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JOHN

when lie quietly withdrew from the work, as if it were candidate fell sick and died. The loss of this Brother

not his mission. Shortly afterwards the opening of was a blow to the founder. After passing the whole

another free school in St- Jacques parish lureil liim night in prayer, he rose up, not only comforted and

again from his seclusion, but he soon retired again. strengthened, but also enlightened as to the char-

Although instrumental in opening these elementary acter of his future institute. He then determined

free schools at Reims, de la Salle seemed to allow that there should be no priests among the members of

Adrien Nycl to share all the honours resulting there- his institute. Although there were priests and lay

from, while he was content to labour assiduously for brothers in nearly all existing religious orders, de la

the real progress of both schools. He was uncon- Salle was convinced that the time had come for a

sciously attracted to the work. Daily he visited the change in this matter in the new congregation,

teachers to encourage them or suggest practical Brother Lucard, the Annalist of the institute, thus

methods to attain definite results. But when he sums up the matter: "Since the death of Henri

found that the teachers liecame discouraged, owing to L'Heureux, de la Salle was firmly convinced that his

the lack of proper guidance after school hours, he institute was to be founded on simplicity and humility.

undertook to house them, that he might be able to direct them and give them practical lessons in the useful employment of time, and to prevent weariness and disgust. Not only did he aid them in class and after class, but he made good any deficit in the cost of living. He even admitted them to his own table and later on shel- tered them under his roof. Thus was he drawn closer and closer to them, forming an in- timate fellowship with the teachers of the poor "It was, indeed", '>a\s Mgi Gui- Ijert, "his love thit induced de la Salle to devote himself to the young teachers of Reims They were like ibuidoiud sheep without a shcpht id He assumed the responsibiht\ of uniting them." \s jet de la Salle had no definitive plans for the future, e\ en as late as 24 June, 1682, when he trans- ferred his little community to the vicinity of rue Neuve. He simply kept himself in readiness to follow the guidance of Prov- idence. He resigned his can- onry in July, 1683, and he distributed his fortune to the poor in the winter of 1684, thus giving convincing proofs that he would not hesitate to make any sacrifices necessary

St. John Baptist de la Salle

Monument erected by international subscription;

unveiled at kouen. 2 June, 1875

Designed by E. De Perthes; executed by

A. Falguifere

No Brother could, without compromising his congrega- tion, allow himself to be di- verted from his functions as a teacher, by devoting himself to special studies, the saying of the Divine Office, or the fulfilment of other duties ob- ligatory on the sacred min- istry." Therefore, no Brother can aspire to the priesthood nor perform any priestly func- tion, and no ecclesiastic can become a member of the in- stitute. This is the new rule that de la Salle added, and it is embodied in the Constitution of the institute.

From 1702 the founder be- gan to endure a long period cif trial, aggravated by perse- cution on the part of certain ecclesiastical authorities. In November. 1702, he was de- posed by Cardinal de Noailles, and supplanted for a time by the Rev. M. Bricot. In 1703 one of his most trusted dis- ciples, Nicolas Vuyart, treach- erously deserted him. For the next ten years the holy founder was engaged in a series of struggles for the preservation of his institute, in the course of which his name was attacked, and justice denied him before the civil tribunals. After thirty- five years of hard labour, his

to complete the good work he had begun. Pere work seemed to be almost on the verge of ruin. His Barre counselled de la Salle to give up whatever might confidence in God was so firm and unshaken that he

divert his attention from procuring God's glory. In reply to the earnest remonstrances of his friends and kinsfolk, he meekly answered: "I must do the work of God, and if the worst should come to pass, we shall have to beg alms." Reliance upon Providence was henceforth to be the foundation of the Christian Schools.

Up to this period (1684) the institute had lacked the

was never really discouraged. In 1717 he convoked a chapter for the purpose of solidifying the work and for the election of a superior general. His aim was to have a Brother elected during his lifetime and thus perfect the government of the institute in accordance with the rule he had formulated. The choice of the assemliled Brothers fell upon Brother Barthelemy, a man whom all esteemed for his learning and virtue.

characteristics of a permanent organization. From The institute was now an accomplished fact. And

1694 to 1717, the struggle for existence was most from the first interview with .Adrien Nyel, in 1679, de

critical. In 1692 the institute was so weakened by la Salle belonged wholly to the Brothers, sharing with

deaths and defections that de la Salle could hardly them the burden of labour and observing the com-

find two Brothers who were willing to bind themselves mon rule. He never left them to engage in other

by vow to maintain the free schools. The death of works. Henri L'Heureux in December, 1690, materially De la Salle was too prudent and too well inspired by

affected the rules of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. De la Salle, intending this gifted young Brother to be the future superior of the congregation, entertained the hope of having him ordained priest, and with this view he sent him to Paris to pursue his theo- logical studies at the Sorbonne. After a brilliant course. Brother Henri L'Heureux was ready for ordi-

God, not to give his institute a positive character in its twofold object: the Christian education of youth and the cultivation of that spirit of faith, piety, mortifica- tion, and obedience which should characterize its members. His gift of gaining souls to God, and of leading them to make great sacrifices, was supple- mented by the splendid executive ability that en-

nation, but before this event took place the young abled him to found an institute and to supervise and