The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-04-29

story of a real thinker who found i
complete satisfaction in Catholicism |
and who has had his faith strengthen |
ed more and more by continued study. !
He says that the Catholic religion has
been the particular object of his read
ing since he joined the Church, and
his article shows that he has made a
deep investigation of her tenets. The
article follows:
Admiral Recounts Conversion.
+ T was born on plantation in
Georgia, about ten miles from Macon,
in September, 1856. My parents were
MethOdists, and was brought up in
the Methodist faith after-the "strictest
order of the Pharisee."
naturally inherited a strong re-
ligious feeling. In the autumn of 1869
or 1870, in attending what was called
in that section of the country a IRE
vival Meeting" / joined the Methodist
Church and tried to live up to those
teachings and requirements until be-
came convinced of the truth of the
teachings of the Catholic Church and
was blessed with the gift Of the true
faith in the spring of 1880.
St. Mary's Bells Appealed. ..l
In 1876 | met my wife, who was a
pious Catholic lady, and in 1879 we
were married. While had lived, or
tried to live, strictly up to the re-
quirements of the Methodist Church,
never felt quite satisfied, as my
judgment always made me feel that
real religion must be of a more
dogmatic character. I can recall, even
now, the attraction that a Catholic
Church and Catholic people had for
me as boy. | remember with spe-
cial interest the feeling I always had
when student at the Naval Academy
| at Annapolis whenever / heard the
bells of ST. Mary's church ringing.
They seemed in way to appeal to me,
and, while l was not so conscious of
that appeal at the time, I have since
realized I did feel there was some
thing about it that was always draw
Fling me in that direction.
+ After meeting Mrs. Benson and be-
coming engaged to her, in the autumn
t'of 1876, I naturally took up the study
of the Catholic Church and it's teach
| ihgs and read great deal of Catholic
literature, such as "The Invitation
Heeded,'' the works of Cardinals New
| man and Manning and many other
Catholic works. Two years Of this
time l spent in South America, where
| the Catholic Church is practically the
only existing church. I labored I'M
| der the discouraging influence Of my
| mother, who was bitterly antagonistic
to the Catholic Church and it's teach
ings My father died in October, 1877,
tand, while he was a most pious MEM
Der of the Methodist Church, he was
lalways most liberal in. his feelings
toward Catholics.
- Had Dependence on God.
| After my marriage, of course. my
interest in the Catholic Church and
Its teachings became more earnest
and felt more strongly than ever
i nay duty to study, and, if possible. to
understand it's teachings. l did this
with an unbiased mind, as nearly as
was possible for me to do. l always
had most earnest feeling that there
was and could be only one source OF
| correct teaching, and I asked most
| earnestly that I might be guided to
1 il. soon reached q state of mind in
which | fully realized that the Prot
estant faith and teaching were most
Illogical and untenable and that no in
telligent man could trust his souls
salvation to any such teaching. Dur.
Il ing the short interval when realized
H that there was no hope in the past, it
Il was serious question with me as to
| whether there was any hope in the
future, but the strong dependence on
h God and His Providence helped me to
| tide over this period and to believe
that there was. 49,
| How He Reasoned.
My reasoning was something along
this line: If such great wisdom has
created not only me and the rest of
mankind, but all the wonderful things
Of creation, it must have created each
one of us for some special purpose,
and if we, the creatures of this Gre.
ator, fully live up to and comply with
all the demands made on us, in ordi'
nary justice we should receive light
and guidance in the way that would
bring us to an eternal reward.
OF course, in studying the doctrines
and teachings of the Catholic Church,
at first there were a great many points
it was very difficult to understand and
accept, but one by one during my
study and reading, by the Grace OF
lGod, these difficulties were overcome
and could accept them with clear un-
Outstanding and reason until they
were finally narrowed down to the one
4 Of confession and forgiveness.
4 Confession Was Obstacle.
i This particular article of faith for a
long. time was impossible for. me to
! accept until one day, in discussing the