The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-11-09

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creeds. A profound scholar, deeper
| thinker and an earnest searcher after
truth, he finally by the. force of his log
ical mind, saw the truth of the Catholic
/ faith. The story, which will appear
| from week to week, is entitled, The
| Two Brothers"
| My old master, jeremiah Milwood, as
| have told you, had but two children,
both sons, and with only about two
| years difference in their ages. They
were his pride. and he spared no pains
or expense in their education. He was
stanch Presbyterian; and his ambi-
ton for his two sons was. that they
should become earnest, devoted, and
distinguished Presbyterian ministers.
He seemed likely to be gratifed. Both
were of serious turn, studious and
piouSly inclined. Before the elder had
completed his seventeenth year, both
became subjects of grace, and both, on
leaving college, entered the seminary.
During the second year of their resi-
dence in the seminary, their mother
woman of great strength of character
and sweetness of disposition, fell i'll
and died. From that moment a strik-
ing change was observed in the tone
and manner of John, the elder brother.
He was his mothers favorite, and
shared especially her confidence. At
her request, he had spent several hours
with her alone just previously to her
DEATH and, though none of us knew
what transpired to affect him, it was
subsequently surmised, from one or
two words which escaped him, that
she had expressed in that trying mo-
ment. to him, as the only member of
her family she could hope to int1u
ence, or to whom she felt able to open
her heart, some misgivings as to the
truth of Presbyterianism, and had
begged him, by his love of her and his
regard for the welfare of his soul, to
examine thoroughly its foundations be-
fore entering the ministry. However
this might be. it is certain he was never
again what he had been. He returned,
after the obsequies, to the seminary,
and even remained there several
months; but he lost his relish for the
prescribed course of studies, and be-
came unwilling to attend the services
in the chapel. Finally, he wrote to his
father, informing him that he did not
wish to become a Presbyterian minis
ter, and, indeed, could not, without
binding himself to profess what he did
not then believe and in all probability
never should believe, and begging per-
mission to return home and take some
other calling. My old master, you
know, was never remarkable for his
sweetness and amiability, and the re-
cent affiiction he suffered in the loss
of his wife had rendered him doubly
sour and morose. His wrath was ter
rible. His son has disappointed him,
disgraced him, and he replied to him,
that, unless he continued at the semi
nary and returned to his original faith
and resolution, he was henceforth no
son of his, and must seek home,
father and friends where he could find
them. John, knowing explanation or
expostulation would be vain, took the
only alternative left him, and suffered
himself to be exiled from his home.
James, the younger brother. who in
many respects resembled his father,
remained at the seminary and COM
pleted his course.
John withdrew to a distant part of
the country, assumed his mothers
name and supported himself for three
or four years byAteaching at an acad-
emy While teaching he eontrived to
study law, in the practice of which he
subsequently engaged, distinguished
himself, and, in a few years, amassed
a fortune adequate to his simple wants
and tastes. Having done this he retired
from business and went abroad.
James, on completing his course, was
licensed to preach, and in few months
was called and ordained to the pastoral
charge of a wealthy and influential
congregation in zone of our principal
Atlantic cities, and was known and es-
teemed as one of the leading ministers
of his denomination. About a year
after his settlement, his father died and
left him a bulk of his estate, which
was considerable: and a year later he
married the beautiful and accomplished
daughter and heiress of his richest
parishioner, who brought him a still
more ample fortune, and became the,
mother of five children, two sons and
three daughters. Everything prospered
with him, and he had all that heart
could wish. But after a while, the
tide of prosperity began to ebb; death
visited his home. and his children, one
by one, all, save the youngest, who
was deformed, sickly, and partially
length his wife followed them. He
bore up with stoical fortitude against
these repeated blows, but he felt them
was forced to reflect on the certainty
of death, the uncertainty of life, and
the perishable nature of all earthly
goods, more seriously than he had ever
done before, and to some extent his |
heart was softened and his spirit !
bowed.
Ldu NOIH Ol IIlS Wire
edge of his grief and begun to heal
the wound in his heart, when James
was surprised by a letter from his
brother, whom he had heither seen nor |
heard from for nearly thirty years. |
The latter offered him such sympathy |
and consolation as befitted the occa- |
sion, and brought him the intelligence |
that its writer was about to revisit his /
native land, and, following the yearn-
ings of his heart, would hasten to en- |
brace the brother he had never for |
moment forgotten, or ceased to love.
James received the letter with mixed |
but upon the whole without |
and looked forward even |
with interest to his brothers return. |
In few weeks after sending his letter, |
John embarked, and, favored with
short and pleasant voyage across the
landed in the city in which
James was settled, and without delay
drove with his baggage to his brothers
residence.
The brothers met; but SO altered in
appearance was each, that it was with
that either could recognize !
MS brother in the other. The meeting
was frank and cordial on the part of !
the elder, and less cold and restrained |
1n the part of the younger than could
have been expected from his general
character. Perhaps he had recently
some compunctions of conscience
'or having so long forgotten even to
-hink of one he was bound by the ties
If nature to love; perhaps he had a
vein of tenderness in his nature which
lad not hitherto been observed and
hat early scenes and early recollec-,
ions revived, and for the moment half
;ubdued. the sectarian and minister
But be this as it may, he was not dis
pleased to meet his brother. They were
;oon seated in well-furnished apart
nent, engaged in free and familiar
They recalled their boyish days and
ooyish frolics, spoke of their college
ife and college companions, and fin