fact that he had hitherto been unable to learn his prayers, and that on a sudden he was found to know them perfectly, plainly show, that our B. Lady had really favored this poor child in this extraordinary manner. This occurrence was the occasion of the conversion of a great number of Nezpercés. They were afraid of coming near ushostile missionaries had filled their minds with so many prejudices against us and against the Catholic Church, that they could not be prevailed upon to come into our camp. When the Flatheads told them of Paul's vision, they sent for the boy, questioned him and cross-questioned him, till at length fully convinced of the reality of the vision, they said: "That prayer must be true, since the Great Spirit has sent the Mother of his Son to teach it to the Flat-heads." They came into the camp, and after a course of instruction, which lasted two months, they were all baptized. I visited several other tribes, the Koetenays, the Pointed-hearts, the Cauldrons, the Okinaganes and the Kalispels, baptized their children and aged persons-their joy was beyond description. During my journey, I met several small camps of Indians who had transported their aged parents and sick, from a considerable distance, many of them blind, in order that they might see.

It seemed to me as if the Almighty had kept these poor old people in life, that they might have the consolation of embracing the true faith, and of receiving baptism. The number of persons already baptized amounts to seventeen hundred. Among the Flat-heads the piety of many is so great, that we admit them to weekly communion.

Such has been the progress of the mission. Its prospects point out very clearly what we could flatter ourselves with, had we the necessary means, and a sufficient number of missionaries-thousands of Indians scattered over the Oregon territory, and along the northwest coast, are all anxious to be instructed, stretching out their arms for missionaries. Poor creatures, they are always in my mind-it seems as if I saw them and heard them, like the Macedonians whom St. Paul saw in a vision, calling out, come over to us and help us; and how many have in reality addressed this prayer to me. But the wants of the mission have obliged me to retrace my steps, to obtain the necessary funds, and I hope that Catholics who have so greatly assisted in this undertaking two years ago, will once more throw in their mite.

It would be impossible to do any solid and permanent good among these poor people, if they continue to roam about from place to place, to seek their daily subsistence. They must be asVOL. II.-No. 2.

sembled in villages-must be taught the art of agriculture, consequently must be supplied with implements, with cattle, with seed. In order to procure these things for the Flat-heads, I was under the necessity of making two journeys, one of five hundred miles, and another of a thousand, and to contract a debt with the Hudson Bay Company, of $800. They are willing to learn the art, and to submit to the labor of cultivation. For some time the expense will be heavy-but good God! what advantages!-how many thousands of poor souls brought over to the light of the true faith! How many thousands of immortal souls, created to the image of God, and redeemed by the blood of Christ, saved from eternal perdition, and made heirs of eternal life! What Christian will refuse his mite for so noble a purpose, were it even a mere probability-but it is a certainty-the short and simple exposure which I have laid before you establishes it beyond the possibility of doubt.

I shall return to the mountains at the end of April. I trust that your charity, the instinct of your hearts, your zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, will prompt you once more to contribute to the advancement of this great object. The poor Indians know that their white brethren make collections for their good, and four times a week they meet and pray for their benefactors. Will their prayers be fruitless! No! no! The Lord will listen to them, and he will shower his blessing upon the charitable persons, through whose generosity his name is glorified among these poor Indians. Cath. Herald.]

P. J. DE Smedt.

DOMESTIC.

ARCHDIOCESS OF BALTIMORE.-We observe with pleasure, that, during the present week, the foundation of the new church to be erected in Poppleton street, Balt. has been commenced. In compliance with the call of their pastor, Rev. Mr. McColgan, a large number of hands was on the ground on Monday last, with all the implements necessary for digging the basement. What we admire is, that zeal for religion, not pecuniary reward, has drawn them to this holy work. So great is the ardor to forward the undertaking, that more present themselves, than can find room to labor. The whole congregation would willingly share in the toil, and some whose contributions have been very liberal, may now be seen busily employed in digging the foundation. Yesterday we observed about seventy men engaged at the work, and twenty carts. Besides these, eleven horses and carts were sent away, as it was not possible to find room for them to labor. 16

Nor is the ardor to advance the work confined to Catholics alone; numbers of other denominations have generously come forward; and when some were told that their carts would not be needed: "Well," said they, "we shall send our horses and carts home, but we will remain and labor."

One is truly reminded, on visiting this scene, of what is related of the middle ages, when our pious ancestors, impelled by a holy enthusiasm, assisted in the erection of the magnificent cathedrals of Europe; the glory of the ages of faith, and the wonder of the present day. We doubt not but that a church, commenced under auspices so encouraging, will soon be completed, and that the new congregation of St. Peter's will have what they have long needed, a church sufficiently large to contain their increasing numbers; one that will be an honor to religion, and an ornament to our city.

Cathedral Choir.—Agreeably to announcement in the papers, the oratorio which had been several weeks in preparation, was performed by the members of the Cathedral choir, on Wednesday, 25th January, at Calvert Hall, situated on the site formerly occupied by St. Peter's church. The music consisted of Rossini's STABAT MATER, his latest and most remarkable composition, and of selections from some of the most eminent German composers, and was executed in a style which reflects infinite credit on the ladies and gentlemen of the choir, and on the zeal and talents of Mr. Gegan, who conducted the performance. We copy the following just observations from a Baltimore paper.

"A very numerous and most respectable assemblage was attracted to this new and elegant hall, on Wednesday evening, to witness the performance of the oratorio with which it was to be opened. Much, of course, was expected-and it is no exaggeration to say that the highest anticipations were more than realized. Although our community have had occasionally offered to them musical performances of a most meritorious character, we yet hazard nothing in declaring that the one of which we are now speaking was decidedly the most successful and brilliant that has ever been witnessed here. This commendation applies with equal justice to the various details as well as to the performance as a whole. The credit of undertaking with amateur vocalists, and of sustaining with such triumphant success a composition so difficult as the Stabat Mater of Rossini, is due in an especial degree to Mr. Gegan, the vocal director. The effects of his admirable professional qualifications, operating with untiring industry upon the fine natural

talent which he had gathered around him, were most happily manifested in the rich and rare fruits successively exhibited during the evening-of high cultivation, graceful expression and brilliant execution in the single parts, and of precision and accuracy in the chorusses which could not be surpassed. In the fugues, especially, the rapid running passages were uttered by the numerous body of sopranos with the distinctness and unity of a single voice. A performance so truly excellent as this was, from beginning to end, is most creditable to all who participated in it, and is one of which our city has just reason to be very proud. To Mr. Allen, who directed the orchestra, great praise is due for the efficient aid rendered by him in that department."

DIOCESS OF DETROIT.

MILWAUKIE, December 29, 1842. MR. SMITH, I am sorry that circumstances have not ere this permitted me to fulfil the promise of writing to you and of giving you some insight into the condition in which the Catholic Church is at this time in Wisconsin.

The knowledge of my present employment, which the contents of these lines will convey to you, is the best apology. I refrain from dwelling on the causes of my apparent neglect. It was in the latter part of last year, that I arrived in Wisconsin in company with our Right Rev. Bishop Lefevre.

I was, when leaving Detroit, far from imagining that this region would become the field of my future missionary labors, but the sickness of the Rev. Mr. Kelly, and the condition of the Catholic congregation in Milwaukie, made it necessary for the bishop to appoint me pastor of the congregation.

Wisconsin Territory is at present under the administration of the Bishop of Detroit, and numbers five priests, two of whom reside in Milwaukie, one in Green Bay, one in Cockalin on Fox river, and one in Prairie du chien. I may add without hesitation, that twenty clergymen would have sufficient employment. To substantiate this assertion, let me name to you the congregations which have already been formed since my arrival.

1. Milwaukie.-The congregation at this place is very numerous and daily on the increase. Divine service is held separate for the English and German congregations; the frame church is beautifully finished, but being entirely too small for the congregation, it is contemplated to begin a new one next year. The Sunday schools of the English, French and German children, are well organised and attended ; the two day schools,

male and female in separate buildings, are an honor to Milwaukie; and the St. Peter's church building society, the temperance society with Father Matthew's pledge, lately established, and the St. Mary's female association will convince the spectator that there is no congregation superior to this.

2. Oak Creek's congregation, southwest nine miles from Milwaukie; here a beautiful frame church is built and finished, with one hundred and forty families.

At New Kirch's settlement, south west twentytwo miles from Milwaukie, with twenty-eight families.

6. At the Muskéiguak Lake, nearly west eighteen miles from Milwaukie, twenty-four families.

7. At Yorkville, southwest twenty-seven miles from Milwaukie; thirty families.

8. Al Burlington, southwest ten miles from Yorkville, thirty-six miles from Milwaukie ; forty families.

9. Geneva, southwest from Burlington, fortysix miles from Milwaukie, containing thirtythree families.

10. St. Patrick's congregation, thirty-four miles southwest from Milwaukie, fifteen miles from Southport, between thirty and forty families.

11. At Prairieville, seventeen miles west from Milwaukie, a number of families live around this place, their number not estimated as yet.

12. At Muskwanago, ten miles south of Prairieville, twenty families.

13. At Mr. Rafferty's settlement, nine miles northeast from Prairieville, twenty families.

14. At Spring Prairie, thirteen miles from Muskwanago south west, ten German families, and four English families.

15. At the line between towns eight and nine, range twenty, twelve miles north from Milwaukie, ninety-one families.

16. At town ten, twenty-four miles north of Milwaukie, thirty-six families.

17. Madison, the seat of government. At my first visit, being invited to dine with the governor, I received a promise of the finest site for the erection of a church and school, &c. The deed is promised at my next visit. The families are well off, their numbers not known as yet.

18. Mineral Point, one hundred miles, by the way of Madison from Milwaukie; here the first and wealthiest families are Catholics. At my first visit a church building society was established, and arrangements made for the erection of a Catholic church. General Becket presented the congregation land for a burial-ground. Colonel O'Neal offered two lots in town for the

church edifice. About eight hundred dollars have been subscribed towards the erection of the church, and it is believed will exceed far one thousand.

19. Dotchville, eight miles from Mineral Point, nearly all the inhabitants are Catholics, numbers not yet known.

There are other places where partial arrangements are already made for the formation of congregations. The three first places are visited quarterly during the year, the others most every month. It is remarkable, most of the congregations mentioned have taken up a number of lots of land for families who promised to come here in the spring, so that if half of them come, Wisconsin will surprise you, and frighten many a prejudiced Protestant to see the country taken up by Catholics.

At Sac Prairie two Catholic counts have purchased a whole township; they with a number of families live on it, and expect a hundred families next spring. Pity they live so far away from here. They are from Hungary, but speak English and German.

I have not said any thing of Green Bay and vicinity, where one thousand Catholics live, but what I have said suffices to prove my assertions.

In this letter I could not literally follow your request, namely, to give an account of my missionary excursions; true they would exhibit many things which might make it interesting; but I cannot find time for it, sometimes for three weeks I never entered a house where I could find the least convenience for writing or studying. People have lately moved to this region, the houses are as yet poor, conveniences are rare. I must make many a sacrifice, but land and water, and health and courage being good, I have reason to say that all this will soon be changed.

Respectfully, &c.

West. Cath. Register.] MARTIN KUNDIG.

DIOCESS OF LOUISVILLE.-Ordination.-On Sunday, the 18th December, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Chabrat held an ordination in the church of St. Thomas, near Bardstown, being the church of the Diocesan Seminary. Messrs. Cull, Joyce, and Quinn were promoted to the holy order of subdeaconship.-Cath. Advocate.

DIOCESS OF NEW ORLEANS.-On Saturday, 17th December, Rt. Rev. Dr. Blanc, Bishop of New Orleans, held an ordination at the Seminary, parish of Assumption, when he ordained Mr. Moulard, deacon, and Mr. C. Lucas, priest. The pastor and vicar of Thibeaudeauxville, with the reverend directors of the seminary, assisted on this occasion. Mr. C. Lucas has been ap.

pointed by the bishop vicar of St. Martinsville.Le Propagateur Catholique.

The Schism.-We learn with unfeigned satisfaction that the dissensions at New Orleans have been at length brought to a happy termination. The terms in which this event is announced in the N. O. Bulletin, might lead some to suppose that a compromise had been made of the episcopal right of appointment; but the same language was used on a former occasion, when it soon appeared that no such sacrifice had been made. The bishop of New Orleans has shown throughout this painful transaction, such firmness in the maintenance of his just authority, united with great condescension and forbearance, that we are fully persuaded that the termination of the controversy is such as to place beyond all doubt the right which has been assailed. The clergyman appointed is known to us, and is an additional guarantee that all is well.

The anniversary of the victory of New Orleans, 8th January, was celebrated this year with extraordinary solemnity. The bishop of New Orleans officiated in the church of St. Louis, accompanied by the bishops of Mobile and Natchez, and attended by his clergy. He delivered a discourse on the occasion in the French language, and the bishop of Natchez pronounced an English address.-Cath. Herald.

DIOCESS OF RICHMOND.-On Saturday, December 31st, Mr. Edward Fox was promoted to subdeaconship in the chapel of the Theological Seminary at Richmond, Va.

On Sunday, 1st January, six young men received tonsure at the Cathedral, and three of them immediately admitted to minor orders; after which Mr. Fox was ordained deacon, and on the 6th he was promoted to the priesthood.There are now nine priests in Virginia.

THE CATHOLIC PRESS.-"The United States Catholic Miscellany still survives, to defend our holy faith, and spread its truths. The earnest of good will given by some of the Catholics of the South has inspired new hope, and the faithful sentinel has resolved not to abandon the watch tower on which he has so long stood amidst storm and darkness, as well as in sunshine. From our heart we say, ad multos annos: and trust that ere long consolation will reach the widowed church."

We copy this paragraph from the Catholic Herald; and, while we share the pleasure which such an announcement must everywhere awaken among the friends of religion, we cordially express the same fond wishes for the continuance and prosperity of our esteemed cotemporary, the U. S. Miscellany. This is the oldest Catholic publication in the United States. The

first number was issued in the city of Charleston on the 2d of June, 1822, under the auspices of the illustrious Dr. England, whose genius and erudition and untiring zeal were a rich and copious fountain, from which the Miscellany drew perpetually the living waters of sound doctrine, and useful knowledge of every description. The collection which is formed by the issues of this paper since its first appearance, is one of the most valuable repertories of instruction and information that could be desired. In its pages we are allowed to contemplate the gigantic efforts of Bishop England's mind, that distinguished champion of the faith, when it was yet as it were, in its prime, and we follow it with undiminished admiration to the period when it was called from the conflict, crowned with the laurels of victory. Though the Miscellany has no longer the aid of this master spirit and the indefatigable pen which it wielded, the journal is ably edited, and in view of the signal services which it renders to the cause of truth, is well deserving of an extensive patronage.

In adverting to the claims of the Charleston paper, we deem it a fit occasion for expressing our concurrence in the opinion, which has been lately very generally put forth regarding the indifference of the Catholic community for the encouragement and support of Catholic undertakings. In a recent pastoral letter to the clergy of his diocess, the venerable bishop of Louisville states, that the Advocate will be discontinued, unless a more liberal patronage be obtained for it; and he calls upon each one of them to "consider it his own peculiar duty to sustain that periodical." "Let each of you, act as its first and principal agent, and appoint a person or persons, to aid you in procuring subscribers, and attending zealously to its interests: call the attention of the faithful again and again to this subject." There is certainly much reason for appeals and instructions of this kind, from the want of attention on the part of the Catholic body to the circumstances in which they are placed. "In this country," says the Freeman's Journal, "there are no papers worse supported than Catholic papers; none which are forced to appeal so often and so urgently to their subscribers; none which have circulations so limited and even upon those limited circulations so many bad names. But a few days past, and the Charleston Miscellany, a newspaper of twenty years' standing, weighed down by the accumulation of bad debts upon its accounts, was compelled to announce the necessity of its suspension for the want of four hundred paying subscribers: a little before, the Cincinnati Catholic

Telegraph stated the amount of debts due by delinquent subscribers at three thousand eight hundred dollars: while this JOURNAL, though but two years and a half in existence, has outstanding debts exceeding four thousand dollars. On the other hand how is it with the papers supported by Protestants? They are among the best and safest properties in the country. In this city alone, the Christian Advocate, the Christian Observer, the Churchman, supported-the first by Methodists, the second by Presbyterians, the third by Episcopalians, circulate a total of fifty thousand copies weekly. One of them, the Advocate, as we have already observed, circulates beyond twice as many as all the Catholic papers in the Union put together.

"Now, why this striking contrast? Why is it that Sectarians are so liberal, so constant in upholding their journals, while Catholics are so niggardly, so unstable, so unsatisfactory? Is it that in this country the Protestants most need organs to represent them, and the Catholics not? Or is it not rather the direct contrary? Will any man deny what is as plain as the day? that Catholics in America need as much as the air they breathe, journals to express their feelings, to defend their principles, to refute calumny. Is there a country in Christendom where more than in this, the Catholics are the people every where spoken against;' where public opinion is at once so powerful and so perverted against Catholicism? Not one. There is not another country, we will not except England, where Catholics need more urgently journals to advocate their cause and certainly none where journals can advocate it more efficiently. Let those Catholics who are so luke. warm about the matter, and give their support to newspapers so grudgingly-let them fancy for a moment Catholics in America left without a press of any kind. Let them imagine, if they can, the calumnies directed against them, day after day, the old ones repeated until they are worn out, and new ones starting up to supply their places, the bitter denunciations of the politico-religious press of every shade kept up without ceasing-let them think of the varieties of invective that would be exhausted upon them of the dark and deadly designs that would be laid to their charge, of the hue and cry that would be raised after them from one end of the union to the other, until the popular feeling, poisoned beyond remedy and exasperated to the fiercest pitch, would explode in outbreaks in which neither life, nor limb, nor property would be safe. Let them think how in such a state of things, the Catholic without one to defend, one

to protect him, one to say a word for him, with slanders unnumbered hanging over him, with the universal prejudice incessantly bearing him down, could go among his fellow-citizens scarcely daring to lift his head, never dreaming of vindicating himself or his creed, hardly knowing that he was a freeman, until misunderstood, hated and despised he should become even in this free land as much, to all intents and purposes, a slave, as the Catholic of Ireland under the Protestant ascendancy.

"Will not Catholics then, while they have presses to advocate their interests, give them a proper support? By a proper support we do not mean such a support as will merely enable them to hang on through a precarious existence, but such as will give their conductors heart to improve and elevate the character of the journals under their control.

"We ask them to think of these things, and no longer present to the wonder of the world the practical anomaly of the greatest need, coupled with the greatest neglect, of newspapers. If they will reflect but for a little, they will see that they owe it to themselves, to their faith, to the brethren in the faith, nay to many yet unborn, to maintain and encourage organs for the expression and defence of Catholic principles. Let them in this take instruction from Protestants; let them see how much wiser in their generation are the children of the world than the children of light; how sectarians never slacken in the support of their newspapers, with what promptitude they discharge their obligations; how they are always on the alert to add to their subscription lists; how with them, the newspaper is not invariably the first source of expense cut off in times of retrenchment, or in preference to giving up some costly and useless luxury; let them imitate them in these things, for in these things their conduct is at once a reproach and an example to Catholics."

DIOCESS OF PHILADELPHIA.--Letter of Bishop Kenrick to the controllers of the Public Schools.At the monthly meeting of the Board of Controllers of the Public Schools, held on the 13th of December last, Col. Henry Leech, president, laid before the board the following letter from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Philadelphia, which had been received by him since the stated meeting of November.

"To the Board of Controllers of the Public Schools in the city and county of Philadelphia.

"Gentlemen,-Sympathy for a respectable lady who has been deprived for many months past of her only means of support for following the dictates of her conscience, and a solemn sense of