THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC QUARTERLY REVIEW THE NEW YORK VOL. XXII.-JANUARY, 1897.-No. 8UBLIC LIBRARY CARDINAL LAVIGERIE. ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. LE CARDINAL LAVIGERIE. Par Mgr. Baunard. Two Volumes, with Mc ONTALEMBERT, speaking of the great influence of St. Wilfrid over the men of his times, says it was due, above all, to his noble, manly, firm spirit on fire with enthusiasm; to an energy that never flagged; to his knowing when to wait, when to act; to his never losing heart nor feeling fear; to his having a soul that soared to heights which attract the eyes of the multitude as well as the fury of the thunder-storm. Then, after speaking of St. Wilfrid's eloquence, his love for learning and for Christian architecture, the great historian of the "Monks of the West" goes on to say that the saint rose superior to all trials, that he was consumed with love of justice, and that it was these things that made him tower above his fellows and riveted their attention and admiration even when they did not share his convictions. "There was always something generous, warm-hearted, grand in him which. commanded the sympathy of all true hearts; then, when adverse fortune, violence and ingratitude triumphed over him and stamped him with the seal of sacrifice nobly and holily borne, sympathy redoubled, and all that was least loveable or explicable in his conduct was forgotten." This description, written by Montalembert of St. Wilfrid, seems quite applicable to the late Cardinal Lavigerie. There was much in common in the character and career of the early English saint of the seventh and of the great African cardinal of the nineteenth century; and after reading Mgr. Bau1 Les Moines d'Occidant, t. iv., p. 388. VOL. XXII.-I nard's intensely interesting life of the Apostle of Africa, nobody would hesitate to admit the fittingness of Montalembert's words. But there was another thing which the saint and the cardinal had in common: it was their deep love for the See of Peter. Thrice did St. Wilfrid hasten across seas and mountains to seek help, comfort and counsel from the Holy Father. Thirty and more times did Lavigerie, living in times when steam has made travel easier, imitate the saint's example. During the twenty-nine years of his episcopal life not a year passed that he did not visit Rome. France his country, Africa the land of his adoption, were alike dear to his great heart, but Rome held there the first place; for to Rome, to the Holy See, he looked to save both Africa and France from discord and darkness. Charles Martial Lavigerie was born at Bayonne, on October 31, 1825. His mother was daughter of the director of the mint at Bayonne before the Revolution; it was from her that Lavigerie inherited the hot blood of the south that sometimes showed itself in his character. His father was from Auvergne, and held a respectable position in the customs. His parents seem to have been good, honest folk, enjoying life in their provincial town, or in the little country-house they owned outside it, or during their short yearly summer sojourn at Biarritz-worldly people in the best sense, striving to advance themselves and their children in life. So when Charles, first in his childhood by his loving to play at being a priest, in his boyhood and early manhood by his expressed wishes, sought to become a priest, his parents, far from fostering, discouraged his desires. They even formed projects for settling him in the matrimonial state. The good seed was sown by other hands than those of his parents. There were two old maid-servants in the household; these taught the future cardinal his prayers, his catechism, and took him with them to church. He loved to acknowledge all he owed to these good souls, and, wearing the red robes of a prince of the Church, he spoke thus to an assembly of priests: "Brethren, if I am what I am to-day, I owe it to those two good women. See how important it is to place good Christians in charge of children." There are, however, one or two anecdotes of his childhood to show that the seed had fallen on good soil. He, who was one day to preach the crusade against slavery in the great capitals of Europe, delighted as a child to preach sermons in the family circle; nor would he suffer his little audience to break up before his discourse was ended, even when the dinner was getting cold on the table! It is also related how the future apostle of Africa showed his early zeal by catching the children of Jews-of whom there were many in Bayonne-and forcibly baptizing them at the nearest fountain, consoling them for their ducking with the gift of a sou or two! After he had made his first communion and been confirmed, his desire to study for the Church became so strong and serious that his father took him to the Bishop of Bayonne, where, in answer to the prelate's questions, the young Lavigerie insisted on his great wish to become one day a parish priest in the country. After studying humanities at the college of his own diocese, he went to Paris at the age of fifteen, and for two years continued his college course under the celebrated Abbé Dupanloup, afterwards Bishop of Orleans. In October, 1843, he entered the seminary of St. Sulpice. The class to which he belonged on beginning his theological studies is still remembered as "the class of bishops," for no less than thirty of its members became bishops; of these, several became cardinals. Lavigerie was remembered at school as being always first in class and on the playground—a high-spirited lad, a bit unruly and pugnacious. At Christmas, 1847, he became sub-deacon. Two months later a revolution replaced the monarchy of Louis Philippe by a republic. Two of the students went out in secular dress to see the revolutionists at work, and were compelled to help in destroying a sentry-box. These two students, of whom Lavigerie was one, were both destined to become cardinals. Although he was ordained priest in 1848, his public life did not, as his biographer remarks, really begin then. The next thirteen years were, in some sort, still years of preparation. He completed his intellectual training by taking his degree of doctor of theology and in teaching as professor of the Sorbonne. But a wider sphere of action than a lecture room afforded was soon offered to the young priest. After the Crimean war, a number of Frenchmen of light and leading, among whom may be named the learned Baron Cauchy, Montalembert, Bosquet, a hero of the Russian war, the artist Flandrin and the saintly Ozanam, had founded an association for starting and maintaining schools in the East. Illustrious as was the patronage under which the work began, it seemed likely to be still-born. The work depended for its life on the alms of the faithful, so it was felt that a priest should be asked to be its manager. Father de Ravignan, the great Jesuit, was asked to obtain the services of Lavigerie. "If you think it is the will of God," answered the latter, "that I should accept the post, I am ready." "I believe it is," replied the Jesuit, and the matter was settled. The first thing was to make the Euvre des Écoles d'Orient known, and to find resources to carry on the work. During the next three years Lavigerie visited all the great towns of France, preaching in each on behalf of the schools of the East, with the result that while the money collected in 1857 was less |