Althoff has received McMaster's letter of Nov. 30 and thanks him for allowing his subscription to begin on the first of the year. The monthly mail steamer brought the first copies of the valuable Freeman's Journal. The purpose of his letter is to secure a few words of explanation about an article in the Journal of Dec. 3, 1881, which greatly mystifies him. This article in Question is headed, correspondence from Alaska, the diocese of Bishop John Baptist Brondel, of Vancouver Island, Canada, and the title is, "The pews Answered Back." Althoff is mystified by this heading and article and believes that the alleged Alasken correspondent to whom the pews are supposed to have replied, is in reality, someone impersonating a priest. Priests are scarce in Alaska Territory due to the poverty of the diocese of Vancouver Island, in fact there has only been one priest in the entire vast region for the last 3 years since the mission at Fort Wrangel was built and placed under the care of St. Rose of Lima, and that priest is Although himself. He did not send in the article concerning the pews and he has given absolutely no thought to the matter of holding a fair in his mission, and for these reasons he is most anxious to know who McMaster's correspondent was. He wonders who can possess such a premature mind as to advocate the holding of fairs and bazaars in an exclusively Indiana territory such as Alaska. For such an occasion the ladies would even have to be imported since there is not a single Catholic lady in all of Fort Wrangel. He will have to finish his work before he could ever entertain such ideas and there is more work than one priest can handle. The Alaska Indian must be educated and civilized to make him a Christian and to make him appreciate his immortal soul before he can be taught to appreciate a bazaar and to understand his questionable duty of attending one. He wishes that some of the wealth which is so lavishly spent in some large Catholic centers in order to build big fine churches would be devoted to enable the Bishops to send more laborers into the vineyard for the purpose of building spiritual temples, since priests among the indians are entirely dependent on the House for the necessities of life. This wealth could be used to develop the power of the church in resisting the well salaried sectarian proselytizers. It is said that there should be but one priest in Alaska and that that one should be impeded in his work and travels by the lack of means at his disposal. Sectarian ministers erect big churches all over the land, and live with their wives, families, doctors, and teachers in comfort unknown to Alaska, while they devote special care to the business of poisoning the minds of the Indians against the popish priest. These men persuade the parents of the children whom Althoff baptizes, to place these children under their care in a home especially built for the purpose, and are enabled to continue this practice by the liberality of their people, especially in New York. His whole object in writing this letter was to find out about the puzzling article in the Journal, and the possibilities of what could be done by the Catholics in America if they imitated the protestants, was just mentioned in passing. A good board of home missions could organize things well. He does not wish to see this letter in print and also wishes the communication concerning the article to remain silent. :: I-2-d A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.