  is 
incomplete.  Among  contemporary  powers,  Japan  is  only  thirty  years 
old;  its  age,  therefore,  is  too  young.  We  must  wait  and  be  patient 
before  learning. what  that  nation  will  be;  for  the  moment  it  is  an 
infant  amusing  itself  with  the  most  formidable  weapons,  playing  with 
death  and  not  considering  the  danger. 

"The  lessons  which  it  has  learned  from  its  teachers  in  the  last 
thirty  years  it  is  now  applying  on  land  and  sea.  No  one  can  deny, 
that  it  has  profited  by  their  teaching.  Admiral  MakaroflE,  probably 
the  most  highly  esteemed  and  feared  of  all  men  by  the  Japanese,  is 
one  of  those  from  whose  books  they  have  learned  the  most.  Undaunted 
by  an  adversary  of  that  merit  and  an  immense  country  like  Russia, 
their  enthusiasm  and  passion  for  glory  have  been  raised  to  the  highest 
pitch. 


Mission  Notes  and  News 


103 


"  Even  formerly,  when  their  country  was  ignored  by  the  rest  of  the 
world,  and  they  were  warring  among  themselves,  the  one  thought  of 
making  their  family  illustrious,  and  leaving  their  names  inscribed  on 
the  pages  of  history,  sufficed  to  urge  them  on  to  deeds  of  heroic  valor. 

"  Now  that  this  war  has  placed  them  on  the  stage  of  the  world,  as 
it  were,  with  the  eyes  of  all  nations  upon  them,  need  we  marvel  at 
their  bravery?  Even  the  children  at  home  are  possessed  of  the  same 
enthusiasm  and  passion  for  glory.  Great  excitement  prevails  in  the 
girls^  schools,  and  no  mercy  is  shown  to  any  student  who  remains  cold 


Chubch  of  Myazu — Diocese  of  Osaka. 


or  indifferent  to  the  success  of  the  Japanese  arms.  To  be  insensible  to 
the  honor  of  the  country  is  in  their  eyes  the  greatest  of  crimes. 

"A  certain  class  of  men  exists  to-day  whose  one  idea  and  ambition 
are  to  elevate  themselves,  amass  wealth  and  live  for  the  enjoyment  of 
the  hour.  In  the  eyes  of  such  men  ^  country  ^  is  simply  a  name ;  the 
interests  of  their  native  land  affect  them  only  in  so  far  as  they  repre- 
sent personal  gain.  They  care  little  for  her  honor  provided  their 
extravagant  tastes  are  satisfied.  In  the  judgment  of  such  egoists,  the 
ardor  of  the  Japanese  for  glory,  their  contempt  for  suffering  and  death 
seem  exaggerated  and  extravagant  like  the  follies  of  youth. 

"  Measured  according  to  the  standard  of  the  almighty  dollar,  such 


104    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

conduct  is  absurd.  To  those,  however,  who  have  read  the  history  of 
the  past,  one  thing  is  clear  with  nations  as  with  men ;  the  future  does 
not  belong  to  enjoyment,  but  to  suffering  and  self-sacrifice.  Notwith- 
standing all  its  bravery,  any  nation  may  experience  reverses. 

"  The  Japanese  in  this  war  are  not  placed  beyond  the  possibility  of 
grave  losses;  but  if  the  spirit  of  devotion  remains,  a  people  is  invin- 
cible even  in  its  defeat.  That  is  why  Eussia  is  not  the  strongest  enemy 
that  Japan  has,  despite  the  great  power  of  the  Sussian  people. 

"Japan  does  not  fear  her,  because,  even  though  finally  defeated, 
defeat  would  not  mean  dishonor.  The  enemy  to  be  feared  is  not 
without  but  within.  Up  to  the  present  day  the  Japanese  have  lived 
more  for  the  ideal  than  the  real.  Their  nature  will  not  change ;  they 
will  always  need  an  ideal.  Their  misfortime  will  be  to  lose  the  one 
they  had  and  replace  it  by  a  different  one,  the  enjoyment  of  money  and 
the  luxuries  of  life. 

"  If  the  time  ever  comes  that  the  Japanese  people  shall  become  ma- 
terialists from  their  education  and  shall  cease  to  believe  in  virtue  and 
honor  and  degenerate  into  egoists,  their  enemies  need  not  war  against 
them.    The  destructive  force  shall  come  from  themselves. 

"  Many  are  already  conjecturing  as  to  the  course  that  Japan  will  pur- 
sue if  she  is  victorious,  but  the  question  is  premature.  Whatever  may 
be  the  final  outcome  of  the  war,  the  gravest  and  most  important  factor 
to  be  considered  in  Japan^s  future  is,  on  what  Faith  her  people  will 
base  their  moral  laws  and  upon  what  system  they  will  found  their 
policies.  Before  dreaming  of  the  splendor  of  the  edifice,  thought 
must  be  given  to  its  foundation.^' 


Speoial  Donations  105 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  February  Number 


Fob  Abch^ishop  Osouv,  P.  F.  M.,  Tokto. 

Anonymous   (Dloceae  of  New  York) 110.00 

Fob  Bishop  Biblios,  P.  F.  M.,  Hakodatb. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) , 6.00 

Fob  Bishop  Chatbon,  P.  F.  M.,  Osaka. 

Per  Rer.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 202.63 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Bishop  Cousin,  P.  F.  IL,  Nagasaki. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Bishop  Ossi,  O.  C.  D.,  Quilon. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

Fob  thb  Bishop  of  Allahabad,  India. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Bishop  0'Gk>BMAN,  C  8.  Sp.,  Sibbba  Lbonb. 

Per  Bey.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

Fob  Bishop  Hanlon,  B.  F.  M.,  Uppbb  Nilb. 

Per  Bey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 28.00 

Miss  B.  Krampe  (Diocese  of  St  Louis) 2.00 

Fob  Bishop  Couppb,  S.  H.,  N.  Pombbania. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Bishop  Stabiha,  Lbad.  S.  D. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Bishop  (^aspab,  P.  F.  M.,  N.  CIochinchina. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Bishop  Massabo,  P.  F.  M.,  W.  Cochinchina. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Bishop  O'Rbillt,  Bakbb  CitTp  Obb. 

Per  RcT.  J.  J.  Dunnn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 16.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Lucchssi,  S.  J,,  Alaska. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Newark) 10.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Bbttbck,  O.  M.  I.,  Saskatchbwan. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Newark) . ., 10.00 

Fob  Rbv.  B.  Coubbis,  O.  M.  I.,  Saskatchbwan. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Newark) 10.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Fbbband,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

Per  Bey.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 818.18 

Per  Rer.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 60.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  St.  Paul) 60.00 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Cmlmbtivm,  Malabab. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Maxim,  S.  H.,  Hawaii. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Josbph,  S.  H.,  Hawaii. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Walkbb,  Osaka. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 4.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Bbbtband,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Haidbgobb,  Bobnbo. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Concordia) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Sibbl,  O.  M.  Cap.,  Asia  Minob. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Concordia) 8.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Citatti,  M.  F.  M.,  Htdbbabad. 

Per  Bey.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) , 5.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Toub,  P.  F.  M.,  Coimbatobb. 

Per  Rer.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 17.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Dvpb,  O.  M.  I.,  Athabaska. 

Per  Rey.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 11.00 

Fob  Fathbb  VirrLSTBKBtPoBTO  Rico. 

Per  Rey.  James  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 7.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Cotlb,  B.  F.  M.,  Uppbb  Nilb. 

Per  Rey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Tionous,  P.  f.  M.,  Coimbatobb. 

Per  Rey.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 


106  Special  Donations 

Fob  Fathiib  Cayaliebe,  P.  F.  M.,  Kui-Chad. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) fS.OO 

Fob  Fathbb  Pellion,  S.  M.,  S.  Solomon  Island. 

Anonymous  (Dtocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Ouitta,  S.  M.,  Mua  Tonga,  O. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Juliette,  S.  H.  Pic,  Molakai. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Moullec,  W.  F.,  N.  Ntanza. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Lichtenbebgeb.  C.  S.  Sp.,  Afbica. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Fbbtnbt^  P.  F.  M.,  Rangoon,  Bubma. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Cance.  P.  F.  M.,  C.  Bubma. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Janeau,  S.  H.  Pic,  Polynesia. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) i 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Oubbin,  O.  M.  I.,  Saskatchewan. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Joullabd,  Lt.  Af.  B1^  Dahomey. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Rousset,  O.  M.  I.,  Zululand. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Le.tbune,  C.  S.  Sp.,  Old'  Calabab,  Afbica. 

Anonsrmous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Gbandmaibe,  P.  F.  M^  Coghinchina. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Montanab,  P.  F.  M.,  cabe  Bishop  Mbbel. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 6.00 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 8.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Chayanol,  P.  F.  M.,  India. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Saurbt,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 20.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Paquettb,  O.  M.  I.,  Saskatchewan. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 20.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Dupin,  P.  F.  M.,  Tongking. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

Fob  Fatheb  Tavebnieb,  O.  M.  I.,  B.  Columbia. 

Anonymous    (Diocese   of   Boston) 2.00 

Fob  Father  Corbe,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

Two  Priests  (Diocese  of  St.  Paul) 25.00 

Miss  C.  Casey  (Diocese  of  Hartford) 1.80 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Anonymous    (Diocese  of  Boston) 2.00 

Miss  B.  Krampe  (Diocese  of  St.  Louis) 2.00 

Fob  Motheb  Paul,  O.  S.  F.,  Uganda.  ^  ^  ^^ 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 13.60 

Fob  Schools  in  Egypt. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Newark) 50.00 

Fob  the  Redemption  of  Childben  of  Infidels. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  St.  Paul) 22.00 

Fob  the  Baldwin  Home,  Molokai. 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York) 3.00 

Fob  Japanese  Obphans. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  the  Leper  Mission,  Molokai. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 23.00 

For  the  Redemption  of  Children  in  Africa. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 12.00 

For  Missions  in  Annam  and  Mongolia. 

Per  Rev.  D.  E.  Hudson,  C.  S.  C.  (Diocese  of  Fort  Wayne) 5.00 

Fob  Armenian  Missions. 

Miss  M.  Bulman  (Diocese  of  Albany) 6.00 

Fob  Missions  in  Japan. 

Miss  E.  I.  Steuart  (Diocese  of  Baltimore) 1.00 

Fob  Indian  and  Negro  Missions. 

Per  V.  Rev.  J.  Schoenhoeft  (Diocese  of  Cincinnati) 5.00 

For  Indian  Missions.  ^^  ^^ 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 43.00 

Fob  Father  Stroebele,  Old  Providence. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    6.00 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the 
donors  for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards 
the  same  at  once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 


OBITUARY 

The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Right  Eev.  Felix  De  Grasse,  0.  S.  B.,  Abbot  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
Mission,  OJclakoma;  Eight  Rev.  Mgr.  GT.  H.  Doane,  Diocese  of  New- 
ark; Very  Rev.  T.  J.  C.  Moobe,  Diocese  of  Lea/venworth;  Rev. 
Louis  Bosoat^  C.  M.,  Procurator  of  the  Lazarist  Missions  in  China; 
Rev.  Joseph  Carrier,  Rev.  C.  B.  Reilly,  Diocese  of  New  York, 

Rev.  Brother  Dominic,  Diocese  of  New  York. 

Mr.  Fongeroux  de  CampigneuUes,  Treasurer  of  the  Society  in  Bel- 
gium; Miss  Mary  P.  Walsh,  Diocese  of  Baltimore;  Mr.  James  Cantil- 
lon.  Diocese  of  San  Francisco;  Mrs.. Margaret  OTonnor,  Diocese  of 
Peoria;  Mr.  M.  Blake,  Diocese  of  Burlington;  Mr.  Patrick  Morissey, 
Diocese  of  Peoria. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Mr.  Luke  Quinn,  Mrs.  Mary 
Cosgrove,  Hugh  Morgan,  Dennis  D.  Mahoney,  William  McCabe,  Owen  Cur- 
ley,  Michael  Curley,  Neil  Murphy,  John  Murphy,  John  Maloney,  Mrs.  Han- 
nah B.  Moriarty,  Mrs.  John  Walsh,  Mrs.  Owen  Curley,  Owen  McGonagle, 
William  Collins,  Mrs.  Achille  Lessard,  Lucy  Surette,  Mary  McNifC,  William 
Pendergast,  Mrs.  Mary  Shea,  Mrs.  Mary  DriscoU,  Bernard  McNulty,  Miss 
Elen  Lang,  John  H.  O'Connor,  Miss  Bridget  M.  Clancy,  Mrs.  Margaret  M. 
Rountree,  Miss  Anna  Whelton,  Miss  Agnes  G.  Ring,  Miss  Annie  Leary,  Miss 
Mary  Monahan,  Martin  J.  Dwyer,  Miss  Ellen  Goss,  Rev.  T.  J.  Tobin,  Mrs. 
Ellen  Campbell,  Felix  Nolan,  Sister  De  Paul,  Denis  Foley,  Mrs.  Anastasia 
Maloney,  Miss  Mary  Sinnott,  Mrs.  Catherine  Casey,  Mrs.  Ellen  Doyle, 
Charles  Carney,  Mrs.  Catherine  McCarthy,  Herbert  Carty,  Patrick  Wm.  Get- 
tings,  Richard  H.  Gettlngs,  Mrs.  Margaret  K.  Gettings,  Patrick  Gettings, 
Miss  Mary  CNeil,  Thomas  Holton,  John  McMorrow,  Patrick  Nolan,  Edward 

107 


108  Obituary 

Willock,  Miss  Barbara  McSweeney,  Miss  Mary  Hickey,  Miss  Bliza  Myers, 
Miss  Mary  Russell,  Miss  Bridget  McMorrow,  Charles  Moore,  Mrs.  Annie 
Dunn,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  McManamy,  Mrs.  Mary  O'Neil,  Mrs.  Ann  Roach,  Miss 
Anna  Brady,  Miss  Nellie  Keefe,  Mrs.  Bean. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Leonie  Ryan,  Margaret 
Miller,  Mr.  Keating,  Bridget  Fltzpatrick,  William  Kearney,  Miss  McNab, 
Mrs.  Anderson,  John  Dunn,  John  Collins,  William  Kearney,  John  Thomas 
Ryan,  Andrew  Clark,  James  Nugent,  Miss  Mary  Dunne,  Matthew  Rogers, 
Michael  Kearney,  Peter  A.  Simcox,  Mrs.  Catherine  Bauer,  Sarah  Ryan, 
Mrs.  Mary  Flemming,  Miss  Catherine  Hines,  James  Harrison,  James 
Hanrahan,  Bdward  Hanrahan,  Mrs.  John  Mullally,  Daniel  Clark,  James 
Thornton,  Michael  Fay,  Joseph  McCormack,  Francis  McCormack,  Joseph 
Ralph,  Mrs.  Polard,  John  J.  Prial,  Charles  Maurer,  George  Bieg,  May 
Keegan,  Anna  DIodati. 


(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates  whose 
names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 


NOTICE  TO  REVEREND  PASTORS: 

RcvcRCND  Pastors  are  respectfully  informed  that 
if  they  find  it  impossible  for  the  present  to  organize 
the  Society  for  the  Propagation  or  the  Faith  in  its 
usual  form,  and  are  still  wilUng  to  let  their  parishioners 
take  part  in  this  great  charity*  they  may  do,  so  by 
placing  in  the  church  a  contribution  box  to  receive  the 
offerings  of  the  faithful  for  the  ^fissions.  Steel  boxes 
with  suitable  inscriptions  will  be  furnished,  free  of  charge, 
by  the  Society.     Address; 

SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH, 
627  Lexington  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK.  N.  Y. 


MITE  BOXES.... 

wherevrith  to  collect  offerings  for  the  missions  may  be 
obtained  by  persons  living  in  the  Diocese  of  New  York 

froms 

The  Rev.  J.  J.  DUNN. 

462  Madison  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK.  N.  Y. 

by  persons  living  in  the  Diocese  of  Boston  from : 
The  Rev.  JAMES  A.  WALSH, 

75  Union  Park  Street, 

BOSTON,  MASS. 

by  persons  living  in  other  Dioceses  from : 
The  Rev.  JOSEPH  FRERI, 

627 'Lexington  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


^Make  «  fittle  cliett  for  aknB  at  home,  omt  tbe  place  wfaere  you  pray, 

and  as  often  as  you  go  to  pray^  ftnt  depostt  an  alms  and  tben  send  up  your 

prayer.** 

— St#  John  Chrysostom* 


DEAR  FRIENDS  IN  CHRIST: 

DO  YOU  KNOW 

thai  your  prayert  become  more  valuable  in  God's 
sight  if  accompanied  by  the  alms  of  a  few  cents 
for  the  work  of  the  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGA- 
TION OF  THE  Faith? 

DO  YOU  KNOW 
that  this  alms  entitles  you  to  a  share  in   tiie 
merits  of  65*000  MISSIONARIES  who,  laboring  in 
infidel  countries*  are  praying  daily  for  their  bene* 
factors. 

DO  YOU  KNOW 
that  over  10,000  M ASSESS  are  offered  every  year 
by  the  missionary  Priests  for  the  living  and  dead 
Associates  ? 

DO  YOU  KNOW 
that  if  you  love  the  Sacred  Heart  you  should  be 
interested  in  this  work  of  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith  amongst  the  heathen  and  the  infidels? 

DO  YOU  KNOW 
that  charily  is  the  most  saving  of  virtues,  covering 
a  multitude  of  sins? 

THEREFORE, 
this  being  the  highest  and  most  precious  form  of 
charity,  practice  it  and  with  your  prayer  mingle 
the  alms  of 

A  FEW  CENTS 
a  month  to  help  on  this  good  and  holy  work. 


THE  SOCIEn  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH, 

627  Lexington  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK.  N,  Y, 


;a46o 


■^^^^                      JUNE,  igoi 

^^^^^^^^M 

ANNALS 

OF  THE 

g|y 

PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 

^?K*  »l 

}     6 

Published  bi-monthly  bf  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faitht  Baltimore  and 
New  York    A    A    .%    •% 


^I   NOT  or  THIS  row    THtJl^LSC 
llHALL  ntAK  MYVOJCe  Af^D 

iTHEac  SHAtt  »t  ONi  row 


REPORT  NUMBER 


CONTENTS. 


PAOa 

REPORT  FOR  1904 109 

RacalpUfrom  all  Dlocam  Contributing  to  tha  Work  In  1904 HO 

THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES.    V  Arttelt 119 

THE  SOCIETY  OF  AFRICAN  MISSIONS  OF  LYONS.    By  tht  Rov.  E.  ChtotaH, 
L.A.M 119 

Missions  in  Asia. 

CEYLON. 

Litter  of  Fathtr  Aloys  Kttgor,  0.  M.  I 137 

From  Genoa  to  Ceylon. — In  Columbo  with  Archbishop  Helizan. — ^The 
College  of  the  Oblate  Fathers. ~The  Mission  of  Moratnwa.— 
First  Efforts  and  Consolations. -.The  Feast  of  the  Immacnlate 
Conception. 


SupfJement  to  fhe  American  Editbn  of  the  Annals* 


THE  UST  LETTER  OF  BISHOP  FAVIER  AND  COMPARATIVE  REPORT  OF  THE 

VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  PEKIN 148 

AN  AMERICAN  NUN  IN  THE  HEART  OF  AFRICA. 

Letter  of  Mother  Paul,  0.  S.  F 146 

NEED  OF  NATIVE  CATECHIST8  AND  NURSES  IN  JAPAN. 

Letter  of  Father  Sauret,  P.  F.  M 158 

AN  APPEAL  FOR  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES  IN  CHINA. 

Letter  of  Father  Fraser,  Missionary 159 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 154 

OBITUARY 166 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  Md.,  as  second  class  matter. 


("f  JUN17  1905  X. 


\ 

\ 


ANNALS 

OPTHI 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 

Vol.  LXVIII,  No.  460.  June,  1905. 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  WORK    OF  THE    SOCIETY 
FOR  THE   PROPAGATION   OF  THE   FAITH 

IN    1904 


The  alms  received  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faitb 
during  1904  amounted  to  $1,352,017.07,  an  increase  of  $104,596.07 
over  the  preceding  year.  In  the  beginning  of  the  past  twelve  montjis 
His  Holiness  Piux  X,  in  answer  to  the  petition  of  the  Central  Council 
of  the  Society,  solemnly  proclaimed  St.  Francis  Xavier  the  patron  of 
our  work.  This  act  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiflf,  we  are  firmly  convinced 
contributed  greatly  to  the  happy  result,  and  we  now  beg  leave  to  ex- 
press to  him  our  filial  and  heartfelt  gratitude.  We  wish  to  sincerely 
thank  those  also  who  so  devotedly  and  zealously  co-operated  with  us. 

The  countries  of  Europe,  it  is  consoling  to  state,  have  not  dimin- 
ished their  offerings,  and,  in  some  instances,  have  given  even  larger 
amounts  than  in  1903.  Moreover,  one  of  our  dearest  hopes  has  been 
realized.  In  North  America,  the  great  Church  of  the  United  States, 
mindful  of  the  help  it  received  from  the  Society  in  its  struggling*  days, 
has  truly  increased  its  offerings.  Worthy  of  special  mention  is  the 
Archdiocese  of  Boston,  which,  thanks  to  a  magnificent  personal  be- 
quest, now  stands  the  first  of  all  the  Dioceses  of  the  world.  South 
America  has  also  made  progress,  and  it  is  a  touching  detail  to  note  the 
recently  converted  peoples  of  Asia,  Oceanica,  and  Africa  striving  to 
extend  help  to  others.  After  God,  the  interest  created  in  our  work  jn 
America  is  in  great  part  due  to  the  devoted  Directors,  who  have  zeal- 
ously pleaded  our  cause  before  the  people,  and  who,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  were  so  warmly  seconded  by  the  members  of 
the  Hierarchy. 

In  the  United  States,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Freri,  Missionary  Apostolic; 

109 


110 


Bepobt  for  1904 


in  Mexico,  Rev..  Fathers  Devoueoux  and  Hagenbach,  of  the  African 
Missions  of  Lyons;  in  South  America,  Fathers  Cyprien,  Barb6,  Mar- 
ladot,  and  Cfeenivesse,  of  the  White  Fathers ;  in  Chili,  Father  Darbois, 
of  the  Assumpticm  Fathers — all  have  unselfishly  labored  to  bring  about 
the  success  of  the  past  year.  In  the  name  of  the  missionaries  of  the 
entire  world  and  our  own,  we  beg  leave  to  assure  them,  their  co- 
workers, and  their  associates  of  our  deepest  gratitude. 

May  the  good  God  watch  over  a  work,  which  is  pre-eminently  His 
own,  for  in  it  is  realized  the  noblest  ideal  of  charity  which  helps  to 
carry  light  and  life  to  the  nations  that  as  yet  are  sitting  in  the  shadow 
of  death. 

RECEIPTS  FROM  ALL  DIOCESES  CONTRIBUT- 
ING TO  THE  WORK  IN   1904 
EUROPE 
France 

. .  .1  3,533.65  Le  Puy  $11,200.64 

...  1,418.10  Saint-Flour    3,906.37 

...  1,155.97  Tulle     1,504.09 

...  3.578.89  Cambbai    34,324.87 

...  1,879.77  Arras 11,604.08 

...  15,633.70  Chambery    2,587.49 

...  2,004.82  Annecy    6,187.45 

...  5,590.48  Salnt-Jean-de-Maurlenne    .  1,809.77 

...  4,064.00  Tarentalse   1,472.16 

...  4,059.29  Lyon    80,383.64 

...  1,479.03  Autun    10,085.20 

...  15,548.98  Dijon    6,538.66 

...  6,432.53  Grenoble    10,141.42 

...  7,110.24  Langres    3,207.32 

...  12,360.88  Saint-Claude    3,490.83 

...  2,963.39  Pabis    33,183.88 

...  3,585.34  Blois    2,428.30 

...  5,659.60  Chartres  1.358.37 

...  3,587.34  Meaux  1,060.51 

...  6,075.73  Orleans 3,332.84 

...  8,498.43  Versailles 5,330.08 

...  7,386.42  Reimb   9,414.82 

...  ^,995.89  Amiens   5,609.58 

...  7.156.76  Beauvals    2.548.96 

...  8,601.00  Chalons 1,581.65 

...  5,535.60  Soissons    5,760.00 

...  9,261.96  Rennes  23,324.70 

...  2,124.02  Quimper  30,721.61 

...  2,635.29  Saint-Brieuc    36.000.42 

...  6,428.00  Vannes   11.418.62 

...  2.449.86  Rouen    9.447.55 

...  5,821.51  Bayeux    7,788.61 

...  1,535.53  Coutances    11,966.84 

...  3,072.71  Bvreux    2,325.51 

...  15,363.63  S^ez  6,816.10 

...  2.663.20  Sens    1.530.38 


Aix    

Ajaccio   

Digne    

Fr6jus  

Gap    

Marseilles    

Nice     

Albi     

Cahors    

Mende     

Perpignan    

Rodez   

AUCH     

Aire     

Bayonne     

Tarbes    

Avignon    

Montpellier    

Nimes    

Valence    

Viviers    

Besan^n    

Belley     

Nancy     

Saint  Di6 

Verdun   

BOBDEAUX      

Agen    

Angouldme    

Lucon    

Perlgveux    

Poitiers    

La  Rochelle   

BOUBOES      

Clermont-Ferrand 
Limoges     


Hungary 


111 


France— Cont. 
Moullns    I  3,889.54      Tours    ^  2,444.08 


Nevers    2,330.21 

Troyes  2,104.33 

Toulouse    10,489.00 

Carcassonne    3,990.38 

Montauban    2,750.00 

Pamiers    1,814.35 


Angers    9,916.94 

Laval 11.114.96 

Mans  6,762.69 

Nantes    36,778.49 


Total 1702,008.64 


Monaco 
Monaco    ^     480.00 

Alsace-Lorraine 

Metz    ^36,003.86 

Strasbourg    31,104.33 


Total  167,108.19 


Germany 


Cologne    113,704.54 

Munster    7,457.92 

Paderborn   7,769.88 

Treves    12,593.31 

PosEN  AND  Gnesen     4,964.00 

Culm    40.90 

Breslau    3,058.33 

Osnabruck   64.97 


Wannie    %     725.00 

Friboubg    3,707.56 

Fulda    263.26 

Llmburg  183.75 

Mayence  125.51 

Rottembourg 11,104.32 

Saxony    310.00 


Total  $66,073.15 


Switzerland 

Tioai^  i  Basle I  5,130.95  )    .  k  i»i  qq 

^*«^«  JTessln     351.04}   M,481.99 

Chur    2,075.04 

St.   Gall    3,184.16 

'  Lausanne     $  3,086.90  )       j.  ^ao  qr 

Geneva    1,976.06  f      ^'^^^.96 


Lausanne 
Sion 


j  Slon     2,225.87  : 

I  St.  Maurice  2,637.50 


4,863.37 


Total     $20,667.52 


Austria 


Lalbach    $  5.00 

Trieste  and  Istrai 60.00 

Lbopol    124.00 

Przemysl    113.40 

Tarnow    232.40 

Olmutz    59.58 

Prague   2,186.44 

SalzbOubg    875.88 

Brixen    1,213.68 


Gurk    %  1.71 

Seckau    133.45 

Trent    1,434.98 

Vienna    1,700.65 

San  Polten 387.03 

Llnz    506.46 

Zara    47.25 

Cracow  2,769.98 


Total   ^11,851.89 


Szathmar  ^ 

Gran   

Raab    


Hungary 

40.00      Grand-Varadln   ^  1,030.00 

90.62  

6.70  Total %  1,167.32 


112 


Report  foe  1904 


Belgium 

Malines    $15,945.53      Namur    $  7,501.80 

Bruges    13,100.40      Tournay   14,977.30 

Gand    12,031.15  

Liege   9,790.97  Total   $73,347.15 

Holland 


Utbecht   $      551.29 

Bois-le-Duc 7,766.61 

Breda    813.15 


Haarlem  $  1,268.28 

Ruremonde    6,152.68 


Total   $16,552.01 

Duchy  of  Luxembourg 
Luxembourg   $  5,764.57 

British  Isles 


IRELAND 


Armagh    $  2,727.91 

Ardagh    .50 

Derry    46.87 

Down  &  Connor    87.75 

Dromore 60.72 

Kilmore    25.00 

Meath    456.67 

Raphoe   67.46 

Cashel   340.83 

Cloyne  1,000.00 

Cork    914.10 

Kerry  and  Agadoe 225.48 

Limerick    1,663.83 


Ross    $      585.00 

Waterford  and  Lismore..        224.02 
Dublin   9,839.22 


Ferns 

Kildare  and  Leighlin 

Ossory    

Tuam    

Clonfert    

Elphin    

Galway  


16.04 

200.98 

309.17 

30.42 

10.83 

5.42 

4.25 


Total $18,842.47 


Westminster    $  1,768.23 

Birmingham   334.39 

Clifton    348.06 

Hexham  and  Newcastle    . .  347.33 

Leeds     100.00 

Liverpool   1,048.42 

Menevia    196.66 

Middlesborough    25.00 

Newport    200.00 


Northampton 
Nottingham 
Plymouth   . . . 
Portsmouth   . 

Salford    

Shrewsbury   . 
Southwark    . . 


85.85 
97.79 
109.41 
352.91 
123.39 
357.27 
595.67 


Total  .^ $6,090.38 


St.    Andrews   and    Edin- 
burgh     $  5.41 

Aberdeen    438.42 

Argyle  and  lies     2.75 


SCOTLAND 

Dunkeld 

Galloway 

Glasgow 


.$  25.00 
255.75 
170.W 


Total  $897.52 


Spain 


Burgos    $  674.20 

Calahorra    76.97 

Leon    156.89 

Osma  130.00 

Palencia  952.03 

Santander    433.71 

Vitoria    7,203.61 

COMPOSTELLA    466.60 

Lugo   501.79 


Mondonedo 

Orensa    

Oviedo    

Tuy    

Granada  . . . 
Almeria  . . . 
Carthagena 

Guadix    

Jaen    


341.94 
587.19 
630.95 
162.15 
214.50 
158.94 
134.96 
90:00 
200.00 


Italy 


113 


Malaga  $ 

Sabaoobsa    

Barbastro    

Huesca    

Jaca 

Pampeluna    

Tarazona    

Teruel  and  Albaracin 

Seville  

Badajoz    

Cadiz  

Ck)rdoYa   

The  Canaries  

San  Crlstoyal  de  Laguna    . 

Tarbaoona  

Barcelona 

Gerona    

Lerida    

Solsona  

Tortosa    

Urgel    

Vich    

Bbaoa    

Braganza   

Coimbra   

Lamega 

Oporto    

Vizeu    

Btora    

Rome 

Albano    

Palestrina    

Camebino 

Febeaba  

Pebugia    

Spolete  

Aoquapendente  

Alatri    

Amelia   

Ancona  and  Umana   

Citta  di'casteiio "/."/.'.*.! 

ClYita  Castellana 

Corneto  and  Civlta  Vecchla 
Fabrlano  and  Matelica  . . 

Fano   

lesi    

Nooera    

Norcia 

Osimo  and  Clngoli 

Recanati   and   Loretto    . . 

Rleti    

Teml    

Terracino  and  Pipemo  . . 


Spain— Cent. 

160.00  Toledo     $  432.12 

550.00  Coria    20.00 

24.20  Cuenca    66.16 

117.08  Madrid    4,645.96 

33.70  Plasencla   287.60 

1,291.30  Siguenza 253.40 

169.32  Valencia   621.54 

202.60  Majorca    402.40 

1,197.40  Minorca    224.46 

357.14  Oribuela  51.60 

470.77  Segorbe 262.95 

282.22  Valladolid    185.00 

130.74  Astorga    116.82 

427.73  Avlla     207.20 

186.64  Ciu  Rodrigo   305.79 

2,907.67  Salamanca   882.34 

107.00  Segovia     90.35 

83.80  Zamora    179.60 

51.00  Cuidad  Real   56.00 

9.10  Gibraltar    27.00 

99  26  ——___— 
340.00  Total    131,633.40 

Portugal 

12,418.91  Beja    $  35.29 

285.54  Faro    151.98 

415.62  Lisbon    638.75 

41.37  Angra    652.11 

589.84  Funchal    125.91 

59.87  Guarda    811.96 

39.05  

Total $6,266.20 

Italy 

$2,090.46  Tivoll    $  32.48 

40.76  Veroli    40.00 

12.56  Viterbo  and  Toscanella  . .  16.36 

66.00  Boloona     287.65 

150.00  Faenza    43.60 

108.80  Imola    49.14 

4.80  Febmo    54.00 

66.20  Macerata  and  Tolentino  .  58.16 

16.40  Montalto  27.72 

22.00  Rlpatransone 20.00 

26.64  Ravenna    49.20 

31.42  Bertinoro   17.51 

36.40  Cervia    9.00 

25.10  Cesena    34.20 

6.00  Sarslna    21.00 

50.00  Ubbino    37.11 

40.00  Cagll  and  Pergola 55.00 

76.00  Fossombrone    17.79 

80.00  Pesaro    76.50 

12.47  Senigaglia    80.00 

7.00  Sarzanne  and  Burgnato  .  48.00 

113.64  5EN0A   9,036.00 

10.00  Albenga    300.00 

66.00  Robblo    54.00 

24.84  Chiavarl   220.00 


114 


Report  for  1904 


Italy- 

Savona  and  Noli  $     180.00 

Tortona    608.79 

yintlmello   247.90 

Sassaki     46.40 

TuBiN    12,408.00 

Acqul    100.00 

Albe 198.40 

Aosta    527.31 

Asti    1,004.00 

Coni    464.00 

Fossano    752.00 

Ivree 1,460.00 

Mondovi    1,054.20 

Pignerol    468.00 

Saluces    634.00 

Susa 174.00 

Verceil    1,958.57 

Alexandria    104.00 

Bielle    1,191.00 

Casale   893.00 

Novare    1,217.71 

Vlgevano    411.20 

Udtne    242.64 

Milan    5,141.95 

Bergame    600.00 

Brescia   720.84 

Como  275.68 

Cremona    419.16 

Lodl     500.00 

Mantua    30.90 

Pavia    220.43 

Venice    358.46 

Adria    170.65 

Belluna    '    109.73 

Ceneda    34.86 

Chioggia  14.65 

Concordia    29.04 

Padua   212.90 

Verona    157.96 

Vicence    199.50 

Lucca    243.43 

Arezzo     77.70 

Cortona    37.93 

Montalcino  19.38 

Montepulciano    24.24 

Plaisance    .53 

Fix)RENCE    758.87 

Colle    49.95 

Fiesole    23,31 

San  Miniato   93.43 

Modigllana    39.52 

Pfstoie  and  Prato 55.50 

Pisa    87.46 

Llvurna    127.17 

Pescia    66.60 

Pontremoli     27.04 

Voltena     ...-. 59.20 

Sienna    99.55 

Chiusl  and  Pienza   34.72 


-Cent. 

Grossetto    $  12.95 

Massa  Marittima 34.41 

Soyana  and  Pitigllano    . .  29.99 

MoDENA  526.70 

Carpi  79.80 

Massa  dl  Carrara  53.00 

Reggie    303.25 

Aquila    7.06 

Catana    855.07 

Gaeta   30.00 

RossANO 1.44 

Aci  Reale 182.49 

Aquino   Sora   and   Ponte- 

corvo     13.20 

Aversa    326.00 

Trivento   12.00 

Valva  and  Sulmona 4.86 

ACEBENZA  AND  MATERA    .  .  .  11.76 

Barl    21.20 

Bojano    30.52 

Larlno 35.77 

Cajazzo  19.20 

Calvi  and  Teano  45.58 

Caserte   5.66 

Isemla  and  Venafro   2.40 

Sessa  2.00 

Chietti  20.00 

Lanciano   1.00 

Messina   40.98 

Llpari 1.36 

Nlcosie    16.58 

Monreale  76.52 

Caltanlsetta    131.88 

Girgentl    52.66 

Naples    3,283.23 

Pouzzoles   10.96 

Otranto 20.00 

Leccee  60.00 

PAI.ERMO    147.73 

Mazzara    117.48 

Trapani    : 147.02 

Reqgio    20.00 

Cassano    1.40 

Salerno    •. 93.20 

Diano    10.42 

Nocera  del  Paganl   20.00 

Nusco    3.00 

Sorrento    1,600.1 5 

Castellamare  18.60 

Syracuse  313.45 

Noto    30.90 

Piazza   3.44 

Tarente   22.52 

Castellaneta    28.84 

Tranj  and  Babletta 26.49 

Andria    28.00 

Abbey  Montevergine 12.00 

Total  $60,337.39 


Newfoundland 


115 


The  Levant 
Malta    I  9,994.01      Gozzo    $     116.20 


Syra 
Tine 


GREECE 

.$       32.00      Corfu    $       24.00 

48.33 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE 

Constantinople    $  1,011.17      Candle    $         8.00 

Scutari    62.60 


ROUMANIA 


Jassy 


.40 


Total     111.333.71 

Russia  and  Poland 

Ruaala    I     152.84 

Warsaw    48.00 


Smyrna    

Rhodes   

Syria    

Jerusalem   

Sem.  Sainte  Anne 

Mangalore   

Colombo  

Nagpore    , 


Total  1200.84 

Various  Northern  Countries. .  $123.54 

ASIA 

137.96      Pondicherrt  |  52.55 

5.00      Colmbatoer    5.50 

135.86      Maissour 36.92 

222.40      Tongking  56.00 

33.60      S.  Burma  90.47 

50.18      Yun-nan    2.00 

•124.70      Corea  154.72 

48.40 


Total     11.156.26 


Algiers    

Constantlne    1.140.60 

Oran    1.040.54 

120.00 

25.00 

.50 

10.71 

446.85 

26.50 


AFRICA 
.$  1,292.40      Gabon   $ 


Carthage 

Egypt    

Delta  Egjrptian  . 
French  Soudan  . 
W.  Cape  Colony 
French  Congo  . . 


Benin 

Senegal    

St.  Denis   

Port  Louis  . . . 
Port  Victoria 
Mozambique    . 
Madagascar 


14.79 

27.60 
128.40 
360.04 
100.00 

20.00 
.50 

20.00 


Total     14.774.43 


NORTH   AMERICA 
Canada 


Antigonish     |  1,536.30 


Peterborough 
Montreal 
Pembroke 
Quebec   .. 
Rimouski 


1.43 

105.88 

102.84 

308.63 

77.10 


St.  Boniface    $ 

London   

Victoria   

New  Westminster  

Various  dioceses  in  Canada 


404.46 
70.00 
50.00 

178.80 
8.145.15 


Total   110.980.59 


Newfoundland 
St.  George's    I     102.00 


ne 


Report  for  1904 


United 

SUltimobe*  $  1,119.19 

Charleston  38.36 

Richmond    19.00 

Savannah    423.99 

St.  Augustine 84.78 

Wheeling   477.21 

Wilmington   112.50 

N.  Carolina  15.00 

Bos'^ON*   83,029.25 

Burlington 

Hartford  •    2,324.34 

Manchester  *   1,425.22 

Portland  770.60 

Providence    2,678.38 

Springfield     1,780.42 

Chicago  •    3,772.35 

Alton  •    ^  609.70 

Belleville    320.00 

Peoria  102.45 

Cincinnati  *    778.15 

Cleveland  1,999.73 

Columbus  204.60 

Covington    249.38 

Detroit*    381.45 

Fort  Wayne  •   598.90 

Grand   Rapids    529.28 

Indianapolis  »•    797.50 

Louisville 966.28 

Nashville     54.25 

Dubuque 1,386.49 

Cheyenne     85.50 


States* 

Davenport "    $  1,284.00 

Lincoln  5.00 

Omaha    533.49 

Sioux  City  600.00 

Milwaukee  "    2,817.04 

Green  Bay 906.30 

La   Crosse"    719.26 

Marquette    346.89 

New  Orleans"   1,195.35 

Dallas   32.90 

Galveston    362.87 

Little  Rock 163.00 

Mobile  349.36 

Natchez    164.80 

Natchitoches    55.25 

San  Antonio  163.00 

Brownsville    175.30 

Indian  Territory 156.50 

New  Yobk  »   16,648.71 

Albany    695.08 

Brooklyn    673.06 

Buffalo"    1.147.98 

Newark"   2,130.87 

Ogdensburg"   327.00 

Rochester  "   45.60 

Syracuse 772.10 

Trenton    694.76 

Obegon  City  197.86 

Alaska    13.00 

Boise 219.00 

Helena 132.85 

Nesqually"    361.25 

Philadelphla:  "*    2,279.23 


*  Special  mention  is  made  of  single  donations  of  |40.00  or  over. 
^  Including  a  donation  of  $100.00. 

'Including   153    perpetual    memberships,    a   donation    of   $}00.00,    and 
legacies  amounting  to  $45,619.97. 
'  Including  a  perpetual  ^membership,  $40,00. 

*  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

'Including  a  donation  of  $225.00,  a  legacy  of  $236.00  and  a  perpetual 
membership,  $50.00. 

*  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

^  Including  donations  of  $100.00  and  $40.00. 

*  Including  donations  of  $100.00  and  $50.00. 
'  Including  a  legacy  of  $100.00. 

"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $60.00. 
"  Including  a  legacy  of  $500.00. 
"  Including  a  donation  of  $600.00. 
"Including  a  donation  of  $100.00. 
"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40,00. 
"Including  152  perpetual  memberships,  $6,080.00. 
"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

"  Including  a  donation  of  $100.00  and  a  perpetual  membersliip,  $50.00. 
"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 
"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $45.00. 

^  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00,  and  a  donation  of  $50.00. 
"  Including  donations  of  $600.00,  $100.00  and  a  perpetual  membership, 
$40.00. 


Venezubla 


117 


United  States— Cont. 


Altoona"   |  1,228.16 

Brie"    785.95 

Harrisburg    6.60 

Pittsburgh"*    2,087.15 

Scranton    502.00 

St.  Loins*  1,576.68 

Concordia    272.80 

Kansas  City  " 393.83 

Leavenworth "    558.90 

St  Joseph   178.05 

Wichita"   251.00 

St.  Paul  1,350.05 

Duluth    203.12 


Fargo    .• I       30.80 

Lead    79.70 

St.  Cloud  » 492.56 

Sioux  Falls   126.00 

Winona    •   600.13 

San  Francisco*  1,122.50 


Los   Angeles*^ 
Sacramento  ••    . 
Salt  Lake   .... 

Santa  Fe  

Denver    

Tucson   


270.70 
390.00 
1.00 
212.40 
190.00 
313.95 


Total   1166.942.92 


Me.xico 


Angelopoli  $  37.60 

Haujuapam  de  Leon 30.00 

Antbqueba    845.59 

Yucatan   2,992.85 

DuBANOO    210.32 

QUADALAJABA      8.495.00 

Aguas  Calientes   1,738.04 

Collma   50.40 


Linares   %  160.00 

San  Luis  Potosi 37.50 

MiCHOACAN     18.00 

Leon    2,508.36 

Queretaro  2,514.28 

Mexico    1,378.00 

Vera  Cruz  595.78 


Topic 


634.00 


Total $22,245.72 


Central  America 


Guatemala  

Honduras   

San  Jose  (Costa  Rica) . 

San  Salvador  , 

Port-Au-Prince    


3.00 

35.00 

.64 

5.00 

5.00 


Roseau   |  50.27 

Basse  Terre 201.12 

Saint  Pierre  and  Fort-de- 
France    1,016.64 


Total $  1,516.67 


SOUTH   AMERICA 
U.  S.  of  Columbia 


Cabthagena 
Panama    


Total 
Venezuela 


.1        83.66 
113.10 

.  r    196.76 


Caracas    

Barquisimeto 


.$     287.44 
6.40 


Total I     293.84 


"  Including  a  donation  of  $500.00 

*  Including  a  donation  of  150.00. 

'*  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  |46.00. 

"  Including  a  donation  of  $300.00. 

"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

'  Including  a  legacy  of  $100.00. 

"  Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $40.00. 

"Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $50.00. 

**  Including  a  donation  of  $100.00. 

''Including  6  perpetual  memberships,  $240.00. 

"Including  a  perpetual  membership,  $50.00. 


118 


Report  for  1904 


Guiana 

French   Guiana    * $  320.00 

Ecuador 

Quito    $  26.20 

Quayaquil    14.00 

Loja     2.00 


Total 


42.20 


Peru 


Lima    $     588.10 


Brazil 


Bahia     

Goyaz    

Ollnda   

Rio  db  Janeiro 


5.20 

162.60 

24.00 

94.00 


Rio  Grande    $         4.28 

Saint  Paul 679.24 


Tot<a   1969.32 


Chili 

Santiago    $  5,139.12      d'Autofogasta  $       18.73 

Conception     688.67      Tarapaca    279.57 

St.  Charles  d' Ancud    251.17      Various  dioceses  in  Chili.     8,466.13 

Serena    1,640.82  

Total  $16,484.21 

Argentine  Republic 

Buenos  Atres   $10,391.91  San  Juan  $     452.62 

Cordova    6,519.31  Santa  Fe  3,403.47 

La  Plata    3,436.80  Tucuman    2,167.76 

Parana   1,955.14  

Salta    814.23  Total   $29,141.24 

Paraguay 
Assumption     $     166.40 


Mo: 


Uruguay 
DEO     $  3,897.40 


OCEANICA 


Adelaide  . . . 
Auckland  . . . 
Christchurch 


580.39 

552.20 

15.00 


Tahiti     

Gilbert  Islands 


.$     300.00 
5.20 


Total  $  1,452.79 

Grand  total  for  all  countries,  1904,  $1,352,016.86 


THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


The  following  article  on  the  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons  is  the 
fifth  of  the  series,  published  in  the  Annals,  on  missionary  societies  occu- 
pied with  the  conversion  of  pagan  countries.  Father  Eugene  Chautard, 
its  author,  has  divided  his  labors  between  the  two  great  groups  of  mis- 
sions confided  to  this  Society;  the  missions  of  the  western  coast  of  Africa 
and  the  prefecture  of  the  Egyptian  delta. 


THE   SOCIETY  OF  AFRICAN    MISSIONS  OF   LYONS 
AND  ITS  MISSIONS 

By  the  Rev.  E.  Chautard,  L.  A  M. 

I.    Origin  op  the  Society. 

In  1854,  a  young  missionary  bishop,  Rt.  Rev.  Melchior  de  Marion 
Bresillac,  bishop  of  Pruse  and  first  vicar  apostolic  of  Coimbatour,  re- 
turned from  India  to  consult  with  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  about  the 
diflSculties  which  opposed  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  his  vicari- 
ate. Fearing  that  he  himself  might  not  be  doing  all  the  good  pos- 
sible, the  humble  prelate  offered  his  resignation  upon  several  occasions. 
In  the  end  Rome  granted  his  request. 

Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillac,  still  in  his  youth,  burned  with  the  desire 
to  devote  his  life  to  the  cause  of  the  apostolate;  he  could  not  forget  the 
lamentable  condition  of  the  people  of  Africa,  the  poor  blacks,  whom 
he  had  seen  on  his  way  to  India,  hunted  like  wild  animals  by  traders 
in  human  flesh  and  dragged  into  slavery. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  he  heard  the  angel  of  Africa  speaking  to  him, 
as  the  angel  of  Macedonia  had  spoken  to  St.  Paul :  Transiens,  adjuva 
nos.  "  Cross  the  seas,  and  come  to  our  assistance.^'  Ijearning  the  hor- 
rible details  of  the  barbarism  and  the  slave  trade  of  the  blacks  in 
Dahomey,  he  chose  this  country  for  his  heritage.  He  at  once  asked 
to  be  placed  in  charge  by  the  Holy  See,  and  hearing  only  the  voice  of 

119 


120  The  Society  of  Afuican  Missions  of  Lyons 

his  own  heart,  he  wanted  to  set  sail  with  two  or  three  companions,  in 
the  hope  that  his  devotion  would  find  imitators.  Rome,  however,  made 
familiar  with  the  special  difficulties  of  African  missions  by  experience, 
underrated  the  zeal  of  the  impatient  apostle,  and  required  him  first 
to  found  a  society  of  priests  destined  to  continue  and  perpetuate  his 
work. 

Obedient  to  the  voice  of  the  Holy  See  as  to  the  voice  of  God,  Bishop 
de  Marion  Bresillac  yielded.  Provided  with  a  letter  of  recommenda- 
tion from  the  Propaganda,  he  left  Rome  to  preach  his  African  crusade 
in  France  in  order  to  procure  the  necessary  priests  and  resources. 

In  Lyons,  near  the  tomb  of  St.  Irenaeus  and  his  nineteen  thousand 
companion  martyrs,  at  the  feet  of  Notre  Dame  de  Fourvi^re,  Bishop 
de  Marion  Bresillac  established  the  cradle  of  his  work.  On  December 
8,  1856,  the  founder  and  his  first  assistant.  Father  Planque,  conse- 
crated themselves  to  the  Immaculate  Virgin  together  with  the  first 
fruits  of  the  Society  thus  founded.  Fortified  by  the  benediction  of 
Mary  and  in  expectation  of  the  investiture  of  the  mission  of  Dahomey, 
the  bishop  continued  his  crusade  of  prayers  and  preaching. 

Unfortunately,  the  exceptional  barbarism  of  the  country  made  the 
Propaganda  fear  that  missionaries  might  be  massacred  as  soon  as 
they  arrived  there.  In  a  letter  of  September  23,  1867,  the  mission 
of  Sierra  Leone  was  offered  to  the  bishop.  He  at  once  accepted  the 
charge  and  the  mission  was  created  a  vicariate  apostolic,  March  21, 
1858,  by  Pius  IX.  Accompanied  by  Father  Planque,  superior  of  his 
seminary,  the  new  vicar  apostolic  went  to  Rome  to  receive  his  last  in- 
structions as  well  as  the  blessing  of  the  Holy  Father. 

On  his  return  to  France,  he  arranged  for  the  departure  of  his  first 
missionary  band  for  Sierra  Leone.  Fathers  Reymond  and  Bresson 
and  Brother  Eugene  Reynaud  sailed  from  Marseilles,  November  4, 
1858,  on  board  th(^  Express.  Deep  indeed  was  the  regret  of  the  good 
father  that  he  was  not  able  to  leave  with  his  children. 

In  the  evening,  the  Bishop  of  Marseilles  entertained  a  number  of 
distinguished  guests.  During  the  pleasant  flow  of  conversation,  the 
young  bishop  held  himself  aloof,  sad  and  silent.  An  eminent  eccle- 
siastic went  up  to  him  and  inquired  of  him  in  a  low  tone : 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  bishop  ?  " 

"  They  have  left  without  me,"  was  the  reply. 

"Who?" 

"  My  missionaries." 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  op  Lyons 


121 


The  priest  was  none  other  than  Father  Boyer,  the  future  cardinal, 
who,  when  bishop  of  Clermont,  manifested  so  much  sympathy  for  the 
spiritual  family  of  Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillae. 

Betuming  to  Lyons,  the  founder  thought  of  nothing  else  than 
hastening  preparations  for  his  own  departure.  Making  a  hurried  trip 
to  Paris,  he  obtained  from  the  government  passage  for  three  on  the 
man-of-war  la  Danae,  which  was  about  to  leave  for  the  western  coast 
of  Africa. 


1 

1 

! 

ii 

The  Cbadle  of  the  Society  of  Afbican  Missions  of  Lyons. 


On  Sunday,  January  16,  1859,  the  vicar  apostolic  of  Sierra  Leone 
pontificated  for  the  last  time  in  the  church  of  St.  Sulpice  in  Paris. 
During  the  chanting  of  the  psalm  Memento,  Domine,  David,  Father 
Perreyve,  who  was  present  at  the  services,  was  suddenly  inspired  to 
write  a  magnificent  paraphrase  on  the  psalm  applicable  to  the  prelate 
about  to  leave  for  Africa. 

On  March  11,  1859,  Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillae,  together  with 
Father  Riocreux  and  Brother  Gratien  sailed  from  Brest  on  the  Danae. 
Hardly  had  they  left  port  when  a  terrible  storm  almost  wrecked  their 
vessel.  On  the  14th  of  May,  they  entered  the  port  of  Free  Town,  the 
capital  of  Sierra  Leone. 


122  The  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons 

Unfortunately,  a  terrible  epidemic  had  just  broken  out  in  the  city, 
striking  nearly  all  foreigners.  Captain  Bosse,  commander  of  the 
Danac,  who  feared  for  the  lives  of  the  bishop  and  his  companions, 
opposed  their  landing. 

"  Bishop,*'  he  said,  " you  are  going  to  certain  death;  I  shall  have  to 
answer  for  your  life.** 

"  I  am  in  my  diocese,"  answered  the  bishop,  calmly,  "  and  shall 
I  not  share  the  fortunes  of  my  children  ?  ** 

The  commander  was  compelled  to  yield.  Accompanied  by  Fathers 
Reymond  and  Bresson,  who  had  come  to  see  him,  the  bishop  landed. 
What  a  joy  it  was  for  the  father  and  his  children  to  meet  in  Africa, 
the  land  of  their  desires.     Joy  is  very  often  short  lived. 

The  epidemic  continued  to  claim  its  victims,  and  soon  attacked  the 
little  apostolic  band.  Hardly  had  he  set  foot  on  land  when  Father 
Riocreux  fell  a  victim;  in  a  few  days  Father  Bresson  followed  him 
to  the  grave. 

The  sensitive  heart  of  the  bishop*  was  almost  broken;  the  last 
page  of  his  journal  can  hardly  be  read  with  dry  eyes.  "On  June  2, 
Ascension  Day,  Father  Riocreux  died  ....  a  most  edifying  death. 
I  fear  the  consequences  which  such  a  loss  may  have  for  the  success  of 
the  mission.  The  decrees  of  God  are  impenetrable ;  let  us  adore  them 
in  silence,  though  our  heart  be  crushed.  On  the  5th  of  the  same 
month,  the  Sunday  within  the  octave,  Father  Bresson  died.  His  death 
is  a  true  desolation.  It  is  a  fresh  blow  which  leaves  us  inconsolable; 
but,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  resigned  to  His  will  without  under- 
standing it."  These  touching  and  pathetic  words  close  the  diary  of 
the  holy  bishop. 

A  few  days  after,  the  bishop  buried  Brother  Gratian,  his  traveling 
companion,  and  Brother  Eugene,  broken  in  health,  left  for  Europe. 
So  the  holy  prelate  was  left  alone  with  his  vicar  general.  Father  Rey- 
mond,  who  was  himself  seriously  ill. 

The  blow  was  too  great  for  the  heart  of  the  apostle,  who  saw  all  his 
hopes  for  his  mission  perish  in  the  death  of  his  religious  family.  He 
fell  a  victim,  in  his  turn,  beside  his  last  spiritual  child.  The  two  dying 
priests  of  God  performed  mutual  acts  of  charity;  each  gave  to  the 
other  final  absolution;  the  father,  weakened  more  by  the  sorrow  of 
losing  his  children  than  by  sickness,  was  the  first  to  go,  June  25 ;  the 
next  day  the  vicar  general  followed  his  superior  to  the  tomb.  It  was 
finished;  the  holocaust  was  consumed.  The  priesthood  and  the  So- 
ciety of  African  Missions  both  fell  at  the  same  time  in  Sierra  Leone, 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  op  Lyons  123 

struck  by  the  same  blow.     Not  a  single  priest  was  left  to  recite  a 
prayer  over  the  dead  or  bless  the  tomb  of  the  bishop  and  his  children. 

Annihilated  in  Africa,  and  in  Prance  reduced  in  number  to  three 
priests  and  a  half  dozen  of  aspirants,  the  Society  of  African  Missions 
possessed,  humanly  speaking,  no  germs  of  life.  Its  cradle  was  its 
tomb.  *  "     *  - 

However,  in  the  Church  of  God  a  grave  is  always  the  presage  of 
resurrection.  Coming  from  the  mind  and  heart  of  Pius  IX,  the 
Society  of  African  Missions  could  not  perish.  On  his  departure  for 
Africa,  when  Father  Planque,  superior  of  the  seminary,  spoke  with 
Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillac  concerning  the  dangers  which  threatened 
the  new  society  in  the  departure  and  probable  death  of  its  founder, 
he  answered :  "  If  I  die  soon,  I  know  that  my  work  will  survive,  pro- 
vided there  is  a  will  to  sustain  it  and  you  are  animated  by  that  will." 
His  words  were  a  prophecy;  subsequent  events  proved  that  the  mantle 
of  Elias  had  fallen  upon  Eliseus. 

After  the  first  few  days  of  grief  had  passed  when  the  sorrowful  news 
was  received.  Father  Planque,  strengthened  by  faith,  imparted  to  his 
little  community  his  trust  in  God.  Going  to  Rome,  he  explained  to 
Cardinal  Barnabo,  prefect  of  the  Propaganda,  that  the  few  children 
of  Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillac  were  ready  to  continue  the  work  of 
their  founder  if  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  considered  their  resolution  ad- 
visable. When  Pius  IX  heard  of  their  generous  decision  he  cried 
out:  "Blessed  be  God!" 

Fortified  by  the  special  benediction  of  the  Holy  Father,  Father 
Planque  received  another  official  letter  from  Cardinal  Barnabo  in 
which  the  Propaganda  "expresses  its  admiration  for  the  children  of 
Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillac,  who,  instead  of  allowing  themselves  to 
be  discouraged  by  the  death  of  their  father  and  elder  brethren,  are 
rather  inflamed  by  fresh  ardor  to  continue  their  work."  Immediately 
on  his  return  to  Lyons,  the  new  superior  showed  this  letter  to  Car- 
dinal De  Bonald,  who  said  to  him :  "  Father,  you  are  following  the 
way  of  God;   continue  your  work." 

Better  instructed  regarding  the  true  state  of  Dahomey,  the  Propa- 
ganda, a  short  time  afterwards,  complied  with  the  first  requests  and 
constant  desires  of  Bishop  de  Marion  Br&illac.  By  a  brief  dated 
August  28^  I860,  Pius  IX  made  Dahomey  a  vicariate  apostolic  and 
placed  the  Society  of  African  Missions  in  charge. 


124  The  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons 

In  a  few  months  Father  Planque  made  arrangements  for  the  de- 
parture of  three  missionaries  for  Dahomey.  Fathers  Borghero,  Edde, 
and  Fernandez  sailed  from  Toulon,  January  5,  1861. 

Passing  through  Sierra  Leone,  they  blessed  the  tomb  of  their  de- 
ceased superior  and  his  companion,  Father  Reymond.     We  can  imag- 


BisHOP  DE  Mabion  Bb£sillac. 
Founder  of  the  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons.      ' 

ine  their  sentiments  of  filial  devotion  when  they  knelt  on  the  tomb 
of  their  spiritual  father  and  their  four  brethren  who  were  called  home 
with  him. 

A  sixth  grave  was  soon  added  to  the  ^roup ;  unable  to  bear  the  rigor 
of  the  voyage,  Father  Edde  died  in  Free  Town,  so  his  ashes  were 
mingled  with  tliose  of  the  first  martyrs  of  the  fatal  climate.  Like 
that  of  Sierra  Tjcone,  the  mission  of  Dahomey  was  founded  in  tears 
and  continued  to  suffer  trials. 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  op  Lyons  125 

II.      DiPPIOULTIES  OP  THE  APOSTOLATE  IN  EQUATORIAL  ApRIOA. 

A  difficult  undertaking  in  all  parts,  the  work  of  the  apostolate  is 
particularly  painful  in  the  trying  climate  of  equatorial  Africa.  A 
review  of  the  effoii»  made  in  behalf  of  the  conversion  of  Central 
Africa  is  appalling.  All  attempts  from  the  Middle  Ages  down  to  the 
nineteenth  century  have  either  been  altogether  fruitless  or  have  pro- 
duced but  transient  results.  The  old  missions  of  the  Great  Lakes, 
Abyssinia,  and  Congo,  and  the  more  feeble  efforts  in  the  Gold  Coast 
and  Ouidah  are  but  a  memory. 

Besides  the  general  difficulties.  Upper  Guinea,  and  especially  Da- 
homey, present  other  obstacles.  These  arise,  first,  from  the  climate; 
second,  from  the  exceptional  barbarism  of  Dahomey;  third,  from  the 
omnipotence  of  the  king;  fourth,  from  slavery;  and  fifth,  from  .the 
hostility  of  the  superstitious  people. 

When,  April  18,  1861,  the  first  missionaries 
Climate.  arrived  in  Dahomey,  the  vicariate  apostolic  com- 

prised the  whole  Slave  Coast,  i.  e,,  the  entire 
region  from  the  Volta  river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Niger. 

Formed  of  sand  and  alluvial  deposits,  this  coast  is  furrowed 
throughout  by  lakes  running  parallel  with  the  sea  and  serving  as  a 
reservoir  for  the  waters  from  the  interior.  Plants,  leaves,  and  fruits, 
fresh  water  and  salt  water  fish,  even  land  animals  surprised  by  floods 
die  and  rot  in  these  marshes. 

Under  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  all  this  dead  animal  and  vegetable 
matter  decomposes;  germs  of  pestilence  infest  the  atmosphere,  pene- 
trate the  pores  of  the  healthiest  and  poison  the  sources  of  human  life. 

Swarms  of  mosquitoes  are  generated  in  the  marshy  ground,  infest- 
ing cities  and  country,  tormenting  foreigners  in  particular,  forcing 
them  to  sleep  under  nets,  disturbing  their  rest  by  incessant  buzzing, 
and  often  inoculating  them  with  the  worst  diseases  by  their  sting. 

Is  it  astonishing  that  the  English,  who  know  this  country  so  well, 
call  it  the  "  white  man's  grave  ?  "  It  is  a  rule  with  them  not  to  have 
their  officials  remain  in  Guinea  longer  than  a  year;  at  the  end  of  that 
time  they  return  to  Europe,  where  they  are  obliged  to  stay  six  months 
before  going  back  to  Guinea. 

Catholic  missionaries,  however,  could  not  burden  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  with  the  necessary  cost  of  so  expensive 
voyages.  Moreover,  in  many  cases  there  is  no  one  to  take  their  places, 
they  have  not  the  heart  to  abandon  their  adopted  children,  and  so 
they  die  in  those  lands  or  return  to  Europe  broken  in  health. 


126 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  of  Lyons 


The  average  term  of  life  for  missionary  priests  and  brothers  in  Da- . 
homey  is  only  three  years ;  that  of  missionary  sisters,  four  years.    The 
average  age  of  those  who  died  was,  respectively,  only  thirty  and  twenty- 
eight  years. 

The  Society  of  African  Missions  has  lost,  in  forty-nine  years,  two 


The  Very  Rev.  Fb.  Planque. 
One  of  the  founders  of  the  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons. 

hundred  and  eighty-three  members  in  these  parts,  all  stricken  down 
in  the  prime  of  life  by  the  fatal  climate.  Such  figures  tell  their  own 
story. 

Antiquity  has  immortalized  Regulus,  the  Roman,  and  why?  Be- 
cause, taken  prisoner  by  the  Carthagenians  and  allowed  to  regain  his 
liberty  under  the  condition  of  making  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Rome 
disadvantageous  to  liis  native  city^  Regulus  preferred  to  return  to 
Carthage  and  give  his  life  into  the  hands  of  his  jailers.    To-day  mis- 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  op  Lyons  1*27 

sionaries  from  Guinea,  who  have  escaped  death  the  first  time,  joyfully 
return  to  their  mission  as  soon  as  their  strength  allows,  knowing  full 
well  that  the  reaper,  death,  will  soon  lay  them  low. 

In  the  interior,  the  climate  is  more  healthful.  Even  on  the  coast 
within  recent  years  conditions  have  improved.  Let  us  hope  that  the 
modem  methods  which  follow  colonization  will  lengthen  the  span  of 
life  in  Guinea. 

4- 

A  second  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  aposto- 

Barbarism.  late  in  Dahomey  is  the  extraordinary  barbarity 

of  the  people.     No  African  territory,  at  least 

none  in  the  last  few  centuries,  has  drunk  in  so  much  blood ;  it  is  the 

classic  country  of  human  sacrifice. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  French  conquest,  the  feasts  which  were  cele- 
brated by  the  shedding  of  human  blood,  when  victims  were  offered  to 
the  god  of  war  or  the  spirits  of  deceased  kings,  occurred  so  regularly 
as  to  bear  the  significant  name  of  "  customs,"  in  memory  of  the  ances- 
tors by  whom  the  tradition  had  been  handed  down.  They  were  a  truly 
national  institution  "  regarded  as  essential  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Dahomeyan  monarchy."  These  were  the  words  spoken  by  King 
Glegle,  father  of  Behanzin,  in  an  interview  with  Father  Borghero,  first 
superior  of  the  mission.  An  account  of  his  visit  to  the  capital  of 
Dahomey  is  given  in  Volume  XXXV  of  the  Annals  op  the  Propaga- 
tion OF  THE  Faith. 

On  special  occasions,  thousands  of  human  victims  were  immolated. 
Tn  one  of  his  first  letters  Father  Borghero  speaks  of  three  thousand 
men  sacrificed  shortly  before  his  arrival  in  Dahomey.  Snelgrave,  an 
explorer  of  the  eighteenth  century,  states  that  after  the  capture  of 
Ouidah,  the  king  of  Dahomey,  Guado  Trujo,  immolated  four  thousand 
prisoners. 

In  1860,  Mr.  Lartigue,  chief  agent  of  Mr.  Eegis,  a  merchant  of 
Marseilles,  was  obliged  to  assist  at  the  feast  of  the  Customs  in  Abo- 
mey.  The  following  short  extract  from  the  journal  of  this  eye- 
witness is  taken  from  the  Annals,  Vol.  XXXTV,  page  162:  "Dur- 
ing the  past  two  nights  more  than  five  hundred  heads  have  fallen; 
they  are  taken  from  the  palace  by  basketsful,  together  with  large  cala- 
bashes in  which  the  blood  has  been  collected  to  water  the  grave  of  the 

dead  king.     The  same  sacrifices  continued  the  following  days 

These  ceremonies  will  last  a  month  and  a  half,  after  which  the  king 
will  set  out  to  take  other  prisoners  so  as  to  begin  the  Feast  of  Customs 


128  The  Society  op  African  Missions  op  Lyons 

again  toward  the  end  of  October.  Seven  to  eight  hundred  heads  will 
fall/' 

Decapitation  is  not  the  only  form  of  punishment  that  prevails  in 
Dahomey;  several  human  sacrifices  are  accompanied  by  the  most  re- 
fined cruelly.  Some  victims  are  buried  alive,  others  burned  over  a 
slow  fire;  others  again,  enclosed  in  baskets  with  only  the  head  free, 
are  suspended  from  trees  to  die  of  hunger  if  birds  of  prey  do  not 
devour  them. 

Imprisonment  is  often  nearly  as  bad  as  death  itself.  The  health  of 
Fathers  Dorgere  and  Van  de  Pawordt  was  ruined  during  their  con- 
finement, the  latter  dying  soon  after  his  liberation. 

4- 

Another  obstacle  in  the  way  of  conversion 
Omnipotence  of  the  was  the  king's  veto  delivered  in  precise  terms 
Zing  of  Dahomey.  to  Father  Borghero.  Eoyal  power  in  Dahomey 
is  absolute.  Until  the  capture  of  Behanzin, 
this  country  was  the  promised  land  of  socialism.  The  state  was  the 
sole  owner  of  property  and  person,  empowered  to  impose  taxes  and 
labor  at  will.  No  one  could  leave  the  kingdom  without  the  permis- 
sion of  the  king  or  his  representative,  nor  could  any  one  embrace 
Christianity.  An  act  of  disobedience  to  the  king  was  punished  by 
death. 

4- 

Dahomey  is  a  part  of  the  Slave  Coast.    This 
Slavery.  term  is  more  than  a  mere  geographical  expres- 

sion; .  the  district  is  truly  the  country  of 
bondage. 

For  centuries  Dahomey  has  been  the  great  provider  of  human  flesh. 
If  servitude  lowers  the  mind  and  heart  of  man,  who  can  number  the 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  conversion  that  have  been  engendered  by  cen- 
turies of  slavery?  As  early  as  the  seventeenth  century,  St.  Peter 
Claver,  the  glorious  patron  of  negro  missions,  deplored  the  difficulty 
of  converting  the  natives  of  the  Slave  Coast. 

4- 

Finally,  the  last  obstacle  is  poison,  a  most 
Poison.  terrible   weapon  in   the   hands   of   fetishists. 

These  priests  of  idols  excel  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  use  of  vegetable  poisons,  so  abundant  in  Africa.  They  know 
how  to  select  them,  regulate  the  doses  and  administer  them  in  a  way 
as  efficacious  as  it  is  unforeseen.     Some  poisons  act  fatally  in  an 


The  Society  of  Afrioan  Missions  of  Lyons  129 

instant,  as  those  used  to  carry  out  the  judgment  of  the  law;  others, 
at  the  end  of  several  days;  others,  again,  only  after  an  interval  of 
months.  To  avert  suspicion  of  foul  play,  it  is  often  necessary  to  give 
a  slow  poison. 

Poison  is  sometimes  administered  by  a  simple  grasp  of  the  hand 
by  means  of  a  ring  dipped  in  the  corrosive  liquid,  which  gradually 
penetrates  the  tissues  of  the  hand  unnoticed  by  the  victim.  The  fear 
of  poison  has  so  imbued  the  manners  of  the  natives  that  it  is  a  rule 
for  the  host  to  drink  first  from  the  gourd  offered  to  the  visitor  to 
quench  his  thirst;  he  drinks  only  after  the  head  of  the  house  has  first 
partaken  or  after  his  own  slave  has  first  tasted  the  draught. 

Who  will  ever  know  the  number  of  missionaries  who  have  fallen 
a  victim  to  such  treatment?  We  are  sure  of  four  cases;  but  in  how 
many  other  instances  are  not  suspicions  only  too  well  founded  ? 

The  elements,  man  and  devils,  seem  to  combine  to  paralyze  all 
efforts  of  the  apostolate.  However,  what  is  impossible  to  man  is  not 
so  to  Him  who  said  to  the  Apostles :  "  Preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature.^'  At  the  word  of  the  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  telling  them  to 
throw  the  net  into  the  waters  of  Guinea,  tho  Society  of  African  Mis- 
sions, in  all  humility,  but  confident  in  God,  responds:  "At  thy  word 
I  will  throw  the  nef 

III.    Results. 

The  Society  of  African  Missions  has  at  present  charge  of  six  large 
missions  in  Africa.  Excepting  the  prefecture  of  the  Nile  Delta,  all  the 
missions  are  located  in  Upper  Guinea ;  they  are  the  vicariates  apostolic 
of  Dahomey,  the  Benin  Coast,  the  Gold  Coast,  and  the  prefectures  of 
Upper  Niger  and  the  Ivory  Coast. 

These  missions  comprise  the  whole  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  Guinea 
from  the  Cape  of  Pabns  to  the  chief  mouth  of  the  Niger  (German 
Togoland  excepted),  and  extend  into  the  interior  as  far  west  as  Lake 
Tchad.  Their  territory  is  nearly  three  times  as  large  as  the  State 
of  Texas  and  comparatively  thickly  settled.  Uorin,  Abeokouta,  and 
Ibadan,  the  most  important  cities  in  Africa,  next  to  Cairo  and  Alex- 
andria, number  a  total  of  200,000  inhabitants. 

4- 

The  results  obtained  by  the  Society  of  Afri- 

Vicariate  Apostolic       can  Missions  cannot  be  estimated  by   mere 

of  Dahomey.  statistics.    To  the  number  of  conversions  must 

be  added  other  work  of  equal  honor  to  the 

apostolate.     Such  is  the  admirable  example  of  Father  Dorg^re,  a  man 


130 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  of  Lyons 


of  great  soul  and  indomitable  energy.  Superior  of  the  mission  of 
Ouidah,  he  was  captured  during  the  war  of  1890  and  dragged  to  the 
capital.  Before  him  in  full  view  his  captors  bore  the  knife  which 
was  to  sever  his  head  and  the  basin  in  which  it  was  to  be  presented  to 
the  king. 

Subdued  by  the  authority  and  courage  of  the  man  of  God,  the  ter- 
rible.  Behanzin  felt  his  anger  change  into  admiration.  From  being 
an  enemy  he  became  a  friend,  gave  orders  that  the  chains  should  be 
removed  from  all  the  prisoners,  and  sent  Father  Dorg^re  back  to 
Ouidah,  begging  him  to  conclude  peace  with  France.  When  the  brave 
missionary  returned  as  the  embassador  of  Admiral  de  Cuverville  to 
propose  the  terms  of  peace,  his  entry  into  the  capital  of  Dahomey  was 
one  of  triumph;    preceded  by  a  guard  and  the  French  flag  he  was 


MOTHEEHOUSE  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  AfBICAN  MISSIONS  OF  LYONS. 


received  by  101  cannon  salutes  instead  of  the  cries  and  threats  of  death 
which  marked  his  first  arrival. 

Does  not  Christianity  benefit  by  such  examples  of  religious  and 
patriotic  devotion?  Has  not  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  been  a 
strong  factor  in  the  abolition  of  human  sacrifices,  and  was  it  not  a 
missionary.  Father  Borghero,  who  first  dared  to  broach  the  question 
in  Abomey  ?  King  Glegle  answered  that  "  had  any  other  white  man 
dared  to  do  so,  no  consideration  whatever  would  have  prevented  his 
Majesty  from  sending  the  offender  to  death." 


The  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons  131 

The  companions  of  Father  Borghero  were  the  first  to  draw  any  spe- 
cial attention  of  civilized  countries  to  the  bloody  customs  prevalent  in 
Dahomey.  He  <::radually  prepared  public  opinion  for  the  expedition 
of  General  Dodds,  who  abolished  them  forever. 

4- 

To-day,  thanks  to  the  Socieiy  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  and 
the  Society  of  African  Missions,  the  altar  of  the  true  God  stands  in 
the  place  of  the  bloody  altars  of  Dahomey.  Every  day  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb  mystically  immolated  in  the  hands  of  a  Catholic  missionary 
purifies  the  very  spot  in  Abomey  which  for  three  centuries  was  red- 
dened by  the'  blood  of  thousands  of  human  victims. 

The  mission  of  Dahomey,  governed  by  a  vicar  apostolic,  at  present 
numbers  8600  Catholics,  18  schools  with  1756  pupils,  13  churches  and 
chapels,  13  hospitals  or  dispensaries,  4  workshops  and  3  farms,  that 
of  Zagnanado  eliciting  even  the  admiration  of  foreigners  by  the  beauty 
of  its  plantations.  Ouidah  possesses  a  large  and  beautiful  church. 
That  of  Porto-Novo  has  been  enlarged  to  accommodate  the  Christians 
who  communicate  every  month,  or  at  least  on  the  principal  feasts  of 
the  year. 

Though  founded  only  in  1868,  seven  years 
Vicariate  Apostolic  of  after  that  of  Dahomey,  the  mission  of  Benin 
Benin.  is  the  more  flourishing.    Its  development  is  in 

part  due  to  the  liberty  which  Catholic  in- 
stitutions enjoy  under  the  English  government.  The  schools  receive 
a  regular  appropriation  from  the  colony. 

Since  1891,  the  mission  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of  a  vicar  apos- 
tolic, who  resides  in  Lagos;  2069  children  attend  the  schools;  after 
many  difficulties,  the  model  farm  of  Tocpo  is  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion. Where,  at  one  time,  there  was  only  brush  along  the  beach,  the 
astonished  eye  of  the  sailor  now  sees  a  forest  of  cocoa  trees  laden  with 
fniit;  in  their  shadows  flocks  graze,  and  here  and  there  the  white 
habits  of  missionaries  are  seen  as  these  direct  the  work  of  many 
orphans  or  children  redeemed  from  slavery. 

Spiritual  results  are  even  more  consoling.  Not  only  pagans,  but 
Protestants,  always  numerous  in  English  colonies,  are  converted.  A 
recent  number  of  the  Missions  Catholiques  has  published  the  fact  that 
in  Ijebou,  Ibonwon,  and  Eshure,  non-Catholic  communities  have  em- 
braced the  true  faith,  putting  at  the  disposal  of  our  Catholic  missions 
their  churches  and  schools  fully  equipped. 

Works  of  charity  go  hand  in  hand  with  institutions  of  learning. 


132  The  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons 

Two  homes  are  provided  for  the  aged;  an  infant  asylum  has  been 
built  for  abandoned  children.  In  Abeokouta,  a  large  number  of  lepers 
were  forced  to  live  outside  of  the  city,  sleeping  at  night  in  the  open 
air  on  beds  of  leaves  and  dragging  their  disfigured  limbs  by  day  to  beg 
a  few  yams  to  sustain  life.  Moved  by  pity,  the  missionaries  have 
given  them  the  best  shelter  within  their  means  and  devote  themselves 
to  the  care  of  their  souls  and  bodies  alike.  A  young  Portuguese 
woman  has  consecrated  her  life  to  the  service  of  the  lepers  and  the 
sick;  for  ten  years  "Mother  Luiza,'^  as  she  is  called,  has  cared  for 
them  with  true  maternal  devotion. 

The  most  renowned  institution  in  the  mission  of  Abeokouta,  how- 
ever, is  the  Catholic  hospital,  founded  by  Father  Coquard,  or  simply 
"  Doctor  Coquard,^'  as  he  is  known  among  the  natives.  His  reputation 
as  doctor  and  surgeon  extends  for  over  a  hundred  miles  around.  The 
sick  come  to  him  in  crowds,  even  from  Lagos,  the  capital  of  the 
English  colony,  where  several  physicians  reside.  The  press  never 
wearies  of  sounding  his  praises  or  publishing  his  success.  The  king 
of  Ake,  president  of  the  Federation  of  Abeokouta,  grants  an  appropria- 
tion to  the  hospital  and,  although  a  pagan,  always  assists  at  Mass, 
with  his  court,  on  great  occasions. 

4- 
In  1830,  the  merchants  of  Dieppe  founded 
Vicariate  Apostolic  of  a  settlement  in  Elmina;  the  Portuguese,  who 
the  Gold  Coast.  succeeded   the    French,    dedicated   the   small 

chapel  built  by  their  predecessors,  to  Saint 
Anthony  of  Padua.  Unfortunately,  the  Catholic  religion  gained  no 
strong  foothold  and  the  Gold  Coast  remained  without  a  priest  until 
1880,  when  the  Fathers  of  the  African  Missions  established  themselves 
in  Elmina. 

Their  trials  were  many  and  cruel;  however,  the  ashes  of  the  first 
missionaries  gave  birth  to  a  flourishing  Christian  settlement  which 
numbers  6500  Catholics  and  1650  school  children,  not  to  mention 
many  charitable  institutions,  all  prosperous. 

Like  Dahomey  and  Benin,  this  region  is  governed  by  a  vicar  apos- 
tolic with  episcopal  powers. 

The  prefecture  apostolic  of  the  Ivory  Coast 

Prefecture-  Apostolic     was  founded  only  in  1895 ;  with  its  ten  stations 

of  the  Ivory  Coast.       ftbd  twelve  schools  it  has  made  considerable 

progress,  notwithstanding  that  the  yellow  fever 

has  twice  nearly  carried  oflE  the  whole  personnel  of  the  mission.     Last 


The  Society  op  African  Missions  op  Lyons  133 

year  the  station  of  Koroco  was  founded  about  250  miles  in  the  in- 
terior, northwest  of  Kong.  The  question  of  schools  is  an  important 
one  in  missionary  countries.  Like  their  Blessed  Master,  His  disciples 
love  to  say :  '*  Let  little  children  come  unto  me/' 

4- 

In  some  of  the  more  barbarous  countries 
Prefecture  of  the  where  cannibalism  has  not  entirely  disappeared 

Upper  Niger.  the  necessity  of  instruction  is  not  understood. 

It  is  diflScult  to  get  children  to  attend  school 
with  any  degree  of  regularity.  The  apostolate,  therefore,  gives  chief 
attention  to  adults  and  tries  to  win  them  over  from  polygamy.  Such 
is  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  mission  of  Upper  Niger,  established  in 
1884. 

If  the  conversion  of  an  adult  is  most  difficult,  it  has  the  advantage 
of  being  definite  and  influencing  the  entire  family.  Tested  by  a  prepa- 
ration of  several  years,  these  polygamists,  once,  converted,  become  excel- 
lent fathers  of  Christian  families. 

Catholic  missionaries  lay  great  stress  upon  teaching  their  people  how 
to  work.  Following  Saint  Paul,  they  themselves  give  the  example, 
biiilding  all  the  structures  of  the  mission  with  their  own  hands.  Under 
their  direction  masons,  carpenters,  joiners,  plasterers,  blacksmiths,  and 
tinners  are  so  well  trained  that  the  English  government  is  glad  to 
secure  their  services. 

Perstmded  that  agriculture,  besides  being  a  moral  power,  has  the, 

advantage  of  attaching  man  to  his  country,  the  Fathers  try  to  educate 

fatthers  rather  than  artisans.    The  Catholics  of  Niger  are  the  best 

,  cultivators  of  the  soil  in  these  parts,  and  their  work  does  not  prevent 

them  going  to  church  morning  and  evening  for  prayers  and  catechism. 

By  the  express  request  of  the  Propaganda, 
Prefecture  of  the  the  Society  of  African  Missions  went  to  Egypt 

Nile  Delta.  in  1877.    The  conditions  of  the  apostolate  are 

different  in  that  country  from  those  in  Guinea. 
Egypt  is  Mohammedan ;  taken  all  together,  the  Christians  of  all  the 
rites  do  not  form  one-tenth  of  the  total  population.  It  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  Mohammedans  are  hard  to  convert.  Conversion  pre- 
supposes two  things :  the  disappearance  of  obstacles  and  the  adoption 
of  the  new  religion.  Within  the  last  twenty-five  years  in  Egypt,  preju- 
dice against  Christianity  has  either  altogether  vanished  or  is  weak- 
ening more  and  more.     The  most  prejudiced  Mohammedans  have  been 


134 


The  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons 


prevailed  upon  to  send  their  children,  boys  and  girls,  to  Catholic 
schools. 

What  schools  do  for  the  upper  classes,  dispensaries  do  for  the  lower. 
They  come  every  day  by  hundreds,  begging  to  be  cared  for.  The  de- 
votion of  the  Sisters  is  admirable.  Nothing  is  more  interesting  and, 
at  the  same  time,  more  heartrending,  than  to  spend  a  morning  in  one 
of  the  dispensaries.  It  is,  moreover,  very  consoling,  for  the  care  given 
to  the  body  is  generally  the  means  for  the  mercy  of  God  to  enter  the 
soul. 


The  Seminaby  of  African  Missions  at  Caibo. 

It  must  not  be  thought,  however,  that  no  pioneer  work  is  done  in 
the  Nile  Delta.  Gradually  many  schismatics  have  been  approached 
and  many,  especially  among  the  Copts,  have  been  brought  back  to  the 
Catholic  Church. 

As  St.  Francis  Xavier  began  his  work  in  India  by  converting  the 
Portuguese  of  Goa,  so  the  missionaries  of  Egypt  are  trying  to  convert 
and  reform  the  200,000  European  settlers  in  that  hospitable  land. 
This  undertaking  is  prospering.  Catholic  schools  and  other  institu- 
tions are  in  a  flourishing  condition.     More  than  one  European  who  at 


The  Socibty  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons  135 

home  would  have  remained  from  religious  influences,  through  human 
respect,  live  and  die  practical  Catholics  in  the  land  of  the  Nile. 

Such  is  a  sketch  of  fhe  modest  part  of  the  apostolate  which,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  the  Society  of  African  Missions  has  performed.  It  has 
remained  what  its  founder  intended  it  to  be — ^a  society  of  secular 
clergy  and  lay  brothers,  consecrated  to  the  work  of  missions,  at  first  by 
a  simple  resolution,  now  by  the  form  of  oath  used  in  the  seminary  of 
the  Propaganda. 

Its  rules  were  definitely  approved  in  1900.  The  Society  numbers 
three  hundred  and  thirty  members,  most  of  them  on  missions,  and  two 
hundred  and  forty-five  aspirants,  distributed  in  three  apostolic  schools 
and  two  seminaries ;  the  one  in  Lyons,  the  other  in  Cairo,  Egypt. 

IV.    Congregation  op  Our  Lady  of  the  Apostles. 

Death  did  not  allow  Bishop  de  Marion  Bresillac  time  to  finish  his 
work.  His  successor,  the  Very  Eev.  Fr.  Planque,  seeing  how  insuffi- 
cient the  work  done  by  man  alone  in  Africa  would  be,  provided  for  the 
necessity  by  founding  a  congregation  of  Sisters  consecrated  to  African 
Missions. 

Although  the  congregation  was  founded  only  in  1876,  it  already 
numbers  one  hundred  and  ten  Sisters  on  its  death  list.  At  present 
eighty  Sisters  in  France  and  Ireland^  the  larger  number  in  the  novitiate 
near  Lyons,  are  preparing  for  mission  work.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
are  in  the  field  at  present-  Schools,  asylums,  work-rooms,  hospitals, 
dispensaries,  infant  asylums,  leper  hospitals — all  are  conducted  with 
the  greatest  success  by  these  brave  laborers  of  the  Gospel,  who  win 
the  admiration  of  pagans  and  Mohammedans  by  their  modesty,  indus- 
try, and  inexhaustible  charity. 

In  conclusion,  when  we  recall  the  sad  beginning  of  the  Society  of 
African  Missions,  the  premature  death  of  its  founder  and  all  of  his 
companions  in  Sierra  Leone,  the  long  list  of  the  victims  of  the  climate 
of  Guinea,  can  we  not  say  in  all  truth :  "  They  have  sown  in  tears  "  ? 

Nourished  by  the  grace  of  Christ  and  watered  by  the  sweat  of  Afri- 
can missionaries,  the  seed  has  come  forth  and  grown  little  by  little  in 
the  midst  of  thorns;  beautiful  ears  have  been  gleaned;  a  congregation 
of  Sisters  has  also  added  its  sheaf. 

When  we  consider  the  20  to  25  million  infidels  to  be  converted,  well 
may  we  exclaim  with  the  apostles :  "  What  is  that  among  so  many  ? '' 


136 


The  Society  of  Afeioak  Missions  op  Lyons 


Nevertheless,  the  Christian  settlements  number  38,514  Catholics,  8984 
school  children,  and  1600  sick  cared  for  every  day  without  charge. 

In  face  of  such  results,  following  the  example  of  Father  Perreyve, 
who  adapted  the  psalm  Memento,  Domine,  David  to  Bishop  de  Marion 
Br&iUac  when  he  was  leaving  for  Africa,  it  would  not  be  rash  to  apply 
to  the  Society  of  African  Missions,  in  mourning  its  founder,  the  verse 
of  the  same  prophetic  psalm :  **  I  shall  cover  his  widow  with  benedic- 
tions and  I  shall  help  the  poverty  of  his  children  abundantly/^ 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


DIOCESE  OF  COLOMBO 

Metropolis  of  the  large  island  of  Ceylon,  the  arch-diocese  of  Colombo 
comprises  the  two  provinces  of  Colombo  and  Kurunegala,  one-fifth  of  the 
population  (200,000  souls  among  a  million)  profess  the  Catholic  religion. 
200  churches  and  100  chapels  are  scattered  over  the  territory.  Eighty 
missionaries,  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate,  and  10  native  priests,  under 
the  direction  of  Archbishop  Melizan  and  his  jOoadJutor,  Bishop  Coudert, 
exercise  the  apostolic  ministry,  assisted  by  the  Christian  Brothers, 
Sisters  of  the  Good  Sh3pherd,  Sisters  of  the  Holy  Family,  Franciscans, 
Missionaries  of  Mary,  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor,  and  several  native  com- 
munities. 

The  following  letter  has  a  double  interest.  It  not  only  gives  us  interest- 
ing details  on  the  apostolate  in  Colombo,  but  makes  us  share  the  first  and 
enthusiastic  impressions  of  a  young  missionary  Just  arrived  on  the  field  of 
labor  which  it  had  been  his  long-cherished  dream  to  evangelize. 

Letter  of  Rev.  Aloys  Kiegeu,  0.  M.  I. 

I  thought  it  would  give  you  pleasure  to  know  a  few  of  my  impres- 
sions of  the  island  of  Ceylon. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  1904,  early  in  the 
From  Gknoa  to  morning,  we  arrived  in  Genoa,  two  veteran 

Ceylon.  missionaries  from  Ceylon  and  four  young  re- 

cruits. In  the  afternoon  we  boarded  the  Span- 
ish steamer  Lopez  y  Lopez,  A  whistle  was  heard,  and  slowly,  majesti- 
cally we  sailed  out  of  port. 

On  November  12  we  arrived  at  Poit  Said,  whence  we  steered  direct 
for  Ceylon  without  stopping.  On  seeing  the  barren,  sandy  banks  of 
the  Suez  canal  and  the  bare  rocks  burned  by  a  direct  tropical  sun,  we 
said  to  ourselves: 

"  Well,  if  the  island  of  Ceylon  is  as  fertile  as  these  shores,  there  must 
be  absolute  poverty." 

Our  two  elder  brethren  comforted  us  by  telling  us  that  our  mission 

137 


138  Missions  in  Asia 

was  the  most  beautiful  country  in  the  world,  the  island  of  pearls  and 
the  pearl  of  islands — in  a  word,  a  little  spot  of  the  ancient  earthly 
paradise. 

On  the  seventeenth  day  after  our  departure,  at  dawn,  we  were  all  on 
deck  when  a  small  black  speck  was  seen  in  the  horizon.  "Ceylon, 
Ceylon,  there  is  Ceylon !  ^^ 

Little  by  little  the  speck  grew  larger  until  we  could  distinguish 
mountains  and  plains,  then  an  immense  forest  of  unfamiliar  trees  ex- 
tending into  the  sea;  forests  of  cocoa  trees  and  banana  groves.  A 
beautiful,  a  magnificent  sight ! 

At  midday  we  entered  the  port  of  Colombo. 
In  Colombo,—  ^  ■  It  was  very  warm,  particularly  as  the  vessel 

A  European  and  an  stopped ;  the  sun's  rays  beat  furiously  down 
Indian  City. —  upon  us.    Fortunately,  we  were  provided  with 

Types  of  Natives.  an  umbrella  and  a  broad-brimmed  hat;   sun- 

strokes are  of  common  occurrence  in  these 
parts  especially  among  new  arrivals.  The  natives  are  much  more  fear- 
ful of  the  moon.  At  night  they  always  wear  some  kind  of  a  head 
covering,  though  in  the  day  they  walk  around  bareheaded. 

Hailing  a  boat,  we  set  foot  on  the  soil  of  our  adopted  country  ten 
minutes  later.  Upon  beholding  the  large  houses,  fine  streets,  and 
electric  cars,  we  must  confess  we  were  somewhat  disappointed.  We 
thought  we  were  going  to  a  barbarous  country,  and  we  found  ourselves 
in  an  almost  European  city.  Taking  the  car,  the  scene  soon  changed ; 
we  were  in  an  Indian  city.  The  streets  were  lined  with  a  row  of  huts, 
one  dirtier  than  the  other.  The  natives,  seated  in  their  shops,  were 
selling  the  fruits  of  the  country — cocoanuts,  bananas,  pineapples,  etc. 
They  were  dressed  in  the  most  varied  and  startling  costumes,  from  the 
last  Parisian  novelty  to  the  garment  worn  by  our  first  ancestors  before 
their  fall ;  the  ardent  rays  of  the  sun  supplied  all  other  raiment.  Be- 
fore the  small  front  door  of  their  home,  one  saw  mothers  washing  their 
little  ones  with  buckets  of  water,  unmindful  of  the  presence  of  stran- 
gers. We  were  impressed  by  the  air  of  the  men,  effeminate  and,  at  the 
same  time,  manly.  They  are  tall  and  strong,  wear  no  clothing  above 
the  waist,  and  arrange  their  long  black  hair  woman  fashion,  with  a 
large  comb  shaped  like  a  horseshoe.  The  natives  value  their  tradi- 
tional costume  very  highly.  Shoes,  a  foreign  necessity,  are  very  rarely 
worn,  and,  if  so,  only  on  great  occasions,  as  at  the  ceremony  of  mar- 
riage. 


Colombo  131) 

We  are  now  in  Borela,  the  residence  of  Arch- 
With  Archbishop  bishop  Melizan,  of  Colombo.     A  large  park 

Melizan. — Curry. —  planted  in  eocoannt  trees  with  several  one- 
Thc  College  of  the  story  structures  forms  the  archiepiscopal  pal- 
Oblate  Fathers.  ace.  The  archbishop  extended  a  most  cordial 
welcome  and  offered  us  as  a  refreshment  the 
favorite  dish  of  the  country,  rice  served  with  curry,  a  sauce  much  hot- 
ter than  pepper.  With  no  suspicion  of  the  malice  concealed  under  its 
beautiful  reddish  color,  I  partook  plentifully  of  it;  immediately  my 
tongue  begun  to  burn  and  the  tears  started  to  my  eyes.  And  yet  this 
curry  is  the  royal  dish  of  natives  and  missionaries  accustomed  to  the 
country.  They  never  sit  down  to  a  meal  without  it.  To  know  how  to 
make  curry,  strong  and  well-spiced,  is  the  highest  ambition  of  native 
cooks.  Not  one  of  its  ingredients  may  be  omitted — meat,  fish,  cocoa- 
nut,  and  particularly  red  pepper. 

In  the  evening  we  went  to  visit  the  College  of  the  Oblate  Fathers. 
It  is  a  structure  built  on  the  shores  of  a  magnificent  lake;  although  un- 
finished, it  is  worthy  of  the  city  of  Colombo.  More  than  600  students 
of  all  creeds  are  following  the  course  of  instruction  under  the  wise 
direction  of  Rev.  Charles  Collin.  We  went  up  into  the  tower  to  get 
a  view  of  the  city,  but  could  not  see  all  its  beauty  for  the  surrounding 
trees.  The  whole  city  is  a  large  park  planted  in  thousands  of  cocoanut 
trees,  in  whose  shadows  the  houses  lie.  If  they  do  not  take  their  rest 
near  the  vine  and  the  fig  trees,  as  did  the  Jews  in  the  Promised  Land, 
they  can  truly  say  that  they  pass  their  lives  in  the  shadow  of  cocoanut 
trees  crowned  with  perpetual  verdure. 

We  had  seen  enough  for  one  day,  and  retired  for  the  night. 

The  next  morning  we  received  a  visit  from 
The  Work  of  Kission-  our  future  pastor.  He  excused  himself  for  not 
aries. — ^An Excursion  having  come  the  night  before;  there  had  been 
into  the  Surrounding  too  many  penitents.  For  longer  than  a  month 
Country.  he  had  been  doing  nothing  but  hearing  confes- 

sions for  the  jubilee.  The  poor  priest  could  do 
no  more,  and  implored  help.  What  was  there  to  do  ?  All  the  mission- 
aries were  in  the  same  plight.  The  Father  told  us  of  many  conver- 
sions effected  by  the  jubilee.  How  many  pagans  and  heretics  were  bap- 
tized, how  many  unlawful  unions  were  blessed  and  legitimized ! 

Leaving  the  city  of  Colombo,  we  took  a  trip  to  Maggona  for  the  pur- 
pose of  getting  our  new  costumes,  the  excessive  heat  preventing  our 
wearing  our  cassocks  any  longer.  In  Maggona,  we  changed  our  seats 
in  the  railroad  for  the  less  comfortable  accommodations  of  an  ox  cart. 


140  Missions  in  Asia 

As  the  vehicle  was  intended  for  only  two  passengers,  it  was  rather  diffi- 
cult for  the  four  of  us  to  make  ourselves  comfortable.  But  we  adapted 
ourselves  to  the  situation  and  by  close  packing  all  of  us  got  in. 

Our  little  ox,  urged  on  by  the  driver,  ran 
The  Catholic  Orphan-  like  a  horse,  and,  after  twenty  minutes  of  more 
age. — ^Thc  Kission  of  or  less  inviting  jolts,  we  reached  our  destina- 
Moratnwa. — ^First  tion.  The  Catholic  orphanage  is  situated  in 
Efforts. — Consolations,  the  midst  of  a  forest.  Twelve  years  ago  a  large 
tract  of  land  belonging  to  the  archdipcese  was 
cleared  and  planted  with  cocoa  trees.  After  a  few  years  these  trees 
will  be  a  source  of  revenue,  but  as  yet  many  of  them  are  barren.  Near 
the  orphanage  there  is  a  small  jail  in  which  more  than  160  juvenile 
prisoners  are  held  for  a  term  of  three,  five,  or  six  years.  The  orphans 
number  about  120,  and  come  together  with  those  in  the  workrooms  of 
a  little  industrial  school  built  for  them;  it  is  very  interesting  to  see 
them  all  at  work  under  the  direction  of  a  few  Brothers.  Their  primi- 
tive carpenter  shop  appealed  to  me  especially. 

Native  Brothers  conduct  class  during  half  of  the  day.  To  Jcecp  this 
little  world  in  order  requires  a  firm  hand.  More  than  once  there  have 
been  signs  of  revolt  in  the  reformatory,  and  the  Father  hf|s  been  re- 
quired to  use  till  his  power  to  suppress  it.  Many  of  the  little  prisoners 
are  either  Buddhists  or  Mohammedans,  still  most  of  them  attend  Mass 
and  Benediction  on  Sundays  voluntarily.  It  is  a  pity  that  the  little 
building  honored  by  the  name  of  chapel  is  too  small  to  accommodate 
all,  although  the  natives  scorn  the  comfort  of  benches  and  chairs.  The 
Father  in  charge  of  this  work  has  designed  a  plan  for  a  snjall  church. 
Let  us  hope  that  it  will  soon  rise  in  the  shadow  of  the  cocoa  trees.  With 
time  and  money  all  can  be  accomplished.  We  know  it,  alas !  but  which 
of  the  two  will  fail  the  Father ! ! ! 

4- 

In  the  meantime  the  archbishop  summoned  me  for  the  mission 
of  Moratuwa,  where  there  were  two  priests  sick  and  overworked. 

"  Very  well,^*  said  I,  '*  but  of  what  use  will  I  be  in  a  mission  com- 
posed of  natives  ?  ^* 

"  Go  anyhow,"  replied  he ;  "  you  will  do  what  you  can ;  you  will  bap- 
tize, bury  the  dead,  give  Holy  Communion,  etc." 

On  my  arrival  I  found  Father  Eyffon  engaged  in  examining  a  num- 
ber of  Christians  who  wanted  to  go  to  confession.  To  go  to  confession 
here,  one  is  provided  with  a  ticket  given  by  the  priest,  who  makes  use 
of  this  occasion  to  become  acquainted  with  the  religious  knowledge  of 


Colombo 


141 


his  parishioners.  The  two  missionaries  were  very  tired ;  for  more  than 
a  month  they  have  been  in  the  confessional  nearly  all  day.  Their  sick 
calls  and  other  sacerdotal  duties  have  also  been  very  many. 

The  mission  of  Moratuwa  numbers  about  8000  Catholics  living  in  a 
Buddhist  center  of  which  they  form  the  large  minority.     The  principal 


Cetlon. — Scenery  neab  Ck>i/>MB0. 


church  is  pretty,  very  pretty  indeed  for  a  mission  country.  I  cannot 
say  as  much  for  the  other  ten  churches  in  charge  of  the  same  priests. 
Six  of  them  are  yet  building;  the  others  are  more  or  less  equipped. 
On  the  3d  of  December  I  had  occasion  to  see  one  of  them.  It  is  an  old 
hovel  located  fifty  feet  from  the  sea  and  only  a  few  yards  above  the 
level  of  the  water.  Back  of  the  sanctuary  is  a  kind  of  shed  leaning 
against  the  wall.  This  is  the  rectory,  where  the  priest  spends  nearly 
a  month  every  year.     I  spent  two  days  there.     At  night  I  laid  myself 


142  MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

down  on  a  kind  of  cot  covered  with  a  mat  and  I  wrapped  myself  up  in 
a  sheet;  nevertheless,  the  dampness  came  in  through  the  window,  in 
which  there  was  no  glass,  and  drops  of  water  falling  from  the  roof  wet 
all  my  clothes.  So  I  have  had  a  taste  of  some  of  the  trials  of  a  mis- 
sionary. 

However,  if  the  work  of  a  missionary  is  hard, 
The  Feast  of  the  his  consolations  are  also  many.    The  devotion 

Immaeulate  Conception,  and  fervor  of  Christians  kneeling  or  prostrate 
for  hours  in  the  church  would  rejoice  the  heart 
of  any  apostle.  The  8th  of  December  was  a  feast  of  exceptional  sweet- 
ness to  us.  For  twelve  days  a  band  of  natives  had  been  busy  decorating 
the  road  between  St.  Sebastian  and  the  church  of  St.  Joseph.  All  was 
done  for  the  procession  in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  to  be  held  on 
December  8. 

At  three  o'clock  the  church  of  St.  Sebastian  was  filled  and  a  crowd 
stood  without.  At  four  o'clock  the  processional  cross  was  borne  in 
front,  followed  by  six  stalwart  men  bearing  a  large  statue  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  to  be  carried  in  triumph  to  the  church  dedicated  to 
St.  Joseph.  More  than  6000  persons  surrounded  the  statue,  saying  the 
rosary  and  singing  hymns  in  the  vernacular.  A  number  of  Buddhists 
stood  by  the  way  lost  in  astonishment;  if  any  one  of  them  neglected 
to  take  pflf  his  turban  when  the  statue  passed,  the  sacristan  kindly  called 
him  to  order.  You  should  have  seen  the  enthusiasm  of  our  people. 
Woe  to  any  Buddhist  who  would  have  dared  to  say  a  word  against  the 
faith.  Fortunately,  everything  passed  off  quietly.  The  procession 
lasted  nearly  two  hours  and  then  seemed  to  be  over  too  soon.  The 
Blessed  Virgin  must  have  rejoiced  to  see  this  display  in  a  country  given 
up  for  centuries  to  the  errors  of  Buddhism  and  paganism.  What  a 
pity  it  is  that  there  are  so  few  missionaries !  The  more  progress  we 
make  the  more  work  accumulates.  In  the  place  where  twenty  years 
ago,  thirty  missionaries  found  leisure,  ninety  priests  have  now  not  a 
minute  to  call  their  own. 

This  diocese  is  more  thickly  settled  than  most  coimtries  of  Europe, 
and  the  Buddhists,  who  see  the  zeal  and  disinterestedness  of  Catholic 
missionaries,  and  the  good  will  of  converts,  gradually  manifest  a  desire 
to  embrace  the  faith.  The  harvest  is  great.  Let  us  hope  that  God  will 
soon  send  a  number  of  apostolic  laborers  zealous  for  the  glory  of  God 
and  ready  to  suflEer  the  fatigues  of  continual  work. 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO  THB 

AMERICAN  EDITION 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


THE  LAST  LETTER  OF  BISHOP  FAVIER 

One  of  the  most  iUustrious  of  the  valiant  cohort  of  Catholic  prelates 
on  the  foreign  mission  field  dropped  from  the  ranks  on  the  6th  of  April 
when  Mgr.  Pavier  died  in  Pekin.  During  the  43  of  the  68  years  of 
his  life  that  he  spent  among  the  Chinese,  he  wielded  an  immense  influ- 
ence and  accomplished  a  most  notable  work,  not  merely  as  a  successful 
missionary,  but  also  as  an  able  diplomatist.  He  was  instrumental  in 
facilitating  foreign  intercourse  with  the  Chinese  government  and  in 
establishing  diplomatic  relations  between  the  Chinese  court  and  the 
Vatican. 

Our  readers  will  recall  how  prominently  Bishop  Pavier  came  before 
the  public  a  few  years  ago  during  the  Boxer  outbreak.  Por  two  months 
while  the  uprising  was  at  its  worst,  Mgr.  Pavier  gathered  with  mission- 
aries, nuns,  and  native  converts  and  refugees  to  the  number  of  over 
three  thousand  on  the  grounds  of  the  Cathedral  (North  Pekin),  with 
a  mere  handful  of  Prench  and  Italian  marines  made  a  heroic  stand 
until  relieved  by  the  allied  forces.  A  short  time  after  the  storm  he 
wrote :  "  I  do  not  think  I  exaggerate  in  estimating  the  number  of  vic- 
tims in  the  Vicariate  of  Pekin  alone  to  be  20,000  at  least In 

143 


144      SUPPLBMBNT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  THE  AnNALS 

this  city  our  churches,  chapels,  colleges,  hospitals,  etc.,  all  are  de- 
stroyed. Throughout  the  yicariate  the  ruin  is  almost  entire;  the  work 
of  40  years  is  nearly  annihilated.  The  courage  of  missionaries,  never- 
theless,  is  not  on  the  wane;  we  shall  begin  over  again,  assured  of  suc- 
cess in  the  end,  for  '  the  blood  of  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  Christians/ 
We  were  45,000  before  the  war;  I  venture  to  predict  that  in  spite  of 
our  losses  we  shall  be  55,000  before  five  years  1  '^ 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  news  of  the  death  of  Bishop  Fayier 
we  receiyed  communication  of  the  following  letter  and  report  addressed 
by  him  a  few  months  ago  to  the  Superior  (General  of  the  Congregation 
of  the  Mission  of  which  he  was  a  member.  It  shows  that  before  his 
death  the  eminent  prelate  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  his  prediction 
more  than  fulfilled. 

'^  My  hopes  haye  been  more  than  realized.  Last  year  we  registered 
twelve  thousand  adult  baptisms,  which  brings  the  total  number  of 
Christians  in  this  vicariate  up  to  sixty  thousand,  and  we  have  remain- 
ing twenty-five  thousand  earnest  catechumens  for  next  year.  Surely 
we  are  indebted  to  our  martyrs  of  1900  for  these  marvelous  results. 

"  The  spiritual  fruits,  which  T  have  the  honor  to  send  herewith,  will 
satisfy  you  that  as  regards  both  our  personnel  and  our  works,  we  are 
making  very  satisfactory  progress.  Besides  the  four  missionaries, 
whom  the  generosity  of  our  Very  Rev.  Superior  General  has  bestowed, 
the  goodness  of  our  Visitor  claiming  also  our  gratitude,  you  will  note 
with  pleasure  the  number  of  newly  ordained  priests  at  Pekin,  and  the 
growtii  of  seminaries. 

"  Qod,  in  His  mercy,  has  augmented  so  considerably  the  fiock,  that 
the  corresponding  increase  of  pastors  has  become  our  first  care.  Our 
personnel  enables  us  to  meet  all  present  demands,  but  what  if  the  pros- 
pective harvest  for  1905  exceed  that  of  the  current  year?  May  Al- 
mighty (Jod  vouchsafe  to  multiply  vocations  for  China ! 

"  These  consoling  results  obtained  during  the  great  calm,  and  with- 
out the  slightest  annoyance,  are  the  best  refutation  of  the  erroneous 
opinion  which,  perhaps,  still  causes  Pekin  to  be  considered  a  most 
perilous  mission,  an  opinion  that,  it  is  probable,  has  been  strengthened 
by  the  massacres  of  the  Boxers.  A  like  persecution  may  never  occur 
again;  it  may  take  another  form,  but  are  such  evils  so  much  to  be 
deplored?  Assuredly  not:  witness  their  fruits.  In  our  missionary 
labors  we  still  follow  the  little  method  of  our  Holy  Founder;  motives 
and  means.  Why  do  we  devote  ourselves  solely  to  the  conversion  of 
infidels,  especially  of  the  poor  ?    Our  Lord  and  St.  Vincent  have  giveni 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    146 


us  the  example.  Why  do  we  not  seek  out  the  rich  ?  Our  Lord  did  not 
go  in  search  of  them.  Why,  in  order  to  effect  conversions,  do  we  limit 
ourselves  exclusively  to  preaching?  For  the  reason  that  in  this  we 
imitate  our  Lord  and  His  Apostles,  who  made  use  of  no  other  means 
than  preaching. 


Bishop  Favieb. 

"What  means  do  we  employ?  We  give  to  the  poor  catechumens 
during  the  term  of  their  instruction  what  is  indispensable  in  the  way 
of  food.  Our  Lord  by  a  miracle  provided  for  those  whom  He  had  just 
evangelized,  lest  they  should  suffer  from  hunger.  We  spare  no  effort 
in  the  selection  and  trial  of  our  catechumens.  Do  we  always  make 
choice  of  the  most  perfect  only  ?    It  would  be  presumptuous  to  expect 


146    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

such  success;  among  the  twelve  Apostles  there  was  one  traitor;  among 
the  first  deacons,  two  heresiarchs ! 

"  Our  missionaries  might  well  content  themselves  with  evangelizing 
only  the  principal  centers;  we  scatter  them  over  711  missions;  why? 
Our  Lord  sent  His  Apostles  into  every  place,  and  to  the  extremities  of 
the  earth. 

'^  The  little  method  of  St.  Vincent  is,  therefore,  the  only  one  for  us 
to  follow,  if  we  would  never  be  led  astray,  for  the  motives  and  the 
means  which  it  commends  are  those  of  our  Lord  Himself/' 

+  Alph.  Pavier,  C.  M. 

Comparative  Eeport  op  the  Vicariate  Apostolic  op  Pekin. 

Before  the  Boxer  outbreak,  1900  At  the  end  of  1804 

Bishops    2  2 

Missionaries   (European) ...        28  29 

Native  priests 30  47 

Churches 31  44 

Chapels    145  273 

Stations 577  711 

Catholics 46,900  69,016 

Baptisms  of  adults 2,322  12,414 

Catechumens 6,506  25,000 

Total  pagan  population,  about  10,000,000. 

AN  AMERICAN  NUN  IN  THE   HEART  OF  AFRICA 


It  is  a  far  cry  from  the  heart  of  Africa  to  the  heart  of  New  York, 
but  it  is  a  cry  that  many  of  our  readers  will  heed  when  they  learn  that 
Mother  Mary  Paul  is  one  of  our  own.  Some  years  ago  she  with  five 
other  heroic  women  volunteered  for  the  African  missions,  with  the 
result  that  practically  the  whole  district  in  which  she  has  been  laboring 
is  now  Catholic.  "  Was  it  worth  while  '^  for  her  to  leave  home  and 
country  and  the  ordinary  conveniences  of  civilized  life  in  an  American 
convent  to  go  to  Uganda  ?  Prom  the  appended  pages  one  may  gather 
that  she  feels  it  not  only  a  duty  but  a  privilege  to  devote  her  best 
efforts  to  the  salvation  of  those  precious  souls  who  have  so  readily 
listened  to  the  words  of  life.  Last  Christmas  there  were  2000  Holy 
Commimions  in  that  little  mission  station  of  Nsambya.  ''Was  it 
worth  while?'*  The  marvels  accomplished  by  Bishop  Hanlon  with 
his  Irish  priests  and  American  nuns  is  a  sufficient  answer  and  should 
inspire  us  all  to  "  give  more  interest  **  to  the  Catholic  missions. 


Supplement  to  the  Amebioan  Edition  of  the  Annals    147 

Letter  op  Mother  Paul,  0.  S.  P., 

To  the  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn, 

New  York  Diocesan  Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 

the  Faith. 
Nsambya,  Uoanda,  British  East  Africa, 
Pranciscan  Convent,  Pebmary  21, 1905. 
Deus  Det  Nobis  Suam  Paoem  ! 
Reverend  and  Dear  Father: 

Your  very  kind  letter  was  forwarded  from  here  to  Nandi  Country, 
where  I  was  in  what  truly  proved  to  be  "  the  wilds  of  Africa/'  It  is  a 
great  pleasure  to  know  that  you  are  personally  interested  in  the  progress 
of  the  work  of  Bishop  Hanlon's  vicariate  and  that  you  are  kind  enough 
to  give  special  encouragement  to  this  American  member  of  our  Pran- 
ciscan community  here.  Naturally,  I  turn  my  eyes  to  America  when 
I  take  them  away  from  heaven,  with  an  inward  consciousness  that  my 
prayers  and  expectations  will  be  heard  and  granted  in  due  season. 

Upon  my  return  to  Uganda,  I  found  some  copies  of  the  Catholic 
News,  in  which  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Paith  had  some 
interesting  notes.  Two  headings  have  fixed  themselves  in  my  brain : 
"  Is  it  worth  while  ?  *'  and  "  Now  I  will  give  more  interest.^'  Were 
anything  wanting  to  answer  the  first,  I  could  tell  enough  to  convince 
the  one  who  asked  the  question  that  it  is  well  worth  while.  If 
praises  are  due  to  the  missionary  priests  one  meets  in  Uganda,  how 
much  more  is  due  to  the  thousands  who  have  not  alone  listened  to  the 
Gospel  preached  to  them,  but  who  have  Imitated  the  Apostles  in  leaving 
all  things  in  order  to  follow  their  teacher  and  take  to  others  the  glad 
tidings  they  waited  for  so  long. 

We  are  here  only  two  years,  and  already  three  bands  of  young  Ba- 
ganda  women  taught  by  us  have  penetrated  to  wilds  we  dare  not  enter 
in  order  that  they  may — ^as  they  express  it — "  carry  the  words  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ  to  those  who  have  not  yet  heard  of  Him.'*  They 
are  doing  well  themselves  and  are  helping  others,  especially  little  chil- 
dren, whose  hearts  will  be  better  disposed  than  their  elders  to  welcome 
the  white  missionaries  of  whom  they  so  often  hear  from  the  black  mis- 
sionary girls  who  teach  them.  Was  it  worth  our  while  to  come  and 
prepare  these  intrepid  missionary  bands?  Yes.  Por  that  one  work 
we  would  travel  the  distance  again  and  repeat  the  leave-taking  from 
those  we  left  and  love. 

We  had  a  school  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  one  hundred 
and  fifty  pupils.    Last  Easter,  when  the  Cathedral  was  swept  away  by 


148    Supplement  to.  the  American  Editlon  of  the  Annals 

the  cyclone^  our  school  building  was  so  shaken  it  had  to  be  taken  down. 
A  generous  priest  of  New  York  City  sent  me  fifty  dollars.  With  that 
we  built  a  temporary  school  large  enough  for  two  hundred  and  fifty 
pupils,  and  now  there  are  as  many  more  attending  daily;  we  have 
classes  outside  the  school  building,  where  happy  little  pupils  sit  on  the 
ground   and   diligently  apply  themselves  to   their   appointed  tasks. 


Bishop  Hanlon  and  Missionaries. 
Mother  Paul  {on  the  right  of  the  Bishop)  and  Nuns. 

Their  perseverance  may  be  known  by  the  following:  I  saw  a  sister 
distributing  pieces  of  blue  paper — the  covers  of  old  copy  books — which 
the  little  ones  were  accepting  with  great  satisfaction.  The  sisters  told 
me  that  I  was  a  party  concerned  in  their  scheme,  as  they  had  promised 
a  rosary  to  each  child  who  returned  fifteen  pieces  of  paper  representing 
as  many  weeks  regular  attendance !  These  dear  little  Catholic  Baganda 
children  prize  a  rosary  above  anything  else  presented  to  them — ^unless 
it  be  a  crucifix. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    149 

We  had  difficulty  in  getting  siifficient  food  for  these  little  ones,  who 
have  come  from  distant  villages  to  receive  instruction  and  prepara- 
tion for  their  first  Holy  Communion.  Nearly  all  the  first  band  re- 
turned to  their  homes  before  they  had  been  here  a  month.  However, 
the  catechists  planted  sweet  potatoes  and  the  women  hoed  and  pruned 
for  better  results  from  the  banana  trees,  so  we  were  prepared  for  the 
next  band  of  little  guests  who  came  to  Nsambya.  About  that  time 
another  friend  sent  sixty  dollars,  with  which  I  ordered  from  London 
a  plough  and  harrow.  They  are  now  on  Lake  Victoria  Nyanza,  and 
soon  we  shall  be  able  to  put  them  to  good  use  and  produce  better  food 
for  our  little  ones. 


NSAMBTA. — Ck>MVENT  OF  THE  FRANCISCAN  SiSTEBS. 

With  another  donation,  we  are  to-day  commencing  to  build  a  hos- 
pital one  hundred  feet  long  by  twenty-eight  feet  wide,  of  native  sun- 
dried  bricks,  and  hope  to  complete  it  for  three  hundred  dollars.  I 
think  there  may  be  some  force  given  to  the  necessity  of  building  such 
a  hospital,  if  I  tell  you  that  the  donation  for  it  has  been  raised  and 
presented  by  the  Uganda  priests  themselves.  By  no  means  could  they 
donate  the  whole  sum — they  encouraged  us  to  start,  and  America  will 
be  sure  to  do  the  rest ! 

Every  morning  the  sick  come  in  numbers  to  receive  medicine  and 
treatment,  and  it  is  heartrending  to  send  them  back  to  their  villages 
when  we  know  that  many  might  be  cured  by  a  diet  of  milk  and  soup, 
which  they  have  no  means  of  providing  or  knowledge  of  preparing  for 
themselves.     Our  hospital  will  meet  such  needs,   although  for  the 


150    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

greater  numbers  aflBicted  with  sleeping  sickness  there  is  yet  no  cure 
known.  Colonel  Bruce,  to  whom  has  been  entrusted  the  duty  of  dis- 
covering the  cause — and,  if  possible,  the  cure — of  the  sleeping  sickness 
of  Uganda,  regrets  that  as  yet  there  is  no  abatement  of  the  disease. 
One  estimate  gives  the  death  rate  from  this  cause  at  eight  per  diem, 
and  it  is  probable  that  not  fewer  than  sixty  thousand  persons  have 
died  from  this  strange  disease  during  the  past  four  years.  The 
Fathers  visit  the  infected  districts  regularly  to  administer  the  Sacra- 
ments to  the  dying  Catholics  .and  to  give  Holy  Communion  to  those 


Mother  Paul's  Children  Cabbying  Sun -dried  Bricks. 


who  desire  it.  Isn't  it  all  "worth  while?''  I  did  not  realize  this 
myself  until  my  recent  visit  to  Nandi  country,  where,  at  present,  there 
are  no  missionaries. 

The  Nandi  men  are  warriors,  and  they  consider  it  degrading  to  en- 
gage in  anything  other  than  warfare.  They  have  been  so  successful 
in  their  raids  upon  neighboring  tribes  that  the  government  authori- 
ties find  it  difficult  to  prevent  the  Nandi  continuing  the  custom  in 
which  they  find  such  glory.  With  tribes  of  this  kind  it  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  deal.  Their  rejection  of  any  fonn  of  labor,  their  gross  super- 
stitions and  their  adherence  to  polygamy  make  a  strong  opposition  to 
missionary  efforts;  nor  are  they  at  present  prepared  for  the  presence 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    151 

of  strangers — white  strangers — in  their  country.  They  ran  in  fear 
from  Sister  and  me  and  drove  their  cattle  off  the  paths  as  if  they  might 
suffer  some  loss  by  passing  too  close  to  us.  Human  life  is  of  little 
value  in  Nandi  country,  for  the  poor  savages  have  yet  to  learn  that 
there  are  other  means  of  combating  or  treating  with  an  opponent  than 
by — as  they  call  it — "  blooding  their  spear.** 

Contrasting  the  Nandi  with  our  gentle  Baganda,  who  have  always 
shown  such  excellent  courage  in  throwing  away  their  superstitions 
and  generously  embracing  the  knowledge  and  the  practice  of  our  Holy 


Bishop  Hanlon  and  Some  of  His  Christians. 

Religion,  one  stands  in  awe  of  the  gift  of  faith  vouchsafed  to  the 
Baganda.  The  latter  will  work — even  the  little  children  are  glad  to 
carry  the  sun-dried  bricks  their  elders  make  to  build  church,  convent, 
school,  or  hospital  for  us.  This  is  not  easy  to  do  in  a  land  of  sun- 
shine and  song.  Nature  allures  one  to  enjoy  lazily  its  beauties  re- 
vealed to  eye  and  ear,  and  it  is  only  strong  love  in  the  hearts  of  our 
children  that  makes  them  labor  when  they  want  to  revel  in  the  ease 
about  them.  I  send  you  a  photograph  of  some  of  them  carrying 
bricks.  You  may  be  able  to  see  in  the  distance  the  tin  roofs  of  the 
houses  of  which  we  call  "the  city,"  viz.,  Kampala;  also  the  Protes- 
tant church  crowning  a  hill.     You  will  know  how  near  we  are  to  the 


152    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals. 

dangers  mentioned  under  the  heading,  "  Now  I  will  give  more  inter- 
est/' Just  a  little  more  interest — ^a  little  more  help  from  individuals 
at  home  would  make  such  a  difference  to  missionaries  abroad ! 

Tell  them,  Father,  how  much  we,  among  many  others,  need  such 
help.  A  little  goes  a  long  way  in  this  country,  and  we  are  just  begin- 
ning in  a  vast  field  where  thousands  of  women,  girls,  and  children 
have  only  us  to  show  them  *^  a  better  way,"  and  give  them  care  they 
never  knew  before. 

Give  our  heartfelt  thanks  to  those  who  have  forwarded  donations 
through  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  and  exhort 
others  to  remember  the  mission  of  Nsambya.     With  warmest  thanks 
to  you  for  your  personal  help,  believe  me,  dear  Beverend  Father, 
Your  servant  in  Christ, 

Mother  M.  Paul,  0.  S.  F. 

NEED  OF  NATIVECATECHISTS  AND  NURSES  IN  JAPAN 


A  New  York  gentleman  interested  in  the  Catholic  missions  in  Japan 
having  requested  us  to  obtain  information  as  to  the  cost  of  maintaining 
catechists  and  dispensaries  in  that  country,  we  wrote  to  Father  Sauret, 
who  has  been  doing  missionary  work  in  the  diocese  of  Nagasaki  for  many 
years.  We  think  that  his  answer  will  be  of  interest  to  our  readers,  be- 
cause besides  the  many  practical  details  it  contains,  it  shows  the  absolute 
necessity  of  native  catechists  for  the  conversion  of  Japanese  pagans,  until 
a  native  clergy  will  have  been  provided,  which  is  not  to  be  expected  for 
many  years  owing  to  the  lack  of  resources.  In  the  second  part  of  his 
letter,  Fr.  Sauret  emphasizes  the  oft-repeated  assertion  that  charity  to  the 
body  is  often  the  surest  way  to  the  soul. 

Letter  of  Father  Sauret,  P.  F.  M., 

To  TitE  Rev.  J.  Freri, 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith, 

KuRUME,  Japan,  February  28,  1905. 
Rev,  and  Dear  Father: 

I  am  only  too  glad  to  answer  your  welcome  questions.  You  ask  me 
the  cost  of  maintaining  a  catechist  in  Japan?  I  cannot,  of  course, 
vouch  for  my  figures  to  apply  to  all  parts  of  the  empire,  but  in  the 
diocese  of  Nagasaki  it  costs  about  15  yen  ($7.50)  a  month  to  support 
a  man  catechist,  who  must  be  married  and  may  have  a  child  or  two. 
This  does  not  even  include  the  house  rent,  costing  from  3  to  5  yens  a 
month.  Some  missions  are  able  to  provide  lodging  for  their  cate- 
chists; here  I  have  rooms  for  two.     Of  course,  we  could  secure  the 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    153 

services  of  unmarried  young  men  for  less  money,  but  they  would  not 
inspire  any  confidence. 

The  cost  of  living  increasing  every  year,  and  more  so  since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  war,  most  of  our  missionaries  have  dispensed  with 
catechists,  waiting  for  better  times  to  enlist  anew  their  services.  This 
means  an  absolute  standstill  in  our  missionary  labors,  properly  speak- 
ing, as  it  is  impossible  for  us  Europeans  to  do  any  direct  work  among 
the  pagan  element  of  the  population.  To  reach  it  we  need  the  cate- 
chist  as  an  intermediary,  the  very  fact  that  we  are  foreigners  is 
an  insuperable  obstacle  to  our  being  admitted  in  a  pagan  family,  much 
less  gaining  its  confidence. 


KUBUMK. — ^BilSSION    HOUBK. 


This  shows  the  necessity  in  a  country  like  this  of  a  native  clergy,  for 
of  course  a  native  priest  will  do  far  more  effective  work  than  a  cate- 
chist,  though  I  confess  that  among  the  poor  a  catechist  will  find  an 
easier  access  than  a  priest  would;  here  as  elsewhere  the  poor  are  the 
ones  who  open  more  readily  their  souls  to  the  light  of  the  Qospel.  Fif- 
teen years  ago  a  seminary  was  opened  at  Nagasaki  and  the  training  of 
young  men  for  the  priesthood  begun  and  carried  on  successfully,  since 
in  this  diocese  alone  we  have  27  native  priests.  I  regret  to  say  that 
owing  to  lack  of  resources  the  Seminary  of  Nagasaki,  which  at  one 
time  counted  as  many  as  50  students,  is  closing  its  doors,  and  our 
bishop  is  even  compelled  to  refuse  new  missionaries,  being  unable  to 
support  them.     AH  he  can  do  at  present  is  to  fill  up  the  vacancies 


154    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

caused  by  death.  Let  us  hope  that  charitable  souls  will  help  us  to  con- 
vert this  brave  and  intelligent  people  before  Protestantism  has  gotten 
hold  of  it. 

The  diocese  of  Nagasaki  is  rather  behind  in  regard  to  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  pagans;  this  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  old  Christians  of 
St.  Francis  Xavier,  discovered  by  Bishop  Petitjean  in  1865,  are  all  in 
this  part  of  the  country.  For  many  years  the  missionaries  had  all 
they  could  do  to  minister  to  those  Christians,  who  numbered  several 
thousands.  Although  they  had  kept  the  faith,  they  were  very  igno- 
rant and  had  to  be  instructed  and  trained  in  the  practices  of  religion. 


Japanese  Chbistian  Women. 

I  was  the  first  one  to  attack  the  pagans,  and  not  without  some  suc- 
cess. I  formed  a  catechist  to  clear  up  the  ground  for  me,  and  that  man 
has  brought  to  the  faith  a  number  of  pagans.  Four  years  ago  he  left 
me  to  go  and  make  a  little  money  to  marry  his  daughter.  He  succeeded 
and  she  married  a  policeman,  who  later  on  received  baptism  and  is 
now  an  excellent  Christian.  Having  no  other  family  care,  and  being 
old,  my  catechist  came  back  to  me  last  year  and  took  up  his  work 
anew.  I  pay  him  only  12  yens  ($6.00)  a  month,  and  later  on  he  will 
probably  be  able  to  live  on  ten  yens.  He  is  thoroughly  devoted  to.  his 
work,  and  as  he  knows  everybody  in  Kurume  and  has  always  enjoyed 
an  excellent  reputation,  he  is  an  ideal  helper.  His  theological  learn- 
ing is  not,  perhaps,  very  deep,  but  one  cannot  be  perfect. 

I  employ  also  as  catechist  a  woman  who  has  been  working  23  years 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    155 

for  the  Nagasaki  mission,  15  of  which  were  spent  in  Kurume.  She  is 
extremely  skillful  and  well  and  favorably  known.  Besides  bringing 
many  adults  to  the  true  fold  she  has  opened  the  gates  of  heaven  to 
numberless  children.  In  one  year  she  baptized  212  pagan  children  in 
danger  of  death.  Unfortunately,  that  good  woman  is  now  suflfering 
from  the  beri-beri;  her  limbs  are  half  paralyzed  and  she  walks  with 
great  difficulty.  To  send  her  home  after  so  many  years  of  excellent 
services  would  be  cruel,  so  we  are  taking  care  of  her  at  the  mission. 
The  best  cure  for  beri-beri  is  good  and  substantial  food,  meat  and 
bread,  which  are  expensive  in  Japan ;  rice  and  fish,  the  ordinary  fare 
of  the  Japanese,  must  be  put  aside.  This  is  how  Japanese  physicians 
treat  beri-beri,  and  it  is  the  only  effective  remedy.  We  still  hope  that 
our  good  catechist  will  recover  her  health,  but  it  may  take  a  long  time. 

A  woman  catechist  costs  less  than  a  man,  not  a  great  deal,  however, 
for  here,  as  elsewhere,  appearances  are  important  and, she  must  be 
well  dressed  in  order  to  be  admitted  into  good  society.  Ten.  or  twelve 
yens  a  month  ($6  or  $6)  will  generally  support  her. 

So  much  for  an  answer  to  your  first  question. 


You  ask  me,  in  the  second  place,  what  would  be  the  cost  of  keeping 
up  a  dispensary?  In  China  much  can  be  done  with  little.  Here  we 
are  in  a  civilized  country,  where  everything  costs.  Moreover,  the 
pagan  Japanese  value  only  outside  show  and  have  no  regard  for  Chris- 
tian humility. 

However,  a  well-equipped  dispensary  with  a  sufficient  personnel  and 
Sisters  as  nurses  would  cost  little  to  support.  The  rich  Japanese 
would  be  delighted  to  be  cared  for  by  the  foreign  Sisters,  let  the  cost 
be  what  it  may,  and  would  give  enough  to  provide  for  the  poor.  For 
all  that,  it  would  require  an  establishment  which  I  consider  an  impos- 
sibility for  the  present.    Let  us  not  speak  of  it. 

The  practical  question  is  a  dispensary  for  only  the  poor  and  those 
who  have  some  money  to  pay  the  cost  of  medicines.  A  Japanese  doctor 
would  be  necessary;  his  terms  would  be  about  seven  or  eight  dollars 
a  month  for  two  or  three  hours'  service  a  day,  or  from  15  to  20  dollars 
if  he  would  give  his  whole  time  to  the  dispensary.  The  cost  of  the 
medicines  could  be  collected,  and  the  nuns  could  get  their  support  from 
an  industrial  school  which  they  intend  to  establish. 

But  if  we  want  a  dispensary  to  do  some  good  to  the  soul,  we  must 
also  employ  Catholic  Japanese  nurses.  They  are  indispensable  and 
would  alone  be  able  to  make  conversions.     Sisters  might  have  direc- 


156    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

tion  of  the  institution,  but  they  could  do  no  effective  work  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  pagans.  Their  habit  and  their  nationality  would 
always  stand  in  their  way.     The  Japanese  keep  strangers  at  a  distance. 


European  Nun  and  Japanese  Nubses. 

In  their  heart  of  hearts  they  despise  them  more  or  less,  though  ex- 
teriorly they  preserve  a  respectful  silence.  There  is  no  possible  inti- 
mate association  under  such  conditions  and,  consequently,  the  heart 
is  not  won  over  and  it  is  difficult  to  effect  a  sincere  conversion.  In 
dispensaries  and  in  hospitals  a  Japanese  woman  could  do  a  great  deal  of 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    157 

good.  A  sick  man  or  woman  would  speak  to  her  with  sincerity  and 
would  not  hesitate  to  ask  her  about  the  character,  life,  and  religion  of 
the  foreigners  at  the  head  of  the  dispensary.  Prom  admiration  it  will 
be  easy  for  them  to  pass  to  imitation.  The  patients  would  not  dare 
to  ask  similar  questions  of  the  Sisters;  and,  even  if  they  did,  they 
would  not  pay  much  heed  to  the  answers;  in  their  opinion,  all  for- 
eigners must  have  a  motive  of  human  interest  for  coming  to  Japan 
and  it  must  be  to  their  advantage  to  keep  it  concealed.  With  such  a 
feeling  of  distrust,  no  mutual  confidence  can  be  established.  After 
they  are  once  converted,  the  men  will  speak  frankly  to  me  of  their 
dispositions  before  baptism.  Nurses,  therefore,  Will  not  only  do  good 
at  the  dispensaries,  but  they  will  dispose  men  to  study  the  Christian 
doctrines  by  visiting  them  in  their  homes.  The  sick  will  come  to  the 
dispensary,  from  time  to  .time,  to  get  the  necessary  medicines,  and  so 
he  will  become  acquainted  with  the  infirmarian.  She  can  then,  call 
upon  him;  conversation  will  drift  more  or  less  upon  the  subje^^t  of 
religion.  Moreover,  if  a  child  is  dying  in  the  neighborhood,  it  cdn  be 
baptized  unknown  to  the  parents.  My  woman  catechist  baptizes  a  Aum- 
ber  of  pagan  children  every  year  in  this  way.  Every  one  knowslthat 
she  is  in  my  employ,  sjxd  as  I  have  the  reputation  of  being  a  good 
medical  doctor,  the  people  imagine  that,  by  being  associated  with  me, 
she  has  learned  to  take  care  of  the  sick.  She  can  present  herself  any- 
where where  there  are  sick  children.  As  she  has  a  weakness  for  find- 
ing fever,  and  always  discovers  microbes  in  a  dirty  skin,  she,  of  course, 
needs  water  to  lower  the  temperature  or  bathe  the  parts  affected  by 
microbes.  Whilst  the  pagans  admire  so  much  scientific  knowledge  in 
a  Japanese  woman,  she  profits  by  the  occasion  to  administer  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Baptism,  making  use  of  the  Latin  formula.  The  unknown 
language  sounds  rather  strange  to  pagan  ears ;  they  imagine  her  words 
to  be  some  kind  of  incantation  to  add  eflBcacy  to  the  remedies.  The 
people  never  raise  any  objection  to  any  such  proceeding.  They  be- 
lieve that,  in  Christianity  as  in  Buddhism,  certain  formulas  add  force 
to  the  medicines.  Besides,  there  are  many  patent  medicines  in  Japan ; 
every  one  uses  them  without  consulting  a  physician.  Any  nurse  hav- 
ing some  to  distribute  is  always  welcomed  by  a  patient  who  cannot 
afford  to  buy  any  himself.  A  few  pellets  given  to  a  child  for  nothing 
usually  gains  the  good  will  of  its  parents.  Moreover,  the  spirit  of 
religion  is  fast  disappearing  in  Japan ;  the  question  of  temporal  inter- 
ests is  attracting  the  people  more  and  more.  This  is  a  misfortune 
for  such  a  country;  but  religious  indifference  taking  the  place  of 
hatred  of  Christianity  makes  it  easier  for  us  to  have  access  to  the 
children. 


158    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

If  we  could  found  a  Catholic  hospital,  I  am  sure  that  we  could  do 
much  good,  and  the  Japanese  would  pay  the  expenses  of  maintaining 
it.     The  Japanese  are  very  proud  of  their  victories  over  the  Eussians. 


Japanese  Catechists. 


They  are  confirmed  in  the  belief  of  their  superiority  over  the  people 
of  the  west.  To  be  cared  for  by  instructed  European  women  would 
be  the  nee  plus  ultra  of  rich  men  who  have  money  to  spend  and  are 
anxious  to  profit  by  the  best  treatment  for  a  certain  length  of  time. 
Japanese  hospitals  are  very  well  provided  with  medicines  and  surgical 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    159 

appurtenances,  but  the  food  is  not  nutritious.  The  doctors  often 
prescribe  European  diet  for  their  patients,  but  no  one  knows  how  to 
prepare  it. 

The  difficulty  presents  itself  anew  how  to  arrange  an  establishment 
for  this  people.  The  Japanese  have  very  strict  regulations  of  hygiene 
to  be  observed  in  their  hospitals.  The  building  must  be  of  brick  or  of 
stone,  with  plastered  trellises;  above  all  things  there  must  be  the  re- 
quired extent  of  roofing.  I  do  not  think  I  shall  be  able  to  assume  the 
responsibility  of  such  an  undertaking.  Moreover,  it  would  be  desir- 
able that  the  institution  should  be  self-supporting  and  not  be  com- 
pelled to  make  constant  appeals  to  public  benefactions. 

With  educated  and  rich  men  at  the  hospital,  it  would  be  easy  to  dis- 
pose them  to  hear  the  explanation  of  our  holy  religion.  Even  if  they 
were  not  converted,  they  would  allow  the  poor  in  their  neighborhood 
to  follow  their  hearts^  desire,  even  encouraging  them  to  be  converted. 
It  is,  at  present,  admitted  that  religion  is  necessary  for  the  lower 
classes.  The  educated  may  have  other  principles.  They  are  difficult 
to  convert  and  pride  is  the  main  obstacle.  Indirectly,  nevertheless, 
they  can  be  of  great  service  to  us  by  granting  the  same  privileges  to 
Christianity  that  are  allowed  to  Buddhism  and  by  not  opposing  the 
conversion  of  the  masses.  The  Eussians  have  made  the  present  war  a 
crusade  against  paganism;  and  as,  up  to  date,  at  least,  they  are  the 
ones  to  lose,  the  bonzes  are  profiting  by  the  opportunity  to  show  the 
people  the  futility  of  the  efforts  of  Christianity.  It  will  take  some 
time  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  rural  population. 

Hoping  that  the  increasing  interest  of  American  Catholics  in  the 
work  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  will  soon  enable  us  to  obtain  the 
help  of  catechists  and  nurses  for  our  missionary  labors,  and  assuring 
you  of  my  sincere  gratitude  for  the  many  favors  already  received,  espe- 
cially those  of  my  unknown  friend,  I  remain. 
Faithfully  yours  in  Christ, 

M.  Sauret,  Mis.  Ap. 

AN  APPEAL  FOR  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES  IN  CHINA 


A  Sister  of  Charity  who  has  spent  the  best  years  of  her  life  in  China, 
and  whose  letters  have  Just  been  published  in  pamphlet  form  by  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  mentions  repeatedly  the  need  of 
English-speaking  priests  in  China.  That  need  will  be  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  American  Catholics  still  more  vividly  in  the  following  letter  of  an 
American  priest  who  is  doing  missionary  work  in  Ning-Po. 


160    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

Letter  of  Father  Fraser 
To  THE  Eev  John  J.  Dunn, 

New  York  Diocesan  Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 

the  Faith. 
Catholic  Mission,  Ning-po  (Che  Kiang),  China, 

February  22,  1906. 
Rev.  Dear  Father: 

In  reading  over  the  page  on  "The  Propagation  of  the  Faith"  in 
the  Catholic  News,  I  was  very  glad  to  see  that  you  are  endeavoring  to 
excite  the  zeal  of  American  Catholics  to  a  more  generous  contribution 
towards  the  spread  of  the  faith  in  heathen  lands. 

It  is  heartrending  to  see  on  the  one  hand  how  many  Protestant  min- 
isters come  to  China  from  America  to  spread  their  heresies,  and,  on 
the  other,  how  few  Catholic  missionaries  to  spread  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Indeed,  the  Protestant  missionaries  coming  from  America 
and  England  are  so  numerous  that  the  English-speaking  people  are 
put  down  by  the  Chinese  as  being  one  and  all  Protestants.  This  is  all 
the  more  lamentable  as  at  present  the  English-speaking  people  exer- 
cise a  great  influence  over  the  Chinese  on  account  of  their  overwhelm- 
ing majority  here  in  China,  their  commerce  and  wealth.  In  fact,  the 
greatest  attraction  now  for  a  Chinaman  is  to  study  English,  and  in 
order  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  our  language  he  often  spends  what  to 
him  are  enormous  sums  of  money.  "America,'*  it  is  said,  "  is  a  world 
power.''  That  is  true,  and  all  must  admit  it.  But  for  the  poor  Chi- 
nese, who,  by  the  way,  form  no  small  portion  of  the  human  race,  up 
till  now  America  has  made  her  power  in  matters  of  religion  felt  only  by 
sending  hordes  of  Protestant  missionaries.  There  are  seven  Protestant 
sects  in  Ning-po  alone;  among  them  a  China- American  sect  founded  a 
few  years  ago,  which  has  already  150  stations. 

China  is  full  of  American  ministers  working  away  at  the  poor 
Chinese,  imposing  upon  them  a  more  dastardly  yoke  than  that  of 
paganism  from  which  they  pretend  to  redeem  them,  and  besides,  what 
is  most  galling  to  us  Catholic  missionaries,  they  receive  millions  of 
dollars  from  America  and  thus  by  means  of  money  thwart  us  in  every 
way  they  can,  and  do  an  immense  harm  to  the  Catholic  Church.  Catho- 
lics in  America  should  do  all  in  their  power  to  prevent  these  contribu- 
tions. "  Money  makes  the  mare  go,"  and  this  saying  was  never  more 
true  than  when  applied  to  the  Protestant  church  in  China.  Let  the 
flow  of  American  gold  into  all  parts  of  this  heathen  land  be  stopped 
and  you  will  see  sapped  at  its  root  all  Protestant  missionary  enterprise. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    161 

Oh,  if  I  could  only  impress  on  American  Catholics  this  truth,  which 
to  us  is  as  clear  as  the  light  of  day  I  Here  is  a  work  you  can  do  even 
remaining  in  America.  Help  us !  do  help  us  I  If  you  do  not  wish  to 
come  to  China  and  spend  your  life  in  converting  the  pagans,  you  can 
at  least  help  us  in  America  by  destroying  the  work  of  Satan  at  its  roots, 
I  mean  by  preventing  in  some  way  or  other  the  unspeakable  iniquity, 
the  unheard-of  injustice  of  sending  hundreds  of  ministers  and  millions 


KiANChSi. — Bishop  Coqset  and  Native  Priests. 


of  dollars  for  the  spreading  of  Protestant  errors.  Cry  out  against  this 
violence  of  truth,  this  confusion  of  principles.  Just  think  of  it  for  a 
moment :  the  Catholics  of  America  look  on  calmly  without  making  an 
eflfori;  at  resistance,  whilst  the  Protestants,  on  the  contrary,  are  ravaging 
with  all  their  might  this  vast  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  I  wish  some 
scheme  could  be  devised  to  lessen  the  contributions  towards  Protestant 
propaganda.  I  am  sure  American  Protestants  would  not  be  so  eager 
to  give  alms  (?)  to  their  missionaries  (?)  if  they  only  knew  how 
half  the  money  went. 


162    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

But  America  must  not  stop  at  this  negative  propagation  of  the 
faith.  She  must  make  amends  for  the  past  by  sending  a  host  of 
zealous  missionaries  to  China  and  must  support  them  generously. 
Oh  I  if  America  would  only  send  us  priests  animated  with  the  same 
zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls  as  animate  those  who  are  now  giving 
missions  to  non-Catholics.  We  have  a  peculiar  need  of  them  at  pres- 
ent on  account  of  China  being  deluged  with  Protestantism.  Strange 
as  it  may  seem,  wherever  we  go  we  must  begin  our  evangelization  by 
proclaiming  the  falsehood  of  "  the  Church  of  Jesus/'  the  name  which 
Protestants  have  impiously  assumed  to  themselves.  Who  are  more 
qualified  for  this  work  than  American  priests,  who  have  lived  with 
Protestants  from  their  childhood  and  know  all  their  tricks  and 
sophisms.  What  more  efficacious  means  of  blotting  out  the  infamous 
slander  spread  abroad  by  the  Protestants  that  all  English-speaking 
people  are  Protestants  than  a  band  of  American  priests  ? 

Yes,  dear  brother  priests  and  ecclesiastical  students  of  America, 
you  have  a  work  to  do  in  China,  which  you  alone  can  do.  Do  not 
stop  at  the  selfish  thought  that  there  is  too  much  to  be  done  in  Asia 
Minor — when  St.  Paul  left  it  to  go  to  Macedonia.  "And  a  vision 
was  showed  Paul  in  the  night,  which  was  a  man  of  Macedonia  stand- 
ing and  beseeching  him,  and  saying,  *  Pass  over  into  Macedonia,  and 
help  us.'  And  as  soon  as  he  had  seen  the  vision,  immediately  we 
sought  to  go  into  Macedonia,  being  assured  that  God  had  called  us  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  them.''  Would  that  the  noble  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  were,  as  it  were,  a  vision  for  many  young 
American  apostles,  who,  breaking  the  ties  of  kindred  and  fatherland, 
would  come  into  this  vast  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  by  a  life  of  zealous 
toil  deliver  many  a  soul  from  his  awful  clutches. 

The  Chinese  are  not  as  bad  as  they  are  pictured.  The  most  of  them 
are  good,  simple  people  and  easily  converted  to  the  faith.  An  Ameri- 
can priest  leaving  the  conversion  of  heretics  for  that  of  pagans  loses 
nothing  in  the  way  of  merit  before  God,  as  he  can  convert  a  hundred 
Chinese  pagans  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  convert  one  Protestant; 
then,  besides,  look  at  the  countless  number  of  infants  to  whom  he 
can  give  eternal  bliss  by  baptizing  them  or  getting  others  to  do  so  at 
the  hour  of  death.  Come,  then,  American  Catholic  missionaries,  and 
help  us  to  gather  in  the  harvest.  Pray  for  us,  dear  Father,  and  beg 
the  prayers  of  the  Associates  for  the  success  of  our  mission.  I  shall 
be  very  glad  to  write  you  and  give  you  any  details  you  require  with 
regard  to  China,  and  consult  with  you  the  means  to  stop  the  Protes* 
tant  propaganda  and  increase  the  Catholic,     I  have,  I  think,  a  claim 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    163 

on  your  attention,  having  come  myself  from  America.  I  was  invited 
by  our  good  Bishop  Eeynaud,  and  like  the  mission  very  well.  Our 
province  is  entrusted  to  the  Lazarist  Fathers,  but  secular  priests,  as 
myself,  can  also  come. 

Hoping  we  will  have  many  zealous  applicants  to  come  and  help  us 
convert  the  twenty  million  pagans  of  our  province,  I  remain. 
Yours  faithfuly  in  Jesus  and  Mary, 

J.  M.  Frasbr,  Missionary. 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Received  Since  the  April  Number. 


Fob  Bishop  Kiblby,  Savannah. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) |     6.00 

Fob  Bishop  Haid,  O.  S.  B.,  Nobth  Carolina. 

Y.  L.  Sodality,  Holy  Family  Church  (Diocese  of  Chicago) 25.00 

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Fob  Bishop  Chatbon,  P.  F.  M.,  Osaka. 

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Fob  Bishop  Codppb,  M.  S.  C,  New  Pombrania. 

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A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Pittsburg) .* 3.00 

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Miss  Alice  T.  Terrett  (Diocese  of  Richmond) 2.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) : 78.00 

A  Priest    (Diocese  of  St.  Cloud) 6.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Albany) 1.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  St.  Cloud) 1.00 

St.  Patrick's  Sunday  School  Children,  Cannonsburg,  Pa 5.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  St.  Louis) 1.00 

A  Priest   (Diocese  of  Pittsburgh) 3.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Louisville) 10.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 1.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Tionods,  P.  F.  M.,  Coimbatore. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 7.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 2.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Fbrrand,  P.  F.  M. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 63.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Tbbstappen^  B.  F.  M.,  Mongolia. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 7.00 

For  Father  Dupin,  P.  F.  M.,  Ton o kino. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 12.00 

For  Father  Grosjban,  P.  F.  M.,  for  Leper  Mission. 

Per  Rey.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 60.00 

For  Father  Db  Rongb,  S.  J.,  Nesquallt. 

Y.  L.  Sodality,  Holy  Family  Church  (Diocese  of  Chicago) 25.00 

For  Father  Sacrbt,  P.  F.  M.,  .Japan. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 60.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York) 10.00 

For  Father  Mater,  Natal. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

For  Mother  Paul,  O.  S.  F.,  Uganda. 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 27.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 5.00 

For  Missions  Among  Indians  and  Negroes. 
Legacy  of  Mrs.  A.  C.  Nuss, 
Per  Very  Rev.  J.  F.  Schoenhoeft  (Diocese  of  Cincinnati) 300.00 

For  Armenian  Orphans. 

Mr.  J.  Rebmann  (Diocese  of  Green  Bay) 5.00 

Miss  Nellie  McGraw  (Diocese  of  Albany) 6.00 

Mr.  J.  C.  Culklns  (Diocese  of  Detroit) 1.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 28.00 

For  the  Redemption  of  African  Children. 

A  Priest   (Diocese  of  Syracuse) •. »  25.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 50 

For  the  Gotbmba  Leper  Asylum,  Japan. 

Per  Rev.  J.  A.  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 5.00 

For  PiiAOUB  Stricken  Christians  in  India. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York) lO.OO 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the 
donors  for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards 
the  same  at  once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

164 


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OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 

prayers  of  our  Associates: 

Most  Rev.  Mgr.  Piavi,  0.  S.  F.,  Latin  'Patriarch  of  Jerusalem, 

Right  Rev.  A.  Favier,  A'ic.  Ap.,  Bishop  of  Pekin, 

Right  Rev.  Mgr.  Savelli  Spinola,  Secretary  of  the  S,  C,  of 

Propaganda, 

Very  Rev.  Canon  Ardant,  Director  of  the  S.  P.  F.,  Diocese  of 

Limoges.    Rev.  Patrick  J.  Clancy,  Diocese  of  New  York,    Rev. 

L.  G.  O'Reilly,  Diocese  of  Syracuse, 

Mr.  C.  Cottin,  Member  of  the  Central  Council  of  the  Society  for 

the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  Diocese  of  Lijons, 

Miss  Bridget  Mullin,  Diocese  of  Milwaukee. .  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Bates, 
Diocese  of  Chicago.  Mrs.  Hillegass,  Diocese  of  San  Francisco.  Miss  Mary 
Boylan,  Diocese  of  Newark.  Mr.  Jas.  Gough  and  Mrs.  Mary  Gough,  Diocese 
of  Philadelphia.  Mrs.  M.  Merritty,  Diocese  of  Milwaukee.  Mr.  Wm. 
GafCney,  Mr.  P.  Conway,  Diocese  of  Montreal. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Cincinnati  the  following:  L.  F.  Bouscaren,  Helen  L. 
Bouscaren,  M.  S.  Lincoln,  T.  D.  Lincoln. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Mrs.  Elizabeth  W.  Brainard, 
Vincent  Kelly,  James  Sullivan,  Patrick  Burke,  Luke  Quinn,  Bernard  Lynch, 
Stephen  Eagan,  Dennis  Leahy,  Ellen  Goss,  Catherine  Hand,  Herbert  Carty, 
Alfred  Demers,  Thos.  McAleer,  Margaret  Murphy,  Mrs.  M.  Leahy,  Lucy 
Murtaugh,  Mary  Mullaney,  Mrs.  Jas.  Walsh,  George  Boardman,  Bridget 
McManus,  Mary  McManus,  Mrs.  Chas.  Heinleen,  Alex.  Schallen,  William 
Slavin,  Ellen  Loftus,  Mrs.  E.  C.  Anderson,  Mrs.  Agnes  Judge,  Delia  McCros- 
san,  Daniel  Creedon,  Howard  Russell,  John  F.  Cotter,  Timothy  Foley, 
Agnes  Radigan,  Elizabeth  McCarthy,  Patrick  Walsh,  Mrs.  Mary  Honney, 
Margaret  Russell,  Ellen  Loftus,  Margaret  McAleer,  John  McCotter,  Emily 
Read,  Mrs.  Margaret  Kennedy,  Catherine  Connor,  Mrs.  M.  Sheehan,  Mrs. 
P.  Morrison,  Patrick  McManus,  James  Keating,  Martin  Boland,  Thos.  Cough- 
lin,  Michael  Boland,  Margaret  Murphy,  ICate  Howes,  William  Holland, 
Bridget  Hastings,  Mrs.  McCawley,  Mary  Murphy,  Bridget  Larkin,  James 
Eagan,  Catherine  Daly,  John  L.  Doyle,  Mrs.  Mary  Duffy,  Mrs.  Mary  Ellis, 
Charles  Canney,  John  McAleer,  Mrs.  Hannah  Horrocks,  John  Dooley,  Cath- 
erine Cunningham,  Henry  Moore,  Ann  ConuDr,  Julia  Carr,  Mrs.  M.  Madden, 

165 


166  Obituary 

John  McManus,  Mary  Keating,  Frank  King,  Felix  Nolan,  Julia  Boland, 
James  Burke,  Mrs.  E.  Brainard,  Mrs.  A.  Brine,  Mary  O'Loughlin,  Richard 
Healy,  Mrs.  Slamin.  Mrs.  A.  Conlin,  Michael  Gillen,  Mrs.  Cath.  O'Conell, 
Mrs.  P.  Langbois,  John  O'Brien,  Mary  Ryan,  Bridget  Haley,  Mr.  Curley, 
Dennis  Hurley,  Mrs.  J.  Myers,  John  Conlin,  Mrs.  Sarah  Gillen,  Chas. 
O'Connell,  John  Nolan,  William  O'Brien,  John  P.  Flood,  Anna  Maloney, 
Joseph  Healy,  Edward  Slamin,  James  Gately,  Mrs.  A.  Conlin,  Mrs.  Mar- 
cella  Mullen,  Paul  Langbois,  Mathew  Kileen,  Mrs.  M.  Ryan,  Dr.  J.  P. 
Kelly 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Mrs.  Margaret  Foley,  Mrs. 
Mamie  Fox,  Mrs.  Helinski,  Mrs.  Agnes  Pollard,  Mr.  Joseph  McCormick,  Mr. 
Rinn,  Patrick  Aheam,  Mrs.  Caridad  Arteara,  Mrs.  Mary  Gaffney,  Patrick 
Toohey,  Malachy  Ulolea,  Charles  Kircher,  Miss  Magdelen  Schivbuis,  Fran- 
cis X.  Horgan,  Mrs.  Ellen  Ott,  Miss  Mary  Ward,  Hugh  O'Reilly,  William 
Gaynor,  Elizabeth  Cahill,  Leo  Gallagher,  Bridget  Monaghan,  James  Roarty, 
Mary  Blake,  Mary  Kenny,  Edward  O'Reilly,  Mr.  William  Collins,  Mr.  J. 
Maloney,  Dr.  Brennerman,  Mr.  Patrick  Walsh,  Mr.  Daniel  Dugan,  Rose 
Beaty,  Edward  J.  Mulligan,  Miss  Margaret  Roon,  Mr.  Owen  Reynolds, 
Phillip  Ahearn,  Patrick  McAdams,  Robert  Connolly,  Arthur  J.  Lewis,  John 
Joyce,  Mary  Ross,  John  Murtagh,  Elizabeth  Gaynor,  Stephen  Herbert, 
Emma  Harris,  John  Dean,  John  Lynch,  Mary  Dunn,  Thomaa  O'Hare, 
Timothy  Clarke. 


(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates  whose 
names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 


^CH  HISTORY 

FOR  7IJi  TO  9lh  Y&Ui  OF  SCHOOL 
BY 

REV.  J.  H.  OECHTERmC 

9bort  HUtary  Cat4K^b1sru  In  Etmng  ouUUiiiH, 
'with  detftlli  brlellj  but  Tlrlillj  driwn 


*  Tike  auiliorof  th«  pre8«nt  volume  hna  Had  It^njr 
l^erlenoeaa  a  |wai4)r  ami  t««elier,  ind  Lt  li  {^onfl- 
titl^  bellm^ed  that  Iq  pybtl^bltiir  iKli  work  lie 
iidersa£«tialDe  serrice  to  our  BcttoolK.'' 


rourth  Edition,    Clolh.    ia« 
20  cl«.  itholi«il« 


B.  HERDER 


PUBUCATIONS 


OFTxe 


SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAaATION 
OP  THE  FAITH. 


The  Satiety  for  the  Profagafwn  0/  Hi** 
Faith  and  ihi  Caihotic  Afissiom^  iS^^ 
i^oa    Posipaid,  10  ccius. 

Bishop  F(m*f'i  Diary  0/  ih^  Siege  <ff 
Pekin,  May' August,  ipoo.  Postpaid,  10 
cents. 

Origin  and  Causes  ^f  the  Chinfst  Crisis, 
By  Rev,  J.  Fmeii,  DX.U  Po»tiiaid«  $ 
cents. 

The  Propaganda.  (A  Sketch.)  By  Riv. 
J-  Feeri,  D*CL,    Foitpmtl*  10  ceiils. 

The  Catholk  Ftftetgn  Missi/>n  Fktd.  Two 
l^aptfs  by  the  Rcts.  J.  F%Msa  and  J  AS.  A. 
Walsh.     Postpaid,  5  ccatH. 

ADDRESS  : 

Societi  for  tliG  PropaEatiCB  of  Uig  Faitli, 

627  L£Xtl443TOM  AV£.,  N£W  YORKf  H*  V. 


PROMOTERS'  CARDS  AND  MERIBERSHIP  CERTIFICATES, 
:OPIES  OF  THE  *^  ANNALS  OF  THE  PROPAGATION  OF 
fHE  F AJTH,^  MTTE  BOXES  WHEREWITH  TO  COLLECT 
)FFERINGS  FOR  THE  MISSIONS,  AND  ALL  INFORMA^ 
nON  CONCERNING  THE  CATHOUC  MISSIONS  AND 
rHE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FATnj 
flAY  BE  OBTAINED       J^       ^^>^j»t^^ 

V  PERSONS  LIVING  IN  THE  DIOCESE  OF  NEW  YORK.  FROM: 

The  REV.  J.  J.  DUNN, 

462  Madisort  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK,  N,  Y. 

;Y  PERSONS  LIVING  TN  THE  DIOCESE  DP  BOSTON,  FROM  1 

The  HEV.  JAMES  A.  WALSH, 

76  Union  Park  Street, 

BOSTON    MASS. 
(Y  PERSONS  trVING  IN  OTHER  DIOCESES,  FROM : 

The  Diocesan  Director  of  the  Society  where  It  Is  establlshect,  or 
The  REV,  JOSEPH  FRERI, 
(Central  Direction)  027  Lexington  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y* 

Please  mention  **  Antiala "  when  writing  to  advertisers. 


CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 


There  are  in  the  wor14  &bdut  ISOO  mtlUom  of  htsman 
beings. 

Do  you  know  how  maoy  of  that  number  have  received 
the  Christian  faith? 

A  little  over  4OD  miUioni. 

And  only  half  of  these  are  Catholics,  the  otheri  are 
Schismatics  or  Protestants. 

So  that  1900  ye&f  s  after  the  death  of  Jestis  on  the  Cross 
there  are  over  1000  millions  of  men  and  women  who  do 
not  share  the  fruits  of  His  Redemption,  who  may  never 
have  heard  of  Him  I 

And  why? 

Because  no  one  as  yet  has  br might  them  the  good  tid> 
lags  that  a  Saviour  was  born  to  them  I 

You»  who  enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  true  religion,  will 
you  not  make  a  little  sacrifice  to  procure  those  blessings 
to  your  heathen  or  inBdel  brothers? 

Will  you  not  give  an  offering  of  prayers  and  alms  to  the 
Catholic  missionaries  who  are  working  in  the  foreign  mis* 
sion  field  7 

You  may  have  heard  of  Protestant  misrionaries  &nd  the 
generous  support  they  receive,  but  do  you  know  that 
there  are  at  present  about  15000  priests.  $000  brothers  and 
45000  sisters  who  have  left  their  home  and  country  and  all 
they  hold  dear  in  this  world  to  go  to  Asia*  Africa,  and  the 
Islands  of  Oceanica^  to  carry  out  the  command  of  Christ  1 
**Go  and  teach  all  nations,  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature.** 

Help  them  in  their  noble  work,  and  they  will  give  you 
a  share  in  their  Masses^  prayers  and  merits :  and  the  souls 
to  whom  you  vnll  have  procured  the  Christian  F^th  will 
be  cteraaUy  grateful. 


THE  SOCIITY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 

(Central  Direction)  627  Lexington  Avenue 
NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


ucvm,  Na  461 


AUGUST,  .. 


iaJ^  — 


ANNALS 

OF  THE 

PROPAGATION 

OF  THE  FAITH 


(^ 


Published  bi-raontWy  by  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation   |^/ 
of  the  Faithf  Baltimore  and 
New  York* 


#         *  m         ♦  •         4  » 


'ii  OTHER    SHEET  I  HAVi  THAT   j^ 
fASit    NOT  or  THIf  FOLD    THEM  ALS^ 

W  SHALL  HEAR  HY  VOKC  AND/T    f 
THERC  SHALL  B£  ONE  rOLDlW 


f#*^' 


AN0    ONE  SHEPHERD J 
,5:  JOHN    X.  ml 


CONTENTS. 


THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES.    VI  ArUclt 167 

THE  CONGREGATION  OF  UZARIST8  AND  THEIR  APOSTOUTE  IN  MISSIONAIIY 

COUNTRIES.    By  tht  Rev.  AlfrMl  Mllon,  C.  M 167 

FOUR   MISSIONARIES  MASSACRED  IN  THIBET 175 

Missions  in  Asia. 

NORTHERN  MANCHURIA. 

Lttter  of  BIthop  Ulouyer,  P.F.M 176 

Missions  in  Africa. 

SOMAUUND—Tho  NflMlon  of  Btrbora. 

Utter  of  Fathers  Lawrsnct  and  Stephen,  O.M.Cap 18S 

Geographical  Description. — Foundation  of  the  Miselon.— 8ad  Begin- 
nings.— Tribute  to  the  English  Ooyemment — Beeulte  and  Needi. 
— Admirable  Examples  of  ChrisUans.— Obstacles  to  BTangelixa- 
tion. 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

THE  MARQUESAS  ISUNDS. 

Utter  of  Father  Orens  Salnt-Crlq,  S.  H.  PIc 105 

Touching  Death  of  a  Child. — How  Our  Lord  Keeps  His  Promises. 

News  of  tlie  Missions. 

ASIA. 

Apostolic  Ubors  of  the  Fathers  of  ths  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris SOI 

Tho  Situation  In  China 803 

A  Solemn  Procession  of  ths  Sovsrelgns  of  ths  Celestial  Empire S04 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 906 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals^ 


IRISH  MISSIONARIES  AT  THE  UPPER  NILE. 

Utter  of  Bishop  Hanlon,E.F.M 807 

THE  CHINESE  SEMINARY  OF  CANTON. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Merel,  P.F.M 819 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS Sao 

OBITUARY 8S1 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  M<L,  as  eeoond  class  matter. 


ANNALS 

OF    THE 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Vol.  LXVni,  No.  4G1.  August,  1905. 


THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


Our  sixth  sketch  of  religious  societies  consecrated  to  the  apostolate 
in  foreign  countries  is  devoted  to  the  congregation  of  Lazarists  founded 
by  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul.  The  following  article  was  written  by  Father 
Alfred  Milon,  secretary-general  of  the  congregation. 

VI. 

THE   CONGREGATION   OF    LAZARISTS  AND  THEIR 
APOSTOLATE  IN  MISSIONARY  COUNTRIES 

Tlic  names  of  several  founders  of  missionary  societies  have,  in 
recent  times,  iM^en  added  to  those  of  Saints  Francis  of  Assisi,  Dominic, 
and  Ignatius  of  Ix)yola — men  of  apostolic'  vocation  bom  to  extend 
the  Catholic  faith.  The  seminary  of  Foreign  Missions  in  Paris  was 
founded  by  one  of  th(»se,  and  to  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul  wc  owe  the 
two  communities  of  the  Priests  of  the  Mission,  or  Lazarists,  and  the 
Sisters  of  Charity. 

The  Ankals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  have  already 
published  several  articles  on  the  origin  and  nature  of  different  mis- 
sionary societies.  The  following  is.  a  sketch  of  the  congregation 
founded  by  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul,  born  in  France  in  1576. 

With  his  spirit  of  unbounded  charity,  he  could  not  forget  the  work 
of  converting  souls  in  infidel  lands.  His  Mission  Priests  are  com- 
monly called  Lazarists  from  the  house  of  Saint  Lazarus  which  was 
their  principal  residence  until  the  Eevolution  at  the  close  of  the 
XVIII  century.  Their  mother-house,  at  present,  is  in  Paris,  95  Rue 
de  Sevres.  '  i: 

167 


168  The  Congregation  of  Lazarists 

Saint  Vincent  de  Paul  defined  the  purpose  of  his  association  to  be: 
1st,  the  work  of  country  missions ;  2d,  the  education  of  the  clergy  by 
retreats  for  candidates  for  ordination  and  by  seminary  direction; 
3d,  the  conversion  of  infidel  countries.  His  contemporary,  Abelly, 
states  respecting  the  last-mentioned  purpose: 

'^  How  happy,  how  very  happy  is  the  state  of  a  missionary  whose 
missions  and  labors  for  Jesus  Christ  cover  the  whole  habitable  world ! 
Why  should  we  confine  ourselves  to  one  spot,  and  prescribe  limita- 
tions when  God  has  given  us  such  a  territory  for  the  exercise  of  out 
zeal/^ 

"  He  paid  special  honor  to  apostolic  laborers  and  when  any  from 
distant  parts  returned  to  visit  Saint  Lazarus,  he  assembled  the  com- 
munity in  their  presence  to  hear  the  success  of  their  holy  work,  so 
that  their  zeal  might  be  imitated  by  all  the  missionaries.  Their 
written  accounts  were  read  aloud  in  the  refectory,  and  the  saint  did 
all  in  his  power  to  further  the  well-being  and  the  progress  of  their 
missions  among  infidels.  Eecognizing  that,  according  to  the  words 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Gospel,  the  harvest  of  souls  is  large  in  strange 
and  barbarous  lands,  and  that  the  number  of  laborers  is  too  small,  he 
was  inspired  to  offer  himself  and  his  whole  community  to  Jesus  Christ 
for  the  instruction  of  poor  and  most  neglected  souls,  not  only  in 
Christian  regions  but  among  infidels  and  barbarous  nations.  He 
aroused  the  same  zeal  and  the  same  dispositions  in  all  his  followers; 
and  when  several  offered  to  leave  for  distant  lands,  he  rejoiced  with 
them  that  God  had  granted  them  such  a  sublime  vocation.** 

The  Missionaries  of  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul  commenced  their  labors 
among  infidel  nations,  1645,  in  Tunis  and  Algeria,  the  "Barbary 
States.'*  The  most  devoted  attention  was  given  to  captives  in  prison. 
Conversions  were  comparatively  rare,  but  the  great  work  was  to  pre- 
vent uiifori;unate  Christian  slaves  from  falling  into  despair  and  sub- 
sequent apostasy.  Slaves  were  obliged  to  work  during  the  day;  that 
is  why  the  missionaries  devoted  the  night  hours  to  their  apostolic 
labors — hearing  confessions  and  attending  the  sick.  Mass  was  said 
at  daybreak.  At  times,  priests  accompanied  the  slave  caravans  sent 
into  the  mountains.  The  cost  of  this  liberty  was  to  suffer  many 
insults  in  patience.  Father  Jean  Levacher,  former  vicar  apostolic  of 
Tunis  and  Algeria,  was  shot  from  the  mouth  of  a  cannon  and  his  body 
blown  to  pieces  before  the  bombarding  fleet  of  the  French.  However, 
the  missionaries  bore  persecutions  and  braved  the  plague  which  so 


The  Congregation  of  Lazarists 


169 


often  almost  annihilated  tliem.     When  France  liberated  Algeria  in 
1830,  and  religious  freedom  was  granted,  they  were  still  at  their  post. 

In  1648  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul  sent  apostolic  men  to  the  shores  of 
Madagascar.     When   France  took   possession  of  the  large  African 


Veby  Rev.  Fb.  Fiat,  Superior-General  of  the  Congregation  of  Lazarists. 

island,  they  set  sail  on  the  vessel  belonging  to  the  East  Company  and 
landed  with  the  French  settlers  at  Fort  Dauphin.  The  tribes  inhab- 
iting the  southern  part  of  the  island  lent  a  willing  ear  to  the  apostles 
of  the  new  religion  and  a  large  number  of  petty  chiefs,  together  with 
their  subjects,  renounced  idolatry,  their  idols,  and  other  superstitions. 
Several  of  the  missionaries  died  of  fever,  others  died  at  sea  during  the 
long  voyage  by  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  three  others  were 


170  The  Congregation  of  Lazarists 

massacred  by  the  Madagascans.  iN^cvertheless,  their  work  prospered. 
A  native  clergy  was  dreamed  of,  the  plan  of  a  little  seminary  projected, 
Sisters  of  Charity  were  to  come  from  Europe,  when  alas!  the  enter- 
prise undertaken  by  France,  badly  conducted,  failed, -and  the  work 
of  religion,  too,  was  swep4:  away  in  the  ruin. 

When  the  evangelization  of  Madagascar  was  again  begun  in  the 
XIX  century,  the  liazarists  returned;  three  vicariates  apostolic  were 
created.  They  have  charge  of  the  one  in  the  south  with  principal 
residences  at  Fort  Dauphin,  Tulear,  and  Farafangana.  Sisters  of 
Charity  are  established  in  tlie  last  two  places.  At  Faraf-angana,  they 
have  a  leper  hospital  in  which  'M)0  patients  are  cared  for. 

In  1712,  Pope  Clement  XI  gave  the  spiritual  administration  of 
Bourbon  Island  into  the  hands  of  the  Ijazarists;  they  have  also  been 
laboring  on  Mauritius  Island  for  more  than  a  hundred  years. 

One  of  the  missionaries  massacred  had  desired  to  go  as  far  as  China, 
lie  wrote  to  his  superior,  the  successor  of  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul, 
1664,  begging  him  to  obtain  the  necessary  powers  from  the  Propa- 
ganda. "  It  was  the  intention  of  our  late  superior.  Father  Vincent/' 
he  wrote,  "  that  I  should  go  as  far  as  China." 

This  apostolic  purpose  was  not  realized  by  the  Lazarists  until  later 
and  then  under  sad  circumstances.  The  Jesuits  had  accomplished 
great  results  in  China  when  their  Society,  under  the  pressure  of 
an  immense  conspiracy  of  civil  powers,  was  suppressed  by  the  Pope. 
What  was  to  become  of  their  works  in  the  Levant  and  in  China?  The 
Propaganda,  on  one  side,  and  the  French  government,  on  the  other, 
requested  tlie  Lazarists  to  take  charge  of  the  vacant  posts.  The 
superior  general  refused.  After  some  delay,  Rome  and  Paris  renewed 
their  demand  and,  in  1782  and  1783,  respectively,  the  decrees  of  the 
Propiiganda  and  the  royal  acts  of  the  French  government  entrusted 
to  the  Lazarists  the  administration  of  the  missions  in  the  Levant 
and  in  China  formerly  conducted  by  the  Jesuits. 

The  task  was  a  formidable  one;  particularly  at  the  time  when 
the  Revolution  was  draining  the  source  of  religious  vocations,  it  seemed 
almost  an  impossibility.  Nevertheless,  every  effort  was  made.  The 
Lazarists  already  had  several  priests  in  the  west  of  China  and  in 
Su-tchuen,  and  now  established  themselves  in  Pekin.  They  gave  a 
cordial  welcome  to  all  former  laborers  who  wished  to  remain  and, 
gradually,  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  they  increased  their  per- 
sonnel and  extended  their  works.     Many  storms  and  persecutions  were 


The  Congregation  of  Lazarists 


171 


endured.  During  the  persecution  of  1820,  Father  Francis  Clet  was 
put  to  death;  in  1840,  Father  Gabriel  Perboyre  was  imprisoned  and 
finally  suffered  martyrdom.  The  Chui'ch  has  beatified  them  and  num- 
bers them  among  her  martyrs. 

At  present,  the  Lazarists  have  seven  vicariates  apostolic  in 
China;  three  in  Chi-li  with  principal  residences  in  Pekin,  Young-Ping- 
fu,  and  Tcheng-ting-f u ;  three  in  Kiang-si  and  one  comprising  the 
Tsi-Kiang  with  the  principal  residence  in  Ning-Po. 


Paris. — Motueruouhe  of  the  L.\zarist  Congrecjation. 

The  Sisters  of  Charity  were  first*  established  in  China  in  1852. 
They  now  have  charge  of  institutions  in  all  the  vicariates  apostolic 
above  mentioned.  In  the  boats  that  ply  along  the  numerous  canals 
they  attend  the  villages  close  to  their  residences,  care  for  the  sick  and 
baptize  clrildren  in  diinger  of  death.  Their  cliaritable  institutions  for 
little  children  and  the  aged  nre  very  iniuh  aj)pr(»ciated. 

The  Trappists  were  called  to  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  Pekin  in 
1883;  the  Marist  Brothers,  in  1891.  The  1?ox(t  insurrection,  in  1900, 
destroyed  all  their  good  work  by  fire  and  sword.     New  institutions 


172  The  Congregation  op  Lazarists 

designed  on  a  larger  plan  under  the  direction  of  Bishop  Pavier,  lately 
deceased,  arc  in  course  of  erection.  Over  12,000  adult  baptisms  are 
recorded  in  this  vicariate  for  the  year  1904.  This  is  the  first  time  so 
large  a  number  has  been  attained. 


In  the  Levant,  the  Lazarists  are  endeavoring  to  maintain  the  prin- 
cipal institutions  in  the  stations  vacated  by  the  Jesuits.  They  are 
established  in  Constantinople,  Beyrout,  Salonica,  and  Antoura,  and 
have  prepared  the  way  for  the  Christian  Brothers  and  the  Sisters  of 
Charity.  The  former  are  stationed  in  Constantinople,  and  the  latter 
in  almost  all  the  cities  where  missionaries  themselves  have  residences. 
Their  educational  institutions  in  Constantinople,  St.  Benedict  and 
St.  Pulcheria,  are  an  honor  to  the  Catholic  religion.  Their  college 
of  Antoura  in  Liban  exercises  a  great  influence  throughout  the  country. 
The  Bulgarian  seminary  in  Salonica  holds  out  the  strongest  hope  for 
the  regeneration  of  the  Bulgarian  clergy  in  Macedonia. 


In  1839,  "  Ethiopia  and  the  neighboring  countries,"  now  Abyssinia, 
were  confided  to  the  Lazarists  by  the  Holy  See.  Ten  years  later  the 
mission  was  made  a  vicariate  apostolic.  Its  superior,  Bishop  de 
Jacobis,  wafi  a  man  of  truly  apostolic  spirit;  the  process  of  his  beatifi- 
cation is  now  being  introduced.  The  work  of  the  apostolate  was 
hard.  Poverty,  imprisonment,  and  chains  had  to  be  endured.  The 
foundation  of  the  mission,  however,  was  secured.  Institutions  had 
been  established  in  Massaouah  and  in  Keren;  a  printing  oflBce  and 
a  little  seminary  were  added,  and  the  Sisters  of  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul 
called  to  conduct  the  girls'  schools.  When  Italy  conquered  the  north 
of  Abyssinia,  these  works  were  transferred  with  the  territory  and 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Italian  Capuchins.  The  French  Lazarists 
withdrew  into  Erythrea,  on  the  plateaux  of  Gouala  and  Alitiena,  where 
they  are  continuing  their  labors  amid  great  tribulations. 


The  mission  of  Persia  has  likewise  been  entrusted  by  the  Holy  See 
to  the  disciples  of  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul,  1840.  The  way  had  been 
opened  for  them  in  this  country  by  Father  Eugene  Bor6,  a  distin- 
guished Orientalist.  At  first,  a  simple  layman,  he  was  sent  out  by 
the  Academy  of  Inscriptions  and  Belles  Lettres  of  Paris  to  explore 
Persia.     He  was  accompanied  by  a  Lazarist  and,  later  on,  became  a 


The  Congregation  of  Lazarists 


.ir3 


priest  and  subsequently  became  superior  general  of  the  congregation. 
The  present  (1904)  Lazarist  superior  of  the  mission  of  Persia  is 
Archbishop  Lesne,  who  has  the  title  of  Apostolic  Delegate.  Mission- 
aries are  stationed  in  Teheran,  Tauris,  Ourmiali,  Khosrowa,  Djoulfa, 
and  Ispahan.  They  enjoy  religious  liberty,  have  founded  schools,  con- 
duct a  printing  establishment,  and  have  stationed  Sisters  of  Charity 
in  each  of  their  missions.  A  Lazarist  priest.  Father  Paul  Bedjan,  a 
Persian  by  birth,  has  had  printed  in  Chaldaic,  the  vernacular  of  the 
country,  a  number  of  liturgical,  devotional,  and  historical  works  which 


Pekin. — Cathedral  and  Residence  of  the  Lazarist  Missionaries. 

are  of  the  greatest  value  for  the  Catholic  religion  in  Persia.  The 
Nestorian  heresy  and  the  Russian  schism  are  the  greatest  6bstacles 
encountered  in  these  parts  by  missionaries. 


The  Congregation  of  Lazarists  maintain  establishments  in  the  vari- 
ous countries  of  Europe — France,  Austria,  Spain,  Great  Britain,  and 
Italy;  it  has  missions  and  conducts  seminaries  in  North  America,  the 
United  States  and  Mexico,  in  Central  America  and  the  Antilles,  and 
in  most  of  the  countries  of  South  America,  as  well  as  in  the  Philip- 
pine Islands  and  Australia. 

But  the  institutions  to  which  we  are  referring  particularly,  which 
constitute  especially  the  work  of  "  Foreign  Missions,'^  those  of  China, 


174 


The  Coxguegation  of  Lazarists 


the  Levant,  Persia,  and  Abyssinia,  comprise  eleven  vicariates  apos- 
tolic, for  the  most  part  supported  by  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion OF  THE  Faith. 

The  personnel  of  these  vicariates,  priests  and  brothers  of  the  Lazar- 
ist  congregation,  is  more  than  500,  who  like  all  missionaries  need 
help  and  co-workers. 

Founded,  as  we  have  said,  by  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul,  in  Paris,  1G25, 
the  Congregation  of  Missions,  or  the  Lazarists,  is  composed  of  priests 
and  brothers.  All  the  members  are  bound  by  vows.  After  a  term  of 
preparation,  they  apply  themselves  to  the  work  for  which  they  are 
best  fitted  by  talent  and  inclination.  They  devote  themselves  particu- 
larly to  the  conversion  of  infidels,  to  carry  out  the  admonitions  of 
Saint  Vincent  de  Paul  to  his  disciples.  We  conclude  with  the  holy 
founder's  own  words :  "  Let  us  give  ourselves  to  God,  gentlemen,  to 
carry  His  holy  Gospel  over  the  whole  world,  to  whatever  part  He  leads 
us,  let  us  guard  our  post  and  our  practices  until  His  good  pleasure 
relieves  us.  Let  no  difficulty  overcome  us;  it  attests  the  glory  of  the 
eternal  Father,  the  efficacy  of  the  word  and  tlie  passion  of  His  Son. 
The  salvation  of  souls  and  our  own  is  so  great  a  good  tliat  it  deserves 
to  be  won  at  any  price." 


175 


^SSP 

^ 

^M 

'^M 

i^^^^^ 

Wm 

Mi 

^^^M 

9^^ 

HJH^JiS^^U^v^tt   ili'^ifr* 

^^ 

m 

^^m 

8p 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


VICARIATE   APOSTOLIC  OF  NORTHERN    MANCHURIA 

Until  1898,  the  immense  district  of  Manchuria  formed  but  one  mission. 
A  decree  of  May  10,  of  that  year,  divided  it  into  two  vicariates  apostolic; 
that  of  Southern  Manchuria,  composed  of  the  province  of  Mukden,  and 
that  of  Northern  Manchuria,  composed  of  the  provinces  of  Ghirin  and 
Tsitsicar.  We  hardly  need  remind  our  readers  of  what  these  two  mis- 
sions have  suffered  from  persecution.  Missionaries  have  been  devoting 
their  zeal  to  repairing  the  ruins.  God  has  blessed  their  efforts.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  is  taken  from  the  long  and  interesting  report  for  1904 
addressed  by  Bishop  Lalouyer  to  the  directors  of  the  Seminary  for 
Foreign  Missions  of  Paris. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Lalouyer,  P.  P.  M., 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  Northern  Manchuria, 

I  am  happy  to  forward  the  annual  report  of  the  labors  of  mission- 
aries in  Northern  Manchuria  during  the  year  1903-1904. 

The  total  number  of  baptisms  is  3199;  of  these,  1401  are  catechu- 
mens under  long  probation;  53,  adults  in  danger  of  death;  561,  chil- 
dren of  Christian  parents,  and  1184,  children  of  pagan  parentage. 
Besides  there  were  25  conversions  from  heresy. 

Last  year  I  congratulated  myself  upon  the  fine  figures  of  1007  adult 
baptisms,  a  number  never  before  attained  in  Northern  Manchuria. 
This  year  the  number  is  larger;  it  is  with  the  feeling  of  true  happi- 
ness that  I  lay  at  the  feet  of  Mary  Immaculate  the  beautiful  sheaf  of 
1454  baptisms  of  pagan  adults. 

In  1902,  I  traversed  the  province  of  Tsitsicar.  In  1903,  about  the 
middle  of  October,  I  left  my  residence  to  visit  the  posts  in  the  province 
of  Ghirin  and  administer  confirmation  to  a  large  number  of  neo- 
phytes. During  this  journey  I  went  to  see  all  the  newly  founded 
stations.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  joy  of  the  neophytes  who 
176 


NoKTHERN  Manchuria  177 

beheld  their  bishop  for  the  first  time.  Everywhere  a  magnificent  wel- 
come was  extended  to  me.  May  these  outward  demonstrations  con- 
tribute to  develop  the  movement  of  conversion  which,  thanks  be  to 
God,  is  spreading  day  by  day. 

During  my  pastoral  journey  I  confirmed  1277  persons. 

The  great  distances  between  the  stations  of  the  province  of  Tsitsicar 
had  prevented  my  gathering  all  the  missionaries  for  their  annual 
retreat  before. 

The  situation  is  now  very  much  changed.  The  Trans-Siberian 
crosses  the  mission  and  the  long  distances  are  done  away  with.  A 
journey  which  formerly  required  ten  to  fiiteen  days  can  now  be  made 
in  one  day.  In  pursuance  of  these  traveling  facilities  and  the  need  I 
felt  of  consulting  my  missionaries  upon  several  questions,  I  decided 
to  call  them  together  for  their  retreat  in  Kouang-chang-si  and  dis- 
cuss with  them  the  affairs  of  the  vicariate. 

January  9  was  fixed  for  the  day  of  opening  of  the  spiritual  exer- 
cises. When  I  arrived  at  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  all  the  mis- 
sionaries had  assembled,  happy  in  their  meeting  after  so  long  a 
separation.  In  the  evening  of  January  9,  the  retreat  began  with  the 
chanting  of  the  Vent  Creator,  closing  on  January  12,  with  the  renewal 
of  the  clerical  vows.  After  two  or  three  days  devoted  to  the  settling 
of  several  questions,  each  missionary  returned  to  his  post,  his  heart 
filled  with  renewed  zeal. 


Alas!  our  joy  was  not  of  long  duration.  A  short  time  after  our 
separation,  we  learned  that  war  had  been  declared  between  Japan  and 
Russia.  Our  fears  were  great  and  the  future  seemed  very  sad.  Hav- 
ing recourse  to  prayer,  our  supplications  touched  the  heart  of  our 
divine  Lord. 

Until  now,  at  least,  our  apprehensions  have  not  been  realized. 
Bands  of  bri^nds  have  crossed  some  of  our  districts,  but  the  Blessed 
Virgin  has  watched  over  the  apostles  and  disciples  of  her  divine  Son. 
Whilst  the  pagans  have  been  robbed  and  massacred  by  the  terrible 
"  houng-hou-tse,"  our  Christians  have  been  spared.  May  the  .poor 
pagans,  astonished  by  so  extraordinary  a  protection,  open  their  eyes 
to  the  light,  renounce  their  powerless  divinities,  and  recognize  the  God 
of  the  Christians,  ever  good  to  His  children.  Missionaries  have  prof- 
ited by  the  unexpected  peace  God  has  granted  them.     The  affairs  of 


178 


Missions  in  Asia 


admmistration  are  being  conducted  as  usual.  During  Lent,  the  Chris- 
tians faithfully  fulfilled  their  Easter  duty  and  the  catechumens  pre- 
pared themselves  for  baptism  with  all  possible  care.  1454  souls  became 
children  of  God  and  His  holy  Church.  The  harvest  is  adimdant; 
unfortunately,  there  are  not  enough  laborers. 

On  my  visit  to  Ou-ki'a-chan,  last  November,  I  was  astonished  to  see 
the  progress  of  evangelization  in  a  country  entirely  pagan  but  a  year 
before.  It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  me  to  explain  the  truths  of  our 
holy  religion  to  the  neoph3rtes,  and  I  should  have  liked  to  prolong 


\i 


Manchuria. — Church  Destroyed  by  Boxers. 

my  stay  among  them,  but  I  was  obliged  to  continue  my  pastoral  jour- 
ney. After  my  departure,  by  tlie  grace  of  God,  the  number  of  cate- 
chumens was  perceptibly  increased.  The  two  scliools  were  soon  filled 
and  Father  Stoefller  was  obliged  to  refuse  a  large  number  who  desired 
to  study  catechism.  Young  girl  and  women  catechumens  manifest 
an  almost  incredible  zeal  in  learning  Christian  doctrine  and  prayers. 
The  native  Sisters  who  have  charge  of  the  school  have  done  so  well  in 


Northern  Manchuria  IVJ 

their  instnictions  that  the  number  of  women  and  girle  baptized  in 
Ou-kia-chan  exceeds  that  of  the  men.  Two  other  schools  for  cate- 
chumens were  opened  in  the  mddst  of  the  winter  at  stations  recently 
foimded. 

So  many  conversions  could  not  fail  to  arouse  the  hatred  of  the  devil 
and  the  brigands,  his  accomplices,  did  not  tarry  long  in  traversing  the 
country,  spreading  terror  and  pillage  everywhere.  At  two  days'  inter- 
val, they  entered  the  city  of  Souang-chang-pu  and  pillaged  the  large 
town  of  Che-tu-chen-si.  More  than  GOO  soldiers  set  out  to  disperse  . 
them.  Ijcss  brave  than  the  robbers,  they  beat  a  retreat  after  having 
lost  fifty  of  their  number. 

The  bandits  then  planned  to  attack  the  post  of  Ou-kia-chan,  but 
the  intervention  of  the  missionary  saved  the  young  Christian  settle- 
ment. At  the  opening  of  the  Chinese  year,  the  catechumens,  anxious 
to  see  their  families  again  and  persuaded  that  the  roads  were  safe, 
left  for  their  holidays.  Several  were  captured  by  the  brigands,  but 
afterwards  released. 

War  having  been  declared,  the  situation  became  more  critical  and 
most  of  the  catechumens  could  not  return  to  school.  Bands  of  robbers 
continued  to  devastate  the  country,  killing  men  and  insulting  young 
pagan  girls  and  women. 

The  brigands  had  spared  the  Christians;  the  soldiers,  however,  found 
it  easier  and  less  dangerous  to  attack  peaceful  men  than  the  robbers 
whom  they  should  have  fought.  Our  neophytes  suffered  much  from 
their  cruelty.  Some  were  put  to  most  horrible  torture;  others  were 
robbed.  It  is  said  that  one  soldier  seized  a  crucifix  and  broke  it  under 
his  feet.  One  Christian  was  suspended  from  a  beam  and  cruelly 
beaten.  While  they  rained  blows  upon  him,  the  soldiers  mocked  him, 
saying  that  if  his  head  were  cut  off  he  would  go  to  Heaven.  The 
Christian  only  replied : 

"  Yes,  I  believe  in  God ;  you  want  my  head ;  take  it,  but  with  my 
last  breath  I  shall  proclaim  myself  a  Christian.^^ 

A  friend  who  knew  the  leader  of  the  soldiers  had  the  poor  victim 
liberated. 

Father  Stoeffier  informed  me  of  the  doings  of  the  Chinese  soldiers, 
so  I  advised  the  viceroy  of  the  matter.  He,  at  once,  gave  orders  to  sup- 
press such  outrages.  Inquiries  were  made,  and  the  culprits  will  be 
severely  punished.  At  the  same  time,  an  edict  in  favor  of  our  holy 
religion  has  been  published  throughout  the  province.     I  hope  that 


180 


Missions  in  Asia 


these  energetic  measures  will  restore  peace.  Our  neophytes,  feeling 
themselves  protected,  will  take  courage  and  continue  to  fulfill  their 
religious  duties ;  the  catechumens  will  return  to  school,  and  the  pagans 
will  no  longer  fear  to  declare  themselves  Christians. 

"  In  spite  of  all  dif&culties/'  writes  Father  Stoeffler,  "  I  have  experienced 
great  consolation  during  the  past  year;  144  catechumens  have  been  regen- 
erated by  the  waters  of  baptism.  Send  me  sufficient  resources  to  open 
other  schools  and  the  number  of  Christians  will  be  doubled. 

"  I  have  nothing  but  praise  for  my  new  Christians.  In  Ou-kia-chan, 
where  I  reside,  they  grow  in  fervor  day  by  day.    They  love  their  holy 


NORTUEBN  MaNCKUBIA. — RESIDENCE  OF  MiSSIONABIES  AT  I-T0UNQ-TCH60U. 

religion  which  they  know  to  be  the  truth  and  are  anxious  to  approach 
the  sacraments  of  penance  and  Holy  Eucharist  with  devotion  nearly  every 
month.  Since  my  arrival  here,  I  have  tried  to  inspire  them  with  great 
devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin.  They  love  to  go  to  confession  and  com- 
munion on  all  her  feasts. 

**  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  you  an  account  of  all  the  miracles  of 
grace  wrought  in  the  souls  of  my  beloved  neophytes.  I  shall  confine  my- 
self to  the  following: 

*•  A  tradesman,  a  member  of  a  large  family,  wanted  to  be  converted, 
but  his  faith  left  much  to  be  desired.  He  studied  Christian  doctrine 
earnestly  and  the  better  he  understood  the  more  lively  his  faith  became. 
Baptized  in  excellent  dispositions,  he  arranged  a  small  room  as  an  oratory, 
which  he  occupied  alone  so  as  to  be  able  to  perform  his  exercises  of  piety 


Northern  Manchuru  181 

with  less  distraction.  This  fervent  neophyte  very  soon  was  not  content 
with  leading  an  ordinary  Christian  life,  he  desired  to  practice  all  the 
Christian  virtues.  To  accomplish  his  purpose,  he  began  to  read  spiritual 
works.  Coming  across  a  book  of  meditation  one  day,  he  began  the  prac- 
tice of  meditation.  I  thought  at  first  that  he  would  not  persevere  in  his 
fervor,  but  one  year  has  passed  and  his  piety  continues  to  increase.  He 
goes  to  confession  and  communion  very  often  and  loves  to  read  pious 
books,  making  two  meditations  a  day.  Whilst  he  was  superintending  the 
building  of  my  residence  he  slept  on  my  premises.  How  many  times  have 
I  not  seen  him  in  the  evening  spending  a  whole  hour  on  his  knees  before 
going  to  bed.  I  say  not  a  word  about  his  fasts  and  other  practices  of 
devotion.  Not  to  make  my  story  too  long,  suffice  it  to  say  that  every 
body,  not  only  at  home  but  in  all  the  posts  of  my  district,  speaks  of  him 
as  the  '  saint '  of  Ou-kia-chan. 

"  One  thing  saddened  him.  All  his  family  remained  pagans,  despite  his 
earnest  exhortations.  He  often  confided  to  me  the  grief  which  he  felt. 
I  admonished  him  to  place  his  trust  in  God  and  promised  him  the  help 
of  my  prayers.  Providence  came  to  my  assistance  in  the  most  extra- 
ordinary manner.  Last  winter,  his  eldest  brother,  the  head  of  the  family, 
was  taken  captive  by  the  brigands  and  held  for  a  ransom  of  twelve 
hundred  dollars.  Such  an  amount  meant  ruin  for  the  family.  The  pris- 
oner had  recourse  to  all  his  gods  and  promised  them  sacrifices,  but  in 
vain.    Then  he  turned  to  the  God  whom  his  brother  adored. 

"  My  neophyte,  on  his  part,  begged  me  to  intercede  for  a  reduction  of 
the  amount  of  money  demanded.  Among  my  Christians  there  was  a 
former  friend  of  the  leader  of  the  band.  He  went  in  my  name  to  inter- 
view him  and  returned  with  the  answer: 

" '  Out  of  consideration  for  the  Father,  I  return  the  prisoner  without 
ransom.' 

"  Once  delivered,  the  pagan  came  immediately  to  see  me;  falling  at 
my  feet,  weeping  for  joy,  he  said: 

'"Now,  spiritual  Father,  it  is  done;  I  understand  that  my  gods  can 
do  nothing.  Without  the  protection  of  the  true  God  whom  my  brother 
adores  and  whom,  until  now,  I  would  not  acknowledge.* 

"  *  Do  you  now  believe  in  God? '  I  asked  him. 

"*0h!  Father,'  he  replied,  *!  believe  in  God.  It  is  not  only  mysejf 
who  am  converted,  my  whole  family,  60  in  number,  whose  chief  I  am, 
will  follow  my  example.' 

"  This  brave  man,  faithful  to  his  promise,  went  home  and  destroyed  his 
idols.  Returning  to  Ou-kia-chan,  he  shut  himself  up  in  a  room  and  there, 
day  and  night,  he  studied  the  catechism  and  the  prayers.  In  view  of  his 
lively  faith,  I  did  not  hesitate  to  baptize  him,  together  with  two  young 
girls  and  one  boy  of  his  household.  He  is  now  an  excellent  Christian. 
One  of  the  girls,  baptized  at  the  same  time  as  himself,  had  taken  the 
vow  of  virginity  some  years  previously  according  to  the  manner  of  the 
pagans.  As  zealous  a  pagan  as  she  was,  so  zealous  a  Christian  has  she 
become.  Being  well  instructed  and  very  intelligent,  she  uses  the  talents 
which  God  has  given  her  to  extend  our  holy  religion." 


MISSIONS   IN  AFRICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  ARABIA  AND  ENGLISH 
SOMALILAND 

The  following  interesting  account  sent  to  us  by  Bishop  Clarke  was 
written  by  Father  Lawrence,  who  spent  several  years  in  Berbera,  and 
Father  Stephen,  present  superior  of  the  mission. 

The  Mission  of  Berbera 

(SINCE  ITS  foundation) 

LETaT.R  OF  Fathers  Lawrence  and  Stephen,  0.  M.  Cap. 

I. 

Berbera  is  the  most  important  town  of  the 
Oeographical  English  Somali.     It  is  situated  between  10° 

Situation. —  and   11°   north  latitude  and  about  45°  east 

Oasis. —  longitude  (Greenwich). 

Berbera.  One  hundred  and  forty-four  miles  distant 

from  Aden,  Berbera  is  the  most  beautiful  port 
on  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  between  Djibouti  and  Cape  Gardafui. 
The  liarbor  is  naturally  formed  by  a  ridge  of  sand  almost  submerged 
at  high  tide. 

'  Ijooking  inland  from  the  harbor,  the  view  discloses  an  immense  sand 
plain  that  stretches  about  eight  miles  to  the  foot  of  the  first  chain  of 
mountains.  A  growth  of  coarse,  thorny  brush  begins  at  some  distance 
from  the  shore  and  is  tlie  only  sign  of  life  in  this  desolate  region. 

One  single  green  oasis,  whose  freshness  forms  a  vivid  contrast  to  the 
surrounding  country  relieves  the  eye.  This  verdant  spot  is  reclaimed 
from  the  desert  by  a  stream  of  water  directed  in  its  present  channel 
during  Egyptian  occuj)ation  and  improved  and  maintained  by  the 
English  government.  Thanks  to  it,  the  whole  city  of  Berbera  is  pro- 
vided with  drinking  water  somewhat  brackish  in  taste  as  it  is  brought 
from  a  hot  spring  -about  nine  miles  southwest  of  the  town. 
182 


Arabia  and  English  Somaliland  183 

This  pleasant  oasis,  whose  trees  are  carefully  watered  and  whose 
gardens  are  cultivated  with  jealous  care,  is  the  seat  of  the  government 
and  all  its  functionaries. 

After  this  pleasant  site,  the  shore  is  barren  for  some  distance.  Then 
we  see  Berbera  proper,  a  pile  of  Arab  houses  with  cupolas  of  shining 
whiteness.  To  the  west,  the  groups  of  Somali  straw  huts  might  be 
confounded  with  hay  stacks. 

The  mission  extends  to  the  edge  of  the  native  city.  It  is  placed  so 
as  if  to  take  under  its  protection,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  these  simple 
and  vigorous  children  of  the  desert,  to  preserve  them  against  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  Arabs  and  the  irreligion  too  common  among  Europeans. 
The  Church  cherishes  the  holy  desire  of  bringing  these  magnificent 
tribes  into  her  fold. 

For  how  many  years  has  the  cross  taken  possession  of  this  part  of 
Africa?  What  was  the  commencement  of  the  mission,  what  were  its 
difficulties  and  how  did  it  develop?  These  questions  shall  be  briefly 
answered. 

4- 

Who  does  not  know  the  opposition  which 
Foundation  of  the  encounters  Christian  action  in  a  Mohammedan 

Mission. — ^Father  country!     An  African  savage  who  is  a  Mo- 

Evangeliste. — Sad         hammedan  seems,  at  first,  more  difficult  of 
Beginnings.  approach,  more  prejudiced  against  all  Christian 

teaching  than  the  Arab  fanatic,  polished, 
agreeable,  hypocritical.  Therefore,  it  was  not  until  after  the  wisest 
deliberations  that  Bishop  Lasserre,  vicar  apostolic  of  Arabia  at  that 
time,  decided,  June  21,  1892,  to  establish  a  post  at  Berbera  among  the 
Somali. 

Keverend  Father  Evangeliste  Larajasse  was  chosen  for  this  most 
important  enterprise.  Four  months  of  preparation  were  given  him, 
during  which  time  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the  language. 
As  soon  as  he  felt  himself  sufficiently  prepared,  he  ventured  the  trip 
from  Aden  to  Berbera ;  upon  safe  arrival,  he  rented  an  humble  dwell- 
ing, avoiding  anything  that  might  prove  the  least  cause  of  hostility  on 
the  part  of  the  civil  authorities. 

On  the  4th  of  October,  the  feast  of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  the  first 
Holy  Sacrifice  was  offered  in  this  promised  land.  The  very  day 
augured  the  successful  future.  The  altar  used  upon  this  occasion  con- 
sisted of  two  miserable  boards,  furnished  by  an  Arab  who  demanded 
two  dollars  for  the  favor. 

4- 


184  Missions  in  Africa 

At  first  the  duty  of  a  missionary  is  to  form  a  class  of  Arab  and 
Indian  children,  and  distribute  medicines  to  the  sick  who  ask  his  aid. 
A  pioneer  of  the  Gospel  must  be  versed,  to  some  extent,  in  medical 
knowledge  to  gain  respect  and  confidence. 

Every  day,  at  noon,  boiled  rice  is  distributed  among  about  sixty 
children.  The  rest  of  the  time  is  employed  in  prayer  and  a  deeper 
study  of  the  language.  In  general,  the  Somalis  are  very  hostile  to 
priests  and  regard  the  residence  of  a  "  padri "  among  them  with  an 
evil  eye.  Deceived  by  the  Arabs  and  their  own  priests,  "  Wadad,"  they 
continue  to  believe  for  a  long  time  that  Catholic  priests  come  only  to 
conduct  a  lucrative  slave  trade.  The  Mohammedans  readily  attribute 
to  them  the  scandal  and  baseness  of  which  they  alone  are  capable. 
Mr.  Hugues  le  Roux  writes  in  his  account  of  Africa,  that  a  merchant 
of  Hodeidah  (Red  Sea)  told  him  in  1899,  that  he  had  seen  a  trader 
sell  a  young  Somali  girl  in  Arabia  for  the  enormous  sum  of  $1360, 
and  a  young  man  for  $1700. 

So  it  is,  when  an  Arab  sailor  secretly  leaves  the  port  of  Berbera  dur- 
ing the  night  with  his  cargo  of  human  freight,  the  people  come  to  the 
poor  missionary  the  next  day  begging  in  tears,  for  their  lost  children. 
Of  course,  it  is  the  "  padri "  of  the  Christians  who  has  abducted  them, 
it  is  he  who  has  suggested  the  means  for  the  pitiful  kidnapping.  The 
priest  is  obliged  to  allow  them  to  search  his  house. 

The  missionary  does  not  enjoy  even  a  comparative  peace  in  his  own 
room.  The  "Wadads"  and  children,  at  their  instigation,  give  him 
unenviable  distraction  by  throwing  all  kinds  of  missiles  through  his 
windows. 

Whether  because  of  prudence  or  of  the  im- 
First  Pupils. —  possible  conditions,  no  child  was  admitted  to 

Poverty. — Tribute  the    mission    before    a    year's    residence    in 

to  the  English  Berbera.     Twelve  little  Somalis  were  admitted 

Oovemment.  in    1893.     Brother    Cyprian    commenced    by 

teaching  them  English.  After  a  few  months 
all  but  one  left.  Added  to  this  discouragement,  the  Mohammedans 
redoubled  their  painful  harassing. 

However,  other  children  were  received,  and  in  1894  fourteen  names 
were  on  the  register.  All  these  have  since  become  Christians;  several 
of  them  have  died,  and  in  the  most  edifying  dispositions. 

We  should  have  made  earlier  mention  of  the  accommodations  and 
mode  of  life  of  the  missionary.  Nothing  else  offers  a  more  touching 
reminder  of  Franciscan  chronicles.  Simplicity  and  poverty  prevail. 
The  same  room  serves  as  dormitory,  study,  and  church.   Bamboo  reeds 


Arabia  and  English  Somaliland  185 

serve  as  candlesticks ;  the  censer  is  an  earthen  pot ;  there  are  no  chairs 
nor  tables.  The  cruets,  to  be  had  for  so  little,  are  replaced  by  shells. 
Nevertheless,  the  visible  satisfaction  of  the  missionary  and  the  deeply 
rooted  joviality  of  his  companioji  made  up  for  all  deficiencies.  The 
wretched  residence,  so  badly  situated,  costs  $9  a  month. 

4- 

For  some  time,  the  English  governor  remained  indifferent  to  the 
humble  quarters  of  the  Catholic  priest.  However,  upright  and  philan- 
thropic by  nature,  he  began  to  realize  how  much  good  missionaries 
could  accomplish  among  this  people,  so  he  gave  them  his  support  and 
helped  them  by  his  good  counsels. 

The  Somalis,  Chtistians  and  civilized,  owe  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude 
to  this  gentleman.  And  for  this  reason:  parents,  moved  by  a  good 
impulse,  would  confide  their  children  to  the  mission;  after  a  few 
months,  however,  their  savage  and  vacillating  dispositions  would  re- 
assert themselves  and,  at  the  instigation  of  certain  fanatics,  they 
would  return  and  loudly  demand  their  offspring.  The  children  hardly 
had  time  to  know  and  love  the  missionary  before  they  were  brutally 
taken  away  from  him,  and  so  his  devotion  bore  no  fruit.'  The 
governor  then  advised,  not  to  accept  any  child  without  a  written 
agreem.ent  signed  by  missionary  and  parents  and  legalized  by  the  stamp 
of  the  royal  seal.  He  himself  kindly  drew  up  the  first  contracts. 
Meanwhile,  the  disposition  of  the  people  perceptibly  changed.  Intel- 
ligent and  endowed  with  good  sense,  they  soon  learned  to  discern 
between  the  Christian  conduct  of  missionaries  and  the  stupid  outbursts 
of  a  few  unknown  fanatics. 

Seeing  the  good  seed  grow  and  triumph  over 
Definite  Establish-  all  obstacles.  Bishop  Lasserre  decided  to  give 
ment. — ^Lord  Dela-  a  permanent  and  more  suitable  location  to  the 
mere— Third  order  of  mission.  A  site  was  requested  of  the  gover- 
Saint  Francis.  nor,  and,  in  June,  1895,  a  simple,  but  comfort- 

able, residence  was  ready  to  receive  the  priest. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  same  year.  Lord  Delamere  arrived  in  the 
country  for  a  lion  and  elephant  hunt;  on  a  visit  to  the  missionaries, 
he  learned  what  work  they  had  done  for  the  language  and,  later  on, 
offered  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  printing  a  Somali  dictionary  and 
grammar.     His  disinterestedness  is  deserving  of  the  highest  praise. 

The  same  year  eleven  new  children  came  to  be  educated  at  the 
mission. 

In  1896  there  were  only  three  new  applications.     In  1897,  a  single 


186  Missions  in  Africa 

one.  Two  yeare  afterwards,  none.  Was  the  source  drying  up !  What 
were  missionaries  to  do  in  a  station  with  no  future  promise?  With 
so  sad  a  prospect  before  him,  the  priest  continued  to  work,  day  after 
day,  doing  his  best  with  the  few  children  and  adults  whom  he  sup- 
ported and  instructed,  and  whose  conversion  to  Christianity  was  still 
problematical. 

Moreover,  admitted  thUt  they  would  be  converted,  they  must  needs 
.have  Christian  wives  of  the  same  nationality,  a  most  important  neces- 
sity to  save  their  faith.  A  similar  institution  for  girls  must  be 
founded.     The  bishop  made  provision.     Three  Sisters  of  the  Third 


Missionary  in  Somalilanu. 

Order  were  stationed  in  Berbera.  I  shall  not  speak  of  the  difficulties 
they  encountered  to  keep  a  few  girls  with  them. 

Nevertheless,  relying  upon  Divine  Goodness,  a  house  was  built,  more 
comfortable  than  the  wretched,  infected  hovel  rented  from  a  native. 
Only  three  girls  were  with  them  and  these  did  not  persevere.  It  was 
just  as  well  they  did  not,  because  every  one  saw  that  the  children  that 
had  entered  the  house  of  the  "  padriad ''  (Sisters),  left  of  their  own 
free  will  and  had  not  been  sold. 

One  of  the  Sisters  ventured  to  visit  the  people  in  their  own  homes, 
taking  with  her  a  box  of  medicine  and  offering  to  dress  their  wounds. 
She  was  well  received.  After  a  few  visits  of  this  nature,  the  sympathy 
of  the  natives  was  gained  and  she  could  go  about  at  will,  always  re- 


Arabia  and  English  Somaliland  187 

spected.  Not  one  bit  timid,  she  knew  how  to  force  the  refractory  into 
respect  and  obedience  by  a  well  intended  blow  of  the  hand.  The 
natives,  who  have  a  talent  for  coining  new  expressions,  say  of  her: 
"There  goes  the  woman  who  is  a  man/^  They  readily  forgive  her 
audacity,  although  as  a  usual  thing,  no  Somali  allows  himself  to  be 
struck  by  a  woman  without  taking  redress. 

In  1898, 1  think,  all  the  young  men  came  to 
Toucliing  Proceed-  Father  Evangeliste  in  a  body.  Their  appear- 
ing.— On  the  ance  caused  him  some  disquiet.  One  of  them 
Watch. — The  Prince     began : 

of  lichtenstein.  "  Father,  we  have  come  into  your  house  with 

a  single  purpose :  to  leam  how  to  read,  write, 
and  know  all  that  is  necessary  for  taking  a  position.  We  all  intended 
to  leave  after  we  have  learned  suflSciently;  but.  Father,  conquered  by 
grace,  we  see  that  we  are  obliged  to  change  our  manner  of  life.  After 
the  explanation  of  the  commandments  of  God  and  the  example  which 
you  have  given  us  we  understand  very  well  that  the  Christian  religion 
is  the  only  true  one,  and  we  ask  to  embrace  it  at  once.^' 

Nine  of  the  most  worthy  were  baptized. 

Jesus  Christ  had  conquered. 

The  following  year  events  happened  which  jeopardized  all.  Mullah, 
who  has  since  become  a  terror  to  the  country,  began  to  make  himself 
feared  by  his  crimes  and  his  pride.  It  was  even  feared  that  he  would 
descend  upon  the  city.  The  alarm  was  given  every  day.  The  garri- 
son numbered  only  fifty  soldiers.  The  vice-consul  consulted  with  us 
about  placing  a  Maxim  gun  on  our  terrace;  owing  to  its  position,  the 
house  of  the  Sisters  was  likewise  to  serve  as  a  fortress. 

In  the  semi-obscurity  of  the  night,  the  outline  of  a  Capuchin  could 
be  detected  as  he  walked  up  and  down  with  regular  tread.  With  his 
beads  in  his  hand,  he  kept  the  watch.  The  young  men,  who  knew 
how  to  handle  a  gun,  succeeded  one  another,  every  hour  on  the  watch, 
before  the  improvised  arsenal.  A  hundred  natives,  with  hands  on 
their  lances,  slept  in  the  yard,  ready  for  any  emergency.  One  fine 
morning,  a  large  man-of-war  appeared  in  the  harbor.  All  fears  were 
dispelled.  Afterwards  the  Brother  often  laughed  at  himself  for  his 
unnecessary  fright  and  preparations  for  war. 

In  1900,  the  missionaries  had  the  consolation  of  recording  eleven 
solemn  baptisms.  The  same  year,  44  new  names  were  inscribed  on 
the  register. 

The  room  on  the  ground  floor  of  our  dwelling,  which  had  served  as 


188  Missions  in  Africa 

a  sanctuary,  became  too  small.  It  was  necessary  to  build  a  chapel 
large  enough  to  accommodate  150  persons.  The  cost  would  be  about 
$840. 

Just  at  this  time,  Prince  Henri  de  Lichtenstein  was  visiting  this 
region.  The  missionaries  made  known  their  necessities  to  him.  He 
promised  to  remember  them  and  interest  his  friends.  When  he  re- 
turned to  Europe,  he  sent  us  the  generous  offering  of  $400  from  him- 
self and  his  relative.  Count  Hoyos. 

The  year  of  1901  came.  Troubles  broke  out 
In  1901. — ^Want  of  in  the  interior.  Several  English  expeditions 
Resources.  hardly  succeeded  in  stemming  the  devastating 

flood.  At  the  close  of  this  sad  year,  unfor- 
tunate refugees  who  escaped  the  general  carnage  arrived  by  hundreds, 
exhausted  and  dying  of  hunger.  Many  never  lived  to  see  us.  Their 
skeletons  marked  the  pathway  of  the  desert. 

In  their  hour  of  distress,  the  Somalis  remembered  the  "  padri " ;  the 
fame  of  his  goodness  had  penetrated  into  the  remotest  parts  and  the 
most  hidden  jungles.  Petitioners  arrived  at  the  door  of  the  mission 
in  crowds,  or  sent  special  messengers,  to  beg  for  help  in  their  misery, 
promising  to  be  instructed  in  the  religion  which  moulded  a  compas- 
sionate heart.  Alas!  Having  no  resources,  we  were  compelled  to 
send  them  away;  they  went  in  silence  and  we  never  saw  them  again. 

In  other  missions,  better  provided  for,  advantage  has  been  taken 
of  such  extraordinary  occasions,  and  nearly  in  every  instance  a  whole 
country  has  been  converted.  But  we  in  Somaliland  must  bear  the 
sorrow  of  confessing  our  loss,  forgotten,  as  we  are,  by  all  the  great 
souls  who,  in  other  countries,  support  the  honor  of  the  Church  by  their 
alms. 

4- 

Nevertheless,  we  have  gained  one  advantage.  Seeing  the  "  padri  ^' 
so  well  disposed  toward  children,  a  large  number  have  been  entrusted 
to  us.     Mistrust  of  parents  is  gradually  being  dispelled. 

Alas!  When  missionaries  think  they  may  rejoice,  then  sorrow  is 
meted  out  unto  them.  How  shall  we  nourish  and  clothe  all  these  chil- 
dren? So  we  must  suffer  the  bitter  sadness  of  turning  them  away 
again  and  again.  Only  those  are  received  that  it  is  morally  impossible 
to  refuse.  The  people  are  already  reporting  that  the  Fathers  no  longer 
accept  children Are  they  going  to  retire  into  their  impene- 
trable desert,  never  to  come  back  again?  In  point  of  fact,  requests 
for  admission  are  beginning  to  be  less  and  less  frequent.     If  we  do 


Arabia  and  English  Somaliland  189 

not  get  speedy  help,  our  annals  will  chronicle  a  deplorable  defeat 
which  will  retard  the  conversion  of  the  country  for  years. 

We  now  number  175  boys  and  girls.  To  support  them  and  the 
missionaries  and  to  pay  costs  of  repairs  took  $2502.40  the  past  year 
and  we  are  not  out  of  debt.     Annual  expenses  amount  to  $3430.00. 

Such  is  our  present  position.  Let  us  give  a  little  attention  to 
spiritual  results  which  are  the  essential  purpose  for  which  we  have 
come  among  this  infidel  and  barbarous  people. 

II. 

Despite  the  care  we  have  taken  to  record  all 
Baptisms. — The  the  baptisms  administered  in  extremis,  we  have 

Dispensary. —  registered  only  140.    We  are  indebted  to  our 

Christian  Education  dispensaries  for  these.  Their  being  only  two 
of  Children.  of  us,  we  have  no  time  to  visit  the  people  in 

their  homes,  otherwise  we  might  number  bap- 
tisms by  the  thousands.  The  more  favored  Sisters  have  been  able  to. 
attend  several  eick  beds  and  so  have  baptized  a  great  number;  even 
adults  have  requested  or  willingly  received  the  sacrament  of  regenera- 
tion. Between  16,000  and  17,000  sick  oome  to  our  dispensary  every 
year.  The  women  (9000  to  10,000  a  year)  go  to  the  Sisters.  With 
them,  as  with  us,  the  remedies  are  free.  If  we  had  the  means  to  build 
an  hospital  what  an  immense  amount  of  good  we  could  do! 

The  principal  work  which  we  have  at  heart,  however,  is  the  Chris- 
tian education  of  the  children  that  God  sends  to  us.  They  will  be  the 
future  heads  of  families  and  will  contribute  largely  to  the  civilization 
of  their  country. 

Those  which  have  been  admitted  during  the  last  eight  years  are 
already  Christians,  or  are  learning  the  truths  of  religion.  Those  that 
have  been  baptized  and  are  preparing  for  their  first  communion  ask 
to  go  to  confession  every  week. 

Twenty  girls  are  preparing  for  baptism  with  the  same  zeal. 

The  Somali  are  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
The  Somali. —  and  intelligent  of  African  tribes.    It  is  a  real 

Edifying  Traits, —  pleasure  to  sow  the  seed  upon  so  rich  a  soil. 
Fanaticism  of  Arabs.  Nothing  is  more  interesting  than  to  hear  an 
argument  between  one  of  our  young  Christians 
and  a  Mohammedan.  First  of  all,  the  latter  tries  to  insist  upon  the 
formula  of  his  profession  of  faith.     The  positive  response  is : 

"  God  is  God  and  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God." 


190  Missions  in  Africa 

The  error  is  pointed  out  and  the  Christian  is  informed  of  the 
canonical  formula :   "  God  is  God,  and  Mohammed  is  his  Prophet/' 

The  effort  is  rain ;  no  ground  is  gained.  At  the  close  of  the  contest 
the  vanquished  cries  out: 

"  The  padri  has  given  vou  a  medicine  which  makes  you  invulner- 
able." 

These  people  have  somewhat  a  feeling  of  aversi<m  toward  the 
prophet  of  the  Arabs.  Their  apparent  exactness  in  the  observance  of 
certain  ceremonies  proceeds,  more  or  less,  from  a  motive  of  ostenta- 
tion. This  holds  out  the  hope  to  us  that  one  day  the  harvest  will  be 
abundant. 

Our  converts  need  fear  neither  sword  nor  poison.  They  arc  free 
to  become  Christians.  Moreover,  one  who  is  faithful  to  his  vows  of 
baptism  is  very  much  respected  by  his  companions. 


Notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  made,  Arab  fanaticism  has  not  been 
able  to  penetrate  the  country.  Arabs  never  pray  in  a  Somali  mosque. 
Though  they  are  few  in  number,  they  are  more  to  be  feared  by  our 
Christians  than  all  the  Somali.  Our  neophytes  are  often  compelled 
to  resort  to  extraordinary  means  to  keep  these  aggressors  at  bay. 

One  day,  one  of  our  young  men  was  attacked  by  several  Arab  mer- 
chants in  a  secluded  bazaar.  He  was  told  to  acknowledge  Mohammed, 
and,  when  he  refused,  they  laid  violent  hands  on  him.  Fortunately, 
he  was  a  man  of  Herculean  strength,  and  could  hold  his  own.  In  the 
struggle,  he  hit  one  of  his  antagonists  a  violent  blow  on  the  nose  with 
his  fist.  "  Father,"  he  afterwards  said  to  me,  frankly,  "  I  am  sorry 
....  I  hurt  the  nose  of  my  neighbor.     Did  I  strike  too  hard  ?  " 

Another  suffered  a  martyr's  trial  under  assaults  of  all  kinds.  His 
comrades  could  not  help  but  admire  his  virtue  and  publish  it  abroad. 
He  himself  writes  the  following: 

"  Beloved  Father,  all  that  you  taught  me  when  I  was  with  you  has 
taken  root  in  my  soul.  I  shall  never  forget  it.  I  thank  you.  How 
many  obstacles  have  I  not  encountered  in  the  few  months  that  I  have 
been  with  this  expedition.  All  come  to  me  every  day  to  discuss  reli- 
gion and  inform  me  that  I  am  on  the  wrong  way  and  shall  go  directly 
to  hell  if  I  do  not  return  to  Mohammedanism.  But  what  can  I  expect 
from  them !  How  happy  I  am  to  have  studied  the  Christian  religion 
thoroughly !  I  thank  you,  my  God,  for  having  drawn  me  forth  from 
darkness." 


Arabia  and  English  Somaliland  191 

With  very  rare  exceptions,  all  the  young 

Admirable  Examples      men  who  have  left  Berbera  are  giving  a  most 

of  Christians.  satisfactory     example.      When    we     consider 

their  surroundings,  we  are  astonished  that  they 

were  even  converted. 

From  their  infancy,  their  eyes  have  seen  nothing  but  manifestations 
of  the  grossest  superstitions  joined  to  an  inexpressible  depravity  of 
manners.  I  am  speaking  of  the  coast  in  particular.  When  Provi- 
dence brings  them  into  the  mission,  their  hearts  are  filled  with  the 
sublime  principles  of  the  Gospel,  but  scarcely  have  they  returned  to 
the  city  when  they  hear  and  see  nothing  but  what  is  opposed  to  the 
teaching  of  our  Lord.  They  are  even  reproached  and  ridiculed  for  be- 
ing "  Kof  ri "  and  "  Gall  '^  apostates.  If  European  Christian  residents 
were  worthy  of  the  name  our  children  would,  at  least,  be  supported 
by  their  example.  Such  is  not  the  case.  They  often  come  to  us 
saying:  "Why  do  not  the  Europeans  do  as  you  teach?  They  are 
Christians.  Is  the  Gospel  only  for  the  ^padri'?^*  Let  us  admire 
tlie  unfathomable  designs  of  God,  Who  makes  lilies  of  purity  grow 
amid  heaps  of  corruption  and  preserves  them  unstained  for  the  eternal 
harvest. 

What  means  must  be  adopted  for  efficacious 
Means  to  be  Adopted  work  of  evangelization  among  the  Somali  ? 
for  Evangelization. —  Shall  institutions  like  those  in  Berbera  be 
Difficnlties  of  Country  established  along  the  coast?  If  we  could  do 
and  Olimate. — ^Pene-  only  this  it  would  be  a  great  deal.  The  Somali 
trating  the  Jungle,  the  would  come  to  us  in  Bulbar  and  Karem  as 
Work  of  the  Future,  they  have  come  to  us  here.  Obstacles  almost 
insurmountable  face  this  project.  The  ex- 
penses of  maintaining  a  settlement  on  this  arid  coast  are  appalling. 
The  climate  is  injurious  to  missionaries  and  children.  If  winter, 
although  damp  and  favorable  to  mosquitoes,  is  bearable;  the  same  can 
not  be  said  of  summer.  A  fonn  of  paralysis  prostrates  many  and 
renders  them  inert  and  incapable  of  study;  all  who  can  flee  to  the 
mountains.  Berbera  numbers  30,000  inhabitants  in  winter  and 
scarcely  half  of  that  number  in  summer. 

What  pen  can  descril>e  the  horrors  of  tlie  monsoon  which,  for  four 
months,  blows  uninterruptedly  dnto  the  face  of  poor  creatures  its 
fumes  of  heat,  blinding  and  suffocating  them  with  clouds  of  burning 
sand  and  dust  that  defy  all  means  of  protection.  I  refrain  from 
saying  any  more. 


192 


Missions  in  Africa 


For  food,  no  fruits,  no  vegetables  at  all,  nothing  but  rice,  goat's 
and  camel's  meat.  The  only  variety  is  a  change  of  sauce.  Moreover, 
it  is  impossible  for  some  to  digest  the  meat  of  the  camel. 

If  the  climate  were  less  severe,  we  could  manage  to  live.  But  the 
question  remains,  what  is  to  become  of  our  Christians?  Some  could 
fill  positions  which  we  might  get  for  them  in  Aden.  But  are  we 
civilizing  this  country  if  we  expel  the  best  of  her  children  ?     Besides, 


SOMALIS    IN    THE    JUNGLE. 

experience  has  proved  that  all  who  are  thus  sent  away  from  home  lose 
their  simplicity  and  the  frankness  of  their  faith. 

Any  cultivation  of  soil  in  Berbera  is  out  of  the  question.  Not  even 
a  herd  of  goats  could  be  raised  on  a  sandy  tract  without  water. 

Could  we  make  merchants  of  our  pupils?  To  establish  them  in 
trade  would  require  a  large  sum  of  money,  and  tlien  only  a  few  could 
enjoy  such  a  privileged  station. 

A  large  workshop  ?  It  would  never  succeed  in  a  country  where  the 
inhabitants  are  living  in  most  primitive  fashion. 


Arabia  and  English  Somaliland  193 

To  penetrate  into  the  jungle  is  the  only  solution  for  the  problem. 
There  the  climate  is  good,  a  great  advantage  to  missionaries.  There 
the  children  are  found  in  their  native  element.  I  have  forgotten  to 
mention  that  all  our  children  come  from  the  interior. 

In  pursuance  of  the  corruption  which  the  Arabs  and  Indians  have 
spread  in  the  populous  localities  of  the  coast,  there  is  not  a  child  that 
escapes  degradation.  Whereas,  in  the  interior,  despite  the  introduc- 
tion of  Mohammedanism,  the  Somali  lead  a  nomadic,  pastoral  life, 
and  have  preserved  their  manners  simple  and  austere.  They  live  on 
little  and  generally  have  but  one  wife.  Morality  is  held  in  esteem 
among  them. 

It  remains  then  to  obtain  some  concession  from  them  and  to  choose 
a  healthy  tract,  large  and  fertile;  healthy,  so  that  the  fevers  may 
be  avoided  and  missionaries  at  hard  stations  may  regain  their  strength 
there;  large  and  fertile,  so  that  a  Christian  village  may  be  founded 
and  support  itself  by  the  raising  of  herds.  Several  stations,  estab- 
lished under  such  conditions,  would,  one  day,  be  self-supporting. 

Prom  the  information  men,  competent  to  judge,  have  given  us, 
there  is  a  tract  of  land,  suitable  for  our  project,  two  or  three  days* 
journey  from  Berbera  to  the  southwest,  in  the  direction  of  Abyssinia. 
We  have  no  need  to  fear  "  Mullah  ** ;  the  English  keep  him  at  a  safe 
distance  from  their  protectorate. 

Finally,  a  line  of  stations,  at  a  reasonable  distance  apart,  would  lead 
into  the  heart  of  the  country,  to  Ogaden,  the  terrestrial  paradise  of 
the  Somali. 

Nothing  remains  hut  for  us  to  rely  upon 
An  Appeal  to  Christian  charity.    God  will  inspire  our  breth- 

Charity. — ^Toticliing      ren  dn  Europe  and  America  with  an  interest 
Death  of  a  Child.  in  the  conversion  of  the  Somali. 

Christian  fathers  and  mothers,  let  me  sug- 
gest to  you  that  you  admit  another  into  your  family.  Add  a  dear 
little  Somali  son  to  the  number  of  your  children  and,  if  you  are 
blessed  with  worldly  goods,  remember  also  an  innocent  little  girl. 

We  will  educate  them  for  you  with  great  care.  Each  will  cost 
between  eighteen  and  twenty  dollars  a  year;  this  sum  includes  food, 
clothing,  and  all  other  costs.  The  little,  black,  young  lady  will  even 
be  allowed  some  rancid  butter  to  beautify  herself  for  especial  feast 
days.  The  little  boy  will  be  content  to  anoint  his  well-formed  supple 
limbs  with  fat.  He  will  learn  to  use  the  lance  and  the  shield  with 
skill,  as  he  will  be  called  upon  to  repel  the  attacks  of  lions  and  other 
wild  beasts  that  roam  at  large  through  these  unexplored  regions. 


194  Missions  in  Africa 

I  have  stated  that  you  may  adopt  them.  They  will  bear  the  name  of 
their  benefactor  or  benefactress  and  will  transmit  it  with  honor  to  their 
descendants. 

4- 

Hear  how  a  little  child  died  and  see  whether  your  benefactions  will 
not  carry  blessings  with  them. 

One  day,  a  man  came  to  our  mission  with  a  pretty  little  boy. 

"  What  do  you  want?  "  asked  the  missionary. 

"  I  have  brought  you  my  son,  Mahmud,  and  I  confide  him  to  you.'' 

"  Is  he  your  only  child  ?  " 

"  No,  I  have  another.'' 

"  And  why  have  you  not  brought  us  both  ?  " 

"  No,  ^  padri ' ;  I  want  to  give  one  to  Mohammed  and  the  other  to 
Issa  (Jesus  Christ)." 

The  little  black,  given  to  Jesus  Christ,  grew  up  at  the  mission;  but, 
whilst  the  others  improved,  he  remained  a  savage.  His  only  good 
quality  was  a  certain  kindness  of  heart. 

One  day,  he  was  taken  sick,  and  the  Father  saw  that  he  would  die. 
It  was  impossible  to  baptize  any  one  in  such  contrary  disposition. 
Besides,  he  had  refused  to  be  a  Christian.  Here  was  a  soul  to  save. 
Having  invoked  the  aid  of  Heaven,  the  missionary  approaclied  the 
dying  boy.  "  My  dear  child,"  said  he,  "  I  believe  that  God  is  going  to 
call  you  to  eternity." 

"  Father,"  answered  the  little  savage,  "  T  heg  of  you,  do  not  let  me 
die  without  baptism." 

The  priest,  vc^ry  much  console<l,  spoke  to  him  concerning  the  great 
Christian  truths  and  baptized  him.  The  poor  child  suffered  horribly.- 
When  asked,  what  we  could  do  to  help  him,  he  murmured:  "  Father, 
I  cannot  move  my  paralyzed  limbs.  I  beg  of  you,  turn  me  so  that  I 
can  see  the  chureh,  I  want  to  die  looking  at  the  house  of  God." 

The  Father  granted  his  wish,  and  Mahmud,  still  wet  with  the  waters 
of  baptism  died,  fervently  repeating  the  last  ejaculatory  prayer  that 
had  been  suggested  to  him. 


MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 


VICARIATE    APOSTOLIC    OF    THE   MARQUESAS 
ISLANDS 

The  Mission  of  the  Marquesas  Islands,  founded  in  1838,  and  in  charge 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Picpus,  is  suffering  from  the  reli- 
gious persecution  in  France.  The  archipelago  forms  a  part  of  French 
Oceanica,  whose  governor  resides  in  Tahiti.  According  to  the  latest  news 
from  Bishop  Martin,  vicar  apostolic,  all  the  schools  of  the  mission  must 
be  closed.  The  Brothers  of  Ploermel  have  already  left  the  islands,  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Joseph  are  about  to  follow  their  example,  and  it  is  feared 
that  extreme  measures  will  force  the  abandonment  of  the  mission.  The 
vicariate  apostolic  of  the  Marquesas  Islands  possesses  40  churches  and 
chapels  and  7  schools.  Its  personnel  includes  one  bishop,  9  priests  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  of  Picpus.  3  Brothers  of  the  same  society,  and  12  native 
catechists.  There  were  besides  4  Brothers  of  Ploermel  and  12  Sisters  of 
St.  Joseph. 

Our  readers  will  unite  with  us  in  prayer  to  beg  God  to  spare  this  little 
-nission  so  cruelly  tried  and  not  to  permit  the  ruin  of  works  which  have 
cost  sixty  years  of  labor  and  tears.  The  Fathers  of  Picpus  have  not  failed 
to  inspire  their  neophytes  with  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  As  the 
following  account  testifies,  the  Sacred  Heart  has  not  failed  to  bestow  His 
consolations  in  the  fulfillment  of  His  promises  made  known  to  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary. 

Leti'er  of  Father  Orens  Saint-C-riq,  8.  11.  Pic. 
Missionary  in  the  Island  of  Tahuata. 

Vaitahu  (Tahuata),  Soptcmbor  1,  1904. 
In    one    of    the    valleys    of    the   island    of 
How  Our  Lord  Tahuata,   or   Saint   Christine,   there   lived   a 

Keeps  His  Promises.  family,  who  having  received  baptism  aposta- 
tized. One  of  this  im fortunate  household, 
however,  Rotaria  (Rosalie)  did  not  deny  her  faith.  She  was  fourteen 
years  old  and  had  just  left  the  Sisters'  school  where  she  was  conspicuous 
for  her  application  and  her  piety.     In  her  family  circle,  where  all  had 

195 


196  Missions  in  Oceanica 

returned  to  their  old  superstitions,  she  showed  a  fidelity  and  zeal 
beyond  her  years ;  they  might  do  violence  to  her  body,  they  could  not 
bind  her  will. 

Alas!  In  consequence  of  the  incessant  struggle,  she  fell  a  victim 
to  the  incurable  disease  of  consumption.  The  grief  of  her  parents 
knew  no  control  and  they  resorted  to  all  possible  and  imaginary  sor- 
ceries to  save  her.  All  efforts  availed  nothing,  and  the  disease 
developed  to  such  a  point,  that  Eotaria  gradually  lost  the  use  of  her 
reason.. 

About  this  time,  I  received  charge  of  the  island  of  Tahuata.  The 
relatives  of  tlie  sick  girl  came  to  me  as  soon  as  I  arrived,  and  begged 
me  to  go  to  see  lier.  I  followed  the  mother  who,  all  in  tears,  recounted 
the  different  phases  of  the  malady  and  all  that  had  been  done  for  her 
daughter's  relief. 

"  Look,''  said  she  to  me,  as  we  crossed  the  threshold  of  her  house, 
and  pointed  to  a  corner  of  the  room  where  an  emaciated  form  tossed 
in  agony,  "  she  has  been  that  way  for  over  a  month." 

Rotaria  was  lying  on  a  mat.  At  sight  of  her  thin,  little  body  burn- 
ing with  fever,  I  surmised  that  the  end  was  drawing  near.  She  kept 
on  talking  to  imaginary  creatures;  at  times  calm,  at  times  excited, 
now  pleading,  again  commanding.  Her  conversation  was  not  at  all 
connected.  "  Poor  child,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  she  is  out  of  her  mind ; 
there  is  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  give  her  absolution  in  extremis/' 

"Rotaria,  Rotaria,"  cried  her  mother,  "here  is  Father  Orens  who 
has  come  to  see  you." 

Regarding  her  mother  with  a  vacant  stare,  she  continued  in  her 
delirium. 

Until  now,  I  had  not  spoken  a  word.  With  the  natives  of  these 
islands,  it  is  best  not  to  hurry  matters.  I  knelt  down  and  was  pleased 
to  see  that  those  around  me  did  the  same.  After  saying  a  "Hail 
Mary  "  in  the  vernacular,  I  took  the  sick  girl's  hand. 

"  Rotaria,"  I  said  to  her. 

At  the  sound  of  my  voice,  her  feverish  agitation  ceased ;  she  fixed 
her  eyes  on  me  in  astonishment,  like  one  aroused  from  a  dream,  and 
slowly  articulated  these  words : 

"  0  ai  oef    Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Father  Orens." 

"  Father  Orens !     Kaoha  nui,  how  do  you  do  ?  " 

At  these  words,  a  feeble  smile  passed  over  her  lips  and  her  face 
assumed  an  expression  of  contentment. 

"How  are  you,  Rotaria?" 


The  Marquesas  Islands  197 

"  Very  ill,  Father,  I  am  going  to  die." 

She  had  hardly  uttered  these  words,  when  she  suddenly  raised  her- 
self, stretched  out  her  arras  toward  some  one  invisible  and  cried  out 
in  a  strong  and  indignant  voice : 

"  Look  at  the  one  who  has  brought  me  where  I  am/' 

I  thought  that  another  attack  of  delirium  had  come  on  and  tried  to 
calm  her.  She  lay  back  very  calm,  then,  turning  to  me  she  added  in 
a  sad,  though  positive^  voice : 

"  Nevertheless,  what  I  have  said  is  true." 

"  Even  so,  did  our  Lord  return  evil  for  evil  ?  " 

"You  are  right.  Father.  .  .  .     Will  God  pardon  me?" 

"  You  know  that  God  pardons  all  those  who  repent." 

"  Yes,  I  know,  and  I  want  to  go  to  confession." 

"  At  once." 

"  Yes,  right  now." 

The  poor  child  had  anticipated  my  desires.  Seeing  that  her  mind 
was  clear,  and  fearing  that  she  might  again  become  delirious,  I  granted 
her  request  without  delay. 

Those  who  were  present  at  our  conversation  could  not  conceal  their 
astonishment.  She  whose  mind  had  wondered  was  now  in  full  posses- 
sion of  her  senses.  This  new  wonder  deserved  to  be  known,  and  when 
she  had  made  her  confession,  half  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley 
came  to  witness  the  astonishing  change.  She  was  now  very  quiet, 
listened  to  my  advice  with  fixed  attention,  answered  every  one  of  my 
questions,  promised  to  pray  to  God  that  she  might  not  give  any  trouble 
to  her  parents — in  a  word,  acted,  in  every  way,  like  one  in  full  posses- 
sion of  her  mental  faculties.  I  went  away,  promising  to  return  the 
next  day. 

Scarcely  had  I  left  the  house,  when  the  mother  called  me  back; 
"  She  is  out  of  her  mind  again ! "  In  point  of  fact,  when  I  returned, 
I  found  Rotaria  as  she  was  on  my  first  arrival,  with  wild  eyes,  distorted 
features,  her  arms  extended  to  thrust  back  invisible  beings,  whilst  she 
uttered  nothing  but  incoherent  phrases.  Her  delirium  had  suddenly 
returned.  It  seemed  very  strange,  but,  as  I  had  done  all  I  could  do 
as  a  priest  of  God,  I  withdrew  thanking  Him  for  the  great  grace  of 
having  given  this  poor  child  a  few  moments  of  normal  thought. 

The  next  morning,  I  inquired  about  her;  she  had  not  regained  her 
senses  for  a  single  instant. 


198  Missions  in  Oceanica 

To  keep  my  word,  I  went  to  sec  her  in  the  evening,  nevertheless. 
I  found  her  as  on  the  night  before,  gesticulating  wildly,  and  uttering 
meaningless  phrases,  without  showing  the  least  signs  of  consciousness. 
I  knelt  down  as  did  all  present  and  repeated  "  Kaoha  oe,  e  Maria/' 
"  Hail  Mary,"  three  times.  At  the  third  "  Hail  Mary  "  Rotaria  made 
the  responses  with  the  others.  We  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  so  did 
she. 

"  Rotaria,"  said  T  to  her. 

"  Good-day,  Father,  how  good  you  are  to  come !  " 

She  continued  to  speak  to  me  of  her  illness,  the  Sisters  of  Atuona, 
her  companions  at  school,  her  parents,  her  first  communion,  etc.,  listen- 
ing and  responding  exactly  like  a  person  in  her  right  mind.  After  a 
long  half  hour  spent  thus,  I  said  good-bye. 

"  You  will  come  back,  to-morrow,*'  she  asked. 

"  Yes,  I  will  come  back." 

I  had  not  gone  out  of  the  house*,  when  her  delirium  came  on  again. 
Every  day  for  a  week,  the  same  proceedings  were  repeated.  The 
astonishment  of  the  people  knew  no  bounds. 

In  the  meantime,  her  disease  made  rapid  progress.  It  was  evident 
that  the  little  girl's  last  hour  was  approaching  and  she  had  not  yet 
received  the  last  sacraments.  To  take  Holy  Communion  to  one  half 
demented  did  not  se(!m  to  me  to  be  prudent;  therefore,  I  had  delayed. 
Now  the  moment  for  decision  luid  come;  and  what  should  T  do? 

It  was  Friday  evening,  the  day  dedicated,  in  a  special  manner,  to 
the  Sacred  Heart.  I  went  to  see  Rotaria  and  found  her  in  her  usual 
state  of  frenzy. 

At  the  sound  of  my  voice,  however,  she  answered  with  a  feeble: 
''  Kalioa  Oraii,  good-day.  Father." 

"  You  are  not  better  ?  " 

"  No,  Father;  I  am  going  to  die." 

"If  you  are  going  to  die,  would  you  not  like  to  receive  Holy  Com- 
munion before  passing  into  eternity." 

"  Certainly,  Father,  but  .  .  .  ." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  Will  I  be  able  to  go  to  church  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  since  you  cannot  go  to  church,  I  will  })ring  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  to  you." 

"  Here !     In  this  house,  where  no  one  loves  God  ?  " 

"  No  one !     And  you  Rotaria,  do  you  not  love  Him  ?  " 

"  Oh !  yes,  I  love  Him." 

"  You  have  all  heard  her  say  so,"  I  said  to  those  present,  "  she 


The  Marquesas  Islands  199 

wants  to  receive  the  last  sacraments.     Make  haste  and  clean  the  house ; 
sweep  it." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  I  set  to  work,  knowing,  from  experience, 
that  the  quickest  way  to  have  anything  clone  in  these  parts  is  to  do  it 
yourself.  Still,  the  mother  and  sister  of  Eotaria,  seemed  to  feel  some 
sense  of  shame  on  seeing  me  do  all,  so  thanks  to  their  assistance, 
everything  was  ready  in  a  few  minutes. 


I  left.  A  few  minutes  later,  and  I  returned  bringing  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  and  accompanied  by  a  catechist. 

Rotaria  was  making  the  most  frantic  gestures.  Her  voice  was  very 
weak  and  all  that  we  could  hear  were  unintelligible  sounds.  What  was 
to  be  done! 

I  placed  the  Blessed  Eucharist  on  a  box  serving  as  a  table  and  covered 
with  a  clean,  white  linen  cloth,  before  a  crucifix  with  two  lighted  can- 
dles brought  by  my  catechist.  I  began  the  prayers  of  the  ritual,  turn- 
ing toward  the  sick  child  from  time  to  time  to  see  whether  she  noticed 
what  was  going  on. 

"  Rotaria,"  said  I  to  her ;  "  here  is  our  Lord ;  He  is  here  by  you ; 
do  you  not  wish  to  receive  Him  ?  " 

Astonished,  the  poor  little  one  turned  her  eyes  from  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  to  me,  then  to  those  about  her.  Without  saying  a  word, 
she  made  a  sign  for  her  eldest  sister  to  come  nearer  to  her. 

I  must  acknowledge  that,  at  this  ^loment,  my  heart  beat  faster  than 
usual.     What  was  going  to  happen  ? 

"  Help  me  to  sit  up,"  she  said. 

Alas!  she  was  too  feeble;  they  tried  to  help  her  by  putting  two 
pillows  back  of  her  head. 

"  Xow,  my  white  dress,"  she  added.  They  brought  her  the  white 
robe  which  she  had  not  wanted  a  few  minutes  before.  She  examined 
it  and  then  put  it  on,  her  mother  and  sister  helping  her. 

"  Now,"  she  said,  turning  her  eyes  toward  me,  "  I  am  ready  to  receive 
my  God." 

What  a  joy  and  what  a  relief  to  my  heart ! 

I  continued  reciting  the  prayers  of  the  ritual.  She  herself  said  all 
the  acts  before  and  after  Communion  which  she  had  learned  from  the 
Sisters.  Poor  child,  there  was  but  a  breath  of  life  left  in  her;  after 
each  word,*  she  was  compelled  to  stop  for  breath.  Nothing  could  be 
sadder  and  more  touching  than  that  scene.  I  could  not  repress  my 
own  tears,  and  I  was  not  surprised  to  see  all  around  me  weeping. 


200 


Missions  in  Oceanica 


When  she  had  finished  her  preparation,  she  received  Communion  with 
angelic  piety.     Afterwards,  she  asked  to  receive  Extreme  Unction. 

When  I  finished  the  last  prayers,  the  agony  began  and  she  never 
regained  consciousness.     She  died  Sunday  evening. 

Hers  was  not  an  ordinary  death.  A  few  days  afterwards,  I  had 
occasion  to  see  Bishop  Martin,  and  could  not  help  but  speak  to  him  of 
my  astonishment. 

"  Rotaria,"  said  he  to  me,  "  is  one  of  the  children  who  went  to  Com- 
munion the  first  Friday  of  nine  successive  months/'  • 

We  know  that  one  of  the  promises  revealed  to  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  by  our  Lord  is : 

"  I  promise,  in  the  excess  of  the  mercy  of  my  heart,  that  my  all 
powerful  love  shall  give  to  all  those  who  communicate  the  first  Friday 
of  nine  consecutive  months  the  grace  of  fmal  repentance;  they  shall 
not  die  in  my  disfavor,  without  receiving  tlie  sacraments,  and  I  shall 
be  their  assured  refuge  at  this  last  hour." 

I  had  seen  this  promise  realized.  It  explained  Rotaria's  death. 
May  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  be  ever  thanked  and  praised ! 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


ASIA 

Apostolic  Labors  of   the  Fathers  of  the  Foreign  Missions 

of  Paris 

The  annual  report  of  the  Society  for  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris  has 
just  appeared.     In  the  introduction  we  read : 

"  Although  our  beloved  missions  have  suffered  no  irreparable  loss, 
nevertheless  the  year  1904  has  been  a  very  trying  one  for  some  of  them. 

"  Southern  Manchuria  has  borne  a  large  share  of  the  calamities 
which  follow  upon  war.  The  youngest  missionary  of  this  vicariate. 
Father  Tr6cul,  fell  by  the  ball  of  a  brigand,  October  IG,  whilst  defend- 
ing the  life  of  one  of  his  Christians.  Great  agitation  continues  to 
prevail  in  Korea  and  seriously  impedes  the  action  of  apostolic  laborers. 
The  missions  of  Japan  have  suffered  much  from  the  war  which  cannot 
be  prolonged  without  doing  them  much  harm. 

"Western  Cochin  China  was  ravaged  by  the  terrible  typhoon  of 
May  1,  which  devastated  the  whole  western  region  of  this  vicariate; 
Northern  Cochin  China,  by  that  of  September  11,  which  caused  the 
death  of  its  pro-vicar.  Father  Dangelzer. 

"  Other  vicariates  apostolic  have  been  tried  by  cholera  pestilence, 
famine,  fire  and  piracy. 

"  In  spite  of  war,  typhoons,  epidemics  and  difficulties  of  all  kinds 
•  which  the  evil  one  puts  in  the  way  of  missionaries,  our  work  has  not 
been  fruitless.     The  following  figures  are  not  discouraging: 
36,470  adult  baptisms ; 

517  conversions  from  heresy; 
130,871  baptisms  of  pagan  children. 

"  We  coud  not  hope  for  better  results  even  in  less  tried  times. 

201 


202  News  of  the  Missions 

"  In  the  missions  under  our  charge,  we  number :  680  native  priests, 
2598  catechists,  5116  churches  or  chapels,  39  seminaries  or  colleges, 
with  2224  students,  3610  schools  with  99,842  boys  and  girls,  330 
infant  or  orphan  asylums  with  27,011  children  of  both  sexes,  489 
dispensaries,  and  116  hospitals  or  leper  asylums. 

"  The  personnel  of  our  society  numbers  1340,  bishops  and  mission- 
aries, and  they  have  charge  of  1,340,346  Christian  souls/' 

The  Situation  in  China 

Bishop  Marc  Chatagnon,  P.  F.  M.,  vicar  apostolic  of  Southern  Si- 
chuan, writes  from  Sin-fu,  January  22,  1905 : 

"  In  the  evil  times  in  which  we  live,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  know 
our  bearings.     I  shall  soon  call  a  meeting  of  my  missionaries. 

"I  always  take  advantage  of  those  feast  days  of  the  New  Year, 
February  4,  at  which  time  no  one  does  any  work  in  China  for  two 
weeks,  to  call  together  our  own  missionaries :  the  Chinese  priests  meet 
later.  This  year  we  must  make  haste.  Who  knows  what  *is  reserved 
for  the  year  1905.  Will  we  be  able  to  come  together  later?  We  ought 
to  number  forty-five  missionaries,  but  some  will  be  prevented  from 
coming  by  sickness  or  pressing  business.  When  we  assemble  we  make 
our  annual  retreat,  discuss  the  plans  of  action  for  the  new  year,  dis- 
tribute our  arms,  that  is  to  say,  the  alms  of  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith  and  of  the  Holy  Childhood,  and  each  returas  to  his  post  re- 
inforced, morally  and  physically,  for  another  year.  To  do  all  this 
requires  from  ten  to  fifteen  days. 

"  I  have  said  that  we  must  make  haste.  In  fact,  the  situation  is 
waxing  very  hot.  Eyes  are  turned  in  every  direction  to  see  where  the 
bomb  is  going  to  burst.  The  Japanese,  furious  at  not  having  settled 
matters  with  Russia,  are  trying  with  all  their  might  to  excite  the 
Chinese  to  help  them.  We  may  be  sure  that,  if  the  Chinese  mix  in 
affairs,  they  will  not  distinguish  between  Russians,  English,  and 
French.  They  will  even  sacrifice  the  interests  of  their  compatriots, 
the  native  Christians.  Pillage,  fire  and  massacres  will  begin  afresh. 
The  Boxer  persecution,  which  has  never  been  completely  suppressed, 
will  break  out  more  violently  than  in  1900. 

"  All  signs  of  an  approaching  storm  are  in  evidence ;  pamphlets  and 
incendiary  proclamations  are  pouring  in  from  all  sides.  Symptoms 
of  the  '  yellow  f ever,^  which  is,  in  truth,  the  yellow  peril,  are  prevalent. 


Asia  203 

The  Japanese  who  work  China  in  every  sense  of  the  word  and  Chinese 
students  returning  from  Japan  contribute  not  a  little  toward  dissemi- 
nating the  germs.     Our  province  is  not  protected  from  contagion. 

"Very  lately,  one  of  my  oldest  missionaries  stationed  about  two 
days'  travel  from  here,  very  nearly  lost  his  life  in  an  attack  similar  to 
that  which  caused  the  death  of  Bishop  Theotime,  of  Hu-peh,  last  year 
He  only  escaped  through  a  bonze  who  made  known  the  plot.  The  con- 
spirators met  at  his  house  without  permission.  A  pagoda  somewhat 
secluded,  on  the  top  of  a  wooded  hill  near  the  residence  of  the  mission- 
ary, seemed  to  them  a  favorable  spot  for  a  bold  stroke.  The  bonze  who 
was  frightened  at  the  consequences  which  any  such  action  might  have 
for  him  and  his  pagoda,  secretly  notified  the  mandarins  who  seized 
and  dispersed  the  offenders.  Others  are  ready  for  a  fresh  attempt, 
however,  and  the  matter  is  only  delayed. 

"  You  can  understand  that  these  times  of  trouble  are  not  favorable 
for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  Still,  we  have  never  before  numbered 
so  many  conversions.  It  seems  that  all  the  scourges  of  the  past  ten 
years  have  fallen  on  China;  pestilence  in  some  provinces,  famine  in 
others;  civil  and  foreign  wars  together  with  all  their  accompanying 
evils  are  beginning  to  arouse  the  Chinese  from  their  lethargy  and  open 
their  eyes.  God,  Who  desires  the  salvation  of  all,  is  not  content  with 
inviting  men  to  the  banquet  of  the  Gospel;  He  invites  them,  urges 
them  and  forces  them  to  partake  of  it  by  every  possible  means.  To 
compel  men  to  think  of  a  future  life,  nothing  is  more  efficacious  than 
to  disgust  them  with  life  on  this  earth.  Misery  is  a  more  successful 
sermon  on  detachment  than  any  we  can  preach.  That  is  the  reason 
why  there  is  so  much  of  it.  It  is  not  hard  for  us  to  admit  the  pagans 
who  apply  to  us;  provided  their  motives  are  good,  we  do  not  require 
them  to  be  highly  supernatural.  Besides,  suffering  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  and  valued  motives. 

"  But  without  the  grace  of  God,  trials  harden  rather  than  convert 
sinners.  The  Chinese,  though  so  far  rebellious  to  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  have  not  abused  the  grace  of  God  like  the  apostates  of  Europe. 
That  is  why  God  seems  to  grant  them  more  abundant  and  powerful 
graces  which  lead  to  their  conversion.  All  my  missionaries  are  im- 
ploring me  for  assistants  to  share  their  labors  or,  at  least,  for  catechists 
to  distribute  the  bread  of  the  word  to  the  crowds  that  gather  at  the 
doors  of  the  churches.     They  come  from  all  parts,  the  most  secluded 


204  News  of  the  Missions 

spots  where  no  missionary  has  yet  set  foot  and  no  preacher  of  the 
Gospel  has  yet  been  heard.  You  can  imagine  what  thirty  or  forty 
missionaries  can  do  in  a  country  larger  than  New  England,  numbering 
twenty  million  inhabitants.  They  have  begun  by  establishing  them- 
selves in  the  large  cities,  but  now  they  are  obliged  to  penetrate  into  the 
mountains  and  the  most  remote  regions.  It  is  the  virgin  soil  free  from 
all  bad  seed  that  usually  chokes  the  good  which  holds  out  the  fairest 
promise  for  richest  harvests/^ 

A  Solemn  Procession  of  the  Sovereigns  of  the  Celestial 

Empire 

The  following  extract  is  taken  from  the  letter  of  Rev.  Van  de  Welde, 
a  Belgian  missionary  in  Mongolia,  who  witnessed  the  interesting  cere- 
mony described,  while  on  a  short  visit  to  Pekin : 

"  On  Sunday,  November  13,  1904,  the  emperor,  young  empress,  and 
empress  dowager  went  to  the  summer  palace  for  a  sojourn  of  three 
days  to  celebrate  the  seventieth  birthday  anniversary  of  the  aged 
sovereign.  I  enjoyed  a  very  close  view  of  the  cortege  as  it  passed 
along  the  boulevard,  from  which  a  broad  street  leads  to  the  cathedral. 

"  From  nine  o'clock  on,  all  entrance  to  the  residence  was  forbidden 
for  the  whole  day.  Soldiers  stretched  large  pieces  of  canvas  at  the  end 
of  the  avenue  to  prevent  the  gaze  of  the  curious  that  lived  along  the 
route  of  procession. 

^^  About  ten  o'clock  I  heard  the  sound  of  trumpets  announcing  the 
approach  of  the  imperial  party.  Everybody  on  the  boulevard  at  once 
fled  into  the  houses  or  the  adjacent  streets.  One  straggler,  a  wagon 
driver,  was  brutally  driven  off,  before  my  very  eyes,  by  the  mandarins 
and  soldiers,  for  the  command  not  to  look  upon  the  emperor  is  absolute. 
All  window  blinds  were  lowered ;  ours  too.  But  blinds  are  sometimes 
very  accommodating,  and  ours  afforded  a  narrow  opening  sufficient  for 
me  to  see  the  interesting  sight. 

"  The  mandarins  in  the  lead  wore  magnificent  robes  witii  a  moon 
embroidered  in  different  colors  on  the  back.  Twenty  men  followed 
bearing  glistening  banners  on  each  of  which  a  dragon,  the  emblem  of 
the  empire,  stood  prominently  forth.  Next  in  line  came  a  strong 
escort  of  soldiers,  with  guns  on  their  shoulders  in  true  European 
fashion ;  between  the  two  lines  rode  the  great  mandarins. 

"  Then  came  the  emperor.     He  was  seated  in  a  superb  palanquin. 


Asia 


205 


borae  by  eight  men  in  costumes  of  varied  color.  To  see  him  better, 
I  ventured  to  raise  the  curtain  a  little.  Although  he  is  thirty  years 
of  age,  he  did  not  bok  to  me  over  twenty.  His  countenance,  very  pale, 
wore  an  expression  of  gentleness.  His  skin  is  much  fairer  than  that 
of  his  countrymen  in  general.  That  may  be  due  to  his  state  of  ill 
health.  When  he  passed  before  my  window,  our  eyes  met;  I  did  not 
let  the  curtain  fall,  however,  and  could  easily  have  exchanged  a 
friendly  glance  with  him;  any  such  act  would  have  been  altogether 
contrary  to  Chinese  custom  and,  as  well  disposed  as  the  emperor  might 
have  been,  some  mandarin  wouH  have  found  serious  objection  to  the 
liberty  of  a  '  western  devil.* 

"  Immediately  after  His  Majesty,  came  a  number  of  horsemen  and 
wagons  with  packages,  most  probably  the  commissary  division.  The 
curious  came  out  from  their  retreats  and  the  boulevard  was  instantly 
thronged  with  people. 

"  About  half -past  ten  o'clock  a  second  call  of  trumpets  again  put 
the  crowd  to  flight.  The  cortege  of  the  empress-mother  set  in  motion ; 
it  was  organized  like  the  first,  but  was  much  more  magnificent. 

"  The  empress  dowager  is,  by  no  means,  as  ugly  as  Europeans  repre- 
sent her.  She  does  not  look  over  fifty;  but,  it  may  be,  that  powder 
and  paint  concealed  some  of  her  years. 

"  Other  vehicles,  soldiers  and  mandarins  closed  the  procession ;  after 
they  had  passed,  the  people  again  took  possession  of  the  street." 


DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 

Reported  since  the  April  Annals 


NORTH  AMERICA 

Unitid  States 
Uev.Si^smond  Uydlew8kI,C.S.Sp. 

SOUTH  AMERICA 

Chili 

Rev.  Flavien  Prat,  S.H.Pic. 
♦»     D.  H.  de  Mendoza,  S.H.Pic. 

Amazon 
Rev.  Henri  Maurice,  C.S.Sp. 

AFRICA 

Freiich  Congo 
Rev.  Cyrille  Moulin,  C.S.Sp. 

dmhehasia 
Rev.  Aufiruste  Muller.  C.S.Sp. 
*'     Goepp,  C.S.Sp. 

Cunene 

Rev.  Jean  Steinmetz,  C.S.Sp. 
**     Joaquin  Pereira,  C.S.Sp. 
•*     Felix  Villain,  C.S.Sp. 
"     J.  Le  Borgne,  C.S.Sp. 

Sierra  Leon^ 
Rev.  F.  J.  Sinner.  C.S.Sp. 


Rev 


Gold  Coast 
Fr.  Riber,  L.A.M. 
**     Mutscheler,  L.A.M. 
"     Schmitt,  L.A.M. 


Ivory  Coattt 
Rev.  Fr.  Meheupt,  L.A.M. 
•♦     **     Moly,  UA.M. 
Dahomey 
Rev.  Fr.  Gagnaire,  L.A.M. 

Sencgambia 
Rev.  Alexandre  Alaux,  C.S.Sp. 

'*     Joseph  Cosson,  C.S.Sp. 
Br.  F.  Defi-anc,  C.S.Sp. 
Lower  Niger 
Rev.  Jean  Feral,  C.S.Sp. 

Benin 
Rev.  Prosper  Cartal,  L.A.M. 
"     Joseph  Ferrerio,  L.A.M. 

Gabon 

Rev.  Leon  Girod,  C.S.Sp. 
"     P.  Bailly-Comptc,  C.S.Sp. 

ASIA 

China. 
Kwann-tung 
Rev.  J.  A.  Genty,  P.F.M. 


Western  Tonkin 
Rev.  J.  J.  Marty.  P.F.M. 

Northern  Manchuria 
Rev.  Louis  Biarill,  P.F.M. 

SoulTiem  Manchurta 
Rev.  J.  B.  Goytino,  P.F.M. 

Eastern  Cochin  China 
Rev.  E.  J.  J.  Decrouille,  P.F.M. 

Korea 
Rev.  M.  C.  Julien,  P.F.M. 

India 

Pondicherry 

Rev.  G.  E.  Boyer.  P.F.M. 

Southern  Burma. 

Rev.  Joseph  Mourlanne,  P.F.M. 

Kumbakonam 
Rev.  C.  A.  J.  Dovin.  P.F.M. 

OCEANICA 

Sandwich  Islands 
Rev.  F.  P.  Steffen,  S.H.Pic. 


206 


SUPPLEMENT 


AMERICAN  EDITION 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


IRISH  MISSIONARIES  AT  THE  UPPER  NILE 

(equatorial  AFRICA.) 

Letter  of  Bishop  Hanlon, 

Vicar  Apostolic  of  the  Upper  Nile. 

To  THE  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

The  history  of  the  vicariate  of  the  Upper  Nile  is  one  more  proof  of 
the  goodness  of  God  in*  encouraging  the  zeal  and  sacrifices  of  mis- 
sionaries. 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  has  been  the  especial 
instrument  in  the  designs  of  God  to  help  us  support  missions  already 
established,  develop  works  of  piety,  charity,  and  education,  clothe  the 
poor,  make  Ohristian  marriages  possible,  distribute  books,  found  mis- 
sion stations  in  populous  villages,  open  schools,  educate  catechists, 
support  dispensaries,  care  for  the  sick,  lay  out  roads,  erect  buildings, 
and  cultivate  the  soil. 

After  having  established  seven  stations  in  Uganda  we  entered  the 
neighboring  country  to  the  east,  Busoga,  whose  inhabitants  are  inferior 
in  intelligence  and  civilization  to  the  Bagandas.  We  now  have  three 
stations  there. 

From  there  we  passed  into  Buhedi,  a  country  even  more  barbarous 

207 


208    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

than  Busoga^  and  have  founded  two  stations.  Recently,  we  traversed 
the  whole  of  Kavirondo,  hounded  on  the  north  hy  Mt.  Elgar  and  on 
the  south  by  the  Anglo-German  protectorate.  The  natives  of  Kavi- 
rondo  are  the  most  barbarous  tribe  we  know.  We  have  stationed  mis- 
sionaries in  Port  Florence,  in  the  south  of  Kavirondo,  and  have  lately 
tried  to  establish  ourselves  in  Mumia  in  northern  Kavirondo. 

Although  we  have  not  enough  money  to  provide  for  ordinary  neces- 
sities, we  may  not  delay  fresh  undertakings,  otherwise  Protestant  error 
will  advance  before  truth,  and  the  minds  of  the  natives  be  prejudiced 
against  our  Church. 

The  work  of  conversion  among  natives  is  making  fine  progress. 
However,  in  Uganda  and  Busoga  the  frightful  epidemic  of  the  sleep- 
ing sickness  has  laid  thousands  of  victims  low  and  greatly  reduced  the 
number  of  our  Christians. 

The  White  Fathers  know  it  well.  This  terrible  diseajse  has  raged 
longest  and  most  fatally  in  the  vicariate  of  the  Upper  Nile.  As  for 
Busoga,  we  were  obliged  to  recall  the  missionaries  from  St.  Francis 
Xavier  station  because  our  people  had  died  of  the  plague;  thousands 
died;  the  others  had  flecf. 

The  flourishing  station  of  Our  Lady  Immaculate,  situated  on  Kome 
Island  in  Lake  Victoria,  experienced  the  same  fate.  This  station 
comprised  Kome,  the  island  of  Damba,  and  other  neighboring  isles, 
where  we  were  instructing  a  number  of  promising  catechumens.  Alas ! 
nearly  all  the  natives  are  dead;  the  islands  are  almost  depopulated. 
Silence  and  desolation  reign  where  before  thousands  led  a  life  of  sim- 
plicity, fishing  or  cultivating  the  soil.  Our  missionaries  were  com- 
pelled to  seek  other  fields. 

■  On  the  large  island  of  Buvuma,  the  population  has  decreased  from 
12,000  families  to  4000  within  the  space  of  two  years ;  in  other  words, 
two-thirds  of  the  people  have  died.  The  disease  is  still  prevalent 
there.  It  is  said  that  more  than  300  deaths  occurred  dn  January  and 
350  in  February,  1905.  We  have  an  important  station  in  Buvuma, 
founded  four  years  ago ;  last  September  we  numbered  1000  Christians 
and  the  report  for  last  year  stated  162  baptisms,  besides  313  baptisms^ 
of  catechumens  in  articulo  mortis.  Such  are  the  severe  trials  which 
our  missionaries  are  bearing;  their  mission,  so  full  of  promise,  seems 
on  the  verge  of  destruction. 

This  horrible  epidemic  has  claimed  thousands  of  victims  among  the 
catechumens  and  Christians  in  our  most  important  stations  of  Uganda. 
All  have  suffered;  the  principal  station  in  the  capital,  Nsambya; 
Mulajje,  a  very  important  one,  and  Nyenga,  near  the  Nile.     In  each 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    209 

of  these  districts  dozens  of  settlements  along  the  shores  of  the  lake 
have  been  devastated  like  the  others;  the  islands  are  almost  depopu- 
lated. Catechumens  and  catechists  are  dead.  In  traveling  over  these 
districts  the  saddest  sight  meets  the  eye;  gardens  and  banana  fields 
are  neglected  and  covered  with  brush,  the  houses  are  in  ruins.  Not  a 
human  being  is  to  be  seen  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach ;  the  silence  and 
solemnity  of  the  grave  reign.  Though  the  disaster  is  enormous,  our 
missionaries  have  not  lost  courage.  The  disease  is  carried  by  the  fly 
"  tsetse,'^  which  is  fortunately  confined  to  lake  regions. 

The  interior  of  the  country  suffers  comparatively  little  from  the 
epidemic.     The  statistics  of  the  mission  of  Nagalama,  about  six  hours^ 


Uganda. — Franciscan  Nuns  and  Natives  before  Their  Hut. 

walk  from  Xsambya,  furnish  a  striking  proof.  At  Xagalama  sleep- 
ing sickness  has  not  yet  made  its  appearance  and  all  is  going  along 
smoothly.  We  are  doing  our  best  to  alleviate  the  distressing  condition 
of  the  people. 

In  consequence  of  the  sad  havoc  wrought,  we  have  been  obliged  to 
direct  our  steps  to  healthier  localities  and  begin  our  labors  anew. 


In  Busoga,  a  neighboring  country,  superstition  and  idleness  thwart 
the  missionaries'  efforts  and  have  rendered  thoir  labor  of  years  almost 


210    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

futile.  However,  a  change  seems  to  have  taken  place.  Thanks  be 
to  God !  we  are  able  to  see  some  good  results.  Formerly  only  children 
came  to  our  schools;  now  their  parents  come  with  them  and  bring 
other  adult  members  of  the  family;  we  are  even  instructing  several 
chiefs,  some  of  whom  are  of  important  rank,  besides  a  few  petty 
princes.  All  are  anxious  to  leam.  What  we  need  now  above  all 
things  else  are  good  and  faithful  catechists. 

In  the  savage  country  of  Bukedi,  to  the  north  of  Busoga,  where  the 
initial  labors  were  extremely  difficult,  the  kindly  influence  of  mis- 


Uqanda. — A  Group  of  Native  Men. 

sionaries  has  at  last  gained  recognition.  Last  year,  in  the  district  of 
Budaka,  we  numbered  122  baptisms,  of  which  109  were  adult;  there 
are  now  300  Christians,  500  catechumens,  and  50  boys  at  school. 
These  figures  are  especially  consoling  to  me,  for  they  indicate  enor- 
mous sacrifices  and  unheard-of  patience  on  the  part  of  the  mission- 
aries who  are  laboring  among  this  most  barbarous  people. 

As  for  the  natives  of  Kavi rondo,  they  live  in  so  savage  a  state  that 
they  have  not  adopted  the  least  vestige  of  clothing;  the  stations  of 
^lumia  and  Port  Florence  Kesumu  demand  the  greatest  sacrifices  be- 
fore any  results  can  be  hoped  for.  The  priests  are  content  to  get  the 
boys  to  attend  school.     Adults  are  beginning  to  come  for  instruction. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    211 

The  railroad  from  Mombassa  to  Grand  Lake  has  opened  a  country 
heretofore  forbidden  to  us  on  account  of  the  great  distances  of  travel. 
At  present,  we  have  three  missionary  posts  along  the  road  and  the 
Fathers  from  Port  Florence,  the  terminus  of  the  line,  visit  the  country 
at  different  times.  We  hope  to  become  acquainted  with  the  various 
tribes  and  establish  missions  so  that  the  influence  of  the  priests  may 
extend  to  the  natives  in  the  interior. 

We  mourn  the  loss  of  one  of  our  priests  who  died  of  fever;  three 
others  have  returned  to  Eupope  to  regain  their  health. 

4- 


Uganda. — The  King's  Lake,  where  in  Fobmeb  Times  He  Caused  Prisoners 

TO  be  Fastened  to  a  Stake,  to  be  Devoured  Piece-meal 

BY  the  Crocodiles. 

From  a  material  point  of  view,  our  missions  have  lost  much  during 
the  year  1904.  For  example :  last  April,  the  church  in  the  principal 
station,  Nsambya,  was  destroyed  by  a  storm  and  we  have  no  resources 
for  rebuilding.  In  the  meantime,  we  have  tried  to  erect  some  kind 
of  a  structure  from  the  ruins  of  the  first.  At  Port  Florence,  on  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  a  stone  house  was  almost  overthrown ;  the  iron  roof 
was  carried  away  and  the  house  almost  demolished.  It  had  to  be 
repaired  as  soon  as  possible.  A  new  and  beautiful  brick  church  which 
the  Fathers  were  building  in  Mulaj  je  was  struck  by  lightning  in  June ; 
a  large  part  had  to  be  rebuilt ;  it  is  now  finished,  has  been  blessed  and 
opened  to  the  faithful.     At  Nyenga,  close  to  the  Nile,  the  church 


212    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

caught  fire  during  a  thunderstorm,  in  December ;  it  has  been  replaced 
by  a  tempoi*ary  structure. 

I  am  happy  to  say  that,  with  the  means  at  our  disposal,  we  have 
been  able  to  maintain  our  missionaries  at  their  stations  and  have  been 
able  to  provide  six  stations  with  better  dwellings  for  the  Fathers. 
This  precaution  is  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  their  health. 
The  latest  news  from  them  is  that  all  are  well. 

In  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  the  Upper  Nile  conditions  are  com- 
pletely changed.  The  English  civil  authorities  demand  a  good  price 
of-  missionaries  as  of  merchants  and  colonists  for  the  little  ground 
they  need  to  build  their  dwellings.  This  change  of  affairs  is  of  serious 
import  to  us;  heretofore  we  always  received  the  ground  for  our  sta- 
tions from  native  chiefs.  Our  rights  to  these  tracts  were  examined 
by  the  English  government  and  ratified  under  certain  restrictive  condi- 
tions. We  only  owned  the  ground  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  mission. 
For  example,  we  were  forbidden  to  rent  or  sell  it;  if,  for  any  reason 
whatever,  we  left  any  locality,  the  ground  belonged,  ipso  facto,  to  the 
government.  Now  we  are  obliged  to  buy  the  ground  we  need  at  the 
market  price  and  it  becomes  our  property.  We  have  no  capital  in 
money,  but  live  from  day  to  day.  At  the  beginning  of  this  year  I 
sent  all  that  I  could,  which  was  $2500,  to  support  32  priests  and 
all  the  institutions  in  our  stations;  this  amount  must  suffice  them 
until  I  can  obtain  the  resources  they  need  to  carry  on  their  work.  I 
have  the  greatest  desire  to  build  a  church  in  Nsambya;  it  would  cost 
$t5000.  I  can  not  carry  out  that  idea  because  I  must  give  immediate 
aid  to  the  missionaries  in  Busoga,  Bukedi,  and  Kavirondo. 

THE    CHINESE    SEMINARY    OF    CANTON 

Letter  of  the  Right  Rev.  John  Merel, 

Prefect  Apostolic  of  Canton, 

To  the  Rev.  Joseph  Freri, 

Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

Canton,  China^  April,  1905. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Father: 

You  are  desirous  of  securing  some  data  as  to  our  native  seminary, 
the  important  part  it  has  played  in  our  mission,  its  development,  and 
its  present  condition,  and  I  cheerfully  give  whatever  I  can  gather 
with  the  hope  that  these  lines  will  secure  a  sympathetic  interest  which 
will  be  practically  helpful  to  our  young  levites. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    213 

The  native  Seminary  of  the  Prefecture  of  Canton  was  established 
in  1850,  and  was  placed  at  first  in  the  Island  of  Hong  Kong,  at  a  place 
called  Tang  Lang  Chau.  In  1848,  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  Pius  IX  of 
holy  memory,  seeing  that  the  old  Christians  of  the  province  of  Canton 
were  slowly  disappearing  because  of  the  small  number  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  the  Chinese  priests  from  Macao,  who  were  then  in 
charge,  sent  to  them  some  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Foreign  Missions  of 
Paris.  Five  years  later  he  gave  to  our  Fathers,  to  the  exclusion  of 
all  others,  full  jurisdiction,  not  only  over  the  province  of  Canton,  but 
also  over  the  neighboring  province,  both  of  which  at  that  time  com- 
prised more  than  fifty  millions  of  inhabitants. 

These  missionaries  were  under  the  direction  of  Father  Libois,  the 
procurator  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Society  establishment  at  Hong 
Kong.  He  was  firmly  convinced  that  the  only  practical  way,  and  a 
plan  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  the  Holy  Father,  was  to  establish 
a  native  Seminary  where,  the  young  *men  might  be  trained  and  sent 
forth  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  their  own  people.  Bishop  Guillemin, 
the  first  Prefect  Apostolic  of  Kwang  Tung,  who  had  the  singular  priv- 
ilege of  being  consecrated  by  Pius  IX  himself,  devoted  himself  to  the 
development  of  the  Seminary  over  which  he  himself  had  formerly 
presided  as  superior.  His  plan  for  the  work  was  twofold :  First,  to 
transfer  the  establishment  from  Hong  Kong  to  Canton  itself,  but 
this  he  was  unable  to  do  for  many  years,  circumstances  were  in  truth 
very  unfavorable.  Not  to  speak  of  those  who  were  already  imprisoned, 
or  were  threatened  with  it,  two  of  the  Fathers  from  Paris  had  shed 
their  blood  upon  the  soil  where  they  had  hoped  to  plant  the  Gospel. 
One  of  these  glorious  victims,  Chapdelaine,  was  condemned  to  death 
by  the  sub-prefect  Kwang-di,  and  was  beheaded  on  the  26th  day  of 
February,  1856. 

It  was  not  until  1869  that  the  Canton  students  were  recalled  from 
Tang  Lang  Chau  and  came  to  Canton  to  live.  Not  to  their  own  house 
did  they  come,  not  to  an  establishment  which  should  have  been  erected 
for  the  purpose,  did  the  resources  of  the  mission  permit,  but  to  quarters 
set  aside  for  them  in  the  Orphanage  of  the  Holy  Infancy. 

The  second  proposition  that  Bishop  Guillemin  desired  was  that  all 
the  rudimentary  studies,  as  well  as  theology  and  the  general  formation 
of  the  student's  character,  should  be  had  under  the  direction  of  the 
missionaries  and  the  supervision  of  the  Bishop  himself.  The  latter 
the  venerable  Prelate  did  not  live  to  see  accomplished.  He  felt  that 
at  no  time  should  it  ever  be  necessary  for  a  student  to  leave  his  country 


214    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  op  the  Annals 

for  any  part  of  his  clerical  training.  There  he  was  to  spend  his 
priestly  life  and  there  all  his  needs  should  be  supplied. 

Two  very  strong  reasons  were  opposed  to  the  plan.  In  the  first 
place,  the  expenses  for  such  a  foundation,  and  the  necessity  of  giving, 
as  far  as  possible,  all  the  material  help  that  could  be  gathered  to  the 
missionaries  working  in  the  field,  made  this  impracticable. 

Moreover,  his  Grace  as  a  missionary  Bishop  had  given  unqualified 
support  to  the  foundation  of  a  native  college  of  the  Foreign  Missions 
established  in  1807  in  the  Island  of  Pinang  near  Malacca,  a  college 


Canton. — Bishop  Mesel  and  European  Missionabies. 

wheret  the  students  of  the  Paris  Society  were  trained.  It  was  in  1860 
that  the  first  departure  took  place  from  Tang  Lang  Chau  for  Pinang. 
From  Hong  Kong  were  sent  all  those  boys  who  had  studied  the  first 
elements  of  Latin  grammar  and  whose  conduct  gave  promise  of  their 
future  usefulness  and  reliability.  At  Pinang  they  remained  six  or 
seven  years.  The  seminarians,  after  they  had  finished  their  theological 
studies,  were  sent  to  Canton,  there  to  receive  instruction  in  preaching 
from  one  of  the  missionaries,  and  afterwards  ordination  from  their 
Bishop.  This  plan  of  sending  the  seminarians  to  Pinang  had  this 
to  recommend  it,  namely,  the  mission  was  spared  the  expense  of  pay- 
ing for  the  education  of  the  students,  an  expense  which  was  quite  an 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    215 

item.  Burses  had  been  established  at  the  college,  and  thus  the  candi- 
dates from  the  different  stations  could  be  educated  free  both  at  Pinang 
and  at  the  Seminary  of  Tang  Lang  Chau.  Fourteen  native  priests, 
of  whom  nine  are  still  living,  passed  through  this  course,  and  either 
alone  or  under  the  direction  of  the  older  Fathers,  exercised  a  fruitful 
ministry.  We  may  add  that  very  efficient  help  was  given  by  our 
catechists  who,  after  being,  instructed  for  some  time  in  latin  and 


Canton. — Chinese  Catholic  Pbiests. 


theology,  and  finding  that  they  were  not  called  to  the  Holy  Priest- 
hood, gave  themselves  as  helpers  to  the  Fathers. 

Meantime  Bishop  Guillemin  received  as  co-adjutor,  in  1881,  Bishop 
Chausse,  an  old  superior  of  the  mission,  who  succeeded  the  former  in 
1886.  Then,  and  for  many  years  afterwards,  the  zealous  labors  of 
the  missionaries  bore  abundant  fruit ;  our  converts  had  been  increased 
from  two  to  forty  thousand.  Each  year  we  were  able  to  count  thou- 
sands  of   baptisms   both   of   children   and   adults;   our    Priests   had 


216    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

increased  from  fifty  to  two  hundred.  "  listen,"  writes  Bishop 
Chausse,  "  not  to  the  clash  of  arms  but  to  the  voice  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Listen  to  the  footsteps  of  our  people  hurrying  to  our  churches  to  hear 
the  glad  tidings ;  listen  to  the  crowds  of  catechumens  surrounding  our 
residences,  demanding  the  grace  of  baptism.  0  blessed  days,  a  thou- 
sand times  blessed !  '^ 

The  missionaries,  though  they  had  increased  in  numbers  each  suc- 
ceeding year,  were  not  sufficient  to  minister  to  the  wants  of  the  people, 
and  it  was  necessary  as  well  as  advisable  to  provide  for  more  native 
priests.  About  this  time  it  was  found  expedient  to  give  up  the  old  plan 
of  sending  our  students  to  the  college  at  Pinang,  because  this  estab- 
lishment could  not  receive  the  increasing  number,  and  as  the  orphan- 
age could  not  accommodate  the  children  and  students,  it  was  decided 
to  erect  a  separate  building.  This  was  done  in  the  year  1894,  on  the 
site  of  the  old  cathedral,  and  on  the  ground  owned  by  the  mission 
itself.  The  following  year  it  was  finished  and  the  new  seminary 
opened  its  doors  for  work  in  October,  1895.  In  a  few  years  it  gave 
to  the  mission  four  new  Priests,  and  at  the  present  writing  it  is 
training  sixty  students,  of  whom  forty  are  finishing  their  theological 
studies.     Soon  the  number  of  our  native  Priests  will  be  doubled. 

On  the  day  that  the  new  institution  was  opened,  the  mission  de- 
prived of  the  help  given  by  the  college  at  Pinang,  was  compelled  to 
face  a  new  and  trying  condition.  The  pertinent  question  arose,  how 
to  care  for  sixty  young  men,  all  dependent  on  the  resources  which  the 
mission  would  have  to  pro^dde.  In  less  than  two  years  Bishop 
Chausse,  alarmed  at  the  growing  expenses,  made  an  appeal  to  the 
Catholics  of  the  world  for  his  seminary,  through  the  organ  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  called  "  IjCs  Missions  Cath- 
oliques." 

About  this  time  a  severe  blow  fell  on  the  vicariate  in  the  loss  of 
Bishop  Chausse,  whom  God  called  to  Himself  on  the  12th  of  October, 
1900. 

We  having  been  chosen  to  succeed  him,  one  of  our  first  thoughts 
was  to  find  a  solution  to  the  problem,  which  could  no  longer  be  delayed 
without  increasing  the  already  heavy  expenses  of  the  mission  or 
forcing  us  to  dismiss  a  number  of  our  dear  seminarians.  This  latter 
would  mean  of  course  that  native  Priests  could  not  be  educated, 
although  there  was  a  sad  need  of  them  at  the  time. 

Following  the  example  of  our  venerable  and  lamented  predecessor, 
we  also  published  in  "Les  Missions  Catholiques  ^^  an  appeal  to  the 
Catholics  of  the  world  to  come  to  our  assistance.     "  It  is  impossible,^^ 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    217 

we  wrote  in  our  first  letter  in  1902,  "  to  depend  on  the  parents  of  our 
students  to  relieve  the  burden  resting  on  the  mission.  Our  Christians 
are  poor,  for  the  most  part,  and  those  who  are  blessed  with  some 
wordlj  goods  have,  as  a  rule,  large  families  which  must  be  provided 
for.  All  our  students  are  therefore  dependent  on  us,  who,  besides 
educating  them,  must  clothe  and  house  them." 

The  sum  necessary  to  support  a  student  is  not  very  large  it  is  true, 
but  if  this  is  multiplied  by  sixty,  representing  the  number  of  students 


!  1'!  1 

MM 

V*         •    ^    ^  -  ^^  '  '         *    *ii   " 

5f*   *   '*■•-*  ^ 

*}J^  ■  i— «..-.'^-''" 

Canton. — College  Students. 


we  have,  the  amount  is  considerably  increased.  The  mission  is  abso- 
lutely unable  to  meet  the  running  expenses  for  the  year  through  the 
allowance  received  from  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith.  From  it  we  receive  each  year  the  sum  of  $9974,  to  be  divided 
among  more  than  eighty  missionaries  and  native  priests.  The  sum 
allotted  to  the  former  is  from  $70  to  $140,  and  to  the  latter  only  $50, 
for  the  entire  year.  We  may  say  to  those  charitably  disposed  to  help 
us  that  we  will  receive  offerings,  no  matter  how  small,  with  the  deep- 
est gratitude.  May  we  suggest  two  very  practical  methods,  namely, 
either  to  establish  a  burse  outright  or  to  pay  the  expenses  of  a  student 


218    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

for  a  year  or  several  years.  To  those  who  may  be  surprised  that  $25 
will  suffice  to  support  a  college  boy  for  a  year,  let  me  say  that  the  price 
of  food  in  China  is  very  much  less  than  in  other  countries.  Five  cents 
will  purchase  enough  rice  meat  and  vegetables  for  a  person  for  one 
day  and  $3  will  buy  him  enough  clothing  to  last  for  an  entire  year. 
The  price  varies,  of  course;  for  an  older  student  in  the  seminary  a 
larger  sum  is  naturally  required. 

Through  the  generous  offerings  we  have  already  received,  we  have 
now  t\^'enty  such  burses,  but  we  are  very  anxious  to  make  provision  for 
the  forty  others.  In  return  for  the  help  granted  us,  either  by  the  indi- 
vidual or  by  several  together,  we  can  promise  a.  perpetual  memento  in 
the  prayers  of  our  poor  students.  When  one  of  these  young  men,  edu- 
cated by  such  generosity,  has  been  ordained  a  Priest,  he,  as  well  as  the 
one  who  is  in  course  of  preparation,  will  be  mindful  of  the  benefactor 
who  made  it  possible  for  them  to  minister  at  God's  altar.  And  so  the 
number  will  be  constantly  increased,  and  their  prayers  and  Masses  will 
ascend  before  the  Great  White  Throne  for  the  spiritual  and  temporal 
welfare  of  those  who  so  generously  helped  them. 

Moreover,  besides  the  prayers  offered  for  our  benefactors,  a  share  is 
offered  in  the  merits  of  four  Masses  offered  on  the  four  great  festivals 
of  the  year,  likewise  a  share  in  four  general  communions  of  our 
community. 

Lastly,  the  names  of  our  kind  helpers  are  engraved  on  a  marble 
tablet,  which  is  placed  in  the  chapel,  to  recall  to  succeeding  genera- 
tions the  generosity  of  our  benefactors  and  to  ask  a  prayer  for  their 
souls. 

Let  me  kdd  that  our  young  men  are  all  of  excellent  families  and,  as 
a  rule,  are  full  of  faith  and  piety.  For  instance,  the  Father  who  has 
been  in  charge  of  the  house  for  the  past  ten  years  can  give  many 
examples  of  their  devotion,  which  would  sound  as  strange  as  they 
are  true. 

"  Not  long  ago,"  he  says,  "  there  was  a  young  student  here  who  had 
an  intense  love  for  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  Often  I  have  seen  him 
kneeling  before  the  tabernacle  oblivious  of  everything  but  the  Sacred 
Presence  before  him.  Every  spare  moment  he  had  he  spent  in  the 
chapel,  and  I  have  known  him  to  remain  wrapt  in  his  devotions  for 
hours  at  a  time,  yes  I  have  known  him  to  remain  until  midnight 
when  the  other  students  had  retired  to  their  rooms  after  the  customary 
night  prayers." 

This  is  of.  course  exceptional  and  cannot  be  said  of  all,  but  in  gen- 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    219 

eral  our  young  men  are  a  great  consolation  to  their  superiors  and  a 
source  of  edification  to  one  another. 

To  sum  it  all  up,  let  me  say  in  conclusion  that  there  are  in  the 
Seminary  of  Canton  forty  students  whom  we  cannot  provide  for  with- 
out increasing  the  already  heavy  debt  of  the  mission.  We  need  help 
and  unless  it  is  forthcoming  sooner  or  later  we  will  be  forced  to  send 
some  of  our  young  men  home  to  their  people,  despite  the  great  need 
there  is  for  native  Priests. 

We  do  not  exaggerate  when  we  say  that  the  choicest  blessings  must 
fall  on  those  who  help  this  most  worthy  charity.  "  More  blessed  is  it 
to  give  than  to  receive,^'  says  the  Apostle ;  how  blessed  it  must  be  to 
give  to  Him  from  whom  every  gift  -comes — the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus. 


SPECIAL    DONATIONS 

Eeceived  since  the  June  Number. 


For  Archbishop  Meulkman,  S.  J.,  Calcutta. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston) f 25.00 

.  For  Bishop  Start  ha,  Lead. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    8.2o 

For  Bishop  Chatron,  P.  F.  M.,  Osaka. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)    ^?X^ 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Bishop  Maqubt,  S.  J.,  S.  B.  Chili.  ^    ^^ 

Mission  Dolores  Parish  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco)    50.00 

For  Bishop  Coqset,  C.  M.,  So.  Kianosi. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York)   2.00 

For  St.  Joseph's  Society  for  Colored  Missions  of  the  South. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston)    ?^-x2 

Mr.  J.  A.  Patterson  (Diocese  of  Mobile)    10.00 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  ( Diocese  of  New  York)   6.00 

For  Father  Price,  N.  Carolina. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)   2.o0 

For  St.  Patrick's  Mission  and  Orphanage,  Saskatchewan. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston)    3.00 

For  Father  Dupe'  O.  M.  I.,  Atharaska. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Bo«ton)    500 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York)   2.00 

For  Leper  Mission.  Molokai.  ^^  r^ 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    13.00 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)   1-00 

For  Father  Cataldo,  S.  J.,  Boise.  , 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  New  York)   ».00 

For  Father  Tavernier.  O.  M.  I.,  New  Westminster. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Father  Stroebele,  Old  Providence. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.25 

For  Father  Corrb,  P.  F.  M.,  Nagasaki.  ,^,vr. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  St.  Cloud)    10-00 

A  Priest   (Diocese  of  Erie)    JOO 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Sioux  City)    2.00 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston)    5.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Louisville)    JOO 

Miss  Bessie  Sheridan  (Diocese  of  Newark)    6.00 

FOR  Father  Dupin,  P.  F.  M.,  Tongking.           ,  „     ,     ,  oo  qt 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)    22.87 

For  Father  Ferrand,  P.  F.  M..  Tokio. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)    o-««> 

For  Father  Sauret,  P.  F.  M.,  Nagasaki.  ^^^ 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    10.00 

For  Father  Lauwert,  P.  F.  M.,  Kin-Chau.  - 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York)    / -^oo 

For  Father  Concord,  S.  M.,  Solomon  Islands. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl  (Diocese  of  New  York)    -200 

For  Father  Tbrstappen,  B.  F.  M.,  Mongolia. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    -fiOO 

For  Father  Quintano,  C.  M.,  Brazil. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Father  Gorbas,  P.  F.  M.,  Upper  Burma.  ^  „     ^     ^  ,^  ^ 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthonv  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston)    10,00 

For  Father  Clement,  P.  F.  M..  Pondicherry     „     ^     ^  .  _  _ ^ 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston)    30.00 

For  Father  Mayr,  Natal.                       .  ^.       ,-    .  v  o  nn 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  \ork)    2.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Father  Ignaci,  S.  J..  Trichinopoli. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    1.00 

For  Father  Fraser.  Che-Kiang. 

Mr.  C.  Casey   (Diocese  of  Hartford)    1.00 

For  Father  Conrad,  O.  M.  I.,  Ceylon. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    -.00 

For  Father  Cota.  C.  M..  Madagascar. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Father  Stock.  B.  F.  M..  Belgian  Congo. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Father  Hue.  P.  F.  M.,  Upper  Tongking. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Father  J.  db  Marzan,  S.  M. 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

220 


Obituary  221 

For  Bbothes  Serafion  Van  Hoof,  S.  H.  Pic,  Molokai. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston)    $    1.00 

Fob  Sister  St.  Andrew,  Osaka. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    7. 27.00 

Per  Rev.  J.  Frerl   (Diocese  of  New  York)    2.00 

For  Armenian  Orphans. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York)    •     5.00 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  Detroit)    1.00 

For  Leper  Missions. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston)    10.00 

For  Various  Missions. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco)    300.00 


OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Right  Eev.  A.  Usse,  P.  P.  M.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Northern  Burma; 
Right  Rev.  L.  A.  Dartois,  L.  A.  M.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Dahomey; 
Right  Rev.  Geo.  Eich^  S.  H.  Pic,  (Jo-adjutor  Bishop  of  Tahiti; 
Very  Rev.  A.  Martin,  Superior  General  of  the  Society  of  Mary; 
Rev.  Ignatius  Delveaux,  Rev.  John  F.  Lynch,  Rev.  Father 
KiELY,  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York. 

Mr.  C.  O'Leary,  Diocese  of  Kerry,  Ireland;  Mr.  Edw.  V.  Wingard, 
Diocese  of  Baltimore;  Mr.  Nicholas  Burke,  Diocese  of  New  Orleans; 
Mr.  Mohat,  Diocese  of  Omaha;  Miss  Hannah  O'Donnell,  Diocese  of 
Portland. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Mary  Campbell,  Catharine 
McDevitt,  John  MuUoy,  John  Hayes,  Patrick  Moran,  Patrick  Toohey,  Mrs. 
Alice  Mulgrew,  Michael  Kiely,  Margaret  Roache,  Thomas  Murray,  John  V. 
Harris,  Mary  Burns,  Bernard  McKeon,  Robert  Mullen,  Daniel  Reidy,  Mr. 
Hennessey,  Patrick  Mannix,  James  Everard,  Margaret  Corcoran,  Mary  Mc- 
Manus,  Edward  Eagan,  Alfred  Nugent,  Mrs.  B.  Barnes,  George  Barnes, 
Mrs.  George  Austin,  John  Pennessy,  James  Lantry,  Edward  Dean,  Thomas 
Murray,  Delia  Sweeny,  Mrs.  Julia  Hayes,  Luke  Noone,  Mary  O'Malley, 
Daniel  Smith,  Mrs.  M.  Dempsey,  Anna  Britt,  Timothy  F.  O'Brien,  Edward 
Murphy,  John  Gorman,  Frank  Trabold,  Catherine  Mooney,  Jennie  Mulligan, 
Johannah  Jordan,  Ellen  Mannix,  Margaret  Creeden,  Catharine  Missing, 
Bridget  Welsh,  Margaret  Denis,  Timothy  Clarke,  Patrick  Flynn,  Margaret 
Barnes,  Cecelia  Hogan,  Patrick  Tierney,  John  Brooks,  Mrs.  Rose  McCourt, 
Elizabeth  Cronin,  Mary  Hatton,  Patrick  Tierney,  Mr.  James  O'Brien,  Mrs. 
James  O'Brien,  Owen  Traynor,  John  Traynor,  Edward  T.  Divine,  Mrs.  Mary 
Coyle,  Mrs.  John  H.  Maguire,  Thomas  Quinn,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Mulcahey, 
John  Fergus,  Catharine  Baldwin,  Mary  Hanrahan,  Bridget  O'Donnell,  James 
Donohue.  Miss  Bamberg,  James  King,  James  Harrington,  Patrick  King 
Laura  Cullen,  Catharine  Walsh,  James  Larkin,  Ellen  McAniney,  William 
Gilluley,  Richard  M.  Comerford,  Maurice  A.  Casey,  James  King,  Thomas  J. 
Millmore,  Mary  Mulgrew,  Lizzie  Duggan,  James  Coughlin,  Patrick  Dono- 


222  OBITUARY 

hue,  Edward  T.  Divine,  Mary  McGrade,  Cecelia  Traynor,  Owen  Donohue, 
Martin  C.  Monaghan,  William  Sheridan,  Michael  Walsh,  Mary  Quinn,  Mrs. 
Brasch,  John  Duddy,  Margaret  Delehaut,  Delia  Carroll,  William  Creegan, 
William  Leahy,  Mary  Lachbach,  Bernard  Woods,  William  Jordan,  John 
Charles  Beales,  Mortlmore  Murphy,  J.  J.  Leonard,  Mrs.  Logan,  Alice  Burke, 
Michael  Stanley,  Katharine  Cody,  Thomas  M.  O'Neill,  Catharine  Bergen, 
Joseph  R.  Kelly,  Delia  Sheridan,  Annie  McCormack,  Francis  Markey,  Julia 
Carey,  Eliza  Brady,  Mrs.  Anna  Kavanagh,  Joseph  P.  Bantley. 

'Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Ida  B.  Jackson,  Walter  Tulte, 
Mrs.  Bridget  Bowler,  Mary  Sharp,  Malcolm  McLean,  Marion  McDonald, 
Mrs.  Ellen  Kelley,  Mrs.  Mary  McLean,  Mrs.  Mary  Fitzsimmons,  James 
Dunn,  William  Dunn,  Michael  Fitzpatrick,  Mrs.  McNamara,  Katherine 
Hourihan,  Mrs.  Mary  Moran,  Mary  E.  O'Rourke,  James  Walsh,  John 
McLaughlin,  Qulnlan  Sullivan,  Katherine  McLean,  Jno.  Fitzsimmons,  Wil- 
liam Feeley,  Mrs.  Jno.  McDonald,  Mrs.  Margt.  Cotter,  Mrs.  Madigan,  Patrick 
Corbett,  James  Downey,  William  Kennedy,  John  Naughton,  Mrs.  Jos.  Sulli- 
van, Mrs.  Mary  G.  O'Neill,  Thos.  Walsh,  Catherine  Welsh,  Jas.  Burke,  Thos. 
Snee,  Prosper  Young,  Jno.  F.  Sullivan,  Jane  Corbett,  Lena  Casey,  Mrs. 
Joseph  Sullivan,  Michael  Gilday,  Jeremiah  Sullivan,  Margaret  McGarty, 
Catherine  King,  Mr.  Edwards,  Johanna  Sullivan,  William  Leddy,  Mary 
Larkln,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Doyle,  Mary  Coyne,  Simon  P.  Sullivan,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Scully,  Mrs.  Eliz.  Burns,  Lena  Casey,  Sarah  Gilday,  Mrs.  Ellen  Rear- 
don,  John  F.  Connolly,  Mrs.  John  Eagan,  Winifred  McPhee,  Bridget  Leddy, 
Peter  Scott,  William  McNamara,  Charles  Keenan,  Mary  A.  Roache,  Mrs. 
Helen  Hosman,  Michael  J.  O'Connell. 

(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates  whose 
names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 


Publications  of  the  Society  for  tlie  Propagation  of  the  Faith 

71he  Society  far  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  and  the  Catholic  Missions^  1822- 
1900.    Postpaid,  lo  cents. 

Mishap  Favier's  Diary  of  the  Siege  of  Fehin,  May-August^  2900.  Postpaid, 
ID  cents. 

Origin  and  Causes  of  the  Chinese  Crisis.  By  Rev.  J.  Fkeri,  D.  C.  L.  Post- 
paid, 5  cents. 

The  Propaganda.  (A  Sketch.)  ByRsv.  J.Frew,D.C.L.  Postpaid,  id  cents. 

The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Field.  Two  papers  by  the  Revs.  J.  Fbs&i  and 
Jas.  a.  Walsh.    Postpaid,  S  cents. 

A  Sister  of  Charity  in  China,  fieing  a  series  of  letters  written  to  her  family 
in  England.    An  illustrated  pamphlet.    54  pages.    Postpaid,  10  cen,ts. 

ADDRESS 

80CISX7  70S  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 

627  LEXINQTON  AVE.,  NEW  YORK,  N.  V. 


An  Appeal  For  Missionary  Students 


ST.  JOSEPIFS  SOCIETY  FOR  COLORED  MISSIONS  OF 
THE  SOUTH 

BALTIMOBE,  MD. 

To  our  Brother  Priests : 

In  the  past  our  work  among:  the  colored  people  has  found  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  g:ood  priests ;  this  encourages  us  now  to  appeal  to 
their  g:oodness  of  heart  and  ask  them  to  kindly  consider  our  work 
and  speak  of  it  to  our  Catholic  young  men. 

If  they  should  know  of  any  good  soul,  likely  suitable  for  our 
Colored  Missionary  Work,  and  willing  to  make  an  effort  to  pre- 
pare himself  for  the  same,  we  would  appreciate  their  kindness  in 
drawing  his  attention  to  this  missionary  work. 

The  age  preferable  for  our  college  students  is  between  fifteen  and 
twenty,  since  the  college  studies  and  seminary  course  completed, 
will  make  their  ordination  between  twenty-five  and  thirty  years 
of  age. 

Since  we  can  only  receive  a  limited  number  of  students  each 
September,  we  desire  to  have  all  applications  in  and  decided  upon 
as  soon  as  possible. 

Any  one  desiring  further  information  about  the  work  or  the  con- 
dition for  admission  to  our  Seminary  or  College  for  the  colored 
missions  kindly  write  to  : 

Rev.  THOS.  B.  DONA  VON, 

Epiphany  Apostolic  College, 

Walbrook,  Baltimore,  Md. 


"THY  KINGDOM  COME. 


ft 


*'  May  God*i  kingdom  come  I 

"  May  it  come  for  thoie  infidel  peoplei  stiU  living  in 
daf  knais  and  in  the  shadow  of  death ! 

^^May  it  come  for  those  idolatrous  races  who  know  not 
Jesys  Christ,  who  are  deprived  of  the  light  and  the  conjo* 
lations  of  Faith ;  who  have  not.  like  us«  those  divine  rem- 
edies against  sin  that  the  Church  offers  to  her  children  I 

*'  May  it  come  for  those  countries  in  the  East,  which  for 
centuries  have  been  detached  by  schism  from  the  trunk  of 
the  Catholic  unity! 

•*  And,  Gnally*  may  it  come  for  our  separated  brethren 
in  both  the  old  and  new  world  who  have  retained  but  a 
few  shreds  of  doctrine  and  some  semblance  of  Christian 
life! 

^^Adveniat  regnum  tiium  I 

"Then,  when  that  glorious  day  shall  have  dawned  upon 
the  world,  that  day  of  spiritual  birth  for  some  and  of  resur* 
rection  for  others,  if  we  would  wish  to  know  the  source  of 
these  divine  blessings*  we  shall  find»  as  the  principal  in^ 
strument  in  God's  right  hand,  the  Society  for  the  Prop. 
AGAnoN  or  THE  Faith,  This  kingdom  of  God  on  earth 
will  be  its  terrestrial  crown » whilst  awaiting  the  time  when 
it  shall  please  God  to  grant  its  active  and  zealous  members 
their  eternal  reward/* 

— Bishop  FreppeL 


Vol.  LXVIB,  No.  462 

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ANN. 

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A.LS 

OCTOBER,  1 90s 


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(/  / 


OF  THE 
PROPAGATION 
OF  THE  FAITH 


Published  bi-monthly  by  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faiths  Baltimore  and 
New  York.    /•    .\    .%    a   K 


a»ti«r* 


•^f  OTHER    SHfEF  I  HAVf  THAT   j1|j 
^ARff    NOT  01-  THJf  FOLD    T'Ht]±ALU 

Uhall  hear  my  voice  andT^'I' 

iTHeaC  SHALL  B£  ONE  F0Lb)\3^' 
AK0    ONE  SMEPHERD 


/• 


CONTENTS. 


PAOB 

THE   SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES.    VII  Article 22S 

THE   MARIST  FATHERS  AND  THEIR  MISSIONS 233 

Missions  in  Asia. 

SOUTHERN  TONQUIN. 

Utter  of  Father  Belleville,  P.  F.  M 236 

A  Wedding  at  Mo-Vlnh.— An   Episode  of  the  Peraecntion  of  1885. 

Missions  in  Africa. 

UPPER  l«IGER. 

Letter  of  Father  Zappa   L.A.M 241 

The  Apostolate  of  Two  Catechists. 
N.  VICTORIA  NYAMZA. 

Letter  of  Sister  Mary  Claver 249 

The  Sleeping  Sickness. 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

GILBERT  ISLANDS. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Leroy,M.S.C 253 

Blessing  of  the  Cathedral  of  the  Sacred  Heart 

News  of  the  Missions. 

ASIA. 

The  Jubilee  of  Bishop  Abeis,  B.  F.  M 259 

AFRICA. 

Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  among  the  Kaffirs 260 

First  Fruits  of  the  New  Mission  of  Shire 260 

OCEANICA. 

An  Hawaiian  Missionary  Honored 261 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals* 

THE  ICELAND  MISSION. 

Letter  of  Father  Servaes,  Missionary 262 

RECOLLECTIONS  OF  THE  PERSECUTION  OF  THE   YEAR   1900  IN   CENTRAL 
MONGOLIA.     (Pathetic  Story  of  an  AposUte  Child.) 

Letter  of  Father  Rutten,  B.  F.  M 268 

COLORED  NUNS  IN  AFRICA. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Kunemann,  C.  S.  Sp 278 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 276 

OBITUARY 277 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Baltimore,  Md.,  as  second  class  matter. 


ANNALS 

OF    THE 

Propagation  of  the  Faith 

Vol.  LXVIII,  No.  462.  October,  1905. 

THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


The  following  article  from  the  pen  of  Rev.  Fr.  Aubry,  S.  M.,  Is  the 
seventh  in  order  of  the  series  published  by  us  on  religious  communities 
whose  members  consecrate  themselves  to  apostolic  work  in  foreign  coun- 
tries. The  congregation  whose  history  it  outlines  was  founded  in  1836 
by  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Colin. 

VII. 
THE  MISSIONS  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  MARY 

By  the  Rev.  Fr.  Aubry,  S.  M. 

In  1836,  the  Holy  See  asked  Bishop  de  Pins  whether  Lyons,  a 
diocese  always  rich  in  religions  vocations,  had  any  men  to  give  to  the 
missions  of  western  Oceanica.  The  bishop  mentioned  this  to  the  So- 
ciety of  Mary  recently  founded. 

Very  Rev.  Father  Colin  and  his  colleagues  saw  only  the  will  of 
Heaven  in  the  request  of  the  Holy  See  and  complied  without  hesita- 
tion. Father  Pompallier,  presented  by  the  archbishop  administrator 
of  Lyons,  was  appointed  by  Rome  vicar  apostolic  of  central  Oceanica. 

On  their  departure,  the  new  missionaries  could  say  with  truth: 
"  The  harvest,  indeed,  is  great,  hut  the  laborers  are  few."  From  the 
twenty  priests  that  formed  the  modest  beginning  of  the  Society,  four 
were  selected  to  commence  the  evangelization  of  a  district  comprising 
the  half  of  Polynesia  and  numbering  about  1200  islands,  some  very 
populous,  and  scattered  over  an  area  of  nearly  10,000  square  miles. 

Different  in  form  according  to  local  conditions,  the  difficulties  of 
every  mission  in  its  foundation  were,  as  in  the  time  of  St.  Paul :  ''  In 
journeying  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  rollers,  in  perils  from 
my  owit  nation,  in  perils  from  the  Oentiles,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in 

223 


224 


The  Missions  op  the  Society  of  Mary 


perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  from  false  breth- 
ren; in  labor  and  painfviness,  in  much  watchings,  in  hunger  and  thirsty 
in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness." 

To  this  full  and  varied  list  of  trials,  the  missionary  on  tropical 
islands  might  add :  "  Perils  in  heat  and  fevers/*  as  he  might  also  men- 


The  Very  Rev.  Fb.  Colin,  Founder  or  the  Societt  of  Mabt. 

tion  the  number  of  his  shipwrecks  and  the  days  and  nights  spent  on 
the  depths  of  the  sea. 

In  the  multiplicity  of  languages,  none  of  which  are  written,  he  also 
finds  a  difficulty  unknown  to  the  great  apostle:  that  of  not  being  able 
to  explain  the  purpose  of  his  coming  or  to  refute  calumnies,  upon  his 
arrival. 


The  Missions  op  the  Society  op  Mary  225 

However,  it  has  pleased  the  Holy  Ghost  to  bless  the  efforts  of  mis- 
sionaries. If  they  do  not,  as  yet,  enjoy  the  consolation  of  an  abundant 
harvest,  the  little  seed,  has,  nevertheless,  already  grown  into  a  large 
tree.  Earnest  movements  of  conversion  recorded  of  whole  tribes  hold 
out  the  fulfilled  promise  of  the  words  of  Isaias :  '*  And  I  will  set  a 
sign  among  them,  and  I  wUl  send  of  them  that  shall  "be  jsaved  to  the 
Gentiles  into  the  sea  ,  ...  to  the  islands  afar  off,  to  them  that  have 
not  heard  of  me,  and  have  not  seen  my  glory.  .  .  .  And  they  shall 
bring  all  your  brethren  out  of  all  nations  for  a  gift  to  the  Lord.** 

4- 

West  Oobanica. — ^The  portion  of  the  Pacific  given  in  charge  of  the 
Society  of  Mary  in  1836,  under  the  name  of  vicariate  apostolic  of 
west  Oceanica,  covers,  as  we  have  said,  an  area  of  about  10,000  square 
miles.  It  comprises  twenty  large  archipelagoes  and  a  number  of 
islands  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  equator.    They  are  as  follows: 

1st,  New  Zealand  and  Chatham  and  Kermadec  Islands; 

2ndly,  The  Friendly  Islands,  including  the  groups  of  Tonga,  Vavau, 
Haapai,  Niua,  Wallis,  and  Futuna; 

3rdly,  Navigators  Islands,  including  Samoa  and  Tokelau ; 

4thly,  The  Gilbert  and  Marshall  Islands ; 

5thly,  The  Fiji  Islands,  including  Rotumah; 

6thly,  New  Caledonia,  including  the  Loyalty  Islands,  the  New  He- 
brides, and  Banks  and  Santa  Cruz  Islands ; 

7thly,  New  Guinea  and  the  neighboring  islands ; 

8thly,  The  Solomon  Islands ; 

9thly,  The  Caroline  Islands. 

4- 

The  first  apostolic  band  sailed  from  Havre  and  took  one  year  to 
reach  their  destination. 

In  1837,  they  arrived  at  the  farthest  outlying  of  the  Friendly 
Islands  from  which  they  were  repulsed  by  the  Methodists.  On  No- 
vember 1,  they  landed  on  Wallis,  the  king  of  the  island  receiving 
them  with  favor.  Father  Bataillon  and  Brother  Joseph  Xavier 
remained. 

A  few  days  later.  Father  Chanel  landed  at  Futuna  together  with 
Brother  Marie  Nizier.  Bishop  Pompallier,  accompanied  by  two  broth- 
ers, went  to  New  Zealand,  where,  in  1838,  he  fixed  his  residence  at 
Bay  of  Islands.  The  fourth  priest  who  left  Lyons  with  them,  Father 
Bret,  had  died  during  the  voyage. 

•I- 


226  The  Missions  op  the  Society  of  Mary 

In  1841,  Father  Bataillon  had  the  consolation  of  numbering  2000 
catechumens  among  the  2300  inhabitants  of  the  island;  on  his  first 
visit  in  1842,  Bishop  Pompallier  baptized  and  confirmed  the  whole 
population.  That  up  to  that  time,  they  had  been  one  of  the  most 
ferocious  tribes  of  Oceanica  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  thirty  Methodist 
teachers  were  massacred  just  before  the  arrival  of  the  Marists. 

Father  Chanel  was  not  so  successful  in  Futuna.  After  thirty 
months  of  trials  and  privations,  he  had  won  over  only  a  small  num- 
ber of  neophytes,  among  them  the  king^s  son.  The  chief  was  so  in- 
furiated at  the  news  of  his  own  son's  conversion,  that  he  ordered  the 
missionary  to  be  executed  April  28,  1841. 

What  he  was  not  able  to  accomplish  during  his  life  has  been  effected 
by  his  prayers  and  martyrdom.  In  the  course  of  one  year,  Father 
Chevron,  his  successor,  enjoyed  the  happiness  of  seeing  all  the  natives 
converted,  even  the  murderer  himself. 

Forty-eight  years  later,  Father  Chanel  received  the  honors  of 
beatification. 

4- 

The  Marist  missionaries  very  soon  realized  that  it  would  be  an  im- 
possibility for  one  vicar  apostolic  to  preside  successfully  over  so  vast 
a  territory,  especially  at  a  time  when  travel  was  both  expensive  and 
uncertain.  Therefore,  in  1842,  Very  Rev.  Father  Colin  submitted  a 
detailed  account  to  the  Propaganda  on  the  nature  of  the  field  confided 
to  the  Society  of  Mary  and  on  the  evident  necessity  of  dividing  it  into 
several  vicariates  apostolic,  at  the  same  time  designating  favorable 
centers. 

The  statements  were  so  clear  and  conclusive  that  Propaganda  de- 
creed the  erection  of  the  vicariate  of  central  Oceanica  without  taking 
the  time  to  consult  Bishop  Pompallier. 

On  October  3,  the  bishop  received  authority  to  appoint  a  coadjutor. 
Father  Viard,  a  simple  missionary  in  New  Caledonia  at  the  time, 
was  selected.  A  few  years  later,  in  1848,  New  Zealand  was  divided 
into  two  distinct  dioceses.  Bishop  Pompallier  remained  in  charge  of 
the  northern  part  with  the  episcopal  see  at  Auckland  and  Rt.  Rev. 
Viard  fixed  his  residence  at  Wellington,  as  administrator  apostolic. 
In  1860,  he  was  named  titulary  bishop.  In  1869,  the  diocese  of  Dune- 
din,  and  in  1887,  that  of  Christchurch  were  formed  and  Wellington 
was  raised  to  an  archbishopric. 

4- 

New  Zealand. — This  province  comprises  the  mission  of  the  natives, 
called  Maori,  and  that  of  the  white  population. 


The  Missions  op  the  Society  of  Mary 


227 


The  Maori  Mission. — During  the  first  few  years,  the  great  extent  of 
territory  and  the  limited  number  of  missionaries  considerably  retarded 
the  progress  of  evangelization.  Nevertheless,  in  1857,  Governor  Sir 
John  Grey,  in  his  oflScial  report,  pays  a  high  tribute  of  praise  to  Catho- 
lic schools  and  institutions.  In  1860,  the  mission,  then  firmly  estab- 
lished, suffered  a  severe  trial  in  the  insurrection  of  the  natives  against 
the  English  government.     For  several  years  the  country  was  closed 


The  Cbadle  of  the  Society  of  Mabt  at  Bellet  (Fbance). 


to  any  foreigner,  priest  or  layman.  Gradually,  however,  the  work  of 
the  mission  was  resumed  and  the  Society  of  Mary  now  numbers  nine 
priests  who  attend  five  churches  with  residences  and  visit  a  large 
number  of  villages  with  chapels.  The  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  of  Mis- 
sions have  charge  of  a  boarding  school  in  Napier  and  conduct  a  school 
for  the  natives.  The  Sisters  of  Compassion  conduct  an  orphan  asylum 
and  several  primary  schools  in  Hiruharoa. 

The  Maoris,  much  more  numerous  in  the  north,  form  another  mis- 
sion successfully  administered  by  the  Fathers  of  Mill  Hill,  London, 
established  in  the  diocese  of  Auckland. 


228  The  Missions  of  the  Society  of  Maby 

The  Mission  of  the  Whites. — The  chief  object  of  this  sketch  being 
missions  among  the  natives^  it  suffices  to  give  the  following  data : 

In  the  dioceses  of  Welline^ton  and  Chrlstchurch,  the  Society  of  Mary 
numbers  71  priests,  17  scholastics  and  15  lay  brothers.  Their  Institu- 
tions include  21  missions,  1  college,  1  novitiate  and  seminary.  Each  mis- 
sion is  provided  with  schools  directed  by  24  Little  Brothers  of  Mary, 
about  80  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  of  Missions,  and  60  Sisters  of  Saint 
Joseph,  not  to  mention  lay  assistants.  This  province  possesses,  besides, 
flourishing  boarding  schools  in  charge  of  the  Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 
the  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  of  Missions,  of  Mary,  and  of  St.  Joseph. 
Among  the  charitable  institutions  we  may  mention  the  houses  of  the 
Sisters  of  Good  Shepherd  and  of  the  Sisters  of  Nazareth  and  the  orphan 
asylums  conducted  by  all  the  congregations  that  have  charge  of  schools. 
The  two  dioceses  number  a  Catholic  population  of  about  30,000  souls. 

Central  Oceai^ica. — This  vicariate,  created,  as  we  have  said,  in 
1842,  at  first  comprised  the  whole  of  western  Oeeanica,  excepting  New 
Zealand.  We  shall  refer,  successively,  to  the  different  vicariates  or 
prefectures  that  have  been  formed  from  this  province. 

Central  Oeeanica,  at  present,  comprises  the  islands  of  Wallis,  Fu- 
tnna,  Vavau,  Haapai,  Niua,  and  Tonga,  the  see  of  the  Rt.  Bev.  Vicar 
Apostolic. 

Wallis  and  Futuna  are  the  glory  and  the  joy  of  the  mission.  Once 
only,  in  1850,  the  attempt  was  made  to  profit  by  the  rivalry  of  two 
chiefs  to  introduce  heresy  into  Wallis  and  break  the  religious  unity. 
The  effort  was  unsuccessful. 

Since  the  conversion  of  the  two  islands  to  the  Catholic  religion,  the 
population,  which  wars  and  cannibalism  had  before  reduced  to  2000 
souls  in  Wallis  and  950  in  Futuna  has  risen,  respectively,  to  over  4000 
and  more  than  1500.  Under  the  direction  of  the  missionaries,  the 
people,  all  Catholic,  have  erected  9  churches.  The  schools  attached 
to  each  of  the  6  residences  are  conducted  by  10  European  Sisters  of 
the  Third  Order  of  Mary,  assisted  by  15  native  Sisters.  The  clergy 
include  8  Marist  Fathers  and  3  native  secular  priests.  Wallis  pos- 
sesses, besides,  one  seminary  with  30  ecclesiastical  students  and 
catechists. 

Vavcm,  Haapai,  Niua, — For  a*  long  time  Methodist  opposition 
prevented  the  establishment  of  missions  on  these  islands.  To-day, 
each  one  of  them  is  provided  with  churches,  residences,  and  schools. 

Tongatdbou. — Tongatabou  is  the  center  of  Methodist  influence  in 
central  Oeeanica.  King  George  I,  having  been  won  over  to  this  sect 
at  an  early  age,  imposed  its  belief  by  force  on  all  his  subjects.    Under 


The  Missions  of  the  Society  op  Mary  229 

protection  of  the  royal  authority.  Rev.  S.  Baker  gave  to  the  country  a 
miniature  English  constitution  with  divorce  and  compulsory  education. 
Having  gained  the  taste  for  power  from  his  success,  he  separated  him- 
self from  the  sect  of  which  he  was  the  accredited  representative  and 
founded  a  new  church.  He  constituted  himself  the  head  and,  at  the 
same  time,  renounced  none  of  the  emolument  connected  with  the 
ofBce  of  first  minister  to  the  crown.  In  this  double  capacity  he  pro- 
claimed a  code  of  laws,  as  severe  as  Dracoes,  whose  fines  never  enriched 
the  public  treasury  and  whose  corporal  punishments  led  to  an  attempt 
upon  his  own  life.  This  attempt,  followed  by  the  speedy  execution  of 
six  rebels,  opened  the  eyes  of  superior  authority  to  the  fact  that  Baker 
was  not  the  man  for  the  place.  One  fine  day,  it  was  reported,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  public  at  large,  that  the  ex- Premier  had  just  been 
transported  to  New  Zealand  in  charge  of  the  High  Commissary  of 
Great  Britain. 

Prom  his  residence  in  Auckland,  Baker  continued,  in  a  more  or  less 
indirect  way  to  exercise  his  influence  over  the  political  and  religious 
affairs  of  the  country.  After  the  death  of  George  I,  he  believed  him- 
self able  to  regain  his  former  authority  and  returned  to  Tonga,  first 
as  a  physician,  later  as  an  Anglican  minister.  Receiving  a  cold  wel- 
come from  George  II,  he  retired  to  Haapai,  where  he  tried  a  new  schism 
without  avail.     His  movement  died  with  him. 

Catholics,  for  a  long  time  despised  and  persecuted,  now  occupy  an 
honorable  position.  Natives  and  foreigners  alike  esteem  them.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  his  life,  George  I  himself  felt  less  hostile  toward 
them,  and  his  successor  permitted  the  establishment  of  a  residence  in 
the  capital. 

Tongatabou  is  the  residence  of  the  vicar  apostolic  of  central  Ocean- 
ica.  The  island  is  divided  into  four  missions  with  six  resident  priests 
who  visit  a  large  number  of  chapels  regularly.  In  all  the  stations 
there  are  primary  schools,  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  the  Third  Or- 
der of  Mary  or  catechists.  English  schools  and  a  college  for  natives 
are  flourishing  in  the  capital;  they  stand  very  high  in  government 
opinion  because  of  their  repeated  success  at  public  examinations. 

New  Caledonia. — This  vicariate  comprises  New  Caledonia  and  ad- 
jacent islands,  the  Loyalty  Islands,  the  Isle  of  Pines,  and  Belep. 

This  mission  was  begun  in  1843  by  Bishop  Dovarre,  coadjutor  of 
Bishop  Bataillon.  Its  foundation  was  laid  with  great  difficuliy.  At 
different  times  the  missionaries,  besieged  and  blockaded  in  their  little 


230  The  Missions  of  the  Society  of  Mary 

dwelling,  came  very  near  starving  to  death  and,  for  several  years,  their 
life  was  in  constant  danger.  One  of  them,  Brother  Blase,  was  killed 
by  the  savages. 

Little,  by  little,  however,  the  faith  made  headway  and,  in  1847, 
New  Caledonia  was  made  a  vicariate. 

The  history  of  this  mission,  which  escaped  the  fury  of  the  natives, 
is  from  first  to  last,  an  almost  nnintemipted  series  of  mean  harassings 
on  the  part  of  the  colonial  government.  After  the  fall  of  Napoleon 
III,  there  was  a  term  of  peace;  but  progress  had  been  considerably 
jeopardized  by  the  force  exerted  over  the  natives  by  the  first  governor. 
"  Embrace  the  religion  of  the  soldier  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
black  robes  "  was  his  advice  to  all  the  tribes.  He  was  obeyed  only  too 
well  and,  until  recently,  many  remained  in  a  state  of  stubborn  oppo- 
sition to  the  Gospel.  When,  finally,  they  realized  that  the  Atheist 
civilization  imposed  upon  them  only  tended  toward  their  own  self- 
destruction,  these  tribes,  of  their  own  accord,  requested  missionaries 
to  come  to  them.  Then  the  governor  did  all  in  his  power  to  impede 
the  efforts  of  Catholics. 

The  transportation  of  communists  and  convicts  and  free  immigra- 
tion has  greatly  altered  the  character  of  this  mission.  The  natives, 
dying  of  vice  and  the  poverty  necessarily  resulting  from  the  confisca- 
tion of  their  property,  are  rapidly  decreasing  in  number.  The  civiliza- 
tion which  is  supposed  to  develop  from  the  conditions  engendered  will 
not  alas !  help  to  lift  them. 

Loyalty  Islands. — In  no  other  part  of  the  Pacific  is  the  Church 
more  bitterly  hated  by  heretics;  several  times  they  have  profited  by 
their  numerical  superiority  to  attack  or  banish  Catholics.  On  Mare 
Island,  in  1880,  they  burned  six  villages,  robbed  churches,  profaned 
objects  of  worship,  and  went  so  far  as  even  to  kill  little  children. 
Only  a  few  years  since,  a  chief  openly  boasted  of  his  intention  to  kill 
every  single  Papist.  Without  the  prompt  intervention  of  the  resident 
magistrate  there  would  have  been  war.  Can  we  count  long  upon  the 
protection  of  colonial  authority?  Past  events  are  alas!  only  too  evi- 
dent a  proof  of  the  contrary.  Missionaries,  however,  have  not  lost 
courage  and  the  work  of  God  has  been  steadily  progressing  as  the  fol- 
lowing report  will  show : 

Clergy. — 1  bishop,  52  priests,  and  3  brothers  of  the  Society  of  Mary. 

Education. — Before  lay  teachers  took  charge,  42  brothers  of  the  commu- 
nity of  the  Little  Brothers  of  Mary  conducted  5  primary  schools,  2  indus- 
trial schools,  a  boarding  school,  and  an  orphanage. 


The  Missions  op  the  Society  op  Mary  231 

19  Sisters  of  the  Third  Order  of  Mary  and  30  catechists  instruct  the 
young  girls  attending  the  primary  schools  for  natives,  attached  to  Its 
station.  The  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph  conduct  several  free  schools  and  two 
boarding  schools.  Until  recently,  they  also  had  charge  of  the  hospitals 
of  Noumea  and  the  Isle  of  Pines  and  of  the  prison.  They  have  been 
replaced  by  a  personnel  selected  from  among  convicts 

Within  the  past  few  years  the  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor  have  opened  a 
home  for  the  aged  in  Noumea. 

Establishments. — 21  residences,  38  churches,  43  chapels,  4  high  schools, 
primary  schools  in  each  station,  2  orphanages,  4  industrial  schools,  2 
homes  (for  the  aged  and  for  convicts),  and  1  leper  hospital. 


Nbw  Hebrides. — In  1850,  two  Marist  priests  left  New  Caledonia 
for  the  New  Hebrides.  They  were  never  heard  from.  Natives  in 
service  at  Noumea  said  that  they  were  killed  and  eaten  in  Maliknla. 

The  limited  number  of  missionaries  and  the  necessities  consequent 
upon  immigration  and  transportation  have  not  allowed  any  new  foun- 
dation for  a  long  time.  In  the  New  Hebrides  the  effort  has  been  made 
to  instruct  the  numerous  natives  employed  in  Caledonia.  The  indif- 
ference and  even  the  opposition  of  .their  patrons  has  prevented  this 
work  from  bearing  all  the  fruit  that  might  be  expected. 

In  18'86,  the  Marists  made  a  fresh  attempt.  Protestants  had  already 
occupied  important  points,  but  not  all  the  desirable  sites  had  by  any 
means  been  claimed  and  Catholic  missions  could  be  established. 

The  fevers  have  claimed  many  victims  and  poveriy  has  paralyzed 
devotion;  but,  by  force  of  patience  and  courage,  this  mission  made 
such  progress,  that,  in  1901,  it  was  created  a  prefecture  and,  in  1904, 
a  vicariate  apostolic. 

Clergy. — 1  bishop  and  27  Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Mary. 

Primary  schools  in  all  the  residences.  They  are  conducted  by  the 
Sisters  of  the  Third  Order  of  Mary  and  by  native  catechists. 

The  Little  Brothers  of  Mary  have  recently  established  a  school  In 
Port  Vila. 

The  missionaries  conduct  a  school  for  catechists  in  Montmartre,  and 
the  Sisters  of  the  Third  Order  of  Mary,  a  hospital  in  Port  Vila. 

Vicariate  of  the  Navigatohs^  Islands. — This  vicariate,  created 
in  1851  and  comprising  the  groups  of  Samoa  and  Tokelau,  remained 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  central  Oceanica 
until  1896  when  it  was  entirely  separated  from  the  latter. 

The  first  Catholic  missionaries  landed  at  Samoa  in  1845.  The 
Protestants  who  had  arrived  ten  years  before  do  not  seem  to  have 


232  The  Missions  op  the  Society  op  Maby 

gained  the  same  influence  that  they  enjoy  in  other  parts.  But  one  doc- 
trine has  made  its  way  here  as  everywhere  else :  hatred  of  the  Catholic 
religion.  Our  missionaries,  therefore,  received  a  very  cold  welcome; 
neveriiieless,  they  succeeded  in  founding  a  mission.  Very  frequent 
dvil  wars  have  impeded  progress.  The  last  of  these,  directed  by 
Protestant  sects,  was  sustained  against  all  justice  by  America  and  Eng- 
land against  the  heroic  Mataafa;  the  result  was  the  annexation  of 
Upolu  and  Savai  by  Germany  and  of  Tutuila  by  the  United  States. 

The  number  of  churches  and  residences,  schools  and  convents  are 
an  eloquent  testimony  of  the  zeal  and  success  of  our  missionaries.  The 
Catholic  church,  despite  all  the  obstacles  to  be  overcome  is  firmly 
established  in  Samoa.  The  cathedral  of  Apia,  begun  about  fifteen 
years  ago  and  open  for  worship  for  twelve,  has  just  been  finished. 

Toksla/ti. — ^In  1863,  some  of  the  native^  of  one  of  the  Tokelau  group 
of  islands,  having  received  the  usual  instruction  given  to  catechumens, 
undertook  a  voyage  of  350  miles  to  get  to  Samoa  in  order  to  receive 
the  sacraments.  Their  faith  merited  a  reward;  they  arrived  safe  and 
sound,  requested  baptism  and  confirmation  and  made  their  first  com- 
munion. Then,  in  a  safer  fieet,  they  returned  home,  accompanied  by 
several  catechists.  In  1876,  the  inhabitants  of  another  island  under- 
took even  a  longer  voyage  for  the  same  pious  purpose.  So  great  a 
zeal  has  deserved  to  have  the  visit  of  a  priest  several  times  a  year. 
Since  1877,  a  Father  has  been  attending  them  and  they  have  built  two 
beautiful  churches  of  coral  where  they  assemble  morning  and  evening 
for  prayers  and  instruction  by  catechists. 

The  present  status  of  the  vicariate  is : 

Clergy.— 1  bishop,  22  priests  of  the  Society  of  Mary,  and  3  native 
secular  priests. 

Eatdblishments. — 15  churches  with  residences  and  92  stations  with 
chapels. 

Education. — Primary  schools  for  foreigners  and  natives,  a  school  for 
catechists,  and  an  industrial  school,  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Third 
Order  of  Mary,  the  Little  Brothers  of  Mary,  and  catechists. 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of' Fiji. — In  1844,  Bishop  Bataillon  at- 
tempted the  foundation  of  a  mission  in  Fiji.  He  was  repulsed  by 
King  Thakombau,  a  ferocious  cannibal  who  called  his  subjects  ''his 
oxen  and  his  sheep,^^  and  who,  it  is  said,  has  eaten  not  fewer  than  800 
himself. 

In  1853,  the  Methodists  gained  this  chief  to  their  cause  and  relied 
upon  his  authority  to  force  his  subjects  to  accept  their  doctrine.    Cath- 


The  Missions  op  the  Society  op  Mabt  233 

olics,  as  yet  but  few,  were  persecuted;  but,  despite  all  opposition,  their 
number  increased  to  1700  in  1863.  At  this  time  the  mission  was 
made  a  prefecture  apostolic ;  in  1887,  it  became  a  vicariate. 

Since  then  progress  has  been  rapid  in  spite  of  a  period  of  bitter 
opposition  on  the  part  of  one  of  the  governors.  At  present  there  is  a 
great  movement  of  conversion  among  tribes  heretofore  the  most  re- 
fractory. Liberty  of  conscience  has  been  granted  to  the  natives  so 
long  intimidated  by  the  chiefs  under  the  domination  of  the  Methodists. 
A  fine  stone  cathedral,  consecrated  last  year  in  the  capital,  numerous 
schools,  convents,  and  residences,  and  a  flourishing  college  for  cate- 
chists  tell  in  loud  terms  that  the  Catholic  religion  is  firmly  rooted  on 
these  islands  so  long  tyrannized  over  by  barbarous  and  heretic  chiefs. 

Rotumah, — In  1854,  Bishop  Bataillon,  for  want  of  priests,  felt  him- 
self obliged  to  recall  the  missionary  from  Eotumah.  About  30  or  40 
neophytes  followed  him  to  Futuna  and  Wallis.  The  others,  left  with- 
out a  priest,  continued,. nevertheless,  to  persevere  in  the  practice  of 
their  faith  and  assembled  every  day  in  their  little  chapel.  In  1859,  a 
catechist,  sent  from  the  center  of  the  mission,  found  a  hundred  Cath- 
olics. In  1868,  there  were  6  chapels  and  800  Catholics  among  a  popu- 
lation of  2400  souls.  At  this  time  a  religious  war  was  incited  by  the 
Methodists,  who  deposed  Catholic  chiefs  and  scattered  their  villages. 
Heresy  seemed  to  triumph ;  but  the  Protestant  chiefs  who  would  cede 
nothing  to  one  another  finished  by  giving  up  their  country  to  England. 
Religious  peace  has  never  since  been  disturbed. 

Botumah  possesses  two  beautiful  churches  with  residences  and 
schools  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  the  Third  Order  of  Mary  and 
catechists. 

The  present  condition  of  the  vicariate  is  shown  by  the  following 
statement : 

1  bishop,  32  missionaries,  11  European  and  IS  native  Brothers,  37 
European  and  35  native  Sisters,  20  stations,  35  schools  with  an  attendance 
of  1200—12,000  Catholics. 

4- 

The  Solomon  Islands. — In  1844,  Gregory  XVI  detached  the  vi- 
cariates of  Melanesia  and  Micronesia  from  western  Oceanica  and 
placed  them  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Bishop  Epalle.  Melanesia  com- 
prised New  Guinea,  New  Britain,  New  Ireland,  the  Solomon  and 
Admiralty  Islands.  Micronesia  was  formed  of  the  Caroline,  Marshall, 
and  Gilbert  Islands. 

After  his  consecration  in  Rome,  Bishop  Epalle  left  for  his  mission, 
accompanied  by  seven  priests  and  six  Brothers.    The  bishop  was  killed 


234  The  Missions  op  the  Society  of  Mary 

upon  his  landing  at  Isabella  Island  and^  a  short  time  afterwards,  all 
his  companions  died  either  of  fever  or  at  the  hands  of  the  natives. 

His  successor,  Bishop  Colomb,  survived  him  little  more  than  a 
year.    He  and  one  of  his  priests  died  of.  fever  on  Book  Island. 

The  Society  of  Mary,  founded  only  ten  years,  and  finding  it  im- 
possible to  attend  to  the  needs  of  a  territory  since  divided  into  fifteen 
bishoprics,  vicariates,  and  prefectures,  received  orders  from  the  Holy 
See  to  concentrate  its  efforts  in  the  missions  already  established. 

The  Fathers  of  Foreign  Missions  of  Milan  took  charge  of  Melanesia, 
where,  in  1852,  they  sent  five  priests  and  two  Brothers.  Like  the 
Marist  Fathers,  they  fell  victims  to  the  barbarity  of  the  natives  or  the 
unhealthfulness  of  the  climate  and,  for  a  time,  the  work  of  evangeli- 
zation on  these  islands  seemed  suspended. 

In  1881,  it  was  again  undertaken  by  the  Fathers  of  Notre  Dame  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  of  Issoudun  in  New  Guinea,  New  Britain,  the  Gil- 
bert and  Marshall  Islands ;  by  the  Spanish  Franciscans  in  the  Caroline 
Islands,  and  by  the  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Cross  in  German  Guinea. 

The  Solomon  Islands  alone  remaining  without  a  missionary,  the 
Holy  See  again  gave  them  in  charge  of  the  Society  of  Mary  in  1898. 

They  form  two  prefectures :  the  German  or  northern  and  the  Englibh 
or  southern  part.  This  double  mission  has  not  changed  since  the 
time  of  Bishop  Epalle  because  of  the  many  difiSculties  encountered ; 
particularly  the  climate  and  the  savagery  of  the  natives.  Several 
missionaries  have  already  fallen  victims  to  fever;  others  have  died  at 
sea  and  neophytes  have  been  massacred.  Those  who  survive  cannot 
rely  upon  the  people,  who  are  most  treacherous  by  nature. 

The  mission,  however,  has  been  definitely  founded  and  numbers 
16  priests,  6  Sisters,  and  11  catechists.  The  natives  willingly  send 
their  children  to  school  and  the  villages  are  asking  for  missionaries. 
Everything  points  to  the  hope  that,  little  by  little,  the  natives,  here 
as  elsewhere,  will  give  the  joy  of  reaping  in  peace  what  has  been  sown 
in  blood  and  tears. 

4- 
General  Summary. 

I.  Missions  in  Oceanica: 
5  vicariates;  2  prefectures. 
Marist  Fathers,  186;  native  priests,  7. 
Little  Brothers  of  Mary,  113;  establishments,  25. 

Sisters  of  the  Third  Order  of  Mary,  89  not  including  a  large  number  of 
native  Sisters. 


The  MissioKs  o^  the  SootEtr  op  Maby 


235 


Catechists,  about  666. 

Catholics,  41,885. 

Marist  Fathers  deceased,  106. 

Little  Brothers  of  Mary  deceased,  25. 

II.  Estahliahments  in  Countries  not  Miaaiont  in  tJie  Strict  Sense  of  the 
Term: 

Marist  Fathers,  316. 

Italy:  a  procurator  station  and  novitiate. 

Ireland  and  England:  6  missions  and  3  colleges. 

Belgium:  a  seminary,  apostolic  school,  and  mission. 

Spain:  a  residence,  mission,  and  French  college. 

United  States  and  Mexico:  18  missions,  4  colleges,  1  novitiate,  and  1 
seminary. 

Australia:  a  procurator  station  and  3  missions. 

New  Zealand:  21  missions,  1  college,  a  novitiate,  and  seminary. 

Germany:  an  apostolic  school. 


In  conclusion^  we  may  repeat  what  missionaries  of  all  times  have 
said  again  and  again  in  the  words  of  our  Lord:  ^^The  harvest^  in- 
deed^ is  great,  but  the  laborers  are  f  ew.'^  To  the  eonls  interested  in  the 
apostolate,  aiding  us  by  prayers  and  alms  to  multiply  the  means  of 
evangelization  for  this  vast  field,  above  all  to  obtain  from  God  many 
missionaries  filled  with  the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  we  may  say :  ^'And 
they  shall  bring  all  your  brethren  out  of  all  nations  for  a  gift  to  the 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  SOUTH  TONGKING 

Father  Mollard,  director  of  the  Seminary  of  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris, 
has  sent  us  the  following  letter  which  cannot  be  read  without  emotion. 
It  gives  an  episode  of  the  terrible  persecution  of  1885  which,  as  old  as  it 
may  be,  has  filled  the  country  with  ruins  still  visible  and  has  left  a  hor- 
rible and  ineffaceable  recollection  in  the  minds  of  old  Christians. 

Letter  of  Father  Bsllevills^  P.  F.  M. 

On  January  29,  1906,  I  was  in  Mo-Vinh,  the  chief  town  of  the 
parish  situated  on  a  tributary  of  the  Song  Ca.  To  mention  in  passing, 
it  was  near  the  mouth  of  this  stream  that  the  zealous  Father  Tortu- 
yaux,  seized  with  an  attack  of  vertigo,  fell  from  his  boat  and  was 
drowned  while  on  a  visit  to  his  district. 

My  duties  of  administration  were  about  over;  the  Christian  settle- 
ment was  |)lessed.  The  mayor  of  the  village,  Ly  Khoa,  came  to  see 
me.  Tall  and  dark,  his  eyes  burning  with  a  strange  fire,  he  is  en- 
dowed with  the  rare  gift  of  a  deep  rich  voice. 

"  Father/'  said  he,  "  I  have  come  to  see  you  and  invite  you  to  the 
marriage  of  my  daughter.^' 

"  That  is  very  good  news;  whom  is  she  going  to  many  ?  '* 

"  A  young  man  from.  Ngoe  Lam,  called  Khie  Loi.*^ 

"How  old  is  she?'' 

"  It  is  easy  to  remember  her  age;  she  was  bom  during  the  year  of 
massacres,  1885;  and  we  must  thank  the  Blessed  Virgin  that  she  is 
still  among  the  living." 

"  How  is  that  I  tell  me  about  it." 

Ly  Khoa  then  related  the  following: 

"  Father,  although  I  live  here,  I  am  originally  from  the  province  of 

Thanh  Hoa.    My  father  was  mandarin  of  the  province  of  Nghe  An. 

His  second  wife  from  the  village  of  Khoa  Trang  was  my  mother.    At 

the  death  of  my  father,  a  native  priest,  Father  Quang,  took  charge  of 

236 


South  Tongking  237 

me.  Seeing  the  Christians  at  work  about  me,  I  was  converted  after 
mature  reflection.  I  then  went  with  Father  Thong,  the  stone-breaker 
(the  learned  Father  Monrouzids  who  was  making  a  study  of  the  min- 
erals in  the  mission),  and,  finally,  I  settled  down  here. 

''My  relatives,  rich  and  learned,  have  remained  pagans.  Several 
are  mandarins.  My  brother  is  prefect.  They  have  exhorted  me  to 
return  to  them,  promising  to  help  me;  so,  to  sustain  me,  the  Blessed 
Virgin  has  always  protected  me  in  a  special  manner. 

**  When  the  Christians  were  massaered  in  1885, 1  first  concealed  my- 
self for  two  months  in  the  house  of  an  honest  pagan.  His  brother  was 
the  leader  of  the  rebels  and,  one  day,  came  to  search  his  house.  I 
climbed  to  the  top  of  a  high  and  leafy  tree.  From  there  I  could  eee 
the  brigands  searching  the  house  and  garden.  Th^y  even  stood  under 
the  tree  on  which  I  was;  to  add  to  my  fright,  a  large  flock  of  crows 
circled  above  me  croaking:  'It  is  all  over,'  I  said  to  myself,  'these 
crows  are  going  to  give  me  away.'  Fortunately,  thanks  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  the  brigands  did  not  look  up  and,  since  they  could  find  noth- 
ing, left. 

"However,  I  could  no  longer  stay  and  expose  my  compassionate 
host  himself  to  danger.  Together  with  other  Christians,  I  fled  to  the 
mountains.  The  tigers  were  less  cruel  than  men.  The  rebels  came 
and  attacked  us;  we  resisted  them  half  a  d^y  and  repulsed  them; 
but  they  would  have  returned  in  larger  numbers  and  better  armed. 
To  stay  there  meant  death;  so  we  IdK  before  they  came  back.  We 
intended  to  go  towards  Vinh,  the  chief  town  of  the  province;  there,  at 
least,  we  wotdd  find  priests  who  would  have  pity  on  us  and  the  mis- 
sion would  save  us  from  starvation. 

"  Our  going  away  was  not  in  the  nature  of  a  triumph.  We  remained 
concealed  on  the  mountain,  in  the  forests,  and  in  the  thickets.  One 
of  xis  would  act  as  advance  guard  and,  if  he  saw  no  one,  we  would  ad- 
vance.   We  ate  what  we  could  find,  berries  and  wild  bananas. 

"Thus  we  proceeded  very  slowly.  The  third  day  we  were  near 
Luong  Dien  on  the  confines  of  the  parish.  Seeing  a  few  women,  we 
asked  them  whether  there  were  any  robbers  about  and  whether  the 
road  was  clear. 

"'Come  with  me,'  one  of  them  said;  'there  are  already  several 
Christians  in  my  house.' 

"  We  followed  her  without  mistrust. 

" '  Do  not  go  with  her,'  said  another  in  a  low  tone  to  one  of  us;  'she 
is  deceiving  you ;  if  you  go  with  her  it  means  death.' 


238  Missions  in  Asia 

"We  retraced  our  steps;  it  was  already  too  late.  A  band  of  rob- 
bers rushed  down  upon  us  from  the  village.  We  fled  as  fast  as  we 
were  able  to  run,  but  alas  I  we  were  weakened  and  our  strength  failed 
us.  There  were  twenty-two  of  us;  sixteen,  successively,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  robbers  and  were  all  put  to  death. 

"  I  myself,  though  burdened  with  the  charge  of  our  little  girl  that 
I  carried  in  my  arms,  managed  to  keep  some  distance  between  them 
and  me  for  quite  a  while.  When  I  could  no  longer  hold  out,  I  gave 
her  to  one  of  my  companions  in  flight,  Pho  Quyen  of  Ngoc  Lam.  Ex- 
hausted in  his  turn,  he,  after  a  while,  gave  her  to  her  mother.  Weighted 
down  by  her  precious  burden,  my  wife  soon  lost  her  way ;  the  brigands 
redoubled  their  efforts  and  succeeded  in  overtaking  her.  Taking 
hold  of  her,  they  bound  her  at  once.  In  the  moment  of  flight,  my 
wife  and  I  had  promised  each  other  not  to  forsake  each  other  in  life 
or  death. 

*'  When  I  saw  my  wife  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  therefore,  I  also 
stopped.    Seeing  me  stand  still,  she  addressed  me : 

"*What  are  you  doing?  I  am  captured,  that  is  my  affair;  as  for 
you,  save  yourself;  I  wish  it.* 

"  Absolved  from  my  promise  by  these  words,  I  again  took  to  flight, 
death  in  my  soul.  At  the  end  of  some  time,  despairing  of  catching 
up  with  us,  the  robbers  ceased  to  follow. 

"  Alas !  very  few  were  able  to  escape  them.  Dying  of  hunger  and 
fatigue  we,  one  day,  came  across  an  isolated  house.  We  asked  an  alms 
of  a  few  grains  of  rice;  the  pagan  had  none  and,  out  of  compassion 
for  us,  he  cooked  some  sweet  potatoes.  A  little  farther  on  we  ven- 
tured to  enter  another  house.  Whilst  we  were  taking  a  little  rest, 
a  band  of  robbers  rushed  in.  We  concealed  ourselves  as  best  we  could. 
One  of  us  hid  in  a  crib  of  rice  (a  large  bamboo  trellis  built  like  a 
vat  to  preserve  rice) ;  another  under  the  furniture;  a  third  climbed 
on  the  roof.  The  robbers  entered,  looked  around,  rummaged  here 
and  there;  by  a  special  protection  of  Providence  they  did  not  discover 
us  and  withdrew. 

"Finally,  the  fifth  day  of  our  flight,  we  arrived  at  the  Christian 
village  of  Tho  Ninh,  which  the  enemy  was  unable  to  take. 

"  Tho  Ninh  is  a  large  village  on  the  shores  of  a  river.  .On  the  right 
bank  opposite  is  another  Christian  village,  Nghe  Yen,  the  seat  of  the 
central  establishment  of  the  Holy  Childhood  and  the  residence  of  the 


South  Tonokino  239 

missionary.  These  settlements,  together  with  the  neighboring  vil- 
lages. Fathers  Gallon  and  Arsac  at  their  head,  organized  resistance; 
they  were  assisted  by  the  Christians  of  Ngan  Sau  and  Ngan  Pho  who 
had  been  driven  from  home  and  sought  refuge  among  them.  The  atr 
tack  lasted  several  months  and  the  brigands  were  finally  repulsed  by 
a  French  detachment 

"Arriving  there  was  like  coming  from  death  to  life.  Seeing  the 
waters  of  the  river,  I  said  to  Pho  Quyen :  '  It  is  two  months  since  I 
have  washed  my  face,'  and  I  stooped  to  the  edge  of  the  water. 

"  Whilst  I  was  washing  myself,  Pho  Quyen  called  to  me : 

'* '  There  is  your  wife  coming  with  your  child/ 

"'It  is  impossible,*  I  said  to  myself;  *Pho  Quyen  is  surely  mis- 
taken ;  it  is  a  woman  who  looks  like  her/ 

"  I  arose.    It  was  really  my  wife  and  my  child. 

"'What  a  happiness,'  I  cried  out;  'but  how  is  it  that  you  are 
here?' 

" '  Well,  this  is  how  it  was.  When  I  was  captured  and  bound,  the 
robbers  left  me  a  minute  to  continue  their  hunt.  I  prayed  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  I  was  on  the  edge  of  a  thicket  and,  as  I  moved,  I 
and  my  child  fell  into  a  ditch  that  had  been  dug  among  the  bushes. 
I  examined  the  child  and  myself;  neither  one  of  us  had  been  hurt 
in  the  least.  I  was  afraid  the  baby  might  cry  and  betray  us;  but  I 
nursed  her  and  she  went  to  sleep.  I  was  thirsty.  A  spring  at  the 
end  of  the  ditch  relieved  me. 

"'The  brigands  came  back  shortly  and  looked  for  me  everywhere; 
they  passed  and  repassed  the  side  of  the  ditch ;  they  yelled  and  stormed ; 
shepherds  were  near  by  tending  their  flocks;  the  robbers  asked  them 
whether  they  had  seen  me.  Upon  their  replying  in  the  negative,  they 
suffered  torrents  of  abuse.  Finally,  realizing  that  their  search  was 
in  vain,  the  robbers  abandoned  the  place.  I  stayed  in  my  hiding  place 
imtil  night;  imder  cover  of  the  darkness  I  continued  my  way  and 
here  I  am.' 

"So  you  see  Father,  the  Blessed  Virgin  not  only  saved  my  wife 
and  child  but  she  brought  them  to  the  same  village  as  myself.  I  do 
not  know  how  to  thank  her." 

This  was  the  story  Mayor  Khoa  had  to  tell. 

+ 

A  few  days  afterwards,  when  my  work  was  done,  I  left  the  village. 
Beaching  the  last  house  on  the  heights,  the  mayor,  who  accompanied 
me,  invited  me  to  enter.     It  was  his  home.     The  wedding  breakfast 


240 


Missions  in  Asia 


was  being  given.  On  the  verandas,  seated  four  by  four  aroimd  tables 
laden  with  little  dishes.  Christians  and  pagans  together  were  making 
use  of  their  chop  sticks.  Mother  and  daughter  came  forward  and 
courtesied  deeply,  as  is  the  custom.  The  infant,  several  months  old, 
miraculously  saved  from  death  by  Mary  has  changed  into  a  tall  young 
lady  nineteen  years  of  age,  adorned  with  bridal  ornaments  and  clothed 
in  a  gown  of  violet  silk.  I  congratulated  her  and  exhorted  her  to  be 
ever  grateful  to  her  Mother  in  Heaven  by  a  faithful  observance  of 
the. laws  of  her  Divine  Son.  When  I  left  the  most  important  guests 
at  the  wedding  accompanied  me  to  my  bark. 


MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 


PREFECTURE  APOSTOLIC  OF  UPPER  NIGER 

The  prefecture  apostolic  of  Upper  Niger  was  created  in  1884  and  given 
in  charge  of  the  African  Missions  of  Lyons.  It  numbers  18  priests,  10 
churches. and  chapels,  3  hospitals  and  dispensaries,  5  orphan  asylums  con- 
ducted by  9  European  Sisters,  6  schools,  and  a  thousand  faithful.  The 
principal  stations  are  Lokodja,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Niger  and  Benoue, 
Assaba,  Illah,  and  Issele. 

Letter  of  Veky  Eev.  Father  Zappa,  L.  A.  M., 

Prefect  Apostolic. 

Saint  Joseph  of  Assaba,  May  10, 1905. 

Any  one  who  desires  to  enlarge  his  ideas  on  the  subject  of  the 
heavens  need  not  go  to  the  Blacks  for  the  purpose;  if  there  is  one 
branch  of  study  to  which  they  are  perfectly  indifferent,  it  is  astronomy. 
The  most  learned  in  these  parts  are  still  perfectly  convinced  that  the 
firmament  is  a  large,  solid  vault  which  is  in  no  risk  of  falling  soon 
and  will  be  broken  only  at  the  end  of  the  world.  The  stars  have  not 
altogether  escaped  their  n'otice,  but  these  are  too  small  a  matter  to 
occupy  their  serious  thought.  Of  all  the  planets,  the  moon  attracts  their 
attention  most,  for  it  serves  them  as  an  almanac.  The  succession  of 
its  phases  is  very  easily  explained.  When  it  is  on  the  increase  it  simply 
swallows  up  the  stars  in  its  path,  and  when  it  is  on  the  decrease,  the 
reverse  takes  place.  Nothing  new  is  created,  nothing  is  lost.  As  for 
the  sun,  when  we  feel  its  heat  the  greatest,  it  is  evident  that  it  is  much 
nearer  to  us  than  the  moon ;  no  objection  can  be  made  to  that  fact. 

Back  of  the  celestial  vault  which,  according  to  their  notion,  is  going 
to  fall  some  day,  there 'is  another  heaven,  more  beautiful  and  more 
lasting  which,  by  the  leave  of  the  semi-savants  of  the  old  and  new 
worlds,  is  not  so  false  ^  judgment. 

Astronomers,  therefore,  will  not  leam  much  from  the  Blacks. 
Nevertheless,  one  is  not  a  little  surprised  to  find  traces  of  the  ancient 

241 


242  Missions  in  Afbioa 

and  even  modem  classification  of  the  constellations  in  their  perempiory 
theories.  Thus^  for  instance^  the  Great  Bear  is  known  in  these  parts 
by  the  &ame  of  the  '^  Great  Beast/'  the  bear  being  an  animal  nnknown 
in  the  country.  Sagittarius^  Leo^  and  the  Goat  have  not  been  for- 
gotten. The  Pleiades  are  known  by  the  name  of  ^'  the  hen  and  her 
chicks''  and  so  on. 

Of  all  the  stars  in  the  heavens^  however,  Venus  has  made  the  great- 
est impression  on  them;  they,  however,  prefer  to  call  her  by  the  more 
poetic  or  more  prosaic  term,  as  you  will :  "  she  who  missed  royalty  be- 
cause of  a  cowry/'  She  came  very  near  being  a  rival  of  the  moon  and 
the  queen  of  the  heavens. 

This  discovery  and  this  appellation,  so  ridiculous  that  they  could 
originate  only  in  the  brain  and  inexhaustible  imagination  of  a  Black, 
have  inspired  these  lines;  for  such  as  they  are,  they  remii^d  me  so 
forcibly  of  our  situation  that  I  cannot  look  at  the  planet  without  think- 
ing of  the  analogy. 

A  cowry  here  means  a  cent,  though  their  value  is  not  identical.  If 
the  planet  needed  a  cent  to  become  queen  of  the  heavens,  we  need  one 
to  become  kings  of  the  country;  or,  rather^  in  more  truthful  language, 
God  needs  a  cent  to  be  King  here,  to  answer  the  prayer  which  we  send 
up  to  Him  daily  in  the  Our  Father.    Let  me  explain  how. 

The  experience  of  recent  years  has  proved  one  thing:  we  must  in- 
crease the  number  of  catechists  to  triple  the  number  of  conversions, 
nay,  we  might  even  multiply  them  tenfold;  it  is  owing  to  our  cate- 
chists that  the  baptisms  of  adults  reached  sixty  for  Easter;  I  do  not 
include  among  these,  children  that  are  attending  schools;  I  am  speak- 
ing of  neophytes  who  have  been  evangelized,  so  to  speak,  in  the  midst 
of  their  fields,  bent  over  their  work,  covered  with  that  healthy  sweat 
of  labor  which  may  become  a  ferment  of  revolt  without  hope;  dried  by 
faith,  such  sweat  is  changed  into  precious  pearls  and  is  certainly  more 
agreeable  to  God  than  all  the  perfumes  which  the  half  civilized  Blacks 
so  greedily  absorb  from  the  customs  borrowed  from  a  Europe  returning 
to  paganism. 

It  is  to  place  catechists  among  tribes  not  yet  affected  by  the  breath 
of  modem  civilization  that  I  Want  resources  given  expressly  for  that 
purpose.  The  placing  of  catechists  does  not  entail  any  great  expense, 
it  is  tme;  nevertheless,  it  cannot  be  done  for  nothing.  Therefore,  it 
is  for  want  of  a  cent  that  our  Lord  cannot  reign  as  king  in  this  land. 
That  God  Himself  attaches  the  same  importance  as  ourselves  to  the 


Uppbe  Niger  243 

work  of  assistants  chosen  from  among  the  natives  is  substantiated  by 
abundant  proofs.  He  has  given  us  palpable  evidence  that  He  can 
make  of  them  apostles,  prophets,  and  doctors,  as  Saint  Paul  tells  us 
of  the  early  Christians.     You  can  judge  for  yourself. 

Among  those  who  formed  the  first  group  of  adults  baptized  at  Ibouzo, 
in  1901,  there  was  a  poor  father  of  a  family,  Ayaeze  by  name.  For  two 
years  he  came  regularly  from  his  village  of  Okpanam  to  be  instructed 
by  the  Father  residing  at  the  station  of  Ibouzo;  several  times  a  week 
he  traveled  five  miles,  going  and  coming,  for  no  other  purpose  than  to 
hear  the  word  of  God.  To  ask  why  he  was  determined  to  come,  what 
sustained  his  constancy  despite  his  feebleness,  despite  tropical  rains, 
is  to  ask  why  the  Spirit  breathes  here  rather  than  there.  The  answer 
must  come  from  the  other  side  of  the  vault  of  the  heavens,  or  rather 
when  it  shall  be  broken.  All  that  we  know  is  that  this  catechumen 
persevered  till  the  day  of  his  baptism  when  he  received  the  name  of 
Peter;  he  not  only  imitated  the  resolute  force  of  his  patron,  but  what 
is  better  still,  he  persevered  with  the  same  energy. 

Even  more;  God  never  does  things  by  halves;  the  new  Christian, 
once  enrolled  under  the  standard  of  Jesus  Christ,  never  thought  that  by 
so  doing  his  work  was  done;  on  the  contrary,  from  the  very  day  on 
which  he  was  admitted  to  the  ranks,  obedient  to  the  advice  of  the 
missionary  who  had  instructed  and  baptized  him,  he  constituted  him- 
self the  apostle  of  the  Good  Tidings  in  his  village;  as  every  rule  has 
an  exception,  contrary  to  the  well-known  adage,  he  became  ^*a  pro- 
phet in  his  own  country,^'  as  the  apostles  were  in  theirs.  His  very 
name  was  prophetic,  for  it  signifies  "the  war  of  the  king,"  little  did 
his  father  surmise  what  king  his  son  would  serve  when  he  so  named 
him. 

Poor  and  without  the  least  spark  of  worldly  knowledge,  yet  superior 
to  many  of  the  educated  and  so-called  civilized  of  his  tribe,  knowing 
nothing  but  the  catechism  which  the  missionary  had  been  teaching 
him  for  two  years,  he  set  himself  to  hard  work  and  soon  assembled 
about  him,  morning  and  evening,  a  small  number  of  men  of  good-will ; 
to  these  he  began  to  teach  the  sign  of  the  cross  and  prayers.  The 
commencement  was  not  a  brilliant  success ;  ridicule,  the  cause  of  dis- 
couragement to  so  many  Christians,  was  not  lacking;  there  were  even 
cases  of  desertion;  a  union  was  formed  in  the  village  and  the  little 
band  of  catechumens  was  exposed  to  all  kinds  of  annoyances;  and,  as 
upon  renouncing  the  cult  of  idols,  our  people  had,  at  the  same  time, 


244 


Missions  in  Africa 


given  up  the  practice  of  throwing  charms  against  thieves,  an  expedient 
much  in  vogue  among  pagans,  it  became  an  easy  matter  and  very 
tempting  to  single  them  out  for  victims. 

"  Courage/^  Peter  would  say  to  his  little  flock  at  every  fresh  trial . 
"  Courage;  iron  cannot  be  forged  without  beating  it  on  the  anvil/' 

One  day,  his  poor  little  goat  disappeared  never  to  return;  it  hcui 
been  stolen ;  his  little  flock  was  much  distressed ;  he  himself  comforted 
them. 

"  That  goat,*'  said  he,  "  was  stolen  because  I  am  teaching  you  the 


Upper  Niger. — A  Catechist  and  His  Son. 


commandments  of  God ;  far  from  saddening,  it  rejoices  me,  for  I  know 
that  I  shall  find  my  goat  on  the  other  side  and  many  little  ones  besides ; 
if  the  thieves  think  they  are  going  to  close  my  lips  in  this  way,  they 
are  making  a  mistake. 

Meanwhile,  God  showed  that  He  was  watching  over  His  servants  and 
that  in  a  very  evident  manner.     Peter  and  his  flock  of  catechumens 


Upper  Niger  245 

conceived  the  thought  of  building  a  little  chapel ;  once  it  had  entered 
their  minds  to  do  so,  they  thought  they  could  take  their  clay  from  a  bed, 
the  common  property  of  the  people.  A  few  influential  chiefs  pre- 
sented a  strong  opposition.  Take  the  earth  that  was  property  in  com- 
mon to  build  a  church?  Never  should  this  be  done.  The  catechist 
implored,  protested,  and  showed  himself  ready  to  accept  all  kinds  of 
conditions;  all  his  efforts  were  futile. 

*'Well,''  he  said,  after  he  had  exhausted  all  his  resources,  "the 
chapel  which  we  want  to  build  is  not  our  dwelling ;  it  is  the  house  of 
God.  You  refuse  to  let  us  have  the  earth  which  everybody  may  use 
for  building.     Very  good ;  God  knows  what  He  will  do." 

You  may  easily  guess  with  what  raillery  this  declaration  was  re- 
ceived. Only  three  days  had  passed  when,  one  evening,  on  his  return 
from  the  fields,  Peter  heard  loud  cries  in  the  direction  of  the  village, 
such  as  are  uttered  when  a  chief  dies.  When  he  arrived  home  he  soon 
learned  their  cause;  the  chief  who  had  been  most  stubborn  to  resist 
the  building  of  the  chapel  had  finished  his  sneer ;  a  sudden  death  had 
overtaken  him.  This  occurred  less  than  two  years  ago;  to-day,  only 
two  of  the  eight  chiefs  who  refused  the  earth  are  living.  Since  then, 
everybody  is  afraid  of  Peter. 

"  Please  do  not  speak  the  name  of  God  among  us,''  they  often  say ; 
*'  your  God  has  two  many  ears.*' 

God  who  makes  an  apostle  of  one  man  and  a  doctor  of  another  has 
endowed  our  neophyte  with  such  a  facility  of  speech  and  repartee,  that 
it  is  hard  for  anyone  else  to  get  in  the  last  word.  It  is  a  real  pleas- 
ure for  us  to  hear  some  of  his  smart  replies.  One  day,  somebody 
gave  him  the  usual  excuse  for  not  going  to*church. 

''When  all  Okpanam  goes,  then  I  shall  go,  too." 

The  answer  was  not  long  coming. 

"  Did  you  wait  for  your  son  to  introduce  you  into  the  world  ?  " 

"  I,"  another  said  with  greater  candor,  "  I  shall  never  be  one  of  you." 

"  Still,"  answered  Peter,  *'  you  never  throw  away  the  sauce  before 
tasting  it;  look  at  us;  do  you  see  any  of  us  with  chains  on  our  feet? 
Come  and  taste  the  sauce;  then,  if  it  does  not  suit  you,  throw  it  away." 

"It  is  all  very  well  to  pray  to  God,"  another  said;  "but  too  many 
things  are  forbidden  by  your  church;  it  is  too  hard  to  have  only  one 
wife." 

"  The  woman  who  gives  birth  to  her  first  child  is  anxious  about  it  a 
long  time  before;  when  her  child  is  bom,  however,  she  sees  that  she 


246  Missions  in  Africa 

was  wrong  to  be  so  troubled.     You  have  never  tried  to  keep  the  com- 
mandments ;  try  and  you  will  see/' 

*'  Oh !  I  have  plenty  of  time,"  the  father  of  a  family  once  said  to 
him;  "  later  on  I  will  think  about  it." 

"  When  you  are  at  work  and  notice  the  shadows  of  the  trees  getting 
longer,  you  say  to  yourself  that  you  must  hurry  to  finish  what  you 
have  to  do ;  look,  your  shadow  is  already  longer  than  that  of  your  son, 
so  the  evening  is  not  far  off  and  the  arm  of  God  will  lengthen  slowly 
to  draw  you  in." 

Another  time  he  tried  to  increase  his  little  fold  by  pressing  exhor- 
tations. 

"  I  will  be  your  horse,"  he  said  to  two  women  who  had  come  to  see 
him ;  '*  I  myself  will  carry  you  to  church ;  that  is  my  work ;  my  broth- 
ers do  not  want  to  listen  to  me  and  shun  me ;  you  will  be  my  brothers 
and  my  sisters." 

+ 

With  sermons  of  this  nature,  and,  particularly,  by  giving  nn  ex- 
ample of  strong  hope  and  firm  faith,  he  has  succeeded  in'  collecting  a 
fiock  which  will  do  anything  for  him. 

Until  now,  their  church  has  been  the  porch  of  his  house ;  it  is  there 
the  missionary  celebrates  mass  from  time  to  time.  In  the  evening, 
when  the  weather  permits,  they  assemble  in  the  yard,  and,  on  their 
knees,  heedless  of  passers-by,  with  eyes  turned  toward  Ibouzo,  where 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  kept,  they  say  all  their  prayers;  then, 
seated  on  the  ground,  the  men  on  one  side,  the  women  on  the  other, 
as  in  church,  they  listen  to  the  explanation  of  the  catechism. 

Some  time  ago  they  asked  for  a  chapel.  When  they  had  presented 
their  commendable  petition  and  given  the  strongest  reasons  to  plead 
their  cause,  I  looked  from  one  to  the  other  and  then  asked  which  one 
of  them  needed  a  doctor. 

"  Why,  none  of  us  is  sick." 

"  Very  well;  if  you  are  all  in  good  health,  go,  bake  the  earth,  make 
bricks,  and  prepare  the  mortar;  then  I  will  answer  you." 

They  did  as  I  had  told  them  and  the  missionary  of  Ibouzo  gave 
them  masons  to  help  them  build,  iron  and  carpenters  to  cover  it.  The 
structure  is  not  exactly  a  cathedral,  but  it  sufiices  for  the  time  and  is 
dear  to  them  because  it  is  the  fruit  of  their  own  labor,  and  because,  on 
the  day  of  its  blessing,  eleven  adults,  most  of  them  married,  will  receive 
the  grace  of  baptism.  Peter  will  be  radiant  with  joy  on  that  day  when 
he  shall  see  the  first  group  of  his  catechumens  enter  the  fold  of  the 
church. 


Upper  Niger  247 

One  word  about  the  little  sacristan;  for,  although  there  was  neither 
church  nor  bell,  Okpanam  had  a  sacristan.  Prom  the  very  beginning 
some  means  had  to  be  found  to  call  the  people  to  prayers  and  cate- 
chism, morning  and  night;  they  could  never  be  behind  Ibouzo,  their 
parish  church,  where  they  attend  mass  and  instructions  every  Sunday, 
whatever  the  weather  may  be;  they,  too,  must  hear  the  sound  of  the 
Angelus  in  the  morning,  at  noon,  and  in  the  evening.  Peter  found 
the  means ;  having  no  bells,  a  hoe  served  the  purpose.  A  child,  Olu 
by  name,  gave  the  signals  by  striking  the  hoe  with  a  hammer;  he 
quickly  learned  how  to  manage  his  instruments  and  was  appointed 
sacristan  without  drawing  any  too  large  a  salary.  All  the  recompense 
he  received  were  the  tokens  of  admiration  which  were  showered  upon 
him  for  his  skill  from  one  party  and  the  mockeries  heaped  upon  him 
by  the  other.  He  goes  about  with  the  most  indifferent  air,  seem- 
ingly; but  how  many  times  has  he  not  dreamed  of  the  happiness,  the 
incomparable  pleasure  of  pulling  the  ropes  of  a  bell  or  what  he  might 
call  his  bell;  his  ambition  does  not  rise  very  high;  ah !  no;  a  little  bell 
would  suffice  to  make  him  happy. 

We  might  mention  similar  traits  of  another  catechist.  Although 
he  could  neither  read  nor  write  and  was  not  even  unusually  well  in- 
structed in  his  catechism,  because  of  his  advanced  years,  he  neverthe- 
less laid  the  foundations  of  what  might  be  called,  to  speak  in  the 
language  of  the  apostles,  the  Church  of  Ugnashi,  which  is  also  de- 
pendent upon  Ibouzo,  from  which  it  is  about  nine  miles  distant. 
His  name  was  Umunna ;  his  4abors  over,  he  was  called  to  his  eternal 
reward  about  two  months  since;  but  the  fruit  of  his  work  and  the 
memory  of  his  life  will  not  so  soon  be  forgotten  by  his  fellow  citizens 
five  times  fewer  in  number  than  the  inhabitants  of  Okpanam.  All 
that  I  might  say  in  his  behalf  would  be  eclipsed  by  the  authentic  report 
which  was  made  known  to  me  two  weeks  ago. 

The  following  are  the  circumstances :  The  catechumens  of  Okpanam 
were  one  day  assembled  on  the  farm  of  their  catechist  where  they  had 
gone  to  lend  a  helping  hand,  when  a  man  from  Ugnashi  passed  along 
the  road  that  led  by  their  fields;  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
country,  they  exchanged  greetings  and  engaged  in  conversation.  Ihe 
Blacks,  who  have  neither  newspapers  nor  telegraph,  have  always  some 
news  to  transmit.  After  talking  a  little  while,  the  stranger  wanted 
to  know  to  what  family  in  Okpanam  they  belonged.  The  catechumens 
and  Christians,  who  were  of  different  families  and  did  not  even  belong 


248  Missions  in  Africa 

to  the  same  quarter  of  the  village,  were,  at  first,  at  a  loss  to  know  how 
to  answer;  finally,  however,  they  made  him  understand  that,  although 
they  did  not  belong  to  the  same  family  exactly,  they  were  all  members 
of  one  body,  the  Church.  At  the  word  Church,  the  stranger  startled, 
and  made  a  motion  as  if  to  go.  Our  little  band,  at  once,  knew  that 
they  were  dealing  with  a  man  afraid  of  holy  water. 

"We  belong  to  one  band/'  said  Peter,  "but  it  is  not  a  band  of 
thieves.*' 

"I  know,''  answered  the  stranger;  "but  there  is  something  about 
you  of  which  I  am  afraid.  Umunna,  who  belongs  to  my  coimtry  and 
is  also  one  of  your  society,  has  done  what  no  one  else  has  ever  dared  to 
do ;  he  knows  the  way  to  cabins  where  there  are  sick ;  he  does  not  feel 
torrents  of  rain  and  does  not  fear  to  stir  the  fire  for  the  lepers;  he 
buries  the  dead  that  are  thrown  into  the  jungle;  nothing  holds  him 
back.  We  do  not  understand  such  actions  and  what  you  fellows  do 
inspires  us  with  fear." 

Thereupon,  fearing,  if  he  stayed  longer,  that  we  might  exert  some 
charm  upon,  him,  he  promptly  withdrew.  This  testimony  from  a 
pagan  who  was  far  from  being  favorable  to  religion  spoke  volumes  on 
the  faith  and  works  of  our  aged  catechist. 

I  have  tried  to  show  how  the  natives  can  assist  us  in  evangelizing  the 
country,  and  how  many  souls  would  receive  the  good  tidings  if  we 
could  station  Christians  of  this  stamp  in  the  many  cities  round  about 
us;  we  should  soon  be  rulers  of  the  land.  To  revert  to  my  beginning, 
for  lack  of  a  cent,  this  kingdom  does  not  belong  to  us;  for,  in  many 
cases,  to  attain  this  end,  we  should  be  compelled  to  move  entire  families 
away  from  their  relatives  and,  consequently,  provide  them  with  a 
dwelling  and  food.  It  is  out  of  the  question  for  us  to  meet  the  ex- 
penses thus  entailed. 

See,  my  beloved  members  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith,  why  I  conceived  the  thought  of  writing  to  you.  I  have  taken 
the  liberty  in  the  hope  that  you  will  plead  our  cause  so  that,  more 
fortunate  than  the  poor  planet  Venus,  we  may  take  possession  of  the 
kingdom  so  much  desired. 


VICARIATE    APOSTOLIC    OF    NORTH   VICTORIA 
NYANZA 

The  following  letter,  taken  from  Lea  Missions  Catholiques,  the  illus- 
trated weekly  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  contains 
sad  and  curious  details  concerning  a  strange  plague  that  is  making  great 
ravages  in  equatorial  Africa. 

Letter  of  Sister  Mary  Claver, 
Of  the  Congregation  of  Notre  Dame  of  Africa. 

THE  sleeping  SICKNESS. 

RuBAQA,  May  4,  1905. 

Permit  me  to  address  you  from  the  shores  of  Lake  Nyanza  in  be- 
half of  a  work  which,  though  two  years  old,  acquires  a  fresh  demand 
every  day.  I  speak  of  patients  afflicted  with  the  sleeping  sickness  and 
the  hospital  reserved  especially  for  them  at  Kisoubi  in  Uganda.  It  is 
about  three  years  since  the  terrible  sleeping  sickness,  called  mongota 
by  the  natives,  first  appeared  in  Uganda.  For  more  than  two  years 
the  Fathers  have  been  caring  for  a  hundred  "  sleepers  "  in  Kisoubi, 
situated  between  Entebbe,  the  capital  of  the  English  government,  and 
Rubaga,  the  native  capital. 

When  I  reached  Kisoubi  in  October,  1904,  and  visited  its  asylum 
for  the  wretched  for  the  first  time,  two  things  especially  impressed  me : 
the  admirable  devotion  of  the  missionaries  who  were  caring  for  their 
unfortunate  brethren  and  the  Christian  resignation  full  of  faith  and 
hope  manifested  by  those  in  their  agony. 

The  missionaries  requested  the  help  of  Sisters  for  the  care  which 
their  unfortunate  patients  needed;  better  provisions  for  the  hospital 
were  made,  permission  was  granted  and  Sisters  were  stationed  in 
Kisoubi. 

It  is  not  sufficient  that  additional  workers  have  been  installed;  the 
ever  increasing  number  of  victims  of  the  terrible  scourge  must  be  pro- 

249 


250 


Missions  in  Africa 


vided  for,  and  the  institution  has  no  other  resource  than  the  riches  of 
charity.  . 

I  return  to  my  bamongota  "sleepers/^  -A  few  details  concerning 
this  odd  and  dread  disease  may  interest  your  readers;  so  I  shall  tell 
you  simply  what  I  myself  have  seen  during  the  past  few  months,  for  in 
Rubaga,  as  in  Kisoubi,  we  have  charge  of  the  bamongota. 

I  believe  that  the  cause  of  the  evil  has  been  found  out.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  be  transmitted  by  the  fly  kivou,  sixth  species  of  the  tsetse. 


SUFFESINO  FBOM  THE   SLEEPING   SiCKNESS. 


which  is  found  only  on  the  water,  on  the  lake  or  rivers.  The  sickness 
has  been  almost  proven  not  to  be  contagious.  Negroes  from  the  in- 
terior who  have  visited  the  shores  of  Nyanza  and  have  been  stung  by 
the  insect  have  carried  the  germ  of  the  mon^ota  back  to  their  hearths ; 
they  have  lived  in  the  same  house  with  their  family ;  the  disease  devel- 
oped and  they  have  never  communicated  it  to  others.  Moreover,  all 
those  who  are  afflicted  have  been  on  the  shores  of  the  lake  at  one  time 
or  other;  the  germ  remains  latent  for  sometime,  even  as  long  as  five 
or  six  years,  before  it  develops. 

No  positive  remedy  has  yet  been  found;  young  men  of  strong  and 


North  Victoria  Nyanza  261 

robust  frame  come  to  us  struck  b}'  the  mongota.  Slowly  and  surely 
their  physical  force  ebbs  away  and  their  intellect  becomes  impaired 
until  death  ensues. 

The  name  "  sleeping  sickness  '*  suggests  that  the  unfortunate  victims 
suflFer  none  or  little;  but  it  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  they  sleep  much 
or  that  their  torpor  is  a  peaceful  and  quiet  sleep. 

In  the  beginning,  they  usually  suffer  great  pain  in  all  parts  of  the 
body,  especially  in  the  bowels  and  on  the  breast;  some  complain  par- 
ticularly of  pains  in  the  head.  The  symptoms  of  the  malady  are 
swollen  neck  glands,  a  yellow  color,  tired  eyes,  and,  especially,  an  offen- 
sive odor.  As  the  disease  progresses  there  are  nervous  contortions  of 
the  mouth  and  nose  and  spasmodic  twitching  of  the  facial  muscles. 
The  patients  scratch  their  arms  and  breasts  in  fits  of  desperation. 
Some  sleep  very  seldom  and  are  very  excited ;  some  go  insane,  at  times 
to  such  a  degree  that  they  must  be  bound.  Nearly  all  lose  their  mem- 
ory; but  the  intellect,  except  in  cases  of  insanity,  remains  normal  till 
the  very  last;  when  torpor  seizes  the  patient,  he  often  seems  to  experi- 
ence sensations  of  suffering. 

The  blood  starts  to  decompose;  patients  have  come  to  the  hospital 
full  of  youthful  vigor  and,  in  a  few  months,  they  have  become  living 
skeletons.  Sometimes,  but  seldom,  sores  appear;  they  can  no  longer 
stand,  but  lie  down  in  their  huts;  their  bodies  emit  a  horrible  odor;  the 
decomposed  blood  gushes  from  the  mouth,  and  sometimes  from  the 
nose  and  eyes. 

A  long  and  terrible  agony  commences,  some  lie  motionless ;  we  can 
scarcely  see  them  breathe,  and  yet,  when  we  speak  to  them,  they  show 
signs  of  consciousness;  they  live  in  this  state  six  or  seven  days  unable 
to  swallow  even  a  drop  of  water.  A  large  number  suffer  ever  greater 
agony ;  their  nerves  excited,  they  cannot  lie  quiet  for  an  instant ;  some 
beat  their  heads  on  the  ground  as  though  they  would  crush  the  earth ; 
others  crawl  on  their  hands  and  feet  along  the  edge  of  the  walls, 
sometimes  wedging  themselves  into  holes  from  which  it  is  hard  to 
extricate  them. 

A  curious  symptom  which  I  have  asserted  several  times  is  a  veritable 
sweat  of  blood  which  breaks  out  during  the  last  three  or  four  days;  as 
a  usual  thing,  it  is  confined  to  the  face  and  brow ;  but  I  have  seen  cases 
when,  for  three  days,  the  patients  sweat  blood  from  head  to  foot;  from 
each  pore  of  the  skin  drops  of  blood  oozed. 

+ 

The  good  dispositions  of  the  victims  form  a  striking  contrast  to  the 
sight  of  the  horrible  malady.     In  point  of  fact,  very  few  Catholics 


252  Missions  in  Africa 

come  to  the  hospital  for  the  hamongota,  as  our  Christian  care  for  their 
sick  with  a  tender  devotion.  'We  receive  a  large  number  of  Protes- 
tants, pagans,  and  Mohammedans  who  are  cast  out  by  their  relatives. 
They  are  not  blind  to  the  charity  which  cares  for  them  and  all  receive 
baptism  and  extreme  unction  before  death.  Every  Sunday  a  mission- 
ary celebrates  mass  in  their  modest  chapel  and  some  go  to  Holy  Com- 
munion every  week.     Those  who  are  able  attend  catechism  every  day. 

One  aged  Protestant,  alone,  stood  aloof.  He  had  been  instructed 
and  baptized  by  Mr.  Mackay,  who  had  come  to  Uganda  after  the  arrival 
of  the  first  English  ministers  and,  though  a  simple  layman,  instructed 
with  incredible  zeal. 

"Mackay  suffices  for  me,'^  the  old  man  would  always  say;  "I  am 
waiting  for  the  Kagombe/^ 

It  was  a  long  time  before  we  understood  what  the  Kagombe  meant. 
It  seems  that  Mr.  Mackay  had  told  him:  "At  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  when  God  shall  sound  the  great  trumpet,  I  shall  come  with  a 
little  trumpet  and  all  the  Baganda  who  have  heard  my  voice  and 
believed  my  words  shall  rise  and  follow  me  into  Heaven.*' 

So  it  was  Mackay's  trumpet  that  poor  Moussa  was  waiting  for.  His 
agony  came  on  without  his  wanting  to  hear  of  anything  else,  and  so  we 
left  him  to  his  good  faith  and  the  mercy  of  God. 

However,  we  had  recourse  to  the  great  remedy  of  prayer,  and  began 
a  novena  to  Saint  Peter  Claver.  For  three  days  we  had  heard  the 
death  rattle  when  Moussa,  seemingly  returned  to  life,  rose  from  his 
bed  on  the  ground  and  left  his  hut.  What  had  been  the  work  of  grace 
in  his  soul  during  that  time  ?  It  is  a  mystery  to  us.  Be  the  case  as  it 
may,  he  arose  transformed: 

"  You  are  too  good,"  he  said  to  his  nurses ;  "  the  truth  is  with  you, 
I  want  to  go  to  Heaven  with  you." 

He  asked  for  the  priest  whom  he  had  so  often  repulsed.  It  was 
exactly  the  ninth  day  of  the  novena  to  Saint  Peter  Claver.  After  his 
admission  into  the  Catholic  church,  Moussa,  baptized  Joseph,  again  fell 
into  a  stupor  and  the  following  Saturday  his  soul  took  flight  to  Heaven. 

+ 

I  have  finished.  I  have  just  exposed  one  of  the  saddest  physical 
miseries  that  afflicts  mankind.  May  pity  open  hearts  and  hands  in 
favor  of  these  poor  Blacks !  If  God  rewards  a  hundredfold  a  cup  of 
water  given  in  His  name,  what  will  He  not  render  unto  those  who, 
relieving  the  most  afflicted  of  His  suffering  members,  bear  to  souls 
faith  and  consolation,  helping  them  to  sleep  in  the  peace  of  the  Lord! 


MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 

VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  THE  GILBERT  ISLANDS 

It  is  only  eight  years  ago  that  the  mission  of  the  Gilbert  Islands  in- 
cluded in  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  Melanesia  was  made  a  distinct  vicar- 
iate apostolic  and  placed  under  the  episcopal  Jurisdiction  of  Bishop  Leray. 
The  number  of  Catholics  distributed  over  the  eighteen  islands  is  esti- 
mated at  11,000.  23  missionaries  (11  priests,  12  lay  Brothers)  of  the 
Congregation  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Issoudun  and  9  Sisters 'of  the  Sacred 
Heart  form  the  little  apostolic  army  that  is  laboring  to  extend  the  king- 
dom of  God  in  these  distant  parts. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Leray,  M.  S.  C. 

In  my  last  report,  I  mentioned  that  our  pro-cathedral  would  be 
blessed  very  soon.  I  shall  now  tell  yon  about  the  event.  I  am  sure 
that  you  will  rejoice  with  us  and  communicate  the  cause  of  our  joy 
to  the  readers  of  the  Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith, 
many  of  whom  have  been  signal  benefactors  to  us. 

What  more  beautiful  testimony  of  our  filial  affection  could  we  offer 
to  our  good  Mother  in  Heaven,  during  the  jubilee  year  of  the  defini- 
tion of  the  dogma  of  her  Immaculate  Conception,  than  this  temple 
dedicated  to  the  Heart  of  her  Divine  Son,  which  rises  firm  and  proud 
at  the  head  of  the  Gilbert  Islands  ? 

Four  years  have  passed  since  we  came  to  Butaritari  to  fix  our  epis- 
copal residence  there ;  at  that  time  there  was  but  one  little  dilapidated 
church  with  a  thatched  roof  to  shelter  Our  Lord  and  the  few  faithful 
brave  enough  to  dare  the  anger  of  the  king.  He  was  a  Protestant 
fanatic  who,  for  political  reasons,  as  well  as  out  of  hatred  for  Cath- 
olics, tried  to  impede  the  already  slow  progress  of  the  truth. 

He,  too,  has  been  vanquished  by  the  conqueror  of  this  world.  His 
throne  has  been  cast  down  and  his  sceptre  broken.     What  remains 

253 


254 


Missions  in  Oceanica 


to-day  of  the  great  Na  Buremoa?  He  who  dreamed  of  being  the  only 
lawful  king  of  all  the  Gilbert  Islands  and  establishing  the  easy  reli- 
gion of  Henry  VIII  on  the  ruins  of  Popedom  is,  by  the  law  of  Eng- 
land, only  a  common  land  owner.  And,  in  the  midst  of  his  capital, 
rises,  graceful  in  proportion,  the  Catholic  church,  surmounted  by  a 
light  tower  that  can  be  seen  from  all  points.  Every  captain  landing 
on  the  island  sees  it  and  it  is  the  beacon  which  guides  his  way  among 


Gilbert  Islands. — Fatheb  Lebeau  and  Some  of  His  Pupils. 


the  thousand  reefs  that  skirt  the  entrance  to  the  lagoon.  When  a  bril- 
liant light  shall  shed  its  rays  from  the  very  top  what  a  great  help  this 
new  lighthouse  will  be,  lighting  the  bed  of  the  ocean,  a  ray  of  hope  to 
vessels  in  distress,  and  to  fishermen  surprised  at  night  by  a  squall. 

4- 
All  the  work  being  done,  we  had  decided  upon  September  25  for 
the  ceremony  of  benediction.     A  week  remained  for  the  preparation. 
Everybody  set  to  work  with  a  spirit  and  a  will  and  these  dispositions 


The  (Jilbbbt  IsLAKbs 


255 


multiplied  forces  tenfold.  The  ornamentations  for  the  exterior  and 
interior  progressed  rapidly.  The  recent  gifts  of  the  Poor  Clares  of 
garlands  of  muslin^  flowers^  gilt  shields^  banners;  in  a  word,  all  the 
riches  taken  from  their  blessed  sanctuary  of  Notre  Dame  of  the  Sacred 
Heart,  will,  after  its  baptism,  find  an  appropriate  place  in  our  church 
and  produce  a  magic  effect. 

In  the  meantime,  invitations  have  been  taken  by  couriers  to  every 
district  and  to  all  the  chiefs  who  have  promised  to  come  to  the  feast 


MiSBIONABT  SiBTEBS  OF  THB  SaGBED  HEABT  AHD  SoMS  OF  ThKIB  PUPILS. 


with  their  people.  Saturday,  in  the  afternoon,  they  arrived  and  were 
entertained  in  the  houses  prepared  for  them  about  the  mission.  All 
turned  out  right.  The  little  bell,  suspended  in  the  tower,  sounded  the 
first  vespers  of  the  feast,  its  silver  tongue  could  be  heard  from  one  end 
of  the  village  to  the  other,  and  its  echoes  came  back  from  far  out  at 
sea.  The  heavens  were  particularly  beautiful;  the  Southern  Cross 
shone  down  upon  the  church  and,  as  in  days  gone  by,  the  star  of  Beth- 
lehem seemed  to  indicate  to  men  of  good-will  the  dwelling  place  of  the 
Infant  God. 


266  Missions  in  Ooeanica 

At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  our  bell  sang  forth  the  Angelus  to 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  first  time  from  its  new  abode.  The  sun 
shone  gloriously,  a  true  sun  of  victory.  Ah!  we  were  celebrating  a 
brilliant  victory,  a  double  victory  of  the  Church,  our  niother,  over 
heresy  and  paganism. 

About  eight  o'clock,  whilst  the  crowd  began  to  assemble,  we  distin- 
guished the  smoke  of  a  steamer  on  the  horizon.  It  was  the  Brunnez, 
of  the  Chinese  Company,  returning  from  its  tour  of  the  islands.  Rev- 
erend Mother  Superioress,  who  had  left  a  month  ago  to  make  her 
annual  visit  to  her  Sisters,  was  one  of  the  passengers,  so  she  partici- 
pated in  the  feast. 

•!• 

Surrounded  by  a  host  of  acolytes,  brilliant  in  their  red  gowns  and 
white  surplices,  we  began  the  prayers  and  liturgical  ceremonies  of  the 
benediction.  After  the  procession  around  the  church,  we  entered  to 
bless  the  interior  and  commence  the  Holy  Mysteries. 

The  church  was  filled.  The  front  seats  were  occupied  by  the  chief 
foreign  residents  of  the  islands;  in  the  transept,  were  the  members 
of  the  royal  family,  the  magistrates,  and  elders  of  the  people.  HUs 
Majesty  excused  himself  on  account  of  his  health.  Only  one  Pro- 
testant chief  had  refused  the  invitation.  The  spectacle  was  most  im- 
posing. Our  little  choir,  composed  of  160  voices,  all  children,  sang  in 
remarkably  good  time,  their  full  repertoire  of  hymns.  We  felt  more  and 
more  deeply  moved  as  the  solemnities  proceeded.  The  statue  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  above  the  altar  is  one  of  rare  beauty.  It  is  a  special 
gift  from  a  generous  soul,  a  great  friend  of  the  missions. 

At  the  Gospel,  we  had  an  opportunity  of  preaching  to  this  people, 
as  eager  to  hear  the  word  of  God  as  we  are  to  expound  it.  They  do  not 
all  belong  to  us;  but  they  are  in  sympathy  with  us  I  am  sure. 

•!• 

On  the  Gilbert  Islands,  as  everywhere  else,  no  feast  is  complete  with- 
out a  banquet.  The  body  must  receive  its  share  to  show  its  intimate 
union  with  the  soul.  This  was  not  a  day  to  economize;  we  were  more 
than  liberal  in  our  poverty. 

We  read  in  the  Scriptures  that  Solomon  killed  a  large  number  of 
oxen  and  heifers  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  We 
also  had  a  victim  for  the  dedication  of  ours,  A  lamb,  recently  brought 
from  Sydney  by  boat,  was  slain,  and  formed  the  main  delicacy  of  the 
feast;  fresh  meat  is  not  to  be  had  here  every  day;  we  have  it  only  two 
or  three  times  a  year  at  most. 


The  Gilbert  Ihlands 


257 


GiLBEST  Islands. — Cathedral  of  the  Sacbed  Heabt  at  Butabitabi. 


258  Missions  in  Ogeanica 

An  immense  table  was  set  in  the  class-room,  so  laden  and  burdened 
that  it  made  one  think  of  Baltassar's  feast.  The  stomachs  of  the 
natives  are  cavities  that  cannot  be  filled  with  one  cut  of  chicken;  we 
know  this  from  experience.  The  king's  son  presided ;  his  two  children 
sat  at  his  side.  The  other  dignitaries  followed  according  to  their  rank 
in  the  social  scale.  Perfect  order  reigned  and  all  ate  with  a  hearty 
appetite. 

The  foreigners  were  entertained  in  a  separate  room. 

In  the  evening,  there  were  recitation  of  the  rosary,  benediction  of 
the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and  the  singing  of  the  Te  Deum.  A  few  fire- 
works, which  greatly  pleased  the  children,  little  and  big,  closed  the 
entertainment. 

The  day  was  over,  but  it  is  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the  mission. 
May  it  be  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  for  the  beloved  church  of  the  Gilbert 
Islands  sorely  tried  in  so  many  ways. 

Dear  Associates  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  once  more  rejoice 
with  us  and  help  us  to  thank  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  who  has 
accomplished  such  great  things.  As  in  the  past,  continue  your  alms 
and  your  prayers.  Our  needs  will  always  be  many  and  pressing.  Will 
you  allow  me  to  draw  your  kind  attention  to  one  feature:  to  ensure 
the  stability  of  our  works  we  must  possess  some  land  in  all  parts  of 
the  vicariate.  The  new  law  respecting  the  purchase  of  ground  is  most 
satisfactory.  The  sooner  we  profit  by  it,  the  better.  May  we  hope 
for  some  extraordinary  help  for  this  purpose  next  year  ?  Despite  the 
great  trials  of  the  present  moment,  we  know  that  the  generosity  of  the 
faithful  will  not  fail.  Is  not  almsgiving  the  true  means  for  drawing 
down  upon  us  the  mercy  of  God?  It  is  in  this  hope  that  I  repeat  my 
expression  of  gratitude  and  affection. 


NEWS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


Sacerdotal  Jubilee  of  a  Bishop  in  Mongolia 

Rev.  Joseph  Jansen,  of  the  Belgian  missionaries  of  Schent,  writes 
from  Notre  Dame  des  Pins : 

^^  There  is  something  in  the  missions  besides  work,  fatigne,  trials, 
fears,  shots  to  be  avoided,  as  in  the  siege  of  Notre  Dames  des  Pins  in 
1900,  by  the  Boxers.  Last  Sunday  we  celebrated  the  jubilee  of  our 
beloved  Bishop  Abels  in  Chinese  fashion  with  much  noise  and  racket. 

"The  event  took  place  a  few  days  after  the  annual  retreat;  thirty- 
three  missionaries  were  present  at  the  pontifical  mass;  ten  priests  as- 
sisted the  bishop.  At  the  Gloria,  guns  were  fired ;  at  the  consecration, 
three  cannon  shots.  A  beautiful  mass  was  sung  by  our  seminarians; 
Chinese  played  the  interludes.  • 

"About  noon,  the  reception  and  presentation  of  gifts  took  place; 
both  were  accompanied  by  music  and  fire  arms.  The  Christians  came 
forward,  two  by  two,  kissed  the  episcopal  ring,  and  made  their  offering. 
One  district  sent  a  carriage;  another,  two  horses.  Small  towns  sent  a 
pair  of  shoes ;  some,  butter ;  some,  cakes.  The  people  were  delighted 
at  the  bishop's  smile  of  pleasure  to  receive  these  gifts  of  their  love. 
The  climax  was  reached  when,  at  the  end  of  the  solemn  reception,  a 
banquet  was  served.  Fatliers  will  transmit  the  memory  of  it  to  their 
great-great-grandchildren.  Even  after  my  long  stay  in  the  country,  I 
never  before  knew  the  capacity  of  a  Chinese  stomach,  or  the  joyful 
expression  their  usually  placid  countenances  can  wear. 

"  Two  days  afterwards,  priests  returned  to  their  respective  homes 
with  renewed  ardor  for  the  conquest  of  souls.  At  the  Pins,  likewise, 
affairs  resumed  their  regular  routine. 

"  If  the  peace  which  we  enjoy  continues,  the  harvest  of  souls  will 
be  rich.  This  year  we  baptized  1300  adults.  The  college  is  pros- 
perous and  numbers  an  attendance  of  fifty,  the  hope  of  the  mission. 
Very  soon  three  new  native  priests  will  be  ordained.^' 

259 


260  News  of  the  Missions 

The  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  among  the  Kaffirs 

Father  Mathieu,  0.  M.  I.,  missionary  at  Oakford,  writes : 

"Work  on  the  church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  is  progressing.  I  am 
glad  in  anticipation.  Everybody  admires  it  and  my  beloved  Kaffirs  are 
as  happy  as  I  am.  Many  thanks  to  the  generous  benefactors  whose 
gifts  have  permitted  me  to  undertake  this  necessary  building.  It  is 
with  a  heart  overflowing  with  gratitude  that  I  write  these  lines. 

"  I  thought  a  few  details  concerning  the  mission  of  Oakford,  dedi- 
cated to  the  Sacred  Heart,  might  interest  you. 

"  When  it  was  possible  for  me  to  establish  this  mission,  the  object  of 
my  ardent  desires,  I  first  assembled  a  few  native  families  that  I  had 
evangelized  and  baptized  and  gave  them  a  small  piece  of  ground  to 
build  their  huts.  On  those  who  were  willing  to  join  this  group,  I  im- 
posed two  conditions :  to  renounce  polygamy  and  to  instruct  and  bap- 
tize their  children. 

"My  Christians  are  already  very  numerous.  Their  happiness  will 
be  great  when  they  can  assemble  in  the  temple  prepared  for  them  by 
your  charity.  They  have  suffered  so  much  from  not  having  a  proper 
place  to  pray.  How  happy  they  will  be  to  accept  my  invitation,  when, 
on  Saturday,  I  shall  announce  that  the  next  day  is  God's  day,  and  I 
will  say  holy  mass  for  them.  If  T  did  not  tell  them,  they  would  not 
come;  they  do  not  know  when  Sunday  comes. 

"  Every  year  there  are  adult  baptisms  and  first  communions.  I  have 
entrusted  their  preparation  to  some  Sisters  who  are  willing  to  live 
among  these  poor  natives,  away  from  all  dear  to  them,  deprived  of  all 
consolation,  having  but  the  one  comfort  of  sacrificing  themselves  daily 
for  the  salvation  of  souls.^^ 

First  Fruits  of  Evangelization  in  Shire',  Central  Africa 

The  following  is  the  first  letter  which  we  have  received  from  Shire, 
a  mission  three  years  old  and  a  prefecture  apostolic  for  two.  It  is 
situated  between  the  southern  part  of  the  vicariate  apostolic  of  Nyassa 
and  the  Portuguese  possessions  of  Mozambique. 

Father  Winnen,  of  the  Company  of  Mary,  writes  from  St.  Marie  du 
Nzama,  January  25, 1905 : 

"  For  three  years  we  have  been  working,  sowing,  and  planting  in  our 
yoimg  mission,  the  hope  of  the  harvest  sustaining  our  courage  and 
zeal.  A  little  more  than  a  year  and  we  shall  reap  the  first  results — our 
first  baptized  adults.  This  year,  on  Christmas  day,  more  than  a 
hundred  catechumens  began  their  fourth  and  last  year  of  preparation 


OCEANIOA  261 

for  the  sacrament  of  regeneration.  Our  brave  catechumens  are  sighing 
for  the  day  of  baptism. 

"  The  missionary,  accustomed  to  all  kinds  of  labor  and  occupation, 
feels  the  pleasant  emotion  that,  after  all,  he  has  not  left  home  only  to 
make  bricks,  build  bridges,  and  erect  houses.  How  much  greater  will 
be  our  joy  next  Christmas,  when,  by  the  grace  of  God  and  the  help  of 
the  true  friends  of  the  mission  of  Shir6,  our  catechumens,  little  and 
big,  will  be  baptized. 

"Undoubtedly,  prayer  does  much;  it  protects,  nourishes,  and  sus- 
tains the  soul,  it  is  true ;  but  our  little  negroes  have  a  body,  too.  Their 
appetites  cannot  be  appeased  by  a  simple  prayer.  It  is  good  that  the 
friends  of  our  mission  think  of  this  and  that  the  future  go(J,-parents 
attend  to  the  material  interests  of  their  god-children.  Their  prayers 
will  be  repaid  with  usury;  their  money,  that  is  another  matter;  they 
must  wait  till  our  Blacks  are  millionaires.^^ 

OCEANICA 
A  Missionary  Honored 

In  the  Hawaii  Herald  we  read  an  interesting  account  of  the  farewell 
ceremonies  attending  the*  departure  of  the  Rev.  Ulrich  Taube,  mis- 
sionary in  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  called  from  Puna  to  Honolulu,  the 
capital.  After  the  celebration  of  Mass,  during  which  Father  Ulrich 
bade  farewell  to  his  Christians,  a  grand  Luau  (native  banquet)  was 
served  in  his  honor.  At  the  close  of  the  feast.  Judge  Kamau,  a  native, 
made  the  following  eloquent  address: 

"We  are  gathered  here  to  say  good-bye  to  Father  Ulrich,  who  is 
called  to  a  higher  post,  where  his  talents  will  have  a  wider  scope. 
While  bitterly  regretting  his  leaving  us,  we,  nevertheless,  congratulate 
him  upon  his  promotion.  We  all  know  and  fully  appreciate  his  work 
among  the  Hawaiians  of  Puna,  and  we  regard  with  admiration  the 
results  which  he  has  achieved.  He  has  been  a  master  and  guide  to  the 
young,  a  blessing  and  comfort  to  the  old  and  afflicted,  a  friend  and 
companion  to  all.  He  has  taught  our  young  folk  music,  and  orgaa- 
ized  an  excellent  orchestra  out  of  the  most  impromising  material.  He 
opened  his  house  to  our  young  men,  encouraging  them  to  consider  it 
a  club  whither  they  might  come  to  recreate  themselves;  and  has  thus 
saved  them  from  wasting  their  time  and  money  in  drinking  saloons. 
No  distance  has  ever  been  too  great  and  no  storm  too  violent  to  keep 
him  from  visiting  the  sick  and  the  poor.  Many  of  us  will  never  see 
him  again,  but  we  shall  always  cherish  his  memory;  and,  go  where  he 
will,  our  hearts  will  accompany  him.'^ 


SUPPLEMENT 

TO    THE 

AMERICAN  EDITION 

OF  THE 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


THE  ICELAND  MISSION 

We  take  pleasure  In  publishing  the  following  brief  but  Interesting  report 
.  from  Ultima  Thule,  the  Ice-bound  island  situated  in  the  extreme  north  of 
the  Atlantic.  The  earnest  zeal  of  the  devoted  missionary,  who  Is  laboring 
to  re-establish  the  true  religion  in  that  distant  land  so  long  deprived  of 
the  blessings  of  the  Catholic  Faith  certainly  commends  him  to  the  sym- 
pathy of  our  readers. 

Letter  of  the  Rev.  M.  J.  Servaes,  Missionary, 

vTo  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

June  24,  A.  D.  1000,  is  a  memorable  day  in  the  annals  of  Iceland. 
On  that  day  the  Icelanders  renounced  their  false  gods  and  embraced 
the  Christian  faith.  Christ  then  began  to  reign  as  Master  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  had  bent  the  knee  and  oflEered  sacrifice  to  Thor 
and  Odin.  For  five  and  a  half  centuries  the  Catholic  religion  flour- 
ished in  that  bleak  island  and  during  this  period  fifty-four  Catholic 
bishops  successively  occupied  the  Sees  of  Skalholt  and  Holar.  A  very 
remarkable  fact  is  the  number  of  poems  written  in  honor  of  the  Im- 
maculate Virgin  Mother  during  the  reign  of  the  ancient  faith.  More 
than  fifty  such  tributes  to  the  glory  of  Mary  are  still  extant,  showing 
that  in  all  ages  and  in  every  land  Christ's  children  know  how  to  pay 
homage  to  the  Queen  of  Heaven.  In  old  chronicles,  several  places  are 
mentioned  to  which  pilgrimages  were  made,  such  as  Notre  Dame  de 
Hofsstadur  near  Skagaf jordur. 
262 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    263 

But,  alas !  the  tidal  wave  of  persecution  that  deluged  Europe  in  the 
16th  century  swept  over  the  land  of  the  midnight  sun  and  Iceland's 
houses  of  Catholic  worship  were  wrecked  and  ruined.  Her  altars  were 
overturned  and  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  ceased  to  be  offered  to 
the  Supreme  (Jod.  On  November  7,  1550,  the  head  of  the  last  Cath- 
olic bishop  fell  under  the  axe  of  the  reformer.  Catholic  Iceland  had 
passed  away  and  for  three  hundred  years  no  Catholic  priest  dared  set 
foot  on  her  soil. 

Thus,  for  three  centuries  the  light  of  Chrises  religion  could  not 
penetrate  that  benighted  land  of  error.  Their  pastors  in  exile,  the 
flock  of  Jesus  Christ  fell  an  easy  prey  to  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing, 


The  Pibst  Catholic  Church  in  Iceland  since  the  Reformation. 
(Built  by  Father  Boudoin  in  1875.) 


but,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  the  blood  of  the  martyred  bishops  was  not 
shed  in  vain  for  their  flocks.  That  blood  has  won  from  God  an 
apostle  for  Iceland  in  the  19th  century.  It  was  in  the  year  1858  that 
the  brave  and  intrepid  Frenchman,  Father  Boudoin,  from  the  Diocese 
of  Eeims,  began  the  heroic  task  of  reclaiming  the  inhabitants  of  Ice- 
land to  the  faith  of  their  forefathers.  Alone  in  the  desolate  land  for 
sixteen  years,  this  truly  apostolic  man  devoted  with  indomitable  cour- 
age his  energies  and  talents  to  the  accomplishment  of  his  holy  designs. 
Prohibited  by  law  from  publicly  exercising  his  ministry,  his  whole  time 
was  spent  in  studying  the  history  and  literature  of  the  people. 
Patiently  he  waited  and  prayed  for  permission  from  the  government  to 
open  a  church  for  Catholic  worship.     His  petitions  to  the  government 


264      SUPPLBHENT  TO  THB  AhEBIOAK  EdIXION  OF  THE  AnNALS 

were  steadily  refused  till  the  adoption  of  a  new  constitution,  in  1874, 
removed  the  ban  against  the  Catholic  faith  and  allowed  freedom  of 
worship  to  all  religions. 

It  was  not,  however,  in  the  designs  of  Providence  to  allow  good 
Father  Boudoin  to  enjoy  very  long  the  hard-earned  fruits  of  many 
years  of  patient  toil  and  heroic  sacrifice.  Scarcely  had  he  completed 
the  little  edifice  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God  when  the  Father  of 
Light  and  Consolation  called  him  to  his  reward.  He  had  fought  the 
good  fight  and  won  the  battle.  The  entering  wedge  had  been  driven 
into  the  stronghold  of  heresy,  and  nothing  remained  bnt  to  continue 
the  work  of  this  apostle  of  Iceland.  Sad,  however,  to  relate,  the  splen- 
did example  of  Christian  zeal  and  sacrifice  of  Father  Boudoin  found 
no  emulators,  .and  for  twenty  years  after  his  death  the  faithful  few, 
whom  his  patience  and  zeal  had  won  to  the  church,  were  left  without 
a  pastor,  with  the  consequence  that  not  a  single  Catholic  remained  loyal 
to  his  faith. 

In  1892,  Leo  XIII  erected  the  mission  of  Denmark  and  Iceland 
into  a  vicariate  apostolic,  over  which  Bishop  Von  Euch  was  ap- 
pointed to  preside.  This  great  dignity  was  a  fitting  reward  for  the 
thirty-two  years  of  untiring  and  splendid  services  which  Mgr.  Von 
Euch  had  rendered  to  the  mission  of  Denmark. 

Vain,  indeed,  would  be  our  efforts,  were  we  to  attempt  any  eulogy 
of  the  great  work  done  by  this  brave  and  holy  missionary.  Let  his 
deeds  of  charity  speak  for  themselves.  It  is  now  twelve  years  since  his 
elevation  to  the  episcopal  dignity,  and  during  the  forty-four  years  of 
his  work  on  Danish  soil,  his  flock  has  multiplied  tenfold ;  and  to-day, 
though  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  he  is  laboring  with  indefatigable 
zeal  and  energy  for  the  conversion  of  those  poor  souls  plunged  in  the 
darkness  of  heresy.  His  soul  is  not  that  of  the  sluggard  or  the  hireling 
and,  therefore,  he  could  not  calmly  behold  the  priceless  souls  entrusted 
to  his  care  in  Iceland  to  perish^  while  it  rested  in  his  power  to  lead 
them  to  salvation.  Fired  with  the  zeal  of  the  apostles,  he  has  spared 
no  efforts,  faltered  at  no  sacrifice,  turned  back  from  no  obstacle  placed 
in  his  path  by  the  powers  of  darkness,  left  no  stone  unturned  to  recon- 
quer for  Christ  and  His  Holy  Church  that  dark,  dreary,  and  distant 
land  so  important  a  part  of  his  diocese.  And,  with  what  result?  A 
church  was  built,  a  Catholic  school  opened,  and  a  hospital  founded,  all 
in  the  short  space  of  a  few  years. 

While  the  church,  the  only  one  in  this  immense  territory,  is  not  a 
large  one,  capable  of  holding  about  300,  still  it  is  adequate  for  the 


SUPPLEMEKT  TO  THE  AmSBICAN  EDITION  OF  THE  ANNALS      265 

requirements.  It  is  dedicated  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  with  the 
hope  that  that  loving  Heart  will  shed  its  light  and  graces  upon  this 
unfortunate  land  afficted  for  so  many  centuries  with  the  blight  of 
heresy  and  infidelity.  Great,  however,  is  the  contrast  which  this  little 
edifice  presents  to  the  churches  of  our  Catholic  countries.  The  sanc- 
tuary lamp,  the  tabernacle,  and  a  very  simple  set  of  Stations  of  the 
Cross  are  the  only  objects  that  remind  us  of  a  Catholic  church.  Thanks 
to  the  generosity  of  a  Munich  priest,  the  Angelus  bell  has  been  heard 
again  within  the  past  few  months.  It  is  a  great  consolation,  both  to 
us  and  our  people,  to  recognize  once  more  the  joyous,  silvery  tones  of 
our  church  bell,  silenced  for  so  many  centuries.     To  none,  perhaps. 


Retkiavik,  The  Capital  of  Iceland. 

are  these  same  sounds  more  welcome  and  consoling  than  to  the  ears 
of  the  courageous  hearted  Bretons,  who  visit  our  shores  on  their  fish- 
ing expeditions.  In  these  happy  sounds  they  recognize  the  sweet 
voice  of  the  Lord  calling  them  to  salute  the  Star  of  the  Sea,  their 
watchful  and  loving  patroness,  and  to  assist  at  the  services  of  their 
holy  faith.  The  love  of  Mary  has  found  a  generous  response  in  the 
hearts  of  her  devoted  children,  so  that  she,  too,  possesses  a  modest 
little  altar  in  this  humble  chapel  dedicated  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  her 
Divine  Son. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  these  oflferings,  the  first  a  kind  Providence  has 
bestowed  upon  us,  our  church  is  still  very  poor.  It  is  our  earnest 
hope  and  trustful  prayer  that  God  will  move  others  to  imitate  the 
noble  charity  of  these  benefactors. 


266      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annaijb 

Although  our  Catholic  congregation  is  small  in  numbers,  you  must 
not  conclude  that  our  church  remains  empty.  On  Sundays  and  feast 
days  over  two  hundred  Protestants  attend  our  services  and  instructions. 
It  is  gratifying  and  consoling  to  witness  their  eagerness  to  listen  to 
the  exposition  of  Catholic  doctrine.  Are  we  not  justified  in  hoping 
and  expecting  that  the  bright  light  of  the  true  faith  will  soon  dispel 
the  fogs  and  mists  of  heretical  errors  implanted  in  their  minds  by 
false  teachers?  Already  our  hopes  have  received  confirmation  in  the 
conversion  of  one  Protestant,  while  five  more  are  preparing  for  recep- 
tion into  the  old  fold. 

Besides  our  few  native  islanders,  we  have  the  pleasure  of  welcom- 
ing many  European  sailors  during  the  course  of  the  year.  It  is  not 
easy  to  describe  the  simple  joy  these  poor  stormed-tossed  sea  way- 
farers feel  on  finding  a  Catholic  church  in  a  land  so  entirely  Protes- 
tant; to  be  able  to  kneel  at  the  foot  of  God's  altar  and  implore  His 
protection  from  the  dangers  of  their  perilous  calling.  Our  school, 
which  is  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph,  surpasses  in  excellence^ 
even  in  the  estimation  of  Protestants,  aH  others  of  its  kind  on  the 
island.  As  a  proof,  we  may  state  that  the  governor  and  other  state 
officials  send  their  children  to  our  school.  At  present  the  number  of 
pupils  is  thirty-four,  all  children  of  Protestant  parentage,  and  from 
the  best  families  in  the  ci4;y  and  vicinity,  "which  proves  that  the  people 
are  favorably  disposed  toward  uB.  To  the  ordinary  curriculum  of 
studies  is  added  the  study  of  French  and  German.  No  religious  in- 
struction is  given ;  still  the  fact  that  secular  education  is  imparted  by 
Sisters  gives  a  Catholic  coloring  to  the  atmosphere  and  will,  no  doubt, 
remove  early  prejudice  from  the  minds  of  the  rising  generation  and 
dispose  the  wills  of  the  pupils  for  the  reception  of  Catholic  belief 
later  on. 

The  hospital,  also  under  the  direction  of  the  Sisters,  possesses  every 
modem  convenience,  both  a  surprise  and  a  delight  to  the  people.  Not 
only  the  poor  but  many  members  of  the  most  distinguished  families 
pay  homage  to  the  skillful  nursing  of  the  devoted  and  sympathetic 
angels  of  the  sick  room.  They  are  loved  and  revered  by  all.  Large, 
indeed,  is  the  number  upon  whom  they  lavish  their  entire  attention 
with  a  charity  and  disinterestedness,  for  which  those  who  have  come 
under  their  care  cannot  sufficiently  praise  them.  To  the  many  poor 
crippled  sailors  and  fishermen  of  all  nations  and  beliefs,  who  have 
launched  on  these  desolate  shores,  the  good  Sisters  have  proved  them- 
selves true  angels  of  charity  in  extending  a  helping  hand  to  the 
afflicted. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals      267 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  details  concerning  the  hard,  painfnl,  and 
difficult  but  hopeful  mission  of  Iceland.  Truly,  it  is  an  Iceland  and 
a  snowland.  The  climate  is  severely  severe.  During  the  winter,  which 
lasts  nine  months,  the  land  iff  covered  with  snow  and  ice.  But  this 
condition,  though  trying  to  human  nature,  is  not  the  cause  of  our 


The  Present  Chtjbch  in  Reykiavik. 
(The  Only  Catholic  Chubch  in  Iceland.) 


greatest  anxiety.  What  we  fear  most  are  the  frequency  and  violence 
of  the  storms  which  sweep  over  the  country.  Our  little  church  is  in 
constant  peril  from  these  storms.  Only  last  year  two  Protestant 
churches  were  blown  down  and  carried  to  the  sea-coast  by  the  wind. 
And  yet,  besides  cyclones,  the  extreme  frosts  of  winter,  together  with 
the  long  three  months  night,  there  is  another  source  of  danger  to  life 
and  property  with  which  the  missionary  in  Iceland  must  contend.     It 


268      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  op  the  Annals 

is  the  numerous  earthquakes  that  visit  the  land.  On  the  28th  and 
29th  of  January  we  felt  at  least  twenty-eight  shocks,  causing  great 
terror  and  alarm  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  island. 

Now,  dear  associates,  we  have  tried  to  give  you  a  brief  outline  of 
the  history  of  Iceland;  of  its  difficulties,  progress,  and  hopes.  Its 
needs,  both  spiritual  and  material,  are  many,  but  we  feel  confident 
that  God's  Providence  will  not  forsake  this  poor  mission  and  we  trust 
that  you,  our  associates  in  the  Master's  work,  will  generously  come 
to  our  assistance  and  with  earnest  prayer  and  abimdant  alms  and 
offerings  to  help  us  continue  the  good  work  begun  and  prosecuted 
under  the  most  trying  conditions. 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  THE  PERSECUTION  OF  THE 
YEAR  1900  IN  CENTRAL  MONGOLIA 

(pathetic  story  of  an  apostate  child.) 
Letter  of  Father  Rutten,  B.  F.  M. 

Let  me  give  you  an  account  of  a  visit  which  I  have  just  made  to  the 
Christian  village  of  T'ie-ke-tan-keou  in  the  high  mountainous  district 
of  Heou-pa.  Sad  to  relate  this  spot  no  longer  can  be  called  a  village. 
There  remains  nothing  but  a  heap  of  ruins  that  mark  the  former 
existence  of  a  town.  The  Boxer  horde  of  vandals,  with  flaming  sword 
and  scimitar,  swept  over  it  in  1900,  pillaging  and  burning  every  home. 
Two  houses  have  been  rebuilt  and  are  occupied  by  twenty  Christians, 
the  only  survivors  of  a  population  of  200,  the  rest  dying  martyrs  for 
their  faith. 

This  was  my  first  visit,  since  I  came  to  the  mission,  at  this  hallowed 
place.  I  accompanied  our  Right  Reverend  Vicar  Apostolic,  Bishop 
Van  Aertselaer.  Before  us  we  saw  the  blackened  walls  of  the  house 
once  occupied  by  Father  Dobbe.  In  this  dwelling,  together  with 
Fathers  Abbeloos  and  Zylmans,  he  passed  many  days  of  torture.  They 
were  his  companions  in  martyrdom.  These  latter  had  been  my  fellow 
students  in  the  seminary  at  Louvain.  On  the  day  of  my  first  Mass  at 
Scheut,  I  saw  them  leave  in  the  bloom  of  health,  full  of  zeal  and  joy. 
To-day  I  am  making  a  pilgrimage  along  the  road  watered  with  their 
blood. 

In  front  of  the  house  are  yet  standing  the  ruin  of  walls  indicating 
the  site  of  the  church.  It  was  in  this  church  that  they  suffered 
martyrdom.  In  the  presence  of  all  these  objects,  silent  witnesses  of 
their  agony,  and  among  the  only  survivors  of  that  glorious  hecatomb, 
I  could  vividly  picture  to  myself  the  horrors  of  that  scene. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals      269 

On  August  22^  1900^  between  two  and  three  thousand  pagans  and 
soldiers  sent  by  the  Mandarin  of  the  Blue  City  took  possession  of  the 
hills  which  encircle  the  village.  Then  rose  the  dread  cry,  *'  Death  to 
the  Christians/^  and  with  furious  yells  and  shouts  they  attacked  the 
defenseless  people.  The  village  soon  fell  into  their  hands.  The  faith- 
ful sought  refuge  in  the  church  where  Father  Dobbe  gave  them  a  last 
absolution.  While  all  were  within,  the  Boxers  piled  oil-soaked  mate- 
rial around  the  church  and  set  fire  to  it.  An  instant  later  the  whole 
building  was  a  mass  of  flames.  Those  who  tried  to  escape  were  killed 
at  the  door.  In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  church  collapsed  upon 
a  heap  of  nearly  200  dead  bodies^  only  a  few  Christians  having  man- 
aged to  escape.  It  is  from  them  that  I  learned  the  details  of  the 
massacre. 

I  met  another  eye-witness  of  the  martyrdom,  and  a  most  remark- 
able and  interesting  one,  too,  the  principal  subject  of  my  letter.  He 
is  a  youth  twelve  years  of  age.  His  family,  all  Christian,  which,  be- 
fore the  outbreak^  numbered  in  its  various  branches  about  200  mem- 
bers, is  now  almost  extinct;  scarcely  30  are  left. 

For  three  years  it  was  believed  that  this  little  boy  had  suiBfered  mar- 
tyrdom with  his  parents,  but  it  was  not  so.  He  has  just  returned  to 
his  native  village.  This  is  the  sad  story  which  he  related  to  me  while 
out  walking  with  him  one  evening. 

4- 

*'  When  the  church  was  set  on  fire/'  he  began,  **  I  heard  the  Chris- 
tians crying.  My  mother  held  me  in  her  arms.  Suddenly  I  could 
see  nothing  more  on  account  of  the  smoke,  which  filled  the  building. 
An  instant  later  there  was  a  bright  light  and  I  saw  that  my  mother's 
head  was  a  mass  of  flames.  Her  hair  had  caught  fire.  With  the 
words — *  there  is  the  door,  run — save  yourself,*  she  set  me  on  the  floor. 
I  felt  myself  carried  along  by  those  who  were  trying  to  escape  and  get 
out  of  the  church. 

"  When  the  smoke  around  us  had  cleared  away,  I  saw  guns  and  swords 
everywhere  about  us.  Suddenly  a  soldier  seized  me  by  the  shoulders 
and  made  me  run  along.  A  short  distance  from  the  village  we  were 
joined  by  other  soldiers,  who  had  captured  two  Christian  women. 
They  told  us  that  if  we  were  good  we  would  be  well  treated,  but  if  we 
tried  to  escape  they  would  shoot  us.  My  head  Was  covered  with  bums, 
the  scars  of  which  you  can  still  see.  The  soldiers  dressed  them  care- 
fully and  I  was  soon  cured. 

"  After  several  days'  travel  we  reached  the  banks  of  the  Yellow 


270      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

Eiver,  where  they  placed  us  on  board  vessels  that  were  going  up  the 
stream.  During  this  voyage  I  lost  sight  of  the  women,  who  were 
taken  with  me.  I  do  not  know  what  became  of  them.  After  travelling 
more  than  a  month  we  arrived  at  the  large  city  of  Ning-hia-fou.  It 
was  there,  Father,  I  committed  a  great  crime.  I  apostatized.  This 
is  how  it  happened. 

"  The  soldier,  who  had  taken  me  with  him,  secured  a  position  in  the 
service  of  a  mandarin  and  kept  me  as  his  servant.  One  day  the  man- 
darin met  me  and  asked  me  who  I  was.  I  replied  that  I  was  a 
Christian. 

"  *  I  do  not  want  any  of  these  people  in  my  household,^  he  said  in 
a  great  rage.  Summoning  me  to  the  audience  hall,  he  spoke  to  me 
in  a  terrifying  voice :  '  We  are  to  see  whether  you  are  a  Christian  or 
not.  Listen  to  me.  I  want  you  to  make  a  cross  on  the  ground  and 
walk  on  it.  If  you  are  a  true  Christian,  if  you  refuse  to  despise  the 
Cross,  we  will  punish  you  with  those  instruments  of  torture.  If  you 
are  not,  do  as  I  have  commanded  and  you  will  be  pardoned.' 

"Then  I  thought  to  myself.  Father,  it  would  be  very  wicked  to 
trample  on  the  Cross  and  to  deny  that  I  was  a  Christian,  but  I  was 
afraid  of  torture  and  I  obeyed.  I  drew  a  cross  on  the  ground  and 
walked  over  it. 

"  For  several  weeks  I  remained  at  the  mandarin's.  There  they  told 
me  that  all  the  Christians  in  the  world  had  been  killed  by  the  Boxers, 
that  there  were  no  more  priests  or  bishops,  that  the  Pope  himself  had 
been  killed.  As  I  was  only  a  child  at  the  time,  I  believed  all  they 
told  me. 

"  One  day  my  master,  after  losing  heavily  at  gambling,  sold  me  for 
eight  dollars  to  a  Chinese  Mohammedan,  who  took  me  to  his  village, 
about  eight  days'  travel  from  the  city.  All  the  inhabitants  were 
Mohammedans.  There  1  lived  for  two  years.  I  committed  my  first 
sin  by  trampling  on  the  Cross,  I  again  sinned  by  becoming  a  Moham- 
medan. They  compelled  me  to  learn  their  prayers  and  go  to  the  mosque 
once  a  week.  Nevertheless,  there  was  no  apostasy  in  my  heart.  I 
said  to  myself  when  I  am  older  I  will  run  away  and  be  converted. 

"  My  duty  was  to  care  for  the  cows  and  horses  of  the  village.  Often, 
while  alone  in  the  neighboring  pastures,  I  cried  while  thinking  of  all 
I  had  known,  of  the  priests  whom  I  had  seen  and  whom  I  believed  were 
dead,  of  my  mother  whom  I  had  left  in  the  flames.  I  said  to  myself, 
she  is  now  in  Heaven  and  I  am  no  longer  a  Christian.  I  am  serving 
the  devil.     I  would  hj^ve  done  better  by  dying  with  her.     Sometimes 


^ 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals      271 

I  recited  in  secret  the  prayers  she  had  taught  me,  the  '  Our  Father/ 
the  *  Hail  Mary/  my  morning  and  night  prayers. 

"  One  night  I  went  to  the  window  to  listen  to  a  conversation  be- 
tween some  leading  men  of  the  village.     What  I  heard  made  me  cry 


The  Tchanq  Bbothebs. 
Native  Priests  in  Central  Mongolia. 


from  joy.  The  Boxers,  they  said,  had  been  punished ;  in  the  country 
of  Ning-hia-fou  there  were  a  bishop  (Mgr.  Bermyn,  Vicar  Apostolic 
of  Ortos)  and  some  missionaries  searching  for  captive  women  and  chil- 
dren. There  were  bishops  and  priests  still  living  and  from  that 
moment' I  thought  of  nothing  but  flight. 


27^      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

"I  did  not,  however,  dare  to  confide  in  any  one  or  even  enquire 
where  there  was  a  Catholic  mission.  The  men  of  the  village  declared 
that  they  would  kill  the  first  Christian  who  would  ofi!er  any  assistance 
to  Christians  in  their  distress.  Necessity  forced  me  to  conceal  my 
joyful  feelings  and  wait.  Alas  I  months  and  months  passed  and  the 
hope  I  had  cherished  began  to  die  out/ 

*^  One  day,  I  had,  as  usual,  taken  my  herds  to  the  fields  along  the 
road  leading  to  Ning-hia.  When  evening  came,  I  was  getting  the  ani- 
mals ready  to  return  to  the  village,  when  my  attention  was  directed 
toward  a  man  whom  I  had  met  several  days  before.  He  was  a  pedler 
going  from  house  to  house  selling  sundry  household  articles. 

**  *  Where  do  you  come  from  ?  *  he  asked  me. 

"  *  Prom  the  village  down  there,'  I  replied,  pointing  toward  it  with 
the  hand. 

*'  *  Oh ! '  he  said,  looking  at  me  fixedly,  '  I  took  you  for  another  boy 
of  whom  I  have  heard,  who  came  from  a  very  distant  country.  I  see 
that  I  am  mistaken.' 

"  ^  No  1 '  I  cried,  '  I  certainly  am  the  boy  you  mean.' 

^*'It  may  be.  Do  you  know  what  this  is,'  said  he,  making  the 
Sign  of  the  Cross  ? 

"  At  the  sight  of  that  sign  I  was  beside  myself  with  joy.  '  You  are 
a  Christian,'  I  said  ?  *  I,  too,  am  a  Christian,'  and  I  made  the  Sign 
of  the  Cross  five  or  six  times.  Then  I  repeated  the  '  Our  Father '  and 
*  Hail  Mary.'    *  Now  do  you  believe  me  ? '  I  asked. 

'^  *  Where  do  you  come  from  ?'  he  enquired  again. 

"'From  T'ie-ke-tan-keou  in  Heou-pa.' 

" '  Who  was  your  missionary  ? ' 

"'Tong-chenn  (Father  Dobbe).' 

*'' Who  wus  the  bishop?' 

"  *  Fang-tchou-kiao  (Mgr..  Van  Aertselaer) .' 

" '  What  is  your  Christian  name? ' 

''' Joseph.' 

*'  *  Now,  I  believe  you,  but  do  not  let  us  stay  together  too  long.  Come 
to  this  place  to-morrow  evening  and  I  will  take  you  back  to  the  mis- 
sion.    Return  to  your  master  quickly  and  do  not  say  a  word  to  anyone.' 

"  I  gathered  my  herds,  which  were  beginning  to  stray  again,  and 

*  The  child  was  ignorant  of  the  difficulties  encountered  by  the  mission- 
aries of  Ortos  in  their  efforts  to  rescue  Christians  from  Mohammedans.  In 
1901,  Fathers  Van  Merhaeghe  and  Bongaerts  sacrificed  their  lives  for  these 
unfortunate  captives. 


SUPPLBMENT  TO  THE  AliBBlCAN  EDITION  OF  THE  AnNALS        273 

returned  to  the  village,  trying  my  beat  to  conceal  my  happiness.  The 
next  evening  I  was  at  the  appointed  place.  Very  soon  a  little  cart 
drawn  by  a  good  horse  passed  by.  The  driver  asked  me  to  get  in. 
I  left  my  animals  near  the  village  and  we  drove  off  in  all  haste  by  un- 
frequented routes.  We  travelled  in  this  manner  all  night  and  part  of 
the  next  day  and  reached  the  house  of  a  rich  pagan,  a  friend  of  the 
Christians.  After  journeying  several  days  we  arrived  at  a  Christian 
village  of  the  mission  of  the  Ortos.  Finally,  after  several  weeks,  an 
opportunity  presented  itself  and  I  was  enabled  to  visit  the  place  of  my 
birth. 

*^  When  I  came  to  Heou-pa,  I  recognized  all  the  Christians,  but  most 
of  them  did  not  know  me. 

" '  You  are  lying,'  they  said ;  *  it  is  not  you.' 

"  Then  I  returned  with  them  to  my  native  village  of  T*ie-ke-tan-keou, 
where  I  found  the  blackened  ruins  of  our  home.  '  Here,'  I  said,  '  I 
lived,  with  my  parents,  here  is  the  house  of  our  neighbor,  and  there 
is  the  church,  in  which  my  father  and  mother  died  and  from  which 
they  went  to  Heaven  1 '  All  saw  that  I  remembered  everything  cor- 
rectly and  declared  that  without  doubt  I  must  be  the  boy  eight  years 
old  belonging  to  the  family  of  Menu." 

The  child  had  finished  his  story.  The  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun 
had  vanished,  and  the  deep  shadows  prevented  my  young  companion 
seeing  my  tears. 

If  such  is  the  faith  of  a  child,  who  in  a  moment  of  weakness,  in 
the  presence  of  threats  of  horrible  tortures,  apostatized,  what  is  to  be 
said  of  our  heroic  Christians  of  Mongolia,  who  gave  up  their  lives  so 
generously  amid  agonizing  suffering  for  their  religion  and  their  God ! 


COLORED  NUNS  IN  AFRICA 
Some  years  ago  a  man  of  some  prominence  In  New  Tork»  in  the 
course  of  his  travels,  went  to  the  Eternal  City,  and  like  all  visitors  was 
deeply  Impressed  by  the  monuments  of  Christian  faith  and  worship  as 
well  as  the  priceless  antiquities  preserved  there.  What  impressed  him 
most,  however,  was  the  hall  of  the  college  of  Propaganda,  not  because  of 
its  beauty  or  the  historical  associations  connected  with  it,  but  because 
of  the  students  that  filled  its  benches. 

"  I  saw,"  he  said,  "  in  one  line  a  giant  black,  from  Senegambia  I  believe, 
seated  beside  a  fair-skinned  English  student,  whose  delicate  features  were 
in  striking  contrast  to  the  rugged,  homely,  shiny  face  of  his  seat-mate. 
Men  from  the  East  and  the  West,  black,  white,  red,  and  yellow,  were 
gathered  there  under  the  one  professor,  who  was  lecturing  In  the  tongue 


274      Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  op  the  Annals 

that  all  understood  and  on  a  topic  that  seemed  to  hold  a  mighty  interest 
for  all.  I  saw  that  morning,  I  suppose,  representatives  of  every  race 
under  the  sun,  and  though  not  a  Catholic,  I  can  appreciate  the  fact  that 
the  Roman  Communion  has  a  perfect  right  to  the  title  she  clalma  for 
herself  of  *  the  World  Church/  " 

There  is  nothing  surprising  in  this,  and  a  little  thought  would  have  dis- 
covered to  him  the  reason  for  that  gathering  in  the  halls  of  that  famous 
college.  "  Go  ye  forth  into  the  whole  world  and  teach  all  nations  "  was 
the  commission  given  to  the  Church,  a  commission  she  has  faithfully  car- 
ried out  through  the  ages.  Her  footsteps  have  passed  on  every  land,  her 
Influence  on  every  people,  and  to-day  she  goes  on  her  way  carrying  the 
message  of  peace  and  good- will  to  those  who  have  heard  it  not. 

In  the  following  photograph  with  its  article  we  find  the  plan  she  has 
always  pursued,  namely,  to  take  the  children  she  has  won  to  her  Faith, 
train  them  in  the  work  of  saving  others,  and  then  send  them  among  their 
own  people. 

It  may  surprise  some  to  know  that  Rev.  Mother  Iphigenla  is  a  native 
Senegambian,  a  member  of  a  tribe  that  has  within  recent  memory  been 
civilized  and  Christianized.  The  letter  describing  her  election  to  her 
high  office  is  only  an  evidence  of  the  blessed  power  of  the  "  World  Church," 
whose  boundaries  are  being  widened  through  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith. 

Bishop  A.  Kunemann,  C.  S.  Sp.,  writes  from  Dakar  in  Senegambia : 
"Eecently  more  than  usually  important  business  has  brought  me 
from  St.  Joseph  de  Ngazobil,  not  the  least  interesting  of  which  was 
the  retreat  of  the  native  colored  Sisters  which  preceded  the  profes- 
sion and  the  investiture  with  the  habit  of  several  of  the  novices.  The 
election  of  the  new  Superior  General  took  place  at  the  same  time. 
As  you  know,  the  Rev.  Mother  Mary  Josephine,  who  was  for  nearly 
ten  years  in  that  responsible  position,  died  April  16,  1904,  mourned  by 
the  community  over  which  she  presided  with  such  success.  She  was 
born  in  the  little  village  of  (Joree,  in  1833,  and  was  known  in  the 
world  as  Theresa  Sagna.  With  Louise  St.  John,  afterwards  Sr.  Mary, 
she  received  the  habit  from  Bishop  Kobe  on  July  9,  1858.  Her  years 
were  many  and  blessed  with  the  most  fruitful  results.  Just  a  word 
about  the  election  and  installation  which  took  place  August  10,  in 
the  community  chapel  after  Mass. 

"  After  a  short  address  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  the  nuns,  one 
after  the  other,  on  their  knees,  in  the  presence  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment, wrote  out  their  votes  and  deposited  them  in  the  little  urn 
placed  there  to  receive  them.  When  all  were  finished  I  counted  the 
votes  and  found  that  Mother  Iphigenia  had  been  elected  almost  unani- 
mously. She  was  then  proclaimed  Superior  General  and  I  confirmed 
her  election  according  to  the  constitutions  and  followed  it  with  solemn 
benediction. 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals      275 

"  These  ceremonies  have  a  peculiar  and  touching  character  here  in 
Africa^  and  one  feels  here  more  than  perhaps  in  other  places  the  beauty 
and  solemnity  of  the  religious  life.  The  newly  elected  made  her  pro- 
fession of  faith  and  then,  seated  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  she  received 


Rev.  Motheb  Iphioenia. 


the  electors  who,  on  bended  knees,  repeated  the  form,  *  I  promise  you 
reverence  and  obedience  according  to  the  rules  and  constitutions/ 

"  At  10  o'clock  we  held  the  general  chapter  of  the  congregation  of 
the  native  Sisters,  and  in  the  evening  the  ceremony  of  the  profession 
and  the  investiture  of  the  novices.  The  day,  filled  with  so  many  con- 
soling and  beautiful  incidents,  ended  with  a  solemn  Te  Deum  in 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  all  His  blessings." 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  August  Number. 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) $50.00 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 60.00 

Fob  Bishop  Bbblioz,  P.  F.  M.»  Hakodatb. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 65.0 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 55.0* 

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Anonymous  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 40.00 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  Dallas) 6.00 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  Richmond) 1.00 

Fob  Bishop  CIoqsbt,  C.  M.,  So.  Kiangsi. 

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Fob  Bishop  Hanlon,  B.  F.  M.,  Uppbb  Nile. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 10^00 

Fob  Fathbb  Pbicb,  Nobth  CUbolixa. 

Per  Mr.  N.  W.  Hans  (Diocese  of  New  York) 86.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Mayb,  Natal. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 18.00 

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Per  Father  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 6.00 

Fob  Fathbb  Cobbb,  P.  F.  M.,  Nagasaki. 

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Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 10.00 

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Fob  the  Education  of  two  Children  in  Bbrbrra  (Somaliland). 

Anonymous  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 40.00 

FOB  MOTHEB  Paul,  O.  S.  F.,  Uganda. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 15.00 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  Tucson) 10.00 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  Scranton) 2.00 

Fob  Sisteb  Xavibb,  Ning-po. 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  Scranton) 2.00 

Fob  Sisteb  St.  Andrew,  Osaka. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 62.00 

Anonymous    (Diocese  of  Scranton) 2.00 

FOB  THE  OBPHANAGB   OF   LAHORE. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 26 

Fob  Japanese  Missions. 

Benedictine  Nuns  f Diocese  of  Pittsburg) 6.00 

Fob  Japanese  Orphans. 

Anonymous    (Diocese  of  Philadelphia) 1.00 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the 
donors  for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards 
the  same  at  once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

276 


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OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recommended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Most  Eev.  P.  L.  Chapelle,  Archbishop  of  New  Orleans;  Most 
Eev.  Mgr.  Melizan,  0.  M.  I.,  Archbishop  of  Colombo;  Eight 
Eev.  0.  Eizzi,  0.  P.  M.,  Vic.  Apos.  of  N.  Shansi;  Very  Eev.  D.  F. 
Grigolato,  Director  of  the  8.  P.  F.  in  the  Diocese  of  Adria  Bovigo; 
Eev.  T.  L.  Kinkhead,  Diocese  of  New  York;  Eev.  E.  P.  Brennan, 
Diocese  of  San  Francisco;  Eev.  Jas.  Conway,  S.  J.,  Diocese  of  New 
York. 

Mr.  P.  B.  Casoli,  Treasurer  of  the  S.  P.  P.  in  the  Diocese  of  Modena; 
Mr.  A.  Eastoul,  Diocese  of  Lyons;  Mr.  J.  H.  Prye,  Diocese  of  St. 
Louis;  John  Heron,  Diocese  of  Brooklyn. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Margaret  Dermody,  Thomas 
O'Connor,  Richard  Bowles,  Michael  Tobin,  Isaac  Hitchins,  Patrick  Bergen, 
Mrs.  Connors,  Edwin  J.  Parks,  Frances  M.  Fitzgerald,  Catharine  Keller, 
Cornelia  O'Connor,  Mary  H.  Bergen,  John  Branak,  Mary  B.  Turner, 
Thomas  Gleason,  Patrick  Tafle,  John  Hamilton,  Patrick  Lanagan,  James 
Smith,  James  Devine,  Peter  McManus,  Mrs.  Ann  McGinnis,  G.  O'Brien, 
G.  Meagher,  Estell  Dupell,  Fanny  Reilly,  John  B.  Doyle,  Mary  Dittrich, 
Mrs.  Ellen  Lee,  William  Owens,  Fred.  Schmidt,  Edward  McGowan,  Cath- 
arine Bannigan,  William  Lee,  -Mary  Noon,  Mrs.  Bridget  Tully,  Mrs. 
Mary  Gilfoyle,  Mrs.  Margaret  Healy,  John  Heron,  Anna  Robins,  Daniel 
Connors,  Patrick  Nevill,  Ann  Gill,  Willie  Hanrahan,  M.  Neville,  Bridget 
Scullon,  Catharine  Blake,  James  Ryan,  Luke  Boyle,  Mrs.  Ann  Buchanan, 
Gerald  O'Connell,  Delia  Kirkpatrick,  Mrs.  Margaret  Cult,  Patrick  Mc- 
Donnell, James  F.  Meehan,  Catharine  Dufty,  Patrick  Holland,  Mrs.  George 
Austin,  Mr.  Branigan,  Florence  Farley,  Annie  Fitzpatrick,  Mary  Martin, 
Mr.  Nolan,  Miss  B.  McSweeny,  C.  Moore,  Winifred  O'Gara,  Mary  Leonard, 
John  Batterton,  Edward  Cox,  James  Tonomey,  John  McCann,  Augusta 
Lane,  Mrs.  Mary  Hanley,  Mrs.  Mary  Ward,  Mrs.  Ellen  Hayden,  Edward 
Gilfoyle,  Mrs.  Mary  McDermott,  Mrs.  Ann  Mulqueen,  Mrs.  Mary  B.  Mc- 
Kenna,  John  Batterson,  Mrs.  Donley,  William  Stanton,  James  Gallagher, 
Thomas  O'Connor,  John  J.  Barry,  James  Carroll,  Catharine  Kenny,  Ter- 
ence Dufty,  William  Monaghan,  Michael  Hassard,  Mary  T.  Warren,  Bridget 

277 


278  Obituary 

Monaghan,  Ellen  Goodchild,  Minnie  Ooodchild,  Edward  Goodcfaild,  Marj 
Ann  Harper,  Richard  Hart,  Gertrude  Connor,  Mrs.  John  Byrnes,  W.  F. 
Brady,  Mrs.  Michael  Reilly,  Mrs.  Phoebe  King,  Henry  A.  Burke,  Miss 
M.  A.  Tracey,  John  Hayden,  Joseph  O'Connell,  }/Ltb.  Florence  Fitzgerald, 
Thomas  Roche,  Philip  Doyle,  Martin  Laflerty,  Joseph  Kerling*  Mrs.  Mary 
Harding,  Matthew  Harding,  Patrick  Leddy,  Mrs.  Margaret  Mulligan, 
Edward  Williams,  Arthur  Williams,  Mrs.  Judith  Williams. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  Agnes  Curry,  W.  Hills,  Cath- 
erine Murphy,  Mrs.  Margaret  Daly,  Mathew  McCarthy,  James  Connors, 
William  McCue,  James  Connors,  Lynn,  Mrs.  Annie  Regan,  James  Mc- 
Fadden,  Edward  McFadden,  John  McPike,  Mrs.  Martha  FitzQerald,  Mrs. 
Sarah  Hill,  Mrs.  Mary  Sullivan,  Mrs.  Hannah  Sullivan,  Catherine  Murphy, 
Charles  O'Connor,  Mrs.  Catherine  O'Connor,  Michael  Gillow,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Gillow,  Frank  Landry,  Michael  F.  O'Hara,  Nora  McLaughlin,  Catherine 
McCarthy,  Ellen  Walsh,  Louis  Connors,  Mr.  Edwards,  Mary  O'Brien,  Annie 
Maloney,  John  Loughlin,  Francis  Thornton,  Patrick  Duran,  Sarah  Duran, 
Katherine  Devine,  Thomas  Peacock,  James  Fallon,  Catherine  Fallon,  Mary 
Evans,  Alfred  Peacock,  Mary  Sweet,  Ellen  Kelley,  Patrick  Fallon,  Bridget 
Peacock. 

(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates  whose 
names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers.) 


ADVERTISEMENTS 


With  eich  Roftry  we  furnish  •  titin-llned  case 


The  Rosary  in  Fine  Jewels 

CHRISTIAN  PSSSS  ASSOCUTIOH 
26  BARCUY  STREET  lOEW  YORK 


We  liave  In  stook  the  following  stones : 
In  Pure  Quality,  size  of  No.  1 :  Amethyst,  Topaz, 
Crystal,  Onyx,jri^r-eye,  Smoked  Crystal,  Agate, 
Camellan,  and  Garnet. 

In  the  Imitation  Jewels,  sizes  Nos.  1  and  8:  Ame- 
thyst, Topai^  Ckimet.  Crystal,  Bmerald,  Toxqaoise, 
Jade,  Sapphue,  and  Moonstone. 

PRICES 
No.814fi.  In  Real  Stone,  mounted  In  Solid  Gold,  I2S.00 

each. 
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Plate,  $8.00,  $10.00,  $12.00  and  $14.00  each. 
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in  14k.  Rolled  Gold  PUte,  $8.60  each.    10-year 

guarantee. 
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in  14k.  RoUed  Gold  Plate,  $2.00  each.     10-year 

guarantee. 
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In  14k.  Rolled  Gold  Plate,  Decade  Beads  Capped, 

Soldered  Chain,  Extra  Heavy  Cross,  $6.00  each. 

aO-year  guarantee. 


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PRAY  FOR  THE  MISSIONARY. 


**Pny  for  the  MIs»!onary  who  Is  the  representative 
of  your  Fatth  and  Charity  I 

''Pray  for  the  Missionary  who  sleeping  or  waking  is 
often  at  the  mercy  of  savage  peoples! 

**Pray  lor  the  Missionary  who,  with  Cross  in  hand, 
cUmbi  the  mountain  passes,  seeking  the  erring  sheep  I 

"Pray  for  him  when  he  sleeps  'neath  the  canopy  of 
heaven*  exposed  to  the  winter's  cold  and  the  summer's 
heat  I 

**Pray  for  him  when  he  offers  the  Holy  Sacrifice  for 
you,  surrounded  by  his  converti  in  his  humble  chapel  I 

"Pray  for  him  when  struggling  against  the  pride 
and  ignorance  of  uncivilised  people  he  sees  his  sacred 
ministry  held  up  to  ridicule  I 

"  Pray  for  him  when  in  hii  lonely  moments  he  goes 
back  in  memory  to  his  native  land  to  which  he  will 
never  return  I 

"Pray  for  him  finally,  when  sufferings  and  privations 
having  slowly  sapped  his  strength,  his  eye%  are  closed 
in  death,  and  forgotten  by  all  he  finds  a  last  resting 
place  in  a  faraway  land  I 

"PIOUS  ASSOCIATES  Of  THE  PROPAGATION 
or  THE  FAITH.  PRAY  FOR  THE  MISSIONARY, 
AND     IN     RETURN     HE     WILL    HELP    YOU    TO 

HEAVEN  I " 

-A  MISSiONARY. 


Vol.  LXVni.  Na  4^3 

lUr  *jij^fci^ 

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DECEMBER,  1905 

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PROPAGATION 
OF  THE  FAITH 


Published  W-monthly  by  the 
Society  iat  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,  Baltimore  and 
New  York.    •%    •%    •".    /• 


OTHEH   SHCK?  1  HAVE  THAT  ^ 
yX^t   NOT  or  THIS  rotfj    THeM^I-\< 

I    n05T    &MNG  ANOTHER 
f  5WALL  H^R  HY  VOJCC  AMD 
lT HERC  SHALL  tt  ONE  fCLD 
AND    0N€   SMEPMEW 


REPORT  NUMBER 


CONTENTS. 


PAoa 
REPORT  OF  THE  ALLOCATIONS  MADE  TO  THE  MISSIONS  BY  THE  SOCIETY 
FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH  IN  1906 379 

/I  FEW  REFLECTIONS  ON  THE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  FUNDS 989 

THE  SOCIEHES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES.-VIII  Article .990 

THE  SOCIETY  OF  THE  DIVINE  WORD  AND  ITS  MISSIONS 990 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA. 

THIBET. 

Letter  of  Bishop  Giraudeaa,  P.  F.  M.,  VIoar  Apotlolic  of  Thibtt 803 

Murder  of  Father  SoTili6,  P.  F.  M.  at  Yare-gong. 

MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA. 

SASKATCHEWAN. 

Latter  of  Fathor  JttlllM,  0.  M.  1 80S 

A  first  Tlsit  to  the  SaskaC^hewan  Indians. — The  boarding  school  of 
Prince  Albert. — Difficulties  at  Lake  Canard. — A  first  Conunnnion 
ceremony. — Touching  History  of  the  «  King  of  the  Snmmer. '' — 
Necessity  of  Schools. 


LETTER  OF  THE  RIGHT  REV.  BISHOP  OF  GALLOWAY  (SCOTUND)  COMMEND- 
ING THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 810 

DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 818 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annak 


IN  THE  PRISON  CAMPS  OF  JAPAN. 

Expt rlsncet  of  tbs  Rsv.  J.  B.  Castanlsr,  P.  F.  M 815 

CATHOUC  PROGRESS  IN  INDIA. 

Latter  of  ths  Rsv.  J.  M.  Louis,  Missionary  In  ths  DIocsso  of  Madras 8d0 

SPECIAL  DONATIONS 835 

OBITUARY 827 

CONTENTS  OF  VOL  UVIII , 829 


Bntexed  at  the  Post  Offloei  Baltlmoxe»  MiL,  as  second  class  mattei; 


,    ANNALS 

OF   THE 

Propagation  of  the' Faith 


Vol.  LXVIII,  No.  463.  December,  1905 

Report  of  the  Allocations  made  to  the  Missions 

by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 

Faith   in    1 905 


RECEIPTS  (1904) 

Dioceses  of  Europe 11,100,746.16 

Dioceses  of  Asia 1,156.26 

Dioceses  of  Africa 4,774.44 

Dioceses  of  America 243,887.42 

Dioceses  of  Oceanica 1,462.79 

Total  for  1904  (as  In  May  Report) $1,352,017.06 

Sum  remaining  at  the  disposal  of  the  Holy  Father  for  his 

Eastern  works  at  the  close  of  1903 29,400.00 

Balance  brought  forward  from  1903 123.88 

GsAND  Total  11,381,540.94 

EXPENSES  (1905) 

Apportioned  to  Missions  In  Europe |  130,760.67 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  Asia 633,363.64 

Apportioned  to  Missions  In  Africa 281,265.52 

Apportioned  to  Missions  in  America 74,707.71 

Apportioned  to  Missions  In  Oceanica 143,862.26 

Publication  of  the  17  editions  of  the  Annals 69,559.98 

Management 22,213.77 

Total  expenses 11,355,733.45 

Sum  at  the  disposal  of  the  Holy  Father  for  Oriental  Rites 25,700.00 

Balance  carried  forward 107.49 


Sum  equal  to  the  foregoing  grand  total 11,381,540.94 

S79 


280  Report  of  Allocations  Made  in  1905 

The  Division  of  the  Alms  Collected  in  1904  has  been  made 

as  follows : 

MISSIONS  IN  EUROPE. 

Diocese  of  Menevla — Bishop  Mostyn I  300.00 

Diocese  of  Lausanne-Greneva — Bishop  Deruaz 4,800.00 

Diocese  of  Chur— Bishop  BattagUa 700.00 

Diocese  of  Basel— Bishop  Haas 2,000.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Metz — Bishop  Benzler.  3,000.00 
To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Cologne — Cardinal 

Fischer   800.00 

To   Missions   del>endlng   upon   the    Diocese    of   Treves — ^Bishop 

Korum    800.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Munster — ^Bishop  Dln- 

gelstadt    400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Paderhorn — ^Bishop 

Schneider     3,200.00 

To  Missions  of  Northern  Germany— Bishop  Voss 7,000.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Llmhurg — Bishop 

Willi 400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Mainz — Bishop  Klr- 

steln    400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Fulda — Bishop  Enders  400.00 

Diocese  of  Hildesheim — Bishop  Sommerwerk 2,400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Saxony — Bishop  Wuschanskl 800.00 

Missions  of  Pomeranla  and  Brandenburg — Cardinal  Kopp 6,200.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Breslau — Cardinal 

Kopp    900.00 

Diocese  of  Posen  and  Gnesen — Archbishop  Stablewskl 1,800.00 

Diocese  of  Warmla  (Brmeland)— 'Bishop  Thlel 1,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Denmark  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Von  Euch 8,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Sweden  and  for  the  Nuns— Bishop  Bitter 2,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Norway  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Falllze 5.700.00 

Diocese  of  Jassy— Bishop  Camllll 1,200.00 

Diocese  of  Bukharest — Archbishop  de  Hornsteln 3,500.00 

Diocese  of  NlcopoUs — Bishop  Doulcet,  C.  P.* 1,500.00 

Diocese  of  Serajevo— Bishop  Stadler 4,000.00 

Diocese  of  Banlaluka— Bishop  Markovlc,  O.  F.  M 800.00 

Diocese  of  Antlvarl — Archbishop  Mlllnovlch,  O.  F.  M 1,000.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Plus  X 3,400.00 

Diocese  of  Scutari — Archbishop  Ouerlnl 500.00 

Diocese  of  Scopia — Archbishop  Troskl 1,400.00 

Diocese  of  Durazzo — Archbishop  Blanchl 600.00 

V.  A.  of  Phlllppopolis  and  for  the  Nuns — ^Bishop  Mennlni,  O.  M. 

Cap 800.00 

>  The  following  abbreylatlons  hare  been  used  in  the  report  : 

H.  H. — HiB  HoUdpss.  Abp. — Archbishop.  Bp. — ^Bishop.  Dice. — ^Diocese.  Vic. 
Apost  or  V.  A. — Vicariate  Apostolic  Pref.  Apost.  of  P.  A. — Prefecture  AppBtoUc. 
Adm. — Administrator.  Al.  M. — Algerian  Missionaries  (White  Fathers),  B.  F.  11 — 
Foreign  Missions  of  Belgium.  C.  B.  C. — Holy  Cross  Fathers.  C.  M. — ^Lazarlsti. 
C.  P.— Passionlsts.  C.  S.  Sp.— Holy  Ghost  Fathers.  C.  88.  R.— Redemptorista. 
B.  F.  M. — Foreign  Missions  of  Bngland.  C.  I.  H.  M. — Children  of  the  Immacalate 
Heart  of  Mary.  L.  A.  M. — African  Missions  of  Lyons.  M.  C. — Company  of  Mary. 
M.  F.  M. — Foreign  Missions  of  Milan.  M.  8.  C— Missionaries  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
of  IssouduD.  M.  S.  F.  8. — ^Missionaries  of  8t.  Francis  de  8ales,  of  Annecj.  O.  C. 
D. — Discalced  Carmelites.  O.  P.  M. — Franciscans.  O.  M.  C. — Franciscans  (Minor 
Conventuals).  O.  M.  Cap. — Capuchins.  O.  M.  I. — Oblates  of  Mary  Immacalate.  O.  P. — 
Dominicans.  O.  Praem. — Premonstratenslans  (Norbertins).  O.  8.  A. — Augostlniaiis. 
O.  8.  B. — Benedictines.  O.  8.  F.  8. — Oblates  of  8t  Francis  de  Sales.  O.  88.  T.— - 
Trinitarians.  P.  F.  M. — Foreign  Missions  of  Paris.  R.  F.  M. — Foreign  ICIt- 
slons  of  Rome.  8.  D.  8. — Society  of  the  Dlylne  Saviour.  8.  H.  Pic. — Plepoalans. 
p,  8.  M.— Pious  Society  of  Missions  (Pallotins).  8.  J.— Jesuits.  B.  M. — Mariata. 
R.  8.  F.  8. — Saleslans.  8.  V.  D. — Society  of  the  Dlylne  Word  (Oermao-HoUand 
Foreign  Mlaalons).    V.  A.  M. — African  Missions  of  Verona. 


Beport  of  Allocations  Made  in  1905  281 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Plus  X $2,000.00 

Apostolic  Delegation  of  Constantinople,  for  Christian  Brothers' 
Schools  and  other  works  of  the  Latin  Vicariate — Archbishop 

Taccl,  CM. 19,900.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Plus  X 500.00 

Armenian  Catholics — Bishop  Emmanuellan 4,000.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 4,200.00 

Lazarist  Missions  and  Houses  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Turkey 

in  Europe  12,520.00 

Apos.  Del.  of  Greece  and  for  the  Nuns — Archbishop  Delenda 3,000.00 

Diocese  of  Corfu — ^Archbishop  PoUto 1,200.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 600.00 

Diocese  of  Zante— Archbishop  PoUto 400.00 

Diocese  of  Syria  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Darmanln 600.00 

Diocese  of  l^ne  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Prlvlleglo 400.00 

Diocese  of  Candla — Father  da  Pettineo,  O.  M.  Cap 500.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Tyne  and  Syria 1,168.00 

For  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Santorln 1,600.00 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA. 

Diocese  of  Sclo  and  for  the  Nuns — ^Bishop  Nlcolosi 500.00 

Diocese  of  Smirma  and  for  the  Brothers  and  Nuns — Archbishop 

Marengo  5,200.00 

To  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Smyrna  and  Asia  Minor 4,700.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Armenia 9,136.00 

To  the  Apostolic  Delegation  of  Mesopotamia,  Kurdistan,  and  Ar- 
menia Minor — Archbishop  Drure 3,100.00 

To  the  same,  through  His  Holiness  Pope  Plus  X 3,000.00 

For  the  United  Rites  of  the  same  Delegation 2,500.00 

To  Mgr.  Thomas,  Chaldean  Patriarch,  through  His  Holiness  Pope 

Pius  X  5,000.00 

To  Mgr.  Habra,  Syrian  Archbishop  of  Mossoul,  through  His  Holi- 
ness Pope  Plus  X 1,000.00 

Dominican  Missions  in  Mesopotamia  and  Kurdistan 8,000.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  Mesopotamia 5,200.00 

Carmelite  Missions  in  Bagdad 1,900.00 

Latin  Patriarchate  of  Jerusalem 7,000.00 

To  Mgr.  Tumajan,  Armenian  Patriarchal  Vicar  of  Jerusalem, 

through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 800.00 

Greek  Melchlte  Seminary  of  St.  Ann  in  Jerusalem,  Al.  M 4,000.00 

For  the  Syrian  Seminary  of  Jerusalem,  through  His  Holiness 

Pope  Pius  X 8,000.00 

MUNSlomi  in  Cyprus  and  for  the  Nuns 400.00 

Apostolic  Delegation  of  Syria,  for  the  Latin  Vicariate  and  the 

United  Rites — Archbishop  Glanninl 8,100.00 

To  Archbishop  Rahmani,  Syrian  Archbishop  of  Antioch,  through 

His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 3,000.00 

To  Archbishop   Geha,   Greek  Melchlte   Archbishop   of   Antioch, 

through  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 6,000.00 

To  Mgr.  Doumanl,  Greek  Melchlte  Bishop  of  Tripoli,  through  His 

Holiness  Pope  Pius  X 1,200.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  Syria 2,000.00 

Carmelite  Missions  in  Syria 900.00 

Lazarist  Missions  and  houses  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Syria. .  8,000.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Syria 10,070.00 

Apostolic  Delegation  of  Persia — Archbishop  Lesne,  C.  M 8,500.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Arabia  and  for  the  Nuns — Bishop  Clarke, 

O.  M.  Cap 2,400.00 

Diocese  of  Lahore — Bishop  Estermans,  O.  M.  Cap 2,200.00 

Pret  Apost  of  Rajputana— V.  Rev.  Fr.  Fortunat,  0.  M.  Cap 1,700.00 


282  Report  of  Allocations  Made  in  190* 

To  the  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Bombay — Arch- 
bishop Dalhoff,  S.  J $3,604.00 

Diocese  of  Poona— Bishop  Beider  Linden,  S.  J 2,943.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Calcutta — Archbishop 

Meuleman,  S.  J 8.466.00 

Pref.  Apost.  of  Assam—Father  Muenzloher,  S.  D.  S 1,400.00 

Diocese  of  Dacca— Bishop  Hurth,  C.  S.  C 4,800.00 

Diocese  of  Krishnagar— Bishop  Pozzl,  M.  P.  M 2,600.00 

Diocese  of  Colombo— Bishop  Mellzan,  O.  M.  1 3,100.00 

Diocese  of  Jaftna- Bishop  Joulain,  O.  M.  1 5,800.00 

Diocese  of  Kandy- Bishop  Pagnani,  O.  S.  B 600.00 

Seminary  in  Kandy  for  the  Missions  in  India 2,800.00 

Jesuit  Missions  In  Ceylon 4,504.00 

Diocese  of  Madras— Archbishop  Colgan,  E.  F.  M 2,400.00 

Diocese  of  Hyderabad — Bishop  Vigano,  M.  F.  M 3,200.00 

Diocese  of  Nagpur— Bishop  Bonaventure,  M.  S.  F.  S 3,200.00 

Diocese  of  Vizagapatam— Bishop  Clerc,  M.  S.  F.  S 2,400.00 

To  Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Pondicherry — Arch- 
bishop Oandy,  P.  F,  M 12,050.81 

Diocese  of  Kumbhakonain— Bishop  Bottero,  P.  F.  M 6,856.00 

Diocese  of  Coimbatore — Bishop  Roy,  P.  F.  M 7,372.76 

Diocese  of  Mysore— Bishop  Kleiner,  P.  F.  M 9,062.48 

Diocese  of  Malacca— Bishop  Burillon,  P.  F.  M 7,125.13 

Diocese  of  Mandura— Bishop  Barthe.  S.  J 18,012.00 

Diocese  of  Mangalore— Bishop  Cavldini,  S.  J 11,318.00 

Diocese  of  Verapoly — Bishop  Bernard,  O.  C.  D 1.000.00 

Diocese  of  Quilon— Bishop  Ossl,  O.  C.  D 1,500.00 

Diocese  of  Emaculam — Bishop  Pareparambil 300.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Burma— P.  F.  M 4,541.10 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Bast  Burma — ^Bishop  Tornatore,  M.  F.  M 3,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Burma— Bishop  Cardot,  P.  F.  M 8,214.16 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Slam— Bishop  Vey,  P.  F.  M 7,064.81 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Laos — Bishop  Cuaz,  P.  F.  M 5,756.19 

College  of  Paris  Foreign  Missions,  Pulo  Pinang 1,000.00 

House  of  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Singapore 2,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Cambodia— Bishop  Bouchut,  P.  F.  M. 7,777.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Cochin  China — Bishop  Caspar,  P.  F.  M 8,728.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Cochin  China — Bishop  Grangeon,  P.  F.  M 10,433.17 

Vic.  Apos.  of  West  Cochin  China— Bishop  Mossard,  P.  F.  M 10,674.59 

Vic  Apos.  of  North  Tongking— Bishop  Velasco,  O.  P 4,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Tongking— Bishop  Torres,  O.  P 4,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Central  Tongking — Bishop  Fernandez,  O.  P 6,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Tongking— Bishop  Pineau,  P.  F.  M 7,776.29 

Vic  Apos.  of  West  Tongking— Bishop  Oendreau,  P.  F.  M 8,724.61 

Vic  Apos.  of  Upper  Tongking— Bishop  Ramond,  P.  F.  M 6,746.64 

Vic  Apos.  of  Maritime  Tongking— Bishop  Marcou,  P.  F.  M 7.343.60 

Vic  Apos.  of  Borneo  and  Labuan — Father  Dunne,  E.  F.  M 2,800.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  North  Chl-11— Bishop  Jarlin,  C.  M 5,400.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  South-west  Chi-11— Bishop  Bruglere,  C.  M 4,400.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Bast  Chi-11— Bishop  Geurts,  C.  M 1,600.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  South-east  Chl-11— Bishop  Maquet,  S.  J 3,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  North  Honan— Bishop  Scarella,  M.  F.  M 3,200.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  South  Manchuria— Bishop  Choulet,  P.  F.  M 4,758.70 

Vic  Apos.  of  North  Manchuria — Bishop  Lalouyer,  P.  F.  M 3,294.28 

Vic  Apos.  of  Bast  Mongolia— Bishop  Abels,  B.  F.  M 6,700.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Central  Mongolia — Bishop  Van  Aertselaer,  B.  F.  M.  5,400.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  South-west  Mongolia — Bishop  Bermyn,  B.  F.  M...  6,600.00 

Mission  of  111  (Kansu)— Fother  Steeneman,  B.  F.  M 1,600.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Kansu— Bishop  Otto,  B.  F.  M 5,400.00 

House  of  Belgian  Foreign  Missions  in  Shanghai 600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Shen-si— Bishop  Rizzi,  O.  F.  M 2,600.00 


Rbpobt  of  Allooations  Mad£  in  190S  283 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Shen-8i— Bishop  Passerini,  R.  F.  M $8,200.00 

Vic.  Apo8.  of  North  Shan-si— Bishop  Fiorentini,  O.  F.  M 2,300.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Shan-si— Bishop  Zimmer,  O.  F.  M 3,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Shantung— Bishop  Giesen,  O.  F.  M 3,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Shan-tung— Bishop  Schang,  O.  F.  M 2,100.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  South  Shan-tung— Bishop  Henninghaus,  S.  V.  D. . .  4,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Che-Kiang— Bishop  Reynaud,  CM 5,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Ho-nan— Bishop  Cattaneo,  M.  F.  M 3,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Hu-nan— Bishop  Perez,  O.  S.  A 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Hu-nan— Bishop  Mondaini,  O.  F.  M 2,100.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  East  Hu-peh — Bishop  Carlassare,  O.  F.  M 2,800.00 

Mission  House,  Hankow  (East  Hu-peh) — Bishop  Carlassare, 

O.  F.  M 400.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  North-west  Hu-peh — ^Bishop  Landi,  O.  F.  M 2,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South-west  Hu-peh — Bishop  Everaerst,  O.  F.  M 3,300.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Nanking— Bishop  Paris,  S.  J 1,352.00 

House  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Shanghai 2,100.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  North  Kiang-si — ^Bishop  Bray,  C.  M 3,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  South  Kiang-si — Bishop  Coqset,  C.  M 2,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  East  Kiang-si— Bishop  Vic,  C.  M 3,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Kui-chau — Bishop  Guichard,  P.  F.  M 7,719.04 

Vic  Apos.  of  North-west  Si-chuan— Bishop  Dunand,  P.  F.  M 7,067.16 

Vic  Apos.  of  East  Sl-chuan— Bishop  Chouvellon,  P.  F.  M 8,022.07 

Vic  Apos.  of  South  Si-chuan — Bishop  Chatagnon,  P.  F.  M 7,526.66 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Thibet- Bishop  Giraudeau,  P.  F.  M 4,049.10 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Yun-nan— Bishop  Fenouil,  P.  F.  M 5,300.13 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Amoy — Bishop  Clemente,  O.  P 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Fuh-chow — Bishop  Masot,  O.  P 3,200.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Kwang-si— Bishop  Lavest,  P.  F.  M 4,339.00 

Pref .  Apos.  of  Kwang-tung — Bishop  Merel,  P.  F.  M 10,639.25 

Vic  Apos.  of  Hong-Kong— Bishop  Piazzoli,  M.  F.  M 2,000.00 

House  of  Italian  Foreign  Missions  in  Hong-Kong 600.00 

House  of  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Hong-Kong 3,856.00 

Vic  Apos,  of  Corea— Bishop  Mutel,  P.  F.  M 7,695.29 

Diocese  of  Tokio — Archbishop  Osouf,  P.  F.  M 7,070.19 

Diocese  of  Osaka— Bishop  Chatron,  P.  F.  M 6,114.19 

Diocese  of  Nagasaki — Bishop  Cousin,  P.  F.  M 7,026.19 

Diocese  of  Hakodate — Bishop  Berlioz,  P.  F.  M 5,514.19 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Shikoku— Father  Giner,  O.  P 1,000.00 

MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

Missions  depending  upon  the  Diocese  of  Algiers — Archbishop  Oury  2,000.00 

Kabyles  Mission  (Algeria) — Algerian  Missionaries 4,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Ghardaia — Algerian  Missionaries 2,800.00 

V.  A.  of  Sahara  and  French  Soudan — Bishop  Bazin,  Al.  M 4,400.00 

Missions   depending  upon   the   Diocese  of  Constantine — Bishop 

Gazaniol  2,200.00 

Missions  of  the  Diocese  of  Oran — Bishop  Cantel 2,000.00 

Missions  on  Tripoli — Father  Barraf ranca,  O.  F.  M 1,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Egypt  for  the  Brothers,  Nuns,  and  Apos.  Delega- 
tion— Bishop  Briante 6,400.00  . 

Pref.  Apos.  of  the  Delta  of  the  Nile  and  for  the  Nuns — L.  A.  M. . .  4,300.00 

Franciscan  Missions  in  Upper  Egypt 1,300.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Minleh,  V.  A.  of  Eg3rpt 2,726.00 

Lazarist  Missions  and  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Alexandria 4,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Central  Africa— Bishop  Geyer,  V.  A.  M 1,800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Erythraea — Father  Carbonara,  O.,  M.  Cap 2,000.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Abyssinia — Father  Gruson,  C.  M 3,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Galla — Bishop  Jarosseau,  O.  M.  Cap 3,000.00 

Mission  of  Benadir— O.  SS.  T 1,200.00 


284 


Sepobt  of  Allocations  Madb  in  1905 


Vic.  Apo8,  of  South  Victoria  Nyanza— Bishop  Hirth,  Al.  M $4,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Victoria  Nyanza— Bishop  Streicher,  Al.  M. .  9,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Upper  Nile— Bishop  Hanlon,  E.  F.  M 5,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Upper  Congo— Bishop  Roelens,  Al.  M 5,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Unyanyembe— Bishop  Gerboin,  Al.  M 5,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Tanganyika— Bishop  Lechaptols,  Al.  M 5,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Lake  Nyassa— Bishop  Dupont,  Al.  M 2,400.00 

House  of  the  Algerism  Missionaries  in  Monbasa 600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Shire — Father  Prezeau,  M.  C 1,500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  North  Zanzibar — Bishop  Allgeyer,  C.  S.  Sp 6,200.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Southern  Zanzibar — Bishop  Spiss,  O.  S.  B 1,000.00 

Mission  in  Upper  Zambesi— Father  Gartland,  S.  J 3,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Natal— O.  M.  1 3,760.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Orange  Free  State— Bishop  Gaughran,  O.  M  1 3,560.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Basutoland — Father  Genez,  O.  M.  1 5^440.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  the  Transvaal — Bishop  Miller,  O.  M.  1 2,900.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  East  Cape — Bishop  MacSherry 1,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  West  Gape  and  Pref.  Apos.  of  the  Cape  of  Good 

Hope  District — Bishop  Leonard 1,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Orange  River— Bishop  Simon,  O.  S.  F.  S 4,200.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lower  Cimbebasia — Father  Nachtwey,  O.  M.  I 1,400.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Upper  Cimbebasia— Father  Lecompte,  C.  S.  Sp...  900.00 

Mission  of  Cunene — Father  Antunes,  C.  S.  Sp 700.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lower  Congo — Father  Magalhaes,  C.  S.  Sp 3,200.00 

Pref.  Apoe.  of  Lounda— Father  Wendling,  C.  S.  Sp 400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Belgian  Congo — ^Bishop  Van  Ronsle,  B.  F.  M 2,200.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Uelle — O.  Praem 1,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Upper  Kassal — Father  Cambier 1,400.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Stanley-Falls— Father  Grison 1,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Lower  French  Congo — Bishop  Carrie,  C.  S.  Sp 3,600.00 

V.  A.  of  Upper  French  Congo  (Ubangi) — Bishop  Augouard, 

C.  S.  Sp 6,400.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Gabon — Bishop  Adam,  C.  S.  Sp 5,800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Lower  Niger — Father  Lejeune,  C.  S.  Sp 3,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Fernando-Po  ( Annoban) — Bishop  Coll,  C.  I.  H.  M. . .  1,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Kamerun — Bishop  Victor,  P.  S.  M 1,500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Benin — Bishop  Lang,  L.  A.  M 5,600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Upper  Niger — Father  Zappa,  L.  A.  M 2,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Dahomey — la.  A.  M 5,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Gold  Coast— Bishop  Klauss,  L.  A.  M 3,900.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Ivory  Coast — Father  Homand,  L.  A.  M 3,000.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Togoland— Father  Bucking,  S.  V.  D 2,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Sierra  Leone — Bishop  O'Gorman,  C.  S.  Sp 2,200.00 

Pref,  Apos.  of  Liberia — Father  Sarre,  M.  C 240.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  French  Guinea — Father  Segala,  C.  S.  Sp 3,000.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Senegambia — Bishop  Kunemann,  C.  S.  Sp 7,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Northern  Madagascar — Bishop  Corbet,  C.  S.  Sp 2,800.00 

V.  A.  of  Central  Madagascar  and  for  Christian  Brothers — Bishop 

Cazet,  S.  J 21,720.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Southern  Madagascar — Bishop  Crouzet,  C.  M 7,000.00 

Indian  and  Chinese  Missions  in  Reunion  Island 300.00 


mSSIONS  IN  AMERICA 

Diocese  of  St.  Boniface — Archbishop  Langevin,  O.  M.  I 

Diocese  of  St  Albert — Bishop  Legal,  O.  M.  I 

Vic  Apos.  of  Saskatchewan — Bishop  Pascal,  Q.  M.  I 
Vic.  Apos.  of  Athabasca — Bishop  Grouard,  O.  M.  I . . 

Diocese  of  Victoria — ^Archbishop  Orth 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Mackenzie — Bishop  Breynat,  O.  M.  I . . . 
Diocese  of  New  Westminster — Bishop  Dontenwill,  O.  M.  I 


3,700.00 
5,800.00 
5,100.00 
4,200.00 
800.00 
4,000.00 
5,400.00 


Bbport  of  Allooations  Made  ik  1905  285 

Jesuit  Indian  Missions  in  Canada  (St.  Boniface) $1,762.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  Alaska 4,154.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  U.  S 3,795.00 

Diocese  of  Cheyenne— Bishop  Keane 600.00 

Diocese  of  Lead— Bishop  Stariha 500.00 

Diocese  of  Baker  City— Bishop  O'Reilly 800.00 

Diocese  of  Charleston— Bishop  Northrop 1,000.00 

Via  Apos.  of  North  Carolina— Bishop  Haid,  O.  S.  B 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  Savannah — ^Bishop  Keiley 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  St.  Augustine — Bishop  Kenny 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  Tucson— Bishop^Qranjon 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  Santa  Fe — ^Archbishop  Bourgade 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  Oklahoma  City — Bishop  Meerschaert 3,000.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Brownsville — Bishop  Verdaguer 1,000.00 

Diocese  of  Natchitoches — Bishop  Van  de  Ven 400.00 

Diocese  of  Natchez — ^Bishop  Heslin 400.00 

Diocese  of  Roseau— Bishop  Schelf haut,  C.  SS.  R 2,000.00 

Dominican  Missions  in  Cuba 1,400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Jamaica— Bishop  Gordon,  S.  J 1,168.00 

Diocese  of  Port  of  Spain — Archbishop  Flood,  O.  P 500.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Curacao — Bishop  Van  Baars,  O.  P 1,800.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  British  Honduras — Bishop  Hopkins,  S.  J 974.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Surinam — Bishop  Wulflngh,  C.  SS.  R 4,400.00 

Diocese  of  St  Peter  and  for  the  French  Martinique — Bishop  de 

Cormont  400.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Northern  Patagonia— Bishop  Cagliero,  S.  S.  F.  S..  600.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Southern  Patagonia— Bishop  Fagnano,  S.  S.  F.  S. .  1,200.00 

Mission  of  Corrientes — Franciscan  Fathers 200.00 

Missions  of  Arauco   in  the   Diocese   of   San  Carlos   de   Ancud 

(Chili)— Bishop  Jara 600.00 

Missions  of  Arauco  in  the  Diocese  of  Conception  (Chili) — Bishop 

Labarca    400.00 

MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Kimberley— P.  S.  M 800.00 

Maori  Mission,  Diocese  of  Auckland — Bishop  Lenihan 1,200.00 

Maori  Mission  (Diocese  of  Wellington  and  Christchurch)— Father 

Devoy.  S.  M 1,600.00 

Jesuit  Missions  in  the  Philippines 2,200.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  English  New  Guinea— Bishop  Navarre,  M.  S.  C 8,000.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  New  Dutch  Guinea— Father  Neyens,  S.  V.  D 2,000.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  Wilhelmsland  (German  New  Guinea) — Father  Lim- 

brock,  S.  V.  D 2,000.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  the  Caroline  Islands 600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  New  Pomerania— Bishop  Coupp^,  M.  S.  C 5,600.00 

Marshall  Islands  (New  Pomerania) — M.  S.  C 1,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  the  Gilbert  and  EUice  Islands — Bishop  Leray,  M.  S.  C  6,400.00 

House  of  the  Missionaries  of  the  S.  H.  in  Sydney 600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  Central  Oceanica — Bishop  Lamaze,  S.  M 5,700.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  the  Navigators  Islands   (Samoa)— Bishop  Broyer, 

S.  M 6,600.00 

Via  Apos.  of  the  Fiji  Islands— Bishop  Vidal,  S.  M 10,100.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  New  Caledonia— Bishop  Fraysse,  S.  M 11,600.00 

Vic.  Apos.  of  New  Hebrides— Bishop  Doucer^,  S.  M 7,400.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  the  North  Solomon  Islands — Father  Forestier,  S.  M  3,800.00 

Pref.  Apos.  of  the  South  Solomon  Islands — Father  Bertreux,  S.  M  4,200.00 

House  and  Sanitarium  of  the  Marist  Fathers  in  Sydney 1,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  Mangareva  and  Tahiti— Bishop  Verdier,  S.  H.  Pic. .  10,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  the  Sandwich  Islands — Bishop  Boeynaems,  S.  H.  Pic  9,000.00 

Vic  Apos.  of  the  Marauesas  Islands — Bishop  Martin,  S.  H.  Pic. . .  4,600.00 


286  Report  op  Allocations  Made  in  1905 

Exceptional  Subsidies  to  defray  the  Missionaries'  Passages 
on  Board  Ships  and  other  Extraordinary  Expenses 

EUROPE 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Denmark $       70.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Constantinople,  Macedonia,  and  Bulgaria. . .  480.00 

Sisters  of  Charity  in  Santorin 40.00 

ASIA 

Sisters  of  Charity  in  Smyrna  and  Asia  Minor 200.00 

Dominican  Missions  in  Mesopotamia 100.00 

Carmelite  Missions  in  Bagdad 640.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Syria 340.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Persia 360.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Rajputana 960.00 

Diocese  of  Krishnagar 190.00 

Diocese  of  Colombo 900.00 

Diocese  of  Jaffna 200.00 

Diocese  of  Madras 120.00 

Diocese  of  Hyderabad 160.00 

Diocese  of  Nagpur 480.00 

Diocese  of  Pondicherry 600.00 

Diocese  of  Coimbatore 200.00 

Diocese  of  Kumbhakonam 200.00 

Diocese  of  Maissour 200.00 

Diocese  of  Malacca 200.00 

Diocese  of  Ernaculam 60.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Burma 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Burma 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Bast  Burma 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Siam 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Laos 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Cambodia 260.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Cochin  China 140.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Cochin  China 500.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Cochin  China 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Tongking 100.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Tongking 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Upper  Tongking 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Maritime  Tongking 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Chi-li 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Chi-li 160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Chi-li 160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Ho-nan 160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Ho-nan 800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Ho-nam 740.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Hu-peh .    280.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Hu-peh *    620.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Hu-peh 140.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Manchuria 100.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Manchuria 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Mongolia 640.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Mongolia 720.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Mongolia 1,000.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Shen-si 1,340.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Shen-si 480.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Shan-sl 740.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Shan-si 320.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Shantung 700.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Shan-tung « 280.00 


Bbport  of  Allocations  Made  in  1905  287 

vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Shan-tung $320.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Che-Klang 180.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Kiang-sl '  200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Kiang-si 160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Kiang-si 260.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Kui-Chau 500.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Western  Si-chuan 700.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Eastern  Si-chuan 600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Si-chuan 600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Thibet 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Yun-nan 100.00 

Pref.  Apostolic  of  Kwang-si 200.00 

Pref.  Apostolic  of  Kwang-tung 700.00 

House  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Missions  in  Hong-Kong 159.83 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Corea 60.00 

Diocese  of  Tokio  200.00 

Diocese  of  Hakodate  40.00 

Diocese  of  Nagasaki 100.00 

Diocese  of  Osaka  • 100.00 

AFRICA 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Egjrpt 200.00 

Lazarist  Missions  in  Abyssinia 240.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Africa 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Galla 120.00 

Mission  of  Benadir 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Sahara  and  French  Soudan 2,090.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Victoria  Nyanza 3,530.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Victoria  Nyanza 2,160.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Upper  Congo 2,520.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Unyanyembe 1,440.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Tanganyika 1,440.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Nyassa 1»680.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Zanzibar 894.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Natal 240.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Orange  Free  State 240.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Basutoland 360.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Transvaal 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Orange  River 660.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lower  Cimbebasia 400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Upper  Cimbebasia 140.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Kunene 65.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lower  Congo 90.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lounda 860.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Belgian  Congo *    270.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Upper  Kassai 800.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Stanley  Falls 1,560.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  French  Congo 585.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Ubangi 2,880.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Qabon 1,665.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Lower  Niger 360.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Kamerun 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Benin 520.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Upper  Niger 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Dahomey 320.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Gold  Coast 400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  the  Ivory  Coast 400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Togoland 520.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Sierra  Leone 735.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Liberia 160.00 


288       Report  of  Allocations  Made  in  1905 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  French  Guinea $525.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Senegambla 650.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Northern  Madagascar 945,00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Southern  Madagascar 600.00 

AMERICA 

Diocese  of  St.  Boniface , 600.00 

Diocese  of  St.  Albert 400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Saskatchewan 300.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Athabasca 200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Mackenzie 400.00 

Diocese  of  New  Westminster 400.00 

Diocese  of  Charleston 40.00 

Diocese  of  Tucson 80.00 

Diocese  of  Santa  Fe 240.00 

Diocese  of  Oklahoma  City 160.00 

Diocese  of  Roseau 40.00 

Dominican  Missions  In  Cuba « 400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Northern  Patagonia 100.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  Southern  Patagonia 100.00 

Mission  of  Mendes  and  Gualaqulza 100.00 

Mission  of  Matto  Orosso 100.00 

OCEANICA 

Pallotin  Missions  in  Klmberley 840.00 

Diocese  of  Lismore 100.00 

Maori  Missions  In  the  Diocese  of  Auckland 240.00 

Maori  Missions  In  the  Dioceses  of  Wellington  and  Christchurch . .  1.000.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  New  English  Guinea 500.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  New  Dutch  Guinea 1,320.00 

Capuchin  Missions  in  the  Caroline  Islands 980.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  New  Pomeranla 960.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Gilbert  and  Elllce  Islands 420.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Central  Oceanlca 600.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Navigators  Islands 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Fiji  Islands 1,200.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  New  Caledonia 2,400.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  New  Hebrides 2,400.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  the  Northern  Solomon  Islands 1,200.00 

Prefecture  Apostolic  of  the  Southern  Solomon  Islands 1,200.00 

House  and  Sanitarium  of  the  Marist  Fathers  in  Sydney 800.00 

Vicariate  Apostolic  of  the  Sandwich  Islands 560.00 

SUMS  FORWARDED  TO  THE  MISSIONS  ACCORDING  TO  THE 
DONORS'  WISHES 

Europe    I  5,082.57 

Asia  39,090.64 

Africa    21,265.52 

America    4,102.71 

Oceanlca    19,942.26 

Total  Allocations  made  to  the  Missions  in  1905 $i»363,959.7o 


A  FEW  RFFLECTIONS  UPON  THE 
DISTRIBUTION  OF  FUNDS 

In  our  May  issue,  the  oflferings  of  the  Catholic  world  to  the  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  were  set  forth  in  detail,  according  to 
the  countries  and  dioceses  from  which  they  came.  The  result  of  the 
year  1904  was  certainly  most  gratifjring.  But  to-day.  when  we  exam- 
ine the  sum  allotted  to  each  mission  after  a  minute  study  by  the  Coun- 
cils of  the  society ;  when  we  look  over  the  pressing  needs  which  have 
been  called  to  our  attention  by  Bishops  and  Vicars  Apostolic,  we  feel, 
with  great  regret,  the  necessity  which  imposes  itself  for  more  consid- 
erable help. 

We  hasten  to  say  that  our  observations  are  not  prompted  by  a 
spirit  of  complaint,  for,  if  the  Administrative  Councils  have  multiplied 
their  appeals  and  their  prayers,  if  they  have  sent  to  the  American  con- 
tinent delegates  to  whose  zeal  we  are  pleased  to  render  homage,  our 
diocesan  directors  have  on  their  part  increased  their  eflForts.  Alas! 
the  unhappy  circumstances  which  confronted  and  still  confront  to-day 
a  number  of  great  Christian  nations  are  one  of  the  causes  of  the 
immobility  of  our  resources  in  presence  of  an  ever  increasing  army  of 
missionaries. 

And  yet,  we  do  not  wish,  we  must  not,  appear  discouraged  by  the 
uncertainty  of  the  future.  We  know  that  the  work  of  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith  is  of  God,  for  it  is  one  of  the  human  agencies  whereby 
we  see  the  divine  command  realized :  "  Go,  and  teach  all  nations.^' 
We  know  that  Jesus  Christ  gave  the  above  command,  not  to  a  peaceful 
and  triumphant  Church,  but  when  subjected  to  the  violent  and  per- 
fidious persecutions  of  the  synagogue  she  was  entirely  ignorant  as  to 
what  the  morrow  would  bring  forth.  Let  us  be  hopeful  and  keep  in 
mind  the  recent  words  of  a  distinguished  publicist :  *'  Yes,  iniquity  is 
prosperous.  It  is  even  said  that  Faith  is  dead!  If  so,  then,  long 
live  Faith !  Long  live  the  works  through  which  it  is  propagated ! 
Whatever  may  happen,  let  us  give  to  them,  with  our  money  and  a  little 
of  our  time,  the  best  of  our  heart.^' 

289 


THE  SOCIETIES  OF  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES 


Continuing  our  series  of  studies  on  the  great  missionary  societies  we 
publish  in  this  issue  a  very  interesting  article,  in  which  is  related  the 
work  of  the  Society  of  the  Divine  Word,  whose  mother  house  is  at  Steyl, 
Holland. 

Founded  in  1875  by  Father  Janssen,  who  is  still  at  its  head  as  Superior 
General,  this  society  has  demonstrated  in  its  divers  missions  a  zeal  and 
devotion  which  the  Divine  grace  has  crowned  with  blessings  and  prosperity. 

VIII. 

THE  SOCIETY  OF  THE  DIVINE  WORD  AND  ITS 
MISSIONS 

Foundation  and  First  Establishments. 

The  zeal  shown  by  a  nation  for  the  propagation  of  the  faith  is  a  fair 
criterion  of  the  intensity  of  its  religious  life.  Already  the  conscience 
of  German  Catholics  had  been  awakened  to  this  question  by  the  im- 
prisonment of  Clement  Augusta,  Bishop-Confessor  of  Cologne.  Al- 
ready at  the  oriental  boundary  of  France,  the  divine  mission  of  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  had  found  a  warm  champion  in  the  person 
of  Dr.  Hahn  at  Aix-la-Chapelle.  At  the  same  time  the  Catholics  of 
Germany  had  begun  to  recognize  the  necessity  of  a  German  semi- 
nary for  the  foreign  missions,  for  God  requires  that  not  only  a  deter- 
mined nation,  but  that  all  catholic  peoples,  shall  take  part  in  the 
spreading  of  His  kingdom !  And  yet  it  was  not  until  some  years  later 
that  the  man  was  found  for  the  opportunity  thus  presented  and  felt 
the  vocation  to  begin  this  truly  apostolic  work. 


He  was  Father  Arnold  Janssen,  a  priest  of  the  diocese  of  Munster. 
In  1874,  he  founded  a  monthly  review  called  ''Kleiner  Herz  Jesu- 
290 


Thb  Sooibtt  of  thb  Divine  Word 


!^91 


Bote'*  (Little  Messenger  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus)  with  the 
object  of  arousing  the  interest  of  its  readers  for  the  foreign  missions 
and  give  the  impulse  for  the  erection  of  a  German  missionary  semi- 
nary.   At  first  he  did  not  expect  to  execute  himself  his  apostolic 


Vest  Rev.  A.  Janssen. 
Founder  and  first  Superior  General  of  the  Society  of  the  Divine  Word. 


project.  But  surrendering  to  the  pressing  solicitations  of  Bishop 
Raimondi,  vicar  apostolic  of  Hongkong,  Father  Janssen  decided  to 
put  his  hand  to  the  wheel.  In  the  midst  of  the  Kulturkampf  cam- 
paign, the  plans  of  Father  Janssen  appeared  to  his  friends  to  be  not 
only  temerous  but  impossible  of  realization  as  well.    The  approbation 


Thb  Society  of  the  Divine  Word 

of  the  episcopate  of  Germany,  Austria,  and  Holland,  however,  gave 
him  the  encouragement  needed  to  pursue  his  chosen  work. 


The  conflict  then  raging  between  Church  and  State  did  not  permit 
the  idea  of  establishing  such  a  society  on  German  soil.  This  was  the 
reason  that  impelled  Father  Janssen  to  seek  a  locality  in  a  foreign 
country,  which  he  found  in  the  village  of  Steyl,  near  T^elen,  on  the 
German  frontier  of  Holland.  September  8,  1875,  is  regarded  as  the 
date  of  the  foundation  ,of  St.  Michael  Seminary.  The  small  and 
poor  house,  situated  on  the  shores  of  the  Meuse,  was  far  from  being 
in  possession  of  the  necessary  accommodations.  But  the  grace  of  God 
was  with  it.  In  October,  1878,  there  were  already  48  college  students 
and  6  who  followed  the  theological  course.  A  number  of  priests,  ex- 
pelled from  Germany  as  a  result  of  the  Kulturkampf  agitation,  for 
a  time  acted  as  professors  until  superseded  by  others  whom  they  had 
trained  especially  for  that  purpose. 

The  interior  organization  of  the  community  assumed  gradually  the 
forms  of  all  religious  congregations.  Its  rules  and  name,  '^  Divine 
Word,*^  were  decided  upon  by  its  first  general  chapter  in  1884.  Its 
constitution,  however,  did  not  receive  the  approval  ^f  the  Holy  See 
until  the  year  1905. 

In  the  meantime  the  increasing  number  of  theological  and  lay  can- 
didates had  required  the  foundation  of  other  schools.  Thus  the  San 
Raphael  College  at  Eome  was  opened  in  1886,  the  San  Gabriel  House 
at  Modlin,  near  Vienna  in  1889,  that  of  Heiligkreuz,  near  Neisse, 
Silesia,  in  1892,  that  of  St.  Wendel  in  the  diocese  of  Treves  in  1898, 
and  finally  the  Bischofshofen  House  near  Salzburg  was  opened  in  1904. 

On  May  1,  1905,  the  society  numbered  318  priests,  702  lay  brothers, 
and  1137  students.  During  the  same  year  35  priests  and  15  brothers 
departed  for  the  foreign  mission  field. 


The  heavy  expenses  incidental  to  the  running  of  such  a  large  congre- 
gation would  have  seriously  impeded  the  rapid  development  of  the 
new  society  had  it  not  been  for  an  institution  which,  bom  at  about 
the  same  time,  grew  up  and  prospered  with  her.  This  is  the  printing 
establishment  of  the  mission  (MissionsdrucJcerei) ,  founded  by  Father 
Janssen  in  January,  1876.  Prom  its  presses  were  soon  issued  the 
Herz  lesurBote  (now  the  Steyler  Missionsbote) ,  the  Stadt  Oottes 
(City  of  God),  and  the  St.  Michael  Almanach.    Through  these  pub- 


Ths  Sooibty  of  thb  Diyikb  Wobd  293 

licatioii0  a  great  interest  for  the  propagation  of  the  faith  has  been 
aroused  in  all  GermanHspeaking  countries. 

In  all  apostolic  works  the  missionaries  receive  a  very  effective 
aid  from  the  religions  orders  of  women,  especially  in  the  apostolate 
of  the  infidels  belonging  to  the  weaker  sex.  So^  Father  Janssen 
decided  that  he  wonld  like  to  found  a  congregation  of  mission- 
ary sisters.  Four  virgins  who  felt  a  vocation  to  consecrate  their 
lives  in  the  service  of  pagans,  responded  to  the  call,  and  in  July, 
1888,  opened  a  small  and  modest  house  at  Steyl.  Some  time 
later  this  newest  and  youngest  congregation  adopted  the  name  of 
Servants  of  the  Holy  Ghost  On  May  1,  1905,  it  numbered  362 
sisters  and  aspirants.  During  the  same  year  28  sisters  were  sent  to 
the  missions  of  Steyl  in  which  145  sisters  were  already  laboring. 

Missions  of  thb  Society  in  Asia. 

Let  us  now  take  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  missions  of  the  society 
The  first  to  be  foimded  and  the  one  which  may  be  said  to  have  reaped 
the  greatest  success  is  that  of  the  southern  district  of  S)iantung  in 
China.  It  is  the  land  of  Confucius  and  of  his  great  disciple,  Mungtse; 
it  is  the  Holy  Land  of  the  Chinese,  numbering  about  twelve  millions 
of  souls,  all  hard-laboring  men  who  are  not  without  the  faults  natural 
to  the  Chinese  character,  but  who,  however,  are  not  inaccessible  to  the 
beneficent  influence  of  the  Christian  religion. 

It  was  on  January  20, 1882,  that  Father  Anzer,  the  first  of  the  mis- 
sionaries to  be  sent  out  by  the  mother  house  of  Steyl,  entered  the 
district  of  Shantung;  up  to  this  time  the  province  was  a  part  of  the 
territory  which  was  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Franciscan  fathers. 
The  southern  part  of  the  district  was  erected  as  an  independent  Apos- 
tolic Vicariate  in  1885. 

Father  Anzer  soon  received  a  helper  in  the  person  of  Father  Freina- 
demetz  of  the  diocese  of  BrLxen.  God  visibly  blessed  their  labors. 
Upon  their  arrival,  Puoli,  the  only  Christian  station,  numbered  158 
neophytes.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year,  the  mission  had  687  cate- 
chumens. Besides  Puoli  in  the  west,  the  mission  obtained  a  footing 
at  WoQg  Shuang  in  the  mountainous  east.  Three  secondary  stations, 
two  chapels,  and  two  orphan  asylums  were  also  founded  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Puoli.  On  the  following  year,  the  mission  reached  far  into  the 
southeast,  among  the  rough  inhabitants  of  the  district  of  Zaochufu. 
It  was  here  that  Father  Anzer  was  cruelly  ill-treated. 

In  1886,  there  were  about  3000  catechumens,  scattered  over  50 
Christian  villages  and  under  the  supervision  of  5  missionaries  and  30 


294  Thb  Society  of  the  Divine  Word 

catechists.    At  the  end  of  1887,  the  miBsion  numbered  1300  baptized 
Christians. 

The  catechidts  and  the  neophytes  were  subjected  to,  and  are  still  the 
victims  of,  many  sufferings.  Their  old  friends,  their  parents,  for- 
sake them;  they  are  not  allowed  to  use  the  village  cistern,  they  are 
falsely  denounced  before  the  courts  of  justice  and  are  ill-treated  when 
the  judge  is  not  feared. 

A  certain  number  of  those  who  present  themselves  in  order  to 
secure  some  temporal  advantage  forsake  their  faith  before  they  are 
baptized.  This  is  not  to  be  regretted,  however,  as  it  is  only  through 
low  motives  like  the  expectation  of  a  subsidy,  protection  against  their 
enemies,  or  a  defense  before  the  courts,  that  they  come  to  solicit  the 
support  of  the  missionary.  But  it  must  be  said  that  it  is  neither 
impossible  nor  rare  to  succeed  in-  convincing  these  poor  people  of  the 
truth  of  the  Christian  religion  and  secure  for  them  the  grace  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  mission  progressing  satisfactorily,  the  pro-vicar  was,  in  1885, 
named  Vicar  Apostolic.  He  was  consecrated  at  Steyl  on  January 
24,  1886.  Upon'  his  return  the  propagation  of  the  faith  received  a 
great  impetus  and  paganism  armed  itself  to  oppose  an  energetic 
resistance.  The  anti-European  league  was  then  organized.  800  pro- 
fessors and  learned  men  swore  before  the  idols  in  the  pagoda  of  Yent- 
chufu  to  bring  about  the  destruction  of  the  Catholic  religion,  and  a 
price  was  placed  upon  the  head  of  the  Bishop. 

November  15,  1887,  was  the  day  set  for  the  killing  of  all  the  mis- 
sionaries. A  letter  addressed  to  the  governor  of  Shantung  by  the 
Bishop,  the  death  of  two  of  the  more  hostile  mandarins,  a  disastrous 
flood,  which  the  Chinese  call  the  **  spite  of  China,'^  and  the  "  plague 
of  the  sons  of  Ham,'^  all  this  combined  to  lessen  the  danger;  in  some 
districts  of  the  province,  however,  the  Christians  suffered  greatly. 

The  tireless  zeal  the  missionaries  manifested  during  the  two  follow- 
ing years  won  many  hitherto  unfriendly  hearts. 

In  1890  a  new  era  opened  for  the  mission,  the  German  government 
having  taken  it  imder  its  protection.  Until  that  time  no  station  could 
be  established  in  any  of  the  chief  cities  with  the  result  that  the  Cath- 
olic religion  was  looked  upon  with  contempt  by  the  Chinese,  and  the 
Catholic  Chinese  regarded  as  inferior  to  others.  Now,  however,  a 
change  took  place ;  the  gates  of  the  cities  opened.  Even  Tsinan,  the 
most  important  commercial  city  of  Southern  Shantung,  situated  on  the 
imperial  canal,  received  the  missionaries  in  1891,  and  soon  the  mission 


Thb  Sooibty  of  the  Divikb  Word  1^95 

became  a  very  prosperous  center.  At  Easter^  1896,  there  were  6800 
baptized  Chriatiaiis,  3600  catechumens,  34  European  priests,  3  Chinese 
priests,  8  lay  brothers,  6  high  schools,  and  48  grammar  schools. 


A  city  still  remained  closed  to  the  mission :  Yentchufu,  the  seat  of 
the  goyemment  of  Shantimg,  the  oenter  of  Confucianism,  called  by 
the  celebrated  Venitian,  Marco  Polo,  seven  centuries  before,  the 
noblest  city  of  the  provinces.  During  ten  years  Bishop  Anzer  en- 
deavored to  enter  it  without  any  success.  In  1896,  thanks  to  the 
personal  intervention  of  the  Emperor  Kuangsu,  the  reform  friend, 
the  intolerance  of  the  paganism  was  at  last  vanquished.  To-day  re- 
markable churches  rise  towards  heaven  at  Yentchufu,  Tsinan,  and 
Zautchufu,  and  the  mission  is  on  very  friendly  terms  with  the  govern- 
ment and  the  aristocratic  classes. 

An  important  event  happened  on  the  evening  of  All  Saints  Day: 
Fathers  Nies  and  Henle  were  set  upon  and  killed  by  the  Boxers. 
Following  rapidly  came  the  occupation  of  the  bay  of  Kiaotchaou  by 
the  Qerman  troops  and  that  of  Kwangchuwan  by  the  French,  the 
annexation  of  Port  Arthur  by  the  Russians  and  the  occupation  of  Wei- 
hai-wai  by  the  English.  These  successive  blows  produced  the  desired 
effect  upon  the  Chinese  magistrates,  and  thereafter  the  missionaries 
were  treated  with  more  respect  and  the  rights  of  the  Christians  recog- 
nized. As  a  result,  Easter,  1898,  arrived  with  the  catechumens  num- 
bering 27,868. 

•h 

One  year  had  not  yet  passed  before  the  reaction  began  to  be  felt  in 
the  German  sphere  of  influence.  The  occupation  of  Chinese  territory 
by  foreign  powers,  the  outrageous  conduct,  it  must  be  said,  of  Euro- 
pen  travelers,  the  desecration  of  graves  (so  sacred  a  thing  for  the 
Chinese),  due  to  the  construction  of  railroads  and  the  opening  of 
mines,  all  this  had  provoked  a  violent  irritation.  Very  few  Chinese 
knew  even  then  that  the  occupation  of  their  chief  strategic  naval 
points  had  been  for  a  long  time  included  in  the  plans  of  the  foreign 
powers  which  were  awaiting  only  for  a  favorable  opportunity  to  exe- 
cute them.  Although  the  murder  of  the  two  priests  had  caused  only 
the  occupation  of  Kiaotchaou,  the  indignation  of  the  Chinese  was  so 
intense  that  they  assigned  all  their  woes  to  the  two  dead  missionaries 
and  their  hatred  chose  as  its  first  victims  the  missionaries  ai)d  their 
followers. 

The  imprisonment  of  Father  Stenz  and  the  indignities  and  brutali- 


296 


The  Sooibty  op  the  Divine  Word 


ties  he  was  subjected  to  in  November^  1898^  marked  the  beginning 
of  the  persecution  which  extended  rapidly  to  the  east  of  the  mission 
even  into  the  districts  of  the  (Jerman  protectorate  where  Father  Preina- 
demetz  was  attacked  and  ill-treated.  The  west  was  still  calm  and 
peaceful ;  the  mission  was  flourishing  and  progressing  so  well  that  the 
total  number  of  pagans  baptized  between  Easter  of  1898  to  Easter  of 
1899  reached  5094.    It  was  then  that  Governor  Yuchien,  the  enemy 


MOTHESHOUSE  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  THE  DiVINE  WOBD. 

Foreign  Missions  of  Steyl,  Holland. 

of  the  Christians^  organized  and  inaugurated  the  persecution  in  his 
district.  The  neophytes  had  to  bear  and  suffer  a  good  deal.  Their 
fidelity  to  the  faith  in  those  trying  days  is  thus  praised  by  a  mis- 
sionary:  "  I  do  not  know  what  impresses  me  more;  the  joy  I  experi- 
ence in  witnessing  the  fidelity  of  the  Christians  or  the  pain  I  feel  at 
the  abominations  that  take  place,  and  the  need  and  distress  o;f  the 
neophytes.^* 


Thb  Society  of  the  Divine  Word  ^QY 

In  December,  1899,  Governor  Yuehien  was  succeeded  by  Governor 
Yuan  Ghikai,  who  happily  was  imbued  with  better  and  more  tolerant 
sentiments.  In  the  majority  of  the  districts  within  his  jurisdiction 
there  was  peace  and  calm,  whereas  six  months  later  a  terrible  persecu- 
tion was  making  thousands  of  victims  in  all  the  other  provinces. 

Towards  the  end  of  June  the  mandarins,  in  accord  with  the  viceroy, 
ordered  the  immediate  departure  of  all  the  missionaries  for  the  reason 
that  they  were  unable  to  give  them  an  efficacious  protection.  Acting 
upon  the  order  of  their  superiors  the  greatest  number  of  missionaries 
retired  to  the  German  district.  Five  missionaries  and  ten  Chinese 
priests,  however,  remained  at  their  post.  A  new  persecution  fell 
upon  them  and  although  the  lives  of  Christians  were  generally  re- 
spected, their  property  was  confiscated  and  everything  of  any  value 
stolen;  some  of  them  were  tortured  but,  to  their  everlasting  honor  be 
it  said,  they  remained  true  and  f aithfxd  to  the  end. 

During  the  winter  of  1900-1901  the  missionaries  were  permitted  to 
return  to  their  Christians.  They  immediately  began  to  gather  the 
scattered  flock  together  and  rebuild  that  which  persecution  had  de- 
stroyed. This  task  once  accomplished,  the  zeal  of  the  missionaries 
was  directed  towards  the  enlargement  of  their  field  of  labor.  In  a 
number  of  districts  a  marked  movement  towards  Christianity  was 
noticeable;  the  number  of  baptisms  rose  until  at  Easter,  1905,  it 
had  reached  30,000,  and  that  of  catechumens  at  about  40,000.  To-day 
the  southern  district  of  Shantung  with  its  5000  annual  baptisms — ^not 
including  those  administered  at  the  time  of  death — ^is  the  most  prolific 
of  all  the  German  missions,  and  if  the  necessary  subsidies  are  fur- 
nished, will  enter  into  a  oiill  more  flourishing  epoch. 

At  the  present  time  the  mission  numbers  46  European  priests,  11 
Chinese  priests,  13  lay  brothers,  3  Marianites,  11  Franciscan  mission- 
ary Sisters  of  Mary,  and  6  Servants  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


A  special  mention  is  due  to  the  Kiaotchaou  district,  which  has  been 
occupied  by  Germany.  During  the  summer  of  1898  Kiaotchaou  was 
united  to  the  Vicariate.  It  contains  two  million  inhabitants  and  the 
Catholic  mission  is  opposed  by  three  Protestant  sects.  In  a  short 
period  of  time,  and  while  the  Chinese  troubles  were  at  their  height, 
the  seven  missionaries  of  Steyl  who  reside  there  have  gathered  about 
them  864  baptized  Christians,  and  1756  catechumens;  they  conduct 
several  primary  and  secondary  schools,  give  the  religious  instruction 
at  the  German  school  of  Tsingtaou,  are  in  charge  of  a  parish  com- 


398  The  Society  of  thb  Divine  Word 

posed  of  605  Europeans^  aod  publish  a  Chinese  newspaper  of  which 
they  issue  1500  copies  regularly,  and  other  German  and  Chinese 
books.  Eleven  Franciscan  sisters  are  in  charge  of  the  young  women 
of  Tsingtaou,  the  metropolis  of  German  China,  and  conduct  school 
for  European  girls.  25  catechists  and  13  women  prepare  the  work  of 
the  missionaries.  On  November  2^,  1903,  in  the  death  of  Bishop 
Anzer,  the  mission  lost  its  founder  and  first  Bishop.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Father  Henninghaus,  who  was  appointed  to  the  vacant  see 
by  the  Holy  Father. 

Missions  in  Afbioa. 

Less  rich  in  dramatic  incidents  but  not  less  interesting  are  the  two 
other  territories  evangelized  by  the  Society  of  Steyl,  Togo  in  Africa, 
and  Kaiser-Wilhelmsland  in  New  Guinea. 

The  Togo  mission  was  founded  at  the  time  when  the  movement 
against  slavery  was  inaugurated  in  Europe.  Heretofore  this  country 
formed  a  part  of  the  Western  African  territory  which  had  been  con- 
fided to  the  labors  of  the  Lyons  African  Missions;  it  was  detached 
from  their  jurisdiction  by  the  Propaganda  in  1892  and  entrusted  to 
the  care  of  the  Society  of  the  Divine  Word. 

Togo,  with  its  one  and  a  half  million  inhabitants,  is  one  of  the 
smallest  of  German  colonies,  but  the  well  kept  roads  which  have  been 
opened  and  taken  care  of  by  the  German  government  lead  far  out  into 
the  country  and  are  a  godsend  to  the  entire  colony.  Twenty  years  ago 
the  colony  belonged  to  the  black  belt  or  Coast  of  the  Slaves.  This 
name  reminds  us  of  the  crimes  committed  by  English,  Dutch,  and 
Portuguese  slave  merchants,  who  had  an  establishment  in  every  im- 
portant village.  Alas!  polygamy  still  retains  the  negro  attached  to 
his  religion  as  with  an  iron  chain,  and  fetichism  with  its  super- 
stitions and  immoral  customs  is  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  Catholic 
apostolate. 

The  object  of  the  mission  then,  under  the  circumstances,  is  to  at- 
tract and  gain  the  youth,  destroy  superstition  in  the  schools,  and  bring 
about  the  disappearance  of  polygamy  and  immorality,  and  through  all 
this  the  Christian  education  and  the  Christian  marriage.  The  insti- 
tution of  polygamy  having  its  root  in  the  social  constitution  of  these 
people,  no  one  will  be  surprised  to  hear  that  relapses  into  it  occur 
among  some  of  the  first  generation  of  converts.  The  hour  of  death 
opens  the  eyes  even  of  pagans,  makes  them  regret  their  past  life,  and 
induces  them  to  throw  themselves  into  the  arms  of  the  Saviour. 


The  Society  of  the  Divine  Word  299 

During  the  first  eeven  years  the  zeal  of  the  missionaries  had  the 
coast  for  its  only  outlet;  and  Christianity  has  become  a  power  in  that 
region.  Lome,  the  seat  of  the  government,  and  Anecho,  the  old  com- 
mercial city,  have  become  very  important  Christian  communities; 
each  of  these  cities  is  in  possession  of  a  large  church,  flourishing 
schools  for  boys,  with  180  and  300  pupils  respectively,  and  girls* 
schools  conducted  by  the  sisters  with  an  attendance  of  80  and  160 
students.  Nowhere  is  compulsory  education  in  existence.  The  com- 
paratively small  number  of  girls  attending  school  is  to  be  attributed 
to  the  influence  that  fetichism  exerts  upon  the  minds  of  women  as 
well  as  to  their  own  lack  of  interest  in  higher  education. 

The  third  principal  station  on  the  coast,  Porto  Seguro,  once  an 
exporting  station  of  slaves,  is  situated  between  Lome  and  Anecho. 
Here  we  find  80  boys  and  20  girls  attending  school.  Around  the  ciiy 
are  ten  other  schools  and  more  will  soon  be  opened.  Lome  numbers 
seven  similar  stations  and  Anecho  has  at  least  five. 

Following  the  energetic  initiative  of  the  Prefect  Apostolic,  Father 
Bucking,  the  missionaries  have,  the  past  five  years,  penetrated  into 
the  interior  of  the  country. 

The  Atakpame  station,  six  days'  distant  from  the  coast,  is  the 
extreme  outpost  of  Catholicity  east  of  Togo.  Palime  and  more  re- 
cently Kpandu  are  similarly  situated  to  the  west.  It  is  proposed  at 
present  to  create  a  third  central  station  in  the  west. 

The  Atakpame  station  was  founded  during  May,  1900,  and  to-day 
conducts  three  schools  in  the  neighborhood.  Palime  did  not  exist 
as  a  central  station  before  1902,  yet  in  a  short  Time  twenty  schools  were 
erected  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  The  field  is  a  vast  one,  and  de- 
mands for  new  schools  are  being  received  constantly.  Alasl  that 
notwithstanding  their  anxiety  and  good-will  the  missionaries  are  un- 
able to  answer  these  demands  satisfactorily.  And  the  danger  of  these 
villages  being  Protestantized  is  ever  present,  great  and  ominous ! 

For  reasons  isimilar  to  those  given  above  we  are  not  permitted  to 
give  as  satisfactory  statistics  as  we  were  able  to  do  in  regard  to 
Shantung.  It  must  be  added  that  the  prevailing  climate  is  a  power- 
ful enemy  of  our  missionaries.  Already  under  the  sod  of  Togo 
repose  4  priests,  1  lay  brother,  and  4  sisters.  Several  years  of  experi- 
ence, however,  will  result  in  an  improvement  of  these  sanitary  condi- 
tions. To-day  27  priests  are  laboring  in  that  far-away  mission  field ; 
they  have  valuable  auxiliaries  in  the  persons  of  12  lay  brothers,  14 


300  The  Socibty  op  the  Divine  Wobd 

sisters,  and  53  native  teachers.  They  are  in  charge  of  6  principal 
stations,  and  61  schools  with  an  attendance  at  the  close  of  1904  of  2467 
pupils.    The  baptized  Christian  population  numbers  2697. 

Missions  in  Oceanica. 

The  Papons'  mission  in  Kaiser-Wilhelmsland  is  situated  to  the 
northeast  of  New  Guinea,  which  belongs  to  the  English,  Dutch,  and 
Germans.  There  are  200,000  inhabitants  in  the  German  district. 
In  February,  1896,  the  Steyl,  or  Divine  Word  Society,  was  assigned 
this  district,  which  until  then  had  been  a  pait  of  the  Vicariate  of  New 
Pomerania  in  charge  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Sacred  Heart  (Issou- 
dun). 

On  the  13th  day  of  April,  1896,  the  first  missionaries  of  Steyl, 
Father  Limbrock,  Prefect  Apostolic,  and  Fathers  Erdweg  and  Vor- 
mann,  with  three  lay  brothers,  landed  upon  that  colony,  where  the 
Catholic  religion  had  never  been  preached. 

The  interior  of  the  country  is  still  almost  inaccessible  and  very 
little  explored.  The  civilization  of  the  Papons  is  of  the  most  primi- 
tive; the  dignity  of  a  chief  unknown.  The  villages  numbering  from 
100  to  1000  inhabitants  are,  generally,  isolated,  and  in  continual  war- 
fare among  themselves.  For  this  reason^  and  also  for  the  killing  of 
children,  which  is  nothing  rare,  the  population  is  decreasing.  Their 
religion  consists  for  the  most  part  of  the  cult  of  spirits  and  of  the 
ancestors  and  contains  a  good  amount  of  superstition.  Inconstancy, 
ridiculous  ideas  about  dress,  an  untempered  character,  these  are  the 
principal  traits  of  the  Papons.  The  influence  of  civilization  has 
penetrated  into  but  a  few  villages.  Its  outside  commerce  is  very  slight 
and  the  arrival  of  a  small  sailing  vessel  or  of  the  regular  Lloyd 
steamer  is  always  celebrated  as  a  great  event. 

It  is  easily  seen  that  the  work  of  the  first  missionaries  in  that  country 
was  that  of  pioneers.  They  had  to  suffer  all  the  deceptions  and 
endure  all  the  sacrifices  usually  pertaining  to  such  an  enterprise. 
To-day,  after  nine  years  of  heroic  labor,  the  mission  conducts  6  sta- 
tions in  the  Kaiser-Wilhelmsland.  Tumleo  island,  where  was  founded 
the  first  station,  has  become  entirely  Christian.  Without  any  objec- 
tion from  the  government  120  children  are  attending  daily  the  sister's 
school,  where  they  receive  a  good  secular  and  religious  education. 

In  Ali  island,  near  Tumleo,  where  a  station  was  opened  in  March, 
1900,  the  missionary  has  seen  his  efforts  crowned  with  such  a  success 
that  the  station  bids  fair  to  surpass  the  older  ones  of  Monumbo  and 
Leming.    In  regard  to  their  intellectual  capacities  the  inhabitants  of 


.    The  Society  of  the  Divine  Word  301 

the  contiiient  are  leoB  apt  than  the  islanders  and  consequently  less 
prepared  to  embrace  the  faith. 

At  a  distance  of  two  hours  from  Monnmbo,  in  the  Bogia  district,  the 
mission  owns  a  large  plantation  upon  which  the  natives  may  pursue 
a  steady,  and  methodic  work.  Some  time  since  a  new  station  was 
erected  at  Heno,  near  Friedrich  Wilhelmshafen,  where  a  sawing  and 
planing  mill  will  shortly  be  established,  which  is  expected  to  do 
away  with  the  enormous  transportation  expenses  that  are  occasioned  by 
the  construction  material  which,  at  present,  has  to  be  bought  at 
Sidney. 

If  we  take  in  consideration  the  great  difSculties  which  continually 
confront  the  mission,  we  must  admit  that  the  980  baptized  Christians 
and  the  320  school  pupils  constitute  a  fairly  important  success.  The 
personnel  of  the  mission  is  made  up  of  16  priests,  17  lay  brothers, 
and  18  sisters.  Already  3  priests,  3  brothers,  and  1  sister  have  given 
up  their  lives  in  the  service  of  this  people. 

Missions  in  Ambbioa. 

The  American  labor  fields  of  the  Society  of  the  Divine  Word  are  in 
the  Argentine  Eepublic,  in  Chili,  and  in  Brazil.  The  total  number  of 
Catholics  in  South  America,  who  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
missionaries  of  Steyl,  is  over  200,000,  among  whom  are  30,000  Ger- 
mans, 10,000  Italians,  14,000  Poles,  and  3000  negroes. 

In  the  United  States  the  society  is  in  charge  of  a  parish  at  Shermer- 
ville,  near  Chicago,  where  an  industrial  school  has  been  erected. 


It  is  seen  now,  how  the  seed  planted  thiriy  years  ago  by  Father 
Janssen,  founder  of  the  Society,  and  its  present  Superior  Qeneral,  has 
developed  and  grown  into  a  tree  of  extraordinary  proportions.  It  is 
an  immense  tree,  thanks  to  the  generous  and  eflBcadous  help  given  by 
German  Catholics  and  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

May  it  please  God  to  grant  to  the  Society  of  the  Divine  Word  a 
prosperous  future,  for  the  greater  honor  of  His  Holy  Church  and  the 
good  of  the  missions. 


MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 


A  MAflTYR  IN  THIBET 

Letter  op  Bishop  Giraudbau,  P.  F.  M., 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  Thibet 

On  April  3,  a  troop  of  lamas  of  Bathang,  escorting  a  party  of  sixty 
soldiers,  forcibly  recruited  in  three  villages,  arrived  at  Yare-gong 
shortly  before  the  setting  of  the  sun.  Father  Souli6,  warned  by  the 
red  lamas  of  Yar^rong,  had  made  preparations  for  an  immediate  de- 
parture, and  was  getting  ready  to  take  away  his  effects.  Ignoring 
what  was  going  on  at  Bathang,  he  was  under  the  impression  that  pil- 
lage was  the  only  thing  to  be  feared.  So  that  when,  stepping  upon  his 
door,  he  saw  his  house  surrounded  by  the  lamas  ^nd  their  warriors. 
Father  Souli6  promptly  decided  to  surrender.  He  took  a  few  steps 
forward  and  called  out  to  the  chief :  *^  Here  I  am,  you  may  do  with 
me  as  you  please,  even  to  the  extent  of  taking  my  life/'  No  one 
daring  to  lay  a  hand  upon  him,  the  chief  lama  commanded  a  notori- 
ous member  of  his  party  to  capture  the  priest,  promising  him,  at  the 
same  time,  a  good  reward. 

The  soldier  obeyed  the  command  of  his  chief,  and  seized  Father 
Souli6.  Shackles  were  placed  upon  his  feet,  although  his  hands  were 
left  free.  While  the  shackling  was  being  done.  Father  Souli6  re- 
ceived a  slight  sabre  blow  upon  the  head,  and  a  stone  struck  him  on 
the  side,  causing  sufferings  which  he  felt  until  the  last.  The  lamas 
of  Bathang  accused  him  of  but  one  thing,  preaching  another  doctrine 
than  that  of  the  lamasery. 

The  chief  lama  entered  the  father's  apartments,  in  which  he  found 
a  register  containing  a  diary  of  everything  that  was  going  on  in  the 
post,  the  whole  written  in  Thibetean.  This  register  gave  him  an 
excuse  to  seize  everything  in  sight.  After  all  the  provisions  and 
furniture  of  the  mission  and  that  belonging  to  the  Christians  had 
been  confiscated,  the  same  ofiBcial  detailed  sixteen  soldiers  and  ordered 
them  to  execute  the  priest.  They  conducted  him  to  a  point  a  little 
distant  from  the  village  and  tied  him  to  a  tree.  Immediately  shots 
begun  to  be  fired  at  the  human  target,  a  bullet  entering  the  back  of 
Father  Souli6's  head  and  going  through  it  made  its  exit  from  the 
forehead.  Another  shot  fired  at  close  range  pierced  his  heart.  The 
murderers  then  untied  the  body  and  covered  it  with  stones  and 
branches  from  neighboring  trees.  It  was  on  the  fourteenth  day  of 
April,  the  feast  of  the  transfixion  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  that  Father 
Souli6,  who  had  been  a  missionary  in  Thibet  since  1885,  gave  his  life 
for  his  God  and  his  holy  religion.     He  was  a  native  of  Rodez,  France. 

30? 


MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 


VICARIATE  APOSTOLIC  OF  SASKATCHEWAN 
(CANADA) 

Born  in  1891  of  a  division  of  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert,  the  large  Apos- 
tolic Vicariate  of  the  Saskatchewan  is  bounded  in  the  North  only  by  the 
Hudson  Bay  and  the  Arctic  Ocean;  and  in  the  South  by  the  Alberta,  As- 
siniboia,  and  Manitoba.  Its  population  is  not  numerous,  there  being  only 
16,000  inhabitants,  one-half  of  whom  are  Catholics.  Its  40  apostolic  sta- 
tions are  served  by  25  missionaries  of  the  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate 
and  2  secular  priests,  all  being  under  the  direction  of  Right  Rev.  Albert 
Pascal,  Bishop  of  Mosynopolis,  who,  for  the  past  fifteen  years,  presides 
over  the  development  of  this  important  and  far-away  mission. 

A  Visit  to  the  Saskatchewan  Indians 
Letter  of  the  Kev.  Fatheu  Jullien,  0.  M.  I. 

Arrived  only  a  month  ago  at  Prince  Albert,  the  capital  of  the  im- 
mense diocese  of  Saskatchewan,  over  which  presides  Bishop  Pascal, 
I  had  often  heard  stories  of  the  Indians.  All  the  Fathers  of  my 
acquaintance  have  served  more  or  less  time  in  the  northern  missions 
or  in  the  Indian  reservations  and  each  had  stories  to  tell  which  inter- 
ested me,  far  more  perhaps  than  they  supposed. 

It  was  not  difl&cult  to  see  that  all  loved  dearly  their  parishioners, 
simple  and  upright  souls,  who  make  always  good  Christians  when 
they  have  been  sufficiently  instructed.  So  that  if  their  paternal  heart 
is  preoccupied  with  the  future  of  these  nomadic  bands  no  one  need  be 
surprised.  The  question,  moreover,  is  one  which  is  at  the  same  time 
important  and  timely. 


303 


304 


Missions  in  Ambriga 


Actual  Situation  of 
the  Indians. — The 
boarding  school  of 
Prince  Albert.— IKf- 
flculties  at  Lake 
Canard. 


For  the  past  few  years,  especially  the  last 
three,  European  colonists  of  every  national- 
ity have  invaded  the  prairies,  and  according 
to  the  laws  of  history,  have  produced  their 
always  bad  impression  upon  the  natives. 
Every  one  agrees  that  these  peeple  should  be 
made  to  enter  upon  the  road  that  leds  to 
civilization,  but  to  induce  them  to  enter  it  by 
the  right  door  is  the  all  important  question. 


A  Saskatchewan  Half-breed. 


And  the  best  and,  without  doubt,  the  only  way  to  do  so,  is  to  take  the 
children  when  they  are  still  young  and  give  them  a  good  moral  and 
Christian  education. 

Bishop  Pascal  and  his  missionaries  well  understand  this  and  they 
have  done  ever3^thing  within  their  means  to  establish  a  boarding  school 
at  Lake  Canard.  40  miles  from  Prince  Albert. 


Saskatchewan  305 

I  had  often  heard  many  things  about  this  school  which  is  conducted 
at  present  by  Father  Charlebois,  0.  M.  I.  The  young  Indians  of 
both  sexes  spend  there  eleven  years,  from  their  seventh  to  their  eigh- 
teenth year,  receiving  therein  a  Christian  education  as  well  as  a  good 
secular  one.  There  are  at  present  more  than  100  young  people  at- 
tending this  school. 

That  this  institution  is  necessary  cannot  be  successfully  contested. 
"But/*  said  I  to  myself,  "what  sacrifices  to  make  for  such  poor 
results?  Is  it  possible  to  civilize  people  who  voluntarily  despise 
civilization  ?  *' 

I  had  often  seen  Indians  in  camp  around  Prince  Albert  and  in  the 
streets  of  the  city.  Generally  more  or  less  clean,  and  dressed  accord- 
ing to  their  peculiar  style,  they  are  easily  recognized  as  much  by  their 
reddish  color  as  by  the  long  hair  which  falls  upon  their  shoulders  even 
in  the  case  of  a  number  of  men.  I  remarked  upon  their  faces,  also,  a 
sad  and  pensive  air.  For  these  people  have  no  longer  that  which 
used  to  make  all  their  life.  The  famous  buffalo  which  used  to  roam 
upon  the  plains  by  the  hundred  thousand  has  forever  disappeared  and 
fields  of  wheat,  to-day,  have  arisen  there,  where  the  chase  used  to 
take  place.  Alas  I  the  golden  age  of  the  great  buffalo  hunts  has  gone, 
never  to  come  again.  And  the  intrepid  and  fearless  Indians  must 
resign  themselves  to  their  lot,  disappear  also  like  the  buffalo,  or  become 
assimilated  with  the  white  race.  "The  day  would  be  near  for  this 
assimilation,''  I  have  been  told,  "  and  a  large  number  of  Indians  would 
soon  give  up  their  hereditary  customs  if  we  had  several  schools  simi- 
lar to  that  of  Lake  Canard.  The  Indians  are  as  susceptible  to  the 
influence  of  education  as  the  whites  are.  Visit  this  first  school  and 
you  vrill  become  persuaded.*' 

Bishop  Pascal  was  scheduled  to  assist  at  the 
First  Communion  First  Communion  of  some  of  the  children  of 

Ceremony. — Touch-  the  Lake  Canard  school  and  to  confirm  them 
ing  history  of  the  on  June  22.  "  Come  and  see  "  said  his  Lord- 
"  King  of  the  sum-  ship.  I  should  not  have  dared  to  ask  for  this 
mer."  invitation,  but  having  received  it  I  was  very 

glad  to  accept  it. 
We  arrived  on  the  day  preceding  that  set  apart  for  the  ceremonies. 
All  the  children  are  in  retreat,  for  even  the  oldest  ones  are  preparing 
to  receive  the  Holy  Communion  on  the  next  day.  It  was  impossible 
for  me  to  observe  these  young  men  as  I  should  have  liked,  but  to 
see  them  so  well  disciplined,  gay  and  serious  at  the  same  time,  I  came 


306  Missions  in  America 

easily  to  the  conclusion,  that  were  it  not  for  the  distinctive  racial 
marks  upon  their  faces,  they  would  have  passed  anywhere  for  a  school 
of  American  children,  and  one  of  the  best,  at  that. 

During  the  evening  Father  Charlebois  spoke  to  Bishop  Pascal  of 
the  Indians  who  live  upon  two  reservations  located  a  few  miles  from 
Lake  Canard  and  where  he  often  visits  them. 

The  good  Father  continues  among  them  and  with  the  same  success 
his  ministry  in  the  missions  of  Lake  Pelican  and  Cumberland,  where 
he  was  successively  located.  In  a  few  months  he  has  already  con- 
verted and  baptized  about  30  adults. 


One  of  these  adults  is  particularly  interesting.  His  name,  in  the 
Cri  tongue,  is  pronoimced  N6pinekimoa  and  means  "king  of  the 
summer."  He  says  that  he  is  78  years  of  age  but  readily  recognizes 
that  he  may  be  80.    A  few  months  ago  he  was  still  a  pagan. 

Although  well  advanced  in  age,  he  has  remained  young  in  intelli- 
gence and  the  Indians  look  upon  him  as  one  of  those  who  judge  all 
things  as  they  should  be  judged.  So  that  the  Father  had  no  difficulty 
in  giving  him  the  necessary  instruction  to  fit  him  for  the  reception  of 
Baptism.  And  with  what  impatience  he  was  awaiting  the  happy  day 
when  he  should  become  a  child  of  God !  "  And  his  joy  was  plainly 
manifest,"  said  Father  Charlebois,  "  during  the  baptismal  ceremo- 
nies." When  these  were  completed  and  the  missionary  was  arranging 
his  vestments,  the  old  man  seated  himself  and  began  to  weep  abund- 
antly.   The  Father  hearing  him  went  over  to  see  what  was  the  matter. 

"  Do  you  regret  now  that  you  have  permitted  yourself  to  be  bap- 
tized ?    Tell  me,  frankly,  what  it  is  that  makes  you  weep." 

"  You  misjudge  me,  Father,"  answered  the  old  Indian,  "  for  I  do 
not  regret  what  I  have  done.  I  am  too  happy  in  the  knowledge  that 
I  am  a  child  of  God.  You  have  told  me  that  the  gates  of  heaven  are 
now  open  to  me.  It  is  a  joy  to  my  heart,  for  I  shall  die  soon,  and  I 
hope  that  that  gate  will  never  be  closed  again  by  any  sin  of  mine. 
But,  Father,  this  happiness  of  mine,  none  of  my  ancestors  has  known. 
God  is  so  good  for  us  and  they  have  not  known  his  goodness.  That 
is  why  I  feel  sad  and  weep." 

These  sublime  words  of  the  old  Indian  caused  such  surprise  and  joy 
to  the  missionary  that  he  found  it  impossible  to  keep  back  his  own 
tears. 

"  If  you  had  heard  him,  Your  Lordship,"  said  Father  Charlebois, 
*'  you  would  have  acted  like  myself." 


Saskatchewan 


3or 


I  believe  so  myself  for  only  the  simple  recital  of  the  story  had 
moved  the  Bishop  very  deeply. 

^^  I  should  like  to  see  him,"  said  the  Bishop,  then ;  "  will  he  come 
to  the  ceremonies  to-morrow  ?  ^* 

" No,"  answered  the  Father;  "he  is  too  old  to  walk  the  entire  dis- 
tance and  he  has  no  horse  at  his  disposal.  But  he  should  be  very 
happy,  certainly,  to  see  you ! " 

"  Well,  let  us  go  and  see  him/'  retorted  Bishop  Pascal ! 


A  few  minutes  later  we  are  on  our  way  to  visit  old  Nepinekimoa. 


The  Chttbchill  Rf^r. 


Unfortunately,  however,  he  is  not  at  home,  having  gone  to  comfort  a 
family  just  then  in  mourning.  The  Bishop  decides  that  this  will  not 
interfere  with  his  intentions  and  after  Father  Charlebois  had  left  a 
little  tobacco  and  a  few  provisions  in  the  old  man's  cabin,  we  pro- 
ceeded on  our  way  to  see  him  at  his  friend's  house. 

We  shortly  arrive  near  a  number  of  tepees.  A  crowd  of  Indians  is 
there  for  the  same  motive  as  Nepinekimoa.  As  soon  as  the  Bishop 
was  recognized  the  women  arose  and  imposing  silence  to  an  army  of 
dogs,  advanced  to  salute  him  and  greet  him  with  a  warm  welcome. 
The  men  were  all  in  a  tent  disposing  of  their  supper.  They  also  arose, 
it  cannot  be  said  from  a  table,  but  they  arose  and  hastened  to  j)ay 


308  Missions  in  America 

their  respects  to  the  "great  praying  man/'  They  are  all  silent  for 
they  would  not  speak  in  presence  of  a  superior  without  his  permission. 
After  they  have  it,  however,  they  affirm  their  happiness  at  his  presence 
and  some  go  so  far  as  to  say,  with  an  air  of  charming  sincerity,  that 
for  them  it  is  as  if  they  had  seen  one  of  God's  angels. 

Bishop  Pascal  says  a  few  consoling  words  to  the  aflBicted  family  and 
bidding  a  cheery  good-by  to  all  we  begin  our  return  journey. 

But  instead  of  four  travelers  we  are  now  five.  The  aged  Nepine- 
kimoa,  without  appearing  to  request  it,  has  obtained  permission  to 
return  home  in  the  carriage  with  the  Bishop. 

"  Do  you  know  that  I  have  thought  that  perhaps  the  '  great  praying 
man '  is  so  good  to  his  children  he  will  probably  take  me  home  while 
going  back  to  his  school  ?  " 

His  Lordship  was  so  pleased  at  the  ingenuity  of  the  remark  that  he 
promptly  granted  the  hidden  request  and  offered  the  old  man  a  place 
in  the  carriage. 

All  the  way  home  the  Bishop  was  engaged  in  a  friendly  conversa- 
tion with  the  old  man  who,  to  show  his  appreciation,  repeated  every 
once  in  a  while  the  words : 

"  Ouinakoma !     Ouinakoma !    Thank  you !  " 

Before  we  left  him  at  the  door  of  his  humble  cabin  he  gave  us  his 
parting  sentiment : 

"  Hereafter,  I  shall  never  doubt  again  the  existence  of  the  good 
God,  for  I  have  seen  his  high  priest." 

We  hastened  toward  the  school,  for  the  night  was  falling  fast. 

The  morrow  is  the  great  day,  especially  for  those  who  will  receive 
their  God  for  the  first  time.  The  Bishop  oflSciates  at  the  Com- 
munion Mass.  When  the  young  people  enter  the  chapel  I  am  aston- 
ished by  the  devotion  and  seriousness  of  everyone.  It  seems  as  if 
they  realize,  even  more  than  the  whites  do,  that  it  is  indeed  the  Holy 
Communion.  Their  souls  are  pure  and  under  their  holiday  attire 
their  faces  seem  to  have  lost  the  more  or  less  distinctive  features 
of  their  race. 

During  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  some  of  their  number  sing 
melodiously  in  the  French  and  English  languages.  Their  voices  are 
very  agreeable  and  just.  Immediately  before  Communion,  the 
Bifihop   addresses   the   children   in    a   very   simple  and   toucbing 


Saskatchewan 


309 


exhortation.  At  last,  the  happy  moment  has  arrived.  The  young 
communicants  accompanied  by  their  elder  brothers  slowly  march 
towards  the  Communion  rail.  Everything  is  done  with,  I  might  say, 
a  military  precision  under  the  direction  of  the  Mother  Superior,  with 
which  is  mingled  a  certain  calmness  and  modest  demeanor.  I  think 
myself  justified  in  affirming  that  I  have  not  seen  anywhere  young 
children  execute  the  same  movements  with  such  a  precision. 

It  would  be  too  long  to  narrate  the  divers  incidents  of  the  day. 


A  Saskatchewan  Village. 


Let  it  be  sufficient  to  say  that  during  the  evening  the  ceremonies  per- 
taining to  the  conferring  of  the  sacrament  of  Confirmation  and  the 
renewing  of  the  baptismal  vows  were  in  keeping  with  the  morning 
exercises.  The  singing  of  the  psalms  and  hymns  by  the  school  chil- 
dren was  remarkably  good.  Some  of  these  children  will  certainly 
become  good  musicians  some  day,  for  beside  the  singing,  a  brass  band 
of  from  15  to  20  pieces  has  been  organized,  the  lack  of  instruments 
being  the  only  obstacle  to  their  increase.  It  is  conducted  by  an  Oblate 
Brother. 


310  Missions  in  America 

In  the  evening  I  took^  alone  with  my 
Conclusion. — ^Nc-  thoughts,  the  road  of  Prince  Albert.    And  so, 

cessity  of  more  said  I  to  myself,  this  is  what  may  be  obtained 

numerous  Schools.  from  these  Indians  in  such  a  short  period  of 
— ^A  Prayer.  time !    When  they  arrive  at  school,  these  chil- 

dren know  but  their  own  language.  One  or 
two  years  later  they  all  speak  and  write  English.  When  they  leave  the 
establishment,  the  boys  are  capable  in  many  ways  but  especially  in 
the  tilling  of  the  soil;  and  the  girls  in  all  household  affairs.  Ijovers 
of  independence,  enemies  of  civilization's  laws,  which  all  Indians 
regard  as  measures  of  oppression  and  an  intolerable  burden,  in  a  few 
years  they  become  submissive  to  their  superiors,  accept  their  authority, 
and  obey  all  their  directions.  A  momentous  change  takes  place  in 
the  atmosphere  of  the  school,  and  when  they  finally  go  forth  into  the 
world  it  would  be  a  cruel  injustice  to  call  them  savages. 

The  results  are  magnificent,  and  a  good  augury  for  the  future  of 
the  race.  But  other  Lake  Canard  schools  are  needed.  They  would 
soon  be  erected  if  Bishop  Pascal  had  some  resources.  But  what  can 
he  do,  that  good  Bishop,  who  is  unable  to  help  his  missionaries  in  the 
erection  of  their  churches?  Alas,  these  buildings  sometimes  do  not 
even  deserve  the  appellation  of  churches !  Ah  I  if  we  had  here  a  little 
of  that  money  that  is  being  spent  so  recklessly  in  other  countries ! 

Without  doubt,  a  good  director  and  good  and  devoted  teachers  are 
also  needed  for  these  schools.  But  that  is  the  least  of  our  worries. 
It  will  always  be  possible  to  find  a  director — although  perhaps  not  a 
second  Father  Charlebois — and  other  holy  religious  will  come  with 
the  courage  and  ability  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  the  good  sisters  of  the 
Presentation  of  Mary. 

It  is  so  easy  to  follow  a  trail  that  has  been  blazed  away  by  devoted 
and  able  predecessors ! 


Letter  of  the  Bishop  of  Galloway  311 

CIRCULAR   LETTER  OF  THE    BISHOP  OF  GALLOWAY 

(SCOTLAND),  RECOMMENDING  THE  WORK  OF 

THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 

The  following  letter  has  been  sent  by  the  Bishop  of  Galloway  to  all  the 
priests  of  his  diocese: 

"In  regard  to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  of 
which  there  has  been  mention  in  a  recent  pastoral  letter,  I  woiild  ask 
you  to  read  this  circular  on  the  Sunday  following  its  reception.  With 
this  letter  I  am  sending  you  a  copy  of  the  Annals  and  an  explanatory 
leaflet.  In  these  two  publications  you  will  find  a  few  details  upon 
the  nature  and  organization  of  the  pious  work,  which  will  interest  you 
in  the  event  that  in  your  opinion,  it  is  advisable  to  organize  it  in  your 
mission  or  increase  its  usefulness  if  already  established. 

This  association  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  enriched  with 
many  indulgences  and  warmly  recommended  by  the  Holy  See,  is 
one  of  these  works  which  it  seems -it  is  only  necessary  to  make 
known  to  make  liked  and  established.  And  truly,  he  who  will  read 
the  declarations  and  precise  explanations  included  in  the  annexed 
circulars  will  admit  readily  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  name  another 
religious  institution  that  has  a  greater  right  to  our  sympathy.  It 
attracts  our  attention  in  a  special  manner,  for  we  can  never  forget 
the  generous  aid  given  by  it  to  our  late  Bishop  during  the  almost  entire 
years  of  his  episcopate ;  it  is  to  this  society  that  we  should  attribute  in 
a  great  measure  the  reorganization  of  this  diocese. 

But,  apart  from  these  personal  motives  of  gratitude,  there  is  a  singu- 
lar attraction  in  the  Sodety  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  by  its 
double  title  of  being  essentially  a  work  of  apostolate  and  at  the  same 
time  a  work  of  the  greatest  charity.  This  beautiful  feature  must 
impress  itself  upon  any  one  who  reads  the  simple  statement  of  the 
object  of  the  association,  "  to  assist  by  prayers  and  alms  the  Catholic 
missionaries  who  are  engaged  in  preaching  the  Gospel  in  heathen  and 
non-Catholic  countries."  To  add  even  a  few  words  of  comment  to 
such  an  object  would  be  to  weaken  its  naturally  attractive  strength 
and  suppose  at  the  same  time  a  lack  of  intelligence  and  religious  senti- 
ments in  yourself  and  your  faithful  people.  It  is  truly  on  account 
of  our  poverty  that  this  divine  work  has  not  been  generally  and  actively 
propagated  in  this  diocese,  for  the  repeated  affirmation  of  the  Divine 
Word,  in  the  Holy  Scripture  and  the  history  of  religion,  abund- 
antly proves  that  charity  never  fails  to  produce  an  equal  recompense. 
I  know  too  well,  that  all  have  a  great  deal  to  do  in  their  respective  mis- 
sions, but  an  active  co-operation  in  this  divine  work  will  call  down 


312  Letter  of  the  Bishop  of  Galloway 

manifold  blessings  upon  our  own  labors  and  will  lessen  the  heaviness 
of  our  personal  troubles.  This  great  work  has  been  so  sagely  formed 
and  organized  that  it  causes  but  a  feeble  expense  to  its  members  and 
at  the  same  time  assures  the  perpetuity  of  its  eflficacy. 

Very  earnestly,  then,  do  I  urge  you  to  establish  immediately  this 
pious  association  in  your  mission.  I  feel  that  this  will  be  the  cause 
of  many  blessings  to  fall  upon  the  entire  diocese,  and  I  am  certain 
that  no  one  will  think  it  a  hardship  to  eay  daily  one  "  Our  Father," 
one  ^^  Hail  Mary,"  and  the  invocation  to  "  St.  Francis  Xavier,"  and 
find  a  burden  in  the  giving  of  a  cent  to  the  common  treasury. 

I  would  find  it  particularly  good  if  the  older  children  in  each  school 
were  to  be  formed  in  bands  of  associates.  This  would  accustom  them, 
in  their  tender  years,  to  regard  it  as  a  duty  to  take  an  interest  in  all 
religious  movements.  Their  parents  may  help  greatly  by  inculcating 
in  the  hearts  of  these  children  this  Christian  truth  and  advice  of  the 
Scripture  which  consists  in  offering  to  God  a  portion  of  everything 
that  passes  through  our  hands,  and  this  excellent  lesson  would  have  a 
considerable  influence  each  time  when,  following  the  general  custom, 
they  should  make  a  monetary  present  to  their  children. 

Through  you,  I  address  a  similar  request  to  the  school  teachers  to 
interest  themselves  in  this  work  and  to  help  you  to  establish  and 
propagate  it.  I  engage  you  also  to  name  the  principal  teacher  as 
the  local  collector.  The  duties  of  this  office  are :  1st,  to  see  that  the 
promoters  of  all  the  bands  have  a  supply  of  Annals  proportionate  to 
their  contribution ;  to  appoint  a  successor  immediately  to  the  promoter 
of  a  band  who  has  died  or  has  removed  to  another  place,  or  has  tired 
of  the  work,  for,  alas!  it  is  extraordinary  how  one  gets  soon  tired 
when  it  is  a  question  of  religious  work;  2d,  to  keep  a  record  of  the 
names  of  all  the  associates  and  their  addresses,  the  necessity  and 
advantage  of  such  a  record  are  apparent;  3d,  to  keep  an  exact  account 
of  all  the  subscriptions  received  by  the  promoters  and  send  the  amount 
thereof  to  the  diocesan  director  at  the  end  of  each  six  months. 

The  publications  I  am  sending  you  herewith  will  furnish  you  with 
all  the  necessary  information,  and  as  soon  as  you  notify  me  of  the 
number  of  bands  formed  in  your  mission,  and  the  name  of  the  local 
director,  I  will  see  to  it  that  a  sufficient  number  of  copies  of  the 
Annals  are  sent  you  regularly.  And,  in  conclusion,  let  me  add  that 
for  families  or  individual  readers,  there  is  no  periodical  or  publica- 
tion more  interesting,  more  edifying,  more  instructive,  than  the 
Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith." 


DESTINATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 

Beported  since  the  August  Annals. 


AFRICA 

Motnbasia 
Rev.   I^on  Langemeyer,  A1.M. 

Northern   Npama 
Rev.  Joseph  Bajard,  Al.  M. 
"      Pierre  Vlel,  Al.M. 
••      Guillaume  Van  Ertryck, 

Al.M. 
"      Ferdinand  Seconds, 

ALM. 
*'      Amedee  Goulard,  Al.M. 
"      Edoaard  Lafleur,  Al.M. 
"      Eugene   Stephant,   A1.M. 
"      Leon  Vedrlnes,  Al.M. 
Sauthem  Nyanza 
Rev.  Jean  Durand,  Al.M. 
"      Frangols  Knoll,  Al.M. 
Vnpanyembe 
Rev.  Joseph  Schmltt,  Al.M. 
'*      Jean  Joseph  Brtllhman, 

Al.M. 
"     Gaston  Launay,  A1.M. 
"     PIo  Canonica,  Al.M. 
Dahomey 
Rev.  F.  Vallee,  L.A,M. 
Ivory  Coast 
Rev.   F.  Berthelot,  L.A.M. 

Shire 
Rev.  Joseph  Blouven,    L.A.M. 

Bclffian  Congo 
Rev.  A.  Esnard,  B.F.M. 
••      A.  Mols,  B.F.M. 
"     Jos.'  Van  Moorhem, 

B.F.M. 
'•     A.  Van  Wynsberge, 

"     Jos.*  Vaii  Hove,  B.F.M. 
"     Jean  Verhoeven,  B.F.M. 

Upper  Kasai 
Rev.  Rene   Cromhe,   B.F.M. 
"     Abel  dc  Mol,   B.F.M. 
"     Eugene  Potters,  B.F.M. 
"     Emlle  Van  Thlelen, 

B.F.M. 
"     Joseph    Vermeersch, 

B.F.M. 
"     Alois  Audenaert,  B.F.M. 
"     Francois    Van    der   Wouw 

B.F.M. 

Congo  Free  State 
Rev.  G.  Van  Tilborg,  S.J. 
"     J.  B.   Hanquet,  S.J. 
"     R.  Gothtgny.  S.J. 
"     F.  Allard.   S.J. 
"     C.   de  Vrlege,   S.J. 
Brother  A.  Verdonok,  S.J. 
«*         J.  Festlens,  S.J. 


ASIA 

Ghinju 
South  East  Mongolia 
Rev.  G.  Cappelle,  B.F.M. 
"     C.  Chabbe,  B.F.M. 
"     M.   d'Haene,   B.F.M. 
"     C.  Lefevere,  B.F.M. 
"     A.  Morel,  B.F.M. 
"     A.  Mostaert,  B.F.M. 
*'     C.   Van  Lantschool, 

B.F.M. 
"     A.  Vlnck.  B.F.M. 

tlorthem  Kan  Su 
Rev.  V.  de  Neve,  B.F.M. 
*'     E.    Heiremans,   B.F.M. 
"     P.   Jadoul,   B.F.M. 
"     F.  Mortler,  B.F.M. 

Soutfiem  Kan  Su 
Rev.  R.    Calbrecht,    B.F.BC. 
"     C.   Demaret,  B.F.M. 
"     B.  Jamart,  B.F.M. 

South  East  Chi-U 
Rev.  A.  Anclaux,   S.J. 
"     P.  Perard,  S.J. 

Tun-Nan 

Rev.  Menlgot,  P.F.M. 
•*     T.  Mongellaz,  P.F.M. 

^  Si-chuan 

Rev.  M.    Lamonnerie,   P.F.M. 

"     F.   Coron.   P.F.M. 

"     J.   Cadard,   P.F.M. 

Kui-cliau 
Rev.  A.    Callo,    P.F.M. 
"     G.  Ruault,  P.F.M. 

KumhMkonam 

Rev.  J.  P.  Martin,  P.F.M. 
"     A.  Sovlgnet,  P.F.M. 

Central  Mongolia 
Rev.  n.  Coenen,  B.F.M. 
•*     A.  Bron,  B.F.M. 
"     R.  de  Grotte,  B.F.M. 
"     L.  de  Smedt,  B.F.M. 
E.  Jonckheere,  B.F.M. 
A.  Maes,  B.F.M. 
"     H.    Van   de  Waerde, 

B.F.M. 
"     E.  Vloeberghs,  B.F.M. 

Eastern  Mongolia 
Rev.  E.  Grosse,  B.F.M. 
"    *L.   Kervin,   B.F.M. 
"     C.  Mahlen,  B.F.M. 
"    J.  Poferrie,  B.F.M. 


•  Manchuria 

Rev.  H.   Darles,   P.F.M. 
"     A.  Obln,  P.F.M. 

Indo-China. 

Cochin  China 

Rev.  A.  Ducateau,  P.F.M. 
"     W.   David.   P.F.M. 
"     H.  Bellemin  Noel, 
P.F.M. 

Cambodia 
Rev.  P.  Hallouz,  P.F.M. 
Laos 

Rev.  J.  P.  Martin,  P.F.M. 
"     F.  Chabanel,  P.F.M. 

Tongking. 

Rev.  P.  Doquet,  P.F.M. 
"     F.  Chaize,    P.F.M. 
"     L.  Bretandeau,  P.F.M. 
"     C.   Fort,   P.F.M. 
"     L.  Comeille,  P.F.M. 

Corea 

Rev.  A.  Sovlgnet,  P.F.M. 
"     J.    Bermond,    P.F.M. 

Japan 

Rev.  A.    Breton,    P.F.M. 

India 

Rev.  B.  Murchier,  P.F.M. 
*•     M.   Chaler,   P.F.M. 
"     R.    Beyls,   P.F.M. 
"     B.  Verlne,  P.F.M. 
"     V.  RenoUeau,  P.F.M. 
"     A.  Jouffrineau,   P.F.M. 

Malacca 

Rev.  E.  Becheras,  P.F.M. 

Ceylon 

Rev.  G.  Van  Asten,  S.J. 
"     C.  Relchard,   S.J. 

Calcutta 

Rev.  P.  Molitor,  S.J. 

"  A.  Berrewaerts,   S.J. 

"  D.  Truyen,  S.J. 

"  G.   Druart,   S.J. 

"  J.    B.    Berteles,    S.J. 

"  W.  Temmerman,  S.J. 

"  J.  Van  Neater,  S.J. 


313 


1H  ^^ 


314 


lA'^dli 

K 

M 

M 

11 

BS 

^m 

B 

^ 

3^^ 

^ 

SUPPLEMENT 


AMERICAN  EDITION 


OF  THE 


Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


IN  THE  PRISON  CAMPS  OF  JAPAN 

Experiences  of  Father  Castanier,  P.  F.  M.,  among  the  Polish 

Prisoners  of  War,  at  the  Prison  Camp 

of  Fukuchiyama 

One  of  the  most  striking  incidents  of  the  late  Russo-Japanese  war — 
one  that  will,  probably,  live  forever  in  the  grateful  hearts  of  the  several 
hundred  Polish  prisoners  of  war  who  witnessed  it — occurred  about 
eight  months  ago  at  Fukuchiyama,  where  a  big  prison  camp  had  been 
established  for  the  accommodation  of  the  rapidly  increasing  number 
of  prisoners  of  war  captured  by  the  Japanese  on  the  bloody  battle- 
fields of  Manchuria. 

The  welcome  these  Russian  soldiers  received,  the  tender  care  with 
which  the  sick  and  wounded  among  them  were  nursed  back  to  life,  the 
toleration  and  respect  of  their  religious  beliefs — all  these  kindnesses 
received  at  the  hands  of  their  former  enemies  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  their  astonished  recipients  and  presented  a  striking  contrast  to 
the  treatment  to  which  they  are  subjected  in  their  native  country. 

Prisoners  of  war  first  begun  to  arrive  at  Fukuchiyama  in  Septem- 
ber, 1904,  after  the  great  battle  of  Liao  Yang  had  been  fought  in 
which  hundreds  of  Russians  fell  in  the  hands  of  the  Japanese.  Since 
that  memorable  victory  a  continuous  stream  of  prisoners  has  been 
directed  towards  Fukuchiyama.  They  came  from  Shako,  Mukden, 
Port  Arthur,  these  victims  of  a  corrupt  organization,  and  among  them 

315 


316     Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

were  many  unknown  heroes  from  Finland,  Poland,  and  other  terri- 
tories which  for  many  years  have  felt  the  iron  heel  of  the  oppressor. 
And  yet  they  fought  for  their  country  and  their  Czar,  as  men  who, 
hoping  for  a  better  land,  dared  not  falter  in  the  face  of  death.  They 
forgot  their  wrongs  and  went  forth  at  the  command  of  duty  to  battle 
for  a  common  cause.  And  the  world  that  sympathized  with  them  in 
their  political  struggles  admires  them  none  the  less  for  that. 

The  nearest  town  to  Fukuchiyama  is  the  bustling,  manufacturing 
city  of  Maizuen,  twenty  miles  distant.  ^  A  railroad  uniting  the  two 
places  has  been  constructed  within  the  last  twelve  months  as  a  strategic 
line  for  war  purposes.     It  forms  a  capricious  line,  now  following  a 


Burial  of  a  Polish  Prisoner  in  Japan. 

serpentine  course  across  rice  and  mulberry  fields,  at  times  into  little 
valleys,  through  which  riverlets  flow  over  a  bed  of  pebbles,  again 
flying  from  hill  to  hill  on  fields  of  violets  or  eluding  the  freakish  hill- 
sides by  a  series  of  tunnels.  This  railroad  crosses  a  picturesque 
country  and  attracts  many  tourists  thereto. 

When  I  first  learned  that  hundreds  of  Poles  were  among  the  Kus- 
sian  prisoners  confined  at  Fukuchiyama,  I  entered  into  negotiations 
with  the  Japanese  authorities  for  the  privilege  of  bearing  to  these 
prisoners  the  ministrations  and  consolations  of  their  faith.  This  priv- 
ilege, which  can  be  granted  to  foreigners  by  the  Minister  of  War  only, 
was  readily  given  to  me,  thanks  to  the  kind  assistance  of  Colonel 
Umezaki,  in  command  of  the  prison  camp.     Unfortunately,  however, 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    317 

circumstances  do  not  permit  me  to  make  use  of  this  privilege  as  often 
as  either  the  prisoners  or  myself  desire.  The  duties  and  labors  of  a 
missionary  are  manifold  and  traveling  is  an  expensive  luxury.  So, 
from  the  beginning  it  was  arranged  that  I  should  say  Mass  three  times 
a  month,  and  in  case  of  any  special  or  pressing  need*  of  my  ministry 
I  would  go  at  the  first  notice. 

My  visits  are  determined  for  days  when  1  anticipate  more  leisure 
and  I  try,  as  far  as  possible,  to  make  them  coincide  with  the  feast  days 
ever  dear  to  the  Polish  heart.  When  I  get  off  the  train  at  Fuku- 
chiyama  I  invariably  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  sergeant  whose  duty  it  is 


Catholic  Nubses  of  Okatama — Red  Cross  Branch. 


to  size  up  every  stranger  coming  near  the  prison  camp.  We  have 
become  good  friends,  however,  thanks  to  my  mission  of  peace,  so 
that  when  I  arrive  he  immediately  conducts  me  to  the  officers'  quarters 
where  I  pay  my  respects  to  the  Colonel  in  command  and  the  other 
officers  on  duty.  These  preliminary  interviews  are  not  in  the  least 
annoying,  as  the  officers  are  extremely  kind  and  courteous  and,  so  far, 
have  had  nothing  but  words  of  praise  for  their  Polish  prisoners. 

The  Colonel  has  repeatedly  told  me  that  of  all  the  prisoners  of  war 
under  his  charge  the  Poles  are  the  most  intelligent,  quiet,  and  sub- 
missive. He  also  states  that  the  letters  sent  by  them  to  their  families 
are  of  a  special  character  in  their  tone  of  sweet  resignation  to  their 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    319 

lot,  and  in  the  many  words  of  consolation  addressed  to  the  loved  ones 
at  home  who  are  deploring  their  fate. 

Another  officer,  who  was  as  much  astonished  as  his  superior  at  the 
admirable  dispositions  of  the  Poles,  spoke  to  me  of  their  absolute 
union,  so  that  they  seem  to  form  but  one  family  and  might  all  be 
taken  for  brothers.  He  so  far  forgot  himself  one  day  as  to  confide 
that  the  Poles  very  much  resembled  the  Japanese.  These  words  from 
the  lips  of  an  enemy,  flushed  with  prodigious  success  and  believing  his 
race  to  be  the  greatest  in  the  world,  are  not  a  mean  compliment,  and 
express  the  admiration  which  these  good  soldiers  have  excited. 

Whilst  1  have  been  conversing  with  the  officers,  the  Poles  have  been 
called  together;  my  Japanese  catechist,  assisted  by  some  soldiers,  has 
prepared  the  altar  and  the  chief  of' the  detachment  announces  that 
everything  is  ready.  Accompanied  by  the  Japanese  officers  and  an 
interpreter  I  proceed  to  the  altar  raised  under  a  linen  canopy  and 
made  up  of  a  strong  prison  table  which  has  been  thoroughly  cleaned 
and  covered  with  white  cloth.  All  around  are  pots  of  artificial  fiowers 
made  by  the  prisoners.  Abov.e  the  altar  hangs  a  picture  of  the  Holy 
Family  and  a  large  crucifix. 

After  a  short  prayer  I  begin  the  service  by  addressing  the  prisoners. 
This  exhortation,  which  consists  of  a  few  words  on  the  gospel  of  the 
day  accompanied  with  some  consoling  thoughts,  is  translated  from 
Japanese  into  Russian  by  an  interpreter.  The  joy  which  brightens 
their  faces  as  they  listen  to  my  words  is  a  pleasure  to  see;  their  atti- 
tude plainly  tells  me  that  their  hearts  beat  in  unison  with  mine;  that 
they  understand  my  mission,  the  language  of  their  Faith,  and  the 
sweet  and  strengthening  consolations  of  God's  Holy  Truth.  After 
the  instruction  I  begin  Mass,  during  which  I  cannot  help  being  deeply 
moved  by  the  fervent  prayers  of  the  assistants  recited  aloud  and  the 
singing  of  hymns. 

When  the  service  is  over,  we  engage  in  familiar  conversation;  they 
tell  me  of  the  horrors  of  war,  of  the  trials  and  pleasures  of  their 
exile;  they  speak  of  their  beloved  Poland,  and  I  relate  some  of  my 
experiences  as  missionary  in  the  land  of  their  conquerors.  The  time 
passes  quickly  and  when  I  am  obliged  to  leave,  all  come  to  bid  me 
good-by  and  ask  me  to  come  again  and  as  often  as  possible. 

A  memorable  day  in  their  experience  as  prisoners  of  war,  however, , 
was  that  when  the  Right  Rev.  Jules   Chatron,  Bishop  of  Osaka, 
journeyed  to  the  prison  camp  to  officiate  pontifically  at  a  communion 
and  confirmation  service.     The  day  was  bright  and  warm  and  it 
seemed  as  if  the  elements  had  entered  into  an  agreement  with  the 


320    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

promoters  of  the  celebration  to  make  it  as  successful  as  possible. 
When  His  Lordship  ascended  the  altar  steps  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Mass  and  faced  the  congregation  to  invite  it  to  join  with  him  in 
praises  to  the  Almighty,  he  saw  before  him  1200  men  wearing  the 
uniform  of  the  Russian  army  and  navy,  men  belonging  to  a  number 
of  nationalities  but  who  had  fought  under  the  same  flag  at  the  fright- 
ful battles  of  Ldao-Yang,  Mukden,  Port  Arthur,  fought  heroically  for 
a  cause  of  which  they  were,  are  still  ignorant,  and  for  which  they  care 
but  little. 

It  was  an  impressive  scene.  At  the  communion,  when  the  Bishop 
raised  the  Host,  and  uttered  the  humble  prayer,  "  Domine  non  sum 
dignus,"  every  man  in  that  great  congregation  knelt  there  under  the 
blue  canopy,  of  heaven,  transported  in  spirit  to  scenes  of  their  child- 
hood days  in  their  beloved  Poland.  Close  at  hand,  Colonel  Umezaki 
of  the  Japanese  army  and  his  officers  stood,  reverent  spectators  of  a 
'scene  such  as  was  never  before  enacted  in  their  country,  and  by  far 
the  most  impressive  incident  in  their  religious  experience.  350  Poles 
were  confirmed  by  Bishop  Chatron  on  that  day. 

The  Japanese  authorities  are  exerting  themselves  to  improve  the 
conditions  of  their  prisoners  and  to  lessen  the  burden  of  their  exile. 
The  Poles  are  verj'  good  Catholics  and  the  Japanese  officers  are  always 
greatly  surprised  at  their  joy  upon  being  able  to  assist  at  a  religious 
service,  and  at  their  fervor  at  prayer.  And  the  Poles  love  the  Japan- 
ese— their  former  enemies  but  now  their  friends — for  their  sterling 
qualities  and  for  the  political  and  religious  liberty  which  prevails  over 
this  empire.  Alas!  what  a  contrast  with  their  native  country  where 
they  have  suffered  so  much  persecution  for  the  sake  of  their  religious 
beliefs,  and  what  a  great  example  given  by  a  "  pagan ''  to  a  ^'  Chris- 
tian "  nation ! 

CATHOLIC  PROGRESS  IN  INDIA 

Letter  of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Louis, 

Missionary  in  the  Diocese  of  Madras. 

According  to  the  last  ecclesiastical  census  there  are  6422  Catholics 
under  my  charge  in  the  parish  of  Viravanellore.  They  are  scattered 
over  some  103  villages  more  or  less  distant  from  each  other.  During 
the  years  1903  and  1904  we  have  had  thirty-five  entire  villages  con- 
verted from  paganism,  and  at  the  present  time  there  are  one  thousand 
catechumens  preparing  themselves  to  receive  the  regenerating  waters 
of  Baptism.     These  are  all  converts  from  paganism,  although  conver- 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    321 

sions  from  Protestantism  are  by  no  means  rare.     In  1903,  fifty-two 
Protestants  were  received  into  the  Church. 

What  are  the  causes  leading  to  these  conversions?  Certainly  not 
the  eloquence  of  the  missionary,  even  though  my  only  object,  night 
and  day,  is  to  bring  the  teeming  millions  of  Hindus  out  of  the  dark- 
ness of  Satan  into  the  light  and  knowledge  of  the  living  God.  My 
catechists  who,  also,  are  doing  their  utmost  for  the  conversion  of  their 
brethren,  would  meet,  if  left  to  their  own  efforts,  with  but  a  moderate 
success.  What  then  is  it?  Temporal  miseries,  persecution,  loss  of 
property,  preach  far  more  eloquently  than  any  skillful  orator.  "  Come 
ye  all  who  labor  and  are  burdened  and  I  shall  refresh  you."     These 


Madras. — Chapel  of  the  Immaculate  (Conception. 

consoling  words  once  pronounced  by  heavenly  wisdom  attract  the  poor 
and  heavy  laden  Hindus  of  this  country.  Their  pagan  masters,  hav- 
ing no  idea  of  justice  and  mercy,  are  very  hard  on  their  poor  and  help- 
less neighbors.  Daily  petitions  are  received  by  me  in  which  all  kindfl 
of  persecution  on  the  part  of  the  Hindus  are  pathetically  described 
and  help  requested. 

These  poor  unfortunates  are  often  deprived  of  their  rightful  prop- 
erty, driven  from  their  own  houses,  hated  by  their  nearest  relatives — 
in  some  cases  by  parents ;  others  become  objects  of  derision  and  mock- 
ery, are  driven  to  despair  and  often,  for  self-protection,  are  compelled 
to  take  their  own  lives.     Tt  may  be  objected  that  there  is  the  govern- 


322     Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

ment  to  help  and  protect  the  oppressed.  Which  is  undoubtedly  true. 
But  a  Hindu  with  his  natural  aptitudes  for  deceit  and  falsehood, 
aided  and  abetted  by  unconscientious  Brahman  lawyers,  will  always 
succeed  in  making  truth  appear  a  lie  and  what  is  false  accepted  as  the 
truth. 

In  such  circumstances,  when  poor  and  helpless  people  have  neither 
consolation  nor  support  from  their  own  religion  and  government,  to 
whom  shall  they  appeal  but  to  Him  who  has  invited  those  who  are 
burdened,  weary,  and  despairing  to  come  into  His  arms  for  shelter  and 
help?     It  is  generally  believed  here  that  to  get  out  of  difficulties  and 


The  Sacbed  Falls  of  Courthalam, 
In  which  millions  of  Hindoos  wash  themselves  once  a  year  to  be  purified 

from  their  sins. 

miseries  one  should  go  to  the  representatives  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
Here  is  an  example  among  others.  The  village  of  Senculam  was 
recently  entirely  converted,  by  what  strange  means  we  shall  see.  The 
people  of  this  village  one  day  became  possessed  of  the  strange  idea  that 
they  could  get  some  $7000  without  interest  with  which  to  pay  off  the 
heavy  debt  by  which  they  were  enslaved.  In  a  word  they  wanted  to 
buy  their  freedom. 

One  fine  day  a  number  of  them  came  to  me  petitioning  me  to  lend 
them  $7000  and  receive  them  into  the  Church.  Of  course  I  was 
delighted  with  the  latter  proposition.     But  as  to  the  former  it  was 


Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals    323 


entirely  impossible  to  grant  it,  as  I  had  neither  the  means  nor  the 
authority  to  do  so.  However,  the  good  God  giving  power  to  my 
words  they  soon  gave  up  their  strange  idea.  The  great  and  mysterious 
change  took  also  possession  of  their  hearts,  creating  a  desire  in  them  to 
become  really  and  truly  Christians.  They  numbered  92  and  I  imme- 
diately began  their  instruction,  which  ended  in  May  last,  when  they 
were  all  baptized.  They  have  a  small  hut  for  their  chapel,  which 
they  also  use  as  a  school.  Their  conversion  was  soon  followed  by  that 
of  five  other  villages  in  the  vicinity  of  Senculam.  A  catechist  is  ex- 
clusively engaged  to  attend  to  their  spiritual  needs. 


A  Group  of  Newly  Baptized  Christians. 

Some  one  will  perhaps  exclaim — that  this  is  an  odd  way  of  con- 
verting pagans.  Money  and  temporary  help  are  not  the  true  means 
of  propagating  the  kingdom  of  Him  who  wished  his  followers  to  be 
poor,  humble,  and  suffering.  This  is  all  true,  certainly,  but  the 
Hindus  should  be  taken  as  they  are,  not  as  what  they  ought  to  be. 
They  naturally  abhor  sufferings,  humiliations,  and  miseries.  They 
have  a  remarkable  propensity  to  believe  that  a  true  God  will  neces- 
sarily make  all  his  followers  prosperous.  And  yet  when  those  who  are 
attracted  to  the  Catholic  religion  through  their  sufferings,  which  they 
would  like  the  missionary  to  relieve,  become  Christians,  they  undergo 
a  complete  transformation  and  would  endure  boldly  any  trouble  which 
might  follow  their  conversion. 


'624    Supplement  to  the  American  Edition  of  the  Annals 

But  one  must  not  think  that  conversions  of  a  purely  spiritual  char- 
acter are  rare  among  this  people.  Sometimes  it  is  truly  wonderful 
how  men  are  being  brought  to  me  by  the  all-powerful  grace  of  God. 
There  is  a  town  under  my  jurisdiction  called  Avadiamore.  It  is  the 
spiritual  center  for  fifteen  converted  villages,  and  will  one  day  be  a 
flourishing  and  prosperous  station  for  our  Faith. 

The  great  enemy  we  must  destroy  is  the  superstition  of  paganism. 
The  field  is  white  unto  the  harvest  but  the  laborers  are  few.  To 
accomplish  the  desirable  end  I  have  only  ten  catechists  who  not  only 
must  give  instruction  to  pagans,  but  also  to  the  new  converts.     And 


A  Hindoo  Family. 

how  can  they  do  effective  work,  these  ten  men,  when  they  must  attend 
to  the  needs  of  the  Catholic  population  scattered  over  some  thirty-five 
villages  ? 

Our  expenses  are  so  heavy  that  sometimes  I  am  unable  to  meet  them. 
I  am  already  in  difficulties  to  pay  my  teachers,  and  how  I  am  to 
procure  houses  for  them  and  buildings  for  schools  is  something  beyond 
me.  Out  of  20  schools  only  six  have  their  own  building;  the  rest  meet 
on  the  veranda  of  a  church,  or  in  a  cattle  shed,  or  in  the  priest's  house, 
when  there  is  any. 

Only  the  generosity  of  charitable  souls  can  help  us,  and  to  that 
ojenerosity  T  beg  leave  to  appeal  to-day. 


SPECIAL  DONATIONS 

Received  since  the  October  Number. 


POK  Bishop  Boetnaxm 8,  C.  SS.  H.,  Lbpeb  Mission  Molokai. 

Per  Key.  John  T.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) $  14.50 

PoB  Bishop  Chatron,  P.  P.  M.,  Osaka. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston ) 89.70 

POR  Bishop  Couppe.  M.  S.  C,  New  Pomerania. 

Per  Key.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

PoR  Bishop  Merel,  P.  P.  M.,  Canton  Seminart. 

Per  Key.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  Tork) 112.45 

Per  Key.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston ) 17.00 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 125.00 

Mr.  Wm.  Noonan  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 40.00 

PoR  Bishop  Hanlon,  P.  F.  M.,  Upper  Nile. 

Per  Key.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

PoR  THE  Right  Reverend  Bishop  op  Lahore,  India. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

PoR   Bishop  O'Oorman,  C.  8.  Sp.,  Sierra  Leone. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 21.00 

Poe  Father  Dunne,  E.  F.  M.,  Borneo. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 34.00 

PoR   Father  Ferrand,  P.  F.  M.,  Tokio. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 31.05 

Anonymous    (Diocese  of   Manchester) 15.00 

A   Priest    (Diocese   of  Alton) 10.00 

A  Priest   (Diocese  of  New  Orleans) 10.00 

PoR   Father  Ddpin,  P.  P.  M.,  Tongking. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston) 12.70 

POR   Father  Dupe,  O.  M.  I.,  Athabaska. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston ) 2.88 

POR   Father  Boehu,  O.  8.  B..  Sioux  Falls. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

PoR  Father  Corrb,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  Louisville) 2.00 

A  Priest    (Diocese   of   La  Crosse) 6.00 

PoR  Father  Lucchesi,  S.  J.,  Alaska. 

A   Priest    (Diocese  of  La  Crosse) 6.00 

A  Friend  (Diocese  of  Boston) 10.00 

Poe  Father  Sauebt,  P.  F.  M.,  Japan. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   ( Diocese  of  Boston ) 10.00 

For  Father  Lindner,  C.  88.  R.,  Porto  Rico. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn   (Diocese  of  New  York) 118.00 

For   Father  Tignods,  P.  F.  M.,  Coimbatore. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston) 1.00 

For  Father  Siol,  C.  88.  R.,  Porto  Rico. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  YorK) 6.00 

For  Father  Morvan,  S.  M.,  New  Caledonia. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 17.60 

For  Father  Clement,  P.  F.  M.,  Pondichbrrt. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston ) 10.00 

For  Father  Barrier,  P.  F.  M.,  Tongking. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 30.00 

325 


326  Special  Donations 

Fob  Father  Maocirb,  O.  Pbaem.,  Congo  Free  State. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) $2.00 

Foe  Br.  M.  S.  Costra,  M.  C.  S.  F.,  India. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 32.76 

Fob  Leper  Missions  in  China. 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  Cincinnati) 12.00 

Fob  Franciscan  Missions  in  China. 

Anonymous   (Diocese  of  Baltimore) 5.00 

Fob  the  Pbepabation  of  Marist  Missionaries. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh   (Diocese  of  Boston) 100.00 

Fob  Sisteb  Xavier,  Ning-po. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh    (Diocese  of  Boston) 37.00 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  Mother  M.  Paul,  O.  S.  F.,  Uganda. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn   (Diocese  of  New  York) 12.00 

Fob  St.  Joseph's  Society  por  Colored  Missions  op  the  South. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 5.00 

For   Indian  Missions  in  the  United  States. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 15.00 

Fob  Needy  Japanese  Missionaries  (Tokio). 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  ( Diocese  of  Boston) 50.00 

Fob  the  Missionary  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  of  Africa. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn   (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

For  African  Missions. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn  (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

For  Missions  in  India. 

Per  Rev.  John  J.  Dunn   (Diocese  of  New  York) 2.00 

Fob  the  Somali  land  Mission. 

A   Priest    (Diocese   of   Detroit) 2.00 

Mr.  Wm.  Noonan   (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 40.00 

Foe  the  Schools  of  Putter  and  Borimas,  Man  galore. 

Per  Rev.  James  Anthony  Walsh  (Diocese  of  Boston) 50.00 

For  Missions  in  Norway  and  Sweden. 

A  Friend    (Diocese  of  Buffalo) 2.00 

For  Various  Missions. 

A  Priest  (Diocese  of  San  Francisco) 275.00 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the 
donors  for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary,  and  forwards 
the  same  at  once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 


OBITUARY 


The  following  deceased  persons  are  recomaiended  to  the  charitable 
prayers  of  our  Associates : 

Right  Rev.  Mgr.  Fraysse,  S.  M.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  New  Cede- 
donia;  Right  Rev.  Mgr.  Potron,  0.  F.  M.,  Titular  Bishop  of  Jericho; 
Very  Rev.  Leon  Lejeune,  C.  S.  Sp.,  Prefect  Apostolic  of  Lower 
Niger;  Very  Rev.  T.  J.  Smith,  C.  M.,  Diocese  of  St.  Louis;  Rev. 
T.  J.  Lee,  Diocese  of  Boston;  Rev.  Joseph  Friedmann,  Diocese  of 
New  Orleans. 

Sister  M.  Ignatia  Baker,  Diocese  of  Chicago;  Sister  Marie  Antonie, 
S.  N.  D.,  Diocese  of  Philadelphia;  Sister  M.  Gmelda  McEvoy,  Diocese  of 
New  Orleans. 

Mrs.  Lucia  D.  Pychowska,  Diocese  of  Newark;  Miss  Helen  Castleton, 
Diocese  of  Trenton;  Miss  Lizzie  Oalvin,  Diocese  of  Little  Rock;  Mrs.  Eliza 
M.  Doyle,  Edward  H.  Doyle,  and  Paul  Joseph  O'Brien,  Diocese  of  San 
Francisco;  Charles  Depcinski,  Diocese  of  Detroit. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  Boston  the  following:  John  Dunn,  Mrs.  Ellen  Kearney, 
Mrs.  Katharyn  Hyde,  Patrick  Kenedy,  Ann  Cox,  Edward  Cox.  William 
Cox,  John  O'Brien,  Nora  McCarthy,  David  Murphy,  Timothy  McCarthy, 
Michael  Sullivan,  James  Kelly,  Mrs.  Margaret  Mahan,  Ellen  Williams,  Mrs. 
Corkery,  Patrick  Chaplice,  John  Lorden,  Mrs.  Gilmore,  Annie  Duggan, 
Nellie  Sheehan,  Margaret  Mahan,  John  Duress,  Mrs.  Maria  Aiken,  Mrs. 
Hanah  Sweeney,  Thomas  Foley,  Mrs.  Mary  Walsh,  Hannah  Killeen,  Mrs. 
Maria  Whalen,  John  Gillon,  Patrick  Kenedy,  Nellie  Trombley,  Mr.  Marly, 
Mrs.  Fred  Coombs,  Mrs.  J.  J.  Callahan,  Margaret  Mayers,  Mrs.  Ellen  K. 
Murphy,  Mrs.  Sarah  Kelly.  Patrick  Martin,  Ann  Martin,  Mary  Martin,  Denis 
Martin,  Patrick  Martin,  Jr.,  Kate  Howe,  Mrs.  Margaret  Gorman,  Ann  Eliza 
Nicholson,  Jeremiah  Hagerty,  Frank  Landry,  Michael  F.  O'Hara,  Nora 
McLaughlin,  Katherlne  McCarthy,  Ellen  Walsh,  Louis  Connors,  Mr.  Ed- 
wards, Mary  O'Brien,  Annie  Maloney,  Mr.  William  O'Connor,  Mr.  Michael 
Keating,  Mr.  Willis  Bernard,  Mrs.  Mary  Rich,  Mrs.  Bridget  McGoqan, 
William  Sheen,  Mr.  William  Daly,  John  J.  Powers,  Mr.  John  Eagin,  Ellen 
Morris,  Mrs.  Ann  Martin,  Jeremiah  Hayes,  Francis  Thornton,  Sarah  Duran, 
Thomas  Peacock,  Catherine  Fallon,  Alfred  Peacock,  Ellen  Kelly,  Bridget 
Peacock,  John  F.  Stanton,  George  Barmam,  Timothy  J)esmond,  Michael 
McPIke,  Mary  McPike,  Michael  Lynch,  Wm.  McDono^gh,  John  Curran, 
Jeremiah  McCarthy,  Wm.  J.  McCarthy,  James  Lamb,  Hugh  Morgan,  Fred- 
erick Krohn,  Elizabeth  Morgan,  Hannah  Barry,  John  Keefe,  Thomas 
Keefe,  Eugene  Sullivan,  Charles  Burns,  William  Keefe,  Catherine  Keefe, 
Mary  Irwin,  John  Waldron,  James  Hart,  Mary  Conners,  Mary  Emerson, 
Mrs.  Johanna  Carney,  Mary  Coyne,  Robert  M.  Meehan,  Mrs.  Ellen  McMul- 
lin,  Thomas  H.  Coughlan,  Thomas  W.  Donnelly,  Rev.  Denis  Sullivan,  James 

327 


328  Obituary 

Morris,  Daniel  J.  Mahoney,  John  Laughlin,  Patrick  Duran,  Katherine  De- 
vine,  James  Fallon,  Mary  Evans,  Mary  Sweet,  Patrick  Fallon. 

Of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  the  following:  Mrs.  Anna  Mulqueen,  Ed- 
mund O'Shea,  William  McGroarty,  Ellen  and  Francis  Golden,  Rosanna 
Diodati,  James  Smith,  Andrew  Ledwith,  Lulu  M.  Walsh,  Anna  Darcy, 
Bridget  Nolan,  Edward  Donnelly,  Patrick  Murphy,  Agnes  E.  Fitzpatrick, 
Matthew  Cahill,  James  W.  Kiernan,  Joanna  O'Connor,  Patrick  Fogarty, 
Patrick  Delany,  James  Campbell,  Julia  Conway,  Francis  Byrne,  Peter  Gal- 
lagher, Bridget  Tobin,  Thomas  Maloney,  Miss  D.  Leitiser,  Bridget  and 
Mary  Gallagher,  Michael  Dowd,  John  J.  Hannon,  Nettie  C.  Sullivan,  John 
Molloy,  Thomas  F.  Ryan,  Michael  H.  Mulcahy,  Mary  C.  Burke,  Mrs.  Ellen 
O'Neill,  Mary  Kelly,  Frank  K.  Doyle,  Joseph  Brown,  George  Murphy,  Mrs. 
Ellen  Murphy,  Elizabeth  Hatton,  Mary  Gates,  Thomas  Fogarty,  Daniel 
O'Leary,  William  Callahan,  Julia  McNally,  Matthew  Corcoran,  Michael 
Higgins,  Margaret  McKenna,  Mary  Masterson,  Patrick  McGuire,  Kath- 
arine Corcoran,  Patrick  O'Rourke,  Sarah  O'Rourke,  William  Collins,  James 
Gordon,  Mary  Ward,  Thomas  Claffey,  Mary  and  Jane  Mullen,  Frank  Doyle, 
Mrs.  Thomas  McDonough,  William  Stump,  Mrs.  Florence  Kelly,  Thomas 
Ready,  Margaret  Ready,  William  Callahan,  Mrs.  Margaret  Hopkins,  Mary 
Ready,  William  F.  Ready,  Louise  Brown,  Joseph  Brown,  James  Slattery, 
Michael  J.  Kelly,  Mrs.  Frank  Smith,  Patrick  McNally,  Catharine  Shaugh- 
nessy,  Alice  M.  Gorman,  Richard  Hayes,  Mrs.  Catherine  Richardson. 

(We  shall  be  glad  to  recommend  all  deceased  associates 
whose  names  are  sent  us  to  the  prayers  of  our  readers). 


NOTICE 

The  PROMOTERS,  MEMBERS,  and  BENEFACTORS  of  the 
'^SOCIETY  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH^ 
are  earnestly  requested  to  remit  their  annual  contribtstions  before 
December  3  J,  J90S 

The  DIOCESAN  DIRECTORS  will  please  remit  all  receipts  to 
the  General  Director,  the  REV*  J*  FRERI,  D*CL*,  627  LEXING- 
TON AVENUE,  NEW  YORK,  N-  Y-,  before  January  JO,  J906; 
on  this  d^e  the  account  of  receipts  to  be  credited  to  the  various 
dioceses  for  the  current  year  will  be  closed* 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  LXVIII 


Refobts  of  Receipts  in  1904 109 

Reports  of  Allocations  made  in  1905 279 

The  Societies  of  Catholic  Mission abieb  (Continued) 55 

4.  The  Belgian  Congregation  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mart 

and  the  Seminary  of  Scheut-Lez-Brussels 56 

5.  The  Society  of  African  Missions  of  Lyons  and  its  Missions, 

BY  THE  Rev.  E.  Chautard,  L.  A.  M 119 

6.  The  Congregation  of  Lazarists  and  their  Apostolate  in  Mis- 

sionary Countries,  by  the  Rev.  A.  Mhon,  C.  M 167 

7.  The  Missions  of  the  Society  of  Mary,  by  the  Rev.  B^.  Aubry, 

S.  M 223 

8.  The  Society  of  the  Divine  Word  and  its  Missions 290 

News  of  the  Missions 37.  81,  201,  259 

LdETTER   OF    THE   BiSHOP   OF    GaLLOWAY    (SCOTLAND)    RECOMMENDING    THE. 

Society  fob  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 311 

Destination  or  Missionaries 38,  88,  206,  313 

MISSIONS  IN  ASIA 

Southern  Manchuria — Letter  of  Father  C.  Monnier,  P.  F,  M. — Mur- 
der of  a  missionary  of  the  Society  of  Foreign  Missions  of  Paris. .       3 

Upper  Tongking. — Letter  of  Father  Hue,  P.  F.  M, — How  a  Christian 
Settlement  is  established — Conversion  of  the  Bonze  of  Phunghia. .       5 

KuMBHAKONAM. — Letter  of  the  Right  Rev,  Mgr.  Bottero,  P.  F,  if. — The 
East  and  the  West  Ravaged. — Kumbhakonam  Undisturbed. — The 
Training  of  Catechlsts   66 

Ceylon. — Letter  of  Father  Aloys  Kieger,  0.  M.  I. — From  Genoa  to 
Ceylon. — In  Colombo  with  Archbishop  Melizan. — The  College  of 
the  Oblate  Fathers. — First  Efforts  and  Consolations 137 

Thibet. — Letters  of  Bishop  Oiraudeau,  P.  F.  Jf. — ^Murder  of  Mission- 
aries in  Thibet 175,  302 

Northern  Manchuria. — Letter  of  Bishop  Lalouyer,  P.  F.  M. — Pastoral 
Visit  of  the  Province  of  Ghirin. — Progress  of  the  Evangelization. .  176 

Southern  Tongking. — Letter  of  Father  Belleville,  P.  F.  M. — Wedding 
at  Mo-Vinh.— An  Episode  of  the  Persecution  of  1885 236 

MISSIONS  IN  AFRICA 

Belgian  Congo. — Letters  of  Father  Sanden,  B.   F.  M.,  and  Father 

Stock,  B.  F.M 18,  22 

Gabon. — Letter  of  Rev.  Fr.  Mac6,  C.  8.  Sp. — The  Missions  of  Lam- 
baren6. — The  Galoas  and  the  Pahouins. — Slavery 74 

SoMALiLAND. — Letters  of  Fathers  Laiorence  and  Stephen,  0.  M.  Cap. — 
Foundation  of  the  Missions  of  Berbera. — Tribute  to  the  English 
Government. — Admirable  examples  of  Christians 182 

Upper  Niger. — Letter  of  Father  Zappa,  L.  A.  M. — The  Apostolate  of 
two  Catechists   241 

N.  Victoria  Nyanza. — Letter  of  Sister  Mary  Claver. — The  Sleeping 
Sickness   249 

MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 

Saskatchewan. — Letter  of  Father  Jullien,  0.  M.  1 303 

329 


330  Contents  of  Volume  LXVIII 

MISSIONS  IN  OCEANICA 

New  Pomerania. — Letter  of  Bishop  Coupp^.,  M.  8.  C. — Two  MissionarleB 
Three  Brothers,  and  Five  Sisters  Massacred  in  New  Pomerania 30 

The  Marquesas  Islands. — Letter  of  Father  Or  ens  Saint-Criq,  8.  H.  Pic. 
Touching  Death  of  a  Child.— How  Our  Lord  Keeps  His  Promises. .  195 

Gilbert  Islands. — Letter  of  Bishop  Leroy,  M,  8.  0. — Blessing  of  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Sacred  Heart  at  Butaritari 253 


Contents  of  American  Supplement 


Editorials  39 

Mission  Notes  and  News. — 

Father  Corre'b  Leper  Mission,  Japan 45 

Ste.  Marie's  Mission,  British  Columbia 49 

In  the  Steps  of  Damian. — ^Brother  Serapion  a  Victim  of  Leprosy.    95 
The  Russo-Japanese  War  and  the  People  of  Japan. — By  Father 

Maeda,  Japanese  Priest 99 

The  Last  Letter  of  Bishop  Favier  and  Comparative  Report  of 

THE  Vicariate  Apostolic  of  Pekin 143 

An  American  Nun  in  the  Heart  of  Africa. — Letter  of  Mother 

Paul,  O.  S.  F ^ 146 

Need  of  Native  Catechists  and  Nurses  in  Japan. — ^Letter  or 

Father  Sauret,  P.  F.  M 152 

An   Appeal  for  American   Missionaries   in   China. — Letter  of 

Father  Fraser,  Missionary  in  Ning-Po 159 

Irish  Missionaries  at  the  Upper  Nile. — Letter  of  Bishop  Han- 

LON,  E.  F  M 207 

The  Chinese  Seminary  of  Canton. — Letter  of  Bishop  Merel, 

P.  F.  M 212 

The  Iceland  Mission. — Letter  of  Father  Servaes,  Missionary..  262 
Recollections  of  the  Persecutions  of  the  Year  1900  in  Central 

Mongolia.     (Pathetic  8tory  of  an  Apostate  Child.) — ^Letter. 

OF  Father  Rutten,  B.  F.  M 268 

Colored  Nuns  in  Africa. — Letter  of  Bishop  Kunemann,  C.  S.  Sp.  .  273 
In  the  Prison  Camps  of  Japan. — Letter  of  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Cas- 

tanier,  p.  F.  M 315 

Catholic  Progress  in  India. — Letter  of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Louis, 

Missionary    320 

Special  Donations   53,  105,  164,  220,  276,  325 

OBiruARY     54,  107,  165,  221,  277,  327 


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AT  HOME" 


'*••••  I  can  conceive  that  someone  may  say:  'We  need 
everythin{[  at  home.  We  have  thousands  and  tent  of 
thousands  without  education.  Half  the  pofiulation  <yf 
Lrondo£.>never  ^o  to  church,  perhaps  half  have  never 
been  baptised;  or,  if  they  were,  they  live  as  if  they  never 
had  been.  Here  is  our  heathen  world.  Here  b  our  mis- 
sionary work.  Why  then  send  misaonaries  into  other 
lands?*  The  answer  is:  If  you  wish  to  put  out  a  fire  you 
have  only  to  stifle  it.  Stifle  the  zeal  of  the  Church,  and 
you  extin{[uish  it.  Keep  down  the  flame  <yf  the  love  of 
God  and  of  your  neighbor,  and  it  will  soon  die  out.  This 
answer  would  be  sufficient,  but  we  have  an  ampler  reply. 
Our  Divine  Lord  has  promised  *Give,  and  it  shall  be  given 
to  you ' ;  and,  therefore,  if  I  did  not  know  how  to  find  the 
means  even  to  build  a  school,  I  would  not  refuse  alms  to 
send  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen.  Be  assured  that  the 
same  Lord  who  is  Almi|(hty  is  also  generous.  He  is  able 
and  willing  to  give  us  all  we  want.  It  is  an  axiom  <yf  faith, 
that  the  Church  was  never  yet  made  poor  by  ^ving  its 
last  farthing  for  the  salvation  of  souls.** 

CARDINAL  MANNING 

on  EcctoiiMtical  S«bi«ctt 
VoL  L,  p.  372 


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