FOUR CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 45, 26 August 1892, Page 19

FOUR CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.

Theodora L. L. Teeling thus opens a biographical sketch of Father Hermann, an eminent Jewish convert, in the American Catholic Quarterly, The grand old Carmelite Order, which, gathering to itself saints, teachers, reformers, preachers, during century aftar century, as its records swell, counts its legendary foundations even from preChristian times, when Bliaa walked with God in solitary sanctity, was one still autumn day, some 30 years ago, holding a festival at Lyons, great, restless, mundane, mercantile city of Jacobin and infidel, on the occasion of a new foundation. It was a foundation which must have rejoiced the hearts of its benefactors, as they cast appreciative glances round the newlypainted walls and decorated chapel ; for it was an ancient monastery of their own, once appropriated by government for barracks, and its chapel desecrated as a soldier's dormitory, now bought back by the order to which it had first belonged, at a cost of 154,000 francs, and cleansed and renewed by the pious care of one of the most illustrious Carmelite Fathers of this century, Pere Augnstin dv Saint Sacrament, or, as his own world will ever call him, Father Hermann. Many of the most eminent members of the order, as well as kiodied religious and secular priests were present at this opening ceremony ; and, indeed, at the recent feast of St. Teresa an interesting example of Catholic brotherhood had been manifested in a High Mass sung by tbe Superior of the Jesuits, assisted by a Dominican as deacon, a Franciscan as sub-deacon, and a Carmelite Father as server — all joining in fraternal union to commemorate the great Doctress of tbe Church, that humble nun. Teresa of Jesus. On the 21th of November of which we write, tbe feast of St John of the Cross, Teresa's director and coadjutor, there had been a solemn benediction of the bells— that quaint and seldom seen ceremony of middle-age times ; tbe four noble god parents of the silvertoned messengers bad presented their " christeniuggifts," a tbousandfranc note each, and now tbe Cardinal-Archbishop of the diocese , having offered tbe Holy Sacrifice, had joined the rest of the company at a modest dejeuner in the newlj-constructed refectory. As tbe Father Vicar chatted to the Cardinal about the new foundation and their guests, his eye chanced to rest upon a cluster of tonsured heads, two of whom wore tbe habit of St. Teresa, while the third, almost at their side, was garbed in ordinary soutane. One can almost fancy Borne fleeting likeness caught by bis keen eye, between their dark, earnest glances, thoughtful yet serene countenances, and expressive Semitic features, as, motioning from one to the other, " Does your Eminence remark," be smiled, " that we have in our company three of the children of Abraham ?"

" You are mistaken, Reverend Father," broke in a voice thrilling with emotion, as the black-robed priest rose to his feet with a magnificent gesture that drew all eyes to the Crucifix which hung above their heads. " Yon are mistaken ; we are four." The speaker was no other than the famous Pere Alphonse de Ratisbonne. Father Hermann, one of the four, bad a singular history. Soon after his conversion, which was effected in a remarkable manner, he became a priest in the austere Carmelite Order. Perhaps one of tbe most thrilling scenes in his varied and eventful life, both to himieif and to his auditors, was the hour when he first ascended the pulpit of St Suipice to preach by request before the Archbishop of Paris, and a congregation composed of all that was most fashionable and intellectual alike in that city. For it was in Paris that he had formerly lived his publio life as an artist ; that be had taken bis place in tbe concert room with Liszt and Mario, and in the salons of literature and art with George Sand and La Mennais. It was in tbe Parisian world which bad first learned to smile indnlgence on le petit Purzi, or whisper wild stories and crazy anecdotes of the. authoress and her darling. In fine, he had lived his unconverted life before the eyes of the world in Paris, and now, with the delicacy of a newly-awakened conscience, he felt deeply tbe need of reparation, whea he now once more, as a tonßured monk, stood before them. An immense crowd had gathered and filled every nook and corner of tbe church to hear the celebrated convert speak his first words as a Christian in their midst, and an audible murmur ran through the vast assembly as the white-cloaked monk lifted his grand yet humble brow, and, with one keen glance round the expectant assembly began to speak :— , " My brethren, my first act on appearing io this Christian pulpit mnst be to make reparation for the scandal which, in the past, I had tbe misfortune to give in this city. You may well ask, ' By what right do you come to preach to us, to exhort us to virtue, you whom we have seen amonj public sinners, prostrate in the pollution of shameless immorality, yon who made open profession of error, you who have shocked onr gave by yonr ill-conduct? Thou wast altogether born in Bin, and dost thou teach V Yes, brethren, I confess that I have sinned against heaven and before you, »nd that I have no right to your consideration. Therefore have I come clothed in the garb of penance, bound to an order of severity, with shaven head and bare feet." . . . Here he recounted the history of his conversion, winding up with : «' God, my brethren, haß forgiven me ; Mary has forgiven me ; ... my brethren, will not you forgive me too?" 1 Then, tnrniog to a group of young men, be reminded them that his life had been even as theirs, and implored them to follow him and share bis happiness. At tbe close of his sermon he was followed from the church by a young artist, Bernard Bauer, till then unknown to him, who had lately renouoced Judaism for Christianity, and now came to announce to Pere Hermann that like himself he had " chosen tbe better part," and would follow him into the solitude of Carmel.