Morning Star

WESTERN LOUISIANA.

From a Correspondent of the S. S. Journal.

Opelousas, the seat of justice in St. Landry county, is a village of about 1000 inhabitants. There is a neat Roman Catholic church and a resident priest and a small Protestant church built for the use of all Christian denominations. There are two small societies, Methodist and Cumberland Presbyterians, with about 15 communicants in each, and one day-school of 30 scholars, which is not more than half the children in the village of a suitable age to be at school.

The state has made a donation of $20,000 to Opelousas, for the commencement of a college, which is to be free from religious influence, similar to the one founded by Mr Girard, in Philadelphia. The college is not located, owing to the disagreement between the trustees as to its location. Within about 12 miles of the village is a female institute, called a convent, under the control of the Jesuits, with 70 to 80 young ladies receiving instruction. This institute is supported chiefly by Protestants, who have no other means to educate their daughters, and there are but few young ladies, if any, who leave the institute free from a very strong bias of mind in favor of Roman Catholic religion. Many parents who educate their daughters there, are not aware of the lasting impressions made in childhood or youth at the institution where religion is taught as at a convent. Every nerve is exerted by three talented females to make the children Catholics. There is no Sunday-school here at present. At Bayou Chicot there is a very flourishing Sunday-school of 70 scholars and 12 teachers, with means to furnish a good library.