The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-02-25
Continued from Page 81
THE FIN Al LA w.

steamboat captain.
Fast flew the years to the priest,
whose early life had been spent in
hardships and toll, unfamiliar to most
priests of the present day. It had been
usual thing for him to say Mass In
the town where he lived, and then ride
niles on horseback to another small
congregation, hear confessions, say
Mass again, baptize, visit the sick and
do the many duties of the priest, who
is with his people only once week.
On days like this it was often the
case that he got his breakfast SO late
that he had small appetite for it, If
he had not brought to the work a SPLEEN
did constitution, youth and zeal, he
could never have outlived the stress of
those first years. Now in the fullness
of his powers, he had comparative COM
fort-one congregation, a pretty
church and rectory, time for the read
ing he loved, time for the cultivation
of his roses. In the midst of this had
come the wonderful human tie of his
friendship for the boy. Peace for
himself, ambition for Joe, gave to his
present life most harmonious tone
The hardships of his youth, however,
had left their marks. The natural gen
tleness of his character had hidden it.
self under barriers his sensitiveness
had found necessary to erect. Friend.
ships and interests he had in plenty
and the Masters work among his peo-
pie was a service of love as well as
duty. But these were collective rather
than individual interests. He had no
relatives to keep alive the affections of
his youth, and while memories of his
own family were dear to him, the years
of his priesthood, with their constant
ly recurring exactions and self-effaee-
ments, had obscured these memories.
With the coming of Joe all this had
changed. AS the boy grew, his COM
partnership cleared away the dust Of
the years from the priests heart, and
the joy of loving and being loved filled
his days with gladness.
Slow dragged the years to the eager
boy, who gave no bought to the full
meaning of their passing.
When Joe was sixteen there was a
serious talk in the little study, and the
boy and the priest came forth with a
happy light in their eyes, which
wrought a sort of likeness between
them. Joe had decided to study Tor
the priesthood, and Father Medhurst's
hopes had leaped beyond the years,
and he felt as if his boy was already
assured of the holy state. Joe him.
self felt much the same, but the
Thought had not been in his mind as
long as it had been in the mind of the
priest. Exaltation and perfect SYM
patty filled them with a serious happi-
ness. A little of the mans mood fell
upon the boy, while the elderly priest
seemed back in those far gone years
of his own early experiences. 1t was
memorable time for both of them.
Joe went off to the seminary, and his
absence would have taken the light
from the days of his guardian, if the
great hope was not always present.
Then came the vacation-happiness
for the two-three, indeed, for Mrs.
Brent was a devoted friend also.
1t was during this first vacation that
Father Medhurst, coming in after
long session in the confessional, began
telling Joe some of the difficulties OF
this part of priestly work.
81 have almost come to the conclu'
sion," he said, leaning back YEARLY
in his big chair, that people are
changing in their mental and spiritual
makeup"
Different environment and the en-
suing different circumstances would &C
count for that, don't you think?' re
turned Joe.
That's well put, Joe,' answered
Father Medhurst, pleased, but still fol
lowing a thought of his own. 81
doesn't account for everything
though Not so long ago life was
more simple, to be sure; and there
seemed to be clearer knowledge Of
right and wrong. Nowadays there is
a soul-sickness that must have some
thing contagious in it-so general has
it become. I mean that spirit of ques
tioning authority. Every one wants te
llegislate for him or herself, and there
is tendency to question the wisdom
of certain laws of the Church. The
less capable an individual is to judge
for himself, the more impossible j
seems to convince him that the laws O.
the Church are wiser than the highes
merely human intelligence could have
devised. Obedience to disciplinary Law
| = So, al
But" Joe began, isn't that JUS
what the confessional is for-isn't i
the priests part to apply the Law
i EYES," interrupted Father Med
hurst, ito apply it, but it must be
known and acknowledged by the peni
tent before coming into the tribunal O
penance to receive judgment. There
must be no sophistry, no quibbling il
this court-no lodging the issues
where one is ones own accuser. Whe1
the disposition is to set ones will anG
desires above everything else, an6
, c+;J1 ronoiuo tho cacramnnfS IL ia very