BISHOP CAMERON AS COADJUTOR—BISHOP HAYS LOAN WITHOUT INTEREST TO THE NEW CHURCH OF ABERDEEN—DEATH OF REV. GEO. MAXWELL, S.J., AT THE AGE OF NINETY—HIS GIFT OF £400 TO STONEYHURST—LIBERAL ALSO TOWARDS THE SEMINARIES OF SCOTLAND—RELIQUES; A SILVER THURIBLE AND REMONSTRANCE OF HOLYROOD—BISHOP CAMERON AT EDINBURGH; HAS SOLE CHARGE OF THE COUNTRY SOUTH OF THE GRAMPLANS—BISHOP HAY TRANSFERS THE MISSION PROPERTY HELD IN HIS NAME TO TRUSTEES—BISHOP CHISHOLM TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS SEMINARY IN THE ISLAND OF LISMORE— MEETS BISHOPS HAY AND CAMERON AT AQUORTIES—MGR. ERSKINE CARDINAL—BECOMES CARDINAL PROTECTOR—WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN—PASTORAL IN SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT—NEW PRAYER FOR THE KING—BISHOP CAMERON AND THE SPANISH EMBASSY—CHIEF DUTY ON THE COADJUTOR—MR. AENEAS CHISHOLM CHOSEN BISHOP OF HIGHLAND DISTRICT—BISHOP MILNER—HOW BISHOP CAMERON TRAVELLED—REPORT TO ROME FROM THE HIGHLANDS—MR. AENEAS CHISHOLM’S CONSECRATION DELAYED—THE “DEVOUT” AND “PIOUS CHRISTIAN” TRANSLATED INTO FRENCH—THE AUTHOR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY—BISHOP HAY STRUCK WITH PARALYSIS—RALLIES—REMITTANCE OF 200 CROWNS AND CONGRATULA­TIONS TO THE SCOTCH BISHOPS.

We now find Bishop Cameron acting for the first time as coadjutor. In August, 1802, he met the Bishops of both districts at Edinburgh, and transacted together with them the usual business of the annual meeting. In the letter to Propaganda it was mentioned that Bishop Hay’s memory had failed so much more as to leave him often without words to express his meaning. After the meeting he began his journey back to Aquorties in company with Bishop Cameron. The latter spent a month among his friends in the North, and then returned to Edinburgh for the winter.
A new and better church was now provided at Aberdeen, Mr. Gordon having zealously exerted himself in obtaining subscriptions among his friends. Bishop Hay contributed in the form of a loan of £300 without interest.

It would be a serious omission not to record the death, at ninety years of age, of a venerable priest who had long and faithfully served the mission. This was none other than the ex-Jesuit, Mr. George Maxwell. There was no other disease than the decay incident to old age. His servant found him one day in his chair in a state of stupor. Mr. C. Maxwell hastened to his assistance, and at once administered Extreme Unction and the last blessing. Immediately after this he departed to his rest. Mr. Maxwell was a liberal contributor to the Seminary which his former brethren of the suppressed Order established at Stoneyhurst. His offering was £400 in gold. Notwithstanding some difference of opinion as to the property of the ex-Jesuits in Scotland, there was always a warm friendship between him and Bishop Hay, who highly esteemed him and often consulted him. He bequeathed his money, with the exception of the sum already mentioned, to his Order in the event of it being restored, and the interest thereof, in the mean­time, to the Seminaries of Scotland. In connection with Mr. Maxwell’s will, the Bishop found it necessary to visit Edinburgh. On his return to Aquorties he wrote a long letter to his coadjutor in which he complains of his fast declining health which was greatly impaired by his recent journey. In the same letter he refers to a relic of the by-gone time—a silver thurible with incense boat attached, together with a Remonstrance or Soleil for the exposition of the Blessed Sacra­ment. These all belonged of old to the Royal Chapel of Holyrood Palace, when the Duke of York, afterwards James VII, and II., held his Court there. The Bishop’s friend, M. L’Abbe Latil, desired to have these things as a loan for the use of his small congregation, and they were kindly sent to him.

It does not appear that there was any want of cordiality between the Bishop and his coadjutor. The former certainly could not have given to the latter a warmer or more friendly welcome. The junior Bishop was now to reside at Edinburgh, a fitting place for the commencement of a career that was destined to be so bright. He was also entrusted with the sole charge of the country south of the Grampian Mountains.

The chapel at Aberdeen was now so much enlarged that it might well be termed a church. In our day it would have this designation.

Bishop Hay was now relieved of his more onerous duties, the coadjutor, according to the arrangement entered into, having taken up his residence at Edinburgh. The congregation there was not destined as yet to have a new and more commodious church.

The want of sufficient funds obliged Mr. Rattray to abandon his favourite scheme. The esti­mated cost, £4000, was beyond any that he had been able to collect. Meanwhile, Bishop Hay was devoting his time and his purse at Aquorties to the improvements of the Seminary. “I am now,” he said, writing to Bishop Chisholm, “In a manner, out of the world, and with good reason, for, I am almost good for nothing.” He was resolved, however, to do one good thing, and that was to transfer his property and the mission funds that were held in his name, to trus­tees, in order to avoid the uncertainty and expense of disposing of it by will. The legacy duty alone at the time, a recent invention of financiers, was no inconsiderable item; litigation, which is always costly, might also have jeopardized the funds.

Bishop Chisholm, before repairing to the annual meeting, took possession of his Seminary at Lismore. He then passed over the Grampian Mountains to Aquorties, where Bishops Hay and Cameron awaited him. The annual letters were prepared on the first of August. One of these was a complimentary letter to Mgr. Erskine on occasion of his elevation to the dignity of Cardinal. This Prelate succeeded Cardinal Albani, a few months later, as Cardinal Protector of Scotland. Propaganda had also a new Prefect in succession to Cardinal Borgia. He learned from the Bishop’s annual letter to Propaganda the unwelcome fact that Bishop Hay’s memory had so much failed that he could no longer attempt to preach or say Mass in public. War had broken out anew between France and Great Britain and became the occasion of a joint pastoral letter which the Bishops issued before closing the meeting. In this letter the people were earnestly called upon to support the Government to the best of their ability whether by enlisting for mili­tary service or by their prayers. The letter was accompanied by a new prayer for the King and Royal Family.

A circumstance now occurred which caused much concern and alarm to Bishop Hay. He dreaded lest he should be deprived of the aid of his coadjutor. Through the Abbe Latil, Chaplain to the exiled Royal Family of France, Bishop Cameron was offered the first chaplaincy of the Spanish Embassy in London. Of the five Spanish chaplains already in office, not one knew a word of the Spanish language. In consequence of this rather singular circumstance, Bishop Cameron, if he had accepted office must have resided constantly in London. It does not appear that he ever entertained the idea of accepting. But a charge so incompatible with the exercise of his episcopal duties in Scotland was at once rejected.

Bishop Hay’s growing infirmities induced him once more to solicit from the authorities at Rome permission to transfer the duties of his office to his coadjutor. In writing to Cardinal Borgia on the subject he gave such an account of his health as appeared to secure a favourable answer to his request. For two years he had not been able to say Mass in public. It was three years since he had preached, so great was the failure of his memory. The most familiar words escaped him, even in conversation. This made him adverse to visiting. He could hardly stand sometimes from attacks of giddiness and great weakness. He was not himself surprised at all this, as he had reached the seventy-fourth year of his age, and the forty-fourth of his missionary labours. The administration of the district besides could not be in more able hands than those of his coadjutor.

New complications now occurred in the affairs of the Scotch College at Paris, in consequence of the death of Mr. Innes; and there was less prospect than ever of recovering the property in France.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Borgia consulted Bishop Hay as to the qualifications of the three candi­dates named for the coadjutorship of the Highland district. Mr. Aeneas Chisholm, a brother of the Bishop, was finally chosen. Soon after another letter from Rome conveyed to Bishop Hay a polite refusal of his request. It may be said, however, to have been virtually granted, as, in the same letter he was advised to lay the chief burden of duty on his coadjutor, but still to retain in his own hands the office of Vicar Apostolic.

The Right Rev. Dr. Milner, so celebrated in the history of the English Church, in a letter to Bishop Cameron, expressed the hope that “the venerable Bishop Hay was in good health,” adding that he had the honour to be known to him twenty-five years ago, when he was in London.

Rumours had got afloat to the effect that the Society of Jesus was re-established, and that Mr. John Pepper had renewed his vows at Stoneyhurst. Bishop Douglas, however, forwarded to Scotland a circular letter from Propaganda which conveyed the information that all such rumours regarding the restoration of the Society, were unfounded; but that they were still limited to the Russian Empire.

We now find the Bishops preparing for the annual meeting. Bishop Cameron resolved to perform a part of the journey from Edinburgh on horseback. For this purpose he purchased a horse at Perth; but a friend insisted on his accepting the loan of a gig in which he travelled by Braemar, Strathdown, Glenlivat and Huntley to the Seminary at Aquorties. From thence he conveyed Bishop Hay along with him in this easy kind of carriage to Preshome, where the meeting of Bishops took place this year in the middle of August. It was resolved that Mr. John Reid, who had served the mission of Preshome during forty years, should be allowed to retire with an annuity of £50. The Bishops addressed a joint letter of congratulation to Cardinal Erskine on occasion of his succeeding to the Protectorship of the Scotch mission. Detailed replies were prepared to a number of questions regarding the statistics of both districts, addressed by Propaganda to the Bishops. It was the first time any report was ever presented by the Bishop of the Highlands.

At the meeting of administrators, Bishop Hay was induced by his inability to remember words to resign the Presidency to his colleague, Bishop Chisholm. When there was question of anything important, the coadjutor spoke for him.

Preparations had been made for the consecration of the Highland coadjutor; but emigration and death had so much reduced the numbers of the clergy that Mr. Aeneas Chisholm’s services as a priest were required during the ensuing winter. Hence his consecration was delayed till the following year.
One of the last vigorous efforts of Bishop Hay was to dictate directions to his trustees regarding his fifty bank shares. His remarkable clearness in calculation showed that his intellect still retained its power, although his memory had so greatly failed.

Meanwhile, the reputation of Bishop Hay’s theological works was spreading far and wide. The Devout and Pious Christian was now translated into the French language by a French Priest in America, for publication in France; and the translator applied to Bishop Cameron for a biog­raphy of the author. This request was forwarded to Bishop Hay, who appeared to be quite indif­ferent to the proposal. He did, however, give the date of his birth, adding that he was of a “respectable family,” that his father had “given him a full education in the medical line,” that during his studies he had embraced the Catholic religion, and pursued a full course of theolog­ical studies at Rome; that, returning to the mission in 1759, he was consecrated Bishop and coadjutor in 1764, succeeding to the Vicariate in the eastern district of Scotland in 1778. This short notice was all that could be obtained for the zealous translator of his excellent works.

The Bishop was still able to teach the students of philosophy. They were engaged with him in the study of logic and natural philosophy. In these studies the Bishop employed Para’s Physics as a text book.

The Bishop and his coadjutor were quite of one mind, contrary to what some people affected to suppose. This pleasing fact is fully established by their confidential correspondence.

The state of the Seminary at this time was very gratifying to the aged Bishop, and gave promise of still greater improvement in the near future. There was favourable harvest weather and an abundant crop. The number of students had increased, and they as well as their masters were in excellent health. In the midst of this prosperity there came a dismal cloud. On the night from 25th to 26th of October, the Bishop, already so infirm, was struck with paralysis. He was unaware of the stroke, until he attempted to rise, when he felt that his right side was affected. He arose, however, and got into his chair, managing to dress himself without assistance. By the time he had done so, he was scarcely able to move or speak. He was immediately put to bed again, and medical assistance sent for. His mind, meanwhile, was not in the least affected. Towards evening, the oppression still continuing, he desired to receive the Viaticum, dreading lest later he should not be able to swallow. All that his physician could do was to recommend warmth and friction. But he himself, remembering that anodyne plaster was used successfully in Spain for paralytic affections, had one applied to his loins. In consequence he passed a good night, sleeping well, and appeared to be better next morning., His speech at the same time was less inarticulate. The plaster having succeeded so well, he applied it to his head and those parts of his limbs which were most affected. The results were excellent. Originally of a strong consti­tution, he slowly rallied from the attack. By the 30th of October he was able to leave his bed, dress and undress himself, and take his food with tolerable appetite. Next morning he rose at seven, an early hour in the circumstances, but much later than his wonted time. His right side gradually recovered its power, his defective utterance alone remaining. He attributed his resto­ration, under God, to the Spanish plaster; and he would have no other remedy.

Bishop Cameron continued to receive bulletins from Aquorties until there was no longer cause to apprehend immediate danger. He then wrote, assuring the Bishop that he prayed earnestly for his recovery, and that he also had the prayers and good wishes of his many friends at Edinburgh. The invalid, now so wonderfully convalescent, replied at some length to the kind letter of his coadjutor; giving details of his attack and recovery, which are in every important particular the same as is here set down. Mr. Charles Gordon was employed on the occasion as the Bishop’s amanuensis.

As affairs became settled at Rome, Propaganda renewed its liberality; and along with a remit­tance of 200 crowns, addressed a letter of encouragement to the aged Scotch Bishops (February 9th, 1805), consoling them in their infirmities and congratulating them on having spent the greater part of their lives in the vineyard of the Lord with so much usefulness that they might say to the just judge with the apostle of the Nations: “Ronum certamen certavi.”