The Early History of the Catholic Church in New York [pp. 515-525]

Early History of the Catholic Church in New York. 523
mitted to the flames, although it took ing always popular, and an attack on
some time to effect this greatest Bible- the Protestant clergy being quite a
burning ever witnessed in New York. novelty. Trivial as the whole affair
Meanwhile New York was not was, it proved more effective than the
without its organs of Catholic senti- soundest theological arguments, and
ment. The Truth- Teller was for many Mary Ann Wiggins with her poker
years the vehicle of information and really closed the great controversial
defence. The editor, William Den- period.
man, still survives to witness the It had its good effects, nevertheprogress made since that day when less, in making Catholics earnest in
he battled almost alone among the their faith. Their numbers were
press of the land. The Catholic Dia- rapidly increasing, and with them
,y, and The Green 13anner, and The churches and institutions. Besides
Freeman's ~urna1 followed. the Orphan Asylum, an institution for
While the controversy fever lasted, those who had lost only one parent,
some curious scenes took place. Ca- the Half-Orphan Asylum, was comtholics, especially poor servant-girls, menced and long sustained, mainly
were annoyed at all times and in all by the zeal and means of Mr. Glover,
places, in the street, at the pump- a convert whose name should stand
for those were not days of Croton high in the memory of New York
water-and even in their kitchens. Catholics. This institution, now
One Protestant clergyman of New merged in the general Orphan AsyYork had quite a reputation for the lum, had in its separate existence a
gross indecency that characterized long career of usefulness under the
his valorous attacks of this kind. care of the Sisters of Charity.
The servant of a lady in Beekman Bishop Du Bois was unremitting in
street-people in good circumstances his efforts to increase the number of
lived there then-was a constant ob- his clergy and the institutions of his
ject of his zeal. One day, report diocese. The progress was marked.
said, after dining with the lady, he Besides clergymen from abroad, he
descended to the kitchen, and began ordained, or had ordained, twentytwitting the girl about the confession- one who had been trained under his
al, and coupling this with the gross- own supervision, and who completed
est charges against the Catholic cler- their divinity studies chiefly at the
gy. The girl bore it for a time, and honored institution which he had
when ordering him out of her realm founded in Maryland; among these
failed, she seized a poker and dealt was Gregory B. Pardow, who was, if
her indecent assailant a blow on the we mistake not, the first native of the
head that sent him staggering to the city elevated to the priesthood. Five
stairs. While he groped his way be- of these priests have since been prowildered to the parlor, the girl hasten- moted to the episcopacy, as well as
ed to her room, bundled up her two others ordained in his time by
clothes, and left the house. The his coadjutor.
clergyman was long laid up from the In manners, Bishop Du Bois was
consequence of his folly, and every the polished French gentleman of the
attempt made to hush the matter up; old regime; as a clergyman, learned
but an eccentric Catholic of that and strict in his ideas, his adminisday, Joseph Trench, got up a large trative powers were always deemed
caricature representing the scene, great, but in their exercise in his diowhich went like wild-fire, attack be- cese they were constantly thwarted