which revived her. He then addressed them in the most soothing and affectionate terms, upon the necessity there was for resignation to the divine will under a calamity so severe and trying. "We, my dear friends, would not know ourselves if we were not tried, and what are all calamities but the tests of our faith and obedience ?" Oh Doctor," exclaimed my mother, "what you say is true and right; at the same time it is impossible not to feel a heart-breaking excess of anguish for such a loss-oh! may God strengthen and support us under it!--what-what would I not give to have my child restored to me?" Father A-now fixed his eyes upon her countenance, then turned them on the floor, and mused for some time as if struck by some sudden thought. "Mrs. Butler," returned the Doctor, "you yourself, I am sure, know your duty, or if you do not, Mr. A-- here can clearly point it out, and strengthen you in its performance. I may assure you, if it will give you any comfort, that the worst anticipations of medical men sometimes prove groundless, and may God grant that mine be so in this instance." He then withdrew, after having promised to call again in the course of that evening. I must remark here, that during that whole day Father A-- watched the progress of the fever with an intense interest, being scarcely a moment from me. When the Doctor was gone he came to me again, examined my tongue, felt my pulse-and then took a turn or two across the room, apparently absorbed in reflection. He again returned to my father and mother who were inconsolable; my dear friends," said he," the ways of God are dark and mysterious, and it often happens that afflictions like this are visited on certain individuals wliom he wishes to be devoted to himself:some of our brightest saints-even those who have borne testimony to the truth of the Roman Catholic faith by the performance of the most illustrious miracles, have been devoted to God, when on the bed of sickness, by their parents, their guardians, or themselves. Are you both ready, now, to devote this boy to the Lord, if, through the intercession of the Mother of God, he should be restored to you? Answer me speedily for the time is short.""If it shall please God," said my mother," to leave him with us that is enough-if God will in mercy prolong his life, surely that life ought to be devoted to him."- By his devotion to God," replied Father A———. "I mean that you must dedicate him to the priesthood of our church-you must promise for him that he shall take orders, and help forward every object calculated to promote the welfare and prosperity of that church, as far as lies in his power." It is not to be supposed, Sir, that circumstanced as they then were-enervated in mind and body, and worn down by grief and affliction, they would refuse to grasp at any proposal likely to hold out the slightest hope of my recovery. My father, indeed, told me, that he made some objections against the propriety of dedicating, in such a manner, any reasonable being without his knowledge and consent; but Father A- and my mother both assailed him together, and indeed his affection for me ranged itself on their side. The result, therefore, of the conversation was a solemn vow made by both my parents, that they would dedicate

me to the priesthood, and occasion me to fulfil all the other objects then specified by Father A When the vow was made they knelt down together, and performed a certain service to the Blessed Virgin, for the purpose of employing her intercession with God to effect my recovery. When this was over, Father A- again came to my bed, felt my pulse and my skin, and seemed in a very anxious and ruminating state of mind. Things went on in this manner until Dr. Upton's next visit, which in consequence of the typhus fever being prevalent that year, and the great number of patients he had to attend, was not until late at night. The moment he felt my pulse, he turned to my mother, and told her to raise her heart to Him who layeth not on his creatures a burden greater than they can bear. "Your son, my dear Mrs. Butler," he said, I trust will still be spared to you-the crisis of his malady is past, and every day will find him better." The joy and gratitude of my parents now, if possible, exceeded their affliction. As soon after this happy intelligence, as they and Father A- were alone, the latter addressed them thus: "I am almost afraid, my dear friends, to speak upon this extraordinary circumstance which we have witnessed with our own eyes, I am indeed almost afraid to speak upon it. Mr. Butler, your son is destined for something uncommon in the sacred office to which you have devoted him. You both, however, owe a debt of gratitude to the blessed queen of heaven, through whose merciful intercession this miraculous recovery has been effected-for less than miraculous, when I consider the vow and its immediate consequences, I cannot call it. The way in which you shall pay that debt, it is not for me to point out to any one living in a country where we are struggling with a heresy which has usurped our place, and striving, in the midst of our poverty, to plant a Christian colony here and there in secret and in silence, with a blessed hope of contributing in some degree to replace the church in her former pow

er.

No, my friends, I will leave that to your own considerationbut I will tell you that you both have much to do yet. There is, first, the boy's own inclinations-they must be subdued-he is attached to the girl-and so is she to him-and perhaps there may be an influence exerted in another quarter-most parents indeed in their situation would naturally wish such a thing, it would be establishing her well in life, certainly-still these must all be guarded against-and please God so they shall. You have made a good vow, and God bas set his seal to it-has fulfilled in some degree, even now, his part of it. You will surely perform yours, lest perhaps he, in his anger might, punish you for your omission, by taking away your son in some other, and more afflicting manner." They then performed what is termed a Litany to the Blessed Virgin as a thanksgiving for the mercy obtained through her means. As soon as I was perfectly recovered, Father A whom my father would not permit to leave us until he assisted in reconciling me to this change in my plan of life, advised my parents to have the whole matter laid before me, that I might learn the awful duty which I owed not only to them, but to God; after that, he said it would be proper to break the matter to the

Doctor's family. In a month or six weeks I was well, and ever since my recovery, the impression remaining on the minds of my father and mother was, that there was something in it mysterious, if not altogether miraculous; and this compelled them to look upon the completion of the vow they had made as a duty which to neglect would be mocking the mercy of the Almighty. Considering it as they did in this light, it is not to be wondered at, that authority and entreaty were both resorted to, with every other means likely to induce my compliance with their intention. I was not present either when the matter was laid before Dr. Upton or intimated to Ellen; because I openly asserted that it was a sacrifice, as unreasonable as it was irreligious, and founded upon an opinion of the character of God, derogatory to his justice and mercy. "I never will," said I, "become, nor suffer an innocent girl to become, the slave of a vow founded upon an arbitrary and tyrannical principle; for what authority" said I to Father A— who was then pressing the matter upon me-" what authority has one individual to usurp the right of thinking for any reasonable being who is capable of forming an estimate of his own happiness? But a few weeks ago and my union with that most religious and amiable of girls had the sanction of both our families, as well as of our own hearts-and now to snap asunder so cruelly and so barbarously ties which ought to be held sacred-from an absurd notion that God effected my recovery, because a vow was made for me of which I was then ignorant-a vow founded upon injustice and an abuse of parental authority in those who made it, and on misery in those whom it would affect. No, Father A-, nothing can be pleasing to God which is incompatible with the peace and happiness of his creatures." "Well, well, my dear," he replied, "your passions are violent now, but they will gradually subside, so be calm if possible. Is Miss Upton a religious character then? he enquired" "Ask the sick, the poor, and the ignorant of the neighbourhood ;" I replied-" search the obscure cottage, remote from the eye of the ostentatious giver, and you will know her value." "Indeed, James, your trial is difficult my child-but at your age, and with your experience, you cannot possibly put your judgment, in what concerns your welfare, against the wisdom and experience of a father who loves you too well to propose any thing which is not for your good." "But do you say, Father A, that this is for my good? to wrench my heart so violently from an object, the rational love of which is sanctioned by God and man-is this for my happiness? Is it not besides, both criminal and impious for any man to dedicate himself externally to God, under restrictions so peculiar as those which bind a priest of our church, whilst his heart is fixed upon another object? Is this right, my dear Sir, or ought you to encourage it ?" "How easy it is, James, for passion to find arguments to justify what it wishes to accomplish-and how seldom does it look beyond the prospect of immediate enjoyment! But I agree with you that nothing can be acceptable to God which is founded upon the misery of others; yet the attainment of what your heart of flesh is fixed upon, must produce lasting misery to your parents; and it is for yourself to

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consider whether you owe them more than you do to Miss Upton or her family." "I trust, I have never been found disobedient to my parents," I replied, "but surely Father A, it is unjustifiable in a parent to exact the obedience of his child at the expense of his happiness." "Do not call it happiness, my dear; why James, you run into such fluency upon this passing inclination between you and Miss Upton, that one would think, I suppose, you had read a love-book, or a novel as it is called; but do not, my child, term a momentary gush of feeling like this happiness-it is, I grant, a transient pain; but it will die of its own violence-believe me it will pass away sooner than you think— and ere long you will be able to smile at the mighty tide of passion which overwhelmed your boy-ship. Tut, James, be manly and don't pule like a woman in this manner. Have you got a needle about you?" I could not help smiling at the abstraction which could permit him to ask me, then, for such an instrument: -"No, Sir," I replied, "I have not, I never carry such a thing." "Well try your father, there he's in the hall." "It would be equally useless, my dear Sir, to ask him for one"-" May be he has a scissors." "I can vouch to the contrary❞—said I; Well, then, go to Susy for me, and tell her to send me-stop I have a needle myself I only want the thread and shears-tell her to send me thread and shears"-I was accordingly obliged to drop the train of thought, and to suppress those feelings for the moment which concerned my happiness so deeply-to run upon this ridiculous errand, and I have acknowledged since, that the management of those sentiments which materially affect our happiness depends very much upon little ingenious stratagems like this. I knew not how it was, but I felt, after presenting him with the vile scissors and thread, an awkwardness in defending myself which tended to make every thing I said lose its effect."James, my dear, you know as well as I do that the church commands filial obedience as a necessary duty; for there is no case where disobedience to a parent is justified, except where the command of the parent is contrary to the precepts of the church-but here that is not the case- so that you have no excuse. Besides this is a spiritual matter, and obedience in spiritual matters, andindeed in all matters to those who have an interest in our spiritual welfare, is the first mark of a Christian. It is the principle on which Christ, and after him his Apostles, established his church, and the one on which that church has uniformly acted." that said I, has nothing to do in my case, for you must grant""Cut that thread for me with the scissors," said he " Yes, James, it is want of that Christian virtue which has filled the world with heresy and schism. It's opposite vices are contumacy,-obstinacy, and wherever it is not, they are sure to be." "I believe what you say, Sir, to be correct," I replied, “but the obedience you speak of supposes that no injunction shall ever be imposed on man contrary to the laws of God and the welfare of society." "A fine observation, James-a fine observation, indeed, and worthy of the opinion I entertain of you-but we are talking of spiritual things, and to meet the force of your just and

"But

ingenious remark, I have only to remind you, that such a supposition is perfectly applicable to our church, and to ours alone; for the church, James, that cannot err, can issue no command contrary to God's will,"—" Nor to his word," I added-he here gave me a smile of peculiar benignity, resting his eye upon me with that expression which dilates the countenance of an indulgent father, when a favourite child has uttered something indicative of extraordinary genius. "But," he continued, "although to exact obedience in spiritual things be a just prerogative in a church that is infallible, yet it is one to which no other church can lay claim that is any just claim." "Does it not happen, however," I enquired, "that the circumstances of life and the relations of society make it exceedingly difficult for an individual to draw the line of distinction between a temporal and spiritual duty? In that case as the opinions of the church cannot be consulted, or if consulted, cannot apply to those subordinate and ever-varying modifications of human condition, against which no wisdom of man can possibly provide, is it not necessary that some acknowledged standard should exist within the Christian's reach, to guide him in such a predicament ?"

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"You are young, my dear, very young and inexperienced, or you might know that whenever obedience or disobedience in a temporal duty affects the security of any spiritual authority that is just and well founded-and this can be true only in the case of our own church-then that temporal duty becomes a spiritual one, and takes its character from the effect which its neglect or fulfilment might produce on spiritual things."" Then," said I, "the fact is, that according to that view, every duty, whether social or political, can be resolved into a spiritual one." No, my dear, only where the objects of spiritual and temporal duties are opposed to each other; in that case indeed they may, because the welfare of spiritual things, or, in other words, the glory of God and the security of his church require it." "I would understand you better by an illustration, Sir," said I. "Well then, we will take the relative position and circumstances of this kingdom and Great Britain as the best we can find-For instance there's the Pope, and George the third,"-" George the Fourth, Sir," I observed-" George the Fourth! bless me and so it isbut go first and bring me another needleful of thread, for this is out-this old gown of mine is in a sad state indeed, I don't think I'll get more than three years wear out of it at most."His usual dress was a long black stuff gown over his other clothes. When I got him the thread he proceeded :-" Well then, there's His Holiness the Pope, and George the Third; now the Irish Roman Catholics owe an allegiance to both, that is, they owe a civil allegiance to George the Third," (I saw it was to no purpose to set him right)" and a spiritual one to the Popeor, in other words, to the church which he represents. Now, if it ever happens, and it has happened, that the exercise of the civil allegiance which they owe the king, should directly tend to overthrow or essentially injure the power and security of the church, then the withholding that allegiance would become a spi