He never ceased to deplore it as a needless calamity, overruled in great measure, indeed, by the good Providence of God, but not wholly repaired.
Father Hecker's affection for Dr.Brownson never wavered, and his gratitude towards him was only deepened and made more efficacious with the lapse of time and the growth of his own spiritual experience.

If they did not always agree, either in principles or in questions of policy, they always loved each other.

The memoranda furnish an interesting proof of this abiding affection on the part of Father Hecker.

He was asked: "Don't you think we might have a memorial tablet to Dr.Brownson in our church ?" "Yes! Of all the men I ever knew, he had most influence over me." "When you were in early life ?" "Yes, of course.

Oh! in after life no man has had influence with me, but only God." This meant, of course, the influence of master upon disciple, and not that of lawful authority or of fraternal love, to both of which Father Hecker was ever very sensitive.
Speaking at another time of Brownson, he quoted this sentence from _The Convert_ as so perfect an epitome of the man that it should be put on his monument: "I had one principle, and only one, to which, since throwing up Universalism, I had been faithful; a principle to which I had, perhaps, made some sacrifices--that of following my own honest convictions whithersoever they should lead me." And just here is found one of those points of essential difference which it is interesting to note between these two men, so closely drawn together by Divine Providence at one period, and in such a relation that to the elder the function of guidance seemed to have been appointed.