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Scope and Contents Baraga received the Bishop's letter of Aug. 30 and also one from the Archbishop of Vienna who notified him that $300.- have been sent to him. Baraga took notice that Bishop Lefevere used the $300.- as a down payment for the $400.- which he said to Mr. Crooks for Baraga, also that the Bishop is endeavouring to get the $300.- of government annuity for him. Baraga thanks the Bishop and begs him to assist him further, as he has hardly any other income than what he receives from Europe. The...

Scope and Contents The printing of Baraga's Indian books is finished and they were printed in two dialects: in Ottawa and Chippewa. Baraga received 2408 francs for them. The council of Association of the Propagation of Faith consented to pay the expenses and may also pay the bookbinder which will amount to about 1300 francs. If the council does not pay for them, he will try to have them done somewhere else. In Detroit, the printing of these books would cost at least $1200. The members of the council are...

Scope and Contents Baraga asks Bishop rese to bring a chalice with him as he had left his chalice, which he had brought from his own country, at Grand River. Baraga arrived in Mackinaw on June 10 at 4 a.m. and has already found an opportunity to go to L'Arbre Croche. There he will wait for the Bishop. Father hopes that the Bishop will decide that the poor Indians on Lake Superior who have wanted a missionary for such a long time, will finally have their request granted. He is afraid that these Indians might...

Scope and Contents Father Baraga gives a short account of the money which the late Bishop Edward Fenwick had given him for his mission in August, 1831. The sum was $250 - and in Detroit the Bishop had left $200 - for printing expenses of the Indian prayer book. He also gave Madame Marianne Lasaliere Fisher $50 personally. Those $250 were the first money Father Baraga had received in America. He had to buy many things in Detroit for the mission, church and school, nothing for himself. He urges Rese to go to the...

Scope and Contents Baraga received Father V. Badin's letter of August 26 on October 1st. He thanks him for sending him the church bell but he thanks him especially in the name of all the Indians of L'Arbre croche who are very happy to hear their bell again. Upon the advice of the bookbinder-Brother Alois Schuh-Baraga had not sent the pages which are missing from the Ottawa books to Father V. Badin, but once he had sent 40 bound Ottawa books to Father Louis Deseille and another time 10 more. Baraga advises...

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Father Baraga left Detroit on October 21, was in Buffalo on the 24th and saw the Niagara Falls on the 25th. On the 26th he left Buffalo and arrived in New York on the 30th. He will take the mail boat "John Taylor" to Liverpool on November 1st, getting "second cabin" at the moderate price of #20 - without food. Father intends to write regularly from Europe and he begs the Bishop to give the news he writes also to his friends and to Martha Tanner. :: III-2-g A.L.S. French 1p.

Scope and Contents Father Baraga left New York November 3, and not on the 1st as it was announced. The trip took only 23 1/2 days to Liverpool. From Liverpool to London, he took the train as he wanted to see England. He spent only seven days in England. On December 7, he arrived in Paris. He immediately looked for Father Abbott Perreau, whom he found to be like a real father. He can hardly enumerate all this good Abbot has done for him. Baraga's mission affairs are getting along nicely. The council of the...

Scope and Contents Father Baraga had promised his Indians to be back at Lake Superior in 10 months so he hastens his trip as fast as he can. Besides he has accomplished the twofold purpose of his trip: to have his Indian books printed in Paris and to collect money for his mission. He is satisfied with the results. He arrived in Paris on May 8. He heard that Mr. Picot had received a letter from Bishop rese in which it is stated that the Bishop intends to leave Detroit at the end of April to come to Paris and...

Scope and Contents Baraga not only relates his troubles and afflictions, but he complains bitterly that the Bishop had not sent him even one consoling word when he needed so much encouragement. The mission has been established on the American side and the house will be finished in a few weeks, but he has no teachers for the school. Besides, he must have money to support the persons belonging to the mission, to buy whatever is needed, for without money nothing is given to the mission. He implores the Bishop to...

Scope and Contents Baraga expresses his worry about the fate of the Indians who live in Grand-River. The Bishop sent him to Grand-River expressly to establish a mission on the border of the Indian territory. Accordingly, Baraga had begun to build this mission on Indian territory. The lumber for the priest's house and schoolhouse is already cut and delivered to the place which Baraga chose for his mission. The workmen were ready to begin their work but Baraga stopped them because he had heard that the Indian...

Scope and Contents Baraga sends Father Badin $5, and he asks him to send them and another banknote to the editors of the Catholic Herald in Philadelphia for a two year subscription. Baraga's trip home is very slow. He had to wait nine days in Mackinac, and in Sault he will have to wait fifteen days before he can depart. Baraga wants all the news he can get about Bishop Rese and about Badin himself. He also asks that Sister Marie Therese be told that he could not find the relics among the things he brought back...

Scope and Contents Father Baraga arrived in Saut St. Marie to day because the boat of his company, 1'Arbor, was put out of commission and all his provisions for the winter and articles for his settlement in L'Anse had remained in Saut. On his arrival he met Father J.B. Proulx who came to visit these poor forsaken Catholic Indians. He spoke with him about the lack of missionaries in these parts and was advised to write to Pere Chaselle of Sandwich who could perhaps obtain a few Jesuits. Again Baraga begs the...

Scope and Contents Baraga is about to leave, the steamer may leave in the evening or next morning. Father B . Pedelupe found that he could not make the retreat before next summer. Baraga agreed with him. Meanwhile Baraga heard confessions of those who confessed in the Indian language and last Sunday he preached in Indian and English. He is very satisfied with Father Pedelupe's efforts, who had already done a great deal in the short time he has been in Saut Ste. Marie, especially in regard to the pews which he...

Scope and Contents As Baraga has been in his new parish only a short time, he cannot give the Bishop much information. However he can say that the school is in a poor condition, that only 12 or 14 children come to school. This is not the fault of the schoolteacher who does his best in instructing the pupils, but of the parents who do not want their children to be instructed, as they are afraid that a little education will cost them some money. Mr. Cullen teaches 6 hours a day which Baraga finds is enough, but...

Scope and Contents Baraga expresses in this postscript his doubts about his conduct, namely, whether it is right and pleasing to God that he be at the place where he is now. He begs the Bishop to take those doubts away from him by writing to him clearly and plainly on a separate sheet of paper whether it was the Bishop's own free will that he Baraga was sent here to this place and whether the Bishop is still satisfied that Baraga is here. Such a voluntary statement from the Bishop would dispense all doubts of...

Scope and Contents In this postscript Baraga informs the Bishop that he only wrote this letter to the Bishop in order to satisfy Mr. Campeau who constantly urges him to establish the mission on his side American side. He has shown him the letter and also promised him to show him the answer of the Bishop. Baraga is much more inclined to have his mission on the side of the Indians, because he believes that this would greatly help to convert the Indians. If it is possible for the Bishop to decide also for the...

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Baraga asks if his missionaries can wear a beard since their facilities for shaving are bad. If Baraga will wear a long beard, the missionaries say they will too. Baraga has seen priests of the Benedictines, of Father Edward Sorin, and others in Wisconsin, Indiana, and elsewhere with beards and asks Purcell what he would say if he, Baraga, appeared at the Third Provincial Council of Cincinnati with a long gray beard. :: II-5-a A.L.S. 1pp. 8vo.

Scope and Contents Purcell's note had traveled a month before it reached Baraga. He has no subject, for the discussion; he never has any in his simple remote diocese. In order to reach Cincinnati in time for the council he must start by foot for Mackinac, about two days and a half. Navigation seldom commences there before May 1st. He hopes to find boats at Mackinac which is an open place where the winds break away the ice. Baraga is an old Indian missionary inured to such inconveniences. :: II-5-a A.L.S. 2pp....

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Father Ed Van Paemel is always sick and wants to go back to his native Belgium. So Baraga will be all alone again. Therefore, he wishes to have Mr. Bourion, his theological student. Perhaps he can ordain Bourion in the course of the winter. He asks that Purcell charge him only with the time Bourion was at the seminary. :: II-5-a A.L.S. 1p. 12mo.

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Baraga warns Purcell not to receive in his diocese Father Dennis O'Neil an Irish Priest. He is a hard drinker and a scandalouis priest, and is now under the censure of suspension or interdict. :: II-5-a A.L.S. 1pg. 12mo.

Scope and Contents At Purcell's request, Baraga will tell him about Father M.Orth. He was with him five days at Clifton, in his visitations on Lake Superior. The Catholics there begged Baraga not to take Orth from them. And at Orth's residence in Clifton, or the Cliff Mine, the Irish, French, and Germans there all requested the same thing, saying Orth had brought harmony among the nationalities at Clifton Mission. He preaches every Sunday in French, English, and German, and is impartial in his services to all....

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Baraga received the Statutes with the few remarks given. But he does not understand one remark—as to Statute 31, Purcell told him to look over the material prescribed. He looked over the "Decreta Conc. Prov. Cinc. I II", as Prescribed, but found nothing in regard to the above Statute. Baraga asks Purcell to please explain, as soon as possible. :: II-4-o A.L.S. 1p. 8vo.

Scope and Contents Baraga has just arrived in Saut Ste. Marie, Michigan after having visited the missions of Arbe Croche . He is grieved to see those schools so neglected. They have no teachers. As Lefevere has given him the disagreeable charge of those missions and schools, he wants the Exeats and dimissorials of the respective missionaries, that is of Fathers Ignatius Mrak, Eugene Jahan, and Agelus Van Peemel, sent to his personally for eccelsiastical order's sake, then he will give them documents of...

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Baraga wants to know whether Mr. Wendell spoke to Lefevere in Detroit about their dancing last winter and whether Lefevere told Wendell that their dancing was innocent as it was only on certain private occasions and in private circles. He also wants all the necessary papers and information in regard to this relations with the government in school matters and school reports; also the exeats of Fathers Ignatius Mrak, Eugene Jahan, and Angelus Van Poemel :: III-2-i A.L.S. 1p. 8vo.

Scope and Contents Baraga hoped to be back in America before the end of May, but the marriage of the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph on April 24, keeps him in Vienna. Almost all the Bishops of the empire will be present and Baraga has been asked to represent the American church, which has received from Austria so many and great benefits. As he will not be able to be home on time to receive from the government the ennuities for the Indian schools of the Upper Peninsular, he asks the Bishop to collect those...

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He received Purcell's note in which he announces that the next provincial Council of Cincinnati will start on April 24th. At that time they are still in their winter-prison; boats do not sail before the 10th of May. Baraga consoles himself by the fact that he is quite useless at the Council. :: II-5-b A.L.S. 1p. 8vo.

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He has not recovered from the stroke of apoplexy which he received on Oct. 9th in Baltimore. He sits in a chair almost all day. Sometime he can scarcely talk. He is unfit for business and wishes his Coadjutor to come soon. :: II-5-c A.L.S. 1p. 12mo.

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Baraga reminds Lefevere that when Baraga was in Detroit the first part of May, Lefevere had promised him to contribute $200.00 towards the support of the Indian missionaries in 2 or 3 months. Now 4 months have passed and he requests again the above amount. :: III-2-j A.L.S. 1p. 12mo.

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Baraga thanks Purcell for the information in regard to Miss Boyle as found in Purcell's note of the 21st. He is glad to hear Quinlan is to be Bishop of Mobile and congratulates his future Diocese. Baraga thanks Purcell for his invitation to Cincinnati for the consecration of Quinlan. He is unable to go, because he is expecting three helpers for his diocese, and navigation of Lake Superior will soon close. :: II-4-o A.L.S. 1p. 8vo.

Scope and Contents Taking advantage of Lefevere's permission to call on him for help, Baraga is sending an enclosed check to Lefevere to cash it for him. He wants it collected all in gold, even if he should lose a little by it. The money is to be sent to him to Sault Ste. Marie by the American Express. Note in Lefevere's hand he had received the above letter Aug. 18, 1856, with enclosed draft on Charles Choiselat for 8399.60 francs. It is to be cashed in gold and sent to Baraga by express. :: III-2-i A.L.S....