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in this world were offered to me to renounce it, all should not move me one hair's breadth from my Roman Catholic faith. Roman Catholic I am, a Roman Catholic priest I am, a Roman Catholic priest of that religious order called the Society of Jesus I am; and I bless God who first called me, and I bless the hour in which I was first called, both unto that faith and function.

Please now to observe, I was condemned for reading mass, hearing confessions, administering the sacraments, anointing the sick, christening, marrying, preaching! As for reading the mass, it was the old, and still is, the accustomed and laudable liturgy of the Holy Church; and all the other acts, which are acts of religion tending to the worship of God; and for this dying, I die for religion. Moreover, know that when last May I was in London under examination concerning the plot, a prime examinant told me that to save my life and increase my fortunes I must make some discovery of the plot, or conform. Discover a plot I could not, for I knew of none; conform I would not, because it was against my conscience! Then, by consequence, I must die, and so now, dying, I die for conscience and religion; and dying upon such good scores, as far as human frailty permits, I die with alacrity, interior and exterior! From the abundance of the heart, let not only mouths, but faces also speak.

Here, methinks, I feel flesh and blood ready to burst into loud cries, tooth for tooth, eye for eye, blood for blood, life for life! No, crieth Holy Gospel, forgive and you shall be forgiven; pray for those that persecute you; love your enemies; and I profess myself a child of the Gospel, and the Gospel I obey.

Whomever, present or absent, I have ever offended, I humbly desire them to forgive me. As for my enemies, had I as many hearts as I have fingers, with all those hearts would I forgive my enemies. At least, with all that single heart I have, I freely forgive them all-my neighbors that betrayed me, the persons that took me, the justices that committed me, the witnesses that proved against me, the jury that found me, the judge that condemned me, and all others whomever that out of malice or zeal, covertly or openly, have been contributive to my condemnation; but singularly and especially, I forgive my capital persecutor, who hath been so long thirsty after my blood; from my soul I forgive him, and wish his soul so well, that, were it in my power, I would seat him a seraphim in heaven, and I pray for them in the language of glorious St. Stephen, the proto

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martyr: "Lord, lay not this sin unto them!» Or, better yet, in the style of our great master, Christ himself: "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do!"

And with reason I love them also, for though they have done themselves a vast soul-prejudice, yet they have done me an incomparable favor which I shall eternally acknowledge; but chiefly I love them for his sake, who said: "Love your enemies"; and in testimony of my love I wish them,- and it is the best of wishes, from the centre of my soul, I wish them a good eternity. Oh, Eternity, Eternity! How momentary are the glorious riches and pleasures of this world! and how desirable art thou, endless Eternity!

And for my sad enemies, attaining thereunto I humbly beseech God to give them the grace of true repentance before they and this world part.

Next to my enemies, give me leave to lift up my eyes, hands, and heart to heaven, and drop some few words of advice unto, and for my friends, as well those present as absent. Friends, fear God, honor your king, be firm in your faith, avoid mortal sin by frequenting the sacraments of Holy Church, patiently bear your persecutions and afflictions, forgive your enemies! Your sufferings are great! I say, be firm in your faith to the end,— yea, even to death; then shall ye heap unto yourselves celestial treasures in the heavenly Jerusalem, where no thief robbeth, no moth eateth, and no rust consumeth! And have that blessed saying of the blessed St. Peter, prince of the Apostles, always in your memory, which I heartily recommend unto you, namely: "Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief, but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God in his name!"

Now it is high time I make my address as to heaven, and supplicate the Divine Goodness in my own behalf, by some few short and cordial ejaculations of prayer.

LINCOLN AND HIS EARLY HOME.

Photogravure after a Photograph from Life. Copyright by W. H. Gillis, N. Y., 1854

E vignette shows the cabin in Eliz. bethtown, Hardin County, Ke.. tucky, in which the Lincoln family lived when the future Preside was an infart. It was built by his father and occupied by the tarally until their removal to Indiana, seven years later.