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About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (March 18, 1898)
THE AMERICAN. WANDERING JEW. BT ECGENS SCK. CHAPTER XX. The Rupture. ' Plunged Into a state or moral ani lely. Father d'Aigrigny had taken me chanically the note written by Rodin, and bold . In hla hand without think ing of opening It The reverend father allied himself in alarm, what conclu sion Gabriel wouid draw from these recriminations upon the past; and he durst not make any answer to his re proaches, for fear of irritating the young priest, upon whose head such immense interests now reposed. Gab riel could possess nothing for him self, according to uie constitutions of the Society of Jesus. Moreover, the reverend father had obtained from him, In favor of tne order, an express renunciation 01 all property that might ever come to htm. Bui tne commence ment of this conversation seemed to announce no serious change in Gab riel's views with regard to the com pany, that he might' choose to break through tha ties which attached him to it; and In that case he would not be legacy bound to fulfill any of his 'engagements. The uonation would thus be cancelled de facto, just at the moment of being so marveloualy re alized by the possession of the im mense fortune of the Renneont family. And d'Aigrigny's hopes would thus be completely and forever frustrated. Of all the perplexities which the reverend father had experienced for some time past, with regard to this inheritance, none, had been more unexpected and terrible than thla. Fearing to inter rupt or question Gabriel, Father d' Aigrigny waited in mute terror the end of this Interview, whicu already bore so threatening an aspect The missionary resumed: "It is my duty, father, to continue this sketch of my last life, tint1, the moment of my departure for America. You will understand, presently, why I have im posed on myself this obligation.' Father d'Aigrigny nodded for him to proceed. "Once Informed of ue pretended wishes of my adoptea mother, I re signed myseu 10 them, inough at strtne ost of feeling. I left the gloomy abode, in which I had passed my child hood and pari of my youth, to enter one of the seminaries of the company. My resolution was no. caused by an trresistable religious vocation, but by a wish to discharge the sacred debt I owed my adopted mother. Yet the true spirit of the religion of Christ is so vivifying that I felt myself ani mated and warmed by the idea of carrying out the adorable precepts of our blessed Savior. To my imagina tion a seminary, Instead of resembling the coi.ege where I had lived in pain ful restraint, appeared like a holy place, where all that was pure and warm in the fraternity of the gospel would be applied to common life where, for example, the lessons most frequently taught would be the ardent love of humanity and the ineffable sweets of commiseration and tolerance where the everlasting words of Christ would be interpreted in their broadest sense and wnere, in fine, by the habitual exercise and expansion of the most generous sentiments, men were prepared for the magnificent apostolic mission of making the rich nd happy sympathize with the suf ferings of their brethren, by unveiling the frightful miseries of humanity a sublime and sacred morality, which none are able to withstand, when it is preached with eyes full of tears, i and hearts overflowing with tender ness and charity." As he delivered these last words with profound emotion, Gabriel's eyes became moist and its eyes shone with Angelic beauty. ' "Such is, indeed, my dear son, the spirit of Christianity; but one must also study and explain the letter," answered Father d'Aigrigny, coldly. "It is to this study that the seminaries Oi our company are specially destined. JJow the interpretation of the letter Is a work of analysis, discipline and submission and no. one of heart and entiment" "I receive that only too well, father On entering this new house I found, Alas! all my hopes defeated. Dilating for a moment, my heart Boon sunk within me. Instead of this center of life, affection, youth, of which I had dreamed, I found in the silent and ice-cold seminary iae same suppres sion of every generous emotion, the same Inexorable discipline, the same system of mutual prying, the same suspicion, the same invincible ob stacles to all ties of friendship. The ardor which had warmed my soul for an Instant soon diea out; little by little I fell back into the habits of a stagnant passive, mechanical life, gov erned by a pitiless power with me chanical precision, just like the Inani mate works of a watch.' "But order, submission and regular ity are the first foundations of our company, my dear son." "Alas, father! it was death, not life, that I found thus organized. In the midst of this destruction of every gen erous principle, I devoted myself to scholastic and theological studies gloomy studies a wily, menacing, and hostile science, which, always awake to ideas of peril, contest and war, is opposed to all those of peace, progress and liberty. Theology, my dear son," said Father d'Aigngny, sternly, "Is at once a buckler and a sworJ; a buckler, to protect and cover the Cau-oltc faith a sword, to attack and combat heresy. "And yet father. Christ and His apostles kaew not this subtle science; though their stmpie and touching words regenerated mankind, and set freedom over slavery. Does not the divine code of the gospel suffice to teach men to love one another? But, alas! far from speaking to us this language, our attention was too often occupied mlth wars of religioa. and the rivers 01 bloou that had flowed In honor of the Lord and for the destruc tion of heresy. These terrible les sons made our life stt.l more melan choly. As we grew near to manhood our relations at the seminary assumed a growing character of bitterness, jealousy and suspicion. The habit of tale-bearing against each other applied to more, serious subjects engendered silent hate and profound resentments. I was neither better nor worse than the others. All of us bowed down for years beneath the iron yoke of passive obedience, unaccustomed to re flection or free-will, humble and trem bling before our superiors, had the same pale, dull, colorless disposition. At last I took orders; once a priest, you invited me, father, to enter the Company of Jesus, or ratner, I found myself insensibly brought to this de termination. How, I do not know. For a long time before my will was not my own. I went urrough all my proofs; the most terrible was decisive; for some months I lived in the silence of my cell, practicing with resignation the strange and mechanical exercises that you ordered me. With the ex ception of your reverence, nobody ap proached me during that long space of time; no human voice but yours sounded in my ear. Sometimes, in the night, I felt vague terrors; my mind, weakened by fasting, austerity and solitude, was Impressed with frightful visions. At other times, on the contrary, I felt a em 01 acqulec ence, in the Idea thu having once pronounced my vows, I should be delivered forever from the burden of thought and will. Then I abandoned myself to an Insurmountable torpor, like those unfortunate wretches, who, surprised by a snow siorm, yield to a suicidal repose. mis I awaited the fatal moment. At last, according to the rule of discipline, choking with the death rattle, I hasteneu the mo ment of accomplishing the final act of my expiring will the vow to renounce It forever." "Remember, my dear son," replied Father d'Aigrigny, pale and tortured by increasing anguish, "remember, that, on the eve of the day fixed for the completion of your vows, I offered, according to the rule of your Compa ny, to absolve you from Joining us leaving you completely fre for we accept none but voluntary vocations." "It is true, father,' answered Gab riel, with sorrowful bitterness; "when, worn out and broken by three months of solitude and trial, I was complete ly exhausted, and unable to move a step, you opened the door of my cell, and said to me: "If you like, rise and walk; you are free!" Alas! I had no more strength. The only des.re of my soul, inert and paralyzed for so long a period, was the repose of the grave; and, pronouncing those Irrevocable rows, I fell, like a corpse, into your hands.'' "And, till now, my dear son, you have never faned in this corpse-like obedience, to use te expression of our. glorious founder because, the more absolute this obedience, the more meritorious it must be," After a moment's si. ence Gabriel resumed: "You had always concealed from me, father, the true ends of the Society unto which I entered, i waa asked to ebandon my free-will to my superiors, in the name of the Greater Glory Oi od. My vows once pro nounced, I was to be in your hands a docile and obedient instrument; but I was to be employed, you told me, In a holy, great and oeauteous work. I believed you, father now should I not have believed you? but a fatal event changed my destiny a painful malady caused by " "My son, " yied Father d'Aigrigny, Interrupting Oauriel, "it Is useless to recall these circumstances." "Pardon me, .ather, I must recall them. I have the right to be heard. I cannot pass over In silence any of the facts which have led me to tak6 the Immutable resolution that I am a,bout to announo to you." "SpeaK, on, my son." said Father d'Aigrigny, frowning; for he was much alarmed at ihe words of the yourg rriest, whose cheeks, until now pale, were covered with a deep blush." "Six months befare my departure for America," resumed Gabriel, cast ing -own nisi eyes, "you informed me, that I was des.ned to confess peni tents; and, to prepare me for that sacred ministry, you gave me a book." Gabriel again hesitated. His blush es Increased. Father d Algrigny could scarcely restrain a start of impatience and anger. "You gave me a book," resumed the you-g ;-rlest, with a great effort to control himself, "a book containing questions to be addressed by a confes sor .0 youths, and young girls, and married women, when they present themselves at the tribunal of penance. My God!" added Gabriel, shuddering at the remembrance. "I never shall forget that awful moment It was was night. I had retired to my cham ber, taking with me this book, com posed you told me, by one of our fathers, and completed by a holy bishop. Full of respect, faith, and confidence, I opened those pages. At first, I did not understand them aft erwards I understood and then I was siezed with shame and horror struck with stupor and had hardly strength j to close, with trembling hand, this abominable volume. I ran to you, father, to accuse myself of having In voluntarily cast my eyes on those nameless pages, which, by mistake you had placed la my hands." "Remember, also, my dear son," said Father d'Aigrigny, gravely, "that I calmed your scruples, and told you that a priest, who is bound to hear everything under the seal f confes sion, must be able to know and ap preciate everything; and that our Company imposes the task of reading this Compendium, as a classical work, ujmhi young deaconv, seminarists, and priests, who are destined to be confes sors.' "I believed you, father. In me the habit of Inert obedience was so power ful, and I was so unaccustomed to In dependent reflection, that, notwith standing my horror (with which I now reproached myself as with a crime), I look .he volume .ac Into my cham ber, and read. Oh. father! what a dreadful revelation of criminal fancies, guilty of gu..tlest In their refinement?" A IT.tr.taat V. MCA. The N. Y. Freeman's Journal being questioned regarding the propriety of a Catholic young man being a member of the Protestant Y. M. C. A., replied as follows: Ths same question was proposed to the Catholic Citizen of Milwaukee. The editor of that journal wrote to an official of tne Y. M. C. A., and re ceived in reply the following extracts from the constitution of the associa tion: ART. II. MEMBERS. Sec. 1. The members of this asso ciation shall consist of three kings, vit: Active, associate and sustaining. Sec. 2. All male members In good standing In 'Evangelical churches may become active members of this association, upon the payment. In ad vance, of me annua fee ami the ac ceptance of their applications by the Board of Directors. Only active mem bers shall have the right to vote and hold office. A foot note here Informs us that Evangelical churches are defined by resolution of the International con vention at Portland in 1869 to be churches "maintaining the Holy Scriptures to be tne only rule of faith" l. e., Protestant churches. Sec. S. Any man of good moral character may become an associate member, upon the payment in ad vance, of the annual tee and the ac ceptance of his application by the Board of Directors Associate mem bers shall be entitled 10 all the privi leges of the association except those of voting and holding office. Sec. 4. Any man of good moral char acter may become a sustaining mem ber, upon the payment, in advance, of the sustaining membership fee and the acceptance of his application by the Board of Directors. Art. III. Duties of Members. Sec. 1. The members of the asso ciation shall exert them selves to car ry out the object and promote the wel fare of the association, and seek to Interest the churches, to which they respectively belong, In the same, and shall use all practical Scriptural means to increase its membership,, activity and usefulness. j We call attention to Art. II., section 2 in the above. "All male members in good standing in 'Evangelical churches' may become active mem bers," etc., and to tne foot note ex plaining that evangelical churches are those which maintain the Holy Scrip tures to be the only rule of faith that is, Protestant churches. No .Catholic can with a good con science belong to any society, or any division of it, that makes the above heretical doctrine a part of its con stitution. It Is true, the Protestant rule of faith Is a condition only for active members those who can vote and hold office. But this shows that only those who accept the Protestant rule of faith can be trusted with the direc tion of the affairs of the society. We cannot understand the spirit of the Catholic who enters an associa tion which oxcludej him from active participation in its affairs until he accepts the Protestant rule of faith. How he can knowingly and willingly accept and wear his badge and con stant reminder of his inferiority and confessed unworthlness to be trusted because a Catholic Is beyond our comprehension. The Catholic who consents to play so humiliating a part In the society is Justly suspected, for If he is false to his faith there Is no good reason to think he would be true to his promises. Church Prog ress. Interference with Public School. All orders and classes of people on the continent of America, as well as elsewhere, are Interested fn the main tenance of strictly non-partisan and non-sectarian schools. This Is the rule In a large measure in the United States, and the publ!-; taes are de clared by constitution and law to be undlvldable for any other purpose than the maintenance of schools where no creeds or dogmas established by sec tarians shall be taught The conflict raised by the ul tramontanes ot Mani toba was a hot one while it lasted, but was thought to have been settled some Urn ago, and It was hoped by the friends of free schools that It would be permitted to rest ' This, it appears, is not to be. 1 ue reactionary elements In the great Roman Catholic church will not permit the people of Manitoba 10 govern their schools as they wish, and have procured the as sistance of a man and a clique re siding several thousand miles distant from that territory to renew the agi tation. The pope of Rome Is the po tentate whose aid they invoke a man whose education, antecedents, associ ations and general dotage and sectari an prejudices contribute to utterly un fit him to comprehend the differences between the free-air inspired people of the American conunent and the splrlt-enslaved conditions that degrade and debase the impoverished and sub servient masses of class-burdened Eu rope, to Interpose his ghostly powers In the contest SitMng in his far-off chair, claimed to be the seat once filled by Saint Peter, he issues his encyclical whose mission it is to create strife and discord among the peaceable dwel lers of the Manitoban territory. This encyclical has been published in Rome. After recalling the religious history of Canada and eulogising Its scholastic Institutions, the pope expresses regret at the declsioDS taken seven years ago In Manitoba relative to the Catholic schools, and notnts out the rights of Catholics, as he comprehends them. He condemns a schoot system based on religious neutrality, praises the seal the bishops have displayed on the question., regrets that ' the Catholic are not equally united, owing to the political passions, and admits that the authorities have done something to diminish the inconveniences of Man toba school legslatlon. but declares this to be Inadequate, and exhorts Catholics to persist In claiming their rights, though they must not refuse any political reparation obtainable. In event of these being unobtainable, Catholics should provide their own conclusion, the pope says that In the schools and adopt, under the gums nee of their bishops, a program of study, reconciling It with tk"r rellgiou, tl It Is thus that the vlceregent would, urge the continuance if a strife that came very near to bloodshed and car nage a short while ago, and it is the duty of all who are Imbued with the teachings of the friendship aiiu broth erhood of the various fraternities and orders everywhere to raise hand and voire to allay the fanatical feelings of neighbors and friends so that all men of all religions may dwell to gether In unity and peace anu worship God as their consciences may dictate. Masonic Chronicle. Is the Pepe Jealous 3 . St. Louis, March 2. The Globe-Dom-ocrat has this from Rome: Queen Marguerite has consigned to Mgr. Dennis O'Connell for transmits sion to Cardinal Gibbons a magnificent pectoral cross, studdeu tiu diamonds of great beauty and likewise a Jew eled gold chain. This costly gift to America's only cardinal Is destined to serve as a royal acknowledgement of the handsomely bound collection of his works which some weens ago were presented in his name to the consort of King Humbert. Theinterchange of elaborate cour tesies between the royal mistress of tne Quirinal and a member of the sa cred offense at the Vatican, where 't is held that the American cardinal, as a prince of the church, should comply with the etiquette of the sacred col lege of the papacy, especially with respect to that phase thereof of which strictly prohibits Intercourse or rela tions with uie reigning house of Italy, with the royal court, or with the mem bers of the government Even the holy father himself, so. conciliatory toward tne house of Sa voy, is said to be deeply affronted by the action of Cardinal -moons, which,, it is feared, may injuriously affect the revenue derived by the pope from the American contributions to the Peter's pence fund contributions that invar iably increase when the Vatican is subjected to acts, of hostility by the Italian government, but whica fall off In a signal manner the moment that there seems to be a tendency toward an understanding between the church and state here. Arbitration by the Pope. Irrespective of partisan bias, it is unanimously admitted that, we, as a people, are confronting one of the most rugged and tremendous crises in the history of the nation from which the machinations of partisanship nor the smoothness of flattery can avert nor save us. In the midst of this awful an appalling moment, while yet the groans of the dying In this ghastly catastrophe are heard, when patriot Ism as a wave lashes against the doors of legislation for redress, comes a strange and counter voice from across the sea, seeking the Intervention of popery In the impending concerns of the hour. Just here historical retro spection teaches the American people an invauable lesson which conspicu ously demonstrates the attitude of popes toward governments, to be as diabolical, as though their decrees Is sued from the confines of hell, t opery In its arrogant Assumption of its dual office of universal biBhop and king has ever sought to wield an un compromising sway over the minds of men, and in so far as it has failed in the establishment of its claims, the world has been blessed, while its suc cess has blackened with crime, dis tress and ignorance the pages of his tory, behold Spain in the sixteenth century In the zenith of its glory and ower the greatest nation of the world on both land and Bea now re duced to miserable beggary a weak ening and tottering monarchy, by the Catholic church, which has for cen turies vamplre-like, fed upon its vitals. It Is an uncontrovertiuie fact that the pope and his agents ever seek clandes tinely to insinuate themselves Into the affairs of this country, in the fond hope that Catholicism will sooner or later engraft itself upon the free and untrammelled Institutions of our coun try. The American people should rise up en masse In protestation of this suggested usu ration of their Inalien able right to arbitrate the affairs of their own country, saying to this usurper of human and divine rights, this arrogant foreigner, "hands off; attend to li.e affairs of your church and neek to atone for the crime of your predecessors, whose In ervention Into the affairs of nations forms the blackest eporos of history." J. I1RAXT0.4 OARLA.-il. Oagretstoasl 1 sprepriatloss. - Editor American Every year for many tears past Congress Bad donat ed many thousand dollars of the peo ple's money to sectarian Institutions In the Dlstrlc. of Columbia nearly all of them Roman Catholic. The House has just passeu a bill II. R. 6897 giving 9ft.7(Hi to the District charities the bill being so worded that not one dollar of It can be paid to any In stitution undVr sectarian control! It has been sent to the Senate and referred to the committee of appropri ations and Is now In the hands of their sub-committee, consisting of William 1). Allison ot Iowa. Shelby M. Cullom of Illinois, illlam J. Sewall of New Jersey, Francis M. Cockrell of Missouri and Arthur P. Gorman of Maryland. These men ought to hesr from the patriots. The pope is using every means to amend the bill so as to get his usual donations for his saints' .muses which are numerous In this district The patriots have not yet had time to clear out the popish senators,, as they have purified the House, but have patience and we shall in due time have as patriotic a senate as we have the house. I asked Senator Allen of Nebraska to pledge himself to stand by the bill as It came from the House but to my amazement he refused to do so, saying he was opposed to cutting oft the do nations to the sectarian houses sud denly, which Congress had been so long building up! I hope to get before THE SKILLFUL SPECIALIST AND HIS NEW DISCOVERY. iH'iii IP The Eminent Physician and Scientist Who Has Proved that AH Kidney, Bladder and Uric Acid Troubles Can Be Quickly Cured. You May Have a Sample Hottlc of tJi Great Discovery Sent ?ree by Mali As we are by nature subject to many diseases, the only way to guard against all stampedes on our health is to make a study ot our own physi cal self. It a peculiar pain attacks you. try to locate its origin and discover which organ of the body la sick and in peed of attention. If the kidneys are at fault and In almost every case in the failing of our health they are look well to their restoration to health and strength. They are the great filters of our body, and consequently, the purity of the blood is entirely dependent on their cleansing powers. If the kidneys are not in a perfectly clean and healthy condition, the blood becomes Impregnated with impurities and a decay of the kidneys soon takes place. If your desire to relieve your self of water Increases, and you find it necessary to arise many times dur ing sleeping hours, your kidneys are sick. As they reach a more unhealthy stage, a scalding and irritation takes place as the water flows, and pain or dull ache in the back makes you mis erable. If the water, when allowed to remain undisturbed for twenty-four hours, forms a 6ettltng or sediment, you are in the grasp of most serious kidney or bladder disorder. If neglected now the disease ad vances until the face looks pale or sallow, puffy or dark circles under the eyes, the feet swell, and sometimes the heart acts badly. the commute on appropriations be fore the bill Is reported bark to ta senate. The air Is full of war news and war talk. Most Protestants think UMr must be war with Spain; but Catholics generally seem to sympathise wM. Spain. Tha pope does their thlnktag, CHASE ROYS, ' Attorney at Law. THE orit'M AMU MORPHINE HABIT. Wbal May Ihu lHd" Us llltl haak, flln full panwulan vl rrlllik rara. Ftak, Ir. J. L. , !-H. B.,Lfc,Ok4rfc. A lap ef the United hUte. 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So universally successful is Swamp-, Root In quickly curing even the moat distressing cases, that may Prove Ita wonderful merits you may have a sample bottle and a book of valuably information, both sent absolutely free, by mall upon receipt of three two-caat stamps to cover cost of postage on tha bottle. The value an d success ot Swamp-Root are so well known that our readers are advised to write for a sample bottle and to kindly mention The Omaha American when sending their address to Dr. Kilmer & Co., Hlnghlmpton, N. Y. Copyright, 1S93, Dr. K. ft Co. ,