"_What
will it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?_" it had said; and earth and earthly affairs had assumed the
shape of nothingness; the tough, hard work of years was scattered--like
a potent lever it lifted away the demoniac weight of darkness and pride
from his soul, as it rung down into its frozen depths. And the strong
angel of God, who had been contending with the powers of evil, to wrest
it from eternal loss, bore up the glad news to heaven, that the hoary
sinner repented at the eleventh hour; and there was great joy among the
angels of His presence, before Him.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE NEW WILL.
Father Fabian came. Miracles such as this never amazed _him_. He knew
too well that the Spirit of the Eternal God, which abides with His
Church for ever, was as powerful then as it had been in ages past, and
that He still condescended to add miracles to the testimony of
revelation, to glorify the faith He planted. With the angels, he only
"rejoiced, and was exceeding glad," giving thanks to God for this new
manifestation of His clement love. Long, and earnest, and touching,
was the interview between the priest of God and the dying penitent. He
saw the depths of an old and embittered heart broken up; he heard its
plaintive cry, as it floated out towards the dark ocean of death, of,
"Save, Lord, or I perish!" and its imploring prayer for the waters of
regeneration, and the sacraments of the Church.
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