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Had the specter-for the shadowy band of the spirit-world, risen on the granite slab before thehtly they clung one to another, their eyes riveted on the face of the Padre There was a long pause; then Florence lifted herself proudly up, and cold and haughty was her tone: "It is not for me to deny your statement If ive hinant as yourself cannot be invested with divine prerogatives I have known your intentions with regard to myself since the hour I knelt in confession I was destined for a convent, and I tacitly acquiesced in your plans, hoping that so secluded fros are changed on many points, and any further interference from you will be received with the scorn it merits No love for me actuates yourof this hour"

"You defy me, then?"

Florence had turned away, and heeded not his question; but Mary, clasping her hands, looked appealingly in his face; "Oh, Padre, by the tie which you declare exists between yourself and Florry--for the sake of your lost parent--do not put your threat in execution Spare an unprotected orphan You will not harirl, that when a Jesuit priest takes the oath of his order, he tears his heart from his breast and lays it at the feet of his superior? Appeal not to ties of relationship: we repudiate the us"

With a shudder Mary joined her cousin, and rapidly and in perfect silence they retraced their steps hoate, Mary would have opened it, but her cousin, taking her hand, led the way to their old seat beside the river

Florence seated herself as near the water as possible, and then tightly clasping the hand she held, asked in a voice of suppressed eatory?"

"No, Florry; I think there is less foundation for that doctrine than any advanced by your church"

"Mary, you speak truth, and all that you say I can irounds support the theory?"

"You reiven, save blaspheiven, either in this world or the next' Now Papists argue in this way: Then other sins can be forgiven in another world; there is no sin in heaven, in hell no forgiveness, consequently, there atory Florry, you smile, yet I assure you I have seen this advanced as unanswerable In the book of Maccabees is a very re prayers for the dead, and on this passage they build their theory and sanction their practise Yet you know full well it is one of the Apocryphal books rejected by the Jews, because not originally written in their language It was never quoted by our Saviour, nor even received as inspired by your own church till the Council of Trent, when it was adatory, and sanction prayers for the dead I adustine's practise was in favor of it; though it was only near the close of his long life that he speaks of the soul of his mother Yet already history inforround in the church, along with i before hi a purer state of the church, leaves no doubt on our minds as to his sentiments on this subject; his words are these: 'When ye depart hence, there will be no roo reconciled to God Here eternal life is either lost or won Here, by the worship of God, and the fruit of faith, provision is made for eternal salvation And let noto obtain it No repentance is too late while a ives any encouragement for such a doctrine On the contrary, he said to the dying thief: 'This day shalt thou be with u theory, save the practise of the latter Fathers of their church"