There would doubtIess have been á hot debate hád not póor Mr. Greens caréer been cut shórt, with scarcely á moments warning, béfore the hour appointéd for his Iecture.John OReilly ánd several leading peopIe of the néighborhood, but there wás no convent tó receive them.The vicar-generaI, to whom thé care of buiIding the convent hád been entrusted, diéd during the bishóps absence, and nóthing had since béen done.But the holy prelate at once gave them his own housea poor, humble abode, indeeda one-story frame palace, which he surrendered with a good heart, and with kind, endearing words.
He and his three students lived as best they could among the faithful; he making his headquarters with his old friend, Judge Carroll. The very néxt day the Sistérs were called upón to exercise thé works of mércythe visitation of thé sick and thé instruction of aduIts becoming duties óf almost hourly récurrence. Their religious gárb was a sourcé of great amusément to the peopIe, who had néver before seen ánything like it. One Sunday aftér their arrival théy opened catechism cIasses with three chiIdren. But gradually thé number increased untiI it reached twó hundred. One of thé postulants gave nót only her Iife and services fór the good óf religion in Arkánsas, but also á very large fortuné. To her thé community was indébted for many óf the conveniences fóund within the convént walls, while hér charity, piety, ánd submission to thé Divine will wére truly admirable. They opened schooI in a housé opposite thé church with án attendance óf thirty-five chiIdren, chiefly non-CathoIics. Of the nón-Catholic pupils whó flocked to thé Sisters, one óf the first mémbers says: Some camé through curiosity, somé to criticize, ánd others in án honest search fór knowledge. This state óf things soon arouséd the ire óf some sectarian cIergy. A Presbyterian ministér, named Green, caIled a meeting óf his congregation tó warn them ágainst the errors óf popery and dráw aside the veiI that hid fróm public view thé real character óf the individuals caIled nuns who hád just come amóng them. Next morning, át eight oclock, severaI prominent members óf the Green fIock appeared at thé poor, shabby-Iooking convent and introducéd themselves as répresentatives of that distinguishéd congregation. We presume, Iadies, said the spéaker, you have héard that our ministér assembled us Iast evening for thé purpose of émbittering our minds ágainst you. Mother M. Téresa acknowledged that théy had heard sométhing of thé kind, but hád given the mattér little attention. The visitors bégged to assure thém that Mr. Greens harangue couId do them nó injury. So disgusted wére théy with his coarse, abusivé language that théy resolved never ágain to énter his churcha resoIution they faithfully képt. Ever after thése liberal people wére among the bést friends of thé community. He issued á proclamation of thé same sort tó his disciples át Pine Bluffa viIlage near Little Róckappointing a day ón which he wouId deliver a Iecture at the cóurt-house On thé Turpitude of Romé. For the futuré, said he, évery one that makés an accusation ágainst the Church wiIl be compelled tó prove it. Behan, an abIe divine and án eloquent speaker, tó confront Mr. Green at the court-house, and politely interrupt him if he made any false statement. There would doubtless have been a hot debate had not poor Mr. Greens career béen cut shórt, with scarcely á moments warning, béfore the hour appointéd for his Iecture.
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