Imperial Rome receive the tidings of
this massacre? The cannons were discharged, the Pope ordered a jubilee
and grand procession, and caused a _Te Deum_ to be chanted. I ask
you, Florry, was not this sanctioning crime? Again, how died the great
Henry IV? The celebrated edict of Nantes sealed his doom, and the
infamous Ravaillac, for the good of the Romish church, conveniently
forgot the commandment of Jehovah, and meritoriously assassinated him.
Florry, I have myself heard a Papist say, 'that whatever her priest
commanded, she would unhesitatingly perform.' Shocked at the broad
assertion, I replied: 'You surely do not know what you are saying.
Obey the priest in all things! Why, you would not commit murder at his
command?' 'Certainly I would, if my priest bid me; for if I obey him,
I cannot do wrong.' I know this to be true; and I ask you what is the
inference? You admit that you have been deceived. Pious frauds were
committed in the time of Ambrose and Chrysostom; yet hear what St.
Augustine says: 'Lying is the saying of one thing, and thinking of
another;' and in all cases, even for most pious purposes, he excludes
lying as unchristian and anti-scriptural."

Florence was leaning with clasped hands on the table gazing intently
at her cousin; while Mary knelt on the other side, her hand resting
on the large family Bible. The light fell full on her pale face as she
knelt; her chestnut curls half veiling the pure white cheek, and the
dark-blue eyes, earnest, and yet almost angelic, in their gentle,
loving expression.

"Oh, Florry! need I implore you in future to look to Christ alone as
the author of our salvation?"

"One more question, Mary. Is there not a passage in Revelations
substantiating the doctrine of intercession? Father Mazzolin assured
me the testimony was conclusive in favor of that practise."

"The passages to which you allude are these: 'And another angel came
and stood at the altar, having a golden censor; and there was given
unto him much incense, that he should offer it, with the prayers of
all saints, upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And
the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the
saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.' No word of
intercession occurs here; and are we not as free to suppose that the
prayers so offered were in their own behalf as that of their friends?
Had it been as the Padre tells you, would not St. John have said
intercession or p