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TH]
Contributed
THE CONVERSION OF A DISTINGUISHED
ROMAN CATHOLIC
PRIEST.
On Sunday, Aug. 1, 1909, Dr. Juan
Salvador Orts (Innealpi n FVnnrMo^mi
Monk and a Roman Catholic priest, was
publicly received into the Lafayette
Presbyterian Church of New Orleans
and baptized. Dr. Orts is of a prominent
family of Valencia, Spain, and is
a distinguished scholar. While in his
order, he was Superior, first of the college
of Benisa and later of Onteniente.
He has received signal honors at the
hands of the Pope of Rome.
About four years ago (he was then
thirty-six) he began to doubt the verac
ity of Rome's exclusive claims. Having
received a dispensation, which permitted
him to honorahlv withdraw fmm hto nr.
der, he travelled In Mexico and Guatemala
and, at last came to the United
States. During this time he officiated
as a priest in different dioceses, but was
carefully and earnestly studying the
? Bible, and contrasting its direct message
with the exaggerations of Romanism.
Finally, in May, 1908, finding it
impossible any longer to conscientiously
serve as a priest of Rome, he voluntarily
left St. Stanislaus College, Bay St.
Louis, Mississippi, and went to Mobile,
Ala., where, entirely apart from Romish
influences, under the nom de plume, G.
V. Fradryssa, he wrote, in the dawning
light of truth, his remarkable book, "Roman
Catholicism Capitulating Before
Protestantism."
Th? ? J * **- -
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Southern Publishing Company, Mobile,
Ala., or from Dr. Orts, 2214 Magazine
street, New Orleans. The price is $1.50
postpaid.
Although this book was only published
at the beginning of the present year,
it has already gained a wide circulation
in Canada and the United States, and
has won extraordinary commendations
on every hand, from religious leaders,
as "the most brilliant discussion of the
points of difference between Romanism
and Protestantism that they have ever
read."
In February, 1909, Dr. Orts came to
New Orleans and discovered Presbyterianism.
In it, his mind and heart have
found home and to its propagation he
has decided to devote the remainder of
his life.
In coming to us. Dr. Orts has surrendered
a brilliant career in Romanism,
and has subjected himself to bitter but
unsubstantial attacks from his former
organization; but in finding fully Christ,
he has gained peace and power. Should
God spare his life and health, he will
be heard from later as a mighty champion
of the everlasting gospel.
J. C. Barr,
Pastor Lafayette Church, New Orleans.
Patience means the readiness to wait
God's time without doubting God's truth.
?Arthur T. Hadley. .
i_ * _ M
r;
E /TERIAN OF THE SOU'
ONE LORD'S DAY.
T. K. M.
Our waking moments were made musical,
not as everyday by the song of
manv birds hut hv tho woinnmo nnftnf
of the long delayed rains. So the old
house on the beautiful hill did not send
its usual large quota to the District
Church, but had its own service. To
the guest in the house the picture was
one to be remembered. The noble little
mother at the piano led the flock of
children in many hymns old and new, a
nestful of larks! How they sang, those
cousins, eyes bright and earnest, voices
sweet and true. Keeping perfect time
with the precision of soldiers marching
as other soldiers had followed their
granaiatner into battle. Everybody's
favorite: O day of rest and gladness,
Ten thousand t mes, ten thousand, Jebus
the very thought of Thee, Around
the throne of God in heaven, and many
others. Just within the folding doors
sat the faithful servants, their dark
faces sweet with the same hope and
peace that shone on the face of the
aged saint as he smiled upon the fair
picture of children and grandchildren
worshipping God as he had taught them.
The Missionary son read parts of the
first chapter of John's gospel, and led
in a prayer that took our hearts into
the Holy of Holies. Then another
hymn and a sermon on "Let your light
so shine." Another sweet uplifting prayer
and more hymns in the clear carolling
voices, the fair young girls, the fine
boys gradatim: the only silent child, the
Kjveiy DaDy iresn rrom her nap as
these last hymns began, smiling and
glad, the joy of every one.
The dinner was the "Presbyterian Sunday
dinner" of my childhood, cold and
very good it was. A pretty veal loaf
with its rings of eggs and nest of pastry,
rice in cup molds, the rich color of beet
. salad and sliced tomato, the pale green
of apple sauce, brown bread and white,
fresh country butter, and delicious cold
milk and buttermilk; to the dweller in
cities it seemed a feast for the gods.
Crowned with ambrosia, a mixture of
fruits in thin clear jelly, and the cream
for which that plantation is famous.
For the afternoon rest and reading.
We had three church papers, the Missionary
Home and Foreign to cnoose
from, and many books. I noticed in
hands of the children, How They Kept
the Faith, The Vanguard, Siege Days in
Pekin, and others as good. The girls
played with the baby that the mother
might have a quiet time, the grandfather
looked out on the blue mountains and
read with his unfailing interest, of the
church's work.
The middle of the afternoon saw a
big watermelon cut, and everybody enjoyed
it in the broad back porch; even
the Great Dane has his share, and the
hen and chickens pecking at the rinds
when the dog had got the last pink lusciousnese.
As twilight fell, after the simple supper,
the children brought their Bibles,
rH. August 18. 1909.
and the custom for generations was kept
once more, as they read all together.
Three chapters in the Old Testament,
two in the New. the> mio won
what expression those children read!
even the little boy who could not quite
get the longest words by himself, read
with meaning and reverence. There was
talk too; questions asked by them or of
them, the value of a talent, whether the
two-talent servant got part of the onetalent
as well as the servant who had
gained five for his master, whether the
"cup" of Gethsemane was the physical
death which the devil would force upon
the suffering Savior and so prevent the
world-sacrifice on Calvary. Too high
themes for eight to sixteen? Never.
The youngest took as as keen nnH in.
telligent interest as the oldest. Minds
nurtured on such exalted food, the Catechism,
the Sunday-school lesson stud
ied, are blessedly trained for the battle
of life spiritually, and bear no mean part
intellectually as well.
Another hour of singing came, fresh,
glad as the first, a winsome group about
the piano, the lamp light on the fine
high-bred faces. Then good night and
all is quiet save when the great dog,
guardian of their safety, warns off some
real or fancied prowler.
The rain is over, the grateful earth
sends up her fragrant thanks. The moon
sheds her exquisite radiance over the
far-stretching landscape, fairest of earth,
the breeze stirs the radiant length of
waving corn, revived, luxuriant. Hearts
at rest, eyes closed in peaceful slumber.
A "Puritan Sunday"? one of "hard
restraint"? So its enemies may call it,
battering with heavy blows the greatest
bulwarks of family and natural safety.
ic is a strict I'resbyterlan Sunday of the
old-fashioned type, of the kind that
strengthens character, and deepens principle
and gives 'strength for the toils
of the morrow." Many of us growing
old and gray thank God for memories of
such Sabbath days, such fathers and
mothers, such sweet and blessed bonds.
THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL.
The spirit of missions is the spirit of
Christ, and evangelism is the essence of
the gospel. True, there is something
else in the gospel than the mere proclamation
of the truth; yet all that done
or required is for the end of saving and
establishing souls in Jesus Christ Any
other teaching is not Christian. Jesus
said that he came to 'seek and to save
that which was lost"; "not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance." If
he "went about doing good," it was for
this ultimate purpose?or winning those
helped, to himself and his service. He
was a great preacher, and he sent his
disciples out to preach, and finally commissioned
th|m to carry the gospel "upto
the uttermost parts of the earth." To
stop short of this work is to stop short
of the gospel message?it is to eliminate
irom me gospel that which is characteristic
of It and vital to It.?Selected.