The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-08-24
DRIVING OUT The DEVIL.
Strange Ceremonies Performed for the
Relief of q Possessed Eavarian Boy

Men still profess to cast out devils.
One really has to stop and inquire
whether he is living at the close of the
nineteenth century when one reads the
official report drawn up by priest of
Vending, in Bavaria, of the driving
out of a devil from boy, says writer
in the London Daily Nea0S. The poor
boy would not pray or go to church,
had fits of temper, paid no respect to
sacred things, and, among other mis-
deeds, ill-treated his parents. The
latter sought the advice of doctors, and
when they could do nothing, Father
Aurelian, the priest of the village, pro-
nounced the benediction over the boy,
but without any good effect. Then
the boy was sent to convent, but no
reformation followed.
When the bishop of Augsburg, year
ago, visited the place the father, as
last resource, brought the boy to him,
hoping he might cure him. The
bishop approached the boy with great
dignity and consciousness of power
and exclaimed: "Thou canst not de-
ceive me, unclean spirit!" But the boy
remained as obstinate as ever, and
now the conclusion was come to that
he was possessed of a devil, and the
operation of driving it out was deter
mined upon. 1t lasted two days, and
was of course not without great pain
to the boy. The official report says
about the result of the operation:
"After applying the same means as
in the morning, exhorted the devil
to confess the whole truth, whether he
would leave the boy. After long ex-
orcism he at last, with groans and
sighs, said in humble tone, yes On
receiving this answer l became more
emboldened and adjured him by God,
by the Holy Virgin and the Holy Arch
angel Michael to declare whether he
would 90 at once Yes was the an
swer. / adjured him third time to
tell the whole truth, whether he would
really go. He again answered with
decisive yes When the devil the
first time consented to leave the boy l
exhorted him not to enter into any of
the persons present, nor into any other
being who might wish to have him,
but to go to that spot which God had
appointed.
after pause, l asked, Hast thou
left the boy?' Yes was the reply.
Thy companions alsoP" Yes The
third time conjure thee to declare
the whole truth. Hast thou and thy
companions left the boyp' Yes
Where art thou now?' in hell In
the name of the holy trinity adjure
thee for the third time to give some
sign thereof Yes, we are in hell,
came back the answer in fearful tones.
"At first the devil had answered in
an impudent and spiteful tone, but
the last answer was quite melancholy.
Now the boy began to weep. 1t was
the sign that the evil spirit had really
left him, for only at the moment when
he declared for the third time that he
was in hell did the spirit 60. Until
then he had lied unto me, for he is the
father of lies. l now made the boy
make the sign of the cross, contem-
plate the crucifx, repeat the holy
names of Jesus and Mary, as well as
that of the Archangel Michael. He
did SO, weeping bitterly. l handed
him the pieces of the cross and sacred
relics to kiss. He kissed them with
many tears. He then said the Lords
prayer and the Ave Maria, signing
loudly. This ended the exorcism, and
a thanksgiving mass was then held. "