The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-11-04

before AK there was stir among the ever
increasing & ront, aud those near the gate were
called upon to stand back and make way for
the high sheriff and his javelin- men to enter
the Castle gate AS the chimes of the Csthe-
again opened and the javelin. mon led the way
followed by the hurdle, dragged by horse
along the ground, without wheels, on which
the martyr was tied down. AS he passed ont
of the gate Clara stepped forward, and fall
ing on her knees, cried: Father, give me
thy blessing"
My ohiid." he said, raising his hand and
looking h, towsrds.her,, God bless thse' and
There was muttered denunciation OF the
Pspists from behind, bnt il was almost imme-
diately stifed by the Protestants themselves,
who showed great respect for the sufferer and
q sense of profound sorrow for his death.
Thanks to Gervsse, who assisted her
with his arm, Clara was able to walk by the
side of the hurdle the whole way to the scene
of the execution. 1t was q distance OF at
least mile from the Castle, for after passing
through Sudbury gate the cOrtege assembled
steep hill, until they came to q space of open
wards London. More than one Catholic heart
was reminded of the Way of Sorrows trodden
by the King of Martyrs as He was led from
Pilates house to Calvary. 1t was to them an
rosa During that long aud painful journey
on the hurdle, Notwithstanding the sutferings
which he endured, he was able, like His Divine
Master, to pray for his prosecutors aud to con-
sole his friends. Several times during the
transit theselatter found opportunities of ut
tering words of sympathy, craving his prayers
and beseeohing his benediction.
When they reached the 50 ummit of Red Hilf
(where seventy-three years before Father Old.
Corne and his brethren perished for the falth)
upon that morning of August, they were
greeted by prospect as fair and extensive as
any in that shire in which Father Joachim
had spent So many years in latoring to re-
kinde and spread the faith of his Redeemer.
The spot commands panoramic view of the
Severn, bounded by the Malvern hills. 1t is
probable that the very beauty of the position,
as we'll as the extraordinary serenity OF the
atmosphere, must have added to the painful
impressions of the moment by the mere effect
of contrast, for there stood before them on the
most commanding point of that then gorse-
grown eminence the triangular gibbet upon
which felous were executed. Three upright
posts, with three horizontal bars connecting
their summits, formed the gallows. The hur.
die jolted over the gorse and halted beneath
the place of execution. The sheriff now com
manded his attendants to release the prisoner
and suffer him to address his friends for the
last time. Notwithstanding the sgonies en-
dured during his last journey, the Father
showed no slgns of depression on his placid
brow, but turning to his friends, conferred
with them each separately.
" You will find faithful protector in my
friend here,' he said to Clara; and yon, good
sir, will be true to her and loyal to Holy
Church. bless you both, my children, and |
commend you to our Blessed Lord and His safe
keeping.
After taking leave of each dear friend, he |
asked permission of the sheriff to address the
according to the custom of the |
time. Mr.. Finch YVES so overcome by his feel !
lngs that he could scarce stand upright, and |
Clara lent almost mechanically upon Gervase's |
arm, and wept unconscious of his presence as |
If he bad been her brother rather than her be- |
trothed.
Mounting the ladder, the good Father
seemed to feel as if he were standing in pull
pit to preach the Cos 2el for the last time.
Honored frends,-Almighty God" he
said, ont of His infinite mercy, through the
merits of His Son, Christ Jesus, ordained and
made choice OF three virtues wherein must
walk-faith, hope, and charity. BY faith we
all are to believe whatever God hath revealed
to US in this world, and by hope all are to ex-
pect what he hath promised in the world to
come. And when God bestows such faith and
hope. it is in order to bring all to true charity
and love of Hin; for who can fail to love
that Infinite goodness in which he believes
and hopes; therefore all must honor God and
show their love by due profession aud prac-
tice of their faith, for " with the heart we be-
lieVe unto righteousness but with the mouth
con fession is made uuto salvation"
"And bound to confess Jesus
Christ and His faith; so likewise all are obliged
to own and profess that this faith can be but
one only faith, as We are Taught in Ephe-
SLAMS iv, here ST. Paul declares, There ia one
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, even as
yoa are called, saith he, Sin one hope of your
calling This being most true, let every ra-
tional Christian. in his most retired thoughts
of our calling can stand with such multi plicity
of sects aud opinons, opposed one to the other,
with which the nation now 50 abounds...."
There was interruption during this dis
course, which is related to have broken the
thread of it. This may have been caused by
certain illdisposed persons who disapproved
of hls words, whose camor raised q counter
demonstration in his favor on the part of the
great msj ority of the Protestants present, who
desired that, at this supreme moment, on the
eve of his execution, he should have that free
dom of uTterance which was then usually
granted to the most desperate offenders.
81 desire all Catholics to consider this" be
Continued, turning to his friends, that it is
better to be reviled by man now in this world
than to be reViled by God in the word to come.
! In St. Matthew xvi. it is said that the Catho-
lie Church is built upon rock, and in St.
Matthew xviii that he who will not believe
| the Church let him be as a heather and publ
can. This Church and faith is firmly estab.
lished. because our Saviour hath promised that
the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth. shonld
teach the believers all truth, remain with them
| forever show them things to come to be be.
lieved, and should cause the believers to re-
mem Der all things which Christ had already
taught, which you read in st. John, chapters
xiv to xvi.
"Ths faith" he continued, is established
and infallibly coutirmed, that it can never de-