lost; they have carefully preserved all the emblems and implements of the Catholic worship, and they have always endeavoured to have their children baptized. Hence, whenever a missionary has gone among them, they have been easily regained. Indeed, I should rather say that they have themselves sought for aid, and that with such discrimination as to show that they perfectly understood the difference between the Catholic, and other, teachers. A few examples will suffice.

A petition, dated August 12, 1823, was presented to the President of the United States, from the Uttawa Indians, from which the following is an extract:-" Confiding in your paternal kindness, we claim liberty of conscience, and beg of you to grant us a master or minister of the gospel, belonging to the society, of which were the Catholic company of St. Ignatius, formerly established at Michillimakinac, at Arbre-courbé, by F. Magnet, and by other Jesuit missionaries. Since that time, we have always desired similar ministers. If you grant us them, we will invite them to occupy the lands, formerly held by F. Dujaunay, on the banks of the lake of Michigan.”— Four months later, another petition was presented to Congress, by another chief of the same tribe, named Magati Pinsingo, or the Black Bird, in which he says,-"We desire to be instructed in the same principles of religion as our ancestors were, when the mission of St. Ignatius yet existed. (1765.) We shall deem ourselves happy, if it shall please you to send us a man of God, of the Catholic religion."*

In 1827, a chief of the Kansas came to Saint Louis, in Missoury, and, in a public assembly, requested that some one might be sent to instruct his tribe in the manner of serving the Great Spirit. A Protestant clergyman rose, and tendered his services. The Indian examined him from head to foot, and then replied, smiling, that he was not the sort of man whom he wanted. He added, that every time he came to Saint Louis, he was accustomed to go to the French church, where he had seen priests without families; these were the

"Annales de l'Association pour la Propagation de la Foi." No. ix. Paris, 1826, pp. 102-104.

masters whom he desired to have. On his return home, he wrote to General Clarke, entreating him not to forget sending him a Catholic priest. Some delay took place, the chief renewed his request; and, upon the pressing instances of the agent, the bishop, Dr. Rosati, appointed the Abbé Lutz, a young German clergyman, to open a mission among the Kansas.*

Thanks be to God, the latest accounts from these interesting missions, are such as to fulfil our desires. From the visitation made by Bishop Rézé to the mission of Arbre-Croché in 1835, it appears that the congregation of Uttawas consisted of about twelve hundred. Six or seven churches have been lately built among them; we are assured, that so far from these good Indians being addicted, like their neighbours, to the vice of drunkenness, they do not allow a drop of any fermented liquor to come near their settlement.

At Saut-Ste-Marie, the Bishop was received by the Indians with a discharge of musquetry; and during his stay there, the whole time was dedicated to exercises of devotion. More than a hundred were confirmed. At Meckinack, 120 received confirmation; and at Green-Bay, where a splendid church has been built, and where a seminary and convent will shortly be opened, 130, mostly Indians, were admitted to the same sacrament. The same reports give a lamentable picture of the state of the Protestant missions in the neighbourhood, from the frightful prevalence of intoxication among their Indians.†

Fourteen years ago, the Pootewatamis, who had been left without any spiritual assistance since the removal of the Jesuits from among them, and who, consequently, preserved little more than a traditional remembrance of Christianity, applied to the governor of Michigan to send them a priest, or robe noire, as they describe them. A Baptist minister was sent; but they soon discovered the difference, and said that they wanted some of the priests of whom their fathers had told them so many good things. They were told that the government had * Idem. No. xviii. 1829, pp. 550-561 Idem. No. xliv. Jan. 1836, p. 293-298.

nothing to do with Catholics, and that they must try the preacher who had been sent them. Violent dissensions soon rose among them; presents and strong liquors were distributed in vain, and, in a few years, thirty-three Indians had been assassinated in their feuds. In 1830 a Catholic priest was promised them by the Vicar-General of Cincinnati; every opposition was made by the government, who refused to give up the Baptist mission; but at length the Catholics prevailed; and there is now there an edifying congregation of 700 natives, under the care of a Belgian priest.

M. Boraga, an Illyrian, obtained permission of the Bishop to open a new mission among the Indians on the Grand River; and, in two years, he has formed a congregation of 200 souls.*

I must cut short these details; but I cannot omit just mentioning the Spanish missions among the natives of California, which have been no less successful.

As I have wished, throughout this lengthened discourse, to contrast, as much as possible, the fruits obtained by the missionaries of different communions on the same spot, and as I, perhaps, may have appeared to speak with more than usual severity of the conduct of the American missionaries in the South Sea Islands, I will conclude my narrative with a brief account of the progress made by the Catholic religion there. I have had occasion to speak of the persecutions endured by our brethren in China, and other countries, from the hands of Pagans, but here we have bonds and sufferings inflicted by the Protestant missionary rulers of those unfortunate countries.

A recent traveller mentions an interview which he had with a native princess of one of these islands, wherein he asked her upon what grounds she had become a Christian. Her reply was, "Because Mr. Bingham, who can read and write so well, tells me that it is the best religion; and because I see the English and Americans, who are Christians, are superior to us;" but, she added, that it was only an experiment, and if it did not auswer, they would return to their old worship.t

* Ibid. p. 303.

Kotzebue,"Narrative of a second voyage round the Globe," vol. ii.

To these countries, in the years 1826, three Catholic missionaries were sent, and commenced their work, by opening an oratory, in which there was a representation of our Blessed Saviour, crucified. The natives naturally came, and asked what this signified, and the missionaries took occasion to explain the mystery of Redemption; for it was impossible, without such a representation, to convey to the untutored and simple savages, the history of our Saviour's passion. The consequence was, that they soon began to have persons under instruction. But, after two or three years, they were banished from the island by the power of the American missionaries, and took refuge in California. In 1833, the Catholics were summoned before these authorities, and ordered to attend the Protestant worship. On their refusal, they were condemned to hard labour on the public roads. A task was apportioned to them; and after that had been executed, they were again summoned, and asked if they would frequent the Protestant service. On their once more declining, they were allotted another task. This was repeated until the fourth time; when some of them demurred on this account, that hitherto they had been allowed to work in bodies, entirely composed of Catholics, whereas now they were ordered to be mixed with convicts, and men of the worst character, condemned for every sort of crime, the lowest and worst refuse of society. The Catholics refused to obey on this ground, and begged to be allowed to work alone. The order, however, was peremptorily urged; and not only so, but farther command was given, to separate the wives from their husbands, and make them work in different parts of the island. They consulted their catechist, the only person whom they had to advise them, if they should obey. He assured them that there could be no sin in working in such company, if commanded by their ruler, on account of religion, whereas it would be sinful to disobey his orders. They took his words literally, and, as the sentence had only been pronounced by a commissary, insisted upon hearing it from the chief. Force was resorted to, the men and women were separated, and attempts were made to put them in irons.

They, however, prevailed in their demand to be taken before the chief; but, on their way, the English consul rescued them and secured them in his house from the persecution of the Protestants. A letter of thanks was written to him by the missionaries from their exile.

Here, then, is a persecution of Catholic converts by the ministers of a Protestant religion, and a system of penal infliction pursued against those who would not abandon our religion; a system carried to such an extent, that a female of royal blood was for a time terrified from embracing it, by the threat of being sentenced to public hard labour. Here, as everywhere else, the Catholics persevered in their faith; but, what shall we say, of the oft repeated boast, that Protestantism ever abhors religious persecution, and only Catholicity is of an intolerant and cruel spirit?

In April, 1833, the king published a decree, whereby all were left at liberty to neglect or attend the Protestant Churches.* The moment the decree was passed, the churches became deserted and empty; and the islanders rushed madly to their wonted sports, which had been forbidden, while the Catholics did not lose a single convert, nor did any of them frequent the games without permission of their catechists. The return of the missionaries was expected, and a bishop, Mgr. Rouchoux, has been appointed to the mission.†

Now, let any person contrast the conduct of the two Churches; the one endured persecution and yet remained faithful; the other was supported by the law, and the moment compulsory attendance was taken off, was abandoned by its proselytes. Such a comparison, joined to the many similar examples which I have given this evening, furnishes us with matter of serious reflection, and must, I am sure, be a subject of great consolation and encouragement to those who profess the true faith of Christ.

I cannot conceive a more delightful study, than the pe*Kotzebue tells us that he himself saw the poor natives driven into the Church by blows with a stick.