Litchfield enquirer., 1834-01-02
THE LITTLE cArHOLIc BOY.

duC0u some VINO Nau DSCOtHo ntS HlenuS,
to offer to educate him for the ministry
The offer was received by him with the
greatest joy, and lelte: was written to
New York for the purpose of obtaining the
consent of his mother. But not hearing
from her so soon as was expected, and 40
doubts beiag entertained in regard to her
acceptance Of the offer, arrangements were
made for him to commence his studies With
out further less of time. About three
weeks from this time his mother came to
this place.
She stated that she had received the kind
offer with the deepest gratitude, had made
tho reception Of the letter a subject Of re-
joicing, and to complete the happiness Of
the occasion SEMI (ur her priesis the Rev.
Pr. ". expecting his congratulations
for The happy, prospects ots her SON. The
reverend gentleman came; the happy
mother handed him the letter, but could not
| forbear telling him its contents much faster
than he could read it. She observed that
he was not pleased from The beginning Of
| tho letter, which spoke Of giving the boy an
education, yet he had been able 10 preserve
his sanctimonious counten6nce. 1t was
mentiOned that he was to be minister
At once tho horrible truth flashed upon his
mind, he knew the little boy had burn. his
hand and therefore could not be q Catho-
lie priest, it must be then that he was de-
signed for Protestant minister, at the bare
thought of which, the indignation Of the ho-
ly father arose to such pitch Of fury. that
he indecen,ly threw the letter Of heresy
upon the floor, started from his seat, and
as the vicegerent of St. Peter, peremptori-'
~ ordered the terrified mother, on pain Of
lasting purgatory, to go and bring her child
rem home. In vain did she represent to
him her entirely destitute condition-that
she had applied to her church for assistance,
but without the least lragement-and
that she had not even the means of defray-
ing the expenses Of the journey.
Tho command of the infalliblc had gone
forth, and Of course could not be changed |;
all the mercy shown her WINS that she nigh,
remain very few days, until she could
earn or beg the means Of conveying her
children home. and truly generous prom
Use of assistance afterwards, to the amount
Of thirty-seven cents and Eve mills per
week. @
In obedience, therefore, to what she con-
ssidered the will of hAasen. she bad come
for the purpose Of taking her children back
to New York. w
When she met her son and saw how
changed, she was amazed, and for long
time could hardly realize that he was indeed
her son. As soon as he met her he began
to speak to her upon religion, with all the
ardor Of a newborn soul. Although his
friends here had taken great care to make
him acquainted with the difference between
the Christian religion and Romanism, yet
they were surprised to hear him reason with
his mother in favor Of the former, and at
the ananswerabie manner in which he ex-
posed the blasphemous folly Of those who
depended on the word Of proud, wicked,
and designing priests for salvation, rather
than on the blood of the Redeemer! She
would frequently say to him, My son, ]
am not acquainted with your religion-the
Bible have never read, know nothing
Of these things; you must not expect that
/ shall be able TO answer all you say for
your religion, but against mine you must
say nothing, for 1t is full Of miracles, and
must be true.' To this he once answered,
Do, dear mother, read the Bible. and be-
come pious, you will then understand it,
She said, The Bible is very mysterious
books and father r. says it is not to be read
by the ignorant, because they cannot IN
derstand it, Why. mother said he. 7
can understand a good deal Of it myself,
and those are wicked mon who tell Us we
ought not to read Gods word they tell
US lies, for yon know when was in tho
hospital, DR.. V. told me if I would be a
Catholic should not die like the Profess
tant children, but should live 70 be great
man, for Catholic children never died.
Mother, didn't see q little Catholic boy
only six years old die, when had been a
little while in the hospital l thought /
would never believe him again, or be a
Catholic boy either. for ] thought I should
die too when should be six years old, then
l thought should 60 to purgatofy, and I
knew you had no money, now father is dead.
and you couldn't buy prayers enough TO get
me out, SO thought should stay there
forever if was Catholic, 50 was as bad
as pleased to be. Bot mother, hayes't
found word in my Bible about pnrgatory
il says IL we repent and believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ we shall be saved il says
we must worship none but God, and none
can forgive sins but God only, and now
mother, if you take mo back, away from
- Il