CHAPTER V.

MISSION OF VIRGINIA CITY OR ALDER GULCH.

Virginia City came into existence with the find of gold in that locality, February, 1863. It went at first by the name of Alder Gulch, the place where gold was first discovered. It soon became famous, owing to the vast amount of the precious metal obtained there, and within a few months what had been a wild, dreary place began to swarm with human beings, numbering several thousands.

Father J. Giorda was the first priest who visited alder Gulch. He arrived there from the Mission of St. Peter October 31, and on the next day, the Feast of All Saints, sanctified the locality by the first Mass ever said in that section. In his first missionary excursion to Virginia City, Father Giorda heard many confessions, baptized several children and married some couples, baptisms and marriages being duly recorded by him on his return to St. Peter's.

An incident of Father Giorda's first visit to Alder Gulch is worth recording. A few days after his arrival, some Catholic gentlemen went about among the miners and collected quite a purse of gold dust--the only currency there at the time--and brought it to him. The apostolic man cordially thanked those good people for their kindness, but told them at the same time that he had come after souls, not after gold, and declined to accept the offering. They politely told him that before leaving the camp he would surely need some wherewithal to pay his board, and for the care of his mount and pack animal, but he could not be persuaded to accept the purse.

A few days after, when about to leave, he found to his dismay that the bill for his board and the care of his two horses had mounted into the hundreds, and he had hardly one copper in his possession. The gentlemen, who had foreseen all this, were ready and but to willing to relieve him of his embarrassment. They paid the bill. While all admired the

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disinterestedness of the Father and many were edified by it, some few others seemed to be unable to appreciate his motives. They thought and spoke of his conduct as if it has been that of a "greenhorn." Father Giorda left the camp toward the latter part of November.

The following year, 1864, was an eventful one for the whole of Montana, but particularly so for Virginia City, and may be called the year of hangings or retribution and summary justice, dealt out unsparingly to road-agents and other evil-doers. Some twenty executions took place between the 4^th and 26^th of January of that memorable year, mostly in Virginia City and its vicinity. The wretched victims were launched into eternity on very short notice and without any spiritual assistance at the hand of a priest, as there were no priest within several hundred miles of the town.

In the fall of 1864, the Rev. J. B. Raverdy, a secular priest from Denver, Colorado, visited Virginia City and remained there over a month. During the while, he baptized several children an joined five couples in marriage, the records of which were afterwards transmitted to Helena.

About Whitsuntide of the following year, 1865, Father Giorda was again in Virginia City, but left soon after to visit the Indian Mission across the Range. He made arrangements toward having one of the Fathers visit the camp, its population being now reckoned at 10,000, with a large percentage of Catholics. Hence the miners were soon gladdened by the arrival of Father F. X. Kuppens who remained among them several weeks.

A few days before Christmas, Father Giorda made his third excursion to Virginia City, and on this occasion he took steps to secure a church or chapel for the Catholic portion of the community. Having conferred on the subject with the leading members of the Congregation they found a building used as a play-house, which they bought and soon fitted up as a place of worship. Father Giorda dedicated it, not under the title of St. Mary's, as some would have it, but of All Saints. this is made evident by the front page of the Record of Marriages, which he opened here at this date and inscribed as follows in his own hand: Liber matrimoniorum in Ecclesia Omnium

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Sanctorum in urbe Virginia, M. T., ab anno 1865; to which is added, also in his own hand, the following: N. B. Ecclesia dedicata fuit Omnibus Sanctis quia en die prima missa celebrata fuit in hac urbe a P. J. Giorda, S. J.

General Thomas Francis Meagher, the acting governor of the territory, welcomed Father Giorda on this occasion with an impressive and most eloquent address, while the altar boy who served the Father's Mass on Christmas morning was a noted prize-fighter.

The purchase and the fitting up of the building for church had entailed considerable expense, and to help raise the funds needed General Meagher was quested to deliver a lecture. He spoke on the work of the church in spreading the true faith, and in the course of his masterly address he suddenly exclaimed: "Behold, my friends, there is here in our midst a man of God, a priest, a missionary, a man distinguished for his knowledge of science, known in Europe as a profound master of philosophy and theology, a man universally esteemed and loved by all who had the good fortune to know him. This man has left all that was most dear to him in Europe, he has given up the brightest prospects of doing great things for religion at home, to come to the rocky Mountains, to come here to Virginia City to build a house of God for the faithful of Christ. Yes, that noble and heroic missionary is our own dear Father Giorda."

The thunderous applause with which these words of the eloquent speaker were received by the audience were proof sufficient of the responsive chord he had struck, and it is needless to add that the contributions for the church flowed in unstintedly to the close of the lecture.

Father Giorda was still in Alder Gulch in February, 1866, and Virginia City had now become the Capital of the Territory. As appears from its Journal, the first legislature that sat there elected him chaplain. On the plea, however, that he did not know English well enough to serve in that capacity, he begged off, declining the honor conferred on him.

As we have seen when treating of St. Peter's Missions, early in April Father Giorda was hurriedly summoned thither. Virginia City Catholics remained without the ministrations of

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religion till the following August, when the Rev. N. St. Onge accompanied to the mines a couple of Sisters of Providence from Vancouver, Oregon, on a begging expedition. Father St. Onge on this occasion ministered to the spiritual wants of the Catholics in Virginia City, for a couple of weeks. It was not till late that year, 1866, that Father U. Grassi, who now replaced Father Giorda as the head of the Missions in the Rocky Mountains, resolved to give Virginia City a resident Father, at least for the time being. Accordingly, he sent thither Father James A. Vanzini, who arrived early in November.

Shortly after, Father Grassi, sent also to Virginia City, Father L. Van Gorp, whom he summoned from Colville where the Father was stationed at the time. As this had come about through the solicitations of General Thomas Francis Meagher, the fact is feelingly referred to by Father L. Van Gorp on the occasion of General Meagher's funeral, of which we now must say a word.

As we related, the ad and untimely taking off of General Meagher occurred near fort Benton, on the night before the first and second of July. The obsequies for the repose of his soul were held July 9, at Virginia City, where he resided. His grief-stricken and disconsolate wife assisted, and the whole community was in mourning. Father Van Gorp conducted the service, and the words he spoke on the occasion were appropriate and eloquent, instructive and edifying.

We present herewith a brief synopsis of his sermon, which we are fortunate enough to have before us, it having been found recently among his writings.

Having announced his text: The days of man are short, etc., Father Van Gorp pays the following tribute to the departed:

Sadness and grief sit upon every countenance; your tears of sorrow bespeak the greatness of the loss you have sustained in the untimely death of the justly beloved and much lamented General Thomas Francis Meagher, the true citizen, the noble patriot, the brave and fearless soldier, the hero of many a battlefield, the talented orator, the distinguished scholar, the perfect gentleman, he father and consoler of the poor and the afflicted, on one word, of one whose noble qualities of heart were in no ways inferior to his high intellectual

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attainment and exquisite talents. But we as members of this Congregation, as Christian and as Catholics of Virginia City, lose in him a true friend, a protector and a defender; one to whose untired zeal and endeavors we owe in great measure the origin and progress of the Catholic church in this city. Those among you who have been closely acquainted with him know full well that he was more concerned about the wants of the church than about his own. He had a constant eye, not only to its material, but also its spiritual needs. He used his utmost endeavors with the ecclesiastical authorities to have Montana made a separate diocese. It is owing to his repeated entreaties with my superiors that I was called from a distant Mission among the Indian to this nascent church of Virginia City, and little did he or I suspect that almost one of my first ministerial acts in this church would be to perform the last ceremonies of the Church for the repose of his soul

Having thus eulogized the departed and pointed out by historical reference what General Meagher had done to advance Catholicity in Montana, Father Van Gorp proceeds as follows:

When we see the great ones of the earth fall and the heroes lie prostrate we exclaim in silent are with the wisest of kinds; Vanity of vanities and all is vanity here below. Like every descendant of the fallen race of man, and like the best built fortress which is not without its weak point, so also our illustrious deceased was not without his weakness, but his strong and earnest faith, his devotedness to every good cause, especially to the interests of the Catholic Church, and his many other virtues, make us feel confident that he has met in his last hour the embrace of a merciful God.

The speaker now bids the disconsolate wife and all his hearers to lift up their minds to Heaven and accept the stroke from the hand of Providence in the spirit of true Christian resignation:

To the eyes of the body which do not see further than the grave, the loss must appear complete and irretrievable; but to the eyes of religion, to the eyes of faith the grave is for the Christian the gate to a new and better life.

He reminds his bearers of the shortness and uncertainty of our present life, and begs them not to banish the thought of death from their minds, and warning himself as well as his audience, he add

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In order not to be taken unawares in an affair of such importance, we should keep themselves in constant readiness for the tremendous passage from this life to the house of our eternity. If death is certain as to the fact, it is uncertain as to everything else, time, place and circumstances. When, where, how, shall we die are questions which they who will attend out funeral may be able to answer. Let these few reflections cause us to enter into ourselves and to examine whether the affairs of our soul are as they ought to be. If they are, we have reason to thank the Almighty for it, as for the greatest of his favors; but if we find that we are wanting in this, let us set to work without delay. We have no time to lose; our days are short and uncertain. If we measure the duration of the days which we have still to live by that of the past, we shall understand the folly of sacrificing an eternity of happiness for the fleeting pleasures of a moment.

Father Van Gorp concludes his funeral sermons as follows:

Now whilst we are led to this salutary conclusion from the solemn and sad event of this day, let us not forget to offer up our fervent prayers for the repose of the soul to him in honor of whose memory we are gathered here today. It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins. If we have loved him during life, let us not abandon him after death. The greater has been your love and respect for him whilst alive, the more eager should you be to assist him now that perhaps he calls upon you for help in the plaintive words of the souls in Purgatory; Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, you at least my friends, because the hand of God has touched me.

Returning to our narrative, Father J. A. Vanzine remained at Virginia City with Father Van Gorp till the fall of that year, 1867, when he was replaced by Father J. D'Aste from Helena. In the early part of 1868, Father L. Van Gorp and Father F. X. Kuppens exchanged places, the former coming to Helena, while the latter went to Virginia City, where he remained only a few months. In the summer of 1869, Father D'Aste was recalled by the Superior, and from that time till December, 1873, Virginia City had no resident priest; it was attended from Helena twice a year.

Here it is well to observe that, properly, it was not in the power of the Superior of the Indian Missions in the Rocky Mountains to station Jesuit Fathers permanently in the white

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settlements that were now rapidly forming all over this north western country. The authorization to do so rested with the higher superiors in Europe and had to come from them. Further, the number of Jesuit missionaries in these regions being very limited and insufficient to carry on the work among the Indians, they could not establish Missions among the whites without abandoning the natives. It was much easier, on the services of some secular priests, whereas the Indians, if not cared for by the Jesuits, would have been left utterly destitute of all assistance. Lastly, as the care of the Indians had been confided ina special manner to the Society of Jesus, the Fathers could not slight, much less forsake, their trusts.

This condition of things was well known to the authorities in Europe, who were loath, in consequence, to approve if any Jesuit Fathers being permanently engaged in missionary work among the whites, until at least the increased number of laborers in the field, would render this practicable, without detriment to the spiritual welfare of the Indians.

In all periods of transition things are necessarily more or less settled, and this was the case with regard to the mission field among the whites in Montana at this time of our history. Appeal after appeal for priests to look after the white settlements in our Territory, was made by Father Giorda, both to the Rt. Rev. Aug. M. Blanchet, the Bishop of Nesqually, and to the Rt. Rev. J. O'Gorman, the Bishop of Omaha, to whose jurisdiction belonged respectively Western and Eastern Montana the dearth of efficient missionary priests, both east and west of us, was such that neither Bishop could spare any for distant Montana.

Still, Father Giorda's entreaties were finally instrumental in securing to the whites of our territory the services of two devoted and excellent missionary priests. They were the Rev. Remigius De Ryckere, of Deer Lodge, the pioneer secular priest of Montana; and the Rev. Frank J. Kelleher, the pioneer secular priest of the eastern part of the State. Though a later arrival by seven years, we must speak of the latter first, as he was identified with the history of the Virginia City Mission

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with which we are now occupied. Of the latter we shall speak further on.

Being compelled by the needs of the Indian Missions to recall father J. D'Aste from Virginia City, Father Giorda renewed his entreaties with the Rt. Rev. James O'Gorman in 1869, that a secular priest might be sent to look after the spiritual welfare of the many Catholics in Madison and Beaverhead counties. No appointment was made till four years later, when the Rev. Frank J. Kelleher, from Omaha, was assigned to Virginia City, to the great delight of the faithful in that part of Montana.

The Rev. F. J. Kelleher arrived in December, 1873, and during the eleven years he was in charge of that Mission, labored with zeal and devotedness, endearing himself to all classes of people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. His missionary field embraced the two counties of Madison and Beaverhead, covering an area of 9,000 square miles. Having secured a small colony of Sisters of Charity from Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1876, he opened St. Mary's Hospital in what had been the former Court House of Virginia City, and to him Laurin owes the erection of its neat little church, named also St. Mary's after Our Lady.

Being a lover of music, and a fine singer himself, Father Kelleher would take occasionally a leading part in musical entertainment gotten up for church of charitable purposes. The sacred concerts directed by him for the benefit of the new church of the Sacred Hearts, this city, are still remembered and nothing to equal them has been heard since, here or elsewhere in the State. He had been educated for the priesthood in the English College at Rome. Father Kelleher was a man of talent, uncommon scholarly attainments and fine address, brimful, besides, of wit and humor, with an abundant store of keen, pointed sarcasm, but withal a zealous and excellent ecclesiastic. He left Montana in 1884, to return to England, his native country, where , soon after his arrival, he was assigned by the Bishop of Southwark, London, to a place of distinction, which he has creditably filled and fills to this day.

Since Father Kelleher's departure, Virginia City has had no resident priest. It has been attended for some time from

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Dillon; then from Butte. At present, it is visited at stated times from Granite. St. Mary's Hospital, whose continuance seed no longer justified by the few calls on the charity of the Sisters, owing to the miners leaving the place, was closed in 1879.

According to the census of 1890 the population of Beaverhead and Madison counties, which constitute this missionary district, number 9,347. Comparing the proportion of Catholics, it is here considerably less than in other parts of Montana. Virginia City, which in her glorious placer mining days had over ten thousand people, at the time of our writing contains hardly three hundred. But the mineral wealth still remaining in that once famous Eldorado and vicinity is likely to give, ere long, a new life to the place.

We now leave this celebrated mining camp and pass on to speak of another, no less celebrated, we mean Last Chance or Helena.