e, abounding in examples from every-day life, and plentifully
illustrated with Scripture quotations. Although Father Hecker
preached regularly in his turn, only a few of his sermons were
contributed to these volumes, but his suggestions and encouragement
greatly assisted the other Fathers in preparing theirs, as indeed in
all their duties, parochial and missionary. Some years after the
series was ended two volumes of Five-Minute Sermons were published,
providing short instructions for Low Masses on Sundays.

The Paulist Church also became well known for the attention paid to
the public offices of religion, as well as for rubrical exactness in
ceremonies, the greater feasts of the year being celebrated with all
the splendor which a simple church-building and limited pecuniary
means allowed.

Father Hecker was from first to last strongly in favor of
congregational singing, and assisted to the best of his power in
introducing it. It began in our church in modest fashion back in
those early days, and was fostered zealously at the Lenten devotions
and society meetings. It never failed of some good results, and has
finally attained a flourishing state of success in this parish. His
attention to the children was constant. No matter who had charge of
the Sunday-school, as long as his health permitted Father Hecker was
there every Sunday that he was at home, asking questions, talking to
the teachers and children, enlivening all by his encouragement and
cheerfulness. He was a martinet on one question, and that was
cleanliness, and its kindred virtue, orderliness. He was never above
working with mop, broom and duster indoors, and shovel and rake in
the garden; and this trait added much to the appearance of things as
well as to the comfort of all concerned in the use of the convent and
the church.

Though assiduous in every parish duty, his favorite task was the
relief of the poor. They multiplied in number in undue proportion to
the increase of the parish, drifting out this way from the
overcrowded quarters down town. Father Hecker enlisted the best men
and women in the congregation in the work of caring for them,
organizing a conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, in whose
labors he joyfully and energetically participated.

The death of Father Baker was, humanly speaking, a loss to the
community beyond all calculation, and was the great event of the
first period of the Paulist community. Father Hecker had the very
h