Page:Irish In America.djvu/190

168 and, indeed, it required all the efforts of the ministers of religion, Protestant and Catholic, to extirpate the poison of infidelity which the works of PAINE, then extensively circulated and read, had spread through the colony. The mission was a laborious and a rude one at best ; and in the seventieth year of his age Dr. O Donnell resigned his charge to Dr. Lambert, and sought repose in his native land, where he died four years afterwards, and was buried in the parish chapel of Glonmel. Drs. Scallan and Flemming succeeded Dr. Lambert, and preceded the present Bishop, Dr. Mullock, a man of great energy of character, highly cultivated mind, intense zeal for the promotion of religion and education, and ardently devoted to the material progress of his people. There is now a second bishop in the island, Dr. Dalton, whose cathedral is at Harbour Grace.

The population being chiefly engaged in the fisheries, are necessarily scattered along the sea coast. The labours of the missionaries are consequently very arduous, they being often compelled to travel by water in small boats at the most inclement seasons ; while in many parts of the island, owing to the imperfect nature of the roads, land travel imposes on priestly zeal penalties no less severe. Still, so great and increasing are the efforts made by the clergy, that there are few of their flock beyond the reach of their ministrations. The devotedness of the pastors is thoroughly responded to by the fidelity of their flocks. It is no exaggeration to say that in 110 part of the world is there a more complete union of clergy and people than exists between the Catholic people and clergy of Newfoundland. If we consider the vast undertakings which have been brought to a successful termination by a Catholic population not much exceeding 60,000 souls in all, we cannot but be surprised at the wonderful liberality and zeal of the people, and at the influence exercised over them by the Bishop and his clergy. The value of the church pro-