SAXTLI
487
SAULT
suffice it to say that the narrative of the Hfe and times
of Saul is constructed from two traditional accounts
each of which has its particular viewpoint. This ap-
pears especially in the divergent accounts relative to
the circumstances attending the election of Saul and
his fall from Divine favour. The prophet Samuel, who
is counted as the last of the great Judges of Israel,
was growing old and the administration of civic and
religious affairs had been confided to his sons. These
proved unfaithful to their trust and the people being
dissatisfied petitioned Samuel to select a king to rule
over them after the manner of the other nations.
Samuel resents this request, and the Lord, though
affirming it to be an offence against Himself, a virtual
rejection of the theocratic regime, nevertheless in-
structs the prophet to accede to the demands of the
people. Samuel informs them of the Lord's displeas-
ure and predicts the retributory evils that will come
upon them through the exactions of the future king
(I Kings, viii). The choice of the new ruler is deter-
mined by a providential incident. Saul, in quest of his
father's strayed asses, happens to consult Samuel the
"seer" in the hope of obtaining information as to
their whereabouts. The prophet assures him of their
safety, and after entertaining Saul, reveals to him his
mission with regard to the Chosen People and anoints
him king. Forthwith Saul's heart is changed, and to
the suiprise of many he prophesies in the midst of the
company of prophets (livings, x, 10). A month after
these events the newly-chosen king, who had hitherto
refrained from asserting his royal prerogatives, justi-
fies his election by defeating the Ammonites and de-
livering Jabes Galaad. Later he engages in war with
the Philistines, and being in straits, he presumes to
offer the holocaust because of Samuel's unexplained
delay in arriving on the scene. For this usurpation
of the priestly function he is reproved by the prophet
and already the end of his kingdom is announced
(I Kings, xiii).
Illustrative of the composite character of the narra- tive is the fact that an entirely different motive for his rejection is given in chapter xv, viz. his failure to carr>' out fully the command of the Lord to utterly destroy the tribe of Amalec. Consequently upon the Lord's disfavour Samuel is directed to anoint David to be a king "after God's own heart", and though merely a shepherd boy he is taken into Saul's household. The many graphic incidents connected with Saul's jeal- ousy and persecution of David are narrated in I Kings xviii-xxvii. The narrative goes on to relate how on the occasion of a new invasion by the Philistines, Saul, being now forsaken by Yahweh and still seeking su- perhuman guidance, has recourse to a witch living at Endor. Through her mediation the spirit of Samuel, who in the meantime had passed to his reward, is recalled. The departed prophet reproaches Saul for his infidelity and announces his impending fate at the hands of the Philistines (I Kings, xxviii). The fulfil- ment of this dire prediction is related in the final chap- ter of the First Book of Kings. Saul and his forces are overwhelmed by the Philistines; the valiant Jona- than and his brothers are slain in the battle, and the king, fearing lest he fall into the hands of the uncir- cumcised, begs his armour bearer to take his life. The latter, fearing to lay hands on the Lord's anointed, re- fuses, and Saul being in desperate straits ends his life by falling on his own .sword. His head was cut off by the victorious Philistines and sent as a trophy to the various towns of their country, while his body and those of his sons were hung on the walls of Bethsan, but the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad hearing of these things came in the night, and removing the bodies carried them to their own town and burnt them there, burying the a,shes in the neighbouring woods (I Kings, xxxi). Achinoam is mentioned as the wife of Saul (I Kings, xiv, 50). Three of his .sons perished with him (I Kings, xxxi, 2), and another, Isboseth, who endeav-
oured to continue the dynasty of his father's house,
was assassinated by two captains of his own army
(II Kings, v, 6). Thus was removed the last obsta-
cle to the accession of King David.
ScHULTZ, Diss. Saulis regimen anlecedentia exhibens (Strasburg,
1074).
James F. Driscoll
Sauli, Alexander. See Alexander Sauli,
Blessed.
Sault Sainte Marie (Sanct^-Mari^-Ormensis) , Diocese of, was erected by Decree of 16 Sep- tember, 1904. It embraces the southern paits of the districts of Thunder Bay, Algoma, and Nipissing (i.e. between the height of land and the Lakes Superior, Huron, and Nipissing. The Recollects were the first missionaries in the Nipissing region. Father Guil- laume Poullain (1622) and Jacques de la Foyer (1624) spent a few months there and baptized several chil- dren on the point of death. However, Father Claude Pijart, a Jesuit, was the piincipal apostle of the Al- gonquins at Nipissing and around Geoigian Bay. He devoted to their conversion nine years of indefatigable zeal (1641-50), being aided in his work by Father Charles Ravmbault (1641-42), Rene May nard (1641- 44; 1648-50), Leonard Gareau (1644-46), Joseph Poncet (1646-50), Adrien Daran (1649-50). They were the first who preached the Gospel to the tribes of the Manitoulin Islands and Georgian Bay as far as Sault Sainte Marie. As early as 1641 Fathers Jogues and Raymbault had visited the latter place. The Jesuits established three missions in the midst of the Algonquins of thi.s country : St-Espritj St-Charles and St-Pierre. Their ministry was not altogether fruitless: travelling to Lake Nipigon, in 1667, Father Allouez found some of their neophytes who had stood firm in the Faith, although they had not seen a priest for nearly twenty years. The ruin of the Algonquin missions accompanied the destrufition of the Huron nation. In 1668 the Jesuits founded the mission of Sault Sainte Marie. From this centre they evangel- ized the adjacent country, and pushed their apostolic expeditions as far as the regions of the Nipissirinians. Well-known among the apostles of this period are Fathers Gabriel Druillettes, Louis Andr6, Henri Nou- vel, and Pierre Bailloquet. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, the founding of Detroit caused the centre of the western missions to be transferred east- ward; those of Georgian Bay were abandoned, be- ing resumed only in 1836, when Rev. Jean Baptiste Proulx, a diocesan priest, settled in Manitoulin Island. In 1838 another secular priest, the zealous Father Pierz, founded the missions of Grand Portage, Michi- picoton, etc. Hardly had the Jesuits returned to the country, when the evangelization of the savages of what is now New Ontario was entrusted to their care. In 1844 they replaced Father Proulx at Wikwemi- kong, founded Garden River in 1846, and two years later erected at Riviere aux Tou'-tes (Pigeon River), a mission which they transferred in 1849 to Fort WilUam. From these different stations they bore the consolations of religion, not only to the Indians, but also to the miners and woodcutters scattered along the shores of Lakes Huron and Superior. Among the new missionaries Fathers Chon^, Hanipaux, Duranquet, Hebert, and Baxter are to be mentioned.
In 1874 Pius IX, adding to the territory already described the districts of Parry Sound, created the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Canada, with Mgr Jean-Francois Jamot as its first titular. The Catho- lics of the new vicariate numbered 8500. A few other districts were added in 1882, when the vicariate Apos- tolic became the Diocese of Peterborough. The con- struction of the Canadian Pacific Railway opened these regions to progress and brought thither numbers of workmen and colonists. Mgr Jamot called in the Jesuits, and opened to their zeal the eastern country extending from North Bay to Sudbury, and later the
