no ordinary power. Like himself, they
were converts and very fervent ones; but, unlike him, they had come
into the Church from Episcopalianism. Clarence A. Walworth, son of
the Chancellor of the State of New York, was a graduate of Union
College. He studied law in Albany and practised his profession for a
short time, but finally undertook the ministry. After three years in
the Episcopal seminary he became a Catholic. Those who know him now
can see the tall and graceful youth, pleasing and kindly, with the
face and voice and soul of an orator; for the force and charm of
youth have not been weakened in receiving the dignity of old age.

James A. McMaster was of Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish parentage. His
name is familiar to our readers as editor of the _Freeman's Journal._
Those qualities of aggressive zeal which made McMaster so well known
to Catholics of our day were not wholly undeveloped in the tall,
angular youth, still a catechumen, and intoxicated with the new wine
of Catholic fervor. Young Mr. Walworth had been made a Catholic but a
short time before, and McMaster was received into the Church by the
Redemptorists in Third Street, his two young friends being present.
While he was kneeling at the altar, candle in hand, piously reading
his profession of faith to Father Rumpler, he accidentally set fire
to Father Tschenhens' hair, one of the fathers assisting at the
ceremony. Walking together afterwards in the little garden of the
convent, Father Rumpler said to him: "Mr. McMaster, you begin
well--setting fire to a priest." "Oh," answered he, "if I don't set
fire to something more than that it will be a pity." These new
friends of Isaac had applied to enter the Redemptorist novitiate and
they had been accepted. This meant a voyage to Europe, for the
congregation had not yet established a novitiate in America.

One Friday, then, during the last days of July--the exact date we
have not been able to discover--Isaac Hecker was informed by Father
Rumpler that Walworth and McMaster would sail for Belgium the evening
of the next day. "I decided to join them," he said when relating the
circumstances afterwards. "Father Rumpler was favorable, but puzzled.
And I must first present myself to the Provincial, Father de Held,
who was in Baltimore. I arrived in Baltimore at four o'clock in the
morning on Saturday, travelling all night. Father de Held looked at
me, as I presented myself, and said that he must take time to
consider. I