"Pray for me; bless me and my flock," he cried, choked with emotion, and sinking on his knees.
"Rise! rise! my lord! It is yours to bless her," said the curé of Lourdes, who was present, and instantly seized the bishop's hand.
Although the priest had sprung forward quickly, Bernadette had already advanced, and, all abashed in her humility, bowed her head for the blessing of the prelate.
The bishop gave it, but not without shedding tears.
VI.
The entire course of events, the testimony of such grave men, and their evident conviction after examining, were facts which made a lively impression on the clear and sagacious mind of the Bishop of Tarbes. Mgr. Laurence thought that the time had now come to speak, and he came forth from his silence. On July 28, he published the following orders, which were immediately known throughout the entire diocese, and produced intense excitement; for every one understood that the strange position which he had hitherto assumed was now about to have its solution:
"Order of His Lordship the Bishop of Tarbes, constituting a commission to report on the authenticity and nature of certain facts which have, for six months, been taking place on occasion of a real or pretended apparition of the Blessed Virgin in a grotto situated west of the town of lourdes.
"Bertrand-Severe-Laurence, by the mercy of God and the apostolic favor of the Holy See, Bishop of Tarbes.
"To the clergy and faithful of our diocese, health and benediction in our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Facts of grave importance, and intimately connected with religion, have been occurring at Lourdes since the eleventh of last February. They have stirred our whole diocese, and their fame has been re-echoed in foreign parts.
"Bernadette Soubirous, a young girl of Lourdes, fourteen years of age, has had visions in the Massabielle grotto, situated west of that town. The Blessed Virgin has appeared to her. A fountain has risen on the spot. The water of this fountain, having been drunk or used as a wash, has operated a great number of cures, which are considered miraculous. Many persons have come from parts of our own and from neighboring dioceses to seek, at this fountain, the cure of various diseases, invoking the Immaculate Virgin.
"The civil power has been alarmed by this. The ecclesiastical authority has been urged by all parties, since the month of March, to make some declaration concerning this improvised pilgrimage. We have delayed, up to the present time—believing that the hour was not come for us to deal successfully with this matter, and also that, to give due weight to our judgment, it would be necessary to proceed with wise moderation, to distrust the prejudices of the first days of popular enthusiasm, to allow agitation to quiet itself, to give time for reflection, and to procure light for an attentive and clear investigation.
"Three classes appeal to our decision, but with different views:
"First are those who, refusing all examination, see in the events at the grotto, and in the cures attributed to its water, only superstition, jugglery, and deceit.
"It is evident that we cannot, à priori, share their opinion without serious examination. Their journals have, from the start, cried, and loudly too, superstition, fraud, and bad faith. They have affirmed that the affair of the grotto has had its rise in sordid and guilty cupidity, and have thus wounded the moral sense of our Christian people. The plan of denying everything and of accusing intentions seems to us very convenient for cutting off difficulties; but, on the other hand, very disloyal to sound reason, and more apt to irritate than to convince. To deny the possibility of supernatural facts is to follow a superannuated school, to abjure Christianity, and to proceed in the ruts of the infidel philosophy of the last century. We, as Catholics, cannot take counsel in such a matter with those who deny God's power to make exceptions to his own laws, nor even join them in examining whether a given fact is natural or supernatural, knowing in advance that they proclaim the impossibility of the supernatural. By this, do we shrink from thorough, sincere, and conscientious discussion enlightened by advanced science? By no means. On the contrary, we desire it, with all our heart. We wish these facts to be submitted to the severest tests of evidence compatible with sound philosophy, and, accordingly, to determine whether they are natural or divine, that prudent men, learned in the sciences of mystical theology, medicine, physics, chemistry, geology, etc., etc., be invited to the discussion, in order that science shall be consulted and give her sentence. And we desire, above all, that no means be neglected to ascertain the truth.
"Another class neither approve nor condemn the events which are everywhere recounted, but suspend their judgment. Before pronouncing definitely, they wish to know the views of competent authority, and earnestly ask for them.
"Finally, a third and very numerous class have become thoroughly, though perhaps prematurely, convinced. They impatiently look to the bishop to pronounce immediately on this grave affair. Although they expect from us a decision favorable to their own pious sentiments, we know their obedient spirit well enough to be assured that they will agree with our judgment, whatever that may be, as soon as it is known.
"It is, therefore, to enlighten the piety of so many thousands of the faithful, to correspond with an urgent public appeal to settle the uncertainty and quiet the agitation of souls, that we yield to-day to instances repeated and continued, from all parts. We desire light on facts in the highest degree important to the faithful, the worship of the Blessed Virgin, and religion itself. To this end we have resolved to institute in our diocese a permanent commission for collecting and reporting upon the facts which have occurred, and which may hereafter occur, at or concerning the grotto of Lourdes, in order to make known their character and supply us with the means indispensable to arriving at a true judgment.
"Wherefore,
"The holy name of God having been invoked,
"We have ordered and hereby order as follows:
"Art. I. A commission is hereby instituted in the diocese of Tarbes, to examine the following points:
"1. Whether cures have been worked by drinking, or by bathing with the water of the grotto of Lourdes; and whether these cures can be explained naturally or are to be attributed to something above nature.
"2. Whether the visions which are said to have been seen by the child Bernadette Soubirous have been real; and, in the latter case, whether they can be explained naturally or are to be invested with a supernatural character.
"3. Whether the object which is said to have appeared manifested its intentions to the child; whether she has been charged to communicate them, and to whom; and what were the said intentions or demands.
"4. Whether the fountain which is now running in the grotto existed before the alleged visions of Bernadette Soubirous.
"Art. II. The commission will present for our consideration only facts established by solid evidence, concerning which it will prepare minute reports containing its own judgment on the matter.
"Art. III. The deans of the diocese will be the principal correspondents of the commission.
"1. They are desired to call attention to facts which have taken place in their respective deaneries.
"2. The persons who are allowed to testify concerning such acts are:
"3. Those who, by their science, can enlighten the commission.
"4. The physicians who have had charge of the sick before their cure.
"Art. IV. After having received notices, the commission will proceed to examination. Evidence must be rendered under oath. When investigations refer to localities, at least two members of the commission must visit the spot.
"Art. V. We earnestly recommend the commission to invite to its sessions men well versed in the sciences of medicine, physics, chemistry, geology, etc., in order to hear them discuss the difficulties which may arise on points familiar to them, and in order to learn their opinion. The commission will neglect no means of acquiring light and arriving at the truth, whatever that may be.
"Art. VI. The commission shall be composed of nine members of our chapter, the superiors of the great and little seminaries, the superior of the missionaries of our diocese, the curé of Lourdes, and the professors of dogmatic and moral theology and physics of the great seminary. The professor of chemistry in our little seminary shall be often consulted.
"Art. VII. M. Nogaro, canon-arch-priest, is hereby named president of the commission. The Canons Tabariés and Soulé are named vice-presidents. The commission will appoint for itself a secretary and two vice-secretaries from its own number.
"Art. VIII. The commission will immediately enter upon its labors, and meet as often as it shall deem necessary.
"Given at Tarbes, in our episcopal palace, under our sign and seal, and the countersign of our secretary, July 28, 1858.
"✠ Bertrand-Sre,
"Bishop of Tarbes.
"By command, Fourcade,
"Canon-Secretary."
His lordship had scarcely issued this order when he received a letter from M. Rouland, Minister of Public Worship, entreating him to interfere and arrest the movement.
In order to comprehend the full meaning of this letter, it will be necessary for us to turn back a short distance.