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and serious obstacles of a moral nature,
which nothing, save the heroic and almost
unparalleled self-do voted ness, the energy
of purpose, the virgin purity of motive,
and the undoubted holiness ot design, so
c mmon to our American missionaries,
e odd have bravely met and surmounted.
Tie re were those numberless tribes, each
with a dialect of their own, roaming in
eos.-antly through boundless forests, for
ever at war with others of the same family,
totally ignorant of letters, and destitute of
any and every species of literature, but
lull of gross superstiti ms and most
edaring vices, such as an utter state of
ba bori m alone can engender and per
petuate. To these proud, self-opinionated
and cruel tribes, the adventurous Priest
must make his way, alone and unpro
tected, far away from the small colonies
of his country men, far from his parents
and relations, aye! far, even, from the
most indispensable commodities and com
forts of civilized life Nor was his pur
pose already accomplished, when, at last,
after days, and perhaps months, of fatigue
and travel, he succeeded in reaching the
ph;c< of his destination. On the contra
ry, it was only from that moment, properly
speaking, that his real labors began. We
are all aware of the next to insurmounta
ble difficulties that present themselves
wherever tic attempt is made to persuade
others, and more especially ignorant
people, of their error, against deep-rooted
and inveterate prejudices. Now, there
was ha. dly ever a people more prepos
sessed by false opinions, of God, religion,
virtue, or duty, than our American In
dians—who actually went so far as to
adore the evil spirits with whom their
vivid imagination peopled the forest, the
hike, and the mountain, in fact, all nature,
animate and inanimate ; whose lust did
not acknowledge even the laws of nature
as a check; who considered parenticide
as an act of filial affection, and who
looked upon the scalps torn from the
heads of, often times, still living foes, as
the only distinguishing mark of bravery
and rank. Who then, but one who has
made the experience himself, will be able
to form a just idea of the difficulties and
obstacles which those missionaries encoun.
tered in disseminating the Gospel among
these tribes ?
Yet, with those words of power, “ Go
teach ad nations,” ringing in their ears,
these heroes of charity rushed forward to
execute the commands of their Divine
Master—to teach all, to announce to all
the glad’tidings of redemption from sin
and death, to reclaim all, or, if such was
the providence of God, to labor in vain,
except in so far as the accomplishment
of lies will can never be entirely in vain;
this was their sole intention, their only
and most fervent desire. And it was just
such a lively faith, such a spirit of self
saer fiee, such a boundless devotion to
toe cares of God that was required in
them to undergo those innumerable hard
ships and privations that were so inti
mately connected with this holy mission.
It was just such an heroism that steeled
them likewise against those bitter party
persecutions that were not less refined
and bloody than even those of yore, when
Paganism was universally professed by
the leading nations of earth, and when, to
be convicted of having embraced Chris
tianity, was considered by the multitude
a, sufficient reason to put the yountr
neopuite to a most cruel and ignominious
death.
From all this, it is quite evident that
the enemy of'God and man, leagued with
his agents and abettors, has, from the
very oeginning, spared neither labor nor
pains to tliwait, it possible, the benign
intentions oi liovidcnce in establishing
His holy Church on American soil. But,
thanks to the Holy Spirit, whose abiding
presence is ever with this self-same
Church, all those violent storms have
hitherto dashed their breakers in vain
against the eternal rock of truth upon
which the Church is built ; and if
here and there, some devoted men have,
irom time to time, fallen as willing vic
tims in the cause of Christ and His
Church, their precious blood, like the
fabled dragon’s teeth of old, was only a
seed irem which sprung forth delicious
fruit a thousand fold. Hence, we may
confidently assert, even now, that error
has been stormed in all its strongholds.
Fairly and openly the battle has been
fought, the victory won, and the day is
ours. The sweeping storms of those
. trying times have passed away, and on
the more placid bosom of the present, the
, ark of Christ, the Church, pursues her
course in peace. She has conquered!
\ Amid the ceaseless agitations, bickerings
and conflicts of American life, the Catho
lic Church has been silently gathering
! her golden triumphs—such triumphs as
have but few parallels in her wonderful
history. Seventy-five years ago there
was scarcely any Catholic organization
in this country. Where there was then
but one single diocese to be found, you
will now meet with seven archbishoprics,
and something like fifty suffragan dio
ceses, besides the different vicariates
1 Apostolic, which eaunot amount to less
than half a dozen. Where there were
then only fifty Priests employed in
preaching the Gospel and administering
the sacraments, you will find now over
three thousand in number, all equally
eager for the glory of God and the sal
vation of souls, all equally busy in preach
ing, hearing confessions, instructing, and
baptizing tlm numerous applicants for
admissions into tbe Church. Moreover,
where at that time there resided but
80,000 who called themselves Roman
Catholics, we have now, according to re.
liable statistics, at least six millions who
glory in that name, and who avail them
•selves of every suitable occasion to show
their childlike submission and their more
than filial affection for that Church upon
which they look as in very fact their
spiritual, but on that account none the
less real, mother. And finally, where
even but. fifty years ago our Catholic fore
fathers held their assemblies anti assisted
at the most holy sacrifice of the Mass in
a rude log cabin or a rented hall, one
may now behold sanctuaries and temples
by the score, which, in extent, in costli
ness and grandeur, may well vie with
some of tbe world-renowned domesfof the
olden world.
[to EE CONTINUED. 1
BEST.
My feet are wearied, and my hands are tired,
My heart oppressed,
And I desire, what I long desired,
Host—only Host.
The burden of my days is hard to boar.
But God knows best;
And I have prayed—but vain has been my prayer—
For Host—for Best.
My way has wound across the desert years,
And cares infest
My path, and through the flowing of hot tears
I pine for Rest.
*T was always so ; when jet a child I laid
On mother’s breast,
My wearied little head, e’en then I prayed.
As now, for Rest
And I am restless still ; ’twill soon be o'er ;
For down the West
Life’s sun is setting, and I see the shor#
Where 1 shall Rest.
MoINA.
MEMORIAL DAY,
The same day for the Floral Tribute to
the Confederate Dead has not been gene,
rally observed. The 26th of April was
selected for this ceremony in most places,
but in more Northern latitudes wo find
other days substituted, on account, as we
are informed of the scarcity of flowers at
an earlier date. We continue our ex
tracts from newspaper notices of this
Southern festival, believing that they will
be interesting to our readers, and worthy
of preservation in tl is form, as a part of
the history of the Southern Cause :
in griffin, ga.
On Monday last, the different Sabbath
Schools met at the Presbyterian Church,
where they were joined by a large number
of ladies and gentlemen, and headed by
the brass bund, marched to the Soldiers’
Cemetery to perform a sad, but pleasant
duty, that of decorating the graves of the
gallant heroes of the “ Lust Cause,” there
interred.
The exercises were opened with a very
appropriate prayer, by the Rev. Mr.
Adams, aft< r which, extracts from one of
Father’s Ryan’s editorials, and from the
beautiful poem of Col. O’Hara, were read
by the Rev.Mr. Rogers. Col. Doyal, the
MIHIS Os SSI IfflISS,
orator of the occasion, then delivered one
of the neatest, most chaste and appro
priate addresses we have ever listened to.
We have heard and read many of the
speeches of the Colonel, but we must con
fess that, for the time, plaCe, and occasion,
this excelled any we ever heard—any
where ; and that the Colonel, although
noted for the elegance of his speeches and
writings, outdid himself on this occasion.
What we have said of the address,-
is the verdict of those present.
The ladies then repaired to the different
graves, and placed on each wreathes of
tlowers. It was one of the grandest scenes
we ever witnessed. The stately matron,
the young lady, just blooming into woman
hood, and the little girl, all united, silent
ly and with sad hearts, peif irming this
holy mission.
The ladies of the Memorial Associa
tion, as well as of the city, deserve the
gratitude of all lovers of the “ Lost
Cause,” for their services at the Ceme
tery. It is tastefully arranged, and kept
up in handsome style. All honor to our
noble ladies !
The Executive Committee intend fitting
up seats for the benefit of visitors, and we
learn a handsome amount was made up
by the citizens for this purpose. This is a
move in the right direction, and we trust
the Committee will call for more at once,
if this sum should not prove sufficient.
| Star, May loth.
IN LYNCHBURG, VA.
The Memorial exercises of yesterday
were imposing and impressive. At an
early hour the streets and sidewalks were
thronged with little boys and girls, on
their way to the various Sunday Schools,
with baskets of flowers, wreaths, crosses,
and garlands, in their hands. The pro
cession moved up Church street in the
order indicated by us yesterday, the seven
Sunday Schools and three hose companies
of the city being in line, and under the
direction and command of Col. Lang
horne, Chief Marshal, and his assistant l3 ,
all mounted. At the mm \afd there
was a vast concourse a.-smubied to pay
the last marks of respect to the heroes
who sleep their last sleep beneath its
mould. The exercises were opened with
prayer by the Rev. Mr, Barnett, after
which the Philharmonic Society sang an
appropriate selection. Then followed the
address of Mr. A. M. Trible, highly eu
logized as a specimen of pathetic and ele
vated eloquence. Mr. A. McDonald then
read an original poem, and was succeeded
by Rev. Dr. John F. Edwards, whose
remarks, though extemporaneous, were
marked by the usual appropriateness and
beauty of that gentleman’s addresses.
The Philharmonic Association then ren
dered another song, and the exercises
were closed with prayer and the bene
diction by the Itev. Mr. Suter, of St
Paul’s.
Reverently and tenderly, then, the bo
quets and garlands were laid by soft hands
on the graves of our Southern heroes.
Perhaps, as they lay in their silent and
eternal slumber, some vague sense of
comfort, some dim dream of the heroic
and illuminated past, might have come
like a transient benison to cheer and
soothe them, as bright flowers were
mingled above and around them.
“ Love dies not when lie bows his head
To pass beyond the narrow portals—
The light those glowing moments shed,
Wakes from tlic ir sleep our lost immortals!
They come as in their joyous prime,
Before their morning days were numbered ;
Death stays the envious hand of time—
The eyes have not grown dim that slumbered !
The paths that loving should ha ve trod
Arch o’er the dust where worldlings grovel ;
High as the zenith o’er the sod
The cross above the Sexton’s shovel!
We rise beyond the realm of day,
They seem to stoop from spheres of glory ;
With us one happy hour to atav,
While youth comes back in song and story.”
After an hour solemnly spent in the
decoration of the graves, the assemblage,
in groups and singly, retired from the
grounds, and returned to the usual routine
of daily duties.
[Lynchburg Republican, May 10.
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
A large crowd of ladies and gentlemen
gathered at the Memorial Cemetery on
Saturday at 4 o’clock. The grounds
were in fine order, and the display of flow
ers arranged in every conceivable form
for the decoration of the graves of our
noble dead, has scarcely ever been ex
celled. At about half-past 4 o’clock, Geo.
M. Whiting, Esq., announced the open
ing of the exercises, and the Rev. Mr. 8.
Lacy offered an appropriate prayer; after
which a beautiful ode written for tiie
occasion, we learn, by Mrs. Mary B.
Clarke, was sung by a company of gentle
men. Mr. Whiting then introduced the
orator, Capt. J. j. Davis, of Franklin,
who delivered a touching and eloquent
address. Most of the crowd stood during
the exercises, and all seemed interested in
the solemn and appropriate services. The
graves were most beautifully decorated
with flowers, and at a late hour the crowd
dispersed.
Our space will not allow a purticuhu
notice of «’apt. Davis’ excellent address.
[Raleigh Sentinel.
Memorial Tribute. —The ladies of
Newbern paid their visit to the Cemetery
yesterday to deck the Confederate Mauso
leum with their annual tribute of Spring’s
freshest and sweetest flowers.
May they live long to perform this sad
ly pleasant duty, and may their pathways
in life be strewn with earth’s choicest
blossoms, and may their own. and the
children of the slumbering dead over
whose hist resting place they each year
place the floral offering, “arise and 'call
them blessed.”
■ Neicbern Jour- of Commerce.
IN NASHVILLE.
. Yesterday, which had been set apart
by the Ladies’ Memorial Committee for
a public demonstration in honor of the
Confederates buried around Nashville,
was, as regarded the weather, in every
way worthy of the occasion. It is esti
mated that between the hours of one and
six in the afternoon, at least ten thousand
persons visited the City Cemetery, while
nearly all who could procure vehicles pro
ceeded to Mt. Olivet, where the graves of
Colonel Randall MeGavock, and a few
other soldiers of the Lost Cause who lie
there, received their due tribute of floral
honors. Nor was the desolate spot on
the common south of the Nashville and
Decatur Railroad depot, allowed to pass
unnoticed. On nearly every one of these
two hundred and thirty graves a bouquet or
wreath was placed. But the spirit by
which the day was marked, is better
shown forth in the following communica
tion from a fair correspondent, to whom
we willingly yield a liberal space in our
columns:
To the Editor of the Banner : —The
Sabbath, always a sweet day of rest to
the pilgrim on earth, was yesterday made
doubly welcome by its having been ap
propriated to tbe decoration of the graves
of our “Confederate dead.,’”
The sun, with its golden rays, seemed
almost mockery, but what more fitting’
than sunshine and fl owers when weaving
in our hearts sweet memory’s chains? The
very association of the willow and cypress
form one of the many bright links which
bind us to the departed. By noon the
old cemetery grounds were filled to over
flowing. Not a lisping babe but bore iu
its hands a floral offering, smiling in in
nocence, and little dreaming that for “such
as they” were those precious lives sacri
ficed. Wreaths, crosses, and letters in
terwoven with evergreen, by fair hands,
were seen in the greatest profusion on
every side; indeed, one would have sup
posed that Nature had been shorn of all
her loveliness to do honor to our noble
dead. But is it not meet that it should be
so ? Another Spring, and Nature will be
clothed again in her fresh beauty, but
naught save the final resurrection can
bring forth the sleeping dust. The
stranger grave! As we stood by that
little m*und of earth, distinguished alone
from the others around it by two simple
words, “Texas Ranger,” before us, in im
agination, stood a feeble, gentle, mother,
gazing for the last time on her noble,
maniy boy—oil! how fondly she repeats
again, “/or my sake” resist the evil in the
way. Regardless ot patriotism, she fain
would recall him to her side, but away in
the distance he hears the “battle-cry,”
and be knows but one watchword—“free
dom or death.” Far from the home of his
loved ones, he sleeps beneath tbe flowers,
whilst we acknowledge our gratitude by
these dear memorials. To us who have
seen our beloved land deluged in the
blood of her martyred sons, there is bat
one South, and to every noble, generous
heart that beat so proudly beneath that
Jacket, of Grey, we offer alike one simple
tribute, satisfied to know that with us
they suffered—for us they died. Unlike
those cold Christian philosophers, who, in
their Pharisaical pride, thought it sacrilege
to desecrate the holy Babbath by sweet
floral offerings oil the graves of “our
dead,” wc feci that if the day could be
made more sacred, it has been done
by thus weaving for them the widow and
the cypress. Cant on, ye whiners hi the
Church—your “painted sepulchres” fail
to conceal the corruption within, but we
would not exchange the memory of yes
terday—the inward feelings of right, for
all your hope of heaven. The emotion
of gratitude which prompted us to wreathe
our garlands, and in the sweet act of re
membrance leave them on the graves of
“our noble brave,” was no wrong against
that holy Saibath, and, doubtless, many a
guardian angel, o’er that scene, iu sweet
sympathy with the bereaved hearts, as
sembled there. But whither are we wan
dering ? What beautiful monument is
this which arises so proudly before us?
Lot us pause in silence, and step with
noiseless tread, for there he the remains
of our “young hero,” beloved, oh? how
tenderly iu life and death! As lowly as
the humblest private in the ranks, sleeps
“our fearless, cherished Rains. 1 Proudly
he botv * hiinself the head of his c< m
mand, u» c h ( 'se the sinning mark
and that l rave heart was pulseless! With
mute eloqiK n . ce ’ ll P on % tomb the
pure drops win ’ have all given life to t' e
moss-covered ba which the hand of
love has placed abc * ve restin # place.
The flowers will w dther, the hand that
with melancholy sadnt " s wreathed them
for thee, will perhaps, ' re another May,
be sleeping by thy side hut until our
eyes refuse to weep, or th*.' Vl °lets to
bloom, ever shall it be our p„ " ivilc g e to
bring thee our dear offerings. 1 B. lfc
is another spot, around which sweet
memory lingers, even as precious as tfo's.
“Beneath the green shade of this evening"
tree, let us bend low our heads and do
honor to ‘our noble Zollicoffer.’ ” Not,
forgotten lias been thy resting place:
even now the sweet flowers are glisten in «■
with tears of affection, and as we ] aused,
in vivid letters came before us the sad
olid well remembered past. Again, we
see the gallant steed, but where, alas, is
his brave rider ? Again we hear the
cries of our sorrow stricken people, as
upon the bret ze comes the sad tidings,
“our Zollicoffer has fallen.”
Lach year let us recall his virtues by
these open expressions of our gratitude,
and when our own voices can no longer tell
his glorious deeds, may our children arise
to do justice to our fallen “braves.” Fain
would we plant o'er thy bier fadeless
flowers, which would never know decay,
but they bloom riot in this “wilderness of
sm. In God’s own time they will iri e
in “his image.” In that world there shall
be no war or oppression. Until then, “r< «t
iu pence. — -Nashville, Temi. } Banner.
Embry ©logical. History of Oysters.
—At the proper season, which is ordi
narily from June till the end of Scptem
her, oysters spawn, but, uni ke many ina
rinc animals, they do not abandon ihcir
eggs. They incubate them within the
folds of the mantle, between the branchial
lamina, where they remain immersed in a
mucous matter necessary to their evolu
tion, and within which the embryonic de
velopment is accomplished. Thus united,
the mass formed by these eggs resembles
thick cream in color and consistency;
hence those oysters whose mantle con
tains spawn are called “ milky oysters,”
But the whitish tint so characteristic of
the recently-laid eggs takes gradually, as
the evolution proceeds, a shade of light
yellow, then a darker yellow, and ends
by degenerating into brownish gray, or
into a decided violet gray. The whole
mass having at the same time lost its flu
idity, in consequence, probably, of the
gradual absorption of the mucous sub
stance surrounding the cgg«, has the as
pect of compact matter. This state shows
that the development is drawing* near its
completion, and that the expulsion of the
embryos and their independent existence
is near at hand, tor alrerdy they are
able to live without the protecti *n afford
ed by the maternal organs. In fact,
very soon the mother rejects the young
hatched in the mantle. Forth they issue
provided with a transitory swimming ap
paratus, which enables them to scatter
themselves far and wide, and to go in
search of some solid body to which they
may attach themselves. This apparatus
i\s formed by a kind of ciliated pad pro
vided with powerful muscles, by the aid
of which the animal can at will portrude
it from its valves and again retract it.
When the young oyster has managed to
fix itself, this pad, henceforth useless, falls’
off, or, what is more usual, grows smaller
on the spot and disappears by degrees.
The number of young ones thus expelled
at each emission from the mantle of one
single mother cannot be less than from
one to two millions ; so at the time when
all the adult individuals composing an
oyster bank give birth to their offspring,
this living dust issues forth like a cloud,
which dispersing far from the spot whence
it emanated, and scattered by the move
ments of the water, leaves upon the cultch
( souche ) only an imperceptible part cf
tbe produce ; all the rest disperses, and if
these animalcules, wandering here and
and there by myriads at the mercy of the
waves, do not meet with something solid
on which to fix themselves, their death is
certain ; for those which have not become
a prey to the inferior animals which feed
on infusoria, end by falling into a medium
unsuitable to their ulterior development,
and often by being swallowed up by the
mud. Nevertheless, judging from the
great thickness to which some oyster
shells have attained, this rnoluso is capa
ble, if left to its natural changes unmoles
ted, of attaining a great age. Indeed,
fossil oysters have been seen, of which
each shell was nine inches thick, whence
they may be considered to have been
more than a hundred years old.
Guilt is that which quells the courage
of the bold, ties the tongue of the elo
quent, and makes greatness itself sneak
and lurk and behave itself poorly.— South.
5