Carmel In America appendix E

The following letter, we suppose, was written to Rev. Leonard or to Rev. Charles Neale, cousins of Mother Margaret Brent, whilst they were students at the Jesuit College of St. Omer:

This acknowledges with many thanks the kind favour of yours which I received with much pleasure and satisfaction, what pleased me the most was to find you in such good dispositions as to mend your faults, as soon as you were told of them, without excusing yourself in the least. I am truely glad to hear you and your dear little brother enjoy your health. Pray, my dear, the next time you write to me, make your brother write a few lines in your letter, if he is with you.

I sent your letter to my aunt at Lierre. She is very well and desires her tender love and blessing to you both. I hope you advance in your studys, it is my daily prayer, that if it be the will of God you may both be good Religious men. I writ to your papa and mama, in the packet I sent to Father Monsley, and said all that was kind from you to them, and told them you were very good boys, I don't doubt but you are. I am very sorry to hear your dear Papa is come to so great a loss as to have so much of his buildings blown down. I have a great share in his afflictions, for he has always been a true friend to me, and is one for whom I have a most sincere regard and affection. I suppose you have had letters from him since you came over. I beg you will always remember me in the most affectionate manner when you write to him, and to my dear Aunt Pile, and to dear little Betsey. Write to me all opportunities—poor Maryland I fear will be quite demolished—you must pray hard for your afflicted friends and Country, I long to know how times go now with them, and whether Father hunter is yet returned to them.

All your country women in these parts are well. I suppose you have heard of Aunt Mary Digges' death long ago. Adieu my dearest dear Cousin and believe that I am

Be assured that my zeal for your Community is as great as ever, if not greater. We ought to be daily more & more zealous for the Glory of God. I have written to Mr. Charles Neale concerning your Petition. All possible attention shall be paid to it. If the Academy suffers while he¹ remains with you, at least you must try and make amends by your Prayers. At present we stand particularly in need of the special Protection of Heaven, if your Prayers procure it, we shall have no reason to complain. And we must not doubt of the efficacy of your prayers—Ask and you shall receive. The Spirit of prayer, I think, is the characteristic of your Order. St. Teresa will acknowledge none, who don't try to be possessed of that H. Spirit. It is this Spirit alone which teaches us to follow our B^d Saviour, that is to deny ourselves. Now prayer founded on self denial will ever be efficacious. Therefore R^d Mother, you only need to pray yourself, & to make all y^r Community pray for the Academy in this Spirit of Prayer, & we shall certainly get all we want. I am your humble Servant,

I received yours of the 25^th of last month, but could not answer it till now. I was then just setting out for the low countries, uncertain whether I should return or not, and consequently, as you may suppose, had a deal of business upon my hands in settling my little affairs. The Nuns of Antwerp have invited me in a very pressing manner to be their Confessor. It is an offer I don't much like, though perhaps much more conducive to the recovery of my health than the employ which I have hitherto filled. I have left it to the decision of Mr. Howard. He says he is for my going, if he can do without me, but cannot determine that till about the middle of this month. I have written to my mother by the way of Amsterdam, but chose rather to send it to a merchant of that city of my acquaintance to be put on board a vessel which I am informed will shortly sail from thence for Maryland. You tell me your situation is disagreeable in one point. I heartily wish I could better it. You informed me that you had laid in your own provisions for fear of disagreement with your Captain, but forgot to let me know the

¹Rev .F. Charles Neale. This letter was written to the prioress of Carmel at Antwerp, Rev. Mother Mary Margaret, Brent, who had petitioned to have Rev. F. Charles Neale as Confessor of the community.

name of the Captain, and the vessel in which you sail. I could tell you a great deal of domestic news if I were sure you would receive my letter, but the uncertainty in which I am of your being still at Amsterdam discourages me. One thing, however, I will tell you, as being too good to be omitted, which is that M^r How^d. had declared to our fat Chanoine that he must quit the house. May success and happiness attend you in all your undertakings.

P. S.—If you write to me from Amsterdam, direct, à Mr. Neale, chez Monsieur le Baron D'Exaerde, à son château D'Etichore près-D'Audenaerde.

I will give you the history respecting the apparition, as I learned it from persons, three of whom are yet living, who were well acquainted and lived with some of the religious who were present and saw the appearance.

On account of the wars in the year 1701, our community of English Carmelites of Hoogstraet, were obliged to leave their convent and go to Mechlin, and were refuged in the Count of Mechlin's castle till peace took place. They returned to their convent at Hoogstraet towards the end of the year 1712. In the Octave of Corpus Christi, in the year 1713, our Blessed Saviour appeared in time of the Elevation in the sacred host and turned his face towards the grate of the Choir with a smiling countenance, as if he had been pleased with the community who were all hearing the Mass. Some who were in sight of the altar saw him, as also did some seculars who were in the church. The Rev. Mr. Edward Aynsco found at the Elevation the sacred Host very heavy, and, laying it down, saw the sacred face and head, etc., of our Saviour, as is engraved in the plate; but with such divine beauty and majesty, that seized and affected him extremely. At the Pater Noster our B. Saviour disappeared. Mr. Aynsco, who was our Confessor, went to Antwerp and had the plate engraved as near as he could to resemble the apparition; but it was impossible to get it executed

with that divine beauty and majesty with which he appeared. This miraculous favor was imputed to two causes: First, to convince and confirm a young English lady, a convert, who came to take the habit in our community, but who had doubts of the Real Presence in the blessed Sacrament. She was present in the church when our Saviour appeared and saw him. She professed and died in our community, and I have lived several years with some who knew her. The other cause was to comfort the community, who, after their return from their exile, met with severe trials and crosses. The Rev. Mr. Aynsco died in the odor of sanctity on the 14th of May, 1734, and the inhabitants of Hoogstraet still retain so great a veneration for his memory that till this day they call on him, and beg his protection in thunder and lightning, from which they suffered extremely every summer. Before his death he promised them, if he had any power with God, they never should suffer the like any more, and since that time very little damage has happened in the town by it.

All I have here related has been attested to me by persons worthy of credit and may be relied on, they being very pious religious.

The author of the preceding letter, in religion Mother Magdalen of St. Teresa, was elected prioress at Canford on February 2nd, 1795, and continued in office until her death on December 14th, 1810. She died at the age of sixty-two, and had been forty-six years in religion. (Oliver, p. 141.)

It was with great pleasure to Reverend Mother and us all that her Rev^ce rec^d a few days ago your long expected and most welcome letter, especially as thank God it left all our dear Sisters in Maryland safe and well, of which we had been in great anxiety, fearing lest the contagion of Religion in our Europe should have reached your Continent, as to us, my dear Clare, we have a great deal to thank and praise His Divine Majesty for His bounties to us; having been pleased to change the dispositions of our Country so much in favor of Religion and Religious that I don't hear the least molestation of any of the many Houses of men and women that are setting up

(although 'tis true the spirit of the French seems creeping in and the present scarcity of provisions give some reasons to fear riots, in which perhaps these Houses might be destroyed together with the Laws of the Country, but should Almighty God avert that stroke which in His Infinite Mercy we still hope) there is no doubt but the Convents will be permanently established. We are situated 257 miles from London at a very large old seat of lord Arundell's which he has given to us as long as ever our community subsists; we found it quite out of repair, but his lordship has employed a great number of workmen ever since we have been here; at his own expense to fit it to our liking; they go on very slow being great drinkers here, and not having any of great authority to overlook them, so that it will be very long before it is quite finished; there was a very large hall at the entrance which they are making into a beautiful chapel, in fine there is plenty of room when all is finished, only the building is such that we cannot form it into regular dormitory and cells, etc., though we have fine long galleries and every one almost a room to themselves. Our Confesssor Mr. Newsham only staid a fortnight with us and then with Mrs. Tunstal returned to Town. We have now a very holy French priest for Confessor who seems to give universal satisfaction, there is a missioner here also, the present one is going away and we don't yet hear who my Lord will send in his place.

Have I not some reason to make you some tender reproaches for your long silence? For altho' I own it is near three years since I did myself the pleasure to write to you, yet that was at least the sixth letter since we left our dear Convent, and we have never had the consolation to hear from you but once about four years ago. See therefore, how much you stand indebted, and begin with 1800 to rub off old scores, and tell us all that concerns your dear Community for health and prosperity, spiritual and temporal; for I don't think I can ever be insensible to what regards the welfare of a Community so dear to me; and whose perfection is my most earnest prayer, together with that of our own dear Community—that both may be examples of exactness in the observance of our holy Vows, Rules and Constitutions, and in all that concerns the true spirit of our holy Mother St. Teresa. We heard some years ago that you were in distress, which gave me some pain, till I began to think of the poverty of many Convents at the beginning, and how our Blessed Lord supplied their wants; and so I trust and confide He ever will yours. Some time after we heard you had professed some with great fortunes, and built a nice new house; and also that one of your Nuns is dead, and lately we heard from our dear Rev^dMother at Canford that

you are fifteen in number which rejoyced us very much; but we were very sorry to hear at the same time that your dear Revd Mother has a cancer in her breast. May Almighty God support her in her sufferings and inspire you to procure some remedy for her speedy cure before it is too deeply rooted. We long also to know how dear and worthy Father Neale does, to whom be pleased to say all that is most respectful and filial affectionate from our dear Rev^d Mother and each of the Community; as also to dear Rev^d Mother and each of yours. Give mine in particular both to him and them, begging a share in their holy prayers, especially to dear Sisters Aloysia, Eleanora and my dear name-sake Sr. Teresa who I hope makes herself deserving of that name more than me. If you are too lazy or busy to write tell her to be your secretary, to give us an account of all, and the names, etc., of the Nuns.

I told you in my last letter that we had the happiness to have our dear Rev^d Mother Xaveria elected Prioress the 3^rd of February '97: we had the consolation to have her re-elected on the 4^th inst. to the universal joy of her flock: all the elections were done in very little more than half an hour; and I have never seen the Nuns more happy and merry than they have been this week. Thank God the Community in general have enjoyed pretty good health these last two years: tho' before several were sick but none died. Our worthy and holy Confessor Mr. De La Fosse also had a great illness then, but thank God entirely recovered: his loss would have been irreparable to the Community. We have got no increase since we came here, except a lay Sister, Sister Anastasia of the Immaculate Conception, who will most likely make her Profession some time in April. We did not forget you at your half Jubilee, and our dear Rev^d Mother wished for an occasion to have sent you some little mark of her affection: you know her half Jubilee came two years ago; and last August was the whole Jubilee of our dear Sister Ann Teresa, which Rev^d Mother kept as handsome as she possibly could here, as she did that of Sister Mary Agnes in November. Sr. Mary Austin dressed each of them a most beautiful cell.

I beg when you write you will take notice of both the Jubilarions: Sr. Ann Teresa is re-elected Discreet, and Sr. M. Joseph also.

I am always afraid Bonaparte is Antichrist,—at least he is his forerunner: When he went to seize on the Turks' dominions he declared himself a Mahometan, said he had God with him, and that he and the Father did all things, or some such shocking words: now he is come back and placed himself at the head of France, he orders the Church doors to be open, and Priest and people to join in prayer to the God of peace to atone for all the crimes committed in the war; but he also orders that the heathenish ceremonies they have performed for some years past in the church, be also continued at another hour than the worship. He has written some fine perlavering letters to our King and government for peace,—which thank God they have refused him alleging his being a usurper, and also his having a fortnight before entirely destroyed the Constitutions the French Republic had pretended to own,—and made quite new ones for himself. He has also

another fellow as wicked as himself—a fallen priest—to help him, who possibly may be the Prophet of Antichrist; for it is he who works all the mischief underhand for him: what happiness it will be if these two creatures are destroyed, which it is hoped they will be unless they really are these persons.

We have not heard lately whether our dear House¹ still stands; some time since it was employed for something of a manufactory or store-house which may preserve it, most other Convents being entirely destroyed. Sister Elizabeth was alive last June and found means to let us know she was in want of everything; so Rev^d Mother sent her some money but has never heard whether she received it.

You ask me my dear Mother, to give you a list of our Community: it is not much increased by professions since you left us. Rev^d Mother, Sr. Ann Teresa, Mother Francis Xaveria, Sr. Mary Joseph, Sr. Mary Francis, Sr. Anna Maria, Sr. Mary Josephine (French nun from Valencienne Convent) Sr. Mary Angela (English from the Convent Rue Grenelle, Paris), Charlotte Stewart in the world, an old acquaintance of yours. Sr. Mary Austin, Sr. Mary Magdalen (an English nun from the Convent Rue Chapeau, Paris), Sr. Joseph Frances, Sr. Louise Teresa. Lay Sisters-Sr. Mary Agnes, Sr . Stanislaus, Sr. Mary Winefrid, Sr. Anastasia professed the 8^thof June this year, and poor Teresa of Jesus. They each desire their most affectionate respects to your Reverence and each one of your dear flock, to whom they wish all happiness, and temporal as well as spiritual prosperity. We were very happy to hear you were so finely increased; and also to have an account of all your industry. I wish we could spin as you do, for the cloth we buy in England is very dear, and neither strong nor warm. I beg my kind love to dear Sister Teresa, and many thanks for her kind note; not only because it made an excuse for your long silence having so many occupations; but also as it made me acquainted with the good and profitable manner in which you spend your time, which your own humility would never have told me of. Your little Mother, Sr. Anna Maria was highly pleased at your inquiries after her, and begs her affectionate respects, desiring you will be a tender Mother to your children. I think you know more concerning our Convent and affairs at Antwerpt than most of us do! I was, and am still always sorry that we did not stay to see whether the French would or would not have turned us out: but the greater part was desirous to go, upon the notice given by the Duke of York that the French were re-entering the Low Countries. We might certainly have brought away everything with us; but the fatigue we had the last three weeks is not to be believed; having Mrs. Moore² and her nuns from Bruges, and Lady

Abbess and several of her's from Gand, we had neither place to lie on, nor beddings, nor time. I believe none were so much occupied as our present Rev^d Mother and I; and we would not have left a vestment, nor a book, nor a habit or rag of any kind behind us: she was Sacristan, and I Proviser. I do not mean to brag of what we did, but only as you lament the destruction and sale etc., I tell you we did at all parts of the house what we could, and could get the keys of; but the fright which seized several, made it not in our power to do more for they would not let us; and also the shortness of the time, and occupation with those strangers. Now every body is sorry that more things were not brought; however, I don't mean to blame anyone, as it was fright; and we must adore the designs of God in permitting us to partake a little of the several losses of this time: then to mend the matter no one was to be left behind but poor Sister Anna Maria,¹ to take care of the rest and besides all the selling etc. you have heard of, and the givings away, (for she never thought of us keeping in Community in England) besides this I say, the Mob broke in at the time and destroyed what few things she had intended to have brought over with her. As to the different accounts I have given you of this House, they are all when explained true; for we owe very great obligations to Lord Arundel who first let us come and then by the hand of Lady Arundel told us we might look on the house as our own, and that neither himself nor his heirs would ever take it from us while the Community exists.*

*As Your Reverence was perfectly acquainted with our dear deceased who as long as she had her memory never forgot she was your little Mother, I shall only say, that she always preserved that spirit of regularity, and love of labour which made her both an edifying and useful member until about ten years ago when a paralytic stroke impaired her mental faculties and subsequent ones deprived her entirely of the use of them: for the last three years she has been usually confined to the infirmary. As we were just in the midst of our retreat she was seized with the last violent attack, which in a few days terminated her earthly existence after having received the Extreme Unction and last Absolution.

I was just going to thank you for your very agreeable and affectionate letter when Rev^dMother claimed it as belonging to her; being wrote in her letter; and besides her Rev^ce as well as all the Com^tyare quite charmed both with the easy and pretty manner you describe your dear Rev^d Mother's Jubilee, and at the ingenuity and cleverness with which you decorated and kept it. Indeed I am quite delighted that my dear American Sisters have thus excelled in their attempt to honor their dear and amiable Prioress to whom under God, they owe so much for their present happiness, yes my dear, I am sure you are sensible, how many cares and troubles it has cost

¹Sister Anna Maria of the Blessed Sacrament, alias Brassier, departed this life on October 6th, 1822, a little after seven in the morning, in the 81st year of her age, and 54th of her religious profession.

her Rev^ce to procure your establishment; although she was not your first actual Superior, and I am sure you can never too much shew your gratitude, respect and love to her, for the same; though I know all the reward she wishes and asks is, that her dear children prove true and fervent daughters of our Holy Mother St. Teresa; and exact observers of the Holy Rules and Constitutions you have had the happiness to profess to: and this is a consolation which I don't doubt you each one strive to give your dear Superior, and yourself in the first place, who having the honor to stand the first in the profession book are a kind of a model for all the rest to look at. I wish therefore my dear Sister Teresa all the sanctity which our first professed at Antwerp (who was also called Teresa) arrived to, which was very great, as your dear Rev. Mother can tell you from her life: and I humbly beg you will have the charity to pray for me; who am my dear an object of charity from my great defects and negligence in this my holy and happy state; and I don't know anything that gives me a spark of fervor sooner than by thinking that you, and the rest of my dear Sisters, whom I name in my poor prayers, have the goodness to remember me in their much better ones, and in thinking that you all love and serve your Divine Spouse and mine with all your hearts and souls.

I beg my kindest and most affectionate respects to dear Mother Subprioress, and dear Sister Eleonora in a particular manner; I hope they will not take unkind that I have not done myself the pleasure to write a few lines to them as I have wrote such a long letter to Rev^d Mother; say also all that is tenderly affectionate to dear Sisters Francisca, Joseph, Ann of Jesus, Stanislaus, Ignatia, Agnes, Juliana, Ambrosia, Margaret, Austin, Angela, Mary of the Incarnation, Mary Magdalene, Martha and good Sister Barbara from me, with Rev. Mother's leave begging an Ave Maria of each, you see I remember all your names, I keep them in my heart, but if I have misplaced any, you must correct me. Pay also the particular comp^ts of Rev^d Mother, and all the Nuns to Mother Sub-prioress and the other dear Nuns who invented and so beautifully decorated the Recreation, Choir, Refectory and Rev^d Mother's Cell; to be sure your good angels inspired and helped you, for no doubt it was a sight pleasing to them to see the love and union with which you were all exerting yourselves to celebrate the jubilee of your beloved Mother's sacred Vows to her Heavenly Spouse, and sung their canticles with you; for I think it was impossible you should each have performed so well and properly having never seen anything of the kind: at the same time it shews what a natural ingenuity and taste you all have. There was one thing in your letter which made us all laugh viz. that worthy Father Brook sent you 100 bushels of oysters. I think you meant to say 10, as that seems a pretty good quantity at once. If this arrives (as I hope it will) by Christmas, please to give my kind love to Dear Mother Sub-prioress and beg she will ask a good recreation day on St. Agnes y^e 21^st of Jan^ry it being the name day of our Dear Rev^d Mother. I dare say yours will be pleased to grant it. I have asked leave to send you a little image

of our Holy Mother, and relick, neither the image nor shell work is very pretty, but if your dear Rev^d Mother gives you permission I hope you will accept it for your office. Adieu my dear and beloved Sister, I wish you a happy Feast tomorrow, and shall not fail to remember you being your namesake in Baptism as well as Religion and I am with true esteem

Mother sub-Prioress and her companions, who went to Lier last Sept^r was so extremely kind as to go on purpose to Hoogstraet to see in what state our dear convent was, and to recover if they could the effects we left there, but did not succeed in the latter. We should be truly happy my dear Rev^d Mother could we but return to our former convent but your Reverence has seen by my last letter that there is no possibility of that joyful event taking place during the present Government of France to which the low countries are subject, could we recover the ruins of our dear Convent and we could repair it so as to be inhabitable, which is impossible for us to do, we should not be allowed to observe our Holy Rules nor wear our habit nor would the present Government allow us to repurchase it for a Convent, were we able to do it. The Austin Nuns at Bruges we hear heartily regret their return there.

I hope your Rev^ce has rec^d a long letter from our dear Reverend Mother and me, wrote about three months ago (I think) and also that this will find your dear self and beloved flock all in perfect good health; I did not intend to have done myself the pleasure to write till Easter, but Our Blessed Lord having visited us this Holy Season with sickness, and the death of our Dear Sister Mary Agnes of Jesus, I can't defer acquainting you my Dear Rev^d Mother and imploring your holy prayers and those of your Community as also our Worthy and Dear Father Neale's to whom Rev^d Mother, myself and each one presents our best and filial respects and beg that charity of him for her dear soul—although indeed we have great hopes that she is already in possession of Almighty God, from the holy, innocent and suffering life which you know she always led; and which she continued until the last, with ardent desires of seeing God; and constant preparation for that awful moment. She departed this life on the 26^th of Feb^ry a little before five o'clock in the morning, having received all the last sacraments a few days before, with great joy and piety and the last absolution as she expired, and Mass and communion offered for her immediately after: she was seventy-four years old, fifty-four in Religion; her last sickness was only about ten days, but very great suffering from a fever and inward mortification and

particularly from a total relaxation and descent of her throat, so that the Doctor said only the windpipe continued there; which was the cause she could not take any liquids and only very seldom a teaspoonful of moistened bread which almost choaked her in going down; and I believe no tongue can express the hunger she felt; as we could perceive by her signs, for she could not articulate her words the last two days. We expected she would have corrupted immediately, as her leg was turned black, also her finger ends, and she had every mark of putrefaction; but it never increased, nor the least smell even of death during the time she remained in the Choir; and even the Protestants were in admiration at her being such a pretty corpse: we thought it a favor of Almighty God, that so she might have more prayers, by remaining a day longer unburied. R. I. P.

Each one from our dear Rev^d Mother to Sister Anastatia and myself, join in all that is most tenderly respectful to your Rev^ce, Dear Mother Sub-prioress, Sister Eleonora, Sister Teresa and each of your dear children to whose holy prayers we again recommend our Dear Deceased and each one of ourselves, be assured we are not backward in offering our good prayers for all that concerns the spiritual and temporal welfare of your dear Community and of every member that composes it, that all may be true Carmelites, holy religious and great Saints, and that the hour of death may be the moment that begins their eternal felicity and Heavenly Nuptials: I hope my dear Mother your crown will be very brilliant on that great day, from the glory you have endeavored to procure to Almighty God; and the labors you have undergone in establishing Mount Carmel in Maryland and thereby procuring so many holy souls the happiness of becoming the spouses of their Dear Lord, and for your vigilancy in keeping up the strict observance of our Holy Rules and Constitutions, may our Blessed Lord long preserve a life so precious as yours, and add still daily new gems to your Heavenly Crown as also to dear Father Neale to whom your House and our Holy Order owes so much for his indefatigable labors and zeal in procuring and establishing it.

Our dear Sisters at Canford, (formerly of Hoogstraet) have all been ill with colds; and their Worthy Confessor Mr. Willacie I believe will soon follow the other three gentlemen they have buried since they went there. He has been very ill of a cold and fever for more than two months and received his Holy Viaticum about a fortnight ago; after which for some days was so much better as to be declared quite out of danger by the Doctor; has since relapsed and Dear Rev^d Mother says in a letter we received two days ago, she perceives him every day grow worse, and being upwards of seventy years old they seem to have no more hopes: she and the Com^ty are in great grief, Our Blessed Lord gives them indeed frequent heavy Crosses. They were seven weeks without any Mass on week days, a gentleman came on Sundays and holidays to say Mass and Father Brooke once a fortnight or thereabouts to hear confessions and which is very fatigueing to him, it being a good many miles and he sometimes obliged to return the same day to Lulworth there being no priest but him there; at present there is a

french priest come to Canford to say the daily Mass: may God comfort and support Dear Rev^d Mother and her dear Com^ty.

Our Nuns of Liere at Auckland with Mr. Robey have all been sick one after another all the winter and continue so now, they say this house is a complete hospital. Sr. Teresa Maria (Sister to dear Sr. Agnes) seems likely soon to follow her to Eternity. Rev^d Mother, Mother Sub-prioress, Sr. Clare etc. always desire best respects to your Rev^ceas do the Nuns of Louvain at Spetsbury House. Mrs. Tunstall has lived some years past with the latter, and helped them to purchase that beautiful spot. She has now purchased a House at Acton near Hammersmith which is forming into a Convent of the Order of Visitation, being the first English Foundation—she has got three Nuns arrived from Spain ready to go to it in a few weeks, several young ladies are ready to enter, amongst them Miss Weld, who is of singular sanctity, as is her good father, you know and all his family; his other eldest daughter was a nun at Princenhoff now at Winchester and died in great holiness at twenty-eight years old, one of his sons died about the same time at Stonyhurst (from Liege) and he has another son who has taken his place there in studying to be a priest and Jesuit. I suppose Fr. Neale and you all know of the restoration of the dear Society and that Fa^r Stone at Stonyhurst is Provincial for all the English? the Bulls were deferred being published, but it was lately said in the papers his Holiness was going to publish them: and in the mean time there is no doubt of their being restored by Living Voice: but to return to the Foundation of the Visitation, it is supposed this Order being new to the English and so easy will run away with all the vocations. Mrs. Tunstall intends to enter it, having already settled all she has, but we don't know whether directly as a Choir Nun, she being near fifty-two. We lose an annual large alms which this good Lady has bestowed on us ever since we came here; and which we shall find a great loss; especially at this moment when we are obliged to pay a shilling tax out of every pound sterling of our revenues however I hope and confide our Dear Lord to take care of us if we are faithful to Him and our Holy Rules.

We rec^d your truly welcome and affectionate Letters and those of your dear children with a joy nothing inferior I assure you to that you are pleased so kindly to express at the arrival of the box (whose contents Rev^d Mother myself and each one wish had been a thousand times more valuable and worth your acceptance) we had been anxious lest some new accident had prevented your receiving it at last; and therefore universal joy took place at the sight of your dear hand, and we could neither think nor speak of anything else at recreation, but affectionate effusions of the heart for you and yours, only our hearts were much grieved to find your health in such a precarious state my beloved and dear Mother, and especially for the last attack your Rev^ce had just before the departure of the letters, which leaves

us still in uncertainty if you are recovered, and is a very sensible pain to Rev^d Mother, myself and all, first for the true affection we have to your dear person; and second for the dreadful and I fear almost irreparable loss your Rev^ce would be to the new and flourishing plantation in the Vineyard of Mt. Carmel. May Almighty God be pleased long, very long to preserve your dear life to gather the fruit of your labor in seeing your dear children flourish in all virtue, for my part I feel more joy than I can express in seeing how Our Dear Blessed Lord has been pleased to bless your zeal and that of our Dear Father Neale and draw so many souls to His Holy Service in this our Holy Order, whose innocence and simplicity makes them fit subjects for His Grace to work upon and their souls to become fit mansions for Him to establish His kingdom and reign. I thought when I was sick last winter that there was nothing I wished to see more in this life: the success of your Foundation, and our dear Com^ty having an appearance of flourishing by receiving Novices, being the only two things I had at heart with any anxiety; for I should have felt a great sorrow for our dear Com^tyto die out, and I trust in His Divine Majesty there is no appearance of that at present-the three I mentioned in my last have nearly past their year and comported themselves with very great regularity and fervor. We have been in a great deal of trouble in the spring seeking for another House as this was advertised for sale. Good Fathers Strickland and Plowden after a deal of trouble found an old Castle in Wales, but the people of Cornwall, as well as ourselves when it came to the push, wish us not to leave this county, and therefore proposed different large houses especially one which we asked the Duke of Leeds for, it belonging to him, but he never gave an answer, as to other friends whose pockets we hoped would have helped to pay the heavy expense of carriage etc. of us and our goods; or to pay a little rent or taxes; we were like the hare in Gay's Fable, and in effect house rent and taxes being so dear in England we could not even be placed as we are here I believe under £200 p^ran, by this we saw more clearly than ever the great obligation we have to our true friends and benefactors Lord and Lady Arundell who with Lord Clifford forbid the sale of the house; and assure us of a continuance of their protection, and ever since we remain with more quiet and peace here than before; because it seems evidently from the many prayers ordered to know the Holy Will of God that it is to remain here at present, and serve God with gratitude the best we can till something better offers. I hope your Rev^ce has received a letter I wrote in Feb^ry in which I informed you of the death of dear Mother Francis Xaveria R. I. P. her death was very edifying and holy; I hope she is enjoying Almighty God whom she so earnestly sighed after while on earth, but nevertheless I don't doubt yourself and Dear Fr. Neale have not only granted her according to contract between our two Houses (like Lierre and Hoogstraete) but some little additions in your pious mementoes.

I wish your Rev^ce could have been at chapter yesterday in a corner, you would have been as delighted as I was to hear our dear Rev^d Mother in her

speech, say so many affectionate things of your Dear Foundation which she called the Benjamin of our House and by consequence ever to be the most loved and cherished, encouraged and helped and recommended the Nuns to pray with great ardour for its conservation and spiritual and temporal welfare. I am sure you have reciprocally in yours recommended our dear Com^ty also; and especially this our dear and Honored Superior that our Blessed Lord may be pleased long to conserve a life so valuable and precious to us all, and preserve her dear health to be able to see and go through as she does so many fatigues since her fervor will not be persuaded to do less.

I think it is sixteen years ago to-day since we last had the pleasure to see your Rev^ce and Worthy Fr. Neale: I hope the Sacrifice you then made of yourself to procure the glory of God, and the good of souls in extending our Holy Order as it must afford you consolation in seeing it so happily effected in your dear children; so may it be your joy and glory in a long eternity in company with all these dear souls who by your means have become spouses of the Lamb, and destined to follow Him wherever He goes.

I am now going to ask the charity of your holy prayers etc. for the soul of our poor dear Sister Mary Joseph of the Infant Jesus Maddocks aged sixty-seven professed forty-seven years, whom our Blessed Lord was pleased to deprive us of and release from her long and painful sufferings on y^e10^th inst R. I. P. We may truly say death always seems sudden, she having two or three times recovered from strokes which to the Doctors and us seemed immediate death, both they and we thought her now fixed in her paralitick state and likely to live some years being quite helpless, but in tolerable health; she went as usual to Holy Communion on Palm Sunday, Maunday Thursday and Easter Sunday; she began to sing Alleluia by herself whilst we were at the ceremonies on Holy Saturday and spent herself from thence to Tuesday evening in singing to everybody: "Alleluia to the Lamb that was slain and has washed us with His Blood. She had been singing “O Filii” with the Fa^r that evening and soon after Rev^d Mother went in, she showed her how her bad arm was agitated and in a minute or two was seized with another stroke which immediately took her speech and senses, and after some convulsion threw her into a sleep in which she remained till Thursday morning, and so expired without ever seeming to wake. Mr. De La Fosse gave her the Holy Oils on Wednesday evening altho' the Doctor said she was in no danger, and that the sleep nourished her. R. I. P. you know that she was a very pious and interior soul and that her whole life was a preparation for death, and especially her long illness has been so, that we greatly hope she had great part of her Purgatory here as she so frequently beg'^d of our Blessed Lord.

I begin to break our long silence with crying, “mea culpa” and imploring pardon, for I have long been uneasy at the pain I feared it would give

your dearest self and beloved children not to hear from us, and I think I can say with truth that it is more than a hundred times that I have proposed to write and something or other has intervened to put it off; so far my Dear Rev^d Mother of excuse, the rest I refer to your tender and affectionate heart to pardon, both in our Dearest Rev^d Mother and myself; and above all I beg you will be assured our silence has no ways proceeded from want of most tender regard respect and affection to your dear person, our beloved and dear Mother Clare Joseph nor to your dear flock whom we all love most tenderly and hold in our hearts wishing their perfection and sanctification as we do our own. It grieved us much to find your Rev^ce had two more such violent attacks of illness between your last letters and especially that in your throat, which must have been both a very great suffering and very dangerous from the account dear Sister Stanny has so kindly given me of it: all my consolation my dear Rev^d Mother (after that which the knowledge of your virtues of patience, resignation and Divine Love gives me) is to know that your dear children one and all are so sensible of the treasure they possess in their honored and dearest Superior; and so penetrated with filial affection, that whatever care or remedies can be procured to solace your sufferings and pains their affectionate hearts will not fail to apply: seconded by our most worthy and dear Father Neale, whom we most heartily congratulate, your Rev^ce and dear Com^ty for the happiness of retaining for your Father Director and Friend—I think it would almost have broken my heart as well as yours if his good Provincial had insisted on his going; being sensible of the terrible loss you would have sustained and I don't doubt it was the fervent prayers of the afflicted children that made our Blessed Lord inspire his Superior to let him remain; may the same holy prayers obtain of His Divine Majesty to encrease his health and conserve his precious life and yours many years, for the glory of God and increase of the merits of you both; and for the spiritual and temporal good of the dear American Mount Carmel, that it may flourish more and more; being pruned and cherished by your tender care.

All the foregoing letters from Lanherne were written by Sister Teresa of Jesus, Cowdrey. The following one gives an account of her death.

Little did I think when I did myself the pleasure of writing last in the letter of dear Mother Sub-prioress, that it was the last she would write to your Reverence, yes my dearest Rev^d Mother Almighty God has been pleased to visit us with the most sensible affliction, in calling to Himself our dear Mother Sub-prioress, Teresa of Jesus (alias Eliz. Cowdrey) on y^e 3^rd of March, professed 25 years. She had been poorly in Jan^ry and had caught cold, was very much oppressed tho' came to all dutys. On y^e second of Feb^ry got up in a great perspiration and went down to Holy Communion, from that time she visibly grew worse, but still went about in a very lingering way, unable to go to bed, or get up without help but frequently came down to Communion, her disorder was a dropsy on her breast which spread over her body, her legs and feet were violently swelled, but her sickness of Heart was her greatest suffering, the Doctor affirmed that weakness alone was the cause of her dropsy, thus she went on bearing her sufferings with much tranquility and uncommon cheerfulness. On Ash Wednesday she importuned leave to go to Holy Communion with the rest of the Com^ty; she was at the ceremony of the Ashes and heard Mass, she had a very bad night and on Thursday morning I observed her Medicines did not take the right effect, her swelling was much increased, her oppression, sickness at heart and retching increasing to an alarming degree, notwithstanding she got up and wanted to go to Mass but I did not permit her, she could take nothing, but retched without ceasing, she went on thus till a little before two in the afternoon, and I thought she was worse and worse, I begged Mr. De La Fosse to go and see her tho' he had been several times in y^e morning, he had not found her in any danger, but she had asked him to hear her confession, but he told her there was no need and she remained happy and content, but when he went to see her just before Vespers, he found her much changed, and told her he would hear her confession but she said she did not wish it as she found herself something better, but she would do what he thought best, (she had such a comfort and consolation and an intire confidence in him that at the least word she was always ready to submit) she went to confession and Almighty God was pleased to stop her retching, so that towards five o'clock she had the consolation to receive her Holy Viaticum, sitting in her chair. She got up and put on her mantle, and did some little things in her room, was very chearful and spoke to everyone with perfect content and happiness. About seven I said to her I think if you were to take a little red wine it would do you good she said, “I will”—S^trLouise gave her a small glass and she said, “I think it has done me good and it is the only thing I have found a relief in all my sickness.” She said, “I could eat a bit of dry toast,” she had it and eat half with a drop more wine, siting by me on the side of her bed,

and she said every now and then I am better I shall be better to-morrow and from time to time I find myself heavy to sleep, but when I dose I always see myself a dying—she repeated this to me four or five times, I found myself alarmed but did not perceive she appeared worse—Sister Angela called me and told me the Doctor was come, I went and told her—as it happened to be the one she liked the least, she answered, I am sorry for he will ask me a hundred questions. When he came in, she spoke and answered as usual and enquired after his family etc. He felt her pulse but did not find her in immediate danger. I conducted him down and he said he would send her something that would relieve her. I returned immediately to her cell and Sr. Louise met me at the door said, she was asleep, that the moment I went down with y^e Doctor she was so eager to go to bed, she turned her habit over her head with that vivasity she was quite astonished and then got into bed and said to her pull off my stockings quick, quick, she did so and she fell asleep, Sister Louise had not finished telling me this but she awoke, and said, “I must get up,” I bg'd her not but in a moment she turned herself off the bed and began to retch and vomit,—I found her very ill and thought we should never get her on the bed again, but she made her last effort, and returned to her bed, all the Nuns were in the Refectory at their Colation except S^tr Louise and myself. She said when on her bed, “give me a cup of green tea” but I made S^tr Louise a sign to call the Father, he came and found her very bad, ran down to his chamber and brought up the Holy Oils (S^tr Louise called the Nuns) she was very sensible to the very last moment and spoke to the Father and me, she quietly expired without a groan, R. I. P. I am sure my dearest Rev^d Mother it would be a loss of time to enumerate all her excellent virtues, qualifications and useful talents that she possessed as you are as well acquainted with them as myself and the irreparable loss we sustain in this dear and much lamented Mother; she was a great help to me on every occasion, so that I felt the loss of her more than any one, and shall feel it daily more and more, I recommend her dear and precious soul to your Rev^ces and holy Com^tys prayers with Mass, Communions and suffrages of the Order according to Contract, and to the holy Sacrifices of worthy Father Neale to all the College, Novitiate etc. of the holy Society, you must my Dearest, tell your dear children they must give her a double portion of prayers as she had laboured so much for that foundation. She loved your Rev^ce and them so tenderly and interested herself with everything that regarded the spiritual and temporal good of your house, and when in the full enjoyment of her Heavenly Spouse, I am confident will not be unmindful of you all before God for she was continually occupied about you all I may truly say to her last moments, for in the morning before she died, she told me that if ever I found an occasion to send anything to your Rev^ce that she begged me to send some little things she had prepared for you etc, etc., and as soon as I can meet with an opportunity shall send them, with some other trifles I have collected: But the mother of Acton has never

given me an answer to two or three letters I wrote to her and I have just heard from Cocken Hall that it is the Visitandines from Brussels that have set out for America I am glad of it for the good of the new Foundation, but I am sorry that I have no means or opportunity to send what I should be glad to present to your Reverence my dearest Mother, and your amiable children with before I die, and at the present moment I don't think it would be prudent to venture anything, till the affairs are well settled between the two countries. We hear nothing from our old friends at Antwerp, for every port is shut to us, that is governed by Bonaparte so that it is impossible to get anything from thence not even a letter, for poor people, they are all in slavery to this tyrant.

The good Mother of the Visitandines at Acton has never answered my letters in regard to the Religious that were demanded by Bp. Neale for the foundation of that order, but I received a letter just now from Cocken Hall that the Visitandines from Brussels was set off by way of Holland for America which I am sorry for, as I shall not meet, I fear with an occasion of sending a few more poor things before I die to your Rev^ces, but if I ever can meet with an opportunity you may rely I shall most willingly embrace it, but I must beg a favor of your Rev^ces and all your dear children to make a novena for us for two or three good English Novices with good vocation and the true spirit of our Holy Mother St. Teresa.

Lanherne.—Of our Convent of St. Joseph and St. Ann of the English discalced Carmelites lately of Antwerp with all the sacred rites of our Holy Mother the church, departed this life on the 11^thof Feb'y. 1814 our beloved Rev^d Mother Mary Xaveria of the angels (alias Agnes Wright) aged 60, professed 41, prioress 17 years whose soul we recommend to your prayers and sacrifices that she may eternally rest in peace.

This dear Rev^d Mother whose memory will ever be most affectionately revered in our Community and whose loss will be long and deeply felt, was born in Yorkshire of Catholic parents. Her mother dying in childbirth of her, she was committed to the care of a pious aunt who brought her up very christianly and with all the tenderness and attention of a mother. At twelve years of age she went over to a Convent of Annunciades at Boulogne, where she made her first Communion and conceived the desire of consecrating herself to Jesus Christ in a religious state; which desire she preserved after her return to England until her 19^th year, when she carried it into effect by leaving country, friends, relations, despising the advantages her many qualifications of mind and body might have procured her in the

world, and embracing the Carmelite Order in our Monastery of Antwerp. She could not however consummate this sacrifice until the twenty-fifth year of her age (the law of the country not permitting it). But this trial and others she underwent during her long Noviceship, far from shaking her holy resolution it seemed on the contrary still more to strengthen and confirm it.

As a private Religious her life was always very holy and exemplary, which joined to an excellent capacity, solid judgment and sweet temper rendered her a most valuable member. As a superior, her loss is in a manner irreparable, as she justly possessed the love and esteem of all the Community which she governed with a very great prudence and charity, and to which she has rendered very eminent services. From her youth she has suffered much from erisypelis humour in her face which at length striking in, brought on a dropsy which terminated her mortal existence, after long and violent sufferings which she supported with the most christian fortitude and edifying patience. For like a St. Francis Regis, the sight of a crucifix which she held in her hand and kissed incessantly, softened and alleviated her pains. Her countenance was always serene and never was greater tranquility beheld in a dying person. She preserved the liberty of her senses and her speech to the last. Nothing was heard from her but warm and affectionate prayers, tender aspirations, ardent and longing desires of her heavenly country....

From the first moment she was informed of her danger, it seemed as if every earthly concern, in which so many years of superiority had necessarily engaged her, had entirely withdrawn from her mind, which was occupied solely with God and eternity. She received four times during her illness the holy Viaticum, the last time about two hours before she expired, and the last absolution some time after at which she made the sign of the cross. Soon after she raised her eyes to Heaven and said “In manus tuas Domine,” and expired without a groan.

Thus did her happy soul purifed not only by a long and painful sickness, but also by several other severe trials and afflictions which happened to her these later years, take, as we may confidently hope, its fight to Heaven, which comfortable hope assuages the bitter sorrow with which our Community laments the loss of so worthy and so beloved a Mother.

Your Reverence & beloved Comty have great reason to complain of my seeming negligence and indifference by so long a silence on occasion of the unfortunate days we live in of war. I am very sorry as it has deprived the Dead of your holy prayers, Father Neale and those of your dear flock, I take advantage of the first opportunity, which I have had since the melancholy event of the death of our beloved Rev^d Mother Mary Xaveria to comply with her request of writing to her most esteemed and valued friend

Rev. Mother Clare. You will find in her Circulatory letter all the particulars of her sickness and truly happy death, which we doubt not was to her a Passage to a happy Immortality, but how shall I, my dear Mother, describe the loss we all and particularly myself have sustained in her, she has been from my first entrance into Religion the object of my esteem and most tender affection and has reciprocally ever entertained for me the most affectionate regard and since I have had the happiness to have her for my Superior, my heart has in a manner rested upon her, it has however pleased Our Blessed Lord, who is the Master of His own gifts to demand of me the sacrifice of her (perhaps the greatest He could have required) and I do not refuse Him the submission of mine to His ever holy and adorable Will, soon my Dear Rev^d Mother and we know not how soon we shall I hope be again reunited with her in the Bosom of our common Parent—I am assured her loss is a very great one and will be very heavily felt by you, who had for her so very sincere a friendship and affectionate attachment. How much I wish tho' I feel myself so incapable of it, that it were in my power to supply her loss to you, of this be assured, that my good will will never be wanting and that you may always command my friendship and poor prayers. Your dear departed friend did not receive your last letter but she very frequently spoke of you and always in terms the most affectionate, friendly and grateful, for the great comfort you have rendered her by your good advice etc., for which she desired me to return you her most grateful thanks and to say she hoped that you will have the goodness to pray for her dear departed soul and particularly Father N—in the holy Sacrifice of Mass, also to assure you, that if she found mercy with Almighty God she would not fail to beg His Divine Majesty to give you everything which can contribute to His own Glory and the good and happiness of you both and every blessing for your holy community.

Our dear Rev^dMother begs a share in your holy Prayers and those of your beloved flock and begs her respects to your Rev^ce and all that is most affectionate to each of our Dear and beloved Sisters; she will be very happy if you continue the favour to correspond with us as usual. I assure your Rev^ce it will be a heartfelt comfort and consolation to us to find that you have received my letter. Sister Mary Frances, Sr. Ann Mary, Sr. Joseph Frances, Sr. Stanislaus, Sr. Mary Winefrid and Louise Teresa beg their humble respects to our worthy friend Father Neele and to your Rev^ce, hope you enjoy good health and all kinds of blessings spiritual and temporal and humbly beg a share in his holy prayers repeating the same request to your Rev^ce for our dear Reverend Mother and all the Com^ty. I remain Honor^d and dear Rev^d Mother with the most tender respect and affection,

This Sister was the last professed at the convent of Antwerp. She was a very useful and edifying member of the community, and died at Lanherne, Nov. 27th, 1840.

Lanherne.—Of our Convent of St. Joseph and St. Ann of the English Discalced Carmelites formerly of Antwerp, with all the sacred rites of our Holy Mother the Church, departed this life on the 27^th of November 1840 our beloved Sister Louise Teresa of the S^d Hearts of Jesus and Mary ( alias de Bromver) aged 71 Professed 48 years.

When I informed you of the death of our dear St^r M. Winefrid, I did not think I should so soon have had the mournful task of informing you of that of our dear Sister Louisa, she appeared to be recovering from the disease which had put her in such danger a month ago, and tho' our medical adviser perceived a few days ago symptoms of dropsy, he did not at all think her so near her end; she communicated fasting on the feast of our H. F. St. John of the Cross and on the 26^th found herself some what better and expressed hopes of recovery, she died without agony about half past eleven on the morning of the 27^th there was just time for our worthy Confessor to arrive and give her the last absolution, but she had breathed her last before the Comty could reach her room, dear Rev^d Mother happily was with her. R. I. P. We have lost in her a pious amiable and laborious member and a great example of courage in sufferings of which she had a large share throughout her religious life.

Dear Sr. Stanislaus is now in her 86^th year and is now the only remaining dear Sister from Antwerp, she is a native of that place so dear to our ancient beloved Mothers and Sisters; she enjoys perfect health and spirits but to walk or stand is as helpless as an infant, yet she has the happiness of being daily present at the holy Sacrifice. She is drawn with the greatest ease in her Carmelite carriage through two long spacious galleries into the choir, it is not quite so easy to get her in and out being so very helpless; her carriage is an arm chair cleverly fixed on four low wheels made to turn any way you please. Our infirmary is so situated that the sick cannot hear Mass there.

The following extract gives an account of the death of Sister M. Joseph, Jessop. She and her sister, Sister M. Nicholas, were the last survivors of the Hoogstraet Community.

It has pleased the Almighty to afflict us in calling to himself our very dear and beloved Mother Mary Joseph of St. John Nepomucene (alias Ann Jessop) aged 81 years 5 months 13 days and of her Religious Profession 60 years 8 months and 2 days. This dear Mother made her holy profession in

the hands of your worthy Foundress Mother Bernadine and was companion in the noviceship with her two dear nieces, Srs. Mary Aloysia and Mary Eleanor. She has always been a most fervent religious, active, laborious and exact to all our holy duties, particularly to silence, charity and the divine office. She had a particular devotion to our blessed Lady, St. Joseph and her holy patron St. John Nepomucene, and being blest with good health, she continued to observe our holy rule in its full rigor until 71 years of age, when she began to fail, and for the last 7 years she has been constantly confined to the Infirmary; every winter she had very heavy colds on the chest and had repeated attacks of Paralysis, all which she has borne with an unalterable peace and calm resignation to the ever adorable Will of her Heavenly spouse whom she had loved and served so faithfully when in health. Within these last months we saw her gradually waste away and were afraid we should soon be deprived of her, but alas! were far from thinking it would take place so soon. Our Dr. came to see her the eve of her death, and assured us there was no danger and that he even found her better. She continued the same until about midnight, when her Infirmarian found her more oppressed and finding she grew worse called upon our dear Rev^d Mother, who found her very ill. We called our dear Father who came immediately with his usual goodness, and gave her Extreme Unction, the last Absolution and applied to her the indulgence of the Order, and after reciting the agonizing prayers she calmly expired about half past eight on the 21st of January. Dr. Rev^d Mother, myself and the Infirmarians present, the rest of the Com^ty were assisting at a Mass which was being said for her. R. I. P. I am happy to say that her dear sister, Sr. Mary Nicholas, has borne this severe trial better than we could have expected, and assisted at everything. Pray dear Rev^d Mother for the conservation of this dear Sister, who is the last of our dear Mothers of Hoogstraete. God grant that their ancient spirit may always reign amongst us, as it has hitherto done.

Sister Mary Nicholas (Jessop), mentioned in the preceding letter, died at Valognes in 1857 in the 90th year of her age. She passed 71 years in religion where her holy life was a source of edification to all who knew her.

The community of Darlington, whence the following letters came, was that of Lierre.

Sister Euphrasia¹ is troubled with an asthma and weakness of chest but she is altogether very clever and so full of fervour. She is much beloved by all who know her being a very interesting character and possesses a great

fund of goodness. She is a great translator and we possess many treasures of piety which her industry has procured the Community. She begs me to give her sisterly love to all.

I must now tell you dear Revd Mother that we have begun our little church the first stone was laid on our Blessed Lady of Nives and although the weather has been very unfavorable for the last two months from almost constant rain, yet we shall soon, please God, have it covered in, which we are anxious to do before the winter sets in—Well tho' affairs are not settled altogether and some forebode great troubles befalling England, yet we had not a rational cause for delaying the good task especially as it was requisite to perfect our enclosure. We determined to put this affair into the hands of God and our Blessed Lady and set about it for God's glory and the perfection of our holy Rule—

Our good Bishop after singing Mass etc. proceeded to the ceremony of laying the first stone—But first on the site where the church stands, we had an Altar prepared and a large statue of our Blessed Lady's Immaculate Conception placed on it, with a ribbon round her and fastened through her hand.

When the Bishop with several attending priests were ready, we advanced in procession with mantles, veils and lights singing the Litany of Loretto. The Bishop said and sang the appointed prayers and psalms.

When the stone was to be placed our good father stood by the statue and the ribbon was fastened to a plug in the stone (in which relics etc. were put) and as the stone gradually moved to its destination the ribbon passed through the hand of our Celestial Queen and beauty of Carmel. The little document with the relics was the following—"J. M. J. T—On the feast of our Blessed Lady ad Nives and in honor of the Immaculate Conception in the year of our Lord 1848 being the 200 year of the filiation of the Monastery from the Mother House of Antwerp, was laid by the Revd William Smyth Administrator of the Northern District, the foundation stone of the first Carmelite Temple in England since the ill-called Reformation—May her heavenly Majesty reform and enlighten this land of darkness and may no humble suppliant of her intercession in this her dwelling depart unconsoled or unassisted--May she our Mother and Queen of Carmel lead to an ever constant advance in perfection, the present and future inmates of this monastery dedicated to her protection and St. Josephs—May the sacred Queen of Carmel shed her benign influence on our devoted Pastor who spared no pains nor labour in drawing out the plan of this little church in order to render it perfect in the spirit and letter of our Holy Rule and who will watch with devoted care its rising progress and completion to the glory of the Immaculate Queen of Carmel. A. M. D. G." At the bottom we all signed our names—I thought this little account might interest you. Do pray dear Rev^d Mother that we may accomplish our work to the glory of God and the comfort of this dear com^ty. I must tell you (tho' my paper is nearly filled up) that our building consists of a preparatory room to prepare

for Office,—in the same line as the choir—We enter by two doors to a very pretty snug choir; in the front of the grate is the Chancel, to the left hand the Priests Vestry and at the back of it our Sacristans Room and adjoining, her Turn etc.; there is of course no communication, but the Turn and Drawer thro' which she puts what is wanted by the servant who dresses the church etc. On the left side of the Chancel is the seculars chapel to hold about 50 or so, a very pretty place. The style of the whole is Gothic what is called Early English, very simple and neat and when finished will be very complete, but our Fathers chief devotion are the Infirmaries which are above the preparatory in which is a large window. The centre window is the high choir for anyone's private devotion and on each side of this choir is an Oratory for two Infirmaries for the comfort of the sick so that were they confined to bed they could hear Mass and see the high altar for above the grate there is a large window which gives a beautiful view without any one being able to see in.

It is my painful duty to inform you that it has pleased our Blessed Lord to call to himself our beloved Sister Euphrasia Maria, her death was indeed a sweet sleep in the Lord. She expired on Sunday morning whilst our dear Rev^d Father was turning round at the altar to give the Benediction of the Bd. Sacrament to the Com^ty. She calmly yielded up her happy soul into the hands of its Creator whilst we pronounced “Into thy hands oh Lord we commend her spirit.” She looked like an angel, Our dear Father and the Com^ty hastened to the Infirmary but the vital spirit had fled to the bosom of its God. Nor can we doubt but she met a welcome reception from her beloved Spouse whom she so ardently loved. Lest however any stain remains uncancelled, I earnestly entreat your suffrages and those of your dear children, that her ardent wishes to enjoy the beloved of her heart may soon be accomplished. She often expressed during her short sickness an ardent desire to die on the feast of St. Joseph, her dear Father, she loved so much and her desires were I think more than granted she dying before the 1^st Vespers of his feast in the 78 year and 8^th month of her age. God grant we may live to imitate her bright and heroic virtues. She has left us so high an example of particularly ardent love of God and her neighbor, lively faith, great zeal for the Glory of God and the increase of Religion, great devotion to Holy Communion and love to our B^d Lady and St. Joseph and all the Saints—She was a model of prompt obedience had a profound respect for her superiors, open and candid in all her proceedings; had a fund of religious simplicity, gay and cheerful in her comportment and loved dearly to be with the Com^ty. How much, dear Mother, we feel the loss of this dear Sister and yet her death has been a subject of great consolation to us, her holy body, the temple of the living God had something so sweet

and calm in its appearance, that it quite removed all fear and apprehension. It was only about 3 weeks previous to her death, that the dear Sister complained of pains in her chest and shoulder, the Dr. said it was water on the chest and some danger attended it. So our good Father lost no time but gave her the holy viaticum and Extreme Unction, a few days after she received our Blessed Lord again, I said to her “my dear Sister, Our Lord will be glad to come and visit you on your bed of sickness” and she replied with energy “I shall be glad to see Him! I long to possess my God!” after communion she appeared better for some days. The Dr. even thought she might rally again, but on Friday the 10^th her pains grew worse and about 10 that night I was watching by her and she had such a bad attack I thought she would have died, she never spoke after but recovered her senses and remained perfectly conscious to the last and expressed her joy by signs when our Confessor or any of us prayed by her. The Sisters had just finished Office that night she had the bad attack and having got our confessor called, they hastened to the Infirmary. I suppose that it was the water that rose upward. She had spoken so nicely a few moments before—“dear Rev^d Mother” she said “give me your blessing and give me our B^d Ladys blessing (meaning to kiss her holy relic which was in the room.) and then go and rest and I will try to sleep in our Lords Heart.” I retired to the other side of the room and she continued her soliloquy with her dear dear Lord thanking Him over and over again, and telling Him she would now rest in His Heart; a short time after her pains became worse. She thought a blister might relieve her, I had it at hand and made her one in a few minutes I took it but she seemed heavy and said “go to rest dear Mother I am heavy and will try to sleep,” about a minute after she started up as if waking out of a trance, stretched out her arms and said “what is that;” I said “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” her eyes fixed like death for some time and then she returned to herself, but could not speak, thus she continued till the morning she died, but had several similar attacks tho' less violent—I have now my dear mother given you a little sketch but a very imperfect one of this beloved Sister of ours, but a future day will remove the veil and show us wonders! Oh how good is God, how faithful to those who do His will! this dear Sister would have renounced a thousand worlds to possess her God. She was professed in our convent at Lier and three days after had to leave that sacred abode and fly to England with the Com^ty. The French Revolution carrying plunder and desolation over all the Low Countries. She rejoiced to see our dear Com^ty happily settled and enclosed in our present convent. A few days before her death she said to one of our Sisters “oh what a joy it is to me to see such Charity and Union amongst the Sisters. Our Lord must bless them for their charity!” She had indeed a great heart and full of charity, full of piety, full of love for God and her Sisters, and so humble, her constant saying “oh! if God shows me mercy! I abandon myself to His holy Will and pleasure, Lord help me I am nothing, can do nothing, but I love you, I abandon myself into your hands, you can do all things!”

I am happy to say our dear Sisters are well excepting the two old ones who feel our dear Sister's death much, they all unite in cordial and affectionate remembrance to you, Reverend Mother—Mother Subprioress and each as if named. I must now conclude dear Reverend Mother with much esteem believe me

We send you a piece of the Habit of Mother Mary Baptist, which we rightly look on as a relic, and also her photograph, which we feel sure you will be delighted to have. Are we not fortunate to have it? When we came to England we desired so earnestly to have it taken not being as yet enclosed, but our entreaties were in vain, however the Bishop sent her an order of obedience to have it taken and so to our great joy we got it. Our beloved Rev^d Mother was very holy from a child, she entered at 19 and her superior Mother Teresa Maria soon saw what a treasure was confided to her care. Her humility was such that one would have thought she did not know her A. B. C. she always sought the lowest and most abject offices and was foremost when anything of the kind was to be done. When the Superior found fault with anything she would immediately kiss the ground and take all the blame to herself, tho' she had not done it. She seemed to love to kiss the ground so constantly did she do so. She loved and desired humiliations greatly, and has told me she used to long for Mother Teresa Maria¹ to come to recreation that she might receive one. Humility was her favorite virtue, though loved and honored by all, revered as a Saint both in France and in England, her counsel and advice sought by Priests and Religious as well as laity, she thought herself the worst of all, and wondered how anyone, even her children, could love her so, attributing it to God's goodness. This same virtue made her hide most dexterously the many high Supernatural favors she received even from her entrance, so that unfortunately but few have come to our knowledge, but these give us, a clue to what must have been. She always made no account of such things and only esteemed solid virtue; even we in familiar discourse and daily communication could not have guessed she had any favors of the kind.

¹Mother Teresa Maria, alias Duck, lived to a great age in the convent of Valogne. A letter, dated Valogne, Nov. 29th, 1858, says: "Dear Mother T. Maria keeps tolerably well considering the very cold weather, she was 97 July last, a great age, yet she is able to go about and be Procuratrix, we should be glad if kind heaven pleases to preserve her yet some years. She is of great assistance to dear Rev^d Mother having an excellent understanding and her mental faculties continue perfectly sound."

Her simplicity and obedience was that of a child, it was always prompt, blind and perfect in every way. Her Superior corrected her for things she had not done; she always believed she had done them, until her Superior on her death bed told her she had not. . . .

Several miracles were the fruits of this perfect obedience. Her Superior told her once to put her hand in the fire, she did so and was not in the least burnt; another time she told our beloved Mother to plant the broken stalk of a lily and water it every day; she did so and when the snow blockaded the door, so that it could not open, she got through the window; tho' naturally the stalk would have withered immediately, it took root and became a beautiful lily. When she entered she did not know French, one day her Superior gave her a particular and difficult letter in French, telling her to answer it, she took it without saying that she did not know a word or any reply, and wrote a most beautiful answer, not only without a mistake in grammar or orthography but in a perfect finished style; from that day she understood, spoke and wrote French as well as a native. Her love for the Divine Office was very great, she had a beautiful voice and was in a full perspiration on the coldest day in winter when assisting at it, thro' the heat of divine love and her exertions to perform it in the holiest manner possible. She was most exact to the least ceremony, to the pause, psalmody, pronunciation etc. inculcating the same unto us with all possible care. Nothing escaped her vigilant maternal eye in the choir nor anywhere else. Perfect herself in all she did however trivial, exact in the minutest things, she laboured continually with the greatest sweetness and motherly love to make all her children the same. Fidelity in little things was her constant maxim. I never once saw her fail in the smallest things the 20 years I am here. In younger days her labours were very great, and as the Com^ty was very poor, unable to pay workmen, and even sometimes the postage of a letter she did a great deal of all sorts of work, and was extremely clever, white-washing, painting, gilding etc. often her dear feet would be bleeding at night. It was wonderful how she knew everything from cooking and the meanest thing to the highest office; she had a special talent for governing and was 43 years Prioress without interruption; this office was most repugnant to her humility, she earnestly desired to be freed from it, and obedience alone and God's holy Will made her submit to it. What God wills! was her constant saying and her perfect conformity to it in the many hard trials of her long life was admirable. Some months after her holy profession she was taken ill with the ague, after that the gastric fever, then an inflamatory one; she offered herself to suffer to gain souls and her life was one of constant suffering; she has had several illnesses since we came to England, besides a malady in the stomach which hindered her from eating, save very little and that mostly pounded, living more like an infant as to the quantity of food; we have known her to be three weeks without a mouthful, nothing but milk and lime water. Quantities of leeches, blisters etc. Her life was one of continual and great suffering, yet never was there

the smallest sign of impatience, but always the same gaiety and cheerfulness, and many would have thought her quite well when she was in acute pain; her energy was wonderful and pulled her thro' illnesses under which others would have sunk, the doctor was sometimes surprised himself how she could get about and say the office in her extreme state of weakness. When forbidden to say the Office it was a great pain to her; she said it within about a fortnight before her holy death. We have often been extremely edified by her perfect obedience to the doctor and to Mother Sub Prioress during her illnesses and at all times. Mother subprioress might have been her Superior to judge by her simple punctual obedience.

“What does it matter children (she would sometimes say to us) provided we do not do our will.” Even when in France the doctor said her life was a miracle. She suffered also extremely from lumbago, we have seen her go to Holy Communion bent double and scarcely able to walk, and come back from the sacred table perfectly straight and quite cured. Holy Communion was her greatest joy and she was obliged to go daily in France when able, but her many illnesses, particularly of later years often deprived her of this happiness. This was a great privation to her and she only used to say humbly when we spoke of it, that our Lord did not find her worthy. Her charity towards us words cannot describe. There was never a thought of self in her, entirely devoted to God and her neighbor, it was very true to put on her mortuary “she lived only for God and her children.” Once when very ill at Valogne's she said to our Lord tho' so anxious to quit this exile and go to her beloved “But what will become of my children dear Lord” and then imitating the generous self sacrifice of St. Martin, she offered herself to live and suffer for us, as long as He should please. Her devotedness, love and care for us, even in the minutest thing, was extraordinary, even till the very last. The soul claimed the first place, she spared neither time, trouble nor sufferings to help us and her advices were beautifully adapted to each one. She was most thoughtful in providing for all our wants even the least; I have often been surprised how she could with her many preoccupations remember such little trivial things. She would take our sufferings upon herself, praying for them and obtaining them, as I have myself experienced. Countless were the souls she gained to God by her prayers, sufferings, counsels and directions whether by letter or word of mouth. Priests, religious, and laity all sought her advice and bear testimony to her high sanctity and knowledge of their souls by revelation. As to us she could see thro' our backs or without seeing us know all. There was something so sweet, so attractive, so holy about her that she won all hearts, even those who only saw her once. She had the gift of speech, she would discourse to us so beautifully and fluently that half an hour was as a few minutes, we were never tired of listening to her. We have many beautiful canticles of her composing. I have asked leave to copy two for you as I am sure they will give you pleasure.

Now it grows very serious my mother,—the parting, & may be not to see you, o blessed, blessed, blessed souls of this our American Carmel.

Speciosa Deserti & lilia convallium—Every day may be the last on earth for me, for you my Mother & ye all her worthy Daughters—but just so has been the pleasing moment granted to me after 15 years of landing on this shore more endeared to me—it had always been so desired—& you have made it so extremely kind.

May that only joy of meeting as souls who wish to live but to their Jesus, his priests or his sacred spouses, ever be so pleasingly felt as it has been to my own heart these two days. I wish no greater encouragement to my friends when they will succeed me here for, whether simplicity or awkwardness I yield entirely to the pleasure of telling you how delighted I have been, how finding me among you nearer to the Sacred Heart to which you live so beautifully offered & united in this happy solitude.

Speciosa, Speciosissima Deserti—You live under his roof, return continually to praise him in his own presence in that choir, dead & lost to the world, though your very name the sweetest edification abroad while your lifted hands are the very strength & hope of all our rising churches.

0 Speciosa, Speciosissima lilia Deserti! I May I only be faithful to my own share of that common grace of your prayers, best of mothers, & ye all her worthy daughters. Accept my full gratitude & love in J. & M.

The above was written by Bishop Bruté at the close of his first visit to Mt. Carmel as a letter of farewell.

I have sent by the hands of a trusty friend your kind favour for your dear Sisters in France. I am very sensible of your goodness for my part to pray for me as I willingly promise to do the same—I send you a picture of your Holy Mother who cannot be better than at home on this shore—You will not refuse this little more of my feeble marks of a respect, & devotion to her so precious institute. May our Lord preserve, & favour it in this

Country, & bring in his mercy the times when “the beautiful plain of the wilderness shall grow fat, & the hills shall be girded about with joy”—for much of that heavenly joy even now in your blessed abode—This is the desire of one who is with so much respect Rev. Mother

My good most Rev^d beloved Mother, whom I saw once may be not to see again in life, though ever even at distance so to respect and love—so to be grateful for such a charitable reception. I heard with all feeling of the alarms of the Carmel for you, joined as well as I could to the common prayers, asked those of the sisters here, as at the Visitation from whence I had received the tidings of your illness. Now I join again in the common consolation since it has pleased Our Lord to spare once more the mother of such a family—until his own hour which no respites, & furloughs, can make us lose sight of. Indeed younger, & so stout in life, I must not forget that I may go long before you mother. This very day we bury a good very aged widow who long kept the tailoring of this house, Mrs. Devoy whom we will just put on the right of her husband himself once the tailor & their daughter Mrs. Redman is buried on his left, thus this is the way of all flesh, but our beloved lives & reigns forever in his glorious heavens—nay, O Mystery, o the only joy & honour of this earth if it were better attended to, he lives all glorious, & merciful upon our altars.—Nay, you showed him to me in your choir ever present in the middle of his choicest souls—pray him much to bless our house, this seminary, we destined to give him priests in his America, with the other seminaries, & noviceships. We heard too of a happy departure from among you, the daughter who, may be, as we read examples in the lives of Saints, had offered herself for the mother—I had also her soul prayed for here by all.

I received a letter of Bishp. David to whom I had given some account of my so pleasing journey to the Carmel. He desires to be remembered to your prayers, speaking of you & all with great feeling, & indeed of that suit¹ of avarice against so good a house with affliction—but may be I trespass against charity & do not edify you, since it is better to put yet better construction on your poor suitors forgetting their better eternal interests if they rather did consolidate than pull down the house of God, still they may deceive themselves by the usual pretences of rights—family—interest & duty etc. May God still bless them & His own holy Will be done for your blessing or humiliation—You pray for them, & I am wrong to be hard.

Give if please most Reverend Mother my respects & love to Rev^d Mr Fenwick whose so kind attentions I do remember with yours with the most grateful heart—Vouchsafe also remember me in the Community—Mr. Jamison is well now, after having been indisposed with that general influenza—We lost one boy, a young Spaniard, pray for him. Sister Joanna Smith is well, she lives with us, nurse of our sick, & watching the family of the divers departments.

Permit me to request your fervent prayers for my good friend of so many years M.de Closriviere, who after so long an illness, & so much of very holy preparation, & most edifying patience, & peace, departed out of this vale of tears last Friday, & left in great affliction a family as attached to him as you are so justly to Fr. Fenwick—he will also I am sure freely grant his memento at the altar to a common brother.—

I left at the mountain a letter which I have received of Cassini st. in Paris in answer to the one which we wrote together to them when I was so happy, a couple of days at your Carmel it reached them—they answer most affectionately, & announce something sent to your monastery through M. Xaupy—I wrote to him to forward it to me, or to you, as I hear has been the case & the best thus straight on for all I will try to send you too the letter I have received.

I had left the brother of Sr Jamison¹ very well, living with us at that dear mountain where I go to resume my class tomorrow—Pray dear Mother & all your holy Community that good priests be granted to this needy church of America—indeed so much good to be done—vouchsafe too, pray for our France no less in need of prayers against the rage of …²

Permit me to unite with you all from this place on this great day of your most holy Order—truly hidden in God, still the priests can feel a great

¹This was Sister Ambrosia Jamison. Her brother was at one time president of Mt. St. Mary's College.

consolation sometimes to turn their soul towards your solitude & think how do you strive there for his love & the ways of perfection—the more so when knowing that it is with a good share of the cross, the great gift of your vocation under such models as St. Teresa, & St. John of the Cross. Vowed to poverty, & truly poor in your present circumstances, as I have understood, I again enclose my penny, myself a poor priest, but abundantly supplied here. I trust your good heart not to find my simple love improper— yet keep it silent for fear it would give temptations to others to judge it in fact improper. I would have been happy to travel to your holy abode & spend one day with you & F. Fenwick—I can't, but I entreat your prayers for us all here.—Most respectfully dear Mother

I received yesterday your kind letter of the 17th. I am glad to find that reports were exaggerated—they said that you were thinking of means & ways, as if truly exposed in your further existence in your dear Carmel—obliged to try to rise an Academy—or even to retire to Europe!—it would grieve me to have caused you pain in believing so easily part of these exaggerated fears of your friends—but your charity will have seen but theirs to love more than reproach, & in the same time your blessed acts of higher confidence in God than in their vain solicitude will have but added to the crown you think only how to enrich the more in your hidden corner. I had on your good day of the 16^th inclosed what I could more, accept of it dear Mother with the same kind heart, as it is now forwarded by father McElroy who was here with us at the Sisters for their St. Vincent's day & whom I accompanied back to Frederick.—I am glad you pray daily for us, for we want it so much to form our young clergymen—6 went priests this year to New York, & Philadelphia & Mr. Lynch with us—the world, poor blind world, may think as low as possible of you, you smile at it in your sleeve, as St. Teresa, pity its folly, & fear only not to fulfill well enough the eminence of that usefulness which rather belongs to you in the eyes of faith, since everything comes from praying—or alas! comes not from not praying, or praying badly—We, the priests with our altar & office, as priests still more responsible than you, though too often so far we are of praying so well as you good women so true to your love, and vows. Now, Mother, take not indeed the trouble of answering me, excuse me rather to have thus, through respect & through affection, troubled you myself with these two letters.

My best respects, if please, to the Rev.^d father of yours, Brother of mine, whose good humour could often all keep you all laughing the more at any occasional inconvenience, & neglect of the world.

S. BRUTÉ.

418 Appendixes.

We are all well, & Sister Joanna to whom I will read your kind lines for her. I saw her on St. Vincent's day—they made election of a new Mother the day after; their Mother Rose who has done so well with them could not for the Constittitions, be reelected a 3^d time. They elected Sr Mary Augustine who is now at their house of Washington—Rev. M. Egan is now travelling, Philad. & New Yk—We have the pleasure to have together here in this moment Father Rantzan, M. Tessier, M. Deluol & M. Chance—Father Rantzan has preached this morning an excellent sermon on the conversion of St. Mary Magdalene.

†

My dear Sister,

I will be too short for so kind a letter, but so great is our hurry, all of us, that your charity, will easily excuse me—this blessed day of St. Joseph, so dear to St. Teresa—here also so sacred, so great a protector he has been to our dear Sisters as to your community.—Now at last the Nest secured, only to be made a little better to any intent & purpose of greater facility of carrying on your sacred rule, & any blessing of edification for your neighborhood, if for instance some help of education would be properly offered to it, which I presume not indeed to judge—May your divine Lord's only will, only love, for his will is His love, be done with your holy family! What other cry is heard in Heaven from every one of your hearts, on the day of such a wonderful & affecting model of the most pure, & simple seeking of it through all events, in St. Joseph! Oh—even as for the moment & manner of the removal of such a Mother to her place above, near Joseph, & Mary, & Theresa & our good Louise of France, & St. Peter of Alcantara, & St. John of the Cross—for it, all is ready love & simplest acquiescence under the most tender partings of such a heart as hers, & as yours! please to offer my humble respect to her, & all her family—All well here, M. Jamison (M. Joseph Worman too, today alas! only as yet his communion, we the very altar alas! all, all to one so unworthy, so excessive the condescension of our Lord. I do recommend him with my whole heart to your secret prayers, so well inclined now and doing all he can)—pray, vouchsafe to pray much for our Mountain, & particularly the young clergy—I had always so much joy at heart to think that St. Theresa wants you to be all interested for the missions of the whole world!

Very respectfully—yr ob^ed servant

S. BRUTÉ .

I wish fervently that the Carmel may prosper here—& continue to bless, as I am sure it does our America in the secret of our Adorable.—

Appendixes. 419

†

J. M. J. T.

14^th January 1830

MOUNT ST. MARY'S

My dear Sister,

Perhaps your venerable, & beloved Mother¹ has entered the joy of her Lord before you receive this acknowledgment of your kind favour dated the 2^nd instant, the postscript made us fear it, fear it I say, feeling the pang of affliction that will first affect her holy daughters, & the great low of such death in our whole church, however expected it was these two last years, for every moment of such a life was a prayer, an example, & a consolation for this world of sin—but for herself, who can think of her arrival at the heavenly court, & her meeting with St. Theresa, & the Blessed Virgin before her Lord, without rather an elevation, & as it were abstraction of soul that makes it cry how good for her the change! Let us magnify the Lord & rejoice in his wonderful last orders for his beloved ones, too familiar to you in all the admirable invitations of the canticle of canticles; your very Carmel mixing so happily with its most delightful expressions, yet I remember how Mother Seton (her anniversary was the 4^th of January) dear to her Maria Smith earnestly desired prayers after her death, & how the church still recommends them for the most holy souls, so on the reception of your last notice, we would change to prayers these very anticipations of her certain glory, which force themselves the first here—ah! should she have survived the spitting of blood which your last afflicted lines considered as likely, the fatal moment, how do I desire, & all with us in these two precious establishments, the mountain, & the Valley, to be most respectfully, & affectionately mentioned to her, & her prayers of sacred union, & mutual most lively interest for the glory of our common beloved requested from this altar of her last sacrifice, all expressing every feeling in common with those of her tender daughters around her, & desire of every grace, & true consolation in her trial. I am too long, for such times as now, take up all your care, & attention, but how much more would my respect, & gratitude for yourselves & her son, did I not check as well as I can indiscretion—how rejoiced we are all at the happy conclusion of the long contest for your property.—May now our Lord display the more his mercies for you, after he has seen all your holy resignation, amidst the necessary efforts which you owed to his Providence, & to the proper zeal for His mercies upon you, & the whole church, so interested, I feel so earnestly for your house of prayer & grace for all, in your conversation—for St. Theresa meant so particularly that her daughters should be true missionaries of continual prayer & supplication—As for my poor plans & views, I would find it too assuming to say anything, & the little experience I could have collected here for

__________

¹ Mother Clare Joseph, Dickenson.

420 Appendixes.

our so different institutes, would be but of dubious import, & misleading for you, but you have in your venerable neighbors the best advisers in the case, & if I followed my only impression of advice it would be to call for a visit of your inestimable friend, Father McElory who, upon the spot would in a moment with his brethren, determine with all the prudence & sagacity which distinguish him so eminently in all that he undertakes, what best plans you could now form. I would add, be extremely wary not to engage too far at once, as all expenses of building exceed so much the first views, & also not to begin but all well foreseen, as often beginning one way may necessitate & more of further undertaking—yet also misjudged economy will oblige to the same—One thing I would venture to remark—I think that we build generally too high here 4 or 5 stories, & that it would be better to give more length, & less height,—but I said better that I referred you to better judges. Mr Jamison, & all are very well, please to tell it to Sister Ambrosia, offering her my respect, & and asking her prayers, & of all being in Our Lord, & our Blessed Mother dear Sisters.

Your obedient servant

S. BRUTÉ.

VINCENNES 24 May , 1839.

†

J. M. J.

Are not there in the holy Community the many to whom I had often the consolation to pay my respect, & obtain prayers, those whom I saw yet at their first Carmel of all distress & poverty around their now blessed founder—blessed in Heaven, I have no doubt, Mother Dickenson whose many letters were such edification to me, & part of them to the three Communities of Paris when themselves yet at their beginning in 1815 rue d'Enfer & Cassini & Vaugirard, the very place of the Martyrs of 7^br 1792.—200 of priests & 2 Bishops & one Archbp—the first of all Communities granted by God to our America your prayers have called the others & blessed the whole land. Now that I have not the same opportunity to commune with you, having however the more need of it, permit me to ask again your prayers, & of your happy sisters—May be as the visitation days will come that the deserts of this Indiana, or Illinois fattened, & beautified with some branch of the Carmel—distant as they may yet be who knows but Mother Dickinson can mark the times from Heaven—but pray first for our Missions, seminary's, clergy, & the Bishops.—I saw lately Rev. Mr. Jamison in St. Louis very well, & likely to pass thro' Baltimore going or coming, as he goes to New York to have an artificial leg fitted to the stump of his own, amputated two months ago with success by Dr. Beaumont, the prayers of his sisters will have preserved his life so long in jeopardy—after his fall 15 months ago. I write too long, excuse me, pray for me,

Your most respectful humble serv^t in Christ

† Simon G. BRUTÉ Bp. of Vincennes.—

Appendixes. 421

†

My dear Mother,

On this your great day of St. Theresa, & having felt the devotion at Mass & tried to inspire it to our Missionaries, I think of a few lines to her holy daughters in Baltimore to obtain the more their prayers. She herself recommended so much to pray for the Missions, & I hope in Heaven will be pleased to present your prayers for such ones here, as have so much of difficulties at foundations like her own to be fostered from their smallest beginnings, for I came nearly alone to this Vincennes—happily our Lord has sent good men, well inclined, if they can but well master their English, pray for it—they apply all in earnest, pray for their gift of tongues—for many also are our Germans all about, & some must have to help them—though already their main stations are provided by those who came from the parts of France where the German is spoken—I regretted much not to have been able this last time that I passed through Baltimore to go & see you; for even if it be but the passing visit it is edification to me; I never forget on your main patrons day St. John of the Cross, St. Peter Alcantara, but above all this day to revisit you in mind as when in the days of good Mother Dickenson I enjoyed once my pilgrimage at Portobacco, & for a while I said your morning Mass at your present place—faith—faith is all, & unless we prefer the blindness of nature, to its pure lights, who can but find a great consolation in thinking that at least a few of St. Theresa's holy family dwell in our land; a few more of those of St. Francis of Sales, & some of some of the other great founders—ah! surely it would be vain to speak even of my more distant hopes for these wilds to see the honour of the holy Vows adorn them; most, most distant they are! but were I in heaven at last I think I would tell mother Dickenson to ask with St. Theresa that our Lord may grant his church of Vincennes some part to the blessing that the old churches of Europe so long enjoyed then abused, then in so great measure lost! though when travelling among them you meet yet with such an abundance of it compared to our weak & slow beginnings—All, all, be his Adorable Will, & Providence, I know scarcely if I do well thus to send so far to your Carmel my feeble union of this day, but your charity, & humility will take for good my intentions, & enclosing it in a few lines to the Archbishop though with so much charges I regret to cause him to pay postage this will be saved to you & not addition to his. Dear Mother & all your holy, family accept the respect of

† Simon Bishop of Vincennes.

W^dit be indiscreet to ask you for one communion on the 28^th St. Simons day, the anniversary of my consecration, & my own Saint day, I celebrated your own day as faithfully as I could—but it is not for my vile self I ask it, no, no,—it is only for the Bishop of Vincennes, who wants so much prayer, & I may say it again, except we renounce faith, is not prayer the greatest means for obtaining grace—& is not Communion the most powerful moment to obtain from our Jesus, & also to interest the B. Virgin for us,

for our same poverty as missionaries here—should you answer me some lines let be a bit in the fold of the Archbp. letter, but your heart before God & your prayers are all, this scrawl calls for no answer.—

I received yesterday your letter informing me on the outside, of the death of your venerable, and beloved Mother,¹& in the inside, of her long, & painful agony. Both are awful & distressing things, but fiat laudetur . . . . & as Sister Angela imparts news, it must be good, for indeed there can be no better death than agonizing with Christ—I immediately gave information to all as you requested—& today we all have said our Masses, & B^rs—their beads for her happy repose. You lose a great deal in her, it is true; but her love will be greater in heaven towards Mt. Carmel—You need not fear but that God will supply her vacancy. Even when he took Elias, Carmel did not sink lower. Please to offer my comforting condolence to all the Sisters distressed no doubt on account of the loss of so virtuous a Mother, but I hope that their sorrow will be short, & meritorious—And Father Francis will help to comfort you since he gained the race—or, I do not know, perhaps he lost it—

Yesterday I thankfully received your kind favour of the 3^rdInst. communicating me the happy departure from your Mount Carmel of your dear late Mother Superioress, to her Celestial Spouse, on the Feast of All Saints.² Pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors Sanctorum ejus.—And happy time for the departure indeed. We congratulate rather than condole with you Dear Mother & the dearest Sisters of the Mt. of St. Elias, on your bereavement. Still we complied, Dear Mother, with your solicitous request—As you did not mention her name today in my Mass for her, wrong or right, guessing from the Almanac, I named her in the Oremus Gertrude. If mistaken, our good Lord who knows her, & her name, & her virtues, will bountifully I hope correct my mistake, & place her at the sides of St. Teresa & Elias her glorious Father & Mother—there she will pray for all of us—Please to remember me kindly to your Saintly Community, whose memory is dear to me, & never

shall be forgotten, & beg them to pray for an old sinner who faithfully & respectfully remains, Dear Mother & Sisters in Xt, Your unworthy servant,

A great portion of the following letter of Father Nagot we translated into English and inserted into the body of the work. See Chapter VIII.

La lecture que Mg^r. l'Evêque a bien voulu me donner d'une lettre que vous a écrie M. l'Evêque d'Anvers m'a fait désirer d'être en communion particuliere de prières avec vous et votre respectable Communantée naissante. Puisque la Divine et très-aimable Providence de Notre Père commun qui est dans les Cieux nous a conduits vous, et nous dans cette nouvelle terre, pour y adorer son Saint nom, y professor la foi de la Sainte Eglise Catholique, Apostolique, et Romaine au milieu de tant de Sectes livrées à toutes sortes d'erreurs, y honorer Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ réelément présent dans le mystère et le Sacrement de son amour, y pratiquer enfin, vous une vie toute de retraite et de Contemplation, c'est-à-dire la vie de Notre Seigneur caché au monde et priant, et pleurant, et s'immolant en esprit à son Père pour le monde, durant les trente premierès années de son séjour sur la terre : nous avec la vie d'oraison, et de solitude, celles des hommes choisis par Notre Seigneur, pour travailler à étendre son Royaume en lui formant des Ministres dignes de lui, et de son Eglise, puisqu' il a donc plu à ce tendre Perè de nous appeller ici avec de tels desseins, prêtons nous mutuellement dans I'Esprit de la charité que Jésus Christ est venu en personne repandre sur la terre, le secours que nous nous devons mutuellement. C'est dans le désir d'obtenir de vous cette grâce que j'interrompe, Madame, votre silence pour quelques moments. Vous me pardonnerez, je l'éspère, la distraction que je vous cause en faveur du motif qui me dicte cette lettre. La charité sait partager son temps entre Dieu et le Prochain, et gagne toujours même á quitter Dieu pour le Prochain. Et quel prochain peut intéresser plus vivement celle des Epouses de Notre Seigneur, que le besoin on le bien spirituel d'une petite colonie de Ministres de son Eglise transplantée dans un nouveau Monde pour lui former de parfaits adorateurs, et tenter ici l'oeuvre qu il ne leur est plus possible de continuer en France! Sans avoir l' honneur de vous connâitre, Madame, je sais déjà, depuis mon dernier entretien avec Monseigneur à votre sujet tout ce que peut opérer devans Dieu la connaissance la plus intime. C'est a dire que sonvent aux pieds de Notre Seigneur que nous avons le bonheur de posséder dans notre Maison depuis près-de deux mois je m'unis avec beaucoup de consolation interièure et beaucoup d'attrait, aux oraisons, et aux oeuvres saintes des filles Spirituelles de S^te Thérèse qui vivent sous le même Ciel que nous, et qui sont nos soeurs en Jésus Christ dans la foi de son Eglise, et dans la

charité de son Coeur: deux liens admirables qui par l'union ineffable et toute divine qu 'ils ferment entre lui et ses membres, rapprochent ceux-ci entre eux, jusquà ne faire de tous les coeurs qu'un même coeur, de toutes les âmes qu'une même âme dans le coeur, et dans l'âme de Jésus. O! Communion des fidèles sur la terre, image de la parfaite et inaltérable, et éternelle Communion des Saints dans le ciel, vous êtes aprés-la Communion réelle avec Jésus Christ sur la terre, la plus donce, comme la plus riche pos- session d'un chrétien! C'est Madame, en vertu de cette Communion qui est un article même de notre Symbole, que je désire participer, moi et tous les Messieurs de notre Communanté (nous ne sommes encore quo dix, Cinq Prêtres, et cinq jeunes gens) désirons participer à toutes vos prières Communions, et bonnes oeuvres, comme je vous offre en retour, quelque faible et mine qu il soit toute la part que je puis de sociéte avec nos Messieurs vous donner dans nos S. S. Sacrifices, oraisons, prierès et bonnes oeuvres. Et quoique la charité reçoive et donne toute gratuitement, j'ai pourtant un petit présent à vous offrir encore. C'est une participation aux Indulgences que Notre Saint Perè le Pape vient de nous accorder par le Bref ci-joint. On a cru à Rome que les communautés étaient ici en plus grand nombre qu'elles ne sont, comme vous verrez, puis que vous y avez, je crois formé la prémière et nous la seconde, quoi-qu'il en soit comme vous êtes les prémiéres de celles qui s'y formeront avec le temps, vous jouirez aussi des prémiéres des grâces que le S. Siège accorde aux Communautés de l'Amerique Septentrionale. J'ai l'honneur d'être avec respect dans les Sacrés coeurs de Jésus, et de Marie.

P. S. Si vous me faites l'honneur de me repondre, vous pourez le faire en Anglais.—