Some may say “Hecker was before his time.”  But no man is before his time if, having a divine message, he can get but one other to accept it, can arrest men’s attention, can cause them to ponder, to ask why or why not, whether this be the day or only its vigil.  The sower is not before his time though he dies before the harvest; there is a time to sow and a time to reap.

And now the tree is dead, but its ripe fruits are in our bosoms bearing living seeds, which will spring up in their time and give fruit again each according to its kind.

The life of Father Hecker is a strong invitation to the men of these times to become followers of God the Holy Ghost, to fit their souls by prayer and penance in union with Christ and his Church, for the consecration of liberty and intelligence to the elevation of the human race to union with God.  We do not bid him farewell, for this age, and especially this nation, will hail him and his teachings with greater and greater acclaim as time goes on.  As God guides His Church to seek her Apostolate mainly in developing men’s aspirations for better things into fulness of Catholic truth and virtue, Isaac Hecker will be found to have taught the principles and given the methods which will lead most surely to success.

THE END

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APPENDIX

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LETTERS FROM CARDINAL NEWMAN

I

THE ORATORY, BIRMINGHAM, February 28, 1889.

MY DEAR FATHER HEWIT:  I was very sorrowful at hearing of Father Hecker’s death.  I have ever felt that there was this sort of unity in our lives—­that we had both begun a work of the same kind, he in America and I in England, and I know how zealous he was in promoting it.  It is not many months since I received a vigorous and striking proof of it in the book he sent me [The Church and the Age].  Now I am left with one friend less, and it remains with me to convey through you my best condolement to all the members of your society.

Hoping that you do not forget me in your prayers,
I am, dear Father Hewit,
most truly yours,
JOHN H. CARD.  NEWMAN.

II

THE ORATORY, BIRMINGHAM, March 15, 1890.

DEAR FATHER HEWIT:  In answer to your letter I am glad to be told what is so interesting to me, viz., that the Life of Father Hecker is in preparation.  I had a great affection and reverence towards him, and felt that which so many good Catholics must have felt with me on hearing of his illness and death.  I wish, as you ask me, that I could say something more definite than this of his life and writings, but my own correspondence with friends, and especially the infirmities of my age, burden me and make it impossible for me to venture upon it.  This, alas! is all that I have left me now by my years towards the fulfilment of welcome duties to the grateful memory of an effective Catholic writer (I do not forget his work in England) and a Benefactor, if I may use the term, to the Catholic Religion, whose name will ever be held in honor by the Catholic Church.