The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-17
Remarkable Incident in the Life Of Archbishop
Folding.

The organ of the Young Meu's Catholic
Association of London, tells the following
anecdote: Though few of our readers
may be personally acquainted with DR..
Folding, The Archbishop of Sydney, most
of them doubtless have heard of him, and
of his forty years of interchangeable labor in
/ behalf OF that part of Christs vineyard
intrusted tn his care in the far distant and
almost mix nown reg OBS of Australia. Many
years ago DR.. Folding, summoned on some
GRAND of charity, had to travel into the
interior aud uufrequented parts of Austria
liza. Falling i'll by the way, he was tended
and cared for by an old lady, who, on his
restoration to health and strength, exacted
from him, as return for her kindness and
attention, a promise tuat, wherever he
III light be at the time, he would come, if
! summoned. to attend and administer to her
in her last hour. Well, long series of
winters aud summers rolled away, and one
autumn night, when the chilly blasts were
tearing the leafy coverings from the forest
trees, and exposing their hoar and ragged
branches to view, summons came for hin
to hasten to the death bed of his benefac-
tress. Leaving everyt thing without a mo-
ment's hesitation, lie started to redeem his
promise. Over mountain and rock, through
forest and morass, on he went, little heed
ing the falling rain or prowling beast. AL
ready in spirit at the bedside of the dying
woman, his only thought was to help and
prepare her for the journey to that land
whence no traveller returns. Hour after
journey !; and when at length, faint and
weary, he reached the appointed spot, he
found the place deserted! While nothing
discouraged, the Archbishop meditated
what was further to be done, his attention
was attracted by the steady thud of
woodman's axe in the distance. Turning
his steps. in the direction whence the sounds
nrncaa1a0 ha m or rdy
Irishman telling timber, and Immediately
learned from him that the old lady fearing
his non arrival, had set out, old and dying
as she was, to seek spiritual comfort and
assistance: though whittier she had gone
the good Irishm an could not say. Feeling
that it would be useless to so in search Of
her, the Archbishop sat down on the trunk
of tree and addressing the woodman
said: well, my good man, after all
don't intend TO have come here for nothing;
SO kneel down and I'll hear your confess
sion.' At first the Irishman objected al
leging his want of preparation as an excuse;
but his scruples becoming at length over
come by the Archbishop's presentations,
he knelt down, and penitent and sorrowipp
soon received absoluticn for his sins. 1t
was then arranged that he should 60 to
Communion during the week, and they
parted. The Archbishop set out on his
return, but he had not gone many steps
before he heard a crash behind him, and
fastening back to ascertain the cause,
found his penitent dead-crushed beneath
the trunk of a fallen tree! Whether the
old lady, to administer the Sacraments to
whom the Archbishop had undertaken his
journey, ever received the last rites of the
Church We cannot say. Bus we may pause
reverently and ponder over tue infinite
goodness and mercy of God, who thus
summoned the Archbishop hundreds of
miles from his avocations, through jour
ney beset with dangers and difficulties, to
unlock the gates of heaven to the soul of
poor man about to be suddenly sum-
moned to another world"