Page 134 - March On! God will Provide by Brother Aubert

Chapter 18

THE NEW BISHOP

,1* Novrlrnrn 25rn, 1848, Mn. RyruN returned to
\_,,f Bruges from Germany where he had been recruit-
ing since early October. He was disappointed at not
finding at "ffet Walletje" a letter from Mr. Philp and
he was very conscious of how pressed for time he would
be if he had to get Brothers to England for New Year's.
He waited one week, two weeks, and then panic
seized him. In spite of the fact that he had not heard
from Mr. Philp, he was sure that he and his'Congrega-
tion were being rejected. He grew indignant. As he
mulled over the rea$ons which he conjured up as the
motives behind this supposed rejection, he became more
indignant. Finally on December twelfth, with the possi-
bility of getting to England on time seemingly very
dim, he wrote Mr. Philp a lengthy statement in which
he set down his answers to the arguments he imagined
were made against the selection of the Xaverian Brothers.
fle never mailed the letter. The writing of it had
been sufficient catharsis for Mr. Ryken's emotional
upheaval.
Finally Mr. Philp wrote to explain that the under-
taking had been indefinitely postponed. Since no reason
was given for the change in plans, Mr. Ryken was
troubled: this second foundation in England had seemed
so certain. To add to his mental discomfiture there was
that letter of explanation, which he had to write to
Father Peacock in Bury now that Brother Alphonse
would not be needed to take charge of that new school
in Clapham.