THE JESUIT AND THE BIBLE.
There were not many passengers on board the vessel in which I was going to Belgium, which rendered our intercourse more intimate. While I was conversing with two elderly persons from Holland, I saw a respectable looking young man, passing backwards and forwards, who seemed to listen to what I said. In the afternoon, as I was seated among some bales of goods, the same young man placed himself beside me, and made some remark as to the fineness of the weather.
"Yes," I answered, "it is a proof of the goodness of God to us; but to be sensible of His goodness is a far greater blessing. Has not a Christian double cause for happiness, since all he receives comes from the hand of his Father?"
He answered, "The captain and I were just now speaking about you. The captain said he never saw any one look happier, and he thought you must have some especial cause for it. I wish, sir, I frankly confess, to be told what your secret is; for, in truth, I am not free from anxiety."
He then proceeded to relate how he had gone from place to place, in order to practise his profession as a painter, and yet all his calculations had been disappointed. He was a native of Belgium, and a Roman Catholic. "But," he added, with a sort of contempt, "all my religion has given me no consolation. What do you think is the use of all these rites and ceremonies? They are wearisome, and that is all."
"My secret," I answered, "which is not one in reality, is of a very different character. The Bible, sir, by the mercy of God, has rendered me happy, not only for this world, but, above all, for eternity. Perhaps you never read it?"
"The Bible, sir? Do you not know it is denied, and even forbidden, to us Catholics? I have heard, indeed, that some priests allow their parishioners to read it, but they are very few; and the truth is that, if any of us were to read the Bible, he would be forced to do penance, and to give the Book up to our priest. I have never read it, I own."
"Here is a part of it," I said, producing my New Testament. "This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"The Gospel!" said the young man, with surprise. "Is it all contained in that small Book? I should never have supposed it."
"This small Book," I said, "contains, in our language, all that God has said to us by Jesus Christ, and costs only one franc" (tenpence).
"Only one franc! Is it possible? I will have one, and read it, you may be sure. I promise you, as soon as we arrive at Brussels, the first thing I do will be to get that Book."
"But, sir, you say that your priest will not allow you to read it?"
"No, sir; our Church does not permit us to do so. But if you wish to know my own views, I must say I feel sure that we are prevented from reading the Bible only because it is exactly the reverse of what our priests tell us. They say that the Bible is obscure, and not easy to be understood, and that, if they comprehend it, it is different with the common people. But I do not believe this, especially after something that happened to one of my friends, which I will tell you.
"You know, perhaps, that Belgium is full of Jesuits, and the people dislike them. A certain abbé, who was only a Jesuit in disguise, was confessor to a friend of mine, who, like many others, had been guilty of some imprudence, and he confessed it to this same priest, who imposed rather a heavy penance on him, particularly requiring him to make a rich offering to Our Lady [the Virgin Mary]. Well, on his way home, my friend met one of the colporteurs, who sell Bibles and other religious books. He bought one, and began to read it, and the result was, that he discovered, as he told me, that he must seek the forgiveness of his sins from God, through the Saviour, and that to make an offering to the Virgin for his faults was at once to lose his pains, his money, and his soul.
"Three months had passed, when the priest met my friend, and asked if he had done all he was directed, and especially, if he had made the offering. My friend answered, 'I have got a Book which has shown me that God alone forgives sin, and that to give money for a fault is to mock the Holy Spirit.' 'That is the Bible,' exclaimed the Jesuit. 'Wretched man, from whom did you get it? Unless you give it up to me this very day, woe be unto you!' My friend refused, and there is no sort of annoyance or vexation which the priest has not made him suffer. However, he was firm. But hitherto, I confess, I cared very little about the matter."
"Then," said I, "you remain in ignorance as to whether God loves you or not?"
"I am not worse than others," he replied; "and since God is good, I do not suppose He hates me."
I explained, with all simplicity and freedom, the glorious doctrine of the salvation of God in Christ, and I saw that no thirsty traveller hastens to springs in the wilderness more eagerly than this young man seemed to turn and hearken to the record of divine love. At length, with much earnestness, he cried out, "Sir, how wonderful is the love of God to man! We did not deserve that He should give His Son to die for us. This was surpassing love. The thought of it overpowers me."
"Will you not, then," I said, "read the Bible, which tells us this glorious news?"
"Be assured that I will read it," he answered. "In less than a week I will have one like that which belongs to my friend. It is twice as thick as that lady's work-box, but this one Book contains all that God has said to man; and the print is so clear."
"But if some Jesuit should see your Book, he may take it from you."
"Shall I tell you what I will do, if any one of them meddles with me?" he said. "I will read some of its excellent contents to him, and ask him what he thinks of them. Then I am sure he will not come again, unless he takes a liking to them; and then he will not hurt me."
C.