The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-02-04
CONVERSION OF THE DISTING UISHED
FRENCH NOVELIST, PAU FEVdL.
LA Revista Catolica !

n LA Revista Catolica
1 The event of the return to the holy faith o
the Catholic Church of Paul Feval, the dis
tinguished French novelist, is already well
| knowD, and 1t may not be necessary to men
| ton here the fact that this eminent writer /
now engaged in the sacred service of his Re
deemer. The circumstances, however, which
brought aboot this extraordinary conversion
may be less familiar TO eur readers, and, wish
| ing to please them-as we always dove pub
lish the following most touching lines, ex
| trscted from letter recently addressed BIZ
| Paul Feval to Father Rey, wherein he briefly
relates the incidents connected with the change
Of his faith.
Paul Feval writes thus:
the history of my conversion. In case should
yield to do this, it will be by reason of the
pressure of the demand. At this present mo-
ment, however, am engaged with work de-
scriptive of the life of . saint who in her time
held tho exalted position of queen but to
hSEkbe value of royal crown seemed to have
been OF less consequences than the dust under
her feet. The history of iny own life must
remain a subject for future records Yourself.
my father, as understand, would desire me to
say how this event has come to pass. Let me,
then, tell you the facts in a few words. 1t
transpired in most simple manner, for was
indeed unworthy of the manifestation in my
behalf of q miracle
have enjoyed O tolerably brilliant career,
man. A multitude of my fellow creatures did
me the honor of holding my name in high esti-
nation, but knew and despised myself.
1t came to pass that / was caught, quite I'M
awareS, by the mania of a financial exploit
which, in wbirl of excitement, carried me
off with q hoard of stolen tres SIRE lie ], not
from any pTecipltous height still it was q fall.
In my Frustrated condition looked around me
those i AlwRva tn ha
friends; but it was in vain. In this utter de-
ISOLATION few helpless beloved beings whose
vitality greatly depended upon my own exist
apce were my only companions. And at this
junoture did not possess even the courage to
face poverty, or TO reconcile myself with the
Inevitable, for the longing to die grew stTOng
III ne. S:til possessing what once o few called
- talent" I paueed. Bat oh the sad thing.
Shortly before fell this talents value was nm |
Impaired but at the hour it was cfered in ex- |
change for bread those hear less speoulstors |
with our talents closed their doors against me |
but not 80 one, to whom my heartfelt thAnks !
are due). commenced to reason within my |
self, maybe talent had deserted me also, or |
perhaps had never possessed it. The buyers
IF this article, opined, are after all the best
judges as TO its value. continued to work,
but 1t was insignifcantly small and desperate
y bad. One day, just after finishing the first
page of one of my miserable attempts, l beheld
lark despair settling by mo closely; the de-
touring fire of her eyes was fixed upon mine,
md fear completely overpowered me. 1t was
Mighty Gsd. He did not come for he was
Ilready with met In the innermost parts of
ny soul heard his answer to my petition, and
realized the truth that he bad merctuIly
ouched the lowest depth of nay conscience.
md then the first Gears of repen lance burst
rom my eyes; these were even sweeter to me
ban the morning sanitation of my beloved
lother, W ho in the days of my early childhood
oused me from my cradle with kiss. The
s0rninR following these events / consulted ,
nth q distinguished gentleman whose expert
nee was great bat who made no presenSiOns,
nd who loved Be. Considering his age. he
light h9ve been my son however, I called
Inn my father. He instructed me In matters
such vastneas and manifold greatness, which
'Ork of . Lsoment, when these ineuloased
-utbs had passed from his heart into my own, Z
hat understood how to remove the veil from !
ne depth o. my poor soul end, oonfessiDg my !
sme from Our Father who Is In Heaven. The
blowing day was Christmas. Ny wife and
aughter conducted me, in p trembling cOpdi-
Oh, and my heart strSDgled with emotion, {
ito the sanctuary where the remains Of mar i
7rs of our own times, and where more of 4
lem will join them, are entombed. 1 joined I
le holy supper table, and celebrated my sec 6
nd communion forty seven years after the :
ret. Thus have been connected two periods
my existence over the chasm of q lost half {
'ntury. God be prsised IN the greatness of t
is mercy l arose with new vigor and I
rengtb. With the help of our Lord jesus c
hrIst, shall live and die 80 strengt hened ! a
pom our return TO the bouse, the happy faces !
the little ones greeted uB. What a feaBt IL ! .
asi they almost devoured with kisses.
nee then cbeerfulness has returned into cur =
idst During the vacations we are having L
leEdid times. We number, all told, ten. a
very evening the eight children kneel around a
eir mother, and i, before the erucIix, read
10 prayers contained on the first page Of the
,teohism. Their voices respond in various
syB; some are already manly, others still o.
rect and youthful. One is soldier for to- A
OEroW, another sailoE fer next year. That d
0nde, silk-haired boy WIN Join, after six 81
,ar1, the Polytechnic, and this fat and help =,