History of the Catholic missions among the Indian tribes of the United States, 1529-1854

Front matter

Library

Brigham Young University

Ernest L. Wilkinson Collection on the

Chapter I. Early Attempts In Various Parts

The Franciscans under Bishop Juarez in Florida — Father Mark in the Gila Valley — Father Padilla in that of the Rio Grande— His devotedness and death — Missionaries with De Soto in Florida — Successful mission of Father Andrew de Olmos in Texas — Heroic enterprise of the Dominican Father Cancer— His glorious death in Florida— The shipwrecked missionaries — Mystery as to Father John Ferrer — Dominicans in West Florida and Alabama with Don Tristan de Luna 39

Chapter II. Florida Missions

Florida colonized by Melendez — Indian missions attempted by the Dominicans in Virginia — Missions actually begun by the Jesuits — Death of Father Martinez — Labors of F. Roger and others in the Peninsula and in Georgia — Difficulties and trials— Indian school at Havana — Arrival of a Virginian chief— Mission proposed — F. Segura

Contents

and his companions sail for the Chesapeake— Treachery of the chief— The missionaries are put to death — End of the Jesuit mission — The Franciscans appear— Regular missions begun — Philological labors of Pareja — Various missions of the Fathers — Sudden plot, the missionaries put to death— Restoration of the Florida mission. . 53

Chapter III. Florida Mission (continued.)

New missions — The Apalaches — Troubles in the settled missions— English destroy the missions— Attempt to restore them— State of the country at the cession to England — Ruin of the missions— The Seminoles 72

Chapter IV. Missions In New Mexico

Attempt, of Brother Alphonsus Rodriguez — Death of the missionaries — Onate’s expedition—Franciscan mission established by Martinez— Its early struggles— Account of mission given by Benavides in 1630 — Decline— Restoration in 1660 — Revolt in 1680 — Villasenor's account in 1740 — Present state 76

Chapter V. Missions In Texas

French Recollects in Texas with La Salle — Their fate— Spanish missions — Plan of these missions— Their suspension — Restoration in 1717— Villasenor’s account — Their destruction in 1813— Present state 84

Chapter VI. California Missions

Discovery of California — Early missionary attempts — Jesuit missions founded in Lower California by Father Salvatierra — Suppression of the Jesuits — Franciscans succeed them in California— They commence some missions in Upper California, and resign Lower California to the Dominicans — The various missions founded by Father Juniper Serra 88

Chapter VII. California Mission (continued.)

Father Palou, Prefect Apostolic— Sketch of a California mission — Missions of Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Soledad founded— Father Lazven prefect— Missions founded in his time — State of mission during the civil war — The republic — It plunders the missions, and expels the Fathers — Rapid decline of the missions — California taken by the Americans — Close of the missions » 104

CONTENTS.

Chapter VIII. General View Of The Spanish Missions

Plans of the Spanish missionaries — Failure of the original method — The reduction system— Complaints and charges against it — Its effect on the Indians — Its complete success 115

THE FRENCH MISSIONS.

Chapter I

General view of the French missions — Jesuits at Port Royal — Recollects at Quebeo— Great Jesuit mission of Canada — Its rapid progress, and great extent— Labors of the priests of the Foreign missions and Sulpitians — Division of the subject 123

Chapter II. The Abnaki Mission

The Abnakis— First Jesuit mission under Father Biard— Its difficulties — St Savior’s founded— Its destruction by Argal— Recollect missions— Capuchins— New Jesuit mission under Druillettes— His sufferings and success in Maine— His embassies and later missions 129

Chapter III. Abnaei Mission (continued.)

Abnakis at Sillery— Bigot founds the Chaudidre mission— The Bigots in Maine— Thnry at Penobscot — Father Simon on the St John’s — Fervor of the Neophytes — The Jesuits —Rale and his mission — Death of Thury— New mission of St. Francis— Attempts on Rale’s life — Mission of Becancour — Wrongs of the Indian — Cruel murder of Rale. 142

Chapter IV. Abnaki Mission — (continued.)

The mission at Norridgewalk restored— Lauvergat leaves the Penobscot— Father Germain, the last Jesuit missionary — The French war— The Abnakis during the Revolution— Orono — They apply to Bishop Carroll — Mr. Ciquard— Mr. afterwards Cardinal Cheverus— Later, missionaries— The Jesuits again at the grave of Rale — Present state of the tribe 152

Chapter V. The Huron Mission

The Huron nation— Their manners — Language — Religion — Their acquaintance with the French — The Recollect Le Caron founds the mission— Sagard and Yiel — Unexpected murder of Viel — The Jesuits — Mission renewed — The Recollect Dallion among the Attiwandaronk— The Jesuit Brebeuf among the Hurons — The difficulties of the colony—The missionaries recalled— Touching scene — Capture of Quebec by the renegade Kirk— End of the first mission — Philological labors of the Fathers 163

CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. Huron Mission — (continued.)

Mission restored — The Jesuits alone return on the refusal of the Capuchins — Brebeuf Daniel, and Davost among the Hurons — Mission of St. Joseph at Ihouatiria— Mission system — New missionaries and new missions — Huron college at Quebec — The voyages of the Fathers — Their trials — The pestilence— The first convert — They are suspected — Plots against*their lives — Courage of Brebeuf and his associates — New mission of St. Joseph’s at Teananstayaj — Mission at Ossossand, Scanonaenrat, Taenhatentaron, and among the Tionontates — New persecution 173

Chapter VII. Huron Mission (continued.)

Plan of the mission changed — St. Mary’s founded — Mission of St John — The neighboring Algonquins — Brebeuf and Chaumonot among the Attiwandaronk — Gradual progress of tlie faith — The Christians styled Marians — The Algonquin missions — The Iroquois war — Capture of Fathers Jogues and Bressani — Increased fervor — Mission plan again changed — A moment of peace — The war renewed — Teananstayae destroyed, and Daniel killed — Panic of the Hurons — Towns deserted — St. Louis and St Ignatius destroyed — Death of Brebeuf and Lalemant — Ruin of the Hurons — The Scanonaenrat remove to New York — Others flee to different tribes — St. Mary’s burnt, and mission removed to St. Joseph's Isle — The Petun towns attacked — Death ot Gamier and Chabanel — A considerable body descend to Quebec . 181

Chapter VIII. Huron Mission (concluded.)

The Hurons at Quebec — Father Chaumonot and his labors — Troubled by the Iroquois — Subsequent history — Present state— Hurons of St. Joseph’s Isle — Their division — Hurons at Mackinaw — Menard dies on his way to their camp on Green Bay — Allouez at Chegoimegon — Marquette — Return to Mackinaw in consequence of Sioux war — Mission of St. Ignatius — Its history — Removal to Detroit — Sandusky and Indian Ter ritory — General view 196

Chapter IX. The Iroquois Mission

The Recollects design an Iroquois mission — One of them, Father Poulain, a captive — The Huron war— Captivity of Father Jogues — His escape — Kindness of the Dutcli — Captivity of Father Bressani — His ransom — Peace — F. Jogues returns to Canada, is sent as envoy to the Mohawks — Concludes the negotiations — He founds the mission — His glorious death 205

Chapter X

Captivity of Father Poncet— Proposals of peace— Treaty concluded— Le Moyne visits Onondaga— Mission projected — Father Chaumonot and Father Dablon are sent— Their mission at Onondaga— Its success — Jealousy of the Indians — Dablon returns — Le Moyne on the Mohawk— His dangers and his toils 218

CONTENTS.

Chapter XI. Our Lady Of Ganentaa

Mission at Onondaga — A French colony — House and chapel erected at St. Mary’s of Ganentaa— Spread of the faith — Missions among the Oneidas, Cayugas, and Senecas — Reinforcement of apostolic laborers — Hopes of ultimate success in converting the cantons — Sudden plot — Overthrow of the missions — Wonderful escape of tho Fathers 223

Chapter XII

Garaconti6, the friend of the missions — His protection — Embassy to Quebec — Mission renewed — Father Simon le Moyne again at Onondaga — Retained till the spring — His labors during the winter — His dangers— Garaeontie absent — Mission at Cayuga — Return to Montreal — His character and death — Garaeontie again— Conversion of a Seneca chief— Negotiations — Missionaries asked and promised— Mohawk war— General peace 242

Chapter XIII

Period of peace — Missions projected and begun in all the cantons — Mission at Quintd Bay — The Sulpitians — Father Fremin sent to the Mohawk with Bruyas and Pierron —Mission founded— Zeal of Huron Christians— Converts to the faith— Bruyas founds the Oneida mission— Gamier restores that of Onondaga, is joined by Milet and de Carheil, and founds that of Cayuga— Fremin, in the West, founds the mission of the Senecas — Conversion of Mary Ganneaktena at Oneida— She founds the Christian village of Laprairie 263

Chapter XIV

The Mohawk "mission— Pierron and his labors— His paintings— Cards— Invokes the aid of the English governor in repressing the liquor-trade— Success at Caughnawaga — Father Boniface — The feast of the dead— Triumph of Pierron — Idolatry abolished — Conversions— Peter Assendase— Fervent women — Notre Dame de Foye— Death of Boniface — Conversion of Kryn, the great Mohawk — Emigration to Canada — Catharine Tehgahkwita — Her piety— Departure — Later missionaries — Close of the mission . . 263

Chapter XV

I The Oneida Mission — Its sterility — Conferences— Conversions — Milet succeeds

Bruyas— His long apostolate. II. Tnn Onondaga Mission— Gamier and his labors

— Milet— His skill and success— Advice of Garaeontie— Overthrow of worship ol Agreskou6 — Meeting of Iroquois missionaries at Onondaga— Baptism of Garaeontie a# Quebec— His firmness at Onondaga— His efForts for Christianity — A Huron missionary — Father John de Lamberville succeeds Milet — Garaeontie; his sickness, recovery

I*

CONTENTS.

visit to Frontenac, fervor, final sickness and death — Bruy as at Onondaga— The Lam-

bervilles. III. The Cayuga Mission— F. Stephen de Carheil— His unavailing labors

— Afflictions— Falls sick— Succeeded by Eaffeix— Eecovers and returns— Conversion

of Saonichiogwan — Expulsion of de Carheil. IV. The Seneca Mission — Labors of

Fremin— Succeeded by Garnier — The Huron Christians— Peril of tbe missionaries— Fathers Eaffeix and Pierron— La Salle, and the effect of his visit — Expulsion of the missionaries 275

CHAPTER XYI.

The Seductions in Canada. 1. Lorette— Iroquois there — La Pr^cieuse — Sogaressd

— Ignatius Tocachin. II. St. Francis Xavier des prds and du Sault or Caugh-

nawaga — Its origin — Founded by Father Eaffeix — Catharine Ganneaktena— Garonhiagu6 or Hot Cinders— Kryn, the Great Mohawk— Life at the mission— Fervor of the Neophytes— Mode of instruction — Visit of Bishop Laval — Eemoval from Laprairie to Sault St. Louis or Caughnawaga — Catharine Tehgahkwita — Her eminent holiness — Her life and death — Eeputation for miracles. III. Qtjtnte Bay and the Moun-

tain of Montreal — Sulpitian missions at Quinte Bay — Eesigned to Eecollects — De Belmont founds the mission of Notre Dame des Neiges — His zeal — Margaret Bourgeoys and her Indian school — Success of this mission — Mary Barbara Attontinon and Mary Theresa Gannensagwas, Indian sisters of the Congregation 295

Chapter XVII

Dongan and his project — English Jesuits — Endeavor to recall the Caughnawagas — The missionaries generally retire — The de Lambervilles — The elder left alone in New York — Treachery of Denonville — Danger of the missionary — Magnanimity of the Onondagas — De Lamberville retires — Close of the mission — Retrospect — Denonville’s campaign — The Catholic Iroquois in the field — Death of Garonhiague — Movements of the missionaries — Capture of Father Milet — Lachine and Schenectady — Tehoronhiongo — Death of Kryn, the great Mohawk — Attack on the Mountain — The decline of piety in the Indians while at Montreal — Stephen te Ganonakoa and his heroic death — Ourehonare — Paul — Frances Gonanhatenha, her torture, fidelity, and death — Milet and his captivity — Conversion of his owner — Her baptism — Eestoration of Milet — Death of Oureouhard — Conflagration of the mission at the Mountain — Zeal and generosity of de Belmont— Mary Theresa Gannensagwas — Mission at the Sault au Eecollet begun — That at the Mountain closed— Sault St. Louis — English mission to the Mohawks — Bellamont — His falsehoods and bigotry — French missionaries again in New York in spite of penal laws — Bruyas at Onondaga — The last mission and its close — Treatment of Father Mareuil — Tegannissoren — Captives at Onondaga — The Naim family — Mission of the Sault au Eecollet transferred to the Lake of the Two Mountains 812

Chapter XVIII. Iroquois Mission — (concluded.)

The interval of peace — Difficulties — Emigration — Fervor of the adopted captives— Picquet at the Lake of the Two Mountains — His labors — The old French war — Picque4 f

CONTENTS.

projects a new Reduction — The Presentation — It is attacked — Its restoration — Visit of the Bishop— Banner — Picquet in the cantons — Goes to France and returns — The second French war— St. Regis founded — Its origin — Effect of the loss of Canada on the missions — Margon de Terlaye and the mission at the lake — The American Revolution— Close of the Presentation mission — McDonnell at St. Regis — New churches erected — Mr. Joseph Marcoux — Charles X. and Pope Leo XII. benefactors of the mission— Cross of Catharine Teligahkwita— Caughnawaga — St. Regis — The Lake of the Two Mountains— Retrospect 834

Chapter XIX

THE OTTAWA MISSION, OR MISSION TO THE ALGONQUIN TRIBES IN MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN.

The Ottawa country— Its various tribes— The Ojibwas invite the missionaries — Jogues and Raymbaut at Sault St. Mary’s — The fall of the Hurons— Garreau and Druilletes sent to the West— Defeat of the mission — Death of Garreau — Mission of Menard — His heroism — His voyage and its trials — Founds a mission at Chegoimegon — His labors and death — Father Claudius Allouez — His chapel of the Holy Ghost at Lapointe — His labors — Joined by Louis — By Marquette — Their labors — Dablon becomes Superior o the Ottawa mission — Sault St. Mary’s founded — An Illinois mission projected — Allouez founds St. Francis Xavier’s at Green Bay — The tribes there— Druilletes in the West — His labors at the Sault— Marquette founds St. Ignatius at Mackinaw — Father Andr6 in the Archipelago — Mission of Green Bay — Nouvel as Superior — Labors of the various Fathers — Allouez— Marquette, succeeded by Pierson, goes to explore the Mississippi — His obsequies— Enjalran in the West— Later labors and laborers 848

Chapter XX. Ottawa Mission — (continued.)

later history of the old Jesuit missions — A mission servant killed — The church at Green Bay burnt — Mission at Mackinaw abandoned — Its restoration — Detroit — Death of F. Constantine — The last missionaries — Le Franc, Du Jaunay, and Potier — The 8ioux mission — Hennepin— Marest— Captivity of Guignas — Martyrs— Close of the old mission — The Sulpitian mission at the Lake of the Two Mountains 878

Chapter XXI. Ottawa Mission (concluded.)

American Missions—1 The Otta was— Richard at Marquette’s grave — Petition of the Ottawa chiefs — Badin — Dejean resident missionary at Arbre Croche — Ottawa youth sent to Rome by Bishop Fenwick — Rez6 — Baraga— The Redemptorists at Arbre Croche and Sault St. Mary’s — Baraga and Viszogsky at Grand River— Pierz at Arbre Croche — Baraga at Lapointe— The Ance— Pierz at Grand Travers Bay--Proulx and the Jesuits on the Canada side — Skolla — Chippeway missions in Minnesota — Bellecourt — Lacombe — Baraga made Vicar Apostolic. — The Menomonees— Mission restored by Vandenbroeck — Bonduel and his labors — Removal of tribe — Father Skolla. — The Pott a wotamies— Richard— R6ze — The chief Pokegan — Fervor — Badin— His labors— Desseille— His mission and death— Petit and his exiled flock— Edifying con-

CONTENTS.

duct of the Indians — Death of Petit. — The Winnebagoes — Mission of Mr. MazzuchellJ — Petiot — Persecution of the missionaries — Cretin — Strange conduct of government — Cretin bishop — Canon Vivaldi ^ 382

Chapter XXII. The Illinois Mission

The Miamis and Illinois — Their country — Their first meeting with missionaries — Allouez— Marquette projects a mission— Allouez meets them at Mascoutens — Marquette meets them on the Mississippi — Visits the Kaskaskias — Returns and founds the mission of the Immaculate Conception — Ilis death — Allouez at the Kaskaskia village— The Recollects in Illinois— Their labors— Flight — Death of Father Ribourde — Allouez returns — Gravier begins his mission — Rale and his labors — Gravier again — Details of his mission — Kaskaskia chief converted— Madame Ako, his daughter — Binneteau — Pinet founds Cahokia mission — Marest — Settlement of Louisiana — Death of Binneteau and Pinet — Gravier wounded at Peoria — Descends to Mobile — His death - 403

Chapter XXIII. Illinois Mission (continued.)

The priests of the foreign missions — Montigny — Bergier at Cahokia — His trials and death — Mermet on the Ohio — De Ville among the Peorias — Miami mission of St. Joseph’s — The famous Jansenist Varlet — General view of mission — Charlevoix’s visit — Father le Boulanger and his literary labors — All the Illinois settle on the banks of the Mississippi — The chieftain Chicago — Eulogium of the missionaries — Father Doutreleau and his narrow escape — Father Senat and his glorious death — Decline of the missions — Period of war — Gibault, the link of the old and new line ol missionaries — Flaget — Rivet— The Chief Piskewah, or Richardville — The Indian element in the French population 421

Chapter XXIV. The Louisiana Missions

Father Marquette visits tribes on the Lower Mississippi — Hennepin, the Sioux — Membra, the Arkansas — Jesuits succeed him — The Seminary at Quebec and its projects — Montigny descends as Vicar-General — His plans— Missions of the Canadian clergy — The Taenzas and Tonicas— St. Come at Natchez— The Jesuits — De Limoge at the Oumas — Mr. Foucault among the Yazoos — His death — Close of the Jesuit mission — Davion and the Tonicas — Death of St. Come — Davion finally retires— Father Charlevoix— New Jesuit mission — Du Poisson in Arkansas— Souel on the Yazoo — Their death in the Natchez war — Yazoos attack F. Doutreleau — Father de Guienne and the Alibamons — Father le Petit and Baudoin among the Choctaws — Suppression of the Jesuits, and close of the mission 436

Chapter XXV. The Louisiana Missions Revived In Missouri And Indian Territory

Louisiana becomes part of the United States— Du Bourg, Bishop of New Orleans— The Society of Jesus restored — Du Bourg invites the Jesuits to Missouri — Disposition of the Indians — Father Van Quickenborne leads out a colony of missionaries — La Croix

CONTENTS.

among the Osages — Schools— Odin and the Quapaws — Van Quickenborne's plan — Anduze with the Apalaches and Pascagoulas — Lutz and the Kansas — The Flatheads — Van Quickenborne prepares to formd permanent missions — The Kfkapoos — Pottawotamies — Neighboring tribes — Death of Van Quickenborne — New mission among the Osages — The Miamis — Sioux — Blackfeet — The territory formed into a vicariate — Bishop Midge — State of his diocese 462

Chapter XXVI. The Louisiana Missions Revived The Oregon Mission

Origin of the Oregon mission — The Flatheads — They seek missionaries — Their trials and disappointments— De Srnet is at last granted— He reaches their village — Founds the mission — Visits the Blackfeet and returns — Blanchet and Demers — Their labors — Return of de Smet with Point and Mengarini — Mission village of St. Mary’s— Thr Cceurs d’Aldnes — Progress of the mission — Journeys of de Srnet — The mission of the Coeurs d’Alenes — Blanchet and Demers — Joined by others — Found a seminary— De Smet at St. Louis— In Europe — Sails for Oregon — Willamette — Various missions — New Sees — Present state — Testimony of government 466

THE ENGLISH MISSIONS.

THE MARYLAND MISSION.

General indifference of English to salvation of Indians — Lord Baltimore— Catholic emigration — Jesuit missionaries — Father Andrew White and his companions — Altham at Piscataway — White at St. Mary’s— The tribes of Maryland — Language, dress, religion— Philological labors of the Jesuits — White at Mattapany — Maquacomen, and his inconstancy — Conversion of Chilomacon, king of Piscataway — His baptism— Death of Altham — Illness of White — Death of Brock — Father Rigby — The Susquehanna war — Attack on a missionary station — Reported death of a Father — Life on the mission — Wonderful cure — Ruin of the mission — The Father seized and sent to England-Ineffectual attempts to renew the Indian mission 488

APPENDIX 49T

List of Missionaries ; 499

Abnaki Missionaries 499

Iroquois “ 500-1

Ottawa “ 501

Illinois “ 501-8

Louisiana “ 502

Authorities used in the compilation of this work 503

General Index 50T

PREFACE,

A ctEnekal history of the missionary efforts of the Catholic Church among the American Indians is a work too much needed to require comment. The present work, undertaken at the suggestion of President Sparks, is intended to comprise all missions within the present territory of the United States, from the discovery to the present time. A few years since the labors of the Catholic missionaries were ignored or vilified : now, owing to the works of Bancroft, Sparks, O’Callaghan, Kip, and others, they occupy their merited place in our country’s history. Praise without stint is lavished on the early missionaries ; but as the result of their labors is overlooked, it is quite common to deny them any success whatever. The great decrease of the Indians may indeed in part excuse some writers from not snowing the real state of little communities, now hemmed in by the busy whites ; and it would excuse them, were it not very evident that they decide the result of the missions, not fromv observation, but

Preface

from preconceived ideas of the Catholic Church. One remarkable fact will, at all events, appear in the course of this work, that the tribes evangelized by the French and Spaniards subsist to this day, except where brought in contact with the colonists of England and their allies or descendants ; while it is notorious that the tribes in the territory colonized by England, have in many cases entirely disappeared, and perished without ever having had the gospel preached to them. The Abnakif Caughnawagas, Kaskaskias, Miamis, Ottawas, Chippeways, Arkansas, and the New Mexican tribes remain, and number faithful Christians ; but where are the Fequods, Narragansetts, the Mohegans, the Mattowax, the Lenape, the Powhatans ? They live only in name in the rivers and mountains of our land.

The missionary efforts which we chronicle were made by different bodies, and their history is to be sought in distant and widely separated archives. Many volumes published in France, Spain, and Mexico, give us details more or less extended as to particular missions during certain periods : much still lies in manuscript in Rome, Madrid, Mexico, Havana, Quebec ; more has be* n destroyed, especially in France during the last centurv. The present work is the result of ten years’ collects n and research. Doubtless manuscripts exist which. w 11 enable a future historian, more fortunate than the auth; r, i

PREFACE.

s£o give at greater length, what he has endeavored to sketch. Still, he has gleaned enough to give each mission a more extended notice than has ever yet appeared.

In writing, he has endeavored to be just to all men, to avoid all partiality, to take no part in the rivalries which have existed and still exist, all tending to overshadow the truth, and give theories or party views for a real picture of the historical facts. With the hope that his labors will prove neither useless to the student, nor devoid of interest to the general reader, he leaves them to the judgment of all.

As to any facts which may appear supernatural, he has simply followed the statement of his authorities ; and in using any term implying sanctity, martyrdom, or the like, does so merely from convenience, it being well known that no official act of the Catholic Church authorizes the application of such terms to any of the missionaries herein named or their converts.

New York, May, 1864.

CATHOLIC MISSIONS

AMONG THE

INDIAN TRIBES OF THE UNITED STATES.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

Design of Providence in the discovery of America— The Missions — State of the country political and social — Obstacles to conversion— Catholicity — Her religious Orders— Plans and action.

The discovery of America, like every other event in the history of the world, had, in the designs of God, the great object of the salvation of mankind. In that event, more clearly perhaps than it is often given to us here below, we can see and adore that Providence which thus gave to millions long sundered from the rest of man by pathless oceans, the light of the gospel and the proffered boon of redemption.

Iceland was first discovered by Christian missionaries from Ireland, and though the pagan Northmen soon colonized that island and the shores of Greenland, it was only at the moment when they were about to renounce Woden for Christ. Greenland was scarcely planted, when missionaries arrived to win the Scandina- * . vian to the faith. From the time of their conversion these colonies became centres of Christianity, and hardy missionaries ventured down to the coast of our republic to convert the pagan colonists and the surrounding natives. But the period had not yet arrived for the triumph of the Cross : the colonies on the continent all perished, and America was again involved in darkness.

At last Columbus, who, in his enthusiasm, believed himself

I destined by Leaven to bear Christ to the nations, steered across the Atlantic and again revealed the western continent to awakened Europe. It was a period of deep religious feeling : a feeling which pervaded men of all ranks, classes, and employments. The desire of wealth opened at once the floodgates of emigration ; but each prince felt bound to advance the cause of Christianity : missionaries attended every expedition to the New World ; missionaries flocked over to devote themselves to the great work. Amid the lawlessness which at first prevailed, the only check on the Spaniards, the proto-explorers, was the deeply seated religious element in their character.

The various bodies of the clergy now began their missions, and as colonies were formed by the Catholic States, they extended their apostolic expeditions to all parts of the continent. Alone and unprotected, the adventurous priest made his way to the interior, far from the settlement of his countrymen, exploring the country and bringing back a description of its products, and what was more precious still, news of the favorable dispositions of tribes whom he had visited ; or at times would come the tidings of his death in the wilderness, and then his associates would use every effort to follow in the path which he had opened.

The American Catholic missions are unparalleled for heroic self-devotedness. energy of purpose, purity of motive, or holiness of design. Nowhere can be found more that is sublime, even to eyes blinded by the glare of human greatness. Nowhere can we show * more triumphant proofs of the power of religion, even for the temporal v eil-being of nations.

Paraguay has become a household word : the missions of Mexico were more successful still; those of Canada are replete with interest ; in fact, from one extremity of the continent to the other, there is hardly a district which is not inscribed in the annals of Cariiolic missions as the theatre of the zeal, and often the martyrdom of her apostles.

I

AMERICAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS.

Into so vast a field we should gladly enter and portray the triumphs of the Cross, but it would far exceed the limits which we have prescribed to ourselves ; even in the missionary history of the territory over which the flag of our republic now waves, an almost endless variety seems to defy all our efforts to preseive unity or connectedness.

Let 11 examine the country at the commencement of its mission history, the middle of the sixteenth century. Let us, with the first missionary who then entered our domain, take our stand on the Anahuac mountains, the watershed whence flow the streams that empty into the Atlantic and Pacific by sea-like gulfs. The Irish, Saxon, and Norwegian missionaries had once centuries before planted the Cross at the opposite extremity, but a continent lay between the scene of his labors and theirs. Yet, vast as the region was, it was to be conquered to Christ ; the Latin service, chanted from Greenland to Narragansett, was to resound throughout the length and breadth of that land.

The field was one as yet unmatched for extent and difficulty. That region now studded with cities and towns, traversed in every direction by the panting steam-car or lightning telegraph, was then an almost unbroken forest, save where the wide prairie rolled its billows of grass towards the western mountains, or was lost in the sterile, salt, and sandy plains of the southwest. No city raised to heaven spire, dome, or minaret ; no plough turned up the rich alluvial soil ; no metal dug from the bowels of the earth had been fashioned into instruments to aid man in the arts of peace and war. The simplest arts of civilized life were unknown. In one ‘little section on the Gila and Rio Grande, the people spun and wove a native cotton, manufactured a rude pottery, and lived in houses or castle-towns of unburnt bricks. Elsewhere the canoe or cabin of bark or hides, and the arabesque mat, denoted the highest point of social progress.

Elsewhere the whole country was inhabited by tribes of a no-

AMERICAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS.

madic character, rarely collected in villages except at particular seasons or for specific objects ; though here and there were found more sedentary tribes in villages of bark, encircled by walls of earth or palisades of wood, whose institutions, commercial spirit, and agriculture, superior to that of the wild rovers, seemed to show the remnant of some more civilized tribe in a state of decadence. Around each isolated tribe lay an unbroken wilderness extending for miles on every side, where the braves roamed, hunters alike of beasts and men. So little intercourse or knowledge of each other existed, so desolate was the wilderness, that a vagabond tribe might wander from one extreme of the continent to another, and language alone could tell the nation to which they belonged.