The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-06-01

What have you written there" cried the 'dlgnl-
tary who presided at this formal ceremony. do
you not know that the name of Mary is held IN
abomnation herel Blot out that word from the
parchment we shall have to begin all over
again"
q will sign my whole name or will not sign at
all, was Rogers firm reply.
Sir said the Freemason, "take off that ac-
cursed name. You must either do this or renounce
Masonry. The generation of the Virgin is prohib-
tied among u.s."
'Renounce the Blessed Virgin" exclaimed the
young man, burning with Indignation, "she whom
| learned to love at my mothers knee! Never!
Wholly wretched as you have made me, have not
yet fallen low as that. If YOU do not accept my
signature as you see it here, [ shall withdraw and
shall say nothing more about it."
The official insisted no longer. He feared lest
his lodge should lose the great wealth which
pected from Roger and the Immaculate Mary's
name, signed by her child, remained on the infam-
Gus document.
Meanwhile the mother of the young man, anx-
ious about the chance which she had noticed in him
and seeing how useless all her efforts to bring
him back to God, suspected the melancholy truth.
She questioned Roger about his utilization to the
hateful sect. He frankly acknowledged that he was
a Freemason and intended to remain one. The news
utterly overcame the unhappy mother that, heart
broken, she solemnly disowned him.
60" she exclaimed the tears gushing from her
eyes; you are no longer my son. [ do not want an
enemy of God in my house"
And she drove him from her home.
Two years passed by. Mrs. S. prayed and
wept for her er"ing son. who sank deeper and deep
er in vice. Worn out under the slavery of sin, the
young man fell dangerously i'll and fears were
tertained for his life. News was brought to his
mother by Resale, former servant, who, notwith-
standing all the prodigaPs strayings in the laby
rinths of the French capital, had still kept near
him. had, in fact, entered his service.
At the thought of her child IN such sad plight
the mothers love burst forth afresh She presented
herself at the door of his lodging house and asked
the privilege to nurse Roger; but the Freemasons,
realizing all that such visit meant, kept a strict
guard over their victim and heartlessly refused his
mother access to his bedside. SO strictly this
cruel order carried that neither her prayers
her tears could obtain for her moments interview
In her despair she called Monsieur de Beau
vais parish priest of st. Thomas Aquinas. When
the good priest heard her story he shook his head
I'm such case" said he 'only the Mother of
Mercy can help us. Let US turn to her. will offer
mass at her altar every day for nine days, during
which time you will go to Holy Communion The
result we may safely leave to Mary"
Meanwhile the illness of the young man was
making rapid progress The end was fast APP
and yet there was nothing to show that
the conversion so much desired going to take
place.
One night at about II o'clock, when the Free
masons were still guard and were passing noisily
back and forth through the sick room and the din
ing room, Roger, who was in high fever, seemed
to have lost all consciousness,
Suddenly the door bell rang. When the servant
Resale went to the door her amazement great,
for there she recognized beneath the thick widows
weeds Rogers mother her former mistress. She
attempted to speak, but the venerable lady, raising
her finger to her lips to enjoin silence, advanced
rapidly towards her sons bedroom. She opened the
door, and before she had closed it again Resale
heard the word which has always had such power to
move the human heart, Mother! Mother!"
Then all was profound silence.
The Freemasons, under some unknown influence,
left the house one by one and Resale on her knees
and in deep emotion for which she could not ac-
count awaited with beating heart the result of the
interview between mother and son.
At last the door opened and the visitor came
out, still closely yelled. When passing by Rosalie
she uttered these simple words:
II am going for the priest"
quarter of an hour later she returned, leading
Monsieur de Beauvas to the bedside of her son,
who with tears of sincere repentance mingled with
an nexpressible thankfulness, received the sacra-
nents of the church Shortly afterward he fell into
peaceful sleep.
The next morning Mrs. s. came to Rosahe
o make inquiries about her son.
"How is he z" she asked tearfully. May l ven
ure to go ins"
MAY you venture madame" replied the SER
ant, somewhat surprised. "Your way is clear
since your visit OF last mght the ffeenasons nave
lot come back"
"AIy visit of last night" exclaimed the mother,
greatly astonished.
"Why, yes madame; now that Mr.. Roger has
eceved the last sacraments he to be perfect
appy"
my son has received the last sacramento" ex-
laimed the mother. 'What do you mean, Rosaliel"
1t was hard to explain things there and then.
Irs S. rushed into Rogers room, where she
earned from his own lips the wonderful miracle
wrought in his behalf. Mary, the Mother of Mer-
y. under the guise of his own mother, had visited
Ter child, had prepared him for the grace of recon-
iliation and had gone to fetch the priest.
"Mother," said Roger, Il shall die today; the
Blessed Virgin has told me so, I am very weak and
he does not want me to fall into sin again She
ill come for at the hour that she had said and
he had promised to take me to heaven"
One hour later Mrs. s. was praying by the
edsde of her dying son.
"Mother!" suddenly cried the Young man, "there
he is! There she Isl" And with countenanee
adiant his last, with his mother still kneeling be-
de him. She could only weep tears of JOY.