THE APOSTLE OF YOUTH
traces the pages of the Salesian Annals during these three-score years!
How many of these humble and heroic pioneers may not our Holy Mother the Church, in the fullness of her heart, yet raise to her altars—a crown of stars around the head of their Venerable Founder!
Setting aside the countries of their own Europe, cast a glance upon South America. From the Republic of Colombia down the long stretch of mountain, plain, cities and wilderness to Tierra del Fuego, from Rio Janeiro across the interior savage regions of Brazil to the coasts of Chili and Ecuador, the continent is netted with Salesian churches and Institutes and missions. True, the Fathers met with a paternal welcome from the noble and zealous prelates, were received even with civic honors at times by the rulers of the Republics and greeted with joyous acclamations by the people as messengers sent by God for their salvation and religious comfort. Yet none the less they had to take their lives in their hands, prepared to sacrifice them at any moment. Through long suffering and hardships and tremendous perils they won savage tribes to Christianity and civilization. Their courage did not fail before the army of the poor, afflicted lepers—thousands of them-in the lazarettoes of Colombia, Theirs is a story written large in every department of the "History of South America," and the Salesian
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