Creation of a Secula,· Clergy
made. When presented to the Bishop, he respectfully admitted that al- though that was what he wanted, he was unable to undertake so ambi- tious an enterprise. It was impossible to do it under existing circum- stances. He offered to give eight thousand dollars to Father Jean Marie Fleuri Baudrand and let him undertake whatever he wished under his own responsibility. 8 There was public interest in the projected seminary and college, and it was not confined to Catholics, as the Bishop had pointed out in his pastoral letter with reasonable pride. The Galveston paper carried an article on July 5, 1852, signed "a Protestant," which read: Bishop Odin has just returned from his late visit to Europe, accom- panied by a Corps of teachers skilled in the sciences and in the ancient and modern languages, and intends to establish a Seminary in Texas.... Although not a Catholic myself, I deem the subject by far too important not to attract the notice of the people of Galveston. It is all important to us that this institution be located here. It would be not only an honor and an ornament, but of inestimable blessing to our infant city; aiding, in an eminent degree, its growth and advancement, and extending to our youth all the facilities for acquiring an accomplished and liberal education. 9 Father Baudrand had gladly accepted the challenge and had ag-reed to launch a campaign for the proposed school. Unfortunately, fate stepped in and struck down the leader. The fall of 1853 saw the outbreak of a terrible epidemic of Yellow Fever. The enthusiastic pioneer missionary and educator, who had withstood the rigors of the Canadian winters and the privations of the North, as previously described, fell a victim to the tropical scourge on October i:, 1853, three days after he took sick Two months before, Father Chambodut, Vicar General, had written the Council for the Propagation of the Faith in Lyons, "The Oblates are going ahead with the Seminary-College, under the impetus of Father Baudrand... . Soon they will have a new field of activity opened to their zeal. By instructing our Protestant youth [in the College] in the human sciences, they will be able to instill in their minds the fear of God and the love of virtue, and this is the only means at our disposal to regenerate human society." 10
•Notes for Oblate History, 18. 9 Cited in / bid., I 8.
10 Bernard Doyon, A Historical Study ..., 65. References are to the Ms. gen- erously loaned to the writer before its publication as Tire Cavalry of Cnrisl .• ,
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