Jenks's Portland Gazette

(PUBLISHED BY DESIRE)

TO THE CITIZENS OF PORTLAND.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not Charity, I am become as sounding brass or tinkling cymbal."

ST. PAUL.

THERE have lately arrived here some of the Brethren of the Regular Clerical Order of Hospitallers of St. Camillus de Lellis, which order is established on the top of the mountain of St. Bernard, which is the highest of the ridge of mountains called the Alps, which divides Switzerland from Italy. The cause of the voyage of these indefatigable men to these states, is to obtain assistance from the charitable and humane, that they may be enabled to continue in the exercise of those acts of humanity, for which their order has so long been celebrated.

That the Citizens of this state may fully understand the object of their mission, it may not be amiss to say a few words on the nature of the Institution they belong to. Several hundred years ago, a venerable Clergyman who had passed several times between Switzerland and Italy, observed that in passing the Alps, which are constantly covered with snow, many fatal accidents happen to travellers, particularly when crossing the mountain ice called by him the Great St. Bernard, where, when the snow fell, the small path (for the road is but a path) was so hid, that the traveller either wandered until he was frozen to death, or fell into a dreadful cavity, and was never afterwards heard of. To prevent these accidents this pious man by his exertions, obtained funds sufficient to establish a monastery on the top of this dreadful precipice, and to support a brotherhood or order whose sole business it should be to patrol the roads for many miles on each side of the mountain to show the road to each traveller they met, and if he was in distress to bring him to the convent, where he was treated with the greatest hospitality for three days, and then piloted down the other side of the mountain; or if he was frost-bitten, to convey him to their hospital, where he was carefully attended until his recovery or death.

From the day of its institution to the present time, this order has continued in this pious and benevolent calling; and such were the thanks of experienced from the labors of the brethren, that the magistrates of Switzerland and Italy contributed sufficient sums annually for all their wants. But the face of affairs is changed: the fatal war which has raged for a number of years past in Europe, has not spared this benevolent institution, for the little town of St. Bernard, in the vales, on which the convent of St. Camillus depended, has been entirely laid in ruins, by contending armies which have also put a stop to all trade between Italy and Switzerland, France, &c. by which means the resources formerly relied on have failed them. In this dreadful situation, the venerable Prior of the Order, Father Ignatius Speroni, has sent several of his order to the United States of America, to implore the assistance of its generous inhabitants to enable him to repair the convent and hospital and to continue to give assistance to the distressed traveller and infirm poor.

It may be said that as this is an institution founded under the authority of the catholic church, that it should look for assistance from the supporters of that church: but to such let it be known, that these men who have devoted their lives to the service of humanity know no distinction in men; the Christian, the Turk and the Jew, who are in distress, are treated equally alike; their convent is open to every unfortunate man, be his religion what it may.

John Baptist Longinotti and John Baptist Miller, are two of the missioners now here; they keep an exact list of the names of every person who is kind enough to assist the purpose of the mission; which list will be faithfully recorded in the books of the convent, it may be pleasing to those who contribute to think, that what they give will not be unnoticed; and that some time hence, when they or their descendants may have occasion to pass, over this otherwise inhospitable mountain, they will visit the convent, and will there see their own or their ancestor's names mentioned as benefactors to this useful institution.

That the public may be assured that the brethren of the order now here are what they pretend to be, it is only necessary to say, that their passports are in the most authentic form, and have been acknowledged as such by several of our most important characters.