The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-01-20
Translated from the French. 3
An Ovcrruiing Providence.


like all his other sermons, had drawn to-
gether considerable crowd of auditors.
Upon returning home, he had just disrob-
ed himself. in order to rest after hs extreme
fatigue, when stranger was announced,
desirous to see him. Taking time only to
change his dress he at once presented him
| self to the unknown visitor, whose manner
and appeance denoted him to be an artizan.
What do You wish, sir p said the ven
srable preacher.
To speak with you a moment re-
piled the stranger in manner so agitsted
as at once to arrest the attention OF Fs.
ther Beauregard. -a
Most willingly said the preacher II
am ready to listen. Sit down."
Il have just heard your Sermon" said
the artizan. @
well, am glad If it, for have said
some things which should no. bs lost up
on either of U.s."
"Oh sir, you have certainly spoken
beautifully Nobody could have done bet
ter. You have extoled the benefits of an
overrulng Providence. But, sir do not
believe in Providence. There is no Prov
idence for me. Wait minute. and Judge
for yourself. | am carpenter bv trade.
| have wife and three children. We are
honest working people who have never
wronged any one Inquire about me in
my neighborhood, and every body will tell
you that N. is an honest man getting hi,
living by the sweat of his brow; that be
pays his debts; that he does rot drink
that he does not play; and that he takes
good care Of his family"
| can easily believe all this, nv friend
interrupted Father Beauregard, much
touched by the heartfelt words of his Wis.
iior, "but to what does all this lead. and
what connection is there between thesa
details and your unbelef in Providence"
Iou shall hear; you see before you
man resolved to throw himself Into the
river"
Good he2yensr' cried Father Besure
gard, justly alarmed at this Acknowledge
inent. God preserve you from such
fatal step! You not only kill the body,
but you peril the salvation of your soul.
What has given rise TO such a dreadful
thought?" .st
Sir hars just met With a heavy losa
by TIE failure Of debtor. l have lisbil-
ties which become due on the Both Of
this month, and | cannot meet them. It
will he the first time my signature has
been dishonored. and | cannot bear the
idea # this disgrace. 1t is after having in
vain solicited assistance from my friends,
who would be glad 10 help me if they
could, that determined TO drown myself"
" But, my friend, what will become Of
your wife, who loves you, your chid!en
who need J on, If you drown yourself 2"
The poor mans tears snswert.i TO these
interrogatoiies, but he replied after a mo-
ments pause. when | am dead the
world will take pity on them; | cannot
live 10 zee them dishonored, to see hem
bearing the burden Of my shsine."
How was II, then, with such Il fright.
ful P an as this in contemplation, you
came to hear me preach -
cit was only by chance, sir; had no
intention Of doing SO. was IN the neigh
borhood of the church and saw the crowd
entering; mechanically, as it were went
in with the rest. | asked who was going
to preach; they told me celebrated priest.
| remained, sLd beard YOU through I'll
you said was very good, very fine. but l
still was in tie dark. | could SEQ 10
Providence for mo-
"Nhat, to hear NY sermon, to come
and sec NE, TO confie in me, and in aI
this YOU do not recognize a Providence -
For moment the man was silent, Rnd
then replied at is strange. air, very
strange, still see no way for me 10 pay
my debts
During this interview, the heart Of tho
good priest was deeply moved he had
heard the unhappy mans story, whose
manners and language sufficiently attested
its veracitv. Without further inves, "a
ton, he resolved At once to act in his be.
half
Listen my friend" ssid be to him
" believe YOU 10 be an honest man, un-
fortunate through the agency of others. aud
| wish to help you ont of your trouble
How much money will cover yonr debts
| am not rich, still can contribute some
thing towards making 10 the sum"
"Oh SIT, yon a'e too good Lees
than three thousand francs will suffice
me-"
Father Beauregard rose, opened his sec
iet"i J, huN t"hiiS tHcItII ON y hundred
louis, returned TO the poor artizan, and
said: MY friend, here are hundIoi
louis. should not have been able to
have done this myseIf, but a fev days since
the princess Clotiide, after having heard
me preach on Charity, sent me a age sum
Of monev, begging me to use it for the
| benefit Of the unfortunate, and to distrib
ute it to anv whom should Judge worthy
of assistance. 1t has already done much
good, sofiened the ills Of many; but nv
| friend, your visit here at this critical Juno
ture of affairs, is, in my view, a stream Of
light upon the ways ofGod to man Take
this money, pay your debts and believe in
an overruIing Providence.
Full Of surprise, and overwhelming
gratldute, the poor carpenter feil on his
knees at the feet of the good father; he
could not speak a word, but raising his
streaming eyes to leaven in q language
more powerful than words, oxprosse. his
! JOY Of his deliverance.
AZ