say that the Lord punished the other with acute pains, and that he owed their alleviation and cure to the charity and prayers of Francis. When he returned to the desert the struggles and combats with the common enemy were renewed, but the saint was ever victorious. In his solitude he would bring to mind the errors of his youth; and then, full of holy hatred of himself, would take vengeance on his body, sometimes by scourging himself till he drew blood, sometimes by throwing himself into frozen water in the depth of winter, or at others by rolling himself on thorns. The devil, ever astute and on the watch to destroy us, appeared to him on one of these occasions as a beautiful woman, and pretending to pity him, said: "What are you doing, good man? Why do you torture yourself thus ? Do you not know that it is a serious offence against God to shorten your life in this way? God sends me to you to take care of you, and be subject to your will in everything; but your awfully austere life scares me." Francis had recourse to the divine aid, and the feigned lady disappeared. The fervent hermit continued to avail himself of every means to advance in Christian perfection, till the Lord willed to transplant him to another land more favoured with the dew of divine grace. V. In one of his ecstasies, the Queen of heaven appeared to him with a garland of flowers in her right hand, and in her left the habit of Mount Carmel; and encouraging him to take it, said: "If you put on this habit as my fervent children should, you shall have the reward of the just in heaven." Francis corresponded to the holy inspiration, and after overcoming innumerable difficulties, was admitted in 1297 among the observant children of the Virgin of Mount Carmel. As a complement to this short sketch, it is enough to say that he proved one of the most observant religious, as well in his recollection as in his zeal for the good of souls. In this secure state Francis would have considered himself happy if the recollection of his sins, and the doubt whether God had pardoned them, did not haunt him. He was frequently heard to exclaim: Jesus, mercy! My God, pardon my iniquities!" The Lord consoled him by appearing to him crucified, and saying: "You see, Francis, how much I suffered for men, and with what ingratitude they repay me." The thought that God had died for his eternal life filled him at once with a holy confidence and a filial dread, which drew from him tears of repentance. His confessor having on one occasion refused him permission to go to communion, he could not restrain some tears, through the ardent desire he had to receive Jesus; but he bowed his head and offered the sacrifice of obedience. The Lord, however, miraculously satisfied his desires in the act of hearing Mass, by administering to him the divine manna by the hands of angels. These extraordinary favours, the gift of prophecy and miracles, and his edifying life, gained him the veneration of all, and made his conversation listened to with edification, and received with advantage. When eighty years of age he was attacked by a violent fever. He foresaw that his last hours were come, and he prepared himself by the reception of the sacraments, and by new acts of virtue. On the third day of his illness, the 3rd of December, 1292, surrounded by religious, who bewailed his loss, he bade them adieu in these tender words: Brethren, God be with you: and do thou, my good Jesus, and my God, receive my spirit into thy hands." Then he was silent, and appeared to fall into an agreeable sleep-his soul had flown to the bosom of its Creator. Scarcely had the news of his death spread, when the convent was filled by people of all ages and conditions, who came to venerate the saint. His obsequies were solemn, and attended by throngs, and God glorified the tomb of His servant by working innumerable prodigies. THE CHRISTIAN CAPTIVE, APOSTLE OF AFTER the glorious triumph of Constantine, a great number of pagans, who up to then had closed their eyes to the light of the Gospel, convinced, some of the uselessness of their ancient superstitions, others by the charity and virtuous examples of the faithful, some others by the lustre of miracles and the sanctity of the Christian doctrine, bowed their necks to the sweet yoke of the Catholic faith. Entire towns and villages destroyed their false idols, and erected temples to Jesus crucified, and the banner of the cross waved gloriously from one end to the other of the empire. Beyond its confines the faith was propagated, too, still more wonderfully. The manner in which the seed of Christianity was sowed among the Iberians is worthy of eternal record. A poor female captive was the instru ment of which Divine Providence availed itself. Her name is unknown, though written in indelible characters in the Book of Life. Having been taken prisoner in one of the incursions made by that barbarous people on the neighbouring states, she was carried off by them to their own country, situated on the eastern side of the Black Sea, stretching from the Caucasus to the Caspian Sea. Her sanctity of life, her purity, sobriety, modesty, and all the virtues with which she was adorned, soon attracted the attention of those infidels. On seeing her content and tranquil in the midst of her labours, on observing her contempt for all the goods of earth, her frequent fasts and assiduous prayer, they were filled with admiration, and anxious to discover the mystery involved in the matter, asked what was the meaning of her prayers and fasts. Availing herself of the opportunity of instructing those poor ignorant people, she explained to them the Christian doctrine and the greatness of Jesus Christ. Wondering more and more, especially the women, at the slave's perseverance and zeal, they imagined that religion must bring her some temporal advantage, and desired to know what that advantage might be. The holy maid undeceived them, and told them of the eternal rewards and joys with which the Lord rewards virtue in the other life; but attached, poor things, to earthly goods, they could not perceive the nobleness of the thoughts which flowed from the holy slave's mouth. But the Lord opened their eyes by confirming the captive's maxims with numerous miracles. It was customary among those barbarians for a mother who had a child sick to carry it from door to door asking for a cure. On a certain occasion a poor woman went round all the neighbours with a child, but without success, and then took it to the saintly slave to see if she could provide a remedy. The servant of God told her she herself knew nothing of medicine, but that her God Jesus Christ could in an instant cure all infirmities, and restore health to those despaired of. The afflicted mother entreated her to use her influence with so powerful a God. The captive consented, and taking the child she placed it on her own bed, and after a short prayer restored it to the mother completely cured. The mother was beyond herself with joy and wonder, and soon spread the news of the miracle among the people. The neighbours filled with profound respect, knew not which to admire more-the Christian's humility and disinterestedness, or the power of the God whom she adored. When the rumour reached the queen's ears she was anxious to see the devout slave, to ask her to intercede with Jesus for the alleviation of acute pains which she had been suffering a long time. She sent an officer for the Christian; but the latter loved the humiliations of the cross rather than the glory of men, and refused to go to the palace. Then the queen made them carry her to the captive's hut. Pitying no less the queen's suffer ings than the superstitions in which she was involved, the captive made her lie down on her bed, and beseech ing the Lord to restore her majesty's health, to the glory of His name, and the edification of the ignorant, she obtained from Him the queen's complete restoration. The humble Christian, rejoicing at the grace conferred, and attributing the glory of the prodigy to the mere benignity of Jesus, instructed the queen in the dogmas of our holy religion. She explained to her according to her capacity, and the knowledge with which the Lord inspired her, not only that Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, was the Creator and Governor of the Universe, but also that it was He who gave and took away sceptres, and sent prosperity and calamities on earth for the good of men. She told her that it was He who had cured her of her pains, but that there were other much more terrible torments to fear, and another |