Father Hecker organized the Paulist community, and did in his way a great work for the conversion of the country.

He made no mistake when he planned for a body of priests, more disciplined than usually are the parochial clergy, and more supple in the character of their institute than the existing religious orders.
We shall always distinguish Isaac Thomas Hecker as the ornament, the flower of our American priesthood--the type that we wish to see reproduced among us in widest proportions.

Ameliorations may be sought for in details, and the more of them the better for religion; but the great lines of Father Hecker's personality we should guard with jealous love in the formation of the future priestly characters of America.
________________________ THE LIFE OF FATHER HECKER ________________________.