MR. HAY’S SUCCESS AS A PREACHER—DEATH OF BISHOP SMITH, AGED 84, IN 1709—MR. HAY, PROCURATOR—RESIDES AT EDINBURGH—SUCCEEDED AT PRESHOME BY MR. JOHN GEDDES—MR. HAY, COADJUTOR—DEATH OF THE REV. JOHN GODSMAN—REPUTED A SAINT AND MUCH LAMENTED—DESTITUTION OF THE MISSION—EFFORTS FOR ITS RELIEF—LIBERALITY OF MR. CONSTABLE— £1000 FROM ROBERTUS JACOBUS THROUGH BISHOP CHALLONER—BISHOP HAY AND REV. J. GEDDES STRIVE TO HAVE CATHOLIC PUBLICATIONS—“JOHNNY PETERSON”—SCALAN A COLLEGE IN SPAIN—FRUITLESS FOR A TIME—REV. J. GEDDES, DELEGATE—HIS SUCCESS—GENEROSITY OF SPANISH AMBAS­SADOR—COLLEGE TRANSFERRED TO VALLADOLID—MR. GEDDES TEN YEARS RECTOR—PERSECUTION POWERLESS—CONVERSIONS IN ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY—BISHOP HAY AND SCALAN—FIRST MENTION OF BISHOP RONALD M’DONALD—THE BOISDALE PERSECUTION—LEADS TO IMPORTANT EVENTS— HARD LAIRDS BROUGHT TO REASON.

Mr. Hay highly appreciated the importance of good preaching; and he applied with great judg­ment and industry to the work of acquiring the art of extemporaneous preaching, which he believed to be the most effective. His studies were not in vain; and we have it on the authority of his best biographers that as a preacher he became very popular. Protestants even took delight in hearing him. It is related that on occasion of one of his journeys through Buchan he stayed over a Sunday and preached at a place called Bythe. There were many Protestants, among his hearers; and it was observed that they were moved to tears, and were heard to say to one another as they came out: “If he preached here always, we would never go anywhere else.” Such impres­sions could not be too often produced, especially in such times as those in which the lot of Mr. Hay and his brethren was cast.

Soon after the death of Bishop Smith, at the advanced age of eighty-four, in the year 1769, Mr. Hay was appointed Procurator for the mission of Scotland; and was, in consequence, obliged to leave his congregation at Preshome, in whose cause he had laboured so well and so successfully, and take up his residence at Edinburgh, his native city. He was succeeded in his pastoral charge of Rathven by Mr. John Geddes, who, such was the importance of this mission, was recalled from the presidency of Scalan, and replaced there by a priest recently ordained at Rome, and who had been for a short time prefect of studies at Douai. Mr. Hay, notwithstanding the labo­rious nature of his new charge, which he owed to his great ability and experience in business, was not exempt from missionary duty, for which there was a large field at Edinburgh.

Another year, and another, and greater dignity fell to the share of Mr. Hay. It is not to be wondered at that Bishop Grant, now Vicar Apostolic, who had been so often and so severely tried by illness, should seek the aid of a coadjutor. With the consent of both the Highland bishops and of the whole clerical body in the Lowlands, he proposed Mr. Hay. The proposal at once received the sanction of the Holy See. No voice was raised against the appointment, except that of Mr. Hay himself. His unwillingness to accept the dignity and his dread of its responsi­bilities may be learned from his letters, on the occasion, to Abbate Grant and Cardinal Castelli. The consecration could not well take place till summer, when travelling is less difficult. Danger of publicity must also be avoided, such was still the state of feeling in the country regarding Catholics. Edinburgh could not be thought of, nor could Preshome, where anything concerning Mr. Hay would spread with all the rapidity of rumour. Scalan, therefore, was determined on, as being so much more retired than any other place. Thither, accordingly, the Bishops proceeded, and on Trinity Sunday, May 1st, 1769, Mr. Hay was consecrated, under, the title of Bishop of Daulis, by Bishop Grant of the Lowland Vicariate, who was assisted by the venerable Bishop Hugh Macdonald, of the Highlands, and his coadjutor, Bishop John Macdonald.

The same year the Rev. John Godsman was called from his earthly labours. His best eulogium is the universal mourning which his death occasioned, and the opinion, unanimously expressed, that a real saint had passed from earth to heaven.

At the time of Bishop Hay’s accession to the coadjutorship, the Scotch mission appears to have been in a state of great destitution. There was a great want everywhere, and even at Edinburgh, of suitable vestments and decent altar furniture. Even cheap books of instruction, that were so necessary for the people, could not be procured; and the clergy had no adequate means of subsistence, but were obliged to change from house to house, as circumstances might direct. An appeal for aid to the Catholics of England, through Mr. Constable, of Evringham, a warm friend of religion, was thought of; and Bishop Hay engaged the good services of the Dowager Coun­tess of Traquair to induce Mr. Constable to lay the case of the mission before the Catholics of England. Lady Traquair requested the Bishop to prepare a memorial, representing in plain terms the manifold wants of the mission. This was done, and both the Dowager Countess and Mr. Constable were highly pleased with the Bishop’s statement. They resolved to lay it before Bishope Challoner; and, relying on his good will in the matter,. asked him to give his opinion whether application should be made to the English Catholics generally, or that there should only be solicitation among private friends. It fell to Bishop Hay, the immediate departure of Lady Traquair and Mr. Constable not admitting of time to consult the other Bishops, to present the memorial to Bishop Challoner, in the name of his colleagues, stating at the same time, the diffi­culty, or rather the impossibility, at the time, of obtaining any aid from Rome, and suggesting that Divine Providence had, perhaps, reserved it for the English nation and for Bishop Challoner in particular, as the crown of his former good offices, to be the happy instrument of bestowing so great a benefit on the Catholics of Scotland. The reply to this appeal, was very friendly, but, owing to circumstances, not calculated to afford any immediate encouragement. There were two public collections in progress at the time. “As to particular contributions,” said Bishop Chal­loner, “I doubt not but some, if properly applied to, might be willing to assist you. I shall make some trial among my friends.” This utterance was a sufficient authorization for Lady Traquair and Mr. Constable to commence their mission of charity. Not long afterwards the latter sent £100 to Bishop Hay as a contribution from himself. When Bishop Hay was writing to inform Bishop Grant of the above particulars, he received another letter,. in which Bishop Challoner writes, with evident pleasure; “Honoured sir, admire and adore the goodness of God. Since I wrote to you, I was visited by a person of great honour and virtue, to whom I showed your memorial, upon the perusal of which he proposed to me the giving you, for the necessities of your mission, the sum of £1,000, with an eye to your present relief, and the procuring the prayers of your missionaries, for the repose of the soul of his kinsman deceased, for whom he had destined the money.” Reference to the current directory and Ordo for Scotland shows that Mass is still celebrated by all the clergy for this generous benefactor. (Pro Roberto Jacobo.) Bishop Grant addressed a letter of thanks to the friendly English Bishop for his goodness. He replied in writing to Bishop Hay: “My best thanks to that worthy gentleman. His prayers I thankfully accept of; but, as to the rest, the benefit you lately received is owing to a particular providence of our merciful Lord. To Him alone be all the glory.”

Bishop Hay, in addition to his episcopal functions and duties as a missionary pastor, was much occupied in providing for the security of the mission funds and, at the same time, with the settle­ment of the late Bishop Smith’s affairs. He was also busy as a publisher. He contemplated printing ten or twelve thousand copies of a catechism. It would appear that the failure of the Catholic bookseller, Mr. Meighan, of London, interfered with this undertaking; for the Bishop complains that it caused great confusion and stagnation of trade among Catholic booksellers. The Rev. John Geddes, now at Preshome, made similar efforts; and even expressed to the Bishop his conviction that he ought to use some of the public money in printing books for the common people, such great importance did he attach to the gratuitous distribution of shorter catechisms and manuals of devotion.

Bishop Hay added to his other employments that of preparing ecclesiastical students for ordi­nation. He taught a promising youth whom, in his correspondence, he calls Johnny Paterson, how to read Theology, and, in due course, had him ordained priest, and then set over the semi­nary and congregation at Scalan.

Considering that the spirit of persecution, although somewhat quiescent, was far from dead, it was fortunate that any kind of seminary could be maintained in Scotland. In however humble a condition, the House of Scalan had been held for many years, and still showed no appearance of decay. It is not a little astonishing that in so Catholic a country as Spain, the same good fortune could not be obtained. About a hundred years before Bishop Hay’s time, a Scotch gentleman, Colonel Semple, who had been long in the service of Spain, bequeathed a sum of money to be employed in founding a seminary at Madrid, for the training of Ecclesiastics destined for the mission of Scotland. The deed of foundation and endowment bears that “when the students, who must be Scotchmen by birth, of good family and character, shall be skilled in these sciences (the sciences proper to their state, they must return to the said kingdom of Scot­land to preach the Gospel, etc.” The chief support of the seminary was to be derived from certain houses in Madrid, which belonged to the founder. The Fathers of the Society of Jesuits were placed in charge; and the right to appoint a rector was vested in the Provincial at Toledo. Great things were expected. But it so happened, that, for a long time, owing, perhaps, to the teaching and impressions imparted by the Rev. Fathers of the Society, students were formed who joined them, but not one who became a priest for the poor missions of Scotland. Later on the seminary acquired so high a reputation as an educational establishment that it became a school for the children of Spanish Grandees. On occasion of the expulsion of the Jesuit Fathers from Spain, the seminary property fell into the hands of the Spanish Government. It was now, as a few words will show, nearer its destination, according to the will of the founder, through the action of the State, than when under the power of churchmen, who always claimed to be zealous champions of the Faith. The Grandees of Catholic Spain were not insensible to the evils that weighed so heavily on the robbed and afflicted Catholics of Scotland. The Bishops, being aware of this state of feeling, hoped that redress might be obtained by making application to the Spanish Govern­ment. The English Catholic agent at Madrid did all that lay in his power to assist in the matter. But it could not be hoped that a final and favourable decision could be come to until the Bishops were represented at the Spanish capital. At first, it was proposed that Bishop Hay should be the delegate. But he declined, as he could not afford, at the time, to represent, as became a Bishop, among the Grandees of the Spanish Court. The Rev. John Geddes was then chosen. He regretted leaving his flock at Preshome, and dreaded his want of diplomatic experience. This was a groundless fear. His great ability and knowledge of the world fully qualified him for the office laid upon him. He hesitated not to obey, and at once proceeded on his journey. On reaching London, he was introduced to the Spanish Ambassador, who received him kindly, volunteered to defray the expenses of his mission to Madrid, and gave him introductions to his friends at the Spanish Court. This was an auspicious commencement. There was some diplomatic delay; and this, to an unexperienced diplomatist, was somewhat discouraging. It gave him time, however, to learn the language of the country and to make friends. Finally he prevailed. The Spanish Government gave up the Semple property without a grudge, to the Scotch mission; and, more­over, allowed it to be transferred to Valladolid, the delegate having represented that the climate there was better suited to the constitutions of his fellow-countrymen than that of Madrid. While the building intended for a college was in preparation, Mr. Geddes caused fifteen ecclesiastical students to be brought from Scotland, so that studies could be at once commenced. Thus was the benevolent and pious purpose of Colonel Semple at last effectually realized. Mr. Geddes, when writing home, says in a spirit of moderation, which well became his character: “I do believe Father Clarke and his brethren meant no harm to their country. They may have met with difficulties that we are strangers to; and they may have seen things in another light than we do. However, I think I may safely say that, in all probability, things would have been on a better footing in Scotland than they are, had even twelve students of the secular clergy been constantly maintained in Spain these hundred and thirty years, according to the founder’s intention.” Mr. Geddes remained at Valladolid over ten years, as rector of the restored college. This institution, so valuable to the missions of Scotland, has continued till the present time, with no other serious interruption than that which occurred during the wars of Napoleon. Those wars at an end, the professors and students returned to the college, and studies were resumed with the usual effi­ciency and success.

Although the missionary priests of Scotland were at this time very few in number, their labours were not without fruit. It would have been worthy of all their pains if they had only supported and encouraged to perseverance their Catholic brethren who had remained steadfast. But they did more than this; like truly good shepherds, they brought back the erring to the fold. At the hamlet of Auchenhalrig, the Rev. Alex. Geddes reconciled to the Church, during the short time he was in charge there, no fewer than twenty-seven persons who had fallen away, and was favoured, besides, to receive several converts. The unwholesome breath of persecution which still filled the air could not prevent conversions, and they occurred occasionally in all classes of society. During a short stay at Aberdeen, in 1770, Bishop Hay received into the Church and confirmed a lady of some consequence, Mrs. Barclay, whom it cost him very little trouble to instruct, as she had already studied Gother.

Bishop Hay was too well aware of the great advantages of a good ecclesiastical education to lose an opportunity of imparting it, or causing it to be imparted, to youths of good promise. To this enlightened zeal the mission was indebted for several worthy priests. At this time, 1770, the Bishop does not appear to have had a high idea of the competency of Scalan as a seminary. Two boys, who had run away from that place, he received into his own home, and taught them, together with one Ranald MacDonald, whom he had picked up at Inverness, till places opened for them in the foreign seminaries of the mission. The two first, Thomas Robertson and Robert Menzies, became very efficient missionary priests, while Ranald MacDonald, in due time, rose to Episcopal dignity, and was long known as the. honoured Vicar Apostolic of the Highland district.

Speaking of the Catholics of last century, it comes to be our painful duty to record a severe trial to which a considerable number of them were subjected, a trial which, whilst it caused great hardship to many worthy families, and inflicted lasting disgrace on its cruel author, led to events which are of no slight importance in the history of Canada and the Canadian Church. Mr. MacDonald, of Boisdale, who had been educated as a Catholic, but who, in his maturer years, renounced the Faith, with all the blind zeal of an apostate, resolved to force his numerous tenants, who were Catholics, to conform to the Presbyterian worship. The Island of Uist, the largest of the outer Hebrides, was almost all inhabited by Catholics. Boisdale and his cousin German, the chief of the Clanranald branch of the MacDonalds, were the proprietors. Boisdale, in addition to his own estate, held extensive lands of his cousin; so that his tenants, all Catholics, amounted to two hundred families. He, at first, in order to alienate the people from their religion, insidiously invited them to send their children to attend, gratuitously, the instructions of a Pres­byterian tutor, who taught his own children. The unsuspecting people, anxious to have their chil­dren educated, availed themselves of an opportunity which appeared so favourable. It was not long, however, till the real intention of the Laird became manifest. Abuse of the Catholic reli­gion was mingled with the teacher’s daily lessons. Scurrilous and even immoral sentences were given to be copied by those who were learning to write, and when Lent came round, flesh meat was forced into the mouths of the children. When the people noticed these iniquitous proceed­ings, they, with the concurrence of the missionary of the place, F. Wynne, O.S.D., withdrew the children from Boisdale’s school. The latter now raged against the priest, threatening to appre­hend him as a criminal, if he dared to perform, any more, any of the offices of his religion, or even to remain in the Island. He went so far as to say that if he met the priest, he would twist his head from his shoulders. F. Wynne withdrew to Ireland, his native country, and was succeeded by Mr. Alexander MacDonell, a secular priest. Boisdale now got up a paper, in the Gaelic language, which he summoned his tenants to hear read at the term of Whit Sunday, 1770. This paper, which contained a formal renunciation of the Catholic religion and a promise, under oath, never to hold communication with a priest, the people were required to sign, or leave their houses and farms in the Island. On this the tenants unanimously declared their resolution to beg or starve rather than submit to such conditions. Accordingly they prepared immediately to quit the Island. This was more than the heartless Laird had calculated on. Dreading the loss which he would sustain in consequence of his lands remaining for a long time tenantless, he renewed the leases unconditionally for another year. He had no sooner done so, and had the tenants once more in his power, than he renewed his cruel demands, trebling and quadrupling their rents. He kept them, besides, in constant agitation by summoning them to discuss with him his unreason­able conditions, and that in the busiest times of the year. Far from the courts of law and legal advice, they could have no redress. In addition to all this, the cruel apostate used his monopoly of the trade of the Island to impoverish his tenants, and reduce them to the lowest servitude. It became thus impossible for them to escape from his tyranny by leaving the Island. And so, in the meantime, the barbarous Laird added insult to oppression, using the grossest abuse, appar­ently with impunity. But the day of deliverance and retribution was not far distant. The oppressed people of Uist were not without powerful friends. The aged Bishop Hugh MacDonald, on hearing of such cruelty, was greatly moved. He lost no time in laying the whole case before his Brother Bishops. The friendly Bishop Challoner was also duly informed, as was also Cardinal Costelli. A plan for emigration to the American colony of St. John’s Island (now Prince Edward’s), suggested by Mr. MacDonald of Glenaladale, was highly approved of by Bishop Hay, whilst his friend, the Rev. John Geddes, was opposed to it on the ground that it was calculated to drain the Highlands of the Catholic population. It was not intended to be carried to such an extent, Bishop Hay showed, as to have this result, but would be sufficient to show the tyrant of Uist that the people there could not be bound to his yoke. The only difficulty was to raise the necessary funds; 12,000 would be necessary for the Uist emigrants. This sum, Glenaladale volunteered to procure on the security of his own estate. But this could not be done sooner than Whit Sunday. Meanwhile, Boisdale, hearing of the effectual means that were in progress for the relief of his tenantry, resolved on a cessation of his cruel measures; and Bishop Hay became convinced that the persecution was at an end. It was so, however, only in appear­ance. Boisdale had not as yet reformed. But he was not destined to hold out much longer. Emigration was beginning to tell, both as regarded him and other hard landlords. No fewer than 400 people had sailed from Skye to Carolina, with some of the gentlemen of that large Island at their head. Many of Glenaladale’s neighbours were selling off their stock in order to go with him in the spring.