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 Brethren, there  is  one  other  place  where  you  may study the  necessity  of  religion — by  a  man's  deathbed. Death dispels  illusions  and  brings  us  back  to the  realities  of  life. Many a  life-long  argument  as to  the  uselessness  of  religion  has  been  disproved  at the  hour  of  death. Even that  arch-atheist,  Voltaire, acknowledged his  error  at  the  last,  and  would  have called in  the  ministers  of  religion  were  they  not forcibly kept  away  from  him  by  the  members  of  the society he  himself  had  founded — the  "  Society  for the  Protection  of  Man  from  His  God." That of  so many  unbelievers  so  few  die  in  their  unbelief  is  the strongest argument  for  the  necessity  of  religion. And of  those  who  carry  their  unbelief  beyond  the grave, witness  the  horrible  death  of  one  such,  and  tell me if  that  is  not  even  a  stronger  argument. I have seen one  such  that  I  am  not  likely  soon  to  forget— such that  even  now  I  turn  in  horror  from  the  remembrance. But assist  at  the  death  of  a  faithful  child  of God — a  young  Catholic  boy  or  girl — on  their  face that look  of  peace  and  love  one  sees  on  the  face  of  a nun — the  quick  flash  of  the  closing  eyes  as  they  get their first  glimpse  of  their  glorified  Saviour — and  the tremble of  the  lips  as  they  settle  into  a  smile  that  reflects the  peace  of  heaven. Truly, blessed  in  the sight of  God  and  man  is  the  death  of  God's  saints.

Brethren, let  the  services  to-day  be  a  repetition  of the  scene  at  Nairn. Pray to  Our  Lord  for  the  conversion of  sinners. To Our  Lord,  the  Comforter  of souls,  that  He  may  console  the  sad  heart  of  many a mourning  woman. To Our  Lord,  the  Converter  of