Holy Ghost,
who sanctified thee; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones and
dominations, cherubims and seraphims; in the name of the patriarchs and
prophets, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the holy monks and
hermits, of the holy virgins, and of all the saints of God. Let thy
place be this day in peace, and thy abode in _Sion_, through Christ, our
Lord." _R_. "Amen."

The offering up of this most beautiful prayer by the children for their
dying parent was not unattended with several breaks and pauses, caused
by the overwhelming grief of the poor orphans. They "gave out" the short
prayers of the litany very well, and without much interruption; but when
they came to the more solemn portion of that beautiful service, the
"recommendation of a departing soul," they could no longer restrain
their tears or suppress their lamentations.

Small blame to the poor children for this manifestation of grief, since
we have known instances of the most hardened hearts being touched, and
the most manly eyes yielding their tribute of tears, at the bare recital
of the most beautiful form of prayer for the "soul departing." We have
ourselves read this service a thousand times, at least, by the death
bedsides of many "departing souls;" and never could we once go through
the form of it entire without yielding to the weakness of nature, and
becoming speechless by the violence of our tears. Let the most obstinate
unbeliever attend but a few times by the bedside of a dying Catholic,
and observe the piety and faith of the priest and people around the bed
of the "soul departing;" and if he be not an atheist or a blasphemer of
God's providence, it is impossible for him not to perceive the
superiority of the Catholic religion to all other forms of worship that
ever existed. But to be present at the death hour of a Christian is a
privilege which Protestants and unbelievers seldom or never enjoy; their
levity and want of devotion, with their impiety and irreverence, being
sufficiently powerful obstacles to their admittance into such sacred
places as the chamber in which the sacred offices of religion are
administered to the "departing soul." It is only the true believers, and
not "those outside," who have the privilege of hearing the "prayer of
faith" that saves the sick man--it is only they who enjoy occasionally
the consolation from the inspiring words of the church to join their
tears, and unite their sighs, sobs, and sorrows with t