The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-07-12

SUNDAY, JULY IL, 1868.
watching with wise, heroic patience for the
precise moment when, all hopes of human
life abandoned, he might lead them tt
thoughts of that which is eternal.
But that muttered curse seemed to rouse
another and different spirit in his bosom
and filed with holy and apostolic anger, he
turned at once upon the man who spoke it
"Sinner!" lie cried, 'be silent! Dare
you 60 to God with a curse upon your lips
What if he curse you in returne What il
he plunge you, for that very word, from
this fire, which will pass with time, into
that which is eternal and endures forever
o my children, my children y cried the
good old man, opening wide his arms, as il
he would fain have embraced his weeping
flock and sheltered them oil from pain and
sorrow on his paternal bosom, "see you
not, indeed, that you must die with foes
hope of life is simple folly. Die you must
So man DEGREES; but God, more merciful
still leaves choice-not as to death, but
as to the spirit in which you meet it. You
may die angry and reviling, as the bias:
PhemiDg thief, or you may die 20 blessed
thought y as Jesus died-peace in you,
your lips. Have pity on yourselves, my
children have pity on me, who, as your
pastor, will have to answer for your souls,
| as for my own, to GOd-and choose with
Jesus. Put aside all rancor from your
hearts. Remember that what our foes have
done to us, we, each in our measure, have
done by our sins to jesus. Pray for them
ashe did. Weep, as he did for yowr sins
mot his) upon the cross, and kneel at once,
that while there yet is time may give yon,
in his name and by his power, that pardon
which will send you safe and hopeful to the
Clear, calm, and quiet, amid the conftl-
sion around him, rose the voice of that
good shepherd, sent hither, as, it seemed,
for no other purpose than to perish with
his flock and like q message of mercy
from ON high his words fell upon their fail
ing hearts. They obeyed him to the letter.
flushed was every murmur, stifled every
cry of pain, and PROSTATE on their faces,
they waited with solemn silence the word
which they knew wOnld follow. And it
was said at last. With streaming eyes, and
hands uplifted toward that heaven to which
he and his poor children all were speeding,
which speaking to each individual soul as
If meant for it alone, yet brought pardon,
peace, and healing to them all. Something
like low Amen" something like a thrill
of relief from overladen bosoms, followed :,
and then, almost at the same instant,
church, crashing of doors-a rush-a
struggle scattering of brands from the
half burned-out fagots in the porch-and,
blackened with smoke and scorched with
fire, O'NIore 1eaped like an apparition into
the midst of the people. A shout almost of
triumph greeted his appearance, for they
felt as if he must have brought safety with
him. 1t seemed, in fact, as if only by a
miracle he could have been there at all.
Unarmed as he was, he had rushed through
the English soldiers, and they, having all
along imagined him to be in the church
q NIl viz
so completely by surprise that they suffered
him to pass at first almost without n blow
BY the time they had recovered themselves,
their leaders Lad staid their hands. 1t was
better for all their purposes that he should
rush to death of his own accord than that
they should have any ostensible share in
the business. No further opposition, there
fore, being offered to his progress, he easily
undld the gates, which were only slightly
barricaded on the outside, and having
cleared the porch at the risk of instant
sutfocation to himself, he now stood call
ing upon Nellie, ana vainly endeavoring to
discover her in the binding atmosphere of
smoke around him. She was still where
she had been from the beginning-at the
foot OF the altar, faint and half-dead with
heat and fear: But the sound of his voice
to call her back to life, and, with
cry like frightened child, she half rose
from her recumbent posture. Faint as was
that cry, he heardit, and catching glimpse
Of her white face, rushed toward her. In |
another moment he had her in his arms. |
wrapped carefully in his heavy cloak, and
to all to follow and keep close. |
ne rushed behind the altar.
Half an hour before, this had been the
hottest and most dangerous position in the
church, but O'More had we'll calculated his
chances: The real danger now was from
'he roof, which, having been burning for
some time, might fall at any moment Be-
ow, the fire, having rapidly exhausted the
light material upon which it had fed it's
ury, was gradually dying out, and boldly
the fagots upon either side as he
moved on, Roger made his way good to the
'nly spot in the building from whence es-
ana was noasihle Haro tho A.,a.. $500 |