Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac
Edward Sorin, CSC -- Translated by John M. Toohey, CSC, 1895

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1841-1842

pg 31        which transported them all with joy.  It was opened and read in 
             presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and filled them with 
             consolation.  It is probably to this filial affection they owe 
             the fact of their remaining under the jurisdiction of the Mother 
             House instead of passing altogether under that of the ordinary.
                  Conversions.  It is something quite remarkable that during 
             those first months after their arrival, those poor religious, 
             destitute of all human means of pleasing and drawing to 
             themselves prejudiced people, succeeded, even though hardly able 
             to make themselves understood, in bringing to the knowledge of 
             the truth about twenty of those Protestants, some of whom had 
             held out against the most eloquent sermons.  Several entire 
             families at St. Peter's applied to F. Sorin for instruction and 
             baptism.  Assuredly God wished in this manner to sustain their 
             courage amid their little trials.
                  Some weeks after their arrival the Father set to work as 
             well as he knew how to prepare and preach sermons in English 
             every Sunday, and he was sometimes told that half of what he said 
             was not understood; but nothing discouraged him, and towards the 
             end of the year nearly all understood him.