Diary of a Frontier Bishop: The Journals of Theophile Meerschaert ed. by James D. White. (review)

522book reviews Diary ofa FrontierBishop:TheJournals ofThéophile Meerschaert. Edited and annotated by James D.White. (Tulsa, Oklahoma:The Sarto Press. 1994; third printing, 1996. Pp. xx, 638. $32.50 paperback.) When Belgian-born TheophUe Meerschaert was named a titular bishop and VicarApostolic of IndianTerritory in 1891, he began a personal diary. He did so primarily because the bishop under whom he had trained had also kept a journal . For the next thirty-four years, he continued to jot notes Ln his ordo for transcription at a later time. In the diary, Meerschaert recorded his daily life as the first resident bishop in IndianTerritory and then after 1905 as the first bishop of Oklahoma.When this reviewer first read the original manuscript diary over two decades ago, the personaUty of its author leapt from the pages.This was in spite of the sometimes impossible task of deciphering the hastUy written journal with its idiosyncratic abbreviations, punctuation, and syntax. The thought came to mind that a scholarly and professionally edited diary would remove this impediment and reveal even more of Meerschaert's missionary temperament .When James D.White edited and annotated the full text of the diary, he succeeded admirably in doing just this. The picture ofMeerschaert that emerges is that of a down-to-earth,matter-offact man. WhUe he was devoted to buUding his church despite few resources and vast distances, he was also intensely loyal to his friends and family. He was something of a "bean counter" as he numbered each confirmation by date and place and dutifuUy recorded the mUes between towns.And his fascination with rituals and ceremonies surfaces as does his constant efforts to recruit priests for his far-flung congregations. The diary is almost totaUy devoid of any mention outside ofhis trips and ceremonial duties within and outside of Oklahoma.This leadsWhite to conclude,"In spite of his wide travels, Meerschaert was at heart an insular man." This clear image ofMeerschaert would not have appeared had it not been for White's work. He has provided a brief essay on the Ufe of Meerschaert which gives the context for the dairy. Further, in the finest tradition of historical editing, his copious footnotes explain the people and places mentioned in the journal. When White goes beyond identification and provides background information and comments on Meerschaert's activities,the footnotes also serve as a history ofthe Catholic Church in Oklahoma during Meerschaert's episcopacy. But maybeWhite's greatest contribution is his successful editing. He has unraveled the penmanship, corrected spellings, standardized punctuation, and provided full names. In this effort,White has not only preserved the original flavor ofMeerschaert's manuscript but has in many ways enhanced it.Thus he has presented the reader with a text that reveals the facets of the man who laid the foundation for the Catholic Church in the Sooner State. Thomas Elton Brown National Archives and Records Administration College Park, Maryland ...