OF KENTUCKY FROM THEIR COMMENCEMENT IN 1787, TO THE JUBILEE OF 1826-7: EMBRACING A SUMMARY OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE STATE; THE AD­ VENTURES OF THE FIRST CA THOLIC EMIGRANTS; BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF THE EARLY l\'l:tSSIONARIES; THE :J¡:ARLY HISTORY CF THE PRINCIPAL PROTESTANT SECTS IN KENTUCKY; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE J. : .. : .. : :.: .. . .... .:: ::: .:. .' .. ::: . .. . . . ... •••• .. • • ••• 1 .. cor r RIGHT SECURED ACCORDING TO LAW. B. j. wann AND JlRüTHÉI{., t1nlNTEtts. TO THE RI. Ref. fJJendic/ flrJejv!i flla¡el; D. D. BISHOP OF LOUISVILLE, And the Venerable Patriarch of the West, THESE SKETCHES OF A HISTORY, IN WHICH HE WAS A PRINCIPAL ACTOR, AND OF WHICH HE WAS THE BRIGHTEST ORNAMENT, Are Respectfully IuscrÏbéd, AS SOME SLIGHT TRlEUTE TO HIS MANY EMINENT ViRTUES, A.ND TO HIS PROTRACTED APOSTOLICAL LABORS IN iŒNTUCKV, AND AS A SMALL PLEDGE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS PARENT AL SOLICITUDE, AND FOR HIS MANY ACTS OF AFFECTIONATE KINDNESS, BY ms FAITHFUL SERVANT, AND GRATKFUL CHll,D IN CHRIST. THE AtJ'TDOR. PREFACE. THE writër of the following pages has not intended to give a full and connected history of the early Catholic Mis­ sions of Kentucky. His only object has been, to collect together, and to record; in a series of sketches, such facts as might prove interesting to the general reader, and serve as materials for the future church historian of the United States, and especially of the West, to which Kentucky has been, in a religious, if not in a political, point of view, the great pioneer and alma mater. Of all the Western States Kentucky is the oldest; and it Was in this State, that the first Episcopal See of the West was erected. At the time of its establishment, the See of Bardstown held spiritual j urisdiction over all the States and. Territories of the United States, lying between the thirty-fifth degree of North Latitude and the Lakes of the North, and between �he States bordering on the At­ lantic Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. This vast origi­ nal diocese of the West is now divided into ten different flourishing dioceses, under ten different prelates, all of whom look up to the venerable Bishop Flaget as their Patriarch. Most of the early Catholic settlers of Kentucky, and almost all the older missionaries, have already disappeared from the stage of life; and the scanty remnant of these 1 vi '. :nc: :fM�\��' T:� ·n./ .... � venerable pIOneers is now fast hastening to . the tomb. They belonged to a class; which did much, and wrote lit­ tle. The dangers and hardships, through which they had to pass, left them little time; and gave them little incli­ nation, to write their memoirs. Almost the only means of learning the early religious history of Kentucky, of which their lives constitute the principal part, is to take down their own statements of facts, and their own remin­ iscences of early times, while they still linger above the horizon of life. This is what the writer of these hasty and imperfect sketches has attempted to do. How well he has succeeded, the public will best judge. The only merit he can claim is that of some industry and patient research. He has sought information from almost every living source within his reach; he has noted down, and compared with one another the different statements of numerous aged persons; he has labored to supply the deficiencies, or to correct the mistakes, of some of these statements, by the more copious or accurate details furnished by others: in a word, he has endeavoured to derive from all of them an accurate, and, as far as was practicable, a connected account of the early Catholic Missions of Kentucky. But he did not stop here. He endeavoured to examine all the written and printed documents, bearing on the sub­ ject, to which he could have access. The statements fur­ nished by these papers, were diligently compared with those contained in the notes of the oral accounts just alluded to: and the comparison served to shed additiouallight upon both. The published accounts of our early missions, besides PREFACE. vii being, in general, unconnected and fragmentary, are mea­ gre enough. Scattered over the pages of the many vol­ umes comprising the" Annals of the French Association for the propagation of the Faith," or published in various religious journals of Europe and America, they are some. times inaccurate in point of facts and dates. Some of them are overburdened with unimportant details, too triv­ ial for history; while others by far the most valuable-are much too brief and summary. To the former class belong many of the letters written by our early missionaries; to the latter, a few succinct and well-written accounts of our early missions. To this class belongs the admirable account of the ear­ ly missions of Kentucky drawn up by the very Rev. M. Badin, while residing in Paris, in 1822. This sketch has the good qualities of nearly all the other writings of the venerable "first-ordained" of the United States. It is clear, connected, accurate in point of facts and dates, well written, and in good taste. The only matter of re­ gret is, that it is so brief, and that it enters into so few details. Yet, withal, it has been found of great utility in the composition of the following sketches, which have in fact, been based on it, at least, in that portion of the early religious history of Kentucky of which it professes to treat. The author deeply regrets, that this is almost the only writing of M. Badin to which he could have access. In the numerous peregrinations and wanderings of this vener­ able missionary pioneer, most of his notes and papers, con­ nected with his early labors in the West, have been entire- viii PREFACE. Iy lost. * Yet the writer of these sketches has derived in­ valuable assistance from him otherwise. In fact, it waa he who, in a great measure, originated the work, which would not probably have been undertaken, but for his pro. mised aid and co-operation, His clear memory of facts and dates furnished much valuable information on the ear­ lier portion of our missionary history; and supplied many of the links that were wanting in the chain of printed do­ cuments. The later portion of our religious history, comprised in these sketches, might have been much more copious and detailed, had another venerable personage not been pre­ vented by his modesty and humility from allowing the writer access to his copious notes and papers. However much this may be regretted, it may, perhaps, be thought that the time had not yet come for writing this portion of our missionary history � When that time shall come, the necessary materials will probably not be wanting; nor will they be deficient, either in copiousness, or in interest. One of the greatest difficulties, perhaps, which the wri­ ter of these pages had to encounter, arose from his having undertaken to write the history of recent events, many of the actors in which are still living. If it is a difficult and delicate task to write the history even of the dead; it is manifestly much more so, to write that of the living. A man's actions and motives cannot be properly appreciated, until after he has completed his career, and finished all the acts in the drama of Efe. Influenced by these considera­ tions, the author has determined to say as little as possi- 'it This loss occurred chiefly while be was laboring among the Potowatomy Indians of the North West, about twelve years ago. PREFACE. ix ble of the living, and to confine himself almost entirely to the dead. He has however felt compelled to make two axceptions to this rule; and to speak at some length of two venerable living octogenarians, without an account of whose lives and labors, any history of the early missions of Kentucky would be meagre and incomplete indeed. The chief thing aimed at by the author has been accu­ racy in facts and dates. He is, how€ver, sensible that, [rom the difficulties he had to encounter in n'gard to the materials of the history, as well as from numerous inter­ ruptions by heavy missionary duties while engaged in wri­ ting it out, he may have been betrayed into some errors. These he will willingly correct, whenever they will be pointed out by any kind friend. To enable his readers the more easily, to know the sources whence he borrowed his information, he has also thought it better to indicate his authorities as he proceed€d. To such as might be inclined to think, that many inci­ dents and anecdotes related in these pagf::S are too trivial in their character, and had better have been omitted, he would beg leave to say, that these things may have a lo­ cal, if not a general interest; and that many details, which would be wholly out of place in a regular history, may be pardoned in mere desultory sketches. BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY, Feast of Corpus Christi, 18,11. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGß. INTRODUCTlON.-BRIEF SUMMARY OP THE EARLY HISTORY OF KENTUcKv.-Necessity of this Introduction-The two Historians of Kentucky-The original Indian claimants of Kentucky-Treaties with them-The Pioneers-Dr. Walker-John Finley-Daniel Boone­ The "Long Huntere't=-The Surveyors-s-The first man burned in Kentucky-James Harrod-Stations of Boonesborough and Harrod's Town-Other Stations­ Difficulties and dangers of the Emigrants-J ames Ro­ gers Clark-Takes Kaskaskias and Post St. Vincent's­ Battle of the Blue Licks-Expedition of Clark-Ken­ tuckya State-Gen'l. Harmar's Expedition-Gen'!. St. Clair's Defeat-Gen'l. Wayne's Victory-Treaty of Greenville-General Peace ..•••.•••..•••.••••••••••••. CHAPTER II. THE EARLY CATHOLIC EMIGRANTS TO KENTUCKY.-Glow- ing reports of the Pioneers-Virginia and Maryland in motion towards the West-The first Catholic Emigrants to Kentucky-Dr. Hart- Wm. Coomes-The first Phy. sician and the first School-The Successive Catholic Colonies-Dangers on the way-Running the gauntlet -Indian attacks-Death of McManus, of Cox, and of Buckman-The Savages and the Cross-Thrilling in­ cident of the late war-Mode of procuring salt-Do .. mestic manners of the Early Emigrants to Kentucky­ Furniture, food, and apparel-Hospitality-Singular Adventures and hair-breadth escapes of W m. Coomes­ Incidents in the early history of Harrod's Town .•••••••. 22 xii CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. THE FIRST Cxrnor.rc MISSIONARY IN KENTUCKy-HIS LIFE A ND 'rIMES.-FROM 1787, TO 1793.-Father Whelan­ His early history-His appointment to the Mission of Kentucky-His arrival and missionary labours=-Pro­ miscuous meetings and dancing-Prejudices of Secta­ rians-Anecdotes-Father Whelan's trials and diíficul­ ties--His return to Maryland and subsequent life-Rev. Wm. De Rohan-Remarkable adventures of John Lan- caster ...•• _ ..•••.••.•••.••••.•.•••..•••..•....•..... 41 CHAPTER IV. REVEREND M. BADIN IN KENTUeKY.-FROM 1793 TO 1797. -The French Revolution-Virtues of the exiled French Clergy-Me Badin-His early studies-Anecdote-His firm attachment to the faith--He sails for America­ Singular coincidence-Anecdote of Bishop Carroll-IVI. Badin appointed to the missions of Kentucky-Charac­ teristic conversation between him and Bishop Carroll­ Departure for Kentucky-Delay at Gal1opolis-Arrival of M. Barrieres-M. Badm alone in Kentucky-His trou­ bles-Christian friendship-Me Rivet-M. Badin's Ia­ bonrs in Kentucky-His missionary stations-Teaching Catechism-Morning and evening prayer-His Maxims -Curious anecdote-Hearing confessions-Dancing­ Anecdotes-Strange notions respecting Catholic priests -M. Badin's pJivations-His disinterested zeal-His dangers and adventures-How to cure the Pleurisy- "St. Paul ..•••..••..•....•..••..•...•...•......••.... 55 ŒIAPTER V. ARRIVAL OF OTHER MISSIONARŒS.-FROM 1797TO 1803.­ Rev. M. Fournier-Traits and facts of' his early life­ His arrival in Kentucky-His stations and labours­ His character-His sudden death-Rev. Mr. Salmon­ His zeal and labours-Humorous incident-His trágica 1 death-His Epitaph-Rev. M. Thayer-Anecdote of Franklin=-Mr. 'I'hayer'a conversion-His labours in Boston-in Kentucky-And in Limeriok=-Hie death n CHAPTER VI. EARJJY HISTORY OF THE CHIEF PnOTESTANT SECT� TN KEN­ TueI\Y.-FROM 17tH 'I'D 1820.--0nr authonties=-Fathor Rice-His opinion of the first Protestant preachers in CONTENTS. xiii Kentucky-A ccspeck" of Religion-Wrangling and Sectarism-A frightful picture-Causes of religious de­ cline-Avarice in preachers-The great hurricane of religion-Origin and doctrines of the Cumberland Pres­ byterians-Fierce and indomitable spirit of Presbyteri­ anism-Origin of the "New-Lights"-Singular mani. festo-Sentence of deposition-A curious document­ Origin of the Campbellites-Presbyterian dissensions­ A preacher twice convicted of slander-Another con­ demned-Disunion among Baptists-The "great revi­ val') in Kentucky-Col. Stone's description of it-Far. ther particulars-Jerking, jumping, falling, and bark­ ing exercises-The Shakers in Kentucky-Curious re- ligious statistics-Reflections...... •••• • • .• • • •• •••• •••• 82 CHAPTER VII. 1\1. BADIN AGAIN AI.ONE.-FROM 1803 TO 1805.-Death of missionaries-Me Rivet and General Harrison-But three Catholic missionaries in the whole 'Vest-Labors of M. Badin increase-No rest in this life-Anecdote of Bishop David-M. Badin not dead-Fruits of his la­ bours-Pietyof early Catholics-Zeal to attend church "Uncle Harry," a pious negro-Hospitable Catholics of the olden time--Distinguished men of Kentucky, friends lof M. Badin-Joe Daviess-Converts--Judge Twyman-Mrs. Onan-Singular charge against Cath­ olics-Is the Pope antichrist?-Zealous Catholic lay­ men'-Anecdotes-Celibacy-Having two wives-The "Water-witch" -Asking a sign--Divorces- Praying by proclamation--How many Oommandmcnts=-v l'rin- ciples of Catholics"-Discussion with preacher Me­ Henry-Famous Sermon on Baptism .•••••••••••••••••. 111 CHAPTER VIII. THE REv. CHARLES NERINCKx-Hrs EARLY LIFE AND LA­ BOURS-FROM 1805 TO 18U.-M. Nerinckx--His child­ hood and early history--Curate at Malines-And at Ev­ erbery Meerbeke-His care of children-Revival of pie­ ty-His austenty- Is persecuted and compelled to fly­ His retreat at Terremonde-Escapes to the United States-A "floating hell"-Reaches Baltimore-Sent to Kentucky -His arrival and early Iabours=-His spirit of prayer and mortification-His courage and zeal-His cheerfulness and kindness to the poor-His narrow es­ capes in crossing rivers-His wolf adventure--His ad­ venture with Hardin-His bodily strength and toils­ The churches he built-His labours in the confessional --A touching devotion-e-The fruits of his zeal-The se- cret of his suceess-A touching incident.. • •• •••• .••• .. J 30 xiv CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. THE DOMINICANS IN KENTUCKY.-FROM 1805 TO 1824.- Early missionary labours of the Dominican Order-The English Dominicans--College at Bornheim-Departure for America-Arrival in Kentucky-Founding of St. Rose-The new noviciate--Bishop Concannon-Father Wilson's learning, virtues, labours and death-Father Edward Fenwick-His zeal and Iaboure-c-íStray sheep' -Humorous adventure with an old lady-His mission- ary labours in Ohio-Founding of St. Joseph's, Somer­ set-N aminated first Bishop of Cincinnati-- His success and death-The missionary labours of the Dominicans in Kentucky-Father Willet-College of Sto Thomas Aquinas--Monasteryof St. Magdalen's •••.•••••••••••• 149 CHAPTER X. THE TRAPPISTS IN KENTUCKY.-FROM 1805 TO 1809.­ Goodness of Providence toward the Missions of Ken­ tucky-The Cistercian and Carthusian Monks--The Abbo De Rance-His early life, disorders, and conver­ sion-His exemplary penance-Attempts a reform of the Order-The Trappists--Their rules and austerities -Dispersed by the French Revolution--Some of them escape to Amenca-Father Urban Guillet-The Trap. pists at tho Pigeon Hills, in Pennsylvania- Their arri­ val in Kentucky--Their edifying life and austerities-­ The numberwho died in Kentucky-Cross in the moon -Departure for Missouri-Delay at the mouth of the Ohio-Sublime spectacle-Ascent of the Mississippi­ Curious aceident--The Trappists at Flourissant-And at Monk's Mound-- The India.ns--Curious fact in acoustics-Deaths at Monk's Mound-Return to Eu­ rope--Incidents of travel-Remarks on a passage in the "American Notes" of Charles Dickens ••••••••••••• 162 CHAPTER XI. TUE ARR1VAL OF THE BISHOP IN KENTUCKY.-Efforts of M. Badin to have a Bishop nominated for Kentucky- His Journey to Baltimore-Edifying incident at Brownsville Pennsylvania-The Rev. M. Fiaget-IIis carly Iife­ Arrival in America--Labours at Vincennes-In Hava­ na-And at Baltimore--His qualities-Appointed first Bishop of Bardstown-Firmly declines accepting­ Compelled to yield-Consecrated-The Rev. M. David -Diffieu1tie� and delay at Ba.ltimore--Extracts from the Bishop's correspondence-Incidents of the journey to CONTENTS. XV Kentucky-The arrival-The ceremonies of taking pos­ session of his See-Apostolical poverty-Religious sta­ tistics of Kentucky on his arrival-And of the North­ west--The Bishop removes to -St, Thomas', and to Bardstown-The first priest ordained in Kentucky-His zeal and labours--Eulogy of Bishop Flaget............. 178 CHA PTER XII. REv. M. NERINCKX AGAIN.-HIS ESTABLISHMENTS AND DEATH-FROM 1811 TO 1824.-Rev. M. Nerinckx-Faith­ ful unto death-A good soldier of the cross--His merits testified by Bishop Flaget-His success in making con­ verts--Appointed administrator of New Orleans-De­ clines the honor-Affection of his old parishioners-­ His spirit and character--Founds the Society of Loretto --The objects oí the Sisterhood--The Mother House­ And branch establishments-Bishop Flaget's testimony -Utility of the Society-Christian perfection--Reli­ ance on Providence-Love of Poverty-Continual pray­ er-Mortification-Rules modified-Journey of M. Ner­ inckx to Missouri--His edifying death- .. Translation of his remains-His monument and epitaph .•••••••••••••• 196 CHAPTER XIII. FATHER DAVID-HIS EARLY LIFE-THE THEOLOGICAL SE­ MINARY.-Father David-His parentage and early youth-He studies for the Church-And is ordained­ Joins the Sulpicians-Is 'forced to fly from France­ Sails for America--Becomes a missionary in Maryland -Gives Retreats with great fruit-Resides in George­ town College-And in Baltimore-Accompanies Bishop Flaget to Kentucky--Founds our Theological Seminary -Its early history sketch ed- Virtues and labours of the Seminarians-Instructions and Maxims of Father David -His character-His missionary labours .••••..•••••••. 215 CHAPTER XIV. TIlE SISTERS OF CHARITY IN KENTlTCKY.-Father David, their Founder-The objects of the Sisterhood-Its hum­ ble beginning-And early history-Its rapid growth­ And extended usefulness-Branch establishments­ Removal to the present situation-Present condition of the Society-A precious legacy....................... 229 CHAPTER XV. THE NEW CATHEDRAJ� OF ST. J OSEPH'S-CONSECRATIOlJ OF FATHER D4.VlD-HlS WRITINGS, DEATH, AND CHARAC- xvi CONTEN'fS. TER.-Rcmoval of the Seminary to Bardstown-Erec­ tion of the Cathedral-Liheral subscriptions-Obsta­ ctes=-Dedication of the Cathedral-The edifice describ­ ed-Its paintings and ornaments-Father David named Bishop-Accepts with reluctance-His poverty-His Consecration-His zeal redoubles-His zeal for the ru­ brics-And taste for Music-His qualities as pastor of the Cathedral-As a preacher-And as a confessor­ The splendid services of the Cathedral-A refreshing reminiscence-Testimony of eye-witnesses-The re­ mainder of Father David's life-His zeal for the faith­ His oral discussion with Hall-His controversial ser .. mons and writings-His other writings-His happy death-And character ó • • • • • • •• •••• • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •• 242 CHAPTER XVI. REV. MESSRS. O'FLYNN AND DERTG.AuD.-Rev. F. O'.: Flynn-His early life-Emigration to America-And arrival in Kentucky-His appearance and piety-In­ cident showing his eloquence-His infirm health-And return to France-Rev. lVI. Derigaud-His early life­ Ordination-Virtues-Zeal and labours-A religious brotherhood-His edifying death ......•..••.•.•...•••• Z59 CHAPTER XVII. REV. 'VMe BYRNE AND REV. GEORGE A. M. ELDER.-Two Christian friends-Two founders of Colleges-Rev. Wm. Byrne-His early life-His ordination-His zeaJ and missionary laboms=-Founds S1. Mary's College -His unshaken constancy in adversity-His qualities as a preacher-His virtues and instructions-Falls a martyr of charity-Rev. G. A. M. Elder-His early life-And missionary labours-His amiability of cha­ racter-Founds St. Joseph's College-A touching inci­ dent-His indefatigable zeal-His pious and edifying death ......••...•.......................... _ 265 CHAP'I'ER XVIII. THE JUßILEE OF 1826-7.-STATISTICS OF THE DIOcEss AT Its CLOSE-CONCLUSlON.-The nature of a Jubilee­ And of an Indulgence in general-The utility of In­ dulgences shown-The Jubilee of 1826-7 in Kentucky -Its commencement-Progress-And astonishing re­ sults-Edifying examples-Conversions of Protestants -Statistics of the Diocess-c-The Rev. Mr. Kenrick- Reflections-The Patriarch of the West 288 l\PFENDlX •••••••••••••••••••••••.••.••••••••••••••••• 303 SKETCHES OF THE EARLY CATHOLIC MISSIONS OF KENTUCKY. CHAPTER i. INTRODUCTION� Brief Summary of the Early History of Kentucky. Necessity of this Introduction-The two Historians of Ken­ :ticky"':_The original Indian claimants of Kentueky-e-Treaties with them-The Pioneers-Dr. Walker-John Finley-Daniel Boone-The "Long Huntersv'-c-The Surveyors-The first man burned in Kentucky-J ames Hárrod=-Stations of Boonesbo­ rough and Harrod's Town-Other Stations-Difficulties and langers of thé Emigrants-s-J ames Rogers Clark-Takes Kaskas­ kias and Post St. Vincent's-Báttle of the Blue Licks-Expedi­ Gion of Clark-Kentucky aState-Gen'}. Harmar's Expedí­ tion=-Gen'L St. Clair's Defeat-e-Gen'L Wayne's Victory­ Treaty of Greenville-General Peace. . BEFORE we attempt to sketch the early religious history of Kentucky, it will be necessary, for the better understanding of the subject, rapidly to trace the chief events connected with the first set­ tlement of this Commonwealth. Our plan will call for and permit only a very brief summary. Those who may wish a more detailed account are referred to the two Histories of Kentucky written by Humphrey Marshall and Mann Butler.P The * The former in 2 vols. 8vo.; and the latter in 1 vol. 12mo. The edition of Marshall, to which reference maybe made in the sequel, is that of Frankfort, 1824: and of Butler, that of Lou.: is ville, 183i. 2 INTRODuCTIa:v: latter, though more concise than his predecessor, will be found in general more accurate, more impartial, more learned, and more satisfactory. His style also, though far from being faultless, or even always grammatical, is more simple and in better taste than that of Marshall, who often indul­ ges in fustian and school-boy declamation. Kentucky is the oldest of all the States west of the Alleghany Mountains. She became a State and was admitted into the Union in 1792, four years sooner than Tennessee, and ten years before Ohio. The first hardy adventurers who travelled west­ ward came to Kentucky; and the first Catholic missions in the west, if we except those at the French stations on the Wabash and the Mississip­ pi, were those established in Kentucky. So that, both in a political and in a religious point of view, Kentucky pioneered the way for the other western States of our confederacy. Nor does the interest which attaches to her early history stop here. This history is rich in exam­ pIes oflofty daring, hardy adventure, and stirring incident. It tells of dangers encountered, and of difficulties overcome, which would have appalled the stoutest hearts. It speaks of the deeds of an iron race of pioneers, now fast disappearing from the theatre of life, who fed on difficulties and dan­ gers, as their daily bread, and were thus nerved for the difficult mission they had to accomplish. They never faltered in their purpose for a moment, but ceaselessly marched on, planting farther and farther in the unreclaimed forests the outposts of civilization. When Kentucky had been settled by a white population, we find many of them. moving still farther westward, with Daniel Boone, never satisfied unless their houses were built in the very midst of the waving forests! HISTORICAL SUMMARY. The land of Kentucky-or, as the Indians call­ ed it, Kantuckee-seems not, within the memory of the white man, ever to have been permanently settled by any Indian tribe. 'I'he hunters from North Carolina and Virginia, who visited it after the year 1767, could discover no trace of any In­ dian habitation. * It was a kind of neutral terri .. tory, and a common hunting-ground for the various Indian tribes. It became also, from this very circumstance, a great Indian battle-ground. The Miamis, Shawnees, and Illinois, from the banks of the Miami, the Scioto, and the Illinois rivers, of the north; and the Cherokes and Tuscaroras from the south, repeatedly met and struggled for the maste­ ryon the "Dark and Bloody Ground." 'I'hus it hap­ pened, that the various Indian tribes successively swept over Kentucky, leaving no trace of their passage behind them. This also explains to us the many conflicting claims to the proprietorship .of its territory put in by the different Indian nations. From an early period of their history, the In­ dian tribes of the northwest had been seeking to conquer or exterminate one another. The most powerful of these was the great confederation of the Five Nations of New York; of which the Mohawks, or Iroouois=-es the French historians style them-were the principal. Like the ancient Romans, they were in the habit of incorporating into their own body the various tribes whom they successively subdued. They gradually ex­ tended their conquests towards the west and the south. As early as 1672, after having subdued ft Tn the beginning of his first volume (p. 13, seqq.,) Mr. Mar­ shall indulges in a long and somewhat rhapsodical account of the Indian "annáls of Kentucky;" Noah's Flood being the fifth period of his annals!! This is one way to write history ! ß 4· INTRODUCTION. the Indian tribes on both sides of Lake H urou, they had conquered the Chawanons, or Shawnese, on the Illinois river; and in 1685, the Twightees, subsequently called the Miamis. In 1711, they conquered and incorporated into their own body the Tuscaroras of the south, who from that period constituted the sixth nation of this powerful con­ federacy.v This confederation claimed by right of conquest the proprietorship of Kentucky, and of all the lands lying on both sides of the Ohio river. Governor Pownal testifies, that the Six Nations were in ac­ tual possession of all these lands at the peace of Ryswick, in 1697.t In their treaty with the Brit­ ish Colonies, in 1744, they put in this claim.] They had already put themselves and their vast territories under the protection of the British go­ vernment, in the year 170L and again in 1726:11 and in the treaty of Fort Stanwix, in 1768, they had ceded their rights to the British government, for the sum of £10,460 7s. 6d., paid them by Dr. Franklin. '. Subsequently, after the conclusion of the French and British war of 1755-1763, the Six Nations seem to have practically relinquished all claim to Kentucky and to the whole territory of the north­ west. The two great confederacies' of the Miamis and of the Illinois appear, from this period, to have covered the entire northwest, from the banks of the Scioto to those of the Mississippi. The former occupied part of Ohio and the whole of Indiana; the latter, the present State of Illinois. This state- • Thatcher's "Lives of the Indians," (p. 39) quoted by Butler, p. 2. Edit. Louisville, 1834. t Report of Administration of British Colonies-e-apud, Butler page 3. t Franklin's Works, '·01, iv, p. 271., Il Butler, p. 4. HISTORICAL SUMMARY. ment is confirmed by General Harrison," who farther remarks, that the Miamis were the original occupants of the soil, and that the other tribes were viewed as intruders. The Six Nations were call­ ed the northern, and those of whom we have just spoken, the western, confederacy: By these two powerful confederations the minor Indian tribes were either successively exterminated, or driven farther into the wilderness. The right of proprietorship to the soil of Ken­ tucky was obtained by different treaties with the, Indian tribes, who successively laid claim to it. The principal of these treaties were: that of Fort Stanwix with the Six Nations, in 1768, already alluded to; that of Lord Dunmore with the Shaw­ nese, in 1744; and that of Col. Henderson with the Cherokees, who ceded their rights to the soil, for the consideration of .;l?10,OOO, in the year 1775. 'This last treaty in terfered greatly wi th those pre­ viously made; and the conflicting claims which it originated were a fruitful source of litigation among the early emigrants to Kentucky. It was finally set aside and declared illegal by the legisla­ ture of Virginia, which however, by way of com­ pensation, assigned ample territory to the Hender­ son Land Company, in the northwestern part of . Kentucky.'] ' The first settlement of Kentucky by the white people was commenced under circumstances of great difficulty and danger. The first who visited it were either hunters or mere roving adventurers. As early as the year 1747, Dr. Walker of Virginia led a party of hardy adventurers as far as the banks of the Cumberland river, a name which he gave to that stream, after the "bloody Duke" of Eng- • In his reports to Sec'ry.Armstrong, 1814. Amer. state papers. tThe present county of H enderson is a portion. of this territory. e fi IXTp.ont'CTION. land, in place of its old denomination of Shawanee. It is also known, that in the year 1767, the country was visited by John Finley, with a party of hun­ ters from North Carolina; though no written ac­ count of this visit has been preserved. Its only result seems to have been to stimulate others to enter on the same perilous career of adventure. Among those to whom Finley related the thrill­ ing story of his visit to this hitherto unexplored region, was a man, whose life is identified with the early history of Kentucky, and whose name shines conspicuous among the pioneers of the west. For bold enterprise and lofty daring; for unfaltering courage and utter contempt of danger; for firmness of purpose and coolness of execution; for all the qualities necessary for a successful pi­ oneer, few men deserve to rank higher than Daniel Boone. He was the very man for the emergency. His soul was fired with the prospect opened to him by the relation of Finley; and he entered upon the new career which lay before him, with all the ardour of his soul-an ardour which was however qualified by the cool determination to do or to die. On the first day of May, 1769, Daniel Boone, accompanied by John Finley, John Stewart and three others, left his residence on the Yadkin river, in North Carolina, with the determination to explore. Kentucky. On the 7th of June, he reach­ ed Red river, a branch of the Kentucky river. From an eminence; he descried the beautiful level of Kentucky, about Lexington; and his soul was charmed with the prospect. He represents the whole country as swarming with buffalo, deer, elk, and all kinds of game, and filled with wild beasts. He continued hunting with his com­ panions until the 22nd of December, soon after which John Stewart was killed hy the Indians; HISTORICAL SUMMARY. 7 the first white man who is known to have fallen by their hands in Kentucky. His comrades, pro­ bably alarmed by this circumstance, returned to their homes in North Carolina; but Daniel Boone, with his brother who had lately come out, remain­ ed in Kentucky during the winter. He pitched his camp on a creek in the present Estill county, called, from this circumstance, Station Camp Creek. Here he continued until the following May, undisturbed by the Indians, who seldom vis­ ited Kentucky in the winter." He then returned to his friends on Yadkin river. In this same year, 1769, Col. James Knox led out a party of about forty hunters through the un­ explored regions of Tennessee and Kentucky. In Kentucky, nine of this party penetrated as far as the Green and Cumberland rivers, and were de­ signated "the Long Hunters," from the length of time they were absent from their homes.r The bounty lands awarded by the British go­ vernment to those who had served in the war against the French, furnished another keen incen­ tive to emigration. For, though the royal procla­ mation granting the bounty, forbade that the lands should be laid off on the Ohio river, yet its prohi­ bition was disregarded. Surveyors, employed by the claimants of these bounty lands, penetrated to all parts of Kentucky. The most conspicuous of these land surveyors were Thomas Bullit and Han­ cock Taylor, who came out to Kentucky from Virginia, in 1773. On their route they were over­ taken by the M' Afees, whose names are so closely connected with the history of the early settlement il See Boone's Narrative, written from his dictation, by John Filson, in 1784: and Butler, p. 18. seqq, t Butler, pp. 18-19. Il\'TIWDUCTIOX. of our State. W Bullit was elected Captain of the party, which proceeded to mark off the site of the present city of Louisville, in August, 1773. During the same year, James Douglass, another surveyor, visited Kentucky. He was the first man who discovered the celebrated collection of mammoth bones, in the place known since by the name of the Big Bone Lick. "Douglass formed his tent poles of the ribs of some of the enormous animals, which formerly frequented this remarka­ ble spot, and on these ribs blankets were stretched for a shelter from the sun and the rain. Many teeth were from eight to nine, and some ten feet in length; one in particular was fastened in a per­ pendicular direction in the clay and mud, with the end six feet above the surface of the ground; an effort was made by six men in vain to extract it from its mortise. The lick extended to about ten acres ofland, bare of timber, and of grass or herb­ age; much trodden, eaten, and depressed below the original surface, with here and there a knob remaining to show its former elevation. "t About the year 1774, another mrveyor, Simon Kenton, with two companions, landed a few miles above Maysville, or Limestone, as it was then call­ ed. This party penetrated to May's Lick, and visited the Upper and Lower Blue Licks. They saw immense herds of Buffalo, in the vicinity of the licks. On returning to his camp, near May's Lick, from one of his exploring expeditions, Kenton found it sacked and burned by the In­ dians; and, at a little distance from it, he discovered the mangled remains of Hendricks, one of his COl11- * For an interesting account of the adventures of the M' Afees, in Kentucky, see Butler, p. 22. segg. His account is drawn from the M'Afee papers, to which he had access. t But1er, p. 22. HISTORICAL SUl\1MARr. panions, who had been tied to a stake and burned. He was the first and the last white man who suf­ fered this cruel manner of death at the hands of the Indians on the soil of Kentucky." The parties who had hitherto visited Kentucky were either hunters, land surveyors, or mere ad­ venturers. N o attempt had as yet been made to settle down on the soil and to establish regular co­ lonies. On the 25th of September, 1773, Daniel Boone attempted to remove five families to Ken­ tucky, with a view to their permanent location in the territory which he had already explored. But he had not advanced far when, according to his own account, "the rear of his company was attack­ ed by the Indians, who killed sixmen and wound­ ed one."t The party returned to their homes, in North Carolina, and the attempt was given over for the present. ' Another hardy adventurer from Virginia, was more fortunate. James Harrod came out to Ken­ tucky with several families, in the year 1774. He built the first log cabin in Kentucky, on the site of the present town of Harrodsburgh, then called Harrod's Town. This colony was soon dispersed by the Indians; but, after a brief interval, it was re-established under more favourable auspices.] Early in 1775, Daniel Boone again visited Ken­ tucky, in the capacity of guide to a party sent out by the Henderson Land Company, which had purchased the Cherokee title to all the lands south of the Kentucky river. The party was often at­ tacked by the Indians, but finally succeeded in reaching the Kentucky river. To protect them­ selves from Indian invasion, they immediately set about erecting a fort, which w3:s called Boonesbo- • Butler, p. 23-4. tId. p. 29. r re. p. 26. IXTfloneCTIOX. rough. It was commenced on the 1st of April of that year, and completed on the 14th of June fol­ lowing. This was the first fort erected in Ken­ tucky. It consisted of a stockade, with block houses at the four angles of the quadrangular in­ closurc.f The next fort erected was that at Harrod's Town. The colony in the vicinity of this place had been greatly sterngthened by a party led out from North Carolina, by Hugh M'Gary, in the fall of 1775. At Powell's valley he had united his party to another conducted by Daniel Boone; and the whole body numbered twenty-seven guns, or fighting men, besides women and children'. The parties again divided on reaching Dick's river; that under Boone repairing to Boonesborough, and that under M'Gary, to Harrod's Town. The fort in this latter place was commenced in the winter of 1775-6.t Wherever a colony was planted, there a fort was also erected, as a protection against the Indians. They were called Stations. These multiplied in proportion as the new terri tory became settled. The principal and most ancient of them, besides those already named, were: Logan's Station, es­ tablished by 001. Benjamin Logan, about the same year as that at Harrod's Town, at the distance of one mile from the present town of Stanford, in Lincoln county ; Bryant's Station, about twelve miles from Lexington; Floyd's Station, on Bear­ grass Creek, about six miles from Louisville, and another at Lexington. Many were the difficulties and terrible the dan­ gers encountered by the first emigrants to Ken­ tucky. They carried their lives in their hands: " l3�t1PT, p. '27, M. p. 29. �f'q. HISTORICAL SUMMARY. n the Indians gave them no rest day or night. From the date of the first settlement in 1774, to that of ·Wayne's decisive victory and the subsequent treaty of Greenville, in 1795-a period of twenty-one years-Kentucky was a continual battle-ground between the whites and the Indians, the latter ceaselessly endeavouring, to break up the colonies, and the former struggling to maintain their posi­ tion. The savages viewed with an evil eye the encroachment on their favourite hunting grounds, and employed every effort to dislodge the new comers. To effect their purpose, they resorted to every means of stratagem and of open warfare. Their principal efforts were, however, directed against the forts, which they rightly viewed as the rallying points of the emigrants. For nearly four years they besieged,at brief intervals, the forts of Harrod's Town and .Boonesborough, especially the former, which they made almost superhuman exertion to break up. The colonists were often reduced to the greatest straits. Their provisions were exhausted, and all means of obtaining a new supply seemed hopeless­ ly cut off. Their chief resource lay in the game with which the forests abounded. But hunting was hazardous in the extreme, while their wily enemies lay in ambush in the vicinity of the forts. The hunters were often shot down, or dragged into a dreadful captivity, with the prospect of be­ ing burned at the stake, staring them in the face. Did they attempt to cultivate the soil, the husband­ men were often attacked by the Indians. The labourers in the field were under the necessity of being constantly armed: they were generally di­ vided into two parties, one of which kept guard, while the other cultivated the soil. But during the four years' siege, above referred to, even this 1� l�TRODUCTIO� • method of tilling the land became too hazardous, and was, at least to a great extent, abandoned. Besides, their ammunition was often exhausted, and the obtaining of a new supply was extremely difficult and dangèrous. 'The road to the old set­ tlements lay through a wilderness beset with lurk­ ing savages. All these difficulties taken together, became truly appalling. Still the hardy pioneers were not cast down. They were struggling for their new homes, for their families, for their very existence. Prodigies of valour were achieved by individuals, and by small parties, to detail which would greatly exceed the limits of this brief sum .. .mary." It was the heroic age of Kentucky. But the rude military tactics of the savage could not cope with the superior organization and higher civilization of the white man. Succours contin .. ued to pour into the stations, from Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland, in spite of all Indian op .. position. In 1775, there arrived in Harrod's Town a man who was destined to exercise a powerful influence on the rising destinies of Kentucky and of the whole west. J ames Rogers Clark was a nati ve of Virginia, whence he emigrated to join the bands of hardy adventurers who were seeking their fortunes in the west, He was young, bold, and adventurous; was active in body and mind; and was gifted with great coolness, forecast, and military talent. ' In the fall of the year, 1715, Clark returned to Virginia, but he revisited Harrod's Town in the following spring. A meeting of the citizens was held, and he and Gabriel John Jones were ap­ pointed delegates to the legislature of Virginia, • We refer those who may wish to see more on this interesting subject, to the two histories of Kentucky aboved named. HISTORlC_1 L SUMMARY. 13 They succeeded in obtaining from the Governor and Council of that Commonwealth a loan of 500 pounds of gunpowder, which Clark was charged to transport to Harrod's Town. Clark executed this difficult commission with wonderful intrepidi­ ty and success. After having been pursued through almost the entire journey by the Indians, who compelled him to conceal the gunpowder for some time near Maysville, or Limestone, he final­ ly succeeded in delivering it safely at Harrod's Town. The drooping spirits of the garrison rallied on receiving this most fortunate supply, which, had it fallen into the hands of their enemies, would have been employed for their destruction. The active mind of Clark soon led him to the conviction, that unless some decisive blow were struck, the infant colonies could not hope long to struggle successfully against their savage invaders. He determined to carry the war into the .heart of their own territory, and to wrest, if possible, from the hands of the British the military stations of Kaskaskias and St. Vincents, or Post Vincennes. These his quick eye soon discovered were the great rallying points of the Indian invaders. Ac­ cordingly, he obtained a Colonel's commission from the Commonwealth of Virginia, with men and military supplies for the expedition. The commission was dated January 2nd, 1778. It was drawn up by Patrick Henry, then Governor of Virginia, who gave Colonol Clark two sets of in­ structions: one public, ordering him to repair to Kentucky for its defence; and the other private, directing an attack on the British Post of Kaskas­ Idas. The war of the Revolution was then raging; and the success or failure of Clark's expedition was destined to have an important bearing on the question, whether Great Britain or the United INTRODUCTION. States should be able to claim the proprietorship of the northwest. Col. Clark showed by his conduct that the con­ fidence reposed in him was not ill-placed. He conducted the expedition with singular prudence and secrecy. He landed his small army near fort Massac, on the Ohio river; marched through Illi­ nois; and, on the fourth of July, 1778, he took Kàskaskias by surprise, without shedding a drop of blood! On the sixth of July, he detached Col. Bowman with a company of men, who surprised and captured the neighbouring military post of Cahokias.v Col. Clark determined to follow up the advan­ tages thus secured. After a long and painful march through Illinois, in the most inclement season of the year, he appeared, on the 23rd of February, 1779, with 170 men, before Post St, Vincent's, OIl the Wabash, then also in possession of the British. He compelled the British com­ mandant, Hamilton, to surrender at discretion, af­ ter a slight previous skirmishing.'] Thus were the British driven from the northwest, by a mere handful of men, under a gallant and skillful com­ mander. And thus also were the great centres of Indian invasion broken IIp. Still, notwithstanding this terrible blow struck in their strongest rallying points of the northwest, the Indians, especially the Miamis and the Shaw­ pese, continued to carryon the war with una­ hated fury, against the white settlers of Kentucky. � We have condensed the detailed statement of Butler, de­ rived from the papers of Gen'I. Clark. p. 48. seqq. t For a full account of this remarkable expedition, see Butler, p. 81. seqq.; and for él more detailed and interesting- one still, see Judge Law's able discourse, delivered before the "Vincennes Historical Society," on the 22nd of Feb. 1839, p. 31. seqq. HISTORICAL SUMMARY. 15 They united their forces at Ohilicothe, and deter­ mined to strike one more blow for the recovery of their favourite hunting grounds, which they beheld fast escaping from their grasp. On the 14th of August, 1782, an army of about 50.0 warriors suddenly appeared before Bryant's Station, twelve miles from Lexington. So cau­ tious had been their movements, that they made their appearance in the very heart of Kentucky without exciting any alarm. They closely en­ compassed the place, killing or driving away the cattle and horses, and shooting down or taking prisoners chance stragglers from the station. The siege continued for only two days; for happily on the first appearance of the savages, a few intre­ pid men had escaped, who carried the alarm to the neighbouring stations of Lexington, Boonesbo­ rough, and Harrod's Town; and also to Logan's Station. So prompt were the movements of the men in these stations, for the succour of their brethren, that on the 18th of August, a force of 182 chosen men from Lexington, Boonesborough, and Harrod's Town, assembled at Bryant's Sta­ tion. The Indians, anticipating, or cognizant of this movement, had already fled. 'I'hey were hotly pursued to the Lower Blue Licks, a distance of about 40 miles, where they were speedily over­ taken. . Daniel Boone and some other officers, fearing an ambuscade, endeavoured to check the ardour of the pursuit, in order to await the arrival of reinforcements under Col. Benjamin Logan from Logan's Station. But this wise course was prevented by the imprudent impetuosity of Major Hugh M'Gary, who, plunging his horse into Lick­ ing river, cried out, with a loud voice, that "all who were not cowards should follow him, and he would show them where the Indians were." 16 INTRODUCTION. The whole body of the pursuers shared in his impetuosity, arid followed after him in disorder. But they had not advanced more than a mile, when they received, throughout their whole front line, a murderous volley from the Indians, who lay concealed in a deep ravine, extending on both sides of the road at right angles to it. The ranks of the white men were thrown into confusion, and, though they fought with desperation, could not withstand the assault for more than a few min­ utes. They fled precipitately, the Indians fol­ lowing them with loud shouts and uplifted toma .. hawks. Many were killed in the attempt to re­ cross Licking river. The route was complete, and the Indians pursued them for many miles, killing or taking prisoners the straggling parties whom they were able to overtake. Never, in the whole annals of Indian warfare in Kentucky, had the white people experienced so overwhelming a ,defeat. Besides the wounded, about sixty of them were killed, and seven taken prisoners; most of them from Harrod's Station. Among the slain were Col. Todd from Lexington, and Majors Trigg, M'Bride, and Harland, from Harrod's Town. Major M'Gary escaped. Shortly after the action, Col. Benjamin Logan reached the battle ground with 450 chosen men; but only in time to bury the mangled bodies of the dead. The Indians had already fled into the interior of Ohio. Had the pursuing army patient­ ly awaited his arrival, the disastrous defeat of the BIne Licks might never have occurred. But petty jealousies among the officers, and their desire to win the laurels of victory without the presence and assistance of their senior officer, 001. Logan, prevented their taking the prudent advice of HISTÖltiCAL SUMMARY. 11 Daniel Boone: and bitterly did they rue theirrash .. · ness, when it Was too late. * < In the midst of the despondency occasioned by this ruinous defeat, all eyes Were turned on Col .. James Rogers Clark, who had recently been pro­ moted to the rank of General. lIe immediately called a meeting of the superior officers, at the Falls of the Ohio river; and it was unanimously resolved to organize a large body of mounted riflemen, for the purpose of fi Ibid. p. 131-2. t Ibid. t Ibid. p. 133. II Ibid. p: 13t. IN KENTUCKY., 91 sudden dissolution of tl wir Presbytery. On the occasion they published a document under the solemn title: "the last will and testament of the Presbytery of Springfield." The following is an extract from this curious paper: "With deep concern they viewed the divisions and party spirit, which have long existed among professing Christians; principally owing to the adoption of human creeds and forms of govern­ ment. While they were united in the name of a Presbytery, they endeavoured to cultivate, a spirit of love and unity with all Christians; but found it exceedingly difficult to suppress the idea, that they themselves were a party separate from others. This difficulty increased in proportion to their suc­ cess in the ministry," &c. � Hence they resolved on a dissolution, as "there was neither precept nor example in the New Testament for such confede­ racies as modern church Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods, General Assemblies, &c."t These principles, which, it must be avowed, embody the essence of original Protestantism, gave rise, shortly afterwards, to the new sect of which Alexander Campbell is now" the great champion and leader-e-the second in succession from Barton W. Stone, who, we belive is, however, still living. This new sect has become numerous, especially in the west; and it goes under the various names of "Reformers," "Christians," "Disciples" and "Campbellites," which latter is the more usual de­ nomination among the uninitiated. This sect­ which yet professes to be no sect !!-is not yet old enough to have obtained a fixed Christian name' And, yet, with the charm of novelty, it has swept off vast numbers from the other sects, especially from the Baptists. * Ibid. p. 135. t Ibid. p. 135-6. IN KENrrUCKY. 99 consciencious attachment to the exclusive use of Rouse's version of the Psalms of David, in oppo­ sition to Watt's Imitation. Hence they consider­ ed him and themselves, as faithful testimony-bear­ ing men, for what they called the Scriptural Psalmody, in opposition to psalms and hymns of human composition, and of human authority.v+ In May, 1 793, Mr. Rankin and his adherants attached themselves to the Associate Reformed Church, into which body they were received at a general Synod held in Philadelphia. With his new co-religionists he did not, however, fare better than he had with the old. The charge of slander was again branded on his brow, by a commission appointed by the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Church. The condemnation is couch­ ed in the following strong language: "Their decision on the whole of the premises Ís- That the Rev. Adam Rankin, convicted before them of lying and slandering his brethren, is a scandalous person, and ought not to continue in the exercise of the Christian ministry; and they accordingly did, and hereby do, in the name, and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only King and Head of the church, suspend him, the said A. Rankin, from the office of the Gospel min­ istry, forbidding him all and everyone of the proper acts thereof, until he be lawfully restored thereto. Done at Lexington, State of Kentucky, this 17th day of September, 1818."t Signed by the Commission-four in number. Another Presbyterian preacher of high standing in the communion, the Rev. James McChord, of Lexington, became involved in difficulties with his own church. For having published a work .. Ibid. p. 141-2. t Ibid. p. 142-3 . 100 'l'nE PROTESTANT SECTS which was supposed to contain unsound doctrine; he was arraigned before his own Presbytery, in October, uns, and suspended from the exercise of the ministry. He appealed to the General Synod, which confirmed the decision of the inferior tribu­ nal, in May, 1817. Upon this, "he put in a de­ clinature of their authority, and appealed to churches who might be disposed to do him jus­ tice;" alleging that the proceedings of the tribu­ nals which had condemned him had been "illegal and unrighteous."* This chapter would extend to too great a length, did we propose to exhibit all the facts in the early history of the Presbyterian church in Kentucky, setting forth its fierce and wrangling spirit. The instances already gi ven will suffice for our pur­ pose; and we must hasten on to other matters. The Baptists of Kentucky were scarcely more united than the Presbyterians. Disunion, in fact, has ever been the heritage of error, as union has been always the distinctive mark of truth. The Baptists of Kentucky emigrated to the State chiefly from Virginia. They brought with them across the mountains the divisions by which the society was rent in the "Old Dominion." 'I'he chief sects were the Regular, and the Separate Baptists: the former strongly Calvinistic, while the latter were much more numerous.f These divisions having, in Virginia, coalesced into one body, styled the "United Baptists," in the year 1787, the Baptists of Kentucky, were strongly stimulated to follow the example. But many attempts at reconciliation proved unsuccessful, until at length, if we are to believe our author, the pacification was brought about by means of the great revival of 1800-1-2. • rbitJ. p. 174-5. t Ibid. p� 290. IN KENTUCKY. 101 But, as the sequel proved, this was a mere truce, not a permanent union. Some years afterwards, the Baptists of Kentucky were divided into vari­ ous warring sects, among which, the most promi­ nent were those of the Open and Close Com­ munion, and the Ironsides, so called; and now the denomination is dreadfully rent by its contro­ versies with the Reformers or Campbellites. Our historian discourses after this wise of the influence of the great Revival on the controversies among the Baptists of Kentucky. "But in the time of the great revival, the out­ pourings of the Divine Spirit, and its softening influence on the minds of the saints, prepared the way for that reconciliation and union, which all their weighty arguments and assiduous endea­ vours had not been able to accomplish. This as­ tonishing work, in the year 1800 and following, prevailed most powerfully among the Separate, as well as the Regulars. The churches and members were now much intermixed. All werevisited and refreshed by the copious and abundant rain of righteousness which was poured upon the land; and regardless of names, they unitedly engaged in enjoying and forwarding the precious and pow­ erful work."* This same great revival was truly an "astonish­ ing and precious work" -the most astonishing perhaps, if not the most precious, that ever was witnessed in the world! It marked an era in the Protestant church history of Kentucky. It was on the whole so very singular, that we will be pardoned for dwelling on it in some detail. And first, we will give a pretty accurate account of the revival, furnished by a distinguished living Pro- 1(1 Ibid. p.292-3 102 THE PROTESTANT SECTS testant .. writer; and then we will add some addi­ tional particulars gleaned from other authentic sources. In a late work." Col. Wm. Stone, of New York, thus speaks of this "great revival:" "About thirty or thirty-five years ago, there was an extensive revival of religion (so called) in Ken­ tucky, characterized by the greatest fanaticism, accompanied by a great variety of bodily affec­ tions, and running into many painful excesses. 'I'hese fanatics were reducible to various classes, some of which were affected by the 'falling exer­ cise;' and others, by what was called 'thejerking exercise;' others were moved by the Spirit to pro­ pose 'the running exercise;' and others again, 'the climbing exercise'-all of which exercises are suf­ ficiently indicated by their names. It was a fre­ quent occurrence for a number of people to gather round a tree, some praying, and others imitating the barking of dogs, which operation was called, in familiar parlance among them, 'tréeing the devil. '(I) It was stated also concerning the same people that in their religious assemblies, or other places of worship, religious professors of zeal and standing, would get out into the broad aisle, and go down upon their knees together, playing mar­ bles, and other childish games, under the notion of obeying the saying of the Saviour­ 'Except ye be converted, and become as lit­ tle children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven;' others would ride up and down the aisle of the church, on sticks, &c. "It was farther said, that the religious leaders, or at least one of them, by the name of McNamara, would affect to personate Satan: that on a certain '" "Mathias and his Impostures." N. York 18351 1 vol. 12mo. r- 312-13. IN KENTUCKY. 103 occasion during Camp-meeting he was creeping about among the peoples' feet, exclaiming, 'I am the old serpent that tempted Eve:' when approach­ ing, in this manner, to a Scotchman, who was on the ground as a spectator, the man lifted up his heel, and stamping on the face of the minister, re­ plied: 'The seed of the womàn shall bruise the serpent's head.' This man, McNamara, was re­ garded among them with superstitious reverence, insomuch, that it was common for them to sing, in worship, a hymn having for its chorus-'glory to God and McNamara!' A pious friend of the writer, who was at the time a student of theology under the late Dr. M.ason, states that these facts were reported by his fellow -studen ts from Ken­ tucky' one of whom actually heard the blasphe­ mous chorus sung! And yet all these affections, these 'fantastic tricks,' which might well 'maj�e angels weep,' were fully believed to be the work of the Holy Spirit-the fruits and evidence of conversion-and it would have been bold impiety and blasphemy to doubt, it." The writer adds to this statement-for the sub­ stantial accuracy of which all the older inhabitants of Kentucky will willingly vouch-the following judicious reflections: "What sober Christian does not shrink with pain, sorrow, and disgust, from proceedings like those just related, carried on under the name of religion, and with an impious confidence referred to the direct agency of the Holy Spirit? And yet they are scarcely more extravagant or revolting than have been witnessed in our own day, and ill some of the most enlightened regions of our own State. Look at the present condition of the churches of western New York, which have 11e- 104 THE PROTESTANT �ECTS come in truth, 'a people scattered and peeled.' ". To understand more fully how very "precious and astonishing" this great revival was, we must farther reflect: 1st. That it produced, not a mere momentary excitement, but one that lasted for several successive years: 2ndly. That it was not confined to one particular denomination, but, to a greater or less extent, pervaded all; 3rdly. That men of sense and of good judgment in other mat­ ters, were often carried away by the same fanati­ cism which swayed the mob; 4thly. That this fanaticism was as wide-spread, as it was perma­ nent-not being confined to Kentucky, but per­ vading most of the adjoining States and territories; and 5thly. That though some were found who had good sense enough to detect the imposture, yet they were comparatively few in number, and wholly unable to stay the rushing torren t of fana­ ticism, even if they had had the moral courage to attempt it. Such are some of the leading features of a move­ ment in religion, Cl) which is perhaps one of the most extraordinary recorded in history, and to which we know of but few parallels, except in some of the fanatical doings of the Anabaptists in Germany, during the first years of their history. The whole matter furnishes one more conclusive evidence of the weakness of the human mind, when left to itself; and one more sad commentary on the Protestant rule of faith. Here we see whole masses of population, spread over a vast territory, boasting too of their enlightenment and Bible-learning, swayed for years by a fanaticism, as absurd as it was blasphemous; and yet believ­ ing all this-to be the work of the Holy Spirit l! J_¡et Protestants after this talk about Catholic igno- ... Ibid. p. 313-14. IN KENTUCKY. lOG ranee and superstition! Had Catholics ever play­ ed the "fantastic tricks," which were played off by Protestants during these years, we would perhaps never hear the end of it. The picture drawn above by Col. Stone is not only not exaggerated, but it even falls short of the original, _in many of its features. Besides the "ex­ ercises" which he mentions, there was also the jumping exercise. Spasmodic convulsions, which lasted sometimes for hours, were the usual sequel to the falling exercise. Then there were the "ex­ ercises" of screaming, and shouting, and crying. A Camp-meeting during that day exhibited the strangest bodily feats, accompanied with the most Babel-like sounds. An eye-witness of undoubted veracity, stated to us, that in passing one of the camp-grounds, he noticed a man in the "barking exercise," clasping a tree with his arms, and dash­ ing his head against it until it was all besmeared with blood, shouting all the time that he had "treed his Saviour"!! Another eye-witness stated, that in casually passing by a camp in the night, while the exercises were at the highest, he witnessed scenes of too revolting a character even to be al­ luded to here. One of the most remarkable features, perhaps, of these "exercises" is, the apparently well authen­ ticated fact, that many fell into them, by a kind of sympathy, almost in spite of themselves, and some even positively against their own will! Some who visited the meetings to laugh at the proceed­ ings, sometimes caught the contagion themselves. There seems to have then existed in Kentucky a kind of mental and moral epidemic-a sort of con­ tagious frenzy-which spread rapidly from one to another. 106 THE PROTESTANT SECTS Yet the charm was not so strong that it could not be broken, as the following incident, related to us by a highly intelligent Protestant gentleman, clearly proves. Some young ladies of his acquain­ tance came from one of those meetings to pass the night at his father's house. They were labouring under great nervous excitement, and, in the course of the evening, began to Jerk most violently. The father, one of the most intelligent men in Ken­ tucky, severely rebuked them, and told them bluntly, that he would "have no such behavior as this in his house." The reproof was effectual, and the jerking spirit was exorcised! Among the early sects of Kentucky, the Sha­ kers are not the least remarkable. In the spring of 1805, three members of this fraternity visited Kentucky." They soon made proselytes; and they now have two flourishing establishments: one in Mercer, and the other in Logan county. They are disciples of Ann Lee, and date back their origin to the respectable antiquity of the year 1750. They condemn marriage as unlawful, and profess to believe that the milennium, or second resurrec­ tion, has already come. On the Trinity, they teach a curious medley of blasphemies, among which the principal is, that the 'W ord was commu­ nicated to the man Jesus, and that the Holy Ghost, whom they hold to be a female, was personally imparted to the 'Woman Ann Lee; and her they view as having been necessary to complete the work of the Redemption. t Their worship con- .. "An outline of the History of the Church," etc. before cited. p.138. t See one of their standard works, printed in 1808, at Leba­ non, Ohio. See also an able article on the subject in the "An­ nales de la Propagation de la Foy," vol. 3. p. 216, seqq. IN KENTUCKY. 107 sists in dancing till they are covered with perspi­ ration, and are on the point of dropping with ex· haustion. They own nothing individually, but live in common, under their superiors, who feast their disciples occasionally with particular revela­ tions from Mother Ann !� We will conclude this hasty sketch of the early Protestant sects in Kentucky, by the following cu- 'rions statistical table, exhibiting the religious complexion of the population of our State, in the year 1820. 'We are indebted for it to the work which we: have already so often quoted. "According to the census of 1820, the popula­ tion of Kentucky stood thus: Whites, Slaves, Free people of colour, Other persons, 434,644 126,732 2,759 182 Total, 564,317 According to the documents to which we have il For more information on the doctrines of the Shakers, see a very curious, rhapsodical, and b1asphemous book, lately pub­ lished by the sect in the east, entitled: "A Holy, Sacred, and Divine Roll and Book, sent forth by the Lord God of Heaven to the inhabitants of Earth.- Read and understand, all ye in mor­ tal clay.-Pp. 222; Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1843." This book purports to be a new revelation from heaven-a sort of new bible; a second Joe Smith and Mormonite concern. Sel­ dom have we read so much incoherent blasphemy within the same compass. Though the book purports to be wholly divine, yet it is curious to notice that a committee of the Shakers found it necessary to append to it some corrections and explanations! Verily, this is the age of humbuggery, imposture, and enligkt­ enmenil 108 TIlE PROTESTANT SECTS had access at this time, the Christian population stands th us : Baptists, Methodists, . Presbyterians, Cumberland Presbyterians, Others; 21,680 20,850 2,700 1,000 50U Total, 40,730 The number of whites, male and female, under 10 years, about 166,100 The number of blacks, do. do. 24,:350 Total, 190,450 564,317 190,450 From the whole population, Take the number under 10, And there remain, 373,867 From this number, take the number of Church members, 46,730 And there remain, 327,137 To be brought under the influences of a Christian profession. '1;¡¡¡' This table exhibits a truly frightful religious condition of the Protestant sects in Kentucky, in the year 1820. The author does not take into the account either.the Roman Catholics-did he think them Christians?-or the Episcopalians: and his statement may have other defects, for ought we known. Still, as far as it goes, it cannot have been far out of the way. Making every due al- • IbiJ. p. 306-7. CHAPTER VII. M Badin again alone.*-F'rom 1803 lo 1805. Death of missionaries-lVI. Rivet and General Harrison­ But three Catholic missionaries in the whole West-Labours of M. Badin increase-e-N o rest in this life-Anecdote of Bishop David-s-M. Badin not dead-Fruits of his labours-Piety of early Cathnlics=-Zeal to attend church-"Uncle Harry," a pious negro-Hospitable Catholics of the olden time-Distinguished men of Kentucky, friends of M. Badin-Joe Daviess-Converts -J udge Twyman-Mrs. Onan-Singular charge against Catho­ lics-Is the Pope antichrist?-Zealous Catholic laymen-Anec­ dotes-Celibacy-Having two wives-The "Water-witch"­ Asking a sign-Divorces-Praying by Proclamation-How many Commandmentsj-c-r'Principles of Catholics"-Discus­ sion with preacher McHenry-Famous sermon on Baptism. DIVINE Providence, as we have seen, had al­ ready sent several missionaries to our State, to labour in conjunction with the Very Rev. Vicar General, M. Badin. But death and the hardships of the mission had gradually deprived him of all these fellow-labourers; and he was again left alone. NL Salmon had died in 1799; and M. Fournier in February, 1803: and Rev. Mr. Thayer had left Kentucky early in the spring following. 'I'o add to the afflictions of M. Badin, and to in­ crease still more his solitude, death had also de- • 'I'he facts contained in this chapter rest chiefly on the de­ tailed oral statements of M. Badin; of which statements accu­ rate notes were taken at the time. 112 M. BADIN prived him of the dear and intimate friend, whose letters had so often poured the balm of consola­ tion into his afflicted heart. M. Rivet, the zeal­ ous pastor of Vincennes, had died during the pre­ vious winter of 1802-3. He had won the respect and secured the warm friendship of the late la­ mented President Harrison, who at that time re­ sided at Vincennes, as Governor of the Northwes­ tern Territory. Governor Harrison visited him in his last sickness, did all that kindness and friend­ ship could do to procure him every species of comfort, both bodily and mental, and received his last breath. The melancholy intelligence of the death of his friend, greatly afflicted the heart of M. Badin, which had been already deeply touched by similar scenes nearer home. Forlorn and desolate in heart, he remained alone in Kentucky for more than seventeen months, during which time he had no opportunity to pour his griefs into the ear of a brother clergyman. Besides himself, there were at that time but two other Catholic missionaries in the whole northwest: the Rev. Donatien Olivier, at Prairie du Rocher, in Illinois; and the Rev. Gabriel Richard, at Detroit, in Michigan. "I'hc former was a native of Nantes, in France, and was one of the oldest Catholic Missionaries in the Valley of the Mississippi. His residence was at Prairie du Rocher, but he visited Sto Louis, Sto Genevieve, Cahokias, Kaskaskias, and some­ times Vincennes.f The latter was also a native of * He died at the Seminary of the Barrens, in Missouri, on the 29th of January, 1841, at the advanced age of 95 years. This venerable missionary was admirable for his child-like simplicity anú unaffected piety, which he exhibited to his last breath. Truly he was a model for missionaries-a mirror for the clergy! See his obituary in the Catholic Advocate, vol, vi. p. 23. AGAIN ALONE. 113 France. He was a zealous and pious Su1pician, as remarkable for his talents, as he was for the polish and sweetness of his manners. He was elected a Delegate to Congress, by his fellow-citi­ zens of the Michigan Territory. He died of the" cholera, in the summer of 18:-32, a few weeks be­ fore Bishop Fenwick. He did much for the Ca­ tholic religion in Michigan: in fact, he may be viewed as the founder of the Catholic missions in that district." When M. Badin was thus left alone, his mission­ ary duties greatly increased. He had to supply the place of his two deceased brethren, as well as that of Mr. Thayer. The Catholic population of Kentucky was also daily on the increase, chiefly by emigration from Maryland. On his first arrival in the State, the number of Catholic families did not, perhaps, exceed three hundred: ten years had elapsed; and the number was now swelled to nearly a thousand. These were scattered over the whole State; and to visit them all, even occa­ sionally, required almost supernatural exertion in r one solitary missionary. M. Badin continued to reside at S1. Stephen's, as the most central point of his vast mission. But he li ved almost entirely on horseback. He had no rest, day nor night. His natural activity of mind and body, was stimulated by a lively sense of duty, and a feeling of the awful responsibility of his charge. When worn down by labour, his friends often advised him to take some rest; but he was wont to answer them, that he expected no • The town and church of Detroit were burned by accident, in the year] 805. The church was subsequently rebuilt by the ex­ ertions of M. Richard. In the northwest and southwest there are now thirteen Bishops, and more than two hundred and fifty priests! - I 3 116 M. BADIN Among the models of piety, which abounded during the time of which we are treating, we cau4 not omit to say a few words concerning one who was as eminent for his virtue, as he was lowly in condition. The name of the truly pious and ex­ emplary negro servant, commonly called "Uncle Harry," is familiar to most of the older Catholic settlers of Kentucky. He was truly a model of every Christian virtue. On the death of his mas .. tel', he became the property of infant heirs. An old and faithful family servant, he was left by the executor to his own choice in the selection of his employment. He determined to go to the salt­ licks, thinking that there he could earn most by his labour, for the benefit of the young heirs. Be­ fore departing, however, he determined to consult M. Badin on the step he was about to take., His pastor endeavoured at first to dissuade him from his purpose, representing the hardships he would there have to undergo, the distance from church, and the danger to which his salvation would be exposed. "Uncle Harry" replied to this last reason, with the utmost simplicity of faith: "that God would protect him from danger, and that the Blessed Vir­ gin would take care of him." M. Badin yielded. At the licks, "Uncle Harry" was a model of piety for all. 'When anyone of his fellow-servants was sick, he was always called for; and on these occa­ sions, he did every thing in his power to console and instruct the sick person, by the bedside of whom he was wont to recite his beads, and to say all the prayers he knew. Sometime afterwards he was publicly sold, and purchased by a man who was no) a Catholic. He obtained permission to see M. Badin, whom he induced to purchase him, promising that his labour should more than indem- AGAIN ALONE. 117 nify him for whatever expense he might incur. A year or two later, M. Badin visited him while he was labouring in the field: he appeared sad and dejected, and on being asked the reason, he repli­ ed, that he was fearful that he might die before he could repay his kind master what he had expend­ ed. M. Badin comforted him, and the good negro again put on a cheerful countenance. He said prayers morning and night, with the other servants, who had great respect for his vir­ tue. He gave them the most comfortable beds, and often spent the night in prayer, taking but a brief repose, on the hard floor. In the church, he always knelt as immoveable as a statue; and was often there for hours before the rest of the congre­ gation. His whole life, in fact, seemed to be one continual prayer: and he died, as he had lived, praying. He expired without a struggle. One morning he was found dead, sitting upright on a stool, his hands clasped in prayer, holding his beads, and his countenance irradiated with a sweet smile. His death occurred in 1806.* Among the Catholics of these times, who were most distinguished for their piety and liberality to the church, we may mention Anthony Sanders, Thomas Gwynn, Teresa Gough, and Henrietta Boone. The last named laboured indefatigably during fifteen years, for the benefit of the church, and her servants cleared the farm adjoining St. Stephen's-the present site of Loretto. Messrs. Sanders and Gwynn were conspicuous for their generous hospitality to the first Catholic mission­ aries of Kentucky. Their houses were ever the home of the Catholic clergy. * Those who were acquainted with "Uncle Harry" will know that the picture above drawn of him is not too highly coloured. Virtue is admirable, wherever found, and God often chooses the humblest individuals as His most special favourites. 118 M. BADIN M. Badin was acquainted with the most cele­ brated men in Kentucky. He numbered among his friends, Judge Rowan, Gen'l. Todd, Judge Nicholas, Richard M. Johnson, Robert Alexander, and Joe Daviess. A finished scholar, a man of great vivacity and wit, and the countryman of La Fayette, he was every where welcomed by the first families of the country. His first acquaint­ ance with the famous Joe Daviess began by the latter's calling accidentally at his house, to inquire his way, which he had missed; and the acquaint­ ance thus began, soon ripened into a warm mutual friendship. Joe Daviess had never before seen a Catholic priest, and he was astonished to find in the first one he saw, a man so thoroughly intelli­ gent and polite. He borrowed some Catholic works, and promised to make himself better ac­ quainted with the Catholic doctrine. M. Badin won and secured the esteem of all these men without flattering them: on the contra­ ry, he often told them his mind very plainly; while he not only did not conceal any doctrine or practice of his church, but openly avowed and de­ fended them all,-"in season," and sometimes, perhaps, "out of season." His frankness pleased the open and chivalrous Kentuckians of his day, and won him many friends. He also made many converts during his mis­ sionary career in Kentucky. We will say a few words concerning two of these. J ud ge James Twyman had fought in the battle of the Blue Licks, from which he narrowly escaped with his life. He afterwards became a distinguished law­ yer. By hearing Catholic instructions and read­ ing Catholic books, his intelligent mind soon dis­ covered that the Catholic was the true church, and that without her pale there was nothing but waver- AGAIN ALONE .. 119 ing and uncertainty. Manning's "Shortest way to end Disputes," was the work which chiefly struck him as conclusive in its arguments. Know­ ing how dangerous it was to tamper with divine grace, he did not delay to enter into the Catholic church: conversion in him immediately followed conviction. Nor was he slow to avow or defend the faith which he had embraced from conviction, as the following incident will show. While he was at­ tending the court at Washington, in Mason county, the people sitting at dinner, in the public tavern, began to abuse and laugh at the Catholics, for their stupidity in adoring images and worshipping the Virgin Mary, &c. Judge Twyman listened in silence, and when they had done, he arose, and, after a pause of a moment, to rivet attention, he said, slowly and deliberately: "look at me: do you think I am a fool? 1 am a Roman Catholic! I was raised a Protestant, but embraced the Catho­ lic religion after a long and careful examination." The announcement created quite a sensation; and not another word was said against Catholics in his presence. The other convert alluded to, was Mrs. Onan. She was very intelligent, and was well versed in the Bible, though she could not read. She was often attacked by the preachers, who made every effort to gain her over to their sects: but she was able to quote Scripture, as well as they, and often much better. M. Badin used to say Mass at her house. While visiting her, in the year 1808, she informed him that a neighbouring Baptist preacher had, on the Sunday previous, attempted to prove that the Catholics-vulgarly called Romans-had actually crucified Christ, by showing, from the Bible, what part Pilate and his Roman soldiers had 120 M. BADIN taken in the crucifixion! She asked M. Badin's advice on the subject, and also, whether it would not be better, that she should go to refute his ab .. surdity? M. Badin told her that she would do much better to stay at home, and say her prayers, and let the preacher alone. Mrs. Onan repressed her zeal, and continued faithful and exemplary until death. ' This reminds us of another incident, in which a Catholic lady of no great learning, effectually refuted and silenced a preacher, who had assailed her with the expectation of persuading her· to abandon Catholicity. He began his tirade, by ex­ pressing his surprise, "that a lady of her well known sense, should be a follower of the Pope, who was certainly the beast of the Revelations, and the antichrist," &c. The lady, Mrs. S--n, quietly continued her knitting, until the preacher, G-- W--, had fairly wound up his invective; then raising her eyes, she quietly asked him: "do you know grammar, sir?" Somewhat taken aback, on being thus catechized, he answered in the af­ firmative. ""\iVell," resumed Mrs. S--n, "is An­ tichrist singular or plural?" He answered, "sin­ gular." "Are two hundred and fifty-six Popes singular or plura!?! ! He answered: "they are plural." "Therefore," concluded Mrs. S--n, , "the Pope is not antichrist ." And she quietly resumed her knitting; while the preacher left her, complaining, that she was incorrigible, and kept in woful ignorance by her priest! In the remote stations there were several zeal­ ous and exemplary laymen, who contributed great­ ly towards keeping up the true Catholic spirit in their respective neighbourhoods. In the long in­ tervals between the visits of the pastor, they ni­ structed the children ·in the catechism, and had AGAIN ALON�. 121 meetings in their houses, on Sundays, where they said the Mass-prayers, and read good books in common. Among the most zealous of these lay­ men, we may mention a Mr. Durbin, of Madison county, who was often known to ride to St. Ste­ phen's-eighty miles distant-with young couples, whom he thus prevented from marrying out of the church. We may as well here relate, several anecdotes connected with M. Badin's many rencounters with the preachers or leading men among the Protest­ ant sects in Kentucky. Some of these incidents belong to a later period; but we will give them now, as we may not have occasion to refer to them in the sequel. A volume might be filled with these anecdotes, in which M. Badin often showed the readiness of his wit, as well the depth of his learning. We will select a few of the more strik­ ing; premising, that M. Badin made it a rule not to seek controversy, nor to decline it, when it was thrust on him. He was al ways ready "to give an account of the hope that wasin him;" and cir­ cumstances gave him many opportunities to do so. He had, too, something pointed and piquant in his manner and style, to which it is impossible to do full justice, in a rapid written description. On one occasion, while he was travelling on horseback, in Scott county, he was overtaken by a man named Shannon, a shrewd and intelligent Protestant gentleman of the neighbourhood. The conversation soon turned on the subject of reli­ gion. Mr. Shannon objected particularly to the celibacy of the clergy, which he represented as unscriptural, dangerous, and impracticable. He concluded his argument, by asking emphatically: "When you vowed celibacy, did you know that it would always suit you to live unmarried?" M. 122 M. BADIN Badin instantly answered, by asking another ques­ tion: "When you vowed atthe altar to be always faithful to your wife, did you know that she would always suit you?" . The man was non-plussed. On another occasion, when he was riding, at the distance of about four miles from Bardstown, a preacher attacked him on the same point-a usual hobby with Protestants. "M. Badin," said he, �'there are some things in your church which I like; but there are others which I never could un­ derstand." '''Very probably;" dryly answered M. Badin. After an awkward pause, the preacher continued : "for instance, M. Badin, I never could understand why it is that you priests do not mar­ ry." "1 am married," replied M. Badin. "What, you married," quoth the preacher; "you really astonish me P' "I am married, 1 tell you," per­ sisted M. Badin. "And please tell me," resumed the preacher, "where is your wife?" lYI. Badin answered: "I am married to the Holy Catholic Church of God !" "Oh I"� said the preacher, "I am married to the church, too, but I have another wife." M. Badin.-"Then you have tUJO wives­ one of them must be an adulteress-now take your choice between your church wife, and your woman wife f The Scripture says: 'No man can serve two masters'--and surely, no man can serve two mistresses!" The preacher, who had expected to make his companions laugh at the priest's ex­ pense, now found the laugh turned against him­ self! A preacher once asked him pompously, profane­ ly using the words of our Blessed Lord; "What do men say that I am?" M. Badin answered in­ stantly: "they say you are a preacher and a 'Water­ witch!" The answer was a palpable hit: the preacher was then at the house of Gen'I. Walton, AGAIN ALONE. 123 who had sent for him to ascertain the site of salt water on his farm, by means of the di vining rod! A Dr. Brown once asked him to work a miracle, in order to establish the truth of his doctrine. M. Badin immediately answered, in the words of our Blessed Saviour: "a wicked and adulterous gene­ ration asketh for a sign: and no sign shall be giv­ en it."� Once, M. Badin was at Frankfort, during the session of the Legislature. Many applications for divorce were made, even at that early day. A very intelligent member of the Senate, one day asked him, in presence of several others=-r'Why it was that Catholics never applied for a divorce, though all other denominations were in the habit of doing so?" M. Badin answered, smiling: "Do you not know the reason? We priests know how to marry people-your preachers are mere bunglers at the business: they do not understand what Christ said-'what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."'t 1\1. Badin had a notorious servant, named Jared, who was a shrewd fellow, and seemed to have caught a little of his master's wit. vVe must re­ late one instance of this. About the year 1812, President Madison issued a proclamation, appoint­ ing a certain day for fasting and prayer. On this day, a Protestant gentleman was riding by Sto Ste­ phen's; and observing Jared in the field, he shouted out to him, and asked him "to whom do you belong?" "To priest Badin," answered Jared. Stranger. "Well, why is not your master at church, praying for the government? Does he not know that this is the day named in the proclama­ tion?' Jared. "Massa prays for the government fi St. Math. xvi, 4. t St. Math. xix. 6. 124 M. BADIN every Sunday, and even every day: we Catholics do not pray by proclamation only. But, massa, why are not you at church, praying for the govern­ ment?" The man rode on. We must yet relate one more anecdote concern­ ing a passage between a preacher named Rogers, and an ignorant and not very exemplary Catholic, named Wimpsatt. This man, a quiet, silent sort of a person, happened on one Sunday, at the house of a Mr. McAdams, on Pottinger's Creek, when Rev. Mr. Rogers preached. After the sermon, the man of the house strongly pressed his Rev. guest to attempt the conversion of the "ignorant Ro­ man." The preacher set about the work with great zeal, abusing the Pope, the priests, &c., most un­ mercifully; Wimpsatt all the while observing a dogged silence. This circumstance emboldened the preacher, who began to catechize him in a tone of triumph, winking all the time at his host, who was present. Among other things, he asked W. "How many Commandments are there?" 'Wimp­ satt hesitatingly answered-"nine." "Oh," quoth the preacher, "and that's all your priests have taught you! Only nine Commandments?" "There used to be ten," quietly answered 'W., "but the other day your brother preacher Skaggs ran away with one of them, the ninth.'" This man Skaggs was married, and had just run away with a neigh­ bour's wife! The laugh was now against preach­ er Rogers; and the conversation dropped. Great and truly lamen table was the prej udice with which Protestants of that day viewed every thing Catholic. It was founded, in general, on the grossest ignorance of Catholic principles-an ignorance which was studiously kept up by the preachers, who, nevertheless, were constantly de­ claiming against the priests, for keeping their peo.: AGAIN ALONE. 125 pIe in ignorance! To dispel this ignorance, and to soften down Protestant prejudice, M. Badin published his "Principles of Catholics." It was printed in Bardstown, in 1805; and was the first Catholic work ever published' in the west. Like every thing else he wrote, it was solid, clear, con­ densed, pointed, and well written. * Owing to his overwhelming occupations, and to the scarcity of candles, M. Badin was compelled to write a portion of it by moonlight. The tract was read with avid­ ity, and no doubt did much good. The increase of Catholics in Kentucky, and the growing prospects of the church, stim ulated the zeal of the preachers, who often declaimed till they were hoarse, against "the errors and abomi­ nations of popery." M. Badin was more than once compelled to come in collision with them. In 1798, the Rev. Barnabas McHenry, a Methodist preacher of great power of lungs and volubility of tongue, publicly challenged him to an oral dis­ cussion. The challenge was accepted, and the .parties met at the house of Philip Davis, on Har­ din's Creek, in presence of a large concourse of people. After the preliminaries had been arrang­ ed, the discussion commenced, and lasted for several hours, the two disputants speaking alter­ nately. M. Badin had brought with him four Bibles, in English, French, Latin and Greek; and he opened the discussion by protesting his firm belief, and that of his church, in every thing contained in this inspired volume. He proved that it was a calumny to say, that the Catholic church is an en- • A volume of considerable size might be made up of the va­ rious writings of M. Badm, which are well worth preserving in this form. We have reason to hope that something of the kind will be hereafte� published. AGAIN ALONE. 121 ordained by John Wesley; that he, in his turn, had been ordained by the Church of England, which latter church had derived its orders from the Church of Rome. After giving this genealo­ gy of his sect, he triumphantly concluded, that he had the same authority to preach as M. Badin himself, having derived his mission from the same source! 1\1. Badin rejoined by asking the follow­ ing questions: "1st. How could an idolatrous church, such as you say the church of Rome was, constitute a lawful Christian ministry? 2nd. What authority had the church of England to separate from that of Rome; and how could she still have a lawful mission, after the separation, when the Roman Catholic Church had withdrawn from her all the jurisdiction which she had originally bestowed 1 3rd. How could J ahn Wesley lawfully separate from the Church of England, from which he had avowedly derived his orders? 4th. How could he, being a mere priest-if that-validly consecrate Dr. Coke a bishop, when all antiquity proclaims, that only a bishop can validly consecrate a bishop?" The preacher was non-plussed; he did not an­ swer directly one of these searching questions, though M. Badin repeated them over and again, and refused to pass to other matters, till they had been satisfactorily answered. Mr. McHenry at length became vexed, and refused to dine at Mr. Davis' house with M. Badin, alleging that his business called him home immediately! As he was mounting his horse, M .. Badin invited him to pay him a visit occasionally at St. Stephen's: the preacher declined, and rode off, �. Badin calling after him, and saying, with a smile: "'VeIl, since J I 128 M. BADIN you will not visit me, I am determined to visit you." He was not again challenged to discussion by preacher McHenry, or by any other. We will conclude this chapter, and with it our account of M. Badin's early missionary career, by briefly relating another scene of a somewhat dif­ ferent character, which occurred some years later. In the year 1812,� a great controversy was carried on in the vicinity of Bardstown, between the Bap­ tists and the Presbyterians, on the subject of Baptism. The two principal champions were, the Rev. Mr. Lapsley, a Presbyterian, and the Rev. Mr. Vardaman, a Baptist minister. The latter was a man of stentorian lungs, and of considerable popular eloquence. He produced quite a sensa­ tion, and made many converts from the ranks of the Methodists and Presbyterians. Great excitement prevailed in consequence. While the, controversy was at its highest point, the Rev. Mr. Lapsley hap­ pened to meet with M. Badin, whom he immedi­ ately invited to preach on the subject in Bards­ town. M. Badin said: "he was always ready to preach; but that he must tell the truth, and preach the doctrine of the Holy Catholic Church." An appointment was accordingly made, for a day in June of that year, and the sermon was to be delivered in the Court-house of Bardstown. M. Badin attended, on the appointed day, with alarge supply of Bibles and ponderous folio volumes, containing the writings of the Fathers, and the decrees of the Councils. The concourse was so great, that it was deemed expedient to adjourn to a neighbouring wood, where there had been erect- • For the truth of this account we confidently appeal, not only to M.,Badin's statement, but to the testimony of all the eye and ear witnesses of the discussion, some of whom are still livinz. The affair created great sensation at the time, and is still well remembered. AGAIN ALONE. 129 ed a stand for preaching, which had been used by the Methodists at a recent camp-meeting. The Rev. Mr. Lapsley was present, but not the Rev. Mr. Vardaman. M. Badin, entrenching himself behind his for­ midable battery of books, held the vast multitude enchained for three hours, two of which he de­ voted to the special benefit of the Baptists, and the third, to that of the Presbyterians. His discourse was very pointed and learned. 'When he was in the midst of it, the rain set in, and he proposed to adjourn the meeting; but so great was the anxiety of the people, to hear him, that they shouted out to him, to "continue on� for that they did not re- gard the rain." , M. Badin first proved infant Baptism, and the validity of other modes besides immersion, chiefly from the ancient Fathers and Councils; and then he proceeded to exhibit and refute the errors cur­ rent among the Presbyterians and Methodists, concerning the nature and effects of the Sacra­ ment. He showed that these sects could not satis­ factorily prove infant Baptism, and that by other modes than immersion, from the Scriptures a1one­ their only rule of faith-and that their only hope to succeed in the controversy was, to adopt the Ca­ tholic rule of Scripture interpreted by tradition and church authority. The last hour of his pow­ erful sermon tended, in no small degree, to throw a damper on the triumphant enthusiasm which the Methodists and Presbyterians had manifested during the first two hours. Still, all admired his learning and acute reasoning; and his famous sermon on Baptism was long remembered in this vicinity. ' CHAPTER VIII. The Rev� Charles Nerinckx-His Early Life and Labours-s-From 1805 to 1811. M. Nerinckx=-Hia childhood and early history-Curate at Malines-And at Everbery l\1eerbeke-His care of children­ Revival of piety-His austerity-Is persecuted and compelled to fly-His retreat at Terremonde-Escapes to the United States -A "floating hell"-Reaches Baltimore-Sent to Kentucky­ His arrival and early labours-His spirit of prayer and mortifi­ cation-His courage and zeal-His cheerfulness and kindness to the poor-c-His narrow escapes in crossing rivers-His wolf adventure-His adventure with Hardin-His bodily strength and toils-The churches he built-His labours in the confession­ al-A touohing devotion-The fruits of his zeal-The secret of his success ....... A touching incident. For more than two years M. Badin had been left alone, in charge of the extensive and laborious missions of Kentucky. To his persevering zeal and indomitable energy of character, these missions were, in a great measure, indebted under Provi­ dence for their establishment and progress. And he has been justly styled by a venerable personage, "the founder of this Diocess, and of the several congregations of this immense region."* Divine Providence at length took compassion on the forlorn condition of M. Badin, and sent him a zealous and indefatigable auxiliary, who was to * Letter from Bishop FInget to Bishop England, dated Decem­ ber, 1824-publi�hed in the Catholic Miscellany-No. 23. REV. CHARLES NERINCKX, &C. 131 relieve him of a great portion of the heavy bur­ den, which had been long weighing him down, and exhausting his energies. In the annals of missionary life in the west, few names are brighter than that of the Rev. Charles Nerinckx. A na­ tive of Belgium, and, like most of the other early Catholic missionaries in the west, a victim of the French Revolution, he arrived in Kentucky in the summer of 1805; and he laboured with un­ remitting zeal in this missionary field, for nearly twenty years. Some particulars of the early life of this illustrious priest cannot but prove interest­ ing; especially to those in whose memories his virtues are yet freshly embalmed. � Charles N erinckx was born on the 2nd of Octo­ ber, 1761, at Herffelingen in Haynault. His pa­ rents were distinguished for their virtues and their strong attachment to religion. His father was a physician of some eminence in the profession; and his mother seems to have been a woman of great piety. The tender mind of Charles was imbued with a deep and abiding religious feeling. At an early age, he was placed in the elementary school of Ninove, where he commenced his stu­ dies. At the age of thirteen, he was removed to the College of Geel, in the province of Kempen; whence he was afterwards sent to the University of Louvain, where he entered on the study of phi­ losophy. His parents determined to spare no ex­ pense which might be necessary to give him a thorough education; and they were highly grati- * The biographical notice of M. Nerinckx, published in the London" Catholic Miscellany and Repository of Information" for April 1825, is the basis for the folJowing sketch, which is a recast of that notice, with many additional details, drawn from the recollections of some among the oldest Catholic settlers in Kentucky, as well as from the statements of 1\1. Badin. J 3 l:�� REV. CHARLES NERINCKX: fied to find that Charles corresponded so well with their parental solicitude, and that he more than fulfilled their highest expectations. Having completed his academic course, and duly consulted God in prayer, the young Charles resolved to study for the church. Accordingly, in the year 1 781, he was sent by his parents to the Seminary of Malines, where he entered on the study of Theology. Here he was still more re­ markable for tender and solid piety, than he was for the rapid advancement he made in his studies. 'Though he far outstripped his companions, yet he did not permit himself to be elated with his suc­ cess. He referred all his actions to God, to whom he was united by a habitual spirit of prayer. He concealed his success, even from his own eyes, under the garb of a deep internal humility; and from those of his companions, under the veil of an unaffected modesty. He feared the praises of men more than others usually seek them. His studies completed, he was ordained priest in 1785: and in the following year was appointed cure, or pastor of Malines, the Archiepiscopal city. He filled this important post for eight years, and gathered there the abundant first-fruits of his min­ istry. The good people of Malines yet remember his piety and laborious zeal, the effects of which they still feel. The rectory of Everbery Meer­ beke, half way between Malines and Brussels, having become vacant by the death of the aged incumbent, M. Nerinckx was appointed to fill it by the general suffrage of a board of examiners, who, after the searching examination, or concursus, recommended by the Holy Council of Trent, for such cases, unanimously awarded him the palm over all other candidates. Though loath to leave Malines, where the people were mnch attached to HIS EARLY LIFE AND LABOURS. 133 him, yet he hesitated not to enter upon the new field of labour thus opened to him by Providence. The extensive parish of Everbery Meerbeke was in a neglected and deplorable condition. The parish church was in a dilapidated state, and the people had been much neglected, in consequence of the age and infirmities of his predecessor in the pastoral office. M. N erinckx immediatel y set about remedying all these evils; he repaired the church, and was assiduous in his efforts to revive piety among his new parishioners. Believing that the hearts of the parents could be most effectually reached through their children, he spared no pains to instruct the latter, and to rear them up in the most tender sentiments of piety. He gave them catechetical instructions on every Sunday evening after Vespers. To do this the more successfully, he di vided the parish into sections, and distributed the children into regular classes; which he taught himself, or through pious catechists whom he had selected; and he had the names of all the children of his parish carefully registered. He soon won the hearts of the children, and was able easily to o btain their regular attendance at catechism. He frequently inculcated on them a tender devotion to the Holy Virgin, and taught them to sing canti­ cles, which he had composed in her honour. The effects of this discipline were soon discern­ able. The children were prepared for their first communion, and soon became models of piety for the whole parish. The hearts of the parents were touched; and the most neglectful or obdurate among them, were gradually brought to a sense of duty. Piety was seen to flourish in a parish, before distinguished only for its coldness and negligence. Numerous pious confraternities in honour of the Blessed Virgin were established, as 134 REV. CHARLES NERINCKX: well as associations for visiting the sick, and for other charitable objects. Thus, by the zeal of one man, aided by the Divine blessing, a total re­ formation was effected in a short time; and the parish of Everbery Meerbeke became a model for all others. M. N erinckx, though kind and poli te to all, was rather austere in his manners, as well as rigid in his discipline. He was, however, always much more rigid wi th himself than wi th others. He never lost a moment, nor allowed himself any re­ creation. He paid no idle visits for mere pastime: he visited the different families of his parish only on duty, and generally on Sunday evenings. He knew well that a priest who does his duty has little time to spare for idle conversation. Where­ ever good was to be done, or a soul to be saved, there was he found, by day or by night, in rain or in sunshine, in winter or in summer. When not actually engaged in the ministry, he was al­ ways found at home, employed in prayer or in study. He was an enemy of promiscuous dances, and he succeeded in abolishing them throughout his parish. It was natural that a man of so much zeal, and one who had done so much good, should be view­ ed with an evil eye by the infidel leaders of the French revolutionary movement, who had recent­ ly taken possession of Belgium. An order for his apprehension was accordingly issued; and M. Nerinckx was compelled to fly from his dear par­ ish, which he left a prey to the devouring wolves. In 1797 he secreted himself in the hospital at Ter­ remonde, which was under the charge of twelve or fifteen hospitalier nuns, of whom his aunt was superioress. Here he remained for seven years, during all of which time he carried his life in his HIS EARLY LIFE AND LABOURS. 135 hands. He acted as chaplain to the hospital, the former incumbent having been banished to the Isle of Rhe. He bore his persecutions with en­ tire resignation to the holy will of God, and edi­ fied all by the practice of every virtue. He en­ couraged the good nuns to persevere in their heavenly calling of mercy. He said Mass for them every morning at 2 o'clock, and then retired to his hiding place before the dawn. In this retreat he had full leisure to apply to study, and he lost not a moment of his precious time. He wrote Treatises on Theology, on Church History, and on Canon Law; and hIS manuscripts would have filled eight or ten printed octavo vo­ lumes. These he was often afterwards solicited to publish; but his modesty took the alarm, and he was inflexible in his refusal. In the hospital were shut up many of the prisoners who had been made in the revolutionary battles fought in Belgi­ um. Some of these were horribly maimed. M. Nerinckx did all he could, in his dangerous situa­ tion, to assuage their sufferings and to impart to them spiritual succour. At the dead hour of night, he often stole to their cells, at imminent hazard of his life, and administered to them the holy Sacra­ ments: and when they were hurried to execu­ tion, he viewed them from his hiding place and imparted to them the last absolution.v Often, too, he visited by stealth his dear parish of Everbery Meerbeke, administering the Sacraments to his people, consoling them in their sufferings, and strengthening them in the hour of danger. • One of these poor prisoners, while going to execution, was observed to hold in one hand-the maimed stump of the other, which had been cut off by the Jacobins! 136 REV. CHARl.ES NERINCI{X: Beset with dangers, and uncertain as to the du­ ration of the dreadful storm which was then sweeping over Europe, M. Nerinckx at length de­ termined to bid adieu to his unhappy country, and to emigrate to the United States. Here "the har­ vest was great, and the labourers few;" and no impediment was placed in the way of a free exer­ cise of religion, according, to each one's conscien­ tious convictions. He accordingly made his es­ cape, in a vessel which sailed from Amsterdam to the United States, on the 14th of August, 1804. He had a long and dangerous passage of ninety days. The old and ricketty vessel was often in imminent dangerof foundering at sea; and to add to the distress, a contagious disorder carried off' many of the passengers and crew. Still they were not chastened under the rod of affliction; the heart of M. Nerinckx often bled over their wicked­ ness, which he was wholly unable to check j and he afterwards was in the habit of styling this ill­ fated ship, "a floating hell." The, Captain, in particular, was a very profane and wicked man. M. Nerinckx was wont to ascribe his preservation from shipwreck, to a special interposition of Divine Providence. He reached Baltimore about the middle of No­ vember, and immediately offered his services to the Patriarch of the American church-Bishop Carroll,-for whatever mission in the United States he might think proper to assign him. Bish­ op Carroll received the good exile with open arms, and immediately sent him to Georgetown to pre­ pare himself for the American mission, by learn­ ing English, with which, as yet, he was wholly unacquainted. M. Nerinckx was then in his 45th year; and yet he applied himself with so much ardour to the study of the English language, as HIS EARLY LIFE AND LABOURS. 137 to be able in a few months to speak and write it with considerable facility. Bishop Carroll was well aware of the forlorn condition of M. Badin, who was alone in Ken­ tucky; and he determined to send the new mis­ sionary to his assistance. And had he sent us no other, Kentucky would still have ample reason to De forever grateful to him for the invaluable trea­ sure he sent in M. Nerinckx. The good missionary hesitated not a moment to comply with the wish of his new superior. What cared he for the dangers, privations, and labours which he foresaw he would have to endure on the arduous mission to which he was hastening? Had he 110t been already trained to this severe discipline of the cross; and had he come to Ameri­ ca to rest on a bed of down, and to dally with luxuries? From an early period of his life, labours and sufferings had been his daily bread; and now he was too much accustomed to them any longer to feel any apprehension on their account. He was, on the contrary, rejoiced to enter on a mission which no one else wished, or was indeed willing to accept." He left Baltimore in the spring of 1805; and, after a long and painful journey, reached Ken­ tuckyon the 5th of July following. He immedi­ ately applied himself zealously to the labours of the mission, which he cheerfully shared with M. Badin, the Vicar General. For the first seven years he resided with M. Badin, at St. Stephen's; afterwards, he took up his residence chiefly near * This additional circumstance we learned from M. Badin, to whom we are also indebted for some other detailsin the sequel, superadded to what is stated in the notice above referred to. See also bnef statement of the missions of Kentucky in the "An­ naLes"-sup. cit. 138 REV. CHARLES NERlNCKX: the church of St. Charles, which he had erected on Hardin's Creek, and named after his patron Saint. But he was seldom at home: he lived on his scattered missions, and passed much of his time on horse back, His labours in the arduous field upon which he had now entered were as great as their fruit was abundant. With his whole soul, he devoted him­ self to the work of the ministry. He even seem­ ed to court labours and sufferings for their own sake. Of a powerful frame, and of herculean con­ stitution, he never spared himself. His rest was brief, and his food was generally of the coarsest kind. He generally arose several hours before day, which hours he devoted to prayer and study. In fact, he seemed to be al ways engaged in mental prayer, no matter how numerous or distracting were his employments. He appeared to live solely for God, and for his neighbour. Performing his duty was his daily bread. And though old age was fast creeping over him, yet he relaxed in nothing his exhausting labours. His soul was still fresh and vigorous; and God so preserved his health, that, even at the age of sixty, he seemed gifted with all the strength and vigour of youth. He seldom missed offering up the Holy Sacri­ fice daily, no matter what had been his previous fatigues or indisposition. Often was he known to ride twenty-five or thirty miles fasting, in order to be able to say M ass. His missionary labours would be almost incredible, were they not still so well remembered by almost all the older Catholics of Kentucky. His courage was unequalled: he feared no difficulties, and was appalled by no dangers. Through rain and storms; through snows and HIS EARLY LIFE AND LABOURS. 139 ice; over roads rendered almost impassable by the mud; over streams swollen by the rains, or frozen by the cold; by day and by night, in win­ ter and in summer; he might be seen traversing all parts of Kentucky in the discharge of his la­ borious duties. Far from shunning, he seemed even to seek after hardships and dangers. He crossed wilderness districts, swam rivers, slept in the woods among the wild beasts jê and while undergoing all this, he was in the habit of fasting, and of voluntarily mortifying himself in many other ways. His courage and vigour seem­ ed to increase with the labours and privations he had to endure. As his courage, so neither did his cheerfulness, ever abandon him. He seldom laughed, or even smiled; but there was withal an air of contentment and cheerfulness about him which greatly qualified the natural austerity of his countenance and manners. He could, like the great Apostle, make himself "all to all, to gain all to Christ." He appeared even more at home in the cabin of the humblest citizen, or in the hut of the poor negro, than in the more pretending mansions of the wealthy. He was averse to giving trouble to others, es­ pecially to the poor. Often, when he arrived at a house in the night, he attended to his own horse, and took a brief repose in the stable, or in some out-house; and when the inmates of the house arose next morning, they frequently perceived him already up, and saying his office, or making his * Sometimes when he was asked by those at whose house he had arrived in the morning-"where he had slept on the pre­ vious night?"-hewould answer cheerfully: "with Captain Dog­ wood"-tha name of a tree abounding in the woods of Ken­ tucky. 140 REV. CHARLES NERINCKX: meditation. - He made it an invariable rule never to miss an appointment whenever it was at all possible to keep it. He often arrived at a distant station early in the morning, after having rode during all of the previous night. On these occa­ sions, he heard confessions, taught catechism, gave instructions, and said Mass fora the people general­ ly after noon; and he seldom broke his fast until three or four o'clock in the evening. In swimming rivers, he was often exposed to great danger. Once, in going to visit a sick per­ son, he came to a stream which his companion knew to be impassable. M. N erinckx took the saddle of his friend-who refused to venture­ placed it on his own, and then remounting the horse, placed himself on his knees on the top of the two saddles, and thus crossed the flood which flowed over his horse's back. On another occa­ sion, he made a still more narrow escape. He was swept from his horse, which lost its footing and was carried away by the current; and the rider barely saved himself, and reached the other shore, by clinging firmly to the horse's tail. On one of his missionary tours, he narrowly escaped being devoured by the wolves, which then greatly infested those portions of Kentucky which were not densely settled. While travelling to visit a distant station, in what is now Grayson county, but what was then almost an unreclaimed wilderness,t he lost his way in the night. It was the dead of winter, and the darkness was so great, that he could not hope to extricate himself from his painful situation. Meantime, while he was seeking a sheltered place, where he could take • This often occurred, especially at the station on Clear creek, Hardin county. t And what ie now little better. HIS EARLY LIFE A ND LABOURS. 141 some repose, the famished wolves scented him, and came in hundreds, fiercely howling around him. With great presence of mind, he immedi­ ately remounted his horse, knowing that they would scarcely attack him while on horseback. He hallooed at the top of his voice, and tempora­ rily frightened them off; but soon they returned to the charge, and kept him at bay during the whole night. Once or twice they seemed on the point of seizing his horse, and M. Nerinckx made the sign of the cross and prepared himself for death: but a mysterious Providence watched over him; and he escaped after sitting his horse the whole night. * With the dawn, the wolves dis­ appeared. As "re have said, he was a man of powerful frame and herculean strength. A proof of this will be presented in the following singular adven­ ture, which is well known to all the older Catho­ lics of Kentucky. He was in the habit of rigidly enforcing order in the church, during the celebration of the divine mysteries. Protestants, and persons of no reli­ gion, often attended church, led thither chiefly by curiosity. These sometimes did not conform to the rules of propriety: and M. Nerinckx, who was little swayed by human respect, was not slow to admonish them of their faults in this particular. As he was not very well versed in the English language, and was by nature rather plain and frank, his admonitions were not always well un­ derstood, or well received. Once, especially, a � man by the name of Hardin-a youth of powerful frame and strength, and somewhat of a bully- * This adventure we learned from an aged citizen of Grayson county. 1,!� REV. CHARLES NERINCKX: took great offence at something which M. N erinckx had said, and which it seems he had entirely mis­ understood. He openly declared that he would be avenged on the priest, the first time that he would meet him alone. An opportunity soon occurred. M. N erinckx was going to the church of St. Charles, from St. Stephen's, when Hardin waylaid him on the road. Springing from his hiding place, he seized the bri­ dle reins of NL N erinckx's horse, and bid him stop, "for that he intended to give him a sound drubbing." At the same time, he cut one of the stirrup leathers, and ordered the rider to dismount; an order which was promptly complied with. M. Nerinckx remonstrated with him; told him that he had meant in nowise to offend or injure him; and that his profession wholly forbade him to wrangle or fight. Hardin, however,persisted, and was in the act of striking the priest, when the lat­ ter took hold of him, and quietly laid him on the ground, as though he had been the merest child; observing to him, meantime, with a smile, "that he would neither strike or injure him, but that he felt authorized to see that himself received no in­ jury at his hands." In this position he held him motionless on his back, until he had obtained from him a promise, that no farther attempt should be made on his person. After this rencounter, M. Nerinckx quietly re­ mounted his horse, and proceeded on his journey; Hardin as quietly moving off in the other direc­ tion. On arriving at the church, one of his friends asked M. Nerinckx, "how it had happened that his stirrup leather had been cut?" He replied, by simply stating the adventure in few words; and observing, with a smile, "that these young buck­ skins could not handle a Dutchman!" After this HIS EARLY Llfo�E AND LABOURS. 143 he never was heard to speak of the affair; but Hardin was wont to say to his friends, "he had often thought before, that he had handled men; but that he really never had hold of one, before he met priest Nerinckx, who, he verily believed, had something supernatural about him."* M. N erinckx often manifested his great bodily strength in the course of his laborious life. He erected no less than ten churches in Kentucky; two of which-those ,of Holy Cross and of Leba­ non-were of brick; and the rest of hewed logs. He was not content with directing the labours of others: he was seen intermixing with the work­ men, aiding them in cutting timber, in clearing out the undergrowth, and in every other species of hard labour. He generally worked bareheaded under the broiling sun: and, in removing heavy timber, or as it is commonly called, rolling logs, he usually lifted against two or three men of ordinary strength! He built his own house, chiefly with his own hands; and was wont to say cheerfully, "that his palace had cost him just $6 50 in money!" He had charge of six large congregations, be­ sides a much greater number of stations, scattered over the whole extent of Kentucky. 'Wherever he could learn that there were a few Catholic set­ tlers, there he established a station, or erected a church. The labour which he thus voluntarily took on himself, is almost incredible. 'I'o visit all his churches and stations generally required the space of at least six weeks. li! We have followed the version of the adventure given by the late Vincent Gates, the pious attendant and almost indivisible companion of M. Nerinckx; and for it we are indebted to a nephew of Mr. Gates. We mention this, because the occur­ rence has been related in different ways. 144 REV. CHARLES NERINCKX: He never took any rest or recreation. He seem­ ed always most happy, when most busily engaged. He seldom talked, except on business, or on God, on virtue, or on his missionary duties. On reach­ ing a church or station, his confessional was usually thronged by penitents, from the early dawn until mid-day. Before beginning to hear confes­ sions, he usually said some prayers with the peo­ ple, and then gave them a solid and familiar instruc­ tion on the manner of approaching the holy tribunal. If he seemed austere out of the confessional, he was in it a most kind, patient, and tender father. He spared no time nor pains to instruct his penit­ ents, all of whom, without one exception, were deeply attached to him. 'I'o his instructions chief­ ly in the confessional, are we to ascribe the piety and regularity of many among the living Catho­ lics in Kentucky. But it was on the children and servants that he lavished his labour with the greatest relish. Thoroughly to instruct them, and prepare them for their first communion, was his darling employ­ ment., He thought no time nor labour, that was devoted to this favourite object of his heart, too long or ill-spent. For this purpose, he usually remained a week at each of the churches and stations. During this time, he had the children and servants daily assembled, and devoted his whole time to them. He thus renewed in Ken­ tucky the edifying scenes which had been witness­ ed in his former parish of Everbery Meerbeke, in Belgium. The children Were much attached to him; and he possessed a peculiar tact in winning­ their hearts, and stimulating them to learn their catechism, and to be virtuous. He distributed them in regular classes, and awarded premiums to the most deserving. Thus he laid, broad and ms EA.RL Y LIFFl AND LABOVRS. 145 deep, the foundations of Catholic piety in Ken­ tucky. In Kentucky, also, as in Belgium, he sought to inculcate a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin .. The first church which he erected he dedicated to God under her invocation, and called it Holy Mary's, after her. His churches Were generally built in the form of a cross: the two arms of which, with one half of the body, were occupied respectively by the men and women, who were al ways kept separate. After Mass, he was in the habit of practising a devotion, as beautiful as it was touching and im­ pressive. He went to the centre of the church, where, surrounded by the little children, 'who so dearly loved him, he knelt down, and, with his arms extended in the form of a cross-=the chil­ dren raising also their little arms in the same man­ ner-he recited prayers in honour of the five blessed wounds of our Divine Saviour, The pa­ rents often joined the children in this moving de­ 'votion, After this, he led his little congregation, composed chiefly of children, into the adjoining . graveyard, where he caused them to visit and pray "over the graves of their deceased relatives and friends. . God blessed his labours with fruits so abundant and permanent, as to console him for all his toils and privations. lIe witnessed a flourishing church growing up around him, in what had recently been a wilderness, inhabited only by fierce wild beasts and untameable savages. He saw, in the virtues oí his scattered flock, a revival of those which had rendered so illustrious the Christians oí the first ages of the church. . M. Badin had laid the foundation; and, like a skillful architect, he reared the superstructure, in that portion of the K 146 REV. CHARLES NERINCKX: flock entrusted to his charge. The results of his labours prove how much one good man, with the blessing of God, can achieve by his single efforts, prompted by the lofty motive of the Divine glory, and directed with simplicity of heart to one no­ ble end. Yet, though learned and of solid judgment, he was not remarkable for brilliancy of talent, for en­ gaging address, or for pulpit eloquence. His dis­ courses were plain, matter of fact, instructions, delivered in broken English, and with little rheto­ rical ornament. He was, on the whole, :rather a tiresome and disagreeable speaker; yet was he listened to with great attention, and his words sunk deeply into the hearts of his hearers. The whole experience of the church has proved, that however valuable mere human eloquence may be, and however efficient for the conversion of men, it is still utterly powerless, when unat­ tended with a special grace in the preacher, which enables him to reach the hearts of his hearers. The history of the church in all ages has proved the truth of the Psalmist's declaration: "Unless God build the house, in vain doth he labour who buildeth it." "Paul may plant; Apollo may water: but God giveth the increase." Men of the least reputation for popular eloquence, have often effected the greatest amount of good. Jealous of his glory's being shared with men, God often does the most by the feeblest instruments. And it is on this principle, that twelve unlettered fishermen converted the world-confounding the philoso­ phers, confuting the rhetoricians, and silencing the oracles of paganism. We would not be understood as intending, by this digression, to disparage mere human learning or eloquence. Both are highly useful, and even, HIS EARLY LIFE AND LABOURS. 141 to some extent, necessary, especially in our en­ lightened (!) day. But we have meant to imply, that mere human gifts, however great or useful, are only subordinate to gifts of a higher kind. Men are not to be converted merely "by the per­ suasive words of human wisdom;" but by invok­ ing the divine blessing through constant prayer, and by preaching, with simplicity, and in union with God, "Christ, and Him crucified." 'I'his did the good M. N erinckx; and this is the true secret of his great and astonishing success in the holy ministry. We shall have occasion in the sequel to recur to the subject of M. Nerinckx's missionary career in Kentucky. Then will we more appropriately speak of his establishments, which were founded after the arrival of the Bishop in Kentucky. We will close the present chapter, already long enough, by relating one more incident in the life of this good missionary. The Catholics were so much dispersed, that he was often called to a distance of fifty and even a hundred miles, to visit the sick. On one occasion, he was called to see a Mr. Keith, who lived in Bourbon county, eighty miles off. The messen­ ger arrived at the residence of M. Nerinckx early in the morning; and stated that he had left the sick man in a dy-ing condition. M. Nerinckx lost not a moment. At five o'clock in the morning, he mounted his famous horse," Printer;" and after riding during the whole ensuing night, reach­ ed the house of Mr. Keith, at six o'clock the next morning. The poor man was already dead. He had just breathed his last. Arden tly had he desired the succours of religion in his last struggle; repeated­ ly had he asked, "whether the priest was coming?" K2 148 REV. CHARLES NERINCKX, &C. In his anxiety, he had dragged himself to the door of his cabin, to direct his straining eyes, now almost set in death, in the direction in which he expected the minister of God to approach! M .. Nerinckx remained for some time with the afflicted family of the deceased, comforting them with the assurance that God had no doubt merci­ fully accepted the will for the deed in the deceas­ ed. He prayed with them over his remains, which he followed to their last resting place. He took occasion from the manner of his death to make a deep impression on the minds and hearts of the living, whom he exhorted "to be always ready, for they knew not the day nor the hour," when death might surprise them. After thus doing all the good he could accomplish, he returned, deeply af­ fected by the scene he had witnessed. CHAPTER IX. Tile Dominicans in Kentucky.*-From 1805 to 1824. Early missionary labours of the Dominican Order-The Eng­ lish Dominicans-College at Bornheim-Departure for Ameri­ ca-Arrivalm Kentucky-Founding of St. Rose-The new no­ viciate-Bishop Concannon-Father Wilson's learning, virtues, . labours and death-Father Edward Fenwick-His zeal and la­ boure=-=Stray Sheep"-Humorous adventure with an old lady­ His missionary labours in Ohio-Founding of St. Joseph's, Somerset-Nominated first Bishop of Cincmnati-His success and death-The missionary labours of the Dominicans in Ken­ tucky-Father Willet-College of St. Thomas Aquinas-Mon­ asteryof St. Magdalen's. THE white mantle of St. Dominic had appear­ ed in the midst of many a dreary wilderness, which it had been the means of converting into a blooming garden of Christian civilization. Clad in this emblem of purity, the sons of Sto Dominic had tamed the fierceness of the savage, had en­ lightened his understanding, and had moved his heart to embrace the religion of Christ. • We regret that we are not able to give a fuller history of this distinguished Order in the west. The Dominicans in Ken­ tucky did much and wrote little: and we have been able to find no documents wherewith to compose a full history of their la­ bours in our Diocess. The facts, however, which we will give may be relied on: they are based on notes kindly furnished us by one of the oldest and most distinguished living members of the order. 150 THE DOMINICANS From the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, they were among the chief pioneers of Christian ci vilization. Wherever nations or tribes were to be converted to Christianity, there were they to be found, ready to make every sacrifice, to endure every privation, and to peril life itself to insure triumph to the Cross. Their blood has been pour­ ed out like water, in every quarter of the globe, arid among almost all the tribes of the earth. In the heart of Asia, and amid the burning sands of Africa-on the banks of the Euxine and the Cas­ pian Seas-along the waters of the Nile, the Eu­ phrates, and the Ganges, might they be found, far away from their brethren, toiling, and labouring, and dying for the propagation of the fai th. � On the first discovery of America, we find them accompanying every expedition of exploration and conquest, mitigating the horrors of invasion, and erecting the Cross by the side of the banner of earthly conquest. The names of Olmedo, and of Las Casas-not to mention a hundred others al­ most equally illustrious-shine conspicuous in the annals of Spanish conquest in America: amidst the gloomy horrors' of war, they brightly gleam, like stars in a dark night!+ It was in the plan of Divine Providence, that our infant missions should be blessed with a branch of this illustrious Order. For their estab­ lishment in Kentucky, as well as for most of our other early missionaries, we are indebted to the horrors of the French Revolution-Providence thus drawing good out of evil, as the bee extracts honey from the bitterest flowers. In every age of • For facts under this head, see Becchetti's Church History-a \ ontinuatiou of that by Cardinal Orsi-passim. t See Prescott, Robertson, and other historians of the Spanish Conquest. IN KENTUCKY. 151 the church, persecution has been thus instrumen­ tal in disseminating the Gospel, even as the storm scatters the seeds of the plants over the surface of the earth. In consequence of the bitter and long continued persecution of the Catholics in England, the Eng­ lish Dominicans, like their other clerical brethren, in England, were compelled to expatriate, and to locate themselves on the Continent. They ac­ cordingly established an English Dominican Pro­ vince in Belgium, and had a flourishing College at Bornheim. Early in the year 1805, this beau­ tiful institution was seized on and broken up by the French revolutionary troops. At this disas­ trous period, Father Thomas Wilson was Presi­ dent, and F. Edward Fenwick was procurator of . the college. The latter was thrown into prison, whence he was, however, shortly afterwards de­ livered, chiefly in consequence of his' being an American citizen. The President and the other members of the Order escaped to England. On entering the college, the rapacious French troops seized upon every thing of value upon which they could lay their hands. On this occa­ sion, F. Wilson showed his presence of mind, by casting a valuable watch into a back garden, ad­ joining the college, whence he recovered it on the departure of the French troops. Shortly after their arrival in England, the mem­ bers of the province petitioned their General to be sent to America, the native country of 'F' Fen­ wick. The request was granted, and E. Fenwick, in consequence of his many virtues, and of his being an American, was named Superior. The colony immediately set sail, and soon landed safely, in America. Twenty-one years had elapsed since F. Fen- 152 TIlE DOMINICANS wick had set foot on the soil of his native country. Born in 1768, in Sto Mary's county, Maryland, of respectable and wealthy parents, descended from the Fenwicks of Fenwick Tower in Northumber­ land, England, he had been sent abroad by his parents, at the age of sixteen. At this age he had entered the Dominican college of Bornheim, where, after having completed his education; he had taken the habit of S1. Dominic, and made his religious profession. Promoted to holy orders, he had been for many years professor or procurator of the institution, edifying his brethren by his exem­ plary conduct, and his unaffected piety. And now he returned to his native country, invested with the sacred order of the priesthood, and pre­ pared to enter upon a new and more extensive field of usefulness. The members of the Order who accompanied F. Fenwick to the United States were three in number: FF. Thomas Wilson, William Raymond Tuite, and R. Anger; all natives of England. They presented themselves to Bishop Carroll, who welcomed them warmly to his extensive Di­ ocess, which then embraced the whole territory of the United States. When F. Fenwick applied for advice as to the most suitable location for the new; Dominican province, Bishop Carroll recommend­ ed the distant and destitute missions of Kentucky. To his tender solicitude for the prosperity of our infant missions, we had, early in the same year, been indebted for the invaluable services of M. Nerinckx; and now we were to be indebted to the same goodness, for a whole band of zealous and efficient missionaries. In the fall of the year, 1805, F. Fenwick paid a visit to Kentucky, to examine the country, and to decide on the most fitting situation for the IN KENTUCKY. 153 new establishment. Having satisfied his mind on the subject, he returned to Maryland, late in the same, or early in the following year. In the spring of 1806, he and his hrethren removed to Kentucky, where they established themselves in the present ·Washington county, on a farm which had been purchased with the rich patrimony of F. Fenwick. The new establishment was called St. Rose's, after the Virgin of Lima-the pro to-saint of the Dominican Order in America. Th us F. Fenwick was the founder of the Dominican Order in the United States; and he was afterwards des­ tined to be the father and founder of the missions of Ohio, and its first Bishop. Having thus founded St. Rose's, F. Fenwick determined to commit the destinies of the newes­ tablishment to another, whom, in his humility, he sincerely believed better qualified than himself to conduct it with success. He accordingly obtained from the General of the Order permission to resign his office of superior, in favour of F. Thomas Wilson, who, by an extraordinary privilege, was named Provincial for an indefinite period. * F. Fenwick then became a private member of the Order; preferring rather to live nnder obedience, than to incur the responsibility of commanding. Under the vigorous administration of F. Wil­ son, the establishment of St. Rose, was soon in a flourishing condition. To him, under God, were its prosperity and permanency mainly ascribable. In 1808, a noviciate was opened, which was soon filled with candidates for admission into the Or­ der. These young men combined the exercises of the active, with those of the contempla­ tive life. They spent some hours of each day in manual labour, aiding the workmen in making * Usque ad remcationem. 154 TIlE DOMINICANS brick, and in building the present church and the other edifices adjoining. * The infant institution was greatly aided by a bequest left it about this time by a distinguished member of the Order. The first Bishop of New York, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Luke Concannon, was a Dominican, and a warm personal friend of his brethren who had recently settled in Kentucky. He died at Naples, in Œ08, on the eve of his em­ barkation for America. He bequeathed his valu­ able library, besides $2,000 in money, to the con­ vent of St. Rose. He had also intended to estab­ lish a branch of his Order in the new .Diocess over which he had been called to preside, but death pre­ vented his design. On his arrival in Kentucky, F. Wilson was about forty-five years of age. Of refined and highly polished manners, as well as amiable, modest and learned, he was universally admired and beloved. He was of retiring habits, and much devoted to prayer and study. He was one of the most learn­ ed divines who ever emigrated to America. For many years he had been professor of Theology at the College of Bornheim, in Belgium; and he still continued to discharge the same duty at the newly established convent of Sto Rose. He had written much-probably an entire course of theol­ ogy, adapted to the wants of England and Ameri­ ca-but shortly before his death, his large collec­ tion of manuscripts suddenly disappeared. It was believed that, through a motive of exagge­ rated humility, he had himself committed them to the flames, on the eve of his death. It will be remembered, that in this respect, he had the same * See M. Badin's "Statement of the Missions of Kentucky," in the first volume of the "Annales," &c., page 40, note­ sup. cit. IN KENTUCKY. 155 feelings of modesty as the Rev. M. Nerinckx. Much as we admire humility, we cannot but re­ gret the loss which its excess thus occasioned the American church. After F. Fenwick had been consecrated first Bishop of Cincinnati, in 1822, F. Wilson accom­ panied him to his new Diocess, in quality of The­ ologian. After remaining in Ohio for six months, during which time he greatly aided the new Bish­ op with his wise counsels, he returned to St. Rose. Here he died, in the same odour of sanctity III which he had lived, in the summer of 1824. Long and reverently will the Catholics of Kentucky re­ member his virtues, which are still freshly em­ balmed in the recollection of his brethren. He was a bright ornament of an illustrious Order, and its early history in the United States is iden­ tified with his biography. Another ornament of the Order in North Ameri­ ca, less brilliant, but, perhaps, more useful still, was the illustrious F. Edward Fenwick. After he had resigned the office of superior, he became a general missionary. He was seldom at home, and lived almost constantly on horseback. His zeal for the salvation of souls was as boundless as it was untiring and persevering. He traversed Kentucky in every direction, in quest of scattered Catholic families, whom he was wont to designate as "stray sheep." Often was he known to ride thirty or forty miles out of his way, to visit a lone­ ly Catholic family, of whose existence he had been informed. Though not gifted with great na­ tural talents, he possessed a peculiar tact for win­ ning souls to Christ. His manners were of the most familiar, affable, and winning kind. He could adapt himself to every emergency, and to every description of character and temperament. IN KENTUCKY. 157 to put him to the trouble of travelling four miles on foot. But it was on the new missions of Ohio, that F. Fenwick was destined most to signalize his missionary zeal. Of this mission he was the first pioneer and founder. He penetrated into the State, for the first time, in the year 1810. He then found, in the vicinity of Somerset, only three Ca­ tholic families, of German extraction, numbering in all about twenty members. He traversed the State in all directions, and was gratified to be able subsequently to discover there many other scatter­ ed families of Catholics. These he visited occa­ sionally, saying Mass for them, instructing ,the children, and administering the Sacraments. The first churches of this new mission were founded by him. In the year 1818, or 1819, a gentleman living near Somerset, Ohio, made a present to the Order of a fine farm, on condition that F., Fenwick would erect on it an institution similar to that of St. Rose, in Kentucky. The generous offer was accepted; and with the approbation and advice of Bishop Flaget, whose Diocess then embraced Ohio, F. Fenwick, accompanied by his nephew, F. N. D. Young, proceeded to Ohio, to found the new establishment. It was called St. Joseph's, and is now one of the most flourishing convents of the Order in the United States. In 1822, F. Fenwick was nominated by the Holy See first Bishop of Cincinnati. Thinking himself wholly unfit for the responsible office, he fled and buried himself in his distant missions in the forest. He soon, however, found that it was as impossible for him, as it had been for Jonas of old, "to fly . from the face of the Lord." He re- 158 THE DOMINICANS luctantly accepted the appointment, and was con­ secrated at St. Rose, by Bishop Flaget. Our scope and limits will not permit us to enter into the details of his subsequent career, in the episcopacy. Suffice it to say, that he laboured for ten years, with indefatigable zeal, in this new and wider sphere of usefulness; and that he had the satisfaction to find, that God abundantly bless­ ed his labours. When he first visited Ohio, he was able to find but twenty Catholics; at his death, he left about forty thousand, whose spirit­ ual wants were attended to by thirty missionaries. Great numbers of those had been added to his ever increasing flock, by conversion. He died, as he had li ved, in the midst of his labours. He was on a visitation of his extensive Diocess, which embraced Ohio and Michigan. He had fallen sick at Soulte Sainte Marie, on Lake Superior; and when he reached Michillimackinac, his life was despaired of. Still he continued his visitation. On the 25th of September, 1832, he calmly breathed his last, thirty miles from Canton. He had said Mass, and written two letters on the previous day. Thus died Bishop Fenwick, a faithful missionary to the last, and a martyr to his zeal.* The Order of Sto Dominic in Kentucky had' thus laid the foundations of the Ohio missions, and given to the newly established Diocess of Cincinnati its first Bishop. It had established in Ohio a branch of the Order which was soon to rival the mother institution itself. Still, though few in number, the Dominicans determined to exp tend yet more the sphere of their usefulness. • See an obituary notice of him in the Catholic Telegraph, vol, 2. No. 11. p. 85. IN KENTUCI{Y. 159 They entered with relish and indefatigable zeal on the missions of Kentucky. They had charge of several flourishing congregations in this Diocess. They attended the old congregation of St. Anne's on Cartwright's Creek, until the year 1819, when the tottering log church was taken down, and the congregation attached to it was merged in that of St. Rose. This had already become one of the most numerous in the whole Diocess. They also had charge of the large congregation attached to the church of St. Pius, in Scott coun­ ty; as. well as of that at Lexington. The former was attended to successively by FF. R. Anger and S. H. Montgomery; the latter, for several years, by F. Wm. 'r. Willet. The last named was a native of Kentucky, and had been one among the first novices who had entered the Order at St. Rose, where he had been ordained in 1816, together with FF. Richard P. Miles, Samuel H. Montgomery, and N. D. Young. He was a man as remarkable for his talents, as he was for his zeal and virtues. In Lexington, he won the hearts of all who knew him. Humble, affable, charitable, of easy and polished manners, and, an excellent preacher, he was an efficient and devoted mission­ ary. But his health was bad; his constitution was a prey to that insidious and fatal malady­ consumption; and he fell a victim to this disease on the 9th of May, 1824. He was interred at Lex­ ington, in presence of a vast concourse of people, of all denominations; and his virtues are still vividly remembered.s • A neat and plain sepulchral monument was erected over his remains , and our only source of information as to his life and the date of his death, was a brief obituary notice which appear­ ed at the time in a Lexington paper, and the inscription on his tomb. CHAPTER X. --. The Trappists in Kentucky*-Prom 1805 to 1809. Goodness of Providence toward the Missions of Kentucky­ The Cistercian and Carthusian Monks-The Abbe De Rance­ His early life, disorders, and conversion-His exemplary pe­ nance-Attempts a reform of the Order-The Trappists-Their rules and austerities-Dispersed by the French Revolution­ Some of them escape to Amerioa-i-Father Urban Guillet-The Trappists at the Pigeon Hills, in Pennsylvania-Their arrival in Kentucky-Their edifying life and austerities-The number who died in Kentucky-Cross in the moon-Departure for Mis: souri-Delay at the mouth of the Ohio-Sublime spectacle­ Ascent of the Mississippi-Curious accident-The Trappists at Flouriesant=-And at Monk's Mound-The Indians-Curious fact in acoustics-Deaths at Monk's Mound-Return to Europe -Incidents of travel-Remarks on a passage in the "American Notes" of Charles Dickens. IT would seem that Di vine Providence had cast an. eye of particular benevolence 011 the early mis­ sions of Kentucky, and watched over them with a special care. 'I'he first that was established in �he west, the church of Kentucky was destined to * We have derived the facts contained in this chapter from an aged and respectable individual, who came but to Arnenca with the Trappists, and remained with them. until their final return to Europe, in 1813. Though not himself a regular mem­ ber of the Order, yet he lived in the same community with the Trappists, and was thoroughly acquainted with their history and institute. THE TRAPPISTS IN KENTUCKY. 163 become the mother and foundress, as well as the model, of many others. She was to be the fruit­ ful mother of many spiritual children, who "would rise up and call her blessed." From the original Diocess of Bardstown, no less than nine others" have already sprung into existence; many of them, under the fostering care of the present venerable Patriarch of the western church. And, as if to prepare the church of Kentucky for this wide extension, and to increase her fecun­ dity, God seemed lavish of his favours in her re­ gard. He had already sent zealous missionaries to labour in her ample field-to water it with their tears, and to gather from it fruits ripe for heaven: and now He sent out to the same portion of His vineyard, a band of pious contemplatives, who were to fertilize it with their prayers, and to dif­ fuse the sweet odour of sanctity throughout the whole western wilderness. The Trappists were a branch of the Order of Cistercian Monks, originally founded by the great Saints Stephen and Bernard, in ·the twelfth centu­ ry. This was one of the most austere religious Orders ever established in the church. It was in­ tended to revive, in the western portion of the Christian church, the bright examples of primitive sanctity furnished in the lives of the eastern soli­ taries, of the third and fourth centuries. St. Bru­ no.] St. Bernard, and Sto Stephen were to the western, what St. Anthony, St. Pachomius, and St. Basil, had been to the eastern church: and the Cistercians and Carthusians of the west, were the * Including that of Little Rock, Arkansas, about one-half of which lay within the original limits of the Diocess of Bards­ town. t st. Bruno was the founder of the Carthusians, an Order still more austere than that of the Cistercians. L 164 THE TRAPPISTS counterpart of the monks of Syria and of the 'T'hebais, in the east. Both were devoted, in a life of entire seclusion from the world, to the con­ stant practice of prayer, of mortification, and of all the evangelical counsels. Like most of the religious Orders, the Cister- , cians had, in course of time, relaxed somewhat of their primitive fervour. They had become less devoted to austerity and to prayer, and had imbib­ ed no little of the spirit of the world, which they had renounced. Fervent members of the Order had, at different times, laboured, with greater or less success, both by word and by example, ,to stem the downward current, and to restore the so­ ciety to its original condition. Arriong these zeal­ ous men, whom Divine Providence raised up from time to time, none were perhaps more conspicuous, or succeeded in effecting more good, than the fa­ mous Abbe de Rance. A native of France, of a wealthy and ancient family, the nephew of Bouthillier de Clavigni, the French Secretary of State, the young de Rance was yet more distinguished for the vivacity of his intellect, and the brightness of his genius. So precocious, in fact, was his understanding, that he .had already completed his Latin and Greek studies, and, with the aid of his preceptor, had published a new edition of the Greek poems of Anacreon, in his thirteenth year! Young, gay, wealthy, full of wit and of talent, he soon became the idol of the court, and soon too, alas! was con­ taminated by its vices. 'With all the enthusiasm of his nature, he gave himself up a willing victim to the gay pleasures and gilded vanities of the world. But Divine Providence had a higher destiny in reserve for him, and mercifully withdrew him from IN IŒN'rUCKY. 165 the delusions in which his young spirit had been temporarily involved. Disgusted with the world, which, however it smiled on him, could not satis­ fy his longing aspirations after happiness, young de Rance determined to bid farewell to it for ever, and to seek in solitude that happiness, which his heart could not find amid the giddy dissipations of. Paris. He wished also to atone for his past dis­ orders, by a life wholly devoted to prayer and pe­ nitential austerity. He accordingly left Paris, sold his ample patrimony of Veret, gave the proceeds to the charity hospital of the Hotel Dieu, at Paris; and, of all his immense property, he reserved for his support only the priory of Boulogne, and the Abbey of La Trappe. After having taken the advice of three learned and pious French Bishops, he resolved to enter the Order of Cistercians, of which his Abbey of La Trappe was an establishment. He was accord­ ingly admitted a novice of the Order, in 1663, and made his profession in the following year, at the age of thirty-eight. The young religious soon shone forth a bright example to his brethren. He deplored the sad falling off of the Order from its primitive fervour, and resolved to exert himself to the utmost to re­ store it to the condition in which it had been left by St. Bernard. He had all the qualities for a reformer-zeal, humility, piety, and unshaken firmness of purpose; and the Holy See, viewing him as the very man for the emergency, gave him ample powers to effect a thorough reformation of the Order in France. Stimulated by his example, and moved by his burning eloquence, the monks of La Trappe soon embraced the proposed reform. La Trappe became, under de Rance, what Clairvaux had been L2 166 THE TRAPPISTS under St. Bernard. But the reformer was not so successful with the other houses of the Order, which declined being brough t under the rigid dis­ cipline which he had re-established at La Trappe. Those who embraced the reform were called Trap­ pists, from the mother establishment. In course of time, several other houses of Trappists were established in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. The different establishments of the new reform continued to flourish for about a hundred years. Every where they exhibited the brightest exam­ ples of every virtue. Throughout the solitudes which they inhabited, there reigned a perpetual silence, interrupted only by anthems of praise to the Almighty. Their rule also enjoined manual labour, rigid mortifications, and perpetual absti­ nence from flesh, and even from fish and eggs. Those who were wearied or' disgusted with the world, and wished to do penance for their sins, found a secure and charming retreat at La Trappe. Attracted by the sanctity of the monks, and stimu­ lated by the illustrious example of de Rance, many persons of wealthy and noble families renounced the world, and sought in this rigid Order to atone for past faults, and to aspire to perfectíon.ë At length, the furious storm of the French Re­ volution scattered the humble glories of La Trappe. After having blighted the most fertile and lovely provinces of France, its ravages extend­ ed to the wilderness itself, which it rendered still more desolate, by banishing from it the voice of prayer. The Trappists were compelled to fly; te The famous Baron de Geramb, a German nobleman of dis· tinction, is an example of this. Many of our readers are familiar with his recent beautiful and edifying works. IN KENTUCKY. 167 and a branch of the Order sought shelter in the United States. The Trappists sailed for America in 1804-the same year that the Rev. Mr. Nerinckx embarked for our shores. On the 15th of August of that year-the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary-they established themselves at the Pigeon Hills, near Conawago, in Pennsylvania. Father Urban Guillet, a native of France, was their Superior during the whole time of their so­ journ in America. He was a man of great piety, of indefatigable zeal and activity, and of singular meekness and suavity of manners. He won the hearts of all who became acquainted with him. The original number of Trappists who emigrat­ ed to America was twenty-five, of whom eight were priests, and seventeen lay-brothers. These were subsequently farther augmented by two other smaller colonies, consisting of three priests and several lay-brothers. They were from various parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy. Besides the regular members of the Order, there were also many boys attached to the establishment. These were not, however, subject to its severe discipline. Under the eye of the monks, they were trained to piety and learning, and were taught various trades. When they attained the proper age, they were re� ceived into the Order" if their inclinations prompt­ ed them to ask admission, and if it was thought that they had a true vocation. The Trappists remained at the Pigeon Hills for only one year. Desirous of breathing a purer at­ mosphere of solitude, they determined to pene­ trate farther into the wilderness. Father Urban had already visited Kentucky, and selected a situ­ ation for the new establishment, on Pottinger's Creek, near Rohan's knob, about a mile from the J..3 168 THE TRAPPISTS church of Holy Cross. To this place the 'I'rap­ pists removed in the fall of 1805; and here they remained for about three years and a half-until the spring of 1809. On their arrival in Kentucky they opened a ,gratuitous school for boys, whom they endeavour­ ed to train up in virtue and learning. This was the first Catholic school of any note that was es­ tablished in our State. It continued to flourish for nearly three years, and contributed greatly to the spiritual improvement of the rising generation. Under the care of the monks, many youths, be­ sides being imbued with the elements of learning, were reared to the practice of virtue, and were pre­ pared for their first Communion. The Catholics of Kentucky were greatly edified by the piety of the good monks. 'I'heir example diffused through the new settlements the sweet odour of piety. Though their institute did not permit them to engage actively in the labours of the missionary life, yet Father Urban often visited the sick, and discharged other duties of the min­ istry, in case of necessity. But the hands of the good solitaries were ever stretched forth in prayer on the mountain of God, while their missionary brethren were labouring in the plain. And there is no doubt, that their fervent prayers and peni­ tential austerities drew down an abundant bless­ ing on the infant missions of Kentucky. Sinners are converted and souls are saved more by prayer than by preaching; at least, the latter is wholly powerless unless united with the former. While in Kentucky, the Trappists relaxed in nothing the rigor of their institute. They ob­ served a perpetual silence. They slept on boards, with nothing but a blanket for their covering, and a coarse canvass bag stuffed with straw for their IN KENTUCKY. 169 pillow. They gave but four hours in the twenty­ four to repose-from eight o'clock, P. M., until twelve. At midnight they arose to sing the Divine Office in common, after which they never retired to rest. They took but one meal in the day, at three o'clock, P. IV!.; with a slight collation at night, from Easter until Ascension day. They never ate meat, butter, eggs, nor fish: their food consisted of the coarsest bread, and of vegetables plainly dressed. On Good Friday, they took no­ thing but bread and water. Their life was thus a continual penance and prayer. But, in the climate of Kentucky, these rigid austerities were not compatible with health. The constitutions of many among the monks were greatly impaired; and five priests and three lay­ brothers fell 'victims to disease, and were buried in the cemetery adjoining the church of Holy Cross. These afflictions, and the ardent desire which Father Urban had conceived of labouring for the conversion and ci vilizatión of the Indian tribes, together with the aspiration after still great­ er solitude, determined him to emigrate with his Order still farther westward. But before we follow this remarkable band of monks in their onward pilgrimage to the far-west, we will briefly relate a singular natural phenome­ non which they witnessed while in Kentucky, and for which we are indebted to the same eye­ witness to whom we owe the other details of this chapter. In the year 1808, the moon, being then about two-thirds full, presented a most remarkable ap­ pearance. A bright and luminous cross, clearly defined, was seen in the heavens, with its arms intersecting the centre of the moon. On each side, two smaller crosses were also distinctly visible, 170 THE TRAPPISTS though the portions of them most distant from the moon were more faintly marked. This strange phenomenon continued for several hours, and was wi messed by the Trappists on their arising, as usual, at midnight, to sing the divine praises. The largest cross was about sixteen diameters of the moon in length, and four in width: the small­ er ones were of about one-third this magnitude. The breadth of each arm of the largest cross was just that of the moon's diameter. Our readers may have learned through the public newspapers, that a phenomenon somewhat similar, though not altogether so remarkable, was lately witnessed in various parts of the United States. Having resolved to remove farther west, the Trappists built a flat-boat, near the house of Capt. J. Rapier, on the Beech Fork, about three miles from Bardstown; and having launched it, and placed their effects on board, they patiently await­ ed the coming of a freshet to bear them to the Ohio river. They were enabled to depart from Kentucky early in the spring of !B09; and they proceeded without accident to the mouth of the Ohio. Here they were delayed for three weeks, awaiting the arrival of a body of boatmen, whom Father Urban, who had travelled by land to St. Louis, had promised to send to meet them at this point, in order to aid them in the difficult ascent of the Mississippi. During their stay at the mouth of the Ohio, the monks landed on the Illinois side of the river, near the site of the present town of Cairo. Here they felled and sawed timber, and fitted up a tem­ porary altar, at the foot of a large, widely-branch­ ing tree, and there they daily sang the di vine praises, and offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the New Law. It was, perhaps, the first time that the IN IŒNTUCKY. 111 voice of prayer had been heard amidst those dense and unreclaimed forests: the first time that the Holy victim had been there offered up ! There is something truly grand and sublime in the spec­ tacle presented by this first solemn act of worship at the confluence of the two great rivers which water the Mississippi Valley! It was a solemn dedication of the whole Valley to the service of the Living God. At length, almost despairing of the expected aid from St. Louis, the Trappists set to work to prepare their boat for the ascent of the Mississippi.. They sawed timber, covered the boat with planks, erected a large mast, and fitted to it a temporary sail. When they had completed these prepara­ tions, they were cheered by the arrival of sixteen sturdy Canadian boatmen, or voya,geurs, sent to their assistance by Father Urban. On examining the boat, the Canadians declared that the mast and sail were useless, and a mere encumbrance; and that the only means of conveying the boat to St. Louis would be, to tow it along othe banks by means of ropes. This was a laborious and tedi­ ions operation, which consumed a whole month: whereas, in one of our modern steamboats, the as­ cent is now accomplished with ease in thirty-six hours. On the arrival of the boat at St. Louis, the Trappists learned that Father Urban had deter­ mined to fix the new monastic establishment at Flourissant, where there is at present a flourishing institution of the Jesuits. The boat was accord­ ingly towed up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, to the point on the latter nearest to Flourissant. An accident occurred at the mouth of the Missouri, which greatly endangered the safety of the boat, 172 THE TRAPPISTS and may serve to show the peculiar dangers at­ tending this species of navigation. In attempting to draw the boat into the rapid current of the Missouri, the tow-line broke, and the boat shot rapidly down the stream. All the able bodied men were on the shore, and only the infirm and disabled were on board. The boat continued to descend the Mississippi during al· most an entire day,. before the boatmen on the shore were able to check it; and several days' hard labour were required to regain their former position, and many more to reach their destination. At Flourissant the Trappists remained for one year, during which time they continued to prac­ tice all the religious austerities of their Order. In 1810, M. Jarot, a French Catholic of Kahokias, made them a present of a farm in Illinois, lying on the banks of the Mississippi river, about six miles above Sto Louis. To this place they imme­ diately removed, and here they continued for near .. I y three years. This- was their fourth and last resting place- in the United States. They soon set to work and built up a little vil­ lage on the bosom of the prairie, in the immedi­ ate vicinity, and around the foot of a cluster of Indian mounds, one of which, larger than the rest, is still called Monk's Mound. These mounds were, probably, the great burial places of the In­ dian tribes; and the el lister formed a sort of "city of the dead." In excavating for the foundation of their houses, the monks discovered bones, idols, beads, implements of war, and various other Indian antiquities. During their stay at Monk's Mound, the Trap .. pists were often in great danger from marauding bands of Indians. Many person were killed and scalped in the immediate vicinity of the place; IN KENTUCKY. 173 and the youths belonging to the establishment were often compelled to join parties of the white people who were organized for the pursuit and chastisement of the savages. Still, the monks themsel ves were never molested in their own es­ tablishment. The savages seemed even to be awed into reverence for their sanctity; and often did they pause in the vicinity of the rude 'I'rappist chapel, to listen to the praises of God chanted amidst the bones of their own fathers. Father Urban had conceived an ardent desire to open a school for the instruction and civilization of the Indian tribes: he intended to teach their children the various trades of civilized life, while their minds would be gradually imbued with the elements of Christianity. $ But untoward events, and the speedy recall of the Order to Europe, pre­ vented him from carrying this benevolent design into execution. At the time that the Trappists established them­ selves in Illinois, the Indian war of the northwest was beginning to rage. It terminated in the full discomfiture of the savages, at the famous battle of Tippecanoe, on the 7th of November, 1811. I t is a remarkable fact in the history of acoustics, that the Trappists distinctly heard the report of the cannon fired at Tippecanoe, though they were about two hundred miles distant from the scene of action. A peculiar state of the atmosphere, and the circumstance that the sound passed uninter­ rupted over immense level prairies, may enable us to account for this curious fact, which is stated on respectable authority. * See the Statement of M. Badin, on the Missions of Ken­ tucky, pnblished in the" Annales de la Propagation de la Foy" -vol. r, No. 11, 1823, p. 3',-3. 174 THE TRAPPISTS In Illinois, the monks were scarcely more for­ tunate, in regard to health, than they had been in Kentucky. They there lost by death two priests and five lay-brothers of the Order, all of whom were buried at Monk's Mound. Thus, during their whole stay of nearly nine years in the United States-from 1804 to 1813-they lost seven priests and eight lay-brothers, making a total of fifteen; besides a few others who may have died in Penn­ sylvania and Missouri. It was apparent that the climate was not congenial to their health, while practising the rigid austerities enjoined by their Order. This and other reasons soon causedtheir return to Europe. The fury of the French Revolution had subsided; and Napoleon Buonaparte had set up again the altars which it had thrown down or desecrated. When religious freedom had been thus restored, the General of the Order recalled the Trappists from America, to reoccupy the es­ tablishments from which they had been banished in Europe. Father Urban immediately prepared to obey the call of his Superior. In the month of March, 1813, the establishment at lVlonk's Mound was broken up. The property) was disposed of, and the monks embarked with their more valua­ ble moveables, at Sto Louis, in a keel boat bound for Pittsburgh. Their trip was long, painful, and attended with many dangers. To exhibit the dif­ ficulties of travelling on our western waters at that time, we will here mention a few of the inci­ dents attending this voyage on the Mississippi and O hio ri vers. The boat pursued its course during the day, and usually landed at night, when the crew bivouack­ ed in the woods. On reaching the mouth of the IN KENTUCKY. 175 Ohio river, the whole .country was found to be inundated, as far as the eye could reach, and it be­ came impossible to effect a landing. A day or two afterwards, the boatmen discovered a house on the Illinois side, on the site of the present town of America, about 15 miles above the mouth of the river. They were overjoyed at the sight; and, having landed, they endeavoured to enter the building. But they found the doors barricadoed, and the whole house pierced with port-holes, for protection against the savages. It was a kind of solitary block-house erected in the wilderness. After waiting in suspense, for several hours, they at length observed a white man, in the garb of a hunter, slowly and' cautiously approaching the house, with his musket levelled. They showed themselves, and shouted out at the top of their voice, that they were friends. The hunter ran hastily towards them, gave them a cordial wel­ come, and having bid his wife to unbar the doors of his castle, introduced the strangers, and made them sharers in his best cheer. He told them that he had been living alone for several years in this place, and that the precautions they had no­ ticed, had often secured him and his family from the horrors of Indian massacre. . On reaching Fort Massac, the boat was brought to by the garrison stationed there; and in attempt­ ing to land, the steersman ran it on a rock, which accident well-nigh caused it to founder. On land­ ing, a few miles below Shawneetown, they were near being robbed, and perhaps murdered, by a band of eight suspicious looking men, who suc­ cessively arrived at the landing shortly afterwards, in two large pirogues. It was believed, that these men had perhaps followed the boat from St. Louis, with a view to possess themselves of the money 176 THE TRAPPISTS and valuable cargo which they knew it contained .. The monks were alarmed at an early hour of the night, and immediately repaired with Father Ur­ ban, to the boat, which was pushed off from the shore, and tied to a tree in the middle of the river. The probable robbers finding that their plot was discovered, and anticipating, perhaps, a warm re­ ception, made no attempt upon the boat; and, in the morning, they had disappeared. Therest of the journey was performed without any farther adventure worthy of notice. The Trappists embarked for F ranee, and bade a final farewell to the United States. While all the mem­ bers of the Order, both priests and lay-brothers, thus returned to Europe, many of the young men who were attached to it remained in America; generally devoting themselves to the trades which they.had learned among the Trappists." We will close this rapid and very imperfect sketch of the Trappists in America, by an expression of deep regret, that a man of Mr. Dickens" good sense and general good feelings, should have so far forgotten himself, as to ha ve penned that libell­ ous passage in his "American Notes," in which he speaks of the Trappists as gloomy, and self-de­ stroying fanatics, and seems even to rejoice over the death of many of. their number in America. In an ignorant and bigoted Protestant, we might have excused this atrocious sentiment: but we are wholly at a loss to account for it in the accom­ plished and refined Boz-a name which has done so much to elicit sympathy for the oppressed and the suffering. * Three of them settled in Bardstown, where one of them is still living, IN KENTUCKY. 177 Carnal-minded Protestantism never could un­ derstand nor relish a life of retirement, of self-de­ nial, of penance, and of mortification. To it, the spirit and utility of these practices are wholly un­ intelligible. The example of Christ himself, and that of St. John the Baptist, and of all His Saints, fail to correct the erroneous feelings on this sub­ ject. "The sensual man perceiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God." And the man who would speak, as Mr. Dickens has spoken, of the retirement and austerities of the 'I'rappists, would, if not restrained by human respect from carrying out his principle, also sneer at similar ob­ servances in the life of Christ himself! yv e grant that austerity and bodily inflictions may be carried too far. But the numerous deaths which occurred among the Trappists in America, were, perhaps owing to their not being occustomed to the climate, at least as much as to any indiscre­ tion they may have been guilty of in practising the hard penances enjoined by their rule. We do not find that a similar mortality attends the Order in France and in other countries of Europe, where it has been long established. On the contrary, the European Trappists, like the ancient solitaries of the Thebais, are famous for their longevity. The experience of mankind has clearly establish­ ed the fact, that, where one man dies prematurely from voluntary abstinence, ten thousand die by eating too much. And the longevity of ancient and modern cenobites has proved the entire truth of the old adage: "if you would eat long, you must eat little." CHAPTER XI. The Arrival of the Bishop in Kentuclcy. Efforts of M. Badin to have a Bishop nominated for Kentucky -His journey to Baltimore-Edifying incident at Brownsville, Pennsylvania-The Rev. M. Flaget-His early life-Arrival in 'America-Labours at Vincennes-In Havana-And at Balti­ more-His qualities-Appointed first Bishop of Bardstown­ Firmly declines accepting-Compelled to yield-Consecrated­ The Rev. M. David-Difficulties and delay at Baltimore-Ex­ tracts from the Bishop's correspondence-Incidents of the jour­ ney to Kentucky-The Arrival-The ceremonies of taking pos­ session of his See-Apostolical poverty-Religious statistics of Kentucky on his arrival-AndJ of the Northwest-The Bishop removes to St. Thomas', and to Bardstown-The first priest or­ dained in Kentucky-His zeal and labours-Eulogy of Bishop Flaget. HITHERTO we have treated of the early mis­ sions of Kentucky. We must now speak, though necessarily with great brevity, of Kentucky as a Diocess; of the life and apostolical labours of its first Bishop, and of the many institutions for piety and education, which, with the divine blessing, he was enabled to rear. Long and ardently had the Rev. M. Badin de­ sired and prayed, that God would vouchsafe to send a Bishop to take charge of the extensive mis­ sions under his direction. After the arrival in Kentucky of the Rev. M. Nerinckx, of the Do- BISHOP FLAGET IN KENTUCKY. 179 minicans, and of the Trappists, he had enjoyed more leisure, and had some time to breathe. Still, he had employment enough to exercise his zeal to the full. He continued, in the capacity of Vicar General, to have the charge of the whole misson­ ary district. The yearly increase of the Catho­ lics, the building of new churches, the organiza­ tion of additiÓnal congregations, and the general solicitude for the welfare of the entire mission, were sufficient to engage his whole thoughts, and allowed but little rest, even to one of his active mind and body. For nearly fourteen years he had been labouring in the missions of Kentucky; during a considera­ ble portion of the time, alone and unaided. Often had he wished to confer with the venerable Bishop of Baltimore on the condition and wants of this distant portion of his vast Diocess. The commu­ nication with his superior by letter was then very difficult and uncertain; and the number and weight of his employments had hitherto prevent­ ed him from visiting Baltimore. Now, however, he felt that he could undertake the journey with­ out detriment to his missionary duties. Accord­ ingly, in the spring of 1807, he set out for Balti­ more. One great object of his visit to Bishop Car­ roll, was, to represent to him, in the strongest light, the importance of having a Bishop appointed for Kentucky. We must briefly relate a little incident which occurred on this journey. He seldom omitted any opportunity of preaching, or of doing good. When he had reached Brownsville, Pennsylvania, he was invited to preach; and the Methodist meet­ ing-house was politely tendered to him for this purpose. A large concourse of people were in at­ tendance, anxiously desiring to see the priest, and 180 BISHOP FLAGET to hear what he had to say. 1\1. Badin ascended the pulpit, and having made the sign of the cross, and said some preliminary prayers, he began his discourse, with a good humoured smile, somewhat in this characteristic way : "My dear brethren: you have been in the habit of hearing the Gospel incorrectl y preached, and of hearing the doctrines of the Holy Catholic Church misrepresented from this place: I mean to tell you the truth, and the whole truth." He then clearly stated the Catho­ lic doctrine, furnishing scriptural proofs as he ad­ vanced, and answering the most common objec­ tions. He proved that Catholics, far from reject­ ing the Bible, were really its best friends ,and truest expounders; and that, but for the Catholic church, Protestants would not even have the , Bible. His discourse made a deep and lasting impres­ sion. Among his hearers was a Major Noble, a man of considerable talent and standing in that vicinity. After the sermon, he invited M. Badin to his house; and after having con versed with him at length on the doctrines and practices of Catholicity, he determined to become himself a member of the church. lVI. Badin had the conso­ lation to baptize him and to offer up the Holy Sacrifice in his house. Mrs. Noble was still deeply prejudiced against the Catholic church; but she became uneasy in mind, and after having prayed, and read attentive­ ly some Catholic works which M. Badin left with the family, she too resolved to become a Catholic. On his return from Baltimore, M. Badin had the great happiness to baptize her, and all the other members.of the family. On his arrival in Baltimore, :M. Badin was kind­ ly received and warmly welcomed by the venera- IN lŒNTUCKY, 181 ble Bishop Carroll. _ He lost no time in represent­ ing to the Bishop the condition and necessities of the missions of Kentucky; and in strongly urg­ ing the appointment of a Bishop to take charge of them. He recommended for this situation the Rev. M. Flaget, a distinguished Sulpician, whose ardent zeal, tender piety, and long experience in the missions of America, fitted him in a peculiar manner for the office of the episcopacy. Pro vi", denee seemed to point to him as the very man for the emergency. ' , As we have elsewhere seen, this virtuous and eminent clergyman had come to America in 1792, in company with the Rev. MM. David and Badin; and he had therefore been in the country for near­ Iy sixteen years. He had already performed the arduous noviciate of the western missions, and had become schooled to the difficulties and dan­ gers attending them. Bishop Carroll had sent him to Vincennes in the year 1 792 ;-one year be­ fore M. Badin was sent to Kentucky. In Vin­ cennes, M. Flaget had laboured with indefatigable zeal, for more than two years. In that and the other French Catholic stations in the northwest, he had effected much good, and done much to re­ vive piety among those entrusted to his charge. He had undergone much toil, suffered many hard­ ships, and escaped many dangers from the hostili­ ty of the Indian tribes. Especially had he signalized his zeal and de­ votedness during the prevalence of the small-pox, which raged with great fury among the French population during his brief stay at Vincennes. Wherever the fearful disease made its appearance, there was he to be found, attending to the spiritual and temporal wants of the sufferers, and exerting himself to the utmost to assuage their ills, and to M 182 BISHOP I"LAGET pour the balm of consolation into their afflicted spirits. In short, he liad been one of the very first and most efficient pioneers of Catholicity in the west. - Late in the year 179L1, he returned to Baltimore, by the way of New ('rleans; and was succeeded at Vincennes by .M. Rivet, of whom we have al­ ready spoken. He was afterwards sent, with some brother Sulpicians, to the Island of Havana, where he spent some time in the attempt to build up a Catholic Oollege. While there, he became ac­ quainted with the present King of the French, Louis Philippe, who was then a fugitive from his country, and in great distress. The people of Ha­ vana made up a considerable- sum of money for his benefit, and appointed M. Flaget to hand over the amount to the illustrious exile. Various circumstances having caused the failure of the attempt to establish a college of the Sulpi­ cians at Havana, 1\1. Flaget and his associates re­ turned to Baltimore. HereM. Flaget spent his time in teaching, and in the various duties of a college life; edifying all by his h umili ty, his tender piety, his charity, and all the qualities which mark the gentleman and the Christian priest. He was, moreover, blessed with a strong frame, and an iron constitution. In fine, he possessed all the quali­ ties requisite for the first Bishop appointed in the west. Such was, at least, the opinion of Bishop Car­ roll, who was an excellent judge of character, and intimately acquainted with M. Flaget. Old age and infirmity were now beginning perceptibly to steal over the venerable Patriarch of the American Church; he foundthat the whole Union, of which he was Bishop, and the See of New Orleans, of which he was administrator, formed too heavy a 184 BISHOP FLAGET Pope Pius VII., in which he was commanded to accept the appointment without farther delay. Longer resistance would .have been in manifest opposition to the will of heaven, and Bishop Fla. get submitted to his fate with resignation. His friends in France urgently pressed him to receive the episcopal consecration in his native country; but Bishop Flaget resolutely declined, alleging that a sense of propriety prompted him to be consecrated in Baltimore, by Archbishop Car­ roll. He accordingly made little delay in France. He returned to Baltimore, where he was conse­ crated by the Archbishop, on the 4th day of No­ vember, 1810, the Feast of S1. Charles Borromeo, towards whom he had always cherished a particu­ lar devotion. In the new career which Divine Providence now opened to Bishop Flaget, he had the conso­ lation to be aided by the ad vice and assistance of one among his oldest and best friends. The Rev. J. B. M. David, had been the sharer in his exile from France, and the companion of his voyage to the United States, in 1792. He now cheerfully offer­ ed his services for the new Diocess, to the charge of which God had called his distinguished friend. The Rev. Dr. Emery, the Superior of the Sul­ picians, to which congregation both belonged, had already appointed M. David Superior of the Semi­ nary which Bishop Flaget intended to form, in order to rear up clergymen for his new Diocess. The Bishop rightly judged, that he could not hope to be blessed with general or permanent success, without the resource of a Theological Seminary; and the event proved, that he could not have se­ lected a more valuable or efficient instrument for carrying this design into execution, than the one IN KENTUCKY& 185 whom obedience and Christian friendship thus as­ signed him. Besides M. David, Bishop Plaget had, associated with him for the Diocess of Bardstown, a Cana­ dian priest, a subdeacon," and two young laies. The three last named were to form the nucleus of his -'rheological Seminary. But unforeseen diffi .. culties now presented themselves. The new Bish­ op had not the means to defray the necessary ex .. penses of himself and companions on the long and painful journey to Kentucky. In this emer­ gency, the charity of his numerous friends in Baltimore came to his assistance. A subscription was set on foot, and the necessary amount was promptly collected. Still it was not until the spring of the following year, 1811, that the Bishop was enabled to com­ mence his journey westward. 'I'wo letters which, during this interval, he addressed to the Very Rev. M. Badin, now his Vicar General in Kentucky, unfold the embarrassment which he feIt, as well as the state of his feelings in entering upon his new charge. We will be pardoned for here fur­ nishing extracts from this portion of his corres .. pondence.j "God is my witness," writes the good Bishop to M. Badin, "that I seek not for riches; I would rather die a thousand times than be subject to this disorder. The less of the goods of this world we possess, the less will our minds be made uneasy. • The present Rt. Rev. Coadjutor Bishop, Dr. Chabrat. tCopious portions of these letters are given by M. Badin, in his Statement "of the Missions of Kentucky," P. 37, seqq., of­ ten quoted already. He prefaces the extracts with the appro­ priate remark: "l'homme se peint dans ses ecrits"-"the man paints himself in his writings." They are also published, in an English translation, in the U. S. Catholic Miscellany, for Dec. 1, 1824. 186 BISHOP FLAGET But there are some expenses which it is absolutely necessary to meet, and it is your business to de .. vise the means. I must calculate on your friend­ ship for me. It will then be your business, my dear Badin, henceforth to provide for me the means of living. And, after all, you have brought it on yourself'; for, were it not your seeking, they would never have thought of making me Bishop. vVe have eight or nine trunks of books and other necessaries, and the distance is very great, and the carriage very dear; the expense of our journey, and the carriage of our packages, must exceed $500, and we have nothing. Here, then, we must stay, till Providence relieve us. However, to make my expenses as light as possible, I shall leave at Baltimore a servant who has offered him­ self to me gratis. I shall even leave my books too, as I do not reckon them essential; and I will only take M .. David with me. He and I are fully satisfied to live just as yOll do, be your table ever so poor, and be your accommodations ever so moderate. "If the episcopacy presented to me only difficul­ ties of this kind, I should not have made so great a stir about accepting it. Providence hurries me on, in spite of myself: I was well on my way, travelling by sea and by land, to shake off a yoke which it was sought to fasten on me; and I have only my pains for my reward. God seems to re­ quire of me to bow my head, and to suffer this burden to be placed on it, though it is likely to crush me. Alas! if I stop long to consider my weakness, I shall become so far depressed in spirits, as not to be able to take one step on the long path which lies open before me, and which I must now traverse. To sustain my courage, 1 am frequent­ ly constrained to recollect, that I have not intruded IN KENTUCKY. 187 myself into this august ministry; but that all the superiors whom I have on earth have, in one way or another, forced me to accept of it." To assist the good Bishop in defraying the ex­ penses of his journey westward, M. Badin had opened a subscription in Kentucky. But the po­ verty of the Catholics, and other circumstances, caused him subsequently to suspend it. Bishop Flaget alludes to the circumstance in the follow­ ing passage, from another letter addressed to his Vicar General, which breathes a spirit similar to that already given. "Be pleased to take notice, that we are seven or eight persons, and have but one horse among us. I intend to let M. David, as being the slowest of foot, have the use of him: I and my other com­ panions will perform the journey on foot, with the greatest pleasure, and without the least difficulty. T'his manner of pilgrimage will be more to my taste, and, unless I am greatly in error, will dero­ gate nothing from my dignity. I, however, leave every thing to your own prudence. For myself, I shall feel quite happy, if my money hold out to supply our wants as far as Louisville, where I ex­ pect to meet you. The rest of the journey will be at your cost. "May the will of God be done! I would prefer a thousand times to walk, rather than create the slightest murmur: on this account, I approve of your having suspended the collection which had been commenced for us: it would only have alienated the affections of the people from me ; still it is clear, that those good people, who were so anxious to have a Bishop amongst them, should pay the amount of his expenses in coming to them. There is nothing, I trust, which I would not do for the sanctification of my flock. lVIy 190 BISHOP FLAGET which each had its proper time. On Sunday, af­ ter prayer, everyone went to confession: then the priests said Mass, and the others went to com­ munion. After an agreeable navigation of thir­ teen days, we arrived at Louisville, next at Bards­ town, and finally at the residence of the Vicar General." The party reached Louisville on the 4th of June. Here they were met by the good M. Nerinckx, who escorted them to Bardstown and to St. Ste­ phen's, the residence of M. Badin. They reach­ ed Bardstown on the 9th, and St. Stephen's in the evening of the Ll th, of the same month. Here they were welcomed by a large concourse of peo­ ple, assembled to see their new Bishop for the first time; as well as by nearly all of the Catholic cler­ gymen then in Kentucky. Among the latter, there were present, the Rev. Messrs. Badin, Fen­ wick, Wilson, Tuite, Nerinckx, O'Flynn, besides M. David, and the Canadian priest who accompa­ nied the Bishop; making in all eight priests­ more than had ever before been seen together in Kentucky. The enthusiastic joy of the good people on see­ ing their Bishop among them, and the ceremonies which took place on the occasion, are so well de­ scribed by M. Badin, in the Statement of the mis­ sions of Kentucky, already often quoted," that we cannot perhaps do better than simply to translate from that document. "The Bishop there (at St. Stephen's) found the faithful kneeling on the grass, and singing canti­ cles in English: the country women were nearly all dressed in white, and many of them were still fasting, though it was then four o'clock in the fi P. 39. note, Annales, &c. vol. 1. sup. cit. IN KENTUCKY. 191 evening; they having indulged the hope to be able on that day to assist at his Mass, and to re­ ceive the holy Communion from his hands. An altar had been prepared at the entrance of the first court, under a bower composed of four small trees which overshadowed it with their foliage. Here the Bishop put on his pontifical robes. After the aspersion of the holy water, he was conducted to the chapel in procession, with the singing of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin; and the whole function closed with the prayers and ceremonies prescribed for the occasion in the Roman Ponti­ fical." From the same source, we borrow the following account of the Bishop's manner of life during the first year of his residence in Kentucky, during which time he remained at Sto Stephen's with M. Badin. "M. Badin had for his own lodging but one poor log house; and, in consequence of the ex­ penses he had lately incurred in building a house for a monastery, which was burnt down ere it had been completed, it was with great difficulty that he was enabled to build and prepare, for the resi­ dence of his illustrious friend, and the ecclesias­ tics who accompanied him, two miserable log cabins, sixteen feet square: and one of the mis­ sionaries was even compelled to sleep on a matress in the garret 'of this strange episcopal palace, which was white-washed with lime, and contain­ ed no other furniture than a bed, six chairs, two tables, and a few planks for a library. Here the Bishop resided for ayear, esteeming himself hap­ py to li ve thus in the midst of apostolical po­ verty." On the arrival of the Bishop in Kentucky, the condition and statistics of his Diocess were about 192 BISHOP FLAGET as follows. There were more than a thousand Catholic families, including many who had been received into the church by the earlier Catholic missionaries. The Catholic population did not probably exceed, even if it reached, 6000. There were six priests, besides the Vicar General," who administered the Sacraments to more than thirty different congregations or stations, about ten of which only had churches or chapels erected. The names of the churches then in Kentucky, are as follows: Holy Cross, St. Stephen's, Holy Mary's St. Charles, St. Ann, St. Rose, St. Patrick, St. Francis, St. Christopher, and St. Joseph. Besides these, the following were in progress of erection: Sto Louis', St. Michael's, st. Clare's, St. Bene­ dict's, St. Peter's, and St. Jolm's1 There was also one convent of Dominicans, and several resi­ dences for the clergy. Finally, there were six plantations belonging to the church, besides seve­ ral bodies of uncultivated lands. t S uch were the resources of that portion of his vast Diocess which was embraced by Kentucky. The other parts of his charge in the northwestern States and territories, were not so well provided for. From a letter of Bishop Flaget, dated No­ vember 17th, 1817, it appears, that there were at that time, "on the river St, Laurence, near Lake Huron, about five thousand French Catholics, scattered over a space of eighty or ninety miles, with but one priest to administer to them the suc­ cours of religion. At Post Vincennes, on the Wabash, there were about a thousand Catholics, '" Seven Catholic priests had already died in Kentucky, in­ eluding five Trappists. t We have derived these statistics from a manuscript note of M. Badin, written many years ago, and appended to the printed letter of Bishop David, above quoted. IN KENTUCKY. 193 without any resident clergyman. Finally, in the State of Ohio, there were about two hundred Ger­ man families of Catholics."* After residing a year at St. Stephen's, Bishop Flaget removed, with M. David and the semina­ rians, to Ste Thomas', where he fixed his abode for nearly eight years. About a year previous to the dedication of the new Cathedral of St. J 0- seph's at Bardstown, he took up his residence in this latter place. The first priest whom he had the happiness to ordain, was M. Chabrat, his present Rt. Rev. Co­ adjutor. He had accompanied him from France to the United States, in the year 1810; and was already subdeacon, when he arrived in Kentucky. He was ordained priest at St. Rose, on the Feast of Christmas, lSll. He immediately afterwards commenced his missionary career in Kentucky; and continued for many years to labour with great zeal and success. He was one of our oldest, most laborious, and most efficient missionaries. ·We cannot even attempt to give any adequate account of the apostolic labours of our venerable Bishop, during the long series of years that he has remained among us. Language would be indeed feeble, to pourtray the difficulties he had to encounter; the fatigue and toil he underwent, the privations he endured, the poverty with which he struggled, and the hardships he suffered, dur­ ing his long missionary career in Kentucky. Nor is it necessary to dwell on these things at any great length. They are fresh in the memory of all our readers. His virtues are embalmed, and • The letter was addressed to a friend at Aix, in France, And was published in an old French paper, from which we have translated the above extract. 194 BISHOP FLAGET his eulogy written in the hearts of his clergy and flock; and, in fact, in the minds of all the citizens of Kentucky, without distinction of creed. The noble institutions, literary, religious, and charita­ ble, which have sprung up around him, consti­ tute the best monument to his memory. He needs no other. These are the seals of his apos­ tleship-t4ese form the blooming crown of his labours and unquenchable zeal. He always put himself at the head of his little band of zealous missionaries, sharing in their la­ bours, and stimulating their zeal, both by word and by example. He visited regularly the various congregations of his Diocess, forming them to piety, and every where appearing as the father of his people. His words were full of unction and of divine sweetness, and moved all hearts. A man of God, and filled with the spirit of prayer, he transfused his own feelings into the minds and hearts of those whom he addressed. All respect­ ed and reverenced, and his clergy and people loved him as a father. He rejoiced with those who re­ joiced, and wept with those who wept. Full of dignity and sweetness, he won all hearts. 'I'o his clergy, especially, he was a model of every virtue, of unremitting zeal in the labours of the ministry, and of that spirit and practice of continual prayer, without which all the toil and efforts of the missionary were without profit. He never failed to make his meditation, and to offer up the Holy Sacrifice daily. Often was he known to ride on horseback twenty-five or thirty miles, fasting, in order to be able on that day to celebrate the Holy Mysteries. What a consolation for him, in the evening of his life, to behold all his labours crowned with so astonishing a success! To behold himself sur .. CHAPTER XII. Rev. M Nerinclcr again-His Establishments and Deatlt.-Prom 1811 to 1824. Rev. M. Nerinckx-Faithful untodeaih-A good soldier orthe Cross-His Merits testified by Bishop Flaget-His success in making converts-Appointed administrator of New Orleans­ Declines the honor-Affection of his old parishioners-His spirit and character-Founds the Society of Loretto-The objects of the Sisterhood-The Mother House-And branch Establish­ menta=-Bishop Flaget's testimony-Utility of the Society­ Christian perfection-Reliance on Providence-Love of pover­ ty-Continual Prayer-Mortification-Rules modified-Journey of M. Nerinckx to Missouri-His edifying death-Translation of his remains-His monument and epitaph. WE have already endeavoured to give some ac­ count of the early life and apostolic labours of the Rev. M. Nerinckx. We cannot say too much of this excellent missionary, who, for nearly twenty years, laboured on our infant missions, with a zeal as commendable, as was the success of his exertions admirable. We do little, when we de­ vote another chapter to the life, establishments, and holy death of this good man. The church of Kentucky will long cherish his memory, as that of one among her earliest and greatest bene­ factors. To the very close of his life, he continued the same arduous missionary labours of which we treated in a previous chapter. Instead of mode- 200 THE REV. M. NERINCKX AGAIN: suitable person to take charge of the vacant Dio .. cess of New Orleans, in the character of adminis­ trator. The Sovereign Pontiff acceded to his re­ quest, and despatched a brief to that effect. The appointment of M. Nerinckx to this situation was intended as the forerunner of his consecration as Bishop of New Orleans. The good missionary was with M. Badin when he learned the news of his appointment. He meekly bowed his head, and observed to his friend, beginning with the words of the Psalmist: "Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam docendus, docere non valeo"-" Having myself to be taught goodness, and discipline, and knowledge, I am not able to teach these things to others." He mildly, but firmly refused the proffered honor. Desirous of retaining him in Kentucky, where· his labours were so fruitful, M. Badin, in con­ junction with the Dominican Fathersof Sto Rose, petitioned the Holy See, that he might not be compelled to accept an office, which would tear him from a field of labour in which he had al· ready proved so eminently useful. They also represented, that the great delicacy of conscience characteristic of M. Nerinckx, would render him exceedingly unhappy in so arduous a situation, if it would not wholly unfit him for its responsible. duties. The Pontiff yielded to the entreaties of M. Ner­ inckx, thus supported by the suffrage of his breth­ ren in the ministry; and he did not insist on his accepting the appointment. When, however, the news of his nomination reached his old parishíon­ ers of Everbery Meerbeke, in Flanders, the ladies of the parish immediately set about preparing and making up a complete suit of episcopal ornaments, which they had almost ready to send to him, ·�l·: l .� : � .. when they received the intelligence that he had firmly refused the proffered dignity. We will now furnish our readers with a farther portrait of the character of M. Nerinckx, drawn by the hand of his Bishop, in the letter to Bishop England above quoted. It will be perceived that the picture is perfect, and needs no retouching. "Nothing could exceed the devotion of M. Ner­ inckx to the Holy Sacrament of our altars; in this respect, he was a model for every clergyman. In his churches, you saw only plainness except about the altar; but his devotion led him to aim at mag­ nificence in this place, especially as regarded the tabernacle, which was to contain the Holy of Ho­ lies. Every thing connected with the Holy Mys­ teries called forth the exercise of this devotion. Never did he permit a day to pass without celebrat­ ing Mass, unless grievously ill, or engaged in a long journey; and a rule of his monasteries .is, to keep up, even during the night, the perpetualado­ ration, by a succession of two sisters to two sisters, before the Holy Sacrament, to pay their homage to the God who loved us so dearly, as, after having suffered death for us, to give us, under the sacra­ mental veils, His flesh to eat: and to repair, in some degree, the disrespect, with which this Sa­ crament is treated by the ingratitude of the human race." The Bishop continues: "This good man had also great filial piety to' Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and he desired to excite this affection.for the Mo ther of our Saviour in all those with whom he had any intercourse. He admired her spirit of pa­ tient love and resignation in sufferings, especially when she beheld her dearly beloved-her Creator and her Son-upon that Cross, at the foot of which she was weeping. Often did the pious N2 ejaculation, which he was in the habit of teaching to others, escape from his own lips: "Oh! suffer­ ing Jesus! Oh! sorrowful Mary!" In all the churches which he attended, he established the Society of the Holy Rosary, and the Confraternity and Sisterhood of the Scapular; and almost all the Catholics of his congregations, are still enroll­ ed in one or more of those pious societies. "Nothing could be more edifying than his piety towards the dead. It is quite impossible to pass by any of the numerous cemeteries which he has laid out, without feeling deep sentiments of reli .. gion, and having a sweet sensation of deep melan­ choly blended with the hope of the Christian. In the midst of each abode of the dead is reared the glorious emblem of the Christian's faith, a large cross, surrounded by a balustrade, for the conve­ nience of the pious friends who come to pray for their departed brethren. At the head of each grave, you also find the emblematic cross, inscrib­ ed with the dates of the birth, death, and the name of the brother or sister, whose bones are thore laid up. in the hope of the resurrection ..... He never permitted a week to pass without offer­ ing up the Mass for the repose of the departed. . . "His love for retirement was such, that he never paid a visit of mere ceremony. Indeed, he never visited, except when the good of his neighbour or the duty of his ministry made / it obligatory on him to do so. His watchings, even during his longest and most painful journeys, were very long, and were always spent either in study or in prayer. Prayer appeared to be his greatest, and only so­ lace, in the midst of his continual labours." Among the establishments made by M. N er­ inckx, that of the Sisters of Loretto, or of "the Friends of �ary at the foot of the Cross," is the ms ESTABLISHMENTS. AND DEATH. 203 principal; and has proved of the greatest benefit to the Diocess of Kentucky. His objects in founding this in valuable Sisterhood were: to en­ able pious females to aspire to the lofty perfection of the religious state, and' to promote, through their means, the Christian education of youth of their own sex, especially of those whose parents were needy and too destitute to defray the ex­ penses attending the education of their offspring. In the course of his long missionary career, M .. Nerinckx discovered many young females who sought to practice a more perfect virtue than was compatible with "the distractions of the world. They had caught no little of his own spirit of prayer, of disengagement from the world, and of lofty enthusiasm in the path of Christian perfec­ tion. He observed, too, many young girls who were raised in ignorance, and greatly exposed to temptation. He devised an admirable means of promoting the spiritual welfare of both these class­ es of females, in the establishment of the new Sisterhood of Loretto-which name he gave them out of reverence for the famous shrine of the Vir­ gin, at Loretto in Italy. � The foundation of the new society was laid on the 25th of April, 1812;-nearly a year after the . arrival of Bishop Flaget in Kentucky. The mo­ ther establishment was called Loretto, and was erected on Hardin's Creek, near the church of Sta Charles. The houses were built of wood, and were very poorly furnished. 'I'hey were erected on one side of an oblong inclosure, in the centre • In this city, the faithful pay reverence to tbe house in which the Holy Virgin lived at Nazareth. The identity of the two houses is established hy the strongest evidence. See the learn .. ed work of the present Bishop of St. Louis, "On the Holy House of Loretto." 204 THE REV.. 1\1. NERINCKX AGAIN: of which was reared a large wooden cross. The chapel of the Sisters occupied a central position in the buildings which stood on either side. * The number of those who attached themselves to the new institute increased every year. Soon the buildings Were too small for the number of applicants; and the pious founder was under the necessity of erecting new houses, and of creating branch establishments of the society. In twelve years from its commencement, the number of Sis­ ters exceeded a hundred; and they had already under their charge six different schools for girls. In the letter above quoted, Bishop Flaget, after having denominated the Sisterhood the most valu­ able legacy which the good M. Nerinckx had left to his Diocess, speaks as follows of the condition of the-society, in 1824, immediately after the death of the founder. "Their number is over one hundred; they have 'charge of six schools. They give education to 'upwards of two hundred and fifty girls yearly in their houses, and take in some orphans gratis. The missionaries generally send the children whom they wish to prepare for their first com­ munion to these monasteries, whenever they can, and they, as well as the boarders, are admirably well instructed in all that may be useful, both for this world, and for eternity." This assiduous attention to the religious instruc­ tion of girls constituted, in fact, the principal util­ ity of the pious society. It is difficult to estimate how much it has, by this means, contributed to­ wards fostering and sustaining piety in this Dio­ cess. Within the first ten years of its existence, • While on a visit to his native country, M. Nerinckx bad a print of the new establishment struck off, which he bronght with him to America. HIS ESTABLISHMENTS AND DEATH. 205 the Sisterhood had already prepared for their first communion eight hundred young ladies. These afterwards became mothers of families, and were able to instruct others; and thus the good was perpetuated from generation to generation . .1\1. Nerinckx watched over the new institution with the tender solicitude of a parent. He de­ voted to the spiritual instruction of the Sisters and of their scholars, all the time he could spare from the heavier duties of his missionary life. He en­ deavoured to infuse into them his own spirit of prayer and mortification. He laboured assiduous­ ly, both by word and example, to disengage them entirely from the world, and to train them to the practice of a sublime Christian perfection. He ardently sought to keep alive in their hearts the true spirit of the religious vocation; to make them despise the world, trample on its vanities, and de ... vote themselves wholly to the service of God and of the neighbour, by a faithful compliance with the duties growing out of the three simple vows, of poverty, chastity, and obedience, they had taken. Especially did he endeavour to impress upon them the obligation of placing implicit reliance on the good providence of God, not only in their spiritual, but also in all their temporal concerns. A favorite maxim which he had always in his heart, and frequently on his lips, was embodied in this golden saying: "do not abandon Providence ; and He will never abandon you." How would that good heavenly Father, who "clothes the lilies of the field, and feeds the birds of the air," aban­ don those who had put aU their trust in Him, and had devoted themselves entirely, both in body and soul, to His service? In fact, this unbounded confidence in the pro­ vidence of God, was almost the only legacy he 206 THE REV. M. NERINCKX AGAIN: was able to bequeath to the Lorettines. They had, in the commencement of their society, but little of this world's goods to depend upon. It was not difficult for them to practice the poverty which they had vowed: they were already ex­ tremely poor and destitute; and in fulfilling their vow, they had but to love and submit cheerfully to that which was a stern necessity of their con­ dition. Their houses were poor and badly fur­ nished; their clothing was of the plainest kind; and their food was of the coarsest. M. Nerinckx himself set them the example of the poverty and mortification which their institute required them to love, as well as to practice. Ac­ cording to the testimony of his Bishop, "he him­ self led an extremely austere and mortified life; his dress, his lodging, his food, was poor; and he had filled his monastèries with this holy spirit. Those women sought for poverty in every thing; in their monasteries, in the plain simplicity of their chapels. The neatness, the cleanliness, the simplicity of their dwellings, and of their chapels, excited the wonder of their visiters.Y" To keep up the constant practice and spirit of prayer in their houses, M. Nerinckx inculcated, besides regular and devout attendance at all the pious exercises of the community, distributed throughout the day, the utility of raising their hearts to God by a pious aspiration or ejaculation, whenever they would hear the clock strike, or would pass from one occupation to another. Especially did he enjoin upon them a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin, weeping at the foot of the cross, and a frequent repetition of the pious ejaculation: "Oh! suffering Jesus! Oh! • In the letter to Bishop Engl-and, above quoted. HIS ESTABLISHMENTS AND DEATH. 201 sorrowful Mary!" To feed and keep alive the spirit of piety, he recommended to them frequent visits to the Holy Sacrament of the altar; and we have already seen the provision which he made to keep up the perpetual adoration of Jesus Christ in this, the greatest mystery of His undying love for mankind. To foster the spirit of humility and mortifica­ tion, he recommended manuallabonr, and the love of being employed in the most menial offices of the house. To encourage them to practice these employments with cheerfulness and love, he point­ ed to the lowly life, and the voluntary hardships and privations of the Blessed Saviour; and to the great utility of such mortifications, for the atone .. ment of sin, and the laying up of abundant merits in heaven. This austerity was apparent in the body of rules which he drew up for the guidance of the society. They breathed the purest spirit of Christian per­ fection; but experience subsequently demonstra­ ted, that some of them were too rigid for health, and ill-suited to the nature of the climate. Of this character were, the great exposure of the Sis­ ters to every inconvenience of weather, while la­ bouring hard in the fields, or forests, and the prac­ tice of going barefoot during a great portion of the year. As we have said, the poverty of the society at its commencement compelled hard labour; the other practice was adopted, with many others of a similar nature, to cherish a constant spirit of mor­ tification. But these more rigid regulations were retrenched from the rule on its subsequent revi­ sion while its substance and spirit were fully re­ tained. The heart of the good founder was consoled by the early piety and fervor of the Sisterhood. HIS ES'rABLlSHMENTS AND DEATH. 209 Another principal motive of his journey to Mis .. souri, was an ardent desire for the conversion and civilization of the Indians, who were there very numerous at that time. He had formed a plan to induce the heads of families and the chiefs of the savage tribes to send their children to the schools of the society, where they might be taught the English language, the elements of learning, and especially the catechism. This he conceived to be the best means of reclaiming the Indian tribes; and, in fact, it was but a carrying out of a favorite system which he had found so eminently success­ ful, both in Europe and in America-that of reaching the parents through the piety of their children. This was the last journey that the good mis­ sionary ever performed. He died in the midst of it, on the 12th of August, 1824, at the house of the Rev. M. Dahman, parish priest of St. Genevieve .. He breathed his last, while closely engaged in the labours of the mission, and while panting for new means of promoting the glory of God and the sal­ vation of souls. His death was worthy of his life. Calm, patient, collected, and resigned to the will of heaven; praying to the last, and longing to be freed from the prison of the body, and to be with Christ, the good priest bade farewell to this world, with a confident assurance of a blessed immortal­ ity in the next. The fever of which he died he had contracted in the discharge of his missionary duties. The chief circumstances of his death are so well relat .. ed by Bishop Flaget, that we will give them in his own words i+ • Letter before quoted: 210 THE REV. M. NERINCKX AGAIN: "After the arrival of M. Nerinckx at the resi­ dence of the Sisters, in Missouri, he wrote to me a most affecting letter, describing the good they had accomplished in that Diocess, and the hopes which he entertained of their being one day use­ ful to the Indians. Thence he went to visit an establishment of Flemish Jesuits, which is pretty numerous, and about ninety miles distant from the monastery. After spending some days of edify­ ing fervour in the midst of those holy and be­ loved countrymen of his, he set out on his return to the monastery, and thence intended coming to Kentucky. Near Sto Louis, he had an interview with an Indian chief, who promised to send him a great number of the young females of his tribe to be educated by the Sisters. He made haste to carry this news to the monastery, and his heart burned within him, whilst his imagination pictur­ ed to itself the good prospect which lay open to his hopes. "On his road, however, was a path to a settle­ ment of eight or ten Catholic families, who had not seen a priest during more than two years. De­ sirous of doing all the good in his power, he as­ sembled them, heard their confessions, gave them instructions, and celebrated for them the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He was thus occupied, from a little after day-break, until towards three o'clock in the evening. Seeing the good disposi­ tions of those Catholics, he proposed to them to build a church, in order to encourage priests to come to them: a subscription was immediately opened by those present; out of his own small means he gave ten dollars; and signatures for over nine hundred dollars were instantly affixed to the sheet. 212 THE REV. M. NERINCKX AGAIN; M. Nerinckx had reached his 63rd year; and, during the last forty years of his life, he had la­ boured for the glory of God and the good of his neighbour, with a constancy, an activity, and a zeal, seldom equalled, never, perhaps; surpassed. His whole life had been one continued voluntary martyrdom and holocaust. He contemned this world, and panted only for heaven; but he ar­ dently wished to go to paradise with a numerous escort of souls, whom he had been instrumental in rescuing from perdition, and leading to salvation. This thought seemed to engross his whole mind and soul: and his life was but a carrying of it out. That God, whom he served so long and so faith­ fully, has no doubt long since crowned these lofty aspirations of His humble and heroic servant. A little before his death, M. Nerinckx had in­ tended to found also a religious Brotherhood, bound together by the ordinary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; and wholly devoted, like the Lorettines, to the service of God and the good of the neighbour. He had even begun this estab­ lishment, and had already received into it some members, one of whom, James Vanrissalberghe, accompanied him on his last journey to Missouri, and assisted him in his last illness. But death cut short his design in this respect: and, deprived of its founder, the Brotherhood soon ceased to exist. In the year 1833, his remains were translated to Kentucky, and deposited in a suitable monument prescribed for me all sorts of little practices for the advance­ ment of souls, communicated to me aU that his own experience had discovered to be most advantageous fOI the conversion of heretics; and above all, he spoke to me frequently of the Bless­ ed Virgin." See "Annales de la Prop. de la Foy"-vo1. 2, p. 369. CHAPTER XIII. Father David-His Early Life- The Theological Seminary. Father David-His parentage and early youth-He studies for the Church-And is ordained-Joins the Sulpicians-Is forced to fly from France-Sails for America-Becomes a missionary in Maryland-Gives Retreats with great fruit-Resides in Georgetown College-And in Baltimore-Accompanies Bishop Flaget to Kentucky-Founds our Theological Seminary-Ita early history sketched-Virtues and labours of the Seminarians -Instructions and maxims of Father David-His character­ His missionary labours. WE have already had occasion to mention Fa­ ther David, the intimate friend and associate, and the indefatigable co-labourer of the venerable Bishop Plaget, We must now speak more in de­ tail of his early life, and of his invaluable ser­ vices to the church of Kentucky. The history of his life and labours is, in fact, intimately connect­ ed with that of religion in our Diocess; without the former, the latter were meagre and incomplete indeed. The church of Kentucky owes him a great debt of gratitude, which will be best paid by treasuring up in the memory, and reducing to practice, his many holy instructions and exempla­ ry virtues. '* • For many of the facts connected with the early life of Fa .. ther David, we are indebted to an excellent biographical notice of him, written by an eminent ecclesiastic, and published in the Catholic Advocate, vol. vi, p. 268. seq. 216 FATHER DAVID. , John Baptist M. David was born IIi 1761, in ä little town on the river Loire, in France, between the cities of Nantes and Angers. His parents were pious, exemplary, and ardently attached to the faith of their fathers. Though not wealthy, they were yet blessed with a competence for their own support and for the education of their offspring. Sensible of the weighty responsibility which rests on Christian parents, in regard to those tender ones whom heaven has entrusted to their charge, they determined to spare no pains nor expense that might be necessary for the Christian education of their children. YOlt�g John Baptist gave early evidences oí deep piety, of solid talents, and of an ardent thirst for learning. At thé age of seven he was placed under the care of an uncle, a pious priest, who willingly took charge of his early education. By this good priest he was taught the elements of the French and Latin languages, and also those of music, for which he manifested great taste. He was. enrolled in the' number of enfants de chœur, �r of the boys who served at the altar, and sung_ in the choir. He thus passed the first years of ,his life in the church, where he was reared up under the very shadow of the sanctuary. , At the age of fourteen, he was sent by his pa� tents to aneighhouring College, conducted by the. Oratorian priests. Here he distinguished, hirnself for regularity, close application to his studies, solid talents, and, above all, for a sincere piety, which soon won him the esteem and love of both pro­ fessors and fellow-students. But What all admir­ ed in him most was that sincerity and can dour of soul, which formed throughout his long life the distinctive trait in his character. tt'HE THEOLOGtcAL SÈMINARY. 217 From his earliest childhood, the young John Baptist had manifested an ardent desire to embrace the ecclesiastical state, that he might thus devote his whole life to the service of God and of the neighbour, in the exercise of the holy ministry. His parents were delighted with these disposi­ tions of their son; and to second his purpose, they sent him to the Diocesan Seminary of Nantes. Here he entered with ardour on his sacred studies, in which he made solid proficiency. In the year 1778, the eighteenth of his age, he received the tonsure, and, two years later, the minor orders, from the hands of the Bishop of Angers. In the Theological Seminary he remained for about four years, during which he completed his course of studies, and took with honour the de­ grees of Bachelor and M.aster of Arts. In the twenty-second year of his age, after having duly prepared himself by a retreat of eight days, he bound himself irrevocably to the sacred ministry, by receiving the holy order of subdeaconship. He now considered himself as belonging wholly to God; and throughout the remainder of his life he never regretted nor recalled that first act of en­ tire consecration, by which he had bound himself for ever to the service of the altar. Shortly after he had taken this important step, with the advice of his superiors, he yielded to the earnest solicitation of one among the most wealthy and respectable citizens of Nantes, and became, for some years, private tutor in his family. Ac­ customed to enter heartily into every thing he un­ dertook, he discharged this duty with such assidu .. ity and zeal, as to win the respect of the parents and the love of the children under his charge. On the recent visit of Bishop Flaget to France, one of these came to him to enquire about his old O THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 219 to sail for America, and to devote the remainder of his life to its infant and struggling missions. As we have alread y stated, he embarked for America in 1792, in the company of MM. Flaget and Badin. On the voyage he applied himself with such as­ siduity to the study of the English language, as to have already mastered its principal difficulties, ere he set foot on American soil. This is but one in a long chain of facts, which prove that he made it an invariable rule never to be idle, and never to lose a moment of his precious time. Very soon after his arrival in the United States, Bishop Carroll ascertained that he knew enough of English to be of service on the missions, and he accordingly sent him to attend to some Cath­ olic congregations in the lower part of Maryland. M. David had been but four months in America, when he preached his first sermon in English; and he had the consolation to find, that he was not only well understood, but that his discourse made a deep impression on his hearers. For twelve years he laboured with indefatigable zeal on this mission, in which he attended to the spirit­ ual wants of three numerous congregations. He was cheered by; the abundant fruits with which God every where blessed his labours. Feeling that mere transient preaching is gene­ rally of but little permanent utility, he resolved to commende regular courses of instruction in the form of Retreats; * and so great was his zeal and industry, that he gave four Retreats every year to each of his congregations. The first was for the benefit of the married men; the second, for that of the married women; the third and fourth, for • As far as our information extends, he seems to have been the first clergyman in the United States who adopted a practice, which has since proved so beneficial to religion. 02 THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 221 good missionary promptly obeyed the call, and for two years discharged, in that institution, the duties of professor, with his accustomed fidelity and ability. In IS06, the Sulpicians of Baltimore expressed a wish to enlist his services in the Theological Seminary and the College of St. Mary's under their direction in that city. M. David belonged to this body, and he promptly repaired to the as­ sistance of his brethren. He remained in Balti­ more for nearly five years, discharging various offices in the institutions just named, and devota ing all his leisure time to the duties of the sacred ministry. He laboured with so great zeal and constancy, that his constitution, naturally robust, became much impaired. Still, he was not dis­ couraged, nor did he give himself any rest or re ... laxation. A pure intention of promoting the honor and glory of God, and a constant spirit of prayer, sustained him, and hallowed his every action. When his intimate friend, the Rev. M. Flaget, was nominated first Bishop of Bardstown, M. David, as we have already seen, cheerfully offered himself to accompany the Bishop to his new Dio­ cess in the west. Though then in his fiftieth year, and though his previous hardships had great­ ly weakened his health, yet his zeal had not abat­ ed; and he was fully prepared to shale with his dear friend in all the hardships and privations of his rugged mission. The Bishop gratefully ac­ cepted the tender of his services; and cheerfully entered into the design of M. Emery, the venera­ ble Superior General of the Sulpicians, who had already named him Superior of the Theological Seminary, to be organized for the new Diocess of Bardstown. 03 222 FATHER DAVID. The good Bishop judged rightly, that he could not hope permanently to supply his vast Diocess with missionaries without a 'rheological Semina­ ry, in which such youth of the country as mani­ fested a vocation for the ecclesiastical state, might be diligently trained to virtue and learning. And he could not have chosen a more suitable person than the Rev. M. David, for carrying this excel­ lent plan into execution. Reared in seminaries and colleges from his earliest youth, zealous, la­ borious, learned, and regular in all his habits, M. David was the very man for founding and con­ ducting with success a theological seminary. For doing this he was, besides, blessed with a peculiar talent; and he entered on the task with all the ardour of his soul. The infant seminary be­ came the object of all his thoughts-the idol of his heart. The founder of our Diocesan Seminary, he became the father of most of the present secu­ lar clergy of Kentucky. Long and deeply will they reverence the memory, and with tender love and gratitude will they continue to pronounce the name, of FATHER DAVID.� We will endeavour to give a rapid sketch of the different phases in the history of the 'rheological Seminary founded by Father David. And we cannot do it better than in the words of the vene­ rable founder himself+ to whose brief and sum­ mary account we will add such additional details, derived from other sources, as may be deemed in­ teresting to the reader. • This is the title by which he was, and is stilt universally known in Kentucky; and never was a title more appropriate Of better deserved. t From the letter of Father David quoted in the preceding chapter. THE THEOLOGICAL'SEMINARY. 223 "Occupied solely with the wants of his flock," says F. David, '''th� principal end and object of Bishop Flaget was the foundation of a seminary. 'Without this, it was impossible for him to have a clergy sufficient for a Diocess which extended to the sources of the Mississippi, and the Lakes of Canada. He arrived in Baltimore in July, 1810, accompanied by a subdeacon and two young lay­ men, the elements of his seminary, with which I had been already charged by M. Emery, the Supe­ rior General of the Sulpicians. My health was then in as bad a condition as our funds .... A Canadian priest had joined us; and the boat on which we descended the Ohio became the cradle of our seminary and of the church of Kentucky." He then gives the edifying details concerning the religious exercises performed on the boat, and states the other particulars of the journey-all of which we have spread before our readers in the preceding chapter. He then continues: "There (at St. Stephen's,) our seminary contin­ ued its exercises for five months. The Bishop lived in a log cabin, which had but one room, and was called the 'Episcopal Palace.' The semina­ rians lodged in another cabin, all together, and myself in a small addition to the principal house. A good Catholic.f who had laboured for sixteen years to make an establishment for the church, then bequeathed to the Bishop a fine plantation ;t and in November, (1811,) the seminary was re­ moved thither. After five years, we finally suc­ ceeded in building a brick church.] sixty-five feet long, by thirty wide. The interior is not yet suf­ ficiently ornamented, for want of means; it is, ti Mr. Howard. fi The present farm of St. Thomas'. t That of St. Thomas. THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 221 acknow ledging his imperfections, and with tears imploring pardon of those under his control for whatever pain he might have unnecessarily caus­ ed them. He was in the constant habit of speak­ ing whatever he thought, without human respect or fear of censure from others. This frankness harmonized well with the open character of the Kentuckians, and secured for him, in their bo­ soms, an unbounded confidence and esteem. Those under his direction could not fail to profit by all this earnest zeal and devotedness to their welfare. They made rapid advances in the path of perfection, in which they were blessed with so able and laborious a guide. Even when he was snatched from their midst, they could not soon forget his lessons nor loose sight of his example. We may say of him, what he so ardently wish­ ed should be verified in others: that he "has brought forth fruit," and that "his fruit has re­ mained." He has enkindled a fire in our midst, which the coldness and neglect of generations to come will not be able to quench. He has im­ pressed his own earnest spirit on the missions served by those whom his laborious zeal has reared. Such are some of the fruits produced by this truly good man, with whose invaluable ser­ vices God was pleased to bless our infant Diocess. But these were not all, nor even one half, of the fruits, which he brought forth, and cultivated till they were ripe for heaven. His zeal was not confined to the seminary, the labour in superin­ tending which would appear to have sufficed for anyone man. He devoted all his moments of leisure to the exercise of the holy ministry among the Catholics living in the neighbourhood of St. Thomas'. He was for several years the pastor of this congregation; and, besides the church, he at- 228 FATHER DAVID. tended to several neighbouring stations, on Thurs­ days, when his duties did not require his presence at the seminary. He also visited the congregation at Bardstown once a month. Constant labour was the atmosphere he breathed, and the very ele .. ment in which he lived. He was most happy, when most occupied. During his long life, he, perhaps, spent as few idle hours as any other man that ever li ved. CHAPTER XIV. TIle Sisters o/ Charity in Kentucky. Father David, their Founder-The objects of the Sisterhood­ Its humble beginning-And early history-Its rapid growth­ And extended usefulness-Branch estabhshments-Removal to the present situation-Present condition of the Society-A pre­ cious legacy. BESIDES attending to the seminary and to the missions, Father David set about laying the founda­ tions of another institution, which was afterwards destined to become the ornament and pride of the Diocess, and which was admirable even in its rude beginnings. 'Ve allude to the establishment of the Sisters of Charity in Kentucky, who justly look up to him as their father and founder. We will devote the present chapter to a rapid sketch of the origin, design, and early progress, of this Society. Without doing this, in fact, our sketches, both of the life of Father David and of the religious history of Ken tucky, would be very incomplete. � The foundation of the Sisters of Charity in Kentucky dates back to the year 1812; one year and a half after the arrival of Bishop Flaget in his new Diocess, and about twelve months after the Theological Seminary, under charge of Father Da- fi For the principal facts and dates of the following statement we are indebted to notes kindly furnished by the present Supe­ riors of the Nazareth Institution. 230 THE SISTERS OE CHARITY vid, had been removed from Sto Stephen's to the farm of St. Thomas. At this time, the excellent Superior of the seminary, with the advice and consent of Bishop Flaget, conceived the idea of founding a community of religious females, who, secluded from the world, might devote themselves wholly to the service of God and the good of the neighbour. 'I'he new society was to be wholly under the control of the Bishop, and of the ecclesiastical supe­ nor whom he might appoint. Besides aspirmg to the practice of religious perfection, by fulfilling the three ordinary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the members of the Sisterhood were to devote their lives to such works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual, in behalf of the neighbour, as might come within their reach; and also to apply themselves to the education of young per­ sons of their own sex, in all the branches of fe­ male instruction. To these occupations they were to add the instruction of poor children and ser­ vants in the catechism, and the visiting of the sick, without distinction of creed.vas far as might be compatible with the other duties of their in­ stitute. Such was the original plan of the society. So soon as the intentions of the Bishop were known in the several congregations of his Diocess, there were found several pious ladies who professed a willingness to enter the establishment, and to de­ vote their lives to the objects which its projectors proposed. In November, 1812, two pious ladies of mature age, Sister Teresa Carico and Miss Eli­ zabeth Wells, took possession of a small log house contiguous to the church of St Thomas. Their house consisted of but one room below and one above, and a cabin adjoining, which served as a IN KEWTUCKY. 231 kitchen. They commenced their work of charity by manufacturing clothing for those belonging to the seminary of Sto 'Thomas, then in its infancy. On the 21st of January following, 1813, another member was added to the community, in the per­ son of Sister Catharine Spalding. On the same day, the Superior, Father David, presented to them the provisional rules which he had already drawn up, unfolding the nature, objects, and duties of the new society. On the same occasion, he also read, and fully explained to those present, an order of the day, which he had written out, for the regulation of the exercises of the community; and this was still farther organized by the tempo­ rary appointment of the oldest member as Superi­ or, until the society should be sufficiently nume­ rous to proceed to a regular election, according to the provisions of the rule. At this time, the house in which the Sisters lived was so poor as to be unprovided with even the most necessary articles of furniture. They bore this and other privations with great cheerful­ ness; and, from the date last mentioned, they be­ gan gradually to form themselves into a religious community, by observing the rules which they had just received. As yet, however, they had no religious uniform, but continued to wear the dress in which they had entered the community, Such was the humble commencement of the Society of Sisters of Charity in Kentucky. Never­ theless, with the Divine blessing, it was soon des­ tined to increase in number, and to prosper, even beyond the most sanguine expectations of its saintly founder. On Easter Monday, April, 1813, the community was farther increased, by the en­ trance of two additional members, Sisters Mary Beaven and Harriet Gardiner, 232 THE SISTERS OF CHARITY In June of the same year, the Sisters, being now six in number, made a spiritual retreat of seven days, under the direction of Father David; and, at the close of it, proceeded to the election of a Superior, and of officers, from their own body. Sister Catharine Spalding was chosen the first Mother Superior, Sister Harriet Gardiner, Mo­ ther's Assistant, and Sister Betsey Wells, Procu­ ratrix. At this first election ever held in the soci­ ety, there were present, Bishop Flaget, Father David, and the Rev. G. 1. Chabrat. On the occa­ sion the Bishop made the Sisters a very moving exhortation, on the nature of the duties they were undertaking to perform, and on the obligations they contracted in embracing the religious life. The ceremony was closed with the episcopal bene­ diction. The society continued to increase every succes­ sive year. The Sisters edified all by their piety and laborious life. ' They devoted their time chief­ ly to supplying the wants of the theological semi­ nary. For two years they continued to observe their provisional rule, patiently awaiting the de­ cision of their Bishop, and of their Rev. founder, as to what Order or Society they would associate themsel ves. At length it was determined that they should embrace the rules of the Sisters of Charity, found­ ed in France, nearly two centuries before, by St. Vincent of Paul. A copy of these rules had been brought over to the United States from France, by Bishop Flaget, at the request of Archbishop Car­ roll; and they had been already adopted, with some modifications to suit the country, by the re .. ligious society of Sisters of Charity, lately estab­ lished at Emmettsburg, Maryland. Upon mature reflection, it was decided that the regulations of 234 THE SISTERS OF CHARITY ferred to its present location, two and a half miles north of Bardstown. In the summer of 1816, the Sisters had, by their' industry and economy, accumulated means suffi­ cient for the building of a small frame chapel, which the increased size of the family rendered necessary. On its completion, the Blessed Sacra .. ment was transferred to it with great solemnity, the Sisters and their pupils following in the pro­ cession. During the time they spent at their establish .. ment on the farm of St. Thomas', they lost no op­ portunity to qualify themselves as teachers. Their indefatigable founder devoted all his leisure hours to their instruction in the various branches which they were afterwards to teach. Th us they were enabled' gradually to carry out their plan of edu­ cating young persons of their own sex. They succeeded so well, that, in 1818, they found them­ selves in a situation to erect a large brick school­ house, in which fifty boarders might be easily ac­ commodated; and also to put up two other ont buildings, one of brick, and the other of stone. Their school also continued to increase each suc­ cessi ve year. The number of members in the community had increased so fast, that the Sisters were soon en­ abled to form branch establishments in different places. On the feast of the Nativity of the Bless­ ed Virgin, 8th of September, 1819, three Sisters--'-' Harriet Gardiner, Polly Beaven, and Nancy Lynch-left the mother house, to establish a day­ school in Bardstown. The new establishment was called Bethlehem, and was opened in a house which had been previously contracted for by Fa­ ther David. This school continued to flourish for many years, and was the means of doing great good to the children of the town. lN KENTtJCKY. 235 In the following year, another colony of three Sisters was sent to found a school in Breckenridge county, Kentucky. But, after they had endured much sickness, and struggled with many difficul­ ties, their Superiors deemed it advisable to recall them, and to abandon the enterprise for the present .. The attempt made during the same year, 1820, to establish a school of the society in Union coun .. ty, met with better success. 'I'o this distant place, Sister Angela Spink, Sister Frances Gardiner, and another, were sent by their Superiors, to open a school on the plantation destined for the church, which the society afterwards purchased. This portion of Kentucky being then but newly set­ tled, and totally unprovided with the most com­ mon conveniences of life, the good Sisters who laboured there had to endure many privations and hardships for several years. But, by dint of pa­ tient industry and perseverance, they finally suc­ ceeded, with the divine assistance, in establishing , there a very respectable boarding school, which still continues to flourish. The society had now existed for more than eigh t years. During all this time, the Sisters had been employed in carrying on their school, and in im­ proving themselves, in order that they might be fully adequate to teach all the branches of educa­ tion. They had also aided the seminary, by manufacturing all the clothing worn by the semi .. narians, as likewise that of the servants. They moreover had done whatever sewing was needed for the altar and church of Sto Thomas. In a word, they had rendered to the seminary and to the church generally, all the services in their power. p IN KENTUCKY. 237 of Mr. Howard, bestowing it for the benefit of the Catholic church in Kentucky, was of such a na­ ture as to render it impossible for them to obtain any portion of it by purchase. Under these circumstances, it was deemed advisable and ex­ pedient, for the utility and permanency of the society, that some other situation should be selected . . They accordingly purchased the present site of the parent institution, which they were enabled to do, chiefly through the means generously left at their disposal by Mrs. O'Connor of Baltimore, who had just joined the Sisterhood. Their own slender means had been already exhausted in the improvements made on their first establishment near St. Thomas'. In! removing, they were ne­ cessarily compelled to sacrifice all these improve­ ments, as well as the resources they had accumu­ lated during ten years of patient toil. They had to recommence every thing at the new mother­ house, which was called Nazareth, like that which they left on the farm of St. Thomas. The removal was effected on the 11th of June, 1822. In the month of March, preceding, three Sisters, with two orphan girls, and the only two servants then belonging to the institution, had been sent to make the necessary preparations for the removal of the entire community. A small wooden building, the study of preacher Lapsley,* the former proprietor of the place, had been fitted up as a temporary chapel; and there Father David had celebrated the Holy Sacrifice, invoking, at the same time, a blessing on the house which was destined for the community. • A Presbyterian minister, whose name bas been already mentioned in these Sketches, in connection with the Very Rev. M:.Badin. p2 IN KENTUCKY. 239 Having succeeded in their school even beyond their own anticipations, the Sisters now determin­ ed to improve their place by additional buildings. The first thing they thought of was a church, which they erected in the summer of 1824. It was a neat brick edifice, amply sufficient, not only for the community, but likewise for the numerous pupils attached to the boarding-school. Notwithstanding their very limited means, they next undertook the building of the present large and commodious edifice for a boarding-school; and though many timid persons sought to dissuade them from an undertaking apparently so far be­ yond their resources, yet they persevered, and succeeded in completing it without much difficul­ ty. In its accomplishment they were greatly aid­ ed by the kind indulgence of the merchants of Bardstown, who, by generously offering to furnish them with whatever they needed, and to await their own convenience for the payment, enabled them to employ all their means on the building. Thus, within six years after their removal to the present institution, they had expended about $20,- 000 on the improvement of the place. The Institution of Nazareth continued to in .. crease yearly in usefulness and popularity. The Sisterhood also increased in number every year. And in proportion as God blessed their labours, they extended the sphere of their usefulness. In 1831 Mother Catharine Spalding, with three other Sisters, went to Louisville to open a day-school, which was commenced in the basement story of the St. Louis Church. It soon became numerous, and has continued to flourish to this day. To this was lately added a free-school for girls, which is also numerously attended. 240 THE SISTERS OF CHARITY Two years later, preparations were made for building a house on the lot adjoining the church, for a female Orphan Asylum. This charitable in­ stitution soon became prosperous; and two years after its foundation, it was removed to the beautiful situation, on Jefferson Street, which had been purchased for the purpose by the Nazareth Institution. This latter had already been incor­ porated, with a very favourable charter, by the Le­ gislature of Kentucky. Finally, in August, 1842, a new school, con­ ducted by Sisters of the society, was opened in Nashville, Tennessee, under the auspices of the Rt. Rev. Dr. Miles. Though yet in its infancy, it has flourished even beyond the most sanguine expectations of its friends. The following table will exhibit the present condition of the society, and of the establishments under its direction. N umber of Professed Sisters, 61 Do. of Novices, 9 Do. Boarders at the Nazareth Academy, 120 Do. at St. Vincent's, in Union county, 35 Number of boarders at St. Catharine's, Lexington, 22 Do. Day-scholars, do. do. 40 Number of Boarders at St. Mary's Acade- my, Nashville, 18 Do. Day-scholars, do. do. 41 Do. Day -scholars at Presentation Aca- derny, Louisville, 50 Do. do. do. Free-school, do., 75 Do. Orphans at St. Vincent's Asylum, do. 40 Total of Sisters, 76 Total of scholars, including orphans, 447 IN KENTUCKY. 241 The society thus educates yearly between four and five hundred girls, including forty orphans which it has been the means of rescuing from misery and degradation. And the number is not now so great, as it has been in previous years, owing chiefly to the difficulties of the times. Father David continued to be the Superior of the society for twenty year�, when age and infirmi­ ty compelled him to retire from its management. He had watched over the infancy, and he lived to be cheered by the rapid growth and extended use­ fulness of the Sisterhood. While preparing to descend to the tomb, he was consoled by the vir­ tues of those whom he had trained in the path of perfection, and by the immense good they were doing to religion. And, after some more years of weary pilgrimage, he was destined to breathe his last at the institution he had founded, and to be­ queathe his remains to those whom he had spent so many years in forming to Christian perfection. But he bequeathed to them and to all, a more pre­ cious legacy still-thc memory of his virtues and of his instructions! CHAPTER XV. Tite Neu) Cathedral of St. Joseph's-Consecration o/ Father David-His Writings, Death, and Character. Removal of the Seminary to Bardstown-Erection of the Ca .. thedral-Liheral subscriptions-Obstacles-Dedication of the Cathedral-The edifice described-Its paintings and ornaments -Father David named Bishop-Accepts with reluctance-His poverty-His Consecration-His zeal redoubles-His zeal for the rubrics-And taste for Music-His qualities as pastor of the Ca .. thedral-As a preacher-And as a confessor-The splendid services of the Cathedral-A refreshing reminiscence-c-Testi­ mony of eye-witnesses-The remainder of Father David's life­ His zeal for the faith-His oral discussion with Hall-His con .. troversial sermons and writings-His other writings-His happy death-And character. IN the year 1818, Father David removed to Bardstown, with a portion of the seminarians of whom he was Superior. � Many reasons induced this change of location. Bishop Flaget wished to reside in the place which was his episcopal See, and he was desirous of being surrounded by his young seminarians, as a father by his children. The new Cathedral of St. Joseph's was then in progress of erection, and the establishment of a • Only those who were more advanced in their studies rcmor­ cd to Bardstown. The others remained at Sto Thomas', which, for some years, continued to be a preparatory theological semi­ nary, to whish was annexed an elementary school. THE NEW CATHEDRAL. 243 College was contemplated. The services of the seminarians would be needed in the college during the week, and in the cathedral on Sundays and Festivals. Such were some of the principal mo .. tives for the removal of the seminary from St. Thomas to Bardstown, During the first eight years of his residence in Kentucky, Bishop Flaget had no Cathedral, other than the poor chapel at Sto Stephen's, and the small church of Sto Thomas'. His poverty, as well as his continual occupations, rendered it im­ possible for him to undertake the erection of a suitable church for this purpose. His people, too, were as poor as their Bishop; and hence the lat­ ter, however much and ardently he desired it, was compelled to defer the undertaking for so many years. We will here quote the language of Father David, on this subject" already often referred to. "That which has occupied us most is the build­ ing of a Cathedral at Bardstown. Though the Bishop had conceived this design immediately on his arrival, he had not, however, yet ventured on its execution: but Providence has at length removed all obstacles in a wonderful manner. A good Catholic carpenter+ from Baltimore has offer­ ed his services for this purpose; and the amount of the first su bscri ption was found to be from twel ve to fourteen thousand d ollars. Bardstown alone, which scarcely equals in size one of our large villages in France, subscribed five thousand dollars." Many citizens of Bardstown, who were not Ca­ tholics, subscribed liberally for this purpose. The Cathedral was commenced, and the work was prosecuted with ardour and spirit. The Catholics ... il Dated November 20th, 1817, nearly two years before the completion of the Cathedral. t John Rogers, the architect of the Cathedral. 244 THE NEW CATHEDRAL. vied with each other in zeal and liberality, for tho . completion of an edifice, which was to be the pride and glory of themsel ves and of their chil .. dreno But many unforeseen obstacles arose, The subscription was found to be insufficient; and, from one of those sudden pecuniary revulsions common to all commercial countries, and no where more frequent than in the United States, many who had subscribed had become totally unable to pay the amount of their subscription. All our elder citi­ zens rem em ber the heavy pecuniary pressure and distress of thé years 1819 and following. In this emergency, the good Bishop came gene .. rously to the assistance of his people, to the full amount of his means, which were, however, as yet very slender. The work continued to progress; and the new Cathedral was nearly completed by the summer of 1819. On the 8th day of August, of this year, it was solemnly dedicated to Almighty God, under the invocation of St. Joseph. With a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude to God, the Bishop performed the magnificent ceremony of the dedication, according to all the rites pre­ scribed in the Roman Pontifical. He was on this day surrounded by almost all his clergy, and by the seminarians; and the serernony was perform­ ed in the presence of an immense concourse of people from all parts of the surrounding country. Long and gratefully will that day be remembered by the Catholics of Kentucky. It marks an œra in the history of our infant church. The Cathedral is a neat and beautiful specimen of architecture, of the Corinthian order j= and its • It is not entirely according to all the rules of the pure Gre­ cian Corinthian style: the capitals have the Corinthian floral leaves, without the involutes. The portico is supported dy six beautiful columns of the Ionic order. This was completed only some years later. THE NEW CATHEDRAL. 245 dimensions are one hundred and twenty feet in length-including the beautiful semicircular sanc­ tuary-by seventy-four feet in breadth. The - ceiling of the centre aisle is arched, and flanked on each side with a row of four beautiful columns, besides the pilasters of the sanctuary. The ceil­ ing of the side aisles is groined; and it was in­ tended by the architect to have the side walls dec­ orated with pilasters in the same style of architec­ ture, but the limited funds of the church did not permit him to carry out this plan. The steeple is a well proportioned and beautifully tapering spire, nearly one hundred and fifty feet in height, to the summit of the cross with which it is surmounted. I t is provided wi th a large bell, procured from France by the present Coadj utor Bishop of the Diocess-: An organ, and two superb paintings, the one representing the Crucifixion, and the other, the Con version of William, Duke of Brienne, by St. Bernard, were placed in the church. They had been procured from Belgium by the venerable M. N erinckx ; and were by him presented to the Bishop for. the new Cathedral. To these paint­ ings were subsequently added several others which had been presented to the Bishop by the King of Naples, and the Sovereign Pontiff, Leo XII.* , The Cathedral was also provided with rich suits of vestments, golden candlesticks, a golden tabernacle, and other splendid ornaments, present­ ed to the Bishop by the present King and Queen • These fine paintings, with that of St. Bernard and of St. Charles Borromeo, were lately removed to Louisville by the Bishop, on the transfer of the episcopal See to that city. HIS CONSECRATION, WRITINGS, &C. 247 implicit- obedience to the voice of superiors; and, in regard to himself, he was al ways consistent with his own principles. No matter how great or how painful the sacrifice, he was prepared cheer­ fully to make it, whenever the command of his superior made it a duty. He received his appointment as Bishop in the fall of 1817; but nearly two years elapsed before his consecration. Besides his reluctance to accept the dignity, other reasons caused this delay. He was himself blessed with so much of that holy poverty, which he was in the habit of extolling to others, that he had not wherewith to make the necessary preparations for his consecration. t He had no means of procuring the episcopal habili­ ments, or other. necessary articles for furnishing his episcopal chapel. His Bishop was scarcely able to succour him in this emergency; and he was compelled patiently to await the arrival of the necessary assistance from France. In the letter to a friend in his native country, already often quoted in these pages, he mentions his poverty, and begs him to procure and send from France the necessary articles for his consecration. The ceremony of his consecration took place in the new Cathedral, in the presence of a vast con­ course of people, on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, the 15th of August, 1819 ; the Octave of the consecration of the Oathedral. Bishop Flaget was the consecrator; and, having been unable to procure the attendance of any other Prelate, he was assisted on the occasion by two among the oldest clergymen of the Diocess�--'- , • Blind obedience was a favorite term with him. t He loved this poverty even unto death: he left no property behind him, and could bcqueathe nothing to his friends but his virtues, HIS CONSECRATION, WRITINGS, &e. 249 church of God. He spared no labour to form the choir of the Cathedral; and for many years, he himself acted as organist and leader of the choir. His greatest delight seemed to be to unite with others in singing the praises of God, in that sim­ ple and soul-stirring melody, handed down to us by our fathers in the faith. After he had been consecrated Bishop, he dis­ charged for many years the office of chid pastor of the Cathedral. The ceaseless labours required by his triple charge of Superior of the Seminary, Superior of the Sisters of Charity, and Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocess, did not prevent him from devoting much of his time to the exercise of the holy ministry in the congregation of St. Joseph's. He visited the sick and the poor, he preached, he heard confessions, he gave spiritual instructions, he administered the Sacraments, with indefatiga­ ble zeal. He lost not a moment of his precious time. Impressed with the lofty dignity of the ministry, and wi th the importance of aiding in the salvation of souls ransomed with the blood of Christ, he willingly devoted his whole energies to this sublime work. As a preacher, though not naturally very e10 .. quent, he was eminently successful in imparting his own ideas and spirit to his hearers. His sermons were plain, solid, well connected, closely reasoned, and full of wholesome instruction. Everyone saw, in the plain earnestness of his manner, that he was hirnself fully convinced of, and deeply imbued with, the holy truths and maxims which he unfolded. But it was in the confessional that his zeal abounded most; and it was there that his success was most signalized. He there made an impres­ sion which time and the oblivious tendency of 252 FATHER DAVID: Torrents of tears flowed from my eyes. The ceremonies, all performed with the greatest pro­ priety) according to the Roman rite; the chant at once grave and touching; the attendant clergy pious and modest ;-every thing impressed me so strongly, that I almost believed myself in the midst of one of the finest churches of Rome, which I had before thought could not be equalled any where else in the world. From the bottom of my heart, I poured forth prayers to God for this worthy Bishop, for France, and for those who, by their generosity, had contributed to have the good God so well worshipped in the midst of the waving - forests." Many other testimonies of a similar character might be alleged, pourtraying the spirit and the worship of these golden days of the church of Kentucky. But these must suffice: the reminis .. cences of the older portion of our readers may easily supply the rest. 'We must now return to Father David, and endeavour feebly to sketch the remaining portion of his history, which, like that of his venerable associate, is .identified with that of the church of Kentucky. For more than sixteen years he continued to be the Superior of the theological seminary which he had founded, and over the welfare of which he had watched with sleepless vigilance. His de­ clining years and increasing d u ties now compelled him to resign this charge, and to commit the desti­ nies of the institution to younger hands. Still, he continued to manifest an interest in its welfare, and to devote to the spiritual benefit of the semi­ narians all the time he could spare from his other duties. He delighted to give Retreats; and he had written out an admirable course of meditations for this purpose. HIS CONSECRA'l'ION, WRITINGS, &c. 253 He manifested as much zeal for the maintain ance of the faith, as for the preservation of morals. As a controvertist, he was clear, solid, logical, learned, thorough, and convincing. These cha­ racters appeared both in his sermons, and in his controversial writings. Shortly after he had been consecrated Bishop, a Presbyterian preacher by the name of Hall, who then resided in Springfield, was in the habit of visiting Bardstown for the purpose of attacking the Catholics, whose numbers were then greatly increasing, while their institutions were springing up about this town. He was a man of strong frame and of stentorian lungs, and as bitter and violent is his denunciations, as he was confident and reckless in his assertions. He was gifted with a certain stormy eloquence, which made an impression on those, with whom declamation passes for argument, and assertioh for proof. That by "this description we dö him no injustice, we appeal to the testimony of all the impartial. Father David had been explaining, in the Cà­ thedral, in a series of discourses, various points of Catholic doctrine, and, among others, that which regards the use and relati ve respeèt paid to relics and images. The bitter attacks of the preacher on Catholic doctrines had induced him to under­ take this course of explanatory and dëfensicë lec­ tures on the various points impugned or misrepre­ sented. Preacher Hall gave out that, on a certain day, he would preach in the Court-house of Bards­ town, on this same subject of images, and would prove the Catholic church guilty of gross idolatry. Though much averse .to oral discussion, which seldom ends in any thing except a widening of the breach, and the greater embittering of preju­ dice, yet Father David felt compelled, under all Q , 254 FATHEH. D_'\.VID: the circumstances, to meet the Reverend preacher, and to answer his objections. A large concourse of people were in attendance, on the appointed day; and Mr. HaU opened the discussion, with a discourse of two hours in length, in which he gave full play to his lungs, and a wide range to the subjects he brought up as matter of accusation against Roman Catholics. ·When he had concluded, Father David arose, and in a calm, solid, temperate and argumentative discourse of about the same length, answered the minister's objections, and laid down the grounds of the Catholic faith and practice on the subject of images. His discourse made a deep impression on his hearers, which was not destroyed by the de­ clamatory rej oinder of the preacher. Father Da­ vid wished to bring him to close quarters, and to reduce the discussion to a simple and logical form; but the preacher refused this, and abo another re­ quest-to reduce his objections to writing, that the Bishop might be able to answer them in the same way. After having tired out the audience in his long rejoinder, Mr. Hall abruptly dismissed the meeting. There was, of course, a diversity of opinion as to the merits of the discussion, according to the respecti ve religious tenets or prejudices of the hearers. But many intelligent Protestants were heard to praise the calm manner and solid reason­ ing of Father David: and a very talented Pro­ testant lawyer, on being asked his opinion of the debate, remarked, quaintly and pointedly: "that while Bishop David was preaching, the admirers of Mr. Hall looked like-owls when the sun was shining.v= . .. This caustic remark is ascribed to the famous and lament­ ed John Hayes, by nature one of the greatest orators whom Kentucky ever produced. HIS CONSECRATION, WRITINGS, &c. 255 Circumstances not having allowed him fully to answer the objections made in the second dis­ course of Mr. Hall, Father David resolved to give, in writing, a plain statement and a temperate de­ fence of the Catholic doctrine on the subject of images and relics. Another motive for this pub­ lication was the wish to -spread before the whole reading community, most of whom had not been able to attend the discussion, the whole matter in controversy. This he did in a pamphlet of 64 pages, entitled: "Vindication of the Catholic Doctrine concerning the Use and Veneration of Images, the Honor and Invocation of Saints, and the Keeping and Honoring of their Relics.?" This pamphlet exhausted the subject, and pre­ sented an· unanswerable array of evidence on the articles in controversy. Mr. HaU published a "Reply," which drew forth from Father David another pamphlet of 106 pages, entitled: �'De­ fence of the Vindication of the Catholic Doctrine concerning the Use and Veneration of Images, &c., in answer to the 'Reply' of Rev. Nathan Hall."t The minister did not attempt a reply to this publication, which accordingly closed the controversy, leaving Father David master of the field. About the same time, Father David published his celebrated "Address to his brethren of other professions; On the Rule of Faith"! a pamphlet of 56 pages, remarkable for its clear and logical method, its temperate spirit, and its unanswerable reasoning. Preacher Hall had delivered a dis­ course on the same subject in the Court-house at Bardstown: and Father David had sent him, by a • Published in Louisville, by S. Penn, 1821. t Published in Lexington, Ky., by James W. Palmer, 1823. 1 Published by S. Penn, Louisville, 1822. Q2 FATHER DAVID: young divine, a series of questions+ on the sub­ ject, which he had declined answering. In the "Address," these questions are taken up and dis­ cussed with the thoroughness which marks every thing from the pen of Father David. It is, in a brief compass, one of the best arguments we have ever seen on the subject: and we may here ex­ press a hope that this and his other controversial writings will be shortly republished. Controversy was not the only subject on which Father David wrote. He had already composed and published in Baltimore the "True Piety,t" one of the best of om books 01 devotion. At a later period in life, he wrote several very solid ar­ ticles for the Metropolitan Magazine, published in Baltimore; and when old age and infirmity com­ pelled him to retire from the active duties of the ministry, he employed his time in translating va­ rious spiritual works of Saint Liguori, and of Bel­ larmine. The last translation he made was that of Bellarrnine's beautiful little work "On the Fe­ licity of the Saints." This was a foreshadowing, in his own mind and heart, of those blessed reali­ ties of heavenly bliss, which he was soon to taste, He continued faithful to all his spiritual exer­ cises, as well as laborious and indefatigable in his duties, to his last breath. The evening of his life was spent in constant preparation for death. As when in the evening the sun, after sinking below the horizon, tinges with beautiful and varied co­ lours the clouds -which hang over the western sky; * We intend giving these questions, together with some other papers, in an Appendix to these Sketches. See Appendix No. III. p. - ' t This PrayeiBook, like many other works, has since been im.prov�d for the worse: and Father David was wont to call t�� �ew editions, with � smile, the false "'�rrue Pieties." 2;38 FATHER DAVID, &c. as punctual to all his exercises and appointments, as he was industrious and indefatigable. Regu­ larity became a second nature with him. And this accounts for the great labours he was able to undergo, and the immense good he was the in­ strument of effecting. We can in no other way explain how he was able to fulfil so many seem­ ingly incompatible duties, and how he could find time for all his employments. Gifted in an eminent degree with the spirit of prayer, he was al ways united with God, in all his actions. He laboured, not for men, but for God; not for earth, but for heaven. His ambition as­ pired to a heavenly crown of unfading glory; he spurned all else. In one word, he Was the faithful fellow-labourer of our Bishop, the founder of our Seminary and of the Sisterhood of Charity in Kentucky, and the F A'l'RER and lVIodel of our clergy and people. In their memory and in their hearts is his monu­ ment reared, and his epitaph written, in indelible characters :-he needs none other! CHAPTER XVI. Rev. Messrs. O' Flynn and Derigaud, Rev. ·F. O'Flynn=-Hie early life-Emigration to America-v And anival in Kentucky-c-His appearance and piety-Incident showing his eloquence-His infirm health-And return to France -Rev. M. Derigaud-His early life-Ordination- Virtues-Zeal und labours-A religious brotherhood-His edifying death. WE will endeavour, in the present chapter, to furnish brief notices of two among the oldest and most zealous of our missionaries: the Rev. Messrs. O'F'lynn and Derigaud. We regret our inability to do full justice to the memory of either. Unable to find any written or prin ted account of their lives, we are compelled to confine ourselves to such facts as we have been able to glean from some of the older Catholics of Kentucky." Rev. Mr. O'Flynn was a native of Ireland. At an early age, he was sent to France, where he went through a regular course of studies, and was promoted to the priesthood. Previous to his ordi­ nation, he entered the religious order of Francis­ cans, to the austere obligations of which he ap­ pears to have continued faithful until death. After his religious profession and ordination he remained in France for many years; and he was ., What we will say of Rev. Mr. O'Flvnn rests chiefly upon the authority of the Very Rev. S. T. Badin: the facts concern­ ing Rev. M. Derigaud have been derived from various respecta­ ble sources. 260 REV. MESSRS. as thoroughly conversant with the French, as he was with the English, language. In consequence of the troubled condition of Europe, during the years which followed the French Revolution, F. O'Flynn, with the appro .. bation of his Superiors, sought shelter in the U nited States, to the struggling missions of which he determined to devote the remainder of his life. He landed on our shores about the year 1807 ; and shortly afterwards made a tender of his ser .. vices to Bishop Carroll, who sent him to Kentucky. He was then, probably, more than fifty years of age; his frame was very slight, and his constitu­ tion and health very delicate. Yet he did not shrink from the laborious duties connected with the missions of Kentucky. He reached our State in the year 1808; and im­ mediately afterwards engaged with zeal in the active duties of the missionary life, which he con .. tinued to discharge for nearly eight years, residing chiefly with the Very Rev. M. Badin, at St. Ste ... phen's. He was a man of prayer and of very retiring habits. He was very short-sighted, and rather eccentric in his manners. He cared little for dress, and was very lowly in his appearance. He was likewise very diffident; and it was with difficulty that he could be induced to preach. Yet he is described as having been remarkably elo .. quent in the pulpit, in which he manifested all the warmth and energy of his countrymen. As an evidence of his eloquence, we will relate an inci­ dent connected wtth the building of the first brick Catholic church in Lexington. In the year 1801, the Rev. Mr. Thayer had pur­ chased a log house in the lower part of the city, which was subsequently used as a Catholic cha­ pel for many years. The number of Catholics in O'FLYNN AND DERIGAUD. 261 that vicinity having greatly increased, M. Badin determined to erect a more spacious and suitable church. As the Catholics were chiefly Irish, or of Irish descent, he resolved to open the subscrip­ tion for this purpose on St. Patrick's day, in the year 1810. He accordingly announced, some weeks previously, that the panegyric of Ireland's patron Saint would be preached that year by the Rev. F. O'F'lynn, in the Court-house of Lex­ ington. F. O'Flynn was then in Scott county: but when M. Badin communicated to him the intelli .. gence of the appointment, the old gentleman hung down his head, and said, with a rich brogue, that he "could not preach on the occasion; that he had no sermon prepared; and that he could not do justice to the subject." M. Badin insisted; but F. O'Flynn persisted in his refusal. It was with the greatest difficulty, that M. Badin could induce him to make his appearance at all in Lex­ ington on the appointed day. The announcement had created a great sensa­ tion, and the Court-house was filled to overflow­ ing. M. Badin was sadly puzzled to know how to proceed; for he did not wish himself to preach the panegyric, and F. O'Flynn, though on the platform, still declined. At length he announced to the audience, that he would make some prelim­ inary remarks, after which he had no doubt that his Reverend friend could be induced to address them. F. O'Flynn at length arose. His dress and whole appearance were very lowly; and he com­ menced in an embarrassed and trembling voice;­ everyone expected an entire failure. Soon, how­ ever, his embarrassment ceased; he kindled with his subject; and, for more than an hour, he kept 262 REV. MESSRS. that large assemblage enchained. All were lost in astonishment at the success of the unpromising orator. Seldom had such a burst of genuine elo­ quence been heard in Lexington. More than three hundred dollars were subscribed on the spot, for the erection of the new church; and shortly af­ terwards, the amount had increased to three thou­ sand dollars. Protestants contributed as liberally as Catholics. Among the former, we may men­ tion with praise, Captain Nathaniel Hart and Col. Joe Daviess. * F. O'Flynn became more and more infirm; and at length he was compelled to retire from a mis­ sion beset with so many hardships. The last nine months that he spent in Kentucky, were pass­ ed by him at the residence of a countryman, Cap­ tain Peter Wickham, who lived at the distance of four miles from Bardstown. In the fall of 1816, he left Kentucky for France, having been recalled by his Superiors. Of his subsequent life we know nothing, except that he acted for some years as chaplain to a pious and wealthy French family. M. Derigaud was a native of France, He came­ to the United States with Bishop Flaget, in 1810. As yet, though perhaps more than thirty years of age, he had not commenced his theological studies. On the arrival of the Bishop in Ken­ tucky, in 1811, he entered the theological semina­ ry founded by Father David. After having com­ pleted the regular course of studies, he was or­ dained priest by Bishop Flaget, in the church of St. Thomas, on the first day of January, 1817. ·The liberality of the Protestants was likewise greatly stimu­ lated by the bigotry of many who made every effort to prevent the erection of the church, or even the purchase of a lot on which it might be built. About the same time, three thousand dollars were also subscribed, in a great measure by Protestants, fOI building a church in Louisville. 264 REV. MESSRS. 0'1"'. & D. tendom. Several pious young men offered them­ selves for this purpose; and the foundation of the new brotherhood was laid at St. Thomas' semina­ ry, about the year 1826. M. Derigaud directed the exercises of the infant society, the members of which at first bound themselves by vows for only three years. � In the spring of 1827, the Brothers removed to a farm in Casey county, Ky., which had been ob­ tained for their establishment. M. Derigaud ac­ companied them as Superior. But his health, which had been declining for some years, now entirely failed; and he lingered but a few months. He died in that county, in the summer of the same year, with the most edifying sentiments of faith and piety. The good Bishop Flaget visited and comforted him in his last sickness. His re­ mains were brought back to St. Thomas' semina­ ry, where they were solemnly interred. Not long after the death of their saintly Superior, the Bro­ therhood was dissolved. The piety, the laborious zeal, the fortitude, and the many virtues of M. Derigaud, will be long re membered in Kentucky, where his memory is de­ servedl y cherished. • They were, soon after their establishment, ten in number; and almost all of them exercised some mechanical trade. See the "Annales," &c., vol. 3. p. 200. CHAPTER XVII. Tite Rev. lVilliam Byrne and Rev. George A. M. Elder. Two Christian friends-Two founders of Colleges-Rev. Wm. Byrne-His early life-His ordination-His zeal and mis­ sionary labouis=-Founds St. Mary's College-His unshaken constancy in adversity-His qua1ities as a preacher-His virtues and instructions-Falls a martyr of charity-Rev. G. A. M. Elder-His early life-And missionary labours-His amiability of character-Founds Sto Joseph's College-A touching inci­ dent-His indefatigable zeal-His pious and edifying death. ON the 18th of September, in the year 1819, the new Cathedral of St. Joseph's at Bardstown, was thronged at an early hour, by a multitude, who had come to witness an important and moving ceremony. But a month had elapsed since the solemn episcopal consecration of Father David had taken place in this same church; and but a few days more than a month, since the church itself had been dedicated to God. Though less solemn than the two ceremonies just mentioned, that of which we are speaking was almost equally impressive. It was the raising of two young men to the sublime dignity of the priesthood. It was the first time, that an ordina­ tion of the kind had taken place in the Cathedral; and the first time, too, that Bishop David perform­ ed this ceremony. Those two young' priests were 266 REV. WM. BYRNE AND the first who solemnly prostrated themselves be­ fore that altar, to utter their vows of eternal conse­ cration to God, in the holy ministry: they were, also, the first fruits of the episcopacy of Father David. There were other circumstances which tended to impart additional interest to the scene to which we allude. The two persons, who reverently knelt before that altar to receive the sacerdotal ordina­ tion, were from different countries and continents: the one was a nati ve of Ireland, the other of Ken­ tucky; one was from the old, the other, from the new world. They were united by the bonds of a common faith, drawn yet more closely by a com­ mon love and charity. Their hearts had been long . blended together by the mutual sympathies of a tender Christian friendship, which hallowed and ennobled the feelings of .natural affection. Both were destined to do much good for religion in Kentucky; both too were to be the founders of colleges for the Christian education of youth; and both, after having given bright examples of priest ... Iy virtues, to breathe their last in the midst of their labours and usefulness. Few of our missionaries, in recent times, have laboured with more indefatigable zeal, or have succeeded in effecting more good, than the two of whom we are speaking. The Rev. Wm. Byrne was the founder of St. Mary's; and the Rev. George A. M. Elder, of St. Joseph's College. Both institutions were established about the same time; both have met with many reverses, have had to struggle with many difficulties, and have passed through a fiery ordeal; both have been very useful, and have reflected great honor on Ca­ tholicity in Kentucky. And though the lives of the two good priests who founded them are still REV. G. A. M. ELDER. 269 father, encouraged him to proceed in his under .. taking. Finding in him a great talent for manag­ ing youth, he assigned to him the office of Prefect in the institution, and from the vigilance, activity and tact of Mr. Byrne, in the discharge of his im­ portant office, he derived great satisfaction and relief in the most responsible station of President. Like 'St. Ignatius, Mr. Byrne began to study Latin, when near the age of thirty; and he often cheered himself on by so bright an example. Less energetic minds would have given up the under­ taking as impracticable; but his, like a vessel rid­ ing the waves, al ways rose with the difficulties it encountered. His labours were hallowed by reli­ gion, and sweetened by the tender offices of friend­ ship. At Mt. St. Mary's he become acquainted with the late Rev. G. A. M. Elder, and, though different in disposition, and seemingly uncongeni­ al in temperament, yet these two contracted an in­ timate and tender christian friendship, which last­ ed through life, and contributed much to the hap­ piness as well as to the usefulness of both. To prosecute more rapidly his sacred studies, Mr. Byrne repaired to the Theological Seminary of St. Mary's, Baltimore, which was then in a flour­ ishing condition, under the newly constituted "Marian Faculty," composed of Doctors Tessier, Deluol, and Damphoux. Here, however, Provi­ dence permitted that he should encounter new dif­ ficulties. He had not been long in Baltimore, when, owing to circumstances which it is not ne­ cessary here to detail,' he left the seminary, It is proper, however, here to record the fact, that he ever entertained and expressed for the distinguish­ ed gentlemen of that institution, sentiments of the greatest respect: and though he often spoke on the subject of his leaving Baltimore, he is not 2'70 REV. WM. BYRNE AND known to have uttered one unkind word of any of them. Of the late venerable Dr. Tessier, in par­ ticular, he was wont to speak in terms of the high­ est eulogy, and his pupils were as much couver­ sant with the character and virtues of this truly good man, as if they had been acquainted with him all their lives. He had been ordained subdeacon, and had there­ fore made an irrevocable vow to attach himself to' the holy ministry: nor had he, when leaving Bal­ timore, the most distant idea of abandoning his, vocation. He threw himself into the arms of Providence, and Providence directed his course westward. At Pittsburgh, he met with the vene­ rable Bishop Flaget, who willingly accepted the tender of his services for the Diocess of Bards­ town. The fact, that he was to labour in the same field with his dear friend Mr. Elder, and that, toiling side by side, they would sweeten the la-, bours of the ministry by the soothing words of friendship, was an additional reason for attaching him to the choice he thus made. After some pre� paration at the seminary of Sto Thomas, he and his friend Mr. Elder were both raised to the holy order of priesthood, in the new Cathedral of St. Joseph, at Bardstown, by the late Rt. Rev. Dr. David. They were the first priests ordained in this Cathedral, and the first ordained by Bishop David. Shortly after his ordination, Mr. Byrne was appointed pastor of the congregation of St. Charles and of Holy Mary's, and of the adjoining stations. Though his health had been much impaired by a long and rigid course of study, yet he laboured in his new charge with the most indefatigable indus­ try. He was al ways at his post, and never was known to miss an appointment. Whether sick or REV. G. A. M. ELDER. 271 well, he might be seen, by day and by night, on horseback, visiting the sick, or attending his con­ gregations or stations. His zeal was fed by la­ bours and difficulties, as fire is fed by fuel. Be­ sides his ordinary duties, he visited monthly the congregation of Louisville, more than sixty miles distant. As a preacher, he was not eloquent nor pathetic-but his discourses were plain, solid and instructive. His style was different from any which we find laid down in books on rhetoric-it might be called the pointed. He had a quick eye to observe the faults and deficiencies of his flock; and many who would not be led to the practice of virtue by the honeyed tones of persuasion, were at least often deterred from open vice by his point­ ed invectives from the pulpit. He eradicated many evil customs, and did much, both by word and example, to stimulate that spirit of sincere piety, for which those congregations are now so conspicuous. He had lived so long in colleges, and had so long fulfilled the disagreeable office of Prefect, that he had become disgusted with that kind of life, and had firmly resolved never more to engage in it; and he was not much in the habit of changing his resolutions. Yet, the ignorance of the chil­ dren in his various congregations, and the conse­ quent difficulty of teaching them their religious duties, whilst most of them could not read, made him think seriously about establishing some in­ stitution for elementary instruction, by which this inconvenience might be remedied. The difficul­ ties were great and appalling. But what were dif­ ficulties to him? They only quickened his zeal and nerved his resolution. He had neither money to build, nor men to conduct such an institution. But his energy supplied every difficulty. Once R 272 REV. WM. BY RNE AND he had overcome his great repugnance to the un .. dertaking, by persuading himself that it would promote the glory of God, and the good of his neighbour, all other obstacles vanished. He laid his plans before the Bishop, who had alreadyen­ tertained similar views, and who warmly approved them, encouraging his zeal with a solicitude truly paternal. He immediately set about his task. The first thing to be done was to procure a site for the seminary. He purchased a farm, and paid for it by subscriptions raised among those favourable to his undertaking. As there was however but little money in the country at the time, he had great difficulty in raising the necessary amount, and especially in converting into cash the articles of produce subscribed by many. The farm paid for, the next thing was to erect suitable buildings. An old stone distillery on the premises, was soon fitted up for the purpose of an academy of learning. Mr. Byrne was himself almost constantly with the workmen, and labouring with them barehead­ ed, under a scorching sun. He had made an ar­ rangement with the parents of children, that every thing contributed by them to the institution, either in money or work, should be refunded in tuition, which was to be at the very lowest rates. The parents were to pay nothing for board, only furnishing a certain quota of provisions per session. A plan so reasonable, and so fully adapted to the wants of the community could not fail to be suc­ cessful. At length the long and anxiously ex­ pected day for the opening of the new school ar­ ri ved, and it was on that day filled to overflowing. It was early in the spring of the year, 1821: and the new institution was called St. Mary's Se­ minary. REV. G. A. M. ELDER. 273 Thus were laid the foundations of a school, , which, with more trials and difficulties than have perhaps fallen to the lot of any other institution, has subsisted with ever increasing popularity, for twenty-two years, and has at length taken its stand among the first chartered Colleges of the country. It was founded by one man, amidst difficulties which would have appalled almost any other-it was sustained for more than twelve years by the indomitable energy of one man. It boasted 110 money endowment, but it could boast an endow­ ment far more noble-unquenchable zeal, hallow­ ed by religion! 'I'he Rev. Mr. Byrne was Presi­ dent, sole disciplinarian, sole prefect, sole treasur­ er, and at first almost sole professor-he filled every office. And at the same time, he was often com .. pelled to attend missionary calls. Yet he found time for every thing. Often have we known him after all had retired to rest, to go several miles on horseback, to attend a sick call, which he could not find time to attend during the day, and after returning and taking a brief repose, to be the first one up in the morning. His quick eye immedi­ ately discovered those who possessed the greatest talent, and amidst all his other occupations, he found time to train up several of those for teach­ ers. Thus in less than a year he had raised up a body of tutors and officers, who subsequently re­ lieved him of mueh labour, and continued their studies, whilst engaged in teaching those branch­ es whieh they had already learned. The seminary luid become very popular through­ out Kentucky: its strict discipline, and the moral and literary advancement of its pupils, were just­ lyadmired. Its founder had liquidated almost all its debts, and had nearly completed an additional building for the accommodation of more students, n2 ' 274 REV. WM. BYRNE AND when God permitted the whole to be consumed by fire! He was absent in Louisville at the time, and we remember well the sadness which sat on his brow when on the next day he rode into the enclosure, and beheld the smouldering ruins of what had cost him years of anxious toil ! Yet the suddenness of the shock did not unnerve him-it gave him new energy. In a few short months Sto Mary's Seminary arose from its ashes fresher and more beautiful than ever! During the months in which the new college was being erected, Mr. Byrne toiled day and night; he was not a mere looker-on, but he took part in the work. While not thus employed, he was en­ gaged in" giving instructions to several of his more advanced students, whom he retained with him. In a few years he had recovered from the pecuniary embarrassment consequent upon the late accident by fire-he had also paid the debts of the new building, and had an additional edifice almost completed, when in one night, by another severe visitation of Providence, this last was con­ sumed by fire, involving him in a debt of more than four thousand dollars! He was not discour­ aged by this second misfortune, and offered up the Holy Sacrifice the next morning in thanks .. giving to God for having preserved the main build­ ing. While those who came to condole with him seemed sad and dejected, he treated the matter lightly, and observed, smiling, that his only cause of grief was the loss of his hat, which he had for­ gotten in the new building on the evening pre. vious! Nothing daunted, he rebuilt the burnt edifice on a more enlarged plan, and in a few years 'was enabled, by patient industry, and rigid economy, to pay all his debts, and to place the Institution on 278 REV. WM. BYRNE AND With the disease upon him, he yet said Mass the next morning--from the altar he went to his bed of death, and five hours after he had terminated that hallowed sacrifice, he offered cheerfully the sacrifice of his life. It was the 5th of June, 1833. One would think that he was reading of the saints or martyrs of old-but he is only reading of the closing act in the life of one' who lived and moved in the midst of us, and whose life, while he was living, was not sufficiently appreciated. The minister of God mar well exclaim: may the Lord, in his mercy, grant me the happiness to die a death so worthy of a priest! "May my soul die the death of the just, and may my last end be like unto their's !" The Rev. George A. M. Elder was born in Washington-now Marion-county, Kentucky, in the year 1793. His parents enjoyed a moderate competence, and were full of zeal for the Catholic faith. His mother was a convert. They spared no pains to make a good impression on the tender minds of their children, and to rear them in the knowledge and practice of Christian virtue. The young George gave earl y evidences of piety, and of that amiable disposition which characterized him throughout life. He manifested, from his most tender childhood, an ardent thirst for learning, and gave indications of a wish to study for the church. His parents did every thing in their power to foster these good dispositions, by giving him every opportunity to cultivate his mind, in the few schools with which Kentucky was bless­ ed at that early day. At the age of about eighteen, he was sent to the flourishing College of Emmittsburg, Maryland. Here he reniained for several years, prosecuting his classical studies, in order to qualify himself for REV. G. A. M. ELDER. 279 entering on tho study of Theology. Here, too, he became acquainted with Mr. Byrne, with whom he formed that intimate Christian friendship which continued throughout life, and which even death could not sever. With a view to prosecute the study of divinity with greater advantage, he accompanied his friend to the Theological Seminary of St. Mary's, Balti­ more, conducted by the Sulpicians. In this in­ stitution, he completed with credit his theological course; and then returned. to Kentucky, where he was soon after rejoined by his friend. As we have already seen, both were raised to the priest­ hood by Bishop David, in the new Cathedral of Sto Joseph's, on the same day, the 18th of Sep­ tember, 1819. Soon after his ordination, the subject of om no­ tice entered upon the active duties of the holy ministry, in the congregation attached to the Ca­ thedral. Here he laboured wi th great zeal and efficiency for several years. The Diocesan semi­ nary had already been removed to Bardstown; and, like the other clergymen living in this town, the Rev. Mr. Elder resided at the seminary re­ cently erected, and ate at the same table with the seminarians and the two Rt. Rev. Bishops. The people of Bardstown had long expressed a wish to have a school there established for the ed­ ucation of their children. The good Bishop Fla­ get now resolved to comply with this wish; and he selected Mr. Elder to be the founder and first President of the infant establishment. As no buildings had been as yet erected for the purpose, the school, composed at first entirely of day-scho­ lars, was opened in the basement story of the theological seminary. 'I'he seminarians assisted he Rev. President in the duties of the school, 280 REV. WM. BYRNE AND which was numerously attended. Thus, about the year 1820, were laid the humble foundations of Sto Joseph's College. Its cradle was the cellar of the seminary. The number of scholars daily increasing, the President determined, with the approbation of the Bishop, to undertake the erection of a separate building for the college. The south wing of St. Joseph's College was soon put up, and paid for chiefly from the proceeds of the day-school. Boarders were now received, and the institution was soon filled to overflowing. The success of the establishment surpassed the most sanguine ex­ pectations of its projectors. The number of board­ ers was soon afterwards (in May, 1825) greatly increased, by fifty-four young men brought up to it from the south by the Rev. M. Martial, a special friend of Bishop Flaget. � This was the com­ mencement of that southern patronage, which was destined to render the institution so flourish­ ing in after days; and also, on the subsequent heavy pecuniary derangement of the south,.to bring upon it so great an amount of pecuniary embarrassment and responsibility! The increasing patronage of the College soon rendered necessary the erection of new buildings for the accommodation of the students. The north wing, and, subsequently, the front, or main college edifice, were rapidly put up. The Presi­ dent spared no labour to promote the welfare and prosperity of the institution, which was soon in­ corporated by the Legislature of Kentucky, and * They had belonged to a southern college, in the manage­ ment of which M. Martial was concerned. When circumstan­ ces caused the dissolution of this institution, the students were transferred to St. Joseph's College. See the Annales, &0. vol, 3. p. 184. REV. G. A. M. ELDER. 28l became one of the most flourishing colleges of the west. It has educated many youths of the most distinguished families in the western and southern States. The accomplished manners and amiable charac­ ter of the Rev. Mr. Elder, gave him a peculiar fa­ cility for the management of youth. He secured the esteem and won the hearts of all under his charge. He was like a kind parent in the midst of his affectionate children. The esteem, love, and confidence of both parents and children, did much to enlarge the patronage, and to secure the permanent prosperity of the institution. The chief, and, perhaps, the only fault he had, as Presi­ dent, was on the amiable side-a too great mild­ ness and indulgence in enforcing discipline. But it is not, perhaps, as founder or president of a college, that the character of the Rev. Mr. Elder exhibits itself in the best light. It is not the mere activity of mind and body, the mere zeal for pro­ moting education, or the unalterable meekness and amiability of his disposition, that is most estima­ ble in his character. As a Christian priest, pos­ sessing in a high degree the virtues of his exalted station, he has still greater claims on our love and admiration. He was pious and exemplary in his conduct, regular in all the devotions of the priest­ hood, and zealous and laborious for the salvation of souls. The following touching incident, selected al­ most at random, from a hundred of a similar na­ ture, will illustrate his tender charity towards the poor. 'Ve relate it in the words of the one who pronounced his funeral oration; and can vouch for the entire accuracy of the account. "About 11 o'clock, on a very cold, bleak night, in the¡winter of 1836-7, a Reverend gentleman 286 REV. WM. BYRNE AND nearer to me, O my Savour! Come nearer!' 'I am crucified with Christ, crucified, crucified, to the world !' "While the departing prayer was recited, he re­ mained silent and collected, with his hands joined before his breast. Almost his last words were passages from the fiftieth Psalm, and the aspira­ tions given above. He often looked at, and reve­ rently kissed, the crucifix, which had been placed on his breast, to remind him, in that last and dread­ ful hour, of the death of Jesus Christ. During the last half hour of his life, he did not speak, but still held his hands clasped before his breast, and expired in that attitude of prayer. "Such scenes as this must make even -the stern­ est infidel acknowledge the power of religion! They console the Christian, and strengthen his faith. In witnessing them all will exclaim: 'May my soul die the death of the just, and may my last end be like to theirs.'''� We must present an extract from the testimony of another individual-a Protestant-who wit­ nessed that moving death-bed scene. "On the night on which he died, I visited him. When I reached the door, a solemnly interesting, but melancholy scene presented itself to my view. In one corner of the room stood the couch upon which rested my dying friend. Dy his side kneel­ ed the clergyman in attendance, breathing softly, but audibly, a prayer in his behalf. The room was filled with kneeling, weeping friends. In one part of it yOll might have observed a disconsolate, al­ most broken-hearted sister, with her streaming eyes turned towards heaven, and her lips moving as if in prayer. There was the aged father, tho fi Numbers, xxxiii. 10. REV. G. A. M. ELDER. 287 very picture of the deep, but calm grief of his venerable age. I in voluntarily paused; for it seemed as though some unearthly voice whisper­ ed me thus: 'Tread lightly o' er the threshold, and leave there The vanities of earth, and every pulse Of world.iness, as unfit garments. For the place Thou enterest is filled with heaven, And angels hover there, to bear away in peace The waiting spirit of the friend thou lovest.' " .... His voice was nearly spent; yet each low, soft whisper, sounded as the vibration of some harp whose strings were swept by airs of heaven. Each word he uttered was rich with love of God and his fellow-men. And although his manly form lay prostrate, yet his soul seemed lifted above, and to be only waiting for the call of his Maker, to accompany a bright band of ministering spirits which seemed hovering around him, to join the company of .ceaseless worshippers around the throne of God. In a few brief moments, with the cross upon his breast, his hands clasped before him, and his eyes turned towards heaven, the angel of death removed the curtain which conceals, and his soul took its flight into, the world of spirits."* • "Eulogy," &c., before quoted. JUBILEE OF 1826-7 --STATISTICS, &0. 289 Iy five centuries and a half ;" and it has been found invariably useful in reviving piety among the people, and in awakening sinners to conver­ sion. Like the Jewish Jubilee of old, it was al­ ways viewed as a special season of mercy and grace, in which the honds of iniquity were to be broken, the long standing debts of sin to be can­ celled; the sinner to rest from his evil ways, and the worldling to repose from the feverish excite­ ments of earthly affairs, and to turn his attention to the things of eternity.'] So beneficial were found to be the results of the first Jubilees pro· claimed by the Sovereign Pontiffs, that it was soon determined to publish them more frequently than had been at first intended. The interval between successive Jubilees, originally a century, was af­ terwards reduced to a half, and finally to a quar­ ter of a century-which last is the present dis­ cipline. The immense spiritual benefits which have, at all times and in all places, resulted from the Jubi­ lee, are of themselves sufficient to establish the fallacy of the Protestant assertion: that the doc­ trine of Indulgences operates as an encourage­ ment to the commission of sin. According to its very nature, an Indulgence, instead of fostering, necessarily excludes sin, by awakening repentance and stimulating the sinner to approach the Sacra­ ments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist. An lndulgence is not a remission of sin, nor of the eternal punishment due to it, but only of the tem­ poral penalty, which often remains due after the il The first Jubilee was celebrated in the year 1300; and it was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII., who, among other things, al­ leged the example of the Jubilee ordained by God for the Jews. t For an account of the Jewish Jubilee, see Leviticus, eh. xxv., and Numbers, ch. xxxvi, S STATISTICS OF THE DIOCESS. 291 bilee of 1825-6,** of the promulgation of which in our Diocess we will now proceed to treat in some detail. The blessings arising from this great season of mercy and benediction are still fresh in the memory of most of our readers. For stating those benefits, and describing the exercises which accompanied them, we possess an advantage which we have seldom enjoyed while writing out these Sketches, that of ample printed documents, A full account of this Jubilee was written in French by those who participated in its exercises, and was transmitted to the Association for the Propagation of the Faith in France. Hence we have little more to do than to condense this state­ ment, and to translate into English its more inter­ esting portions. t The exercises of the Jubilee began among the clergy, assembled in a Spiritual Retreat at Bards­ town: and they were immediately afterwards fol­ lowed up in the various congregations of the Dio­ cess, beginning with that attached to the Cathe­ dral. In a letter addressed by the venerable Bishop Flaget to 1\1. Badin,! dated Louisville, Sep. tember 29, 1826, we find the following interesting account of the exercises of the Jubilee, and of the fruits attending them among the clergy and faithful of the Diocess. "You will learn with pleasure, how we have proceeded to gain the Indulgence of the Jubilee. On the first day of September, all my missionaries * This Jubilee was the more solemn from the circumstance, that, besicles occurring at the regular interval-the commence­ ment of the second quarter in the present century-it was in­ tended also to commemorate the elevation of Leo XII. to the Chair of St. Peter. t The documents alluded to are found in the" Annales de Ia Propagation de la Foy," vol, 3. p. 183, seqq, t Then in Paris, France. 292 THE JUBILEE OF 1826-7: assembled at the theological Seminary in Bards­ town. All of us made together a Retreat of eight days, during which we endeavoured to comply with all the conditions prescribed in the Pontifical Bull. On the 10th of September, being vested in Pontificals, I opened the Jubilee for the congrega­ tion of the Cathedral. It lasted for eight days, during which a sermon was preached at 10 o'clock A. M., a conference was given at 3, P. M., and another sermon, on the great truths of our holy religion, was delivered by candle-light. During the week following, the same plan was followed at St. Thomas', with the exception that but