The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, 22 July 1915, Page 3

The Storyteller

A MIRACLE OF GRACE It was summer time; and, by the sea where the moonlight fell in a long silver pathway, the man and the girl walked and talked, and told the same ' old story.' Both were young and both thought they loved each other. The man was clean, honest, and sincerea fervent Catholic. The girl was- sweet and pure and true. . She was a fervent Methodist. It was not their first walk they had no desire to be clandestine, and so when the girl's family woke up to the fact that the friendship was growing, and they demanded whether she really cared for this man, she frankly acknowledged the truth; then, like a thunder-clap, came the command : Drop him at once.'' We will have no Roman Catholic in our family !' That he was respectable, estimable,, had a good position, could support her in comfort, made no difference. The girl's tears, remonstrances, defiance even, were of no avail. The doors of her city home whenceshe had returned,- were closed on Herbert. He bitterly resented this treatment, knowing he was beloved, but he tried to console Alice, and impressed his faith on the girl, when he told her to pray to God v with him, that circumstances might change, and she might still be his. It went far towards revealing his character, when, becoming desperate, Alice wrote him she would leave home to become his wife, he refused to listen to the idea which he considered dishonorable, and counselled her to obey her parents, and wait for / God's good time.' Alice was deeply moved, knowing his affection, and being a girl of good sense and intelligence, could not help respecting him the more, because he held to his convictions. Her own Methodist faith troubled her very little in the case. But she grieved intensely over the state of affairs, and although her parents, brothers and sisters saw that she was suffering, their bigotry was so great that they had little pity for her mental sorrow. Herbert had given her a little printed prayer which he asked her to say often. It was a favorite of his own, and, he told her, he constantly made use of it. Alice treasured the prayer, and it was a sweet joy to her as she recited it many times during the day, to think that perhaps Herbert was saying it at the same time. Over and over again it came to her lips even while she thought of Herbert: ' Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee.' She grew to love the words, and gradually their meaning filtered slowly into her sore hearrt, and gave it peace. Alice had a brother James whose business involved frequent trips into other States. He was a handsome young man of 28, while Alice was scarcely 20. James was very devoted to his sister, and often reasoned with her about her ' infatuation.' and counselled her to forget the young Papist. There were plenty of other good men who would jump at her ! Alice would grow angry at his counsel, and reproach him for his hardheartedness. She would tell him, she would turn Papist herself some day, and then she could marry the man of her choice. At this James would assume a look of horror, and tell her he would rather see her dead at -his feet. . But this sister and brother loved each other, and James did all he could ' to cure her of her fancy,' as he phrased it; but all in vain. Not long after a conversation of this kind, James was obliged to take an extended trip to Ohio, where he was to remain several months. He was a fine young man, fairly well-educated in the common schools, but having intelligence and wit; and wherever he went always made friends. He was very good-looking; and it was often remarked that -it was strange he never married. He would smile and say the right one had not appeared. Was it fate, or rather Providence, that caused him to meet Miss Bessie Wafford at a social held at a friend's house? Bessie was just 24, a brilliant, educated, witty, yet wholly mddest and un-

assuming young lady.. .Her quiet self poise, and- dignity attracted James Dalton"; and alter being introduced to her, and listening to the charm of her conversation; he found he had lost' his heart. ' 4 ' " " - •'" At first he tried to shake, off the feeling, but it had all at once gripped him, and he realised that,' at last, fate held him without hope of release. He began to visit Miss Watford, and as there was no doubt" of his earnestness, or his intentions, the young lady announced to him one day" that she was a Catholic, and she'would never trust her life or her future to one who was of a different faith. James saw she made this announcement with an effort, which gave him hope he" was not disagreeable to her; and he determined to persevere and win her. He told her that his whole wish in life was to win her, and that he would never ceaso trying. Bessie smiled—but becoming grave at once—told him seriously that she would never marry one who was not of her faith. ' And your Catholic religion is the one obstacle, nothing else?' said James. '• * My Catholic religion,' said Bessie, ' is my life. What happiness can married people expect whose roads separate on the most vital of all questions?' ' 'lsn't that a narrow view of God?' said James. Must we not believe His pleasure is in the heart's motives, not in lip service? What difference does the outward form of religion make if our hearts bow in sincere worship before Him?' Bessie shrugged her shoulders impatiently : ' You are just like the rest of men who do not know the first principles of the worship of God. You would argue forever, and then be unconvinced. If you are sincere, I will give you a book or two to read, and you may see for yourself where you are mistaken. You tell me you have never touched a Catholic book, and you pretend to denounce our views as "narrow." Will you read the books, I shall lend you ? or shall we say "Good-bye" forever?' James would do anything sooner than say Goodbye ' to this fascinating girl. bo accepted the books, and returning home wrote a long letter to his mother, telling her he thought .he had found his destiny, but that she was stubborn on religious matters: he hoped by patience and gentleness .to overcome that obstacle. He was liberal and broad, and she should be whatever she wished; he would never interfere with her religion. He said he had accepted some reading matter about the Catholic Church, to oblige the young lady, ' but there was nothing in that to Cause his mother alarm. His mother wrote a reply in anguish of heart, warning him that his sister Alice had made herself and the family unhappy by her friendship for a Roman Catholic, and bidding him beware of the snares and traps that Rome was perpetually setting for the unwary. But her eldest son, at the age of 28 was a man, she said," matured in mind and body and she counted on his strength of character, and his virile personality to scorn all allurements that might tempt him from his childhood's faith. James smiled as he read the letter; he knew his mother well, and realised the pang his announcement had cost her, and told himself she was a dear old foolish mother to worry about him, for he determined he would keep to his Methodist Church —in name anyhowand win the. girl his heart covered Tie become a Catholic? Never! But Bessie he would have! if she loved him, as he loved her. In this spirit he carelessly opened The Faith of Our Fathers and tolerantly turned the pages. He was amazed when he looked up to find he had spent an hour over the book. A new feeling took possession of him. Was it possible he could have been mistaken ? Had he been instructed wrong?. He closed the book, but his mind was full of what he had read. The next day he read more. He paid a visit to Miss Wafford, and she saw something was working in his soul. Was it the beginning of grace? He said he was reading one _ of 'her books, and no further mention was made of religious matters, Bessie found that' her heart was praying for James.

Two months passed, and , James wrote „to his mother a letter ■ that v consternation "in - the family. \ ■He said he was : becoming interested : in : the Catholic \ religion and had bought a copy of the books he j was ? reading—viz., Faith of Our Fathers, and Catholic Belief, and was sending them to the House, begging'- his mother to read them'also. On hearing this terrible : news, she became hysterical, and it took all the"* efforts of her daughters to calm her. \ The books came by mail, and without being divested of their wrappers were thrown out on the ash-pile. Their very touch would contaminate ! '". '."■-• ■■■.-- But Alice, whose heart was given to a 'Papist,' stoutly defended her brother. She reproached her mother and sisters for not giving the books a chance What harm could they do? In fact she declared she would go out to the rubbish heap and rescue them, and indeed she did so. The two books had not suffered by their ignominious punishment, and when they were placed upon the table, curiosity impelled mother and daughters to open them and comment "on their contents. Weeks, passed by, and a wonderful change came over the family. In Ohio, James Dalton had placed himself under'instruction, and .Miss Bessie's heartfelt prayers for him seemed to have brought the grace of conversion. She had never weakened in the least particular, always upholding by precept and example the pure doctrines of the Holy Church of which she was a fervent member. Strange to say, she gave to James the same little prayer Herbert had given to Alice, and, unknown to each other, brother and sister * had continually on their lips : ' Sacred Heart of Jesus ! I place my trust in Thee.' ' By this time Bessie had learned from James Dalton all about the prejudices of his family, all about his sister Alice's Catholic friend, Herbert, and her separation from him, and she truly sympathised with the girl, and fervently prayed for her. She often asked James, as the days passed by, if he heard any signs of the effect produced by the two Catholic books on his mother and sisters. But they had kept their feelings entirely to themselves. At last James wrote home that he was going to be baptised and enter the Catholic Church, not because he was in love with Miss Wafford, but because his honest convictions told him it was the only true Church, and he meant to be square and fair with his conscience. ' This was James' character, as all the family knew, and it had. great influence with his -mother and sisters in strengthening the impression made by the Catholic books which they had read through, with surprise and interest. Much of the Church's doctrines they wanted to have explained "more fully, and so after a family-council, Alice and her mother plucked up courage and came to me, the only Catholic priest they knew, and laid their doubts before me, after mentioning the extraordinary fact of James' conversion. It was not hard to answer their difficulties and they were amazed at tho simplicity of the explanations. Mother and daughter began a course of study and instruction, and I had the happiness of seeing them advance in perfect faith and assurance of happiness. There was one drawback. Gertrude, the second daughter, denounced the whole thing, in deep indignation. She was astonished at the way things were moving, and rated her mother and Alice and James in emphatic terms. They-told me about it, and I was interested enough to wish to meet this young lady, and try to save her soul in spite of herself. ' She had a horror of a Catholic priest, and . never had spoken to one, and all the accounts that Alice and her mother gave of their hours of instruction were exaggerated into a fancy that I had bewitched-them. If she saw me approaching the house, she would disappear, or show such evident dislike that there was no doubt about her-sentiments. One clay, however, I met her squarely, and as she was too polite to show her feelings, I had the chance I wanted, and tactfully drew her into a pleasant argument, which ended in softening her prejudices, and made her desirous of accepting me as' a friend. Later on, Alice told me she found Gertrude

over the little r catechism.- ve: And -at ; last, this sincere, upright girl, told them;, both .she would : like to join them, and actually • accompanied them to receive my instructions, and showed every desire to become also a fervent Catholic. The sincerity and uprightness which were characteristic in all. of them were the most pleasing traits ;that they evinced. I grew extremely interested in this good family, and spared no trouble to clear their doubts away and make their entrance into the Church a momentous and. beautiful event. In the meantime Bessie Wafford, many miles away, was praying for her fiance, and helping him to understand the doctrines of the Blessed Church which had been her consolation and her support. She had heard from James of the wonderful events that were happening at home, and rejoiced with him in the joyful news. Weeks passed by, and James announced that he was 'going to be baptised the following week. His mother told me ; and I suggested she should write and tell him if he would return to his home town I would baptise him with his mother and two sisters, and two little brothers, all the family, except the father, who had held off, although tolerant of the rest. Bessie advised James to do so, and on the day appointed he arrived home, and I had the inexpressible happiness of baptising his mother, himself, Alice, Gertrude, and the two little boys. Miss Wafford was present, and shed tears of joy. Six happy souls were given to God that day, and clothed with innocence for they had never been baptised before in any church. They all made their first Holy Communion (except the little boys) the following first Friday at my Mass, and Miss Wafford knelt beside James Dalton at the Communion rail. The conversion of this family made quite a sensation in the little town and stirred up much bigotry, but serene and happy the new converts did not trouble themselves about what people said. All this year Herbert West had never written to Alice, in the distant city where he went to try and forget her. But the longing to see her once more overcame his resolution, and he determined he would spend the ' week's end 'at tin; town of X arrived late Saturday night, went to a hotel, and next morning went to Mass. He was petrified with astonishment to see the girl he loved, with her mother and sister, assisting devoutly at the Holy Sacrifice, and at the Communion time all three kneeling at the rail and receiving the Bread of Angels. He could scarcely believe his eyes. He could not but dash away the tears of joy. Had the Sacred Heart of Christ heard his prayer? He had not long to await an answer. He waited at the church door, and the glad welcome Alice and her mother gave him told him of the miracle of grace that had been wrought. He went home with them for breakfast, and it is needless to say, their friendship was resumed. The mother could not but admire the young man for his respectful deference- to the family wishes, which had now brought its reward—and Alice told him of the wonderful miracle that had happened to lier brother James, through the influence of Miss Wafford, also a Catholic, and how they all reverenced and loved the Holy Church whoso precepts and doctrines made such heroes and heroines. The end is soon told. Before the year closed, I married Alice Dalton and Herbert West with a Nuptial High Mass, and in a certain town in Ohio, Bessie Wafford and James Dalton were married a few weeks later in the parish church of the happy bride. The Missionary.