The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-06-08
Copyright, 1877,

/ During my stay at queens county
Jail, the chaplin was Father George
B. Murphy, OF st. Johns. He did
not try to Convert" me to the
Roman Church. He told me that
his church does not do that except
when asked to.
But he did try to convert me
into a true Christian, q sinner re-
pentant, a believer in the power
and win Of God to forgive the
true penitent, prayerful wor
shipper, and q Suppliant for saliva
ton.
Father Murphy brought much
comfort to my tortured mind and
soul. He knows human beings,
He has the vocation of a priest,
for he so easily and sweetIy leads
one into religious paths. He is
kindly and sympathetic. He Ia
genial. And he Is, know, de.
voutly sincere.
How Could She Atone
His preachments to me I shall
try to transcribe here. Whether
or not shall be baptized in his
church before meet my DOOM
am certain that as q messenger
Of faith and divine love he has
helped me beyond my words to
express. hope I shall quote him
accurately.
You understand, this IL to be q
compiled version Of what he told
me at different times, all of them
when I was under terrific stress
and strain. He has not been ia
visit me in Sing Sing, so 1 want
to go over his teachings and sum
them up for myself. They have
done me so much good. I hope
in other hearts they may find q
seed somewhere and help 1t flower
My ignorance of religion, for
which ! was somewhat responsible,
and my life, getting irregular and
disobedient. set me toward roubt but
not denial of God and His author.
ity. When the tragedy happened,
two great religious questions came
tomymind. The first was, ''What
was the purpose of all this given a
GOd?" And. again, "Given q God,
what process of reconciliati i would
atone for the fault and reconstruct
my life with GOd?"
In questioning Father Murphy to
this effect came the unfolding of the
doctrines Of Catholicism and later
my desire to embrace them as offer.
ing solution Of my difficulties, a
firm assurance of forgiveness, a
comfort that brought peace to my
heart, puzzled, disturbed and wound.
ed-something that wiped out the
past, made the present good and the
future not unknown or unkind.
Father Murphy began with my
first question, which, incidentally is
the first question in the Catholic
Catechism-"Why ID God make
you?"
/ believed in God always-in q
personal God. Not. Of course, an
old man with q white beard, but
nevertheless, q person, spiritual not
corporal, infinite, timeless, present
everywhere, just holy. merciful and
| prOVident. What purpose could
such a Creator have in making me?
To know Him, to acknowledge Him.
How much did I know of Him? How
much could know of Him?
My knowledge was fragmentary
vague. 1t could be improved upon
God is known for the things He has
made; the wonder is visioned out OF
the product of His hands. But the
process is tedious, difficult, re
quire tine.
God Provides Short Cut
God provides a short cut, and be
sides He is not dumb.
AS He speaks through creation, sc
He has spoken through creatures
whose messages are gathered in a
book called the Bible or the revela
ton of God to man. But the Bible
is a lifeless book and God is living
He must speak to me personally
He summed up all His revelation in
His Son, Jesus Christ, Goldman.
And Christ committed His revela
ton, the final word of God to man
to certain men, the Apostles anC
their successors, to be carried to the
last man before the crack of doom
A living message, a living voice
from the living God to living men
go ye into the whole world anC
preach the gospel to every crea
ture." Mark 16: Is.
The Great Sin OF Her Life
Why did God make me? To be
happy with Him forever. That il
the answer. He is like any other
father because he is the great
Father of us all. What does any
human father vision for his child
except happiness and what does he
want more than acknowledgment
love and service?
The great sin in my life, Father
Murphy pointed out, was seen not
to be adultery nor even murder, but
ignorance of God, lack Of love fol
Him, absence of service of Him
was not fulfilling my destiny.
was not even trying to fulfill it.
was living my own life, I was get
ting further and would get further
from God.
Then this happened. Could It bt
an arresting gesture from God;
Not that God caused it, of course
but the tragedy happening, was
now to complete my ruin and lose
God altogether, or could this fright
ful event have in il something Of
tho awful judgment tone Of God
something, too, Of that pitifuI WORD
Of pardon from the cross? Father
forgive them. for they know not
what they dor
Gods Opportunity