, 1876-10-21

Guy, tUlIbNlIN lH''' ''''' ''''''N ~ '"'l''
cd mc--l was about iiitccn--to purchase
and accept one Of their books. | took 1t
home. and began to read it in my leisure
moments. half conccallng it during the
intervals. as was half feeling that | was
doing wrong. After IL few days my
mind and my heart were poisoned.
lIcrcsy, the revolt against the authority
of our Holy Father, the Vicar of God,
appeared TO me legitimate, dUtiul, |
became acquainted with II few Of the
strangers and OF their proSeIytcS, and
once or twice was present at their con-
vcuticlc, where everything pleased me.
By chance, in ovcrooGing shelf, my
father saw book Of strange binding,
and opened it, 'So.and.so, said he to
me, do not dare to dcnN thcSc is no use
in it. This book is yours, where did you
get it ? Have You read it, Il have,
said !, with the ridiculous emphasis Of
imaginary prety, 'and, moreover, | ap-
prove its contents; and having been,
through them, brought from darkness to
light, wish | may hc to you, my dcar
father, the instrument Of II similar blcs-
sing All, you wish it, do you ! Then
wait little On this my father, who
was giant, turncl round t. fetch from
as far back as possible the most terrible
slap which ever sent human thoughts
and limbs whirling in confusion, to smash
themselves against Il wall. There | went.
Then falling upon mt, my father who
had the largest feet and the thickest
boots on earth, kicked me around the
room as il had been bolster, throwing
at me all the while regardless of the
question whether he should kill me or
not, every missile in the shape Of wooden
or crockery implement which
fell under his hand as we went. | was
hoarSc Of crying for mercy. Father, don't
kill me- breathcd family. xiii you"
composing himself for "a moment; and
III what state are you to appear before
the Judgment seat of God it killed you!
Hcrcsy is a mortal sin. and you would be
damned. But rather than to have he
rctic in my family, | must either kill you
or kill the devil out of you On this he
fell on me again in the same manner, |
breathing more and more family, father,
father, forgive me- But do you repent"
'Oh yes, oh yes, father" DO you recog-
nlzc the wickedncss Of what you did ?
Il do, father, | do DO you believe in
the Holy Catholic Apostolic and Roman
Church p 4 do And in the Blessed |
Virgin MaryH Il do And in the seven
sacramentsN 4 do Then forgive you
May God forgive you the same. Go to
the priest, confess your sin, receive the
come back regenerated; but
first see the fire consume this detestablc |
book and if l ever catch you reading
another of the same kind, I'll MAIN you
for life, or kill YOU
II went to the priest" my interlocutor
added. 81 confessed my sin with tears;
he shower me the evil of my ways; | ac-
cepted apenancc and received the absolu-
ton. From that day | never hada doubt
as to the truth of the Catholic faith.
was changed and serious boy. A vo-
cation for the ministry soon manifested |
itself in me. became priest, theo-
logan; and to day Christians are not |
afraid of cntrusting to my care the direc-
ton of their conscicnces through the
confessional. For all this, l every day
bless, after God, my father. Had his
boots been less thick, or had he for
moment hcsitated to use them, out of
Difference, perhaps, to your French ideas
Of religious liberty, | should he at this
hour, instead of all that am, a miserable