on the public platform in the United
States. From the close of the war till his health gave way in 1872 he
was much sought after for lectures, and spoke in the different cities
and very many of the large towns, besides being obliged to refuse
numerous applications, constantly coming in from all parts of the
Union and from all sorts of societies, secular, Catholic, and even
distinctly Protestant. Meantime he was frequently called on to preach
on such occasions as the laying of corner-stones of churches and
their dedications. He also gave one of the sermons preached before
the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore.

The following is the introductory paragraph of a long character
sketch of Father Hecker from the pen of James Parton, the historian.
It is taken from an article entitled "Our Roman Catholic Brethren,"
published in the _Atlantic Monthly_ for April and May, 1868. The
entire article is full of admiration for the Catholic Church and of
yearning towards her, though written by a typical sceptic of this era:

"As usual with them [Catholics] it is one man who is working this new
and most effective idea [the Catholic Publication Society]; but, as
usual with them also, this one man is working by and through an
_organization_ which multiplies his force one hundred times and
constitutes him a person of national importance. Readers who take
note of the really important things transpiring around them will know
at once that the individual referred to is Father Hecker, Superior of
the Community of the Paulists, in New York. . . . It is he [Father
Hecker] who is putting American machinery into the ancient ark and
getting ready to run her by steam. Here, for once, is a happy
man--happy in his faith and in his work--_sure_ that in spreading
abroad the knowledge of the true Catholic doctrine he is doing the
best thing possible for his native land. A tall, healthy-looking,
robust, handsome, cheerful gentleman of forty-five, endowed with a
particular talent for winning confidence and regard, which talent has
been improved by many years of active exercise. It is a particular
pleasure to meet with any one, at such a time as this, whose work
perfectly satisfies his conscience, his benevolence, and his pride,
and who is doing that work in the most favorable circumstances, and
with the best co-operation. Imagine a benevolent physician in a
populous hospital, who has in his office the medicine which he is
perfectly certain will cure or