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

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1842-1843

pg 59        beginning, of furnishing the college with a lightning rod.  F. 
             Sorin and his council preferred to trust the guardianship of the 
             Blessed Virgin.  They had been likewise advised to have the 
1st          college insured.  It was only in 1848 that they consented to take 
insurance    out an insurance policy, and then for only 15,000 francs.
                  This same year was rendered memorable by conversions that 
             were much talked of, and by the baptism of ten adult savages.
                  Brother John, an Englishman by birth, had been deputed to 
             go in search of the new colony, but on his arrival at Le Mans he 
             found that they had just started.  He himself returned with a 
             Sister infirmarian, Mary of Providence, towards the end of 
Bell at St.  November.  With him also came the bell donated by the Rev. F. 
Mary's now   Moreau.  It was solemnly blessed a few days afterwards and 
             mounted on the college, whence it is to be removed to the church 
             tower as soon as the latter is built.  It has, perhaps, twice 
             saved the college from entire destruction on occasion of the 
             fires with which it was threatened.