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 SOCIETY

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SOCIETY

of the seminary are chosen from among the mission- aries and each group of missions is represented by a director. The bishops and vicars Apostolic are appointed by the pope, after nomination by the mis- eionaries, and presentation by the directors of the semi- narj'. In their missions they depend only on Propa- ganda and through it on the pope. No subject aged more than thirty-five may be admitted to the semi- narj' nor may anyone become a member of the society before having spent three years in the mission field. Several points of this rule were determined from the earliest years of the society's existence, others wore established by degrees and as experience pointed out their usefulness. By this rule the society has hved and according to it its history has been out- lined.

This history is difficult, for owing to the length of the journeys, the infrequent communications, and the poverty of resources the missions have developed with difficulty. The chief events of the first period (1658- 1700) are: the publication of the book "Institutions apostoliqucs", which contains the germ of the prin- ciples of the rule, the foundation of the general sem- inary at Juthia (Siam),the evangelization of Tonking, Cochin China, Cambodia, and >Siam, where more than 40,000 Christians were baptized, the creation of an institute of Annamite nuns known as " Lovers of the Cross", the establishment of rules among catechists, the ordination of thirty native priests. Beside these events of purely religious interest there were others in the pohtical order which emphasized the patriotism of these evangelical labourers: through their initiative a more active trade was estabUshed between Indo- China, the Indies, and France; embassies were sent from place to place ; treaties were signed ; a French ex- pedition to Siam took possession of Bangkok, Mer- gin, and Jonselang, and France was on the verge of possessing an Indo-Chinese empire when the blun- dering of subalterns ruined an undertaking the failure of which had an unfortunate influence on the mis- sions. But the most important work of the vicars Apostolic and the society is the apphcation of the fruitful principle of the organization of churches by native priests and bishops. Thenceforth the aposto- late in its progress has followed this plan in every part of the world with serupidous fidelity and increasing success. In the'second half of the eighteenth century it was charged with the missions which the Jesuits had possessed in India prior to their suppression in Portu- gal. Many of the Jesuits remained there. The mis- sions thereupon assumed new life, especially at Se- tchoan, where remarkable bishops, Mgr Pettier and Mgr Dufresse, gave a strong impulse to evangelical work; and in Cochin China, where Mgr Pigneau de Behainc performed signal service for the king of that country as his agent in making with France a treaty, which was the fir.st step tow;irds the present splendid situation of France in Indo-China. At the end of the eighteenth century the French Revolution halted the growth of the society, which had previously been very rapid. At that time it had six bishops, a score of missionaries, assisted by 135 native priests; in the various missions there were nine seminaries with 2.50 student.s, and 3(K),0 Christians. Each year the number of adult baptisms ro.se on an average of 3000 to 3500; that of infant baptisms in arliculo mortis was more than 1(K),0(X).

In the nineteenth century the development of the society and its missions was rapid and considerable. Several causes contributed to this; chiefly the charity of the Propagation of the Faith and the Society of the Holy Childhood ; each bishop receives annually 1200 francs, each missionary 660 francs, each mission has its general needs and works allowance, which varies according to its importance and may amount to from 10,000 to 30,000 francs. The second cause was per- Becution. Fifteen missionaries died io prison or were

beheaded during the seventeenth and eighteenth cen- turies and the beginning of the nineteenth century, but after that the martyrs among the missionaries were very numerous. The best known are Mgr Du- fresse, Vicar Apostolic of Se-tchoan, beheaded in 1815; Gagelin, Marchand, Jaccard, Cornav, and Dumoulin- Borie from 1833 to 1838; and from 18.50 to 1862 SchoeflSer, V^nard, Bonnard, Neron, Chapdelaine, Neel, Cuenot, Vicar ApostoHc of Eastern Cochin China. If, besides these, mention were made of the native priests, catechists, and nuns, in short of all who died for Christ, we should have a record of one of the bloodiest holocausts in history. These persecutions were de- scribed in Europe by books, pamphlets, annals, and journals, arousing the pity of some and the anger of others and inspiring numerous young men either with the desire of martyrdom or that of evangelization. They moved European nations, especially France and England, to intervene in Indo-China and China and open up in these countries an era of liberty and pro- tection till then unknown. Another cause of the progress of the missionaries was the ease and fre- quency of communication in consequence of the in- vention of steam and the opening of the Suez Canal. A voyage could be made safely in one month which had formerly required from eight to ten months amid many dangers.

The following statistics of the missions confided to the Society will show this development at a glance: Missions of Japan and Korea. — Tokio, Nagasaki, Osaka, Hakodate, Korea, total number of Catholics, 138,624; churches or chapels, 238; bishops and mis- sionaries, 166; native priests, 48; catechists, 517; sem- inaries, 4; seminarists, 81; communities of men and women, 44, containing 399 persons; schools, 161, with 9024 pupils; orphanages and work-rooms 38, with 9SS children; pharmacies, dispensaries, and hospitals, 19. Missions of China and Tibet. — Western, Eastern, and Southern Se-tchoan, Yun-nan, Kouy-tcheou, Kou- ang-ton, Kouang-si, Southern Manchuria, Northern Manchuria. — Catholics, 272, 792; churches or chapels, 1392; bishops and missionaries, 408; native priests, 191; catechists, 998; seminaries, 19; seminarists, 661; communities of men and women, 23, with 222 members ; schools, 1879, with 31,971 pupils; orphanages and work-rooms, 132, with 4134 children; pharmacies, dis- pensaries, and hospitals, 364. Missions of Eastern Indo-China. — Tongking, Cochin China, Cambodia. — Catholic population, 632,830; churches or chapels, 2609; bishops and missionaries, 365; native priests, 491; catechists, 1153; seminaries, 14; seminarists, 1271; communities of men and women, 91, with 2583 persons; schools, 18.59, with 58,434 pupils; orphanages and work-rooms, 106, with 7217 children; pharmacies, dispensaries, hospitals, 107. Missions of ^^'estern Indo-Chitui. — Siam, Malacca, Laos, Southern Bur- ma, Northern Burma. — Catholics, 132,226; churches or chapels, 451; bishops and mi.ssionaries, 199; na- tive priests, 42; catechists, 242; seminaries, 3; semi- narists, 81 ; communities of men and women, 47, with 529 members; schools, 320, with 21,306 pupils; or- phanages and work-rooms, 132, with 3757 children; pharmacies, dispensaries, hospitals, 86. Missions of India. — Pondichcrry, M\sore, Coimbatore, Kumbako- nam. — Catholics, 324,0.50; churches or chajjels, 1048; bishops and missionaries, 207; native priests, 67; cate- chists, 274; seminaries, 4; seminarists, 80; communi- ties of men and women, 54, with 787 members; schools, 315, with 18,693 pupils; orphanages and work-rooms, 57, with 2046 children; pharmacies, dis- pensaries, and hospitals, 41.

In addition to these missionaries actively engaged in mission work, there are some occupied in the es- tablishments called common, because they are used by the whole society. Indeed the development of the society necessitated undertakings which were not needed in the past. Hence a sanatorium for sick