Pagina 1046 de 1118

May God preserve us from any exhibition of self-congratulation,

or carnal joy, at escaping that death against which they are

still struggling! May they see us depart, rendering thanks to

Heaven for ourselves, and praying for them; that they may say,

_Even beyond these walls they will remember us, they will

continue to pray for us!_ Let us begin from this moment, from the

first step we shall take into the world, a life of charity! Let

those who have regained their former strength, lend a fraternal

arm to the feeble; let the young sustain the old; let those who

are left without children become parents to the orphan, and thus

your sorrows will be softened, and your lives will be acceptable

to God!"

Here a deep murmur of sighs and sobs, which had been increasing

in the assembly, was suddenly suspended, on seeing the friar

place a cord around his neck and fall on his knees. All was

intense attention and profound silence.