The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-11-29
THE CATHOLIC BULLETIN, NovEMBER g. Igls.

venerable old priest of ShefReld for
the sake of this dying outcast'
these were some of the questions oc-
cupying his mind. He would like to
have forgotten the request of the
tramp, but somehow or other it seem
ed that he could not Danish from his
mind the pleading look of the dying
man.
Arrived at the cottage, his knock
was answered and he was ushered
into the hall-"Have a chair, doctor,
and I'll" Not now" he answered,
81 have important business to attend
to, and would like to use your phone"
The authorities having been notified,
DR.. Winter was about to leave, when
much to his surprise he saw the ven
cradle pastor of Sheffield enter the
hall, and heard few disconnected
parting words-"The danger is past "
II cannot administer the Sacrament
because there is no imminent danger
of death. I think he will recover"
Yes, the son of the house would re-
cover, for all danger was past. DR..
Winter amazed at finding priest so
near, forgetting his own religious in
difference, and Influenced perhaps by
the peculiar position in which he was
placed by mere chance, could no long
er resist the appealing eyes of the
dying tramp.
Kindly excuse my haste" looking
at the man of the house, will you
please step outside "a moment, Fa-
ther?" with the greatest OF, pleas
ure, sir; I am at your service"
When outside the doctor briefly ex-
planned the case, ending with: Nov,
remember, Father, you are taking
your life in your own hands, for it is
an aggravated case of malignant
smallpox, over which we doctors have
no control" Never mind further ex-
plantations, this is a most urgent
case," was the interruption, "and I
must go at once; make no delay, doc
tor, or perchance it will be too late.''
Soon the doctor, his mind filled with
alternating thoughts of respect and
doubt, and the priest his heart burn
ing with the zeal of an apostle, were
driving rapidly away. Arrived at
their destination, the priest hurriedly
bent over the PROSTATE man, heard
his last confession and with the as
sistance of the now thoroughly amazed
doctor, administered the last sacred
rites of the Church, and soon the
weary soul of this suffering derelict
winged it's flight to heaven. After
some moments in silent prayer the
priest arose and addressed the doc
tor. Doctor, today you have truly
played the role of the good Samaritan,
and more, you have been instrumental
in saving a soul. Let us hope that
God, who is ever generous in reward
ing the giver of cup of cold water
to the weary, will not let this kindly
act of yours go unrewarded." verify
God is good God is good" Indeed,
Father, yours was the heroic act, for
you have exposed yourself to the
danger of losing your very life to save
the soul as you say of a worthless
creature"
"My act was only the external full
fillment of my duty as priest, for
when the welfare of one of the chill
dren of our Holy Mother the Church
is at stake, we must for the sake of
saving a soul, brave even the danger
of death, to bring to it salvation.
simply did what any other priest
would have DONE"
Heroic nevertheless" sententious-
ly, and then with a deferential good
bye Dr. Winter drove away. His
heart now was beating with an hither.
to inexperienced emotion and in his
mind veritable tempest between his
conscience and doubt was spending
itself What was it that made him
feel as if he we're fleeing from some
pursuing phantom, what was it that
had profoundly impressed him SO
forcibly since the event just narrated?
With searching curiosity of a mind
hungering for truth, he recalled again
and again the haunting scene of the