Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/84

 not taken  the  trouble  to  do  as  her  mother  told  her, and strike  a light  in  the  adjoining  room; hence  it came  about  that  she  took  the  wrong  bottle,  and brought a glass ‘of  ink  instead  of  wine. She got thoroughly scolded  by  her  mother  for  her  disobedience, and  all  the  next  year  no  new  frock  was  given her. It was  through  disobedience  that  our  first  parents stained  the  robe  of  their  primeval  innocence.

''Q. What  is  the  sin  called  which  we  inherit  from  our first  parents? ''

A. The  sin  which  we  inherit  from  our  first  parents is  called  original  sin.

Two students  were  enjoying  a holiday  in  the  woods, and as  they  wandered  along,  they  discoursed  of  original sin. ‘‘We cannot  understand,”  said  one,  “how original sin  is  transmitted.”  “ We  cannot  fully  understand it,”  admitted  the  other,  “ but  we  can  at  least form some  idea  of  this  truth.”  As  he  was  just  then standing by  a small  spring,  he  stirred  up  the  muddy bottom with  his  stick  and  watched  the  change  that came over  the  appearance  of  the  stream. “ There,” he said,  “ our  corrupted  nature  is  like  this  spring  and stream, except  that  human  nature  is  not  purified  by motion  and  transmission.”

''Q. Why  is  this  sin  called  original? ''

A. This  sin  is  called  original  because  it  comes  down to  us  from  our  first  parents,  and  we  are  brought  into  the world  with  its  guilt  on  our  soul.