est and highest
Americans were living thus, freed from all worldly cares, in an
agreeable, secluded abode, yet near the centre of things, with twelve
zealous, gifted young men to help and cheer them, a thousand
organizations in the country to aid in distributing their writings,
and in every town a spacious edifice and an eager audience to hang
upon their lips. What could they _not_ effect in a lifetime of
well-directed work?"

What follows, taken from a letter of Father Hecker's while sick in
Europe in 1874, shows one of his aims in the Apostolate of the Press.
It is suggestive of a result since attained, at least partially, in
more than one religious community in America:

"Monsignor Mermillod desired, early in the fall, that I should see
Canon Schorderet, of this place [Fribourg in Switzerland], as he was
engaged zealously with the press. This was one of my principal
reasons for visiting this place. My surprise has been most gratifying
in finding that he has organized, or rather begun, an association of
girls to set types, etc., who live in community and labor for the
love of God in the Apostolate of the Press. He publishes several
newspapers and journals. The house in which the members live is also
the store and the publishing house. Each girl has her own room. They
are under the patronage of St. Paul. The canon is filled with the
idea of St. Paul as the great patron of the Press, _the first
Christian journalist._ What has long been my dream of a movement of
this nature has found here an incipient realization. Our views in
regard to the mission of the press, and the necessity of running it
for the spread and defence of the faith as a form of Christian
sacrifice in our day, are identical. You can easily fancy what
interest and consolation our meeting and conversation must be to each
other. His movement is the completion of The Catholic Publication
Society of New York."

As there may be some curiosity about Father Hecker's principles as a
public writer, in point of view of ecclesiastical authority, we give
the following from a letter written just before the Vatican Council:

"1. Absolute and unswerving loyalty to the authority of the Church,
wherever and however expressed, as God's authority upon earth and for
all time.

"2. To seek in the same dispositions the true spirit of the Church,
and be unreservedly governed by it as the wisdom of the Most High.

"3. To keep my mind and heart free from all attachments t