Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/34

4 Q. Who is  God?

A. God is  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earthy  and  of all  things.

Those who  deny  God  often  speak  against  their own  conviction. Two travelers  one  evening  arrived at  an  inn,  the  landlord  of  which  was  a professed atheist. Having taken  rooms  for  the  night,  after dinner  they  sat  at  the  open  window,  contemplating the  starry  vault  of  heaven  and  admiring  the  omnipotence of  the  Creator  and  the  beauty  of  His  works. The innkeeper, overhearing  their  conversation,  laughed at  them  as  a couple  of  fools,  declaring  there  was  no God; all  was  evolved  in  the  course  of  nature. Soon afterward the  travelers  retired  to  rest,  and  the landlord  was  not  long  in  following  their  example. In the  dead  of  the  night  a fire  broke  out  in  an adjoining  house; our  host  was  awakened  by  the barking  of  dogs  and  the  glare  of  the  conflagration. Hurrying out,  he  was  seen  to  throw  up  his  arms, and,  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  cried,  “O merciful God,  spare  my  house; do  not  let  it  be  burned down!” By  this  time  the  travelers  also  were awake,  and,  hearing  him,  they  called  out:  “Yesterday you  declared  there  was  no  God;  now  you  are imploring  His  help. It is  not  likely  that  He  will grant  your  prayer; on  the  contrary. He will  punish you  for  your  impious  denial  of  Him.”  So  it  came to  pass,  for  very  shortly  afterward  the  inn,  too,  was in  flames. Even atheists  call  upon  God  when  they are  in  trouble.