CHAPTER IX. THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES. ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY (1806-1894). By Rev. G. E. VIGER. 2 The Seminary of St. Sulpice, or, as generally known, St. Mary's Seminary, Paca street, Baltimore, is a Roman Catholic institution, in which clerical candidates are taught a course of science, philosophy, and theology, and otherwise trained and prepared for the sacred ministry. A full classical course is a necessary qualification for admission. Two years are devoted to natural sciences and mental philosophy, and four to theology. The course of sciences comprises physics, chemistry, astronomy, and geology; that of mental philosophy embraces logic, metaphysics, and ethics. The four years of theology extend over dogma, canon law, church history, and liturgy. During the six years of the course, scripture, sacred eloquence, and elocution, the Gregorian chant, and Hebrew are taught regularly. Every week disputations on difficult points of philosophy, divinity, and natural sciences are held between the students, under the supervision of the reverend professors. Great success in the semiannual examinations of philosophy may entitle a student to the degrees of A. B. and A. M. In theology, success in four consecutive semiannual examinations may entitle to the degree of S. T. B. A special examination is required for higher degrees. Since the opening of the Catholic University in Washington, in 1889, a large proportion of its students are recruited from St. Mary's. The moral and ecclesiastical training is provided for by a common life of rule and discipline, by frequent conferences on religious subjects, and many practices intended to develop a sense of moral obligations and responsibilities. The administration and direction of St. Mary's Seminary is in the hands of the priests of the Sulpician society. The writer of the following notice being also the author of Memorial Volume of the Centenary St. Mary's Seminary, it should surprise nobody to find resemblance and even identity between the two sketches. The present paper, with the exception of the last two paragraphs, was originally written in 1890 though not published till now, whereas the memorial was published in 1891 for the celebration of St. Mary's Centenary. The Memorial Volume contains a full list of all professors in St. Mary's University, of the seminarians in St. Mary's Seminary, and of the students in St. Mary's College. Rev. A. Viribert and Rev. J. B. Tabb assisted the author in the. preparation of this sketch. It is the special business of these gentlemen to train candidates for the priesthood, and they do their work for no personal emolument but their support. Their society was founded in France in 1642 by Jean Jacques Olier, a man of eminent virtue and ability. From that time till now they have been chiefly instrumental in forming the French clergy. The Seminary of St. Sulpice of Paris, in particular, has been a fruitful nursery of prelates and other distinguished clergymen. The history of the Baltimore Seminary goes back a hundred years.' When, in 1790, Dr. John Carroll became the first bishop of Baltimore, with a jurisdiction extending over the then United States, the superior of St. Sulpice, Rev. J. A. Emery, offered to found a seminary in his epis copal city. Bishop Carroll, anxious to form a native clergy in order to meet the needs of his rising church, eagerly accepted the proffered services. Accordingly, on the 10th of July, 1791, there arrived in Baltimore four Sulpician priests to begin the seminary. They first lodged at No. 94 Baltimore street, but soon bought a house known as the "One Mile Tavern," with 4 acres of ground, and there, after some repairs of the building, on the first Sunday of October, 1791, they opened St. Mary's Seminary, in the same spot now occupied by their successors in the center of the city. The four pioneer Sulpicians were Fathers F. C. Nagot, M. Levadoux, A. Garnier, and J. Tessier. Father Nagot, the first superior, was 57 years of age when he came to America. He had filled some of the most important positions in the society, and was considered one of its most learned and virtuous members. His three associates had been able professors and directors of seminaries. During the same decade, other Sulpicians of like ability and distinction-Fathers David, Flaget, Chicoineau, Babad, Maréchal, Richard, and Du Bourg-came also to devote their lives to the welfare of America. Of these, Fathers David, Flaget, Maréchal, and Du Bourg were called to wear the miter, whilst Father Richard, the zealous missioner of Detroit, was the only Catholic priest that ever sat in Congress. The seminary had been opened in 1791, but the lack of pupils was a matter of disappointment. There were only 5 during the first three years, 2 in 1794, and none from 1795 to 1797. In 1804 the number rose to 12, and was only 11 in 1806. Very few young men entered the ecclesiastical state, and these few were generally employed in teaching in the academy of Georgetown. Some of the directors of the seminary, as Fathers Du Bourg, Flaget, David, and Maréchal, lent their services to Georgetown, either in the capacity of president or teacher, whilst others exercised the ministry in Baltimore or elsewhere. In order to procure clerics Father Du Bourg opened an academy in the rooms of the seminary August 20, 1799, and on the 10th of April following Father Nagot laid the corner stone of a new building which soon took 'The Seminary of the Reformed Church at New Brunswick, N. J., is the only older one in the country. 1122-No. 19—18 the name of St. Mary's College. At the request of Bishop Carroll the directors refrained for a few years from admitting American boys, and contented themselves with Spaniards and French. But in 1803 the door of the college was opened to all students, without distinction of birth or even religion, to day scholars as well as to boarders. Many Americans soon flocked to the institution, and by spreading its renown again increased its numbers. In the month of January, 1805, St. Mary's College was raised to the rank of a university by the legislature of Maryland, and empowered to admit any of its students to any degree or degrees in any of the faculties, arts, and sciences, and liberal professions, which are usually permitted to be conferred in any colleges or universities in America or Europe. It was at the commencement of 1806, August 13, that the academical degrees were conferred for the first time. The brilliancy of the literary exercises at the end of each scholastic year at once attracted attention, and spread the reputation of St. Mary's College all over the States, and even abroad. The number of pupils in 1806 amounted to 106. Additional buildings had been erected and others were in construction. The great hall used for public occasions was large enough to accommodate 1,000 attendants. The chapel, of which the corner stone was laid June 18, 1806, and the dedication made in 1808, was for many years considered the most beautiful in the United States. Under the management of Mr. La Thulaye there arose within the inclosure of the college a superb botanical garden, with a large collection of domestic and foreign plants. When, in 1816, Mr. La Thulaye took away his botanical garden it was replaced by another of still greater proportions, which remained till the discontinuance of the college in 1852. The grounds, forming an area of about 7 acres, were tastefully laid out with a view to the health and recreation of the students. The rapid development of St. Mary's College, within a few years of its foundation, was due to the exceptional merit of its corps of professors, and especially of its first president, the Rev. William Du Bourg, a man of eminent talents, brilliant eloquence, and great experience in the art of directing and teaching youth. Among Father Du Bourg's best-known associates at St. Mary's College may be mentioned the two Sulpicians, Flaget and David, the Rev. Mr. Paquiet, and Mr. de Chevigné. Father Flaget, by the earnestness of his religious instructions and the eminence of his virtues, exerted a lasting and most beneficial influence on the character of the students. The Rev. Mr. David taught philosophy with great success from 1803 to 1811. Among the lay professors the most distinguished was Mr. de Chevigné, an old sea captain, well versed in mathematics, who devoted the last twenty-four years of his life (1802 to 1826) to teaching in St. Mary's. The Rev. Mr. Paquiet was a French priest of superior talents, who taught eloquence and natural philosophy from 1802 to 1812. He had the principal hand in the direction of affairs under Father Du Bourg, and was his successor in the office of president (1812 to 1815). |