USA > Michigan > Marquette County > Marquette > History Of The Diocese Of Sault Ste, Marie And Marquette; Containing A Full And Accurate Account Of The Development Of The Catholic Church In Upper Michigan, With Portraits Of Bishops, Priests And Illustrations Of Churches Old And New, Volume 1 > Part 6
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The last trip of the season he made to Mash-Kigong. Of this visit he says: "Every time I come to this mission I ex- perience much joy and consolation, when I observe the great zeal which these good Indians put forth in the exercise of the Christian religion. At this season they are not all at home. They are scattered over the country to make more successful chase upon the wild animals, whose valu- able pelts they exchange with the fur traders for clothing, guns, and other ne- cessities. Some are four and even six
days' journey out from the village. Not- withstanding the distance and wearisome roads, they all came in on the day appoint- ed, to the place where the chapel of St. Joseph stands. I was much edified at their zeal, when upon my arrival, I found them all assembled." He had here five baptisms, one of which deserves special mention. A girl of seventeen years asked to be baptized. Her father was a stiff- necked pagan and very much embittered against the Christian religion. When therefore his daughter asked for permis- sion to go to Mash-Kigong, he surmised her intention. Only after repeated asking he abruptly granted her request saying. "Go then, but do not be so foolish as to become a Christian. But if in spite of my forbiddance, you become a Christian, you have nothing else to expect but that I will cut off both your ears." Baraga hearing this, earnestly asked her if in spite of that threat she wished to become a Christian. And she firmly and empha- tically declared that she had resolved to become a Christian. Baraga christened her on the day of his departure. Closing this narrative Baraga says: "What lot has befallen this Christian heroine, I do not know yet. Meanwhile she is deter- mined to suffer all for the Christian re- ligion. Considering her holy disposition, she will, the more she suffers, have the greater advantages. Every Christian heart must feel that one single such hap- pening outweighs all missionary toil." 10
Nov. 3rd, Baraga writes: "I have now, concluded my missionary visits. The greater part of summer and fall, I spent, as usual, on mission tours, which are ab-
10 Letter November 3, 1834. Annals IX., p. 45.
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solutely necessary for the conversion of Indians, living in remotest villages, and for their encouragement to persevere in their religion. These mission tours are fatiguing in themselves, but more so at this late season. The nights are becom- ing cold and one is often obliged to sleep out-doors. But the spiritual gain, by far, outweights the sacrifice. For, when I see that inmost anxiety of the savages, who live in distant places, awaiting the arrival of the missionary, and again when he leaves, that childlike request to come soon again, then I forget all the difficulties of traveling and gladly set out, when the time appointed for the visit comes. Until next February I shall not go on any missions, because at Christmas all outside Indians come here for the feasts, and in February, if God grants me life, I shall again visit them in their sugar camps."
At Christmas the Indians flocked to Grand River, just as Baraga expected, from all parts of the surrounding country. "Some of the Indian winter habitations are three to four days' journey distant from this mission. Notwithstanding this great distance, and bad roads, almost all came to Grand River to go to confession, and to assist for a few days at holy Mass. Among them were also old feeble and sickly people. Even children of ten to twelve years came many days journey to attend the Christmas festival. Their ex- ample so touchingly reminds us of the twelve year old Child Jesus, whom these Indian children so lovingly imitate."
By the treaty of Fort McIntosh, nego- tiated January 21, 1785, the first por- tion of Indian land situated in Michigan passed into the possession of the United States. After that, treaties followed in
quick succession. Under the treaty, at Chicago, September 26, 1833, the last foot of ground south of the Grand River, was ceded by the red man to the ever en- croaching power of the government. No wonder that the Indians became anxious for their native soil, particularly those who, by the influences of Christianity, have learned the white man's way, tilling the soil and earning a livelihood after his fashion. Baraga, more than any other man, deserves credit for this transforma- tion from drunken habits to honorable thrifts. Among the Indians of Arbre Croche his word sufficed to banish all in- toxicants, and on the Grand River, de- spite all obstacles placed in his way, his influence, even among the pagan savages, could not but be felt. The non-Christian Indian, by nature of keen observation, could see for himself, that his Christian brother was living more prosperously than he. Whence the difference? The one fol- lowed the Black-robe, the other the whisky peddler. The answer was plain. No wonder, therefore. that Baraga's power over the red man was in the as- cendency.
In the spring of 1834 rumors, as to the removal of the Indians from their reser- vation, became rife. Baraga did not hesitate to make his position clear. He writes : "Since some time they again strongly speak of the Government's plan to remove all Indians from civilized states and territories of this Republic into a district on the western side of the Missis- sippi, assigned to them for a common reservation. If this happens my Indians will have to go too. My Christians are much saddened by the rumor, but I have consoled them and given them the as-
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pause, many arose, one after the other, walking toward the speaker and com- municated to him, secretly, their senti- ments in the matter. The latter then arose and went to the Indians of Arbre Croche and shook hands with them. He then declared that they too, are deter- mined never to cede their lands. Speeches follewed from both sides, and they re- mained in council the whole day."
The common methods of the govern- ment in acquiring lands from the Indians are well known. Treaties, to suit the buyer, were drafted in Washington and transmitted to the resident agent, whose duty it became to obtain the assent and the signatures of his charges. On the Grand River it became evident enough, after the last Grand Council, that neither the as- sent nor the signatures would be obtaina- ble, as long as they remained under the moral influence of Baraga.
For those reasons some writers main- tain that Baraga was expelled from the Grand River. We do not doubt that the Indian Agent made use of all means at his command, fair or foul-Indian Agents are renowned for unscrupulousness-to bring about the removal of Baraga, es- pecially, if he considered him the cause of disturbances among the Indians, and a person, who most likely would thwart the plans of the government. If the Indian Agent succeeded in his designs, he did so only by connivance of Bishop Rese, who, in order to avoid friction between the government and the Church, might have used diplomacy in supplanting Baraga by Viszoczky, knowing that the former would not yield an inch of what he con- sidered absolute justice and right. That Baraga was, thus, morally driven away
may be conceded; but we are equally cer- tain that no edict of the government or its agents, removed him from the Grand River Mission. Baraga's character is sufficient guarantee for the veracity of what he says or writes to the Leopoldine Society, dated Detroit, February 20th, 1835.
"In the present month, February, a sudden, but for me a happy change has taken place in the mission of the Blessed Virgin on the Grand River. Father Andrew Viszoczky, came with permission of the Bishop, to me to the Grand River, with a secret desire to remain in the mis- sion, if our Bishop should approve of it. He surprised me very much, confiding this wish to me. Having some business to transact in Detroit, I promised to speak about the matter to the Bishop, and to abide by whatever he should see fit to command me. The Rt. Reverend Bishop was much pleased when he saw me, and at once assured me that it is perfectly satis- factory to him if Father Viszoczky re- mains in the mission on the Grand River, and that he will take me in, the spring, as soon as navigation opens, to the North, where I shall start a new mission. You can imagine what great joy the words of the good Bishop gave me when he said that he had selected me for the establish- ing of a new mission." 12
Father Andrew Viszoczky, who suc- ceeded Father Baraga in the Grand River Mission, was born at Wallendorf. Hungary, A. D. 1796. Upon completing his theology in the Pasmaneum, he was ordained priest October 20, 1821, for the native Diocese of Zips. He spent twelve
12 Berichte der Leopold. Stiftung, IX., p. 48.
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years in the cura animarum before com- ing to America. Leaving his native country on the 12th of May, 1833, he reached Detroit, Michigan, October 20th, of the same year. On the 14th of Novem- ber he arrived at his first mission, Sainte Claire, on Lake Huron. About this he says: "I found a small log chapel and a room ; one poorer than the other. Rats and mice are my companions. I have no schools, no school teacher, no sexton and no Mass servers. I have absolutely noth- ing. And still in all this poverty and want, I find myself at home, and by the grace of God, satisfied, yea, more satisfied, than I was in my fatherland." 13 Truly a worthy successor to Baraga !
Baraga, upon his removal from the Grand River, spent the remainder of the winter in Detroit, ministering, under the direction of the Bishop, where his services were most needed. "It appears to me strange, he writes, to be in a congregation of whites. I am content here, and for that matter, much more comfortable than in the Indian missions, but I feel like a fish on dry land. The Indian missions are my element. I could live comfortably, but not in peace and content, if I did not go any more on Indian missions. I have acquired the Indian language quite well, but hope to perfect myself in it, hence I am determined to spend the rest of my days, if God wills, on Indian missions. The Indians on Lake Superior are com- monly called Chippeway Indians. Their language is similar to that of the Ottawas. I am longing for Lake Superior. Many, I hope, will be converted there to the Christian religion and find in it their eter- nal salvation. Oh, how the thought ani- 13 Annals IX., p. 43.
mates and elevates me! would that I had wings to fly over our ice-bound lakes so as to be sooner among those pagans!" 14
While at Detroit he had received a box of church goods, which made his spirits even more bouyant. "Oh, how the good Indians will wonder and rejoice when they see these beautiful things in their church!" At last, with the opening of the Lake navigation his ardent desire should be gratified. On the 8th of June he left Detroit. We give his own narrative of the voyage.
"After a long and, on account of lack of opportunity, often interrupted journey, I finally arrived, on the 27th of July (1835) in the place, where with the help of God, I expect to establish a new mis- sion. This place is an Indian village, where from time to time also Canadian traders reside, who traffic with the Indians. It is situated on a very pleasant island, on the south shore of the immensely large Lake Superior. This lake is the largest in- land sea of the world-with the excep- tion of the Caspian Sea-being four hun- dred and twenty American miles long and one hundred seventy miles wide and lies six hundred and thirty feet above the Atlantic ocean. Its depth is in many places literally unfathomable. English engineers have tried all possible ways to measure its depths, but in many places could find no bottom.
"The place, where I now reside, called La Pointe, is seven hundred and forty miles from Detroit, and quite far to the North. I traveled on this lake in the month of July, the hottest month, and yet some mornings it was so cold
14 Letter dated Detroit, March 13, 1835. An- nals IX.
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whether or not he would return to the Sault.
"On the 10th of July I left the Sault on a trading vessel, and after a wearisome voyage of eighteen days arrived at La Pointe, where the good inhabitants re- ceived me with great joy. For many years they have longed for a priest, and begged to have one sent to them, but on account of the sad want of priests in our poor diocese, their wish could not be gratified. Hence, their great joy, when they saw a priest approach their village.
"Truly the want of priests in our dio- cese is a pitiable one. Would that some zealous priests of my fatherland resolve to come to this wilderness, to rescue from ruin these scattered pagans whom one priest alone cannot visit. Would it not sufficiently repay, to work and to suffer much, in order to save even one soul! But here souls are saved not by ones but by hundreds. Any priest, who would come here, could with the help of God, save hundreds of souls, if he had but little of missionary zeal.
"From Sault to La Pointe is considered to be three hundred and thirty American miles, and my nearest priest-neighbor is now so far distant. When I came here, and noticed the good feeling of my people, I immediately began to encourage them to commence the building of a church. They at once started to work with such energy, that in seven days the church was so far completed, that I could bless it this 9th day of August (1835), and also read Mass in it. I dedicated it to God in the name of St. Joseph, this power- ful intercessor with God. The building is strong and durable, though constructed only of hewn logs, according to American
fashion, and it is large enough to accom- modate the people here, being fifty feet long, twenty feet wide and about eighteen feet high, surmounted by a pretty high steeple, containing a small bell which I had cast in Detroit. '
"The number of my catechumens is considerable ; they all ardently desire Baptism, which they will receive as soon as they shall be sufficiently instructed. On the 2nd of August I baptized twenty-five more fully instructed Indians who already had some knowledge of religion, and also some children. Between the 3rd and the 9th of August, twenty five others received holy Baptism.
"This week we will begin with the building of my house in which there will be a spacious room for school pur- posès. I am very much contented and cannot sufficiently thank God that everything goes so unexpectedly well with the establishing of a new mis- sion, although I am now wholly without temporal means. After defray- ing the expenses of my trip, I have three dollars left. Our most Reverend Bishop could not give me more, for he is so heavily in debt for the Cathedral in De- troit, and the church in Green Bay, besides so many outlays, equipping schools and other institutions in Detroit, that he ex- pends all moneys for those purposes. Had I not found the people here so good, I could accomplish nothing. However, this cannot go on thus, I see it clearly. The Indians are very poor ; the soil unproduc- tive, because the climate is unfavorable to agriculture. The necessary clothing. which they obtain from Canadian traders in exchange for pelts, so very expensive on account of the distance
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of his coming the Indians gathered in the spacious dwelling of the French trader, who had been instrumental in instructing them. "As I entered the house," said Baraga, "they all knelt asking for the blessing which I accorded to them from the bottom of my heart. I thanked God for the great grace which he had given to them, and I also thanked the good man who by his good counsels, had laid the foundation to their conversion. This man, who makes such an honorable ex- ception among all the fur-traders of this country, is a Canadian Frenchman, by the name of Pierre Cotte. Over thirty years, he has been fur-trading among the In- dians of this section, and speaks their language perfectly well. By a graceful chance a copy of the Ottawa prayer-book, which I had printed in 1832, in Detroit, fell into his hands. Upon that he com- menced to invite the Indians of the lo- cation to his house and sang the hymns, found in the book, to the well known French airs. The Indians found that so nice and pleasant that they came every evening and stayed often till midnight, yea, several times till day break, listening and singing with him. Noticing their zeal he did not confine himself to the sing- ing of hymns, but commenced to instruct them in Catechism, which had been added to the prayer book, and also recited to them the morning and evening prayers, which they soon learned by heart." 16
Thus many of the Indians who were at- tending Pierre Cotte's concerts and lec- tures, were actually well enough prepared to receive baptism. Baraga baptized twenty-one of them on the 6th, and thirty on the 9th of September.
10 Letter September 28, 1835. An. IX.
During the month of September, he had christened sixty-two. He exclaimed : "God be thanked a thousand times! A considerable number of pagans of this new mission has been received in to the Church, namely, one hundred and forty- eight. And may God grant that all, or at least the greater number of these con- verts may reach Heaven! What a con- solation for me on the day of Judgment !"
The winter came early. On the 22nd of September the first snow made its ap- pearance. He was wholly unprepared for it. The winter clothes which had been sent to him from Detroit failed to ar- rive. I have read a letter-written by Father Baraga to the Rt. Reverend Rese in which he complains, that his winter clothes, which he had sent him, had not arrived yet, that he is exposed, with his light summer clothes, to the rigors of the northern winter." 17 But this did not check his ardor. With ac- customed eagerness he took up the instructions and devoted his spare time to writing. Early in the winter he baptized thirty-three more. He particu- larly mentioned among these a squaw "who is about a hundred years old. She does not know her age, as Indians seldom do, but she knows, from personal experi- ence, events which happened, according to an old Canadian, who has lived on this Is- land over fifty-three years and has heard spoken of then, as a century ago. This good old woman was exceedingly happy after she was baptized. She is a good- natured creature and lives as innocently as a child. I confidently hope that she will die in her baptismal innocence. Three
17 Letter of Joseph Prost, C. SS. R., Novem- ber 12, 1835. An. IX., p. 66.
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of her grand children were baptized with her and her youngest grand child, a man of forty, was christened on Christmas." 18
Whole families accepted Christianity and were baptized at the same time. Baraga says about them: "Such bap- tisms vividly recall the first Christian era when the Apostles baptized whole fami- lies at once. The father to the right and the mother to the left, with her baby on her arms, together with four or five children, they all receive the great grace of holy Baptism. O what a joyous pur- chase! How meritorious!"
On Christmas 1835 Baraga had several such christenings. "The prepara- tion of catechumens who were baptized on Christmas cost me a great deal of exer- tion. They wintered in the woods, three miles from my house. To instruct them better I walked to them every evening, for an entire month, and upon giving them a sign, with a small bell, they gathered in a more spacious hut. Besides the severe cold, which prevailed during the month, I endured the inconvenience of giving the instruction at night, because they spent the day in fishing and trapping. As a rule, I gave them a long instruction, and on account of that came home late. How- ever, I have done it with pleasure and felt greatly recompensed for it, because on Christmas day I baptized twenty-two pagans; all, except two, being adults, able to answer the questions themselves. There should have been twenty-five, but three will be christened on New Year's day. Thus I have already one hundred and eighty-four Baptisms recorded in the Baptismal register of this new five month old, mission."
18 Letter December 28, 1835.
On account of the extremely long winter Baraga found time, aside of the missionary labors, also for literary work. He wrote: I. The Meditation on the four last Christian truths, in the Slov- enian language. 2. History, Character, Life and Manners of the North American Indian, in German. Both these books were published in Laibach, by Anton Clemens, and the latter also translated into Slovenian. 19 3. A Prayer book in the Chippewa language. 4. The Life of Jesus Christ, also in Chippewa. The last two were printed in Paris.20
It may be interesting to note what kind of postal service Baraga had while at La Pointe, Wisconsin. He writes about a letter which he had sent to the Leopoldine society, the following: "It is just three months since I sent in my last report. This uncommonly long interval is not due to my negligence, but more to the lack of opportunity to send the letters. We have no post office here and in the winter not even an opportunity to send off our letters, but we must send ex- pressly a messenger to Sault Ste. Marie; from there another goes to Mackinac, and from there a third to Detroit. One can- not travel in winter, from here to Detroit -a distance of seven hundred and forty American miles-except on foot. Thus our letters, must be carried by messengers to Detroit, from where mail goes out reg- ularly, winter and summer. Our letter carrier will leave here on the 14th of Jan- uary 1836, and most likely our letters will not reach Detroit before the first of March." 21
1º Dr. Voncina, Life of Baraga.
20 Letter June 17, 1836. Annals. X., p. 42.
21 Letter Dec. 28, 1835. Annals X.
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of May, and remained there two weeks. "I found the Indians in the best of order. It is admirable how these poor Indians can keep their religion without having a missionary among them. I hope, how- ever, that they may get one yet this sum- mer, for the Rev. Father Francis Pierz who wanted to come to this region last fall, but for lack of traveling opportunity had to winter in Arbre Croche is destined for the Fond du Lac mission, where the good Indians, being informed of it, are expecting him with great anxiety. Doubt- less, he will be able to do a great deal of good among them." 23
This was never to be, as events proved afterwards-On this occasion Baraga baptized fourteen Indians, among them a chief. This made a total of two hundred and thirteen-on his baptismal Register. And by the eleventh of August this num- ber of converts had been increased to two hundred and fifty five. No wonder that Baraga's solicitude grew with the number of his converts. Particularly at La Pointe, where the church so hastily built within a week, was wholly inadequate to hold all who came to attend divine services. There were no means on hand, however, to en- large it. and Baraga resolved to make an appeal, to his country men and his bene- factors, in person. He concluded to go to Europe. "This mission," he writes, "surpassing all my expectations, has be- come so large, that I am confronted by the pleasant and consoling necessity of en- larging our mission church, for, outside of the newly converted Indians and half- breeds there are also many French-Cana- dians here, who are all Catholics and reg- ularly attend church on Sundays, and
23 Letter June 17, 1836.
many are compelled to attend at Mass in front of the church door or below the windows, the church not being large enough to hold them all. Fortunately, circumstances prevented me from com- pleting the church inside, hence the en- larging of it will not cost much. If God grants me life, and I return from Europe safe, I expect to complete the church." 24
Baraga left La Pointe September 29, (1836) and arrived in Detroit, October 15th. Here he spent a week waiting for the letters of recommendation which Bishop Rese was busy preparing to the Societies for the Propagation of Faith at Paris, Lyons, Rome, Naples, Munich and Vienna. He arrived in London on the Ist of December. In Paris he re- mained almost two months, superintend- ing the printing of the two books, which he had written the winter before. Here he also met his widowed sister, Antonia de Hoeffern, who had gone to Paris to acquire French, preparatory to devoting herself as a teacher in the Indian Mis- sions. She came with her brother to La Pointe, but after spending two years there, her failing health compelled her to return to Laibach. At her parting, Bar- aga gave her the following token of his love, being an acrostic of her name and being written in the languages Baraga spoke.
Angel Boshji najte vedno spremlja, Nic verlasse Dich des Himmels Schutz, Tuta sis et salva in acternum,
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