"O, by all means, brother," said the reverend roarer, "tell what you experience; we will not be displeased, but I hope edified. I have prayed earnestly to the Lord Jesus for thee, and he has answered me--I have been heard."

"Well, my experience and conviction are, that there is no real religion, but superst.i.tion or infidelity, in all the sects that I ever yet knew around here. My experience is, that I led a very worthless and careless life, for which I expect G.o.d's pardon; but I fear ye parsons will have a hard account to settle for the contradiction and confusion ye have introduced into the Christian religion. Ye first attempted to make an infidel of me, by your glaring contradictions and hypocritical pretensions; and now, on the very brink of eternity, ye would deceive my soul into the delusion that I am fit for glory direct, in the blossom of my sins, 'unhouselled, unanointed, and unannealed.' Retire from my presence, ye deceivers, and make way for the minister of G.o.d's church, who can absolve me from my sins in the person of Christ, give me his true body to repair the ruins in my own body and soul, and strengthen me, by the oil of faith, against the terrible struggle that I must encounter, and the awful journey over which I must pa.s.s. O Lord," he cried, "forgive these persecutors of my soul; and, O virgin mother of Jesus, obtain for me to confess my sins and repent ere I die."

All were astonished at the foregoing impa.s.sioned speech of uncle Jacob.

The parson retired like an evil spirit exorcised by the powerful words of holy writ. The room was empty, and the priest was soon after at the dying man's bedside. After a full, sincere, and humble confession, conditional baptism was administered; and, confirmed by all the rites of the church, purified by penance, strengthened by the holy eucharist, and healed by the holy unction of heaven, that pure soul pa.s.sed away to G.o.d in two days after, having become speechless in about an hour after the administration of the sacrament.

"Now," said the priest, addressing Paul, "did I not tell you G.o.d had some mysterious design in view by the succession of trials which he enabled you to pa.s.s through? But for you, probably, this good soul would not have heard of the Catholic church; but for your mother's death you could not be out here, where the malice of those who wanted to rob you of your faith sent you. It is owing to the robbery of the money you possessed that your mother died; and, finally, but for the cruelty of the landlord and his injustice, you might be now at home in Ireland, and probably studying in Maynooth College. See how G.o.d brings good from evil. See how, as he made the hardness of Pharaoh's heart contribute to the glory and miraculous power of Moses and Aaron, he continually makes use of the tyranny of the landlords of Ireland--not inferior to the cruelty of Pharaoh or Herod--to contribute to the spread of the faith, without which there is no salvation, among the generous and naturally good people of this vast country."

"I understand it all now," said Paul, "and thank G.o.d for all that has happened to us."

"That's right, my boy; you will be yet a priest, perhaps, yourself. I must now prepare to return."

As Father Ugo pa.s.sed down stairs, he was met by Mrs. and Mr. Prying, who invited him to the parlor, and by a good deal of persuasion prevailed on him to remain there over night, rather than go to the hotel six miles off. Even the bigoted Amanda was very anxious to have an argument with a real priest--that mysterious sort of being whom she never saw, but heard so much about.

Father Ugo was a robust, brave-looking man, of unaffected manners, bordering on plainness, though highly educated, and accustomed in Europe, where he was chaplain to Lord C----d, to the most aristocratic society. Perhaps it was owing to his knowledge of the vanity of aristocratic airs that he affected such a plainness of manners, being thoroughly tired of the odd, unmeaning ceremonials of fashion. It must be confessed, at any rate, that he entertained no small contempt for the mushroom aristocratic imitations that he witnessed in America; and this made him a little sarcastic, and therefore rather rude, in his a.s.sociation with what he called "the monkey aristocracy" of the new world.

Such being the sentiments of Father Ugo, the reader ought not to be surprised that his reluctance to enter into a theological discussion with Amanda was great, and his answers to that indefatigable _she bore_ rather curt and ironical. After a good deal of conversation about the weather, crops, the telegraph, railroads, thunder storms, electricity, and such other subjects as were suggested by the climate and state of the weather, Mr. Prying left the room, wondering where this priest got his knowledge, and how could he be one of that low, canting, Scripture-phrase cla.s.s to which all ministers he ever knew belonged, and in which he thought the priest must have exceeded the ministers in degree as much as the Green Mountain exceeded the little knoll in front of his house.

"That's a well-read, intelligent fellow," said he to his wife.

"We allers heard they knowed nothing but ignorance and idolatry," she carelessly remarked.

"I guess those who represented the Catholic priests as such are the most ignorant," was the remark of Ephraim.

"Well, sir," said Amanda, who was now alone with the priest in the parlor, "there are many admirable things in your religion; there are indeed."

"I am glad you think so; but are not all its inst.i.tutions admirable and perfect?" said the priest.

"I can't concede that, by any means," she replied, with a consciousness of her logical powers. "For instance, there's celibacy; why don't you priests get married? I think this very wrong; the Bible calls it the 'doctrine of devils' to encourage that inst.i.tution."

"I am astonished, if you think so, miss," said the priest, "you have not got married yourself before this, for you appear to be of age."

"O, that, perhaps, is my own choice," she said, coughing with embarra.s.sment.

"Well, it is my fixed and determined choice," rejoined Father Ugo, "to lead a single, unmarried life, free from care and anxiety."

"I think you are mistaken, sir," she said; "the single life is one of much more care and anxiety than the married. Witness pa and ma; how happy _they_ have lived for thirty-five years in this our homestead."

"Although such may have been _your_ experience, miss," said Dr. Ugo, "I must beg leave to decline accepting it as an authority, particularly when I have my own experience, though not so venerable as yours, to balance it. Besides, does not the inspired St. Paul tell us that those who are married are divided, and have heavier cares; while those who lead a single, chaste life, as he did, would be better able to serve G.o.d free from anxiety?"

"O, Paul," she replied, "was very poor authority on the subject, being a bachelor when he wrote that pa.s.sage. Probably in after life his opinions underwent a change on the subject. I am aware of his oddity in that way."

"Do you joke, miss?" said the priest, solemnly. "If you do not joke, I have no hesitation in saying you blaspheme, in thus trifling with the words of the Holy Ghost."

"I am serious, sir," she said; "it is your church that is guilty of misinterpretation of G.o.d's word, and, in addition, denies its 'free use'

to the people."

"I hope my church, miss, will never allow her children to trifle with G.o.d's holy word as you have now been guilty of," said the priest.

"What's this? At theology again, Amanda? I think you have met your match at last, daughter," said Mr. Prying. "This young lady has taken to the study of Scripture and theology," continued he; "she and the several ministers who visit here are ever at controversy, and she seldom comes off second best, I tell you."

"Don't you speak so, father," she said; "no, I don't, neither. I have been arguing with this gentleman about celibacy, and we can't agree about the interpretation of a text; that's all. But this is the birthright of every American citizen, the right to differ; the right to read the word of G.o.d, and to interpret it each for himself, without let or hinderance."

"I have no great desire, nor does it at all accord with my notions of propriety, I a.s.sure you," said the priest, "to enter into controversial disputations around the fireside, in a family whose hospitality I am enjoying, and especially when a lady is my antagonist."

"O you need not be particular," said this female bore; "we are used to such discussions. I had a few questions to put to you as a Catholic priest, of which I had taken notes, and my object is information on those points, as much as the refutation of your church doctrines."

"Any information you require I am ready to afford, if in my power; but I have a horror--I suppose from the invariable habit of my past life--of introducing either political or religious discussions into the fireside family circle."

"We are always disputing here," she said. "I am a Presbyterian, Ca.s.sius a Universalist, Wesley a Methodist, and Cyrus has taken to the spiritual rapping, and is a 'medium.' So you see controversy is no novelty here."

"In Europe, miss," said the priest, "we never introduce----"

"In Europe," she said, interrupting Father Ugo, "there is nothing but tyranny, despotism, poverty, and superst.i.tion. We despise the customs of Europe, sir. I am told," she added, after a glance at her notes, "that priests in general, and you in particular, forbid Catholics to attend the meetings, or join in the prayers or worship, of other denominations.

Is this true, or how can you reconcile it with liberty or religion?"

"Certainly," said the priest, "it is our duty to guard the Catholics from such immoral customs. We do not believe any of the sectarian denominations, into which I regret to learn your family is divided, derive their existence or inst.i.tutions from G.o.d, or contain the _ordinary means_ of salvation. And while under this belief, in which we are joined by millions upon millions of Christians, living and dead, how can we join your prayer or worship, when we know it to be spurious and illegitimate?"

"I shall, before I am done with you, sir," she replied, "prove your church idolatrous, and all Papists idolaters; and this is one of the proofs, this horrid opinion of yours, sir."

"It is not my _opinion_ at all, miss," said he, coolly; "it is my _faith_, and that of G.o.d's church in all ages. Now, on the very plea that we all are idolaters, as you call us, for this very reason you should except your hired help from joining in your 'long prayers.' For if you have any faith in G.o.d, or believe you address him in prayer, why should you insult and mock him by taking an unenlightened, Papistical idolater to join your pet.i.tions? If you were to go to ask a favor of a king, or of the president, would you deem it prudent to take one to accompany you who was guilty of high treason? Would not this lead to your certain rejection from the presence of majesty or excellency with disgrace and punishment? Now, Catholics, if they be idolaters, are guilty of treason against Heaven. Do not, then, insult heaven and its divine Majesty, by asking them to join in your 'holy prayers.'"

This "nonplussed" the self-confident and vain Amanda; all she could answer was, that "that was fine Jesuitism."

"Meditate well on it," said the priest, "and repent, if you have been guilty of violating the laws of G.o.d, the laws of your country, and the dictates of reason, by compelling Catholics to join in your, to them, repulsive and unlawful worship. Forgive me, miss; I must be off. Good by. G.o.d bless you," said he, departing.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE ENLIGHTENED CITIZENS.

"Any news this morning, squire?" said Mr. Wakely, the tavern keeper, to his _honor_ Squire Wilson, as he entered the bar room with a cigar in his mouth.

"Wal, nothin' except this report of the turning of old uncle Jacob Prying, if we can give credit to such a rumor."

"I seed the priest riding past here two days since," said the tavern man, "and his team half dead from driving. There can be little doubt of Jac's conversion to the Romish faith. I asked that young lad Paul, who used to stop at Prying's, and he said it was true."

"'Tis really astonishing," said Benjamin Lifford, the Quaker. "I'd have let him die without a minister, if he did not content himself with the inflooence of the speerit. These is how I would sarve thee, Jacob."

"I consider Mr. Prying rather simple to allow such a man as the priest to come into his house at all," said his _honor_ Squire Wilson, the Universalist.

"Had it been my brother," said old Elder Fussel, "I would pay no attention to the dying request of old uncle Jacob. That would be the way to bring him to."

"That would be cruel," said High Sheriff Walter, "seeing that Jacob left him all his property, real and personal. Besides, this is a free country, and I say a man ought to be allowed to embrace any religion he has a mind to. That's my creed, at all events."

"Yes," said Mr. Ebenezer White, the Methodist cla.s.s leader, "_pervided_ the creed he wanted to jine was the religion of the Bible; otherwise not."