Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:04 Last time it was, you were preaching about how the five heads got true faith quick review. We heard that they were a people with a high standard of natural morality and that it, God had already sent them prophecies concerning the coming of fair skin. Men wearing long black robes would teach them a new way of praying and a new moral law. We saw how the hand at divine Providence guided the Pat camp band of Catholic Iroquois to immigrate from Montreal to Western Montana and then join the flat and people who saw that over time to desire to have a real black row construct him became almost an obsession with them to the point that they set out for different expeditions. 1831 1835 1837 and 1839 expeditions from Western Montana to st Louis to beg the Bishop to send them a black row. We saw that finally, a dear friend, a Saint Philippine DuChene father Pierre de Smet, S J was sent to start a mission in the Rocky mountains for the flatheads.
Speaker 0 01:18 We started some 1600 flat heads upon her age and as Pierce came, degreed father de Smet and travel with him from the Tetons there in Western Wyoming back into Western Montana because they were so eager to know the truth of our Holy faith. They would attend for catechism classes every day and that they all burst into tears and were sobbing when he announced that he had to go back to st Louis and get more supplies and missionaries. So an August 27th, 1840 father to Smet, left three forks, Montana, and in the company of a mountain man struck out from Missouri. He arrived back in st Louis on new year's Eve. Now he had an awful lot of adventures on Rouge, but we don't have the time to go into that fiber. SMAD venerated st Philippine DuChene as a mother. So when he got home, it was his custom to go straight to a convent to give her a full report.
Speaker 0 02:16 As he later said, quote, never did I leave her without feeling I had been conversing with a Saint. I've always regarded this mother as the greatest protector of our missions. For several years, she offered two communions a week and daily prayers for the conversion of the Indians whom she dearly love. Close quote father to Smith. In fact, it was after his arrival from this first mission trip to the flatheads. They father to Smet, convinced st Philippine to ask permission to come to the Pottawatomie. He's here in Kansas since he didn't have enough money to outfit a new expedition to the mountains, he had to drum it up himself. So he went on a begging to new Orleans and Philadelphia, any rusted up and that's money to get started. Late April, he left st Louis and met up with the rest of his party here in West port.
Speaker 0 03:09 There were 11 men from eight different nationalities in that small group, six for Jesuits, three priests and three brothers and five were laymen. They left from Westport on May 10th, 1841 they had three, two wheeled cards in one wagon and the priests were all mounted. The little group joined up with a party of 60 that were bounced for California and it wound up that their mission band led the way in early August at soda Springs, Idaho. They carted away with the California group and headed North towards Hudson days companies Ford hall, which is on the snake river near Fort hall. They were greeted by the young Indian who the previous year had been father to smash guide from Westport to the Rockies. This young man had run for four days without food or water. In order to be the first to greet the black robes. He led them to Fort hall where they found a band of some 20 flat heads who had traveled around 350 miles down to Ford hall just to greet the black girls.
Speaker 0 04:19 Now this band included a seven year old boy who had served at the alter the previous year and who insisted that he be allowed to come to greet the black girl and also his grandfather, Simon, who's the oldest man in the tribe had been baptized the previous year. Father Smith instead of Simon quote. Simon was so burdened with the weight of years that even when seated he needed a stick for his support. He did know sooner, ascertain that we were on route and mounting his horse and mingling with young warriors who are prepared to go forward to meet us. He said, my children, I shall accompany you, and then he let us use for followers at the rate of 50 miles a day. Close quote, fire to snap. Now that's some hard ride. 50 miles a day. The Indians told him that since he had left, the whole tribe had prayed together twice a day and three times on Sundays just as he had told them, and they'd carefully guarded the chest, which contained the vestments and everything for the author and they carried it on high, like the arc of the covenant.
Speaker 0 05:22 Every time their camp was moved, the mission band and their little Flathead car gradually made their way North into Montana. They wandered around Western Montana for some time searching for a good location, which would be protected from the winds and yet which have good soil and good water. Finally on the feast of our lady of mercy, September 24th they chose a place to establish the mission about 18 miles above the mouth of the bitter at river on the East bank. That's right near the present day town of Stevensville, Montana. They picked out a place for the church and immediately began work on it, and then they sent out messengers to call them the rest messengers to call him the rest of the tribe who were living in small dads scattered around the country. The first Sunday in October, the fees to the Holy rosary, the Jed Jesuits dedicated the mission to our lady named me at st Mary's mission and they named the peaks immediately to the West st Mary's peak and st Joseph's peak after father to Smith erected across the center of the camp.
Speaker 0 06:29 There was this beautiful ceremony quote, I should have liked all who are zealous Christians to be present at the ceremony. It was a moving spectacle to see the flatheads from the chief to the youngest child come to press her lips reverently upon the emblem of our salvation and square upon their knees to die a thousand deaths rather than to abandon their religion. Close quote cloud to Smith suddenly, and the earthquakes claimed why this is the very place where little Mary said the hostel prayer would rebuild and this caused the people to get even more excited and filled with joy. Why? Father to son? That explains well. During my absence, one of the haunting bands had encamped in this Valley and a little girl of 12 or 14 years of age had here fonts, sick and died, but previous to her death she earnestly asked her baptism.
Speaker 0 07:25 I'd instruct it two or three Indians how to administer baptism in case of necessity, overjoyed and having been baptized the poor child, thank God with all her heart. Suddenly she cried out, Oh, there is no happiness in this world. Happiness is the only to be found in heaven. I see the heavens open and the mother of Jesus Christ inviting me to go up to heaven. Then turning to the Spanish Indian. She had listened to the black gowns. When they come, they have the true prayer. Do all they tell you they will come in on this very spot where I die. They will fill the house of prayer. After these words, she expired. The circumstances had been forgotten and now suddenly it reoccurred to their minds. Close quote five just met. Even though the construction, the chaplain buildings had to be done at a rapid pace because of the lateness of the year.
Speaker 0 08:26 Still, they put the first priority on the catechism classes. The chapel was completed in November and the missionaries chose December 3rd the feast of st Francis Xavier as the date for the baptism of the 202 adults. They'd prepare as the day grew closer. All kinds of strange Ms. House began happening. The translator and the sacristan would get sick just when they were needed. Most things would break the day before the baptism. A weird tornado. Now this is a tornado in December in the Rocky mountains. A weird tornado came through the camp, ripping up trees by the roads and overturning three lodges. Obviously the Prince of this world was pretty disturbed by what was going on on the feast of st Francis Xavier. They were in the chapel from eight in the morning till nine 30 at night. The great chief big face who's almost 90 and had been baptized the previous year.
Speaker 0 09:25 It was present from the beginning to the end of the ceremony. During the ceremonies, Saint Francis Xavier appeared on a pistol side of the altar to catechumen as the creed tribe. A man named Michael st Francis was standing in the air at about the height of the altar, his wiring and surplus and the stole over his stick and he had on his head a hat like the father's wore a Beretta. As the priest noted Saint Michael described this was such simplicity that it was absolutely possible to be at all suspicious or to doubt him in any way. There are marriages with insomnia because the Indians had been ignorant of the unity indissolubility of the marriage bond. It often occurred. That's trading you out. A marriage situation was very painful for everyone concerned, but since the flatheads were willing to undergo any suffering since they were willing to pay any price in order to be baptized and get into heaven by Christmas, with very few exceptions, their marriages all been blessed.
Speaker 0 10:27 An entire nation had done everything quote necessary to merit the title of true children of God. Close quote, years later, one of the Jesuit brothers noted quote, all these messages kept good, but one I'm glad to say that these were the chosen people of God. Close quilt on Christmas 150 more about ties including 30 edge Pierce with their chief and a black foot chief and his family. And on that first Christmas that st Mary's mission, there was yet another astonishing event. Father dismiss. Cool Christmas Eve was rented remarkable by an extraordinary event, a boy of about 12 years of age, who had for several months at tenant catechism, finding himself incapable of learning the prayers, gave up in despair and discontinued his attendance. On the Eve of Christmas. His mother said to him, Paul, the great spirit will be angry with you and will never admit you to heaven if you do not learn your prayers.
Speaker 0 11:33 Mother, he said, the great spirit will have pity on me. I tried to learn my own prayers and have been unable to do it. However, I will go again and try. He then directed his steps towards the lodge of one of the catechist on opening the door. He saw a person standing about two feet from the ground in the midst of bright rays of light dressed all in white. Under the person's feet was a sphere half moon and a serpent with a strange fruit and its mouth. Above the person's head was a bright star. The heart was visible and rays of life proceeded from it. At first, he was afraid, was on the point of running away, but I'm taking a second glance at the person. He perceived a smile on the countenance which filled him with confidence. He nailed and begged the person to teach him his prayers.
Speaker 0 12:29 Suddenly he felt his mind clear. His heart warm. Such are the child's on expressions and you recited the whole of the prayers without difficulty. He returned immediately and told his mother and he knew his prayers. She could not believe it. He recited them in her presence and he knew them so accurately that he corrected his sister who miss took in two or three words. He then unrelated the story. It shouldn't became the subject of conversation among the Indians. None could imagine who the person was, nor could they ever decide whether it was a man or a woman unable to solve the problem themselves. After the lapses of several days, they came to us. I showed an image of an apparition of the blessing version DePaul. He recognized her immediately with his difference that he saw her with one star, with her hands, joined the four breast and with her heart visible the circumstance or the single star coincided singularly with the festival of Christmas.
Speaker 0 13:31 The candor, the simplicity, the pie. Do you have a child? The perfect consistency of his answers to all the questions put to him and above all the fact that hitherto he had been able to learn his prayers and then on the sudden he was formed to know them perfectly plainly, shoes that are blessed. Lady had really favor this court child in an extraordinary manner. This occurrence was the occasion of the conversion of a great number of Nez peers. When the flatheads told him the Paul's vision they sent for the boy questioned him and cross question to him to that length, fully convinced of the reality of the vision. They came into the camp and after a course of instruction, which lasted two months, they were all baptized close quote father to snap. I've just met, noted several times or lady had appeared to the boy when he was sleeping and at once she told him she was pleased that the first village of the flat hits she'd be called Saint Mary.
Speaker 0 14:28 Little Paul lived in angelic life until his death. Two years later with the clothes of 1841 we'll close this story. There's an awful lot more to it. We just don't have the time. We've only hit the high points. As we continue our study of grace, actual grace, sanctifying grace, and charismatic grace, we'll have occasion to turn back and take a closer look at some of these incidents and some that we haven't mentioned yet. To see concrete examples of how the supernatural life works and how God intervenes in the lives of men. And if you ever lost and find yourself up in Stevensville, Montana, the log mission built in 1866 is still standing and open from April to October. Right next door is a new church, which was built in 1954 inside the new church are stained glass windows, including windows with little Mary's vision of our lady Michael's vision of st Francis Xavier. A little Paul's vision of our lady, their stained glass windows that tell the story of how God saved this one particular pagan nation from hell.
