A Convert's Story

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 39, 26 September 1907, Page 7

A Convert's Story

1 Get' thee to the woods ! ' s< But, doctor,' 1 protested, 'I, cannot leave my affairs at this critical ' It was no use. The grim old practitioner was obdurate. ,So within a week I found myself camping in. the very heart of the , Maine forests.' The guide and 1 were rendered more or less uneasy by a prowling panther, whose thrilling cries could be heard at midnight as the wily beast crept cautiously about the settlement. Resolving to be rid of the deadly menace, 1 armed myself with a Winchester and started, for' the spring which I thought the panther would visit about daybreak. Climbing into a tall tree- which commanded a view of the spring, some thirty yards away, 1 patiently awaited results. As I thus sat guarding the watering place a missionary priest, who had probably spent the night in the woods, came suddenly into the clearing,. Having tied his pony to a' tree near where grass was plentiful, the man of God unfastened the saddle-bags and began preparation for Mass. Having been taught in childhood that the Mass was a superstitious rite invented by a Catholic priesthood to lure the hard-earned dollars from the ignorant members of that Church, 1 determined to watch the new arrival very closely, .and see if he really believed in what he termed the Holy Sacrifice of the New Law. Without the least knowledge of 'my presence in the vicinity, the priest erected a rude altar upon a rock in the centre of the clearing, then, donning the required vestments, began the prayers with the same reverence I have often noticed in crowded cathedrals. The sincerity and .devotion displayed by that humble missionary came as a 'distinct shock to me, ?nd I sat wholly absorbed in the impressive scene. Just as the priest had blessed the bread and wine, and washed his hands in preparation for what my extensive reading taught me was the' most- solemn part of the Mass, I noticed the dark, graceful figure of the panther invisibly creeping upon the celebrant. In a moment my rifle ' was at my shoulder, ready for instant action. As I was about -to take aim, however, the priest made a profound genuflection and elevated the Host. What it was that terrified the panther I am unable to say, but nevertheless the beast, suddenly paused, trembled violently, stepped backward about ten paces, turned and fled. In a few, .moments the service was ended, and I, stepping down from my hiding place, congratulated the clergyman on his fervent celebration of the Mass and 1 upon his seemingly miraculous escape. Then I- invited him to take breakfast at the camp. The meal finished, we retraced our steps to the spring, and while seated upon the rock which had previously served as an altar the priest, at my request, carefully explained to me the doctrines- of the Catholic Church. Mj r reading along theological lines had been quite extensive, so that at the ' end of aj three^hour conference I humbly craved baptism at the hands of the forest missionary. Thus in the depths of the Maine woods I, a poor, unworthy sinner, was received into the Church of my fathers by the humble missionary who ha,d taught ire less by word than by example.—' Standard and Times.' i