We live 12 miles from the church, that is my own family.  The others live thirty-five and fifty miles away and up to this year we have had nothing but a waggon to travel in, and now those that live farthest away have still only a waggon.  So you will understand that we have not made more than necessary trips or not many more.  And I wonder if my brothers would make those, were it not for my mothers insistence.  They are surrounded by such bad influences.  It’s not that it is a sectarian influence, but rather a total lack of religion altogether.  The only things that matter greatly are the material things of this world.  To confess yourself religious, especially Catholic, is to confess yourself old fashioned and to cause people to smile.  You know that is harder to combat than bigoted opposition.  Your plan to send out pamphlets would be appreciated by many—­But above all we need the personal touch of a priest.  We need it as our crops need rain, etc. . . .

[4] As an illustration of what in a simple and unostentatious way can be done by any parish in the mission cause the editor of the Annals of the Propagation of the Faith (N.Y.) refers to an invitation extended to him to attend a Christmas sale.  It took place in a parish of the Brooklyn diocese on Dec. 3, 1919, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, patron of the mission cause.  Thanks mainly to the efforts of an energetic lady, but with the consent and patronage of the pastor, a Xavirian Mission Circle had been formed.  Within eighteen months after its organization the newly found circle had paid off a $500.00 mortgage for a heavily burdened priest in the South, had adopted eight abandoned children of the Chinese Missions, had sent 1,000 Mass intentions, was supporting seven catechists in Africa, India, and China, was educating a Chinese seminarian, had given 150 volumes to the parochial library of a bigoted section in the South, and was able then to place upon exhibition a number of sacred vessels that were to be forwarded as gifts to poor priests.  “And did all these activities not interfere with your parochial work?” Mgr.  Freri asked the pastor.  “Not in the least”—­was the answer—­“My collections have never been larger.”  “EVEN PROTESTANTISM FINDS THAT HOME COLLECTIONS ARE IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE MISSION GIFTS.”

CHAPTER II.

BRIDGING THE CHASM[1]

Most touching in its divine simplicity, most sublime in its inspired lessons was the invitation of the Master to His Apostles:  “Behold I say to you lift up your eyes and see the countries, for they are white, already to harvest,” (John IV, 35)—­As He stood by the well of Jacob, facing the slopes of the hills of Samaria, He pointed out to them the crowds that were hastening to listen to His Message and believe in His divine mission.  The fields around lay desolate and lifeless, for it was then winter.  “Do you not say,” asks Jesus, “there