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«*■

•

THE

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

OF THE

VIRGIN MARY.

^•- .• ■-■*i

By Rev. CHARLES CHINIQUY.

CHICAGO: \/!^W0" -— :<

John C. W. Bailey, Printer, 164 South Ciaek St.

Ml^ 1867. •■■■^ '-•■-.'/

■ J

Entered according to Act of Congress, by 0. CiiiiiiQnT, In the Clerk's
Office of- the District Court for the Northern Dlst. of Illinois.

""t*'

lill': IMMA( ILATi: C'OXCKVTION .

or Ty|i: ** ',"'p

VIRaiN MARY.

Tlie Sth Dfconiber, 18.V1, tlif present Pope Vina IX wns
silting; on ]w throne;; a triply c'l'own of }<o!d anil diiinioiid-i
niiBon his lioail ; silk and dainnsk — red and white — vestnioiitrt
were on his shoulders ; five liundrcd mitred prelates were
surronndini? hini ; and more thi\i' lifty thousand people were
at his feet, in the incomparable St. Peter's Church ol' Rome.

Alter a few minutes of most solemn nilenee, a Cardinal,
dressed with his purpled rol)C. left his seat, and i^ravtly walked
towards the Pope, kneeleil before him, and humbly prostratinf;;
himself at his feet, said: "Holy Katlicr: tell us if we can
believe and teach tluit the Mother of God, the Holy Virp;in
.Mary, was immaeidate in her coneejition V"

Tlie Supreme Pontilf answered : "I do not know; let us
a -k the li^'lit of the Holy (ihost."

The Cardinal withdrew ; the Pope and the numberless nnilti-
tnde fell on Lheir knees ; and the harnionioua choir sang the
" Veni Creatin- Spirit us."

The last note of the sacred hymn had rolled under the
vaults of the Temple, when tlie same Cardinal left hi.s place,
and a;.;ain advanced towards the throne of the Pontiff, pros-
trated himself at hi.-i fe(>l, and said ; " Holy Father, tell us if
ihe Hcdy Mother of (iod, the blessed '\'jr;iin Mary, was
iunnnenlati; in her ccmceptiou ."

The Pope a^ain answered: " 1 do not know ; let us ask the
lij;ht of the Holy Chost."

And, af.'aiu, the " Venl Creator Siiiritus" was sung.
The most solemn silence had, a second time, succeeded to
the melodious sa^icd sonp:, when ajrain the eyes of the raulti-
tuile were fo!lowin;; the ^ravo steps of the p\irplerobed
Cardimil, ru'ivauciu;;, for the third time, to the tlirone of the
successor of St. Peter, to ask again: "Holy Father, toll ns
if wo can believe that the blessed Virgin ilary, the Mother of
(!od, was innnaculate V

The Pope, as if he had just received a direct communication
rom God, answered with :i snlemn voice: "Ye-;! we must

believe that the lileascd Virgin Mn.y, lliu Mollier ut QoJ,
was immncnlato in her conception. « •* « Tiicru ii no
snlviition to tlioso wlio do not bclicvo tlii;< do^nin 1"

And, witli a loud voice, llio I'op(! intoned tin; Tc Deiiin ;
tlie bells of the tlirco hundred churulieti of Home rang; tlu-
cannons of the citad 1 wore tired; tlio last act of tlie must
ridiculous and Racrilegious conicdv the world lias ever seen,
was over ; the doors of heavcMi were, for ever, a'.nt against
those who would refuse to believe the anti scriptural dtictrine
that there is a daughter of Eve who has not intierited the
ijinful nature of Adam, to whom tlio Lord saiil in his wrath:
" Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt tliou r.turn I" and of the
children of whom the Cod of Truth has sail : " There is none
lighteous ; no, not one ; tlie) have all sinned !"

Wo look in vain to the hrst centuries of the Church to find
any traces of that human aberration. The first dark clouds
wliieh Satan has brought to mar tiie gospel truth, on that
subject, appeared only between the eighth and ninth centuries'
Hut, in the beginning, that error made very slow progress;
those v(-ho propagated it, at fii'st, were a few ignorant fanatics,
whoso names arc lost in the night (.)( the dark ages. It is
only in the twelfth century that it began to be opeiily preaelied
by Boiiie brainless monks. Hut, then, it was opposed by the
niost learned men of the time. We have a very remarkable
letter (d' St. Bernard to refute some monks of Lyons who
were preaehing this new doctrine.

A little later, I'eter Lombard adopted the views of the
monks of Lyon, and wrote a book to suppoi't that opinion ;
but ho was refuted by St. Thomas Aniuinas, who is justly
considered, by the Church of Home, as (he best theologian ol
that lime.

After that, the celebrated order of the Franciscans used all
their iiiiluence to persuade the world that ' Mary was immac-
ulate in her conception ;" but they were vigorously opposeil
and refuted by the not less celebrated order of the Dondnicans.
These two learned and powerful bodies, during more than a
century, attacked each other without mercy on that subject,
and filled the world with the noise of their angry disputes,
both parties calling their iulvcrs.iries heretics. They suc-
ceeded in driving tlie Roman Catholics of Kuropc into two
camps of fierce enemies. The "Immaculalo Conception''
became the subject of burning discussion, not only between
the learned universities, between the bishops and the priests
and the nuns of those days ; but it divided the families into

•V, tlm Motliei' ot Oo(J,
* * * Tlioro ii no

iitoned tlio To Di'iiin ;
ics of Koiiio rang ; llii-
lio lasl act of tliu must
ic worlil hns evtr sei'ii,
, for ever, s'.iit iigainsl
uiiti sniptiuiU (hictriiic
I) li.is not iiitieiiloil llii'
lOrd Mikl in his wrath :
loii r.turii !" hiul of tlic
< sail : " There is none
simied !"

^s of tlie Church to fiiiil
The first dark elomls
c gospel truth, on that
lith and ninth tentnries'
do vert shiw progress;
a few ignoranl fanatics,
(d' tlie dark ages. It is
in to he ope[iIy i)reaelied
I it was opposed by tlie
have a very reinarkabh'
„• monks of Lyons wlio

ipted the views of the
1 support that opinion ;
Ai(|Uinas, who is justly
s the best tl;eologiaii of

tlie Franeiseans used all
that ' Mary was inimac-
?ero vigorously opposeil
)rderof the Dominieans.
lies, during more than a
, nierov on that siibjeet,
of their angry disputes,
s heretics. They sue-
ic3 of Kiiropc into two
imaeulalo Conception "
;slon, not only between
bishops and the priests
ividod the families into

flwo liorccly contending ))arties. It was diHcuss>!(], attacked
and defended, not only in the chairs of the universities, in the
pulpits of the eathcdriils, but also in the fields, in the very
streets of the cities. And when the two parties had c'lliaustnd
t!ic reasons :vhich th"ir ingenuity, thoir loarning, or their
ignorant fanaticism could suL'gcst to prove or deny the " Irn-
maculate Conception," they often had roootirso to the stick
.md to the l)loody sword to sustain their arguments.

It will afipear almost incredible to-(l:iy, but it is a lact, the
greatest part of the large cities of Kuropo. particularly in
Spain, were then reddened with the blood of the supporters
ami opponents of that doctiine. In order to put an end to
the.iio contests which were trouldiii'; the peaceof their subjects
the Kind's of Kuropp sent deputation n'''er deputation to the
Topes to know IVoni their infallible ; ithority what to beliive
on the subject.

Philip III and I'hilip IV made \Ui,i.t we may call supreme
etVorls to force the Popes Paul V, (iiegory XV, and Alexander
Vn, to stop the shedding of blood and disarm the combatants
bv raising the opinion in I'.ivur of tiie Immaculate Conception
to the dignity of a Catholic dogma. But they failed. The
only answer they could get from the infallible head of the
church of Rome Vas, that "that dogma was not revealed in
the Holv Scripturcd, had nsver been taught by the Apostles,
nor by the F.ithei.», and had never been believed or preached
by the Ctiurch of Homo as an article of faith!" The
oiily thing the Pojics could do to please the supplicant kingH
ami bishops and nations of Europe in those days, was lo forbid
both parties to call tlie other heretics: and to for/Ad to eay
that it was an article ol' faith which ought ,to be believed to
be saved.

At the Council of Trent, the Pranciicans and all the parti-
sans of the " Immaculate Conception," gathered their strength
to have a decree in fav<ir of the new dogma ; but tlic majority
of the bishops were visibly against that sacrilegious innova-
tion, and they failed.

It was reserved lo the inifurtunatc Pius IX, to drag the
Church of Home to that hist limit of human folly. In the
last century, a monk, called Father Li-oiiard, had a dteam, in'
which he heard the Virgi:i Mary telling him : "That there
would be an end to the wa.'S in the world, and to the heresies
and schi.-ms in the church, only alter a Pope would have
obliged, by a decree, all the faithful to believe that she was
"immaculate ii her conception." Tiiat dream, under the

lliiliu' ol "ft rclfnlilil vision," liiiil Ik'CII cMcli.-ivri y I'il t-uliitnl
liy iiie;"ns nl' liltlo ir;uts. Muiiv bolicvod it was a j.'fiHiiiii'
icvplation tVotii lioiivcii ; niul, iiiiCiii-limiitcly, tlic ^oml nnliii-cil
lint wi'i\l<iiiiti(l(>il I'iiH IX «aM iiiiinii|j; lUoit' who liflicvod it.
Wlioii he WHS an cNiln in (incin, !ii' Imd liiniscif ii dri'iiin,
which lie toolj lor ii vision, on the stanic suhji'ri,. )[r' saw tlic
Virfiin, wlio told him Hint he would coriic liack to Uonic, uinl
■^01 an eternal pcaii' tor th<' cln'.rch, only alter he would have
promised to deelaro llml the " Innnai niali' Conception " w as
a dopnia, which every one had to In licve to be ^aved. He
awoke from his dream much impressed hy it ; and the lirst
thing he did when n|>, was to nnke a vow to promnl;;..tn thi'
new dognui as soon as lie would he lunk to Rome, and the
HOrld has seen how he has rullilled that vow.

Hut, by the prnnuilgation of this new douiiia, Tins IX, I'ar
Iron- ..iecuiing an eternal pence lo hi* (dinreh, I'ai from destrov-
ing what he is pleased to call the heresies wliich are attaekin.'
Rome on every side, has done more to ediake Hie faith of ilie
Koman (.'atliolies than nil their enemies.

liy tr\ iii^ to foic(^ this nen article of faith on tlie consciences
"f his people, in a time tliul so many can judge tor them.=elve,s,
snd rend t .«, records of past (generation.';, he has taken away
and pulled down the ttronsresi column which was supporting
tlio whole fabric of his church; he has forever destroyed the
best arguments which the prie-fs had lo od'er to the ignorant,
fleludcd mullilndes wliich tlicv keep so abjectlv lied to their
Icet.

No Wild call siillicicutly ti 11 the dignilied and supicme con-
tempt with which, bidbi'e that epoch, the priests of Rome
were speaking of tlie ''new articles id' faith, the novidties of
llie ai'clidieretics Luther, Calvin, Knox, &e., &c !" How elo-
quent were tlu^ priests of Rome, before the Stli of December,
1S.")4, wlii'ii saving to their poor ignorant dupes, " In oui' li(dy
Church of Rome there i8 no change, no innovations, no novel-
ties, no new dogmas. We believe today iust wlint om' fatlicrs
believed, and what they have taught us; .ve belong to the
apostolical church, which means that we b(dievo only what
•Apostles have believed and preached." And the ignorant
multitudes were saying, amen !

lint, alas, for the poor priests of Rome to-day ; those dig-
nilied nonsenses, tlmse precious and dear illusions, arc
impossible I They have to confess that those liii;h-sounding
denunciations against what they call the new doctrines of the
heretics, were nothing but big guns loaded to the mouth to

cMi'li.-ivri y cildiliitcil
I'pil il, was a ji'^iiiiiiic
iitcly, tlic ^0(1(1 ii,'iIiii-(mI
th(i-»i' who lidicvrd it.

Imd liiiiiscif II (Ifciiiii,

■ Slllljci'l,, l[i' SllW tnc

riic liiiik Id KiiiiiP, mill
y iilliT ]\(: woiiM Kiivi-
ilali' ('oiici'plinii " WHS

ii'VP to Ijl' --llVtMl. Ifl'

il liy it ; iiml lliP lii.~l
iiw to proitiiiI;;..tn thr
lack to Rome, ini'l tlir
t vow.

w (liiuiii:!, Tins IX, I'ar
iiiicli, I'm fioiii (lestrov-
(>s wliii'li iiro iittucki !_'
tiliakr tlic t'ailli of the

aitli oil tlip f(in>cir'ni('S
1 juilgc 1(11' thi'ni.oelvi',-',
i.«, lis has taken awny
which was siippcirliiig
for('\ei' (lostroyod tho
) (id'or to th(> irriioiBiit,
) alijoctly lii'il to thrir

ilii'il and >u[iruiii(' I'ou.
I, tlic prii'sts (if Kiinic

failll, thi' iioveltii'S of
K, &c., &(' !" How (do-

tlie Sth of DecoHibLM',
it diipo.'*, " In our ludy

iiHiuvatioiis, no novcd-
ly iu-t what oiu' fat'iicis
us ; .vc beloiiL? to thii

we bidit'vo only what
." And the ignorant

HI.' I'j-ihiy ; tho.50 dii.;-
il doai- illusions, arc
it those hiiih-soiindin,!:;
le nrw doctrines of the
jadod to the mouth to

dtsli'oy the l'idicslaiil-i,wiruli are now di."hai';;lun theii' dfadly
missiles npainst the ennnldin^ walls of their ehureh of Rome.
They have to eonfess that tlwir pieteiiiions to an uii('hanf;ealilis
creed i" all mere humhu'.'. sliamuful lies; they have to oonless
llinl the ehurrh of Itoine is " ko:i,im: m,w ooouas, nkw aivw
(i.ts ok K.\rrii ;" ihev do not ii:i\ lon;.;er d.ire to lay tc) the
iliscipli's of the (iospel, " WloTi' wa'J \our ridi.iiotl lieforc the
diivs of Luther iiud Cihiir.'" I.h- the -ern.|, voire of their
coiiseience 'i'l vs t'ldax lo IIim Umihhi (';\lh die-, " Where wa-'
vonr ridiv.ioii licdoic ihr sili I)., .-iiliri , 1 -i:! I •" ,nid Ihi'y laiinoi
answer.

There is au inMNOiahle and ii i .■-i•^lil)le \r^\r in the mind*
even of the most unli'urned men, wliieh d.lies, lo day, all the
sophisms of the pi-ie-ts of lionie if the- dare to spsak HKaiu
on tludr pi't siilijeeti, "tho uovelti<:« and new dogmas of the
I'rotestants." There is a silent, hut i'iu-.hiiifi voice, f,'oin>,',
lo-dav, from the eiowds to the priest, lelliiifr him : " Now, he
fiuiet and >ilent on what you are used to call the novidtiesand
new doctrines of the I'rotestants! for, are you not prcaehinj;
to us rui awful novelty V Are you not damnin;,' us to-day foi'
disbelieving a thing which the churcli, durin|l eighteen hun-
ilred vcais has. a bundled tinu-^, --olcmiily declarfld, by the
niontli of the Popes, had " n"ver been revealed in the IIolv
Scriptures, had never bei'ii lau;;ht b\ the l.uh'M «, had nevei
lieeu heard of by the chii'.cli liersell '.•"

1 will never forget the sidiiess which cueicame mo when I
received the ordi'r fiom the I'ope to proclaim that new do;j;ma
to my iiooplc, (then all Ifomau (Jatliolies.) It was as if an
carliiquake had sliakeii iiiid dcstiiiyed the ground on whicli
my feet were re>tiiiu'. My n.i.-t cli"ii>hi'd illusions about the
iiiimutaliilil V iiiid the int'allibilily .d' my <diurch were crumb-
ling doivn, in my intelligence, in spite, of my tdVorts to keep
tliem up. I liavc sci'n cdd priests, to whom 1 opened my mind
on that subject, sheil tears of sorrow on the injury this new
d'lguni would do to liieir i hiircli.

Tlio Archbishop of I'.iris, at the licail of tlie most Icariii'd
members of the clergy of France, had sent hi" protest to the
Tope against tliis dogma ludbre it was decrc. d ; and he had
elo((uentIv foretold the de]d(UMldo conseipiences which w(mld
follow that innovation; but their warning voice failed to make
any impression on the miiui of the infatuated i'ope.

And, we children of (iod, must we not acknowledge the
hand of the Lord, in that blindness of " the man of Kin I''

t,r

Tlie (lii»(( i»n' iiol liu iiWiiv lli.il n ^l\ ol joy will \ie licanl
tiomonprnd to t!io oi.lipr oC llm world : " Ft'ar Ood, mid
;.'iv(! j;loi V to Iliiii I Ilihyli i i< lallcn ! lt.il)TloM in liillcn !
tircniisc she iimdc nil ii.ilioii-* (liiiil< of tli" \\\nr of llii' wnitU
(d' lici' liii-liirutioiis."

For, wlicli we src llhil ' «ii lii'd cjiic, w lio rx.illrth liiliisidl'
uliovc nil tliiil i.< ciilli'il (Joil.'Me-li'dviii;; liim«(d( livtlio eiLccsi
(if his own lolly mid irn|iii'tii's, we must l)Ii':is the I,ord.

Till' piocl iiii.'Uioii of this new do^'tiiu is one of tlio-e ^iPit
morn! iniiinilii's wliii'li cnriy their piiiiisliiiirut niid llwir ri'iii
rdv ill thi'ir own hands.

When tlio ropc.in Ihf iiioiiiiii;: ol' llif sth Di'iciiihcr, IsM,
nr.-worod twii'c; "I do not know" to the miestion put to liiiii,
■■ Is the Virjliii Mary Iniiiiiu'iil.itc in her Conceptinii y" and
ilioii, a niinule alter, to the >nu\i: ipiestion, ho answered:
"Yes! 1 know it; the Holy Viij^iii Mary was iiiiinaeiilate in
her Coiieeption," he proved to his most ereihilnus dupes tliat
he was iiothini; hut R iiiiserahle ^aerileeioiis comedian. Ilow
would a .jury of liouot men deal with a witness who, beiiif;
iiiterr.if;:\t.'d ahoiil wli.it he Unovvs of a certain fact, would
.ili,*\ver, " I liiiow nothing ahout it ;'' and a moment at'tor would
aeknowled^e tli.it " he kiiow.s eveiythin;.' about it." Wouhl
not fiuh a wilne.:.-, be jujtiy piinislied BS a perjurer '.•

Sueh is the sad and unenviable po-ition wliieh the I'ope lins
made to liiin«e!f and to his elinreh, the 8tli of Deeeinber, IR!i4.
Inlerropated by the nations of Kiiro|ie about what wa« to be
believed on the " eoneeption o( the Vii;;in Mary," the ehurch
id' Koine, diiriii;;' ten lentiiriea, had answered: "I do not
know." And let iMery one nnieiiiber that iihe want.s to bo
bidieved " i.NKAi.i.iiii.i; " when ^he <ays she "knows iiothinii
abiiiit the Iininaeiihile (,'onreption."

But, to-day, that same i liuridi asr-ure:) n-., lhrou;.;li the infal-
lible deereo of I'ii.s IX, that she knows, and she has aliciiij.s
known and believed the \'ir,L;iii Mary was Iminaculate !

lla.s the world ever seen ^'uli :i \v:iiil of S'df res|ieet, ^ueh
an nnblushin;.; iin|iudenee !

What veidiit will the Christian world ^ive ii'iaiih-t that
ureal mother of lies ? 'What pimislinieiit will the 'iod of
truth administer to that ^M'eat .■ulpiit who swear.-i " ves" and
" no " on the same i'aoi 'f

It is a fael that by the promulgation of thi.s deiree, Vius IX
ha.- forever destroyed his prestige in the minds of millions of
hi.s followers.

A U:w davs lifter I hud re:id to niv eon'.;ri'2atiQii the deeree

Ill joy will be lii'aiil

(1 : " Ft'ar Ooi), niu)

It.ibTlon is t'lilli'ii !

\i" w iiic of llic « riitli

will) cx.illrtli liiliiscll'
lilll«('l( liv tlio CiCl'HI
ili':<s till' Iioril.
is (ilic of l.li(i-o ^idit,
incut mill llii'ii' rt'iii

sill Di'i'ciiilici-, Is") I,
i|urstion put to liiiii,
er Coiicoptinii y" ami
'stion, lio aiisttcroil :
y wiiTi imiiini,'uli\ti' in
(•roiliiloii< iliipos tlnit
Till COlllKlilUl. Hoiv
I witness wlin, boiii;;

I ici'taiii I'lict, would
ii niouient af'ior would
;_' about it." U'oulil
ii peijuier '.•

II wliicb tlip I'ope liiij>
li ol ncccmbcr, I Sft'l.
bout wliiit wa" to bp
;iii Mary," tlio cIiuitIi
iiswiTcil : " I do not

tinit (ilic wants to be
sIk' " knows nothiii;^

II'-, throu;.;li tlic int'al-
(3, and she lias alu-nijn
s Iininaculatc !
I of H'df r('s|i('i't, Mich

iilil '/ivc a;.'ainst that
lent will tliL' <iod of
liii MVcar.-i " \ cs " and

r this dci ICC, Pius IX
' minds of iiiillioni ol

iijii'cgatioii tin.' ilcci'ec

ol Iho I'opo pioclnimiun this nen dogron. nj ditmniiiR nil
Ihoso who would not believe it, one of ymoit intelligent
and respectable farmers came to visit n. , and put to me the
following,' ipie.tions on the i.ev, articles of faith :

" Mr. t-'liiiiiipiv, please tell I'le, have I correctly understood
the letter fnun the I'ope you read us last Sabbath f Does the
Pope tell us in that letter timt we can find this new doenia ol
the ' Immaculate Conception' in tl'.e llidy Scriptures, that il
has been taut;lit by the fathers, and that the Church iins eon
stiintly believed it from the days of the A[)ostle3V"

I answered: " Yes, my fi iciid, the Tofie tells us all those
Ihiims in his letter which I read iii the Church last Sabbath."

"Hut, sir, will you be so Uind as to read to me the veiiies
of the Holy Scriptures wliicli are in fivor of the Immaculate
Coiice|ition' of the Holy Virt;in Mary?"

"My dear friend, I answered, I am son* ii say that I h;sve
never found, in the Holy Scripture, ft sln;;le word to tell us
that Mary is iinmaeuliite ; but I have found mimy words, and
vcrv clear words, which say the very contrary thin;,'. For
instance, the Holy (ilio.-t, in the Kpi'stle of St. Paul to the
Komans, v. IH. Ity the ojf.iiif of o»f, judgment came upon (///
men to eoiulemnation." ' This little but inexorable "Ar.i. "
includes tlie Virgin Mary in the eondemnatioii and in the
guilt. In the same Epistle to the Romans, chap. Ill, v. '22. 2",
Uie H(dv (ihost, speaking of the ehildr.^n of Adam— Israelites
and Oeiitilcs — snys there is no dill'crence, they have am. sinned^
and come short lif the glory of (!od ! and in the verse id of
ihe same chapter, the Holy Oliost, speaking of the .lewi and
(ii-ntilc8, snys; " There is"iione righteous— no, not one 1" And
the Lord has never repealed in any part that I know of the
llolv Scriptures, this awful " no— not one !"

"'.Now, pleu.sc tell me the name of the Holy Fiithers who
have preached that we must believe in the Iininacuhite Con-
ception, or be forever damned, if we do not believe in it V "

I answered to niy pnrishioncr : " I would have preferred,
my dear fficnd, that you should have never come to put to
me tlic-e ipiestioin ; tint as you ask me for the truth, I must
fell voii the truth. 1 have studied the fatliers witli it pretty
gooii attention, but I have not yei found a single one of them
who was of th»t opinion in any way."

I hope," added the good 'farmer, "you will excuse nie if
I put to vou another question on this subject. Perhaps you
do not know it, but there is a great deal of feeling and talking
about this new luficle of faith among ufl since last Sabbath ;

t wiiiil to know ii liulu iiKii'c alioul it. Tlio Pope siiys in lii*
lottnr Hint tlio Church ol' Homo has ahviiva bcHcvod and tauglil
lliRt dogma of the iinnmruhito conceptidn. Is tliat correct ?"

"Yes, inv friend, the Tope says tliat in his Encyclical ; but
these last nine hundred years more tlian one hundred I'opes
have declared that the Church had never believed it. Even
Beveral Topes have forliidden to say ' that the imniacuhite
conception was an article of faith ' — and they solemnly per-
mitted to believe and say what we please on that matter."

"If it lie so witli this new dogma, how can we know that
it was not FO witli the other dogmas of our Clnirch, as the
confession, the |)urgatory," (ic, added the good farmer.

" .My dear friend, do not allow the devil to shake your faith.
We are living in bad da.\s indeed. Let us pray God to en-
lighten and save us. I would have given much had yon never
put to me these (juestions.

My honest parishioner had left me ; but his awful questions,
(thcv were really awful, as thev are still awfid for a priest of
Rome,) and the answers I had been forced to give, were somiil-
ing in my soul as thumler-claps. There was in luy poor
tremblinghearl, as the awful noise of an irresistable storm,
wliich was to destroy all that I had so dearly cherished and
respected in my then so dear atid venerated Church of Rome.
My head was aching. 1 fell on my knees; but fc, a time I
could imt utter a word of prayer: big tears were rolling on
my burniug eheeHs; new light was coming before the eyes
of my soul ; but I took it for the decoiU'ul temptation of
Satan ; a voice was speaking to me ; it was the voice of my
God telling me, " Come out from liabylnn '. come out from
liabylon !" But I took that voice for the voice of Satan ; 1
was trying to silence it. The Lord was then drawing nu'
away from my perisliing ways ; but I did not know him tlieii ;
I wiis struggling against Him to remain in the dark dungeons
of error. lUit God was to be the stronger. In his inlinite
niercv lie was to overpower His unfaithful servant. He was
to ciinrjuer me, and witli me many otlu'rs.

May all the nations bless and jirui.-e .I'm for His mercies!

\ot long after that, in a single day, more than one thou-
sand of my dear cnuntrynuMi broke with me the chains of tlie
spiritual and abject slavery which had Ijound us to the feet of
Ihemait of sin ; and we took .Icsus, tlie et('rnal Son of God,
for our oiilv way, onr only light, onr oidy life !

(". CniMoi T.

The Pope sn}-,-. in lii.<
lys l)(;licvo<l and tiiuglit
1(111, Is tlint corrnct ?"

ill his Encyclical ; but
ail 011(1 hundred I'opos
vcr believed it. Even
' that the imniacuhite
mil they solemnly per-
•0 on that matter."
low can we know that
of our Chnreh, as the
he good farmer.
;vil to shake your f^iitli.
iCt us pray fiod to en-
Ml niueh had vou never

lUt his awful questions,
1 awful for a priest of
ed to give, were sound-
liere was in my pour
' an irrcsistable storm,
) dearly clierished and
•atcd Ciiurch of Kome.
:nocs-, but fci a time I

tears were rolling on
oming liefore the eyes
'ceitful temptati<iii of
it was the voice of my
lylon ! come out from

the voice of Satan ; I
was then drawing me
id not know him then ;
1 in the dark dungeons
onger. In his iiilinite
hful servant. He was

M'S.

,I'm for His mercies !
more than one thoii-
li me the chains of the
liuuiid us to the feet of
le eternal Son of (lod,
nly life!

(". CllIMlJlT.