The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-15

FRENCH PEASANT GIRL SEES THE VR-
GIN MARY.--Many of our readers NAV
perhaps remember at least the general
outline of the wonderful story which an
peared in the columns Of certain French
journals, about forty years ago, respect
ing the apparaion at Lourdes, on the
banks the Gave, near the foot Of tn
PyrcAets, TO peasant girl, called Bcr-
nadette Suubirous, aged fourteen, of the
Virgin Mary, who distinctly announced
herself to young Bernadette as the
Immaculate Conception In the conse-
Quence Of the many strange reports TO
which the alleged incidents gives rise.
commission was appointed by the Bishop
of Tarbes, in whose diocese Lourdes is
situated for the purpose of inauiring,
with due strictness and caution, into
Bernadette Soubrious' narrative. The
insult of the inquiries made by this COM
mission has just been given to the world
IN Formal official manner. The Bishop
OF Tarbes, addressed the clergy and the
faithful of his diocese, tells them that the
following facts have been established,
beyond the possibility of dispute. On
the fifth Of February, 1868, Bernadette,
accompanied by one of her sisters, aged
eleven, and another girl, aged thirteen,
was gathering sticks on the banks of the
She had arrived before grotto
lassavieille, when the calmncss
Hf Fence OF nature were suddenly
broken by noise like that Of rushing
wind. There she beheld, on the ledge of
a rock, in species Of niche, standing
beside a quivering bush, lady, who had
beckoned her TO approach. The lady's
countenance was of surprising beauty.
She was dressed in white white veil
on her head, and a yellow rose on each
of her feet Bernadette became alarmed,
fell pros rate on the ground, rubbed her
eyes, but the figure always became more
and more distinct. Then she knelt.
told her beads, and when she had finish
ed her prayer, the apparition vanished.
She returned the following Sunday and
Thursday, and the lady in white was
still there. Bernadette began 10 doubt
whether it was a good or an evil spirit
To be clear upon this fact, she sprinkled
her with holy water three times, but
with each asperson the lady in white
smiled more pleasantly than before. At
length, from nodding and reckoning, and
smiling, she proceeded TO speak. She
told Bernadette 30 return within fifteen
days, and TO drink of the water and eat
Of the herb which she would find at the
end Of the grotto. Bernadette could dis
cover no water on the spot and was turn
ing her steps towards the banks of the
Gave when the figure called her back and
pointed TO a particular spot, After
scratching and scraping the ground for a
few moments, there gushed forth some
muddy water which Bernadelte drank.
eating Likewise OF the crosses which she
found growing beside IT, Having thus
tested her obedience, the lady in white
told her to go to the priests Of the neigh
bOrhood and inform them that a chapel
was TO be built on the precise spot, at the
entrance Of the grotto. The message was
faithfully delivered to the parish priest
Meanwhile the reports Of these extraor-
binary doings had been spread in ell d.
rections, and thousands Of peasants from
the country accompanied Bernadette in
her last visits in hope that the lady in
white would show herself Likewise 10
them Thhir hopes were disappointed.
The Bishop Of Tarbes most positively
states that, on the several occasions
when Bernadette witnessed the marvel
Gus sight which she records, the thous-
ouds of spectator about and around her
were able 10 discry nothing and 10 this
we arc quite prepared 10 accord our un-
hcsitating belief AT length, AZ her six
tcenth apparition, on the 25th Of March,
l655--the day of the Aununclation of the
Blessed Yirgin-the lady in white con-
| descended TO make herself known; but /.
was not until Bernodette had three times
asked Che question who she was. Then
she lifted up her hands, clasped them on
| her breast, raised her eyes toward Heav-
/ en-, and simlingly exclaimed al am the
/ immaculate Conception :" The celestial
/ character Of the apparition is held by
/ the Bishop Of Tarbes 10 be placed beyond
all doubt by the great benefits which
/ religion has already received through
| the testimonies given TO its truths at the
| grOtto of "Our Lady Of Lourdes.p Not
only have souls been converted but
| bodies have been healed, For the parish
/ priest Of Lourdes formed the very ma.
tural conclusion that the water probably
| possessed miraculous properties for sur
passing those Of any profane springs
/ The miraculous patent water Of Massa-
yieille has been found fully 10 answer
the expectations formed Of IT, The
/ Bishop of Tarbcs gives as 10 understand
that ID will cure every ailiment inciden-
tai TO man, woman and child, and that
10 beats homeopathic and allopathic
Prescriptions ont Of the field. Cases that
have resisted ali the skill and efforts of
the faculty have been successfully treat
ed by the Massavcille water. The de-
mand for IL has become immense. and
lt 10 In request in every corner Of France.
/ The cures he t.tls ~ .-h..h "A 49,.