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Show THE CHURCH IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN INTER-MOUNTAIN STATES. People outside the Intermountain country have small conception of the condition of the church in this section. This is particularly true of those who live in the eastern and middle states. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Mon-tana, Arizona, New Mexico, are names that carry with them to many people but a faint idea of a far away land. Indeed, the civic, social and religious conditions in these named states are but little better known to many people in the United States than the conditions existing in the Transvaal. The virile condition of the church in these parts would no doubt astound many people who yet associate what was once the Great American desert, with the Indian and the buffalo. Regarding Re-garding the condition of the church it will perhaps astonish some to knovl that in this intermountain country th relation of churches, schools, hospitals, asylums, colleges and academies to the Catholic population is greater than in any other portion of the United States. In the vast territory of New Mexico, in parts remote by hundreds of miles from railroad travel, the chapel, the school and the priest are to be found. In the strictly mountain states, in almost al-most inaccessible places, the same con-diiton con-diiton prevails. There is not a mountain moun-tain camp in any of the intermountain states that is without its Catholic church. It has not been an uncommon thing for priests to follow the mountain moun-tain trail so far that upwards of a year and a half have frequently passed without with-out giving them an opportunity of seeing see-ing a brother priest. The real true missionary spirit is not a thing of the past, but a fact of today, a living, energetic reality. It is to bo found in the diocesan clergy of this in termountain country, mese men never fail to sacrifice themselves for their people. Frequently they are to be found living in small rooms attached to the chapels each man his own servant and his own cook. At times snowdrifts keep him hemmed in for weeks. The depths of the mine or the mountain peaks, as he brings a consolation of religion re-ligion to some poor unfortunate, mark the limitations of his home. In these far remote places .priests exercise ex-ercise deep and abiding influence among all classes of the population, regardless of creed. This is.not to be wondered at. when the character of the average priest in the mountain country is considered. con-sidered. - , A fairly accurate idea of the ability Of the priesthood in all parts of the country has led the writer to the con- j elusion that the priests who minister to the people in remote parts of the coun- J try, exhibiting real missionary zeal, are j superior men. We have always been struck with the superior ability in sermonizing which characterizes the priests Who are far removed from the easy life of the city. We believe that the .average sermon in the mountain camp is superior to that heard in the city churches. The work of such men must, therefore, produce pro-duce unusual results, and that such are seen where these men labor is beyond be-yond question. Splendid, indeed, is the work that has been done for' religion in the western west-ern states of thj, Union.. Magnificent also are the future prospects! May the men who are sacrificing themselves receive re-ceive the reward to which their labor has entitled them. , |