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Mission Memories 1864

MISSION AT IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH, STOUGHTON MASSACHUSETTS, FEBRUARY 14-21, 1864.

Missionaries: Hecker and Baker

This mission was evidently much needed and was well received, and gave entire satisfaction to all parties. The pastor resides at Canton, some four miles from this place and the missionaries lived in the Sacristy during the Mission, getting their own breakfast and tea. Their dinner was brought each day from Canton in hot haste. The announcement in the newspaper brought out the greater part of the Universalist congregation, including their entire choral force to attend the opening sermon, which being announced for 9 o'clock led them to suppose they might return in time for their own service. The result was that the minister had no congregation or choir to start with, and his indignant feeling can only be imagined.

MISSION AT ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, NORTH BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS, APRIL 3-10, 1864.

Missionaries: Baker, Deshon and Young

The Convert received on this Mission was an Episcopalian, the husband of a Catholic wife. Among other reasons he gave for becoming Catholic, he said, "I have a dear little child who was baptized in the church and I know she is gone to heaven, and I am afraid I would never see her if I did not become one too."

The Mission was very complete and very satisfactory. The Governor had appointed Thursday of the week as a day of humiliation on account of the War. In his proclamation, he called upon the people "to become convinced of sin, and acknowledge and confess their errors." The people took advantage of that day to come in crowds to confession, and had the Governor seen them assembled around the confessionals he would have seen this done in reality.

A man from a short distance in the country had agreed to return home after hearing one day's sermons, as to allow his wife to attend also, but forgetful of his promise, did not return home for several days. Being called to account for his delinquency, he pleaded that he thought "he had gotten into Paradise and couldn't get away!" But he was sharply scolded and told to remember that one must not keep all Paradise for one's self.

The inhabitants of this town are for the most part engaged in the wholesale manufacture of boots and shoes so that the majority of the congregation were shoemakers. The pastor had done good work, settling some 25 families in small homesteads during this past year.