A STRANGE SALE—BAD PRINCIPLES SPREADING—THE CASE OF DOWNIE— COLLEGE IN ENGLAND—ENGLISH “CATHOLIC COMMITTEE” AND “CIS ALPINE-CLUB”—SUBMIT TO THE BISHOPS—BISHOP HAY AND MR. BURKE—MGR. ERSKINE, THE PAPAL ENVOY, VERY FRIENDLY—STUDENTS UNABLE TO GO ABROAD—TAUGHT BY BISHOP CHISHOLM—VISITORS AT SCALAN—BISHOPS MEET AT GIBSTON—BISHOP HAY CONTINUED IN PROCURATORSHIP—LETTERS TO ROME—NUMBER OF CATHOLICS 45,000—AN AMERICAN PRIEST IN OFFICE AT THE SCOTCH COLLEGE, ROME—TWO PLACES IN PROPAGANDA COLLEGE TO SCOTCH STUDENTS—MR. FARQUARSON SUCCEEDS MR. M’DONELL AT GLASGOW—THE FAMILIES OF GUELPH AND STEWART RECONCILED— LITERARY LABOURS OF BISHOP GEDDES—HIS DIFFICULTIES—GREATER EDUCATION FACILITIES NECESSARY—THE DUKE OF GORDON LIBERAL TOWARDS CATHOLICS—PRAYERS FOR THE KING.

It pained the suffering Bishop moreover, to learn on inquiring of his friend, the agent, that the portrait of Baron Menzies of Pitfodels, which was in the recreation room of the Scotch College, together with other portraits, all the English books and most of the classics in every language, had been sold by the late rector, in the Piazza Navona. No wonder if the Bishops made every exertion to have a national President appointed.

As a warning to all Catholics in times of political agitation, the case of one Downie, a member of the Edinburgh congregation, comes now to be recorded. The principles of the French Revo­lution were spreading over all the countries of Europe. Scotland was not exempt from the conta­gion. At Edinburgh there was formed an association which called itself “Friends of the People.” It was believed to be in correspondence with the French convention, perhaps even subsidized by it. This society, in the course of the year, fell into the hands of justice. The ring-leaders, and among the rest the Unitarian minister of Dundee, were tried and transported. This warning was lost upon the association. It still persisted in its treasonable designs. A second disclosure was made when pike heads of a deadly shape were discovered. These weapons combined the prop­erties of a pike, an axe and a small scythe. Watt, a wine merchant, in whose house they were first found, was arrested, together with a blacksmith named Orrock, who had made them. At first these parties refused to give any information concerning their employers and associates. A few days of more strict imprisonment, however, induced them to speak. It came to light that the pikes had been ordered and paid for by David Downie, a goldsmith, who, for many months, had been associated with the “Friends of the People.” This unfortunate man was a member of the small Catholic congregation. He bore a good character and had been advanced to the post of treasurer of the Goldsmiths’ Company. He could not claim to be excused for his treasonable practices on the ground of youth, for he was more than sixty years of age. Some time before this man was arrested, Bishop Hay had denounced the “Friends of the People” from the pulpit, insisting, at the same time, on the duties of loyalty and obedience. This denunciation excited Downie’s radical enthusiasm, and he said: “The Bishop has turned recruiting sergeant to King George, and I will have nothing more to do with him.” He, in pursuance of his threat, gave up attending at the Bishop’s chapel.

Watt and Downie were tried for their lives and sentenced to death. Downie now came to a better state of mind, and wrote a penitent letter to Bishop Hay, praying forgiveness and begging of the Bishop to send a priest to prepare him for death. Mr. Alexander Cameron, who succeeded his uncle, Bishop Geddes, in the rectorship of Valladolid, was appointed for this service. There being some extenuating circumstances in Downie’s case, the jury had recommended him to mercy, and a memorial in his behalf was sent to London. Bishop Hay visited him, meanwhile, and did all in his power to console Mrs. Downie and her family. The name of the condemned man was recommended in St. Margaret’s chapel to the prayers of the people on the Sunday immediately preceding the day fixed for his execution. He was, however, respited at first for a month; and, afterwards, his sentence was commuted to transportation.

The Bishop was now preparing for the annual meeting at Gibston. From Scalan he wrote to the agent at Rome informing him of the success of his visit to London. He had satisfactorily settled with Bishop Douglas regarding the erection of a College in England, in order to supply the loss of the College at Douai.

It gave him much pleasure to state that the English gentlemen who had taken part in the “Cath­olic Committee” and afterwards in the “Cis Alpine-club,” which succeeded it, had given up their mistaken ideas and declared entirely for the Bishops. He mentions his most friendly relations with Mr. Burke, and adds that this illustrious statesman was much pleased to hear of the inten­tion to have a College in England and recommended that they should apply to Government for a charter or letters patent in order to render it permanent, giving them to understand, at the same time, that such favour would not be refused. The Bishops standing well at Court would meet with every encouragement. There was no lessening of the Bishop’s friendship with the Papal envoy, Mgr. Erskine, who showed him every attention, and shortly before he left the city invited him, together with the English Bishops, and some other gentlemen, to dine with him. The after­noon was spent with the utmost cordiality, to the Bishop’s great satisfaction. The wars of the French, but too successful, rendered it dangerous to send students abroad. Bishop Chisholm, in the meantime, directed their studies, so that as little harm as possible should be caused by the delay. The letter is dated August 17th, 1694.

When at Scalan the Bishop had the honour of a visit from His Grace the Duke of Gordon and Mr. Menzies of Pitfodels. On the following day Bishop Chisholm arrived from the Highlands, and was introduced to the potentate of the North. From Scalan the two Bishops proceeded to Gibston, where they held the annual meeting. The greatest harmony prevailed. Bishop Hay left the choice of a new Procurator entirely to the administrators of the mission funds, having first laid before them the circumstances which, he thought, ought to determine them. He then with­drew, lest his presence should be a restraint on their deliberations, and left them to proceed with their election. They agreed unanimously to ask him to retain the office for three years longer. He had already declared, both publicly and privately, that he would perform no more the trying duties of the procuratorship. This resolution, however, was changed by the unanimous request of the administrators that he would accept the charge for another period on certain conditions.

Some time was now devoted to the preparation of the usual letters to Rome, to Propaganda, the Cardinals Albani, Carrafazajetto and Zalaga, the Secretary of State. In all these letters there was an account of the affairs of the Scotch mission. The letter to Propaganda consisted of a general statement, describing the journeys, receptions and health of each of the Bishops during the past year; and not omitting the losses sustained by the mission in France and elsewhere. The letter to Cardinal Zalada gave the most details, as he was more a stranger to the mission affairs, and estimated the number of Catholics in Scotland at 45,000.

After the meeting, Bishops Hay and Chisholm repaired by way of the Enzie to Aberdeen, where the letters to Rome were signed by all the three Bishops. Bishop Hay was very desirous, on the occasion, to see his invalid coadjutor, as appearances indicated but too plainly that it might be the last time. Bishop Chisholm was much affected. “It was a moving sight,” he said, “to see the helpless invalid in the condition to which he was reduced. But his mind was as vigourous as ever.”

Yielding so far to the representations of the Bishops, through the wise management of the agent, an American priest of high character was appointed confessor to the students and director of their studies. This was done notwithstanding the opposition of the Rector and his Prefect. Prop­aganda, at the same time, assigned two places in their College to Scotch students, and undertook to pay the travelling expenses of young priests ordained for Scotland when their relations were too poor to pay for them. More than this was desirable; but the Scotch Bishops were satisfied, in the meantime, by having obtained so much.

The Glasgow mission, as yet in its commencement, was in danger of losing ground by the appointment of Mr. McDonell, to the chaplaincy of the Glengarry regiment. His new office, however, was of such importance that the Bishop could not refuse to let him accept it. Mr. Farquarson was taken from his superintendence of the students at Aberdeen and appointed to the vacant charge.

At last there was a reconciliation of the two families of Guelph and Stewart. Prince Augustus, of the former line, was spending the summer at Grotta Ferrata, and often had occasion to meet Cardinal York. He never met him but he caused his phaeton to stop and stood with his hat in his hand till the Cardinal was passed. This repeated attention produced the effect which the Prince desired. Latterly, the Cardinal ordered his carriage to stop too, and kindly enquired after the Prince’s health, expressing at the same time, his affection towards him and his friends, and how much he wished to be on the most intimate terms with His Royal Highness, his dear cousin. He hoped also that political disputes between their families would not now, any longer, give umbrage. The Prince was so much struck with this very friendly and unexpected show of kind­ness on the part of the Cardinal that he could not find words to express his feeling; but only repeated three times, I thank your Royal Highness. On the following day he made amends for this, and walked with the Cardinal for more than two hours. He afterwards dined with him and sought his conversation every evening. The Cardinal was delighted with the amiable qualifica­tions of the Prince.

Bishop Geddes was still capable of extraordinary literary activity. Besides collecting what he could relating to the history of religion in Scotland, and in addition to his “Life of St. Margaret,” which his nephew, Mr. Gordon, had printed at his own risk, he had lately composed a pastoral letter in Latin, addressed to the Scotch missionaries. A hundred copies of this letter were printed. He flattered himself that his contributions to the Encyclopedia might do good to reli­gion, inasmuch as they afforded an opportunity of representing the true state of things. It had a circulation of 6000 copies, which found their way to all parts of the world. He had also finished the lives of Boscovich and Stay, together with a new life of the admirable Creighton. All of these were soon to appear in the supplement to the Encyclopedia. After mentioning these contribu­tions, in a letter to him, Dr. Gleig said: “I read with much pleasure the account you gave me of your head and heart. Long may they continue sound; and that you may have as little pain as possible, in this world, and, when the Father of mercies shall be pleased to remove you to a better, that your departure may be easy and happy, is the sincere prayer of, Right Reverend and dear sir, your most respectful, humble servant.
GEORGE GLEIG.”

It was an additional consolation to the invalid to receive a most kind letter from George Chalmers, giving him an account of many literary undertakings and projects in connection with the antiquities of Scotland and his share in them, expressing, at the same time, his warm interest in the restoration of the invalid Bishop’s health.

Pecuniary embarrassment added, in no slight degree, to the patient’s sufferings. The arrears due him in Spain were only in part recovered, and his debt amounted to £900. This was an evil, however, that could be removed; and Bishop Hay promptly adopted measures for its removal. He took all the debt upon himself, together with the management of whatever income the invalid possessed; and after making a reasonable allowance for maintenance, devoted the remainder to the payment of debt. Mr. McPherson, also lent his aid, and succeeded in obtaining an addition to the Bishop’s income of seventy-two crowns yearly. Sir Thomas Durham had left to Propa­ganda, about the middle of the seventeenth century, 2,000 crowns for the support of Protestant clergymen who might become Catholics. As there were but few such conversions, the fund had been applied latterly to more general purposes. A person having died who enjoyed a pension accruing from this fund, the ever mindful agent, chiefly through the influence of Cardinal Albani, secured it for Bishop Geddes; and, after his debts were paid to the Seminaries in Scot­land. Bishop Geddes was very grateful to all concerned in this business, not forgetting Cardinal Albani, whom he specially thanked.

Among the many literary occupations which engaged the attention of Bishop Geddes, his tract on duelling was not forgotten. A copy of it together with the life of St. Margaret was sent to the office of the Encyclopedia, addressed to Dr. Gleig. Bishop Hay was much impressed on reading the biography of Boscovich. “Poor man!” he said, “how I was affected with the account of his latter days. Mr. George Maxwell was no less so.” Bishop Geddes’ friends at Edinburgh never ceased to enquire for him. Among these were the Lord Advocate and Lord Monboddo. Mrs. Maxwell, of Kirkconnell, showed her interest by sending a bottle of the tincture of lavender, which was said to be good for paralytic affections. Needless to say it had no more effect than the kind enquiries of many friends.

The loss of the foreign Colleges rendered it necessary that the Bishops should direct their atten­tion towards enlarging the Seminaries at home. It happened at the time that a very eligible prop­erty in the Enzie, near Gordon Castle, was for sale. The purchase had many advocates, especially Bishop Geddes. Bishop Hay dreaded the expense which it would entail. Finally, after a great deal of serious, discussion, the idea of purchasing was abandoned. It would, no doubt, have been highly advantageous to have a College in such a choice locality. The vicinity of the ducal palace would have been a tower of strength, for the Dukes of Gordon, although now Prot­estant, inherited the ancestral will to befriend the Catholics. Duke Alexander, at that time head of the ancient House, showed his mind on the subject in a very decided and public manner. One day, at a county meeting, there arose a discussion as to the loyal dispositions of various denom­inations, when His Grace of Gordon, confidently said that, after a thorough examination of matters, he would take it on himself to answer for the Roman Catholics to a man. It was also a great recommendation of the property proposed that the majority of the surrounding population was Catholic. There was only one objection to so eligible a site for a Catholic college, the pecu­niary difficulty which it would occasion.

At the commencement of 1795 there was some discussion on the subject of public prayers for the King and Royal Family. Mr. Menzies, of Pitfodels, had the introduction of such prayers much at heart; and, at his earnest request, Bishop Geddes proposed the practice to Bishop Hay. The latter was opposed to making it obligatory on the clergy; but would willingly suggest it, and leave it to them to adopt it if they chose. In Galloway the practice had become general. At Edin­burgh, also, it had been begun. If Aberdeen followed these examples, the custom would, no doubt, spread in the North. As an encouragement the Bishop suggested a form of prayer which might be adopted. After mentioning the Church, her pastors and the welfare of religion, he proposed that the following words should be used: “Let us also recommend to the mercy of Almighty God, our Sovereign, King George, Charlotte, our Queen, and all the Royal Family, with all our civil magistrates and rulers under whom we live; that our good Lord may direct them in all their ways, to what is most for His glory, the good of their own souls and the estab­lishment of His holy religion amongst us.”