The church of Rome demands property, and when they have it, demand that they be not taxed for that privilege; they demand wealth, never being satisfied, but forever demanding; they demand the suppression of liberty; they demand life; they demand death.
Now, as a sister in the church of Rome, it is demand from the very day she enters the convent, as I have explained throughout this book. The first demand is the hair of the victim. The Word of God says, "If a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her," but what does the church of Rome care what the Bible says? It is the demand from the church, and blind obedience of the subject to that demand that Rome cares about. It is their endless demands for supremacy of heaven, earth and hell.
We have all heard of the dumb animal which would run back to his stall in case of fire; nevertheless, we must take an interest in the faithful old horse and use every effort to save his life from the horrible death that he would rush to.
How much more must we take an interest in the lives of the poor, oppressed humans, the over-burdened, entrapped nuns behind the convent walls, though she may imagine that she is enjoying the greatest freedom and the happiest life. Yes, we must all look well to the doors that stand between Liberty and bondage, even though those doors seem bright with "religious" paint.
Let me say with the poet, that I cannot hope to "live but a few more days, or years, at most," and my one aim is to give to the world a book that will stand the crucial time of the changing years—a book that shall be known and read long after the author is forgotten. I write it with a fond hope that it may be helpful to "those who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge," those who may be floundering in the meshes of a crooked and perversed theology. I want no other monument.
ELIZABETH SCHOFFEN.
February, 1917.
CONTENTS
| Chapter. | Page | |
| I. | Introductory | [11] |
| II. | My Early Life and Schooling | [17] |
| III. | My Novitiate Life | [23] |
| IV. | A Virgin Spouse of Christ—My First Mission | [37] |
| V. | My Begging Expedition—St. Vincent's Hospital—Routine of a Sister | [47] |
| VI. | How I Educated Myself—I Become Superintendent of the Third Floor at St. Vincent's | [61] |
| VII. | Sacrament of Penance—Mass and Communion—Extreme Unction—Indulgences—Annual Retreat | [72] |
| VIII. | My Trip to the General Mother House | [85] |
| IX. | I Receive My Diploma for Nursing from St. Vincent's Hospital—Trouble Among the Sisters | [103] |
| X. | My Removal from St. Vincent's Hospital | [122] |
| XI. | Two Interesting Letters from Sisters—My Letters for Redress to Archbishop Christie | [130] |
| XII. | My Emancipation | [144] |
| XIII. | I Quit the Roman Catholic Church | [155] |
| XIV. | Form for Dispensation of the "Holy" Vows—My Suit and Settlement With the Sisters of Charity | [165] |
| XV. | My Recommendation from the Doctors of Portland—The Good Samaritan—I Affiliate With a Protestant Church—My New Work | [181] |
| XVI. | My "Advertisement" in the Catholic Sentinel | [191] |
| XVII. | The Care of Old Sisters by the Roman Catholic System | [199] |
| XVIII. | Conclusion | [205] |
| Appendix | [217] |