The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-12-19
NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER l9, 1875

lURNlNG, DECEMDEh 1J, 1910
which is altogether personal, and which can
never disclose, the Lady added: Ind no'O, go
tell the priests that sanctuary nsust be erected here
and that professions must be made to tho spot"
After o moment of thought, the priest ro
sumed: al cannot be completely guided by
what you assert. You understand. Tell the
Lady to make herself known. If she be tho
Blessed Virgin, let her prove it by some
miraculous sign. You say that during the
apparition her feet rest on the wild rose bush.
We are in February Tell her, as coming from
me, to make the rose-tree bloom, If she wishes
o sanctuary" He then dismissed the child.
What had transpired between the parish
priest and the little girl was soon known about
the town. Curiosity was aroused to its highest
pitch. Several free thinkers of the place, oar
ried away by the excitement, resolved to assist,
on the following day, at the entombment OF
this new "superstition."
APpAR1r1oN OF WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24--sECoND
SECRET, AND ExHoRTATIoN TO PENANcE.
One of the notables of Lourdes, q man of up
| right character, but imbued with very large
views on religious matters, has related to Mr..
Lasssrre how, on this day, he was completely
ovescome by the irrefrsgable evidence Of the
supernatural. The wild briar did not cover it's
leahess branches with the buds and flowers of
spring time; but he beheld Bernadette in ecstasy.
He saw the reflected light of heaven mirrored
upon the illumined face of the child he avowed
himself vanquished by faith. Can we deny the
existence of the sun, when, without beholding
his glowing disk itself, we perceive his purple
| beams Gaping the lofty submits of the distant
mountsins7
"Iarrived at the grotto," said the gentleman
Gin the best possible disposition to submit
every circumstance to the test of my most
searching scrutiny; and, must avow, with o
settled purpose of enjoying hearty laugh.
expected q farcical medley, or pantomimic dis
play was fortunate enough to squeeze mysel
to the very first rank The crowd was immense
, Towards sunrise, Bernadette made her appear
ance. found myself close beside her. Withou
giving the least thought to the surrounding
multitude, she dropped upon her knees, as 1
she had been alone. After short while he
eyes seemed to receive and to throw back al
r unknown, unearthly light. Well, in preseuc
r of this instantaneous TRANSPORTATION, ell m!
> preconceived pref judices were dashed to th
earth, and made way for feeling of extra
ordinary intensity, which, despite my reSist
, ance, took possession of my inmost soul: 1 ha
b the certitude that q mysterious, heavenl
Z Being was at hand. Suddenly and completed
transformed, Bernadette no longer resemble
g herself Her attitude, her most insignihcan
q gestures, were graced with dignity more tha
= human. She smiled to the invisible presenoE
was not less touched than the other specta
: tors. Like the rest, even hold my breath i
the hope of catching something of the cor
yersation which was carried on between th
n Virgin and the child.
"At a certain period Of the ecstasy. Bern'
dette crawled upon her knees from her static
close by the edge of the torrent's bed to tn
q very depths of the grotto, distance of fiftee
a or sixteen yards. Whilst she was climbing q
a the steep ascent, those by whom she passed O
a her way heard her distinctly articulate tt
words: PenaaeS pSRdROe, PSRaHcS"
a The eyewitness, whose description OF tn
preceding scene we have just reproduced, Wi
d certainly entitled to q claim of impartialiEy
= his appreciation of the facts: he had brOugl
Il to the sceno preconcsived notions that exclude
10 all expectation Of any display OF Superuatur
ia agency. The same eyewitness beheld Bern
r. dette awake from her heavenly trance, al
+ relapse, without transition, into her ordina
state, that of sickly looking little girl, almO
q in rags, distinguishNble by no marked feStu
Of from other children of her class. This gentl
,t man was revenue collector at LOurdes. On Il
ID preceding Sunday he had been present at Il
IL examination Of Bernadette by the commiSsa
IS of police.
IN What had taken place in this apParitiOn' t.
he sixth of the fortnight Did the child eIecu
~ the commission of the parish priest The vii
be briar stood bare and leafess still.
to Bernadette, on her retUrn from the grot
of passed by the presbytery. Fr Peyrama
i, With apparent inliEsEences inquired Of