USA > Maryland > A Century of Growth [electronic resource] or, the history of the Church in Western Maryland > Part 10
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Father Manning next purchased a cemetery. The parish had been in existence over forty years, and none of the numerous pastors had purchased a cemetery. The people had spent thousands of dollars in charter- ing trains to bury their dead in Cumberland, Frost-
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burg and Westernport. Add to these inconveniences the still greater pain of being so far separated from their "dear dead." The congregation wanted a grave- yard. Accordingly, on December 16, 1889, "the presi- dent of the George's Creek Coal and Iron Company made a fee-simple deed to His Eminence, James Car- dinal Gibbons, of all that parcel of land, known as St. Mary's Cemetery, upon condition that the same should be used for a cemetery or burial place for dead."
During the administration of Father Manning the church was beautifully and artistically frescoed. This was an excellent piece of workmanship, very creditable, both to the pastor who conceived the idea and the artist who executed it. Father Manning is at present pastor of St. Andrew's Church, Baltimore.
The century closes with Rev. Thomas J. Stanton in charge of St. Mary's congregation. The present pastor was appointed by His Eminence, James Cardinal Gib- bons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1892; he took charge September 13, following. The fourth cen- tennial of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus was fittingly observed by the congregation in October of that year.
In September, 1894, Lonaconing was honored by a visit from His Eminence, the Cardinal, who adminis- tered Confirmation to one hundred and sixty children and a small number of adults. On this occasion the congregation received His Eminence with a torch- light procession, in which all the societies of the
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parish participated, accompanied by two bands of music. His Eminence addressed the assembly in words of congratulation, and thanked the congregation and the societies for the reception kindly tendered.
An event of more than ordinary magnitude, during this same month of September, was the ordination of Lonaconing's first priest, in the worthy person of Rev. Michael Augustine Ryan. Father Ryan was born and grew up in Lonaconing. Everyone knew him, everyone was interested in him, and, as a natural consequence, all were delighted when they learned of his elevation to the exalted dignity of the priesthood.
On Sunday, September 30, Father Ryan sang his first Solemn High Mass in St. Mary's Church. Never did the sun seem clothed with such brightness, never did nature present such charms, and never did a young priestly heart beat more quickly or joyously than on that day. The morning of a first Mass! Morning hoped from afar, and wished with all the vehemence of youthful yearning. The message of gladness which thou didst bring had depths which we cannot fathom, heights which we cannot touch, beauties beyond the reach of words, and glories beyond the power of loftiest thought. The joyousness of that occasion was a fitting prelude to the after life of the young priest-a priesthood filled with good works. Father Ryan was first appointed to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Washington. At the National Capital he was quite successful. He is now stationed at St. Patrick's Church, Baltimore, and success con-
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tinues to crown his labors. His Lonaconing friends will always follow him with affectionate interest, and wish him "Ad multos annos."
Three missions have been preached during the administration of the present pastor. The first was
REV. MICHAEL AUGUSTINE RYAN.
successfully conducted as a paschal retreat by the Rev. George A. Fargis, of the Society of Jesus. The second mission differed from the ordinary routine of general missions. It was conducted by the Rt. Rev. P. J. Donahue, Bishop of Wheeling, assisted by Rev. James F. Nolan, of Baltimore, and Rev. Robt. E. O'Kane, of
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Wheeling. This mission was a great success. It stirred to fervor many who had grown lukewarm, and awakened to new spiritual life many who had fallen away.
May 15, 1898, the diocesan missionaries, set apart for special mission work, opened a two weeks' mission in Lonaconing and Midland. Mission devotions were conducted by Revs. C. W. Currier and Thomas S. Dolan. Their preaching was productive of much and lasting spiritual fruit.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Curtis, D. D., paid an official visit to Lonaconing, and confirmed one hundred and sixty- seven candidates for Confirmation, September, 1897.
Many important improvements have been made on the church property during the present administration.
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ARTICLE VIII.
ST. PETER'S CHURCH, WESTERNPORT.
It is enough to view the magnificent brick church, convent and pastoral residence at Westernport to be convinced that here is a flourishing congregation. The parish is composed of what is familiarly known as the "twin towns of Westernport and Piedmont." The two towns form, in reality. one little city, com- pactly and substantially built on both sides of the Potomac River. The temporal prosperity of this parish is principally dependent on coal mines, three railroads and a comparatively new industry, the pulp and paper mills. This latter industry supplies work for five hundred employees, and blesses the neighbor- hood with an annual pay-roll of nearly a half million dollars.
The first settler in Westernport was probably Peter Devecmon. Subsequently, James Morrison owned nearly all the land and laid out the town at the beginning of the century. It is certain that Western- port was a struggling hamlet before the Revolution, and that Washington at one time established his head- quarters there. In early times, Westernport was of some importance on account of its location on the old thoroughfare between Winchester, Va., and Morgan- town, Pa. There were about thirty houses in Western-
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port before the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was built, but Piedmont was an open field without a single building.
Although at present a flourishing congregation, West- ernport is, nevertheless, one of the young congrega- tions of Allegany County. Fifty years ago, Patrick McGuire and Andrew Mullen were the only Catho- lics residing within the limits of the present parish. Towards the beginning of the year 1849, the first Mass celebrated in this section was said in Blooming- ton, at the home of Patrick McGuire, by Father O'Connor, a visiting Redemptorist priest. A few months later, Father Cronenberg, also a Redemptorist, paid a visit to Bloomington and offered up the Holy Sacrifice. We are indebted for the early history of Westernport to Mr. Andrew Mullen, of Bloomington, whose life has been closely connected with the parish from its very beginning to the present time. About the year 1850, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was extended westward as far as Bloomington. A num- ber of Catholic young men, the majority of whom were Irish, were employed in grading the road-bed and laying the tracks. The work was fraught with danger; many lives were lost from the blasting of rocks, landslides, and the caving in of cuts and tunnels.
Father Michael Slattery, of Frostburg, began to visit this section to attend the sick calls. It is certain that Father Slattery's first visit to this parish was in response to a call to prepare for death a young work-
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man who was crushed by a cave-in in Everett's tunnel on the now famous seventeen-mile grade. On this occasion the good priest came from Frostburg, carry- ing the Blessed Sacrament, and administered the last rites of the Church to the dying man. Father Slattery's coming was greeted "as an angel's visit " by the poor men, and, in 1854, they arranged to pur- chase from Hamill & Combs an old ramshackle shanty which had been used as a wareroom. This they remodeled and embellished as well as the circum- stances permitted. They constructed a rude altar, and here Father Slattery offered up, once a month, "the pure Host, the holy Host, the immaculate Host, the bread of eternal life and the chalice of everlasting sal- vation." The congregation grew rapidly, and the young pastor was soon obliged to enlarge his little church, which was known as " Father Slattery's Cathedral." This church stood on the upper side of the railroad, where now stands a dark, dingy-looking, old brick building.
With the opening of the coal mines the Piedmont Valley became more thickly populated, and Father Slattery saw that it would be convenient for the con- gregation to have the church more centrally located. He therefore purchased a piece of ground on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, and erected, in the year 1857, the first Westernport church-a large, frame structure, which was later converted into the present school building.
Father Slattery was a kind, courteous, energetic priest-a tall, wiry man, of strong physique. As he
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grew older, his hard work so visibly manifested itself that his naturally rugged countenance assumed some- thing of a battered-up appearance. He was of an athletic turn, a good walker, a splendid horseman,
REV. MICHAEL SLATTERY.
appearing at his best on horseback. Success seems to have followed him in whatever channel he chose to direct his energies. He was a man of unruffled temperament at all times, and of cheery friendliness. No matter how overwhelmed he was with work, no
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matter how fatigued he was after a cold ride, fasting, from Frostburg to Westernport, he was always ready to listen to the humblest child of his flock. In 1862, he was transferred to Baltimore to take charge of St. Joseph's Church, where he died in 1866.
"Soldier, rest, thy warfare o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking; Dream of battle-fields no more, Days of danger, nights of waking."
After Father Slattery's departure, Westernport was left for a short time without a regular priest. During the interval the people went where they could to hear Mass; many of them walked from Bloomington and Westernport to the " old stone house," at " Knapp's Meadow," to assist at the Holy Sacrifice.
The next priest who attended the mission was the Rev. Charles O'Reilly. He was pastor towards the beginning of war times, and, if we can believe reports, he was a warlike man. He was very unlike his pre- decessor. Father Slattery was noticeably of an un- ruffled temper; Father O'Reilly was noticeably the very opposite. He was a fighter, in the literal sense. It is true that he had sufficient reason, at times, to act roughly ; but, at other times, his best friends are willing to admit that he seemed to fight for the sake of fighting, and to scold for the sake of scolding.
One of Father O'Reilly's favorite amusements was the drawing of caricatures. He was an expert with pen or pencil, and, with a few well-drawn lines, he
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was always sure of making his real or imaginary enemies tremble. One of his sketches is well remem- bered. A few fault-finders of the congregation com- plained about his manner of governing the parish, especially objecting to his never-failing tendency to scold. The Rev. Father opened his note-book and began sketching. When his visitors were through with their complaints, he smiled blandly and held out before them his caricature. He had drawn him- self-a solemn, bearded, bald infant, in long clothes, tied in an arm-chair in the sanctuary, surrounded by a host of his congregation, armed with feeding-bottles, all insisting on feeding the infant in a different way. It is said that the caricature was so exact that certain members of his parish could be readily recognized at a glance. He wrote, under his picture, "No wonder the baby screams."
Father O'Reilly is remembered with a kind of vague wonder and reluctant admiration. There is no doubt that he was a man of some ability. He had the gift of speech, the power of saying clever things, and he used his power sometimes with bitter sting. Shakes- peare makes one of his characters remark, "Men's evil manners live in brass, their virtues we write in water." As to whether the assertion, in all of its broadness, be true or not, may be questioned; but this much is certain, that the few cutting, clever remarks made by Father O'Reilly forty years ago are well remembered to-day, while the thousands of words of kindness which he uttered are forgotten, and it re-
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mains a debatable question whether a witty man can ever be a kind man.
After the pastorate of Father O'Reilly, the Re- demptorist priests of Cumberland attended Western- port for a short time. Among the best remembered priests of this Order must be mentioned Father Albert Francis Eberhardt. During his administration, a parochial school, under charge of a lay teacher, was established at Westernport; this was about the year 1864. Father Eberhardt was very short in stature, gentle in manner, and very much beloved by the people.
In September of this same year, a mission was preached by the Redemptorist Fathers, Wirth, Hen- ning and Kriess. The mission was considered a great success ; many who had fallen into lukewarmness in their religious life were aroused from their tepidity, and a number of non-Catholics were instructed and received into the Church.
Immediately after this mission, the parish, fortunately, fell into the hands of that sweet character, Father Wm. H. Gross, who attended Westernport until the Re- demptorist Fathers abandoned the monastery of Cum- perland in 1866. He was rightly looked upon as one of the ablest members of the Redemptorist Congre- gation ; his subsequent life proved that these hopes were well founded. He died as Archbishop of Oregon nearly two years ago.
When Father Gross was in Westernport he gave a lecture on the " Relation of the Church to the
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American Republic." There was much of the Know- Nothing spirit existing then among non-Catholics. Father Gross knew this, and wished to put the Church in the most favorable light before his fellow-citizens. When he came forth to lecture, he realized that, though in the camp of his friends, he was in the presence of some enemies. A number of cold, un- friendly eyes glanced upwards to the young speaker. His exordium was abrupt : "I am no tramp in America. My fathers helped to place the American flag in the heavens, and my Church has ever been faithful in keeping it there!" From that time Father Gross was a hero among his Westernport people, and a true, unstained hero he remained unto the end.
Father Weist, another Redemptorist, is also very kindly remembered.
After the Redemptorists, the Carmelite Fathers attended Westernport for a short time. The best- remembered Carmelites are Father Theodore, Father Lewis, Father Thomas and Father Philipp. Father Theodore was known in the world as Ignatius Mc- Donald; when he became a Carmelite priest he was given the name of Theodore as his name in religion. He is remembered as a very handsome young priest, almost as magnetic as Father Gross. He preached well and was much admired by all classes. He is still living, located at Englewood, New York, and he still manifests all the charm of manner which charac- terized him in Westernport so long ago. Time has
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treated him kindly, and he is still far from being an old man.
During the summer of 1868, Archbishop Martin John Spalding made his second visitation to Western Maryland. He determined to place all the parishes under charge of the diocesan clergy. As a conse- quence of this determination, he appointed to the pastorate of Westernport the Rev. Desiderius C. De Wulf; the appointment was a fortunate one. Father De Wulf is a Frenchman by birth. He had pursued his studies in some of the best universities of Europe, and came very well equipped for the work of his growing parish.
Father De Wulf began his pastorate by making a house-to-house visitation, taking the census of his parish. It became evident at once that, as the con- gregation was very large and constantly growing, there was too much work for one priest; accordingly, His Grace, Archbishop Spalding, decided to send an assistant pastor to Westernport. The choice fell on a providential man, the Rev. Jeremiah O'Sullivan. These two Rev. Fathers worked energetically together, in unity and brotherly affection. They attended zealously all the outlying missions. Father De Wulf was a man of discernment, capable of realizing that his young assistant was a priest of more than ordinary capacity and discreet zeal, united with great power for organizing. As a consequence, when Father De Wulf was promoted to a Washington parish, on his suggestion the assistant was promoted to the pastorate.
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We may here remark that Father De Wulf was the first priest to notice the great ability of Father O'Sullivan, and to prophesy the brilliant future in store for the modest young assistant.
A very important name in the history of the parish is that of Rev. Jeremiah O'Sullivan. He came to Westernport from Barnesville, in Montgomery County. As it will be necessary to speak at some length of this truly great man, we shall here remark that Jeremiah O'Sullivan was born in the County of Cork, Ireland, February 9, 1842. Very early in life he resolved to devote himself to the service of God in the holy priesthood. When he was nineteen years of age, he turned his face towards the New World. His classical studies he made at St. Charles' College, and after graduation, entered St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained by Archbishop Spalding in June, 1868; in September, 1869, we find him in Westernport. His coming was surely providential ; his work, unique and magnificent. "Let Nehemias be a long time remembered, who raised up for us our walls that were cast down, and set up the gates and the bars." These words of the Holy Ghost are admirably applicable to Rev. Jeremiah O'Sullivan, one of the most successful priests of Western Maryland. Father O'Sullivan was pastor of St. Peter's Church for nine years. He erected the present brick church and convent; brought the Sisters of St. Joseph from Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, to direct the parish schools. As soon as he was appointed pastor of the church, he
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resolved to establish a parochial school and to put it under the care of some religious community ; accord- ingly, he explained his plans to His Grace, Archbishop Bayley. The Most Rev. Archbishop approved of the parochial school, but did not approve of his bringing at once a teaching community to Westernport. The good priest said no more; he waited until the Arch- bishop was making a visitation in Western Maryland. When His Grace came to Westernport, Father O'Sul- livan had assembled all the children from the sur- rounding neighborhood. "What a mob of children," exclaimed the Archbishop. "Yes," answered Father O'Sullivan, " and isn't it too bad they have no Sisters to train them!" The Archbishop finally gave his consent by saying, "Well, you may bring Sisters here if you can support them."
The convent was begun at once; the school has proved itself a great blessing to the congregation. Father O'Sullivan was pastor at Westernport in a prosperous season. The mines were working on full time; the Piedmont shops gave employment to a large number of men, and, as a consequence, he found it easy enough to collect the enormous sum of money re- quired for his vast improvements on the church property.
It is as an earnest advocate of temperance, however, that Father O'Sullivan is best known and will be longest remembered; he is often appropriately spoken of as "the Father Matthew of Western Maryland."
Before sketching the man and his work, let us endeavor to grasp a few important preliminaries.
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Many people drink intoxicating beverages and get drunk. Many Catholics drink to excess and get drunk. A large number of the saloon-keepers of the country are members of the Catholic Church. "This lament- able fact has its explanation. The Catholic Church is the Church of the poor. The Church makes no attempt to deny the blessedness of poverty, neither is she ashamed of her poor children. It is a divine mark of Christ's Church to preach the Gospel to the
poor. Now, the lot of the poor man becomes an unusual temptation to intemperance. Fatigue of body and loneliness of mind lead men to drown their sorrow in drink." Some Catholics drink because they are poor; others are poor because they drink. When the poor man, who has his own dream of independence, desires to go "into business," only one sort of business is within his reach. Little or no capital is needed for the enterprise. He naturally engages in the liquor business.
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For a still more vivid representation of what West- ern Maryland was when Father O'Sullivan began his crusade for "total abstinence," we quote the follow- ing from Brown's Miscellaneous Writings, where he is speaking of old times in Western Maryland: "In the front part of the hotel. was always found the bar- room, which formed a lobby for the guests and public generally. The bottles were numerous and sometimes grotesque in shape; common whiskey cost from eighteen to twenty-five cents a gallon, and was doled out at. three and five cents a drink. It was generally made
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of corn, was hard stuff, and had many hard names." Unparalleled material prosperity was gladdening the mining region and pouring a golden stream into the homes of the poor. Father O'Sullivan found the
RT. REV. JEREMIAH O'SULLIVAN.
saloon prospering by the side of the mine, the factory, the shops and the rolling mills, and some of the best- paid workingmen in the country living on the border- ·land of beggary, because the tempting saloon was draining their homes. The powerful saloon-keeper
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had come to consider himself the necessary ministering angel at the wake, the wedding, the feast and the funeral.
Amid such surroundings, naturally drunkenness be- came very common. The Sabbath was desecrated, the holy name of God blasphemed, religion disgraced. Here and now our young apostle begins his Her- culean work. With all the energy of his soul, he proclaimed, "The saloon is against the Church and the Church is against the saloon," and-
" His life was a ceaseless protest, And his voice was a prophet's cry, To be true to the truth and faithful, Though the world were arrayed for the lie."
Father O'Sullivan was fully convinced that to bring about the desired reform and lasting fruits, his crusade must rest on supernatural motives, and must be nourished by religious influences.
In order that we may not be misunderstood, and lest our hero might appear in a false light, our readers will kindly excuse a digression.
The Catholic Church is a great temperance society, and has been throughout all the ages. I do not mean by this that organizations, such as Father O'Sullivan instituted in Allegany County, existed in the various centuries, but I do mean that the principles and practices of the Catholic Church have always fostered the virtue of temperance, and have regarded it as one of the great cardinal virtues on which all others depend. In former times there was no great need of
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temperance societies, in the sense of our organizations ; in fact, it is only within comparatively recent times- within the last three hundred years, when the use of distilled liquors became so general-that there was need of a safeguard against their abuse.
Let us go a step farther. In days of persecution, hundreds of thousands of souls fled from the marts of commerce and the great centres of population to the wilderness, where they spent their days in sim- plicity of heart, in penitential exercises, supported by the scanty sustenance given by the wilderness, and refreshed by the pure water of the running brooks. This is true also of the anchorites and hermits of later days. What was this, after all, but "total
abstinence ? " Temperance is a great virtue; total abstinence is the same great virtue raised to the heroic degree. It is not allied to Manicheism or other ghostly errors; it is not opposed to dogmatic or moral theology. It may be a natural virtue, or supernatural, according to its motive; men may be temperate from motives other than those inspired by religion. When one abstains, even from a motive of spiritual pride, it is a question whether this is not extirpating one vice by another. But when we abstain from a motive of prudent protection, a motive of giving edification and good example to a weaker brother, as penance for faults committed in the past, or in honor of the sacred thirst of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, surely such actions are to be commended, and God's blessing will descend upon
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