THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 19, 14 May 1908, Page 7

THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN

Passing between the long lines of cots in a Western Hospital, I was strangely attracted by the intelligent Countenance of one of the patients, a nuui of middle age, I had been on sick call, and was about to depart, as in my piactice, I scanniexJ the faces jof the occupants of the cots in an indeavor to locate some sufferer who stood in need o*. my ser\ices, but who, as sometimes happens, had not the grace or the courage to ask for them. Directing a nurse's attention to thfe stranger, "I inquired as to his identity. 'He is a Protestant preacher, sir,' was the reply. 'He has come down^ pretty low when he has to be taken t 0 a ward in a City Hospital ! ' •Where does he belong?' I asked. ' Oh), somewhere out West. But he has some now friends. They bring him magazines and. books.' I went t o the stranger, and saluted him jpleasantly. ' I suppods you know I am a Catholic priest,' said I. ' But il always 1 like to say a friendly word to those who ai'e suffering, even if they are not Catholics.' •' T am not a Catholic,' said he. / 'Oh, I know that,' said I. ' But we are both ministers of the Gospel, and in that way we are not strangers.' - He drifted at once to other topics, spoke fluently and well of the levemts of the day, and showed such an intelligent grasp of affairs ]p general and particular, that I felt my interest in him growing, [and T said so. c It. isn't often fone meets a man like you in a hospital w&rd. I h a ve been very agreeably "surprised, and I sincerely hope you will tjoon recover. May I icall to s-ee you again ?'' 'If [you wish,' said he. ' I havn not many friends J-iie is made up o f many bitter things. Such," at least has been my life. But pray for me.' T left, but as T pressed bis hand T said. I' Trust in (Tofl. He is our best friend and never forsakes us You Ik&ow that. Good bye.' I went ao-ain anfd acain 1o the hospital, but my Hiend seemed worse each time. He Iwas seized' with The ea v P rUSlw- lfitS T, He *™ibled from bead 1o f o ol . To 7,™ V tf , v - II was d^essinc t n look at him. i could not get hum out of my mind. One day goin E to s^e him. Ijmet, a man at the hospital Pate.' vv»u see™ interests in Mr. P ,' Rnlifi . . ™* Protestant minister •» s , ai , d T' . y' 1 c ' . mtellipent n^an If.el av^ SO rrY „*' rrows Protestant minastor" he eiacti.lated. 'Why hc\ 3 " W him ° SCea fncnd ' Mf mme ' ailld he knows on Ithe pillow. The shadow of <ieatK was o n his f&4 itaia 0 !"*' dose t0 Mm - Md tato s ' My friend^ you are going to die, and you know I - am a CaitJioiic priest. You are a. Catholic, and I want you to make your oonfession. I will help you all I can,' and I too 1 * Imy stole out of mv pocket. He loofced at me with a despairing look, and then he turnpjd his face away. *WKat,' said I, 'you are going to refuse this last grace ?' 'Father,' said he, 'there is no salvation for me. I have been a traitor of the Ideepest dye. I ha,ve d|' s - prracpa mv family.. I have broken my mother's heart. I ha^e [Ipft the Church of mv childhood and r a .ilpil against it in public and in private. I. have been blacker than Judas, because T (have betrayed all that I lover! witn greater knowledge and with batter malice'— and just then another one of those hmcontrollable drills

seized hold of him, " and, lest he should injure |himseM , some of the orderlies came over and |held him down. When he became .quiet, I spoke calmly and soothingly to hf ms. His fran.i acknowledgment, had all the effecb of confession- to Ms soul. It broke all the rigid barriers of pride and despair. It was enough. I saw my opportunity, and I availed myself [of it, with all the tact I possessed, with the result that he poured - out his soul in a iflood of humble and unreserved selfaccusation. It was like the rush'kig of many waters, and when it was gone it left his soul purified from all stains and in peace. A sweet, holy calm seemed (to nossess ' him, and 'he lay there as a baby sleeping. While I ad'miiniistered 1 unto Mm the sacred Unction, great tears rolled down his cheeks. When I was through and was plaorag my stole and oil-stock in my pocket, he opened wide his eyes and in a look of ineffable joy and confidence Jie said,: 'God iis good. No truer word did you ever utter, Father, than when you said He was our best friend.'

I warmly pressed his hand and turned to go. As T looked around I saw the large, burly Negro ordjerly, who with difficultly held «1 h-e sfick man'/S feet a h,al'£ liour before, leaning on Ms mo,p, silently, and reverently watchiing the whole proceeding, for it was m the open ward. I c«,me away, promising to return next day ; and on my way home marvelled at the goodness |and mercy of God who had sought out this wandering, sheep and brought him back to - the Pastures he had deserted. I went back early next morning, but the weary stranger had gone to his rest, ithe prodigal had found his Father. Death had come in the night. As I glanced at the empty bed, I [saw a crippled merry-hearted Irishman beckon me to his corner. « Father, ye did a n;ood work [for that poor fellow,' said he. *> He died in peace and quietness, ancl, I think, happy and thankful to the Almighty, but the black man ye saw moppin* the floor said it was the powerful little cotton plasters ye put on his hands a>nd feet that quieted him 'down and gave him the happy d^ath, an' maybe farther Wear, you'll have his soul on the strength of 'thorn same v plasters.' ' True to the sunny isle you came from, Patrick,' thought I, * mingtfnc; a jofre with the keenest suffering. — ' The '