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 peacefully my  days  passed,  how  I  rejoiced  in  the house of  my  God,  on  the  heart  of  my  Saviour under the  mantle  of  my  dearest  Mother  Mary and how  brightly  there  shone  from  heaven  the crown of  everlasting  glory!

"But now  everything  is  lost;  my  soul  is  as hideous  as  a  moldering  corpse  I  And  I  behold hell  open,  threatening  each  moment  to  swallow me  up  I  Alas!  who  can  help  me,  what  deliverance is  possible?"

2. If  an  angel  from  heaven  were  to  appear to this  wretched  man  and  assure  him  that  God was ready  to  pardon  all  his  transgressions,  and preserve him  from  hell,  to  receive  him  as  His child and  admit  him  to  heaven,  under  this  one condition — that he  should  truly  and  sincerely repent of  his  sins  and  penitently  confess  them to God's  representative -  with  what  joy,  with what gratitude,  would  such  a  sinner  hail  the message, and  do  everything  in  his  power  to render  himself  a  worthy  recipient  of  this  pardon! This gives  you  an  idea  of  the  pure  and,  at  times, intense, exuberant  delight  which  sincere  penitents experience  when  they  return  from  the confessional —  the  place  of  healing  for  souls.

3. On  this  point  hear  the  testimony,  not  of a  holy  or  specially  favored  soul,  but  of  a  soldier. Yes, it  was  a  soldier,  an  officer,  who  had  attended one of  the  sermons  preached  at  a  mission  given in Paris  by  Father  Brydaine,  and  then  had made his  confession  to  him. Afterward he followed  him  into  the  sacristy,  and  spoke  thus before all  the  bystanders;  "The  king  of  France with  all  his  treasures,  and  riches,  and  pleasures, can  not  be  as  happy  and  contented  as  I  am  now. Never  in  my  whole  life  have  I  experienced  such peace  and  contentment,  such  pure,  such  un-