m, looking hopelessly into his
moral theology," said Father Walworth to the writer. Father Frederick
de Held, whom we left in Baltimore, had returned to Europe, being
Provincial of the Belgian Province, which at that time included the
English as well as the American missions. It must have seemed strange
to him that Brother Hecker had been sent to England; he had no house
of studies to put him into and could give him no regular course of
instruction. We cannot even surmise what word was sent to Father de
Held about this curious young man, whom early one summer's morning
three years before he had seen flitting into Baltimore and out of it,
taking with him the Provincial's leave to enter the novitiate.
Perhaps the case had been sent to him because it was too perplexing
for any authority less than his to settle. At any rate, it placed him
in an awkward position, to decide the case of this lone applicant for
orders, who had made no studies and could make none, and yet who was
of so marked a character, so full of life, so zealous, working
willingly about the church, eagerly working in the kitchen, talking
deep philosophy and forming plans for the conversion of nations. His
case was peculiar. The difficulty was not confined to the question of
divinity studies. Brother Hecker's general education was scant, and
his English [sic] was still faulty. And yet he was silently asking
ordination in a preaching order, for which a thorough education is a
prerequisite. Father de Held, therefore, is not to be condemned for
his harshness as wanting in sympathy or in judgment of character.
Gold is tried by fire, and fire is an active agent and a painful one.
But Brother Hecker soon found both solace and assistance in a new
friend.

We quote from the memoranda:

"Father de Held was superior at Clapham and for a year he treated me
as Henry Suso says a dog treats a rag--he took me in his teeth and
shook me. At last I went to him and begged him to settle my case one
way or the other: ordain me, or make a lay brother of me, or take off
my habit and dismiss me to another order; though I told him that
would be like taking off my skin. Father de Buggenoms then went my
surety. He had been my confessor at Clapham and was then absent. But
he wrote to De Held that he would guarantee my conduct if ordained.
De Held then changed and became my fast and constant friend."

This is the first mention we find of Father de Buggenoms. Father
Hecker ever venera