DEATH OF THE SUPERIOR-GENERAL OF THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS IN PARIS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 52, 25 April 1874, Page 8

DEATH OF THE SUPERIOR-GENERAL OF THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS IN PARIS.

Okb of the best and most useful men of our times has just died, and is regretted by millions to-day. For sixty years that he .belonged to the community — for thirty-five of which he held the important position of Superior-General — his life has been one continued series of good and great deeds. No man living, perhaps, contributed more to prevent the spread of the baleful doctrines of Socialism, and saved so many young people from falling a victim to them. Like St. Vincent d« Paul, Frere Phillippe will leave an immortal souvenir in the minds of the people of France, of the virtuous people who appreciate self-sacrifice and worth. Hit death was like his life — calm and resigned. He took leave of every one in his little cell, after confessing to Abbe* Roche ; not one word of murmur, of complaint, or of hope of recoverj fell, from his lips ; not a sigh was heard ; death came like a gentle sleep without a thrill, without pain, without a pang. Frere Phillippe was born on the Ist of November, 1792, when France was in the throe* of the terrible revolution, in the little village of G-ochat, on the Loire. His father was a small farmer, and a most religious man. He gave hospiUlity to the persecuted priests, and narrowly escaped falling a victim to the honors of those times. Mathiew Bransiet, his son, the subject of our memoir, entered in 1809 — when the first Napoleon was in all his power — as a norioe in the establishment of the Brothers of the Christian Schools at Lyons. He was Superior at Metz, Bethel, and Rbeims. In 1823 he was at the head of th« establishment of St. Nicholas in Paris, and visitor to those of severs! Departments. In 1830 he Was made assistant to the Superior-General, and in 1838, Superior-General, a post which lie held until his death. Thirty-five years of useful labor, of gigantio efforts to serve humanity, instruct youth, and save from vice and crime thousands born, it would seem, to no other inheritance by the example of their parents and friends in the city of revolutions. Two thrones upset, a dozen of governments changed, victories and defeats, glory and humiliation, civil war and pestilence, inundations, fire and famine have passed over the city, but only stimulated the zeal of the friend of the poor, who for forty years remained in Paris unchanged in bis zeal, and true to God and to religion. Great ones of the carth — sovereigns, philosophers, statesmen, politicians, phyeioians, lawyers, the representatives of science, literature and art,— he saw pass away in that naif century, without deviating from his path, without envying them their wealth, power, or fame, and with only one ambition — that of serving religioa aid humanity, without even the hope of an earthly reward. When he was raised to the position of Superior-General, his community in BVance had 2,300 masters and 153,000 pupils. To-day it has 9,900 Brothers and 380,000 pupils. In the army, in the navy, in every class of society they are to be found to-day, giving the best example, and faithful to the lessons they have received in early life. When ths last fatal war broke out, the pious Duchess of Magenta organised ia the Brothers' School an ambulance which received over 1000 wounded soldierß. When her noble husband, Marshal MacMahon, was wounded at Sedan, she went to him at Poura-ais-Bois, near that town, and the ambulance waß placed under the direction of Frere Phillippe. " The hour is come," said the Sue old man, " to show that we teach patriotism as well as religion ;" and he gave orders to Frere BauiJime, one of his associates, to organise a service for the ambulances. The Brothers all accepted the mission, and were to be found in all the battles round Paris in the thickest of the fight, raising up the wounded, burying the dead, and giving a glorious example of self-sacrifice and courage. At the Rue Oudinot, the Brothers gave the poor soldiers their beds, and attended to them day aud night. They attended besides to the wounded at seventeen other ambulances in the city. The Government offered the good Superior-General the Cross of the Legion of Honor, which he had refused from Louis Phillippe and from Louis Napoleon. He reluctantly accented it, but it was only to say that it was seen for the first time on his breast. During the Commune he was with difficulty prevented from giving himself up to save Brother Colixte, who had been arrested, and only consented to remain in safety when the good Brother had been sot at liberty. The death of such a man is a public calamity, but his good works will live after him, and in every country his name will be venerated. Millions mourn ior him in France, and the grave can never close over one more deserving of regret, or more zealous in the cause of religion, education and humanity.